The Diego Diaries: Part Six
by arctapus
Summary: This continues the story from parts 1 through 5. The story continues. :D
1. Chapter 1

Oh crap. I edited and put things up and accidentally put part three here. I am replacing it with this. All the rest should be in order. Let me know if not. Thank you, Guest, for helping here. This is the introduction to part six since part seven died on me. -Me. :D


	2. Chapter 2

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form 1 (dd6 1)

-0-On a ship flying toward trouble

"What is functionalism and these slaggers? They were before my time," Springer said as he sat checking his weapon. "Mind you, I can still ventilate them ..." He grinned at Ratchet who grinned at him.

"I'll be your alibi. Don't let anyone tell you your old ma doesn't love you," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

Laughter greeted that, then Hercy glanced at Hard Drive who was sitting nearby looking thoughtful. "That's pretty simple. They were The System before The System. They decided that what you were, you always were. Your form determined your function. If you were a big mech, you couldn't be anything but what that format entailed or they'd destroy your efforts including you too if necessary. If you wanted to paint, fat chance. You had to be heavy equipment. The more rare and unusual your alternate format, the more status you had. You could even be exempt. The more common, the less status and importance you had. You were equipment and called the 'disposable class'. 'Data sticks' as they were called, information models like you, Prowl, depending on what their design was fell into that category. You were totally expendable and when they were finished with you, **you** were finished.

"They had cops everywhere and they even used your own optics to spy. They have simple forms and one optic faces. They also invented empurata if I remember," Hercy said as Hard Drive nodded.

"They did. It's not by accident that Shockwave looks the way he does. That's what the functionalists look like. They had the ability to 'recall' disposable mechs and femmes. If you no longer had a purpose or you could be turned against them, they would 'recall' you. They destroyed whole groups of individuals that way." Hardie sat straighter. "Ratchet, they had chips installed in a mech's processor. They could destroy vast groups that way."

Ratchet nodded, then turned to the ship's databases. "Teletraan III, this is Ratchet, code 5B-xxx4-alpha-zeta, 42031-67251-beta-zeta-2. I need access to all mainframes both on board ship as well as Mars and Cybertron. All levels of security, emergency status search. Override enabled."

"Teletraan III grants access," a feminine voice replied.

Ratchet worked furiously a moment, waited for data, then arose. He walked to Hercy. "Sit," he said as he pulled a plug. Inserting it, he turned to the computer station. "Teletraan, scan for the subject indicated."

"Working," Teletraan replied. It was silent a moment, then the voice replied. "Affirmative. It is found in sector PC-31 of the subject."

"Frag," Ratchet said transforming a digit. He began to unscrew a panel on Hercy's processor. "Sorry, Hercy. I have to do this."

"Go ahead, Ratchet," Hercy said as the panel was removed.

Ratchet looked inside, scanned the local area, then transformed his digits into tweezers. Reaching inside, he pulled out a long rectangular chip. Holding it up, he called upon Teletraan. "Scan, Auntie. Tell me what this is."

A beam hit the chip in Ratchet's servo, a beam from the ceiling sensor grid. Teletraan replied. "It is a destruction chip placed there during the confusion that occurred shortly after the First Cybertronian Civil War nearly ten million years ago. It was a control device during the period of the Functionalist Council Dominion. It is estimated that conservatively more than a billion individuals were disposed of by activating the chip remotely. Those who died were considered expendable and therefore, the 'disposable class' was created. After the Knights of Cybertron left to find Cybertopia and spread peace throughout the universe, the Functionalists gained control of society through the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy, a book that delineated what everyone was allowed to do and become. They have been missing from Cybertronian history shortly after the Civil War and opposition from the Anti-Vocationist movement."

"Who might have this chip, Teletraan. Speculate," Ratchet said with a growing grimness inside.

A pause, then the answer. "It is highly probable that anyone of a certain age on Cybertron or the Empire, anyone who might have lived before or at the beginning of the Golden Age carries the chip in their processor. It would require remote triggering to work, however, and can be removed. They were placed in the same processor slot, sector PC-31 for the efficiency of detonation."

It was as quiet as lead as everyone turned to Kup and Hard Drive. Ratchet motioned them over, then went through the process with both of them. They had chips as well. Prime watched with intense disquiet. "I knew you were elders but this changes everything. We have to assume that anyone of a certain age has this problem." He turned to Prime. "I would assume that it includes the elders of your family, mine and Ironhide's."

Prime's face was grim on a scale not seen among them since the moment it was clear that Cybertron would fall and they could do nothing about it. He thought for a moment, then turned to an equally grim Blaster. "Tell them, all of them, to come here."

Blaster sent the message and got a response. "One of Twelve, Four of Twelve, Ten of Twelve, and Eleven of Twelve are coming. They said the rest aren't necessary to a conversation or a negotiation."

"Ratchet," a voice said.

They turned to the computer who was still running a search program since Auntie hadn't been asked to discontinue. Ratchet walked to the computer. "Teletraan, this is Ratchet."

"Commander, it is determined by a search of files that are partially destroyed from age and warfare that the Functionalist faction when they conquered Cybertron nearly ten million years ago used a chip system of control for all members of society, especially those who were deemed 'disposable class'. They used a primary and secondary chip given that the Anti-Vocationist League had begun to splinter their power and their responses began to escalate."

Ratchet started. "Come here, Hercy."

The little mech walked to Ratchet, then sat as Ratchet plugged in. "Teletraan, rescan this subject and tell me if there is any tech of that sort still in him."

A beam shot out of the ceiling scanning Hercy from stem to stern. "Affirmative."

A cold chill went through the group as Ratchet began to get ready to remove it. "Teletraan, scan everyone on all the ships in this group as well as the Seekers with us for this chip and the backup measure. Report when concluded."

It was silent a moment, then Teletraan did. "None of the Seekers carry the chips. No one on the shuttles bears the chips. The three previous subjects have the backup system. No one else on board this vessel has one but for this vessel and the one called Gamma Supreme."

 **"WHAT THE FRAG!?"** a deep voice said. Loudly.

"Teletraan, please scan Xantium and Gamma. Let me know what is happening to them regarding this measure."

Ratchet removed another chip, one carefully hidden. It was scanned and confirmed. By the time he had removed the chips from Kup and Hard Drive, Teletraan was back. "I have detected similar chips in the processors of the vessels named Gamma and Xantium. They are not backed up with another chip but are designed to kill the vessel with the first. They can be removed."

"Frag that. **DO IT NOW!** " Xantium replied.

"Ratchet, this is Gamma. Are we a hazard to this mission? If so, should we leave?" Gamma asked in the usual manner of their frame. His concern was for others first. Xantium having lived a less sheltered and more 'real' life felt otherwise.

"We need to transfer to a shuttle and get them out of here, Optimus. They could be detonated," Ratchet said.

Prime rose and nodded. "Transfer to the City of Praxus and Impactor's revenge. Link me in to Ingot when we get there. I want both you and Xantium to return to Mars, Gamma. I want vast distances between you and this place." He looked at Ratchet. "Are these three safe?"

Ratchet nodded. "I have the six chips." He held out his servo where six silver data wafers were held. "I don't know how they work but their efficiency is legendary," he replied with great bitterness.

Prime nodded. "I know," he said. "Come with me, then both of you leave swiftly, Xantium."

"No problem, Prime," Xantium said with fire in his voice as the group on board headed to bridges to disperse. When they were off, the two arced around and left swiftly.

Walking to the command seat of Impactor's Revenge, Prime said. "Put me through, Blaster," he said with a cold voice. Blaster did. Prime sat back calming his spark. "One of Twelve, this is Optimus Prime."

:Lord Optimus, I am honored to hear your voice. The last Prime that I remember was Nominus:

"I have asked you to come aboard my ship, all of you. Xantium and Gamma had to return to base. We are here between our sanctuary and a massive Decepticon build up. They are led by the Predacon, Razorclaw, who is a ruthless and tactically advanced individual. I am requesting your presence on this ship. Transfer to it so we may discuss how to bring you and your people into safety." He glanced at Rem, the pilot. "Are the two clear?"

Rem nodded. "They bridged away a moment ago."

Prime nodded, then turned to toward the window to watch the array of ships before him. "Are there any ships there without sentient lifeforms? Scan carefully. We do not want a mistake."

Rem scanned the ships deeply and carefully calling upon Teletraan-Nexus, a node that was on the Proxima Centauri Deep Space Array that would access with great swiftness the massed sentient data entity that was all of the Teletraans wherever they were. 'Auntie' could now assist those who were out in space with all of their data and sensor problems. It took a moment, then Rem pointed to a small tanker that was near the midway space on the outside leading edge of the group. "That ship is supply and has nothing aboard that registers any energy remotely related to sentient."

"That is assured?" Prime asked.

Rem nodded. "Teletraan rates the scan at nearly 100%. The margin is not complete due to the generation of static energy by some of the systems aboard. It's a supply carrier tied into their systems and follows on a drone program."

Prime nodded. Then One of Twelve was back. "We are aware of the Decepticons, Lord Optimus. We would like to speak with you, the four of us. We are prepared to come to your ship."

Prime stared at the scene outside the window with a growing fury. He nodded to Blaster who transmitted the message. Down ship, the bridge purred into life as four mechs walked through it. They were met by Ironhide who led them to the bridge where Prime sat with Prowl and Hard Drive standing behind him. The others sat or stood around the big room as the four walked to Prime and bowed.

They were eerie mechs, the four of them. Three of them were some version of yellow with one blue. They had the same simplistic shape and format with the same helm. It was a basic format but held only one optic. Their optics were yellow and glowed. It was clear that the belief they were responsible for empurata was borne out by their own appearance. Shockwave was destroyed by their ideas and practices. One of them spoke. "I am One of Twelve, Lord Optimus. We seek sanctuary. Our system of worlds has become dangerous and inconducive to life."

Prime nodded. "So it would seem. I am not unwilling to allow you to come if you do so under my own set of requirements. Anyone who comes to our colony or to Cybertron must surrender their databases, all of them to a scan and archival. We do not allow any devices to get a pass from this requirement. We are trying to recreate our culture and history. Thus, we scan and copy all informational devices, returning them to their owners when that is accomplished. That is also the rule with any literature, art, music, and film that might be in your possession. We also require a full and complete download of any navigational databases, ship travel logs, information about space that you have traversed, and other data to be determined. We are trying to build a picture of the galaxy in this sector. We have many enemies and few friends. We also have very little data in the sectors from which you appear to come."

The four turned to each other to discuss offline what Prime had said. They leaned slightly together with their helms in close proximity. It was unsettling to see such a machine-like set of behaviors out of mechs who weren't drones. They concluded, then turned to him. "We are unable to complete all of your requests, Optimus Prime. We decline access to our data. Our flight plan will be granted, of course. We concur about the area in which we inhabited but only the flight plan itself. None of the areas in which we have inhabited will be disclosed."

"Why?" Hard Drive asked. "Why not tell us unless you're hiding genocide too?"

The tension was tremendous in the room as both sides stared at the other, then Eleven of Twelve stepped forward. His function was the mediator, so he stepped in to debate the issue. "We understand your interest in the sectors we have called home for generations since the Golden Age. We have left it behind and we do not wish to revisit a past that was hard and unproductive. Surely, you can understand our reluctance to revisit that area now that we have left it."

"Surely, you can understand how some of us remember what it was like to live under Functionalist rule," Hercy said. "I remember it. What about you, General?"

Hard Drive nodded as his son and grandson stepped closer to stand on either side of him. Raptor looked molten and Blackjack looked brutal. "I remember. Who can forget?"

"There will be no negotiation," Prime said quietly. "You will surrender your ships and crews to me. I will accept nothing less." He glanced at Blaster. "Mute this vessel and the others in our flight to any signal transfer. Have the Seekers offline their signal reception."

Blaster sent the messages, then turned to Prime. "It's done. The Seekers are unable to receive. If we want their assistance, we have to signal them in another way."

Prime nodded. "We are aware of your 'recall' methods. I want to know how you accomplish this and have the mechanism handed to me. Now."

One of Twelve glanced at the others, then Prime. "If we decide that isn't productive?"

Prime considered the matter of genocide, the vulnerability of his colonies, home world, and everyone there. If they could fulfill this function around their own people, it was possible that every member of their species of a certain age who still bore this abomination without their knowledge would die immediately as their processor burst from the explosion. It could mean the death of millions. He glanced at Blaster. "Take out that ship."

Blaster moved to fire control, sat down, then sent the message. A stream of light shot out and engulfed the small ship. It blew up and threw its shrapnel into three other vessels. One imploded on the damaged side while the others flared with fire which then winked out.

The four mechs stared at the drama out of the window, then turned to Prime. "That was unnecessary," One of Twelve said with indignation.

"Give to me the device by which you remotely destroy our people or I will tear Eleven of Twelve into confetti," Prime said in an even cold voice.

Eleven of Twelve shifted, stepping back a bit as the others glanced at each other. Then One of Twelve gathered himself. "You won't do that. You're a Prime. You don't kill like that."

Prime considered the figure before him, one that had probably killed without conscience maybe a billion or two of their own people over the eons. As he rose, as he reached for Eleven of Twelve, a stray thought flashed through his processor along with a whisper from out of the ether. One of Twelve was wrong as hell the thought said and a soft feminine voice spoke of Her support as his big servo closed around the Functionalist's neck.

-0-TBC 5-10-17 **edited 5-12-17**

ESL: ether:

 _a_ : the rarefied element formerly believed to fill the upper regions of space

 _b_ : the upper regions of space : heavens


	3. Chapter 3

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 3)

-0-On a battle shuttle in the deepness of space

He gripped Eleven of Twelve by the neck lifting him off his peds. He kicked at Prime who bore the blow stoically. The others looked shocked but One of Twelve to his credit called out to Prime. **"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! PUT HIM DOWN!"**

Prime heard him even as he calculated what he was prepared to do. The specter of a billion or so of his own people falling to the ground dead filled his spark with rage but it wasn't a bonfire. It was a seething heat that didn't overcome his control. He gripped an arm of the flailing mech in his servo, then ripped it off. The spray of the mech's energon splashed his comrades. They raised their arms to protect themselves as energon sprayed out of the shoulder that flamed up, then shot out sparks. Prime flung his own arm backward with Eleven's arm in his grasp. It struck One of Twelve in the face pushing him into the other two. They staggered with his fall, then righted each other.

No one else moved. Most of them had seen Prime in battle and knew he was a combiner-level combatant. This wasn't something they hadn't seen him do before. He did what was needed and little more. All of them knew that this was a tradeoff that Prime had made inside with himself. The needs of the many outweighed the selfishness of the few or even the one for that matter. He was the embodiment of the agony of his people, who knew how many were dead by these mechs, and nothing would stop him from getting what he needed to save the rest.

He slammed Eleven of Twelve into the bulkhead, then let him go. Eleven slid down the side smearing the wall with his own energon. Turning to the others, Prime began to beat them with the arm he still gripped. Over and over, he rained blows down upon them until they were crouching on the floor. He paused the action as he towed over them, his affect murderous. They stared upward at Prime, then he leaned closer. "The device or I will beat you to death with your own arms and legs." He stepped back to wait, Eleven's dented arm hanging bloodily in his huge grip.

No one moved, not even Ratchet. They waited for Prime to get what he needed. Any device that could kill millions with a single press of a button was worth anything they had to do to retrieve it. None of them would stop Prime no matter how hard he had to press forward with this tactic.

Prime stared at the three as they discussed their situation amongst each other. He was calm inside oddly enough as the soothing energy of his patron, Lady Solus the Maker surged through him. He had heard her voice encouraging him to put aside the intrinsic decency that had made him special all of his life to do this disagreeable thing. She urged him to do what was a necessary but contemptable action to Prime's personal code of honor. The People were in peril and he had to act. She sent him energy from outside the realm of the third-dimensional plane upon which he lived and this moment was occurring. It tingled on his dermal layer and he knew it was her. It helped a lot that she did.

One of Twelve stood slowly and the others followed. "You **must** help Eleven. He will be harmed greatly."

"No one leaves this ship alive if I do not get what I want. **None** of you," Prime said in a dangerous voice.

One shifted, then nodded. "We activate it together. We have the codes and input them into the master computer which sends the signal. We recall absolete tech in that manner as per the wishes of Adaptus of the Guiding Hand."

"Don't hang that on Him, **slagger** ," Raptor said darkly. "This isn't about religion. This is about bigotry and murder. You better cough it up or I'll volunteer to kill you myself. Slowly. Painfully."

One of Twelve stared at him, then Prime. "I told you how it works."

Prime turned to Ratchet. "Disable any function that they might have that will cause problems. Every system and function up to and including their sparks."

Ratchet nodded, drew a handheld, then pointed it at the three who turned toward him and put up their servos. **"No!"** Four of Twelve said before the group slumped to the floor offlined for the moment. He walked past Prime, clipped off the bleeding lines on Eleven's arm socket, then glanced at his leader. "I'll take the arm, Optimus," he said reaching for and retrieving it.

"Put it back up his aft where it belongs, Ratchet," Blackjack said with fury. "What now, Prime?"

Prime didn't answer. His consciousness was not in the room with them.

-0-Elsewhere on another dimensional plane

Prime blinked as he came to awareness. He was on a patio deck which bordered the Sea of Mercury. The undulating beauty of the sea was nearby, down from a beach of silver sand. A house was behind him with open doors, a beach house that only the wealthy could afford. The wealthy and Primes. This was the beach house that the Primes used on the seashore. There were two chairs on the deck facing the silvery beauty beyond and Solus Prime was sitting in one with a smile and two drinks in her servos. "Sit, my dear brother. We have to talk."

He hesitated, then sat. She held out a drink, one oddly enough with a small umbrella sticking out of it like those from Earth. She grinned. "I think some of the things humans do are very cute. Sit back and sip your drink. I'm aware that you did something outside your normal behavior and I don't want you spending a decaorn punishing yourself."

"I do not believe in gratuitous violence, Lady," he said as he stared at the drink. He took a sip. It was cold and delicious.

"You defended millons, maybe even billions of our people just now. They cannot be trusted, Optimus. Their logic is that of the machine, without compassion or dignity. When a bolt wears out and has no further function, they have no problem extracting it, then tossing it away. Their philosophy is counter to that which is taught by those they say they venerate. They have done much wrong. You did the right thing." She grinned. "Does it help you to hear me say that?"

He looked at her, then nodded. "It does, Lady, but it still feels wrong."

"It is but the need outweighed the moment. What if they didn't tell you and somehow managed to send a message for recall? Would you be upset about four mechs making a small downpayment on what they owe or would you rather see millions lying around dead?" she asked. "First, the Quintessans, then them, then The System, then the war, and near extermination of our people. It's a straight line, brother, from one hell to another. You are the one who breaks the pattern."

"I will do my best," Optimus said as the scene began to fade.

"You always do," came a whisper that faded even as reality began to come back into focus.

He blinked, then he was back. Prime looked around, wincing slightly at Eleven who was lying on the floor with the others. "Please take care of them, Ratchet. We have to take out the others. What about their ability to function as a unit. Are they offline or will they be able to help the others if they retaliate?"

Ratchet stood up, consulted the device in his servo, then turned to Prime. "They register only the most minimal life support features. I think if we take them out of here it'll help us in case there are features we don't know about."

"Do it. Raptor, film them on the floor. Perhaps if they have a special function we can find out when we show the others the images," Prime said as Raptor filmed the silent mechs and took several pictures. He sent them wifi to Blaster. Prime watched as Ratchet called for stretchers. The bridge brought them in and the bridge took them out. He consigned them to repair under Gypsy and First Aid's care, then heavy detention in the security ward of Metroplex Femme. They were under Primal seal which meant only Prime or his designees could enter the ward. "Blaster, open a channel to the Ingot," he said.

"They no longer have a mediator," Ratchet said with a slight grin.

"Good," Prowl said grimly.

The screen reappeared with a one-opticed face, that of Nine of Twelve, the Inquisitor. "Lord Optimus. We cannot raise our colleagues."

"I know," Prime said as he sat down in the command chair once more. "They are indisposed."

The eight remaining mechs glanced at each other. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Show them the images," Prime said as he stared coldly at the mechs on the screen.

Images of the four councilors laying side by side on the floor, energon splashed and with one missing a limb filled the monitor, then were replaced with Prime's cold stare. They were silent a moment, then Nine of Twelve, the Inquisitor, straightened his posture. He was the one who intimidated and probed. He was assuming that role once again it was evident. "We are astonished. We wish to have our colleagues back, Prime. We demand that you send them now."

"No," Prime said.

The mechs on the screen stared at him, then each other. They were conversing when Prime turned to Blaster. "Sheer off the tail section of the most damaged ship. Beware if anyone is there."

Blaster nodded, then walked to fire control. With a careful scan and calculation, he put a beam of light into the tail section of the damaged listing ship. It exploded spewing shrapnel into the sides of two other ships before the fire flares died.

Nine glanced sharply back at the screen. "What did you do?"

"I applied logic to my problem, formulated a plan, then enacted it without emotion or concern for others. Sound familiar?" Prime asked.

"What do you want, Prime? We came here for sanctuary at your call," Nine said as Two of Twelve stepped forward to stand next to him.

"I want you to do what I require the way I require it and if you do not, I will take you apart bolt by bolt. I want your surrender. I want you to put down your guns and surrender. How difficult is that?" Prime asked.

They stared at him, then turned to each other. They discussed their situation, then Nine turned back to the screen. "We are withdrawing. It was a mistake to come here."

"You will not go anywhere," Prime said. "I am the Prime of Cybertron and you will obey me. If we have to slice your ships apart meter by meter, I will order it so. Surrender to me. Shut down your ship's non-essential systems, put all weapons in lockers, then fuse them, and prepare to be boarded. Are there any questions or do we stop playing here and I tell my crew to destroy all of you one-by-one?"

It was silent a moment as they stared at him. "You give us no choice. We can't fight your firepower."

"How does it feel?" Blackjack asked. "How does it feel to be an empty?"

They stared at him, then Prime. "We shall comply."

"I wouldn't trust them, Prime. They have no honor," Raptor said with a poisonous tone.

"We will destroy them if they do not comply. You tell your people, Nine. Tell them that death is the only alternative to obedience," Prime said coldly.

It was a stand off for a moment, then Nine nodded. "We have no choice but to comply."

" **Do it** ," Prime said with an edge to his voice. "We will have you on sensors. If you do **anything** but comply, we will destroy your group. Every ship, every spark. Understand?"

Nine nodded. "Understood."

"Mute the sound but keep the screen open. Send for boarding troops, the tougher, the better," Prime said glancing at Prowl. "I want shock troops to do this swiftly. Secure the databases. If they look like they are destroying anything in your scans, tell me. I will personally go there and rip them to shreds myself."

Raptor nodded, then turned to a console to make it so.

-0-On the runway at Autobot City Military Airfield, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Ships settled on the ground brought up from the ship depot two hundred miles from here. There, in the shadow of a huge crater's broken eroded rim, several hundred ships were parked waiting to be called up. They were all military including three hospital vessels of battleship size. They were the response armada of the colony for migration, intruder, natural disaster, and transport emergencies. There was always a number of ships fitted out and ready for flight on the flight line here in The City as well. They were the emergency squad that formed the core of the response. Anything more, they came here to Mars Depot #3 to get what was needed and necessary to assist.

The new commander and lead mechanic was none other than Roadie, newly promoted and deliriously happy with a base of his own, every conceivable kind of ship and mechanical problem, along with a massive hangar and administrative complex. He had a great office but most often, he was inside the guts of a ship nearly every orn. A bridge brought pilots as he stood outside with the Master of the Muster sending them to the proper ships that he had okayed to leave. They would go to the Military Airfield Flight Line in Autobot City to get their soldiers, then leave for Prime's location.

It would be fast, then it would be over as the ships disappeared into the sky. Roadie watched them go, then walked toward a big hangar nearby where a special vessel was being built, one that would have the capacity to transcend dimensional rifts. It was the brainchild of a number of very smart, very adventurous young physicists in Sciences. If it worked, they might be able to go to Soft Space and pay their respects to the titans resting there. Roadie hoped if they did, he could go along as a mechanic.

The sun was warm on his receptors as he walked into the hangar and the choreographed chaos of mass construction.

-0-On the way to Mandalay …

"Well, this sounds weird. What I know about the Functionalists you can cram into a teacup," a big mech said as he sat by the bulkhead sharpening a long knife with a whetstone. He was a gnarly bot who had been a Wrecker. He was no one's fool and Primus help those who thought otherwise. The rest of the time he was a dedicated bond, ada to three tiny girls who ruled his Casbah, and painter.

Of houses and interiors.

"They're like The System slaggers but at transwarp speed," another said. He was a brutishly big mech with a no-nonsense personality that cloaked a good-natured and jovial off-duty persona. He was a Day Watch mech who worked the jails. Everyone else bagged them, he transported them to the main lock up at the Courthouse or the prison. His bond was a Seeker, one of the rare mixed couples and they were the proud genitors of three college boys.

"Great. I apologize in advance if I break one of them. Accidentally," another big mech said. He was a bachelor who worked heavy construction, like to have a drink (or five) with friends after work, was a shop foreman for his union, and built models of ships in his spare time. He was a great guy (when sober) and a demon on the battlefield. He was a former Decepticon.

The others laughed. They agreed. Their ship flew onward into the darkness of space heading for the Trigger and a short jump with eight more vessels to Prime.

-0-Metroplex Elder, Femme, and Youngling Hospital, Metroplex Administrative Plaza, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They were wheeled in, all of them but Eleven who was taken into surgery. Gee-Gee had come herself as her deputy wardens and others worked out the prison ships for their new haul in the new migration. The three were taken into the high-security detention ward and placed on berths. Energon bonds gripped them by the arms, ankles, and chest. They were hooked up to monitor for their condition, then everyone walked out.

"Let us know what you need, Gee-Gee," Gypsy said as they walked down the corridor. "We can keep them as long as you want. We'll put the other in here when he's out of surgery. We're matching another arm to the missing place."

"Prime must have been wonderfully angry to do that to them," Gee-Gee said with a slight grin. "Poor things."

Gypsy grinned back. "I don't remember much about their faction but I've never heard anything good."

"You never will," Gee-Gee said as she nodded, then walked out to lead her three prison ships to Prime's location.

-0-At the Monastery of the Clavus Aurea

Cyclonus read the message with a frown. It appeared that the Functionalist Council had made their way here and perhaps required their support. After all, their Pantheon was the same as his. The Guiding Hand was the center of their practice, this alternative version of creation. The two sides lived side-by-side without much rancor over the eons with Primus and the Pantheon in opposition to Unicron becoming the dominant belief system for the majority of their people.

The Guiding Hand was a smaller, more demanding practice, including intense scholarship with a bit of self denial thrown in. They were respected and consulted, especially here and everyone therein took their roles very seriously. They were looking for Omega Keys, helping restore the culture and historical-religious context to their lives once more, as well as adding an important point of view to the mix. He was Master of the Monastery, a role that filled his spark with meaning and joy. It was his job to ensure that the teachings were accurate, their outcomes beneficial to The People and to answer any challenges, threats or other aggressions personally.

This was one such moment. He glanced at the group who were gathered around them. They were the council that ran the facility, developed its educational and public outreaches, and organized the scholarship and now, relic restoration that was undertaken here. "I will go to Prime and see what this is about. I will report to you. If it's a problem, prepare to meet when I get back to discuss this." He turned to the Gatekeeper. "You may have the keys while I am away."

The Gatekeeper bowed his helm, then all watched as Cyclonus walked out the door onto the platform outside, transformed, then blasted upward to disappear in the sky. The Gatekeeper turned to watch the others disperse back to where they were before. He would run the facility and answer all the many different voices that required this and that thing done. He would be defacto Cyclonus until the Master returned. He stood on the platform outside for a while looking at the panoramic view of the colony before heading back to his post near the door. He would spend his afternoon working on a commentary for a scroll on the economics of the Golden Age around Iacon and answer questions for visitors. Most of them he would allow to go inside.

-0-Out there

Springer, Kup, Hercy, and Drift caught rides on the backs of Seekers, heading with them to the big group of silver ships that floated nearby. Gee-Gee and her prison ships had just come into view and were waiting near Prime's ship for customers. They would get some shortly.

-0-TBC 5-11-17 **edited 5-12-17**

NOTE: The Functionalists and their slag are canon for Transformers. :D


	4. Chapter 4

The Diego Diaries: Function (dd6 4) Well, here we go. Sorry about that.

-0-At the Residence

"That is so cute. Is it new?"

Prowl glanced at Miler. "It is. Ironhide's lady in Vermont did it. We skyped to get everything just right."

Miler nodded. "I'm so sorry that Optimus can't be here, Prowl. How long do you have before you go back or do you have to?"

"I'm going to start the game and hopefully, I can stay for it. It all depends on the situation out there. I might be able to stay but I don't know," Prowl said as he stood with Miracle in his arms. He grinned at his son who grinned back. "Is it time? Is everyone ready?"

Miler nodded. "Let's go shall we?"

Everyone gathered together to leave and did. The door closed behind them.

-0-Out there

Prime waited for word from the crew that was standing on the skin of The Ingot. They were going to board the lead ship while the others went through the process of surrender. He watched them through the forward screen as Springer gathered a crew and ship boarding Seekers to back them up.

Springer walked along the top of the ship as in the near distance Prime's vessel floated. He paused by the top hatch, the one that would drop into the command deck, then turned to the Seekers. :We're going in now. Be ready to slam this ship into the Pit if we call:

They nodded as Drift, Kup, and Hercy moved to stand around the hatch. Springer rapped on it. :This is Springer of the Prime's flight. Open up and let us in. If you make this hard, we're going to chop you to tiny little bits. Any questions?:

:This is Two of Twelve. Our ship is surrendered:

Springer nodded to the others, then pulled the hatch to one side. He looked down, then stepped off the edge. Sliding in, he magnetized to the floor. The others dropped with him. It was bright on the deck which was as remarkably clean and organized as expected. The eight remaining councilors were gathered forward. They stared at the Wreckers without comment. Hercy noting their demeanor decided to nip anything that might happen in the bud. He stepped forward. "You're all under arrest by order of the Prime of Cybertron. Empty out your subspace and be quick about it. You're looking at an exempt mech. If I blew a hole in your helms, no one will convict me. My trigger digit is getting itchy." He pulled out his big old gun and pointed it at them.

They complied.

-0-At the tunnel in the stadium

The crowds fogged in, all of them hyped to the heavens for the game ahead. It was covered from every possible angle by IntraComm for broadcast to any number of places and worlds. The atmosphere was electric as the stands began to acquire the masses. They filled to the maximum and still more came. When it was obvious there could be no more added, the gates were closed. Outside, there were a few arguments and a couple of fights but it settled as everyone turned away hurried to find a place to watch the game. The bars and restaurants would be doing box office business.

The humans had arrived, those who were eligible to come and were in their safe spots. The families of Ironhide and Prime were here and ensconced in the Primal Box. They included an incredulous Cooper-Barnet family et al who were led there by Bos, Co-D, and Reflector. Those three were standing with Sunspot on benches two rows down with a handheld devicew checking out the league. A short trip to the locker rooms was going to happen in a moment as Appa Ratchet and Appa Chan stood ready to take them.

The hoo-hah was tremendous as Prowl stood in the tunnel below holding his son. Soon it would be time for the pre-game show to begin. Alor was there to play the anthems and the Old Army Band was present also. He waved to the little kids, Sunspot and Spot included as they walked past to go to the locker rooms with their appas. In minutes, the show would begin.

-0-Out there

They scanned the ship finding a number of individuals on board. Most of them were of a rare type of transformation and thus, they held a higher level of status than most would. But then, that was how the lie of 'form dictates function' worked. The eight councilors were seething but silent as the ship was turned over, every corner and deck searched. Hercy watched the group with a blasé expression. "What's the story, infant?" he asked as Drift walked back to the command deck.

"They're clear for guns. There's a number of high tones here and a staff of expendables. I suggest we call a transport over to take them and put a pilot on board." Drift looked at the eight silent mechs. "I don't suppose we can expect trouble from the other ships. Right?"

Two of Twelve nodded. "The group is surrendered. I do protest this. Why are we under arrest?" he asked.

Hercy shrugged. "Because you're ugly?"

Two big bruiser Wreckers laughed, then one sprung the side hatch door that normally led to jetways when the ship was on the ground at airports. Outside, a big prison vessel floated, then a yellow beam shot out to touch the Functionalist ship. Gee-Gee and three hulking guards walked over, then stepped inside. "We're here. I understand you have packages for us?" she asked with a grin.

Hercy nodded. "Christmas comes late this year," he said.

She looked at the eight. "Come with me. You belong to me now and if you show me anything but blind obedience, I will have to hurt you. Don't make me hurt you. I'm an ada."

They stared at her, then walked toward the door. They would walk across the energy bridge to the ship to be processed and put into cells. It would take a bit of time to clear the ship, then get a pilot there. In the end, it would be the first one to head back to Mars where its databases and computers would be scanned and sorted for information to what might lay farther down the trail from where they were. No one was looking forward to learning what that might be.

-0-Game

The ground crew carried the keyboard out and the band followed. Walking out together to play the introductory music, the crowd went nuts. Alor sat with a grin, then began to play both the anthems of Cybertron and that of the Primes. Trooper began to sing and so did the crowd. As they did, Prowl walked out a bit, then planted two flags. One was of Cybertron and Mars together and the other was that of the Emblem of the Primes. He walked back, then bent down to Miracle. "Do you remember what to do?" he asked.

Miracle smiled. "I do, Ada."

"Then show them what a good brave mech you are," Prowl said.

Miracle nodded, then walked out of the tunnel toward the two flags. The crowd howled as the baby ambled out. Miracle slowed to look around, then glanced back at Prowl. Prowl nodded encouragement, so Miracle continued. He reached the two flags, pulled them out, then waved them. He was clad in properly insulated clothing, a brand new onsie that was designed to be a perfect rendition of his father's armor and colors. It had been created by Ironhide's seamstress in Vermont on Earth and fit him like a glove. He looked like a carbon copy of his big old dad. He stood in the sunlight waving the two flags, smiling brilliantly at everyone.

The camera lovingly took in the image of the tiny version of Prime standing in for him at the game. He turned to Prowl, then walked back to him with the flags. Prowl picked him up, then walked to the stairs to the box where he would stay as long as he could. It was a great way to fill in for the Prime.

-0-Out there

The ship was cleared out as a team from a science ship descended upon it. Two had come through the Triggers to search for clues that might lead to a rescue somewhere back down the trail by which this group had come. As they began to check the group ship-by-ship, it was clear to everyone there that this was a migration that wasn't representative of their culture nor typical of the type of individual that could be found there. These were highly placed individuals among the Functionalist hierarchy, those with rare transformational abilities and lastly, a large group of mechs that served their needs.

As each ship was cleared, as the probable criminals were sorted from those that were servants, the ship databases, and other information was being scanned for a series of markers that would indicate their content as well as any other data that would let them know where this group had come from and who, what, and where there might be anyone in danger or need. It was a given among them that this would be so. It was only a matter of finding the information.

-0-Game

The first team out of the tunnel was Simfur. The Templars walked proudly out with their banners flying. They walked to the center of the field, planted their flags, then bowed to the Primal Box. When that was accomplished, they did their war dance and battle cry, then lined up to wait for Kaon to come out.

Standing in the tunnel with the dogs, bug, and team, four little mechs with sashes and smiles waited to walk out onto the field. The team looked glorious as they stood with one twin in the lead as team captain and one at the end bringing up the rear. When the call came, they walked out with Sunstreaker carrying their banner. It was almost unbearable the noise of the crowd as they walked out. In the stands, watching with astonished happiness, Bos, Co-d and Reflector's families and friends were hollering as loudly as anyone else.

They walked to the middle, planted their banner, bowed, then did their war dance and cry. It was then that the refs walked out and the teams departed to their positions on the lines. Leading the dogs and a bug, four little mechs followed Kaon to the benches. The cameras lingered on them lovingly as they did. When they reached the sidelines, everyone gathered for the pre-game hut-hut. When they broke, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe led the offense onto the field to receive the toss.

Kaon had the first chance to score.

-0-Out there

They sat around the command deck on the shuttle listening to the techs who had scanned the databases for information about this group's journey. The intel was pointing out that they had originated in a solar system on the other side of the barren that was far enough from the Empire to keep them from being spotted until now but not so far that they couldn't with only some privation make it to Prime. The area that they occupied was still part of the Decepticon dominion. It had not surrendered and much wasn't known about it. This group had flourished there, then left abruptly. They had been there a long enough time to accumulate population. Unfortunately, the group they were dealing with now didn't comprise all that should have been present.

It was deeply foreboding.

"I want their flight plan assembled. I want to know where they started, what they did along the way, and what the circumstances of their life were at their point of origin. I want to find everyone who might not be here and get them to safety," Optimus said grimly.

"They might not be there anymore, Optimus," Hard Drive said grimly. "I've seen two 'recalls' during their rule. They have no problem ending what they consider non-essential personnel, no matter who, nor how many. I shudder to think what we're going to find."

Prime nodded, then all turned to the hatch as it opened. A big mech slid in, then stood on the deck. He turned to Prime, then nodded. "I am here, Optimus Prime," Cyclonus said grimly.

-0-TBC 5-13-17 **edited 5-15-17**

Notes: The information about the Functionalists is canon and there are great stories about them out there. Their system justified murder and genocide and depended upon everyone believing the same lies about their 'place' in society.


	5. Chapter 5

The Diego Diaries: Function (dd6 5)

-0-On the ground

The game began with a toss to Kaon who caught it. Both teams ran along the sideline until they came nearly to the end zone before Kaon was run out of bounds. Rad-R who had run the ball ran back to the huddle. They made their plans, then returned to the line. Sitting in the stands with Riff, Edict, his daughter, and a young mech of dubious caste persuasion, Hobbes watched with anticipation as well. He loved football which was the national pass time along with racing. He wanted Simfur to win. It wasn't because he was that religious. He just hated Kaon and its teeming pools of poverty and violence. He had no conscious connection to his own part in creating it. He just felt what he felt. But then, a lot of people hated or disliked Kaon for the same reasons. It was one of the hardest luck and dangerous towns on Cybertron and no accident that Megatron would make it his military capital. It still jarred him, however, that Rad-R was playing for Kaon. His son, Riff, was on a respectable team, Praxus. He would have to see what Raff could to do to get one too.

It would be a tense but ultimately joyful experience for Edict.

-0-On the deck of Impactor's Revenge

"Cyclonus, thank you for coming. I am in need of your wise counsel," Prime said. He was speaking formally to Cyclonus, himself the Master of the biggest representation of the Guiding Hand philosophy in their culture, the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea. It was a respectful start and Cyclonus felt it.

"I am here to advise, Optimus Prime," he replied with a bow of his helm.

"The Functionalist Council has arrived with a group of ships that we are sure does not represent everyone that was in the sphere of their influence. We are deeply concerned what lies down the trail they traveled to get here. What can you tell me about them and their philosophy? We know that they espouse the Guiding Hand as their principal theme."

Cyclonus moved to sit on a chair. He was silent a moment, then looked at Prime with fury on his face. "They're killers. They use the Guiding Hand as a justification for their actions. Nowhere in the philosophy of our beliefs is there justification for recalls and mass murder. We do not hold to their 'theories' about how 'things should be', nor do we believe the Pantheon supports them. What they practice and impose is another form of slavery modeled after the Quintesson Oppression. They are not a part of the Guiding Hand practice and any attempt by them to justify their behavior on that notion is rejected out of hand. They do **not** speak for us."

Prime nodded. "I believe so as well. They have been taken into custody. I am going to interrogate the curator, Seven of Twelve. I would appreciate it if you could assist. I am not as intricately versed in the nuances of your faith and beliefs, though I am not without knowledge. I intend to further familiarize myself in future on all the beliefs and customs of our people. For now, I require your assistance, Master Cyclonus."

Cyclonus nodded, pleased with both the expression of respect to him as the singular and most important leader of the Guiding Hand belief system and Prime's interest in becoming more knowledgeable. "I am your servant."

That percolated through a number of neural nets in the room as they waited. Springer drifted over towing a mech behind him. Reaching the hatch, he grinned. Shoving the mech inside, he entered too. "We got him out of a cell. Gee-Gee is reaping what we sow."

Prime nodded. He looked at the mech with a rather simple plain design and the disconcerting unnerving singular optic in the middle of his face. All of their species had designs that differed somewhat. Personal choice was always a factor in their formats. However, a singular optic wasn't common nor was it considered attractive. Binary beings followed the path of more species in the universe than one could imagine. Two arms, two legs, two hands, two ears and eyes, this was the major design of humanoid-shaped figures everywhere. Having duality instilled from creation with its aesthetic as well as practical aspects evident, it was startling even to as wildly diverse a species as the Cybertronians to see a single optic. Empurata created as a punishment by the Functionalist Council ensured that the victim had only one after torture was concluded and it was not only ugly but reminded everyone there of that terrible punishment.

 **Their** terrible punishment.

"You are Seven of Twelve. I am Optimus Prime. With me are my general staff and Master Cyclonus of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea. I am in need of information and I command you to tell me. No matter what your philosophy tells you to do, you are my subject and you will comply. Do you understand?"

Seven stared at him, then bowed slightly. "Understood."

"Tell me where you came from. What was your life like there and how many of our people were there with you?" Optimus asked.

One could almost hear the thought process of the mech as he considered the questions. Answering them was going to hurt. "We came from near the Benzuli Rifts, the far side of what we called The Ravages … the tumultuous energy rifts that populate that side of the universe," he replied.

"That is Decepticon territory. How did you manage to stay there unknown until now?" Cyclonus interjected.

"The Ghosts there, the phantom ships kept everyone away. They would have to travel through that space to reach us," Seven said.

"You're welcome," Blackjack said bitterly. "Too bad I didn't know you were there. I would have paid you a neighborly call."

Cyclonus glanced at Blackjack. "That was you?"

'Jack nodded. "Yes. We kept the 'Cons out and gave you cover. I wish I had known," he said as he stared at Seven with a venomous expression.

"Tell me in detail about your colonies and what the situation was there for your settlement," Prime said.

Seven took almost too long to answer but when Cyclonus shifted to face him, staring at him with a hard expression that only the big mech could conjure, Seven stepped unconsciously away. "We had four settlements. There were about half a million individuals. We traded with the local aliens and kept to ourselves. We were building a civilization in the wake of catastrophe."

"Which one? The one when you were overthrown from your tyranny and had to flee or the last one that grew out of your hatred? We had both because of you, slagger. Be more specific," Ironhide vented.

"We needed to settle so we did." Seven turned toward Prime but didn't speak further.

"You say you had half a million individuals but there are only at best 4,500 in this migration. Where are the rest of the people?" Prime asked.

It was incredibly tense in the room as they waited with growing dread for the small mech to tell what had happened to 500,000 individuals.

-0-Kaon v Simfur

They faced each other along the line with towers teetering with menace. Sideswipe had the ball and it was time to move. He faked a throw down the line, then barreled in knocking towers into each other. A free player grabbed his arm but he twirled, pouring on the speed as he ran for the goal. A toss to Sunstreaker, a pass to Rad-R, then back to Sideswipe transpired in the wink of an optic before Sideswipe put the ball through the hoop. The crowd went wild.

-0-Out there

It was so silent it was painful before Seven spoke. "They remain there. We didn't have enough ships to take everyone. We came here to seek assistance, Lord Optimus. We came here to gain protection and assistance."

"It required 4,500 of you to do that?" Raptor asked.

Seven glanced at him. "We came in a delegation, General. It is our way."

"You came with those you deemed worthy of living. We **know** your **'way'**. How many of the others are still alive, Seven? How many of them did you recall?" Hard Drive asked.

He glanced at Hard Drive. "I am the curator, General. You would have to ask One or Two such questions."

"Like **you** can't answer them. Like you don't **know**? You recalled them didn't you," Hard Drive said. "You recalled them and left with those that matched your standard. Tell me I'm wrong. I would welcome it."

Seven stared at him, then Prime. "I cannot speak further without the presence of the others. We are a collective, Lord Optimus. I am unable to formulate further commentary without consultation."

"Then consult this," Cyclonus said. His servo shot out to grasp Seven around the neck. He rose to his full height of nearly 29 feet with the smaller mech dangling in his fist. "Answer the mech. Do it now or I shall have the duty to squeeze very hard."

Seven who was petrified kicked a moment as he gripped Cyclonus' servos with his own. Then he hung in defeat. "As you command."

"Speak, then I put you down. Lie and I remove your helm. Either way, I go home to my studies and you go to the scrap heap at some point," Cyclonus said darkly.

Prime sat quietly watching, his inner sense of well-being sinking drastically. This was going to be very very bad.

-0-On the ground

The celebration of the score was tremendous. Everyone who was for Kaon danced and shouted in the stands. Those for Simfur and they were many booed and otherwise showed the Cybertronian sense of fair play when it came to sports. The teams walked back to the line with Sideswipe and the offense walking off to incredible applause. He grabbed the little mechs one at a time to hug them, all of it caught on the jumbotron.

Standing in the stands enjoying themselves fully, the little mechs' families watched their children's delight on the giant screen along with everyone else. As they did, Prowl slipped away to return to space and the growing indication that a debacle of monumental proportions had been discovered.

-0-Out there

Seven stared at Prime as he stood on the deck again, a monumentally huge enraged Seeker seething over him from behind. "Lord Optimus, the rest of our population is on our home worlds in the Benzuli. They are all there."

"Are they alive?" Prime asked. He dreaded the answer but he knew it was coming. As he did, the room faded and he was back at a familiar place. It was the place where he saw The People both emerge and re-enter the water from an early vision during the Festival of Primus. They had all stared at him, registering with their optics all he needed to know about their fate as they both left, then re-entered the dark water.

They were here now but they weren't in the water. They were standing around him in a giant circle of individuals. They stretched out as far as he could see in all directions. They implored him silently, then almost as one turned toward the water. One of them looked at him for a moment. "Too late," he said. Then they all began to walk forward to disappear forever into their watery grave. They entered it disappearing into the darkness until no one was left.

Prime stared at them frozen in place. He had seen brutality all his life but this shocked and jarred him in ways he thought were impossible to feel again. Then Solus appeared before him, solemn, haloed in white light as she hovered over the ground. "Optimus."

He turned to her, his face a desolation. "We are too late, Lady? Tell me we are not."

Solus touched down to the ground, then walked to him. "It was not your fault. This is not your failure. Put it where it belongs. You did your best. You aren't omnipotent in this form."

He stared at the ground in dark misery. "What have we become?"

"We have become what we were intended to be because of your labors, brother. This is a vestige of the past. We must root it out, all of it, then return hope to The People. There are four colonies that hid from them. They knew this group was there but kept out of sight in the rifts. Go to them. Bring them back. It will make a difference."

Optimus looked into her beautiful face, one filled with compassion and love. He nodded. "Very well."

She touched his cheek. "You feel and that is well. That you take on the failures of others as your own isn't. You aren't supposed to be omnipotent in this form. You are merely expected to do your best. I would be sorrowed if you blamed yourself."

"I am their Prime," Optimus said with gathering emotion.

"True, that, but you aren't Primus," she said before fading away.

Prime came to himself in the room surrounded by his mechs and an equally silent Prowl. He was sitting in the engineer's chair next to a pensive pilot and a room filled with tension and barely contained rage. He stood almost without conscious thought as if to do so would remove him from the all-consuming pain that filled him. He looked at Seven who tensed under his stare. "You killed them. All of them," he whispered.

-0-TBC 5-14-17 **edited 5-15-17**

NOTE

Sorry for the jump in time. I was thinking that when there is something bad having a 'good' to intersperse makes it not only more bearable but more slice of life. I remember when someone died in my family how could everyone else go about their lives like things were normal? How come they weren't as miserable as me? So it is here. This is a monumental tragedy but a championship football game is going on. Life. Sometimes it can really suck.


	6. Chapter 6

The Diego Diaries: Function (dd6 6)

-0-On the ship out there

Prime stood before the councilor nearly quivering with emotion. Everyone else stood as still as statues, all of them waiting for Prime's nod or command. He stared at the councilor who shrank back from him with a wary expression. "You killed all of them. All of them are dead, Seven. We are too late."

Seven glanced around the room but saw no allies. Hercy stepped forward. "What do we do with him, Prime? Take him to the prison ship?"

Prime stared at the councilor, then through the haze of his agony heard Hercy's voice. He nodded. "Yes. All of them. They and the others … all of them go there. I want them quarantined."

Hercy gripped the mech's arm, then walked to the door. Shoving him out into space, Springer joined him, towing Seven back to the prison ship nearby.

Prowl turned to Optimus. "What do you want us to do? Command us."

Prime thought around the howling in his processor, then looked at Prowl. "I need to know where to go. Find out where this is. Sort through the entire group. Separate those who are slaves from the rest. I want intel. I want it now."

Prowl nodded, then turned to the others. "Make it so. Report to me."

Everyone short of Raptor and Ironhide stepped out the door led by Hard Drive, a computer intel expert along with Turbine. They disappeared into the lights and busy movements of runabouts ferrying individuals to the places where they were to go.

Ironhide and Raptor stared at Prime. "Optimus … I don't have the right to ask, but what did you see?" Raptor asked.

Prime looked at him. "All of them. They were there, at a place I've seen in a vision. They told me I was too late. I had seen them before, a long time back. The Festival … it was part of the vision. They told me they would die then without words but I did not understand their meaning. Now I do. We are too late for them. They walked into the sea and disappeared." He was silent a moment. "I saw their faces, one-by-one. I saw them then and I saw them now."

It was leaden. Ironhide and Raptor walked to the consoles nearby to sit in the seats. Prime stood by the window for a moment, then sat in the engineer's chair. Rem stared at him with a solemn expression. "What will we do when we get there, Optimus?" he asked.

Prime sat a moment, then looked at him. "I do not know yet. I shudder to think about it."

It was silent in the ship for some time as outside, newly arrived crews and ships with tech and medical experts arrived.

-0-Game

Half time came as the teams walked off the field. The game was tied, 2-2 and the second half promised to be even more exciting. Both teams left, then the halftime began. The first part would be the infant football league trophies and acknowledgments. Then there would be music from the Old Band of the Army. Last, there would be a demonstration of riding from the stables. A number of groups were training their horses and themselves to do dressage, pull carriages and rope western cowboy style. It would be an astonishing sight for the humans of Earth to watch.

-0-In the locker room

They busied themselves in the locker room delivering drinks and towels to the players. The infants were delighted to be helpful, patting players as they told them how amazing they were and that they would 'win this game, we know this, Sunstreaker'. They had played well and the game was tight. Both defenses were strong and held the offenses to two scores each. They were evenly matched, well-balanced teams, the two, so it was even odds who would win. The bookies had a hard sell getting betters for the outcome.

"We're going to dinner after the game, Sunspot. What about the little mechs?" Sideswipe asked.

"Bos?" Sunspot asked over his shoulder.

Bos walked over. "What, Sunny?"

"Can you come to eat with us after the game?" Sunspot asked. "We go to lunch at a restaurant after the games, remember?"

"I know," Bos said. "I don't know." He looked at Sideswipe. "Could you ask my ada?"

Sunstreaker nodded. "We will. If you can come, good. If you can't then we'll get you for another time."

Bos stared at him, then nodded. "We're still brothers, right?" Co-D and Reflector had joined them.

"We **always** will be brothers. Don't forget that," Sunstreaker said. Sideswipe nodded as well.

The four relaxed then returned to their tasks. The twins watched them. "We can ask. I hope they agree. We have to make this happen," Sunstreaker said.

"We do," Sideswipe said in agreement.

They would be called to come back to the game shortly and it would begin again.

-0-Out there

The data came in along with frightened cowed mechs and the odd femme who had been worker bees for the group. They were overwhelmed to see Prime, terrified of punishment if they talked, and seemingly unaware that the system they lived under was immoral and dangerous. Even with assurances, nearly all of them were unwilling or unable to talk. The techs and doctors from processor health gathered them to take back to Mars. They would take most of the worker bees with them, all but an old mech and femme who seemed willing to speak.

They were brought aboard the ship with Prime by Seekers who flew them over. They touched down on the deck to walk inside led by Ironhide, then halted when they saw Prime. They both knelt down, then averted their optics. "Lord Optimus, we are your servants," the femme said.

Prime who was nauseated at the sight of their fear rose. "You are no one's servant. Please, stand and know you are safe."

They hesitated, then stood with optics averted. Ironhide pulled two chairs. "Sit here and be unafraid. You don't have to look away. That slag is over."

They stared at the floor silently. Then the femme spoke again. "We have to obey."

"You were raised in this culture? Or did you learn this later on?" Raptor asked.

"We were raised to be part of this community," the femme said. "We were always part of the Functionalist faction."

Cyclonus who was sitting nearby with a tense expression rose. He walked to them, then knelt. "I am Cyclonus, Master of the Monastery of the Clavus Aurea."

They glanced up at him in surprise, then averted their optics. "We had no idea that it was still there, Master."

"We've rebuilt it on a planet, the place where Prime is gathering our people. The one on Cybertron will be rebuilt. Right now, I'm the leader of our faction. You will tell the Prime what he needs to know to assist those left behind by the Council. What do you know of it?" No one offered a comment, so Cyclonus pulled up a chair. He sat, then considered his words and the two before him. It was clear that they had lived in a Functionalist society all their lives so they were conformed to the dictates and limitations of that group's philosophy. "Did they tell you that the Guiding Hand intended for some to be important and others to be less so?"

The mech glanced at Cyclonus, then the floor once more. "Adaptus forged us and we must obey his dictates."

"That some of you are more important than others? That some of you can live and others not?" Raptor asked.

"It was all for the best," the femme said glancing at Cyclonus, then the floor. "Each of us has our function and if we all do what we were created to do then our world prospers. How can you trust someone who wasn't formed to do something should they step out of their function? Form fits function. It's the Will of Adaptus. It's the way things are supposed to be. The Will of Primus."

"You know that I am the Master of the Monastery. You know that we study the documents and seek the truth through the masses of information and documents we have amassed at the Monastery," Cyclonus said. They nodded. "Nothing that you were told about form dictating function exists in the Chronicles or any book that we hold. You have been lied to."

They glanced sharply at Cyclonus, then shifted in their seats. "I wish no disrespect, Master," the mech said, "but you aren't a member of the Council. They've led us through plenty of difficult things and times."

"They murdered the others didn't they," Cyclonus asked. "They ended their sparks with their control chips."

The two stared at him with alarm. Then they stared at the floor. "I don't know," the femme said.

"Where are the colony worlds that you came from? What are they like?" Prime asked gently.

"They're beautiful. Organized and all," the femme said. "Our life is organized and busy. We were housekeepers for Three of Twelve," she said proudly.

"What was the business of the colony?" Prime asked.

"We traded with other species, equipment, and tech," the mech said. "We had extensive trade with other species. They would come to our colony with their ideas and needs, then we would build them. They traded with us, lots of things."

"What kind of tech?" Raptor asked. "I'm curious because I like to make things too."

"They traded for navigation devices, energy tech... they liked to have computer things," the femme said.

"What about weapons or ships?" Ironhide asked.

"They came for that too," the mech said. "They wanted weapon systems. They said it would help protect us to if they could fend off dangerous aliens they said lived around there. We made weapons for them, I remember."

Prime nodded. "What about the people left behind? What did they tell you when you gathered to leave?"

"They didn't," the femme said as the mech nodded. "We aren't part of that decision. We were staff, household staff. That is our function."

Prime nodded. "I would like to speak to you later. I am sure you must be tired and hungry. We are going to send you with some individuals to get food and medical treatment. If you could go with them we can talk later."

They nodded, then rose without raising their optics. The hatch opened as a mech slipped inside. He was a technician from the Processor Health department called to the ship by Prowl to take the pair into special custody. They would be given a good place to sleep, medical attention and the start of therapy. They were the best window into what was happening discovered in the migration thus far.

"Go with him and he will help you. We will talk again," Prime said gently.

They nodded, then walked with the mech to the door. Gently handed over to another mech in a runabout outside, he stepped out too and they left. It was silent in the ship for a moment, then Prime sat down. "They violated the Tyrest Treaties. Our tech, all kinds of it, is in the hands of aliens."

"The slag never ends," Ironhide said grimly.

A mech flew in on the back of a Seeker, then stepped aboard. He had a datapad which he held up. "Optimus, we have a map of their travels and the places they came from. Four worlds with several settlements on each, two of them big. We can go backward to this place with the bridges."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. Keep looking. We need to know what happened to the rest of their population."

The mech, a big computer expert for the Wreckers, nodded. "I can probably conjecture you an answer, Optimus."

"I have little hope that you would be wrong," Optimus said as Prowl began to sort through the data.

"We'll keep looking, Optimus," he said as he walked to the door. He stepped out and flew away toward the ships in the group.

"What is the status of the boarding, Prowl?" Optimus asked.

Prowl checked the data, then glanced at Optimus. "All of the ships have been boarded. At least 2,500 of the group are workers. The rest are Functionalist leadership or their families."

Prime nodded. "We will get to the bottom of this, then head toward their settlements. We have to know what we are looking at before we go. If anyone has survived, they need us to come as soon as possible."

No one argued.

-0-Game

They faced each other, each side aching to get the ball from the other. The game was swift, hard fought and clean. The crowds were beside themselves that the score was tied again. 6-6. The offenses had outdone themselves with the defenses playing well above their normal levels of skill.

The ball was tossed as Sunstreaker and the Simfur center jumped together. They both grabbed the ball and the brawl was on.

-0-TBC 5-15-17 **edited 5-16-17**


	7. Chapter 7

The Diego Diaries: Function (dd6 7)

-0-Out there

The ships carried dozens, even hundreds of individuals forward, some of them from Mars who came to help, some from the migration who were in need. The greatest number of those heading for sanctuary were the worker bees of the group, those that did all the work because their 'form dictated function'. Two and a half thousand or so left, going with doctors, social workers and others who would help them figure out what could be possible in life with a bit of help. That left about two thousand of the rest, those that were functionaries in their colonial structure and their families. They would be taken to the prison. They would be held until the investigation was complete and decisions could be made. That party included children.

Optimus Prime sat in his chair brooding. He was riven with outrage and futility. Even though Solus had come to tell him that this was their failure, not his, the burden fell upon him anyway. Never in the history of The People since the orns of Prima and Guardian Prime was there a leader among them that was more serious and strenuously diligent than Optimus. Prowl who was working nearby coordinating things and making decision glanced at him from time to time. They would have to talk.

Blaster turned to Prime. "Optimus, the championship game just concluded."

Prime glanced up at Blaster. He nodded. "What was the outcome?"

Blaster checked the data, then glanced at Prime again. "Kaon defeated Simfur in overtime. It was 9-8."

The news filtered through the group, then Prime nodded. "Thank you, Blaster."

Blaster nodded, then turned back to the comm station where he was coordinating all communications between the operation underway and the colony far away. It must have been a helluva game but they hardly felt it. They were working out a possible genocide. Nothing was going to lift the pall of that news. Nothing for some time.

-0-On a prison ship

They sat or stood in a cell that was set aside from the others. The bars that held them in were there but they were opaque. Some function made it impossible to see out but the guards working the floor could see in. This was an exclusionary cell, one designed to prevent those inside from watching the goings on outside. The ship was filling up as they brought in families and the others who came with them as officials. They were easier to pick out among the entire party. They would look the Autobots directly in the optics, while those who worked for them didn't.

One of Twelve sat on the berth bench shaking off his grogginess. The other three were beside him as they came up from their unconsciousness slowly. The others stared at the four, then Three of Twelve knelt. "What happened to you?"

One looked up at him with his singular optic. "Prime. This was a mistake. He will find out and go to search. We should never have come here."

"Where would we go?" Three asked. "There was no place else to go that didn't involve the Decepticons. As it was, they intercepted us before we entered into the reach of Razorclaw. That would have been worse."

"What is this place?" Eleven of Twelve asked as he stood.

"A prison ship," Seven of Twelve said. "We are arrested." The four stared at him as shock reverberated through the group again as Eleven sat. "We are headed for their colony, one on a planet called Mars. They will put us in the prison, all of us who were leadership and our families."

"That's absurd. Our families are blameless," Eleven said.

"There's a Master here," Seven said. "Cyclonus. He's the Master of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea which they reconstructed on Mars. He said they're rebuilding the one on Cybertron."

"That is not good news," One said. "He will be expert about the Guiding Hand."

"He has his values and philosophy about the Guiding Hand and we have ours," Ten of Twelve said with a cold tone. "We have freedom to be who and what we believe. There are many sects on Cybertron. We are just one way of thinking."

"Their objection will be our methods … recalling mechs and the like," One said. "That will be bad. Prime will not be amenable to them."

They would debate their situation for a while before the ship would be filled, then head back. Gee-Gee herself would go with them and put them into their segregated lock ups. She would make sure that they understood **her** methods.

-0-Mars

Celebrations commenced in the stands as the crowds exulted, many jumping onto the field to run amok. The teams managed to make their way to the safety of their locker rooms after a short ceremony of the award of the trophy. They had made two long lines, the teams, then the President of the Cybertronian Adult Football League, Password, walked out with the shining trophy. He gave a fine speech which everyone appreciated … football had its rituals to be kept … then handed the trophy to the team captain of Kaon's world(s) champion Kavaliers, Sunstreaker of Kaon. He took it, then held it up. The crowd lost its mind.

-0-Out there

They complied the flight plan of the group who had crossed space to come to them, leaving the Benzuli to cross the Barren, then reach this far into Prime's domain. Once they left their homeworlds, they didn't stop anywhere. It was imperative that they leave and not be caught. The only places that could be sites to search for anyone possibly left were the Benzuli itself and the area nearby in this, quarantined space. It appeared that no ships were left behind, no gear tossed, useless things both sentient or not either, so that part was less agonizing to Prime. He would have a deep space scan made anyway. He didn't trust the cyclops-eyed murderers and he would take no chances with some poor mech's life if he was jettisoned as useless cargo.

If truth were told, that was Prime's biggest fear. The idea that someone might be overlooked to die alone or be taken by others to be reversed engineered kept him up some nights. Ever since Jesso and her wandering ship, the agonizing fear he felt listening to her calling for help over the radio never left him. "Are you nice?" she had said to Red Wing in her terror. It had been like a stab in the spark to hear it. Her genitors were in stasis lock at the time from feeding them their own energon and the effects of starvation. She had flown the ship herself with three tiny sisters cowering at her peds. She had gone off course in her desperate efforts and if her radio hadn't worked, if she hadn't figured out how to use it, they would have all been lost.

For all the Jessos, Prime worked orn and night to serve and protect. This was no different but for the fact that no one was left to save. He would look. He would turn over every stone and check every space for anyone that might have survived but he had a forlorn hope.

"We have the last bunch moving out. Pilots have the ships left and will take them in. Forensics will team up with Aviation to go over them for evidence and anything else that might tell the tale," Prowl said quietly as Prime nodded.

"Very well. What is the flight plan back to their starting points?" Optimus asked.

"We have it laid out," Prowl said punching a button to show a flight plan on an overhead monitor. "We can go when you decide."

Prime nodded. "Please make it so. We will bridge jump." He was silent a moment, then sat back. "We must keep this under lock and key for now. There are many adherents of the Guiding Hand. I do not want trouble because of this. We have never had sectarian violence over religion and I do not want it now. I will tell our people what has happened when we know more."

Prowl nodded. "I concur. I will organize the flight. Give me a moment."

Prime nodded, watching Prowl as he ordered up a big flight, one with a medical, forensic, armed forces, and a database component. This would be fully investigated and the evidence meticulously taken. What they would do with five hundred thousand dead bodies if this was the case, no one was ready to think about or ask. It was quiet on the ship as Prowl called up the cavalry.

-0-Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Earth, Gliese, and the Forward Bases

The celebrations were intense. Tens of thousands of individuals poured out of the stadium to celebrate. The streets were packed with happy footballers. Celebrations in other places were going full blast as well. This was the first time that anyone on Cybertron had seen such a championship with full worldwide broadcast and pre/post game shows. The humans made it to their tower as the crowds moved along. Security was out in force but the atmosphere was electric. It would only be noticed later that anything was up when the big ships on the flight line began to take off for space.

The Hourly News would have nothing to say about it for a while.

-0-Out there

They came through the bridge, battleships fully armed and manned, flights of Seekers, mostly heavies, and gunners, along with ships for medical and those filled with runabouts, flight transports for the search so that a great area could be covered by teams of investigators. The individual teams would comprise a medic, a data collector who would handle the evidence that the forensics team member would gather and several mechs and/or Seekers who would provide security.

The ships began to mass in the area for a high-security flight including all of the Supremes. They had no idea what they would face and given that the colonies had traded with aliens, the idea of running into armed forces required equally fiercesome intentions. Gamma, Zeta, Kappa, Beta, Alpha, and Xantium formed up nearby, their size and armaments a good deterrent as well as a platform for Seekers to rest and recoup.

Prowl turned to Prime. "We can go when you say so."

Prime nodded, then glanced at Blaster. "Open a channel to every ship."

He did, then nodded to Prime. "You're go. Optimus."

Prime gathered his thoughts, then began. "This is Optimus Prime. We called you here to help affect a possible rescue mission. We have absorbed a migration that was heading toward the area currently occupied by Razorclaw. When we boarded, we found that they were lead by the Functionalist Council. For those of you who might not know, they were a group that overtook Cybertron after the Quintessans were overthrown. They left after a civil rebellion overthrew them and have not been seen until now. They founded settlements in the Benzuli region among the Rifts.

"After a conversation, it was made clear to us that there were 500,000 individuals in their colonial settlements," he continued. "There were only 4,500 individuals in this group. We are going back to find the others."

On the other ships, commanders and crews listened. Raptor, Ironhide, Hard Drive, Turbine, Delphi, Kup, Hercy, Springer with Drift, Scar, Payload, Starscream, Rainmaker, and Warlord among many others stood on the decks of the ships they would command listening. Some of them already knew the possible horrors ahead while others heard for the first time.

"We believe that we will not be operating a rescue mission. It was the practice of this group that should they feel that you were no longer of use that you were then disposable. It is highly likely that we will be going to a scene of mass murder."

Starscream, Red Wing, and Rainmaker who had transferred over to his ship before Prime began blanched. They sat together in the lounge of the ship listening with growing disquiet as Prime continued. "We may be heading to a gigantic graveyard. It is my intent and purpose to sift every grain of sand there to find anyone who might still be alive. We will look everywhere. Never will your skills and fortitude be more needed than now. If this is what it seems likely to become, we must treat it not only as a mass grave but as a crime scene. You will go in groups and do the most thorough job possible.

"We may also come across aliens that bear our tech and weapons systems, traded to them by this group in violation of the Tyrest Treaties. We must be on our guard. I will give you more information as it becomes clear. Now we will jump from here to their colonies. When we get there be ready for anything. Commanders, have your weapons systems online. Prime out."

It was leaden on the ship, then Prime glanced at Rem. "Let's go," he said solemnly.

Rem who stared at Prime with emotion during his remarks nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, then began to program the ship to move. As he did, space in front of them bloomed with two giant space bridges. The group forming from habit into a defensive formation jumped forward and flew into them. They all entered, then the bridges winked out. No one who would come in future would know that anything had ever happened here of any consequence.

Space is neutral.

-0-TBC 5-16-17 **edited 5-23-17**


	8. Chapter 8

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 8)

-0-Around the place

"That was the best game I ever saw anywhere," Robert Epps said as he lounged in a chair with his daughter on his lap. He was having a post game beer while the food was being placed out. He would wait until the line thinned before getting his.

Glenn Morshower sat down on a couch across from him with his beer and heaping plate. "I agree. I never saw a game on Earth that exciting. 9-8. What a score. The defenses were scary good."

Will Lennox sitting nearby on the phone to Ops Center glanced at him with a nod. "I agree," he said as he waited. Then someone came on the line and he turned his attention to the call. He was trying to find out what the armada was for that lifted off as the game ended. They filled the skies, all of the Supremes, half a dozen battleships, a good dozen cruisers and every battle shuttle it seemed that was in the Prime's Flight. Hospital ships lifted off as well, enough activity to halt the festivities on the ground a moment to watch them disappear into the sky.

It was also silent at that moment as everyone turned in with personal internal transponders to the Emergency Command Center in Fort Max. A recorded message greeted them. "As of 1700 hours on the TMC Martian Local Time, we have the following bulletin to report. A migration approaching the Primal Sphere of Influence from the direction that would prompt them crossing territory currently held by Razorclaw and his group was intercepted by a Seeker flight and halted far enough away to not draw immediate attention from the Decepticons.

"The Prime is leading a battle group to that location to rescue the newcomers and show the flag to the Decepticons. It was an overwhelming response sent to send a message to Razorclaw that anyone seeking sanctuary on Mars would have it and anyone who wanted to dispute that would pay a price. The Prime is in the rescue and when he finds it in good order, he will return to give an update. Until then, all is well in hand. Any further questions should be directed to the Office of the Primes or the Office of Strategic Communications at The Fortress. No information about who is in the migration is known at this moment. That information will be released through the Bureau of Refugees and the Department of Refugee Affairs in the Immigration Bureau. Until then, consider the matter under control and safely taken to task. Updates will be provided as received."

Lennox listened to Sparkman, an assistant to Jazz who was in charge of all matters of communication involving the safety and strategic well-being of Mars and the Empire. He along with the femmes in partnership with Elita handled all communications and intel involving unfolding happenstances, military prospects, or nefarious situations involving the security of the Empire. He was the contact the humans used to get the straight story. He listened, thanked Sparkman, then hung up. Glancing at the others, he rose to get his food. "There's something bad going on. Prime took a big flight for a reason."

"What did they tell you?" Cynthia Tomas asked as she sat beside the Italian consul with her dinner and drink.

"They said what they said on the emergency message," Lennox said as he opened a beer. "It's what they didn't tell me that tells the story."

It was silent a moment, then Judy Witwicky sitting with friends at a table nearby turned to them. "I hope he kicks their ass."

-0-Coming out of a theater at Earth 1

They walked out laughing and applauding. The game was killer and they were stoked. They normally would watch it in the big human set aside box at the stadium but the blur of sand outside hadn't settled and it would take at least one more day of disruption before the air could begin to clear. Apparently, the only thing left was bringing in the antennas and work involving bits and pieces of the exterior. Most of the construction now would be inside.

Owen Harris walked with the inmates toward the kitchen and lounge. After a game, a celebration was had. That Kaon had won was a huge deal here. Most of the humans knew Kaon's players best since the twins often were here delivering things or assisting the school. Sunstreaker who was vice president of the Unified District School Board was often asked to watch this and that child thing or to consult on this or that educational thing. He always came, was immaculate in his conduct and very gentle with the kids. The kids **LOVED** him and so did the staff of the school. They never failed to achieve their goals with Sunstreaker on their side.

That they were gods on the pitch was also in their favor.

They entered the kitchen area, dishes and drinks laid out buffet style, then several hundred humans and their few Earth2 guests began to make their way through it. The food was mountainous, drinks were cold and/or hot to please and desserts beckoned. The kids were fed first, then elders, then everyone else. They had unconsciously picked up on the habits of the bots who attended to their families in the same order for the most part.

When they were served, the residents drifted to tables or the huge lounge. Kids were gathered at four tables to eat and laugh as they chatted about how they would play for a Cybertronian team some day themselves. Owen Harris sipped his beer, then took a bite of prime rib. "This is delicious. You don't have a designated cooking crew?"

"No," Brandon Clark said. "We have a schedule for cooking and some of us put ourselves on it more than usual. Some of us like to cook and some of the visitors or resident family like to do the same. We never have to cook too much and some of us have been excused." He grinned at two men sitting nearby who grinned back as the room unloaded on their lack of culinary skills.

"What do you suppose Prime is really doing?" Harris ventured. "That was a huge group that left."

Brandon considered that then spoke for the group. "They guard the newcomers. They also fend off threats. We were never alone in the universe at any point in our evolution, Owen. Plenty of species live out there and most have tech that surpasses us. However, most of them are peaceful, have known about us and left us alone all this time. They even have a council I'm told that makes sure of it. They work to keep emergent species like us isolated and safe to reach our full potential, or not, without interference. For me, I only have gratitude. When Prime feels the need to tell us, he does. The army and air wing go out every day to patrol and they have deep space sensor capabilities. We live in a military society and one that protects us every day. You can't go five feet without running into a veteran, a Home Guardsman, or an active duty soldier.

"This is the most militarized society I've ever seen but they aren't ..." Brandon paused. "They're militarized but they aren't martial. They're trained and combat veterans of long standing. Most of them have fought, some for eons. But they aren't hardcore about it. They live their lives, they have fun, they do what they want but when the call comes, they grab their gear and head out. No fear, no hesitation. You asked me once what I loved about them," Brandon said as everyone paused to listen around the huge room.

Harris nodded. "Yes?"

"What I love about them is everything," Clark said with a grin.

The room burst into applause.

-0-In a nice restaurant having lunch after the game

They pushed tables together, then sat, interspersing themselves among the newcomers. Ratchet's ammas and appas, his genitors with Prowl and Prime's as well had gathered Co-D, Bos, and Reflector's families and friends, a group of about 30 together to have the post game brunch. Joining them to the delight of everyone there were the twins and Bluestreak. The families were delighted with the idea of real celebrities sitting with them as well as the family of an actual Prime. There were famous artisans here as well. Ravel and Tie Down chatted with Alise and Topper about common interests from back in the orn.

Miler and Kestrel were discussing club life in the colony with the genitors and friends of Bos and Co-D as they ordered, then waited for food to come. The children were delighted and sat together in a row with a handheld to discuss the statistics of the game. Timber, Micah, and Cooper were in conversation with the twins over this and that aspect of the game as they inquired how they might play themselves. They had played in the 'shadow league' as the local football circuit was called, the one that was played for fun by those who never had a chance to step up into the rarified heights of 'real football'. The twins could relate. The twins would help them join the draft and hopefully, they would be chosen for a team. Given that the league would be expanded to include Cybertron, the odds of making a team were better.

Their food was brought over and settled among the children. Alise turned to Docker. "I wish Ironhide and his family along with Ratchet could be here. This has been a wonderful orn. I cannot thank you enough. We got to sit in the Prime's box." She smiled brilliantly.

"You will next time as well, Alise," Venture said. "The children are coaches for Kaon. They're also part and parcel of our extended family. That now includes you."

They stared at him a moment, then each other. Alise smiled. "I think I like this place better and better every orn." There would be no disagreement among the group.

-0-Out there

They came out of the bridges after what seemed like hours. Gliding forward with every gun they had pointing outward, Prime turned toward the sensor station. They had transferred to Xantium who had self-designed to be as bad ass technically internally as he was physically bad ass externally. "Whirl, have the Supremes link sensors to scan ahead. I want to know if we are alone."

Whirl nodded, then worked silently. One could hear the soft buzz of machines spinning data or talking to each other on the deck. After a moment, Whirl turned toward Prime. "We aren't alone, Optimus."

-0-On the ground at City A-3

They came in with great care, unwilling to expose themselves to the superior tech and hardcore cold-bloodedness of their erstwhile allies. They had tried to contact them for some time but there was no reply. The only messaging was the automated signals that indicated a presence of a strong warlike civilization that was not above shooting first and asking questions later.

They flew in scanning widely, utilizing the tech that they had accumulated over the eons. They had devised some things themselves using the new stuff for a template but they weren't completely in the same league as the metallics. Those creatures knew how to devise machinery. They had flown in, then entered the atmosphere. It was quiet and lifeless below. The automated machinery was still working but there was no one on the streets or about. That was unnerving.

They flew to the airfield, then landed. Exiting with weapons, they walked to the nearby control center to try to find answers. When they entered, they found no one. Taking a moment to figure out what to do, they continued onward toward the sprawling town that made up this, the tech and flight center of the society they were allied with for safety and trade. The group continued down the street that led to the business section of town, then paused before a single family size house. Glancing at each other, gathering their courage around the unnerving sights around them, they walked to the door. Rapping on it, they listened but there was no response. Gently pressing the door open, they walked inside.

Laying on the ground, sprawling on the floor or furnishings, everyone who lived here was still and silent. There was no registering of energy on the meters they carried, ones that told them where the strange creatures could be found. Everyone in the room appeared to be dead and lifeless. They checked out the house, found no more dead, then moved onward. No matter where they went, they found the dead. All of the dead were home. None of them were in the businesses or on the streets. It was unnerving and terrifying to the group as they continued onward in their searching.

-0-Prime

He sat on the command chair considering his options. "What can you tell me about the outsiders?"

"They have Cybertronian-style ships and weapons. They appear to be organic though they're bigger and tougher than humans. They aren't carbon based, they're intelligent and their communication between ships is unreadable. I have the translators working on it," Blaster said.

"Can you open a channel to their ships?" Prime asked.

Blaster nodded, then made it so. "You're go, Prime."

Optimus thought a moment, then turned directly to the screen before him. On others around the room, the commanders of the other vessels watched and listened grimly. "Unknown aliens, this is Optimus Prime. I am the leader and commander of the colonies that you are currently occupying. Address me and explain your intentions. Do so now." He waited, then a blitz of sound was returned. None of it was understandable.

"I'm working on it, Prime," Blaster said.

Prime nodded. "How big is their fleet? What is their threat level?"

Prowl studied a moment, then turned to Prime. "They have a number of well-armed ships. We have to believe that they have our tech and capabilities. They have our speed, our shielding, our weapons, and possibly our durability in a conflict. I am unclear more than that given the tech signatures I'm getting from sensors."

Prime nodded. "Commander Hercy, Kup, and Springer. Take your ships in and give them a flyby. If they shoot, shoot back. I want to test them and I want a clue to their presence. If they came here to pillage, I will not allow it. If they want to fight, we will fight. They must shoot first."

"On it, Prime," Hercy said as the others agreed. In seconds, three brutally armed, fully manned Wrecker battle shuttles flew out of the armada heading for one of four formerly inhabited colony world planets in the dominion of the Prime of Cybertron.

-0-TBC 5-17-17 **edited 5-18-17**


	9. Chapter 9

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 9)

-0-Out there

The three shuttles flew forward bristling for a fight, following a spread formation that would make them harder to kill in one swoop. Flashing onward together, they made their way toward a big group of ships. As they did, more came out of the darkness. They were all of a type though the markings didn't mesh on all of them. It would appear that there were several species gathering.

"Prime, either their markings mean something else or we have four species at least gathering against us," Hercy said calmly.

Prime nodded. "Scan what you can, then return. If they shoot, return fire. They shoot first."

"Affirmative," Hercy said. He looked at the screen where the tense faces of Kup and Springer shared the monitor. "Well, this is interesting. How about we go see what they do?"

Springer nodded. "Follow me," he said, then his ship stepped on the gas.

The other two followed flying an arrow head-shaped formation. They flashed forward toward the gathering group, then veered slightly to turn their undercarriage toward the aliens. Lines of sensors, data miners, and other intel devices took images of the vessels, the scope of their formation, and other sensor accountings of the group which had detached three vessels to confront them back. They flew after the shuttles which arced together to return to Prime. By the time they were halfway back shots were fired by the pursuing ships. Hercy glanced at his gun crew, all of which were sitting in turrets waiting. "Shoot them back, boys."

They grinned, then sighted in. Blasts went out and scored hits. Two of the shuttles were struck in structurally critical places with one spiraling away trailing debris. The other also hit was still capable of flight while the last one was missed on purpose. That ship pursued then broke off, moving back to the other two. One was listing badly as the other trailed fuel. The intact ship moved in to help them.

"Nice shooting, infants. I may just keep you," Hercy said with a grin. Loud laughter greeted that along with a number of profane remarks. Boys would be boys.

Prime sitting on Xantium watched without comment. He was already formulating plans for what he expected to be a shootout. He glanced at Prowl. "Bring the secondary fleet in."

Prowl nodded, then sent the message. It would take a few moments but the bridges would bring in a fleet the size of the current one.

-0-At the Family Tower, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They gathered at the windows as ships came in to the Military Airfield from the depot 200 miles away to settle on the flight line. They lined the runways nearby as well waiting while lines of soldiers and Seekers gathered to board them. With them were tanker ships for energon and munitions vessels, those with the heaviest armor in the fleet or perhaps even the known universe. They would resupply guns and ships with every kind of bullet, bomb, and rocket, thus, they were as armored as it got.

"You were right about this, William," Glenn said as he watched the mass of movement below. "Something is up. I wonder if Megatron has come back?"

A chill went through the room, then a child called out. "There's a message on the television." Everyone turned to the screen to see Jazz on the monitor.

"This is Commander Jazz of the Prime's Senior Staff," he began. "We've come to the rescue of a migration which had nearly entered the territory of Razorclaw. We were given information that a lot of our people were still in the Benzuli Expansion in colonies that were created there long ago by these same refugees. We went to their rescue through space bridges and came into contact with four different species that resent our presence.

"There's some kind of loose confederation in the area among them. Shots were exchanged but no one was injured. Two ships from the other side are going to have to be repaired, though," he said with a grin. "Right now, Prime's showing the flag. He wants overwhelming firepower to show them that they have to leave or they'll have more trouble on their hands than they can believe. This force is coming to show that we can bring the pain. As of this moment, we're in a standoff. The aliens are blocking our path to the colonies. We want access to four worlds that have our people. If we have to fight, we will but for now, its standoff. We'll tell you more as it comes. Don't worry until we do. Jazz, out." The Emblem of the Primes filled the screen, then The Hourly News 'Breaking News!' edition appeared. Everyone drifted back to the lounge to listen. The soldiers, however, Morshower, Epps, Lennox, Graham, and Fulton, stood by the windows.

"I wonder who could give Prime this much trouble that he needs more guns?" Epps asked.

"I don't know," Fulton said grimly. "I'm glad I don't have to be there to find out."

"I sorta wish I was," Lennox said quietly. They stood together watching the show down below with disquiet.

-0-Out there

Ratchet stood by the viewport on the command deck watching the confrontation before them. He was on the Phobos which was the main hospital ship for the venture. As both sides sparred, more enemy ships began to show up. They were Cybertronian in design and it was clear that this could be a real fight. It was only amongst each other that The People ever really felt challenged. Now, this might be different. As he watched the growing number of vessels coming from the far side of the planet in dispute, he recognized two of them. He blinked with surprise, then called Xantium. "Ratchet to Prime."

"Prime here."

"Optimus, I see two mother ships from the acid monster aliens."

It was silent a moment, then Prime was back. "We scanned and have them marked, Ratchet. Prime out."

Ratchet stared at the ships with dread, then considered how far ranging that species actually was. They were around Mars and they were around here. Which one of the two groups was it he wondered? He was fragged if **he** knew. Around him waiting nervously, a number of doctors who had never been on a mission looked at him with dread. He grinned at them. "Don't worry. We have big guns too. All you kids have to do is go into the hold if something happens just like practice. And nothing is going to happen. I have a big gun and I know how to use it."

"We can help you, Ratchet," a young mech doctor, one who specialized in child trauma said.

"You aren't rated to fight, infant. All you have to do to help me is your job and obey me instantly and without question when I tell you something. If I tell you to abandon ship or to go to the shelters, do it without question. Okay?" Ratchet asked gently.

They nodded, then the young mech stepped slightly closer. "Will that happen? My bond is … we have a baby that would need ..."

Ratchet hugged him tightly. "That infant of yours is going to sit around the campfire some fine orn and hear your tale of this adventure. Don't worry. We're on a slagging **battleship**. They **will** protect us."

"Who will protect **them**?" another asked as a flight of Seekers streaked past to land on the hull of the Xantium nearby.

" **We** will, infants," Ratchet said darkly. They stood together by the viewports watching the game board as both sides set up their teams to play.

-0-Prime

Data was flowing in as the big armada formed itself into a defensive line with the rest of Prime's battle group. It was impressive but as they did, the alien ships kept coming. They were also formed into a line, though it wasn't as thought out as Prime's own. He had the advantage of having worked with his team for eons. This might be a first for the other side. "Blaster, any breaks in the translator?"

"It's coming," Blaster said.

"Prowl, bring One of Twelve here now." Prime was ice cold as he stared at the screen. More and more ships were coming. Their light was growing in the distance. It might be that they wouldn't be able to go to the planets any time soon and his fury at that realization was growing by the second.

Prowl called for the prisoner to come and in seconds One walked onto the deck with a hulking guard and a grim-faced Warden Gee-Gee. She stopped by his chair. "How may we serve you, Lord Optimus?" she asked formally as she stared at the images from the outside.

Prime glanced at her. "I need to know the species before us and their capabilities. They are coming in numbers and they bear our tech. I need that information now and I am unconcerned how you get it."

She nodded, then turned to One of Twelve. "I'm Gee-Gee, Warden of the Prime's prison and an instructor in hand-to-hand combat. I'm someone who serves our people and Prime with all I possess. I wish the information requested or I shall extract it. If that means I break off small bits of you until nothing is left, then I'm fully rated to do so. Don't leave out anything or I **will** make you suffer. Do you understand, One of Twelve?"

He stared at her, then the back of Prime's helm. The big mech was giving him the ultimate insult one male Cybertronian could give another. Turning one's back on your foe in a warrior culture was the ultimate contemptable dismissal, indicating that nothing about you was to be feared or respected. One looked at her, then nodded. "I will."

"Then begin. Now," Prime said with the coldest tone that anyone on the deck had ever heard from him.

Prowl who had walked to Gee-Gee with a datapad to record One glanced at Prime. He was incandescent with rage but held true to his greatest personal virtue. He didn't let his emotional condition interfere with his duty to his people. He was molten with rage but it would not be an impediment to his decisions and leadership. "We're ready, Warden," Prowl said.

"Talk, One," Gee-Gee said calmly.

He did.

-0-Moments later discussing the intel as outside, the enemy kept coming

"What do we have, Prowl?" Prime asked as he stared at the screen with an unwavering gaze.

"We have four main species of different aliens who have lived here forever. They have peaceful alliances between their respective empires and that didn't change when the Functionalists came here. In fact, it strengthened with the addition of our technology and weapons. Their ships are in probability 62-79% our tech and construction. Though they don't have our alloys and steels, other metals they've smelted and developed that would ensure a very strong Cybetronian-style level of ship armor have been devised to meet that need. They have a good tensile strength. They could take a beating from us before blowing up.

"The four main aliens have a confederation. There are a number of other species as associates. Apparently, they developed this over the eons to secure the sector which has weird anomalies and aliens scattered around. They all viewed this set of colonies as their tech depot and personal armories. The first and most intellectual … that is, the ones who are the strategists are called the Hur-Gon. They are small, very small … about 4-9 feet tall depending upon age. The individuals are proportionally distinct from humans … large helms and smaller bodies. They have a body suit that they wear the color of which indicates their occupation. They have deceptive strength. They can rend something to pieces without much effort, though they look weak and small.

"Their next ally is a species called the Vargo. They are tall lizard-like creatures with thick skin that makes them look like a solid leather object. They have sharp teeth, are very smart and tactical and like to make good alliances then keep their word. In fact, their word is so important they will die before breaking it. They have red optics, no discernible ears, and trend one color … a variation of brown with the darkest colors earned with age. They also trend tall, 19 feet or more. They are brutally strong but are heavily invested in the arts. It's their cultural basis for unity apparently. They bear tyne-like spikes that run from their helm to their lower back and down the backs of their arms. They appear to be more ornamental than defensive and appear by size according to age. The older the being, the larger the tines. They can raise them when angry but they don't serve a purpose beyond display, apparently.

Their next ally is a flight-capable species called the Tor-pei. They have wings for flight, thus rendering their bodies and bones light. They have incredible speed, ferocity, and strength. Their facial features are snake-like but they aren't reptiles. They have feathers that cover their helms and run down their arms and back. The more colorful the plumage, the older they are. They are telepathic and range from 14-19 feet in height. They are very religious and family-centric. They are the flight and crack troops of the alliance.

"The last group are the most problematic. They are called the Seyth. They are organic to a degree and are evolving into a bio-mechanical species. They are ultra smart, feed on ambient energy directly from the air, have golden skin, and resemble humans if humans were golden half robots. They are about 15 feet tall and represent the tech portion of this confederation. The word is that all of them are unshakable in their allegiance to each other. Apparently, they worship the same gods who command amity among those who follow them. Their gods are part of the rifts here. Their unity is part of their system of belief.

"Other groups are allied, those who travel through here or live nearby. These are the four major factions but there are others. They're armed, rugged, tactical, ultra smart, and believe they're guided by their gods," Prowl concluded.

It was silent a moment as everyone present or on screen digested that bit of news. Then Prime glanced at Blaster. "What about communications, Blaster?"

Blaster worked madly. "Give me a moment, Prime. Nearly there. It won't be the greatest translation. But I think it'll do."

"They can communicate telepathically," Prowl said as he studied his datapad. "Advantage to them."

Prime nodded, then Blaster turned to him. "You can speak now, Prime."

Prime nodded, then sat straighter. "Send my image."

For a moment there was no response, then the screen changed to the image of several beings. One was small with a large helm, another reptilian with bird-like features. Beside them, a big mech stood, one that looked like a leather human with the darkest thickest skin and row upon row of bristle-like spines running from the top of their helm downward out of sight on his arms and back. Sitting before the console, a golden-skinned humanoid with metallic optics and a silver plate on half his skull stared back.

"I am Optimus Prime," he began with the coldest tone of voice that any of them had heard from Prime in nine million years of operations and friendship.

-0-TBC 5-17-17 **edited 5-18-17**


	10. Chapter 10

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6.10)

-0-On the other side

The leadership of the confederation stood on the deck talking together about the situation. They had been informed about the newcomers when they were discussing the perplexing situation on the four worlds of the metallics. They had come together on a ship and were now facing what might be more of the same species coming to see what was going on as well. This was a big problem given that they had ruled this sector or three of space to the mutual benefit of everyone there for eons. They were peaceful, prosperous, and had similar important features including their religion.

Now, this.

Their pilot had told them of the big alien fleet appearing so they called up ships from the vastness of their combined armed forces, a spectacle that usually sent intruders running. Unfortunately, they were turning out to be not just any intruders but the leader of the metallics themselves. Though they were sure the newcomers couldn't decode their languages easily, they knew the newcomer's own. They had learned them through a long period of contact with the inhabitants of the four worlds in dispute.

Optimus Prime.

They had heard that name before. Everyone knew of the metallic's robot civil war. They were the plague, the doom bringers. Everyone who could either avoid or ban them entirely from their own space, cities, stations and the like did. Wherever the brutish species went, war, death, destruction, and chaos followed. Now they were here led by their putative leader. It couldn't get worse than this.

"Then we're in agreement? We will defend the planets against them?" one asked the others, all of whom were the leaders of their own factions united under a confederation named after their principal god, Vergo. All of them nodded. It was then that the contact with Prime was announced, so they walked to the front view screen of their vessel to gather to speak. As they did, the flood of their ships kept coming.

-0-Other side of the line

"I am Optimus Prime. I am here to secure the habitation and lives of my people. I expect to be allowed to go to their colonies without molestation." He stared at the screen as if to do so would drive home the depth of his commitment to his words.

They didn't speak but then they were telepathic and perhaps discussing the situation between them. One of them turned to Prime, apparently the one who was to speak for everyone. "Optimus Prime, I am Fortune of the Seyth. I am the spokesman for the Vergo Confederation to which all of us belong. You are trespassing on our domain. You must leave now."

Prime stared silently at all of them for a moment testing their unity and sense of calm. They didn't rise to the bait. They were solemn, serious and composed. "The four worlds where my people live are my domain. I am here to see them and to assist. You are not going to oppose that. We are aware of a catastrophe and we are here to help our people even if it means caring for them in their deaths. You will not blockade this and you will not pillage them or their colonies."

"This is **our** domain. They stayed here on sufferance and now you have to leave. What exists there was not agreed upon by any of us. They came without permission. We are not aware of any problems below. But we are going to defend our sovereign territory from you, Cybertronian. You won't bring your wars here. What's there is forfeit. You do not have our permission to proceed and we're ready to fight to ensure that you pay for any actions you're prepared to undertake," Fortune said as the others nodded. "You may have noticed the vastness of our forces. We have not yet scratched the surface of what we can bring to a confrontation."

"Nor have I," Prime said. :Prowl, call up the dreads:

Prowl nodded, then stepped to communications. While he did, Prime continued. "We are going to take our dead and ensure that the technology and infrastructure left does not fall into the wrong hands. We have treaties that forbid that from happening."

"We have not signed your treaties," Fortune replied. "They have no sway over us. As for the colonies, they exist in **our** domain. Their contents are forfeit. You may leave and there will be no harm. Stay and there **will** be war."

It was then that flashes of light, huge and brilliant began to appear visually drowning everything out before they took solid form. At that moment, the elevator on Xantium opened as several mechs walked onto the deck. Metroplex, Fort Max, Turbine, Tennyson, Dangerous, and Clipper walked toward Prime to gather around him. Typhoon stared downward at Prime. "You called, we came. Tell us what you will, Prime, and it will be done. I have spoken." The others nodded as they waited.

"Transform into ships, then bring your guns to bear across the way where the enemy gathers," he said quietly before turning toward the screen again. "We are here for our people. You will stand down to allow it. We are not going to leave them to be pillaged for technology."

The four alternated between looking at Prime and the sudden unannounced appearance of four of the biggest, most heavily armed ships any of them had ever seen. The vessels had materialized out of thin air, their massive guns pointed their way. Each was vast and seethed lethal energy. As the ships finally snapped together, their hangar doors opened. A swarm of Seekers flew out of all of them, flying in a cloud toward each other. Leading them, Warlord, son of Rainmaker flew. He was easy to spot even in the darkness around them. He was on fire. Flames burned on his body, flowing behind him as he led the swarm and indicated his supremacy.

Others on the ships and those around the group already here joined him. They swarmed like blackbirds at night, flying upward in a seething ball, turning and twisting together as they signaled their willingness to fight. Like giant schools of fish turning in unison, they followed Warlord. Back and forth along the dividing line, upward, downward, together they flew, then broke the group to land on the hulls of ships along the front line.

Warlord slowed to a stop, then transformed into root mode. He pulled a sword from its scabbard on his back and held it up. It was burning like a bonfire as he saluted his enemies, then he turned to fly in root mode to Xantium. When he arrived he stepped inside the hatch, walked to Prime, then knelt on one knee. "Command me, Optimus Prime. I am yours."

Everyone in the room nodded, as they turned toward Prime. The screen behind them watched and listened as Warlord rose to stand. The flames on his body died down and disappeared. Prime nodded. "I accept your service with gratitude," he replied, then turned back to the screen. "You have four joors to move away so that we can collect our dead and salvage what cultural aspects of life may be there that we can. If you do not, then we will bring our challenge forward. Your unwillingness to allow us to tend to our dead shames you and your alliance."

They stared at Prime, then the screen went back to an image of space around them. It was silent a moment, then Whirl turned to Prime. "They're organizing an encirclement, Optimus."

"Too bad for them that we have bridges," Rainmaker said darkly. "What do you will, Prime?"

Optimus glanced at Prowl. "We need to prepare for an encirclement. Have the bridges at Mars be ready to do whatever we need. For now, I want Raptor, Hard Drive, Typhoon, Ironhide, and Ratchet to accompany me to the planet below. I want to see what's happening and what we have to do." He looked at One who sat nearly with a solemn air about him, or so it seemed with his diminished features. "We want everything you can tell me about the colony below. Tell us now or die."

One nodded, then arose with Wheeljack who had just arrived with Jetta, Ultra Magnus, and Perceptor. The two walked to a computer to get details of what lay below. Magnus turned to Prime. "I'm coming too."

"And me," Jetta said grimly. "We will all go, Prime. We have experience with this sort of thing. We could have combat in the colony."

Prime nodded as he arose. "Very well," he said. He glanced at Prowl. "You have command of the group. I give you discretion. When I get back, bridge to another ship. No single senior Autobot commander will be on the same ship as any other. That goes for both you and Rainmaker, Starscream."

Starscream stood then nodded. "I will move to Dangerous. I would suggest, Elder, that you remove to Typhoon."

"I am on my way," Rainmaker said. "I would suggest that my son goes with you, Prime, to be your optics in the sky."

"I agree," Prime said as he moved toward the elevator nearby. The others followed. Prowl watched them go, then turned to the job at hand. It was clear that the Confederation's strategy was to encircle them, then destroy everything inside. Fortunately for the Autobots, Prowl was a master at thwarting this very strategy.

-0-On the ground

They materialized together with Ratchet joining them seconds later. They were on a street in the colony's main city, one that had a number, not a name. In typical Functionalist fashion, they had only the most basic touches to their amenities. Ratchet turned slowly. "No one is around. This isn't good."

"No, it isn't. I speculate," Hard Drive said digging through terrible memories, "that everyone who wasn't coming with the Council was told to go to their personal dwellings, then 'recalled' there. It would be efficient, prevent panic, and prevent the Council from seeing the outcome of their actions, the cowards."

"Like that would matter," Jetta said with an appalled tone.

"There's a neighborhood, Prime. We can find out there," Ratchet said grimly as he began to walk that way.

"Be aware of any aliens around. Magnus, you scan for them. Link with Raptor and Hard Drive," Prime said. "Warlord, I need optics in the sky."

Warlord nodded, stepped back to transform and was in the air nearly immediately.

"Prime to Warlord," he said grimly.

:Warlord here:

"Prioritize the aliens but also see if anyone might be anywhere else. I refuse to accept they are all dead without proof," Optimus said.

:Understood. Warlord out:

Everyone turned toward the street to follow Ratchet who was nearly at the door of a large building that was housing for the citizens of the colony.

-0-The Hourly News Breaking News! edition, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"As of the hour, the Office of the Primes has no new bulletins," Lim-Lee began. "Apparently, Commander Jazz of the Office of Strategic Communications has no updates as well. The latest and clearest information is as follows. A migration heeding the signal of Optimus Prime, Starscream and the Great Elder nearly crossed into disputed territory when they were blocked by a Seeker patrol. The portion of the sector they were flying toward is that held by Razorclaw, the Predacon leader of the local area Decepticon forces. Though that group is contained and overawed by the forces of the Prime, they're an irritant and for those unsuspecting refugees that come from that direction, a real danger.

"The refugees were intercepted, then told of colony worlds in the Benzuli Expansion on the far side of the Cybertronian Empire that borders what is known on star maps as Sector 221-B, the Great Unknown. That is also the area of the Great Rifts and a dangerously unknown territory called The Darkness. It's marked on star charts as forbidden territory for Cybertronian exploration and expansion.

"Apparently, during the Diaspora, a number of groups made their way that direction escaping our civil war. Some of them took a chance to create shelter in the Rifts using them to their advantage for safety. Though it is highly risky and there are tales of strange aliens and events happening there, they found refuge. This group is one of them. They told of four colony worlds that the Prime is currently attending. Unfortunately for our side, there are aliens there that want to disallow our presence. Given the gravity of the situation and what's at stake, Optimus Prime is there personally to attend to the situation.

"He has called for the secondary fleet to join him to show the might and power that he brings to any disagreement that might lead to fighting. So far, there is no word that this has happened nor is there any word on the condition of the refugees in the colonies. As it stands now, we are at equilibrium. The Office of Strategic Communications is planning an update at the top of the joor all things being equal. Everyone is working very hard to resolve this issue and bring our people home."

The humans in the tower glanced at each other. Then Morshower stood to pace. "This has fighting written all over it. Prime's either in combat or he's headed that way."

"I hope you're wrong, Glenn," Barbara Morshower said with some anxiety. "These are our friends."

Glenn turned to her with a worried expression. "I know. I hope I am too."

-0-Out there

They entered a home to find an awful sight. Four individuals, one of them a child, were lying around the lounge room. They were dead. A check of the other units produced the same result. Walking out into the sunshine, Optimus Prime halted with his soldiers. Standing down the street heavily armed, a number of aliens watched. Prime turned to his mechs with a grim expression. "Spread out," he said. "I do not want to make this too easy," he said as they stepped back and outward to make a line that crossed the street. It was incredibly terribly tragically silent.

-0-TBC 5-19-17 **edited 5-19-17**


	11. Chapter 11

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6.11)

EDITED. THANK YOU, GUEST, FOR THE ERROR NOTICE. :D:D:D

-0-On the street

They stared at each other in the deepest silence, then the aliens sidestepped into the alley to disappear. Prime watched them, then glanced at Jetta. Jetta nodded and with Magnus in tow hurried across the street to enter a parallel alleyway. Prime turned to Ratchet. "Start a file on this. Tell me what happened. We will wait here."

Ratchet nodded, then hurried back inside. The rest gathered around Prime. No one said a word. It wasn't like there was anything to say.

-0-Ratchet

He walked from one corpse to another. Each of them died the same way. Chips in their processor exploded killing all of them. Given that they all ended at the same time, it was clear that the decision had happened purposefully and all of the deceased expired at once. He walked from apartment to apartment and came to the same conclusion. They were called home, they gathered, then they were terminated at the same time. He wondered if it was so on the other three planets. In this colony, there were 110,000 individuals. It gave him pause to consider that they all died at the same time but it was appearing to be so.

He walked out to the street, then paused before Prime and the others. They looked as grim-faced as they had when exploring the bombed out cities of their home world. "They all died the same way. There were chips in their processors that when detonated exploded several processes that were enough to terminate the individual. Each of them died the same way in this group and at the same time. It was a cold-blooded deliberate act of mass murder, Optimus. If there is one individual alive in this colony, I will be terribly surprised."

-0-In space

Prowl turned from the tactical monitor to the sensor screen. It was complete. They were surrounded. No one made a move but they were forming a wall of ships that were revving up power, but not in a weapons-oriented manner. He was watching what he knew was coming and even though it was, they were not in any danger yet. The ships that encircled them were linking up a wall of energy that would be lethal for anyone to attempt to breach, though how it would affect this fleet was still unknown to him. It was a fence that encircled them, holding everyone to this area.

"They're linking up, Prowl. When they reach full power I hypothesize that they will empower a dome. It will enclose us entirely. I am unclear if it has the ability to prevent our bridges. They, after all, open in various specific points of space and are often dealing with ambient energy. I would like that to be borne in mind in your calculations, however," Perceptor said as he sat at a computer with Wheeljack working out the physics of the alien's moves.

"Thank you, Perceptor. So noted," Prowl said as he watched a flash of energy connect each of the ships that were forming into groups of three to make the connection, then send it on to the next. As they did, big ships flew out of the group to take up points both 'below' and 'above' Prime's fleet. They were joined by other huge ships flying in from the direction they had all traveled to get here. What their purpose was Prowl didn't know but he watched them carefully.

-0-Jetta and Magnus

Both mechs paralleled the group that had watched them down the street, hesitating at intersections as the aliens crossed. They were armed and so were the aliens who were a mixed group. So far, nothing of a threatening nature was happening. They continued to shadow the group well aware that they could be walking into a trap. Their sensors were spread widely.

-0-Warlord

He traversed the planet seeking life signs or indications of habitation. The only cluster of signals that might be Cybertronian was in the colony. He spent time flying over the outlying areas where they worked mines or had different installations. All of them were empty. Everyone had returned to the colony for some reason, by some process. It infuriated him greatly.

As he flew, he didn't notice that there were others flying at greater altitude. His focus was the ground. When it was clear that someone was nearby, he pulled up sharply, flying with great speed toward the sky. They followed.

-0-Prime

They walked here and there checking different housing units. The story was the same. No one was alive. Everyone was dead. The burden of the atrocity was incredible as they walked onward. It was then that they began to see aliens in the city watching them from a distance. No one made any moves to come closer but they were becoming more and more common a sight around the colony. Prime and his group walked to a building nearby that addressed itself as a utility station. With Raptor guarding the door, the group walked inside.

It was clean, utilitarian, functional, and no more. Machines were still running. Desks were still what they were when their occupants picked up to head home to their deaths. Walking to a console, Hard Drive keyed in to play the last thing reported colony-wide. He glanced at Prime. "Here we go."

Prime paused looking around and turned with the group to listen. "This is One of Twelve. It is upon the order of the Council that everyone report to their homes for a drill. This is a drill. Everyone, please report to your homes. You may acquire your children but you must be at home before 1600 joors on the master chronometer. I repeat. This is a drill. Gather your families and report to your domiciles at no later than 1600 joors on the master chronometer. One of Twelve out."

Prime stared at the desk with a half finished energon cube and a snack cake of some kind. There were images in cubes of family and friends, unfinished work and other personal touches. He felt emotion surge, then quashed it. Dialing down his emotional subroutines slightly, just enough to keep his calm, he nodded. "Please … gather what you can. How does that time square with the calculations you have for their deaths, Ratchet?"

"As you would expect from them, Prime. Precision. It's the exact moment of their deaths thus far," Ratchet said bitterly.

Prime nodded, then picked up the picture cube. He subspaced it, then did so with all the obvious personal effects that were on display around the room. He seethed for a moment, outwardly as angry as any of them had ever seen, then it subsided again. "We will fight to prevent further desecration. They want to pillage this place. They will pillage our people. **I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!"**

No one said a word. They all felt it. Then Hard Drive stepped closer. "We may have to destroy this whole thing, Optimus. We may have to destroy the colonies or even the planets."

Prime turned to Hard Drive. "We may have to but the planets … they have spirits … souls. Caminus has a spirit. So did her star. The star asked me to help save Caminus, to prevent her death when he went nova. I never knew it before but I spoke to them. I met them. These planets have spirits. We just cannot destroy them. That is not the first option."

"Oh, frag. I forgot about that," Ironhide said. "I blew up a planet once. I blew up a sentient being? Are you sure?"

Prime glanced at him. "They're sentient."

"Frag," Ratchet said. "Fuck. I think that's a better word."

"I will not argue with you, Ratchet," Prime said. "Come. Let us continue." Then he paused. "Prime to Prowl. Update us, the entire group, internally."

:Prowl here. We're encircled. They crafted an energy ball and we're in the middle. It's rather ingenious. Wheeljack and Perceptor are studying it. We're sure it won't meddle with our bridges but it might be a bit of a problem with the dreadnoughts. Bridges pinpoint a specific location to open that uses a different process than a titan or dread who personally teleport. We aren't sure if this might be an issue. All-in-all, its quiet. They haven't called to us again:

"Keep me informed. Right now, we have no survivors and indications are that they were lured to their homes, then murdered all at the same time. We have aliens watching us but no overt acts. Prime out." He turned to the others, then nodded. "Let us go further."

-0-Warlord

He flew upward pursued by two individuals. They registered to him as organics who had good flight capability. They were armed with devices on their arms and others held in their hands. They weren't as fast or as maneuverable as he was but they followed him well. He flew ahead, then transformed into root mode. Hovering in the air, he watched as they flew nearby, then hovered themselves. Staring at each other, they took each other's measure before one of them flew closer. He raised his hand and a beam shot out of the device held there hitting Warlord directly in the chest.

Warlord seized, then felt his body flash warnings. He felt groggy a moment, then began to fall. He fell downward with the two beings in hot pursuit.

-0-Prowl

"Warlord just went off the screen, Prowl," Blaster said as he glanced sharply at Prowl.

"Fix him with a bridge. I want him now," Prowl said.

Blaster moved to the bridge station taking the seat from the newbie Home Guardsman to his great relief. His digits began to fly.

-0-Warlord

They flew after him diving straight down. Reaching his body, they grabbed a limb and before they could react, fell into a blossom of energy that appeared out of nowhere. Into it they fell, then disappeared.

-0-On the deck

The group clattered to the ground, the organics lying dazed. The room had no atmosphere which became apparently immediately when the two avians began to gasp loudly. A tech nearby swiftly created the right conditions as the two avians relaxed into their light headed torpor. Inferno who was present along with medics for Warlord gripped both by the arm. Dragging them up, he nodded to the bridge operator. "Beam me in, and make sure there's an atmosphere in the brig, Toffi."

Toffi, a small femme who was a waitress in the Tower in the Sky at Iacon nodded. She did.

-0-Prowl

"Well, that solves one question. Our bridges work inside the net."

"All intel is good intel," Wheeljack replied.

"Prowl, the ships at 234.06 degrees fired a torpedo. It's headed for us," Whirl said.

"Shall I put them down, Prowl?" Xantium's voice replied as he began to materialize on his own deck. He walked to the viewports to see a torpedo heading his way. "Puny thing. Want to make a wager it runs out of gas before it reaches me?"

Prowl grinned. "No. I asked Rainmaker to take care of it."

They watched for a moment as nothing happened, then every Seeker sitting on a hull nearby fired on the torpedo. 500 rounds of energy and a good dozen small rockets headed for it. It took a moment for both to collide but they did blowing up in a blazing display of light and violence. It felt good to see. Prowl turned to Xantium. "Return the favor. Matching payloads."

Xantium grinned with glee, then offlined his optics. A slight rumble below decks indicated a missile had been launched. It flew out headed for the trio of ships that had launched it. The entire Autobot side watched as a small ship was launched. It flew toward the torpedo shooting as it went. Half the shots were good and the torpedo exploded.

"Well, we're tied," Prowl said dryly. "Their turn."

-0-Raptor

He turned to Prime as the group walked down the main street of the colony. Businesses were running but there was no one there. They were heading for the city hall or the local equivalent. He slowed as he listened, then turned to Typhoon. "They need you, Ty. The aliens are testing us. They traded shots, one for one."

Prime nodded. "Let us get some information from their command center. I am unclear if they would destroy things before they left. Go back, Typhoon, and keep me personally updated. I trust all of you to handle this with your usual great skill and patience."

Typhoon bowed. "I am yours to command." Then he derezzed to disappear. He would reappear next to Rainmaker, his great good friend, and the two of them would do their best to prepare for what looked like a fight.

-0-TBC 5-19-17 **edited 5-20-17**


	12. Chapter 12

The Diego Diaries: Function over Form (dd6 12)

[ words ] - indicates the alien's languages

-0-Colonial Administrative Building on an abandoned world near the Benzuli

It was the same here, the abandoned work sites with their few personal possessions. Prime stared without expression at the space around them as everyone walked about collecting evidence and data. He began to gather from desks and other surfaces what few personal effects, images and other small specks of individuality that his people had managed to have around themselves in this, a desert of a space. A wrenching sound brought him out of his reverie. He turned to see Ironhide pull a database out of a computer input station. Others were doing the same. There was a master computer somewhere. They would have to have it.

Outside across the street, aliens were beginning to gather. They were heavily armed but silent. They were several types, some winged, some with similar reptilian features while others were big and leathery looking. Raptor walked to the door to stare at them. His huge hulking menace was powerful. They, however, held their ground. That didn't mean that they didn't shift slightly, gripping their weapons tighter. "Prime, we're being watched."

Optimus turned to the window to see them, then walked to the door. Passing Raptor, he walked toward the aliens. They shifted, moving back with a couple raising their guns slightly. Prime glanced at a waste receptacle, then picked it up easily. Turning toward the strange aliens, he threw it hard their way. It hit the wall above them, then exploded. The aliens broke on either side to run for the corner missing getting showered with garbage. They halted there to turn around again, fixing Prime with their unblinking stares.

Prime was seething with fury. :Prowl, download the directory of their language. Did you shake it out of One yet?"

:Give me a minute: Prowl said as he walked toward the odd councilor. Pulling a plug, he stuck it into One's neck none too gently. Prowl listened as the smaller mech sat quietly. Pulling the plug, he sent the database through their intra-communications system. Prime received it, then walked toward the group. [ **Speak to me! Now!** ] he said in their language.

The individuals moved backward with their guns raising slowly. ["Leave this place"], one of them cried. He was a big dark brown figure that appeared to be the group leader.

[" **Not without our people. What kind of creature are you to stand between us and our dead? What kind of society do you have that is so shameful**?"], Prime replied.

The creature lowered his gun slightly. ["I have no say over that. I'm here to make sure you leave."]

["We are **NOT** going to allow our people to be victimized again. You **WILL NOT** have them. We will destroy these planets before you do. **Leave**. Tell your people what I just said. I **MEAN** it. I will destroy the planets first."]

The aliens stared at him, then melted into the alleyways disappearing from sight. Prime scanned and found them to be retreating. He stared at the alleyway, then turned to his people. "We are **NOT** going to give an inch. I want every scrap of information I can get about this. We need to know who everyone is. I need information about who our people were, what they did, anything that tells about them … images especially. I want to know who they were. They can **not** be forgotten." Prime glanced around. "Find the information center and get the databases. All of them. We had better get ready for a fight. Prowl," he said.

"Prowl here."

"Send data teams. Send armed escorts. I want to have this place scanned for information nodes and other database and computer collections. I want to know where everything of consequence is so that we can take it. They cannot have our tech. Find where it is and get it," Prime said.

"Understood," Prowl said as a bridge opened near Prime. Out of it came dozens of individuals. Some of them were techs and the rest were soldiers to protect them. Prime watched as Hard Drive called them to his side for instructions.

Ironhide turned to him. "Go to the ship, Prime. We'll take this over. We can come at a moment's notice if you need us."

Prime nodded. "Alright," he said tiredly. "Expect anything at any moment."

Ironhide nodded as he watched Prime enter the bridge. It closed behind him. He turned to the group and waited for his orders from his great grandfather. He would do so with his grandfather and two of his sons who had come down with the techs.

-0-Up there

Prime walked onto the deck, then sat in the command chair. "Update me, Prowl."

Prowl turned to him from tactical. He rose, then stopped beside Prime. They both stared at the forward view screen. The entire view was filled with shimmering light created by ships sharing energy to trap them inside. Prime thought about the sight, then turned to Wheeljack. "Do we have this in our arsenal? I do not recognize this as ours."

"We don't use this though there are those that do, Optimus," Wheeljack said from a table nearby where he and a number of smart Sciences kids were working with Perceptor on the situation. "I've seen it before and it's pretty solid when it's completely hooked up. We're working out how to breach it, though I believe all of us including the dreads can bridge out of here. There may be energetic frequency conflicts for the dreads to teleport out, so they would have to go by bridge."

"We have a standoff, sir," Prowl said. "We exchanged shots. They sent a missile and we shot it down. Then we sent a missile and they shot it down. Right now, their net is complete and they haven't tried anything since."

Prime nodded. "What do long range sensors say about the other three planets?" Prime asked.

Prowl consulted his datapad. "The planets are near enough that the jump between worlds is short. One is just a mining operation. Long range scans indicate no one is there. There's an indication that there are automated systems running but nothing that indicates a spark. The planet next to it, the farthest out, indicates industry and commerce. The entire point of the world was to keep visitors away from the areas where our people lived. There's no indication that anyone is there. There are automated systems in operation there as well. It's the next planet to this one, the third one from the star that's the major habitation zone of those who were considered just equipment by the Council.

"I estimate that there were over 380,000 to 390,000 individuals living there. That's the space where most of the work, the technical delicate work that required finesse was created. It's the habitation zone of the greatest number of individuals, all of them that did the heavy lifting. This world, the one we're searching now, appears to be the zone where the leadership and their personal work force lived," Prowl said. "We have technology problems on all four worlds but the population is limited to these two," he said pulling up a system map that showed every part of the Council's territory. There were eight planets in the system but only four were inhabited, two of them with the bulk of the population.

Prime nodded. "I want the third defense unit gathered together and on standby. Keep their vessels at the shipyard north of town. We can lift off in seconds if and when the time comes. Until then, our people on Mars and Cybertron do not need to fear what is happening. Right now, I want to speak to their leadership. I want to do so in their own language."

Prowl nodded, then turned to Blaster.

"Prowl."

Prowl turned back to Prime. "Find another ship," he said.

Prowl nodded, then turned to Blaster. "Link up, then link me in. Give me enough time to get to Gamma."

Blaster nodded, then sat back as Prowl walked to the elevator to leave. "This is fragged, Prime. What do we do with him?" he asked nodding toward One who sat like a statue nearby.

"We keep him here until we figure this out. Then he stands for his crimes like the others," Prime said. The screen changed as Prowl appeared. "I'm here. Link us up, Blaster," he said. Then the screen changed to the outside vision.

Blaster did, then glanced at Prime. "You're on."

["This is Optimus Prime. Who is the leadership of your faction?"]

The screen came on showing the golden bio-mechanical individual from before and no one else. ["I'm here."]

Prime stared at him. ["We are here to attend to our people. Nothing you can do will change that. If you wish to fight, we will not run away from it."]

["Then we will fight you, Prime."], Fortune said.

["What kind of people are you that you would prevent us from attending to our dead?"] Prime repeated.

Fortune stared at him a moment. ["We didn't ask you to come here. We work hard to keep your kind out. Now you seem surprised that we're going to do what you would do in our place."], Fortune replied.

["You want unfettered access to the technology of the colony. You want to pillage it and the dead. You would pillage our dead people. We will not allow it, Fortune. We are going to be here to protect our dead."] Prime said firmly.

["It's clear that you and I will not agree, Prime. You'll do what you do and so will we. What comes of this is on you."], Fortune said. ["We've asked you to go. You need to leave this place. We'll no longer tolerate your presence and that of your people. Wherever your kind goes death follows. We've lived here for eons in peace. Then you came. We didn't ask for that. Now we're telling you. Leave or there will be war."] Fortune said. Then he cut the transmission.

Prime felt rage rise through him at the thought of his people being in war again. It was deeply futile to him that such a thing could happen once more on this scale. He expected if from Megatron and with local area Decepticons that still opposed him. But taking on four civilizations that had access to their tech was a different problem. He thought about the people who had gone home, some with kids then were murdered on the spot. He wasn't here to protect them then but he was now. He had no choice but to defend them in death where he had failed them in life. He was their Prime. They were his charge. He would not by his sense of honor nor by his Charter turn away from his duties now. "Blaster. Link all the commanders together. Get a fix on the teams on the ground."

The screen ahead split as all the different commanders including an avatar of Hard Drive, Raptor and Ironhide appeared. "I am not going to abandon our people. We will protect them from being pillaged by these aliens. It is my duty as Prime. Anyone who has thoughts, speak now."

They stared at Prime, those on screen, then Ironhide's voice was heard. "You're the Prime. Command us."

The images of the commanders nodded in agreement as they listened. Starscream spoke. "This is an outrage of incredible proportions, Prime. If we leave them behind, they will be taken apart and engineered into who knows what? This is also a crime against our technology. Whatever I might think of Magnus and Tyrest, the treaties exist for a reason. We are duty and honor bound to resist this and to protect the dead. It's the least we can do."

Everyone nodded again. Prime sat back as he considered what he would order. "Then we show them our quality. Wheeljack, Perceptor … what would it take to blast their energy screens so that they go down?"

Wheeljack and Perceptor turned toward Prime. "I think if we create a fleetwide energy pulse directed toward the net it'll be enough to short it out. I don't think they'd expect it and it should throw them off their game long enough to know that we can bring the fight to them. They may have our tech but not all of it. Let them wonder what we can do that they weren't shown."

"Work it out then talk to Prowl. The rest of you, stake out your field of defense in the overall field of conflict and be ready if they decide to fight when the field goes down. I want the Seekers pulled back to standby. We do not know their level of firepower given the circumstances so I do not want them in the fight until we do. Understand. We are facing an opponent who has our tech. How much power they have because of it remains to be determined. Be ready to fight and cover your field of combat. Send to Prowl your battle plans."

The group turned to the task at hand as Perceptor, Wheeljack, and their smart kids worked on the plan to bring down the net. It was silent on the bridge but for the murmurs of the scientists and ship's systems.

"Ironhide to Prime."

"Prime here."

"We found the master computer. Appa is working out how it interrelates with the others and how we can take these, then pulse the others to destroy themselves. A lot of the systems that are still up are running under their direction. It could be that if we shut down the system or destroy the outlying nodes, it'll cause machinery to overheat and destroy itself. That wouldn't be half bad but it would destroy and burn the dead. What do you want us to do?" Ironhide asked over the intracom.

Prime thought a moment. "Can you download the contents and if so, how long would it take?"

Hard Drive answered. "We can. It would take a joor or so. We can also place a virus in the system so that if something happens that we can't hold this position, they wouldn't be able to enter the system without infecting their own. It would destroy their systems but not ours as long as it's not transferred or transported from this, the zero placement locus. This virus, the one I'm thinking of would need activation by us to do the same. It defends systems slated to be destroyed against access. It also protects computer systems that can't be transferred from being tampered with. Once it's in their system it'll destroy their files down to their maintenance programming."

"Do it, Hardie," Prime said. "Keep the activation for our systems to yourself. I do not want anyone else to have the codes. I trust your judgment."

"Very well, Prime. Hard Drive out."

Prime sat back feeling slightly better. Then Wheeljack walked to him with a datapad. "We're ready to send them a pulse. It would mean coordinating the entire battlegroup to pulse an energon burst on the same frequency at the same time, in the same intensity. It will flash out as a burst causing all tech on both sides to disrupt for a microsecond. This pulse will be geared to the frequency of the net so that it will go down but nothing more. If we tried to shut down their ships, it would take a lot more work. All of them operate at their own frequency."

"Then you are ready?" Prime asked.

Wheeljack nodded. "We are, Prime."

Optimus nodded. "Prime to all commanders. Prime to ground teams. We are going to activate a pulse at the nets hemming us in. We will need you to be ready for a fight when we do. Be prepared to fight. I will signal the send with a countdown. Everyone on the ground, be ready to lift off. Come to us if they fight. We do not want any of us divided in case of combat. Acknowledge."

They all did. Prime sat straighter, then nodded. "Get ready to send the pulse, Wheeljack."

-0-TBC 5-20-17 **edited 5-24-17**


	13. Chapter 13

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 13)

-0-Out there

Wheeljack sat at Fire Control working out the coordination of the energy pulse. He turned toward Prime and nodded. Prime sat back with a grim expression. "This is Optimus Prime. We are going to pulse together on three. Be ready to fight once the grid is down. One … two … three."

A blinding light obscured everything for a moment as the pulse flowed out. Everything on their ships glitched, then returned almost immediately. Farther out, it was almost instantaneous. The light pulse hit the grid and it winked out. Energy readings fluctuated wildly for a moment aboard the enemy ships, then flickered back to life.

"They weren't expecting that," Wheeljack said as he scanned the group which was momentarily in chaos. "That means they don't have access or knowledge of all of our tech."

"Good. I intend to keep it that way," Prime said grimly. He glanced at the screen showing Typhoon and the other commanders. "I want the installations on the farthest two planets razed to the ground. No one is there, correct?"

Starscream and Rainmaker nodded. "That is correct, Lord Optimus," Rainmaker said formally, now that they were on the job. "They had to be called home to be betrayed."

Prime nodded. "Take who you need, cruisers and Seekers. Protect the Seekers. I want no casualties. They won't be expecting this either. Go fast, get it done and return. Tennyson, move into the area and focus on anyone following. Throw down cover."

"I live to serve," Tennyson said with a slight bow. He turned to Rainmaker and Starscream who leaned in together to work out the plan.

Prime sat silently as he watched the ships pull themselves back together. "Open a channel, Blaster." Blaster did. ["Enemy fleet … this is Optimus Prime. We have defeated your containment field. Your ships experienced a momentary loss of function. We can make that permanent if you do not allow us to attend to our dead. Answer now."]

There was no answer as they regrouped themselves. While they were, even more ships were coming to join them. Soon it would be constant as the halo of light that surrounded Prime and his ships continued to grow. He watched the show waiting for the Matrix to give him some sort of acknowledgment that what he was doing was purposeful and correct. It was silent.

At that moment, three cruisers surrounded by a cloud of Seekers flew out of the group and headed to the inner planets of the system. Breaking out with them, a trio of large well-armed ships followed from the alien group.

"They can't do much against us," Blackjack said from another ship nearby. He was on the screen with the other commanders, all of them tending to business as they waited for orders.

"Maybe. We shall see," Prime said as he concentrated on the field of view.

It ranged among the Seekers, changing perspective from one to another as they flew closer to the planet farthest from the habitable zone of occupation. The Seekers flew with the cruisers like limpet fish attached to the side of a whale. When they closed on the planet, they broke off and flew in two groups away from the cruisers. One group slowed to watch the three alien ships in pursuit while the others flew toward the planet surface to direct the targeting and to observe the degree of destruction the shooting would create.

-0-The Hourly News Breaking News, 1830 hours on the TMC

"Good evening. The latest news about the interdiction in deep space is as follows. The colony worlds which were targeted for rescue have suffered an as yet unknown catastrophe. It is said but not officially confirmed that they were involved in a catastrophe that has caused mass casualties. No official word is yet available but it would appear that a lot of our people were killed in an yet unknown conflagration.

"At the point of contact, Optimus Prime and the fleet are currently engaged in gaining access to the planet side settlements in defiance of a confederation of alien civilizations who have lived there peacefully together for eons.

"The area in question is 221-B, a forbidden zone in the Benzuli Expansion. Given the chaos of The Fall and subsequent Diaspora, it is understandable why our people will be found in hitherto for forbidden zones. The Benzuli has temporal rifts that are dangerous and interrupt the ability of ship's sensory equipment to give clear pictures of the local area. There are many myths and legends about the Benzuli and related local areas that include dangerous aliens and strange anomalies.

"The Office of Strategic Communications has released the following statement. "As of 0900 hours TMC, Optimus Prime and the expeditionary forces with him have located four worlds that have settlements of our people. In the area, there is a huge federation of species that hold sway. They have been unhelpful in allowing access to the planets to help our people. The Prime is engaged in ensuring that access.

"It is not his intention to fight but he will if necessary. We need to find out the story and bring our people home. As of now, there has been no shooting. It is a tense standoff and when more news is available, the Office of Strategic Communications will release it. There is no firm information about what the catastrophe was or the number of victims it might entail. When the information is available it will be released. Commander Jazz has asked forbearance. It serves no good purpose, he has stated, to trade in rumors."

Humans in four habitats listened to the news on the huge television screens their lounges afforded. The kids were sitting with them, all of the kids in the colony as their pensive worried elders watched the news. Annabelle Lennox glanced at her dad. "What does this mean, Daddy? Are they having a war?"

"I don't know, baby," Will said as he sat down again beside her and Sarah. "We don't know."

"I hope not. Half my class has a genitor in the armada," she replied. "This is awful. What happened to our people?"

No one could say.

-0-Earth 1

They sat in the lounge watching the news or the theater where the broadcast was playing around the clock. Owen Harris sat in a middle row of the big theater watching the broadcast which was mostly news and conversation with experts about what was speculated to be going on. It could be any news broadcast on Earth. Brandon Clark sat beside him with a worried expression. "How often do things like this happen?" Owen asked.

"On occasion. I don't have fear for the fleet or Prime. I know they're damned near infallible but I hate it nonetheless. It reminds me how helpless we are without them."

"How often does it get reported to Earth when things like this happen?" Owen asked as he watched the Community Bulletin Board scroll past. Lunch was going to be tasty in the schools in the morning.

"When it's big enough," Brandon said. He glanced at Harris, then the screen. "They're an autonomous civilization. They don't have to share. That they do is a credit to them."

"We're all stuck in this boat. They should share all of it with us."

"Not everyone thinks the same thing," Clark said as he considered the figure beside him. "Some think we can go it alone."

"What do you think about that?" Harris asked.

"I think those who believe that are ass holes," Brandon replied. "It only takes one weak moment to end us all. To think that we can face the universe without allies is to believe in fairy dust. Graveyards are filled with people who did."

"It could be that their presence brings trouble here. We've been here eons without them living in peace. Now it seems they come every day," Harris said.

"Consider the idea that because aliens of all kind can come and go, it's inevitable that they come here. The question isn't 'the aliens out there come here because of the bots'. The big deal here is 'they come because they can and always have'. That's what the aliens around here do. Because the bots are here we don't get plowed under. I've been here a long time now. I've seen the great benefits of this alliance. The aliens out there are moving around doing what they do for good or ill. Why they are is irrelevant. They just are. One species came here to hunt us for eons. It's their sport. The bots put end to that from day one. We can have them come by and have no defense or we can have them come with the bots here. Which is smarter?"

Harris stared at Clark. "Which came first? The chicken or the egg? Would they have really come here but for the activity of the bots or not?"

"They were already here," Clark repeated.

Harris stared at him a moment, then Lim-Lee was back. "In other news ..."

-0-At the Youth Club, Oz

Nine big kids sat around a table sipping 'soft drinks' as they chatted. Several other friends were with them as they had just concluded their science club meeting and had gone to 'the club' to eat dinner and play games. The pool tables and dart boards were busy so they sat together eating snacks. "What do you think is going on out there, Tru?" one of their friends asked.

"I think they're confronting a terrible problem," Tru said. "Something makes me think that there's going to be a fight. Uncle Tennyson was called to come along with Ammas and Appa. Prime needs big guns."

The others nodded. "I wish I was there," Fireball said. "I could help them. I know how to fight."

"Sort of," Quasar said with a slight grin. "They taught us but we haven't had a lot of opportunities."

"I did. I helped that one time. Remember?" Tru asked with a bit of indignation.

"You did and it was great," Fireball said loyally. He looked at the others. "If they need us, we can't go anyway. We're protecting the colony against Razorclaw. I hope he doesn't know about this. He might be a wise aft and try something."

"They impose a news blackout," another kid said. "My atar works at Intracomm. They always censor the news just in case."

"Good," Quadrus said with relief. "We can take them on but Appa and Ammas would be unhappy if it came to that. They think we need more training."

The conversation continued as around the colony families and friends of many species worried about the mission in the Benzuli.

-0-Out there

They made it to the planet, then fell into orbit. The Seekers flashed ahead to mark targets. Red Wing flew into the industrial park area of the fourth planet, then landed. With him were heavy Seekers, huge mechs with incredible strength and firepower. They unsubbed beacons and began to place them. Flying around the big zone, they put them at strategic places to show the perimeter of the area. Everything inside the zone would be burned to the ground. There was little beyond this area, just gravel pits and trucks, non-sentient all.

Red Wing watched a datapad in his servo as his team placed markers. When they were all where they needed to be, he commed over the open line. "Red 1. All is ready and go. Let us get clear, then it's your turn, General."

"Understood. Clear the area, Red," Blackjack said over the comm system.

Red Wing signaled everyone to leave. They rose into the air, then flew into space to form up on the hulls of the cruisers. They magnetized, then turned to watch as the ships began to vibrate. Systems were coming online and to the delicate phenomenally sensitive abilities of the Seekers, they felt the vibrations beneath their feet. Humans wouldn't have.

After a moment, a slight bump underfoot indicated that missiles were being launched. They sped out in a burst of light, streaking downward to their targets. They were heavy payload, Red Wing noted. They would do the trick. He and his group would do the fly over, then all would head back toward the next planet leaving Tennyson to do the deep and most complete scans before following. By the time they were finished, any further contention would be limited to only two planets.

As they turned to go, at last, they would be followed by three alien ships. Coming across the void seemingly without concern about Prime and his armada, four other alien vessels were joining them.

-0-TBC 5-21-17 **edited 5-24-17**


	14. Chapter 14

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 14)

-0-Out there

They sped back toward their mother ships with three aliens fighters on their tail. The Autobots flew past them to return with Seeker escort as four more alien vessels broke out to cut across the empty space before Prime's armada. They didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated by his presence. The three Autobot ships and their three tails sped onward as the four cut in front to block them.

It was as if Prime wasn't there.

Optimus watched them with a slight sense of mystification.

"They have bearings. I guess," Blackjack's voice could be heard saying.

Ironhide who had bridged back arriving to join his father agreed. "Slaggers. They have no sense."

"Maybe," Hard Drive's voice said over the intracom. "They either fight like this or they have tricks. Look alive," he said to the three ships heading their way. They acknowledged him.

"Launch fighters," Prime said as he watched the groups coming closer together. "Make it significant."

Prowl who was listening from Gamma made the order and out of the decks of the three dreadnoughts, a swarm of three-man fighters emerged. They flew in a cloud toward the situation brewing and as they did, four of the ships veered off to fly across the field of play toward the other side of Prime's armada. They disappeared back into their battle group once more. The three original ships following slowed to a stop as Prime's group met the fighters. Turning almost as one, the entire Cybertronian flight flew onward to rejoin Prime.

"They appear to be looking for a fight, Optimus. I think they want you to drop the first blow against them," Hard Drive was heard to say. "They appear to be provoking."

"That's a costly way to to do it," Ratchet's voice was heard to say. "Losing some of your people is a dumb way to me."

"You have a conscience," Ironhide was heard to say.

"Tennyson's heading back." Blaster turned to Prime. "He's sent the report. Nothing is left intact on either planet."

Prime nodded. "Good," he said coldly. "I want a defensive circle. Make it air tight."

Prowl who was watching nodded, then sent the orders. Outside, the group began to move. They formed into a circle facing outward toward their enemies with the dreads as the heavy artillery. Tennyson joined them helping the titans to form the 'tent poles' of the rather rectangular shaped formation. Others spread out with cruisers turning their guns toward the outside ring of alien ships. By the time they were moved into position, the provoking aliens had returned to their own side. They were at standoff again.

"We need a plan, sir," Prowl said. "What is your thinking for this situation?"

Prime didn't answer a moment, then he looked at the section of the screen where Prowl's face peered out at him. "I think we need to hold this ground. I want teams on the first planet, the one where the leadership lived. I want a flyover to find out what we're looking at. If there's no confrontation about that, then we flyover the other. I want to know the story as it stands now. We are looking at half a million dead here."

Prowl nodded. "I will make it so." He turned to the console a moment to give orders, then turned back. "I've sent the teams. Hopefully, it won't elicit a response. If it does ..."

"Then shoot them after they fire on us," Prime said coldly. "Prevent them from following. They shoot first."

Prowl nodded, then gave the orders. As he did, battle shuttles led by Kup, Hercy, and Springer who had returned to Impactor's Revenge were speeding out with a halo of heavily armed Seeker heavy gunners as an escort. As they did, three equally tough appearing ships broke from the alien lines to follow.

-0-In a classroom in Autobot City

She diagrammed the chain of command for her new students. She enjoyed teaching beginners and held back a number of different topics for herself to do so. Commander Lissie of Iacon was a soldier's soldier and even though her main charge was training the officers' corp, this still held a great deal of nostalgia for her. She turned to the group of newbie soldiers who were entering the information onto their datapads. "This is the way we roll," she said with a grin.

"What about the thing out there, Commander?" a young kid asked. He had just finished Intermediate School, among the first to do so in the colony and was now in college. He wanted to help so he joined the Home Guard. "What can you tell us about it? Do we need to worry yet?"

Lissie who had taken a real shine to the kid grinned slightly. "We have a difference of opinion going on out there. We want what we want and someone doesn't want to give it to us. Until they do, we have a problem. Given that the Prime and his senior officers are there with the fleet, I think we don't need to worry. Certainly not you infants. You're too new to this to be a part of anything martial. You may never be a soldier in a battle. But you will know how to be one for our home protection."

"Amma," he replied, forgetting that he was speaking to his superior officer, "will there be fighting?"

Lissie grinned slightly at the kid, then considered the question. "If Prime can avoid it, he will. He's that sort of mech. He cares about every life. He won't waste anyone."

"Our doctors are first class," another mech said, one who was studying to be a medical technician. "Ratchet went with them."

Partition snorted.

Lissie glanced at him. "Do you have a problem, recruit?"

Partition looked at her a moment, then shrugged. "I don't get along with Ratchet."

"Too bad. Ratchet's a stand-up mech. He's braver than most and he never gives up on a soldier. I've seen him get shot pulling someone out of the line of fire. Few mechs go that far," Lissie said. She knew of the problem because Ratchet had filled her in. She also knew about Ratchet's 'projects'. She was the great aunt to several now and this appeared to be no exception.

"Glad to know he's good at something," Partition said, completely unaware of the effect such a remark would have on others.

The group jolted with surprise. They turned toward him with concern and amazement. He sat in his chair staring at Lissie with a slight smirk on his face. That was when a big mech two rows over stood, walked to Partition and punched him in the face. As Partition slid to the floor, the big mech walked back to his seat and sat quietly. Partition pulled himself off the floor, then turned with astonishment toward Lissie. **"HE HIT ME!"**

Lissie who was suppressing an urge to laugh loudly nodded. "He did. Please sit."

Partition stared at her with surprise and outrage, but he sat down.

Lissie stared at each of the 54 mechs and femmes sitting in her lecture hall in the Central Labor Hall Home Guard Headquarters. Then she grinned. "That wasn't nice to hit him, Boulder. I do like your technique, however. Given the circumstances, I'm sure you had a good reason."

Boulder nodded. "He helped my little sister's wounded processor when we came here. He saved her and she's fine now. I didn't like his remarks."

"So noted," Lissie said. She glanced at Partition who was looking more and more perplexed and angry by the moment. "You slandered a superior officer on duty, infant. That cannot be allowed."

" **HE HIT ME!"** Partition replied.

"He did." Lissie glanced at Boulder. "You may not hit someone in future. I would be most displeased."

Boulder nodded with a ghost of a grin on his face. "Yes, ma'am."

She looked at Partition. "Let me explain a few things about this femme's army. We're not as formal as some. We were the civilians, not the military in the civil war. Therefore, we're less hard aft about protocol and some procedures. After all, many are the soldiers that call Prime by his first name. By the way, none of you have that right yet. That being said … I'm less unhappy about Boulder punching your face than I am in your lack of courtesy and respect for insulting our C.M.O. I'm **AM** teaching you the chain of command after all," she said turning toward the board.

"Ratchet is in the topmost tier of this command structure and always has been. He got there because he earned it. He's brave, smart, tactical, relentless, and decent. In short, he forgot more about being a soldier than any of you infants will ever live long enough to learn. He got it in combat, endless combat over millions of vorns. You would do well to remember that, Partition. What Ratchet forgot is more than you will probably ever know. Now … shall we return to the important things?" She turned to the board and began to expand on the lists of officers and their obligations.

Partition fumed for a moment, then began to jot things down. Lissie said there might be testing. He for sure wasn't going to flunk.

-0-In a teacher's meeting after school let out

"We have to be cognizant of our students and their behaviors. As usual in a deployment, we have to expect that there will be acting up and tension. Our children's feelings must be met with compassion and love. I'm asking for our entire volunteer staff of room ammas and appas to be available for compassionate assistance. We've been through this before and I'm sure it will happen again. I'm bringing this to the next school board meeting so that we can draw up a policy for our manual. I would like your input for that meeting if you could. Drop me a line in the suggestion box," Herling said as he addressed the auditorium filled with teachers and support staff. They were called to go over a system-wide plan to help the children who had genitors in the armada.

"I'm going to ask Roto to come up and speak to what we should say regarding their questions and fears. Our entire processor staff and that of the colony is online to assist us with this situation until everyone comes home. Roto?" Herling asked.

Roto stood and walked to the podium. The 16,700+ teachers who were part of the educational system and the 20,000+ support staff watched him in the huge auditorium and on monitors from gathering places all over the colony. They had come together in different auditoriums and conference rooms to troubleshoot the situation which as becoming more and more apparent as the children's fears grew. Standing before 2,000 individuals present in the biggest University auditorium, he began to explain the signs to look for, what to do to allay fears and how to discuss the situation in class.

-0-On the flyover

They flew in swiftly covering the settlement in seconds. The entire colony was of one piece which was fortunate for everyone. There were no other habitable places or structures anywhere else on the planet but it was also the smaller of the settlements they would have to scan. As they did, the data flashed back to Prowl on Gamma. Flying over as one, they scanned together, locking their sensors to make sure that every inch of it down 100 feet below the surface was thoroughly understood.

Behind them, the alien ships flew equally swiftly, then veered off as the shuttles descended to work. They were then followed by Seekers who tailed them. Swerving this way and that, the aliens pulled back to lose their tail. They did.

No one shot each other from the encounter.

Yet.

-0-On a ship in the defensive circle

"This is slag," Hot Rod said as he worked at Tactical on Gamma. Nearby, Prowl was working on the incoming data. He glanced at Prowl, then the screen. "We could blast them to confetti."

"Have you done a scan of the ships encircling us?" Prowl asked as he worked.

"No." Hot Rod was antsy and ready to fight. Waiting was not his long suit.

"You should. I think you might find that a poor decision on the whole," Prowl said as he stood with a datapad containing the bad news.

Hot Rod did, then silently agreed with Prowl. He didn't remark. He sat stewing as Prowl turned toward the cameras of the forward screens. "Prowl to Prime."

Prime's face appeared. "Prime here."

"We have a total of the scope of the dead in the first settlement, sir. We are looking at 112,237 deaths."

Prime stared at Prowl on the screen for a long time as he digested the news. "No, Prowl," he said quietly. "We have 112,237 murders."

-0-TBC 5-22-17 **edited 5-23-17**

ESL:

stewing: being silently angry or upset (its usually a silent thing)

Example: "He sat stewing with silent frustration in his chair at the desk."

Old American expression: Taking a shine to someone means you like them. :D

Example: "I'm really taking a shine to that white kitten."


	15. Chapter 15

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 15)

-0-Around the colony, Mars

"When did your bond leave?"

"With the secondary fleet. He was called up and left when they did."

"What do you know about what's happening?"

"Nothing. They're on a news blackout."

"Is that normal?"

"It is. I don't know what's happening either."

-0-Temple of Primus Restored, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Chevron called them together to discuss a conversation he had just concluded with Cyclonus. It was a top secret conversation and would stay within the walls of his office. Everyone sat waiting as the grim expression on Chevron's normally peaceful face percolated through them. "I just finished a conversation with Cyclonus. He's still with the armada. He told me things that I need to tell you that require a vow on your own honor, on the honor of our people and that of Primus. You will not tell anyone whosoever what I tell you."

Everyone glanced at each other, then Gravitas leaned closer. "You have that always, Master."

"This is a different level of event, my dear Gravitas. Thus, I must have your vow on the honor and dignity of the Matrix," Chevron replied. Lauren and Chrome who had listened into the conversation, but had no comment during it sat side-by-side. They were grim too. It was almost frightening to those gathered.

"You have it, Master," Vraz said with conviction. Everyone else murmured agreement.

"Very well," Chevron said. He glanced at the others who nodded. He looked at the group, his dozen senior priests. "There has been a calamity of astonishing proportions in the Benzuli that could drive a wedge between us and the Monastery if we do not rise to the occasion."

Everyone sat as if in attendance at a funeral which in some small way they were. Chevron continued. "Apparently, there were Functionalist settlements there which traded with aliens. They were the migration coming to us for rescue. There were about 4,500 refugees on the ships that had come from a pair of colony worlds of about half a million total individuals."

"The ones that the fleet is trying to find? They said a calamity happened ..." Lady Sela asked, her voice trailing off in dread.

Chevron nodded grimly. "Yes," he said. "There was a calamity. It happened like this in the past, the sort of catastrophe we are facing here. When the Functionalist Council tires of you or finds you without a logical purpose, they perform a 'recall'."

Sela straightened as memories of really bad elder times flooded in. "They killed them, the bulk of the population."

Chevron nodded. "Yes," he said.

" **What?** What does this **mean** , Master?" Gravitas asked without comprehension. "What … do you **mean** they **killed everyone**? **How**?"

"With chips in your processor," Sela said with bitterness. "They detonate them."

It was silent a moment, then Gravitas slowly stood with a look of horror on his face. "This can't be. This is so wrong. It never ends. How can it **never end**?" he asked as Eronus gently gripped his arm to pull him back into his seat.

"Evil never sleeps," Sela said. "Are you saying, Chevron, that all of the population remaining … half a million mechs, femmes, children, elders, babies … all of them were killed in the recall?"

Chevron glanced at her. "They were."

They sat together a moment in silent desolation, then Mraz glanced at Chevron. "What is it that the Master fears, Lord Chevron?"

"Cyclonus fears as an adherent to the teachings of the Guiding Hand that the backlash from the colony against the Functionalists will roll over onto their sect," Chevron said. "He fears that the differences between them won't be respected. He fears religious violence and strife."

"That cannot happen," Gravitas said with a startled expression. "We all work for the good of The One. No one can blame the Clavis Aurea. We cannot allow that to happen."

"No, we cannot," Lauren said. "We must work together. Cyclonus is coming back when the fleet returns, then we will meet. We have to be of one mind. For now, I want you to review everything that pertains to the Functionalist faction. Then familiarize yourself with the Clavis Aurea. I want to be able to discuss any concerns intelligently. We cannot have disruptions. We are one."

Everyone agreed.

-0-Out there

Cyclonus sat on a chair on the command deck of Xantium. He had a conversation in the back storage room with Chevron on a secured line explaining the situation and his own disquiet over the notion that sectarian violence might happen. Not since he was a youngster was he as happy and content as he was now. The absolutely devout expression of his younger practice was emerging once more. There were titans here and he was Master of the Monastery. Nothing in his life compared to the contentment he felt now. Then this happened.

The differences between the Clavis Aurea and the Funtionalists were obvious if one wanted to take the time to know them. The Functionalists were extremists, the reasonable beliefs and practices of his faith taken to the ultimate ends. For him, a broken finial was acceptable. What you were born with you lived without if it broke or was damaged unless, of course, it was necessary to functionality.

A broken finial was one thing. A missing servo another. You lived with one and fixed the other. Simple. The truth for everything and all time was hidden in texts, the collected wisdom of their people the greatest treasure they possessed. It hid from them, the knowledge, wisdom and the path forward divined by their people and the Pantheon in the masses of scrolls codexes, commentaries, books, and databases that they were housing along with other sites. It was up to the followers of the Clavis Aurea to find them. Sitting in a scriptorium parsing the sometimes obtusely dense passages of ancient writings was the ultimate rush for him now. Sitting with a text, holding a stylus to enter his thoughts and translations onto the clean white empty page of a commentary book made his life complete.

Discussing points of contention with other scholars, consulting each other on this or that word, this or that comment, analyzing what it meant then rather than now … all of it was his salvation. He sought truth and the resurrection of their civilization as diligently as Prime did through his path. Now the Functionalists had come to this place bringing their poison with them. It was a massive threat. Since they both held to the same pantheon and creation process, it would be almost too easy to conflate the two together.

He feared that deep in his spark. One of Twelve sat across from him almost like a statue. He stared into space with his single optic not betraying a thing. Cyclonus considered how little it might take to kill him. Rising, he walked across the space to sit down next to him. Turning slightly, he regarded the smaller mech with the kind of contempt only he could muster. "You bring your poison to our world again. You will make it hard for all of us who believe in the Guiding Hand."

One glanced at him. "I follow the dictates of my beliefs."

"You are a murderer and a sparkless void. I am going to make sure that the differences are clear. If anyone of my sect suffers because of what you did, I will come for you and nothing that the Prime can devise will save you. This is what I vow." Cyclonus rose, then walked to stand behind Prime.

One stared at him, then sat back focusing his gaze on the middle distance before him. There was nothing he could say or do that would not end in his brutal murder here on this ship so he kept silent.

-0-At Ops Center, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean, Earth

Andrew Settles sat in his office working on the business of the base. Colonel Fulton was staying over on Mars and would come when 'things were sorted out'. He thought about the problem before the bots and felt the usual futility. Down the hallway in her own office, Lilly worked for the good of the order. She was the communications liaison right now for N.E.S.T. and the base.

They had been married since January 21, 2016. The hoo-haw of that event had only just died down a bit. They were still on the radar of every paparazzi and entertainment news organization on the planet. It was easier to go to Mars for downtime than to go home to America. They had a truce with the news organizations that pooled reporters here. They could chat once in a while but the privacy thing was sacrosanct.

Having reporters here at all was a compromise made in the interests of keeping information tight. Given the bots having their embassy here, it was considered ground zero for stories for everyone with a news outlet. Having the information officers on base supply what they were allowed to release ended up with hostile exchanges and a tightly negotiated solution. Three reporters could be here. They didn't have unfettered access but they could ask and get what was allowed. After all, this was one of the most secured and highly secretive bases on-world. That they were here at all was a miracle.

Outside, it was a muggy 81 degrees but felt much hotter. The rain had been intermittent all day long as they worked with the windows open. A slight breeze made it bearable as they toiled. They were handling intel from Mars, shaping it for sends to different capitals around the world. Right now, all they were told was that a refugee group was coming in through bad territory and that more would be made clear later.

Lilly Bolger-Settle sipped her coke as she worked on reports due to the Pentagon shortly. Budgets had to be made and projections calculated. Eventually, they would return to Mars for the opening of the new habitat, Earth2. For now, it was hard slog.

-0-Out there

"What is the word, Prowl, on the second planet?" Prime asked as he sat tensely in the command seat of Xantium.

"It's coming in now, sir," Prowl said. He was hunched over tactical as the data poured in. Then he turned to the cameras. "There are 397,002 dead bodies down on that world, Optimus. No one survived there either." He looked grim and pensive at the same time as he stared at the cameras gripping a datapad tightly in his servo. It was as awful as times in the long past when he had to tell Optimus that entire city-states were lost.

Prime stared at the screen sphinx-like for a moment, then sat back. "Open a channel to the aliens."

Blaster did then turned toward Prime. "You are on, Optimus."

["This is Optimus Prime. I wish to speak to your leader."] he said with a steeliness that signaled to those listening that he had made up his mind about something. They sat at their stations watching him tensely as did everyone on monitors from other ships.

["This is Fortune."] The golden alien appeared on the screen with his confederates from the first conversation between him and Prime. {"You will leave, Prime. We will fight you to the death if you stay."]

["I have appealed to your common decency to allow us to take care of our dead. You refuse. It is clear to me that you wish to pillage both planets for technology including the dead. They are **our** people, our sons, and daughters, elders and friends. I **cannot** allow that to happen. I am asking you one more time to allow us to gather our dead and make a decent ending for them."]

Fortune stared at him for a moment without saying a word, then shook his helm. ["You must go. Your kind is not welcome here. We will fight you and many will die, Optimus Prime. It is in your hands now. Stay and fight or leave and live."]

Prime stared at him, then spoke silently over the intracom with the big frames in the armada. After a moment, Prime sat forward. {"You will not have our people."} He glanced at Blaster. "Put Prowl through."

Blaster did as Prime stood. "Prowl, call for bridges. Get everyone out of here. The Titans and dreads go last. Make it happen now. Leave the bridges open for the big frames to follow last. We will be going fast, all of us. Tell them to move it."

Prowl nodded, then turned to make it so. Three bridges flared into sight, the two triggers and the Autobot City Spacebridge, the salvaged Decepticon device named by a child.

"Open a channel throughout the fleet," Optimus said as he stared at Fortune who watched him with a solemn and wary expression. "This is Optimus Prime. Everyone will be getting orders to leave through the bridges in order. When they arrive, leave swiftly. We will cover your retreat."

Fortune who was listening seemed to relax a tad. ["You are choosing wisely, Optimus Prime."]

Prime who continued to stare at Fortune didn't reply. All around his fleet ships were moving off heading into the bridges in groups or by themselves with clouds of Seekers in flight mode. Soon it was down to five Wrecker battle shuttles and the titans. The shuttles left and the big frames began to move slowly, forming up to exit. As Prime stared at Fortune, the ships began to move faster. The Supremes moved into a line formation as if to leave one after another. The dreads began to wind up for teleportation as Tennyson slowed beside Xantium. That big ship hadn't moved a muscle as if waiting to be last through as per Prime's leadership position.

["Fortune, you say that staying will be on me, the outcome of warfare between us. So be it. This I give to you for my people."] Prime made the call and as the Supremes flew for the bridges they fired their entire internal complement of missiles. Masses of them burst forward over and over, then were on their way. The big ships minus Xantium, the dreads, and Tennyson disappeared from view in the whirling fields of the bridges.

Prime turned to Tactical. **"XANTIUM! FIRE ALL YOU HAVE, THEN GET US OUT OF HERE! TENNYSON AND TYPHOON! COMMAND FIRING OF YOUR GROUP, THEN TELEPORT! NOW!"**

The jolt of multiple missiles leaving their tubes in the bowls of Xantium rolled through the hull as he complied. Flashes of fire burst from the dreads and Tennyson as they complied. When they did literally hundreds of rockets were launched from the enemy ships to strike them and their missiles. The enemy devices were flying swiftly toward Prime as Xantium made his way to the bridge left open. The other two were gone and as they entered, a burst of light behind them signaled teleportation by the dreads and Tennyson.

The missiles from the enemy flashed through space where Prime's armada once stood as several dozen ships flew madly after his missiles to destroy them before they made contact with their targets.

They would fail. The missiles had a head start, were sighted to their goals no matter what and so they did. Dozens of missiles punched into the atmosphere of two planets where hundreds of thousands of once living, once vibrant individuals had called home. When they struck the ground they exploded. Over and over, they did. When they did, the two planets began to come apart at the seams.

The aliens took damage from the huge blast ring and the endless stream of debris rocketing out at sonic speeds that were once planets circling a star. They would limp back to their own side damaged and injured to report their failure. It would create a rage among their leadership that would never be quenched.

-0-On the other side

They flashed through the bridges and came out at Mars. Falling into orbit, the bridge crew finally relaxed. Prime stared at the screen with an expression of desolation. Then he quashed it before turning to the others. "Take us down. Everyone meets at the conference room in the Ops Center for debriefing."

Rem nodded, then flew forward to the airfield where everyone from two flights would land. The crowds of the late afternoon would gather to watch. Xantium landed, then extended his ramp. Gee-Gee and her guard took One of Twelve with them heading toward the prison. Prime waited as his officers and friends gathered around him. Prowl who put out the call for a number of the civilian leaders to attend as well as those who were part of the Senior Autobot General Staff joined him as he turned toward The Fortress.

Standing on segways nearby, N.E.S.T. soldiers on their way to their headquarters for the evening chat with Earth watched grim-faced bots walk past. They didn't nod or say a word. Fulton glanced at Morshower. It had to be very bad what had happened. Prime was the epitome of dignity and manners. The humans stood on their rides watching as the big group of mechs and femmes walked past, Cyclonus included.

:Something terrible happened: Morshower said as he stood next to Bobby Epps. :Follow them. Maybe we can find out:

Epps nodded, then drove forward. The rest followed as they made their way to Ops Center and maybe a few answers.

-0-TBC 5-24-17 **edited 5-31-17**

 **NOTES:**

 **Leoness** chapter 14 . 17h ago

Man...this is one of the harshest arcs yet. Well done.

 **ME:** Thank you, Missy. There is no easy path for anyone here. Their reputation in the galaxy is so bad no one wants them around. Prime settled it in the post I just made. However, this will have long term consequences for everyone. I can't forget that they had a terrible civil war, atrocities and they find the perps. :D:D

 **Guestf** chapter 13 . May 23

Interesting to see how this will play. I was thinking about the football games you have going on in the story. I don't think we have seen the viewpoint of an Earth star player yet. I am more familiar with soccer and ice hockey and in them you have guys like Messi or Ronaldo or Crosby who are like gods in the field (slightly exagerated, but you get the drift). I'm sure the sports you are familiar with, American football or baseball or basketball have similar stars who think they are the greatest. How would they see the Cybertronian football and the way everybody follows it and loves it? Would they see the greatness or are they the egocentric little shits they seem like?  
Just a though that popped in my head when I rereading the fifth part.

 **ME:** Some of the best stuff I do comes from comments and suggestions of readers. I will have that viewpoint. I think it might be fun for the player humans to see the game up close and personal. LOL! I love the idea. Thank you, my sweetie. It's on the list. :D:D:D

 **Silverhornd** chapter 13 . May 22 Hi, Please let the newcomers in those four new ships be on Prime's side or something like that. These aliens need to learn some matters. Their god should appear with the help of one the other primes and give them a big hard swat or two on the back of their sitting down place. All Prime wonted to do is to get his people, Plus didn't Solus said that there is some more of his people that could be alive and they could know that he is there now and come to help him. One question the aliens who are given Prime a hard time they are not part of the White Council are they.

 **ME:** There is going to be a god portion of this story shortly. Solus wants Prime to do what he needs to do without self punishment. He's a decent mech, Our Optimus, and feels the failure. The Matrix was silent this time but he's going to have that conversation with the Pantheon. Right now, they have to figure out what comes next. I just posted. :D

 **optimus prime101** chapter 13 . May 22

Next chapter, please.i want to read what happens tell me they get their dead out of there and leave. Why don't they tell the aliens what they did to the ones still on the planet?

 **ME:** No one likes the Cybertronians. They have such a bad reputation with their war and the atrocities committed during it. No one wants them around. The Functionalists had something to trade with them so they got to stay. More will come out during the next few parts to help explain. Telling the aliens won't change things. The aliens know everyone is dead but they don't care. Its never a winning hand with the Cybertronians when they come around. That's what the war did to them around the galaxy.

 **Guest** chapter 12 . May 21

Is it bad that I really want Solus to pull OP to the Primal plain and ask Mr. Hu An to come by for a visit? I really want Mr. Hu An to speak with these people as a diplomat. Don't know why but I feel he might be key to turning the situation around so a war isn't started. Hugs I love this story so much. The characters just make you feel part of the story.

 **ME:** No, it isn't. :D I think your idea is great but Prime keeps going his own way. I have this plan but when I write it the thing takes turns even I didn't plan. :D I am so glad you like the story. Writing it for me is my love letter to the universe. I send you hugs, Guest. This has taken a twist I didn't expect and I have learned as a writer to go with them. Sometimes, I think I have someone elses hands typing other than my own. Hugs, dear guest. :D


	16. Chapter 16

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 16)

-0-Ops Center Conference Room, The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Prime sat at the head of the huge table in his accustomed place. He looked drained but composed. The others began to fill the room, taking seats, standing along the wall or in the doorway. Civilians came, some sent for and joined the soldiers before the door was closed. Gee-Gee was the last to arrive. It was silent a moment, then Prime spoke. "I want your word on the Matrix that what we discuss here will not be disclosed to anyone."

Everyone murmured assent, then it was silent again. Prime sat back, stared around the room, then began. "For those of you not there, we encountered a group that included the Functionalist Council. We tracked backward to their settlements in the Benzuli, most correctly in the forbidden 221-B sector. We went there and encountered a confederation of alien races that have resided in the region for eons, using the Functionalist settlements for arms and other technology. They opposed vigorously our presence.

"We visited the settlements and found that everyone there, child, elder, baby, and adult was dead. They were murdered. For those of you who do not know the history of the Functionalist Council and their dominion over the Empire during the Functionalist Oppression that led to civil war, they believed that your form determined your function. Once that was codified through the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy, there was no other life for you than that determined by your format.

"Once you were no longer useful you were terminated in what they euphemistically referred to as 'recall'. Microchips in your processor were detonated and you died. That is what happened to our people in the settlements. Prowl … what was the final figure?"

Prowl unsubbed a datapad, then studied the figure. He looked at Prime, then the others. "The final total as determined by the data was 507,207 individuals."

It was as funereal in the room at that announcement as anything that had ever been disclosed here. Neo half rose from her chair. "Oh, no," she said in a tight agonized voice. She sat down again and took Barron's servo. That worthy looked ready to cry. "What do we do, Optimus? Tell us what to do and we will," she said as Barron nodded.

Prime stared at the tabletop, then sat forward leaning on his elbows. "We were in discussion with the aliens there but it was to no avail. They told us that they hated our species, that we were trouble and they wanted us gone. I believe it was more about getting and keeping our tech than anything related to personal scruples. We were given a choice. Fight or leave. There is never going to be a circumstance where we would leave our people dead or alive to be pillaged for technology by a hostile force."

The group listened to Prime in shock and horror. The idea of one of their own killing a half million innocents including children was still circulating through their systems. It wasn't like they weren't used to hearing of horrors. They were, after all, refugees from a calamitous civil war. But this was a calculated cold-blooded act of mass murder and it jolted in spite of their own experiences.

"I had to make a choice. Given that they also had access via trade with the colony to our technology, it was determined that we would be facing ships that were enhanced up to 67% with Cybertronian tech. That would mean the fight that would commence would be steep in price for us even if the ultimate outcome wasn't in doubt. Therefore, I made the decision to retreat. I sent the bulk of the fleet through the bridges, then asked the Supremes and Tennyson to unload every missile they had into both of the planets where our people lay dead.

"When we retreated in full, the planets were coming apart at the seams. There is no possibility for the alien forces to recover anything from the scope of the explosions," Prowl said.

It was silent, then Prime sat back in his chair. His focus remained on the tabletop. "It was the only solution to me that was acceptable. Had our people been alive, I would have fought for every one of them with everything we have. They were not. It was a question of giving lives to recover the dead. It was not an equal exchange to me. I did what I felt was best to resolve the situation." He looked around the room. "I am asking for your honest and open commentary. I need your honest assessments."

Ironhide who was watching Prime's anguish felt it himself. "There was nothing we could do to bring them back. We couldn't leave them, Prime. They would have smelted everyone down. The fact that they didn't allow us to stay and take back what was ours tells me all I need to know about their motivations. They wanted free unfettered access to the tech and hid it in anger about our presence. I would rather they were blown to bits than left to the smelting pit. You did the right and only thing available short of war." Ironhide sat back. "You know I like to fight but this … it was the only real thing to do. Don't second guess yourself."

"Optimus … what does the Matrix say?" Neo asked.

Optimus looked at her. "It is silent."

"You said once before that you saw them, the dead," Ratchet said. "You saw them come and go from an ocean. What does that mean, Optimus?" Ratchet asked.

Prime considered that. "I saw them in one of the first Festivals, during the dream time. They were walking out of an ocean that I now understand to be the Matrix itself. I saw them, every face. They looked at me as they passed but I could see every face. Then they walked back entering the sea. One of them paused before me during this vision on board ship when we took the Functionalists into custody and they said, 'You are too late'. I knew then that we were going to a graveyard."

"Then it was foretold," Ratchet said as Prime nodded. "We did what we had to do. You had the honor of helping them not be desiccrated. It was a merciful act that you did, ending their further injury. They were killed by sparkless monsters and were going to be pillaged by the same. You were never supposed to save them but you were meant to protect them in death."

Chevron nodded. "Lord Optimus, I know that because you are a good mech that you feel terrible about this last act of compassion. I know that you don't feel it is was merciful. But I assure you … you protected them in death against further injury and prevented a civilization from getting more of our technology and thereby, bringing their coldness forward against others. Any group that would deny another the right to take care of their dead is not averse to making more."

Heatout who was standing by the door nodded. "Lord Optimus … you had a no-win situation before you. You could have chosen war but to what end? Our people were already gone. They can feel no more pain again. But we can. All of us. You prevented that and you feel the burden. I for one applaud your courage. I wish we could have attended to them but it would have come at a terrible price and who could say if in the end we would have been able to do so anyway? Don't be despairing. If this was not part of the way of things, the Matrix would have weighed in."

Prime considered their words, then sat forward again to lean on his elbows. "I have become aware that all things have spirit energy. We know from our travels and contacts with others that the most unlikely things are sentient, alive and aware. Moving Caminus wasn't just an act of utility. It was an act of compassion. During a vision, I met Caminus. I also met the star that went nova. They have spirits … sparks. The star was leaving but he didn't want to destroy Caminus. We were sent to save her. Both of the planets we destroyed had spirits and awareness. That was the price paid for my decision."

No one spoke as they digested that information, then Ironhide leaned forward. "I blew up a planet once. Wherever you go to pay for that, I'm coming with you."

Prime stared at Ironhide, then a tiny grin formed on his handsome face. "I would welcome the company."

"I think you're both premature. Consider that things are laid out in our lives that we do as we go. At every event and juncture we have free will about how to approach that moment and which direction to go. If that's so, then both planets were aware that this would happen and nothing is a surprise," Ratchet said. "I'm no religious expert but it's rather common ideology throughout the species I've run into that this happens. We can't make it different. You did the right thing. The idea of war again makes me want to crawl under my berth. If our people were alive, we would be there. But they weren't and now they get to be part of the bigger universe. Their molecules someday will form into something beautiful and they will live again. Same with the planets. Don't punish yourself, Optimus, for what you chose to do. I would have done the same thing."

"Ratchet is right, Optimus," Hard Drive said. "I remember the Functionalist Oppression. I remember the endless 'recalls' and the tyranny. Leave the burden of crime on the shoulders of those who committed it. You were left to figure out what to do. They were the ones who violated the Tyrest Treaties, who committed genocide and who carry the blame. Not you. Not me. Not anyone else."

"Prime," Cyclonus said. "They bear the burden. That is part of what the Guiding Hand teaches, accepting personal responsibility. They have the blame and they have to pay the price for it. We had to clean up the mess they started which began the first time they traded our tech."

Prime glanced at Cyclonus. "I am concerned for the Clavis Aurea because of this."

Cyclonus nodded. "I am too. I am afraid that they will be conflated with us. They aren't us and never were. They're extremists who have no spark."

"We will work together to make sure that is understood, Lord Optimus," Lauren said. "We are going to do major outreach about this with the hope that our people understand and rise to the moment. Lord Cyclonus has already reached out to us for assistance which we return with great respect and gratitude."

Prime nodded. "I am glad. We never had religious strife before. Our theologies grew out of the sparks of our people and experiences. I do not want it now. More than ever, we must be unified."

"What about the Confederation, Prime?" Raptor asked. "What do you think should be done about them?"

"They are far from here but not that far given good tech from Cybertron. We have another impetus to move Cybertron and the local planetary system. In fact, I want all of our sovereign worlds moved to greater safety. They wanted our tech and were ready to go to war for it with a stronger more war-capable species thanks to what they were given already. They were not afraid to do that. We have thwarted them once. We may see them again," Prime said. He rubbed his face with his servos. "Right now, I have to tell our people. They have a right to know and I do not want gossip and rumor to rise and perhaps create divisions. I am very worried about religious strife."

Chevron nodded. "We are prepared to help in any way we can." Cyclonus nodded as well.

Prime nodded. "We have to tell them and then see what happens. I intend to explain the differences and I would suggest that there be an attempt by the Temple and Monastery to educate the populace both here and on Cybertron about the differences between what is doctrine and what isn't between the Functionalists and the Clavis Aurea. I will assist where I can but I fear that it's up to both of you," he said glancing from the Temple priest, Cyclonus, and Heatout.

"We will do our best, Prime," Heatout said with a respectful nod.

"Then I have to make the announcement," Prime said tiredly. He rose and so did everyone else.

"We're coming with you, Optimus," Neo said with emotion. "Let us support you. Let them see us do that."

Prowl glanced around the room as everyone nodded. "Then we better get to IntraCom. The fleet is in and rumors will be flying."

With that, everyone walked out the door to cut across the Military Airfield and its whirlwind of activity toward IntraComm near the N.E.S.T. HQ. Following at a discreet distance, the humans blazed along as well.

-0-TBC 5-25-17 **edited 6-2-17**


	17. Chapter 17

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 17)

-0-At IntraComm, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They gathered in a large studio where the Primal set was moved. Standing behind Prime in two rows, the Senior Autobot and Civilian Community Committee waited with grim and drawn expressions. Rolling into the room, then moving to a corner to be inobtrusive, the human contingent of soldiers pulled up to watch. Shifting channels to the one that translated bot languages, they made themselves as inoffensive as possible.

Prime stood to one side talking to Jazz and Prowl. The others lined up as directed by Blaster who was running the audio while another mech was filming. Jazz would direct as ever. Then Prime walked to the set to sit on a stool behind a podium-like desk. The Emblems and flags were where they were supposed to be and all was ready. Jazz walked to the cameras, checked the screens at the command console, then nodded to Prime. "You will be on in three, Optimus."

Prime nodded as the mechs and femmes behind him stood straighter. Jazz counting in his helm signaled all was go to the master control room after the program interruption promo ran on screen to tell everyone watching a Primal message was coming, then looked at Optimus. "Three … two … you're live."

The screens changed to a view of the Primal Emblem, then Prime's solemn face. Behind him standing in rows, the leadership of the colony and Empire stood with their leader.

-0-Around the colony

"Look, Chan," Docker said as she paused by the monitor screen that was running silently so that the community bulletin board with its updating messages and The Hourly News Breaking News! could be seen as they updated. Everyone at RTR Tools either working or studying paused, then watched as Chan turned up the sound.

"This is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-At a boss shack in the big new housing complex, The Great Crater District south of Autobot City

Tyro turned toward the screen with his servos filled with blueprints for the plumbing of a set of towers that were among the last to be finished. Optimus was on the screen and everyone looked solemn. He felt his tanks turnover as he raised the sound.

"This is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-At the Central Office of the Unified School District of Autobot City, Autobot City

Roto paused in his documentation of the mountain of suggestions sent to the Central Office that dealt with children whose genitors were in the armada. Several others were with him working on the stack in preparation for a school board presentation so that the district manual would have policies and procedures to handle disruptions in future. The news had told them that the armada returned shortly ago. Roto stared at the screen. "Oh-oh," he said as everyone turned to watch.

"This is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-At a major grocery store in the Tri-Cities

He was stocking shelves for his work project for Intermediate School Diversified Occupations class. Real-world work experiences helped kids find out what they wanted to do. He liked retail, thus, he was busy filling empty spaces on the shelves as he listened to music through his player device. Then a message cut into the programming.

"This is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-In a commissary at the University of Autobot City, Autobot City

They sat with friends of all ages, those who were in school as well to eat a snack and talk. Kestrel and Tagg who were full-time students were part of a group that met to study, discuss issues and philosophy as well as to enjoy each others company. They were in similar classes, had similar hobbies and pastimes as well as points of view on various subjects. If they were a group in a college on Earth, they might be a young environmentalist committee. They were filled with ideas about the colony and how to achieve them.

Kes and Tagg had come a long way and in the company of others who had as much curiosity and interest in the world and how it worked, they had found a wonderfully fulfilling niche. One of their group, an elder amma paused her drink halfway to her mouth. "Look, Kes, Tagg. On the monitor over there."

Everyone turned toward it as a mech sitting beside it raised the volume. It was Optimus and his general staff. They all looked serious. Kes felt his tanks turnover as he watched his son. Then Optimus spoke to everyone. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-Resort

The concourse was humming as the humans went about their business. The big monitors that were placed about the main lobby were dialed into canned programming showing scenery, features of the resort, the intriguing imagery of the colony and its alien residents as well as the Community Bulletin Board when it rolled up during the news cycle. It would not report Prime's message.

-0-Main lounge of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea

They gathered, residents and other members who were worried about the situation. Some of them knew all of it while others were only worried because their elders were. They sat in the lounge to watch the news after being given the heads up by the Master of the Monastery, Cyclonus. The screen changed to their leader and he said, "My name is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-In a bookstore in the Mall of Metroplex, Autobot City

Olivia Bowers walked along the shelves that held human-sized books for the locals to purchase. She was looking for a codex that would tell something about the god, Adaptus. The Circle utilized the creation pathway that the Guiding Hand presented, thus, their stories and legends, teachings and other important information was slightly different than that of the dominant form, Primus, Unicron and the Thirteen Primes by the Temple.

The monitor playing overhead with the news was what she heard through her translator in her helmet. She was tuned into the bots full-time and even though she was it didn't interfere with her ability to talk to any human, such was the tech level of her gear. She was looking for a text for her classes of which she taught two. The first was a beginner's introduction to the philosophy of the Circle of Light. The other was for her students who were progressing further along. She had as her mentor Heatout himself who was proud of her efforts to find truth and comfort in a worldview that touched who she was and what she wanted out of life.

"The weather will be ..." The news reader paused, then began again. "I am told that Optimus Prime would like to address Mars, Cybertron and the Empire with a message about the Armada and its mission. Right now, I turn you over to the studio for that message."

Olivia turned to the monitor to listen. She heard a mech she admired tremendously speak. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison, Autobot City

Gee-Gee and her two assistant wardens along with several of her guards and all of the office staff sat in the lounge at the Prison Command Center watching the screen. They had been contacted about the Functionalist prisoners by Prowl regarding their placement, the majority of which were the families of the leadership and their staff. Everyone was in confinement, secured confinement that would be sequestered against prying optics. She had assured Prowl that all was well, then was told a message about the catastrophe would be given. She had gathered her people into the lounge where they waited until Prime appeared and began to speak. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-In a crowded apartment

Alise and Topper watched as their children and friends came into their apartment. Prime was going to speak about the problem that was swirling around the colony. They were nervous and even afraid as they gathered. Sitting together, watching the monitor, the face of Prime and his general staff appeared. It was extremely tense and silent as he spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-In an apartment in a tower in Bern

They sat together holding their baby, a doctor in the Home Guard and his bond. He had been part of the group that left, going with Ratchet into the situation which was still developing when he did. He had gone on a battleship, Phobos he thought it was, and was afraid the whole time, returning home with tremendous relief. He ran all the way home to his little family. He wanted to serve but at no moment away was he not aware that his bond and new baby were alone.

Now they sat together in their beautiful apartment watching the screen as the sun began to throw long shadows across the floor. Their cat curled up in the light to draw energy into its sensors as the screen changed to the image of their leader. He spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-In a bar in Stanix

Barricade and Scorponok sat together sipping their near beer as the screens around the room changed images from the news to the Primal Emblem. Scorponok glanced at Barricade who sat back to watch. "What's happening now?" he asked himself. Barricade seldom answered.

"Prime got us into something. Maybe Megatron is back," Barricade said. Behind him, a Seeker guard snorted with amusement. Barricade glanced back to him with a sneer. "When he comes I'm coming for you, Dynamo."

Dynamo smirked at both the criminals. "I'll tell you what, Barricade. If the colony is being overrun without hope for any of us and there's only one bullet in my gun … I'll save it for you."

The guards with him laughed loudly as Barricade grimaced. Scorponok who chuckled himself turned to the screen as a face appeared. It spoke. "My name is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-Hobbes and Edict, their kids and Bron-E's 'good friend'

They sat together eating a nice dinner. Hobbes was cleared to have overnight stays with the family in his apartment as long as he wore a tracking device and stayed within the rules. He was part of an experimental program for the 'not totally hopeless, maybes' of partial or full release with caveats. He had to attend counseling, then deprogramming through Vinn's private practice where high castes learn to live in reality as well as attend training for different professions.

He did. Grumpily.

Edict who was thrilled to have him home about 45% of the time had laid down the law about him attending to his requirements for release. Stunned at Edict's newly sprouted chutzpah but loving him madly, Hobbes did. He was not to have contact with Traachon or any of the others but to keep his nose assemblies in good order or else.

Having dinner with the fam was exulting but the new kid, the 'good friend' of Bron-E was strange. He, however, did something he never did before just for Edict. He tried.

The news changed nearby on the monitor. Everyone turned to the silent screen running with the news about the fleet's return. Riff rose to raise the sound as everyone turned in their seats. The face of someone once loathed but now revered by everyone in the room but one appeared. He spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-At Aerie Hill

Red Wing walked into his home and greeted his bond. Being a Seeker with only one bond, he was sort of an anomaly to start with. That he was among the most honored and well-liked individuals was another key to his personality. He was genuinely good and decent. He had his own children and he had his ward. Aurora. A small femme hugged him, then walked to the living room to sit. Red Wing grinned at her as he hefted his son into his lap. "Well, it's good to be home."

"Look, Atar," his son said as he pointed to the monitor nearby. "There he is."

The sound was turned up as they turned to watch. A figure was speaking. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-In an apartment in a bachelor tower

He was tackled when he entered the apartment. Hot Rod was slammed against the door by Smokey as he tackled his lover. Grinning as the youngster ground himself hard against Hot Rod's chassis, he found himself giving into the sensations when a voice sounded on the monitor nearby spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."

Both of them paused to listen.

-0-TBC 5-25-17 **edited 5-26-17**

ESL

sequester(ed) (see-quest-erd) To be removed from everyone else and held in isolation. Sometimes petit juries are held this way to prevent contamination of information during a trial.


	18. Chapter 18

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 18)

-0-All over the Cybertronian world

Everywhere that had a monitor or speaker, Cybertronians in Prime's sphere of influence paused to listen. The cultured voice of their Prime spoke to them from the Primal Colony of Mars far away …

"I am Optimus Prime," he said with a serious tone and expression. "I am here tonight to discuss events of the past two orns that relate to all of us in the most profound manner. A refugee group crossing space that would have taken them through a quarantine sector currently containing a Decepticon battle group was intercepted. After a discussion and search of the ships in question, information about four colony worlds in the prohibited sector of 221-B near the Benzuli Expansion that related to the refugees was determined to exist.

"Given that the refugee group intercepted contained only 4,500 individuals and the entire settlement group numbered over 500,000, we determined to go there and find them for rescue. The battle group with me transported directly via Trigger to the scene only to find that local area aliens, a massive multi-species confederation was already there.

"We began discussions to allow us access to these settlements during which time scout ships were dispatched to find out the situation on the ground. I, myself, went as well while in space the alien fleet gathered to erect an energy sphere to hem us in. After a quick search of the settlement that was headquarters to the colony, we were unable to find anyone there that was still alive. Everywhere we went we found the dead.

"I dispatched search teams to all four of the planets in the settlement only to find that everyone who lived there was called back to their homes. Two planets with shops and industry were silent and empty. On the two worlds where our people lived, they were gathered in their homes. All of them were safely in their dwellings, called to go there by the colonial leadership for a 'drill'.

"It was there that they died. After an examination, CMO Ratchet determined that detonation chips in their processors were responsible for the deaths. Once they were in their homes, someone or someones sent a signal that activated the chips. Death was instantaneous and no one suffered." Prime paused a moment to let the words sink in.

"It was at this point that the situation between us and the alien fleet escalated. I called for and received the secondary fleet who combined with us to form a defensive configuration in the middle of the energy fence. We pulsed an energon blast that took it down, then I made another attempt to ask for permission to attend to the dead. I was denied then and every time subsequent.

"It is customary in almost every culture I have seen in my wanderings with few exceptions for the dead to be allowed to be retrieved by their fellows. They disallowed that here. I believe it was because they saw an opportunity to overtake the colony and retrieve the technology that was left there intact including that of our citizens. It would not be the first time that we have dealt with aliens who would take our dead and abuse them for their technology.

"When it became clear to me that there would be no retrieval without war I had to weigh the consequences of proceeding into battle. The colony had traded our technology with the aliens surrounding us, thereby making it possible that if we engaged them there would be greater casualties than usual. Few are our equal in combat but it was determined that the ships and weapons systems facing us were as much as 67% Cybertronian. The colony disseminated our technology in violation of the Tyrest Treaties making it completely possible and probable that a combat situation there would have been highly damaging to our soldiers and ships.

"When they denied my final request, I made a decision, then sent the bulk of the fleet back through the space bridges to Mars. When it was time for the Supreme vessels, the dreadnoughts and Tennyson to leave, I commanded them to unload every missile each vessel carried into the two worlds where our people had lived. We had already destroyed the tech on the other two industrialized planets and we had to do the same on the habitation worlds.

"I wanted nothing left for them to take and abuse. The missiles were launched and we began to leave. Tennyson who teleported last reported that the two planets were destroyed completely. The entire population on both worlds were as well. They will not be gathered up by those who do not view them as worthy to be taken apart for their technology.

"I have done a great many things as Prime and leader of the Autobot faction that have torn at my spark but there is nothing in my life that matches what I feel having come to this decision. It was my duty to protect our people and keep them safe. Since it was appearing that to do so directly would result in war and an unknown but high probability of casualties, the only course of action I could devise was to deprive the enemy of access to them.

"I take full responsibility for that action and will bear it on my spark forever." He paused a moment, then continued. "If there had been a way to retrieve them, to give them the dignity of a fitting burial I would have. Had they been alive we would have fought to the last mech and femme for their safety and return to us. It was not to be. There were over 507,000 mechs, femmes, elders, children, and babies there. There are no words to express the tragedy that has happened nor the sorrows that plague all of us that were there to see the silence and the death. We searched in desperation to find even one individual alive but it was not to be.

"We were able to retrieve the databases on-world so that we can at least know their names. We can see pictures of them and remember them forever. I declare three decaorns of solemn remembrance for them. We will hold solemn services in the Basilica, Temple, and Monastery at the end of that period. We will be going through the data and will update the refugee lists in a special folder so that those of you who might know or have a loved one among them will understand at last what happened after all these endless vorns.

"Those who are responsible are in custody and will face a Primal Tribunal. The offense is so acute that anything less will be insufficient to hear the case. That brings me to another part of this situation that grieves me deeply. In our history, the specter of religious strife has never existed. We are one and even though there are numerous major and minor practices, philosophies, and approaches, we have always been one. The One and Primus are our shared heritage.

"Those who did this are called the Functionalist Council. They practice an extreme and very despicable belief that has among its doctrines features of the Guiding Hand. Master Cyclonus and Lord Lauren have expressed concern that the Clavis Aurea will be blamed for this given that they are followers of the Guiding Hand. There are also major features of the Guiding Hand in the practices and philosophy of the Circle of Light and Knights of Cybertron as well.

"We are very concerned that the Clavis Aurea and Circle of Light will be given some of the blame for these actions when Functionalism is very different with most of its major doctrines at fundamental odds with the Clavis Aurea. Neither group has had good relations prior to this and they do not now. Neither side found common ground with the other, finding in their differences enough dissonance as to become two different things. What I do not want to see is religious strife and blaming to become part of our new life. We never had it before and I do not want it now.

"We are one. We are all the Children of Primus. We come from the Matrix and when we leave this world, we go back to it. We do not have to wonder about that. Our Pantheon, The One and Primus Himself come to us and give to us Their love and protection in person. Myself as the bearer of the Matrix attest to that truth. Under no circumstances would any of them condone or support actions like this. In the past, the Functionalist Council used to rule Cybertron in a brutal manner but were overthrown by The People in a civil war. They applied many of the same techniques and ideas of the Quintessans who were defeated before them and sowed the seeds of the System of Exception that followed. The Functionalist Council represents a perversion of beliefs that were utilized to sustain a criminal organization that wanted control of our people and our world.

"We have come through many hard and dark times. We have risen like a phoenix from the ashes of our own conflagrations to create peace, equality, opportunity, and prosperity for ourselves and our children. We cannot go backward. We cannot become a vigilante society nor can we hold those who are blameless responsible for this event. Those who did this are in custody and will face consequences. Until then, let us remember those taken from us with love. Let us come together even closer to live the life they will never have. Let us become what we believe we are, the society we want to be for their sake. If we do less not only do we shame their memory but we give power to those who killed them by becoming them.

"I wish there were words of comfort to give to you, my people, to help you with this terrible news. I wish there had been a different outcome. There was no other path that had any hope of resolution beyond that which I followed. I wish you comfort and peace. I wish you love in your new lives and hope that this is the last catastrophic horror that we ever have to bear together. Now, we must live two lives … one for ourselves and one for them.

"The Temple and Monastery are open to all who need assistance. The Halls of Order are open as well. All counseling centers have offered their services around the clock to those who need them. There is no shame in seeking a helping hand in a moment of great grief. I declare a period of state mourning for the next ten orns. Know that you are necessary and greatly loved by me and all who work so hard to ensure that your life is safe and fulfilled.

"I have no other words to say to you tonight but that of our creed, the soul, and heart of Primus … Until are are one. Good night, Mars, Cybertron, Gliese, all of our forward bases, the inner planets of the Empire and all the other places where our people live. Remember … you are loved. Until all are one."

The screen changed to the Emblem of the Primes.

-0-Hobbes

They stared at the screen in shock and astonishment. Then Edict began to cry. Hobbes who was shocked put his arm around Edict's shoulders. It took all his strength not to join Edict.

-0-At RTR Tools

They sat together crying for all the suffering of all their people in all the places where they lived and died. There was intense grief in the workroom as they sat together wailing their lament. It was a good thing that the kids were in the Military Day Care at that moment waiting for Trooper and Scout to get them.

-0-A doctor, his bond, and new baby in an apartment

"I was there, Serius. I was there and I didn't know. No one told us," he said as he sat with his arms around his bond.

"They didn't tell you," Serius said between his tears, "because it was too awful, Makko. This is so terrible."

Makko stared at the screen in disbelief. There were pictures of Cybertron in good times on it, shifting from one to the next in homage to the moment. "Serius," he whispered. "How could they do such a thing?"

-0-In a bar

Barricade glanced at Scorponok who was showing surprise on his face. "What a bunch of fraggers. I think they should let us have them and get it over with," he said.

The guards who were equally stunned and appalled glanced at each other. "Finally, they say something we can agree with."

-0-At a teen club

They stared at the monitors with all the other kids and the adults who ran the place. Tru reached for Fireball's servo. "I don't know what to say," he said in a whisper. "I want to see Ada and Atar. We have to go home. Let's go home," he said with a rising sense of agonized pain.

The group stood and headed out. Nine went to Autobot City and their home and the others went to where they lived. The teen club cleared out in seconds.

-0-Tyro

The door opened as Bulkhead entered. He paused at the sight of Tyro transfixed by the monitor nearby, the one showing rotating images of Cybertron before the war. "Ty? Are you okay?" he asked as he stepped closer.

Tyro looked at him with a dazed expression. "No. I don't know ..." He put the plans in his servos on the drafting table next to him. "I'm Clavis Aurea, Bulk. We don't … we don't believe what the Functionalists believe. We were never part of that. They're … they're terrorists." He turned toward Bulkhead. "You don't think that I believed what they believe do you? I would never … ever ..." Tyro burst into tears.

Bulkhead pulled his bond into a bear hug. On the floor in the playpen, their children began to cry too.

-0-Roto

They sat in stunned silence as the images of their homeworld began to appear on the screen. Glancing at each other, they were without words for a moment. Then Roto stood. "I have to go to Terradive. I have to go there."

"Go, Roto," Herling said. "I think … we can hold off on this until tomorrow. I think … just go. Everyone. It will be okay."

"Will it?" another asked with a shocked tone. "I thought it might coming here to live but it follows us, the horror. Will it ever be okay?" the young mech asked before beginning to cry.

Herling pulled the youngster into his arms as he nodded to Roto. Roto wavered, then hurried out. He would take a train to Centurion, a car filled with silent stunned civilians and soldiers before getting to the street level. He would run all the way to the school which had let out earlier, take an elevator upward, then rush to Terri's classroom. He would be standing in front of a monitor in shock, then turn to Roto. They would stand together in an embrace for a long time.

-0-Kes and Tagg

They made it home through a stunned crowd that stood about on the sidewalks of the street talking in whispers. Weaving through the mobs of Cybertronians coming together to find comfort and some sense of the senseless, Tagg maneuvered Kestrel to the door of the Tower, then upward to their apartment. They would sit and watch the monitor, cry together and wait for their son to come. They wouldn't call for him to come. He had other things to do that were important.

-0-Olivia Bowers

She stood next to the book shelves in a stunned devastation of emotion. The staff and customers were in disarray and so was she. The idea of it was so terrible she felt nauseous. A voice finally made it through the howling in her mind. **:OLIVIA!:**

She jolted. :What?: she said more to herself than anything else. :Joe?:

 **:Where are you?:** he asked from the command center of N.E.S.T HQ.

:I'm at the Bookstore in the Mall of Metroplex: she said as her head whirled from the shock. :I think I'm going to vomit:

 **:OLIVIA! DON'T TAKE OFF YOUR MASK!:**

In moments, a small bridge opened and a medic rushed out with Joe Bowers to grab Olivia just before she hit the floor. They pulled her into the emergency microbridge back to N.E.S.T. HQ before she did.

The emergency system worked.

-0-Gee-Gee

Gee-Gee stood up, then stared around distractedly. It took a moment for the training to take over. Then it did. "We need to beef up the prison. Call Emergency Services at the Command Center in Fort Max for implementation of Plan 7. Get them here and set up the perimeter. No one comes here unless I personally okay it. Are you alright?" she asked as she stared at her mechs.

They looked at her a moment dumbfounded, then nodded. They would get things going and shortly there would be a massive military perimeter around the entire prison.

-0-Alise and Topper

It was incredibly quiet for a moment, then Micah stood up. He clenched his fists, then glanced around the room. "I'm joining the Home Guard. Now."

"What will that do, Micah?" his bond, Tempo asked suddenly afraid.

"I don't know. I just have to do something," Micah replied.

Cooper, Timber, and half the mechs in the room stood as well. "We'll go with you."

" **Come back fast!** " Tempo said as he stood in distress.

Micah pulled him into his arms. "We will. Just stay here until we get back. I think we need to stay close together for a few orns. Just … I think that might be a good idea. Right, Ada?" he asked glancing at Alise and his father, Topper.

They stared at him, then Topper stood with a resolute expression. "I'll join too. I used to shoot once upon a time. We need to do something. We will be right back. Stay here, alright?" he asked as his resolve and voice cracked a moment from his anxiety.

Everyone nodded, then watched as they walked out of the room. Bos turned to his grandma. "Amma, what's happening?"

"Nothing that solidarity won't fix," Alise said pulling him into her arms. "We are going to be fine." It would be a tense wait for their family members to return. They wouldn't be the only ones who were volunteering for the Home Guard.

-0-Red Wing

He stared at his family with the most confident expression he could manage. They were shocked and appalled. Outside, the sound of Seekers flying upward to burn up the skies in defiance of the situation, a common response, could be heard. His bond looked extremely troubled. "Did you go down to the ground?" he asked as he held their daughter.

:Yes. I'll tell you later, Ariga: Red Wing said offline. "I flew surveillance," he said, then hesitated. "I have to tell Prime something. I'll be right back." He rose, then glanced at Aurora who sat with a solemn expression. "No one gets hurt on my watch, Aurora. Why don't you chat with your friends online? Friends help."

She nodded, the rose. Pausing a moment, she flung her arms around Red Wing hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, then she walked to her berth room to spend a joor or two talking to Inspire and Sadie online.

-0-In a bachelor pad

Hot Rod and Smokey listened to the speech in a daze as Prime laid out the truth for everyone. Smokey glanced at Hot Rod. "Are you Clavis Aurea?"

"No. What little we were Temple teachings," Hot Rod said. "My folks were too busy trying to make a living to have time to teach me the finer points. I know what I know since being an adult."

Smokey nodded. "My Amma made sure I went to the Temple and shrines on the holy orns. I never gave the other stuff too much thought." He looked at Hot Rod with concern. "You don't think that will be a problem here do you?"

Hot Rod shrugged. "I hope not. Let's go," he said as they walked to the door. They would spend the evening in the company of their set talking long into the wee joors of the night.

-0-At IntraComm

Red Wing transformed, then landed heavily. When he turned, Prime was walking out with his officers. He waved to the big mech who paused. Reaching Prime, he nodded. "Good speech."

"I hope so, Red Wing," Prime said tiredly.

"I forgot in the middle of this. When Warlord was being chased he was rescued through a bridge. He fell into it and so did two alien fliers. We have them in the hold of our ship," Red Wing said.

Prime listened to the words but it took a moment for the meaning to penetrate. Ironhide spoke for all of them.

"Frag," he said softly.

-0-TBC 5-26-17 **edited 5-31-17**


	19. Chapter 19

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 19)

-0-Around

He stood in the aisle with food items in his servos. The news had been more than he had experienced in a tough young life on the run with his family and fellow colonists. It was almost too difficult to grasp that the entire population the equal of a colonial city district here had been lured to their deaths, then murdered. Yet, it had happened. Footfalls behind him broke his shocked reverie. He turned to see his supervisor walking toward him. "Lan … you need to go home now. Your ada called for you to come. Just leave things in the cart and go home."

Lan looked at him uncomprehendingly, then put the two items back in the cart. "What do we do, Mr. Ter-bo?"

Ter-bo rested his servos on the youth's shoulders. "First, you go home to your family and see what they want you to do. Then, you need to stay with those who love you because Prime declared state mourning for the next ten orns. Understand?"

Lan stared at Ter-bo. "I think so."

"Come," Ter-bo said as he walked the stunned youngster to the front of the store where the door was located. The customers in the store were walking toward it too, some of them in shock, others with emotion. He paused by the door, then turned to the youth. "It will get better. No matter what, remember that."

"How?" Lan asked. He hugged Ter-bo tightly, then walked out the door with everyone else.

Ter-bo watched him go. "I don't know, son, but in the end, it usually does," he whispered. Then he walked back in to help shut the place down. By the end of the orn, only emergency services and those necessary to the safety and well-being of the colony would still be open.

-0-Outside

Lan walked to the street, then paused to look around. A lot of individuals were there, some huddled with others and some heading for home or wherever they were going. He walked through them to the Metro station, then went down to a crowded but nearly totally silent platform. Trains came and went, some letting people off, others taking them away. He finally got a space, grabbed a pole and stared at the floor. It felt so dense and intimate, the crowd around him that he avoided optic contact.

At his station, he climbed out and hurried to the street where a lot of individuals were also waiting, rushing, walking about dazedly, or making their way confusedly somewhere else. He hurried the six blocks to his building, then went up on an elevator in an empty lobby. The corridor to his apartment was empty as well. He paused as his door, then entered. His fathers and older sister were there.

"Ada?" he said. "What do we do?" he asked almost plaintively.

His atar hugged him tightly. "We do our best," he said. "It's all we can do."

-0-Special Environmental Conditions Ward, Autobot City Medical Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They stared at each other, both sides silently assessing the situation as it stood. Two big fliers, both of them winged with a reptilian-styled face stared at the metallics who had them in their custody. The leader of their faction was assessing both of them as they stood stoically presenting themselves as unafraid. They had come to themselves after a hard fall through some kind of opening that they didn't understand. They were in a cage on a ship, then transferred via cage to this place to be put inside an environment that was suitable for their continuation.

["I am Optimus Prime. Your capture was not desired by me or my armada. We sought dialog but your leadership denied us."] he said.

One of them stepped closer. ["Return us to our people."]

["Why?"] Prowl asked coldly.

Both glanced at him, then each other. The first turned to Prime. ["We didn't ask for you to come. You came to our space and took over a small system. You attract trouble and we had to keep terrible threats away who were coming for them. You should send us home."]

["You assume that we can."] Prowl said as he walked around the cage to assess the inmates. One of them turned with him, watching him with a wary expression on his interesting face. His feathers were very colorful along with the other and if the Cybertronians knew more about them they would know that it indicated their age. ["You were after our tech and you didn't care about our dead. You wanted the tech and you were going to salvage our people for it, our dead."]

["Why would you care? You aren't real. You're machines. You could make more."] the first said defiantly.

["What about I kill you then wait for your people to make more of you? How would that work for you?"] Ironhide said darkly.

They stared at him and his family then turned back to Prime. ["You've created a war between your empire and ours. We won't forget this. Send us back and it's one strike against you that will be removed."]

["You seem to think we care,"] Prowl said as he paused beside Prime again. ["We can come and go without you knowing until it's too late. We can destroy worlds and flee without taking a single round of return fire. What makes you think we won't go to your systems and do the same thing to you that we did to those two worlds?"]

["You didn't allow us to collect our dead. No decent civilized people act that way. You seem to think that we would leave and not do right by our people. What makes you think we would?"] Hard Drive asked. ["They were our people."]

["We found them dead too. We didn't do that."] one of them said. ["We came there and found them all dead."]

["So you say."] Raptor glanced at Prime and the others. ["This one says he didn't kill our people. Do you really believe that? I think they killed them for the tech. I think they killed our people, our children, and babies to steal their tech."]

[" **No! We found them like that!"** ] the first said with rising concern. ["We traded with them. They were allies."]

["You just said they were enemies."] Optimus replied.

The two stared from one to the other of the big mechs standing before them, then the first stepped closer. ["We're just soldiers. We can no more make orders than you can fly. We just do what we're ordered to do. Let us go. Take us home."]

Prime stared at him, then turned to the guards. "Have you figured out what they require in terms of food and other sustenance?"

"Wheeljack and a doctor specialist are working on it now," the guard chief said. "We will deliver it when they come through."

Prime nodded. "Very well. They are quarantined. No one sees them without the okay of Prowl or me."

The guards nodded, then watched as Prime and his team walked toward the door and disappeared through it. It was silent again as the guards turned toward the two prisoners. They stared at each other, then the two aliens walked to a bench nearby to sit. They wouldn't speak to anyone again this night.

-0-Outside

They walked through the military airfield which was still all business. Only the most immediate and important activity would be in earnest for the next ten days. A period of state mourning had been declared which meant everything from schools to the corner supermarket was to close. Pharmacies, medical and civil safety agencies would be online but everyone else wouldn't.

The masses were still milling about as the sun began to set. Lights came on and held back the darkness as the pall of shock and grief overtook them here. It was the same everywhere else including Cybertron as the population there, used to mass destruction and merciless murder tried to wrap their processors around the idea that it was happening again. Right now, all was quiet. Prime and the senior team would be there for services as well when the time came in thirty orns.

They paused together, then broke up to go their separate ways. They would meet up in the morning at The Fortress and go over the situation including the two aliens and their disposition. Prime and Prowl would go home to check on things, then go back to work. Ironhide and his family would join them. Ratchet would organize everyone at home. It was all a mess but they were used to it. What was so poignant for all of them wasn't how fast they had managed this tragedy but how much it stung to have something this awful intrude on a life that was largely recovering from such things.

They broke up and walked to their towers or the metro lines for home.

-0-At home

" **ADA! YOU COMED HERE TO ME, ORION!?"**

Ratchet stared at the little mob either standing in high dudgeon on the floor or sitting in the arms of their huge brothers. "Yep."

Orion launched himself at Ratchet and was scooped up. It took a moment to hug and kiss everyone but when that was accomplished, it was bed time. They had already eaten so the kids were trundled off. Ironhide walked into the lounge of the big kid's area, then paused a moment. "We're going to check on the elders. When we get back, we can talk. Are you kids alright?" he asked.

They were sitting around the lounge solemn and silent. Nodding, Tru answered. "Mostly, Atar. Do you need help?"

"We're just checking in. You stay here and watch the infants. We'll be right back," Ironhide said, then walked down the hallway to the huge living room. Stepping out with Ratchet, he walked to the doorway of Ravel and Tie Down, then entered without knocking.

It took a moment to hug everyone including Chan, Corr, Appa Ratchet, and Docker who were still there. They were still a bit distraught but more composed than earlier. Tie Down stared upward at both. "What happened, Sonny? What does this mean?"

Ratchet ushered all of them to sit, then the two sat too. "Do you remember the Functionalists?" he asked.

 **"DO** we? Who can forget them, the slaggers? They made my old atar work at something beneath his dignity because of their slagging book," Appa Ratchet said with still deeply felt anger. "Your old great grandpa was a good mech and smart. He wanted to make electronics but they said he could only be a laborer. They would beat you if you tried to be different. Their goons would come and beat you. **HE WASTED HIS WHOLE LIFE!"** Ratchet sniffled with emotional distress. "They deserve to be parted out. **SMELTED!"**

The others nodded. "They can't come here, Ratchet. We can't have them here," Docker said as she squeezed her bond's servo gently.

"They're in custody. We have them all and their families, the bureaucrats that helped them … everyone. What I want to know is … are you going to be okay? We have ten orns of state mourning. Do you have the things you need? We're going to be on short rations from the groceries because everything will be closed. Thank goodness that liquid energon is supplied to every home directly."

"Jetta is a far-sighted slagger," Ironhide said with a nod.

"That is a good son," Chan said nodding. "He takes good care of our daughter, Elita, and he takes care of us. We will be fine."

They chatted, then Ratchet and Ironhide arose. "No schools or anything including RTR Tools for the next ten orns, Ada. Understand?"

"We wouldn't desecrate the memories of our lost loved ones, Ratchet. We put a sign on our door," Ravel said.

Ratchet hugged him with a smile. "You're so cute. Please, don't get sick over this. Nothing can make it better but our solidarity."

"We have that already, Sonny," Appa Ratchet said. "Nothing is going to destroy that."

"Good. Get some sleep, then we can get together tomorrow. We have eleven kids without a place to go. This might just get hard," Ratchet said as they walked out the door. "Good night."

"Good night. Get some rest too," Docker said as she held the door.

"We will," Ratchet said, then watched as the door closed. Walking across the hallway, they entered the apartment of Alor and Blackjack. The other elders were there so everyone sat down. "What a slagging nightmare this is."

Raptor nodded as he held a sleeping Scout. "It can never happen again."

"It better not," Scout said as he sat next to Trooper. He looked at Ratchet. "We can all take care of the babies especially if you and Ironhide have duty."

"We probably do, Appa," Ratchet replied. "This is going to be an awful time for all of us."

-0-Outside in the darkness

Going from light pole to flag pole to banner hanger on Metroplex Highway 1, Public Works mechs and femmes drove slowly as they began to replace banners all over the colony. Down went those about the football championship, the Memorial or Remembrance Orn as it was called here for the dead coming up shortly, and other markers of the colony's life. Replacing them were banners that bore the emblem of The One, two servos holding Cybertron. They would stay up for the entire period of state mourning and solemn remembrance. They would only come down when that was over. Until then, it would be a very solemn and shaken community.

-0-TBC 5-27-17 **edited 5-31-17**


	20. Chapter 20

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 20)

-0-The Family Tower, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They were connected together, all of the habitats on-world that were human domiciles. Only for the second time had Will Lennox asserted his authority and called everyone together to talk. The first time was the debrief after Black Shadow. Now, it was over the state of mourning and the catastrophe of the deaths of their neighbors and friends. Glenn Morshower who would have the job of breaking the news to Earth stood beside Lennox as the room filled with residents, some of them in emotional turmoil.

On the huge screen split into different smaller ones, Earth 1, Sciences, the Resort, and N.E.S.T. HQ had checked in as well. Faces from the different auditoriums and lounges showed most if not all of the 1,082 individuals who lived and worked here on a permanent basis. Included among them were family members and their children. A dog's barking from the Earth 1 habitat broke the silence as Lennox turned to the crowd. "I want everyone to pay attention. General Morshower and I will tell you how to proceed right now, the does and don'ts. We've been in contact with the Temple, the Monastery and with The Fortress to ensure that whatever we do is right and proper. General Morshower will brief you, then I will. He has the duty to tell Earth. All communications off world by the way are suspended until tomorrow to allow General Morshower to break the news properly to Earth."

No one argued through it would be an inconvenience for everyone with science or family needs on Earth. Morshower glanced at the screens, then the solemn crowd before him. "The bots have suffered a major catastrophe. A colony settlement of half a million was killed by a group that once ruled Cybertron back about thirteen million years ago. They were overthrown, then disappeared. Apparently, they went into the Benzuli expansion and rebuilt their kingdom which included caste slavery called functionalism. Whatever your build dictated, that was what you were allowed to become. If you wanted anything else, it was too bad and they enforced it with violence.

"The dead include elders, children, and babies. There was no mercy when they left and right now the bots are reeling. Prime and the senior Autobots along with the priests of the Temple and Monastery are doing what they can to make sure there isn't a religious backlash among the population to the Guiding Hand sects that live here. Be aware that among them are the Circle of Light and Missionary groups.

"I know that some of you are studying that philosophy and some of you are fully initiated into the Circle. We are going to call upon you to assist us in maintaining good relations with both and to liaison with them when the need arises. For now, they have two periods of mourning in place. The first is state mourning. Nothing but emergency services is going to be operating for the next ten days. Everything that isn't designed to rescue or ensure safety will be closed. I was advised that there would be a lot of activity around the Temple, the Monastery, the Halls of Order, and the Memorial on Metroplex's Administrative Plaza. The Central Labor Hall will be open round the clock as its counseling departments are going to be busy helping those who need it.

"We are going to be extra especially attuned to the population because it's impossible to tell who might have lost someone and it's also a very touchy thing right now, the religious aspects of this. I have asked Olivia Bowers to speak to that right now. She was in contact with Heatout about what the human community needs to know and how they can assist the bots through this, if at all. Olivia?" Morshower said nodding to a drawn pensive woman sitting next to her attentive husband.

Olivia stood, then walked through the masses until she stood with Lennox and Morshower. She turned to the crowd. "Thank you, General. I've been in contact with Master Heatout and have expressed to him our most deeply felt and sincere condolences as the human community on-world. He was expressly touched by that and our wishes to assist however we could. First, I would like to address the differences between the Circle, the Clavis Aurea, and the Functionalists.

"In the beginning days, aliens called the Quintessans had overtaken The People and oppressed us," she said, oblivious in her distress to her personal identification to the Cybertronians. "They were brutal and took away choice, the same way that the System of Exception did that led to this, the latest civil war against oppression. They were overthrown and lost to time it seemed because no one knew where they went. The empire was having to be rebuilt and the Matrix had a good leader so they slipped away, fading from the memories of most of The People over time.

"The Clavis Aurea and the Circle of Light base their belief system in the basic foundation ideas of the Guiding Hand. There are two main belief systems for the Cybertronians describing The Creation, one served by the Temple which is based on the historical reality of Primus versus Unicron with the Pantheon and the other on Primus and the five gods that He created out of Himself not only to create the Cybertronian race but to advance them into the Golden Age. That's a lesser well-known and followed practice but integral to many points of view including the Clavis Aurea who apply **properly** the tenets and beliefs of the Guiding Hand.

"There was one god among them, Mortilius, who wanted to extend Their beliefs into the universe through force, standing against all others and it created conflict among the five and Lord Primus Himself. Most of Them were mortally wounded and through their ultimate sacrifice became different important attributes of The People. Primus Himself was mortally wounded and entered Cybertron to become one with it.

"You can still speak to Him through Vector Sigma, His great processor. He protects The People and loves them so much," she said, then paused as emotion filled her. She struggled a moment, then continued. "There is only love from Primus for The People. The Functionalists have taken a beautiful set of beliefs and prostituted them. They are extremists and liars, awful individuals who have no concept of what Primus and The One really want for The People. All of their views as practiced run counter to what things really mean. They are terrorists and extremists who have taken beautiful things and damaged them with their actions.

"That's what's so dangerous right now, that the actions of a few will poison everyone. There's no connection between the Clavis Aurea, the Primus Peace Mission, The Circle of Light, the Knights of Cybertron, or any of the other sects in the colony or empire with this set of ideas and these individuals prominent among them. They've perverted the meanings and intentions of all of these teachings with their selfish cruelty.

"What we can't do is hold against others the actions of a few. Master Heatout is working with the Temple, Monastery, and the smaller sects to ensure that no one is going to pay a price they don't owe for the actions of this group. They were terrorists when they began and they're terrorists now. They beat, tortured, denied, and murdered The People for eons. They call the mass murders that they did 'recalls'. They detonated control chips in their processors from a distance when they wanted to get rid of a group and they did it without mercy or exception. It wasn't the first but Prime is going to see to it that it's the last.

"We have to give The People love and time. The period of state mourning lasts ten orns- … days, then it changes to the remaining month of solemn remembrance. That will be when things open up again and life returns to a more normal routine. There will be ceremonies in the Basilica, the Temple, the Monastery, and then the same on Cybertron. Prime will hold sway over them but they will be led by every sect and their major officials.

"I don't know what's going to come of this. It's terrible. Remember, they've all been through hell already. Right now, we have to be sensitive and kind. They will rebound but it's going to take a bit of time. The culprits are terrible beings. They look like Shockwave. One optic and no soul. They were the ones who invented empurata and when you look at them, when you see Shockwave, then you will know what they look like. I'll be helping The People for the human community so if there's anything you need or want to know or do, I will try to help. Thank you." Olivia walked to her seat and sat down, leaning into Joe who squeezed her shoulders.

"Thank you, Olivia. We're glad you have that contact. As for the rest of us, we stay off the streets for about three days," Morshower said. "I think we need to see if anything comes of this in the short term. Everyone is off work and have time on their hands. If violence is going to happen, it should happen now. By the weekend, I think we can go back to a more normal schedule. But understand, if there is violence they might not be so attentive to us, proximity sensors or no proximity sensors. If there is even the remotest possibility that something is going to happen wherever you are, beat it out of there. That's an order. Take it to the bank. If I found out that you didn't, I will boot you off world permanently. Tell me now if anyone has a problem with that."

There was silence in the room and on the monitors as solemn-faced individuals stared back at the General. Then Owen Harris spoke. "General, this morning the dust level at Earth2 dropped enough that we can see it through the haze. What is the likelihood that we can go there? The three of us here on-world?"

Morshower stared at Harris who was sitting in a comfortable chair next to Brandon Clark. His son, he had been told in the morning briefing that included the ongoing search for the two soldier-moles and both Harris's, had to reschedule clients, something he would have to do for the next ten days as well. "We won't be entering it, Mr. Harris, until the bots are ready for the walk through and final sign off. Right now, they have bigger problems."

Harris stared at Morshower, then nodded. He was seething inside with frustration, something that he wasn't used to anymore. If anyone knew how to get their way, it was Owen Harris. But he choked it back to wait.

"I want everyone here to practice empathy and patience. They had a terrible catastrophe and Prime had a hard decision to make. I'm not sure I would have the intestinal fortitude to do what he did but I know of few others that I admire more than him. We are going to deport ourselves with honor, dignity, and sympathy to the bots or you're gone. If you wish to do something, check in at N.E.S.T. HQ. Lennox has complete discretion. For those of you who attend classes at the University or the Circle at the Halls of Order, they have been cancelled for ten days as well. I think we can open the floor for questions, then further instructions and debrief by Lennox," he said as they began to be asked from habitats all over the colony.

-0-At a meeting at the Temple of Primus Restored

They sat in the conference room, the leadership of the various sects of the colony. Gathered together, they sat to chat first to clear the air, decide how to serve the People then plan the funerals for the dead at the end of the solemn observance. It was tense and quiet as they chatted, groups that had a great deal in common even if they approached the same general information in different ways. All of them believed in Primus, The One and the Pantheon. They just did so differently.

Priests stood around the table bringing this and that as requested, filling glasses, providing snacks and other things as the meeting rolled onward. Cyclonus and three elders from the Monastery sat with the priests of the Temple, the leadership of the Missionaries, and Heatout with two acolytes. Taking a break, they relaxed. "How do you feel, Master Cyclonus?" Heatout asked as he eyed the big former Decepticon.

"It is irrelevant what I feel, Master Heatout. We have to make sure that this isn't a longterm problem between us. My feelings are actually molten if you must know," Cyclonus said in his deep dangerous-sounding voice.

Heatout nodded. "I understand. I spoke to Dai Atlas shortly ago. He is going to turn the focus of the Knights onto that sector to see if there are others there that are in need of rescue. If there are more Functionalist groups in the area I am going to recommend to Prime that we overrun them and take our people back before they 'tire' of them."

Cyclonus nodded. "I shall go with them."

He wouldn't be the only one in the room that would agree to go.

-0-At the homestead

It was morning at last but the day was still unsettled. Children weren't going to school. Elders weren't going to work but for Ratchet and Ironhide. Their jobs never ended. Gathering in the apartment, Scout, Trooper, Alor, Blackjack with his son, Raptor, Turbine, Hard Drive, and Delphi all settled. Infants found laps to sit on. Food was served, the last bit of designed food for the next nine orns cooked and divied out as everyone gathered to go over the plan. Soon, everyone would be on liquid energon and faintly feel the buzz. It was hard to give up the prepared shapes for a cube they would all find out.

The door opened as Ravel and Company joined them. It was crowded with children including six Titan kids who had stayed overnight with the Dreads. "Well, let me call this meeting to order," Ratchet said with a grin as he surveyed the group. "How is everyone this morning? I ask not as a son but as a physician."

A murmur of remarks ranging from 'sad' to **'WHAT YOU, ADA?!'** were accounted for as everyone settled in to formulate **THE PLAN FOR WHAT DO WE DO NOW!?**

-0-Upstairs

Miracle sat in his father's lap patting him. "You okay, Atar?" he asked.

Prime grinned. "Yes, son."

Miracle smiled, then stared down at the floor at the others. "They want up."

Prime gently scooped up two tiny femmes. They sat on his lap and stared up at their massive father. "Atar? Are you good?" Sojourner asked.

He grinned at them as the three little mechs and a cat began to climb into his lap. He scooped them all up, settling them gently before him, the bounty of his garden. "I am now," he said with a smile.

In the doorway nearby, Kes, Miler, and Prowl watched. Washing dishes in the big kitchen, Tagg and Venture kept themselves occupied. Prowl grinned, then set Prima on the ground. "Go get Optimus, baby," Prowl whispered.

The tiny doppelganger of Prowl smiled up at his elders, then ran across the floor toward the others. It would take a while to get there but he would make it.

-0-TBC 5-18-17 **edited 5-31-17**

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all who celebrate it. Happy Weekend for everyone else. I will get onto the notes tonight. Know how much you are loved by me. HUGS! -Me


	21. Chapter 21

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (d6 21)

-0-The night before

They were brought in, nearly 2,000 individuals that were identified as the leadership of the Functionalist colony, their dependents and those among the upper echelon deemed worthy among them to live. They were the faceless bureaucrats that made the wheels turn. Lining up on the tarmac of the prison's airfield, they stared at Gee-Gee without expression. The Council alone had diminished faces while the rest looked like any other Cybertronian albeit with simple designs and finishes. They weren't very showy, the Functionalists.

Gee-Gee watched each group of newcomers sorting mentally through their composition, noting the number of children in the group. She had a call in to Child Services to come assess them to determine if continuing in the custody of their parents was safe, prison or no. These, after all, were the architects of at least one genocide that they knew about. How many others were on their sparks, she didn't know. They were being sorted and documented on the spot as tech groups walked down the lines scanning transponders, jacking in to take baselines on health and determine their identities through other processes.

Cybertronians had five different transponder identification nodes in their bodies, disks that were engraved, then placed in such a way that their protoform would graft to them to make each part of their permanent bodies. Two they could afford to tamper with. The other three? They were the cause of many a fatality by someone seeking to hide or change their identity. This process was the reason why they would be able to identify even the most battered dead on Cybertron, a bittersweet possibility to most.

When the database was completed the group would be marched to different barrack areas by type and disposition. Bonds would not be honored with this group. Their children would take priority. The mechs who met certain criteria would be housed together. All femmes, if they weren't of a dangerous type, would be also. Only the Council and about 22 of their subordinates would be singled out for solitary confinement in ad-seg. Gee-Gee over the eons had formulated her 'lists' of what to look for in new inmate and they were nearly foolproof. No one would have a chance to escape, fight, collude on stories and information, nor coerce someone into hiding or changing information by virtue of being together. She was a pro and they were her challenge so she scrutinized them scientifically. They would be the ones who would lose in that sort of encounter.

The data teams finished, then walked to stand by her. She nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate your work."

They murmured and nodded to her, this standup femme that all of them liked and admired. She had during training sessions kicked all their afts. Several times.

Looking at the group, the Council standing together in the front row, she began. "You are my prisoners. I will allow no challenge to that simple truth. You will be held here in my prison guarded by my mechs and femmes until I'm told otherwise. I have simple rules. You behave, treat each other and the staff properly and we won't have a problem. If you decide otherwise, then I have all manner of places to put you, none of which are pleasant.

"You had your say elsewhere. You had your run. Now you're mine and I have complete say over every aspect of your life up to and including deciding when you can empty your debris chute. You will get up when I say, walk to wherever I say, do whatever I tell you to do, eat when I say, go to bed when I say, and you will all speak with courtesy and respect 'Yes, Warden' and 'Okay, Warden'. You will **not** back talk, attempt to 'discuss' any rule or order, assert any privilege that you feel is owed you nor challenge anyone who is in charge of you. My team is well trained, crack shots and masters of personal combat, hand chosen by me to be here. They are professionals who know a hundred ways to subdue you, none of which are pleasant, and they cannot be bought or pursued to do less than their duty.

"You have no power here. Let me stress that again," she said raising her voice a bit. She walked along the front line where the Council stood in silence. **"YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE!"** She was silent a moment as she stopped in front of Seven of Twelve. "You should know that what happened has been reported to the colony and Cybertron. Everyone knows what you did. There are Clavis Aurea here, **me** included. There are Circle, Knights, Missionaries, and Temple here. You are here and you stuck a knife into the heart of our unity.

"I will defend you. I will keep those who might feel you deserve a short and bitter fate away. I will not allow you to feel that you have the right to carry on with your system and practices nor will I allow you to have power in my prison. **YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE!"** she said. "You will now go with your guards to the location where you will live until the Prime decides what to do about this. The food is good, the accommodations are comfortable, the entertainment pleasing, and you will not be torn apart by a mob. Count your slagging blessings that a Prime like Optimus captured you and not someone else." She glanced at Cirio, one of two assistant wardens. "Please take them to their cells. Leave the Council."

Cirio nodded, then began to give orders. It would take a while for the crowd to leave the area and make it to their cell blocks. Along the way, they would have to pass through cell block zones as well as the accumulated angst and rage of hordes of criminals and former Decepticons who had watched the news. They spent the time the group passed by their enclosures telling them how they would unscrew their helms and other bodily parts. It would be excruciating for everyone.

The last group walked away leaving the 12 Councilors and their 22 main accomplices. She walked to them, getting very close. "I am Clavis Aurea. That is part of who I am. It was always just a little bit hard for me to swallow that what I believe, the love and decency of the Hand and Primus could be so perverted. I would rip your sparks out myself if that wasn't base cowardice in light of my code. You will stay in isolation and singular detention until orders come down to change that to something else.

"There's something missing inside your processors and sparks. You're as dangerous a group as I have in this prison and I have the worst of the worst. You will be my special project. You will see what it means to belong to the Guiding Hand. You will see it from **me**. I will **PERSONALLY** show you what you should have been and not what you are. If anyone of you so much as steps over the line, I will string you up myself. **UNDERSTAND!?** " They nodded. "Then good. Turn to the right and make a line. I'm personally taking you to your detentions and anything that you require or need including any of your hurts I will **PERSONALLY** take care of so you can actually **know what it means** to be Clavis Aurea." She turned to her guards and nodded.

The guards got them into line and with Gee-Gee in the lead, they walked onward to administrative segregation and the singular lockups that would be their home for the foreseeable future. They did so through the pent up rage and sociopathic menace of those already here and unlikely in the future to change. No one yelling would come close to the level of crimes committed by the silent group walking down the road to their detention.

-0-Elsewhere

Barron stood in his office with Alto, his bond. Alto was sitting on the office couch as Barron got together the preliminary data that was sent to him by the forensics teams working the functionalist case. He was putting it into a stack so that he could go over it with his assistants, all of them specialist lawyers at preparing cases, sifting and evaluating evidence, experts at forensics as well as interviews.

"Barron, I think it might do us all some good to leave things until tomorrow. The children are meeting at Auntie and Uncle's house and I think we need to be there," Alto said.

Barron glanced up as he placed a stack of datapads on one of the several piles he was constructing. "I feel very anxious, Alto. I haven't felt this anxious since we came here. You know me. I've been a lawyer and legal expert for a very long time. I have seen it all. But this … this is incomprehensible. I remember them. My father told me a lot about them. They were overthrown just before I was separated. I wished they had been dealt with. They were allowed to get away because of friends in the government. I would love to know who they were. They would stand charged with this too for that act alone."

Alto nodded, then stood. A cheerful, wonderfully sweet individual, Alto also knew something about courage. He was a founding board member of the Primus Peace Mission back in Praxus during the orn and nearly came to empurata at the servos of Shockwave who was combing the planet for the heads of the resistance movements. He missed Jetta by inches as well. "We need to talk. Talking to the children will help, talking with Auntie and Uncle. They will all be in need of your level-headed calm counsel, my dear one. Come with me. You are tired and need refreshment."

Barron stared at his bond for a moment as emotion rose in him. "Alto, I'm tired of this. I'm scared for our people still missing."

"Prime will bring them all home. There are many places he is focusing upon right now, all of them waiting for us to come. We will. We have so far and I see no abatement in that focus. Come, my dear one. Let's go see the children and Auntie," Alto said as Barron stepped around his desk. They would walk to the door and leave for the station toward home. Arriving at Auntie's house, the elderly femme fireball would have them in, serve dinner to all and they would talk together for joors and joors with the delightful company of the grandchildren. It would be good tonic for everyone.

-0-Later that morning

"Where we going, Atar?" Praxus asked with his usual big smile.

Ironhide grinned as he held leashes on three of his kids. Praxus, Orion, and Prowler hip-hopped along the street. The Titanic kids were with ammas and appa today, getting the word on the new probability that there would be missions upcoming where the dreads and other adults would have to leave and they would have to function alone. They were going to receive training over the next few orns, perhaps all the way until school re-opened in ten orns. It would be a good idea given their day job at the DMZ.

Ironhide on the other servo was keeping the shorties with him as Sunspot and the little Prime mechs hung out with the ammas and appas galore of the Ironhide and Ratchet family. Spirit, Rambler, and T-Bar would go with Sunspot to 'help out' Ravel and Company at their apartments … 'helping them do cleaning and chores, Ada' … like that. Kes and Tagg along with Venture would have the little Prime girls and the twinnies.

Bluestreak and the twins were doing duty helping deal with the data being drawn from the ships and their databases. Running errands, taking data here and there, they were busy. When Turbine and that side of Ironhide's family had a moment, they would take whatever child they could grasp, their own or Prime's to keep everything going. Prima would stay with Miler and Scout was firmly ensconced with Blackjack. Appa Scout and Amma Trooper would be helping to plan the services with the Temple, Monastery, and Halls of Order that would honor the dead. They would provide appropriate music.

It was busy as Ironhide finally picked up his kids to get through the silent crowds who were going toward the Temple or Monastic districts for whatever reason. Entering Metro 1, he walked down the corridor to the door that led to his offices. When he arrived, his bomb-making kids, Nitro, and Holi would be there. They stared at him as Holi picked up Prowler.

"What's the word, Ironhide?" Nitro asked. The kids who made things, though former Decepticons half of them with some soldiering looked pensive and scared.

Ironhide noted that then drew on his own confidence for them. "The word is 'keep going'. We have to make sure that the colony is up to snuff on the armored side. Those slaggers even think they want to come here, it's up to us to derail that." He looked at the kids who were staring at him with concern. "You kids do a slagging fine job. You help us defend everyone every day by the things you do here. You're professionals, every one of you, and I'm proud of ya. What we have to do now is keep working on our part of the project. Without us, there would be no defense. Don't worry about what you can't help. Do what you can."

"Will they come here, Abba?" one of them asked. He was a young refugee who had graduated first in his class at munitions school and worked here full time while pursuing further education in the field.

"They don't appear to have that capability, infant. They wouldn't dare. They live far out beyond Cybertron and the local cluster. Don't worry about them. By the time they arrived even if they could, you will be a great grandpa." He grinned at the kid. "Do what you do to continue to make us all proud." He nodded to his kids. "Little mechs need a role model. They only got me and Ratchet."

The kids relaxed as they grinned at him. Then they turned to the task at hand. Ironhide turned to Nitro. "Committee meeting, soldiers only tonight at 1800 TMC. Prime hopes to have more information by then."

Nitro nodded. "I hope so."

"What do you hear about things in the community?" Ironhide asked as he picked up Orion.

"Shock, anger," Nitro said. "No one can believe this. Most don't remember or weren't here for them. I wasn't. Were you?"

"My appa fought them in the civil war. I only know the stories," Ironhide said.

Orion looked at both, then smiled. "Atar. You doing this good here?" he asked as Ironhide set him down on the ground.

"I do," Ironhide said with a grin of pride at one-third of the progeny that had come with him.

Orion smiled. " **I HELP**!" He then walked to the detonator bin and had two in his servos before Ironhide reached him. He would spend the rest of the morning on someone's arm or lap. Ratchet would have plotzed.

If Ironhide ever decided to tell him.

He wouldn't.

Holi would over the vinegar section of the Grocery. It would be an accident.

Maybe.

-0-Ratchet who didn't know

They walked along the sidewalk heading from their tower to the one next door which was the Autobot City Medical Center. Ratchet grinned at his partner.

"Ada, why am I coming with you to work?" Hero said as she looked upward at Ratchet. She was carrying a little bag she had packed herself that appealed because it was covered in giraffe spots, her 'snack sack, Ada'. Her book bag was filled with all manner of stuff for amusement and entertainment as she carried her dog dollie like a baby.

"It's 'take your infant-to-work-orn', Hero," Ratchet said as they entered the lobby of the hospital.

They would chat all the way to the elevator before disappearing upward inside.

-0-TBC 5-29-17 **edited 5-31-17**

I almost didn't post this. We have had rain all week and now it's clearing off for a few days and my old bones are creaking. HOWEVER … the bots had other plans. :D:D:D

ESL

DMZ demilitarized zone: a place that separates sides in a conflict where no one can go with guns or bad intentions. Sometimes, you can't go at all. The most famous one is the border between the two Koreas.

Progeny (prah-jenny): someone's babies or kids.

Plotzed (plot-zd): freaked out, fell apart.


	22. Chapter 22

The Diego Diaries: Going Forward (dd6 22) needs editing :D

-0-Early Afternoon

Prime sat waiting for a return call to his request. When Razorclaw's face appeared, the big mech was curious. "Prime. You called?"

Prime nodded. "I want to tell you about a situation that has happened and how it will play a part in the dynamic between us."

Razorclaw nodded. "Very well. I'm listening."

Prime sat forward considering his words. "We intercepted a migration as you well know before they crossed into the range of your scouts. They were a small group but they came from a larger one, one that was located in hidden settlements in Sector 221-B in the Benzuli Expansion, near the Great Rifts and the Dead Zone. We inspected their ships and had conversations. They were the Functionalist Council. Perhaps you have heard of them."

Razorclaw nodded. "I have. I don't like them. I don't think you do either. I think I'm not going to like the rest of this story either."

"It would be to your favor if you do not." Prime sat back. "There were 4,500 of them in the migration but we learned that there were 500,000 elsewhere who had been part of this group. We went to where they were in the Benzuli and found them."

"Dead," Razorclaw finished. "They … 'recalled' them did they?"

Prime nodded. "They did. Half a million of our people were murdered. When we tried to figure out what to do about it a confederation, a big and powerful one thanks to the leadership of this colony trading our technology to them arrived and said they would fight if we stayed. We had a standoff but in the end, there was nothing left alive to fight for. We had to prevent them from taking more technology and plundering the bodies of our dead."

"You destroyed things? I approve," Razorclaw said. It was one of the few things either side agreed upon wholeheartedly, the hatred they felt about the plundering of their people's bodies for tech by anyone.

Prime who was studying Razorclaw noted tightening around his optics, the hard set of the mouth and other tells as Razorclaw lounged seemingly calm and relaxed. "We destroyed the planets and left."

Razorclaw nodded. "I don't suppose you fired holes into them too?"

"No," Prime said. "I would think there is a remote danger to another encounter from them but one can never know. They are closer to Cybertron than here but in the end, who knows what technology was given and what was not."

Razorclaw nodded, then waited. Prime was smart and he had been the one who called. Prime was playing a hard hand, one designed to suppress his own side and options. Razorclaw would have to look alive to keep up. Right now, the power gradient was not in his favor.

Prime who was assessing him watched Razorclaw watching him just as closely. He sat back. "I am going to be taking any refugee group that comes to me from your direction. Everyone and every ship. You will allow it or there will be a fight. Given the armadas that I can field it would only be a matter of time … a very short time before you were unrelated molecules floating in space."

Razorclaw smirked slightly. "Perhaps, but you'd pay a price. I'm not afraid of you, Prime."

Optimus leaned onto his elbows again as if to reach Razorclaw in his redoubt. "You should be," he said softly.

Impasse held for a moment, then Razorclaw shrugged. "I have no need of refugees, Prime. I'll accept soldiers, pirates and other riff-raff that floats downstream to me. I know you take exception but that's what I require."

"I will police my sphere of influence. Imperialis learned to his costly detriment that same hard lesson. Understand, you do not represent a very great threat to me, Razorclaw, but to the refugees, you are an impediment. I want your word."

"You would trust my word. How the mighty have fallen," he replied with a grin. Sitting forward, the huge Predacon stared at Prime with a measured look. "Take the refugees, Prime. I don't want nor need them. I also don't like the idea of aliens using them for spare parts. I will assist you if it ever comes to that. You and I both know that if anyone has less than great fear of us, then we're all vulnerable to scavengers. It's the nature of our beast."

Prime sat silently a moment, then leaned in closer. "Swear on the Matrix, Razorclaw."

Razorclaw considered that. "I will swear on the Matrix that the refugees get a pass from us. I reserve the right to hunt for allies otherwise."

Prime thought about it long enough to see a tic in Razorclaw. "You have made an oath to the Matrix, Razorclaw. I would not break it."

"You know me …" He grinned. "Anything else?"

"This will do. For now," Prime said.

Razorclaw nodded. "Alright. The refugees are yours."

"All of them. If you hold anyone who isn't a soldier or a criminal, if you have any civilians who were caught up by you on your journeys, send them to me. If I learn that you held even one I will come for you myself."

"You assume we have them?" Razorclaw asked disingenuously.

"Send them now," Prime said coldly.

"We had a few fall in with us, usually those who had no way to travel around. I will send them as a peace offering, as a symbol of the effort I've expended to be a good neighbor, Prime," he said with a grin. "You don't seem to understand it goes against my nature to be one."

"You do not seem to understand that I am not the same Optimus Prime you remember. I want them now. Send them," Prime said with a coldness that was new to the big Predacon.

Razorclaw nodded. "You'll have them. I don't want anyone on my side who isn't in the game, Prime."

Prime nodded. "Everyone of them."

Razorclaw turned to one side a moment, then back to Prime. "They're coming. Anything else?"

"Not at the moment. Prime out." He cut the transmission, then sat back. That was when he noticed Prowl standing in front of his desk.

"Good job. You got civilians and a Matrix oath out of him. He's either getting soft or he can count," Prowl said drily.

Prime nodded. "It is more the latter than the former, I am afraid. Have the Center crew watch for them. We need to get them quickly. Some of them are the children of locals. Do not tell them we have them back until they get checked out, Prowl. We have all suffered enough."

Prowl nodded. "I will. How are you? We have to talk, Optimus."

"We will, Prowl, but not today," he said tiredly. "Later."

"I will hold you to it." Prowl turned, then paused at the door. "I love you and I'm sorry."

Prime nodded. "Me too."

Prowl walked out. Prime stared at his desk where the preliminary reports were stacked about the genocide. He didn't want to see them but he pulled them forward. He was Prime. He had to.

-0-On a street bordering the children's park at Metroplex

They watched a mob of children running and chasing, playing like nothing had happened. School was out for nine more orns so their genitors who were also for the majority off as well were with them here. They gathered in groups talking quietly, almost as if to be too loud would damage something. There was a pall over the colony, a place usually filled with good energy and activity.

"Those kids are cute," Drift said to Springer as they halted to watch. They were on their way to Watch Substation Six and their job. Who knew what the night would bring so they came to get a jumpstart on it. Home Guard and regular army were loaned to them, ready to respond if called up. Right now, every single Day and Night Watch officer was on the beat and would stay so over the next three crucial orns.

"They are," Springer said. "Look at that one. The one in the tan onesie."

Drift turned to look at a baby just learning to walk. He was in a highly padded suit, hat, and mittens. His expression was rapturous as he tottered around his genitors, a young couple with tattoos for the Missionaries, Circle and a clan found in the Manganese Mountains. They were with other youngsters and their children were playing all around them. The baby was on everyone's radar but he was also enjoying the concept of space + movement = nirvana.

"I never asked you," Springer said. "I'm too lazy to dig for it through the link. Are you Clavis or Temple or what?"

Drift shrugged slightly. "We weren't really anything when I was growing up. We were too poor and bent out of shape to care one way or the other. We were sort of sore at the Pantheon for allowing so much slag and poverty. I was too busy fighting and stealing for the finer things and ideas. You?"

"We got to go to school for a while. Mid-caste and all," Springer replied with a trace of bitterness. "We were Temple. We went to the shrine on the holy orns. We went to Simfur during Festival twice. I never felt anything and neither did anyone else. Nova and Nominus didn't have Their audial it would seem. Then Sentinel banned them as subversive gatherings."

"He was an idiot. You can't kill an idea. I remember that. I remember thinking about it when I was really drunk. We had just knocked over a banker's house and had a lot of shanix. We spent it all on booze and … well, you get the picture," Drift said.

"I'm sure I could if I just thought about it a bit," Springer said with a slight grin. "I won't but I could. If I wanted. But I don't."

Drift snickered. "Slagger. I learned about the Hand and when I became a student for the Circle, I decided that was the path for me. The peaceful path of the Guiding Hand and the Knights … it made sense to me. It helped me a lot about a lot of things."

"I'm glad. I believe what I believe and the more They show up at Festival, the better I understand Them. I'm glad that They're here," Springer said.

Drift nodded, then grinned. "That little femme and that mech with her, they remind me of our kids."

Springer nodded. "I noticed that."

"I never asked you. Remember when we talked about going to the Well … we **are** going to the Well some day, right?" Drift asked.

Springer glanced at him sharply. "We are. I'm not an idiot like Sunny."

Drift chuckled. "Me either. When we go to the Well someday … not now but somewhere down the road … a bit of a way down there … so far that I need special optics to see it," he said as they both grinned. "Are we still up for three? A femme and two mechs?"

Springer nodded. "No waiting. I want to see them grow up together."

Drift nodded. "What about names?"

"I don't know. What's your tradition?" Springer asked. "Any?"

"Most of my traditions included a crowbar and a handy windowsill," Drift said. They both grinned again.

"My atar's name was Lehto. My ada's name was Cobalt. What's yours?" Springer asked more for conversation than information.

"My ada was named Sasa and my father's name was Flew. Like the bird." He grinned. "When my grandfather wanted to frag my atar off he would say there was a Seeker in the family tree."

"That fragged off your atar?" Springer asked with surprise.

Drift nodded. "My atar was mad at the world and considering how hard he worked to support us, I don't blame him."

"Do you think your brother is still around?" Springer asked.

Drift shrugged. "I don't know. We sort of drifted apart. He was straight as a die and I was a criminal. I hope so and I hope he has a great life."

"I do too," Springer said. "We can worry about names later. How do you want to raise them? The tradition?" He glanced at Drift. "Is Clavis Aurea off the table or not?"

Drift grinned. "I'm not **that** strict or conservative. I think both. We can explain how things work with everyone making up their mind. You do know don't you that there may be many paths but they all lead to the same door."

Springer grinned. "I do now." He glanced around. "I'll tell you that as long as we're crammed into Substation 6 there will **be** no kids. I don't intend to have them cramped up in the office."

Drift nodded. "It's tight. Until Metrotitan returns, we're stuck."

"Frag that." Springer put in a call. :Springer to Prowl:

:Prowl here:

: **WHEN IS MY OFFICE FLYING BACK HERE!? I'M TIRED OF THE CUPBOARD WE HAVE NOW!** When is Tyke coming back?:

Drift dialed in to listen. He grinned.

:You assume that I can just make things happen, Springer. Titan has his work and you do too. I received your plan and find it sound. Go do it: Prowl said relishing the angst in Springer's tone.

:I want Titan back, Prowl. I need the space, the labs, **did I say** **the space?** How the frag are we ever to have infants if there's no space in the office for them?: Springer grinned. He played his ace card. It was up to Prowler to bite.

Prowl blinked. :Is that so:

: **IT IS. SPRINGER OUT!** :

Prowl turned to a console to punch a button. "S.I.C. Prowl to Metrotitan."

"Titan here, Prowl," the big mech's voice said as it drifted over the intercom in Ops Center.

"Titan, I'm changing your orders. I'm recalling you to Mars to take up your station again. I will have Commodus take your place."

"Thank you, Prowl. I look forward to it. It's been a while since I was home," Titan said.

"I know. Recall is immediate. Commodus just left the shipyard after refit and will take your place," Prowl said. "Your pad crew will be alerted for the landing and hook up. Prowl out."

Prowl stood by the console with a slight grin on his face. "You thought you could play me, did you? Well, Springer, I just called your bluff." Prowl would feel lighter in spark for the rest of the orn.

-0-TBC 5-30-17 **edited 5-31-17**


	23. Chapter 23

The Diego Diaries: Hero Invictus (dd6 23)

-0-In the C.M.O's office

She stood on the desktop next to a pile of pencils. Holding one in her servos, Hero waited as her old ada sat half lounging in his chair as he inserted them one at a time into the sharpener. There was no grinding sound as they sharpened. They were burned to a point, swiftly and efficiently. Leaning his helm on his servo as he half leaned on his elbow, Ratchet grinned as he took each pencil from his daughter, stuck it into the sharpener, then put it in a cup.

"You sure need to sharpen a lot of pencils, Ada," Hero said as she stared at two more unopened boxes that required attention.

Ratchet grinned. "I could never have done it without you, Hero. I'm going to do rounds after this. I will need your help."

"I'll help you, Ada. You tell me what to do and I'll do it," she said earnestly. She was an eerie imitation of his Amma Docker.

"I will," Ratchet said with a smile. He stuck another pencil into the sharpener as Hero bent down to try to open a new box. It would be delightful to watch. The struggle indeed was real.

-0-A short time later

She stood inside a cupboard that was floor side to peer into and hunt for boxes and canisters stored inside. It was Ratchet's 'good stuff' cabinet that held candy, toys and other things that might brighten someone's orn. Hero had handed out with assistance a number of items that were now on the counter. When it was sufficient to meet the needs of the job at hand, she climbed out, then was placed on the counter beside things. "What now, Ada?"

"Well, we have a lot of good things here, Hero. What I need you to do is think about what you believe everyone would like. Then we can put it into this," Ratchet said as he opened another cupboard and pulled out a tiny shopping cart.

Hero smiled. "That's like the ones at the store, Ada."

"It is," Ratchet said. "I asked for one for this place from the same mechs who made them for the grocery stores. Look. Our name is on it," he said pointing to a pair of glyphs that said Ratchet and Ironhide on the side.

"That's so cute," Hero said with a huge smile.

"You help me fill it, then while I do my rounds you can give a treat to everyone we see," Ratchet said.

" **OH, ADA! THAT'S SO FUN!"** she said hopping in place. She walked to a jar and began to tug at the lid. Ratchet helped her as she pulled treats out, sometimes turning them over in her servos for a closer inspection as she considered their merits for the mission. It took everything Ratchet had not to laugh from the cuteness.

-0-Several minutes and many serious discussions later …

They walked slowly along the hallway, Ratchet carrying his work datapad and a bag with 'extras in case we run out, Ada. We don't want anyone to cry."

No, we don't.

Hero pushed a very full little grocery cart and kept up a charming patter about how this place was nice, everyone who worked here was nice, the people here were hopefully getting better, how it was good to help, how it was nice to be nice … like that.

Ratchet grinned as they ambled along, pausing now and again for a chat with someone passing by and a careful choosing of a treat to 'brighten your orn' by Hero. It took a while to reach patients but it would indeed be good tonic for everyone that she was here to 'help'.

-0-Armory

Orion watched the kids making bombs. He stood on the work platform albeit away from the devices and their component parts. He had been placed there by Ironhide with the provisos that he would stay where he was and **NOT TOUCH ANYTHING!** He had smiled a huge cheese eating grin and agreed. So far, so good.

"Why you doing dis?" he asked no one in particular as he pointed at a bunch of wiring on spools.

"It sets them off, Orion," a youngling mech who knew Orion from other visits said.

"Why you do dis?" he asked pointing to something else. It would take a while to exhaust stuff on the work table.

Others using the same table grinned at Orion as he watched. It was obvious that he wanted to 'help' but didn't. He wanted to stay on the table to watch.

Prowler and Praxus, on the other hand, were sitting on a blanket on the floor making forts out of empty cartridge boxes that filled a nearby bin waiting to be packed with ammo. They were chatting sweetly, sharing their bounty together as Ironhide raced through reports with Holi. Her small son would have joined them but he was with his ammas and appas.

-0-Twinnies and everyone

The twinnies followed their amma about as Kestrel cleared up the apartment a bit. They were like baby quails following their mother. Now that they could hear, they were working out what everything they heard was supposed to be because they had just about forgotten what all the language they knew meant. Right now, they were getting immersion therapy in language and speech in the schools. However, since they were out it was a mixture of signing and chat that got them through their orns.

"Amma?"

Kestrel looked down at the twins who were looking up at him. With them were Sojourner and Solus, both of them staring upward with solemn optics. "Well, aren't you four lovely. What, baby?" he replied to Solus.

"What you doing, Amma? We can help you?" Solus asked pointing upward at her grand ada.

"I think so," Kestrel said. "I was thinking about making cookies but I need helpers," he said as four little faces lit up with smiles.

Tagg who was sitting nearby reading a book grinned too.

-0-Cybertron

The news flashed around the world like wildfire. It was shocking even to a world torn apart by things just as terrible. Groups had gathered at various locations worldwide, former shrines, locations of historical significance and masses of individuals at the Temple. It was under construction, moved up the list because of its significance in the comfort and well-being of The People. They needed it back.

Reports on the comm system fed to Cybertron by The Hourly News kept everyone up to date. There was solemn mourning here but the state mourning had been proposed as an individual choice. Given the need and desire by the population for housing and work, it was going to be spotty, the observance for state mourning. It wasn't out of disrespect or disconnect. Cybertron was rising from the ashes but there were still tens of millions sleeping in camps without a home.

Businesses weren't open yet. Amenities were what the camps provided. When the cities rose again, they would have more restaurants, entertainment and work spaces that reflected their needs and talents. Until then, it was a hard slog. But it was with a difference to the residents living here. They were working for their own advancement and life was all around easier in every measurable way. That they were safe as well was the capper. No slagging Decepticons to make things worse than they already were.

Businesses that handled safety and wellness were running, those who were providing the essentials hard at work. On the construction sites, the press of work continued. The unions had met to discuss what to do in the interim state mourning period. They discussed pros and cons, weighed the differences between life on Mars and life here, then took a vote of their membership via transponder. The overwhelming decision was to continue onward. There would be allowances made for those who wished to step aside for ten orns, many of the religious among them opted for that. Everyone else wanted to do something constructive. Something forward in their misery.

Prime gave his blessing to the ground crews and would spend several orns traveling around Cybertron and the local planetary sector to see the people and to give them comfort where he could. What he would also be looking for were any signs of religious tension. The eight district commanders and their teams would be vigilant as well for the same reason. As it stood at the moment, all was quiet on that score.

-0-Mars

They sat in his amma's apartment eating lunch and talking about the situation. Devcon was old enough to remember a lot and so was Smokescreen but the Functionalists were not among them. Dev, having been a bounty hunter and thus, having access to a lot of information not privy to others knew about them.

"What the frag, Amma," Smokey said with a frown. "What the frag did they do this for? By the way … are you going to have that last piece of pie?"

Dev grinned. "No." He shoved the plate to Smokey who smiled like he did when as a child he was immensely pleased. As he ate it Dev considered what a great child he was, how he had lived a very carefully raised life and now as a youngster coming into his own, he was essentially clueless about how bad life could become. Ruminating on how glad he was for his one and onliest grandson, Dev sat back. "I've chased some of the worst of the worst. The kind of mechs that twist your spark. A lot of them are incapable of feelings and they don't care about much beyond what they aim to do and achieve.

"The Functionalists were just a gang that used religion as their cover in my opinion. I never believed they were actually religious. They found a con and used it. They're just sparkless. There's a lot of those out there, grandson," he said as Hot Rod nodded. He was there for lunch too. "You will never meet them if I have my way."

Smokey frowned, a totally cute expression of longstanding to his doting grandparents. "I'm a soldier, Amma. I was **made** for adventure. I can fight," he said with his usual intensity.

"No one here thinks you can't. However, there's a world of difference between fighting another soldier and fighting a creature like this. You won't see them if I have my way. It takes a certain kind of individual to go after them and that's my job."

Smokey stared at Devcon who smirked back at him. "You're the best at it too. No one gets away from you. You aren't going anywhere are you?" he asked suddenly insecure.

Devcon grinned. "No."

Smokey relaxed. "Good, because things are great right now." He paused. "Well, maybe not so great. You know what I mean."

"I do," Dev said with almost a purr. His grandson was about the cutest mech he ever met. It would be a very pleasant afternoon at the old folks home with the grandson and Roddy.

-0-Amma

"Now, Amma?"

"Not yet, Uraya." Kestrel grinned as he stirred the last of one of the dry ingredient into the mix. Uraya who was standing on the table with Iacon, Solus and Sojourner held a little cup with the next additive. She stared into the bowl watching as the spoon went around and around in the thick mixture. "Now, Amma?"

"Just about, baby," Kes said.

Sitting nearby reading his book, Tagg felt a sense of peacefulness that never failed to come around his grandchildren. These were the longed for but never thought possible infants of his one and only beloved son. Life didn't get better than this, he thought as he watched Uraya finally pour the ingredient into the bowl. As she did, three tiny femmes bent over the bowl to look inside it with her.

-0-Doing rounds

They walked together out of intensive care for adults. There were family members sitting with their patient who were glad to receive a treat and a distraction from the tiny femme with the sweet smile and a tiny cart load of 'good stuff'. It took a moment to discuss the choices, then make one but she lifted their emotional load a moment with each room she visited before leaving for the next ward with Ratchet.

Walking down the hallway pushing her cart, Hero kept up a sweet patter of commentary. Adults passing by grinned at her as she walked along. Ratchet paused by the door to the next ward. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. "Ready, Dr. Hero?"

She smiled brilliantly as the same self-consciousness she always felt when attention and compliments warred with delight on her face. "I will help you, Ada," she said as she pushed her little cart forward into the ward.

Ratchet followed with a smile. "You always do, Hero," he said as the door closed behind them.

-0-Ammas and Appas

They sat in the living room at Ravel and Tie's house watching the movie. It had dinosaurs, a sort of Dinobot with even less intelligence than the ones they had on Mars. All of them sat together on the couches watching as raptors were running all over the place. Sunspot looked up at Chan who was holding him on his lap. "What do you think about those raptors, Appa?"

"I wouldn't want to find one in my house," Chan said with a grin.

"I would," Spirit said as he sat between Corr and Appa Ratchet.

"My kind of infant," Appa Ratchet said with a grin.

-0-Overhead

The sound of a big ship coming in toward the city usually didn't raise too many optics anymore. There were many coming in to refit and upgrade before going on a mission and others coming in to be fussed over and get this and that thing done. The humans who were still on their tours going here and there on buses, however, found them amazing. This one passed over the big frame yard heading toward the metro city districts south of the city. Watching from a street corner where he was debriefing Watch teams, Springer looked up to recognize the titan. "Oh frag," he said with a grin.

Drift looked up, then chuckled. "And you said Prowl doesn't have a sense of humor. He's called your bluff, smart guy."

Springer shrugged with a grin. "I'll worry about it in my big brand new office."

They continued the briefing as south of them the magnificence that was Metrotitan transformed to lower himself down onto his pad in city form. The Autobot City Municipal Public Works and Safety Administration Building was back in town.

-0-TBC 5-31-17 **edited 6-1-17**


	24. Chapter 24

The Diego Diaries: Forward Ho (dd6 24)

-0-Walking around Titan's fabulousness

Springer and Drift were met at the door by Tyke in pretender tech. He was leaning against the doorjamb with a grin. "Took you long enough. Care to tell me the back story?" he asked.

Springer grinned. "You think I had something to do with this?"

"Yes." -Drift and Tyke

"Slaggers. I just missed you." Springer gave Titan a huge smile.

Laughing loudly, Titan grinned at the pair. "Do you need me or can I go see family and friends?"

"No. Everything is the same, right?" Springer asked.

Titan nodded. "It is. See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya." With that, he stepped out and transformed into a vehicle. He drove off with a burst of speed toward the city.

Springer watched him, then glanced at Drift. "I didn't know those slaggers could transform into vehicles in pretender mode."

Drift shrugged. "Me neither."

With that, the two entered the shining lobby of the Autobot City Day and Night Watch Headquarters Building which Springer as chief would rule. Down the street, other groups who had protective duties were heading back to their own buildings in the vast cityscape. The Fire Department, Emergency Services and First Response, Autobot City Civilian Aviation Department, various utility groups along with Public Works and Land Planning were part of the design accommodation for Titan before he had to go. They would be moving in along with the entire Autobot City Unified School District Central Office.

Joining them also would be storage and supply staging areas for all of the different departments, museums, off world requisition functions, libraries, and agencies in the colony. Some of the towers would be dedicated specifically to a particular department or operation, centralizing everything for everyone and making dispatches easier.

Also part of the new layout would be business-related businesses, some restaurants and cafes for the locals and an assortment of legal services for the colonists. The Legal Guild had applied for a tower to put their membership together for client convenience. It along with a lot of other things had been put off due to Titan's deployment. Now that he was here for good, so sayeth The Prowl, all of the different organizations and agencies, departments and guilds could move in and make this the hub of official and rescue activity for the colony. It would free up a lot of space in the cities which could be put to other uses including housing.

There would be barracks here for those who worked shifts on the rescue end of the equation along with bachelor towers specifically for soldiers and pilots. It was expected to be a brisk hearty place to work or live with linkups in the metro system with every place else. It would also be the closest city space to Earth2, the Consulate, and Earth 1. Special teams that ran infrastructure for all three places along with the security center that monitored for danger and provided instantaneous support through their land bridges would relocate to the zone to allow them to handle their duties at the human habitats more swiftly.

A quick trip upward to the 45th floor, the 'penthouse' level of this particular tower dedicated to the Watch was completed, then both stepped off. The floor was well lit with windows at the end of the corridor allowing great light and spectacular views. His office door beckoned with its dark lettering. They paused to read it.

"Commander Springer, Day and Night Watch of Mars, Chief of Security for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Commanding."

Springer grinned. "They spelling my name right."

"I can see that," Drift said with a grin as he opened the door. They entered into the state-of-the-art office of Maxi, one with amazing tech and amenities. Footfalls behind them caught their attention.

Maxi stood behind them with a basket of crystal flowers and her work backpack. She smiled. "Good to be home," she said as she walked past them to her big desk. Setting the crystal flowers on the corner, she turned to them. "Autobot City Moving Company and Speedy Delivery are going to be bringing the operation over here. I already designated to everyone where their areas are. We have great space to grow. Getting the whole tower was a win-win. The Detective Department is already packed up and on its way. Hauser gets the big office on their floor. Everyone is already aware of their places. They're moving out of the substations to give them back to the beat cops. The horse patrol is going to be headquartered in Substation 11 because its closest to the stables."

Springer grinned. "Uh, is there anything else you need, boss?"

She grinned at both. "Nope." She walked to the big door nearby and opened it. "Your office and the reports for the past decaorn, you know them … I've only asked for them for a week, await you."

Springer and Drift grinned, then walked into the giant office with windows for walls and spectacular views all around. Springer walked to his big desk, then sat. A very comfortable chair sat in front of it with a low table before it. They looked expectantly at Maxi who grinned. "The chair and table for your peds is yours, Drift. Given you do 99% of the work I thought you might want to be comfy."

Drift smirked at Springer who stood up to walk to check out the chair, then turned to Maxi. "Thanks."

She grinned at both. "Don't mention it. Prowl gave me the heads up. I'm going to get the rest of the operation moved in and set up. We have full labs now and the data transfer is state-of-the-art. I think we have everything I asked for. Titan is a champ." She stared at both for a moment. "Is there something you aren't telling me about this? Prowl sounded like he knew something. You know?"

Springer and Drift glanced at each other, then Maxi. They shrugged at the same time. "No." -Both

"You're terrible liars," she said as she steered Springer back to his desk chair. "Sit. Both of you. I have work for you to do." She hustled out the door.

Springer who was sitting leaned back in comfort. "Have a seat."

"Don't mind if I do," Drift said as he settled into his comfy chair. He put his peds up just in time to get a lapful of datapads. The rest went to Springer.

"Get this done and I'll bring the rest," she said heading back to the door.

 **"MORE!?"** Springer asked with surprise and a number of other feelings.

She grinned. "It stacked up. If you'd come in and do it a bit at a time, this wouldn't happen. Hop to it, boys." She walked out to her office to get the entire building in order.

Drift glanced at Springer who was looking at the stack on his desk in dismay. "Tell me something … you're in charge, right? Of what?"

Springer glanced at Drift, then smirked. "I'll ask Maxi and get back to you."

They both laughed loudly, then began. Some of it was interesting reading. There was a sighting of Momus and Sherma in the colony. Someone was sure it was them. They would have to check on it pronto.

-0-Later that evening

The sun was setting over the great dome of the volcanic wonder, Mount Olympus. The air was jarringly cold and dry. The little water that had come to the surface had been struck down by the cold frigid temperatures of evening. The colony was lit up by lights that pushed back the astonishing darkness of the world.

Everyone was busy with their own affairs as Prime sat in Ops Center watching Glenn Morshower break the news to Earth that a terrible catastrophe had happened and the normal ebb and flow of life between worlds was on hold for eight more days. Prowl and some of the other senior Autobots sat with him to listen.

-0-Lim-Lee

"In moments, General Morshower who is commandant of the N.E.S.T. Global Command will be speaking on a consortium broadcast to the people of Earth to explain the disruption that exists between them and our colony for the short term. He has been tasked with the mission ..." She paused. "I have just been told that the broadcast is going to go live in seconds. We will cut to the MCA studios in New York for commentary and the broadcast."

Cut to New York, Earth

A news reader sat at a desk with three others who were going to be 'breaking down' the announcement soon to be broadcast from the Pentagon studios in Arlington, Virginia. "Apparently, there is a situation that has happened concerning the Cybertronians and after discussion with Optimus Prime he has been tasked to make an announcement. Here he is. Let's listen in."

A grim faced Glenn Morshower walked to a podium and took in the reporter pool who were waiting for him. He glanced at his notes, then began. "Good evening. I am General Glenn Morshower of the N.E.S.T. Global Command here today to inform Earth of a situation that has arisen that has curtailed activity and contact between us here on Earth and the Cybertronian government. After consulting and conversing with Optimus Prime, this is the announcement that I am here to give.

"In the distant past, Cybertron was ruled by a group of individuals who were called the Functionalist Council. They believed and enforced a system that declared that your form dictated your function. What your body type and appearance declared, that was what you became. It didn't matter if you wanted to become the thing you were told to become or not. The system was inflexible and self protecting. A lot of individuals never got their dreams and if they tried they were punished and even killed. They were eventually overthrown in civil war and vanished to who knew where.

"A migration a few days ago was sighted and rescued before they could cross the territory held by Razorclaw and his mob. They were assisted and in the effort discovered to be the missing Functionalist council. Though they and their migration numbered only 4,500 individuals, records indicated that they were half a million in number when they left their settlement area. Reverse plotting their course, the Autobots discovered their location and set out to find them.

"When they arrived in the system, they found two things. One was a big confederation of species that worked together in an alliance. The other was that all of the half million left behind were dead. They explored the world but they were too late. Elders, mechs, femmes, children, babies … they were all dead.

"The Functionalist Council believes that when you are no longer useful to their purposes, you were disposable. Microchips in the heads of all the affected bots were detonated. They all died at once. Then the group deemed worthy of living left on ships that ended up here. I would like to interject that these chips are found in the processors of the oldest members of their species have since then been screened. Those who bore them on Mars and there were several hundred, have been declared free of them. There are more to scan on Cybertron but it would appear that the program is successful and ongoing.

"Given that the group who fled had traded technology, a forbidden act by treaty agreement, the confederation had a highly advanced ship format and would have caused a great deal of casualties if a fight had erupted. Prime, therefore, made a decision. If he fought for a good ending for the dead, there would be a lot of deaths. If he left them, they would have been plundered, all of the dead. He made a decision that was difficult in the face of all the factors involved. He pulled back his people and blew up both worlds. No one would get the tech abandoned there nor would the alien confederation desiccrate the dead.

"They fell back here and arrested the Functionalist Council. As for the situation as it stands, the confederation operates in a sector of space that is closer to Cybertron than here. It is considered highly unlikely, indeed, impossible for them to come here. They have no space bridge tech nor did they seem as advanced as the Cybertronians here.

"Prime has announced a period of ten days of state mourning in which every function of their society is offline for the duration but for emergency and medical services. All the schools and businesses are closed. The People are dealing with a terrible blow, one of many that they have had to absorb and the armed services that I lead stand with them at this, an hour of terrible sorrow.

"For the next thirty days the colony will mourn, then follow that with services of remembrance for the dead both there and on Cybertron. Until then, the usual interactions between Earth and Mars are suspended for the first ten days designated state mourning. My government and that of the 182 signatory nations of the Autobot-Earth Treaties wish to tell the Cybertronian people that we love and support you, that we stand beside you in solidarity. Our governments send you our deepest condolences. We are with you in your suffering and recovery. We share the same creed that animates you. Until all are one," Morshower said, then the screen changed to Lim-Lee.

"That was General Glenn Morshower of the N.E.S.T. Global Command telling the Earth about the tragedy that has befallen the Cybertronian people. With me to discuss the situation on Earth is William Lennox, commandering N.E.S.T. here on Mars."

Will Lennox who sat on a chair on the top of Lim-Lee's desk nodded to her. He was tasked to answer questions here on Mars about the announcement on Earth. Morshower was handling questions on Earth at the same time. The conference would be played after the chat with Lennox. His chat would be broadcast later on the MCA to Earth.

"Commandant Lennox," Lim-Lee asked. "You didn't go on this mission with the fleet. What are your impressions about it and how do you think this news will be received among your people on Earth?"

Will considered that. :I know Optimus Prime well enough to believe that if there was any other way to resolve this he would have taken it. He's an honorable mech and I'm sure he feels what he had to do deeply. I know that there has been some troubles in the past between Earth and Mars but I believe that there will be understanding and great sympathy for the Cybertronian people because of what happened:

-0-Ops Center, Mars

"Lennox is doing well," Raptor said. "He hates this, having to talk to the media. Goes against his special ops nature."

"As long as it doesn't hamper the relationship," Prowl said as they watched the interview. "We have to maintain the partnership."

Prime nodded. "We will," he said quietly.

-0-On a tarmac at the Military Airfield about the same time

A rag tag group of ships landed, all of them filled with civilians and others unlucky enough to cross paths with Decepticons. They descended from their ships, some of them weary and others fightened. They would be taken to the hospital in runabouts where Ratchet and his teams would receive them. Some of them would have family here, desperate family worried about them. Some wouldn't. All of them would be made welcome.

Razorclaw had apparently kept his word.

-0-TBC 6-1-17 **edited 6-2-17**


	25. Chapter 25

The Diego Diaries: Onward ho. (dd6 25)

-0-At the hospital

They came in as a ragged nervous bunch who had been with Razorclaw as a soldier or as a civilian prisoner for a long time. They stood in huddled groups waiting for directions in their daze. One of them was a youngling soldier who had begged to be taken along with the civilians who were part of his charge. For whatever reason he felt, Razorclaw allowed it. He came along with three other kids who had signed up for food and nothing more.

Sitting down on a bench to wait his turn, he chatted with the refugee tech who would help him regroup with his family who would be stupefied with surprise at his appearance at their door. He would be wrapped in the arms of his family and brother, welcomed into their protection with almost hysterical emotion.

One down, who knew how many more were in desperation?

-0-Cybertron

Prime and Ironhide walked through a mostly 'rural' district of Cybertron, one of eight that currently managed the entire planet. Dividing the work up, the system was easier to manage and get things where they needed to be. This one was the responsibility of Raptor. It was going great guns because it was mostly small towns and villages, industrial centers, shipping districts, and other more lightly populated places. Wherever they went they were swarmed by locals and led by local delegations to this and that place, this and that spot, this and that shiny new thing. The smaller less obliterated places were growing in repair much more swiftly than the urban areas and highly developed regions. Their subterranean infrastructure was slighter and less damaged than the bigger targets that were the urban and militarized zones.

They talked to the locals, listened to their tales, took their letters and messages, noted their needs and who might assuage them, helped elders who insisted on standing even if they weren't up to it, listened to school children recite, dance and sing for Prime, helped explain the debacle that had happened in the Benzuli, the process of fact finding, legal review and if convicted, the kinds of punishments applicable.

They spoke to reporters from the local and urban news agencies that had grown up around the planet. They had come with Prime on his tour and brought any number of issues national and local with them. Prime and his party ate a great deal of food items, most of them regional and local delicacies and received gifts, most of them handmade and incredibly sincere. Prime noted where supply should be boosted, rerouted, consolidated, and otherwise restructured to make sure things were on the move.

He listened to those who managed security tell about finding the odd little group or individual, usually petrified and debilitated who were hiding here and there. They were usually so famished they couldn't think straight but they were on Gliese now, most of them, recovering at the hospitals there. Most of the locals were in pretty good health with rafts of upgrades, surgical repairs and/or enhancements, and retools waiting to be taken care of as medical worked down the lists. The waiting period was acceptable though he would talk to Ratchet about it anyway.

Businesses were coming into view everywhere he went. All manner of businesses who held to the same cashless economy that he had created on Mars were taking off under the oversight of the Business Administration headquartered on Mars. It was a shock to the locals that money wasn't part of the overall scheme of things since it was the first time in the history of their planet that such a possibility existed. Entering a bakery and getting a treat without cash was now allowed by anyone and everyone. Some had taken to hoarding in their shock but most were accepting that things were finally inclusive and equal. Everywhere in the camps, the whirl of life was upbeat for the most part.

He visited detailing shops, little bodega-type groceries, electronics firms, legal offices, and other places where the owners proudly showed him what they did and how they did it. There were trucking firms, moving firms, a private train company that did long-haul shipments of you name it, all of which had elevated the effort and speeded up the result.

No longer was the population hungry and cowed. They were awake and aware that they had a chance to have a life like anyone else. They created businesses, reported the news, helped in the construction learning new things and practices from groups that visited the planet from the Office of Business Education and Support on Mars while their children went to school and their elders dwelt in comfort. Retraining, retooling, rethinking, it was all beginning to pay off. The pall had mostly lifted and the atmosphere of the community here, there and everywhere was expectant and forward moving. It did Prime a great deal of good to see it in the actions, words, and faces of his people.

They traveled to Hard Drive's district where the masses of surrendered former Decepticons and those who weren't going to change anytime soon civilian and military alike, were held in large prisons with open barracks that sorted out the possibles from the most likely incorrigible. Walking through one of the camps, he was led by some former Decepticons who had taken up the challenge of helping detox the inmates and who ran the huge facility together under Gee-Gee's overall direction.

A huge mech watched Prime as he walked along with his guards and entourage. He waved to him to come over and Prime did. As Prime came to the fence, hundreds of inmates inside gathered around the huge mech. They stared at each other, then the mech nodded. "Prime."

"Tornado," Prime said. "I see you came. Did you surrender or were you taken?"

Tornado shrugged. "Does it matter? I want to know what happened in 221-B."

"The Functionalists had a recall," Hard Drive said

Tornado nodded. "We never went too far into the Benzuli. It was dangerous. It's filled with energy floes that could reach out and kill you within a flash of an optic. There were strange things there, demons. Some told me that illusions were there, strange realities that could hold you and you would never come out. Is that where they hid? Were they the evil there?"

Prime nodded. "Some of it," he said. "What about you? How long are you going to remain here before you decide to have a better life?"

"We can keep you here forever," Hardie said. "How many of you are going to be here when we have our millennial celebration of liberation?"

Some of them snickered as others glanced at each other. "Plenty of us in here will never surrender, Prime. We aren't built for civilian life or peacetime. You should know that by now," someone said in the back of the crowd.

Prime glanced their way. "I am not the one who will pay in boredom and incarceration. We have the life outside this fence, not you. If you wish to make me feel poorly about that remark, you missed by a mile."

Tornado stepped closer. "There's really bad mechs here. Some would say I'm one of them. Do you really expect us to step back into things without trouble?"

"Most have," Prime replied. "I am concerned more highly about them than you. I do not want you out harming anyone. No one needs to feel afraid or endangered again. Your faction lost. You need to focus on that one salient fact. The Decepticons will never rise again."

"Are you sure?" someone in the back said.

Prime glanced their way. "I am sure." He turned toward Tornado. "Think about what life would be like if you could choose your path. Megatron never allowed choice. Decimations were his answer to everything. How many decimations happened to you and your battle group?"

It was silent a moment, then someone yelled out. **"TOO MANY!"** For a moment, everyone shifted nervously, then some turned to the speaker in the back. He was a big mech with a gnarly face. "You have a problem with the truth?" that mech asked another big one who was glowering at him. "Every one of us got decimated. **Everyone.** Don't tell me you're going to defend Megatron? After all, **YOU'RE IN PRISON AND THE FACTION IS SHOT TO SLAG!** Where is your sweet Megatron now? The Autobots took the planet without a shot."

"He's my leader," the big mech said as he glowered at the rabble-rouser who stepped closer with his fists clenched. "You benefited from Megatron. Now you want to run him down? Why don't you give an oath to the Matrix and go crawling to Prime. I'm sure he could use another window cleaner."

Another big mech turned toward the glowering speaker, then shoved him. "Name one thing that Megatron ever let us do but die. He's right," the big 'Con said turning to the mech in the back, the one with clenched fists and fury on his face. "Gardie is right. Who in this group ever benefited one thin shanix, one battle, or one moment but him? All we ever got was dead friends and decimations." He looked around the silent tense group, none of which looked inclined to defend Megatron. "No one ever benefited but Megatron."

"He was your commander. He led us out of the ghettos and into power. You're a slagging traitor, Conn," the big mech said.

"And you're a fragger, Mexis."

That was when the place erupted in violence.

-0-Springer and Drift

They were elsewhere but bridged in from their shuttles at the southern pole. Running to the fenced-in prison with guns drawn, they paused beside Prime and his staff. "What do you want, Optimus?"

Prime who was watching was silent a moment, then glanced at Springer. "Nothing for a moment."

They stood together, senior Autobots and reformed 'Cons who ran the prison. Inside the lockup, the battle was fully joined as huge mechs and small slagged it out. It was anyone's guess before it ended almost as swiftly as it began. Gardie who was swaying with effort turned toward Prime. **"I WANT OUT OF HERE! I WANT A DIFFERENT LIFE!"**

He would come, give his oath and with him would come nearly everyone in the lockup but half a dozen who weren't considered good risks before the fight. The Former Decepticon Association's local branch would be waiting for them with Nitro and Scar who bridged in for the cleanup. After an oath taking and an understanding about tracking devices and a period of supervision, they walked off to get fitted. It was after that the FDA would tell them about the rest. None of them were afraid to hear it but none of them were in any hurry to face what would happen if they fragged up. They would be a moderate to good group for rehabilitation on the scale that the FDA kept.

Prime would continue onward with his group visiting and inspecting, inspiring and assisting for the next two days without a break.

-0-Humans

Owen Harris sat by the window staring out at the magnificent structure nearby that was lit up by spotlights. It was dark edging toward mid evening on Mars and the lights of the colony were on. In the sky, there were lights moving as well, some of them landing near the new habitat. He was aware that they were bringing in supplies, equipment and the personal baggage of the people who would live there. They would be placed in the proper places designated and their supply staff would undo the pallets and get things to the right individual.

Cynthia Tomas had just got off the monitor after reporting her day in the colony. She was living at the Sciences Habitat and would be there until they were allowed into Earth2. It would take a final walkthrough by the bots to make that happen. Prime would have to have the final okay and anything he wanted to be changed would be before final sign off. Prime was on Cybertron, a place Owen was determined to see. He was studying everything on everything and everywhere to pass the time.

Sometimes, he would come to the window to stare at the enormous structure in the distance. It seemed bigger than they had planned it to be and when he talked to Wheeljack in the earlier afternoon he found that it was. It was also modified from the original plans to suit the needs and demands of the structure and environment. Apparently, his team was less clear on what worked here than he had thought. It ached in his gut to want to see it and not be allowed. He almost thought to take a four wheeler and blast over.

He would be banned on-world no matter who he was to the project if he did. So he sat by the window and practiced something he wasn't good at … patience as the Prime of Cybertron walked around his home world giving to his people what Owen Harris wasn't even aware a good leader was supposed to supply … comfort, confidence, and strength.

-0-TBC 6-3-17 **edited 6-5-17**


	26. Chapter 26

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 26) (There may be an odd word here and there in a sentence. My mouse cursor needed set lower) :D

-0-CMO's Office

Hero sat on a small comfy chair on his ada's desk as a group of humans gathered on the floor on their Segway speedsters. Ratchet grinned at them. "I would offer you candy but you wouldn't like it."

Hero who was watching them as she ate candy smiled and waved. They smiled and waved back. Then Sheila Conroy rolled forward. :We just got permission to go out but we have to stay within 6 Cybertronian blocks of the Habitat: she said.

"Good idea. There's been fights and arrests. You don't need to get caught in the middle of that," Ratchet said.

:What were they fighting about, Ratchet?" Jesse Landon asked as she stood on her Segway with James Brooks-Spencer. They Looked worried but then so did a lot of them.

"Well, it's hard to tell with some of them. I think there were disagreements over whether to allow Prime to have them in the tribunal or charge the prison. A few of them have been over religion."

:Oh crap. Prime was afraid of that: Jessie said as the others nodded.

"We all are. Our people have had a hard time and think about the refugees still missing a great deal. We expect terrible things from the 'Cons and even other aliens but this was Cybertronian against Cybertronian, a massive and terrible thing. They were killed by our own in the most cowardly way possible. That's hard to digest."

:Do you think there will be more violence between religions? I thought the Clavis Aurea was different from the Functionalists: Michio asked.

:It is: Olivia Bowers said with no small amount of emotion. :It's as different as night and day:

:Are you Clavis, Ratchet? Is anyone in your family?: Jessie asked.

"I'm not but Turbine is related to them. Turbine's clan is slightly different. They straddle both of the major practices which are why they're so honored and important. They have both incorporated into a service-oriented model and they would die before dishonor. That's why they were given the secrets of both groups to keep. That's why they make holy relics and reliquaries. As for the others, half the femmes are … Greenlight, Lancer, and Moonracer are Clavis and so is Drift through the Knights and Circle. All of them are very upset about this."

:What can we do, Ratchet?: Olivia asked with a concerned expression.

"Just be your wonderful selves," Ratchet replied as he looked at Olivia, a most unlikely ally.

:I have requests for interviews from Earth that I reported to Jazz's office. I know I don't have to do that but I feel so protective of the moment that I want your blessing on this. I want to do this right to help everyone. I also chatted a moment ago with Chevron and Sela. They've noted that it'll be helpful to talk about this a bit though Master Cyclonus had his assistant fill me in. He's in meetings with the board to figure out what to do about anything becoming violent or difficult. I don't have a lot of the full history of things yet. I'm going to talk to Master Heatout before I go to IntraCom and that should help. What do you think, Ambassador?: she asked.

"I think that you'll be terrific about articulating what we've suffered. We could have held our peace and not have told Earth about this but we feel compelled by our friendship and alliances with humanity to be truthful and open about what's going on out there. Having this break in relations for three decaorns would be hard to explain with anything but the truth. I know you'll speak from your spark and do everyone here a service," Ratchet said.

Olivia looked at him with great regard. :I will certainly try:

"We know," Ratchet said as he stared at both her and her husband, Joe who was standing on the Segway with her. Joe Bowers was still too opaque for Ratchet to get a good bead on but Olivia was as true blue as they came. He felt a warm regard for her that was real. They would chat for a while, then most of them would toodle off to go with Olivia as she met with Heatout at the Central Labor Hall office, then onward to IntraCom for the interview.

Ratchet and Hero would do rounds.

Again.

-0-In the prison

Barron sat in the conference room of the Prison Control Center waiting for One of Twelve and his colleagues to arrive. They were charged with such heinous crimes that they were held to a legal procedure that was nearly unprecedented. They would face a Primal Tribunal where they would have to plead their case to Prime alone. They would have counsel and they would have resources at their disposal, as many as they needed. They could have witnesses speak for them and they could appeal any decision directly to the Pantheon via the Matrix. If such came about, Prime would do a vision journey to the Matrix to see what the Pantheon Themselves counseled, then hold to Their decision without exception or personal deviation even if it counteracted his own.

Barron would be their chief counsel along with Blackstone and fifteen of their best defenders. They were already going through the material gathered with more coming and it didn't look good at all. In fact, this was not the first genocide they perpetrated they were finding.

Allegedly.

He sighed. This would test his character but he and the others were bound and determined to do their job to the utmost of their ability to preserve and enact the heart and soul of Cybertronian law. They would by their actions show these mechs what was right and decent if it killed them. The door opened as a guard entered, then the nondescript individuals filed in to sit. Guards crowded the door. "I shall be fine, gentlemen. Are my associates coming?"

One looked out, then nodded to him. "They are, Abba. Call us. We'll be right here." He herded his guards out as the others entered, then closed the door. A minute flash across the far wall told the experienced optics of Barron that the one-way wall was activated. The guards could see in but no one could see out.

Everyone sat, arranged their gear, then Barron leaned forward in his seat. "I would like to tell all of you that this is a **profoundly** important meeting for you and your future. We are your counsel and it is in your greatest interest to assist us in helping your defense. I cannot stress too greatly how important it is that you discuss this with us as truthfully and fully as you can. What you tell us carries legal privilege and none of us are allowed without your permission to discuss it with anyone including Prime. The Prosecutor's Office has the entire database of your ships and they are working on the data from computers seized on your settlement planets. Help us defend you and you may escape infinite punitive stasis. Fight us and the end will be foretold now."

"They have disabled our ability to converse internally. We make our decisions communally," One of Twelve said as the others nodded.

"Your function is removed. I cannot get it back and I don't believe I would ask for it if I could. I will tell you truthfully … I am shocked and dismayed to a degree that shakes my faith and my spark at what this tribunal will be dealing with. I don't want any of you having agreements that I am not privy to," Barron replied.

"Then how can we expect a good defense?" Four of Twelve asked.

Blackstone glanced at Barron as the other attorneys tensed at the remarks. "You can expect it because we say so," he said. "You can expect it because we have ethics, empathy, and respect for our people and the laws of Cybertron. That's how you can foresee this procedure. You will only receive from us our utmost best based on our honor. If that's foreign-sounding or strange to your audials then that's on you."

It was silent a moment, then One nodded. "Very well. What do you wish to know and how will we do this?" he asked as the others began to listen so they could fulfill their individual part verbally of the thought process that made them a collective in the first place.

-0-IntraCom later that afternoon

She sat on a chair on a table contrasting herself with the size of the bots. Humans had been interviewed and appeared even on game shows on the channel, teams of humans against teams of Cybertronians competing for honor and bragging rights on any number of topics. Now, Olivia was going to talk about some of the questions that were making the rounds of Earth. She waited as the camera counted down.

"Hello, Autobot City. It's 1600 hours on the TMC and today, we're going to be talking to Olivia Bowers, a human who lives here with her husband or bond as we call them … General Joseph Bowers of N.E.S.T. Welcome, Mrs. Bowers," a young popular interviewer and the host of the morning 'wake up' show, "Good Morning, Autobot City!", Riga asked.

:Thank you, Riga. It's an honor to be here: she said earnestly.

He grinned. "It's my understanding that when you came here you found a lot of resonance with the Circle of Light and began to study with their on-world master, Heatout."

:That's right. I loved the idea of unity, that unity was the overriding theme of life ... unity and love. Both are expressions of love and love is the greatest force and power in the universe. I found in the teaching of the Circle and the philosophy of the Knights of Cybertron something that had been missing in me for most of my life. I found genuine purpose, a focus for my love on all that is as well as an overwhelming sensation of belonging to something more beautiful and inclusive than anything I ever encountered:

"You attend the university and take classes with the Circle. I understand you also teach beginner's classes of Circle philosophy to on-world humans as well as volunteer in the colony with your human philanthropic group, the Autobot City Ladies Auxilary."

:I do. I want to learn more about the universe and how this all interconnects. All of us who live here are eligible to attend university and a good three quarters of us do to great or small degree. I found interest in the others about what I was learning so I asked for and was granted permission to teach introductory classes. Part of what we're expected to do is serve the greater good. I try to do that within the Circle here and in the greater human community. The Auxilary is about the most fun I have. We work in the Temple, the Basilica, the Halls of Order, schools, hospitals, and other places that need willing hands. I'm more happy here than any other place I've been because I can serve the greater good for The People and for my own. We're trailblazing here and we feel it, the importance. That is what the Circle of Light and the related Clavis Aurea is all about."

"You were inducted into the Circle of Light shortly ago, the first human to be given the honor," Riga said with a grin. He was Circle himself and had been there when it happened.

She smiled. :I was. That was an indescribable experience for me. I will never forget it. I'm also studying to be inducted into the Knights of Cybertron:

"Then you're learning the martial arts side as well?" Riga asked with a chuckle.

:I am and I have the bruises to show for it. Sensei Willa at the Dai Atlas Dojo is my teacher: Olivia said with a smile. :My little practice sword looks like a toothpick in her servos:

Riga grinned. "You came here to answer questions from Earth that are of interest to the humans there. I have them and chose some that seemed to represent the majority gathered on our website. If you could answer them as best you can, we can perhaps do a public service here."

Olivia nodded. :I will do my best:

"The first question deals with the Functionalists themselves. What sort of factions exist here a man in Kansas asks and how do they fit within the overall unity. Given your efforts which are well known on Earth, what is your insight into this? I could say a lot about it but perhaps you can make it more clear to your fellow humans."

Olivia nodded. :The People have not always been free. There were factions in the past that held them down. One of them was the Functionalists who insured that what you were born as, that was what you would do. They were overthrown in the distant past and forgotten. They were cold and unfeeling, wiping out parts of the population that they felt had no value. The Prime and his armada found them a few days ago in the Benzuli region far away. It was there that they found another genocide by this group that was long believed dead and gone. They hide their indifference and cold-bloodedness behind religion, pretending to be following the pathways of the Guiding Hand, a major religious and philosophical form of belief among The People.

:They have no more relationship to the Guiding Hand than whales do to elephants. They're a group all their own and Master Cyclonus said it best when he said they hide behind religious elements without practicing religious principles. That happens on Earth too. People use religion as a shield and excuse for their behavior and make it awful for those who try to live up to the actual thing. Nothing the Functionalists do or represent is part of the actual practice and philosophy. They're criminals using religion to hide behind as they commit genocide.

"No one here or there should believe they represent anyone but themselves. I'm not Cybertronian and I can see the lies. I can see the deceit and cruel twisting of beautiful ideas and practices. I would hope everyone else can too. As for the factions, most of the population is related to the Temple while the others include the one I belong to, the Circle of Light, The Primus Peace Mission, several small sects that are ancient including the clan that Commander Turbine of Praxus leads are Guiding Hand. He's the grandfather of Ironhide and there's a Seeker clan lead by Breezy that protects and propagates very ancient practices, information and ideas that is partly Guiding Hand as well. That doesn't even include the Clavis Aurea who are related to those of us in the Circle and Mission. All of them are related either very closely or close enough. No one should believe that this group speaks for anyone but themselves. They have perverted beautiful ideas to justify genocide:

"Your planet has had a lot of strife. You have had genocides and wars. What do humans really think about our situation?" Riga asked.

:I can't speak for everyone but I think no one is happy when terrible things happen to others. When I first came here I was scared of you. It was so different yet so familiar. You yourselves were the different part but the way you do things and how you lived was similar. I came to believe that we have more in common than not. I believe that my species feels pain for you and sympathy. We've had troubles too and no one wants that for anyone. You have to be pretty empty to feel good about anyone elses unhappiness. I feel so badly. I think all of us do who lives here. It's such a privilege to be here. I have only love for The People over this event."

"There are a lot of humans that don't have any empathy or seemingly ability to relate to us. Yet you have dived in with everyone else and established a life here, joining some of our groups and taking up part of our philosophy," Riga said.

Olivia nodded. :It seems the thing to do, so natural. I've traveled all over the world with my husband during his career and I've tried to fit in wherever I was, sometimes making an effort and sometimes not. I like it here. I don't know how you can live here and not do this. I like this place better than anywhere I've ever been. I would live here even if Joe, my husband wasn't stationed here. This place fulfills me in ways I didn't even know needed it:

"There were mentions of religious strife in Prime's statement to The People. You've had religious strife on your planet in the past and you still do. What about that?"

Olivia nodded. :Fear is the basis for all disunity. Master Heatout said that fear is the great divider. We have to look past differences for similarities. They exist here, so many things in common. Fear of 'the other' makes people do terrible things. Religious strife happens all the time on Earth. I can relate to this and I truly hope that The People don't fall into the trap of holding others responsible for things they didn't do. No one here did anything wrong. Leave the blame to those who did the harm. They pervert truth to suit their agenda. It's not something humans aren't very well versed about. We have the same problems and we blame people who didn't do anything for the actions of others. I hate that a lot: Olivia said.

"What would you say to humans who might ask you about this?" Riga asked.

:I would tell them what I truly believe. Love is the answer. There can only be peace when there is love. Nothing else matters. You can be the richest person in the world and have everything your heart desires but when you die you go to the grave with nothing. The only thing that you take with you is love. That is the antidote to this kind of thinking. That is what I would say."

-0-TBC 6-4-17 **edited 6-5-17**


	27. Chapter 27

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 27)

-0-Ask The Autobot

Devcon sat at the table in his house. He was off duty and just about ready to go to Earth to hang out with Smokescreen who was commander of the garrison there when the mail arrived and he was given a task. Apparently, it was his turn to play 'Ask The Autobot' with infants from Earth. He was to write answers to questions, then ship them to Mikaela Banes for transmission to the website at NASA which published them. Rising with the datapad in servo, he subbed it then headed out for the bridge to Diego.

-0-On the ground in Diego Garcia

The Embassy doors were open but the bots weren't in sight to those who were hanging around outside. The garrison had stayed back a while after the announcement. Their ships had almost disappeared overnight. The transport through this, their port of entry was no longer a thing. For the next seven days, the bots would be holding things back. Their state mourning meant the end of commerce between Mars and Earth. Sitting around in the muggy sunshine, all manner of humans watched anyway. Inside, they could see bots lounging around the rec room with the odd human driving a hummer inside to do duty or dispatches. No bots sat on the shipping crate benches outside or parked around the entrance sunning themselves and probably wouldn't for a while longer.

Overhead on the flagpoles that towered over the Embassy, the flags of the Primes, Cybertron, Mars, and the Empire had been replaced by strange ones. They had a white background but in the middle were giant servos cupping the image of Cybertron. They flicked in the light breeze that took the edge off the heat that burned down on them. No one knew what they meant and no one had ever seen them before. There was a brisk traffic in the news and on the internet about what they could mean. No one inside would answer requests for clarification. No requests from the reporters on base were returned.

Dev stepped into the rec room scanning for both his grandson who was stationed here and his bond. Both were in the command center so he walked across and entered. Playing cards at the command table, both glanced up when he entered the Ops Center. Waving him over, Smokescreen pulled out a chair. "Sit. Watch me slam the infant."

" **HA!** I'm going to beat you. Eventually," Smokey said with a grin as he dealt the cards to everyone.

Dev passed his cards back. "I have to write letters to Earth kids."

"You got 'Ask The Autobot'?" Smokey asked. **"YOU'LL BE GREAT!"**

Dev grinned, then pulled the datapad. He looked at it, then read the first one aloud.

"Dear Autobot Devcon,

"My name is Tyler and I'm four years old. I like robots. Is it fun being a robot? My dog is named Spooky. I go to school and like cats. Would you come to my house to play? I hope so. What does a bounty hunter do? I love you, Tyler"

Dev grinned. "I think I'm going to like this duty." So would the rest of his family.

-0-Autobot Outpost retail outlet in Manhattan, New York City, United States of America, Earth

The staff of the huge facility had gathered to get the word about the ten day closure of their store, one of about 1,500 in the worldwide chain. The store manager had been given the word from their overall general manager, a young bot named Caro who worked on Mars. Warren Roberts, senior business agent of Autobot Nation, Incorporated was onscreen with him having traveled to Mars to get the word from Ultra Magnus, Prime's colonial manager on Mars ... the 'mayor' ... and chief administrative officer of his empire.

Magnus had spoken to the collected managers of stores, dispersal centers and the internet facility over Skype with a grave tone. "Our people have suffered a great calamity as you might have heard on the news from the message to Earth by General Morshower of N.E.S.T. Global. The Prime has declared a ten day term of state mourning. That means that the chain will be closing their doors until that period passes. At that point, we will reopen. We have send to you a flag to replace those on the pole. Please raise it for the period, then replace it with the flag of Empire and the Emblem of the Primes in the secondary position as usual.

"When the period of state mourning is past, then you can reopen. Please let the staff and all of our workers know they are on paid leave. If there are questions please let me know via email and I will do what I can. Right now, only emergency services are open on Mars and will stay so for the duration. We hope that our customers understand our position and respect it. Close even the mail order department. No one is to be on the job."

They chatted together, the managers, Magnus, Roberts, and Caro before signing off. It would only take a few minutes for the chain to comply worldwide.

-0-Giuliani, Italy

"Dear Autobot Devcon,

"My name is Giuliani and I live in Florence, Italy. I love you robots and want one for my birthday. What is your planet like? Do you go to school too? I saw robot dogs. They were cute. Do you have a dog? I am going to get one for my birthday. I hope its a robot dog. I love you, Giuliani, 4 ½

Dev grinned, then began a reply:

"Dear Giuliani,

"I don't have a dog but if I did it would be a robot too. My planet is Cybertron and its four times bigger than Earth. The days are longer too. We have 47 ½ hour days on Cybertron because our planet is bigger so our day takes longer to come around. Our year is longer too than yours, about 2 ½ times. My planet is beautiful. I hope some day you can visit. I'll give you a spin around. I love you back.

"Devcon, Autobot bounty hunter, soldier and 'Grandpa' too."

-0-Others

Hobbes walked along the street with an emotional Edict. They walked servo-in-servo as they negotiated crowds to go to the Temple. Behind them was Riff and Rad-R. Bron-E and her beau followed them. It was strained and would be anyway but things were coming to a head in Hobbe's mind that the situation between Bron-E and the youngster was more than friendly. He wasn't going to say anything to her or anyone else in public but he would ask about it in the evening when he alone with his family. Riff, Rad-R, and Bron-E didn't live at home, something which was strange now that he was home on special leave. It was glorious to be with Edict again but strange without the children around. They fell into line and waited for their turn to see the AllSpark and seek solace from its warm yet inscrutable presence. It would take a while.

-0-On a corner in town

Partition stood with his brothers Inweld and Morius watching bots walk past, some with kids and pets. They were at wits end not having duties and work. His parole officer had told him that they would pick up the last four orns of his probation when the ten were up. For once, he didn't argue which was curious enough in itself. When the four orns were over he was going to work at his career full time. He was going to be a diplomat and that was that. He would have to be on his toes with Ratchet. That slagger was a piece of work.

"What do you want to do?" Inweld asked.

"What are the folks doing?" Morius asked.

Partition shrugged. "I don't know. Call them."

Morius did and found they were in line at the Temple. They would go there and try to cut into line to wait with them. A big mech would be incensed that they did and drop kick Inweld and Morius into the street. Partition would take longer. He was working in the Home Guard, after all, but it was a foregone conclusion. What would be different was when the Day Watch horse patrol rode up to investigate everyone would pretend to not know about a fight. Partition wouldn't forget it or the mech, nor would he forgive it. He, however, was smart enough to not blow his probation. They would go to the back of the line. They wouldn't know that if they had just asked to be with their genitors, Lucius and Laslo, that the crowd would have made a space for them.

-0-Cybertron

They walked along the shore of the Mithril Sea. It was beautiful. Nothing about it was somewhere that humans could abide safely. Very little of Cybertron was though it had a breathable Earth-like atmosphere before the war. Now it was poisoned by chemicals, fumes and other byproducts of a bots wrath toward another. It would take a bit of work to restore the balance but it was on the list that Sciences had for restoration once Cybertron was moved.

Moving the planet had just risen a notch considering her proximity to the confederated aliens. Cybertron, her moons, the local system planets and other places would have to be moved and reassembled around a star or system of stars within the golden circle of Prime's reach sooner rather than later. It certainly had priority in his spark. He paused to look upward at the stars. The familiar moons of his people, his youth and childhood were shining in the perpetual night of his home world. It hurt once again to note how faint and faraway his home star was.

They were visiting a camp together, he and his staff, walking among his people, hearing their stories and meeting them to give them courage and hope. This had been a blow, the loss of their people to such terrible mechs. Some of the elders told him their tales of the Council and he listened sympathetically. Soon, he would have to hear their case and give a verdict. Given the gravity of their offenses, it would entail removing them from circulation forever. He was glad once again for the Matrix and the support of the Pantheon who he knew would weigh in once he read his verdict. Everything in him told him that the Council would appeal and the Pantheon would have the final say no matter what his verdict would be.

The sea spread out before him as he stood on the docks listening to locals talk about their work reclaiming the area. A lot of debris had been hauled from its silvery waters and there was more to do. Someday, they told him, it would be a bustling resort area again where anyone could come and enjoy the beauty, not just those who could afford it. He was glad. He had always wanted to come here with his genitors and never could. It was an off limits high caste enclave, the majority of it and always had been.

"We have the notes, Optimus, if you think we should move onward," Hard Drive said as he watched the big mech stare at the water.

"There is no hurry, Hard Drive," he said as he bent down and touched the water. He watched his reflection in the weak light of the moons overhead. "No hurry at all."

They would stay a while and enjoy the beauty before gathering up to head onward toward another place and another waiting group of his people.

-0-Dear Autobot Devcon

"Dear Devcon,

"I am Marita and I live in Australia. I have a younger brother who wants to grow up to be an Autobot. I like you. I saw your picture and decided to write this letter helping my brother. I am ten years old and like fast cars. Are you fast? I like your colors. I wish I could take a ride with you. We live in Sydney and attend the same school. My brother wants to know these things. Do you like Earth? What do you think about kids? Do you have a family? What games do you play? What do you like to eat? Do you eat?

"My brother is named Earl and he's five years old. Thank you, Devcon. I like your name too.

"Your friends,

Marita and Earl

Devcon grinned, then answered the letter.

"Dear Marita and Earl,

Thank you for the great letter. I'm a grandparent too and have a great little grandson named Smokescreen. I call him Smokey and even though he's a grown up mech I still think of him as my baby. I like the Earth. I visited Alaska once and loved it. I love children. I love my grandson who I helped raise. I know that children are wonderful and you are too, you and your brother. I have a bond, Smokescreen, a son named Moda who is bonded (married) to a nice mech named Tress. They have a son, my Smokey, and I love them all.

"I work to protect them and we have a lot of fun as a family. We like to race and play cards. My bond is very good at card games and I've gotten a lot better playing with him. I like to eat food that looks like yours. Steak is a great dinner for me. We do eat and I'm a pretty good cook. I like to make my grandson's favorite pie for him. It makes me happy to feed him. Kids eat a lot.

"I like Earth and her people. Her kids are the best part of your species. Tell Earl that I love him. I love you too and will protect all of you to the best of my ability. Take care, go to school and figure out how you can help your planet and people some day. Maybe I will see you when you visit here.

"Your friend, Devcon, Autobot soldier and bounty hunter, protector of children everywhere they live.

He grinned at that letter, then looked at the next one.

"Ola, Devcon. My name is Miguel and I live in Barcelona, Spain ..."

-0-TBC 6-5-17 **edited 6-6-17**

NOTE: I am going to use the characteristics of Cybertron from G2 where the human characters could run around Cybertron without gear. They had an atmosphere that was human friendly.

One of the (many) things about Beyverse movies is the way they don't treat him like he was a great official of a great people. He's the singular leader of an entire world, an entire empire, yet he gets crap right and left. Having him be appreciated by those who know why they should, his people, makes writing this fun for me. I think he would be honored, loved and appreciated. He isn't in Bey's movies. Just a quirky thing from me about the movies. :D


	28. Chapter 28

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 28) needs more cow bell. ;)

-0-Owen Harris

He sat in one of the lounges of Earth 1 going over emails from his teams on Earth. They were going to be heading here in small groups starting six days from now. It was late and the sun had long since set casting everyone into the kind of inky darkness that only an alien nightmare could supply. He was glad for the outside lights which the bots used in great quantity. He had watched bots and their trucks all evening coming and going from Earth2 in the distance.

They were worker bees going through the last minute stuff and inspectors of the different systems. He had a chat with Jetta and found out that the experts who were directing the construction of the different tech and particular areas were overseeing the finished product for sign off. They were also running a test on the systems that were in place to alarm if anyone even accidentally tried to get into things they weren't allowed to see or touch. That would, of course, being the cavalry and a punt back to Earth would result for any offenders.

They were still transporting pallets and pallets of stuff from Earth, mostly personal items at the moment. Since everyone living there would occupy an apartment if married or established in a relationship or a smaller 'bachelor' arrangement, soon-to-be residents were sending their stuff to make a home when they got there. It was palletized, labeled and marked for the area it would be shipped to and placed. It would take a few days for the humans to settle in and get things sorted out but the system they used was amazing. Even Owen in his frustration gave first score to the bots.

Children walked past bouncing a ball as they headed toward the play area nearby. A big dog followed them as they chatted their way past where he sat. Their school was up and running but the colony's system wasn't. Nearly 18,000 alien children were out of their routines.

Children.

It still seemed odd to him though it didn't to the humans here at Earth 1. They were used to everything and fit in. They had friends among the bots who came and went here. He wondered how long it would take for that to be so at his facility.

A call came through, Joaquin Flores of Earth who wanted to speak to him about publicity for the moment they entered and took possession of the habitat. He would be occupied by that for a while.

-0-Earth, California

They sat in their operational room, the senior staff of Earth2 who didn't get to Mars before the shutdown. They were going over the plans for the first two weeks there. They would be followed by cameras the whole time. Earth was due the scrutiny. Everyone here had to buy into the project there. That way it would be a success for everyone and perhaps lift humanity's eyes from the ground to the stars.

Several billionaires who had paid for a lot of it and were going to be going too listened to the command crew as they outlined the steps needed to get the facility. First, Prime would walk through with Harris and the others already there. It would be a detailed inspection and recital by those bots who were part of the construction, engineers of all manner who were even now troubleshooting the facility, and others who would sign off or not with Prime.

A lot had been redesigned at the time they began to build as the size and other features were enlarged to manage the longer term prospects of a facility that would house 5,000 humans. The bots knew construction and growing facities over the long haul. The human group would need room to expand so that was built in along with structures in which to create even more space. The last bit of communications equipment had been installed so they talked regularly with the bots there through this, a permanent command center for Earth2 here in the sunny climes of southern California.

They would relay to those waiting around the world who were going in the first few groups all decisions and latest information so they would be ready to go and up-to-date when the time came to bug out. They were scattered all over the world, some with families and children coming as well and others who were bachelors. It was hoped that given time, the families extended and otherwise of those living and working in Earth2 could come and go like families did in the other human habitats.

No one wanted to miss their people too much, even the senior staff. As it was, they chatted with Mikaela Banes and Sam Witwicky who were there to be intermediaries for Autobot Nation and the Prime himself as they worked out the order of march. It would be a pleasant easygoing afternoon. The command staff of Earth2 were regular folks who were as eager to get to Mars as Sam and Mikaela were to make sure it went off without a hitch.

-0-The Hourly News, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"The weather will be cold over the next few orns. Winds will be northerly at 15 miles per hour and particulate levels will be slightly elevated because of it. We suggest you take precautions for those who are elderly, infirm or young. We will be back with the headlines in a moment. Here is the schedule for the Temple, Monastery, and Halls of Order on the Community Bulletin Board." Lim-Lee was replaced by a slowly rolling set of text which scrolled past live images of each place embedded in the screen.

Ratchet who was cleaning up the apartment after putting infants to bed paused to look. Lines were still moving toward each place as their people sought comfort, wisdom or company. He hadn't gone himself because there was too much to do on the job. He had to give the prisoners full physicals tomorrow and assist Rung and Jarro as they searched code and build basic psychological profiles of the group in question, 34 individuals who gave him the creeps as the humans said.

Ironhide was on Cybertron with Optimus and half his family going about to show the flag, comfort the people and take the pulse of things. He was making a point of going to the shrines, the Temple in Simfur and the skeleton of the Monastery in Upper Tetrahex. So far, so good it would seem. Time would tell.

Ratchet's own family were managing some of the children apiece and he would place whoever he had to in the Emergency Military Daycare in The Fortress to make ends meet so to speak if necessary. This was one of those times when things sucked. That was another human expression he liked.

The femmes were busy helping Prime on Cybertron. They were well tuned in to the locals and could take the temperature of things accurately. Jetta was busy getting Earth2 up to speed. Magnus was working as hard as a one-armed paper hanger. That was an image Ratchet loved as well.

The twins were here but due to go out on station when things got back on track in six orns. Charon and Enceladus beckoned. It was Bluestreak's turn to be home with the kids. It had been a long time since they had a normal orn. He paused to think about that, then resolved to make a family event that would bring everyone back together again including Prime's family.

The big kids were working with their ammas and appa on station getting extra training in should events require the older dreads to go somewhere to slag someone. The kids would then be the thin blue line between Razorclaw and the colony. Any training they got was a good idea. That they would have the entire Supreme family and the pretender format of every big frame on-world on their command deck to advise them would be a good thing too.

Springer and Drift were busy with the slag going on here though Ratchet did hear about their request for Titan. He knew that Titan was a fighter but he had grown extremely content housing bachelor soldiers and all the emergency rescue stuff. It wasn't hard getting him to reverse duties with someone else and come home.

Ratchet also heard the implied family comment that Springer had used to con Prowl into getting Titan back. He grinned. They would eventually have a family. They really liked little kids but he wouldn't push it. Prowl might but he wouldn't. Having kids wasn't a side project. Soldiering almost made it one but Springer and Drift would have to get their slag together to make it a good experience for little kids.

And themselves.

Maybe he would have more grandchildren. He didn't know. He would be very happy when and if it happened. As for kids … Chromia had pulled a fast one hitching up with Maelstrom. They had a good thing going, a bond of mutual respect and wrestling. It almost seemed as if they had copied dear old Ada and Atar.

Ratchet snickered. Greco-Roman foreplay. He could see it. He finished up in the quarters, then paused to check the mail. A short message from Ironhide indicated that they were treking around the south pole of Cybertron and they would be at it for at least one more orn, maybe two. He would let everyone know.

Ratchet glanced around, then shut off the monitor. Setting his sensors for the house, checking his emergency links to the hospital, setting his night time sensors on his elders down the hallway, he walked to his berth room to recharge. He would conk out before he had completely laid back.

-0-Knockout and Breakdown

"What do you think about this break?"

Breakdown shrugged. He was in the washrack getting ready for bed. "I don't care one way or the other, though I like being busy. It does give us more time for Breakout." He walked out and shut off the lights. Laying back on the berth, they were both quiet a moment. "I never asked. Are you Clavis or what?"

"Temple," Knockout said. "You?"

"Neither. Never had time or interest. It's hard to care when you're hungry all the time. I do believe in the Pantheon. I mean … it's obvious. Right?"

"Right," Knockout said.

"I think we need to make sure that Breakout has what he needs on that score. I want him to know what and who he is as a Cybertronian. They make sure they know things in school. By the way, we put him in during the next call up of the Prep Academy."

"I thought we talked about this, Breakdown. He's too young and he needs us," Knockout said.

"Frag that. He needs to play with other kids. He goes to school. They make sure that they learn what they need to know … the Temple included. Or maybe its the Clavis. Are they Clavis?" Breakdown asked as he glanced at his partner who was lying on his back beside him.

"You're asking me?" Knockout asked with surprise.

"Whatever it is, he gets it. He gets what he needs," Breakdown said.

It was quiet a moment, then Knockout grinned slightly. "You turn me on when you use that tone of voice."

Breakdown grinned. "I know. By the way … I want to show him to my brothers."

Knockout glanced at Breakdown. "Is that safe? You aren't going to let them **hold** him? I don't trust half of them. You have some really screwed up siblings if I say so myself."

"Yeah," Breakdown said in agreement. "I'm not going to let them see him that way. I want them to look at him. Maybe ..." He was quiet a moment. "I don't know. Maybe it'll mean something to them."

Knockout heard the forlorn tone in Breakdown's voice and squeezed his servo. "I should hope so. This is one high end sparkling."

Breakdown grinned in spite of himself. He grinned just like Knockout knew he would.

-0-At the main headquarters of the Autobot City Day/Night Watch

Springer stared at the latest intel. They weren't riding out tonight. They were going over data that indicated gang activity, some hot spots of violence here and there as well as a report that someone was sure they had seen Sherma and Moma in the colony. That was a bit of information that Springer was personally going to undertake to check out.

Drift went over a pile of data, then glanced at Springer. "Do you really think they're here?"

"I don't know. I want to have the detectives go to the detailers tomorrow and ask around for anyone getting more than the usual cosmetic changes. I want to know who had major work done. Also, we need to check the clinics and private practices. Most would likely be those who were getting repairs from the war but there may be mechs and femmes out there getting camoflaged. I want those two fraggers."

Drift nodded. "We will get them then."

Springer grinned. "I like your optimism."

The night was brilliant outside with pools of light here and there, headlights on the streets and highways and the passing overhead of ships and satellites. Autobot City was one orn closer to a more normal life.

-0-TBC 6-6-17 **edited 6-6-17**


	29. Chapter 29

The Diego Diaries: Getting On (dd6 29) here we go :D

-0-In a doctor's office in Bern, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"Give me a minute to power things up," a young femme said as her 'boss' who was her bond paused by the welcome counter in his office with a pair of Watch detectives. They had been called to the office to check their files against the possibility that two very dangerous mechs were here trying to change their looks. The officers had a court order, one issued from the bench by Semi to see in a limited way medical and cosmetic records. Given that there was no privacy in the past, the department were going by the book in the here and now.

Shadow and Chamber, two big mechs who had been detectives back in the day waited with the slightly flustered doctor as the little femme got their records online. They were professional to the bone and by the book so this wasn't like it was on Cybertron, though by the doctor's demeanor they guessed that he was reliving some awful moment from bygone orns. "We need to know, Doctor, if there have been mechs in here that have asked for and received changes that seemed less for practical reasons than to obscure their look and faces."

Shell, the doctor in charge of cosmetic procedures in this three doctor office as well as replacement of damaged things that were permanently a part of a mech or femme thought a moment. "We get a lot of referrals to fix things that are very badly damaged. Most of the time they're stabilized by the hospital and sent to us to do the aesthetics. We have a lot of patients, Detective. What more can you tell us to winnow down the search?"

Shadow pulled to images up on his datapad and handed them to Shell. He looked at them with a critical optic. One was called Sherma and he was tall, good looking and had a high caste format complete with embellishments that only the wealthy could afford. He wouldn't be a hard mech to disguise but the face wasn't familiar. He turned to the femme who sat in front of her desk waiting. "Seli, put this image and the other through the database. Try and match it up with anyone in the before files, not after. I want to see if this profile is something we've seen." He turned to the detectives. "Unless he had modifications before he came here, the best they'd be able to do is get a different paint scheme and maybe rearrange simple things. The basic design wouldn't have changed."

Seli did, opening and closing files as the computer worked to find the profile or something close to it that matched the pair. It took a few moments but there was no match. "We don't have even a marginal match for anyone of our clients, Shell."

Shell nodded, then turned to the detectives. "I don't know how successful this process will be but its the best way to find anything approximating a match. They could have come here changed. If they did, then you might have to wait for a miracle to find them."

Shadow nodded. "Thanks, Doctor. I think we might need one anyway. I would hope you keep this to yourself for now."

Shell nodded, then watched as they left. He turned to Seli. "It was too much to hope that the bad element wouldn't come with us too is it?"

She shut down the system, then took his servo. "Yeah." When the system shut down, she looked up at him. "Let's go get the kids and go to a park."

Shell nodded, then the two walked out of their shiny nice office to go to their genitor's homes to get the little kids that were theirs. Everyone would go to a park to watch them play with other kids as everyone waited out the remaining five orns left on the period of state mourning.

-0-Hauser

He stood in the doorway of Springer's office. The two inside were bent over a large datapad on a very nice table in a spectacularly appointed and huge office. He rapped on the doorjamb. Glancing up, Springer grinned. "Hey. Come on in. Welcome to the Taj Mahal."

A quick search collected meaning. "I see what you mean. I thought my office was amazing until I came here." He walked to the table to peer at the map. "You've got this out of mothballs. Good. We can do some geo-tracking of the slaggers to find hot spots."

"That's the plan," Springer said as he noted the lightly blinking differently colored lights on the huge datapad that covered the entire colony and if you changed screens, all of Cybertron, all of Mars, all of Earth and its moon, all of every moon of Cybertron, and all of every planet in the Empire that they now held. No one would be able to take a whizz against someone's tire without it being entered on this, the Autobot City Geo-Metric Criminal Mapping System datapad. It would find out where crime appeared to be congregating and allow them to meet gang challenges and provide better security for vulnerable areas. "Check it. It highlights where the detectives are looking for Sherma and Momus. When they leave an area, the pad marks that space with a yellow light. No duplications. No forgotten places."

"This one is head and shoulders better than the ones we used on Cybertron," Hauser said with an approving nod.

"Wheeljack," Drift said as if that was enough and among the three it was. "How are things falling out in your department?"

"Great. We have labs, space for officers to do their work, a slagging fine lounge fully stocked," Hauser said with a grin.

"That's Maxi's doing. She coordinated everything and even told Titan what she thought was needed. She decided we all needed bigger spaces and more 'high tech stuff'."

"Little femme is a force of nature," Hauser said with a chuckle. "Right now, we have the officers doing the leg work while the forensics cyber division searches the mainframe both here and on Cybertron for anything related to them."

"We have a forensics cyber division?" Springer asked as Hercy, Kup, Lon, Bezel, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker walked in, the twins carrying the twinnies and Kaon on their arms. Putting them down, the group congregated around the table.

"Nice datapad, bro," Sideswipe said with a grin. "You could track my bookie on this thing."

"We could track you," Drift said with a smile.

"Fascist," Sideswipe said with a big smile as he picked up Iacon from the floor. Putting her on the table, she stared at the datapad, then walked out onto it. "That's okay. Right?"

"It is," Drift said as he watched the tiny femme smile at the lights on the datapad. "How are they?"

"A lot better. They're getting their speech back and understand more than before but it's going to take school to make it click," Sunstreaker said with his usual intensity. He put Uraya up on the table as Kaon walked to a wall to stare at the guns and knives displayed there.

"Five more orns," Springer said as he picked up Iacon. She smiled at him, then leaned against his chassis. He grinned at her when she did.

"What's this about having to tell Prowl you wanted kids to get Titan back? Everyone's talking about it," Sideswipe said as the others found chairs and couches around the giant elegant space to sit upon. Kaon ran up to Kup and sat in his lap with a huge smile.

"Slagger took my office away without a word," Springer said with a slight fume. "Whatever it takes to get around him, that I'm prepared to do."

Sideswipe glanced at the others. "It was a very bad divorce for him." Huge hoo-hah and a fist to the shoulder met that.

"Self-sacrificing slagger, our Springer," Hercy said with a grin from a chair near Springer's desk.

Drift's chair.

"Enjoying my chair? Why not put your big old peds on the little table there. The one Maxi got **just** for me," Drift said with a grin.

"Don't mind if I do," Hercy said as he put his peds on the table.

"There's a stack of work there too. Knock yourself out," Drift said as the group watched the banter like spectators at a tennis match.

"No thanks, but I could use a brew," Hercy said with a grin.

Kaon slid to the ground, then ran to the fridge nearby. Opening it, he reached in to pull out a can of Praxus Black Label. Carrying it carefully, he walked to Uncle Hercy and gave it to him.

Hercy leaned forward to kiss Kaon's helm. "You are the cutest, nicest little mech I ever saw. Can't say much for your genitors though. Teaching an infant to do beer runs ain't etiquette if I remember."

"Consider his fathers," Drift said with a grin as he walked to the refrigerator to toss beer around.

"What about snacks?" Kup asked as he popped his can open.

The door opened at that moment as the Miracle That Was Maxi walked in with a basket. She set it on the counter nearby and unloaded sandwiches, cookies, different sides, and a small chocolate cake. Gathering plates and utinsels from the basket, she turned to the mechs who stared at her like she was Solus Prime. "Come and get your plates, boys. Allow me to fill them."

She did.

They did.

It was awesome.

-0-Ratchet and Hero

"Ada, what now?"

Ratchet looked up from his screen to see that Hero had organized his cupboard over the counters. He rose, then opened a few down below. Re-arranging them, dumping a few things out, he looked up at her. She was watching him with interest. "I think these cupboards are a mess. Sometimes, I think I need a keeper."

"I'll be your keeper, Ada," Hero said earnestly. "I can help you. You have so much to do and I have the time."

Ratchet grinned, then leaned down to kiss her. "You're my permanent helper then, you and Lee-Lee. Whenever we can, you can come to work with me and help me keep my stuff straight."

She smiled brilliantly and clapped her servos. **"I WOULD LIKE THAT, ADA!"** She grinned. "Is there a badge?" she asked hopefully.

Ratchet grinned. "Sure."

She clapped her hands and bent down from the burden of her happiness. Then she straightened and with Ratchet's help, she was placed gently on the floor. Ratchet snickered as she stared at the mess inside the cupboard that he had just messed up out of her line of sight. "I have this, Ada," she said as she walked to the cupboard and climbed inside. It would take a while for her to put everything back into containers and their places and longer still for Ratchet to clamp down on the huge laugh that he wanted to laugh but didn't dare.

Hero was aptly named in his book.

-0-Cybertron

They knelt in a circle together watching a number of tiny children explain their chalk drawings on the ground. Children barely out of their toddlerhood were pointing to things they had drawn with chalk and were chatting with Prime and his mechs about what they were and meant. No one could understand a word they were saying but they gave their rapt attention to the little group.

Standing behind Prime and his mechs, the genitors of the children watched and took pictures. It was bright here on a stretch of pavement that was outside a building that had been turned into a school for the children from a camp nearby. The children came here everyday to learn and played on the large pavement slab behind a low slung chain link fence.

One, a little mech with wings was looking up at Prime as he pointed to the ground. A colorful blob was there that he had drawn, one that was swirls and nothing more but the baby was prattling along about what it was and meant.

Prime, Ironhide and his family had knelt down to listen and nod from time to time as the baby turned to them to see if they agreed. As he babbled, the baby turned to Prime. Then he walked to Optimus and reached for him. Prime leaned closer as the baby gripped his face, then even closer. He babbled some more, then waited to get Prime's agreement.

He got it.

-0-TBC 6-7-17 **edited 6-8-17**

NOTES:

ESL

fume: to be angry and sort of hold it in a bit while at the same time making it clear that you're angry without a big scene happening. It is also called pissy bitching. :D:D:D America has eighteen jillion slang words. :D

EX: "He was so mad he fumed about it all day, raging silently but occasionally saying something like a pissy bitch." (It can be both noun and verb) ;)


	30. Chapter 30

The Diego Diaries: Three Days Later (dd6 30)

-0-In a conference room in the administrative wing of Earth 1

Owen Harris paced along the window that made up the outside wall of the room. Beyond, glistening in the distance, Earth2 sat maddeningly out of reach. It was massive, spectacular in design with windows from floor to ceiling all around its multi-story greatness. The bots had decided that given human suseptibility to weather-related light deprivation syndromes they would add as much brightness as possible from the outside.

Apparently, a jet could fly into the glistening windows and they wouldn't break, a consolation to the slight fear he had standing next to one that it might implode and he would die squirming on the floor. He had been told by the scientists living here that scenario would fade as they got experience living in such an uncompromising environment. He turned to his main staff who were sitting at the big conference table hashing out business. More had arrived, allowed to come and work with him for the great unveiling two days from now.

Soldiers on segways would be coming shortly to take them around the facility to see it from the outside, then head into The City to acclimitize to the differences from a grounder level. All of them had been visitors through the Resort and Harris himself had been here multiple times before with the bots. They were here to go over the move in and adjustment period.

"Then we'll have the families come a few at a time, 200 in a group until everyone is here. What's the schedule for the orientation, Owen?" Sam Conrad, director for Agriculture and Botany asked.

Owen paused, then picked up his ipad. "First, each group will arrive at the facility, then go to the auditorium to wait for Ambassador Ratchet and some of the bots who are going to speak to us to come. Lennox and Morshower will do the introductions and Morshower will lay down the hammer. All the 'you're banned for life' shit. Then Ratchet speaks about safety and what happens if you screw up. Barron, the Attorney General and Director of the Prime's Brief for here, Cybertron and the Empire speaks about our legal rights and obligations. He will also speak to the legal process if we fuck up and how nothing we can do will derail that. We have no diplomatic immunity.

"Sciences will speak, probably Wheeljack and Perceptor, then Ratchet will tell about the local human community. That's when Judy Witwicky, Judy Fulton, Lonnie Epps, Sarah Lennox and Ron Witwicky will talk about the community life for humans on-world. I was told that there would be a representative of the school board coming to discuss their decisions about integrating our school into their system. Earth 1 uses them and is an allied entity. That is, they used their experts, have their experts make things our size for the school, allow us to visit around the planet at educational sites as well as the science and educational platform called Trypticon who is in orbit around Saturn and other related topics, opportunities and sports. Members of the human community will speak including consuls from the Consulate who'll be helping anyone who fucks up. Understand, if they ban you, they will never let you back including to visit the Resort. It's a lifetime thing.

"Bot staff will be introduced along with those remotely monitoring the plant from different locations around. The visiting of The City that we're finally going to get to do will be to see the sites that maintain the plant and who come if there are emergencies. The presentation is still being ironed out and the final syllabus will be sent to me for distribution by dinner tonight. All in all, I'm ready to go to work. This event has put us behind schedule."

"I'm sure that they would have it otherwise if they could," Ron Simpson, the American Consul said with an edge to his voice.

Owen glanced at him. "I don't mean that poorly."

"Then you better consider what you say a bit more, Owen," Ron said coldly. "It sounded bad. Remember this … these are individuals. They are sentient and smart as fuck. They also have feelings and emotions. Half a million of their people were murdered. Who knows how many here are wondering if someone they loved wasn't among them? If that's the kind of thing you're willing to say out loud, then welcome to hell."

"How about we take a break and think about things?" Cynthia Tomas asked as she rose from her chair. "I have to take a call from Los Angeles." She walked to the door and left as everyone rose to walk to the refreshment table nearby, everyone but Ron Simpson and Owen Harris who stared at each other coldly.

Owen pulled a chair, then sat. Leaning on his elbows, he considered Simpson who met his gaze levelly. "My respect for the bots is huge. I have nothing but respect for them, but I'm anxious to start. This is the beginning of a new Earth for all of us. I'm very anxious to begin."

"The bots have redesigned the facility to make it bigger, better and safer. They did it in a matter of days. They're troubleshooting and will continue until it's completely safe. Nothing you do will make that faster. But everything you say matters. These people are in deep mourning and will be for the rest of the month. There are going to be funerals and suffering for a long time. You would do well to self censure your remarks because we have a good reputation here, the human community. We love them and they love us. By the way, the school board representative coming will be the Autobot Sunstreaker." Ron grinned, then leaned closer to Harris. "That's how serious these people are. They have the most dangerous Autobot of them all on their school board." He rose with a grin, then walked to the others to get a snack and a cold drink. Owen harris watched him thoughtfully.

-0-At the facility

A micro-mini-con walked with his mini-con supervisor to the 'Farm' on the top deck, Level 3. They walked through the huge garden plots toward the trees that formed a large grove interspersed with flowers, ferns and bushes. They walked to the water system control and programmed it to release measured liquid to the plants at regular intervals underground.

Beyond them, the place was bustling as pallets of things, personal baggage and other items were carried here and there on anti-gravity devices. The floor with habitations was piling up. The baggage that the inhabitants were bringing was placed in front of their particular doors with space to pass. Most of the things needed for comfortable living had been provided. The kitchens were fully stocked with cookery items, the berth rooms with beds, dressers and mirrors for self-admiration and the bathrooms … odd washracks to the bots were plumbed and ready for their occupants. They would use about a fourth of the water used in similar systems on Earth but the occupants wouldn't feel it. The shower nozzles compressed the spray making it feel like it was intense when it wasn't otherwise.

The entire place had the bot's trademark environmental flourishes. Recycling was mandatory and even though convervation of some resources wasn't mandatory, it was heavily encouraged. The humans knew about solar powering everything. Unlimited electicity without guilt was the order of the day. Water was also unlimited as it was synthesized from the air around them combined with other 'magical' twists that the humans weren't going to be allowed to know. They didn't need to believe it wasn't difficult. It didn't hurt anyone to conserve.

A femme worked stocking shelves in the Commissary of Earth2, which was the 'store' where everyone could get groceries, baked goods and other necessaries like they would in their life on Earth. It recreated a normal moment in an abnormal place for the 'locals'. However, the big difference between here and Earth was payment wasn't required. If you lived here, you could 'shop' here. Sam and Mikaela had explained the system on-world and how the bots observed a cashless society. It had taken a lot of back and forth before the store and restaurants would fall under the same system.

As businesses grew up in the facility they would hold to the same practice though everything in the billionaires that fronted a good 40% of the operation including Owen Harris despised the idea. Their little restaurant, The Candy Store, was going to be selling its products and serving diner-style meals for 'free'. It rankled but they finally gave in.

The theater was being finished with the installation of the last bit of this and that. Paribolus had created everything and even now when he was settled and formatted, when a thing was needed he would reshape for it. He glistened. His systems for self-cleaning would continue. His command center would be staffed by bots carefully chosen and led by three shift commanders who were hardcore about protocol and not afraid to enforce it. It would be there that all of the environmental and communications controls would be housed.

It would be there that the integrity of the building would be maintained. It couldn't be left to the humans to run this tech and it would violate the Tyrest Treaties if they allowed it. The humans wouldn't like it one bit, especially the part where it was off limits. They would argue the point but be overridden if for nothing else than this was a much more sophisticated facility than the others, housing more people and therefore was a much more dangerous place to maintain without precision driven crews.

The humans would lose that argument.

The hustle and bustle continued onward around the clock. They had two more orns to make the place ready.

-0-At the New York Office of Autobot Nation, Incorporated, Earth

Warren Roberts finished his last interview, then walked to his office where his wife was waiting. They were going to be there for the 'grand opening' and dedication of Earth2. He entered, then made his last phone call from Earth. Turning to his wife, he glanced around the room. "Do we have everything?"

She nodded. "We do. Call a bridge." She grinned at him, this daredevil older woman who often was at Autobot City when he was here. They were citizens, part of the original group of Friends of Cybertron as they liked to joke about among themselves.

Warren opened his phone and made the call. Picking up their gear, they waited until one burst into sight in the area near the window. Walking forward, they entered it to reappear 194,000,000 miles away in the lounge area of the Family Habitat in Tower 4. They would be greeted happily by friends.

-0-In an apartment in the next subdivision over from Tower 4

"What do you think, Ada?" Silverbow asked as she stared at her project.

Hound who was off duty glanced her way. The project was a carefully constructed image of Autobot City Raceway. The kids in her class were working on a project about their colony with each student choosing a landmark or business to showcase in both model and report form. She had gone to the raceway to interview racers, mechanics and those who worked there. She had also gone to IntraCom to interview reporters about their job because it was part of the raceway too. "That's a very good likeness, Princess. You did a good job. I can see the whole thing and it looks just like it."

"I worked hard on it," Silverbow said with a smile. "Now I just have to finish my report. Mr. Terradive wants us to start presenting our choices soon."

"Do you need help with that or have you got it?" Trailbreaker asked as he sat on the floor playing with the local variant of legos with Rebel. Rebel liked to build things when he wasn't being part of whatever thing Silverbow was doing. They were inseparable.

"I got it, Atar. I'm going to finish writing it on my datapad. If you and Ada could read it for me amd tell me what you think when I'm done I would be glad."

"Whatever you want, baby," Trailbreaker said as he handed a lego to his son. The baby put it on the tower and smiled. It held.

The afternoon would pass quietly for all of them.

-0-At Metroplex Kid Park, Autobot City

Cardinal, Farrell, Sunspot, Turbo, and Comet sat on the swings. They were waiting for their families to collect them. Sunspot, Turbo and Comet had family coming from the hospitals. Cradinal and Farrell were waiting for their mentor adult to come from their fireman meeting. It was getting onward in the evening and the temperature was dropping.

"What do you think will happen with all this, Sunspot?" Turbo asked as they watched lines still going down the street to the Temple. They were so long they reached the intersection nearby.

"I don't know. Ada told me there will be a funeral for everyone. We have to say goodbye to them and let them know we love them still. Then we go back to school. Two more orns and we go back," Sunspot said.

"Do you have your report and model done?" Turbo asked.

"I do," Cardinel said as Farrell nodded.

"What did you choose, Cardinel?" Comet asked.

"The Flight Center. I made a model of it," Cardinel replied.

"I have the Airport in Aerie Hill," Farrell said. "The big one."

Sunspot nodded. "I did the stables. My horses live there and I wanted to do their house."

"I love your horses. We can ride again when this is over," Farrell said. "I don't like this. It's awful how everyone is."

Sunspot and Turbo nodded. It was silent a moment. "We will be safe, Cardinel," Sunny said. "You don't have to worry. My atar and appas … my ammas and Uncle Optimus will keep us all safe. They have, you know."

Cardinel looked at Sunspot, then nodded. "They beat Black Shadow. I remember seeing Sixshot once. He scared me."

Farrell nodded. "I told you to stay with me and we were alright. Remember?" He glanced at Sunspot. "Did you ever see him or any of the others?"

Sunspot shook his head. "No, but I saw Megatron once in a while. I saw Shockwave. I saw Soundwave. I hid from them. They were awful and I know this for true," he said looking at the others. "My family will protect all of us. I will help them."

Cardinel and Farrell got a cold expression on their faces. "We will too," Farrell said. "We know how to fight. We have."

Sunspot nodded. "So do I." He glanced at a solemn-looking Comet and Turbo. "We will protect you and everyone."

"I'll help you, Sunny. You, Cardinel and Farrell. No one is going to do this to us. We can help. Right, Comet?" Turbo asked.

Comet nodded solemnly. "No one," he said in agreement.

At that moment, two big Seekers landed to look around. They would find their children on the swings with friends. Gypsy would join them and all would go home to safety and love as the ghost of Megatron and other terrible times would fade back into the shadows once more.

-0-Elsewhere

" **WHAT THIS!?"**

Amma Corr glanced down at a little mech staring up at him with a donut hole in his little servo. "It's a treat, infant. Eat it."

Orion stared at it, then popped it into his mouth. He chewed it, then smiled. **"AMMA! I, ORION, LIKE THIS!"**

Corr grinned. "You're supposed to, infant. Who else wants a donut hole?"

Everyone did. Corr fed them one-by-one like a farmer feeding chickens. Then the door opened as Ratchet walked in with Hero.

Bedlam.

-0-TBC 6-8-17 **edited 6-12-17**

ESL: A donut hole is the dough in the middle of a donut that's cut out. A lot of people knead them back in to make more donuts but some fry them too. They are perfection. (I love donuts) :D:D:D


	31. Chapter 31

The Diego Diaries: Getting There (dd6 31)

Haven't had a chance to edit this. Hope it makes sense. :D:D:D:D:D (Had a long out of state phone call.)

-0-The morning after (state mourning)

The house was busy with kids getting ready for school. It was time to go back after ten orns of state mourning. The banners of The One and His love for Cybertron would stay up for the rest of the month and perhaps more. It depended upon Prime. As for now, the colony was coming back to life. The door opened as ammas and appas entered to collect children.

"What's on your schedules?" Ratchet asked as he took stock of his elders and Ironhide's. Alor and Blackjack were among the throng with a smiling Scout in his old dad's arms.

"We have to go to school too, infant," Appa Ratchet said. "Ravel and Tie are due at the store. We go there after class to study and assist. The usual stuff. We will get the kids after school."

"No you won't," Ratchet said. "I arranged for the Circle Daycare to come get them. Sunspot can go there after his lessons at the Academy." Ratchet looked at Sunspot who nodded. "When can Bos, Co-D and Reflector come over, Ada?" he asked hopefully.

"Call them tonight and make play dates. We'll make sure you get together," Ratchet said. "Their adas and atars said they want you kids to be together."

Sunspot smiled as he leaned against Spot. Spot smiled too.

Ratchet grinned. "Does everyone have their homework, projects, bookbags, and snacks?"

" **WE DO! WE DOIN' THIS SHES, ADA! YES!"** -everyone

"Okay. Now scoot," Ratchet said as the mob turned toward the door to leave. They did noisily. Ratchet grinned at Blackjack. "There appears to be an infant here."

 **"LEAVE ME ALONE!"** Blackjack said with a grin before he fled out the door.

"You going to Vegas?" Ratchet asked as they watched a three and a half ton mechanism levitate out the door. "By the way, he's a big baby."

"Then you understand where Ironhide comes from do you?" Alor asked with a chuckle. "I am. I haven't been on station a while and there's a stack of reports and intel to go over. There may be a meeting at Ops Center later by the way. Heads up. What's your schedule?"

"I have to be on stage and perform for the masses," Ratchet said spreading his arms widely as a brilliant smile formed on his face. "I, Ratchet of Iacon will educate the n00bs about the Ways of the Mech. I will show them the greatness that is Me."

"You're insane, one of your best qualities," Alor said. He grinned. "Film it, slagger. I want to see them squirm."

"Done deal. Donuts?" Ratchet asked as they walked to the door.

"Don't mind if I do," Alor said as the door closed behind them.

-0-At the mustering place, Earth2 Command, somewhere in Southern California, Earth

They gathered on the tarmac, 200+ excited individuals who were the first group to leave for Mars. They would be the techs who would assume important positions within the command structure and needed utilities. Behind them in groups of 200-500 would be the scientists, worker bees who would man the stores and offices, provide services, manage data, maintain the physical plant, and other important but mundane things. There was no glory in being a maintenance person until something clogged or broke down. Then you were God.

They had, along with others who were maintaining a number of supporting and/or important positions, received trained over the internet by the relevant bots to handle and appreciate their jobs. No one would walk blindly into this giant experiment. Families who were coming would be last to get here. They would be part of the overall study of effects, etc of living here but they weren't 'essential equipment' at the moment.

Cameras flashed and rolled as the press did their bit for the moment. It was a **HUGE** deal that this was finally happening, though the human presence on Mars had been so from the beginning. Will Lennox in uniform stood with the leadership that wasn't already on Mars for an Autobot City Touring Company ship to land. It was coming in on approach so the excitement level was **MASSIVE**.

The ship landed nearby, a fawn-colored vessel with the symbols of The Primes and the Martian-Cybertronian flag on the tail section. Autobot City Touring Company, Ltd. was printed on the sides in discreet lettering in both English and NeoCybex. This was the first time that a ship from their fleet had landed anywhere but the designated ports of call that they operated from. It was a **BIG** deal here on Earth.

As it rolled to a stop, Will Lennox got everyone's attention. "Get your passports and paperwork ready. Be ready to be inspected. You have to go through that here and at Customs and Immigration at Autobot City." Will watched them happily and excitedly get ready with a grin of his own. He knew what they felt and every time someone new came to Mars, it helped him remember that moment when he, too, stepped down onto the soil of a different planet. "Form a line on me," he said holding up his arm.

They did, making a long line of chattering excited humans who were caught lovingly on cameras as they did. This was the 'start of a paradigm shift that would make humanity different forever' and 'a new page in the history of humanity is being written by these brave pioneers'. He grinned. They were going to a state-of-the-art facility with everything they needed. There wasn't a hardship to be found. If they tired of the view, they had the Resort and the Farm to go to for a fix of home. Before his family could join him, Will had felt the burn of separation but even that wasn't part of this team's reality. Children and families would arrive last.

The vessel halted, the ramp came down and so did human and bot worker bees. The humans walked to them, showed their papers, had their bags and persons scanned, then allowed on. The seating inside filled up as they filtered in, then the ramp came up as the last entered. Clearance from the tower gave them the go, so they lifted off directly and disappeared into space leaving the commentariat to speak about the greatness of the moment as the first group of 'pioneers for Earth's future' sped their way to Mars.

-0-Earlier, before the n00bs arrived, when the walk around and sign off happened

Prime and a number of engineers, scientists, Wheeljack and Perceptor, Ironhide because he was Prime's **'RIGHT SERVO GO-TO MECH!'** , Hercy and Kup because they were curious, Prowl because he was organizing the meet ups soon-to-arrive, Jetta because he was the main engineer, Mack because he was head of Public Works and had a lot to do with this place's structural and systems integrity, Ultra Magnus because he was tall, imposing and the 'boss of shit' as Lennox would say or as Epps would say, 'boss at shit', Ratchet because he would blather first and foremost and in doing so would nicely lay down the limits and obligations of being here, and Cliffjumper who was along because Buzzie was the reserve nurse for the bots here in case something happened and Buzzie was on duty with a big accident case so he asked Cliffie to come here for him … that one … all were already there waiting. So was Paribolus in pretender gear.

The human contingent on-world led by Harris had just arrived having motored over with the soldiers and Consulate members who were here in numbers and were waiting outside in the elevator for the first ride up together. The leadership of Earth 1 was here too. The Resort was repped by Ron Witwicky who was a demon on detail and mellow enough to call bullshit on something without making an enemy. They all arrived at the entry deck, then would go up in an elevator.

All around them the desert of Mars stretched out to a light blue horizon. There was nothing to break the view since most of the ridges and rock piles here weren't that tall to look at. They were if you were standing next to them and some of the more daring in the crowd going upward were thinking of climbs in some distant future.

They arrived, then stepped out to be greeted by a forest of solemn-appearing mechanical men who regarded them with something less than great happiness, at least to their inexperiences eyes. They stared at each other, then Harris stepped out into the huge room that led toward bigger and equally well lit places. He walked to the group, then bowed at the waist. Staring upward, he looked into the optics of the strangest species he could have ever considered existing. Pulling off his helmet, he spoke. "Lord Optimus, we are incredibly proud and happy to be here in this beautiful place constructed for us by your people. It's our greatest hope that we can become as big an asset here as all the other human groups have become. We thank you so much for what your people have done and allowed to be done. From the people of Earth2 and from Earth itself, we are forever in your debt."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. Welcome to Mars and the human community that are our friends, countrymen and women, and great good neighbors. This facility was constructed from your template but little about it followed your plans directly. The environment here holds no second chances so we have taken liberties to perfect and even change the designs. We would like to do a walk through to show you what has been changed and why. My staff will show what this facility is, then tell me if there is reason and cause to sign off your habitation. Until then, we do not authorize you to live here. Safety must always be first."

"Yes, sir," Harris said. "We've discussed things among the Earth2 community and we wish to express to you and your people our deepest consolences for the catastrophe that befell you just recently. We extend our deepest sympathies to all of your people, sir."

:He has good manners, the insincere slagger: Ironhide said. Agreement hit that remark around the group.

"Thank you, Mr. Harris, for your kind words," Optimus replied. "We have ended state mourning but have solemn mourning for the rest of this month. That will be a significant factor in the life of this colony."

Harris nodded. "We understand."

Jetta glanced at Prime who nodded, then looked at the humans. "Let's go do the inspection." It would take four hours and in the end when it was clear that the place was sealed up against human danger and/or tampering, Prime signed off on it. The humans would have a lease on the facility for 100 years just like the other human habitats. They would reside and use them for one century Earth time before the renewal came up. Given that all of the human-inhabited facilities were the property of the Prime including the Consulate and N.E.S.T. HQ by agreement with caveats, cancellation could happen given the right provocation at any time. That point was made clear and not lost on anyone.

-0-Arrival in the Promised Land a short time after sign off

The ship touched down at the Autobot City Municipal Interplanetary Airport in Autobot City. A human delegation was waiting to help the n00bs through security. It was a jubilant thing when they stepped off and touched Martian soil (Actually marble tiled floors). Everything that was going to happen now was on film. The walk around with Prime was the only bit that wasn't. Bots helped the humans form a line so they could clear Customs and Immigration like everyone who came here from Earth.

They chatted, waved at the camera and even danced with delight being here at last. Oddly enough, none of these 200+ had come here before now. The waiting list for the Resort was stupefying. When the last one cleared Customs and Immigration, they walked though the bridgeway to the touring bus that would take them to their habitat. It would drive through The City and head outward down the highway past the Temple District, the Stables, Mausoleum, Basilica and roads that led at the junction just before the other human habitats in two directions. Left would take you to Earth 1 and right to the Consulate. A huge number of humans were planning a welcoming party for the n00bs when they were briefed and settled in.

The bus pulled out and away they went on their most excellent adventure. While that was happening, Ratchet and a few humans and bots were lounging around Earth2 waiting for them to arrive. It was going to be a long week of briefings and hoo-hah for everyone.

-0-TBc 6-9-17 **edited 6-12-17**


	32. Chapter 32

The Diego Diaries: Briefs (dd6 32)

-0-On their way

The bus pulled out and drove to the intersection by The Fortress. Their guide, a human with the touring company gave them a commentary. "This building is the oldest one here, the first one built by The People when they came to hold criminals away from humans. It was here that they first lived and worked, helping refugees who came in trickles of a couple dozen to several million at a time. This is the operational center of the colony and by extension, the entire Cybertronian empire including Cybertron itself. Prime and his senior Autobots work from there and it's the nerve center of everything. You're not given permission to enter some of the areas but you can visit it. Your cameras won't work within its confines. They dampen things there for security and other purposes and there are other places as well that do the same for human technology."

They crossed the intersection turning left to head down Metroplex Highway 1 until it turned into Temple District Highway or Temple as the locals called it. Traffic was moderate and sidewalks brimmed with those going about their business. The Temple loomed ahead. "You'll notice that there are a lot of different types and sizes of bots in the Cybertronian species. Some of them are gigantic such as Metroplex which we just passed in city format and others that are very small. All of them are autonomous beings and therefore, you must observe respect and good manners with them as you would anyone. Part of the compact of being here is to see them as they are and not as glorified computers or piles of technology. Ambassador Ratchet will explain more when you get to the habitat.

"The Temple to the right is one of the holiest places anywhere for the Cybertronian people. It's absolutely and completely off limits for you and even if someone invited you, decline. I cannot stress that enough. Unless you're given express permission by an authority who clears it with Prime and the priests, you will not be allowed even on the grounds. You'll recognize the priests and priestesses. They wear coverings, sort of armless cloaks and the colors tell you about their level of seniority and expertise. The beginners who are called acolytes wear blue ones. Full fledged priests wear red and the leadership including the senior priests wear gold.

"We're heading down Temple Highway toward Basilica Highway which leads out to the human habitats. We'll pass several metro-districts which are sentient ships in city form, then the Mausoleum, the place where burials of the dead occur. You can visit there if you observe respect and don't touch anything. Everything you will see there has meaning and was placed there for that purpose. Next will be the Basilica where Primes and other important figures are buried. It's an exact copy of the one on Cybertron with 200 foot tall ceilings and lifesize statues of important living and mythical figures. You're allowed inside the Basilica following the same behavior." They continued onward.

-0-At Earth2

Owen Harris stood in his office, a large well-lit space with views to die for. He had wandered the facility getting a better overview alone before pausing in his apartment to look around. His things were on a pallet in the corridor outside. All of the habitations were stacked on top each other reaching to the roof of the facility three stories above the floor. They were back to back, these stand alone towers with open space between them. They stretched across the floor where they would live resembling in design the long rows of prison cells of big penitentiaries, stacks of habitation for the people to live. It was ingenius, really. It made the greatest number of homes in the smallest of space possible.

The views were of other habitation spans, the inside of the facility or depending where yours was, an outside view. His apartment was comfortable and more than adequate. The bots had made them less utilitarian and more potentially homey and comfortable. That surprised him. There was a room for his son and one for his daughter who he expected to come here when she could. She already told him so.

He walked out heading for the lobby where the elevator would deposit the first group of inhabitants. By the time he reached it they were already stepping out.

-0-Fifteen minutes later

They walked from the elevator through the building to the large conference/ampitheater room where large gatherings and/or presentations could be made to 5,000 individuals at a time. They walked to the front to take their places, their awestruck optics fixed upon a number of aliens along with several soldiers and civilians everyone knew from the news. Harris shepherded them in, then turned to Ratchet when they were all seated. "Ambassador, thank you. I would like the honor of introducing you to my crew and my crew to you."

Ratchet nodded. "Sure."

Harris turned toward his people. "This is Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon, the chief medical officer for this planet, every other planet in the Cybertronian Empire as well as the armed forces. He is Prime's chief ambassador as well. The gentlemen with him are Wheeljack and Perceptor, top scientists of Empire who run the tech show here. The other mechs are Cliffjumper who is here to fill in for a nurse who will work rescue here and get whatever information they need back to them as well as Commander Ultra Magnus who is not only manager and mayor of this colony but manager of the Empire for Optimus Prime. Commander Prowl of Praxus holds pride of place in the chain of command of the Autobot Armed Forces. He is second only to Optimus Prime in authority.

"With them is Jetta of Iacon, the chief engineer and Master of Development for the Empire and the one who built this facility along with the chief architect, Fortress Maximus. With him is his brother, Mack of Iacon who is director of Public Works. He is instrumental to keeping this place safe and running. Commanders Hercy and Kup are here for Security. We all know Major William Lennox, Captain Niall Graham of the UK, and Master Sargent Robert Epps of the N.E.S.T. garrison. The other gentleman is Ron Witwicky who is here to represent the Resort at Autobot City." He finished by introducing General Morshower, a number of humans from Earth 1 and the Consulate and finally, Angus Optimus who was there in the arms of his father, Jarrod Wilkerson. Hildie was running a camera for a blog that she kept of their adventures. He turned to Ratchet. "Ambassador, I yield the floor to you."

Everyone clapped madly, then sat happily expectant for one of the most mysterious yet accessible and famous individuals ever to speak. Ratchet grinned. "Welcome to Mars, little people." Huge laughter, clapping and whistles greeted that. Ratchet moved to the front of the group easily. Room was there to be comfortable without being a problem since the facility was designed to allow the bots access to every square inch of the plant. "I am Ratchet of Iacon, a doctor and the Prime's Ambassador. It's my duty to tell you things you need to know.

"I and everyone else here live with our proximity sensors on. Even the children. That means we know where you are and act accordingly. When the first humans came sometimes we would tell them to freeze. If you ever get a direction from a bot about where you are or to move, do it without hesitation. You live in the world of giants. No one has been stepped on yet so we want to keep our record going. That means that our bars and clubs are probably going to be off limits as well.

"You've gotten the word about safety in this, a zero-excuse, zero-tolerance environment. It doesn't forgive. It doesn't care. It's neutral out there. It has no side to take. It just exists. That means you have the duty to be smarter and aware. You would live about a minute and a half if an accident or stupid move happened. Your lungs would boil. Your skin would immediately freeze as its irradiated with gamma rays, including your eyes. It would be a terrible, terrible, **TRULY** terrible death. Only a couple of humans have died here when a prison riot took out a couple being held there for transferral to Earth. Don't make it more.

"We have a lot of time to watch out for you and everything you wear outside is wired for rescue. If you tamper with it, you will never leave this place. Scanners will detect it and failsafes will prevent you going out because the doors will lock tight. The gear you wear is coded to stop at the entry for any number of reasons, all designed to keep you safe going out and out of trouble coming in. You will have lockers at the entrance with your name on them. You have to take all of your gear off and put it inside before you can enter the facility. You won't be able to do that if you try to wear your gear inside. The lockers are small and have scanners built in that check your gear to see that its all there as well as for problems that will be reported to the command center. That gear will be repaired. We do this to help maintain it for ultimate safety as well as to remove the temptation to find out about how it works. Tampering is a lifetime ban and there are no appeals.

"You will be shown your areas shortly. You will be helped and assisted by human and Cybertronian crews. The humans are employees of Autobot Nation who are trained to be facilitators and troubleshooters. They also can liaison between you and us to get things done. They're part of the charter agreement between us and work in pairs with your Cybertronian crew.

"I would hope that you understand we aren't simply sophisticated computers or that we aren't someone who doesn't deserve manners or consideration. We're a species of being that is metallic in design. We feel, appreciate, love, and fuss just like anyone else. I have about 27 children and a dozen grandchildren-" Ratchet said with a giant smile.

"Exaggerator," Prowl interjected, then turned to gaze sharply at Ratchet. "You haven't been holding out on me have you?"

Laughter greeted that. Everyone was told about the bantering bestie friendship of Ratchet and Prowl as well as their relations to each other through children and grandchildren.

"I have about 22 or 27 kids … maybe, and how many grandchildren?" Ratchet grinned. "Let me see ..."

"They're all mine," Prowl said with a smirk.

"Where was I? Oh yes. Ironhide," Ratchet said with a grin.

Laughter greeted that.

"We get up and go to work, eat with our friends, family or ourselves, go to the movies, dance and drink, have our hobbies, our philosophies and other passtimes. We have a lot in common and you will learn that. We also are different and you will learn that too. Compare them and you will find more same than different. What I want you to do is figure it out and act accordingly. We are very tolerant and forgiving all things being equal so you have time. But frag around, tamper with stuff, go where you aren't supposed to be, be insulting and bigoted, act stupid and foolish all the time, or take chances with your safety and our piece of mind and you will be banned forever," Ratchet said.

"We are a multi-world enterprise. We have ships coming and going all the time. Some of the cities here are actually ships themselves who have remade themselves to fulfill one of their several main functions. The first and always the greatest is service to the Prime. They serve him selflessly and they protect us without fear. To say that they are beloved amongst us is inadequate to express true meaning. I asked one to come here, a titan who is using pretender tech to be able to be small enough to be here among us. This," he said turning to a huge mech standing with Jetta, "is the greatness we call Paribolus."

Huge clapping and whistling was had from the group.

"Paribolus is a metrotitan, one of many who were guardians of our worlds and people, who are selfless individuals who serve with all they got. These are the greatest amongst us and we treasure them."

Paribolus grinned at Ratchet, then looked at the humans. He nodded. "I am Paribolus and all the titanic frames are my siblings including the Supremes. We live to serve and I am glad to meet you."

He received thanks from the crowd as individuals expressed their appreciation. Ratchet watched Owen and the other senior staff. Several of them were watching without emotion but most of the others were. "They protect us here and everywhere else. There are over 1,500 of them on Cybertron right now and many of those designated warrior class are protecting other places around the Empire that are still open to Decepticon attacks." He turned to Paribolus. "Thank you, Pari."

He nodded. "I have an appointment. I bid you farewell."

Ratchet grinned as he derezzed. Everyone in the room murmured as he turned back to them. "He's got a poker game at the Club," Ratchet said to great laughter. He actually did. He was becoming a real shark, Our Paribolus. "Well, right now, let's go over a number of items that you need to carve into your brain about safety and procedure."

-0-Ironhide

He stood on a crater staring into the distance. They were opening a small energon deposit to check it for purity. They were labeling and cataloging the planet to make sure that all of the most delicate places were marked as they formulated a way to bring Gliese 581 g into a better orbit in a better place. This planet was basically a time bomb waiting to explode in their faces if they didn't do something. Odd alien and Decepticon activity was being clocked in the local area.

Prime listened as Beachcomber discussed how they would do this and how it would determine the intensity of the containment fields that would carry this planet to safety. The sun was actually warm here in the moderate zone of the tidal locked world. The hospitals were working at a good clip but the desperate masses that once thronged here were a thing of the past. This was a rehab-restoration-mental health hub now.

He was listening in to Ratchet as he charmed the n00bie humans with his patter and pointed commentary. It was good to be busy again even if it meant not being home as much as he wanted. He remembered he had kids somewhere. He grinned at the thought.

Prime with Beachcomber was climbing back and noted the expression. "What is the joke?" he asked with a slight grin of his own.

"I was remembering I had kids somewhere. Maybe," Ironhide said as both mechs joined him.

Beachcomber grinned. "Buffer isn't here. He's running the show at the office. He's sparked."

It was amazing how happy Ironhide and Prime were for Beachcomber and how happy he was back. Even in the midst of awful disappointments and sorrows, life went onward.

-0-TBC 6-9-17 **edited 6-10-17**


	33. Chapter 33

The Diego Diaries: Boxers (dd6 33)

-0-An auditorium

Ratchet concluded, then turned to Prowl. That worthy stepped forward, then stared at the humans. "I am Prowl," he said.

Ratchet who watched noted that Prowler loved to say that to humans and note the thrill that usually went up and down their nervous system. He did too, sometimes. Prowl was indeed a great name.

"It is my duty to keep the entire operation of the Autobot Armed Forces running, be a resource for the Prime in all areas and at all times of his brief and keep Ratchet out of jail," he said with his usual imposing, calm and direct manner.

Huge laughter greeted that. Ratchet grinned. "He does that by sharing a cell." More laughter. :Nice one, Prowler. I see you're experimenting with humor again:

Prowl stared at Ratchet a moment, then turned back to the humans. "Ratchet has explained things well and there will be others to add to your training. I would just like to say that you are ambassadors for your people to ours. We are here together learning about each other. For the humans that we know already, we have respect and affection. It is up to you to earn the same standing even as it is our responsibility to be courteous and neighborly ourselves. Understand, when we go out it won't kill us. You don't have the same good fortune. Everything we do with humans here is built around the concept of safety.

"We are aware of you. Now it's your turn to be aware of yourselves, your surroundings and the activities going on around you. We expect that you will obey the laws here, respect restrictions and inform us of anything that you need so that we can assist. It is indeed a new day for both sides and we want it to stay a good one. That is up to you by virtue of your presence here. We lived here well and peacefully before you came. We would like that to continue." He glanced at Barron who moved to stand with them.

"My name is Barron and I hold the Prime's Brief. I am the chief law enforcement officer and legal director of this colony, Cybertron and the Empire. I am here to tell you about your legal rights and status in the colony. First of all, you do not have diplomatic immunity. If you break a law, nothing in your current status will exempt you from facing consequences. The other humans here, those of the first group hold Cybertronian citizenship by Primal decree, so there are different circumstances for them than there are for you.

"If you were to come here with nefarious intenstions, such as stealing technology, you would be arrested, held, charged, and tried. You would face and serve a sentence imposed by the court if found guilty. There would be appeals to the Prime, the appellate process we use but there would be no special circumstances given to you because you are human. Even the Consuls have limited autonomy. They also will face court if they break a set of rules that were outlined in the agreement that led to them coming here. We do not believe that someone who represents their people should be granted a get out of jail pass for their actions.

"Our system gives you representation and is applicable to all of you. If you break the law there will be consequences," Barron continued. "You can go over the charter with your legal department or you can meet with the Consulate who will be your main legal representation in matters that are criminal. Understand, you have only very limited immunity as a consul and none as a civilian here. We have only a limited number of treaties between your civilizations and ours, so we don't have to hold to your conventions. You cannot come here, act badly and expect to walk away.

"There are areas that are off limits for various reasons and we expect that you will hold to them. Our society is very open and our human neighbors greatly welcome. However, the prison, Temple, Monastery of the Clavis Aurea, and various technological installations are off limits. You also cannot enter a home without invitation. You may also not study us formally without submitting your thesis to Sciences and have it reviewed. We expect that we are different and your curiosity both professional and personal will be piqued. However, we draw the line at that kind of scrutiny."

Ratchet grinned. "It may sound grim to you right now, the outlining of the offenses if you will, but it's necessary. We need to know that you will understand, obey the restrictions and understand the risks and consequences if you break the rules. I hope that you ask questions as we go as well."

Someone raised their hand, a happy human female. "What about the holidays and football? What about trips out of the system and the race track? What can you tell us about that?"

"If you live here, you can go. Right now, the adult league is finished with their season and so is the infant league. Rugby is going strong and basketball is being organized. Our performing arts center is nearly complete and that is available to you. Information on holidays both human and Cybertronian are to be found in the Community Bulletin Board folder of the same name. You are not required to serve any of them but they're fun and some of them are human in honor of our relationship. The Festival of Primus is coming up in July, Earth July, and it's not available to you. You will be confined to the habitat but the scene will be playing on television with some edits."

"Some of the humans here get to go there," Harris said from the front row.

"Some of the humans here are great friends of long standing with Autobot Nation. You n00bs have to earn that entry," Ratchet replied. "We have Christmas, New Years for you and for us, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the odd party together. Halloween and Christmas are celebrated because they're nice children's holidays and our children deserve fun. Thanksgiving is a good thing to do anywhere, anytime with anyone. Being thankful is universal. There are other holidays across culture on the human calendar and I would suggest coordinating with them." Ratchet glanced at Hildie and Jarrod with a grin. "The birthday of Angus Optimus Wilkerson is a holiday among the humans here and we have taken to it ourselves."

Angus who was sitting on Prowl's servo heard his name and looked up with a big smile. Everyone smiled back.

Barron looked at his list, then looked up. "We have a colonial alarm system that lets everyone know when to go to the shelters. It works and you must obey. Go to the shelter nearest to you. There is a big one below this structure. Don't try to locate anyone, just go. We will scan for everyone to account for them. If you have questions, call my office and we will attend to them. Always ask first. That should be your mantra until you learn how to live here. Ask us or ask anyone else in the human community. They will help you too."

"Percy? 'Jack?" Ratchet asked as he glanced around the room.

Wheeljack grinned. "Don't touch anything. Don't try to fix or figure something out. Everything is alarmed to tell us if you do and you'll get the boot. Permanently. Pairs of humans and bots will be working here in this facility around the clock and they will be the first consult on problems. The humans are people we have trained over a period of time and some are the spouses or family members, even friends of the permanent human community. The bots with them were chosen for expertise and size. They will be micro-mini and mini-con mechs, all of them under 16 feet.

"We will provide trips within the system and beyond as the moment demands. I would suggest that you enroll in the University of Autobot City to increase your education which even though I'm sure its great already will be … lacking?" Wheeljack asked with a grin.

"That goes without saying, Wheeljack," Perceptor said with a nod. "I appreciate your credentials. I have reviewed your files and even though you are tops in your field on Earth, you might want to increase your understanding of the possibilities here. There is a lot of tech and science that you won't be allowed to view or learn but there is also a lot you can, especially as it relates to helping Earth with all its many problems. Your colleagues at Sciences Habitat will be a good resource. All of them attend classes at the University. I strongly support that you do as well considering the level of tech and theory that is common here.

"We will include you where appropriate but you have to earn that spot for complete trust. Your colleagues have. I am sure you will too. In fact, we are going to Trypticon in two orns and we would be ready to take some of you with us. Five at most," Perceptor said as the crowd shifted to speak excitedly together.

"That's the big vessel orbiting Saturn, right?" Harris asked as he mentally made himself one of the five.

Wheeljack nodded. "It is. He's a sentient vessel with severe deficiences considering he was created by the Decepticons but he is now a science platform for our children's schools and mid system staging. We will be happy to give you a tour of it so that you can compare and contrast your adult educational attainments against our elementary school students." Wheeljack grinned. "Excuse me if I find that funny a moment. No offense."

"I would take some myself," Hildie said as she turned her camera on Wheeljack, "but I've been there and I have to say you have a point, 'Jack."

Wheeljack grinned at one of his favorite humans. "When you stop learning, you die."

There was a general agreement in the room. Ratchet turned to Wheeljack. "Anything more, Maestro?"

"Nope," Wheeljack said with a grin.

Ratchet turned toward Kup and Hercy. "Commander Kup and Commander Hercy, meet the newbies. Since you came to kibitz, what nuggets of wisdom do you have for the new kids on the block?"

Kup glanced at Hercy who glanced at him. Both shrugged to general snickering. Hercy stepped closer to stare at the humans. "I like the humans who live here. They're stand up. They're good. They fit in. They don't have an attitude and they help us and each other. I hope you do the same. You're lucky enough from among all your people to be here and to live side-by-side with an alien lifeform like us. This can be the best days of your life or the worst.

"Don't go into the clubs or bars without a soldier escort. We[ve had a tough life and some of our people are still adjusting to life here. They don't always pay attention to the floor. Our colony is safe and our policing forces are alert and helpful. The Day and Night Watch bear these symbols on both shoulders," he said turning one bearing the tattoo toward the crowd. "Don't hesitate to seek assistance. We have horseback patrols and beat cops and we practice community policing. You should be fine if you use your common sense. Ask before you do something that isn't clear. It beats getting hurt." He looked at Kup who shrugged again. "That's all," he said stepping back to lean against the big windows again.

Ratchet grinned. "These two bots are among the oldest and most knowledgable Autobots in the army. Hercy is Ironhide's mentor and Kup is the surrogate dad of almost everyone around."

"Great granddad," Prowl said as he stood beside Ratchet with folded arms and a gimlet optic. "Great, great, great, great, great, great, granddad ten thousand times removed."

Laughter greeted that as Kup grinned at Prowl. "You know me well."

No non-Cybertronian in the room would know how much.

That was when Autobot Sunstreaker entered the room and walked to stand beside Prowl.

-0-TBC 6-10-17 **edited 6-12-17**

Leoness: I love Ratchet talking to humans too. He uses humor and an easy manner to get his points across. He also likes them. More to come because this group is going to be a nosy bunch.


	34. Chapter 34

The Diego Diaries: Schoolin' (dd6 34)

-0-At the meet up

Sunstreaker walked into the great room, skirted the seating down the side aisle and joined everyone on the low platform that formed a sort of stage in front of the vast room. Behind them, Mars disappeared into the distance down below the first floor platform that was seventy feet above the ground on pilons. He turned to the crowd who had hushed when he entered, surprise, delight, recognition, some awe, and a bit of fear informing their expressions.

Ratchet grinned. "This is Autobot Sunstreaker who is a front-line warrior of great experience and tribute, a father of three of the most exceptional children including the first Cybertronian born on Earth, my grandson, Kaon-"

"And mine. They're all mine," Prowl said glancing at Ratchet with a pointed stare. Laughter greeted that as Sunstreaker smirked at Prowl. Prowl shrugged smugly at both of them.

Ratchet continued. "He's also a great artist who had works in the traveling exhibition that we sent to Earth some time back, coaches infant football, is captain of the Primus Cup interplanetary Championship football team, the Kaon Kavaliers, and Vice President of the Autobot City Unified School Board. Last and hardly least, he's my son."

Applause greeted that as Sunstreaker pulsed warmth to Ratchet. He got it back. "Tell them about what the school board does and what you can do for this group who want to ally themselves with us."

Sunstreaker nodded, then looked at the crowd who silenced expectantly. "I belong to the school board and have since the refugees made it necessary for education to happen again. Our little kids needed structure and education so we built the school district from scratch. We run the show world wide and also in the Empire including Cybertron itself. Their requests and needs are sent here to be discussed and met with their assistance so that it can be done swiftly and in an organized manner. Centralizing things is key to doing what we do in so many places and circumstances.

"When we started there were nine kids total to educate. At the last census, we were told we stand on-world at just over 50,000. In a population of over 20,000,000 that might seem tiny and it is. We're regrouping here like we are everywhere else. There are over 100,000,000 children on Cybertron alone that we assist through the board.

"We have the best possible of everything that's needed. Our teachers get whatever they need and want. Our kids are first. Most of us never went to school and had no access so we want the best for our kids. We have the experts, the best in their fields, to make the teaching stuff that the teachers use and anything they need in equipment we have made.

"We have standing committees whose full time job is to create teaching materials and organize experts in every field for the school district and its Mentor program. The greatest historians, mathemeticians, technologists, trainers, sports and arts instructors, master teachers and the like do nothing else but work on this for us.

"They go through the databases and recovered stuff pulling out important things, then work out the material for each skill and educational level. It's passed to our reader group, experts in the field and classroom teachers to go over it for accuracy and to see if it's in a good format for instruction. If it is, its reviewed by us as a formality, then published.

"We have the tech to make sure our kids get the best at all times. All of the books and videos, films, maps and the rest have a capability to be upgraded remotely. Even yours, Jarrod," Sunstreaker said as he glanced over to Jarrod Wilkerson.

"They do. It's mind boggling the greatness of that feature. Nothing goes out of date and we don't have to chuck anything out because the new stuff is coming. It's just upgraded remotely. Our books have embedded videos that play anywhere from a minute or two up to hours to get the material across to the students. It's also alarmed and tamper-proof by the way," Jarrod said pointedly. "We have our own teaching materials through the International School Initiative that assists me and we have that which the School District requires us to have. We teach 16 nationalities and languages in our school but adhere to English as the language of commerce, science and international diplomacy so we can have cohesion. We're associated through the school district as a satellite school … that is, we're part of the district, use their materials, expertise, experts, and facilities while keeping the largest degree of autonomy ourselves.

"We have a school medic come by once every thirty days to check everyone's health and growth and is on call if we need them. We have access to the swimming pools and gym teachers and go there every day to utilize them. Our kids are currently learning how to run to keep their muscles and growth plates active and healthy. They also swim and are learning kayaking. Fencing and archery are next if I remember correctly." He grinned. "I want to be a student in our school. We have access to the expertise of the district through the special education department, speech and physical therapists, art teachers, the Expert Program which brings world famous artists, writers, actors, singers, and other notable individuals to our school to do workshops. They get the greatness handed to them because the school district can ask anyone to come and they will, that's how important education is here."

Sunstreaker nodded. "Whatever the kids need, yours and ours, they get. No matter what it is."

Jarrod laughed. "Did you know that we have an electron microscope in our science department given to us by the district for our kids. Perceptor said to me that he couldn't understand how I could teach science without one. That goes for the telescope that we have here and we also get access to the planetarium, the Sciences Department on field trips which by the way we take everywhere, as well as trips to Tryticon, the sciences station orbiting Saturn. Our kids have been to Saturn.

"Something else before I forget … four of our habitat's students go to the Autobot schools. We have 35 students now with four of them, all toddlers, going to the Sparkling School in Terra. They're also joined there by three from N.E.S.T. and the Family group which is everyone else who lives here in the Family Tower downtown. We also have about a dozen kids going to Youngling Day in Centurion from that group including N.E.S.T dependents. There's a choice here to have your children go to our schools including this one or attend Cybertronian. Some parents want their kids to have an immersive experience and we support that. You have to apply and get screened now. Before, we could ask but now they have it more organized." He didn't tell them that the 'organized' part came with Earth2's appearance.

"So … we just apply? Can we go and see what that might entail?" someone asked.

Jarrod glanced at Sunstreaker who nodded. "Yes. Contact me about it. Our kids also go to the science and education stations set up around the planet on the Trans-World Highway. They put them there to help kids learn about this place."

"Your kids are welcome too and we fly them there. The trip by ground is too long and there's too much they won't get to see in the time frame if they don't get a lift," Sunstreaker said. "Soon, the Performing Arts Center of Mars will be open and running. There will be training for design, acting, writing, singing, dancing, and directing for students there as well as a schedule of performances of all kinds. The stages are both great and small. The schools will have use of them too. Our greatest actors, writers, singers, artists, and dancers will be housed there along with the symphony which was recovered when we retrieved my great grand amma and appa who will be operational directors of everything. They're the genitors of Alor of Iacon, my amma as well." There was pride in Sunstreaker's voice when he said that, something that warmed Ratchet's spark. "They will be part of the visiting artist program too."

"What do we have to do to join this system, Sunstreaker? Does it come with satellite membership?" someone in the audience asked. It would be a man named William Bell who was in charge of the educational program and schools in the facility. Earth2 had two schools housed in a complex of six classrooms, an elementary and an intermediate system.

"Your application was received and we'll hear it at the school board meeting tomorrow night. We stream the broadcast through our file in the Community Bulletin Board and you can watch it there. You can text us questions and I advise it. The meetings fill up fast so I'd suggest you watch here rather than come. We have massive buy in from the public for the schools and the meetings are huge."

"They hold them in the University main auditorium. Up to 7,000 bots attend to maximum for the room with hundreds of thousands watching and texting online," Ratchet said. He noted the surprise on the humans faces with amusement. "We support our kids and teachers. You have no future if you don't. Not one you might want anyway. I have dozens of children in the schools. Tell them about the satellites we have now, Sunny."

Sunstreaker nodded. "We have our system and then we have associated schools in the satellite program. Earth 1 is a satellite school. We have a lot of home school systems here, mostly by the smaller sects and clans who have religious or cultural reasons to do this. Most of them at some point place their kids into the district school system. They want their kids to learn their values and whatever before they go into the public schools. We support them with books, teaching materials, experts, and access to our school facilities.

"Some of the bigger ones belong to us too. Most of these systems were developed in the Diaspora. Mechs and femmes had to educate their kids themselves but they love it here with the great schools and options. The Circle of Light is one of the biggest groups here and they have a system that teaches their values along with educational stuff. The have the Circle of Light Preparatory Academies all around the colony and most of the places you go to get teaching materials and stuff for your kids are their stores. They supply the best of everything and consult with us about it. I'm an art consultant for them and we work on art skills and supplies for everyone including the district.

"The Prep Academy used to go through to adulthood and graduation but they saw how good our schools were so they cut it off from infant to public school-ready sparklings. They take babies and give them the basics including their ideas, some religion and old school Cybertronian manners. Then the kids go to their parents who do their part the rest of the day. At some point, they keep the kids full time until they have to go to public school. They have a great system. When they get through that, they go to the public schools full time. You can put your kids into the Academy system full time or you can home school through it. Prowler is a student there," Sunstreaker said glancing at Ratchet who nodded. "My amma and appa's new baby, Scout, just started there. My bond's new uncle, Prima, goes there too. My bond's little nieces, Solus and Sojourner Prime attend too. All of them go there until they're ready for public school.

"Your application will be reviewed, then probably okayed. Your teachers will have to attend orientation classes and then be mentored by Jarrod for a while until you get the system down," Sunstreaker said.

"You'll learn about reporting data like we do for the ongoing studies that Sciences and Earth 1 are doing on-world. I'll teach you about the materials and the rest that come with the association. I want to tell you that everything you touch from books to hardware and programs have tamper-proofing devices built in. Use the stuff, don't try and take it apart or it'll automatically alert and send the cavalry in with swords drawn. Nothing you might learn from some device is worth getting banned forever from this place. I can tell you more later," Jarrod said as William nodded.

"You said there are shared events and holidays. What can you tell us about that?" someone in the group asked. "How does that relate to the schools?"

"We have some of your holidays on the calendar, most of them the biggest and most innocuous. We don't go into the religion part of Christmas Surprise. We kept it with us because of someone doing something nice for our kids when we were on Diego Garcia. That's a children's holiday and we like it. The kids loved the decorations and getting presents so that's the part we keep, the family-oriented part. It's a great holiday and we try to build in family events to promote good strong ties again. We've had a hard time, most of us. Thanksgiving is a good holiday for obvious reasons and the rest are holdovers from Diego and the garrison there. We work it out together. The humans do a lot of partying on these dates and others. They can tell you more," Sunstreaker said.

"What about languages and other Cybertronian aspects here. Some of its banned but what about the rest?" someone asked.

Sunstreaker glanced at Ratchet. He looked at the crowd. "Probably none of you will ever learn nor speak our languages. We have over 2,000 common languages and dialects. That doesn't count the endless others that some know and have developed here and there. We work to have everyone fluent in NeoCybex. That's the language you hear most of the time and if there's writing or signage around, it's probably NeoCybex that you're seeing. Your helmets are designed to translate.

"Broadcasts on IntraCom are translated through your television monitors. You'll have to deal on the rest. As for the other … I'm guessing you're speaking about the Temple and Monastery. They're banned for you. Some humans here can go because they earned the trust and they have the respect. You're new and frankly, some of us aren't happy to think there's going to be thousands of you running around. Some of us don't think that many humans will be trustworthy," Sunstreaker said. He stared at them almost as if daring them to test him. No one did for a moment, then a small woman stood.

"My name is Martha Lowry. I'm a Presbyrterian minister who will be handling the spiritual aspects of those here who seek them. I would like to ask if I could talk to the priests and … monks? … the leadership of the Monastery. I would like to pay my respects as a fellow traveler down a spiritual path to enlightenment. Is that possible?" she asked.

"I'd talk to Olivia Bowers," Ratchet said. "She's the contact person I'd think to ask about such things. She'll ask the priests and Cyclonus for you. Understand. We protect ourselves where it counts and those places count. Olivia Bowers is a member of the Circle of Light and teaches classes about them. You might consider becoming one of her students."

"Thank you," Martha said sitting again.

Sunstreaker glanced at Ratchet. "Anything else?"

"No," Ratchet said with a smile. "Where are you going now?"

"To the Club. I have a poker game going," Sunstreaker said with a grin.

"Motor on then. Thanks, Sunny," Ratchet said.

Sunstreaker nodded, then looked at the silent crowd. Transforming before them to his skates, he sped off the deck, along the side of the room, then jetted out with a roar. It reverberated a moment, then everyone turned to Ratchet. He grinned. "He got that from his father," he said to laughter and applause.

-0-TBC 6-11-17 **edited 6-12-17**

NOTES:

There are over 7,000 languages and dialects spoken on Earth and one or two go extinct every week. Some have only one or two speakers left. If you have a native language in your country, learn it. It's your legacy. We have so many here I don't even know what to pick. In the school district in Anchorage, they deal with over 189 languages among the children. I love this planet. I love the diversity and the greatness. Have a great upcoming week, my darlings. X0 - me


	35. Chapter 35

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 35)

-0-Auditorium

"We aren't exactly welcome here in all corners are we, Ambassador?" a woman in the second row asked.

Ratchet considered that, then nodded. "No. We have a tight relationship with all the humans on-world including the consuls who are the newest group here. We protect the relationship, both sides, and the idea that you're so large a group predicts that something will happen eventually to test that. There's too many of you to make this as personal in the way it is with the humans already here. Most of them are family members who even put their kids into our schools. They attend the university and events with us. We are one. You are so many that its going to test that strength."

"We're here to be the best representation of Earth that we can be. We've been tested and understand the importance of the relationship," someone said.

"That makes me happy but our relationships in the past with humans have been spotty. Some of you on Earth would like us gone," Ratchet said as he watched Harris out of the corner of his optic. "Until time passes and trust grows, it might be a good thing for you to know that there isn't universal gladness among The People that you're here. Its rather up to you to change that."

It was silent a moment, then Prowl turned to Ratchet. "If you have this, I've been recalled."

Ratchet nodded, then all of them watched as the big elegant winger walked out of the room. Wheeljack turned to Ratchet. "What's the story? Do you need us more or what?"

"No. Leave me in the sinking ship, slaggers," Ratchet said as Wheeljack laughed, nodded to the humans, then walked out of the room with Perceptor. In seconds, everyone left but Ratchet and the human soldiers and civilians. He glanced at the Earth2 individuals. "Are there further questions?"

There were and they were answered, then Ratchet glanced down at the soldiers and civilians. "It's yours, tiny people." With a lot of slag and hoo-haw, Ratchet of Iacon swished out of the room and was gone.

"When will Optimus Prime visit this place and give us a chance to pay our respects, General?" someone asked Morshower as he stood up and walked to the front of the platform.

"I'm not sure. He has a few things to do," Morshower said in the understatement of the year. They would continue. Ron Witwicky would inform them of the benefits of the Resort, open to all. Lennox would lay down the hammer on the kinds and types of interactions all would have to obey and/or avoid. Graham would review the siren and bunker drills that happened once a month without warning. They were in-house and wouldn't affect anyone outside of the human habitats. They were informed that if they were anywhere else they would have to find the nearest shelter and stand by the doors until the all clear. Their helmets would highlight the nearest shelter to them and guide them there. If it was real, they would have to go inside. Epps explained the myriad events and clubs available to humans and said that if they had ideas they were welcome. There was a whole world of activity going on in the human sphere of influence, apparently.

Morshower told them of the legal stuff once more, the duty of the human community to conduct itself with honor and the hierarchy of command that existed here. Lennox was the alpha and the omega, what he said would be obeyed without question and if he exiled you to the habitat for infractions, there was no appeal process available. Nothing would trump safety and the relationship. By the time that he finished, they were dismissed to go about their business. They cleared the room almost as fast as Sunstreaker had.

The soldiers and humans watched them go. Warren Roberts glanced at Glenn Morshower. "What do you think?"

"99% will be fine. The other 1% keeps me up at night." He turned to Lennox, Epps, and Graham. "They're yours now."

The three nodded grimly.

-0-Med Bay, Earth2

Monica Hall, chief doctor of Earth2 and her nursing staff stood in the middle of a huge immaculate med bay marveling at the beauty, utility and appointments of this, their work station. They were speechless.

-0-Earth2 Elementary School, Earth2

Landon 'Landy' Crebbs walked from the two classrooms of Intermediate School to the two classrooms of Elementary School. His offices and that of the teachers were nearby and the library was the first feature you saw when you entered the huge facility. It was breathtaking in its arrangement and size. The shelves were stocked already in the Dewey Decimal System by someone who knew how to put things together. He stood a moment to stare around, then walked to a room where teaching supplies, materials, equipment, and books were kept. He opened the door, then stepped inside. He paused to look around himself in awe. The bulging shelves, ceiling to floor, seemed to go on forever.

-0-Central Food Production, Earth2

They stood in a state-of-the-art kitchen that defied every expectation they could imagine. The head chef, Rockwell 'Rocky' Rhodes turned to the head baker/cook/dietitian, Larry Larson. "I think we're going to need more cooks."

His partner nodded in astonishment. Nearby in another room, a pantry unlike a big grocery store held pallets of food and a row of freezers, walk-in and carefully organized lined one wall. They stared at them together. "They did this in three days."

His partner, still stunned nodded. Silently.

-0-Sciences Wing, Earth 2

They wandered in and stopped short, stunned by the size and luxury of the facility. It stretched into the distance as nearby along the wall offices beckoned. Light seemed to stream in from all directions and it felt like they were in a science lab that had no roof in the middle of a spring day. They would find that this was the way lighting had been designed everywhere. They would also find that it dimmed in the greater facility like a normal day on Earth to keep to their circadian cycle internally sound. They walked around silently for some time almost afraid to touch anything and spoil the greatness of the moment.

-0-At the Farm

They stood together, the chief agronomist, head botanist and head agricultural director before one of the several garden 'fields' set inside a huge low walled containment on a vast floor that disappeared around them it was so big. The light was bright from the overhead glassed in domes that lit up the space like a summer's day. Many were the fields and in the middle was a grove of trees, shrubs and flowers. They stared at the field knowing full well that the water system was built in. The ground was soft and ready for planting.

The agricultural director, Derek Bell, took off his shoes, rolled up his pant legs, then stepped into the dirt. He walked forward, then closed his eyes. "This feels so great."

The other two would join him. It did.

-0-In apartments all over the housing wing

They walked to the doors that bore their names, noting the piles of things that they had shipped here waiting in front of their apartments on pallets. Among them were crated dogs, cats, birds, small furry rodents, and fish. They were allowed to bring their pets and some had many. The apartments were big and spacious, had comfortable furnishings and a small kitchen. Most of them would eat in the communal dining room everyday but they had the option to cook for themselves too.

Washing facilities were here as well, a two-in-one washer/dryer designed to do the job. No one would have a 'maid' and Harris had the option of inspection. Even those who weren't known to be neat would apply themselves, at least for a while. They were on Mars after all.

-0-Administrative Offices

Cynthia Tomas sat in her big office lined with glass walls that showed the barest hints of Earth 1 in the distance. The office was amazing and fully plumbed to send and receive information swiftly. There would be no 4-20 minute delays of contact between Mars and Earth depending on where it was in its orbit of the sun. The bots would facilitate and expedite their communications.

She had a huge desk, use of one of the three secretaries out in the ante room who would help everyone until personal assistants would be chosen to help lighten their load. She would personalize her office and get in contact with Mikaela Banes and Carly Brooks-Spenser. They were the liaisons with Autobot Nation and the Consulate. Brandon Clark handled the two-way with Earth 1 and they were friends now. She felt almost light-headed as she considered her new life. She picked up the phone and pressed the correct sequence of numbers into it from her leather bound directory.

A voice sounded almost immediately. "Autobot City Communications. How may I help you?" a bot with a nice voice asked.

Cynthia smiled as she consulted her phone directory again. "I would like to place a call to Earth to my family, please."

"Please enter the number into your keypad and I will facilitate the call," the voice said. Sitting at the console at Autobot City Communications, the 'phone company' for the colony, a youngling mech ran the number against the 'special list', then put it through. It had no hold orders against it so it was cleared to go forward. If it had been tagged, it would have been recorded and the call traced to the callee. That/those individual(s) called would have been tracked electronically so threat could be assessed. If there was none, it would be filed and forgotten. If not, it would be forwarded to Special Operations where Mirage would get it. He would then personally investigate it for threat.

A moment passed, then someone spoke. "Hello?"

" **Hi, Mama! This is Cynthia! I'm calling from Mars!"** she said with great happiness.

" **CINDY! YOU MADE IT! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!? TELL ME EVERYTHING!"**

Cynthia Tomas would. Happily.

-0-Harris

He stood in the Great Mezzanine watching the outside elevator doors close. The bots and humans were gone, humans that weren't under his command. Standing with him was a number of the backers of the project. All of them claimed positions here when the plans were approved. Harris didn't mind. They were almost slavish in their loyalty to him, the one who had pushed this through to completion. He turned to them with a grin. "Shall we look around?"

They grinned, nodded, then followed him like puppy dogs as he walked through the entire facility. It would take hours and would be eerie given how gigantically massive the place was and how few humans were presently there. Their footfalls and voices would echo hollowly in the big emptiness. They wouldn't be allowed inside the command center when they reached it which rankled, but none of them made a fuss. They were too busy meeting the bot-human teams that would be everywhere for a while helping them settle in.

-0-On Earth

Groups all over the world gathered at the transport places to be ready to go to Mars. They would come in groups of 1,000 now. After the first group, it was clear that the intentions of nearly everyone was to come, do a good job and be a good neighbor. Ratchet had okayed larger groups with Prime who was busy with Cybertron and a hearing for Proteus. He left it to Rachet. Ratchet was good to go.

Then he got a call from the Pioneer School about Hero.

-0-After school in Metrotitan

Ratchet leaned back out of view, hidden to one side on the sidewalk nearby watching as an aide stood in the doorway of the Central Office which was now in a tower in Metrotitan along with her special school. The streets were busy with firemen, police, and a number of other emergency service personnel intersperced with civilians and businesses, their customers coming and going. A cafe across the street had guests eating and talking together on the sidewalk chairs and tables. It felt busy and easygoing all around. Standing with her aide, Hero with her little blue backpack firmly in place was listening as she got her marching orders.

Then with the aide watching, Hero walked to the cab stand to wait for one that had been called for her. She was small and shiny, a tiny mini-femme version of Ironhide waiting for a ride to her amma and appa's store. Some individuals walking by paused to ask if she was okay. She smiled up at them and nodded.

Then a cab drove up and paused at the stand. The door opened so Hero walked in. The door closed, then the cab pulled out. Transforming behind it, Ratchet pulled into traffic to follow discreetly. The cab drove through the cities and headed up Temple for the Polyhex Business Plaza where RTR Tools was. It pulled into a cab stand, then the door opened. A tiny femme with a blue backpack stepped out and walked down the sidewalk to her amma and appa's door. She reached it without incident. As she pondered how to open the door, a big red servo overhead pushed the button. Glancing up, Hero smiled. " **ADA! I TOOK A CAB BY MYSELF TO AMMA AND APPA'S STORE! I HELPED THEM SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO COME GET ME!"**

Ratchet grinned at his daughter. "You always do, baby. Tell us all about it. I think I need some Oreos."

They walked in and the door closed behind them.

-0-TBC 6-11-17 **edited 6-12-17**


	36. Chapter 36

My internet was down last night, hardware problem at the ISP's end. I am hoping it will be up and working today but if it isn't I will post today's piece somewhere else using their internet. This is yesterday's piece and today's will be shortly. HUGS! -Me, losing to technology.

The Diego Diaries: Proteus (dd6 36)

-0-In a conference room in the Control Center of Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Prime sat quietly listening to the experts as they lay out their cases and studies of the defendant, Proteus of Iacon. Jarro and Rung were telling of their efforts both before, during and now after his request to be sentenced after changing his plea to guilty. With them was Proteus' attorney, Sherrod, Lauren from the Temple, Blackstone for the Public Defender's Office who was here given the severity of the crimes charged, Coln-2 to represent the Prime's Brief, Ratchet for medical issues, and someone not seen or heard from much, Maduro, the bond of Proteus.

+Maduro had come in a later migration and was startled to find that Proteus had survived. They were a devoted bond but Maduro was hardly known among the ruling class, such was his shyness and need for isolation. When he had finally worked up the nerve to visit the prison, it had shocked Proteus greatly. They spoke every day and Maduro came as often as he could. He was living in an apartment in Bern on total disability. His crippling agoraphobia wasn't helped by the scorn he heard on occasion when Proteus' name would come up in conversation. Now with the Functionalists here, it was an agony for him. He sat beside Lauren staring at the tabletop looking as miserable as he could be.

Prime listened as Prowl took the record and Ironhide sat like a Buddha beside Ratchet. Lauren had spoken of a change in Proteus after Maduro arrived. He had asked for a priest and they talked regularly. Proteus, always religious, had asked for copies of the Chronicles and the Commentaries. They discussed guilt, remorse and redemption every time they met.

Jarro and Rung spoke of a long process of change in thinking brought about by the success of the colony, a multi-caste creation and how it appeared that most of what Proteus had held dearest was slag in actual practice. No one low caste should have made the success they had if they were in charge of the outcome. They had and he was shocked by it, the first real hit to his personal belief system in his incarceration. The colony glittered before him, the robust commerce of the colony and its constantly busy airfields, the connections with aliens and the rise of Cybertron had made it harder to hold certain views as true and inviolate. Prime had taken Cybertron without a shot. That meant the Pantheon did indeed hold him dear.

All of the supports for the ideas and beliefs that Proteus had held up were slag. That Maduro had collapsed down to a hermit existence that was also filled with agonized regrets and sorrows had preyed on him as well. His world had imploded and so had his longheld beliefs in just about every corner of his thinking. He was adrift on a sea of regrets. Rung and Jarro had both worked on his case given the severity of the charges and the possible penalties which allowed two points-of-view to be presented. Both of them coincided it would seem to Prime as he listened.

Gee-Gee was next and spoke of an exemplary prisoner who had earned the right to greater privileges. Proteus worked in her office organizing data and helping with casework preparation for prisoners, mundane work that he did cheerfully. He had also become a 'jail house lawyer' speaking for prisoners when they fragged up and had a date with the warden about punishment. He was good at it and soon he was the one everyone wanted, though some of them still told him that he better never be loose around them, he would still be so dead, so fast.

He spoke of his regrets, she said. Her own sensibilities and experience led her to believe him and when his bond would creep in to meet with him, Gee-Gee said his tenderness and fear for Maduro had become a central part of his effort to reform.

"I've seen every kind of inmate, every kind of scam, heard every kind of story," she said. "I have hardwired into my processor a slag detector that hasn't let me down yet. I knew from looking at him that Maelstrom was reformable. I have only had two prisoners return here not counting that slagger, Sideways. By the way … he was on release before I became warden," she said with a slight grin. "I wouldn't have let him out myself." She continued onward and came to the same conclusion that everyone else had, that Proteus was a genuine case of contrition.

Prime nodded, then turned to Maduro. "Do you wish to add something, Maduro? I would appreciate anything you can tell me from your own insight and perspective."

Maduro flinched. "I … I hope you feel … I seek mercy. We don't deserve it, either of us. But I know that you bear the Matrix and that you are kind, sir. I just ask for mercy. Thank you." He hung his helm as he sat in great misery.

:Ratchet, can you help him?: Prowl asked as he stared at Maduro with concern.

:After this is over, I'll take him in and see what we can do. He looked like a chronically depressed mech: Ratchet replied.

Lauren who was sitting next to Maduro took his servo and squeezed it. Maduro glanced at the priest, then leaned into him for comfort with evident fear and exhaustion on his face.

"Blackstone?" Prime asked.

Blackstone spoke for Proteus acknowledging his crimes but asking also for mercy not only for Proteus but for Maduro as well. He had changed and the Pantheon had always indicated that redemption and mercy should be available for all who tried. He had a bad hand but he did his best. Coln-2 was next and laid out the case for a permanent punishment for the magnitude of his crimes. Maduro seemed to shrink as he did. Sherrod was last with an accounting of his behavior … impeccable … and his efforts to change which were many. It was silent a moment after he spoke as Prime digested the information solemnly. "Ratchet?" Prime asked.

"I think he's sound and given the reports clear in his processor about what he's doing. I find nothing to hinder his decision," Ratchet said.

Prime nodded. "Thank you." He glanced at Gee-Gee. "Please bring the prisoner in, Warden."

Gee-Gee nodded, then walked to the door. Leaning out, she spoke, then a big mech followed her in. He was very handsome, impeccable in his form and manner as he stopped at the end of the table. He bowed from the waist to Prime, then took the offered seat. Nodding to Sherrod, Lauren and everyone else, he took Maduro's servo into his own.

"Proteus, we are here to decide upon the penalty that must be applied given your plea. I would like to hear from you. I am interested in your path toward this moment," Prime said.

Proteus nodded. "I've been wrong for so long about so many things its hard to find a starting place," he said quietly. "I think when I saw the children here, all the babies together and yours, Ratchet, all of them living without malice or second thoughts … it made me think about Cybertron and my responsibility to the children there. Too many died or suffered deprivations because of me. I could have done something but I didn't. I was part of a terrible unforgiveable process for which all the remorse in the world cannot change a thing. But I feel it. It's the biggest part of me, my remorse. I don't expect you to believe that but it's true."

Prime nodded. "Continue."

"I've spent a lot of time thinking and I know I have no excuse for what I did and participated in. Even saying this was what I was raised to believe belies the fact that I was an adult, could see what was happening and it didn't change a thing. I have no defense. I have only remorse. I'm sorry for what I did and didn't do. I'm sorry to all I've harmed and I'm sorry for my bond's suffering which is on me alone. I know I have a debt and I'm ready to pay whatever it is you command, Lord Optimus. But I also want to say that I apologize to you for my treatment of your Primeship. I never felt the Matrix or the One bless us during a festival prior to choosing you. It only happened with you."

Prime nodded. "I am aware that you have spent time speaking with Heatout. Do you wish to speak to that or have him here?"

Proteus thought, then nodded. "If he could come. I want you to know I'm not concocting an escape route with this request. I want you to understand how I've changed. No matter what you decide for or against me, I will accept the punishment but it matters to me that you understand that I've changed and my feelings are sincere."

Prime nodded as Prowl sent the request. It was silent a bit longer until a door opened and a big handsome bot stepped inside. He nodded to everyone, then paused by the table. "You wish my presence, Lord Optimus?"

Prime nodded. "Yes, Heatout. We are hearing the guilty plea of Proteus preparatory to sentencing. I have asked you to come and perhaps speak for him."

Heatout glanced at Proteus, then Prime. Drawing a chair, he sat. "Of course." He glanced at Proteus, then nodded to him encouragingly. He looked at Prime. "You know that we believe that love is the greatest force of the universe and that it's power can move mountains. There is no force or figure we believe that can stand against it. When Proteus called me to speak, I came curiously. I have no more reason to forgive him than anyone else but I have a duty to my beliefs, among them forgiveness and love, so I came. He asked hundreds of questions, sought the truth everywhere he could. I gave him books and lectures, videos and letters. He changed before my eyes. I didn't expect him to do that because I felt inside myself hesitation to forgive but I did. That is my reward, to put down that burden and help him help himself. I believe that he feels the changes. He is truthful about his sincere apology and wants to do something that will help us all go forward.

"I asked him what would he do if you deactivated him. His crimes are vast. He told me that he would accept it. He told me that he would be scared but he would do whatever you and the Matrix demanded. He just wants someone to look after Maduro."

Maduro lay his helm down on the table as he softly began to cry. Ratchet scanned him, then formulated a digit to give him an injection. Maduro relaxed a bit, then sat up with a ravaged expression. He was calmer but the devastation was clear. "Do you want to lie down, Maduro?" Ratchet asked gently.

"No," he whispered. "I have to help Proteus."

Proteus squeezed Maduro's servo, then looked at Prime. He sat straighter. "No matter what my outcome is, please take care of Maduro. He is blameless."

Prime stared at Proteus, then the others. He felt churning inside as he spoke the only words he could. "Proteus of Iacon, you are found guilty of crimes of a magnitude that require a consulation with the Matrix. I cannot give you a sentence until I do. Your willingness to face up to your actions is commendable and will be part of my discussion with the Matrix. However, this is beyond me alone. I hope you understand." Prime felt a warmth rising in him, the Matrix making itself present to Optimus.

Proteus nodded. "I do, Lord Optimus," he said with a slight tinge of fear. "You must do what you must. I understand."

Prime nodded, then sat straighter in his chair. His optics dimmed as he waited. The warmth of the Matrix rose up through his body and in seconds he left third dimensional density toward the astral plane. As he did, those waiting sat tensely, watching as the personal choice for envoy of their gods left this world to go to Theirs for wisdom.

-0-TBC 6-13-17 I am hard at work on the next segment. :D


	37. Chapter 37

The Diego Diaries: Redeem (dd6 37) Here you go, Leoness! :D

Today's segment. :D

-0-Somewhere else

The room faded and Prime was gone to another place. Watching him with degrees of awe and expectation, one could hear a pin drop in the room. Elsewhere, it was different.

Optimus Prime stood on a busy street in Simfur. Bots were going about their business and the traffic was thick. He looked around himself, then noticed no one seemed to see him. One even walked through him, a slightly disorienting experience. Turning, he paused in surprise. Standing on the sidewalk was his namesake, Orion. He smiled. "Come wif me." Then the little mech walked forward into the street and all its brisk traffic.

Startling, Prime followed the baby until he was on the other side sidewalk. The traffic had driven though them. He knelt. "Orion … where are we? Can anyone see us?"

Orion smiled broadly and patted Prime's ped. "No. Shes not see me, Orion and Otis. Comed you to me there," he said pointing down the street. He turned that way and began to walk.

Prime rose to follow, noting that this was Simfur before the war. This was one of his favorite cities on-world and he felt every ounce of its great beauty as he followed the tiny child heading in the direction of the Temple. Winding this way and that, they finally arrived.

Orion stared at the steps, then Prime. **"OTIS! YOU HELPEDED ME, ORION?!"**

Prime grinned, then gently plucked the baby from the ground. Together, they went forward into the grounds, then up to the great door. Inside, there was light. Entering, they walked to the railing that protected the AllSpark and Well from visitors such as Orion falling in. As they stood silently watching it together, it began to gather light on its surface. Light arced across the AllSpark like lightning bursts and as it did the illumination grew.

Glancing around, Prime noted that he and Orion were the only ones there. "Orion, what do we do now?"

Orion who was standing on his servo glanced upward at Prime. "You want help with Proteus. You came for advice," the tiny bot said.

Prime who was startled for a moment at the adult language coming from the language-impaired baby nodded. "I do. I have the power of life and death, yet this mech who has terrible crimes to his credit has sought and found redemption. I require counsel for my decision."

"What do you want yourself? What would you, Orion Pax, seek for this mech?" Orion asked.

"Mercy. Hope. I am weary of prisons and punishments," Prime said. "But I am Prime and I have to think more globally. It's not my job to imprint my own personal beliefs and mores on this situation. The crimes in question are deplorable."

"But you are still Orion Pax," Orion said.

Prime nodded. "I am but I am now Optimus Prime."

"You can't separate them, Optimus. You are one and both. Both of them inform your opinions and decisions. For you to divide one away from the other would be a mistake. You argue about duality here when you already know the answer."

Prime stared at the tiny bot, then grinned. "You are very wise, Orion."

Orion smiled brilliantly. "I, Orion knowed things. I doing with the shes. You doing with the shes. Do the thing you doing. You know."

Prime grinned slightly, then raised Orion to kiss his tiny helm. "I do what I do for you and everyone else. I have to make sure that my decisions do not backfire some fine orn when we do not see it coming."

"That is true," Orion said with a nod. "What does your spark tell you about this?"

Prime considered that. "It tells me that mercy is preferrable. It tells me that a life without it is no life. It tells me that he has changed and perhaps all of us have."

"Then you know what to do," Orion said with a brilliant smile. "I, Orion, am glad to help you, Orion Pax of Iacon, Optimus Prime of everywhere. You make US here very happy. Don't over think."

Prime grinned. "I will try not to. Which one are you by the way?" he asked as Orion stared up at him with a smile.

"I, Orion. I doing with the shes. I go der and do this and that. I go der and bees with my shes. Or so I'm told by a very cute, very small little kid," the Orion figure said. He grinned, then hugged Prime's thumb. Turning on Prime's servo to face the AllSpark and the Well, he leaped off and dove into the Well disappearing immediately.

Prime who for a moment had to hold himself back to follow 'Orion' watched as the Well began to churn. It rose upward, the blue liquid center, then a figure began to form out of it, a figure of great beauty. Prime knelt down and bowed his helm. "Lord Primus. I am honored."

"I would agree about you, Optimus, but what sort of father would I be if I didn't?" the figure asked with a cheerful tone. "Rise, please."

Optimus stood slowly, his optics never leaving the silvery golden figure of the mech whose mission he represented in third dimensional space and time. "Lord, I came here to find wisdom and guidance."

"I know," Primus said. "I came here to give it to you. I rather enjoyed my format. That infant is a lot of fun I would think. He is your namesake?"

"He is and he is a very loved child," Prime replied.

Primus nodded. "I am very well pleased with your progress, My son. I am happy with things and I know you will find the Omega Keys. I know you wish Me to tell you but where would be the fun in that?" he asked with a grin. "You know that I will be pleased with your decision. I know you will think outside the box. It would be easy to be them but you aren't, so I am with you in this instance. This is why I chose you, My beloved son. You can think beyond the predictable and generally acceptable levels of possibility."

Prime nodded. "Thank you, Lord Primus. Your assistance is appreciated more than You can know."

Primus smiled. "I had a notion," he said. He nodded. "Go and do your duty, My dear one. You always have and you always will be honorable. I am well pleased."

With that, Optimus Prime was back in a conference room on Mars.

-0-Back

Prime sat up straighter in his chair and glanced around the room. Everyone waiting watched him with varying degrees of fear, awe and uncertainty. Prime thought a moment as he gathered his thoughts, then leaned forward on his elbows. "I have discussed this with Lord Primus Himself."

Proteus gasped, then gripped Maduro's servo tighter. It was incredibly tense in the room as they stared at Prime. Optimus leaned on his elbows as he formulated what he wanted to say. He looked at Proteus who looked resigned but afraid. "Proteus, you have done terrible things and you know it. That works in your favor with me and with the Powers. I could sentence you to permanent stasis but that is not a punishment that I can tolerate and still believe in a just society. I can put you in prison for a long time but it will not undo anything that has happened.

"I will sentence you for two vorns of service to the colony. You will work at whatever you are asked to do. You will do it to a high level of ability and without complaint. I am asking you, Heatout, to take him on part of the work day to do whatever work you see fit to assign to him. The rest of the orn, you will report to the prison to assist Warden Gee-Gee in her efforts to reform prisoners and to represent them in their hearings.

"I will allow you to live with your bond who I am ordering you to take care of, to assist him to a better condition and manner of life. You will also allow Ratchet and his reconstruction team to modify your format so that you can move around in our society without anyone knowing who you once were. Since Proteus is a common name, I see no reason to change that. You are now Proteus of Kaon, a city and city-state that suffered greatly from your actions and inactions. Proteus of Iacon no longer exists. If you prove to be less than the mech you say you are and who we hope you now have become, I will revoke these conditions and you will be deactivated for five vorns. At the end of the sentence, we will meet again and discuss removing you from the control of the state permanently. Do you understand?" Prime asked.

Proteus stared at Prime without comprehension. He blinked, then looked at Maduro who was in a world of suffering all his own. Glancing at Prime, he half rose, then sat again. "Are you offering me mercy? Do I get to be with Maduro and help somehow? Is that possible?"

"Slag yeah," Ironhide said. "It's because he's Prime, Proteus. That's why it's possible."

Proteus stared at Prime, then stood, his grasp of Maduro's servo tightly gripped. He bowed from the waist, then stared at Prime with emotion. "I will not let you down," he said. "You are indeed The One Who Comes."

"Ratchet, please take both of them to the hospital. I expect that you will do the honors but please … assist Maduro," Prime said.

Ratchet stood. "I will. Rung and Jarro, I will be referring both to you but especially Maduro. I may keep him in overnight with Proteus. Then we can get this ball rolling."

Jarro and Rung nodded. Proteus turned to Sherrod and Blackstone, then bowed deeply. He bowed to Heatout. "I am forever in your debt. There is nothing you can ask that I won't do." He turned to Gee-Gee. "Warden, I am yours to command." He looked at Heatout. "Tell me what to do and I will do it. It doesn't matter. I am yours."

Heatout nodded. "I will be waiting at the Halls. When you can come, do."

Proteus nodded, then helped Marduro to his peds. He glanced at Prime with great emotion on his face. "Thank you," he managed around it.

Prime nodded. Ratchet led them out followed by Rung and Jarro. The door shut, then Heatout turned to Prime. "You surprise me every orn."

"He's The One Who Comes," Gee-Gee said as she leaned back in her chair. "I'm not surprised."

"Gratified," Blackstone said as Sherrod nodded. "I suspect this will be the last good hearing on this group that we have."

No one argued.

-0-In the hospital

Maduro sat on a med berth with plugs galore in him. It was agonizing for him to go to the hospital through the public so Ratchet ordered a medivac. He was run down, low in a number of areas that would account for some of his condition but most of his trouble was emotional and psychological. He was unable to bear the burden of the things Proteus had done. He was sensitive and decent so the whole business of life on Cybertron was an agony. Here, he hid away qualifying for full disability. What he needed he could order brought, so he hid away, agonized and lonely.

"What can we do for him, Doctor?" Proteus asked fearfully.

"He's going to be a full time patient of Processor Health with daily sessions until we get a bead on his condition. You'll attend too. Right now, he's staying overnight. We're going to get you squared away so you can take him home and get on with your life." Ratchet stared at Proteus. "I never believed you were hopeless. Much."

Proteus grinned faintly. "Thanks. I deserved that."

Ratchet grinned, then signaled an orderly to take Maduro to a room for rest and rehabilitation via transfunsion and internal defragging of some of his programming. Proteus walked with him and when he was lying down and underway, he turned to Ratchet. "What now, Doctor?"

"You come with me and we get you revamped. If anyone out there saw you now they would tear you from limb-to-limb. Remember ... Proteus of Iacon is dead and gone. Proteus of Kaon was born today. How long he lives is up to you."

Proteus nodded, then glanced at Maduro who looked relaxed at last. "Proteus of Kaon has to live forever," he said, then he followed Ratchet out of the room.

-0-Mid orn the next day

Proteus, changed completely in form and still reverberating over the concept of freedom walked into the Halls of Order. He looked around, then saw the directory. Walking to the elevator, he want up, then headed for the office of Heatout. Entering, he asked to see the boss and was let into the big mech's office.

Bent over a map with several books open around him on a big table in the corner of the well lit and well appointed office, Heatout didn't notice him at first. "Heatout? It's me, Proteus," he asked somewhat uncertainly.

Heatout looked up, then smiled. " **Proteus!** You look completely different. It's a good look. I suppose you came to work?"

"I did," he said.

"How is Maduro?" Heatout asked as he walked to the door and out to the hallway.

Proteus followed. "He's staying over one more night. They found some treatments that will help him. He's much better now."

Heatout stopped before a door at the end of the long hall. "I'm glad. How are you?"

"Penitent. Extremely grateful," he said with emotional emphasis.

Heatout grinned. "Good. How about this?" he asked as he reached into the small room and brought out a broom.

Proteus looked at it, then laughed. "I would be honored."

They chatted a moment, then Proteus took the broom and began to work. That closet would become his office, the one he would have more fond memories about than any other and nowhere in the colony would a building be more lovingly cleaned than this one.

-0-TBC 6-14-17 **edited 6-15-17**

ESL: mores: (more-ays) - the beliefs and actions that you hold for yourself or your society/group holds Example: "He was a pacifist and his mores dictated that he didn't fight anyone."


	38. Chapter 38

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 38) needs editing. :D

-0-At Earth2

Ratchet stood on the platform in the huge auditorium as people began to fog in. They were ecstatic over their situation and ready to get on with things. Part of that was the chat with Ratchet and The Boys. He had been given discretion by Prime so he had allowed 1,500 humans to come this time. That would mean two more of these talks with the remaining 3,000 who were yet to arrive. By Martian Friday everyone who was supposed to be here would be.

The sun outside was streaming brightly into the massive room as the first third of the space was filling up with men, women and children, young and old, excited, interested and expectant. He had decided that this group, the families, secondary workers and elders would be a good group to do at once. The remaining were families and those who were part of the 'life' of the habitat and who would be part of studies to determine effects of life here on children, babies, and elders. They would be shopkeepers, make the newspapers and handle the downlink to Earth and all its many communications and public relations possibilities. In short, the Quality of Life Squad.

They settled, then Harris stood. "Thank you. I would like to introduce Ambassador Ratchet for the talk. I hope you pay strict attention to his directions and that of the soldiers who will be next." He sat.

Ratchet looked them over, then scanned the slag out of them. Talk burst out of the group, then settled as the electrical sensation hit all of them. "I just scanned you. I now have files of everyone in this room and in the other group. I know who you are from the bracelet with your information you wear, the microchip in your arm and your profile of health which I just took. Some of you are nursing conditions that aren't life threatening. Some of you are older and have elder issues. Most of you are very healthy. We have a medic coming here once a month to do that and consult with your medical staff. The hierarchy of human medical command begins at N.E.S.T with their doctor and Will Lennox will fill you in when he speaks.

"Right now, you know the rules about the dangers and how important safety is. I cannot stress it enough myself. Make it clear to the most vulnerable among you … you will die if you make a mistake out there. If you remove your helmet for any reason, you die. We have a retrieval system for humans where a team from a bridge comes for you. It's activated immediately by tech in your gear. Sometimes it might be fast enough, but what if it isn't? You may live but it would be with serious impairments.

"Lennox is the boss hog here on-world. What he says goes and even you, Harris, won't have the authority to deny or undermine that authority. There is no human around who knows life here like Lennox, Epps and Graham. Your access outside is going to be heavily supervised for a long time until we're all clear that everyone is up to the challenges that await you out there as carbon based lifeforms. As for the bots … we're used to you and will watch for you on sensors. However, if there's a fight or if you go to or too near to the bars here you may get crushed to death. We're a martial society and our people have been through a lot. Sometimes, things happen. Be aware.

"We work off the Terran Military Clock, the TMC, and we have Martian Monday through Sunday as a courtesy for the humans here. The Hu-An also have a circadian cycle like you so we're going to work from that for your sake. Cybertron, itself, has a nearly 47 hour day and we have a 'week' of fourteen days. We kept the fourteen day set up here utilizing the conditions of this planet. Some of us can go forever without recharge and some of us don't need it but live a settled life anyway.

"You will find endless similarities to your life on Earth here on Mars among us. It does us all good to seek them. Even though we are a very unlikely alien, we're a sentient species of immense antiquity. Some say we are the first species ever. Be that as it may, we have enormous experience with aliens ourselves and we want your life here to be good. I expect there to be a learning curve but I also expect that you will meet it and mutual respect can be achieved here like it has been at the Sciences Habitat, N.E.S.T. HQ, the Consulate, and among the families at the Tower and the Resort.

"I'm aware that you were filled in about this facility and what happens if you so much as put a nail in the wall. We have staff, both human and bot, who can do what you might need to have done. They've been trained to handle the special qualities of this habitat. Structural integrity is essential to safety and you don't know what can be built into the walls. You might hammer a nail into something integral for the entire facility and cause a catastrophe. This facility can sustain a nuclear blast. But it only takes the loss of one nail to lose the horse race." Ratchet chuckled. "I'm not sure that's a correct rendering of the expression I wanted to use but it serves my purpose."

The humans who were entranced clapped and whistled.

"This group is different from the first because there are children here. They're a serious responsibility in normal circumstances but here it can be lethal. We have specialized gear for children who live here. Our older children are not the worry. They're professional in their conduct and understanding. Babies? Not so much. I know they've trained with their gear but training and being here are much different. It's up to you to be on top of this and if there are any problems out there, security will appear and grab you to safety. You have been shown that program but nothing beats seeing it in action." Ratchet turned to Epps. "How about pressing your distress button?"

Epps did and almost immediately a bridge burst into sight with a pair of bots stepping in. With a grin, they grabbed Epps by the arms and jumped back in. The bridge closed immediately. Everyone stared at the empty spot with astonishment.

Ratchet laughed. "That's how fast it is when there's a problem or if there's tampering. They grab and go. You might survive or not … it depends on the catastrophe. Don't assume because they come that fast that you have less duty to be vigilant. They're even faster for children and practice everyday for any kind of problem. They know seconds count and there's a habitat into which you're pulled that will keep you safe and alive. Everyone of you are on their radar. Now we have 6,272 signals to monitor. It should be stated that none of the humans on-world before you ever had to be recalled but for one. That was because of illness overtaking them. As it goes now, different habitats have a contest amongst them to see who has the best record of non-utilization of the set up from New Year to year's end." Ratchet turned to them with a grin. "How's that going?"

"We're 0 and 1," Lennox said. "We gave Olivia's rescue to the Tower and they gave her back."

Snickers were had, then Ratchet turned back to the crowd. "Let me tell you about the supply system here and now it works."

-0-At the same time on Cybertron

They sat with a local council, one comprised of elders and hard working mechs who had kept the communities together through all their long ordeal on-world. Prime listened as they outlined their progress. Ironhide kept the record and noted what they needed so it could be provided. Much of the local progress was because capable mechs of all castes had banded together, sometimes with the former Decepticon leaders to get things done.

The list was made, then the topic changed. An elder nodded to Prime. "Lord Optimus, what is the status for the Functionalists? I recall them when I was a youth and I lost family and friends during their recalls."

"We have them in custody and there will be a Primal Tribunal. The crimes of which they are accused are beyond just me to adjudicate. The Pantheon will be called upon to hear the accusations and make the final decision. I will render my verdict but the Pantheon has the final say."

"There can be no penalty harsh enough for what they did. They murdered children and babies," a big mech said with considerable heat. "What about theirs? I heard that 4,500 of their people were with the Council."

"There were that many but more than half of them were servant class. They came with their families and if they owe a debt by their conduct they too will stand accused as well. We are not Cybertron under Sentinel or Nominus. We cannot seek vengence or act in a way that invites the tyrannies of the past back into our lives. We have changed. Our world and our lives are what they must be if we are to resurrect ourselves in a decent way. You must trust in the Matrix," Prime said.

The grim faced mech nodded. "I have no problem with the Matrix. I have a big problem with them. What you did, Lord Optimus … it was the only thing you could do without abandoning them. The Council did that. That has to be a charge against them. They left them after they killed them knowing a predatory group was ready to come and pillage. That has to be paid in kind."

Prime considered the group before him, hardworking decent mechs and femmes. "Justice, as much as it can be afforded considering the horror of these actions, will be served. You have my word of honor."

It was silent a moment, then the elder nodded. "We believe you. But you might want to know that there is a Functionalist enclave by the Sea of Mercury. They gathered there after the Fall and you might want to do something about them before others decide to do it for you."

Prime rose, then nodded. "Thank you, Abba, for the information. I think that we need to go there now."

-0-Earth2

"And that pretty much sums up how this colony runs, where you can go and not go, what you can and can't do, and what the penalities are if you mess up. Lennox can't save you nor can anyone else here if you decide that you want to tinker, pitch a fit, make trouble, break a law, or be an aft in any manner," Ratchet said.

"I won't," Lennox said with a pointed expression. "I'm not here to get you out of trouble if you screw up. Having you gone makes my life better. There have been 900, then 1,200 and now 5,000 of us here. Before you came, we were all good. I want it kept that way. It's up to you but if you can't, you're going. All I have to do is say go and you're gone. Remember that. I don't like funerals."

The conference continued, several dozen questions were asked, then the n00bie humans were dismissed. They nearly ran from the room in their excitement to see the place and begin. The locals and Ratchet watched them go, then glanced at each other. "We only have to do this two more times. By Martian Friday they will all be here," Niall said with a slight grin. "This is going to be strange."

Ratchet nodded. "It is but for most of them … 99% of them, this is going to be a good thing. I think they'll be great. Its the 1% that makes me nervous, Harris and the other hot shots."

"The billionaires," Graham said with a nod.

Then Epps grinned. "Did you know that they offered me a job here? They would pay me half a million dollars to be part of the security force in the habitat"

Everyone turned to him. "What did you tell them?" Ron Witwicky asked.

Epps frowned. "What did you think I said?"

"Yes?" Will asked with a grin. It was all slag after that.

-0-On the way back to N.E.S.T. HQ

Ratchet had modified his design into a cabover so that all of the soldiers could fit. The others were catching a ride on a delivery truck. "Epps … who asked you to join them?"

:Harris: Bobby Epps replied. :Why?:

"I'm going to create an atmosphere in here, boys. Take off your hoods,: Ratchet said with a smirky tone. They did. "What about telling this to Morshower? It's a violation of the agreement to solicit others from their jobs. This might be useful to getting into whatever it is Harris thinks he's doing."

"You mean accept the offer?" Epps asked with surprise. "I gathered he was joking."

"Was he?" Ratchet asked.

"I don't know. Rich old men are a bit out of my experience," Epps said with a grin.

"Let me talk to Morshower about it. It might come to nothing or you might be making large at the habitat," Ratchet said with a smile in his voice.

"Lucky me. If I have to do this then make sure I get a few paychecks in the bank before you pull the plug," Epps said as they motored onward down the road.

-0-TBC 6-15-17 **edited 6-16-17**


	39. Chapter 39

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 39) It's beautiful here. I hope it is where you are. HUGS!

-0-Later that afternoon

He stood by the window of his office on the first deck of the three deck behemoth that would now be home. The window allowed a spectacular view of the terrain outside. He had dreamed of this all his life and had been busy building his own tech and plan to come to Mars himself. Born into wealth, he had massively increased it by building 'future tech' and improving things that existed. He had his own rocket program and had plans to colonize Mars ahead of everyone.

Then the bots came.

He had joined Owen Harris and the other three to put the proposal and fund the project together. It had taken years and a lot of compromise for the bots to green light the operation but he was here, standing on Mars. It had been an agitation all day long, being here. He hadn't expected it to be so but he was home now. He, at long last, was home.

As he looked out the window it became clear to him what he had to do. Without a backward glance, Hamilton Brown walked to the door and out to the transport room where the land vehicles were kept. He would reach it, then with a bit of serendipity make it outside for the long drive to The Fortress and Operational Center for the Autobots.

He had to talk to Optimus Prime.

-0-In a doorway at The Fortress

Prowl turned slowly, seductively as he paused by the door on his way back to the command center. He had brought Prime reports on the Functionalist group they had to remove from Cybertron. Doing so, he found himself posing this way and that for Optimus who sat listening with a smoldering optic of his own. As he turned to say something sexy, the intercom buzzed a message. "Sam-sin to Commander Prowl."

Prowl halted with a slight frown. "Prowl here."

"Sir, this is Sam-sin, commanding the center at Earth2. We have a runner," he said.

Prowl considered that. "How and who?"

"We were debugging code and the system dropped for a nanosecond. He must have hit the outside lock in between that and it coming back up again. Its Hamilton Brown, sir," Sam-sin said.

"Can you intercept?" Prowl asked.

"No, sir," Sam-sin said. "He's driving one of the big trucks. Emergency Services is tailing him and can step in if it gets dangerous but he's only driving straight your way at the moment. He acknowledges us but says he has to speak to you. It's urgent."

Prowl glanced at Prime who shrugged. "Very well," Prowl said. "Tail him. Intervene if necessary but let him come here. Assist if he can't figure it out. We will receive him here."

"Very well, Earth2 Command, out."

Prowl stared at Prime. "Where were we?" he asked with a slight grin.

Prime grinned back. Minutely. "Say it," he whispered.

They stared at each other, then Prowl turned slightly so his wings could be seen in the way that Prime liked. He stared at Optimus with a smoldering glance, then in the softest voice possible he said, "N.A.I.L.S."

A thrill went up and down Prime's neural net at the exquisite sound of Prowl's voice, then it went to the Pit when he noticed Elita and Jazz standing in the doorway behind Prowl. He grinned anyway. "Say it again."

Prowl who was preoccupied with Prime didn't notice them standing there with big sappy grins on their faces. Leaning in toward Optimus, he grinned. "N.A.I.L.S," he whispered.

A voice whispered behind Prowl. "What are we doing?"

Prowl flinched, then stood up straight immediately. He turned toward the door where Jazz and Elita stood with big smiles. Then he turned toward Prime who was grinning broadly as he sat in his chair. "You knew they were there?"

"Maybe," Optimus said with a chuckle.

"We have a runner," Elita said as she smirked at Prowl. "We need to get the butterfly net out. Do you think he's coming here because he's you, Optimus, or because he's Prowl?"

"Either one is a step up from spies who lurk around," Prowl said testily.

Prime stood, then grinned. "Shall we go find out?"

They walked out together to wait for Hamilton Brown to arrive.

-0-On the way to The City

They formed up around him, hot cars with Emergency Services tattoos on their doors. They had been dispatched to help Brown make it in one piece to The Fortress where a number of bots, the three N.E.S.T. soldiers and a medic would be waiting. He drove swiftly in traffic that might or not be sentient. The cars were odd to him. The bots were huge and tall but in car form they were the same size as most vehicles on Earth.

Odd, that.

He drove onward heading for the big stone building many miles away. It would take a bit of time but he would get there and when he did he would drive up the ramp that was there for that purpose and head across a rec room filled with giant bots and furniture toward a door that led to Prime's inner sanctum. He had to hurry. He stepped on it as he flew down the road.

-0-Ops Center

They lounged around the table as the N.E.S.T. humans walked to the center to sit on chairs or stand around. Will Lennox was torn between intense amusement and intense irritation. Another human had caught Autobot City Syndrome and was heading for Prime to do and say who knew what. They had about a dozen cases now, usually happening this fast and all of them recovered in a few days.

All it took was rest and anti-delusional drugs. Or so he was told. This one was the first breech of protocol in the Earth2 saga. It would be up to him to decide whether Brown could stay or not. He had that much authority and he was prepared to be slammed in the press back home if he made Brown leave.

Or he could be merciful.

A mech leaned in the door and hollered at Prowl. "There's a human in a truck out here. He's heading your way, Prowl."

"Thanks, Zuma. Let him come," Prowl said, then glowered. "Fraggers."

Ratchet who had come in from Ironhide's office down the hallway from Prime's grinned as he sat with his big old peds up. "Nothing like the milk of human kindness, Prowl. Don't change."

Prowl shot Ratchet a grim optic. "Loon."

A car cleared the door and advanced. It was a Range Rover-ish vehicle modified for this terrain. Ratchet scanned it. "He has the gear to be here."

Everyone relaxed at that news as the car halted and a man jumped out. He began to run for the table until Ratchet scooped him up and set him down in front of Prime. Lennox gripped Brown's arm. :Brown. What are you doing? You're quarantined in Earth2 for now:

:I have to talk to the Prime: Brown said.

Optimus leaned forward. "I am here, Mr. Brown."

Brown turned to Prime, then smiled broadly. :Lord Optimus. I'm so glad to see you. I have so much to tell you. It's so good to be home again:

"Oh, frag," Prowl said as he crossed his arms over his chassis in a stance of disgust. "This is going to be entertaining."

Prime grinned at Prowl, then leaned closer to Brown. "Mr. Brown. What do you have to tell me?"

Brown looked at him tensely. :You don't have many friends in the leadership at Earth2. They want our tech. They want to take over this planet:

It was very quiet in the room for a moment. Prime nodded. "Please continue, Mr. Brown."

Hamilton looked around, then stepped closer. "Are these people okay? I don't want to tell you anything in a crowd that can't be trusted. We have to save Mars and Cybertron."

"Mr. Brown, what is your designation?" Ratchet asked. "What kind of Autobot are you?"

He looked at Ratchet. "I'm a warrior. I'm a soldier."

Ratchet nodded. "I thought so. You're doing your duty to your Prime by telling him what you've overheard?"

He nodded. "I am."

"Then please continue, soldier," Ratchet said.

The medic from N.E.S.T. looked slightly askance at Ratchet but didn't interfere. Brown turned to Prime. "They want to contact Razorclaw and make alliances for tech and power. Owen Harris mostly. The rest of them want power, prestige and the spotlight. They have no honor."

Everyone stared at Brown with astonishment but Prime. This was either the biggest load of crap or the unvarnished truth. "How will they contact Razorclaw?"

:Harris told me he has tech. He can do a lot of things and some of his inventions are ours. He's using our tech against us: Brown said earnestly.

"Has he already or is he still working out how to do it?" Prowl asked.

Brown looked at him. :He's still working it out: Brown stepped closer to Prime. :I'm on the inside, Prime. Tell me what you want me to do. I will do it:

Prime glanced at Ratchet who nodded toward the N.E.S.T. medic. "I wouild like you, soldier, to go with these men to their HQ. Do what they ask you to do but do it under cover. Be truthful and honest but understand that you are going with them to serve me. Is that understood?" Prime asked.

He stood straighter. :Yes, sir: Brown said. He looked at the soldiers, then walked toward them. The medic and Brown were lowered to the ground and entered Brown's vehicle. They turned around and drove off heading for N.E.S.T. HQ across the Military Airfield. It was silent a moment.

"Well, doesn't that beat all," Ratchet said with a grin. "I don't think Mr. Harris is going to be too happy with Mr. Brown."

"How much of this will he remember?" Prowl asked.

"Not much, if anything," Ratchet said. "Once the delusion is over, they don't tend to remember what they did or said."

"He confirms the problem we know exists," Prowl said. "We better start looking for communications anomalies here and on Earth. Even if he can't get the tech here, he must have it on Earth. We need to inspect his stuff."

"I think we may have an ally there," Ratchet said as he thought back through his recent memory files.

-0-On Earth, in NYC, USA, Earth

Than, Bobby, Tom, and Brian sat in the conference room of their business, one that hunted criminals and their money operations. They also worked for Autobot Nation as an allied business having gotten their startup from Warren Roberts. Brian whose mother, Louise Jenkins was the personal administrative genius behind Owen Harris told his partners about the call from Autobot Nation HQ. "Warren Roberts just called and said there was going to be a conference call from Mars in a half hour and we had to be here to take it. It was secret beyond secret and would involve networking here with a group like ours there."

Everyone looked at everyone else, then Than sat back in his chair. "Well … we **are** allied with Autobot Nation."

The others nodded. It would be a long half hour.

-0-At the same time on Mars

They walked into Jetta's office and sat in chairs provided by him, Jazz, Mirage and Elita. Arcee sat by the window with her peds up on a couch. She grinned, then nodded. The kids sat a moment staring at the warriors who were gathering to sit, then Artur asked them, "What can we do for you, Jetta?"

Jetta sat, then grinned. "That's a good question."

-0-A half hour later

The monitor came on over a channel so encrypted that the kids would spend weeks of spare time trying to crack it but failing in the end. The Emblem of the Primes followed by that of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire gave way to the image of Jetta of Iacon. He grinned at the humans. "Hello, youngsters. I'm Jetta of Iacon and I have a proposal for you."

-0-TBC 6-16-17 **edited 6-26-17**

For Bentley with all my everlasting love.


	40. Chapter 40

The Diego Diaries: Dreaming (dd6 40)

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They drove in together, brought to the center by N.E.S.T. personnel. Rolling to the table, the humans were placed on deck and stood before Prime who sat in a chair relaxed and calm. They stared at him, then around themselves. All over the table were the trappings of power and technology. The huge roll up maps showing space and other incomprehensible things dominated the surface but also lying here and there on the huge flat expanse were ipod-like datapads of exotic design and other tech that helped run an empire as vast and diverse as Prime's.

They turned to Prime, then Harris stepped closer. :Optimus Prime, we are here to find out about Hamilton Brown and to discuss this breach of the agreement:

Prime nodded. "Mr. Brown was taken to N.E.S.T. Headquarters by the soldiers. We are waiting for Lennox to return so that we can discuss this." He glanced at Prowl. "Is there a timeline here?"

Prowl nodded, then turned to the sound of a bridge bursting into life. On the floor nearby, Will Lennox and Niall Graham walked into the room through infinity from the N.E.S.T. HQ just across town. They were picked up and placed on the table.

Harris turned toward them. :Major … how is Hamilton? I would think he's not in his right mind to do something like this:

:You're right on that score. He has Autobot City Syndrome. We told you about it before you came. He's in our medbay and will stay there until they release him:

Harris nodded, then turned to Prime. :What will this have on his status as a resident, Lord Optimus?: he asked.

"Given the circumstances, if he recovers, nothing. These are extenuating circumstances and nothing was harmed by it. Had this been an excursion of another kind, he would be banned off world," Optimus replied. "Permanently."

Harris looked relieved. :Thank you. I would hope we can see him:

:The medics said later. Right now, he's sedated and getting a rest. They're going to monitor him and we can see in the morning if he's on his feet and ready for visitors. What's the situation at the habitat? Do you notice any others acting strangely?: Lennox asked.

Harris shook his head. :No. This was a great shock to all of us. If they hadn't been decoding systems in the control center he wouldn't have been able to go outside. It was a fortuituous set of circumstances for him altogether:

Lennox nodded. He looked at Prime. :Are we all good here or what, Optimus?:

Prime considered Lennox and Graham, friends and comrades for years, then nodded. "We are. I would hope that you monitor your population for the next few orns, Mr. Harris, and watch for any kind of behavior that is not typical for your species. Some times it takes a few orns for this to show up and sometimes it happens swiftly."

Harris nodded, then bowed. :Thank you: he said, then turned to the two soldiers. :I would like to talk to you a moment about a couple of things if you have the time, gentlemen:

They nodded, then everyone turned to Optimus. They chatted a moment, then were placed on the floor. With Niall driving Earth2's vehicle back to Earth2, Lennox and Harris left through a bridge. Everyone was gone in seconds.

"Well, that was illuminating," Ratchet said as he stood and stretched. "Anything else, your Lordship?"

Prime grinned. "Yes. Rub my peds."

Huge laughter greeted that. Ratchet grinned. "Did I tell you that Hero has decided to help us out with the school change to Metrotitan? She's decided that she can catch a cab to and from school by herself. That way no one has to come all the way there even though its on the way to Centurion. She looks so cute."

"She's cute anyway," Prowl said. "She's also mine, just so you know."

More laughter, then Elita smiled. "Yes. I think you N.A.I.L.E.D. it, Prowl."

He glanced at her with a paint-peeling expression. "Charon needs a special ops officer for permanent duty," he said with his usual malice-filled menace when someone tried to slag him.

"I'm assuming that there's more to this story," Ratchet said with a smile.

"There is and I would be delighted to text you what it is when I assign you permanently to Junk," Prowl said briskly.

With a lot of slag and no little rudeness, everyone broke up to go on their merry ways. Prime and Prowl watched them, then Prime glanced at Prowl. :Say it:

Prowl snickered in spite of himself, then sat down to stare at Prime with a sultry expression. :N.A.I.L.S:

They both laughed loudly.

-0-On the way home again

Hero stood at the cab stand as her aide watched. A cab drove in, then the door opened. Pausing before walking inside, she waved. Her aide waved back, then the cab drove off with the infant. Watching nearby, Ironhide stepped out, transformed, then followed.

-0-At a cab stand in Centurion

He stood with friends as they waited for their cabs. Entering together, they gave their destinations and the cab plotted them. Soon, Bos, Co-D and Reflector would be on a city sidewalk waving to Sunspot and Spot as they journeyed onward. He was going to the Seeker Academy in Aerie Hill for his language, singing and dancing lessons in the rituals and teachings of his clan. The other three would run for their tower and ride up to their homes. Their families would be waiting for them there. It would be much more fun to do things this way than to take the yellow bus without Sunspot.

Everyone involved would agree.

-0-Nine big kids

They walked to the Temple where they would do some homework, then head for The Sports Center to meet friends for swimming and snacks. After that, they would head for 'the club' in Gambian where they would compete in a teen darts tournament. Tru would win. Again. Then it would be time to part and go home for dinner. Six titans would head for the Ammas and Appa. Three would head for Ratchet and Ironhide's house to eat dinner with the family. There would be lots of conversation, a few shows-and-tells, games, laughs, face times on the monitor in their lounge with their growing circle of friends, mostly about the 'new kids in the new habitat', then sack time.

They were growing mechanisms after all.

-0-Back at Earth2

Harris walked with the other three zillionaires who had financed a great deal of the project and who had taken positions here to benefit from it. They walked to his office where he pushed the button on the intercom system that hooked every single person there into the call he was going to be making. "May I have your attention?"

Everyone everywhere paused what they were doing to listen.

"This is Owen Harris. I want to tell you that one of our number has left the habitat to go to the Operational Center at The Fortress in The City. Hamilton Brown left by vehicle to speak to Optimus Prime, a mission he accomplished. He didn't do it by choice necessarily. He was afflicted by Autobot City Syndrome, the peculiar momentary mental state that sometimes overcomes humans who come here. They took him into safe keeping and handed him over to the N.E.S.T. medics who are taking care of him. When he's recovered he will return. What I want you to do is watch for anything that might be odd, unusual or strange in your behavior. It's something that comes, then goes with treatment and rest. If you feel someone is acting outside of normal do not hesitate to let us know. This is an important thing, keeping tabs on each other and getting word to us through this initial adjustment period. Contact this office or the hospital. Thanks. Harris out."

It was silent for a moment, then one of the billionaires shifted. "What do you think Ham told them?"

"I don't know but given his condition, I don't think we need to worry," Harris said. "Come on. Lennox is coming in a few hours to do inspections. We need to get on with it." They walked out together to do their part of the plan.

-0-Home

The usual chaos was undertaken for dinner, then everyone sat to dig in. The infants were hungry and talkative.

"I took a cab home, Atar," Hero said with a smile. "I go to school and come back in a cab now. It helps."

Ironhide who had followed her grinned. "You're all growed up," he said. "Good thing that Amma Docker wired that little door buzzer down low for the door to open up."

"I know. Did you know that Ada was there yesterday to let me in?" she asked with a smile at Ratchet. "You were there, Ada. That helped me a lot."

"Funny how things just happen," Ratchet said with a grin. Hero smiled at him, then helped Prowler cut his food. "That makes 11 kids trained to go on cabs with three more to go."

"I go to that thing, Ada?" Orion asked. "I doed it afor."

Ratchet grinned. He remembered a cab ride to the N.E.S.T. HQ with Annabelle Lennox to deliver something to the soldiers. He had been a hit since everyone liked the outgoing little mini-Ironhide with the big smile. That Ratchet and Ironhide had both followed at a discreet distance was another thing altogether. Hero would continue her little independence experiment alone now that they were aware her aide watched until she left and Ammas and Appas were watching for her at the store. All was well there. "You rode to the soldiers with Annie, Spud. They liked you."

Orion smiled brilliantly. **"I LOVED THEM! THOSE SHES FUN! I, ORION HUG THEM! THEY KIPPED ME, ORION! I KIPPED THEM!"**

Everyone laughed as Orion ate it up. Quasar smirked at the baby. "Do you remember conferences are after weekend?"

"Slag, I forgot," Ironhide said glancing at Ratchet. "We've been busy. Figure it out, Ratchet. I have spoken."

A bun bounced off Ironhide's helm followed by several more from the smallest kids. Spot didn't mind. He got to do cleanup.

-0-In an apartment in Bern

Proteus stood by the window looking out at a sea of towers, all of them glittering with lights as the evening deepened. Road lights at intervals signaled the amazing number of eight lane and four lane highways and roads that led everywhere. In the distance, he would see the bright lights of Industrial Park City. There were several, he knew, and they were the industrial base of this miracle.

The light on top of Fort Max signaling to the air field his highest spire along with that of Metroplex. It could be seen if he tried. Both were here, behemoths of grace and goodwill serving the Prime. He had come home with dinner passing stores and clubs, restaurants, businesses and bars that had customers coming and going. There were cafes that served at tables on the sidewalks under awnings with their names printed, many of them famous from Cybertron.

He had gotten the latest downloads for the many newspapers that he read from a news kiosk at his train station, some of them now from Cybertron itself and many fascinating magazines that were published weekly here. It still was a strange feeling to go to a restaurant, pick up a beautifully wrapped meal for himself and Maduro, then walk out with only thanks his payment.

Maduro had been let out of the hospital feeling better and less destroyed than Proteus could remember seeing. There were physical as well as psychological reasons for his illnesses, some of them untreated from Cybertron because he wouldn't leave their apartment. He thought about that as he stood by the window. Maduro was left behind because Sentinel's plan wasn't supposed to be a one-way trip. He was going to be back and take care of his bond. But he didn't come back. He didn't have the guts to ask Maduro how he had escaped or how he had survived. He was just awash in gratitude that he had.

A sound caught his attention behind him. Staring into the glassy surface of the window, he watched as Maduro straightened up the apartment. "How do you feel, Mad?" he asked.

Maduro paused, datapads in servos, then shrugged. "A bit better, Proteus. You?"

"Oceans better," he replied. "Come here and look out with me."

Maduro hesitatated, then put things down. He walked to the window to stare out at the glittering darkness. Ordinarily, the view was covered by the dimming of the windows but not now. "It's beautiful."

Proteus nodded as he put his arm around Maduro's shoulders. "It is."

It was quiet a moment, then Maduro turned to look at Proteus. "You left me behind."

A great number of things twisted inside Proteus as he nodded. "I expected to come back in a couple of orns. I'm sorry, Mad. I would never leave you. You do know that, right?"

Maduro stared at him a moment, studying his face, then stepped into his embrace. "Don't leave me again."

Proteus hugged him tightly. "I will never leave you, Maduro. I will never leave you again."

He wouldn't.

-0-TBC 6-17-17 **edited 6-26-17**

NOTE: TFWIKI: N.A.I.L.S: Non-alyned indigenous lifeforms. Prowl's term for neutrals. TFWIKI says it sounds slightly rude but that's because Prowl thought it up. :D:D:D


	41. Chapter 41

The Diego Diaries: The next morning at Ops Center (dd6 41)

-0-Meet up

They came in slowly with drinks and snacks, the committee that ran the show here and everywhere else. The meetings for Cybertron were held on-world there with a number of important civilians, the rep from the Resistance and Network that had managed the underground war on-world with the Knights and others including major dissidents some of whom were living on Mars.

The civilians were the usual bunch, a pretty light hearted group ready to catch up their departments with Prime so the big picture would be complete. There was the rotating member of the local districts council who would report back to that body the news generated here. They were the representative body of all the districts that served different areas and cities, locally elected locals who met to listen to grievances, ideas and to help anyone living in their constituent area. They often gave their requests, etc to the member who would come to this, the biggest and highest council in the colony.

It was democracy for everyone and something that was taken deeply seriously by the locals. Meetings locally were highly attended and for those unable to go or get in, streamed on the local channels for such programming. Neo walked with that council's rep, a femme named Tulsee. They were friends from clubs and school, two older femmes with a lot of love and wisdom. They entered and walked to their seats, waiting together for things to start by chatting about a new sparkling that needed a 'shower'.

Elita and Arcee were already there sipping their heated 'tea' as they worked out the weekend details. Going to the Valles was on the table but getting the 'boys' to come along was the hiccup. Both were rather engaged in their work, determined to do what the moment called for and not especially eager to pull out the pup tents and solar fire pits.

They would go.

Ratchet sauntered in with a grin and a cuppa. Sitting across from Prowl who was organizing the agenda as new bits and pieces were handed to him, he grinned. "I just saw Hero off in her cab. Ironhide will be here when she gets there."

Prowl grinned. "When will you stop shadowing her?"

"Ironhide expects it to be about the time she starts University. Maybe," Ratchet replied.

"I hear you. She's mine, though. I have part of any decision pertaining to any kid anywhere in the colony. Remember that, loon," Prowl said.

Ratchet laughed loudly. "Why, Prowler. You say the sweetest things." He leaned in closer and whispered, "N.A.I.L.S."

Prowl shot him a caustic optic. Then he leaned in closer to whisper, "Duty forever in Antarctica."

"You, sweet talker, you," Ratchet said as he sat back to grin at his alter ego and all around alibi. "What's on the agenda?"

"What isn't?" Prowl said with a slight frown at the list. "We also have to jump around." He looked at Ratchet with a cool direct gaze. "Frag you in advance."

"I didn't say a thing," Ratchet said with a smirk.

"I read your processor," Prowl replied as Prime sat down with his own cup and a plate of snacks. "It doesn't take much or long, I will say."

Ratchet leaned in toward Prime. "N.A.I.L.S," he whispered.

Prime paused a donut to his mouth, then laughed loudly. He looked at Ratchet fondly. "Truce?"

"Maybe," Ratchet said. "I'll do it for you. Can't say much for the old ball and chain though."

"That's *Commander* Ball and Chain to you, slagger," Prowl said as he finished updating all the datapads. Like he was dealing cards, he slid them out to the punters. They read them, then blanched.

All of them but Magnus, of course.

Everyone left fogged in, then took their places until the crew was accounted for. As they did, the humans blitzed in as well with the new civilian observer. Owen Harris had been picked up by Niall Graham who drew the short straw. Driving back to The Fortress after grabbing Brandon Clark and Holland Burnell from the Consulate, they entered together and parked outside the door to the conference room. Jumping on a segway, they wove their way in and were placed on the table. Walking to comfy chairs, they sat and the meeting was called to order by Prowl.

"We have a lot of items on the agenda so we have to begin. When the civilian news is finished we will have them leave for the military portion of the meeting. Make sure that you tell everything you need to say before we move onward. We're catching up a bit so there's a lot of things to hear. Herling?" Prowl began.

Herling nodded. "We've worked out the plan to incorporate the new school at Earth2 into our allied schools program. When they come on line next week we will be ready. We are going to be supplying information, books, media, and expertise to their schools regarding Mars itself and science in general.

"We offer our assistance to you, Mr. Harris, and will be working with your teachers and staff over the next several orns to get things ready for your pupils. Apparently, there will be 400 children by the time that everyone who is slated to come arrives. Right now, I am told that there will be 150 children in the school component for now. The area above it will be expanded so that the 400 children who will be permanent residents will be educated. There will be 33 babies in the group not including toddlers.

"I look forward to helping the schools and figuring out more about human learning. I think it'll be very helpful for the human children that we have in our own school system. I will be sending you the decision regarding the 47 children whose parents have asked for them to attend our own schools. We are assessing placement and developing the proper testing procedures to help us with that process.

"All in all, we are well. We're going to be expanding our curriculum regarding the Festival of Primus so that the younger children will have more knowledge about what's happening in our own schools so expect more conversations about Himself," Herling said in conclusion.

Prowl turned to Caro. "Would you like to speak?"

Caro nodded, then stood with his datapad. "We're making a great deal of money, Lord Optimus. Our stock portfolios are doing extremely well and our expansion of the outpost chain is doing extremely well too. Since the expansion of the crafts line, our sales have risen 14%. We have invested a good portion of the income into various companies that we have part ownership … those consist of energy, electronic technology, communications, and advanced habitations, all designed to address specific problems facing Earth now. That generates a great deal of money that's thereby invested in projects that are useful toward helping Earth with her many ills. All in all, its a good thing.

Caro continued to explain why it was a good thing and by the time he along with Venture were finished there were glassy optics everywhere. The only one who appeared to be genuinely interested was Owen Harris.

"Thank you, Caro," Prowl said, then glanced at Ratchet. "Loon."

Ratchet smirked. "Whoever are you talking to?" he asked as he picked up his datapad. He studied it a moment, then began. "We have removed the chips out of everyone who had them on-world. That was 354 individuals, most of them the most elderly. I didn't find one in anyone else in this room who were parted out with Unicron. Right now, the process is ongoing on Cybertron. It should be noted that nearly everyone in the Functionalist group that you took off Cybertron yesterday had them. That means, I think, that we have to look at everyone who is even part of the hierarchy of their group to check for them.

"Other than that, we are doing well. The courier trap problem on Cybertron and around the rest of the reclaimed empire is well on its way to becoming a thing of the past. We have 72% clearance on Cybertron and the rest of the empire is coming along well. Caminus reported that they don't have the problem at all probably due to their isolation."

"That's good," Prowl said. "More?"

"Not really, no. These servos," Ratchet said raising his hands, "have done another miracle."

Gagging sounds and laughter greeted that remark, then the circus rolled on. Springer was up next. He grinned at Prime for a moment. "Given that football season is over, the amount of fights and other mayhem has dropped a great deal. The mini-con community is holding up their end of things but it isn't the same." Huge laughter. "We have been tracking Moma and Sherma sightings as well as a gang that's rumored to be traffickers in banned substances. We haven't seen them yet but there's a lot of word floating around. We have a team on it and intend to nail it down.

"Our horseback patrols are expanding to include the new habitats. We want to have a regular patrol all day and night long out that way. I want to extend the community policing program to encompass everyone and everywhere. I also want to tell you, Prowl, that if you decide that Tyke has to be somewhere else and not here taking care of us in the Watch, I will punch you in the face. Again."

Everyone glanced at Prowl who was staring at Springer with a grim expression. He sat back. "Fragger. Continue."

"I think I'm done. Our departments on Cybertron are doing stellar work," Springer said. "I would tell you more but it's classified and can hold to the military segment of this meeting. That is all."

Prowl glanced at Jetta. "Tell me something."

Jetta who was watching with a grin nodded. "We've finished the big habitat in the crater. If someone comes and they are, we can house them easily. We can put almost 6,000,000 individuals there. I think for the first time in ages that I can recharge now without fear."

The relief in the room was hard to quantify as everyone absorbed the news. It was the one thing that was impossible to bear, the idea that somehow there wouldn't be a home for everyone who came.

"That relieves my processor, Jetta, to a degree that I struggle to express. Please … tell my appreciation to all involved. I will be going there to see the work and meet as many as I can," Prime said.

"I'll do that, Optimus," Jetta said with a grin. "We're going to go over the next phase of our building program to work out the next site and design. We're also going to be building a space station 1,900 light years out. It will be a forward base to build a presence among the alien civilizations that use that area as a commerce route. The arrival of Razorclaw and the presence of a number of groups looking for a toe hold around here has moved them out farther. We will be building a station that will be a fueling and provisioning platform. We want to make an attempt to make connections with them.

"We don't want to put a ship or dread out there because it'll be a remote location and they've begun to have a good social life here with the pretender gear. They also, the newest coming in on the schedule are warriors who can be put to good use that way. I also want to tweak this station design to allow us to re-supply travelers with all manner of possibilities. The Planning Commission will be going over it. It's all very preliminary. Several private firms are working on parts of it. It's going to be a different sort of platform for us with elements of war worlds. We'll be meeting with you when we get the final designs together."

Prime nodded. "I want to make our presence here a peaceful and helpful one. We need to re-order the impression Megatron created in the local cluster that we are different. We need to ensure that they understand that we are indeed peaceful. I am pleased to hear this. Have you chosen sites for the next building plan? How many of our people are living in the Crater District now?"

"We have a quarter of a million. At least that many who were the overflow of the last migration," Jetta said. "Right now, there are businesses in the first city which is the central one. The schools will be holding a contest soon to name them, correct, Herling?"

Herling nodded. "We've divided it between schools, two cities each with the last one awarded to the Vos Senior Center Council."

"Wonderful," Jetta said as he sat back. "We're good here, Prime. We're going to be working longterm on the different outlying stations around Mars, upgrading the weather station in the north first. We have more work than we can manage and the longterm planning is well in hand. I'll forward the reports tomorrow. I got a bit behind."

Prowl nodded. "I'll note that," he said as he glanced down table to Starscream. "Anything new?" he asked.

Starscream grinned. "Do you doubt it?"

Prowl smirked at him. "No."

Laughter.

"Well, let me see then," he said glancing at Rainmaker who was sitting like a grinning Buddha beside him. "We have put off the congregation for the youth until after the Festival. We have had a lot of issues with the reclaimed youth and other internal situations to bring that event to the fore at the moment. We have 2,500 infants in adult bodies that require a lot of effort and time. The Academy at Aerie Hill is working out their education. They are thriving in families but this has been a hard thing to bring off. We want to include them into the process when we graduate our sub adult youth into adulthood and that will take more time," Starscream said. "As it is, we have our house in order. Thanks for asking."

Huge laughter greeted that as Prowl gave Starscream the stink optic.

Prime who was checking the agenda and who hadn't paid attention at the start glanced around. "Where's Ironhide?"

"Shadowing Hero last time I looked," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Why would he do that?" Arcee asked with a grin of her own even though she already knew.

"Hero is taking cabs to and from school now," Ratchet said.

"She is?" Springer asked with a smile. "That little femme is something else."

"How can she be other?" Ratchet asked. "Have you looked at her little face?"

Huge hoo-hah and donuts underlined that slag.

-0-TBC 6-19-17 **edited 6-16-17**


	42. Chapter 42

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 42)

-0-Meeting

Laughter.

"Where were we?" Prowl asked with a smirk.

"My turn," Ironhide said as he entered the room. He walked to the table, then sat. "We're good. Thanks for asking."

Huge laughter greeted that. Prowl frowned. "Details?"

"We have it," Ironhide said.

Prowl stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Next?"

Neo smiled. "I can tell you about the seniors, Prowl."

Grins filled the room as Prowl nodded. "I would love to hear a real report." He leveled a gaze at Ironhide who was eating Ratchet's last donut. He smiled with a mouthful, a mirror image of a smaller mech of similar design and temperament. Groans filled the room as Ratchet grinned proudly. The acorn didn't fall far from the tree with these two.

Neo who laughed began. "We have organized groups to visit shut-ins, some of which are due to infirmity and others because of emotional problems. We also take elders to their appointments and we have organized visits to their homes by different groups including clubs and others who sit and chat or help them with chores. Many of our elders are alone while their family works so we look after them.

"We are having a crafts exhibition in the senior centers with some of the crafts on display of great antiquity and rarity. We invite all of you to come. They will be on display for a decaorn with some being sent to or returned to the museums afterward. Some of our elders are the last practitioners of their different skills. The Elder Project by the Museum and University are recording them and having the elders tell about them and their lives. Some of them have agreed to take on apprentices and work in the common rooms of their local senior center. It's a good way to get out and socialize.

"We have organized the femmes in the colony. Our president is Docker of Uraya," Neo said glancing at Ratchet. Ratchet grinned. His little amma was a fireball. "What we want to do is mentor our little infant femmes and help new adas. Having babies is a lot of work and commitment for some of these young femmes so we have that group starting to help them. Our professional femme group is always open to femmes to join. We want to make sure that femmes have a voice in the community.

"We also are starting a program about femme issues and events on community access channel 15 which will be broadcast twice a decaorn and will feature our local femme population and that on Cybertron. We are allied with Nautilass, a femme producer and director from the old orns who wants to make programs about femmes and children both here and on Cybertron. She has formed a company, Femme Voices, that will take on the production end. She will be working both here and on Cybertron to create programming and will handle the production side of the community broadcast program. All in all, we are doing just fine," Neo said with a big smile. She got applause and smiles.

Sciences and City Hall gave their reports as Wheeljack and Magnus said their pieces. Wheeljack held back some of his report due to Owen Harris being present but Magnus didn't. "We have the Mausoleum and the Basilica ready for the state funeral for the deceased, Optimus. We will be posting the order of the funeral on the Community Bulletin Board. The last time we had a real one was for Nominus. The hurried mess for Sentinel doesn't qualify.

"There will be adequate security. I have worked out plans with Springer for the Watch and Inferno for emergency services. We expect everyone in the colony that doesn't have a job that is essential to be there. I would suggest to the humans that they don't come. We are expecting all 20,000,000 of our locals to show up," Magnus said to the humans who nodded. "As for the colony itself, we're building the road to Earth2 and extending it beyond. It will take a few decaorns to get it up to our standards because the terrain beyond there is rocky.

"Festival is coming up July 16th on the Terran calendar. We have been working out the process of the processional from the Tower and the solemnities. We had a few bots get sick last time and it was difficult to get to them during the waiting period. We have made a plan with emergency services to improve that difficulty. Other than that, the Temple and Pavilion will be ready. Lord Lauren can speak to that himself but for The City itself, we are ready to go."

Lauren nodded. "We are. We are in the process of getting the Temple in first class shape and for the display this year, we are going to be putting out icons, venerations and other important relics from the shrines. There will be detailed descriptions for those who come to see the articles so they can know what they are, why they are special and where they came from. We expect several millions over the ten orn period of display.

"As for the shrines themselves … we have them under construction, small replica sites of the originals. Those that can be are part of the city-state that they were originally found. We are putting them into the cities here of the same name and some six have been placed in other cities because their own is not among our named habitations. I have been informed that there is a lot of interest in having them back. I am delighted to know that. My staff and volunteers, members of the Museum and University have been helping sort through our stores to find those items that belong to each. I am so happy that they will be there once more giving comfort and continuity to our people."

:Lord Lauren … some of the things you put there will be very valuable, right: Bobby Epps asked.

Lauren nodded. "Some of them are of the most important historical and spiritual value to us."

:What about security? I ask out of curiosity. Will there be security at these places for these things?: he asked.

It was quiet a moment as everyone stared at Epps. Then Lauren spoke. "I have faith that nothing will happen to them. These are our shrines after all," Lauren said as if that was enough.

Epps nodded with a grin. :That's good to know:

"It would be a very bad thing to rob a shrine," Prowl said. "We hold some places in veneration and outside of base urges."

"Some of us do," Ratchet said. "All of the shrines were flattened on Cybertron. I'm surprised they weren't pillaged."

Everyone nodded, then turned back to Lauren and his group. He nodded to Prime. "That is all for now, Lord Optimus."

Prowl turned to Cyclonus. He was with the chief scribe and two others who were leaders of their community. "We are prepared to open the Monastery to visitors during the festival. We will have a display in the building that will showcase some of the oldest books recovered from Cybertron, all of them relating to the Monastery. We are prepared to meet and greet visitors through the decaorn following the festival.

"As for the situation involving the Functionalists, we have had some problems here and there but nothing major. We will hope that it stays that way. We will protect the Monastery and our people."

"Have you notified Springer? We would like to have that be the first step," Prowl said as Prime nodded.

"I would like to track the reported individuals, Cyclonus. If they're lone wolves, then fine but if they aren't then we need to know more," Springer said.

Cyclonus glanced at him, then Prime. "I reserve the right to defend the Monastery. As for the rest, it will be reported."

"What have you heard, Springer? Is there a problem stemming from this event?" Prime asked.

Springer glanced at Drift. "Just a few bar fights so far. I'm not aware of anything from the Monastery or from the community. I would expect to be informed," Springer said glancing at Cyclonus.

"I expect that everyone will. We are not Cybertron under Sentinel. We are what we are supposed to be now and I will not tolerate lone wolf reprisals. Let everyone do their jobs," Prime said.

Prowl nodded. "It will be easier to deal with them judicially if this is done right. Speaking of which … Barron?"

Barron reported on the caseload of the courts and the speediness that was available now for the accused. He talked about the cases of the political prisoners, about Karyll Wheelus and his minions, some cases that were coming due on Cybertron along with a sealed report sent to Prowl for Prime about the status of the alternative 'bad' Autobots who had been brought here to give Alternate Megatron a shot at saving his Cybertron, and a number of other things pending. It was generic enough that the humans didn't get it but detailed enough for everyone else to follow.

By the time they reached the end having gone through a lot of departments to fill in Prime and each other, Prowl signaled for everyone civilian to leave. The military side of the meeting was to roll out and the civilians took their leave with grins and jokes. Will Lennox walked toward Prowl and communicated off line. Then Prowl sent a message to Wheeljack. He leaned in toward Harris. :You're going to be allowed to stay through the rest of this meeting because the soldiers stay for them. Usually. However, because you aren't military and because you're new here, all of you will lose your audio:

Wheeljack pulled a device, then tuned out Harris, Burnell and Brandon Clark. Clark was trusted and without Harris here would have been allowed to listen in but it was easier to make this about civilian v military rather than trusted v asshole. Harris had no time to speak before the silence enveloped him. He glanced at the other humans who were lounging. They grinned and shrugged. Clark did as well as the conversation went onward without them.

"We need a report on the Home Guard, the DMZ status update, the Cybertronian local cluster report, Home Guard recruitment and training on Cybertron, the status of de-Decepticoning the former troops to become Autobots, the ..." Prowl would continue to list the items needing update. It would take a bit of time for him to finish. It would take longer for those reporting to do so too.

-0-A couple of joors later …

"So ..." Prime grinned.

Harris, Burnell and Clark had their hearing back for this, the Good of the Order. It was a 'thing' Harris would find out.

"So anyway, Hero is taking cabs. I could snivel about them growing up too fast but Ironhide has that," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"My baby is growing up," Raptor said on a monitor nearby. "So is Scout. He's in school now. How you doing, son?" he asked Blackjack who was on another monitor in another district on Cybertron.

Blackjack frowned. "Don't talk to me. **YOU DIDN'T HELP ME KEEP HIM OUT! TRAITOR!"**

"Cry baby," Turbine said from another monitor. "Did I ever tell you how cute you look when you whine?"

" **DON'T TRY TO SWEET TALK ME OUT OF THIS, ADA!"** Blackjack said.

"How about I make your favorite cookies and send them over," Turbine said with a grin.

"That kind you used to make me when we came to the beach house?" Blackjack asked. Turbine nodded. **"I THINK IT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO!** I'll have someone watch for them."

Huge laughter.

"You remind me of my grandson," Devcon said with a grin.

"Your grandson is adorable," Ratchet said. He glanced at Prowl. "Does he belong to you too, slagger?"

Prowl grinned. "Maybe."

"What about Prima and Resolve?" Ratchet asked. "What's their status?"

"Prima is in the Academy. So is Resolve," Venture said as Perceptor nodded. "That makes Prowler, Resolve, Sojourner, Solus, Scout, and Prima in that school."

"It's a very fine school," Perceptor said. "They have a very fine curriculum and their social programs are stellar. We both want Resolve to have the best of both worlds."

"Percy was accelerated and it was hard to be so young among older kids," Wheeljack said. "We don't want that for Resolve."

"He needs a good coterie of friends and fellows," Perceptor said in his elegant voice.

Everyone grinned and nodded. Raptor especially. "You accelerated Ironhide, 'Jack. That wasn't a lot of fun if I remember."

"You were accelerated in school? In what parallel universe?" -most of the room and I paraphrase

Ironhide turned a cute little frown on the others. "Slaggers. I'll have you know, I was jumped up levels in school."

"You hide it very well." -everyone and I paraphrase again

" **HA-HA!"** Ironhide said with a grin. "Very funny."

"Where you, Raptor?" Ratchet asked.

"No," Hard Drive said. "He was too busy getting into trouble. Little slagger sat in the corner half his educational experience."

"Then it runs in the family?" Springer asked. "I do believe Orion takes after you then."

"He does," Raptor said with enormous pride. "That little mech is mine. Dibs."

"In your dreams, slagger," Prowl said to everyone's delight.

Owen Harris listened with fascination. This wasn't like any meeting he had ever attended and probably never would. For the rest of them it was normal.

-0-TBC 6-19-17 **edited 6-26-17**

paraphrase: (para-fraze) To take someone's statement and give the meaning without making it word for word what they said. To give the basic meaning of what they said.


	43. Chapter 43

The Diego Diaries: Meet Up (dd6 43)

-0-Conference

"Then the whole thing fell down in a crash. It was pretty funny but the look on his face was priceless," Arcee said with a grin.

Huge laughter greeted that story as the senior and military Autobots relaxed after the long meeting. A message for Prime broke the moment, then he sighed. "Time to go to Cybertron."

Harris watching decided to take a chance. :Lord Optimus … do you have any reservations about letting me go with you?:

Prime glanced at Harris as he worked through the many he did have, the input of others off line around the room and Prowl. "If you obey the rules and come with the proper level of respect, no."

:I would be honored to come to see Cybertron: Harris replied.

Prime glanced at Lennox who rose from his chair. :We got this. When do we have to report?:

"A joor," Prowl said as Lennox nodded. The humans gathered with him, then walked to the end of the table.

Bulkhead helped them down and they buzzed out heading for N.E.S.T. HQ to get ready. Bulk glanced at Prime. "Do you think this is a good idea?"

"I am not sure but the more I know of him the better our security becomes. We shall see what he is made of," Prime said as he stood.

The group gathered their gear, then walked out together to go to their day jobs. Prime and Prowl stayed behind going over the itinerary with Ironhide and Raptor.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

They buzzed in and while Harris checked in with Earth2 to let them know he was going to Cybertron, everyone else got their gear together. Harris caught a kevlar jacket as he walked to join them. "Keep that on. There's exploded ordinance everywhere. You never know when it'll go off. Don't go anywhere but where we tell you.

"You might also moderate your remarks. Your tact leaves a lot to be desired. If you remember nothing, remember this. Cybertron is rising from near extinction. It's a graveyard everywhere. Smart off and I will kick your ass when we get back. Bring respect and use it."

Harris nodded. "Very well."

"You might want to know that Cybertron had an earth-type atmosphere once upon a time but now its poisoned. If you think this place is dangerous and unforgiving, you haven't seen anything until you go there. They're working on clearing it up but its going to take time and they have other priorities. You remove your mask its instant death. Whatever you do, don't remove it," Niall said.

"Also, hit the head and grab a bite. Don't drink too much. The ships and the planet have no facilities for humans. If you have to go back or you feel sick, **TELL** us. You can be back to Earth2 in seconds by bridge. Don't be a dead hero. That you're going at all is a miracle. Don't fuck it up by being a dumbass."

"A dead dumbass," Niall said with a grin. "Take care of business. We have to leave in a few minutes."

The four men walked to the bathroom, then hit the snacks and sandwhiches on the counter nearby. A sip of water completed lunch, then they departed by segway to go to the airfield. They would be there with time to spare.

-0-Inside Impactor's Revenge

Revo and Rem sat together going over the pre-flight and the flight plan. Behind them affixed to the wall, the box where humans sat when on flights waited. The big mechs were coming shortly and with them would come three battle shuttles and two flights of Seekers as escort. Prime didn't travel light anymore. He was bound once again by the rules of travel that all Primes had to obey.

Outside on the tarmac, Owen Harris watched the huge vessels as they passed them, the worker bees who attended to them and the lethal row of warbirds that sat on the flight line in the distance. It was shocking how he felt, the thrill of engagement and the unease about the alienness of it. This was a strange moment for him.

They sped up the ramp of a shuttle he would find was called Impactor's Revenge. Pilots inside would place them inside a clear box with comfortable seats and seat belts. They buckled in, then watched as the big mechs began to enter. They grinned at the humans, then found a place in the ship. Hercy and Kup, Ironhide and Raptor, Springer, Drift and three mechs Harris didn't know entered and sat. He would detect from names other bots called them that they were Devcon, Hot Rod, and Blurr.

Prime entered, then sat in the command seat forward. When he did the door closed and ramp retracted. Rem turned to Prime. "We are go at your discretion, sir."

Prime nodded. "Take us up."

Harris watched the ease by which Prime bore his authority. The mechs around him and the new ones here were comfortable and at ease with him. They were an informal but incredibly organized and capable society. It even extended into the military.

Flight Control at Fort Max gave them the go and they lifted off with their battle group heading into the darkness of space with ridiculous ease and speed. Harris marveled at the sights of Mars below and the massive space bridges before him. They flew past them, entered between two long arms of the closest that stretched far ahead, then waited. A burst of light down the arms signaled launch powering up, then they rushed forward into a swirling vortex of light energy. It was green and bright, then almost instantly they were back into the darkness of space again.

It was dizzying.

"We are here, Optimus," Revo said. "We have Flight Control at Kaon. We have permission to come down."

"Take us there, Commander," Prime said calmly.

Harris looked around at the bots. They were lounging casually, chatting together, some of them from the gun turrets as the ship flashed forward. The huge windows showed debris floating in space as they headed toward what looked like a gigantic detailed and well lighted metal ball. They flashed forward into the light following canyons that seemed to disappear downward forever. When they reached their destination, they carefully landed and the ship powered down. With them were other shuttles and two flights of Seekers who transformed and slammed down to the ground almost as one.

The bots arose, then walked to the door and down the ramp to the outside. As they did, Ratchet walked through the bridge at the back of the ship to join them. Revo and Rem put the humans down and watched as they drove out on their segways before following them to lounge around outside.

There was a local delegation to greet them, naturalists who had protected the area and all of the wildlife that this place was famous for. This was a restricted area, a preserve for animals and plants. They were going to show Prime their efforts and get more support for their regeneration of the area. Ironhide took notes of their requests which would be expedited for them by Slacker back on Mars.

The humans watched the exchange between Prime and his people. The locals were immensely glad to see him and proud of the moment. Beyond them, the undulating Sea of Mercury awaited.

Ratchet who stood near the humans turned to them. "What do you think?" he asked as he nodded toward the sea. "Your scientists would be hard pressed to believe this can exist but it does. But then, they struggle to believe a metallic world could exist let alone spawn a metallic civilization."

:It's beautiful. I love coming here: Lennox said.

"So do I," Ratchet replied. "Ironhide and his family have a home a few hundred miles away, a beach house in a resort town."

:Ironhide came from wealth?: Harris asked with surprise.

"There was no caste higher than his and even Primes had to bend before them. But you won't find a caste with greater respect than his. They are the court of last resort for some, a panel of Praxian warriors." He stared at Harris. "It's a long story."

The party turned to walk to the pier nearby with Prime and his party. Ratchet turned to go with them and the humans buzzed along behind. The liquid mercury lapped against the pylons of the pier as they walked forward. It was a long walk but they reached the end of it. When they did, the locals began to explain what had happened in the war, what they had done to protect the area and what they had in planning stages to regenerate it once more.

The humans parked, then stepped off to stand near the edge of the pier. The sea was beautiful and seemed internally lit. Overhead, the sky was dark and filled with stars, the endless night of Cybertron. The light that existed was that provided by towers brought by the teams who were reclaiming the area. It would be the same story everywhere else as well.

:What do you do here with this sea, Ambassador? Do you fish or is this just a natural feature?: Harris asked.

Ratchet who had come along to answer questions and free the others to do their jobs looked down. "We fish. But not much. It's a place to come and swim, boat, hike, and camp. Lots of towns border it and some keep houses here. It's a beautiful location for fun and games mostly."

The delegation spent half a joor discussing the local area, then they turned to walk back up the pier. The humans followed as Ratchet brought up the rear. But the time they were all up to the ships, the meeting was over. They boarded up and the shuttles lifted off. The items and support the group asked for would arrive half an orn later from Mars.

-0-In a conference room at Sparkling Day School, Terra, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

The twinnies stood on the table answering questions and turning this way and that. Both of them had had extensive testing over a couple of orns and now the data was to be given to the family.

Venture, Miler, Kestrel, Tagg, and Docker who was there for Ratchet's mob sat with Sunstreaker, Bluestreak, and Sideswipe to hear the news on the girls and their progress. Tuned in from all over hell and gone, the rest of the family listened as well.

"We have found that there is marked improvement in the healing from last time. The implants have taken marvelously and are delivering excellent sound quality to both femmes," their audiologist said.

Both Uraya and Iacon were standing on the table patiently waiting for whatever they were supposed to do. Both of them held a little dolly and both smiled when someone looked their way. They looked the picture of health.

"They still sign and sometimes we have to really choose our words. They're learning to speak again but they lost a lot of language," Blue said as the twins listened tensely.

"That will come. We're doing pull out and in-class instruction for them and they have a good sense of what's going on even if some of the actual speech goes over their heads yet. We have them speak to us when they want something. We chat. It would be a good thing for them to do with their family out of school. Mind you," he said pointedly at everyone. "Don't curtail signing. We don't want this to feel like punishment. They're still learning but encourage speech. Both are necessary for them at this time and when the speech catches up, then signing will probably fade away."

-0-On a ship flying toward the Manganese Mountains

A ship filled with grandparents who were listening into a meeting held in a conference room on Mars grinned almost as one as the meeting concluded with a good report. Everyone else sitting around had no idea what was so funny but given the tendency for Cybertronians to wait to be invited into private jokes, the moment passed without incident.

Even the humans didn't ask. Owen Harris was following the rules to a tee.

-0-TBC 6-20-17 **edited 6-26-17**

 **HAPPY SOLSTICE, EVERYONE!**

NOTES:

I had a glitch and lost the entire first draft of this because my save didn't save. It was completely finished too. :*P Here we go again. :D

Pandora: SIGN ME UP! I would vote for them in an instance. LOL! At least Prime is honest and good. Prime 2020 sounds good to me. :D Until all are one.

Leoness: I love it too. I think they are hilarious in the IDW books and nothing makes me happier than to see Prime laugh. I'm a G1 fan myself. :D

Guest: He's still gathering his marbles. Olivia will help him. That part is coming. :D

The funeral is coming about July 3 or so. That will be about a month. :D


	44. Chapter 44

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron (dd6 44)

-0-In the air

They flew through the night time of Cybertron heading for the Manganese Mountains, a vestige of the world that had existed before Primus overtook and recreated it to serve His solitude. The stars were bright and there were lights seen from the ground as even ships passing by lit the night, then faded as they did into the distance.

:I would find it difficult to live in darkness: Harris offered.

Prime nodded. "We are of the same mind about that then."

No one spoke as they sat poker faced waiting for the descent. When it came, it was a merciful thing as they all walked down the ramp into a construction zone that seemed to stretch into infinity. There was work going on every direction they turned.

:What is this?: Owen asked as they gathered together to ride on the servos of the big mechs. Ironhide would take Owen.

:This is a utility site where a lot of the systems that run this world can be accessed. You may or not be allowed to go inside some of these places: Lennox replied. :If you need to leave tell us. Don't be stupid. If something is wrong, you get sick or you have to take a leak, tell us. If you think its easy to die on Mars you haven't seen this place. Understand?:

Harris nodded. :Yes:

They were scooped up as the group followed Prime. He was led by a delegation of big gnarly mechs who were doing the heavy lifting here at this point of access to the inner workings of Primus. His audials were several hundred miles away in another area of the mountain range. This was a system or series of systems integral to the circulation of fluids … water, energon and other essentials throughout the planet's deep infrastructure that was His internal body.

Owen watched everything, marveling at the sight of mechanical beings working on their mechanical world. Then they reached the place that Prime was heading for, a deep series of craters in the ground. Going up the side of one to the jagged rim, it gave all of them the view of the others. There were dark objects at the bottom in a jumble.

Lennox stared grimly through his binoculars, then glanced at the others. :Fuck: he whispered. :Don't say anything here. These craters are filled with the dead:

It was then that lights were shown down into the holes where it was clear that jumbled broken body parts were scattered, all of them curiously devoid of color. It was ghastly and solemn wrapped in a pall that was clear on the faces of everyone there including the human soldiers.

Owen glanced around at the mechs who were guiding the party. All of them were grim and enraged but contained. It appeared to him that this group was shelled and all of them had died together. It was a catastrophe and how many were dead was unknown. He considered that, the enormity of the destruction here and filed that away in his mind. This was an education for him. What he would learn was still in progress.

-0-At about the same time in Jetta's office in The Fortress with a buncha mechs and femmes

"This is going to be easier to get information if he tries to contact mechs from here. If he has our tech, it's not clear to me what he can do with it. So far, we've traced our tech here and there, simple things that are almost analogous to things humans have developed. Given that, it means perhaps they're struggling to translate and utilize the information. However, we can't assume that's all they have and know," Arcee said as they sat around the office to shoot the shit with Jetta and troubleshoot the new information that Owen Harris was still a big dick.

"We need to have someone on both ends looking into this. **We** could but why should we? We all have a million things going on," Jetta said as he leaned back in his chair. Elita grinned at him and he grinned back. "Maybe this is the time to develop assets at both ends."

"The kids? Here and there?" Chromia asked as Maelstrom sat beside her content as a Buddha with 'his girl'.

"Yeah," Jetta said as he glanced at Jazz. "Guess what I found out?"

"Do tell," Jazz asked with a smirk.

"I found out that one of the kid's genitors works for Harris and not just as a minor functionary but as essential equipment," Jetta said. He smiled. "Yes, I, Jetta haven't lost my touch."

"I can attest to that," Elita said with a grin as the room erupted in slag. "Call them, Jetta. See if they want to come. I can send Chromia to get the others."

It was agreed.

-0-In a conference room in New York City a short time later

They had been contacted, then asked to come to Autobot City for a meeting with a number of mechs and femmes who were interested in their work. Given that they were an auxiliary business connected to Autobot Nation, Inc., they jumped at the idea. The youngsters gathered somewhat breathlessly in Warren Roberts' office with Sam Witwicky. The guy who had helped them, Springer and his friend, Drift were there lounging on a couch together. They had been recalled from Cybertron to help with this project though the four boys didn't know that. The two to them were just a bunch of guys who had helped them.

Bobby, Tran, Tom, and Brian sat on a chairs in a conference room after greeting the two. Grinning at each other, Tran asked, "What's going on? We got a call from Jetta of all people asking us to come to Mars for a project."

Springer nodded. "Yes," he said. "We're here to bring you over and help with the chat."

"What's it about?" Bobby Jenkins asked.

"We can't tell you about it. It's need to know," Drift said. "I know you need to know but you'll find out in a few minutes."

Warren Roberts breezed in, then grinned at everyone. "Are you ready to go to Mars?"

The four youngsters stood. "Yes, sir," they said almost in unison.

Roberts grinned. "We're going by bridge. We have gear waiting in the other room. If you go there now and get ready we can leave. Springer will help you. Right, son?" Roberts asked with a smirk.

Springer stood, then smirked at Roberts. "Sure, Dad," he said. "Come on. It doesn't hurt. Much."

Four nervous kids followed them along with Warren Roberts' laughter into the next room to don gear and learn how to use it. Then the entire group would leave together through a bridge called up in Warren's office. The four kids would be nearly overcome with the greatness of the moment as they stepped directly from Earth to Mars.

-0-On Mars about the same time at the Data Processing Center, Terra

A rap on his desk drew Artur's attention. He glanced up into the bemused optics of Chromia and a hulking bot behind her that he would learn later was the brother of Turmoil, of all mechs. He sat back with surprise. "Chromia … what can I do for you?"

"I'm here to discuss that now," Chromia said. She would retire to a conference room with Artur and his brother for a chat. When it was over they would go to the big conference room in the Ops Center to await not only a group from Earth who were coming but the rest of the underground operation known as Smoke.

-0-Manganese Mountains

They moved at last from the site of the disaster to a tour of the rising habitation centers that dotted the area. In the past, workers had to live somewhere even if it was in crowded squalor. Now the planning of the rebuild had changed all of that. There was a forest of towers rising into the dark sky modern and beautiful, some finished and some still under construction as foundations were laid in still other places. The camps nearby were shrinking as groups according to the Scale of Need devised by the Autobot Military Medical Services were taken from them to their new and beautiful homes. Businesses were popping up, mostly necessary services. But among them were restaurants, bars and grocery stores. Cooking had even made it this far into the sticks.

They walked through the huge city-former serving this area as a construction production area with health center. He was named Rolling Thunder and evidently was very old and war-like. They walked into his control center and chatted. Owen noted the level of respect the massive mechanism accorded to Prime, filing that away as well. Their guide said that they were coming along at a faster rate than he expected which was good since the poverty here was appalling. They were worked to death by Megatron and last on the list for necessary things in the past but hat had all changed with liberation.

Prime took note of his observations, discussed a number of wide-ranging problems, then they began to leave. A lot of people turned out to see Prime and Owen noted as he had earlier that many walked to him just to touch. When he would walk along someone would step out to touch him, then continue onward. Prime didn't seem to notice though it was a steady thing. :Why do they touch him?: he asked glancing at Graham.

:He's considered holy and when they touch him its like a blessing: Graham replied. :It happens all the time. Prime just accepts it as part of the job:

Owen nodded. Another fact to file away.

-0-Mars

They walked through the bridge with pounding hearts, then stepped out into a giant room with chairs, lounges and tons of technology everywhere. Sitting on a chair nearby, Heatout watched the humans arrive with curiosity. Several femmes and mechs were standing or sitting around the room as they entered. Big hands picked them up, then put them on the table. Chairs were waiting as Warren helped them to settle.

Everyone stared at each other, then Jetta smiled. "Welcome. I'm Jetta of Iacon and a special operations officer on the Prime's General Staff. You humans … the members and operational officers of Ghost Hunt are welcome here. These mechs and femmes," he said nodding to a solemn-looking group of youngish-looking bots sitting on chairs nearby, "are doing the same thing you are on Earth. They're looking for enemies of The People. You're both here to listen to a proposition, the first of its kind between us and Earth." Jetta pulled up a chair and most of the group sat.

"I would like you to meet Elita-1 of Iacon, Mirage of Iacon, Jazz of Kaon, Chromia of Kaon, and Devcon of Praxus," Jetta said. The bots nodded as the humans looked around the room.

The bots they saw they knew from this and that, some of whom were legends. It was very strange and **EXHILARATING** to be here at the moment even though the reason was still unclear. The four human boys were having major buy-in even now.

-0-TBC 6-21-17 **edited 6-26-17**

NOTES:

Apparently, early reviews of Transformers: The Last Night are abysmal. THANKS, BEY, for screwing up one of the most amazing universes in fiction. Wanker.


	45. Chapter 45

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 45)

-0-Manganese Mountains, Cybertron

They walked back to the ship and boarded. The sounds of rebuilding continued until the ramp retracted and the door closed. Relaxing inside, the big mechs sat silently, the weight of a mass death long ago heavy on their shoulders. Harris and the soldiers sat quietly. Harris glanced at Lennox who looked grim. :This is everywhere isn't it:

Lennox nodded. :Yeah. A good billion of their people didn't make it:

Harris considered that with astonishment. A billion was abstract but there was nothing abstract about the mess in the crater. There were several hundred individuals laying there in pieces and had for who knew how long. He considered having to put things back together when the disaster was that big and found a grudging admiration for Prime and his people growing. It didn't change more than that in his thinking but he didn't get as far as he had without seeking and finding understanding about the other side.

They rode in silence, then the ship began to descend. It landed, then they walked off onto the streets of a big city. All around them in the distance skyscrapers gleamed with lights and the streets were level, clean and displayed the efforts of the new rebuild. Closer to where they all stood, a number of tall houses and other types of buildings ringed a gigantic open square. The 'houses' were beautiful and highly typical he was finding of Cybertronian architecture. All of the buildings he had seen had something of their culture and its beauty cared into them. Nothing appeared to be without a lot of effort and thought toward its design and look.

Prime turned toward a well-lit building that had a lot of foot traffic coming and going through broad open doors over which hung the Autobrand. Smaller ships, runabouts, were landing or taking off while still many more waited in the square for dispatch. The bots gathered up the humans, then followed Prime as the giant mech made his way to the building with the most activity.

Lights lit up the square, those that were placed purposefully to do so and those of ships coming and going. Here and there, a bot would step out, transform and drive off. It was all intensely fascinating to Harris as he rode on Ironhide's servo. Springer and Drift had left earlier but Ratchet had stayed, explaining everything they saw to Harris and the others. It was a highly enlightening commentary and Harris was glad for it. It was easier to make sense of things going on.

They followed Prime up steps into a huge recreational room with bots sitting or standing around. Traversing the room, winding around tables and chairs, they were headed for an operational center nearby, a big one. Those present saw Prime, nodded their helms in respect, then continued what they were doing. Some of the mechs gave a load of slag to some of them and got it back before they all disappeared into the Operational Center for this hemisphere of Cybertron here in Kaon.

Walking to the command table, Prime paused. "What is the status report?" he asked a bot there, one Harris would later be told was Dell, a 'Con mech who had surrendered early on and was a trusted capable officer in the Autobots and their world.

"We have a new set of surrenders coming in at the big airfield at Nova Cronum. One of them has touched down and already surrendered. Three ships and 600+ bots, all of them supply convoy security. Another coming could be trouble. We have a lot of security there and I've called for and received a lot of Seekers. If they want a shoot out, they will get one," Dell said grimly.

Prime nodded. "I would hope they surrender. Are there any road gangs causing trouble?"

Dell nodded. "We're tracking two in the north and four in the cities, Iacon, Polyhex, Uraya, and Yuss. They're moving on the down low but they're still there and organized. We have teams tracking them."

Prime nodded. They discussed a number of things, Prime listened to and questioned a number of individuals who were waiting, then took custody of a weapon that was Primal in origin and unknown in danger. It had been found in the 'private collection' of a high caste in Capital City and thus, was a danger to anyone who might have it and not know what it meant or how it worked. As it was, it looked like a discus, flat and round with a lot of markings and designs on its surface.

At last, Prime took datapads for Prowl, subbed them, then took his leave. The group with him walked toward the door and out to the floodlit courtyard. Prime paused to stare at the sky, at the now reasonably unknown combinations of stars overhead. They were straying even more and as they did the yearning ache to protect this world and her suffering people asserted itself again. He turned to the others. "We can go now." With that, he walked to the shuttle and climbed aboard. The others with the humans followed.

The ramp retracted, the hatches closed and they were on their way again.

-0-In a room at Ops Center, Mars

They stared at each other as Jetta waited for the humans to digest their amazement. The Cybertronian counterpart to them were less dazzled by the familiar bots around them than that the familiar bots had made them. They were supposed to be a secret society. It was disconcerting. Jetta grinned. "The big mech next to Chromia is a new Autobot but a warrior of the Decepticon persuasion."

"Former Decepticon," Maelstrom said with a grin.

The humans stared at him with uncertainty, then Jetta. Jetta grinned again, then nodded to the youngsters who were sitting uneasily watching the show. "These young kids are Artur and his brother, Tabulation, Burnoff, Tyre, and Willa who is the sensei of our biggest dojo, the Dai Atlas Dojo. That mech over there is Heatout, the second-in-command of the leader of the Circle of Light and the Knights of Cybertron, Dai Atlas."

The human kids looked from one to the other of their solemn-faced counterparts, then all of them turned to Jetta. :I … uh, I don't presume to speak here or break a taboo or whatever … I'm just a human and I don't know the rules but what's this about?: Tran asked as he looked around uneasily.

"You're looking for the bad guys, those who would break the treaties or ally themselves with the Decepticons who live on your planet, Earth. We've had experience with that sort over the past few years. They're never going to give up. What's worrisome is the idea of them making that link or figuring out our tech and creating something disastrous," Jetta said.

Willa glanced at Artur, then Jetta. "How did you find us?"

Jetta grinned. "You're very good, both of you, but we've been doing this sort of thing for millions of years. We knew about all of you from the beginning."

Springer nodded. "We were there when you got the nod from Roberts. It occurred to me that you might be something like Smoke here." Springer's form shifted and his regular appearance returned along with Drift. He grinned at the humans who gasped. "Pretender tech. It helps me meet humans eye-to-eye."

"They were tracking someone very dangerous who has our tech and from whom we rescued a Primal Relic," Jetta said. He looked at the humans. "There is some tech in our arsenal that is so dangerous that only a Prime can handle it safely. We tracked one of these items to a man named Owen Harris and got to it before he could open the container it was in. The box was found in Africa by his son, a 'coincidence' that wasn't, really. If Primal relics want to be found they will be. Prime being here in this system would attract them to him. Harris was the vehicle who made that happen."

"Then there are more on Earth?" Artur asked.

Jetta nodded. "Most likely," he said. "We're tracking them and also groups like this who are dangerous to the security of both of our people. We have an abiding inclination to protect the Earth and her people. You are not capable of holding off the bad guys without us."

Chromia nodded. "That's the truth. Check out this guy," she said jerking her thumb toward the big mech beside her. He stared at her with an amused expression. "This guy is the little brother of a much bigger mech and someone by himself who could level a city easily."

"I'm not smaller than Turmoil," Maelstrom said as he smirked at Chromia. "He's smaller than me."

"Remind me to take a tape measure to his cell next time," Chromia said. She grinned at Maelstrom, then looked at the humans with a measuring gaze. "We were the team that stayed on Cybertron during four million years of clandestine warfare there. We were never caught. Don't lose any sleep if you thought you were deep. Even Megatron didn't catch us and he slagging tried."

:What do you want us to do?: Bobby Jenkins said as he arose from his chair. :How can we help? You **do** want us to help you, right?:

Jetta nodded. "We want you to track our tech as well as the communications and actions of Owen Harris and his group. I want to know what they say, who they meet, what they do both on and off world. A good half of them are here living in the habitat. I'm not sure a good half of them will stay once the novelty wears off but that's beside the point. A shipload of our tech is in human hands. Harris and his gang want to connect with Razorclaw or anyone else to take it to us. We need you to look for them and listen in. What we don't want," he said as he leaned in closer to the humans, "is for any of you to play special ops. They will kill you. Slowly. Painfully." He turned to Mirage. "Show them what you can do, Mirage."

Mirage nodded, then went away. He faded instantly from view. It was silent in the room, then Mirage appeared. "How's that?" he asked with a grin.

"Perfection as usual," Jazz said with a chuckle. "Understand, we're the special ops experts here, not you. It's what we do. Some of us have the best special skills and enough devices to be that good at it. All you have to do is sit in your offices and search. Report your findings to me every night by special download and if you hit something then we'll take it from there. You **will not** and **must not** try to fix things for yourselves. These people will cut you into confetti and you'll beg for your death before you die. Understood?"

The human and Cybertronian kids both nodded. Jetta turned to Springer and Drift. "Thanks for the assist. You can meet with Smoke here after we go over this and get the proper oaths. Thanks."

"Don't mention it, bro," Springer said with a snicker, then the two walked out heading for Tyke and business. The group would talk together for two hours with Smoke getting the Earth2 portion of the job and Ghost Hunt, the Earth side of the chase. By the time they made their oaths before Heatout who would help manage the group on world they were ready to go. A short hop home would be made and the kids would be back in their New York office in no time.

They would jump on the problem designing the search tracers who would alert when they found something. The level of encryption they would have on their searches would be out of this world. Mirage gave them a device to cover their traces.

Burnoff walked into this business, The Idea Place and sat down across from his ada. Turquoise who was debugging code for The Trigger glanced up. "What is it, son?" he asked.

"Prime needs me to catch someone who has our tech. We have to monitor those who are here at Earth2 while humans who have a business like Smoke search on Earth itself." He grinned slightly. "This makes me feel like a spy."

Turquoise stared at his son, then nodded. "Then be a very good spy, son."

-0-TBC 6-22-17 **edited 6-26-17**

NOTES

You can see the movie online at you tube. They didn't let much time pass. Google it there. There's a lot of culture and history in the storyline as I watched in the snippets. I won't spoil but it was interesting. Hugs, darlings! PS: If you're from Europe and dealing with fires, I hug you tightly. In parts of the United States, someone told me that it was 120 degrees. Arizona I was told. :(

* * *

 **Chapter 46: Chapter 46**

* * *

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 45)

-0-On the tarmac of the Military Airfield, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"What's this, Lennox?"

Will Lennox, Robert Epps, Niall Graham, and Owen Harris turned almost as one to look upward. Standing behind them, Roadbuster, Twintwist, Whirlaway, and a mech they didn't know but had the tattoos of Prison Security on his shoulder were staring down at the humans. They were a gnarly, scary-looking bunch to anyone let alone Harris but the soldiers knew and liked all of them.

:These are the new whips: Lennox said with a grin. :We need troop transports and they want us to test these out in harsh terrain:

The soldiers stared at them silently a moment, then Roadbuster picked one of the vehicles up. It looked like a toy in his grip. He turned it this way and that to examine it, then held it for the others to see. It was a six wheel device with a hard shell that enclosed everyone. The back bed was enclosed and had large windows to see outward with benches along both sides for passengers to sit. There were two seats up front and gun racks in the back.

"I think my kids have a toy like this," the unknown mech said with a slight smirk, "But its better made."

The big mechs laughed, then Roadbuster put it back down. There were four of them that were driven off a supply ship and waiting for the soldiers to come collect them.

:Ha-Ha, Roadie: Lennox said with a grin as he looked at he black vehicles with the various N.E.S.T. insignia and other Earth decals on them. :This is state-of-the-art tech where I come from:

"Can't say much for the state of your art then, human," Whirlaway said with a grin. "Good luck with that slag."

The big mechs nodded, then turned to go onward together for shift duty at the prison. Epps grinned. **:HEY!:** They paused to look back at the humans. :Any good gossip from the slammer?:

The mechs grinned. "The usual fights and stupidity. Motor Master says hi," Twin said with a smirk. "I'll send them your love." The mechs laughed loudly, then continued onward.

Harris glanced at the soldiers. :What do you have to do to visit that place?:

Lennox glanced at him. :Kill someone?: he said. :Let's go. I'll take you to Earth2 and the rest of you get these to the habitat. Maybe someone here can carry one of them so they all get there: He glanced around, then signaled a young kid standing nearby as a ship off loaded. He came to Lennox, then knelt down curiously. :Could you help a brother?: Lennox asked.

He could.

-0-On the way back

They motored along in a vehicle that was only slightly smaller than the vehicles and mechs driving on the highways back to Earth2. It was heavy with truck traffic as the business of business swept along. Harris watched the landscape of towers and cities change to eight lanes of well maintained road leading past the Mausoleum and Basilica. Things gave way to desert and desolation. It had its own beauty but it wasn't as inspiring as mountains with trees and meadows of grass. At least to Harris.

"Tell me about the Mausoleum," he asked Lennox as they sat in the enclosed cab without their masks.

"They bury their dead there. It follows their customs," Lennox said.

"Are we allowed to visit?" Harris asked.

Lennox considered that. "You're allowed to visit the Mausoleum and Basilica. In the past, no one was allowed into the Basilica but Prime opened it up. He wants everyone to derive comfort and a sense of home here."

"There was a funeral in the Basilica a while back, something about a drone Seeker," Harris said.

Lennox nodded. "It was accorded a Primal funeral for services rendered for the good of all. It was responsible for seeding this system with energon, the fuel they use for everything including food."

The majesty of the Basilica came into view and the parking lot was filled with trucks making deliveries and individuals visiting including a yellow bus from the schools.

"Children come here to visit?" he asked.

"They do. They have a program for all the children to visit all the important places. It's part of the school curriculum. Museums, libraries, the Temple and Monastery, businesses, Ops Center … they want their kids to reclaim their identity as Cybertronians so they teach them who they are and what it means," Lennox said.

"Your daughter goes to school here. Is she also eligible for these features?" Harris asked.

Lennox considered the man asking, then doubled down on his sense of protective family responsibility and pride in his daughter. "She is. She's fully part of the school system. She's getting an education that she couldn't get anywhere else. I'm proud of her. Her and all the others."

Harris nodded. "That's a good and remarkable thing. What do you feel about her learning about other gods and other ways of thinking about that?"

"All roads lead to the same door," Lennox said. "The more she needs, the more we're going to give her. We live in two worlds here, my family and me. Before, I never could have them with me. Here, I can. My wife is an owner and operator of the Resort so our family will be here from now onward. It's a good thing for my daughter to learn how to live in two worlds."

"What about Earth? Aren't you worried about her losing that part of her identity?" Harris asked with genuine curiosity.

"No. She knows she's human and she lives around them all the time. She also has Cybertronian citizenship which she and the rest of us take very seriously. She has the best of two worlds. She knows who she is and how she wants to live," Lennox said. "We aren't worried."

It was silent as they drove onward into the desert. The towering antennas of Earth 1 appeared, then disappeared. The Consulate appeared in the distance, the road leading there a turn off from the main highway like Earth 1. By the time they could see the gigantic form of Earth2 rising up in the distance they were nearly at the end of the constructed road. Work was going on several miles away to connect this highway to the big one that would encircle Mars. When that part was finished they would add the miles to it from Earth2's turnoff.

Driving through the boulders piled nearby as decoration, they headed across the newly paved parking lot toward the entrance facility. It had a space for Autobots and big deliveries alongside one for individuals and small vehicles. Lennox drove up and parked near the door. "Put on your gear. The vehicle won't open unless you pass muster."

Harris complied, Lennox scanned, then the go was given by the truck. Harris turned toward Lennox. :Thanks for the opportunity to go to Cybertron:

Lennox stared at him a moment. "Did it change anything or are you still a dick?"

Harris considered the straightforward question. :I'm not the enemy:

"Prove it," Lennox said coldly. He tabbed the door opened and watched as Harris walked out, entered the elevator which closed and began to rise upward through the glass enclosed tower that housed it. When he was at the top, Lennox drove back toward the highway. He felt grim inside. "Prove it, dick." He disappeared down the highway toward home.

-0-Ops Center

Ratchet and Ironhide sat down at the table and put up their peds on spare chairs. "What an orn," Ratchet said. "We found graves at the bottom of bomb craters."

Prowl nodded solemnly. "I got the notice." He sat back and tossed his stylus on the table. "What about Harris?"

"He was a nosy slagger," Ironhide said. "Asked a lot of questions."

"I know. I can't imagine why. After all, he **was** on another planet surrounded by aliens after going through a space bridge. Why would he ask questions?" Ironhide frowned a tiny frown at Ratchet who snapped a picture. "You're cute when you do that."

"I know someone cuter," Prowl said with a smirk. "My son, Orion."

"Delusional," Ironhide said with a grin.

Prime entered the room from his office, then sat with the three. "What are we talking about?"

"Our son, Orion, and how he sort of looks like that big pouting baby there," Prowl said nodding to Ironhide.

"Oh," Prime said with a grin.

"You really need to get the bond help," Ironhide said. "He's delusional again. I would know. So is Ratchet."

Snickers and rebuttal greeted that, then they got down to business. "What do you think the outcome for this will be with Harris now that he has come to Cybertron?" Optimus asked.

"I don't know. I think he's very set in his ways but sometimes it takes a lot of water to wear down a rock," Ratchet said.

Ironhide nodded. "That's right. Can I drown him now?"

Laughter is a good thing.

-0-At Earth2

"Where were you?" Cynthia Tomas asked as she walked into the office where Owen stood staring out the window.

"I was on Cybertron," Harris replied. "I asked to go and was allowed."

Cynthia stared at him with surprise, then walked to stand next to him. "Cybertron? Their home world?"

Harris glanced at her, then nodded. "Yes. Prime was attending to business and I asked to go. I was surprised he said yes but then he's an alien and I have no idea how to scrutinize him."

She nodded. "What was it like?"

Harris considered the question and its several dozen possible answers. "It's rising from the grave. They've lost a billion or so people in the war. But its rising up. There are towers and cities coming along, towns and villages that are completely restored. Everyone is working. It's perpetual night, however. They're no longer attached to their star, whatever that means. I don't know how they lost that but they have and they're wandering. It's a big source of concern for Prime."

"I can imagine," Cynthia said. "What do they plan to do about that?"

"I don't know but something tells me that its not a big problem for them. We went through an artificial wormhole to get there. A space bridge opened, we went in, then seconds later we were coming up on Cybertron. It took seconds to go thousands of light years. It was astonishing. Their science is astonishing. They have so much on us technologically, we must be like ants to them." He turned to gaze out again. "I would give anything to have some of their tech. We could fix every ill Earth has."

"They have laws against that," Cynthia said. "Their Tyrest Treaties forbid it. That would be a good way to go to their prison forever. We're bound by their laws and penalties because we don't have immunity."

Harris nodded. He grinned at her, a tight grin without much warmth. "A man can dream."

Cynthia considered him, then turned to go. "I'll leave the messages on your desk," she said as she put the slips down and walked out the door.

It was quiet again as he stared at the unchanging view outside. Walking to the desk, he scrutinized his messages. None of them couldn't wait so he walked out to inspect his domain. He would spend a bunch of time in the forest, looking at the pallets of plants waiting for the fields and petting the animals in the farmyard nearby.

-0-In a high security lock up at the Prison

They sat together lounging companionably in their chairs as a group of guards walked past heavily armed. Ironhide and Springer, alternate versions of the local deal were watching them. Ironhide and Springer both knew their counterparts on their own world. Roadbuster, Whirlaway, and Twintwist were a ruthless bunch in their own twisted Autobot Army. Being bored, Springer called out. **"HEY, ROADIE! TWIN! COME OVER HERE!"**

The group halted on their rounds, glanced at each other, then walked to the pen to stand before the two mechs smirking at them and each other. "Twin, what's up?" Springer asked.

"Well," Twin began because he could slag with the best of them, "I'm out here. I'm going to have a great dinner and get laid tonight. What about you?"

"The only difference between you and me is that I'm in here," Springer said. Ironhide howled with laughter as both sides grinned in spite of themselves. "You know … you three are real slaggers on my side of the divide." He looked at the other mech. "I don't know you or I'd give you the word too." He looked at the three he knew. "You like to kill things, tearing their arms and legs off, then letting them bleed out. Real humanitarians, you are."

"Sounds like me," Roadbuster said conversationally. He glanced at the other three. "Doesn't that sound like me?"

The others pretended to think a moment, then nodded. "It does."

Roadbuster looked at the two, then nodded. Without another word, he began to walk onward. The others joined him laughing loudly as they continued onward.

Ironhide watched them go, then grinned at Springer. "You're losing your touch, hoss."

Springer grinned at his bond, soulmate and partner in all his crimes. "I think you're right. They have to come around again. Let's go for broke next time."

They would wait but the bots would take another path on their rounds. They knew how to play this game too.

-0-TBC 6-23-17 **edited 6-26-17**

For everyone who saw the movie, I'm glad that Bey said this will be the last one for him. The Bee movie looks promising but who knows? I just hate to see Optimus get hurt. :*{

PM me if any of the bots died that I might know. All of the bots seem to be ones I never heard of. :[ Hugs, Leoness and Guests. :D


	46. Chapter 46

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 45)

-0-On the tarmac of the Military Airfield, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"What's this, Lennox?"

Will Lennox, Robert Epps, Niall Graham, and Owen Harris turned almost as one to look upward. Standing behind them, Roadbuster, Twintwist, Whirlaway, and a mech they didn't know but had the tattoos of Prison Security on his shoulder were staring down at the humans. They were a gnarly, scary-looking bunch to anyone let alone Harris but the soldiers knew and liked all of them.

:These are the new whips: Lennox said with a grin. :We need troop transports and they want us to test these out in harsh terrain:

The soldiers stared at them silently a moment, then Roadbuster picked one of the vehicles up. It looked like a toy in his grip. He turned it this way and that to examine it, then held it for the others to see. It was a six wheel device with a hard shell that enclosed everyone. The back bed was enclosed and had large windows to see outward with benches along both sides for passengers to sit. There were two seats up front and gun racks in the back.

"I think my kids have a toy like this," the unknown mech said with a slight smirk, "But its better made."

The big mechs laughed, then Roadbuster put it back down. There were four of them that were driven off a supply ship and waiting for the soldiers to come collect them.

:Ha-Ha, Roadie: Lennox said with a grin as he looked at he black vehicles with the various N.E.S.T. insignia and other Earth decals on them. :This is state-of-the-art tech where I come from:

"Can't say much for the state of your art then, human," Whirlaway said with a grin. "Good luck with that slag."

The big mechs nodded, then turned to go onward together for shift duty at the prison. Epps grinned. **:HEY!:** They paused to look back at the humans. :Any good gossip from the slammer?:

The mechs grinned. "The usual fights and stupidity. Motor Master says hi," Twin said with a smirk. "I'll send them your love." The mechs laughed loudly, then continued onward.

Harris glanced at the soldiers. :What do you have to do to visit that place?:

Lennox glanced at him. :Kill someone?: he said. :Let's go. I'll take you to Earth2 and the rest of you get these to the habitat. Maybe someone here can carry one of them so they all get there: He glanced around, then signaled a young kid standing nearby as a ship off loaded. He came to Lennox, then knelt down curiously. :Could you help a brother?: Lennox asked.

He could.

-0-On the way back

They motored along in a vehicle that was only slightly smaller than the vehicles and mechs driving on the highways back to Earth2. It was heavy with truck traffic as the business of business swept along. Harris watched the landscape of towers and cities change to eight lanes of well maintained road leading past the Mausoleum and Basilica. Things gave way to desert and desolation. It had its own beauty but it wasn't as inspiring as mountains with trees and meadows of grass. At least to Harris.

"Tell me about the Mausoleum," he asked Lennox as they sat in the enclosed cab without their masks.

"They bury their dead there. It follows their customs," Lennox said.

"Are we allowed to visit?" Harris asked.

Lennox considered that. "You're allowed to visit the Mausoleum and Basilica. In the past, no one was allowed into the Basilica but Prime opened it up. He wants everyone to derive comfort and a sense of home here."

"There was a funeral in the Basilica a while back, something about a drone Seeker," Harris said.

Lennox nodded. "It was accorded a Primal funeral for services rendered for the good of all. It was responsible for seeding this system with energon, the fuel they use for everything including food."

The majesty of the Basilica came into view and the parking lot was filled with trucks making deliveries and individuals visiting including a yellow bus from the schools.

"Children come here to visit?" he asked.

"They do. They have a program for all the children to visit all the important places. It's part of the school curriculum. Museums, libraries, the Temple and Monastery, businesses, Ops Center … they want their kids to reclaim their identity as Cybertronians so they teach them who they are and what it means," Lennox said.

"Your daughter goes to school here. Is she also eligible for these features?" Harris asked.

Lennox considered the man asking, then doubled down on his sense of protective family responsibility and pride in his daughter. "She is. She's fully part of the school system. She's getting an education that she couldn't get anywhere else. I'm proud of her. Her and all the others."

Harris nodded. "That's a good and remarkable thing. What do you feel about her learning about other gods and other ways of thinking about that?"

"All roads lead to the same door," Lennox said. "The more she needs, the more we're going to give her. We live in two worlds here, my family and me. Before, I never could have them with me. Here, I can. My wife is an owner and operator of the Resort so our family will be here from now onward. It's a good thing for my daughter to learn how to live in two worlds."

"What about Earth? Aren't you worried about her losing that part of her identity?" Harris asked with genuine curiosity.

"No. She knows she's human and she lives around them all the time. She also has Cybertronian citizenship which she and the rest of us take very seriously. She has the best of two worlds. She knows who she is and how she wants to live," Lennox said. "We aren't worried."

It was silent as they drove onward into the desert. The towering antennas of Earth 1 appeared, then disappeared. The Consulate appeared in the distance, the road leading there a turn off from the main highway like Earth 1. By the time they could see the gigantic form of Earth2 rising up in the distance they were nearly at the end of the constructed road. Work was going on several miles away to connect this highway to the big one that would encircle Mars. When that part was finished they would add the miles to it from Earth2's turnoff.

Driving through the boulders piled nearby as decoration, they headed across the newly paved parking lot toward the entrance facility. It had a space for Autobots and big deliveries alongside one for individuals and small vehicles. Lennox drove up and parked near the door. "Put on your gear. The vehicle won't open unless you pass muster."

Harris complied, Lennox scanned, then the go was given by the truck. Harris turned toward Lennox. :Thanks for the opportunity to go to Cybertron:

Lennox stared at him a moment. "Did it change anything or are you still a dick?"

Harris considered the straightforward question. :I'm not the enemy:

"Prove it," Lennox said coldly. He tabbed the door opened and watched as Harris walked out, entered the elevator which closed and began to rise upward through the glass enclosed tower that housed it. When he was at the top, Lennox drove back toward the highway. He felt grim inside. "Prove it, dick." He disappeared down the highway toward home.

-0-Ops Center

Ratchet and Ironhide sat down at the table and put up their peds on spare chairs. "What an orn," Ratchet said. "We found graves at the bottom of bomb craters."

Prowl nodded solemnly. "I got the notice." He sat back and tossed his stylus on the table. "What about Harris?"

"He was a nosy slagger," Ironhide said. "Asked a lot of questions."

"I know. I can't imagine why. After all, he **was** on another planet surrounded by aliens after going through a space bridge. Why would he ask questions?" Ironhide frowned a tiny frown at Ratchet who snapped a picture. "You're cute when you do that."

"I know someone cuter," Prowl said with a smirk. "My son, Orion."

"Delusional," Ironhide said with a grin.

Prime entered the room from his office, then sat with the three. "What are we talking about?"

"Our son, Orion, and how he sort of looks like that big pouting baby there," Prowl said nodding to Ironhide.

"Oh," Prime said with a grin.

"You really need to get the bond help," Ironhide said. "He's delusional again. I would know. So is Ratchet."

Snickers and rebuttal greeted that, then they got down to business. "What do you think the outcome for this will be with Harris now that he has come to Cybertron?" Optimus asked.

"I don't know. I think he's very set in his ways but sometimes it takes a lot of water to wear down a rock," Ratchet said.

Ironhide nodded. "That's right. Can I drown him now?"

Laughter is a good thing.

-0-At Earth2

"Where were you?" Cynthia Tomas asked as she walked into the office where Owen stood staring out the window.

"I was on Cybertron," Harris replied. "I asked to go and was allowed."

Cynthia stared at him with surprise, then walked to stand next to him. "Cybertron? Their home world?"

Harris glanced at her, then nodded. "Yes. Prime was attending to business and I asked to go. I was surprised he said yes but then he's an alien and I have no idea how to scrutinize him."

She nodded. "What was it like?"

Harris considered the question and its several dozen possible answers. "It's rising from the grave. They've lost a billion or so people in the war. But its rising up. There are towers and cities coming along, towns and villages that are completely restored. Everyone is working. It's perpetual night, however. They're no longer attached to their star, whatever that means. I don't know how they lost that but they have and they're wandering. It's a big source of concern for Prime."

"I can imagine," Cynthia said. "What do they plan to do about that?"

"I don't know but something tells me that its not a big problem for them. We went through an artificial wormhole to get there. A space bridge opened, we went in, then seconds later we were coming up on Cybertron. It took seconds to go thousands of light years. It was astonishing. Their science is astonishing. They have so much on us technologically, we must be like ants to them." He turned to gaze out again. "I would give anything to have some of their tech. We could fix every ill Earth has."

"They have laws against that," Cynthia said. "Their Tyrest Treaties forbid it. That would be a good way to go to their prison forever. We're bound by their laws and penalties because we don't have immunity."

Harris nodded. He grinned at her, a tight grin without much warmth. "A man can dream."

Cynthia considered him, then turned to go. "I'll leave the messages on your desk," she said as she put the slips down and walked out the door.

It was quiet again as he stared at the unchanging view outside. Walking to the desk, he scrutinized his messages. None of them couldn't wait so he walked out to inspect his domain. He would spend a bunch of time in the forest, looking at the pallets of plants waiting for the fields and petting the animals in the farmyard nearby.

-0-In a high security lock up at the Prison

They sat together lounging companionably in their chairs as a group of guards walked past heavily armed. Ironhide and Springer, alternate versions of the local deal were watching them. Ironhide and Springer both knew their counterparts on their own world. Roadbuster, Whirlaway, and Twintwist were a ruthless bunch in their own twisted Autobot Army. Being bored, Springer called out. **"HEY, ROADIE! TWIN! COME OVER HERE!"**

The group halted on their rounds, glanced at each other, then walked to the pen to stand before the two mechs smirking at them and each other. "Twin, what's up?" Springer asked.

"Well," Twin began because he could slag with the best of them, "I'm out here. I'm going to have a great dinner and get laid tonight. What about you?"

"The only difference between you and me is that I'm in here," Springer said. Ironhide howled with laughter as both sides grinned in spite of themselves. "You know … you three are real slaggers on my side of the divide." He looked at the other mech. "I don't know you or I'd give you the word too." He looked at the three he knew. "You like to kill things, tearing their arms and legs off, then letting them bleed out. Real humanitarians, you are."

"Sounds like me," Roadbuster said conversationally. He glanced at the other three. "Doesn't that sound like me?"

The others pretended to think a moment, then nodded. "It does."

Roadbuster looked at the two, then nodded. Without another word, he began to walk onward. The others joined him laughing loudly as they continued onward.

Ironhide watched them go, then grinned at Springer. "You're losing your touch, hoss."

Springer grinned at his bond, soulmate and partner in all his crimes. "I think you're right. They have to come around again. Let's go for broke next time."

They would wait but the bots would take another path on their rounds. They knew how to play this game too.

-0-TBC 6-23-17 **edited 6-26-17**

For everyone who saw the movie, I'm glad that Bey said this will be the last one for him. The Bee movie looks promising but who knows? I just hate to see Optimus get hurt. :*{

PM me if any of the bots died that I might know. All of the bots seem to be ones I never heard of. :[ Hugs, Leoness and Guests. :D


	47. Chapter 47

The Diego Diaries: Getting On With It (dd6 47)

-0-Going up

They stepped out of the elevator into the Grand Concourse, the ground floor of the installation that greeted anyone who came. It disappeared into the distance but was abuzz with activity. In-house vehicles drove here and there, some towing wagons with stuff and others carrying people. The place was lit up and busy with the towering open spaces filled to the skin with the energy and life of people inhabiting its immense confines.

Will Lennox, Niall Graham and Bobby Epps glanced around themselves, then turned to a vehicle that drove up to stop in front of them. It was a large roofless golf-cart like device with a big bed which had seating lining it all around, used inside to carry things. Cynthia Tomas smiled. "Get in, gentlemen. We're going to signal everyone to come."

By the time they were seated in the vehicle a siren sounded causing everyone to pause, then walk toward wherever they had to so they could go to the big auditorium. Some came from this floor while others emptied the labs, farms, schools, apartments, worksites, stores and restaurants, gym and swimming pool area, and other occupied places to come. They jetted past waving to this and that civilian who was heading their way. Everyone was happy and 'bright'. Lennox grinned to himself. He was beginning to identify energy too.

They sped onward, then hopped out at the door to the vast auditorium. The leadership of the facility were there to greet the three. They shook hands, then Lennox glanced around. "We're waiting for a bot, Paribolus. He's going to be here. He's the interface bot with the big frames and the colony for this installation. He's coming too."

"The big mech from the last meeting? The white one that's about 40 feet tall?" Jun Lee asked.

"35 feet," Lennox said, then they all turned when the tremors under their feet signaled a big frame was coming.

The crowd, 99% of whom had yet to meet a bot though many worked in the facility turned as well watching with awe as a big mech walked toward them from the elevator. He was handsome in a totally relatable way, handsome face and figure. He was immaculately white with red accents … his finials which they would eventually learn were communication antennae and his amber optics framed his face in an oddly human manner. They had been told that red optics meant Decepticon and blue Autobot. The other optical colors were new.

The big Autobot sigil in the middle of his chest declared his faction. His servos were red and there were touches of blue on his arms and legs. He appeared to wear a red helmet but it was part of his head which was painted red as well. He had more color than most but was tasteful and pleasing in the metal.

He looked intelligent and had a grace about him that belied his giant size. He trod heavily but not dully indicating a great ability to control himself in action. He grinned slightly at the soldiers who grinned back. It was a handsome expression on his face and most of the humans watching were surprised that it was so.

"Paribolus, we waited for you," Lennox said.

Paribolus nodded. "I am here, William Lennox," he said in a deep well modulated voice.

Lennox looked at the crowd. "Let's go," he said as they jolted, then walked in. When the last of 'the settlers' as they called themselves entered, the soldiers, the command group and then the big mech followed. The soldiers walked down the center aisle to the front while Paribolus walked along the side. He took the platform with them, then turned to the crowd. He scanned them, something they all felt which stilled their murmuring, then he glanced down at Lennox. "I am ready when you are, William."

Lennox nodded, then turned to the group including the command team who sat in the front row. "My name is Major Will Lennox and I am commanding the N.E.S.T. Headquarters and on-world Rapid Response Striker Team garrison as well as every human who lives here. You already know that from the briefings with Ambassador Ratchet but I'm repeating it so that it sinks in. This is Captain Niall Graham of the UK and this is Master Sargent Bobby Epps of the American Air Force. No one who lives here has been here longer than us and no one here knows how to survive in this place better than us.

"We're here to discuss a number of things and we asked Paribolus, the bot liaison with this facility to be here to listen. Since all of you are new, you're going to be confined to this facility for another month with only supervised treks out. We, the Striker team will be coming here to take you around in groups. We want you to learn where to go and not, what to do and not as well as how to act. This is a very open society but there are taboos and there are ways of doing things that you need to learn.

"You may know that the bots suffered a terrible event that has led to a period of state mourning which concludes July 5th on the Martian-Terran calendar. When that date arrives there will be a massive colony-wide funeral led by the Prime which will be another reason that you are not to be outside. This funeral is expected to attract up to 18,000,000 colonists. The last thing we need is someone getting accidentally stepped on. The bots run proximity sensors, even the kids but if they stumble and fall in a big group they can't help it if they kill you. Don't be that statistic.

"The funeral will be broadcast on the MCA and you can watch it here on any monitor or in the theater. Your communications links to Earth will be cut during the funeral so that commentary about it isn't in the way of the solemnity of the moment. This is a big deal. I can't stress that enough. You're expected to be on your best behavior and to obey the rules. When the funeral ends so do the solemnities but the feelings this has raised will take some time to subside. Remember that. It will be then that we can sit down and discuss a gradual move to the outside and the colony itself.

"I want to say that there's a lot of uncertainty regarding your presence here by the bots. We have a stellar reputation on-world, all of us. First it was us at the N.E.S.T. Habitat, then the Scientists, then the Hu-An, Earth 1, and finally the Consulate. Each group works hard at being a good neighbor and abiding by the rules and laws of Cybertron which are the rules and laws here. You have no diplomatic immunity. Remember that. None.

"The Prime is the leader in every area of life here. He's viewed even as a holy figure, the representation of their warrior god among The People. All of you might have your own views of this kind of thing but keep them to yourself. I would also say that digging into their personal stuff or mocking them or trying to get them into your views will get you banned forever here. It's a respect thing for us to be different but to live as one. Until all are one is their creed and deepest held belief.

"Some of you have applied for your kids to go to bot schools. 47 of you to be exact. Your applications have been received by the district and will be reviewed. My daughter is a student at Youngling Day School. Epps has four kids in the system and your son is in Sparkling School, Graham. The Wilkersons whose son was first human born here attends that school too and Pritchard who is head of Resort security has two in himself. The human child population in school is large and doing well because we have huge buy in. You have to have it with the education they present to our kids," he said as the handsome Brit nodded. "I can tell you, the education she gets there is stellar. I want it for her too. I've been told by Herling, the Unified School District and Educational Director for Mars and the Empire who lives here that none of the children attending from Earth2 will be taught bot languages. Everything they learn will be in English, the main language here among the humans. No bot languages.

"Those of us with kids in the school district have built trust with the bots and thus, our kids are learning the languages and already are fluent in NeoCybex, the language and writing you will see and hear everywhere. Its their common language but they have thousands. Its a security thing, not teaching your kids the languages. No one will want to grab your kid when you go to Earth because they won't know the language. Some of their tech is missing and presumed to be in the hands of people who shouldn't have it. Your children could be grabbed to translate if they learn so they won't and we'll make it clear that language lessons for anyone here and in the other habitats will never happen.

"As for us … the news leaked out early on about our kids and their language lessons," Lennox said glancing at Harris who had no expression. "Our kids are here and when they aren't, we're with them. We all agree among us that if anyone tries to hurt or take our kids we'll shoot them and fuck the consequences." Will glanced around the huge group listening. Some were nodding in agreement. He noted their solemn expressions. "I will personally head shoot anyone who would cause harm to my daughter or wife. I know everyone else feels the same way."

Graham and Epps nodded. "Damned right," Epps said as Niall murmured agreement.

"When Herling and his team complete a review of your applications, a team of experts will come here and test everyone. Given that this is a highly academic and serious educational system, your kids have to be understood so that they can learn what they need to know at the pace they can manage. The bots are very serious about education so they'll work hard with your kids and they do a good job making them believe they can do it. Your kids have to understand that this is a genuinely academic situation with a lot of fun things built in and that they're expected to do the work. You're expected to assist them in anyway you can and if not, let them know. They get really bummed out of you don't tell them about something or request help. The teachers and staff are dedicated to their kids and you will find that you have someone for them that has their back all the way. You will also have to volunteer in the schools two hours a month. It's part of the contract. Some of the teachers here are acclaimed academics and college professors from Cybertron and they know their stuff. We aren't the first alien children who've attended their schools.

"I was told before I came here that the 14 babies and toddlers applying are accepted as a matter of course. They're just beginning but the older kids have to be measured and that way you can get to see what working with The People is like. As for the rest, clear all your requests through me and I'll make the initial contacts. Some of the women and men who live here at Sciences, The Family Tower, Earth 1, and N.E.S.T. who do things on the side will be available to help you join up. The Resort will be open to you down the road. Right now, not so much. We want to control your entry into society for a while so that the journey is smooth.

"As for times when we come together … those are the holidays mostly and birthdays. Angus Wilkerson's birthday is a big deal here for obvious reasons. Thanksgiving and the Festival of Primus are both four day holidays. Christmas is ten days. The last day is New Years for both of us and Memorial Day starts then for them. Christmas and New Years are party times but Memorial Day is solemn. I don't think I have to tell you why. We also celebrate Halloween here for the kids. There are no days off for that. There are other days that come up, mostly in the other local groups that are optional so they might not attend a day or two because of it. We have internal celebrations for Ramadan and the like but that doesn't involve the outside world and if your kid has to miss a day they will give you the work so they stay current. That's how it is here. As for the Festival, when it comes closer we'll tell you more about it. You're banned from attending and even though they broadcast it on the television system here and down the MCA, part of it will be blacked out for you, Earth 1 and the Consulate. Sciences, N.E.S.T., the Family, and some at the Resort will either attend or watch the entire thing at home.

"There are no other holidays for the kids and schools in the Unified System. If your kid goes to school in the system expect eleven day weeks and three day weekends to handle the calendar here that's based on the solar orbit of Mars. If that's a problem, then decide what you want to do. The specialists from the district will be here in two days.

"The bots use a lot of their own words when they speak our languages and they speak all of them. Orn means day, decaorn is ten days and a century is one hundred. You'll get used to it." He glanced at Graham who grinned. "You're doing fine," the handsome Brit said to great laughter.

Lennox smirked at Graham, then turned back to the group. He considered their happy, excited and expectant faces. "This is a great adventure. There will never be another like it for you anywhere. We're ambassadors for our species here among The People who have been space-going their entire history. They're patient and very forgiving. They're as curious, mostly, about you as you might be about them but they're also autonomous. They're individual beings who have seen and done a lot and some of them have suffered. Just be good and decent, use your manners, understand that no means no, and show respect." He turned to Paribolus. "Do you have anything you want to say?"

Paribolus looked at Lennox a moment, then the humans. "I am Paribolus. I am ancient. Among my people, I am one of the oldest. I have seen the birth of galaxies and the death of stars. There is very little that I have not experienced both good and bad but I am ever expectant and happy to meet new life.

"You are very new to this. You have a lot to learn. It is our great honor to help you take these baby steps into the greater universe. To be stranded on one world, to think that is all there is … I cannot think of anything more terrible. In the stars lies all the secrets of The One. We are His vision seeking out truth. We are your allies and friends. All of the humans thus far have become dear to us. You are many and there are concerns that your numbers may work against you becoming a part of the life here. It is in your servos. The door is open. How you walk through and if you stay once you get there is up to you. I, for one, bid you welcome."

The crowd stared at him a moment, then almost as one they rose to their feet and began to clap. Paribolus who had knelt down on one knee to speak to them grinned, then glanced at Lennox, Graham and Epps. They grinned back.

-0-TBC 6-24-17 **edited 6-25-17**

NOTES:

Guest chapter 43 . Jun 21

I was wondering if the bots are being influenced by the humans. Since they don't have gender and now they are doing femme studies and stuff. So they are making a difference between genders.  
The Robots in Disguise series seems to have just animal shape transformers. I guess they would be kind of a gender too. If you are planning to introduce them, I hope you include Steeljaw, he is a cutie. Even if he is not a lion like he seems to be in most stories.

ME: I love Steeljaw. What a smoothie. :D The influences are going both ways. The femmes are noticing that they're different and they want to look into that. Before here, they were just bots in the mix. No one cared about gender until now, not in a specific way. That part is going to continue. The no-gender thing fascinates me. There are things to be said and done that relate to it from the humans and their gender identity stuff. HUGS!


	48. Chapter 48

The Diego Diaries: A New Orn (dd6 48)

NOTE: I remember someone asked a time back about how you pronounce Alejate, Ramcharger's father's name. I pronounce it (aly-sah-tay) but it could be wrong. There are Spanish speakers here who might correct that. I apologize for not getting your question answered sooner. Yes. I am a doofus. :D **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

-0-Morning two orns later ...

He walked to his classroom with a list of names that were being considered for inclusion in their school. 33 human kids from the new habitat wanted a full immersion experience in the new paradigm. Some of the older kids had asked for it too. He would have two of them if testing allowed. Given that he was a doctoral specialist in teaching children with impairments, educational deficiencies, emotional difficulties, and other impediments, Terradive would receive two of the humans if their own educational attainment wasn't up to Cybertronian standards for Intermediate School.

Pretty good for a low caste-no caste Seeker hoodlum turned Decepticon from the old orns.

It would be highly likely that the 22 teenagers in the group would find themselves here in Youngling Day, sitting in classrooms with kids younger than themselves as they worked to learn what the average kid on-world already knew. There were kids from 37 countries on Earth who were here, most of them staying with their own school. But the more adventurous wanted to try to come along with the bots and the bots were ready to take them.

Roto was leading the teams that would evaluate both the students and their parents. Raising children was a team effort and they would discuss what it meant to have a child in Cybertronian schools with the adults. It would be exciting times. Maybe.

He grinned as he entered his room, the lights coming on with his presence. He walked to his desk in a corner nearby and lay his work down. Glancing around the room, he noted all was in order. His kids were proud of their room and kept it in tip-top condition. Led by his 'most dedicated helper', Sunspot, the kids in his classroom were on the job. He walked to the windows to look out noting that Seeker patrols were coming in over the horizon from their deep space patrols. Shifts were changing and by the time he was down at the playground watching his 24 kids playing, a new group would be leaving on patrol.

A sense of peacefulness overtook him, flooding his senses as images of himself as a rabble-rousing kid without options came to mind. He still remembered that angry kid when something triggered memories of his lonely sad past life but Terri wasn't him any longer. He was Terradive, master and mentor teacher, bond to Roto, director for special education for the district and master-mentor teacher himself, auxiliary Autobot in the air force, and friend to all who came to him. He was as content as he felt anyone could be though sometimes it still shocked him that he was.

The door opened as Lyrica peeked in. "Hi, smiley."

He turned to her, his teaching partner, a famous university professor, champion of the underdog, friend to all walked in. "Hi, yourself. What's the word?" he asked with a grin.

"The word, my friend, is donuts in the teacher's lounge. Come with me. I need some advice about my unit on the evolution of Seeker flight during the Golden Age." She grinned at him, this miracle of redemption that was gifted beyond imagining. That he also kept guns in his locker was a comfort as well.

"Let's go," Terradive said as he walked with her to the door which closed silently behind them.

-0-At Earth2

The team walked in led by Roto who knelt to speak to the teachers who were there. Earth2 International School #2 behind Earth 1 wouldn't be opening for a week as they were organizing and finishing their own testing for now. It allowed staff to assist the team with Roto. "You are Roto, right?" Sam Thomas asked as he looked up to the bots before him. "I'm going to be the director for our schools here."

Roto knelt. "I'm Roto, Director for Special Education for our district. We're here to test and consider placement for the children that you want to send to us. We've already accepted the 14 infants. Now we're here for the other 33. Is there a place we can go?"

"Follow me," Sam said as he entered the little four wheeled vehicle waiting to drive to the school complex nearby. The team did.

-0-At the Temple

Ferri and Hero stood together holding servos. They clutched their best dollies as they followed their teacher to the banister that prevented falls by those coming to see the Allspark. The tiny class, six very bright accelerated children were going to the Well and listen as Lady Sela told them stories about it, about Onyx and Micronus Prime, about the connection to Cybertron, and all its many fabled legends. They gathered at the railing and peered downward.

"My brother, Orion, fell into that," Hero said as the others turned toward her. "Mimi fell in, then he grabbed her ped. She pulled him in."

"What happened, Hero?" Feri asked with enormously wide optics.

"Uncle Optimus jumped in to find them. Orion and Mimi met Onyx Prime. He was nice," she said turning to look at all of them. "Onyx Prime is nice."

Sela who had arrived smiled at the remark. "That's because They love us, infants."

They turned to Sela. "Can we go see him too?" -all of them

-0-On the street …

Public Works moved from every other light pole and flag to the next as they replaced some of the banners there with those hailing the Festival of Primus. All over the colony, preparations for the festival were well under way. In windows of shops, two small signs could be seen. One of them was the cupped hands of The One holding Cybertron in memorium of their disaster and the other was the festival banner.

In about 21 orns, the festival siren would be sounded and fasting (probably) as well as mass self-reflection (maybe) would happen for an entire orn. During that time, everything but the most essential departments and areas would be closed with transport on and off world curtailed. It would be a quiet time everywhere as Cybertron also prepared to join the celebration and reflection. Everywhere in the free areas of Empire, The People were working toward their redemption and included in that was full and equal participation in the celebration of their warrior god, the Great Primus.

Buses of humans went along the roads heading for their outings with good cheer. It was a lighter mood that greeted them as they rumbled along. The funeral was in ten orns and they would lose a day of jaunting around outside because of it but few carped. These were historic times and they could say they were here.

Bots walked everywhere getting back into their lives as the shock of the genocide had a chance to work its way downward through their sparks and processors. There was a simmering rage in the community about it as odd acts of vandalism as well as fights occurred here and there. What didn't happen was major insurrection or massed violence against those who had links, were functionalists themselves or were perceived to belong to that point of view. The few functionalists in the community were on the security alert grid but so far it was just a precaution.

Springer and Drift had drawn up the security plan for the festival and the days leading up to and following it. Hot spots were parted out to various substations and bad actors factored in. All of the mechs who had day paroles would be held over at the prison. No one would be on the streets given the situation through the Festival and they would be penned up during the funeral. There would be too many individuals on the streets to take the risk.

There would only be eleven orns separating the funeral from the Festival. Anything could happen.

-0-Hard Drive and the Gang

They sat together in a coffee shop in Iacon going over the request that had been sent to Hard Drive some time before. Ironhide, Ratchet, Turbine, Delphi, Blackjack, and Raptor had joined Hardie to discuss the petition of Partitian to end the shunning. There was a process and it was designed to be excrutiating and humbling for the supplicant.

Given that shunning was the last and worst possible punishment to give a high caste to get them into line, the process of ending it was seen as having to be equally as awful to push home the point that even high castes could become powerless if they stepped over the line. The belief was that if it was, then the miscreants would straighten up and fly right. Hard Drive grinned at his son. "This is going to be awful."

"I know. Do you think this kid will get it? I sort of think watching Lucien having to do this is about the best thing ever," Raptor said with a chuckle. "When do you want to do this? I would think we need to get it over soon."

Hardie nodded. "I cleared it with Optimus and he says tomorrow onward is fine. He has to go to Cybertron for a few orns shortly, maybe even staying over, so we have to book this and get it done."

"What about notifying the congregation?" Turbine asked with a grin.

"We're going to go transponders. The message is already out. Only those who were there get to come," Hardie said. "No one needs to see or hear about this beyond the necessary group."

"Oh great. When?" Ironhide asked with a wince.

"How about tomorrow afternoon? Same place, different time. I was thinking 1800 hours on the TMC," Hardie said. "I'll let Piro know to come. He can run the record."

"I may have to get liquored up after this," Ironhide said with a grin.

"You can't hold it," Raptor said as he beamed at his little mech.

The rest of the conversation was one 'little mech' arguing his liquor tolerances with his elders until they showed him the film from their last excursion. His pout afterward only made them love him more.

The cutie.

-0-Partition

He received the response from Hard Drive over internal communications. He sent the message to his family and got fussy, nervous replies back. No one was looking forward to this but it had to happen to end the shunning. No one in the colony was allowed to even acknowledge their presence among their former caste and it was a powerful punch in the face.

Partition thought about the meet up all shift as he worked on data. It would be a long afternoon.

-0-At the house

Ratchet walked into the apartment after a detour with the fam and looked around. He grinned. The military life had its benefits. The place was immaculate. Walking through the massive apartment, pausing by each door to peer inside, he was flooded with memories. Orion as a baby, Praxus as a toddler who smiled at everything, sweet Hero helping with the laundry, Prowler following anyone who would talk to him … all of it was precious. Now they had more children, three big kids that lived here all the time and six who didn't. That didn't account for the adults living on their own.

Or the grandchildren. Who could forget the grandchildren.

Or Dawg and Bob.

Ratchet stood in the doorway of the berth room that was Sunspot's. The bunks were still there and so were most of the things that hung on the walls that belonged to Bos, Reflector and Co-D. They asked if 'their stuff' could remain so 'when they came to spend the night it would feel like home, Ada', so they did. All of it was there but them. It was a bittersweet thing, letting the kids go. What they did now was make it as easy to come back as they could.

And they did.

Bos was going to spend the night tonight.

That would mean treats, maybe a new game, something awesome for dinner and the like. Ratchet walked to the office, got his household datapad, then booked it for the door. He was going grocery shopping to feed his cast of thousands. The door closed silently behind him.

-0-TBC 6-25-17 **edited 6-26-17**

NOTES:

beaming: when someone beams at another person, they are looking at them with a combination of pride and love.


	49. Chapter 49

The Diego Diaries: Going Onward (dd6 49)

-0-At the Grocery of the Mall of Metroplex, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

He wandered through the store marveling at the amazing amount and variety of things that were available. Going to get groceries without anyone with him was almost a meditation. He could stockpile what they needed and not what everyone thought might be a good thing. The weird food cupboard in the berth room was amazing in its variety and convoluted ickiness.

Pausing before the long row of flavored vinegars … the 'wine spritzers' of Mars and Empire, he found himself amused at the variety of choices. Picking out two more for the fancy tall fluted bottles than for taste, he put them into the cart, then moved onward. Stopping here and there, he filled the cart, considered what could pass for dinner in a house with seven kids and a big galoot, then wifi-ed an order to be delivered by The Takeout Place. Grinning, he trudged to the checkout and found that no one he knew was there but for Laslo. Standing in the next line, that tall bot was also stocking the pantry. They stood side-by-side awkwardly as the line slowed. Glancing at Laslo, Ratchet nodded. "Hello, Laslo. What's for dinner?"

Laslo glanced his way. "I'm trying something called salad."

Ratchet nodded. "There's a lot of good videos on the community channels or the Bulletin Board from Home Co-Op to show you cooking. I, myself, made a pair of turduckens." He grinned as the memories of that debacle clambered back into mind like fire engines.

"That sounds … interesting," Laslo replied. It was silent, then he turned toward Ratchet. "My son says that you are going to take him on as a diplomat."

"An assistant," Ratchet said. "I will train him to my standards and program. I also will have him do other things. I think he has talents that he hasn't even thought about so he's going to be doing things I insist upon. Diplomacy isn't a full time job here yet."

Laslo considered that. "Why? Why are you doing this? What sort of mine field are you laying, Ratchet?"

Ratchet considered that. "I'm an optimist. I prefer to think maybe there's good in everyone before they prove to me that there isn't. I don't see your son staying out of jail unless he's in a guided program. He suffers from intense entitlement syndrome and I don't see you or Lucien helping him so that he can adapt. If you want him out of prison and functioning in the real world, you have to support what I'm trying to do here. Right now, he's working to fulfill his probation and he's in the Home Guard. He's going to do those two things or he's going to be the state's problem."

"My son is meant for many things, none of which involve weapons," Laslo said.

"Your son is no more important than anyone elses," Ratchet said. " **You** are his problem, you and Lucien. Your old way of life is over and buried. It will never come back. Yet, you pursue it anyway. I wasn't the one who got you shunned. That was done by your own caste. They've moved on. You need to do the same."

Laslo stared at Ratchet, then moved ahead. They didn't talk again.

-0-At school

"What's the thing between you and Lumi?"

Fireball glanced up. Coros, a classmate in mathematics was sitting at the same table in the huge library of Youngling Intermediate School. "What do you mean?"

"You're always holding servos," Coros said. "What's with that?"

Fireball considered the question, then felt uncharacteristically uneasy. "Nothing. We're friends. We like each other. A lot."

"Are you going together? You know … like boyfriends?" Coros asked. Two other kids sitting with them looked up at the two, pausing in their work to listen.

Fireball who was the youngest dreadnought and very sweet natured felt embarrassment creaping upward as he stared at the three. "No. I don't know. I just like him. We're friends."

"I thought you were brothers," one of the other two kids said.

"We are," Fireball said. "We're warriors together, too."

It was quiet a moment, then Coros sat back in his chair. "You're having a boyfriend thing."

Rambler who had found his data and walked back to sit hesitated a moment. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing," Fireball said as he stared at the other three youngsters. "Did you find your data, Rambler?"

"I did," he said cheerfully. "Here. We can work on this together.

They did, though Fireball was uncharacteristically subdued while they did.

-0-On a shuttle to the northern regions of Cybertron

They sat together, a lot of big mechs for security, Prime and Ironhide. Smokey was with his appa, Smokescreen, his hero and who he was named for. They were chatting.

"What about the holidays? What have you got planned?" Smokescreen asked.

"I'm going to the flats and race. A whole bunch of us are going. I think I need you to help me, Appa," Smokey said as he glanced at his hero.

Smokescreen who recognized that look, the one that said, 'My appa can do anything' felt his spark squeeze. He wondered how it was possible to love someone this much. "What?" he asked with a slight grin.

"I was hoping that you can talk to Prowl and get Roddy assigned home for the holidays. We can do the festival together, then go out to the flats. Our whole group is going to be there and we're going to camp. Blurr and some of his friends from the track are coming. You could maybe talk to Prowl and get a change," Smokey said with a hopeful tone.

"What about you? I thought you were going to be at Enceladus before and after Festival," Smokescreen asked.

Smokey hesitated, then sat back. "Well … I sorta swapped duties."

"Did you ask or tell Springer?" Smokescreen asked. "You either are serving at Diego or home with the Watch but for the festival. That's your assignment, Smokey."

"I know and I do it," Smokey answered. "I'm doing a great job and I'm learning a lot. Ask my supervisors. Humans … they're sorta weird though," he said in his usual meandering youthful manner. He focused equally swiftly. "I like them. Don't get me wrong, but they're odd."

"How so?" Hercy asked with a slight grin. There wasn't a mech on the shuttle who didn't like this enthusiastic kid. He was that well raised.

"Well … they're small and squishy. And kissing. They sorta … I don't know," Smokey said with slight distaste.

"We kiss." Hercy grinned. "You **do** kiss, you and Roddy, right?"

Smokey glanced at Hercy. "Sure. We do. That and other-" He caught himself, then glanced sharply at his appa. "I … uh … I just think, Appa, that it's weird to watch, that's all."

Smokescreen who was struggling to keep his face straight nodded. "I imagine."

Smokey stared at his grandfather critically a moment. "You aren't going to tell Amma all this are you? We're just talking … like mech to mech, right?"

Smokescreen grinned. "Sure. Who are you going with, where and for how long?"

Smokey sat back, then smirked at Smokescreen. "You sound like Amma. And Atar. **AND ADA.** You would think I was a kid."

"You are, somewhat. I'll talk to Prowl but don't hold your exhaust in. He hates when someone messes up his schedules and rosters. As for your Amma … you're on your own, infant. Even I don't press that button."

Huge laughter greeted that as they flew onward into the night time of Cybertron heading for another location to check progress.

-0-Ops Center

"Well, I got shopping done and all that. Considering the number of hats I wear in this operation, the number of kids we have to take care of and the laundry, I think I do a slagging fine job. What about you?" Ratchet asked as he put up his peds.

Prowl who was up to his optical ridges in work shot Ratchet a gimlet optic. "Is there a point to this line of insanity, Loon?"

Ratchet snickered. "The boys are going to be on Cybertron over night. All of them. How about coming to my house with your favorite snacks and we can tell lies. We can have Alor, Turbine, Delphi, and your ada. We can corrupt Miler to the dark side or better yet. We can ask him to tell us embarrassing stories about your gothic youth." Ratchet smiled a dazzling smile.

"Do you really think I would place my rather naive straight laced ada within the reach of your talons?" Prowl asked.

"Sure. We can have Scout come and maybe others. We can call it a book club, the Beer Book Club," Ratchet said.

Prowl grinned in spite of himself. "It would be a short crawl toward home for most of us. I would have to have a babysitter."

"We could pool all the infants at your house, its big enough, and get loaded at my place. It's also big enough. We have three washracks to purge in," Ratchet said.

"We have more," Prowl said with an almost prissy smugness, the kind that he knew Ratchet loved.

"We can tell Turbine that we want him to save us from our sins and then Alor can corrupt us. That way we can sin and be saved over and over. Don't you think that would be fun?" Ratchet asked as he batted his optic ridges like a big eyed ingenue.

Prowl laughed in spite of himself. "There isn't enough salvation in the universe to save you from the Pit. I'm in. Let me think on having my ada come. After all, someone has to be sober to start things in the morning. Are you going to the hearing on Partition?"

"I am. I think I have to vouch for him," Ratchet said.

"You're an idiot," Prowl replied.

Ratchet smiled a dazzling smile, one that curled peds in other mechs whenever he did. He was after all considered by the words of Carly Brooks-Spencer "ravishing' and in Cybertronian culture and society he was. Prowl who wasn't far behind smirked back. "Prowler, you're quite the sweet talker. Never change. Much."

Prowl sat back in his chair with a grin. "Booze, snacks, gossip … what else?"

"Nothing. I'll supply the house. You bring the beer. I stocked up on spritzers and I'll order more in. You get the sitter?" Ratchet asked as he stood.

"I will," Prowl said. "Bring them all up after dinner. Even the big boys."

"I will," Ratchet said as he turned to go. "This is going to be fun."

He walked to the door and left.

Prowl smirked as he watched Ratchet go. "I hope so, Loon," he said to himself. "My little ada is going to be there."

-0-Later that evening

Ratchet laughed, then signed off. Turning to the mob gathering in the living room, he smiled. **"DON'T YOU ALL LOOK HANDSOME!"**

Everyone grinned, then Orion who was standing with a backpack filled with toys strapped on his back walked to his ada and looked up. **"ADA! YOU GOING TO THE SHES TOO!? OWL COMED YOU THERE TO HIM!? OTIS TOO?"**

Ratchet grinned. "Nope. Owl is coming here. You're going there. All the little kids are waiting for you. Owl and I are going to sit and talk and tell stories." He looked at the big boys who were grinning at Ratchet, all but Fireball. "You going to be alright?"

They nodded, then began to gather up the kids. Ratchet who could read energy walked to the door and let them out, watching as they walked to the elevator. When Fireball reached him at the end of a long line of kids, Ratchet halted him. Leaning out, Ratchet called to the others. "Fireball is coming but I need him a moment."

They all called back, then entered the elevator, Sunspot, Bos, the little kids, and Genesis. They waved as the door closed. Ratchet turned to Fireball. "What's up, son? You look like you lost your best friend."

Fireball stared at him, then the floor. "Nothing."

Ratchet gently steered the big boy back inside, the shut the door. "Sit and tell your old ma what's happening? You can't hide from me. I khow how to read energy. Something happened with you that's bothering you. Families help each other."

Fireball sat down, then stared at the floor. "Ada … I like Lumi. Do you know?"

Ratchet who sat grinned. "I do. Lumi is a really wonderful mech."

Fireball sat back, then nodded. "I know. I really like him. We're sort of ..."

"Friendly. Like boyfriends?" Ratchet asked gently.

Fireball looked up, then nodded. "Yes. We've always been really close and I really like him and he really likes me."

"That's a good thing. What made it bad or hurtful?" Ratchet asked.

"Someone at school sort of made me feel … odd about it. He asked me if we were boyfriends," Fireball replied softly.

"You are," Ratchet said.

Fireball looked at Ratchet a moment. "We are but … I don't think they feel like its nice or something. I don't know how to explain how I felt when he said things to me. I felt embarrassed. Is that wrong?"

Ratchet stared at the big kid, so adult in some ways and such a youngster in others. "Not at all. If you like each other then its no one elses business but yours and ours. Your atar and me … we would take care of you and if we disappove then we would say something. We haven't have we."

"No," he said with a lighter tone. "You're great, Ada. All this," he said glancing around the room. "A home and family life, school, doing things with other kids … I like that word. The humans have nice words."

"They do and you're a kid. You and Lumi have a sweet friendship. If you want to hold hands, do it. Don't let others make you feel badly. Did they say anything hurtful or mean?" Ratchet asked.

"No. It was sort of how they asked and said it. It felt odd to me," Fireball said. "I sort of feel like I don't want to hold Lumi's hand when I'm around him."

"That would make me sad to see, son," Ratchet said. "You have our permission to hold hands and be sweet to each other. We draw the line at more than that. You're young still."

Fireball stare at him, then looked slightly flustered. "We … we don't, Ada."

Ratchet grinned. "You'll always talk to me first before things get beyond the sweetness, right? You're both dear to us and we want you to be young and free as long as possible. I'm a doctor and I have a lot to tell you about relationships that you'll need to know eventually. Okay?"

Fireball nodded, then grinned slightly. "This is strange. I never felt weird before now."

"Don't," Ratchet said. "Just live and be a kid. If you want to hold Lumi's servo and be his boyfriend, then more power to you. Okay?"

Fireball grinned. "Okay."

Ratchet stood, then hugged the big boy. "Better motor. Prowl is counting helms, the slagger."

Fireball laughed, then walked to the door. "Good night, Ada."

"Good night, son," Ratchet said as he walked out the door. Walking to the monitor, Ratchet called Ironhide up. His face appeared as he sat on a shuttle with Prime and a bunch of mechs. "Hey, handsome. How are you doing?"

"Good. I **am** handsome aren't I," Ironhide preened as laughter and hoots greeted that remark.

"Fireball got teased at school about his friendship with Lumi. I just had the first sort of nuts and bolts chat with him. Thanks for being there, you slagger," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Who's teasing him?" Ironhide asked with a frown.

"Someone just asked about Lumi and he felt awkward. You remember that don't you? That awkward phase?"

"Who me? I cut a wide swath," Ironhide said to more derision. "How is he?"

"Better. Still young and uncomfortable," Ratchet said. "Emergent mech hood and all that. You get the next one."

"Frag that. What are you doing, Old Mech?" Ironhide asked.

"Well, I bought a lot of booze and snacks, invited your entire family, Prowl and Miler over for our book club," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"You don't belong to a book club," Ironhide said with a slight frown.

"We do now. The Booze and Snacks Book Club. I'm going to get your ada and ammas loaded, then ask them for every embarrassing thing you ever did," Ratchet said as the alarm on Ironhide's face lit up the screen. "But don't feel singled out. I'm going to do the same with Miler and Prowl." He smiled again. "Nighty-night." The screen went blank.

"Oh frag," Ironhide said as he glanced at a grinning Prime. "There goes the neighborhood."

Laughter. Long and loud.

-0-TBC 6-26-17 **edited 6-30-17**


	50. Chapter 50

The Diego Diaries: Partay! (dd6 50)

-0-Party Central

They came in one and two at a time bearing containers of finger foods and drinks. The night was looking good. Prowl stood at the sink with Ratchet as they began to organize the drinks on the counter. Blue came in behind Delphi and Turbine with a basket of some kind of stuffed bread rolls and a six pack of good beer.

" **BLUE!** You could come," Ratchet said as he took the beer. "How did Frick and Frack take it?"

Blue walked to the table and set his basket down among the many already there. He grinned at Prowl and Ratchet. "I told them I was coming. They could stay with the kids."

"You put your ped down?" Ratchet asked with a big smile.

Blue nodded. "That's what I did."

" **ALL HAIL, BLUESTREAK!"** Ratchet said with a chuckle. :Sunstreaker. Sideswipe: They replied with a tinge of sullen it seemed to Ratchet. He grinned. :Blue is here and if he ties one on we keep him. Have fun:

The commentary that followed was unrepeatable in front of his ada but Ratchet did because he was that big of a delinquent. Everyone laughed. Ravel did too even if he gave his son 'The Look' anyway.

"Those two infants are good mechs but I think they need a trip to the woodshed as the humans say," Turbine said as he opened a beer.

"They're getting house trained slowly but surely," Ratchet said as he winked at Blue.

Blue grinned, then everyone turned as the door opened with a rap. Miler peered in. "Am I late?" he asked with a big grin.

He was hailed in, his beautiful delectable treats placed on the table and his fancy wine spritzers set on the cold pad that held the others. Turbine, Delphi, Blue, Alor, and Ratchet grinned at Miler's delight at being included as the door opened again. Ravel, Docker, Corr, and Kestrel were in the hall along with Scout. They were heavily laden and soon relieved of their burdens.

Prowl turned to Ratchet. "Who else is coming?"

"I don't know. I sorta mentioned it at the grocery. By the way, I ran into Laslo there," Ratchet said as everyone began to fill plates. As 'bartender', he watched with delight, helping the elders as they chose what they wanted to drink.

"What did he say, if anything?" Prowl asked.

"He wanted to know what my motives were for taking on his son," Ratchet said as Docker walked to a chair with a heaping plate and a beer. "He thinks I'm playing a game here. I told him that I was going to help him learn to stay out of jail and he was going to do everything and anything I told him to do. Either that, or prison would be his life."

"I hope you can help him, Sonny," Docker said glancing up from a pile of picture-perfect hor d'oerves. "If anyone can, you will."

Ratchet grinned at his granny, then took a plate. A lot of slag later, he was sitting on his chair with a plate and a cold one. Everyone around him were filling their faces.

"This is very good, Kestrel. I think you must be an amazing cook," Ravie said sweetly.

Kestrel did the Cybertronian version of a blush. "Well, I've been looking through cookbooks, Ravel. I think I have a lot to learn."

"I think you mastered this," Ravel said holding up one of the things Kes had made. He looked at Ratchet. "Don't you think so, son?"

Ratchet who was enjoying the sweetness of the elders present nodded. "I love it all. We do as a group, after all, have a reputation to uphold. Thanksgiving and the baking contest are not that far off. I'm thinking I want to expand it into other areas of cooking besides baking."

"Maybe barbecuing," Miler suggested, then he grinned. "I was reading up on human family rituals and one of them is barbecuing. Apparently, its a big thing among men in families. Burning things on a flame is something they all find scintilating."

Ratchet and Prowl stared at Miler, then each other. "I think your ada is a genius."

"My ada **is** a genius. What are you thinking?" Prowl asked with a wary gimlet optic brewing.

"I was thinking about a barbecue contest. Maybe with camping included. Or not. A contest just for the boys. We usually rustle the grub, right?" Ratchet asked as the mechs in the room nodded. He glanced at Prowl. "Most of us, anyway."

Prowl frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Tut-tut, son," Miler said with a grin. Prowl shriveled inside but maintained his exterior. He was improving.

"This is a great idea, Ratchet," Docker said. "The atars of the families can do this. What do we need?"

"Well … we need something to cook on, a barbecue device. Then you need a recipe, something that can take a dry rub, maybe, and sauce. You have to make all of it, then apply it, then watch it smolder for twelve hours, then serve it up beautifully for the judges," Miler said.

"Oh my," Ratchet said with a grin. "I can't wait. I'll announce it to the family and you announce it to yours. Tagg and Optimus, Blackjack, Raptor, Hard Drive, Ironhide, the twins, Magnus and Jetta, who else?"

"I'll make a list, son," Ravel said as he pulled a datapad from subspace. Finding a page among his lists for the grocery store and a deli that they liked, he added the names.

"Venture," Ratchet said as Miler nodded. "Springer and Drift. They don't get off easily. How about Hercy and Kup? They're used to winning. It might do morale good to see them lose at something."

" **If** they lose," Kestrel said with a grin.

"Maelstrom," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "That slagger's in so he's on the hook. Flint. He has to do it too." They continued to list names until the sheet was complete. Ravel wifi-ed it to Prowl and Ratchet, then they sat back with satisfaction for a nosh and tipple.

-0-On Cybertron

They walked to the shuttle, entered, then sat. As they did, Optimus froze indicating incoming messages. He sat back, then grinned. "We have a contest. Prowl just sent the word."

"Oh, slag. Old mech must be under the table. Never trust him when he's blotto," Ironhide said. "What sort of contest."

"Apparently, human males like to burn dead animals over fire, slather them with tomato-and-chili-based condiments, then have them judged. It is a 'big deal' to win. A kind of manhood right of passage," Prime said.

It was quiet in the shuttle as it lifted off, then Hercy grinned. "Sounds like fun."

Everyone glanced at him. "Do you know how to do this too?" Sandstorm asked. He had entered the pie contest, hit the wall of his experience, then refrained from the cake contest. However, burning something and eating it later was something he knew about. That's why he ate out most of the time.

Hercy grinned slightly, then shrugged. "A mech can't tell all his secrets."

"Frag," Ironhide said. He glanced at Prime who was very amused. "You told them to take a hike, right?"

"Actually, Ironhide, I told them to bring it," Prime said as the shuttle erupted in laughter.

-0-A couple of beers and a wine spritzer later

"And I said, 'Ironhide, you big slagger. Come over here and show me what you got'." Ratchet smiled a dazzling smile.

Chuckles broke out as the repressed among them began to loosen their perverbial corsets. Prowl who was watching his ada laughing with Kestrel and Corr was on his third beer. They were feeling fine as a fiddle as the unaccustomed drink began to have an effect among those with a lower tolerance than others.

"What did he have?" Turbine asked with a smirk. He was lounging in a chair in the corner, one that the big kids liked to use when they watched something together.

"Nothing. He had two pair, low and nothing else. I cleaned his clock," Ratchet said. "He's a lousy bluffer at poker, that one."

Turbine snickered. "I could have told you that."

"Tell me something he did that will embarrass his aft if I know," Ratchet asked.

Turbine grinned. "When he was brand new he used to grab his finial and pull. He would scream because it hurt and pull harder. He had no idea."

"That's my boy," Alor said with a grin. "He used to steal cookies. He would hide them in his toy box and pretend when he got caught that he didn't know how they got there. I also remember him stealthing around when he was supposed to be recharging. He was lead footed but so cute and funny."

"What about boy or girl friends? Any?" Ratchet asked to be ornery.

"Actually, he had one in sparkling school but most of the time we kept him with one of us and school was home style," Delphi said. "I loved when it was my turn. He was so cute. He was afraid of the dark but he was also brave. He may have been afraid but he was brave too."

"What about his speech?" Ravel asked. "He said he had Orion's problem."

"He did," Turbine said. "He talked just like Orion. He called everyone 'hers'. He said he wanted to go with 'her' even if it was a mech. He had a mixed up vocabulary."

"Conferences are soon," Ratchet said. "I wonder how Orion is doing?"

"Roto will tell you. We can always throw him down some stairs," Delphi said with a grin. "It sorted Ironhide out."

"I will miss his sweet little words," Ravel said. Everyone in the room nodded. "How is it with Blackjack and Scout, Alie?"

Alor grinned. "The baby is doing better and Scout is excelling. Seriously, Turbine … what happened?"

Turbine laughed. "We did the best we could with what we had to work with. Sonny boy was a big baby about his dollies as a child and still is."

-0-Cybertron

They walked back to the shuttle from still another place, sat, then it rose up to fly onward. Ironhide glanced at Raptor who was grinning at him. "What?"

"You pout so well. I'm going to enjoy slagging you to the Pit in this contest," Raptor replied.

"Is that so?" Ironhide said as he internally accessed the internet link to the human's databases on Teletraan. Seconds later, he had all he thought he would need to know.

"Yes," Raptor said to egg Ironhide on. He knew his little mech well.

"I, Ironhide, will win the contest. I already have an order in for my grill," Ironhide said smuggly as he searched the information for a good grill, one that would do the job. He found, then ordered it internally through Off-World Requisitions. He smirked at everyone, then sat back with a smug expression of **HA-HA! I AM IRONHIDE, SLAGGERS!**

Raptor glanced at Hard Drive. "How about you and me team up and show the little mech where the cow ate the cabbage?" He glanced at Hercy. "I like that expression. Thanks."

Hercy nodded. "You're welcome." He had already ordered his grill too and was sorting through recipe databases for the best ones along with directions on what to do. He was nothing if not organized.

Prime was having an off line conversation with a slightly tipsy Prowl who was going to 'take care of it, Only One. You have this', he told Optimus. Prime didn't know what he had but he was sure that Prowl would provide it. He grinned to himself as he listened to Prowl organize his barbecue entry like it was an full scale invastion.

"Something tells me that Prowl is plotting with Optimus to wipe up the floor with us," Hardie said as he grinned at Optimus.

It was silent a moment as a number of bonded mechs on board a shuttle on another world communicated with their bonds and main squeezes on Mars about what a barbecue contest was and how they could win it. The ship disappeared into the dark night of Cybertron as the passengers aboard engaged in figuring out what a barbecue was.

-0-Mars

It was quiet in the room as every bond there minus the twins and Ratchet's elders were contacted nearly at the same time by mechs on a ship faraway. Ratchet grinned. "I do declare … it appears that the contest is on." He looked at Prowl. "I suppose you're going to cheat once more?"

Prowl glanced at Ratchet with a slightly tipsy yet entirely gimlet optic. "You wish. I, Prowl, have no time for your accusations. My Osimus is going to win this thing."

Everyone in the room turned to look at Prowl who gathered up his slightly tipsy escutcheons. "You wait. "My Osimus will be the winner."

"I do hope so, Prowl," Kestrel said with a smile. Prowl's remarks were buried by laughter and more beer.

-0-TBC 6-27-17 **edited 6-30-17**

NOTES:

ESL: Nosh: a bite to eat

Tipple: to drink alcohol

escutcheons: (es-kutch-uns):

1 : a defined area on which armorial bearings are displayed and which usually consists of a shield

 _2_ : a protective or ornamental plate or flange (as around a keyhole)

 _3_ : the part of a ship's stern on which the name is displayed

In my family, escutcheons was a joke word that we used to say that we were regrouping, 'gathering our escutcheons. I don't know where it came from but we always used it. We also would say, "I'll be swanned" if we were surprised. :D I love words. :D


	51. Chapter 51

The Diego Diaries: Book Club(bing) (dd6 51)

-0-In a high rise

"This is fun. I wonder what the boys are doing?" Turbine asked as he finished off his beer. He pegged it into the collection container across the room and it landed perfectly. No matter how drunk the bots got, their aims never wavered. It perplexed and amazed the humans no end. When they were drunk, their aims were horrible.

"Osimus is ruling his planet," Prowl said as he lounged in his chair, his peds on the coffee table as he sipped another beer. His ada was watching him with great amusement.

"Ruling his planet?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl nodded. "Osimus is the big … ruler. He rules."

"I won't disagree with that," Delphi said with a smile. "You want another drink, Prowler?"

Prowl rolled his helm toward Delphi. "Keep them coming."

Delphi chuckled, then rose to walk to the counter where the bar was. Opening the fridge, he half filled a glass with juice, then added water. Walking back, he switched out Prowl's dozenth beer with a watered down glass of juice.

Prowl sipped it, then grinned. "Good. Tastes like juice."

"Imagine that," Delphi said with a grin.

Miler shook his helm. "He holds his liquor like my father did … badly."

"My old appa can drink a targ under the table. Right, Amma?" Ratchet asked.

Docker who was discussing the finer points of something or other with Blue, Ravel and Alor glanced his way. "Don't remind him, Sonny. That old mech is reformed."

Laughter greeted that. "Where?" Ratchet asked as Docker grinned.

"This is very amusing," Kestrel said. "I forgot how to have fun for a while."

"I can't imagine why," Ratchet said.

Kes grinned. "This is a dream, this life. Orion is such a good son and Prowl … we always liked him so. He was strong-minded and good for Orion."

"Hard headed, hard sparked, Our Prowler," Ratchet said with a grin as Miler smirked.

"My boy was always someone who wouldn't go down the road in the same way everyone else did, right, son?" Miler asked.

Prowl who had finished his drink and was halfway to recharge rolled his helm in the direction of his ada. "Okay," he said.

"No more juice for you," Delphi said as he took Prowl's glass. The big mech grinned, then shuttered his optics. Prowl was halfway to sleepy land. "First casualty of the skirmish."

"And he's going to miss the book discussion," Ratchet said to great laughter.

"All that fan fiction and no one to give us the stink optic," Alor said.

"I volunteer," Blue said. He looked at the others. "Do you know what fan fiction is?"

Kes shrugged but the others did having been tuned into it by Ironhide, Raptor and Typhoon. Blue grinned at Kes. Of course, that dignified mech wouldn't know what fan fiction was and he, Blue, was just drunk enough to educate him. "There's a lot of places on the world wide web on Earth where people write and post stories about us. Some of them are about all of us."

"Optimus is often a topic of discussion," Ratchet said agreeably.

"What do the stories say, Ratchet?" Kes asked with surprise. "This is amazing. Human people write stories about my son? What kind?"

Everyone looked at Kes for a moment as they warred with their consciences, then Blue leaned forward. Apparently, his was lying on the floor in a high grade stupor. "Some of them you wouldn't want to show your own ada."

Kes blinked. "Really?"

"Yes," Alor said with a smirk. "There's the ever brilliant 'Two Moons Over Cybertron' in which a great love story is cleverly written to show the universe one of the true … what do they call them?"

"Pairings?" Blue suggested with a snicker.

"Yes, great and true pairings of all time," Alor finished with a dazzling smile.

"You mean, they write about Prowl and my son?" Kes asked with a slight smile.

"No. Ironhide and your son among many others," Blue said. Even drunk, Blue hesitated to mention Starscream.

Kes stared at him, then everyone else. "Show me," he said.

Moments later …

" **HAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S SO FUNNY!"** Kes said as he scrolled through the story. **"STARSCREAM! ORION'S NOSE! HAHAHAHAHAHAA! I HAVE TO SHOW THIS TO TAGG!"**

Ratchet sat in his chair watching Kestrel of Iacon laughing his aft off about the great love affair that his son and Ironhide had that involved harems, fancy clothing, power tools, 'sex scenes' straight out of the textbooks for diesel repair of any tech school around, and himself. It delighted and surprised him that Kes was such a sport. The best part of it was that Kes wasn't even drunk.

"I found some more stories, Kes," Bluestreak said. He had been drinking. "Some of them are so weird and bad, I can hardly imagine it."

"Oh, my," Kes said with a big smile. "Show me. I feel so decadent."

Everyone laughed, especially Alor the Hoodlum as Bluestreak pulled up some of the most incomprehensible and bizarre fan fiction ever.

Moments later …

It was dead silent in the room as they digested the pungent odiferousness of the story that had just scrolled on the screen. Kes sat back, then almost involuntarily, a smile began to form on his handsome face. "Did we just read a story where a human gave a visitor a tour of the inside of my son's backside?"

Ratchet laughed, then nodded. "I hadn't seen that one. What a novel concept. I didn't know that your son's backside contained a beautifully appointed and furnished house."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that, then Kes shook his helm. "Show me more. I think Tagg needs to find out the glory of the human mind too."

Half a dozen stories later …

"You know, Kestrel … you're a sport. How many adas would have such a good time reading about their son's 'face life?" Alor asked as he sprawled on a couch.

"They included your son too," Bluestreak said with a smile.

"They did, didn't they … you know … I think we should join them. If you can't sue them, then join them," Alor said. "How about writing our own story and posting it. We can each write the chapters and post them. Rotate the story and make it a long one. Let them know what a real 'transformer' story would be like. What do you think?"

Everyone thought it was the shit. Kestrel pondered the ramifications a moment, then grinned. "How about making it dramatic, then comedic, then emotive, then … you know. Let's make it a real story. I'm taking a writing class at University. This will be good practice in writing fiction. Who will be the … what did you call it?"

"One true pairing," Alor said. "I think we need to make it interesting. How about having Optimus with someone else and Prowl be filled with angst and unrequited lust. You know … just like before."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"I wish I had been here to see that," Kestrel said as he put his peds on the coffee table. "You don't mind if I put my feet up do you, Ratchet?"

"Nope," Ratchet said with a grin. "If it holds."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"What shall our story be about?" Miler asked as he subbed a datapad that he always carried. "And what shall we call our club? Do we want anyone to know or what?"

"I think it would be awesome to write it a bit, then post it anonymously on the local net. Let it get around, then see if anyone can figure out who it is. That means we all swear to secrecy," Blue said as Ravel nodded. He was scandalized but if Kes was good with it, he was. He also wanted to be decadent too. For the first time in his life.

They all agreed. They also agreed that Prowl wouldn't be part of it until it was his turn and he had a chance to read all of it up to that point. Alor would follow Miler who would be first.

Miler who was secretly deliriously happy at all the fun grinned. "Name of the story? I need my inspiration. Also, what sort of plot do we want between 'facing?"

"Someone else will have to write those parts," Kes said.

 **HUGE** laughter.

The plot was going to be serious, Prime and a small team looking for the AllSpark across the dark and dangerous universe. He would have Prowl as his unknown and hitherto for love interest but would be shagging Springer. That part was put in by a slightly tipsy Bluestreak after both the twins were shot down as incest.

(Ed. Note: While Springer and Optimus actually had a long and informal 'facing relationship that most of those present didn't know about short of Alor and Ratchet, they are not related. The twins are by bonding and other ethical linkages to be named later and even though the closest both ever got to Prime's person was his boot up their ass, they never 'faced.)

Miler who was delegated the first part in the **SECRET LOVE SOCIETY BOOK AND WRITING CLUB** or **SLSBWC,** (which means nothing but is a nod to the humans who like to speak in vowels) so he hunkered down in his chair to churn out the first segment while the others recounted embarrassing tales of their youth or got more beer.

Working Title (first segment: Miler of Praxus) - "Blood Moon"

The ship landed in the darkness of a strange new world and as it lowered its ramp, lights could be seen inside by those lurking to watch. They were bluish and seemed to hover in the dark interior. Then movement reminded the locals why it wasn't a good idea to remain. Familiar forboding shapes began to emerge from the ship, shapes that spelled chaos and death to anyone who got in their way. They melted back into the shadows, stepping back into alleys and side passages among the jumble of buildings that was the arrangement here in this outcast settlement.

Everyone knew who these beings were and what they represented. Danger and death followed them wherever they went and they weren't welcome anywhere. Their civil war never seemed to stay between the two sides but rather spilled its poison out everywhere. The big figures reached the ground, gathered, then began to walk along the muddy tract toward the largest building in town, the place where the miners gathered after work to be fleeced by the civilians the company hired to run the place.

Pressing themselves back against the water stained walls of a warehouse, three aliens watched them pass. The newcomers stared straight ahead until they drew even of them. The lights that were their eyes turned to stare as they continued, drawin cold fear from each of the three. The heavy sound of their treads in the dank mud and puddles faded away at last. The three aliens turned to each other. "We better send the word. You saw their markings."

The other two nodded, then the three disappeared together into the warehouses that surrounded them.

The night was deeply dark with the sound of animals calling from the dense jungle that surrounded the shabby mining town. A dirt runway that turned to mud this time of year during the rainy season was the only way out of here. It led to the airfield which was impassable half the time during this portion of the rainy season. The roadways that might have been crafted weren't as it seemed even the towns closest by had given up caring about them.

Fortunes were to be had here and they were but only the hardest and most cold blooded attained them. The rest worked hard, drank heavily and fought each other in informal games where the others bet on their favorites. It was brutish, dull and repetitive but the pay was good. It was accumulating in accounts in their home cities waiting for them to return. Some of them even did.

The intruders reached the building and paused in front of it. They were enormous, inscutable and emotionless appearing. The aliens around the area who had seen them coming had cleared out and it was quiet again.

"What do you want to do, Optimus?" a big mech asked. He was very tall, rangy, dangerous appearing, and of the type that most would guess would shoot first and check the situation later. "I could rip the top off and we could rummage for him."

"It is tempting. Springer," Optimus said. He, himself towered over the others, a tall and massively well made mech. His power was palpable and the others waited for his decisions. He was the leader and they were his soldiers. The Cybertronians always came like that, with a cold-blooded leader and his ruthless minions. Few walked away unscathed and many were the worlds that banned them, often with violence to back it up.

"Why don't we look in the windows. They'll have to come out eventually," a big mech said. He was Ironhide, a soldier's soldier who was as violent as the moment called for. It often did.

Prime nodded. "Recon, Autobots."

The big mechs in the group of five moved around the building, then knelt and leaned in to see inside. Their faces appeared in the windows and doors halting the scene inside. Screaming and the sounds of furniture being overturned in surprise greeted their presence. The lights went out inside.

The big mechs stood again, peering over the building at Prime. "What now, Optimus?" Springer asked.

"Take the roof off the building," Optimus Prime said in a cold voice. "I want to talk to Severn."

This story to be continued in a serial format. -Writer #1

Miler glanced up at the others with a smile. "I think I have it started."

"Read it, Milie," Alor asked as he sat with a plate of food once more.

Miler did. Then it was silent.

"Why, Milie … that was great," Kes said as he sat sipping juice. "I like it. Is that the length you want or will it be longer?"

"I'm going to continue and then post it to all of you tomorrow. I want to think about building in some more ideas before giving it to the next writer," Miler said with a smile. He was incredibly pleased that they liked his rather dark start on their long form story.

"Who gets the next part and where do we post it, Blue?" Corr asked.

Bluestreak opened Fan Fiction, a huge story website on Earth. "Here. Then we post it on here," he said pulling up Story Hub, a fan fiction-like website here on-world where writers could put their stuff up. "How do you want me to set up the accounts?"

They discussed it, then Blue complied. The account site name for both would be "Secret-Love-Society-Book-Club" and the writer(s) would go by the name of Writer. Nothing fancy. All of it designed to be anonymous. When all the set ups were made, the story was posted. Tracks were covered and all was well.

Ratchet grinned. "The site name sounds sort of like a stilted translation of Japanese to English. I love it."

Everyone did.

Docker being an organizational kind of gal took notes on her datapad about order of writing, the plot elements that they troubleshot and organized together for the next three segments, when and where they would meet -minus Prowl for now- to discuss and review the story, and who would be the 'steward' of the story:

*The Pit Stop hopefully over onion rings and burgers

*Every Martian Wednesday with publishing of the segment every Martian Friday

*Docker

The next segment would be written by Corr. He grinned with a nod. "I've been reading mysteries lately so this sort of theme I think I can continue. We are of one processor, right? No one knows but us?"

They swore on a six pack of Praxus Black Label.

-0-TBC 6-28-17 **edited 6-30-17**

(The story within a story will be continuing) -Me, maintenance engineer for the Secret-Love-Story Book and Writing Club :D

NOTES:

I will try and get the name of the guy who wrote a fan fic that was a highly detailed tour of the fancy dwelling up the ass of Optimus Prime. Truly. It exists. I will try and find it, then post it. It's so mind boggling that its probably the highest form of troll art in existence.

Of course, there is this one too:

Goku and Anne Frank in ''Until The End of Time''

Don't google it. Trust me on this. :D

I will tell you if you must google one, this one is by consensus opinion around the fan fic writing world the worst fan fiction ever written: My Immortal. (There is one worse and I'm looking for it. I think the writer was named Laura and she wrote back in the 1990's. If you think flames are bad now, you haven't lived. :D:D:D She wrote what was considered the absolute worst fan fiction of all time. I still remember it a bit to this day. LOL! Hugs!


	52. Chapter 52

The Diego Diaries: Bookie (dd6 52)

NOTE: I'm having trouble with the site again. I'm not getting stuff and I hope this makes it out. :( I have a note in to the site and hope it works out. SIGH! Sorry about that. Technology hates me. :D By the way, a show on teevee shows how to make swords and such. They actually made the sword that Optimus uses in the new movie. They made it long but not the seventeen feet or so that it is in the movie. :D I will list the link with this story at the end. :D

I want that sword. :D

-0-Late night or way early morning

They staggered out to walk across the hallways to their respective homes, some of them. Others who had farther to go and didn't want to get arrested for drunk walking wandered into the berth rooms of the big kids and crashed. Prowl, himself was slumped in his chair recharging madly. In the middle of the room sort of swaying with a big smile, Ratchet waved to everyone who moved on. Kes being sober went to the Residence to relieve the sitter who was dozing in a chair.

When everyone was either gone or splayed out on one of the berths in the apartment, Ratchet turned to go to bed himself. He made it to the hallway before falling on his face and diving head first into recharge.

-0-Cybertron

"Do you feel anything weird over the bonds?" Ironhide asked with a smirk.

"I do," Hard Drive said. "When your amma wants to tie one on, you just have to get out of the way. I feel a fuzzy hum myself."

The others nodded as they sat on a shuttle heading for Iacon. They would spend the rest of the night there catching a quick meal and update. Given that they could run for weeks without recharge, they were going to keep moving. They could slack at home. Here? They were needed all over the place.

The shuttle flew onward toward the gathering light of the cityscape of Iacon, a city that could boast a full 15% rebuilding from the devastation. They sped onward toward the airfield that had been dug out of the debris. They would be met by a number of officers from the general staff, more than half of them former Decepticons. Soundwave would be among them.

-0-In the prison getting ready for a meeting

Sentinel Prime stood at the gate waiting for escort to the Command Center of the prison where he would sit with his counsel who were finishing up the last filings for his preliminary hearing. He would present his last set of motions before the court, meaning Prime, before the actual trials would begin. He watched the guards coming, some of the biggest in the prison, all of them bearing their arms in plain sight. He was a class A prisoner and thus, there was a shoot to disable/kill order on him should he decide to show some of his legendary skill in making a break for it.

They met the Officer of the Guard who dropped the gate. Walking out, waiting as he was scanned and shackled, Sentinel Prime walked with the guard down the roads that wound through the facility bearing the scorn of the prisoners, some of whom would kill him in seconds, his skill and size or not, should they ever get out of their pens. Sometimes it seemed preferrable to the endless drudge of imprisonment.

As he walked to the center, he considered the many things he wanted to know. Included among them was a simple explanation of why Proteus had walked out and never came back. Loose ends bothered Sentinel Prime and the idea that perhaps Proteus was out didn't signal bold possibilities for his own future. Proteus had acted strange for a long time now and maybe he had sold them all down the river. He would find out or his lawyers would. It was eating at his peace of mine.

-0-Halls of Order

He walked in from breakfast with the bond at a small coffee shop near their home. Maduro was getting better about going out. He had ever made an appointment to get a different paint scheme and kept it. He had never done that before. Ever. Proteus nodded to the staff who were coming to work as well. He didn't know all of them or even many but those he had met nodded and chatted, a novel experience for one of the most powerful Cybertronians to ever live. He enjoyed it immensely, even gratefully.

He had a cuppa and a donut in the lounge, then headed out for his job. He reached the closet, walked in and organized his next couple of joors. There were floors to sweep, dust to collect and bins to empty. He would do so happier than he had ever been. Maduro would wait at home for him and maybe they would dine out and go to a movie. He didn't know but it was exhilerating to think about.

-0-City Hall

Ultra Magnus sat with his morning cup and a snack presented to him by Blondi. It was early but they had a lot to do. Getting a state funeral ready in five orns that would most likely have 20,000,000 attendees was no small thing. That didn't count the Festival in 16 orns nor the quickening pace of the new construction and the enormous station cum 'truck stop' they were building a few light years out in space along a well traveled alien commercial route.

Blondi walked in with a datapad. She laid it out. "This appears to be the site the Planning commission is favoring for the new construction and they want you to meet with them for the final presentation to Optimus for approval."

Magnus nodded. "Add that to the stack. I want to get the approvals finalized so we can hit the ground running after Festival. What about the security stations and modifications for Earth2? Are they included?"

Blondi nodded. "They are," she said as she handed him a datapad.

"Thank you, Blondi. I'll study these, then give them back to you for distribution among the relevant department heads."

"Alright. I have a teacher conference for the 7th, Martian Friday. I have Kiki taking my place for the time I'm gone. It should only take about a joor or so," Blondi said.

"No problems. You can do what you need to do, Blondi." Magnus looked at her. "You work too hard as it is."

She grinned. "Ditto," she said as she walked to the door, then across the hallway to her office as city clerk and right processor lobe of the 'mayor'.

-0-On the way to work

They walked into the hospital to work their shift. It was a bit early but there were things to do. They had switched a few around so that they could be able to 'attend' the Circle Prep Academy for another shot at enrollment. It had taken the silent treatment from Breakdown for nearly a week before Knockout finally bowed to the inevitable.

"Where did you learn to do this?" he had asked in a fit of pique.

"Do what?" Breakdown said ending the silence that had gone on nearly seven orns.

 **"THAT!"** Knockout said in frustration.

"When I found out it worked." Inside, Breakdown laughed uproariously.

Carrying Breakout in his hold, Breakdown checked in, then went to his station. In a joor, they were due in Terra to go through the process of getting their son into school after Festival when the newest group would enter the prep academy. It would be hilarious watching Knockout's freak out. It was nice being the boss for a change. Knockout should have come out of the prison and taken the oath to the Matrix way back when and not waited. He was paying for that lapse in judgement now.

Unbeknownst to Breakdown, Knockout liked his bond's hardnosed domination more than he ever would say out loud. He may have been a flaming narcissist but he was no dumby.

-0-In an apartment

Partition sat with his family around the table but no one was really interested in eating breakfast. At 1600 hours, they would be in the University great room for the petition to end the shunning. They would be represented by Sherrod and he would put the proposition. The judges, the Praxians from before, would accept it as a formality, then call the femme who sought sanctions. They would discuss it, then if she agreed, the whole thing would happen.

Given that they knew what it was, why it was designed to be thus and all of that nonsense, they had no appetite for food. It would be a silent run up to leaving for work for all three of them.

-0-Earth2

It was busy early as the 5,000+ residents of Earth2 arose to greet the day. There were some who worked nights and the command crew in 'The Forbidden Zone' as the command center was known never seemed to sleep. The human elements changed, three shifts of hired hands that were always rotating into and out of duty, heading for the Sciences Habitat where they lived so as not to become too close to the Earth2 personnel, something that was done to enhance 'security' and ensure that the distance necessary was maintained between the two groups. That the human workers were former military helped make that discipline possible. The bots never seemed to leave but they did as well. However, the humans in residence were still unused to discerning bots from each other so it looked like they never left.

Owen Harris shut off his computer, then walked to the door. He would eat in the communal dining room as he considered his current problems, plans, work schedule, and the new hiccup. His daughter insisted upon coming to live here and he had hoped his ex-wife would agree that she needed to stay in her own life on Earth.

However, his daughter wanted to be 'Youtube Royalty' or some such shit so she held her own in the struggle with her parents. It was inevitable that she would win and come to live here. What was more problematic was that she wanted to go to a bot school rather than this one. Whatever she wanted, she got. Scout Rain Harris aka Rain was 14, had big blue eyes and knew his weak spots. She would be on her way in a few days.

Such were the ways of power.

-0-In a Residence

"Do you think we should go see how things are, Amma?" Genesis asked Kes as they sat around the huge dining table eating breakfast with all the ammas and appas who had come up with food to help Kes with the children.

"I think we will instead, darling. You eat up and get ready for school. We will check in on them after we get you going," Kestrel said with a grin. Tagg had come to the Residence the night before and helped corral all of the infants into berths. The big kids took some of the bedrooms that were diplomatic. No one was going home that night.

Tie Down had come up with Tagg the night before to see if he could help the sitter but found with an amused Kes that all was in control. He had, however, relayed that he had peeked in at the party and several of the revelers were sleeping it off in the apartment including Prowl slumped in a chair and Ratchet face down in the hallway. He grinned even as he told the tale of checking after a slightly tipsy Ravel and Docker had come in from the fun. They had left the party after everything was in hand, ever the loving ammas. Tagg and Kestrel waved them goodbye, then shut the door. Turning to Kes with a grin, Tagg enjoyed his bond's good energy a moment. "So, things were successful and fun?"

Kes chuckled. "It was. Let me tell you about fan fiction, Tagg," he said as they walked back into the living room. He would. Tagg would laugh loudly too.

At the moment, everyone who was ambulatory was there to help get the kids to school. After a lot of hoo-haw, they did. The door to the immaculate home closed silently behind the laughing, joking crowd.

-0-At the crack of … some time after dawn, in a dark place

Ratchet fluttered to life, noting how soft the pile of his carpet was, then staggered to his peds. Flooding his system with The Cure, he felt instantly clear helmed and solid-footed. Turning slowly, he grinned. "Well, Prowler … you didn't make it to the door after all. I should have remembered that." He took a tour of the facilites.

Delphi: Lying in Hero's berth in deep recharge. He almost fit her little swan bed. Ratchet made a note to let Housewares know that their little custom berth for his daughter was a nicely built bit of work. Delphi's aft should have sunk it.

Turbine: That fine mech was spattered over the surface of his own berth. Oh ye, how the mighty have fallen, he thought as he grinned at the easygoing mech who had spawned a goofball like Blackjack who in turn spawned a goofball like Ironhide. It didn't help that El Goofball Supremo was Raptor. None of them had a chance, he thought with a snicker. Somehow, Hardie and Delphi had dropped the ball. He chuckled. Neither side of this family was ever slated to be normal.

He continued onward and found Miler dozing on a berth at the other end of the apartment, the berth of Fireball to be exact. Everyone else must have made it home because that was the complete inventory of lushes he could find. Wifi-ing them the cure, he walked to the living room to watch the fun.

Prowl snorted, then came to life. Sitting up groggily, the fog lifted and he knew where he was. "What time is it?"

"Breakfast time, lush," Ratchet replied. "You might want to check on your ada. He's that away," Ratchet said pointing toward the end of the house where the big kids lived.

Prowl looked at him with shock, then jumped up to hoof it to the back of the apartment just as Turbine wandered out of the berthroom. Ratchet grinned. "Don't you look fuck all as the humans say."

Turbine snickered. "I love swearing like a human. It makes me feel so dainty."

"That's you," Delphi said following him out. "Dainty. Who's here or better yet, where am I?" he asked. "Or better still, **who** am I?"

Huge laughter greeted that as Prowl walked back out with his slightly sheepish-appearing ada. **"MILER!** How are you feeling?" Delphi asked.

"Rather foolish," Miler said with a grin. "Foolish and exhilerated at the same time."

"I thought you were brilliant," Ratchet said as the others nodded. "What about you, Prowl?"

"If someone had ever told me that I would get drunk with my ada, read fan fiction and join a cult, I would have said how highly unlikely," Prowl said with a slight grin.

"Are we in a cult? Is our little secret club a cult?" Miler asked with growing delight. "Why, Prowl. **This is so exciting!"**

Prowl stared at the genuine delight of his ada for a moment, then hugged him completely off his peds.

-0-TBC 6-30-17 **edited 67-1-17 thanks for catching the plot hole!**

NOTES:

ESL: Tie one on: American slang for getting drunk

This is the process by which the sword of Optimus Prime is created by smiths. Its fascinating. I've stretched out the url and hope when you put it all back together you can reach it. Under it, I will put the actual name of the video which you can put into the search line of you tube to get it.

It doesn't work. Keep reading. :D

the URL doesn't work so put this into the search line of the you tube site and get it. The sword's construction was sponsored by the movie. Nice shots of Prime using it:

Optimus Prime's Sword -Transformers: The Last Knight - MAN AT ARMS

They also make other famous weapons from the movies, etc. Hope this reaches you. Hugs from me and happy weekend to all.


	53. Chapter 53

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 53)

-0-Getting on with it

Ratchet bussed his home with the help of the others, then the lot of them walked to the door and left. A trip downward and an amble to The Diner On The Corner was had. Sitting in a big berth, Miler smiled. "I don't think I remember the time I ever spent the night away from Ven. We always did things together. This feels decadent."

Everyone smiled at Miler. "You're so cute." Turbine said. "This was fun." :Let us know when the story is ready to post. Corr is next, then me. I have a lot of ideas but this will be cohesive. I won't lead us off a cliff:

:Do: Ratchet said with a chuckle. :I think writing our dark sides is a great idea. Of course, Ironhide will be the handsomest mech in the story: Prowl who was leaning over to one side to speak to someone had no idea they were chatting and none of them were going to allow him to find out. They were a cult now, after all.

Huge laughter greeted that as their food came. Into the restaurant a steady steam of Watchmen and femmes, Wreckers, soldiers, sailors, tinkers, tailors, spies, and thieves meandered, all of them filling up seats around the group. Hercy and Kup who had just hung up the horses from night duty pulled up chairs to sit with them. "How was the boozer?" Hercy asked.

"I'll have you know my ada and ammas were there," Ratchet said.

"Like I said. How was the boozer and did we arrest any of ya?" Hercy asked with a smirk.

"Not this time, slagger," Ratchet said. "I had a sleepover."

The chat and guff was deep as they dined. Miler who was unused to such realness was awash with delight as was Prowl who was happy for his ada's happiness. If he had ever had a dream of how much fun they could have together, a boozer with the boys wasn't among them. Life was incredibly inscrutable sometimes.

Like now.

"What's the word on when they come back?" Kup said. "I hear that things are pretty well in order on Cybertron."

"Soon. Ironhide has to hear a petition in caste court," Ratchet said as he glanced at Turbine and Delphi. "I can't wait. Not."

They both nodded. "Count us in."

-0-Later at the airfield

They landed, Prime's flight, then walked toward The Fortress. A debrief was in order along with an amusing retelling of The Boozer. Prime would be highly amused and utterly delighted that his ada had come and had so much fun. All in all, very lovely times were had by some. As for Cybertron, the following would be clearly known:

More titans were needed to make steel, though the supply chain for nearly everything was stellar with little lag time, **PRAISE MICRONUS**! Even here, mini-cons were organizing into moving and shipping companies.

More outreach was needed to find the holdouts, those who were too scared or too impaired to come forward from their hiding places.

Gangs and road crews were still operating and had to be hunted down.

There were so many munitions and toxic spills that they had to send teams from Mars to supplement the effort to denature them. The list of where they were was almost final from the satellite scans being made by Teletraan I.

Deep structures within Cybertron were being coaxed back to life as repair teams reached them. Tracking backward from the endpoint (surface) to the beginning (deep down) was paying dividends. Toxic spills and munitions hampered the speed but each orn made something good happen.

Security was adequate in some places, top drawer in most and 'emergent' in others. Soldiers were being deployed to help police the area until Springer's re-training toward community policing could be had by all who were either regular police or wanted to become policemen.

Schools were reaching almost everyone of a certain age and the online tech classes that were broadcast world wide were helping those who wanted to learn things or upgrade skills. Skilled workers were had because of it and they in turn were mentored by those who already were tops in their fields. The learning curve spread out like ripples in a pond as the work force rebooted themselves.

Food reached everywhere. No one to anyone's knowledge short of the aforementioned holdouts were without food. Those who were holding out for whatever reason were picking up food stores 'left' here and there just for that reason. It was hoped to feed them until they could be bagged or coaxed out.

Forensic teams were everywhere photographing, meticulously gathering evidence, working out who, how, what, when, where, and why for the final acounting. It was slow and difficult work.

Iacon was at 15% rebuild

Kaon was 4% not counting that which the Decepticons had constructed for themselves and their faction on site. No one was surprised.

Most of the biggest cities were anywhere from 3-11% in rebuild. It was agonizingly slow but the vast tent cities were patient, more patient than Prime could have hoped. Though there were 'committees of discontent' and 'spokesmen for this and that', the degree of hopeful patience that greeted Prime was astonishing. It was so everywhere.

Businesses were being brought to bear and the system of a cashless society was the basis for its resurrection. No one wanted any other system any longer. Having the majority on the outs in the past, no one was ready to go back to the idea that some had more than others for **ANY** reason. All were one was a immutable factor now in the thinking of the rising population. Given the level of poverty and starvation that had led to their near annihilation, no one could be blamed for feeling that way. Though no one could guess the future, it appeared that the system on Mars was fast becoming the system on Cybertron.

The lesser populated areas were either on their way to complete rebuild or finished. It was amazing to travel through towns and villages that were back to their pristine glory. Or at least, they were pristine now. A lot of differences were apparent with the better organization of the layout of the areas and the excellent materials used to create beauty here where slums, slapdash construction and official indifference had reigned before.

Illness, injury, mental disturbances, disease, and other afflictions were still visible among the people but they were being treated, some with surgeries that had been overdue for eons. The broken down appearances of too many were no longer the norm. Their appearances had improved and along with it, their ability to get a detailing that reflected on the outside the hope and possibility that many felt on the inside.

Troublemakers were still around, those who wanted to make things happen faster and their way. They were for the most part exercising their right to have their say but a couple of them were trouble. Prime listened to them stoically as they lambasted him for the past, present and perhaps the future. He took down their grievances as Springer took down their names. Prime would do what he could about those things that he could help. The rest? He wasn't a god.

On the way to another town …

"That mech is trouble around here. He's trying to stir up the population. He wants to shut down the work," Springer said. "What do you want me to do about him?"

"Nothing," Prime had said. "Until he does something, he has every right to speak. If he works up a mob, then you know what to do. Until then, he is just one mech with opinions. There are no laws against opinions."

They finished their chat at Ops Center, got the heads up about the local scene, then walked out to dine. Soon, there would be a caste court and Prime would have to be there. So would Ironhide. Neither was looking forward to it.

-0-Earth2

Sam Thomas sat in his office talking to Roto and Herling over the monitor. He was getting the test results from both about the children who wanted to attend Cybertronian schools. It was not unexpected but it still stung.

"We find that most of them are not at the level of educational attainment that we require to keep them with children their own maturity level. We will be placing them into Youngling Day with our own who are younger but have been in our system all their lives and thus, have learned what we expect them to know. Their placements will be there with no more than three per classroom for their best advantage. They'll be having half day pull out to catch up with specialist teachers. We're putting together a number of our trainee specialist teachers under the supervision of a master-mentor who'll work with them to make sure these children have every opportunity to catch up.

"The genitors of each of them have to be clear that they'll be needed to assist the children in their studies. I'm aware that your system allows days off beyond weekend and holidays on our shared calendar to follow internal scheduling for your families and cultures. We have only those days off that are on the general shared schedule. There's no summer vacation and the school year never ends. If the adults are behind our system and are willing to support it, then I think there will be great success had. If not, then perhaps they need to rethink their ideas here. We'd need to know, Sam. We've assigned them their placements and their teachers would have to know soon."

Sam nodded. "I'll get confirmations today, gentlemen. When would the children begin to go to your schools?"

"Tomorrow," Herling said.

Sam blinked. "Okay. I'm on it."

-0-A half hour later

They sat in a big room at the schools, the parents of the kids who would be going to Cybertronian schools. Sam had gotten the data from the bots and was going over it with the parents, all overachieving, nerd-like, educationally advanced human beings even among the support crews sent to another world to do hard science for the common good.

"Now turn to page three," Sam said. "Here are the scores for mathematics for your children. As you can see … we also have deficiences here. Strong enough in language, weak in sciences. Of course, the bots' science is eons ahead of us but that'll be a secondary concern when you consider that the children will be immersed in their system and information base.

"They'll be going to classes half day taught by bot teachers who are specialists in getting children up to speed. Apparently, most of the children coming to the colony are educationally deficient so their plans and programs in place for this are amazing. Half day with the specialists and half day with the rest of their classes … that's the story.

"I would suggest that you discuss this with your kids and find out who's really ready for this. There's no shame in this. We can't have them feel like failures or feel shame if they don't go or if they do and it's hard. We're truly out of our league here but the kids who want to go should be congratulated and suppported. And remember to tell them that with few exceptions their system goes every day, year around. Any impressions, questions, suggestions, comments?"

It was silent a moment, then a parent sat back. "I expected that they'd be advanced. My son asked to come when we made the list a couple of years ago. We agreed that extra teachers and programs were in order and he went. The scores aren't as bad as I expected but its going to be a rough road."

"Understand, the bots aren't as goal oriented in the same way we are. They made a point of telling us that they don't consider any of this something to be ashamed of if its hard or they decide to leave and that they never give up on a kid. If it takes a long time, it takes that long. No matter what, they'll be receiving a stellar educational experience and if at some point they want to return to this school, then fine. No fail, no shame. They don't operate on the same kind of results-oriented perspective as us. They want good results but they're prepared to put in the time, effort and whatever it takes to get the kids there. The results they strive for are happy educated kids."

It was silent, then a woman spoke, one who ran the kitchen. "My son and daughter want this. I support them. Whatever they want, I'll support because they didn't choose this. My husband and I did. If they want back, they can come. I'm leaving the decision up to them."

It would be the consensus opinion. A bus would arrive at Earth2 the next day and kids would board it for their first day in a new school on a new world. It would be epic and Earth would eat it up. Again.

-0-1600 hours at the University

Ratchet sat in the slowly filling auditorium as the high caste community from the Greater Iacon area filed in. They weren't happy but they were here. Prime and Prowl sat with him along the wall nodding to this and that bot as they came inside to sit. Partition, his entire family and Sherrod entered, walked stiffly to the front, then sat. They conferred among each other but no one else.

It was tense, dense and awful.

At last, the door opened as Piro came in, walked down, then set up the recording device. He looked around the room, then nodded respectfully to Prime. "Please stand for the court."

Everyone did as the door opened again. A stern-looking Ironhide entered to be followed in rank and seniority by an equally stern-appearing Blackjack, Turbine, Raptor, Delphi, and Hard Drive. They came inside, walked to the platform in front and turned to the crowd. It was obvious that they had dialed down their emotions as they stared at the people with a mechanical expression. They turned to Prime and bowed slightly. He nodded back, then the group sat.

Piro arose again, then stated the proposition. "Be told today, that the party affected, Partition of Iacon and his family, Lucien of Iacon, Laslo of Iacon, Morius of Iacon, and Inweld of Iacon have put the proposition forward by petition that they wish the ceasation of the shunning of their family by the Congregation. It is their most prayerful expectation that this can be accomplished. Who speaks for you?" he asked.

Sherrod stood. "I do."

Piro nodded, then turned to the judges. "What is your will, Lord Hard Drive?"

He stared at Sherrod, then Piro. "Let the petition be put."

Piro nodded, then turned to Sherrod. "You may begin." He sat.

Sherrod stared at the crowd a moment, then the panel of judges. It was then that he put the petition forward. "Amma Allie and Appa Revue, I come to you in humble supplication," he said as he knelt down to his knees and bowed his helm before the two elders who had brought forward the shunning.

-0-TBC 7-1-17 **edited 7-12-17**

NOTE: It should be noted that in the beginning when Transformers were brought here and became the phenomenon they have become, Hasbro ordered that there would be no female transformers. Only public outcry by some changed that ruling. Interesting.

Pandora: I would love to own that sword. Imagine it 17 feet long. :O

ESL: to buss something up is to clean it. A buss is also a kiss on the cheek


	54. Chapter 54

The Diego Diaries: Petition (dd6 54) So many mistakes. I fixed them :D

-0-At the moment of despair

Ratchet felt his tanks churn as he watched Sherrod, a mech who was a good sort with a decent and respectable reputation go through the humiliation of asking the congregation, especially the two elders who had brought about the shunning to have mercy. Ironhide had told him it would be awful. It was supposed to be that way. It was supposed to be designed to make the hardest headed loon toe the line. This was the last step their caste had before the authorities would step in and toss the offender into real prison with all the affronted lower castes who would tear them from limb-to-limb. Oddly enough, there were no separate prisons for high castes on Cybertron. It was **supposed** to grind a few gears.

Sherrod continued. "Amma Allie and Appa Revue, I come to you in humble supplication for the family already named in the petition. They come to you with regret, genuine and deep, with the intention of making it clear to you and the congregation their most sincere intentions of living the right way. They acknowledge their offense both to you and the congregation. They acknowledge that their actions haven't been right and true. They acknowledge that they have a debt to pay for their behaviors and wish for you to accept that in payment of the harm caused by their thoughtless and inharmonious actions. What say you?" he asked with his gaze averted in abject apology.

The room felt thick, buried deep with the heavy energy of emotion and embarrassment they all felt. Having dived deep into bodies of water where the pressure rose with each fathom down one went, this felt like he was standing on the bottom of an emotional Marianas Trench. Ratchet half expected weird fish to swim past his face as he sat tensely beside Prowl watching the strangeness.

In Ratchet's own caste, a punk was slapped around until they got it, changed or moved. They were even burned out if they didn't shape up. It was easier to live if you weren't the one caught up in it. it was simple and learned from the first time as a youngling someone slagged you. You could fight back and win or lose. If you lost it was usually settled. Finito. It was done. After that, you lived your life within the limitations or joined a gang. This, however, felt spark shaking. They may have had everything, the high castes, but if there were things like this sprinkled into their high stepping life, he almost … **ALMOST** was glad he was low caste.

The two elders sat in the front row together speaking off line. It was literally up to the two of them to make or break the moment. Stephonia of the family who owned the Avatar Foundation, the only group on Cybertron in the high caste population that helped everyone, everywhere was also involved in the conversation, she and her bond, Spuri. It seemed to take forever, then Allie and Revue stood. Turning to Prime, they bowed from the waist. They did so also to the priests and Alpha. Then they turned toward the court and the defendents.

"Please rise, Sherrod. This is not your affliction to bear," Revue said as Sherrod gratefully rose to his feet. "Please sit. We will have our say."

Sherrod sat, then the room was silent as a graveyard.

"Lord judges," Revue said as both of them bowed to the court, "We're here to wage the peace. Everyone in this room has benefited from being first. Some of us, especially Stephonia and her family have paid a price for their understanding and implementation into their life the commandments of Primus and The One, that all were one and if not everyone was free, none of us were. It's fitting that the Festival is only 14 orns away that we settle this here and now. It's fitting that this should come to a head when we will bury our honored dead in two orns who were murdered because a few thought that the many didn't matter."

Revue looked at Lucien, Laslo, a very chagrinned and humbled Inweld and Morius, and a completely inscrutable Partition. "You're not special. You're not elevated. You have no special knowledge or abilities beyond anyone else. You're not intrinsically better than anyone else anywhere. You're part of a great lie, one we all benefitted from and which destroyed all that we claimed to hold dear. Over a billion, perhaps as many as a billion and a half died because of our caste holding sway at the expense of the many.

"Too many of us didn't see the spark in others, nor did we see them as a real part of us and thus, we let them starve, die, despair, and in the end, rise up in wrath against a system that made them equipment and little else. We left them permanently without the possibility of more, though they deserved it, all of it. We here all benefitted, all of us, to our everlasting shame. Now the time has come to be what we should've been all along and you can't do that. You can't understand somehow that The One created us all and we are **equal**. You haven't done your **job,** Lucien and Laslo, of teaching your children to **adapt**. That's on **you**. **You** haven't demonstrated to **us** that anything is different."

Allie nodded. "You haven't. You've let down your children the same as the genitors of all of us did in their turn. But we've changed with most of us learning in the fires of The Fall what it means to be one. Some of us have the honor of changing with our genitors here. **All** of us get it **now.** Some still don't **like** it and that's on **them** , but they **get** it and have adapted. When will we be clear that you have? You ask for us to drop our true bill but you haven't demonstrated that this will be a good and honest thing for either of us to do."

Sherrod glanced at Lucien and Laslo who both looked to be having an out-of-body experience. "My clients wish to speak, Abbas. Do you agree?"

Revue nodded. "We require it." Both sat. The room was thick with an agonized energy that could be felt on their neuronets.

Lucien stood, then turned to the congregation and the two elders. He held a moment wavering, then with almost an agony of painful embarrassment, he knelt down and lowered his helm. A murmur swept through the room, involuntary and shocked that such an arrogant and important mech would humble himself before everyone. "Appa and Amma, I am Lucien of Iacon and I come to you in humble supplication." He put his hands down on the floor and touched his forehead to it. "I ask for your forgiveness and that of the congregation. I accept my responsibilites to the new paradigm and have endeavored to instruct my children on the changes and responsibilities they have to live in accordance to the Will of Primus and The One.

"I am truly sorry for any discomfort or discord that has been caused by my House and have taken steps to ensure that this will not repeat. For all the inconvenience and discord we have caused among the congregation, we seek forgiveness. We accept the changes to the world and the discontinuation of the System of Exception. We ask for your forgiveness with humility and great personal sorrow." He stayed down waiting for a response.

Revue and Allie along with Stephonia were in consultation, then Revue spoke. "Lady Stephonia speaks for me," he said as Allie nodded.

She rose. "Stand, Lucien." He did with a dull yellow aura of abject humiliation surrounding him like a cloud. "You've asked us to believe you but your family is silent. Your petition appears to be spark-felt but we don't know that it's enough."

Ratchet glanced at Prowl who was watching with a slight expression of **BOO-YAH**! Apparently, the gothic youth who hated The System was running Prowl's CPU at the moment and having a thrill at the humiliation of someone who had given him fits as S.I.C of the Armed Forces for more eons than Ratchet could know. Glancing around the room, Ratchet saw a lot of others with the same expression. Lucien had few friends, if any, in this room it would appear.

Laslo stood up, then turned stiffly toward Stephonia. It was then that he knelt to follow the same procedure. "I am Laslo of Iacon and I add my voice to the petition put forward by my bond. I am abjectly sorry for anything that has happened to the greater community because of me or my family. We have not embraced the new order and we are prepared to do so now and into perpetuity. We ask mercy of the congregation and of you, Amma and Appa. We take full responsibility for the actions of our children and our failings as genitors to teach them greater respect for all. We ask for mercy … I ask for it for my family."

"Please stand, Morius," Stephonia said as the other two nodded.

Morius glanced at his brother, then stood. He knelt and said his piece. "I am Morius of Iacon and I humbly ask for forgiveness. I am sorry for my actions in this new world and seek another chance to demonstrate that I have much to offer for the good of all. I hope that my family can enter into the world again as an equal and seek another chance from you, Abba and Ammas, as well as the congregration."

"Stand, Inweld," Allie said.

Inweld who looked faint stood, then knelt. "I seek the same thing, Abbas. I work and enjoy it. I live in a good place and wish to be part of the greater community again. I am very sorry for my thoughtless sparkless behavior and understand at last what I must do to be included. I ask for mercy for my family."

"Please stand and answer the questions of the congregation," Revue said.

Inweld did, standing next to his brother and genitors. Partition as the one who brought this down upon them would have to convince them separately. The four were guilty too, but considered more as collateral damage at the moment. Partition was the one with the problem here. They just had to pass inspection by the congregation.

A mech stood. "Lucien, I worked in the department you headed back on Cybertron. You were arrogant, entitled and cruel to your subordinates. I learned to fear and hate you for your manner and lack of kindness. How am I supposed to trust you? You're a schemer and back stabber with no respect for our current Prime for his caste from my recollection." The big mech sat with a rage filled expression. Eons had passed but not the emotions he still felt apparently.

Lucien stared at him struggling to remember who he was and failing. "I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for my lack of kindness and dignity. I can't change the past but I can make up for things now. I apologize to you and mean it." He looked at Revue, Allie and Stephonia. "These orns of separation have been profound for us. We've learned a lot and are prepared to learn more. This is a good place. I have skills to offer and so does my family. We're asking for a second chance."

Another mech stood, one who looked uneasy. "I would like to speak for Morius and Inweld." Everyone turned to him, a high caste mech who was well-liked, played football and worked as a social worker for elderly shut-ins through Home Healthcare, something he learned since moving here. Before, he was the son of a functionary in the Justice Department of the Primes. His genitors including said functionary were sitting with him, all of them there to give him support. "I find since the shunning that they've taken seriously what's happened and have changed a great deal. They were happy here before this happened. They liked things and I never saw them act badly or say anything mean to anyone who was a low or mid caste from the old orns. We'd have dinner and go to the movies. We talked a lot about home and who we knew. I know that they've made effort even before this. I think they'll go the whole way. I'm willing to stake my reputation on that being true. Right?" he asked the pair.

They looked at him, then nodded. "Yes," Morius said with emotion. "I like it here." He looked at his genitors. "Inweld and I do."

The young mech nodded. "I think, Appa and Amma, Lady Stephonia, that they won't let me down or the colony. They get it. The System is over. I can't speak for their genitors or Partition but being around them both on and off the job, before and now during this action … I think they really mean what they say." The young mech's family sitting around him nodded their support.

Morius looked at the three, then bowed his helm. "We wish mercy for ourselves and our family. Let us have a chance to be what we need to be. We like it here, Abbas."

It was silent a moment, then another mech stood. "Let's say we believe you, Morius and Inweld. If Thayne says he trusted you, then I believe him. I wouldn't want to think what it would mean to him if you betrayed him, right?"

Morius and Inweld nodded. "We won't."

"I would hope not. You know what it means to speak up for you like he did or to vouch for you. It'd be a very big and unforgivable betrayal if you prove him wrong," the mech said. "Thayne deserves that you keep your word and be what he says you are. However, I don't hear it from either you or Laslo, Lucien. You have a lot more to overcome than they do. What makes you think we can trust you?" He sat.

"You have only my word. I have nothing more to give," Lucien said. "My bond and I take full responsibility for the behavior and values of our children. We believe them to be wonderful because they're ours but we also understand that we have a duty to instruct them to live properly anywhere we are. We didn't. We shall undertake to rectify that and we ask for mercy. If you wish us to live in the new 'now', then the old 'then' cannot be a burning tire we drag behind us. Let us show you that we've changed and understand the new paradigm."

Laslo nodded with an averted gaze.

"We shall consider your petition," Stephonia said. "Now we must hear from Partition."

The four sat as all optics turned to Partitian. He stood slowly.

-0-TBC 7-3-17

 **HAPPY DAY BEFORE THE FOURTH OF JULY! :D:D:D EDITED THE HELL AND GONE! SO MANY MISTAKES, SO MANY ERASURES! BWAHAHAHA! 7-4-17  
**

More to come today, hopefully. :D:D:D


	55. Chapter 55

The Diego Diaries: Petition (dd6 55)

-0-Shunning

Prime watched Partition rise with an outward sense of calm and an inward sense of foreboding. He had been aware of what it would take to end a shunning and given what he knew of Partition, it was anyone's guess if he could do it. Prime was a student of his people. He had taken a lot of time to learn the differences and agreements between them, regional, historical, religious, cultural, and caste-oriented to be able to be all that he needed to be for everyone. There was probably no nuance, no tick, no small twist or turn in any feature of their existence that he didn't know about. He could answer any formality with the correct response and spot something forming before him almost reflexively. He had been incredibly well-raised and it showed. Optimus Prime loved his people and their culture in all its many facets. Thus, nothing that was happening was a surprise but all of it was awful.

Optimus Prime wasn't a vindictive mech.

Partition bowed to the judges, the elders who raised the petition, and the congregation. With optics averted, he began. "I am Partition of Iacon and I come here before you humbled and sorrowful. I ask for the raising of this action against my family in the hope that we can show you with our efforts our contrition and humble repentence."

Prowl shifted. Partition was going back to the most humble pathway forward.

"I'm the one responsible for I didn't adjust, adapt and make my way forward in the proper manner. I'm filled with regret at any offense I've caused and I'm prepared to do humble repentence at the Temple to show both you and The One my true spark. I seek the lifting of the sanction on my family so that we may show you our true regret and help The People forward in the new paradigm. I say this most humbly," he said as he sunk to his knees and pressed his servos and helm against the floor.

It was dead quiet in the room as the most unlikely and unlikable mech probably in the colony outside processor health confinement bowed and humbled himself before the congregation. The panel watched without comment, a long row of Buddha-like individuals watching the congregation slap the shit out of the petitioners to show them their contempt and intentions toward the future if they continued to fuck up. They, themselves were merely observers for now.

A mech arose as Stephonia, Allie and Revue chatted together off line with Spuria, Stephonia's bond. "Partition, I came in the migration with you and your family," he said angrily. "There was a lot of slag going on and you didn't help. We had a lot of ship problems and hunger … you didn't help us. My bond is a low caste." He paused a moment as rage informed his handsome face. A mech sitting next to him looked up as he shifted in his seat. "Let me start again. **Our society** decided that my bond was a low caste when there was **NOTHING** in him that was. His **ENTIRE FAMILY** is wonderful. They did nothing to deserve being treated like that. When we left the colony we fled together, all of us helping each other because it was the way we had come to be. When we met up with your group we talked. Remenber? You found out that my bond wasn't high caste and we had a fight. Remember that?"

Partition nodded from the floor. "I do."

"So do I," the mech said darkly. "I doubt I will **ever** forget it. **STAND UP!"**

Partition hesitated a moment, then glanced at Revue who nodded. He stood, then turned to face the angry mech. The mech shook his helm. "I don't believe you changed. You insulted my bond not because he deserved or earned it. You did it because **you could**. And that's the problem here with all of us, right? We did slag because we could and frag it all. Why should I ever believe you've changed? Maybe your brothers. They actually look ashamed but you? **Convince** me."

Partition stared at him. "I can't. I can only **tell** you. I want my family to be free and I want that too but I want it for them more. I can handle whatever comes. They need and deserve a life. I've given you my word that I'll do this. I don't have more to give."

The two stared at each other a moment, then the big mech sat down, taking his bond's servo into his own. It was tense a moment, then a small femme stood. "Partition, I've known you all your life, you and your family. You have your atar's temperament and sense of entitlement. You have a hard manner about you. Your father was so full of himself he never noticed that he had no real friends. Only one mech has stood up for your family and it was for your brothers. Thayne believes in them, but you? You're a lot like your father. You would have to work a while to convince me. Who vouches for you?" She looked around the room at the stony faces of the congregation. "Who will vouch for these mechs?" she asked.

Thayne stood. "I have and will vouch for Inweld and Morius, Abbas. I give you my word of honor."

Inweld and Morius turned toward him nearly in tears, then bowed lowly. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet began to stir. Prowl caught his arm, then stood. "I am Prowl of Praxus, Second-in-Command to the Prime of Cybertron. I am also his bond and we share children. I am high caste and the son of Venture and Miler of Praxus.

"I think its important for anyone who might vouch for these individuals to understand what that means. Sherrod? Would you please explain or perhaps one of the judges?" Prowl asked as he turned toward Hard Drive.

That worthy stood. "To vouch for someone at this juncture is to take charge of that person to a high degree. You'll be responsible to assist them to the good path, ensure that they keep their obligations and stay out of trouble. If they get arrested, you'll follow. You don't have to serve any sentence imposed but you'll be arrested and jailed until the problem is settled judicially. This is not to punish those who wish to help. It's to help them understand that if they do, they must be serious in their intentions to help whoever it is find their way. You'll be their mentor, teacher, friend and if necessary, the one who slags them to the Pit if they decide to take another path. It's a serious thing to vouch for someone and if you do you **must** take it seriously. A lot rides upon your assistance to those being assisted." Hard Drive sat.

Prowl who sat turned to Ratchet. : **ARE YOU INSANE!?** :

Ratchet gave him a brilliant smile. :Yes:

Prowl sat back rolling his optics. Ironhide was staring at Ratchet from the panel. :Ratchet, what are you going to do?:

:You already know: Ratchet said as he stood. He grinned at Ironhide who would have frowned but that was a function that needed more than 15% effort on his part at the moment. "I am Ratchet of Iacon. I am the Chief Medical Officer of the Autobot Armed Forces, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. I'm also the Ambassador Plenipotentiary holding the Prime's Brief and always have. I am the Autobot's diplomat.

"I haven't got a slagging clue about this court stuff. I didn't know that you had so many rules. It reminds me of the human story, 'The Sword of Damacles'. There was this king who had a courtier who envied him. One orn, they changed places and as the courtier lounged on the throne as king he noticed a sword hanging over him tip down held from falling by a hair-like thread . He glanced at the king who was lounging in the courtier's chair. "What is this?" he asked.

"'This, the king said, was responsibility. This was the price of being king. The sword is hanging by a hair. At any moment, it could fall and kill the king. Welcome to my life.' It seems to me that this feels like that. You had this entitled life filled with slag and hanging over it was this rule. I'm glad. I would hate to think you never had a brake on your business.

"I have no idea the full extent of what vouching for these hoodlums will entail. I've already decided to take Partition on as a trainee for myself and what I do. I guess I like lost causes. He wants to be a diplomat. So be it. But he has to pass **my** inspection and learn all the things **I** teach him. Some of that involves medicine and I'm not talking starting at the top. There's a lot of slag work that goes into making things run. We did it, those of us who weren't exalted like you. Without us, the wheels wouldn't turn, nothing would get done and you'd be sitting here having to feed yourselves.

"You have to do what I tell you, when I tell you, how I tell you, and where I tell you without back talk, slag, fragging up, sneaking around, or having any kind of fit. If you do, I'll beat the slag out of you. I've been bonded for nine million years to the biggest, baddest mech in the Autobot Army. What I know about fighting hand-to-hand or with weapons, you'll never learn. If I decide you need pulverized, you'll be pulverized. I'll whip the absolute slag out of you as many times as it takes to make you see the light." Ratchet turned to Laslo and Lucien. "Do they need someone?"

Allie who was smirking slightly nodded. "They do."

"What if no one agrees?" Ratchet asked.

"The sanctions would be lifted but trust would take longer, if at all. We may not shun them but we don't have to congregate with them. Consider it a bit of a social death," Stephonia said with a slight grin of her own. The energy in the room was lighter as everyone waited with expectation for the unpredictable collector of mechs to make up his mind. Everyone in the colony knew that Ironhide and especially Ratchet was a sucker for a lost cause.

Well, Ratchet, anyway.

Ratchet grinned. "I agree to vouce for Partition. I'm not convinced he means it but I have a great right cross. As for Laslo and Lucien … I vouch for them too."

Ironhide shifted in his seat but didn't say anything. Laslo and Lucien stared at Ratchet aghast with surprise. Ratchet grinned. "What say you or do they get a say?"

Allie stood, a tiny femme with a glorious paint scheme. She was a cafeteria worker at Sparkling Day who mothered the babies, all of them, with a lovely energy and manner. She **LOVED** to work there and was generous with the food, her time and her love. She was Amma Allie amongst the infants. "I believe they have a say but I'm unclear if they should." she turned to Laslo and Lucien. "You may receive a retraction of the decree but you know as well as I, if you don't have a sponsor for a period of time, then it's not going to be much better for you. Ratchet has generously volunteered. Revue and I will stand with Ratchet. When the three of us are convinced, then you will be completely released without petitioning the court for it. You will be utterly free. You have that choice now. Make it good," she said.

Laslo glanced at Lucien who looked gray with emotion. Then he nodded. "We accept." Laslo looked at him, then nodded.

"Very well, Lord Judges," Allie said. "We leave it to you to find what you will." She sat. Prowl pulled Ratchet down as a murmur of amusement went through the crowd.

Lucien and his family turned to the judges as Sherrod joined them. It was up to them now.

Time seemed to drag as they chatted off line. Then after almost too much time, Hard Drive stood. He was glorious. "I am Hard Drive, General of the Army and soldier in the General Staff of the great Optimus Prime. I speak for all of us here. We have heard the petition and considered all the factors including Thayne of Capital City and Ratchet of Iacon vouching for this family. We have set the boundaries. You are free of shunning for a trial period of two years on the Terran Calendar. You will be under the mentorship of Ratchet and Thayne for that period of time. If you succeed, then the petition of exclusion will be ended. It will end without comment, meaning you will be completely free.

"Mentors, you will have a great deal of influence and some legal authority over these five individuals during that period. I would expect, Ratchet, that you will give this court your plans for Partition before the weekend. Until then, you are free to go. I would tell you that the optics of our caste shall be upon you. Be worthy of the sacrifice of Thayne and Ratchet to place their honor in your servos." He turned to the congregation. "Amma Allie and Stephonia, Appa Revue and Spuri, you are made whole?"

They nodded. "Yes, Lord Hard Drive," Spuri replied with a nod of his helm.

"Very well," Hard Drive said. "The burden is upon you, House of Lucien, and the fall will be yours alone if you fail. It is my hope that we shall not have another caste court on any matter relating to you or your family again. I, Hard Drive of Praxus, have spoken."

"Please be upstanding in court," Piro said as he stood himself.

Everyone did as the judges rose and walked out in reverse senior order with Hardie taking up the rear. Partition and his family were allowed to leave next and they did shimmering with humiliation. Sherrod was hugged out, then Ratchet and the family followed. Kup, Hercy, Drift, and Springer mocked Ratchet to the door and the hallway outside. They reached it as Ironhide turned from the middle of his family toward Ratchet. **"OLD MECH! WHAT THE FRAG DID YOU JUST DO!?"**

-0-7-4-17 **edited 7-4-17**

 **HAPPY FOURTH, EVERYONE!** It's finally sunny up here. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D


	56. Chapter 56

The Diego Diaries: Funeral (dd6 56)

-0-In a corridor at a University

 **"WHY, IRONHIDE! YOU SAY SUCH SWEET THINGS!** I'd think you'd hesitate to bring up The Sexy with all the witnesses around, you romantic, you," Ratchet said as he girded himself for whatever may come.

" **YOU VOUCHED FOR THEM! YOU COULD END UP IN JAIL, YOU LUNATIC! YOU** ..." he halted as a shocked, then fearful expression formed on his face. "You … you aren't going to try to **adopt** them are you? **I WON'T HAVE IT! I'M IRONHIDE! I WON'T ALLOW IT!"**

With that, Ratchet lunged forward and gripped him in a bear hug, ratching down his grip as he did until Ironhide grunted. Releasing him, Ratchet stepped back warily. **"SWEET TALK ME, IRONHIDE! SWEET TALK ME!"**

" **I'LL SWEET TALK *YOU*, OLD MECH!"** Ironhide stormed before Raptor stepped between then. He grinned. "Sweet talk me, little mech."

Ironhide halted his slow menacing circling of Ratchet. "Move, Appa, or you might get some of the collateral damage that's coming."

Ratchet grinned. **"WHO'S HUNGRY!?"** He then turned to swish his way to the elevator. Everyone barely got on board as the doors closed.

-0-At The Pit Stop a few minutes later

They pushed tables together as the large party with Ratchet settled into chairs to order food. Good old Cybertronianized American diner food was ordered along with something new called perogis before everyone relaxed enough to grin at each other. Springer leaned against Ratchet. "You need a security escort?"

"Nah," Ratchet said as he grinned at Ironhide who smirked back at him. "I can take him two falls out of three."

"In your dreams," Ironhide said. "What's the plan for them? You have to give it to the court by Martian Friday, old mech."

"Well … I'm going to have Partitian start with scut work at the hospital. Doing the dirty work will be a thing for him. I have to build respect into him regarding the normal hoi-poloi and what they do. As for Lucien and Laslo … I think I want them to join two clubs, work without slacking and behave. I'll think up other things when I tie one on. I find my creative juices flow when I'm slag faced."

Hoo-haw greeted that.

Ratchet leaned forward to glance at Hard Drive. "I have Partition in the Home Guard. I think Lucien would be dangerous if he knew how to shoot or fight but both of them can help clean up the schools. I'll suggest it. How's that for a plan?"

Hardie grinned. "I approve. What say you, court?"

They all approved it. Ratchet sent a note for the family to meet him the next evening after the funeral in his office at the Medical Center. He would tell them then. They ate their lunch, sparred and laughed, then broke up to go their separate ways. The funeral was tomorrow and everyone had things to do.

-0-That night...

"Ada, what about us?" Tru asked as he lounged in the apartment with the other eight big kids.

Ratchet who was putting prefab cookies on sheets for the oven glanced at them. "Six of you follow ammas and appa and the rest of you come with us. We have to be there for the General Staff portion of the parade but the rest of you will go with ammas and appas for your part. Amma Ravel will need help with the infants when you get to the Basilica."

"We got it, ada," Quadrus said. "Don't worry about them."

"I don't with you around," he said as he slid sheets into the oven. "Cookies in three terran minutes."

Hoo-haw supreme.

-0-Prowl

He got off the monitor with the Temple for the finalization of the order of the Progress. The funeral would start about 1000 hours on the TMC tomorrow and the different groups paying tribute had been given their final orders and places in the line of march. Optimus would lead it followed by the priestly castes, the General Staff, various leadership in the civilian committees from districts all over the colony, a delegation from Cybertron which oddly enough would include Soundwave, his first appearance in public since the fall of Cybertron to Prime, the various guild, union and civil group leadership, representatives of the Knights of Cybertron, the Circle of Light, the Primus Peace Mission, and two smaller sects including Turbine would would represent his own as well as different military unit representatives who would bear the standards for them as an honor guard. Some femmes volunteered to carry banners for Earth and the local human habitations. The Watch would send three pairs of officers on horseback, Lon, Bezel, Hercy, and Kup while Drift and Springer would ride along the pathway to keep the peace and order.

All orn long for the past three, Public Works with various clubs assisting placed medallions with the names of the dead drawn from recovered databases and etched on the metal onto light poles for all to see. They were dignified and hung high enough for everyone to read. Names were etched in them that were too small for humans but adequate for Cybertronians to read with their special optics. They were stark reminders of the toll of the incident, the endless names of those who had been murdered.

The night came upon them as they worked hard. The humans of the Autobot City Ladies Auxiliary had been to the Basilica and Temple to help get it ready. They were invaluable to get the hard to reach places and when they were finished the place shown like a new penny. Between the gigantically tall statues of the Primes and other dignitaries that lined the walls at tasteful intervals, long banners of each city-state hung. All of the greatness of their species was represented here. Nearby, the shrine set into the wall where the victims would be memorialized was waiting for the ceremonies in a number of joors. All was well.

-0-Joors later, nearing dawn of the day ...

Light from the sun slowly pierced the darkness signaling the start of another day. As it did, the accumulated sirens, horns and other sound devices of every city-former and titan in the colony began to sound. At the same time, the roar of it rolled through the colony heading in all directions everywhere.

All over the colony, lights came on as mechs, femmes, young and old went to the windows to watch. Lights flashed on as the aerial lights, running lights, signal and safety lights of the titans all over the colony burst into life in a salute not seen since the middle of the Golden Age. Lights that rotated on towers, lights that were signal or seach began to shine here, there and everywhere. Some of the most powerful lights in the colony burst into life, flashed everywhere, then shot straight upward into the dark sky. All around the colony, everywhere someone looked, towers of illumination pierced the darkness, heading upward to light up the night.

Sirens wailed as the pillars of light shot upward as the colony gathered. Millions watched as the sky slowly lightened with the coming day as enormous towers of light blasted skyward. Earth 1 and Earth2 rallied to look out and upward. The Consulate, the habitats of the scientists, soldiers, Hu-An, and their families gathered at windows to watch. In the Resort, guests fogged to the windows to stare outward. All across the vast vista where the colony sparkled in the night towers of light shot into the heavens. They were numerous and brilliant. The sound of sirens rolled over the flat plain toward the distance as the cacophony continued.

Then all at once it stopped. The sound ended at the same time but the lights continued. Upward into the now graying sky, the towers of illumination shown themselves blazingly bright. When the sun now rising ever upward finally broke free of the horizon and began its ascent, the lights went out at the same intance.

It was over.

"Damn," Will Lennox said as the lights blinked out. The silence was almost painful as he stared out the windows with the others. His father and mother stood next to him as Sarah and Annie knelt by the glass. "The start has been made. We need to turn on the sets. Every monitor in the lounge … turn them on," he said as some of the group walked toward the vast room with the massive monitors.

"We need to get breakfast on," Deandra Epps said as she glanced at her son. "Let's eat. This is going to be a long day."

No one disagreed.

-0-The night before on The Hourly News

"That will be the order of the funeral and the procession to the Basilica. We would like to remind the colony that the titan frames are going to be saluting the sunrise for the deceased in honor of their memory. When the sun breaks the horizon in the morning, every titan-class individual here and on Cybertron will sound their sirens, then turn their massed lights into the sky in honor of the dead. They will continue their salute until the sun breaks free from the horizon. When that happens, they will conclude. Be aware that there will be a massed sound effect and lighting that will be extremely loud and bright. We're advising you now so that you may prepare for it and help with children or others that might be affected. We discussed what would be necessary precautions with Metroplex Femme."

(Cut to Metro Femme, Infant Care Department) "Tomorrow, the metroformers are going to salute the deceased before the funeral. What would you suggest that genitors can do about the prospect of being startled out of recharge at 0551 in the morning?"

"Uh, you can turn down their audials which isn't hard but the best thing you can do is raise the soundproofing of your home or at least their berth rooms. My son is a baby and we're going to be raising the soundproofing of his room. That way he won't hear it. If you have others in your family, like elders or those who are sick, you can do the same. Elders and others can dial down but little kids can't. You have to do it for them. If you can't or don't, then either tell them or soundproof things for that part. That's what I'd do. That is, unless they liked noise."

"Thank you," Jacx said with a grin.

"Don't mention it," the big medic with an infant specialty said.

"This is Jacx with Field Medic and Infant Care specialist Autobot Breakdown at Metroplex Femme, Elder and Infant Hospital. Back to you, Lim-Lee."

(Cut to) Studio once more

"It is suggested strongly that you utilize either method if there's any consideration that the noise level of the event tomorrow will be frightening or bothersome to anyone in your family or yourself. After this message we will return to go over the order of the processional. We are also going to report that there are those already finding places on the route to the Basilica and Mausoleum. We will have a drone review and check in with the Night Watch."

The scene cut to the Community Bulletin Board showing a long list of cancelled events and programs. All schools, governmental buildings, museums, libraries, and other related places would be closed. Everything else would close during the funeral but be open afterward. The Monastery, Temple, Halls of Order, and now thirteen shrines would be available orn and night for several afterward.

-0-In the Family Tower that morning

Friends and family had come to the colony to be with the group during this, one of the most terrible events they had heard about. Losing half a million individuals from babies to the elderly all at once was a staggering proposition. Everyone wanted to be here to participate in a historical moment as well as pay their respects. None of them would be stepping out. Already, they could see the streets and byways filling up with individuals finding their places. Soon, it was estimated that anyone who could move in the colony would be there. Millions and millions more on Cybertron would be gathering in local areas to watch the funeral on internal monitors.

-0-At the tower where Prime lived that morning

Prime stood in his apartment going over the funeral with Lauren, Lady Sela who was an expert on historical events and their staging, Jetta, Springer, Ironhide, most of the mechs of Ironhide's family, his own genitors who were nearby caring for children, Prowl, Ultra Magnus, Ratchet, Drift, Kup, and Hercy. Others were waiting on various levels of the tower, bunched into appropriate groups waiting to descend to take their place in the processional, with some already gathered below. The Household Guards who would accompany Prime as well as horseback patrols of Watch mechs and femmes were waiting on the street. At last, Optimus turned to the roomful of individuals gathered in his house. "I think it is time to go. What is the situation outside, Springer?"

Springer who was getting an internal stream of information from all his various sub commanders and their data chatter paused to listen, then turned to Prime. "We have an estimated 18,550,000 civilians on the streets. Drones are taking estimations and doing the math but it would appear that nearly everyone is waiting. More are still coming but the city center has reached saturation point."

Prime nodded. "I am going down. Prowl, please call the groups to leave their floors to join in order. I will let all of you go down to the lobby of your particular group, then follow. Prowl will chart the progress." He turned to the couch nearby, then reached for a sword there that glittered, hefting it with ease.

It was over 18 feet long, had a silvery sheen that seemed to streak when it was moved it was so shiny and was engraved with writing from the Primal Vernacular. It was the Star Saber. He held the glittering blade before him, then turned to the others. Nodding to them, he walked to the door with his staff following. He would begin to descend the building with each floor sending the next group in the order of the procession behind him. By the time he reached the ground, the groups would be coming from the building in the right order to follow behind him.

Prime reached the street which was lined with thousands of silent bots several deep on the sidewalks lining the streets as far as the optic could see. He raised the blade in salute which drew an enormous roar of approval then fell into silence almost as swiftly. He flipped it over his back where it magnetized, then stepped out. Behind him, the Temple priests, Cyclonus and two of the elders of the Monastery followed. Behind them came Heatout, two of his lieutenants and then the smaller sects followed by Turbine.

They stepped into the street to follow Prime. Behind them in a steady stream, more came and came. They began to follow for the long, long trek to the Basilica through the crowd and the highways out of town.

-0-TBC 7-5-17 **edited 7-11-17**


	57. Chapter 57

The Diego Diaries: Procession (dd6 57)

-0-On the street in front of the tower where the Primal Residence was located, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

He exited the building, sword in hand. It was deathly silent as behind him the priestly caste of the Temple, Circle and Monastery congregated. Among each group, there was one who carried a banner identifying them with their ancient emblems. Prime raised the Star Saber and the crowd roared, then it became silent once more as he holstered it on his back with astonishing ease.

-0-On the general feed over the MCA

"That's Optimus Prime with an ancient heirloom sword called the Star Saber. It's said that sword can destroy planets," the human narrator said as a number of humans sat at a panel to discuss and narrate the images coming from Mars. "Behind him are the priestly caste. There are apparently several different ones from different groups. The one holding the banner pole with the image of the cupped hands represents the Temple of Primus, I'm told. That first mech in that group is identified as Lord Lauren who is chief priest of the Temple. With him are others including Lady Sela and behind them are members of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea. They're an ascetic group that curates and examines sacred documents for meaning and inspiration among other things. The chief among them is Cyclonus, a one-time ferocious foe of the Autobots and Prime. He was a Decepticon on the general staff of Megatron but manages the monastery now."

A murmur among the group greeted that. "Things can and do change," a woman said as the others nodded.

"The mechs in black with the silver markings and numerous tattoos who look identical forming up on both sides of Optimus Prime are the Household Guard from the Primal Residence. They're a personal guard that are dedicated to the protection of the Prime and his family. They also provide escort during functions and ceremonies. What a beautiful group they are. There are ten of them. Apparently, they protected Prime's family when they were trapped on Cybertron and kept them safe though his family was much hunted."

More came out including familiar Autobots. "There's Ambassador Ratchet, Generals Hard Drive, Raptor and Blackjack, the family members of Ironhide who is following them out. There's Jazz, Mirage, Devcon," he read after identifying them from an image sheet given to him for this purpose, "and there's Prowl. Prowl is bonded to Prime and the second-in-command of the entire military show. Behind him comes Flint, the brother of Alor of Iacon, the parent of Ironhide as well as some Seekers.

"The first one is Rainmaker, the Great Elder of Seekerdom followed by Star, the day-to-day strategist and commander of the Seekers, Thundercracker and Sky Warp, Silverclaw, Harrier, and Shriek who are I'm told some of the clan leaders among the Seekers as well as Red Wing and Cloudburst, both of them field commanders. Behind Cloudburst is Wren. Both of them command the fast response base on our moon."

They gathered as Prime stepped forward heading onward for the long silent walk to the Basilica. The priests followed, some of them holding images of clan insignia and other markers that they had identified from the recovered databases of the deceased group. The guard walked with precision on each side of Prime and the priests, their beauty a sight to see. The commanders followed in short lines as more came out of the building.

"This group formulates Prime's General Staff, most of it, while the next group represents various elected district committee leaders from around the colony and Cybertron. There's a number of delegations here from Cybertron and the whole broadcast including this one is being beamed there as well. This form of democracy is relatively new for the people because of the caste system and oppression that facilitated their civil war. Each city is divided into districts and anyone can run for a position on the committee that meets regularly to help deal locally with their area and to gather information to send to the general assembly which meets once a month to discuss issues.

"If they require attention from the federal part of their government which Prime heads, they meet with him or his lieutenant. Its a very effective hands-on system and the last election held for local elected offices had an astonishing 97% participation from all who were eligible," he read to whistles and shock from the other panelists. "It's not mandatory either. The three percent is believed to be those who were off world at the time or incapacitated."

There was a short discussion about how they all wished that happened on Earth before more came out of the tower. The narrator picked up the tale. "This is the delegation from Cybertron," he said as everyone studied the bots to see if there were any indications that they were 'different'. There weren't any to note including Deceptibrands which were banned. "The big mech in the middle, the one with the strange face that looks like a big visor … that's the former Decepticon governor, Soundwave. He was Megatron's right hand man and was left to care-take Cybertron when he left to recruit others to his cause. Soundwave is a ruthless individual but surrendered both himself and Cybertron without a shot when Prime came to rescue the people from starvation. Right now, he's one of Prime's men on Cybertron."

"How do they trust him?" someone on the panel asked.

"The Matrix oath," a military figure said. He was Colonel Barstow, "Barney" to his friends and a member of the general staff of Glenn Morshower. He was briefed by everyone, then sent to represent here on the panel. "The Decepticons have to swear an oath to the Matrix of Leadership that Prime carries before they can be considered rehabilitated. Those that can't are still in prison. Those that can are living the life including mechs like Soundwave who would've been imprisoned forever otherwise. He's a logistics officer in the general HQ in Iacon."

"What prevents him from becoming trouble for Prime?" the same person asked.

"The Matrix. He gave an oath. If he breaks it, the device will know and cancel his ticket," Barstow said with grim satisfaction. "It'll achieve balance again, though I'm not at liberty to tell you how. If that means you die, you die. Everyone who swears to it knows that and they know what might happen. Only one mech that I know of has done so and broken their oath."

"What happened to him?" the same person asked.

"He burned to death from the inside out," Barstow said. "Either you respect the Matrix or you don't. You don't always die but the Matrix gets what it needs to balance. If that means it wipes your brain, then so be it. Everyone knows that. Everyone gets it."

It was quiet a moment, then more mechs and femmes appeared. "These are leaders and representatives of the guilds, unions, crafts consortiums, mentorship organizations, and clubs of the colony and Cybertron. Some of these groups are incredibly ancient and some of them are new. It should be noted that the femme carrying the banner that has the image of Earth with the writing on it that says, 'Autobot City Ladies Auxiliary and Goodwill Association' is the one that most of the women living on Mars belong to. It also includes a good number of the men and soldiers who go about the colony doing good deeds. They work in the Temple, Basilica, hospitals, schools, museums, and libraries as well as other public and private places as part of the outreach by humans toward the bots. They have a very great reputation in the colony and they helped get the Temple, Monastery and Basilica ready for the crowds and funeral." Another pair of femmes stepped out carrying a United Nations flag while the other carried a flag with the symbols of Earth 1, Earth2, the Consulate, N.E.S.T. HQ, Sciences, and the Resort on them. "Those banners are for the various human habitations. There are six now on world with a total of 6200 plus residents."

The guild banners and leaders walked past while behind them came groups of great import and long standing in the affections and respect of The People. "These are the ancient societies and groups that have always defended and protected Cybertron and her people from injustice and tyranny within and without. The first is led by Heatout, the philosopher and leader of the Circle of Light, a pacifist group with huge numbers of members both here and on Cybertron. Next is Splice representing the Knights of Cybertron. He's also Circle and an Autobot soldier. Behind him carrying the banner for the Primus Peace Mission or the Missionaries as they're called, a group that opposed tyranny on Cybertron through peaceful resistance is Breezy who is also a clan elder and leader with the Seekers. All of them who follow are leaders among these groups.

"The next two banners belong to small religious sects that have great standing among the peace movers. The last one is given pride of place by being there. Its a small sect that has been around since the beginning and who holds the secrets of the Thirteen, whatever that might mean. They provided no more information than that including its name," he said glancing at the others. "They make special things, know the codes and wonders of the Thirteen and have Their confidence. I'm not sure what it means but it must be major because coming at the end of your group here is a status thing. That mech is a relative of Ironhide, his 'amma'. That's the designation of their relationship."

The group walked past trailed by Turbine who was with a youngster named Philo. He was also a part of his sect just arrived and was asked among this tiny group that was mostly made up of his family to honor Turbine in this manner. Among them as a Maker, Turbine was considered a holy personage. They passed before the cameras.

And still they came.

-0-Soundwave

He walked in the middle of his group put there by Springer's suggestion. He would be riding in the street on one side of that group while Drift rode on the other to anticipate trouble. So far, so good. The looks Soundwave was getting were expected but no one jumped out to thrash him. The moment was holding. Far ahead, Prime walked with a measured pace, the gleaming hilt of the sword glistening on his back. Everyone took measured paces, a slow march of great solemnity as they walked through the massive throngs of citizens that lined every street and occupied every nook and cranny, leaning out of windows all along the route.

Behind him, the group lengthened as more joined it, stepping out of the tower to follow him. Behind the sects were the military units, fabled ones both still standing and not, Seekers, grounders, small and large, they were all represented. Then the big frames stepped out as the crowd gasped their pride and delight.

Typhoon and Metroplex, both of them gleaming, led the way as the nine children, two of them holding images of Swan and Teatro followed. The infants were physically too big, both too young to transform or use pretender tech and too excitable to join in. Behind them, a long line of titans in pretender tech followed, half of them from Cybertron and all of those that were here on Mars including the dreads and Tennyson who was on station at the rift. They streamed out followed by the entire family of Omega. They were solemn and beautiful as they walked. Kappa was at the head of their line holding their banner as Clipper did at the head of the titans. They passed silently through the pathway to follow the others forward.

Behind them, stepping out from the open parkland between Prime's tower and the Medical tower, four mounted Watch mechs rode glistening horses. They were Lon, Bezel, Kup, and Hercy riding side-by-side to bring up the rear. As they passed, the crowd by the tower gathered to follow. The hole was closed as the massed group walked forward with them. As the horsemen rode past, the crowd merged behind them. Few could go very far forward but no one would be able to go back. The crowd was coming together in solidarity.

The sun was warm on their neural nets even as the temperature hovered around -65 degrees. The sound of peds falling, the muffled speech of the crowd and the clopping of horse's hooves were the sounds that the broadcast picked up. Otherwise, it was strangely quiet.

"I don't know if we ever had a crowd that big that it would be that quiet even for a funeral," the narrator said as the panel watched.

Colonel Barstow glanced at him. "They're aliens, you know. Things are different but there's one thing in common between us. They feel sorrow deeply too. If you want to know them as they are, know that they have a soul just like us. This is a terrible event in a long history of terrible events. What you see is real sorrow." He stared at the screen. "I wish I was there," he said wistfully.

He wouldn't be the only one.

-0-Resort of Autobot City

They filled the theater, lounges and the concourse watching the show together. Huge monitors were playing the scenes outside which they could see with binoculars and other enhanced devices. The size of the crowd was stupefying. The humans in the building would lose a day of sightseeing but they would be here for history.

Most of them considered that a worthy trade off.

-0-TBC 7-6-17 **edited 7-11-17**


	58. Chapter 58

The Diego Diaries: Procession (dd6 58)

-0-On the way

It was amazing to the humans watching how quiet the crowd was. They were silent and subdued. It would be similar, this event, if an entire mid-range cityscape was obliterated from the Earth, such was the size of the massacre. That it was so cowardly according to their personal code was also an astonishment for the bots. Prime led the way with all the rest following in measured steps. Banners moved in the breeze as they were held aloft for all to see who was paying homage to the dead.

Windows in the towers along the way were filled as families gathered to watch from their homes or individuals from their businesses. The canyons of towers overhead played host to the millions on the ground. Everyone who could be here was, to stand together. Most of them had no view beyond the internal feed that they watched. They just wanted to be here anyway.

Hundreds and hundreds of cameras broadcast the scene everywhere to IntraComm where experts were putting the feed together for rebroadcast. Commentators were giving information to those who were producing the show on Earth so that they could understand what they were seeing and impart correct information.

The sun beat down but it wasn't warm. That was a deceiving impression of the broadcast. The town gleamed from the care of public works and the locals who knew they would be on the news everywhere. Drones overhead and Teletraan III's roving satellites showed the view of the procession and the masses of spectators gathered. It was a stupefying sight to see. The long road was lined all the way to the Basilica where most of the mourners had gathered due to greater open spaces there. Literally millions more spanned out from the highway through the side streets into the more open areas and roadways nearby. Every space that could hold someone did.

Prime walked in a measured step as protocol demanded as he led the procession. All around him, he saw the faces of his people, their solemn expressions filled with pain, anger and regret. Now and again, someone would dart out to touch him as he passed like a god with the weapon of Prima Prime on his back, then run back to their place.

The Temple came into view, its huge dome appearing in the distance. They would walk past it heading to the intersection of the highways that led in three different directions. The straight way led toward the Mausoleum, the Basilica, through the Metro Districts, and onward to the human habitats. Prime continued with the procession which recorded him at street level as he passed the Temple. Its sacred precincts were as mysterious as ever to those who were never allowed to enter.

Surrounded by a wall with glyphs of unknown meaning carved into them, the grounds glimpsed slightly showed a winding path to the gigantic building beyond. It was a brief but tantalizing sight to those who watched from Earth out to Cybertron. Prime who was leading the stream of dignitaries and officials entered the intersection, then continued onward toward the Metro Districts. The cameras followed too. The screen view being broadcast split into two parts as the vision of the crowd was shown along side the procession. It would continue to astonish the humans watching that there were so many kinds of transformers. Some had the most human-appearing of features while others didn't. Some would be astonishingly big and tall compared to the average bot while others would seem shorter than the average human.

Children were held in arms, their colorful garb amusing. Others stood with their parents, huddling between their legs or sitting on the curbs. Families who looked like each other and families who didn't lined the streets as the procession continued. Without exception, the crowds bowed their heads as Optimus walked past. They did so off and on with the others, most of them, but for Optimus it was universal.

Here and there, one could detect a Watch mech or femme given the effort some humans put into learning the sigils. The famous ones like the Auto-or Deceptibrands were well known. The others were less so, some of them. The Wrecker sigil was popular and so were those of the titans. Mini-cons were known but less so as were those of some of the army and air groups represented here.

The sigils of the Knights of Cybertron were wildly popular among gamers on Earth as were those of the army but to the average citizens, not so much. Most didn't know that among nearly every profession, nearly every city and every 'make' of Cybertronian, there was a sigil that expressed for them who they were. Among the tattoos that adorned them, humans would be seeing even more new ones.

The morning was wearing on as they reached Metro District 1. The titans whooped their sirens a moment, twirled their antenna lights, then fell silent. It would happen again when they passed through Metro Districts 2 and 3 shortly.

-0-On the MCA

The human commentators watched the procession commenting here and there at the odd bot and/or building. As Prime reached the Temple, they began to comment about the parts of it that were accessible on the screen. "The priests that are in the front of the procession work at this temple. Cyclonus and his group have a monastery on the crested slope above The City just down from the Resort," the narrator said.

A woman sitting there glanced at him. "The Monastery came first, I believe. Have you been to the Resort?"

Most of them nodded, then they turned to Colonel Barstow. "You're General Glenn Morshower's senior aide, Colonel. Have you been there and what do you think about the human habitations on world?"

Barstow thought a moment, then sat back. "We have a consulate, a resort unlike any you can find anywhere, a sciences habitat, a pair of human habitations that hold about 5500 individuals as well as the N.E.S.T. Headquarters, all built and maintained by the bots. The Resort isn't the only business there that works with or is owned by humans. There's an adventuring business and the Autobot Outpost Company works with humans very closely. Autobot Touring is part of the Resort business bringing humans there every day.

"All in all, we've been granted enormous access to Mars and none of it could have happened without their expertise and construction skills. No human can live there with any degree of safety and facility without them. We leaped forward more than 100 years when the bots agreed to let us come and created the spaces for us to do so. They asked for nothing in return but respect for Mars and for them. We operate under their dominion and no one has ever been the worse for it. I think we're a profoundly ungrateful species. Don't you?" he asked.

It was silent a moment, then another person spoke. "I've been to the Resort with my children and wife and it was astonishing. We got to travel the world and see the colony. The bots were patient and friendly. The operation was clockwork. I treasure the time," he said.

"So do I," Barstow said as they turned to the screen again. Optimus Prime was passing out of the Metro Districts heading down the road toward the Mausoleum.

-0-In the group

Ratchet walked along in his portion of the group with a solemn expression. No one was talking to each other, those of them that had been there to see the slaughter and the hard decision Prime had to take to keep the scavengers away. There was nothing joyous about this gathering and he knew it would be felt through Festival as well.

Half a million of their people would never have a chance at rescue or a free life and he felt it to the bottom of his peds. Looking up and around, Ratchet saw the same on the faces of the crowd. This would be a day of infamy forever.

-0-In the Prison

Motormaster and his brothers watched the feed on their barracks monitor. All over the prison, inmates were inside to see what was happening in the colony beyond. It was clear to everyone here what had happened and everyone guessed though didn't know for sure that the Council of 12 would be here. No one would answer direct questions about it and it could be that they were in prison on Cybertron but the population felt they were here. There was a tense brooding interest in the prison population to know where exactly they were being held. It was in the interest of the guards and warden that they never find out. For most of the prisoners at Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison, the only solution for the problem before them was the evisceration of the mechs responsible for this.

They would spend a lot of time and effort seeking the location of the 12. They would finally figure it out eventually.

-0-Onward

The last Metro District was passed including two solemn titanic children standing together holding hands beside Acroplex who was managing them even as he walked with the other big frames in the procession. It was the glory of their tech that he could do both at the same time.

The Mausoleum appeared in the distance as they walked through the gathered throngs that lined both sides of the highway. Closer and closer it came until they were even with it. Prime paused a moment to allow the priests to take a medallion that was made and inlaid with prayers into the facility to place on a space set aside for the dead. They said a prayer, then rejoined the group who once more moved forward to the Basilica which was looming in the distance.

-0-The Family Tower

They filled the lounge sitting everywhere as they watched the gigantic view screen.

"Uncle Optimus looks terrible."

Will Lennox glanced at his daughter. "He had to make terrible decisions."

"He saved them when he did. Those aliens were going to take the dead bots apart. He did the right thing," Bobby Epps Junior said with a fierce tone. "Uncle Optimus did the right thing."

"He did," the other children murmured along with the adults.

"I wish we were there in the marching," Bobby said as he leaned back against his grandma's legs.

"I do too," Annie Lennox said.

-0-Nearing the Basilica

Prime walked toward the turnoff to the paved parking lot that fronted the Basilica. He continued onward to a delegation of priests, monks and others of that persuasion who waited on the steps for him. When he reached them, he halted. Behind him, the procession spread out forming ranks, each group taking their place in the formation that fronted the building. Prime began to climb the steps alone and when he reached the top he halted before the delegation who bowed to him. They pulled back to each side while Prime turned to the congregation.

He looked like a god, like some kind of deity of some colossus species that had stepped down from heaven to speak to the mortals below. He reached behind his back and drew the sword. As he did, a vast shimmering light from the blade itself flashed forward into the sky, crackling into lightning as he did. He gripped its hilt with both servos, then raised it over his helm. Staring upward for a moment, he lowered it before his face.

The priests then began to come forward moving around him on both sides to enter the building. He lowered the sword, then turned with it in hand to enter as well. It was then that group-by-group, the delegations began to enter the building. Four horsemen riding at the end turned their mounts to face outward, waiting for the group to return.

-0-Family

"What was that, son?" Thelma Lennox asked Will.

"Uh, that is the Star Saber that was owned by a member of the Pantheon," Will began as he consulted his phone.

"Prima Prime," James said as he glanced at his parents. "He was great. He was the first Prime created by Primus Himself and he had the Star Saber to help him lead the Pantheon. I think he's my favorite Prime."

"I like Onyx," Sandy said as Lucy nodded.

"My favorite is Micronus," Tyrese Epps said with a grin. "He's short like me and he's funny. I have my own Prime."

The kids laughed, then Bobby rapped his brother gently with his knuckles. "You're going to be tall."

"Maybe, but it's okay. I have Micronus," Tyrese said.

"I think I like this Pantheon thing," DeAndra Epps said as she smiled at her grandchildren.

"He's going to be tall, Mama," Bobby Epps said softly as he sat between his grandparents.

"Just sayin'," DeAndra said with a grin.

-0-Entering the Basilica

There were hundreds of cameras working on the view inside, those permanently installed for just such occasions. The priests were at the center altarpiece standing around it with their servos resting on its smooth marble surface. Prime stopped short of it, then rested the sword on its tip. Behind him, filling the 'pews' as they entered, the rest of the procession stood. It was then that the priests began to chant prayers for the dead and their next life in the Matrix.

Outside in the masses of spectators, those who knew them joined in. The murmur of voices was eerie.

-0-TBC 7-7-17 **edited 7-11-17**


	59. Chapter 59

The Diego Diaries: processional (dd6 59)

-0-At the Basilica

The chanting went on for some time as the priests said the cycle of prayers for the dead. They were long and complicated, going through all the bases to include everyone. Their soft voices echoed off the walls of the massive building as th group inside stood for them. Outside, as far as the eye could see, millions of Cybertronians were facing the building listening to the event through their internal connections while everyone else would receive the broadcast through IntraComm.

It would go on for a while.

-0-Family Tower

"We finished the corners of that building last night. It's amazing how many places that sand and dust can go," Thelma Lennox said as the other women and some of them men around her nodded in agreement. "I love that building. I never feel more like a mouse among elephants than there."

"Did you see the set aside for the memorial?" Lois Morshower-Howell asked. "I didn't make it. I was at the Shrine for Solus."

"I did. It's beautiful," Thelma said. She glanced at Lois. "What is the Solus shrine like? I haven't been to any yet."

"It's beautiful, so soothing and peaceful. Each of them have a priest assigned to help anyone who comes including those of us who can," Lois said. "It's set into a niche between towers in Iacon."

Earlier the day before …

Lois Morshower-Howell and Lonnie Epps along with Aisha Mohamed and Clarice Forbes rolled into the Shrine for Solus Prime. They sped across the floor to stop before Gravitas who was supervising the readiness for the building to receive visitors the following decaorn or so. As it was, he was gathering small things to save that were left there already by The People, offerings of small carved stones, tiny pictures of Solus and other artifacts that made the shrines so personal and beloved. They were more accessible to The People and given their number, few lived that far from one. Some became huge, like the ones in Iacon and Praxus while others were small and intimate, like that for Onxyx in Tesarus, a city noted for artists and philosophers.

: **HI, GRAVITAS!** We came to help you: Lonnie called out.

He paused his efforts to look down. Smiling, he knelt. "I'm so glad. You do such miracles in the places we struggle to reach. Thank you for coming."

:Don't mention it: Clarice said as she stepped down with her broom and dust pan. :We got this for you: With that, she strode out with the others to get the place spic-and-span before heading out to another. It would be a very amusing time had for all while they did it.

At the family tower …

"I think it surprises them how much dirt, dust bunnies and sand we pull out of the low places," Thelma said. "I have to say, Gravitas is a treat to be around."

"Not in the beginning," Will said as he glanced at his mother. "He was a real bastard until Prime exiled him and the others came to their senses. Now he can't do enough. I actually like him now."

The others nodded. It was then that the prayers stopped and the priests turned to Prime to bow. Prime nodded his head to them, then turned to the group standing in front of the pews inside. They bowed to him and he nodded. Outside, arrayed across the entrance, the entire delegation of titanic frames stood facing out. They were beautiful and in their servos with blade tips resting on the ground, an astonishing array of swords gleamed in the sunlight.

Those who had gone inside who had carried a banner had placed them into stands that were arrayed up the steps. As the groups walked upward, they slipped each banner into one, then continued onward into the building. The banners of all the groups and organizations honoring the dead both on Mars, Earth and Cybertron lined the steps showing to the world and beyond that the whole of Cybertron, humans living here and Mars itself grieved together. They slowly ruffled in the slight breeze creating about the only sound heard.

Inside, Prime stepped up to the moment. It was his task to provide the eulogy. He stood with blade pointing to the floor, his great servos gripping the beautiful hilt as he gathered himself to tell the tale and sing the virtues of The People. It would not be the first time he had done so for a tragedy but he fervently hoped it would be the last.

Outside, The People waited expectantly. On Earth, there was silence on the airwaves as everyone waited for the big mech, a brilliant but highly unlikely alien lord to speak. In the habitats around the colony, it was silent as well.

Hildie and Jarrod Wilkerson sat in the main lounge with Angus and their friends. All around them, the family that was Earth 1 had gathered to watch the sorrows of their friends and neighbors, their hosts, and protectors be salved by the rituals and organization of their culture. They had learned a great deal about their hosts, the 'transformers' and they had grown to love them. None of them would trade the place they had now with anyone else anywhere. Outside, the sun was bright but the place felt oddly empty. Everyone was in town and along the highway leading their direction. It was a disjointed day for everyone as they waited for Optimus Prime to speak.

Not so far away, just over 5,000 humans were watching on the huge screens in the lounges, the theaters and in big open spaces of Earth2 where screens had been moved to accommodate everyone's viewing. They had gathered with children and pets, families together to watch the scene. Most of them knew something of the bots gathered over time by those already here but most of this was new.

Owen Harris sat beside his son and Hamilton Brown who had been released back to the habitat after three days of treatment. They were silent as they watched, their thoughts their own but it was clear that they had a lot to learn about the Cybertronians. Rick Harris who had more contact with them than anyone else here felt slightly emotional about the moment as the obvious sorrow and solemnity of the masses came to him. Neither his father nor Brown would demonstrate anything greater than curiosity.

-0-At the Basilica

It was deathly quiet as Optimus gathered himself to speak. His voice was calm and deep, the voice that called millions home, that commanded great armies and spoke truth to power. It was the voice grown with wisdom that spoke to them now, to comfort his people in this, their hour of need. "In the Beginning, there was nothing but darkness and The One. Alone, wishing experiences, He created his son, Unicron. When it was clear that there was no balance in the universe and that the greatness of all His creation was at stake, He created Primus.

"Chaos and Order … light and dark, yin and yang … both were needed to create balance in the universe … all universes. From the two came a great eternal battle where duality played across time and space, in the end coming to a conclusion through the sacrifice and unconditional love of One of the two. Primus came to the understanding that for the universe to survive, He had to end the war between brothers.

"He created the Thirteen to carry forward and create The People while He led the Great Destroyer into a slumber that lasts even to this day. He gave His first creations their freedom and the charge to help The People become a great one, then He faded into sleep. His body had been our cradle, his beauty our inspiration, his sacrifice our beginning. There are no others in this or any other universe who can tell this story.

"At the core of it is unconditional love. What father wouldn't lay down their own happiness to protect their children? What leader wouldn't give that last measure of their love for the betterment of their country, their people, or their world? We lived on his body. We took our nourishment from Him including the greatness of His wisdom.

With the Pantheon, 12 brothers and 1 sister, our people began their long journey forward to create a great and glorious society. They did so because They held the sacred creed that The One gave to Primus and which Primus gave to us.

"Until all are one."

It was silent as he allowed everyone to absorb that simple, fundamental truth that underlay every concept and notion that was part and parcel of their people and their culture.

All were one.

All.

"But over the course of time, we forgot our fundamental truth, that only in unity, only with love, only with unconditional universal acceptance of each other as the children of the same god would we prosper. Divisions appeared, none of them backed in the teachings of our gods and our forefathers. They were divisions that had no meaning beyond the subjugation of the many by the few. In the end, they made Megatron inevitable.

"The humans had a wise man who said, 'Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable.' Who knows that better than us? We have turned our back on the most fundamental truth to life. Without unity, without love and tolerance, we have and are nothing. For those of us who have seen a lot of death and in fighting shared its creation, we know that when death comes the only thing that you take with you is your spark and your memories. All of the wealth and power of the universe stays behind. You take only the most fundamental parts of yourself … your spark, your personality and the deeds and memories of your life.

"All of the battles fought between us in our civil war were the failure of our people to remember what mattered and the teachings that were handed to us by our creators. We failed Primus who gave up His life and dreams to give us our own. 'Until all are one' were His last words to us. We did not listen. For some of us, we are **still** not listening.

"A great tragedy happened in space far away. Half a million of our innocent people died not because they earned their deaths but because someone decided they were expendable. Someone decided that they were a burden no longer wanted and put an end to them. They did so without remorse or concern to the teachings of The One and Primus. It was my sorrowful duty to protect them in death by destroying the planet they lay upon so that other aliens who lived there would not pillage them. I shall bear that burden forever.

"Here we stand on the cusp of a new beginning. We are gathering all of our people together again so that they might have the life they deserve by their mere existence. In this new world order, we live in peace, protected by our government, not oppressed by it. We no longer tolerate the poverty, hunger, despair, and shattered dreams that led us to near extinction. Cybertron is rising again. Slowly and surely, it will be a wondrous place of great beauty and possibility again. It is my greatest hope that in the doing of this miracle that we can find our sparks and self knowing again.

"Today, we come together as a people to mourn our lost comrades. Children, adults, elderly, all of them are gone. The only peace that comes to me is that they are all safely at the Matrix. Today, we have to live two lives. We have to live our own and we have to live for others. Those who are gone, those who are lost, those who still suffer … live for them too. We will never rest until everyone is found and rescued. We could not do this for this group who will be in our sparks forever but in their memory I rededicate our people to finding everyone else.

"We must never forget them. We must always remember and reverence them. They were us. Any one of us could have been them. It is time to put the evils of the past away. Never again shall the philosophy of such beings be allowed expression. They have defiled the teachings of the Guiding Hand, the Pantheon, Primus, and The One Himself. Never again will the System of Exception and all of its poisoned branches be allowed to have a place among us. For those who bear a burden for the actions of others who have twisted your philosophy and your beliefs, put that burden down. The only ones who bear this desecration are those who created it.

"I, Optimus Prime, Bearer of the Creation Matrix, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, sovereign leader of Mars, Cybertron and the entire Cybertronian Empire by virtue of the Charter of the Primes and the choice of the Matrix Itself declare before all and the Almighty One that the philosophy that led to the Functionalist system of exclusion and the System of Exception itself are banned from our society and culture from this point forward into infinity. I do so on the authority of the Matrix, of the Pantheon, of Primus Himself, and the Great One. To continue to seek it is to challenge my authority which is given to me by the divine ones and will provoke an honor fight with me."

The soldiers in the room nodded with expressions of satisfaction at the oath that Prime was giving. There would be others who wouldn't be happy about it. Throughout the crowds outside, it wasn't well known what they felt but the lightness of spirit was real throughout the vast gathering. It was clear that this declaration was met with acceptance.

Prime raised the hilt of the sword to his fore helm, then seemed to be in meditation for a moment. He twirled the sword and held it up, its gleaming blade almost supernaturally bright. **"I AM OPTIMUS PRIME! FOR THE WELL-BEING OF MY PEOPLE, FOR MY OBLIGATION TO THE MATRIX, TO PRIMUS AND TO THE ONE, I DECLARE ON MY AUTHORITY THAT I WILL CHALLENGE PERSONALLY ANYONE WHO BRINGS THE POISON OF THIS PHILOSOPHY FORWARD TO THE NEW PARADIGM! I HAVE SPOKEN!"**

He seemed almost lit inwardly with passion and rage as he held up the sword. An intense energy gathered inside him making him seem even bigger and more unworldly. Then it rolled out, a visible tidal wave of movement that spread in all directions, speeding faster than the optic could watch.

Outward it went touching everyone as it passed. The crowd froze as it flashed through them heading onward in all directions.

Owen Harris jerked as the energy flashed through him and the facility, then disappeared. He felt jolted with righteous anger, with a sense of such ancient power that he had no words for it. Everyone else sat forward glancing around themselves, then turned back to the screen. It was the same everywhere in the colony.

Prime brought both hands to the hilt of the sword, then held it up, staring upward as well. From nowhere, a bolt of electricity hit the sword flashing brightly as it crackled. He held it as the electricity dazzled the sword, then he lowered it slowly. The blade was smoking because etched on the blade were words in Primal Vernacular and NeoCybex. "Until all are one" could be clearly seen where it wasn't before.

Prime turned the sword, then flipped it onto his back. He turned to the priests, then nodded. Lying on the altar-like stone that was central to this part of the facility, a large disk covered in glyphs waited. Two big mechs picked it up and with the priests trailing walked to the niche where it would be attached for all to see and remember. When it was complete, the priests bowed lowly.

Prime nodded, then turned to the crowds. "I am Optimus Prime, the First Disciple of Primus and through Him I speak the words of truth. We are one. We are unity. With tolerance and unity, with love and understanding, peace will come. To our brothers and sisters on Earth, to our brothers and sisters here, on Cybertron, in the Empire both reclaimed and not, and to all who still wait for us to come, I pledge my spark. This will never happen again. I, Optimus Prime, have spoken. Until all are one."

Murmurs of 'Until all are one' echoed in the basilica and the crowds outside. They were spoken softly this time. Prime stepped forward with the priests following and the rest came with him, following the leader that had been their savior, friend and comrade for millions and millions of years. They would return to The City in the same order as they came, walking through silent crowds who would bow to Optimus as he made his way back to the start.

-0-TBC 7-8-17 **edited 7-11-17**

In the USA, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial shrine is about the most popularly visited place in Washington, DC People leave things there, all manner of things for the dead and the Park Service collects them. They store everything left.


	60. Chapter 60

The Diego Diaries: Processional (dd6 60)

-0-At the Basilica

Most of the crowd once the procession passed turned to follow though there were many that walked to the Basilica to enter and pay their respects. Many stood together watching or talking to others, waiting for whatever reason to return to their homes. The period of mourning would end at midnight when the world would default back to 'normal'. Life would pick up and the hole would close. It always did. No matter how destroyed your own life was, others picked up and moved onward. It was what life did.

Prime walked silently toward the city passing the Mausoleum where he paused to bow in the direction of the marker that would tell the tale of the people murdered. Then he continued as everyone in his party bowed as they passed by. It was shown on the televisions and monitors of several worlds as the procession made its way back to Autobot City and the Temple.

"That was an extraordinary thing. I thought I saw something emanate from Prime, like an energy wave and flash out through everyone," said the moderator of the human panel that was officially hosting the broadcast on the MCA. "Did any of you notice that?"

Everyone nodded, then Barstow sat forward. "Prime and the bots are energetic beings. All of us are the products of energy. It's more visible on them and they can read it in us. It's one of the reasons they know when we lie. Our energetic field … our aura changes color. That was energy from Prime expending itself toward The People. Sometimes on special occasions it happens."

"It wasn't a dangerous thing or ... I'm struggling to say this correctly ... an odd alien thing?" a panelist asked sheepishly.

Barstow shook his head. "No. Its benign," he said. "Nothing Prime does hurts anyone. He's the most selfless decent being I ever met."

"What can you tell us about what we saw, Colonel, that we might have missed," the moderator asked.

"I hope you didn't miss the dignity and respect that's accorded to Prime. He's more than just their leader and defender. I hope that you saw the solidarity of The People with him and this tragedy. Every banner carried was a segment of the society paying their respects including the human community. There were banners for the Resort, the habitats, Sciences, the consulate, and N.E.S.T. They were carried by the bots in their honor.

"The sword is an ancient heirloom of almost unbelievable power that was carried by Prime because its his to use including to honor the dead. There's artifacts that The People hold and which they find every day on Cybertron that can only be handled safely by a Prime. That sword, the Star Saber belongs to a god named Prima. It's so powerful that wielded in a certain manner, it can destroy a planet. The power it contains and can transmit by the manner that its handled by a Prime is so vast it can cleave a planet into two pieces," Barstow said.

"A sword?" a panelist asked with a slight tone of doubt in their voice.

" **That** sword," Barstow affirmed.

"What if someone else picked it up? What if a human did?" someone asked.

Barstow grinned slightly. "First of all, that sword is nearly 18 feet in length and weighs several tons. Prime has a number of them, some made by RTR Tools and some heirloom that are his alone to handle. All of them are between 17 and 21 feet in length. They're made of cybertanium which is a highly dense form of steel that adds weight to the heft. The blade itself is multiple ply and extremely dense material. There's no way a human can pick up that sword or any other that the bots use. Prime can lift 1 million pounds himself without breaking a sweat. That sword's weight doesn't phase him. I'd also suggest that the heirlooms self protect and when one is found Prime is called to come get it because they respond to Primal energy and no one else. If you tried to move that sword it would know and you'd be sorry."

"Then they're sentient? You're saying they're alive?" another panelist asked.

Barstow considered that, then nodded. "In a manner, yes. All of the artifacts are connected out of this dimension into others. They're imparted by their makers and handlers with some of their essence. They're connected even now and feel in a manner of speaking. That's why they're so dangerous. You'd need a huge hoist and a truck to take that sword away, even if it let you. If it didn't let you, nothing would dislodge it. If it wasn't going with you even bombs wouldn't budge nor harm it. No one would be able to penetrate its secrets because it would kill you if you tried. They can electricute or harm you in the flash of an eye. Only Primes can handle them safely and without harm. They have them on display at the museums or the Temple but most of the time they're locked into vaults for safe keeping."

It was silent a moment. "They have earth shattering tech then," a woman panelist asked. "Tech that can destroy worlds."

Barstow nodded. "They do. Both sides. Prime can with a sword. Ironhide has, himself. Don't ask me how he did it but he did. There's a great story about it, too, I'm told. I'm going to have to have him tell me when I go there next week. They have ships that can destroy worlds with a few missiles and so does Megatron. He doesn't even have to be here to do it. He can program them to find us and its over. That's why the alliance with the bots is so important. Only they have the tech to prevent it."

"They can?" the female panelist asked.

"Yes. They have every dust mote and free-ranging planetoid marked and followed out 8,000 light years and their range expands every day. They can do it and they have. There are those who don't think they're needed but they are. God help us if we ever go it alone," Barstow said.

It was quiet a moment, then the moderator spoke. "Prime is entering the Temple."

The scene changed to the street where Optimus Prime had slowed, then turned into the Temple. The priests and monks followed while the others waited. The Temple had been cleared for him and the priests. They walked up the steps through the waiting crowds, then entered. The cameras lingered on the doors, then began to show the crowd and his waiting party.

"Why is he entering the Temple now, Colonel?" the moderator asked.

"He's going to speak to the Pantheon. It's part of what he does as the leader of The People," Barstow said. "I'm not allowed to say more."

The scene at the Temple was quiet and reverent. Inside, the small party walked to the railing to wait while Prime went down the steps to the Well and AllSpark. The priests, monks including Cyclonus and other workers in the field of good doing watched him, then the AllSpark as it began to turn. Energy crackled over its beautiful surface as he got closer.

Cyclonus and his mechs moved closer to the banister to watch the AllSpark. It was acknowledging Prime. As he paused by the Well itself, the AllSpark began to glow. Then a mass of light filled the room itself and no one could see.

Outside, the light could be seen as it rolled outward and upward through the doors of the facility. The crowd murmured, then bowed toward the Temple. It was incredibly quiet and expectant outside. Inside, the aura of the AllSpark filled the room. Prime glanced around and noted that everyone else there appeared to be blinded and stilled. He moved closer, then the room disappeared. In its place was the shore of a vast sea, one he had seen his people walk into and out of before. Standing before him was a mech with a simple format and a haggard air about him. He nodded at Prime, then Prime nodded back. "Hello, Optimus Prime. I am Sander."

"Sander," Prime replied. It was evident to Prime that this was a Functionalist, though one who worked rather than ruled. "How can I help you?"

Sander grinned slightly. "You already did when you destroyed our planet. We were going to be pillaged for parts when you made the only decision that you could for us. I am here to tell you that we're glad you did."

"You are in the Matrix? All of you?" Prime asked.

He nodded. "We are. All of us went together. It was a homecoming, Optimus. Everyone we ever loved was there to greet us. It works that way. We are safe and happy. We ask, all of us, for you to not grieve over what you had to do. We understand and have gratitude for your decision."

Optimus felt a huge burden lifting off his shoulders with those words. He nodded. "Thank you. I had no other way to protect you."

"We know," Sander said with a grin. He transformed before Prime, shedding his shell from his past life to assume his genuine form. It was beautiful, a light blue in color and immaculate. "You see me as I truly am, not as the mech who came to the world to learn something."

"What did you learn, Sander?" Prime asked.

"Unconditional love. Service to others. Perserverence. Forgiveness," he replied. "I learned the best lessons and I am here for all of us to say thank you. Thank you for coming to try to save us. I am here to tell you that we all are at peace with the Matrix."

Prime nodded. "Thank you, Sander. Tell them that they will not be forgotten, that they are always going to be loved and missed."

Sander nodded, then he smiled. "I will. Farewell, Optimus Prime," he said as he faded away. The room's brightness dimmed as Prime turned to look at the others. They were adjusting to normal light again. Prime glanced at all of them, then the AllSpark. "They are well. All of them are with the Matrix. They came to tell us not to grieve, that they are happy and safe."

"Then all is well," Lauren said with a nod. He turned to the others. "Praise, Primus, for His mercy." Murmurs from all there echoed that sentiment as Prime walked up the stairs, then toward the doors beyond. They would follow and as he rejoined the procession to continue onward, the priestly group would stay at the Temple.

Cyclonus watched Prime walk to the gates and rejoin the group. They began to move again. He glanced at his partners, three mechs who were senior in the monastery. :He went to the Matrix. I have never seen that before in a Prime:

The others nodded, then one replied. :He is The One Who Comes:

Cyclonus stared at him, then turned toward the AllSpark. It was turning slowly in its suspension field as inscrutable as it was before. Nothing seemed changed but for him, everything was.

Prime continued to lead the procession until he reached his apartment tower again. Turning to the silent crowd, he pulled the sword, held its hilt blade upward against his face in salute to them, then walked into the building. The funeral was over. At midnight, the official states of mourning would be concluded.

-0-Aftermath

They walked back, some stepping out of the crowds to transform and drive through the open areas. Now and again, a Seeker or two would step out, transform and blast off, sometimes with children in their cockpits. It was orderly and subdued as the crowds dispersed heading for wherever mechanisms went when they were heading out.

The commentary continued on the screens this time with famous people and politicians weighing in. A moment or two with the Resort management imparted the degree of hurt this event had caused as the coverage continued to Earth.

On Cybertron, the funeral was watched, the moment absorbed and the loss weighed. Tomorrow, they would get back to it raising the corpse of their planet back to the light. Right now, they would reflect together in families and other groups until at midnight, the moment of remembrance was completed.

Life always moved on.

-0-Nearing midnight

Prime stood by the windows of his apartment watching the lights of the military airfield as ships came and went. Overhead, he could see the satellites of Teletraan and other complex systems that facilitated everything that they did. In a few moments, the Festival siren at Fort Max would roll out and signal the end of the memorial period. Then they would move onward.

Prowl slipped his arms around Prime's waist, hugging him from behind. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I am fine," Prime replied. "A mech named Sander came to me and said that everyone was safe and that what they pursued when they came here, they learned."

Prowl evaluated that. "That's a good thing then. There should be something good come of this."

Optimus nodded. "There should."

The siren then roared, its echoes rolling over the landscape to every place beyond. The solemnities were over.

-0-In an apartment below

Ratchet and Ironhide glanced at each other as they lay in the darkness on their berth. "Goodnight, Only One," Ratchet said at last.

Ironhide who had laid waiting for the siren, unable to sleep before it sounded, nodded. "Goodnight, Ratchet."

It would still take a while to fall into recharge.

-0-TBC 7-9-17 **edited 7-11-17**


	61. Chapter 61

The Diego Diaries: Scrutiny (dd6 60) needs a good edit. :D

-0-New York at the Terminal for transit to Mars

They had gathered in the terminal getting through security on their way to the screening that everyone going to Mars had to pass. Their luggage had been inspected along with their identities and papers. Now they were past the barriers that would lead off world. The doors leading back out shut and locked, part of the security system in place by the bots. They had purchased the space and modified it to suit their elevated profiles both in scrutiny and security.

Moving up with 400 other humans who were going for vacations on the two ships that would carry them onward, ten news people partaking of a 10 day visit that would allow them to write and broadcast what they saw also joined the line. Some of them were world famous and some weren't. They represented 5 countries and all of them were well known broadcasters on their home systems. Here, they were just more tourists going to the hottest and most spectacular tourist attraction in the universe.

Moving along, they were passed through customs before entering the waiting area where the jetways were being prepared. Outside, like huge raptors were two big ships with the lettering 'Autobot City Touring Company, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire' lettered on them. On the tail section of each was the Autobot sigil, the enigmatic face of the first Autobot. It was an excited group that filled the room staring at the ships that would take them around the inner planets before reaching Mars.

A lady who was handling the group picked up a microphone. "May I have your attention?" she asked as the room turned to her and silenced. She grinned. "I'm Hannah, your facilitator between here and Autobot City. I'm going to have you board the ships as you're called. Please check your boarding passes and wait until we call your number. Enter the jetway and go to the ship. The first 200 will be going on this ship," she said pointing to the one on the left. "The rest on this one," she said pointing to the other. "Find your seat and take it. When everyone is boarded then we can go. Those who bear the numbers 1-25 for ships one and two, please enter the jetway. Stewards will await you when you reach the hatch doors."

A number of the big crowd shifted through the mob to reach the jetway. They were happy, excited and ready to go. Chatting with Hannah, they walked in and onward through the transparent jetways to the ships where they were directed either left or right according to their pass. When everyone was on board, Hannah hung up the comm gear in the area, locked the doors, then walked to the ships to take one to Mars.

-0-Moments later at the NYC port of departure

The two big ships rolled along the tarmac together to the 'launch pad', a cleared area nearby with a huge circle painted on its asphalt surface. This was where the ships would wait one after the other for the all clear from the tower. When it came, they would enter the circle one at a time, then lift off, immediately, straight upward into the sky. It would only take seconds for them to roll into the circle, jump upward to end up in space. For the humans on board, it would be the most thrilling reverse bungy jump they would ever take.

Hannah on ship two walked to the front, then took the microphone. "Welcome to Autobot City Touring Company's flight 102 to Autobot City, Mars. I am Hannah and I will be your guide and head steward on this flight. I would like you to remain seated with your restraints fully clasped. No one will be allowed to walk around the cabin in transit. If there is a problem or emergency, please press the call button on the arm of your seat and we will attend to you. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the view. It's priceless. We shall be reaching Autobot City in exactly 55 minutes.

"In the meantime, let's go over the rules for this flight. Everything you're asked to do is for your safety and that of the other passengers. We're at present at the upper troposphere of the Earth and will be heading into free space in a moment. Understand, the area outside of the cabin is lethal and you wouldn't survive more than a minute or so if you were out there. If for some reason you were retrieved anyway, the debilitation would be so severe that you would wish you weren't rescued.

"Our vessels are designed to be deep space voyagers and also, they're designed to self protect should there be a problem or accident. They have the capability to transform their features to protect the cabin where we reside. If there was a problem, the ship would self protect. Given that Lunar Base is located nearby, they would be on the scene in seconds. Also, there would be a bridge response from Mars possibly in tandem with Luna Base.

"For now, let's go over the safety features of this vessel. We're presently on our way to do a fly past of Venus. We will travel on a course that will allow us to circle Venus, utilize a slingshot effect to pass Earth, then jet straight away to Mars. At no point in our journey will we be off the sensor grid of Luna Base, Diego Garcia on Earth, the Midway Array which we shall pass nor Teletraan III in Ops Center at Autobot City on Mars. We will be monitored as all of our journeys are by the principal bases who will feed the information to the Emergency Flight Center and the Flight Command Center at Fortress Maximus in Autobot City. They have control over the flight pattern of this ship and the duty to issue rescue teams if there is a problem. Anyone who fears a problem on this journey should relax and know that there is only a 2 second gap between rescue and a problem while in flight.

"This vessel is designed to take heavy fire, resist strikes well past ten times the speed of sound and fly without full engine capacity. None of the hatches will open while in flight unless coded to do so by the pilots, all of whom are veteran Autobot soldiers and pilots of great skill and ability. As we go, I will tell you the sights and explain what we're looking at. We have four cabin attendants who can assist you. Let us know how we can help you. Now, if you will turn to your left and look out the windows," Hannah began as they flew with a speed that didn't even seem apparent toward the cloud shrouded planet of Venus, the sister of Earth.

-0-Mars

Ratchet sat at his desk staring at a pile of stuff that needed doing. Outside, grumbling as he worked, Partition was doing filing. Given that Ratchet intimated that he wouldn't do the job right, Partition was **DETERMINED** to do it perfectly. The sun shone in brightly though it was cold outside. Everyone was back on track after a long month of misery and angst. That would still be part of the background noise but he was sure he wasn't the only one glad that things were rolling along again.

Human nature. Bot nature.

-0-Cybertron

Prime flew through the darkness with Ironhide and Inferno to inspect the detention centers for local troublemakers in a number of locations. He would be at it with his crew until dinner time.

-0-Ops Center

Prowl sat at the table working as usual. There were no signs that anyone was targeting Functionalists here or their distant cousins, members of Guiding Hand sects. So far, so good. Right now, his biggest unknown was ten journalists from Earth spending ten orns here.

He hated journalists.

Snoops.

It would be a long quiet afternoon for Prowl of Praxus.

-0-At the Autobot City Interplanetary and Municipal Airport, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Clear jetways rolled to the vessels to attach automatically. Inside, Hannah and her attendants were getting ready to deplane the passengers. She picked up the mike as the crew began to secure the doors for opening. "Welcome to Autobot City, Mars. The Prime of Cybertron bids you welcome. For the moment, remain seated. When the jetway is secured and your team is here to take you forward into Immigration, then you will be excused by rows. We remind you that this is a zero tolerance environment and that if you disobey the rules or do something that falls outside of our procedures and safety protocols, it's absolute that you will not live through it.

"To the left, you will be able to see the Autobot City Hangar District where aviation along with on-world imports and exports are managed. This as well is the location of the homes of some of the largest Cybertronians living and working here, both Aerialbots and Supreme mechanisms. This is also the district where the Dinobots live.

"Ground crews work here to keep the ships running and as you see on the flight line between the big hangars, there is always a ready response team of military ships ready to lift off in case of emergency. The rapid response teams that constitute troops are on call at all times. This is a martial society and you would be hard pressed not to meet someone who is either a soldier themselves or is family or friends with them.

"Beyond the District that away," she said pointing forward as everyone turned in their seats to look, "is the city itself. It's the oldest city here, the first one built and most of the locals call Autobot City just 'The City' as a shorthand. The towers that you can see from here are those of Fortress Maximus or Fort Max on the right side and Metroplex on the left."

The spires of both were glistening in the sunlight as the humans peered through ships and bots outside to see things. "This is one of the most busy high traffic airports in the solar system. It's never quiet. Millions of tons of cargo and supplies come from here going to Cybertron and the forward bases while other things return. All of the products sold in the Autobot Outpost chain come from here and soon, there will be different things added that are being made on Cybertron as the industrial base is rebuilt there. The manufacturing base here is phenomenal. You will be shown all of these places in detail with out-of-resort tours by bus.

"This is a cityscape of over 20,000,000 Cybertronians, most of whom came by migration fleeing war and harassment in the galaxy. The People as the Cybertronians call themselves are always looking and rescuing their people wherever they're found. They also rescue others. There are two alien species living here among them … the Hu-An and us. We're aliens here too." She grinned as the thought struck everyone oddly for a moment. "There's also on occasion other species stopping in here to refuel or chat. This is a very cosmopolitan place."

Lights signaled the hatches were secure so Hannah began to move them out. "Everyone in these two rows, please stand and turn this way." They did and began to migrate out of the ship a couple of rows at a time. As they did they walked through transparent jetways into the world outside. Some paused, some took selfies and all of them were delighted. They continued inward until all 410 individuals were in the terminal. As they went inside, another 400 were walking through it on the other side of a rope barrier to board and leave for home. Some of them waved at the newcomers telling them that the place was amazing and others wished they could stay longer.

The newbies waved back, then continued onward to the numerous stations where they would have to go through Immigration. Watching nearby, Will Lennox, Bobby Epps, Niall Graham, and Jessie Landon were gathered. They would be arranging the news people's visit here because they were going to be going outside of the habitats. That required experienced handling.

"We get to be famous again," Epps said with a grin.

"We're already famous," Lennox said. "Someone told me that they saw my face on an advertisement for soap in China."

The two laughed. "Could be worse. They could be advertising condoms."

 **"THAT** I might get behind," Lennox said with a smirk. "Let's get them."

They walked to the crowd and were enveloped by the newcomers. They were worldwide celebrities on Earth even if they were supposedly secretive special ops officers in their respective militaries. It would take a while to get the ten but they would and as the humans began to board buses for the Resort the ten humans garbed in survival gear would be boarding the new heavy duty vehicles that N.E.S.T. was testing for a company back on Earth. They would be buzzing out ahead of the buses all the way to the turnoff for N.E.S.T. HQ.

-0-TBC 7-10-17 edited 7-12-17


	62. Chapter 62

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 62) not edited yet

-0-At the Sparkling School 'Cribbery'

He stood at the end of his crib staring out into the darkness. The nap room supervisor, an amma named Dido was chatting in a very soft tone with another amma, a little tiny femme named Ko-Ko-2, or Kiki for short. They were unaware that most of the row with the 'high octane sparklings' were watching them. Olo, Mimi, Orion, Bleu, Lu-2, Sparkle, a new infant from the last migration who literally did from the shine her genitors ensured she had at this, her first school, Han, El, Siri, another new infant mech who **LOVED** to smile all the time, and a little bruiser with a Bulkhead-like format, Lugnut. He also liked to smile.

The entire row stared at the two femmes, then each other. They smiled, then walked to the edges of their cribs to 'chat'. That would be their downfall. Two ammas with their own gigantic smiles and an assortment of soft dollies that played softly tiny tunes to lure infants to sleep descended upon them.

" **AMMA! YOU COMED TO THE SHES!?** "

" **AMMA! AMMA!AMMA!AMMA!"** ***SMILE!***

" **Babies!** Let me help you. Here you go. Look at the nice baby? I brought you a baby to help you recharge. Lie down. There's a nice baby. Aren't they nice babies, Dee?" -Kiki

"They're the best little babies, Kiki. I love them all," Dido said as she helped nestle them again with a dollie and a soft little quilt with their name on it newly presented by the Home School Guild of Autobot City. (Some of them had children in special classes and others had older children in the system. It would appear that home schools tended to end with sparklinghood in the colony, such was the quality and public satisfaction with the public system.)

Orion lay back down with a softly tinkling panda bear and a quilt with his image and name stitched onto it by someone else's amma and appa. He smiled. **"YOU COMED TO SLEEPIN' HERE!?"**

Dido chuckled. "No, infant. Just you. Sleep fast, then we can play again."

" **I, ORION, DOING THE THING! I, ORION, *LOVE* YOU!"** he said with a giant smile. Huge laughter greeted that as they walked to other cribs. Orion continued his soliloquy. **"I, ORION, LOVE EEMEE!** (Mimi) **I, ORION, LOVE OO-OO**! (Lu-Lu-2) **I, ORION, LOVE EL!** (El) **I, ORION, LOVE BOO-BOO!** (Bleu) **I, ORION, LOVE TINKLE!** (Sparkle) **I, ORION, LOVE OLO!** (Olo) **I, ORION, LOVE NUT-NUT!** (Lugnut) **I, ORION, LOVE SLURPY!** (Siri) I, Orion, not love Han. (You know who) **Han bad**."

He, Orion, got a free lift to Roto for that little bit of news.

-0-In a snit at Medical

They stood nose assemblies nearly touching as the heavy duty rides from N.E.S.T. filled with humans drove into the room. They had looked for Ratchet in his gigantic spectacular office and hearing a commotion drove to a room nearby to see an altercation happening. Pulling up, the humans stood on their vehicles watching as Ratchet and a mech most of them didn't know have it out toe-to-toe.

 **:YOU WILL!:** -Ratchet in NeoCybex which sounded like someone playing a hand saw with a violin bow to the humans until their channels switched to translation mode.

 **:THE FRAG I WILL! I HAVE SKILLS! I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS!:** -Partition sounding like a louder version of Ratchet.

:You have skills, huh?: Ratchet asked with a slow forming grin. :I do too. Wanna see?: he asked with an amused voice. Before Partition could speak Ratchet hit him with a left undercut to the jaw, then a right hand that would have made Ironhide smile. Partition was lifted off his big old peds and slammed into a wall nearby. Everything jostled, then settled including him into a sagging groggy heap on the floor.

Ratchet stared at him a moment, then turned to the humans with a gigantic smile and an air about him that nothing they just saw was abnormal. **"WELL, LITTLE PEOPLE! IMAGINE SEEING YOU HERE!? AT THIS VERY MOMENT! WATCHING THIS VERY THING!"**

Huge laughter among the soldiers and a goggled sense of 'this ain't Kansas anymore' permeated among the others as they follow the big hulk back to his office. Ratchet sat down, put his peds up, then pulled a can of something out of his desk. Opening it, tossing back a few things that looked like chocolate covered caramel 'turtle' candies, he grinned. "What's up?" he asked.

:I was about to ask you: Lennox said with a grin.

:Yeah: Epps said glancing toward the door. :What's up, Doc?:

Ratchet snickered. "A difference of opinion about what constitutes honorable work. You?"

:We have to ferry these guys around: Lennox said nodding to ten goggle-eyed humans standing in four different trucks. Lennox rolled his eyes.

Ratchet grinned at him, then considered the humans. "I suppose you want to know about that," he said as everyone nodded silently. "Well … I was given a court order to get him into shape."

:That's a standard practice of your courts here?: someone in the back asked with surprise.

"No," Ratchet replied as he tossed back more candy. "That's what happens when the normal courts are circumvented. We had a caste court where a bunch of high tones wanted special treatment. Since they were judged by their peers, they were given something a lot less. I had to vouch for him and take him on or he would have been shunned forever. I also was told by the court that if I had to punch him around that it was legal." Ratchet grinned. "If I had known that high castes actually had a sense of humor, I might not have hated them all my life."

:I don't understand a word you said: one of them said.

"Ask Lennox." Ratchet grinned. "What's the agenda?"

:We thought if you weren't busy you might show us around: Niall Graham said. :You know … the ten dollar tour:

"Ah … Autobot City Unplugged," he said with a grin. He tipped the can, got a mouthful, then slammed it down on the desktop. "Let's go."

With that, he stood, then walked to the door and down the hall to pause by the room where Partition sat on the floor. That mech glowered at him, then stood tipsily. "You should get the list done before I get back or I'm going to have to show you a few more of my sleight-of-hand moves that I've learned over the vorns of fragging Ironhide."

Partition looked aghast, but he picked up the datapad, limping to the counter once more. He was grumpy and furious but he began to do the work. Ratchet turned to the humans, then smiled. **"SEE!** Rehabilitation at its finest." With that, he strode down the hallway to the elevators with four little vehicles filled with humans following at top speed.

-0-Outside

Ratchet had transformed into his rescue mode and drove ahead with the humans in their trucks behind them. He was heading for the airfield, then the Hangar District. Burning up the ground, he drove into the hangar of the biggest frames of all, then transformed. Turning toward the giant open doors, he watched as the little trucks drove in, then stopped. "Slow pokes. Get the lead out, Lennox."

The humans climbed out and walked toward Ratchet. :You're feeling your oats: Lennox said with a grin.

"Tomorrow, we have school conferences. If it isn't one thing, its another. In the meantime, how about having a look around at the greatness that is us," Ratchet said as he swept his hand around the room. "Here, there be dragons." It was then that Slag stepped out of his apartment nearby which he shared with the others. Ratchet grinned. "I didn't plan that."

Lennox snickered as the group watched Slag walk past them in root mode. : **Hey, Slag!** :

Even Ratchet glanced down at Lennox as everyone turned toward him in surprise. Lennox shrugged. :They wanted to meet a Dinobot:

Slag stared at them with his ferocious face, then walked toward them. He stopped before the group glaring at everyone. "What?"

:I was wondering where Grimlock was?: Lennox asked. Though it didn't show on his face or manner, he was sort of regretting getting Slag's attention too.

"He's on Cybertron. They need him to help with some heavy lifting," Slag said. "They found another shrine tomb. He's helping."

Lennox nodded. :Thanks. I was hoping he could meet some of these new humans. They wanted to meet a dinobot and I didn't know if any of you were around:

Slag looked at the humans. "Why you want to meet us?"

One of the humans, a famous journalist who went into danger every assignment felt himself pale. :We admire you as a unit and wanted to meet you. I understand that your unit is one of the fiercest and closest ones in the army:

Slag considered him. "You got that right, Squishy. No one is as bad aft as the Dinobots. We are the greatest unit in the universe and Grimlock deserves to be Prime." He looked at Ratchet as if challenging him, then the humans. "Remember that." Then he continued on his way, a massive, enormously malevolent cloud of barely contained mayhem.

When he was gone, the humans turned to Ratchet. Ratchet who was watching him walk away glanced at the humans. Flashing a giant smile, he shrugged. "They have an excess of personal charisma."

The soldiers would laugh a long time. The other humans were too scared at the moment to join them. They would later.

-0-School at Youngling Day, Centurion

They stood at the door, two of the three new students for Terradive's classroom. The other one was being tested having arrived late. Her name was Rain Harris. The other two were the son and daughter of the dietitian and chef who ran the main kitchen of Earth2. Around the school, other kids were being brought to their rooms. In all, nearly 4 dozen would be placed into the bot schools for their education. It would have been filmed but for the rule that the first three orns were a news blackout for any human kid entering to allow them to adjust without that stress.

For the first time, Sunspot stayed in his seat as the two kids were brought in. They were placed at the human table with the other kids who were glad to see them. The bot school tech who brought them would stay for three orns to watch and do more visual screening about the kids and how they were doing.

"Welcome to the class," Terradive said as the kids sat down. "We have two new students. They are brother and sister, Lyndsey and Elliott May. They come from San Francisco, California and when they have time to settle in, we will ask them to tell us more. We have one more student coming shortly and when she comes, that will be the limit for us. I would like you to help them make the transition, infants, because not only is this class new for them, this planet is too."

The kids murmured and nodded. Turbo and Comet were delegated to get the kids their texts and materials which they showed them, then helped them with Annie Lennox to put their extras into their lockers in the back of the room. It would take a moment or two before everyone was settled, then the routine would begin.

"Who isn't here?" Terradive asked.

" **NO ONE! WE'RE ALL HERE!"** -everyone

"Who needs to turn in their homework and make up assignments?"

Two infants jumped up, slotted their datapads into Terradive's computer desk slot, then ran back to sit. The new kids watched with wonder, their brand new datapads in front of them. A geography book in English, fat, heavy with images and oddly light though it was a flexible metal in design lay on the desk beside their datapads, left there by their helpers. Now they would find out why.

Terradive who sent his data WiFi to the Central Office grinned. "Get out your geography books, infants, and turn to chapter two, page 62. If you could help our new classmates, human infants," he said using the punchline of a joke that Bobby Epps tried to tell in class once. He turned to the massive screen behind him and lit it up. The image was the colony over which the Emblem of the Primes and the flags of Mars and Cybertron appeared. Under it in both English and NeoCybex, the words, "Autobot City Unified School District, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire' appeared.

Lyndsey and Elliot May glanced at each other, then pulled their books forward finding the spot they were to study today. They were shown how to turn the text and audio to English. It would take a technical wunderkind to change it back. The books the new kids would use were made tamper proof.

The make up of Io with all its blistering volcanic chaos would be the topic for a while with the promise of a visit there at the end of the school week the bonus. A ship would take them directly, they would step down in a safe place and get a picture alone and one with the group, then after samples were gathered, they would go to Trypticon to examine them with the microscopes there including several seriously powerful new electron models from Fabrication-Sciences.

No one would know that yet but they would all go on 'Martian Friday'. The two new kids would go too after their mom and dad signed a permission slip with the unlikely heading, "Field Trip to Io, a moon of Jupiter' that they brought home to them in two days. It would be photographed, posted on the website for the solar system to see and excite every other kid in Earth2 habitat. They would apply, thirty more of them but would have to wait until the intake period came around again to be tested.

Just another orn in the life.

-0-TBC 7-11-17 **Edited 7-19-17**

SNICKER! When I spellchecked this during editing, Trypticon was matched up with contraption. :D

ELS: circumvent(ed) sir-come-vent to go around something to prevent something from being done normally. Caste court is a way to get around high castes going to jail for their slag.


	63. Chapter 63

The Diego Diaries: Visitations (dd6 63) needs a huge editing

NOTE: Sorry. Fell asleep in my shoes. :D HERE WE GO!

-0-On the steps toward City Hall, The City

Ratchet paused as the top to allow the little trucks to join him. Four drove up filled with humans looking around. Behind Ratchet, a fifty-foot spire ablaze with blue light roared in the thin atmosphere. Apparently, they had sources for fire that didn't require much or any oxygen to burn. They wouldn't know that the bots had literally thousands of compounds formulated for vacuum. Copper sheets were hung along a low wall filled with names, some of which were humans harmed on Earth. Ratchet turned to continue onward heading for the doors which opened to allow them to enter the huge building.

The lobby of City Hall was beautiful, had statuary, what appeared to be antiques relating to their history, and a few displays here and there from the schools. A long counter ran along the middle space separating the public from the officials and their offices beyond. Ratchet paused at the table, then rapped his knuckles. **"BLONDI!"** he said as he grinned at the worker bees who maintained the desk and did their work at desks behind it. They grinned at him.

A beautiful exotic face appeared, then smiled. **"WAIT A MOMENT, RATCHET!"** She ducked back in, then came out a second later to walk to the counter to lean on it. "I suppose you want Himself."

"I have guests to appease," Ratchet said glancing at the humans in the cars.

She peered over the counter, then grinned. "Follow me then." She walked to the half gate, let them in, then led the way past a lot of offices toward the big one in the back. She leaned in as Magnus looked up. "Your mom is here."

"Ah, humor," Ratchet said with a grin. He entered with humans following. Blondi walked back to her own office as they did.

Magnus stared at the humans, then Ratchet who sat down in a chair. "These are the journalists visiting?"

Ratchet nodded. "For some reason, the humans came to me and expect me to entertain them."

A ghost of a smirk lit up Magnus's handsome face. "I wonder why," he offered.

Ratchet chuckled, then looked at the humans. "This is my son-in-law, Ultra Magnus, an officer in the command of Prime's general staff, mayor and colonial administrator of this planet and general officer in command of Cybertron and all points in the Empire. He's the boss for the boss."

Magnus stared at the humans for a moment, then Ratchet. "I am, aren't I."

Ratchet laughed. "You are. Tell them something."

Magnus stared at the humans. "What can I do for you?"

One of the humans stood. :Sir, I would like to know what the ultimate plans are for the Earth2 colony? What is your vision of it in light of the enormous volume of the surface of Mars?:

"You want to know if we're going to colonize the whole shebang. Are we?" Ratchet asked as he looked at Magnus.

Magnus glanced from Ratchet to the humans. "I am not privy to the fullest picture of the Prime's plans as of yet but I know that we will house our refugees here when they come or when we find them. Cybertron is in no condition to receive them. That part of our mission is undeniable and non-negotiable."

:You have helped expand the human population here with the addition of Earth2. We were hoping for 80,000 permanent residents here from Earth. Is that still possible?: another asked.

"I am not the one who makes policy. At the moment, the Prime's directive limits the population at Earth2 to 5,000. If there is more I would think it's in your court to make it happen by your conduct now with the population you have. We have caveats about your presence here in large numbers. It's up to you to show us that its feasible as well as desirable to increase or change that figure."

The humans felt the strength that embodied Magnus. He was a by-the-book bot, they were told. He was all business and a dangerous foe, the much feared Tyrest Treaty enforcer. He was massive, the biggest bot short of the airfield that they had seen so far this close up. He was commensurate with Slag, big and powerful, but it was uncertain if he was as tall. He looked at them with a calm but slightly severe expression, one that was appraising and highly intelligent. This mech was no one's fool. He had a frame similar to Prime with notable differences but the power that radiated from him was much like that of his great and lifelong friend, Orion Pax aka Optimus Prime.

:Sir, there have been initiatives in the United States and other places to make closer ties to the colony and government of the Prime. What are your opinions of them?: someone asked.

Magnus looked at him, this gigantic figure sitting at a gigantic desk with the flags of Cybertron, Mars and the Primes behind him. It could be the desk in any mayor's office anywhere else. "We welcome good relations with Earth and her various governments. We welcome any opportunity that is mutually respectful to draw our two peoples together. What they may be I am not at liberty to discuss. Those decisions are the domain of the Prime."

:You are said to be one of Optimus Prime's oldest friends, even into his youth. What can you tell us about this figure who seems to be held in a sort of grace one would grant deities: another said.

Magnus stared at the human as endless streams of memories flooded his processor. They were various, games of football in the streets and the burned out lot nearby that had occupied their time early on. All of the shared books that their genitors got for them using numerous library cards, an act that could have gotten them thrown into jail if caught. The long joors of conversation about what they wanted to do against the reality that they had to work young at hard manual labor. The size of their frame doomed them to the docks as longshoremen, a place where most of their genitors already worked. There were dreams they shared, these two who were both smart and ambitious, eager to learn and see the world.

However, it wasn't in the cards. It was written before birth what they would do with their lives. The injustices that they saw lit a fire in both and when the moment came to be counted, they were. They rose up with the tide of suffering that began to coalesce into opposition around the incompetent primeships of Nominus and criminal brutality of Sentinel.

Orion was a gifted mech, someone with an aura of integrity and authenticity that was apparent to all. He was born to do what he did and as his friend and brother in all ways but one, Deion helped him. They were in the struggle together and through the beatings, arrests, long hours speaking and organizing, the trips to places like Praxus, Kaon and Polyhex that they had never seen prior, they did what they knew they had to do. They selflessly and often painfully fought for the rights of all their people to be free and enjoy the same life the privileged few took for granted.

They shared jail cells, visits to hedge doctors and hiding places when security was after them. They shared stages at rallies, Orion to speak and Deion to protect him. They beat on the doors of the Senate and Councils until it was clear to those inside that to ignore them was to court disaster and when Orion would speak to the councilors and senators, to Sentinel himself, Deion would often share the arrests and beatings that followed. He was there when the Matrix had had enough and rose into the sky to claim Orion Pax as the Chosen One sparking the flame of civil war with the rage and frustration of Megatron. He stayed by Prime's side ever after that.

"Optimus Prime is our leader, our greatest fighting Prime and the best mech I know. We were kids together and we have served though every single event ever since. We, all of us are beyond fortunate that such a mech would arise at such a time and bring about something that has been longed for and sought after for ten million years. I have nothing but respect for him and whatever he asks of me, that will I do." Magnus sat back staring at the humans without further comment.

"Well, I think that's a good start," Ratchet said as he stood. He winked at Magnus who gave a ghost of a grin back to Ratchet. The big medic turned to the humans. "Let's go. Did I tell you that Magnus is my son-in-law? He's bonded to one of my many beautiful daughters," Ratchet said as he walked out with the humans following.

Magnus grinned. "That I am," he said quietly, then began to work on the city and Cybertron with its millions of problems, needs and demands.

-0-On the way to San Jose (sort of)

They traveled onward heading out to the Armory. It would take a bit of time to reach the big Central Armory but they finally rolled into the place and its giant main work room. All around the walls were huge bins and containers with bits and pieces of bombs and ammo that a good dozen kids used to make things. There were huge tables around which they stood composing bombs and other munitions for the armories around the colony. Some of the kids smiled and waved. Ratchet waved back.

Holi walked from Ironhide's office. "Hi, Ratchet. He's almost back. He had to make a side trip."

"Okay," Ratchet said as he grinned. Walking into Ironhide's office, he kicked back on the couch. "Pull up, humans. Ironhide's on his way."

:Is this his office?: a human asked.

"This is where the magic happens," Ratchet said to general laughter. "He's the head of the armories and hubs. The kids out there are trained to make the munitions that everyone uses. This is the main armory but there's three others scattered around that make different kinds of bombs. The other sites make all manner of things including some that require special handling. If they went up, then you wouldn't want to be too close."

:How dangerous is this place, Ambassador?: someone asked.

Ratchet grinned. "There's many containers out there with component parts which unless put together just so are neutral and no problem. Only one of them has detonators." He grinned bigger. "That container is the one just outside this door."

Even Lennox looked squeamish at the thought until heavy treads alerted everyone to Ironhide. The big mech entered the room, then paused. He glanced at Ratchet, then the humans, then Prowler who was sitting on his big servo gumming a big cookie. He shifted on his peds a moment, then slid his big servo and the baby around his back. "Uh … hi," he said.

A moment later …

Prowl sat on his old man's desk chewing on his cookie as his other old man gave him a smirk's smirk. Ironhide who was eating his own cookie affected an air of who cares? He sat in his chair with a half eaten cookie. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to see the Master of the Army. What's Prowler doing out of school?" Ratchet asked with a narrowing optic.

Ironhide threw caution to the wind. "Hero was being tested."

Huge laughter greeted that. Everyone knew the Ratchet-Ironhide collaborations. He grinned at Ratchet. "Little mech is going to tell me about the inventory. He's got some good ideas about it. He's mastered square, triangle and rectangle after all."

"There's that," Ratchet said with a snicker. "Ask your questions, humans. I'm giving them the two dollar tour. They'll probably be back for more."

Ironhide looked at the humans who saw a gigantic heavily armored mech with an oddly attractive face and gaze. His optics shown deeply blue in his black face, one that was pugnacious and bore scars over one optical ridge. He looked lethal and he had a deeply masculine yet oddly cultured voice. He was an enigma to just about every human who saw him but someone that most really liked.

:I understand, Commander, that you come from a very interesting family with ties to show business and the military. Could you tell us something about your family … who they are and what they do?: someone asked.

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet who grinned, then the humans again. "My family has an interesting history and skill set. My atar … uh, my father's family is military going back to the beginning. My … let me see … you want English, right?" The humans nodded. "My father is General Blackjack who's the son of General Raptor and Commander Turbine. Raptor is the son of General of the Army Hard Drive and Commander-Director of Special Operations Delphi, so I have my fathers, my grandfathers and great grandfathers on that side. They were always military.

"My ada or other father, Alor of Iacon comes from a long line of musicians, actors, singers, and artists. There's Alor, my father who is the son of Commander Trooper and Commander Scout of Iacon. His brother is Commander Flint who is military. My grandparents, Scout and Trooper are two of the most famous entertainers in the history of Cybertron. They can do it all. They write books, plays, sing, dance, play almost any kind of musical instrument, teach all of that, and now run the Performing Arts Center that's just about finished being built.

"My Amma Turbine is a member of a very ancient religious sect that knew the Pantheon and Primus and holds their secrets. He's also a Maker. He's got all kinds of skills and knowledge and is hugely respected for it. They were never very big but they were hugely influential. He teaches too. My Amma Delphi is someone who forgot more about special ops than most know. He's deep cover and unbelievably brave. That's my family."

"His family comes from money and power. The soldier side belonged to the highest caste in the Empire. Even Prime would have to bend to them but they never abused it. They never were anything but loyal and true. Rather like you," Ratchet said as he batted his optical ridges at Ironhide. "Unless, of course, you purloin sparklings from their schools like a thief, you slagger. You're wrecking your own image."

"You can't make me feel badly, Ratchet," Ironhide said.

:What about your family, Ambassador?: another human asked.

Ratchet thought about his family, then grinned. "They made forks and spoons."

Ironhide nearly fell off his chair laughing.

-0-TBC 7-13-17 **edited 7-14-17**


	64. Chapter 64

The Diego Diaries: Visitation (dd6 64)

-0-Here and there

They went up the elevator in the tower that housed the Sparkling Day School #1 in Terra heading for the classrooms that held the offspring of the Ambassador Plenipotentiary. The humans with them drove along on the impromptu tour of some of the highlights of the colony. They would spend a lot of time digging in for stories later but for today, for this short period of time, they would follow the biggest, most amiable bot in the Prime's command, Ratchet of Iacon. They stepped out and followed him to a classroom door that was open. Inside, children of another species with a couple of human babies were doing this and that in little groups. There was a huge play area in one end of the vast space that held a gigantic sand box. Teachers and aides were here and there helping this and that little kid. Some of them were instantly recognizable.

Orion who was watching his teacher making something with blocks, something designed to teach patterns and counting, didn't notice anyone come in but Praxus did. He smiled and walked across the room from his group to hug his old dad. Pausing at the foot of Ratchet's peds, he looked up and smiled. {"Ada? You come here?"}

His words whistled in Cybertronian before the translators in the helmets of all the humans flipped over to do their jobs. "Ada? You come here?"

Ratchet grinned, then petted his little back. "I did."

"Ada? You staying here?" Praxus said with a delighted smile.

"For a moment. I just wanted a moment with you and the others," Ratchet said. "You have some schooling to learn. What are you doing?"

Praxus glanced at his teacher, then up at his ada. "I do the blocks. We make something."

"Your old pa would be amazed," Ratchet said with a grin. "Better get back and show them your stuff."

Praxus grinned, leaned in for a kiss, then ran back to his group. Ratchet watched them a moment, then turned around to go. They all stepped out before anyone really noticed them. They went to the elevator, then entered. On the way down, the questions came.

:You have two primary schools with human children. How does that work?: someone asked.

"It works great," Ratchet replied. "Our schools are stellar and whatever they need they get. This is our future and we support and protect it. If there's an emergency, they go down below to the bomb shelters that can withstand a sustained aerial attack. There are teams of armed soldiers whose only job is to get to the schools and secure them. They're the last line of defense. Primus help anyone who makes the mistake of entering when the lock down comes."

They stepped off the elevator, ambled through the lobby, then hit the street again. They sped off toward Metroplex, transformed to enter the Mall and followed Ratchet to the store. He paused at the door to stare down at them. "I have to buy groceries. Come with me and get an education on how things work on world among us."

The humans glanced at each other, then the four vehicles followed Ratchet who got a cart. He had considered doing this during the weekend on his first day off while Ironhide had boy's orn with the kids. The grandparents had it worked out so they could have them to let Ratchet goof off and do chores. Ironhide was supposed to help but usually tagged along with the others, the slagger. Heaven forbid that he might miss something fun.

Ratchet considered that if he took them here they would have a view of several important things. Bots ate and some of it looked like human food. They had great economic enterprises and the quality of their efforts was extremely high. They used a cashless society and this place, the grocery stores, were ground zero to see how it worked. They would also see that the bots had things to do that didn't seem so different from that of the doings of humans. It would be insightful and set a tone or so Ratchet hoped.

He pushed forward with his cart into the massive store with its endless rows of stuff artfully lighted and presented to the best effect. He walked to the liquor aisle and paused before beautiful bottles of flavored vinegar. Taking two, one in each servo, he turned to the humans with a smile. "This is flavored vinegar. We call them wine spritzers. Not only do they taste good to us, they give a good buzz," Ratchet said as he put them into his cart. Waving a hand toward the other items, he looked at them. "Our brewers, some of them from fantastically famous breweries are working and living here. We get the benefit. This," he said pulling a case of Praxus Black Label, "is the most famous beer if you will on Cybertron. It's the best there is." He put it into his cart.

Moving on with the humans behind him, he went to the candy and cookie aisles. Picking out what he wanted himself and a big package of five different flavored fudges for Ironhide, he moved onward. The humans following watched him put 'bread', 'butter', 'eggs', some different kinds of meat with familiar names and shapes, 'lunch meat', different condiments, and some dish soap into the cart. He then headed for the vegetable aisles.

There were mounds of highly polished fruits and vegetables there with more being brought out by the workers. Ratchet picked up a 'strawberry', then knelt for the humans. He held it out, a perfect red berry that looked like those at home if they were as big as a chair. He grinned. "This looks like what you think it is and because Rampage is a master chemist and all around miracle worker, I do believe it tastes like yours. However, if you ate this you would be dead before you swallowed it. This is made from energon and produced according to a formula just like everything else. I would have you smell it so you can get the strawberry scent but you can't here." He stood, bagged them and about five other things, then headed for the meat aisle.

They halted in front of a counter that would make Harrod's and that ilk green with envy. He got what he wanted, then turned the heaping cart toward the check out. They followed. He stood in line waiting his turn as they chatted.

:What happens next, Ambassador?: someone asked.

"I get it checked out and boxed. They keep the inventory that way. Then its delivered to my house when I'm there to get it. Sometimes, it gets delivered to my door when I'm not. Either way, its someone elses job. There are several delivery companies that handle that part of things."

:You don't pay for it. You don't even have to take it now. It gets delivered to your house when you have a more convenient time, right?: someone asked.

Ratchet nodded. "Yes. Great, huh?" he asked with a grin. He pushed his cart closer and when it was his turn he handed things from the cart to the older mech who bantered with him as he scanned it for inventory tagging. As it was scanned a youngster at the end of the counter packed it carefully into boxes. A signature from Ratchet sealed the deal on delivery, then the kid took the receipt and the cart filled with boxed groceries away to be stored for later delivery in the warehouse.

Ratchet grinned at the humans, then walked to the door to go. The humans drove after him. Out in the mezzanine, they gathered together as Ratchet knelt. "So ..."

One of the humans stood up in the truck. :You didn't pay for that did you:

"I did. This is a society where when you do something positive you benefit. I work. My grandparents go to school, some of us are soldiers, and the like. Because we all work, we all work toward the common good. There have been some that don't work and they usually come around eventually. All you have to do is be productive. If that means that you take care of a sick family member, raise babies in your family as a stay home genitor, go to school, be a soldier or whatever … then you're good. If you worked all your life and are tired, if you can't work because you're hurt or harmed in some way, if you need rest … no problem. The only ones who don't get a pass are those who can work but think they don't have to. Those who think they're too precious to have to do something so low caste. We've had those. Some of them are in jail."

:Then some never work anymore but get full benefit too?: another asked.

Ratchet nodded. "My grandparents don't work. They go to school. Even if they didn't, they don't have to. They worked hard all their lives and saw nothing from it. They can live here and we take care of them. My parents work. They're artesons and they want to. But if they didn't they don't have to do it. Some of the mechs and femmes you see may not have disabilities on the outside but they carry them inside. We're an unfolding experiment in nation building and this came about in the beginning when everyone had to work together to make things happen. Then it became the way we do things because everyone liked it. No one gets left out and no one goes hungry."

They looked around. :What about other places?: someone asked.

"There isn't a business on this world, on Cybertron or anywhere else that you can't go into and get what you want. Everyone lives decently and everyone contributes. I do medicine. Some I know work in the steel mills, build the towers and other constructions, write books, teach, make the donuts. All of us contribute. My grandparents contribute by going to school like they always dreamed of doing but never could and they help with our children. Its all good and I'm delighted that its so. No one is left behind." He stood. "I have to motor. Are we good here for now?"

:We are, Ratchet. Thanks. We're going to Earth2: Lennox said. :We're dropping them off until dinner time:

Ratchet nodded, then walked to the door to go back to the world. The humans watched him, then one turned to Lennox. :Do you think he would let us see his house and family?:

Lennox shrugged. :Ask him: he said as he started the vehicle and pulled forward. The rest sped after him. They would take the humans to Earth2, then motor on with their day.

The Festival of Primus was in two days.

-0-Earth2

They were taken in from the soldiers who jetted off for N.E.S.T. They would send a cab to get the newsmen later on. It would be another experience for the newbies to have. In the meantime, they followed Hamilton Brown and Owen Harris through the facility to see what a miracle the place was. Reaching the end of the tour, they walked back to the conference room in the main office complex for a snack and a drink. Settling in, they took a moment to refresh themselves. Then the questions began.

"What's it like living here?" -newsman

"It's extraordinary," Harris replied. "I'll like it better when we can come and go. We're housebound until thirty days are up and they don't want us out during their festival."

"What do you know about that?" -newsman

"It celebrates their main deity, I think," Hamilton Brown replied. "The Temple is involved along with Prime and its the holiest day on their calendar. Apparently, everyone who can move will be there."

"Rather like the funeral?" -newsman

Harris nodded. "Rather. I expect most of the colony to show up. They televise it, most of it. The regular humans attend at the Temple. Some of them, most of that crew can go inside. The rest of us … Earth 1, the Consulate, that group including you aren't included."

"I hear that your daughter is going to school here now." -newsman

"She is. Rain wanted to come and attend the Day School," Harris said. "Today is her first day of school. I'm curious how she will do."

-0-Youngling Day School #1, Centurion, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Rain Harris sat in her tutor class with the rest of the new humans working out mathematics that challenged her rather excellent prior education. She loved and was good at math. But this made her sweat a little. She was required to take blocks of subjects that rotated every three months. Right now, they were studying physics in her science class. Soon it would be 'biology again' followed by chemistry, astronomy and something called natural sciences. Math was math though it rotated with Geometry and advanced levels algebra. Writing, language, reading, and the rest were pretty normal though they were of a higher standard than she was used to. When the half day 'mentor school' let out at lunchtime, they would eat in the cafeteria's safe room with the other kids, play for a while, then come back for afternoon classes that included music, physical education, art, dance, something called 'cultural studies', and writing. The day was long, the subject matter difficult but the teachers, all aliens, were patient and incredibly talented.

Rain Harris would have to apply herself to this with enormous concentration or she wasn't going to get anywhere. Her dreams of youtube greatness would have to wait a while.

-0-TBC 7-14-17

HB to you, AMB, with everything I got.


	65. Chapter 65

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 65)

-0-Later that afternoon

A white cab drove to the hatch for Earth2, then pulled up close to the door. Inside, visible as the ramp slid out and the door opened, Clarice and Devon were waiting. Having been dispatched the bring the news reporters back to the Family Tower for dinner, they waved them forward. The hatch to Earth2 opened and the humans stepped out, the first time on actual Martian soil. They marveled, then joined the army femmes inside. The hatch closed, the ramp retracted and the vehicle began its journey back to The City.

Moving to a row of seats designed for children and humans that ran along the barrier that divided the command unit from passengers, some of the reporters sat. :This is amazing. These are the driver-less cabs. How do they work?: one asked.

:They're programmed to go anywhere in the colony and around the planet when asked. They're on a grid in the Flight Center and are managed like any transportation device. Because they are, no one is ever more than a second or two away from rescue. Every human on world is tracked through the same center through devices in your suits and for those of us who live here permanently, a small microchip inserted into our shoulder. We're nanoseconds away from bridge rescue because that's how fast it has to be. It can happen with or without mech assistance.

"We take them when we need them, everywhere. The colony does. They're everywhere and there are call boxes around as well. You can access them also through the bot channel in your helmet. Hero, Ratchet and Ironhide's youngest daughter takes one to and from school everyday to Titan in the Metro District: Clarice smiled. :She's so cute. She wants to be a helper and give her grandmas and grandpas a break from having to take her every day: Clarice said as Devon nodded.

:She's the cutest little thing: Devon said.

:You've known them since they were born. What's the deal on them? What are they like?: a reporter asked.

:The first baby we ever met besides refugees was Orion. He's probably the most famous of the kids here. He's adorable. I want him. He'd probably come too: Clarice said with a grin. :He's smart, funny and a pistol. Kaon was next. He's a shared grandkid for Ratchet and Prowl. He's the sweetest natured little kid considering the high octane genitors he has with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. But maybe that's Bluestreak's influence. There are dozens and dozens of little kids we know. Sunspot is another. He was a forced child warrior for the Decepticons before he was rescued. We have hundreds of those here: Devon said.

:Another reason Megatron has to die: Clarice said with a cold tone. Devon nodded.

They passed the Temple with its beautiful glistening dome, then fell into late afternoon traffic. It slowed, then stopped. Standing in the middle of the street down from them in front of Club Cybertron, two big mechs were slagging it out. They were a mere two cars ahead so the giant size from being this close to it was mind boggling.

:Clarice to Flight Center Control. We're two cars away from a fight on the street in front of Club Cybertron. Requesting rescue to the Family Tower pronto:

"Understood, Clarice. Get ready to move," a voice said from the console in front of them. A burst of energy appeared inside the cab, a tiny bridge materializing, then Clarice and Devcon turned to the humans. :Hustle it with us **now** : Clarice said as she jogged toward the vortex. With Devcon herding them, the reporters followed. It was a good thing because a gigantic upper cut from one of the fighters to the other lifted a huge mech off his peds and landed him on the first two cars who were sentient and the cab that wasn't.

The two fighters would both be immediately enveloped by Day Watch mechs from Substation #4 and #6.

-0-The Family Tower

The vortex opened in the big lounge and immediately, ten reporters and two army women walked in. It winked out almost as quickly. Pulling off gear, Clarice turned to the group. "Take your helmets off and hand them over. Right now, you're in safe territory."

"What happened?" Thelma Lennox said as she stirred the roue for a gravy. She and the other female elders were on the schedule to cook so everyone who had functional legs was headed for the Tower for dinner tonight. It would be a rollicking time. The Resort would provide the dessert.

 **WIN!**

"A fight broke out in the street in front of Club Cybertron so we called a bridge," Clarice said as she walked to the monitor which had a blinking light. Toggling it on, she answered. "Tower here."

"Clarice?"

"It's me, Spido," she replied as the reporters crowded around. A handome face appeared on the screen, one with blue and white colors and red optics.

"Good call on the bridge, Clarice," Spido said with a grin. "Here's what happened." The view changed to a massive fight with one mech flying back to land on two cars and the cab. Day Watch appeared out of nowhere and leaped into the fray. It was rock-em, sock-em robots for a moment, then the group was subdued. Spido appeared again. "You would have been at best bounced around."

"Thanks, Spido. You and the center are the greatest living bots of all time. We owe you one," Clarice said with a smile.

"No problemo," he said with a chuckle. "I'll forward the report and video to Lennox. Spido out." The screen went dark.

Turning to the humans who looked at her with a grave expression, she grinned. "Dinner ready?" she asked.

It almost was.

-0-Elsewhere

Ironhide stood by the counter in his apartment admiring the groceries that were just delivered. So did a number of little kids including Reflector who was going to be spending the night. There was fudge, booze, candy, things for Ratchet to 'cook', more fudge and candy. All in all, a good haul. His old mech was a good old mech. He put the last thing away, then looked at the infants. **"HOMEWORK!"**

They squealed, then ran for the various berth rooms to do it including a few babies who didn't have any but wanted to look like they did. Ironhide grinned, grabbed a cold beer from the fridge, then walked to his chair to sit. He popped it, drew a deep slug of cold goodness, then grinned. If there were two more little kids and his daft old mech here things would be perfect.

-0-Tower

Around a number of dinner tables, reporters sat with the locals. Conversations were varied but the fight was a big one. A reporter sitting between Lennox and Andrew Settles who was here to do reports asked them questions about the Club. "What's the deal on that Club? I know its a famous place with a lot of strange clientele but what else can you tell us?"

"Well," Lennox began, "they have a railing built around the club's ceiling that's deep enough to stash us in if a fight breaks out. We've been there when they have. We were stashed in the railing and got front row seats to the biggest baddest fight I ever saw short of the battlefield. Optimus Prime was in one and he nearly got his clock cleaned. I've seen Prowl and Ratchet settle one down and it wasn't pretty."

"What's Prowl like? He's sort of a mystery to us," another asked.

Epps snickered. "Sometimes I think he's a mystery to himself."

"He's a fighting machine. He has **HUGE** skills in hand-to-hand. Metallikato is one of his many styles and it literally means 'loss of metal'. Given that those who practice it can actually rip metal into shreds might explain that," Lennox said with a grin. "There's a lot of different things he knows … the five servos of doom and processor over matter two of them."

A newsman grinned slightly. "Five servos of doom?"

Lennox glanced at him. "Don't mock it. Some things translate weirdly. As for processor over matter … check out telekinesis some time."

"You mean … moving things with your mind?" someone else asked.

Lennox nodded. "Yep," he said.

The questions flowed like water after that.

-0-Elsewhere

"I heard that we have to have a meeting tomorrow, a really short one to discuss a couple of things, those of us in the military general staff. Just a check in before we part for Festival. It's in Prime's house by the way," Ratchet said as he slipped dinner onto trays, then into the two ovens that would have it cooked in no time. He had come home and had been enveloped in the love and warmth of his many infants including his 'loaner', Reflector.

" **ADA! I CAN SPEND THE NIGHT!"** Reflector had said after getting a hug. **"MY ADA AND ATAR SAID SO! RIGHT, ATAR?"** he asked glancing at a grinning Ironhide lounging in his chair.

"That's slagging right, infant," Ironhide said.

"I have to go back home tomorrow but I want to go camping with you when you go, Ada," he said looking at Ratchet with his sweet open-faced innocence. For him, two of everything was better than none of anything.

"You're booked," Ratchet said as he hugged the baby. Setting him down next to Sunny and Spot who looked ecstatic, he patted all of them. They ran for the lounge at the other end of the apartment where the dread kids were finishing their homework. It was noisy, then quieted down. Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "We do live fabled lives don't we?"

Ironhide nodded. "We do. **BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT GRUB, OLD MECH! I AM IRONHIDE! I HAVE SPOKEN!"**

Ratchet smirked at him, then kicked his ped. "Frag you, Old Sexy. Food coming up." He paused, then turned back to look at Ironhide. "How come you never do this detail?"

"I wash up, I do the laundry with my aide, Hero, I clean up the berthrooms." Ironhide paused to think about the rest a moment.

Ratchet grinned. "You do, slagger," he said as he walked to the fridge and cupboards to lay out a spread that could feed three giant boys, three small ones, a little girl who liked to draw out her meals for the chance to 'chat', a dog who got bits on the side and the 'loaner' son spending the night. Of course, that didn't include Old Bottomless Pit Himself.

The door opened as Docker and Ravel stepped in. "Hello, Sonny … Ironhide," Ravel said with a big smile. "We want you to know that we have the meals for the children again. We can't have our little babies being hungry even for the Festival."

"Thanks, Ada," Ratchet said as he slapped 'meat' on trays. "What about Appa Ratchet and Amma Corr? I don't want them to deprive themselves and get down."

"They know. They have snacks if they feel the burn," Docker said as she began to prepare the salad. Ravel peered at the dinner, then opened a cupboard to pull out buns. They would be placed on trays and heated to be eaten at the table with melty butter and the applause of the masses.

Ratchet grinned. "This is nice. Old lead butt over there never gives an assist for cooking and he had the training."

"I had the training but that doesn't mean I have the talent. You should talk to my ada. Now **there's** a cook," he said with a giant smile. He barely made it to the door.

Standing in the hallway, he laughed. **"HA HA, RATCHET!"** With a jaunty step, he walked to his genitor's door and entered.

"Slagger," Ratchet said with a snicker. **"RUNNING HOME TO MAMA!"** He turned back, then grinned at his amma and ada who were grinning at him. "I don't **HAVE** to run. Mine are right here."

Laughter was long and loud for a while as food began to materialize with the assistance of two very good cooks and one who could read directions very well.

-0-Sitting in the living room with his mama and daddy

"What did you do now?" Alor asked with a chuckle. He was basting a dessert to go with the meal already prepared. All of it was familiar, complex and delicious.

Ironhide who sat down next to his father who held a smiling Scout grinned. "I told him what a great cook you are."

"You never learn, son," Alor said with a chuckle. "You can't eat here. Maybe you can come later for a piece of the pie but I'm not going to save you."

"You're a terrible ada not to save your little mech," Ironhide said as he winked at his father who grinned at both of them.

"Frag that, Ironhide. I have a new little mech now," Alor said.

"Oh, so **that's** it," Ironhide said as he picked up Scout. He held the little botlet up. Scout smiled at him, Ironhide smiled back. "I'd take you with me if old mech didn't know where you lived. You have all the right stuff. You look just like me." He grinned at his father. "The insanity runs strong here too, I see."

"It does," Blackjack said with a grin. "We want a daughter, Ironhide. Don't be surprised if some fine orn, your old ada and I have an announcement."

"Really?" Ironhide asked with his usual mixed feelings. The 'ick' factor was still strong in him. No one, especially the fully grown liked to be reminded that their genitors **EVER** did 'it' and even worse, were **STILL** doing it.

Ick.

"We're talking about it," Alor said. "I think I want a daughter too. We never expected more than one child and when we had you, we were very sad because we knew it was never going to happen."

Ironhide stared at Alor a moment before the remark registered. " **OH, HA-HA, ADA!"** He laughed, then hugged his brother. "You need a sister. You can share hats."

A helm peeked in. **"GET HOME NOW, YOUNG MECH!"**

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "Is the grub good? You should see what they got here."

Alor helped Ratchet slap the crap out of Ironhide.

In six joors, the siren would sound and the solemnities and observances would begin. There would be no more food after that for most of the colony and some of the humans until it sounded again nearly 25 joors later.

The Festival Of Primus would begin.

-0-TBC 7-15-17 **edited 8-1-17**

HB2AMB. 4Ever.

ESL: Someone who is a pistol is someone who is a holy terror, a busy into-things sort of little dude. :D It's an American expression. We have millions of them. Some of them can be traced back to other countries. We are so fortunate to have so many different immigrant countries to call our own too. **HUGS, WORLD!** You da bomb. :D

Grub: a slang word from the Old West of America that means food. :D


	66. Chapter 66

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 66)

-0-In the dark, nearing midnight

He stood in the cold on the highest tower of Metroplex. Nearby, the switch that would sound the siren that would announce the Solemnities waited. He was the one who pressed it to begin and end, the one who had done it for six, now seven festivals. The night was cold and beyond him glittering like diamonds on a velvet blanket, the colony glowed. Lighted towers surrounded him, their spires reaching into the sky. Apartments were lit here and there, many more of them tonight as they waited for the siren.

He would sound it, then the colony would begin a full orn of personal introspection and family togetherness. The Prime would go to the Temple to commune with the Pantheon and they would all move forward together. It would mean no food at his house but for the kids and his grand genitors. He, himself, would be fasting along with the bond and his siblings.

He had never been very religious growing up on the run. Life had been too hard and he had too much anger about it to feel much good about the Pantheon and The One. Where were They when The People suffered so? Coming here had been a huge positive move for him. He had come around to a better frame of mind in this place of plenty and solace. He was learning something about free will and how he couldn't look upon the Pantheon as a daddy to ride to the rescue on a white horse when their choices turned out to be bad ones. They were the architects of their own situation by their choices, hard lesson that to learn and live through.

Now, he went to the Temple to think and feel the energy of the AllSpark. He was happy that his kids went to classes there to learn about who and what they were as Cybertronians. It would not be possible in his mind to be Cybertronian without a decent and complete understanding of all the things that mattered including the Pantheon and The one.

Life was good now. Life was what it should be and here he was, he alone who would signal the beginning of their most holy orn. It was an amazing thing to him that this should be so. Amazing and good. Ships landed at the airfield, the last ships for the duration of the next 25 joors unless a problem arose. They landed with their lights blinking. He watched them as the moments counted down.

-0-Elsewhere

"Thank you, Amma, for taking care of the kid's food," Ratchet said as he walked out of the hallway. They had taken infants to bed including Reflector who was sleeping over. The three dread kids were staying up to listen for the siren and skype with the six titan kids in Iacon.

"We want this to be an easy venture, Sonny," Docker said as she sat in Ironhide's chair sipping a beer. "Do you want to sit here?"

"If you let me sit on your lap," Ratchet said as he sat on the couch.

Docker grinned. "Do you think I wouldn't let you?"

Ratchet snickered. "Nope. Nothing you do surprises me." He looked at Docker for a moment, then glanced at Appa Ratchet.

"What?" Docker asked.

Ratchet glanced back at Docker, regarding her silently a moment. "I remembered something from the old orns. Something that I don't like to think about very often."

"What?" Docker asked.

Ratchet stared at her a moment wondering if he should answer. "Do you remember when you took in the linens of that high caste cow from the East Side?"

"Which one?" Docker asked.

"The one who brought all that table linen stuff and some other things. Remember her? You spent two orns working from morning to night getting them clean and pressing them so they were perfect. Remember her?" Ratchet asked.

Docker looked pensive a moment, then nodded. "I do. I remember that you were with me. You were so small."

"I was. I remember wanting to help you, Amma. You worked so hard. Appa was so sick then, he couldn't help you either. I remember when she came to get her things. I've never forgotten it," Ratchet said.

Docker nodded. "You should, Sonny. Those orns are over."

"What happened?" Ironhide asked. He was sitting on the couch with Ratchet sipping beer and snacking on fudge and Oreos. He hated to hear these kind of stories but he knew it helped getting slag out.

"She came to the apartment to get the baskets of things. All of them were sparkling clean and ironed. They were perfect. She looked at them and began to complain. She said she wasn't going to pay you what she agreed to pay because you did such a bad job," Ratchet said as fury flooded him, a fury as hot as it was then.

It was leaden in the room as Appa Ratchet glanced sharply at Docker. "You never told me that, Docker. What happened here?"

Docker glanced at Appa, then shrugged. "She was a very unkind person and I told her to take her stuff and leave. She wanted to continue to argue and she told me that she wasn't going to pay what we agreed upon. I told her to leave or I would throw her things out the window. She left and never came back. I never got paid. She got her things in a better condition than they came in. It was long ago," she said. "I've made my peace. You should too, Sonny."

"You were trying to make more money because Appa was sick," Ratchet said. "She was so awful."

Docker grinned slightly. "She lives here."

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet leaned closer. "What? Who and where?"

"I can't tell you, Sonny. You'd find them and it wouldn't be good. Suffice it to say, she isn't the same person she was. She still isn't very nice but she's humbled by her experiences to whatever degree she can be."

Ratchet sat back. "I'll find out. You know I will."

"You won't hear it from me," Docker said. She grinned. "Let things go, Sonny, or you'll be a prisoner of events you can't fix."

"I remember when a gang got burned out that was moving into our tenement district," Ratchet said. "You didn't have anything to do with that did you?"

Docker glanced at her bond. "You didn't burn out that gang hangout did you, Only One?"

Appa Ratchet grinned. "No. I didn't mind that they were. You couldn't play in the streets with them around and I was furious. Did you?" he asked Docker with a smirk and a wink.

"Why would you think that?" Docker asked with a smile. "Me? I'm so small. How could I help burn out a gang headquarters and beat the slag out of the members when they ran out when the place went up in smoke?"

Ratchet stared at his little grandgenitors. "You two slaggers. Need more tea?"

"Don't mind if I do," Appa Ratchet said holding up his cup.

"Amma?" Ratchet asked as he brought the teapot over to their chairs.

"Don't mind if I do, Sonny," Ratchet said to his grandson.

Ratchet poured their cups full remembering as a child running to their tiny apartment from the street where they would sit on the stoop to talk to neighbors. He would fill their cups and walk carefully down to give them to both. He remembered the happiness of the moment, the heat from the hot summer's night, the conversations from bots who were lost to the wind now. He remembered staying with them when his genitors worked late to fill an order at the shop, the one owned by someone else who made the benefit of their incredible talents. All of those were golden to him, the foundation of his character as a grown adult Sitting the pot back on the stove, he sat down again. "I could be a very bitter mech if I let myself go. Good thing Festival rolls around every so often to remind us that doing that wouldn't be good for us. What do you feel when you see her, Amma?"

"Pity," Docker said. "She had everything we didn't have but love."

The door opened. Ravel stepped in with others following. Alor, Blackjack, Scout snoozing in his carrier, Flint, Scout the Elder, Trooper, Chan, and Corr entered to find a place to sit. Chan smiled at everyone as Ratchet rose to bring out refreshments. They had only a few more minutes until eating ended among them. "What are we talking about?" he asked sweetly.

Ironhide grinned. "How lucky we are," he said with a glance at Ratchet. Ratchet grinned back.

-0-At a card game and boozer at Drift and Springer's house

Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Drift, Springer, Hercy, Kup, Roadbuster, Hot Rod minus Smokey, Bumblebee, and First Aid sat around the kitchen table playing cards, stuffing themselves with takeout food and beer as the countdown came closer.

"What did Moda say when you came by?" Springer asked with a grin as he antied up for the pot.

"He said Smokey's out of circulation until his grades show up next week," Roddy said with a chuckle. "I told him. He's pushing it with his atar. Moda will invoke and he did. Smokey is the stubbornest kid I ever met."

"More stubborn than you?" Roadbuster asked with the ghost of a smile.

"Maybe not that but he's better looking," Hercy said with a snicker.

"Frag you. All of you," Roddy said laying down his hand. "Eat that."

Sunstreaker lay down a better hand. "I would but this tastes so much better."

"Not as good as this," Hercy said laying down the winning hand. He raked in the pot. Given that it was a brownie-like confection much admired on Cybertron, it was one sweet victory. Literally.

-0-The Residence

They sat in the huge room chatting together after a big dinner. The children were in bed along with the twinnies and Kaon. Blue was staying over to help with the children while the twins were out playing cards before going on night duty with Springer and Drift once the siren sounded.

"Tomorrow will be a busy orn," Blue said.

"We put the short meeting for the general staff up, after the Temple visitation," Prowl said. "That frees up a bit of time with the kids. Amma Docker and Appa Chan got together and ordered food for the children. There will be prepared meals for all the kids. They had them delivered this afternoon when I was out."

"That's good. I don't want them fasting until they're sub-adult. It's a hard thing for adults," Blue said as Miler, Kes and Tagg nodded.

"We will help you with them and Prima. Tomorrow will be wonderful," Miler said as Venture nodded.

"I hear that Turbine will be following behind Prime as he walks to the Temple. There hasn't been a Maker present to attend to a Prime like that in generations. It's going to be a great orn for everyone tomorrow. It will be a good way to pay homage to those who were lost as well," Venture said.

Everyone nodded as Prime walked into the room. He paused as out of the darkness, the sweet clarion call of the siren could be heard.

-0-On the tower

He walked to the box, then opened it with a key only he had. He watched the time ticking away and when the moment was exact, he pressed the red button inside. A clear toned siren sounded as he held the button for the full minute he was required to do so. It rolled out in all directions into the night time of Mars.

Earth 1 …

"There it is," Jarrod said as he finished a report.

Hildie was reading in a chair nearby, waiting like most of the inhabitants for the siren to sound. "It is," she said as she listened to the siren in the distance.

The Consulate …

Sam Witwicky stood at the window with Carly as they watched the night stars. They were engaged now, though no plans were made for the wedding. The only thing firm was their resolve to marry here. Optimus Prime would be asked to do it again. "This is a beautiful night, Sam. This is a beautiful place. What a lonely sound that siren is," Carly said as she squeezed his hand.

Sam nodded. "It is," he said. "Tomorrow, I'm going to the Temple. Come with me."

"Will they allow it?" she asked.

He nodded. "For me they will. The AllSpark and I go way back," he said with a grin.

The Family Tower …

Most of them stood by the windows staring out onto the alien landscape that was as much home as Earth. In the distance, the twinkling lights of the Resort and Monastery pushed back the darkness. The last ships had landed earlier and the airfield was oddly still. Thelma Lennox looked at her son. "Thank you, Will, for letting me be here. We are so proud."

Will who was holding Annie nodded. "Thanks for coming, Mom."

Earth2 …

They stood by the window in his office, the three staring out into the dark skies. It was haunting, the sound of the siren piercing the dark night. Most of the habitat was up to listen to this, the first Festival they were present for. Perhaps in time they would be among those waiting on the steps for Prime to leave the Temple. Perhaps in time they would be there to receive the blessings with The People.

Rain hoped so and so did Rick. Owen Harris had his own thoughts.

-0-TBC 7-16-17 **edited 8-1-17**

NOTES: The story about the rich woman coming to their house to get her stuff, then doing what she did is a true story. It happened to my mom. I was the little kid watching. Sometimes, the best lessons you learn about forgiveness and tolerance come from the worst moments.

Happy Festival of Primus, my dears. :D


	67. Chapter 67

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 67)

-0-Getting on

" **ADA!** You helpeded me to doing this?"

Ratchet glanced up from a datapad toward Orion. He was having breakfast at the table with the other kids including the dreads who had said they'd fast but were easily coaxed to breakfast by their ammas.

"You infants need to eat. Listen to your Amma," Ravel had said as he began to fill large plates with heaping mounds of breakfast. "You might need your strength and where would you be then?" he asked as he handed the plate to Genesis. Ravel got another and began to do the same. They sheepishly took them, Fireball and Quasar, then sat to eat along with the smaller fry.

Reflector sat beside Sunspot filling his face with food as he beamed with happiness. "Ada, are we supposed to meet you at the Temple too?"

Ratchet nodded. "You infants and your families are part of ours. Yes," he said. "You come to the set-aside place in front of the steps just like before and meet us there."

"Okay," he said sweetly as he continued to eat.

Ratchet grinned at him, delighted to have him back. Now, if they could just keep him …

"What do we do today, Ada? There's no school," Hero said as she sat on her booster seat. She was so tiny it was the only way that she could see what was going on. "How come you and everyone else don't eat with us?"

"We're skipping dinner until tonight, infant," Ratchet said. "You kids won't but we will. It's part of Festival. That's where we're going, to the Temple. Uncle Optimus has to go speak to the Pantheon."

"He's going to see Onyx Prime?" she asked.

Orion perked up. **"I SEED THAT SHE! HE BIG SHE!** She big and things that she doing," he said mimicking the Prime's great wings. "She sayed to me. **YOU! COMED TO ME, SHE! I COMED TO YOU! YOU, ORION, GOOD! YOU, GO TO THE SHES!** He hug me."

Everyone stared at Orion as he told his 'story', then they grinned. His stories were hilarious with truth wrapped in an entertaining package. Ironhide sat back to take in the magnificence of his first born smallest little mech. "He hugged you?"

Orion who was basting himself in the attention looked at his father. "He hug me, Orion. I sayed to him. **SHE! YOU COMED TO ME, ORION!?** He sayed to me, "I **love** Orion." A gigantic cheese-eating smile accompanied that.

Swallowing a guffaw, Ironhide pressed on. "He said he loved you? What did you do to get him to love you?"

Orion considered that. "I camed to Eemi. She goed thing and felled. I sayed, **'I, ORION, COMED TO THE SHE!** I camed to her and tooken that."

"What?" Ironhide said. "What did you tooken?"

Orion looked down then strained to show his tiny black ped, a tiny version of the big ones Ironhide tromped around on. "This."

Ironhide grinned. "You grabbed her foot? Her ped?"

Orion nodded. "I comed to Eemie. She falled. We falled. Down, down, down," he said as he weaved in his chair to show 'down', "down, down, dow-" With that, he fell off his chair. A thud was heard as Prowler and Fireball stared downward with surprise. Sitting between them, Orion had fallen to the floor.

"Orion, I'm coming," Prowler said as he tried to get down.

Fireball gently pressed Prowler to sit, then reached down to rummage until he pulled Orion back up. He hung from Fireball's servo by one ped. Swaying gently, he smiled enormously. That's when the guffaws were given full rein.

Putting the infant back in his seat, Fireball turned back to his food with a big grin. "You're so cute. I can't imagine why Onyx or any other Prime wouldn't love you."

Orion smiled. **"FEE-FEE LOVE ME, ORION! I LOVE FEE-FEE!"** he said, then leaned sideways to hug 'Fee-Fee'. Fireball not seeing him until too late watched him fall forward and face plant onto the rug below. A thud was heard, then a muted voice. "Ow. I, Orion, owed me."

Guffaws were had again.

-0-Temple

The crowds were already gathering or heading toward the Temple. They would likely number into the millions. Many millions more would be watching from other places including their homes as the crush made attendance difficult or unattractive for some. It would be broadcast all over the colony utilizing the 2,500 normal cameras from the traffic system, several thousand more from businesses and towers along with 512 laid on just for the event. Most of them were tiny devices affixed to the buildings temporarily with all angles worked out by the IntraComm techs in charge of the filming.

They would be showing the scene all the way out to the Consulate which was the facility the farthest from the colony proper. It was one half mile further out than Earth2 which was several miles away from Earth 1 and the Consulate. The broadcast would also be going to Cybertron and the rest of the Empire and it would be 'leaked' to the bad guys. It didn't hurt to have Razorclaw know of the depth of the support Prime got from the Pantheon.

In a control room in IntraComm, the order of filming of the Prime's exit from his home tower to the Temple and back again was being test run. Meanwhile, in a studio nearby …

"The weather this morning is predicted to be very mild and conducive to a good outing for the special event. It will be cold, about -63 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit so make sure that those most vulnerable are sufficiently covered. It's recommended that babies and toddlers be brought in carry holds or carriers today to protect them from the elements. Older children should be bundled up against the cold.

"A conversation with Inferno, commander of Emergency Response and Services for the colony detailed the efforts that City Hall has undertaken to provide for any emergencies that might arise in the crowd during the waiting period or during gathering and disperal around the Temple and surrounding areas. They have designed a more rapid response to those who might need assistance and ask that spectators be cognizant of them and allow passage.

"Day and Night Watch officers augmented with soldiers will be working the crowds to ensure that all is well and that anyone who gets lost from their group can be returned safely. Last year, fifteen infants were separated from their families in the crush, so be aware and make sure that yours stay with you. All policing forces will be on the look out for this and other situations as they arise.

"We spoke to the Temple staff earlier to hear about preparations for the visit of the Prime. Gen-O talked to Armour and Lauren at the Temple itself," Lim-Lee said as a story cued up.

(Cut to the steps of the Temple)

"Lord Lauren, what has the Temple done to get itself ready for the visitation and the resulting crowds afterward?" Gen-O asked. The distinguished bot with a beautiful voice stood between the two mechs who looked as calm and happy as any other time.

"As you know, there are several groups that have volunteered to help care for the Temple and grounds. Each of them have taken a portion of the work and accomplished it to a very high degree. I'm so happy to have the assistance. This is a very large facility with many needs and with a growing population, we are busy attending to the needs of The People. Most of us have so many duties with visitations to home, hospitals and care centers as well as the prison, education classes at the University and here at the Temple … all of it is so important but it takes us away from maintaining directly as we did in Simfur. We are so grateful for our people's assistance. We are grateful for the humans too.

"Our greatest artifacts have been displayed in the Pavilion and will be available for viewing for the next two decaorns. They will include a number of our oldest books, iconic images and several weapons that are Primal in nature. The Pavilion itself has been expanded and different display possibilities have been added to the site to use in different events. The swords will be there including the Star Saber. We have put them into security fields to protect The People," he said.

"I understand that a Maker will be attending to Prime on the processional to the Temple," Gen-O asked.

Armour nodded. "Turbine of Praxus is a Maker. Their sect actually has seven members here, six of them recovered in the last migration. Only Turbine is a Maker. This will be the first time since probably Guardian Prime that a Maker has been here to do this. It will be a very exciting thing," he said.

"How early do The People who are coming have to be here?" Gen-O asked.

"If you can come to wait that long, come early if you want to be near the Temple but remember. No matter where you are, if you are at home, on Cybertron or lost in the galaxy, The One and Primus will find and bless you. You are never alone and you are never lost. You will always be known and loved," Lauren said.

"Thank you both," Gen-O said with a bow of his helm.

"Our pleasure," Lauren said. "Go in a good way."

"Thank you," Gen-O replied, then turned to the camera. "Now, back to the studio."

Lim-Lee's beautiful face appeared. "Thank you, Gen-O. In other news, the Earth2 and Earth 1 Habitats sent letters of good will and best wishes to the Office of the Primes expressing their pleasure at being on world for the celebrations. They are confined to their habitats during the Solemnities which is perhaps a good thing considering the size of the crowds that will be out and about.

"N.E.S.T. Headquarters and the Family Tower have permission to attend as do those at the Sciences Habitat for the first time this year," Lim-Lee said. "An official delegation from the Hu-An Habitat will be present but the United Nations Consulate will also be confined during the orn. All of the festival minus those things which have been declared culturally off limits will be broadcast to the human habitats on world and to Earth. The Resort is also quarantined until the siren sounds.

"It is the custom of the human population … N.E.S.T., Sciences, the Family Tower inhabitants as well as Earth 1 to have a dinner celebration together after the siren sounds ending the Festival. The tradition will be continuing. Jacx spoke to Will Lennox and his genitors this afternoon at the N.E.S.T. Headquarters on Cultural Center Road."

(Cut to N.E.S.T. HQ.)

"Major Lennox, tell us about the tradition of celebration following the Festival among the human community," Jacx asked as he knelt in the air lock of N.E.S.T. HQ.

"Well, we were unclear what the respectful thing to do the first time the Festival came around but as we learned more, we decided to include the festival into our schedule of personal celebrations. We get together as a community, the humans here, and have dinner once the siren sounds. Our children have a hard time missing meals so they don't fast but the rest of us give it a shot."

"How many make it to the siren?" Jacx asked with a smile.

"Uh, well … a few do. Most of us have a good intention but you know how that goes," Will said with a grin.

"We aim to fast all the way through like last year," Thelma Lennox said as her husband, Jonathan Lennox nodded. "We all hope to get there but some of us are frail reeds." Thelma grinned at her son.

He grinned back. Sheepishly.

-0-Elsewhere

"Are you going to fast, Daddy?" Rain Harris asked as she sat in the office of her father, Owen.

"No. Are you?" Owen asked.

She considered him a moment, then shrugged. "I'll give it a try."

"That's all we can do," Owen said as he sipped his coffee. Sitting before him was a plate with a sandwich, chips and a big slice of pie. He grinned. "After I eat my sandwich, ask me again."

The scene switched to the outside view of things. Thousands of bots were already heading toward the Temple, many driving on the crowded roads but most walking or flying in, to transform in the air and land. It was riveting.

-0-TBC 7-17-17 **edited 8-1-17**

ESL: frail reed(s): someone who is a frail reed is weak. This is a saying that names someone a weakling if they get called this. :D


	68. Chapter 68

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 68)

-0-Getting organized

The family stepped out of the Residence to walk to the elevator. Miler and Venture carried Sojourner and Prima. Prowl followed with Solus. Everyone else was parted out to carry holds or child carriers. All of the cats and dogs including a big bug were left at Ratchet's house. They went down to the lobby to wait with the others and ensure that the children were taken ahead to the Temple steps. Ratchet's crew was there with children in arms as they gathered. "Are we ready to go?" Ratchet asked as Prowl and his genitors joined them.

"We're ready. Where's Blue and the twins?" Prowl asked as he looked around. Standing in groups was the rest of the family including Kestrel and Tagg who were talking with a number of 'their boys' in the Elite Household Guard.

"They're by the door," Ratchet said nodding that direction. The femmes with Maelstrom, Jetta and Magnus were there along with Ironhide and Ratchet's family. Given that they shared grandchildren, they were technically considered by Cybertronian custom as part of Prime's immediate albeit extended family. They would walk toward the Temple through the streets so they could gather there to wait. "Shall we go?" Ratchet asked. Prowl nodded so they began to round everyone up. Springer and Drift showed up to follow, walking behind them while leading their horses. They would be on duty immediately afterward to help with crowd control. All of the family including extended was there to go.

Maelstrom was nervous as he stood with Chromia who was chatting with Turbine who would wait for Prime. They began to form with Kestrel, Tagg and Prowl in the front, Ratchet and his crew following with Miler and Venture. The door opened, they walked out and the crowd hushed. It would be a long public stroll down the center of the highways to the Temple District some miles away. Everywhere that someone could stand, someone did. On IntraComm, Lee-Lee, Gen-O and Aleph explained things to everyone, especially Earth who was watching on the MCA.

"Here comes the immediate and extended family. For those who are less informed about family life on Cybertron, let me explain," Aleph said. "Prowl as bond has pride of place with the genitors or parents of Optimus Prime. They are leading the family toward the Temple where they will wait with the rest of us for Prime to go in, then come back out when his venture is fulfilled. The big mechs on either side of Prowl are Kestrel and Tagg of Iacon, the parents of Optimus Prime. Behind him, related by bonds and grandchildren, the rest of the family is following. Because they share grandchildren and both families share children in bonds, they are considered related.

"Ratchet and his bond, Ironhide are with their genitors or parents. The big mechs in black armor are Blackjack, Raptor and the one with the twins, his great grandsons, is Hard Drive. Beside him on the left is Alor of Iacon, his parents and brother, Scout, Trooper and Flint of Iacon followed by Delphi, bond of Hard Drive. The children being held are the grandchildren, some of them shared with Prime's family making them all technically a clan. The femmes following are Elita-1 with her bond, Jetta of Iacon, Chromia of Kaon along with Greenlight, Lancer, Moonracer, Firestar, and Arcee of Polyhex. Arcee is bonded with Ultra Magnus, the massively big bot next to her and Chromia is with her bond, Maelstrom, whose brother is as massive as well as being a feared Decepticon currently residing in the prison. With them are the twins, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe with their bond, Bluestreak, Prowl's son. In front of them are the parents and grandparents of Ambassador Ratchet. They are Ravel and Tie Down, famous metallurgists and artisans, Chan, Corr, Docker and Ratchet, the Ambassador's grandfather and namesake. The children are Reflector and Sunspot, infants of Ironhide and Ratchet. The mechs following that group are Springer and Drift, both members of Ratchet and Ironhide's family.

"Even before the war, it was common place for adoption among adults as well as children. Prowl's son, Bluestreak, and most of Ratchet and Ironhide's family, that is, the adults are adopted. Given the amount of orphans, it was common to see it and who doesn't want to be part of a family?"

The group continued onward, some of them pausing a moment to speak to a friend or to take a word with a stranger. The sun was directly overhead now and it looked warm to view but wasn't. It was very cold with a slight breeze. The sound of their footfalls was clearly heard in the canyons of The City as they echoed off the buildings. It was strange and intriguing how quiet that many bots were in such a space. Light glinted off the windows everywhere, some of which were filled with individuals watching.

They walked onward as the cameras followed them, then they saw the Temple coming into view. On the platform in front, secured behind a small barrier, the humans who could come were there watching them as they walked. When they reached the plaza, they gathered into their space, the one for Prime's family and general officers. Turning to look down the way, they waited. Nearby, the rest of the general staff who weren't related were standing with their families and friends. Paragon and Arrow were there along with the Seeker command. the titan representatives on the ground, and others from Cybertron including civilian dignitaries. It was a glittering group that waited, gist for much conversation and speculation among the humans who were watching on television.

When it was clear that they had arrived, Prime turned off the monitor, gathered his thoughts which were already merging with the Matrix, then walked to the door to leave. The ride down alone was short and sweet. When he reached the lobby, the Household Guards snapped to attention. He nodded to them, squared his shoulders, then stepped out. The Guards came with him, pausing on each side to wait while the crowd roared in approval. The ripple effect of their cheering spread out in all directions and excitement was electric on the neural nets of the vast crowd. Everyone's anticipation raised as they waited to see him, this god caste among them on this, the holiest orn of the year.

Prime took their cheers, then watched as they bowed. He nodded to them, then turned to step forward into the street, heading toward the intersection ahead. The crowd bowed as he went, a hush falling over them once more. His heavy treads could be heard in the tense atmosphere as the cameras lovingly filmed him. A small elderly mech ran out, touched him, then ran back. A murmur of approval was heard, then it was silent again.

"For those of you from Earth," Aleph began, "who may not know what just happened, it's considered good luck to touch a Prime, an ancient custom that fell by the wayside as the Primes became less accessible to the public. Then the time came when no one wanted to touch them with anything less than a howitzer. Prime has restored more than just a safe living space for his people. He's helped them find their past and customs as well. "Sometimes, you see him walking here and there in The City and someone will touch him in passing. I'm not sure he even notices anymore. You would never get that close to a Prime in the recent past and no one would have allowed it. This Prime, however, is a Prime of The People and he respects everyone."

Optimus walked toward the Temple and as he did the view became less and less distinct. He didn't even notice that behind him walked Turbine, a Maker from his small but incredibly influential sect and clan. Turbine was noticed and received respectful nods as his tattoos were read by the spectators. He walked tall and with great dignity as he followed Prime to the Temple. He would wait with the priests until Prime returned to honor him. Turbine held in his processor and spark many of the things that Prime knew and saw on his journeys but his vow of silence regarding them kept them safe. No one from his sect had ever betrayed their charge.

-0-Earth

They sat in the studio, the panel chosen by lots from the worldwide pool of journalists who handled the Autobot brief. They watched and listened to the commentator. No one had explained the bot following Prime. A commentator turned to Colonel Reynolds, a Morshower aide who drew the short straw. Barstow was on Mars this time. "Who is the last bot?"

"That's Turbine. He's Ironhide's grandfather," Reynolds said. "He carries a lot of prestige. He's honoring the Prime by walking with him, albeit in a subordinate position. They have a lot of knowledge in common and Turbine's one of the few who can speak to Prime in some of the Primal languages that he knows. There's a lot more to this but I'm not at liberty to tell you."

Prime reached the square where the Temple stood, then paused to look around himself. Everyone including Turbine bowed, then watched him as he seemed to mentally phase in and out. He was as still as a statue, then he walked for the steps and began to climb them, Turbine following. The Guards walked up the steps pausing one to a level, then turned to face Prime. When he was at the top, they turned as one again, came to attention, then parade rest. They wouldn't move a muscle until he came out again.

Prime walked across the platform toward his greeting party. The priests and Alpha Trion bowed as did Turbine. Alpha grinned. "Welcome, Pilgrim. We are yours to command."

"Thank you," Prime said. "I am here to find the truth."

Alpha nodded, then stepped back to allow him to enter. Prime walked past as the group bowed, then paused at the door. Looking back at the multitudes who watched him without a sound, he entered the building and was gone from view. Turbine walked to the priestly group to wait beside Cyclonus and three of his senior leadership.

-0-Inside

The sconces flickered in the darkened building as he walked toward the balcony railing that protected the AllSpark. It was turning more swiftly than normal as It began to recognize his energy. Prime stared at It, then continued onward to the stairs. Down he went, then paused at the edge of the Well. He stared at the AllSpark feeling the energy of oblivion reaching out for him. He seemed to fade out, then without a word, he stepped onto the ledge of the Well of AllSparks and jumped in.

-0-Others

Proteus and Madura stood in the crowd, two mechs who didn't look familiar to anyone but the small group of individuals that they were coming to know, most of them Circle families from the Halls of Order. It had been debatable up to the last minute whether Madura could manage the crowds but they came together anyway. He had counseling every orn and they ate lunch in the cafe of the Halls of Order when Proteus stopped for food. Madura had to take a train to get there, no small thing, but it got easier every orn. It had given Madura more confidence and they had ventured out from time to time to look at the colony.

No one knew or recognized them. Madura had some features changed himself, though it was highly unlikely that anyone short of Sentinel Prime would know him and even that was doubtful. The disconnect between the life they led, what Proteus did in it and his own beliefs was so severe that he had fled into his own processor. It was probable that if it had gone on longer, he would have ended himself. As it was, he had fled in the bombing, found a ship and made his way alone. Fortunately, the group he traveled with all that long lonely time were Missionaries for the most part. They helped him, recognizing his mental condition for what it was.

Finding Proteus had been discombobulating. He had hidden away even more in the beautiful little apartment he had been given when he came, visited only by a mental health worker and the Missionaries who had befriended him. Now, because Prime was merciful, they were standing in the street near the Temple waiting for the Pantheon to weigh in on their condition.

Proteus put his arm around Madura. :Are you alright? We can leave, Madi:

:No, Proteus … I want to see this: Madura replied.

They would wait to see what happened. So would 22 million Martian Cybertronians, nearly 1.5 billion Cybertronians on world, nearly 7 billion humans and who knew who else? Certainly, among them would be the pensive figure of Razorclaw.

-0-TBC 7-18-17 **edited 8-2-17**


	69. Chapter 69

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 69)

NOTE: Sorry. Had company. **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

-0-In another dimension

He didn't have the sensation of falling after jumping into the Well. Why he did, he probably couldn't say. A cool mist surrounded him as he found himself materializing in a gray place. There wasn't anything around him but gray drabness. It felt cool on his neural net as he turned slowly in a circle to take in his surroundings. His sensors didn't work here he noted. Sound was muffled, sight was limited and he felt amazingly good.

-0-In the world

They stood together, millions of Cybertronians and their allies gathered around the steps of the Temple. It was oddly quiet in the big crowd. Most of the conversations were likely going on off line. The sun was moving the other direction heading for the afternoon. A horse stamped his hoof drawing Springer's attention. He rubbed the big horse's neck and he settled. The afternoon slowly wore onward.

-0-Earth

"What can you tell us about what's going on inside the Temple?" a commentator asked.

Colonel Reynolds who was the short straw this time glanced at the group of experts on this and that. "There isn't much I can tell you about what Prime's doing because it's a taboo subject for those who aren't in the loop. Suffice it to say, Prime is at this moment doing the most important thing possible for his people. Only he can do it. No one else."

"Millions of individuals are waiting for him to come out. How long does it usually take?" another asked.

"It depends on what he's seeking and how long it takes for him to get it. Sometimes, it takes hours and other times less," Reynolds said. "They will wait as long as it takes. When he walks out its over. Until then, they wait."

"I was told that they fast," a woman said. "Is that some sort of religious obligation or what?"

"I can't say much on that but it's a choice that a lot of them make. It has to do with denial so that you can focus internally, with the way your life is going and other important things. It's believed that it sharpens the thought process. Children don't usually fast. Most of the adults do and some of the humans on world are as well but its a choice and if you don't, then there's no shame," Reynolds said.

"Some of the humans on world are invited. When will those in the other habitats, especially Earth2 be part of the invited guests?" another asked.

"Earth2 hasn't proven themselves yet. It's a matter of trust with the bots. They give it and we return it. I've been on world over and over and each time I figure something new out. They give their word and keep it. It mystifies them how unethical we can be. Understand. They know something about unethical conduct. The Decepticons name even means the same thing. But they give their word and open their doors to us. It matters to us to return the favor. Not only are we a representative of our people but we're friends. I would hate to see any human there abuse their privileged status because living on world is a privilege."

It went on.

-0-Earth2

They sat in the theater and everywhere else watching the screen. It's image was roving around as cameras everywhere got their few seconds of screen time before another scene was shown. The only excitement so far besides seeing so many different kinds of bots and their children was an elder who needed a medic.

Rain Harris sat in the theater with three other kids who were the children of the upper management team. They had pulled rank to come and now all of them were students in Youngling Day in Centurion. Right now, school was out. Before this holiday came there were discussions about it in the classroom which they weren't allowed to attend. They were held during their pullout sessions in the remedial classroom, a deliberate way to skirt taboos with their presence. Three new kids from Earth2 were part of Terradive's responsibility making a total of eight humans in his class.

She was adjusting well enough though because it was shocking to find out that her skills were lacking. She was given a first class international education and she was gifted in sciences and mathematics. Here, she was behind and it was obvious even to her. She was working harder here than she had anywhere else and so were the several dozen kids that filled her classes half day in the 'remedial room' as they called it. It was embarrassing.

"What do you think?" a girl asked her, Lilly, the daughter of Hamilton Brown.

"This is boring," Rain replied. "I want something to happen."

"It will," another said. "When Prime comes out, I think."

"He better make it soon," Rain grumped with teenaged angst. It wouldn't be for a while.

-0-Inside

The sound of humming, like bee wings slowly began to rise as sparkling lights came to be seen in the haze. They were twinkling and very tiny but many, flying toward him in a number of clouds. They swarmed when they reached him, landing on his body to cover him helm to ped. They were warm, then they spoke to him. "Remember ..."

Prime listened to the voices, a sort of small collective of sound, but he couldn't remember ever seeing beings like this before. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice echoing in a muffled way off the substances around him. "What must I remember?"

"Remember ..." Then they were gone. They winked out like someone switched off the lights and with them went the scene. He was now standing in a meadow on a mountainside, one of great tall leafy trees and nearby, a rutted dirt roadway. He stared at it, then began to walk, compelled as he was by its presence.

Under the tall canopies he walked feeling oddly dwarfed by their presence. It was beautiful and he could hear forest sounds, the type you heard on Earth. As he walked around a turn in the road, he halted. Ahead, sitting on a horse in full armor was a being. The horse was armored but he was flesh and blood. The humanoid was indeterminate given the amount of armor that they wore. It was medieval in appearance, the figure. He didn't move, but sat his horse with sword in hand. The sword tip pointed to the ground.

Prime stared at him, then noted the figure and his horse were bigger than a normal human but not as big as him. The moment seemed surreal, then the horse moved forward. The 'knight' on board raised his sword as the horse picked up speed, riding in a straight line toward Prime.

-0-In the crowd

Paragon and Arrow stood with friends near the Temple. They were part of the general staff but took a place near the back to be closer to friends they had made over the orns. Their two children were sleeping in Arrow's carry hold. They would stay asleep in the warm and sound proofed enclosure. Nearby, others waited, all manner of mech and some femmes. He knew some and not others.

"We're invited to dinner at Patton's place after the siren," Arrow said as he turned toward Paragon. He had been chatting with Patton, another Seeker from Arrow's old squadron.

Paragon nodded. "Do we bring anything?" he asked.

"Just the kids," Arrow said with a grin.

Paragon grinned back. "Hard detail," he said as the crowd shifted and they disappeared from view in it.

-0-Prime

He stood his ground bracing himself. It was hard to tell if the bot was real or not, though he knew two things about his journeys here. Nothing was real in the sense of third dimensional energy and no one could hurt more than your feelings. The mech bore down, then slammed on the breaks, his horse skidding to a halt before Prime. He spurred the great beast who snorted and pawed the ground as they circled Prime. The knight waved his sword wildly but said nothing, oddly enough.

Prime turned warily with him until he stopped. The mech stared at Prime, then with effort raised his visor. Micronus smirked at Prime. "You don't seem to be afraid of Me, brother."

"Lord Micronus, I am aware that no harm comes to those who come here on this mission," Prime said with a slight grin of his own. "Though, I must compliment you on the splendor of your armor and steed."

Micronus laughed as the horse and armor disappeared. The sword stayed. He hovered in the air, then tossed the blade to Prime. "There. Excalibur."

Prime considered the comment, then shook his helm. "I am unaware of what the sword of Arthur has to do with me."

Micronus laughed aloud. "Then you're getting behind. The current magnum opus of your favorite director and mine contains references to both. This is my way of making a jest, though I will say, the film contained some very amusing moments. I do, however, dislike that you get slapped around as much as you do in his films. He has, after all, said he favors you and your colleague, Bumblebee, the most. With friends like that," he said with a smirk, trailing off the comment.

"I have not seen that epic yet. I shall pencil it in," Optimus said with a grin. The sword in his servo was beautiful, but disappeared into the ether as he held it. "How may I serve you and what wisdom may I hope to find here, Lord Micronus?"

"Much, my dear brother, though it might seem cryptic for a while. Come with me," he said as the image dissolved, then formed again. They were in the center of the great henge circle, Stonehenge in England under a vast night sky of stars and galaxies. A very ornate table with chairs around it was in the middle. Sitting in all the places but two, the rest of the Pantheon waited.

Prime stared at them, then knelt down on one knee bowing his helm. "I am honored to see you again, Great ones."

Solus grinned. "Your manners are lovely, brother, but You are here among Us as an equal."

"I am Your servant and Your disciple. I do not think I shall ever be Your equal, Lady," he said rising.

"Come. Sit, Optimus," Prima said, patting the table on his right with his big silvery servo.

Optimus walked around to sit while Micronus took his place. It was silent a moment, then Prima produced what could only be tarot cards. He shuffled them with a grin. "Well, this is quite nice. If Alpha and a couple of others were here, it would be like old times."

"Some will never be welcome," Onyx said darkly as the others murmured their agreement. "What say you, Optimus? How is your venture among The People? We look at you and your efforts with great favor."

"Thank you, Lord Onyx. I am doing all that I can to make a safe haven for our people. They are very weary and battered but the colony and Cybertron are rising again."

"You look for the Keys. Look off world. No more are to be found on Cybertron," Vector Prime said.

Prima finished shuffling, then laid out the cards. "I am fond of things that tell hidden truths, Optimus. I find tarot cards amusing. They are oracles for what might be and what might not, used among the humans. Let us see what they tell us," he said as he looked at the array he had made. "Ah, the page of wands. I would say you have been busy and that the work you have in progress is of the best possible nature. Have confidence in what you do now, Optimus. I am aware that you have plans for Cybertron. You moved Caminus. She is most pleased."

"The star," Optimus said. "He came to me. What happened to him?"

"He has done what all do when the time comes," Micronus said. "He returned to source energy. He is a very old and wise individual, his sweet bond with Caminus prompted him to save her. You have aided the universe and universal love with your actions, Optimus. All of it counts, the good that is done. It ripples through time and space, touching all things. What you do right now touches everything."

The others nodded. "That is why we are so proud of you," Solus said with a serious expression. She looked at Prima. "Tell us more, brother."

He looked at another card, the Hierophant. "Hmm. You appear to be on track regarding reviving our culture. The traditions that are important are ever present in your processor. I do recall, brother, that you had a dim view of some aspects of our society in the beginning but have grown over time. I rather favor the Circle but I am aware that you called them a cult once upon a time."

Prime grinned slightly. "I did. That was then."

Prima nodded. "I am not terribly knowledgeable about tarot as yet. I have some notion of their meaning. This arrangement gives me cards that have specific meanings. I won't bore you with the way they interact or what their extra meanings are. I do want you to have the most clear information possible," he said picking up another card. "This is amusing. The chariot." He glanced at Optimus, then grinned. "I don't think we need to talk about your willpower and control as it relates to victory."

A murmur of chuckles rounded the table.

"Tell me, Optimus … what say you about moving Cybertron? What about the aliens you have encountered? I do believe I am behind the times," Vector said as he looked up from a timepiece in his servo to affix Prime with a stern gaze.

"You need to stay more in the world, brother. Optimus is working on securing Primus. He will succeed," Solus said with an amused expression. "As for the aliens, they are still organizing their response." She looked at Optimus. "The Reptilians have a long drawn out process to greetings and new meetings."

"We are still waiting," Optimus said with a nod.

"Those that were lost … it still plagues you?" Nexus asked. He was the first combiner and a fierce warrior.

"It will always," Optimus agreed. "We could not save them."

"You misunderstand life," Vector said as the others nodded. "You come to this life with a path laid out. No one leaves it without permission. All of those involved in that affair knew that they would be leaving the way they did. No one was taken without agreement."

"Then what is the point?" Optimus asked.

"They came with lessons desired and left with answers," Prima said with a serious expression on his handsome face. "They came here to live and learn, this classroom of classrooms, and when they learned what they sought, they left. That they left together was only a surprise to you."

"What am I here to learn then?" Optimus asked.

"To lead fearlessly, to love completely, to show The People the way again," Prima said as the others nodded. "Sometimes when the moment requires it, a great spark comes to lead the way. You are that great spark. We have not given you too much advice, Optimus, because you don't need it. You have all that you need inside. There is much to do. You must do it fearlessly."

"And Megatron? He hangs over my helm like a sword," Prime said.

They nodded. "That path is murky," Prima mused, "but the light that surrounds you is very bright. I take that as a good sign." He grinned. "Sometimes our father is deliberately obtuse."

"He knows you will protect Him. The efforts on Cybertron are welcomed," Solomus said. "Well done, brother."

"We have to go now, Optimus," Prima said as he looked at a couple of cards. He grinned. "I must take more time to learn this. I do believe I rather get it."

Solus grinned. "Bravo," she said as the others faded. Sitting at the table alone, Solus stared at Optimus. "How are you really, brother?"

"I am happy. I have a family that makes my life complete," he replied. "A family, good friends and a purpose of service. That makes me happy."

"That femme … Solus. She is so pretty," Solus said. "Thank you for that. I am so pleased. I am often with you and your family. I am glad for you. Your self denying nature began to worry me. You are not an island."

"No," Prime said in agreement. "I am a mech with many burdens and I vow to serve as best I can."

"You already do, brother," she said. "I am a mere breathe away," she said as the room faded and another took its place. He was sitting in a hiring hall in Iacon, the one for longshoremen for the docks. It was a memory from his own life. Sitting beside him was Deion.

-0-TBC 7-20-17 **edited 8-2-17**


	70. Chapter 70

**OMG! OMG! OMG!** I haven't been able to post for three days. **OMG!** It took them a while to get this together. When I don't post like this, its the site's problem so don't worry. I will be online **ASAP**. I checked in for three days and **VOILE!** Here we go. **AT LAST! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D**

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 70)

-0-In a dream state

Prime looked around himself as he sat on the bench with Deion. They were the biggest mechs in the room, the two of them, but there were many others. It was the time they went to the hall to get a better job than the one they had. Deion had come with him as the two hoped to get longshoreman jobs on the same energon docks down at the main depot in Iacon. It would be a step up and slightly better pay than day laborers. They were called, discussed the job with the jobber, then walked out the door together to go to the docks.

They had gotten the same depot and would work together. He walked with Deion who looked like he did when they were young but Prime's reflection in windows as he passed by showed himself to look as he did now. The streets were filled with traffic and pedestrians going about their business as the two made their way to the commercial center of the great city. It was almost overwhelming to be home and see so much that was so familiar and loved. He glanced at Deion. "What do you think?" he asked.

Deion glanced at him. "It's a better job. A little bit better pay."

Prime nodded. "We should not have to live this way."

Deion glanced at him. "We can go to the rally tonight. You and I know nothing changes without pressure." He glanced at the ground as they walked past two policemen who were watching them as they went by. When they rounded the corner, Deion glanced at him. "More guards and more police. It's getting more dangerous to oppose the establishment."

Prime considered that. "Sometimes, you have to do just that," he remembered himself saying as the scene changed. He was on the shore of the vast ocean and there were two mechs standing there, both of whom he recognized. "Hello, Nominus and Zeta."

The two mechs looked as handsome and beautifully turned out as they did as Primes when alive. They nodded to Optimus respectfully. "Hello, Optimus," Nominus said. "It is good to see you."

Zeta stepped forward to offer his hand which Prime gripped. He shook the hand of Nominus as well. "Why are you here?" Optimus asked.

"We owe penance," Nominus said. "We're here to begin it. I have been in darkness for some time, wandering through cold lands. I remember dying. Someone killed me."

"Who did it?" Prime asked.

He seemed to be thinking. "It was strange. I was warned but I didn't believe them. I was put into office by the Senate and there was little that I didn't do. It was to my shame that I did but there was no reason for them to cause me harm because I was their servant. I believe it was Sentinel. He was head of security. I believe he killed me for the Matrix. He failed because I saw him and moved enough to survive. Those who were with me got me to the hospital where they tried to save me but I saw him standing over me before I died. It was … unnerving." He was silent a moment. "I do believe he killed me there when he saw that what he wanted wasn't there. The real Matrix was in the hands of the Council. He was so enraged he kiled me. I do believe that is what happened."

Prime nodded. "Did you know the Matrix you bore was false?"

Nominus nodded, then grinned ruefully. "I did when I crossed over. Before that, I just thought it was me, that the Matrix didn't feel me as Its bearer."

"The Senate or Council … who had it, really?" Prime asked.

"The Council. Not Neo. Kudon. Neo was a very cold and calculating femme then but she was and is truly religious. She would have never agreed to manipulating the Matrix and she wouldn't have agreed to assassination. It was Sentinel." Nominus shook his helm. "I was cruel to you and I apologize. It's a small thing for what I caused but I feel it here," he said tapping his chassis. "I am going to do my best to appease my wrongs and make things right. Here, I can. I can help you, Optimus. Call upon me when you think I may assist you. I don't know how I can but I will. That part of my rehabilitation is allowed."

Zeta nodded. "And I. I fell away from the truth and allowed bad things to happen in the course for justice. I strayed from the path of reform and reconstruction because I thought it would help return Cybertron to itself faster. I am sorry for that, Optimus. I will help you too."

Prime nodded. "I will remember."

Nominus grinned slightly. "You always were a mech who loved a good redemption story. Proteus is much enamored of you and your merciful goodness, Optimus. You have a very great ally there, Proteus, Neo and Gravitas. The others. You help the lost find their way home in more than the obvious manner."

"We have to go. There is much happiness and support for you here," Zeta said. "Most of us cannot help you but some of us, we get another chance. Remember," he said as the two faded.

Prime glanced around. He was in the Temple again. The journey was over. It was strange and disjointed. It would take some time to figure out. Glancing up at the AllSpark, he felt warmth from It, an ancient kind of sentience and once again, he wondered what It was and where It had come from. Glancing around again, he walked toward the door across the empty Great Room, his pedfalls the only sound he could hear. Reaching the doorway, he paused to look out. The crowd was stupendous and silent, their optics riveted upon him as he began to walk out onto the platform of the massive building.

The priests, Cyclonus and his group along with Alpha Trion bowed lowly. He looked at them, then nodded. It was then that he turned to the vast gathering and felt It, the movement in his chest of divinity. He gripped his chassis, then it opened and a brilliant light shot out, one that spread out everywhere to everyone instantly. Prime flung his arms wide as the light blanked out everything and everyone. He felt only ecstacy as the Matrix cast its blessings to all. Everyone on world and everywhere else that Cybetronians could be found felt it, pausing in their moments everywhere to absorb its warmth. In the Delta Quadrant, only Megatron and his group would be spared inclusion in the blessings.

As the energy flowed out, Optimus felt ghosts rising, the loved ones and friends of other times and perhaps other lives. This was new. It was as if the multitudes of the dead and missing were asserting themselves to partake of the love and inclusion he was showering on his people. Then the light extinguished, falling away instantly.

All of the crowd who were standing entranced in the moment seemed to shift, as if bewildered that such overpowering love could ever leave them. Then a vast light shot up through the Temple, a massive roiling fountain of light that streaked upward to peak, then fall backward to the ground. It rolled out of the building, through all the doors to almost instantly engulf everyone. Whispers in the loving white light greeted the people, comforting whispers as The One gave His love to The People. It seemed to last forever but in an instant, it too was gone.

Before The People could even register their dismay another light burst upward from the Temple, then out. It rolled swiftly away engulfing everyone as Primus Himself gave to The People His unconditional love and blessings. They seemed suspended in a white fog that felt sentient, then it too was gone. All over Mars, Cybertron, the bases, and even Razorclaw's own, the Great Ones had weighed in. Only Megatron and his group would miss the moment.

Prime lowered his arms, pulling back from the perfection surrounding him, then looked at his people. "The Solemnities are concluded. Until all are one."

It came out of the people, the creed, the defining statement of who they were as they almost as one roared it into life.

" **UNTIL ALL ARE ONE! UNTIL ALL ARE ONE! UNTIL ALL ARE ONE!"**

Millions of peds began to stamp as millions of voices and millions of fists punctuated the air. It was primal, the sentiment of The People and it seemed to go on forever. Then it died down and was quiet again. Everyone stared at Prime, watching him as he stood like a god on the steps of the Temple. He glanced at the Guard, they snapped to attention, then formed on either side of him.

Prime walked down the steps under guard, waited for his family, then leading the way walked down the street through the mobs of people on both sides. Many were the spectators who dashed out to touch him, absorbing themselves some of the holiness that this moment conferred upon him. He walked with enormous dignity taking the appreciation of his people as he showed himself to them. When he reached his tower, he turned to bow, then walked inside. Behind him came the family, the Guards and then it was over.

All it would take now to end the orn was the siren at midnight.

-0-Moments later

The Guards left, heading off to their families and friends as the family milled in the lobby. Heading upward, they would go to their homes, then meet at Prime's home in a few joors. Blue, the twins and kids went upward to the Residence while the rest headed with Ironhide and Company to their own apartments. Turbine, Delphi, Raptor, and Hard Drive followed Ironhide and Company into the apartment to sit along with Ratchet's family. They lived other places but had brought their food over when they gathered for the event. Ratchet turned to Turbine. "You looked good out there, Amma."

Turbine grinned. "That was amazing. It's been eons since one of mine could honor a Prime like that. It was amazing how uncomfortable it is to be the center of attention. Anyone who wants to be famous is nuts. Your anonymity is a gift."

"That's what I tell Ironhide about my own fame. It isn't easy but I do try and find balance between meeting the expectation of my fans and being a house wipe," Ratchet said with a giant smile.

"You have a screw loose, Old Mech," Ironhide said as he tossed beer around. "How long until dinner?" he asked.

"Six joors," Delphi said.

"Frag," Ironhide said as he sat down. "He was in there a long time. I imagine he thought only a few minutes passed."

"Time has no meaning on the Matrix, sparkling," Turbine said. "There is no time there. We have linear time here to explain and organize our lives but time exists in all places at the same time."

"Save the physics for Prime. He took a class," Ironhide said with a grin.

"You did, too," Turbine replied.

"What do you suppose he saw?" Raptor mused.

"Great things," Turbine said. "He's the One Who Comes."

Everyone nodded.

" **AMMA!"**

Everyone looked down at Orion who smiled like Pacman. "What, baby?" Delphi asked.

 **"I, ORION, HOGEY!"**

Ratchet snickered. "He's hungry."

"So am I," Ironhide said as he watched Delphi rise. His amma walked to a box with infant meals that Ravel had arranged. The ammas in the room rose to organize the infants to eat a dinner. It was controlled chaos a moment, then they were seated to eat.

Sunspot glanced at his family. "Will you eat too?"

"Later, son. You eat and tell us how good it is," Ravel said with a smile.

He would. Ironhide would hate that he did.

-0-TBC 7-22-17 **edited 8-2-17**


	71. Chapter 71

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 71)

-0-After a siren blows

"This is good, Amma. Too bad no one can cook like you." Several pairs of molten optics fixed themselves on Ironhide who grinned at them. "You're so easy to wind up."

"You think so?" Ratchet said as he glared at Ironhide. "Maybe I should shut off the spigot."

Prowl nearly vomited as the fork in his mouth stabbed the back of his throat. He looked at Ratchet. "You're disgusting."

Ratchet gave him a dazzling smile. "No, I'm merely misunderstood."

"Not really," Ravel said glaring at Ratchet with his own molten optics. "I'm going to paddle you later for being a potty mouth in front of the Prime."

Prime who had said a few words himself in his own time grinned at Ratchet. "Potty mouth."

 **"That's me!"** Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Ravel eyeballed his son. "You can't shame someone who has no shame."

 **That's me!"** Ratchet repeated.

"What's the Thanksgiving thing again, Ratch?" Hercy asked as he worked his way through a mountain of food on his plate.

"Cookies. All manner, shape and size of cookies," Ratchet said. "I, Ratchet of Iacon, plan to win. I have spoken."

Hardy laughter greeted that as Ratchet stared at the lot of them with a slight smirk. "Fraggers."

Prime grinned. "I can not wait. There's something about a really good warm cookie."

Everyone gave him an awww moment, then nodded. The discussion figured on cookies for a moment, then Ratchet sat back with a thoughtful expression. "We have no more holidays or football weekends until Halloween."

It was silent a moment, then Kup glanced at Prime. "You better check the human's calendars. There has to be a good holiday or two left. I'm personally leaning to an orn dedicated to beer."

General agreement was swift on that sensational idea as some of them hit the calendar trail in Teletraan. "How about Father's Day?" Lon asked as he sat on the floor next to Bezel and Drift.

Everyone considered that, then looked at Prime. He grinned. "Okay."

Huge laughter met that one, then the more obscure dates began to rise to the surface:

"What about Hurricane Supplication Day?"

"Culturama Day sounds fun."

Martyr's Day sounded too morose so that was discounted right away.

"What about Day of the Institutions?" someone asked. "Because Ratchet belongs in one."

" **HA-HA, IRONHIDE!** " It was put on the list anyway.

"How about Day of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation Day?"

Everyone stared at Drift for a moment. "It's uh … from somewhere called North Korea."

"It sounds amazing. I like 'Day of Victory in the Hinterlands of the Foreground Consumation!' or as we call it, the day Prowl finally fragged Prime," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. The only reason he got to still live was that Optimus nearly threw a rod laughing. It was a good thing he didn't because Prowl would have beaned Ratchet with it.

That one.

"Day of the Rebellion."

"Buddha's first sermon day," Drift said. They paused a moment to look it up, then agreed. It was a very fine holiday.

"Rennaissance Day. I can see you now, Prowl. Standing in a tall tower in a long flowing dress with Prime on a horse in armor below. **'I DO DECLARE! WHO WILL SAVE ME FROM THIS AWFUL FATE?!'** you'd say, Prowler. Prime would wave his sword, then reply. **'REPULSIVE! REPULSIVE! LET DOWN YOUR HAIR!"**

For a moment, no one got it, then they did. Prime laughed the loudest. Prowl eyeballed Ratchet. "You disgust me," he said with a paint peeling tone.

"I hope so, Prowler." Ratchet gave him his best smile.

"I rather like Father's Day, the Day of the Institutions which I would like to change to Guild and Union Day and that other one," Prime said as he thought a moment. "Rennaissance Day. Call it … what could we call it? Cybertronian Cultural Appreciation Day?"

Everyone stared at him. "That doesn't really trip off the tongue," Hercy said with a grin. "What about Cybertron Day?"

It was silent a moment, then Prime grinned. "Okay," he said, then glanced at Prowl. "Make it so, trusty little sidekick. Also, put a Nana Day in there too. We don't want to be accused of being sexist do we?"

"Can they?" Bezel asked with curiosity. "Accuse us? We sorta don't have genders."

"I don't know," Prowl said. "I don't care," he continued as he shot demonic optics at Ratchet.

Ratchet smiled. "While we're at it, scheduling things and all … when is our jamboree going to be?"

Prowl nearly levitated out of his chair.

Moments later …

Ironhide and Prowl stared at Ratchet with smoldering optics. Ratchet grinned. "You **do** know that Starscream was rooked into the Autobot Scouts too."

"And that matters how, fragger?" Prowl asked. It didn't matter that his ada stared at him with amusement. Some things were just that. Some things.

"Delegate," Ratchet said. "Ah, Prowler … you need a nanny."

" **You** need institutionalized," Prowl replied.

 **"GOOD!** I hear there's a day of celebration for that somewhere," Ratchet said.

"Anyone for cake?" Ravel said as he stood with a smile.

Everyone was.

-0-Later that evening

Ironhide and Ratchet lay down on the berth, worn out from food, holiness and laughter. The kids were sleeping over at Prime's house while the adults trudged home as Drift and Springer went to work with Lon, Bezel, Hercy, and Kup. Time and drunks waited for no one.

"This was a good orn, Ironhide."

"It was. Prowl is so easy to wind up."

"He is. I love to make Prime laugh."

"I know. It's the only reason I still keep ya." (Giant grin on a kewpie doll face)

A fist to the gut (dis)abused Ironhide of that notion as Ratchet rolled over to snuggle. "I'm too pooped to party."

"Me too. Good night, Ratchet."

"Good night, Only One."

-0-Morning

They wandered out and upward to gather up kids to take to school. The adults who usually did were slow off the mark. Ratchet and Ironhide were up early, driven by practice to rise even if the kids were somewhere else. The big kids had stayed with their Appa and Ammas so they had the place to themselves.

 **"HEY!"** Ratchet said as he entered The Residence with Ironhide in tow.

There was a moment of chaos as kids and dogs jumped them, then everyone got organized. Pulling tiny book bags out of their carryholds, Ratchet and Ironhide got them loaded up and ready to go. "When is the staff meeting or is that off again?" Ratchet asked.

"In three joors. Don't be late, loon," Prowl said with a grin.

"With that kind of invitation, how can I be?" Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. Everyone exited, then made it to the ground floor. Hailing a cab for Hero, they put the pleased and mildly self conscious little femme into it, then watched it drive off.

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "You following or me?"

"Neither. I just let the school know she's on her way. Someone will get her when she pulls up. Go later and get it worked out but for now, let's let her be a big girl." Ratchet began to walk to the corner.

Ironhide watched him, then followed. **"SHE'S NOT A BIG GIRL! SHE'S A PEEWEE! SHE CAN BE A BIG GIRL LATER ON! I HAVE SPOKEN!"**

Ratchet would laugh for a while. So would a lot of pedestrians on the street passing by.

-0-At Youngling Day School, Centurion, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They gathered outside, the human kids who came there meeting up with those from N.E.S.T. and the Family Tower Habitat. It was still awkward between them but they were getting to know one another, though neither side had not bonded yet. No one visited each other and probably wouldn't for a while. The human group at Earth2 were still under restrictions so they would have to have permissions to do the odd different thing. It was considered unlikely that Lennox would approve those measures yet.

Rain Harris, Lily Brown, Camilla Baker, and Jaycee Jameson, all of them the teenaged children of the four billionaires who had fronted half the money for this project stateside stood together by the steps that led inside. They had come with the others by bus which drove up into the habitat entrance for trucks, allowing passengers only to board when the atmospheric safety devices signaled it was alright to do so. They would load up, drive out and see the countryside as they hit the highway traffic heading into The City. They would pass the Basilica, the Mausoleum and two Metro Districts before heading east to the Tri-Cities. The journey through Tyger Pax would be slow due to morning traffic and pedestrians going here and there.

Trucks would be unloading goods to stores, carrying things out to be delivered elsewhere and making the wheels of commerce turn. Buses with children going to various schools, buses with Resort visitors going sightseeing, shift changes, horseback police entering or exiting the flow, all of it surrounded them on their way. After leaving Tyger Pax, they would drive on the eight lane highway through the open land between cities, pass the odd utility building and the huge public works parking area for their non-sentient equipment before entering the city of Centurion.

It would be busy and filled with activity but eventually, they would drive into the bus lanes for drop off, slowing to a stop behind other buses and the odd parent driving in vehicle mode. Children would get off, then directed by staff to their appropriate entrances where they would gather until the doors opened. More and more kids came including those who were well known to every human with a television on Earth. Prime's kids and those of Ratchet and Ironhide made their way to their door too. The bell rang, then the doors opened. Children poured in, running for the lines that marked the elevators where they would wait for their turn to go to their rooms. They were dismissed to go up, those who shared the same floors filling the elevators for the short journey. When they arrived, they ran out, heading for the open doors of their classrooms.

Harris, Brown, Baker, and Jameson followed the other humans to their classroom, that of Terradive. Annie Lennox, Sandy Thomas, James Hoyt, Bobby Epps and his sister, Lucy, walked ahead of them laughing and talking with other kids, all of them alien. They entered the room, then hurried to their lockers in the back. The four new girls followed them.

It was noisy and chaotic as they put their things in, then took what they needed to their tables. Turning to look for everyone, James Hoyt waved. : **COME ON!:** he said, then ran for the door. The other kids followed including Cybertronians as they exited swiftly for the playground and the last part of the remaining morning recess.

The human girls watched, then turned to Terradive who was organizing at his desk. He glanced up at them. "Are you ready to go out or is there something you need?" he asked.

Rain Harris walked to Terradive's big desk, then halted beside it. :Mr. Terradive, what was that thing that happened yesterday? There was a bright light three times."

"It was nothing to be afraid of. It's a comforting light that happens at the Festival. It's only for the good, to make everyone welcome," he said.

They stared at him, then nodded. As one, they walked to the door to go down, where they would stand on the steps and watch as the kids talked together, played on the equipment on the playground or chased each other. The siren would sound shortly after.

-0-At a school in Metrotitan

The cab pulled up, then a tiny femme climbed out. Thanking the cab though it was non-sentient because she was that polite, she walked toward the door of her school which was housed in a tower by itself as part of the Central Office of the Autobot City Unified School District. An aide standing by the door smiled at her, holding it open for the little mite to enter. They would go upward together discussing their impressions of the Festival and what it all meant.

-0-At The Fortress

They began to gather for the meeting postponed since the Festival. It would be new business, old business, who was going to get the business, fun, laughter, trolling Prowl, for the good of the order, loose ends, wits ends, and 'the good stuff'. In short, it would be the same old, same old once more. But in the end, there would be a few new holidays on the calendar for the new paradigm.

-0-TBC 7-23-17 **edited 8-2-17**

NOTE: Let me repeat … if there is no posting for more than one night once in a while then the site is giving me fits. They just now let me post again. It happens, unfortunately. HUGS!

Someone asked a source at Hasbro who has the Transformers brand if there was such a thing as genders recently and they reiterated, "no, there isn't'. So, they just give the gender thing when they're around aliens who have genders. :D


	72. Chapter 72

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 72)

-0-Into the day

Ratchet walked into his office to spy Partition sitting in his chair behind his desk. They stared at each other, then Partition got up slowly. "Move along, infant, or you're going to be a patient," Ratchet said as he walked to sit in his chair. Partition slouched to a couch, then sat. It was silent a moment. "So, I can see that Festival had a only the slightest marginal effect on you."

Partition shrugged. "Nothing of my personal life is your business."

"Actually, according to your own caste court everything that **IS** you is my business," Ratchet said. He sat back with a slight smirk. "They even gave me permission to slap the slag out of you."

"You can try," Partition said.

Partition's remark reminded Ratchet of a pouty little sub adult who was feuding with his family. Never having been that kid himself, as cognizant of he was of their poverty, his family's sacrifices for him and the stress they were under to provide, Ratchet had never pushed them or tried to do anything that would add more worries to their pile. Kids like this, he understood to a degree but the selfish self-centeredness of them was outside of his personal experience. His ada would have spanked his aft if he was 'one of those younglings'. "You make me laugh."

"I don't intend to," Partition said as his frown deepened.

"We're going to Diego Garcia today because I have to check the facility for medical and do exams. You're coming. Given that this is the single most important alliance we have, I'll personally slap the slag out of you if you so much as blink out of line." He rose. "Get the lead out, slagger," he said as he walked to the door.

Partition watched him go, then got up to follow. He would have to hoof it, something that irritated him no end, just to keep even with the long legged mech. Ratchet who could walk as fast as some cars drove given his medical status and the resultant crush to reach the injured within nanoseconds that status demanded quashed a grin as the mech tagged along slightly behind him. It would stay that way to the bridge room of The Fortress.

They walked into the building, past the little elders playing games, sitting together and/or chatting, then entered the Rec Room, the first and foremost one in the colony. Prowl who was standing by the door called to him. Ratchet detoured with Partition behind him. He halted before Prowl as Partition moved to stand next to him with a belligerent expression on his handsome face. "You rang?" Ratchet asked.

"You aren't taking **him** are you?" Prowl asked without any of the niceties.

"I sort of inherited him," Ratchet said with a dazzling grin.

"No, you **sought** him **out** in some kind of demented merciful moment," Prowl said. "There's a huge difference. Now you think you're going to take this idiot with you to one of the most sensitive and highly watched human habitations that we **have**?"

"Yes. That about sums it up," Ratchet said.

"That would be a dumb idea," Prowl said as he glanced at the youngster who was growing crosser by the moment. "He can't be trusted to act the right way. He's a spoiled, entitled, narcissistic dolt. I don't approve of this."

"You have to let them fall, Prowler. At some point, we have to cut the cord and let them toddle along without us holding them up," Ratchet said. "If he crashes, then I get to punch him out. Or better yet, I'll let the garrison have him for a gauntlet."

Partition glanced sharply at Ratchet. "You can't do that."

"They said I could punch you. They didn't say I couldn't farm it out. Look alive, Partition, or you're going to be the garrison's punching bag."

" **YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"** he said with gathering alarm.

"Take me to court," Ratchet said as he turned to go. "Keep up, youngling." He headed for the bridge with a brisk step.

Partition looked at Prowl with a gathering sense of doom clearly expressed on his face, then hurried after Ratchet. Prowl watched him go with a slight smirk.

:Prowler:

:What?:

:Thanks:

:Don't thank me yet. If he frags up, a gauntlet will be the least he has to worry about. Prowl out: He grinned, then walked into Ops Center for duty.

-0-At the bridge

"This is a great bridge. It can send up to the end of the universe or to Cukamonga. Right now, **SEND US TO DIEGO, MY MAN!** " Ratchet said with a huge grin to the bridge operators.

They laughed, called up a bridge, then watched as the two walked inside. It was a maelstrom of light before they reached the pad at Diego. Stepping off, Ratchet bowed. "Hello, boys. Mama is here for your exams."

"Hey, Ratchet," Zipper, a young Home Guardman said as he laughed. "Do I have to have one?"

"Nope, infant," Ratchet said. "You already have. I have to get the other slaggers. This could be fun."

"I hope so. Call me if it is. Okay?" he asked with a smile.

"Count on it, infant," Ratchet said as he walked toward the door. Partition followed. They headed out, then upward to the rec room and the operational center above. Stepping out, they paused together in a rec room that was empty. Beyond, the doors outside were open and sunlight streamed in. Clouds were high overhead and it was hot, about 87 degrees Farhenheit. It felt good to him as a light breeze stirred.

"This is the original operational center and base for us when we came here years ago, the five of us. We managed to secure a few more soldiers along the way … Arcee, Sideswipe … Hound came. It was slow going and very uncertain but when the refugees began to hear from us, they came in numbers. The humans would never allow us to settle here so we went to Mars and began to build. That first refugee group was about 50 or so. I can't really remember the actual number but it was huge to us. We took them in, elders, families, soldiers, orphans and never looked back."

Partition looked around. "This isn't the same place."

"No," Ratchet agreed. "The first building was a huge hangar with underground rooms that was blasted by the Insecticon strike of … whenever it was. That was my medbay," he said pointing to a conference room for pilots. "They moved it a bit. It's all high tech and Cybertronian. I miss the old building. It had character and memories," he said as he walked toward the Ops Center. Partition followed. He entered to cat calls and shouts of welcome. **"HELLO, BOYS! WHAT'S UP!?"**

"Well, not much now that you mention it," a human said with a big smile. He was sitting at a console on a platform working his part of the equation here in the center. There were always five humans working here on any shift, liaisons and such for the human contingent.

"I expected gossip, William," Ratchet said to the grinning sargent who he had come to like a lot. "How disappointing. However, I'm here for medical exams so let the games begin." He hit all five with his sensors, then read the data. "You're disgustingly fit and well. Where are the others?"

"At the beach entertaining the masses," William said.

"Thanks, infants. We'll be back," Ratchet said as he ambled out the door again. Partition followed. Ratchet walked outside to stand in the sunlight. It could easily become overcast. He hoped not. He liked the heat and solar. "Smell that smell," he said. "That's the ocean. Let's go find the bots. They're probably playing there with their fan club."

Ratchet walked toward the buildings farther down as all around him humans began to gather. They were off duty, it would appear to Partition and used to seeing Cybertronians around. Many were the cameras and phones pulled out to take Ratchet's picture, so famous was he in the world of squishies apparently. They made their way along, Ratchet waving, stopping to chat with some he apparently knew and even bending down for comical self portrait pictures with them.

:Why are you doing that?: he asked as they continued onward.

:You have to ask? You want to be a diplomat. This is diplomating 101, infant. Selfies are one of their religions, apparently: They reached the Officer's Club where Ratchet slowed, then stopped. Several officers, some who were friends, were standing outside with several civilians. Everyone of them was delighted to see Ratchet but one. Even Partition could tell that. Ratchet knelt. "Hello, boys. How's the soldiering going here?"

"It's all good, Ambassador," one of them said, a tall human colonel who had just been assigned to the base, a choice posting in the army and navy of a number of nations. "What brings you here?"

"Physicals," Ratchet said with a grin. "Have to keep up with maintenance. Literally."

Everyone laughed but the one who stared at Ratchet with an appraising expression. Ratchet looked at him. "Hello, Frazer. I see you're still here."

"No thanks to you," Frazer said with an edge to his voice.

"What's your problem, human?" Partition asked in perfect English. He bore the languages and slang databases among other language tools that Ratchet had ordered him to download. He didn't want to do it but at this moment he was glad he did.

Ratchet glanced at him. :Easy:

:He's a slagger: Partition said. :He has no respect for us:

:That's obvious. But there's more to the story. Let it go and I might fill you in, apprentice:

Partition gave a gimlet optic to Ratchet but said no more. Ratchet glanced down at Frazer again. "I had nothing to do with you fragging up. That's yours, Frazer. You might try and figure out how to take personal responsibility. It's the adult thing to do."

Frazer stared at Ratchet with a frosty expression. "I'm coming to Mars in three days to work at Earth2. You can't do a damned thing about that posting." He grinned slightly with a sense of triumph.

"Do you think so?" Ratchet asked with a slightly bemused expression of his own.

"Internal personnel decisions aren't yours to make. It's part of the charter," Frazer said.

"No, but whether or not you ever leave the building to come outside falls completely in my domain. Read the fine print of the charter, infant," Ratchet said as he stood. He looked at the other men who were solemn-faced at the exchange. "I have to bag a few runners for their exams. See ya, boys. Come to Mars some time. I'll show you around."

"Thanks, Ratchet," one of them said. They watched as Ratchet and Partition walked onward, then turned to Frazer. "You're an idiot."

Frazer glared at them, then Ratchet. Then he walked onward. In three days, he would board a ship, take the scenic route to Mars, then become part of the staff at Earth2. His father and mother would follow later.

-0-At the beach

They were playing ball in the water, half a dozen mechs splashing and drowning each other as they played with a Cybertronian football. It was the classic, 'kill the ball carrier' and a great source of entertainment and video for the masses who were crowded along the shore above the waterline.

Ratchet and Partition watched for a moment, then Ratchet blasted his horn. They stopped as everyone turned to see the two, Ratchet with a big grin and Partition with a slightly irritated and embarrassed frown. : **Did you have to do that?** : he asked with a glare at Ratchet.

Ratchet glanced at him. " **OH, FRAG, YEAH!** Didn't your genitors ever embarrass you in public? What's wrong with you, youngling? You're missing out on some of life's finer things," Ratchet asked as he bent down to talk to several of the humans who were closest.

The mechs stood in the water waist deep as Smokey tossed the ball from servo to servo. **"RATCHET! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"** he called out.

"Why, wait just a second and I'll show you," Ratchet said in reply. He chatted a moment, then began to pick his way to the beach with Partition following. That mech looked like a bored kid having to go shopping with his mommy. They halted on the beach, then with lightning speed, Ratchet grabbed Partition, hoisted him over his helm, planted himself like only a medical mechanism could, then flung the kid into the ocean. He soared over their helms landing way out behind them, then sinking completely out of sight. "That. I'm here to do that."

-0-TBC 7-25-17 **edited 8-2-17**


	73. Chapter 73

The Diego Diaries: Diego (dd6 73)

-0-At the sea

Ratchet waded into the water just as Partition began to rise to the surface. He pushed upward, then began to swim toward the shore. The mechs watched him as he finally reached his footing. He turned on Ratchet. **"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"**

"Because it was fun," Ratchet said. He grinned as Partition fumed in front of him, then he jumped forward. Landing on Partition, they both disappeared from view. Waves rolled onto the beach, the force of it broken somewhat by the presence of other mechs in the water. They watched with amusement as the two rolled upward again.

" **HEY, RATCHET! NEED HELP!"** Smokey called out.

" **NOT YET**!" Ratchet said with a laugh. Down they went again and again until Ratchet pushed off to float on his back.

Partition came up again filled with fury. He pushed off to chase Ratchet who was waiting for him. Down he went when Ratchet collapsed to sink. Partition floated on top staring looking for Ratchet in the water until he was jerked under again. The water roiled, then Ratchet popped up, swimming on his side toward the smirking mechs watching nearby. "Hello, boys. I'm here for your physicals."

"Who's the kid?" Smokescreen asked as he stood next to his grandson. He was the commander of the base for the Autobots. Smokey had rotated here and was divided in his permanent assignments. He spent one series of shifts here, then did the rest on Mars with the Night Watch.

"He wants to be a diplomat. I'm showing him the ropes," Ratchet said as he got to his feet.

Raucus laughter greeted that as the group watched the kid walk toward them with a real fury on his face. He paused before Ratchet. **"WHY DID YOU DO THIS?"**

"Because everyone who comes here gets dunked. Its a right of passage," Ratchet replied with a grin. He glanced at the others. "Right?"

They nodded. "Sure," Smokescreen said with a grin.

Partition glared at all of them. "It's a stupid thing to do."

"Oh, my. Get over it," Ratchet said. "Look at the humans. They think its great."

Partition stared at the humans, then Ratchet. "Who cares."

"You better if you want to be a diplomat," Ratchet replied. "Those aliens over there helped kill The Fallen and Megatron. They're tough and smart. You'd be slammed to the ground if you do anything to mess that up."

Partition glared at Ratchet, then the humans watching. "How does this advance me toward that goal, your highness?" he asked with a caustic tone.

Ratchet grinned. "You don't know much about your place do you. You're low mech on the totem pole. You do what I tell you and you do it the way I tell you. You have no say here. You're learning how to do this my way. I've been the Autobot diplomat since forever. You will never get anywhere with me by being a hard headed aft and I'm the only open door you can pass through by meeting my standards."

"Your standards. **HA!** " Partition said before Ratchet gripped his helm and dunked him. Over and over he was dunked before Ratchet stepped back.

Partition came back up and swung on Ratchet. Ratchet ducked but swung back connecting hard and expertly. Partition staggered, then swung again. Ratchet swung back and it was on. Moving toward shore, Smokescren rapped Jolt and Smokey. "Clear the beach back. If this goes up there, this kid will hurt someone."

The big mechs nodded, then walked toward the beach roiling the water as they went. Humans began to move upward toward the banks under their direction as a real slagfest began to form in the water. Partition had skills but Ratchet had more and even though he managed to land blows Ratchet parried most.

Partition pressed Ratchet who stepped back giving ground as a tactic. Partition swung over and over, landing blows but mostly getting parried as Ratchet calmly fended him off. He paused in his fury, then tackled Ratchet. They surged backward pushing a wave toward the beach. The mechs there helped the humans miss it, then moved them onward. The fight was heading for shore.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and The Empire

:I have a message from Captain William Coy at Diego that Partition and Ratchet are slagging it out on the beach, Commander: Lieutenant Alexander Blake, a human working in the Ops Center as a N.E.S.T. liaison said as he glanced toward Prowl. :What do you need to have done? Jolt told someone who called me:

Prowl considered that, then rose from the table. "I will handle it," he said as he walked from the huge room toward the bridges.

Alex watched him go, then glanced at his partner, a sargent from France. :Oops:

They both grinned, then tuned in to Diego for the straight poop.

-0-At Diego

Prowl walked from the Embassy toward the main road through the base that led to the beach where the fight was still going on. He nodded to those who waved as he walked with purpose toward the ocean down the way. As he headed through the base, an uncommon sight lately, he saw officers at the Officers Club who were coming out of the building. Nodding, he continued onward as they watched him pass by.

"What's he doing here?" one asked, a colonel in the American air force.

"I don't know," a British naval captain said. "Let's go."

The group as one followed after Prowl who was hoofing it carefully through the crowds. He found a bigger one at the ocean. Halting to figure out what to do, he walked back a bit, slipped between two buildings, then hit the beach. The crowd was pushed back as Ratchet and Partition jammed on the sand. Ratchet was between the humans and Partition so there was no danger things could become more problematic than they were.

Jolt, Blurr, Smokey, several Home Guardsmen whose names eluded Prowl at the moment, and Smokescreen were also between the humans and the fight, though they were clearly enjoying it. Prowl watched them, drew his conclusions about a number of things including Partition's obvious but overmatched skills, then stepped closer. "Ratchet," he said.

Ratchet glanced his way as he blocked a number of Partition's furious punches. "Hi, Prowler. Welcome to my nightmare."

Prowl smirked in spite of himself, then glanced at Partition. "Either put him down or I will."

Ratchet grabbed Partition's servos. "Enough," he said before Partition kicked him in the shins. Hard. Ratchet saw stars, then picked Partition up. He threw him hard into the water where he sunk from view. Rubbing his shin, he bitched. "Ow."

"Serves you right," Prowl said with a grin. "You knew it would be a slag fest going in."

"True, that," Ratchet said. "But if it wasn't, where would be the fun in that?" he asked with a smile.

Prowl grinned as both turned to watch Partition rise up, then hulk his way forward. He was truly pissed. Prowl stepped closer. "Enough," he said in his most firm command voice.

"Get out of the way, traitor. I'm going to kick his aft," Partition said as he got closer.

"You will be brigged if you don't obey," Prowl said.

Partition halted, staring at Prowl with fury. "He threw me in the water in front of the humans."

"Everyone goes in the water when they come here. Didn't you know that?" Prowl asked with a mild sense of amusement. He glanced at Ratchet. "Didn't you tell him?"

"And ruin the surprise?" Ratchet asked.

Partition looked from one to the other. "I'm going to file a complaint. He's abusive and worthless."

" **Oh, there you go!** You hurt my feelings," Ratchet said with a grin. "Get out of there. We have work to do."

Prowl nodded, then glanced at Ratchet. "I would like to know about the plans for expansion of the housing here along with how medical fits into the master plan," Prowl said as he turned to walk back to the Embassy.

Ratchet joined him waving to the humans as he left. "I have a few ideas about that," he said as they walked down the beach to the old break in the fence and a straight shot to the Embassy.

Partition watched them with incredulity. He glanced at the other mechs who grinned at his disconnect. "Fraggers," he hissed as he walked after them.

 **"AND HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU TOO, FRAGGER!"** Smokescreen said as the others laughed. Then Smokescreen grabbed the ball from his grandson before racing to the water once again. The others followed, the humans resumed their places once again and all was well in this neck of the woods once more.

-0-Down the beach

:You really know how to clear a room: Prowl said as he grinned at Ratchet.

:It's my special power: Ratchet replied with a smirk. :This hard head is going to take some of my special handling. If he lives through it he might have a chance to be decent:

:Sometimes, you can't change a psychopath: Prowl said.

:Sometimes, you never know until you try: Ratchet said as they climbed the bank to the trail that led to the Embassy. The stroll to the building was pleasant in the warmth of the day. It felt like old times. Pausing to chat with soldiers and civilians, the two made it to the Embassy with a fuming youngster following. Entering, they turned to Partition who paused before them with fury on his face.

"You are here to learn. You are here to follow orders and directions. The end result of failure is to be shunned forever and that means your family would have to obey the court directive as well," Prowl said.

"My family would never obey that," Partition said.

"It would be to their credit not to but I have seen those who did. You have only one path. **You** chose caste court. **You** agreed by doing to to obey and live within the court's findings. If you **don't,** then you are a very great fool. Ratchet will teach you all you need to know to excel. Don't be a delinquent," Prowl said.

"Funny coming from you. There's those who see you as a traitor, Prowl, to the cause," Partition said stubbornly.

"The only cause that we need to be concerned with is the Autobot's. The Prime has stated that he will honor fight anyone who believes that the caste poison has to come back. I will be seeing him later this afternoon. Shall I schedule you for a contest?" Prowl asked calmly.

"You don't think I can best him?" Partition asked with the brio of hard headed youth.

"No." -Ratchet and Prowl

"You may find this amusing but make no mistake. Prime has put his prestige on the line against The System. You will have to honor fight if you persist in this venture. I consider Optimus Prime a phase six mechanism. You would fail in a match against him with even an army assisting." Prowl glanced at Ratchet. "I am enamored of the idea of a gauntlet if that's the last measure available. It works for the former Decepticon hot helms. There is no data on its affects regarding civilians. I would be interested in seeing it if it comes to that."

"You two are peas in a pod. You think you can beat me into submission? That I'll be your pet over time?" Partition asked with cold mirthless resolve on his face.

Prowl turned to him with a measuring gaze. "No. What we want is a decent citizen. There isn't a single mech or femme of any age or condition in our society anywhere it can be found that takes second place to you by virtue of the birth lottery. It would do you well to learn that simple truth, one given to us by Primus and The One with Their ultimate love and sacrifice. If you defy our creed, that all are indeed one, you defy Them too."

Partition stared at him, then Ratchet. "I defy you."

"Good," Ratchet said with a grin. "I need a more well rounded martial practice, Prowler. Tussling with Ironhide keeps me in trim but having another sparring partner, now that's sweet."

"Punching bag, you mean," Prowl said with a grin. He looked at Partition with an appraising stare. "Do you take training?"

"I put him in the Home Guard. They work at the dojo as part of the program. Maybe some fine orn he'll land more than 4% of his punches," Ratchet said with a grin.

Partition glared at him. "You give me incentive to go more."

"Oh, do," Ratchet said. "I'm thinking of taking you on missions. If you want to be a diplomat in this mech's corp you need combat experience."

Partition stared at him a moment, then Prowl. "Combat?"

Prowl shrugged. "It's part of the job."

Partition shifted his peds as he looked at both with a slightly uncertain expression. Ratchet grinned. "Go to the medbay and wait for me there. I have to discuss some things with Prowl before he returns to Mars."

Partition glared at Ratchet but obeyed, walking to the medbay with a slight limp. Ratchet watched him go, then grinned at Prowl. "I don't know how this will turn out but every time I look at him I see him as an infant. He didn't mean to turn out this way and there's something about him that makes me ..."

"Soft in the helm?" Prowl asked as both watched the big kid walk into the medbay and disappear from sight.

"Bingo," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "You heading back?"

"Yes," Prowl said with a slightly bemused expression. "I am Prowl. I am essential equipment."

Ratchet snickered. "You are. See ya."

Prowl nodded, then watched as Ratchet walked to the medbay as well. He smirked, shook his helm, then walked toward Central Corridor and the route to the bridges. He would be back on Mars in seconds. Partition, on the other hand, would be here on Earth doing drudge work as Ratchet worked through the physicals of the garrison.

-0-TBC 7-25-17 **edited 8-2-17**

NOTE:

News during World War II among the Americans was called 'the poop'. Truthful news was called 'the straight poop'. :D


	74. Chapter 74

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 74)

-0-Evaluations

Smokey sat on the med berth with plugs in every port. He watched Ratchet go through the process while Partition sat at a computer inputting his remarks. He was a glorified stenographer for all intents and purposes.

"What's the word on things back home, Ratchet? I have another two orns to go here," Smokey said as the other mechs lounged around the room.

"Same old, same old. Festival was a hit, my little smokeys in barbecue sauce were a hit and Prime went to the Matrix. You know, the usual," Ratchet said with a chuckle. He pulled the plugs. "You're disgustingly healthy, infant. **NEXT**!"

Jolt walked up as Smokey jumped down. Sitting, he endured the ticklish (for him) process of getting plugged in to the diagnostics machinery that would trace down the smallest little glitch. He grinned. "What did Prime find out, Ratchet, from the Matrix?"

"He didn't tell me. Sometimes he does, mostly he doesn't. He has to work out what they tell and show him half the time first," Ratchet replied.

"The blessings were nice. That's the best part of this whole thing for me, that and eating again," Smokey said with a grin.

"You fast?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

He smirked. "You don't think I can?"

"No." -everyone there including his doting grandpa

Smokey frowned at them, a wholly cute thing. "I fasted."

"Until when?" Ratchet asked glancing at him as he turned to another console to check data. "There's no dishonor in breaking it. The priests made that clear."

"Well … I did have a snack about mid afternoon," Smokey said with a chuckle. Everyone else joined in with their tales. "What about you?"

"I held out until midnight. We always did once I got a certain age, but then, it was easy. There was only so much food to go around," Ratchet said as he put Partition on his sensors. The bot was angry but it hadn't spiked since coming in to do 'scut work again'.

"We did alright," Smokey said as he leaned against a med berth. "Amma made sure of it. We never lacked. Sometimes there wasn't a lot but it was always okay with us. We lived in a sorta nicer part of town than we probably were allowed. Everyone feared my amma."

"My folks worked in factories. They were really religious," Jolt said. "We didn't have much. We lived in a slum in Nova Cronum and they made parts for ships."

Several of the others nodded. "It's easy to fast when there isn't much to eat," one said. "My folks worked hard. Really hard. I wonder where they are."

"They're coming," Ratchet said. "Put that thought into your processor. They would never leave you."

It was silent a moment, then Smokey looked at Partition. "Did you fast?"

Partition looked at him, then nodded. "I did."

Smokey glanced at Ratchet. "I heard they want new holidays, some dotting the calendar. What sort, Ratchet?"

"Prime's looking at an orn to honor genitors, maybe some that honor our culture, a Cybertronian culture orn … that sort of thing. It's nice to have breaks in the schedule so families can have time together." He pulled Jolt's plugs. "Down, infant. You're disgustingly healthy."

"I could have told you," Jolt said hopping down. Static electricity crackled across him.

Ratchet grinned. "How do you have a partner with that happening all the time? How many partners have you electrocuted?"

"Thousands," Jolt said jauntily. **HUGE** hoo-haw greeted that. He grinned at Ratchet. "You aren't trying to match make are you?"

"How about him?" Smokey asked with a smirk. He jerked his helm toward Partition who glanced up with a startled expression. "You aren't in a partnership are you?" he asked innocent of the subtext. The others looked at him with a grin.

" **Frag no!"** Partition said.

Smokescreen who was sitting nearby felt his expression tighten at what the remark meant as opposed to how the others saw it. "No, you aren't in a partnership or no, not with him?" he said nodding to Jolt. He felt the old time rage of high caste fraggery rising in him, the iron curtain that he and Dev ruthlessly fought against all their lives on Cybertron. Dev wasn't the only one who hunted leverage for his child and grandchild to have chances in Praxus. He knew every secret along with Dev that the local authorities hid, feeding them to Devcon to make use of to get their babies into schools, clubs and opportunities closed to their caste.

Partition glanced at Smokescreen. "Both."

The room got glacial as the truth of the moment bloomed before everyone like a sickly flower. Smokey stood up glancing from Partition to his grandfather, then back again. Jolt whose good natured smile faded instantly sat up, too. Ratchet who was setting up for one of the new kids, a former Decepticon named Pogo turned to the situation.

"What the **frag.** What's **your** problem?" Smokey asked as the whole group of mechs turned toward Partition with angry expressions. "Who are **you** to speak like that about him?"

"He's a fool," Ratchet said as he glared at Partition. "You're here under my orders and right now I order you to shut your mouth and do your job."

Partition glared at Ratchet. "I don't intend to be talked about. Frag anyone who thinks otherwise. I don't caste mix."

The room dropped to temperatures normally found in the vacuum of space as the mechs absorbed that remark. Ratchet stepped into the middle of the room glaring at Partition. He turned to Jolt. "If I was a few million years younger and just stringing Ironhide along, there isn't a mech in this room I wouldn't jump. Jolt, you **do** know you're on the future bonds list, right?"

The youngster who was staring daggers at Partition glanced at Ratchet, then relaxed a smidge. He fielded a faint grin. "Okay," he said as Smokescreen moved to stand next to Ratchet.

Ratchet grinned, then looked at Pogo. "On the table, infant," he said as the tall livid former 'Con stood tensely beside two others. He glanced at Ratchet who nodded to him, then walked stiffly to sit. Ratchet glanced around, then at Smokescreen. "This mech is placed in my charge for being a high stepping fragger. He's going to learn one way or the other. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't take offense, any of you, because you earned your reputations and have shown your quality all of your orns." He turned to Pogo, then smiled. "Of course, I can't speak for the former Decepticons among us."

The mechs grinned, then snickered. Smokey turned to Pogo who was becoming a very good friend. "I wouldn't either. You should see him run."

Ratchet laughed, then walked back to plug him in. "I would love to. How can you really get a bead on the quality of someone's aft if you don't see it running away from you?"

The mechs grinned, then nodded. "That's true. I would love to see Megatron's through the site of my rifle," another former 'Con said, a sweet young mech named Dangle. The garrison here of regulars on the same shift had become a very tight group under the leadership of the amiable Smokescreen and the newer residents, most of them news people and other civilians from industry who were very fond of everyone. To say they were popular and well liked among the military and civilian humans posted here would be an understatement.

"You and me both," Ratchet said. "Have any of you worked near him or his spawn?"

"No," Pogo said as Dangle and Forteus, the other former 'Con youngster shook their helms. "We saw him decimate a squad for being late to a meet up. It was the scariest thing I ever saw. Every tenth mech knew before he got shot and most of them were too scared to move. He just shot them, Ratchet." Pogo stilled a moment in memory, then shook his helm. "I don't know what's wrong with him. He was never anything short of scary before but now he's crazy."

"Well, we'll get him, mark my words. All you infants have to do is be happy, work at what you like and be an asset. We need assets. Speaking of which, who among you needs an assist in the romance department? I have a great track record on that score."

The laughter and mockery that got was mostly deserved. Yenta Claus was a well known local menace among the soldiers on and off world. The rest of the physicals went well and the mechs left to go catch a bite. Ratchet stayed with Partition to work out the changes in the medbay. Ratchet finally signed off, then turned to Partition. They were alone in the room. "That was a stupid and mean thing that you did. The boys were just talking like soldiers do. They actually were trying to include you. Did you notice that? Espirit d corps and all that shit."

"I don't care," Partition said with a stubborn set to his expression.

"You should. The world you wander in right now is filled with pot holes and very lonely. It could become permanent. Did you notice that no one else vouched for you and your genitors? Someone stuck their neck out for your brothers because they sensed that the two weren't hopeless. Without me, you wouldn't have a chance at rehabilitation. You needed a sponsor. No one in your caste volunteered for the three of you. How does that make you feel?"

Partition glared at Ratchet. "We would have found one. Whatever it takes for my genitors, I'm going to do."

"For **them**. What about you? Are you always going to be a selfish entitled fool? Do you ever get tired of being lonely?" Ratchet asked.

Partition folded his arms over his chest. "My personal life is none of your business."

"Every part of you and your life belongs to me. I read the fine print before I decided to help you and your genitors. I have complete say over your life until you're released from my sponsorship by the court and the judges. What a fragged up system that you're defending here, Partition. If you fail, then you get shunned by your caste forever. Even your genitors and brothers will have to shun you. Why would you defend a system that did that?"

"You don't get it, Ratchet," Partition said as he stepped closer. "This is about the truth. This is about the relative merits of our species. This is about the simple truth that some of us are smarter, better and more fit to rule than others. The Matrix gave Itself to a low caste fragger, Orion Pax who was once in partnership with another low caste fragger, Megatron. Between them, their actions destroyed our world."

"You don't get it. You can't imagine that if you beat a dog long and hard enough they will turn on you in rage and self defense, then eviscerate you. When there's nothing left to lose, when there's no hope and when your children cry loud and long enough, when you bury your genitors, bonds and siblings too early, then revolution is **INEVITABLE!** What part of that can't you grasp? Do you really believe that low and mid castes don't love their children and families? Do you really believe that the higher virtues are limited to you and yours alone?" Ratchet asked with appalled fascination.

Partition stared at him with a cold expression, then nodded. "Yes. I do."

That's when Ratchet punched him.

-0-Sitting in the rec room discussing the 'new guy' before hitting the road to race around or go on duty

Dangle, Smokey, Jolt, Rago, who was an Autobot soldier from way back, Percle, who was a civilian tech from Mars via Polyhex who was here to tweak computer linkups but was taking a break to trade slag with the boys, Forteus, and another former 'Con named Distill traded slag and ate snacks. It was hot outside, which was awesome, but it was also humid which was less so. As they talked together a commotion at the door of the medbay was heard. They turned to watch.

Ratchet was punching the slag out of the 'new guy'. They stood, one of them dragging a chair out of the way as Partition traded a few punches of his own. Back he went until he rolled out the door of the Embassy.

"Outside. Perimeter the humans," Smokescreen said as he stepped out of Ops Center at the noise.

Ratchet snorted after Partition ignoring everyone around him. The other mechs beat him out, then began to take up positions. The humans fell back startled at the sight of a mech rising up off the ground to turn on the Ambassador of the Autobots with his fists raised.

Ratchet stepped in slagging the kid, taking some reasonably good blows from the enraged kid as they mixed it up in the open space in front of the Embassy. The crowds gathered quickly including a news crew from the news bureau that was based here now. The bots were cheering on the fight, it was evident, even as they made sure that the crowds weren't hurt.

It was a brutal thing, the blows that landed and it wasn't lost on the humans. Back and forth, they danced around each other, flashing blows that landed with resounding thuds.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

:Prowl?: Alex Blake said as he sat on the console nearing the end of shift.

Prowl looked up. "Yes?" he asked.

:Uh, William at Diego just messaged that Ratchet and Partition are slagging it out in front of the Embassy:

Prowl was out of the door before Alex finished his sentence.

-0-TBC 7-26-17 **edited 8-2-17**


	75. Chapter 75

The Diego Diaries: Diego Daze (dd6 75) :D {} indicates NeoCybex being spoken

-0-Prowl

By the time Prowl reached Diego Partition was flat on his back in the open space in front of the Autobot Embassy. There were masses of humans watching outside an enforced circle which Smokescreen maintained with his mechs as protection for them. Ratchet stood over Partition staring at him with an expression that was a mix of triumph and outrage. He walked to Ratchet, then halted by his side. :Well, this is going to be a lead story on the news tonight:

Ratchet glanced at him, then grinned. {"Hi, Prowler. Nice of you to stop by. Again."}

{"Yes," Prowl agreed. {"You have managed to ruin my orn with your antics. Again."}

{"We're just sharpening up our pugilistic skills. Slagger might have a nice combination if he wasn't such an entitled baby,"} Ratchet said as he stepped back from the kid who was starting to come around. {"Better stand back. He might come up swinging and plant a hard right in your tool box."}

Prowl snickered in spite of himself? {:Tool box? How mundane:"}

:Your high caste roots are showing. For you, your jewel box then: Ratchet replied as the kid staggered up, then shook his helm. "Sleeping Beauty arises." Ratchet said, then turned to the humans. "Our training lesson on how to fight in close quarters got out of hand. Sorry about that, little people." He smiled beautifully as the mechs who knew the story smirked at him knowingly. "Nothing to see here. How about a couple of you boys helping my apprentice here into the med berth. We have more doctoring to do." He smiled another dazzling smile.

Smokescreen and Pogo gripped Partition's arms steering him toward the door as he shuffled in his emerging condition. They disappeared. Ratchet watched them, then turned back to the masses who were laughing, cheering and applauding. He grinned, did a courtsey, then walked toward the doors. He paused halfway there, then turned to smile at Prowl. "You coming?"

Prowl stared at Ratchet with wonderment, then joined him to enter the building. It would take a while for the mob to break up and move onward. The bots would stand by the door to watch over that dispersal themselves.

-0-Inside

"What brought this up?" Prowl asked as they walked into medbay where the kid was parked on a med berth. Ratchet scanned Partition, then read the data. "Little mech is going to live."

"Oh joy," Prowl said drily.

"Now, now, Prowler. Don't do me that way," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "He could become something if he tried but I don't know. He's set in stone."

"What happened?" Prowl replied.

Ratchet gave him the highlight reel as mechs 'casually' gathered around the door nearby to … serve their Prime (get the dirt) just in case they were needed (something new and great was said by either) because a half pulverized mech was sometimes unreliable (he might be killed trying to strangle Ratchet).

Like that.

Prowl stared at Ratchet silently for a moment, then looked at Partition. "How many are there in the colony and on Cybertron that bear that infection do you think, ready to get killed or kill someone in a moment of unguarded stupidity?"

"Who knows?" Ratchet said. "I'm keeping him though. If I have to beat him into plowshares I will. The court may come to regret giving me this power. This is deep, psychological and dangerous, Prowl. I have a call in to Jarro for a chat. I need more than a good right-left combination. I'm going to see Lucian and Laslo when I get back."

"Oh. I'm coming too," Prowl said. "You aren't going to do anything to disgrace your oath as an Autobot officer are you?"

"Probably," Ratchet replied matter-of-factly.

"I thought so," Prowl said. "Let's go." He turned to Partition who was shaking off the last bit of fog from his processor. "Come with us. We're heading back. No more exhibitions for today."

"Oh, frag, Prowler. And just when I was moving up on the exhibition card, buzzkill," Ratchet said as he followed Prowl to the door.

Prowl grinned. "Buzzkill. Me? Find a mirror, mech." They left to head for the bridges with a fuming Partition behind them.

-0-Back on track, Jack

They arrived in the colony, then stepped down from the platform. Prowl turned to Partition. "You look like slag."

" **THIS FREAK IS BEATING ME UP EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND!"** Partition said pointing to Ratchet as he vented on Prowl.

"Then don't turn around," Prowl said calmly. "What now?" he asked as he glanced at Ratchet.

"I need you to go to the office and finish the datawork that I assigned this morning. Then I want you to go to the dojo with your unit to train. If there are any deviations from this path, I will find you and slag your aft. Questions?"

Partition stared at him through narrowed optical ridges. **"NONE!"** With that, he walked out to The City and his assignments. He would do them too.

Ratchet and Prowl watched him go, then looked at each other. "I called Laslo and Lucien to come here. They're meeting in the conference room."

"I'm watching through the window," Prowl said as they walked together to reach the main floor. He slowed as he glanced at Ratchet. "Don't do anything I wouldn't."

Ratchet grinned. "Don't be putting your chains on me, Prowler."

Prowl grinned, then continued onward as Ratchet walked to the conference room where the committee usually met to wait for the two to arrive.

-0-Laslo and Lucien

They walked to the door of Ops Center, looked in to spy Prowl who spied them. He pointed to an open door nearby, so the two walked to it to enter. The door closed. It was another door to the big room where the committee met to run the show. Walking to it, Prowl dialed in to the sound as well as the images of those inside. They wouldn't know it but he would.

The snoop.

Laslo and Lucien were called to enter by Ratchet who sat at the table in his usual spot. They hesitated, then complied. Pulling up seats, they both took them. "Why are we here, Ratchet?"

"i took Partition to Diego Garcia, the most important place we maintain with the humans. He was a worker for most of it, then he opened his mouth. It all fell down after that," Ratchet said as Prowl entered to sit in a chair. The winger stared at the pair. "Don't look at me. I'm just here for the ride, too."

Laslo looked at Ratchet. "What do you want?"

"First of all, how does it feel having to come when I, Ratchet the Low Caste, call you?" Ratchet asked.

They stared at him stonily. "You don't seem interested in getting to the point," Lucien said.

Ratchet considered that. "Aw, you sound put out. I just took Partition with me to Earth to work on some things and he made a spectacle of himself. He has this idea that even before he was born he was better than anyone else. I was hoping you could hekp me out there, Lucien. Where do you suppose he got that idea?"

"You know our views, Ratchet. Why do you want me to believe that you're surprised?" Lucien said.

"Because your son is spouting views that will get him killed here. I don't have any belief that your son is clever enough to not get into trouble. He said that his caste is the only one who can rule or have any control. He said its built in, the advantages, and no one else has them. What do you say about that? Is that one of your views or is he diverging into unknown territory from even you?" Ratchet asked.

Lucien stared at Ratchet. "You want me to deny my son then?"

"I want to know the depth and extent of the dry rot, Lucien. I want to know how fully and measured his bigotry is," Ratchet replied.

It was silent, then Prowl rested his elbows on the table. "I was raised to be a high caste and to take more than my share of everything while denying everyone else. My genitors were following theirs. I rejected it even as my genitors did themselves. What about you, Lucien? What if your son pops off to someone here, says that he's by birth smarter and more able than someone else? What do you think would happen to him if he did?"

Lucien shifted slightly. Laslo looked wretched.

"We had a youngster here named Commotion. He played around with his self entitled invincibility. He ended up dead. What about that? Do you want that for Partition?" Ratchet asked.

"Of course not." He stared at Ratchet. "What do you expect me to do? He's a grown mech."

"I expect you to be his father and tell him how to live amongst us here in the real world and new paradigm. I have his sorry aft day and night if necessary and if you won't do it so he can be safe along with everyone else, I will do it for you. What do you want me to do? Assign him bodyguards? He shot off his mouth in a crowd of Wreckers and regular Army. He didn't have enough sense to keep his insults to himself. He didn't even try to judge the moment. One of these orns when I'm not there he's going to insult someone and we're going to have a visit to intensive care, if we're even that lucky," Ratchet said.

"You believe he's in danger?" Laslo asked with dawning realization.

Ratchet nodded. "Yes. He has no sense." He sat back. "It's in your best interest to have a chat with him. We have a number of high castes suffering intense self regard in the Processor Center. They have the same symptoms and problems as Partition. I would step up and do your duty. One of the reasons you got into this mess is the impression of your own community that you're terrible genitors."

Laslo and Lucien looked at Ratchet with expressions of varying emotion. That last remark stung.

Ratchet leaned in closer. "That wasn't my opinion. It was the concensus of your own court, Lucien. I can make him an inpatient or you can do your job. Step up. Get him squared away or he's going to get hurt. Do you hear me?"

They stared at him with stoney expressions, then both nodded. Ratchet glanced at Prowl who shrugged, then he sat back. "No one stepped up for the three of you but me, Ratchet the Low Caste. Remember that when you leave this room. Go and do your job."

Both stood, then walked stiffly out of the room. The door closed behind them. Ratchet glanced at Prowl. "That was awful."

"So is a funeral," Prowl said. "How big a danger is he to himself?"

"I would rate him high," Ratchet said. "He insulted the garrison on Earth to their faces."

"Frag," Prowl said.

-0-On the way toward home

Lucien had called Partition to come home so the two took a train there to meet him. They stood together on the train as it headed through the tunnels toward their city. :This is going to be interminable. We have to convince Partition to do his best so we can end this sooner rather than later:

Laslo looked at him. :Do you believe he's in danger from his actions or what?:

:I don't know. We'll find out from him: Lucien said as the train rumbled into their station.

-0-Moments later at home

"That's what happened," Partition said as he paced in the livingroom.

"He has complete control until the court releases us," Laslo said with a bit of anxiety. "You have to be more strategic, son."

-0-At a restaurant in another city

"That's what happened," Ratchet said as he sat across from Ironhide.

"I don't like you around that mech," Ironhide said. "He's a disaster waiting to happen."

"Maybe, maybe not," Ratchet said. "It's your slagging customs. Again."

Ironhide grinned. "They are, aren't they."

"What have you been doing?" Ratchet asked.

"A lot. I also got the little cars and trucks back from the Museum. Their display is over," Ironhide said. "The infants will be happy."

"Speaking of which, we have a conference for Hero tomorrow, then Praxus and Sunspot the next day," Ratchet said consulting his inner dayplanner.

"I know. It's going to be interesting to see what they have to say about Hero," Ironhide said. "I also want to know how Owen Harris's daughter is doing in Sunspot's room."

"She's there?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

"Every orn," Ironhide said grimly.

"Oh," Ratchet said.

-0-TBC 7-27-17 **edited 8-2-17**


	76. Chapter 76

The Diego Diaries: Continuing (dd6 76)

-0-Later at home that same orn

He walked in looking cross, then sat heavily on the couch. Dinner was nearly ready and the evening was dark outside. His genitors who were working together in the kitchen trying out some of the recipes in a cookbook that looked promising turned almost as one to look at him. "Partition, what's going on?"

He looked at them sourly. "Why?"

"We were summoned into Ratchet's office to 'chat'," Lucien said as he turned to face his son, the food he was prepping for Laslo sitting forgotten on the counter.

" **What? You went?** " Partition asked with surprise.

"What do you expect us to do? He vouched for us," Lucien said with an edge to his voice. "We have no choice."

"What do you **think** happened? You remember the part in caste court about a mentor having full sway? Well, he beat me up in front of some low caste soldiers and a big crowd of humans on Earth at Diego Garcia."

They both stared at him dumbfounded, then Laslo walked to the couch to sit. He stared at nothing in particular for a moment, then his son. "What does all this mean? Since when, Lucien, is this allowed?"

"It's allowed in Prime's brave new world," Partition said bitterly.

"It's not Prime."

They glanced at a doorway nearby where Morius stood in the corridor nervously staring at all three.

"What did you say?" Partition asked.

"It's not Prime. He didn't order this. He doesn't like high caste courts either but he deferred to it because it's a way to solve problems using our own against us. This is **us**. This is **our** court giving us orders to change or suffer. Prime has nothing to do with this. It's **us**." Morius waited for them to explode on him but they didn't.

Laslo glanced from him to Lucien. "What do we do, Lucien? I'm at sea here. I don't know what to do."

"You do what you're supposed to, Ada. This is the court's ruling. We aren't being shunned because of the judges. The congregation made this so. Things have changed here. This wan't the judges or the court or the Prime. This was a proposal by the congregation, supported by the congregation and imposed by them." Morius shifted on his peds as he waited for the inevitable arguments and counter remarks.

It was silent. Lucien sat back. "He's right."

Laslo stared at Morius, then Lucien. "What now?"

"We do this until we get off, then we take stock. We don't know enough about the will of the entire congregation to know what's possible or if this is just a thing with the Iacon population here. That will have to be ascertained. I intend to run for a council position in the elections coming up for the district representatives on local councils in four decaorns. Then I want to be chosen to be one of the three city representatives to the General Council that meets once every three decaorns to go over the needs and wishes of the local districts and cities. I will be able to study things better from that position, then we can know what to do. Until then, we do what we need and have to do without complaint."

"So, if Ratchet wants to beat me up three times an orn, I just accept that?" Partition asked with a cold fury.

"What happened that this occurred?" Lucien asked as Laslo sat beside him twisting a hand towel nervously in his servos.

"Someone made a joke about including me in their romance and I said it would never happen," Partition said with a stubborn expression.

"Was it a joke? You said it was a joke, son," Laslo said anxiously. "I don't see what a small joke can do. Maybe they were trying to be friendly."

"I don't care. They're low castes. I don't hang out with inferior mechs and femmes," Partition said defiantly.

Laslo glanced at Lucien who glanced back. Lucien leaned slightly forward. "That doesn't help us get off the mentoring. The faster this goes, the sooner we got off. Partition, as your father, I am **ordering** you to do better. Keep your remarks to yourself. Try and be collegial. If you do, we get freed. If you don't, if you mess this up, then they could pull the plug. You would be shunned forever and they would expect us to follow suit.:

"You have to understand, son, that this is short term pain for long term gain," Laslo said. "Think on it. Think about a future where we are free again." He rose. "I think dinner is almost ready." He walked back to the kitchen and began to put the food together. Lucien joined him and as they worked Partition watched.

Morius watched Partition with a worried expression.

-0-Sciences at the end of day shift

Perceptor and Wheeljack walked out of the building, then stretched. Nearby, at a three way junction that headed onward on the transplanetary highway, a metro station was placed. It was the general station used by everyone who worked at the prison or the Sciences Center which had been moved out here to a crater that would absorb concussive blasts should there be a problem. Some called it the Wheeljack Triage Express Metro in honor of his spectacular ability to make weirdness explode.

They looked at the darkening skies, then began to walk down the sidewalk that bordered the highway toward the station half a mile away. It served both prison, Sciences, some utility stations that were set up outt here along with two weather buildings. One of the two worked on maintaining the weather system already in place and the other was the shop and design 'palace' where the tech was created that tamed Mars to the extent it was and would also develop that which would restore Cybertron's atmosphere to Earth-like some fine orn.

Other mechs and a femme from that direction were heading for the station as a number of prison guards joined them. Some were going to work and others leaving. Perceptor who carried Resolve in his hold was chatting about the technology advances toward bringing a planet like Cybertron, delicate, vast and fully inhabited to this neck of the woods.

Wheeljack was discussing with him all the math left to develop and how Miler was close to making it possible to work on the bridges that would do the job. They would have to be made big enough in scope for a planet four times larger than Earth, then all the moons and other features that were part of the system as well. It was a very, very daunting and slightly frightening venture. However, for the two nerds who had reached the station, then were descending the steps to walk to the train platform, it was also a very cool idea.

-0-Home

"Ironhide."

"What?"

"We have a conference for Hero and one for Praxus tomorrow. Orion and Sunny are later. We were also invited by family to attend Bos, Co-D and Reflector's conferences when they happen as well."

"That's outstanding. I was informed by The Boss that the three little mechs are going to stay over next Martian Friday."

"I heard Sunny mention that, too. I thought you and your elders were going to work on your helicopters that night, Ironhide."

"We can delay things. Little mechs come first," Ironhide said with a grin as he lay on the berth. Dinner had been fun with the nine older youngling mechs staying. They headed for their rooms to work on a project in some science class or other while the littlest mechs and one brightly happy little femme larked around. Sunspot also told about his orn with the new humans.

"We have three new femmes in our class, Ada. Some femmes named Camilla Baker, Lilly Brown and Rain Harris. They're new. There's another one across the hall in Miss Lyrica's room. Her name is Jaycee Jameson. Bos has to sit next to her."

"Does he like it?" Ironhide asked with curiosity.

"Not really. She doesn't say much," Sunspot said.

"What about you and the other three?" Ratchet asked equally curiously.

"They ask a lot of questions. Mostly about you and Atar. They want to know about Uncle Optimus and some of the others. I don't tell them," Sunspot said.

"What sort of questions, sparkling?" Ratchet asked as he set Prowler down on the ground. That little mech ran swiftly for Hero's room.

"They want to know where we live and what we do. They want to know about our family. They ask about you and Atar, Ada. I don't tell them. I don't like humans," he said with a set expression of defiance on his face.

"They're children, not adults," Ironhide replied.

"I know, but I don't like their questions. They ask too many about us," Sunspot replied.

"You don't have to answer, son. Thank you for protecting our privacy. You're a good son, Sunspot," Ratchet said.

Sunspot arose, then walked to Ratchet to hug him tightly and get hugged back. He smiled, then walked to Ironhide for the same. "Our conferences are coming. Did you do your classroom time yet, Ada?"

"Not yet, infant. Did you, Ironhide?" Ratchet asked as Ironhide nodded. "Well then, I'll come tomorrow."

Sunspot smiled, then looked at his textbooks and datapad lying on the coffee table where he was working on them. "I got my homework done. Can I go play?" he asked.

"Put it ready by the door, then run. **FLY!** " Ratchet said with a smile.

He chuckled, then packed his bag. He hung it on a low peg by the door next to that of the others. Then he walked happily down the hall to Hero's room.

Both watched him go, then glanced at each other. "It could be curiosity and it could be more," Ratchet said. He leaned forward to pick up the house datapad, then sat back to punch in letters for a video and picture blog site on the internet that featured video blogs or vlogs back on Earth. Playing a hunch, he began a search, then struck paydirt. "Bingo," he said handing the datapad to Ironhide.

He looked at it, then frowned. "I don't like this. No one gave permission."

"I know. I think I'll check with the school tomorrow and Ironhide? I think the school board should make a few policies about posting infants to the internet without permission at the next meeting. When's that?" Ratchet asked.

Ironhide paused to do an internal check, then glanced at Ratchet. "In three orns."

"Good. Make it so, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he looked at the datapad, then lay it on the tabletop. On the screen was a website that belonged to Rain Harris. It was a page filled with links to the life here, images of herself and three other human girls doing this and that. What was bothersome to both were the images and short videos of Sunspot and the other kids in Terradive's class including him going about the business of the school day. It didn't appear that any of those included were aware that this was happening.

-0-On the street the next morning

Ironhide stood on the corner with Sunspot in his arms. The little mites minus an excited and expectant Hero were in Ratchet's hold as they waited for ammas and appas to arrive. Later that afternoon, everyone on both sides of the family would meet at Hero's school in Metrotitan, then head for Terra for the conference for Praxus. Right now, they were getting Hero into her cab. She wanted to wait for her ammas and appas to arrive so they could see her being ultra responsible and 'growed up' as her doting atar put it. She was excited for them to know.

Soon, in the distance, they could be seen and by the time they arrived including her Ratchet elders she was self consciously delighted and slightly shy. Greetings were had, then Turbine grinned at Ironhide. "What's the hold up for the babies? Who gets who and why is Hero smiling like a sunbeam at all of us?"

Hero laughed, then hugged her amma's ped. Her amma petted her gently.

:Someone takes a cab to school by herself and wanted you to see her be a big girl: Ironhide said with a grin.

Turbine and the others grinned, then Delphi rubbed his servos together. "Let me see … how can we divide this up? I will take Hero to school," he began before an earnest little femme patted his leg.

"That's alright, Amma," she said with conviction. "I'll help you. I can take a cab."

Delphi grinned, then looked doubtful. "I don't know. I'm not sure that a little femme can go off in the big city all alone. What about you, Appa?" he asked as he glanced at Hard Drive. Hardie had picked up Praxus who was smiling brilliantly in his arms, his little chevron glowing on his forehead. "I think I might agree, Amma. I wouldn't want our littlest femme to get lost or hurt."

Hero turned to him. "I can do this, Appa. I won't get lost. The cab knows where to go and my teachers are waiting there for me."

"They are?" Raptor asked as Hero smiled up at him. She nodded. "They are, Appa."

"Well then, that would be very nice," Raptor said. He thought a moment. "I forgot how to get one. How do you get a cab?" he asked the others. Everyone including Ironhide and Ratchet pretended to not know.

"I know, Appa," Hero said with a smile. "Watch this," she said as she walked to the cab stand to press a call button. It winked green signaling her message was received, then winked blue signaling that a cab was coming. She turned to all the adults and kids watching with fascination and no small sense of loss that their little femme was growing up. "I press the green button and then wait. A blue button blinking tells me a cab is coming. See?" she asked as she pointed down the street. She walked back to the cab stand to press another button. "Mr. Cab Man, I have to go to my school in Metrotitan."

An amused voice answered. "Is that you, Hero?"

"It's me, Mr. Cab Man. My appas and ammas are here today. They're watching me do this," she said with an almost impossible happiness and self consciousness.

"Well then, we better get you to school. I programmed your destination. Have a great orn at school, Hero," the voice said with warmth and humor.

" **THANK YOU, MR. CAB MAN! I WILL! YOU TOO!"** she said with delight. Everyone watching her was smiling and she felt incredibly happy.

"I will, sweetheart. Mr. Cab Man out," the voice said with a chuckle, then the transmission cut.

She turned to them and smiled, her tiny frame glowing with happiness. **"Mr. Cab Man likes me! He helps me every orn!"** she said.

"Who wouldn't like you, my baby," Raptor said as the cab drew up and the door opened. "What now, baby?"

"I go inside and ride to my school. My teachers will be there when I get there. I don't get out until they come to get me. The cab knows."

"Well done, Hero," Raptor said picking her up. She got kissed all the way around, then set gently into the cab by her great grandpa. They watched as the door closed and she drove off waving to them through the window until she was lost in the traffic.

"Well, that makes me feel old," Raptor said with a grin.

"You **are** old, Atar," Blackjack said with a grin.

"Not as old as me," Ravel said with a smile as he held Orion.

" **I GOT YOU ALL BEAT THREE WAYS TO MARTIAN SUNDAY!"** Appa Ratchet said with a laugh. No one mentioned that Hardie was older than all of them.

No one argued with him as they ambled along to Metro Station #1 and the ride to Centurion and Terra to drop off infants along the way. They would reschedule their helicopter night around a visitation by three little mechs. There would be a pizza dinner and a movie at the theater in Tyger Pax with all of the relevant elders along. For now, two reluctant mechs, Blackjack and Ironhide would be herded down the street to the Circle of Life Preparatory Academy to make deposits of their own. They wouldn't like it and they'd let everyone know about it too.

No one would care. They would be laughing at the pair too loudly to hear their pouting.

-0-TBC 7-28-17 edited 8-2-17

NOTES:

PHO: "I can't believe there's another book of this." I can't either. It would be one book in total if the site didn't hang up as I start to reach 700 segments. :D I have written over 2,500 of them and I'm editing them slowly but surely. I hope to report about 150 part two pieces and all the rest of part 1. Hugs for being here. :D


	77. Chapter 77

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd7 77)

-0-School daze, school daze, good old-fashioned school daze …

They entered the Central Office Building of the Autobot City Colonial Unified School District which was now housed in Metrotitan. Tyke was now off line for further escapades unless The Pit required it so the Central Office and all related educational parties parked themselves there in the dedicated school tower for the last time. All of the specialists and their departments with staff along with all of the specialized equipment used by them, the procurement offices and officers for all things educational, the main kitchen and the dietition department for the lunchrooms of every school in the district minus human, data processing, the committees who worked on materials and supplies along with a huge printing operation and video center, the main dispersal library as well as the materials depot where things from small blocks and art pencils to electron microscopes and vast kits for science and art were housed here.

Specialists who devised programs such as the art and music coordinators, data processing who managed the children's progress portfolios and their personal reports and information, the director for student transportation who oversaw the buses that were available for students, arranging off world transports for visits to Trypticon and various other sites, those who taxi cabbed like Hero, and the buses that brought and/or delivered children from their neighborhoods or to and from day care centers, the offices that belonged to the School Board members and their official office manager, a studio to make videos and music presentations for the schools, hold interviews and train older students to work at the children's broadcast studio that put their product on the community radio and television stations, the directors for security and medical were housed here as well.

Roto had his office onsite and directed special education, physical therapy, the department of social services as well as the medically fragile student directory here. The visiting artist program was coordinated through the art director's office and so was the mentorship program and advanced placement for gifted children like Hero and Rambler as well as intermediate kids getting ready to graduate. There was a special department to address and support the needs of home schooled infants, the Circle, Missionary, and other academies, the Seeker programs as well as all Seeker kids, and last but not least, the liaison officer and his staff who worked here to help Earth 1 and Earth2 with their schools and shared programs.

Sitting at the top of the building, the offices of the Director for Education for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Herling, gave focus to the myriad departments that were designed to facilitate education for everyone. The University Board of Directors were housed here and the different offices of that formidable establishment occupied an entire floor. The curriculum committees that provided materials for all educational levels were housed here too. One floor was conference rooms where different groups along with the School Board met or genitors came to speak, hear and find out the news on their children or themselves. They were state of the art and ready to show what was learned through several mediums. It was to that level that the Mob of R v IH made their way. Hero was already in her classroom nearby doing her thing so they made their way upward to hear the story from Roto who was director of the program for special education and his staff. Leaving the elevator, they meandered to room 52, glancing inside to see Roto waiting. "Well, here we are, all 100 of us. You ready for this?" Ratchet asked as he wandered in followed by everyone else.

"I was born ready, Ratchet," Roto said with a grin. "You look like a very tall mini-con village or a Stanix clan. Have a seat, everyone. We have a lot of information to give to you."

Everyone did expectantly, with some on edge. Ratchet and Ironhide waited for the elders to park, then turned to Roto. "Give it to us straight, Roto. We can take it. Maybe."

Roto snickered, then slid a folio to both. He lit up a monitor which showed the same information to everyone. The elders who were cowed by education, Ratchet's family, that is, were quiet and intimidated. Ironhide's family, everyone of them college graduates watched him with more confidence but this was their little femme, after all. Everyone was expectant.

"Let's start with her testing. We gave her a number of batteries, the names of which don't matter but they were comprehensive and some designed specifically for this group of kids. They were given in little bits over a period of orns, disguised if you will as regular stuff. She wasn't under any self-imposed anxiety about it so they're very accurate. We have a femme that is highly advanced for her age. She can read at levels far in excess of her age group and the best part is, she can understand what she reads. We have conversations about the content and she speaks knowledgeably about it with caveats. Of course, some things she hasn't learned yet so the data she can draw on is sparser but what she has learned she can apply.

"Many are the so-called gifted kids who are great readers. They have a lot of good things going on but what they generally are, most of them, are good readers. Hero is a great reader but she also can explain and extrapolate on what she read. She can draw conclusions, give reasonable commentary about what might happen next and she understands the mechanics of plot, characterization and motivation of the characters in the situations of the story. I've never had a child this age who was this advanced in their ability to do that.

"We tested her grammar and organizational abilities in reading and writing. They are equal to the task. Given that 95% of the children her age are working on the basics of reading and writing, she's an anomaly because she's reading at an level one intermediate student's understanding of the material."

It was silent as they gathered that to their heaving bosoms. Ironhide leaned slightly forward. "Our little princess is smart? That smart?" he asked almost in a whisper.

Roto nodded. "She's not just advanced in reading, she's advanced in writing, mathematics and art. She can work out concepts in math at a level that meets first level students in Intermediate School. She can figure out and compute math equations that would stump good students in Youngling Day."

"She never let on," Ratchet said. "This is news to me," he said as he glanced at the others. They nodded in agreement.

"She's very smart but she wants to be a young femme. She's afraid of being around older students, an aspect of her youth and lack of confidence. Her perfectionism is still a factor in her confidence. She's incredibly precise and determined to be what she calls 'a good femme'. Does she say that around you?" he asked as some of the others took notes.

Raptor nodded. "She's bound and determined to be helpful and a good femme. She's pretty tightly wound that way. None of us expect her to be that way. None of us understand why she is but I'm thinking she feels responsible to help out given that Ironhide and Ratchet are gone so much. She's the only femme living in the house. Has having older sisters helped, right?" he asked the others.

Ironhide nodded. "They have their 'girl's orn out' dates. She loves them madly and they help her a lot. She's less ready to burst into tears if she thinks she's fallen short. We hear that remark less now than before."

"She was stimulated all her life by genitors who value education and talk to their kids. You cannot underestimate the power of talking to infants. She's very verbal, scoring off the charts in verbal testing but she's always been a good talker. She started early in a house filled with talkers and it paid off for her. She spells beautifully, is highly developed in reading and mathematics, can write with great accuracy even if she's still learning style. Her basic fine motor mechanics are still a work in progress. She's a remarkable little femme," Roto concluded.

"She's in this pioneer experimental gifted infant school," Raptor began. "What does this new data mean for that? You mentioned that she might do well in Youngling Day perhaps. What's the word on that from this?"

"She's emotionally an infant. She would have to demonstrate the ability to handle the new social interactions with older children and the strain of the program. There is no point pushing her to do what she can't do because she's still a baby. But I'd like to have her sit in on Terri's class for a couple of three orns to watch her there. She can handle the curriculum to a great degree. What would be the point of the exercise would be to watch her around the older children. Her brother is in Terri's class and so are human children who know her. I'd like your permission to do that."

They stared at Roto, then turned almost as one to have an off line conversation. Roto sat back with a grin watching as the emotions on their faces showed divisions and the feelings of each one of the family.

Ravel looked at him. "She's our dear little femme. She's very sensitive, Mr. Roto. We're concerned for her tiny spark. How long would this be and how would it work?"

"It would be two or three orns and I'd go with her. I've never seen a child this young this advanced. We don't want her to not be stimulated to the degree she needs. Nothing will kill the spirit of a smart child like being in a situation what doesn't stimulate them. It would be three orns at most with me there," Roto replied. "If there's any distress, we pull her. We're going to put it to her as a field trip to see what other kids do."

The confab began again. At last, everyone turned to Roto. Ratchet looked at Ironhide who looked unconvinced, then Roto. "If its a controlled experiment for a short period, then we're good with it. Ironhide isn't. He was advanced young, too, and it left a skid mark. Maybe one of us can take turns being there too. Sunspot will take care of her. He won't be upset or feel weird with her there because she's so young will he?"

"I wouldn't think so. She's on a field trip with her teacher. If you were there, that might help but we'd need a very low key presence if you do. Sort of wall flower presence," Roto said with a grin.

Confab.

Long, deeply debated confab.

Then they turned back. "We agree," Hard Drive said, "for the well-being of our little femme. If this doesn't work out, will she get a good education at her present school? It was very emotionally traumatic for her to switch to this one from Sparkling Day."

Roto nodded. "Yes," he said. "The Pioneer School program is completely personally designed for each student. She'll get what she needs here if this doesn't come to pass."

It was silent a moment as Ratchet watched Ironhide. He looked back at Roto, then nodded. "Alright. Three orns."

Roto grinned. "That's good. It's information about her that we need that can be helpful for her if she stays here as well. Now, how about we talk about Praxus while we're all here?"

Portfolios were handed out and the screen changed overhead on the monitor. "Praxus is just the most wonderful little mech," Roto began.

-0-A joor later

They walked out with portfolios in hand. Ratchet would copy, then send everyone their own to keep. Appa Ratchet looked at his grandson. "Those infants are wonderful, Sonny. Praxus being considered for the Pioneer School, too, is a surprise."

"I'm flabbergasted," Ratchet replied. "He's got a way to go yet. He's still a much younger child all around than Hero."

"He stays in Sparkling Day," Ironhide said firmly. "I don't think he's old enough to take on the burden. They'll really have to show me that he is. Hero can read and write better. He's a smart little mech but he's still a baby."

"I think I agree," Trooper said with a grin. "What fine infants we all have. I can't wait to hear about Sunny, the big kids and Orion. What about Prowler?" he asked turning toward Ironhide.

"He's tomorrow. They have what they call an anecdotal report. They tell you want he did and what they see. They don't test the kids the same way the school district does. They tell you what they can do and they show you things. It's different."

"He will be as wonderful as the others. I'm so glad we can come to see Bos, Co-D and Reflector too," Scout said with a big grin.

"We're going to need an auditorium," Turbine said with a chuckle.

"We have one," Scout said with delight. "The Performing Arts Center is getting to the point where the preliminary inspections are due. **I can't wait!** Think about the dedication and the plays, the music, the teaching. **This is so exciting!"**

Everyone grinned at the two who were delighting with a capital D. Alor hugged them, then turned to Ratchet. "We all have the schedule. Prowler tomorrow, Sunspot in two orns and the big kids, all nine of them the orn following Sunspot. That leaves Prowler when?"

"Prowler is tomorrow. Miss Birdie is certifying a number of teachers in their method so she's going to come to them as well," Ironhide said.

"Oh frag." -everyone

Scout slapped Ironhide on the shoulder. **"NEVER A DULL MOMENT, INFANT!** Let's go get some ice cream."

It was a short walk to the station and a hop to Terra where their favorite shack shop, The Confectionaire, was located. It would be a cheerful group kicking back.

-0-TBC 7-29-17 **edited 8-8-17**

NOTES:

Babies wire their brains the first four years of their lives. All the synapses that they will have are born the first four years. Thousands of them happen when they're stimulated. If you talk and interact with babies, they will develop to become intelligent and well-rounded. Babies who don't get that are at a big disadvantage. Brains always develop lifelong even with injuries like strokes. They never stop but the 'magic period' for brain development for individuals is the first four years. :D


	78. Chapter 78

The Diego Diaries: Carry On (dd6 78)

NOTE: I'm editing the slag out of this and noticed that I've called the Epps sister by about three names. I counted them and I have called her Lucy more times than any other so that's what I think I'll leave. The others will be changed. Bad me. Senility is not for the faint of heart. :D:D:D:D:D Hugs to the eagle eyed who catch stuff like that. I'm also going to fix a few parts that got switched. SIGH! If I didn't like this I would hate it. (If that makes sense) :D:D HUGS!

On with the show ...

-0-School

They lined up to go inside. Humans in their boxes now carried by three aides were part of that group. One by one, the lines went inside to ride up the elevators to their classrooms where their teachers were waiting for them. It was noisy and happy as they streamed in, then the doors closed on the last group. The playground was empty once more.

Sunspot stood in the elevator with his besties all around him. They had played chase outside before school started and he made sure that the only humans he was around were the ones he knew. There were more than forty new human kids here, boys and girls, some of them teenaged they were told. They hung together for now, most of them, but that would change with time every teacher said. It was hoped that the local kids would help the newcomers feel welcome.

The elevator doors opened, then one by one the three lines inside stepped out walking down the wide corridors to their classrooms. The hallway had displays both on the walls and in lighted cabinets that showcased the creations of the students. Reaching Mr. Terradive's door, they walked in as he stood in the entry greeting them. It was noisy and happy as they ran to lockers in the back or to their tables to get ready.

An aide put down the box in the hallway, then opened the little door on the side. About twelve kids inside ran out heading for their classrooms. They were grouped together, between two and three of them per classroom. It was considered more helpful for assimilation that they were. Given that a few of the classrooms had kids from the local human community, they were asked to intake two to three more. Terradive had three femmes and one was across the hallway with his teaching partner, Mrs. Lyrica.

They streamed in and joined the others to get ready. Sitting down, watching the class as the kids went about their business, Rain Harris set her 'desk case' just so. Inside, among the pencils and other tools was a tiny camera that could record anything it was pointed at. Lucy Epps and Sandy Thomas sat down at the table with Harris, Lilly Brown and Camilla Baker. They were part of the 'house team' that would help the newbies learn how things went.

Annabelle sat at the table next to them with the other human kids. On the other side sat Silverbow, Sunspot, Comet, Turbo, Lively who was a sweet mini-con kid from 'the Villages' as most would say and Stark, who was a tall winger from a scientific family. He struggled with math, something that was an oddity in the high powered family he came from but the wounds he got from their flight to freedom could account for it. Otherwise, he was a sound, happy little mech.

The bell rang signaling school to begin as Terradive turned on the giant monitor with the emblems and an aerial view of the colony. It covered the entire wall on that side of the room with image sizing up to mini-con size. It was an amazing innovation for the classroom.

{"It would appear that its warmer today, about -67 below zero. No winds. Just the right day to be inside learning. Any homework?"} Terradive asked with a grin. Two kids jumped up, slotted their datapads at the device on his desk, then downloaded their work. Pulling them free, they ran back to their chairs to sit. {"Any notes or messages for me?"}

No one had any but a hand went up. {"Are conferences soon?"}

{"In two orns,"} Terradive said. They were speaking in NeoCybex now because the local human kids understood, read and wrote it fluently. The new kids listened on the translation channel and when things were written on the boards or shown in books, they used translators there too. The monitor in the front showed up on everyone's school datapad and thus, was translated for the newcomer's convenience. They would not be learning any bot languages from the school. {"I will be having a substitute teacher for them,"} he said as the room groaned. He grinned. {"It's Mr. Therri."} They cheered. Terradive chuckled, then looked at each of them. {"Get out your geography books please."}

A flurry of activity erupted as they complied, then sat with their books, some of them open to the part of chapter three where they would discuss the concept of lunar seas utilizing examples in the solar system here. The new girls opened their books which were set to show english in the text and videos.

Rain Harris had shown her textbooks and datapads to her father who had examined them carefully. He didn't want to tamper even though he burned to do so. The books were like any other but the pages were the thinnest form of metal he had ever seen. They were beautifully printed, utilized all the colors of the rainbow doing so to create beautiful work, and had embedded images as well as videos. All he had to do was touch them to make them play. He had sat for a couple of hours reading her geography book, its supplements as well as her math texts. History was missing. They weren't allowed to take them home.

They were especially interesting. The main text, "The History of the Cybertronian Empire' was keyed to her alone. She could open it and but he couldn't. It was a security feature for the human kids from Earth2. They hadn't proved themselves yet. What Harris didn't know was that every book held by anyone at Earth2 that was educational or otherwise filled with information recorded who used it. They would know he looked at them and if it was persistent rather than a one off curiosity about what his daughter was using, they would be able to intervene.

The History book took the Cybertronians back to their beginnings. Right now, they were studying something called The War of Rust. The supplementary materials were biographies of important figures then. Nothing in the ones these children had made more than vague allusions to the Pantheon or other religious figures. Those books these kids would not get and they would neither be in class for those lessons nor go to the Temple to be part of Lady Sela's classes.

The science books as well were not allowed to go home. The kids worked on those areas at school. The new kids were the only ones to whom this applied. All of these lessons including math were taught by their specialist teaching team. They started their day with Terradive. Once geography and math were completed, the kids went to their 'catch up' school. During that time, the sensitive subjects such as history, sciences and culture were taught to the rest of the class. Any field trips to sensitive places happened then. Their regular trips to the Temple and other related places like the shrines which were now open to schools for their historical and artistic features were held during this part of the day.

Afternoons were filled with art, music, dancing, gym class, and other things that all could do without breaching any security issues. They also ate and played together, visited the library as a group and had lessons at the planetarium located at their school near the 'greenhouses' during the afternoon.

{"What we need to do today is work out what the composition of a lunar body like Io might be. Turn to page 110. There is a video of a landing made by soldiers when the forward base was once there. Let's watch it and see what happens,"} he said as he put the video up on the main screen as well.

A viewpoint of a group of soldiers, some of whom could be seen sitting in the hold of a shuttle while it descended toward the ground filled the screen. They was going to the forward base at Io and their commentary was about the increase in seismic activity over the past few days.

The shuttle set down, then the image jumped madly. The mechs were tossed around inside the shuttle, then staggered to their feet, standing just off balance enough to be concerning. The ship had sunk through the crusted frozen surface of the planet when it landed. The hatch door opened as a big mech peered out. The frozen world outside was a demonic sight. There were geysers flaring hundreds, even thousand of feet into the dark star-flecked sky while the ground was discolored with minerals and spiky with masses of the same in smoking towers here and there. Glancing around the edge of the hatch door, he leaned back in. "We broke through a crust. You might lift up and scan the ground for a more solid surface, Hazee," he said.

The ship moved, levelling itself, then rose into the air. The image froze as Terradive turned to the class. {"Who would like to tell me about Io and why this happened?"}

Hands went up, some human, some not as the three newcomers watched with silent fascination.

Two and a half joors later …

The group was having a momentary break as the three new kids got their stuff together. Their 'taxi' was here as outside in the hallway an aide waited with a box half filled with other new kids. Terradive helped them organize, then followed the three out. Once they were in the box, Terradive held out his servo. "I need the camera, Rain."

She stared at him. :What camera?:

"The one you have in your kit to make videos of me and my class," Terradive said. "You're breaking rules with it and I want it now."

She stared at him, then reluctantly reached into her book bag drawing it out of the box where she kept it. She looked at it, then handed it over. :I wanted to have a record of my experiences and share them with the world:

"You didn't ask anyone's permission first. Your website is being taken down as well for the same reasons. If you want to make videos at Earth2 or among your friends, fine. But not here," Terradive said. He glanced at the aide, then nodded. "They can go now."

That mech turned to the other two waiting, then the three walked with their loads to the elevator. Entering it, they disappeared. Terradive watched them, then looked at the tiny camera in his servo. He would keep it and wait to see if Owen Harris made a fuss. He almost hoped he would. :Terradive to Ratchet:

:Ratchet here, Terri:

:I have the camera:

:Thank you. Ironhide will bring it up at the next school board meeting to make sure we have policy on the record. I have the website taken down and the videos scrubbed. I'm going to have Jazz go into the 'Wayback Machine' and other archives to scrub them too. Thanks:

:Thank you, Ratchet. Terradive out: He walked back in, then grinned. {"Break over, infants. Get out your journals and let's go to the steps. I want to hear what you have to say,"} he said as the kids jumped up to run for the carpeted stairs nearby and the pile of bean bag chairs piled up just for them.

-0-Earth2

Owen Harris noticed a message incoming from the Autobot City Unified School District. He opened it and read the following:

"Dear Mr. Harris,

"Today, we have discovered that your daughter, Rain Harris, brought a camera to school to take videos and images of our school, teachers and classrooms without informing anyone of her intentions. She had hidden the camera in a small school box which she set on her table to ensure access to filming.

"Her instructor, Terradive, was asked to confiscate it, which he did. The website where your daughter was posting her videos was requested to cease operation, an action with which they have complied.

"Your daughter did not ask permission of anyone in her videos. Putting images up into circulation in this manner, given that they were taken in our schools which are considered sanctuary areas on world is forbidden. You may not have the camera back until the incident is settled. If your daughter does this again, she will be asked to return to school at Earth2. The incident will be reported to the Office of the Primes as per directives in the policy manual about insecurities at our schools.

"We welcome your daughter with open arms and have created an environment where she can learn and do so safely. I would appreciate it if you would discuss this with Rain so that she fully understands what this means and the consequences of continuing down this path. Thank you very much for your cooperation in this matter.

"Yours most sincerely,

"Herling of Iacon

"Director for Public Education, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"Autobot City Unified School District

"43295 Main Street, Autobot City Unified School District Tower, Metrotitan, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 490

"Call Main Office: 5486-55477-JCKP7-KLAKM444"

Harris stared at the message, then sat back. "Shit." He stood up, commed off the computer, then walked to the door to leave Earth2 for Youngling Day School. Hopefully.

-0-TBC 7-30-17 **edited 8-4-17**


	79. Chapter 79

The Diego Diaries: Schoolin' (dd6 79)

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS DIDN'T POST YESTERDAY. I THINK THIS SITE HATES ME. I AM POSTING TWO TONIGHT, THIS ONE AND PART 80. WISH ME LUCK. :D

-0-Inside an airlock at Earth2

Owen Harris paced as he waited for his ride to come. The message from Herling hung over him like a thunder cloud. He had called N.E.S.T. for a ride to Centurion to speak to the officials there. He would also go to Metrotitan on the way back to see Herling personally. Right now, he was upset and irritated.

In the distance, he could see mechs from Public Works working on the the highway that led onward past them to a pile of debris signifying a dead end. Several miles beyond that, a road was being built that would carry onward toward the Transplanetary Highway that encircled the whole world and led to any number of small settlements that were habitations for those visiting campgrounds, spectacular 'parks' that were being developed for campers and day visitors as well as science and other stations linked to the Ops Center. Eventually, Earth2 and the other human habitats out here would be linked to that highway but not for now.

The bots always made things beautiful. Everywhere he went in Earth2 he saw evidences of that. They had taken the plans, even those worked out togther and went above it. The place was a showcase of grace, functionality and beauty. Everywhere you went in the colony, the cleanliness and attention to detail was evident. One didn't know that 23 million bots lived here from the care taken.

A vehicle appeared, then turned off to enter the huge paved parking lot that surrounded three sides of the facility. It sped forward, tripped the outside door which went up, then drove inside. Owen walked to the hatch door, then put on his head gear. A scan hit him, then the door opened as he passed inspection. He hurried out, climbed into the vehicle then buckled up as it jetted out heading for Centurion and Youngling Day School #1.

Meanwhile ...

Terradive walked around the room watching his students work out their mathematics. His human students, all of them, were working at the same table, those who could helping those who needed it. The three who went to specialist school were back for math before heading back for the rest of their morning instruction. They were proficient enough in this subject to stay with the class for now.

Rain Harris was quietly working hard on the equations set before them but he could tell her aura was still disturbed. She was angry at him for what he did. Having read up on human youth, their strengths and foibles especially as related to various ages, he wasn't surprised. He had also been informed that she was of a certain socio-economic bracket and thus, expectations were different than they would be, for say, the other children who he taught. He remembered smirking. "Then we have a potential high caste mentality here?" he had asked.

Herling smirked back. "I wouldn't put it so bluntly but, yes. Perhaps we do. Be forwarned but also know, we back our teachers here and there will be no presumptions of guilt before all is put forward."

Terradive was much relieved.

Now, he waited for the shoe to drop. Rain was facing a three day suspension for her transgressions. Her father was head of the Earth2 facility. He was a high powered high caste who wasn't held in high esteem here. What was coming next was going to be interesting. What he couldn't allow was for all of the drama to effect either his ability to teach nor the right for the children to have his full and complete attention.

He walked to the table where the humans sat. "How is it going?" he asked with a grin.

Annie Lennox glanced up with a smile. :We're good, Mr. Terradive:

"Thank you, children, for assisting our new students. You're my heroes," he said with a grin.

The kids grinned back, then bent to their books. Rain Harris, Camilla Baker and Lilly Brown would be among them.

-0-On the way

They merged with the light traffic this time of day as they jetted toward the big junction past the Metro Districts that led to the Tri-Cities. The roads were straight and had markings for this and that site and turnoff both in NeoCybex and English. Owen Harris glanced at Niall Graham. "Thanks for getting me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. It's going to be easier when we can come and go ourselves."

"No problem," Niall said with a grin. "What's the story here?"

"My daughter snuck in a camera and took videos. She has a channel on Earth and wanted to share her life here," Harris said.

"Oops. That's not a good idea. It's one thing to do that on the street among the bots. Even filming events is okay. But not inside the schools or homes without permission. You can film at the grocery store but the schools? No. That's the safest, most protected place on world."

"You have a child in school here. What about taking movies there? Why wouldn't that be allowed?" Harris asked. "I've seen them on the internet when you post them there."

"You see different kinds of videos that don't involve infants. The few Linda and I have of our son in the school playing with others are okay because we asked the parents of the children involved for the right to post them to our facebook and family webpages. They get seen in the public but we have permission. We're also considered locals here. We're part of the family. You aren't so that makes a difference. Trust matters here," Graham said. "It may seem like there's not a lot of difference from what we do and what your daughter did but there is. A world of difference."

They approached the turnoff so they moved into one of the two lanes that diverted traffic that direction. Signaling, he moved over, then slowed to halt at the lights. It was quiet a moment, then Harris glanced at him. "Do you have any word on when we get to go out into the bigger world?"

Graham shook his head. "Not yet." He glanced at Harris. "Your month is nearly up but this doesn't help. It's a trust as well as safety thing to allow you out."

Harris nodded. "I see. If you hear one way or the other, I'd love a heads up."

Graham moved with the traffic into the turn that would lead onward to Tyger Pax. "I'll see what I can do," he said as they sped along the eight lane highway toward the towers of the beautiful city of Tyger Pax.

"That's a beautiful city," Harris said as they got closer. "I love the overhead roads and skyways."

"I do too. It's how they build on Cybertron," Graham said. "The Dai Atlas Dojo is here and this is where the twins and Bluestreak live. Tyger Pax has a nice nightlife and would be considered a youthful city on Earth. A lot of bachelors and young families live here."

Harris nodded as they drove through the main thoroughfare. Looking up through the glassed-in ceiling of the vehicle, he could see pedestrians and cars moving overhead along the twisting and turning roadways. The light glinting off windows, metallic fixtures and facings was beautiful as they sped along. Signage was discreet rather than garrish or intrusive, a welcome thing he considered to the usual visual pollution of most places on Earth.

They sped through, then headed once more across the plains toward the city they were aiming for, Centurion. They reached it eventually, then drove through the main thoroughfare before pulling into a turn lane to go to the school tower. It was massive, disappearing into the sky as they got closer. Driving onto the sidewalk, they drove through the gates, then onward to the ramp that bordered the steps into the building. Buzzing upward, they reached the doors, then drove inside. The massive lobby was busy with the business of educating children. Some were staff going here and there while others were family and parents. The occasional child could be seen coming and going as well. It was fascinating.

Graham drove toward a small human-sized elevator that was next to a massive bot transport. Both doors were opened but Graham drove into the smaller one. He glanced as the door behind them slid shut. "Elevator, up, floor fifteen," he said as the device began to move. Graham grinned at Harris. "You should take some that go sideways and upward both."

"Cybertron?" he asked.

Graham nodded as the elevator halted, then the door opened. The hallway stretched outward seemingly forever. Far down the corridor, two mechs were talking in a doorway. Graham drove onward until he reached a door. He stopped, parked the vehicle, then donned his mask. "Gear up and get the okay. You can't and won't be allowed out until you pass inspection."

Harris geared up, was given an all clear, then both stepped out. A smaller door was beside the big ones. Evidently, the entire colony was user friendly for humans, Harris thought as they walked into the classroom. They halted by the door to watch the activity beyond.

The biggest screen Harris had ever seen was occupying an entire wall. On it were mathematical equations that they were apparently working on as a group. The room was vast, huge on a scale that all their buildings occupied. It seemed to have different sections but he couldn't read their language so he could only guess. The teacher desk, ubiquitous even here was in the far corner occupying little space. The room before them was filled with tables and children set around in the space to face the screen.

The human children were near the door working at a table. It was mounted on a platform and so was one nearby. Perhaps they needed two tables to accommodate the human kids. The other kids needed no platforms. They were working together, the buzz of voices low and the atmosphere collegial. The teacher who was helping a tall slim femme who had a light green and white color scheme turned to walk back through again when he saw them.

Guaging them a moment, Terradive walked to the pair, then knelt. "Hello, Niall. You? You must be Owen Harris."

Graham grinned. :We came to see what was up, Terri:

"I see. Have a seat. I'm going to be sending them to lunch in a moment, then we can talk," he said as he turned back to the kids.

Graham walked to the comfortable bench nearby, then sat. Harris followed. They watched the class work through their assignments, then Terradive took questions, they worked through the problems by correcting them with him, then he grinned. "Math is concluded. Let's get ready to go to lunch."

The room burst into movement, chatter and activity. None of the humans noticed the two adults sitting by the door. Camilla, Rain and Lilly bagged up their work, then walked to their lockers with the rest of the class. It was controlled chaos for a moment, then the door opened. The human lunch taxis had arrived. A big young mech walked in, one studying to be a reading teacher. He put the transport box on the floor, then chatted with Terradive.

The humans finished, then ran for the box. Climbing in, the door closing behind them, Rain Harris spotted her dad. He was sitting with a soldier on a bench staring at her. She stared back as the mech picked up the box. Nodding to Terradive, the mech carried them out. Outside the door, the lunch aide, a small elder mech volunteer from the Vos Senior Center waited with a big smile. Everyone lined up, then looked toward Terradive. "Go with Mr. Adel and be good," he said with a grin. They filed out with a wave to Niall, then it was quiet in the room. Terradive turned toward then. "I'm assuming you're here to talk, Mr. Harris?"

:I am, Mr. Terradive: he said as he rose.

Terradive knelt down bringing his face closer to the two humans. "This morning, I was given a message that your daughter was taking videos and pictures of my class showing my children, then posting them online on Earth. That is a breach of our rules and our unity. I confiscated the camera, then reported the incident. I'm told that the website has been taken down and all of the videos scrubbed."

Harris nodded. :I'm glad to hear that. I didn't give my daughter permission to bring a camera though her phone has one. I apologize for this action on her part. All of this is new:

Terradive nodded. "I'm aware of that too, though I don't believe given security rules in most schools on Earth that you can do this without asking permissions. I'm not going to allow this in my classroom unless there's a specific reason such as a holiday or event. Even then, all of those included have to give permission. Did you fill out all the paperwork when she was enrolled?"

Harris nodded. :I'm aware that the rules applying to this are in place. I want to know how this can be made right? I want my daughter here for the experience and I want her to do it the right and honorable way:

Terradive glanced at Graham who grinned. Glancing back to Harris, he nodded. "That's my desire as well. Given the situation as it stands and because it was reported which I'm legally bound to do, the Central Office has the end game as their purview. You would have to speak to them. For my own part, everyday is a new day. She can recover from this if she wishes it."

Harris nodded. :Thank you, Mr. Terradive. Who should I see in the Central Office?:

"I do believe that disciplinary cases are held by the director, Herling," Terradive said.

:Disciplinary?: Harris asked.

Terradive nodded. "Yes. This is a suspension offense."

It was a drab drive from Centurion to the Central Office of the school district in Metrotitan.

-0-TBC 7-31-17 **edited 8-4-17**


	80. Chapter 80

The Diego Diaries: Suspension? (dd6 80)

-0-At the Central Office of the School District, Metrotitan

They drove into the building, entering a space that Metrotitan had made to specs and then some. Though the building was grand as the headquarters of learning in the colony and by extension of the Empire, it was taken well beyond that by Metrotitan who was pleased to host the Central Office of the school district. The lobby soared overhead as the vehicle drove in toward the elevator. It was completely faced by marble, a substance that titans could emulate if not completely transform. It was intensely beautiful and elegant. A bank of elevators stood to one side in the well lit vast space including the obligatory sizes for humans and Hu-An. They entered, then Graham called for it to go directly up to the top floor where Herling ruled his kingdom with a benevolent hand.

It was silent on the way over and silent on the way up. Graham didn't say anything as he watched Harris sit stoically beside him. He was aware of the process of humanoid screw ups. Because they, the Harris' weren't Cybertronian, the incident would not only be reported to the Central Office hierarchy but also to the Office of the Primes. Anyone who screwed up on world who wasn't a citizen required this submission.

Harris wasn't aware of it yet but Graham was. However, given the circumstances, he wasn't about to touch off that landmine. That was why Herling got the best office in town, to do that detail. Slag had to have its perks, he thought with a slight grin. They drove out into a long wide corridor with offices along both sides. The corridor looked marble too and the doorways of each office were marked by columns. Most of the doors were open and as they passed they watched staff working in beautiful spaces with wonderful window views of the outside world.

They reached the doorway to the offices of the Director for Education for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire as the script on the door stated. Graham drove in, then parked beside a couch for guests. Sitting nearby, a youngster was working as an assistant to Herling's office manager and secretary. He looked up, then grinned. "Hello, Mr. Graham and Mr. Harris. The Director is expecting you. Please, go on in."

Graham grinned. :Thank you, Mo: He walked toward the door which seemed a long way away across glisteningly shiny floors. The door to Herling's office was open so they headed for it.

Harris followed silently, then he glanced at Graham. :Why don't we drive in?:

:Courtesy: Graham said with a grin. :Besides, I need the walk. Don't you like walking in less than one third of the gravity of Earth?:

Harris considered that, then glanced at Graham. :I had forgotten that. I think I do: he said as they continued onward. Soon, they reached the door, then entered a vast office with amazing appointments and furnishings. A bank of computers with monitors were running along a wall, all of them fitted into the décor like they were in wooden cabinets. Comfy chairs and couches were here and there as was a big conference table with chairs all around it. His desk was big, covered with work and pictures of infants. He was siting there absorbed with his business. He looked up, then grinned at the two. "Welcome," he said. "Allow me."

He rose, then walked to a cabinet to pull out two comfortable chairs. Putting them on the table, he gently placed both there, then sat. They sat too. It was quiet a moment, then Herling looked at Harris. "I believe you got my message."

:Yes, sir, I did. I would like to apologize for my daughter's actions. This is a new world for us and she's highly enamored with the colony. She wanted to share it with the rest of Earth and her friends and didn't think about the consequences of what she did:

Herling nodded. "That is true. Children will be children. However, I'm in a position of enforcing a rule that's designed to protect the rights and privacy of everyone. We're delighted to have more children from Earth. Our experiences with them have always been positive and beneficial to both sides. We expect that the new children from Earth2 who have next to no experience with us to make a mistake now and again. However, we made it clear in the directives given to all Earth2 parents that this was not acceptable. You read the directives, right?"

Harris nodded. :I did. My daughter was told by me that I wanted her to be appropriate and abide by the rules. We're very aware that the planet will not be forgiving if something happens. I want my daughter as I want all the new settlers to understand that all rules will be followed. I don't want any incidents to happen that cause injury or discord. I'll be honest with you. I'm very unhappy with my daughter that she would be the first one of us to flagrantly break a rule:

Herling nodded. "I understand. Please be aware, we make sure that our students are safe, that they work together in one unity and that when something happens they understand why we cannot allow it to happen again. Your daughter will be facing a three day suspension over this action. We've confiscated the camera and when the decision is finalized at the school board meeting in two days it will be returned then. Your daughter will serve out her suspension if the board decides upon one in this building, spending her school day under supervision of the detention staff. She will have her education with them."

:Don't they call it jail school? Wasn't Orion in jail school for a while?: Graham asked with a grin.

Herling smirked. "I'm not allowed under confidentiality rules to answer that question. Ask Ratchet," he said with a wink.

:Sir, is there no appeal process for this? I'd like to know if there is some way that my daughter can stay with the class and show by her behavior that she's contrite and sorry for her actions. She's just now getting into the routine and this seems a setback: Harris asked.

"I'll put the proposal before the school board when it meets in executive session. Nothing about this will be spoken of beyond that meeting due to confidentiality rules. The Office of the Primes will be informed because you're not Cybertronian. All incidents out of the norm are reported to the Prime. We, however, have jurisdiction over the process. You can, however, appeal to him. He bears weight in all decisions on world. After all, he is the Prime." Herling sat back. "We open our doors to you with a happy heart. We would hope that this won't happen again. We understand that children are children but our own have rights too. We will be back to square one, no harm, no foul, once the determination is made and any penality if conferred is served."

:Can I come to the school board meeting then?: Harris asked.

"Yes. I will message you on the time to be there," Herling said with a nod.

Harris stood up. :Thank you, sir:

Herling nodded, then glanced at Graham. He grinned. "Conferences soon."

:Mine is tomorrow. I think Niall is doing very well and I can't wait to hear about it: Niall agreed.

"It's delightful to have human children among our own. We welcome them with open arms." He looked at Harris. "Your daughter is one of them if she understands unity."

:I'll discuss it with her, sir. Thank you for your time. I look forward to the meeting to figure out the way forward for all of us: Harris said.

Herling rose, then put them on the floor. They waved, then walked out. Herling watched them go, then vented a soft sigh. "I hope so, Mr. Harris," he said quietly. "We only want unity for all." With that, he walked back to his desk, added Harris to the school board meeting list, then dove back in to his job.

-0-Driving back to Earth2

"What's it like to conference with them? You have a son. Do you have other children?" Harris asked as they jetted through town heading for Earth2.

"It's great. They're intensely academic and they work hard. The kids get a spectacular education. They use a dormant metrotitan orbiting Saturn for a science platform and bring the kids there for projects."

"I know. I just got a permission sheet for her to go there and use the telescopes for something they want to do in astronomy. Trypticon, I think he's called," Harris said. "It might be that Rain can't go there this time around."

"I don't know," Graham said. "They don't carry grudges and they want the best for the kids. Whatever the schools need, they get. They only have to ask. They even have electron microscopes for the science units they teach. They have a rocket station and the science and weather sites on the Transplanetary Highway are designed for them to go to and work at projects. There's nothing they wouldn't do for the kids here. Your daughter is no different. When we go to the conferences, they tell us everything about Niall from his health to his grip to his ability to talk. We hope to have more kids but he's our only child. He couldn't have a better start if I tried to find it."

It was quiet as they drove onward, the Basilica's spires glistening in the distance. Harris stared at it. "Can we go there? To the Basilica at some point when we got to go out?"

Graham nodded. "You can. You can go there and the Mausoleum. The museums, libraries, city governmental buildings, hospitals, the different official places are open to you. The Temple and the grounds around it, no. Same with the shrines that are just being restored here. The Pavilion is showing relics through the middle of the month. Then they go back into the museums, art galleries and vaults. That's in the Temple Precinct and off limits too."

"What sorts of relics and artifacts?" Harris asked.

Graham considered that. "Some of the oldest items ever known by man. Swords millions of years old that are nearly sentient. Beautiful art and images. So many things, all of them fantastically old and revered. They're very dangerous, some of them. They require a prime to manage them. They read his energy and are rendered safe. I never saw so many beautiful and strange things until I came here."

They passed through the last metro district. It was a straight shot forward. Traffic thinned out as they worked their way through the long wide highway toward the slowly emerging towers of the Earth2 installation far ahead.

"I understand that there are get togethers among the various habitats. We'd like to have a party for everyone as soon as we get on our feet. Is there a group or a person we should contact about this in the human community?" Harris asked.

"Contact the office of the Resort and asked for Lois. She's General Morshower's daughter and she runs the events side of the resort for everyone. She's the contact person for all the personal stuff between the groups. Also, Thelma Lennox and Willa Epps, Bobby's grandmother. They're part of that group."

"Thank you. We want to be part of the team. This is very unfortunate for everyone," Harris said.

Graham grinned. "Kids aren't adults. They screw up. It'll pass over."

"I hope so," Harris said as they drove toward the turnoff to Earth2. In moments, Harris would be inside and Graham would be hoofing it back to The City and his tour in the command center of N.E.S.T. HQ.

-0-Prowl

One of the five aides for Optimus who ran the Office of the Primes handed a datapad to Prowl. He read it, then walked to Optimus who was sitting at the command table going over the latest intel for all sectors of the Empire. Prowl sat, then slid the datapad to Optimus.

He read it, then looked at Prowl. "This is unfortunate. I am sure that Mr. Harris is most displeased. The question is, with whom? Us or his daughter?"

"Hard to say with that ice cube. He's elected, according to Herling, to go to the school board when they hear this and decide upon punishment. I suppose I should go too," Prowl said. "To represent you and the office."

"I suspect that would be a good idea," Optimus said. "I want to keep a close tab on him. I am disturbed that she would do this without permission. Our children deserve privacy."

"I told Jazz to take it down, the website. Spirit and T-Bar were among those in the videos. I'm also much displeased," Prowl said with a slight smirk.

Optimus nodded. "We will not be exploited but she should have the chance to recover from this. I suppose there are penalties?"

"Three days in-house suspension, which might be problematic given that they've just started and missing a few orns of classroom time could be a setback," Prowl said.

"Please listen to what transpires and feel free to speak for me on this matter," Optimus said.

Prowl nodded, then rose to walk back to his job. Optimus returned to his.

-0-That afternoon at Youngling Day, on the way home

The human child contingent of the Autobot City Unified School District were carried in their transport boxes to the bus which would take them to their habitat. 47 human children from Earth2 and 3 from Earth 1 who were Sparkling Day students would be rolling down the road together. The N.E.S.T. kids would be taking a cab from Centurion to the Family Tower now that grandmas and grandpas, uncles and aunts were residents there. No more hoofing it to the Resort or N.E.S.T. HQ to wait for shifts to end to go home.

The four babies from Earth 1 which included Niall Graham and Angus Wilkerson rode to Centurion in a cab with their aide to be loaded on the bus. It would deliver the children who would be under supervision of a bus aide to their habitats while Niall would board the cab with Annie and her crew. They would take off toward the Family Tower without aides to help along the way. They were getting to be professionals with the transport system on world.

Rain Harris boarded the bus and sat with Camilla and Lilly. It was quiet on the ride home. When they got there, they stepped out of the bus in the airlock, then went inside. Putting their gear and helmets in the slotted spaces, they walked inside with everyone else. Parents were waiting to hear about the day including Owen Harris. He stared at his daughter with a stern expression. She stared back, then followed him to his office where he shut the door. Turning to her, he frowned. "You're going to be suspended for three days, Rain. In-house."

She stared at him, then shrugged. "Alright. I don't care."

"You should," Harris said as he sat in his chair. He stared at his daughter. "You read the rules. You did it anyway."

"I want to have the biggest account on Youtube. I want to be famous on Youtube and Instagram." She stared at him defiantly. "Let them suspend me. It's only three days."

"A copy of the incident went to the Office of the Primes. You're not a Cybertronian. All infractions go there," Harris said.

She sat in a chair looking at him with all the defiance pampered youth can muster. Her fourteen year old teenaged angst was powerful. "What does that mean?"

"It means he could kick you out of school back to the habitat or even off world," Harris said. "I agreed with your mother that you could come here and have experiences. You agreed to abide by the rules. If you can't maybe you need to go home."

She stared at him a moment, then nodded her head. "I will follow the rules then."

Harris stared at his daughter measuring her capitulation. It wasn't like her to give in. "You better. You could be going home persona non grata."

Rain stood. "I have homework. What is in-house suspension?"

"It means that you go to the Central Office and stay in 'jail school' for three days. You work with the teachers there. I don't know how you're going to explain this to your classmates but something tells me that you won't be seen as a rebel for this. You'll be seen as a troublemaker."

She stared at him, then smirked slightly. "It's like you always say, Dad … no pain, no gain." She walked out the door to go to their apartment.

Harris watched her go, then sighed. "Fuck," he said quietly.

-0-TBC 8-1-17 **edited 8-4-17**


	81. Chapter 81

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 81) needs editing

-0-That morning in Ops Center

Prowl listened as the faint message was played for him. It was a distress call from a direction they were planning to investigate. It was past the former orbit of Caminus, perhaps one of three settlements there which needed possible rescue. This appeared to be either one of them or an exploratory group. They would be coming through a dangerous sector of space that could include scuffles with Razorclaw.

He called for the usual suspects who responded swiftly including Ironhide and Ratchet. They gathered around the table in the center while Prowl called up the relevant images. A blinking light was moving slowly toward them, closer to Razorclaw's influence than they liked. Prowl looked at his officers. "We have a small group, perhaps 2-3 thousand coming here. They appear to be in bad shape and even more so, among them may be Decepticons mingling and hiding. They had no direct evidence but stated in their faint message sends that there are mechs that 'appear to be so'."

"That's fragged," Springer said as the others nodded. "They could shoot at any moment when we board."

Prowl nodded. "Discretion is highly promoted. We will bridge out to get them. We need hard intel. Where did they come from? Are they an advanced group or are there more somewhere? How many? What kind of condition? Are they under attack? Are there other colonies and settlements as well? We need this fast and as thoroughly as possible."

"I want Phobos," Ratchet said. "We need a big medical presence. I'm going to take the Home Guard group with me this time too."

"You aren't taking Partition are you?" Prowl asked with a frown.

"I am," Ratchet said. "It's shock time. Maybe seeing the end result of The System will chip his veneer."

 **"Ha!"** Ironhide said. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"It is in your hands," Prime said to Ratchet. "We need to leave now. Prowl has designed the group. You design the teams," he said to Springer.

"On it, Prime," Springer said as he turned to leave with the mechs with him.

"Starscream, I leave the air support to you," Prime said. "I will be going out. I leave it to the rest of you to decide what you will do on that score."

"I am coming," Starscream said as Rainmaker nodded. "Red Wing has field command. Come, Elder. Let us do this thing," he said as he swept toward the door with the rest following.

"Salton Sea for Command, Phobos for Medical, Omega and Xantium for jail or platforms for the Seekers," Prime said as Prowl nodded. "Let's be ready in a joor. Sooner, if possible."

Everyone broke for the doors.

-0-Up in the sky getting medical kits together

Ratchet dropped a number of kits on a table. "Pack them according to the lists, Partition. I have to make calls."

Partition looked at the stack, then Ratchet. "I'm a diplomat. This isn't diplomacy."

"It is. If you do it and I don't hit you, then its a diplomatic coup. Otherwise, I have a kit to put you back together right here on hand. Win-win for me. For you ... ?" he asked letting the question hang in the air.

Partition frowned at Ratchet. "You don't think I can do this."

"You read my processor," Ratchet lied. Reverse psychology was the key to this kid.

"Frag you," he said turning to the problem at hand. As he did, Knockout walked into the room. "You rang?"

"We're heading out, Knockout. We're going to a depleted migration that may or not have Decepticons hiding. We need you to tell us if you see any and help do the elder triage."

He nodded, then glanced at Partition. "Who's this?"

"My protege. He's learning how not to be an aft," Ratchet said with a smile.

Knockout looked at Partition with an appraising stare. "Nice paint. Really great finish."

Partition who was looking at him as well as reading his tattoos nodded. "I have a great detailer. At least someone understands me. Where are you from?"

"Iacon. The Districts. You?" Knockout asked.

"My family is from there abouts. I wasn't separated there but it doesn't matter," he said glancing coldly at Ratchet. "Some don't have to be born there to be superior in the ways that matter."

"I won't argue with you there. Much," Knockout said with a smirk at Ratchet. Ratchet who was internally making calls smirked back. It was all going as planned, though Knockout and Partition didn't know that.

"Some would argue," Partition said glancing at Ratchet. "They forgot their place."

Knockout glanced at Ratchet, then Partition. "How so?"

"If this was the way it was supposed to be, someone other than him would be doing the medical program here," Partition said warming up to someone who also wore high caste engravings and tats. "The low castes would do what they're good for … clean up."

"Would that include Breakdown, do you wonder?" Ratchet mused as he smirked to himself.

"If he's low caste, yeah," Partition said. "The only thing low castes are good for is to sweep the streets."

Knockout glanced at Ratchet, then Partition. His optical ridges narrowed. "Is that so?"

It was then that Breakdown appeared in the doorway coming to Ratchet's call. "What do you need, Ratchet?"

"Partition … did you ever meet Knockout's bond? Breakdown, come on in," Ratchet said. He did and on cue, just like Ratchet knew he would, the youngster read Breakdown's tattoos and etchings.

"You're bonded to that slag heap?" Partition asked, none too wisely.

That was when Knockout leaped on Partition.

Moments later …

Breakdown and Ratchet stood side-by-side watching Knockout drub Partition all over the room. Partition was getting a lot better but he was no match for a warrior, Autobot or Decepticon. Breakdown glanced at Ratchet. "Do we break this up?"

"I don't want to. It's kind of entertaining. I didn't know Knockout had that level of fisticuffs. He was always using his cattle prod."

Breakdown grinned. "He frags me. I figure we're the anti-Ratchet and Ironhide."

Ratchet guffawed loudly, then grinned at Breakdown. "Watch it, infant. You may get adopted if you keep that up. How about we break this up?"

Breakdown who was inordinately pleased nodded, then waded in with Ratchet. Soon the participants were apart. Knockout was livid. **"LET ME GO!"**

"No," Breakdown said as he glanced at Ratchet. "Do I let him go?"

"No, but he deserves a good frag tonight. He defended you," Ratchet said.

" **OF COURSE, I WOULD!"** Knockout said as he stepped away from Breakdown. "You're lucky I don't have my equalizer. You'd be twitching on the floor for a decaorn."

"Frag you, traitor," Partition said as he glowered at Knockout.

"I think this went well," Ratchet said with a cheery voice. "However, we have sick people to get so pack it up and get busy."

Breakdown half dragged a seething Knockout out the door as he walked off with a big grin to help get ready. Partition watched them go, then glared at Ratchet. He turned to the pile of gear to begin again.

"Be careful with the packing. Someone's life may count on you being right," Ratchet said as he walked to the computer nearby. They wouldn't exchange a word until they walked out behind a pallet of medic kits to go to Phobos. Partition would try to hide it but the size of the massive ship would be impressive to him even if the commander of it, his nemesis bot, Ratchet would be boss hog of the whole thing.

-0-In the elder emergency care center of Phobos getting ready

Knockout stood in the middle of a big group of doctors and nurses, specialists, techs, and medics giving orders for where they would work and what they would do. He was in charge of this portion of the incoming patients while Breakdown would be chief of field medics for everyone out there. Gypsy would handle infant and youth care while Ratchet would take the worst case scenarios. Cambo would handle the adult portion of the migration. Thus, the intake officers on the hangar deck way below would direct the orderlies where to take patients based on their age and/or severity of wounds.

Ratchet made a quick inspection with Partition following, then went to the flight deck to await liftoff. Partition followed him like a puppy, halting when he did, moving along when they walked onward. The ship was unbelievably big, heavily armed, completely redesigned as a medical vessel, and had personnel bustling even as the equipment and supplies were still being loaded.

Through the forward viewports it was a highly correographed dance of ships, vehicles, ground crews, and Seekers. The Seekers were still in groups but shortly, once they received their orders, they would transform, then jet straight upward into the sky. It was an astonishing sight for Partition but just another mission for Ratchet. Partition watched as Omega and Xantium transformed nearby, then rolled along the runway heading toward the flight that was forming up around Prime's ship, Salton Sea.

He watched the crew on board his own ship as they took their stations and began pre-flight. The ship's pilot was a mech he had seen around but until someone called to him he didn't know the name. "Nitro … we're go at tactical," someone said.

The big mech, a nearly solidly black Seeker nodded. "Good. Check in through my console," he said as lights began to blink on the panel. He checked them off, then glanced at Ratchet. "We're go when they signal, Ratchet."

Ratchet nodded, then walked to the command seat to sit. "Good, Nitro. Until liftoff, I think I'll sit here on my throne. Megatron won't mind anymore."

Rough laughter greeted that as Partition looked at and listened to the mechs getting it together. It was informal and oddly compelling. A mech leaned back in his chair to grin at Ratchet who was mugging in the command chair. "You need a crown."

"And a big old turkey drumstick," Ratchet said as the mechs laughed.

"Where's Ironhide?" someone asked.

"He's on Salton Sea. He's with Prime. Sort of his calling," Ratchet replied.

"Aren't you missing a conference or two?" someone asked, someone who was a genitor himself.

"We are. They're used to us now. Besides, Orion is one of the two we were supposed to have today," Ratchet said with a smile.

"I want that kid," another mech said. "I heard that Drift and Springer want him too."

"He's a dealer show piece. They have to get their own little mech," Ratchet said. "That little mech is a caution. He's a genius mech in my opinion."

"His mug reminds me of someone," a big mech said with a grin as he sat in the navigator's seat.

"That's a handsome little mech," Ratchet said. "He's about the handsomest little mech of them all."

"You have four with the same face, Ratchet," the big mech said.

"Isn't that great?" Ratchet asked with a giant smile.

 **HUGE** laughter met that remark as Ratchet smirked in the command chair. "Slaggers."

"Fortress Maximus Flight Control to Phobos," a voice said over the intercom.

"Phobos here," Nitro said as he turned back to the console.

"You're cleared to move up in the flight formation," the voice said.

"Thanks, Flight Control. Copy," Nitro said as he began to move the huge ship. It lifted slightly, then moved forward sliding into a section of the group already ahead of them forming into the liftoff order of flight.

Partition glanced around, then looked at Ratchet who glanced up. "Pull up a chair, infant. Take a load off. We could be out there a while."

Partition looked around, then pulled a chair forward. He sat, then stared at the forward screen. The ships ahead began to rise upward, then they followed. It was dark almost immediately outside as they continued to follow the group toward the Triggers who loomed large nearby. They swept up, then they slid into place between the long arms that ran into the distance.

Ratchet watched him out of the corner of his optics, noting that Partition was really interested in what was happening. Maybe it was the grandeur of the armada or the adventure. He didn't know but it was good to see. Outside, the flare of Trigger 1 burst into view, something that seemed to amaze Partition.

"Trigger Control, you're clear to move at the count," Perceptor's voice could be heard to say.

"Got ya, Percy," a voice said over the com line. The ships ahead began to follow as the Seekers jetted ahead of them. One by one until it was their turn, the big vessels flashed forward until the jolt of movement indicated they were going as well.

The whirl of energy surrouded them, a bright light that strobed. Then they were through it into the darkness of space right away. They formed up, then flew forward heading toward a distress signal that was now strong and clear.

"Help us. This is a flight from Camphir, a Cybertronian settlement in the Barren. We heard the call of Optimus Prime and Starscream. We are sending a distress signal for you to come. Help us. The situation is dire. We also have Decepticons in the group. We need help. Please come... Help us. This is a flight from Camphir, a Cybertronian settlement in the Barren ..."

-0-TBC 8-2-17


	82. Chapter 82

The Diego Diaries: Out There (dd6 82)

-0-On their way

Partition sat on his chair on the command deck watching the big mechs working at stations doing the job of flying into danger. He had never been in real danger in his life. His settlement had been left alone until messages came that it was smart to run before the Decepticons came. They left rather swiftly on their way to Prime and the worst part of things, being attacked or harmed was avoided to the biggest degree. Now, he was seeing it from the other side. He was sitting with real soldiers on a real ship heading for what could be danger. This was exciting in a way that was hard to explain even to himself. He was absorbed completely in the moment.

Ratchet watched him out of the corner of his optics noting with interest that he was completely infatuated with the moment. Was he a danger junkie? Was he as clueless as Commotion? Did he understand that the danger they were facing here was probably real and possible? He didn't know but he watched the kid as they came closer to a light source ahead.

"Prime to armada."

Everyone signaled.

"I want medical to stay behind. Get ready to send out teams. Utilize runabouts. Security, form up boarding parties to assist. I want the usual ship-to-ship inspections, Springer. Signal me when you are ready to go. I will make my calls. Standby. Signal receipt."

Everyone did.

Prime who was sitting in the command seat on Salton Sea called for an open channel to the migration. "This is Optimus Prime. We have heard your call and are here to render assistance. I wish the leader of this group to acknowledge."

"This is Focus, Lord Optimus. I'm commanding the group," a deep voice said with weariness and emotion. "We're in dire straights and there may be Decepticons hiding among us, some of us, in groups."

"Please be ready to receive teams to assess need and bring relief. I would appreciate any information you have regarding the Decepticons if you can send it. Please stand by for further conversation," Prime said as he rose. "Ironhide, Raptor, I want you to come. Tell Ratchet and Springer to launch. Have the Seekers disperse through the group to give assistance to Springer and Ratchet's teams. What have the data teams discovered?"

Paragon glanced up from the console nearby as he fulfilled the "Prowl Function' on the mission. "We have about 2,694 individuals spread over a lot of ships. They appear to be in considerable distress and debilitation. The effects of fighting can be seen and they appear to be on their last legs. The Decepticons, if they're in the group are not visible or detectable by moderate means."

Prime nodded. "The operation is yours, Paragon. I am going to the command ship. Pinpoint the location and have a bridge ready to take me there." He walked the elevator with Raptor and Ironhide, then entered to disappear into the ship.

"Paragon to bridge room."

"Bridge room here, Commander."

"Prime and his party wish to bridge to the command ship of the migration. They're on their way. We will transmit coordinates now," he said nodding to the young Home Guardsman sitting nearby. They were sent as Paragon assumed the command seat and the mission.

-0-Phobos

Ratchet rose, then walked to the comm station. "This is Ratchet. The mission is dire. We have starvation, wounds and disease. Our caseload is going to be all ages and shapes. Those of you in command of a segment of the population, be ready to receive patients. Hangar deck … we're going to be receiving patients shortly. Be ready to move." He looked at Partition. "Come with me. We're going to the migration."

"We are?" Partition asked with surprise as he rose to follow Ratchet.

"Oh, frag, yeah," Ratchet said as the door closed on the two. Down they went to the hangar deck. "I'm going to expect you to do absolutely **everything** I tell you without the usual slag. There's Decepticons in the mix hiding themselves. It could get ugly. If I tell you to run or duck, do it. Do you understand? This is no game. It's real. Tell me that for once you'll obey me without an argument."

Partition stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "Alright."

"You better mean it. The last slagger who thought this was a game got shot through and died on the airfield," Ratchet said. "He was permanently dead, Partition. Dead as in he won't ever get up again."

Partition nodded as he stood uneasily beside Ratchet. "What about a gun. Do I get a gun?"

"No," Ratchet said. "I have mine. I'll shoot if its needed. You just have to help here. There's a lot of innocents that need rescue and maybe you can help. Think on that for a bit."

The door opened onto the hangar deck where the last of the scheduled medical runabouts took off with their crews, doctors or medics. One was left so Ratchet commandeered it, then entered along with a soldier and Partition. He sat, fired it up, then flew out of the hangar into dark space to head for the glowing lights of the migration just ahead.

Partition sat along the bulkhead absorbed in the sight. They flew forward entering the stream of vessels that were rushing to the vast group, some slowing as they slipped in among the broad panorama of ships. Ratchet flew over, then slowed over a ship that looked the worst for wear. Reading its markings, he called to it over the ship intercom. "Vessel 54D-1 Mara's Joy … I'm Ratchet. I'm a doctor. Answer me."

A youngish voice answered. "Help us. My family is so sick. Can you come now?"

"I'm here," Ratchet said. "Standby to open the hatches when we come over." Ratchet glanced at the soldier, Corby, and Partition. "You fly and we go. Hover over the hatch. We're probably going to have to bring out patients for transport right away."

Corby nodded, then assumed the pilot seat. Maneuvering the vessel just so, he put it into fixed location over the hatch just as it opened. Some atmosphere burst out, then froze as light streamed into the darkness of space. Ratchet opened his own hatch, picked up a medic kit, then turned to Partition. "Get that kit and follow me. Push off, glide into the hatch and I'll grab you. Understand?"

Partition nodded as he picked up a kit. He watched as Ratchet poised, shoved off, then glided into the hatch to disappear inside. Waiting a moment to gauge what to do, he did the same. Sliding into the vessel, he was gripped by Ratchet as the hatch was sealed. Everyone stumbled a moment as gravity was restored. Ratchet and Partition looked around, then saw a youngling mech watching them with an agonized expression. "Come with me," he said, then hurried forward.

Ratchet looked at a mesmerized Partition. "Come with me." He hurried after the kid, then Partition followed. They disappeared into the ship almost immediately.

-0-On the lead ship

The commander of the whole group looked at Prime with an incredible sense of emotion. He bowed, then glanced at the hodgepodge of individuals who were with him. An older femme, two older mechs, a youngling femme and several adult mechs stared at Prime like he was a ghost. "Thank you for coming, Lord Optimus. We'd almost given up hope. We're breaking down and when we left we were not prepared for this. We're in very bad shape."

Prime nodded. "We are already in the group. We need more information right now about the Decepticons you believe are with you."

Focus glanced around, then looked at Prime. "We don't have definitive proof but we're sure some of them didn't belong with us at the beginning when we were run off. They seemed to just be here, maybe infiltrating for reasons we don't know."

"You were run off?" Raptor asked.

Focus nodded, then looked almost ready to burst into tears. "They took over our settlements. There are three of them, three settlements that worked together to survive. We have about one hundred forty thousand all together in the three. They're old, made about the time of The Fall. We live out here and because of the rumors and things about the Rifts and the Barren, no one came out here to bother us all this time until now.

"Then the ships came, someone said they were Decepticons with strange beasts and no concerns about killing us. We were heading home, the group here, when they drove us off. They said the colonies were forfeit. Our families, our homes are there and we can't go back. We took a chance to come here because there's no place else to go. Cybertron is in Decepticon hands."

"No, its not," Ironhide said. "We took it back. Autobots hold it and the surrounding area among the five planets."

Focus and the others stared at Prime like they could fall apart. "We didn't know that. We could have … we could have gone that way and avoided all of this. We could have gotten help **sooner.** "

"Who are your aggressors. We need more information," Prime said gently. "What kind of strange beasts?"

"I don't know. They said they had them and that they'd unleash them on our families if we came back," Focus said. "They said that the area was now theirs and the civilians in our settlements were theirs too. My family is there, Prime. **HELP US!** " he said with enormous emotion. Everyone broke into a babble of grief and demands for help.

Prime gripped Focus by the shoulder, then turned to the others. "We hear you. We had plans to come and get you already made. Caminus has been rescued and they told us about you. It confirmed soundings that we were picking up. We will help you and your settlements. We will liberate your people. You **must** help us help you."

It silenced, then an elder femme rubbed her face with her servos. "Lord Optimus, my grandchildren and my family are there. We were coming back from exploring an energon source. That's why there's so many of us. It takes that many to work out the sites when we find them, to do the digging and exploring necessary. Please … you **must** help us."

Prime squeezed her shoulder gently. "We are here to do that, Amma. Right now, we have to rescue this group and get you to safety. We want you to tell us everything you can about your settlements, the way things are on your worlds and all that you might know about your oppressors. The more we know, the faster and better we can rescue them."

Everyone nodded, then Raptor pulled the group leaders aside to talk to them for details. Ironhide walked to the window with Prime. "This is fragged. What sort of creatures? Do you suppose its the acid monsters?"

"I do not know, Ironhide, but whatever it is, we have to take them down," Prime said with resolution. He glanced at Raptor and the others, then looked outside at the ships, many of them showing battle scars and other failures. "No one is left behind."

-0-On a second ship checking over the passengers

Ratchet tagged the last civilian in the main room, then rose to walk onward. This was a mixed ship of local security officers, mining and energon scientists and engineers along with worker bees. They, apparently, were a peaceful group of many different castes who had worked out long ago how they would manage. They had found energon deposits and were going to bring in bigger ships that had equipment when they were informed they couldn't come home. Everyone had left their work sites to gather together before they were attacked and driven away. The only direction left was toward the message of Prime and Starscream across an empty sector of space. It was terrifying and deeply debilitating.

This particular ship had become a gathering place, that is, a ship that had accumulated those whose own vessels were unable to continue. There were mechs here that were big, unknown and disturbing in their energy auras. Ratchet had called for backup with Springer, Drift, Hercy, Kup along with Smokey, and Lon showing up. They gathered in the corridor leading forward to discuss what to do.

Partition stood beside Ratchet listening raptly. It was going to get hot really soon.

-0-TBC 8-3-17 **edited 8-9-17**


	83. Chapter 83

The Diego Diaries: Problems (dd6 83)

NOTES: I've been overrun by a virus that ate my computer. I had to order another because the laptop is so damaged that it skips through the programs. My virus catcher missed or couldn't get this so I'm a bit behind. Also, my new laptop won't be here for a few days so I have to do this on my desktop. SIGH!

Here we go...

-0-Later that afternoon at Earth2

She walked from the library heading for the apartment area of the vast complex. Her home work was finished, that is, all the work that didn't get completed in class. It was hard and more challenging than any school she had attended and they expected a decent, organized and interesting composition every day. It had taken time but she was finished. As she walked toward her home she noticed that groups of kids, the ones her age were standing here and there talking together, some of them her classmates in Youngling Day. No one made an effort to speak to her but she didn't notice. She was preoccupied by her situation and its possible outcomes.

So were they.

-0-On board a ship in the migration

Ratchet nodded, then unsubbed a gun. He looked at Partition. "You stay here and watch the patients. Don't let anyone follow. We're going to find the others," he said. "If you don't do what I tell you I will thrash your aft. This is reality, not playtime. Understand?"

Partition nodded. "Okay," he said as he watched the group form up and walk forward.

Ratchet looked at the civilians sitting and standing around the lounge area with tense worried expressions. "Don't worry. We have this," he said as he followed. He disappeared hot on the trail of the others. Partition watched him go.

-0-Down the corridor

"This is Springer and Ratchet. We're with the rescue. We're here for medical and transport to better ships and the safety of the colony. Identify yourself and step out with your servos empty," Springer said as they crept along.

The sound of footfalls walking away from them could be heard echoing in the ship along with the slight sound of something scraping metal. They slowed, glanced at each other, then split up. Half went one way, Ratchet went with Springer and Drift the other way. :Watch out for ambushes: Springer said as they switched to infrared and night vision, an innovation all of them had as adults.

Ratchet followed, then caught a movement. He tapped Drift, then the two turned to the door where the sound was emanating. Peering swiftly inside, Ratchet blinked with surprise, then entered the room. Sitting on the floor looking terrified, three toddlers were cowering. Subbing his gun, Ratchet gently swooped them up, then stowed them in his carry hold. They cowered there too but they were safer. A swift check of the space yielded no one else so they slipped out and moved onward.

-0-Prime on Salton Sea

Reports were pouring in as the medics and security forces began to systematically make their way forward. The ships that were here were shot up and exhausted of purpose, like they had given all they had in the long haul toward this destination and had little left to continue. Miners and their friends, companions and partners were showing up in the group. Elders who had the knowledge needed to work the different kinds of deposits should they be found were among them too.

Families were elsewhere, back on the three settlement planets that were on the list for pick up by Prime when the chaotic level of daily life settled enough that they could manage to go there. The situation had become unbearable and the priority of the three colonies rose through the roof. He would have to get a plan together when he could get more information. They would squeeze it out of the 'Cons in this group and hopefully, they would tell things they needed. Perhaps they were plants put here by the unknown enemy out there.

"We have a discreet message from a big ship in the middle of the migration, Optimus," Blaster said as he looked up from Communications. "Apparently, the unknowns there have come clean and they're holding the ship. The crew who aren't exactly shrinking violets … they're deep pit miners … they're holed up in an equipment room with a thick door. The 'Cons haven't come around to doing anything about it but they could."

"How many Decepticons and where are they?" Prime asked.

"It's unknown. They can confirm five heavily armed mechs, maybe more. They were moved to this vessel when theirs gave out," Blaster replied. "The ship is located and I can send the coordinates to a team at your command." He checked again. "Ratchet and his medical team are there too."

Prime nodded as he sat in the command chair watching the map on the forward view screen that had every single ship and his teams marked. Partition was inputting the data as fast as it came in. Ships that winked a blue color were those already taken and secured. Those with red were unknown, possibly dangerous. Those that were yellow were probably fine but caution would prevail until it was verified. There were few blue lights, many red and even more yellow. The greatest number were still white signifying that they were not reached at all yet. "Prime to Springer."

:Springer: a hushed voice replied.

"I need you and a good team," Prime said. "Contact me when you get what you're doing secured."

:Affirmative: Springer whispered.

Prime glanced at Blaster. "Link in Springer, Drift, Hercy, Lon, and Kup's optics through a split screen. Audio convergence into one on the sound system," he said.

Blaster complied. The forward screen split into five view points while the audio came through as one. Kup glanced back so they could see Ratchet as Blaster added his view point to the group on the monitor. They were moving along a corridor in the dark but the vision they transmitted was detailed and clear.

Kup: "We need to slow down. Meeting here cleared the ship behind us but the mechs moving up … they could be hiding in the cul de sacs we're coming up to in the bend ahead."

Springer: "Break it up and do a pincer on them. Come around and when we move closer, I'll tell them to surrender or Ada will have a few more patients."

Ratchet with a grin: "Don't do anything on my account, boys. I don't mind sharing the wealth. Kick them like good sons."

Snickers, soft but audible were heard, then everyone divided up. Half the view points hurried around the pass through nearby, inched along to the far corridor again, then one stared down the hallway. :We're set up, Springer: Hercy said.

Springer lowered his gun a bit, then peered around the corner. "This is Springer again. We know you're there. If you're hurt, let us help you. Come on in with your servos up. We're taking you onward to the colony so Prime can hear you and figure out how we can get the others."

"I can't come to you," a female voice said. "There's mechs with guns here."

A hissing sound was heard, then someone moving back. It settled again. Springer glanced down the hall, then leaned back. "Why would you need guns? We're here on a mission of mercy. If you're scared and think we're here for any other reason, don't be. We do this a lot. The colony on the planet where the message comes from has 23 million settlers. We also took Cybertron back. The Decepticons are over."

"I doubt that," a deep rough voice said.

"It 's true," Drift said. "We have a million former Decepticons living on our settlement world. We're gathering everyone including all the Seekers. We took Cybertron back a year ago. It surrendered because it was starving and Megatron is away."

"Let's say a few things, then," the voice said. "Even if you're telling the truth, what makes you think Prime would take us in? What if we say we're Decepticons who were fleeing. What then?"

"I'd say, 'welcome, brother'," Drift replied. "I'm a former Decepticon myself."

It was silent a moment, then the voice was back. "I want to hear it from Prime."

"Hang on," Springer said. :Did you hear that, Optimus?" he asked.

"I am on my way," Prime said as he walked toward the elevator with Ironhide. "You have the 'Con, Paragon." He walked to the elevator, then jetted down to the hangar deck once again. Entering a runabout, they were flown to the ship where the standoff was happening. Slipping inside, he paused in the lounge area to look at the civilians. They were shocked to see him and he was middling surprised to see Partition. "How is the situation here, Partition?" he asked.

"We're fine. When will someone come get them?" he asked nodding to the civilians.

"That is up to Ratchet. Stay here and maintain your post," he said, then walked forward with Ironhide. Partition watched them go.

-0-At a table in the rec room, a game place with a small soda fountain-like snack bar in one corner inside Earth2

They gathered at a table near a window, watching the settlers beyond it walking here and there on the job or off. It was designed to be like an Earth business though it was inside the facility. The commercial section of the habitat was large, various and homelike. Camilla Baker, Lilly Brown, Jaycee Jameson along with Rain Harris gathered to talk. After ordering ice cream, they leaned in together. "How's it going in Mrs. Lyrica's class?" the three asked Jaycee.

"It's hard. She was a famous university teacher. What would someone like that be here doing this?" Jaycee asked. Everyone shrugged. "I have a couple of the kids from N.E.S.T. They're ahead of me. I can't believe it."

Everyone nodded. "We have to get out of pull-out school. We need to be in the rooms full time," Rain said.

"I heard that they keep the classes we're not supposed to know in the time where we're not there," Lilly said. "By the way, we get to go to Trypticon. We're going to Saturn on Martian Friday to do some telescope stuff."

"I wish I could," Jaycee said sighing. "What about you? Are you going to get suspended?"

"I doubt it," Rain said. "I haven't been yet."

"This isn't Earth. I don't think they care who your dad is or how much money they have," Camilla said. "I also saw some of the kids staring at you. It wasn't friendly."

Rain shrugged. "My dad said they'd probably be mad. I don't care. This is our time. My time. They can get over it."

They sat eating ice cream and talking until the curfew siren sounded and all under aged kids, i.e., those less than 17 had to go home from wherever they were. The four of them would be among them.

-0-Prime

He conferred with the group, then moved closer to the hallway. "This is Optimus Prime. I am here to discuss this with you."

It was silent a moment, then the deep voice spoke again. "We're not here to make trouble, Prime. We're leaving the Empire because things are changing on the Rim and out along the Frontier. The new management's as harsh as Megatron but without the humor," the voice said with deep bitterness.

"Come out and surrender. Then talk. I need information. You need sanctuary. You have to come out without weapons and then we can talk," Prime said.

The sound of silence ticked past, then a single shot rang out. A heavy weight seemed to hit the floor, then the voice was back. "We're surrendering. We had a difference of opinion. I hope you have a medic."

"Come out without guns and your servos up. Any of you so much as stumble, you will be killed. Do you understand?" Prime replied.

"We do," the voice said. The sound of weapons hitting the ground could be heard as footfalls from the other end signaled Hercy and crew moving up. A huge mech stepped out of the darkness followed by four more. Their arms were raised, their expressions were grim and they were completely compliant as the mechs tossed them for dangerous items. They had none.

As they filed out, a femme rushed out, paused to look at the Autobots, then ran onward toward the lounge where the others were. Ratchet watched her go, then moved past to the wounded mech who was groaning on the floor. He looked up at the big mech who had been the leader in the encounter. "Nice shot. Nothing fatal but debilitating nonetheless."

"I try," he said with a disgusted tone. "He's my cousin. He's a slow learner."

"Your cousin?" Springer asked with surprise.

"Yeah," the big mech said. "My aunt and uncle wanted me to take care of him because he's a bit on the slow side. Sometimes, you have to perforate him to get him to agree." He glanced at Optimus. "I hope you don't mind, Prime. It's a family thing."

Prime almost grinned as he nodded. "Come with me, all of you. I need to know what's going on."

"Optimus," Ratchet said as he patted his hold. "I have three little babies in here that were alone in a room nearby."

"Bring them, Ratchet. We can sort it out in a moment," Prime said as he continued onward. With that, the big mechs followed under guard for transport to Salton Sea. Ratchet followed with 'cousin' on a stretcher and a bedazzled Partition behind him.

-0-TBC 8-5-17 **edited 8-10-17**

Leoness: That's absolutely true, Miss Kitty. You have to be carefully taught young as the song says. Unfortunately. :(

Lackwit: BWAHAHAHA! I hear you. So far, Rain isn't telling me she's going to change. We shall see. ;)


	84. Chapter 84

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 84)

-0-In a conference room off Ops Center on the Salton Sea, near a refugee group from the far side of the Empire

They sat around the table, then stared at each other a moment. Four big mechs sat across from Prime, Raptor and Ironhide. Jazz was there to gather the intel that might arise along with Elita. Prime leaned forward on his elbows. "Identify yourself, your unit, your purpose, and why you are here."

The biggest mech, a hard-bitten looking character nodded. "I'm Furion. These mechs are Char, Scope, Prim, and Menace. They're my officers. We were a security unit on the Rim, the far side before you reached the energy rifts. The Ghost Straits as they're called now." He didn't notice Raptor smirk slightly at that. "We provided security, kept out a lot of strange and hostile aliens as well as holding discipline in the shipping lanes out there. I commanded a big group which was siphoned off bit by bit."

"Go on," Prime said as he listened.

"We were aware that Megatron had changed. That was clear. Word was out that a lot of mechs were leaving and some were having to double down on their discipline to stay alive. I always knew Megatron was a slagger and that his form of command was brutal. We were far enough out that we didn't usually catch his slag but its crept out to us slowly but surely. All of it was bad, that only the most loyal had any sway with him and even then he was unpredictable. The only ones he gave any latitude toward were Shockwave and Galvatron. Someone told that waste heap was related to Megatron, that he was his son," Furion said with a cold expression. "Both of them killed families and threatened everyone but he had a mutt of his own. That's rich."

"He is, Galvatron. He's Megatron's son," Jazz interjected.

Furion grinned slightly. "Fragger," he said. "Well … we came this way hoping to meet up with someone, then we saw this group. They were running toward your message. We slipped in, then split up hoping we'd fit in better that way. What's the story here? They're being held away from their home settlements. That's all we know."

"They are," Prime said. "Tell me more, especially about the empire where you were and the command structure. You ran away from Megatron. He will hunt you harder than he hunts me to even the score. If we fall, you fall too."

Furion nodded. "We know," he said. "The empire beyond you is still holding discipline, still tightly run and still functioning. There's an alien race holding the reins while Megatron is gone. He's gone off to recruit allies. He wants you dead so badly, Prime. He wants to hang your helm in the command center of his ship. He's gone but the others … we don't know who or what they are but those who have to work the most directly with them are scared of them. You know us, Prime. We don't scare easily. Some of those who question their right to rule, who go to their home base to argue about it, they never come back. I don't know where that's located but its said to actually be inside the energy rifts, the part farthest from Cybertron. Mechs I know who aren't afraid of anything are afraid of them. That's holding the army and the Cause together, that and fear of reprisal from Megatron."

"You have no idea about what they are," Raptor asked. "Not a small inkling at all?"

Furion shook his helm. "I would tell you if I could," he replied as the other four nodded.

"What's the likelihood that more will defect?" Prime asked.

"I think they would but the security net has dropped and it'll take big bearings and a lot of coordination to come out now," Char said as the others nodded. "Don't get me wrong. There's a lot of Decepticons who still believe in the Cause and Megatron. They won't be an easy get but there are many who are worried and wary. They might want to come out but I don't know if they'd be able to fit in where polite folk live, if you know what I mean."

Prime nodded. "What else can you tell me?"

They chatted a bit longer, mostly telling what was already known. They came from far out on the edges of unknown space, so their information wasn't as up-to-date as those closer in. Furion leaned back in his chair. "How hard was it to take Cybertron? When and how, Prime? Not that I'm surprised. You were the hardest slagger to kill. You never gave up. What do **WE** need to know now?"

"We flew in and landed," Raptor said. "There wasn't a shot fired."

The four glanced at him, then Prime who was still appraising them. "Just like that," Char said.

"It helped that we took metrotitans and the Supremes with us," Ironhide replied. "That sort of shut down the conversation."

"That and the starvation everywhere," Raptor replied. "Starvation, abuse, neglect, a toxic pit everywhere … our people were on the edge of dying. That helped a bit, I'd say."

"I heard that your colony was the real deal. Where are we going? There to prison or Cybertron?" Menace asked. They stared at Prime with hard optics and wary expressions on their faces.

"You will go to detention on our colony world. You will be held in the prison until you decide if you can make the changes you need to live and work there or whether you stay in detention. We have many who can not change. The Stunticons are there along with Turmoil, Barricade and others. It's up to you. If you decide to try to be a citizen, then we give you over to the tender mercies of the Former Decepticon Association. They are led by Nitro, Scar, Payload, and Rampage."

"Rampage," Furion said in surprise. "I heard that Predaking was out here. How is it that he's with you? What about the others? Are they as well?"

"No," Raptor said as he sat back with a grin on his face. "Those slaggers want Rampage but he's not available. He has children, a bond and businesses that matter more than slagging around with his half wit brothers."

"Businesses?" Chaos asked with surprise.

Ironhide grinned. "Yeah. He's a baker."

Menace grinned. "If you say so, slagger."

"I want you to call for everyone in the group that's a Decepticon to signal their presence for pick up. Tell them that if they want a fight, I will tell my troops to shoot them dead on sight. These civilians have priority. I hope you get my meaning and resolve," Prime said.

It was silent, then Furion nodded. "I do and its a good look for you." He was silent a moment, then nodded. "They were told to stand down and signal their locations. I told them what you said. All of them have signaled receipt to my message."

"How many are there?" Raptor asked as he stood.

"112."

Prime glanced at Ironhide. "Get them. Raptor, please take these mechs to Xantium. I am told the jail is there."

The mechs rose, then nodded to Prime. "We had a chance to make a run for it to Razorclaw when you came for these ships, Prime. We didn't. I would hope that counts for something," Chaos said.

"It all matters," Prime said somewhat enigmatically.

The big mechs walked out with their guards and Ironhide while Raptor went to tactical to begin the roundup of 112 mechs and femmes. It would be a peaceful gathering up of the troops.

-0-Ratchet

They walked forward to the command center where they moved to either side of the open doors. Glancing swiftly inside, then pulling back, Springer puzzled. He looked inside again, his big gun pointed upward. Five mechs were sitting on the chairs on the command deck watching the doorway with big grins. Their guns were lying on the console nearby. Springer relaxed, then walked inside with his gun ready. "You aren't even going to try?" he asked with a slight grin.

One shrugged. "Nope," one replied with a smile.

"We surrender, just so you know," another said as he stood. "I hear ya got beer."

Ratchet nodded. "Praxus Black Label if you act right."

They glanced at Ratchet as he subbed his gun. "You can't find that. They don't make it anymore," another said.

"They do where we're going," Ratchet said as Partition slipped into the room to watch with almost unholy fascination.

"Take me there," a big mech said with a grin. "I haven't had one of those since I used to steal it from warehouses."

They laughed loudly, the two former enemies and now possibly allies rising to gather for the walk to wherever they were told to go. One of them glanced at Ratchet. "I heard there was football, too."

"Oh, frag yeah," Ratchet said as they walked toward the doors together. "Praxus Science won the first Martian Primal Cup held."

"Now I know you're lying," the same mech said as the room erupted in laughter. He paused by the open doors. "Truthfully. Who won?"

Ratchet smirked. "Praxus the first year because Prowl packed the team. Kaon this year and the last. Kaon has won two out of three."

"Frag," a big mech said from the middle of the group. "My home town."

"More reason to behave," Ratchet said as the group walked out to go to the transport that would take them to the lockup on Xantium. Ratchet watched them go, then turned to Partition. "You mind, I see."

He stared at Ratchet. "Who are these guys?"

"Border security from deep space. All Decepticons. They're surrendering. Count your blessings. They would cut your throat as look at you any other time." Ratchet walked forward with Partition behind him. They entered an elevator, then disappeared into the ship once more.

-0-Earth2

He stared at the message from the District Central Office. The disciplinary hearing for his daughter was in two days, after the general meeting. The board would hold an executive session behind closed doors to discuss this, a problem requiring the right to privacy. The board was a mixed bag, some he knew and others he could only get here and there information about from the Community Bulletin Board. The President was a mech called Hugh-E who he was told usually went by the name 'Huge-E'. Apparently, he was monster truck size, worked in some kind of professional capacity, was a father and bond, was universally well-liked, and the offensive center of the Kaon Kavaliers.

The Vice President of the board, shockingly enough, was Sunstreaker. He was a dedicated father, in a 'trine bond' with his brother, no less, and someone respected and even feared in the community. He was the son of Ironhide who was secretary of the board. That took a moment to assimilate. There were three others who would be there, the community liaison, a mech board member called Burkley who was an engineer, a femme board member named Witlow who was a liaison for the staff of the district, and a young mech board member named Column who with someone named Mani was liaison for the student population. He would be the one most directly involved in seeing to it that his daughter had a good opportunity to have her rights respected and her case heard properly.

There would be, for the purposes of this meeting, a priest from the Temple, Lady Sela by name. She was their educational and outreach director and someone who would be a tie breaker for the vote. Rain would be represented by an attorney named Endar and he would do the talking. She could be there if she wished and she did. He dreaded that part but didn't argue. It was impossible to argue with Rain when she was determined to do something. The case would be presented, her teacher and whoever was involved in the matter would speak, Endar would do his bit, then the board would ask their questions, if any. They would discuss the case 'off line', whatever that meant, then render a decision. It would only be appealed to Prime. There was no other avenue.

The meeting would be held in the later afternoon the following day. It would be a tense afternoon, evening and morning for Owen Harris, master of every universe where Cybertronian law didn't prevail.

-0-TBC 8-7-17 **edited 8-10-17**


	85. Chapter 85

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 84)

-0-In a conference room off Ops Center on the Salton Sea, near a refugee group from the far side of the Empire

They sat around the table, then stared at each other a moment. Four big mechs sat across from Prime, Raptor and Ironhide. Jazz was there to gather the intel that might arise along with Elita. Prime leaned forward on his elbows. "Identify yourself, your unit, your purpose, and why you are here."

The biggest mech, a hard-bitten looking character nodded. "I'm Furion. These mechs are Char, Scope, and Menace. They're my officers. We were a security unit on the Rim, the far side before you reached the energy rifts. The Ghost Straits as they're called now." He didn't notice Raptor smirk slightly at that. "We provided security, kept out a lot of strange and hostile aliens as well as holding discipline in the shipping lanes out there. I commanded a big group which was siphoned off bit by bit."

"Go on," Prime said as he listened.

"We were aware that Megatron had changed. That was clear. Word was out that a lot of mechs were leaving and some were having to double down on their discipline to stay alive. I always knew Megatron was a slagger and that his form of command was brutal. We were far enough out that we didn't usually catch his slag but its crept out to us slowly but surely. All of it was bad, that only the most loyal had any sway with him and even then, he was unpredictable. The only ones he gave any latitude toward were Shockwave and Galvatron. Someone told that waste heap was related to Megatron, that he was his son," Furion said with a cold expression. "Both of them killed families and threatened everyone but he had a mutt of his own. That's rich."

"He is, Galvatron. He's Megatron's son," Jazz interjected.

Furion grinned slightly. "Fragger," he said. "Well … we came this way hoping to meet up with someone, then we saw this group. They were running toward your message. We slipped in, then split up hoping we'd fit in better that way. What's the story here? They're being held away from their home settlements. That's all we know."

"They are," Prime said. "Tell me more, especially about the empire where you were and the command structure. You ran away from Megatron. He will hunt you harder than he hunts me to even the score. If we fall, you fall too."

Furion nodded. "We know," he said. "The empire beyond you is still holding discipline, still tightly run and still functioning. There's an alien race holding the reins while Megatron is gone. He's gone off to recruit allies. He wants you dead so badly, Prime. He wants to hang your helm in the command center of his ship. He's gone but the others … we don't know who or what they are but those who have to work the most directly are scared of them. You know us, Prime. We don't scare easily. Some of those who question their right to rule, who go to their home base to argue about it, they never come back. I don't know where that's located but its said to actually be inside the energy rifts, the part farthest from Cybertron. Mechs I know who aren't afraid of anything are afraid of them. That's holding the army and the Cause together, that and fear of reprisal from Megatron."

"You have no idea about what they are," Raptor asked. "Not a small inkling at all?"

Furion shook his helm. "I would tell you if I could," he replied as the other three nodded.

"What's the likelihood that more will defect?" Prime asked.

"I think they would but the security net has dropped and it will take big bearings and a lot of coordination to come out now," Char said as the others nodded. "Don't get me wrong. There's a lot of Decepticons who still believe in the Cause and Megatron. They won't be an easy get but there are many who are worried and wary. They might want to come out but I don't know if they'd be able to fit in where polite folk live, if you know what I mean."

Prime nodded. "What else can you tell me?"

They chatted a bit longer, mostly telling what was already known. They came from far out on the edges of unknown space, so their information wasn't as up-to-date as those closer in. Furion leaned back in his chair. "How hard was it to take Cybertron? When and how, Prime? Not that I'm surprised. You were the hardest slagger to kill. You never gave up. What do **WE** need to know now?"

"We flew in and landed," Raptor said. "There wasn't a shot fired."

The four glanced at him, then Prime who was still appraising them. "Just like that," Char said.

"It helped that we took metrotitans and the Supremes with us," Ironhide replied. "That sort of shut down the conversation."

"That and the starvation everywhere," Raptor replied. "Starvation, abuse, neglect, a toxic pit everywhere … our people were on the edge of dying. That helped a bit, I would say."

"I heard that your colony was the real deal. Where are we going? There to prison or Cybertron?" Menace asked. They stared at Prime with hard optics and wary expressions on their faces.

"You will go to detention on our colony world. You will be held in the prison until you decide if you can make the changes you need to live and work there or whether you stay in detention. We have many who can not change. The Stunticons are there along with Turmoil, Barricade and others. It's up to you. If you decide to try to be a citizen, then we give you over to the tender mercies of the Former Decepticon Association. They are led by Nitro, Scar, Payload, and Rampage."

"Rampage," Furion said in surprise. "I heard that Predaking was out here. How is it that he's with you? What about the others? Are they as well?"

"No," Raptor said as he sat back with a grin on his face. "Those slaggers want Rampage but he's not available. He has children, a bond and businesses that matter more than slagging around with his half wit brothers."

"Businesses?" Chaos asked with surprise.

Ironhide grinned. "Yeah. He's a baker."

Menace grinned. "If you say so, slagger."

"I want you to call for everyone in the group that's a Decepticon to signal their presence for pick up. Tell them that if they want a fight, I will tell my troops to shoot them dead on sight. These civilians have priority. I hope you get my meaning and resolve," Prime said.

It was silent, then Furion nodded. "I do and its a good look for you." He was silent a moment, then nodded. "They were told to stand down and signal their locations. I told them what you said. All of them have signaled receipt to my message."

"How many are there?" Raptor asked as he stood.

"112."

Prime glanced at Ironhide. "Get them. Raptor, please take these mechs to Xantium. I am told the jail is there."

The mechs rose, then nodded to Prime. "We had a chance to make a run for it to Razorclaw when you came for these ships, Prime. We didn't. I would hope that counts for something," Chaos said.

"It all matters," Prime said somewhat enigmatically.

The big mechs walked out with their guards and Ironhide while Raptor went to tactical to begin the roundup of 112 mechs and femmes. It would be a peaceful gathering up of the troops.

-0-Ratchet

They walked forward to the command center where they moved to either side of the open doors. Glancing swiftly inside, then pulling back, Springer puzzled. He looked inside again, his big gun pointed upward. Five mechs were sitting on the chairs on the command deck watching the doorway with big grins. Their guns were lying on the console nearby. Springer relaxed, then walked inside with his gun ready. "You aren't even going to try?" he asked with a slight grin.

One shrugged. "Nope," one replied with a smile.

"We surrender, just so you know," another said as he stood. "I hear ya got beer."

Ratchet nodded. "Praxus Black Label if you act right."

They glanced at Ratchet as he subbed his gun. "You can't find that. They don't make it anymore," another said.

"They do where we're going," Ratchet said as Partition slipped into the room to watch with almost unholy fascination.

"Take me there," a big mech said with a grin. "I haven't had one of those since I used to steal it from warehouses."

They laughed loudly, the two former enemies and now possibly allies rising to gather for the walk to wherever they were told to go. One of them glanced at Ratchet. "I heard there was football, too."

"Oh, frag yeah," Ratchet said as they walked toward the doors together. "Praxus Science won the first Martian Primal Cup held."

"Now I know you're lying," the same mech said as the room erupted in laughter. He paused by the open doors. "Truthfully. Who won?"

Ratchet smirked. "Praxus the first year because Prowl packed the team. Kaon this year and the last. Kaon has won two out of three."

"Frag," a big mech said from the middle of the group. "My home town."

"More reason to behave," Ratchet said as the group walked out to go to the transport that would take them to the lockup on Xantium. Ratchet watched them go, then turned to Partition. "You mind, I see."

He stared at Ratchet. "Who are these guys?"

"Border security from deep space. All Decepticons. They're surrendering. Count your blessings. They would cut your throat as look at you any other time." Ratchet walked forward with Partition behind him. They entered an elevator, then disappeared into the ship once more.

-0-Earth2

He stared at the message from the District Central Office. The disciplinary hearing for his daughter was in two days, after the general meeting. The board would hold an executive session behind closed doors to discuss this, a problem requiring the right to privacy. The board was a mixed bag, some he knew and others he could only get here and there information about from the Community Bulletin Board. The President was a mech called Hugh-E who he was told usually went by the name 'Huge-E'. Apparently, he was monster truck size, worked in some kind of professional capacity, was a father and bond, was universally well-liked, and the offensive center of the Kaon Kavaliers.

The Vice President of the board, shockingly enough, was Sunstreaker. He was a dedicated father, in a

'trine bond' with his brother, no less, and someone respected and even feared in the community. He was the son of Ironhide who was secretary of the board. That took a moment to assimilate. There were three others who would be there, the community liaison, a mech board member called Burkley who was an engineer, a femme board member named Witlow who was a liaison for the staff of the district, and a young mech board member named Column who was liaison for the student population. He would be the one most directly involved in seeing to it that his daughter had a good opportunity to have her rights respected and her case heard.

There would be, for the purposes of this meeting, a priest from the Temple, Lady Sela by name. She was their educational and outreach director and someone who would be a tie breaker for the vote. Rain would be represented by an attorney named Endar and he would do the talking. She could be there if she wished and she did. He dreaded that part but didn't argue. It was impossible to argue with Rain when she was determined to do something. The case would be presented, her teacher and whoever was involved in the matter would speak, Endar would do his bit, then the board would ask their questions, if any. They would discuss the case 'off line', whatever that meant, then render a decision. It would only be appealed to Prime. There was no other avenue.

The meeting would be held in the later afternoon the following day. It would be a tense afternoon, evening and morning for Owen Harris, master of every universe where Cybertronian law didn't prevail.

-0-TBC 8-7-17


	86. Chapter 86

The Diego Diaries: Problematic (dd6 86)

-0-Out there

"We need more information. I want a Seeker flight to do a data scan, then return. I do not have enough information of the area. What do the databases of their ships show, Jazz?" Prime asked.

"We're gathering their maps and perhaps, Prime, that'll tell us what we want to know," he said as Elita nodded.

"Let us go through the data, Optimus, before we risk someone," Elita replied.

"Very well," Optimus said with a nod. "Time is of the essence."

The two walked out to get information of the area, the locations themselves and a great deal of intel from the ships around them about what they would face trying to free over 100,000 individuals from captivity. It would take another day to move everyone from here, so debilitated were they crossing the void with literally no preparation for the ordeal. Ships that had been shot up were blown up on site after they were relieved of their passengers and anything of the most minimal value and sentiment for them.

Prime sat on his ship brooding. This had thrown things into a cocked hat. They would have to head back and plan. Then they would have to face an uncertain enemy to retrieve his people from slavery.

-0-Ratchet

He stood on the deck watching the crowds coming in. Nothing that did would require his level of expertise so he allowed the others to get the experience of the moment. Working where Ratchet told him to work, Partition was finding out that war was hell. Ratchet told him especially to help the wounded children and elders, many of whom were in sad shape. The kid carried wounded babies, some of them well beyond making any sound or much movement to the gurneys, freeing up their exhausted and distraught genitors to limp along after them.

Partition wasn't arguing, but doing what he was directed to do. He had little to offer but his strength and obedience, working with all manner of castes to help direct the flood of sick and injured to the correct elevator for the ride to their staging medical area. There were seemingly thousands coming in as shuttles and Seekers flying in with loads or those clinging to their backs landed, off loaded, then flew out again. They were carefully helped out or down, then directed toward help. Those who were able bodied worked with the medical triage teams helping their fellows get where they needed to go.

Ratchet who had a theory about the youngster developed from fending off his 'diplomating' in the past decided that when no one else stepped forward to mentor him and his genitors that he would. He decided that the kid grew up in a bubble, that his thinking was formed by the stupidity and ignorance not only of his caste but his genitors. He couldn't help but think about Partition as a child like Orion, pure and simple, before his circumstances poisoned him. He was an ignorant little mech who needed to have real horizons and not the gilded bars of the prison of his life. Given his own experiences at both ends of the socio-economic spectrum, Ratchet had learned that there were other prisons besides poverty and a lack of opportunity.

This punk was going to change if he had to dismantle him. He was also the lord and master of his genitors. Given that two of his brothers had potential, he was determined to find this slagger's key as well. There was a good mech in there somewhere and he was determined to find it. Most of the others in his circle were aware of his 'projects' but only a few understood why he did this. Ratchet was a doctor and a son of Primus. Until all are one was his core and most central belief. He could not more leave this kid to waste his life in spite and self pity than he could turn his back on anyone else suffering from a disease.

"Get those elders to Mico," Ratchet said as he took a weeping baby from a pensive Partition. "They can't make it on their own."

Partition nodded, then turned to the trio of small mechs who were huddled together, shell-shocked, disoriented and stricken. He paused before them as one looked up. "Follow me," he said, then hesitated. They stared at him without comprehension. Taking one by the servo, he gently tugged it. "Come with me," he said with a softer voice. He looked at the others. "Here," he said helping them hold each others hands, "we can go get help."

They staggered but corrected, following him toward Mico who was sending off two gurneys filled with older femmes. He paused before Mico of Kaon, a former low caste hedge doctor, now triage specialist who had served in the ghettos of Slaughter City and Kaon. "What do we do, Mico? They can't walk too far."

Mico nodded. "Hold them, Partition. I'll get transport lined up," he said as he walked to a bottleneck before the elevator nearby.

Partition watched him go, then looked at the elders who were weaving slightly on their peds. He looked around for help, then turned to them. "Here," he said. "Let's sit on the floor. You and me," he said as he helped them settle. He sat down across from them holding their servos. "You're going to be fine," he said with a strained voice. Glancing around nervously, he waited with no small amount of anxiety for Mico to return.

He did with three big orderlies. Kneeling, Mico scanned the three. "We're going to take you to help. Okay?" he asked.

They stared at him in shock but didn't resist when the orderlies picked them up to carry them to the treatment center for elders on deck 4. Partition watched them go, then turned to look around. Without being told, he walked to the hangar lip to help more patients off transports and direct them to the right source of triage. As he did, Ratchet's spark soared.

It was the first step of what would likely be a truly wild ride toward the light for an entitled bubble boy.

-0-Later that night

Ironhide walked into his apartment and thanked the sitters. Checking on his children, four small, one medium sized and three huge, he walked to his chair and sat heavily. Soon, it would be morning and there would be three conferences that would have to be rescheduled. Hopefully, those of their three 'loaner' mechs, Co-D, Bos and Reflector would be had when they came up but those for everyone else would have to hold. He would be in meetings to plan their mission and he would have to hear the case involving Rain Harris with the rest of the School Board.

As he sat, he commed Ratchet. :Ratchet:

:What?:

"Where are you?:

:Wrapping things up on Phobos. Where are you?:

:Home. Everyone is asleep. When are you getting home? We have that hearing for Harris today:

:Oh frag. Remind me not to surf social media, Ironhide:

Ironhide grinned, basking in the warmth of Ratchet's energy. :How's that kid doing?:

:He's been a champ. I wanted him along to have a really good assessment of his potential under pressure. He was great which means he's got possibilities. I want him to succeed, Ironhide:

 **:YOU AREN'T ADOPTING HIM!:**

Ratchet grinned as he basked in the warmth of Ironhide's energy. :Okay. I'll adopt Lucien and Laslo instead:

 **:WHAT THE FRAG!?:**

Both of them grinned.

:Get home, Ratchet:

:Will do. Ratchet out: He turned to look at the youngster who was talking to some of the triage doctors. Walking toward them, he checked in internally with the heads of the different departments. They had the full complement of the migration in this single ship minus a few troublemakers and the odd mental patient who was bridged to Processor Health Hospital and Outpatient Center in The City. They would be leaving here in a few breems to go back through the bridge to be met with teams who would take the patients destined for hospitals, care centers and the like when they arrived. Everyone else would be taken into hand by Refugees and Immigration who would settle them. Their leadership would be part of the planning team shortly and they would come to the Ops Center when they had a moment to rest, refuel and decompress.

He, himself, would have a short departmental meeting before he would go to testify before the School Board. It was a never ending pageant, he thought, as he joined the group with Partition. "What's the word, boys and girls?"

"We're ready to go. The last patients were brought to us a joor ago and the rest were unharmed but distraught," Meecee, a big triage specialist who had managed the show for children and femmes said as he turned toward Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded. "I'm proud of all of you. You did good. What's the final count, Meecee?"

"The total is 2,083 with 502 in care. That's mostly the children that accompanied their families on this run. It was supposed to be an easy thing. Go and assess a deposit. It was like camping so they had some of their dependents with them. This is fragged, Ratchet. Are we going to have a war?" he asked.

Everyone looked solemn including Partition. Ratchet shrugged. "Prime will not allow even the smallest Cybertronian to be harmed and left behind. **No one** is left behind. We will get them and if it means a fight, then we fight. Until all are one."

The group nodded. "Until all are one," Meecee said. "Well, I'll let the flight deck know we're go if you agree."

"I do," Ratchet said as he turned to Partition. "Come with me, infant. We're going to bridge back."

"We are? Why not go with these guys?" he said as he turned to follow Ratchet to the elevators.

"Because I have to make sure that its in hand at the other end. Command. It's lonely at the top time," he said with a slight grin. They entered, walked down to the ship bridge room and in seconds walked into the bridge room at the Autobot City Medical Center.

Partition had to nearly jog to keep up as Ratchet took the stairs, then walked through the great lobby which was swarming with teams ready to help. He paused long enough to check the plan, then walked to the door and outside into the night air of Autobot City. He clipped along the sidewalk, passing Club Cybertron which was going strong and a number of other businesses shuttered for the night before turning at the corner to go to the airfield. It was already busy with ships returning, Seekers flying in with their group formations and medics, immigration and refugee officials, and the ubiquitous good civilians who always helped newcomers. Poised in the viewing building nearby, a crowd of humans watched in the safety of the building. Ratchet waved to them and they waved back. Partition glanced their way, then continued onward keeping up with Ratchet until he paused at the front of the set up.

"You did good, Partition. What do you think about this? I'm really interested," Ratchet said.

Partition stared at him, then the ships landing in front of them, including in the distance where the Prison was, the great form of Xantium. He was silent a moment, then he turned to stare at Ratchet. "You did this on purpose, right? You wanted me to see something here."

"Let's assume that's true. What did you see?" Ratchet asked.

"Fraggers hurting our people," Partition said. "It was interesting being in the group, going out with the ships and doing things. That part I liked."

"It's sort of amazing to belong to something bigger than yourself," Ratchet said. He watched as fighters landed, then rolled off to the flight line to be ready for emergencies along with the battleships and cruisers that were already there.

Partition stared at them, then nodded. "It is. If this happens again, count me in. Are we going to make them pay?"

Ratchet glanced at him. "Make no mistake. We'll get our people back. You've never been in combat have you?"

He stared at Ratchet with an appraising expression. "No."

"Then maybe you need to be. Maybe it'll mean something to have to see what it costs to be a divided society."

It was quiet a moment, then Partition turned to Ratchet. "Who do I have to see to become a security guy. I think I like this stuff."

Ratchet grinned slightly. "You can ask Springer but I don't think he takes hot heads, entitlement cases, crybabies, whiners, danger junkies, or slaggers."

Partition nodded. "Well, I guess its good then that I'm not any of them."

Ratchet burst into laughter. "I guess its not. What about your genitors? They might not like you mingling with the low classes and maybe getting your servos dirty."

He grinned faintly, ever so faintly. "Don't worry about them. I'll handle that."

Ratchet grinned, then walked forward as Phobos sat down on its gear. The noise and dust was huge as Partition followed him. "I hope so, kid. I also hope you film the conversation for me," he said more to himself than Partition who couldn't hear him over the noise.

-0-Later that night

"You **can't** be serious," Lucien said.

"I'm **dead** serious," Partition said. "It was exhilarating. I think I want something more exciting than a desk job."

"But we don't **do** that sort of thing, son," Laslo said with a shocked expression. "That's **not** what our caste is designed to do."

"You don't think I can do it?" Partition said, stepping into his own trap without prompting. "I can do this. It's adventure. It's filled with excitement. I like how I feel." He paused a moment. "I think I helped some people."

"What do you mean?" Lucien asked.

"The wounded. Old and young, some of them babies. I helped them. I, Partition, helped them. I'm going to do something in this line. Don't misunderstand me. I'm **still** going to be a diplomat. Ratchet needs all the help he can get. But this … its a whole other world, Atar. I want to do it. I'm going to see Springer at the dojo tomorrow and get in the program thing." He grinned. "You won't believe what I'm going to be doing."

They stared at him as he walked to his berth room. Laslo turned to Lucien with a shocked expression. "Lucien, he could get killed. What do we do?"

"I'll … I'll talk to Ratchet tomorrow. He's doing this to spite us," Lucien said with a cold expression. "That **fragger,"** he said softly.

-0-On the flight deck of a shuttle shutting systems down as he gathered information before heading out to manage the influx

"Ada sent me a message," Drift said with a grin.

"He did? What did he say?" Springer said as he subbed a datapad. They walked to the hatch, then down with the others.

"He says Partition wants to be a security officer. He said he told him to find you at the dojo tomorrow. He's not sure if he's sincere or just a danger junkie. He said you'd be able to sort it out," Drift said with a grin. "That's you. Mr. Insight."

Springer laughed, then shook his helm. "Remind me to punch Mom in the face next time I see him."

"Done deal," Drift said as he, Springer and the grinning mechs with them disappeared into the crowds to help.

-0-TBC 8-8-17 **edited 8-9-17**

Remember, if I don't post go to the reviews section of the part we're in and I will tell you what's happening. Even when I can't post in the story section I can there. HUGS! :D

BWAHAHAHA! Lackwit pointed out that before I changed it that "Ratchet's spark soured." BWAHAHAHAHA! I have to cut my fingernails. The keyboard feels different when they're so long I either over or under reach. BWAHAHA! You're my new hero, Lackwit. :D:D:D


	87. Chapter 87

The Diego Diaries: Forward Ho (dd6 87)

-0-Outside the overflowing School Board meeting room, Central Office, Metrotitan, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Ratchet chatted a moment with Sunstreaker and Ironhide before they walked into the room to begin the regular meeting of the Autobot City Unified School Board. He was discussing an event earlier that had been happily resolved …

... It was controlled chaos on the airfield as the newest refugees walked forward to pass immigration and get their circumstances cared for. Partition was watching, adding the odd comment, asking the odd question. It was almost companionable. Then the call came that Ratchet was waiting for. :Timer to Ratchet:

:Ratchet here:

:Come to the Med Center. Meet me at ward 101, room 86:

:On my way: Ratchet glanced at Partition. "Come with me." With that, he set out for the hospital with Partition struggling to keep up through the crowds that had gathered, some to help, others to watch. They entered, went up, then walked down a cheerful corridor to a couple of mechs standing in a doorway at the far end. They waved him in where several mechs were lying in berths with lots of plug ins and infusion lines attached.

"Over here," Timber said as he led them to a nearby empty berth. "Let's take a look, shall we?" he said with a grin.

Ratchet opened his carry hold and reached in to gently pull out a small sleepy infant. Two more followed onto the bed into a soft blanket to warm them. They stared at the strangers looking at them, then began to cry. That's when their genitors lying in beds around the room joined them. It would take a moment to sort things out, to get the tale of hiding the babies to draw off 'the bad mechs' themselves and then the whole thing falling apart. The babies were tucked in with their genitors and all was right in the world once more.

Partition watched the whole thing with an almost ravenous expression. Apparently, the idea of being a force for good change, to help others because it was right was a new concept to him ...

Buzzing past them with gusto, waving happily, a vehicle filled with humans flashed forward to go to the meeting. Ratchet waved to them as they entered, going to the place where they would watch and represent Earth 1 and now, Earth2. Sitting among them was Owen Harris while behind him sat his daughter. He had no discernable expression beyond interest in his surroundings and she looked stoic, so Ratchet had no idea what their feelings and temperament about the proceedings would be. Everyone else looked like they always did, happy and excited to mingle.

Ratchet stepped in to stand beside a youngish couple who had a sleeping baby in their arms. Ratchet scanned the trio with a grin, pulsed the 'all clear', then had a chat off line with them. They were a new couple with a new baby short of school time but they were here to learn and represent anyway.

They were adorable.

Hugh-E called the meeting to order, then they began. It was a long agenda and included expansion of science programs and increased visitation of more kids to the giant station, Trypticon. In the station, a center with information about the Decepticons and the war was being created for tours of the kids coming in. It was suggested by a former Decepticon and would be hosted by both 'Cons and Autobots. They were determined to address their history lest it ever be repeated. It passed unanimously after a slew of good questions by the board and audience.

More came up, new curriculum and expansion of the tech programs for older students and the public. Welding, electronics, telecommunications, and other areas were being developed for Intermediate Day kids who wanted that sort of career. The facility would be built on the grounds of Intermediate Day in Iacon so that students could blow up things outside of the building, rather than inside.

Several teachers gave updates about their classes on the activities of their children, showing things that received massive approval. It was evident to the odd bystander that this was something near and dear to everyone. It was then that the teacher reps from Earth 1 and Earth2 were brought forward to speak. It hushed as several hundred individuals inside and about a hundred more standing outside watching monitors waited to see what they would say. Out in the colony, hundreds of thousands more were watching at home since this like all public meetings was broadcast on the public channels on IntraComm.

:Thank you, Mr. President: Jarrod Wilkinson said with a smile. Hugh-E nodded. :We would like to thank you for expanding the programs at Trypticon to include our students and their adult companions. Having access to the labs there is wonderful and lets us explore deeper material than we could if we didn't have access to the equipment that they provide. We were contacted by the Science Department at the University of Mars about having their students help us when we come. The Department of Education also asked if we would allow their trainee teachers to assist.

 **:YES! THANK YOU!:** he said to laughter and applause. :What a colossal privilege all of this is. Thank you so much. Earth2 has been granted the same and will be attending classes and lectures there with us. We will go together to help ease Earth2's children into life with the big bots and life in space. We are eternally grateful for the kindness and collegiality displayed by everyone.

:Right now, we're holding conferences as well. Four of our human community attend Sparkling Day and 57 human children attend Youngling Day. We have 46 more that are awaiting a chance to apply during the next intake period. We're so happy and privileged to have this possibility and thank you for it.

:We've prepared a textbook we named, 'A History of Life On Earth, Volume 1' which we've sent to the publishers at The Book Foundry. It's going to be a twenty volume survey of life on Earth and its a collaboration between those of us at Earth 1 involved in the project and a number of bots here who helped us with the information. The first volume is the creation of the Earth through the first mass extinction. I'm glad that the books themselves can be updated without having to reprint as new information comes about. We're offering it to the school district either as a library book or supplemental material for the Earth Studies section of the Intermediate School curriculum:

"The contents … they've been reviewed by our guys for accuracy?" Sunstreaker asked. "What about for bias?"

:We asked for assistance with our data and found more newer information including some that sorted out a few errors. Much of our information for this volume comes from the deep scans made by Teletraan during the Insecticon incursion. We've worked together to produce the most accurate possible text that we can and will use it in our own schools as well. It'll also be available through fair use to students and others on Earth:

Sunstreaker nodded, waited for two more questions, then they voted. The text would be available for libraries, schools, general use outlets, and Intermediate Day Earth Studies classes. Anticipation was given to them by the board for further volumes which would attempt to give as complete a rendering of Earth from the beginning of its creation until the modern day.

:We're working out visitations between schools. We have a penpal program, as you know, between Earth 1 and Youngling Day and have expanded Earth2 into it. We also have started a Boy Scout and Campfire Girls troop both at Earth 1 and Earth2: Jarrod said missing the flinch that came over Ironhide. None of the board did because they all looked at him and grinned. :We have both because of interest in them and the childhood memories of participation compelling those adults who are asking to sponsor them. Boy Scouts is a program very much similar to the Autobot Scouts and Campfire Girls, or Campfire as its known now, is a boys and girls organization with a history of full inclusion of anyone regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation:

Ironhide leaned slightly forward. "We've had trouble with some humans dealing with our relationships. We also have heard that the Boy Scouts aren't inclusive and highly disapproving of certain types of individuals. What guarantee can you give us that you won't be bringing forward more of the same old slag?"

Jarrod glanced at the others who nodded. He looked at Ironhide. :You have our word, Ironhide:

Ironhide glanced at the others, then nodded. "Alright."

The atmosphere was awkward a moment as the room stared at the humans. Then Jarrod continued. :We're very happy to learn that the Temple Board has ok-ed visitations by our children to the newly restored shrines around the colony. We're going to be taking tours, the teachers and support staff of Earth 1 and Earth2, to hear and see what's allowed and what isn't. We're aware that the Family children have full access to the installations as does my family by order of the Prime, but we hope in future as we gain your trust and earn you respect, you might consider more. We don't wish to be ungrateful but having been in the Temple grounds to place the stones for Angus in the garden, I can only hope that others can have that remarkable and life affirming experience. We wish to thank Lady Sela for all that she does to help us learn more about The People. We're so fortunate and I personally can't wait to show our children the beauty and sanctity of the shrines. That's our report. We'd love to answer any questions anyone has about us and our schools:

A mech in the audience stood. "Tell us more about your kids that come to our schools? Do they understand the rules? I heard a rumor that one of them was posting videos of our kids online on Earth."

Jarrod stared at the mech, then glanced toward Ironhide. The big mech sat forward. "The rumor is true. We've taken care of it and the videos are down. Sometimes it takes a while to get it right. As for the kids, they're fitting in well, I've heard. Three of them are in the same room as my sons." He sat back thinking about Sunspot, Reflector and Co-D working in a room with Rain Harris. It galled but they were doing well themselves.

"I don't want my kids being on media on Earth. I send them to school because its safe," the big mech said as everyone nodded in agreement. A murmur rumbled through the room. "Thanks, Ironhide. Then we can put this to rest?"

Ironhide nodded. "You can. You have my word." The room settled and more questions popped up, questions about infant football ( **HELLA YES!** -everyone), scout crossovers ( **OH, FRAG!** -Ironhide), holidays upcoming including a spirited laughfest regarding Halloween, and the first glimpse by Earth2 into the greatness that was Santa Prime. Jarrod and his counterparts sat down on the benches just for them in a protected section of the room with great views from an elevated platform.

The meeting went on with a lot of business going past. A few parents and organizations were there to give their reports or to offer their services, all of which were accepted. Anything that the kids needed, they got. When it was at the end, Hugh-E asked for the good of the order. A bit of football slag was traded, then it was over. Hugh-E smiled. "Thank you for coming. This concludes the meeting. If you wish to speak to us, contact your local district rep, your school, the file in the Community Bulletin Board forum for the schools, or some of us directly. I'll be stating that Sunstreaker and Ficus," he said nodding to a member at large, "will be on call for the migration emergency so we won't have a quorum for a while to solve problems. We will entertain them and if they're in need of decision, we will decide with the Prime as tiebreaker. Thank you for coming. Have a great evening and week ahead."

The crowd arose and slowly made their way out, chatting together, pausing together, while some spoke directly to the board. When they finally exited, the doors were closed. Hugh-E rapped the table. "The Autobot School District is now in special session. We're here to decide upon a possible infraction of the rules by a student in our jurisdiction, Rain Harris of Earth2 who attends Youngling Day School #1 in Centurion. I'm told that Endar has been engaged to protect and explain her rights and actions while Fenix as adjunct legal advisor to the school district represents the board and those who are alleged harmed by her actions." He looked at the humans. "Who is here for this and who needs to leave?"

:We all want to be here to help with the situation, Hugh-E. Also present is Rain Harris: Jarrod said pointing to a quiet subdued female human sitting beside her dad, :Her father, Owen Harris, and some of us who want to help resolve this without it becoming a problem for anyone are here as well:

Hugh-E nodded. "Very well. Fenix? Are you to present the issue for us?"

Fenix nodded, then rose. He looked at everyone, then turned to the board. "I call to speak, Ratchet of Iacon."

It was silent a moment, then the door opened. Ratchet walked in, then paused before the board. He turned toward Fenix. "Hi, Fenix. I didn't know you represented the School Board."

Fenix grinned. "Part of my civic duty as a member of the Iacon **Service** Order." They both grinned at each other. "Ratchet, if you could please explain what happened since you were the reporting authority in this matter."

"Before we do, Hugh-E, could we establish the relationships here with the witness?" Endar replied.

"Sure," Huge-E said with a grin.

Ratchet smirked at Ironhide, then turned to the humans. "I'm in a bond with Ironhide, secretary of the board and I'm ada to the vice president, Sunstreaker. I hold everyone else in high regard."

A slight snicker circled the room, then Fenix grinned. "Are we okay, Endar?" He nodded with a grin in spite of himself. "Please continue, Ratchet," Fenix said.

"Well, it started with a remark from my son who's a student with Mr. Terradive just like Ms Harris. He mentioned that the new children asked a lot of personal questions. I told him that he didn't have to answer if he didn't want to. On a hunch, I searched commercial websites like Youtube for Ms Harris and found two with lots of videos, some of which included our children and others. I know I didn't give permission for this and I know that Prime and others didn't either. I called Terradive to tell him and he confiscated the camera which she apparently hid in a school kit for her tabletop the next day. That led to this."

"You alerted the school when you discovered the breach?" Fenix asked.

Ratchet nodded. "Kids will be kids but the schools are safe zones. No one can treat her privacy with disrespect and she can't disrespect our privacy."

"Thank you, Commander," Fenix said. He sat as Endar stood.

"You didn't contact Mr. Harris or Earth2?" Endar asked.

"No. I don't really know Mr. Harris. I followed the usual protocol and called my son's teacher. That apparently set in motion the process that led this this hearing," Ratchet said.

"She's new. She's from another species and culture. You understand that kids sometimes make mistakes," Endar suggested. "Sometimes things are done in ignorance rather than malice."

"I believe that. I have a big family but I don't make the rules or judge them. I reported an infraction of the rules and its up to the school district and the board to decide what to do with it," Ratchet replied knowing full well that the questions and remarks Endar were making was for the board's benefit and not him.

"Thank you, Commander," Endar said.

Ratchet nodded, then walked to a seat nearby to sit and watch the rest of the show. Fenix looked at the back of the room to see the Intermediate School youngling representative to the school board working the door for witnesses. "Please call Mr. Terradive, Mani."

The youngster leaned out, then back in as Terradive entered the room. He walked to the front as Roto who entered with him took a seat next to Ratchet. Fenix turned to Terradive. "Mr. Terradive, you're the teacher of eight human infants, the largest number of any teacher in the system. You teach Rain Harris. What led you to this moment?"

"I received a call from Ambassador Ratchet that one of my students, Rain Harris, was filming the class during school time. The film content looked like no one knew what was going on. The next orn when they were leaving to go to their instructional center classroom, I asked her for the camera and after first pretending she didn't know what I meant, she surrendered it. It was hidden in a school box she kept on her table top. I then sent the camera and a report to the Central Office as per protocol in such incidents."

"You were unaware of it?" Fenix asked.

He nodded. "I was. I was very surprised. The new human femmes appeared to be easing into the room. Being new is never easy but I had no idea this was happening. I don't know how long it would have gone on without the Ambassador's call."

"Thank you, Mr. Terradive," Fenix said as he sat.

"Mr. Terradive, were the children made aware of the rules of the school and classroom?" Endar asked.

"Their parents were told during orientation that there were rules and they all have access to the folders in the Community Bulletin Board, the school district website, my classroom website there as well as the entire policy manual as it applies to everyone in our system," Terradive said.

"Considering they moved to a new planet, a new system with new rules and expectations in short time under the scrutiny of their world, do you expect that they might have a problem with adjusting?" Endar asked.

"Yes, I do. My bond, Roto, directs special education and counseling for the district. I consult with him on all of my concerns. We have great awareness of this sort of thing but posting videos of the class without their permission appears to be more deliberate act rather than confusion about a new place," Terradive replied.

"Thank you," Endar said.

Terradive walked to the audience to sit with Ratchet and Roto. Fenix called for Herling who came. He walked to the front. "Mr. Herling, you direct education here and on Cybertron as well as throughout the Empire. What happened when this was made known to you?"

"I called Ratchet and Terradive, consulted with you and sent a message to Mr. Harris explaining what happened and the meeting we're holding now as a result," Herling said. "Mr. Harris paid a call to me and we chatted. I told him that this was a suspension offense to be reviewed by the school board. Then through the agent of Autobot Nation, Warren Roberts and the tech department at IntraComm, the offending images and sites were taken down and the deep web scoured for anything archived. Here we are as a result."

"Thank you." Fenix sat.

"Mr. Herling, given this is a first offense, given that this is about the third orn of school for the accused, you had discretion about what to do about it. Why didn't you handle it at the local level rather than sending it to the school board?" Endar asked.

Herling thought a moment, then answered. "This is serious enough that if it reflects an attitude, I want it nipped in the bud. If this was a mistake without intentions of harm, then I would have handled it locally. But this involved stealth and thought planned out. This may or not reflect an entitled attitude. Given that they were posted on public access media, it appeared that someone was attempting to create fame, or perhaps notoriety by their actions at the expense of our children. I want it sorted here. If this reflects an entitled attitude, then it deserves review at the highest level," he said turning to look at Harris and his daughter. "We are here and not Cybertron because of entitled attitudes and a lack of respect for others. I will not allow it in this system."

"You believe this is motivated by attitude then?" Endar asked.

Herling nodded. "I do."

Endar nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Herling. Then he turned to the board. "I would like to have Rain Harris speak to the board and answer questions."

Ironhide glanced at the others, then Hugh-E nodded. "Perhaps we need that. Maybe she can explain her attitudes and intentions better for the rest of us."

Rain Harris glanced at her dad who looked miserable. He nodded, then she stood and walked forward. Herling who had sat down with the others watched as she halted before the board. She looked like a mouse among elephants. Endar knelt down. "Rain Harris, explain yourself please."

-0-TBC 8-9-17 **edited 8-11-17**

Lackwit: ''Ratchet's spark soured"? Lol bad Ratchet! I really think you mean "soared"... BWAHAHAHA! I think so. :D:D:D I have to cut my fingernails. I think I'm missing keys. :D

kattenbelletje chapter 79 . Aug 8

I was wondering how the micro minicons manage in a society where everyone is huge. If Ratchet buys a bunch of grapes, they will be grape sized to him. If a micro minicon buys those sape grapes they will be watermellin sized to them. All the reading and writing utensils at the schools would have to be human sized for them as well because micro minies are /- human sized. How do they do that?

ME: I am going to explore this. Man, readers are the greatest. :D:D We know some of them are really tiny, like Meep and Mimi. I will write them into the story and show what the colony and they, themselves have done to accommodate themselves. I thought about this all day when I read this this morning, Miss Kittie. :D:D:D

ESL: galled: an expression of a deep burning dislike or muted anger. Someone with a lot of gall has zero embarrassment. Someone who is galled is angry but usually holding it in.


	88. Chapter 88

The Diego Diaries: Board (dd6 88) editing needed. :D

-0-At the School Board Executive Session, Metrotitan

She stared up at all of them, a tiny figure among a forest of colossal alien forms. She turned slowly to look at them, the humans who watched her supportively in their silence, then the board themselves. They stared back, a row of brutal appearing machine-like individuals. They were hard core warriors, three of them, all of them fathers themselves. Most of them had only passing knowledge of her and her family though Sunstreaker and Ironhide were very clear what and who they both were. It was very silent in the big room.

:I'm Rain Harris and I made a big mistake. I know you don't have to be lenient with me. I know you have rules and I agreed to follow them. I didn't. The blame belongs only on me. I wanted to share my school life with my friends on Earth and with everyone else too. This has been the most fun and I wish everyone could come. But they can't so I made videos. I'm sorry. I was wrong. But I'm asking for lenience because I don't want to leave my class and have to do detention. My class is fun and the hardest thing I ever did. I like everyone there and would like to have a chance to do it over again. If you could do that I would be grateful. Thank you: she said. She stood there a moment, then walked back to the others. Sitting, she stared at them hopefully.

:How much of that is real and how much for affect?: Sunstreaker asked Ironhide off line.

:Hard to say. I don't want my decision to be made on my anger at her father. Given that you and I are related to one of the victims, we have to step away from this: Ironhide said as he glanced at Sunstreaker. Sunny stared at him, then barely nodded his helm. Ironhide looked at Hugh-E. "Sunstreaker and I have a child in this. We have to recuse ourselves. The rest of you have to make this decision without us. For us to continue would be to have to act around bias and personal interest."

Hugh-E nodded. He looked at the others, then sat back. "Very well." The rest of the board sat quietly discussing things off line as everyone else watched. It was very tense as they waited.

Harris sat beside his daughter watching the mechs with intensity, studying them for tells and other clues. They were as alien a creature as he could imagine even if the setting was about as mundane as any could be. This was a meeting hall for a school board. Oddly enough, this was the first school board meeting he had ever attended and but for the make up of the participants, it could be any such meeting anywhere on Earth. It was discombobulating.

Finally, Hugh-E sat back and the others relaxed. Apparently, a decision was made. Hugh-E looked at Endar and Fenix. "We've reached a decision. Before I tell you what it is, let me inform everyone that the only avenue of appeal is through the Office of the Primes. I'm sure, Endar, that you can help the Harris family write a letter to Prime if they're unhappy with the outcome.

"We have the discretion to find guilt or innocence, then impose, or not, a penalty," Hugh-E began. "It's the finding of this board that you, Rain Harris, be suspended from school for three orns ... days. Three days. We could have imposed a penalty of up to thirty but because you're new and have no other offenses, we're giving you a lighter outcome. You will come to school tomorrow to this building and report to the front desk. They will take you to the Behavioral Center where you will remain for three days, then you will be discharged back to your classroom with a clean slate and the expectation that you learned something here.

"If you appeal to Optimus Prime, he can only excuse a portion of the penalty. You will have to serve no less than one day and no more than the three imposed. I would suggest that you write and send that letter tonight if you wish to seek relief from the sentence within the time frame you're now required to fulfill. It's not the position of this board to punish you, per se. All of us but our youth representatives are fathers. We're here because we love and wish to serve the best interests of children.

"You, on the other hand, stepped over the bounds and we feel that you must repay a debt of trust, then begin again. It's our hope that you will come to school with respect and an attitude of unity, something that's our code and creed. Until all are one, Ms Harris, is our core value." He looked at the two youth reps. "Do you wish to speak?"

Mani looked at him, then Harris. "It feels like entitlement," he said. "We've had enough of that. You're a guest here, even as I would be on Earth. You need to remember that. Some of us have had really hard lives and trust isn't easy for us. You're welcome here but only if you bring respect."

The other youth representative nodded. "I agree. This feels … odd and … I don't know. I don't want you not to be happy here but I also don't want to be … a specimen."

Harris looked at them, then nodded. It was very tense among the humans, some of whom looked embarrassed. Hugh-E rapped the desk. "This outcome is set and can only be amended by the Prime. You're bound to this directive, Ms Harris. If you don't fulfill it, you will be expelled from our school system and returned to your own. When you've fulfilled it, then we're even. Go and sin no more," he said with a grin. "I declare the meeting adjourned."

It was a relief to hear as the humans gathered to go, climbing into their machines nearby. Two walked to Sunstreaker to speak a moment, then touched base with Endar and Fenix before entering the machines. Honking their horns, they drove off for the long, long ride to Earth 1 and Earth2.

Ratchet stood, then grinned. "Well, wasn't that fun."

"No." -everyone there

They walked out together to go back to their lives of work and planning an invasion against an unknown enemy who was holding their people in slavery.

-0-The secondary command center, The Strategic Planning Center, under Ops Center, The Fortress

They sat around the vast space, using its facilities as they went over intel that Jazz, Elita and Mirage had pulled off the databases of the ships and from the memories and recollections of the group they had rescued. Their settlements were very close to the Rifts and the roiling energy that had made the Benzuli in this area so dangerous and unreachable by normal means. They were sheltered by the fear of others to travel there and risk the wrath of the 'Rift Ghosts'. Blackjack and Alor were going over the data and matching it up with their own. Being that they were the 'Rift Ghosts', they had more than a passable working knowledge of the area.

"How come, Appa, you didn't know about these settlements? You're practically on top of each other," Chromia asked as they studied a huge roll up map that was building the picture of the area with every bit of information Jazz downloaded into it.

Blackjack glanced up. "There are unpredictable blasts of energy all over this area. We mapped this area," he said pointing to a vast swath that led into the Barren on one side and the Benzuli itself on the other. "That is, we timed the explosions and found a strange rhythm to them. This area," he said pointing to the location of the three settlements, "is right here by these spatial fractures. The energy that pours out of there appeared to us to be extra-dimensional and therefore, utterly unpredictable and dangerous. I don't know what happened here … perhaps a black hole created this when a star imploded or something else, something worse. We couldn't cross it and we didn't get messaging through it. You have to go a long way around the empire to reach this place and frankly, its too dangerous. I believe this is where Nova Prime went and anything and anyone who goes that way never comes back."

"The D-Void?" Hercy asked as he studied it.

"There's that possibility. This area is unmapped so anything can be there. I don't want to find out. We used this to create our cover and keep out the bad guys. I can only imagine what its like to be this close to all of it. We have to get those settlements but I wouldn't rely on bridges all the way. We had to move out from our own settlements from our own unstable rifts when we bridged out with you so that there wouldn't be an accident. A bridge crossing an energy surge would make a very big kaboom."

"I agree," Perceptor said grimly. "We will have to bring the prisoners away from the area a bit to make it safe to bridge them. Going there by bridge will be possible but we won't be able to get very close. That's the problem with the area and why its blockaded."

"Sounds like fun," Springer said grimly as he sat nearby with Drift. They were considering the design of the teams that might have to fight hand-to-hand in what appeared to be clustered habitation sites that could provide a lot of cover for whoever was facing them. It wasn't going to be fun no matter what they did.

It would be a long afternoon of figuring out what they would do as new information was made available. The complete picture would take until late afternoon.

-0-Earth2, in a palatial office

"Thank you, Endar. I'm very grateful for your assistance," Owen Harris said to the figure of Endar on the monitor. "We await the decision and will abide by whatever comes."

Endar nodded. "I'll let you know. Because I'm your representative, the Prime's Office will notify me directly and I will call you. As it stands, Rain must go to the Behavioral Center tomorrow no matter what."

"We understand. Thank you, Endar," Owen said. Nearby, Rick and Rain sat in chairs looking grim.

"You're welcome, Mr Harris," Endar replied. "Endar, out." The screen reverted to the background images of Earth2 and the NASA and Martian Consortium emblems.

Owen sat back, then turned in his chair to stare at his kids. "Well, tomorrow, you go to the jail school as I heard it called. You really didn't think you could talk your way out of this did you?"

Rain, who was feeling the burn as any pampered 14 year old would. shrugged. "You never know until you try."

"You fucked this up, Rain. You have to make it right. The reputation of the humans on world is great. Don't mess it up," Rick said to his sister with a frown.

She rose to walk to the door, then paused. Turning to face both, she frowned at them. "No pain, no gain. You suddenly care about this sort of thing?"

"We care about fitting in here," Rick said. "If there's going to be a human presence here beyond the most minimal, we all have to make it happen including you. You could've been kicked out of their school."

"Well, they didn't do it, did they," she said with a cold expression. "I'm going to do my homework." She walked out the door and it closed slowly.

"Well, that went terrible," Rick said glancing at his father.

Owen nodded. "That's why I asked your mother to come here to stay. She's the only one who can get Rain to behave." He looked at Rick. "And I do **mean** behave. All of us."

"When does Cam and the Beliveaus arrive?" Rick asked as his father rose to get a drink.

"Tomorrow," Owen said. He tossed a beer to his son and poured himself a scotch. He grinned slightly. "Your sister is driving me to drink. It's way too early for this."

"That's alright. This is Mars, not Earth. We're making our own rules," Rick said. "Cheers."

Owen clinked his glass against the beer bottle in his son's hand. "Cheers, indeed."

-0-Rain

She walked to the library that was adjacent to the school facility. Entering, she saw her friends sitting at a table working on their homework from Youngling Day. She sat and they huddled.

"What happened?" Jaycee asked.

"I'm suspended for three days unless the Prime cuts it down," Rain replied.

"That sucks," Camilla replied.

Rain pulled out her homework, then nodded. "Tell me about it. You know what's worse? My mom is coming to live here in a few days."

They looked at her, then each other. "Your parents are divorced," Jaycee said.

"It doesn't matter when it comes to Rick and me," Rain said with a pout. "This is going to be like prison."

It was a mopey bunch of girls that sat in the library doing their homework together.

-0-TBC 8-10-17 **edited 8-11-17**


	89. Chapter 89

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 89)

-0-Later that afternoon

Ratchet walked into the sub command center in The Fortress with a case of beer in each servo. Setting it on the table, he glanced at the others. "How is it going?"

Blackjack who caught a beer tossed his way grinned at Ratchet. "Better now that the beer is here."

The others paused a moment to catch a beer including Prowl and Prime. Ratchet took a swig of the cold brew, then pulled out a chair to sit. "Have you got an appeal for the Harris case yet?"

Prime nodded. "I got it and sent back a denial. I do not know what they might think about it but we have to set the right tone here. I do not want them to think that we will be pushovers."

Ratchet nodded. "Good," he said as he clinked bottles with Alor.

-0-Owen Harris's office

He sat at his desk rereading the letter sent to him by Endar. The attorney got the a reply from Prime's office, so he called Harris and forwarded it. Shortly, the Beliveaus, his former wife and her current husband, his financial business manager would be here. He would have to show it to her and between them find a way to corral his daughter into the safe lane. He reread the letter once more.

The Office of the Prime of Cybertron

The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

August 11, 2017 (Gregorian Calendar, Earth)

Sol 14, Makarka, 217 (Darian Calendar)

Dear Mr. Harris:

I was forwarded your request for an appeal of the penalty imposed by the members of the Autobot City Unified School District. It is, as you know, your right and that of your daughter to appeal the penalty to my office and give me the opportunity to scrutinize the situation. I have done that, going over the information provided and the sincere letter received from your daughter as well. The School Board has jurisdiction over the students and their conduct, providing guidance and correction according to the offense, the record of the offender and the policies in place to protect everyone involved.

Your daughter, Rain, committed a very great offense with her actions. She violated the trust inherently given to her as a member of our school system, disobeyed the rules as set down to her and to you as part of the agreement for her participation, then pretended to not understand what Mr. Terradive was asking for when he sought the camera. When she did that she demonstrated intent. Her awareness that to do so would be to admit to doing wrong showed that she was fully clear that she was breaking rules and policies.

We are a society recovering from a profound tragedy and our children have been through a lot, more so than you or your daughter might understand. When our children go to their schools, they enter protected and sacred space. Our families know that their children will be safe and nurtured. Education is very important to us. We are an advanced technological civilization for whom access to learning was not always available to everyone. Here, we are working to rectify a lot of things and help our children recover from war, violence, deprivation, starvation, wounds both physical and emotional as well as endless wandering without safety. Their insecurities are our focus. Their progress and recovery is paramount to our efforts here. Your daughter cannot come into that and create this kind of disruption without it having a bigger effect on everyone else than you seem to understand.

The penalty could have been thirty days in detention. Three days is a merciful but pointed determination for the offense caused. If your daughter persists she will be removed from our schools. It is your responsibility as a parent to offer your daughter guidance and instruction on the correct path forward. She is welcome in our schools as long as she offers respect, courtesy, obedience to the rules, and a desire to be part of the team. If not, then perhaps another placement is in order.

Thank you for your communications but I am letting the penalty stand. I hope that this is the beginning of a clearer understanding of what we require and expect and that your daughter goes on to excel at Youngling Day School. That is the wish and hope we all share for your children and our own.

Yours truly,

Optimus of Iacon

The Prime of Cybertron, the Primal Colony of Mars and the Empire of the Autobots

The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

1 Fortress Road, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Postal Code 1

Directory number for office: 1245-GDK224-KEUXI11137 extension 3

He printed it off for his former wife and his daughter to see, then rose to walk around the facility. It would be a bit longer but they were due with the next ship bringing visitors to the Resort. There would be no short trips through a bridge for them short of an emergency and he knew this didn't constitute that. He had just joined the Prime's shit list. With a grim expression, he walked out to wander around the farm and pet the animals. It was a nice way to decompress.

-0-At the planning table

They sat around the huge center console, the one with all the stations gathered so that those who worked here could converse across from each other much more easily. Imagine a huge bar filled with equipment forming a big circle with the command table in the middle. They were going over the overture stage of contact. They had to know who this was to know which of several plans they had constructed would be The One. Right now, they were forming a message to send by Prime to get the gist of what was actually happening. It would be sent from the command ship of the armada that they were going to take out the following day. Right now, it was being developed as Prowl wrote up the orders to send out.

"This is fragged," Alor said. "I'm glad that my genitors are here to manage Scout."

Ratchet nodded. "Good thing we have a genitor's orn in the calendar to pay them back. What's the word on the Performing Arts Center, by the way?"

"It's in preliminary inspection status. The acoustics and other considerations take a lot of time to work out and they want to make sure everything meets standards. The lighting and other rigging is complex. They're both in their offices so they can handle the baby. We already set up a crib and play corner in Ada's office. He's delighted to have Scout. He's going to show him everything. Expect another musician," Alor said with a grin.

"The first, you mean," Raptor said smirking at Ironhide.

"Little mech can sing," Alor said proudly. "He just doesn't want to."

"You can sing?" Springer asked Ironhide with a grin.

He glanced at everyone with a slight frown. "You don't think I can?"

"I don't think I've ever heard you sing, Ironhide, when you were serious," Ratchet said. "Sing something. Sing the first verse of the Anthem of the Primes."

"I'm not singing for you slaggers. I save that for Prowler and the kids. We used to take the trains and sing all the way around the colony," Ironhide said, then he frowned. **"THAT IS, WE DID BEFORE OLD TIGHT AFT HERE STOLE THEM AWAY!"**

"Awww." -consensus opinion.

"Slaggers." -Ironhide's cantankerous opinion.

Prime grinned at him. "Boo-hoo," he said to great applause. Glancing at Prowl, he leaned forward on his elbows. "What's the status on Cybertron?"

"Its in hand," Prowl replied as he consulted that fat sector of his datapad. "The district commanders have things under control. There may be new relics found," he said glancing at Prime. "Do you want to hold them until we get back or have Turbine get them?"

Prime thought a moment, then nodded. "I forgot. A Maker can handle them. Have him go at his discretion. If he thinks I'm needed to get them, have him secure the area until we return or I have a moment."

Prowl nodded, then glanced at Raptor. "Will you tell him or should I send a message?"

"I'll let him know, Prowl," Raptor said as he glanced at Prime. "Then I assume that he won't be coming along."

"Not if they are finding things related to the Primes," Optimus said. "We must do our best." Prime looked at Perceptor. "What is the process and progress of the antidote for the alien beast's acidic slime?"

Perceptor shifted uneasily. "That is a process indeed, Prime."

"This species is very old, Prime, and unlike any organic mechanism I've run across," Wheeljack said. "The acidic stuff is a very strange protein and resists us. I'm even thinking that this is a cross dimensional species. I think it must have originated in another dimension and came here via whatever means it could find. I think it travels like a parasite or like rats on ships on Earth. They ride from place to place, colonizing themselves and reproducing through a female individual rather like bees on Earth. A queen spits them out, they find a host, cannibalize it, then emerge ready to serve the hive and obey their queen even up to death's door. Their biology is different than anything I've seen and it has its own weird chemistry. They're very nearly indestructible and just about a perfect mechanism. We're still working on it but we do have topical treatments for the burning. However, its not perfect. Don't let them bite you and don't let their blood or saliva splatter you. It's all acidic to us. Maybe where they come from it isn't but to us, consider it corrosive as slag."

Prime nodded. "Please update the troops," he said. "I do not like to give this kind of order but shoot them on sight. Maybe if that happens they will fall back and avoid us."

At the door, a noise drew their attention. Youngling mechs were holding stacks of pizza boxes and more beer. "Come in, infants. Just in time," Ratchet said with a grin. They did and put down the food and drinks, bantered a moment as they marveled at the room with its supersonic high tech everywhere, then left dazzled. It took a moment for everyone to get food and another drink.

"This is good. Thanks, Ada," Arcee said with a grin as she sat with pizza and another beer.

"It's what I do. With these servos," Ratchet said holding up his two big red hands, "these holy servos..." That was as far as he got. "Fraggers."

Huge laughter.

"What's the word on the conferences you had?" Elita asked. "How is Hero doing?"

"She's so advanced they want to put her into Youngling Day," Raptor said.

The femmes paused their food and drink a moment. "That's not good. Is it?" Chromia asked.

"Not to me. **LITTLE FEMME IS A BABY! SHE NEEDS HER DOLLIES AND NAPS!"** Ironhide said.

"Big femme," Ratchet said with a grin. "Get this. They think Praxus is ready for Pioneer School too."

It was dead silent a moment. Then Hercy shifted uneasily in his chair. "That's the smart school where Hero goes, right?"

Ratchet nodded.

"He's kinda small yet," 'Uncle' Hercy said doubtfully as 'Uncle' Kup nodded in agreement.

 **"THAT'S WHAT I SAY! HE'S SMALL!"** Ironhide offered.

Ratchet laughed. **"BIG FEMME!"**

They laughed loudly, then Chromia glanced at Hard Drive. "Pax isn't going to big kid school yet, is he? He's still a toddler."

"That's our conclusion. We just have to watch and make sure he's stimulated," Hard Drive said as the others nodded.

"What about Orion and Prowler?" Moonracer asked. "What about Sunspot and the three little mechs? I heard we can come to those too."

"We can. We just have to have a moment. **A MOMENT WHEN SOME FRAGGER DOESN'T COME ALONG AND FRAG THINGS UP!"** Ratchet opined.

"I'll drink to that," Raptor said with a chuckle. They all did. Drink, that is.

-0-TBC 8-11-17 **edited 8-13-17**

NOTES:

For a good time, google martian Darian calendar converter. The date for this day, Saturday, August 12, 2017 on Mars according to this calendar which scientists like is Sol 14, (The day'd number and name-they are called sols on Mars),

Makarka is the name of the month. (The names of the months are taken from constellations)

They are: Vrishika, Scorpius, Tula, Libra, Kanya, (Which are the winter months)

Virgo, Simha, Leo, Karka, Cancer, Mithuna, (Which are the autumn months)

Gemini, Rishabha, Taurus, Mesha, Aries, Mina, (Which are the summer months)

Pisces, Kumbha, Aquarius, Makara, Carpricornus, and Dhanus and Sagittarius (Which are the spring months)

217 is the number of the year on their calendar.

The winter season is the dust storm season. Aphelion which is the period where Mars is farthest from the sun occurs during Kumbha (February and March, during spring) while Perihelion is when Mars is closest occurs during Simha (September during autumn).

Totally interesting to me. :D:D:D

Because I'm nuts. :D:D:D

Leoness: I hear you on the kid. :D Go to snapchat and search for rich kids. You will find her type there.


	90. Chapter 90

The Diego Diaries: Altercation (dd6 90)

-0-NOTES: This is the sixth time we passed 90. :D I was sitting somewhere yesterday writing things that I have come across during editing or have been working on. I have twelve handwritten pages of threads yet to come. I don't think I could wrap this up if I tried. :D **HUGS!**

-0-Later that evening

"Ada. Where Atar?"

Ratchet looked down into the sweet face of Praxus. He picked him up, then set him and his teddy bear on his lap. Ratchet was sitting in his chair listening to the infants frolic in their rooms while watching the latest installment of The Bridge. "Atar just a workin'," he replied in a phrase that Orion had used to tell anyone who asked where either of them were. He grinned. "I hear you do well in school."

Praxus smiled. He was much more low key than Orion in temperament and liked to get along. He was sweet, neat, creative, and smart. Given that he lived in a big shadow from his older younger brother, he was easier to overlook. "I like school."

"How would you like it if you went to the same school that Hero goes to?" Ratchet asked.

He smiled. "Ho-Ho's school?" Ratchet nodded. "I go there?"

"I don't know. What if we took you from your school and sent you there?" Ratchet asked.

He thought a moment, then glanced around. "Ho-Ho goes there. What about Orion?" he asked.

Ratchet shrugged. "I don't know. We haven't gone to listen to his teachers."

Praxus stared at him, then Orion ran out halting before them. He smiled his Pac-Man smile, the one with twinkling optics. **"ADA! PAX! HE COMED TO ME TO PLAY!?"**

Ratchet grinned, then stared at Praxus. "Well?"

He glanced down at Orion. "Orion, can I go to school with Ho-Ho?" he asked.

Orion blinked at him, then looked at Ratchet. "What she saying?"

"What would you all think if we sent Pax to Hero's school?" Ratchet asked.

Orion was silent as he glanced from Praxus to Ratchet and back again. "She go to there? I go there too? I, Orion, going there too. I, Orion, helpeded them. Ho-Ho and Pax."

Ratchet looked at Praxus, then Orion. "What if we say you can't go?"

Orion stared at him solemnly, then Praxus. "Pax … you going there?"

Praxus shrugged, then looked at Ratchet. "Ada … Orion not coming? I stay with Orion."

Ratchet grinned. "Fine with me," he said. "Go play with your brother. School comes tomorrow and you both have to go to your school together."

Praxus smiled beautifully, then looked down at Orion. **"I GO WITH YOU!"**

Orion glanced at Ratchet hopefully, who nodded in agreement. He smiled like the sun. **"COMED YOU TO ME, PAX! WE GOING THERE!"** he said pointing to the hallway.

Ratchet set the baby on the floor, then watched as Orion took his servo. They ran together to the berth room, then disappeared inside. Laughter and chatter erupted from Hero and Prowler as the two joined them. Ratchet stared at the doorway, then grinned. "That settles that, I think," he said with a grin.

-0-At the Autobot Municipal and Interplanetary Airport, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars

The ship rolled to the spot where all of the touring vessels parked to allow a jetway to attach to the side of it. It took a moment, then off came a large group of humans heading for a two week vacation at the number one tourist destination in the solar system. They came out without baggage following the human who would take them through immigration by the port authorities. With them came the former wife of Owen Harris, Mariah Jeanne Harris Davis. She walked with a tall fit man who was named Kyle Davis, her former husband's great friend and business manager-partner, an investment banker and hedge fund owner who lived in New York City where the business was based.

Jazz watched them through the barrier that divided the human from bot side of the vast facility. It was busy on both sides as the traffic to and from Cybertron and other places carried on around him. The humans watched the bots as they walked in their group, some of them recognizing him with a wave. He waved back with a grin. He was here to take the Harris group to the facility but he was going to do it secretly in car mode. He would slip out, transform, then allow them to enter after they they were cleared through the Port Authority. Given the amount of slag that they brought with them, he would transport the group and their baggage would be forwarded. Watching them a moment, he walked to the front door, transformed, then drove to the safety area where the humans could enter his confines safely. The best part was simple. They were going to be told Jazz was just a drone car programmed to take them to Earth2.

He sat outside waiting to enter the drive through facility where humans loaded up into both secured and none secured vehicles. He would secure their ride by providing atmosphere and air pressure. He would also be listening in. These were the enemy of The People so they would be on the grid immediately.

-0-Earth2

Owen Harris and his son, Rick, stood in the entry area waiting for their guests to arrive. Tonight, Mariah and Kyle would arrive, then the Beliveaus with Cameron would be here around noon time the following day. He welcomed the gathering of his great friends even if the underlying tension between Mariah and himself would be there. The only thing upon which either of them continued to find common ground was their son and daughter. On that, they were a united front. There were, however, secrets even there between them.

Owen Harris had no idea his son was gay. Rick had been married and divorced. There were no children in the union but there was bitterness galore between them even now. Owen figured his son was too busy with his business and shedding the emotions of divorce to find another woman. Mariah knew otherwise. She and Rick were close and told each other everything. Rain was a different matter. She was at the age and temperament that neither of them were allies. Her parents ganged up together to manage her. She was in her teenaged angst bent out of shape about it.

"Is the apartment for Mom and Kyle ready for them?" Rick asked as they stood together staring out at the huge parking lot and barren land beyond. A wide beautiful highway split the area in two as it disappeared onward into the wilderness outside. One could almost think a person could walk out and not die in the inhospitable environment. It looked that inviting and 'normal'.

"We gave them one of the nice visitor apartments. Cam and his parents are getting the other two at that end of the floor." Owen glanced at his son. "Show Cam the works. He's going to be procurement officer here and won't have as much freedom afterward."

Rick nodded, then grinned. "I'm glad he's here. We're going to have fun."

Owen nodded. "At least some of us will."

Rick grinned. "Who's the adult? You or Rain?"

Owen smirked slightly. "Let me tell you in a few days."

-0-At the Airport

Niall Graham, who had gotten the call for Earth2 by default given he had the most patience and tact, walked through the barrier dividing the bot and human side of the airport. It was coded into his gear to allow him that convenience. Walking through the human arrivals who slowly but surely began to recognize him, he reached his party. "Mr. and Mrs. Davis, I'm Niall Graham. I'm here to get you to your destination. Please follow me," he said, then began to walk to a hatch nearby that would allow access to the outside by the right procedures and passwords.

They followed him as he threaded his way through the lines. When they reached a door, he held up his wrist. The door opened, so they walked inside. It closed behind them. Kyle Davis glanced at his wrist. "Are you chipped to pass locks?"

"I'm not allowed to say," Niall said as they walked to a magnificent late model car sitting inside the pass through driveway, doors open as they approached. It was a 2018-style Ford GT with a deeply blue paint scheme, one that Jazz liked. He would have gone more international for this, a one-off experience but he wanted a two-seater that would be small enough for him not to miss anything they might say on the ride out to Earth2.

Kyle turned to him as they slowed to stop beside the vehicle. "What about our luggage?"

"It's being forwarded. This drone car will take you to the habitat. Understand. You haven't been briefed nor have you been here at all. You don't even have habitat gear. Why is that?" Niall asked.

Mariah looked at Niall with an appraising expression. She was tall and slim, rather fitting the term that Andy Warhol gave to society women of an age, great wealth and status … 'social x-ray' ... and looked impeccably groomed. She wore expensive jewelry and her hair and makeup were perfection. Even he was clear enough to notice such things. "My former husband, Owen Harris runs Earth2. He told me that the dress code there would allow me to wear my own clothing. As for the gear itself, I was told that the women at the Resort were designing more attractive outdoor wear than we were shown. I decided to wait for a chance to get together with them."

Niall considered what his wife and the other women at the Resort would have to say about this one, someone used to getting what she wanted her way. "If I tell you that you aren't allowed to go to the habitat without the appropriate gear, that I have the authority to send you back to Earth if I feel your presence is not safe, what then?"

She glanced at her husband, Kyle Davis, friend, business partner, investment banker, money manager for Owen Harris, and venture capitalist. In short, the master of his particular universe. He was tall as well and very well made for an older man. He was also impeccably groomed. "Captain … you're a captain, right? I'm not that up on the insignia of the UK."

Niall nodded, his face and manner perfectly appropriate though he was seething inside. "That is correct."

"Captain, we're newly arrived. I'm under the impression that you have proper transport. The next time we step out we'll be clad in the appropriate gear," Kyle said. He was smooth, smart, used to getting his way, and a first class asshole on Graham's Douche Bag Meter which currently was going off loudly in his head.

"You were given instructions. I have to make a call. Wait here," he said as he walked across the hardtop floor to a monitor nearby. Keying it in, he called up Lennox. "Will, this is Niall."

"Lennox here. Did you drop the package?"

"Not exactly," he said quietly. "They came without gear because it wasn't … Valentino, I guess. What do you want? Do I send them back for a lesson in not bullshitting a bullshitter or do you want to come and give them the riot act?"

"On my way," Lennox said, then the line went dead.

Niall waited a moment for Lennox to reach him here from N.E.S.T. HQ nearby, then walked back to the couple. "Major Lennox commands the human community here. His word is the law. If he says you can stay, you stay. If he sends you home for this, you go. You have no appeal process, no one to pull you back out of the fire you started," he said as a vehicle, one of the new N.E.S.T. rovers that could carry ten and go up the side of glass mountains approached, its gun mount tied down for travel. It pulled up to an outside hatch, then Lennox, Trevor Smith, Epps, and Major Lilly Bolger-Settles stepped out. They came through the hatch entry and when the atmosphere was equal to the inside, walked in. They walked to the group, then halted. Each side eyed the other.

"Why aren't you in gear? You were given your orders," Lennox said getting to the point.

"We will when we reach Earth2. I'm sorry if we transgressed a rule, Major," Kyle said. "My wife has a sprained ankle so we chose to go in comfort. We don't want to cause trouble. We apologize to you for this and it won't happen again."

"It won't if I send you back," Lennox said hotly. "There's only been two human deaths here. Both of them were killed by a bot in the prison for being jag-offs. I want to keep it that way. I could send you back and ban you from ever coming here again. Is this what I have to have on my mind? You two dilettantes making up your own rules?"

It was silent a moment, then Kyle shifted. "I … you're right. I'm sorry. I mean it. We need to be here. My wife's daughter needs her influence. I'm here to help with the colony and we'd like to stay and prove ourselves worthy of being here. I'm sorry, Major. I hope you forgive us and allow a do over."

"You have to ride over fifty miles to the habitat from here. You have to get there alive. The suits not only make that happen but they have locators that will help us rescue you when you need it in seconds because it keeps track of you on the grid. You can't be saved if you can't be found. You can't hear emergency warnings if you don't have the suit on. We had a phase sixer come here and the entire colony was told to evacuate to the shelters. If you don't hear that, you don't get saved. Do you understand me?" he asked with a cold eye and a hot blast of irritation.

They both nodded. "What do you want us to do, Major?" Kyle asked almost meekly.

Lennox considered him, knowing that he was neither meek nor cowed. He was, however, facing a team of very famous soldiers who were pissed and it had intimidated both of them. For now. "I want you to get into the car and stay in it. It's programmed to get you to the habitat and get you inside. The doors will not open under any circumstances so for that much you're safe. If you **EVER** do this again, not only will I **PERSONALLY** boot your sorry asses off this planet, I will beat the shit out of you. **DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"**

They both nodded. "You do, Major."

"Remember this. You both have a demerit against you. No one here ever gets two. Get in the car. We'll follow you. If there needs to be an evac, they can key in on your location through us."

The two turned to the car, then entered. Seat belts automatically gripped them, then the doors closed on their own. The vehicle started, then waited for Lennox and his smirking party to get into their vehicle. The scans were made, Jazz rolled out and the group headed for Earth2.

-0-N.E.S.T. vehicle, the 'Chaos Edge', named in honor of a boozy night of cards and the bots' pantheon

"Remind me to never get on your bad side, Will," Lilly said as she sat in the passenger front seat. Sitting in the back, the others settled in as they merged into traffic on Fortress Road.

"This ends here," Lennox said. "If Harris and these guys feel they can challenge my authority then they better be ready to fight."

"You can exile them, Major," Trevor said to his mentor, friend and god. "You don't have to give a reason and this should be enough."

"It is," Epps said. "I wonder what they're saying to Jazz?"

-0-Jazz, cruising with great beauty and style through the late afternoon traffic on the way down Temple to Metro Highway #4 and the back of the beyond

It was silent a moment, then Kyle Davis sighed. "Well, that was stupid. We better not break another rule, Mariah. This is Mars, not New York during Fashion Week."

"Maybe, but I refuse to lower my standards," she said with a familiar pouting tone.

Jazz grinned as he cut in the soldiers following. :Have a listen in, boys. Why should I have all the fun?: he said over their radio.

They did.

-0-TBC 8-12-17 **edited 8-13-17**


	91. Chapter 91

The Diego Diaries: Intrusion (dd6 91)

-0-On the way to Earth2

They were silent as they took in the panorama outside the car. The late afternoon traffic was gathering since shifts were changing and some businesses were nearing the end of their business day. They rode through town, then out onto the highway that led into the sticks where three habitats for humans were placed. It was a huge topic of conversation among the leadership that some humans could whine about human habitation on Mars when there was a military settlement (N.E.S.T. HQ), an advanced science installation (the now United Nations Sciences Habitat), a consulate for political, economic and cultural exchanges (The United Nations Consulate of Earth Affairs on Mars), Earth 1 which was the first 'colonial off world settlement', the huge new Earth2, another 'colonial off world settlement', The Resort of Autobot City, one of three wholly-owned human businesses on Mars, the other two being Galaxy Productions and Autobot City Adventuring as Rick Harris renamed his company, and finally, the vast Family Habitation in the tower in the Mare Tranquillilatis. This was the extent thus far for humans living permanently on Mars with a total population of about 6,250 individuals. They were children, teens, babies, elders, and adults, all of them welcome and all busy with their projects, jobs and education.

Perhaps it was the total number of humans here (6,250 and growing) versus the total number of humans there (7,000,000,000 and growing) that threw everyone off. No one knew. It was another inscrutable factoid of Life With Humans for the bots.

"How is it, Kyle, that their vehicles are the same size as ours, mostly, yet when they stand they're skyscrapers?" Mariah asked at last. The Mausoleum and Basilica were in the distance along with the Metro Districts, all of them on both sides of the highway.

"I don't know," Kyle said as the miles clipped by in the flow of traffic that was starting to thin out. "Pierre and his family are coming tomorrow."

"Good. It will be good to see them again," Mariah said as they got closer to the Mausoleum. "That's their burial ground, right?"

Kyle nodded. "It is. Strange to bury a car."

The engine revved loudly startling the pair, then settled down to its normal perfection as they flew along. They glanced at each other, then straight ahead. "I'm sorry, Kyle, for not putting on the gear. I hope this thing holds together to get us there. I won't do that again."

"I think that's commendable," Kyle said as he watched terrain go by outside the windows of the vehicle. It was a very thin distance between them and the end of things. They would have an entirely different opinion of gear by the time they reached Earth2. It was silent for a moment, then they passed the Basilica. "I would like to explore the different places around here."

"Some are off limits. Owen will know," Mariah said. "We can go around and sight-see when they let us out."

"Soon, I hope. I want to speak with the economics director and those who manage the economy," he said as they entered Metro District 1. Nearby, the others gleamed and hummed with activity as between each were immaculately cared for terrain and wide gleaming highways. Some roads turned off heading different directions; where, they didn't know. "These cities are sentient. These cities are alive. Films and television don't do them justice."

Mariah nodded. "Owen wants the tech."

"He does. I don't see how he can get it but if anyone can, he will," Kyle replied as they sped onward heading through another metro district before hitting the open road ahead. The military vehicle followed on their bumper.

"Fuckers. Let them try," Epps said darkly as they flew along behind Jazz and the two. The boys inside the vehicle listened as Niall drove them along. "We're going to have to be on our toes."

"We will be," Lennox said grimly. "We're going to catch them here and end this shit if its the last thing I do."

They sped along eating up the miles until the first of the three big habitats showed itself.

-0-Down the road

"There it is," Kyle said as Earth 1 hove into view. "Earth 1. We need to cultivate them as friends and neighbors. They have friends among the bots and some of them have privileges."

"The Wilkersons. They have a bond with Prime because of the baby," Mariah said. "What would it be like to have to write 'Autobot City, Mars' on your papers for your birth place?"

"I don't know. I think it would make things difficult, rather than easy," Kyle said as they jetted past the huge facility and vast paved parking lot that surrounded it.

"He won't be the only baby born here. We live here now, too, and more humans will have them," Mariah said. She looked out the other window. "This is a monotonous place, view-wise. I wonder what the social life is like? How long are we going to be here, Kyle?"

"I'm setting up here, Mariah. I can do what I do anywhere. We can come and go but I'm transferring into the habitat for the purposes of business. Owen and I have some ideas and when Perry gets here we're going to work on them. This is only the beginning," Kyle replied as the Consulate came into view on the right side of the eight lane highway they were traveling over. "There's the Consulate. I have to touch base with them, especially Carly Brooks-Spencer. She's the gatekeeper, I hear, and she's engaged to the business agent for the Prime, Sam Witwicky."

"He's the son of that woman, Judy Witwicky. I don't know about her. She seems a loose cannon and someone I'd have a hard time connecting with," Mariah said doubtfully.

"Try. She's important here. That family is ground zero with the bots and carry huge weight here. Besides, she and the others started and operate The Resort. That's no small matter. She knows how to get things done with the Prime and that will be powerful for us to have her on our team if we can," Kyle said.

"I doubt that she will be helpful. I heard that the older locals have gone native. You do remember Olivia Bolger. I know her mother and its a touchy thing. I had brunch with her when I came down for the horse shows. She's uncertain what's going on with Olivia. I wouldn't count on drawing them in," Mariah said.

"That's your job and Allison's," Kyle said as the massive form of Earth2 began to show up ahead. "You and Allie have to make friends and let us know the ropes. Look at that," he said leaning forward to see Earth2 better. "Fuck. I knew it was big but … wow."

They were silent as the car drove onward, turned left at the entrance, then drove forward toward the massive gigantic multi-story building that began to loom immensely ahead. It slowed, then moved forward to drive into the building, into an entrance in the front. It was followed by the military vehicle, then massive doors closed behind them.

-0-Inside

Beyond the space behind a wall of glass, Owen Harris and his son, Rick, along with daughter, Rain, watched the vehicles stop in the big space where all who came here had to wait for release and the all clear. A red light flashed on the wall, then changed to yellow, then green. The military vehicle disgorged its passengers as the car opened its doors. Mariah and Kyle Davis stepped out, then stared around. The hatch door slid open allowing the Harris family to walk into the space. Mariah hugged both her kids, then Owen. He shook hands with Kyle, the two greeting each other like brothers, which to some extent they were. Pierre and Kyle were the brothers that Owen Harris never had, they were that important to him.

"I'm glad you could come. I missed both of you," Owen said as he turned to the soldiers. They were standing with grim and angry expressions. He looked at all of them, then stepped closer. "Is there something wrong?"

"I don't know, Harris," Lennox said with a cold bitter tone. "Check them out."

Harris turned to look at the pair. "Where is your gear?"

"It's my fault, Owen. All of it," Mariah said as she stood with her son's arms around her. "I am sorry."

Owen turned to the soldiers and felt impotent once more. There was something about them that made him feel puny, an unaccustomed and unwelcome feeling. "Oh. What now, Major? I hope that we can have a … a break here. This is new to all of us."

" **Is that it? Newness?** What about **deadness**? Would that be **new enough for you too**?" Lennox said with anger in his tone. "I'm detecting a pattern here, Harris. First, your daughter and now her."

"We're sorry, Major," Kyle said, hating the weakness in his voice even as he spoke.

"Blame me, Major. No one else is to blame but me," Mariah said.

"I blame all of you. I blame you for coming here to a zero mistake environment improperly cloaked. I blame **you,** " Lennox said casting a cold eye on Kyle, "for doing the same. And, Harris," he said turning to Owen, "I hold you ultimately responsible for both because you're the leader of this installation. You're the one ultimately responsible for the actions of the people under your command. I'm pissed. Do you feel me?" he asked hotly.

"Perfectly," Harris said.

"You both have demerits. One more and you're gone. Forever. Is that clear?" Lennox said as the three nodded. "I can kick Presidents off world and they won't ever come back. That's **my** brief. That's my duty **and** my mission. I'm here to protect, to keep people alive and not fuck up the great reputation humans have here. Don't do this again. Tell them the rules, Harris, or you're going down the road as the ultimate authority here." Lennox glared at all three, then walked to the vehicle. The others climbed in, then he leaned out. "Go inside. We have to go."

The group walked to the door which closed and locked behind him. They watched through the glass as the car and the soldiers received the all clear, then drove out swiftly to return to the city nearby 24 Cybertronian miles away. It was silent a moment, then Harris turned to both. "You had better commit the manual to memory or there's going to be hell to pay."

They walked back inside, three masters of their own universe who couldn't remember back to a time when anyone had ever spoken to them like that before. The kids followed, one fuming for his parents and one secretly tickled pink.

-0-On the way back

"You crack me up, Lennox. I don't think people talk to them that way."

:Fuck 'em, Jazz," Lennox said over Jazz's radio. :They better get it together. I'm not going to their funerals:

Jazz chuckled. "Speaking of funerals … I heard that they get limited outside access tomorrow. How does that work?"

:They have to go out in groups of four. They have to use the vehicles from the facility and they have to have a local with them, one that has complete sway and veto power over the outing: Lennox said.

"Sounds like fun. Make sure that Judy Witwicky gets old Mariah," Jazz said.

:You read my mind: Lennox said grimly as they roared down the road in the swiftly falling night toward the cities who were beginning to twinkle with lights galore.

-0-New York City, New York, The United States of America, Planet Earth

Pierre Beliveau hung up the phone, then turned toward his wife and son. "That was Owen. Mariah did what Mariah does and nearly got herself and Kyle thrown off world."

Allison, his wife, blinked with surprise. "What did she do?"

"She went to the planet without gear," Pierre 'Perry" Beliveau said as he sat in his comfortable chair in the living room of their hotel suite. His son, Cameron and his wife, Allison sat across from him sipping cocktails from the bar. "Major Lennox read them the riot act." Perry grinned. "I'm sure that Kyle and Mariah appreciated that a great deal."

"That was stupid and careless. You can die in seconds there," Cam said. "Say what you will, you have to toe the line or he'll throw you off. I had a few friends find out about him and he's a straight arrow about safety. He's also incorruptible, honest and sickeningly courageous. He has the greatest regard and acceptance from the bots as anyone there."

"Hes' also a citizen," Perry said. "We have to be very careful, very scrupulous in our dealings. Whatever the rules are, we follow them to the letter."

The two nodded. In five hours, they would take a cab to the airport, go through Cybertronian Customs, then board a vessel for Mars. It was almost too much to believe but they were going. They would do it the right way, all of them.

-0-Later that night

Mariah Davis stood at the window staring out at an alien landscape and sky. This was another world and for a moment a sickening wave of homesickness washed through her. Then it passed. Her children were here and this was a way to get one up on the vicious cycle of gamesmanship with the rest of her social circle. She wasn't just visiting here, she was going to live. She would make sure she got to go home, especially during the season, during Fashion Week, during horse season in Virginia, and all the other times she had penciled in on her yearly schedule. She would have tales to tell and the press would follow her like lovesick puppies. It was almost enough for her to put the bitching out she had been given by Lennox out of her mind.

Almost.

-0-TBC 8-13-17 **edited 8-14-17**

Tickled pink means to become happy and pleased to the highest degree. To be outstandingly amused.


	92. Chapter 92

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 92)

-0-Evening

Ironhide walked in just in time to hug everyone before bed.

" **ATAR! YOU NOT COMED TO SHES!"**

Ironhide stared down at his kids, all of them in a mob with Orion at his feet. "Bad Atar," Ironhide said with a grin.

They smiled almost as one. It was a noisy walk to the berth rooms with the kids and an even noisier moment or two getting them tucked in. Walking out, he sat heavily in his chair. Three big mechs grinned at him. "What's going on with the mission?" Quasar asked.

"We're going out tomorrow around dawn," Ironhide said. "We're taking a big group with more on standby. Some of them will come from the fleet on Cybertron."

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet nodded. "Sounds busy. Will I be going out too?"

"Not until we figure out who this is," Ironhide said. "Gypsy is going to handle the mission until we get a handle on things. When the shooting happens, if it does, then you come. That gives you some time with the family here."

Ratchet nodded. "I'll organize it here. You infants are going to have to help your ammas and appas."

"We will," Fireball said. They chatted, got caught up in the news, then the big boys walked to their rooms to turn in.

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "You're going out in force?"

"We are," Ironhide said. "I have operational control of the group with Atar. The others will fill in different roles in command. Prime wants to find out who it is and what the threat level might be."

"Well, I think we can postpone the rest of the conferences until we get back," Ratchet said.

"Thanks. I want to find out what's happening too," Ironhide said. "We're together on Praxus, right?"

"You want something to eat?" Ratchet asked as he nodded.

"I ate something at The Fortress," Ironhide replied. "We're leaving early so I think I just want to recharge."

Ratchet nodded, then rose. "Go ahead. I'll check out the infants and join you."

Ironhide rose, then walked to the berth room. Ratchet, after taking a tour, joined him.

-0-Partition, about the same time

He walked in, pausing to glance around. Lucien stepped out of his office. "Partition, where were you?"

"I was working. I'm going out with the fleet to find those settlements," Partition said as he gathered some food and a drink. He sat at the table and began to eat. "When they figure out who it is, then I go."

"What are you doing?" his father asked with astonishment.

"I'm going to be with the fleet and get our people back. Those slaggers have three settlements of our people and we're going out to get them," Partition said.

Lucien sat down across from his son. "You're not going. That's war out there. You could get killed."

"No," Partition said. "I went to see Springer."

Lucien reeled like he'd been punched in the face. "You did **what**?" he asked.

… a day or so before …

He walked to the door of the dojo, pausing a moment to glance around inside. At the other end of the room, a number of mechs sat on the lounge chairs and couches. He walked across the room to pause in front of all of them. Springer and Drift were talking about a mission of some kind along with a lot of big mechs who looked gnarly. They glanced up, then sat back.

"Hi," Springer said. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah. I'm Partition and I want to be a Wrecker," he said.

It was silent a moment, then Springer nodded. "Okay. What's your background as a soldier?"

"I'm in the Home Guard, I'm learning shooting and self defense, and I'm a diplomat," Partition said.

Springer stared at him, then Hercy. "Is this one of your kids?"

"It is," Hercy said appraising the youngling with his steely optics. "What makes you want to join the suicide squad, infant?"

Partition glanced at him, the nemesis bot of his current training schedule. "I want to go with the fleet and do my part."

Drift sat back. "There's a lot of groups that do that. The Wreckers are a high casualty, front-line group that has an attrition rate of about what during the war?" he asked glancing at Springer.

"About 95%," Springer said. "The rule is, we entertain soldiers who were regular army, Decepticon or Autobot, but not Home Guard. If you don't have this in your resume, if you haven't done it before, you could be killed right away."

Partition nodded. "I'm willing to risk it," he said. "Give me a chance."

"You'd need more training, infant," Hercy said as Kup nodded. "Lots and lots of it. Then you'd have to go only on those missions that offered the least amount of danger until we saw how you worked out. It would take a lot of work and discipline on your part. Do you have it?" he asked more with curiosity at the kid's boldness than out of a belief he could cut it.

"I do," Partition said with a determined expression.

It was silent a moment, then Hercy glanced at Kup. Kup nodded slightly, then Hercy stood. He gave the kid a stern once over with his calm blue optics. "You could get killed if we do this. You would have to give **absolute** obedience to me and Kup. You would have to work orn and night to get the skills. You'd have to zip your lip and shift your attitudes. You have to remember only one thing about what you're asking to do. War is democratic. It will kill you no matter who your atar is. If that doesn't straighten out your thinking, I don't know what will."

He nodded. "I still want to do this."

"There's no shame or foul if when you try it you don't like it. You can back out at any point and no one here will think the less of ya," Kup said as Partition nodded. "What will frag us off is anything that even gives the faintest odor of entitlement. Got that?"

He stared at Kup with an expression that shifted a bit, then solidified into rock hard determination. "You don't think I can do it?"

"I don't know. You'd have to show me," Kup said.

"I will," Partition replied. "What do you say?" he asked glancing at Springer.

Springer who had chatted during the exchange with Ratchet nodded. "You can try. If we boot you out you have to go. No whining, no arguing, no harm, no foul."

Partition grinned slightly. "Got it. What do I do first?"

"Get your gun, go to the firing range at Tarn and learn how to use it. I'll check your scores. I expect a steep learning curve. If you can work that out I'll help you with the rest. Understand? There's no shortcut to putting in the time," Hercy said as he sat again.

Partition grinned. "Deal," he said. He looked at the others, then spun on his heels heading for the door and the shooting range in Tarn. He would spend the entire afternoon there practicing all manner of shots, improving slightly as he did.

They watched him go, then glanced at each other. "Oh, frag," Springer said softly.

… at the apartment in real time …

"This is unacceptable, Partition," Lucien sputtered.

"Get used to it," Partition replied as he put the dishes in the sink. "I'm going to be working at the dojo and shooting for a few orns. I have to get proficient. The hub agent for weapons went over my score today and said I have a good optic." He paused on his way to his room, turning back to stare at his father. "I don't know why that felt so good to hear. He was a low caste but he made my orn. Good night, Atar," he said, then walked down the hallway to his room.

His father stared at the hallway for a while before walking to his office to continue his correspondence.

-0-Earth2

They sat together in Owen's apartment chatting together. The following day, the Beliveaus would arrive and the 'Tres Omigos' as some called them would be together at last. They had dinner at one of the restaurants in the commercial sector, then the letter from Prime was distributed. Rain sat with a pouty expression as the group read, then passed on the letter. Mariah frowned at her daughter. "You're jeopardizing your stay here, Rain. I don't want you to do anything out of line again. You could be sent packing. Prime is no one's fool."

Rain stared at her parents stonily, knowing from experience that saying anything only made it worse. She was set back, not defeated. There wasn't a school on planet Earth where she was a student that she hadn't managed to outfox.

"How do you like your apartment?" Rick asked as he sat with amusement at his sister's angst.

"It's very nice," Mariah said as Kyle nodded. "There's a nice office for Kyle to use for work."

"It's good to have you here. Louise is taking care of things for me Earth side so you can function here with more ease," Own said as he refreshed his drink.

"That's going to be good. I want to speak to the financial officers here. That's Venture, Caro and Ultra Magnus, right?"

Owen nodded. "It is. Their system is a lot different."

"Ultra Magnus," Rain said to needle everyone. "What kind of name is that?"

"Apparently, not all their names translate to English easily," Rick said feeling oddly offended for Magnus who was nothing but generous and helpful to his own needs.

"No doubt," Rain said as she rose to stand. The view from their apartment was of the empty wasteland behind the facility leading out into a very impenetrable darkness. Night had come to Mars and it was as dark as dark gets. "I'm going to Skype with friends." She walked off to her bedroom and closed the door.

"What a brat," Rick said. He looked at his mother. "I hope you brought a paddle. I think she's going to be a weak link."

"She's going to be grounded if she doesn't fly right. I won't allow her to attend Youngling Day if she is going to continue down this road," Owen said glancing at Mariah. "We're on the same page on that score, right?"

Mariah nodded. "I think I want her closer anyway. I want her somewhere that has atmosphere for us."

"We're going out tomorrow," Rick said. "Some of the locals are going to train us to be outside so we can train others. It's going to take a while for them to believe we're ready to be on our own out of facility. You can come with me."

"Who is our trusty local guide?" Kyle asked.

Rick grinned. "Judy Witwicky."

-0-At the Resort, earlier

"So, do we have them all divided up, the first group to go out?" Barbara Morshower asked as they perused the list.

"We do, Mom," Lois said. She glanced at Judy, then grinned. "I googled Mariah Davis. Former wife of Owen Harris, big society grand dame, likes to go to fashion shows, has a lot of chi-chi friends, Switzerland in winter, Paris in spring."

"Well," Judy said glancing at Lois with a grin. "We should be besties by noon then."

Huge laughter.

-0-Around the arsenal in the hinterlands

Roadie who came in that evening to help format and organize the ships called forward by Prowl's orders stood on the tarmac at the staging area that was miles from the colony. As far as the optic could see, ships of all type and manner stood ready to be called forward as needed. Some of the biggest ships they had rolled past to line up for their loads of light blue energon crystals mixed with light green. This combo was the best for long duration missions and the giant energon depot nearly a mile underground with its vast holdings and ultra sophisticated system of loading was working away.

They would load up, then lift off to the Military Airfield in Autobot City where they would take their places along the side of the numerous enormously long runways that fed into the airfield. A line of doom-bringing unseen before would gather. The same thing was happening on Cybertron as the first ever Cybertronian-Martian mission would be gathering to go. It would go long and hard into the dark night of two worlds as the armada of Optimus Prime began to come together.

-0-TB 8-14-17 **edited 8-15-17**


	93. Chapter 93

The Diego Diaries: Rumble (dd6 93)

-0-Earth2

She stood in the lobby of the massive facility along with the others. They were all annoyed. The first group to go out was the leadership and a few of the scientists. Among them, members of families who lived here had inserted themselves. Judy Witwicky was driving a big vehicle, one designed to carry passengers in a trial that would allow The Resort to take smaller groups deeper into the colony. Each of the five vehicles could carry 10-20 individuals. There would be fifty going today but tomorrow, there would be a full complement of 100 civilians heading out to see what it was like to wear the gear in the world beyond the windows and walls of their habitat. "This is not a good way to ingratiate yourself into the community," Judy said as she paced back and forth. As she did, a number of individuals were running toward them, exiting out of a corridor nearby. She waited as they gathered. "Is everyone here or is someone still getting a manicure?"

Cynthia Tomas who was embarrassed turned to the others. "We have to hurry. This is a courtesy and we have a schedule. Let's move it now." She turned to Judy and the others. "We're sorry, Mrs. Witwicky. It won't happen again."

"That's right," Judy said. "Gear up. We're going to load you according to our own lists. This is Lois Morshower Howell, her mother, Barbara Morshower, Judy Fulton and Jessie Landon. They are the kings of their cart. If you fuck around, we beat the shit out of you, then drag your carcass back here. We will report you to Lennox and you will never set foot outside again. None of us care if you're somebody somewhere else. Here? This is **our** kingdom. Any questions?"

There weren't any. A green light was flashing signaling the outside drive through was atmospherically supportive so they walked out. One-by-one, they walked through the door and were scanned. A frazzled scientist who was overcome by the notion that he could go outside had to be helped, but in seconds they were all outside. They gathered before the vehicles. Judy glanced at Barbara Morshower, then nodded.

"I'm Barbara Morshower. All of us are experts at dealing with this atmosphere and the dangers out here. This isn't a zoo or a holographic diorama. This is the real deal and if you make a mistake you will die in a minute or so. In your gear is a locator device that will trigger a bridge and a team to get you if something goes wrong. But act like it isn't there. Just because it is doesn't mean they will grab you to safety fast enough.

"We're going in the vehicles ten to a car. They're safe but you **will** keep your gear on at all times. No one is to take anything off and if there's a problem **TELL US**. We're going to the airfield. The reason its so early is because Prime's taking out an armada. There are settlements that need rescue and there could be trouble so he's taking a major strike force with him. We're going to a safety structure to watch. This is an amazing sight, to see an army and air force gather to go to battle. We have to move it because the aerie, as we call it, will fill up fast. Jessie will let you know which vehicle and driver is your guide and transport. You will **always** use the same process during our travels. Don't change it up. You don't have permission." She turned to Jessie who had a datapad.

"First car with Lois Morshower driving," Jessie began. Names were called and they climbed inside. Down the list she went until all were aboard. "We're go, Judy."

"Then let's haul ass. We don't want to miss the show," she said as she climbed into her vehicle. Cynthia Tomas was sitting next to her as the vehicle sealed up. She pulled forward waiting for the doors and atmosphere to do their part, then sped out followed by four other vehicles. They were gone into the darkness in seconds.

-0-On the way

It was dark between the huge tower lights that gave great pools of illumination at intervals. The darkness was intense and felt ominous to the newbies. Hamilton Brown, Owen Harris, Mariah Davis and her husband, Kyle were sitting just behind Judy Witwicky as she drove down the nearly empty highway toward the lights of the cities beyond.

"What sort of armada is going out?" Harris asked.

"A huge one, bigger than I've ever seen before. I also hear that its being augmented by groups from Cybertron," Judy said as she flew along.

"Have you been to Cybertron yet, Mrs. Witwicky?" Cynthia asked.

"Judy," Judy said as she glanced at Cynthia with a grin. "Not yet. We're going to be going when things smooth out. It's dangerous there, toxic and problematic. Some of our soldiers have been there. It's not a pretty sight. It's pretty much a graveyard from end to end. We're hoping to go there after Halloween."

"What's the possibility of you taking a few of us along?" Harris asked.

"Slim to none," Judy said with a grin. "Make no mistake … you have to earn your bones as they say. When you show your trustworthiness and that you have enough honor and character, things will be lighter and more open. We have a good thing going here, the humans and the bots. We don't want you all to come here and fuck it up."

Two figures flashed past, humanoid shapes carrying what appeared to be rifles and gear bags. One of them turned backward with a wicked smile on his handsome face as he roared along. He flashed his lights, got a flash in response, then turned back to disappear with the other into the roadway ahead.

"Who was that?" Cynthia asked with surprise.

"That was Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. They got called up it looks like. They live in Tyger Pax with their bond, Bluestreak and three of the **CUTEST** babies you ever saw," Judy said with a grin. "Love those boys, both of them."

"Can you tell us about them? Their family?" someone asked.

"Maybe later," Judy said noncommittally. "Right now, we have to get there."

They passed bots riding horses back toward the town. Honking, they continued onward as the Night Watchmen waved. The humans watched them, then turned back to the front. Mariah leaned slightly forward. "They have horses."

"They've had horses for a long time. Haven't you kept up?" Judy asked.

"Actually, no," Mariah said sitting back to stare at the road behind them. "I rather love horses. I wonder if we're going to see them today."

"It depends. Things sort of dictate themselves around here," Judy said as she drove past the Basilica, quickly followed by the Mausoleum.

"That's their graveyard back there, right?" someone else asked.

"That's right. They bury their dead there. Some of the more deserving for whatever reason are buried in the Basilica," Judy said. "Our lady's auxiliary works at both places helping out the priests to keep them up. We can get the down low spots spic-and-span."

"What about us joining your group? I hear that you have book clubs and other activities too," another voice in the back asked.

"We do," Judy replied as she began to merge into traffic in the Metro Cities. They sped forward as the brilliantly lit and beautiful form of Autobot City loomed ahead. "I'll talk to the others. We're democratic group."

"What sort of books do you read? Are they Cybertronian? Are there bots in the group?" Cynthia asked.

"We read all kinds of books. We read a lot of the writings of the different groups here because, one … we want to learn more and be better neighbors. And two … they're really interesting and insightful. All of Heatout's books are on our list. We're waiting for his new one which is supposed to drop in a couple of days. He's a sellout writer. So is Nitro."

"I love his books, Nitro," someone else said. "I love the shows they've made of them."

"I know," Judy said with a laugh. "I've been in them. We have bots in the group, mostly friends who are civilians and the odd soldier. We're a great tight knit group. I love them all." They merged into the city passing the Temple which glowed in the lights that shown on it at night. "That's the Temple of Primus. That's all you're allowed to know."

"What about Olivia Bowers? I know her family. I understand that she knows a lot and is allowed inside," Mariah said as they drove down Metro Highway 1 toward the bright lights and movement of the Autobot City Military Airfield.

"She does. She's been accepted into the Circle of Light and is a real asset to the human community. She teaches, volunteers … maybe at some point you can take her classes on the Circle. Don't ask now. It's forbidden. She's the greatest. She came as an asshole and emerged a great friend. There's hope for all of you," Judy said with a laugh.

Everyone smiled, though they weren't sure if they had just been insulted or not. It didn't matter. The group drove onto the field toward a big box on stilts that appeared to be made of glass. It was lighted and there were humans both in it and others walking to get there. Judy pulled up, then shut off the vehicle. She turned to the group. "You're mine and I have command authority over you every second that you're not at Earth2. We'll be scanned before leaving these vehicles, then we go up there. It's bulletproof and safe so we can watch without getting shot. Things are always being made better for us. The bots are the best."

She pressed a button, a scan rolled down the length of the vehicle, then cleared everyone. "Stay here and I'll let you out," she said as she stepped out and closed the door. Gathering with the others, they began to call their charges to come forward. Walking in lines behind their guide, they walked across the tarmac to the stairs that would take them upward. They could feel rumbles under their feet and the brightly lit airport beyond was alive with movement and sounds. They went up, were scanned into the building, then the doors closed behind them.

Inside, watching at the window, most of the N.E.S.T. garrison, a lot of the most famous human civilians and a couple of mini-cons were standing together. They turned to the group, nodded, then offered them refreshment. Grabbing breakfast rolls and coffee, the newbies walked to the window to watch. The scene outside was astonishing.

-0-Early around the colony

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe hugged Bluestreak who was detailed to the babies, then slipped out with their gear. It would be a speedy trip on the road using their skates to get to the muster. They would beat the military trucks there by several minutes. Of course, they cut across different streets and cheated to do it but they did.

Score.

-0-Up there

Ironhide hugged Ratchet, took the bag of food that Ratchet handed him, then slipped out. He would be at the Ops Center in minutes to get updates and the latest intel. He would need it as co-commandant of the battle group with his father.

-0-Way up there

Venture closed the door on Optimus and Prowl who slipped out to take the helm of the mission, Prowl here and Optimus out there. Miler had already left for Trigger Command and Control on Trigger 1 to act as flight navigator for the bridges. He looked around, noted all was well, then relaxed on the big couch by the windows to watch the show below.

-0-Raptor, Hard Drive and Delphi

They left their homes, met up at the train platform in Terra, then headed toward The City. They had a quick snack but nothing more. That would be served from the ship's kitchens to everyone once they lifted off. Right now, they had their jobs to do while Turbine stayed behind. He would be on standby call to Cybertron to handle any Primal relics that were found. Two would be.

-0-Partition

He stood on the tarmac with Hercy and Kup who were struck by his determination and interest. There might be more to this kid than met the optic both of them thought as they answered his questions and declined his request to come. He would come with Ratchet, they said. He would join them later. It would be an interesting time at the muster with the new ki-d.

-0-TBC 8-15-17 **edited 8-16-17**

Hopefully, my new laptop will arrive tomorrow and I can reply to your notes and do even more writing. My desktop is a demanding thing. HUGS to all.

Thanks for catching the misnaming of Olivia. :D Bad, me. Bad she. ;)


	94. Chapter 94

The Diego Diaries: Forward (dd6 94)

(NOTE: New laptop. Got delivered to a neighbor who is honest and good. Right now, its smaller than my big one so the keys feel weird. Will try and keep bloopers to a minimum.) :D:D:D

-0-At the Autobot Military Airfield at the crack of dawn

The humans congregated in the viewing box, removing their helmets which they had to hand over to their group leaders for safekeeping. Coffee, breakfast rolls and sandwiches were a welcome sight to a group that had hustled. The lights and activity outside was riveting. A monitor nearby, huge, with a roving scene, showed everyone there what was going on farther out, especially along the flight line.

Massive ships, some of them familiar like Phobos, Salton Sea and the Wrecker shuttles could be seen either being loaded or rolling along to assume their place in the lineup for leaving. The monitor showed that which they couldn't see. Supremes were transformed and lined up side by side. More battleships, cruisers and big ships carrying fighters were joining them. It was thick on the ground and seemed to stretch for miles into the night broken only by brilliant pools of light from poles placed at intervals all along both sides of the flight line and the staging areas all around the huge and well lighted hangar area.

They were too numerous to count, the trucks both sentient and not, that hauled supplies, racks of bombs, boxes and boxes of bullets, medical supplies, heaping mounds of different colored energon, guns, and rockets to ships all over the place.

It was too numerous to count, the number of soldiers with their gear and the Seekers slotted to leave with the group. They stood together, some of them laughing, others talking seriously. Now and again, a family was with their soldiers, babies and children in arms as they came to see them off. Seekers especially began to gather in numbers, not all of them scheduled to leave. Among them were those bearing silver staffs with all manner of jeweled and carved decoration.

"Who are they, Major?" Owen Harris asked.

Will glanced at him. "Those are the elders and clan leaders. That big mech in the middle is the Great Elder himself, Rainmaker with his five sons and two bonds. The Council of Elders for the Seekerkin are here to go, some of them, and the rest to hoorah off the flight. The Armada will get sent off Seeker-style by everyone gathering."

It was silent a moment, then Owen asked again. "They're going with Cybertronian forces. Have they done that before?"

"No," Lennox replied. "This is the first time in nine million years that the Autobots are going out to battle with everyone included. There will be a lot of former Decepticons going with them."

It was quiet in the room as they watched a long train of cars being pulled by a truck thread through the crowd. It was heavily laden with rockets, some of them huge. They were heading for ships that could put one of them up the aft end of a flea at ten light years. It was sobering to see the ordinance go past.

Soldiers kept coming including the twins who had paused a moment to speak to friends. They skated slowly past, glanced at the box, nodded, then moved onward. They were beautiful and fearless appearing. It was an amazing thing to see them in the flesh, as it were.

"Television does none of this justice," Cynthia said quietly. "This is so … it feels noble."

Lennox nodded. "I know. I have a request in to go with them. I hope they let us. I want to see this group in space. I've been out on missions with them, all of us here," he said nodding to Graham, Epps and the others who stood by watching the show. "They were bad, some of them. We saw them destroy the Decepticon Justice Division. But this feels different."

"Worse," Epps said as he glanced at the two.

Lennox nodded. "Someone has 120,000 of their civilians … babies, elders, all of them, and Prime has to get them back alive. I wouldn't be him for anything."

It would be quiet for a while.

-0-Heading toward the show

Ironhide walked out with his grandfather and great grandfathers. His Amma Turbine wouldn't be here. He had to rescue Primal relics. The others were revved to go and it was like old times. They walked into a light pool by the box, then paused as the humans called to them over the comm devices.

Four gigantic mechs, nearly completely black, bearing big armaments and armor that looked impenetrable walked to the box, then Ironhide knelt. "Humans," he said with a nod.

:Ironhide: Lennox said over the channel. :Do we get to come along?:

"Prowl is the one you have to con, not me. I don't care if ya do. Might learn a thing or two," he said with a grin. He looked at the other humans, then focused on Owen Harris. "How about you? Do you want to come, too?" he asked.

Harris stared at the hard expression built into the big mech, his unflinchingly direct blue optics and the weapons that seemed to be built into his body. :No thank you, Ironhide. I think I would leave this to the experts:

"You should go see Ratchet," Ironhide said as he stood. "You could almost be a diplomat with that statement." He looked at the soldiers. "See ya on the other side."

:What are the prospects there will be shooting?: Jessie Landon asked worriedly.

"Good to probable," Ironhide said.

"Too bad for them," Raptor said with a grin. "Fortunately, we get to shoot back."

 **:COME BACK! ALL OF YOU!** : Jessie said as the humans inside nodded.

The bots nodded back. "We plan on it. See ya when we get back," Ironhide said, then he turned to walk onward. Raptor followed him while Hard Drive lingered. He finally nodded, then walked onward.

"That was Ironhide and the other mechs are his family, right?" Kyle Davis asked no one in particular. He was too riveted watching them disappear into the crowd.

"Yes," Judy said with a hint of pride. "That's Raptor, Ironhide's grandfather and Hard Drive, his great grandfather. All of them but Ironhide are generals of the army and famed soldiers. I feel sorry for the bad guys."

A murmur of agreement followed that remark as another big mech who looked like them walked past heading in the same direction. "There goes Blackjack, Ironhide's father," Barbara Morshower said. "I love their family. What an interesting family he has."

"His family is military and in the entertainment field as well, right?" someone asked.

Judy nodded. "His family was from the highest caste in The System. Even Primes had to bend their knee. His ada, Alor of Iacon is the most famous musician in their history and about the only thing that Megatron and Prime can probably agree upon as being a magnificent person and talent." She turned to the newbies. "Alor's genitors … his parents are as famous and artistic. The Performing Arts Center is getting signed off by the city and when it is, the culture around here is going through the roof. Trooper and Scout are going to be the hub of everything that's artistic when that opens."

"What about Ratchet's family?" another person asked.

"Ravel and Tie Down are the genitors of Ratchet and maybe just about the most famous tool-and-die makers in the history of their world," Judy Fulton said.

Some of the humans grinned slightly. "Tool-and-die?" Mariah asked with surprise and amusement.

The frost level of the room climbed into the stratosphere as the locals glanced around at the newbies. "Did you see the traveling exhibit on Earth? The art show from here?"

Most of them nodded.

"The swords and daggers, the tools that they loaned to it were made by them. No one makes better ones, nor ones more coveted. I've seen battle hardened mechs get weak kneed when they got a tool kit or a knife or a sword from them. They are the most famous and most sought after makers of their specialties ever. I personally have a tool kit for my rifle from them. Transparent steel. Think about it," Epps said.

It was silent a moment, then Kyle exhaled softly. "Transparent steel?"

"Aluminum. Cybertanium. There's more but that's classified," Epps said. "Some of the things they do only they can. You need to see them work and look at what they create. You'd be hella amazed."

It was then that Prowl and Prime were seen threading through the carefully choreographed dance of readiness. They paused with the Master of the Muster, checked a lot of stuff, then Prime turned to Prowl. They communicated but off line, then Prime leaned in to kiss him. They did, then Prime continued forward without him toward the farthest row of ships out on the flight line.

It was silent in the box as the humans old and new absorbed the sight. Some of the newbies glanced at each other but no one said a word. Prowl then turned to walk to the box. He arrived, then knelt down, his impeccable elegance and disconcertingly handsome face coming closer to those inside. "Good morning," he said in his cultured tenor.

:Good morning, Prowl: Jessie said as the others nodded. :What's the word on going out with the fleet?:

"The word is go," Prowl said. "The travel cage is on Salton Sea where the command center is. Choose up and go on out. They're waiting for you." He rose, nodded, then walked onward into the crowds.

Lennox glanced around. "What about it, General? You up for combat?"

"Hush," Barbara Morshower said. "You aren't but you're going anyway. Tell me I'm wrong."

"You aren't," Glenn said as he hugged his wife. "John?"

Fulton nodded, then hugged his. Epps, Lennox, Graham, Morshower, Fulton, Andrew and Lilly Settles because they were there and Fig Figueroa were tapped to go. Owen Harris who watched stepped closer to Will, drawn by the moment. "Major, would it be out of line and out of the realm of possibility if I come along too?"

Everyone turned to stare at Harris including his incredulous former wife and business partner. "You can't be serious, Owen?" Mariah asked with almost a sputter.

He glanced at her. "I am."

Will considered that, then walked to one side to put on his helmet and talk to Prowl. It went on a moment, then Lennox turned to Harris. Pulling off his helmet, he considered Owen a moment. "Prowl okays it. He also okays that we can shoot you on sight if you fuck up. If you can agree to that, then you're cleared. Otherwise? Stay and learn the colony."

Owen smirked slightly. "I would like to come along."

"We go until they send us back by bridge. All that you see and hear is classified. Since all of us have gone before and we don't break that order, anything that pops up and gets out for any reason that pertains to the mission will be from you and get you arrested. Make sure you understand that. Classified means classified and if you break that order, then espionage charges will be filed. We don't have special status here. You would have to go through Cybertronian courts and if found guilty, pay a Cybertronian penalty. No one will be able to save you. Do you clearly and reasonably understand that?"

Harris nodded. "I do."

"Very well. Suit up," Lennox said. The group going hugged, kissed and geared up. Then they walked to the door to take a N.E.S.T. truck to the Salton Sea some distance away. Jessie would go with them and drive it back. They walked down the stairs, climbed in and disappeared, weaving carefully through the crowd.

The humans inside watched them go, then Mariah glanced at Kyle. "This is insane."

Judy Witwicky turned to her. "No, this is Wednesday on Mars. Toughen up or go home."

The locals nodded, then turned to the window. The activity was changing. Mechs were getting on ships, empty carts and cars with trailers were leaving the field and the roar of the Seekers was rising. As the newbies watched with open mouthed astonishment, Seekers in numbers began to howl, then leap into the air. They transformed immediately, then shot upward with fire and smoke trailing.

It seemed like thousands left that way as those remaining behind roared and ululated their pride and hopes for great victories. When the last one rose upward, the Great Elder, his sons and three of the Council of Elders howled together shaking their staffs at the sky. Then they transformed with Starscream and Thundercracker, roaring upward to follow.

It was a spine tingling sight for everyone, locals and newbies alike.

-0-TBC 8-16-17 **edited 8-22-17**

I will be responding to notes when I get this thing set up. I hate having a new computer for the set up. I love having a new computer for the lack of killer viruses. Malicious hackers are bad, bad, bad. HUGS!


	95. Chapter 95

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 95)

-0-Salton Sea

They drove swiftly to the ship, then stepped out at the ramp where big mechs, weapons and other gear were heading inside as well. It was an amazing sight even for the seasoned warriors among them let alone the civilian, Harris. They stood by the ramp until two youngling soldiers came down, then held out both servos. They climbed aboard, then began the long walk inside.

They entered at the flight deck, the hangar deck of the big ship. It was loaded with pallets that were being trucked inside. Fighters hung by their tails on racks along the wall, winched up for future deployment. A big mech was directing the supplies to their proper places as squads of mechs began to form around a superior officer, all of whom appeared to be hard bitten and gnarly to Harris.

They were going past everything at chest level to the bots so it appeared even more amazing than perhaps at ground level where a lot of this including its intensity would be harder to see. They joined a line of soldiers waiting for an elevator. One turned to them, a hard looking customer it seemed to Harris. "What you got there, Fran?" he asked one of the two bearing the humans forward.

"Humans who have no sense," Fran, a big burly mech replied. He was young, a former Decepticon and a father.

Mechs who were waiting turned to look, then laughed. Lennox who was used to this as a warrior himself grinned at them. :Slaggers. If we don't come along, who's going to get the low shots?"

"I think we learned something, boys," a big gnarly mech said as the elevator opened. "Humans have mini-con slaggers too."

Huge laughter and insults greeted that as everyone entered to go to different floors. Some of them had to go to mustering areas while others went to barracks to stow gear and pass the time. The elevator not only went up and down, it went sideways, a factor not lost on Harris. When the door finally opened, they were the last to get off and it was on the vast, high tech, mind blowing command deck of Salton Sea. It seemed to take forever to cross as Harris craned his neck to see everything, high, low and in between.

A console curved from the back wall, around the front, around the sidewalls and back to the other side near the elevator. At intervals, mechs sat at stations, lighted monitors of massive size showing all manner of strange things in strange languages above, in front of and around them. At the center of the space was a command table with massive datapads laying upon it along with other tools that Harris could only assume aided navigation and war.

The front of the command deck had a separate two mech console that he would learn was the pilot station and the navigator's position. Behind all of this, centered in the middle was a command chair upon which Optimus Prime sat. He passed them as they headed for the travel box which was fastened to the console in front of the pilot. They were gently placed inside, then sat and buckled in. Glancing forward, Harris stared at several of the biggest monitors he had ever seen. They were colossal, the biggest ever, and on either side along the entire length of the command deck, the outside could be seen.

It was silent in the box as the group inside watched everyone around them. The seats could swivel so no view of the area was off limits to Harris. He turned his chair to watch Prime and his officers getting ready to leave. The sound of communications, at first in NeoCybex, then translated through the box itself into English told the story. Most of them were from other parts of the armada checking in but some of it was from the deck crew themselves.

"The Seekers are formed up, Prime," Ironhide said as he glanced up toward Prime.

Prime nodded. "Signal the fleet to check in readiness. What do we hear from Cybertron?"

"They're formed and ready to go. They'll meet up with us at the point of space chosen," Raptor said from what Harris would learn was Tactical.

The door of the elevator opened as Prowl walked in with Paragon and Alor of Iacon. He had studied the facial recognition books put together by Earth2 as each bot was identified and understood. He knew them by sight but the introductions to most were still waiting. They paused beside Prime.

"I've handed off command of the colony to Paragon. Alor and I will be handling strategic planning together. Are there any orders you wish for Paragon?" Prowl asked.

Prime looked at Paragon. "Hold the fort, Paragon. We will return as soon as possible, hopefully, with a good ending."

"I hope so, sir," Paragon said with a grave nod of his helm. "I have the contingency fleet and medical organized and on standby. I will send them at your call."

Prime nodded. "Very well. Gentlemen, I believe its time to stand out. Thank you, Paragon. Let us know if anything happens here to warrant our presence."

Paragon bowed slightly. "I will, Prime. Good sailing to a good ending."

"Thank you," Prime said as the elegant doppelganger of Prowl walked to the elevator and left. "Give the word, Prowl, when we're ready. Is the formation in space completely designed?"

Prowl glanced at Blackjack who nodded. "Yes, sir."

Harris knowing Prowl was Prime's bond marveled at the formality of the winger, but then he decided he shouldn't. Prowl was one finely tuned individual.

"Very well," Prime said. "Stage us into space."

On a monitor nearby, The Hourly News was broadcasting latest breaking news. The fleet was powering up as segments of it began to get into the order of flight that would in the end take them all away. Jacx was reporting next to a line of tankers that would not only refuel the fleet but be resting places for the bigger mechanisms. "And now that its been completed, Prowl has turned over command of the planet and empire to Commander Paragon of Praxus. I had a chance to speak with him earlier."

The scene cut to the Ops Center doorway where the two were talking together. "Sir, tell me about the mission and what details you can give."

"We have received word that several settlement colonies of our people have been seeking relief and safe journey to the empire for some time. We had worked out how to get them when it appears that they've been compromised by an unknown alien force. Given the lack of detail about who it might be, we've planned a large armed force to go there to see what's happening and to rescue our people."

"Will there be fighting, Commander?" Jacx asked.

"There's always that possibility but I'd hold to the good hope that when they see the force and resolve that the Prime brings to the problem that they will leave. I wouldn't want to face the forces that we're sending forward to resolve this," Paragon said.

"When will we know what's happening, sir?" Jacx asked.

"When we know, you will know," Paragon said. Someone called to him from inside the Ops Center. "If you excuse me, please." He nodded politely, then walked into the room to confer with a number of mechs around Tactical.

The scene returned to Jacx. He would continue to tell what was happening as ship after monster ship rolled forward behind him heading for the order of departure for their particular specialty.

Harris watched the broadcast, then looked around. Blackjack was at a console conferring with Alor. Raptor was scrutinizing a datapad as he joked with Ironhide. Ironhide was smirking at the big mech as he told his grandson something amusing in a soft voice. Other mechs and a small femme were working hard at their stations when the elevator opened and more familiar bots entered.

Hercy, Kup, Springer, Drift, Jazz, Splice, some of the big femmes that he had heard were daughters of Ratchet and Ironhide along with some mechs he didn't know walked toward the table to gather around it. Ironhide and his elders walked over to join them. Prime turned in his command chair to face them. He was very serious as was Prowl and Alor, though he glanced at the humans, then grinned. "What's the situation involving our strike forces?" Prime asked.

Springer glanced at the others, then Prime. "We're ready to go. Fueled and armed up, all of it organized. We're going to form up around the armada, then look for bases out there in the debris. Apparently, there's a lot of debris. It can help and hinder us, Optimus."

Prime nodded. "I will trust to your discretion. We're going to combine sensors and do a deep space scan from the moment we clear the bridges. You at point will be our vanguard."

Springer nodded. "Support has been lifting off. We will follow you. Once you and the big ships form up with the cruiser screen, we'll follow and make the lead. First into the bridges, then you follow."

"Affirmative," Prime said with a nod of his helm.

Lon and Bezel going to their first battle stood side-by-side listening to their leadership calmly define the battle formation. They were chosen to go, a shockingly amazing prospect for both and were here now, thrilled and a wee bit anxious. They were on Kup's ship. Smokey who stood with them along with Hot Rod and Blurr who was called in from Diego, was equally anxious to go and 'kick some metal'.

Harris and the others had swung around in their seats to listen and watch the show. The feed was through the suit's translation and communications devices and given how calm it was, Harris was mesmerized. He had first demurred about going with the armada but something about huge events can sweep up a person. He was here, perhaps going into combat and he felt an odd mix of thrill and fear. Even in the most brutal financial actions he had experienced, he had never felt like this before.

"Alright," Springer said as he glanced at the others. "Let's mount up."

"Young warriors," Prime said as everyone paused to turn back to him. "I am proud of you for your service and dedication but I ask you to be very cognizant of what happens and listen to your commanders. This is no time for anyone to attempt individual valor. We are a team and that is how we win and stay alive. Remember that."

The youngsters among the older mechs nodded solemnly. "We will, Optimus," Smokey said as Smokescreen grinned at his grandson.

"I'll make sure of it," Smokescreen said as everyone laughed.

Lon and Bezel glanced at Prime, then bowed their helms. "Thank you for the chance to serve our people, Prime. We won't let you down."

"It never occurred to me that you would," Prime said nodding back.

The group turned almost as one, then disappeared into the elevators. The bridge was silent but for the sound of machines working, then Raptor turned to Prime. "Younglings stepping up. I hate it."

"You and me, too, General," Prime said as he vented a soft sigh. Turning forward, he read the panels before him. "The cruisers, fighter mother ships and battleships short of us are moving out. Be ready for lift off, Rem."

"Yes, sir," Rem said as he turned back to the console.

It was silent as everyone stared forward at the long line of ships filing out of their parking spots to roll toward the flight line to lift off. They seemed endless, the white ships of the armada, their gigantic Autobrands peering enigmatically out at the world. One by one, at the front of the long line, they began to lift off, flying forward into the growing sunlight of a new day, heading toward the eternal darkness of night.

It would take a while before Phobos, Salton Sea and Moonbase would be moving forward to join them.

-0-TBC 8-17-17 **edited 8-22-17**

I am going through the notes to reply to them. Thank you for parts out of order and things that I wrote about a bit ago and haven't carried forward. The laptop crapping out sort of messed me up. I will gather up the threads and fix that. I will respond to notes as soon as I thump Cortana from popping up over and over and over and over and … ;)


	96. Chapter 96

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 96)

-0-On the line at the airfield

The endless stream of big ships, all of which bristled with guns, finally ended allowing the three command model vessels, Salton Sea, Moonbase and Phobos as the major medical platform to begin to move. Slowly, they joined the lineup heading for the runways, rolling past those who guided them forward outside on the ground. It was quiet and all business on the ship as the vessel rumbled along.

Harris watched the crew, then Prime, then the forward screens and view ports. They were getting closer until they were the front of the line. Almost at once, without much of a jolt to signify they were airborne, the huge vessel lifted up. Almost in seconds, they left the bright light of morning on Mars and were in space.

The sight before them was astonishing to Harris who stared at the screen mesmerized.

-0-On the watching post in Autobot City

"There goes Prime's ship," Clarice said as she sat in a chair by the window with her binoculars. "That big one is the Salton Sea, named after the place on Earth."

They stared at it as it almost instantly disappeared to be followed by Moonbase, Phobos, then a seemingly endless line of Wrecker fighter shuttles. Mariah stared at the sight. "Owen is on that ship, right? That's the one that Prime commands, right?"

Clarice nodded. "Yes. He's in the viewing box that we use when we go on missions. It protects us from just about anything that comes."

Mariah looked at her, then the scene. "He's an idiot to go. What possessed him to do that?"

"Boys will be boys," Clarice said with a grin.

It was quiet as the group gathered watched the armada leave one by one into the darkness of space. When the last ship disappeared, Judy Witwicky turned to the group. "What happens now is they clear up the airfield, then go back to their lives. If you want to follow the armada and what happens watch The Hourly News. Right now, we're going to get going. We have a lot to see and a lot to do. You're going to practice getting in and out of vehicles and places. Let's go."

With that, the humans, most of them in the viewing box gathered their gear, got a scan, then followed their leaders out of the box, down the stairs and into the vehicles. It would be a five car convoy that would pull out onto Fortress Road to join the morning traffic as they sped their way to the Industrial Park Cities a number of Cybertronian miles away.

-0-Partition

He walked into Ratchet's office looking good. He was missing his pout, the usual dour put upon aura and sense of outrage that was part of his 'charm'. Ratchet who was sitting at his desk finishing up things, making assignments and parting out things against the possibility that he would have to go with the group when they called him glanced up. "Good morning, Sunshine."

Partition sat. "Good morning. When do we go?"

"When the call comes. We also serve who sit and wait."

"I don't want to wait. I want to be there. I joined the Wreckers." He looked at Ratchet almost in defiance of the big mech mocking his actions.

Ratchet nodded. "Good for you. You're in the company of experts, the cream of the crop among our army. They don't do things the orthodox way but they get it done. What motivated you?"

Partition who expected something a lot less supportive thought a moment. "I don't like the idea of anyone holding our people. Frag them. I want to get them back. I like soldiering. Don't get me wrong. I'm going to be a diplomat. You need the assist obviously, but this is … interesting."

Ratchet leaned back with a grin. "It is, isn't it. I do hope that you understand that it'll be a while before you ever see combat. You have a lot to learn. Learn it with them. Remember everything they teach and tell you. Don't assume that you know better. You don't. Discipline is the backbone of good soldiering, that and being patient. They don't take losers. Don't be one. They'll kick you out so fast your head will spin."

"How did you become a soldier?" Partition asked.

Ratchet considered that. "I was given a chance to become a doctor. I was told that it hinged on being an army doctor. I wasn't all that into the army. I didn't think much of the Primes at the time but I wanted to be one and help the soldiers and civilians that got into trouble. I did it and didn't look back. I already knew how to fight. Every ghetto kid does. Shooting was just another form of math and servo-optic coordination. I had millions of years of practice so no one worries when I'm there. You don't so its uncertain if you have the ability and know how to do the right thing when the moment comes. They'll show you. Learn it, then serve The People. There's no higher or more noble calling."

"My father never served. Neither of them. No one in our family was ever a soldier. I'll be the first one. We always did everything else. I like the ..." He paused to look at Ratchet, gauging his expression for anything less than respect. He considered the calm listening expression on Ratchet's face, then continued. "I like the way soldiers talk to each other. I like their humor and the way they hang out together. It's fun. There's not much fun working in an office. With the soldiers, they can come and go as they want. I think I like the lifestyle."

"That's the lull before the storm. Fighting is pretty awful. It's no fun being in a group of comrades and being the only one who comes back," Ratchet said. "There's a downside to it but the togetherness … the comradeship … that's the golden part. That's the part that matters."

Partition nodded, then leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He seemed to wrestle with something, then looked at Ratchet. "My family isn't behind me. I think my atar will try and stop this from happening. I think he's going to come to you to make it so."

"He can come but it won't change a thing. First of all, you're adult. You can choose your life and frankly, I think I'm proud of you, Partition, for taking the initiative to do something that helps everyone of our people."

Partition looked at him with a strange expression. "You and I hate each other."

"I don't hate you. Do you think I'd have mentored you if I did? I see something really good in you. I want you to find it. I think when you do you'll be a better person and you'll understand that when Primus and The One said, "All are one" it meant everyone. **Everyone** equal."

Partition stared at Ratchet with a wavering expression, then sat back. "I don't know. I just know I like what I'm doing. For the first time, I think I like what I'm doing. Don't get me wrong. I know it'll be hard. I'm up for it. Right?" he asked, staring at Ratchet with a firm expression on his face.

Ratchet laughed. "I'm of the opinion that if you want something bad enough and work hard enough, you can get it. Remember, this won't be fast and it'll be hard but the mechs who decided to take a chance on you believe in you. Don't let them down."

He grinned slightly. "I won't. I don't know why this feels so good. I just wish I was with the armada right now."

"You will when I go. I'll call you. Don't worry about your atar. You three are mine to boss around. I have your back," Ratchet said with a grin.

Partition stared at him with a slightly puzzled expression, then rose. "Thanks." He turned to go to the job he knew was waiting, then turned back. "What was the other thing?"

"When I think I'm mad at you, I think about you as a child without prejudices or worries or woes. Then I find myself wanting to do more to help you find your way. No one is a hopeless case to me, Partition. Not you. Not your genitors. Go and do the job from yesterday. It's still there. Are you on my alert?"

He paused a moment to sense for it, then nodded. "I am." He stood a moment as if to say more, then nodded. "I'll prove all of you wrong."

"You won't with me. I have faith in you. That's yours to lose," Ratchet said.

Partition stared at him, then nodded. He walked out to the scut job that he had to do as Ratchet's project and he would do it perfectly.

-0-Command Bridge of the Salton Sea

They joined the group that was waiting to go to the Trigger for transport through the two giant space bridges and the smaller one, the Autobot City Space Bridge as named by a child at Sparkling Day in a contest. A tech had brought breakfast to the bridge and was handing out covered boxes with food made in the massive galley down below. This ship was capable of deep space travel and the crew needed to eat.

Prime took his and began to eat it as Prowl stood over him telling him essential information. He ate like anyone ate food, using his fork like anyone else. What Harris expected, he didn't know. Nearly every direction he looked afforded a new bit of information or action that helped build the picture in his mind.

Raptor sipped his … coffee? Ironhide was eating again, something he had already done at The Fortress. Hard Drive sat with Rem eating his food as the pilot readied to join the others in the running arms of the big devices.

Ships lined up, what seemed like hundreds, then a flash of light bloomed, another one, then a smaller one. The bridges were up and running. Almost as one, the Seekers leaped forward vanishing almost immediately. They were followed by other ships, many of them support, then an endless appearing steam of battleships and battle cruisers. The Supremes followed, all of them, their size almost too much to believe in ship mode. The lines moved forward including their own vessel. A voice appeared on the intercom. "Salton Sea, this is Miler-Navigator. Do you have your coordinates?"

"We do, Navigator," Rem replied.

"Very well. Good sailing and come home safely," Miler said.

"Will do," Rem said as he threw the throttle forward. The ship fairly leaped forward flying behind Moonbase and ahead of Phobos into the violent swirling maw of the bridge.

It was blindingly bright, then settled into a spinning vortex of crackling, sparkling light for what seemed hours but could only be seconds. Then it settled back into space again as they slipped through. Before them, the armada had formed up. Wrecker shuttles were ahead of them followed by cruisers, then battleships. A space in the middle was kept for the three behemoth warships, Phobos, Moonbase and Salton Sea. They slipped into place, the Seekers dispersed and took up their places while the Supremes formed around the support ships in the rear. Among them would be ships from Cybertron on the first joint maneuvers and mission of the new paradigm.

"Have the fleet check in when on station, General," Prime said to Raptor who nodded. He turned to tactical and got receipt on his message. Turning back to Prime, he said, "We're ready to go."

"Very well," Prime said. "Open a channel to the fleet."

A young Home Guard Seeker mech sitting at Communications opened the channel. "You're clear, Lord Optimus," he said.

Harris watched him. The formal title was interesting to hear. Prime gathered his thoughts, then began.

"This is Optimus Prime. We have gathered our forces to rescue our people. We are not clear on what happened to them or what we face. I am sending a hailing message to those who would hold our people in bondage. Do what we ask. Take immense care. Our great hope is to do this with overwhelming force, then leave as soon as possible. Until all are one. Prime out." He looked at Rem. "Take us forward."

Rem nodded, then threw the ship into forward momentum. All of the armada moved with him as they slid ahead into the eternal night time of space.

-0-TBC 8-17-17 **edited 8-22-17**


	97. Chapter 97

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 97)

I mixed up numbers and it took FOREVER to find the next two pieces. HUGS!

-0-Out there

They flew toward the unknown enemy. It was silent on the command deck. Then Prime glanced toward Prowl who was sitting at the command table with Alor. "Prowl, send the message."

Prowl glanced up, then nodded. He looked toward Communications. "Blaster, send the message I'm giving you now."

Blaster nodded and complied. It was silent a moment, then a message came back almost immediately. "You are trespassing on the sovereign territory of The People. Leave now or we will be at a state of war."

"That was fast," Raptor said as he glanced at Prime. "Generic or a genuine reply?" he asked.

Prime glanced at Blaster who was working. He turned toward Prime. "Hard to say, Optimus. It came from the location of the settlements. It could be whoever has them is using their channels or something set on a beacon that was triggered by unknown means. The signal is strong and not far away, either way."

Prime nodded. "Open a channel." Blaster did. "Unknown aliens, I am Optimus Prime. I have come here to rescue and retrieve my people who have settlements in this area. Allow us to bring them out and we will leave. We come in peace on a mission of rescue and mercy."

A text message was received almost immediately. "Leave this area. Now. Any attempt by you to trespass here will resort in a fight. Leave now."

It was silent as Prime considered the message. He glanced toward Blaster. "Call up Ratchet. We may have a shooting war here."

Blaster did, then turned to Prime like the others to await his orders.

"What is the lay of the land, Prowl?" Prime asked.

"Between here and the coordinates given for the settlements are broken chunks of planets and ice that could be as big as this ship or bigger. There are lots of places to hide, to build forts, to attack and retreat. It's going to be a very difficult situation on its best orns."

"That doesn't count the unstable energy rifts and the temporal dislocations that abound out here," Blackjack said as Alor nodded. "We mapped a lot of it but not this far out. We do, however, know how to read this sort of disturbance. Mostly."

At that moment, Ratchet followed by a stoked Partition walked from the elevator to pause beside Prime. "This is my student, Partition. He's shooting for regular army."

Prime looked at Partition who nodded to him with an intense expression. "I'm here to help get back our people, Prime."

"That's an admirable sentiment, Partition. You are assigned to Ratchet and you will obey his orders," Prime replied.

"Got it," Partition said with a nod. He stood beside Ratchet, staring around the command deck, noting everything with intensity. He nodded to those who stared at him as he seemed to absorb all the sights deeply.

Ratchet grinned at him, then Prime. "I'm here. Who needs a tune up?"

"None of us, I hope," Prime said.

"We're getting a signal, very faint, sort of surreptitious," Blaster said as he monitored the signal. "It's like someone hiding but sending a distress, hoping the right mechs get it."

"Prime to Springer."

:Springer, boss:

"We are receiving a faint signal, a distress-type. We need it checked out," Prime replied. "Take a Seeker with you. Do a distance scan but get what you can. If someone is stranded or harmed, we need to retrieve them."

:Will do. Stand by: Springer said.

Partition stared at Communications, then walked to Tactical where Raptor sat. He leaned in to stare at the screen. Raptor glanced up, then grinned. "Pull up a chair, youngling. See how this works."

Partition glanced around, found a chair, then pulled it over to sit beside Raptor. Partition stared at the screen intently, Raptor began to explain the set up outside. "This is the fleet," he said pointing to data on the big screen. "The enemy is here. The faint signal is here. All of this is debris. The enemy could be hidden there. If we go in without care and planning, there's all manner of places they could attack us."

Partition nodded. "What do we do, Abba?" he asked.

Ratchet grinned, then glanced at the others who were amused and surprised at the word of respect applied to Raptor by the hard-headed kid. "That's my boy," Ratchet said quietly.

"We wait to see what the Wreckers and Seekers find out," Raptor said.

"I joined the Wreckers, Abba. I want to do this. I think its important," Partition said with earnest intensity.

"It is. What about diplomating?" Raptor asked.

Partition thought. "I can do both. Ratchet needs the help."

Laughter erupted all over the deck at that remark as Ratchet smirked at the others. "Frag, yeah. Team work, Partition. That's how we win."

Partition glanced up at Ratchet, then looked around the deck at the amusement around him. Then he grinned slightly. "So you tell me."

:Springer to Prime:

"Prime here."

:We found a small shelter, like an emergency shelter. A shuttle, a small runabout is crashed there. The signal comes from that. We could have injured. We read three very faint signatures inside the structure. What do you want to do?:

"We need to check it out. We need a medic too. I am going to send Ratchet. Have back up nearby and a ship to evacuate the injured if necessary," Prime said. "Prepare for them to intervene if this is a set up."

:Got it. Bridge over, Ada. We're ready for you. You **are** there, right?:

"I'm here. Would it be a real war without me?" he asked as he turned to walk to the elevator.

Huge laughter at both ends of the line erupted as Partition arose to follow. He nearly reached the elevator before Raptor called to him. "Infant. Get back here."

"I'm going with Ratchet, Abba. I'm his assistant," he said, pausing to turn to Prime. "I'm going to help him, Prime. Let me help. Please."

For a moment, there was real emotion in the room among the mechs at the tone of the kid's voice. Everyone there knew his story and all of them were as moved and amazed as Prime. Prime stared at Ratchet who nodded. "Very well. Ratchet has command and discretion. Do as he says."

Partition stared at Prime, then he astonished the room. He bowed low. "I will," he said as he turned to hustle to the open elevator. He joined a grinning Ratchet, then the door closed and they were gone.

It was silent a moment, then Raptor laughed. "How about we give Ratchet Turmoil next?"

Huge laughter greeted that.

-0-Down to the bridge room of Salton Sea

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet glanced at a tense and intense Partition beside him. "You exceed expectations every orn."

He glanced at Ratchet, oddly warmed by the comment. "I want to do my part."

"You will. Here's how it goes. You come with me and obey me to the last word. No heroics. No stupid moves. You're a novice warrior. You will learn and become something good and fine but it takes time and effort. There is no shortcut for that. Hercy and Kup see it in you. I do too. Now, earn it from us. Do you understand?"

Partition nodded. "I will," he said simply.

They stepped off the elevator and hurried to the bridge room. Ratchet paused long enough to check his guns before subbing them again, then both walked onto the platform as a bridge erupted. They stepped into it, then out onto the deck of Impactor's Revenge. A gnarly group of Wreckers and regular army watched them come from the bridge on board. Lon and Bezel were among them. They glanced at each other in surprise when Partition followed Ratchet.

" **Well, offspring! Mama is here!** " Ratchet said with a big smile and out spread arms. **"WHO NEEDS A BIG FAT HUG!?"**

Huge laughter and a load of slag greeted that. Springer grinned at Ratchet. "We need you to come to the shelter and see who or what's making the life sign signals."

Ratchet walked to a cupboard to pull a medic kit. Turning to Springer, unsubbing his gun, he grinned. "Ready to rock and roll."

Partition took the medic kit, then turned to Springer. "Me, too."

Springer glanced at Ratchet with raised optical ridges. "Really?"

Ratchet stared at Partition almost too long. "Okay," he said. "This kid knows my rules. Right?"

Partition nodded, then glanced at Springer and a slightly amused Drift.

"Then we're go," Ratchet said. He glanced at Partition. "Stay behind me and obey. Are you on the combat channel?"

Partition activated a channel that was usually an emergency signal receiver that soldiers used in combat. "Now I am."

"Good." He looked at Drift and Springer. "Lead on, Gridley."

"I thought that was 'fire away, Gridley'," Drift said as they gathered at the door.

"That too," Ratchet said as the hatch opened. A shelter was nearby half covered in drifting silt and ice particles. A burned out shuttle lay nearby in pieces. Jumping to the ground, Springer nodded to three Seekers who had done a fly by and noted a clear area of possible troubles out several hundred thousand miles from here into space. Landing in a fine particulate matter as they stepped down, they began to trek toward the shelter nearby.

Partition followed clutching the medic kit as he looked this way and that. He had no guns. Ratchet had told him to come 'clean'. He did and filed the expression away in his army jargon file. He felt his neural net nearly vibrate with the intensity of his attention. He was here, on a fragment of a world, being a soldier among soldiers of the most amazing ability, on a mission for their people. He, at this moment, had never felt more alive.

They trudged toward the shelter and waited a moment as Drift and Springer secured it. Drift stepped out, then signaled Ratchet to come. :There's three in here. They look deceased:

Ratchet and Partition walked into the shelter, then knelt. Ratchet began to scan when a disturbance felt in the ground signaled something strange happening nearby. From his expert knowledge and experience, Ratchet knew it was detonations. Drift and Springer turned with guns drawn, peering out of the shelter into the darkness beyond. Seekers were directing fire to a string of explosions nearby. They were silent explosions, large in their blast intensity and threw fragments everywhere. Moving out, Springer and Drift with the others in tow began to stealth onward to the area where the fire was concentrated.

Ratchet peered out, then returned to the three bodies. They were adult, in good shape and appeared to have been dead a very long time. The traditional burial brands were on their bodies. He glanced at Partition who looked slightly queasy but game. :This is strange. These are bodies with the traditional brands. They were buried and now they're here: Ratchet thought, then jolted. :This is a set up. **RATCHET TO PRIME! THIS IS A SET UP!:**

-0-On Salton Sea

They jolted, the tense command crew, as they listened to Ratchet's call. **:RATCHET TO PRIME! THIS IS A SET UP! THESE BODIES! THEY WERE BURIED AND DUG UP FOR THIS! IT'S A SET UP!:** Then it went silent.

The air on the deck was thick with emotions and fear, then it cleared. Raptor's fingers flew, then he turned to Prime. "A bridge, Optimus. They used a bridge at the site of the shelter. Whoever was in the shelter is now gone."

Ironhide nearly overturned the chair where he was sitting. Turning to Prime, he looked berserk. Prime stood, then turned to him. "Wait," he said. Turning to the front, almost as if he could see through the distance to the site of the action, he spoke. "Prime to Springer. Check the shelter. This is a set up."

:On it, Prime:

" **PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION!"** Prime replied.

It was silent a moment, then Raptor turned to Prime with a grim expression. "The shelter just blew up, Optimus."

-0-TBC 8-18-17 **edited 8-22-17**

PS I will write a bunch more later this afternoon after work. Have no fear. I am here. Mostly. :D:D:D


	98. Chapter 98

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 98)

-0-In the dark

Ratchet came back online in a dark room. Automatically switching to night vision, he looked around. Sitting next to him like a frozen statue, watching Ratchet as he slowly came to himself was Partition. Ratchet sat up slowly. "Frag," he whispered. "Null rays. How are you, kid?"

"I'm okay," he whispered.

Ratchet ran a swift diagnostic, then scanned Partition. "You'll be okay in a minute. Slagging null rays. How long have you been sentient?"

"A minute or two," Partition whispered back. "I don't know where we are."

Ratchet glanced around, then switched to off line chat. :We're in a holding cell of some kind. Listen to me and swear on the life of your ada that you'll obey me no matter what, no matter how stupid or wrong it may seem:

Partition nodded. :I swear:

:You let me do everything. I've been caught before. I'm still here. Understand?: Ratchet asked as he searched the kid's face for clarity of thought. He had it but he was scared.

Partition nodded. :Yes:

:I'm going to keep us together and get us out of here. Understand, Prime will move heaven and earth to get us back. If I say something about you or me that isn't true, act like it is. I'm going to do a lot of lying. Try and support me. You're not to do a slagging thing on your own. That's an order, recruit. Do you understand?:

Partition nodded. :I understand:

:You're going to find out being a soldier isn't all fighting, drinking and telling lies. It's about strategy and outsmarting the other slagger. Have you seen them?:

Partition shook his helm. :No:

Ratchet stared at the kid, then squeezed his servo. :It'll be alright. Are you sorry you're a soldier?:

He stared at Ratchet, then gathered himself. "No," he said aloud.

Ratchet grinned, then squeezed his servo again. They leaned back. As they did, Partition held Ratchet's servo like the scared kid that he was.

-0-At the scene of the scam

Ships came in with Seeker escort, their guns bristling. They were prepared to obliterate anything that came near them. Landing, Hercy and Kup jumped from their two shuttles with guns drawn, then ran for the shelter that was lying around in pieces. Several mechs were scattered here and there, lying either stunned or unconscious. Mechs poured out, medics and Gypsy, running to the wounded.

Hercy walked to the shelter to examine the debris. A blast had taken it out sending the team with them into the air. Landing here and there, Springer and his mechs had been far enough away to keep their arms and legs intact. What else might have been caught up in the flash, he didn't know. He pulled a meter, scanned the area, then contacted Prime. :Hercy to Prime:

:Prime here:

:I have bridge residue, Optimus. Can someone scan the trail back to the source? Maybe Xantium? He should have the tech:

:Stand by: Optimus said. He glanced toward Tactical where Raptor was working hard on the problem. A tense Blackjack and Ironhide stood over him watching. In the box nearby, the crowd who had come were silent, grim-faced and worried. Harris glanced at them, then the three big mechs at Tactical. Raptor finally turned to Prime. "It traces back to the colony, the first settlement of the three, Optimus."

"Prime to Hercy."

:Hercy here:

"It traces back to the settlements. What is the situation among the team? What is their status?" he asked tensely.

There was a pause. Then Hercy was back. :We have injuries. Fortunately, the device went off before they were too close. Drift needs a new optic and Springer probably feels like a flight of Seekers are revving up in his helm but other than a few burns and jolts, all survived to fight another orn:

The relief across the bridge and inside the box was incredible. Ironhide turned to Prime. "What now?" he asked tensely, his fists balled and his affect ferocious.

"We get them back," Prime said grimly. He turned to an equally grim-faced Prowl. "I want everything that stands between us and the next two sectors blown to slag."

Prowl nodded, then turned to Sensors. "Scan for anything that might scarcely qualify as a life-form, then let me know."

The young femme at Sensors nodded, turning to the console to work.

Prowl glanced at Fire Control. "Load up." He touched a button on the datapad. "This is Prowl. I want Moonbase and Phobos to form up on Salton Sea. Everything forward move off. I want a clear path to shoot. Omega, bring your family forward. I want a straight line of fire formed now. Receipt requested."

:Omega Supreme to Prowl. Understood. Complying now," a deeply masculine voice complied.

:Xantium to Prowl. Are we going to shoot the slag out of something?: another deep masculine voice asked, though there was inherent humor and blood lust in it.

"Affirmative," Prowl said. "Stand by."

:Gotcha: Xantium replied.

:Kids: Lennox said with a slight smirk.

:What's the joke?: Harris asked.

:When the big ships come forward to shoot the shit out of this area, the youngest one is Xantium. The others were built to protect areas and cities or to do other jobs including diplomacy and transport. Xee was built to break things: Graham said with a grin.

The group alignment outside began to change as ships and Seekers moved away from their locations in the battle formation. Other things began to appear, huge things like the other two monster battleships and the seven Supreme mechanisms. Prowl pressed the comm button. "Check in now."

:Gamma on station:

:Kappa here, Prowl:

:Beta checking in:

:Alpha ready:

:Omega: on station:

:I am here, Prowl: Zeta replied with his cultured voice.

 **:LOCKED AND LOADED, PROWLER! TELL ME WHEN!** The rest of you, watch what Omega and I do, then do it yourselves. Okay?: he asked over the open line.

Agreement, with much amusement was had.

Prowl smirked, then glanced at Prime who was brooding in the command chair. "Your call, sir."

Prime nodded. "Open a line."

Blaster complied as the bridge crew waited with extreme tension and fury.

"This is Optimus Prime. You have our people. You tried to kill others. I am most displeased. I will give you a sample of my displeasure. Watch and be instructed." Prime glanced at Prowl, then nodded.

"This is Prowl. I am sending you coordinates. Stand by," he said as he glanced at Sensors. "Anything that we must be careful to leave in one piece, Mila?" he asked.

The little femme, a Home Guard doing duty in the real world shook her helm. "No, sir, This is a very sterile portion of space out to the coordinates you requested. Beyond that, I would have to scan."

"Thank you, Mila," Prowl said calmly. He glanced at Prime who nodded. Pushing the button, Prowl gave the command. "Armada, fire at will."

The fury of ten monster ships erupted and flew forward, brilliant lights, plasma beams and shells flashed out in a continuous stream. The sensation of missiles and energy beams leaving the ship could be felt by a very slight tremor underfoot as the most brilliant and amazing fusillade ever witnessed by the soldiers and civilians in the box erupted. It seemed to continue forever with each new burst rivaling the last. Fast and furious, the devastation flowed forward in a nearly endless stream until Mila at Sensors glanced toward Prowl. "There's nothing left, sir," she said.

"Please reconfigure the charts, Mila, then put them on the screen so we can see them," Prowl said.

It wasn't destined to last long, the vast nearly square area of defoliated devastation just created. There was nothing big enough to register on the screen as noteworthy for the sensors to build. It was a vast area of shimmering energy and dust whirling like a stream over rocks. Eventually, the areas all around it would bleed in and fill the vacuum but for now, it was what it was. A brand new portion of a very vast and ancient universe that had come into its own through the fury of unleashed energy.

Prime glanced at Blaster, then turned to the screen. "Whoever you are, you have some small sample of the fury that I can give to you if you do not return my people and leave this area. If one person in the settlements or the two prisoners that you hold is harmed, I will visit such devastation upon you that you will wish you were never born. Answer."

It was silent from the other end.

-0-In a dark room somewhere

The door opened without warning. A bright light flashed off blinding both their optics. Rough hands gripped them wrapping them in chains, then metallic bags were shoved down over their helms that were designed to prevent their specialized sight. They were led out, shoved and dragged along to an elevator. Ratchet felt the terror in Partition, then pulsed him calming energy. :Don't be afraid. I'll take care of you. Just do what I told you:

The fearful energy lessened in Partition's aura as they reached somewhere, then were pushed out to walk forward. Halfway to somewhere, they were pulled up short. There was the sound of machines around them so Ratchet figured they were in a control center. A voice began to speak.

"Who are you and why didn't you leave when we told you to go?" it said.

Ratchet analyzed it. "I am Ratchet and this is my comrade. I'm a doctor and he is my assistant. We came to help those that were hurt. We were there to answer a disaster beacon. Let us go. We aren't here to cause trouble. We came to help others."

It was silent a minute. "Your Prime. Tell me who and what he is."

Ratchet heard feet shuffling nearby. "He's the leader of our people. He's the moral center of our world. He commands a great empire."

"He has destroyed a great swath of our local area with his ships," the voice said.

"He's coming for us. It would do us both good to just let us return to our side," Ratchet said. "We are doctors."

"Your Prime is coming to harm us and we won't allow it."

"You have our people. Give them up and we leave. We have no interest in staying here. It's too dangerous for anyone. Most of this area is off limits on our charts to shipping or travel," Ratchet said. "You can have it once we rescue our people."

"This area is ours and the settlements are forfeit," the voice said. "You would do well to understand that. I am uninterested in what your Prime wants. No one will trespass here. You will not get what you want."

"Then you misunderstand the resolve he has to get all of us back," Ratchet replied.

"I can have you dismembered and returned to him in a bag," the voice said.

"I wouldn't," Ratchet said.

"Why is that?" the voice asked.

Ratchet pulsed calm to Partition. "This youngling is a relative of the Prime."

It was silent a moment, then the voice spoke again. "Is that so?"

"He is," Ratchet replied. "He's his nephew. He would be required to undertake a vow to chase you to the end of the universe if you cause any harm to this youngster. You would do yourself a lot of good to send him back. Drop him off with a beacon. If you harm him, there will be no place safe for you that he won't find you."

It was silent a moment, then someone big dragged both off toward the door. Entering the elevator, they went down, stumbled down a corridor, then were shoved into the same room they came from. Chains were removed, then the bags yanked off. A bright light flashed at the same time. Bent over from the brightness, the door slammed behind them. After a moment of struggle, both sat down side-by-side.

:Are you alright, infant?: Ratchet asked.

:Yeah," he said taking Ratchet's servo again. :What are you doing?:

:Getting you out of here. Understand, you have to get out of here: Ratchet said. :Your job, Partition, is to go back and tell them everything you can. You have to be intel for the Prime. Do you understand?:

Partition stared at him with a mashup of emotions, then nodded curtly. :Okay:

Ratchet leaned back, relaxing his body to be ready for anything. :Good. Now try to keep calm, infant. We're going to get out of this. I promise;

Partition sat back to stare at the doorway in the darkness across the way. He would do so holding Ratchet's servo.

-0-TBC 8-18-17 **edited 8-22-17**


	99. Chapter 99

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 99)

-0-Salton Sea

Prime brooded as he waited for something to happen. Then a message sounded. "You may get yours at these coordinates." Then the message ended.

Prime turned to Blaster who worked a moment, then glanced at Prime. "We have coordinates, Prime. It's a location on the edge of the cleared area, a small planetoid."

Prime glanced at Prowl who worked on the datapad until he found the broken chunk of a long destructed planet. He enlarged the image, then glanced at Prime. "We have it."

Prime nodded. "General Hard Drive, take who you need and go get them. Use Omega, Beta and Xantium to escort."

Hard Drive nodded, then rapped Ironhide on the arm. "Come, infant. You too, Raptor and Blackjack."

The big mechs rose up, then followed their patriarch to the elevator. They entered, then were gone. Prime waited, then watched as Omega and Beta pulled forward, forming up on Xee. They flashed forward cutting across the broad open expanse and as they did a cloud of Seekers and five Wrecker shuttles followed. It was silent in the room until Hard Drive cut the audio into the command deck at Salton Sea. His calm voice could be heard clearly.

"All ship commanders, listen in," he said. "Signal compliance." Eight commanders reported, then it was quiet again. "Red Leader, link up and scan the location. Deep scan for ordinance. Impactor's Revenge and City of Praxus, go with them. Supremes, form up on line. The battle sequence is loaded. Signal compliance." Two commanders signaled, then Hardie formed up the remaining shuttles. "All in formation, we go together now."

Xantium moved forward and the others joined, running in a line toward the destination nearly reached by the vanguard.

Prime watched them on the screen, both as blinking lights moving across a data screen mirroring the battle datapad and a real time view of the operation from the ships themselves. The chat was minimal until the vanguard got within range of the planetoid. Then it picked up again.

:Hercy to General Hard Drive... we're close and we have signatures. The energy cloud is muddying up the signal. We're not sure if its one or two. We're going to go in. So far, we don't read slag for booby traps. We're switching to sight and ship optics. Stand by:

The view port ahead changed from a general view of what was happening to something very specific. The screen split into about six different views, all of them the optical viewpoints of mechs. Their names were listed underneath each sector, then a translation into English for the humans formed. One of them was damaged with a singular viewpoint. The name under it was Drift.

The murmur of voices of mechs gearing up, the motions of their hands checking guns, assuming ammo belts and swords could be seen and heard. A flash of someone glancing back disclosed a pensive but resolved Gypsy carrying her medic kit. A voice spoke to her. "You remember the drill, right, little Missy?" the voice asked.

"I do, Sandstorm," Gypsy said. The optics lingered on her, her beautiful face, the organizational and personal tattoos that ran down her arm indicating her family and professional ties. Her Wrecker and Autobot sigils were prominent among them. A big servo gently squeezed her arm. "I'm coming fast on the all clear, Sandy. There's injured out there."

"We know. Just do what we train for, Gypsy. You don't have to prove anything to us," Sandstorm was heard to say.

Huge agreement among the mechs answered that as they moved toward the hatch door. It opened with a flash of light indicating an energy barrier keeping vacuum out. They turned toward it, their giant hands holding an incredible array of guns and swords as they waited. Outside, the darkness was filled with the flashing by of bits of things.

A mech turned to look at the others highlighting a calm but resolved Hercy, a tense but ready Kup, a group of pensive younger mechs, Lon and Bezel among them, and the twins who looked terrifying. Their swords slipped in and out of their sheaths as they waited at the door, claiming the right to be out first.

The ships appeared to move downward swiftly as the viewpoints displayed showed on the forward monitor of Salton Sea. Then they landed and an explosion of color indicated mechs jumping out to the ground, some of them a distance before their ships even landed. Bouncing indicated running, some leading and some following as around them Seekers flipped down to land with their rockets and guns appearing out of nowhere. They, too, ran swiftly, heading in the same direction as the others. No one said anything, then Hercy directed the action.

:'A' Team, secure the area. Forensics, scan the shelter for traps. Everyone hold back:

It was tensely silent as the group watched specialist Seekers walk forward with different equipment that appeared in their servos out of nowhere. They walked toward the shelter, then began to work, each of them taking a side after scanning the ground some distance out.

Standing on the bridge of Xantium, Ironhide and his family waited. Delphi had transferred over and he stood beside Ironhide holding his servo. Ironhide in his dilemma gripped it tightly. They were frozen in their fear as Hard Drive sat on the command chair exuding an air of confidence. It was incredibly tense.

A Seeker turned toward Hercy who stood with Cloudburst, 'Blue Leader 1' and Red Wing, 'Red Leader 1'. :Commander, the area and the site are clean. I don't detect anything inside the shelter that can be construed as dangerous:

Hercy nodded, then turned to the mechs. :Gypsy and Sandy, go in and see what's happening after we remove the shelter. I need someone at all six corners. Scan again, then we lift it off. Move it away just in case:

They nodded as Gypsy and Sandstorm came closer. Six big Seekers walked to all the corners of the shelter, waited for the final scan, then lifted it off. It revealed who was inside.

-0-Everywhere

It was nearly unbearable. It always was with a prisoner situation but this was Ratchet, a spark everyone knew and who was 'essential equipment' in the lives of almost all of them. Prime felt turmoil as he waited, then Hercy was back.

:Hercy to Prime:

"Prime here."

:We have the kid. Ratchet isn't with him. He's okay and he needs to speak to you. He says they still have Ratchet: Hercy said.

"Have him bridge to me, Commander. Scan the area, then fall back. I'm moving the armada into the clear zone," Prime said.

:Acknowledged: Hercy said.

Prime felt molten with rage and impotence. He turned toward Prowl. "I want a battle line drawn up. Make it ¾ of the way into the cleared zone. I want it impregnable. I also want Tennyson here in battle kit along with Typhoon and Dangerous. Make it happen fast, Prowl."

Prowl nodded, then sat down to make the arrangements. As he did, the elevator door opened as Partition walked in with Gypsy, Hercy, Kup, a limping Springer, and a field patched Drift. They walked to Prime, then halted. Prime looked at Partition who looked terrified but composed. "What happened, Partition?"

He seemed muddled a moment, then he began to tell the tale. "We were in the shelter looking at the … the mechs there. They were dead. Ratchet said they were dead and buried but they were there anyway. I don't remember that too clearly but then a bridge opened around us. We stood … Ratchet began to pull his gun when they shot us," he said as Ironhide walked back onto the deck with a solemn-faced Blackjack. They halted beside Springer. "Ironhide … I didn't leave Ratchet. I didn't want to but he said I had to be the spy."

It was obvious to everyone that the kid was shocky and slightly out of it, numbed by the experience. Ironhide nodded. "Good mech, Partition. Tell us everything. Don't leave anything out."

Partition nodded, then turned slowly toward Prime. "I … we were shot, then woke up in a dark room. It was a null ray. Ratchet said it was. Then he told me to obey him and do what he said. He would protect us and get us out of there." He looked around, then turned back to Prime. "He's not here."

"He will be," Prime said gently as he glanced at Gypsy. She was monitoring him, then adjusted a meter. It caused Partition to visibly relax. "Continue, Partition. Fulfill your mission."

Partition stared at him, then straightened. "Okay," he said. "We were there a while, then they came for us. They blinded us, chained us up and covered our faces with a metallic sort of bag. We couldn't see through it. We were led to a room, an operational center from the machine sounds, then someone asked us things. They wanted to know who we were and why we didn't leave. They said they would send me back in a bag. Then Ratchet lied."

"What did he say, Partition?" Springer asked gently.

Partition looked at him, then Prime. "They said I was your cousin and that if they did anything you would have to take an Iacon oath and track them to the end of time."

"An Iacon sanction. Go ahead," Prime said.

"We were taken back and sat forever, I think. Ratchet told me if they sent me back I was to remember everything and tell you. I remember them coming for me. They flashed the light and dragged me out. Then they bound me up, threw me onto a ship and left me here. I never saw them. They never showed themselves but they have to know about us a little. They spoke our language … Neo … uh … Neocybex. They kept flashing lights to blind us, Lord Optimus, and that means they know something about us, right?" Partition asked.

Prime nodded. "It does. Anything else?"

He thought hard, then looked at Prime with anxiety. "I don't have anything else. They made sure that we didn't see them. Maybe we know them. Maybe that's why," Partition said with emotion. "You'll get him out, **right**? You're the Prime. You'll get Ratchet back, **right**?"

Prime stared at the kid who was becoming emotional. "That is my job and duty, Partition. Yours is to go with Gypsy so she can help you. You did your duty and you did it well. Now, this is my job."

"Can I come back here when … I want to come back here," Partition asked.

"I will speak to Gypsy about it," Prime said with a nod.

"You saw that Ratchet was still alive and in one piece before you left?" Ironhide asked. Partition nodded. "Did it feel underground where you were?"

Partition thought, then nodded. "It did." He stared at Ironhide, then stepped closer. "I didn't abandon him. I told him I would stay. He told me I had to go to complete the mission. I would never leave him behind."

Ironhide and the others stared at him, an emotional young kid struggling with a terrifying real world experience, then he nodded. He placed his servos on Partition's shoulders and squeezed gently. "You did good, kid. The first rule of soldiering is obeying orders. You did what Ratchet told you to do and you're here. Don't count my old mech out. He's probably already on his way out."

Partition stared at Ironhide, then stepped into his body, gripping him tightly. "I would never leave him back there." He sounded nearly tearful.

Ironhide squeezed him. "I know. Semper fi. You being here really helped us. Now go get treated, recruit. Understand?"

He looked at Prime with anxiety. "Yes, sir," he said, then turned toward Gypsy. They walked slowly to the elevator, then were gone.

The mechs on the deck stared after them, then turned to each other. Prime looked at Drift and Springer. "You two need to go to the medics."

"After we get Ada back, Prime," Springer said grimly. He was pockmarked with shrapnel and had a decided shift to the left side as if favoring the right. Drift had a field patch over one optic and pock marks too. They both looked like barely controlled rage.

Prowl stood, then walked to stand next to Prime. "The ships are here."

All of them turned toward the screen where the flash of bright lights could be seen materializing out of nowhere. Tennyson, Dangerous and Typhoon flashed on the bridge seconds after, solidifying into solemn-faced facsimiles. "You wanted us, Prime. We're here. Command us," Ty said as the others bowed slightly in agreement.

"We have a situation, gentlemen," Prime began.

Transfixed in the travel box nearby, a number of soldiers and a civilian watched with almost overbearing anxiety.

-0-TBC 8-19-17 **edited 8-23-17**

optimusprime101: tip-tapping away. :D

Leoness: Someone told me twenty years ago, if you want to see if your readers are sleeping or not, leave a cliffhanger. :D:D:D I think Cliffhanger would be a great name for Buzzie and Cliffie's first kid. LOL! Hugs!


	100. Chapter 100

The Diego Diaries: 20 Questions (dd6 100)

Well, my darlings, we've reached 100 for the sixth time. :D:D:D And I don't think we're even halfway through this thing. :D:D:D HUGS to one and all

-0-There

He staggered into the room shoved by rough hands, hands backed with real power. He filed that into his sketchy outline of who and what this could be. The power felt equal to them but whether it was metallic or organically formatted, he had no clear idea.

Yet.

The scientist who was a doctor who was a wango-tango partner to a chaos bringer and the ada of about a battalion of infants big and small had exerted itself, coming to the fore to organize information for further use against this, the unknown. He waited for the flash of light and hard yank of his head cover and it came. He flashed on his optics at half power, then turned toward retreating footsteps only to find a door closing shut. It was overly bright so he compensated. He was a medical mechanism and had features that even other doctors didn't have. He could compensate for just about anything that was loud, messy, bright or fragged in the real world. That no one really knew that was a good thing. Running across a battle field to pick up the wounded with flashes going off all around him had forced him to modify his optical range. He would get them next time, he thought, as he stood facing the door. "What now, fraggers?"

A soft voice chuckled, a dry yet amused sound. "You don't seem to be afraid, Doctor."

"No," Ratchet said. "I've been through a lot of fragged things in my day. Nothing about this makes it special. What now?"

"I want to know more about Prime and his forces," the voice said.

"Is that so?" Ratchet replied. "I suppose you understand that I'm programmed to give you nothing. I'm also programmed to go down swinging. But I'll tell you what … let's play 20 questions. You ask me one, then I ask you one. We tell the truth. Both sides get something. No one goes home crying to their mama. What about it? You got the bearings?"

The voice spoke, its tone suffused with amusement. "You're a funny individual. Alright. What about Prime's army and capabilities?"

"Do you have deep space sensor abilities? I'd aim them the way I came and find out. We came locked and loaded. Something tells me that Prime only augmented his forces with this move on your part."

The voice mused on that, then spoke again. "Your turn."

"What happened to Prime's nephew? You don't want to provoke an Iacon sanction. I just finished one against a slagger. Just so you know, any Iaconian you run into is obliged to take you apart. That's how it goes with the oath. Our people are scattered like seeds in the wind. You **will** bump into them and then you **will** regret it. I guarantee it."

"We took him to a planetoid and left him there for Prime. He has his nephew back. Consider it a gift from us. My turn. Tell me about your colony."

Ratchet considered the comment for a moment, then made a few decisions. "Our colony is a small military base, mostly soldiers and others who support the fighting. Its where we keep our strike forces and big frames. We used to take refugees there but they're now funneled to Cybertron. It was easier to corral the civilians on a world that we could defend. The colony that the military operates from is highly defended but limited in scope when it comes to amenities."

"How is it I have heard that its a paradise?" the voice asked.

Ratchet laughed a moment, then grinned. "If you say so. Now it's my turn. Prove to me that Prime's nephew is safely back with the fleet."

It was silent a moment, then a holographic image appeared on the wall next to him. He turned to it to watch a youngling mech lying on the ground inside a shelter. It was Partition lying without movement, then a scene cut to ships coming in, Wrecker battle shuttles and Seekers was shown. The group lifted the shelter, helped Partition up and he moved with them to safety. The ships lifted off and disappeared. The image blinked off.

"My turn." There was a pause a moment. "Tell me about Prime's command staff."

Ratchet considered that. "He has the most ruthless and dangerous mechs ever. Ultra Magnus who enforced the Tyrest Treaties about our tech getting into non-Cybertronian hands is one. Ask around about him. He likes to kill. The Autobot femmes. They're on the staff. They lasted nine million years on Cybertron killing Decepticons before we took the planet without a shot."

"How did you manage that?" the voice asked.

"We told them we would destroy the planet if they didn't surrender. Soundwave has no guts. He saved his own aft surrendering. Not that we didn't mind. We were tired of Megatron holding it. It's ours now and all the empire. We're going to expand it again when we finish rebuilding, then kick the slag out of anyone who crosses us. That's why the civilians are back there now, so we can organize things better."

"Prime has a reputation of being a weak and soft mannered mech. What if I say I don't believe you?"

"I'd say that's two questions." Ratchet slouched slightly as a cold hard smirk formed on his face. "You don't play by the rules. What makes you think we do?"

"Ask your question then," the voice asked with amusement.

"What makes you think that the Autobots are the good guys anymore? What makes you think that we held to values that don't seem to matter anymore? Consider a nine million year war against a maniac. What makes you think that we didn't learn the error of our ways?" Ratchet asked as he played a tactic.

"I have heard about the Matrix. I have heard that it holds you to a certain standard of conduct no matter what you might personally believe."

"What makes you think that the Prime carries it with him all the time?" Ratchet asked. "I still have another question, just so you know."

A genuine laugh was heard. "You and I might not be so far apart after all."

Ratchet shrugged. "You act like I might care. I've been at war for nine million years. Things change in all that time and murder. I'm not interested in your thoughts and opinions."

"Maybe," the voice said. "But I'm interested in yours."

With that, the light flashed on and Ratchet was overcome once more.

-0-Gathered around the command table

The big mechanisms listened to Prime's plan as he began to unfold it. Seekers were already heading out for their part led by Red Wing and Cloudburst, commanded overall by Starscream and advised by Rainmaker. The shuttle and ship commanders of the armada were here along with leaders among the ground troops that were waiting on the ships for call up. About forty-seven big bots were there offering advice, working through the plan as it stood as they assessed and re-assessed the situation.

The humans sat in their box watching with a solemn air of dread and tension. Harris was caught up as well, the entire unfolding panorama like some astonishing movie in which he was the camera recording the action. It was the most real thing he had ever seen before and some part of him was deeply aware of the privilege of his position here.

"We need to have them surrounded to cut down their options. When that happens, if it **can** happen, then we will call them again to attend to a resolution if one is possible without battle," Prime said. "I want the big frames to move onto station now and when the rest of the battleships arrive, we will array them according to the plan of battle."

"The beta force is lifting off now," Prowl said as he glanced at his datapad. "They will be here in seconds and on station in minutes."

"Very well," Prime said. "Knowing Ratchet after all these vorns, I believe he will be seeking and refining information. If he can get it to us he will. I have full confidence in him to manage at his end. What concerns me even more are the civilians caught in the middle. We need to know who and what this is."

"How about we probe them," Springer said. "Notice this." He pointed on the data map to a series of big ice sprays that were halfway to the first settlement. Among them would be chunks of rock and aggregate, the odd asteroid and perhaps a comet or two. At least, the rocky and gassy tail of one anyway. "How about we go there and set down. Perhaps we can taunt them. When they send someone, if they do, we have intel. The worst that can happen is they ignore us."

"Or send something with a giant gun that kills you," Prowl said.

Both mechs smirked at the other.

"I want to test their mettle. I do not want them to retaliate on the civilians or Ratchet. Go and try this. If it goes south, pull out," Prime said. "Use your discretion, Springer."

"He has some?" Raptor asked with a slight grin.

A very grim, very concerned Ironhide stood beside him. He turned to Springer. "Be smart, be tactical."

Springer nodded with a solemn expression. "I will, Atar. Don't worry." He glanced at the others. "Let's go. Maybe we can get something out of this besides a broken optic."

"I'm going to make the slaggers pay if they get close enough," Drift said as he squeezed Ironhide's arm. Half the group followed them off the deck. The other half watched them go. It would continue to be tense among them.

-0-Around the group

Big ships moved onward but for Salton Sea, Phobos and Moonbase. They stayed together, facing the enemy with escort. They would anchor the battle plan. Tennyson, Typhoon and Dangerous would be three prongs of the pincer that would surround the enemy with support from more battleships and cruisers than ever seen since the war. The Cybertronian forces were dispersed through the lines, taking station in the line of travel as they had when the group appeared through the bridges. They had been blended seamlessly into the battle group and now they were prepared to assist.

Soundwave had come with them along with Lebus and Shackle. He had stood silently on the deck during initial planning and now sat on a chair near the front view port along with many others who were waiting for something to happen. Beyond him, a big mech had detached the human's safety box to take them to an area where they would be placed to use 'facilities'. They disappeared down the corridor nearby.

Riding in the box, the humans watched as they were carried along a side corridor that led back into the ship. It seemed to go on for miles. When they reached a place where there was a square slot, the mech raised the box and set it there, pressing it forward until it clicked. A light was red on the wall next to it, then it turned green. He grinned. "This is a safety space created for you. When the door to your box turns green go inside. There's a habitat for you. When you want to come back, press the button on the panel inside by the door that says, 'return'. Okay?" he asked.

:Yes: Lennox said. :Thank you:

The big mech nodded, then walked back the way he came. As he did, mechs and a femme now and again walked past them going both ways, probably doing jobs for the ship. Lennox watched them a moment, then looked at the door light. It was green. He walked to the hatch which opened automatically. Stepping inside, he was in a big room that stretched to the windows nearby. Looking around, he saw that it was a room built into a shelf that was part of another space. Beyond their windows on both sides of the habitat were panels of machines running and a lot of shelves filled with what looked like books and training manuals. They had modified a cupboard or closet as a habitat, one set about fifteen feet off the ground that stretched from the corridor wall to the outside windows across the room. Now Lennox knew what if felt like to be a puppy or kitten in a Petco or PetSmart store window.

He saw the all clear light in his suit, then snapped his helmet off. The others did as well, then entered to find couches, a restroom, food in a protective case and things to drink. He walked to the window to look out. The view from here was of Moonbase floating nearby and a number of smaller vessels with Seekers sitting on them. It was a phenomenal sight. "Eat up and take a piss. I want to be back at the command center as soon as possible. Until they get Ratchet back, this is going to be a shit storm."

Harris watched as the group walked to the restrooms or the refreshment tables. He walked to one and poured a cup of coffee. It was hot and delicious. "What do you think will happen? Will there be a fight?"

"Hard to tell," Epps said as he piled sandwiches and fruit on a plate. "Prime will do what he does. Ratchet will help him from the other side. These fuckers are going to be sorry they were born. Tennyson, Typhoon and Dangerous are here. They're in ship mode. Did you ever see them in ship mode?" Epps asked as he looked at Harris.

"I heard they were big. Dreadnoughts, right?" Harris asked.

Epps nodded. "The kids, the three dread kids are ten miles long. I never did ask the adults how long they were." He turned back to the table to retrieve more food, then walked to a couch to eat.

Harris would stare out the window a moment before doing the same. He would eat as silently as the grim soldiers around him.

-0-Ratchet

He sat in the dark refining the information he had gleaned from the slaggers. Twenty questions had yielded little for both sides beyond being an interesting intellectual bout of fisticuffs. They learned nothing from Ratchet that would be easily disproven. All of it was carefully crafted to build for Prime another persona, one that might help him deal with this and save the settlements. But Ratchet was also aware of something that the other hadn't noticed during the amusing but curt exchanges. Someone had made a slip. He grinned slightly as he considered the slip, turning it over and over in his mind like a jewel, marveling at it like it was latinum. It was better. Sitting back with a smirk, he filed it carefully away. A trifle for the other side it might have seemed, unnoticed when spoken but it was a major piece of the puzzle for Ratchet.

He had started to figure out who it was that held him.

-0-TBC 8-19-17 **edited 8-23-17**


	101. Chapter 101

The Diego Diaries: War and Questions (dd6 101) (My readers rule)

Someone asked how Jacx was pronounced. I call him Jacks. Everyone else might have other pronunciations but that's what I hear in his name. Thanks for the question. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

-0-Around the whirl

They stood on the sidelines of the airfield watching the beta forces lift off. They had been called up and everyone who could make it came to the field to watch the muster, then departure. Jacx was giving a story as the big ships rumbled forward. "The news from the front lines at the moment is still coming in bit by bit. The Beta Armada has been called up to form part of a battle line around the area so that by overwhelming force, the Prime can convey what might come about if the enemy makes a move either against them or the settlements. More direct information has not been made available as of yet.

"The Prime will convey a message tonight at 1800 hours on the TMC through the offices of Strategic Communications. Commander Jazz will be delivering it for him. Prime is currently on site with the armada and will be working for the peaceful resolution of the situation. As it stands, an unknown force holds the three settlements in the Barren that have asked us to come for rescue for some time. The Prime is working hard to find a peaceful resolution for this problem that allows us to bring our people here and as it happens we will be informed. As it stands, Gen-O, the last of the Beta fleet has departed," Jacx said. "Back to you in the studio."

Gen-O nodded as he sat in the news desk chair. "Thank you, Jacx. We will be broadcasting the statement with Commander Jazz this evening at 1800 joors on the TMC. Now, let's go to the Central Armory Hub in The Fortress to get an update from the Master of the Deck on the output for the fleet in terms of munitions and weapons. Lim-Lee is there now. Lim-Lee?" he asked.

(Cut to Armory under The Fortress)

"Hello, Gen-O. I'm here with Gamsee who is night shift Master of the Deck. He is standing in for the Master of the Armories of our colony, Commander Ironhide of Praxus and the Master of Munitions, Nitro. Both of them are with the armada." She turned to the tall handsome mech, then looked way up. "Gamsee, what can you tell us about the arming of the armada that just left?"

Gamsee who was unused to being on television shifted nervously. "Well, let me show you some of the munitions that the armories have supplied to our Seekers and the soldiers themselves," he said as they turned to the vast stores behind them.

-0-School

Silverbow sat by the window staring at the airfield below. Neither of her genitors were going out on the mission but some of the children in her room had that very problem. Sunspot was one of them. She looked at him as he sat going over his writing with Turbo and Comet whose ada, Gypsy, was with the Wreckers as their doctor. She looked at the others and thought about what was happening. She was germinating an idea to cheer everyone up in the colony since the energy everywhere went down with the rise of the armada. She would think about it a bit longer, do more research, then present her idea to Mr. Terradive. He would mull it over, the amazingly wonderful aspects of it, then go up the chain of command to seek permission. He was nothing if not dedicated to his children.

-0-At 'Prison School'

Rain Harris had arrived that first day pausing by the desk with her stepfather and mother to get assigned an aide to help her through the physical part of her day. She was carried by her aide, Mesquite, to the elevator and beyond. Her family followed to watch her be delivered, be given instruction on what to do to assist her, then watch for a moment as they got to it. She was the only human in the room but not the only kid. There were six others there who were in various stages of getting their slag together. Those who had emotional problems had other placements. These were the children who were acting up. They would not only get their education here to satisfy their 'sentences' but also be in the care of behavioral specialists.

No one in the school system was ever 'kicked out of school' in the common sense. It wasn't considered a good idea to give kids what they probably wanted. Instead, they were removed from their classes and assigned elsewhere, some for long term placements and others for short term like Rain Harris. No one was kicked out to run around on their own hook for their sentenced time. They were still required to come but to another place until things were sorted out. No matter how long it took, they would work with the kids. Some of the kids coming here were damaged from war, starvation and violence. Insecurity abounded out in space. It was imperative to address it here and there was no end of patience and resources offered to make it so.

After a moment of conversation with the staff, Mariah Davis, Kyle Davis and Rick Harris were asked to go. Prison school was strict. They would leave to go back to Earth2 and await the arrival of the Beliveaus and Cameron Frazer.

-0-Salton Sea

Ironhide sat beside his father as Blackjack helped set up the net that would enclose the enemy. He knew the way the energy surges and ruptures worked best so he directed placement of ships until the area was enclosed. Ships could still make a break for it but they would be easier to triangulate upon and chase down. No one had an easy way out now. He felt burnt inside though he monitored their link intensely. It was there, slightly muted but nothing was being hidden. If Ratchet was harmed, he wouldn't be able to hide it from him with the two of them this close together. In the past, distance made determinations hard to make but now? He could tell when Ratchet was harmed no matter how small it was.

There was that.

So far, so good.

"There," Blackjack said. He turned to Optimus. "We're in place, Prime. I have sensors focused on two places that are unstable."

"Thank you, General," Prime said. "Blaster, hook me up."

Blaster nodded, made it so, then glanced at Prime. "You're sending, Prime."

"This is Optimus Prime. I wish to speak to the leader of the faction that holds my soldier and the settlements," he said.

It was silent a moment, then a voice spoke. It sounded metallic indicating that it was being distorted. Blaster who was listening turned to his console and worked swiftly to lift the distortions. "This is The Leader. You may call me that. What do you want, Prime? I have asked you to leave and you haven't. Go now and there will be no deaths."

"You hold my people. I will not abandon them. Turn over the doctor which you hold and depart this area. We will take our people out, then leave the area for good. The unstable energy around here makes staying unsuitable," Prime said.

"That won't be possible at the moment, Prime."

"We have surrounded the area with ships and guns. Our ships are formidable in the extreme. We can destroy you no matter what you do. If you allow us to rescue our people, there will be no violence. If you resist that request, then you will pay a steep price. I will personally eviscerate you with my own hands if that should happen," Prime said coldly.

"That's not your style, Prime. You don't use violent means, so I've been told," the voice said.

"You have been woefully misinformed," Prime said with glacial coldness. "Give up our people and live. Resist or harm even the smallest child and I will unleash the full might of my armada until nothing is left of you."

"If you invade or attack, the settlements are history, Prime. Stand off." The channel cut out.

Blaster turned to Prime. "They have good tech. I can't sort out the distortions. They're using their own translation tech. I haven't translated anything they've sent this far. They either speak or know NeoCybex or they have great tech."

Prime nodded. "What about the team going out?"

Prowl checked the datapad, then switched it to the forward screen. The humans who were back in their place watched as Prowl sorted out the data. He glanced at Prime. "They're nearly at their point of action."

-0-Getting there

The shuttles raced through the darkness heading through the vast shimmering empty toward the rocky fragment where they would provoke the enemy. The area they were flying through was filled with glowing energy and minute particles of ice, dust and dirt from destruction, swirling like a windstorm in the void. Hercy was sitting in the co-pilot seat as his team followed Springer, Kup, and Nitro forward.

"What do you think, Hercy? Will they fight?" Lon asked. Bezel who was sitting with him on this, his first mission looked pensive but resolved.

Hercy glanced at the two kids, a pair that he loved like his own. "Hard to say, infant. They may want to keep the element of surprise. Either way, we're going to wave our afts in their faces and see what happens."

A murmur and chuckle went through the group. Lon grinned at Hercy, then sat back slipping his arm around Bezel. Bezel leaned back into the warmth as they flew ever faster onward. On the other ships, the crews were getting set up to go outside. They were veterans and this was just another mission. Kup whose ship was leading saw the planet fragment coming into view, then opened a channel. "We're here. Everyone keep your optics open."

They flew onward, then circled, landing here and there in three different craters. They powered down, then everyone stood. :Hercy to Kup:

:Kup here:

:How about my team and Springer's hooking up the broadcaster to taunt. You can watch for replies or movements. Right were we are, the view is compromised by the crater: -Hercy

:Acknowledged: -Kup

:Springer, we're heading over with the devices: -Hercy

:Got it. We're here. Come on over: -Springer

The door was open as the mechs stepped out heavily armed. They were staring at the sky as Drift sat down on the step leading inside. Springer glanced at him. :You alright?:

Drift glanced up at him with his patched optic. :I'm fine. You?:

:Sore as shit. I'm fragged off, Drift. I want them so much I can taste it: Springer said as he watched Hercy walk toward them with two mechs carrying a device. Lon and Bezel were toting tech which they helped to set up. Car-Low who was a seasoned regular army guy helped with the devices that Springer had brought with him. When they were hooked up, Hercy turned to Springer with a grin. :Give them slag, infant. Make me proud:

Springer stared at the little mech, then smirked slightly. He pulled a small device off the transmitter, then slotted it into his arm. When it synced, he began. :Hey, fraggers. This is Springer. I'm a Wrecker and all around fragger. I'm here on a planetary fragment waiting for you to come out and play. I don't expect you will. You're gutless cowards. You attack settlements and harm children and elders. We're sitting here on your territory. We're invading your space. What you going to do about it, fraggers? What are you going to do about us? I don't know that you have the guts to come to the dance but we're waiting:

It was silent a moment, then the sound of crackling could be heard on the device. Car-Low who was the tech knelt to check the console. He looked up. :Something is moving out there. Something big:

Springer stared at him, then the sky. :Oh-oh: he said.

-0-Prowl

He watched the screens waiting for anything to pop up when an alarm fed by the incoming raw data in his programming let him know what was happening before anyone else. Having spent time trying to unravel all their enemies in his spare time, Prowl had several thousand alarms in his files. Some of them just needed purging because the species they alerted upon were either extinct or inconsequential now. This one, however, wasn't. He listened, checked the data, then opened a channel to the away team. "Hercy, Springer …"

There was no reply, then there was. **:OH, FRAG! SEND REINFORCEMENTS!:** Springer cried before the signal was cut.

-0-TBC 8-19-17 **edited 8-23-17**


	102. Chapter 102

The Diego Diaries: "Oh-oh" (dd6 102)

This is dedicated to the readers and their notes over the last few. LOL! I love and hug you all. :D:D:D

-0-There

 **:OH, FRAG! SEND REINFORCEMENTS!:**

-0-Salton Sea

Ironhide sprinted for the elevator followed by Raptor. They disappeared below and in almost seconds it would seem, three cruisers and a battleship flew out from the staging area base at this point in space they shared as guard for the Prime toward the altercation far away. As they did, the alignment of the ships in place shifted and the hole was plugged once more. The Beta flight was already there and ready to go on command.

-0-There

They came out of the darkness, fighters shooting energy beams at the group on the ground. A shuttle was hit and burst into flames as the bots scattered to return fire. They came in waves, appearing out of thin air, strafing everything they could see, then flying up to disappear again. Guns on some of the shuttles opened fire filling the sky everywhere with death. There were hits as invisible ships unable to swerve under the massed attack burst into flames and crashed on the ground. The fire became intense enough that the attack ceased.

Scattered about, lying here and there, the teams slowly rose, their guns and optics fixed on the sky. Springer looked around, noted that everyone appeared to be alive. :Springer to Base. We just got slagged. No one is dead but we lost another shuttle. Sorry, Dad:

:Hold on, slaggers. We're coming. What are we facing?: Raptor's voice said comfortingly out of the ether.

:Cloaked ships … fighters. They're coming in waves. They have energy weapons. **Fraggers!** Get here fast. **They're coming in again!** : Springer motioned his mechs to take cover and they did, grouping up to lay down fire in thick succession.

Fighters appeared, were hit, then flew off or exploded, hitting the ground in pieces to careen here and there. It was intense, frightful, then over as they flew past and disappeared. Springer looked around, then down toward Drift. He had a steel bar in his thigh from a fighter disintegration. " **Frag!** Don't move. **MEDIC!** " he called out.

A hard bitten field medic named Foley ran through the darkness to slide to a halt beside Drift. "Well, this just isn't your mission is it," he said as he prepared to pull the rod and field patch the wound.

"If I could truly see you, Foley, I'd punch your face," Drift said with a slight smirk. Then he bellowed.

Sitting back with a slightly bent and charred steel rod in his servo, Foley grinned. "Do you want a souvenir or do I throw this on the pyre that this mission has become?"

"Fragger. Fix me. I have a score to settle," Drift said with a grin.

"If you can see to find it, slagger," Foley said as he began to patch the hole and plug a few things. "There. No dancing or fragging for a while."

Drift glanced at a frowning, slightly anxious Springer. "There goes the weekend."

Springer grinned, then he turned to shoot as more fighters came flying in. They shot the place up, then left. One more shuttle was 'blowed' up and charred. It was getting out of servo.

:Raptor to Springer. What's going on? Talk to me, infant:

:Hurry up, Appa. Get the lead out: Springer said. :We have wounded. Some of them even have more and newer wounds: He frowned at Drift who was leaning against a rock with his gun out. That was how serious it was that he was armed with a gun.

:How's Drift's optic?: Ironhide asked.

:Just about as good as the new hole in his leg: -Springer

:It only hurts when I move: -Drift, clarifying

:Frag: -Ironhide and Raptor

-0-In space

Their sensor officer noted the intruders before they were in visual range. "Sir, there's a huge ship nearby and its feeding fighters against the ground team."

Raptor who was sitting on the command chair of the battleship while Ironhide stood beside him incandescent with rage turned toward him. "What sort? Do we know?"

"It's spotty but it fits the general design of the mother ships that utilize the acid monsters," he replied. A schematic appeared on the forward monitor along with poor quality images from the first encounter with a mother ship of a species that called itself Hish or Yautje. Whether they were the same or not was still a mystery to the bots. Either way, they were fraggers.

"Oh frag," Raptor said. "Feed me the info and open a channel to Prime." One was opened as the sparse data of the Hish and/or Yautje was run onto his console. "Prime, this is Raptor. A Hish mother ship is the culprit. We need fighters. Not Seekers. Heavy vessel fighters with speed and maneuverability. Launch them and have them barrel it here. We're going after the mother ship but my intuition tells me they're going to defend it like a hive of bees. This is going to hurt:

:Prime to Raptor. Understood:

Almost immediately, the sensor net on Raptor's ship showed a flurry of blinking lights from three of the bigger ships in the base group. Each was a 2-3 mech fighter, a pilot and 1-2 shooter configuration. They were incredibly fast, agile and would be right behind the group Raptor was commanding in short order.

"Open a general channel, infant," he said to the comm station. "Use their language files for the send if you have them."

"We do. I can translate now," the kid said as his fingers flew.

"Enemy ship, this is General Raptor of Praxus, the emissary of the Prime who has come to bring the pain. We have an overwhelming force heading your way. Cease harassing the ground team or I'll blow you to the Pit. Answer me, slaggers."

It was silent a moment, then a guttural sound filled the air. It was captured, translated and played again. "I am Slayer. You may come, metallic, but I **will** kill you. I command this ship and these warriors. You will be sent to whatever hell you came from if you fight me."

Raptor considered that, then grinned. "Well, ***Slayer*** … I was never one to run from a fight. Come out and meet me, fraggers. That is, unless your ugly afts are too cowardly to do that. From what I hear, you don't do too well fighting us toe-to-toe. Come on out and bring your ugly afts. We'll see whose the fragger here."

The bots sat a moment waiting for something to happen, then a ripple in space told them that a huge cloaked ship was heading their way. Raptor watched it, considered the fighters coming, then called for reinforcements. "I need battle shuttles, Prime. I want to surround this behemoth and melt them down to silly putty. Gotta have them fast."

:Prime to Raptor. Understood:

Seven Wrecker battle shuttles and three general army leaped forward. They were streaking toward the target as Raptor lay down his order of battle.

-0-Down there

The wave flew off and they were down another shuttle. Springer looked around. "This is fragged."

Foley who was reloading grinned at Springer, someone he knew and liked from the orns of Impactor and the heyday of real Wrecker hooliganism. "Do ya think?" he asked with no small amount of amusement.

Then the radio traffic began to filter through their audials as the buzz of combat subsided for a moment. They listened, then Springer began to gather up the team. Three of the five shuttles were toast, so they began to gather into the two that were left. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe along with Bulkhead, Lon, Bezel, and Blurr took over gunnery positions and fire control in theirs as others filled the space and tended the wounded. When everyone was loaded up, they lifted off and began to flee toward the far side of the planetary fragment, regrouping before drawing attention. It would appear that Raptor was drawing them away from their position. They would have to make a break for it when the enemy was distracted.

They circled the fragment, then set their sights on joining the approaching fleet by navigating through a debris field until they were a good third of the way back to their side. Then it would be open space, a daunting prospect at best. As they began to fly away, the Hish sent four fighters to shoot them to slag.

-0-Raptor and Co.

Raptor calmly designed and assigned the battle plan to the groups coming and the groups here. He was relaxed as always when there was a battle but his grandson wasn't. Ironhide, though poised to fight, was tense and troubled. Ratchet still felt fine but they had little in mind yet about getting him back. Knowing his wily old mech, he knew that Ratchet was giving them a run for their money. That they might be hurting him drove him to the edge. So far, no pain or dismay signals. Just a steady tension.

"Grandson."

Ironhide looked down at his grandfather, the beloved companion of many a fort building, of the wildest rides at Six Lasers over Cybertron, of food fights at the beach house, and serious conversations about what it meant to be a good mech. "Appa?"

"I would like you to direct the fighters," Raptor said. He stared upward at the solemn face of his most beloved grandson and co-conspirator. "If you can."

Ironhide nodded. "I can, Appa." He walked to Tactical and relieved the operator. Sitting, he plugged in and began to do what he did best, bring chaos to the fools stupid enough to push their luck this far.

-0-On the Salton Sea

It was incredibly tense as the main battle datapad fed to the forward screens the rapidly closing and ever changing battle groups. They monitored displacement to find the Hish ship. They had good tech, very much enhanced since the last time they clashed but the displacement of the mother ship due to its size was an old trick for a good sensor officer to spot. From the data from Springer, their weapons were better too, of a type like their own. Apparently, they still had contacts with Cybertronians, the treacherous slaggers.

Ultra Magnus would be pissed.

Prime brooded on the command chair as everyone else worked on their part of the problem. Prowl was calm as ever. Harris noted that. He noted all of it. This was the most riveting thing he had ever seen. There were a lot of aliens in space and apparently, none of the bastards appeared to be friendly. Fuckers everywhere he looked, it would seem. The soldiers were tense but intensely professional, making the odd comment now and again as things played out. Right now, two huge forces were flying straight toward each other to fight. It was incomprehensible to him how anyone could choose to do that.

Willingly.

-0-Springer and Co.

They wove through the debris which opened then closed ahead and behind them. Pulsing their way through the loosely packed rubble, they were nearly at the edge of free space. Hercy who was sitting next to their pilot, a kid named Toki, glanced back. "Free space is here. Be on the alert, gunners. The rest of you pray." He glanced at the kid who looked surprised, then resolved. "Fly, infant, like you never flew before." Hercy glanced back. "We have four bogies on our tail."

They flashed forward side-by-side, two overloaded shuttles with 12 big guns pointing outward.

-0-Raptor and Co.

"Did you figure out how to locate the fighters cloaked yet?" Raptor asked as he glanced back to Sensors.

"Not yet, General," a regular army soldier replied. "Working on it."

"Good," Raptor said. "No hurry."

A ripple of laughter greeted that as Raptor grinned himself. He always led with a light touch and the friendships and loyalty he commanded was legendary. The group was spread out with slots for the fighters to assume once they were close enough to join them. A fog of them were speeding along behind, nearly in contact as Raptor slowed for them to catch up. Guns were prepared, forward, overhead and behind, ready for the initial flyby and flyover by the cloud of fighters that they sensed were coming.

"Steady on, infants," he said calmly. "All is well. We're going to do this. Just do your job," he said as the first wave of fraggers came in hot.

-0-Near one of the engine rooms of Raptor's ship

A whirl appeared in an empty corridor. Black figures spewed out of it, then it was gone. They stood in the corridor figuring out the lay of the land, then they turned as one to run forward.

Acid monsters had just landed in battle.

-0-TBC 8-20-17 **edited 8-23-17**


	103. Chapter 103

The Diego Diaries: Hand-To-Hand (dd6 104)

-0-Fight Night

A femme froze at the sight before her. Strange aliens with writhing tails and slavering fangs stood in a group before her, their shiny black forms filling the hallway. She stared and they did, then she gripped a handle to the door from which she had just departed and slipped inside. Shutting it tightly, she stared at the handle as the monsters outside beat on the door. **"TIA TO BRIDGE! THERE ARE MONSTERS DOWN HERE!"**

"Bridge here. What's happening?" a voice said.

"There are big monsters in hallway 119BC. I'm trapped in the secondary fire control nexus. **THEY'RE TRYING TO BREAK IN!"** she screamed as the fury outside continued.

Raptor turned to environmental. "Put a picture of the hallway up on the forward monitor."

The mech at Environmental worked, then a hellish scene appeared on the screen. Tall beasts with elongated heads, long sharp tails and glistening teeth were beating on the door. They dripped acid which fell to the ground and sizzled as their strong arms beat and tore at the door. There were several bunched together making it hard to assess them. Raptor glanced at Ironhide who rose in his chair as he stared at the screen. "You have a clue? I don't."

"Those are the acid monsters," Ironhide said. "We can't shoot them normally. A tight beam through the head is the only way or their acid blood will splatter everyone and we'll have a mess."

"Handle it, Ironhide." He glanced at Environmental again. "Fix on their signs, run the ship. Find out if the slaggers were dumped anywhere else. Alert everyone. Give them Ironhide's directions. Tight beam shots to the helm."

That mech nodded, then sounded the alert. A klaxon blared all over the ship and would be joined by others in the fleet as the threat was sounded. It would be found that ten were on Raptor's ship, five were on the other battleship and two were delivered to two different shuttles. It would be a loud, curse-filled shoot out on each.

-0-Springer and Co.

They broke from the debris field heading out as fast as they could. Four fighters followed them. It was open space to the great battle unfolding in the distance, one that involved a lot of their ships, a horde of fighters and somewhere outside their reference zone, a mother ship that was huge and highly defended. It was silent inside the shuttles as they fled, then shooting began. The guns of both began to target the fighters who broke up, each coming around to begin their own runs at the enemy.

Sunstreaker shot ahead of one diverting it from heading toward the other shuttle. It swung back on them. Sideswipe who was engaging one glanced at his brother. "Thanks."

"No problem," Sunstreaker said as he took a bead on the fighter, made the calculations, then lay down a stream of fire. The ship was hit, spun violently, then exploded. "Yeah," he said. "One down, three to go."

-0-Prime and Co.

The sight of the combat on screen was punctuated with flashes of light which exploded into being, then winked out almost immediately. He glanced at Communications. "Cut in the local viewpoint."

The tech did, then the forward screen filled with images of fighting. Some of the alien fighters had scored a cruiser, causing damage along the length of it. Some of the damage indicated their own and the enemy's equipment. Watching the firefight, Prime felt the usual internal disquiet that this was the path they had to take over and over again.

:Raptor to Prime:

"Prime here."

"We bagged about seven of the intruders on our vessel. They like to get into the duct systems and hide there. Fraggers have an acid blood and saliva. We have a few burns but the tight beam shots through the helm are the best way to go if you don't want to burn up," Raptor reported. "The mother ship is pulling back. We have two shuttles breaking out to run to us. I sent support to interdict. They have four bogies pursuing with two destroyed. Right now, we're breaking even."

"Understood," Prime said. He glanced at the box with humans who were dividing their attention between him and the forward screen. "William, are you ready to go back?"

Lennox looked at the others who shook their heads. :We're good, Optimus. Thanks:

Prime nodded, then looked at the screen. It would be quiet and tense for a bit longer.

-0-On the run back to safety

A shot to the propulsion elements of Kup's shuttle spun it, slamming it into Springer's. The mechs inside were tossed around on both ships before they sped onward. Kup's shuttle began to slow as it trailed its engine's entrails behind it. Hercy's ship swung around, then firing with fury, flew back to assist. A furious fusillade of fire was exchanged before the two remaining fighters passed them.

:Hercy to Prime:

The calm voice of Hercy sounded over the intercom breaking the thick stillness of the room. "Prime here."

:They took out Kup's engines. We have a situation: he said.

"Understood," Prime said, then glanced at Prowl. "How long until rescue arrives?"

"Not soon enough," Prowl said grimly.

"Prime to Tennyson."

:Tennyson, Prime:

"Tennyson, can you transport fighters to assist the shuttles breaking to come back. Do you see them?"

It was silent a second, then Tennyson's deep mature voice was back. :I see them. I will send drone fighters to assist. Standby: he said.

Prime watched the screen, then almost on top of the two shuttles which were being harried to annihilation by the aliens, four fighters of Autobot designation appeared out of nowhere. They flew forward shooting at the enemy who turned to run. The four fighters followed and one-by-one, the fleeing enemy ships were destroyed by the drones.

Slowing to a stop, Hercy's shuttle came along side Kup's vessel. A hatch opened, then mechs stepped out or were handed over. When the last mech was out, Hercy's overloaded shuttle flew onward followed by three of the drones. One stayed long enough to destroy Kup's vessel, then flew onward to join the rescued group.

-0-Prime and Co.

It was a lighter atmosphere on the bridge as the ships began to move back toward the base camp. Prime felt better as he contacted Tennyson. "Prime to Tennyson."

:Tennyson here:

"Thank you, old friend."

:It is my honor and function to serve you, Prime. I am yours to command. I destroyed the fighters remotely. The drones will accompany them back to your group:

The soldiers in the box grinned. Harris looked at them inquiringly. :Tennyson blew them up with remote drone fighters. Think World of Warcraft. Never play videos games with the bots: he said with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Tennyson. Prime out." He sat back feeling a bit better as the images on the forward screen indicated that the enemy was falling back. He glanced at Prowl. "Status report?"

"In a moment, sir," Prowl said as he feverishly worked to compile raw data pouring in. After a second, he turned toward Prime. "We have four battle shuttles destroyed, a cruiser with moderate damage, a battle ship with moderate damage, two shuttles from that group with enough damage to return for repairs and the loss of four fighters. The pilots ejected before they blew up but they were injured, two severely. They are unlikely to be active duty soldiers again."

Prime nodded. "No deaths?"

"Not among us," Prowl replied. "We're more durable, it would appear, than our enemies."

"Very good," Prime said. "Open a channel, Blaster."

A pause, then Blaster commented. "You're open, Prime."

"This is Optimus Prime. You sent your allies against us but it was not our first time dealing with them. They have never had much luck in combat with us and nothing has changed this time. I am repeating my request. Give us our doctor and the colonists, then we leave."

A text message came back almost instantly. "Let me think about it, Prime." Then it ended.

"Fragger," Hard Drive said as he sat with Lebus at Navigation. Lebus nodded in agreement.

"We need to know what is happening there. I want to have every soldier in our faction that has the experience and nerve to go behind the lines for a special mission. I want every soldier of experience that has a special feature of invisibility. How many is that? Only the most seasoned warriors, Prowl," Prime said.

Prowl worked a moment, then looked up. "Three fit your criteria. Mirage, a former Decepticon named Hal and a Wrecker named Pardon."

"Call them here. Prime to Tennyson."

:Tennyson here, Prime:

"I require your presence, Commander," Prime replied.

:On my way. Tennyson out:

Almost instantly, a figure began to materialize on the deck. The tall brilliantly white figure of Tennyson stood before them, accents of blue and red giving him an air of handsomeness that was common to his frame. He bowed his helm. "Command me, Prime."

Prime returned the nod. "I need you to transport three soldiers into the settlements beyond, then retrieve them. I need to know what we're facing, Tennyson."

"Of course," he replied. He towered over everyone at more than 43 feet, a perfectly proportioned mech of outstanding quality. "I will be ready when you command."

Prowl rose, then turned to him. "Come with me, Tennyson," he said. The two walked to the elevator, then disappeared.

:Ironhide to Prime:

"Prime here."

:We have all the monsters that sensors detect are there. All of them are dead. There is some cosmetic damage to different areas of the ships they were dumped in and the odd burn but we believe we got them all:

"Very good," Prime said. "Is everyone alerted and everything locked down?"

:Affirmative: Ironhide replied.

"Good. Come back. I want you to run some spies for me," Prime said as he mused on the mission developing down below decks. As he did, the overloaded shuttle and the four drones arrived at his vessel.

-0-At the flight deck of Salton Sea

The shuttle lumbered in, then slid sideways to off load its crews. The drones having completed their mission were recalled and disappeared. Hercy who jumped onto the hangar deck watched them go, then turned to help the wounded off. Four would need stretchers and the rest would limp grudgingly to med bay. It would be especially poignant because Ratchet wouldn't be there to help them. Hercy and Kup watched them go, then with Lon, Bezel, the twins, and Smokey in tow walked to the elevator to go to the bridge.

As they did, the three mechs with an invisibility special function would be walking out of the bridge room to go there too. Mirage, Jazz and the other two mechs would miss the bots by seconds.

-0-Bridge, Salton Sea

"The fraggers have upped their game, Prime," Kup said as Springer walked from the elevator with Jazz, Mirage and two other big mechs. He was limping, was pitted and completely composed in the way that those who want to kill someone are before doing it. They gathered around Prime.

"What's the word on Ratchet?" Springer asked.

"Nothing yet," Hard Drive said as he looked over his grandson. "You look like slag. How's Drift?"

"He's got a busted optic and a hole in his leg. Fraggers came out to play," Springer said with a rueful grin. "They paid for it."

Everyone nodded including the silent pensive kids standing around Kup. Lon, Bezel and Smokey were listening with expressions of worship and true belief.

"What's the plan?" Sunstreaker asked. "And how do I get a piece of it?"

"Did you brief them, Jazz?" Prime asked.

Jazz nodded. "I did. I also have a possibility over Tennyson. He can be traced and given that the acid beasts runners have what appears to be Cybertronian-influenced tech, you might want to hear me out just in case they have that part figured out too. What I propose can't be noticed by any tech thus far that we have or know about. We have a ship prepped to take us in. We have a test going on using Pretender equipment heavily power boosted to cloak small ships for just this sort of mission. We can't use it for personnel as personal cloaking devices yet because the power load required glitches some of our functions. It does, however, work to the degree we'll need to fly us in under their radar and come out again." Jazz glanced at the three with a grin. "It's going to be a cramped ride. We're using only small runabouts, the kind used by the schools to transport small loads here and there around the district. Bigger vessels are in the planning stages."

"What is the degree of foolproof for this, Jazz?" Prowl asked. Soundwave was standing next to him along with Lebus and Shackle. For a moment, it seemed a normal sight to everyone there.

"It checks out. They have one of these vessels hooked up to run at maximum flight mode with the device attached. It's been running now for three decaorns or there abouts nonstop without glitches. Of course, one of the reasons its going to be so cramped is because it requires big power cells. We aren't at the miniaturization and modification point yet." Jazz glanced at the others, then Prime. "We're going to begin refining it when its fully understood but for this matter, its good to go. Tennyson can be backup if something glitches."

Prime glanced at Prowl and an interested Tennyson who had returned with data for the mission and the maps necessary to pinpoint a drop. "What do you think, Tennyson?"

"If they have Cybertronian tech and influences, then my particle trail might be detected. That's one of the things that make pirates find us, using the sensors of our science. I could, indeed, be their backup and if they wear locators, then I will be able to find them no matter where they are."

"Very well," Prime said. "Then all of us will support the mission this way. Prowl? Do you have the data they need?"

Prowl who had returned with Tennyson in tow nodded, then handed Jazz a datapad containing all the relevant information the group could use. "I need you to go to each of the three settlements and get a lay of the land, find out what the enemy is doing … find out who the slaggers are if you can, then get back. No funny stuff. No heroics. 120,000 civilians and Ratchet depend upon you doing the right thing. Understand?"

The group nodded. "We know, Prowl," Mirage said.

"We need this information as soon as possible, gentlemen. Be careful and come back alive," Prime said.

"Count on it, Prime," Jazz replied, then the four turned to go to the elevator and a small cramped ship waiting for them just outside the hangar door. They would squeeze in, activate the mechanism and disappear from view. They wouldn't be detected again until they came back.

-0-In a corner of the command deck resting a moment

"How do you feel?"

Bezel looked at Lon. "Weird but exhilarated."

Lon nodded. "This wasn't my first fight but it still takes a bit of time to get used to."

Bezel nodded. "My father would be aghast at me doing this."

"Are you?" Lon asked as they both rose to follow the others to a rec room and some food.

Bezel took Lon's servo into his own. "No," he said simply.

They entered the elevator and disappeared into the ship.

-0-TBC 8-20-17 **edited 8-23-17**


	104. Chapter 104

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 104)

-0-Salton Sea

Drift lay on a med berth under a bright light. He was in a haze of semi-stasis as the doctors surrounding him removed his optic. Springer who was sitting nearby looking everywhere but at Drift waited with a sense of anxiety. They were both so durable and tough. This was the most injured both had been short of their first encounter with the acid monsters way back when. Losing an optic was awful. He had gone more than once with damaged optics. Fortunately, their sensor capabilities allowed them to know what was going on with only a small difference in clarity. He didn't like to see his affable bond in pain.

A tech took the tray with the broken optic and walked away with it. Springer watched him go, considering that an essential part of his best friend was going to the medical recycle bin. It felt odd. Another brought a tray with the new one so he stared at the floor again. Frag watching **this** slag.

-0-Cambo and Goldwing

They worked in different theaters repairing the damage that the alien marauders had delivered upon the bodies of four of their fellows. He and Goldie had the worst cases and specialists were working together to repair the others. The mech he was working on would live but his war-related functions were shot. Cambo glanced at the monitor. Functions were actually rising. This big mech, a Seeker with the Wreckers, a rarity he was told, would live and prosper. As long as you were alive, the future was yours to choose. He, himself, had been a geologist who dreamed of medicine. Now, he was a doctor with a geology hobby. As long as you lived, there was hope. He continued to deliver excellent care to the mech in his charge but at no time when he did it did he not think of Ratchet.

-0-Ratchet

He stood in the same overly lit room. His optics were working overtime to accommodate the light. The voice was back. "Your Prime attacked our allies. Very sad."

"Frag you. I told you he wasn't who you thought he was. You push him hard enough he's coming no matter what it costs. He doesn't like fraggers telling him what to do," Ratchet said.

"Then maybe you need to tell him yourself what I will do to push back," the voice said.

"Prime is Prime. He takes his own counsel. You would do well to pull back and allow us to take the people away. Then you can have the settlements. It's too fragged to live out here. When Prime decides to do something he does it come Hell or high water," Ratchet said channeling an expression that amused him. It was silent. "Well? Are you going to go in pieces or are you just going to go until we gather our people? Prime won't give up. I've known him for nine million years. He will never give up when he makes up his mind and he won't care how many molecules you and yours turn into when he brings the rain."

"Then you need to tell him that if he comes here and tries, the settlements get obliterated."

Ratchet stood without comment, then he was roughly pulled away. He walked here and there, then ended up in another room, the bag dragged roughly off his helm. Spinning to look, the door closed too fast to show anything. He looked around, then saw a monitor nearby. It flashed on. There was nothing on it for a moment, then Prime's face showed up, Prime sitting on his command chair with everyone gathering around him, their expressions grim and emotional. With him was a number of Wreckers, family and others who looked a little worse for the wear.

-0-Shortly after the confab with Tennyson and before Ratchet's appearance

They walked back onto the bridge, their tension and familial relationships drawing them back. Drift walked with Springer, his optic replaced and his leg patched. They still looked pockmarked like the twins, Bezel, Lon and the others but they were alive and ready to go again. The ship with Jazz and his team had left earlier and they were between assignments. Going to the bridge to hang out, to offer what they could and to be together felt right. The youngsters, Lon, Bezel, Blurr, Smokey, Hot Rod, and a kid named Coe-Fee who was learning to be a pilot on away missions joined them.

Prime was conferring with Prowl when the screen lit up. A blast of light from the monitors forward adjusted, then showed Ratchet standing in a white room without doors or windows. Everyone froze, then gathered around Prime. "Ratchet."

"Prime. I have to talk to you about slag. I told them that you don't care about what happens once you make up your mind to do something but they think I have influence," Ratchet said.

Prime who knew the routine well enough over the eons nodded. "You told them, right?"

Ratchet nodded. "I told them that you weren't the soft sparked kid you used to be. War does that over the eons. I told them to leave the colonies so we could take the civilians but they said no. I told them that if you come, you don't care about casualties. They don't believe me."

"They should," Prime said coldly. "Fraggers. Tell them, Ratchet, that if you and the civilians are not retrieved, then I will come forward with my armadas and destroy everything they hold dear."

"I did. They don't seem to grasp the fine print," Ratchet said with a slight smile. "Right now, I'm good. But if this doesn't work out, I know what you have to do. If I have to go up in smoke, make the fraggers pay hard."

"That will not be a problem. Where is the voice that speaks to us? Prime asked.

"I don't know. I'm surprised he let me talk to you. Frankly, I don't see them getting the picture. Maybe a big aft shot at their defenses would let them get the picture," Ratchet said with a shrug. "Don't do it on my account though," he said with a slight smile. "It's not like we haven't met this sort of thing before. It's not a new encounter for any of us."

Then the transmission cut off.

Ironhide who had been cut into the transmission materialized on the deck of Salton Sea from Moonbase. His family, Raptor, Blackjack and Hard Drive appeared as well. They walked to Prime, then Ironhide stared at the monitor. "He gave us a clue."

Prime nodded. "I know. We've done this before. It's someone we encountered. Prowl, we need to go through the files."

Prowl nodded. "How far back?"

"Recent. Since we came here," Optimus replied. He looked at Ironhide. "He looks good. Healthy and unharmed."

Ironhide nodded, though the expression on his face was murder. "I know. The bond is strong and all he feels is anxiety. He's trying to tone it down but I know my old mech."

"This helps," Prime said.

Prowl turned to him. "We have all the encounters so far. Here they are," he said putting them onto the screen. They were listed in NeoCybex without English translation. Some of those listed were not yet known generally to the humans and Harris was here, after all. "I don't think we can include Thundertron in the mix. He's not that organized and he would have killed Ratchet and the settlements by now." He disappeared from the list.

They discussed the groups, then narrowed it down. Prime thought a moment, then turned to Starscream and Rainmaker who had been called to join him. "I would like you to send a group to find out where the second listing is, Starscream," he said.

The humans in the box grinned as Prime confirmed what they already suspected. Harris, on the other hand, was startled. **:Starscream?!:** he blurted.

The others turned to stare at him. :We call him Star because he is. Ask him: Epps said as the others snickered. Then they turned back to the discussion. Apparently, Prime didn't care if anyone knew about the big colorful Seeker who was a part of his General Staff, his partner in all things protecting the solar system including the humans on Earth.

So be it.

The discussion continued, then Starscream and Rainmaker walked out to comply with whatever the team had decided upon. Ironhide and his family headed out to their postings in the clearing ahead while everyone else settled to await what appeared to be information from Starscream's teams.

It was quiet on the deck once more.

-0-Harris

He looked at the mechs who sat around the bridge either relaxing together awaiting assignments or working at the consoles. The twins and a number of gnarly and even wounded mechs sat in the forward area ahead of the pilot and navigator. They were huge, colorful, calm and relaxed, covered in tattoos and patched wounds with seemingly no worries or cares. They were Wreckers, mostly. He recognized their tattoos and some of them personally. He also had memorized as many tats as he could. A good fourth of them were Circle. More than half of them were Knights of Cybertron. Most of them were Wreckers, this group lounging, and a good half of them wore the tattoo of the Day/Night Watch. They had an aura of danger and humor, an appealing combination even for him.

Sitting across from them reading a datapad, the mech they called Soundwave relaxed. He was the one defeated on Cybertron, the lieutenant of Megatron himself, the Governor-Protector of the planet in the dictator's absence. He was big, opaque in his personal appearance and more than slightly menacing. He wasn't consulted but he was here. Apparently, there was a big component of this battle group that was from Cybertron itself. This was the first combined operation undertaken by the Prime, apparently, since forever. It would appear that if the situation was dire for both in the past, a truce would allow them to fight a common enemy together.

Others at the consoles were quiet and highly efficient, some plugged directly in, a sight that still gave him the creeps. Some came and went, some commanders from other ships came and went, sometimes the behemoth players would come and go. Prime was efficient and economical in his command style, something that appealed to Harris. He didn't like drama any more than Prime did, evidently. It was calm, professional and effective. The battles he had seen were astonishing and had ended favorably for Prime. What they would signify in the long run beyond the enemy getting the picture of Prime's power, he didn't know. He glanced at Lennox. :All that Ratchet said … it's not correct. Right?:

Lennox nodded. :Prime never wastes a life. All life matters. Ratchet's giving him a cover. He's playing the marks who have him. He's giving them incentive to give it up. They've been doing this for millions of years. Both of them know what to do:

Harris nodded, then turned in his seat to watch the mechs up front. Some of them were kids, some of them like Blurr had a level of fame among their own kind that he would struggle to understand, some were new and on their first mission. All of it was enthralling, though there was a part of him that hated that it was. He was getting a clear and inside view of who and what Prime was and brought to the table and who and what the enemy was. He was very clear that Earth was outclassed by anyone out here who might want to come and do whatever they wanted. It was crystal clear. Something else was also crystal clear.

Prime wanted him to know that too.

-0-Ratchet

He sat in the holding room leaning against the wall in the dark. He had made his move. He had given Prime the identity of who was holding him short of their name. Now it was up to Optimus to do the rest. He had no doubt that he would and that Prime would prevail. They had done this more times than he cared to remember, sometimes with Prime the prisoner, sometimes with himself. The one thing that he could count upon was the greatness of Optimus and his tenacity to protect and retrieve. He relaxed himself preparing to wait whatever came next. Nothing in his thinking alluded to failure to go home. He was going home. Optimus Prime was coming.

-0-TBC 8-21-17 **edited 8-23-17**


	105. Chapter 105

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 105)

NOTE: I'm editing the whole thing and I found out that my spell checker which I used on my last computer from the get go wasn't working. ARGH! It is so bad. :D I am fixing them as fast as I can. :D

-0-In the Flight Center of Salton Sea

Starscream turned to his commanders and seven of the biggest data retrievers in the fleet. "We have the course plotted. You will be bridged out to follow the projected path of the mark. Scan wide in case they have diverted or we have miscalculated. Be ruthless and find where they went."

They nodded, then followed Red Wing out to the bridge room. Rainmaker who watched them turned to Starscream and Thundercracker. "What do you suppose are the odds its them?"

Starscream shrugged. "Even, I would wager."

-0-Mars

Rain Harris climbed into the vehicle waiting for her, a vehicle from Earth2 driven by one of the newly certified residents there. It was their security shift coordinator for days, Malcolm DeWitt. She sat beside him as he waited to pull out into traffic. :How was your day?: he asked with a slight grin. He was **STOKED** to be one of the fifty that had provisional privileges outside the habitat. They could come and go for 'essential and necessary matters' which apparently included picking up Owen Harris's wayward daughter.

:It was okay. You get to drive out in the world?: she asked.

:I do. Keep your gear on until we get to Earth2: he said pulling into the traffic and making it to the light at the intersection of Main Street and 8th Avenue. It turned red so they halted. A bot was crossing so they watched him.

:When do we get to come out and wander around like anyone else?: she asked as the light turned green and they moved forward with the traffic.

:Not for some time yet: he replied as they picked up speed, merging with traffic on the newly renamed Basilica Road heading for the boondocks and home.

:How about a detour here and there?: she asked glancing at him hopefully. :You know … just a look around:

:That's why we aren't getting full clearance yet, stupid moves like that. If we do that and get caught, then everyone pays. No thanks, Missy. We're going home: Malcolm said as they sped onward into the distance. They weren't going to be taking any detours home.

-0-The human population on Mars

The word had gotten out among the Family group and the news that Ratchet was being held by unknown aliens had sent shock waves through the community. Everyone in the N.E.S.T. Group and The Family understood discretion so they kept it among themselves. No one was even aware if the elders such as Ravel and Tie Down knew.

They didn't.

"This is so distressing," Thelma Lennox said as she sat with her friends in a lounge by the window of the Family Habitat.

Mikaela Banes nodded. "I remember meeting them when they first came. It was so dangerous and hurried then. We had to find and secure the AllSpark. Ratchet was more serious then. The situation was so dire, but this … he's a big part of this place."

"Ironhide must be so angry," Mama Fig said as she petted her two chihuahuas. Both sat in her lap with their little smiling faces and demanding ways. "I think I need to consult my cards," she said as she pulled a tarot pack from her knitting bag. They watched as she set up an array, then consulted it with concentration. At last, she picked them up, put them in their box and stowed them in her bag. She looked at the others who were watching closely. They had seen her predict too many things correctly to be that skeptical. "They will get him back. And guess what? **Someone is going to have a baby!"**

After a moment, Mailie Turner, the grandmother of James Hoyt, a student in Terradive's class leaned forward. "Who, Rosa?" she asked.

Rosa 'Mama Fig' thought a moment. "Oh. I forgot to check."

-0-Earlier that day

They drove in convoy away from the airfield aiming toward Industrial Park Cities. They merged with traffic heading that way which went swiftly as shift had changed earlier. Jessie Landon noted her passengers taking snaps out the windows as they watched the changing scenery. :We have Terra, the Hub City coming up. This is the anchor city of several others. Pax, Crystal City and Luna form the Hub Cities. Each of them house millions of civilians and soldiers. Terra is the city where Sparkling Day School #1 can be found. That's the school where Prime and Ironhide's kids attend. Some of the younger ones also attend the Circle of Light Preparatory Academy, a private school run by one of the sects that are so important here. The Day and Youngling schools also have human kids attending. If I ever have any kids of my own, they're coming here:

:Will we be able to visit them one of these days?: someone asked.

:Eventually: Jessie replied. :I love the schools. You never saw so much attention and details. The Youngling Day and Intermediate Day schools have state of the art science facilities. They have a telescope at each that can see out to Neptune without assistance. Then there's the Planetarium in Terra. Each of the five main schools have a massive swimming pool, dance studios, music programs that are resurrecting their culture along with art facilities we can only dream of. You should see their library. They have their own printing company putting out their books and other things. Anything that they want and need, they get. The School Board is awesome. Hugh-E is president; Sunstreaker, Vice President; and Ironhide, Secretary:

:Do you know them? The twins and the others? Very well?: someone asked.

:I met them, Ironhide, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Prime, and Jazz from day one. The others we met at Diego when I was stationed there. They're family to us. We're Cybertronians too. Hugh-E is the greatest. His bond is a micro mini-con:

It was silent a moment, then a civilian sitting next to Jessie half turned toward her. :Hugh-E is massive. I've seen him in games. His bond is a micro mini-con?:

:Yeah. Their sparklings are too. When they go somewhere together, all of them ride on Huge-E's hand: Jesse grinned. :His bond's name translates out to … wait for it … 'Boo-Boo'. Isn't that just about as cute as it gets?:

Everyone on board agreed.

-0-Industrial Park City 3

They parked to watch giant overhead buckets of red hot metal pass over to a big flat form. When it arrived, it was tipped and began to pour a measured amount into the forms. Fire flew upward until the drip ended, then the melted molten ore flamed on the platform. It was slow moving, taking it to a heated press where it would be formed into whatever was needed for the order at hand. It was mind blowing, the scale and scope of the operation.

They moved onward following Judy Witwicky's truck, driving out into the sunlight once more. Down the way they went into a section that was a massive clean room where electronics, communications gear and chemicals were designed and created. The entire inside was sectioned off for various works by transparent steel.

:This is amazing," someone said. "What's the clear material made from? Some kind of high impact glass or plastic?:

Lois Morshower-Howell shook her head. :No. That's transparent steel. Given what they're doing and their mania for keeping things neat and environmentally sound, they use transparent metals like steel and aluminum:

It was silent a moment, then the voice spoke with a slight sense of awe. :Wow. Do you think they'll share with us?:

Lois grinned. :I don't know. Maybe if we use 'please': They drove onward to the next stop.

-0-Playground at Youngling Day School, Terra

They stood together in a group listening to Silverbow as she began to explain her idea. She had told them of the research that she had done and all the things they might need to make it real. Sunspot who was up for just about anything suggested a few things of his own and it began to snowball. It would take a while for it to be presented to Mr. Terradive but he would pursue it because they asked. It was also one of the cutest things he ever heard about.

Standing in a group nearby, the humans of Earth2 watched the other kids play. A ball rolled near them stopping before a small group of the human boys. One of them picked it up, holding it in his hands. He stared at the small group of mech boys that waited for him to do something. Then the human boy ran forward with the ball, throwing it to a little mech. The little mech smiled, then threw it back. All of the boys ran forward joining the game. It would be the ice break for the boys of Earth2 to be part of the world of little mechs that they needed.

The girls would take a bit longer.

-0-RTR Tools

They sat together, the elders and Ratchet's parents, eating lunch around the table that sat in the corner by the little lounge. They had learned how to cater but for Fridays when Docker and Corr insisted on making family favorites to bring along with a tasty pastry from the bakery in the Mall. Today, it was 'Italian food' developed by Rampage and his culinary geniuses at The Catering Place. 'Lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, a big salad, and garlic bread' rounded out the meal followed by Chan's favorite, a big slice of 'chocolate cake'.

"Do you need more tea, Atar?" Ravel asked of his father. He did. Ravel sat again. "We have the babies tonight. Ironhide and Ratchet are still with the fleet. Ironhide called in for both of them. It's not certain when they come back but they will."

Appa Ratchet nodded. "Our boy will be home in no time. He's that good."

They dined onward, then went their separate ways to clubs, school and work.

-0-On the way to the settlements

Jazz flew the ship cloaked and stuffed with mechs. It couldn't be seen due to the tech they had built into it and the huge power packs that kept it concealed. They passed the first two planets, planning on gathering intel from them one at a time, ending with the one closest to the exit door, so to speak. Flashing past, they saw the odd ship, all of which were Cybertronian, but so were the locals so no clear deductions were made by their presence.

Flying past a rocky cold planet, tidal locked with the star they all shared, they reached the first of the two remaining planets, itself hot and damp. The last one was where they were going. They flew over a rocky world with possibilities, then over a large settlement. Beyond it, they continued until they reached a huge rocky dirt tip, one with eroded caverns and overhangs of gravel and what appeared to be broken trees. Flying along its leading edge, Jazz found a cavern big enough to hide them, then backed into it with the runabout's face pointing out for fast escapes.

Powering down, he turned to the three big mechs hunched in the back. "Well, here you go. If I get closer, then they'll find us."

"Not a problem," Hal said. He was a big gnarly former Decepticon who had the same feature as Mirage. Squatting next to him was a Seeker, Pardon. There were half a dozen others in the army and air force who could do the same thing as them but they weren't experienced enough for this. Nor were the five civilians who also could disappear and stay off sensors at will. The hatch popped and he slid out followed by Mirage and Pardon. Glancing back at Jazz with a grin, the three turned toward the settlement in the distance. Mirage and Hal gripped Pardon after he transformed, then the three disappeared from sight. As long as they were invisible, no one could hear nor see them but each other. That was the one flaw about being invisible. No one else could see you but another with the same special feature. It was lucky for them that it was so rare.

Jazz sat back, then closed the hatch. He monitored the area as he waited for them to return.

-0-TBC 8-22-17 **edited 8-23-17**

 **NOTES! CHAT TIME! RUMOR CONTROL! BWAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAA!**

 **Guest** chapter 104 . 17h ago

Who are they? Are they some of those demon beings that were once trapped in Cybertron that Shockwave freed? The same type of being the Prime exorcised. Or maybe they're Insecticons? Or could they be the fraggers that wanted the Cybertronian tech from the dead on the planets that were once the Functionalists colony, or even the Functionalists themselves?

 **ME:** Note to self: Go back and revisit the notes on the demons. :D More coming including who shortly. The others from the Functionalist colony will be back. This time? Who knows. ;)

Megatron Owes Me Money chapter 104 . 22h ago

I know you hinted it was someone they had encountered since coming to our area of space but the Starscream thing makes me think maybe the Combaticons because they were created by Starscream. If not them maybe one of the Insecticons? They were one of the first they battled back at Diego Garcia before establishing a Mars colony I think.

 **ME: BWAHAHAHAA!** Its someone that they know and have encountered. It will be revealed shortly. :D:D

Ragemoose chapter 104 . 22h ago

"He was going home. Optimus Prime was coming." WHY DO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?!

i dropped my phone in the lake here and had a tiny breakdown about it, twice. my parents both dove in and felt around with their feet to get it back for me. It's in some rice now. I came back and this had updated, which made me feel better- kind of. Better cause i always love to read it but also more anxious because its so thrilling and stuff, you know? im worn out now, lol. I was so high strung i missed the eclipse.

I hope everyone gets a rest soon. they deserve it. I think when ratchet is in this sort of situation it effects ironhide harder than it does ratchet, really. I just imagine him all filled with angst with nothing to do with it. Hopefully his elders can keep him occupied- although usually when i get all worked up it just makes my work sloppy. Taking a nap is probably the only thing that helps me really but I'm like a big ol' baby so taking a nap fixes most of my problems ha ha. Maybe Ironhide should take a nap.

ME!: BWAAAHAAA! You sound like you have my luck. :D I like the byplay between everyone when things go wrong. Ironhide is such an emotional guy. Hang in there, sweetness. Silverbow has something planned. :D:D:D:D

Burningrose194 chapter 104 . 23h ago

I can't figure out who it is, i was thinking that it was jhiaxus but now I'm not sure

 **ME:** Heh-heh-heh … it will come out shortly. :D:D:D

kattenbelletje chapter 103 . Aug 21

I hope they can capture a hish ship so they can reverse engineer the invisibility tech.

 **ME:** Prime is going to take his game to them and try to get more than just aliens and their soldiers. That's in the future. He needs to figure out a few things including the alien saliva thing. That I have them coming from another dimension will speak to that, something that the bots haven't figured out yet. It will come from an unlikely source.

Megatron Owes Me Money chapter 101 . Aug 20

RE: At 'Prison School' You have Owen Harris along with Rain, Mariah and Kyle back on Mars, but isn't Owen on the Salton Sea with Lennox's group? Or did I miss something?

ME!: Thanks for the catch. FIXED! :D

Silverhornd chapter 102 . Aug 20

I am sure that Raptor knows that the aliens are aboard his ship can't he just gas or freeze them or cut the gravity off and have them floating in the air like balloons so that the bots can take pot shots at them or blow the out of the air lock. I think that it is about time that the bots bring the heat to the Hish's home world or find someone who hates them more than the bots do so that they will love to take the information that the bots have and use it themselves, you know that old saying the enemy of my enemy is my friend there has to be someones who hates the Hish so much so that they would love to get some pay back. How do the tall whites or the reptiles or the small or the large grays or the white council feel about the Hish. How about getting the other reality Megatron come to help since they are supposed to be this side Megatron's allies I bet that would throw them off for awhile and confused them and give the bots time to kick butts.

 **ME:** I love the way you think. LOL! The thing about the aliens, they adapt. They can even live in vacuum. I remember in the first movie when Ripley jettisoned the alien on the escape pod. They were sent off into space but nothing about it falling away made me think it was dead. The others aren't that up on the aliens yet because they haven't dealt directly with those creatures yet. That's this story's take on the aliens themselves. Their handlers , the Hish are well versed here and the others know about them. I am going to have them branch out but for now, they don't consider the Whites or Reptilians good prey yet. The other reality Megatron is genius. That goes on the list.

Leoness13 chapter 102 . Aug 20

Meep...

I haaaate the Alien aliens...xenomorphs I think they're called...so gross. Lucky the bots haven't had to deal with their reproductive methods. Nightmare city.

 **ME! ME!ME!ME!:** I hear you, Leoness. When the original Aliens came out I thought ah, an alien space movie. How bad can that get? I went by myself. I nearly ate my own hand. :D:D:D

Happy AFTER Eclipse Day, Everyone, Everywhere!) :D:D:D Or as the bots say, Monday.

 **SNICKER!** My new computer spell check reads Mikaela as kamikaze.


	106. Chapter 106

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 106)

-0-On World

They flew silently toward the city. Carrying two mechs with him, Hal didn't bother to transform but flew by pedal propulsion. They came to the outskirts of the city, then settled along the main road that led inside, feeding the two outlying areas. One was a utility-type installation and the other was a quarry. The work going on there was continuous and it didn't seem that anyone was under any kind of coercion or threat. That is, it didn't appear so until they began to reach the city itself.

Cutting across a rocky, gravely open space, they began to reach the first habitations. They were work sites, shops and hangars for various industries. The traffic about town was light, seemingly only the types of vehicles that indicated workers. Not many seemed to be really walking around and those who were hurried along, their optics downcast as if to avoid drawing attention to themselves or seeing anything that would get them into trouble.

The three mechs walked along together avoiding those few on the sidewalks as they looked around. The housing appeared to be tall and Cybertronian in design. Though the tall buildings around here were nothing like anything in the colonies or on the home world, they had the hallmarks of typical construction. They also had settled on the top of several that they could see sleek fleet ships of a fighter design with guns pointing in all direction. There were six they counted by the time they reached one of the more open spaces in what appeared to be a well thought out, well designed settlement.

They paused in an open space and began to gather information about the occupation. Dotted at intervals, heavily armed fighters sat on rooftops, their pilots and soldiers hanging around as if waiting out their shift on duty. They were also heavily armed, Cybertronian in origin and a mix of civilians, former soldiers and Decepticons by what tattoos they could see. The three compared their information, then continued onward. They roamed the settlement, noted that about 45,000 lived here, then gathered in a place that was obviously a park but no one was there.

:This is fragged. They have guns pointed at them from all over: Hal said as he watched a crew tending a fighter sitting on the edge of a tall building. They were staring at the ground and for a moment the three had an uncomfortable feeling though they knew the only ones capable of detecting them were others with the same special function. The frequency that they utilized to disappear was the one in the high bands all Cybertronians like them used. It was wound tightly through their design and thus, they couldn't hide from each other. Most Cybertronians without major modification of several vital functions weren't able to reach that frequency without assistance so they couldn't detect them around.

:They're Cybertronians. At least, the worker bees are: Mirage said. :From what I detect, they have every corner of the settlement covered in cross fire. This is going to be a fragger to take apart:

Pardon nodded. :We got what we can here. We have two more stops. One of them has the leadership and Ratchet. We need to locate him:

:We also need to find out if they have an alliance with the acid aliens: Mirage said grimly. :I hope not but they must. They didn't come out of nowhere. Slaggers:

The others nodded, then began to backtrack out of the city. When they were far enough away, they hooked up with Hal and flew back to where the ship was waiting with Jazz. Moving to the ledge where he sat out of sight, the three appeared, startling him. "You could let a bot know," he said with a grin. 'What did you find out?"

"Well, it appears that the soldiers are Cybertronian. That explains our tech in their servos. The Hish must be allied. There are fighters on rooftops all over the settlement. They have every angle covered. Anyone who doesn't have to be out is hiding or home," Mirage said. "We have to go to the other colonies but something tells me that its all the same."

Jazz nodded. "This is fragged."

"It is," Pardon said as they rose to walk to the shuttle. It was a crowded ride to the next planet nearby and a long walk to the settlement from the runabout. It would tell the same story. It would be on the third planet fall that they would find out where the leadership was holed up. It would be the place where they believed Ratchet was held. Scanning the area only muddled the picture. Every scan they got was a Cybertronian.

The ride back in radio silence would be long.

-0-Out there, flying through the darkness

They flew onward chasing down the faint trail of the second possibility on the list. It was cold and dark as they made their way, airlifted by bridge to this locality. Seven huge Seekers heavily armed, their data collecting apparatus working full out blazed through space interlinked. The trail was old and faint, then it strengthened, then disappeared. Halting together, going over the data, they decided that the projected path was the one they wanted.

They had their tormentor.

A bridge ride back to the Prime coincided with Jazz and his team. They bridged in nearly at the same time the shuttle found its way onto the hangar deck of the Salton Sea.

-0-In the human's safe room

They gathered to eat again, their food bridged in for them by micro mini-cons who were assigned the task whenever a ship carried humans on their merry or not so merry ways. The food and drinks were good, the coffee hot, the couches and chairs soft and comfortable, and the 'facilities' clean. Having a break was a good thing for all of them.

Lilly Bolger-Settles sat at the table eating a meal while the men got food, stood by the windows looking out or checking their mail from their special gear handhelds. Things were ever as they were on Mars and Earth. Some more organizations were planning to come to Mars for seminars which required a short presentation by a N.E.S.T. soldier as part of the public relations aspect of their jobs. She would not be here for any of it. She was here with Andrew as he went though the paperwork with the garrison. It was part of his brief as a liaison between the garrison on Mars and the Diego group.

"I saw your wedding," Harris said as he sat down with a laden plate and a cup of coffee. "It was very nice."

Lilly grinned. "I had a unique wedding. I won't ever forget it."

"Did Prime give you citizenship too?" he asked.

She nodded. "He did. The early group, most of us, are part of the dual thing. I'm so glad to have met them. Here I am on Mars, standing out with an alien armada who protects my planet. I don't think it gets better than that."

"There are those who say that none of this would be necessary if they had left," Harris said. "No one would have really noticed us."

"That's not true, of course," Lilly said. "They would have. We live in an energon-rich area. That's their life's blood. They would have come. It was inevitable. That the bots came too, that they care enough about us to protect us, that's gravy."

Lennox picked up his phone that was blinking. He read the text message, then looked at the others. "Jazz and the Seekers are coming back. Hurry up and take care of business. If things light up, I don't know when we're going to be back here. I'm taking some of the food with me. Hit the head, too. Bath room breaks might be thin on the ground shortly."

They ate swiftly, hit the bathroom, then signaled for pick up. A mech would come, carry them to the bridge, then settle them on their safety spot. They would be settled just in time to see the big mechs come back onto the deck.

-0-On the deck

They rode up, gathering together to brief Prime. Ironhide, Raptor, Blackjack, Alor, Hard Drive, and the others were already there, alerted by Prowl when the hangar deck indicated all had returned. They gathered around Prime as Prowl put the maps on the monitors. Jazz turned to the Seekers. "You go first."

Red Wing nodded, then turned to Prime. "We followed the trail after being sent there by bridge. It's faint and fades in and out. We've extrapolated that they came this way. I believe its the second individual on the list, Prime. We've discussed this and all agree that this is the one we believe it is based on the evidence at hand."

Prime nodded. "Thank you, gentlemen." He glanced at Jazz and the three mechs with him. "What can you tell us about the settlements?"

"They're under surveillance. They posted heavily armed fighters at regular intervals on the roofs of the settlements. No one is out if they don't have to be. The teams are Cybertronians, a mix of civilians, soldiers and Decepticons from the tats we could see. Slaggers have the three places bottled up. On the first world, we discovered their headquarters. Its a heavily fortified civilian structure with a lot of underground possibilities. No one was around but the settlement is so strongly buttoned up it didn't require much supervision, Prime."

Prime nodded. He sat a moment brooding over the news, then glanced at Prowl. "I think I need to talk to him again. Now that we have the picture, we need to clue him in. Any suggestions otherwise?"

No one had one to make so Prime turned to the forward monitor and sat back squaring his shoulders as he did. His mechs gathered around him, facing the screen with cold implacable will. The image flickered on. "This is Optimus Prime. I wish to speak to the leader of this pirate faction."

The strangely metallic voice was on almost immediately. "I am here."

"I have asked you to give up my soldier and the civilians. I am without interest in the settlements. They are yours when we take the civilians. I have a responsibility to them that I am honor bound to fulfill. I am not going away. Again, give up the civilians and keep the settlements. If you do not do that then I will bring my armada there and there will be great death and destruction."

"That will include your civilians, Prime. Hardly a win-win," the voice said.

"You misunderstand what I am saying. We live in a dangerous section of the galaxy. If others see that I do not undertake to protect my position, they will see no reason to fear me. I will have to deal with incursions on a daily basis. If I leave this alone, then that is my future. Even if I have to destroy everyone to destroy you, it resolves that problem. No one will come near us if they understand that we are not afraid to lose everything to gain more."

It was silent a moment. "You are bluffing."

Prime sat a moment considering his strategy and the individual with whom he was sparring. "That is for you to decide, Imperialis."

The silence stretched a moment, then the voice was back. "I am unaware of who that is. Is that some word in your language for an opponent?"

"It's your name. I will personally carve it on your tombstone if you defy me further," Prime said.

"Let me think on it, Prime. As for your insinuation that I'm this person, continue it if it makes you happy." The link was cut.

"Fragger," Ironhide hissed as he clenched his fists. "I'm going to kill him. No one else."

"We got under his armor," Jazz said. "What he does now will determine if he lives or dies."

Prime nodded. "I am good with both."

-0-TBC 8-23-17 **edited 8-28-17**

ESL: There are expressions in American casual English that express something. 'Icing on the cake' means something extra that makes something better. EX: "I work at the mill and they provide lunch, which is the icing on the cake'."

If something is extra good, its gravy. She talked about the bots protecting them which is the main point. The bots being here is the 'gravy' or the 'icing on the cake'. There are a zillion expressions in American English. :D


	107. Chapter 107

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 107)

NOTE: I figured someone would remember Cassio Imperialis. :D He first makes an appearance in DD5, part 426. He is my character and a combination of all the kinds of thinking and actions that would be a person like him, the string puller behind the front men like Nova and Nominus Prime. :D

-0-On the line

Prime stared at the screen considering his options, then the monitor signaled an incoming message...

-0-Out there just before that

Ratchet stood in a room filled with light waiting for something to happen. The voice was back. "You were a naughty mech."

"I don't know what you're yammering on about," Ratchet said with coldness.

"You let the Prime know who I was."

Ratchet smirked. "Process of elimination. Fifty-fifty chance you were someone we already knew. Using our tech was a giveaway too."

"How would you know it was someone who you had already encountered? I didn't say anything that was a giveaway."

"Of course, you did, amateur. You asked about our colony. If you were just wandering by how did you know it was … what did you call it? A paradise?" Ratchet grinned. "Whatever you think or thought you were, Cassio, I was the Autobot's diplomat and I wrote the book about reading between the lines. You forgot that at your peril."

"You don't think I can withstand him?" Cassius asked as he stepped from the brightness to pause before Ratchet.

"Not on your sorry aft," Ratchet said as he stared at the smaller mech. He was exquisite in his paint scheme, appraising of optics and uninteresting in manner. Ratchet didn't know if he cultivated the plain way he showed himself as a tactic or if that was who he was. Either way, he was a fragger's fragger. "You forget … we have a bead on the size of your battle group from before and we can smash it flat seven times over right now without calling for backup." Ratchet leaned forward slightly. "You're no soldier either."

"But I have soldiers in my employ. I have allies too. I have many allies and they will help me move forward," he said as he walked to a chair nearby to sit. "I have plans, Ratchet. I want to have my own kingdom here and I don't want interference."

"That's the entitled aft speaking. You want to make a nuisance of yourselves with everyone around here and you want us to stay out of it. Prime has treaties and oaths to keep," Ratchet lied. "He was clear about giving you the settlements in exchange for the settlers but you fragged even that up. Not good. You appear to be losing your touch."

"I could kill you, Ratchet, and send your body parts back one at a time," Cassius said as he sat back. It was clear that he was enjoying the conversation.

"You could but you know that I'm part of Prime's inner court. If you kill me, you will never have a place to relax in this or any other dimension. Prime bears the Matrix. If he asks for help to find you, he will. You should know that by now. I doubt the Pantheon or The One has anything good to say about you and your antics over the past few zillion vorns. It would do you well to leave this place and not provoke. I can't underscore it enough how much you will pay for anything you do here. Get smart and cut your losses."

Cassio stared at him, then the door opened. A tall mech, gray with red highlights here and there entered, then walked to Cassio. Leaning down, they conversed, then the big mech turned to Ratchet. The two knew each other. This was Ebio, the older and even more murky brother of Cassio. He was called 'The Great Calculator', a mech without conscience but a searing ability to think things out to the nth degree. He had no emotions that could be discerned and therefore, there was nothing between him and an adversary but the mathematics of victory. He was the 'voice of reason' for Cassio and the two were a very scary and deadly combination. He stared at Ratchet, then his brother. "We have stalemate as long as Prime believes that the payment for aggression is too high. Given the commentary that has transpired thus far, I would suggest that we regroup and allow the settlers to leave."

He looked at Ratchet. "Listen up, equipment. Tell the Prime the following. It's in his best interests that we have a place to stay where we can live without interference. If we have to continue to travel then there isn't incentive for us to not gather more allies, especially those deeply disgruntled over their treatment at his hands. Whereas, we're merely affronted and irritated, many of those are ready to gather together and kill. We would be a moderating influence in the outcome of any alliances especially out here where the Decepticons have built so much hatred for anything and anyone Cybertronian that it would only take a spark to light their fires.

"Tell that mech that if he grants us these settlements as he stated he would, we would land here to live and he would know where we are. Otherwise, we have no incentive to make a life for ourselves and would be compelled to continue wandering, gathering allies, fusing relationships based on mutual grudges. You won't have a clue where we are otherwise. I'm sure even Optimus Prime can understand the reasoning behind that logic," he said coldly.

Ratchet grinned. "You fraggers. You think you're **so** high tone. Who did the Matrix actually **choose**? The Matrix for the **first time** since Guardian Prime actually **CHOSE** its bearer, Orion Pax. The others? You slaggers chose them because they were weak and pathetic. Malleable clay, right? You think you're better and smarter than Prime? Well, let's see. If you're serious about pulling out so we can take our people out of here, then so be it. I can make that happen. And consider this, fraggers … if you were **really** as high tone, pure and superior as you think you are, you wouldn't use the lives of our people to get what you want. Fuckers. That's a human word that fits. I'll tell Prime. You haul your sorry afts out of here and make it a good pull back. If you so much as sneeze without two sectors between us we'll send a slimline up your afts. Do **you** understand **me**?" Ratchet asked with fire.

Ebio stared at Ratchet with a cold anger. "Do what we tell you, dirt, and make it happen. We can always send bodies floating out in space."

"And Prime can come in guns blazing with the expectation that you're going to kill the settlers anyway. At least, you fraggers won't make it to the next Festival," Ratchet said equally forcefully.

Cassio grinned, then rose. "We're pulling back, then sending you out in a runabout. Tell Prime to get his people as fast as possible. If not, we might call in our allies and make a mess of things." With that, he walked to the door and left.

Ebio stood stock still, his fists balled. Ratchet turned to him. "Wanna fight, crybaby? I doubt you ever had a fist fight in your life, let alone one that wasn't rigged."

"I am a practitioner of circuit su and Metallikato," he replied.

"Is that so? **I'm** a practitioner of Greco-Roman wrestling and a good blaster round between the eyes. If you want a fight, then have at it. If not, go take care of your brother. He can't find his aft with both hands." Ratchet took a stance, bracing himself for the first punch. Unless one had experience fighting a medical mechanism, most didn't know that once they planted themselves it took the force of an incoming Seeker to move them. Many were the mechs who broke a digit or three putting a roundhouse right into Ratchet's chassis.

"You would like that," Ebio said with contempt. "I don't fight the lesser classes."

"I don't either. Send your brother in here. I would love to fuck **him** up as they say," Ratchet said. "I pictured him taller."

The door opened as Cassio re-entered with a grin. "Ebio, let's go. Ratchet has a mission to complete."

"Do it, slagger. Hope we never meet again," Ebio said as he turned to go.

 **"YEAH! I HOPE WE NEVER DO! I WOULD HATE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE FAMOUS SKILLS I'M SO TERRIFIED OF! DID YOU KNOW IN MY SPARE TIME I'M A METROTITAN! I HOPE I NEVER HAVE TO SHOW YOU *THAT*, FRAGGER! IT MIGHT HURT!"** Ratchet bellowed as the door closed. He stared at it with deep satisfaction. "Frag with me? Frag you, high caste. The orn will never come again where some high tone fragger takes a shot at **me** without paying a price. **FRAG YOU, EBIO!"**

It was silent a moment, then it wasn't.

-0-Prime at the moment when the screen comes to life

"Prime. I'm sending your doctor back and will allow you to have your people. We will pull back including my many allies. You have four orns to get them out of here, then leave. When you pull out we will take over the settlements. We **are** going to settle here. If you do anything short of what you have asked for, then you will make a very, very bad enemy. Do not underestimate me, Prime. Out."

It was silent a moment, then Prowl turned to Prime. "What do you want to do? Return a message?"

Prime nodded.

"You're on, Prime."

"This is Optimus Prime. We are coming in with force," he said. "We will be taking our people and their belongings and if it takes more than four orns you would do well to stay back. I am waiting for my soldier and your removal. Prime out."

"We have a ship on sensors. Small, maybe a runabout. Its heading our way at top speed," Blaster said as he glanced at Prime. "One passenger. It reads as Ratchet."

Prime nodded. "Send someone to get him. Let Mars know that we're moving 120,000 civilians. We need to get on it. Have the dreadnoughts be bases for their transfer. When they fill up, they take them to Mars, then return. I want them to take what they need among their possessions. I want the dead retrieved as well. I don't want them punished for being in a bad situation."

Prowl nodded, then sat with his datapad to write the orders and send them onward. As he did, the little ship was rendezvousing with a vessel that pulled him on board. As that happened, the troops of Cassio Imperialis were pulling off the settlement worlds, heading toward a nebula that sprawled nearby, the victim long ago of a flashing rift of energy that took a star out in a spectacular explosion.

It was silent as the bridge crew watched the ship that held Ratchet come ever closer. It would arrive in moments, then Ratchet would hike up the elevator to the bridge. But before that, Ironhide would be waiting for him on the hangar deck.

The ship slowed nearby, then a bridge of light flashed on attaching to the hangar deck of Salton Sea. On it, walking with a grin and a couple of officers transferring back to Salton Sea, he ambled toward safety once more. Ironhide who was waiting stared at him with emotional optics. Ratchet stepped onto the deck, then flung his arms around the big mech. Ironhide squeezed him, lifting his considerable heft off the deck. They hugged and hugged, then looked at each other. Turning together, Ironhide's servo resting on the small of Ratchet's back, they walked to the elevator. Everything that had to say to each other now, they said off line.

The elevator opened, then the two walked out, Ratchet prancing and preening like a debutante to the applause, cheers and sass of the crew. Hugs were had from Hercy, Kup, Springer, Drift, the younger mechs, a few crew here and there and, from of all mechs, Prowl. Prime grinned at him from the command deck as the humans in the travel box whistled and clapped. Ratchet smiled at them, then Prime. "I see you brought your gerbils."

HUGE laughter from everyone and a slight smirk from Ironhide was had. Ratchet grinned. "I see you got the message."

Prime nodded. "Yes," he said. "Tell me what you can about Imperialis."

"Well, first of all, what about my kid, Partition?" Ratchet asked.

"He's in the sick bay getting a rest," Ironhide said. "He's fine but wound up."

"He did good," Ratchet said. He looked at Prime. "It's Cassio Imperialis and his much, much worse brother, Ebio."

"I never met Ebio," Prime said.

"I have," Prowl said grimly.

Ratchet grinned. "Did you know he knows circuit su and Metallikato? He said so."

"Puh-lease," Prowl said as he folded his arms in disgust.

Laughter greeted that, then Ratchet continued. "They wanted to smoke you out with lies and slag …you know … the usual high caste chorus. Ebio and I almost mixed it up at the end. He has no respect for anything lower than his chin. Slagger."

"He's militant about caste, that one," Prowl said. "Cassio, I didn't have to deal with but his brother was his emissary and he was often at the HQ in Iacon trying to make trouble. I loathe him and he loathes me."

"He also loathes Prime. **TRIFECTA!"** Ratchet said to loud laughter. "They're leaving for four orns to allow you to get everyone but they won't like it a bit if you break their settlements. They have a theory that if they can settle here you'll know where they are and not have to worry that they're out making allies to come to Mars and do Metallikato on our afts. Yes. He told me," Ratchet said batting his optical ridges at Prowl who rolled his optics.

"I will hate to break his pretty balloons, then," Prime said. "He gets nothing from these people. Its the least we can do for their suffering and fear."

Ratchet nodded. "I thought you'd say that," Ratchet said. "Well, my work here is finished."

Huge laughter and some whistles rounded out that bit of brio. Prime sat back almost giddy with relief. "Go get scanned, then we need you to help us. I'm calling out the rescue now."

Ratchet nodded. "Okay." He looked around. "So, is there anything I missed?" he asked as Alor tackled him. He was passed around the family, a number of mechs who worked and/or waited on the deck, then Ironhide dragged him toward the elevator.

" **MOVE IT, OLD MECH! YOUR SCREWS ARE LOOSE!"** he said as he shoved Ratchet into the elevator. Ratchet turned with a brilliant smile and a wave to everyone before the door closed on the two.

It was a moment to be savored by the crew and everyone else. "That's a relief," Prowl said. He looked at the screen. "The fleet will be organizing around the shock troops that are going to be going in first. The dreads will follow along with the Supremes. The rest of us will be taking in teams through the bridges while Mars organizes to receive refugees."

-0-On the way down

Ratchet and Ironhide embraced all the way to the med bay, then stepped off together when they arrived. Hoorahed down the corridor, embraced and applauded, he entered a suite and sat down. Plugs were placed as Ironhide hovered. Ratchet grinned at him as the all clear began to form in symbols on the screen above him. As that happened, a solemn-faced Partition appeared in the doorway nearby.

-0-TBC 8-24-17 **edited 8-28-17**


	108. Chapter 108

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 108)

-0-Med Bay, Salton Sea

He stood uneasily in the doorway watching the scene within. Ratchet noticed, then stood, pulling plugs out of his various ports as he did. "Come in, infant," he said with a grin.

Partition hesitated, then entered to stand before Ratchet with his servos on his hips. "You made it."

Ratchet nodded. "We both did. I told you, right, recruit?"

Partition nodded. "You needed me. You can't be trusted to do things without help."

It was obvious to Ratchet that the kid was still lingering in the OMG-WTF zone so he grinned. "There **is** that," he said with a smile. "We have refugees. We need to get on it. Are you up to it or do you want to go to Mars and help at that end."

"No," he said. "I'll help you here. You need me."

Ratchet grinned. "I do." He glanced at Ironhide who was looking at the kid with a slight disquiet. "He's with me. Let's go to the bridge and get the ball rolling, Ironhide." Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. :Shell shock. Its going to take a moment to recede:

Ratchet led the way with Ironhide and Partition following. It was a short ride to the bridge, then a shorter meeting with Prime. Ratchet would go to Phobos to lead the worst case scenario for illness and other misery-laden individuals. They would be sparse on the ground considering the great job that the local doctors had done over the eons. He would stand on the hangar deck watching the ships bring civilians in with Partition hovering at his side.

-0-On the Salton Sea

Raptor turned to go to the command table to check data, then noticed the humans. He paused, then grinned. "You slaggers still here?"

Grins met that. :Raptor, what's the plan now? You pull off the civilians and their stuff, then what?:

"Well, I'm leaning toward putting a torpedo up their afts but that's just me," he said to snickers here and there.

Prime turned toward him. "What about leveling two of the settlements and trimming the first? Cut out the infrastructure that could be used for aggression and leave the rest."

"That was my line of thinking too, Optimus," Raptor said as he sat down at the command table. He was facing Prime, leaning on the table like any codger at a bar. Prime was lounging in the command chair rather casually, something that surprised Harris. The bots doing things that felt familiarly 'human' was a new sight. But then, all of the momentous events thus far were. "I think if we give them a big hole on the farthest planets and let them have the first, then we're ahead. The energy is less stable around the first than the other two."

Prime nodded. "Design a team to take things down, General. Make it comprehensive and strategic."

Raptor grinned. "Will do. It'll let the infant blow off some steam."

Prime grinned. It was good to be Prime."

-0-On the settlement planets just before surrender

The ships began to move off, rising from the building tops to head for space. Watching them leave from their hiding places, homes, offices, shops, and other places in the three big sprawling habitations, it was with dread that the population waited for what came next. They had come out of nowhere and after a skirmish or two that included horrible black acidic monsters, takeover had been complete. The settlements were in an area few ever came so their defenses were mostly automated. It had been swift and they had fallen into fearful obedience.

Then he had called to them in their darkness and despair.

"My name is Optimus Prime."

The entire population would never forget the moment they heard the velvet voice of their leader speaking to them over the transponder communications link all of them shared and which Primes could access. They halted in their tracks to listen.

"We have received your distress signal and have launched an armada to come to your rescue. We have driven off the intruders and are prepared to airlift you from here to safety. We have rescued Cybertron and we have established a city on a colony world where you will be transported due to the destruction and rebuilding happening on our home world. We have reclaimed civilian migrations as large as two million at a time so your numbers are not a hindrance to your rescue. We will do this systematically and we ask that you obey the directions of those who will be landing shortly to help you.

"We know you have been here a long time. We will allow you to take whatever you wish to bring in terms of possessions, databases, art and cultural items as well as any among you who are deceased. We have teams that can help you disinter your dead and bring them with you. It is not your fault that this has happened so you will not have to leave knowing your deceased loved ones are left behind. Our army will protect you. Our air force which is mainly composed of Seekers will help and protect you as well.

"The war is over and the Autobots have reclaimed both Cybertron and our people wherever we find them. We ask that you gather your possessions and families, friends and all others who will come. We are aware of pets and other obligations as well. Teams will meet with your leaders to organize not only your airlift but that of those who are deceased. Elders, the sick and hospitalized, infants, and those with special concerns will be given priority and you will be reassembled as families and neighbors on the other side. I will transmit images of the place where you will be living when we get there so you can understand that you are not leaving a good place to exist in another that is less hospitable.

"We heard you and we came. Gather now and let us help you in the most orderly and thorough fashion. You are important to us. Until all are one. Prime out."

Images of the colony were sent and the population absorbed them in silence. When that passed, messages began to arrive. The population turned almost as one to the task before them. They did so with an almost overpowering sense of happiness and relief.

-0-On the ground in the third settlement

Maelstrom stood on a street corner with Chromia and Arcee. The civilians were busy getting each other and what they wanted to bring with them gathered. They were assisted by a veritable ant hill of mechs and the odd femme from the colony. Ships would land in the middle of intersections waiting for loads. Groups would be checked off, gathered up and taken to the vessels which would lift up making room for the next.

From there, they would go to space and either head through a bridge or be off loaded to the behemoths in space that sat in a row with their running lights glowing. For most of those who saw them, it was an awesome experience, one they watched in whispers. The hangar deck of Phobos was busy with the odd off load of an elder needing something or someone who was sick. Partition took notes as Ratchet dictated. He was intensely focused as he worked.

Sitting nearby on a barrel watching the two, Ironhide felt his mainspring, so to speak, begin to relax. It had been explosively awful, the past few, and he couldn't shake it as fast as he used to. They had too good a thing here, the two of them. Most of the time, things were what they were but now? They were impossibly important. It was a two-by-two world for both of them and when one was out of the picture it was a terribly cold place.

The swirl continued.

-0-Downtown Autobot City

Ravel and Tie Down stood at the corner waiting for the rest of their club to join them. They had closed the shop to help with the immigrants coming. Their own genitors would join them when classes let out. Right now, they waited for friends, nodding to this and that bot walking past who knew them and reverenced their skills. They were a highly esteemed pair in the colony.

Kestrel and Tagg walked up to join them. They had morning classes and were available to assist. Glancing around, Kestrel smiled. "I love new immigrants. Their happiness is so infectious."

Ravel nodded. "I do too. This is such a good thing. More citizens rescued. I was told it was over 100,000."

Tagg nodded. "It is. Orion messaged us. He said that none of us were to get too tired and that the children should go to the Military Day Care Center in The Fortress."

"We can have our genitors get them. We can take a break at dinner, then maybe one or two of us can take all of them home while the rest continue," Ravel said.

"That sounds good, Ravie," Kes said as they stood together. Soon, the rest of their club, an elder social group of individuals from Iacon would arrive and they would join the long line of those waiting to assist newcomers into the world of freedom and authentic Cybertronian life. It would last for one and a half days nonstop.

-0-Nearby, later that afternoon

Inweld and Morius stood on the corner watching the newcomers. They were streaming in steadily, the refugees. Ships landed and groups were taken off, moving with assistance to the long row of immigration and refugee intake personnel that waited for them. They joined lines, waited patiently and looked all around them as they did. It was evident that they saw titan city-formers here, entire square miles of towers, businesses and other sites. The Temple gleamed nearby between towers that glistened in the sunlight. A steady hum of voices could be heard everywhere. The two on impulse joined the line of worker bees, chatting with the others as they moved closer to the front and a chance to give back. Both of them would be surprisingly uplifted by the experience.

Around them on the airfield, ships brought in baggage, equipment and other things that the refugees didn't want to leave behind. Ships would be bearing tagged baggage, essential equipment and devices, databases, mainframe computers, all manner of imaginable thing, along with the dead. They were angry now, the colonists, so they were prepared to bring everything they owned as a big middle finger to their captors. On the colony worlds, the chaos had leveled out to a steady and forthright hum. Entire areas were being stripped down of all that the inhabitants wanted, then packed up and loaded on ships. They were told that a warehouse that handled refugee baggage in Industrial Park City #5 would handle what they decided to bring, so many were the irate elders stripping down their apartments to transport it to the new one somewhere else.

It was often pretty hilarious.

"Those fraggers came and made things more terrible. We were worried about the energy floes and knew it was only a matter of time before we had to evacuate but those fraggers … they came and gave us a good half joor," a little mech said as he chatted up a number of soldiers who were terribly amused by his grim retelling. "If I had been younger I would have done something about it, infants. I used to be a soldier once upon a time."

"I can see that, Abba," Sandstorm said as he listened to someone who reminded him of his old grand atar. "We're here to do that for you."

The old mech sniffled. "That's right, youngling," he said was high emotions and a tear or two. "You came and so did Prime. **I KNEW YOU WOULD!** Didn't I tell you?" he asked a couple of other little mechs who nodded in agreement. "I knew Prime would come. You infants. You serve the best Prime ever. I knew them all. I knew about everyone from Guardian Prime forward. All of the Primes after Guardian were fraggers until Optimus."

"Well, Zeta started out right but he sorta fell into bad ways," another little old mech said.

The first nodded. "He fell apart, that one, but Optimus. He's true and blue," the little mech said staring up at the soldiers.

They grinned at him and nodded. "We would agree with that," Sandstorm said.

They would listen to the little mechs chatting about things, then help them load up when their turn came. They would continue to do that for another orn, then they would be part of the crew who helped blow up everything that Prime and Prowl told them to detonate. It would be like Christmas and New Years rolled into one for all of them.

Yolo.

-0-TBC 8-25-17 **edited 8-28-17**

NOTES: For the two people on Earth who don't know what Yolo means, 'you only live once'. It's usually what delinquents say before they slide out onto the top of the Empire State Building to get a selfie.


	109. Chapter 109

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 109)

Sorry about last night. I went to Anchorage in a tiny rental car with three dogs. YEE-HAW! This was supposed to be posted. I will post it now and the one for today. A TWO-FER! Hugs, my darlings!

-0-Late afternoon

Ratchet walked to the bridge of Phobos with Partition. Ironhide had gone to the galley to get food for the three of them. Things were really moving and there was little for him to do as a doctor in this group. The settlers had lived here since The Fall so they weren't damaged goods. They were just gloriously relieved to be found and rescued. Some of them cried for their homes, a prospect greatly lessened by Prime's decree that they could bring what they wanted. Many would be the big transport ship that would come here and fly back to Mars heavily laden.

It helped a great deal and for many would help the transition when they had a moment to decompress.

Ratchet walked forward and sat on a comfortable couch that was placed along the forward view port. Outside, the scene was amazing as the armada supported the operation. Partition sat down next to him, then leaned back wearily. "You okay, kid?" Ratchet asked.

He didn't answer a moment, then he glanced at Ratchet. "Remind me that I hate you."

Ratchet laughed, then sprawled himself. "Okay."

It was quiet a moment as the kid looked around, then he looked at Ratchet. "Do you like being a soldier?"

Ratchet considered that a moment. "Sure. I like the life, especially when we didn't have a family. I like the humor, the friendships, the freedom … the fighting and dying, no."

"I like being a soldier. I think I want to be one full time. Of course, I'd be a diplomat, too, but I like this better." He looked at the mech at Tactical who was laughing at a joke with the mech next to him. "I like the easy manner of everyone. Here, we're at war, but there's jokes. There were never jokes and fun when I was just a diplomat."

Ratchet watched the kid as he struggled to understand the new path before him. Obviously, friends and fun were not a common thing in his experience. It made Ratchet feel sad a moment. "I like it. There's something really deep down honest about this, about being a soldier. You go out to risk your life for the good of others, most of which you will never know. They don't know what you go through but it makes you feel good to know that you did it. Taking care of others is a good thing. It feels clean inside. Do you understand?"

Partition stared at him a moment, then nodded. "Yeah."

"This is something that we do without the expectation of anything in return. It's a thing we do for the good of all," Ratchet said as Ironhide appeared from the elevator. "Dinner."

Partition watched Ironhide as he paused beside the Officer of the Deck at Command. "He's a soldier for a long time, right? His family are generals?"

Ratchet nodded. "He's the Master of the Armed Forces, infant. He's the boss hog of all of us."

"Wow," Partition said softly. "He's Praxian Elite. That's the best there is, right?"

Ratchet grinned. "It is. Have him teach you their code. **The** Code. Sometime, let him tell you about it. Its why the Elites are the best."

Ironhide reached them, then handed both a box. Sitting across from them in a chair with his own, he grinned. "Beer inside. I snatched a few bottles."

Ratchet opened his box filled with Cybertron's version of sandwiches, sides and nestled among them a bottle of Praxus Black Label. Ratchet pulled his out, opened it and took a swig. "Best thing out of Praxus since you, Ironhide."

Ironhide preened just so, then grinned. "That's true isn't it?"

"Won't get an argument out of me," Ratchet said as Partition watched both of them intently. "What do you say, infant?"

Partition glanced at Ratchet, then Ironhide. "No argument from me either."

They sat together eating their food before being recalled to Salton Sea for a debrief session. Partition would follow Ratchet like a big puppy dog.

-0-Later that night on Mars

Partition stood on the tarmac at Autobot City watching the steady stream of refugees filing past. Both had attended the meeting, then came here to The City. There were 35 stations where they were greeted by Immigration, where their particulars were taken. They were entered into the system with a series of numbers. The first were those of their identity. Their personal data came next ... name, clan, tribe, city, city-state, familial designations and memberships, special dispensations for personal beliefs related to religion and other aspects that were held dear to the sparks of the practitioners due to taboos, skills, educational attainment if any, preferences for living with family, friends and neighbors, criminal records if any, (these searches were going on during the interview and anyone with an outstanding warrant was led off by Watch mechs posing as civilian helpers to prevent shootouts or other scenes), health issues and conditions, and other pertinent data. All of this was for the most part on the tags everyone carried which were slotted into the system and the data fed directly. It usually only took a minute to find out what and where they needed to go and to match them to anyone here that might be theirs. Once their personal effects numbers were loaded in, the orders to deliver them in three orns time or less were sent to the refugee baggage and effects warehouse in Industrial Park City #5 where the teams there would take them to their owners.

This was when they were led away to hospitals, mental holds, jail, or their new homes. It was extremely efficient and ever streamlined by the 'Boss Hog', Ultra Magnus each time they finished an intake.

No one called Magnus Boss Hog to his face.

Well, maybe Arcee …

Partition and Ratchet watched as a small mech and his family were led toward the road by of all mechs, Morius. Partition startled, then waved him over. The family followed Morius who was carrying a small shy child who looked exhausted and afraid. "What are you doing?" Partition asked.

"I'm helping. Inweld is here somewhere," Morius said as he glanced around. "I have to take this family to their new home in the Crater District. Why don't you come if you can? That little mech is tired."

They all turned to a little mech who looked weary, but under scrutiny slipped behind another carrying a baby, obviously his ada. Partition looked at Ratchet who was grinning. He nodded. "Go. Do more good."

Partition stared at him, then his hopeful brother. Walking to the little mech, picking him up awkwardly, he turned to Ratchet. "Don't go anywhere. You're with me." With that, the group walked back toward Metroplex Highway #1 and forward into their new life.

Ironhide who was standing behind Ratchet glanced at him. "Voodoo. You got voodoo."

"These blessed servos," Ratchet said with a smile as he raised his big red hands up. "I lay healing on blasted afts, miraculous servos-on blessings to the wretched."

Ironhide smirked, then leaned in. "I can think of a few places you can heal, slagger."

Ratchet grinned. "I can too, big boy."

"I am, aren't I?" Ironhide preened.

"I think so," a voice behind him said with a hint of amusement.

Both turned to see Ravel and Tie Down standing with a family. Ironhide blanched as Ratchet laughed. "Where are you two going?" he asked.

"To city 4 in the Crater District. We're going to work here. Are you off or even back from the front lines yet?" Tie asked as his son hugged both of them.

"Not clear yet. Where are the kids?" Ratchet asked as he grinned at the new family behind his genitors. They grinned back.

"We wanted to keep them but they're in The Fortress Military Day Care Center. Ada and the others want to help," Ravel said with a smile.

"I'm going to paddle them," Ratchet said. "Not for the day care but for the overworking."

"You do that, Sonny," Ravel said as he took the newbie mech closest to him by the servo. "We're going out there. Say hello to everyone for us," he said as the two of them led the family past them heading for the underground station, Metro #1 nearby.

Ironhide and Ratchet watched them go. "Cute but difficult. Slaggers are as happy as I've seen them. They're hardwired to serve."

Ironhide nodded. "I hear ya.'

They would stand together watching, kibitzing and altogether enjoying their own company until Partition came back. Ratchet would make sure they did.

-0-On the way to the Crater District

The group stood up on a crowded train that was winding its way toward the huge junction at Terra where it would take a straight line without any stops to the Crater District, the newly finished mass habitation that was just now being signed off and readied for populations. It was estimated to be able to hold more than seven million individuals as it stood now, a giant hub with seven cities on spokes spinning out from it. It was almost magical to see, glittering habitations that were well within sight of each other. Only the Metro Districts in the colony could see each other this well. The Terra Hub cities couldn't. The Tri-Cities couldn't. Even the seven cities east-north-west- and south were hard pressed to see each other, such was the amount of space left between them.

The ride was noisy with children fussing, elders swaying in an agonized weariness as the train bulleted along at a speed Earth could only dream about. No one in the colony was more than a few minutes away from ground zero, Autobot city itself. It made it to Terra and because it was designated to go to the Crater District, it was routed through the hub until it was lined up with the straight line to that place. It took a split second to turn the train on the turntable, then it was off. Streaking down the four track system, heading in the well lit underground past future turnoff sites to Earth 1, Earth2, the Consulate ,and a roadway back to the Industrial Park Cities, it blasted along. Soon, it would have a stop because the station for Industrial Park Cities was almost completed. Digging out the tunnels, reinforcing them against any kind of collapse or failure, laying several dozen miles of track on four lanes, they were ready to open it for workers. The other turnoffs were still on the books awaiting Prime's approval. He wasn't ready to give it.

They sped almost more swiftly than they planned for because soon they were sliding into the station. "Crater District Hub Station-Central Terminus-City One" a mechanical voice intoned. The doors slid open and the voice was back. "Mind the gap" it said as a horde stepped off.

Partition turned to his brother. "Wait. We get off at the third stop, not the first one."

The doors closed, the whistle for all clear sounded, then they were on their way. The second stop cleared more but took on some too. At the third, they were the only ones getting off but a lot were getting on. They passed, then headed for the escalators that led upward. The family followed, silent and weary. They were expectant and a little afraid. The child sat on Partition's arm staring at him, then his ada with silent frightened optics. They reached the top, walked through the beautiful enormous marble lined station, then out into the cold air. The child in Partition's arms huddled against him. "It's cold," he said.

"Put him in your carry hold, Partition. You do the same," Morius said as he stowed his child. "The Community Bulletin Board will help you about the cold here," he said as the mech holding the baby stowed it. "Follow me," Morius said as he looked around. He began to walk down the street. They followed and they would walk a long time before they reached the tower where the family would live. The family felt faint by the time they reached their new apartment on the tenth floor. There was nothing this fine nor amazing in their lifetimes to make this feel normal.

Morius keyed the door and it opened. He turned to them with a grin. "This is your home. Come on inside and I'll show you what you need to know." They followed him and after a second to digest the moment, so did Partition. The door closed behind them.

-0-At the Port of Immigration

Ratchet saw him coming with his brother, Morius, then waved him over. The two came to Ironhide and Ratchet. "You both look great doing good deeds. Impressions?"

Morius glanced at his brother, then stepped closer to Ratchet. "That was fun. It was so amazing. I'm going back for more." He looked at his brother. "You coming?" he asked.

Partition glanced at Ratchet, then his brother. He stood a bit straighter. "I can't. I'm on duty. I'm a soldier, remember? I'm on duty with the army until this ends." He looked at Ratchet for verification.

"Slag right, recruit," Ratchet said with a grin. "He's under my command, Morius. But I have to say, I'm proud of you and what you're doing. You're very selfless tonight."

Morius stared at Ratchet a moment, then grinned. "Uh, well … it's fun. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Better get in line. There's families and little kids that need you." Ratchet watched as he slapped his brother's arm, then hurried to get back in line.

Partition stared at him a moment, then looked at Ratchet with a wary expression. "What do we do now?" he asked.

"We go back to the migration and work. You up to it, recruit?" Ironhide asked.

Partition stared at him seeing the Praxian Elite warrior, the Master of the Army and the seasoned veteran and scion of generals. He felt an overpowering desire to win his approval wash over him. "Yes, sir." For a moment, he felt surprise at his answer, then it didn't matter. He nodded. "I want to be with the army."

"Then let's go," Ironhide said. He and Ratchet began to thread their way back toward The Fortress and the Bridge Room, Partition tagging along with them. It would take a while with the crowds.

-0-A moment before

Partition watched as his brother explained the apartment, the monitor system, the Community Bulletin Board where everything could be found and their orns of leisure before work to learn it all. He showed them the food facilities, the wash rack which had amazed them, low castes that their tats showed, and all the rest. One of them cried making him feel very uncomfortable and the other, a mech who appeared to be the head of the household was profuse in his thanks. He took the call designation numbers for Morius if they were needed, then the two stepped out to head back. They hit the street, then walked toward the station some distance down. The second and third metro station for the city were being worked on under their feet so everyone used metro #1 for this city, hence the long walk.

Morius walked with a spring in his step. "I don't know about you but that was great. I'm doing it again. Inweld is in Tarn with a couple putting them together with their genitors. Isn't that great?" he asked his brother with a big smile.

Partition stared at him a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Weird, isn't it?"

Morius nodded. "Weird but good. I like this place, Partition. I'm glad for a second chance. How was your orn this far?"

Images of being a captive filled Partition's processor as the two hurried down the steps into the station below.

-0-Back

They walked out of the bridge, then went to the command deck of Salton Sea. Everyone was debriefing and Partition watched as the seasoned warriors and civilian bosses of the colony filled Prime in on the big picture. He listened well asked great questions. Partition watched with a hurricane of confusion warring in his spark.

-0-TBC 6-25-17 **edited 8-18-17**


	110. Chapter 110

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 110)

-0-Ratchet's office

They sat together as Ratchet finished a bit of paperwork. No one was in the need of his services and with the doctors who led his programs, novice medics and student doctors were handling things for real world experience. Ironhide was getting the kids and he, himself was getting ready to go home but would remain on call just in case. Partition was sitting on the couch eating a can of candy that Ratchet had tossed to him. "This is good."

"It's fudge. I keep it here in great quantities because Ironhide loves it," he replied. 'We keep such things around for the patients, especially children. Candy is a good bridge to communication when things are tough."

Partition nodded, then looked around. "What now?"

"Now? You go home and sleep, then come tomorrow around noon. We have things to do and you need to know how to do rounds."

"I'm not a doctor, I'm a soldier and diplomat," he replied.

"Why not be a triple threat?" Ratchet asked casually.

Partition stared at him a moment. "You don't think I can do it?"

"I don't know," Ratchet said as he sat back. "I'm always hopeful and positive and believe that you can do whatever you're willing to work hard enough to achieve."

Partition stared at him silently, then nodded. "Maybe. I might. You do it. How hard can it be?"

Ratchet laughed loudly, then grinned at the kid. "You're hilarious. Go home. Get sleep. Come back at noon, recruit. Those are your orders."

Partition tipped the can's contents into his mouth, then stood. He screwed the lid on the container and set it on Ratchet's desk. "Alright," he said, then seemingly reluctantly walked to the door.

"Hey, kid," Ratchet said. He paused to look at Ratchet. "You did good. I'm proud of you."

He stared at Ratchet almost too long, then nodded. "Okay," he said simply, then walked out.

Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "I'm going to make a decent mech out of you if it kills us both."

He turned back to the work before him, cleared it up, then rose to leave. He would be home in moments to wait for the family to come. They would. It would be bedlam.

-0-Late that night

Ratchet walked through the dark house to the door, then opened it. An emotional Partition was standing in the hallway. "Partition. What's happening?"

He shifted uneasily, then looked at Ratchet near to tears. "Can I spend the night here?"

-0-Ops Center earlier

Prowl wrapped things up and handed it off to the night commander, Lebus, who came in to work the migration to get experience managing fluid situations like this one. Prime had left earlier and was with the kids. When Prowl got home it would be bedlam.

-0-The Twins

It was cold on the hangar deck of Phobos as they flew into line behind ships managing the refugee transfer. Ships and runabouts ahead of them were off loading the few individuals who would need attention at the Martian and Gliesian hospitals after preliminaries on Phobos. Ratchet had left and they were getting ready to go. The first responders were being weeded out to leave for home. They were recalled to go. Having gone from ship-to-ship across the migration for the past eighteen joors, they were being replaced with others. Their ship slid up alongside Phobos and the two hopped off with three others, all of them off duty the moment they stepped onto the deck. A short walk to the bridge room would deliver them to the Ops Center on Mars. It would be night time when they arrived and finally entered their home where everyone was recharging. They would enter quietly and only Bob would see them. Dawg would be snoring on the pillow beside the living room window as usual.

-0-Elsewhere

"Partition … what's going on?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

Partition shifted uneasily. "Um … I was … passing by and ..." He paused, then rubbed his face with his servos. "Do you mind if I … can I stay here?" he asked.

Ratchet blinked. "Come in," Ratchet said as the youngster walked into the room. The door closed behind him.

-0-Earlier

Partition walked into his family apartment, then paused as his genitors turned to him. They were on the monitor and were as surprised to see him as he was to see them. His father turned toward him. "Partition … where have you **been**?"

"I've been working on the rescue," Partition said.

Laslo walked to him and gripped his arm. "You look tired. What happened, son? What did you do? We were so worried."

Partition shifted on his peds. "I was with Ratchet in the rescue armada. We got caught."

"What?" his father asked with surprise. "What do you mean? You were caught? By who?"

"The enemy. We had to go get the settlements. They were being held by aliens who turned out to be Cybertronian … renegades."

His father stepped closer. "Who?"

"Cassio Imperialis," Partition replied.

It was silent a moment, then Laslo turned to Lucien. "Cassio? He's here? Why is he here? I thought he was dead. What do you **mean** he had the settlements, son?"

"He's running his own group now and took them over. He had them under guard, held as prisoners. He told Prime to go or he'd hurt them," Partition said. "We had a shoot out and they left."

"What do you mean that you were caught, Partition?" Laslo asked.

"We went to get someone and they hit us with null rays, Ratchet and me. They took us to their fort or ship. We were held and then I got away. I was released and told Prime all I knew. We got Ratchet back and then worked on the migration. They let the first string go so here I am." He stared at them with a gathering sense of disconnect and anxiety. It sounded weird to him too.

Laslo glanced at Lucien who looked aghast. "Lucien … this isn't good. You could have been **killed,** son. You could have died."

"I didn't," Partition said as he glanced at his beloved ada. "I was fine. I'm a soldier now. I used my training and did the job."

It was silent, then Lucien stepped closer. "Partition, you **cannot** continue to do this. You are not **meant** for this life. You could have been **killed**. What would we **do** if you **did**?"

"I … don't know. I just know that I'm going to do this. I **want** to do this. This is the most amazing thing I've ever done. I'm doing something good here. I'm part of something big and important," Partition said. "I'm going to be a soldier and diplomat. I'm going to do this for my career. The soldiers accept me. They're going to train me."

"I don't think so. I **forbid** you to do this," Lucien said as he stood straighter. "I'm your father and I'm telling you, this ends now."

"No," Partition said equally firmly.

"Partition, your father has your best interests at heart," Laslo said nervously. "Why don't we speak about this?"

"I don't think there's anything to say, Laslo," Lucien said. He turned to his son. "You had your adventures, Partition. Now its time to put this aside."

Partition glanced from Laslo to Lucien. "No. I've found what I want to do. I'm going to do this."

"No, you aren't," Lucien said firmly.

It was silent a moment, then Partition turned to the door. He hesitated, then walked out. His genitors watched with shock and surprise, then hurried out. The door to the elevator closed before they could reach him.

-0-Elsewhere moments later

He sat on the couch staring at the floor. Ratchet sat beside him. He had scanned the kid when he came and other than depressed systems here and there, nothing indicated that he was unwell. "Well, what happened?" he asked gently. Standing in the hallway in the shadows, Ironhide watched the two.

"I went home. My father forbid me to do this. I told him what happened and how this was for me. You know?" he asked glancing at Ratchet for a moment.

Ratchet nodded. "Sometimes, you don't choose the moment. The moment chooses you."

Partition nodded. "I like this. I like the life. When we were caught," he said as he sat back to look at Ratchet with uncertainty. "I did the right thing, right? I wasn't a coward or something."

"No," Ratchet said. "You weren't a coward. You did what I ordered you to do and you did it well. I was proud of you. You went to Prime and told him. That's the first thing to do, report and get help. You were the spy for this encounter."

Partition looked relieved a moment, then he stared at the floor. "My genitors don't like it. I told them I was going to continue this because it was the thing I wanted to do. My atar forbid me so I left. I came here. I think you ... get me."

Ratchet grinned slightly. "I saw something good in you, infant. You did all you were supposed to do. You got a long way to go before we really include you in combat but you can come with me. I can use a steady hand."

He stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "I don't want to go back there tonight. Can I stay here?"

Ratchet nodded. "Come on. You can stay in my son's room. I think you'll fit in the bunk beds. Let's sneak you in." Ratchet rose, then pulled Partition to his peds. "You'll be alright. I have control over all three of you. Remember?"

Partition nodded, then followed Ratchet down the hallway. He crept into a bunk, stretched out, then relaxed. "Thanks," he said quietly.

"No problem," Ratchet said. "Recharge well. Tomorrow is coming soon enough."

He nodded, then shuttered his optics. Ratchet crept out, then walked to the berth room where Ironhide was lying down again. He lay back, then relaxed himself. "Poor dumb kid. He's going to be alright though, I think."

"His genitors won't be."

"They have no choice if I tell them to do something. It's time that they let him be an adult. The kid is trying. Mentor him, Ironhide. He's not a bad kid. Something in him is starting to grow. Let's water it," Ratchet said.

"If you say so," Ironhide said as Ratchet rolled over and tucked into his chassis.

It would be a quiet night in the apartment.

-0-Morning

He felt optics upon him. On-lining them, Ratchet saw standing over him the solemn face of his son. "What's up, Sunny?"

"There's a strange mech in my room." Sunspot glanced down the hallway, then back at Ratchet.

"That's Partition. He needed a berth. I thought, who can be the best buddy I know? Then the answer came. Sunspot, of course," Ratchet said as he sat up. Ironhide stirred, then fell back into recharge.

Sunspot grinned at both of them, then nodded. "Okay." He walked back out down the hallway.

Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "You're a marvel, infant." He rose, then walked out to check on the infants. Hero was awake, making up her little big girl berth in her immaculate room herself. Orion was up and digging in his toy box, his berth the usual wreck. Praxus was fighting waking up. Prowler was bouncing in his crib like it was a trampoline and Sunspot was organizing book bags in the living room. "What about our big boys, infant?"

Sunspot smiled. "I'll wake them up, Ada," he said. "Come on, Spot. They're hard to wake up."

Actually, they weren't but they liked to play this game too. Ratchet watched them haul down the hallway, then turned to the task of food. Pulling things out, he made a good old standby he saw on a food channel once. A huge pot of scrambled eggs with melted cheese, piles of 'toast, jam and butter', piles of 'bacon and sausage', glasses of 'orange juice', some Cybertronian pastries that were **HUGE** back in the orn which Ravel and Corr made and supplied for the infant's breakfasts because 'they should know what good tastes like, Sunny', they said. He snacked on one as he cooked. They were right.

The sound of laughter and footfalls greeted the near completion of breakfast as the big boys walked out carrying Sunspot between Quasar and Genesis as each held him upside down by his peds. Ironhide wandered out with Prowler and Praxus, both of them looking upbeat and ready to eat while Hero followed.

"Where's Spud?" Ratchet asked as he placed plates and cups around the table.

Ironhide settled kids, then turned to look around. "He was here a minute ago."

" **ADA! I COMED NOW!"** He came out with a Hawaiian flower lei around his neck, a short skirt that was made to look like bananas hanging on a string around his waist and Hero's straw hat with a daisy 'growing' out of the top. It bounced with every step. He paused before his genitors, then posed like Superman. "You likeded this? I doing it."

Ratchet laughed loudly. "I love it."

"What is that?" a voice said.

Everyone turned to see a new person standing in the hallway, someone with a great paint scheme and a confused expression. Ironhide who flared with defensiveness turned toward Partition. "That's Orion. He hears a different drummer."

Orion turned to him, posed like Superman, then smiled brilliantly. **"HI, SHE! YOU COMED HERE TOO!? I, ORION, SAY HI!"**

For a moment, it was silent as everyone stared from the little kid to the big one. Then Partition grinned slightly. "Hi," he said softly.

Ratchet laughed. "Sit down and eat. We got soldiering to do today."

He hesitated, then walked to the table to take a seat among the big kids. They looked at him, then Ratchet and Ironhide, then him again. Quasar held out his servo. "I'm Quasar. These are three out of nine of our older brothers … Genesis, Fireball, that little mech that looks like Ada is Praxus … this little femme is our sister, Hero," he said as he pointed out each. They smiled at Partition as they sat in their chairs. "That's Prowler … he's the youngest and that's Sunspot. The dog is Spot." He grinned. "That little kid is Orion. He's sort of my hero."

Everyone grinned at Orion, then looked at Partition. Partition looked at Orion, then Quasar. "Does he always do that?"

"No. Sometimes he's a Ninja Turtle," Quasar said with pride. The others nodded, then looked at Partition.

Partition stared at Orion, then Ratchet. "Oh," he said. Then he ate. A lot.

-0-TBC 8-27-17 **edited 8-28-17**

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the big world tonight but especially those in the Gulf Coast like Texas. Take care and know you are needed and loved.


	111. Chapter 111

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 111)

-0-Bedlam

The infants ran to gather their things. A compromise on ensemble for Orion was reached. He would wear his sister's flower covered hat and leave the banana skirt at home. His accessories including leis didn't much match up with it very well so it was an easy trade off. It was also hilarious to watch Ironhide bargain with his boy just enough that he could fit into a carry hold without much fuss. When the appropriate dollies were chosen and the book bags distributed, Ironhide, the big kids, Ratchet, Spot, the little kids, and Partition stepped out to go down to the lobby. The elders who usually got the kids to school were working on the migration after having taken a sleep and food break. They would only get half the lecture from Ratchet about over extending themselves this time.

They reached the street, then gathered to watch Hero call her cab. She was self-consciously delighted to demonstrate this great skill and family assist in front of the 'new guy'. He had been asked to carry her down and he had. She had smiled at him and he had grinned slightly back. She was very pleased to help even a little bit. "Mr. Cab Man? This is Hero of Mars," she said as she pressed the call button at the cab stand.

"Hi, Hero. You ready to go to school?" a cheerful voice replied.

" **I AM!"** Hero said with great excitement. She looked at the others with a giant smile. This was so much fun showing everyone how much she could help them. They smiled back including a slightly mesmerized Partition.

"I have it programmed. I also programmed your cab to the shop. Are you going there after school or are your elders working on the migration?" 'Mr. Cab Man' asked.

She looked up at the adults. "What do I do?"

"Come to the hospital. We can get you in the lobby," Ratchet said.

"Mr. Cab Man, I have to go to the Autobot City Medical Center. My ada will get me there," Hero said.

"Okay," the voice said. "It's plugged in. Have a great orn, Hero."

" **THANK YOU, MR. CAB MAN! I WILL! YOU BE HAPPY TOO!"** she said with a blinding burst of joy. The family was used to it but it was new to Partition. He really liked this little femme.

"What happens now? She goes to school in a cab? Why?" Partition asked as a cab could be seen coming.

"She goes to the Pioneer School in the Central Office in Metrotitan. She's been accelerated," Ratchet said as Hero began to get hugs. When she got to Partition, she held up her arms. He leaned down and awkwardly hugged her. She smiled, then walked with great self conscious happiness to get inside the cab. The door closed, then it pulled out. She waved until they were out of sight. A receipt would be sent to Ironhide and Ratchet when she arrived.

Ironhide turned to everyone. "Time to go to Terra. What about it, Sunspot? Do you come with us to Terra, then take the Yellow Bus to Centurion today or what?"

"I'm going to do that, Ada. Bos, Reflector and Co-D's bus stops there and I can get on. It's at the cab stand outside Metro Station #1 in Terra." Sunspot led the way to Metro Station #1 nearby and down the steps they went, Partition following. The big boys waited on the platform with them until the train came for Iacon, then hugged everyone before they left. The orange train to Terra arrived so they crowded on, the door sliding shut behind them. Holding straps, they swayed in the packed train car all the way to Terra.

-0-Topside

" **There it is!"** Sunspot said as a yellow bus rumbled toward them. Spot moved to stand beside him as the bus stopped and the door opened. Three other kids waiting for it boarded while Sunspot hugged and kissed everyone. The little mechs were sitting by the windows waving and calling out. They got love back, then the bus pulled off with all four of the little mechs waving from the same window seat.

"That's the last different school?" Partition asked as they began to walk to the school down the street.

"We send Hero to Metrotitan and the Pioneer School. The big boys go to Iacon and the Intermediate School. Orion and Praxus come here to Sparkling Day, then we go down the street to drop Prowler at The Circle of Light Preparatory Academy." Ratchet grinned. "We have family help us most orns but today is our turn. Everyone is working on the migration."

Partition nodded as he followed the two and the last three kids. Entering the school, he watched Orion and Praxus get hugged, kissed, then run for their lines. The doors opened and they entered. Prowler watched them, then the adults. "I go there?"

"Soon," Ironhide said as he kissed his son's cheek. "Right now, we go down the street to your school or Miss Birdie will eat us." They walked out, headed against the tide to the prep school, then dropped the last little bundle off. They were, at last, free.

"Where now?" Partition asked.

"A tour of the armory," Ironhide said. He looked at Partition with a critical optic. "A soldier needs to understand ordinance. I don't suppose you've gotten that far in your training yet?"

Partition looked at Ironhide with surprise, then straightened a bit. "No, sir."

"Then its time," Ironhide said as he looked at Ratchet. "I'm taking the recruit over. He needs some training. He can meet with you later on. Okay?"

Ratchet appeared to be considering that, then nodded. "I agree. It'll be good for the recruit to learn all he can. He has a desire to serve and be the best soldier he can be."

Partition nodded, glancing from one to the other. "That's right."

"Then follow me, infant," Ironhide said as he turned back to the metro station. "Time to go to the hubs and armories. There's a whole new world down there and every soldier has to learn it."

Partition nodded, his affect brightening. "Alright. Where are we going?" he said as he hurried after Ironhide.

"Down below, to my domain. You're about to enter a whole new world of possibilities," Ironhide said as the two hurried down the station steps to disappear.

Ratchet watched them go, then grinned. "You better believe it. Oh, and Ironhide? I'm so going to frag your big old peds off tonight." With that, he walked down the street to the ice cream shop for a bite, then headed back to The City to look in on the overnight haul from space.

-0-Later that morning

Ratchet cleared up his desk, organized everything, then stepped into the hallway. Down the way heading toward him with dispatch, Laslo and Lucien were walking. Lee-Lee followed with a look of distraction and irritation on her face. "Ratchet, I tried to tell them that you're busy but they won't listen."

"That's alright, Lee-Lee," Ratchet said as he walked back into his office. "Let them come."

Lee-Lee stared at them, then him. "I'll be right outside. Call me if you need me."

"I will, infant. Thank you," Ratchet said as the two entered. He closed the door, then turned to them. "My, don't you two look happy."

"I'm not here to trade quips or mince words, Ratchet. I want you to release whatever weird hold you have on my son. He's not going to be a soldier and he's not going to expose himself to anything that dangerous," Lucien said.

"I don't blame you. Who wants their kids to be soldiers? I have about 27 children in all. All of my daughters but one are soldiers. All of my older sons are. My babies, they're not going to be soldiers. None of them are. We don't want it so we know what you feel but understand me, both of you … he's a grown boy and he's made up his processor." Ratchet walked to his desk, pulled a drawer, then a can from its confines. "Candy?" he asked them.

"No," Lucien said. He watched Ratchet sit, prop up his peds, then unscrew the can to eat some of the contents. "You're doing this to punish both of us for your grievances. You want to take my son away from me."

"No to both, Lucien," Ratchet said. "I don't need more sons. I have a lot of them. You're the one losing your son. You think he'll obey you? You taught him to ignore authority and the rules. You can't suddenly impose both now. Your kid is finding a new path and he likes it. I hadn't planned on him getting into the military but he likes it. Guess what … the soldiers agreed to train him, good tough drill masters. They have him learning how to do hard things with confidence. Your son didn't have confidence before. He had arrogance and a distinct lack of empathy and gratitude. Now, he's learning how to be a good mech and the concept of all being one. Soldiering and religion, all in one. You're welcome."

Laslo glanced at Lucien who was seething silently, then Ratchet. "Ratchet … we know that you have authority over us and this whole situation. You can't be encouraging Partition to do this. He isn't a soldier and he could get killed. This isn't about us and you, about The System and getting even is it?"

"It might have been once upon a time but now? It's about helping a mech find his footing, about helping a kid who wants to belong and have friends find them. You have no idea how lonely this kid is do you? He's aching to belong to something bigger than himself and he found it. The mechs include him, mechs that you wouldn't give a tinker's damn about include him and he's ecstatic. He works hard and he's improving. I'm proud of him. He decided this on his own. He told me he likes the jokes and friendships. He says there wasn't either in his last job. He's lonely and has enough character and gumption to look for a better way. Instead of supporting that, you're against it."

"He's my son. I don't want to bury him," Lucien said coldly.

"No. Who would. Did you ever think, Lucien, that when you so glibly helped start wars for other family's children to fight in that their genitors feel like you do right now or is that too much to expect?" Ratchet said. "Now you know how my family has felt." He put down the can. "This isn't about The System to me. Prime banned it short of honor fights. This is about helping your son find a better way. Before, he was friendless, clueless and insufferable. Now? He's a happy mech striving for something big and in the middle of that is a real personal set of goals. He wants to be happy, feel useful and have genuine friends. I support that. It's a giant improvement over what he was. Too bad you can't see that as valuable."

"Where is he?" Lucien asked as he balled and relaxed his fists in a restless cycle.

"He's with the Master of the Armed Forces getting a private tour of the hubs and armories. He'd need to understand that if he wants to be a soldier," Ratchet said.

"He's with Ironhide then," Lucien asked for clarification.

Ratchet nodded. "He is. You should have seen him do his duty. You'd be proud of him. He was brave and he obeyed his orders to a tee. He's got good in him and I'm going to help him. You can't do a slagging thing. I have complete authority until the period of mentorship is over. You know that. I know it. Why not just go do your jobs and let him do his. You should be proud of him, both of you."

Lucien stepped closer. "I **am** proud of him."

Ratchet nodded. "Good. Nice start. You have new orders. Support your son. Do it so he can feel real feelings again and not the poison you two have filled him with. Maybe if you do, he'll come home and feel good about himself rather than sleeping over at my house instead."

Lucien stared at Ratchet with cold optics. Then with Laslo in tow, he walked out. Ratchet watched him go, then nodded to Lee-Lee. "I'll be down there. Call me if you need me, sweetie."

Lee-Lee nodded, then watched as Ratchet walked to the elevator to go down to the migration. It would be a long afternoon for everyone.

-0-In a hub down below

"These are for Seekers. These are the payload scripts," Ironhide said pointing to the sign on the wall over the huge pallets. Partition read them, then nodded. Ironhide turned to the next grouping across from it. "These shells go into artillery pieces, mostly space shuttles for the Wreckers. They have huge payloads. See?" Ironhide said as he held up the spec card attached to a shell. Partition read it closely, then nodded.

Ironhide grinned as they walked to the door to the next area. It would continue like that, then he would take Partition to the scene of the settlements, show him how they were designing the detonation of the last two colonies. Then they would watch together as they went up in smoke along with anything remotely aviation or military at settlement one. When they were done, the armada would withdraw and leave the remnants to Imperialis. When they did, Partition would be convinced to a degree he never felt before that he had finally, at last, found his calling.

He would also begin a sense of awe about Ironhide that would be life long.

-0-TBC 8-28-17 **edited 8-31-17**


	112. Chapter 112

The Diego Diaries: Homeward and Onward (dd6 112)

-0-Humans, the night before

They flew back on a shuttle through the bridges to land at the airfield. Waiting for them, a group of trucks were parked around the viewing stands. They were carried there in their box, then let out on the ground. Waving to the affable young soldier who had been their caretaker, the group wearily walked to the group waiting at the vehicles. :It's about time you got here: Judy Fulton said. :Details:

:I need to pee: Bobby Epps said as the others nodded. Huge disgust and laughter greeted that as Judy Witwicky made a cup out of her two hands.

:A word first: Glenn Morshower said as he turned toward Harris. :You were given an extreme privilege. If any of this goes into the general discussion either at Earth2 or anywhere else, then I will have a problem with you. I hope you get the subtext:

The entire group was staring at Harris, some of them with solemn expressions and others with something more grim. He nodded. :I know. Thanks for the adventure. I hope it's only the first one:

:That depends upon you, Harris: Morshower replied. He turned to a vehicle driven by a young N.E.S.T. soldier. Please take Mr. Harris back to Earth2, Corporal:

The kid nodded, then walked to the driver's side of his vehicle. Harris entered with him, then the environmental seal was set. They drove off heading for Earth2 some great distance away.

For humans.

The others watched them go, then turned to Morshower, the Bolger-Settles, John Fulton, Fig Figueroa, Lennox, Epps, and Graham. :We expect details: Barbara Morshower said with a grin.

:We **HOPE** for dinner and a bathroom break: John Fulton said as they walked to the vehicles for the short ride to the Family Tower. Everyone who could would be there for dinner and a long discussion about what had happened both out there and here.

-0-Humans, morning, after the school rush the next day

They were back, gluttons for punishment as their significant others and spouses said. The group from the night before including Owen Harris along with two others from Earth2 and Brandon Clark from Earth 1 waited to be carried to a shuttle for transport through a bridge to the reclamation out there somewhere so far away it would take a generational ship for humans to even get halfway there on their own.

It was cold and the sun was climbing enough to be a force when Prowl walked past them heading for a shuttle. Following him, Raptor did a detour to kneel down in front of them. "I hear you're coming back for more punishment."

:We can't get enough of you, Raptor: Jessie Landon said as she hugged his ped. :We love you that much:

Raptor laughed. "Ditto, I think is the correct reply." At that moment, Ironhide and Ratchet followed by a stoked Partition walked from the city side of the airfield, then gathered before the humans. Ratchet glanced at Partition, then the group. "This is Partition, my student and a trainee soldier. He and I spent time in the pokey together."

:I heard that you got set free and helped end the standoff: John Fulton said as he looked at the big kid.

Partition blinked with surprise at the remark, then nodded. "Uh … we all did what we were supposed to do, right?" he asked glancing at Ironhide.

Ironhide nodded. "Slagging right."

A ridiculous sense of warmth suffused Partition as he felt the compliment. He glanced at the humans. "Are you coming again?"

:We are. I hear that there'll be fireworks: Lennox said with a grin.

"There will be. I worked it out." Ironhide said as he glanced at his grandfather. "The sappers have mined the settlements, right, Appa?"

Raptor nodded, then smiled. "It's going to be beautiful. A big fiery explosion followed by great gnashing of denta by Imperialis."

:What's that guy like?: Andrew Settles asked.

The group considered that, then Raptor leaned closer. "How do you define evil?" he asked.

At that moment, Optimus Prime appeared, then paused by the group. "Good morning," he said.

 **:IT SURE IS!:** Jessie said. **:I GET TO GO THIS TIME!** When are the fireworks going to start, Optimus?:

Optimus grinned slightly at one of his favorite humans. "In about two joors. The last of the refugees will be airlifted shortly, then we detonate everything that can be used against us. I expect that Imperialis will not be happy."

"Frag him," Ironhide said as Partition glanced at him.

Partition nodded. "Frag him."

Ratchet felt tingly sparkles of delight filter through him, then he put his arm around the kid, hugging him tightly. "Semper fi, infant. This is going to be an interesting orn."

:How will he take it?: Epps asked.

"Not well. He has a good sized fleet which combined with Razorclaw would be worrisome but in the end, we can trounce him. We just don't want to," Ratchet replied as the others nodded. "We don't care if he doesn't like what we're going to do. He just has to remember we could do it again."

The Master of the Muster walked up to Prime. "Lord Optimus, we're go."

"Thank you," Prime said, then he glanced at the others. "Time to bug out," he said with a grin. Then he turned to the shuttle to walk there with his big long strides as the others hoofed it behind him. The humans laughed as they walked and jogged toward the shuttle where a youngster was walking out with a box followed by another. There would be double the observers so there was double the boxes. They were placed on the ground, then the humans entered, buckling up for the ride inside. They would be placed by the hatch until they reached Salton Sea where they'd be latched in on the forward deck of the ship.

Harris sat between Jessie Landon and Brandon Clark. Brandon was well-liked and included in most things going on. He was the Earth 1 rep to the main committee that ran things and at the moment was handling the affairs of the Consulate and Earth2 there. It was Harris's hope that he would be a member some day. They sat on the floor as the vessel filled with command crew and others heading outward. Prowl sat across from them studying a datapad as Wheeljack and Perceptor sat down on either side of him. Raptor and Ironhide were down the cabin while Ratchet sat on the floor nearby. The ship was filled with Prime taking the engineer's seat. Two pilots were on board because he was.

Primal rules.

:They call him Lord Optimus. Why? I wasn't clear that they held monarchical rules: Harris said.

Landon looked at him. :They call him that because its a term of respect for someone as holy as he is. He's their philosopher-king without being a king. He has a huge role in the society but I can't tell you about it. Just suffice it to say, he's given that term by being Prime:

:What kind of society do they have without representation? They have all their rules made by him or a select committee chosen by him: Harris asked.

Graham turned to Harris. :They have a good system. Prime is guided by the Primal Charter and other rules. He's the leader who's assisted by his general staff and committee members representing each major faction and group in the colony and off world. The locals have city committees that take care of each one by electing representatives from each district in the city to meet and discuss things. You can come to them, they'll hear you and if there's merit take up your cause. Those local city committees elect a single representative to meet in a super committee which gathers once a month to hear business or sooner if there's an emergency. Each city has a representative at this super group. If they need to go further, they attend the committee meetings that Prime holds and present their particular thing during the new business section of the agenda directly to him. This is a more direct and faster way to get things done on your concerns than we have. It works really well. People who live here who never had a say before and anyone out there at all can run and be elected:

The ship settled on something, then the hatch opened. The two youngsters picked up the containers, then walked out waiting for everyone else. Prime and the others stepped out onto a busy hangar deck, then headed for the elevators. It would take a moment or two because civilians gathered around Prime to touch him and tell him things. He listened with his usual kindly regard until they gathered into the elevator. The door closed on the hangar deck and its intense activity.

:They have a huge regard for him: Harris said.

:They love and trust him. They know he means what he says and will do whatever it takes to protect and care for them. He's more than just another mech. He's deeper and more important. He's called 'Lord' here by most, especially the older mechs and femmes. They honor with that title: Morshower said. :He deserves it. I don't know anyone anywhere with his sense of purpose and dignity. He's the most honorable and noble individual I ever met:

The others nodded and murmured agreement as the door opened and the bots walked inside followed by the two youngsters carrying the humans. Prowl headed for the command table to figure out the situation as the youngsters clipped the humans into their position forward of command. Outside, through the big windows, the careful choreography of rescue was still going on, though it was a fraction of what it was. Prime sat on the command chair as the others gathered around including a very attentive Partition. Ratchet walked to a lounge chair in front of the humans and sat. He grinned at them. They grinned back.

:Hey, Ratchet. What about that kid with you? The one who was captured too. Isn't he the kid who was shunned?: Jessie asked.

Ratchet nodded, then switched off line to chat. :He is. He's my mech now. I vouched for him and his family. He's sort of on the outs with them and he's crashing at my house. I don't know how long that's going to take to straighten out but I'm game:

:What happened?: Epps asked, nosy as usual.

Ratchet smirked at him and he smirked back. :Well, his folks are high castes who think they're important and he was an obnoxious goofball for the longest time. But getting him into structure with the possibility of selfless service has dented his armor. He's still got a way to go but he's changing. His folks hate that he's in the military:

:I'd hate it too: Morshower said. :I'm glad my kids took another path. You told all of us that you and Ironhide don't want your shorties in the army:

Ratchet grinned at him. :That's true. It's not that I don't sympathize with them and their dreams for their son. I do. I just don't think that they have a chance of changing his processor. He feels part of something big and interesting. He likes the life, the jokes and the camaraderie. As for mine, color me hypocritical. I know. If they really want to be in the army, then we deal then. I just hope beyond hope that the army is the home guard some fine orn and that wars and fighting are over:

:You and me both, hypocrite: Morshower said with a grin.

Both sides laughed loudly drawing Prowl's attention. Ratchet grinned. "We were talking about hypocrisy."

"Of course, you were. I do enjoy when you speak to your strengths," Prowl said with a slight smirk.

"Why, Prowl … you sweet talker, you," Ratchet said to general laughter all around.

Prime glanced their way with a grin. "May we have some decorum here? The ranks."

Ratchet looked at Partition who was following the exchange with gathering amusement. "Hey, Partition. You're a rank. Do you feel like we're taking away your soldierly dignity with our little jokes?"

Partition looked around himself, at the soldiers who were watching with grins on their faces. He looked at Ratchet. "No. I think this is funny."

Laughter greeted that. Ratchet grinned at him, then the humans. "Nice try. My mentor youngling there is a dedicated soldier. You can't corrupt him."

:No. We leave that to you: John Fulton said to great acclaim across the bridge.

Partition grinned as he looked around. Everyone was laughing including Prime. The tension was gone but the feeling of family and belonging was still here. He felt it creep into his spark, the sensations of pleasure and higher purpose. It was exhilarating to him as he basked in the warmth of the group around him. These were real soldiers, mechs and femmes of enormous experience and talent for what they did. They did it with a sense of confidence, mirth and integrity that he had never experienced before. He felt like he was home among them.

"I think its time to go over the settlements to wrap up the rescue. Please send out data flights, Starscream," Prime said as he turned to the big Seeker who was sitting at Flight Command with a highly amused Rainmaker and two of his handsome sons. "We would like to light this candle an orn or two early if we can, Starscream."

"My pleasure, Prime," Starscream said as he sent the message.

Partition stared at the Seekers, especially Starscream who he had hated and feared all his life. They were here and they were colleagues. It was slightly unsettling even as it was thrillingly interesting. He walked to the console, then turned to one of Rainmaker's sons. "Can I talk to you?"

Switchblade, tall, outgoing and ferocious in combat nodded, then followed Partition to the front of the ship away from the others. Ratchet watched them, then tuned in just in case. Something told him that he was watching the retooling of Partition in real time. He trusted that. He just wasn't that firm about the youngster's tact. They turned to each other as Partition gathered his thoughts. "I was wondering … why did the Seekers come to Prime?"

"Megatron lost his processor and put a kill on sight order on us. We came here because Starscream called us to come. We stay because this is home, a place where we're valued and not treated as slag to be used, then thrown away." He noted Partition's tats. "You're high caste."

Partition considered that. "Was. I was. Prime outlawed it."

"That's good. You know, we fight for everyone. Some of us got hurt in this battle. We do it for everyone. It's good that you're with us. Some still aren't. They won't win. We're tired of being nothing and having nothing. We're one here. Especially in the army and air force. We do a service for everyone. I suppose you feel weird about Starscream."

Partition nodded. "A little. We hated him and now he's here."

Switchblade nodded. "We felt the same about Prime. We felt the same about high castes. We have to put that aside and find common ground. We're all one, all of us, or we're nothing. Megatron wins when we keep the things going that divide us. Your caste made us suffer. But here we are, working together for the common good. That's how it **has** to be. That's how it **should** have been."

Partition stared at him, then nodded. "I'm trying. It's hard. My genitors don't feel the same way."

"Then you have to help them," Switchblade said. "My genitors are my heroes. Rainmaker is my atar. He's the greatest. Your genitors will come to their senses but it helps if you try to help them. Don't give up. You aren't the first one to wake up this way. Lots of high castes in the army and home guard have the same problem. Don't give up on them. Love will find a way."

Partition nodded. "Thanks, Switchblade."

The big Seeker grinned. "Until all are one. Remember that."

Partition nodded, then both turned toward Prime who was talking to Prowl. The news was back. The third settlement farthest from them was clear and all was taken that was wanted. Prime turned to Ironhide. "Light it up, Ironhide," he said.

Ironhide nodded, then hesitated over the button that would trigger the explosions waiting to be seen on the forward screens. He turned toward Partition. "Recruit, get over here."

Partition startled, then walked to Ironhide. Ironhide looked stern. It felt intimidating. "This explosion is controlled. I designed it with my grandfather, General Raptor," he said. Around the deck, all of the officers, humans and others at their duties watched the two. "If you press this button, it sends the signal. Ships are going to film it. The settlement will blow up. I want you to press that button, watch the demolition, then give me your assessment. Understand?"

Partition stared at Ironhide, the screen, Ratchet's grin, Prime's nod of encouragement, the several generals who were watching with great amusement, Rainmaker and Starscream's smirks, Switchblade's slight look of envy and everyone else. He looked at Ironhide, then nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, then he pressed the button. They all turned to the forward screens to watch the mayhem. It would be just that.

Beautiful controlled mayhem.

-0-TBC 8-29-17 **edited 8-31-17**

-0-NOTES

ESL: The ranks: usually an expression used to describe anyone who isn't part of the officer corps.


	113. Chapter 113

The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 113)

-0-On the deck of the Salton Sea

All that was missing was the 1812 Overture.

Ratchet thought about the demolition of Parliament in the movie, "V" as the forward views fed by ships monitoring the destruction lit up the room. The mined buildings went up in a row like dominoes with buildings toppling expertly into piles of twisted metal, glass and dust. Around the vast settlement where nearly 46,000 individuals had lived and called home for eons, the explosions were brilliant flashes of light punctuated by flying particles and fires. It was a sad sight to see, the homes of so many disappearing into the ether. It continued for what seemed like an impossibly long time, then halted equally abruptly. The view changed and again, demolitions continued at quarries and other sites utilized by the people farther away. That changed to scattered communications and security towers and other warning and information transmission sites that were used to protect everyone, or at least give them a heads up. They went up too.

When it was complete, Prime turned to Rem. "Take us to the next locale, Rem."

He nodded and as he began to fly the big ship toward the next location, the outside view reflected that. It was silent a moment as they watched, then Partition turned to Ironhide. "Thanks. That was fun."

Ironhide nodded. "You can't go wrong with a good munition. Our armories are the best. Assessment?"

Partition nodded, then looked at the screen again. "The site won't be fit for habitation again without a total rebuild. All of the outlying infrastructure is demolished and I'm assuming that we're going to do the same at the second site."

Raptor nodded. "We will," he said. "Nothing that can be turned against us will be left standing. He may rebuild and replace but he won't have a stick to hit us with in between that. It gives us time, delivers a message and makes him think twice." He turned to Prime. "I wouldn't, however, hold my breath. Cassio may be more subterranean and strategic but his brother, Ebio, is a slagger. He likes to fight if the game is completely going his way. I never liked him, though I will say, I only met him twice."

Prime nodded. "They are a bad combination. We will have to beef up our tech out here so that we can track this. I want it placed where they cannot locate it with ease. I want to know where they go and who comes to visit them."

"On it, Prime," Wheeljack said from a station nearby.

"We're coming up on target two, Optimus," Blackjack said from Sensors.

Prime glanced at Ironhide, then nodded. "You have discretion," he said.

Ironhide looked at his console, then turned to Ratchet. "Do you want to push the button?" he asked with a slight grin.

Ratchet grinned back. "I would, but then, I saw your face, Switchblade, when Partition got to do it and you didn't. How about doing the honors?"

Slag hit the fan along with laughter, a lot of it from his own father, Rainmaker, as he walked over with an embarrassed but amused expression. He paused before Ratchet. "Are you sure that you don't want to do it yourself?"

"And deprive you, infant? Not on your spark. It's all yours," Ratchet said nodding toward the control panel.

"Yeah, push the button," Warlord said as he smirked at his youngest brother.

Switchblade grinned back at Warlord, then looked at the button. "Don't mind if I do," he said, then pushed the button. Another symphony of mayhem blossomed on the screens as they all turned to watch.

The city was just as big and complex, the center for business, apparently, from all the hangars, workshops and other buildings that seemed to make up the bulk of the structures there. It went off in a pattern that maximized the blasts, shrapnel from explosions and toppling. When it lay in a smoldering mass, Prime glanced at Ironhide. "I am assuming that you wired the important features of the main settlement?"

Ironhide nodded.

"Very well. Rem, take us there," Prime said.

The ship turned followed by its armada, all of them flashing forward to reach the third planet swiftly. Switchblade stood beside Partition with a grin on his face. He turned to Ratchet. "Who gets the honors this time?" he asked.

" **I DO!"**

Everyone turned to see Rainmaker stand, then walk toward the console with a big smile on his face. "Why should the infants have all the fun? Don't you know? Age and treachery always defeats youth and talent."

There was **HUGE** laughter and agreement on the bridge as they slowed to within range of the planet ahead. The screens showed the settlement with all its features and possibilities. The three worlds were deserts, warm and featureless. The settlement was the only thing that ranged from the local color pallet of grays, sandy tans and black.

Rainmaker stared at the screen, then turned toward everyone with a grin. "Step aside, infants. Let me show you how this works."

Laughter greeted that as he made exaggerated motions with his arms and servos before pushing the button. It was instructive how carefully mined the settlement was that only those buildings that counted, administrative, utilitarian and business, went up in smoke. When it subsided, Raptor turned to Rainmaker who had become a great personal friend. "Bravo. You could give master classes in button pushing."

"He pushed a few of mine on more than one occasion," Prime said with a chuckle. Huge laughter greeted that.

Ratchet watched Partition as he listened and absorbed everything going on. The kid was awash with good cheer in the company of those who had no agendas or social restraints. These mechs and femmes were legit and he was relaxed and happy here. It was amazing to him to watch. He had no expectation that Partition was 'fixed' but he did know that it would be incredibly hard for the kid to return to the old mech that was being honed and buffed here among them. It made Ratchet feel incredibly good.

"That's the end of it, Prime," Blackjack said as he checked the last bit of data. "What now? Do you tell Imperialis or let him find out on his own?"

"It would not be neighborly to go without saying good bye," Prime said. "Blaster? Can you contact them?"

Blaster nodded, worked a moment, then glanced at Prime. "You're open."

Prime turned to the screen again which still showed the destroyed cityscape. "Cassio Imperialis, this is Optimus Prime. Answer."

A voice answered quickly. "Imperialis here."

"We have taken our people and we are going to leave. I am going to be watching this space and all that transpires here. I would advise you to stay away from the Empire and Cybertron as well as all my territory around Mars. You go to Razorclaw at your peril. I will destroy any ship that you send over the line of my sovereign territory. There will be no warnings. I do hope you understand my resolve."

"I do, Prime. I hope you understand mine," Imperialis replied before he cut the line.

It was silent a moment, then Raptor turned to Prime. "Dibs on slapping him into the next dimension."

Laughter.

"I grant that request, General," Prime said with a grin.

Raptor grinned back, then looked around the deck. "Well done. Do we go home now or do you want to find more lost sheep and bring them home?"

"Are there any around?" Prime asked.

Raptor turned to Tactical where his father was sitting. Hard Drive shrugged. "I can look if you want me to."

Laughter. Huge.

"Please do," Prime said with a grin.

Raptor took over Sensors and linked with his father. It was silent a moment as they did an extended deep space search utilizing the combined sensors of the three battleships. After a moment, Hard Drive turned to Prime. "Nothing can be found for several sectors in all direction. It's hard to tell with the floes. We can send drones out to transmit data, then self destruct if you'd like."

"I would. Make it so, gentlemen, then let us leave here. I have to talk to The People about this," Prime said.

It would take about ten minutes to launch six drones to cover a 360 degree view of the local area. They would transmit the data back along with details for a star map. At some point they would either run into an energy fissure and blow up or self destruct themselves. They were handy but not intended to be long lived or captured by anyone.

The servo of Magnus and the Tyrest Treaties had a far reach.

The ships began to form up around Salton Sea as they regrouped for the ride home through the bridges. They were many and bristled with guns. The damaged vessels from the fight had been sent ahead and were at the shipyard outside of the colony, the one set in the distance under the command of Roadie. They would be evaluated and repaired if possible. If not, they would be salvaged, then smelted again. Nothing was ever wasted if they could help it.

Prime sat at the command seat talking to Prowl who was relaxing at the command table. Ratchet turned to Partition who was looking around with fascination. "Why don't you go forward and sit with the mechs until we get back."

Partition looked at him, then the group of soldiers sitting on the lounge chairs and couch-like benches that lined the walls in the forward section of the command deck. "Okay," he said, then walked to join them, sitting down among them.

Ironhide stared after him, then turned to Ratchet. "He's getting there. He was impressed with the armory. He didn't act caste struck or anything. He just wanted to learn things and be there."

"He's got something that he never used, Ironhide. I saw it in him early on. He just never had anyone to help him find it. I like the kid. He's still a doofus but we can change that. We can do it together," Ratchet said.

Ironhide nodded. "You do know that the family has taken him on as a project."

"They have?" Ratchet asked with a smile. "That's a good thing. Read him The Code sometime when you think he's ready. It will be a big benefit for him, Ironhide."

"He'll have to prove it. We don't share it out with very many," Ironhide said with a trace of doubt.

"I know, but he's a lost sheep. We can't leave anyone behind," Ratchet said as he watched Partition join in on the chat. The soldiers there were listening to him ask something, then one subbed a handgun. He handed it to Partition, then began to explain it. It was a good thing to watch.

The formation didn't take much time and the signature burst of energy signaling bridges flashed on the forward screen. Prime glanced up from a datapad. "Rem, do the honors please."

"Yes, sir," Rem said as he hooked up with Flight Command at Fort Max. "Prime 1, the Salton Sea to Flight Command. Permission to return to base. I request the flight order."

"Flight Command to Prime 1," a voice said. "You are cleared to proceed as per protocol. Establish a tier three orbit. Landing order will be given then."

"Understood. Prime 1 complying," Rem said. "Primal battle group, this is Prime 1. Prepare to re-enter home space. Form a tier three orbit as per protocols. Acknowledge." Dozens of pings were received in receipt. Rem turned to Prime who nodded, then threw the ship forward. Behind and beside him, ships and other vessels followed. They slipped into the three twirling vortexes, then disappeared from view as they closed up behind them.

It was as if no one had ever been there.

-0-Some time later

Imperialis walked along the potholed street that led through the settlement. Ships dispatched to the other two planets had shown complete destruction. Nothing was left from the bombardment there and little of use was left here. There were buildings that could be barracks if they wished but not much more. Even the utilitarian aspects were destroyed. Whoever mined the settlement knew what they were doing. He was seething but it never showed on his face. His brother, Ebio, was handling that part.

It would be some time before the big gray and red bot calmed down enough to help him plan to build what they needed to begin their occupation. It would be a start, the beginnings of a long hard re-occupation. As they did, the pair would be plotting their revenge.

-0-TBC 8-30-17 **edited 8-31-17**


	114. Chapter 114

The Diego Diaries: Home Again, Jiggity Jig (dd6 114) needs a whacking good edit. :D:D:D

-0-On the ground again

There were crowds watching as the ships came down through the atmosphere to land one after the other on the long landing runways. They rolled into their tie downs, some of them, while others lined up to be off loaded, serviced to some degree, then sent onward to the staging area where they would wait for reuse. The military airfield was filling up with ships landing, crews walking off and the odd civilian being carried or led off by someone. Crowds watched, cheered and greeted friends and family. There were children among them though it was getting onward toward evening here. News crews were filming, talking to those walking back to their lives after deployment and waiting for anyone of rank to get close enough.

Humans had gathered again to watch the return, to feel the elation and see the damage that was rumored to have occurred to some. A few ships earlier had come in with battle damage and were towed to the hangars nearby for examination before being sent to Roadie's facility for repair. The place was crowded with mechs and the odd femme heading this way and that. The behemoth family of Omega were off loading and when cleared, they transformed to tower over everyone once more. Rumor had it that dreads had come but it would be difficult to know since their massive formats were holding the line in space somewhere, keeping the pirates and renegade Decepticons at bay. If they had gone, they were now back on station.

It was noisy, colorful, busy, and highly dangerous for humans to be wandering around so they stood in the viewing platform with their cameras, smart phones and speculation. No one from Earth 1, Earth2 or the Consulate was there but a number of scientists from Sciences were as well as family and soldiers. The Hu-An might have been there to greet everyone home but they would be hard to see in the mobs. It was a riot of energy and relief playing out in the most coordinated fashion before them.

In the distance, the familiar forms of Ironhide and his elders could be seen walking toward The City. Standing nearby, commenting on the goings-on, Turbine, Alor and Delphi waited. Behind Ironhide and his elders, the figure of Ratchet and his mentor kid could be seen. The major staff was scattered over the area, walking toward the Hangar District, The Fortress or town itself as they went their separate ways. Prowl and Prime were heading with Jazz and Mirage for The Fortress. Wheeljack and Perceptor were seen walking with a number of mechs the humans didn't know as they made their way toward The Fortress.

Soldiers by the dozens, Springer and Company included walked toward The City with laughter and grins. Apparently, things had gone well. Gavin Pritchard, head of security for the Resort watched them, then tuned in, using the box's special communication features to reach them. "Hey, Springer. How did it go?" he asked Springer.

A number of mechs glanced his way, then deflected their trajectory toward the humans. Reaching the box, Springer knelt down bringing his handsome face closer to the box. "What's up, tiny people?" he asked. He looked like slag, pockmarked and grimy.

"What the hell happened to you?" Judy Witwicky asked as she walked to Pritchard to stand beside him. "You look like you went through a grinder."

"I don't know what you mean," Springer deadpanned. "I think I look as handsome as ever." **HUGE** laughter met that as he smirked at the humans. "Gerbils. I think I agree with Ada on that score."

"I'm assuming you won," Michio Yamaha asked with a grin.

"You had doubts?" Roadbuster asked. He didn't ask with humor to be droll. He asked with a slight sense of offense. His sense of humor was a delicate thing.

"No," Yamaha said. He knew Roadie and filled in the gap swiftly. "Humor."

"Oh," Roadie said with a straight face.

 **HUGE** laughter.

"We blew up the settlements. Two of them completely and one selectively. They'll have to do a lot of repair to make things work out for them," Springer said as he stood up. They all looked down at the humans, a forest of gigantic individuals dwarfing the humans on a scale that film and television could never convey. "Boom went the dynamite."

 **HUGE** laughter. Drift grinned at Springer. "You've been on youtube again."

"Maybe," Springer said with a grin. He looked down at the humans. "I need a long hot shower, a detailer and a good dinner. See ya, humans."

They bid each other adieu, then the big bots trudged onward. Beyond them, Ironhide's family reached Delphi, Alor and Turbine. Hugs and slag were traded, then Partition met the rest and had a moment of conversation. Judy Witwicky turned to the others. "That kid was shunned by the congregation at the last caste court. He was a major pain in the ass but Ratchet took him and his parents on. He agreed to vouch for them and mentor the group. I think this kid is working out but he was a major asshole before he began to change."

The others nodded, then watched the group as they gathered together, walking onward into The City. They disappeared into the crowd.

-0-Home

The bedlam of the moment was over as the shorties greeted their family gods returned from delivering the pain. Dinner had been ordered and delivered when they touched down so a line formed to get dinner buffet style. Ratchet who was holding Hero glanced around, then noted Partition standing in line. He grinned at the kid who grinned slightly back. He was still uncertain about things but Ratchet didn't care. Being uncertain was good. He would have to ask permissions and check his perceptions if he was. That was a good thing. Ratchet walked over to stand next to him. "Soldiering makes a mech hungry."

Partition nodded. "I think so."

"Are you going to call your genitors and tell them you're alright? It's part of the soldier code, keeping families in the loop so they don't worry," Ratchet said as Hero nodded in agreement.

Partition grinned at her, then looked at Ratchet with a serious expression. "I … they don't support this. I don't want to fight with them."

"Do it anyway," Ratchet said. "They might think you're still in harms way and that's no way to treat those you love and who love you. What they do, they do from love," Ratchet said.

Partition nodded, then moved forward. With Turbine ladling 'soldier grub' onto his plate, Partition listened to each word like it was holy writ. The tattoos of the mechs in the room were amazing and the markings of rank stupefying. He was in the center of his dream right now and his attention was undivided. The door opened at that moment as Springer, Hercy, Drift, Kup, half the femmes in the family, and Maelstrom walked in. Guff was given and received, then they grabbed plates and the odd sparkling to get food.

Partition walked to a chair to sit next to Blackjack, his optics watching everyone in the room. It felt like love here, like acceptance and confidence. It felt like high levels of achievement, experience, humor, and friendship. He felt cocooned in the worldliness of the group around him and it felt so affirming and true, real even, that he wondered how he lived until now. This had been so unexpected and strong that he felt overwhelmed a moment.

"You alright, infant?" Blackjack asked.

He looked at the big mech with the stern face and warm optics. "Yes, Appa."

"Eat up. That's soldier grub. There's pie and cake afterward and beer. A soldier has to have a good beer."

"Yes, Appa," Partition said as he began to eat. He didn't realize until the first bite how famished he was.

All around him, the family watched him out of the corner of their optics and the voodoo queen standing in line with Hero. Ratchet had somehow brought something bright and shiny out of the dark tar pits of this mech's entitled spark. He actually sort of fit the group now and with the careful and enlightened mentoring of those sitting around him, they seemed to think he would be alright.

It was magic.

"What about the meeting, the debrief? Tomorrow?" Turbine asked.

"I'll ask," Ratchet said as he walked to Raptor and delivered Hero along with her plate to her great grandpa. He smiled and took her with delight, kissing her cheek as he sat her on his lap. She took her infant plate with great joy, glancing up at Appa Raptor with a giant smile. He smiled back, kissed the top of her helm, then took a swig of beer. "Perfection. I live in perfection.

Everyone agreed including Partition who nodded.

Ratchet grinned, then called his best alibi. :Prowler:

:What?:

:When's the debrief?:

:Tomorrow. 1000 on the TMC:

:Got it. Ratchet out: He turned to the group. "1000 hours. You'll have to postpone going to your regular posts. Prowl does love to hear himself talk."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that obvious lie as Ratchet filled his plate. He sat down next to Maelstrom who was filling his face with great abandon. "Chromia, don't you feed this mech?"

He paused a moment, then glanced at Chromia who smirked at both of them. "You insinuate that I cook?"

 **HUGE** laughter.

"Our Thanksgiving cook off is coming. I expect you to do something awesome. Someone has to defeat Hercy and Kup," Ratchet said.

Everyone looked at the two geezers who grinned back. "You have to be cheating," Blackjack said. "If you didn't film it, I would swear you were cheating."

"Appa?"

Everyone glanced downward at Praxus who was sitting in Ironhide's lap eating off his father's plate. He smiled gigantically as his gray chevron flared with pleasure at the attention. He, after all, was just a baby. "What, infant?" Blackjack asked.

"Swearing is bad. Cheating is bad. Mrs. Laret says so," he said sweetly. Then he smiled.

Blackjack who had to take a moment to wade around the ocean of love that rose in his spark at that moment looked at his grandson. "Do I sit in the corner?"

Praxus thought about it a moment, then smiled. "No, Appa. You're good."

A moment of ' **AWWW! HE'S SO CUTE!'** was had, then things picked up again.

"So ….," Ratchet began. "Who's going to give us new grandchildren?" he asked with a big smile.

It was instructive how silent the room got.

Ratchet grinned. "Slaggers."

The room conversations picked up again. Partition watched the fun with a hunger inside that he had never felt before. This place was warmth, family, history, stories, genuine love for one another, zero judgment, good but not demanding expectations, kids, a big dog that sat in front of him and gave him pleading optics because Spot could read a weak link anywhere, and a sense of happiness that he was starving for. Staring at Spot, he held out his plate for reasons that he would never understand until the end of time.

Spot who was surprised at his bounty nearly climbed all over Partition to 'help him eat'. Orion who was standing nearby kibitzing food from Ratchet turned to Spot. **"SPOT! NO!"**

Spot who had eaten everything edible turned to Orion. He climbed down, then walked to the infant. He licked Orion's face and nearly capsized the baby. He staggered, then looked at Spot. He looked at the others, then smiled his best Pac-Man smile. **"ADA! HE KIPPED ME!"**

The entire room burst into laughter at the two. Orion who was blitzed by the applause smiled, then hugged Spot around the neck. Spot noting that there was no food to be had here walked onward toward another child and/or sucker carrying Orion with him. Orion's hysterical laughter filled the room as Spot stopped before Hero.

Delphi rescued him, then set him on his lap. "Sit with me, Orion. I need a good mech to help me eat my dinner," he said.

 **"AMMA! I HELPEDED YOU!"** Then he opened his mouth like a baby bird with the twinklingest blue optics ever. Delphi obliged him with a laugh.

Partition on the other servo watched the whole thing entranced.

-0-TBC 8-31-17 **edited 9-1-17 Thank you, Miss Kitty, for finding the plot hole. You da best. :D**


	115. Chapter 115

The Diego Diaries: Home Again Jiggity Jug (dd6 115)

-0-Home

The door opened and a head peeked in. "Are you sober?"

"No. Get in here," Ratchet said as he lounged on the couch.

The door pushed open as half a dozen little kids ran inside followed by Prowl and Prime. Ratchet grinned at the kids who were delighted to be here. "Where's the elders?"

"Still working in the refugee intake," Prowl said as he picked up a plate to fill it for a child. He turned to Prime. "Why don't you grab the girls and find a place to sit. I'll bring their food over to you."

Huge mockery greeted that:

"Yeah, sit, Ozzie. Let Harriet bring your food over."

"I hate to see a mech get neutered like that."

" **HA! HA! HA! YOU HOUSE WIPE, YOU!"**

"Tamed ya, did he? Even Megatron couldn't do that. Good on you, Prowler."

"Sit, ya big girl."

"So sad to see them fall like that. Do you babysit?"

Prime walked to a chair with his daughters, one in each servo, then sat. He grinned at everyone in the room. "Frag you."

Fortunately, Ratchet's family wasn't there to be scandalized so it was only half terrible to hear vulgarity come from the First Disciple of Primus. Partition stared at Prime, his fork paused halfway to his mouth, then he continued to eat with a slight grin on his face. This place was awesome.

Prowl brought two plates for the girls, then walked back to settle the little mechs with help from Chromia, of all people. He then turned to Prime's plate. Heaping it up, he smirked at the suggestions from the punters. "Frag all of you," Prowl said as internally he was glad his genitors were still helping with Ratchet and Prime's in the migration. He walked to Optimus and gave him the plate and a beer, then walked back for his own. Fortunately, the take out food order had been suitably huge given that most ended up here after a battle so there was more than enough for everyone and seconds. He filled a plate, grabbed a beer, then sat down on a couch by the window. "This looks good."

"I did it myself," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile against an avalanche of scorn and derision. He grinned at everyone. "Cram it." He glanced at the titan kids sitting on the floor by the window who were eating with big grins. "Speaking of cramming, is it true that you have mid term exams this week?"

"We do, Ada," Genesis said. "We have to meet the others at the main library after school to study together. Do you mind?"

Everyone glanced at the earnest kids on the floor. Then they glanced at Ratchet. He grinned at them, then the kids. "Go and do. Just be home for dinner. Don't get arrested. I know we have pull in the law enforcement community but it would look bad on The Hourly News."

Laughter, huge and long. Maelstrom grinned at the three. "I doubt you'll find them on the police blotter."

"Better not," Ironhide said. "Typhoon will pulverize me."

Chromia grinned. "We can bust you both out of jail."

"I can't hear this plotting," Springer said. "I was deputized to uphold the law."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that. Ratchet looked at Springer with a fond expression. "You both need a good detailing. How's your optic, Drift?" he asked.

Drift glanced at him, then blinked his optical ridges a moment. "It's there."

"I'm so glad I didn't have to replace it. I hate fixing optics," he said with a vented sigh.

"I remember when the brawl in the courtyard happened and Gears broke an optic," Sunny said with a grin.

"I do too," Ratchet said. "He smarted off to you on the med berth so you punched him. I had two optics to repair that night."

 **LAUGHTER.**

"I remember," Sunstreaker said. "I also remember you grabbing both of them and yanking them straight out of his head."

Groans, moans and sphincters tightening were had as the room let Ratchet know their position on patient abuse. It was unanimous. He laughed anyway. The door opened and another helm peeked in. **"COME IN! THE WATER IS FINE!"** Ratchet called out as the rest of his femme daughters walked in. Elita and Jetta came last and joined the line for dinner. "How's things going, Jetta?"

He grinned at Ratchet who he loved. "We're doing great. We've put them up in the first new city in the Crater District. It's going to be a bit lonely out there until the next few migrations come in but the business district is building up so they won't have to journey too far to get things taken care of. All in all, its going well." Elita handed him a plate so he turned to fill it up.

There was room made for everyone as the littlest kids stood in the middle watching relatives and friends move here and there to sit and eat. Orion watched the femmes, then smiled brilliantly. **"ADA! THEM SHES! THEY COMEDED HERE! THEY CAMED, THEM SHES!"**

Ratchet grinned. "They did. By the way, we have to make up conferences for everyone but Hero and Praxus."

Ironhide nodded. "I wonder what Roto can tell us about you-know-who and his speech thing?"

"I don't know." Ratchet grinned. "Who wants to volunteer to throw him down some stairs?"

 **LAUGHTER** and a few volunteers with caveats: "I'll do it but he's mine then, Ada." -Springer with a nodding Drift.

That idea was nixed.

"When's the next war game?" Chromia asked because she and Maelstrom had the biggest, baddest, most armed, and ridiculously modified pair of little bots ever in the spare room of their apartment.

Everyone turned to Prime who paused his beer halfway to his mouth. He glanced at Prowl. "When's the next war game?"

 **HUGE RIDICULE:**

"Seriously, Prime … you're worrying me."

"Have to ask Mama? What a big baby."

" **Hey, Ma! Can he come out to play?** "

Prowl glanced around the room with a withering glare. "He doesn't have to ask me," he said, then he glanced at Optimus. "In about six decaorns."

 **HUGE RIDICULE!** (Insert **'YA BIG FEMME!'** and **'HEY, MAMA!'** remarks here)

Optimus grinned, then chuckled as he sipped his beer. "Frag all of you."

Partition stared at the byplay with an almost comical expression of surprise. Then he glanced at Ratchet who was smirking slightly at him. Ratchet raised his beer toward him in salute, then he grinned. Nodding, Partition continued to stuff his face. It was the strangest and most wonderful thing ever, being here and seeing this.

"We have a meeting tomorrow at 1000 hours, just so you know," Prowl said as the entire room groaned. He glanced around haughtily, then shook his helm. "Fraggers."

"Good thing your ada isn't here, Prowler," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Your ada gave up on you some time back," Prowl said as he glanced at his nemesis/favorite alibi.

"You're both reprobates," Alor said as he put Prowler down on the floor. "Sit by me, okay?"

Raptor laughed, then glanced at both. "When are you getting drunk again? I want to come."

"Soon," Ratchet said. :Prowler? Who's supposed to write the part of our story after my ada? Remember that?:

Prowl stared at him, then blinked. :Oh, right. I don't know. Was it your ada or mine? I lost track. I may have been drunk too:

:I'll ask Turbine later. He always keeps track of slag. He's that holy: Ratchet replied.

They both grinned at each other.

"I don't like the looks of that," Blackjack said as he finished feeding Scout part of his dinner roll. "What are you two grinning at each other for?"

"Nothing," Alor said. "We might hit up Las Vegas and do the town next time we get drunk. I wonder what the jails are like there?"

"I watched a series on TV about their jails and they aren't good," Raptor said. "It was about jails in different towns in America. You don't want to find out."

"Our jails are so much more genteel," Prowl said. He looked at Springer. "Correct?"

"We leave a mint on your pillow in the lock ups," Springer said.

"We're missing out having our own apartment, Kup," Hercy said with a grin. "I want a mint too."

"I'll put a mint on yer pillow then," Kup said to long and sustained laughter.

"Sounds good to me," Hercy said. "Or maybe you can put them on the mantle next to our many trophies."

Huge suggestions for where the mints could go was had, then dessert was suggested. A lot of logistics later …

"I **do** like apple pie," Ironhide said. "You know, when we were in the pretender shells on Earth, the food there tastes just like it does here. Rampage is a genius."

Everyone agreed. So did the little kids:

" **APPA! I, ORION, LIKEDED DIS!"**

"Open your pie hole, Orion. Here comes some cherries," Elita said as she leaned forward. He danced over and took the bite, rubbing his tummy. **"I LIKED THIS, SHE!"**

"Elita," she said with a grin.

He looked at her with his comically intense concentration face. "Frito."

Snickers were had. Especially from Maelstrom. She glanced at them, then Orion. "Elita. Eeee-leee-tuh."

" **FREEEEE** -to." Orion looked at her with a hopeful expression.

She grinned at him. "Nailed it," she said.

Orion grinned at her, then looked at his grandfathers and old dad. "Atar … I, Orion, **LOVE** Frito."

"Who doesn't?" Raptor replied. "Especially with chili and melted cheese."

Laughter took over for a moment, then more pie and cake was had. By the time everyone was satisfied, there would be simply nothing left. They sat sipping tea and coffee as Ironhide and Raptor crammed the dishwasher.

"We need one of those," Springer said to Drift.

"We don't cook," Drift said.

"We need somewhere to hide the slag when someone comes over," Springer said.

Drift grinned. "I can see that."

"So, essentially, you're saying you're lazier than me?" Elita asked as Chromia grinned.

"Yeah," Springer said.

"Where did we fail, Ironhide?" Ratchet asked.

"Well, they were someone elses heartburn for the majority of their bringing up," Ironhide replied.

"You love us," Springer said with a grin. "Who else is going to take care of you when you finally get too old to do it yourself?"

"He has a point," Ratchet replied as he glanced at Ironhide.

Ironhide glanced at Springer, then nodded. "On the top of his helm, yes. He has a point."

"We have a meeting tomorrow. Save some of this for the good of the order," Optimus said as he sat with a plate filled with pie and cake.

"I have a joke book I'm bringing. It's called, '2000 bathroom jokes'," Springer said. "I figured that I'd bring it since our staff meetings are the shit."

A moment on the urban dictionary site bought huge laughter and a slight scowl from Prowl. Turbine who was laughing loudly glanced at Raptor. "That youngling takes after you."

Raptor glanced at Springer, then grinned. "I can see that."

Alor paused a moment to listen to something off line, then glanced at Prime. "I just got the word that a Tall White ship took off just now from Nellis heading toward space."

Prime glanced at Prowl who was already contacting Ops Center from the distracted look on his face. He turned in his chair toward Prime. "A Seeker patrol is going to follow it. Apparently, there's no traffic between the aliens and the humans handlers who we've traced. It appears that they're making a break for it themselves. Only one of the four ships that are there has lifted off."

"Then we need to track it. If they head toward the breach, I want them rounded up. How long before they reach that part of space?" Prime asked.

"It will take their ship two weeks Earth time to get there. I can have Tennyson track the vessel and report its progress and any communications that it makes," Prowl said.

Optimus nodded, then glanced at Alor who ran the monitoring mission in Las Vegas. "You are going back tomorrow, right?" Alor nodded. "Then make sure that any attempt to communicate is monitored. I want to know what is happening as fast as possible."

"What about the Reptilians?" Turbine asked. "Have we heard from them?"

"Not yet, but someone told us that they take a long time to make decisions. We might sooner or later," Prowl said with a shrug.

"I can wait a bit," Ratchet said. "We have to sort out the home front. Thank Primus their tech isn't fast enough to reach their home world too quickly."

Prime nodded. "Yes. I need to visit Tennyson for a first hand update of the situation. I never had a chance to ask about alternative Imperialis and the Hish monsters."

Ironhide nodded. "Put it on the agenda."

Prowl gave Ironhide a smirk. "You're not the boss of me," he said before he got pelted with debris from all corners.

-0-TBC 9-2-17 **edited 9-4-17**

Catch up on notes with the next piece. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

ESL and others: (anyone under 50 essentially) There was a fictional (but real life) family called the Nelsons who had a tv show on television in the early days called Ozzie and Harriet. They were Ozzie (Oswald) and Harriet Nelson and their three sons. One of them was the singer, Rick Nelson and they had this family television show that was very old timey and filled with male and female roles and other now sexist slag.


	116. Chapter 116

The Diego Diaries: Home Again Jiggity Jig (dd6 116)

-0-At the home ranch

The last mech and femme left, heading wearily for home. They had pitched in before leaving and the apartment was perfection. Ironhide and Raptor had jammed the dishwasher and in the course of folks leaving, it was now clean and ready to empty. It could wait, Ratchet thought, as he turned back to his life after closing the door. He halted, then grinned. Partition was standing uneasily in the living room while the little ones were being herded by Ironhide toward the wash racks. The three big kids were sitting on the couch with curious expressions. "Well, isn't **this** the picture of handsome young mechs," Ratchet said as he looked from them to Partition.

The big kid grinned, then shifted uneasily. "Would you mind if I stay here for a while?"

"Nope," Ratchet said as the kid deflated a little with relief. "I **will** require, however, that you go to the office down the hallway and let your genitors know. The Way of the Soldier is inscrutable."

The three dread kids grinned having heard this before, then Genesis stood. "Ada? Do we have a new brother or what?" he asked.

Ratchet grinned. "Consider Partition your loaner brother. He's ours but he's also theirs. Call your genitors and hit the sack, Partition. We have work to do tomorrow, infant. I have to make a house call to Leto."

Partition grinned, then nodded. With a light step, he walked down the corridor to the big office that Ironhide and Ratchet shared. It also had a small desk once more since the three little mechs went home. Sunspot preferred to do his homework with someone there so he put his little desk in its old place again.

The kids watched him go, then turned to Ratchet. "What's happening to him, Ada?" Quasar asked.

"He's having a problem with his genitors. He's high caste but he's changed and they haven't."

"They don't want him around? That would be terrible. If I didn't get to come home I'd be so sad," Fireball said.

Ratchet walked forward and enveloped them in a hug. He grinned at them. "That's because you're good kids who have a loving home and lots of family. He's a good kid with a strange home and he's trying to find his way. We all have to help him."

They nodded, then hugged Ratchet again. "We will. I'm glad you're both home. We missed you and Atar," Fireball said.

"We miss you too," Ratchet said. "You need to get to recharge. Tests don't get finished by themselves. What exactly are you testing this week?" he asked as he followed them toward their end of the house.

"Physics, biology, geology, history, and swimming," Genesis said.

 **"SWIMMING!** I'd flunk, I think. I can float and sorta swim," Ratchet said as they disappeared down the hallway. "Did I ever tell you about the water fight I had with Partition in Diego Garcia?" he asked as they vanished from view.

Partition stood in the office staring at the walls which were covered with pictures of the family doing this and that thing on this and that world. There was a picture in a frame next to the computer station that looked old and damaged. It was a copy of the image of Ratchet taken on the orn he had graduated from Medical School, the one his genitors had kept with them through hell and high water. There were images of Ironhide as a baby with his father and grandparents. There were images of Alor as a child with his family. Images of the other kids, all of them were everywhere, covering the walls around the big room in a most tasteful fashion. It was a personal history laid out before him, a history of warmth, inclusion and family.

He felt his insides twist as he sat and dialed up his family's home number. His father appeared on the screen, his expression filled with anxiety and relief. "Partition. Where are you?"

"I'm at Commander Ratchet's house. I'm staying over because we have to go somewhere early tomorrow. I'm doing my duty, Atar. I just don't want you and Ada to worry," he said with a bit of anxiety himself.

"When will you come home? Your ada and I are worried and miss you," Lucien said with uncharacteristic emotion. "This is not a good thing, son. You can't just leave your family like this."

"I'm not, Atar. I just want you to understand. This is my mission, the thing I was waiting all my life to do. I wish you would understand that and support me," Partition said.

"Come home and talk to us. Let's talk." Lucien shifted in his chair. "Surely, there's a solution to this thing. You can't just leave your family, son. We love and need you."

Partition stared at the screen, at the image of his hero and best friend. "I'll see you tomorrow. Alright? I'll call you and we can meet up."

"Aren't you going to come home? Aren't you going to live here?" Lucien asked.

"I … don't worry. When we meet up we can talk about it. Okay?" Partition asked. "I have to go, Atar. Tell Ada that I love him. I love you too. Okay?" he asked, then cut the line. He sat a moment with his insides roiling, then rose to leave the room. Ratchet was leaning on the doorjamb staring at him with sympathy. "Oh," he said with surprise.

Ratchet nodded. "What's happening here has happened all over the place since we came here. It's hard and painful to face what you were and find a new path but you're the pioneer in your family and most of the time, that road is a lonely one. Your genitors are still in the bewilderment/pain stage. You have to be the strong one. You have to be the decent one. You have to find them in their wilderness and lead them to the light. Change of this magnitude is so painful. It's hurtful. It means you have to look at everything you were taught and believe to sort out the truth from the lies. This is a generational thing, Partition. They learned from their elders and their elders learned from theirs. This isn't about blame anymore. This is about evolution. This requires unconditional love. Can you do that? Can you find your family in their darkness and be their light?"

Partition stared at Ratchet as all manner of emotions churned inside. He nodded slightly, then walked forward into Ratchet's arms. Partition held him tightly. "I'm sorry for everything. I didn't know better. This is the most real life has ever been. I don't know what to do. Please help me."

Ratchet hugged him tightly. "That's what I do, infant. Some call it meddling." Partition chuckled. "I, on the other servo, call it helping."

Partition looked at Ratchet, then nodded. "You did. I didn't know what a fool I was. Thank you, Ratchet."

"You're welcome. By the way, anyone who stays overnight at the house automatically becomes part of the family group. Consider yourself conscripted." Ratchet smirked at him as he nodded.

He laughed aloud, then nodded. "Thanks. This is such a wonderful thing, your family and the others. I have a lot to do to make things up."

"No. You have a chance to be yourself as you were supposed to be. The rest? You can't change it so let it go. It's over. All you have is right now. Live it with courage and dignity and you'll be fine," Ratchet said with a serious expression. "Don't drag the rest around like an anchor. You'll never fly if you do."

Partition nodded, then hugged Ratchet again. "Good night," he said.

"Good night, infant," Ratchet said as Partition walked into the living room to head for Sunspot's berth room. After a second, there was laughter, Sunspot and Partition, then it was silent. Ratchet grinned, then walked to the wash rack. "What's up, shorties?"

" **ADA! WE COMED TO HERE TO DOING!"** Orion said with a giant smile. He was in the basket swaddled in a towel like a caterpillar in a chrysalis with a big smiley face. Hero was beside him along with Praxus. Prowler was dancing on the wash table getting spritzed off from his bath.

"I can see that," Ratchet said as he kissed each child's helm. They looked like loaves of French bread waiting in a basket for a buyer. He grinned. "You look so cute."

" **I, ORION, CUTE! HERO CUTE! PAX CUTE! PO-PO CUTE!** You cute, Ada?" he asked as he switched from foghorn to normal volume.

Ratchet and Ironhide laughed. **"ADA CUTE! ATAR VERY CUTE!"** Ratchet said with a grin.

There was a moment or two of chaos before shorties were deposited in their beds, towels were tossed into the little hamper and the basket was placed back on the wash rack shelf. Wandering through again, the pair finally reached their room. Ironhide flopped on the berth as Ratchet joined him. The light was called down.

"That mech is shaping up," Ironhide said as Ratchet turned to sprawl on his carcass. "Who would have known? Besides you?"

Ratchet snickered. "Well, I **am** a healer. Remember these magic servos?" he asked as he raised a big red hand.

"I do. I also know where they'd do some good with a little servos-on," Ironhide said with a leering tone.

Ratchet grinned. "You have a fire in your furnace?"

"For you? Always. Unless ..."

Ratchet grinned. "Unless what?"

"Unless there's donuts with sprinkles. You know, Ratchet, if you'd decorate yourself with sprinkle covered donuts you'd be slagging perfect," Ironhide said with a big grin.

A hard punch to the chassis took care of that impertinence. The rest is none of your business.

-0-Morning

 **"YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO WORK THAT LONG AND HARD!"**

"Now, Sonny … we had to help these poor people. They were so hard pressed and frightened," Amma Corr said with a sweet smile.

 **"I DON'T CARE, AMMA! YOU WERE TOLD!"**

"Now, now, Ratchet … don't blame your amma. I was the family leader. I could have called for a retreat. **BUT WE DON'T RETREAT! NEVER SURRENDER! FRAG THEM ALL! WE STAYED TO DO OUR PART BECAUSE WE'RE ALL ONE!"**

Everyone turned to look at Appa Ratchet who was sitting on the couch by the window, his usual perch. He had his cat in his lap and a grin on his face.

"Appa, that was amazing," Fireball said with a sense of awe. "You **are** the head of the family. We will do what you ask. Right, Ada?" he asked as he looked at Ratchet who was standing over all his elders with a wrathful aura that Loki would envy.

"You're compromising the morals of our infants. Shame on you, Appa. Who's the doctor here? I can overrule Prime. Did you know that?" Ratchet asked as he cast a gimlet optic on the grinning wonderment that was his grandfather.

"I do. I just know, infant, that when Cybertron calls us, we answer. Right, Docker?" Appa Ratchet asked.

Docker who was amused as all get out nodded. "That's right, Only One. What sort of Cybertronian would we be if we didn't?"

"You're the **greatest** ," Fireball said as he was swept up in the greatness. "Aren't they the greatest?" he asked as he looked at the others around the table. All of them nodded solemnly, then turned toward their elders again.

"Corrupting the infants. There's no bottom to the depth of your depravity," Ratchet said with a grin. **"I'M TELLING YOU NOW! YOU *WILL* OBEY ME ON WORKING LIKE THIS! IF I HAVE TO GET THE INFANTS TO RIDE THEIR PONIES INTO THE MASSES TO ARREST YOU AND CART YOU TO JAIL, I WILL!"**

"I think that might be a good experience. I can write about it in my creative writing class. Or better … **MAYBE I CAN INTERVIEW MY SON ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ARRESTED AND JAILED INSTEAD!"**

Everyone stared at Ravel with astonishment. Then Ratchet stepped forward, lifted Ravel up and hugged the slag out of him. He put the little mech down, then shook his helm. "Slaggers."

Huge laughter met that as infants slid down from their seats and made for their elders in a bee line. It took a minute to hug and kiss before they were wrangled back to the table. The door then opened as Alor, a hoppity-skippity Scout and Blackjack ambled in. "What did we miss?"

" **ADA YELLEDED AT APPAS AND AMMAS!"** Orion affected an 'it wasn't me and **OMG!** I'm so shocked and appalled' expression of highly faked shock and surprise, then pointed at his elders. They smiled back at him and blew kisses. He blew some back, then looked at his ada with a smug expression amounting to 'it's your turn in the corner'.

"Traitor," Ratchet said as he scooped up Scout. The baby screeched with delight as he hugged Ratchet, then joined the others at the table. Ratchet sat down. "1000 meeting, then back to the grind."

"Some of us are grinding as soon as the kids are in school," Alor said with a wink.

"You're a dirty old mech," Ratchet said with a smirk. "What's the update on the Tall White ship?"

"Nothing changed thus far," Alor said as he took a breakfast pastry into servo. "It's going to take a couple of weeks before he reaches anywhere that matters."

"We're going to Cybertron. Come for lunch at my HQ," Blackjack said. "The family is going to gather to go over a subterranean repair so we're having it catered."

Ratchet nodded, then glanced at Ironhide who was helping Scout get organized for a 'Danish'. He nodded. "Do we bring anything but our personal greatness?"

"No. Just come anyway, son," Alor said with a big grin.

" **OH, HA-HA, ADA!** " Ironhide said to the delight of the kids.

 **"YES! OH, HA-HA, AMMA!"** Orion said as he turned to his father. "I, Orion, helpeded you, Atar. I saying the **HA-HA** thing too."

"You did, Spud," Ironhide said as he kissed his son's little helm.

"You help him but not me?" Ratchet asked.

Orion stared at him a moment, then nodded. "Yes."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER!**

-0-Down on the street

They watched as Hero called her cab, her delight at helping them yet again apparent to all. She waved as she drove off along with another cab carrying the three dread kids. Sunspot stepped onto the yellow bus that was routed to their route only the orn before. Some families liked them over the subways so the traffic of the morning and later afternoon was dotted with yellow school buses carrying their treasure to and from schools all over the colony.

Ravel took Praxus and the others were liberated, then they waved goodbye to head to the Metro Station nearby. Ratchet smirked at Ironhide. "Pushy slaggers aren't they?"

"They are," Ironhide said with a grin. "Where are you going?"

"To make personal house calls. You?" Ratchet asked.

"I'm heading to The Fortress," he said with a grin. "I have to help Prime be Prime."

"No one does it better," Ratchet said as Ironhide kissed him.

Ironhide grinned. "Both of us or just him?"

"Both," Ratchet said with a grin. They watched him go with a spring in his step, then Ratchet turned to Partition. "Pony up, infant. We have stuff to do." With that, Ratchet led the way to the Metro Station #1 and the apartment of the little mech known as Leto.

-0-Crystal City

They stepped out of Metro Station #4 in the city and walked the two blocks away that led to the apartment tower that Leto and his family lived in. The ride up was quiet as Partition took in everything around him. The walk to the fifteenth apartment on their floor was short, then Ratchet rapped on the door. It opened to a smiling little mech who was Leto's bond. Invited in, they walked into a charming and sweetly old fashioned appearing home filled with adults who were children and in-laws, siblings and friends of the elders.

"Hi, Ratchet," Leto said as he sat in a chair still encased in the inflated air suit that would protect him against breaking something or the pain of sitting or laying down. He looked a great deal better than the first time Partition had seen him in the emergency room. "I'm doing better."

"You look much better," Ratchet said as he scanned the little mech. Then he scanned everyone. "Well, you all look good. You look a lot better, Leto. Do you feel dizzy or nauseated?"

"No. I feel tired though. Is that normal?" he asked as Ratchet sat down beside him.

"It is. Your body is being forced to build protoform at an accelerated manner. That's tiring. You have 47% protoform growth, up from 17.5%. When you reach 75% I will think … **THINK** about letting you out of the suit. When you get that far and it looks good, you'll have to do physical therapy. That means you'll have to go to the hospital in The City and go to the outpatient department to work on your strength. You have protoform now and you'll get more but you have to relearn how to use it."

"Okay. You say the word, I'll be there," he said with a smile.

Ratchet grinned. "You remind me of my Appa. He's the cutest little mech too." He took Leto's servo in hand, then began the treatment where he would utilize his energy to promote that in the little mech. The signature electrical glow and flashes of energy enveloped their servos. Ratchet watched it even as he monitored a meter inside. It was silent as everyone watched with concern and anticipation. Then Ratchet halted the treatment. He scanned the mech, analyzed the data, then grinned. "How do you feel?"

"Tired but a lot better," Leto said with a smile.

"You should. You just grew some more protoform in important areas around your spark chamber. You just went from 47% to 52. I can't do more than 5% at a time. You need to assimilate this for a week, then I'll be back to do more. We want you on your peds and dancing at the club as soon as we can," he said with a grin.

Leto laughed, then glanced at his ecstatic bond. "You can really dance, can't you, Tima."

"I can, but look at my partner," the tiny mech said.

Ratchet grinned. "How did our elders get so cute?" he asked their sons and family. Laughter greeted that along with acknowledgements. "Just so you know, Leto and Tima. I'm not clearing either of you to work until I'm convinced that it's necessary and reasonable. Both of you have better, more important chores ahead of you."

Tima and Leto glanced at each other, then Ratchet. "What?"

"You have to get completely well, first of all. Then you need to tell your life story to the recorders at the Museum for the Talking History program. They want every elder to tell what they remember about their lives, good, bad and ugly. Then, you have to join clubs, the senior center, volunteer in the schools or libraries, read books, eat too much candy, play with the grand kids, eat lunch in cafes, go to the movies and theater, play, sleep and enjoy yourselves. If at some point that's not enough, then I'll consider your fitness to drudge at a job."

Leto grinned at Ratchet. "I sorta like the first part."

Huge laughter and agreement met that remark among the family. A big hulking son looked at his genitors. "Neither of you are ever going to work again. We're going to take care of you like you took care of us. It'll take more than Ratchet's agreement to change that."

"I do believe, Only One, that our son is putting his ped down," Tima said with a smile.

"I do believe you're right," Leto said with a chuckle. "I think I'd like to try fun for awhile."

General agreement among the masses was achieved, then Ratchet stood up with Partition following. "Then my work here is finished," he said to laughter and much thanks. They took their leave, then rode down on the elevator.

Partition looked at him. "They can't work anymore, can they."

"No," Ratchet said. "But they have pride and an ingrained sense that their family needs their help. It's a delicate thing getting them to understand that their heroism is needed more in another direction."

Partition nodded. "I like them. They're nice. Before ..." he paused, then looked at Ratchet. "Before I wouldn't have. I wouldn't have given them the time of day."

Ratchet nodded. "I know. But now you understand and that makes you my hero, Partition. If you never remember anything else, remember that. You are my hero for opening your spark to the truth."

Partition nodded, then looked away. He felt uncharacteristic emotion rising in him. They stepped out and walked to the street where Ratchet paused to look at him. "You up for a sundae?"

Partition shrugged. "I don't know what it is but okay."

Ratchet grinned. "It's a work and a wonder. It's also going to get both of us through the staff meeting in about a joor."

"I'm coming too?" Partition asked with surprise.

"Why not?" Ratchet asked as he slapped the kid on the shoulder. "Come on. You're going to love it."

He would.

-0-TBC 9-3-17 **edited 9-4-17**

 **NOTES! HUZZAH! :D:D:D**

 **-0-Guest** chapter 114 . Aug 31

Why are the human soldiers asking how it went, and what happened? Didn't the human soldiers along with Owen Harris go with the bots on the Salton Sea and witness it for themselves .

 **ME:** Because I'm a doofus. :D:D:D I changed that. Thank you, oh great one, for finding that. I rely on you guys to keep me on the straight and narrow. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **-0-Ragemoose** chapter 114 . Aug 31

Ahhh. I'm such a sucker for a good redemption story. I hope everything works out good with Partition's parents. I'm sort of conflicted about the whole thing because I'm afraid he really doesn't grasp the concept of loss yet, you know? And one day, maybe not soon but one day when he's a soldier, regardless of whether his folks are with him, he'll have friends who are soldier and one of them won't come back and he'll know what it is, then, and like... that'll really mess with him I think. Especially because he's so raw about affection and inclusion, to have a part of his new life taken away, to really have to face the music would hurt a lot. Because sure, he and Ratchet spoke about it briefly but does he actually know what loss is? Has he ever actually lost anyone?

I dunno, it's just something I think about sometimes. I also think that He and Lon would be great friends, cause they were both high castes. It would be neat to see Lon become to Partition what Drift was/is to Lon. Then again, I think Lon might be doing that with Bezel sort of already, so maybe the spot is taken. I guess I'll just have to wait and find out! :9

 **ME:** I agree. He's starved for affection without strings, unconditional love, and he wants a place where there is fun and inclusion without strings. The loss part is ahead of him, for sure, but he's got a cocoon of good mechs around him who understand loss. Won't help much at the time but its his safety net. He's a good kid who is starved for love and inclusion. I think one of the biggest things going against kids and a lot of adults is loneliness. Ratchet's life and the army guys are a bright light and he's flown to it like a moth to a flame.

Lon would be a great friend but he bonded with Bezel, Burris's son. :D I will have Yenta do inventory of the mechs for a good match. It might be fun to make it unusual. ;) HUGS!

 **-0-Leoness** chapter 114 . Aug 31

I've been in Partition's shoes, when I joined a theater group in my teens. There's no words for the sensation of warmth, acceptance, etc, when you haven't really known it before. You write it beautifully and I love seeing it unfold here.

 **ME:** I agree. There's nothing like warmth when you lived your whole life in the cold. He's learning and changing which makes it great to watch. I wondered how he would evolve because there was something in this character that said 'change me'. I didn't know how it would work but it has. This is so much fun, I can't tell you. :D:D:D Good on you for the theater group. Everyone needs someone and everyone deserves that and belonging. HUGS!

kattenbelletje chapter 112 . Aug 29

Morshower says they only call Optimus Lord, but the priests are also called Lord. Rainmaker and Starscream have also been called Lord.

 **ME:** BWAHAHAHA! I changed that. Thanks, Hawkeye. :D:D:D

I want to push the button too :(

 **ME:** You and me both. I like Rainmaker's sons. They would be cool because he is. More inclusion for them in the future. We have a Seeker enclave coming up shortly, just so you know. ;) HUGS!

 **-0-JC** chapter 112 . Aug 29

Switchblade: "But I wanted to press the button" *Que big pouty face*  
XD

 **ME:** BWAHAHAHAA! I love Rainmaker and his family. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **-0-optimus prime101** chapter 112 . Aug 29

oh my please add 2 more chapters I want to read what happens next and what happens when Harris goes back to earth 2 they probably bug him about getting info out of him of what is happening out there am I right.

 **ME:** For you, I will always try. :D I am making them longer for you as well. They will bug him. We'll get back to him shortly. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **-0-Leoness** chapter 112 . Aug 29

Warm and fuzzies, with explosions. Love it!

 **ME:** I think if you look up Ironhide's high school graduation picture in his year book, that's his personal motto. ;) :D:D:D HUGS!

 **-0-kattenbelletje** chapter 111 . Aug 29

I can't help but think Ratchet is kind of hypocritical. He is telling Laslo and Lucien that their son is an adult and should be allowed to be a soldier even if they don't like it, while he himself will forbid his youngest children to become soldiers. What if one of them wants to be a soldier as much as Partition does? I fully understand that they don't want to see their children come home in a body bag, but neither do Partitions parents.

 **ME:** I agree with you. All parents are hypocritical when it comes to their family safety. It's always someone elses kids that go to war. If you check out the super patriotic among us, you'll find fewer veterans and more who don't want their kids involved, but war is good for them anyway. Hypocrisy is a big thing among humans. Ratchet knows he is too. If Orion and the others want to be warriors, I doubt that they would stand in the way but they have time to say no. Whether they would when it comes that time is another chapter. I'll probably be still at it, writing it. LOL! It will be eight years of this story in November. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **-0-Lackwit** chapter 105 . Aug 29

Exciting! It's an arms race, isn't it?

Please, babies for Springer and Drift! You promised us 3 from the well LOL! Hopefully not Ratchet. I am personally not happy with Ironhide's attitude :frowny:

 **ME:** It is. LOL! I love to mix the action in. There is a baby coming but I can't disclose it yet. Mama Fig will slap me. As for the boys … there will be wish fulfillment on the way. When? The three of us are still negotiating that. LOL! HUGS

 **-0-Guester** chapter 109 . Aug 27

Looks like the Praxian Elites are taking on Partition as a project. What happened with Riff and Rad-R, they were supposed to be a project too, weren't they?

 **ME:** All of them are. I think I have to include more of the family's stuff into the story. Edict is making her way and Bron-E is getting bonded shortly. Hobbes is still counting his fingers. I think its time to stop in and visit all of them and let you see what the family is doing for them. The Praxians when they made a 'project' they don't let up. War has stepped in but they're going to show their stuff. This is the problem with a cast of thousands. Keep reminding me of other doings so I can write them up. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **-0-Guest** chapter 114 . Aug 31

Why are the human soldiers asking how it went, and what happened? Didn't the human soldiers along with Owen Harris go with the bots on the Salton Sea and witness it for themselves .

 **ME:** They did. I'm a doofus writing late at night. I'm changing up to morning and that will give me a chance to add maybe more than one piece a day. :D:D I'm a doofus. I changed that. Thanks, honey. D HUGS!


	117. Chapter 117

The Diego Diaries: Meeting Schmeeting (dd6 117)

-0-The Fortress in the big conference room

They stood in the doorway, Ratchet and a fascinated Partition. Ratchet nodded toward a heavily laden table nearby. "Let's get some grub before we go in." They walked to the table, loaded up a plate with pastry, 'fruit' and took a 'tea' into the room. "Why don't you sit there with Hercy and Kup. They can explain things that come up and you can get the word on them from pros."

Partition glanced at the two mechs who were grinning slightly at him from comfortable chairs along the wall. He glanced at Ratchet, then walked over to sit. He looked around, grinned at Ratchet, nodded to the two older mechs, then began to eat his treats. Ratchet with a grin walked to his place at the table to sit next to Ironhide.

Prowl who was syncing agenda datapads glanced at Ratchet. :You brought that stranger in a Partition suit with you, did you, Loon?:

:You're just jealous, you losing whiner. Get your own doppelganger/poltergeist and see what a great idea it is. If I need more tea I have a built-in flunky: Ratchet replied with a grin.

:Yeah. That's why you did this: Prowl said with a knowing smirk as he slid datapads down table. :You needed someone to carry your cup:

:He's about as reformed as he can get at this point and a bit rough around the edges but I'm proud of him. He sincerely wants to be different than he was and fit into the life: Ratchet replied as he counted down the agenda datapad to his own report. Then he gathered information from the data dump at the Med Center to formulate one. :I have my report. I'll give it to Prime later and let you know what's what when its my turn:

:You didn't get it together did you: Prowl said as he stared at Ratchet with a smirk.

Ratchet smirked back. :Bingo:

More mechs and femmes walked in to take their seat, some of them nodding or grinning at Partition. He nodded back, his excitement and interest at an all time high. These were the real deal, these mechs and femmes, the ones who ran the colony and protected it with their amazing skills and courage. He was here and it was almost overwhelming for him.

:We keep the secrets, infant: Hercy said as he glanced at Partition. :This is the trust zone:

Partition nodded. :I understand, Abba:

Hercy patted Partition's leg. :I know you do: he said.

Partition would replay this exchange a few times before filing it away.

Prime entered, nodded to everyone including Partition, then took his place. "Is everyone here?" he asked.

Prowl glanced around. "Mostly. Springer and Drift are coming," he said as he leaned forward to spot them in the rec room. "Call them in please, Elita."

Elita leaned out the door. **"HEY! GET IN HERE! MOM SAYS SO!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as everyone glanced at Prowl who was frowning at Elita. The two entered, slapped servos with Elita, then sat in the usual place, the other side of Partition. The kid was seated between heroic mechs and his spark fluttered with excitement and joy.

"Let's get this goat rodeo on the road," Prowl said. "Jetta, your assessment please."

Jetta grinned at Prowl, then took the datapad his brother, Mack, gave to him. "Well, we seated everyone in the first city of the new construction in the Crater District. We can house between 5-7 million individuals there when its fully utilized. Right now, we've consolidated everyone into a manageable area. When the cities are named, we can make it more homey but for now, the entire group is settled and incredibly happy and appreciative. We have a meeting Martian Friday to settle the next building phase here, the construction review requests from Earth and for different businesses that want to build service oriented operations on the TransWorld Highway. There's also the first reading of the space station that we plan to build in deep space. We have diagrams and plans from war worlds that we're modifying so its going to take a few orns longer than planned. When we have the plan crafted, then we can present it to you, Optimus."

Prime nodded. "Very well. Thank you for the effort with the new refugees. I want their comforts assured. What about their dead?"

Jetta looked at his datapad. "We have a large number of individuals who will be re-interred at the Mausoleum. The Temple and Monastery have stepped up to accord the honors," he said as he glanced at Prime. "There are few words they can muster to form the thanks that they want to extend to you, Optimus, for allowing this to happen. It would have been unbearable for them to leave their deceased family and friends behind."

Prime nodded. "Where we can, we will."

Jetta nodded. "The Mausoleum can accommodate them but we have to plan for a further internment site given that we've grown so much and changed the math of future projections. We have a site planned near the Crater District. It's a sloping hillside that would be terraced. We'll let you know as soon as feasibility plans are finalized. It's not so far from here and the Temple will share maintenance with the local clubs and City Works. We can support it and the other buildings and sites all together."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. I worried about that a bit."

"It's in hand," Jetta said as Mack nodded. "I would also like to say that the Performing Arts Center of Autobot City is signed off and ready to open. The different companies and schools have moved in and the entire facility is turned over to Scout and Trooper. They couldn't be here because of something that had to be ironed out about the different schools and who would direct them. Show biz people. They're not like you and me."

"That's my genitors you're talking about, infant. Your in-laws, maybe. I, however, agree with you completely," Alor said with a grin. Laughter accompanied that admission. "They can't get over the place. They actually have a little apartment to sleep in if they want. I'm going to have them catered by Vos Senior Center until the cafes and restaurants come on line. We may have to issue crowbars to the family to get them out of there from time-to-time."

"That's the last thing to finish, Amma. They want the 'cuisine' to be up to the surroundings. Rampage is designing it and I sincerely hope that they have normal food too. That place is halfway between the Industrial Park Cities and everywhere else. I'd love to have a convenient place to pop in for lunch that serves something that isn't too … abnormal to eat," Jetta said with a chuckle.

"Good luck," Alor said with a grin. "My genitors are adventurous in every possible way."

"I hated eating dinner at their house," Ironhide said as he remembered some of the food they laid on. "It wasn't that it was slop. It was just … high tone and weird sometimes."

Jetta nodded. "I'll check the menus myself. All in all, Optimus … we're going great guns. The construction on Cybertron is picking up now that we've worked out the food supply system. More of the titans are creating construction materials and the distribution supply lines are a lot straighter. We still have to send some under guard in the most outlying areas but otherwise, we're good. Last time I checked, Iacon was 22% rebuilt and the camps have actually shrunk down a bit."

That was greatly received, then Prowl soldiered on. "Ratchet? How about you next? Especially since you don't have a report to give prepared."

Chuckles greeted that as Ratchet smirked at Prowl. "Well, since you asked so nicely … we have very few problems in this group. They were in good shape but for a few that were burned or harmed in the takeover. That was a good thing. The health, not the burns," he said to snickers all around. "It also allowed my student doctors and others who need more experience to manage the refugees. As for the colony itself … we've discovered another resistant strain of protoform wasting. We're working on a countermeasure but its going to take time. Those affected are holding on with the usual cures and a few measures from the hedge doctor's bag of tricks.

"There were several serious injuries in the rescue armada including two Seekers that won't be soldiering further. I'm hoping that you can manage that sad news, Starscream and Elder, so that they can feel good about themselves anyway. We have injuries with four mechs in the hospital. Three will be released shortly but the last one … we're trying to figure out how to repair his flight mechanisms. They took heavy fire. Prosthetics is working on some very advanced tech which we'll try on this patient. I'm hopeful that they get their flight back on with it. They won't soldier but they should be able to fly again.

"We finished our physicals in the schools including the University and find among the sparkling group that we have only 10% or so of our population with any kind of lingering traumatic physical condition that requires home schooling and home support by both the schools and medical. Our intention long term is to get them into the schools even if for a few joors a day with the smallest number possible never reaching full inclusion. Our mental health population includes a number of children who are full time in the Processor Health Hospital as well as home school. They all meet with counselors and counseling groups daily for both individual and family counseling with the hope that we can help them back into the system again.

"The courier-trap problem here has been totally eradicated with any newcomers being scanned as they reach immigration for processing. On Cybertron, 69% of the planet has been scanned and there has been about 2-3% of them found with it. They're almost exclusively former Decepticons," Ratchet said. "We hope to have the problem eradicated entirely by Thanksgiving. We have teams roving out over Cybertron who have nothing more to do than find this virus and take it out. Along the way, they also send information to the district centers to have medical and other services delivered to local areas still in need They're still finding those who don't know things have changed and are in hiding, some of them in very bad shape. All of those are transported to Gliese.

"I have a proposal for Gliese as well. If we have another migration from Atlas and it turns out to be as healthy and well as the last two, then perhaps a couple of the big ships there can be turned to making things for Cybertron that are needed. Medical and consumer goods items, perhaps. Gliese is closer and they have a reduced need to be a medical receiver thus far If the support we've given Atlas at his camps at the gathering areas have helped turn the problem around, then maybe one or two of the titans on Gliese can be used for other things. I've talked to them and even though they're medical mechanisms, they want to help any way they can."

Prime glanced at Prowl. "What do you think?"

"I'd have to go there and talk to them. Maybe even go out to Atlas and see what he thinks. We have preliminary information that two big groups are being put together. Maybe Ratchet and I can go see him and get his views on this as well as a medical report from the teams on site," Prowl said. "I have no problem utilizing them otherwise. I'd just have one if a migration had a lot of problems."

"We can use the bridges to more greatly support Atlas, sending our people and supplies to him to help get the refugees up to par out there. It really helps us at this end if there was more of that out there. We can also take the worst cases at that point rather than wait for them to come here," Ratchet said.

Prime nodded. "Then you and Prowl need to go out and make an assessment. I want to know what we can do to help him at the staging areas. If we can work out what we actually still need, we can help Cybertron."

Prowl glanced at Ratchet. "After the meeting?"

Ratchet nodded. "I'm good to go. That's my report by the way except to say that the twinnies are speaking again but they still sign. All in all, their audials are functioning at 100%"

Congratulations and relief filled the room for a moment, then Prowl nodded to Starscream. The big Seeker glanced at Rainmaker. The Great Elder looked at Prime. "All of this group is invited to the Great Convocation of the Youth this weekend. We are going to hold it 500 miles from here. We intend to bring our youth and any adults who weren't given this ceremony into adulthood. We are hopeful that you will do us the honors."

Prime nodded respectfully. "Short of nuclear attack, we shall be there. Thank you for the honor of being included. This is a remarkable time to be a Seeker."

Rainmaker nodded. "It is."

Starscream smirked. "Or as its known among us … Martian Monday."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that as Rainmaker guffawed. He grinned at Starscream, then looked at Prime. "I shall send you the coordinates."

"Thank you, Elder. I look forward to this more than you can know," Prime said.

"Our Home Guard Armada has passed every measure we have laid out for their training. They have joined the regular air force to do more of the patrols in the local cluster including those entailing hot spots of contention. So far, they have met and exceeded every measurable expectation."

"Can it be any other way?" Arcee asked with a grin.

"No," Starscream said to great laughter. "The expansion of Aerie Hill to the top and down the other side of the Great Escarpment is highly anticipated and the designs are expected to show the beauty of our district to its greatest effect."

"I can't wait to see it. I'd love to have an apartment on top of the hill myself," Elita said with a grin.

"You're too late," Starscream said as everyone laughed. "However, my door is open any time for visitors."

Laughter, then the business reports began. Ratchet sat back, then glanced at Partition. He was leaning toward Hercy who was whispering in his audials. He looked content and attentive. He probably was the only one there that was but it made Ratchet ridiculously happy. He turned back to Caro who was outlining some such slag and like everyone else there, he put on his attentive face, then turned back to the important stuff.

Tetras.

-0-TBC 9-4-17 **edited 9-5-17**


	118. Chapter 118

The Diego Diaries: Meet Up (dd6 118)

-0-Ops Center Conference Room

They chugged along taking report after report as the department heads chimed in. From Springer (Security, on and off world), to Magnus (the colony's management and focus along with treaty-related security), Arcee (femmes), Herling and Nova (education and children), etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, everyone got their turn on the catwalk. At last, they reached New Business. Prowl stared at the agenda, then glanced toward the door. Standing there, leaning against the doorjamb, Trailbreaker kibitzed off line with Hound who was standing behind him. "Gentlemen? You're up?"

Everyone turned to look at them, then Hound turned to call to someone out in the rec room. Roto appeared, then grinned. "Looks like a firing squad," he said to laughter and commentary as he entered the room. He glanced at Hound and Trailbreaker, then began. He told of a certain pink and light green femme, an older, very young resident having arrived in the first migration and her determination to be a good and loving citizen of her colony. He told of her idea, one shaped by a decaorn of research. He told of its meaning, kindness and sweetness.

The group listened enraptured as Roto explained 'Silverbow's Idea'.

Hound and Trailbreaker stood nervously in the door, summoned to go to the meeting on behalf of their tiny daughter. She had explained her meanings and desires and they had fallen, once again, under the spell of her genuine goodness. They were here to be her champions. Roto had come for Terradive to be his. Roto explained what would be needed, what would be required, where it would unfold and now long. It would require help from departments of the colony and would only take a brief instant in the center of The City. When he was finally done, the committee stared at him silently, then each other.

Starscream cleared his throat, an entirely unnecessary thing, then nodded. "I like this. A little femme has come up with this and wants to do it?"

Roto, Trailbreaker and Hound nodded together. "Yes," they said together.

Starscream looked at Prime who was as dazzled by Silverbow and her good little spark as the next one. "What say you, Prime?" he asked.

Prime glanced at the others, then Roto. "Of course," he simply said.

It was go.

For the following day.

In the center of the colony.

-0-A joor and The Good Of The Order later …

They walked through a bridge to the biggest encampment that was operated by the Circle and Knights. They were met by officials of The Network and led to the building that was the control center of the whole shebang. Dai Atlas was there along with his lieutenants. Ratchet and Prowl met them, then sat. They would spend four joors going over the situation, then visit the orderly camps where refugees were sent to get well enough to go onward. It was a colossal, monumental achievement by the groups and their enigmatic leader. When Prowl and Ratchet walked back through the bridge, they would have visited both of the major staging areas where the refugees came to recover before going onward, three other camps where they were gathered to send onward when given a medical clearance and two others that housed workers for the effort and supplies.

By the time they left, a plan would be in place to put a titan in the first camp to supply the effort in real time rather than be fed massive shipments from Mars. There would be more doctors and medics sent, those who were training to get real world experience. They would work shifts here and study medicine on Mars. More techs would come to help set up their sensor network to extend it even further into the universe as well as build and support the supply system that fed sometimes up to three million individuals. The new titan would also help them with infrastructure to house everyone. It would be more efficient and help with communications.

Before they touched the deck of The Fortress, a titan would be happily winging its way through Soft and every other kind of dimensional space on its way to service for The People.

-0-On the way upward

"That's one talented mech," Ratchet said as they re-entered the rec room. Walking to the Ops Center, they stopped at the command table to sit. "He's doing heroic work. Hard to imagine that he and Optimus had words in the past."

Prowl nodded. "I know. Time mends all wounds."

Ratchet sat back. "You have the next segment of the story, Prowl, by the way Turbine is the scorekeeper, I think. You're getting it sent to you. When we get it a certain length, then we post it anonymously."

Prowl nodded. "Who's after me?"

"Amma Corr," Ratchet said with a giant grin. Prowl grinned back. "What do you think about Silverbow's proposal?"

"I'm going to be there with my best camera. Does she need us to help her?" Prowl asked.

"I'll ask Terradive tonight. The thing happens tomorrow at mid orn," Ratchet said. "This is going to be off the scale cute."

Prowl nodded. "It is."

-0-Elsewhere

"This is what you do," Hercy said as he demonstrated it on Kup. All of the Home Guard trainees were watching, some with an intensity that was almost comical if it wasn't so sincere. Among them was Partition. They were in the dojo learning how to get free of restraints and multiple mechs gripping your aft. "Now, pair up, infants. Time to practice."

A big mech with an easy manner turned to Partition. He grinned. "You ready for this?" he asked.

Partition nodded, then smirked slightly. "I was born to do this," he said, then the two began to grapple.

-0-An art room in the school

Terradive's class worked together creating 'the thing' that Silverbow instructed. She was straw boss of the effort to do the 'thing' that had been borne in her processor when she was looking at videos on Youtube. They had sat together going over the plan, then ran it past their music teacher. Miss Sido who was enchanted by the idea helped them to prepare the music part of their 'thing'. Their art teacher, Miss Coral worked with them to create the art part of the project as Terradive watched the group create an idea, work it out, assign parts, then make it happen. It was what he wanted them to do and become, independent self sufficient thinkers. The humans who were part of it, too, worked as happily and that for some reason included Rain Harris who was now back in class. The three girls that were new had come more into the middle of things mostly because of the other human kids and some of the friendlier Cybertronians. Each of them helped to put the project together, one that would be put to the test at noon the following orn.

He couldn't wait for it to happen. He had invited the entire school board, the entire governing committee of the colony, the Seeker Council of Elders, and as many of the ammas and appas in their circle as they could manage to contact. Those elders would put out the word. IntraCom and Galaxy Productions would hear of it and be there too. Many would be the individual who would be waiting in the middle of the colony to watch the 'thing' currently in progress in the Art Room of the Youngling Day School #1 in Centurion.

-0-At a diner at noon

Lucien sat in a booth waiting for Laslo when Hobbes walked in. He was looking for a seat when Lucien saw him. Waving him over, he invited Hobbes to have lunch with them. He glanced around. "I'm thinking Edict will be here shortly. He's working in the lunchroom of the Sparkling School in Terra helping the babies eat. He likes it." Hobbes stared at Lucien, a mech he knew well and had conspired with in the labyrinthine dystopia that was the Central Command of Cybertron back in Iacon in the orn. He liked Lucien and Lucien liked him and his cousin, Traachon. "How are you, Lucien? And Laslo? I haven't seen you since you came."

"Not as well as I wish but better than being on the run. I understand that you had a spot of trouble when you came." Lucien sat back to hear the tale.

"Did you," Hobbes said gloomily. "We were manhandled when we arrived and consigned to prison. We've been put into servitude to pay off the sentence. Frankly, I'm at a loss here, Lucien."

Lucien nodded. "Then you heard about me?"

Hobbes stared at him. "You weren't from my district so I couldn't come. I would have assisted you, Lucien, but the outcomes are foregone conclusions anymore. You can't win in a caste court."

"So it would seem," Lucien said as he sat back to receive his food. Hobbes ordered, then watched the big mech begin to eat. "I'm going to run for public office. What about you?"

"I thought about it but for now, I don't know. Edict is still under a great deal of stress with all that's happened. Sunee is in the Processor Health Center under a Primal Hold."

"What?" Lucien asked with surprise. He knew Sunee enough to know that he was trouble but never had it risen to such a level in the past. At least, not within his hearing range anyway. "Why?"

"The same problem in the migration when the soldiers came to check the ship. There was a fight, then he did the same thing during the court hearing over that fight. He was held over and has been there ever since. Did you know that Traachon's daughters are in secure hold in the Hospital detention center? They're in stasis."

Lucien stared at Hobbes with a stunned expression for a moment. "Why?" he asked with genuine surprise.

"Their special functions," Hobbes said. "They were trying to affect an alliance with like-minded humans on Earth and were caught. They've been in stasis for some time and I don't know when its going to end."

"What does the community think about all this?" Lucien said as he leaned closer.

"They ignore such things. There was an organization, the Iacon Order, that represented us but gave in after a while. Apparently, the director and founder, Fenix, folded his cards when he got 'religion'." Hobbes frowned. "He and my cousin, Maddow lead it now and it's a service organization for the colony as well as a social club. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Maddow is here?" Lucien asked.

"He's a house historian for the Museum and an archivist specialist for the Temple. He's useless, Lucien. Trust me," Hobbes said.

"What about his guardian, that former police officer … what's his name?" Lucien asked as he thought through infinite memories for a face.

"Hauser? He's a detective and gang specialist for the Day and Night Watch, the policing forces," Hobbes said gloomily. "They disappoint every orn."

It was silent as Hobbes got his food delivered. They ate for a moment, then Laslo and Edict appeared in the doorway. Hobbes waved them over, then looked at Lucien. "Don't talk about this in front of Edict. He's struggling to be happy and I don't want that to be a problem for him."

Lucien nodded as the two arrived, then sat. No one would talk about anything but happy times.

-0-Art room in a youngling school

The mechs from The Game Place arrived with the three things and the other stuff needed for the 'thing'. Silverbow who was the straw boss directed the stuff to be placed just so, then thanked the mechs with a hug and smile. They walked out with a spring in their step. The kids looked at the 'thing', then Silverbow. "This is going to be amazing, Silverbow," Spirit said with a slight tone of awe.

She smiled, then nodded. "I think so, Spirit. Let's see this thing," she said, then they began to take stuff out of the big boxes.

Terradive watched them waiting for their call to arms but it didn't come. The little kids in his class had this.

-0-Ops Center again with information for Optimus

Prime read the notes from Dai Atlas, the list of things needed, the changes to the mission as they adapted, and the call for a titan. The titan was called by Metroplex who sat with Prime along with Tennyson, Paribolus and Typhoon.

"Then the next group coming will number 2 million?" Typhoon asked as they mulled over the information.

Prime nodded. "I have asked Wheeljack to do something for me that will speed things up and solve a problem that Atlas has already told me about. If this can be worked out we can take a continuous stream of civilians all the time rather than rake in millions at once. I want to do bridging to the area and deliver them here without ships. They don't have enough ships to take everyone here now because they are getting individuals without transport on sites and its become unsafe everywhere to go by ships even if they have them. Convoys and pirates appear to be a normal thing out there now, so they want assistance to do this more safety. As long as there are pirates making things difficult in the local area, its difficult so we are going to be assisting them with that problem shortly."

"What about posting another dreadnought out there, one to stay in space as a ship ready to fight. That will give the refugees coming from the local cluster and beyond some security," Typhoon said. "There are fifteen of us altogether and three more have made it to Soft Space. One of them is an old buddy, Siphon. He's about as bad aft as they get, me excluded."

Prime grinned. "When can he come?"

"He's on his way," Typhoon said. He glanced at the others. "Why don't we go pay Dai Atlas and his group a visit? That way we can show them how powerful and useful a dread can be. He can house a lot of individuals in comfort as well, elders and those that need it, and be a better hospital site than a tent."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. That relieves my processor a bit."

The mechs stood, then looked at him with serious expressions, all of them. "You do understand, Optimus, that we live to serve you, First Disciple of Primus. Just ask and it will be done, from now and unto death." The group of mechs bowed slightly. "See ya on the other side," Ty said with a grin as they turned to leave.

They cleared the deck as Prowl reached Prime. He looked at Optimus. "That is a very classy group of mechs."

Prime nodded. "They are," he said.

And the beat went on.

-0-9-5-17 **edited 9-6-17**

To all who are in harms way, in hurricanes, fires or flooding, you are forever in my prayers and thoughts. I wish I could help you more than just love you dearly. Take care and know that forever you are loved by me.


	119. Chapter 119

The Diego Diaries: Continue (dd6 119)

-0-On the ground with Dai Atlas

They walked through a bridge, then continued onward toward a huge camp that was teeming with activity. There were thousands upon thousands of civilians and soldiers here, some of whom paused wherever and whatever they were doing/going to watch three nearly identically built, very handsome mechs walk past. One of them was taller and bigger than the other two but none of them were normal sized. Everyone who saw them, though, knew who and what they were. They were city-formers, metro titans of vast size, power and honor. They nodded and grinned at those who looked their way, their size, finials and red optics a dead giveaway to their status as titanic frames. One didn't need to read the numerous tattoos and designations on their armor to understand who they were.

They spotted the central command buildings nearby, then angled there. Pausing here and there to let some who were really, really religious reach out to touch them, they continued onward. There were two figures that reached such veneration for The People. One was the greatest figure among them, whoever was Prime, especially if that Prime was honorable and true. The other group were the titanic frames. They were city and planetary guardians who would give up their lives happily to save The People. Because they were selfless and put everyone first, they were as honored and honorable a group as one would find among their people. By the time they reached the building, a group was following them, chatting happily, asking about Prime and the colony, the rescue of Cybertron, and whether or not they were going to stay. It was a huge deal that a dreadnought was coming to help them. They hugged and patted the group, then walked into the building.

-0-Inside

Dai Atlas gripped Metroplex's servo. "It's a great joy to see you, Metroplex. I'm so glad to see all of you."

"Of course it is," Typhoon said as they all laughed loudly. Around the room, the workers in the big heavily teched out control room laughed as well. Having a titanic frame around was premium in their estimation given the historical connections between the Knights and the big mechs. Having three here was unbelievable even in pretender form. "We have a proposal."

"Have a seat," Dai said as Star Saber pulled up chairs. They sat, then sipped some high grade that was placed before them. "I'm all audials."

Ty grinned. "We're here to deliver up a dreadnought to assist you in this venture. They can guard, transport, manufacture, and anything else you have in mind. My good friend, Siphon is coming. He's very experienced in rescues and fighting. You could use the help out here given the crush of refugees. I heard that there's a problem with pirates too."

Atlas nodded as he sipped his drink. "That's true. We drive them off but it makes things uncertain."

"We can help there, too," Metroplex said with a nod. "Those fraggers need to leave."

Atlas nodded. "What's the situation in the colony? Cybertron? I haven't been to Cybertron for a bit but I'm headed that way for a base touch with the Network who's helping manage the camps there."

"The colony is fantastic. Cybertron is emerging. If we can find the other Omega Keys it will help, but everyone is working hard," Typhoon said. "We have new humans on Mars, 5,000 of them, and to keep an optic on them because some of them are hostile, Paribolus is hosting them as a habitat. The best part of it is that the humans don't know that."

"Smart move. Is that M.E.C.H. and the family? Prime has mentioned them from time to time," Atlas said.

Ty nodded. "Yes," he said. "We just had a dust up with a new player, Cassio Imperialis. They've dug into what's left of three settlements we cleared, then blew up."

Atlas nodded, then glanced at Star Saber who looked solemn at the sound of the name. "We know him. Give us his coordinates. I want to know where he is."

They would, then a tour of the camp would commence. By the time they left, a dreadnought with a twelve mile deck would be their protector, transport, manufacturer, and weapon of mass destruction.

-0-In the art room at Youngling Day School #1, Terra

Sunstreaker entered the room where the kids were working on art for the 'thing'. Silverbow saw him, then jumped up to run to him. Sunstreaker hugged her, then settled her on his arm. "What are you doing?"

"We're doing this thing, Sunstreaker," Silverbow said as she began to explain how a few moments looking around the kid version of YouTube, that is, the carefully monitored content of YouTube that the bots allowed children to watch on world, had led to an idea that had become a brainstorm and finally reached the desk of their leader. Optimus Prime, softie that he was, allowed it and thus, Sunstreaker was here to do his part, drafted by a sweet little femme who believed anything was possible.

Sunstreaker listened with a slowly growing grin. Glancing at the three things that were ready for his deft touch, special things that were designed from Silverbow's sweet sketches and crafted at The Game Place by the mechs who knelt down to listen when Hound and Trailbreaker brought her there to seek their assistance, he began to compose his part in his helm. A moment of conversation was had, a review of the images completed and all was go. She had walked out of the store with her genitors to gather a dozen other things to have created and finished by her classmates, also known as Silverbow's Crew.

Sunstreaker grinned at this little femme who he loved like a daughter and who had cherished (and still did) the yellow cup with her name on it that he had given to her when she first came. She had taken to him, the big mech who had detailed her skinny malnourished body, then painted her Autobrand. He had done all of her other work, too, including the names of her family, a tiny poem she wrote about them and the names of their family's historic cities on Cybertron as well as 'Autobot City' on her arm. He also was the one who maintained her finish regularly. They were simpatico. She finished her explanation, then looked at him hopefully. "Can you do that, Sunstreaker?" she asked.

If she had told him that she needed plasma from the sun, he would have gotten it for her. He nodded. "Sure," he said, then gently put her down. He moved to the three things, walked around them, then looked at the kit laying on the table nearby. Gathering the materials he needed, he looked at the hopeful kids watching including humans. He grinned. "Let's see what we can do," he said, then he turned to the three things and began to fulfill the wishes of the kids.

Terradive who was sitting nearby writing a math test grinned. A world class, world(s) famous artist was helping his kids with their project. It didn't get any better than this.

-0-Earth2

He had come back to the installation exhausted and unsettled. He had seen what space combat was like and he didn't like it. He had seen trouble on a scale that he was clear few humans had ever seen and it was bad. Walking to his home, he noted that his friends, the Beliveaus were here. Entering his apartment, he saw his son and daughter sitting on the couch talking with them. It was a happy greeting on both sides as Pierre 'Perry', Allison and Cameron Frazer-Beliveau greeted him. Mariah and Kyle Davis were already there sipping wine as they chatted. He sat down heavily, then thanked his son for a glass of wine.

Rick Harris sat. "Well? What happened? You were with the armada all day and half the night."

Rick Harris looked at his daughter. "Don't you have homework?" he asked.

"I do but I can get it done later. I want to listen to this," Rain said as she glanced at her mom for support.

"I'm forbidden to discuss what happened. Suffice it to say, we went to a group of settlements, got our soldiers back, got all the refugees, burned the place down, then left," Harris said.

"Wow. Why didn't you ask if I could come?" Rick said.

"I wasn't going to go but I sort of joined the wave. It was spontaneous. I was with the N.E.S.T soldiers the whole time. It was an amazing experience but I'm not allowed to discuss it," Owen said. "How was your trip?" he asked the Beliveaus.

Rain rolled her eyes, then got up. "If that's it, then I'm going to Skype friends on Earth. Good night," she said as she walked from the room to the hallway and her bedroom in the back. At the start of the hallway, she paused, then looked at all of them. "If you can be on the sidewalk by Metro Station #1 downtown in Autobot City tomorrow around noon, you might see something we're working on."

"What is it?" Harris asked.

She smirked at him. "I'm not allowed to discuss it," she said, then continued onward to her bedroom.

When Harris heard her door close, he grinned. "You should have been there. Understand, I'm not allowed to say a word so keep this to yourself.. If it gets out, there will be massive, and I mean, massive repercussions. You should have seen some of the ships they used."

"The big ones?" Perry asked.

Harris nodded. "The big ones, the Supremes, huge battleships … the enemy was a mech called Cassio Imperialis. He's someone from the past that's been a freak show his whole career, someone who pulls the strings behind the levers of power."

"You mean, like you?" Mariah asked with a smirk.

"Ha," Harris said with a slight grin. "I should **be** so powerful. Sometimes, Mariah, it takes more than money to get power."

"I don't care about that. That's your game. I just want to get in with the local women and see what I can do about publicity. You want good publicity for the habitat, right? I think that's where Allison and I come into the picture. You play the Game of Thrones stuff and we'll work out the social structure and where we can jump in."

Allison grinned at Mariah who she loved like a sister even if she was more tactful and tactical of the two. "We have to get outside first," she said. "A few being slated for restricted outside access doesn't sound promising for the rest of us."

"Then we sort out who we need to cultivate and go from there," Mariah said. "Judy Witwicky, Olivia Bowers … she's gone native. She teaches religion or something here. Odd, that. I know her and her family. I would never have believed it of her."

"We still have to get outside," Allison said with a grin.

"We can bring them here. We can have a luncheon with the movers and shakers in the women's arena and meet and greet everyone. They have a big human social life here. We join it. That way, we can meet some of the influential bots around here, too. Maybe even Prime," Mariah said.

"Prime is no one's fool. He's smart, tactical, advanced, and has the support of a phenomenal collection of specialist mechs. It was a good thing to watch this. It gives me more information about what we're up against here," Owen said.

Rick Harris frowned slightly. "You aren't going to do anything out of hand are you? Our job is to be as honorable as possible. They're millions of years old. You can't put one over on them and expect them to be fooled."

"You sound like you went native too," Cameron said with a grin. "Personally, I'd like to get some paybacks on Ratchet. That fucker ruined my career, him and the twins."

"I wouldn't mess with either of them, Cam. The twins will pinch your head off. They don't play around and they're family with Ratchet. You slap one here, its like you slapped all of them. It can get you kicked off world forever or worse … end you in their jail or dead," Rick said.

"I heard their prison is one scary place," Kyle Davis said as he glanced at Owen.

Owen Harris nodded. "So have I," he said. They would talk for hours, then adjourn to their respective homes. The next day would be the first day for Pierre Beliveau in his job as partner to Owen Harris. It would also be the first day of the effort to make a place for themselves in the local human society here on world. It would begin with a luncheon invitation to the leadership of the Resort and assorted movers and shakers among the human population of Sciences and Earth 1.

-0-At the school

They stood back to look at the three big things. They were **AMAZING!** … the general consensus opinion of everyone there. That was when Silverbow showed the rest of the plan to Sunstreaker. He studied it, listened to the directions and distribution of labor from the straw boss, Silverbow, as 24 other kids watched him. He grinned, then looked at all of them. "I'll help. I'll get Blue and Sideswipe to help."

 **BEDLAM!**

"Did you clear it with Springer?" Sunstreaker asked.

They nodded. "Uncle Optimus told me it was okay. My genitors went to the meeting," Silverbow said.

"Okay," Sunstreaker said. "Bluestreak can take care of this part," he said pointing to a thing or two on the overall plan Silverbow showed him. "Sideswipe can get this part going and I'll help you here with these," he said nodding to the things they just finished.

"Thank you, Uncle Sunstreaker," Silverbow said as she hugged him. "This is going to be just like I wanted. It's a good thing."

Sunstreaker nodded. "It is." he said with a grin.

-0-TBC 9-6-17 **edited 9-11-17**


	120. Chapter 120

The Diego Diaries: Going On (dd1 120) needs an edit :D

-0-That night

"Then they sent for Siphon to come to assist Dai Atlas and the Knights out at the rescue points and staging areas. He's going to be their muscle, big pointy gun and all around maker of things." Ratchet finished cleaning up the living room after all the kid went to bed but one. Partition was listening to Ratchet and Ironhide as he sat on the couch. He had helped with the dishes, the kids and now he was catching up on the 'inside game'. It was fascinating.

Ironhide who was sitting on his chair with a beer and his favorite fudge, 'walnut, cherry, pecan, and raisin' nodded. "That should keep the pirates at bay and give them something to think about before they trundle off to whatever Matrix their species has."

Partition nodded. "That sounds amazing."

Ratchet tossed him a beer, a can of candy, then got his own. He sat down in his chair, then took a big cold sip. "Ah. Good stuff," he said as he began to have some of his own favorite candy, 'haystacks' which apparently were 'toasted coconut covered in chocolate' which practically melted in your mouth.

"What do we do tomorrow, Ratchet?" Partition asked.

"Well, we have to do the rounds, go to a home visit, then meet up with everyone in front of the tower outside at noon to watch some kind of surprise that Silverbow concocted with the kids in her room after watching videos on YouTube. I don't know what it is but it required Primal approval and that of the city. Magnus thinks its going to be cute because he likes Silverbow."

"Who doesn't?" Ironhide asked as he grinned. "Don't look now but someone is hanging out in the hallway."

"I noticed," Ratchet said. "I wonder how I'm ever going to eat all this candy? My, oh my. Whatever shall I do?" Ratchet said more loudly than he needed to. "I may have to throw it away."

The sound in the darkness of the hallway could be heard, almost like a stifled gurgle. The three of them peered out of the corner of their optics with night vision to see a certain yellow-banded infant standing there with a look of unease on his cute little face.

"Like I was saying … I better throw this away. I can't eat it all. How about all of us throwing our candy away?" Ratchet asked with a giant smile.

Partition who looked at him with a grin sat back. "I think I agree. Who wants to eat all this candy?" he asked.

Another soft sound, like someone biting their tongue could be heard. Partition, with a grin, stood up and reached out his servo. "If you want me to throw that away, I will," he said.

The sound of tiny footfalls could be heard as a tiny sparkling ran into the room to come up short in front of Ratchet. He looked shocked and worried, glancing from one to another. He looked aghast as he struggled to say something. Moving closer to Ironhide, he looked at him with shocked concern. "Atar. You not doing that with the she? What you?"

Everyone stared down at the little mech who looked at them with worried optics, his little fingers clutching each other in his distress. Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "I do believe we have a little spy. What should we do with a spy?"

Orion looked at Ratchet, then pointed to his can of candy. "Ada … you doing me? I doing it for you. See? I nice," he said, then smiled his biggest, cheesiest smile.

Laughter rained down like fire on his little aft. He looked from one to the other trying to parse the moment. Then he smiled again. Hugely. Ratchet scooped him up, then put him on Ironhide's lap as Partition sat down to watch. Ratchet grinned. "I don't know. I still think I should throw this away," he said holding up his candy can.

 **"ADA!** No. You, me. I, you. See?" he asked as he tilted his helm and put up his servos in a sort of hand shrug. "You doing me. I doing dis. I taking it to my there." He pointed to his room.

"Then what?" Ratchet asked.

"My box. I doing it there," Orion said.

"You'd put it in your toy box?" Ironhide asked.

He nodded fervently, his mouth open and optics agog as he tried to gin the outcome. "I doing that. It bees dere. I saveded it. Not you there," he said pointing to the garbage chute that went to the basement incinerator. "You not doing that. I goes to there with it. See?" he asked with a huge smile.

Ironhide grinned, then handed Orion a piece of fudge. Orion took it, then leaned back to eat it even as he watched the cans in their hands. "Little mech is hungry. He needs mech food."

"Fudge is mech food?" Ratchet asked.

"The stuff of champions," Ironhide said with a grin. "Orion … berth time."

Orion sat up, then looked around. "That," he said pointing at the two cans of candy sitting on Ironhide and Ratchet's shared end table that sat between their chairs. "I doing it. I, Orion, helpeded you." He slid down, then walked up to grip a can of candy. It was bigger than his grip so he pulled it down, smiling up at both of them, then held it against his chassis. Taking the other with great difficulty, holding it as well, he turned to go. "I, Orion, going to sleepy bed. Not me, you. I going." He got part of the way to the hallway before dropping a can.

Looking at it, he bent down to get it. Rising, he hugged it and dropped the other can. Then the one he held fell. Looking at everyone worriedly, he shook his helm and held up his servos. "Not you. I, Orion. I doing this. I okay." He bent down to pick one up but each time he had them, one would fall. Finally, he stared at one on the floor, then one in his servos. He began to nudge the one on the floor toward the hallway with his tiny cute ped.

Staring at him, mesmerized into immobility, the three watched as he tried to angle the can on the floor to the hallway. The can wasn't having it. Partition who had zero experience around infants stared at Orion like he was something from another dimension. It was incredible how the baby belabored the task, giving back breaking effort to make the can roll his way. Then it rolled under a bookshelf. It disappeared. Orion stared at it, then bent nearly over onto his helm to stare under the bookshelf. It was there so he tried to reach for it causing not only the can in his arms to fall but himself to nearly stand on his own head when he lost his footing for a moment. He stood back up rubbing his helm as he looked at the cans on the floor.

Ratchet, Partition and Ironhide watched the baby with absolute fascination as he worked out what to do. Orion picked the dropped can up, set it to one side, then knelt down to get the other. He reached for it, grasping blindly until he got it. All the time he did he muttered to himself softly, the sort of thing someone does when they work too hard at something that should have been easier.

Pulling the can out, he set it next to the other one and stared at both with his little servos on his hips. He looked at the door of his berth room which looked forty miles away, then tried again. He picked up one, then the other. Almost dropping both, he staggered toward his doorway. Dropping them about six steps in, he gathered them up again. Over and over until he made his doorway, he dropped, then picked them up. After an incredible amount of struggle, he disappeared into his room. A lot of thumping and bumping commenced, then ended.

The three sat expectantly until he appeared again. Walking matter-of-factly up to Partition, like it was what a sparkling did late at night with the Fam, he took the can from his servos. "You not doing this, She. I, Orion, doing it for you." He patted Partition as he stared at his parents. "You good she. You my she. I love you. You good." Then he carried the can to the hallway and disappeared into his room.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet glanced at Ironhide with a dazzling smile. "That little mech is made of balls," he said. A moment to search the Urban Dictionary was had, then unanimous agreement met the remark. "Rock, paper, scissors or are you going to get that candy before he eats the whole thing?"

Ironhide grinned, then arose. "I wasn't finished, the little slagger. I'll be right back." He walked down the hallway and disappeared into Orion's room. There was silence, then the sound of voices, then silence again. Ironhide walked out, tossed cans to their owners, then sat again.

"What happened?" Partition asked with fascination.

"I told him he couldn't have it now. I told him to wait until breakfast," Ironhide said with a smile.

"Nothing like good parenting, Ironhide," Ratchet said as the clicked their candy cans together. Partition arose, then clicked his with them. Then they sat to talk a bit before turning in. It was very pleasant and peaceful.

-0-Later that night

It was quiet in the house as everyone sawed logs. Outside, the night passed slowly and soon it would be morning. It would be the morning when a yellow-banded sparkling would try to have candy for breakfast, Ravel and Tie Down would learn that their son was a prisoner and that everyone would be told that Silverbow had a 'thing' to do in the middle of town at noon and to come with cameras. They would.

In short, it would be a typical morning in the Ratchet v Ironhide domicile.

-0-At about the same time

They came to the storage room to get that they needed so that the decorations could be applied before school started by Silverbow's Crew. They had worked all afternoon the day before getting things made and parted out for final application to their particular piece of the pie. A short trip to the stables was had as well. All was organized by Generalissimo Silverbow marshalling her troops which included Atar and Ada with Rebel walking along to watch and offer a comment or two. It was all in order, loaded up and ready to deliver to the loading bay of Youngling Day School #1 in Centurion. After careful application of things to the things, they would all be loaded up, trucked to the street in front of 'Uncle Optimus's house', then 'volunteer mechs' of the Day Watch and Public Works would help make the student project possible.

They loaded the last thing, then Trailbreaker drove off carrying all of it to Centurion. Rebel and Silverbow climbed into Hound to follow. The two adults would take a quick trip to the stables just before everyone bugged out from Centurion to go to Autobot City. All was well in hand.

-0-Moment later

" **I HAVE TO SAY, RATCHET … YOU NEEDED TO TELL US! HEARING ABOUT IT FROM THE GRAPEVINE IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO!"**

Ratchet stared down at his ada. "Who told you? I told everyone to sit on this."

" **IT DOESN'T MATTER! I CAN STILL PAT YOUR SERVO, YOUNG MECH!"**

Ravel would be carried down in Ratchet's arms to the ground floor where they would watch Hero get a cab, a chuckling Sunspot, Spirit, T-Bar, Annabelle Lennox, the Epps kids and half a dozen other Tower denizens get on a big yellow school bus for Centurion, repeat to Prowler that he wasn't going on that bus just yet but going to see Miss Birdie which for some reason made him **TERRIBLY** happy, and watch Orion and Praxus argue once more about having a can of candy to sustain the ordeal of going all the way to school in Terra inside someone's carry hold.

It wouldn't happen.

The candy, that is.

But the story of Orion's chutzpah was great when Ratchet told it to everyone. Given the number of times Orion heard his name spoken and the smiles and laughter that accompanied it, he almost … **ALMOST** felt better when he left with his ammas and appas. Blackjack and Ironhide wandered off to the metro station to take their infants to their academy leaving everyone else behind but for the titanic kids. When **THEIR** bus came to take them to Intermediate #1 in Gambian, they hugged everyone and climbed on to disappear into traffic.

Ratchet watched them go. "We have three that don't ride the bus yet. What a fragged thing our schedule is."

Partition grinned. "I'm having fun."

"Good," Ratchet said. "Let's go. By the way, after Silverbow's thing, we're having lunch with your genitors and brothers." Ratchet smiled dazzlingly.

Partition frowned. "We aren't, are we?"

"You bet your aft," Ratchet said heading for the medical center. " **KEEP UP, INFANT!"**

Partition smirked, nodded at everyone else, then ran to catch up. They both disappeared into the building. The others stared at them, then each other. "Voodoo," Alor said as the others nodded.

-0-TBC 9-7-17

ESL: When you gin an outcome, you rig it to go your way.

where I grew up to say someone was 'made of balls' meant that they were unbeatable and tough as nails. :D


	121. Chapter 121

The Diego Diaries: Reconciliation. Hopefully. (dd6 121)

-0-Around the colony

Ratchet walked to the elevator after rounds with Partition tagging along. He was taking notes and watching the proceedings, learning things as he went. Partition had a strong focus just like Orion which Ratchet had forgotten about back in the orn when they locked horns a lot and Ratchet had little patience to care about the kid otherwise. It wouldn't take much for this kid to learn a lot and become good at something. Now that he was no longer focusing on just being an aft head, there was a lot of potential here. They would go on rounds of the home based patients that Ratchet had on his personal list, some of them very delicate from repairs and recovery, while others were just fun or feisty. Partition would come along as well and enjoy the quirks and stories of people he would never give the time of day before.

-0-Mr. Terradive's room

They sat in the terraced reading nook going over the game plan. They would have lunch early, then go to The City to organize. This was a salute to the whole colony, a welcome to the newbies who just showed up and a way for little kids to 'give something back to their new world, Mr. Terradive'. Roto was going to help along with three other genitors to get everyone and everything there. Some of the genitors would drive parts of the 'thing' even as Silverbow's own were getting stuff from other places. Sunstreaker would take care of the extra stuff they needed at his tower. When they got there, it would all come together as each had a part in her venture.

It was going to be amazing.

-0-1130 on the TMC

The children climbed down from their school bus to gather in the community space between the buildings at the Tranquilitatis District where Prime and some of the others, including the Family Tower humans lived. The rest of the Cybertronian children were from everywhere else along with three girls from the other human habitat with kids in Youngling Day, Earth2. Human adults were coming just before noon including everyone invited who had in turn invited others. Until then, they had work to do and they did it, assembling things in the open spaces where the miniatures for the war games played by Autobot City Gamers Association still stood, though detoxed and rendered non-lethal. Many was the little kid who came here to play with the miniatures after school and on the weekends.

Silverbow stood with the datapad of directions and the plans. Everyone worked on their part putting this and that together as everyone hustled to meet the noon deadline. Hound and Trailbreaker drove up by the curb, then Hound transformed. Helping unload Trailbreaker to the delight of the kids, the big mech finally transformed himself. "Is that all, Sunny Bunny?" he asked with a grin as Hound pulled Rebel from his carry hold.

"It is, Atar," Silverbow said with a smile. She hugged Rebel who ran to her, then showed him the datapad which he couldn't read. He was playing hooky from Sparkling Day but it was alright. He was part of the 'thing' too. His sister had made sure of it.

-0-1134 on the TMC

They stood on a train heading back to The City, hustling to get to the towers in time for the floor show. What it was, no one was telling but it was said to be something that Silverbow had seen on YouTube and therefore, something she thought was appropriate for the colony given all the hardship lately with mass murder/genocide, the skirmishes with a new enemy and the end of parent/teacher conferences. Obviously, she had her digits on the pulse of the colony. When they reached Metro #1, both hurried upward, then walked down the street to gather with the committee and others who were there to see what was going to happen. A good sized crowd had gathered of those in the know with more coming and they were augmented by passersby who wanted to see what was up. Add into that the camera crews of Galaxy Productions and IntraCom and you had a good crowd forming up and down both sides of the wide highway.

Ground hitched nearby, two horses and their riders from the Day Watch waited to provide traffic control on the street while others down the way waited to block intersections between here and the Temple. Apparently, the 'thing' needed access to the street from here to the Temple and back again. It would happen in mere minutes so they were ready to go when Springer gave them the signal. He and Drift were standing with Prime, Magnus and the others nearby on the sidewalk. Sideswipe had gotten Ironhide earlier and both were helping Sunstreaker somewhere around the corner of the tower out of sight of everyone. It was an expectant group that was waiting.

-0-Around the corner ...

They organized, then turned to Silverbow. She looked at her datapad, then them, then smiled. "I think this is going to be fun. Remember, we do this for Cybertron, Mars and Earth. Okay?" she asked.

The kids who stood in their spots in line nodded. They voiced their agreements and excitement, then everyone looked at Roto and Terradive who were grinning at the kids as they stood nearby side-by-side. "We can do this now, Mr. Terradive and Mr. Roto."

Rain Harris and the two other girls from Earth2 were surprisingly excited as well and had accepted their parts cheerfully. This was going to be fun and they were outside in the middle of a huge city on another planet with alien kids about to do something epic that was being filmed by professional filmmakers. They waited with the others in their places.

Roto grinned as Terradive contacted Springer off line. The big mech followed by Drift appeared, then slowed to a stop as he saw the kids. Sideswipe, Ironhide and Sunstreaker were nearby waiting to be helpful again and smirked at Springer. "Uh, what's going to happen, Silverbow?" he asked as he knelt in front of her.

She smiled. "We have to go out there and walk down the middle of the street to the Temple and back. We're doing this for Cybertron, Earth, Mars, the newcomers, the soldiers, and the Seekers. See?" she said. "It's for you."

Springer grinned, then kissed her helm. "I guess we can go then. What do you want me to do?"

"Could you go first? Then we follow you to the Temple. We turn around and come back to here," Silverbow said as the others nodded expectantly.

"Okay," Springer said as he stood.

Drift who was beside him grinned at the kids, then Springer. "You might want to go first. I'll get the horses." He looked at Silverbow. "Do you want us to ride or walk, infant?" he asked.

"I think you can ride. That will look so good," Silverbow said as the others nodded.

"Then ride we shall," Drift said as he walked back to the group nearby to get Yancy and Sugar, the two horses they were riding today. When he returned, Springer and Drift mounted up, looked at Silverbow who gave him the thumbs up, then the two began to ride back to the street slowly.

Silverbow looked at the others. "Let's go. Remember, this is for them," she said as she took up her part of the process. Everyone nodded, then followed both her and Spirit as the two of them followed Drift and Springer.

-0-Waiting

They stood on both sides of the street which was now blocked off all the way to the Temple. Day Watch mounted patrols stood in each intersection leading to the highway blocking off traffic which halted and if they could, transformed to watch whatever was going on. Others stepped out of non-sentient vehicles to come forward to line the streets, curiosity driving the crowd to gather. Social media, a note on the Community Bulletin Board and a mention on The Hourly News had reported something interesting was going to happen that would block the main highway through town for a few moments this day so a number of civilians and soldiers appeared to see what it was. They had no idea it would be what it turned out to be.

Prime and the others turned to watch as a grinning Springer and Drift appeared, riding together toward the street. Behind them, a stream of children were coming with their 'thing', the one they had worked on for orns. They were small children with shiny things they had made. They walked in an organized fashion in a line carrying things. It was unlike anything anyone had seen before and it became hushed for a moment as the little group got closer.

Silverbow and Spirit were first holding up each end of a banner. It was a pretty banner with handmade and painted, glittered and decorated images of Earth, Cybertron and Mars in a row. Mars had a big red Autobrand on it signifying home for the kids. Big glittered words said, "We love our Army, Air Force and Prime. Welcome, new refugees. Welcome to Mars". They held it between them as they led the others. Spirit spying his genitors smiled and waved. They did the same for him.

Behind the two came a tiny band, five kids who were holding traditional Cybertronian instruments. They were playing a simple but totally familiar tune together as they walked in a group, each of them lined up just so. Behind them came a 'float', or so it was said to be by Silverbow. They had gone to the computer together, this little group of kids and found out that if you filled a big colorful balloon with light gas, it would float. They settled on designs, then Silverbow with her fathers had asked The Game Store kids to make them. They had and also supplied the gas to float them.

Sunstreaker had finished the effect with great artistry by painting them for the kids. It was doubtful that there was a better nor bigger version of Hello Kitty to be found anywhere on Mars. It was huge compared to the kids but small and very cute by the adult's reckoning. It was held in check from floating away by ropes tied to it and held by two human kids. They grinned as they followed. Behind them came 'the equestrian team'.

Back in the planning sessions on the playground, Silverbow had looked at her Crew. "All the parades I saw in the YouTube videos have equestrian teams ... you know ... horses with riders." Theirs would, too. Her dads went to the stables and came back with four miniature horses that were used by the smallest infants or those who were so delicate that a big horse was a danger to use. The stable hands had saddled them, loaded them on Trailbreaker and they had arrived here. Ribbons and flowers made of tough paper had been braided into their mains and tails. They looked very cute and 'professional'. Rock, Paper, Scissors had settled who would be the 'team'.

James Hoyt, Camilla Brown, Rain Harris, and Co-D were the lucky horsemen that sat on the horses to ride side-by-side in the parade. Their harnesses gleamed, manes and tails swept the ground and tiny hoofs beat a staccato in the thin atmosphere as the tiny steeds pranced proudly forward. Rain Harris looked like she would pass out from excitement. She was an actual equestrian on Earth and the homesick owner of four large show horses in California when she was there with her grandparents at their farm.

They clippy-clopped past, then the second balloon floated into view. It was a big balloon of a character famous in Cybertronian children's literature, Sprocket, the Boy Who Ran Fast. His smiling face and cheerful paint scheme beckoned as Lucy Epps and her brother, Bobby, held the tethers. They walked onward followed by children holding carefully crafted signs that delineated the armed forces, the Prime of Cybertron and his emblems, and the big frames. Their designations, the Supremes, Dreadnoughts and Metro titans were displayed on the cards with hand prints and signatures of the children as borders for their emblems.

Behind them, driving the tiny cars and trucks that were made by the Prime-Ironhide family for their kids, a number of students waved to their teachers as they followed in the parade. The vehicles were decorated with bunting and different kinds of things that all fancy cars in public parades carried. There were flowers made of tough colorful paper hooked onto hood ornaments, strung in the windows and wound around cabs. They were cute and colorful. Signs on the doors named different planets in the Empire in salute, some still lost and some recovered by their Prime. The kids inside were ecstatic as they drove. Nearby with the control devices, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe shadowed that portion of the little parade just in case a car drove off the road into a wall. They walked with a chuckling Bluestreak taking lots of pictures.

Behind that came a work and wonder. A tiny yellow and white jet of a simplified nature rolled into view. Attached to his cockpit, flying in the tiny breeze his movement raised was a flag denoting the Seekers. It flew prettily as he rolled along the ground bringing cheers from everyone who saw him including Seekers watching in the crowd. Sunspot was shiny and beautiful and ahead of his growth curve but he was representing for the Seekers with all his might. It was enormous the number of pictures taken of him as he rolled slowly behind the cars and trucks, a big dog walking along side him with a bow on his collar.

Another balloon emerged towed by Sandy and a child named Minka who was a sweet femme who had come some time back and had become best friends with the sweet human girl. She was tall for her age, too. The balloon was that of Cybertron, a simplified but eminently recognizable image of the planet. It was intricate, had everything on its raised surface that would indicate what it was as well as the tiny glyphs near the top that declared that Sunstreaker of Kaon had painted it. To follow at the end, two kids walked holding each end of a banner that said, "Youngling Day School and Mr. Terradive's Class welcomes all newcomers and salutes our Army, Air Force and Prime. Until all are one."

The front of the parade reached the street following Drift and Springer who were riding slowly along, nodding and grinning at the fascinated crowd that was gathering along the street to watch. As they reached the main group, the city committee, the elders and others, they smiled and waved as they continued along. The adults who were dazzled and surprised waved back. Ratchet and Partition watched the show transfixed.

The tiny parade continued onward showing a marching band playing a much cherished nursery rhyme, a floating, bobbing, very large (to the children) balloon of Hello Kitty, then an equestrian team of totally excited humans and Cybertronians. Then Sprocket, of all things, bobbed into view towed by children who waved. They all waved back, dazzled as they were, as a number of children walked into view proudly holding signs that commemorated the services and Prime.

That was when the little cars drove into view. They were festooned colorfully as they drove past, the children inside waving and smiling as they honked the little horns. a tiny yellow and white jet rolled past with a big happy dog pacing it. If that wasn't enough, a balloon appeared that was a very good likeness of Cybertron. As the crowd watched, many of them had seen something like this before. It reminded them of a very small and very cute Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that happened on that holiday on Earth.

Following them, a sign born by two infants saluting their new refugees, Prime and their class brought up the rear. It rolled and walked past, this tiny, very short but immensely sincere parade, then headed onward toward Temple Square. Prime and the others turned to watch them go, dazzled into silence at the sweetness of the children and the cuteness of their finished product. It had taken a lot of effort and organization to make it happen. At that point, Roto and Terradive appeared following the end of the parade. Ratchet stepped off the sidewalk to join with them a moment, then came back when they went onward. He stepped back up on the curb, then grinned. "Silverbow wanted to do something nice for the newcomers and salute the army and you, Optimus. I don't think I've seen a cuter parade anywhere including Earth."

Prime grinned. "I think I agree."

The group walked along the highway, down the middle of it past the gathering crowds who read their signs, looked at their creations and clapped loudly. They whistled and stomped their peds, giving their appreciation Cybertronian-style. The humans at Sciences who looked out to catch a glimpse suited up and fogged out to watch the tiny parade. The children looked so small walking along the middle of the street that it made the sight even cuter. Cameras flashed as Leonora followed them on a segway filming them from all angles as they came into Temple Square.

Standing on the sidewalk with delight, the priests and Lady Sela applauded them. They smiled and waved back as they followed Spirit and Silverbow. She made a slow turn, then they began to walk back to the tower again. The priests and Lady Sela followed them as a highly amused Springer and Drift led the way back. The crowds applauded them again, took pictures and called out encouragement and appreciation, some of them the very refugees that were being honored with the effort. When the Prime and the tower came into view, they slowed to a stop.

Optimus Prime who was as dazzled as the others walked toward them and knelt. "What a wonderful moment this is, Silverbow. Thank you and your friends for this," he said.

That was when all the children, human and Cybertronian climbed down from and out of things and put down their signs and banners to run to Prime to hug him.

All of them.

At the same time.

-0-TBC 9-9-17 **edited 9-19-17**


	122. Chapter 122

The Diego Diaries: Parade (dd6 122) needs editing

-0-On the street

"My name is Silverbow and these are my friends."

Jacx, who was kneeling to speak to her and the group of kids surrounding her, smiled. "Tell us about what you children just did?"

"Well," she said as she turned to the kids gathered about her, all of whom nodded encouragement. She looked up at Jacx. "We thought about all our refugees and the ones who were killed a while ago. We wanted to do something to welcome everyone." She looked at the others who nodded, then all looked up at Jacx again.

"So you had a parade? Tell us about it. How did this all come about?" Jacx asked.

"I was on my computer at home. I was looking at cat videos on YouTube. I want a cat," she said as she looked toward her genitors. They grinned, then nodded.

"I want a cat," Rebel said as he stood beside his sister gripping her servo.

"I saw some cute videos," Silverbow said with a big smile. "Then I saw a parade. It was a big one on Earth with balloons that floated and lots of horses and floats and things. I thought this was what we needed to do for the refugees and our army. We needed to do something nice."

"Something nice," Rebel said as he nodded with a serious expression on his little face. Then he smiled. **"I WANT A CAT!"**

Laughter greeted that, then Silverbow continued. "I looked at a lot of videos, then talked to my friends on recess. We decided to make a parade but we needed help. So we talked to our teacher, Mr. Terradive," she said as she glanced around to find him. He was standing nearby with Roto. Silverbow waved and so did the other kids including the humans. Terradive grinned and waved back as did Roto. Silverbow looked up at Jacx. "We planned it, you know … like they teach us at school. Figure out your goal, make a plan, then work it out. We showed it to our teacher who showed it to Mr. Herling and Mr. Nova. They went to Uncle Optimus with my ada and atar to tell him. He said it would be nice so we began to make this parade.

"We had balloons made at The Game Store and Uncle Sunstreaker came to paint them for us. We used a lot of things we had and borrowed some horses so we could have equestrians." She looked up at Jacx. "They like horses in a parade. Our best players did the music. There are bands in these parades. We had the cars decorated and carried signs to tell everyone we love them and we're glad they take care of us. This was for all of us."

Jacx nodded. He looked at Sandy who was standing with Minka and James Hoyt. "What about this? What was it like to be in a parade here on another planet?"

Sandy and James glanced at each other, then grinned. :This was amazing. We got to march down the middle of the street to the Temple and back during the noon rush hour: James said as Sandy nodded.

:I was never in a parade before. I had so much fun. I would have loved to ride the horses though. I didn't know the stables had miniature horses: Sandy said. :I want one:

Huge laughter greeted that as Jacx held out his microphone to Rain Harris. "I'm told you're a new student from Earth2. What is your impression about this?"

Rain glanced around at the group, then Jacx. :I've never been in a parade before. Silverbow asked me to ride a horse because I have horses on Earth. This was so much fun. Going down the main street of the biggest city here was amazing. I didn't know they let you do something like that. They wouldn't have on Earth. I don't think they would, anyway:

Everyone nodded in agreement. They chatted a bit more, then the parade continued to the tower where they would dismantle and organize a reluctant return to school. Trailbreaker and Hound would return the little horses to their paddocks and the cars would be stored by Sunstreaker and Sideswipe while Blue carefully saved all the placards and streamers, banners and pictures to take to their school later.

Jacx walked across the street to the crowd on the other side, Prime and his committee included. "What do you think about the parade, Prime? Any comments?" Jacx asked with a grin.

"When the proposal was presented there was only one good answer for the request," Optimus said with a grin. "I wish all my decisions were this wonderful."

Laughter greeted that remark. "Are we going to see more parades then?" Jacx asked.

"I hope so," Optimus said with a grin.

The conversation continued a moment as the kids boarded a bus. The bus pulled out as they waved, disappearing into traffic. The cameras rolled a bit more, then Jacx headed back to the shop to put it on the news. Sela and the priests watched them go, then turned to Prime. "This was a nice interlude," Sela said.

"It was. I hope all the new refugees see it and feel comforted and welcomed," Prime said with a grin.

"I do too. Right now, we're organizing their settlement and its going well," Templar said.

Everyone nodded, then Sela stepped closer to Prime. "We have requests from the newbies at Earth2 for permission to join in the various charitable and supportive endeavors that other groups take on. They have started their own social group at Earth2, rather like the Autobot City Ladies Auxiliary. There were also requests to learn about the Circle and Knight philosophy. I think a sit down with Heatout and Olivia about this would do a bit of good in sorting out what to honor and what won't be. Unless, of course, you already know what you want about this."

Prime thought a moment, then glanced at the others. "Let us talk about it soon."

They discussed the situation as it stood, then all of them broke and went their way. It was a bright and shiny interlude straight from the spark, just what everyone needed and it would be on their local networks and news programs in a short time. It would also be the hottest topic in local social media for a while.

-0-At school

They walked in with great exuberance, then found their chairs. Staring at Mr. Terradive who looked at them with a grin, they all began to talk at once. It would take a moment before they settled down again.

-0-Lunch

Partition sat nervously in a booth in the Diner On The Corner with Ratchet as they awaited his genitors to arrive. It was starting to fill up but the booth Ratchet usually used was still there. He was nervous, Ratchet was expectant and when the pair appeared in the doorway, Ratchet waved them over. Lucien with Laslo came over and sat tensely, giving their orders to the waiter who appeared almost out of thin air. When he was gone, Ratchet grinned. "How are things going?" he asked.

Lucien regarded Ratchet levelly. "Well. You?"

"I can't complain. Especially after we were rescued from captivity," Ratchet replied evenly as he bit the bullet to get this part of their obvious angst over with.

Lucien glanced at his son. "I would like to know how that actually occurred. You took my son into a combat scenario and he was captured. That part I believe you told me, son."

Partition stared at his father uncomfortably. He adored both his genitors. Being this way hurt down deep. "We went to get injured mechs. It was a trap. We were captured, then we got free. It wasn't anything for you to worry about."

"You get captured and face death and I'm not supposed to worry," Lucien said as he stared at his son.

"I'm learning to be a soldier. I go with experts. You don't have to worry," Partition said. He glanced at his shoulder, then turned his arm toward his father. "See? I'm in the Home Guard and the army." On his shoulder was an Autobot sigil and that of the Home Guard. It was brand new and looked good.

Lucien stared at them, then Ratchet. "You tell me that Cassio Imperialis was the aggressor."

Ratchet nodded. "He was. Right now, he's sifting through the ash pile that we left him when we took all the refugees away. It serves him right, the slagger. He thinks he's big enough to stand against us who have this place, Cybertron and half the Empire. Even with Razorclaw, we'd obliterate him. The only reason Razorclaw has been silent is that very fact. That your son wants to help defend his people is a thing for which you should stand up and cheer."

"My son wasn't intended to do this sort of thing," Lucien said. They waited until the food was delivered, then he continued. "My son is a university graduate in diplomacy and he was intended to do great things there."

" **I'm** the Autobot diplomat, Lucien. Partition can assist and I'll call upon him when the moment arises. He's smart, quick to learn and has a spark. I like helping mechs find their true callings and this mech has. He was genuinely brave and solid during captivity and did everything I asked him to do to a high degree of ability. You would be proud of that."

Lucien stared at him. "You don't think I'm proud of my son? I am. He's my son."

"Then honor what he wants to do," Ratchet said. "I'd love to cut you three loose to live your life on your own but I don't know. Partition is exceeding expectations but you two? It isn't clear to me yet."

It was silent, then Laslo leaned back. "We don't want him killed."

"He won't be. He isn't rated for combat," Ratchet said. "It's a learning process with a long curve. He has the aptitude and desire. He has the greatest teachers and instructors of all time. He's got the guts and the smarts. Lots of kids do that fill the ranks of the Home Guard. That doesn't mean they go into combat. That would endanger them before we could analyze them for the experience."

"But I would, you know," Partition said as he sat beside Ratchet. "I would do it and follow the rules."

Ratchet nodded. "You would. You have a lot to learn first. We'll teach you and you'll work with me. I think you'd make an outstanding field medic too."

He looked at Ratchet a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

His genitors looked at him with surprise and some unease. It looked to them like their son was under some sort of mind control or personality binding. They had seen him in all kinds of conditions and moods, but worshipful agreement wasn't one of them.

Ratchet grinned at him, then his genitors. "Your lunch is getting cold."

Reluctantly, they began to eat their food.

-0-School

"This was a great idea, Silverbow. You worked it out together, planned and distributed the work to those with the greatest skills, sought outside experts at The Game Store and Sunstreaker to assist, then organized it all together," Terradive said as he grinned at his kids.

"I thought it was something we could do to tell everyone that we were proud and loved them. I saw the parades on YouTube and they looked like fun. They all had the same thing … horses, a band and floats."

:I liked riding in the Lamborghini. Sideswipe's Lamborghini is so much fun. I'm so glad that the little cars are back from the library: Annie Lennox said with a big smile. :We have to do this again. Maybe other classes can do it too:

For a moment, they all talked together, agreeing that a parade that was bigger was a great idea. Then the bell rang for outside recess. They gathered together, walked to the elevator in a line, then ran outside for the playground where others would gather around them to discuss the 'great thing' they had seen on the television monitors in their classrooms.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City

Prowl smirked at Optimus as he walked from his office to get more work containing data of about a million things that needed his attention. "You and the kids made the media on Earth."

He grinned. "Did we?"

Prowl turned to the console beside him, then pressed the link to the MCA. The screen filled with talking heads analyzing and enjoying the tiny parade that had bound up traffic down the main street of the gigantic urban center of Autobot City. The children were much commented upon, the general consensus that they were adorably cute was had by all. The cars and tiny horses were much remarked upon. The last part where Prime was tackled by everyone, that was receiving rave reviews as well. All-in-all, the parade was a solid hit on two planets. "See?"

"I see. Silverbow is going to be Prime some orn," Optimus said as he picked up a stack of datapads. With a grin, he walked back to his office where he sat, turned on the monitors to the MCA download and listened with amusement at the delight the others had in their children's event. That two of his own children were part of it was the cherry on the top of the cake.

-0-TBC 9-9-17


	123. Chapter 123

The Diego Diaries: Cold War (dd6 123)

-0-Diner On The Corner, 3217 Temple Avenue, District 1, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"How's your food?" Ratchet asked as he dipped his 'onion ring' into 'ketchup'.

Lucien shrugged. "The food here is very good, I will say that. I'm also quite impressed with the general stores as well. We like to go to the grocery together."

"I'll let Rampage know. He's the food genius of the colony and beyond. He was a part of Predaking, just so you know."

Lucien glanced at Ratchet. "Is that so."

"Sure," Ratchet said. "He devised the base form from which all food here comes. He devised every flavor, too, testing it against the real thing from Earth. I've been in Pretender gear which mimics everything that a human can feel, sense, taste, and do, good, bad and ugly. The taste of the real thing is as exact as this. I don't know how he does it but he can. Of course, if this were the good old orns, he wouldn't be allowed."

It was uncomfortably quiet a moment, then Lucien sat back. "How long is this charade going to last?"

Ratchet pretended to consider the question, then shrugged. "They aren't my rules. They're yours, Lucien. I suppose given that I have the great responsibility to obey them to the most meticulous degree, that depends on you. For the infant here," he said nodding toward Partition who was watching with concern and hopefulness, "I'm putting in for him to be released. I'm also going to include Morius and Inweld. I touch base with their mentor, Thayne, and he has nothing but good things to say." Ratchet looked at Laslo. "I might even do the same for you, Laslo."

Laslo glanced nervously at Lucien, then Ratchet. "What about Lucien, Ratchet? I understand your reticence … you were kind to step in during the … hearing, but what about Lucien?"

"Ratchet won't cut me loose any time soon. This is play for you … a chance to strike back," Lucien said with a stern optic.

"No its not, but if it helps you to think that, then okay. I don't find anything about this funny or soothing," Ratchet said, meeting Lucien's gaze calmly. Very little scared him when he was on a mission or task, let alone a vulgar bureaucrat who refused to understand what he did to their people and world. Ratchet was quickly coming to a conclusion. "What I see here is a youngster," he said nodding to Partition, "who's filled with purpose and understanding. He wants to be better and bigger than he was. Before, he served a small slice of the pie but now … he's seeking a chance to be all that he can be for as many as possible. You'd have been proud of him. He never showed fear, he never waffled. He did what I told him to do and he got out to tell the Prime what he needed to know. He was a soldier and a warrior for Cybertron at that moment. The mechs who're training him? They think he has promise and they're going the extra mile to see he achieves it. And get this. They don't have to do it for a Home Guardsman."

"And why would they think so? Why would they think my son, a young mech who was raised to lead the nation would be any good as a soldier?" Lucien asked coldly.

Ratchet leaned forward meeting Lucien more than half way. "Because **I** do." Ratchet sat back as they stared at each other, then Partition looked at Ratchet. "I'll do what I can. I like them and they teach me things I never knew. Whatever the situation is, I'll come and do my best."

Ratchet looked at Partition, one of the most disagreeable legacy mechs he had ever met and felt huge emotions and compassion for him. "It never crossed my mind to doubt you. You're a miracle. This place makes them, Lucien," Ratchet said. "Every orn someone finds themselves, who they **truly** are and they're never the same. You exceed expectations every orn, Partition. I'm proud of you. I saw it in you, inside the slag, a tiny diamond waiting for someone to polish it. You're going to be great. In fact, you're going to add training to be a field medic to your resume. When we go out, if you're not with me, you're with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. I trained them to be field medics too."

Partition grinned, then nodded. "That would be **great**."

Ratchet looked at the two. "Your son came to me wanting to be a diplomat even though he was temperamentally unsuited to be one. He had no idea of the concept of selfless service to others. It's a delicate thing being a diplomat. You don't have it in you, infant," Ratchet said as he glanced at Partition. "No offense."

Partition grinned, then nodded. "I know. I hated it. I had to sit in an office and get along with everyone instead of going around and moving. I hate office work."

"I had you do copy and data work because I knew that. I needed you to blow your top so I could glue you back together my way. You have good marks coming from Commander Lissie and Commanders Hercy and Kup. They think you have the stuff. So do I. That's why you're going to cross train as a medic too."

Partition nodded. "Thanks, Ratchet. I really mean it." He looked at his genitors. "I wish you could see what I do. I wish you could see how all the mechs let me in. I never really felt at home anywhere until here, now. They're great mechs and femmes and we hang out." He looked at Ratchet. "I got invited to go to the Valles this weekend to camp with the mechs. Bezel and Lon invited me. Hot Rod and Smokey, Blurr, Bumblebee, First Aid and everyone else is coming too."

"Do you have gear and food lined up?" Ratchet asked.

"No," Partition replied.

"Well,we'll take care of that tonight. For now," Ratchet said glancing at a clock on the wall, "you're due at the dojo. Drift has decided to teach you how to use swords and knives. He's asked me to let you be his student. That is, if you **want** to be."

Partition looked at Ratchet with a shocked and growing expression of amazement. **"Drift?** He wants me to be his **student?** "

"I know. It's a lot. He's Circle and Knight. It's a lot to consider," Ratchet said doubtfully.

 **"NO!** I mean … yes. I'd * **LOVE*** to do that. Does he want me **now**?" Partition asked with astonished excitement.

"He's probably at the dojo. If you take the #16 train, it doesn't stop until it gets to Kalis. Then it goes onward to Tyger Pax as the next stop skipping Centurion. Otherwise, other trains make every stop between here and there," Ratchet said.

"Number 16? I got it," Partition said as he stuffed the last part of his burger in his mouth. He looked at his genitors, then grinned. "I'll call you tonight. I have a master," he said as he slid out of the booth. Ratchet watched him run for the door, then slid back in.

"I think that infant is engaged with his life," Ratchet said. "I don't expect you to like his choices. I wouldn't. I've decided my kids won't be soldiers but if they decide they want to, I'll suck it up. That's what unconditional love is."

It was silent, then Laslo leaned forward. "You won't allow him to get hurt, will you?" he asked with fear.

"Laslo, you have my word that he'll be protected and nurtured into his career choice. He's Home Guard. Home Guard doesn't do battles. He's going to be a medic and will be going out with me and the other medics, but they're not front line soldiers like me. Don't worry too much. We don't waste our kids," Ratchet said.

Laslo sat back somewhat mollified. It was silent again.

-0-At a dojo in Tyger Pax

He hurried out of the elevator, then jogged to the door of the dojo. A great number of mechs were sitting there, hanging in the lounge, watching as a couple sparred on a mat with Willa. They were using practice swords, going through set piece attacks against her both separately and together. She fended them off, then explained what they should do instead.

He watched them, then walked to the lounge, pausing by the chair where Roadbuster sat sprawled, hanging with the mechs before heading to shift at the prison. Hercy grinned. "Your student is here. I'm assuming, infant, that you're taking Drift up on his offer?"

Partition nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Nice manners," an older mech said, a Wrecker named Particle. "You have nice manners, infant."

"Thank you, sir," Partition said as Drift rose with a grin.

"Show him stuff, infant," Hercy said glancing at Drift as Kup nodded. "I think you have enough skill to help him a bit."

Huge laughter greeted that as Drift glanced back at Hercy. "Thanks, Abba. I'll do my best," he said to laughter and rude remarks. He picked up a pair of practice swords, then tossed one to Partition. Walking to the mat, he glanced at Partition. "Stand beside me and show me your stance."

Partition joined him, standing beside Drift. Drift corrected his stance, then grinned. "I'm going to show you steps. They'll help you learn the basic movements. When that's learned, we'll advance. This means you come with me a lot and do the labor."

Partition nodded. "I will, Master. Ratchet needs me too."

"I've coordinated the schedule with Ada. We'll work it out, then text you. Go where the message dictates."

Partition nodded, then watched as Drift began the moves that Partition would learn to perfection. Part of the reason for that was he would sneak out at night and practice them in the open space around the tower where he was crashing at Ratchet's house. Ratchet, of course, would know. Ratchet would be immensely proud that he did.

It would be a light and friendly time in the dojo working with his new master, listening to the advice and humorous banter of the mechs as they watched. When it was over, the lot would go to Club Hoyle and play cards for a bit. Partition would go with them and they would show him how to play. It would be the most entertaining and thrilling few joors he had spent in his life thus far.

-0-Diner On The Corner

It was quiet, then Ratchet decided to go for broke. "You know he's living at my house."

"We don't approve," Lucien said.

"We miss him at home," Laslo said.

"He'd come home but he knows you don't approve," Ratchet said. "He's changing and it's work. It's painful. It's hard to know that it isn't supported by those you love the best and make no mistake … he adores both of you."

"Then he should come home. You shouldn't be encouraging him to cause turmoil in his family," Lucien said.

"I don't encourage him to do that, Lucien. I give him a safe port for his little boat. If he felt secure about all of this at home, he'd be there. He's safe with me in every facet of his orn. He's proud of his tattoos. You didn't compliment him on them or what they mean. That's too bad. You do know that discouraging him makes it harder, not easier to reach detente. But then, you don't care about detente or what makes someone else happy. You only care about caste and preserving your privilege, a circumstance you never earned nor did anything to deserve."

"I don't expect you to understand the complexity or nuances of The System, Ratchet. You've made your position clear enough all along," Lucien said.

"Your 'complexity' and 'nuances' destroyed our culture, civilization, empire, and people. If not for this place, your kids would be as miserable and unlovable as you are. There's nothing to understand about artificial barriers to upward mobility. How many babies do you think starved to death or died from treatable illnesses on Cybertron because of what you did in the Citadel when you were in power? Hundreds? Thousands? How many elders didn't get the fullness of their years as the humans say? Did you know about the ghettos, the Wilderness and Wasteland in Kaon? Did you know about the Dead End in Polyhex? Did you know about empties?"

It was silent as they stared at each other. Laslo shifted uneasily. "What can we do now, Ratchet? How can we do anything now?"

"Well, you can let outmoded and evil-minded notions and ideas die the death they so richly deserve," Ratchet said as he looked at the bot who looked ill and uneasy. Laslo was usually in the clouds and was bearable overall. He had no grudge against the tall handsome bot who lived in a future that would never come, rather than a difficult now with all its changes and messy circumstances. Laslo wasn't on Ratchet's radar. Lucien and several others were. A plan came together in his processor, one that was tough love, one designed to slap the notions of exceptionalism out of their noggins even if it meant doing things over and over again. "I need to do something and both of you are coming. So are a number of others. Give me a moment," Ratchet said as he want off line to Optimus and Prowl.

Laslo glanced at Lucien with a concerned expression. Lucien squeezed his servo, then looked at Ratchet who had just signed off. "What fresh torture do we have to bear now?"

"These are your rules, Lucien, you and your slagging caste. I'm only stepping up to help mentor you to a good end because no one else did. No one you knew, no one who was part of your world stepped up. I can only imagine the betrayal you feel about that. Personally, I was the only one with enough compassion, me, old low caste Ratchet, to step up and save you. No one else did. You getting snippy with me, you thinking you can slag me is a bad thing. I could just as easily tell the courts you belong shunned for the rest of your slagging lives."

Lucien stared at him stonily as Laslo squeezed his servo.

"I had a chat with Prime and Prowl," Ratchet began …

 **:Hey!:**

:Is that you, loser?:

:Ratchet? Prime here:

Ratchet grinned. :I want a favor. I want to take Lucien and Laslo along with Traachon, Hobbes, Burris whose on day leave as well as Maddow and Hauser to Cybertron. I want those slaggers to see what they did. Fraggers. I'm going for shock therapy:

:Do you think that's wise?: Prowl asked.

:No, but I think its necessary. I think Laslo, Partition and his brothers are ready to kick loose from the court rule. What can't happen is Lucien being shunned as incorrigible and the family being torn apart over what to do. The others minus Maddow and Hauser need a fine tune up. I've been having those who deal with them check in with me. I want to make sure that those who can make it aren't sucked down by the others. I found out from Ironhide that you don't have to be arrested to get a caste court. Anyone who's sick of your slag can call one. Slagging 1% rules:

:They can. I remember someone doing it on another who was a bad neighbor: Prowl opined.

:Go ahead, Ratchet. If you can make a change then its worth the trouble. Take who and what you need: Prime said.

:Thanks. I'll brief you when I get back. I also have to take Partition to The Gear Shed and get him kitted out for camping. Apparently, a lot of the youngling soldiers are going and they want him to come. It looked like he was going to explode from happiness when he told me. Ratchet out:

Prowl glanced at Prime who was sitting at the table going over the new early warning system arrayed against Cassio Imperialis. "Voodoo," he said.

Prime grinned.

-0-Diner On The Corner

Ratchet arose. "Come on. Let's go. We have a field trip ahead of us."

"I have a job and so does Laslo," Lucien said coldly.

"I already cleared both of you." Ratchet walked toward the door, then after a second, the two followed.

-0-Outside

Ratchet walked up Temple, then cut across traffic at Metroplex Highway #1 heading for the airfield across the way. It was busy as slag as they wound their way through the carefully choreographed action of machine and mech. A human buzzing here and there waved and called out which Ratchet returned. They were walking toward a shuttle, a huge gun infested vehicle of war and mayhem around which a number of mechs were lounging. They grinned as Ratchet came to a halt before them. "Is this my whip?" he asked with a dazzling smile on what according to Cybertronian standards was a ravishingly beautiful face.

"It is. Where are we going?" Springer asked. "The bond is teaching your student how to be a swordsman. Thanks for pushing his good guy button. Apparently, he has a padwan now."

The others laughed loudly. "Consider it a threesome," a big mech said. Huge laughter.

"I want you to meet Lucien and Laslo, the genitors of the padwan," Ratchet said as he watched the mechs shift with a touch of embarrassment at the news. The big mech grinned. "A platonic threesome."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER.**

More mechs came, some with great indignation as a cab drew up and discharged two mechs. Traachon and Hobbes stepped out, halting at the sight before them. "What's this?" Hobbes asked with a wary sense of self preservation.

"We're deporting ya," Smokescreen said as he sat in the doorway of the ship. Devcon who was coming for the lulz smirked handsomely. The looks on the faces of the four were incredible as everyone laughed.

"Don't mind them," Ratchet said to the four as two more cabs arrived. "They didn't have no good bringing up."

"Yeah," Mickle, a big gnarly Wrecker and demolition expert said. "I was born in a barn."

"Yeah?" Splice asked. "I was born in a back alley on a dark stormy night."

For a moment, they bantered out the necessaries in an old army game … "who had the worst childhood in the battalion', then the newcomers walked up with various emotions on their faces ranging from A to B.

"What's this?" Burris asked with umbrage. He always was in a bad humor and his bosses were about to kick him to the energon pits from his current day release approved occupation.

The other cab opened up as Maddow and Hauser stepped out, stared at the others, then Ratchet. "Hi, Ratchet. You wanted us?" Hauser asked.

"I do," Ratchet said. "Me and the boys," he said with a swipe of his arm, "are going to Cybertron to see some of that vaunted System mojo. When we get back, I have to make the rounds of the prison and the special hold-special circumstances prisoners. I thought we'd all take a walk on the wild side. What do you say?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

Hauser and Maddow nodded with grins. "We're glad to come. Maybe," Maddow said, glancing at his cousin, "it might do us all good to see."

" **SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!"** Burris said with fury as the others shot cold optics at Maddow.

"I can't believe that a great mech like Bezel can be your son, Burris. Put a lid on it or I'll disable your vocal processor." Ratchet glared at Burris. Burris glared at Ratchet. The mechs behind him smirked at Burris, knowing full well that very few ever won an argument with Ratchet when he was on the job. They had all tried themselves. Traachon, Maddow, Hauser, and Hobbes watched Burris, then Ratchet, then Burris. "What about Lucien and Laslo?" Hobbes asked.

"They're coming along. Today, we had a parade. It was uplifting and delightful. It was also here. I think its a good idea to have a parade on Cybertron and I want you to be in it. Let's go."

"I have a job," Traachon said. "Such as it is."

"I've cleared everyone. **NOW GET ON THE SLAGGING VESSEL!"**

The area reverberated a moment including a handful of mech working nearby on a ship. The chastened group moved to the vessel and climbed on prompting those mechs nearby to give Ratchet a standing ovation. Everyone knew Ratchet and half of them had been or were still his personal patients. Ratchet curtsied with a grin, then swept like a debutante up the ramp to the loud laughter and lewd remarks of those watching. As he did, the twins roared up and into the shuttle. The others entered, then it slammed shut. Lifting up with special clearance, the vessel headed upward to the triggers.

-0-In a club playing cards

They stood in the doorway, two mechs scanning the crowd for another one. Waving to his brothers, Partition beckoned them over. The mechs, most of them soldiers and hard boiled as frag, made space for them, then dealt them into the hand. They took the cards, then looked at Partition. "What's this?" they asked.

"We're playing poker. The mechs showed me. Here," he said taking their hands. He sorted them, then handed them back. Giving them a portion of the chips in front of him, he picked up his own. "We make a bet, an ante. Then everyone bluffs the others about what their cards show in their hand," he said as the other mechs at the table grinned at him. "Whoever has the best hand wins the pot."

They would ante, they would bluff, then one-by-one as per internal agreement, the mechs would let Partition win. He would so with delight. A mech on each side of the two new kids would sit out a couple of hands to show the kids how to play, then it would be on. Partition would do a good job but Inweld would be a natural. It would be a delightful way to pass the afternoon before dinner.

Inweld and Morius would also go camping in the Valles and go to the different outfitting places with Ratchet to get kitted out. Partition would help them.

-0-In a shuttle on the way to go down the triggers to Cybertron

It was quiet as each side of the divide sized up the others. The Soldiers, a gnarly, amused, heavily tattooed, artfully scarred, all around nightmare-looking bunch of hard bitten, hard boiled, and intensely drolly hilarious individuals scoped out The Others, both groups. The Others Group 1 was Maddow and Hauser, well known around town both inside and outside of law enforcement because Maddow was a Knight-Philosopher, that is, someone delegated by the sect to keep the lore, the legends, the rules, and the way forward straight and in good order. Hauser was a Knight and Circle mech who was Chief of Detectives of Mars and Cybertron. Both were well liked. They were more Our Guys Who Were Civilians But Dope, rather than The Others Group Who Were Dopes but since some of them were related to The Others Group 2 individuals, the name stuck.

Yes, the writer is insane.

Burris was a tightly wound bundle of outrage wedged into a seat between Traachon and Hobbes. Burris was a big mech with an elaborate and sickeningly beautiful paint scheme. He was keeping it up here, too, given that somehow, someway, he had gotten a day pass from the courts. Someone, apparently, thought he was salvageable. Ratchet appeared to be among him, hence his presence. The mechs were smirking and having a ripping fine conversation off line about him since he was the most obvious, most well known rack of shit on board at the moment.

Lucien and Laslo were sitting together silently, their servos linked together. Somehow, the fact that they were tugged at Ratchet's spark. He had been scanning everyone unbeknownst to anyone on board for the last few moments and decided that Laslo didn't need to come. He leaned into the flight deck, whispered to the pilot, then sat back around.

The pilot nodded as he began to make the flight ready. "Trigger Flight Control, this is Jagged Edge, pilot-navigator of Impactor's Revenge. We have a passenger to unload through our on-board bridge. Prepare to receive package." He leaned around the corner and nodded to Ratchet.

"Hey, Jag. This is Pistol. Are we on for Martian Friday night?" Flight Control replied.

"Yeah," Jagged Edge said with a chuckle. "What's the word, Pistol?"

"We're receptive at your go," Pistol said.

Ratchet looked at Laslo. "You don't need to come, Laslo. Go home or go to work. It's up to you. You're cleared either way."

Laslo looked at Ratchet, then Lucien. "I think I need to stay with Lucien."

Ratchet sought a map grid of the colony, located who he wanted, then looked at Laslo. "Go to Club Hoyle, Laslo. Here's the coordinates," Ratchet said as he sent them. "Your boys are there and you can hang out with them until Lucien gets back. It's going to be fine."

Laslo wavered, then Lucien squeezed his servo. "Go. I'll be back in time for dinner." He looked at Ratchet. "Right?"

"That's my plan," Ratchet said.

Laslo kissed Lucien who rose uncertainly, then walked to the back with a mech who helped him go through the bridge. The flight control mech was back.

"We have the package, Jag. Pistol-Navigator is seeking clearance," the voice said, then was back. "Jag, you are cleared for Cybertron. Are you go?" he asked.

"We're go," Jagged Edge replied. "See ya later."

"Done deal, brother," Pistol said as the bridge arms burst into light.

Their shuttle flew forward into the glare and blinding energy chaos. As fast as they flew, that's how fast they arrived. Flying into the darkness again, the civilians turned to windows to see their home world for the first time in four million years. Cybertron hung in the darkness with areas of light dotted on the surface. Its glory before was the immense amounts of light that covered it from end to end, once visible from space but now long gone. Debris floated in the area of space around the planet that used to be filled with ships and equipment. All of that activity served to make this one of the most secured and safe planets anywhere. Now it was an agony to see it this way, to see it suffer so much. Even Hauser who came often never got past the changes.

Now it was mostly dark with what lights that existed too few to illuminate all of the great beauty of this, their beloved home world as it once did. There was even no sunlight showering half of its bulk in glory. It was always a wonder to Ratchet how even the worst slagger he ever met was a home boy at spark as he watched them take in the sight. They were stilled by it, the sad outcome of a furious past, and even though they would differ about responsibility for it, the sight still sickened.

"Flight Control-Polyhex, we have you on approach. Come in and land on the army field, slot 1439-B7-A. We have you on automatic and will lead you in."

"Roger that," Pistol said. He sat back as the automated system most of their airports sported in the bigger urban areas took over. It would be a smooth flight down and a long taxi on the runway to the slot where their ship would sit until needed again.

The sight along the way after touchdown was mostly dark because the greatest number of lights were in the city beyond, partly from several metro titans and partly from huge banks around the area constructed right away. They were permanent and permanently on. Those here were spaced far enough apart on the runways to do the job but not more. Maddow who had not been back since The Fall and The Great Exodus turned emotional optics toward Ratchet. "We have no sun anymore, do we."

"No," Ratchet said. "We're working on moving her to another place and safety. We want to have blue skies again."

Maddow nodded as he looked back. "This is horrifying. This is unbearable. Thank you, Ratchet, you and the army for this. All the help you've given … it adds up. Right?" he asked turning to look at Ratchet with emotion.

"Slowly but surely, Maddow," Ratchet said.

"You should have seen it when we came," Springer said as he sat across from Hobbes. "There was starvation and no where to live. We had to hunt down millions of individuals, sometimes walking over bodies. They were laying everywhere. We fed hordes and hordes, some of them walking hundred of miles carrying their families on their backs over ordinance-strewn fields and highways, through toxic wastelands, hiding when gangs came past, pirates and gangs." He was silent a moment. "It was a nightmare."

"It was," a big mech said. "I went to my home town to find my family and I did. They were half starved and living in a bomb crater they covered with scraps. I won't ever forget their gratitude and disbelief. It took a long time for anyone to believe we actually came for them. We did it without a fight. Prime did that and **we** did it. Frag everyone else."

It was silent as the ship slid to a halt. Pistol looked around the corner. "We're in the tie down. Do you want me to wait here, Ratchet?"

"I'd love you to do that, infant," Ratchet said as he stood. "We're going to see the sights, then come back. I think a nice tour is in order. Take a break and get something to eat. I'll comm you a breem or two before we need you to fly us onward."

Pistol nodded, then let down the ramp as the hatch opened. Ratchet turned to the army mechs. "You go first, handsome. We'll come behind ya."

The big mechs got up with their guns and swords trading slag with Ratchet as they walked out. Then Ratchet turned to the civilians when the last one was outside. "We're on sacred ground. This is a graveyard from end to end. Everyone here is a hero. They deserve respect. Throw a tantrum, argue some dumb point or expect special treatment and I'll drop you so fast you'll need triage. We're home at last. Remember that. This is a very great privilege. Let's go."

The mechs stood, then walked to the door and down the ramp. Ratchet nodded to Pistol who grinned at him. "Have fun, Ratchet."

Ratchet grinned. "I always do," he said grimly. "We'll be back shortly, infant." He then walked to the door and out.

Pistol stared at the doorway. "Bring them back better, Ratchet," he whispered, then rose. He walked to the door and down the ramp pausing at the bottom. Polyhex was his home town. He loved to come here. He suggested it to Ratchet as a destination when he was selected to fly. It always made him feel better when he came here. In the midst of the rubble lay the ghosts of memory. Just being this close to them made him feel better. He walked onward to the pilot's station nearby where he would eat great food, trade slag with the others there and wait for Ratchet to come back.

-0-In the doorway of Club Hoyle

Laslo stood with uncertainty as he looked inside. His son, Morius, would spot him before he would spot them. Waving him over, Partition proudly introduced Laslo to each of the mechs at the table. They were friendly and funny, making a place for him to sit. He would watch Partition play, then reluctantly, shyly, take a hand for himself. He would be hooked on poker and enjoy himself immensely with his boys. However, always at the back of his processor was Lucien. He would be happy, mostly, anyway.

-0-TBC 9-10-17 **edited 9-19-17**


	124. Chapter 124

The Diego Diaries: Homecoming (dd6 124) There may be a misspelling of Dev somewhere in this. My spell checker auto-corrected and I can't find it. :D:D:D:D

-0-On the ground at Polyhex

They walked along the airfield heading toward the lights in the distance. This was once the financial center of Cybertron. The amount of wealth and power collected here was secondary only to Iacon. This was a city of high rise offices where those with business acumen and connections controlled the fate of worlds. If you lived in poverty and hunger, it was born here in the board rooms and bottom lines of the big companies that owned nearly everything and everyone. In the distance, coming ever closer, the broken jagged-toothed skyline of a fabled once bustling city could be seen highlighted and haloed by the arc lights that kept back the night.

The crunch of their peds on the ground, treading on rubble that had been used to fill bomb holes and pits where shrapnel and shells had gouged out the surface before exploding echoed dully. It smelled of decay and ozone. The tangy scent of wet metal and welding rod permeated everything. It wasn't unpleasant. They had all smelled it before when construction was ever present and even here in the urban areas of an alien world, it was. But the hustle of the city bathed in the light of day was missing. So were the throngs of those who had a lot and those who didn't marching about on their way to something or other. Femmes and mechs going to work, children either idling around or heading for work and school … children did both on Cybertron depending on which side of the bed they were born on, all was gone and the area seemed strangely empty, like any urban area living in a deep stillness of night.

Their footfalls felt and sounded empty as they reached a road where trucks were rumbling this way and that. They carried all manner of things and some of the vehicles were huge. When there was a break, they hustled across, then walked up a new sidewalk toward the center of the city. At this point, the glittering skyscrapers and historic buildings of a wealthy and powerful city should have been seen. Looking up to the now empty spaces where glittering windows and lights should have been, they could only make out here and there the skeleton forms of new buildings. They were rising up but they were still bare bones.

Crossing another street, they walked onward heading toward the financial center of the city. Destruction on each side of the big highway mocked them, the darkness and shadows of lighting that was too far away to do them much good yet made things look menacing and crushed conversation. They headed toward a lighted area filled with activity, stepping into a square that had been the beautiful heart of Polyhex. They stopped behind a barrier to stare, some of them with astonished and agonized amazement.

There was a giant hole in the ground where a sculpture and fountain-filled square once was. Around it were, at one time, museums and galleries, beautiful restaurants, shops and embassies. This was a place where corporations headquartered themselves to be close to the big banks and financial institutions that regulated the wealth of a great and ancient people. It was beautiful and filled with energy, conversation and life. Now it was a deep ragged hole in the ground with a swarm of workers digging it out, pulling out broken things, twisted and charred bits of the life they once knew and thought would never end.

No one said a word as they stood by the railing, gripping it with their servos. Lights with their unyielding glare made it seem garish and unkind, rather like a too bright light over the casket of a dead loved one, showing every agonized effect and mark of their end. No one did more than clutch the railing tightly as they looked into the hole, then the surrounding decimated area. Most of the worst was gone, the thousands of millions of tons of broken things, twisted metal, you name it, carted away patiently by those eager to rebuild. The bits of statues, art and other priceless features of their culture were being painstakingly retrieved from the site along with everywhere else as students of the university and those hired from the camps, then trained to search, pulled them out, often with tweezers. They would be sent to conservators who might with great patience and skill be able to put them back together. If they could be, that is. If not, they would be saved and mourned forever, their images becoming the legacy of The People instead.

Ratchet looked at Hobbes, Traachon, a surprisingly pensive Burris, Lucien, and a calm featured Devcon who stood beside them. "What do you think? Did you know it was this bad?"

Traachon glanced at Ratchet. "I assumed it would be. It was terrible when we left."

"When did you leave?" Dec asked.

They turned to him, a mech they knew. Everyone in the high caste world of wealth and power knew Devcon. They knew he had used his reputation and carefully culled information to get both his son and grandson through the best schools in Praxus. They knew once he was on your case, you were over. No one fragged with Devcon. He knew too much and he would kill you.

Hobbes shrugged. "Before the end. We left with a group from Iacon. It wouldn't be long after that it would be all over but the shouting."

"How brave of you," Dev said with a hint of disgust. He looked at the hole. "Imagine the size of the shell that hit the ground and made that. All of the buildings that were here," he said nodding to everything around them, "went up with that shell. Imagine those who were still here unable to get away and those for miles around. Can you?"

Ratchet watched Dev with great respect. He knew that he had a hold over this group of predators and that's why he was here. He had come to hang with Smokescreen and stayed because Ratchet needed him to needle these mechs. They might back sass Ratchet but no one did the same for Devcon of Praxus.

"No." Traachon turned to Ratchet. "What's the agenda?"

A hard rap to the helm from Sunstreaker greeted that remark. "How about a little respect, slagger? Fake it if you have to."

Traachon looked at Sunstreaker, then Ratchet. "What comes next, Ratchet?"

"We're going on an extended tour, then we're going to the prison. It isn't just the cities and this world that's been cut down in its prime. The people were, too. The prison on Mars is teeming with those who shouldn't be there. But they are. They are because they weren't valued. Let's go." Ratchet walked onward heading past the hole in the ground, then entered The Warren, the start of the ghetto where most of the service industry mechs and femmes lived to be close to their jobs. It was a winding trail through a ghost town of hovels, garbage, broken down infrastructure, and scariness. At last, they came to the end of the trail. Ratchet turned to them. "This is the Dead End. A free chicken dinner to any one of you who knows what that is."

No one stepped up to offer the information and Ratchet never expected it. "This is where the so-called useless came to be dumped to fend for themselves. The mentally ill, those without body parts, the elderly, sick, and injured. All of them were dumped here to starve to death or die of things that could be fixed. It was the saddest place I've ever been. Mechs walking around without a clue what was happening. We came here among the first places we landed and worked furiously to save them. We chased them down, we found where they hid, we led them to safety when they didn't even know their own names. Some only needed a hand or arm, some food and rest. Others are being cared for now because they'll never be alright again, they were so injured and ill.

"There were children here, elders who deserved the best we could give them, others who worked themselves nearly to death, then were discarded. They were **our** people, our **Cybertronian people** and they were discarded like garbage. When we left during the Great Exodus, the Decepticons would come … the locals called them Harvesters, then gather them up to be smelted. Or, they would shoot them for target practice. **Our own people.** Half the time, they had no idea that they should run and hide, that's how harmed they were. Helpless and harmed." He looked around. "Maybe that was a blessing for some, those that were melted down for scrap."

It was leaden among the group. The soldiers, most of whom had been here during the rescue remembered what a fragging nightmare this large warren of streets, hovels, holes in the ground, and rickety contrived shacks was. The visitors didn't but they were given a pretty good clue. They looked around, then Hobbes turned to Ratchet. "What happened to most of them?"

Ratchet shrugged, then Sideswipe turned to them. "The ones who weren't thrown into smelting pools? Imagine it … being dropped into a molten pool of metal and melting down into nothingness. I hope they made it to the Matrix. I hope they're living in all the goodness they can find there," Sideswipe said with anger. "The ones that died here … I can still feel their spirits. I can still feel their desperation and sadness. Can you?"

The group stared at Sideswipe, then Maddow stepped forward turning slowly in the dark somber place. "This is appalling. This is horrifying," he said with distress. He turned to Traachon and Hobbes. "What do you feel? **Do you feel**? What about it, Hobbes? What do you say about this?"

"What do you want me to say, Maddow?" Hobbes said solemnly. "What can I do now about this? It's over and I can't make one thing right."

"Then you do admit that this wasn't good, that it wasn't right," Hauser said as he turned to the four mechs who stared at him silently. "This is the direct result of The System. This hell hole is the outcome of **your** policies. What do you say about that?"

"I don't have to say **anything** to you, Hauser. Nor you," Hobbes said as he looked at Ratchet. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to shame me, to make me say that I'm responsible for this when I'm not."

"Then who is?" Maddow asked coldly. "These mechs and femmes suffered because of policies you helped pass and then administered. Behind every terrible policy and crime are the faceless sparkless bureaucrats that make the wheels turn. Without you pushing the programs and policies, things wouldn't happen would they? What about you, Burris? You're uncharacteristically silent."

Burris looked at Maddow with contempt. "You can't push me around, Maddow. I wasn't part of this."

"No. Your crimes lay off world in the mines. All the dead at the bottom of the inadequate unsafe shafts. You didn't kill anyone here. You were too busy killing off world," Maddow said bitterly.

Burris stepped forward but Hauser pushed him back. For all his bluster, Burris was a good swordsman and an adequate fighter. "What's the matter, Maddow? Too cowardly to face me? You never were much of a mech. You always had Hauser stepping between you and anyone else."

With a speed that was impressive, Maddow stepped forward and struck Burris on the chin. The big mech staggered, then moved toward him. Sunstreaker pushed him back. "I'd love to see this happen but this is a crime scene. A lot of our people died and were murdered here. Have some respect or I'll tear your arms off and feed them to you."

Burris stepped back, his glare moving from a seething Maddow to Sunstreaker. He looked at Ratchet. "What's next?" he asked as Dev rapped his helm. He turned on Dev, then stepped back. "So … you're going to beat us up too?"

"Only if you deserve it and I don't think we have to worry about Primus and His disapproval if we do," Sideswipe said.

"Let's go. We need to go to Praxus," Ratchet said as he walked back the way they came. Following together, the high castes sullenly walked back through the entire downtown of Polyhex to the airport. They clambered aboard Impactor's Revenge, sat down and the ship lifted up before the hatch closed. It was tense and silent as everyone stared ahead with stony faces. Ratchet turned to the pilot. "Jag, we're going to Praxus."

"On it, Ratchet," he said as they banked, then sped faster into the eternal infernal night.

-0-Home

Owen Harris walked through the farm with Pierre Beliveau inspecting and discussing the set up and the enormous area for their growing fields. Instead of the small room with tables set up for hydroponic and other forms of experimental farming they had originally planned, there were vast fields set in enormous bordered squares where the dark rich soil was being tilled for plantings. They were growing some things from scratch. Seeds were germinating in labs while others would be entirely planted from shipped specimens from Earth.

Down in the quarters areas, Mariah and Allison were making calls for local women to come for a luncheon in two days. It would be a meet-and-greet. Among the invitees were the Resort team, the soldier femmes, Carly Brooks-Spencer, Mikaela Banes, Olivia Bowers, Charlotte Mearing, and a number of the most influential women in Sciences. It would be held in the formal rooms where parties and other formal and informal gatherings would congregate in future. This would be the first public gathering for the habitat so they wanted it to be great. Leonora Huttle was invited as well. She would be the vehicle to make the habitat a household word. That is, she would be a logical person to make the two women a household word as the social face of Earth2.

It would take a lot of phone calls to track everyone but they would all agree to come.

-0-On the way to Praxus

"This city was flattened by a Seeker annihilation. Very little was standing but a lot collapsed, burying things that are priceless beyond words. It also is the place where, at the time of the bombing, only one individual survived the attack. There are many Praxians showing up, my old mech and his family included but at the time of the attack, only one individual lived through it. The city is a slow work in progress. You can remember how beautiful it was, I'm sure. I can," Ratchet said. He vented a sigh. "All of the stuff you see is a slagging big improvement over when we first landed. The people were starving and rushed the titans in great numbers. It was a nightmare. Now, its getting better. Maybe we can rebuild the old city again. I hope so."

Devcon nodded. "Me too. My son and grandson need their legacy back."

The soldiers nodded. Smokescreen stared at the group. "This was my town, too. My son and grandson bear it as their surname designation. Even if we were banned from most of it, we loved it too. Maybe more. We saw it go up. We saw it burn. We knew that a million of our people were killed in their recharge. We climbed over the smoldering bodies looking for the living but there wasn't any. Only one little kid. That's what I see in my dreams. What do you see?" he asked.

No one answered.

Hauser and Maddow sat next to Devcon. Dev looked at them. "We know you aren't part of this. We know that you tried, Maddow. You and Hauser were imprisoned off and on for opposing things." He looked at the soldiers around him. "I want you to know that just in case."

They nodded, then everyone looked at the others who weren't excused. It was silent until they landed. "We're here. Let's go," Ratchet said as he rose. He walked out and the others followed solemnly.

It wasn't as dark because there were more titans around and lighting had been a priority to everyone. In the distance, finished and soon-to-be finished towers surprised the newbies. They stared at the habitations which were in the high caste district, one of the several that was nearest to the old stadium where Cybertronian football had been played and concerts heard. During the rise of revolution, the stadium had held rallies both for and against the government since Praxus was ground zero of the intelligentsia's rise in rebellion. That husk was still blown out but in some fine far off orn, maybe it would rise again.

They followed Ratchet as he led the way toward town. Down well made streets they walked as all around them tower after tower rose upward. Some were finished and there were obvious signs that they were occupied. "Who lives in the towers, Ratchet?" Maddow asked as he looked all around himself.

"Those most in need. The elders, the sick and disabled. We have fourteen million civilians living in the camps in the greater Praxus metro area alone. We have half a million living in these towers. Its a drop in the bucket but three more towers are going to come online soon and we can move one and a half million into them."

"These are our type, aren't they? They're incredibly more tall and bigger overall than on Mars. Right?" Maddow asked.

Ratchet nodded. "Yes. We're building to our tastes here. We're improving everything from grid layouts to the utilitarian infrastructure. But the building designs and general rebuild will follow the old city and be Cybertronian the way we like it. We have a lot of civilians to re-house and haste combined with careful skilled construction is of the essence."

They halted in the geographical center of a once immensely beautiful, cultured and well designed city. The square had been reconstructed with all its various sitting spaces. Around it, tall buildings were rising. There were over 32 towers in various stages of rebuild. They soared upward, many of them into the darkness of the ever night sky. Some were rebuilt and they sparkled here and there with lights from those inside.

"This is good to see," Hauser said. "It's been a while since I was here."

"Where do we stand on the serial killers?" Sideswipe asked.

"We have two in custody, we're tracking 3 closely and have leads on 12 others," Hauser said.

Burris turned to him with surprise. "So many?"

"That's about normal for a place as big as Cybertron. These are the ones we know about. Look around you, Burris. Look at what our people have had to suffer. I'm surprised there aren't more," Hauser said. He looked at Ratchet. "Hopefully, we can get three more before the weekend."

"Good," Ratchet said. "It makes me weary thinking about all of it."

Hauser nodded. "I know."

They stared around themselves, then followed Ratchet to the edge of the construction zone to climb a pile of building materials being stockpiled in great quantities for the project. When they reached the top, they saw spread out in the inky darkness an endless array of lights. Below in the depression that led to the horizon, the camps that held the people could be seen. It was so vast that the topographical design of the area was lost to them as the size of the spectacle disoriented everyone.

"So many," Maddow whispered.

"These are the ones that are lucky," Sunstreaker said.

Ratchet watched a moment, then climbed downward to head toward another vast area nearby. They walked along a road with very little around it but towering stacks of building materials waiting to be used until they came to an open space again. In the area in front of them was a large pit. Torches lit the area throwing weird eerie light. It was a mass grave. "This is one of too many mass graves for our people. No matter where we dig or search, we find the dead. We take their transponders so we know who they are, wrap them up and take them to a mass grave depot. The priests and others trained to do the burials and rituals take care of the rest. This is a temporary grave. We're going to move to a more permanent site when we can do better for them as things allow. Until then, they rest here with us."

It was incredibly silent as they stared at the sight, at the endless rows of boxes stacked on top each other, all of them wrapped in a flag of Cybertron. Two priests were there doing evening prayers for the dead. Soon enough, trucks would roll up or cargo runabouts would land and more caskets would arrive. They would be given respect and a flag of their home world before joining all the others. It would be the best that could be offered for now.

"How many do we think we lost, Ratchet?" Maddow asked.

Ratchet glanced at the others who were staring at the sight with shuttered expressions. "Too many, Maddow, but in fact, it's believed we lost more than a billion of our people."

It was funereally quiet as nearby, a ship was coming in to land. It bore the markings of the Office of the Coroner, Iacon District #1 on its side. It would land nearby, then the hatch would open. Mechs inside would carry the first of half a dozen small caskets that either indicated children, mini-cons or body parts. They would be handed over to the priests who would receive them, then give them the final prayers. It would be a very mournful moment.

-0-TBC 9-11-17 **edited 9-12-17**

To those in harms way, you are loved. Just remember that. No matter where on this little blue marble you are, you are loved. -Me

ESL: 'which side of the bed you were born on … which side of the tracks you came from … expressions about wealth and poverty. If you were born on the right side of each, you were going to have a great life. Otherwise, not so much.


	125. Chapter 125

The Diego Diaries: Reconciliation? (dd6 125)

-0-Dojo

Taking a break for a moment, Partition and Drift sat on the couch sipping beer. Partition, who's idea once regarding alcohol was to drink as much as you could before passing out, sipped his beer like the others. One had to have self discipline, so said the mechs, his master and Amma Lissie so he decided to practice it in all things. Talo walked in, then sat with a beer. "Where's Springer?"

"He's with Ada on Cybertron showing a pack of slaggers around," Drift said. He nodded to Partition. "One of them is his atar, just saying."

Talo glanced at him noting his tattoos. "Okay," he said. "No offense, kid, but the slaggers need to learn."

Partition nodded. "My genitors are good folks but they were raised in it, you know? So was I and I got over it."

"Good on you," Talo said raising his beer in salute. The others joined him.

Partition raised his, feeling ridiculously happy. "Until all are one."

They replied, then it was comfortably silent. On the mats, mechs were getting their clock cleaned by Willa and the mechs in the lounge would watch, then explain things to Partition. He would sit almost on guard absorbing the wisdom. It would be almost as fun to watch as the sparring partners.

-0-Later that afternoon

Edict walked from the school having completed his mission for the orn. He was now a 'lunchroom aide' and a 'nap room specialist'. That meant he would help babies and infants eat in the big colorful lunchroom, helping them to get their food, then sit himself. Sometimes, he would sit with them helping someone who wanted him to stay. Stories would blossom like flowers, funny convoluted kid stories that never failed to amuse. Sometimes, he'd wander among the tables on the lookout for someone who needed him.

All of them needed him.

It was tonic and it was wonderful. He was always here before school setting the nap room up for the babies, getting things clean and up to snuff before helping the teachers and other aides get the main rooms and side classrooms ready for the children. It was fun here, a place where he was welcome and had developed friends. Laret and Neo had included him in some of their extracurriculars and when Hobbes wasn't in need or at the prison, he made sure he went. It was fun and uplifting.

He was near his daughter, Bron-E who was a teacher's aide with older sparklings. Her pre-bond was a wonderful mech who loved Edict, included him in all their fun and games and was what he needed for kind hearted diversion. Things weren't that good with Hobbes yet but Hobbes was trying. The underlying tension when he was home was hard but didn't seem so huge as before. It was progress.

He hoped.

Edict entered the station and took a train to Metro Station #1 outside the Metroplex Administration Plaza in Autobot City. Heading along the street, then down the block to the Processor Hospital and Outpatient Center, he walked in. Pausing to chat with the desk clerk who liked Edict, as almost everyone there did, he walked to the elevator, then took it to the third floor. Standing in the lounge up there, a new privilege he had earned, Sunee was waiting. When his ada walked out of the elevator, he stepped into his son's arms with joy.

-0-On Cybertron

They flew onward into the night traveling to the Sea of Mithril. It was dark on the ground and seemed to stretch into infinity as they walked from the small airfield to the shores two miles away. The stars were out in force, more easily seen here without the glare of lights from a major urban center to pollute the view. The sound of waves, a force reaction to their moons indicated they were near the dark shore. A dock extended out, so Ratchet took it, leading the way forward. The rest followed, then paused at the end, gathering to stare out at a dark form in the water nearby.

"What is that shape?" Burris asked.

"That's a ship. Focus your lights that direction," he said as he turned his own on, specialized lights that could scan deep and far away. He looked at the group, then the form. "That's a ship that was shot down as it tried to leave with tons of latinum, uncounted treasures and riches from the banks in Iacon. "We've already looked into it and its still there but has been confiscated by the state. Did you know that all of your names are on the manifest? Instead of taking off-world our **real** treasure, our people, you tried to get your stuff away. It didn't make it."

"I don't suppose we can put in a claim?" Traachon replied with a calm droll tone.

"I imagine you could but I wouldn't count on it working. Besides, we're a cashless society now. We'd rather this not happen again, where stuff has precedence over individuals. We **did** take the art off and the books. All of the cultural items are safe and in the custody of the state through the Offices of the Primes as per modified martial law and the salvage rules of war. All the rest, the money and jewels and that sort of thing, its still down there in the deep."

"You really enjoy this, you savage. You love twisting the dagger in our backs," Burris said with fury.

"You may be right," Ratchet said in agreement. "I don't want you to live in your bubble without a ray or two of truth buzzing in."

"I'll tell you what, Burris," Springer said. "You give me **half** of what's yours and I'll dive down and bring it all up." He glanced at Ratchet. "Atar could use a new girdle."

"I'm telling him," Ratchet said with a laugh.

Dev grinned at Springer. "You better tell him first. Whoever owns the narrative controls the outcome." He looked at the four mechs who were solemn and tense as well as Hauser and Maddow who were watchful and intrigued. "That's the thing, boys. Whoever controls the narrative controls the outcome. Right now, the story line has slipped away from you lot and will never come back. There's too many things like this laying around," he said as he nodded to the wreck which was still poking out of the water after all this time.

"Where do we put our claims, as if **you** would tell us," Burris persisted.

"How about up your aft?" Smokescreen said with a gathering frown.

Burris glanced at him, then the wreck. "Prime prides himself on following the law. I'm sure he won't be unwilling to entertain claims."

"Maybe. It might be entertaining to him to turn you down. You can see that, right?" Splice asked as he glanced at Springer.

Springer grinned, then nodded. "I can. How about you, boys?"

Smirks and chuckles along with the nodding of helms greeted that remark, then they turned to Ratchet. He shook his helm, then turned to the sea. "This is a poisoned sea. There's life here but it needs help. No one has cared for it in ages. Did you know some of the micro habitats around the planet still have animal and plant life? Some of the wardens and guardians stayed to help them survive. We haven't lost everything but it wasn't for lack of trying." He walked past everyone, then the four followed after a moment's hesitation. Hauser and Maddow, mingling with the soldiers, brought up the rear.

They climbed into the ship, then lifted off. Ratchet leaned toward the flight deck. "Jag, you have the flight plan?"

"I do, Commander. I'll begin now?" he asked.

Ratchet nodded, so he turned to the job. They lifted up and flew into the dark sky, low and close to the ground on minimal thrusters to allow silent flight. Heading northwest, they flew onward until the lights below seeped into view. Ratchet pressed a button and the blast shields of Impactor's Revenge slid down opening the view 360 degrees. Lights were everywhere as below them like diamonds on a black velvet carpet, the lights of an organized camp lay out the grid that most of them attempted to follow depending on terrain and surrounding damage.

It was vast and enormous, almost pulsating with life as the ship soundlessly flew slowly overhead. The camp stretched on for what seemed an infinite distance before fading behind them. In the distance, the lights of a pair of metro titans added something against the darkness as they served the masses below. Lucien turned to Ratchet. "How many in that camp?"

"That one? About ten million. We have camps all over hosting tens of millions. We figure we have about 650 million in shelters that we made. That leaves about 850 million in less than perfect circumstances. They live in what they had though we have forty titans making only shelters. We make about 1,000,000 an orn and ship them out. We're spreading out. Medical and food reach everyone that hasn't hidden so deeply that we have to scout them out with metal detectors. We still find them. I wish you could know how much mental and emotional illness we're dealing with here."

It was silent.

"You have to have a spark, Ada," Springer said quietly. "Burris is going to put in a claim. How's that for judgment?"

Ratchet looked at him. "You know, this is like a test. Do you have what it takes to pass? I'm not sure about any of you but I'll be fragged if I don't show you what you did. How can you ever change if your bubble is so tight even light can't get in?"

They came down again, this time around the huge base at Nova Cronum. It held a camp that was divided into three parts around the busy shipping center that the base was and still would be. There were fifteen million bots here building towers like everywhere else and working on the smaller towns around the big military base. Here was the place where the Decepticons did most of their important ship maintenance, repair and manufacture. All of that was now working for civilian relief. It took a while to cover the area, then they flew onward.

'We've probably flew over 35-40 million individuals so far," Ratchet said. "You have to give Prime credit. No one else could have done this but him. No one would follow anyone else but him."

"Apparently, you did. To Earth," Lucien said.

Ratchet nodded. "It was Bee, Jazz, Prime, Ironhide, and me. Bee found the AllSpark and called us to come. The movie, the first one they made gets most of it right. Mostly. We found it, trounced Megatron and lost it again. It transformed and occupied Sam Witwicky's subspace. We stayed, moving to Diego Garcia and a hangar. They had no way to know what we needed to let us be comfortable. It wasn't until things got hot and heavy that we got autonomy. We needed to pay our own way so we went to court, got legally labeled sentient, then given the rights to our own intellectual property and the like. We could get patents, set up companies and make things.

"We employed humans decently, made products at very low prices and earned enough to take care of ourselves. That's when we got the land on Diego ... we bought it. Then we made it an embassy, had treaties worked out and signed them. We made them sign the Tyrest Accords so that nothing we had could be used by them against us or themselves. It was a long hard process but behind us now. We ended up calling for soldiers and getting them, including refugees. It was then that Prime decided upon Mars and began to build our lives there. It was arduous but worth it. Then you came along."

Springer smirked. "Imagine, coming from this which your ideas caused and thinking that no one would mind if you brought them to Mars."

"My friend's brother is a district representative in Tetriades," Splice said. "He's a young kid who wants to help in his district. He knocked on every door of everyone who lived there and talked to them about what they wanted and thought we needed. Then he stood for election and won. He goes to the district meeting of the city every time they meet and he's the kid that Tetriades, from all the delegates that live in all the districts there, that goes to the Central Committee for the whole city when it meets once every three decaorns with all the city delegates. He's formerly low caste and wouldn't have a fragging chance here back in the orn. He's smart, decent and works hard for everyone. If we took up your drum beat, he'd have to leave office and all that talent and desire would be wasted. How many do you imagine were wasted in the same way here?"

"Millions. Billions … zillions," Sideswipe said coldly. He looked at Ratchet. "If you'd been anything but a doctor with that kind of aptitude, they wouldn't have bent the rules for you, Ada."

"No, they wouldn't have but I'd have been a doctor. One of the millions that learned how to do things anyway. It was in the cards," Ratchet replied. "My genitors were and are geniuses. Do you know RTR Tools?"

Burris shrugged. "I suppose you'll tell us."

Splice pulled a glistening knife from his subspace, then held it out blade first to Burris's face, nearly touching it. It was beautiful, perfectly shiny, had a crimson hilt, and a verse from The Chronicles etched on its razor-sharp blade. "Let me show you then. This is a knife from RTR Tools. **NO** one makes them like this. They make the best blades ever attempted on Cybertron."

"They never got the benefit from it. They were ripped off all their lives and they never became bitter or cynical. I watched my genitors make Sentinel Prime's favorite sword once upon a time. They prayed Primus into it but you can see how he listened," Ratchet said. "I have to give them credit for trying."

The knife went back into subspace as Splice sat back. Lucien glanced at Sideswipe, then Ratchet. "I am aware of them and their work. They were placed in museums and were prizes most of the soldiers and wanna-be soldiers collected. That's your family then?"

Ratchet nodded. "Yes. They have the shop they deserve on Mars and the line is around the block of those who want something they make. Half the show weapons that Prime has came from them."

"The best set of tools I have came from them, too," Sideswipe said.

Ratchet nodded. "They aim to do their best and they do it old school. They say the prayers at the right moments and etch the blades with comments from the holy books just like they're supposed to. It honors and protects soldiers, so they say." He looked out the window. "We're passing over Protihex. Ten million more living there, waiting for the world to become normal again, when you can go about your business, work and go home to a nice place." He sat back again.

"When Prime was given the go-ahead to build above ground, it came from the Pantheon. They never spoke to Sentinel, Nova, Zeta, or Nominus. They spoke to Prima and Guardian. 'Build above ground', they said and we did. Prime said everyone had to have comforts and big homes. A home that had room for families to grow, for each child to have their own room and a berth that was soft and comforting. There had to be energon coming through the system into the home if they couldn't or didn't want to go out.

"There had to be towers for bachelors, for elders and young people. He told me that we had to have a home care system for those who couldn't get out. There had to be amenities and activities, swimming, bowling, theaters, sports centers, shooting ranges, private airports for private ships, clubs … every city has them. We have teen centers and elder centers for them to have fun with their own friends and age group. Swimming pools for fun and recreation, grocery stores, take out places, restaurants of all types and clubs … racing tracks too. We had to have them for our people.

"The crime rate here, given the circumstances, is ridiculous. Fighting, drunkenness, the odd emotionally traumatized person stealing food to horde … that's about it. It's a miracle that it isn't worse," Ratchet said as Springer nodded.

"We built schools, a university and a system for tech and adult education. The school we started in a small room at Diego is a massive system here. Everyone could come. Children have to. Everyone has to have a chance to get their dreams. Businesses started and as need arose, our people met it. There are places for our people to get any legal thing done, to get good and plentiful food ... even high caste food, to enjoy games, books … we have more bookstores here than most major cities per capita on Earth, healthcare, private or public and libraries. We have free ranging newspapers and outlets, a film industry that anyone can help with, all manner of pass times. We have a life here … clubs, the race tracks, stadiums with sports, a stable with hundreds of horses and private airports,, an entertainment system that serves everyone. We have camping facilities and parks everywhere. You can travel the TransWorld Highway and stay at parks or hotels all the way around the world.

"We did this for everyone. No matter who you are or were, you are one here. We are **all** one. No one pays for anything. They get what they need and contribute what they can. It's more productive here than it ever was in the Empire because we work for ourselves and others we love. We do the work and get real return on the investment. We started cashless and we're staying that way. It's what we want," Ratchet said as he leaned forward. "The System is just words on a paper, you know. The only way they matter is if enough of us agree that they do. You can point guns to enforce this unwanted thing but we'd shoot back now. There's just under a million individuals in the Home Guard alone who would. When people, **the majority,** agree that something is not worth bothering with, it disappears. No one here agrees that The System is a law anymore. Prime agreed and abolished it. Since no one agrees, its moot. I'd think even you would grasp that. This isn't holy writ handed down from The One. This is slagging crap designed to create slavery from the Quinessans. Why would you push for a system that was devised by aliens who enslaved us?"

The lights of the camp below faded as both sides stared at the other.

-0-TBC 9-12-17 **edited 9-13-17**

:D


	126. Chapter 126

The Diego Diaries: Redemption? (dd6 126)

-0-On a shuttle flying over Cybertron

"Some things are eternal," Burris ventured as the others sat silently, the intensity of the stares from the soldiers overwhelming at the moment. Only Burris, deeply oblivious Burris would be so clueless about reading a room so poorly.

"I agree," Ratchet said. "The sacrifice of Primus for **ALL** of us … my sons and daughters eternal belief and love for me is, all of them, right, boys?" he asked as he grinned at the twins and Springer.

"Slagging right," Sunstreaker said darkly.

Sideswipe and Springer nodded. "You got **that** right, Ada," Springer said.

Sideswipe leaned slightly forward. "We belong to him and Ironhide. Remember that, slaggers." He sat back.

"Didn't know that much handsome ran in the family did you?" Ratchet asked with a slight grin. "Most of the things that are eternal are based on love. They aren't rooted in darkness, in greed and high tone self love. Love is light and sacrifice and genuine selfless regard for others. My boys here," he said glancing at the three who stared at Burris with cold expressions, "are my treasure. **All** my children, they're the reason I get up every orn. That and Ironhide's snoring."

Chuckles greeted that, then it was silent again.

"Not all of us are that fortunate, apparently," Traachon said dryly.

"You have children. You have a bond. **All** of you do. Your kids and bonds **are** your gold. Why would anything else mean more?" Ratchet asked. "I'm a grandparent several times over. I wish you could know what it feels like holding the child of my children." He glanced sideways at Springer who smirked back. "Not everyone wants to be a parent or grandparent and not everyone welcomes the responsibility but I do. I'll never allow them to have a life like I had ever again. That's what you're facing, boys. All of us who try to put love first. Just like Primus, remember?"

It was silent, then they went low again, approaching a bright light outside. Lucien looked down. "Where is this?"

"The greater Kaon area. We house 30 million individuals here. We truck them in from other places because the area is so open. It's open because of the barrage but also because its one of the most neglected places on Cybertron. We don't have to bend camps around stuff because there isn't much. This was one of the most dangerous places on Cybertron, the headquarters for the Decepticons, and when we came it was as crazy as the Dead End."

They flew onward seemingly forever over the camps and the more than one dozen titans that worked here to make food, housing and other essentials. This was one of fifteen massed titan creation points for the subsistence relief programs. All they did was subsistence production around the clock, food, tents, amenities, and medical. Ratchet looked at the mechs staring downward. "We have our people here, bringing them in for medical and safety issues. This is the place where we make a lot of things that keep them all alive, everywhere. We have fourteen titans here, specialists in providing food, shelter and medical for large numbers. The supply line here is tremendous. It goes overland and by air to every place. Hundreds of thousands of shelters large and small leave here for the millions that are homeless. I lose recharge worrying over all of them.

"Most live in reclaimed rubble that we help improve against the arrival of good shelters. We're bringing them into massed areas, gathering sites that are set at strategic transport locii so that we can supply them on a regular basis without difficulty, where they're closer to the supply centers, the titans that we've got everywhere. Did you know they number over 1,200 now?" They glanced at him in surprise. "You should see the toxic sites, the destroyed places that our people are subsisting in. You'd be on your hands and knees helping if you could see it. We have teams that rove constantly to find them, then to touch back with them to keep them hopeful and allay fears that they've been forgotten. We bring food and candy, you know … little niceties for them so they can feel alive again. We set up communications so they can keep up with the news about Cybertron and more importantly, their own area. We have teams that see them on a regular basis, picking out talented or trained individuals to organize locally. We've pulled together databases of millions of those with talents we need who are the heart and soul of the local areas.

"Elders that need help are pulled out along with their families and what few possessions they may have saved, then transported to safety and attention. What they bring, we don't quibble over. They kept what they could from a life broken for millions of vorns. We aren't going to make that worse. Children, especially those who have no one are gathered and carried to safety and care. We're inventorying the wild areas, looking for plants and animals that need us. There's so much to do, we have to galvanize and utilize locals who can be trained to help or already are at what's needed. It's a logistical nightmare but its fragging organized now and we're holding everyone's helm above water. Thank Prime for that."

The mechs on board nodded, murmuring darkly to themselves as Jagged Edge leaned out of the flight deck. "What now, Ratchet? We're at the end of the flight plan."

"Take us home, Jag. We have a prison to visit," Ratchet said as he sat back. He smiled brilliantly. "Out of the frying pan, into the fire." They disappeared into the night time of space in the blink of an optic.

-0-Moments later

They stood at the big secure doors of the Autobot Military and Civilian Prison Control Center. They were waiting for Gee-Gee who wanted to come along. Some of the mechs grinned at the four ill-at-ease civilians. Sunstreaker who was leaning against the doorjamb smirked. "She's going to measure you for size. Just in case."

The four didn't find that remark funny. Everyone else did, though.

Gee-Gee walked out, slapped servos with Ratchet and half the mechs present, then looked at the four. "Welcome to my world, gentlemen. Let's go see our guests in the spirit of what the humans like to say … 'there but for the grace of God go I'."

Huge laughter and agreement over that remark was had as they walked out toward the main access gates where Roadbuster and his intervention crew waited. They traded slag, then the Officer of the Orn let them in, following them with the control device that activated nearly everything that mattered in the security system of the prison.

"This place has improved from before," Sunstreaker said as he glanced downward at Gee-Gee. "You juiced it up."

"Can't have them getting out. That wouldn't be seemly," she said with a grin. The towering mechs all around her, Ratchet's and hers, laughed loudly. The others minus Hauser and Maddow who grinned as well were too absorbed by the sights. They had been and some still were inmates but they were going toward the end of the prison where the bad mechs were, rather than the cell blocks were civilians were held away from genuine ultra violent badness.

They reached the main intersection which led three different directions … to the right where the specialist holdings section kept the most dangerous mechs incarcerated, straight ahead to the huge three story medical center and airport that served under the highest security in the prison outside of the alt lockup, and left which led directly into the vast maximum super-max prison of Autobot City itself. Ratchet looked at Gee-Gee with a grin. "You might explain what's what, Maestro."

She grinned at him, then turned to the four. They scoped out the amazing array of tattoos that she sported, military, prison, home town and colonial designations, Circle, Knight, and Missionary. She was beautiful and hard as nails when she had to speak to miscreants, even those who weren't hers.

Yet.

"This is my prison. I'm Gee-Gee, warden of the whole thing, a former drill and combat instructor in the Autobot Army and the first, middle and last word here. This is my jail. I'm the queen of this installation. I don't allow competing kingdoms and I run a fair, safe lockup which some of you know about already. That way," she said nodding to the right, "is where the extremes live, those who are so dangerous that to have them anywhere else is to risk the security of the prison and its inmates. This way," she said nodding toward the hospital, "is where our population gets their needs met and where we have ships ready to bring prisoners here from other places. If shoot outs happen here, we're sure no one gets hurt but them including our civilian population at the other airports. We get them from the migrations and we get them from Cybertron. We also get them from classified places, just so you know. We also run an underground train route that is ours and goes from here to the courthouse and the Medical Center in town. No one else uses it and its highly, highly secured. That way," she said nodding to the left, "goes into the prison itself with various lockup classifications but mostly general population. Punitive lockups are also available there, a device this short of special segregations," she said, pointing back to the right.

"We're going to take the tour of general pop, then ad-seg … administrative segregation where you go if you frag up, our special and political general population lockups, then the special group that way," she said pointing to the right again. "This is the last stop for too many but I have a skill that I apply. I've rehabilitated along with my team and the Former Decepticon Association tens of thousands of slaggers. If you ended up here, you'd be mine and I'd do the same until you proved to me that you're hopeless. I hate that word used here but sometimes you get someone who's too stupid, damaged, hateful, entitled, or mental to change. That's what **we're** here for, to protect and serve everyone, prisoner and civilian alike." She looked at Ratchet. "Lead on and we'll follow."

Ratchet grinned. "All the handsome mechs follow me," he said. "I bring the boys to the yard."

Huge laughter and snarky remarks greeted that after they made the correct computer generated searches. It was a rather upbeat group, mostly, that followed him to the left and the general population segment of the prison. It was a very short trip before reaching Bad Attitude Land. The mechs who were in the closest set of barracks came to the bars to watch the newcomers. They knew everyone of the soldiers but the civilians weren't well known. Everyone of those individuals worked behind the scenes pulling the strings that led to their miserable lives. Their anonymity was their shield against accountability and reality. That was being stripped away from them on this excursion. None of that stopped any of the inmates from exercising some fun.

" **HEY! WARDEN! WHO'S THE NEW FRAGGERS!?"**

" **PUT THEM IN HERE! WE CAN SHOW THEM THE ROPES!"**

" **HEY, RATCHET! I GOT AN ITCH! COME AND SCRATCH IT!"**

Ratchet glanced at the big mech who said that who was smirking as he stood at the fence, then laughed. "Hi, Pack-O. How ya doing? Any hope yet you'll be a good boy?"

"Nope," he said with a grin. "But I'm always here for you."

" **ME TOO!** " someone else said as the entire cell block broke into lewd commentary.

Ratchet grinned at the four civilians and a smirking Hauser and Maddow, both of whom had been in prison before as dissidents and knew the ropes. "Don't worry. I'll protect ya. That's what we do. Right, boys?" he asked the others.

"Is it?" Springer asked.

"I don't know. Given a shot at throwing them over the fence or protecting them, I'm still thinking," Sideswipe said with a wolfish grin.

"I'll help you. You need an alibi, Sideswipe?" Splice asked as they ambled past the riotously rude cell block toward so many others that they disappeared into the gathering night time.

"Sure. What about you, Roadie?" Sideswipe asked the huge mech with a blank expression walking beside him almost comically laden with guns and ammo.

"Don't need no stinking alibi," Roadbuster said as the entire group minus four mechs howled with laughter.

"Roadbuster, you're adorable. I think you must be the love child of Grimlock and I say that in the most worshipful way," Ratchet said with a smile.

Roadbuster considered that, then grinned slightly. "Thanks," he said to howling laughter and back slaps.

"Too bad your son isn't here, Lucien. He'd love this," Ratchet said. "I'm taking him on rounds here tomorrow."

"My son doesn't belong in this sort of work. He's meant for other things," Lucien said with a stubborn tone.

"You don't find value in keeping these predators caged? Or that maybe some of them wouldn't have turned out this way if they had half a chance?" Ratchet asked as he looked over his shoulder at the four.

"I don't want to know and frankly, I don't care," Burris said with disdain.

Ratchet slowed, then walked to the fence where a horde of very menacing mechs gathered. "Hey, Cordon. Where are you?"

A huge mech stepped forward, one covered in scars and modifications, all of which were made to hold now missing weapons. "What?" he asked with a smirk on his still handsome face. His red optics were scary-looking indicating the level of menace from which he would probably never recover.

"What did you do in the 'Cons?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"Besides kill Autobots?" he asked as the others laughed loudly.

"Yeah," Ratchet replied. He was aware of his looks and the effect it had on other mechs. Even though in a million vorns, the humans would never get it, there was no one on either side of the bars that didn't get or see that Ratchet was outstandingly good looking. Everyone of them got it. Clearly. He knew they would talk to him longer than most because of that and he used his looks to his advantage in moments like this a lot. It was a strategy.

"I was a road rage gangster who lead ship boarding teams," he replied proudly. The group acknowledged him with a prideful murmur.

"What did you do before that? During the civilian orns? Before the war," Ratchet asked.

It was silent a moment, then he shrugged. "I was homeless. I joined a gang. I was from Slaughter City. There wasn't any way to get a different life when you were alone. Why?"

"Just curious," Ratchet said as he turned to the four. "These mechs were in charge of everything. They made the rules and we had to live them. They don't think they owe anyone anything for what happened. I thought maybe you could straighten them out."

The tone of the gathering, amusing but deadly changed immediately. The entire group inside the fence looked at the four who tensed. Cordon shouldered a mech aside to stand in front of them, his rage-filled expression and imposing menace frightening to see. "So … you're the slaggers who got to go first."

The four, for their part, stood without expression. Even Burris was intimidated into silence.

"Let them in, Warden. It would do my rehabilitation good to have a 'chat' with these slaggers," Cordon said as the others murmured. He bashed his fists together in his anger. He looked at Gee-Gee, then Ratchet. "Why did you tell us this? Why aren't they in here, too?"

"Some of them are," Gee-Gee said. "Some of them are out on sufferance."

"Let them inside. We can discuss sufferance together," Cordon said as some of the mechs slammed their fists together in anger as well. "You know you wanna." He leaned as close to the bars as he could to look at the four who stepped back from his malicious, heated aura.

Ratchet considered that. "But for the good teachings of my ada and ammas, I'd agree. Unfortunately, I'd have to paste them back together and I'd hate to sully my servos. Is there anything you want to tell them about your life? About your suffering? Maybe how if you had a better chance you might have amounted to something different?" Ratchet added with a grin.

Cordon glanced at Ratchet, then grinned slightly in spite of himself. "Slagger. How about letting **them** be hungry and homeless. How about **them** losing their whole family and having no one to turn to but the gangs. I regret few things, Ratchet," he said with a serious tone. "I do regret not killing every high caste on Cybertron." The others agreed, some of them loudly. Then it was silent again. Cordon stared at him, then Ratchet. He nodded ever so slightly to Ratchet, then stepped back, staring at the four with murderous intentions.

"Take care, boys," Ratchet said as they turned to move onward.

" **HOW ABOUT YOU COMING IN AND TAKING CARE OF MY 'THINGS' PERSONALLY!?"** some wag in the back called out.

Ratchet looked back with a grin. Everyone in the cell block but Cordon was laughing loudly. Ratchet could feel the big mechs optics on his back all the way down the road.

-0-TBC 9-13-17 **edited 9-14-17**

 **ESL:**

quibble: argue and fight over something that in the end doesn't matter very much

super maximum prisons: these are end-of-the-road lock ups where prisoners usually are alone in their cell 23 hours a day with one hour out to exercise alone. They can drive an inmate into madness and suicide. You shower maybe twice a week and have no one to talk to the rest of the time. Some of the worst people alive are in them and they usually stay there until they die.


	127. Chapter 127

The Diego Diaries: Redemption? (dd6 127)

-0-The Prison Tour – 2017

They walked along the paved road through the prison following it toward rows of massed housing groupings, cell barracks holding up to 30 prisoners comfortably. They were overall managed in groups of eight by a supervisor that reported to Gee-Gee directly. Each larger fence had a main gate with sniper towers on each side and at intervals around the managing installation. Patrols walked routes, snipers were placed with the ability to cross fire over more than one big fenced segment of the prison and they were supported by block houses at every intersection of the facility itself. It was maximum, super maximum in design and execution.

The mechs inside, most of them mechs, had a lot to say though a number stared at them sullenly and silently. Everywhere, they could see the apparatus of security and when they came to a sector that was highly secured, it was apparent they were heading into new territory. As the guards with them and those at the gate punched in and out of the coded protocols for entering or leaving, the four and their two interested family-opponents read the signs...

 **'HIGH SECURITY-MAXIMUM SECURITY, POLITICAL PRISONERS- SPECIAL ACCESS PERMITS REQUIRED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRIMES'**. Beyond the sign, the road went inward past high walls of opaque shimmering energy that were set to deter viewing of those inside. That was a new feature designed to lessen the verbal warfare that happened between this area and that outside the perimeter. Traachon, ever watchful, noted other signs that listed the rules regarding this sector and its inmates.

" **HIGH SECURITY:** Any prisoner attempting to escape this lock up or who intends to harm a guard, tech, medic, or other worker will be risking becoming **shot**. There are six guard towers with heavy grid sensors overlapping in a Level 8 security system. If you harm someone you will be **struck down immediately**.

" **MAXIMUM SECURITY** : Armed guards watch this area of the prison orn and night. You will be on grid security orn and night. There is **no place in the confines of your housing unit** that isn't open to visual, audial and digital optical scrutiny. Any violation of the rules will result in an **immediate extraction** and **confinement** at the Warden's Pleasure in ad-seg or solitary confinement. This prison stands at modified martial law and at level 3 security. **You have been warned**."

It was blunt and cold, rather familiar to them as the caste signs warning the lesser beings were made up of this kind of stuff. The guards went through the process of opening the gates to the huge area which contained eight self-contained highly guarded barracks areas, each fenced off from the others. The rules were simple and designed for the inmates.

Gee-Gee looked at the group. "Let me give you the standard speech I give anyone incarcerated here. These are the few simple rules of this unit. The level of security maintained here is consummate to the level of threat that you pose. The Stunticons are here. Barricade, Turmoil, Maelstrom, Scorponok, Stiletto, and others are also here. This is the end of the line for the worst offenders short of specialty segregation or a court ordered stasis imprisonment. Act well in here and you'll be treated well. Our food and medical care is exceptional even by high caste standards of Cybertron during the orn. Act up and you're out. Zero tolerance for substances, fighting, violence, and intimidation rules here. Breaking any of them will make you sorry and you **will** be caught." She turned to her mechs. "Shall we enter?"

They grinned at the tough little femme who ruled the place with a benevolent optic and a major jones for rehabilitation. They were entering territory that precluded rehab for most of the inmates. Walking down the paved road, they went through the gates again, then headed toward the first group of barracks. These were those of Motormaster and the Boyz. He was out pacing around for whatever reason, then came to the fence. He smirked at the mechs, then looked at Gee-Gee. "What brings you here, Shortie?"

"I missed your handsome face," Gee-Gee said smoothly. "I want you to meet some mechs," she said turning toward the four who became tense immediately. "This is Lucien, Traachon, Hobbes, and the luminous Burris. They made you possible and they came here to say they were sorry."

The four mechs glanced at Gee-Gee as if she had lost her mind but the mechs around her were grinning at their discomfort. Motormaster looked at them, then Gee-Gee. "What are you talking about, femme?"

"These are the mechs who made the System of Exception work. These are the mechs who made clowns like you possible. They made the Fall and the war inevitable. That's what I'm talking about," Gee-Gee said as she stepped up as agreed upon in Ratchet's 'Tour of Tough Love' aka 'Scared Straight. Maybe'.

Motormaster turned to them giving them the full view of his incredibly big physique and phenomenally volatile personality. He was lit like a Roman candle almost immediately. "Is that so?" he asked as he moved as close to the bars as he could. "You're the fraggers who made war possible? You're the fraggers that made us hungry and fragged off? How about you come in here and we can discuss this. How about you come in here and meet the family."

Behind him, the door of their barracks opened and a number of mechs stepped out to watch. After a moment of seething silence from Motormaster, the group walked over to gather around him. Most of those watching dialed down their receptors. The combined energetic auras of Motormaster and the boys were actually painfully touching those outside the fence. Most of the guards knew to do this but the newbie civilians just learned the hard way what real, immense and probably sociopathic anger felt like. They also stepped back. Even Maddow. Hauser who was used to idiots grinned at Maddow who looked at him sheepishly.

Ratchet glanced at Lucien. "This handsome group of marauders are called the Stunticons. They drive like maniacs and if they crack up, they don't care. Right, Dead End?"

That mech glanced at Ratchet, then back to the four civilians. "It doesn't matter in the end. We'll get them no matter what, anyway."

Motormaster glanced at his brother. "Finally, you say something that makes sense." It was then that all four of them threw themselves at the fence. The static that it generated zapped the four civilians and Sunstreaker who cursed loudly. They staggered back, then Gee-Gee stepped forward rather fearlessly. "Either stop or its ad-seg. My discretion."

Everyone but Motormaster stepped back, clenching their fists in genuine psychotic rage. Motormaster who was a genuine psycho rushed again. He hit the sizzling screen, then staggered back. Ratchet turned to the group. "Maybe we should move on. Poor things appear to be having a moment." He walked onward with the group following but for Roadbuster and his mechs. Gee-Gee took the control from the Officer of the Orn, then grinned at her mechs. "You ready?" she asked as Ratchet and his party stopped nearby to watch.

"We were born ready, Warden," Roadbuster said as he pulled up his specialized gun. It was designed to shock the slag out of someone and drop them. The other three, Dead End, Wild Rider and Drag Strip backed up some more, moving out of the range of the incoming Armageddon that would give them respite from Motormaster.

Motormaster gathered himself, bracing for the fight as the gate went down and mechs poured inside. Dead End, Wild Rider and Drag Strip moved swiftly away, making room for the group to jump on Motormaster. Several did, then Roadbuster zapped the mech. They stepped back as he twitched on the ground. By the time he was still, the mechs were grabbing him to cart out. Gee-Gee grinned as he went by to head for ad-seg. Again. She looked at the mechs watching. "You boys going to be okay or do you want a jolt?"

Dead End nodded. "Now that he's gone, yeah. We're good."

The other two grinned, then nodded to her. She grinned back. "Have a good one," she said as they walked out and headed onward.

Down the road they went, glancing here and there before they came to the cells that Ratchet wanted them to see. The inmates were sitting out on chairs, taking the sun. They turned to look, then registered surprise. Obviously, the groups knew each other. Traachon after slowing, walked to the bars where he looked at the group inside with surprise. "I knew you were here but this … it's shocking, Sentinel."

Sentinel glanced at all of them, then Ratchet who still visited on a regular basis for chats. "I'm here. Hello, Doctor."

"Hi, Sentinel. We're taking a tour and thought we'd pay a visit," Ratchet said with a grin. "Does everyone know each other?"

They did but they stared at each other silently, the odd juxtaposition of the most powerful, wealthy and influential Cybertronians in a cage overpowering them for a moment. Sunstreaker glanced at his brother. "Do you think this is the time to tell everyone here that we used to rob their houses and apartments regularly?"

Sideswipe grinned. "I don't know," he said as he looked at Sentinel. "What about it, Sentinel? Is it time?"

"You need to to watch your mouth," Burris said as he turned toward Sideswipe. "Know your place and your betters." Burris regretted the remarks the moment they left his mouth as the mechs around him stiffened with insult.

Ratbat who was sitting next to Sentinel laughed. "You're not too bright, Burris. You never were. Amazing."

Sideswipe looked at Burris like he was a target before Ratchet stepped between them. "Allow me. His place and everyone elses is wherever they want to be. Secondly, you mean these felons behind bars are just that much better than the rest of us, Burris? Them? Behind the bars here? You do see my point, right?"

" **Alleged** felons," Sentinel replied with the ghost of a grin.

Ratchet grinned back, then looked at Burris. "An apology would help."

Burris stared at Ratchet, then the others. "My apologies," he said.

Ratchet grinned. "Your sincerity is topped only by your clueless oblivion, Burris. Never change."

Sentinel grinned at Ratchet. "Have you come to chat?"

"Not right now," Ratchet replied. "We're giving the newbies a tour. Later on, maybe."

Sentinel nodded. "I look forward to it."

"Whatever for?" Burris asked with surprise.

"Because, Burris," Sentinel said as he looked at the big handsome mech trying to commit suicide by prison guard, "unlike you, Ratchet is interesting."

"Ouch," Splice said with a laugh. **"BURNED!"**

The group laughed, then bid adieu as they walked onward to see the sights of the prison. Sentinel's group would watch them until they disappeared.

-0-At the main prison entry intersection again

They had made it through the prison with enormous slag given and none sent back to the slaggers behind the bars. Some had watched sullenly while most others berated and insulted the procession. Most of them were still in the hopeless range but an entire cell block was occupied by those working to get out some fine orn. They were 'Gee-Gee's Kids' or so everyone called them. Ratchet turned to his group and looked at them a moment with a serious expression. "We're going to a part of the prison that very few enter. This is the 'highest security/imminent risk' portion where absolutely the most dangerous mechs and femmes are kept. At no point should you engage them unless I say so. No matter what they say or do, keep your traps shut. Are there any questions?"

There were none as the six newbies stared at Ratchet solemnly. He turned with a grin, then they began the laborious process of entering through the almost draconian security that held the crazies in and everyone else out. Through the three gates they went, then entered the open space around the enclosures inside. Around them, three high powered fences surrounded a facility with 56 barracks that could hold between 3 and 14 individuals each of such a violent character that they couldn't be placed anywhere else. They were spaced farther apart than the others due to the inmate caliber and their willingness to get into trouble together.

Ratchet turned to the group. "This group is so dangerous that only the most screened individuals can come here with only with Prime's permission. I want you to stay back from the fences because anything can happen." His expression hardened. "I want you to know, Traachon, Hobbes, Burris, and Lucien, that I hold you responsible for these inmates, you, Sentinel and his clique. These mechs are what happened because of you." Then he walked onward toward the first cell block where a mech was hurrying toward them.

Ratchet stopped near the fence, gathered his thoughts, then greeted the mech who looked delighted to see him. "Hi, Seevo. I brought some people to meet you."

Seevo who suffered paranoid delusions and had only a tenuous grasp of reality looked at the others, then stepped closer to the bars. "They aren't with you. You know … you aren't seeing anyone but me are you?" he asked almost plaintively.

"No. They're just wanting to meet interesting mechs and I thought of you first," Ratchet said gently.

Seevo looked at the group, then Ratchet. "You're still my bond, right?"

Ratchet nodded.

"Sometimes I forget things," Seevo said as he stared at Ratchet with intensity. He was a soldier who had done terrible things and bore the terrible consequences of that sort of life. Two others lived with him and they got along well even though they were in their own way more dangerous than he was. They were deeply psychotic and always asked Ratchet to let them out to kill Autobots. Seevo wanted to run away and take Ratchet with him. The three would kill Autobots with Ratchet in their company.

"That's okay," Ratchet said. "I'll remember for you. Did you decide about taking my medications? I made them just for you, Seevo. I made them taste good because I love you that much."

"I'm thinking about it. I'm waiting for Onyx."

"Onyx?" Ratchet asked.

He nodded. "Onyx Prime comes by sometimes. I talk to Him. He helps me decide things … you know … about hunting Autobots. He wants them all dead and He's thinking about making me his mech to do it. Right now, I have to talk to Him about what you want. **BUT I'LL LET YOU KNOW! SOON!"**

Ratchet grinned. "Just call me and I'll be here with the medications. They'll help you feel better ... like vitamins and supplements, even candy."

He nodded. "Okay," he said with a grin. His optics never left Ratchet, so fixed on the big mech was he. He was devolving into something even less than the last time Ratchet had come by. Ratchet had put a plea into the Office of the Primes to have him pulled out and given treatment without consent. It was feared that he would cascade and crash his processor, falling into suicide or worse. With a nod and grin, Ratchet walked onward with his silent entourage.

Seevo ran along the fence calling to Ratchet, telling him that he was loyal and would never cheat on him. It was excruciating to see and hear. Ratchet waved to him as they walked onward toward a special area behind this one that held even more dangerous and damaged mechs and femmes. He paused after they entered the secured area through double gates. "We're going to see a femme that's such a danger that I never turn my back even outside the fences. This is Mar-C who is a sniper, someone who enjoys killing and can kill with anything lying around no matter how tame it might look to you and me. She's killed children, elders … she likes to go out to snipe when she's bored, then keep a body part as a trophy. Even hardened Decepticons fear her. No one recharges around her. No one goes around her. No one would live through the experience."

They walked onward, then paused by an enclosure that held a solitary femme. She was watching them but didn't appear to be doing so. Ratchet called to her. **"Mar-C! Hi!"**

She looked at him, then gracefully stepped down from the table where she was sitting. Walking to the bars, she looked at him, then the others. There was no life in her optics. They were dark, bottomless and hard to fathom. "Ratchet. You came to visit? I hope you did. I would like you to come inside."

"I can't. I have to take this group on a tour," Ratchet said.

"Come inside."

"I can't. I just wanted to say hello."

"Come inside. Come."

Ratchet nodded, then began to walk onward. She followed him along the fence. "Come in, Ratchet. Come in and sit. We can talk. Come inside."

Ratchet ignored her as they continued along, a group of frightened newbies and solemn-looking mechs, some of whom had seen it all. Ratchet glanced back to see her standing there watching them leave. Then she walked back to the outdoor table to sit again.

"Frag," Springer said as they stopped to regroup. "That was weird."

"If you ever went inside that enclosure she'd kill you the moment you crossed the threshold. It would be so fast you wouldn't know you were dead until you fell on the ground. There isn't anything she hasn't figured out how to make into a weapon," Ratchet said. He continued onward halting before a fence where a mech was standing, his mad optics watching all of them. "Hello, Luminous. How are you today?"

The huge mech considered that, then shrugged. "Luminous isn't home today. He's gone out."

"Who are you then? The Caretaker or the Guardian?" Ratchet asked.

The big mech considered that, then grinned. "No. I'm the Boss."

"Do the others know you, Boss?" Ratchet asked as he took notes and very low key scans inside his chassis with special internal equipment.

"No. I'm the one they don't know about. I hide from them until they go out, then its my turn," he said.

"What about Primus? He was here the last time we talked," Ratchet asked.

"He's not present just yet. I am. Only me," Luminous said.

"What happened to the others?" Ratchet asked with growing foreboding.

The big mech leaned in closer. "I've killed them."

"Oh frag," Ratchet said softly.

-0-TBC 9-14-17 **edited 9-19-17**

ESL: "Scared Straight"-This is an end of the road program for hardcore kids before entering the prison system. They are chosen, then brought to jails or prison to interact with lifers, that is, prisoners who are in for life sentences. They have been screened and are working on a program where they scare the living shit out of the kids when they come in so that there's no way they won't know what's coming if they continue. They don't pull punches, show them the abuse and how young kids become property of old hardcore prisoners and that it destroys you forever. Most of the kids, almost all of them benefit and change from this experience. I find I feel real love for the prisoners who are trying to make a terrible thing right. That's what Scared Straight is.

Ragemoose chapter 126 . 20h ago

they're somehow not putting together that... even if they did reinstate the caste system... the new high caste would PROBABLY be the old low caste. there is 100% no guarantee that the system means "the system where we get our way" and that's hilarious to me, that they assume it is. you can kinda tell Lucien is sorta trying, which is good. the other guys... i don't know. i dunno how such a sweet kid could come from a dude like Burris. then again that's sort of always the joke, you see a sweet kid and their parents are very rarely also sweet. its sort of a game of opposites. anyway, i hope these friggin bottom-of-the-pond mud eating slime balls straighten up soon, they're getting on my nerves. ratchet's got a lot more patience than i do, ha ha, good on him.

 **ME:** I agree. There is no guarantee. But they can't figure it out. Bezel is a good kid and sometimes they happen no matter what dolts their family might be. I believe in the resilience of young people. They're getting some tough love. It reminds me of Scared Straight where hardcore offending kids go to jail and prison where lifers and others scare them down another road. They have an amazing track record of saving kids. This is coming up on the moment of truth. They just need a run out of their bubbles. :D

Burningrose194 chapter 126 . 22h ago

I want Cordon to get out of prison, I like him, he seems nice XD

 **ME:** There are few people, I think, that don't have some good in them and Cordon is one of them. He's a product of the system and somewhere in his core, a good mech waits for the moment to come about. Sometimes, it never does.

Ragemoose chapter 125 . 23h ago

you replaced this chapter with chapter 123!

 **ME: THANKS!** I fixed it, eagle eyes LOL! :D:D:D

Silverhornd chapter 126 . Sep 13

Hi, question if they almost threw with finding the trap code are they about to find those two high-class criminals who are in hiding. I know that the were close once and are there going to be more migrations coming.

 **ME:** Sherma and Moma are there but they're still hiding. Their turn on the catwalk is coming. :D I just love how they slip past Drift and Springer. I love Drift and Springer when they get frustrated. They have an element of humor that I love. :D

Leoness chapter 126 . Sep 13

Burris could use a beat down. Nothing else appears to be getting through.

 **ME:** Some are just hopeless. The best case for him would be to render him harmless. He's going to get a beat down from someone eventually, maybe in a bar or restaurant. He's been entitled so long that he can't see how his words can provoke violence. He's his own worst enemy. Some can't be changed but they can be neutered. :D

Guest chapter 125 . Sep 13

Chapters 123 and 125 are the same chapter. You double posted 123. Chapter 125 was the chapter about the vessel of treasures in the Sea of Mithril that belonged to Traachon Hobbes and the rest of that ilk that had sunk in the Sea when they evacuated Cybertron.

 **ME: FIXED!** Thanks, honey bun. :D:D:D


	128. Chapter 128

The Diego Diaries: Redemption? (dd6 128)

-0-At the pen of Luminous

It was a nervous wary group that watched a big delusional mech alternate between telling Ratchet in grim, gruesome detail how he killed 'the others', then turn to speak to someone or something only he could see. He was seemingly having a conversation with Onyx Prime. It was highly unlikely that he actually was in his condition but given that their pantheon existed in reality, he could have.

Ratchet turned at the sound of a vehicle halting. It was a highly secured ambulance and out of it came Jarro, three mechs from the Processor Hospital who had eons of experience taking violent delusional individuals into custody, then Rung himself. They walked to Ratchet, then looked at the big mech. "He's coming apart?" Jarro asked with a frown.

"He says he's killed his other personalities. He's been telling us how. I think he's crisscrossed his delusion with actual stuff he's done. It's all damned diabolical, boys," Ratchet replied. "We have to take him down and get him into secured care so we can do deep scans and figure this out. Who's his guardian ad litem?"

"I called her to come. We can't move on this mech until she's here unless he's posing imminent risk to himself or others," Rung said. "A young femme social worker with experience in processor commitments … Bon-E of Altihex. She's on her way."

"Hey, Ratchet."

They all turned to the big mech who was grinning at him. "What?" Ratchet asked. "By the way … what do I call you? Do I still call you Boss?"

"That's my job title. You can call me Sentinel. You do know I'm Prime, right?" Luminous asked with a curious expression on his face.

"I do," Ratchet agreed as he stepped closer. "What happened to you, Sentinel? I haven't seen you since The Fall. Fill me in, okay?"

He considered that, then nodded. "I was killed. I died. They buried me in the Basilica but I didn't die. I'm here."

"I can see that," Ratchet said. "You're as big and handsome as ever."

Luminous grinned. "I am. I was always handsome. And powerful. No one could do anything to me. I did it to them first. Everyone feared me. I liked that."

"No one could hurt you then," Ratchet replied.

He considered that, then nodded. "Yes. No one could. They tried and some did. I joined the Decepticons. No one knew I was Sentinel. I worked for the enemy to learn their tactics, then I used them. I killed a lot of mechs, Ratchet. I tried to kill you. I killed Ironhide. Did you know that?"

Ratchet nodded. "That wasn't very friendly, Sentinel. You **do** know that."

"I know. I wasn't friendly then but I am now. You can come in here. We can sit and talk about Cybertron. I want you to kill Optimus. He has my Matrix. Onyx told me that He wants me to have it. He comes a lot and we talk," Luminous said as his guardian showed up. She was small and petite but burned with a fever for her clients. He looked at her, then grinned. "You came back."

"I did, Luminous," she said as she looked at the others.

"It's not Luminous. That was a cover," he said as he turned toward her. "My real name and identity is Sentinel Prime. All the others including Luminous are pretenders. I killed everyone of them. Do you want to know how?"

Bon-E turned to the others with an expression of shock and concern. "What's happening?"

"He's coming apart at the seams, Bon-E. We have to take him into custody and help him before he kills himself or someone else," Jarro said.

She looked at the others, then the curious mech staring at her with mad optics. "Alright," she said.

Jarro transmitted the forms to her, she affixed her glyphs internally, then sent them back to Jarro. He sent them WiFi to the night court where they were given emergency priority. Everyone waited quietly as Luminous turned to thin air and began to carry on a conversation with Onyx Prime who no one could see or feel around them.

"Oh, Ratchet," Bon-E said as she blinked back tears. "He's so ill."

Ratchet nodded, then squeezed her shoulders. "We'll do our best. I promise you."

She nodded, then looked at the others who looked equally as solemn. She turned to the fence. "This is a tragedy. Who knows what he was like before the war?"

"He might have been a first class slagger all along but every disaster has a ground zero. Maybe his was in a slum where he never stood a chance from the time he was born. We might never know. But now, we have to deal with the slag. This mech will get the best we got for as long as it takes."

"We have the court order. We can take him." Jarro turned to Ratchet. "Advice on how to proceed or do we rush him?"

Ratchet, who had more working knowledge of Luminous than anyone there including the doctors he refused and his guardian who he sometimes didn't know was there when she was standing in front of him, considered the options. Then he stepped closer. "Sentinel."

For a moment, Luminous continued his conversation, then at last turned toward Ratchet. "Doctor? I don't require medical attention right now. The Matrix will protect me."

"I was thinking, Sentinel, that you might want to go for a ride, to see the city as Prime, right?" Ratchet said. "We have a car here just for you so that you can go to your office and work on things for The People. We have mechs here to make an honor guard," he said nodding to the guards and his own mechs who were watching solemnly.

Luminous stared at him, then the others. For a moment, it was touch and go what he would do, then he smiled at Ratchet. "I must conclude my conversation with Onyx, then I will be ready to go." He turned to the thin air behind him, then continued a conversation that made no sense to anyone listening.

Ratchet turned to the group. "Get ready and be careful. This mech is super fast and has a grip if he catches you that can yank off hunks of metal and protoform. That makes for a slagging gruesome and long term wound repair."

They nodded, then organized into a honor guard by the door with Roadbuster holding a specialized weapon that he pulled from his subspace. It was a bit like a zip gun but fired heavy-duty tranquilizer scripts, the kind that would be needed to land a blue whale on Earth. All of the prisoners in this section were scanned and dosages prepared against just these moments. It was grimly silent.

At last, he turned to the group, then smiled at the reception waiting for him at the gate. Walking there, he paused as the alert group tensed. The guards opened the gates, then stepped back to get out of the shot should it happen. Luminous walked out, looked at everyone with satisfaction, then turned to Ratchet. "You will join me and my entourage as we go to the Citadel?" he asked rather chivalrously.

"I would, Sentinel, but I have to go do diplomacy for you with the slaggers," Ratchet said as everyone watched, ready to leap at a moment's notice.

"You are, then?" he asked, then mused. "You will take care of it, Ratchet. I am well pleased with your skills at holding the enemy at bay. We must save Cybertron from the enemy."

"You know it," Ratchet said. "Under your leadership, we've turned the tide. I now have to tidy things up like you ordered. You were a champion, Sentinel. They fled before you."

Luminous stared at Ratchet, then grinned. "I'm glad. We **must** protect Cybertron and The People."

Ratchet nodded, then gestured to the ambulance. "Your chariot awaits, Prime."

Luminous stared at it, then the mechs around him. "Very well. Carry on, Ratchet. I would like a full report when you come back." With that, he walked to the ambulance and climbed inside to sit. The mechs who worked at Processor Health joined him, the door shut and away it went to The City where Luminous would be placed for his own protection and everyone else in a light stasis until the scans were finally done at last. His guardian ad litem would be by his side the whole way.

The ambulance disappeared, then everyone turned to stare at each other. Springer vented a soft sigh. "I never thought I'd feel sorry for Luminous. He's a really bad mech."

"He's a broken mech. Everyone here is. They have rights, though. We have to respect that. You lot would have scrapped everyone here by now," Ratchet said as he turned to the four mechs who looked halfway between frightened to death and sick to their chassis. "That sorry mech is your legacy. He probably wasn't that great a mech in all aspects in civilian life but I doubt that he was this fragged up before the war. How does it feel to know that this," Ratchet asked as he turned in a circle with his arm sweeping the area, "is your legacy. You fraggers created this and its on you. Some fine orn, you'll face the Pantheon and The One. Some fine orn, you'll have to explain this to them, how you didn't give a tinker's damn about all of us being one like They asked us to become."

They stared at Ratchet stoically. Luminous had been incredibly unsettling, something none of them had ever witnessed before. No one was going to voice anything, including Burris for once. Ratchet looked around, then looked at the mechs. "We have a couple more, then I want us at the Control Center. I have a need to speak about this, Gee-Gee, and I would need you to listen."

Gee-Gee nodded. "Done deal, brother," she said as she stared at the four mechs with cold optics.

They followed, a solemn group filled with dread as Ratchet continued onward.

-0-Up there

" **WHERE ADA?!"**

Ironhide stared at the little mechs on the floor who were staring up at him. "He's in the jail. He's helping in the jail but he's coming."

"Ada is coming home?" Hero asked. Then she handed Ironhide another fork. She was 'helping' load the dishwasher like a 'good girl'.

"He is," Ironhide said with amusement. Standing at the sink rinsing out a big pot that had held dinner, Partition was watching them with a grin too. Sitting at the table working on their homework, nine titanic kids and a small Seeker were hard at it. Spot was sitting with the little kids watching Ironhide work at stocking the dishwasher, licking the odd plate from time to time. It was humorous as hell.

"What comed to the thing, Atar? Shes tolded I, Orion. We go here and there. Doing this and that. We go to the doing with the things? We go there to doing it?"

Everyone in the room stopped to stare at Orion who was looking at Ironhide with a hopeful expression. When he noticed all optics on him, he smiled his Pac-Man smile and struck a pose like his favorite super hero at the moment, Superman. **"I SAID IT! I, ORION, SAYS IT TO LOU, ATAR! WE DOING THE SHES?!"**

When the laughter died down and the little mech finished lapping up the humor and applause, Ironhide turned to Hero who could translate Orion like no one else. "What's he going on about, Hero?"

Hero smiled, blushing slightly as all optics turned to her. **"Trick-or-treat, Atar!"** she said.

"Oh," Ironhide said with a grin. All of them later that evening would sit on his lap as they looked through the comic books for costumes. Partition and the titanic mechs would help debate the possibilities before the potential final ones were decided upon. All it would take for Ironhide to get them made was 'Ada's seal of approval, Atar'. Or so Hero would say.

-0-At the lock up

They were waiting at the fence, all four of them. They stared at Ratchet and the others like they were prey, which they would be, them and anyone else if the four ever got out. There were a vicious, ferocious team, all of them, their familial ties compounding the mental illness that made them utterly fearless and terrifying. Ratchet halted, then turned to the group. "These four are brothers and share a group psychosis that's as deep and dangerous as anything I've ever seen. I've seen Decepticon combiners that were more normal and less scary than these four. They would murder you without a thought, you and everyone they could see in fifty miles around them. Frenzy murder. They fantasize about killing children. They want me to bring them one. Only one of them speaks. Don't even look directly at them. Don't speak to them. Keep your mouths shut. These mechs are so dangerous that they're fed by drone. They won't allow treatment and they have nothing on their processors all orn long but murder. You've been warned," Ratchet said as he turned to walk toward them. They gathered, their optics focused on the medic. He looked smaller than them though Ratchet was a tall gangling mech. They hovered, their anxiety to grab him completely apparent to the others watching. Their menace bled out in their aura and some of those in Ratchet's group stepped back from it, it was so awful.

They didn't notice so consumed were they by Ratchet. "Hi, boys. What about it? Can I help you. How about it, F-13. You might want to think about it. The world is a lot nicer out here than in there."

F-13 who was leaning in to look as closely at Ratchet as he dared turned his helm from side-to-side like a bird of prey. "We want to have someone to dismantle, Ratchet. I want something to play with."

Lucien who was watching and listening felt his energon go cold at the madness before him. He glanced at the others who were watching with horror and fear. None of them would have gone that close, bars or not, the way Ratchet had done. They watched with a fascination bordering on physical upset, quashing the urge to flee forcefully. This was impenetrable darkness and nothing in their experience could touch it.

"I'd love to get someone, F-13, but no one will volunteer. Tell you what, why not come with me, you and me, and I can help you. You know that I love you, right?" Ratchet asked gently.

F-13 stared at him, then shrugged. "No."

"I do," Ratchet said. "I love all the soldiers. I take care of them. I make them feel better. Don't you want to feel better?"

F-13 nodded and so did the others when he did. Then he leaned in looking Ratchet up and down a moment. "I want to feel better. Get me someone, Ratchet. I promise it will help me. I want to kill someone. Did you think about getting us some children?" he asked as casually as if he were asking for a beer.

"I took it to Prime and he's thinking about it. He thinks you have to have a physical and processor scan first. We have standards, you know. We like our mechs in tip top shape. You let me treat your bugs and boo boos and I'll personally go to Prime and tell him about your request. I'll push hard for it. You know me … I care about you." Ratchet stared at the four who looked as dangerous and deranged as anything he had ever seen. They were discussing the request internally, then F-13 shook his helm. "Tell Prime first. Then come back. You can come inside, Ratchet. We can sit and talk. Come inside."

Ratchet nodded. "I'll talk to Prime and come back. Can I do anything for you? Are you eating alright?"

They nodded, all four, thereby giving Ratchet a clue. Either they were mentally linked and processed their thoughts together or they were individuals who just until now never showed they were listening beyond F-13. It was an insight, however small. "We're good. You can come and eat with us. We have plenty. You come inside. Now. We're going to be waiting."

"I would but I have other patients first. You just think about what I've offered. I know smart mechs like you have to talk about it together. I'm on your side. I want to help you. You have the right to feel better and I have the duty to help you." Ratchet nodded to them, then moved onward. The big mechs watched him, then followed as far as they could go. They would watch for a long time until the party moved out of sight.

"Those mechs need a hearing, Gee-Gee. I'm thinking we need to take down all of the dead enders here. There's nothing that's going to be gained in keeping this going." Ratchet shook his helm. This place was a total burn.

Gee-Gee nodded. "By the way, Luminous is in stasis. They didn't have a thing go wrong. They just humored the poor slagger until they shut him down. I expect you want to look him over too?"

"I do. I want them cleared out of here, the ones that are falling down the drain," he said pausing beside an empty cell. He turned to the others. "None of the mechs and the femme you have seen understand how they look and sound to others. They have no concept of what they say and how it appears to others. They were all killers and marauders for Megatron who were sorted out of ships that came to us. We have a duty to them that transcends factions and the past. They weren't always like this, I assure you. We won't throw them away. This slagger," he said nodding to the empty pen, "was named Paradis. He had been gravely injured in the war losing half his face and most of his reason and emotional processing with it. He had no conscience after that and whatever he was asked to do he did no matter what it was. He was darkness personified. He'd degraded to the point where his life was at stake. We got him condemned, then given over to a guardian ad litem to manage his affairs. Right now, he's in stasis awaiting the creation of some very fine replacement parts that might, and I stress **might** help him have a personality that doesn't include mass murder and mayhem. If not, then he's doomed for something more. When I'd scan him, the pain was so great on his messed up neural net that he would throw himself at the bars."

Ratchet walked onward, pausing before another fenced cell. "The mech who was in here was an anomaly among anomalies. He was an apex predator, Our Lan. He killed for the sheer pleasure of it and worse …" Ratchet hesitated, then turned to the group. "He was into force 'facing."

They stared at Ratchet with disbelief. There had been tales in the long ago days about such things and there was standard issue equipment in the services branches and policing forces that prevented sparking that were enforced from regulations dating from those days. But this … this was horrifying for a society that settled things with a fist or crowbar, rather than this unspeakable thing. This wasn't a feature in their society.

"I had him removed. Another failure of reason, Our Lan. Of course, it wasn't **his** failure altogether. It was **yours**. **You** were the ones running the society. The failure of politics and compromise, the failure of discussion and equality, democracy and all the other 'quaint' notions … they made him possible. They made **all** these mechs possible. They didn't spring out of the ground fully formed. The System of Exception made it possible for one billion of our people to be obliterated, half a billion to be living in tents, three quarters of a billion to be squatting in whatever we can cobble together until real shelter arrives, these mechs and femmes to become psychotic marauders … shall I continue? That's all on you." The anger that was rising in Ratchet felt white hot. "These are the ones we have in custody. What about those still running loose? What if they still live on Cybertron? We have serial killers there, too."

Everyone stared at him, then the four. Maddow hung his helm. "There are no words, Ratchet, to say that make any difference."

"This isn't about you, Maddow. You and Hauser, you tried. You did your best. This is on **them.** You saw it and ordered it but it didn't matter to you, the things you did, the orders you followed. You can't do this to someone without getting bit hard back. Cause and effect. Elementary physics. They took it for eons but there's limits, slaggers. All the wasted generations, the broken dreams and sparks, the loss of genius to our society … the rise of Megatron and the Decepticons … it was inevitable the first time that someone took something they didn't earn because they could and believed they deserved it more than the others. The moment you turned your back on all of us being one together, this was ordained," Ratchet said.

It was quiet, so still that the sound of machines running around the area could be heard. Ratchet stepped closer to Lucien. "Your boy, Partition, is trying to get himself out of your caste quicksand. He's a good kid, someone who's looking for substance and truth. **Honor** that, slagger." He looked at Burris. "Your boy, Bezel, is a great kid. He's bonded with another great kid. Both of them are Night/Day Watch and both of them are soldiers. Ordinarily, kids like those two would never see combat but they're good at what they do and they're burning to serve. Just like Partition, they found their way in spite of you and they want to help our people. That's a miracle. Inweld and Morius, I hear they're doing great. What about you four? Someone asked why you aren't behind bars, too. You deserve it but for Prime. He has faith even now in the possibilities of everyone to change and evolve. Yet, you disdain him. You call him less than yourselves, this mech who but for him you'd be rotting in jail."

It was silent as the four stared bleakly at Ratchet. "You have made your point," Lucien said quietly.

"Have I?" Ratchet asked. "I don't know but I think I'm at the point where I don't care. You and your family are mine, Lucien, by your own rules until I say otherwise. Partition can live at my house forever if he needs it. I like that mech. He's a good spark. As for the rest of you, let's go to the Center and discuss a few things." Ratchet turned to walk around them, then headed toward the Center.

The four glanced at each other with alarm, then followed with the armed guards behind them. Until they cleared the lock up they were in, several dozen pairs of psychotic and murderous optics would watch them until they faded into the prison beyond.

-0-TBC 9-15-17 **edited 9-19-17**

 **LACKWIT!** Sorry about part 125. I think I fixed it. **HUGS!**

 **NOTES:**

Chivalry: a set of behaviors that accented cultured regard and rules for medieval knights borne out of class consciousness and the romantic novels written then that focused on Arthur. You were supposed to be of a certain kind of classiness and demeanor, etc. To be chivalric is to be concerned about the down trodden or considerate. A man who is courteous to women, helps them when they need it and takes personal and social responsibility for themselves is a chivalric man. Or so they say. :D Throwing your coat over a puddle so a woman can walk without getting their feet wet is a form of chivalry.

Guardian ad litem: someone appointed to be the guardian, legal and otherwise, of someone who is a child, infirm or mentally deficient. They protect that individual through all issues and everyone that I've personally met was a dragon for their charge. It takes a lot of good and tough stuff to become one.


	129. Chapter 129

The Diego Diaries: Redemption? (dd6 129)

-0-Inside the Control Center, Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, late evening

They sat on chairs at the big conference room table waiting for the hammer to fall. Maddow and Hauser were in the hallway chatting with the soldiers about something or other law enforcement. Lucien glanced at Burris, Hobbes, and Traachon. Traachon was stoic, something that never changed. He always played his cards close to his vest. Burris looked subdued, as if proximity to the dangers and madness here had drained something out of him. Hobbes looked quiet too, not filled with the surety and bluster that was part and parcel of his persona. He sat back willing himself to relax. He had to hand it to Ratchet. That mech knew how to deliver a blow no one could see coming. First round to Ratchet.

Burris glanced at him. :This was a tour of the Pit. What do you have to say, Lucien?:

Lucien shrugged. :I don't know what there is to say. It happened and this is the result. What do you want me to say?:

:I don't know: Burris said. :I don't trust Ratchet. He's concocting something. Mark my words:

Traachon glanced out the door, then leaned back with something akin to weariness. :We're going to be in for it. He's in redemption mode and he's not going to stop until he wins:

:Edict won't be unhappy about it: Hobbes said bitterly. :Edict has changed and I don't know about it. I don't think he's happy but he's different:

:My bond is furious that I'm in prison but lately, I've detected that its less at the system that put me here than it is at me personally: Burris said ruefully. :I hate it when Farrah is angry with me. And my son? Bezel? He's a policeman and soldier. **My son!** : He still seemed astonished, then he deflated a bit. :The world is upside down:

:Prime said anyone pushing for things to go back to normal risks an honor fight with him. No one, certainly not us could best that venture: Traachon said. :This is a pretty tight vice they've concocted:

It was silent for a while, then Ratchet, Gee-Gee and the new mech entered to sit and stare at the group for a moment.

"I want impressions, ideas, comments," Ratchet said. "You've been where almost no one else can go. No one else is allowed. Tell me what you saw, what you feel and what you think. It's not an invitation," he said leaning closer to stare at them pointedly.

Burris leaned back, staring at Ratchet with a stern gaze. Then it deflated. Burris was a bully but when confronted, crumbled. "It was terrible. How likely is it that they will ever get out? They would destroy everything and everyone everywhere."

"Not likely at all. We **did** have a power problem once and the Stunticons were the last recaptured," Gee-Gee said with a growing grin. "Those fools are the most fun I have in my orn."

"Those maniacs are fun?" Burris asked with surprise.

Gee-Gee nodded. "Yes. You see … I pose goals for myself. I want to reform one mech a week. If I do more, then good on me. I want them all pulling in the same direction but I have to undo eons of conditioning and lack. When you grow up hungry, you don't have as many loyalties to things than if you don't. You don't feel as much love for the institutions of the state when you're very aware that they don't love you back. It amazes me how you never saw that. You expected loyalty from a populace that you systematically suppressed, starved and denied. How does that work, gentlemen? I always wanted to ask someone about it? How do you expect obedience and loyalty from mechs and femmes who never ever got what they wanted and dreamed of all their lives?"

"We were cogs in the wheels," Lucien said.

"No, you weren't," Ratchet said. "You were on the private council of the Prime. You were the one with his audials. Several Primes, in fact. The words that you whispered were for the advancement of you and yours. If you wanted to change the narrative, you had the access." He looked at Burris. "Sentinel was bribed. They all were. You could have changed things with your fortune, you and Traachon both, but you didn't. You had access, opportunity and you didn't take it. Tell another tale, my friends. We **all** know better."

"Well, I'm done with this," Traachon said sitting back with disgust.

"You're done, Traachon, when I **say** you are," Ratchet said. It was tense a moment as they glared at each other, then Ratchet looked at Burris. "You're the most oblivious mech I ever met. You haven't the slightest clue. You used mechs and femmes as slaves and stored them as equipment when they weren't being worked to death. Do you even understand the offense you've created by your actions or are you beyond help?"

"I realize ..." Burris hesitated. "You don't seem to think that we're capable of feelings."

"I'm the Autobot's diplomat, Burris. I've been one since forever and I know the power of words. I can tell a bullshitter from a mile away. You know the word, right? Bullshit? It's a great human word for lies. I know that words are easy. You can only tell the truth about someone from what they **do,** not what they say. There are some very skilled liars in this room and they aren't us. You're a bullshitter, Burris, you and these three. You have to prove to me by your **actions** , **not** your words, that you've changed, that you understand what you did and how wrong and anti-Cybertronian it was. You would have to denounce The System from the bottom of your spark. That takes change, real change measured in actions, not words. All of you … you're good at words but your actions always told your true story."

It was silent a moment, then Lucien spoke. "We lived our lives in the world we were raised in, the world that was given to us by our fathers. We tried to live what we were expected to live. Hindsight is a virtue that didn't exist for us then."

Ratchet glanced at Maddow. "How did that work for you? When did you awaken to the truth?"

"Since before I was born. My family were the black sheep, as the humans say, of our family," Maddow said with bitterness. "My father believed in equality as per the Will of Primus and my ada became a priest. He was a temple priest at the Shrine for Micronus Prime. They raised us accordingly and we never had that distance. My friends were whoever I liked. We were always being called out by the family. Your father used to berate mine. It was a terrible tension that existed in our family because I believe, Traachon, that they knew my genitors were right and they were a mirror to show how awful yours were."

A hard expression formed on Traachon's face, but he didn't say anything.

"Your arguments were destroyed by your own cousin, Traachon," Ratchet said. "The high tones knew that their life and its underpinnings were lies thought up by the Quintessan slavers and carried on by your caste. You imposed and carried on alien slavery against the Will of Primus and The One and you want to bring it back here. Your entire life has been a lie and now if you want out of your cages, you have to prove that you're trustworthy." Ratchet leaned in closer. "I won't hold my breath as the humans say."

"What furious hell are you going to put us through?" Burris asked with impotent fury.

"Why, Burris … I'm so glad you asked," Ratchet replied as he sat back with a smile. "See this handsome youngster?" Everyone looked at a youngish mech with a beautiful smile sitting silently next to Gee-Gee. He waggled his fingers to them in a wave. "This is Dornee. He's the night shift probation officer. I called him in and after a chat with the Warden here, the luminous and lovely Gee-Gee, we've come to a conclusion. You slaggers have had it **way** too easy."

If the four could pale, they would have. They glanced at each other, then turned almost as one to Gee-Gee and Dornee. "What does this mean? The courts have imposed their decisions."

"The Caste Court gives me priority over Lucien and by a small rule in The Code that governs courts, over you too, boys," Ratchet said as the door opened and a line of big black-armored mechs began to file in. Ratchet smiled his usual dazzling smile. "Hello, Boys. Welcome."

Hard Drive nodded as Blackjack, Piro, his newly found father, Micro, Delphi, Turbine, and Raptor lined up against the back wall in a row. "Ratchet," Hardie said as he nodded to his favorite (and only) insane-in-law. "I do believe that Court is now in session."

-0-Earlier

A rap on the door brought Ironhide away from his shows. Opening the door, he noted his father grinning at him. "Since when do you knock?" Ironhide asked.

"Since I sent him to get you, infant. Come on. They need the court at the prison," Raptor said with a grin.

Glancing at Partition and the three dread kids, the six titans having just left, he nodded. "Mind the store, infants. I'll be right back." With that, he left.

The big kids took good care of the little ones.

-0-Prison

"As senior court official, I am now entertaining arguments," Hard Drive said as Piro turned on the recorder. His father, a huge mech of great reputation as a warrior had come from the rescued settlements. He had been the defacto leader all the time they were lost, he and his Praxian Elite bond, Hazmat, who was at the moment involved with grandchildren but was ready to come if needed. He was a great mech with a good sense of humor and a decided bent that his long lost children wouldn't be involved in their military life. They weren't. Piro and his brother, father of said grandchildren, owned a restaurant. Their genitors were **HIGHLY** pleased.

"The new judge with us is Micro of Praxus, commander of the Fifth Division of the Northern Army of Cybertron. All hail, Micro," Hard Drive said.

They did, all of them, as Micro nodded his helm in return. "All hail, Optimus Prime," Micro said and they did. It was tense, he was relaxed and composed, hanging with some of his closest lifelong friends as they worked together to sort slaggers.

It was just like the old orns.

"Ratchet, please present the proposition," Hardie said as everyone waited, their emotions at full throttle. A hearing didn't require otherwise.

"We have four mechs who had a tour of the prison, the most secured and specialist parts included. It was a hard thing to see but I think it was absolutely necessary to make the impression that I think these mechs earned. But what I want is more. I want them to have to work here, wear their crimes, former caste and jobs on a placard on their body and feel the reaction of the prisoners when they see them. I want them to feel what they created. It's not enough that they tell me that they understand the inequities and all that slag. Words are cheap. I want them to get a gander of what it feels like to **be** nothing, to be seen as nothing and to feel the impact of it. They don't have to be in danger. That's not the point. No danger but they should know what it feels like to be hated for no reason and to be worth nothing. It has to be in the prison itself and not in some office or other where they can't feel the impact of what they helped create."

The four stared at Ratchet with growing horror, then turned to the judges. Traachon rose. "You can't be serious. That would be suicide for us. They will kill us. You could create chaos here."

"Maybe." Ratchet sat back regarding the four with a serious expression. "You came here and were scared by what you saw. You haven't, however, taken your share of the responsibility for it. This prison is filled with destroyed lives. I see your fear but not your sense of shame, that which comes from you understanding and admitting to having a part in making this come to pass. We're here on this world having to take care of what happened to Cybertron and everywhere else our people are because of the system, which you not only worked to create and continue but benefited from as well." He looked at the judges. "Micro came from the settlements we just saved. He's the genitor of Piro. He put his sons and the rest of his family, along with most of those they could find in the chaos who had no one else to help them, onto the last three ships out of Altihex where they were stationed. He and his bond stayed behind because they're soldiers and slagging awesome to organize everyone they found to fix ships and leave together. They made settlements in the density and defended them. When Cassio Imperialis and his armada came, they helped keep everyone calm during the occupation. He had to wonder about his children and friends, the family that he saved all this time until now. This mech," he said nodding to Piro, "is that son who had to leave his genitors behind in The Fall and The Great Exodus."

It was silent as the Praxians stared at the four, their overpowering masculinity and solid no nonsense grit enough of a force to command silence in the room. Ratchet looked at them. "There was hurt everywhere. No one here is unmarked and what else is happening to our people everywhere that we haven't found? You owe a debt in repayment to that and if it makes you nervous or scared, then you have something in common with everyone else. Because of you and your actions, everyone has trauma. Why should we be concerned with yours when you had nothing to say or do about ours?"

Traachon stared at Ratchet. "So … you think making us suffer will pay that back or do you think it will make a difference in our beliefs and attitudes?"

"I don't have any ideas about what will make you feel something about what you did other than smug satisfaction and a sense of entitlement. I just want you to know what it feels like to be uneasy and uncertain, to wonder what will come out of nowhere at you and make you weep," Ratchet said. "No one will be able to reach you for direct harm but I'm not above letting you have a taste of what three billion of our people have felt for four million years because of you and your ideas. Machines don't run without all the cogs working together. If even **one** of you had opposed the system in place, it would have saved someone somewhere else." He leaned in closer. "It's not like I'm asking for empurata as down payment on what you owe."

Looks of fear appeared, then vanished off their faces. Burris leaned closer. "You wouldn't."

"Stormy and Denita are in security stasis at the medical center because they can't be trusted and their special function removed without harming them. They will stay there, too, until we can render them safe to come out. Whatever it takes, Burris." Ratchet held his optic, then glanced at Gee-Gee. "I'll speak to their current employers. Since you're the new one, let them in on the fun."

Gee-Gee nodded, then looked at the four as her 'command face' fell into place. "You're now mine. You'll appear here ready for work at 0600 on the TMC. If you're even five nanoseconds late you'll do punitive details. Early is acceptable. Come to this facility where I will be waiting. You'll be given a supervisor who will be with you the entire shift. Your shift will begin at 0600 and end at 1800 hours on the TMC. There will be one joor for lunch here in this building and a small break in the mid morning and one in the mid afternoon. Your presence here will be supervised. You will never be alone in this facility. You'd do something stupid, then get killed and I'd have to do the paperwork. I hate paperwork. You **will** wear the inscription when you get here all through your orn. If the mechs and femmes in the cells express their opinions about it, that's yours to bear. I'd suggest that you do it in silence. When Ratchet and Dornee, or whoever has shift at the time says you're excused, you will be. Until then, no. Frag up, disagree with the assigned duties, not show up on time or at all, give anyone backtalk or otherwise conduct yourself poorly and you **will** be incarcerated for the express amount of time such an infraction would extract from any other inmate. Remember … you **still** are on my docket. I could pull your special circumstances releases at my own discretion and the courts will back me."

"That's right," Hardie said. "We're interested in seeing personal growth and responsibility in all of you. We don't see it. We're pleased with Inweld, Morius and Partition. We have the petition from Ratchet and Thayne that they be excused from their penance. They've changed and by all measures are a benefit to this colony and themselves. Partition has exceeded expectations and our family, all of us mechs," he said nodding to everyone in the row including Micro who nodded, "have taken him on as a family project. So it is by the command of The Code of the Praxian Military Elites of Praxus. You, however, are still unknown. Therefore, we accept the change of circumstances as is our duty as those who stand in judgment of you by your own request. Burris, we've asked for and received command of you, Traachon and Hobbes as well. You may refuse but it must be with real objections and not be fear based or entitled."

They stared at the big mechs with astonishment and fear. Traachon turned to the Praxians. "Hard Drive, if they read the sign they'll want to kill us, if not in the prison then later when they get out. They'll know us and kill us."

"Ah, that matters?" Ratchet asked.

The four looked at him with astonishment. **"OF COURSE IT DOES!"**

"You mean, and let me know if I get this right ..." Ratchet said as he appeared to be thinking deeply. "You're afraid for what might happen to you because you'd bear a sign that was a go ahead signal to give you abuse and maybe hurt you. Is that right?" He turned slightly to Gee-Gee as if to get a clue, thus allowing his low caste tats required by law when he was separated to be applied to be seen. It would take a lot to obliterate or cover them and some did. However, most wore them either because it was an indifferent thing now or they were a badge of honor. "What do you think about that, Gee-Gee?"

Gee-Gee shrugged, then turned toward Springer, an action that showed her own mid caste tattoos. "What about you, Springer? I'm trying to remember something similar. Right, Ratchet?" she asked as she turned back to her partner in crime on the path to rehabilitation for both their charges.

Ratchet shrugged. "I don't know. What about you?" he asked as he glanced at Raptor.

That big mech was grinning at the turn in the conversation. Ratchet was a find, he had always said. A real find, Ironhide. Remember that. "I can't imagine, you slippery slagger, you," he replied with a wink.

Ratchet grinned at the mech who had been his partner in many a prank war and all around drinking buddy. Raptor got funnier and cuter the drunker he got. He turned to the mechs who were looking at everyone with gathering concern.

Traachon gathered himself together faster than the others, then glared at Ratchet. "You would put us into harms way without a backward glance. You want revenge and if we get killed you don't care."

"And **that** would be where you'd be wrong **again** , Traachon. If I didn't care I wouldn't be trying so hard to give you a clue," Ratchet said. "I'd be home with my 27 children having dinner and being entertained. But I'm here dragging you though the prison filled with mechs and femmes your small minded, parched, half wit world view created. I might even be on Cybertron living the life if any **one** of you had a spark. But you didn't, so all this happened. Now its time to change and you won't. I'm **TRYING** to **HELP** you but you just won't see it. **FRAGGERS!** Look at us. All of us are here to **HELP YOU. WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SO STUPID!?"**

They stared at him unable to figure out what to say, the situation was so convoluted so Ratchet spoke for him. "I'm asking in the court mandate, Hard Drive, to have the following items fulfilled so that these mechs can undertake the project at hand. Do I have full and complete mentor management of Lucien?"

"You do," Hard Drive said as the others nodded.

"What about Traachon, Hobbes and Burris? What was that part of the court rules that can contact the Primal Court System and petition that any high caste that breaks the rules and is sentenced in Primal Court be transferred to yours?" Ratchet asked as Traachon, Burris and Hobbes sat up straight in surprise and wariness. Apparently, they remembered it, too. Lucien sat silently with grim futility clearly drawn on his handsome face.

"Section 22, Parts A.3 and C-7, which I will paraphrase, stipulate given the hierarchy of The System of Exception, that it's in the interests of the state that the miscreants be received into and be dealt with by a Caste Court and thereby, the Primal Court short of a Convocation of the Will must surrender those affected forthwith." Hardie grinned. "That rule was to prevent too much punishment for players on **our** team in the real world of jail and floggings."

Traachon turned to Hard Drive. "What are you going to do with us? The Prime has to consent."

The door opened allowing Optimus Prime and Prowl of Praxus to enter. They halted at the end of the table. Springer who had called them in as he played his part in Ratchet's magnum opus slid back into his place by the wall with a big grin. His old ada was indeed the outlawish in-law of conductors. Prime glanced at Ratchet who sat back and nodded. "These slaggers are in the midst of a revelation. They want to clarify a point of law, Optimus."

Prime nodded, then turned to Hard Drive. "I am of the opinion that you want to transfer jurisdiction from our courts to yours for the felons, Traachon, Hobbes and Burris?"

"Felons?" Burris asked with umbrage.

"You **were** convicted," Prowl offered with a grin. "If I remember it, they were serious crimes. Trying to overthrow the colony and rule of law, attempting to commit treason with your daughters with the humans on Earth who are against us, slavery, conspiracy, aggravated assault and battery, conspiracy to harm others to the point of death … shall I continue or is that enough to speak to the 'felon' part of the conversation?"

They glared at Prowl, then Prime. "We want representation," Burris said.

"In the Caste Court proceedings you're given a representative to be declared by me, senior judge. I thereby appoint Springer to be your representation." Hard Drive didn't pretend to hide his small grin.

It would tickle both Prowl and Ratchet how fast the smile on Springer's face was wiped off. He stood from the wall and fixed Hard Drive with an astonished expression. **"ME!?"**

"I have spoken," Hard Drive said calmly though the entire judicial panel was howling together on the inside.

"You **must** be joking," Burris said with astonishment.

"You have me confused with Raptor," Hardie said dryly. "Springer, give us an argument why they shouldn't be turned over to the Caste Court?"

Springer stared at him mentally sputtering for a moment, then glanced around the room. "Uh … how about the idea that the verdict was reached in Primal Court and therefore, Prime carries precedence over you slaggers."

Hardie grinned. "That's exactly it. Now you will see something that in my lifetime only happened rarely." He looked at Prime. "I am Hard Drive, Head Judge of the Caste Court of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire hearing the case of Traachon, Hobbes and Burris. Being that the caste of my fathers, that of the Praxian Military Elite holds an entitlement that bears more honor than even that of the Primes, I am ordering you to release the three named individuals over to the Caste Court without argument or due prejudice. We assert our superior will. What say you, Prime?"

It was as bleak and still in the room as any Ratchet could remember in some time. There simply was in Cybertronian life no more naked a display of caste entitlement than this, the humbling of a Prime before the court. He had never seen a Praxian assert caste over a prime but he knew it happened and that they had the right. Given that it almost never happened but for the times when a bad prime would try and twist the world into pretzels was to their very great credit. Nova Prime was visited by a delegation of Praxian Elites on at least two occasions he knew about and maybe more. They were feared and respected, loved and honored more than any other group on Cybertron outside of the priesthood for good reason.

Optimus who had never had rank pulled on him pulled up the protocols as on the inside, Raptor, Blackjack, Ironhide, and Delphi were giving him slag about being a wimp. He quashed his grin, then bowed slightly from the waist drawing gasps from around the room. "I surrender the aforementioned felons into your purview, Hard Drive of Praxus. So says The Code, so say I." He straightened, then winked at Hardie, a gesture that the three 'aforementions' didn't see happen from where they sat.

Prowl, on the other hand, was almost preening. A look of almost malicious triumphalism appeared on his handsome face as he crossed his arms over his chest. He had had bad dealings with all four of them and to have the caste that he dreaded but belonged to actually do a good deed was almost unbearably wonderful. He took videos.

Hard Drive nodded to Prime, then looked at Ratchet. "Ratchet of Iacon, mentor to Lucien and his kin, I give you mentorship rights over Traachon, Burris and Hobbes as well. That includes their families. They will obey you without comment, discharging themselves in a manner that brings honor to their Houses and this caste. What say you, fellow judges?"

Micro who didn't even pretend to hide his grin glanced at Hard Drive. "I concur. This is justice to me. When one frags up, one discharges the debt like a mech. That's how The Code directs and so shall it be. I have spoken."

Raptor grinned. "I concur." He looked at Ratchet who grinned at him. "You really have a thing for losers, Ratchet. I don't include Ironhide in that category, by the way." Huge laughter erupted from everyone but the four. "I will say to you four that you're lucky that Ratchet does. The rest of us would be just as happy to have you behind bars forever. But some of us like Edict and the kids. Man up. Get the job done. Learn your lessons and have a life. If you think that The System, your privileges or even a chance to lead will ever come your way again, better think twice. Just asking for it means an honor fight with Prime. I have spoken."

Blackjack nodded. "What he said." Laughter. "You're getting off light. Only because of Prime and Gee-Gee did you get day passes. For what you did, a life sentence isn't long enough. For you, Burris, mistreating those mechs and femmes on your ship should get you punitive stasis. Count your slagging blessings and be a mech. Your boy, Bezel, found his way. Find yours. I, too, have spoken and may I say … rather brilliantly."

Huge laughter and slag greeted that as Ratchet and Gee-Gee sat at the table relaxed and amused.

"Delphi?" Hardie asked. "Piro? What about you, Ironhide?"

Delphi pulled a chair, then sat, turning his body to face the four who sat on the same side of the table. "You know us. You know that we had real power, wealth and possibility. We never abused it and we used it to help others as much as we could. We raised our boy, Raptor, to be a good mech. He raised his son, Blackjack, to be the same. He, in turn, raised Ironhide and even though Blackjack failed, Ironhide has his moments."

It was bedlam for a moment as the comments sunk in. Ironhide smirked at his amma. **"HA-HA!"**

Delphi winked at him, then turned to the others again. "You get my point. None of us liked The System and none of us followed it. You know how we got slagged for it. My grandsons had as many low and mid caste friends as the rest of us. We got passed over for promotions on occasion because of our views but we don't regret it."

"Speak for yourself, Ada," Raptor said with a grin. A punch to the arm by his father settled that remark.

Delphi smirked at his wayward son, then looked at the four. "We could do it. You can too. Get over your prejudices. Your bigotry. That's what this is. Hatred. Get over it and join the rest of us in reality. The free ride is over and you can only face endless jail and eventually, permanent shunning if you don't get yourself right. Primus and The One **demand** that we get this right. Who are you four to stand in opposition to Them? I have spoken. You … you need to listen." He stood, then walked back to stand beside Hard Drive.

Piro glanced at Ironhide who nodded. He looked uncertain a moment, then glanced at his father who nodded with an expression of pride. "You need to get it together," he began. "I own a great restaurant with five other mechs. One of them is my brother but the others aren't. They're all low castes and I love them. We never had a chance to be what we wanted to be until now. No one supports you. Just know that. You're now Ratchet's property according to The Code. You're owned by him. If he wants you to lick his peds, you have to. That's the way The Code works. The court exists to make society as fair as its going to get and you **KNOW** you have to obey a caste court. Do it. I have spoken." He glanced nervously at his father as he stepped back. Micro looked like he could burst with pride as he nodded to his son.

Ironhide moved to a chair, then sat. He looked at Ratchet. "I'm getting a bit tired of you trying to help mechs. First, you adopted Sunspot. That was genius. That was the best thing we ever did. Then it became an arms race. Springer for me, Drift for you. Then the femmes. Then all the in-laws. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were genius too. Our family is a glory to the world and every orn I fear you're going to add to it with some stray slagger with sad optics. Breakdown ... **PRIME!** **Who's next?** It better not be **these** slaggers. I draw the line."

Huge laughter filled the room as Ratchet smirked at Ironhide. "Where's the fun in that?"

Ironhide grinned, then looked at the four. "Yeah. Where's the fun? Did you know, Lucien, that your son is living with us? Right now, he's babysitting the infants so we could come here and slag you? He's a nice kid but before he changed he was so nasty that I wanted to punt him. Ratchet never gave up because he told me he saw something in the kid. He saw a good thing. I didn't believe it but **LO AND BEHOLD!** Ratchet was right." He looked at Ratchet. "What shiny thing do you see in these losers?"

Ratchet looked at them, then Ironhide. "In Hobbes, I see Edict, Bron-E, Riff and Rad-R. In Lucien, I see a suffering Lazlo, a changed Inweld and Morius, and a miracle in Partition. In Traachon and Burris, I don't know. I struggle to find anything good but I'm up to the challenge."

"So … you want to help the others?" Ironhide said.

"If they're the only ones who can be helped, the families including Sunee, then its worth the slag to me," Ratchet said. "I may be low caste but I'm a doctor and I don't give up."

Ironhide stared at Ratchet with emotion for a moment, then the four who were watching them with wariness and confusion. **"I'M IRONHIDE OF PRAXUS! THERE IS NOTHING LOW CASTE ABOUT YOU! YOU'RE RATCHET OF IACON! YOU'RE A DOCTOR AND DIPLOMAT! YOU'RE MY OLD MECH AND YOU'RE PERFECT!"** He rose with balled fists. **"NO ONE IN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE HAD BETTER EVER CALL YOU ANYTHING BUT GOOD! THERE'S NOTHING LOW OR UNWORTHY ABOUT YOU! I HAD TO GET PERMISSION TO BOND WITH YOU! FRAG THE SYSTEM OF EXCEPTION!"** He glared at the four who looked at him with fear and uncertainty. "If you want to find an exceptional person, then here he is," Ironhide said as he nodded to Ratchet. "You had better learn. The next step is jail for a long, long time and you know it. Without Ratchet working on this orn and night, without him helping Partition, Edict and the rest of them, they'd be dying of sorrow from your **SELFISH BULLSHIT! YOU'RE SELFISH, WEAK AND COWARDLY! GET OVER IT! NOW!"** He looked at Ratchet who was watching him with a slight grin. "Break them apart and put them back together with your voodoo, then get your aft home." He looked at the four again. **"I AM IRONHIDE! I HAVE SPOKEN!"** With that, he walked to the wall to stand with clenched fists and smoldering optics.

"This decision is made and will only be overturned by petition to us by Ratchet. I have spoken," Hard Drive said.

It was silent in the room, then Ratchet leaned forward. "Here's what we're going to do," he said.

-0-TBC 9-16-17 **edited 9-17-17**

NOTES: "D"D"D

Umbrage: anger


	130. Chapter 130

The Diego Diaries: "Here's what we're going to do." (dd6 130)

-0-The Prison conference room

"Here's what we're going to do," Ratchet said as he leaned in closer to the four mechs sitting across from him. "I'm going to have you work here for an indefinite time. How long that is, is up to you. You'll come here at 0600 like the Warden said, you'll don a coverlet, a sort of two-sided sleeveless jacket which you'll wear the entire shift, then work at whatever you're assigned." The door opened and a mech walked in with a box. He set it on the table, grinned at Ratchet, then walked out again. Ratchet stood, then reached into the box. He pulled out a yellow sleeveless shift that would pass over the head, had room for arms to move but would cover the chassis to the waistline. On both sides, there was writing.

Ratchet held it up for the others to read. In bright white glyphs, the following statement was written. "I am a high caste who had a lot to do with making The System of Exception happen. I made your misery possible and benefited from it. I was not sorry." Ratchet watched their faces as they read it, then their shocked expressions as they looked up at him. "You'll wear this shift the entire time you work and it'll be collected for the next orn by your supervisors when you leave. Any questions."

It was silent a moment, then Burris sat back to stare at Ratchet with rising fury. "You want us dead."

"No," Ratchet said. "I **want you** to understand what you **did** , why it was wrong and **your debt** to the **entire population** of our planet. You got rich and stayed rich. You never shared no matter what happened around you and **you didn't care**. Show and tell me how I'm wrong."

"So you want us to walk around with these on and bear the abuse without a word," Lucien said with an expression of tight faced anger.

"That's right. Given that **my** caste had to do that since the Age of the Quintessans, the **least** you can do is bear the burden we carried for eons for a few orns," Ratchet said. "I'm surprised you feel so threatened. I thought you were the masters. Are you telling me that the masters are a bunch of fake toughs?"

"You're enjoying this," Burris said with rage. "You find this funny."

"I find this ironic and karmic," Ratchet said. "That those who stood on the necks of others for eons should be so scared of having to face the same music themselves for considerably less time. Actually, you don't have to face the violence that sometimes came with the scorn. You missed that part. I learned to fight from the time I separated. You won't have to face gangs or the rest, just scorn, and you're **whining about it**? Where's the masterly superiority? Where's the tough guy machismo?"

They stared darkly at Ratchet as two mechs walked into the room. They pulled chairs, then sat. Ratchet grinned at them and they, him. "Here we are, Ratchet. What's up? Gee-Gee made us your bat men. At first, I thought that it would mean a cool costume but apparently, we just have to hold someone's servos."

Ratchet grinned at the kids, one a tough prison guard with a great sense of humor and the other, the crisis intervention therapist for the prison, someone schooled in watching for and intervening with those who might come unglued with the life inside. He was called Loo and the guard was a big mech called Cinder. "Well, these four, Lucien, Burris, Traachon, and Hobbes are your new best friends. I'm having them do details here until they either grow up and face reality or they snap in two. You need to take them on and show them the ropes. They're going to be working everywhere but the specialist lock ups. General population and the political prisoners facilities but not anywhere else. The top clearance lock up and the nut box are off limits."

They both nodded.

"We moved the first slate of prisoners as per your orders, Ratchet. Paradis is in stasis now. He's in a bad way. We had to feed him with sedatives in his food before it was safe enough to go inside his cell. We had to do all of the moves spaced out over a decaorn. Each time we moved someone, the others were upset for a few orns. When we get the order to move the others you saw today, we think that'll be the protocol as well. Its the most humane way to intervene if it isn't a crisis point. Luminous made it to the Hospital and he's out. We're going to go over him file by file until we find his glitch. If we can," Loo said.

Ratchet nodded. "I'm glad. That's the worst place ever. Mar-C needs either a remake or a shot to the helm. Either way, I'd rather be dead than them."

The two mechs nodded, then looked at the four who were looking very low. Loo grinned at them. "I'm going to be your supervisor and Cinder will be the guard on site. That is, he'll be the last line of defense if someone goes off the rails and will accompany you and me the entire time you work. You won't be in the lock ups themselves. You'll be doing details for the prison that take us all over the place. The population will see the jersey things and you may not try to block the inscriptions. What they might say to you is from the spark and their lives. There's a lot of pent up emotion here and you'll be like a match to fuel. It could set off some pretty awful commentary. Just suck it up."

Ratchet listened as the two explained the next several orns where they would be doing heavy lifting, delivering food, taking garbage out, and running this and that thing everywhere in the prison. Ratchet knew that Loo was expert at gauging the emotions of those under duress and that if anything too untoward happened with the four, he would take them out. He was one of two who were intervention and crisis doctors at present who made the rounds to ensure that everyone was okay everyday. In a decaorn there would be four more on the staff and they would have more down time themselves to have time off. Doing this work, you **had** to have another life. Loo was there every shift in the morning when they inspected some lock ups to make sure no one was being hurt by anyone else. He was the one along with another who monitored not just the prisoners but the families who visited, the staff and the guards. He was smart, astute and totally stoked to try out this form of 'treatment' with those who wouldn't budge. There was a paper in this process, Ratchet mused as he watched the two lay out the law.

"So that's that," Ratchet said. "You three have passes to be out and you, Lucien, already are. I'm going home now if there's no questions and you had better be here on time tomorrow and the rest of the period I think you need to serve. The Warden will make you do punitive details if you don't. Gentlemen?" Ratchet said nodding to Loo and Cinder as he rose. "Tomorrow?"

They nodded and rose too. "Tomorrow, Ratchet." Loo looked at the four who stood up stiffly, their aggravation too large to contain. "We'll be here. Hopefully, you'll be too. On time."

The four walked out stiffly, then headed back to town by walking down the road to the Metro Station that now reached the turnoff at Fortress and Prison Roads. They were followed by Ratchet who walked down the steps to the platform. It was late and no one was around but the automated trains ran anyway. They stood together, four mechs with a cold anger and one who was tired and wanted to go home. Lucien turned to him. "You happy?"

"No," Ratchet said. "I wish you'd grow up but if you had to have someone to mother you to manhood, better me than anyone else. I have a lot of experience. I have 27 children."

"Funny," Burris said bitterly. "If this were Cybertron in the orn, I'd ask for you to undergo empurata."

"You would. You like hurting others. You have no spark, Burris. I think you're the most likely not to change in this sorry bunch," Ratchet said glancing at the big mech with the impeccable paint scheme. "How many mechs' lives did you ruin doing that by the way? I'll make sure to tell Barron."

It was silent as a cool rush of breeze signaled the approach of a train coming toward them on its roundabout journey from the Industrial Park Cities, through the other urban metropolises, past the still unopened stations at the Consulate and Earth habitats, through the Sciences station beyond the prison before sliding to a halt here at the prison stop. They entered empty cars, then sat wearily as the train doors slid shut. The brightly lighted immaculate car swept forward taking them to the next stop, Metroplex Station #1 before heading onward to make the circuit again.

They sat watching the lights go by before the train slid into the station. Ratchet would get off but the others would go onward heading toward their home cities and families. Ratchet stepped off, then walked onward through the sparse evening crowd. He didn't look back as the doors slid shut and the train moved silently onward.

The night was dark and deep with stars as well as the moving lights of ships and satellites overhead. He walked along the sidewalk heading for 'the barn' as his old appa used to say. He still did. Appa Ratchet had a lot of sayings and Ratchet never tired of hearing him use them. Reaching his tower, he walked inside, took the elevator up, then walked to his door(s). Entering the dark and silent apartment, it was clear that everyone was recharging. Peering into the rooms of the three dread kids, he grinned, then walked out to the middle section of the big apartment to inspect Sunspot.

Spot glanced up, wagged his tail, then lay back down. A gentle pat greeted him as Ratchet tucked Sunspot in. Checking out Partition, he pulled his blankets up too. Turning to go, Ratchet paused to note that on a desk by the window, Partition had put a few things from home. One was a picture cube of his family, the other a stack of books about being a field medic and the other was a notebook datapad that was his 'soldiering bible' as it translated from Cybertronian. He kept his notes, wrote his thoughts and made sure that the knowledge he was getting was not forgotten. Ratchet grinned, then walked out.

It was dark as he checked each infant at their end of the apartment. All of them required a tuck in again, then he walked into his own room. Walking to the berth, he lay down gently, relaxing his body with great pleasure.

"How'd it go?" Ironhide asked.

Ratchet rolled over and snuggled. "They're on the hook to work there. They know they have to wear the jacket-thing that tells everyone that they were part of the problem and that they benefited but didn't care."

"Good. That part was a nice club to spur them on," Ironhide said with a grin. "Maybe it might budge something. You didn't put their name on it so it isn't as bad as it could be. I almost feel sorry for them, dumb slaggers." (Pause. Grin) "I don't, really."

Ratchet chuckled. "That's part of my problem. I remember that everyone was once a child, a perfect child. Look at them now."

"Well, if they have a chance to make it, they have it now." Ironhide patted Ratchet. "You're a good old mech but I have one request."

Ratchet grinned. "What?"

"Don't adopt these fraggers," Ironhide said.

"Done deal. Good night, Ironhide," Ratchet said.

"Good night, Ratchet," Ironhide said.

-0-Later that night

"Ada is a hoot. I'd hate to have him on my case," Springer said as they rode along the main street of Gambian. It was dark beyond the cityscape and cold, traffic sparse and the lights of the evening making everything beautiful.

"We're adopted, after all," Drift offered.

"There's that," Springer said with a smirk. "What do you think of Partition?"

"I like him. He wants it all. He wants to belong so much its painful. He wants to be real," Drift said.

Springer nodded. "He does. **This** kid I can handle. The other? Not so much."

Drift nodded. "He handled himself really well. He's living at the house. I wonder how long that's going to last."

"As long as he needs it, I'm sure," Springer said as they halted in an intersection to watch a loud argument in front of a bar down the side street. "What do you think?"

Drift watched the mechs yell, then one walked away heading out. The others watched him, then walked back in. "I think we missed an arrest."

"Let's make sure that one gets home," Springer said kneeing his horse toward the brightly lit side street. They would follow the mech, watch as he got home, then ride onward heading for Tetriades. There, they would actually make an arrest. Drunk and disorderly would be a busy complaint in magistrate's court in the morning. When the first drunks would go on trial, four forlorn and tense mechs would be walking into the Prison Control Center for the first and worst orn of the rest of their lives.

Ratchet, on the other hand, would be showing a number of medical kits to a young mech who would watch and listen, take notes and learn what it took to be a good field medic.

He would.

-0-TBC 9-17-17 **edited 9-18-17**


	131. Chapter 131

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 131)

-0-The next orn

They stood in the control room feeling stupid in their shifts. They fit well and extended down to their waists. They were patterned on those that the priests wore and were bright yellow. On them in glyphs that could shine in the dark were the damning words that they had caused the misery of everyone in the prison, making all of it possible without a shred of remorse. It would be apparent to everyone, prisoner or not and they'd be the target of intense abuse. It was a scary and unknown experience for these mechs who had never faced much disapproval anywhere, let alone anything this intense even on the run in The Diaspora.

Cinder was sitting in the main room with guns in sight on his body along with a long sword on his back. They were waiting for Loo who was in his office finalizing mental health testing for an older mech who was losing his shit in a solitary cell after slagging everyone around him over something as trivial as another glancing his way.

The office was busy with guards gathering for their morning orders and clerical support working at desks or taking things here and there. Down the corridor, the medic station was open. On the floors above, the warden and her subordinate wardens had their offices along with all the other directors and officials on her team. Gee-Gee had entered, nodded to the four, then continued to the elevator to go to work.

Loo stepped out, handing a disk to his office manager. Then he walked to the four. "Good morning. It's a good way to start, being on time. Shall we go? We have to deliver food to the Stunticons." He grinned, then walked toward the door like such a thing was normal and everyone did it.

Cinder stood, then walked toward them. "Come on. No one likes to wait for their food."

They would follow the pair to the large building nearby where food and other items were prepared, gathered, sorted, or stockpiled. They would pull anti-gravity carts laden with food containers. With Cinder running the controls, they would put the proper container for that group into the security interface space at each cell block. At this time of morning, few were up but those who were were far enough away that they didn't seem to see the writing. So far, they had not been spotted by anyone. But then again, the morning was young.

-0-Doing the rounds

They walked through the wards checking patients. Ratchet had a crowd of young trainee medics and doctors following him. Among them was Partition and his datapad, noting this and that, watching closely. He didn't ask questions but he listened like a trooper. It was amusing and delightful. When they finally reached the infant ICU, Ratchet turned to him. "You have a breem before you need to be at the dojo for lessons and then the firing range."

He startled. " **Oh! Right.** I'll see ya later," he said as he hurried for the elevator and his other commitments.

Ratchet grinned. "There goes a great kid." Murmurs greeted that with agreement, then they entered to look at the babies and children who were inside.

-0-Autobot City Performing Arts Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

The vast facility gleamed in the sunlight of early morning. It was huge and set on a gigantic octagonal platform that raised it ten feet off the surface of Mars. There were a large number of buildings all of which served different functions. The biggest and first that visitors would reach was the main performance center, a massively tall building made seemingly of glass that bore copper and steel-gray walls along two sides. This would be the main concert hall, the home of the symphony orchestra with a huge beautiful lobby filled with Cybertronian art. It would be the place where large productions would be held and giant meet ups gathered due to its phenomenal acoustics and seating capacity.

There were three other performance sites in the building which curved around the big one, one of them only slightly smaller than the first, then two more that were designed for more intimate occasions. Beyond this building there were others. A big performing arts school was set back from this one, a place for the teaching of their arts, music and all the parts of their culture that supported music and performing. Dancing and acting schools would be housed here along with those designed to teach students to make sets and do lighting along with other essential necessaries for performing arts of all manner.

Other buildings would store sets and lighting, materials of all kinds for use and the workrooms for artisans to make them. There would be storage for all manner of things. There would also be a large dining room for anyone who worked, visited or studied here to eat on site. Another building nearby was a huge library where the arts were alive going back to before the Golden Age.

Recovered databases, books, all manner of written and electronic materials, endless programming, shows, movies, interviews with those who were important to art either at the production or performance end of things, endless how-to's for doing things this way and that, priceless art, hand annotated scripts and designs, commentary, legendary performances and the like … all of it that was being recovered both from migrations and Cybertron was here and the collection was ever growing.

Here and there around the area, sculpture was on display, some of it easily understood and others more esoteric. They were part of the plan to beautify and to allow all art to flourish here. There would be schools for sculpture and painting, all manner of mediums with expert resident teachers showing students how to work them. There would be elders here showing nearly extinct skills to eager students who had already signed up in numbers to learn.

At the top of the pyramid of culture and performance, Trooper and Scout of Iacon stood. They had a small apartment in the main hall where they'd been camping out during the run up to sign off. Given that they were on call to sign things or help with problems, it was probably a good thing.

Having meticulous standards, they had made sure it was done right. From the broadcast studios for both radio and motion pictures, the burgeoning movie and television industries would share space here and with the studios at IntraCom. They had made sure everything would be right for visitor, employee and student alike.

"The committee will be here at 1100 hours, Troop," Scout said as he sat down at the table to eat breakfast. "The family is back on world, by the way. The business off world has been taken care of."

"What business?" Trooper asked as he looked up from his datapads and breakfast. "I fear I've been distracted. We need to touch base with the family, perhaps dinner out."

"I'll let Alor know. I **think** they were off world. They're always doing something somewhere." He sighed. "We all work too much. I do say, Trooper, we have a very busy family. I think I want to know more about Halloween. The infants dress up and go door-to-door to collect treats. I think that's amazing. Perhaps we can help with their costumes."

Trooper made a search, then grinned. "I think that would be wonderful. What a great holiday for children."

They chatted a while, then finally went back to their huge beautiful offices to get the ball rolling. The schools and workshops would be opening for business the next orn. The writers who would have space here in a huge office building near the back of the platform along with musicians, playwrights, artists, weavers and others had been on the spot for over a decaorn.

Soon the whole place would be reverberating with music, dance and art. It was almost too much to take in after literally millions of years in exile on a planet far away. They would leave their little apartment with a spring in their treads.

-0-At Sparkling Day School, Terra

Edict sat in a chair rocking a baby to sleep. Hobbes had come home upset from a trip to Cybertron the night before. It was surprising that he had gone to their home world with Traachon, Lucien and Burris, of all mechs. He had tried not to talk about things but Edict had insisted. They sat together silently for a moment then Hobbes had spoken about what he had seen.

"The entire world is in ruins, Edict. It was astonishingly awful to see. Half a billion live in tents and the other 800,000 live in the ruins. There are metro-formers everywhere making food and shelters. They go into the mess to find our people. Some still don't know that Prime has the planet. They have to be rooted out." He sat back. "It's so awful."

Edict gripped his servos. "Prime will make it right, Hobbes. You know that, right?"

Hobbes looked at Edict, his strained expression coming more often lately. He gripped Edict's servo. "Of course, Edict. We all will."

Edict relaxed a bit. "I hope you know that, Hobbes. He's been very kind to me and the children. All of us are trying to find our way. It gives me hope that you see things more clearly now. There's a new world here and we must find our way together. Right?"

Hobbes moved closer sliding his arm around Edict's shoulder. "We will, Edict. We're a family and we will."

Edict didn't tell Hobbes about Bron-E wanting to plan a bonding party and the ceremony with Prime that he had been glad to agree to perform.

Hobbes didn't tell Edict about his new job in the prison and the endless scorn that would be his lot starting the next orn.

They sat together holding each other and it felt better to both than it had been for a long, long time. When morning came, he would accompany Edict to Terra where he would part with a grin for Edict's benefit, then begin the long grim journey to the prison and the first orn of the rest of his miserable life.

-0-Traachon

He sat by the window of his apartment staring out into the dark outside. He had a drink in his hand and his bond, an impeccably configured mech named Millow was in recharge. Traachon couldn't join him. He was too tense about the next orn. Being a mech who didn't mind wielding power with mathematical exactness, power to him was a birthright. Being in such a position as this was anathema to his personal view of himself. The next orn, he would have to be mocked, blamed, thrashed and bear it silently. He had never experienced that and it was so intensely awful to him, he wondered if he could last. Then he stiffened his central strut. He would. Last, that is. He would also hate it. Intensely.

-0-Burris

"I don't want to **hear** it, Burris. I'm getting fed up with this slag," Anders said as he stood in the middle of their apartment, the one he lived in alone most of the time. It was literally a miracle of Primus that Burris had been given a day pass given the depth of their offenses. Anders had been by himself the entire time of the incarceration of Burris, making his way alone. Their children, especially their two sons who were at odds with each other were busy with their own lives and there was seldom a time that their schedules overlapped.

Anders had a 'nervous condition' that was translated as post traumatic stress during immigration intake and thus, attended therapy with Vinn. He had attended reluctantly at first what someone had called 'high caste detox' group therapy sessions. When he began to feel better and heard others speak about their lives with the same words he used for his own, he was sold.

He had found relief at long last. For the first time, someone understood him and was helping him find peace and a sense of purpose beyond being the bond of Burris. Sometimes a straight jacket, even mink lined, was still a straight jacket. Getting help had unwound the tension that had plagued him with processor aches for years.

He had found a better sense of peace and his own personality, then noticed the performing arts center rising. Contacting the Museum, he found that there would be classes for those interested in learning the arts. He had always wanted to dance. He never told Burris. Burris wasn't interested in the arts and other of the finer things in life. Anders was.

He had begun to take dance lessons, journaled for his sanity, developed friends of all castes in the performing community and lost his ill health. He hadn't even pretended that it was a process. It had been so fast that there was no real journey involved. He just accepted the relief of being here and found things to do.

Then Burris came home with his whining, carping and ill temper. Anders had taken it for a while delighted that his bond was free because in the end he loved and missed him. Then he had begun to chafe under the 'same old story'. That was when he gave back to Burris something he had never expected to hear, his opinions and personal demands.

"Anders, I don't like it when you're upset," Burris said in his confused concern. He really loved his bond but things were different between them and he was lost.

"Then **do** something about it, Burris. Come with me and speak to Vinn. He helped me immeasurably and I think he can help you. You and the children. All of you need to get yourself together. I'm no longer going to be silent when you're acting poorly. Do you hear me, Burris?" he asked.

Burris stared at his bond, then nodded. "I hear you. I don't understand anything but I hear you. You **do** know that I love you and would do anything you want me to do. I just … I just don't understand anything anymore, Anders."

Anders stared at him with volumes of emotion on his face. "Then meet me half way, Burris."

"I will," he said pulling the big mech into his arms. He didn't know how that would work but he would try to figure it out. They stood together holding each other. Burris didn't tell Anders about the prison job either.

-0-TBC 9-18-17 **edited 9-21-17** **edited 12-28-18**


	132. Chapter 132

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 132)

-0-Morning in Hell

They pulled the gravity carts behind themselves as they trudged with Loo and Cinder. Loo was the mech in charge and Cinder was the muscle and roving optic looking for danger before it could strike. Even behind bars, there was danger in a prison of this volatility. It was incredibly noisy as they made their way, dropping off food containers for this and that cell block. The mechs inside were rising to another boring orn and when they spotted the new delivery boys they came closer to see what was happening to the dull routine that was now different.

A momentary glance at the jackets the four wore was like lighting a pile of napalm. The burn lasted longer than they did in the optical range of the mechs who blew up on the delivery team.

Freezing their expressions into the blandest possible configuration, the four did the job, then trudged onward to the next cell block. The range of swearing, the intensity of the rage and hatred was almost unbearable and because it happened in one place, those coming up drawn by the sound waited with anticipation to figure out what was happening. It was one long shit fest for the first food run for the new 'team'. They would have five more delivery runs to make before they moved onward to hauling garbage and recyclables to the environmental plant near the hospital.

-0-In the Valles

They landed their runabout in the landing lot at this, the farthest campground to date in the Valles Marineris. There were half a dozen ships that came together with friends to rock climb, hang out, drink beer, have shooting contests and tell lies. There would be no children this time. This was too dangerous a landscape for kids. The sloping sides of the deep chasm rose upward for miles where they were and the plateaus scattered through this part of the deeply carved gorge would be fun for clambering around upon by the adults, most of whom were immensely expert at it.

A hatch opened as Hot Rod jumped out followed by Smokey, First Aid and Bumblebee. The other ships disgorged a number of friends, all of them part of the social circle of the twins and Bluestreak. Those three climbed out of theirs, themselves and began to pull gear as others did the same. Blurr, Bulkhead and his bond, Tyro, Jazz and Mirage who were still on call just in case, Bezel and Lon along with a number of others were there as well. Gear was pulled, slag was traded, then they all gathered up their stuff to walk up the steep path to their campsites.

The Colonial Public Works Division had a subdivision in their department that handled all of the portion of life on Mars that dealt with land and its maintenance. Analogous to the Department of the Interior in the American government with their subdivisions like the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management or BLM, there were mechs and femmes that were trained to handle all manner of environments and thus, the growing parks and wild sites open to the public were their purview.

The new improvements at some of them were also part of that. There was a solar hook up this far out that would allow devices and other 'luxuries' to be used by experienced and inexperienced campers alike, with live in managers at the stations that maintained each area.

Among the campers trudging up the steep but carefully groomed slope, Partition along with his brothers Inweld and Morius were making their way. The night before, they met up at The Gear Box with Ratchet to 'gear up'.

"What do we need?" Partition asked as the three youngsters glanced around themselves at a bewildering array of great stuff, all of it geared to them and this environment.

Ratchet grinned. "Well, I wouldn't recommend a big old frying pan yet. That's advanced camping but I **would** recommend a solar oven to heat up the grub. Right now, you need a tent and stuff for recharge." He led the way to a place in the store with the tents in a beautiful display that would be the envy of Earth. They were in various colors and all manner of sizes. "Do you want to share a tent or go it alone?"

The three looked at each other, then Ratchet. "We never did this before. What do you think?" Morius asked.

Ratchet grinned. "Go together. One big tent. Choose a color." It took a moment for them to settle on red, then they followed Ratchet to get other stuff. Sleeping bags that fit for their body types and had room inside for them were next. They would be warm and their cushiony bottoms that inflated would keep them from accommodating the odd rock or sharp object in their recharge.

Fun things like games for outdoor hoo-haw, a small solar stove for heating up prepared food and the food itself took a moment or two. They asked about the selections and how to cook them. When they were fully kitted out including backpacks that would hold all their gear, they walked to the counter, checked it through inventory control, then walked out buoyed to be 'campers'.

Ratchet paused on the sidewalk, then pulled out a sleeping bag from Inweld's backpack. It was small and square shaped deflated. He showed them the inflation switch, then grinned again. "Watch this." He touched it and it fairly leaped out of his servo to land fully inflated on the ground.

They laughed loudly, then grinned at Ratchet. "That's great. Now how do you deflate it?"

Ratchet pressed the button again and it deflated flat and square in his servo. He tucked it into the backpack again. "When you camp with us, and you will, I imagine, there's one hard and fast rule about it."

The three youngsters looked at Ratchet with serious expressions as they nodded. "Okay," Inweld said.

Ratchet grinned. "You have to let Prime inflate all the tents and sleeping bags, the big girl."

They laughed for some time before heading to their different destinations … Inweld and Morius to their genitor's house and Partition to Ratchet's.

The next morning in the Valles ...

They reached the flat campsite that could contain everyone, then tossed down their gear. "Time to set up camp," Sunstreaker said with a smirk at his brother. He sat down on a rock. "Your turn this time, Blue. Prime isn't here to do the heavy lifting."

Bluestreak smirked at him as he pulled their tent from the gear bag. "Like this is hard?" he said as he pressed the button on the device. It flew from his grip as it swiftly inflated, landing near Bee and Aid. Huge laughter greeted that as everyone hustled to do the same. Not having Prime around to steal the fun was a good thing. As they plopped tents around and threw their gear inside, a shuttle landed nearby.

Peering over the cliff, Bulkhead grinned. He turned to Partition. "Hey, Rookie. How about helping those old mechs bring the beer up here?"

Partition walked to the cliff side, then peered down below. Hercy, Lissie, Kup and a gnarly old mech named Debris (truly) climbed out of the runabout and began to lift out gear and boxes of food and beer. Partition glanced at his brothers. "Come on. Let's help them get their stuff up here. I'll introduce you to them. They're amazing," he said as he hurried to the path to descend. His brothers hurried after him as the mech watched them go.

Bulkhead grinned. "Nice kids. Who knew?"

"Ada did," Sunstreaker said as Sideswipe and Bluestreak nodded. "Voodoo."

Riotous laughter greeted that as the kids reached the shuttle, Partition made the introductions and they began to help bring 'the vittles' up the trail to the others. Dinner would be great, the beer would be cold and the stories and slag would flow. Both Inweld and Morius would understand the lure of army life. It would take a bit longer for them to join the Home Guard, too, but in the end they would.

-0-On the job

Ironhide walked from his office with two of his sons in his carry hold. It was the weekend and the family was juggling a number of infants. The twinnies and Kaon would be with Amma Miler and Appa Venture. One more baby or three wasn't a big deal when you already had a toddler running around needing entertaining. A ride on the little trucks would be had by all later that afternoon. Prima would get the chance to 'drive' for the first time ever.

Ironhide had Prowler and Praxus in his carry hold and they played sweetly inside that warm softly lit enclosure, nestled in blankets with their favorite toys and dollies. Those two were peas in a pod, temperamentally similar and could entertain themselves with nothing but their fingers for joors at a time. Orion was with Appa Raptor and Amma Turbine. Raptor would have him when Turbine taught his classes, then they would 'do the town' together, the three of them.

Hero was with the femmes on their first orn of weekend, Martian First Saturday. They would hit the town, too, doing things that would appeal to both tall and small alike. Given that she got her first embellishment without her old Ada to watch last time, there were orders to call Ratchet out of anything he was doing for the next.

There was some crazy craze going on among the younger femmes in the colony on social media based on youtube video surfing. For some strange reason, the younger femmes were 'doing their nails' and applying temporary henna tats all over their servos. Most were prepared for it to be a temporary fad but among some of the more creative and artistic femmes, the results were very striking and it was growing as a trend. There was even talk about putting 'nail tutorials' by Cybertronian 'girls' on youtube just like the human kids did.

Cross pollination of ideas (and fads) was a thing, apparently.

Sunspot and Spot as well as Co-D who was spending the weekend along with Reflector and Bos were hanging out with Appa Blackjack, Amma Alor and Scout the Younger as Scout the Elder and Amma Trooper showed them the new Performing Arts Center. It was highly amusing to hang out with an excited set of grandparents. No one would get such a great tour of the buildings and entire facility from head to toe than the dazzled little kids.

Six titanic kids and their three dread brethren were spending the orn until dinner time walking around Trypticon with their elders, Storm Rising and Dangerous. Storm Rising was a titan who was a science specialist for their frame. He had pretender gear now and was here from his own site on Cybertron to inspect the big silent Decepticon titan as per protocols.

Storm Rising or Stormy as he was logically called had a sole purpose on world. He was the resource technician, diagnostic medic and interface for the entire titan community who lived and worked there. His job was to travel to each and ascertain their efficiency and health all the while his own format was making medical equipment, medicine and other health necessities outside of The Villages, the mini- and micro-mini enclave where most of them lived traditionally.

They would be at it all orn before the kids would take Stormy and Dangerous to Terra for ice cream. Stormy, too, would declare ice cream the 'nectar of the gods' and return to Cybertron with the recipe for himself and the others.

Score another one for Rampage.

-0-At the main stage in the Big Hall of Cybertron, the home of the symphony and biggest stage in the facility

They stood on the stage looking out at a sea of empty seats, all of them curved around the stage. That, itself, was enormous with curtains that retracted along with lighting and other highly technical equipment overhead that disappeared into the darkness.

Scout grinned at Sunspot and the little mechs. "What do you think, infants? Do you think you could be an actor, musician or singer?"

The infants smiled at their grandpa, then Bos turned to Sunspot. "You sing great, Sunspot. Show Appa."

Sunspot smiled at Bos, then looked up at his grandfather. "I have singing lessons at the Seeker Cultural Center. I go there for lessons every decaorn. Do you want to hear me sing?"

Scout grinned at the earnest little kid looking up at him. "I surely do, infant. Show us how great you sing."

Sunspot looked at them, then began to sing a lullaby that he had learned in his own language. He sang it from his spark, his voice lilting like bird song, then it ended sweetly. Scout hugged him and everyone applauded. Sunspot smiled at everyone, then hugged Spot. "I learned that from Uncle Rainmaker."

"Well, Uncle Rainmaker knows his music. So do all of you, I hear," Trooper said with a grin. "You have a future in the business."

They would continue to see the space, then go to the dining room to eat with their family. It would be highly entertaining and delicious.

-0-In stir

They sat on a rock sipping their break drink. In a few more moments the four of them would return to the job at hand. They were carrying garbage from the delivery site where everyone in maintenance brought it to be fed into the incinerator inside the environmental plant nearby. Some of it was for recycle and some for burning in the enclosed incinerators that burned everything so thoroughly and well that there wasn't even a smoke byproduct left.

That sort of felt like the four of them at this moment.

-0-TBC 9-19-17 **edited 9-21-17** **edited 12-28-18**

NOTE:

There was a mention about a problem with Delphi's (I think it was Delphi) caste earlier in this thread that I checked out and given that Hard Drive is caste exempt and Delphi is nearly his age, I had this huge thing to lay out that went back to the beginning with Quintessan slavery and all that which I haven't added yet. Thank you for mentioning it though. I want to do that and explain a bit about Hardie and Hercy, Delphi who has a strange background that caused the twist and all that. I have it in the timeline and its coming up during the holidays. That's the first time the conflict showed up but there's a long story about it that's going to bring the Quintessans in, even if in the far past. Mostly. ;)

ESL:

vittles: a very, very old timey word for food that's cooked to eat


	133. Chapter 133

The Diego Diaries: Reunion? (dd6 133)

-0-At the prison

He sat in the waiting room with a sinking sense of futility. It had taken this long to come to this moment and it wasn't even as easy as he thought it might be after time passing. The room was spare, a table, chairs and the one way window that he knew would be operating the entire time he was here. He had been scanned for contraband, taken to the room by someone he knew, then left as they went to get his family members.

The silence was almost deafening as he waited, then the sound of heavy treads could be heard. He stood up, expecting any kind of response to his request when the door opened. A guard peered in. "You ready for this?" he asked with curiosity. Everyone knew and respected him now. They had buy in for his safety and well being. It was a new concept to him in his new life. "Sure," he said.

The guard nodded, then stepped back. He was telling the visitors that they'd be on their radar the whole time and if there was any trouble they would come in shooting and sort things out later. The members of his family, all of them with deep masculine voices murmured their understanding, then they were allowed to enter. They came in one-by-one, pausing to stand in a row across from him on the other side of the table that stood between them. The guard glanced at him. "We're just outside," he said, then glanced at the newbies. "Watching," he said for their benefit.

The four watched him step out and the door close. Then everyone turned toward each other. They didn't speak a moment as they took in the measure of the other. "You look good," he said to them.

They stared at him, then one spoke. "It doesn't matter but thanks," he said.

It was awkward and tense, then he gestured to the table. "You wanna sit? I brought stuff."

They did, sitting on their side of it as he sat on his. Looking at them tensely, he unsubbed a box of donuts. "I thought you'd like this. I do."

They looked at the box, then one nodded. "Thanks."

It was silent again, then he steeled himself. "That isn't all I brought," he said as he reached into his carry hold and brought out a sweetly smiling little infant mech. Holding him on his servo, grinning back as he smiled at his father, Breakdown looked at the others. "This is my kid, Breakout."

It was silent in the room as they stared at the baby who stared back at them fearlessly.

With a familiar orange face.

-0-Elsewhere

They met for lunch at The Diner On The Corner, their favorite place when it suddenly filled up with policemen on their way to and from shift. Sitting with as low key an aura and profile as they could manage, Sherma and Momus kept their optics to themselves.

-0-Prison

He stood on his tiny peds staring at the strange and strangely familiar mechs. They felt like his father but he had never seen them before. His tiny wings sought information he was too young and underdeveloped to find but the effect was intensely cute.

Wild Rider grinned. "He's cute. I suppose his ada is that aft you hang out with."

"Knockout may be an aft but he's mine," Breakdown said with a slight grin. "This is our kid. He's a champion. What do you think?"

Dead End glanced up. "He's cute. A real cute kid. You wanted us to meet him," he said as if amazed.

Breakdown nodded. "I would have been in earlier but I didn't know what to expect. It was a miracle that Motormaster isn't here. I don't know if I could hold together around him. When he's not here I feel better."

"I noticed," Drag Strip said as he sat back to stare at the infant who was trying to pick up a cup that was sitting on the table. He grinned. "He's tough. Look at that."

They watched as Breakout circled the cup studying it closely. He tried to lift it but it was too big and too heavy for him. So he gripped the handle and began to drag it. He smiled at Breakdown as he moved it slightly.

Breakdown grinned back at his son. "He's smart and good. He has a great life, one I never had but he's going to have it. I'll make sure of it."

It was silent as they watched the tough determined infant try to move the cup to his big old dad.

-0-Valles

"You come behind me," Bumblebee said. "I'm going to free climb up and hook the rope through the pitons that I'm going to drive in. It'll be hanging and you can use it if you need to. Have you ever climbed anything this steep and tall?" he asked Partition, Morius and Inweld as they stood before a cliff side that seemed to go on forever.

They looked upward, then at Bee. "No," they said almost together.

Bee grinned. "Then go up with the ropes. I'll lay down a trail all the way up. Eventually, you can try free climbing but that's in the Home Guard training program down the road," he said. "Watch what everyone else does. Hercy is going to use the ropes to show you how to do it and Kup will come up behind to catch you if you slip. They'll show you the way."

He then looked up and gripped the rocks, making his way upward. When he had gone a bit of the way up the ragged and fractured face, he halted long enough to drive a piton into the rock. A rope was then fastened and he went further upward. It would take a while but he would reach the top, then glance downward. With a wave of his servo, he waited at the top for the others. Most of the group was free climbing already but the newbies were waiting with varying amounts of anticipation and anxiety at the bottom.

Hercy looked at them. "Like a walk in the park if you respect the land. Do you respect the land, infants?" he asked.

The three looked at him worshipfully, then nodded. "We do, Appa," Morius said with a nod.

"Then do what I do," he said as he gripped the rock. "Notice how I insert my servo into cracks and crevices? That way you get a grip. When that's secured and so are your feet, you can reach up for the next one. When you come up, do it with this rope clipped into your hooks here," he said tapping the hooks the mechs gave them to secure themselves. "Remember, if your grip is good, even if your peds slip you won't fall. Got it?" he asked.

Partition nodded, then glanced at his brothers. "I'm going first. I'm oldest. You come next," he said as he turned, then hesitated as he looked back at them with concern. "No one will hold it against you if you change your mind about coming. Okay?"

They glanced at each other, then him. "Okay, Partition," Inweld said as Morius nodded.

Partition turned to the rope, hooked it on, then began to find cracks to grip. With carefully slow and thought out movements, he made his way to Hercy, hooked that rope, then let the one he started with go free for his brothers to use. Hercy made his way up, Partition waited, then followed.

Watching them from the ground, Inweld took the rope and hooked himself in. Kup checked him, then considered his youth and inexperience. "No one will hold it against you if you don't want to go. This is an expert hill, not the sort of thing for beginners."

Inweld nodded. "Thanks, Abba, but I think I want to try it."

Kup nodded, then helped him spot handholds. He gripped, then began to climb. When it was time for Morius, he looked at Kup with a tense expression. "Thank you, Kup, for helping me. I'm sort of tense about this."

"I'm coming right behind you. You're hooked into the safety lines and I'll grab ya. Won't be the first time I ever had to do it," Kup said with a slight grin. "It's up to you. No harm, no foul."

He nodded, then looked up. "I think I want to go up there," he said. So Kup helped him.

-0-Prison

"I'm a medic-instructor and manage the medic teams that go into the migrations when the refugees come. I also have the responsibility to do the same if there's combat. Right now, I'm studying medicine. I want to be an infant doctor."

The three stared at Breakdown like he had just said he wanted to frag Optimus Prime. Either option was so strange to them that it was hard to take in all at once.

"You've changed," Dead End said.

Breakdown nodded. "I have. Did you notice I'm not paranoid? I'm not fragged up even around you three. If Motormaster was here I'd be afraid what might happen. I think he causes my crazy when he's around."

They nodded. "We feel better when he's in ad-seg. He's there right now. A few slaggers came to the prison last night and he went insane. They were the ones who created The System or something like that. They aren't sorry, either," Drag Strip said bitterly. "I wish Motormaster had gotten hold of them. I would've liked to see them get torn limb-from-limb."

Breakdown nodded. "I hear ya." It was silent a moment as they watched Breakout hop around on the top of the table, entranced with the sound of his tiny peds when they landed. "What are you three going to do? Are you going to stay in the prison forever or are you salvageable?"

They stared at him, then sat back with offense clearly on their faces. "Well, we haven't decided **yet** but **thanks** for asking," Wild Rider said tartly.

Breakdown leaned forward. "I'm not asking to insult you. I want to know. You're the only family I have that I know about. Breakout needs a family, he needs uncles. What about it? How long are you going to waste yourself in the prison or can you actually change?"

It was silent in the room.

-0-Cliff side

Inweld slipped, then caught himself. The end of the climb was in sight. Hercy, Bee and his brother, Partition were looking down at him cheering him onward. He gripped the rock, then continued. Below him, his brother and Kup were following. He wasn't going to be a problem this far from the ground, he decided, not in front of these mechs.

With a strength he didn't know he had, he gripped and gripped, slowly climbing upward. Others gathered to stare downward, At last, a servo gripped him, then pulled him upward to solid ground above. He turned to thank them and met his brother's smiling face. **"You made it, Inweld!"** Partition said, then he hugged his brother tightly.

Both of them grinned at the other, then knelt to watch Morius and Kup make their way. Inweld and Partition would pull Morius upward, then when everyone was topside Sideswipe would slap the newbies on the shoulder. "Well done. Now let's go back down."

It would be just as scary repelling as ascending the cliff but everyone involved would find it thrilling.

-0-Prison

They pulled the carefully bagged garbage off the low bedded trucks that trundled it to the Environmental Center of the prison located near the hospital. Every orn the trucks came, going on their pre-progammed non-sentient way to meet at each cell block and remove garbage and recyclables with their non-sentient robotic assistants. The food trays and other detritus would be recycled while those things that were hazardous or useless would be burned until nothing was left in an oven so hot that it could be compared to a solar flare.

They trudged back and forth carrying heavy bags and boxes between the trucks and the conveyor belt that carried the trash into the building where it would be automatically scanned, sorted by more non-sentient robots and sent to the respective termination point its composition dictated.

It was sunny but cold. The prison was noisy, ever noisy as inmates in the trustee program went their different ways and those who were heading for work choices inside were led there under heavy guard. All of them noticed the newbies, read their inscriptions and either heckled them or gave them murderous stares. The newbies for their part pretended that they didn't see any of it.

They saw all of it.

-0-The Diner On The Corner

They decided to slip out so they stood up and began to wend their way through the tables of mechs who were waiting for or eating their food. As they did, an old mech who had seen it all glanced up from his breakfast to watch them go more out of habit than anything else. Something about the two was familiar. They didn't look the same but their energy rang a bell, a very, very old bell. He glanced at the others then stood up. "Hey," he said to the two. "Do I know you?" he asked.

The room froze and so did Sherma and Momus. They turned to him then shrugged. "No."

The old mech considered that as he ran their energetic signature against his dedicated police files of 'Those Who Just **Think** They Got Away' and as he did the two mechs knew he was. They nodded to him, then continued onward to the door crossing the threshold before the big mech got his answer.

"Frag." He looked at the door then the other police officers in the room. **"PONY UP, BOYS AND GIRLS! I THINK WE JUST FOUND A BIG ONE!"** With that, he headed for the door with his gun drawn. The mechs and femmes in the room glanced at each other, then rose almost as one with guns drawn. They ran for the door to follow. As they did, half the patrons and everyone who worked there ran to the door to see what was happening, too.

That was when the shooting started.

-0-TBC 9-20-17 **edited 9-21-17** **edited 12-28-18**

Sometimes, I think you guys know this story better than I do. **:D:D:D:D:D:D: HUGS**


	134. Chapter 134

The Diego Diaries: Latest Breaking News! (dd6 134)

-0-On the street

"This is a security alert from the Office of Emergency Management," Lim-Lee said as she broadcast on The Hourly News-Breaking News. "Everyone in the vicinity of the Metroplex Plaza between the Mall and the Temple District, please leave or go into a room or building and lock the door. Do not open the door until someone from the Watch comes to give the all clear. There's shooting downtown in Autobot City.

"We repeat, there's shooting in downtown Autobot City and the police are on the job. Please evacuate the area immediately or lock yourself into a room until you are collected by the police. Stay away from downtown Autobot City. There is a shooting underway in the Temple and Metroplex Districts of Autobot City..."

A siren split the air as it sounded in the thin atmosphere. Civilians who were taken by surprise began to run, some down side streets, some into storefront businesses that lined the towers downtown, all of them heading for shelters. Shop owners pulled civilians inside as they closed their doors, locking them against entry by anyone other than the police or a civilian fleeing. The streets cleared swiftly as Momus and Sherma ran down the sidewalk heading for Temple. Banging on the bulletproof glass doors and windows of storefronts, the civilians and owners inside staring at them with fright and concern as they huddled together. Swearing in futility, the two pulled guns then pointed them at the soldiers fogging out of The Diner On The Corner.

Firing a few rounds, they fled down a side street then slid to a halt beside the Sciences Habitat. Lennox and Epps who were sitting at a table eating lunch with some of the locals glanced up with surprise. The siren was sounding and someone had just turned up the volume on a monitor nearby. The Hourly News was telling the story. Momus and Sherma stared at the humans staring back at them, then ran for the entry.

" **Oh, fuck! Get into the shelter! NOW!"** Lennox said as he watched the big mechs beating on the hatch doors. The humans who were frozen in place around the room turned from the tables, cabinets and sink nearby and booked it to the shelters. Hildie Wilkerson with Angus in her arms ran with them as Epps and Lennox scouted out the rest of the ground floor. That was when the outside hatch broke and the mechs stepped inside the interim atmospheric room. They then began to press on the seal control to let themselves inside.

Lennox and Epps paused to watch, then ran for a side room where they closed the door. Near vacuum and poisonous atmosphere was going to come inside with the big bots and it was time to test a feature of the habitat that no one had used until now. A series of specialized rooms on a far wall of the big one, four tiny rooms that were designed to be short term emergency shelters for anyone who could get to them if there was a catastrophic breach of the habitat had never been used until now.

As they ran to one and shut themselves in, they both prayed that they would survive what was coming in. As the doors closed, the hatch opened. Momus and Sherma entered, then closed the hatch door behind them. The system automatically rebooted the atmosphere inside as it did.

-0-Prowl and Paragon

The siren sounded as the message from Central Dispatch shot to Ops Center. "There is a shooting underway in downtown Autobot City on the streets between The Diner On the Corner and The Movie Place. A group of police are in pursuit and it appears that two unidentified miscreants are attempting to breach the Sciences Habitat."

Prowl and Paragon were already out the door.

-0-Around the colony

Carly got off the phone to Sam who was trapped in the Metroplex Administrative Plaza after a visit with Venture in the City Hall over something that had come up and pulled both from their down time. The downtown area was in lock down and it appeared that two armed mechs were holed up in the Sciences Habitat. No one knew what the situation was inside. They knew that there was shooting that occurred and that Prowl was there taking over the situation.

Carly felt her heart skip a beat at the idea that there could be dead humans at the moment. She was told that N.E.S.T. was embargoing the news until there was more to tell and perhaps a solution to the problem. He told her because her job was to know but she was forbidden by N.E.S.T. to tell anyone else. She was also confined to the habitat and their lunch at the Family Tower was off.

-0-Brandon Clark

He watched the news after getting off the phone with Glenn Morshower who was coming to Mars from Virginia and the Pentagon. The human community had a news embargo and were forbidden to discuss anything until the word was known about casualties and other disasters. Right now, he was in contact with Prowl through Jazz and Paragon but nothing was settled or definitively known.

Around him watching The Hourly News-Breaking News Alert, the rest of the colony at Earth 1 gathered together with dread and loathing. Hildie and Angus were supposed to be there working on her project and Jarrod was on Pluto working out a unit he was teaching his older children about the planet and the Autobot Forward Base that was there. He wouldn't be told until they knew something but he was sent for on another pretext anyway.

They would also find when they tried to contact anyone anywhere including here on Mars that they would get a recording telling them that they would be offline for non-emergency communications with everyone but Emergency Response Services Center at Fort Max. If they had an emergency of their own the bots would come. They were also going to position a guard around all the human habitats and locations against the idea that someone had a grudge against humans.

As he watched something coming outside nearby, he noticed that a long line of vehicles were rolling down the drive to position themselves around the facility. There were non-sentient heavily armed vehicles and about fifty heavily armed mechs who were walking around the perimeter of the facility or standing in groups to watch. It was comforting and agonizing at the same time. Earth2, The Resort and the Consulate would have the same protection. Apparently, Sciences or the Tower was ground zero.

-0-Earth2

Owen Harris stood at the great panoramic windows of the first floor deck along with nearly half the population who had come to watch as armed vehicles and mechs formed a perimeter line around the vast facility. He had been contacted by the Emergency Services Center at Fort Max that a shooting was underway downtown and that they were going to build a defense around the facility just as a precaution. He had no idea what that meant but it was clear that his daughter would be staying at the school along with every other human child rather than risk them coming home through a still unfolding situation.

He watched the situation outside, studying them with admiration as they worked out the pattern they would use to defend the building and everyone inside. It was amazing and instructive but it did little to change his mind from his ultimate goals.

Perry turned to him. "This is a mess. I wonder why they're defending us? Did someone shoot up a habitat downtown? Sciences or the Family Tower?"

Owen shrugged. "I don't know. I hope not. This is fucked but in the end it might have an impact on the Earth's regard for these aliens. I don't know how this will turn out but its weird and interesting."

Perry nodded then turned to the view outside. They would watch the news and the soldiers outside as the story took its own sweet time unfolding.

-0-Springer and Drift

They stood on the corner near the street with Prowl and Paragon. The area was locked down. No one could exit. What was unknown was the condition of everyone inside the habitat and its shelter. Emergency Services was scanning the facility to read the information that every human carried in their gear no matter how informal their attire was.

No one living here wore anything that wasn't made of the materials all their gear was constructed from, though some of them were creating more stylish garments. There was locator and descriptor information encoded in the material to get help to them as fast as possible. The news came in as Prowl and others gathered to discuss strategy.

"Most of the humans are out but there are ten inside. Lennox, Epps, Sheila Conroy, Michio Yamaha, Sharry Simpson, someone new from Earth, Lola and Cindy Teasdale, Alejandro Lopez along with Hildie and Angus Wilkerson," Paragon said as he turned a grim expression toward Prowl. "The baby is in there."

"What are their life signs and where are they located?" Prowl said with a cold expression forming on his handsome face.

"Everyone is in the shelter but Epps and Lennox. They're hidden in the emergency pods on the main floor," Paragon said.

"What about going to the shelter from below and getting that bunch out?" Drift asked. "The pathway should be clear."

"It was until Public Works decided they had to dig out the local area and extend the electrical terminus for the upgrades to the underground train system," Paragon said. "There's several miles of back fill stacked in there waiting to be taken out. Things have been busy and they have it on their secondary needs list at Public Works. If we go there we have to tunnel for two or three miles and it'll be heard."

"Frag," Springer said.

The sound of transformation could be heard as Optimus, Ironhide, Raptor and Hard Drive drove up. They walked to the group with concern. "What is the situation, Prowl?" Optimus asked.

Prowl told what was known then they turned to look down the street. They could see a tall mech standing in plain sight with his gun pointed straight upward. In his other servo, he held a tight grip on Bobby Epps.

-0-Inside

They punched the button for emergencies as they crouched in the emergency pod. Inferno came over the intercom. "What can you tell us?" he asked tensely.

"Inferno, everyone is in the shelter. Epps and I are stuck in the emergency pods on the first floor," Lennox said in a soft voice. "Two big mechs are breaking in. I don't know them but they're armed and ready to kick the shit out of everyone and everything. What the hell is going on?"

"Standby, Lennox. I have to brief Prowl. If they come through the doors we're going in. Remember, hold your breath," Inferno said.

"What about bridges?" Epps said.

"We'll try it but your habitat is designed to prevent invasion even by bridge. We can get you anywhere else but the habitats and tower … we made them invasion proof," Inferno said. "Stand by."

 **"OH, FINE! INVASION PROOF! THANKS, INFERNO!"** Epps said as Lennox nodded in frustration.

"I don't have a gun," Will said as he patted his suit down.

"They do. Does that help?" Epps asked just before the mechs outside ripped their door off its hinges.

-0-Down below

Cindy led the group down the long corridor to the reinforced elevator with Lola shooing them along from behind. Waiting until everyone was inside, Cindy pushed the buttons and they were speed dropped to the shelter below. The door opened and they stepped out. Lights came on and a comfortable place with provisions, light and water came into view. Everyone looked around, then turned to the twins.

"Don't worry. Lola and I will protect you. Besides, they can bridge us out. Or they can come down the emergency tunnels that connect us to get us out. All we have to do is remain calm and wait," Cindy said as she took Angus into her arms. "Know this," she said with conviction, "they have to come through me to get to you and him."

Lola nodded, then looked around. Picking up a heavy cooking pan, she turned to the others. "Semper fi," she said.

-0-Ratchet

He drove madly to the corner where the team was trying to work out a solution. He had commed the Tower to let them know that the A Team was on it. The Resort was on lock down with guards all around and advanced weapons. The visitors prevented from their roaming around were more than entertained by the weird excitement and the aliens outside guarding them. They were okay though they wondered where some of their people were. Ratchet promised them he would find out.

He would.

TBC 9-20-17 **edited 9-21-17** **edited 12-28-18**

To embargo something is to prevent it from becoming known and general knowledge to anyone outside the list of those allowed. Embargoed information is a news blackout.


	135. Chapter 135

The Diego Diaries: Showdown (dd6 135)

-0-At the terminal in New York

The crowd that was heading for Mars were told an inadvertent delay would mean the trip to Mars would take a back seat for a moment or so. No details were given out to the 206 individuals waiting to go. There was a groan, then everyone sat down to wait. Whatever was going on out there was not going to be shared with anyone here.

Sitting by the window with frowns on their faces, six men were equally put off. All of them were going to direct employment at Earth2 and now they had to wait. They would go with the tourists, wait at the terminal in Autobot City to be picked up, then go to their permanent jobs as security at the giant habitat itself.

Silvio Lombardi, formerly Foreign Legion, formerly Intel-Martin-Asia glanced at the others. "This is unfortunate. I was looking forward to getting there by lunchtime," he said in his silken Italian accent.

Sam Hedges nodded. "Me, too. I think the rest of us just want to get through customs."

Huge laughter erupted as they settled in. This wasn't their first rodeo, after all. Todd Baseman, Lawrence 'Larry' Dobbs, Jim 'Big Jim' Johnson, Sam Hedges, and Steven 'Steve' Anson had been on the personal security detail of the former liaison and now full time federal prison inmate, Jason 'Jase' Daniels. It would be a bit of a wait for the group, then they would be called to board the ship that would take them around the inner planets and then Mars itself. They would be on the radar and sensors of any number of bots when they arrived.

Springer wouldn't be amused. Jazz on the other hand would be.

-0-At the standoff

They stood at the other end of the street, all of them together as Elita listened into the conversation with Prime down at the other end of the eight lane highway that divided Autobot City into two huge chunks. Standing behind them out of the line of fire, Lancer leaned against a building. They had been on First Saturday 'girls day out' with Hero who looked forward to it with almost a mania.

" **ADA! MY SISTERS ARE COMING! WE DO FEMME THINGS TOGETHER!"**

Ratchet stared down at the tiny femme in her 'femme's orn out' garb, her 'camo jammies', a gift from Chromia to her. She was encased head to toe in a onesie that was fleece lined and comfortable. It reminded Ratchet of the Teletubbies suits, the head cap to toe booties style without the little embellishments.

Yes, his littlest kids loved the Teletubbies.

The suit was white, had large splotchy brown blobs all over it and looked comfy. Ratchet grinned. "What if they decide you need your nails done? I hear everyone is getting their digits painted."

She looked at him, then her mitten encased servos. "I'll have to take this off. At least, my servos."

"What about your little toe peds?" Ratchet asked as he picked her up.

She looked at him with amazement. "They paint your **toes**?" she asked.

Ratchet grinned. "That's what I heard."

There would be another highlight to the whole experience as the femmes had another orn on the town(s).

Right now, Hero was in Lancer's carry hold nestled among the cashmere blankets she had picked out for just such an occasion with the femmes who thought she needed them, playing with her dollie as she read to it from one of four nice books they had picked out at a bookstore in Gambian. It had astonished the group how good she could read so they had gotten a number of nice books with a lot of plot. It amused Lancer as she held back to listen to Hero read to her doll even as it amazed her that she could.

Heavy treads brought their attention to the rear as Jetta and Ultra Magnus joined them. "What's the sit-rep?" Magnus asked.

"Ten hostages likely held by Sherma and Momus. The baby, Angus is one of them. All of the hostages are barricaded in the shelter below but for Epps and Lennox who didn't have time to get there before they broke in," Lancer said. "They ripped them both out of the emergency pods and are showing them as hostages through the window."

"Frag," Magnus said. He was silent a moment then looked at the others. "We have to hold. No one moves yet."

-0-Shelter

They sat on the couches in the shelter, almost none of them warriors in the traditional sense. Some of them were older scientists, some were just science nerds that never were much into activities that required violence. Others were tough, loyal and ready to rumble while one was a frightened mother.

Cindy Teasdale and her sister, Lola stood in front of the elevator. They had found the odd item to use as a weapon and were on guard. Lola had a two pronged barbecue fork that was on a long handle and a heavy pan. Cindy had a heavy pan and a gimlet optic. Alejandro Lopez sat next to Hildie. The twins had organized the 'defense'. Everyone would stay with Hildie and Angus defending them to the death while the two sisters would hold them off "until Optimus saved everyone. Okay?"

It was a plan. Sort of.

"Cindy … do you really think they would come down here?" Sheila asked as she stood up to walk to them. She looked around for a tool, finding none, then decided that sheer pluck was enough.

"I don't know. They're pretty big. Maybe they won't fit." Then Lola and Cindy looked at each other at the same time. Without a word, they put their weapons down, then walked to the elevator. Glancing around, Lola looked at the others. "Find something that can work as a crowbar or a screwdriver."

That would occupy them for a moment.

-0-Upstairs

Will Lennox and Bobby Epps sat on couches in the lounge that moved them out of the line of sight of anyone outside. The huge open space of the kitchen and entryway into the facility had the best view both inside and out. The two big mechs were out of view as well, working on the rest of their defenses. They had lowered their own body temperatures to make it harder for Prime to see them with infrared sensors. They had also tinted the dome of the habitat to its full power rendering the facility completely blackened. They were conversing internally and both of them were pissed.

It was silent in the habitat.

-0-Outside

The big police officer who had spotted them from an old alert, Merl was talking to Prime. "I was assigned to hunt down Decepticon traitors during the run up to The Fall." He glanced at Prowl. "We were on the same trail but for different reasons."

Prowl nodded.

Merl continued. "My job was to find anyone who was secretly working for the Decepticons and discovered that Sherma and Momus were. Then The Fall happened and all the chaos … it was mentioned to me that they were killed or more likely murdered but by then my job focus had changed. I never saw them again but the alerts in my files are still active.

"I read energy. That's my special function, Prime. No one I ever read is ever forgotten. That's why I was assigned police work. Everyone's pattern is different, like fingerprints among the humans. I read it, copy it into a file, then keep it. I can find and identify anyone no matter how charred they get or broken up. I especially hunted the worst criminals even during the Diaspora. I don't like to think they got away.

"I was having breakfast at The Diner On The Corner after night shift with the boys when an alert sounded as two mechs got up to leave. By the time they reached the door, my files had confirmed that even though they changed their looks, the two were Sherma and Momus. We went after them, chased them down the street, then they went here to the Habitat. That's how it stands now."

Prime nodded. "I have dreaded this all along. We must be very careful. The hostages have priority. Ten are there, eight are underground in the shelter. We have to assume, and I do so guardedly that the humans below ground are safe for now. What we need to do is be as careful as possible with Lennox and Epps in their possession." He looked at Prowl. "Can you make contact?"

Prowl was stilled a moment, then nodded. "You're routed through Ops Center. Blaster is on the con."

Prime nodded. "This is Optimus Prime. Speak to me, both of you in the Sciences Habitat."

:Is that you, Prime? What do you want? We're busy: a cultured voice said in his audials. Prime cut everyone in including Magnus, the femmes and Jetta down the street.

"I want to know what you require to release the two humans and walk out of there," Prime said.

:Let us think about it. Just know, Prime, that if you attack this building we'll kill the humans. It won't be pretty what will be left after we step on them: the voice said.

"We know who you are. Sherma and Momus. We also know if there is no way to save the humans your deaths will help salve the problems, if any, that arise," Prime said. "Do not overplay your hand. You may have overestimated the cards you hold."

:You don't want to tell the humans that you killed their people: another equally cultured voice replied, this one with less restraint than the other.

"You would do well to watch human broadcasts. They kill each other for fun. They will get over it," Prime said. "Fortunes of war." They waited for a reply but there wasn't one. Prime turned to Prowl. "What kind of sensors do we possess that can penetrate the dome?"

"We designed it to be defensive," Prowl said. "You can't bridge inside, when the dome darkens it cuts down sensor scrutiny to about 2%. The facility was designed to protect against any contingency. I don't believe we can penetrate it either with our conventional weapons."

"Then we must talk them out," Prime said as he stared at the habitat. "We have to make them come out without hurting the humans. None of them must believe the humans matter to us. If they believe that then they have a hold over us."

Prowl nodded, then together with the solemn-faced mechs around them and the femmes, Magnus and Jetta at the other end of the street, they began to strategize what they could do.

-0-In New York

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?" an attractive young man who would be their steward to Mars said over the com line. "We're going to be boarding shortly to leave for Mars. Our journey will take a short swift tour of the inner planets before reaching Mars and Autobot City. You will be asked to extinguish any cigarettes, cigars or vapor devices, all of which are banned on world, secure all your carry-on baggage, have your documents available for Immigration and Customs upon arrival and observe all the rules and regulations in place for your safety and enjoyment. There will be a safety demonstration before we leave orbit of Earth that you're required to watch and listen to.

"We've been held up by circumstances beyond our control but we're ready to leave now. The tour before arrival will take one and a half hours to complete, then we'll join the traffic in orbit around Mars. The average number of planetary revolutions we'll make while we wait to land is about four. All along the way, I'll be informing you of the sights both in space and on the ground. I'd like everyone who holds boarding passes for seats 1-25 please to come forward."

The six men sitting by the window watched the others stand, then walk happily toward the gate and two young women who were going through the paperwork of boarding. They would have their turn but it would be group '201-206'.

They would be in that group by request of Jazz of Kaon.

-0-Family Tower

They gathered around the screens including the big one in the lounge. Their friends were in trouble and even though there was little information about who, they knew where. Those who lived in the Sciences Habitat full time and were out and about sat huddled on ships watching monitors as they sped here and there around the solar system or on chairs and couches in the Tower.

N.E.S.T. was 'working with Prime' so they couldn't speak to Epps or Lennox. No one knew that they were part of the problem let alone in danger. Not even Sarah and Will's parents, Jon and Thelma Lennox along with Bob and Tina Evans were aware of the actual circumstances. They watched just as concerned friends and family, rather than the immediate kin of someone in big trouble.

"This is terrible. I wonder if they hate humans or what?" Lonnie Epps asked. "The kids who live in Autobot City, bot and human are going to be held at school until this settles by the way. They have the standby room there for them even if they have to sleep there."

"They said they'd bring the babies here," Linda Graham said glancing over to Lonnie. "They'll handle the big kids but bring the babies here by jet. They think it'd be easier to deliver them here rather than take care of them and the others there. School for humans is out for the duration. These are the new protocols about our kids put in since Black Shadow."

"Well, this sucks," Lonnie said. "There goes swimming lessons today among other things."

They chatted onward as they listened to the news and watched images of Prime and the others on the corner near the Habitat. None of them noticed that if there were N.E.S.T. soldiers there that they weren't in sight.

-0-At The Fortress

Glenn Morshower, John Fulton and Warren Roberts walked through the bridge transfers that had begun where they were located here and there around Earth, then consolidated at Diego Garcia to be bridged directly to The Fortress. They trailed their various essential aides as they walked to the elevator nearby, then entered to go upward. Mechs met them topside, carried them out, then put them down so they could enter the heavy duty vehicles that N.E.S.T. had in their fleet. They sped off toward the scene to join in the rescue.

-0-A joor and a half later

They stood as they were called, carrying their stuff with them. Walking through the clear sided jet-way from the ship that had brought them, the human visitors walked into the airport with great happiness and high anticipation. The six men followed the group, then joined a line. It would take a while to get through Immigration and Customs, though it was more a matching of information and formality than anything else. They would also be looking for Autobot City syndrome's early warning signs. Screening for other problems usually was taken care of on Earth before leaving.

Todd Basemen walked to the counter where a mini-con femme waited for him. "Papers, please," she said in a soft voice. He handed them over as he stared at her, his first real contact with a female alien. Arcee had been part of the base but hadn't any contact with the mercs. They had noticed her with a glimpse now and again but it was rare. She looked his papers over, checked her screen, then handed them back. "You will wait over there," she said nodding to a small lounge by the window.

He stared at the lounge then her. "Is there a problem?"

"We have a traffic tie-up in The City. Your transport to Earth2 will be delayed," the femme said.

He nodded, then walked to the lounge to sit. The others were going through their turn when the bulk of the newcomers were led out to a jet-way that was attached to a big bus. Standing on the other side of the glass separation, a group heading back to Earth was going through the process of leaving Mars. Some in, some out, it was like clockwork. By the time the six were cleared, they were sitting together watching the activity in the Hangar District outside. They would also be on the radar of Jazz and Company. At no point forward would they be off on world.

-0-TBC 9-21-17 **edited 9-22-17** **edited 12-28-18**


	136. Chapter 136

The Diego Diaries: On-World (dd6 136)

-0-On the street

There was no way to enter the habitat that didn't allow trouble. It had been designed like the others to prevent easy access by ground troops and air attack. It was designed to hold against direct assault until it could be defended by their forces. All of the residents would drop down to the shelter as the city above fought off any invaders or attackers. Right now, the security of the building was preventing easy recovery of the hostages. Prime was frustrated.

So was everyone else.

-0-Down below

They managed to pry off the panel that held the controls that ran the elevator. Looking inside, Cindy Teasdale looked around for something to help destroy the panel. Then she looked at the long handled grill fork that lay on the couch nearby. She grabbed it, then looked at the others. "Stand back," she said as she turned, then jammed it into the open exposed control panel. A huge zap occurred as the group backed away. Smoke and sparks sputtered, then the scorched fork fell to the ground. Turning back to look at the smoldering panel, Lola grinned with grim satisfaction. "Try to come down here **now** , fuckers," she muttered.

-0-At the airport

They sat in the small lounge area as the newest human visitors headed out, their bus following the road markers that led to the highway nearby. The hangar district where the airport sat was busy and filled with fascinating sights as huge ships rumbled along to their parking zones or headed toward the runways. Others were here and there being unloaded, loaded up or serviced to go again. They were all manner, mostly cargo and shipping vessels, though there were battle ships nearby lining the flight line that led to the main runways. They were the first response ships that were always there, always ready to fight. As they looked, a Seeker patrol flew in, transformed in air, then landed with their usual flare before walking away together. Another nearby transformed in air, then jetted off to take their place in the security net of the empire.

"This is some big operation," Sam Hedges said. "Prime and his people really put their shoulder to the wheel. I knew it was big and complex but you have to see it."

Silvio nodded. "Look at how big the buildings are," he said as they looked the other way toward the hangars where the Supremes lived. "That must be where Omega and the others call home."

"Big fuckers, all of them. I've never seen them in person. Silverbolt is the biggest ship I ever saw, that and Cosmos." Jim Johnson stood, then stretched. "I'd love to see what's in there."

"If we keep it real we will," Sam said as he sat back.

At that moment, a side door opened on the giant hanger and a mech stomped out, clearly angry, clearly leaving the building for whatever reason. He was huge, massive, and unlike anything they had seen before. He was probably the scariest thing any of them had ever seen in real life, a nightmare in metallic menace who was fuming with rage. This one had red eyes, spikes on his shoulders and a bad attitude that fogged out around him and his relatively featureless face like a thundercloud. The door opened again and another bot exited, walking to the first to grip his shoulder. He spun that bot, then the two began to have a heated argument.

The six watching them from the lounge stood up, then walked to the window, drawn by the unworldly weirdness and raw insane power outside. The two behemoths were really getting into it, then one of them threw a punch. Behind them, a mech from the airport hurried to the window, then called internally for security. The humans didn't hear him do so but they heard him when he turned to them. "You need to step back. This window will hold out against anything but its a good idea to fall back," he said.

The humans looked at him, then most obliged. Todd and Jim turned to the big mech. "Who are they and what's happening?"

"Those are Dinobots, our most ruthless and fearless special operations soldiers. That's Snarl and Slag. They're brothers but they have differences of opinion. You better step back with the others. Now," the mech said as he towered over the two.

The two walked back to the lounge to stand with the others. As they did, the bot named Snarl swung back at the mech called Slag and the brawl was on. No one in the terminal seemed especially disturbed and Sam Hedges got the impression that if the six of them weren't here, they wouldn't pay much attention to the fight outside. The humans would make up for that, themselves. All six of them were transfixed by the raw power, sheer ferocity and alien strangeness of the encounter and its lack of a significant reaction to everyone in the terminal.

It was a huge brawl between evenly matched mechs with fiery breath they didn't spare in the slag fest that raged ever closer to the window. Other mechs outside, some of them halting their vehicles because the two were blocking them watched with amusement and interest, but not fear. Apparently, this was something that happened often or the Cybertronians had nerves of steel.

A siren in the distance was heard, then a huge shadow fell over the area from the open door of the big hangar nearby. A huge mech looked out, frowned, then walked forward. When he did, the two stopped fighting each other and ran forward toward the mammoth figure of Beta Supreme. As they ran, they transformed, creating Stegosaurus-like and Triceratops-like bots. They bellowed fire as they charged the big figure the humans knew was a Supreme mechanism.

Beta frowned, then leaned forward to swoop his gigantic servo at the two charging bots. He clipped the Stegosaurus who rolled like a ball just missing taking out the other. The Triceratops ran to Beta's ped, then let him have it. Bellowing with pain, Beta raised his ped, then leaned forward to grab Slag. Slag who anticipated that move ran away, heading toward the terminal windows at top speed. Following in fury, Beta grasped again and again, missing Slag each time.

The sirens arrived, a number of big mechs led by Inferno. They transformed, then ran forward with big long sticks. Two of them reached Snarl before he could regroup and tazed his sorry aft halfway off his body. He bellowed, blew enough fire to engulf everyone of them, then fell over. Standing over him, tazers in servo and a sizzling pall of smoky angst rising off their armor, Inferno watched as Slag fled Beta. **"LET'S GET HIM, BOYS!"**

They all ran forward with their tazers extended and big grins on their faces.

The little mini-con femme and two of her co-workers walked to the window to watch as they waited for more traffic through the terminal. This giant section of the facility was specially designed to handle all traffic by humans on-world due to its special jet ways, atmosphere and other security. It also handled anyone traveling anywhere in the system that wasn't going by bridge through the others that were outside the heavy duty glass-like partition dividing safe from unsafe space for humans. She watched and chatted with the other two as the humans watched her and the scene outside. It was surreal. They weren't disturbed, but rather, intrigued and entertained. Apparently, this had happened before.

-0-Prime

They gathered around Prime to discuss their options. There weren't many that were good. It would do everyone well to drag this out and hopefully, convince the two to give themselves up. "Prime to Blaster."

:Blaster, Prime:

"Open a channel to the Habitat."

"You're open:

Prime cut everyone in. "Prime to Sherma and Momus."

:What do you want, Prime? As if I have to ask: A cultured voice spoke, one that was becoming more and more familiar as Prime heard it.

:I want to know your terms to leave the Habitat and the humans safely behind:

It was silent, then the voice was back. :We haven't gotten that far. I would think you wouldn't let us go. You wouldn't want to let us out of here without retribution:

:I am prepared to let you go if you walk away from this moment: Prime said. :I do not have a problem if something happens that harms the humans. I have had nothing but trouble from the humans since the beginning. However, it would complicate relations if they were harmed. It would not end them, understand that. The humans value fortunes and things which we can supply in great quantities too much to sever ties. They would not end the relationship but it would make it difficult until they were adequately compensated. Either way, I have no problem with the outcome. If you leave, then fine. If you kill the humans, I am also fine. You should remember that if you do not remember anything else:

:That doesn't sound like you, Prime: another voice said. :You're not the type who gives up like that. You're the noble type who loses the war to save one individual. Besides, you wouldn't let us go anyway. Assume that you're as hardcore as you want us to believe … you wouldn't want anyone around who challenged your authority to leave and tell anyone else:

:I would prefer to have you leave than create complications for me because you are small fry and insignificant a challenge to my power, but you are right about one thing. I am good with either outcome. I have a lot of things to do, Sherma and Momus. You are not even on the list:

:Let us think about it, Prime. Sherma out:

The connection went dead. Prime frowned with frustration, then Prowl turned to him. "A technical alert has signaled that the elevator controls of the Habitat shelter just shorted out. The elevator won't be working again without repair."

"The humans did that," Raptor said. "Good for them. We can put that aside for a while."

Prime nodded. "That is a relief," he said as he thought about Angus being trapped in the building with two desperate mech criminals of this caliber. "I want a complete analysis of the building and a fast shuttle fueled up that is small enough to land on the highway if the only way to resolve this is to let them go. Under no circumstances will they go with the humans."

:Then you're going to negotiate them leaving, Optimus?: Magnus asked.

:It might be the only way to get this out of The City: Optimus said. :We can deal with it in space:

:What about bridging them somewhere?: Arcee asked.

:I am open to all good options: Optimus said grimly.

-0-Earth2

He sat in his office reading the text message from the Airport telling him that his personnel was here but would be held up due to the situation. He thought about the six hires, men who were now part of his new security company, the former Intel-Martin now named Harris Security Systems, LTD. He had bought the company through intermediary firms to make it harder for others to figure out who the new owners were and what their purpose was. Nast had gone to jail and his stuff was confiscated in the fines and penalties that followed. It had been liquidated, all but the personal stuff and a bunch of his fortune. His children, all of them adults now, had inherited their fair share but the bulk was sold off. Owen Harris bought it from the ground up, renamed it, then settled in with a 'house army'. These six guys were going to be part of the in-house security force here.

These six men were part of the early debacle that Nast had found himself in. Two of them, James Johnson and Sam Hedges were infamous and well known to the bots. He didn't expect them to be allowed to come here, certainly not to live as employees when he sent the new hire list to Prime's office for a security overview. …

A month earlier ...

Jazz rapped on the door of Prime's office where Prowl and Prime were going over details of something or other. He walked in, then laid the datapad on Prime's desk. "Check it out."

Prime picked it up, looked it over, then handed it to Prowl. "Very interesting. Do they believe they can make it through or is this a test of our resolve?"

"Maybe they're checking our systems," Jazz said. "I want them cleared. They're part of the Resistance on Earth and frankly, Optimus, I want to see them frag up. It might be fun and it might allow us to find out new things, even accidentally."

Prowl grinned slightly. "That would be fun. We'd have to tie a can to them the whole time they're on world. If anyone is going to break a rule or start trouble, its them. None of the mechs from Diego when they were there will be happy. The potential is high for us to make it clear that we're not fooling around here."

"I concur," Optimus said with a nod. "Clear them. Put a detail on them full time. I want to know if we can use them as a starting point to find out more about the opposition."

"Got ya," Jazz said with a grin. "It's not like Mirage has a lot to do anyway."

" **I heard that!"** a voice down the hallway called out as Jazz turned to the door. He grinned at Prowl and Prime, then exited.

Prowl glanced at Prime. "It'll be good to have a second shot at them."

Prime nodded. "I agree."

-0-In Earth2 watching the stand off on the monitor nearby

Owen Harris glanced out the window at the massive security forces surrounding the facility. A tech at the broadcast station had put three different cameras on them to stream the video through their station but they were finding as everyone else that their contact with Earth and even each other was down for the duration. They would have great video anyway. They just wouldn't be able to show it live.

The door opened as Kyle Davis and Perry Beliveau walked in, pulled up chairs, then sat. "What do you think is happening?" Kyle asked.

"I've triangulated from the call directory that the problem lies at the Sciences Habitat. Something is going on there. Maybe someone decided they hated humans enough to make trouble," Owen said as they glanced at the monitor which had a view of the street showing Prime and soldiers at one end and Magnus with a number of tall femmes at the other. "I wonder what he's going to do?"

"I wouldn't worry too much. He's done this for millions of years," Kyle said. "He'll solve it one way or the other."

"I have six new security men coming in. They're held up at the airport because of this. They're the ones I told you about," Owen said with a grin.

"You really want to make trouble, don't you," Perry said with a grin of his own.

"No," Owen said. "But I want men around me who'll do what I tell them without a lot of fear."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Owen. Remember … Prime can deport all of us and make it stick," Perry said.

Owen nodded, then looked at the screen. Nothing had changed at the moment but it would soon enough. Something had to be resolved about the problem. It would be interesting to study how Prime did it. Anything he could learn about the big mech was good.

-0-Schools

The human kids and those who lived in Autobot City gathered in the lunchroom as the schools carefully let the children who lived elsewhere go home. They had contacted every genitor and confirmed where all their children were supposed to go before sending them out in buses or grouped on trains led by teachers and staff to ensure that they got home safely. All of the children who lived in The City would be staying here as long as necessary. That included the human children of Earth 1, Earth2, the Family Tower, and even The Resort. Some of them spent the night there from time to time when their family members had to work special events. It was considered a good idea to keep the human children who weren't already in safe places in care until the intentions of the perpetrators were clearly understood toward their community.

The humans from Earth 1 and 2 sat with the kids from Autobot City waiting for the word about what they would be doing for the next few joors or even overnight. Parents and genitors were contacted and everyone understood. Now, they just had to wait.

-0-Sparkling Day School #1, Terra

A cart filled with tiny human babies floated behind Neo as she pulled it toward a runabout from the hospital. Laret was carrying a tiny little boy who was laughing at her through his helmet. None of the kids were bothered by their gear given the amount of time they wore it and how young they were but it was always remarked on Earth how weird it must be that they would have to live like that.

"We're going the roundabout way, Neo," Rem said as he helped Laret steer the anti-gravity cart into the ship. He grinned at the kids and they grinned at him. Neo entered behind them, then sat down with the baby.

"Thank you, Rem," Neo said. "I'm glad we can take the babies to their genitors. I don't mind helping them but it's a delicate thing."

Two human women, both of them wives of N.E.S.T. strikers ran up the ramp into the shuttle with their baby bags and a box filled with their toys. : **WE'RE HERE!** Sorry we're late. They have so many important toys: Lisle McFarlane said as she put things down next to a small row of seats all runabouts contained for humans. Her husband, Toby, was an alpha striker and she was an aide with the schools for the human babies. All was well in her world.

Cecelia Combs hurried up as well, then dropped her gear. She was the wife of a chef in The Resort who wanted to help with the human babies in the school. : **THAT'S ONE LONG RUN!:**

"I'm sorry, Cee-Cee," Laret said. "Next time, climb into the cart."

The sound of laughter could be heard as the ramp went up. The ship lifted off lightly, then flew the long way around to the Family Tower and a roof landing. It would take no time for the humans waiting to collect the babies, swap news, then go inside. No one would really know anything more that wasn't on the TV.

-0-Airport

Running from Beta Supreme, looking over his shoulder as he did, Slag slammed into the window causing everyone inside to jump back from the impact. It was then that Inferno and his mechs reached the big mech who sat up and blew a bale of fire straight at them. It may have felt good to do that in his revenge-minded processor but it would be the only thing that felt good for a while as all three mechs slammed their tazers into his body. Fire exploded outward as he bellowed before falling into a state of twitching unconsciousness.

It cleared, then three mechs with long electrically snapping silver staff tazers stood over Slag with looks of grim satisfaction. It would take a while for their armor to cool off but it would be worth the bother to bring down the most muley, dangerous, mean, contrary, and hated Dinobot of them all.

The six men in a group nearby walked closer to the window as they watched the sights together. "Fuck," Jim Johnson said quietly. The others nodded in agreement.

-0-TBC 9-22-17 **edited 9-23-17**


	137. Chapter 137

The Diego Diaries: Stand Off (dd6 137)

-0-Outside the habitat

:Prime to Sherma and Momus:

:We're here, Prime:

:I am preparing a ship for you to use to leave. You would do well to get on board and leave this place, never to come back. I have no time for this and you have no options. At some point, if you kill the humans, we will come in and kill you. If you try to take them with you, snipers will take you out. There is no way you win or even live if you do not take the ship and leave: Prime said.

:And you would never keep your word to let us go: Sherma said as he paced inside the shelter. Sitting on couches in the lounge watching them with dread, Bobby Epps and Will Lennox waited. It was apparent they were conversing with someone and that someone was probably Optimus. It was incredibly tense as the two big mechs worked through their circumstances.

:I give you my word through the Matrix that I will not oppose you leaving, just the two of you, to go from my sphere of influence. You have my word on the Matrix: Prime said grimly. Their options were slim to none if they were going to preserve the humans.

:I'll call you back: The line went dead.

-0-School: Youngling Day School #1, Centurion

They gathered the kids who were from Autobot City into the auditorium of the school where they filled about fifteen rows. They were almost all Cybertronian but there were about 68 human kids included. Nova walked to the front and turned to them. "We would like you to know that there's an incident undergoing in Autobot City at the moment that prevents us from taking you home on the usual transports. Your families were contacted about this and they all know. You will be staying here in the school until we're clear that you can go home safely. Even if it means you stay the night, you will be taken care of very well. This won't be the first time that we've kept you over so be comforted that we know how to do this. All of you human children will be cared for as well. We have an emergency room where you will stay and take care of your needs with assistance from two of our aides, Miss Iffa and Mr. Slipstream."

Both of the aides stood, then grinned. Mr. Slipstream was a tiny Seeker of a class that could fly extremely fast and was generally a courier or messenger. Iffa was just a tiny femme with a big spark who was studying to be a teacher herself.

"Right now, we want you to go with your teachers and our aides to the pool where we're going to have free time swimming for about two joors, then dinner will be served," Nova said as his voice was drowned out by cheers. The start of their stay over was universally approved by all.

-0-Inside the other place of interest

They watched the two pacing as they discussed together in NeoCybex what they were going to do. Epps glanced at Lennox who was sitting on a couch forcing himself to look casual. The two mechs had asked about the others, then were directed to the elevator. It would have been a hard fit for either to enter but now it was a moot point. The elevator wasn't working and they concluded that those below had shorted it out. There was discussion about shooting holes in the floor in their anger and vengeance until they were told by Lennox that the ricochet from their shots would probably hit them if they tried. The floor was made of cybertanium and designed to be invasion-proof.

{"Do you believe him?"} Momus asked as they turned to the humans. {"Maybe we can take a human with us if this is going to happen."}

Sherma turned in suppressed fury toward the hatch where they had entered. {"This was a mistake. We need to leave."}

{"And go where? To Razorclaw? To Cybertron? Where?"} Momus asked.

{"Anywhere is better than here"} Sherma said caustically. He looked at the humans. "Of course, we can always send those two out mulched."

"That wouldn't be smart," Will said.

Epps nodded. "You kill us, you complicate Prime's life and he won't like it."

"He doesn't think much of humans," Momus said.

"We know but he wants to keep the problems minimal," Epps said. "Killing us will make that problematic."

"So … we go and take one or two of you with us, to drop off somewhere else for pick up … what about that, know-it-all. Why don't you tell us about that idea?" Momus asked in an almost petulant voice.

"I imagine it might be better than storming this place and having to explain things later on, but Prime won't like it. He doesn't like complications." Epps glanced at Lennox. "Black Shadow tried and so did others. They're all dead or in prison now." He looked at the two calmly. "Better cut a deal with Prime or he's going to do the math and jump this place."

They stared at him, then Prime was back. The two men watched the pair as they argued with Prime off line. How it would turn out, no one could guess.

-0-Airport

Jarrod Wilkerson landed at the airport and was met by Smokescreen and Devcon. He looked up at them with a grin. :Hi:

"Hi," Dev said as he lay down his servo. Jarrod glanced around, then climbed aboard. "I have to take you to the Tower. Everyone is there for dinner," he said as the two walked out of the protected concourse into the cold growing darkness of the evening. They would disappear into the well lit airfield together.

-0-Getting on night time

They stood on the corner of an area that was massively blocked off. Teams had combed the local businesses taking everyone out and away from the cordoned off area. Slipping away with the Watch and soldiers, the civilians who had barracked themselves inside their businesses and their customers were relieved to go. Those who lived in the area and couldn't reach their homes were told to go to the Temple where the priests were receiving refugees while others living in towers were told to stay put. Soon, it was quiet again as the evening drew onward with negotiations.

Ratchet had stepped in fulfilling the role he often played for Prime, that of hostage negotiator in situations where a slick talker with a deep knowledge of psychology was needed.

Like right now.

He had walked within sight of them had the tinted windows not been cranked up, then stepped behind a pillar that blocked his entire body. He had been talking to them for over an hour. There was little progress. The sticking point was the two didn't believe that Prime's word would hold.

:Ratchet to Prime:

:Prime here:

:The hold up is simple. They don't believe that you'd give your word even with the Matrix. They're looking for the lie: Ratchet replied.

Prime considered that, then looked up the street. He saw Ratchet. :Link me in:

:You're on: Ratchet said.

:Sherma, Momus … this is Optimus Prime. I am telling you this simple truth. I am guided by the Matrix. Once a promise is made to It, then it means your life if you break it. I will make an oath on the Matrix that you will be allowed to leave here on a vessel. You may go without taking any of the humans with you. I will give you leave to go. I know that you understand that the Matrix will extract a penalty up to death if I break my word. You have it:

It was silent a moment. :We would require a ship fully provisioned and fueled, Prime. We would require your oath on the Matrix. Walk down here and make the oath where we can see you:

:I am prepared to do it. However, I have stated to my troops that if you do anything to me that they are to level the habitat and leave nothing there alive. Do you understand your future if you betray me?:

It was silent almost too long, then Sherma was back. :We understand all of it. What we want to know is if you do. Come down here and make the oath, Prime. We don't have to touch to make it so. Give us an oath that we can believe in:

:I am on my way: He turned to the others. "Fill the third floors of the buildings around here with snipers and make them visible, but only on my call. I want to show them that they are alive on my sufferance and any betrayal will mean their end."

Springer nodded, then turned to the troops that had been called up earlier who were sitting nearby. He gave them orders, then they hurried off to enter buildings and make their ways forward, entering apartments to use their windows. After a moment, they signaled they were ready. Springer turned to Prime, then nodded. Prime nodded back, then looked down the street. Without a backward glance, he stepped out and walked down the sidewalk to stop across the street from the Habitat. :Momus, Sherma. I am here. I am also covered by shooters if you try anything. Listen in and I will give my oath:

:Give it, Prime. Make it good: Sherma replied.

Prime glanced down the street each direction, then turned to face the habitat again. :Sherma, Momus … I am Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars, the Empire and all Cybertronians wherever they exist. I am the First Disciple of Primus and His emissary on this plane of existence. I am the conduit through which the Pantheon weighs in on The People. I am the one who channels the blessings of Primus and The One. I bear the Creation Matrix, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the greatest of the matrices of our people. I swear on the Matrix that I will not block you leaving this planet and will provide a ship and provisions to take you away. I order you to leave this space and not return. I order you to leave the Empire as fast as you can. You have my word on the Matrix that I will not hinder or prevent your departure. But I swear to you by the same measure, if you harm a single human, my oath is invalid and I will hunt you, myself unto your death. So say I, so says the Matrix. I have spoken:

A sensation of cool air passed through Prime and he could feel it touch the two mechs inside. It was an acknowledgment of the oath between the three of them. It was silent a moment, the Sherma spoke. :Have a ship land here, Prime. We're leaving immediately:

:Send out the two humans. The others are beyond your reach. If they are harmed, the oath is broken and I can move to exact penalties. Let the two with you go and I will comply: Prime said.

:Land the ship and they will be allowed to leave. It's a trade off, Prime. Humor us: Momus said.

Prime glanced down the street, then nodded. Prowl looked away to something that Prime couldn't see, then the sound of a vessel was heard. It was a lift off sound, then it came closer, appearing overhead. Lowering itself, it touched down gently, filling the street from side-to-side. A pilot climbed down the ramp and ran to the building where Ratchet stood, going inside through a shop door. Ratchet moved farther down the street to watch as the tension rose.

Prime stayed where he was, outwardly calm but inwardly tense. It seemed to take forever, then there was movement on the street in front of the building. Two sets of peds could be seen under the ship climbing inside. At the same time, around the tail section of the vessel two humans appeared, then ran as fast as they could toward Prime just as the ship began to fire up. Prime ran forward, grabbed both men, then ran back in time to miss the engine blast. The ship rose, cleared the buildings, then flew straight up into the sky to disappear. By then, all the soldiers and his officers ran to where Prime stood holding Lennox and Epps.

Ratchet reached them first. "Are you alright?" he asked.

The two nodded. "We are. The others are in the shelter."

"We know," Ratchet said as Prime put the two down.

Prime turned to Jetta. "We need them dug out."

Jetta nodded, then stepped aside to call for a team. Magnus glanced at the humans, then Prime. "What do we do now? You can't go after them."

Prime nodded. "I can not, that is true, but **you** can."

Magnus smirked slightly. "Consider it done."

Ratchet grinned. "I dealt with Sherma in the Senate. He wasn't the sharpest cog then and he hasn't changed now."

The laughter that drew was a great relief to everyone.

-0-Tower, about a joor later

Hildie and the others walked in to the giant relief of everyone. Jarrod cried as he held his son and hugged his wife. It was a great reunion and many kudos were laid on the laps of Cindy and Lola Teasdale. After a check in with Prowl, everyone was excused from the lock down. It was decided that the kids could stay at school overnight and the adults would come to them in the morning to make changes of clothes and the like. They were 'camping' overnight at their school. So would Prime's kids but for Sojourner and Solus. So would Ratchet and Ironhide's but for Prowler. Everyone else was stranded. Everyone but Partition.

-0-Six guys at the airport

It was dark when the N.E.S.T. soldier came to drive them to Earth2. They had not been in contact and even with facilities and excellent food sent to them from The Resort, they were still tired and getting cranky. A big soldier, Toby McFarlane walked into the facility to where they sat. "I'm Sargent Toby McFarlane. I've been tasked to take you to Earth2. Gather up your slag and let's go," he said, then he turned toward the door to leave. "Make sure you pass the gear up check or I'm leaving you behind."

They stared at him, then each other. Swiftly donning the gear that would keep them alive, they gathered their stuff and hurried after McFarlane who was already through the energy field and in the vehicle. One of them set off the alarm and after an attendant helped them get it straight, they were able to pass through the security barrier to go out into the real world. Entering the vehicle, they roared out into the gloom of night and the brightly lighted streets and highways of the colony.

"What happened? I thought there was an incident?" Todd Baseman said.

"There was. It's over. We have a long ride. Buckle up," McFarlane said. He disappeared into the slightly more heavy traffic than usual this time of night. A lot of individuals were making their way home at last.

-0-TBC 9-23-17 **edited 9-26-17**

-0-NOTES

Found this: :D

G3 cometh.

 _ **Transformers: Cyberverse**_ is an upcoming animated series. Developed by Boulder Media Studio, "Chapter One" is set to air in 2018, with a second "Chapter" aimed for a 2019 release. The series is intended to "focus more on characters and their mythology"

I don't know if the chapters have multiple parts to play out but it would be weird to show 'chapter one', then wait a year for 'chapter two'. Could be fun. :D:D:D

Good responses in the notes:

 **Guest** chapter 136 . 6h ago

Mamma Rosa said someone was going to have a baby. I Inferno and Red Alert they need a sparkling of their own. And how about Beachcomber and Buffer too. Maybe First Aid And Bee. Or maybe even a couple of the humans will have a baby. Awesome chapters.

 **ME:** Thanks, honey. :D She did and that will come to pass shortly when things get taken care of. I love the suggestions people make about this. I have a whole list of bonds that will be genitors at some point. I love having the choice. :D HUGS!

 **kattenbelletje** chapter 136 . 12h ago

Isn't Ratchet able to put mechs in stasis remotely? He could try that with Momus and Sherma.

 **ME:** I have an entire list of possibilities including that but the habitat is not only a habitat but a defensive outpost for the humans on world. Therefore, its so secure that normal things won't work here. Optimus always worries about things going south and this is part of that so the security is optimal here. :D HUGS!

 **Guest** chapter 136 . 18h ago

How is any of the human habitats designed against direct assault if all that Momus and Sherma did was rip the front door off its hinges to gain access to inside the habitat? Doesn't seem very secure after all.

 **ME:** The habitat is optimal from the outside. The pods inside are designed to be used in case of rupture or system failure. They weren't designed against someone invading the facility. They are more life boats than fortified defensive positions. They, therefore, are less secure than the rest of the facility. They are inside and less secured because of it. :D HUGS!

 **Guest** chapter 136 . 19h ago

Awesome chapters. Damn Intel Martin people can go eff themselves. Can any of the bots that are warpers, or go invisible or the metro formers in pretender tech get inside the habitat unnoticed and take out Momus and Sherma?

 **ME:** The habitats are protected from any outside forces. They would be able to with any other building but the human habitats. Prime is paranoid about them getting hurt and thus, the designs are intensely anti-invader. :D HUGS!

 **Ragemoose** chapter 136 . 19h ago

god, and here i was thinking harris might have been shaping up. i hope he gets a rock in his shoe, the sour old goat. the idea that hes becoming a new nast is sickening. with a young daughter... god. what a tool. it's hard to even WANT him to shape up when he pulls crap like this. i hope his son rats him out. i mean, they already know whats going on because earth 2 is a titan, but i hope his son at least has the sense to distance himself from that egotist of a father. his son was sorta shaping up to be good last we saw. I think he could go places. i hope he has enough sense not to get involved.

 **ME:** I think his kids have some possibilities especially Rick because he likes the place, likes the bots he works with and has respect. A lot of times, young people can change where sometimes the elders can't or won't. Owen likes money and power. It will be interesting to see what budges him, it anything. HUGS! :D

 **Misty Legionnaire** chapter 136 . 22h ago

Couldn't one of the pretender donned titans get in? Seems they can go anywhere they want and if they "shrank" their normal size they could get in and ascertain the situation in the shelter.

If titans got in, could they get anyone out via dimensional shifts or is this the wrong time to see what would happen to humans going through the different dimensions

Look forward to the next chapter.

 **ME:** That would be fun but again, no one would know what it would mean to the humans. Also, the security of the building would be a tough opponent. All the possibilities are on the table but they have to make them happen around a building that is designed to defeat unauthorized or hostile entry. HUGS! :D

 **Megatron Owes Me Money** chapter 136 . 23h ago

The phrase, "we're not in Kansas anymore." comes to mind for the last bit LOL!

 **ME: MUAAHHAHAHAAHA!** I agree. :D Nothing like a really hard problem to make everyone uptight. Prime has to be smarter than these two and given their history, it won't be that hard. :D Turncoat traitors to the planet deserve a shellacking. :D HUGS!

 **Megatron Owes Me Money** chapter 135 . Sep 21

OMG! I almost forgot about Daniels and the mercenaries from Intel-Martin. Oh when Prowl finds out... (gets out the popcorn and beer)... this gonna be good! XD

Oooh you should do a follow up on Daniels, Galloway and whoever else got pinched from that group LOL!

 **ME:** I will follow up. :D:D:D I have to say, I miss these idiots. Prowl will be waiting for them. I see them as fun and the possibilities are endless. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **Ragemoose** chapter 135 . Sep 21

ugh... jim and sam... we just cant get rid of these dirt bags. smh. i hope they get ejected immediately with no warning. turned away at the gate. i also hope that they can use this as evidence against the earth 2 guy who's name slips my mind. deliberately hiring people who have advocated against your right to have a home and iirc blamed bombings on your existence on a planet? that sort of goes past "innocent employment slip" and shoots straight into "uncalled for dick move" haha

 **ME:** It really is but then, Owen is a combative guy and wants dudes around him that are totally obedient. This may actually be fun to write. After all, they are hated by the twins and the feeling is mutual. :D:D:D HUGS!

 **Guest** chapter 131 . Sep 21

Burris bond is named Anders and harmed himself by drinking a toxic chemical. It is in The Diego Diaries Part 5 chapters 345 and 346 where you will find this. There sons are Keystock, Bezel and Cargo. Keystock was also in the Prison along with his atar Burris.

 **Me:** On it. I changed the names. Keystock is coming up with several others. Cargo and Bezel are already at odds and that hasn't changed now. Hobbes has a really messed up family with all his kids but one jerking around. Thank you for the notes. I have my writing program on but half the data can't be accessed because I'm doing something wrong. I have an email in to the company to see how I can fix that. HUGS! :D


	138. Chapter 138

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 138)

-0-Airfield

A heavily armed grim-faced Ultra Magnus strode across the airfield heading toward a Wrecker shuttle. Standing around the hatch door, Hercy, Kup, the twins, Roadbuster on loan from the Prison, Twin Twist, and Whirlaway waited. Magnus nodded to the group, then climbed upward with the rest following in his wake. A youngster who was pilot on loan from Home Guard entered behind them, seated himself, then quickly ran through pre-flight. They were airborne in seconds.

-0-The Family Tower

"We ran for it, making it to the elevator. I was in the back working on my notes when Will came in and told me to go to the shelter," Cindy Teasdale said as the entire crowd in the tower sat with the eight former hostages while they ate something. Angus was chewing on his truck as he sat in his father's lap with a big smile for anyone who looked his way. Jarrod was collected, listening to the story as Hildie ate something beside him. "We had to keep the elevator out of their hands so we shorted it out. We would have defended everyone," she said as her twin and Sheila nodded. "No one was coming down without a fight waiting."

"You're my kind of twins," Judy Witwicky said with a grin. "What **is this** about twins anyway?"

Huge laughter.

It would be a while before Bobby Epps and Will Lennox would join them and when they did not only would they get a hero's welcome but a rapt audience for the tale.

-0-Sciences Habitat

Prime stood in the main room which was designed to allow them inside. There was destruction but nothing that would be too hard to fix in a short time. The humans could double up in the other habitats until then. He looked at the pods which were environmental in nature, rather than strategic. "I think we need to improve the doors, Prowl," he said. "It is clear that it is not enough that they have a fall back site during a system failure. They have to be steadfast against entry during a crisis. It was luck that they had them at all but we can do better."

Prowl nodded. "I'll get with Jetta. He's down below getting the tunnels cleared," he said as they walked to the hole that had been cut in the floor with special welding tips attuned to cutting through double layered cybertanium. They looked down at the shelter below where a number of mechs were working on the elevator. The door that led outward, a highly secure hatch that led to tunnels between shelters was open but the passage beyond was filled with debris. "This is supposed to be up to specs by tomorrow. Jetta put teams on it from night shift Public Works."

"Good," Prime said. "All in all, it held. A real world test did not defeat the system but we can tweak it."

Prowl nodded, then they walked through the crowd who came to watch along the streets beyond. Prime halted by his mechs who stood on the sidewalk watching the show. "I think we can go. This is secured. What I want right now is to hear from Ultra Magnus. When they are in custody, book them through the jail, then transfer them to the prison into segregation. They can be arraigned in court tomorrow when I can be there. I do not believe they will be happy about any of it."

"If Magnus doesn't blast them, that is," Ironhide said with a slight smirk. "They aren't the sharpest tools in the box."

"No, they aren't, thank Primus," Ratchet said with a grin.

They chatted a bit more, then went on their way. Home was calling and morning would come soon enough.

-0-On the air

"We have some news to report from the Office of the Primes. A statement was issued that I will read now. 'Today, a pair of criminals who came to Mars after disguising their appearance were spotted and attempted to flee capture. They fled The Diner On The Corner, ran down Metroplex Highway #1, exchanged fire with the Day Watch officers in pursuit, then forced their way inside the United Nations Sciences Habitat on Sports Center Drive in downtown Autobot City this morning. They entered, then captured two humans who were inside while eight others including the infant, Angus Optimus Wilkerson, the first human born on Mars or any other planet, fled to the shelters below. The two captured were Major William Lennox, commandant of the N.E.S.T on world garrison and Master Sargent Robert Epps who were securing the others against harm.

"The Prime was notified and attended with his senior officers for the situation at hand. All through the orn, negotiations were ongoing, conducted by the Prime's chief diplomat and situation-negotiator, Ratchet of Iacon. It was during the last two joors that a solution was achieved in which the two criminals, tentatively identified as Sherma of Iacon and Momus of Helex would be allowed to leave the planet after surrendering Major Lennox and Sargent Epps. A ship was landed, the two hostages were released and the pair left Autobot City for space at 2250 hours on the TMC.

"It was then that Optimus Prime sent Ultra Magnus, City Manager, Chief Enforcement Officer of the Tyrest Treaties and senior member of the Prime's General Staff with a team of Wreckers to intercept and capture the pair. That part of the situation is still underway and when it's resolved, the news will be reported. As of now, the habitat is secured and under repair, all of the humans involved, ten including the Martian baby, Angus Wilkerson are safe and restored to their friends, family and community.

"As of now, the situation has been stood down to normal and all of the children who live in Autobot City itself will be returned to their genitor's care and custody tomorrow. It has been decided that since they are being held at their schools, rather than risk bringing them home through the fluid situation, that they will remain where they are for now. Any genitors who wish to pick them up in the morning may do so after they are fed at 0730 hours on the TMC.

"The damage relayed by the Communications Office of the Primes is minimal and currently being repaired. The Habitat is estimated to be returned on line tomorrow at 1400 hours on the TMC. We hope to have a conversation with Prime, Magnus and others involved shortly. Until then, please stay tuned to The Hourly News and the IntraCom network. Anything that requires mass dissemination of information will be transmitted by personal transponders by the Prime. As of now, that level of alert has not been reached.

"We will be back after this break," Aleph said as the Community Bulletin Board appeared on the screen.

"You're famous," Thelma Lennox said as she glanced at her son. "I suppose you're one of those who'll be interviewed?"

"I'm ready for my close up no matter what," Will said with a grin. "What worries me is the reaction on Earth."

"What about you two? Sorry you're here?" Judy Witwicky asked a pensive Jarrod and a calm Hildie. Angus was sleeping in his father's arms.

"We're good to go," Jarrod said with a grim expression. "This is our home and this is the birthplace of Angus. It's going to take more than this," he said glancing at Hildie who nodded. "We all knew the risks."

"We did. This is the first time in almost eight years that anything this weird has happened. Even with Black Shadow, this was the first real threat to me," Barbara Morshower said. "We met and conquered it. All of us. Together."

"Until all are one," Lola said as she grinned at Angus.

The room murmured in agreement.

-0-School

They sat in the small room that was built down the hallway from their classroom as a shelter during those moments when they couldn't get home. Two bots, Miss Iffa and Mr. Slipstream had gone out to have a break to allow the kids to take showers and get their jammies and other sleepwear on. They were riotously happy and down with the whole idea of 'camping' without adult supervision of the parental variety. Soon, they were seated on couches staring out the huge window that lined the entire wall of their elevated habitat.

It was designed like those on ships for human safety and comfort. It was a self contained unit that could be pulled out and carried off if the moment demanded but for now, it was slotted into a space in the wall of the corridor by the school's offices on the ground floor of the tower. They were in a space that had barrack-style berth rooms, boys and girls separate as per request of the human designers for reasons the bots couldn't fathom, with large showers (boys and girls again), lots of couches and chairs, a kitchen for the staff that cared for them to prepare this and that, and last but not least, enough electronics and TVs for everyone.

"This is weird. I feel like I'm a fish in an aquarium," Rain Harris said as she sat with half a dozen human girls by the window, all of them from Earth2. "My dad has one installed in the wall of his office." She looked down. "It must be twenty feet to the floor out there."

They all peered down, then sat again. "What do you think is going on?" Camilla asked. "They won't tell us."

"I don't know. I asked Anna Lennox and the others but they didn't say," Rain said. She glanced at them, then looked out again as the adult bots working overnight went about their business in the lobby of the school. "They won't tell us stuff. We're outsiders. Stuck ups."

"I don't know. I like them. Some of them are younger than me but they're alright," Jaycee said. She looked at the others who were laughing and talking in NeoCybex. "I hate it when they talk in bot, though."

"They're probably talking about us," Rain said sourly. "This is going to be a long night."

"Stop being a sourpuss," Jaycee said as she got up, then walked to the other group to sit. They switched to English for her and continued their conversation.

It would be a long night for the sourpuss.

-0-Magnus

"Sherma and Momus, this is Commander Ultra Magnus. Respond," Magnus said as he sat in the command seat behind the pilot. The crew sat along the bulkheads listening with grins. There was no answer. "Tell me what you can, pilot, about the ship ahead."

He checked, then the youngster from the Home Guard Air Armada glanced at Magnus. "They can't outrun us, sir, and they have no impairment against answering."

"Then let's give them one," Magnus said as he glanced at Kup. "Put a round into their propulsion unit, Kup."

Kup nodded, then turned his gun turret toward the fleeing ship which had started to zig-zag as they noted the advancement of their pursuers. Kup made the calculations, something he could do in his sleep, then lay down a line of fire that with the pilot's cooperation ahead in his futile effort to evade stitched the tail section and the area where the engines operated. Fire flared, then died as the hull fragmented and came apart. Trailing a stream of smoke and liquids, the ship slid erratically to a halt. It went dark as the systems of the vessel cascaded, then failed altogether.

Magnus glanced at Kup. "Nice shooting," he said, then arose. "Sherma, Momus, answer this time or I'll put you both permanently out of my misery."

It was silent a moment, then a static-filled voice was heard. **"FRAG YOU, MAGNUS! PRIME GAVE HIS WORD!"**

"Yeah? **I didn't.** Float out without arms and we'll pick you up or we're going to marker buoy this spot and no one will pick you up. You can hang here forever," Magnus said with a frown. This was taking time. He had things to do.

" **FRAG YOU, MAGNUS! WE'RE COMING OUT!"** Momus cried out. Then the line went dead.

After a few moments, the hatch opened and two mechs floated out. They were scanned, found to be clear, then pulled in. Energon cuffs and magnetizing to the hull took care of things as they put a marker on the ship. It would be towed by someone else. They were heading for the barn. It would be intensely tense all the way back to Autobot City as the two sat without speaking on the trip.

-0-On the ground again at the Prison Control Center, Autobot City

They entered the conference room under guard. Standing along the wall, most of the general officers were waiting for the rest of the story. Springer made room for Kup and Hercy as Magnus stood over the pair. They were given seats and sat with cold fury as they glared at Prime. "You gave us your word, Prime. You made an oath on the Matrix," Momus said as Sherma stared at him with fury.

"I kept it. Magnus, on the other hand, had no such oath to uphold. I let you go," Prime said. He leaned forward on his elbows. "Both of you are Decepticons. You sold out to their cause and our people. You came here under false pretenses and there was no way leaving here that you would not prey on others. You are now my prisoners and you will be held in the prison pending hearings. You will be given council and I would suggest that you listen to them. You will be given all the rights and privileges of citizenship that you did not feel anyone else deserved. What did you really think? That I would allow you to go out there and continue to make trouble?" Prime asked.

Sherma sat forward. "I don't know how and I don't know when but you're going to pay for this, Prime."

Prowl who was staring at both like he was staring at a stain on his ped, arms crossed and disgust in full bloom, shook his helm. "Yes. Right. Now, off you go," he said glancing at Springer. "Throw them in the slammer. Lose the key."

Springer grinned, then gripped Momus. He was lifted off his chair but it took two mechs to handle Sherma. It was amazing the swearing and cursing that came out of him as he was dragged out the door. It faded slowly in the distance until it was silent again.

"That was … interesting," Prowl said. He glanced at Optimus. "You enjoyed that."

Prime stared at the door, then Prowl. He sat back and grinned slightly. "I think I did."

-0-TBC 9-24-17 **edited 10-04-17**


	139. Chapter 139

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 139) needs editing :D

-0-Moving on

They walked with ill grace to the jail at the Courthouse passing no one in the darkness of the evening. The streets were pretty much empty this late and the two were spared the humiliation of being seen in cuffs and custody. The train system that ran between the Courthouse, its jail, the brig in The Fortress and the Prison, a dedicated travel system for criminals only, wasn't running from The Fortress at the moment. That area was getting an electrical upgrade, too, and the debris of tunneling had to be piled somewhere. It was cold, the sky was clear and filled with stars twinkling in the deeply black velvet of space. Lights from ships and all the different satellites of all manner could be seen slowly crossing overhead. Neither moon was in view as they sped on their ever fluctuating orbits of the planet.

Momus and Sherma walked past businesses sullenly, stomping along with a collection of amused Watch mechs including Springer and Drift. Hercy and Kup came along for the lulz, though both of them were due back at the Valles for fun. That included Magnus. The Pit Stop was going great guns as the drunk-hopeful-to-be-sober crowd and those on night shifts or leaving swing stopped in for breakfast-lunch-dinner. Light spilled out of the big windows of the big restaurant as they clipped along. Light poles were spaced apart along both sides of the eight lane highway that serviced the area and gave illumination to a wide open space that had a surplus of area for the airport next to it.

Hangars flooded light outward, though a couple were darkened as the inhabitants recharged inside. Ships moved here and there, their running lights bright in the night. Huge banks of lights spaced around the airport lit it up in the darkness. There was noise, conversations, shouts between workers leading, guiding or working on ships all over the area. The sound of welding poured out of a workshop they passed, its many windows throwing square pools of light on the ground.

The other side had businesses of many kinds and a number of storage places that handled both commercial and private inventory. The Courthouse loomed ahead and beyond it, the lighted space and enormous domed shapes of the Hu-An Habitat and that of N.E.S.T. Beyond, down a side street was the enormous compound of IntraCom with the original building since expanded several times and five big buildings beyond that which were sound stages for their broadcast, film and television industries. Everything that was produced here, music, television and movies utilized this area. With the inclusion of the Performing Arts Center, the possibilities for production expansion and support were unending.

They walked toward the Courthouse, then along the side street where all criminals began their journey into the Care of the State. A trio of vehicles were lined up in the parking lot next to the entrance to the jail waiting to go to bring in prisoners from all over the colony. Two were already out doing just that. Entering, they waited at the door while two mechs inside raged at each other. Neither of them were in cuffs but Springer stepped forward ready to do the deed. "What's going on here?" he asked.

Then the full fire and outraged outrage turned from each other to Springer. They began to back him upward toward a nearby wall. It was amusing for everyone, especially Sherma and Momus.

" **BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"**

Then the two doubled over. Hercy, who had turned down the gain on his shock device, glanced at Springer. "Your turn, infant," he said as he stepped back. Kup smirked, everyone smirked, Drift tried not to and their two criminals doubled over with laughter.

" **YEAH, SPRINGER! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT! THE SHRIMP SHOWED YOU!"** Momus said as he howled with laughter. Then he wasn't. Lying on the floor twitching, he gazed at Hercy with outrage anyway. Sherma stepped back eyeing the little mech with loathing.

Springer chuckled, then glanced at Hercy. "Is he safe to touch yet?"

"You're grounded aren't ya?" Hercy asked with a slight grin.

"I am **now** ," Springer said as he dragged Momus to his peds. Electricity flashed through him, then grounded through Springer. He came to his senses slowly. "Let's book 'em."

The other two were dragged into a holding cell nearby to be judged by mechs and Primus later when they stopped twitching. The other two were steered before the 'Master of the Deck' as he was called by those who liked him and a select set of other names by those who didn't. They stood before the slightly bored looking Intake Sargent who stared at them with a slightly jaded optic. "Names."

" **FRAG YOU!"** Momus said as he swayed in custody.

The Sargent stared at him, then began to type on the computer in front of him. "Mr. Frag You." Huge laughter erupted as he glanced at Hercy. "Taze him until he gives me his data."

"Don't mind if I do," Hercy said as he unsubbed his prod.

Momus glanced at him with alarm. "That's not in the rule book."

"Being a secret Decepticon behind our backs is?" Drift asked with a smirk.

" **NAME!"** the Sargent asked in his usual delicate manner.

" **MOMUS!"**

"Where from?"

" **HELEX!"**

"Occupation if you have one, slagger. By the way, I have no problem hearing but I do like a good electrocution," he said as he glanced pointedly at Hercy. That mech flipped up the device from subspace and the two prisoners stepped sideways.

Momus glared at Hercy, then the Sargent. "I will have you know … I was the senator from Helex."

The Sargent stared at him with a deadpan expression, then looked at his screen. "On the pad*," he said though he wrote Senator down. "Next of kin, bonds, family?"

"My bond is in a settlement that you're never going to reach," Momus said with satisfaction. "So are my three kids, my genitors, his genitors, my brothers and sister and their families … my grandgenitors and several family friends. My aunts and uncles, all my cousins..."

"What's the name of the colony?" Hercy asked with a grin at the smug slagger with the great paint scheme and striking red face.

"Bolus 7," he said smugly.

"By Aviator 6, out by the big nebula?" Springer asked with a smirk.

Momus glanced at him with a wary expression. "Maybe."

"That's on the list to gather up isn't it, Springer?" Kup asked around his stogie. "I saw the list. I think Aviator 6 and the other three settlements out there are on the pick up list shortly. Remember?"

Springer nodded. "Yeah. My old pa and appas are slated to pick them up shortly. That far city in the Crater District is where they're supposed to be housed. Should I tell them that you're in the prison when we go, Momus? I'm sure your grandgenitors would love to know that you're safe."

Momus glared daggers at the pair, then the Sargent began to murmur as he typed. "Bond … three kids …" He paused. "What was the rest of it?" he asked with a guileless stare though he and the recording system taping everything got it down already.

 **"YOU FRAGGER! ALL OF YOU!"** Momus said with heat. "Figure it out yourselves."

"Offenses?" the Sargent asked without batting an optic.

"To be determined. He's on a Primal hold at the moment," Springer said. "Arraignment is in the morning."

The Sargent nodded, then turned his optics on Sherma. "Name, if you can spare it."

"Sherma of Iacon."

"Where in Iacon?" Kup asked just because.

"Translucentica Heights, if you **must** know," he said with The Sneer.

The room went cold as everyone felt It, the divide over which their side wasn't allowed to cross. It was a good thing for the High Castes, too, that they couldn't or they would have been parted out eons ago.

"I think I robbed houses in the Heights," Drift said. "Too bad the twins aren't here. I imagine they could tell stories. Which house was yours?"

Sherma stared at him with a cold stare. "The best one."

"I robbed that one. What about you, Roadie?" Drift asked to be ornery.

He nodded. "I robbed it. So did the twins. They told me. They said they only robbed the best houses anywhere so they got yours too, Sherma."

"I did, too," Lorn, a Home Guard kid who had never been to Cybertron said. He looked at the others who he worshiped like the gods he considered them to be. "I robbed it, too."

Everyone there who knew him as the carefully raised, sweet kid of religious genitors who worked in broadcasting nodded. "Good on you, infant," Hercy said. "I'd have robbed it, too, but I was fighting the 'Cons around the edge of the Empire. You'll have to tell me the tale over a high grade."

"Mech has skills and stories," Kup said as he looked at the cygar in his servo. "That makes him a good prospect. Takes nerves of steel to rob the best house in Translucentica Heights. That place was like a prison for rich people. 5,000 of the worst 'best' people lived there. How many of your 55 relatives lived there with you, Sherma? You know Sarge, here, is going to ask."

Huge laughter erupted as Drift slapped the kid on his back. If he could have blushed with the support his heroes were giving him, he would have. Instead, he grinned like the big boys without giving out too much of his joy and stood with them like a warrior. He was learning the Way of the Kup.

"Are you ladies through?" the sargeant asked with a slight grin.

"I am. What about you femmes?" Springer asked before he was buried in slag.

Momus and Sherma stared at all of them with loathing. Then the sargeant turned back to Sherma. "Name … Sherma. Sherma of where again?"

"I said Iacon."

"Well, frag you," the sargeant said as he wrote that down. "Occupation, if you have one. Leech." He looked at Momus. "Yours, too. Senator isn't an occupation anymore. Thank Primus."

Momus glared at him. "I'm a writer."

The sargeant typed it in. "Leech." He looked at Sherma. "Pray tell … what is your real occupation and if you need to say it, your old one?"

"I **WAS** a senator for Iacon. Here, in this backwater, I get by writing blueprints for an electronics firm."

"Another leech," the sargeant said as he wrote what Sherma said. He looked up. "Next of kin? Bonds? Family?"

"They're in the same colony as his," he said nodding toward Momus. "I'll let you guess who and how many."

"I'll let him taze you if you don't tell me," the sargeant said as he looked up with a gimlet optic.

Sherma frowned. "A bond, two sons and both sets of genitors and grandgenitors. I'm an only child."

"Thank Primus," the sargeant said as he wrote it down. "Offenses?"

"Same as bumble butt here," Springer said, nodding to Momus who frowned deeply his way.

The sargeant nodded. "Medical? Special conditions? Name of counsel?"

Springer glanced at the two who stared at him defiantly. "None. None and not yet. There. I won't even send you a bill."

"Frag you, Autobot," Sherma said as Momus nodded.

Everyone glanced at them. The sargeant sat back. "Your 'Con roots are showing, slaggers. It's a jailing offense to be an active 'Con around here."

"They don't look too active to me," Drift said.

The young kid nodded. "They didn't get very far before Commander Magnus got them. Not so tough are you?"

Everyone beamed at the infant, then looked at the two. "Well?" Springer asked. "What about it, tough guys?"

"Frag you, Springer," Momus murmured with rage.

"I'm getting tired of hearing that, Springer. That's my job but I'm seeing you get offers all the time. I realize you have a great aft but …. is there something you haven't told me?" Drift asked with a smirk.

"It's my magnetic personality," Springer said as he preened just slightly. "They can't help themselves. I can turn into a helicopter. It gets them every time."

"So … it isn't that you can jump 60 feet straight up?" Kup asked with a grin.

Springer smirked, then put his servos over Lorn's audials. "Ask Drift."

Huge laughter greeted that, then they all looked at the sargeant who was watching the fun with a slight grin on his handsome face. "Well, we have two new guests for the hotel. I'd offer you a deluxe suite with a view and mini-bar but three mini-con drunks vomited in the only one I have available. Can I interest you in a small duplex?"

Huge laughter greeted that as two behemoth mechs with grins and grips like nobody's business clanked in to take the prisoners onward. They were covered in cuffs, clubs, tazers, chemical repellents, small guns, and other mayhem that was only released when they internally signaled it to do so. Then it was magnetized to fall into their hands. They were brothers, Bosco and Turill who were from around Slaughter City, had **HUGE** families of the Stanix persuasion and loved to attend services at the Temple. They were the biggest anomaly in the building at the time and that was saying something considering this was the jailhouse. They both **LOVED** Springer, Drift, Kup, and Hercy.

"Hi, boys. You need transport?" Turill asked with a grin.

"I'd love it. Got two pieces of dead weight for you," the sargeant said. "This leech and that one there," he said as he pointed at Sherma and Momus.

"On it, boss," Bosco said as he walked toward Sherma. That mech shrank as far as he could before The Grip was applied to his arm. The world could end and if Sherma survived it, he would still have Bosco's servo on his arm even if the rest disintegrated in the blast. "Come with me. I'll check ya in. We have concierge service for our clients," he said as Turill gripped Momus. Huge laughter followed them into the lockup out back.

Everyone turned to the desk sargeant. Springer grinned. "It's always good doing business with you, Parson."

Parson grinned. "Likewise, I'm sure."

"This is the greatest place ever, Sargeant Parson. You're the funniest mech I ever saw," the kid said.

Everyone grinned at the kid, then Springer gripped his shoulders with a hug. "I thought **I** was the funniest?"

The kid glanced at him, then the others before Drift grinned. "Stop teasing the infants, Springer," he said as the kid grinned. "Everyone knows I'm funniest."

Huge laughter greeted that as they walked out. A short stroll to The Pit Stop and orders for dinner and drinks were had. The kid, Lorn, from a colony somewhere that didn't exist now sat with his elders and listened hard. He was their Partition but he wasn't ever a terrible person before. He was a high caste kid with a kind spark and a desire to have a happy life. His family were the same and raised him accordingly. Picking the Home Guard and applying for half service there and half service with the Watch, he found himself chosen to be a horse patrolman, one of the elite forces in the Watch. He was **DETERMINED** to do a good job and make his elders proud of him.

They already were.

"Well, that was a blast from the past," Springer said as he looked at his plate. Huge platters of food were laid before them and their drinks were topped off. He grinned at the kid. "Anyone want to say grace?"

"Turill and Bosco would but they're running the bed and breakfast at the moment," Hercy said with a grin.

And so it would go until daylight.

-0-TBC 9-25-17

ESL:

The 'gain' on an electrical device is the level of power. High gain, high power. Low gain, low power.

On the pad: Someone who was taking bribes is said to be 'on the pad'. Lots of old timer words in this one, for some reason. :D:D:D


	140. Chapter 140

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 140) Sorry I didn't post this. I pooped out last night. NOW! ON WITH THE SHOW!

-0-School, the next day

They gathered in the lobby, families checking into their kids with the intention to take/leave them at school. Ratchet stood in a group of friends in the lobby of the Intermediate School. All nine of the kids were here staying over rather than heading for Iacon and leaving the three dreads behind. All of them had camped in their home room classroom after spending the evening playing in the pool or hanging out together in the lunch room playing games or talking. It had been a real moment for the nine kids who had never had an experience like it before.

Ironhide had gone to Circle Prep with his father, Scout and Prowler. Hard Drive and Delphi had gone to their jobs leaving Turbine with Hero and Raptor with the little kids at Sparkling Day. Ravel and Docker were at Youngling Day to see about Sunspot and the three little mechs who were and always would be their grandsons. Partition stood beside Ratchet glancing around, enjoying the sense of community that things like this engendered in everyone. He had been in the best schools possible and had never felt like he belonged. He had spent his entire life fighting something and everything to settle in and get comfort from those times.

He did now, here in this place with these bots.

The elevators came online with their doors opening wide to allow those who needed to go access upward. Ratchet stood in a long line with Partition, chatting with others, joking and enjoying himself before there was room for both of them. Up they went, then stepped off on the 18th floor where the kids were housed. Walking down a noisy hallway filled with conversation and laughter, they reached the space where nine of the biggest kids in the system were staying over.

" **ADA!"**

Ratchet walked to the room where Fireball was standing near the door watching the crowds outside. It took a while to hug everyone, then Ratchet grinned. "What's the word? Do you need to go home? Do you need anything from home? Let me know and I'll make it happen."

They glanced at each other, then looked at him. "Ada, we have stuff to do," Lumi said.

"We have our stuff, Ada," Santee said. "I don't need anything from home. Do you?" he asked the others who shook their helms. "Do Ammas and Appa need us?"

"No, infants," Ratchet said. "They're good with your decisions."

Chat, discussions about after school, where everyone was going, did you have a good breakfast? All of it was settled, then a round of hugs began again. Ratchet and Partition walked out heading for the world beyond. It would take a while to swim upstream again.

-0-Turbine

" **AMMA!"**

Turbine grinned with pleasure as one of the most beautiful words in the world escaped the tiny waif that stood in the hallway holding one end of a long jump rope. Two other kids, a tiny femme and a tiny mech who were also playing jump rope looked at Turbine with curiosity.

Hero dropped her end, then ran to Turbine, hugging him when her Amma picked her up. They hugged, then she looked at her amma with joy. **"AMMA! YOU CAME!"**

"I will always come, baby," Turbine said as he turned to the other kids. "Who are these lovely infants? Are these your friends, Hero?" Turbine set her down.

She looked up at her Amma. "They are. This is Ferri," she said taking the servo of the only other femme in her room. She introduced everyone else, recited her day and overnight, then smiled. "Are you here to stay, Amma?"

Turbine who was kneeling closer to them grinned. "I can. Do you have to go home? What do you need, Hero? I can help you."

"I think it would be fun for you to stay here with me, Amma. I had a recharge here and we played games. I had breakfast. Do you need some too?" she asked.

"No," Turbine said with a grin. "I already did. Why don't you show me where you recharged?"

"Come with me, Amma. Ferri and I will show you," Hero said as she walked toward the door of her classroom. She would show her Amma everything. Amma would be enchanted while she did.

-0-Ravel and Docker

They stood in the lobby waiting, then rode upward getting off at the floor where Mr. Terradive and Mrs. Lyrica worked. The children were together in the hallway laughing with each other, then charged both when they spotted them. Hugs and pats were shared, then the four little mechs smiled upward to their Ammas. "Amma, we had fun," Sunspot said as the others nodded.

"I'm so glad," Docker said as she hugged Co-D. "Have your families come by to see you?" she asked.

"They're coming," Reflector said. "They're coming when they take Ammas and Appas to their club."

Their 'club' was the Senior Center in Iacon.

"Did you eat?" Docker asked as Ravel unsubbed a little box of treats for their classes. "We brought you all something. If you can help everyone to have these breakfast cookies, I think you will like them, infants."

It would go on like that for a while, then the two would reluctantly leave for the real world.

-0-Raptor

He stood in front of little kids, some his, some others and grinned at them. They were babbling about having to spend the night at 'kool'. He brought treats, too, and would give them to Neo to handle. Right now, he stood in front of a growing group of little kids and basked in their amazing stories and happiness.

-0-Ironhide and Blackjack

They handed off their kids reluctantly, then walked to the door. It was busy outside as the colony began to come alive again. The tension that had been everywhere was gone and the sun shown overhead, though it was very cold and slightly breezy. "Where you going now?" Blackjack asked his son.

"Ops Center. Ratchet is going to tell the humans what happened," Ironhide said as they stepped off to go to the Metro-line. "I thought some ice cream might tide us over on the way back."

Blackjack grinned. "You read my processor," he said as they ambled together down the street to The Confectionaire.

-0-IntraCom

Ratchet sat at the set that would be his broadcast space as Jazz got the show on the road. A short chat with Prime led to his being the news bringer, something that Prime wasn't unhappy to allow. All around him the techs reigned, then Jazz turned to him. "You're on in 3 … 2 … 1 ..."

"Hello, humans. This is Ratchet of Mars. I'm here to tell you about an event that happened yesterday that concerned the human population on world here," he said with a grin. "Last night, two criminals on the run were identified here in the city. They were hidden in the refugee population for a while before being spotted by an officer of the Watch. There was shooting, then the pair fled onward up the highway and down Sports Center Road. They halted by the Sciences Habitat and decided to enter.

"There were ten humans inside along with Major William Lennox, Human Community Commandant on-world and Master Sargent Robert Epps. The two managed to get the other eight down into the shelter and during their search of the floor, they had to duck into a small emergency chamber along the front wall of that floor just as the two fugitives opened the environmental doors. They closed behind them and equalized the atmosphere which was a good thing because the two, after finding they couldn't have hostages with the eight in the shelter, ripped the hatch door off and gathered up Lennox and Epps.

"We negotiated with them for 12 hours until they agreed to leave by ship without any of the hostages. They did and the human group was rescued. Other than being inconvenienced by the event, none of them were harmed. They included Major William Lennox, Master Sargent Robert Epps, Alejandro Lopez, Michio Yamaha, Cindy and Lola Teasdale, Sheila Conroy, Sharry Simpson who is a new member of the team as well as Hildie and Angus Wilkerson. All of them but for Epps and Lennox were never in the line of fire but safely held in the shelter that is below every habitat and building on world.

"We have repaired the habitat and those who live there are back inside. The damage was almost non-existent due to the construction of the building and the safety features that insured that environmental integrity stood up. We have built them to withstand direct assault by ships and even small payload nuclear devices. The humans will be available to talk to the press if they choose later this afternoon. We have made arrangements for this to happen through the MCA. They have the option to talk or not, depending on what they feel. We expect that you'll honor that.

"As for the two miscreants … they were allowed to leave to defuse the situation but ultimately pursued. They were taken into custody by Commander Ultra Magnus who is the manager of our colony and the administrator of Cybertron and the Empire. He is also a noteworthy soldier, someone the Decepticons have said on many occasions that they respect and fear. Now, they're in custody and will stand for their charges at the appropriate time with counsel.

"They are Sherma of Iacon. He was a former Senator for his city-state and a Decepticon sympathizer. The other is Momus of Helex, also a senator. He was an actual Decepticon at the time. Both of them were rumored to be killed so they were not on the list that we utilize to scan refugees when they come for major criminals and other desperadoes. They both took bribes and sold out our people, making them dangerous adversaries. Our forces took actions with the leadership of Optimus Prime and the situation was resolved. I will now take questions."

There was a moment of silence before a voice came onto the line. "This is Mike Hanley of the CBC, Ambassador. What was their intentions about being on Mars? How many more can you deduce might be there? How is Angus and Hildie now?"

"First of all, Angus and Hildie are doing well. It was shocking and scary for Hildie. She's not a soldier but a very fine scientist and a great mother to her baby. It was chilling for all of us that the baby was part of this. Angus is our baby, too. We love and honor him as a fellow Martian. They can tell you more later if they choose, Hildie and Jarrod. As for the other questions … we have access to the mainframe databases of Cybertron and have upgraded our lists of watch suspects. Mars had been an operation started from scratch and we've gotten better at this as time has gone on, as databases are added from migrations and especially after the liberation of Cybertron.

"We catch many. Some show themselves. Some are smarter and disguise who they are but in the end, we catch them. They made it through Immigration early on but now would have been caught. They came in a migration though their families, I am told, are elsewhere, in colonies we have slated for pick up. I am guessing that they got caught up in one and couldn't get free to follow their families. It was fortunate for us that they did because they're very bad individuals who need corralling." -Ratchet

"Ratchet, this is Paadini Rajpour of the India Times. Have the respective countries of those involved been contacted and what does this mean for present and future habitation of Mars by humans?"

"They have. We contacted everyone overnight and filled them in. What it means for future human life on Mars is simple. We protect and defend. You come here to a zero tolerance environment where things can happen. We provide you very expert, very dedicated and thoroughly professional care, protection and support. What we don't supply is perfection. This is a living vibrant place and humans have been here from the start. We will always do our level best but we can't supply absolute guarantees. No one who lives here has ever been harmed. We plan to keep it that way but we can't supply perfection. This is a place where individuals live and things happen. It's also infinitely more safe even with these limitations than almost anywhere else on Earth."

And so it would go for a while.

-0-Late the previous night

They drove into the huge paved parking lot that was part of Earth2. Surrounding it, huge weaponized vehicles and a good fifty mechs heavily armed themselves were arrayed. McFarlane waved to a big mech who was standing near the doors of the facility who waved back. As they waved, the doors of the place were opening. Driving in, he followed the paved road inside as the doors closed behind him. The vehicle stopped, then McFarlane looked at the group. :Take your stuff, wait for the green light in the vehicle there: he said pointing to lights at the front of the vehicle, a set of red, green and yellow ones. :When that turns green, you can get out. Otherwise, no: The light turned green.

They gathered their gear, then stepped out, moving away from the truck toward a door that was opening. Inside it, the device itself a vast elevator, Owen Harris and Perry Beliveau waited. They waved to McFarlane who waved back as he waited for everyone to enter the elevator and the doors to close. When they did, Toby McFarlane turned his truck and began to return to the city. :McFarlane to Fulton:

:Fulton here:

:The package is delivered:

:Good. Return to base. Fulton out: John Fulton turned to Glenn Morshower who was sitting geared up on a table in the Ops Center of Autobot city. :The miscreants are at Earth2:

Morshower nodded. :Good. Now its their turn: he said as the two turned back to the hostage situation underway.

-0-Alor earlier

He walked into the command center of the operation in Las Vegas and picked up the datapad with the news. "So, we have no traffic between the ship and home?"

"No," the officer of the deck said. "No activity here and none between them and the ship or the ship and their home. I don't expect anything to happen with that part of this for a few more decaorns. They take so long to get anywhere."

Alor nodded. "Good thing for us."

"We're watching Ratchet on the monitors. Good thing that ended as well as it did. Sherma was my … and I say this loosely, senator. He should hope I'm not on his jury."

Alor laughed. "He was mine, too."

The banter continued through a quiet shift.

-0-Earth2

They settled in, then walked out after having a short chat with Owen and Perry. He had told them that Perry was his command equal and that what came from him was fine with Owen. A quick look around the main deck was made, then they were shown their quarters, bachelor studio apartments for all of them. For the rest of the day, they would be off duty and thus, encouraged to look around and study the manual of rules and laws governing life here.

"This place is huge," Todd Baseman said. They walked along the grand concourse that wrapped around the entire facility and was bordered with floor to ceiling windows that stretched upward three stories. The buzz of the place was continuous as the business of living here went on all around them. The place was a warren of corridors going this way and that, all of them named. They took the Main Street 'road' into the facility and got to know the place from the ground upward.

It would take a while to do.

-0-School

The special pull out class was going through their paces as the morning crept forward to noon, lunch and recess. The morning had been hectic with visitations from parents who came to assist them with whatever they needed. New clothes were easy given their uniform status and gossip exchanged. There had been a big shootout in town, or so they had heard, so it was a good thing to stay here overnight.

Now, they were nearly at the time to re-enter the classroom with the rest of the kids, leaving behind the teachers who worked with them most of the morning. Every kid from Earth2 was here taking 'catch up school'. Among them were the four kids from Earth2 whose parents had sunk literally billions into the process. Among them, only Jaycee Jameson was fully adapting to the challenges before her. She was scheduled to spend the night with Sandy and Annabelle when weekend rolled around. It was going to be fun.

Right now, they just had to get through math.

-0-TBC 9-27-17 edited 9-28-17


	141. Chapter 141

The Diego Diaries: The Morning After (dd6 141)

-0-At the jailhouse (now)

They sat in their side-by-side cells watching the staff bring food trays around. They had gotten theirs already and ate surprisingly good food. Cybertronian jails, this wasn't. Very little of this whole set up seemed like Cybertron. They weren't flogged, ignored, starved, tormented, or endlessly interrogated. They were left in a comfortable cell with a decent bunk and good food. It was illustrative*.

They hadn't spoken to each other since the night before, there not seeming much to say at the moment. The 'jig was up' as the humans said in their infernal gangster films and they were caught hard and fast. It was interesting that they found out about the future plans and whereabouts of their families and colonies since they last spoke but it also meant that perhaps their relatives would end up here as well. They hadn't exactly been in the dark about activities that led to their ease and comforts in the past.

A mech came in with a datapad, then paused before their cell. "You two are getting arraigned in court. Get ready to get up and move. Any questions?" They stared at him stonily as he grinned back. "Now, don't be that way. You **know** we love ya. Right?" He walked off with a chuckle and their optics burning holes in his back.

It was silent but for a group of mini-cons down the row laughing about something. When a pair of guards entered the room, that group stood. Apparently, this was not their first time. "You little yahoos. Get ready to go," one of the guards said with a grin. He looked at the two, then nodded. "You, too. We're going by elevator to the courtroom of the magistrate. If you frag up, you get tazed. Observe the proprieties," he said with a grin.

Sherma and Momus stared at him, then stood. The bars dropped, they were led to a line with the mini-cons, then the lot began to march out to the elevator and a trip upward to The Reckoning, Part 1: The Enunciation (of the charges). Only half the group would be happy to see the magistrate.

-0-Sitting in the courtroom of the Right Honorable No-A

Optimus Prime and Prowl sat by the wall as the room filled up with the usual mini-con villages-families-bonds, etc, all come to hear the doom on their wayward infants. Ratchet and Ironhide trailed by Raptor walked in, then sat with them. "What's the story here, if I have to ask?" Raptor said as he leaned forward to glance at Prime.

Prime grinned. "This is the audience for the floor show. The main performance is after this."

"I believe that the French call them disvertissement." Everyone looked at Prowl who looked back with a smug expression.

"They do in ballet," Ratchet said signing off the internet. "How about you doing a little toe dance, Prowler?"

The expression of disdain that Ratchet received was so intense and so 1% that snickers were had by all. Ratchet grinned back at him. "I see you haven't forgotten how to give The Look."

Prowl's expression changed so fast it was debatable how his nose structure and optics stayed in his face. He shifted with discomfort. "I have **NO** idea what you mean," he said.

"Never change, Prowler. Never change," Ratchet said as everyone including Prime laughed loudly. The mini-cons almost as one turned to watch, then smiled brilliantly. The older and more sober (in every way possible) among them bowed their helms in Prime's direction. He returned the salute with his own nod and a big grin.

The door opened then, mercifully for Prowl, as a bunch of happy little hooligans and two very tense, uptight slaggers marched in under guard. They walked to the front, took the line like the professionals that they were (the mini-cons), then turned to face the judge. One mini-con turned to smile and wave at his amma, then back to face the music. Say what you will about mini-cons and micros, the little slaggers never slacked when it came to facing the magistrate. The other two looked mortified to this side of The Pit. It became silent.

Coln-2 along with a new defender and his aide, Certo and Kib, sat at their respective tables to do battle with the forces of good and evil. No-A who was chatting with Silver, the court clerk, finally turned to the group gathered. He grinned. "Well, it wouldn't be magistrate's court without mini-cons."

The little slaggers actually clapped including their elder appas. Their ammas glared at their bonds with anger and the adas and atars of the culprits glared at them with disapproval. It didn't matter. They all marched to their own drummer. That was when a tiny femme with little wings slid down from her amma's lap and toddled for the front of the courtroom. It took a bit of time for the tiny mite to make it to No-A who scooped her up. She sat on his servo and smiled. **"BAI!"** she said in the universal baby-speak for "Hi. I haven't seen you since last time my uncle was a knucklehead."

Probably.

It took a moment of chat and sweetness between No-A and the baby before he handed her back to her blushing ada. It was also a universal thing that adas and appas, ammas and atars loved to hear that their kids were darling. At least, this one was. The verdict was out on the other ones.

Literally.

Everyone in the room including the tall mechs enjoyed the baby, then it was on again. No-A looked at the lawyers. "Are we good to go?" he asked. They nodded, so he glanced at Silver. "Please begin, Silver."

Silver looked at his computer, then the miscreants. "First case is The Prime Brief versus Flim-Flam, Hopalong, Sipple, Pokey, and JimJam."

:I think I'm in love with mini-cons. They'll name their kids anything, the crazier, the better: Ratchet said to the others who snickered. Everyone in the audience looked at them and smiled. Then they turned back to the main floor show.

"Are you here for these infants?" No-A asked Certo who he liked a great deal. He was a nice kid who could play a terrible hand of poker. Kib was his steady 'beau', apparently. He had to catch up on the courthouse gossip.

"We are, your honor," Certo said as Kib nodded. That mech was tall and handsome, loved flying gliders and hanging in poker clubs with Certo who had zero talent for the games.

"Colie? You're for the Prime?" No-A asked.

"I am," Coln-2 said as he grinned at the kids. They grinned back. Everyone knew everyone and everyone liked everyone. Some of the ammas out there took to bringing baked goods for Coln, No-A, Silver, and the bailiffs, not as bribes but because they liked the court group. The court group liked them back.

"Very well," No-A said. "Silver? What are the charges?"

Silver consulted his computer. "They're charged with drunken and disorderly, loud lip noises aka disturbing the peace and loitering." Silver grinned at the group, they grinned back.

"What do you plead?" No-A asked.

They turned as a group to Certo who stood. "They plead no contest, your honor. There were extenuating circumstances and they wish to take their punishment as mini-cons according to The Code."

The Code or **WWMD?** … What Would Micronus Do? … was obviously over the years in development among the slick little slaggers and a 'thing' now. It was the usual blather of machismo, hyperactivity, short mech syndrome, excessive joyfulness when the drinks limit was overachieved at a bar, a fondness for celebrations over the least little thing, poor impulse control when out of sight of your ada, and a combativeness built into their little processors as a defense mechanism toward getting stepped on. The Code had developed in the jailhouses and cell blocks of Stir over the course of the life of the colony and was now cited in the moment of truth, usually magistrate's court the morning after.

No-A grinned as did everyone in the room without exception. All of them knew about The Code, a sort of parody of those that were older and highly honored including the Praxian Elite Code of Conduct. "Do tell. I want details."

Certo glanced at the little slaggers, then one stepped one step forward. "I'll be glad to do that," he said with a gigantic smile.

"Your name for the record," Silver asked with a grin.

"I'm **JIMJAM, SIR!** " he said, then smiled. "I'm in the Home Guard."

"What's your specialty there, infant?" Coln-2 asked collegially as he leaned on an elbow, settling in for the show that always followed 'volunteering'.

"I'm going to be infantry. **SIR! YES, SIR!** " he said, then smiled gigantically.

 **HUGE** applause erupted around the room signifying **HUGE** buy in from the home crowd, then Raptor who couldn't contain his amusement leaned forward. "Infantry?"

He looked at Raptor, at his details and tats, then straightened to attention. " **YES, SIR! SIR!** " he smiled brilliantly.

Raptor quashed a **HUGE** desire to laugh, then leaned back with a grin. "I can see that. Carry on, soldier."

The kid looked ready to explode with delight, then gathered himself, turning back to No-A. "Sir, we were celebrating our graduation from basic training. We're moving into the ranks and learning our specialties now. **SIR!"**

No-A grinned at the kid, then noted that everyone in the room was popping their buttons over the kid's achievement and his genuine delight at being a regular rank now. "What about the rest of you?"

" **SIR! YES, SIR!"** Then Pokey leaned forward. "We all graduated, Judge."

The big mechs watching were howling with laughter together off line while the courtroom held to decorum, even if most of them were beaming their delight at their youngsters. One of them stood. "Your honor, I'm Patsco, the Appa of half these infants. I want you to know that we're proud of these kids for doing their duty. Why, when I was their age I was in the army, too. I could tell you stories," he began before his old bond pulled him down.

"Later, Patsy," the bond said to riotous laughter.

Huge laughter and applause greeted that as the room celebrated a moment, the old and the new. Then it settled again. No-A who was basking in delight looked at the others. "Flim-Flam, tell me what happened. Don't live up to your name."

A murmur of laughter greeted that as the kid looked around the room with a puzzled expression. Apparently, he didn't know the multiple meanings of his own name. He turned toward No-A and began. "We went to the bar, Club Cybertron, and when the thing happened down the street we were stuck. We didn't mean to get loaded but we did. We just graduated from basic training and it was a big thing. Right?" Flim-Flam asked as he looked at the others.

They stood at attention. **"SIR! YES, SIR!"** -all of them

Flim-Flam smiled at them, they smiled back, then all of them smiled at No-A. He grinned back. "Continue."

"That's about it. When we could go, we were crawling on our hands and knees. The Watch across the street gathered us up and here we are. **SIR!** " Flim-Flam said standing at attention. The others did the same.

Coln, Certa and Kib who were sitting with amazement and delight listening to The Tale were only matched by Blackstone who was in the audience, coming down from his office to watch the mini-cons get arraigned. All of the courthouse staff loved the mini-cons.

"Well, Certa … is this the whole story?" No-A asked as he studied the datapad with interviews from servers at Club Cybertron and others on the street along with amusing police reports that had been filed.

"It is," Certa said. "I'm begging for mercy for them." He smiled and No-A smiled back.

The kids watched both with hopeful expressions. So did the two village neighborhoods and four families going back three generations watching the show. Even Coln-2 looked lenient. No-A grinned at all of them, then pulled his ace card. "Will the senior elder please stand?"

A tiny mech did, Alejate, atar of Ramcharger. His little bond sat next to him, both of them ancient and small. Everyone in the room stood a moment, then sat. This was a serious legal moment and they accorded him his superior status over them by doing so. He grinned as he leaned on his little cane. "Hello, No-A. How is your amma and appa? I didn't see them at bingo last week."

"They're having work done on their peds," No-A said. "You know how it goes. They should be dancing by next bingo night."

"That's good. I do love them both," Alejate said sweetly. "Let them know I missed them." Everyone grinned.

Everyone.

"I will. Abba," No-A said as he bowed his helm respectfully. "I need your wisdom. What do you think is a good course for these infants? They're not sneaking out of their actions. They want to move forward."

Alejate thought a moment. "That's good of them," he said. "They're very good infants. They finished their course and will be good soldiers," he said as they straightened into attention. He looked at Raptor. "General, what do you think? I think they should apologize and go home to think of their wandering ways. They were, after all, just singing."

Raptor grinned. "That speaks of wisdom, Abba. I think I concur." He looked at the kids who jumped to attention. "Soldiers, do you promise to be more moderate and think of your abba and his feelings next time?"

They all looked at Alejate with startled expressions, then turned to Raptor. "Yes. I don't want Appa unhappy," Flim-Flam said as the others nodded.

Raptor nodded back. "Then I concur with Abba Alejate, your honor."

No-A glanced at both, then the kids who snapped to attention. "I hereby relegate you to your families. Take your Abba's words to spark and sin no more," he said to a relieved row of kids. "By the way, congratulations on your graduation."

They smiled like the sun, then hugged their lawyers. Giving props to Raptor, Ratchet, Ironhide, Prime, and Prowl, they walked to their families, engulfed their elders and walked out together. A big mech who was an in-law to a relative somewhere on the floor gently picked up Alejate and his bond, then left with them in arms. It was hilarious and sweet.

Everyone loved the mini-cons.

The room settled, then everyone turned to the two mechs standing side-by-side on the line in the front of the courtroom. It was now time for Sherma and Momus.

-0-TBC 9-28-17 **edited 10-04-17**

NOTES: (I will fix the odd thing with Hero and her sisters. The shootout erupted and they had to come.)

ESL (For Leoness and everyone else. :D:D:D I may have retired from teaching a while back but the reflex mechanism teachers have that tell thing something needs a bit of an explanation won't shut off. I want everyone to get everything. :D:D:D Love you, Missy Leoness! These two are for you.) :D:D:D:D

 **The jig is up:** whatever it is, is over and you lost. Everyone knows or its found out. Old expression.

 **divertissement:** di·ver·tisse·ment /dəˈvərdəsmənt/ noun 1. a minor entertainment or diversion: "as a Sunday divertissement Wittgenstein would play Schubert quartets" For ballet, its a short dance piece that is part of a bigger one, usually. The short appetizer for the main course. Vaudeville was one long minor entertainment after another.

 **Illustrative** : (il-us-tri-tiv) Something that demonstrates or shows something about something. Having a good jail v a bad one is illustrative of how good or bad the other thing is.

 **Beau:** (bo): if someone, in this case, is your beau, he's your sweetheart. Its an old fashioned Americanism about having a boyfriend. It's used for males. Its also a boy's name. :D:D:D

 **machismo** : (muh-chis-mo): exaggerated masculinity, bluster combined with combativeness in some cases. Sort of fits the average mini-con.

 **Stir:** old timey American slag for jail.

 **Flim-flam:** slang for lying or leading someone on without telling them the truth. Blather is another word for it and when you do it a lot, you're a flim-flam artist.


	142. Chapter 142

The Diego Diaries: Next! (dd6 142)

-0-In Magistrate's Court

"Who is up next, Silver?" No-A asked as he sat back in his chair. The courtroom was nearly empty now that the biggest group of goofballs on the docket that orn had exited along with their neighborhoods, extended families, friends, and amused bystanders. It left the remaining two miscreants.

"We have the case of The Prime versus Sherma and Momus," Silver said. "They will be represented by Certo and Kib as well."

"Do you both agree to be represented by these two attorneys?" No-A asked.

"Do we have a choice?" Sherma asked. Both mechs stared at No-A with stony expressions.

"They represent most cases in the morning opener," No-A said. "Both of them are extremely capable. Given that this is an arraignment, it would be wise to accept their services, then consider your trial representation later on. You would do well with both."

They turned to Certo who grinned. Then they glanced at each other before turning back to No-A. "May we speak to them or is this kangaroo court just going to fast march us to the guillotine?"

:They downloaded the human language databases: Ratchet said with a grin. :Good on them:

Prime grinned, Prowl smirked, everyone else glowered.

"This is a serious exercise but if you wish to make it a joke then I guess I won't discourage you," No-A said calmly.

They turned to Certo and Kib, going off line to discuss the situation. It was silent in the courtroom as everyone waited, then at last, they turned back to the judge. Certo stood. "Our clients wish to have us represent them and we would like to have a reading of the charges."

No-A glanced at Silver, then nodded. Silver looked at his screen, then began. "The defendants, Sherma of Iacon and Momus of Helex are charged with the following offenses … illegally entering through Immigration and Refugees with false information and identities, living illegally in the colony under false pretenses, evading arrest, discharging a weapon in the city limits, attempting bodily harm while evading arrest, resisting officers in the pursuit of their duty, breaking and entering, ten counts of kidnapping, damaging a building in the process of evading arrest, breaking and entering into a building in a sovereign territory in the process of evading arrest, inflicting harm on individuals who bear diplomatic status as non-Cybertronians for the most part, 10 counts of threatening bodily harm, 10 counts of threatening murder, attempting to flee the scene of a crime, resisting arrest at the point of interdiction by Commander Ultra Magnus and other charges to be determined later. They're on a Primal hold given the magnitude of charges pending arraignment," Silver concluded.

No-A nodded, then looked at the pair. "What do you plead?"

They glanced at Certo who turned to No-A. "They plead not guilty, Judge," he said.

"I see," No-A said as Silver noted the plea. "Going for the wall are you?" he asked with a grin. "I accept your plea. Are there any more comments or pleadings, Certo?" he asked.

Certo glanced at the pair, then No-A. "I suppose it's too much to ask for them to be released upon bail or some other non-jail arrangement?"

"It would be," No-A said with a grin. "I do, however, give you points for asking." He looked at the pair. "You're charged with serious crimes and the court orders you to be held over in suitable confinement pending a trial. I'd suggest that you speak with Certo and Kib regarding representation. They're very good at what they do but that's up to you. Until then, you will remain in jail due to the magnitude and kind of your offenses and your willingness to press your luck trying to get away. Bailiff? Please take them to jail. The Receiving Officer of the Deck will decide where to put them for the long haul. This arraignment is concluded."

The bailiff walked to them, then nodded to the door they used earlier. Glaring at Prime, the two walked out sullenly and the room was quiet a moment. No-A looked at Prime. "We will schedule the hearing you think they warrant in conjunction with your schedule, Optimus."

Prime nodded, then everyone rose. "Thank you, No-A, and thank all of you for the prior entertainment."

"Mini-cons bring the humor," Blackstone said as he stood. He glanced at Silver. "Are there anymore or is that the end of last night's haul?"

"Alas, that's the haul," Silver said with a grin.

They chatted a moment over this and that, then Prime and the rest walked to the door to leave. As they were stepping out, the next group of miscreants were walking in for their turn on the catwalk.

-0-On the way out

"That was hugely entertaining," Ratchet said. "I suppose, given the circumstances, that we might have to transmit the trial to the humans on Earth. Court TV might insist."

"I am not sure I am up to it, myself," Prime said with a grin. "I, however, would like to see the colonies due to be shifted that contain their families be given a once over. If they can be retrieved without a problem, then we might want to do that. I am unclear where they are listed on the repatriation schedule."

Prowl nodded. "I'll check."

"We have a lot of cases coming up, Optimus," Ratchet said with a grin. "We have the rest of the Burris party including the other son, Keystone, and some of the other high tones. Don't forget that. I have already just so you know."

Amusement was had at Ratchet's expense as Partition followed with a grin. They were halfway to The Fortress when Partition glanced at Ratchet. "Gotta motor. Got an errand, then back to the Valles to learn stuff."

"Bring the hurt, Partition," Ratchet said with a grin.

Partition grinned, then nodded to everyone before breaking into a jog to run for the Metro and the Central Labor Hall down below. They watched him go, then glanced at Ratchet. "You'd be burned at the stake in a different time on Earth with all this," Prowl said as he fell in beside Ratchet.

"That's true. Donut run?" he asked. Everyone nodded so they took a right turn at the corner and headed for The Bakery At The Mall of Metroplex. Entering the building, they walked through the bustling concourse to the bakery, entering to stand in line. Several wanted to give Prime frontsies in the line, but he declined gracefully. The idea of watching the ruler of worlds standing in line at the bakery to buy a donut would have shocked the slag out of the humans. As it was, it was another reason to love him among the Cybertronians.

"At the mid month, Cybertronian football begins again," Raptor said as he looked at the others. "We have to be ready to win another championship."

"Who is this 'we'?" Ironhide asked his grandfather with a grin.

"I taught them everything they know," Raptor replied with a giant grin.

"Won't do them a bit of good. Too bad, so sad," Prowl said as he edged closer.

"Spoken like a true priss," Ratchet said. "My infants are going to shred what's left of the tattered escutcheons of Praxus Science on one skate."

"I hate football season," Prime said.

"You and me both," Ironhide said as they reached the front of the line. Given the amount and type of choices, they decided to take a few boxes with them. Donuts, crullers, buns and cupcakes, cookies, frosted this and thats, tiny tarts with all manner of filling, tiny Celebration Cake-lets for the big 'cutest little mech' (-Raptor commenting on the 'little mech' to embarrass him in front of the punters, though if truth be told, it took a lot to embarrass Ironhide. He had been bonded to Ratchet for a zillion vorns, after all) and some candy, all of it was loaded up. They thanked everyone, then tottered out with their bounty. It would be an amusing walk to The Fortress where they would let the old geezers have a donut, then walk inside for a brew and a chew. After all, they had just been in court and one had to keep their strength up.

-0-At the Valles

They sat around the several campfire devices/cook stoves hung over from the night before. It was the entire group but for Partition and his brothers. They would come back shortly after something or other. No one was sober enough to care but for the femmes and Magnus. He sat on his chair nursing a beer as Hercy, Kup and Lissie came back up the trail from town. They were carrying boxes filled with breakfast to share out given the degree of disarray before them. No one had the cure but eating after a ripping binge helped.

It would.

-0-At the Recruiting Office, Central Labor Hall, Autobot City

They waited at the door of the recruiting office for the Home Guard. Given the fun and games going up and down sheer cliff faces without falling, listening to the stories of the soldiers around the campfire, drinking beer and eating 'man food', The Lure of The Life was upon them. They had spent the night in a tent for the first time talking together as they relaxed on sleeping bags with really comfortable cushioned bottoms. Camp food and beer, running around with extremely capable mechs and femmes who were ready to show you cool stuff, listening to funny stories, old time adventures and the rest, it was all new. They had never in their lives had such a time.

Partition walked up to his brothers, then grinned. "You sure you want to do this? It's hard but its worth it. Totally."

Morius nodded. "I do. Cliff climbing is fun. I like hanging with these people."

Inweld nodded. "I want to do this. Do we tell Ada and Atar? You had a hard time of it when you did."

"We can see how you do. You know, it's no harm, no foul if you don't like it," Partition said unconsciously parroting someone elses remark.

They both nodded. "We know. What do we do to join?"

"Come with me," Partition said as he entered the office. His brothers would follow him in and when they followed him out, they would do so as recruits for the Home Guard. The next stop was The Paint Box to get an Autobrand. The Home Guard tats would come later if they decided to stay in after basic training. Once that was finished, they would grab more beer and food, then book it to the Valles and the fun and games that would last one and a half more orns.

-0-At The Fortress

They sat around the command table with plates and hot mugs. Everyone in the vast room had the same as they did their jobs. The boxes which were hardly dented waited nearby for 'second breakfast'. Ratchet grinned. "I never did ask what the femmes did with Hero."

Ironhide was silent a moment as he checked in with Elita, then glanced at Ratchet. "They dropped her with Ravie. They want to reschedule for another orn. Right now, they're in the Valles keeping everyone sober."

"That's our girls," Ratchet said with a grin. "How is it that about four of them are still single? What have we done wrong?"

Ironhide who paused a donut before his pie hole glanced at Ratchet. **"YOU LEAVE THOSE FEMMES ALONE!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as the room erupted in amusement. Ratchet smirked at all of them, then Ironhide. "Slagger. What sort of old dad are you?"

"The finest kind," Ironhide said as he ate his donut. "Three of them are already in harness. Let the other fillies run free. Servitude is forever."

A hard jab from Ratchet took care of that, then Ratchet paused. He looked at the others. "Barbara Morshower texted me a message. I think she's stirring trouble."

"What is it?" Prowl asked with a slight frown. "Like we **NEED MORE OF THAT!"**

Everyone grinned at the uptight prig, then turned to Ratchet. Ratchet grinned. "She told me that Mama Fig had done her tarot cards and found out a bunch of things including the news that someone was going to have a baby."

It was silent at the table, then Ironhide brightened. "Really? Who?" he asked. "Now or later?"

"No one knows," Ratchet replied. "She put the cards away too soon. She didn't check to see who it was."

"I have to say, Ratchet, that even though I believe in a lot of things that humans might consider illogical or spiritually odd … though there's hard evidence they exist … tarot cards stretch credulity," Prowl said.

"I'll have her around to read you then," Ratchet replied.

"No, you won't," Prowl said.

"Yes, I will," Ratchet replied.

"No, you won't." -P

"Of course, I will." -R

"No." -P

Yes." -R

"No." -P

"No." -R

" **HA!** You can't do that with me." -P, triumphant

"No?" -R

" **YES!** " -P

Everyone grinned at Prowl who was smirking with triumph. Then he frowned slightly, turning to gaze at Ratchet with heated optics. "I hate you."

Huge laughter at Prowl's expense ensued.

-0-TBC 9-29-17 **edited 9-30-17 edited 10-04-17**


	143. Chapter 143

The Diego Diaries: Home Time (dd6 143)

-0-Home

Ratchet walked into the house and paused in the living room. No one was home. Everyone was farmed out and/or finishing up work and/or whooping it up at the Valles. He sauntered down to the end of the house three (former) houses down where the big(ger) kids lived. Peering into Fireball's berth room, he noted that it was immaculate. It was so with Quasar and Genesis. Glancing into the wash room, it was spotless as well. He walked into the room that Sunspot and Partition now shared. It was fine and dandy. Just before he walked out, Ratchet noted some things on a desk by the window. There was the framed image of Partition's family and his medical books which looked well into the study phase. He was obviously applying himself. He sort of reminded Ratchet of Orion, someone who had a focus and used it. There was also a nice blade in a familiar-appearing sheath, one that looked like those RTR made.

Ratchet picked it up, turning it over and over with an expert optic, then grinned. He put it down, then walked out. It was a blade from RTR. His genitors must have given it to him. That infant was getting to be intensely alright in Ratchet's book. Partition was well on his way to becoming what he wanted and not what he was trying to be for other people. He could stay here until he either found someone or moved out on his own.

Ratchet sat on his chair and considered who he knew that would be a nice fit for a lonely kid coming into his own. The door opened and the core of his universe walked in with a grin. Behind him, tottering along on his tiny peds, Prowler followed. **"ADA! I COMED TO HERE!"** he said as he ran to Ratchet.

Ratchet lifted him up, then hugged his tiny self. Sitting the baby on his lap, they grinned at each other. Ironhide who grinned at both of them opened the fridge, extracted two beers, then tossed one to Ratchet. They took a moment to open and sip the ice cold contents. "What have you two been up to?"

"We had to clear up a few things, organize my desk, shoot the slag with Prime, check out where everyone was and what they were doing … the usual," he said as he sat down. Prowler smiled at him. He smiled at Prowler. "What about you?"

"House work. Tons and tons of it. I had to clean every single berth room. You should check them out. They're immaculate now," Ratchet said as he booped Prowler's nose with his bottle. Prowler cackled loudly, tried to get a drink, then frowned at Ratchet when he couldn't have one. Both of his genitors grinned at him so he grinned back.

"Liar. No one messes up this place but Orion. Mech needs to put his stuff into the toy box," Ironhide said.

"Where's everyone?" Ratchet asked.

"Well … Orion and Praxus are with Amma. Appa has Hero. Sunspot is with Amma and Appa. So are the three little mechs. They're at the water park in the Tri-Cities Mall," Ironhide began.

"Why aren't you?" Ratchet asked. "You could get Spliff here cleaned from stem to stern before berth time."

Ironhide grinned at his son. "I could. I thought I'd come home to see what you were doing."

"Ah," Ratchet said as he clicked his bottle with Ironhide's, "you romantic slagger, you."

"I am," Ironhide said with a small preen. "The big kids are at the race track watching Blurr practice for the double ticket tonight. They want to go, all nine of them. They wanted to ask if we cared."

"You told them it was okay, right?" Ratchet asked.

Ironhide nodded. "I did. They had to be home at a reasonable time." He sipped his beer. "We took a stop in at the Performing Arts Center to see Amma and Appa."

"That's about to open," Ratchet said. "Scout and Trooper are about to have fits of excitement waiting for it. I suppose we have to go to the opera now?"

Ironhide grinned. "No. I remember when I was a kid, we had to go to the opera, to the symphonies, to the huge plays and dances. I got to go back stage and meet the actors and musicians. Appa and Amma made me sing for them."

"Oh, frag," Ratchet said with a grin. "Good thing you have a good voice."

Ironhide nodded. "Don't tell anyone. Appa wanted me to be a musician but I had other ideas. Thank Primus, I had good family to let me get into trouble on my own."

"You and me both," Ratchet said with a grin.

"What's the word on Corr? How's he coming along? It seems like eons since we had a chance to get together," Ironhide said.

"His protoform wasting is getting into the satisfactory stage … that is, less than 25%. No more signs of dementia. I think I'm still shaken up over that."

Ironhide nodded. "They had a hard time. My family did better but then they weren't stuck on Cybertron or in a prison like yours."

Ratchet nodded. "They get it all, all of them. They made the hard times better at their own expense so now its my turn to make things nice. We have to have a family dinner. Get Prime to come and tell lies. I know that Thanksgiving and Christmas Surprise are coming but we have to get a thing going before that. I think it might be optic opening for Partition."

"He signed his brothers up for the Home Guard," Ironhide said with a grin. "Aunt Lissie said she saw their name on the updated lists. She says that they like camping, that they try all the stuff the mechs are doing like climbing 5.5 rock faces. The Valles is filled with 5.15a faces so there's a lot to do and learn. I don't want him climbing anything beyond 5.8 until he gets more experience. All of those faces have small grips but they're using pitons and ropes."

"Good. I don't want to patch them together if they fall," Ratchet said. "What do you want for dinner?"

It was quiet a moment, then Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "We haven't hit the store lately. I have a craving for some of those little things in mustard."

"Sardines?" Ratchet asked with an expression of disgust. "You have zero taste."

"Maybe, but I know what tastes good," Ironhide said with a grin. "What about it, Prowler? You ready to help your old pa get some grub?"

Prowler who was messing with a meter that Ratchet had unsubbed for him glanced up to his father. He smiled brightly. "We going somewhere?"

"Yup," Ironhide said. "I'm going with or without you, old mech. Better get ready for a truck load of sardines, weird cheese, all kinds of peppers-"

"Frag that," Ratchet said as he stood with Prowler. "I'm coming with you, slagger. You're not getting a room full of crap."

Ironhide grinned as he followed Ratchet to the door. He would try. They would spar. He would get what he wanted. He filled the cart with slag he didn't want so that in the end he could have what he wanted. He walked out the door with a grin on his face.

Ratchet led the way to the elevator with a grin on his face and Prowler in his arms. Ironhide liked to fill the cart with slag he didn't like so he could sneak things in that he did. It was a game and he liked to play it. Sometimes, the slag Ironhide picked out wasn't too bad.

Sometimes.

-0-Grocery At The Mall of Metroplex

Prowler was slipped into a seat on the cart that would hold all their slag. He smiled, then looked around for the inevitable cookie that always come with a jaunt at 'the store'. Going to 'the store' was a favorite pastime and Ironhide knew it. That's why they came sometimes when Ratchet wasn't around to be a killjoy. Both of them liked a cookie break. Ironhide pushed the cart, grinned at his son and followed the shapely aft of Ratchet as he swished into the huge facility to get something for dinner. They found themselves in the 'bread' aisle, or as Ironhide called it, "Bun Heaven". The rows went on forever and they walked past them with their own needs yearning to be met. "What's this?"

"English muffins."

"What's this?"

"Bagels."

"What's this?"

"Crescent rolls." Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who smirked at him, then the cart. One of each was in the basket. "You're a slagger. We need room for other things."

Ironhide leaned down and stacked the bags of bread. "There. Room."

Ratchet laughed and they pressed onward.

-0-Hero and Appa

Raptor stared down at the tiny femme who had shown him things and wanted to hang out. They were at a children's store filled with toys, clothing and other items for the well turned out infant on a cold hard world like Mars. She was trying on knitted gloves that were lined with a material that kept out the cold. "What do you think, Appa?" she asked holding up a mittened servo.

"I think it's pretty, Hero," he said with a grin. She was the apple of his optics, the only little femme in the family. In the fashion of a family with adopted children, they didn't distinguish between their own CNA and someone elses adopted in. All the children, young, medium and older were as loved as could be. But there was something about babies. When she looked up at him with a big smile and her sweet innocent optics, he could feel the mainsprings inside go boing. Whatever she wanted, he would give her.

She smiled at him, then put them on the shelf neatly. Pulling on another pair, she held them up. "What do you think, Appa?" she asked.

He grinned. "I think they're pretty, baby," he said.

She smiled and put them back. Pulling on another pair, she held them up. By the time she chose a nice little pair of white gloves with matching onesie and hat, they had looked at a lot. The one she chose was white, had a little white peplum-like skirt and was soft and warm. The clerk boxed it up, then handed it to her appa. She smiled at him. **"THANK YOU, APPA! THAT'S SO PRETTY!"**

Raptor picked her up, then thanked the clerk. Walking out with his little princess, he grinned. "I'm so glad. What's next, infant?"

"What about lunch, Appa? Are you hungry?" she asked with a smile as she sat on his arm.

"I was born hungry," Raptor said as he slipped the little package into his carry hold. They walked along the street heading for a cafe where the food was good and the booths cozy. They would eat a sandwich, share fries and tell stories. It would be awesome for an appa who never expected to have any grandchildren let alone a granddaughter.

-0-Orion, Praxus and Amma

Turbine walked behind the two as they sauntered through the Temple. Turbine had finished his class, then met Ravie by the door when he came in with the two. Ravie and Tie Down were finishing up crucial moments of construction for three swords so they were handing off the babies for the afternoon. Orion and Praxus were good to go with anyone anywhere so they hugged, **'KIPPED! BWAHAHAHA!'** and waved goodbye, then grinned up at Amma Turbine. Turbine grinned down.

 **"AMMA! I LOVE HERE! WE COMED HERE TO SHE!"** Orion said excitedly as Praxus nodded enthusiastically.

Turbine grinned. "I know. You come here in school. Lady Sela is your teacher."

 **"SHE MY SHE!"** Orion said with a giant smile. Others there glanced at him with grins as they went about their business. "Where we going, Amma? We doing the thing, here and there?"

Turbine picked them both up, kissed them, then settled them on one arm. "We can. Are you hungry?" They were. He walked to the railing to bow to the AllSpark before leaving. Orion watched him, then looked at the AllSpark. "You doing to the she?"

"I am. I respect it and it protects all of us," Turbine said as he grinned at the babies. They grinned back.

"I like the AllSpark, Amma. We come here and she tells us things," Praxus said.

"Lady Sela?" Turbine asked.

They both nodded. "She my she," Orion said with a matter-of-fact voice and a serious face.

Turbine laughed. "Alright, but remember … you're **my** shes, too. Okay?"

Both of them smiled, then leaned against Turbine. "Okay, Amma," Praxus said as Orion nodded. They would head out to lunch, a loud and happy event, then eventually all of them would converge on the apartment in the sky.

-0-Big kids at the race track

They watched as Blurr ran in root mode around the track. He wasn't even trying but it was enough to dazzle nearly everyone there. The nine of them sat in the bleachers watching as the great racers worked out the kinks for the night's racing card.

"He's so fast," Lumi said as the others nodded. "I can never be that fast."

"No," Fireball said loyally," but he can't stop Megatron dead in his tracks like we can."

Lumi thought a moment as he watched Blurr flash by. "There **is** that," he said quietly as the others chuckled.

-0-Sunspot, the three little mechs and Amma and Appa

Sunspot, Spot, Co-D, Reflector, and Bos sat at a table near the water park eating lunch as they took a break from sliding down one-by-one or all together to crash into Amma and Appa who were floating in the pool. Reflector still had a slight fear of heights and it helped to have someone waiting at the bottom. Hard Drive and Delphi had no problem being there. Now they were eating hot dogs, chips and having a great time telling about school, life in other houses and how ' **fun it was to be a family again, Amma and Appa!** '

Delphi grinned. "We will always be family. I'm glad to hear that your adas and atars are on their feet and doing things for themselves. It was hard to be apart."

"It was, Amma. My atar has a great job now. He's a painter," Bos said. "He's painting ships. That's a hard job to get right. They always need repair and painting."

"I know," Hard Drive said. "I used to paint ships when I was a kid. That was my job. You have to do it right or it impairs the flight."

" **YOU PAINTED SHIPS!?** I thought you were a general," Sunspot said with surprise.

"I wasn't always a general. I'll have to tell you sometime," Hardie said with a grin. "I go back a long way."

"You do? Did you know Primus?" Reflector asked with amazement.

"I actually didn't though I saw Him but I knew someone who did," Hardie said. "Maybe I can tell you at Thanksgiving. I hear that your families are coming over for dinner."

"We are," Co-D said with a big smile. "We're going to be in the cookie contest. Amma said she would help us make some. Then we can enter, too."

"You have to save us some," Delphi said as Hardie nodded. "I want to try them."

They chatted about cookies, ate their lunch, then ran for the water park again. They would slide down the long winding slides, Spot sliding with them until they were worn out completely.

-0-Store

The cart was filling up with things that were needed since they had nine kids living at home full time now. That didn't count the other 18 or so that had housing elsewhere and three who were someone elses full-time infants until they came to stay overnight with them twice a week. Then they had the full magilla*. Right now, they were getting enough food for three or four orns. They would come in again, Ratchet probably, and do more later. They ambled along loading up, then reached the bakery and candy section again. They both stared at it, then each other. Ironhide grinned at Ratchet. "We're going to need another cart."

Ratchet nodded in silent agreement.

They would.

-0-TBC 9-30-17 edited 10-04-17

NOTES: :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

A full magilla is everything. An entire pie is a full magilla. It's an old fashioned slag thing. When you have everything of something, you have the full magilla. It was also a cartoon ape's name, Magillla the Gorilla. :D Yes, I am old. ;)

Scale for rock climbing: From 5.5 to 5.15a, a flat walk to a straight up face like El Capitan in Yosemite. They are the scale for assessing skill and danger. 5.15a is dire.


	144. Chapter 144

The Diego Diaries: Home is where the spark is. (dd6 144)

-0-Home, yet not home

Prowler nibbled on his piece of fudge, that is, the new fudge with 'nuts, cherries and chocolate chips' that was piled up in Ironhide's cart with a lot of other goodness. Ratchet had gotten another cart and while he had, Ironhide had loaded up the one they started with. Sharing a bit of the new obsession with the infant was just what the doctor (hadn't) ordered.

Rolling back, Ratchet grinned. "Slagger. Prowler, hold off some for dinner," Ratchet said as he steered them onward toward the vegetables and other 'good food groups'. It meant cutting through the personal care, simple health fixes like vitamins and other boo-boo cures aisles into home and 'household needs' before they reached the produce section. Ironhide rolled to a stop and began to cast an expert optic all around for the best soaps and lotions for all their household needs.

Ratchet leaned against his cart with a grin as Ironhide scrutinized this and that, holding a bottle in one servo and a bag in another as he compared the two. Which one was the better at getting those 'stubborn stains out'? It made a mech wonder. "So, how many joors are we going to be here and how many strange things are you shooting for?"

"A mech has to do what a mech has to do," he said putting into his cart a bottle of something that would get those stains out and leave a sweet smell behind. Good trade off in Ironhide's book and Ratchet was on the same page. "Let's look at vitamins for the kids."

"You **know** I'm a doctor, right?" Ratchet asked as Ironhide rolled down the aisle.

"A slagging fine one, too," Ironhide said, "but they do like their little animal-shaped vitamins."

Ratchet grinned as he got some that tasted like cherry and some that tasted like glutz, a favorite flavor on Cybertron. It was a taste that was a cross between diesel and motor oil. He got some of those for himself as well. Grinning at Ratchet, he turned his cart. "Drive on, old mech, or I'll pass ya."

Ratchet turned his cart and moved onward. "In your dreams, mom van." They laughed all the way to the produce section where Ratchet halted, then gave him a stern look. "Just stand there. I'll get what we need. We need a salad."

"I **hate** salads, Ratchet. Slagging human custom. **I NEED MECH FOOD!"** he said as Prowler glanced up with a startled expression. Then he smiled and laughed loudly. **"ATAR IS FUNNY!"**

"Atar is a big baby," Ratchet said with a grin. "Stay here. I have to keep us upright and moving in spite of you, Ironhide." He blitzed the produce and fruit section loading up on the 'good stuff'. Then they ambled onward to the 'meat' section where they would load up on all manner of goodness. Wheeling onward to check out, they joined the line. Leaning against his cart, Ratchet turned to Ironhide and Prowler. "Partition, the femmes, Maelstrom, and Jetta are out at the Valles camping. So is Magnus and the rest of the hangers-on, so I thought we could have dinner at our house and have Prime in along with all the in-laws. I want enough to feed an army."

"Who's cooking?" Ironhide asked with a grin, more than content that a cart was between him and Ratchet's swinging arm.

"You have to recharge **some** time," Ratchet said with a smirk. They inched forward, then halted. "I thought I'd cook the turkeys, then fix all the trimmings."

"We can order stuff from The Catering Place," Ironhide said.

Ratchet turned to glare at him. "We **can**?"

"I'm just saying that's a lot of work in a short period of time. You might want to lighten the load a little. You're **talking** about a battalion," Ironhide said.

"Nice recovery, slagger. Actually, Ironhide," Ratchet said with false brightness. "I'm going to cook it all. I'm going to slap it together with my amazing ovens and you're going to slagging eat it without a comment. I have my giant frying pan and I know how to use it."

Ironhide grinned. "That frying pan makes me laugh every time."

"It **is** rather hilarious," Ratchet said. "That's why I got it, that and I can use it like a pro."

"You can," Ironhide said. /... **HA!** … a pro at what? …/

"Thanks, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a grin. /... you lying liar …/

They got to the front of the line, then checked through, giving a delivery time for the boxes. Ambling onward, they walked to the street and took a look around. It was getting onward so they walked toward their tower with Prowler who was in his tomato onesie with the curly hat. It was a mellow trio that entered their building to go upward.

-0-Around the family grapevine

:Alor: -Blackjack aka BJ

:What?: -Alor aka AL

:Head for Ironhide's house when you get off shift. Dinner will be had there: -BJ

:Who do you have with you, 'Jack?: -AL wishing he was off duty immediately

:I have Scout. I had to finish some business so I couldn't play: -BJ

:Frag. We better get this sorted out next time. Have you talked to the others? Ratchet?: -AL

:I haven't yet. Ratchet says he's fixing dinner and not to bring anything but ourselves: -BJ

Pause.

:I'll talk to Ratchet. Alor out: -AL

-0-Grapevine continued

:Alor to Ratchet:

Ratchet paused before the stove with one of two big turkeys on a baking pan. :Ratchet here. What's up?:

:Dinner. Do you need anything?: -AL

Ratchet smirked at Ironhide. "Did you tell your ada to bring food for dinner?"

Ironhide glanced up from Prowler who was showing him four, blue and rectangle in a book. "No. Why?"

"Just asking," Ratchet said. :I don't need anything, Alie. I'm getting it together. Just bring yourselves:

:You sure?: Alie asked.

:Yes:

:Okay, Ratchet. See you in two joors. Alie out: Alor grinned, then sat back. "Well, I asked."

-0-Also

:Appa: -Ironhide

:What?: -Raptor

:Where are you?: -IH

:Hero and I are taking in the sights: Raptor said as he stood in front of a store window looking at the pretty things inside. Hero was asking him about them and they were comparing tastes. Both of them were simpatico. They had very good tastes, indeed.

:We're having dinner here. Come. Get Amma and the others, too. We're having a crowd: Ironhide said as he watched Ratchet organize his dishes and recipes like a artillery commander bombarding a fortress. It was hilarious.

:Do we bring anything?: Raptor asked with a smile.

:Antacids?: Ironhide asked more to be ornery than anything.

:I'm telling: -Raptor

:I'll deny everything. Two joors, Ratchet said. Okay?:

:On it: Raptor said. :Raptor to Turbine:

:I'm here. What's up? Where are you?: -Turbine walking through the mall with Orion and Praxus

:We're on Main in Luna. Where are you?: Raptor asked as he entered the store with Hero. She was deeply enamored with a tiny figurine of a dragon carved out of red stone with inset emeralds for optics.

:We're not far. What's the store and we'll meet you there?: Turbine said bending to pick up the two gabby little sparklings. Settling them on his arm, he waited. :Raptor?: he asked.

:I have to get something for Hero. She likes some little thing here: Raptor said as he held Hero out to pick up the little dragon. Her optics were shining. " **Appa! This is so beautiful!** "

He grinned. :We're at Skyrim Fine Arts. We'll wait here for you:

:On our way: Turbine said as he walked to the metro station that shared entrance space with the Mall of the Tri-Cities. They disappeared in seconds.

-0-Race Track

They sat together, nine well raised sweet kids who had been gathered up by a number of fatherly type soldiers who were friends of Typhoon. They were coming to the races for a bond's night out and said they would keep the kids with them. They sat together, a big friendly happy group eating food from the concessions, something called nachos and cheese. It was the bomb diggity. Soon enough, the races would start and half a million individuals would be riveted to the hoo-hah. The big mechs would make sure that the kids made it home in one piece. They would have a ripping good time at the track.

-0-Elsewhere

Hard Drive and Delphi walked Bos, Co-D and Reflector to their towers and watched them safely get on their elevators for home. Waving happily, both sides parted, then Hard Drive picked up Sunspot. "Your old ada called us to come for dinner. All of us. We're going to meet Amma Turbine and Appa Raptor at the station in Luna, then head toward home. Come on, Spot. Time to hit the trains."

Sunspot hugged Hard Drive, then grinned at his Amma. "I like this. This was so much fun."

"I think you speak for me, too, infant," Delphi said with a grin as they ambled toward the metro and the train ride home.

-0-Elsewhere

Ravel and Tie Down closed down the shop, then walked toward their tower. The evening was picking up as restaurants, bars and clubs began to attract the early dinner crowd. The races had a good card tonight, Cybertronian football would be starting again shortly, it was First Sunday and all was well. One more day of weekend and the rat race would start all over again. Until then, they would enjoy the odd concept of weekend, another reason to thank the friendship with Earth. The two chatted as they walked along, disappearing in the crowds as they went.

-0-Home base

Ratchet watched the turkeys cook through the windows of his two ovens, then walked to the counter where he had piles of vegetables laying in groups. He took his favorite big knife and began to wack the slag out of them, piling some of them in water, a huge pile of potatoes, while the rest went into two big salad bowls. He tossed them until they looked better, then put them in the fridge.

Ironhide watched him with a grin as Prowler ran about the room playing some kind of super hero game. He was happy, Ironhide was happy and both of them hoped Ratchet was. "Need help?"

Ratchet who had added water to the pan for potatoes glanced at Ironhide. "Nope." He turned to the task at hand quashing a grin as he did. / … the Pit will freeze over before I ask for help … don't you **know that by now?** …/

Ironhide grinned as he watched Ratchet's nice aft bend and turn, doing this and that. / … the Pit would freeze over before you'd let me help you … slagger …/

-0-Meet up

" **AMMA! LOOK WHAT APPA GOT FOR ME!"** Hero held out a tiny red stone dragon with intensely green emerald eyes. **"Appa is so nice!"**

Turbine grinned. "He's a softy, your old appa." He looked at Raptor. "We can bring dessert."

"Did you ask?" Raptor asked as they walked toward the metro station with the three little kids babbling to each other over the little dragon.

"No, but I'll feel better. I don't know if Ratchet has one already and I'm too scared to ask," Turbine said as they walked down the steps to disappear. Raptor's loud laughter followed.

-0-Corr, Chan, Appa Ratchet, Docker, Ravel, and Tie Down

"Poor Ratchet. He had duty all orn and now he's making dinner for everyone. The trine and the babies are coming. So is Venture, Miler and Prima. Lord Optimus and his family are as well. What do you think? Do we help him?" Ravel asked with a bit of anxiety.

"I don't know. That little mech is a bit of a touchy thing about his cooking," Docker mused.

" **HE COOKS LIKE A CHAMPION! THAT'S MY ONLY GRANDSON! HE'S A CHAMPION!"** Appa said as his cat jumped down into his lap.

Everyone grinned at him, then looked at each other. "Dessert. We can bring dessert."

Ravel looked at the group, then Docker. "Let's go get dessert for our little mech," he said, then the two walked out to get it.

-0-Up in the clouds

They had come home together at last and were organizing everyone. Miler and Venture were there and the children were chasing around the house playing hide-and-seek with Sojourner, Solus, Prima, and Miracle. Prowl grinned as they ran past, then looked at the others. "Ratchet is cooking. I shudder."

"I think he does a fine dinner. He's very good with some things," Miler said because he was sweet and true blue.

Everyone grinned at him. "Ask Ratchet if we can bring anything," Prime said as he sat on his chair to relax. A cat joined him and curled up on his lap.

:Ratchet. You there?:

 **:Hey, Prowler!** What's up? I'm preparing fine cuisine as we speak:

Prowl grinned. :Since you invited half the colony, what do you want me to bring? I have a miraculous talent for cooking:

Ratchet grinned. "Slagger," he whispered. :Bring your aft and the others too. I have this:

Prowl looked at the others. "Ratchet has it. What do you want me to go get and bring?"

Everyone grinned, then glanced at each other. Miler stood. "Let's bring dessert."

Prowl nodded. :Alright, Loon. Prowl out:

Prowl and his ada walked out the door to get dessert.

-0-Trine

"That was Ratchet. We're invited to dinner," Bluestreak said. He grinned. "Get the lead out."

The twins were sprawled on couches. "Do we bring anything?" Sunstreaker said as he got up to gather the kids.

"Yes," Blue said as he picked up Kaon. "Good manners."

All three laughed loudly. They would settle on dessert.

-0-Valles

Arcee laughed loudly, then glanced at Elita. "Ada is cooking dinner for everyone. Everyone is fidgeting."

Elita grinned. "Ada cooks better than me."

"How do you know?" Jetta asked as he opened another beer. He was sitting next to Magnus listening to him explain a few things to three enraptured youngling mechs, Partition and his brothers. "You never cook and I do only under extenuating circumstances."

"That's true," Elita said with a smile. "Poor Ada. I hope he kicks their afts."

"He might do that anyway even if the food is good," Arcee said with a smile. It was swinging in the Valles, too.

-0-TBC 10-01-17 **edited 10-04-17**

NOTE: I am editing and even rewriting missing messed up parts like Diego Diaries, Part Two #7. I am also adding new stuff all along. I will post when a part is completely edited before telling you about it. I am hammering this thing down hard. It's been interesting but worth it. Hugs, everyone. You are loved.

ESL:

Simpatico: same, similar.

Time in days: Since Mars has about two days for each of our own, I'm calling them First and Second Monday through Sunday. They're currently on First Sunday with Second Sunday following. Then First Monday rolls around again. :D Obsessive-compulsive is me. :D


	145. Chapter 145

The Diego Diaries: Home Time Any Time (dd6 145)

-0-Home

Ratchet peered at the turkeys which were cooking well in the high powered ovens that would take about 20 minutes to make them ready to serve. On the stove, his giant pot of potatoes were boiling away and the room smelled good. Ratchet looked at the table. "We're going to need more room," he said. "Up and at 'em, Ironhide. We're having a horde soon."

He got up reluctantly, perfectly content that he was to sit on his comfy red chair and watch the floor show. Walking to the table, he pulled it apart, then got the three leaves that would extend it enough to seat a lot more individuals. As he did, the door opened and Alor walked in. "Where do you want this, Ratchet?"

Ratchet turned to the door, then grinned. "Slagger. I told you not to bring anything."

"Celebration cake isn't 'anything'," Alor said as Ironhide perked up.

"Celebration cake?" Ironhide said as he turned toward Ratchet. "Yay," he said tepidly out of fear and the thought of flying pans. "I, for one, plan to celebrate." He turned to his ada, then smiled. "Here, Ada. You can put that cake directly in my mouth," he said opening wide.

Huge laughter greeted that as Alor walked to the counter to put the big long box down. "What's for dinner, Ratch?" he asked.

"Well, I'm cooking not one, but two turkeys, making spuds for everyone and their targ, have two big salads in the fridge, will be cooking a vegetable when I have a second, and have a flotilla of buns in the warmer," he said, then smiled a brilliantly bright but totally insincere smile.

Alor snickered, then looked at the table. "Help me set up the dinner plates and things, sonny mine. We have a horde coming, I'm told."

"That we do," Ratchet said before the door opened. Prowl entered with a big box. "I brought dessert," he said as he was followed by his genitors and their big box, a passel of infants with a cat, and a grinning Prime.

Ratchet stared at them with hands on hips and fire in his optics. "Slaggers."

Prowl grinned. "I personally made three pies myself."

Slag deluxe greeted that admission as he put his box on top of Alor's. "Well, I see you have the same semi barbaric guests for dinner as before."

More slag, then the door opened. In walked Ravel, Appa Ratchet and his cat, Corr, Chan, and a little old mech named Sidewinder who was playing cards with Appa Ratch and was invited to stay while his bond was 'visiting' his sister for the afternoon in Pax. Glares were exchanged along with more dessert as introductions were tendered. Everyone stared at Ratchet who smirked at all of them. "Sit. Don't make me get out my big frying pan."

"You better sit," Ironhide said with a grin as he held plates for his ada who was organizing slag.

The door opened again with Blackjack wandering in with Scout. **"HI, HONEY! I'M HOME!"** he said before getting a job of his own. He didn't bring a dessert and would only know later on that he wasn't on Ratchet's shit list because of it. He sat beside Prime, took a beer, then put his son down. He smiled at the kids, then they all ran for Orion's room and The Toy Box. He grinned. "What's for dinner, Ratchet?"

"A big heaping cup of shut the fuck up," Ratchet said channeling a funny passive-aggressive graphic poster he once saw on the internet.

"Sounds good. I'm sure I've had it before," Blackjack said with a grin.

"I serve it often," Alor said with a smile. The door opened.

-0-Raptor and Hero a tad bit earlier

"What do you think, Princess?" Raptor asked as they stood in the bakery at Luna before heading out to meet up with Turbine.

"I think that one is pretty, Appa," she said as she sat on his arm. **"I LIKE UNICORNS!"**

Raptor laughed. "We'll take the cake that looks like a unicorn, please," he said to the clerk who was smiling at both.

"One cake coming up," the youngster said as he turned around to pick up a box for it. Soon, the two were on their way.

-0-Turbine a tad bit earlier

"What do you think, infants?" Turbine asked as he knelt in front of a baked goods case in a specialty bakery in Luna across the street from Luna Metro #3. "Hurry and choose, babies. We have to meet Appa Raptor at an art store."

Orion and Praxus looked up at their amma, then the cakes. "This one," Praxus said pointing to one smothered in candy. Orion smiled. "That one, Amma. **I, ORION, DID THE SHES!"**

Turbine who always laughed when Orion talked, taking a memory road trip back to a certain other small black Autobot when he did, stood up and grinned at the clerk. "We'll take both." A candy covered cake and one shaped like Captain America were loaded up. They would walk out the door, two cakes in the carry hold and two infants on the arm of their doting amma to walk four blocks to Raptor who was standing on a corner with a little femme, her little stone dragon and a cake.

-0-At the meet up at the station at Luna Metro #1, waiting for the Circle Line to Autobot City

They gathered together, Turbine and the little mechs, Raptor and his little princess along with Hard Drive, Delphi and Sunspot. Spot sat down to look upward. There was a lot of cake up there and he was praying hard someone would stumble. They hoofed it into a Circle Line train that just pulled up which would take them to Terra. From Terra, they would take another City Line into Autobot City and end up across the street from home at Metro #1. The doors closed, the train exited the station, and away they went.

-0-On a Circle Line train coming from Tyger Pax

They stood along the wall, Bluestreak holding a box with a cake and a pie in it as they headed over the river and through the proverbial woods to Granny's house. They had gotten dessert from a great artisan bakery two blocks from their house where the twins indulged their newly found passion for huge 'whipped cream-filled cream puffs'. The train was crowded with weekenders getting back to normal after the shoot out. They got off at their station while on the track next to them, everyone else heading for the party from Luna was as well. Climbing up the overpass and downward to the platform on the other side, they nearly ran over each other.

 **"AMMA!"**

 **APPA! AMMA! I COMED TO LOU! I, ORION, LOVE YOU!"**

" **I LOVE YOU, AMMA AND APPA! I, PRAXUS, LOVE YOU TOO!"**

" **DO YOU WANT TO SEE MY *PRESENT*!?"**

"What present, Hero?"

"I got a present from Appa Raptor, Praxus. **See?"**

Everyone 'seed'.

" **APPA PUP-TOE! YOU DID GOOD FOR HO-HO!?"**

"I did." Raptor grinned like a banshee.

" **I, ORION, *LOVE* APPA PUP-TOE! HO-HO! YOU LOVE APPA PUP-TOE!?"**

" **I *LOVE* APPA RAPTOR!"** Hero said as she leaned into Raptor, her little dragon clutched in her tiny servos. The infants leaned in again to see it including Kaon, Iacon and Uraya.

Uraya looked up at Sunstreaker. "Ada? I like that."

"Skyrim?" Sunstreaker asked Raptor who nodded. "Were there anymore?"

"Several, though this was the only red one," Raptor replied.

"That's an easy fix if Uraya wants a red one," Sunstreaker said.

 **"LELLO! YOU DOING FOR THE SHES!? YOU TAKING TO THE THING!? YOU DOING FOR THE SHES?!"** Orion asked.

Sunstreaker laughed. "Yep," he said as he grinned at Orion. "After dinner and laughs," he said as he turned to lead the way upward. They followed and were on the street in no time.

-0-Home

Chairs were pulled in from across the hall at Alor's place and artfully arranged. When that was finished, the door opened. Everyone who was coming was outside. They 'camed'.

" **ADA! I, ORION, LOVE YOU!"**

 **"ADA! LOOK WHAT APPA RAPTOR GOT FOR ME!"**

" **ADA! I, PRAXUS, LOVE YOU TOO!"**

"Orion? Where you be?" Prowler asked as he walked out of the hallway with the others. They stared at the group, then smiled at Orion, Praxus, Hero, Kaon, Uraya, and Iacon. **"YOU CAMED! COME HERE AND PLAY!?"**

Everyone smiled, was stripped of their gear, then danced off to Orion's berth room. It would be a nice noisy chat session about dragons, fun and stuff.

"Where do we put this stuff?" -The trine, Raptor, Hard Drive and Delphi, and Turbine

"How about up your afts?" Ratchet suggested to loud laughter and scorn.

Another stack of boxes began to rise next to the one already on the counter. Then everyone sat. Turbine grinned. "You need help, son?"

Ratchet looked at Turbine who was obviously raised right. "Nope," he said as he set up a cutting board on the counter. His wing ding sharp knives courtesy of his genitors lay there, too, along with an empty plate for the turkey. Ravel began to stand but sat after a stern look from Sonny.

Docker laughed. "You're such a pushy infant, Ratchet."

"I invited everyone. I will cook." Ratchet turned his back to them as he futzed with his stuff missing the looks everyone gave to each other. He picked up the pan of spuds from the heat, drained them, then set them on the counter. Taking a bit of cream and a lot of butter, he lathered them good, then began to mash them with his handy-dandy hand held potato masher. It was slow going with such a big pot and the tension in the room began to rise as the entire group sat in silence watching him.

Ironhide glanced at Prime who smirked, then glanced at Prowl who was watching Ratchet like he was insane and it was only a matter of time if he would figure out how to have the medic committed. Turbine, Delphi, Alor, and Raptor were having a ripping good time off line and soon everyone in the room but Ratchet would join them for the fun.

Ratchet sweated over the potatoes, mashing the shit out of them, mixing them to a creamy texture. He put the bowl in the other warmer next to a heaping bowl of buns, then turned to stare at everyone. They stared back with blank expressions, then almost as one raised their beers to him in salute. Ratchet grinned, gave them the Cybertronian equivalent of the finger … **"RATCHET! THE PRIME AND HIS BOND IS HERE!** By the way, where are Kes and Tagg?" Ravel asked … then turned back to the marathon before him. There were two turkeys to carve in front of an audience.

A slagging hostile audience, he thought with a grin.

When Prime stopped laughing, he grinned at Ravel. "They're coming. They had to pick up a dessert."

Ratchet smirked at Prime as the others laughed loudly, then the tense silence came back. He was now at the part where he would drain the green beans and butter their afts. He did, then put the pan lid back on. Turning to the ovens, he looked inside. The turkeys were done, so he turned off the heat, opened the door for the first one, then took it out to put it on the counter. It smelled good. Two cats, two dogs and a bug walked over to sit behind him as he considered how to carve a turkey that was as authentically created here as any real one on Earth and just as tricky. He whizzed through a video internally, then picked up his knives. One would think a doctor would be good at this and maybe they were. However, Ratchet wasn't organic, this was a lump of immaculately recreated turkey and he had not done this before.

He dumped that on Ironhide who didn't care if he looked like a doofus.

Now, it was his job.

Gripping his knife and big fork, he stuck both into the turkey. He would never be able to recount how the slagger slipped off the plate and fell onto the floor. Two dogs, two cats and a bug wouldn't care either but the entire adult population in the room who jumped upward almost as one would. So would Kes and Tagg who rapped on the door, then stepped in just in time for the stampede.

-0-TBC 10-02-17 **edited 10-04-17**

ESL: something that is tepid is lukewarm, or not hot. Tepid soup is nearly cold. A tepid response to something means its not very warmly received. :D

LEONESS: I remember that episode with Elmer Fudd and Bugs. Sooooo hilarious. :D:D:D I think he does remind me, too, of Bugs who is one of my heroes. Did you know he was based on Clark Gable of all persons? I have a wooden cut out of bugs and Daffy Duck who is just about the best loony tune character of all time hanging on my wall. :D:D:D I think he's rubbing off. Hugs, my dear Leoness.


	146. Chapter 146

The Diego Diaries: "Hey, Ratchet?" (dd6 146)

-0-In a crowded hallway

Rap-rap-rap.

Silence.

"Ratchet? Open the door." Ironhide listened to the silence.

" **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

Silence.

"Ratchet … open the door," Ironhide said as he stood beside Alor and the others. Some held infants and others didn't but all of them were gathered at the berth room door to Ratchet and Ironhide's room which was locked. "Open the door, Ratchet."

A siren went off, one that rattled through everyone's processor for a moment, then died.

Alor grinned. "Slagger. **OPEN THE DOOR, RATCHET!"**

A horn honked loudly and long, then died.

Silence.

"Ratchet, this is Ada. Open the door, Sonny." Ravel listened, then looked up at Ironhide with a slightly anxious expression.

"How about everyone going back out to eat dinner and I'll get him out of there," Alor said with a grin. They looked at him, then each other. "Finish the dinner and I'll get him out."

They hesitated, then all of them walked out to get things finished, plated and on the road. Alor watched them go, then turned to the door. Transforming a finger to a tool that he used to break and/or pick locks, he let himself inside. Ratchet was laying sprawled across the berth in a darkened room. Alor paused, then walked around the berth to sit down. He sat a moment, then leaned back to lie next to Ratchet. "Are you going to beat us up? If you are, I'm first."

Ratchet sounded his horn, then it fell silent. Outside, everyone froze, turned toward the berth room to stare, then glanced at Ironhide. "I'm glad I'm not you," Sunstreaker said with a grin.

"Frag all of you," Ironhide said with a grin. "He'll get over it. Maybe."

-0-Berth Room

"That was loud."

"You have no idea," Ratchet said tartly.

"I'm sorry the turkey fell. I'm sorry that Dawg got a hold of it. Bulldogs don't let go easily. I'm sorry that all your work sort of got slagged but it smelled good," Alor said with a grin.

"Frag all of you," Ratchet said.

"We got the turkey back. 'Jack is cutting it up. Everyone's getting dinner together. Come and eat. You know ya wanna." Alor grinned.

"Frag you," Ratchet said.

Alor sat up, then stared down at his drinking buddy, running partner and full time babysitter of his one and only (until lately) most precious and onliest son. "You were hilarious. Your dinner is ready. Come out and help us eat it."

" **I THOUGHT I'D WAIT FOR DESSERT!"** Ratchet replied.

"You know, Ratchet … we didn't bring them because we don't like your cooking. We brought them because we don't like you to do all the work."

Ratchet turned his helm to look at Alor. "That's almost perfect. You had just the right amount of emotion in your voice to make it almost believable."

Alor grinned. "I try."

Ratchet stared at the ceiling again with a stony expression. Alor grinned. "Come out to eat or I'm going to drag you. Your kids are waiting."

"I'm sure you can manage them," Ratchet said with more aggravation than even he could believe.

Alor stared at him. "Don't be mad. We love you. You're the tent pole for this circus. When you aren't happy, no one is."

"You know, Alor … I know there are things I can do really well and some that are just so-so. Cooking is one. I never went to school and I never learned how to cook. Sometimes, it was debatable whether I would even eat that orn. I never cared, mostly. I did okay. This just hit me wrong."

Alor lay back. "I'm sorry. I hate to think about you and your family struggling. I never allowed it in the ranks. We made sure families ate, too, but there was so much poverty." He looked at Ratchet. "You do cook what you cook awfully well. I love your prime rib. I know you put your spark into things and I appreciate that. We don't want to hurt your feelings."

"You did," Ratchet said surprising himself. He looked at Alor. "I have always felt inadequate about cooking. It may be a small thing but its true. Most of the time, I don't care but this was awful. You were all watching waiting for failure and I didn't let you down. I think it made me nervous when I saw all the desserts."

Alor sat up with a serious expression on his face as he stared at Ratchet. "We didn't intend for you to feel that way. We were always taught to help at dinners and things. It was the ..." He paused as a cold expression crossed his handsome face. "It was always the high caste way. You didn't want help with the dinner so we helped with the dessert."

Ratchet shook his helm. "We lived in two different worlds, Alie."

Alor lay back. "I know. I hated it and so did the family. Even me in the mid castes. The Elites were always caught between two worlds and were rather inadequate in both." He looked at Ratchet. "You **do** know we all love you. We wouldn't hurt your feelings on purpose, Ratchet. Mostly."

Ratchet glanced at him. "I don't want to go out there. I don't want their pity or whatever."

"You don't have it." Alor sat up, then stood. "Come on. You better hurry. Prime and the others will eat all the potatoes and buns."

Ratchet stared at him, then the ceiling. "I don't know. I don't want … I don't like conflict among those I care about."

"Neither do I," Alor said gripping Ratchet's servo. "Come on. There's a lot of good dessert out there, too." He pulled Ratchet who stood up, then stared at the door. "Follow me," he said. "You'll feel better in a moment."

"I doubt it," Ratchet said stonily as he followed Alor.

The group had gotten things ready and fed the kids. The conversation which was low halted a moment as Ratchet walked into the room behind Alor. Ratchet paused a moment to stare at everyone stonily, then he walked to the table to check the kids. Everyone stared at him without a word, then glanced at each other. The conversation began again. Cybertronian football was a good way to start.

When the kids were fine to his satisfaction, Ratchet took a plate, got his food, then walked to his chair to sit and eat. A beer was handed to him and he took it. The conversation lagged, then began again. Ratchet ate without a word, something that was unbelievably different. As he did, he felt the weirdness too. He looked at the group. "You're all fraggers, everyone of you. Fraggers."

The conversation stopped, then Prime glanced at Prowl. Prowl being socially inept shrugged. "Ratchet … this dinner is good and a kindness. We are sorry if we made you feel poorly about anything."

Ratchet glanced at Prime. "You did."

Everyone halted their food but the kids who were chatting together about this and that. They glanced at each other, then looked at Ratchet again. "We're sorry, son," Ravel said. "We didn't mean to hurt your feelings. We know how hard you work at this kind of nice thing."

"I suck at cooking but I think you could try harder to hide what you think about it," Ratchet said. "That would help worlds."

Everyone looked at Ratchet, at the uncharacteristic turn to him. Prowl who had no idea how to make this better leaned forward slightly. "We will."

Ratchet stared at him, at a mech he loved like a brother who had no idea how to make a thing like this better, then laughed. He sat back for a moment. "You're a hoot, Prowler. Never change."

Everyone looked at each other, then Ironhide turned slightly toward Ratchet. "Are you still mad?"

"No," Ratchet said truthfully. "I'm disgusted. That's still operational."

"Oh," Ironhide said as he struggled himself. "If you want to punch me, you can."

"I told him you'd have to stand in line behind me," Alor said with a grin.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned slightly. "Dessert, huh … what kinds?"

They began to tell him, hurriedly describing what they had picked up, then Ravel stared at his son with a frown. "If you would let us help you with these dinners, Sonny, you wouldn't feel so badly. We wanted to help you so we got desserts. It wasn't to make you feel badly. That turkey wasn't planned to fall and the dogs, bug and cats were just there doing what they do. If you would let us **help** you, it might be easier on you."

Ratchet stared at his ada having a snit. It was hilarious. Ravel would always be his gentle little ada with a golden spark. "Where would be the fun in that?" he asked.

It was like the sky had opened and the sun was shining again. Everyone would have exhaled if they could. Eating took off right away around the room. Ratchet who was eating, too, marveled at the hold he held on the crowd. The thunderclouds passed and the skies were blue again.

 **"ADA!"**

"What?" Ratchet answered.

"I doing this?" he asked as he pointed to the pile of dessert boxes.

"Eat your dinner first." Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "You too."

Ironhide grinned, then complied. So did everyone else.

-0-During desserts

"Then they said they would stay through Second Sunday. Aunt Lissie is there with them," Alor said as he explained the text update that he had just received from her out at the Valles. "Everyone is having a great time."

"They have a medic, right?" Ratchet said as he savored pie and cake.

"They do," Alor replied. "First Aid is there with Bee."

"Good. They're going to need the hangover cures," Ironhide said. He glanced at Scout who was bringing pie and cake to Trooper. "What's the word on the opening of the Center, Amma?"

Scout sat, then grinned. "By Martian Wednesday, the final sign offs will be complete, then everyone will move in. The orchestra is already housed there and we're working on a performance schedule for it and two plays we're staging. The acting school has been open for a week and the design studios are working on the plays.

"The rehearsal halls are booked, the talent is practicing and we're in talks with IntraCom to broadcast live performances and to begin an anthology series for some of our short stories for a regular broadcast schedule, like a television series. We write the scripts of the stories, then produce them as part of a anthology. No one story will be the same but all of them will be produced under a working title until we name it properly."

"I want to see the plays," Alor said. "Let me know about music or whatever. If you need me, I'm there."

"We will," Trooper said with a grin as he fed Hero a bite. They were standing in a circle around the two of them, the smallest kids in the room.

"We can broadcast them to Cybertron on the system there," Prime said as Scout nodded. "What comforts we can give our people, we will."

"What do you hear about the gathering Dai Atlas is doing out at the rendezvous point at the nebula?" Raptor asked. "I meant to check on that. Are we going to start taking them in by bridge or what?"

Prime glanced at him. "That's on the agenda for Cybertron tomorrow. We need to call him and get the ball rolling. Magnus will have to give me the final readout for their housing. The entire Crater District is now the end of the line for the rescues. We can place nearly six million there while the new development gets going."

"That would make a lot of things easier," Ratchet said. "They're in pretty good shape from the reports I'm getting. Supporting them out there and taking care to bring them back to health is paying off."

"What about Lucien and Laslo? Their kids are coming along. What about them?" Prowl asked.

Ratchet considered that a moment, then grinned. "They're not having a good time but that's part of changing. When they find out that the other two joined the Home Guard, then we'll know. Partition told me that they were going to do that."

"They seem like good workable kids," Prime said. "That makes me feel a lot better. Lucien is the stumbling block. Laslo always managed to make a life in whatever circumstances presented."

Ratchet nodded. "I know."

They chatted, laughed, drank beer, cleaned up, were reminded of the staff meeting, then finally broke up. The kids were dragging but were put to bed. The house was quiet without the big kids and Partition but they would be coming eventually, the big kids, anyway. They would sneak in and go to bed as quietly as big kids could.

When all was well, Ratchet walked into the berth room and collapsed on the berth. Ironhide entered, then closed the door. He turned to Ratchet and stared at him. "Are you mad at me?"

"I was."

"And the others?"

"Them, too."

It was silent again, then Ironhide sat on the berth. "We never fight. We never argue. We get along. Remember when Appa used to ask us when we were going to have a fight?"

Ratchet grinned. "I remember. Raptor used to ask that often."

"We never have. Have we?" Ironhide asked as he glanced down at Ratchet.

"Nope," Ratchet said after thinking a moment. "Prank wars don't count."

"No," Ironhide said. "They don't. But they're fun."

Ratchet grinned. "They are."

"Does this count as a fight?" Ironhide asked.

Ratchet thought a moment. "I think it does."

Ironhide nodded, then lay back. "First time in nine million years or so."

Ratchet nodded. "Yes."

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "I don't like it when you're mad at me. I don't know how to fix it."

"No one did," Ratchet said with a smirk. "I have powers I didn't know I had."

"You do," Ironhide said. "You're a good sparked mech taking care of everyone and no one wanted to hurt your feelings but no one knew how to tell you."

"I know," Ratchet said with a slight grin.

It was silent a moment.

"You still mad?"

"Nope."

"Good."

Silence a moment.

"Ratchet?"

"What?"

"I love ya."

Silence.

(grin) "I love ya back."

Silence.

"Those potatoes and gravy were good. So were the buns. You make the best buns."

(grin) "Thanks, Ironhide."

Silence.

"You make great prime rib too. I love your prime rib."

(grin) "Thanks, Ironhide."

Silence.

"You do a great job with the sparklings. You make the house home. You do your job as a doctor and you fight, too. You raise a pile of younglings up who need a home and you're a good old mech."

Ratchet rolled over and hugged Ironhide as he snuggled. "You're the best old mech ever. I gave your face to a pile of those infants for a reason."

Ironhide relaxed to a ridiculous degree, then grinned. "You did. I sorta see myself coming and going."

Ratchet grinned. "You do. What a pack of good looking infants."

Ironhide grinned. "You're not mad, then."

"Not anymore. I was. You're all lucky I didn't grab my big frying pan."

Ironhide nodded. "I know."

It was silent a moment, then Ironhide grinned. "Good night, Ratchet."

Ratchet grinned. "Good night, Ironhide."

-0-Around the may pole

"Ratchet was lit."

"Deservedly so," Alor said as he tucked Scout in. They both walked out, then turned out the berth room's light. "It just hit Ratchet the wrong way. No more slag about cooking again."

Blackjack nodded. "Ditto."

-0-Ammas and Appas

"Our Sonny sure was angry," Corr said. "That youngling will be the death of me."

"No. He's going to be the death of Ironhide," Appa Ratchet said with a grin.

Huge laughter.

-0-Up in the clouds

"What an evening."

"I know. I will say, Prowl, that when Ratchet honked, it was all I could do to stand up," Optimus said with a chuckle. "That mech is hilarious."

"He is," Prowl said with a grin. "It was … humorous when Dawg got the turkey. I never knew that a bulldog can lock their jaws like that." He glanced at Optimus with a grin. "You holding the turkey and dog off the ground while a bug crawled up your leg was a truly inspirational sight."

"Inspirational?" Optimus asked as he walked out of the wash room.

"Yes. It inspired me to never have a dinner party again," Prowl said.

-0-Kes and Tagg

"Poor Ratchet," Kes said as he stretched out on his berth. "He means so well."

Tagg lay down, then shut off the lights. "You know what the humans say, Kes. The road to The Pit is lined with good intentions."

It was silent a moment, then Kes glanced at Tagg. "I don't think they say it like that, Tagg."

Tagg grinned for a long time."

-0-TBC 10-03-17 **edited 10-04-17**

This would be longer but I took a flying trip to Anchorage this morning and drove nearly 360 miles round trip. I am so pooped. :D Take care out there. Anyone in harms way or suffering a disaster, you are in my heart and prayers tonight. Know you are loved.

PS The line about never fighting was something my grandpa would ask my mom and me. "Have you had a fight yet?" We never did. My mom was my soul mate and we never in 54 years ever had a fight. Sometimes you get lucky. Like me, with you. Nighty-night. :D


	147. Chapter 147

The Diego Diaries: Morning (dd6 147)

-0-On the road to Earth 1

Linda Graham drove on the highway toward the boonies where Earth 1, Earth2 and the Consulate were located. She had an appointment with the doctor at Earth 1 who was a good friend. The traffic was getting lighter by the time she reached the junction that went to the Tri-Cities. Waiting at the light, she drove the big military truck onward over the eight lane highway that led outward. They had finally finished the connection at the end of the line making this road part of the TransWorld Highway. If she wanted to, she could drive all the way around Mars and never leave the beautiful eight lane highway that spanned it.

She clipped along, this doctor who had lived a nice life in a nice family in London. She had met and married Niall who was the love of her life, a smart good natured Scottish ginger. She had jumped at coming to Mars and helped the on-world local doctors with things that required a surgeon's skills. She was one of the leaders of the on-world human 'fun squad' and held a management job at The Resort as one of the owners. It had been easier than she thought, this urban lady, to fit in here and she did. She loved Mars and the life here. They had a son who was now one of 15 human infants at Sparkling Day in Terra. She had dropped Niall, Jr. off along the way, then booked it for Earth 1. When the new intake period was sorted out, there would be nearly 30 toddlers and babies in the system and her son's large array of both bot and human friends would expand. She waved to a human car filled with Earth2 inhabitants who were heading past her for somewhere in the city. Some of them were now able to get out and about, usually taking a load of those who couldn't drive themselves along for the ride.

It would take a while to reach Earth 1, then go inside for a confab with the residents. It would be a very cold spring day on Mars when she did. It was -85 degrees with a wind of 16 miles per hour.

-0-Ratchet

He stood in the office going over data concerning physicals for the Seekers in the air wing of the army. It was a large order since about 75% of the adult male Seekers here had elected to remain professional army. Lee-Lee walked in to deliver a bunch of stuff, then glanced at the data. "We have all the physicals done but for you and the general staff. As usual," she grinned. "Plug in and get yourself done. Remember? You gave me the right to badger you until you do when these come up."

Ratchet grinned at the feisty sweet little femme from Stanix who was his 'work wife'. He pulled a plug and set it into the computer behind him, then continued to work at the stack on his desk. The data flooded the screen, then settled. Pressing a button, he downloaded it into the disk in his hand, then gave it to her. "There you go, Bossy."

Lee-Lee grinned, then walked out. It was quiet a moment, then she walked back in to stare at the screen that was still up on the monitor. She looked at Ratchet, then shifted uneasily. "Ratchet? Did you look at the screen?"

Ratchet paused shuffling datapads, then glanced up at her. Then he looked at the screen. He stared at it, then her, then his servos filled with disks, the ceiling, the screen, Lee-Lee, the datapads on the desk …

-0- **SECONDS LATER!**

:Ironhide:

:What?:

:Where are you?:

:At my desk. In the armory, not The Fortress office upstairs. Why?:

:Did you take your tablets?:

The sound of Ratchet's voice had dropped into what Ironhide called 'The Danger Zone'. He froze in place, then searched his subspace. The packet wasn't there. He ransacked his desk, then sat back. :Uh, yeah …: he said weakly. : **GOTTA GO! I'M NEEDED! SOMEWHERE!:** Ironhide stood up quivering in place, then tip-toed to the door. Holi was working at something so he tip-toed out, ran to the stairs, then took them three at a time. He was gone in seconds.

-0-Lee-Lee

Ratchet snorted out with both fists clenched. Lee-Lee holding the datapads that Ratchet had stacked in her arms as he departed walked to her desk to set them down. :Blondi? Are you there?:

:Blondi here, Lee-Lee. What's up?:

:Uh … I think Ratchet's going to murderate Ironhide:

-0-Home

Ironhide entered the apartment at top speed, ran to the wash rack to find his tablets, then didn't. He was frantically looking when he heard the door open. Looking around for a hiding place, he barely slipped into Prowler's room before the door closed again. Or rather, slammed the frag shut. Moving into the farthest corner, he pressed against the wall and dialed himself down nearly into stasis lock so whoever it was wouldn't know he was there.

The stomping of peds indicated that Ratchet was home and he was in the wash rack rummaging as well. Then he rummaged through the berth room before stepping into the corridor. Ironhide actually felt his spark flutter as Ratchet stood outside the door. Then he walked onward, paused in the kitchen, rummaged, then walked to the door to leave. The door closed behind him. He would stand frozen in place for some time before he would flee the scene of the crime.

-0-On the Autobot City Professional Femme's Association private conversation channel

:Oh, my, Lee-Lee. This is amazing news: -Faun

:I hope I live through it, Faun: -Lee-Lee

:Hang on. My ada is on the line: -Blondi taking a chat

:I saw Ironhide sneak out of here. He was tip-toeing if you can believe it. He didn't think I saw him but I did: -Holi

:I'm back. What did I miss?: -Blondi

She would miss an inadvertent slip to her Stanixian mama.

-0-On the street seconds later

Ratchet stalked down the street with his big old frying pan in servo. He walked past The Paint Box, took a right on Sports Center Road to head for The Diner On The Corner. Ironhide who had made it for the street corner was trapped on Metroplex Highway #3. He had hurried out, saw Ratchet heading toward the Temple District with his pan, then beat it down Administrative Plaza Drive to Metro Highway #3 and some safety somewhere, anywhere.

Hopefully.

Maybe.

He ran down the street to peer through the windows of the diner to see what was happening, then spotted Ratchet heading to the door. Pulling back, he ran the other way heading toward somewhere, anywhere else.

Ratchet opened the door, then entered. Everyone froze, then turned to look at him. He was lit, had a huge frying pan and was giving the place the once over. He turned without a word, then walked back out to stalk toward the Temple District and Holy Ground.

-0-Grapevine

"Did you hear?"

"What?"

"I was told that Ratchet is sparked."

" **NO!** He has fifty kids already."

"It's true. Maybe."

-0-Earth 1

They smiled at each other, then Linda Graham left to drive back to The City and N.E.S.T. HQ where Niall was working on shift. It wouldn't do to tell anyone else before she told him that she was three and a half months pregnant. She drove out of the safe entrance to head back. It would take a bit of time to get there.

-0-Ops Center, getting ready for the staff meeting

Prowl stood at one of the several data interfaces on Teletraan waiting for the data to compile. He was preparing the agenda and downloading reports filed into it as well. He was nothing if not efficient, the uptight slagger. The monitor was playing overhead nearby, feeding The Hourly News into the vast room. Everyone was working well, all was going well, Optimus was sitting at the command table reading the newspapers when the Community Congratulations segment of the broadcast came on...

"Thank you, Jacx, for that report. Right now, Community Congratulations are being extended to our newest little colonists, Hooper of Sparkling Day School who was first in his class for paper mache," Lim-Lee said as a very cute and really good little dog craft was shown. "Also, congratulations are extended to Sphere and Molo of Helex who are the proud new genitors of a little mech this morning. The Well was busy over the weekend as we also welcome three new mechs in the families of Hargo and Tulis of Altihex, Fleece and Canon of Vargus IV and MP3, Dingo and Sketcher of Aldous 9. Included as well are congratulations to be extended to Master of the Army Ironhide of Praxus and CMO and Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon on the news of a new infant."

It took a moment to sink in before Prowl glanced up to the monitor. When he did, his helm exploded.

(insert mushroom cloud here)

 **KABOOM!**

-0-Around the colony

Devcon stood at the corner waiting for the light to change along with Moda, his son, and Smokey. They saw Ironhide peer into the Diner window, then run. They saw Ratchet walk in, then out with a frying pan. They watched as the two went different directions.

"What's that about?" Moda asked.

"Ironhide fragged up, obviously," Dev said as Ratchet disappeared from view.

"Wow," Smokey said. "They play for keeps." He grinned. "I'm following Ironhide."

"I'm following Ratchet," Dev said. "Meet up at The Fortress." The two split, going their separate directions as Moda watched them.

"What about me?" Moda called out.

" **COME WITH ME, ATAR!"** Smokey said as he ran down the street, then cut across to the other side.

Moda shifted uneasily, then did the same, swiftly following his son, crossing in the middle of the street, rather than the crosswalk. It would be the first time he had ever deliberately broken a law in his life.

Accountants.

-0-In the lounge at the Dojo

Partition glanced at the mechs who were laughing loudly as Hercy sent onward the message he got from Smokescreen via Devcon. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Ironhide. His aft is over," Hercy said with a chuckle. Everyone nodded. "The staff meeting is going to be one for the record books."

"Can I come?" Partition asked as he glanced around at the mellow crew sitting around him.

"It's required, isn't it?" Kup asked.

Aunt Lissie nodded. "Part of the training. Close combat with blunt instruments."

 **HUGE** laughter.

-0-On the street

:Ironhide. Where are you?:

:Ironhide can't answer the phone right now. Please leave a message at the beep. **BEEP!** : Ironhide continued onward heading in a circular route to The Fortress, trying to stay away from Ratchet until he calmed down.

He wasn't calming down.

-0-On the road to Charon and duty

The twins stood in line to get on the shuttle going to Charon. They were on post there for shifts for the next few years as their main duty station because they were so good at what they did. Their type of warrior was placed there as first responders. It was a fragged back hand compliment.

Smokescreen who was kibitzing with a friend nearby grinned as he listened to Dev. When Dev logged off, he walked to the twins and extended his servo to Sunstreaker. "Sunny. Congrats."

Sunstreaker who took his servo frowned slightly. "About what?"

Smokescreen slapped Sunny on the shoulder then gripped Sideswipe's servo. "You too, Sideswipe. Congratulations. Both of you. I really mean it."

"What? What do you mean?" Sideswipe asked as everyone around them turned to stare with grins.

"You didn't hear?" Smokescreen asked with false surprise.

"No," Sunstreaker said as his frown deepened. "What didn't we hear?"

"I don't know if I can tell you. After all ..." Smokescreen began before Sunstreaker dumped him on the ground. He laughed loudly, then stood up. "On the other hand, you heard it from a friend. I heard that your genitors are sparked."

It was silent like a graveyard, then they both turned to the Master of the Muster as one. "We have a family emergency."

-0-RTR Tools

They sat around the store as Tie and Ravel stoked the furnaces. The others were reading or relaxing, waiting for classes. The monitor played The Hourly News nearby. " ...Canon of Vargus IV and MP3, Dingo and Sketcher of Aldous 9. Included as well are congratulations to be extended to Master of the Army Ironhide of Praxus and CMO and Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon on the news of a new infant."

They all froze, turned to the monitor, then their helms exploded.

 **POOF!**

 **BOOM!**

 **KERPOW!**

 **BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!**

-0-At Club Hoyle

They sat around the table relaxing after a wild weekend at the Valles. They were sipping the Cybertronian equivalent of a bloody Mary when the news came clear over their slightly impaired wavelengths. Elita, the femmes, Maelstrom, Jetta, Mack and Not Magnus glanced at each other, then their helms exploded.

 **BOOM!**

 **KABOOM!**

 **POOF! POOF! POOF-POOFITY-POOF!**

 **KERPLOW!**

-0-At Ops Center

He finally made it back to the Ops Center and hurried in to pause anxiously by the table. He glanced wildly around, then froze at the expressions on the faces of Prowl, Prime and everyone else. "Hide me."

Prowl who was still ringing between the audials leaned toward Ironhide. "Fat chance," he said.

It was then that Ratchet came in. In one hand, he held a huge frying pan. In the other, he held a box of tablets to prevent sparking. The box had Ironhide's glyph written on it large.

-0-On their way to Ops Center

Ravel, Tie Down, Corr, Chan, Docker, a loudly laughing Appa Ratchet who were joined by Sunstreaker and Sideswipe trying to track Ratchet and Ironhide down marched toward The Fortress like an invading army. Clearly visible and catching up, all of the family femmes, a grinning Maelstrom, a smirking Jetta who was trading jokes with Elita followed by his fascinated brother, Mack made their way. Nearly caught up to them as they emerged from the metro station, the entire group of dojo lounge lizards along with Aunt Lissie, Willa and Partition followed. Blackjack, Raptor, Hard Drive and Delphi along with Turbine followed by Flint had just stepped through the bridge inside about the time all of them reached the courtyard outside. They would meet Alor jetting in from Las Vegas in the main bridge room. Cybertronian TV played on station on Earth as well as the outlying command centers, too. Hurrying as fast at they could, Scout and Trooper were booking it to The Fortress, following the others through the courtyard.

By the time that Ratchet had advanced on Ironhide who was keeping the table between them, everyone burst into the room and began to hurry to the (future) scene of the crime. Prime who was sitting at the table watching the show circling him, watched them come as well, then grinned. "Did anyone tell Magnus?" he asked to no one in particular.

Magnus who followed the mob because Arcee cherished family ties **ALMOST** as much as she enjoyed Magus taking one in the aft walked to the table to stare with astonishment. His bond's genitors were circling the table, one with blood lust and a huge frying pan and the other with fear on his face. He bellowed, **"WHAT THE FRAG IS GOING ON!?"**

Ratchet halted, then glared at everyone. He tossed the packet on the table. "You forgot your slagging tablets, Ironhide. You forgot them **TWICE!"**

Ironhide looked at the tablets, the howling mob and Prime's amused grin. "Oops," he said.

-0-Meanwhile just down the road at N.E.S.T. HQ

Linda Graham walked to her husband who was sitting at a computer station playing solitaire. He grinned, then pulled her onto his lap. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself," she replied. Then she whispered into his ear.

He listened, then looked at her with surprise. "Really?" he asked with a grin.

"Really. Mama Rosa is psychic," Linda Graham said as she grinned at her husband. She was three and a half months pregnant with a girl.

Indeed, Mama Rosa was psychic. **edited 10-11-17**

-0-TBC 10-04-17

This is a different thread than planned because a reader, kattenbeletteje gave me such a great note it exploded in my head. LOL! Thanks, everyone. I love ya all. :D:D:D


	148. Chapter 148

The Diego Diaries: Kabong (dd6 148)

 ***Note*** I have made a few notes about the situation with Ratchet and Ironhide as it stands in my world here. I'm working off a G1 sensibility with a lot of everything else in it from every universe and the movies. I see Ironhide in a lot of his Bayverse imagery but the attitudes and behavior of the characters is G1 for me at basis. Notes at the bottom. :D

-0-Ops Center

They fogged in, the supporting cast of Ratchet Beats Ironhide With a Frying Pan. They gathered with amused, shocked, worried, ecstatic, concerned, joyful, and frowny optics. It became immediately quiet. Ratchet stared at Ironhide with his frying pan in servo. "You didn't take them twice."

Ironhide glanced around, then leaned closer. "Uh, can we talk about this in private?"

" **WHY!?"** Ratchet asked. **"I JUST HEARD I WAS SPARKED ON THE HOURLY NEWS!"**

"I didn't tell anyone," Ironhide said, then he realized he might have a lifeline. He turned to look at the others gathered around including a number of bystanders from the rec room and everyone on duty including three runners who should have been on their way by now. **"WHICH ONE OF YOU DISCLOSED THIS TO THE NEWS!?"**

Everyone stared at Ironhide, then each other, then Ironhide. "Not me." -Everyone including the bystanders.

Inside, Ratchet was howling with laughter at the sad sack trying to find a deflection for his own sloth. The anger was receding like an old man's hairline as he turned to the immediate problems of cramming one more kid into their menagerie. Given that it was part of his upbringing to live like a sardine in a two room walk up with every stray that ever gave his genitors a sad look, it wasn't like he wasn't good at figuring out what to do. It was the entire idea that Ironhide had **ONE SMALL JOB TO DO** and he fragged it up.

It was a crap shoot using the sparking tablets which were designed to slightly adjust his spark energy so that it wouldn't match Ratchet's. If it did, a spark was created. If not, they could just frag around having fun without penalties. It didn't hurt the user, it just made it easier for an afternoon wrestle and slag match. But it was preferable to the gadgets and software that was the alternative. For them, freedom and free (to be) dumb was the better path. One never knew when another kid was a good idea.

Like (not) now.

Ironhide stared at the group, then glanced warily at Ratchet. "It wasn't me."

Everyone stared at Ratchet and he enjoyed the attention for a moment. It was in his big red servos what would happen next. He grinned at Ironhide, one filled with humor. It wasn't translated that way. It was seen by everyone around including Prowl and Ironhide as menacing. They all took a step back. Prime, on the other hand, read the moment correctly. Either the sparking software was mellowing Ratchet or he wasn't **COMPLETELY** furious with him after all. He was entertained either way.

"Ratchet? What are you going to do?" Ironhide asked as Ratchet slowly began to walk around the table. Ironhide paced him, moving around it to keep the table between him and a sound beating.

"I haven't decided yet. Maybe your folks can have you back for a few. Nothing like camping out on the floor at your ada's house, you big femme," Ratchet said as he halted, then circled the other way. Ironhide mirrored him.

Ravel stepped forward. **"Ratchet!** What does all this mean?" he asked sharply.

Ratchet glanced at his little ada who was staring at him fearlessly. His ada might be small but he was no wuss. "Well, Ada, it **MEANS** that I call the shots on this one. You don't get even the **smallest** peak until the third orn during the naming ceremony. I'm not even going to tell you mech or femme, ***IRONHIDE***!"

Ironhide, considering the information desert looming before him, went for broke. **"YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I DID THIS ON PURPOSE!"**

"Did you?" Ratchet asked with a pointed expression.

"Uh, no," Ironhide said lamely. "I just forgot."

Huge laughter greeted that as Ratchet became swamped with hugs and congratulations. Alor gripped the pan, then tossed it to Blackjack who tossed it to Hard Drive who put it in his subspace.

 **"WHERE DID MY PAN GO!?"** Ratchet asked as he was gripped by mech after mech after femme.

" **DON'T TELL HIM!"** Ironhide said as he pulled out a chair to sit. He grinned at Prime. "What a day, huh?" he asked. It would take a moment for the crowd to settle, then watch as Ratchet sat at the table across from Ironhide.

It was silent a moment.

"Well … are you going to shoot me or not?" Ironhide asked with a grin. Ratchet stared at him almost too long. "Well?"

"I'm thinking," Ratchet said. Laughter greeted that as the group relaxed.

"What's this pill stuff?" Sideswipe asked as he picked up the packet with mostly empty slots in rows. Back at the top, there were two still filled places.

"It keeps energy from completing the circuit to make it simple. You take one every three orns. **YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!** " Ratchet said. "Otherwise, we were going to go full protection like the twins."

The twins startled, then glanced at each other. "Isn't there some kind of confidentiality thing here?" Sideswipe asked.

Ratchet glanced at him. **"NOW!? YOU'RE WORRIED NOW?!"**

Sideswipe grinned. "Nope." Everyone laughed, then turned back to Ratchet v Ironhide's Dance of Doom.

"I **did** take them. Mostly." Ironhide grinned, then the grin began to fade. "You get to do the choosing and designing? I don't even get to guess mech or femme?"

" **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

Ratchet's voice echoed in everyone's helm including Prime's as Ratchet glared at Ironhide.

"Okay," Ironhide said with a weak grin.

"Where are we going to put another infant, **IRONHIDE!?"**

He looked at Ratchet, then grinned. "Right here," he said pointing to the crook of his arm.

 **HUGE LAUGHTER!**

"Well, alright then," Prowl said as he stood up. "Staff meeting?"

Groans permeated the place as those who didn't have to stay began to leave. A few stayed including Partition with Hercy and Kup. As they began to gather, Drift and Springer walked in with grins. They stopped by the table, then looked around uncertainly. "What's happening?"

" **ASK YOUR FATHER!"** Ratchet bellowed, then snorted toward the conference room before getting intercepted by his family. They huddled, then hugged. Watching them go, Ratchet grinned. He glanced at Ironhide, then remembered to frown. He walked into the conference and sat in his chair. Grinning for a faint second, he considered his family's concern. He had allayed them with the simple explanation that Ironhide had to pay a penalty but things were what they were. He would come by later with donuts. They left relieved with a growing excitement. They were getting another grandchild.

 **HUZZAH!**

Springer and Drift turned to Ironhide who grinned. "He loves me. He's just having a moment."

"He's sparked," Chromia said with a grin. "You didn't take your medicine and now you have another dollie."

"Win-win," Ironhide said. "Those pills taste terrible."

Everyone looked at the pills, then Ironhide. "I would dump you on your aft," Drift said.

Ironhide grinned. "To know me is to love me."

Huge laughter.

"So … what's it going to be?" Springer asked as he grinned at the father he didn't know he had and wasn't aware he wanted until now.

"That is the crux of the problem," Optimus said as he stood up. He grinned. "Ratchet is not going to tell him a single thing until after the naming ceremony."

"This is going to be good. Serves you right," Arcee said. "I don't think he's going to be telling you anything for a while."

"He will," Ironhide said as he stood. "He always does. By the way, who has the frying pan?"

Hard Drive grinned at Ironhide. "I do. Want me to give it back to him?"

"No," Ironhide said quickly. "No need to be hasty."

"I don't know, son," Hard Drive said. "He's awfully fond of that pan."

"Why don't you take it to the top of Olympus Mons and give it a toss?" Ironhide asked with the same hopeful expression that Orion would get.

"I'll take it under advisement. What say we go in and sit. You know that Ratchet is looking forward to you sitting next to him during the meeting as usual," Hardie said with a grin as he walked toward the room where everyone was gathering.

"That's alright. What about you and I changing places, Appa,' Ironhide said as he headed that way, too.

"That's alright. I don't want to come between you and your great love story here," Hardie said. "In fact, no one will." He glanced back at the others who were following. "That's an order."

Grins greeted that as Ironhide tagged along with Hard Drive. "Really, Appa. I don't mind," he said as he entered the room. Nearly everyone was there and those following swiftly filled the other seats. That left one beside Ratchet who turned sideways in his chair tapping his digits on the table as he stared at Ironhide with "the expression", the one where he knew the kabong was coming soon … that one. He stared at Ratchet, remembered who he was, girded his trembling spark, then nonchalantly walked to his chair. As he began to sit, Ratchet moved it slightly back. Ironhide sat down and kept going. A big clunk indicated where he stopped on the floor.

It was silent in the room as they all stared at Ratchet. He was sitting silently in his chair staring down at the floor. Prowl looked flabbergasted and mesmerized, Prime looked explosively amused, Perceptor looked like Perceptor, perpetually confused and confounded, Wheeljack looked delighted, the Seekers hilariously attentive, the others in the room surprised or expectant for the fun. It was silent a moment, then a big hand gripped the table and pulled up a big black Autobot attached to it. He stood up, glared down at Ratchet, then pulled his chair over. He sat, then turned to Ratchet. **"HA-HA, RATCHET!"**

Ratchet grinned, then turned to the others who were staring silently at the two. **"WELL!?"**

Everyone nearly stood up in their startlement as Prowl gripped the datapad agendas reflexively in his servos They squirted out, then slid around the table. Ratchet gathered them and began to fling them to everyone. Fortunately, they caught all of them. Ratchet sat back, then looked at Prowl. **"DO YOU WANT MY REPORT OR DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE ELSE IN MIND!?"**

Prowl blinked, looked at the datapad clutched in his servos, then nodded. "Okay," he said.

Ratchet quashed a desire to howl with laughter, then looked at his sector of the datapad. Pushing the open button, it came on. "Well, all of the regular army have had their physicals. Everyone of you haven't. Report by noon for them or I will hunt you down and kill you. We are at 61% clear of the courier-trap problem on Cybertron and have sent the protocol to Dai Atlas to add to the list of clear items they have to process for their refugees. I will begin on the Home Guard physicals in two orns and will have that information ready for the next meeting," he said. He was silent a moment, then he turned and leaned toward Ironhide until he nearly touched him. **"OH! AND I'M SPARKED!"**

His voice was piercing as he spoke and Ironhide who bore the brunt of it nearly dissolved in a heap of disjointed limbs and loose hardware. He sat up again, then glared at Ratchet. "Why don't you say that again? I didn't quite hear you."

Ratchet did.

-0-During a short break

Everyone stood at the refreshment table or out in the main room of the Ops Center as they took a break to allow their audials to readjust themselves after CMO Foghorn Leghorn granted Ironhide's wish. It was extraordinary how loud Ratchet could speak. Given that he had to be heard in the midst of battle, many of his ordinary features were enhanced beyond that of most mechs. Like his vocal processor.

The ringing in their helms would disappear shortly, Wheeljack assured everyone.

Sitting in the conference room, Prowl and Ratchet stared at each other across the table. Prowl grinned. :How long are you going to make him pay?:

:A few minutes more. I think he's cute when he grovels: Ratchet said with a grin.

:Only when he grovels?: Prowl asked.

:When he grovels, when he doesn't, when he's frustrated, asleep, awake … he's cute: Ratchet said.

:You're a fragger, you know. You get another infant. What is this one? Number 29,581?: Prowl asked as he sat back to stare at Ratchet with amusement.

:Close to it: Ratchet said. :This is going to be a tight squeeze what with the big kids and the squatter:

Prowl laughed aloud, a fact not lost on Ironhide who was hanging at the door with his ammas. He was scoping out Ratchet, knowing full well that he was a practical mech. He had probably already accepted that this was the way it was going to be. What was still in play was how long he would have his aft beaten for forgetting.

"You did just forget, right?" Trooper asked.

Ironhide glanced at him, then nodded. "Yeah. You only have to take them every three orns. I only missed it twice."

"Why not fix it with the stuff?" Blackjack asked. "The hardware?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Ironhide asked as he echoed Ratchet.

They laughed, then Raptor cuffed Ironhide on the back of his helm. "You're a caution, infant."

They walked back in and it began again. Prowl smirked at Ratchet. "Any more slag to add?"

Ratchet smirked back. "Not at this time."

Prowl grinned at Ratchet, then looked at Ironhide. "You have anything to add?"

Ironhide grinned. "I ain't saying another word."

-0-At the end for the good of the order

"So ..." Prime began. He grinned at Ratchet and Ironhide who were lounging in their chairs with bemused expressions. "What is it going to take to reach detente between the two of you? I ask as a peacemaker, after all."

Huge laughter.

Everyone looked at the two as Ratchet leaned on his elbow, taking in Ironhide a moment. Ironhide, for his part, sat nervously watching. "Well," Ratchet said as he considered the big mech sitting beside him. "Since I don't have my frying pan, a nice soccer side kick to the cod piece would just about do it."

Hardie laughed loudly, then unsubbed the big pan, putting it on the table. "Here, then," he said with a smile at an alarmed Ironhide. "Don't say I didn't do anything for you, Ironhide."

Ratchet picked the pan up, looking it over as he held it in his servo. Then he looked at Ironhide with a grin. "Well?"

"Frag this," Ironhide said as he stood and began to backtrack out of the room. "See ya," he said as he turned to run.

Ratchet watched him go, then stood. "Putty in my servos. See ya." With that, he lit out after Ironhide.

The group watched them, then Elita turned to Jetta who was laughing loudly. "Ah, young love. Revolting isn't it?"

Everyone in the room agreed including a dazzled and astonished Partition.

-0-TBC 10-05-17 **edited 10-11-17**

NOTES:

When I began watching Transformers in 1984, I loved the G1 sensibility. They were aliens, didn't know about everything they saw, had their own ways but they were a lot like us. They played basketball, swam, surfed, were hilariously funny, lived in a scaled down place but had berths, and sat down on things. They had a great planet of their own with road signs, high rises and the like. Their lives had a lot of parallels to our own but they were obviously different. The first image I ever saw of a bot child was an image of a kid set in a giant mall-like space with a bunch of individuals standing around, some going up an escalator, and a little femme chasing it. It could have been any mall in any place on Earth.

That being said, even though they have a lot of similarities with us I strive to have them have their own culture and ways of doing things. As a male predominate society, it makes the conversations different and the ideas and desires of them different. Also funny. I find men talking hilarious. I hear my dad and uncles in every conversation.

I want them to be aliens as well. Everything I write about here is based on canon or really established fanon. Religion, reproduction, the oppression of the people, bad/good leadership, housing, and everything else is drawn from canon. Some of this, however, is mine. I need to meet the needs of the story and that means expanding some things. Some of the events, the characters and other parts of this are mine. Its sort of 'how would they put themselves back together after this catastrophe' that drives the narrative.

Ironhide and Ratchet have their thing going. They both want a team and love kids. Ratchet's always thinking up stuff for kids … Halloween, spreading Christmas Surprise everywhere, the Autobot Scouts. They take in kids too, those who live with them (Partition) and those without anyone (everyone else). Its second nature to them and I've made it an attribute of their culture in this story which I think it would be true considering the magnitude of their disaster. Youth centers are canon and I would think if they existed, so would taking in strays. We always had kids living with us growing up who had poor homes or none at all. It would be an attribute of poverty that they would embrace as well and Bluestreak and Bumblebee's backstory is proof of that.

I see them working out compromises. Ironhide takes tablets that disallows his spark energy to mingle enough with Ratchet's to make a kid thereby allowing Ratchet not to get the fix. I also see something in their characters that no one else has noticed. One is receptive and one isn't. It's rather like polarity. One will be open to the possibilities while one isn't. It could be just their natures, the way they work together, their partnership, or their contrarian personalities that make this so. Given Ratchet's cunning and nature, he knows he's receptive and Ironhide isn't.

Ironhide's said so several times and I've been thinking over the long haul of this story of making that an attribute of the Cybertronian personality, that some can spark and some can't or won't. Societal custom, no harm, no foul, just alien. It would explain the reluctance of some mechs to spark, the Well of AllSparks being able to take care of that problem and the relationship of Drift and Springer as well as Sunstreaker and Sideswipe about being a carrier. It could be a personality-driven thing where some can't, especially two with the same inclination like the twins and Drift/Springer.

Ironhide can't, Ratchet can = kids.

Drift and Springer can't = AllSpark.

It would kind of explain the AllSpark's extra talent. :D

Therefore, Ratchet plays Ironhide like a fiddle to get his way. This time, Ironhide was supposed to take his medicine and he forgot twice. He didn't do it on purpose. It just happened. But that won't save him from Hatchet at the moment. :D:D:D

They are the best matched and most comical duo I ever wrote. I love that the universes are so many and the information base I can draw on so vast. I also add my own stuff. This is one of those moments in their life when they mess up and things happen. It's also one more step closer to a full team. :D:D:D They're aliens who have their own ways, something I try to keep in the story, and its luck that so many of their ways match up with us. ;)

That's my take on the character of the story. :D:D:D:D:D

 **THERE BE ALIENS HERE! ;)**

ESL: detente: (day-taunt) to come to agreement for a peaceful resolution.

PS Peter Cullen has confirmed he's going to speak in the Bumblebee stand alone movie. :D


	149. Chapter 149

The Diego Diaries: Well, there, Partner (dd6 149)

-0-Home again

Ironhide walked into the apartment, closed the door, then sat in his chair to wait. Leaning back, he considered the hellscape before him for the next 25 or so orns, with him snooping around and Ratchet denying everything and anything. That's when the door opened. Ratchet walked in, went to the kitchen where he stowed his giant frying pan, then opened the fridge. He pulled out two beers, tossed one to Ironhide, then closed the door. Popping the top, he walked to his own chair to sit. Both of them took a drink, then Ironhide grinned. "You really showed everyone how the bond works today, Ratchet. You looked beautiful."

Ratchet smirked. "You can't let them get too complacent," Ratchet agreed. "You big doofus, slagger … buffoon."

"You're really going to make me suffer this time, right?" Ironhide asked as he glanced at Ratchet. He admired the beauty of Ratchet's profile, completely unaware at the moment that humans could and would never view it the same way. Ratchet was a drop dead beauty among his kind and he was one lucky slagger. That Ratchet was such a stand up mech, that he liked to 'play' as much as Ironhide, that he rolled with the punches was the cherry on top. Ironhide considered himself the luckiest mech anywhere that mechs existed.

Ratchet grinned at him. "Oh, yeah ..."

Ironhide laughed, then a rap on the door got him to his peds. He walked over to open it and looked out. Down on the floor, a passel of segways overloaded with individuals sped in. Looking down, he closed the door, walked carefully to his chair and sat. Both of them saluted the humans gathered in front of them with their beers.

 **:RATCHET! WE HEARD THE NEWS! THIS IS SO AWESOME!:** Jessie Landon called upward to the pair. **:CAN WE COME!?:**

Ratchet grinned. "I'll send the notice when things happen."

Cheering went up among the females and the one or two grinning males who were on the vehicles. :Did you hear about Linda Graham? She's three and a half months pregnant with a girl: Clarice said.

Ratchet leaned forward. "That's great news. Will she have her here or on Earth?"

The humans laughed. :It's so weird hearing that we have a choice now: Lois Morshower-Howell said. :She wants it here:

A moment of rejoicing was had, then everyone grinned at each other. :So … what happened?: Devon asked with her usual sweet nosiness.

Ratchet laughed aloud. "He didn't take his medicine. He didn't take the damned medicine."

Ironhide preened a moment, then saluted them with his beer. "Gonna punish a mech for forgetting."

"Slag right, I am," Ratchet said.

:So, Ironhide … you're on the pill?: Clarice asked with a grin. Everyone of the humans began to chuckle as they smirked up at him.

He frowned at them, then Ratchet. "Uh, yeah. So?"

"Birth control, Ironhide, is still a 'thing' on Earth. You know, Prude Central?" Ratchet explained.

Ironhide stared at Ratchet, then the humans. "Frag that. **I AM IRONHIDE! I'M NO ONE'S PRUDE!"** he said, then looked at Ratchet. "What's a prude?"

 **HUGE** rolling laughter.

-0-RTR Tools

"Well, that infant is going to be the death of me," Ravel said as he dunked a sword into oil. It flared, then steam rose clouding Ravel a second. " **Imagine!** Running around town with a frying pan in your servo, then causing a ruckus around the Prime. **THE PRIME!** We didn't raise that infant to become a public spectacle."

" **IT WAS HILARIOUS!"** Appa Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I never had so much fun since we came here. I **love** that infant. He's a good mech and we get another baby. Is life not **perfect**?"

Ravel smirked at his father. "There is that. I wonder where they're going to put the infant in that rabbit hutch of an apartment?"

-0-In the rabbit hutch

The humans had departed happily, then Ironhide excused himself a moment, disappearing out the door. Ratchet sipped his beer, considered the future and made decisions. The protoform was designed with Ironhide's face, the colors chosen, the 'gender' if it could be called that, and all the other particular attributes that made a baby a baby among their kind in a few moments of reflection. The name was chosen, too. 'Radiant Light' would be its meaning and a perfect one at that, he thought to himself. He was musing on going to The Infant Place and carrying out every kind of infant outfit and toy there when Ironhide opened the door and bumped in.

In his servos, the bassinet that had been the first berth of everyone short of Orion was in his tender grip. Orion's little box bed was in their berth room closet in a place of safety and security due to the sentimentality of his father. He closed the door, then turned to Ratchet. "Here we go. We can put this in our room so I … uh, **we** can take care of him. Her. You won't give me a hint will you, slagger?"

"Oh, frag no," Ratchet said with the biggest, most **intensely** insincere smile he could manage. He even batted his optical ridges, too.

"Fragger," Ironhide said as he set the bassinet down. He walked to his chair, picked up his beer, then grinned at Ratchet. "I'll have to go to The Storage Place to get all the little outfits and blankets for the bed."

"I wondered what you did with that stuff. It's in storage in town?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

Ironhide nodded. "That's heirloom stuff. I can't just give it away. Some of that stuff all of them have used. Some of it came from friends from Orion's time. I'll get it when you think we need to get it. We have two empty drawers in the dresser in the berth room and we can put this bassinet by the window and I can use Orion's little box bed at the office."

Ratchet grinned. "We can. Why don't you do that, then we can go to The Infant Center and get stuff that will be for this one alone."

"Okay," Ironhide said as he drained his beer, then stood. "What color stuff?"

Ratchet guffawed. "You need to do better than that," he said. "Nice try."

Ironhide grinned as he picked up the bassinet. "I'll remember that." He walked onward to the berth room, entering to disappear a moment.

Ratchet watched him, then grinned. "Don't ever change, Ironhide. You fragger."

In the berth room, Ironhide walked to the window. He set the bassinet up on his side of the berth so he could do the heavy lifting. Ratchet would be tired. He stared at it as a parade of smiling babies came to him in memory. They were laying in their own particular baby blankets, with their brand new first dollies by their little helms. They were shiny as a new penny, everyone of them, and he loved them madly. Now there would be a new memory to join them. It would be **AWESOME!**

Ironhide had a new little buddy for his orn.

He walked out, then waited as Ratchet put the bottles down the recycle chute. Walking out together, they headed for the elevator and The City beyond.

-0-Partition, a classroom in the Autobot City Medical Center, Autobot City

He sat in his class for field medics. There were eighteen others, some of them his age and all of them low caste. He startled for a moment. This was the first time he had thought about caste in decaorns. He couldn't remember the last time his optics flickered toward the markings of caste on another person. It astonished him a moment, then he felt his optics mist a little. Glancing at the diagrams on the forward monitor, he blinked his optics, then concentrated again. The moment of surprise, shame and intense gratitude passed by as he listened to the workings of a Cybertronian knee joint.

-0-Morius and Inweld

They worked together on a series of submitted project proposals for the chance to do business here on Mars by companies on Earth. They were part of a private firm that was 'hired' to help Fenix troubleshoot submissions for their viability to be presented to Ultra Magnus for the next step in the process. Before, it was okay and interesting but now it was more, more necessary and absorbing. Now, it was different. Everything was more intense, interesting, unifying, important, and needed. They had seen another world and had fallen into it along with their brother.

Partition had always been a trial. He was selfish, egotistical in the extreme, favored by their father, hard core in his sense of entitlement, and unwilling to understand or accept that both of his younger brothers were made of less stern stuff. It wasn't until they were on the run that the two had begun to change though they were unaware they had and how much until they landed here on Mars. Thayne had been here, a friend from way back and they had become a very close set of friends. Thayne had stood up for them and they were grateful. Now, they had a basis for their happiness and were choosing to do things and be around others who supported their new sense of themselves.

That Partition had changed, that he had become a good mech and a friend, that had been something that was never going to be in the cards before. Their brother had been embarrassing, sometimes mean to them and a mech to avoid most of the time. Now, he was part of their world again in a way they never believed possible. They were in the Home Guard together, Partition was studying to be a field medic, the diplomatic thing was over, and they were making their way forward as brothers and friends. The only hangup was their genitors. They hadn't told them of their decision to become part of the army. That was going to be a hard thing that would await until they graduated basic training and got their tats.

For now, there was their jobs here at the law firm, their training with the army, the friendships of others that they were making, fun times in the colony, and the companionship of their brother at long last. Life had taken a 180 degree turn around since the shunning and the two of them were grateful. Now, the only clouds in their sky were their genitors.

Their father, Lucien, actually.

"Fenix wants this when?" Morius asked as he typed out the last of the brief that would be attached to a firm application assessment that wanted to harness energy through solar wind devices near Earth.

"Tomorrow, if we can," Inweld said as he consulted the database with the entire case law and regulations of every country on Earth loaded up. "I found that citation, Morie. I'm sending it to you. Put it at the end in the footnotes."

"Got it," Morius said. They would work together all afternoon, then join their brother and a number of mutual friends, some theirs, some his, for dinner at The Tower In The Sky in Iacon. After that, the races beckoned.

-0-Raptor and the Fam

"That little mech is going to push his luck too far some fine orn and Ratchet is going to make mufflers out of him," Raptor said as he stood in line to use the bridge to go to his district command on Cybertron. The others laughed, nodding in agreement. "I love that infant. Imagine. Another infant with his face is in the pipeline."

"Ratchet has good taste," Turbine said with a grin.

"He does doesn't he," Blackjack said as he preened.

Hard Drive grinned. "Ironhide will have a new dollie for a while. Prowler and a new dollie. That's a lot of infants to cart around."

"He will," Delphi said with a pride. "He's quite a father, that one."

"Takes after me," Raptor said as he and the others stepped up to go.

What they had to say to that was lost to the bridge.

-0-The Infant Center

"What do you think, Ironhide?" Ratchet said pointing out several Seeker bags for The One.

"Well, its hard to say. A femme might like that. A mech might not," Ironhide said as he peered out of the corner of his optics toward Ratchet.

Ratchet smirked. "Frag you. Pick one or I will."

"You do it, Ratchet. It's your turn," Ironhide said as he prepared to gather intel from what Ratchet chose.

Ratchet looked at all of them critically, then chose a fawn-colored one that had a seal of Mars on it. Ironhide frowned. Nothing to tell there. Ratchet grinned. Ironhide was getting nothing. He moved onward, pausing before a pile of soft beautiful blankets. "What about this?"

"You choose the stuff, Ratchet. I'll carry it," Ironhide said holding out his servo. Ratchet dropped the little Seeker bag onto it, then half a dozen soft white blankets.

Ironhide frowned.

Ratchet grinned.

"Keep up, wuss," Ratchet said. "We have a lot of slag to get if you want this infant to have their own personal kit."

"I do," Ironhide said as he followed. "What sort of genitor would I be otherwise?"

"Don't ask me, Ironhide. You're good at this as it is. I suppose you plan to carry it around along with Prowler when he gets out of school. There's a five joor gap between his school and the others," Ratchet said as he gathered up nice little onesies that ran a gamut of color from light green, to yellow, to light orange.

No intel here either.

"You got that right, Ratchet. A mech has to step up," he said eyeballing something new, padded soft carry hold liners that reminded him of the one Dawg had at the trine's house only softer and prettier. "Look at this." He opened his carry hold, then slid one in. It was a good fit and was a perfect platform for a sleeping infant. "I want this one. I like brown. What about you?"

Ratchet looked at them, then Ironhide. "Get a light purple one. That'll do the trick." Ratchet turned to walk onward to the toy and dollie section.

Ironhide watched him go, then got the light purple one. / … slagger … making this hard? … well, we'll see … maybe …/ He grinned, then ambled along to catch up with Ratchet.

It would go like that.

-0-TBC 10-06-17 **edited 10-12-17**

ESL:

complacent: (cum-play-cent) to become so comfortable that you don't pay attention and/or adapt to the (changing of) circumstances around you. Example: "He was so complacent, he didn't notice that the tree was ready to fall on his roof until it did." :D


	150. Chapter 150

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 150)

-0-Around

"So … who wants to lay a bet that it looks like Ironhide?" Sideswipe said as he dealt the cards. The twins had been reassigned to Mars, for now, and were gathered at Club Hoyle with the rest of their reprobate gang of young wild mechs to spend the afternoon.

No one took the bet.

-0-The Resort

"Those two are insane. Let me see … that means among the littlest, there'll be that baby, Orion, Praxus, Hero, and Prowler. Then Sunspot. Then Genesis, Quasar and Fireball. That's how many? Nine? Oh wait. There's the six others that live with Ty and the trine. Aren't Quadrus, Santee, Saber, Lumi, Tru, and Verilus theirs, too?" Barbara Morshower asked as she poured over next week's menus for the resort. "Don't forget Bos, Reflector and Co-D."

Everyone nodded. They were.

"That doesn't count the dog and the others," her daughter, Lois Morshower-Howell said as she finalized the outing schedule for the next group to come. The Resort was always planned out a month ahead. "The femmes … Arcee, Elita, Jetta, Firestar, Lancer, Moonracer, Greenlight, Springer, Drift, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe … there's more. I know it, right?"

"There must be. Don't they have about twenty-five or so kids? I wouldn't put it past them to ask everyone to move in with them." Judy Witwicky grinned. " **I** want to move in with them. Those two know how to have fun. I thought **I** was oppressed with one kid."

"You and me both," Barbara Morshower said with a laugh.

"Let me see," Sarah Lennox said as she opened a notebook to a clean page. "The adults are Ratchet and Ironhide. Ratchet's elders are Corr, Chan, Appa Ratchet, Docker," she looked up. "We have an invite to join the Autobot City Femme Association and the Autobot City Administrative Assistant Association, by the way."

" **SIGN US UP!"** -all of them

Sarah grinned, then sent acceptances to both organizations by message on her computer. "Ratchet's family … Ravel and Tie Down. Ironhide's family … Hard Drive, Delphi, Raptor, Turbine, Blackjack, Alor, Aunt Lissie, Flint, Uncle Stein-"

"They're still hoping Uncle Stein made it somewhere," Lonnie said. "He sounds like a hoot."

Everyone nodded. "I do, too," Sarah said. "Let's see … Uncle Stein, Trooper, Scout, the babies who are Scout and … that's all the babies besides Ratchet's horde. Let's see how many that is ..." She counted the names, then grinned. "We forgot the in-laws. That includes Bluestreak, Maelstrom and Drift until he was adopted. Oh, and Magnus. Anyone else?"

They thought a moment, then Lonnie grinned. "Does that include Ratchet's project, Partition?"

They all grinned.

"How many thus far, Sarah?" Lois asked.

Sarah counted, then grinned. "So far … uh ... unless we left someone out ... we did. Kaon, Iacon and Uraya."

Everyone glanced at each other. "How did they get overlooked?" Lois asked as everyone agreed.

"I don't know. I want them myself," Sarah said with a grin. "I think its 49 altogether and 54 with Partition. That may not be right. They have so many kids I think I need a picture flip book to keep it together."

"Ask Ironhide to borrow his," Barbara said to loud laughter.

-0-On the way to Prison

Ratchet ambled along to the Command Center of the Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison. He was on his way to finish medical and mental health evaluations of the newest prisoners. Most of them were Decepticon transfers from Cybertron into a system that was much more secure than those that were on-world there, itself rising from the ashes slowly but sure They were ship boarding maniacs, mostly, and other hard cores that would likely never see freedom again without major personality adjustments.

They entered the building, waved to Colius, one of the two associate wardens, then walked out with their guards. Roadbuster was as ever silent and solid. He was terribly amusing because of his demeanor, though he would be the last to know that. It was the usual slag fest as they went inside and began to move down the road to the lockup that he was needing to review. These would be prisoners having their hearings shortly and one of them was Keystock, the brother of Bezel and Cargo. Decepticons hollered at Ratchet and he grinned at them. When they reached the transitional lockup, they went inside where the 'undetermined holds' were kept pending their hearings, trials or other final dispensations.

"Well, well … look at this fine group of misunderstood individuals," Ratchet said as he began to scan them long distance. Ironhide who was ambling along because he could halted behind Ratchet. He was amused by the slaggers who often were humorous and by the high castes pending hearings that were still as up their own afts as ever.

"Slaggers." Ironhide glanced around, noting that the crowds inside the wires were shrinking. They really did a lot of work here to rehab those that could pass into society.

A big mech with an exquisite finish stood by the barracks, then walked over to them to halt before Ratchet. He stared at the big medic. "What brings you here?"

"My job," Ratchet said. "You're Keystock, correct?"

He stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "Why are you here?"

"Business. You're getting up for a hearing shortly and I have to give a report to the court about your physical condition. I also know most of your family, so I let them know how you are."

"You know my family," Keystock said.

Ratchet nodded. "I know Bezel. He's a friend. I also treated your ada when he tried to kill himself."

Keystock's expression hardened. "Is that so."

"It is. Right now, he's in therapy and making his way. He's on disability and is home bound but we have outreach programs to monitor those who find it hard to adjust or can't get out. Your ada would do better if you'd shape up and take care of him," Ratchet replied. There was nothing like a hard line tactic to see if anything could be budged when all else failed. Keystock was smooth, hardcore and quiet.

"I was told he was doing fine," Keystock said as others joined him at the bars.

"He's doing better, not fine. He's having a struggle and your brothers fighting doesn't help. Cargo is being an aft. You **do** know that Bezel is bonded don't you and doesn't live at home?" Ratchet asked.

Keystock nodded. "I do. A high caste named Lon. I don't know his family but he appears to be the right sort anyway."

"He's on the Watch and Bezel joined him. They're part of the horseback patrol," Ratchet said as Ironhide watched him silently.

"A common job," Keystock said coldly. "I never understood Bezel. He never had the right attitude. He was never going to be part of the family business. He didn't apply himself, nor did he consort with the right kinds of mechs and femmes."

"No, he didn't," Ratchet said. "I can't speak for him but I'd think he'd find your type too boring." He glanced at his guard detail who were watching with humor framed in a hard core veneer of indifference to narcissism. "Let's move onward, boys. We have so many wonderful inmates to see. We can't spend all orn with this group." Ratchet led the way with a group of snickering heavily armed behemoths following.

Keystock watched him go, then glanced at the others. "That mech needs to go."

"Good luck with that," another said. "He's related to the Prime now."

"They can **both** go," Keystock said as he watched Ratchet pause before each area to scan and talk to the inmates. "My brother, Bezel, needs a beating. A good, hard beating."

"Well, if you're going to do it, do it soon," another mech said with a slight grin. "They teach the police how to fight here in conjunction with the army and something tells me, Keystock, that he can kick your aft tens ways to Cybertron and back again now." That mech turned back to the chairs nearby as others followed. Soon, Keystock was alone with his thoughts. They weren't happy ones.

-0-Around

Bezel and Lon walked to their apartment after spending the orn working out at the dojo, learning a new technique at disarming knife-wielding opponents, then having lunch with the elders of their set. Though they were a tight group, many of the youngsters of the army and police, they also hung with their elders. It was almost a worshipful experience to hang out with Lissie, Hercy, Kup, and the others. Hearing their tales, learning their skills, getting things figured out, it all was so meaningful. The younger mechs constantly being streamed in like Lorn were so happy at being with those who had substance and vorns in the field that it was sweet to watch them.

Both Bezel and Lon were promoted to the horseback patrol. Lon had been a precinct station commander, then moved to horseback when Bezel joined the force. They had become a highly competent and reliable team on night shift, riding around the colony with the Alpha squad, Hercy, Kup, Springer, Drift, Splice, Whirl, and Sandstorm. Shift always ended with breakfast at a diner or cafe, a visit at the dojo, then home to unwind. It was a good thing that they didn't need to sleep in quantities like humans if they could at least rest. Recharging was optimal and the best course but they could also manage well without it.

Mostly.

Entering the elevator, they rode upward, walked to their apartment, then entered. It was as they left it, two good natured kids with lots of hobbies and habits making it a warm and inviting place with their stuff. Picking up a few things, Bezel cleared up the living room, then flopped on a chair. "Any messages for me?" he asked as Lon checked the mail on the monitor.

"One from your ada," he said glancing at Bezel over his shoulder. "Want to read it privately or what?"

"No. Play it, Lon," Bezel said.

Lon pressed the button and the anxious face of his ada appeared. "Hello, son. I want to know if you can come to the hearing for your brother on Second Wednesday? I don't want to go alone. Cargo is coming so I hope you can as well. Your father will be there. His pass is still in force which is greatly helping me. If you could come, I would be so happy. I hope you and Lon have a great orn. Come by and have dinner when you can. Okay? I love you so, son." The message went off.

Bezel arose, then walked to the monitor. He dialed in his ada's apartment, then the call was answered by his father, Burris. "Hi. I got a message from Ada. I would like to talk to him."

Burris nodded. "Hold on a moment," he said as he stepped out of the view. Then Anders stepped into the scene. He smiled at Bezel. "Hello, son. Did you get my message?"

"I did, Ada, and I wanted to know if you wanted to go to dinner?" Bezel asked. "Lon and I got off duty and we don't have to go back on for two orns. How about coming to dinner with us?" he asked.

Anders brightened. "I would like that very much. Your father is here. You saw him. We can meet you somewhere. Where would you like to go?" he asked, sounding better than he had in ages.

Bezel turned to Lon. "Where do you want to eat dinner?" he asked.

Lon considered that. "How about that new steak place in Metrocon? I heard its good."

Bezel looked at his ada. "There's a new steak place in Metrocon. Why don't you wait in your lobby and we can come get you. Then we can go together."

Anders smiled brightly. "That sounds wonderful. Doesn't that sound wonderful, Burris?" he asked glancing off screen.

"I think so. I want you happy, Anders," a voice said.

Anders turned to the screen. "We will be waiting, son. I am **so** happy you got my message."

"I am, too," Bezel said with a grin of his own. "I love it when you call. See you shortly. We'll call you when we get to your tower. Okay?" he asked.

"Okay," Anders said with a big smile. Then the screen cut off.

Bezel turned to Lon. "Thanks," he said. "This is two meals in a joor. You up for this?"

"If it makes your ada happy, yes," Lon said as he hugged Bezel. "Let's haul."

With that, they walked to the door and left. As they left, Burris called Cargo to come to dinner with the four of them.

-0-Finishing up

Ratchet checked on a couple of the deteriorating inmates at the special hold for mentally ill or extremely dangerous prisoners. They weren't very good but they hadn't slipped enough for extraction so he left them there. Walking out, Ironhide shook his helm. "If I ever get that crazy, shoot me."

"I'll break in my frying pan instead," Ratchet said with a big grin.

Ironhide chuckled, then nodded at Ratchet. "Sounds good to me." They walked off together down Prison Road, then Fortress Road to The City. Soon, their kids would be getting out of school and they had some news to tell them.

-0-TBC 10-07-17 **edited 10-08-17**

Someone commented on the sweetness of the kids around the elders and how the elders were sweet to the kids. When I was growing up, the older men in my circle were always mentoring kids in their professions, ranching, truck driving, heavy equipment, and the kids were always almost worshipful around them. They wanted knowledge and approval so bad, it was sweet. The same is happening here. :D


	151. Chapter 151

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 251)

-0-That night in the House-e-enda

"What the frag. Are you bringing the entire apartment?" Ironhide asked as he looked at the boxes stacked up by the door.

"We have a few kids, slagger. It's not like you and me crouching in a bomb hole sucking on rocks," Ratchet said as he turned toward Ironhide with a smile. "You have the carrier decked out, right? We can always use the runabout to put Halo in if things get weird. You can shack up there, too. Little femme can't be alone in the night."

"Good idea," Ironhide said. "What's that box filled with?"

"Your slagging barbecue," Ratchet said with a grin. "I have a lot of stuff in the refrigerator. Did you read up on it like I told you?"

"Uh," he said pausing a moment to scan. "I just did. Frag this idea, Old Mech. **WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO HERE!?"**

"Sit on **MY** aft while you lazy slaggers pull your own weight for once," Ratchet said.

"Appa said he was going to get Amma to do the work," Ironhide said as he peered into the box.

"Which one?" Ratchet asked.

" **DOES IT MATTER?!"** Ironhide asked.

Ratchet grinned. "You're a piece of work. Let's hit the hay. Tomorrow waits for no one."

They did.

-0-Alor and Blackjack

Blackjack parked his son in bed, then walked back out to the kitchen. He paused beside Alor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm saving your sorry aft," Alor said as he seasoned the 'meat' at hand. It was a brisket, it was being encrusted with 'rub' which Alor rubbed, then foil was wrapped around it. He also did the same with something he called ribs, another slab of energon-based 'meat'.

Blackjack watched the gourmet cook work his magic, then put everything in foil back into the refrigerator. Inside, there were covered dishes.

"What's all that?" Blackjack asked.

"That, you lazy aft, are the barbecue 'sides' … side dishes that they serve at barbecues," Alor said. "That's a potato salad-"

" **POTATOES!"** Blackjack said with a grin. "Warrior food. What else?"

"I also made barbecue beans, a salad-"

" **Salad.** A Decepticon invention. Continue," he said as he pulled out a jar of large sweet pickles. Opening it, he popped three or four inside, recapped it and slid it inside.

"Piggy," Alor said with a grin. "I also made deviled eggs-"

" **AWESOME!"**

"Corn bread in the covered pan over there and butter that we can heat up and dip onto it. I love melted butter," Alor said.

"It's nectar of the gods," Blackjack agreed.

"That set of things are all the food and treats for Scout. That's a big number of sliced tomatoes … beef steak size. I love them," Alor said as he grinned at Blackjack who was smirking. "Big freak. Eat your veggies. That bowl is onions in vinegar."

"I love vinegar. What flavor?" Blackjack asked.

"Vinegar," Alor said with a grin. "That big thing in the back in the cake case is a cherry chocolate cake, just like you like, ba-bee."

Blackjack grinned. "I think I'll keep ya."

"I thought I'd change you in for a newer, younger model," Alor said as he shut the door. "Don't say I never did anything for ya."

"Okay. I won't," Blackjack said as he grinned. "I can't wait to see what Ratchet's going to do. That mech is a caution."

"He is," Alor said. "Now sit down and figure out what you're going to say if anyone asks you about barbecuing ribs and brisket. You better know what to say."

"I do. You take it between your fingers and eat it," Blackjack said. "How's that for an answer?"

"Your father is going to kick your aft," Alor said.

-0-Raptor and Turbine

"And this is the salad-"

"I don't eat salads, Turbine. You must have a fever to have forgotten that," Raptor said as he stood beside Turbine with his servo resting on the big mech's aft.

Turbine grinned at him, then pointed to other things. "I made bread myself, slagger, and there it is all 'growed' up." A container with immaculate buns was sitting on the counter. "I also made special flavored butter. This is the beans, this is the corn and this is the dessert."

"Ah, pies. You're my hero. A Maker's maker," Raptor said with a smile. "Let's test it to see if it tastes good."

"Frag you, lazy butt. This goes out the way it is. I've fastened the boxes. The ribs and brisket are going to stay in the fridge until we go," Turbine said.

"Hurry up tomorrow," Raptor said with a smirk.

-0-Hard Drive and Delphi

"Then you take this and rub it in, Hardie," Delphi said as he sat on the couch reading to directions to his bond.

Hardie did. "Then we wrap it?"

"Yes," Delphi said.

Hardie did, then put the 'meat' into the fridge. "What's next, Delph?"

"A pot of barbecue beans, then the potato salad," Delphi said. "How are your pies doing?"

Hardie peered into the oven, then glanced at Delphi. "Browning."

"Good," Delphi said. "Peel the potatoes, Hardie. I'll tell you what to do next."

He would.

-0-Hercy and Kup

"That's looking good," Kup said.

"This food is nice. Should taste really good. I'm going to simmer these beans for a while, then we can put them in the refrigerator. What about the pies?"

Hercy looked into the ovens. "Both of them are browning."

"Looks fine. I wonder how many are going to cheat?" Kup said with a grin.

"Enough to make it interesting," Hercy said with a smile. "Help me with these buns, Kup."

He would. They would also eat a few before they boxed them up.

Warrior food.

-0-Bluestreak

He put the last box by the door, then turned to the twins who were lounging on the couches. The kids were in bed, the place was boxed up and the gear was ready to go. "Lazy afts. This was supposed to be **your** thing, not mine."

"We'll put in on the grill, Blue," Sideswipe said. "If anyone asks, we'll give you credit."

"Wow. So much love," Blue said with a grin. "Slaggers."

"You knew that going in," Sunstreaker said as he pulled the big winger down on his lap.

-0-The next orn

They drove to the airfield near the Fortress to fill their rented runabout with boxes. Others were there and they waved before taking off as Ratchet unloaded Ironhide into the vehicle. The kids were with the dreads waiting to come with the rest of the family. All of their gear had been stuffed into Ironhide and he had wheezed his way to the airfield with Ratchet. When it was all off loaded, he transformed, then turned to Ratchet. **"WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH! DID YOU CHECK MY DEBRIS CHUTE!? I'M SURE THAT THERE MUST BE A TENT OR TWO STILL THERE!"**

Ratchet laughed loudly, then tweaked Ironhide's pug nose. "You're so cute."

"I am aren't I," Ironhide said with a grin.

"Everyone's coming. Expect it to be a tight fit," Ratchet said as a number of cabs began to arrive. Everyone was coming for the party and indeed, it would be a tight fit.

-0-At the Valles

Runabout after runabout began to land at the parking lot of the campground. Mech after mech stepped out and began to haul their slag to the trail upward. The rangers there directed them to their campsite as more and more came. It would take a long time for them to arrive and in the midst, Prowl and Prime's family group along with Ironhide's would arrive as well.

-0-At the airfield

"Everyone in?" Ratchet asked.

"Where are you going to sit, Ratchet?" Appa Ratchet asked. Everyone was packed like sardines in the ship along with their baggage. There was no room for Ratchet.

He looked around the vehicle, then glanced at the rental vehicles who were all claimed or already gone. He grinned as he walked to the front of the ship, then climbed up on the hood to lay on his chassis. Gripping the vehicle, magnetizing himself, he grinned through the windows of the runabout as he lay spreadeagled on it. **"FLY ME TO THE MOON, ONLY ONE!"** he bellowed.

Ironhide who was pilot this time laughed loudly, then powered up. Lifting off, he flew toward the Valles to camp.

-0-Springer, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Sandstorm, the twins, Bluestreak, the children, Bee, First Aid, Cliffjumper and Buzzie along with a large a number of others getting organized to fly to the Valles nearby

"Look at that."

Everyone turned toward Drift, then the direction he was pointing. Overhead, just above them, a runabout was flying. It looked packed to the rafters but the best part was Ratchet laying on the hood spreadeagled with a big smile on his face. They watched him fly over, then disappear into the sky toward the Valles.

It was silent a moment.

"Damn … Ironhide is a lucky fragger," Hercy said.

Everyone nodded. Then they humped it to get loaded and on the way.

-0-At the Valles

Prowl and Prime were unloading their vehicle when they looked up to see a heavily laden runabout appear nearby. Venture and Miler, Kestrel and Tagg along with most of those coming to the campground and their kids paused long enough to see who else was flying in. They all stared silently as a vehicle made its way to the landing spot near the others. On the hood, Ratchet was splayed, hanging on with a death grip. It landed gently, then Ratchet slid off, staggering backward to land on his aft.

Prowl glanced at Prime, then stepped closer. "Loon?"

Ratchet glanced at Prowl, then grinned. "Hi, Prowler."

Prowl stared at him, then Ironhide who sort of popped out of the crammed vehicle. It was then that everyone else began to pile out, a Cybertronian clown car of a pile up that included scandalized genitors and loudly laughing children. Prowl turned toward Prime, then back to Ratchet and the madness. "This doesn't look good for us, does it, Optimus?"

Optimus who finally jolted out of his surprise glanced at Prowl. "I think I have to agree," he said as he began to laugh loudly.

Bedlam began and would last a bit.

-0-At the campsite

"You can't be normal can you," Prowl said.

"Where would be the fun in that?" Ratchet asked as both of them watched Prime inflate the tents and sleeping bags. "Like Prime. Look at the genuine happiness on his little face."

Prime was laughing loudly as the tents and sleeping bags flew off his servo. Watching him as he did, a passel of infants gathered at his feet. They were as tickled by the spectacle as he was. Ratchet glanced at Prowl. "So … how much did you cheat?"

Prowl stared at him with The Look even as the evening previous came to mind …

The door opened and a number of younglings entered with boxes from The Catering Place. They put them into the kitchen while Prowl watched to make sure no one entered to see. Prime was in the office and the children were playing elsewhere. When the delivery kids left, he hurried back to the kitchen, pulled a number of covered dishes out of cupboards and began to unload the containers of food into them as artistically as he could. He grinned as he put them into the fridge, then pulled out more things.

Foil wrapped 'barbecue' ready to be grilled was placed in the fridge, a sheet cake that he put on the counter and a number of bread items joined it. Looking at the cake, he pulled out a several icing devices and began to decorate it with the greatest of precision. It would take a bit of time before he finished. He looked at it carefully, then grinned. Chibi versions of Optimus and the kids graced the cake top. "Cute," he said. Putting it into the fridge, he looked at the rest. It would take only a few moments to get it organized, enough time for Prime to pause by the door behind him and catch him red handed.

But Prime being Prime, he would walk back out silently. He would go back to his office and shut the door, dial up the soundproofing and laugh his aft off to his spark's content.

At the Valles …

They set up the camp, then their little barbecue grills. They were arrayed in a circle around the fire pit, the one with the cook stoves turned up high. Ironhide, Raptor, Venture, Optimus, Springer and Drift, Lon and Bezel, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Hercy and Kup, Lucien helping Laslo, Burris, Proteus who was having a swinging time, Heatout who was here for the lulz, Vinn, Bee, Buzzie, the twins and a cast of thousands sipped their beer.

"This is going to be fragged," Sunstreaker said with a grin.

"We know." -everyone who was there

-0-TBC 1-20-18 **edited 1-23-18**


	152. Chapter 152

The Diego Diaries: Dinner Abroad (dd6 152)

-0-At a Steakhouse in Metrocon

The room was beautiful and big with tables in the middle spaces and big booths along the walls all around it. It was pretty filled up with customers enjoying all manner of food that looked like classic American steakhouse cuisine. Drinks came, punch for the infants and beer for Ratchet and Ironhide. They clinked glasses, then sipped. The kids smiled and chatted together as Spot sat next to Sunspot, all optics for each heavily laden waiter that walked past.

Across the way, Lon, Bezel and Bezel's family, Burris, Cargo and a happy Anders sat in a booth chatting as they waited for their food. It was tense to Ratchet's expert reading of the energy but nothing that looked too poorly. It was then that Bezel slid out and walked to the nearby 'rest rooms', rooms where a mech could wash up or even relieve themselves. It was law that every business had one so they did. Looking at Bezel's body language and putting it all together, Ratchet slipped out. "Be right back."

Ironhide who was taking things away from Orion as fast as the little mech could grasp them glanced up. "Okay," he said.

Ratchet followed a waiter, then detoured into the rest room. It was single gender, immaculate and large. Very few would need to use it but it would be here just in case. Bezel was standing in front of a sink watching the water running when Ratchet entered. "Bezel. Hi."

Lon looked up, then grinned. " **Ratchet!** Hi. You here for dinner, too?"

"We came. I heard its the next best thing."

"I heard that, too. We're here for a family dinner. It does my Ada good to get out," he said slightly sadly.

"How **is** Anders? He's my patient and I have him referred to a number of agencies but haven't had a chance to touch base yet," Ratchet said as he leaned against the sink.

"He's doing a lot better. He's getting out a bit more. It's hard with my father and now Keystock coming up for his hearing," Bezel said with a sigh. "Cargo doesn't help. He's digging at me, mean stuff. I think he wants a fight. I don't want it for my ada's sake but I want to punch his face so badly. You know?"

"Not really. I'm an only child but if you mean, do I want to punch bullies when they show up? Yeah. I hear you," Ratchet said with a grin. "You know … you got it going on with your life. You've met and exceeded expectations. You're a great kid. You work hard and learn fast. You have this great bond with Lon. I remember when Lon showed up all curious and sincere. I loved him right away. Then you two got together and it doubled."

Bezel leaned against the sink with a grin. "Thanks. I love Lon something awful. I can't tell you how much."

"You two kids are why we work so hard. Your family is making its way. Your father loves his bond. That will be the way they change, to help Anders get well. Your ada is on my radar. I'll be looking after him and maybe even include him into the family and friends circle. He needs to have a support group."

"That would be great, Ratchet," Bezel said as he brightened at the thought.

The door opened and a mech walked in. It was Cargo. Bezel straightened and turned to his brother. Cargo looked at Bezel, then Ratchet. "What are you doing here?"

Ratchet grinned. "It's a public space. But thanks for asking."

Cargo looked at Bezel. "We're eating dinner here. What are you doing in here?"

Bezel stared at him. "I don't have to check things through with you, Cargo. I'm coming out in a minute."

"Come out now, Bezel." Cargo turned to Ratchet. "We're having a conversation here."

"Go ahead," Ratchet said as he leaned against the sink. "Don't mind me."

Cargo shook his helm. He looked at Bezel. "You're scraping the bottom of the barrel, Bezel."

"Frag you," Bezel said as he straightened in fury.

"No fights, infants. Your ada isn't up to it," Ratchet said.

"Stay out of this. This is between the two of us," Cargo said. "Remember your place."

Ratchet laughed. "My place is wherever I want to be. Haven't you gotten that right yet?"

Cargo turned to Ratchet with rage. "This is between me and him. Get the frag out of here."

"Move me," Ratchet said with a grin. He pulsed warmth to Bezel who glanced at him uncertainly.

Cargo stared at Ratchet, then swung hard and fast. Ratchet who was faster caught his servo and squeezed. Cargo gasped, then sagged at the knees. Ratchet glanced at Bezel. "Why don't you go outside so your brother and I can get to know each other, infant?"

Bezel hesitated, glancing from his speechless brother to Ratchet who looked as if he were holding a flower rather than his brother's servo in a vice grip. He nodded, then walked out. The door closed, then Ratchet gave his full attention to the mech in his grasp. Moving to put himself between the door and the kid, Ratchet finally let him go. He staggered back grasping his servo. There was fury in his optics and on his face as he stared at Ratchet. "You fragger."

"What are you?" Ratchet said. "You can't even have a nice dinner with your family without making trouble. Your ada is barely hanging on and you don't care."

"Who the frag are **you** to talk about **my** ada?" Cargo said with cold fury.

"His attending physician," Ratchet said. "Who the frag are **you** to hassle me when I'm trying to get him well? Why aren't you helping? Lon and Bezel are. Even Burris is trying. Your ada is at wits end with Keystock's hearing. What are you doing here stirring up trouble when all you have to do is eat a nice dinner with your family? You idiot? Do you know how many here can't do the same and want to?"

Cargo stared at him. "Keystock doesn't belong in jail. If this colony was worth anything, you and Prime would be there instead of him."

"For what reason?" Ratchet asked with a grin. It was no end amusing just how stupid a mech could be sometimes.

"For not upholding the rules and laws of Cybertron," Cargo said darkly.

"You mean like empurata and shadow play? You mean like all the corruption, blackmail, abuse, lying, and greed that destroyed the planet because of your fragging caste? Like that?" Ratchet asked.

"Some things you don't have the capacity to understand," Cargo said. Then he stepped forward. "Get out of my way."

"You didn't say 'please'," Ratchet said. He was between the door and Cargo. It would take more than this youngling mech to move him.

"I don't have to," Cargo said. "You aren't in my caste."

"There's no caste system here. Prime outlawed it. He said he'd honor fight anyone who didn't get it," Ratchet said. "I'd pay large to see it."

"Honor? Optimus Prime?" Cargo asked with a snicker. "Two words that don't go together." He didn't see the fist that punched him in the face.

-0-Out there

Bezel slid into his seat, then grinned at his ada. "You look great out. You need to do more. When football season starts, you two need to go to the games with us. We also have parties afterward. You can come with us."

"All your friends are young mechs and femmes," Anders said. "They won't want old folks around."

"You have that **so** wrong, Anders," Lon said with a grin. "You couldn't be **more** wrong."

Anders smiled, then sat back as the waiter came with the food. The platters of steak and sides were placed on the table. Another topped off their drinks, then left. Anders looked at the food, then Bezel. "Where is your brother, son?"

"I'll get him," Burris said as he began to slide out.

Bezel started, then slid out himself. "I'll get him, Atar. You begin. I think you're going to like steak a lot." He walked toward the restrooms as calmly as he could as Burris slid back in.

Burris looked at his plate, then Anders' happy face. "This looks good, Andy. What do you think?"

Anders who was cutting into his food grinned. "I think we need to do more things together. Thank you, Lonny. I'm so glad you wanted to do this. I feel so much better."

Lon looked at Anders, a really nice sweet tempered mech. "It's our pleasure. We just want you to be happy."

Burris looked at Anders, then Lon. "That's all I want."

Lon nodded. "Then let us help you get there."

Burris stared at him, then Anders. He looked at his food, then Lon. "How do you eat this, Lonny?" he asked.

Lon grinned. "Watch me." Then he began to show them.

Ironhide who was helping the waiters settle plates around his table was watching them, listening in even, and felt a hopefulness for them that he never felt before. He never liked Burris, had never met Anders before Mars, but he loved Bezel. Bezel and Lon were great kids and good workers. He considered them part of The Group. He glanced toward the restroom, considered taking a walk himself, then decided against it. The little minions were eating and laughing. No one would be here with them and Ratchet had a great right hand. Anyone who gave him slag would regret it. So, without further ado, he began to cut up the dinners of his kids as he felt a ruckus over the bond link. He grinned. It was never dull with his old mech.

-0-Restrooms

Bezel opened the door and stepped in just in time to see Cargo fly across the room. He watched with big optics as his brother got up and charged Ratchet again. He watched as Cargo flew backward into the wall again. He leaned on it, the worst for the wear as he glared at Ratchet.

"I can do this all night, slagger. Are you going to listen to reason?" Ratchet asked calmly.

"Frag you," Cargo said as he straightened. He glared at his brother. "Are you here to help me or help him?"

"I'm **here** , Cargo, to get you for dinner. Ada is radiant. He's happy. I don't want you to go out there and make a scene. For **once** in your **sorry life** , think of **someone** besides **yourself.** Don't hurt Ada tonight," Bezel said as he clenched his fists.

"I'll make you a proposition, slagger. You go out there and dazzle your ada. You give him the night of his life and maybe the hope that there's going to be a good future for him now. Then tonight at 2200, you meet me in the park space of the Mare Tranquilitatis. You and me. We can duke it out." Ratchet said.

Cargo looked at him with a sneer on his face. "You and me. Why would I want to fight with you? Why don't I just call the police and have you arrested for assault?"

"You can. I'd even go, though I'll warn you, the head of security for this planet and the mech in charge of the police is my son. Arrest me. I can take it. But can your ada? When are you going to get it **straight** that he tried to **kill himself** by drinking **solvents?** " Ratchet asked.

Cargo stared at him with a cold expression. "My ada will be fine."

"He's having a great time. He wants to have you come and eat with us. I don't think you're mech enough to do the right thing. I think you're a **coward** , Cargo. You don't care about anything or anyone but yourself. You don't even care about Ada. You'd go out there and be awful and ruin his evening. You **fragger.** Meet **me** at 2200 in the Mare. You and me. We can duke it out and settle this slag." Bezel stared at his brother with a cold fury.

Cargo turned to him, then nodded. "You're on." He turned to the sink, washed his face, then shoved past his brother. He left the room and the door closed.

Ratchet looked at Bezel. "You're not doing this without me. I'm also going to bring the elders. You're ours, mech. You're army. You don't go into battle alone. Do you understand?"

Bezel looked at Ratchet, then nodded. "Okay." He looked wretched, then it passed. "I love my family but its hard sometimes."

Ratchet nodded. "I know. I'm going to have Springer, Drift, Hercy, and Kup there. I'll be there, too. We set the terms. No more slag. No more fighting. The System is a dead issue in your family if you win."

"What if I lose?" Bezel asked uncertainly.

"You still win. The next fight your brother will have will be with Optimus," Ratchet said. "I'll make sure of it."

Bezel stared at Ratchet, then threw his arms around him. "I hate The System."

"You and me, kid. Don't worry. Just make your ada happy. Your father seems to be trying to do the same thing," Ratchet said.

Bezel brightened. "He is, isn't he?"

Ratchet grinned. "Some people are slow learners. Let's help them. Right now, your brother doesn't see you as a big boy. What you have to do is settle this once and for all. Then nurture your ada and atar. The key for your atar is your ada."

Bezel nodded. "Okay. We meet up at 2200 in the free space at your building?"

"We do. Now put a good aura on and go out there. We're sitting across from you," Ratchet said.

"I wondered where you came from," Bezel said with a grin. He hugged Ratchet and Ratchet hugged him. Then he walked out.

Ratchet took a moment, then followed, walking to his booth to sit. Ironhide looked at him, then the table across the way. "They seem to be better."

"We have a dance date at 2200 in the park land." Ratchet grinned. "Too bad you'll have to be home for the babies. I, on the other hand, will be busy refereeing a thing long overdue."

Ironhide grinned. "I'll do ya one better. We can convene a court and make this official."

Ratchet looked up from his plate with a grin. "Really? I may not be able to take it. That many good looking mechs in one place? I'm assuming Piro won't be called to come, he and his father?"

"Overkill," Ironhide said with a grin. "Details so I can set this up."

Ratchet told him, Ironhide sent the message to the relevant Praxians, then they set into their food and family time together. Across the way, sitting at another booth, a fractured family actually had a good time together.

And miracle of miracles? Burris actually tried really hard.

-0-Out on a beat, at an intersection in Gambian

Springer took the call from Ironhide, then grinned. He looked at the others, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Whirl, and Lorn. "We're do in the park land of the Mare at 2200. There's going to be a dance and we're invited."

Hercy who was sitting in the saddle waiting for the lights to change with the others glanced at Springer. "Sounds like a caution. Who's going to be there?" he asked.

Springer grinned wolfishly. "Everyone," he said. The light changed and they rode forward, six hardcore veterans and a youngling mech with promise who followed them worshipfully as they rode down the highway heading for Tetriades. They would be there are 2200 hours.

-0-TBC 10-09-17 edited 10-10-17 **edited 12-09-17**


	153. Chapter 153

CrimsonDragon2.9 asked for a family tree so I put this together and decided to post it to the list. I am sure I forgot someone and if I did, drop a note. Until then, here you go so far ... (ps Thank you, guest, for finding the boo-boos on the previous one. I try to get them done in the morning before I get too into things so I don't make them. HUGS to you) :D

 **Prime:**

fathers: Tagg and Kestrel

grandfather, shown but not named during a spirit walk

 **Prowl:**

fathers: Venture and Miler new brother: Prima

others implied but not named or seen (yet) ;)

 **Their kids:**

Bluestreak, Rambler, T-Bar, Spirit, Miracle, Sojourner, Solus

 **Their grandkids:**

Kaon, Iacon, Uraya

In-laws to the Out-laws: the twins with Bluestreak

-0 **-NEXT!** The Haus of R v IH

 **Ironhide:**

fathers: Blackjack and Alor along with brother, Uncle Flint (brother of Alor)

New brother: Scout(let) ;)

grandfathers: Raptor and Turbine along with Trooper and Scout (Uncle Stein is mentioned, Scout's brother as well as Lissie's)

great grandfathers: Hard Drive and Delphi

great aunt: Lissie

 **Ratchet:**

fathers: Tie Down and Ravel

grandfathers: Chan, Corr, Appa Ratchet, Docker

Kids: Springer, Drift, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Elita, Arcee, Greenlight, Moonracer, Lancer, Firestar, Santee, Quadrus, Quasar, Genesis, Saber, Lumi, Tru, Fireball, Verilus, Bos, Co-D, Reflector (on loan), Sunspot, Orion, Praxus, Hero, Prowler, one to be named later. :D There is probably more but I need a cheat sheet too. LOL!

 **Grandkids:** Kaon, Iacon, Uraya (for now) ;)

In-laws to the out-laws: Maelstrom (Chromia), Arcee (Magnus), Jetta (Elita), Bluestreak (trine)

Drift was an in-law with Springer until he was adopted. :D See? :D

Tag along or 'shirt tail relatives': Partition, probably both his brothers, eventually, maybe, Lon and Bezel and everyone else who has family troubles.

This may be a bit short but its what pops into mind. I am going to post it to the list as well and if someone spots a missing person they can let me know.

HUGS, my darling!


	154. Chapter 154

The Diego Diaries: 2200 (dd6 153)

-0-Park Land, Mare Tranquilitatis District, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

It was close to 2200 when Springer rode up along with his usual patrol. Riding past a nervous Bezel and Lon, the team dismounted near a railing that separated the park from the path that led all around the former gravel pit connecting the 18 towers that surrounded it in their glittering splendor. Hitching their horses, they walked to the table where the two sat. Parking himself next to Bezel, Springer grinned. "I heard this was the place to be."

Bezel stared at the ground. "I hope he doesn't come."

Behind them, footfalls caught their attention. They turned to see Ratchet, Ironhide, Alor, and Blackjack walk toward them. Lon stood up and stretched anxiously. Ratchet stepped in front of both. "You look tense. Apparently, your caste never settled slag this way or am I wrong?"

"No," Lon said grimly. "We never got down to it. Fighting with insults usually settled things, that and cold silence."

"Sounds crappy," Ratchet said. "We always did it this way. Ironhide, however, wants to put a gloss on it for the long term." He glanced at Ironhide who was watching a group walk down the street toward them. They crossed at the light and joined everyone. It was Hard Drive, Turbine, Delphi, and Raptor.

The big mechs gathered a moment to talk, then Hard Drive walked over to Lon and Bezel, who stood. They both stared at the gathered mechs with something akin to a mix of hope and fear. "I hear that your brother is giving you slag about The System and that he's not learning fast enough to avoid an honor fight with Prime. I also hear that its terribly detrimental to your ada that he does this and maybe, even your atar,"

Bezel nodded with a miserable expression on his face. "Yes, sir." Lon slipped his arm around Bezel and squeezed.

"Well, that's not going to continue," Hardie said. "We're here to invoke a court which is in our power. We do so for the common good. When your brother gets here we will set the goals and practices, then you can settle it. We believe in you and whether you believe it or not, we believe in your brother. He **will** change. We **will** ensure it. We can impose any remedy we wish regardless of the outcome of this fight. You **do** understand that, right?"

"Yes, Abba," Bezel said as he bowed his helm respectfully.

"Good, infant," Hardie said. "I think I'll sit here. Springer? You're my second."

Springer looked at Hard Drive who he had placed on such a high pedestal that he needed binoculars to see him and nodded. "Okay." Then he grinned. "What's a second?"

"I'll tell you when the time comes." He looked at Drift. "You're the referee. You're Circle. It's assumed you have a conscience."

Huge laughter met that, then Lon flinched. "I see him. He's coming."

Everyone turned to look at the street where a big good looking youngling mech was walking. He slowed at the sight greeting him, then continued. He crossed the highway, stepped onto the sidewalk, then halted. "What's this, Bezel?"

Hardie stood. "I'm General Hard Drive of Praxus. I'm senior Praxian Military Elite on world and thus, I have total and ultimate control of our caste. Do you acknowledge that?"

Cargo stared at him, then his brother. "I thought you said our caste didn't exist?"

"You are talking to **me** ," Hardie said in his general's voice.

The kid looked at him, then nodded. "If The System were going, yeah. You would be."

"You wish it returned," Hardie asked.

He nodded. "Yes. It was better then."

No one said anything, so fascinated by the hidden world of High Caste Rules were they. They listened as they stood around the slim immaculate figure of one of the oldest Cybertronians around. Ratchet who stood next to Ironhide watched with fascination. Low castes and mids had a brawl in an alley for disputes and it was settled. This slag seemed to require lawyers.

"I'm exerting my authority," Hardie said. "You're now within the bounds of my power. I'm invoking a court to help settle this matter in a way that leaves no ambiguity. When this fight is settled, then the conflict between you is finished forever. I reserve the right to impose. Understand?" he asked as he glanced at Bezel. Both he and Lon nodded. He looked at Cargo who was looking at him with a slightly concerned expression on his handsome face.

"You could impose slag," Cargo said.

"You have no choice. I could invoke a shunning. Would you prefer that?" Hardie asked calmly.

Cargo's expression darkened. "No."

"Then you must submit." He looked at Bezel and Lon. "Do you submit to my authority on this and every other matter regarding the caste we belong to?"

Lon and Bezel bowed their helms. "Yes, Abba," Bezel said respectfully.

Hardie looked at Cargo. "Do you submit?"

He stared at Hardie for a moment, then nodded. "I have to."

"You don't have to but then, you can be shunned if you say no," Hardie said. "I am the last word here."

Cargo nodded. "Very well," he said coldly.

Hardie turned to the others. "Raptor, Blackjack, Ironhide, Turbine, and Delphi, you will stand in judgment with me but I reserve the solution to my own counsel."

They nodded and bowed their helms almost as one. Hardie turned to Cargo. "You and your brother will resolve this with fists. You will do so with honor. No cheap shots, no low blows. Springer will be my second. I will deploy him when its warranted. Drift will referee. We will make the circle. If anyone of you go out of it more than once during the three rounds, you lose. When the last round is finished, I will consult with the court, then make my final decision. Do you understand?"

Bezel nodded, then Cargo.

Hardie turned to the others. "Make a circle."

The group glanced at each other, then moved to make one. Directed to step back until it was of good size, Hardie turned to Springer. "Escort the two to the center. Draw a line between them in the sand. Then step out. Drift? You will remain in the circle to check against violations of the code for the fight. Springer, you will watch to see if anyone steps over the line. Understood?"

Springer nodded, then looked at the two. "Come on," he said, then stepped into the circle. Hardie and the court walked to the nearby table and climbed onto it. They would sit and watch without comment or intervention. Entering the circle, the two brothers followed Springer to the middle. Facing each other, Springer drew a line in the sandy soil. Drift followed him, then watched as Springer stepped out.

"You will begin each of the three rounds on either side of the line. You will begin when I say so. Drift will break up illegal holds and halt things when a cheap shot is made. This will be clean and final. Understand?" Hardie asked.

They both nodded along with Drift as the two clenched their fists in anxiety and anger. Hardie glanced at Springer. "Be fast, infant." He looked at Drift, then nodded. Drift looked at the pair, then nodded himself. "Go," he said quietly.

They did.

-0-Earlier

Ravel peered in with a smile. "I'm here." He walked in to be hugged off his peds by Ratchet.

"Thank you, Ada. Everyone is in bed. The big boys just came in. We're only going to be a moment," Ratchet said.

"What are you going to do, Sonny?" Ravel asked with an appraising expression. "You aren't going to fight are you? I've seen you go out at night before and come in covered in bumps and bruises."

"I'm not going to fight," Ratchet said as he kissed his ada and headed for the door.

Ironhide grinned at Ravel. "Thanks, Ravie. We're not going to be fighting," he said as he walked to the door. "Someone else is. We're just going to watch." He walked out and the door closed.

Ravel smirked at the door, then shook his helm. "Why, Ironhide … the first rule of fight club is, you don't talk about fight club." Then he grinned, sat down and unsubbed his novel.

-0-Outside in the now

Cargo charged Bezel gripping him around the waist. He was determined to shove him out of the circle and he succeeded. They stumbled out, then Cargo shoved him back. He grinned. "Tough guy," he said, then walked back to the circle to stand again.

Lon gripped Bezel's arm as the youngster seethed with almost tearful fury. "Don't let him reach you. He's heavier."

Bezel nodded, then walked in and got set. The mechs were watching with concern and blood lust as the two kids got together. The mechs on and around the picnic table looked calm and unconcerned. Springer glanced at them, then Drift. Drift got them set, then nodded. "Go," he said quietly.

Cargo charged Bezel but the younger lighter mech pivoted, leaped on Cargo and by virtue of Cargo's speed and his weight rode him out of the circle past Hercy. He jumped off, then bounced in place a moment as a supercharged surge of energy flashed through him. Cargo turned with a ferocious expression of anger, then walked to the circle. He took his place, dug in and raised his fists. Bezel bumped fists with Lon, then walked back. **"DON'T LET HIM GRIP YOU, BEZ!"** Lon hollered.

Bezel who bounced in place a moment, then set himself, nodded. Drift waited until they stilled, then spoke. "Go," he said quietly, then jumped back. It was a good thing. They both came out swinging.

-0-Prime

He stood on the balcony of his penthouse apartment watching the sky. He liked to spend a moment before recharge out here in the bracing cold, clearing his processor. As he did, he looked down to see a circle of mechs, some sitting on the table nearby with two fighting each other like panthers. He dialed in his optics and realized he knew and commanded almost all of them. He turned around, left the balcony, then walked to the door to leave.

Prowl who was in the berth room putting Solus to bed walked out, glanced around, then walked to the balcony door. It was slightly ajar. Walking out, he looked around, then down. Dialing in as well, he recognized everyone. Cursing his luck to be alone, he walked back in, rerouted the security system through his processor thereby allowing him to see and hear every room in the vast structure all at once, then hurried to the door to leave. Fortunately, everyone was either in recharge or almost there.

The door closed behind him.

-0-Down there

They traded blows up close, blowing off pent up anger stored up since arriving here. The blows were good. Bezel had better technique and more speed but Cargo had weight and fury. He landed enough to keep things interesting but it was clear that given enough time and luck, Bezel was going to win. Dust kicked up hanging in the thin cold atmosphere, making the impression of a soft cloud around them. They danced, came together with hard uncompromising blows, then came apart as they circled each other.

Ratchet and Springer had a running conversation off line about what a good fight this was as the others cheered them on. The circle was into it, each mech cheering their fighter. Oddly enough, a couple were cheering on Cargo but only for technique and his ability to still be upright considering the blows that Bezel was beginning to sneak in.

It was a professional thing.

They circled each other warily by the time Prime showed up to stand beside Ratchet and Springer. Both grinned at him. "Hi, Optimus. Welcome to the show."

"What is happening, Ratchet?" he asked as he watched the kids fighting.

"Something that probably needed to happen a while back. We have a court thing here. Some kind of strange caste court thing," Ratchet said.

"Bezel is going to win from sheer technique alone," Springer said. "Mech works out. The other has power and size but he's not as fast and he doesn't know how to throw a series. He's obviously not in the Home Guard."

"Leave it to Hardie," Ratchet said with a grin. "He has the last word." Ratchet looked up to Optimus. "Good thing you're here. The next step is an honor fight with you."

Prime nodded, then they turned back to watch. That was when the two grappled together, then staggered out of the circle. Drift who was watching along with Springer walked to his bond to discuss the situation. They did, then Drift turned. "You both stepped out at the same time."

"The **frag** I did," Cargo said with fury. "I knocked him out. I win. Two out of three."

Everyone turned toward Hard Drive and the silent Court watching from the picnic table. It grew silent.

-0-TBC 10-10-17 **edited 12-24-17**

(To my hero and my role model, my mother who would be 86 today. All for you, my darling)

ESL:

ambiguity: (am-bih-gU-ity) unclear, uncertain EX: "There was enough ambiguity in the contract that nobody know what really belonged to everyone else."


	155. Chapter 155

The Diego Diaries: Decision (dd6 155)

-0-Park Land, Mare Tranquilitatis

"What now? Overtime?" Springer asked, then shrugged. He glanced at Hard Drive who shook his helm.

"No," Hardie said. "Three is enough." He had been discussing the situation off line, listening to the comments and suggestions of the court as they watched the surprisingly short and surprisingly unsurprising outcome of the tussle. The circle of mechs turned to the judges, their own expressions filled with curiosity as they waited for what was to come from the whole unfamiliar process.

Ratchet who had been briefed by Ironhide already knew what was to come, though the outcome of it all was still Hardie's to decide and announce. "You don't need more than three," he said, then glanced at Bezel who was standing to one side with his brother, outside of the big circle.

Bezel glanced at Ratchet, then Lon. It was then that he did the next thing. He walked to the court, then knelt down on one knee. He stared at the ground silently. Cargo who watched him, hesitated, then with enormous reluctance joined him. Springer turned to Ratchet. "What the frag is going on?"

Ratchet glanced at Hardie who winked at him. Ratchet grinned, then turned to the group. "What's happening is … they submitted to Hardie and the court, which means, infants, until Hardie decides the outcome, they don't exist."

Drift turned to Ratchet, then glanced at the two kneeling. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, they don't have any identity whatsoever until Hardie gives it back to them. They surrendered their identities to him until this was settled. Until Hardie decides, especially since its a draw encounter, they don't exist anywhere in their community. It's like they're invisible and no one will be able to see them. This is the penalty if it comes to a fight, to hand over your entire identity until the court decides if you deserve it back." He turned to Hardie. "Right?"

Hardie nodded. "When you come to the courts, you come as a being with an identity. There are only 2 ways to lose your identity and become invisible to our community. One is to be shunned. The others is to submit to a fight by handing over your identity, then failing to meet the conditions of The Code."

"That's fragged," Whirl said. He turned to the court. "You guys are fragged. Do you know that?"

Raptor laughed. "Most of us but there's some that need strong medicine."

"They're fragged. What a fragged system," Whirl said as he turned to Kup. Kup nodded in agreement.

"I was never so glad to be mid caste than right now," Springer said.

"You're mid caste?" Whirl asked. "Fragger. High tone."

The mechs laughed, then turned to the court again. "Sorry," Springer said.

Hardie nodded. "You're excused." He winked at them and they grinned. He looked at the two young mechs as Lon moved to stand behind Bezel, resting his servos on his shoulders. "Tell me, what did you learn?"

Cargo glanced at him, then shrugged. "Nothing, Abba. Not a thing."

"You, infant, what did you learn?" Hardie asked.

The youngster raised his helm. "I want my family together and I don't want to fight over dead things that are never coming back. Ada is the main worry I have with Atar coming second. I know he has things to stand for but I want him to have a chance. With Keystock and Cargo acting like they are, its not going to happen. This could kill Ada. He tried to kill himself once. He was happy tonight, really happy at dinner."

Hardie nodded. "Stand, Bezel."

Lon looked intensely relieved as Bezel stood. Hardie had called him by name. He had his identity back.

Bezel gripped Lon's servo as the two looked at the court and Hard Drive with concern. Hard Drive considered his words. "Your answer was a good one. Your outlook is for others. You care about the well being of your fathers and you want the best for your family. It's a miracle, Bezel, that you came through your life so kindly. I give you your life back. You owe this court nothing. I hold you faultless. The rest will follow in a moment."

Bezel looked almost limp with relief. He bowed at the waist, then stepped back into Lon who embraced him tightly from behind with his arms. Hard Drive turned his gaze to Cargo. After a moment, he spoke. "You, rise."

A gasp escaped Lon as Cargo hesitated, then rose. He stood uncertainly before Hard Drive. It was almost unbearably tense, then Hard Drive pronounced. "You are mine. I claim you. Your answer was selfish and lacking in self awareness. You have no world view beyond your own limitations so I am taking it upon myself to expand them. You will be called Cargo but until I give you back your identity, you do not exist.

"You will report to me to be my servant. You will carry out the duties assigned, travel where I go and see what I see. You will be coming and going to Cybertron and will be bound by the same limitations as anyone else who goes regarding the information you work with and the sights you will see. I will contact your employer and get you assigned to me until further notice. Until you are able to see beyond the end of your nose structure and feel even the slightest empathy to another point of view, you are mine."

Hardie looked at Bezel. "You are the victor. Your spark is filled with empathy and maturity. It hasn't been limited by your ideas or your life. Your two brothers have. Until your brother, Cargo, passes my inspection, he is mine. Short of being declared null, he will obey me. Maybe in the pursuit of the general good, he will find out that he is just another cog in a very great machine. Nothing more important, nothing less. All of us matter, especially now in our trying times. We lived. Over a billion didn't and who knows where the rest are. We have to live two lives, our own and theirs." He looked at Cargo who looked shocked and almost gray-faced. "You will treat your ada with respect and loving regard. I am told he tried to kill himself. A mech that tries once is highly likely to try again. If your father is trying and it appears that he is, you have a duty to support that. If that means you are separated from direct contact with them, consider it done. Do you understand me?"

Cargo stared at Hardie with a shocked expression, then almost contritely he nodded. "Yes, Abba."

"Good. Right now, I need you to go home and get some rest. You will be required to be at the airfield at 0600 on the dot. One second later than that and I will be most displeased. Understand?" Hardie asked in his even tone that brooked no nonsense.

Cargo nodded. He bowed slightly. "May I go now, Abba?"

"Only if you are clear on your assignment," Hardie said.

He nodded. "I am."

"Then shake servos with your brother and you may go," Hardie replied.

Cargo stared at Hard Drive, then turned to his brother. They stared at each other, then Cargo extended his servo. Bezel gripped it with an emotional expression. "Cargo … I just want us to …"

Cargo released Bezel's servo. He then turned toward the city and walked off. He was across the highway, then down the Metro Line in seconds. Bezel watched him go, then turned to the court. "He's not a bad mech, General."

"No, I can see that," Hardie said as he stood up, then stepped down from the table where he was sitting. "I have had a lot of younglings in my care over the eons, some of them much more difficult than your brother. I have had success with all of them. Your brother only thinks he's tough and entitled. He has never met me before today." He turned to Prime, then bowed. "I have taken this on, Optimus. It will be taken care off for the common good."

Prime nodded. "Thank you, General. I have confidence in your expertise."

Hardie turned back to Bezel. "Don't despair. Change is hard."

Bezel nodded, then stepped forward, hugging Hardie who hugged him back. "I love my life now. I love what I do. I want to serve," he said looking around the group. "I want to be of service."

"You are, infant," Springer said as Drift and the others nodded. "He will, too." Springer glanced at Hard Drive. "He will, won't he?"

Hardie laughed. "I don't give up. He's now a project. We have several. Speaking of which ..."

Partition hurried to the group, then paused beside Ironhide. Glancing around, he smiled. "What did I miss?" he asked to general laughter and hoo-haw.

-0-At The Man Cave, Tower 2

They sat in the chairs and couches as well as the tables around the room eating ice cream from the freezer nearby. The floating card game oddly enough wasn't underway tonight. It was fortunate. The place filled up with mechs decompressing from the hoo-haw. Bezel sat with Lon, leaning against his shoulder. He was lank with emotion. Sitting nearby, eating out of the same big bowl, Hard Drive and Turbine relaxed.

"You are a caution, Hardie," Turbine said as Delphi and Raptor joined them with heaping bowls of their own. "I expect that this one will fall before your wisdom in short order."

"I will expect it. He will comply. I also wish you to be his spiritual mentor. He appears to be lacking in the fundamentals," Hardie said.

Turbine grinned. "It will be my pleasure."

Partition who was eating from a big bowl across from them glanced up. "Abba, what are you going to do with him?"

"I am going to take him on inspection tomorrow." He grinned. "There has to be an upside to managing the Eighth District."

"That's Kaon through the wastelands to the north pole, right, Appa?" Drift asked.

"That's right. We have the worst area, the most damage and the most trouble on Cybertron. Cargo is going to earn his shanix tomorrow. I'm going to be touring for three orns, by the way," he said glancing at Delphi. "I'll meet up at your district at the end. We can have a dinner and see how together this kid is by then."

"I'm sure he's going to be fine," Delphi said with a grin. He looked at Ratchet. "You, on the other hand ..."

Ratchet looked at Delphi, then grinned. "Me? **ME!ME!ME! IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT ME!"**

Huge laughter erupted as Ratchet sat back, studying the sphinx-like calmness of Delphi for the joke that he usually slipped in so subtly that you only laughed two joors later. "Do tell."

"The protoform. When will you design it and when can we see" I would like to make a family rule. When Ironhide is in the doghouse, the rest of us are excused from the group punishment," Delphi said.

Huge agreement broke out among the family including Partition who grinned at Ratchet who grinned back at him. Ironhide frowned at Ratchet. "Slagger. I did make you show me Prowler. I have the charm," he said with a slight preen.

Everyone laughed that joke to death to Ironhide's delightfully frowny angst, then everyone turned to Ratchet. He smiled brilliantly. "Fraggers. No one sees the infant before the unveiling. You won't know gender, the exquisite protoform that I have in mind, none of it."

"Will it look like me?" Prime asked with a grin as Prowl stared at Ratchet hopefully.

"That crossed my processor," Ratchet said mysteriously.

"Fragger." -everyone

"Do you realize that the infant is projected to arrive on Halloween?" Ratchet said as he unsubbed a meter. He scanned himself, then smiled at the group. "Halloween."

"What the frag?" Ironhide said. "What about the kids trick-or-treating?"

A spoon bounced off his helm. Raptor glanced at Ratchet with admiration, then turned to Ironhide. "You are never going to learn."

Never truer words spoken.

-0 0555 Hours, the Military Airfield

Cargo walked across the airfield uncertain where to go. There was a big ship sitting nearby surrounded by soldiers, so he walked toward it, pausing by the mechs standing around it. "Where can I find General Hard Drive?" he asked.

The mechs looked at him, then nodded toward the hatch door. "Inside," one of them said.

Cargo nodded, then walked to the ramp, heading upward to pause in the doorway. Sitting inside, relaxing in a comfortable chair with a work datapad, Hard Drive glanced up. "On time. Good for you. I need a drink, infant. The dispenser is over there. No supplements. Hot and simple."

Cargo stared at Hard Drive who looked back calmly. Then he walked to the dispenser to get his boss a drink. Hot. Simple. No supplements.

-0-TBC 10-11-17 **edited 10-12-17**


	156. Chapter 156

The Diego Diaries: Invisible (dd6 156)

-0-District Eight, somewhere at a disaster in the wasteland of the Kaon area

They stood on the cracked surface of Cybertron staring down into a sea of bubbling death. A chemical plant had been here once holding together through damage and neglect before finally giving out. It had leaked into the ground and filled up a large area coupled with other leaks and solvents from rusting barrels in the warehouses all around. It was a steaming disaster. The fumes weren't effective against them. They could live in poisoned atmospheres or vacuum but this was dangerous for the fire aspects and its effect on Primus and the water table down below.

Hardie listened to the local experts and those in the Autobot version of the SeeBees, a construction group that had the brief for toxic sites which were everywhere. Cargo stood next to him staring into the dank and dangerous eyesore before them. They had arrived early at the HQ in Kaon...

The ship descended and the hatch opened before the gear fully developed. Hard Drive who was calmly going over the information dump from the previous two orns and all of the reports for his district, got up, handed his cup to Cargo to dump, then began to walk to the hatch to leave. Cargo stared at the cup, then dropped it in the recycler. He followed, walking down the ramp to stand on the home world of his people. It was more than he expected but still jarring in its controlled chaos.

There was a smell of ozone in the air, a not unwelcome odor but he knew it was from destruction and deterioration. The square of Kaon, a place he had never been, was massive, filled with runabouts and bigger ships like the one they had come in on coming and going. The enormous square was lit up with lights because it was either night time on world or there was no sun. He thought he had heard they were untethered now but the sight of it was shocking and a bit frightening. Beyond them was the Autobot HQ for the district, the former Decepticon HQ on world. It was busy with bots coming and going from it, a huge building with welcoming lights and life force.

Hard Drive walked toward it, passing mechs and a femme or two who nodded or called to him. He nodded and called back. Cargo watched him as he followed. The General was well liked and respected, it would appear. He had resolved to be silent and see what this would entail. He was stuck and he knew that there was no other out. It was a risk he had taken when he fought his brother. The High Castes didn't like fighting. It was too common but now and again, there would be one. The penalty for doing it was HUGE so most never took it. He always thought that the Praxian Elites who made and held The Code did it to discourage fighting because it irritated them that someone might choose that as a pathway to resolution. They took fighting deeply seriously and he felt that they didn't like amateurs treading on their turf, hence the depth of risk along this path.

He might be right.

They reached the big ornate building. It was clearly very, very old as were the buildings that towered around the Great Square. He climbed the stairs, then followed Hard Drive in. He walked through a big rec room, standard Autobot Army design, then entered a big and highly technical operational center to the middle 'war table'. Hardie stopped, caught the update and latest from his team of officers, then picked up a number of datapads. He turned, then handed them to Cargo. "Get the rest, then come to my office." Hardie turned to the right and walked toward a door.

Cargo watched a second, then scrambled for the rest of the datapads. He hurried after Hardie, then disappeared in the doorway to the long winding corridor beyond.

Several of the mechs watched, then Jerze and Feral, two surrendered former Decepticons, a femme and mech grinned. They were attached to the HQ and served Hard Drive throughout District Eight with Jerze supervising every battle group surrender that came to Cybertron. "Looks like the General has a project," Feral said with a grin.

"You noticed that, too? Who wants to bet he doesn't makes it happen?" Jerze asked.

No one took her bet.

Down the hallway, Cargo jogged to catch up, then walked into a huge office with state of the art tech and lots of space. Hardie turned to him. "That's your desk," he said pointing to the corner. "This was Megatron's office. It's mine now. I want you to sort the datapads by their contents and write a short summary of each part on them. You do know how to write succinct summaries, right? I'm told you're a business lawyer of some type."

Cargo nodded. "I am."

"Aren't you all," Hardie said dryly. He turned to his desk with its oversized top and huge ornate chair. "This is my throne. I rule one eighth of Cybertron from it. Step up and we'll get the job done. We're going into the field shortly. Be ready to go at a moment's notice." He sat, opened his computer and began to check in with the field commanders all over the giant area in which he covered. Given that Cybertron was four times bigger than Earth, one eighth of it was a colossal area to command.

Cargo stared at him, then the mass of datapads. He walked to the desk and put them down. Sitting, he reviewed them, sorting them into piles. Turning on his computer, he found a writing screen, put the proper headings and date/times on them, then looked at the first datapad. It was a report concerning the dead they were finding in the field. There was a colossal number in the totals. He blinked at it, then scanned back to see how many civilians, mechs, femmes, children, elders, those who couldn't run due to disability, those with no luck, no hope, and now no life there were to make such a figure. It was shocking. He stared at it, then the blank screen. What he had to write sort of formed in his disquieted processor so he turned to it and began to type.

As he did, Hardie watched him out of the corner of his optic. He thought about the expression on his face, then considered he probably was summarizing a casualty list. Good, he thought. Good.

-0-At a toxic waste site

"What's the general plan?" Hardie asked.

"Well, we've ground scanned it and its pretty spread out. We have to suck the chemicals out without igniting them, then all of the area has to be ripped out. That stuff is a pretty powerful acid mixed with what atmosphere we have, General. We expect to have the chemicals extracted, binned up, then taken to a transfer center on Fiko 2. They put it together in drone ships to be sent into stars. We have one close enough to utilize. We were told a bridge would be built there to expedite container shipments closer in so that we don't have to keep dealing with drones. In four decaorns, its supposed to be operational. We'll then take the containers, put simple flight motors and guidance systems on them, hook them up in large groups, then send them onward. The heat and radiation at some point will take care of them. We don't want to bury or contain anything like that here or anywhere else. It has to go."

Hardie nodded. "Good. You have it in servo?"

"We do, sir," the big mech said as the others nodded. They were huge mechs, the kind who could transform into just about any sort of big equipment or war machine needed and they were well regarded, the construction crews. Few of them were small, though they kept a brigade of mini-cons to do work that required smaller hands.

"If there is anything I can do to assist, drop a line to the HQ in Kaon. We'll get it here. What's the area looking like? This district? What about the other four found in this location?" Hardie asked.

"Two of them are almost to the point where we can turn them over to construction crews. One of them has munitions, all unexploded in the bottom," he said. "We've drained the oil that filled the hole and found a huge cache of unexploded rockets and mortar shells. The sappers are working on moving them out. They appear to be in good condition thanks to soaking in oil for eons. When that's done, we'll explore the site, repair it and turn it over to the locals. They have a lot of skill there. The other two are going to be addressed as soon as this one is finished. They don't have solvents. They're mostly polluted water and oil."

Hardie nodded. "Give everyone my regards. This is stellar work as usual."

The mechs grinned, then nodded. "We will."

Hardie shook hands, then walked to his runabout with Cargo in tow. They climbed in, then it lifted off with armed soldiers inside and one sitting in the doorway dangling his legs outside. The darkness engulfed them as they flew onward, heading northward to visit pending disasters and meet with locals over concerns. There were islands of light in the darkness but most of Cybertron was still dark. In the distance, lights glowed.

"What's that?" Cargo asked.

"That's The Dire Wolf and Legatus. They're metroformers who are supplying the camps and area around Polyhex with support. We have 1,567 titans on world supporting everything. Hundreds of millions of lives depend upon them and we have more coming. There will never be enough to serve the need. We're going to a place where the camps haven't reached yet. You're going to see things that may be hard to look at. It's not what we want but we have a billion and a half people to support and we haven't extended everywhere. Our people are magnificent," Hardie said as the ship began to lower. They had flown a great distance and had reached a place where a small circle of light was the only illumination for miles. They set down and stepped out.

Standing nearby, a group of mechs and two elder femmes waited for them. Hardie walked over and shook hands. "Bilow, how are you doing?"

"We're good with the increase in food. What's the word on tents, General?" a tired looking older mech asked. He looked like the salt of the earth, like someone who had worked hard all his life and had never expected anything. He had character and courage in his aura and so did the others. He was now the leader of the area which encompassed 2,500 individuals.

"The Dire Wolf is having them loaded now," Hardie said to their very great relief. "I came here to tell you myself. We have them coming and crews to help you set up. We're also assigning a medic team to this area, a group of locals who passed the training in Iacon. They will service this entire area so let the others know. We're nearly finished building the repeater station on the hillside and the broadcast range of the system will reach you here."

The years fell off Bilow as he gripped Hardie's servo. "That's going to be a better help than the small sets. Will it give us the regular broadcasts, too?"

"All of it, Bilow," Hardie said with a grin. "What's the word on food and other things. We can bring in diversions, too. Do you have the list?"

Bilow unsubbed a data wafer and handed it to Hardie who gave it to Cargo. "We hope you don't mind what we asked for. It's been a long time. The children like books and candy."

"So do I," Hardie said with a grin. "I'm going to read the list and if I see something that might help that you didn't check, I'll add it. We want to help with quality of life until we get everyone into decent shelter. As for your village, its on the list for the sappers. When we remove all the unexploded ordinance, then we can go in and start rebuilding."

"We can help," an elder said. "You know we know how to work, General."

Hardie looked at him, then nodded respectfully. "That's never in doubt, Abba." He looked at the dark path that led through mountains of churned up dirt, broken and destroyed buildings and other things that were dragged out and piled up by the locals since liberation. At intervals, light towers threw down illumination. "What about a tour? I'll know what you need and get it here faster."

Bilow nodded. "This way, Hardie," he said, then led the way. Hardie followed with Cargo and the others brought up the rear.

They walked through a weird shadowed landscape of carefully sorted piles of debris that towered over them. Twisting and turning, followed by the group and the armed soldiers, Hardie and Bilow discussed the situation. Doing as instructed, Cargo took notes directed to him. They reached an open space that was pockmarked here and there with craters. Shacks made from scrap and sheet metal were everywhere. They stretched out of sight into the distance. They would tour them, meet the locals who greeted them with gratitude and even offered something to eat from among their stores. Hardie took it, listened to everyone, asked questions, encouraged, comforted, and noted everything. By the time they had walked back and took their leave, everyone of them was solemn faced and silent.

They climbed back on board, then the ship lifted off. It was silent a moment, then Hardie glanced at Cargo. "No one you will ever meet will be more worthy and honorable than them. They are the backbone of our people and we labor every orn for their comforts and rescue. Most of our people still live like that. They never deserved nor did they earn it. They deserve everything good and decent that we can provide." he said, then fell to silence.

Cargo stared at the datapad with the notations and didn't say a word.

-0-At Sciences, East Fortress Road, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

 **KNOCK! KNOCK!**

Wheeljack and Perceptor glanced up, then grinned. "Ratchet."

Ratchet sauntered in, then pulled a chair to sit. He checked his internal telemetry against Ironhide lurking, then grinned. "I'm here to make a protoform but you have to give me your solemn oaths that Ironhide will never see it until I make that decision. If I had my way, he'd never see it."

"I heard," Wheeljack said with a chuckle. "Poor dumb slagger." Wheeljack pulled up a screen, opened the file called 'Ratchet and Ironhide', then a stock protoform appeared with Ironhide's face on it.

Ratchet snickered. "Slaggers. Handsome infant, though." He sat back, then spotted something lying nearby. Rising, he walked to it, picking it up to look at it with admiration and curiosity. "What's this? New?"

Perceptor nodded. "Yes. It's incredibly durable and strikingly beautiful."

Ratchet nodded, then grinned. He walked back, then sat again. "Here's what I want."

They began to make the baby's first prototorm, the one that would be the template for the four stages of growth that would take them to adulthood. It would be spectacular, unusual and still, same. It would bear, indeed, Ironhide's face. When it was constructed, when it was troubleshot, when it was examined from every angle, Wheeljack glanced at Ratchet. "That's one beautiful protoform, Ratchet. Femme or mech?"

"I haven't decided. "I'll see you just before construction. Beep me."

"We shall," Perceptor said as he studied the figure. "Most attractive infant."

"How can it be other with that face?" Ratchet asked. All three of them laughed loudly.

-0-TBC 10-24-17 **edited 12-09-17**

 **NOTES! NOTES!NOTES!NOTES! :D:D:D:D**

Silverhornd chapter 155 . Oct 11

Hi, question where did Whirl come from? How and when did he come to Mars? Are Axe and Wing who are Dai Altas aides going to show up?

 **ME:** Whirl came a while back. I go back to the long form downloads to make sure that a mech I talk about shows up in the story before I do. :D:D:D Axe and Wing aren't in yet. Wing was killed in the Drift spotlight so that might be hard. I do love him, though. He was a great, great character. As we get the refugees through bridges, we're going to see Dai and his operation including aides more. I will think about the problem of Wing being dead. (Optimus has died 18 times in all universes so sometimes you can't say never in some fandoms) LOL! HUGS!

Leoness chapter 155 . Oct 11

Nicely done. That's a fascinating idea right there regarding the name etc!

 **ME:** I sort of saw it through the idea of the Praxians discouraging fighting that might end in death by making it very restrictive, thus, discouraging it. I like their alien ideas. Since they believe in shunning (and so do some humans groups like Scientologists and Amish) I like it for this story too. HUGS!

 **Lackwit** chapter 153 . Oct 10

And Prowl was named after grandfather or great-grandfather.

 **ME:** He was. I am not done with Prowl and his family. ;) HUGS!

 **Lackwit** chapter 153 . Oct 10

Both of Optimus's gradfathers on Kestrel's (?) side were named during the spirit walks , along with the good friend of one of them. Argh, can't recall which Visit to the Matrix.

 **ME:** I am going to go back to that. I remember Optimus meeting his grandpa and how much he loved him. I will dig that up and maybe they can reminisce a little. More to come on the elders of the families even if some of then will be flashbacks. ;D HUGS!

 **Ragemoose** chapter 153 . Oct 10

Raptor and Turbine, Trooper and Scout are listed as Great Grandfathers, but then Hard Drive and Delphi are listed as great grandfathers, as well. Is that a boo-boo or am i not adding things up in my head right?

 **ME: BOO-BOO!** I hope I fixed it. When this progresses and things like family trees might help, I will add them. **HUGS,** **MISSY RAGEMOOSE!**

 **Leoness** chapter 154 . Oct 10

Oh, you dumb kid...

 **ME:** Heh-heh-heh … the invincibility of youth … ;) HUGS!

 **Leoness** chapter 153 . Oct 10

Nice! This was most useful. I love the absurdity of the every growing list of ratchet and ironhide's kids!

 **ME:** There are about a handful of 'conceits' about this story … that is, ideas that are there to drive the fun. One of them is the kids having Ironhide's face, Ratchet's absolute belief that Ironhide is a babe, Ironhide being a hulking doofus who would help his kids with anything no matter how absurd and the family's size. When this story started to write itself, some of these things stuck. Their family makes me laugh. Loudly. :D HUGS!


	157. Chapter 157

The Diego Diaries: The Next Morning (dd6 157)

-0-On the curb the next morning

They stood together watching the bus go. Sunspot was riding them now with Spot, the yellow school bus that would stop about ten different places on the route though the Terra District before reaching the stop where Reflector, Bos and Co-D were waiting. They would all ride together to school in Centurion. Another bus slid to a stop, the door opened and a big grinning youngling aide stepped down with a datapad. "Are you the genitors of Orion and Praxus?" he asked.

Ironhide nodded, took the datapad, read and marked it, then affixed his glyph. Ratchet did the same, then the aide picked up the infants and climbed aboard again. The two stood on a seat waving out the window until they disappeared. As the family waved, a cab slid into the slot vacated. Hero with a smile that would light up the world and a sense of self consciousness at being the center of attention, walked to the cab and climbed in. She waved until she was out of sight.

At that moment, another school bus slid up. Fireball, Quasar and Genesis hugged, then climbed aboard. Before they reached their school, they would stop at the stop where Santee, Saber, Quadrus, Verilus, Tru, and Lumi were waiting and all would venture off to higher education. Everyone waved until they were gone from sight. Then they turned to each other to grin at the two who were left … the one they knew … Prowler … and the one they didn't know … the unnamed unknown that Ratchet was not disclosing.

"I have to say, Sonny, this is easier. Do they like riding the bus?" Ravel asked.

Ratchet nodded. "We'll know about Orion and Praxus tonight but the others do. They like getting with friends ahead of time."

They chatted, then most of them walked off to work or to wait for school to begin for themselves. Ironhide's adults turned toward Ratchet. "I hear you have to be there for Keystock's hearing."

"I do," Ratchet said with a grin. "What about you, Ironhide? Want to come with?"

"Sure," Ironhide said. "Beats working."

They laughed, chatted, then Ironhide and Ratchet watched the rest walk to The Fortress and the short hop to Cybertron and Las Vegas. They disappeared into the crowd. Ratchet grinned, then slipped his arm through Ironhide's. "We better go. Maybe some mini-cons acted up."

"One can but hope," Ironhide said with a grin.

It was a pleasant walk to the Courthouse, crossing the busy Metroplex Highway #1 at the lights, then continuing down Cultural Center Road. Businesses were going great guns, a pair of horse patrolmen heading to the shift change at the stables waved and they waved back. The sun was bright but it wasn't warm. Neither cared. They were mature. Prowler who was passed off to Tie Down much against Ironhide's will before the two left to go to their shop wouldn't last long in this.

"When can we get Prowler on the bus to Terra? They have a special bus for infants that services the private schools and both sparkling schools. They're set up to handle infants and babies. The human babies go on them. What about Prowler?" Ratchet asked knowing full well the answer.

"We can think about it. You don't want to be too hasty, Ratchet. Little mech needs to break into things. By the way, that was nasty of you to hand him to your atar," Ironhide said with a slight grump.

"No playing hooky, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a grin as they reached the Courthouse. They walked in, entered the lobby, then took the elevator to the main courtroom floor. Reading the schedule, they walked to courtroom #4 and entered to sit along the wall where most of the police reporting or other expert witnesses usually sat. The room was nearly empty but for a couple of elders who liked to watch trials. They nodded and Ironhide and Ratchet nodded back. It was silent.

"Did you see who else is getting a hearing?" Ironhide asked quietly.

Ratchet nodded. "I wonder if A37 will behave himself? He's smarter than usual but he's still a wise acre."

Ironhide nodded. "I hear ya."

The door opened and the court personnel fogged in just as Burris, Anders looking almost frightened, followed a pensive Bezel and Lon. They spotted Ratchet and Ironhide, then relaxed slightly. Sitting in a row, they waited nervously as Ratchet arose to walk to them. He sat down in front of them, then grinned at Anders. "You look very well, Anders. How are you feeling?"

Anders grinned at Ratchet. "I went to dinner with my boys last night. We had a very good time. We're going to the game together when the season starts," he said. "I wish this were over and things were settled. I'd like to have my family around me." He brightened, then leaned forward slightly. "Did you know that General Hard Drive chose my son, Cargo, to be his aide-de-camp?"

Ratchet smiled. "I heard something about that. He's going to have adventures and learn a lot. Trips to Cybertron everyday will be in order."

"I know," Anders said as he sat back highly pleased. "I think its marvelous. He can help our people there. Did you know that I'm going to work at Full Circle?"

It was Ratchet's turn to brighten at the news. He smiled. "Really? Joon runs that place. She's pretty wonderful."

"She called me and told me that their store manager for the inventory and sales was taking a leave to raise their infants and would I like the position? I never worked before. I never worked in this sort of thing but it will be **so** much fun. I told Burris, this is going to be an adventure."

Burris who was looking at Anders like he had invented him glanced at Ratchet. "Whatever Anders needs," he said.

Ratchet nodded. "Love is a bit that way, isn't it. What about you, Burris? You look much better than I've seen you."

"I get to take care of Anders. My son wants me to look into some different things as part of the release program. I don't know. I want Anders to have all my best," he said. He stared at Ratchet a moment. "Would you mind if I talk to you alone after this? I have … some questions about things."

"I would be honored, Burris," Ratchet said as he also thought he would never hear those words and Burris in the same sentence. "After this."

Burris looked relieved, Anders looked much happier and Bezel glowed. Ratchet arose, walked back to the bench, then sat. At that moment, No-a walked in and everyone stood. He sat. They sat. The list of cases and hearings were read, things began. Coln-2 sat at his table, Blackstone at his, the expert witnesses here and there. Keystock was first.

When the door opened, everyone tensed as a big handsome mech walked in without expression and with a calm that was typical of the smarter form of high caste in the upper bureaucracy of Cybertron. He was really a handsome big youngster with an impeccable paint scheme. He was the designated heir to the empire of his scandalously rich father. He walked to the line, nodded to his family who looked at him with an almost sickly sense of support, then turned to the judge. He stood easily and calmly. He turned a moment to nod at Blackstone who nodded back, then faced the judge again.

"Silver?" No-a asked.

Silver nodded. "We are here to begin a hearing into the actions of Keystock of Iacon who is charged with serious crimes. They include and are not limited to slavery, abuse of individuals, holding individuals against their will, indifference to the well being of others, lying to officials upon arrival here and resisting arrest. There may be other charges levied against him but those are the ones on deck for this preliminary hearing."

No-a nodded, then looked at Coln. "Colie, you hold the Prime's Brief. What say you? Anything to add to that mournful litany?"

Coln glanced at his notes, then the judge. "Given this is preliminary, not at this moment, your honor."

No-a nodded, then looked at Blackstone. "You have the defense of this individual, Blackstone. What say you? How does your client plea and what motions do you want to file in preparation for a trial?"

Ratchet glanced at Anders who was clutching both the servos of Burris and Bezel tightly. Burris looked ill and a bit frightened. Lon had his arm around Bezel and looked sickly stoic. He glanced back at Keystock and Blackstone who were having a silent off line conversation together. Then Blackstone turned to No-a. "Your honor, my client has asked to be heard by a caste court."

Ratchet felt a belly laugh rise up which he quashed ruthlessly. It was suddenly tense and all of Keystock's family looked blindsided. It was silent a moment. No-a glanced at Coln-2. "What is the procedure for this in light of the review about whether or not to keep them as part of the choices for judgment?"

"We're in the beginning of talks with General Hard Drive but they can still be instituted because Prime allows it yet. All you have to do is hand over the case to the court or the appointed representative of it," Coln said as he glanced at Ironhide. "Then it will be their case and the outcome is theirs to determine."

No-a looked at Keystock, then Blackstone. "What is your opinion of this request, Blackstone?"

"We have discussed it, the make up of the court itself and the likelihood that the outcome may be less than it could be down other avenues but he is insistent," Blackstone said. "I will represent him in either venue and acquiesce to his request myself."

No-a nodded, then looked at Keystock. "You may ask and I will even grant this but you do know that the charges against you carry heavy penalties. If the court puts you in prison for ten years, you will have to abide by their decision."

Keystock nodded. "I know. I am willing to take my chances to be heard there."

"Very well," No-a said as he glanced at Ironhide. "Commander, will you contact the judges and tell me what I need to know to transfer this case and prisoner to your jurisdiction."

Ironhide nodded, then stood. He was silent a moment, then turned to No-a. "We accept the case. We can schedule it for this afternoon, 1600 hours here if that pleases the court."

Keystock glanced at Blackstone in surprise, then Blackstone nodded. He looked at No-a. "Very well, Ironhide. Who and what do you need?"

"We're having a petit court, General Hard Drive, General Raptor, General Blackjack and me. The others are busy with their districts. We will need a courtroom and little more. I'm assuming you opt out of the congregation?"

Blackstone nodded. "We ask the mercy of the court to make this a simple petit hearing."

Ironhide nodded. "Request granted."

No-a glanced at Coln-2. "Do you formally relinquish this case into the jurisdiction of the Caste Court of Mars?"

Coln-2 nodded. "In the name of the Prime, yes."

No-a looked at Blackstone. "Very well. I will arrange for courtroom 11 to be available at 1600 for your use. Bailiff, take the prisoner to a holding cell. Make a conference room available to him and Blackstone for consulting but we'll hold him here until the court. Is that satisfactory to everyone?" Everyone nodded as Keystock bowed slightly. "Very well. You may go," No-a said.

The bailiff walked with Keystock to the door where they disappeared together. Anders and Burris stood uncertainly, the Blackstone walked to them. Leading them to one side, they talked a moment, then Blackstone walked through the door to the jail holding space nearby. Ratchet and Ironhide walked to the door, then Ironhide stepped away as Ratchet waited for Anders and the family. They stepped out, halting with Ratchet.

Anders looked tense. "What does this mean, really?" he asked Ratchet.

"It means that he puts his faith in the most faithful among us, Anders, the Praxian Military Elite. They will find a solution that's just and fair. Believe me," Ratchet said.

Anders nodded, then looked at Burris who was staring at Ratchet with a slightly pained expression. "I think I need to go to my new job, Burris. What will you do?"

"He can come with me," Ratchet said with a grin.

Anders perked up, then looked at Burris with a hopeful expression. "Won't that be fun, Burris? If you go there, we can meet here again at 1600 hours. Will you do that for me?"

Burris looked at Anders, then nodded. "Whatever you need, Anders, to be happy." He looked at Ratchet. "Do you mind?"

"I asked you, remember?" Ratchet said with a grin. He looked at Lon and Bezel who were watching him with almost worshipful expressions of relief. "What say you take Anders to his job. Then you can meet up with me, Burris."

"Could you come, too, Ratchet?" Anders asked hopefully.

Ratchet grinned, then nodded. "Sure."

Anders smiled. "Then … shall we go?" he asked.

They gathered together, then walked down the corridor. Standing in the elevator, holding it for them, Ironhide held it open. They entered, then down they went. When they reached the bottom, Ironhide walked off to the Ops Center leaving them with a nod. They watched him go, then Ratchet turned to them. "We better hurry. You don't want to be late for your first orn, right?"

Anders smiled. "No. Joon is waiting for me." With that, the group walked down Cultural Center Road to the Metro Line to journey to Terra and a whole new world of possibility for Anders. A quiet pensive Burris would go with them.

-0-In the courtroom

A37 walked in to stand on the line. Around him, those with a vested interest in him organized. Three big mechs from the Former Decepticon Association were walking into the room together. One was his overall mentor, one was a specialist at presenting cases and the other was the 'muscle' who would be there to 'guarantee' the case would become another success. A37 glanced at them, then grinned. He may or not get freed today but he would give it his best. He was ready to move on.

Everyone else was, too.

-0-TBC 10-13-17 **edited 12-09-17**

ESL:

Wise acre is a very old term you call someone who is a smart ass, know it all, arrogant. Its an insult. Also, weisenheimer is another word for the same. (If weisenheimer's your name, many apologies) :D:D:D Very old terms in early 1900's America, mostly in the big cities. :D

petit: a jury of less than usual size, mostly six or less. (pet-it)


	158. Chapter 158

The Diego Diaries: Full Circle (dd6 158)

-0-Full Circle, Terra, start of the orn

The soft tinkle of bells hanging on leather strings on the door sang out as Anders opened the door. He walked in and so did everyone else. They gathered near the front where the 'cash register' was located. Joon who stood up to peer around her loom smiled and waved. **"ANDERS! YOU'RE HERE!"** She glanced toward a room in the back where inventory and others looms were located. **"EDICT! ANDERS IS HERE!"**

Edict walked out of the backroom wearing an apron and holding statues of Primus in each hand. **"Anders!"**

"Edict," Ratchet said with surprise. "I didn't know you worked here."

"Joon is very kind and persuasive," Edict said. "I love art and helping here feels like play. I divide my time between Sparkling Day and here. Anders and I have the same therapy group with Vinn, don't we?"

Anders smiled, then nodded. "We do."

Joon walked around the loom, then hurried to hug Anders. As they chatted, Lon and Bezel looked at the big tapestries. "We had one of those in our house, Atar. Remember?" Bezel asked.

Burris who was happy watching Anders be happy turned to his son. "I remember. An emerald one as a bonding gift from your Amma and Appa."

"You don't have one now?" Joon asked as all of them shook their helms. "Then you must pick out one you like and have it."

They all turned to look at works of art that would have cost the lifetime earnings of entire neighborhoods in Ratchet's district, then walked over to look at them. Anders glanced at his son. "You must have a creation tapestry for your home, Bezel and Lon. It will bless you forever."

The two nodded, then began to look in earnest, settling on a midnight blue one. Joon pulled them down, then turned to Anders. "Let's have you do the honors. That way you can learn how to do this, Anders."

He smiled, then they followed Edict and Joon to the check out area. Helping Anders to mark them in inventory by passing them over a scanner, they rolled them gently and soon two tubes were in the servos of their new owners.

"Its really quite simple, Anders," Edict said. "We scan for inventory control and wrap things as beautifully as possible. Everything they take from here is a treasure."

Anders nodded, then smiled at Burris. "I'm going to be fine, Burris. Why don't you go with Ratchet and I will meet you at 1600 in the …" He hesitated, then nodded. "The place."

"Very well, Andy," Burris said hugging his bond. "We can go out to dinner afterward. All of us, hopefully."

:Get time off, boys: Ratchet said to Lon and Bezel off line. :Tell them why and I was there to vet it:

Lon and Bezel nodded, then watched as Burris and Ratchet walked out together. They turned to their ada who was chatting happily with Edict and Joon. "Have you had anything to eat yet, Ada?" Bezel asked.

"Don't worry about that. There's always good things to eat in the back. We have a little lounge for us," Joon said. She smiled at the boys, then steered Anders back toward the room in the rear.

Edict grinned. "Don't worry about Anders. We will help him."

Bezel hugged Edict and so did Lon. "Thank you, Edict. This is the greatest orn so far for me."

"Sometimes its slow but this place is paved with miracles," Edict said. He watched as the boys left, then walked to the back to eat and chat with friends.

They walked out, tube in hand, then stood together on the sidewalk. "I could cry, Lon."

"You should," Lon said.

"At home," Bezel said as they walked toward the metro line.

He would.

-0-On the way to The Confectionaire

"I thought we were heading to the Medical Center," Burris asked as they walked along side-by-side.

"We will, but you need a bit of medicinal servos on first," Ratchet said as they entered the beautiful shop together. They walked to the case to stare at the bounty as all around them the delights of talented servos were on display in cases and lying on shelves.

"What is this, Ratchet?" he asked.

"This is a wonder drug. They call it ice cream but I call it nectar of the gods," Ratchet replied. He called for two banana splits, then carried them to a table by the window. He set them down, then sat. "Have a seat and a bite. Then tell me what you think about this."

Burris sat, then took a bite. Savoring it, he grinned slightly. "This is great."

Ratchet nodded. "It is."

They ate a moment in silence, savoring the delicious feast before them, then Burris looked at him. "I thank you for talking to me. For having me along. You didn't have to."

"Some might say so, but I have a different opinion of what I should do. I don't consider anyone expendable. Certainly not those willing to open up a little. You are, you know … opening up. What do you think about that?"

"I … I find it hard to do that. It wasn't encouraged. The things that they wanted from me was success and focus, they called it. Optics on the prize, Burris. You're the fourteenth or fifteenth family member to head the company. Make it big, make it rich, it doesn't matter how." He was silent a moment, a slightly bitter look forming on his face. "Anders and I come from old fashioned families and we were bonded between dynasties, you know? It happened. It wasn't a choice. It took me a long time to consider someone else before myself because even though I liked Anders, I didn't know him very well and I was heading the firm so I was in the game," he said. Then he grinned bitterly. "I don't think you must have thought I was much when I showed up."

"No, Burris, most of us didn't," Ratchet said truthfully.

He nodded. "I don't blame you. I was a cad and many other things but it was so ingrained, so patterned, so ..."

Ratchet watched him as he struggled. "Disclosure and self awareness are hard for you. What made it different? You've been other places and you didn't change. Why here?"

"My son, Bezel, is a wonderful youngster. I never understood him before. I thought he was just trying to be defiant to me. You see," he said bitterly, "it was one thing you could never be … defiant. I bonded as I was told and I did what I was told. No one ever corrected me or told me how I must have looked. My ego was my light and it took me down the most terrible paths but I never saw it. I could never see it and how it hurt others. I know it did, you know … hurt others. I was so … thoughtless. I think that bothers me the most … how awful I must have looked to others. I hurt a lot of people, Ratchet, and I have a burden to bear about Cybertron. I neglected my sons and my bond. Sweet Anders I call him. He was left alone a lot and he didn't come to the parties and meetings. Neither did Edict. They wilted in the darkness, both of them." He grinned slightly. "My sweet Anders … he thinks that Hardie chose Cargo to be his aide. We know better don't we."

"No one needs to know. If it helps Anders through his orn, then good on all of us. Hardie will whip the sad sack out of Cargo. You **do** know Hardie's exempt, he's that old," Ratchet said.

Burris glanced up with surprise. "I've only met two in my life. I had no idea that Hardie was one. It explains a lot."

Ratchet nodded. "He's a work and wonder. Right now, Burris, I need to help you find your way. Sometimes, a high caste will sit and stew in their own misery and not move ahead. I have a bunch of them as patients … substance abuse and self injury. This place puts to lie everything you were ever told. It shouldn't work but it does. Have you considered counseling at the Temple? You're religious, right?"

He nodded. "I am. Look what I did with it?" he asked grimly. "I turned away from The One. I feel so far away from everything I was supposed to be and do."

"You know … I grew up dirt poor. I never had much but I had a fortune in love and teachings from my family. When you go to the Matrix, nothing goes with you but love and memories. Nothing that you can hold in your servo is as important as that and it never goes with you. If you find any other conclusion to all of this for yourself, get it clear that only the people you love and love you matter. Nothing else does. The moment I got my genitors back … I will never forget it. It was as if Primus had given me all the wealth in the universe at one moment. Think on that. It will heal you. You have great kids in Lon and Bezel and the other two will learn. Your bond is a jewel. He's a genuinely good spark."

"He is," Burris said with emotion. "I never really treated him right. I was an arrogant slagger and left him alone a lot. He never liked our life and thinking back on it, he didn't like the way I became. He never hurt anyone. He never hurt the others. He just sat in his room and suffered. That's on me, all of it. He was the son of scholars. His family is the House of Froso."

"The historians and writers? I think I had a collection of their books somewhere," Ratchet said.

Burris nodded. "They had more talent and smarts than money so they tied our houses together with our bonding. Money meets prestige." He was bitter a moment, then his face relaxed a little. "We were strangers and I never took the time to find out better for a long time. Then I did, but Anders was already sad. To see him smile and be excited about something, Ratchet … it sets my spark free. I have so much guilt and torment."

Ratchet nodded. "I can help you there," he said as he WiFi'ed a script to the big mech. It hit him immediately, relaxing him visibly. He held his helm in relief. "This is a timed release. It will help you, Burris. The rest of it? You're mine. You report to work at the Medical Center. Come to my office at 0900 every morning to work. You and Anders … go to breakfast out. Go for walks. Visit places, galleries, bookstores. Go to the races, the games, the shows when the Performing Arts Center opens. You have to go out and get involved in life."

"What if someone sees me? What if they turn on me? I don't want Anders to be frightened," Burris said with genuine concern.

Ratchet grinned. "Leave that to me," he said. "Eat your banana split, then we go to work. Okay?"

Burris stared at him, then nodded. "Okay," he said.

-0-A half joor later

They stood in a room with the equipment pushed back. Standing on a small box, Burris was subjected to the scrutiny of a mad artist. Sunstreaker walked around him taking his measure. He was going to repaint the big mech and add texture and contours to change the overall appearance of him. No one who would see him next would know he was the big aft from Iacon who had been so terrible to as many as it seemed he could.

Ratchet sat on a med berth eating candy out of a can with Sideswipe. "I do believe if anyone can hide a mech in plain site, this one can. This is a genius mech, Our Sunstreaker. He's one of my heroes. I have 54 or so of them, did you know that?"

Sideswipe snickered. "Is that how many of us there are in the family now?"

"Just about. I've added Burris, Anders and Bezel as well. Lon, too. The word is out on Cargo and Keystock yet. I also added Edict and his kids. Hobbes is still a work in progress."

"They tell me it's voodoo, this thing you do," Sideswipe said.

Ratchet grinned. "It's not voodoo. It's empathy. It's forgiveness. It's the only way forward to heal us as a society and to give a future to the children. If you can forgive, you should. You might not always be able to do it but it should be part of what you try to achieve in your life. It makes room for light. It makes you the better mech."

"Then you're a better mech than me, Ada," Sideswipe said. "You got a plan, Sunny?"

"I do," he said with that fiercely attendant manner he had when presented a challenge. He would make it happen, too. Burris would be another mech, another color, a better combination with all the measures of shine and coverage that defined Sunstreaker as a detailer and artist. It would be a miracle.

-0-1555 at Courtroom #11

Anders and Bezel walked in together, Lon following. Ratchet was already there. Burris was with him and they sat together as Ironhide met in the front of the room with Raptor, Hard Drive and Blackjack. Cargo was sitting in the front seat talking together with a strange mech who looked terribly familiar. That mech stood, then walked to Anders who recognized him with a jolt. They stepped to one side to talk, then hugged tightly. Bezel and Lon stared at Burris with surprise. They turned to glance at Ratchet who gave them the thumbs up. They grinned at him, then turned to Burris and Anders. Walking toward the two, they gathered as Cargo sat in the front row watching. He had obviously returned with Hardie.

When they judges were finished chatting off line, they turned toward everyone which now included Coln-2 to watch and Blackstone to speak. Hardie, Blackjack and Raptor sat down in a row up front while Ironhide called everyone to order. Everyone sat with expectation, then the prisoner entered at 1600 exactly. He walked to the front, then stood on the line as the bailiff walked to stand against the wall. It was at that time as well that Prime entered with Prowl and walked to the wall to sit with Ratchet.

"I am Ironhide of Praxus, Praxian Military Elite and I'm calling this petit court to order at the request of Keystock of Iacon," Ironhide said as he dialed down his emotions. His voice echoed that as it took on a metallic tang. "The court will be led by General Hard Drive of Praxus and served by General Raptor and General Blackjack of Praxus. This is a case to settle the crimes alleged about Keystock in accordance to a Primal Hold. The case will be presented by Blackstone and Keystock. It will be judged by the court. All decisions are final pertaining to the case itself. If there are other points not discussed that you wish to carry forward, you will have to do so with the Prime. As long as everyone understands, we are ready to listen."

No one spoke, so Ironhide sat down, unsubbed a recorder, then started it. It was silent in the room, a stifled breathless silence.

Blackstone stood. "Sirs, I am Blackstone and I speak for Keystock. What we would like to say is very simple. Unless information is presented to show that harm was committed by my client, himself, then there is no way to charge him. We haven't received evidence from witnesses or those who are alleged to have been directly harmed by my client. It's difficult to defend my client without the information."

"May I speak?" Coln asked. "I don't have standing here but I can clear up informational points and offer to do so if allowed."

Hardie was silent a moment, then nodded. "You may. Make your comments directly to the point and do not embellish beyond that."

Coln nodded. "We are gathering the information for the trial going forward. Given the condition of the victims, its been a long slow process. It will be presented during discovery."

"That is interesting to hear but it doesn't help me with the case," Blackstone said. "My problems are right now and that information is needed. I also believe that the length of time my client has had to wait to have his case presented should be considered as detrimental to the idea that we are entitled to speedy trials. Justice delayed is justice denied. My client wishes to make some statements about his thoughts on these proceedings. I have counseled him to hold his opinions but he is adamant." Blackstone looked at Keystock, then sat. He was obviously doing his duty though it was clear there was no buy in for him in this client and his ideas. There was also a slim case at present for him to work with.

Keystock looked at the judges who sat stony-faced and silent before him. Behind him, the energy of his family was terrible. He knew Prime and Prowl were there and he didn't care. He began anyway. "Your honors, I am asking for the case to be dropped against me. There are a number of reasons for my request. First and foremost, it is not clear to me that the actions alleged fell under the purview of the Prime. We were not in the sphere of influence prior to arrival and when we did, we were still autonomous. We had not come through customs and immigration yet so were still stateless and free of his jurisdiction. We were not given the option of leaving either. Our ships were searched and conclusions were drawn. I also do not believe that blame will be decisively assigned. I feel that our rights have been taken advantage of and we are being charged with things that you don't have the power to insist upon.

"I also believe that The System is still pertinent to our situation because it wasn't legally discounted. There was no Senate vote nor was there a convocation to decide upon the validity of the law. I have found no rulings in the databases that give the Prime the authority to unilaterally declare a law and/or system of this magnitude and age without more authority."

Blackstone stared at the desk before him as he listened. He was a good and honorable person, taking hard cases and those who needed assistance because of traumas. He was high caste himself but never one who held to The System. He was always brave, decent and generous. This was a hard thing to hear. It was clear to him that the findings of previous courts had not reached his client and those things that he had given to him informationally had been discarded.

Keystone stared at the court. "I don't expect to prevail but I am here to be judged by my peers. That matters to me. Blackstone has told me a number of things that have transpired from this court prior to today but I would like you to consider the new information I bring. I would also like you to consider the Cybertronian practice of reasonable haste for those accused to have their day in court. I would also like you to understand that I am entitled to know who and what I am facing. I believe my points are valid and I hope you will consider them carefully. Thank you," he said as he bowed slightly.

It was silent a moment, then Ironhide stood. "Is there more to your presentation?" he asked.

"No," Keystock said. "I doubt that anything I say will much matter here but I want my situation to be tried by a court of my peers."

Ironhide looked at Blackstone. He shook his helm. "Nothing more, Commander."

Ironhide nodded, then looked around the room. "This is a petit court but those of you who are here are here for a reason. If you want to add something to the proceedings, then do now." Ironhide sat.

It was silent a moment, then Burris stood up hesitantly.

-0-TBC 10-13-17 **edited 12-09-17**


	159. Chapter 159

The Diego Diaries: Findings (dd6 159)

-0-in Courtroom #11

Burris stood uncertainly, a shadow of his former aggressive arrogance. Keystock stared at him for a moment. "What happened to you, Atar?" he asked with surprise.

"I … I have taken a new look, son," Burris said. He thought a moment, staring from Anders emotional face to his son. "I have a new … this is new." He shifted uneasily. "I just want to say .. I want to say that I love you and want you home. But … I just … I don't support you on this matter." He shifted again, then sat down. Gripping Anders' servo, he stared with dread and confusion at his son.

Keystock stared at his father, then the others in the room. "What do you **mean?** " he asked. "I just … I'm fighting for my rights and everyone else."

Bezel stood. "Keystock, the Prime outlawed The System. If you persist, you have to undergo an honor fight with him. You just have to **stop**. It's over and done. You have to adapt like the rest of us."

"Speak for yourself," Cargo said, then hesitated. He glanced at his ada whose expression was falling rapidly. He shifted with uncertainty. "Ada … I didn't … this is hard. I don't want you upset."

" **I am** ," Anders said with force. " **I need my family around me.** **I worry that things will never change. I can't live the old life anymore.** I have a job. I … I have a job today. I work with Joon and Edict at Full Circle. I'm going back there when this is over. Keystock … I want you to do the right thing. We didn't … **I** didn't raise you to be cruel. This is cruel. **Listen to me for once**."

It was funereal in the room as Anders stood up. Burris rose with him, clinging to his servo. "I want peace. I want us to be a family. All my life I lived to someone elses rules and demands. Now, I want to be **free.** " He paused a moment as if to hear his own words, such was his surprise to assert himself. He looked at Burris. "We failed them, both of us. All three of them. We did terrible things. We have to make it right, Burris. **Do you understand?"**

Burris looked distraught as he nodded. "I want what makes you happy, Anders. I don't want you to hurt yourself again. I want you to be happy and I want this family to be together." He looked at Cargo, then Keystock. "You have to understand that your happiness is not going to be granted at the expense of everyone else. I've done … things. I have a debt. I will pay it because when I do I help Anders and all of you. You have to do the same, both of you. Bezel has made his way. He's a police officer of some distinction and regard as well as a bond. Its time for all of us to … to re-evaluate … things. We have to … to do what we must. Do you understand?"

Cargo and Keystock stared at Burris like he had grown three helms. They glanced at each other, then their genitors. "This isn't you. I don't know what's happened to you, Atar, but this isn't you," Keystock said.

It was silent in the room as futility ensured a standoff. Ironhide glanced around the room, then spoke. "Are there anymore comments to be given?"

Keystock turned to him, then stiffened. He stood with gripped servos and a stoic, cold expression on his handsome face. Cargo turned back to the front, then looked at the court. Nothing was going to go right today, he considered as he watched Ironhide.

"Then comments are closed," Ironhide said. "I turn the case over to the court." He walked back, then sat down to stare at those in the room as the court debated the outcome off line. It was silent and tense as everyone watched, Burris holding Anders' servo, his fear for his bond clear on his face. It was a new look most of those in the room thought as they waited.

After about a breem, Hardie stood up and the fear factor in the room jumped through the roof. He looked at everyone, then focused on Keystock. "I am Hard Drive, General of the Army and soldier in the General Staff of the great Optimus Prime. I speak for all of us here. We have heard the petition and considered all the factors presented by you and your counsel, most of which have been heard and adjudicated by us already. I am aware that your imprisonment prevented you knowing all that we have decided in other cases. Therefore, I will outline it and tell you your fate. I have reserved the decision to me alone, something that is in my power to command.

"The Caste Courts only continue to exist because they serve the purpose as an avenue in which truth can be reached and because the Prime still sees a virtue in them because of the unwillingness of former high castes to grow from their experiences. None of the information you presented stands. We are aware that you preferred to hear your punishment from someone of your own caste, rather than that of the Prime or a court. So be it. I am Praxian Military Elite, the eldest yet recovered and that makes me the leader of that caste and thereby, the highest placed individual according to The System of Exception that lives.

"What I say becomes law," he said calmly. "As it stands, your arguments are rejected. They have been already decided. Prime is Prime wherever Cybertronians exist. The Primal Charter and all the related documents support that. There is nothing new presented by you to challenge those facts. The Matrix chooses from Its own free will, thus, Its decisions are final and not available for challenge by anyone short of Primus Himself. Your arguments are nil and rejected.

"What must be decided is what to do about your various serious crimes against the peace of the world and the Order of the Prime. You are charged with terrible crimes, cowardly ones, crimes that you refuse to see as such. Therefore, it is obvious that you are in need of instruction by capable individuals who have the best in mind for our culture and society always in the fore front. Therefore, I am assigning you for a tour of indefinite servitude to General Raptor of Praxus. You will report to him every orn and do exactly what he tells you to do no matter how menial or insignificant. You have no sway nor say over this order. I also appoint to you as I have appointed to your brother, Turbine of Praxus as your spiritual counselor and mentor. I believe as a Maker he will help you straighten out any doctrinal points about what Primus and The One expect from all of us toward each other.

"You will obey, give due reverent attentiveness to the honor and dignity of General Raptor, and meet his demands and instructions to the best of your ability. If you fail to do what you're told, as long as you're told, wherever you're told, you will be handed back to the courts to stand trial for your many serious crimes against the state and the Peace of The People. You will obey. You will do so with good grace. You will act in such a way that brings dignity to you and your house. There will be no other way for you to redeem yourself.

"The outcomes for you if you defy the will of this court will be a trial and most likely, long term incarceration in the prison. Understand … when someone goes to prison, their families go with them. Your ada has had a very hard life. Your father is coming to his senses. Don't be the one who sets that back." Hardie looked at everyone in the room, then Keystock. "I have spoken. For now, you will turn toward Optimus Prime, kneel and apologize for being an aft."

Keystock stared at him with shock and confusion a moment, then the habits of a lifetime stepped in. A Praxian had made an order. He had to obey. He turned around to stare at Prime, then knelt down. Lowering his helm, he barely managed the words that he spoke formally. "I apologize for my behavior, Lord Optimus. It was unworthy of me and disrespectful to you. Please accept my apology."

Prime glanced at Hardie, then nodded. "I accept," he said in the simple proper response.

Keystock stood, then turned stiffly to the judges. Hardie stared at him, then the others. "I am making my decision to help those who need it to adjust to the new paradigm. I am well pleased with your efforts, Anders, and you as well, Burris. I am aware of how far you have had to travel. Cargo is going a good job with me. I am happy to have him in my command. General Raptor will assist Keystock to make the changes that are needed to live comfortably and happily in the new world we inhabit. I ask that you have confidence in the court and continue to make your way forward to the great happiness of your son, Bezel and the rest of us."

Anders who looked at him with hopeful optics, glanced at Burris who nodded. Then Anders bowed his helm. "Thank you, Lord Hard Drive. My boys … they're good. They just need … they need someone to assist them."

"Then we shall," Hardie said. "I, Hard Drive of Praxus, declare these proceedings closed. If you wish to bring up anything that wasn't addressed by the court, Keystock of Iacon, then you can request a formal Primal Hearing through the Offices of the Primes. We stand adjourned."

It was quiet a moment as the tension bled out like a deflating balloon, then Hardie looked at Cargo. "Comfort your ada and atar, then meet me outside. We have to go to Cybertron and assist The People once more." He looked at Keystock. "You do the same. You will be going with General Raptor." Hardie then stepped down from the dais and walked to Prime.

Cargo stood, then walked to Anders who stood up himself, pulling Burris with him. Cargo hugged Anders who clung to him, holding him tightly. "I'm proud of you, Cargo. You're the aide-de-camp of a great general," he said with a smile. "What an honor being chosen."

Cargo glanced at a pensive Bezel, then managed a slight grin for his ada. "I got lucky, Ada," he said. "All you have to do is be happy. We're going to be fine. We're having adventures. You work at Full Circle?"

Anders smiled brightly. "I do. I get to work in the sales end. I help customers find wonderful things. I'm so happy. I've never done that before. When you get back from Cybertron, both of you," he said glancing toward Keystock who had walked to him, "we can go to dinner. We can attend the games and do all kinds of things. Won't that be fun?" he asked hopefully.

"It will be wonderful, Ada," Keystock said as he hugged Anders tightly.

Cargo looked at them, then his father. He hesitated, then hugged Burris. Burris clung to him, then turned to Keystock. Keystock was filled with fury and frustration. He didn't move to Burris until Anders turned to him. He hugged his father perfunctorily, then turned to Hard Drive.

Raptor walked up, then grinned at Anders. "You two sound like you have a life. I heard you're working at the hospital with Ratchet, Burris."

Burris looked at Raptor with a brighter expression. "I am."

"That's a better paint scheme for you than the other, though I did admire the midnight blue," Raptor said. "You look very good."

Burris stared down at himself. "Thank you, Raptor. I'm going to have to get used to it. It's so different."

"You look wonderful, Burris. It will help you get around more easily," Anders said, then he looked at Raptor. "I know Keystock will deport himself with honor. Thank you, Raptor."

"It's my pleasure, Anders," Raptor said. "I just want you and Burris to be better. Don't worry about your sons. They have strong backs. They'll manage." He grinned, then looked at Keystock who stiffened under the scrutiny. "Come on, Keystock. Pull the stove pipe out of your aft and keep up." He turned to his father. "We're heading out. We have some munitions dumps to empty out."

"We've been draining toxic dumps and helping get shelters out to the boondocks. Keep in touch," Hardie said to his wayward son. They shook, then Raptor slapped Keystock in the chassis. "Keep up, recruit." Then with a nod to Anders and Burris, Raptor walked to the door. Keystock hesitated, then walked after him, the two disappearing right away.

Cargo watched them, then Hard Drive as he came back to where they stood. "Time to go. Give them your best as a good son does, then haul aft, infant," Hardie said as he walked to the door to leave.

Cargo hugged his genitors, walked past Bezel and Lon without a glance, then left the room. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet turned to Anders and Burris. "Well, Burris, you're mine now."

Burris nodded with a slight grin, then looked at Anders. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I have to finish my shift and help close Full Circle," Anders said.

"We'll take you there, Ada. Then when you get done, why don't you go to the Medical Center and meet Atar," Bezel said. "We can go out to eat and maybe see a movie. We need to have some fun after this."

Anders glanced at Burris who nodded. Looking at Lon and Bezel, Anders smiled. "You're right, of course. They're both in great hands and they'll learn. They will, won't they?" he asked.

"It is my experience, Anders, that given an opportunity and the right motivation, most do," Optimus said. "I have faith in your children to rise to the occasion. You both have and you're setting the example every orn."

"Lord Optimus," Burris said. "I wish I could understand everything but I float in a sea of confusion. I do know that I want Anders to be happy and safe."

"Then you begin in a good place," Optimus said. "Every journey begins somewhere and if you start this one with the well being of others firmly in place in your thinking, then you are on the right road."

He looked at Optimus, then nodded. "Thank you. I … I'm learning new things. Ratchet has been so kind as to take me along. I'm … grateful."

Prime nodded, then watched as Bezel and Lon turned the two and walked them to the door. Bezel paused at the door, then looked back. "Thank you all so much."

They nodded, then watched as the youngling left with his genitors and his bond. It was silent a moment, then everyone looked at Ratchet. Prowl grinned. "I think you're filled with voodoo."

"You know, that might make a nice name for a sparkling," Ratchet said as he began to walk to the door.

The others stared at him, then each other. Ironhide began to follow. "You really don't mean that do you, Ratchet? Voodoo?" he asked as he disappeared out the door.

Prowl chuckled. "It couldn't be worse than toilet snake."

Prime grinned. "No. I do not think anything is worse than that," he said as he followed Prowl out to the big world outside.

-0-Later

Cargo stood in line handing buckets from the mech on one side of him to the mech on the other. The bucket brigade was emptying out a hole in the ground that was essential to the progress of something or other that was underway. He was part of a long line of mechs that were passing filled buckets away and sending empty ones back to the hole. It would be a long, long afternoon.

-0-2,000 miles away

They threaded their way through a mountain of debris as they made their way to a big shorted out power station, one that had to be rebuilt to bring a lot of the local substructure below the surface back to life. Raptor walked along with the local leadership laughing and telling jokes. Keystock followed holding a lot of gear, some of it to be left and others to be distributed to local children, books, candy and toys. It would take a lot of stumbling and staggering through the slag heaps all around them, some of them dangerous and unstable before they reached the site.

Ragamuffin children watched them from the shadows as they gathered together. They would see the site, gather the civilians, then take all of those unnecessary to the problem to a clearing several miles away for air evacuation to a camp. Keystock would carry three babies in his hold and someone's very old and debilitated appa on his back through the long torturous trip to the evacuation landing zone. Then he would go back three more times to do it all again. He would struggle to keep up with Raptor.

-0-TBC 10-14-17 **edited 12-09-17**

ESL

Perfunctory (per-funk-tori) Something that is done short and sweet. If you look something over perfunctorily, you do so without a lot of care and time. A glance.

funereal: (fune-near-ee-ul) deathlike

On the matter of caste courts: Prime still finds value in them as a way to force high castes into line because the orders given by a Praxian must be obeyed. There are rules to breaking The Code. Since they corrupted law on Cybertron for everyone else, they break those laws without a backward glance. so Prime wants the leverage of caste court, though it really has no legality anymore. The obedience of the high tones is more a habit than a belief in the righteousness of the courts. As long as Prime sees a benefit for defusing trouble, they will last. They are given credibility for their decisions because Prime allows them.


	160. Chapter 160

The Diego Diaries: Redemption? 1 (dd6 160)

-0-On a shuttle heading for another hell hole

Cargo sat stoically by a big turret gun. A huge mech sat there, one gnarly with scars and tattoos, half of which he had no idea of the meaning. He was covered in grime and grease, the oil of the broken hole in the ground sloshing onto his servos and legs as he passed buckets of it onward in the bucket line. He hated it. He had never been this dirty before but he knew better than to complain. He wasn't a hot headed big mouth unless he was angry. Beating the slag out of Bezel had been the point of the moment, but not a major part of who he was overall. This, however, was the unexpected outcome of that miscalculation born of a momentary flash of rage. Apparently, Bezel had been a good student of his new profession.

Hard Drive sat nearby hip deep in datapads and conversations with aides-de-camp. His sweet ada thought Hardie had chosen him and on that score he was mostly right. He wouldn't touch his ada's impression with any sort of correction. If it helped him, then he would endure with gratitude. The image of his ada's distress tugged at him so he pushed it away. His father was almost unrecognizable in every imaginable way. His paint scheme was amazing but it disguised him. Maybe it was a good thing, he thought. A lot of individuals would like to kill him.

All of them, maybe.

He felt the shuttle begin its descent and girded himself for anything. It would be good that he did.

-0-Ratchet and Burris

They walked down the corridor together to a place where things were done. Entering a big room filled with machinery and carts loaded with dishes and other containers, he smiled at the worker bees. **"HELLO, MINIONS! IT IS I! YOUR DEARLY BELOVED!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as the kitchen crew turned to him with smiles. Obviously, this wasn't the first time Ratchet had come here with his usual line of good cheer. Ratchet turned to Burris. "This is my new project. His name is Burris. I want him to get a feel for the whole operation. I think if you could show him how this works," he said nodding to the washing station nearby, "then that would be a good start. A couple of orns doing everything will give him a feel for the place and maybe a clearer idea of what he might want to do full time."

A big mech nodded. "Done deal," he said with a grin.

Ratchet turned to Burris who was tense but game. "Try this out and we'll move around. I want you to know how great this place is and the best way to do it is to have you work with the stars of the show, the mechs and femmes who work here. I'll check in later. Will you be alright?"

Burris nodded. "I'll be fine. Thank you," he said.

Ratchet bumped fists with the big mech, then swished out.

He grinned. "That mech is hilarious. I hear he's sparked."

"Another Ironhide-faced baby," someone said, then they all laughed.

The big mech looked at Burris. "I'm Mori. I run this operation. Let me show you what you need to do. Ask questions. It's not rocket science but its new to you. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask. Okay?"

Burris nodded. "I will. Thank you." He would spend the next four joors washing dishes as they came down from the hospital patients. It surprised him how cheery the workers were doing this sort of work. He would find that wherever he went in the system. What would be another interesting thing for him was he would like it for the repetitious monotony of the work, for seeing them go in dirty and come out clean and mostly, for the good hearted, good natured camaraderie that was all around him. What he would also come to know is that the workers around him were kind and inclusive. It almost made him want to cry.

-0-Upstairs, getting slag together

He walked in, then grinned. "Need help?"

Ratchet grinned. "If you want to go on rounds, it might show you a few things. Maybe I can consult with you and see where you are on your training."

Partition smiled. "That would be great. I'm stabilizing wounds right now. I also know how to hook up intravenous lines. It's amazing how technical it all is. I think I'm going to be good at it."

"I have faith in you, infant," Ratchet said with a grin.

"No one else saw me like you do. Not even me. When did you?" Partition asked with a serious expression on his handsome face.

"When I first saw you. There's something in you that I couldn't define. I just know after all these vorns, that when I see it I try to make it bloom. It doesn't always work. Some are more hard headed than you."

Partition laughed. "I don't know about that. I'm pretty dumb."

"No," Ratchet said with a serious expression. "You had to live up to different expectations that aren't natural to who we truly are. Consider this. Your spark is pure and it came to this life with good intentions. You were being asked not to live up to them. Maybe your behavior was rebellion against that."

Partition looked at Ratchet with a thoughtful expression. "Do you really think that?"

Ratchet nodded. "I do. I think we all come pure. We came from Primus and The One. Remember?" he said as Partition nodded. "Life is a hard task master and it gets you in its grip from separation with its artificial expectations and demands. I think if you really try, that way of life doesn't have to win. It didn't with you. You beat it back. You exceed expectations every second."

Partition nodded, then walked around Ratchet's desk to embrace him. "Thank you. You saved me. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't tried. No one else ever did. I'm sorry for all the slag, Ratchet. You and Ironhide are the best."

Ratchet hugged him back. "It's our pleasure, I assure you." He squeezed Partition. "How's the genitors?"

He shrugged. "My ada is fatalistic. He accepts things as they are. My atar is something else. Sometimes when he's quiet, I can't figure him out. I do know that we were best friends. I miss that."

He looked sad a moment, so Ratchet hugged him. "We're having lunch today. I just let them both know. Come with and we'll see how it goes."

Partition looked doubtful, then nodded. "Okay. What about my brothers?"

"How are they doing?" Ratchet asked as he pulled candy out of his desk. Handing one to Partition, he sat and watched the big kid walk to the couch to sit himself.

Partition opened the can, had a bite, then grinned. "If I ever have an office again, I'm keeping candy in my desk," he said. "Both my brothers are doing great. They love the Home Guard. I don't know if they want to be medics but I invited them to class. They're coming tomorrow. Their boss is a great guy for letting them off for stuff."

Ratchet nodded, then grinned. "I heard that," he said as he considered the number of agreements he had made for Partition and his brothers among their bosses and supervisors. "That's good to know." They sat together bantering, then Ratchet rose to make his rounds. Partition would follow with him, observing, making remarks about what he saw and when he did, he would show Ratchet that he was a natural.

-0-Lucien

He had the orn off so he was at loose ends. Laslo was teaching, his children were working and he had no where to go. Standing on the street corner, he walked to a metro line to 'ride the rails' as some called it. There were lots of places he had never been so he decided to look around. Maybe walking through great urban centers, even if it wasn't Cybertron itself, would be a good tonic. He descended into the underground, then disappeared.

-0-Raptor and Keystock

He strode along the path leading to the camp with his aides and Keystock following. He had packed a ruck sack with heavy metallic bars that Raptor had ordered brought to his office. Before the youngling mechs could enter for their morning briefing, he had filled the bag and set it by the door. They then swarmed in with Keystock following. Tossing him some datapads and pointing to a desk in the corner of his office, Raptor grinned. "Input that data, infant. Be smart about it. We're going into the field today."

Keystock who looked as bland as impotent rage and eons of calculation could make walked to the desk and began. They were casualty figures. He stared at them a moment, then opened a screen. The data came up and as he opened a data sheet for himself, he noted others. Some of them had the glyphs and special ID marker of his brother, Cargo. Apparently, both of them were in for the shock treatment. A frisson of fear suffused him a moment, then was quashed ruthlessly as he gave his full attention to the problem at hand. It would be awful. It was casualty statistics for infants and babies.

Raptor worked about a joor with his four aides handling things that had come up overnight or needed a decision now. Then he stood up, his younglings rising with him. Looking over at Keystock, he grinned. "Up and at 'em, infant. We're bugging out." He looked at his mechs who were grinning at him, one of them rather worshipfully. **"ROAD TRIP!"** he said as they laughed loudly. Everyone walked to the door and the hallway outside. Raptor paused in the doorway and turned to Keystock. "Carry the bag, infant. Don't let it out of your sight. Don't open it. You don't want to see what's inside. Understand?" he asked.

Keystock nodded, then hefted the bag. It was really heavy as he shifted it to a shoulder. Raptor slapped his shoulder, then walked out with a grin. Keystock followed as they walked to the elevator and a ride into the wilderness of District 3. It would be a heavy load in more ways than one for Keystock to accompany him.

-0-Ironhide

He walked out of Hero's school having spent a joor there for his school participation. He had only one more left that was required but he had seven more kids. He would spend a half joor with each for the rest of the decaorn around his busy schedule, then probably have to pick up Ratchet's slag if things kept on the way they were going. Everyone was busy. Appa Raptor was filling him in from time-to-time about his new project and the old tricks, like 'tote the heavy backpack' and others to be named later. He grinned. Keystock would be begging for mercy on his knee assemblies before things were done. He walked from Titan's District Central Office Tower to the broad street beyond, the next school board meeting data in his subspace waiting for a review. The sun was up, it was only -75 and calm and the orn was young. He walked to the metro station nearby and entered, disappearing from sight.

-0-Turbine and Delphi

They worked in their respective districts doing the job of pulling Cybertron out of its sink hole. Turbine paused, then made a move. He waited, then heard the vent of frustration. :That was **my** move, Turbine: Delphi said over their internal link. :Fragger:

:Now, now: Turbine said as he waited for Delphi to make his move. They were playing the Cybertronian version of chess and as usual, Turbine was winning. Delphi made his move, then Turbine countered it.

:I would say a lot of blasphemous things, Turbine, but it would offend your pure sensibilities: Delphi said with a cheery tone.

:I thought you would know better by now, Delph. Nothing offends my sensibilities. I'm bonded with Raptor, after all:

Loud laughter reached Turbine. :There is that. **MY SWEET BABY BOY!** Your move, slagger:

Turbine chuckled as he walked to the shuttle to begin the ground tour of a new and rising camp on the south pole of the planet, an entourage of aides and other experts in tow. He would whip Delphi's aft.

Again.

And again.

And again.

-0-Prowl

He sat at his desk in his office down the hall from Ops Center in the Fortress. He was going over highly sensitive intel which required his seclusion during perusal. Some of it he had personally culled to make sure that the campaign in question would be smooth and successful. That was who he was, practical, thorough and ruthless when acquiring objectives. When he wanted to win, there was no obstacle. He didn't waste lives. He didn't take chances. He covered every base. He made sure that in the end, his side would win.

Prowl sat back after studying the information carefully, then grinned slightly. He slid the datapad into his desk drawer, then locked it. The data was highly classified and would be a serious breech of security if seen by unauthorized optics.

His security and the optics of anyone else anywhere.

If anyone saw the datapad marked 'Praxus Science Football' he'd be toast. After all, the season started next weekend and no one could know about his … intel.

No one.

Especially The Loser.

That one.

He grinned, then rose to go back to the Center and do his other job.

The door closed quietly behind him.

-0-Lucien

He got the heads up to meet at the Cafe d' Cybertron in Gambian at 1200 hours. It was his normal lunch time when he was at work and Laslo would be off shortly before for the rest of the orn unless he was having office hours. There were also the new projects Laslo was working on with Sciences about different building styles and plans for Cybertron that would make things better there. It wasn't top secret but it was time consuming. Without Laslo and his sons around, he was at loose ends.

Like right now.

He had ridden to the Crater District and was wandering through the city that was named Vilnacron. There were six others but they would be explored later. All of them had different designs but were arrayed around a big central square. It was usually vast, had seating areas and different art works to decorate its expansive spaces and even fountains. The 'water' spouting out or shimmering in large pools was usually a benign recycling substance that didn't explode or dissipate in near vacuum. It would flow upward and splash downward, landing in big pools where it would then re-enter the system. The newer cities were built with them and others were being added to existing ones now that the technology was perfected, albeit in smaller sizes and shapes.

He stood before one that geysered upward for what seemed a hundred feet. It feathered downward, its droplets shining with color in the light of the sun. It was mesmerizing and comforting. He stared at it for a while, then continued onward. The Museum Annex that every city had beckoned so he entered. It was quiet and calming. A small class was nearby, a Circle daycare center it would seem. They were walking with aides and their teacher, the tiny children looking at the art works and exhibits as they were taken around. They were learning who they really were. It was somehow comforting to know that they would be aware they were from an ancient fabled race.

He watched them, then walked toward the art gallery. Entering, he felt something of home overcome him, something of the galleries in Iacon and Capital City that were the glory of their species. He knew that the galleries and museums had hidden their works safely but it surprised him that the material had apparently been recovered. He walked toward a huge over-sized image of Prima. That god was standing on a rocky plain. The background was less significant for the painter than the image of the luminous and wondrous figure before him.

He stared at it, at the wise and caring optics of their warrior god. Prima loved them. He bore the great sword, the Star Saber and it was easy to see in its hilt the Matrix which bore the spark of their creator, Primus the Wise, Primus the Good. He stared at it, then moved to the next. A larger than life size image of Solus hung in glory next to Prima. She was gloriously beautiful. Her long silvery neural net fell from her helm in a thick sheet well past her slender waist. One of the few to favor garments, her silver and purple cloak hung in a cloud around her. She floated in space, her slender servo gripping her glorious forge as she stared out at the world with a loving gaze.

He moved onward, noting the massive masculinity of Onyx Prime who loved them dearly, amusement in the face of Micronus, the steadfast diligence and eternal wisdom of Solomus. The greats were all here in the Gallery of Heroes. The Guiding Hand and the Primus stories were met here with the greatest art representations of them available. That the genuine works were in the Museum of Cybertron in Autobot City and these were digital representations of almost superhuman quality in luxurious frames didn't detract from their glory. Every museum had the same things available to them that the main one had, either in digital representation or copies of terrifying exactness. What set every annex apart were the different things added to their local collection that were specific to the named city and city-state that hosted them. There was an entire series of rooms where the glory of Vilnacron was shown to exquisite glory … a room filled with the most delicate and intricate glass work and china ever created on Cybertron. It would be shown in other museums and their annexes as digital and copied representations, some of them by their original creators or their chosen heirs. Here, though, they would be the real thing.

Lucien walked through the first gallery, pausing in the midst of delicate creations artfully lit. The room was empty and silent as he stood beneath a crystal chandelier like one that hung in the Hall of Entry to the Grand Imperium in Capital City. It had a discreet tag that said it was a representation of the original that was made by the same family of craftsmen that had created the original and was donated to the museum by them and the fraternal group, Friends of Vilnacron as well as the Art Guild of Mars, Cybertron and the Primal Empire. It was massive and hand carved. Each large crystal threw light on the floor and around the room, reminding him of all the times he had paused to stare at it in the Grand Imperium. It was considered a national treasure and as he stared at this one he felt a pang that the original was lost.

Staring around himself, he walked past the exhibits. There was china from the Primal Residence, recovered miraculously from a near direct hit to the store house where all the important household furniture and antiques were stored pending use. The Primal seal was on these and he wondered if Optimus used them himself on this planet. There were glass objects, those carved from precious gems and crystal in artfully arranged collections, the direct light upon them pressing the room he was in into the background. All that mattered was himself, the exhibit and the sparkling light from the chandelier overhead.

He walked on.

-0-Ironhide

He walked into the Ops Center, then pulled a chair to sit. "What's going on?" he asked as he flipped out his report on the armory for Prowl. He was due there but would detour as long as possible away from the datapad stacked confines of his office and the no nonsense mastery of Holi Who Must Be Obeyed.

"It's all pretty quiet. The pirates are augmenting. I directed scans that direction and expect better intel shortly. Imperialis is regrouping. An alien trading group passing through mentioned activity out that way. Energon mining is paramount and they caught sight of ships coming and going to three different planetoids in the broken field near the nebula. Apparently, the pickings are there."

"Too bad," Ironhide said. "We're going to have to slag them again. I dibs Ebio."

"I dibs you," a voice said behind him.

Ironhide looked up into the bemused optics of Holi. He looked at Prowl with a frown. That mech was grinning at him as he lounged in his chair, his arms folded over his chassis. "Fragger. You're supposed to warn a mech."

"Sorry. I forgot the Guy Code," Prowl said as Holi gripped Ironhide's finial.

He arose, then frowned down at her. "Ow."

"Oh," Holi said. "Do you want me to kiss your boo-boo?"

"Sure," Ironhide said with a big grin.

"Okay. I'll run it by Ratchet," Holi said.

" **NO!"** Ironhide said. He shot a mean look at Prowl, then walked toward the door, Holi in tow. **"FRAGGING TRAITORS! I AM IRONHIDE! I DEFY MY ENEMIES!"**

"I have fudge and cookies," Holi said as Ironhide opened the door for her.

"Well, that's different," he said as they walked through the door and disappeared.

Prowl watched them, then laughed aloud. "Slaggers," he said, then want back to the business at hand.

-0-Prime

He stepped off his shuttle at the south pole of Cybertron, then walked to Raptor and his crew who were watching with great amusement. They shook servos, then Raptor filled him in. This was the second village settlement they had arrived to attend. The first had been awful, a place filled with sick and injured including a lot of children. They had been camping too close to an unstable and undisclosed munitions pile below a huge pile of rubble and when one rolled off the hidden stack, it blew everything up. There were deceased and there were injured. A huge medical presence was there led by Goldwing. They had helped with the dead, something Keystock had never done before, then assisted with other tasks, all of them grim and filled with wailing and moans of the injured, especially babies and infants. By the time they left, Keystock toting the backpack, the big mech was grim with emotion. Now they were at another place, less terrible, with Prime present. He was glad he elected to be silent. All he wanted to do was rant and rave.

Prime listened to the update, then the group with Keystock in tow walked toward the town site nearby. A local welcoming group was waiting to receive them with almost sickening gratitude. Prime glanced at Raptor. :I see you have him carrying the backpack:

:You have nothing wrong with your optics, Optimus: Raptor said with a grin and a wink. :Nothing wrong at all:

They continued onward into the town, toured it, took a long list of needs that would be filled before sundown, then sat and talked to the inhabitants. Keystock would sit next to Raptor and hear every word. What it ultimately meant to him was as yet unknown.

-0-1200 hours, the Cafe 'd Cybertron in Gambian

Ratchet sat in the front booth of the Cafe 'd Cybertron with Partition waiting for Lucien and Laslo to arrive. Through the door, Inweld and Morius strode, stared around, then smiled as they joined Partition and Ratchet. "Hi," Partition said with a smile. "How was work?"

"Great. We're helping vet proposals by Earth firms to work here. It's interesting," Morius said as Inweld nodded. They chatted a moment, then Lucien and Laslo walked in to look around.

They spotted everyone, then walked over. Making room and pulling up a chair, everyone sat. Ratchet grinned at both. "You look well, Laslo. How are things for you?"

"I'm well, thank you," he said. "I'm working on some plans with Sciences for Cybertron's long term future."

"Are you including your students? Partition, here, makes the rounds with me in the morning. He's coming along extremely well as a field medic. Maybe some fine orn, he might try becoming a doctor," Ratchet said as Partition basked in the praise.

Partition looked at his genitors. "I really like it. If anyone gets hurt in the family, I can take care of you."

"That sounds wonderful, son," Laslo said honestly. "We don't have a doctor in the family. What a great desire to pursue something so helpful."

Partition glanced at his brothers. "I asked Mori and Inweld to join me for a class to see if they like it. You **do** know they joined the Home Guard, too, right?"

Inweld and Morius glanced at Ratchet, then their genitors. Obviously, they hadn't let Lucien and Laslo know yet. Maybe his presence emboldened the infants. Ratchet watched the two carefully.

Laslo looked shocked, then glanced at Lucien. He looked at his sons. "Do you think you want to do that?" he asked.

"I don't know, Ada. Partition wants me to see. He really likes it and he likes the idea if someone gets hurt he can help. I … I'm just curious, that's all," Inweld said as Morius nodded.

It was quiet a second, then Laslo smiled. "I'm proud of you. Always thinking about the future. What a fine and noble idea."

The three boys nearly sagged with relief, then looked at their father who was calm and without expression. "You three are grown. What you choose to do is for you to decide," he said non committally.

They looked at him, then each other. "I love it. I want to help our people and Cybertron. I like helping the old people."

"Being a good elder care specialist or doctor is a calling, not a profession or career choice," Ratchet said. "You'd be good at whatever you choose."

It was quiet a moment, then they ordered. It got quiet again.

"What's this I hear about Keystock and Cargo? I heard that they're now assigned to Raptor and Hardie," Lucien asked.

Ratchet nodded. "That's right. Cargo is an aide to Hardie and Raptor took on Keystock when he decided a caste court was smarter than regular law."

"Well, who would know more about that than you?" Lucien said with a faint trace of bitterness.

Ratchet grinned as everyone else tensed. "Yes. Me, the low caste. Who would know better the ins and outs of high caste fraggery than me? I think it might be really good and healing for you to try a little harder, Lucien, and help Laslo and these three wonderful younglings here feel better about their efforts to find their way. After all, its your rules and system that makes me have to think about you and your family dynamic. So far, Laslo and the boys are rising up like a phoenix from the ashes. I'm slagging proud of them. You're the slagger stuck in the muck. These four," he said glancing at the boys and Laslo, "are to be applauded. They live in the 'now'. You live in the 'then'. You're bonded with a futurist and you still think that the past can be resurrected for the present. What's done is done and what's lost is lost … lost and gone forever. I'm going to order you to counseling to assist you on living in the real world and not the land that time forgot. When we leave here, you and I are going to visit Vinn. He has great luck with lost causes."

It was extremely still and silent a moment, then Lucien sat back. "I have no choice, do I."

"No. You have none by the **very rules** of the thing **you** want **back**." Ratchet looked at the others. "You are my heroes. Laslo, I know its hard and you're trying. Here's the way to succeed. Are you ready to hear it?"

Laslo glanced at the others, then nodded. "Yes. I am"

Ratchet nodded, then leaned closer. "Love your sons, your bond, your people, your world, all life everywhere more than you love yourself. Its that simple. Then it all falls into place."

It was silent for a moment, then food came. They sat back, got their meals and ate with only the most innocuous and simplistic conversation possible.

-0-Outside on the street after lunch

The three youngsters stared at their genitors and Ratchet with a sense of tension and hopefulness. Ratchet turned to the three. "What's on the agenda, boys?" he asked.

"I have to go to medic classes. My brothers are coming, right?" Partition asked as he turned to them.

They glanced at their genitors, then nodded. "We are," Morius said firmly.

"Good," Ratchet grinned. He turned to Lucien and Laslo. "What's on yours?"

"I have to go to Sciences to work on the new projects," Laslo said. "Then we get together for dinner and the races." He looked at his sons and Lucien. "Right?" he asked as all four nodded. He looked relieved.

"What about you, Lucien? You're mine, correct?" Ratchet asked.

"I have no choice," Lucien said as he nodded his helm.

" **Great!"** Ratchet said with a giant smile. "Hug your ada and go, infants. Go and sin no more."

The three grinned at Ratchet, then hugged their genitors and Ratchet, too, for good measure. They waved, then walked to the metro line to disappear below. "Our turn," Ratchet said as he led the way to the metro line. Laslo would take off from the Central Labor Hall metro station for Sciences three stops eastward on the line that led to The Fortress, the prison and science installations beyond the city.

Ratchet watched him go with a wave, then turned to Lucien. "Come on, slagger. Time to see if there's anything inside your chassis that's worth saving." Ratchet walked up the stairs to the first floor, then down the corridor toward Vinn's private practice that specialized in soldiers, their families and high castes. Lucien reluctantly followed him.

-0-TBC 10-15-17 **edited 12-09-17**

ESL:

frisson: (I believe its pronounced free-zoh. French speakers can correct if wrong-ish) :D French for shiver

Goosebumps are called piloerections. Music and cold cause this involuntary reaction and so can the presence of ghosts. :D (I speak from personal experience growing up in a haunted house.) :D:D:D:D:D

involuntary: (in-vohl-un-tari) Something that happens without your consent or will. Like goosebumps. Voluntary is the opposite. Something that happens because you want it. Like eating a piece of chocolate cake last night which I may or not have done. I think that sort of falls either way. It was an involuntary reaction to chocolate which I voluntarily ate. Sort of. I plead the fifth amendment. ;)

(Pleading the fifth means you refuse to answer the question due to the fact that it might incriminate you)

incriminate: to admit or to show that someone did something wrong. Standing over a dead person with a smoking gun in hand is incriminating.

There. I don't think there are anymore words that might be new to ESL speakers. **:D WE'RE FULL SERVICE HERE! :D:D:D**


	161. Chapter 161

The Diego Diaries: Redemption? (dd6 161)

Notes about some things at the end of this piece. :D

-0-Autobot City about noon

"Then you'll take him on?" Ratchet asked with a smile.

Vinn of Tyger Pax grinned back at Ratchet. "Of course, I will." He looked at Lucien. "I have some time right now. How about we share a cup and chat, Lucien? It's been a very long time."

Lucien glanced at Ratchet who nodded, then walked with Vinn into a small lounge in his office. There was a long corridor nearby which led to rooms where personal and group therapies were held and a children's play room with a window to observe them could be found. There was a staff of six counselors and two play specialists in this private practice. It was founded to help those who were in gravest need, families in crisis and children. Vinn worked in the bigger system but held this one open as well due to the need. Among those who came to him were high castes who were having difficulty and wanted to talk to someone from their own 'circle'.

Ratchet watched them go, then walked out, leaving Lucien in the surprisingly strong grip of Vinn. He had a zillion things to do as well as two joors of parental attention in four different schools to attend to. That is … two joors each in four schools. It was the best part of his orn, the half joor he spent in a school every few orns. He walked out with a lighter step than he had going in.

-0-In the lounge

They sat together, both of them formerly immensely power and wealthy individuals from a past long gone. Both of them had the same upbringing, though Vinn had more of a conscience than Lucien had. He had even gone ped-to-ped with Lucien regarding the welfare of his city-state when he was governor-general of Tyger Pax. They looked at each other a moment over a hot cup, then Vinn grinned. "It's funny how the world turns out, isn't it. We were the apex predators of our civilization and now here we are."

Lucien glanced around, noting the pictures of family and friends that hung on the walls. Some of them were outings in the city taken as a staff, laughing images of families playing at the water park or hiking in the Valles. They were warm and cheerful, just like the décor of the offices. "Where is 'here', Vinn? I'm at a loss to figure it out."

"Most are at first, Lucien," Vinn said. "I, myself, figured it out when we were being chased by pirates from our fifth settlement after The Fall. I remember thinking that the bullets will penetrate me as swiftly and finally as anyone else. It was a watershed moment in my emancipation from stupid thinking and selfishness."

Lucien nodded. "Burris had a settlement where he kept to The Code. He was imprisoned for slavery and all manner of grave offenses. He would be shot on Cybertron if he were lower caste but he wasn't. He was given privileges and protection. Now, he's trying to figure out how to live here. He's working for Ratchet cleaning messes I suppose. Imagine. Burris working at menial labor."

"Why would he do that?" Vinn asked.

Lucien stared at him. "Ask Burris. I gave up a long time ago trying to figure out that mech. Money and privilege, power and position. That was Burris. Now? I don't know."

Vinn nodded. "That was me once upon a time as well. You, too. I was raised to covet that. I thought it was what I wanted but it was what my family programmed me to desire. They were programmed by theirs and backward to the beginning for all of us. I no longer have that programming and I find that my life here is without a doubt superior to anything I've ever known. Who would have guessed?"

Lucien nodded. "I'm told miracles can be had here," he said with a bitter tone. "I'm unclear whether I desire them."

"What **do** you desire, Lucien?" Vinn asked as he filled a plate with cookies. Placing them near Lucien, he sat and began to eat one. "These are very good."

Lucien nodded, then took one. He bit into it, savoring it for a moment. "They are," he said, then looked at Vinn. "I want what I know. I want order and structure. I want to have my place in the scheme of things and have it clearly defined not just to myself but everyone else. I wish to take my place as a leader among The People again. I want my sons to inherit their birth right. That's what I wish."

Vinn nodded. "You **do** know that systems and even ideas only have meaning if there's agreement on them. On Cybertron, they held because they always had. There was force used to make them so and no one who wanted anything else had a chance to change things. But out here in the bigger world, they hold no meaning for anyone any longer. With the yoke off, individuals have come into their own and find the dreams they always held are not only possible but essential. No one agrees that The System is anymore needed by anyone or those who do are insignificant in number. The idea must be held by the many for it to have meaning. It's like money. If we agree that it has the value stated, then it does. If we decide not to hold that meaning any longer, its only pieces of metal and paper. We have a cashless society here and on Cybertron because the many decided that would be true and fair, so it is."

"But what about effort being rewarded? What about those who create getting the value of their creations?" Lucien asked.

Vinn considered that. "They **do**. Work exchanges, Lucien. That's how. You have to understand that the value placed on things here and now is different than that on Cybertron then. Piling up resources that were made by their effort, denied to those who made them and have no value beyond the egotism of their holders at the expense of others is no longer valued or tolerated. On Cybertron, no one but the **few** got the fruits of **everyone's** labors. How could that be fair? How could that even address what you just asked when they were denied the fruits of **their** labors? Do you know that Ratchet is the 'R' in RTR Tools?"

Lucien nodded. "Everyone knows that."

"Did you know that the formulas and processes that Ravel and Tie Down created were **their** discoveries? Did you know that **all** of the profits of their creations was taken by the company that they worked for? They got nothing of the profits. They barely had enough to live on and raise their son. How is it that you can ask about effort being rewarded when they were robbed?"

Lucien considered that. "It was an investment. We invested capital and the workers did the work. They were compensated in wages. The circle was completed and all benefited."

"No, they didn't," Vinn said. "RTR Tools was a forced acquisition. You remember that law? You pushed it through the Senate for the faction that backed Nominus. RTR Tools was a small artisan company, just the two of them at first, making a superior product and keeping their earnings for themselves. When the news got around that they were doing this and the product was of an outstanding and hitherto for unknown level of quality and skill, they were forced by that law to work for General Dynamic as a tiny subsidiary. They were given almost nothing for their work and their products became a symbol for a company that had nothing to do with creating them. Even the right to declare their genius was denied them.

"General Dynamic showed them as their own, as the best kind of implements of their type that could be found anywhere. Their work ended up in museums, General Dynamic got literally millions upon millions and they, themselves got nothing. A law that allowed companies to force small businesses to be taken over for their own profit was an abomination. How could a couple like Ravel and Tie Down fight that? What kind of law is it that a corporation came come in and take over someone elses business without compensation and without the opportunity for the real owners and artisans to fight the action?"

"It was the way things were. That law was in effect long before you and I separated," Lucien said.

"Not the **amendment,** Lucien **. You** added the amendment that allowed hostile takeovers without compensation of **ANY** kind. As for it being an old law around forever… does that make it right? Does that make it ethical or moral? Those are the big questions being asked and answered here and now on Cybertron. What sort of society are we? What kind of life and system do we want to live with? Will we go backward or forward? That's the underlying hum of life here and in the Empire. We will **never** go back. I am here to assist those who find it difficult to make their way. We're choosing to be inclusive, moral and ethical. But then, our leader is that sort himself."

"Optimus Prime," Lucien said bitterly.

Vinn nodded. "He was chosen by the Matrix for the first time in generations. The Matrix made It's own choice. It surprises me how many former high castes have difficulty with that action. You're religious, right?"

Lucien nodded. "Who isn't?"

Vinn grinned slightly. "That isn't the question, is it? Perhaps it would be better asked if I were to say, 'who actually lives their convictions and who doesn't'."

"I live them, Vinn," Lucien said.

"Which ones? The ones where Primus and The One said, 'until all are one' or the others where someone picked up the Quintessan's brief and said, 'some of us are better than all of you'?"

Lucien stared at Vinn. "I see that this is going to be difficult."

"For me?" Vinn asked with a chuckle. "Don't worry about me, Lucien. Worry about yourself. You're now mine. Don't you find it sort of ironic that the only way I can say that's so is because of The System? The Court is very fair. They **do** listen and compare. After all, they function at 15% of their emotional capacity. That was what most of the executioners on Cybertron used when someone was condemned. You can't find fault with that can you?"

Lucien grinned slightly. "You have no idea with what I can find fault, Vinn."

Vinn grinned slightly, then stood. "Good. Let's get you booked into a time frame," he said, then walked to the office where his manager would put Lucien down for every other orn for the foreseeable future.

-0-Earth2, out and about

They drove down the road heading for the Sciences Habitat. Driving in to park, they waited for the change in environment, then walked into the habitat for the first time. A lot of the scientists who lived there were eating lunch. They waved everyone over to the food, then sat themselves. Four scientists from Earth2 were here along with the ubiquitous security, this time Sam Hedges, Jim Johnson and Lawrence 'Larry' Dobbs. They filled their plates, then walked to the table with soft drinks.

Sitting, an Earth2 scientist grinned. "Its forbidden to leave the habitat impaired. No beer, alcohol of any kind or other substances when we go out," Arlen Berry said. He was a botanist who had a wife, Merrilee 'Merry' (geologist) and three kids (children) who were here for the " **ADVENTURE, DAD AND MOM!** " Two of the three were in Youngling Day and the other was too small to be anywhere yet. It would be a coin toss between Sparkling Day and Circle Prep.

"Lucky you," Cindy Teasdale said from a monitor nearby. She was eating lunch and drinking a beer as she monitored the NASA website that featured real time images of the solar system.

They laughed, then settled in to eat. Another man, Mike King, an environmental specialist and bachelor, grinned. "I have to say … the food is damned good onworld. I suppose it helps with the isolation aspect, having good food and services."

"We're really not isolated if you want to know," Lola Teasdale said as she sat across from him eating her dessert. "We're in the middle of a 22 million bot urban center."

"I want to see all of it," Mike said. He grinned at Lola. "I'm allowed out in the company of other groups. Right now, I have ride-along status with Arlen."

Lola grinned. "I'm going to Axiom Nexum in the Crater District. I want to see the new water features. Come with."

Mike nodded. "That would be great. When are you leaving?"

"Now," she said as she picked up her dishes to put in the washer.

He wolfed down his food, then joined her. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at the others. "Better haul ass or be left here and have to hitchhike home."

Several of the others began to hurry along. Hedges and Johnson who had said nothing since arrival glanced at the two. "Water features?"

"Normal water freezes and explodes upon contact to the outside atmosphere. They use a liquid that looks and acts like water but isn't. I was told the fountains at Axiom are amazing. You don't have to come, you know," she said as she walked back to the table to gather her gear and cameras. "No one is holding a gun to your head."

"You're real friendly," Johnson said as he gathered his stuff to put it in the sink.

"And you're one of Intel-Martin's mercs," Lola said in reply. "Sue me." With that, she nodded to the others and walked toward the hatch. Mike glanced at the others, nodded with a grin, then hurried after her. The others began to follow including the three clearly irritated former and current mercenaries. They walked out, gathered in the two vehicles, then with Lola's directions, headed out to the highway and the long intriguing trek to the Crater District.

Cindy grinned. "Lola will give them hell."

"Good," Shelby Willers said. She was new, an astronomer and came from Great Britain. "I remember them. They're a pair of wankers to draw to. I wonder why Prime let them come here?"

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Alejandro Lopez said as he cut a piece of cake for dessert.

"Here, here," Shelby Willers said.

-0-On the road

They drove through traffic, sentient vehicles, some of them that were oddly their size as they headed toward the massive and mostly unoccupied urban centers a couple of dozen miles away. It was to the west of the human habitations, built inside a massive meteor strike and had been designed to not only hold about six million individuals but to be able to expand. It was hosted by a hub city, Nova Cronum and around it were six other massive cities, all of them waiting for civilians and soldiers to liven them up and give them life.

Axiom Nexum was the destination and it had zero population. The finishing touches were being put in by crews that roved over all the area finding the remaining jobs that needed done before the mobs flooded in. Migrations would be coming. They were always coming. Cybertron would not be able to take new citizens for some long time. They buzzed past the last Metro District heading toward Earth2 and the other human sites. Before they would reach it, the junction with a giant round about would take them to the west and the glittering majesty of the Crater District.

TBC 10-16-17

Notes:

covet (cuh-vet) to desire something, usually what isn't yours or something that isn't easily had. A close cousin to envy and avarice (greed).

I sort of write this thing, half me, half something outside of my body. :D:D:D

I don't always plan a character because they tell me who they are as we go even if I started with other ideas. The really strong characters that are canon are held to canon, though I may tweak them slightly. Those who are mine sometimes write themselves. I may have a real actual plan but they and circumstances change it. Burris was a total freak show in this story and so was Proteus. However, they had family members that needed them so they changed because they cared about them.

Not everyone who comes has or will. Those that 'want to' will. Those who won't and more of them are ahead … they will show that. I'm sort of steering the story down paths that the characters lead me and not all of them, at least on my paper plans, are going to be easy or good. Cassio Imperialis is just the tip of the iceberg. Power doesn't surrender power easily or even ever sometimes.

They have things to say, things that happened to them and none of them would get off freely. This was war and annihilation. In a perfect world, until all are one is our creed. But this isn't one of those and the side of the reclamation process that showed the bad and the sad is what I want to show as well. I don't know how you can go through all this and not show it. Some might cling like barnacles to the old ways and others might have thrown them off as useless or that which they blame.

Bad things have consequences for victim and victimizer. That will be shown. Right now, these characters have lived in the colony long enough that it affected them. The others? Not so much. Sunee and Sio are still silent to me about which way they really want to go. That's the joy of writing. Sometimes, things write themselves. Other times, they wait and snag you when you least expect it. More to come. This world got mashed and some of those who caused it will be found. Not all of them will be happy. HUGS! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D HUGS, LACKWIT!

PS I know a Merry Berry. :D I also know someone named Gypsy Jolly. Best. Name. Ever. :D


	162. Chapter 162

The Diego Diaries: Rolling On (dd6 162)

-0-About mid afternoon, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

:Ratchet: -Ironhide aka IH

:What?: -Ratchet aka R

:Where are ya?: -IH

:At the office. Where are you?: -R

:Cutting a wide swath. What's the plan?: -IH

:I have three processor surgeries this afternoon and its going to be teaching moments. Then I can come home. It won't be before 1630: -R

(Pause)

:I'll get the buses. Ammas and Appas are on Cybertron and your folks have their clubs after work today. Everyone fends for themselves: -IH

:Good going, Ironhide. I'll be home about … 1630 if all goes well. Get dinner out and have it shipped in. We have them all tonight from the get go: -R

:On it. **I AM IRONHIDE! I AM ON THINGS!:** -IH! being IH!

:You'd be on coins if I had my way, Ironhide. See ya. Would love to be with ya: -R

 **:WHO WOULDN'T!? I AM IRONHIDE! I'M GOING NOW! SEE YA!:** Ironhide chuckled, then walked down Fortress Road to The City to order dinner shipped from The Takeout Place, their home away from home. He did so with a light step to his peds.

Ratchet laughed, then glanced at Lee-Lee who was standing in the doorway of his office. "Gotta motor. Processors are waiting."

"I'll hold down the fort," Lee-Lee said as the big mech walked past him with a grin. He disappeared out the door and down the hallway. "You make me laugh, Ratchet." She grinned, then walked to her desk to manage the ebb and flow of medicine over several planets in several systems.

-0-At The Takeout Place, Metroplex District

He stood in line studying the vast menu which was divided into Human and Cybertronian dishes. He had in mind what he wanted and as each different mech and/or femme made their choices, he got that much closer. When it was his turn, he reached the counter, then looked over it. Standing on the other side with a recorder/order device in servo, Isle of Tyrest looked up with a giant smile on her mini-con face. **"IRONHIDE! HI!"**

Ironhide grinned. "Hello, sweetie pie. How you been?"

"Cecil and I are pre-bonded," she said as she glanced at a good looking mini-con mech stirring a giant pot filled with 'tomato sauce' for pizzas nearby. "We're going to bond at Christmas Surprise. There's going to be a big party. You and Ratchet are invited. Dancing, food, lots of fun. Can you come?" she asked.

"I'm already there," he said to chuckles everywhere as he marked the date on his personal internal calendar. "Where's the party?"

"Central Labor Hall, in the Guild Hall," she said of the highly ornate meeting hall of all the skilled artisan groups that plied their trades on and off world. The room was a work in progress as its huge space was filled with art and its walls and ceiling painted by some of the greatest artists still living including up and comers like Sunstreaker. All of the arts and their practitioners belonged to the Guild which nurtured their art, promoted it across the solar system and was the focus of all their many activities including promotional shows and mentoring kids like Sadee.

"We'll be there," Ironhide said as she smiled brightly.

" **GOOD!** What can we get you? I'm assuming its huge quantities of your favorite stuff," she said with a grin.

"You got that right, Missy. I think we can start with this," he said opening a data wafer that had his order …

4 giant pizzas with all manner of toppings

4 giant brownies fresh baked with nuts and 'chocolate chips' baked in, frosted out the wazoo

1 regular sized tray of 'veggies' to appease Old Mech

2 big tubs of chocolate chip cookie dough to eat later when no one was watching

1 big tub of vanilla ice cream

2 trays of cookies to make ice cream sandwiches

a few napkins just in case

Isle looked up at him and smiled. "Only one tray of veggies?"

"One too many for me," Ironhide said with a smile **. "I AM IRONHIDE! I DON'T EAT MY VEGGIES!"**

"Shall I ask Ratchet?" Cecil asked as he checked the order on the computer above his work station.

"Uh, I wouldn't do that. Don't bother yourself," Ironhide said as everyone in the room laughed. He grinned. "I think I need this about 1645 if you can."

"We can," Isle said. "Tell everyone hi for us."

"I will. I'll tell old mech about your bonding. That's one less youngling he gets to fix up, the slagger."

Huge laughter followed Ironhide out because, apparently, Yenta Claus had trended once on local social media and now was a 'thing'. Ironhide grinned. He loved his life. He walked out to go to the corner of the street in front of the tower where everyone was going to be coming in about half a breem. He did so with a lilt in his step.

-0-In a surgical arena surrounded by 'third years' as level three doctors were now called.

Some of them were here from Cybertron bunking in hotels and special set aside housing for them as they went to the university and worked in the hospitals here and around the system. They were all here to learn, then go back to Cybertron and other places in the local system to save the people. They were almost grim with purpose, this group of 200 doctors soon to be graduated out to serve. They were getting their master classes now from Ratchet. In six short decaorns, they would be on their way and 200 more would arrive to take their places. It was the only way they could get the numbers of doctors trained to the same up-to-date system that they needed. They were mentored with doctors here, working with them on their shifts while attending university. Then they would have an intensive set of classes with Ratchet before going back home to save the world.

He worked, interjected jokes and measured the lack of any other focus than their purpose here. They would need a party and a going away gift that was worthy of their effort. They would receive their first full medical kit from him as a graduation present before leaving to do battle against time, desolation and great need.

It would be a long three surgeries but all of them would go well. One would miss a few orns' memories but nothing really important. He wouldn't remember how much he had suffered before reaching Autobot City Medical Center. One would be too young to remember and the other would to some degree but be so happy to be alive he wouldn't care.

-0-On a street corner nearby

Ironhide watched the heavy afternoon traffic roll past, some sentient, some not. A few humans blew by, waved and continued onward. It was cold, sunny and the mood around him was light. Shift had just changed from day to swing, so there were a lot of individuals heading home or onward to other things. Soon, adults would be waiting at bus stops all over the colony or on train platforms or by cab stands to get their kids. He was one of them, following the new system that they had put together to free up everyone. Ratchet's family was hard at it for the holiday season, getting things ready for people to gift and his own were on different worlds doing their jobs.

He was lucky enough that wherever Prime was, he was. That meant a lot of time here on Mars. The down side meant less fighting, more work at his desk and the like. However, that also meant riding the trains, walking around looking at slag in the armories while giving it a gimlet optic as he rubbed his chin looking serious as he did to keep the infants working there on their toes, petting his horses and riding one now and again so he could be better at something than Ratchet, the slagger, hanging out at the dojo when no official was looking, eating ice cream at all the shops that he had mapped out in the colony so that one was near him at all times at least once an orn, checking on orders with Off World Requisitions at the Main Post Office here in town every so often to see about orders for his kids, hanging with the boys, secretly working on his **HELICOPTER OF DOOM!(tm)** , along with sneaking in weird food that he spotted walking from one duty to the other as he made sure that he saw every hub every day when in town.

That stuff.

It was fun.

Now, he watched as a big yellow school bus turned the corner to drive up Metro Highway #2 toward where he was standing. It stopped three times to let kids out, then drove to where he was. Three more were behind it letting out kids all along the way. The door of this one opened, then Sunspot and Spot hopped down. Hugging Ironhide, the two waved to Bos, Co-D and Reflector as the door closed and they drove onward.

 **"HI, ATAR! I MISSED YOU! CO-D, REFLECTOR AND BOS SAY HI!"** Sunspot said with a radiant smile. **"THEY GET TO SPEND FIRST SATURDAY OVERNIGHT WITH US!"**

"Sounds like fun," Ironhide said with a grin as the next bus drove up. The door opened and an aide stepped down. He put Orion and Praxus on the ground, then nodded to Ironhide. He climbed back in, then the door closed and the bus continued. Grabbing their leashes, Sunspot pulled them back where they hugged Ironhide's ped, then began to babble about their orn.

A white cab was next, sliding to the curb. The door opened, Hero hopped out, blue backpack firmly in place, then ran to him for a hug. Sunspot gripped her leash as the cab closed the door, then drove onward to a cab stand nearby. Hero smiled, then began to babble, too. Ironhide grinned at all of them as they waited for more.

Another big yellow school bus slid up, opened the door, then a mass of giant kids began to climb out. One by one until all nine were out, the kids came. When they were done, the door closed and the bus moved onward. Ironhide who was surrounded by babbling happy kids began to pick them up and part them out to the others. When everyone got a ride, he grinned. "Come on. Last one up is a sparkling."

It was a sprint for the elevators.

-0-Up there

He sat at the window of his room working on his studies. His medic training was really coming together. He was learning a lot and he was going to be finished with basic training in four orns. Then he would be graduated into the ranks. After that, he would ask Ratchet what you had to learn to be an elder doctor. Something about old people really resonated with him. Hercy and Kup were among his icons and he wanted to be useful to the most vulnerable population besides kids.

He heard the door open so he arose and walked out. A flood of individuals were coming through the door with Ironhide. He grinned. "School's out?"

"Either that or they got expelled and are afraid to tell me," Ironhide said with a grin as he put kids on the floor including Prowler who had been in his hold.

An enormous amount of hoo-hah ensued as harnesses and leashes, book bags, garments, and other child stuff was gathered up. Then half the small ones hoofed it to the berth rooms to play. It was quiet a second before the laughter down the hallway was up to specs. Ironhide grinned, then looked at the others. "Dinner is coming in a moment. Hopefully, so will Ada."

"I hope so. **I LOVE IT WHEN WE CAN ALL BE HOME!"** Sunspot said with a giant smile. He hugged Lumi's leg tightly. "Can you guys stay, too?"

"I got enough for a battalion," Ironhide said.

"I'll message Ammas and Appa," Tru said as he walked to the monitor.

A rap on the door was met by Santee who looked out. He stepped back as three big kids brought in a mountain of food boxes. They set containers on the table, traded slag with everyone and a bouncy dog, then cheerfully left to deliver more in their truck down below. Everyone watched the door close, then walked to the table and counter to look.

"I love pizza," Saber said as Tru helped him sort through the containers. "You have good taste, Atar," he said to Ironhide.

"And it tastes good, too," he said as he plucked the two containers of cookie dough off the counter. "Don't tell Ada," he said as he opened the fridge and put it in the back. "I love to eat that slag raw."

"Is it good, Atar?" Fireball asked.

"It's warrior food," Ironhide said. "Don't tell Ada. He thinks I spoil you."

Quadrus grinned. "Is that true?" he asked.

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it," Ironhide said as he began to get out plates and cups.

Huge laughter greeted that as the big kids began to set the table for dinner.

-0-At the hospital

He turned off the monitors, then straightened the stack of work on his desk. The kids had been great, asked great questions, gave good insights, and made him proud. Now, he was heading for the barn. He looked up. "Lee-Lee, go home."

"I was waiting for you," Lee-Lee said.

He grinned at her, this affable, smart and sweet natured young femme. "You're going to dinner with your mech, right?"

She nodded. "In a joor. He has to get something done at the office. I'll walk you out."

Ratchet looked around, then walked to the door. He hugged Lee-Lee, then both walked out to the elevators and the first stop toward home.

-0-Home

Ironhide stood at the counter with an RTR paring knife. He was slashing two pieces of pizza and piling the tiny bits onto the little kid's little plates. Taking a handful of veggies, he pressed them down on top of the little bits of pizza. "There. Dinner." He looked at the nine big kids watching him with an adorable mix of disbelief, riotous humor and worshipful awe, then handed two plates to two kids. "Grub's on."

"You don't mind, Atar, if we fix our own plates do you?" Saber asked as Partition leaned against the counter. He was quashing a belly laugh of his own.

"Nope," Ironhide said with a grin. "Partition, you help them get their drinks. Juice boxes in the fridge."

Partition nodded, then opened the fridge. Juice boxes were had, kids were sat, smiles were given and everyone turned in place to stare at Ironhide. He looked at them, then the food. "Last one at the table is a slagger," he said grabbing a plate. He wouldn't be last. Fireball would be. He would laugh loudly when he finally sat.

Everyone stared at each other, then Ironhide. The door opened at that moment as Ratchet stepped in. **"HI, HONEY! I'M HOME!"**

Bedlam.

Out and out bedlam for about three minutes ensued, then after filling a plate, Ratchet sat at the table. Everyone looked at him with smiles. He smiled back. **"WHO WANTS TO SAY GRACE!?"** he asked.

" **GRACE!"** everyone bellowed. Then they laughed loudly and began to eat. It was a normal evening at the Ratchet v Ironhide establishment.

-0-TBC 10-16-17 **edited 12-19-17**


	163. Chapter 163

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 163)

-0-Later that evening

"What was your day like?" Ratchet asked as he reclined.

Ironhide walked from the washroom, then reclined as well. He called down the lights, then relaxed. "I had ice cream, the Hub at Terra is exceeding expectations with the new leadership there and I enjoyed myself. You?"

"Three processor operations," Ratchet said. "All of them went well. Give them a few orns and they're on their peds again. I ran into some humans around noon."

"Which ones?"

"Leonora Huttle."

"What did she want? A closeup?" Ironhide asked as Ratchet rolled over and settled in.

Ratchet chuckled. "No. She wanted to know about bonds. She was invited to a bonding ceremony. No one we know. Someone who works at IntraCom who likes her. She had a great time but she had a lot of questions."

"Like what?" Ironhide asked.

"She wanted to know about relationships. She wanted to know what we called them. What they were like. A lot of things," Ratchet said.

"You told her what?" Ironhide asked.

"Well, she wanted to know so I told her what I could. Conjunx endura. There. I said it." Ratchet grinned. "She was interested in how things worked. She really gave me a long look when I told her that we had to register to bond, you and me."

"Serves her right for asking. I like her, though. She's a good one," Ironhide said.

"I agree. By the way, football starts this weekend. I was told about it by a sports writer who was visiting a friend at the Center. Did you get the news yet?" Ratchet asked.

"No," Ironhide said. "What's the new stuff. I know we have double teams."

"Well, all the games are going to be played here. None of the sites on Cybertron are up to it. They fly in here and play, then go back home. We're going to have three games an orn for four orns. Until we have more stadiums or some ready back there, we have to expand the football dates here. The first will be a night game on Second Friday. Then three games each First and Second Saturday and First and Second Sunday. It rotates somehow and it all works out. Password and the League got with Sciences to make the scheduling."

"Sounds like a lot. What is Prime going to do?" Ironhide asked.

"He's going to the night game to start the season and the one on Second Sunday. Unless, of course, there's a disaster," Ratchet said. "By the way, I have to check on the alternate universe bots tomorrow. They need their annual checkups and I want to see how Kudon is doing. He seems to have fully recovered from his operation. Slagger. He's as big a wuss on that side as here. Does Prime hear from Megatron at all?"

Ironhide grinned. "It's weird hearing his name in a good way. Yes, he does. They talk through Tennyson. He's hunting more slaggers down and hopes to give them to us. It's either that or put them in punitive stasis. Apparently, he's too soft sparked to do that."

"Weird, indeed," Ratchet said. "I wonder how big a problem Prowl is there? He was so in love with their Optimus, the slagger. I hope he holds up."

"He's Prowl. He has a strut of titanium up his aft," Ironhide said. "By the way, how are you feeling?"

"Fine. We have approximately 13 more orns. Then you have to frag off and not be a slagger. If I find that you peeked or cheated in any way, I'm going to call down an Iacon sanction on your aft. I'm going to dictate the terms, too."

"You wouldn't do that," Ironhide said with a grin.

Silence.

"Uh, Ratchet? You're just … messing with me."

Silence.

"Frag."

Ratchet grinned. "These are your slagging rules and you were the slagger who had only one thing to do, Ironhide. **ONE THING!"**

"Sh," he said. "You don't want to wake up our 37 children do ya?"

Ratchet grinned. "Maybe. What about trick-or-treat?"

"I have it. The infants and I are going to the Center and have Amma and Appa help them get ready to do that. They have ideas," Ironhide said. He grinned. "They let me dress up for fun when I was a kid. They were always humoring me. I got spray painted a lot as different things. It was fun. I got to play with the costumes and props."

"So, Orion comes by it naturally?" Ratchet asked.

Ironhide grinned. "Chip off the old block."

"I can see that," Ratchet said with a grin. "Good night, Ironhide."

"Good night, conjunx endura," Ironhide said with a chuckle.

It was silent as Phobos crossed the sky heading on an endless orbit across a mostly empty planet.

-0-Morning

"What about lunch?" Ratchet asked as he checked the datapad with information about the kids and their schedules. Fireball was going to a weather station on the TransWorld Highway with his class.

He shrugged. "They don't have any food or rest stops out there yet but they're planning them," Fireball said. He had forgotten to tell Ratchet like any kid would that he needed to bring a lunch along. He was going today and would be gone all day.

"You kids don't have lunches on field trips?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

"They bring snacks." Fireball sat at the table with Sunspot on his lap. He was going on his first on-world field trip with his class on a school bus. It would be a long drive on the TransWorld Highway. But it was expected that everyone would have a great time with the weather station equipment. It would then conclude with a long drive back. "I forgot to tell you about bringing a lunch. Sorry, Ada."

Ratchet stared at the three big kids who were holding a number of infants. "Who else needs one?"

"Not us. Just Fireball," Quasar said as Genesis nodded.

"Alright," Ratchet said. "Let me put one together." He reached into cupboards, pulling things out, then began to whip together 'sandwiches', cookies, 'chips', 'veggie sticks', candy, donuts, and a couple of bottles of a popular 'soft drink'. In short, he put together a dream lunch for a kid that he considered would be mighty tasty for himself. He pulled out a small pack, took things out of it, then filled it to the brim. Fastening it shut with effort, he handed it to Fireball. "Here you go. That should help. You infants need to write things down on the board by the door so we can stay on top of this. You will **never** go somewhere without lunches."

"Thanks, Ada," Fireball said as he stood. He gathered his backpack, then the hefty lunch, then Orion. "We'll put them on the bus. Theirs comes before ours, Ada."

"Good sons," Ratchet said with a grin as he cleaned the counter.

Infants were chased down, snugged into onesies, hooked up with harnesses and book bags, then handed around for kisses. The big kids took the little kids minus Prowler, then all of them walked out. Ratchet stared at the door, then Partition and Ironhide. "That's the greatest thing that ever happened, them stepping up to do that."

Ironhide grinned. "They're growing up. I don't know whether to laugh or cry."

"I'll do both. I have to visit the prison and do physicals with the inmates," Ratchet said.

"Can I come? I can help you," Partition said.

"You do every day. What's your schedule, infant?" Ratchet asked.

"I have basic, the last three orns, then full time medical for the field medic certification. Then I have to go to my schools. I'm going for airborne and for tactical." Partition grinned. "The more exciting, the better."

"As long as you don't get hurt. You do know, don't you, that if you get through your schools that you get put into the regular rotation. You could end up at Diego Garcia or Cybertron on duty. Or maybe the bases around the system," Ratchet said.

"That would be awesome," Partition said as he rose. He grabbed his books. "I have a study group for the medic certification. I want to ace the test."

"You will," Ratchet said with a grin.

He grinned back, then nodded to both. He was out the door at a trot. It closed quietly. Ironhide stared at it, then Ratchet. "What's the word on the others?"

"Burris is doing good work at the hospital. He's a strange one. He's got a lot of emotions but I'm not sure what they are. I'm glad he loves Anders so much that he's trying. I don't think its … I don't want to say genuine. I just think its confused but he's determined to do something about things. I want to help him and I will. Keystock and Cargo are slogging through slag on Cybertron and should be home in a few orns. I heard that Anders really likes working at Full Circle. Joon and Edict are taking him into servo. It's a good thing. I don't have good feelings about Keystock. He's sneaky. Cargo is quiet but he's not as smart as he thinks he is. Burris loves Anders more than he hates things as they are. He could actually make movement. That's my hope, anyway. I don't know how you can work around the regular folks and not be changed by it. Genuine is not a feature of high caste living."

"What about the two in the Processor Center? Sunee and Sio?" Ironhide asked as he stood up to wait by the door for Ratchet so they could go.

"Slow fits and stops kind of progress. They're going to be there a long time. Their hard headed knuckleheads. I don't know how that will turn out but Rung is like a burr. Once he sticks to you, he's there forever." Ratchet walked to the door, then they stepped out heading for the world once more. Ironhide would go with Ratchet. He was going to see the alternate dimensional prisoners and they were as dangerous as it got.

-0-At the Prison

They walked together with an armed guard. The prison sector they were heading for was the most dangerous place of all. Most of the others would kill you if they grabbed you and if their demands weren't met. Some in the special lockups were nuts enough to kill you because that was who they were … stone cold killers. This group, however, was a strange one. They were mirror opposites of their counterparts in this dimension but they were also unpredictable in their cunning and straight up badness.

They reached the overall enclosure, then were let through the triple gates and hot fences to the inside where the individual barracks were held behind highly charged fences. Ignoring alt Ironhide who grinned at him as alt Springer lounged next to him, he walked along the path, then reached the farthest enclosure that now had a screening wall surrounding it. It enclosed alt Jetta. Getting inside, Ratchet and Ironhide along with their guard walked to the barracks and rapped on the door. **"Jetta!** This is Ratchet. I'm coming in."

There was no answer. Ratchet tugged on the door but it didn't open. "Rip it off, Ironhide."

Ironhide pushed past, gripped the handle, then pulled the door off its hinges. Ratchet entered, then saw Jetta lying on the floor in a pool of energon. He knelt and began to staunch the several flows that had been pierced by an reworked eating utensil lying nearby. "Get a runabout. We have to med-evac him now."

Ironhide nodded, then alerted the guard tower outside. In seconds, a runabout was hovering in to land. Two medics ran out of it with kits and an energon container as the runabout touched down in the foreground of the enclosure. Entering, they assisted Ratchet with Jetta. As they did, he on lined his optics. "Where am I?" Jetta asked groggily.

"In good hands, Jetta. Just relax," Ratchet said as he hooked in the energon pump. It hummed into life replacing his lost energon swiftly. Jetta's body relaxed as it did. "We need him in secured care. Take him and when I'm done here I'll come. Notify Jarro that this happened. Rung is his physician. We may have to move him to the Processor Center in a secured holding cell with around the clock observation." Ratchet looked around, noting the cameras and the angles. "He arranged things to this to allow this. We need to bolt things down so they can't hide from the cameras. Slagger. He's a mess. You can take him now," Ratchet said as he scanned the groggy figure.

The medics ran out to get a stretcher, then gently loaded and secured the slowly reviving figure. Ratchet gathered their gear and carried it to the runabout. Stepping back, the ship rose and flew swiftly to the Center nearby. Ratchet watched it go, then walked back inside. Inspecting the scene, taking images of the site, he turned to the Officer of the Orn. "You might want to check with Hauser at the Watch. He's Chief of Detectives. I think, given the severity of his actions, that it should be handled forensically so that if there's a criminal component to this its covered. I have taken images for medical but they're more thorough."

The Officer of the Orn nodded, then walked outside to place the call. Hauser would come himself to inspect the scene and prepare a case for Coln-2 and Jarro to discuss. He would be sworn to secrecy about the nature of the prisoners when he came and he would keep his word.

Ratchet and his group walked out of the fence, then turned to the right to go to the lockup that held Kudon, Neo and the others. They would be waiting for him when he came.

-0-TBC 10-18-17 **edited 12-19-17**

NOTES:

A **Conjunx Endura** is a Transformer's significant other, an individual that they deeply love. In human terms, Conjunx Endurae are the equivalent of spouses; for example, when the life of a Transformer is threatened to the point of unconsciousness, it falls upon their Conjunx Endura to make medical decisions on their behalf. Traditionally, a Transformer chooses a prospective partner through the ritual known as the **Conjunx Ritus** : four acts of affection and mutual kindness which cement the bond between the two individuals. bonded pair may be referred to as **Junxies** as an affectionate nickname.

Some Transformers think close relationships like these are embarrassing. Bluntly asking a stranger about their Conjunx is considered a bit gauche.

"I've always been terrified that you'd die before I did, because you and me apart strikes me as intensely wrong."—Part of Rewind's final message to his Conjunx Endura, "The Gloaming

Apparently, the Rewind bond is a beautiful story. Its out there. I will try and find it and post it here.


	164. Chapter 164

The Diego Diaries: The Night Before (dd6 165)

-0-At the Family Tower

They gathered, those that liked to sip coffee and eat a late snack after a long hard slog at the job. Soldiers, family members, children (along with the odd bot coming to check this and that or deliver something) sat around the vast lounge on the main floor chatting, playing or doing home work. The gigantic monitor screen was on and split into two fields of view. On one, a number of individuals from Sciences and on the other, the Consulate, were doing the same thing at their locations, but also joining in on the general conversation. It often happened that in the evening, the groups from different places would gather to 'chat'. Right now, Leonora Huttle was telling about the wedding she had attended to a rapt audience.

"The party is going on all night. It was sweet, the gathering and little ceremony. They have this ceremony that was simply them saying they were going to be together in front of the guests, a simple exchange of gifts, something no one can see but them, then par-tay. I asked Ratchet about it and he says that the bond is called a conjunx endura. It's the same as getting married though most just call it a bonding. Everyone was so happy. I was glad to go."

"You need to tell us, Leonora," Judy Witwicky said as she sat next to Barbara Morshower with a coffee cup. "You know us. We like parties, too."

Leonora laughed. "I know," she said. "I'm still ringing like a bell over the Earth2 get together."

"How did that go?" Ron Witwicky asked. "Though, something tells me I'm going to be sorry I asked."

Everyone laughed, then Carly at the Consulate grinned. "It went well, I thought. They so want to belong."

"I don't have anything in common with the wife of a billionaire," Judy said as several women nodded in agreement.

"I don't know," Ron said. "I think the Resort outspent The Belagio in Vegas by some substantial amount in construction costs."

"But I didn't have to pay it. I just told Jetta what I wanted and it happened," Judy said to laughter.

"I wonder what it would cost to build such a thing on Earth?" Mama Rosa mused.

"I asked Wheeljack and he didn't know so I asked Venture," Lola Teasdale said from the side where the Sciences members could be seen on the monitor. "He told me that it was hard to be exact but somewhere in the region of 12 billion dollars if it was created on Earth. The kinds and types of materials and the tech alone is worth a lot of money."

"Wow," Judy said as Ron nodded. "I feel rich. I could buy and sell all those women at Earth2."

Everyone laughed. "I hope you remember me in my dotage," Sheila Conroy said as she lounged at Sciences.

"I'll get there first," Judy said. "Remember me."

"What's the deal for trick-or-treat?" someone from Sciences asked.

"We're having a party at Earth2. They're going to do trick or treat from 1600-1700. Everyone who lives there will go to their houses and the kids from Earth 1 and here will be brought in by school bus to go door-to-door," Mama Rosa said with a smile. "That's very nice of them to do that for the babies."

"I think so," Lois Morshower-Howell said as she sat by her mom. "They want us to come to a party with drinks and dancing. The kids will board a bus from here that the school district lent us to get there. Then we go to Earth 1 to get those kids. It will be a straight shot to Earth2 with trick-or-treating to start when we get there. They'll serve food and all manner of treats. It's their first big party and they're really getting things ready I was told."

"I spoke to a couple of the scientists and they said they're really looking forward to making friendships between the groups," Carly said. "I have to spend some time there every few days so I can meet everyone and speak to the British and Commonwealth citizens there. We have a consulate responsibility to them."

"Well, we're going to be bringing a few treats from the Resort," Judy said as Linda and Sarah nodded. "Speaking of which, little mama, how do you feel today? You weren't particularly sound this morning."

"I feel better," Linda Graham said as Judy rubbed her belly. "That feels good."

"I know. Ron used to rub my belly and my feet," Judy said as she grinned at her long suffering, even tempered husband. "What happened to ya?"

"Life?" Ron asked.

"Is that what happened?" a new voice said. Everyone looked at the screen to see Sam Witwicky sit down beside Carly and put his arm around her.

" **SPEAKING OF WHICH! WHEN DO I GET TO BE A GRANDMOTHER?!"** Judy said pointedly at the two.

"What was that?" Sam asked feigning a frown. "I didn't hear you."

"Liar." Judy looked at Ron who was lounging happily with a grin on his face. "He takes after you."

Huge laughter.

-0-At the Prison the next orn

Ratchet walked toward the barracks that contained the other prisoners from Alternative Cybertron. They were standing at their fences watching him come with silent expressionless faces. The first barracks they reached was filled with sullen mechs and Neo. He paused next to the fence, then grinned. "Kudon. Tell everyone to come out so I can scan you. If you don't, I'll have to come in there and you won't like the various configurations that I'll bend all of you into."

Kudon walked to the barracks, then a number of others came out. They walked to the fence and stared at Ratchet with cold expressions. "We're here. What now, slagger?"

"Ah, you have a sad," Ratchet said as he scanned all of them. "Well, I see that your spark chamber is fine. If I hadn't fixed it, you'd be dead by now." He grinned at Kudon. "You're welcome."

"You always were a beast, Ratchet. Why don't you join me inside and we can chat about old times," Ratbat said with a poisonous tone.

Ratchet laughed. "None of you or all of you together couldn't touch me. You're a bunch of crybabies. I'd tear you apart."

" **I** would," Ironhide said darkly.

"You should talk," Neo said as she glared at Ironhide.

"Actually, you need to get a grip. We're not those mechs." Ratchet turned toward the pen holding Springer and Ironhide who had come out to sit and watch. "That's the Ironhide you're excited about. We're the good guys. You are the bad guys. You lost. Megatron won."

"Tell me about that," Kudon said. "What's happening on Cybertron. Our Cybertron."

"Well," Ratchet said with a grin. "Prime got deposed. Megatron got chosen by the Matrix Itself and he's now Prime. He has control of the entire empire. It surrendered because everyone was waiting for Megatron to get the Matrix away from Optimus. Optimus is in cold storage here. The Empire is rebuilding and moving on. It's mopping up the remaining dust bunnies to bring them here, the worst ones. You may be getting new neighbors soon enough. But that remains to be seen. Just know that no one misses you and someone else is probably living in your house."

"You disgust me," Neo said with a sneer.

"Good. If you found anything likable in me I'd have to go to the Temple and beg Primus on my knee assemblies to forgive me," Ratchet said. "You're all disgustingly healthy with special emphasis on disgusting. I have to go now. I have more losers to check over."

"Ratchet," Traachon said as he stepped closer to the bars. "What about our rights? What about a hearing or trial? You can't hold us here like this."

"But we can," Ratchet said. "We're holding you as war criminals at the behest of another government. The jurisdiction isn't clear yet so we're working through the rules looking for precedent. It might take about a million years or so but we're looking. Okay? Alright. See ya." He turned away and began to walk to the cell with Devcon in the yard. It was amusing the level of abuse that Kudon's group rained down upon them.

-0-On a road to the weather station at Comas Crater, Mars

They rolled along the highway in a super fast, super comfortable school bus. It was driven by a district driver and the kids chatted, laughed, sang, and did all the same things kids did on buses in every galaxy, in every dimension. They didn't fight or slag each other which may or not be unusual in all the same places. That meant this wasn't a typical school bus ride per se.

As it was, they reached their destination at last, pulled into the parking lot and began to get off. As they did, a convoy of fully loaded trucks went past, then honked their horns. The kids waved, then turned to their teacher. "Time to do inside. Remember, we have our assignments and we need to get through as many of the different stations inside as we have time to complete. Take meticulous notes, ask questions, remember your manners, and leave your unnecessary gear on the bus. Alright?"

Everyone nodded, then walked inside. It was a huge place with a great foyer with displays. The stations had been expanded to provide educational components for the schools and anyone who traveled on the highway. They were three joors from Autobot City and before them lay the entire spectrum of weather gathering and making on world. This was the big station that linked with satellites, gathered, transmitted and collated data for the weather control projects and was a major teaching station on the highway for the schools.

The huge dish outside was only one of the many spectacular sights to see here. They would spend a very happy time walking from station to station in small groups, discussing the questions on their datapads and information in their packets while asking good questions. Then they would adjourn to the outside to sit at the picnic tables near the building to eat their lunches. Fireball would have one of the best lunches in his group.

What kid didn't like donuts?

-0-Ironhide and Springer

Ratchet walked through the camp going past the cages to scan everyone. He kept the worst for last. When they paused next to the bars where Springer and Ironhide lounged with insolence, he was ready to leave. He scanned them, then filed the data.

Ironhide who was silent, stood up from his chair. He walked close to the wires to stare at Ratchet. He was huge, even, seemingly, bigger than Ratchet's own Ironhide. Ratchet knew it was his malevolence that made that seem so. He was the same looking mech but had many more scars. Some of his tattoos Ratchet didn't know. He was so dangerous that Ratchet quashed the urge to step back from his aura. "You're a looker, I will say that. Crazy bastard, but a looker."

"You confuse me with someone else," Ratchet said. Ironhide was smoldering behind him but was also too fascinated to move away.

"Maybe," AU Ironhide said. "What's the prognosis? Am I going to live?"

"Somehow, I don't think that matters to you," Ratchet said calmly.

"No, I suppose it doesn't," Ironhide said with a malevolent grin. "What about you, Ironhide? Did you enjoy my recitation about the family?"

"Not particularly," Ironhide replied. "Did you know Alor and Blackjack were murdered in the square at Kaon by Prime?"

"I know," Ironhide said. "Fortunes of war."

"You don't have considerations or feelings of any kind, do you," Ratchet said rather than asked.

Ironhide pretended to think about it, then grinned humorlessly. "Not really."

Ironhide subbed a gun, then pointed it at Springer who didn't flinch. "Then you won't mind if I gut shoot the bond, there."

Ironhide glanced at Springer who was unmoved by the situation. He shrugged slightly. "Not if you put Drift in here. I can pick up where Springer left off."

Springer laughed, then grinned at the two. "You can't scare us. We're invincible."

"You're a team," Ratchet said. "A tightly wired, devoted and loyal team."

"We cheat on each other," Springer said. "How can that be a team?"

"I know what I see," Ratchet said. "I told the prison. Don't ever turn your back on either of you. But if you want to really control both of you, shoot one of you. They listened and added it to the protocol."

Ironhide stared at Ratchet, a flicker of real anger appearing behind the facade he was showing. He didn't say anything but he said it all anyway. Ratchet had delivered a blow. "If you say so, doc. Personally, I always considered you a quack."

"You're talking to the wrong doctor. That one was a quack but never forget this. I'm not," Ratchet said equally coldly. He then walked onward, heading toward the gates.

Ironhide watched him go, then turned to his AU counterpart. "Touche, slagger." He grinned, then walked onward to follow Ratchet out.

Ironhide watched them go, then felt a ped tap his leg. He glanced down at Springer who looked at him with a sober expression. "You really don't need to talk to them."

"Maybe," he said with cold infuriated anger. "Maybe not," he said, then walked to his chair to sit. He would brood on Ratchet for a while before falling back into the closest thing to a good feeling and sense of peacefulness that he could conjure. It only happened around Springer.

-0-TBC 10-19-17

Feign: (fay-n) to fake

quack: a fake doctor

dotage: (dough-tage) old age

per se: (purr-say) a sort of finishing word, like also.


	165. Chapter 165

The Diego Diaries: Moving Onward Again (dd6 165)

-0-At Ad Seg

AU Waldeen glowered at Ratchet and Ironhide as they stood before his pen. He had not yet gotten out. When he was ready to be removed, he would strike out in his impotent rage, then end up extending his time inside. Ratchet scanned him. "You're disgustingly healthy."

"You're disgusting," Waldeen snapped.

"You're never going to get out of this pen, slagger, unless you step up," Ratchet replied. "Even Bumblebee is out."

He glared at both, then looked beyond them to a cell block where Bumblebee lounged on a chair. "That slagger? I could take him."

"If this were Garrus 9 on your side of the line, that would have happened by now. This isn't your old atar's prison," Ratchet said as he and Ironhide walked away. They ignored his screaming as they walked to the cell block that held Bumblebee. His other cellie was inside the barracks but it was easy to get the word on him by scanning long distance. The mini-con sitting in the chair staring at them with a calculating expression wasn't their own. "You'll both live. Anything you want?" Ratchet asked.

Bee grinned at them. "A beer. And someone to keep me company. I'm so lonely." He laughed, a harsh sound, then stood. Walking to the bars, he looked at both of them. "I could easily kill you. It wouldn't be hard. I've learned a lot of things over the vorns. I've been in some pretty terrible places and walked away."

"I bet you have," Ratchet said calmly. He wondered about this one, this enigma standing before him. His physical attributes were sound but there was a low grade buzz in his processor. It indicated damage from who the frag knew what. "You're a stone killer aren't you."

Bee nodded. "I'm good at it. It doesn't bother me. I go where I'm supposed to go and do what I'm told to do. No one cares. They let me break things for fun."

"What about Optimus? I suppose he didn't mind, either," Ratchet said.

Bee shrugged. "What about my double here? Tell me about him?"

"What makes you think he exists, slagger?" Ironhide asked.

"Intuition," the cold little shrimp replied. He grinned but there was no warmth, no mirth, nothing of the wiseacre little bot that everyone loved to death. This Bee was a dangerous individual.

"He exists," Ratchet said. "He's a soldier and a slagging fine one. He's in a bond with the Protectobot, First Aid."

"He is, is he?" Bee considered that. "Tell him something for me, okay?"

Ratchet shrugged. "Maybe, slagger. What is it?"

Bee grinned. "Tell him that I helped kill First Aid and his brothers. They were Decepticons. I wasn't."

"Lucky you," Ratchet replied.

"Yeah. I'm slagging lucky. What about letting me out?" Bee asked with a tight grin on his face. "Maybe that Bee and I can have a chat about mutual interests."

"Maybe I can put a gun up your aft and pull the trigger," Ironhide said.

"That's an option, too," Bee said seriously. Then he laughed uproariously. He looked at Ironhide with a smirk. "How do you like the idea of Ironhide fragging Springer?" He looked at Ratchet. "You were a mass murderer. You liked it. What a piece of work you are."

"Coming from you, that's a compliment," Ratchet said as he turned away to walk onward. Ironhide followed as Bee sat back down. They could feel his optics on them as they walked toward the next cell.

"That little shrimp is going to get slagged by me some fine orn," Ironhide said as the prisoners in the next cell stepped down from the porch and walked to the fence.

"That little slagger has some serious processor damage. I don't know what it means but I'm going to find out," Ratchet said as he paused in front of the cell across from Bee. AU Ratchet, Perceptor, and Wheeljack stood together giving Ratchet and Ironhide the once over. Ratchet scanned them. "You're all doing well. How's the processor? Still plotting dominion of the universe or are you trending back to normals-ville now?"

They looked at him with genuine hatred. AU Ratchet smirked slightly. "What a stupid paint scheme."

"For this place? I agree. I'd have to adopt one like yours to fit into prison as well as you. This might be a bit gauche for the Big House," Ratchet replied. Nothing about the figure before him felt real.

"Is that so?" AU Ratchet replied.

"Well … since you're in prison and I'm not …" Ratchet said, his voice trailing off. "Tell me within reason if there's anything you need?"

They glanced to each other, then back to Ratchet and Ironhide. "Your helm on a platter?" Perceptor asked.

Ratchet smirked at him, then looked at Wheeljack. "You okay with these idiots or what?"

Wheeljack looked at Ratchet, then shrugged. "How would **I** know? I don't even know what this is."

"What's the story on us here? Do we live here or what? What about us?" AU Ratchet asked.

Ironhide smirked at his own Ratchet. "He's as nosy as you are."

Ratchet gave Ironhide a dazzling smile. "No one is that nosy," he said, then looked at the three. "Our Percy and 'Jack are our top scientists and they're bonded. They have a son, Resolve. They're tops in our books. As for you and me, a couple of things. I'm bonded with Ironhide and have about 34 children. I also run medicine and diplomacy for the entire Empire. And last but not least, I'm better looking," Ratchet said, then turned from them to walk onward.

Ironhide grinned at him, then looked at the three. "I agree," he said, then walked onward himself.

The three watched them, then glanced at each other. "I'm bonded with you?" AU Perceptor said as he stared at Wheeljack. "Not likely. As for an infant ..." he said, then looked at the retreating figures of Ironhide and Ratchet, "Resolve is … was my father's name."

"Odd," AU Ratchet said. "Nice taste in names," he said glancing at Percy, "but terrible taste in bots," he finished as he looked at Wheeljack. The three nearly came to blows.

-0-Cybertron, another dimensional aspect

Megatron sat at the command desk going over the thousands of details that a Prime managed in the best of orns. It was, actually. When Primus gave His blessing and healed Himself for the benefit of His people, it had simplified things almost beyond believing. There weren't huge projects to reclaim from the rubble. There was resurrection for everyone.

Maybe everyone.

Prowl had stood by his side all through the intervening time from the moment when things were retaken until now. He was efficient, quiet, structured, closed off, and dedicated. No one could hope for someone this talented and determined for a partner in a project than Prowl. Megatron, himself, lived in The Residence here in Iacon with his genitors and two brothers. They had been safely secured during the war but now were finding comforts in the care of their son.

They were hard working, helping their ambitious son in his business making parts for heavy equipment. They had been secure, as secure as anyone could be in a swamp of corruption like things were. They were now living in a good place, eating decent food regularly and working the fear out of their system for themselves and their son.

The sound of ped falls caught his attention as Sixshot and Black Shadow came across the room with Blue Bacchus in tow. They paused before the table, then pulled seats out. Parking themselves, they nodded to Prowl. "Megatron, we have the prisoners. They tried to get off world but the net dropped on them. We barely beat a mob to where they were hiding."

"Where are they now?" Megatron asked.

"We have them in central holding in Kaon. I'm wondering if you've heard from Prime yet?" Black Shadow asked.

"I have a message in. He is aware of our pursuit and has agreed to take them. Who did we get in the trap?" Megatron asked.

Black Shadow grinned. "Hot Rod, Bluestreak, Rook, the twins, Blurr, and Kup."

Megatron looked relieved. "Well done. Give my congratulations to everyone involved. I will contact Prime and let him know."

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Prowl considered the message, then rose to walk to Prime's office down the corridor nearby. It was a long walk to the huge office that was Prime's, one expanded from the smaller one built below ground in the original incarnation. Prowl entered as Prime looked up from work. "What is it?"

Prowl handed Prime the datapad. "We have a list of new prisoners. I asked Gee-Gee to expand the prison for more and she's been ready to receive for about three orns. What do you want to say?"

"Tell them to come. We'll receive them. Have everyone ready," Optimus said. Prowl nodded, then turned to go. "Prowl, what do you make of Bluestreak being here?"

Prowl glanced at Prime. "I don't know. I just know this one is a menace."

Optimus nodded, then watched as Prowl exited the room. In three joors, a ship from an alternate dimension, one bearing the fused image of Autobot and Decepticon would be landing on the prison landing strip with another load of very dangerous prisoners.

-0-Entering The Fortress fully armed

Raptor, Hard Drive, Blackjack, and Flint walked through the bridges from their different locations, then headed upstairs. They would meet up with Ratchet, Ironhide, Prime, Prowl, Hercy, Kup, Bumblebee, Sandstorm, a nervous Bezel, and a silent but attentive Lon. All of them were armed to the teeth and after a word with Prime, the entire group walked out the door to the highway beyond with Optimus. It would be a grim group walking the three miles to the prison.

-0-Landing at the tarmac

Gee-Gee and her wardens, Cirio and Centaur, the Supervisor Warden, Colius, who managed the business end of things, paperwork and programs, along with the biggest baddest aft mechs from the special teams waited for the ships to disgorge their cargo. They were waiting to do that until Prime and his group arrived. They would shortly, then gather together with Gee-Gee to clear what they would have to do. When the plan was in order, the mechs arrayed themselves in a big half circle while the four Praxians stood with Prime, Flint, Prowl, Ratchet, and Gee-Gee.

The hatch opened and a mech appeared, Sixshot in all his glory. Everyone watched him and Black Shadow steer a mech downward, a mech who looked like Bluestreak but wasn't him. This mech had mean optics and a cloud of fury around him that they could see in his aura. He was heavily manacled, sullen and ready for mayhem. He was brought to the line where he stood, staring at everyone with calculation. Behind him, chained in extra cuffs, the twins followed. They were big, mean, covered in scars and didn't look right in the optics. They were smoldering with rage and suppressed mayhem, joining Bluestreak on the line.

It was still a moment, then Blue Bacchus led a mech out, one wearing suppressant gear. He was Blurr and because he was the fastest thing in two dimensions, he wore glowing suppressant gear on his knees and ankles. There would be no way he could run now with that short circuiting his neural nets just enough to allow him to walk and nothing more. He was placed beside the twins. Hot Rod was next, his egomania on full display as he grudgingly joined the others. He stared at Prime with a smirk and cold dead optics.

Rook was next, a slim sleek mech with a powerful aura. He was a broadcaster and a fast talker. He was faster with a knife, his specialty besides talking you out of your optics, was a hoarder of other people's wealth when he set them up to fall and the major propagandist for Prime. If someone fragged Prime off, Rook brought them down, then showcased their trials and executions. He was good at it, had no conscience and was incredibly feared.

Last, but not least, the figure of Kup appeared. He looked half mad but it was clear to Ratchet that he was abusing substances. He had the cygar but who knew what was in it. It was enough to make him a holy terror and a ruthless leader of armies against anyone and anything that got in his way, intentionally and reasonably, or not. He halted on the line, then it was silent as Gee-Gee stepped closer to inspect them. She walked up and down the line making a point of looking at them like they were furniture or devices, rather than beings. When she stopped, she shook her helm. "What a sorry aft collection of specimens you lot are."

It was then that Sideswipe lashed out his ped.

-0-TBC **10-20-17 edited 10-24-17 edited again 1-20-18**

 **propagandist: someone who pushes propaganda or state sponsored lies  
**


	166. Chapter 166

The Diego Diaries: Jail (dd6 166) needs an edit

-0-At the prison

It was impossible to follow her as she grabbed his leg, then dumped him on his back. Kneeling on one leg and pushing the other one upward toward his face, Gee-Gee had him incapacitated in the blink of an optic. He lay on his back in an agony of pain as the others stared with incomprehension at the turn of events. It was as still as it could be, then Gee-Gee pressed his leg harder. He bellowed. "Are you going to yield, or do I break you into pieces?"

" **FRAG YOU!"** Sideswipe said, then he bellowed. **"Alright!"** he gasped.

Gee-Gee let go of his leg, then rose to step back. Sideswipe staggered up with a look of such rage and hatred that it was almost comical. She struck him again in the chassis causing him to bend over in pain. The others flinched. "Get up and get on the line, slagger."

Sideswipe straightened more, then stepped onto the line. He stared at her with hatred as he did.

Gee-Gee looked at the others. "You've been given to me. I own you. You are mine, like the couch in my apartment. If I don't like how you fit where you are, I can move you. I can place you elsewhere, in ad-seg, in another cell and even stasis. Understand. I can end your spark in fifty or sixty different ways without moving from this spot. I was an instructor for the army for vorns before entering prison management and everyone who works here was trained by me and meets my exacting standards. I've had every kind of aft that can be conjured up in anyone's imagination and all of them learned to do things my way. Some still carry the dents."

It was silent as the group of guards and leadership surrounding the prisoners watched. Some of them were grinning, their understanding of the little femme as perfect as their respect and admiration for her. It was silent as she walked up and down in front of them, close enough for them to strike. No one did.

"You're now my prisoners. You will be mine. You no longer have names. You will have numbers and I would suggest that you learn yours. You will be living here so you better understand one thing. This is my kingdom. There will be no other kingdoms but mine. You will obey the rules, do what you're told and if you do, then you might have a smooth incarceration. If you break the rules, abuse substances, other inmates, guards, or your facilities, I will be **very** unhappy. If you break any of the rules, you go into administrative segregation for as long as I decide you'll be there. If you're an incorrigible aft like some of you look, stasis detention will be done.

"You'll receive good food, entertainments, excellent living conditions, and medical treatment for your hurts. You're held here at the pleasure of two Primes. You," she said as she glanced at Sideswipe, "prisoner 421-EVP4-4576, formerly known as Sideswipe will go to ad-seg until I decide you can get out. The rest of you will go to your quarters and live there. If you act up with other inmates, guards or anyone related to my staff, I will **personally** put you into a kennel myself. Is that **very** clear? Are there **any** questions?"

It was silent in the group. They stared at her with fury and impotent rage. She turned to her guys. "We need to put the prisoners in their cages."

The mechs moved forward, each of them taking a prisoner by the arm, then jerking them toward the walkway that led to the special detention sector of the prison. They didn't have to walk past anyone else because the pathway led along the back of the prison, a new accommodation for the new kind of prisoner.

Bluestreak, Rook, Sunstreaker, Hot Rod, Blurr, and Kup walked in the circle of armed mechs toward a lighted enclosure down the pathway. Sideswipe was following in the grip of two mechs, his sullen rage almost pinging against everyone's energy fields as he made his way to detention. They reached the sector of the prison that would be home, then waited as the Officer of the Orn dropped the gates, allowing them to walk inside the three lethal layers of protection.

Nearby, there were a large array of separate lockups and a row of smaller confinements that had a couple of individuals inside. They were watching the group approach, stop, stow Sideswipe, then walk onward. Sideswipe entered, was locked inside, then his cuffs disappeared. He was incandescent with rage but he said nothing, watching as the group moved onward. They walked between lockups that had prisoners, all of them familiar to everyone in the new group. Though there was surprise on both sides, no one said anything.

They paused beside a fence that led to a barracks inside. The Officer of the Orn dropped the gates, then Gee-Gee considered the prisoners and the information sent to them by Megatron. "Put these three here," Gee Gee said pointing to Blurr, Sunstreaker and Bluestreak. They were put inside the enclosure, then the gates came back up. A short walk to the next became home for Rook and Hot Rod. When the gates went up, Gee-Gee turned to Kup. Considering him a moment, she glanced at Roadbuster. "Take prisoner 542-DCBA-45T to the Medical Center. I have no idea what he's got in that device. I need to find out what condition he's in."

Roadbuster nodded, then gripped Kup's arm. "Come on, old mech."

"Who you calling old, fragger?" Kup asked as he jerked his arm. A touch with a tazer ended that as the two walked onward down the path to the Medical Center near the airfield. They were gone in minutes. The crew watched, then turned to Gee-Gee. She looked around her poisoned half acre, then turned to Prime. "All is in hand, Optimus. I think we need to have a review of the situation soon, once they settle in and we can make better long term plans. My intuition tells me that some of them don't belong here in freedom. It would be safer for everyone including them to be in stasis."

Prime nodded. "I think so, too," he said, then looked at the others. "Thank you for what you do. We will be watching this situation so that we can figure out what to do about the long term outlook of this group."

They nodded, then Prime led the group out to the prison airfield once more. He turned to Gee-Gee. "We realize how dangerous and difficult this is for you and your team. We are at your disposal. I am thinking that some of them are too dangerous to be operational here. We can discuss it after the prisoners are studied and surveyed."

Gee-Gee nodded. "The malevolency of this place I can feel on my neural net and that's never good. I'll begin the surveys on all of them. I believe we're going to find some of them need another situation than this."

Prime nodded. "Let me know." He then turned to the others, chatted a moment, then began to walk back to town. It would take a while and he'd resolve three problems and reroute four others to the proper department before he reached The Fortress with his mechs.

-0-The dojo later on

They lounged around, some of them waiting for shift and others coming off. Lon who had been overcome with the vileness and strangeness of the encounter at the prison glanced at Kup. He was puffing on his cygar as he sat quietly next to Hercy. "Kup? What do you think about your evil twin?"

Kup glanced at him as the others paused conversations to listen. "He's a sad sack. Looks hooked on something terrible. This backwards world stuff … it's interesting. Maybe we can have a chat, the two of us."

"They haven't found Hercy yet. What about the rest? Even us," Bezel asked as he glanced at Lon.

"Chances are, some of us are on the winning side," Sandstorm said. "Good thing we took oaths about this. Did you see Cyclonus? He looks crazy as it gets."

"Almost as crazy as you?" Springer asked with a grin.

"No," Sandy said with a hint of pride. "No one is **that** crazy."

Huge laughter greeted that. Then Drift grinned. "I would love to see that Blurr race ours."

Everyone was in agreement with that sentiment.

-0-Elsewhere

:Ratchet:

(Pause)

:What?:

:What took ya so long to answer?:

Ratchet looked at the stack of finished datapads in his servos, then grinned. :I had to ask the boyfriend to hang on a moment. I had a call from the bond:

: **WHAT!?** You slagger. How do you feel?:

:Pretty good: Ratchet slotted the finished work in the stacker shelf by the door, then walked back to do the rest. He sat behind his desk with a grin. / … slagger … suffer …/

:When will you know something? You know …: Ironhide grinned at his 'subtle' audacity, being totally unaware of all his many and obvious tells.

:When it feels heavy in my chest. Slagger. Why are you asking? You don't get a peep until the unmasking ceremony. **THOSE ARE YOUR RULES, IRONHIDE!:**

/... frag … they are … frag the rules …/ :I'm just asking:

 **:THAT'S ALL YOU GET TO DO! YOU HAD ONE JOB, IRONHIDE! …:**

Ironhide grinned, then mimicked Ratchet in his processor. / … you had one job, **IRONHIDE!** …/

 **:AND YOU FRAGGED IT UP, FRAGGER! …:**

/ … you fragged up, slagger … **IT'S YOUR FAULT, IRONHIDE!** … uh, it actually is …/

 **:IT'S YOUR FAULT, IRONHIDE!:** Ratchet hit it home, then grinned. The fragger was probably mimicking him.

/ … frag … I'm psychic …/ He grinned. :It is, isn't it? So … what you doing now?:

Ratchet smiled to himself. :Well … I'm looking at the protoform. It's unique and beautiful, just like the name:

/ … **FRAGGER!** …/ :What's the name?:

:Frag you, Ironhide:

Ironhide laughed. :You know, Ratchet … I accept that they all have my face but you don't have to name one after me. 'Frag You, Ironhide' won't fit on the line of most government forms:

They both laughed loudly at each end of the call. Ratchet grinned. :Did you know when you grovel you turn me on?:

Ironhide grinned. :Then you're going to tell me things?:

: **Oh, frag no**. You don't get **squat** until …:

It was silent a moment. Ironhide waited, then felt a flash of unease. :Ratchet?:

Nothing.

: **RATCHET!?** :

:What?:

 **:WHAT'S WRONG!?:**

:I dropped my popsicle: Ratchet grinned as he sat in his chair thinking up tortures for his big squeezy toy.

 **:YOU FRAGGER! DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!:**

:Ah, Ironhide. You're so easy. I have to finish, then I'll come to the armory. Are you there or are you messing around?:

 **:I AM IRONHIDE! I MESS AROUND IN THE ARMORY!:** He grinned. / … I'm not easy … I'm complex …/ He snickered.

:You turn me on. I'll hurry up and get there. Hold that thought: Ratchet said as he cut the line. "You're the easiest slagger I know, Ba-bee." With that, he hurried through his work, filed it, then stepped out to go to the armory. He would almost get there.

-0-Halfway there

He stepped onto the platform, then felt the heaviness in his chassis. Turning immediately, he hurried up the steps, down the street to Metro Femme, then into receiving. Walking to a suite that was empty, he plugged in. He read the information, drew the logical conclusion, then called for Gypsy to come. She came winging in, then halted before him with expectation on her pretty face. "I'm getting fluctuations, Gypsy. I may have miscalculated the term."

Gypsy nodded, then turned to the data. She moved to a computer and did calculations. She looked at the monitor, then Ratchet. "You did. Easy thing after a few infants. They get harder and harder to predict with perfect accuracy with each one, especially accidental sparkings like yours. You could come any minute, Ratchet. What do you want to do?"

"I think I'm going to the Armory to get Ironhide. I want him to come with all his body parts attached. Then we have to organize the kids. There's that roast defrosting in the fridge that I was planning for dinner tonight. Then-"

Gypsy laughed loudly. "You're hopeless. Go get Ironhide. I'll put the team on standby. I don't expect it tonight but it may come within half an orn."

Ratchet glanced at the corrected data. "I think you're right. The protoform is in the vault. **NO ONE,** but no one gets to see it. **NO ONE!** Ironhide must suffer for this one. They all have to suffer, slaggers." Ratchet grinned. "I can't wait for it. Nothing like a baby around the place."

Gypsy nodded. "We're getting really good about concealing babies from anyone. There are quite a few Praxians in the colony now."

"That's good to hear. Maybe it can help Bluestreak feel better about the raid," Ratchet said as he walked to the door. He looked at Gypsy with a grin. "I'll head back shortly." With that, he walked out the door.

Gypsy grinned. "I can't wait."

-0-TBC 10-22-17 **edited 12-19-17**

NOTE:

I misplaced my notebooks last night so I didn't have them to put this forward. However, an eagle-eyed reader noticed Jazz in the line up when he was killed with the femmes. So, I put in Rook. :D Shattered Glass Rook is a piece of work:

Every Autobot's seen **Rook** 's face as one of ABN's head reporters (since watching ABN is, of course, compulsory under penalty of death). He heads up the popular show _Around Cybertron_ with the help of his co-reporter Punch and his camera bot Sprocket.

Rook dares to see the big picture! He sees the disturbing patterns forming, of the twisted depravity of Decepticons looking to endanger the way of life of simple, hard-working Autobots like you. He knows that the stern policies of Optimus Prime encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of Autobots everywhere, and he fights against the crippling socialism that the Decepticons would impose in their so-called "utopia." He shares your heartfelt beliefs that the reins of power are properly wielded in the servos of a violent madman, rather than the soft appendages of Decepticon "intellectuals." He understands your frustration with those fembots who get uppity and forget their place.

Others may claim Rook is merely a partisan hack, but this is only because he speaks for the people! He's the only one brave enough to speak up about what those disturbingly virtuous Decepticons are up to! He loves his planet. But sometimes he fears for it.

Nothing like a rival to make things interesting for Blaster. LOL! Thanks, Lackwit. :D


	167. Chapter 167

The Diego Diaries: The Unveiling Part 1 (dd6 167)

-0-Earlier the same orn

They gathered at the landing strip that was south of The Fortress. It was a public airfield and had any number of exotic ships in permanent tie downs along the edges. In the middle, a big ship waited with the emblems of the Autobot City Unified School District and the Emblem of the Primes, Mars and Cybertron in decals on the sides. It was a refurbished tourist ship that was designed to take children and other students around in space with great views of things outside and casual seating. They wouldn't sit in rows. They would sit in semi circles facing the windows so they could see out and talk together. Since this was a learning vessel, the facilities were state-of-the-art for teachers and students alike.

Of the 400 or so students presently attending the Earth2 Martian Academy, those 42 kids who would be classified junior high and high school, were exiting the bus to go 'out there'. Walking off with them were three students from Youngling Day School, James Hoyt, Annabelle Lennox and Sandy Thomas. They were 'borrowed', here to help with the tour of the facility which was their destination, Trypticon Learning Center in orbit around Saturn. It was muy exciting for everyone as they made lines. Another bus arrived and students began to descend as well. They were from Youngling Intermediate School and included Rambler, Lumi, Fireball, Tru, Santee, and Quadrus.

The big kids towered over everyone, given that they ranged from 29-31 feet in height. They were beautiful and the human kids looked at them and the others with amazement and no small amount of curiosity. The kids who were here from Youngling Intermediate were a science class that would be going with the humans as part of the coursework on site as well as helping to integrate the newcomers into the life of the colony. Among the humans were about 20 mesmerized adults who were parents of the children and would act as chaperons.

Cut to the Auditorium at Earth2 the day before

She walked to the podium to present the information all would require leaving a safe center to enter space. She was Tapi, the Vice Superintendent in charge of Special Programs and Off World Education. She ran Trypticon and all of the educational stations on world, especially the TransWorld Highway set of stops. She had at her disposal any number of ships, networks of information and every expert, famous individual, elder with knowledge, interesting bot, department of the colony, and business at her beck and call. No one refused to help her give the children as many experiences as she could.

Sitting before her were the 100 or so affected parents and their 42 children. They were 'high school' students in the Earth2 school and would be undertaking the first off world trip ever. They had arrived by bridge to come here to live so this was a first for most of them. Getting on a ship and going somewhere in space was a dream come true. Behind them were about 2,000 civilians and all of the mercs who had come to listen. They sat in rows of seating, half filling the big auditorium which looked out onto the desiccated planet beyond through big windows. They weren't going but they were curious. Tapi smiled. "I didn't expect this many individuals," she said as the crowd laughed. "Welcome. I'm Tapi of Helex and I'm here to tell you about the trip to the Educational Space Station Trypticon currently in orbit of Saturn. This will be your first trip off world by ship and because it is, we will go over the safety protocols with you before I leave.

"Right now, I want to tell you about the station, its history and what we plan to do tomorrow. As you may or not know, we have regular visits by our students at Youngling Day as well as Intermediate Day to the station to work on science and mathematics of all manner and sort. This is a massive station, a metro-titan frame and thus, we have room for all manner of science possibilities. We have telescopes there that reach out thousands of light years into space. We have all manner of sites which are specific to a particular science. It is my understanding that you wish to grow crystals in vacuum. That's the experiment I am aware of thus far. When you arrive, you will be given a tour so that you and your teachers will know the full range of science that you can undertake there. We welcome your inquiries and will help you fulfill them on our station.

"Your genitors have asked to be chaperons and we welcome you. When we go, we will be making a pass of Venus, then sling-shotting past Earth to Mars. From there, we will go directly to Trypticon which is orbiting outside the rings of the planet Saturn. It will take about 30 minutes in a straight flight given the speed of our vessel but since we want you to see the beauty of Venus and your own home world, we will be taking just under an hour."

A ripple of amazement went through the crowd as they listened.

"Now, let me tell you about Trypticon. The Autobots were the dominant force on Cybertron and our technical know how was unparalleled. We created big frames for our protection and exploration. Many served as colony ships or transport for commerce. Some like Metroplex fulfilled both requirements and among all of us, no group of individuals is more honored and loved. We have many of them here, three districts worth and we are so delighted that they're here. The Decepticons had no titans and marginal understanding of the complexities, so they tried to create one.

"Trypticon was created, poorly at best, and became a very great war machine for them. Understand, all of these frames are as alive and self aware as you. However, some are created more equal than others and the Decepticons found not only in battle could they not control him, sometimes ending up with him devastating their side, but he that was energy inefficient. When energy was in short supply, Trypticon was tricked into stasis, a deep sleep that conserves him and protects him against falling apart. He was in orbit of Cybertron in stasis mode when we re-took the planet and there was a lot of conversation among Prime and his senior staff about what to do with him. We couldn't leave him there. Someone might re-activate him. He could become harmed. He was also in dire condition and in danger of degrading his orbit and crashing onto the planet. So we brought him here and put him in orbit of Saturn. We fixed all his hurts, all his shortcomings … he's in better health than at any time in his life, but he's too dangerous to awaken. He sleeps safely and well in stasis. Remember, the station we're going to is alive and self aware, though in a deep medical induced slumber.

"There will be no danger for you to go there. He's asleep and it takes a medic with the skills of Ambassador Ratchet to bring him back. The codes to do so only he has. So I hope you feel full confidence when we go there to utilize his facilities. For the first time in his life, he's doing good for others in a stellar physical condition and if we can ever re-awaken him, I hope it means something to him. For now, we'll go by ship to the station, tour it, go through the labs, the planetarium, the greenhouses, the crystal farms, see other experiments, watch a few of the resident scientists who live there doing their research, then return. We will return three joors or hours after school is out.

"You were asked to pack snacks and I hope you do. We have a set aside area for humans that have all the facilities you require and will allow you to unmask. We have asked the Intermediate School Science Master to come with his last class of students for the day to join us. They will number about 15 because we keep our theoretical science classes and labs small. They will be a cross section of our children and along with them will come Annabelle Lennox, Sandy Thomas and James Hoyt, three Earth children who attend Youngling Day School who have a lot of knowledge about the station. They will help you with your understandings. Now, I will undertake questions."

She would and some of them would be from the students and their parents.

-0-On a ship going to Trypticon

They walked in, the kids from Earth2 and then the kids from Intermediate. They took seats, each group sitting with their own species. The ship filled up, then the doors closed. Tapi was there and she gave the safety lecture that everyone had to hear. When she was finished, she sat down and the various teachers, both human and bot took their seats among the kids. It was startling how fast the ship lifted off and emerged into space. Everyone gasped as they leaned forward to stare at the brilliance outside. There were ships and devices that helped with ships coming and going. Nearby, the huge Triggers hung in stationary orbit along with the smaller Autobot City Bridge.

The Cybertronian kids watched the humans, all of whom were excited to see what was going on outside. They, themselves had been raised in this life so it was normal, what was out there. The ship banked, then moved away following two others. They continued forward heading to who knew where while they banked, then streaked off. They were gone from view so fast that Mars shrank down in the port view almost comically.

A mech stood, plugged into the wall comm system, then began to speak. "Welcome to the District transport ship, Caliber. I am B32. We're heading for a swing around Venus which will appear in half a breem to the port side. We're going to be making a circuit of the planet, then heading straight to Saturn and the educational platform, Trypticon. It takes three hours to make the traverse from the solar well to Mars and it takes about 15 minutes to reach Venus from here. It depends on the ship you take. Most of the ships making the journey from deep space to Mars don't have the power and speed that we have.

"Venus is seventy-four and a half million miles from us, which is a lot shorter distance from the usual traverse for refugees. Once we round Venus, we will blast past Earth and Mars for Saturn which is one billion, three hundred seventeen thousand miles away. When we get to Trypticon, we will dock and when the safety features release us, we will line up and walk inside. The tour guide for this venture will be Doctor Tapi who runs the installation among other places we take our students.

"For the duration of this journey, please stay seated until we get there unless there's a problem. If there is, raise your hand and we can help you directly," he said. "My name is B32, once again. I will be helping you understand what is outside the windows and managing your stay on the ship. All you have to remember is that safety is first. This ship is one of the most carefully constructed in the fleet and we are never more than seconds from help if anything goes wrong. This ship carries a space bridge. So sit back and relax. Earth is coming up in 35 seconds."

The kids turned to the window in time to see the blue marble of their home world and its small moon flash past.

-0-On the way to hilarity

Ratchet ambled along, then reached the door of the armory which was off the train tracks of the underground and was kept locked at all times. He keyed it, then entered. The long winding corridor led to Ironhide's office. Pausing in reception, Ratchet smiled at Holi. "Where's Ironhide, sweetie pie?"

"In his office. I have him slaving." Holi stood up and walked to Ironhide's door to peer inside. The big mech was looking at a catalog which had any number of children's toys. A computer was spinning madly nearby as he ran whatever a mech ran in an armory. "Hey."

He started, the catalog flying into the air. He frowned at Holi. **"WHAT, LITTLE FEMME!? YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A SPARK ATTACK!"**

"Ratchet's out here. Are you finished with the projections?" Holi asked.

"I'm waiting for it," Ironhide said as he glanced at the computer. "I routed it to your station. Slave driver."

"Wimp." Holi grinned. "Go if he wants you to. As long as it reaches me, we're good to go. Literally."

Ironhide grinned at her, then rose. "Of course we are," he said with a jaunty tone. Walking past her, he paused in front of Ratchet. "What's up, Doc?" he asked with a grin.

"Lunch, old mech," Ratchet said. "I haven't had it yet. You?"

"It's a bit late, right?" he asked as they walked out of the office.

Holi watched them go, then grinned. "Since when is a second lunch going to be a problem, Ironhide?" she asked herself.

It wouldn't be. He would have others concerns shortly.

-0-On the way to Saturn

They passed the cloud shrouded figure of Venus. Incredibly hot and in the throes of runaway global warming and its greenhouse effect, it was about 900 degrees on the surface of the planet. It was hotter than even Mercury and it never cooled anywhere on world below 875 degrees. Flashing back past Earth, they passed Mars as well. The rocks of the asteroid belt were scattered widely where they entered and exited before the straight run to Saturn. The kids watched out the windows as they passed each thing before sitting back to talk together.

The kids from Mars were used to the sights, even Annabelle, James and Sandy. Conversation went on around them, NeoCybex, English, French, and several other languages echoed in a buzz. Watching the humans with curiosity, Lumi and Fireball sat side-by-side holding hands. Watching them with interest, an Earth2 girl leaned forward. :Are you two going together?:

Lumi glanced at Fireball who looked at the humans with slight confusion on his face. "What?" he asked.

:You know. Are you going together?: she repeated. :You know. Dating:

Fireball looked at Lumi, then over at Tru. :I don't know what you mean:

:Are you boyfriends?: she asked.

By this time, her group and two others were watching. Fireball and Lumi stared at them, then Annabelle leaned over her chair toward them. :Fireball and Lumi are great together. You two are my favorite boyfriends: She grinned at the two who stared at her uncertainly. Lumi pulled his hand free.

:I didn't know you dated. How long have you dated?: the young girl asked.

:A long time: Annabelle said. :Look. **There's Trypticon!:** she said.

Everyone turned to the windows to watch the approach of Saturn. Annabelle looked at the two, then switched channels. :Don't worry about them. They don't know stuff yet. You can do what you want and its okay. Okay?: she asked with a hopeful smile.

Fireball glanced at Lumi, then took his hand again. :Okay: he said. :I don't know about humans. Ada told us that some of them don't like us being friends like this:

:Who cares?: Anna said firmly. :As long as **we're** friends, nothing else matters. They'll learn. They're new yet: she said firmly. :We're all good. Until all are one, Fireball:

He glanced at Lumi, then grinned slightly at her. :Until all are one. But … I think we're going to need you to tell us what they mean. I don't get humans, either:

:As long as you get us, then all is well. Right?: she asked. :The others will learn:

Lumi nodded, then squeezed Fireball's servo. :Alright:

Fireball nodded, then everyone turned to the guide and Doctor Tapi. They had all arrived at Trypticon.

-0-On the street heading toward the Diner On The Corner

"How about a detour here for a moment, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he began to climb the steps of the plaza on his way to Metroplex Femme. Ironhide followed Ratchet upward, into the hospital and down the hallway to the Separation Wing. He ambled along unaware of anything until Gypsy stepped out of a suite. "You brought him along for this? Good," she said with a smile.

"If I'm going to suffer, so is he," Ratchet said as he turned to Ironhide. He had stopped in his tracks, then froze like a statue. "Let me grip your servo, slagger. It's time for paybacks."

Ironhide glanced from one to the other, then sputtered. **"WHAT!?"**

-0-TBC 10-24-17. Edited 10-25-17 **edited 12-19-17**


	168. Chapter 168

The Diego Diaries: **SCREAM!** (dd6 168)

-0-Metro Femme

" **WHAT!?"**

-0-Around the colony

"I just got a message from Ratchet. He's miscalculated. He's separating at Metro Femme," Ravel said almost breathlessly. (If he could breathe, he would have been)

Tie stared at Ravel, then turned to the panel near the smelters. Hitting the master switch to bank them all at once, he gripped Ravel by the arm, then hustled to the store and the concourse outside. Fixing the 'be back shortly' sign, he hurried both of them toward the doors nearby on his way to Metro Femme.

Here and there …

"We gotta go," Springer said as Drift joined him.

"Why?" -everyone there in the lounge of the dojo

"Ada is separating at Metro Femme," Springer said as he hustled to the door with Drift in tow.

" **WAIT FOR US!"** -everyone there in the lounge of the dojo

Ops Center …

" **Hey, Blue!"**

Everyone and Blue turns to the door to see who the frag is yelling across the room. The twins, Hot Rod, Smokey, Blurr, and Sandstorm are standing in the doorway. "What?" Blue asked as he glanced around in a light bit of embarrassment.

"Ada is separating at Metro Femme," Sunstreaker said.

Bluestreak jumped up, waving over a trainee Home Guardsman to take his place. "Gotta motor," he said as he smiled at Prowl. They exited in seconds.

Prowl stared at the door. He glanced at Paragon who was grinning at him. "He's doing this to infuriate me. I consider this whole business insubordination. The penalty will be the confiscation of the sparkling," he said as he set down his datapad. "You have the conn. I have to arrest someone." He walked with a determined step to the doors and disappeared.

Paragon watched as the door opened and Optimus walked out. He grinned at Pari, then nodded. "I see you have the conn?"

"It would appear so," Paragon said with a smile.

"Carry on," Prime said with a smile of his own. He was out the door in seconds.

Paragon watched them go, then chuckled. "Why did I wait so long to defect?" he asked no one in particular. After alerting Arrow, he bent to the tasks at hand.

At an apartment … **ME AND MY ARROW!**

Arrow took the message, then grinned. Sitting down at the computer in the office of his apartment while his children took their nap, he called up the social media of the colony and began to put the word out. It was the start of loony tunes time in the Senior Staff.

Not far from the scene of the crime ...

Arcee stood in the doorway watching Magnus working as hard as usual. He was an amazingly handsome mech, huge and solid in his figure and integrity. "Hey, handsome."

He glanced up, then sat back with a slight smirk. "What brings you here to my office this time of the orn, Missy?"

"Ada is separating," Arcee said as she watched him frown slightly.

"How many is this then?" Magnus asked as he neatened his desk to leave.

"Seven or eight hundred, I think," she said with a grin as she turned to leave with him in tow. He would nod in agreement.

In a restaurant having lunch …

"Better eat faster," Moonracer said with a grin. "Ada is separating," she said to the other femmes and a few of their beaus.

They would get takeout boxes.

In a classroom studying to be a medic …

Partition messaged back that he had half a joor before dismissal and he would be there. It pleased him deeply to be included on the family's private mailing list. Unconditional love was still on a steep learning curve for him.

On an internal 'party' line

:We're going to be coming in shortly. I have Cargo and I'm keeping the slagger with me. Maybe being around normal stuff with normal mechs, he can be more so himself. Am I asking for too much?: -Raptor, smiling at Cargo as he carries bricks from a hole that took a round way back when and is now filled with water

:You are but I admire your pluck, Only One. I'm finishing up here. Funeral prayers for Cybertron. My turn. I'll meet you there: -Turbine, pausing from the chanting long enough to answer

:Turbine, I'm coming there. I'm here making some requisition orders for my district. I'll meet you at the Temple and we can walk over: -Delphi, doing what he was famed for … organizing

 **:Wait for me there!** I'm coming from Vegas now: -Alor, walking to the door to come

:Who else? Aunt Lissie? Flint?: -Delphi, acting secretary to The Mob

:I'm coming. I'll meet you at Metro Femme. Aunt Lissie?: -Flint heading out the door to the bridge room from Fort Apache

:I'm already on my way. Meet you at Femme: -Aunt Lissie who was booking it back from a weather station on the TransWorld Highway after visiting a friend serving there

:Hardie? Are you there?: -Delphi taking roll

:I'm here. I'm going to bring Keystock. Meet you there: -Hard Drive watching as Keystock helped carry small children to a truck even as he carried a heavy backpack. He looked like slag. Hardie would let him carry a few more babies before they would retreat to Mars and Metro Femme.

Around …

MeAndMyArrow: "Ratchet is separating at Metro Femme. Just so you know." Arrow sat back from his new thread with a grin. This should trend in three … two … one …

BackDoorBore: "That mech has 800 kids. What's one more?" :D

DownTownHound: "I thought it was closer to Halloween?"

Protectobot4Bee: "I'm no expert on this subject but Gypsy told me that the more you have, the less likely they are to have a set date for separation. They can come early or hang on late."

The chat went on. Everywhere.

-0-Metro Femme

 **"WHAT!? HOW!? YOU'RE EARLY!"**

"Now Ironhide ..."

-0-In the hallway at about the same time

Everyone funneled down the hallway. Ironhide and Ratchet turned to look at them. His family was on their way, Ratchet's family was here as were mechs came from everywhere, family and otherwise along with femmes. They gathered together and the hallway became silent. Ratchet and Ironhide stared at them, then each other. "Well, here we all are," Ratchet said with a laugh.

Huge laughter greeted that, then Elita stepped forward. "So, what do we do now?" she asked as Mack and Jetta along with everyone else grinned at the two.

"Well, I go in there and yell a lot. You lot stay out here and behave yourselves. By the way, no one gets to see, here or know about this one for three orns. **OLD IRONHIDE HAD ONE JOB! ONE JOB!"**

Ironhide frowned at Ratchet. "Slagger." He grinned. "You're a hard aft old mech but I get a new dollie."

Everyone laughed loudly, then Ratchet walked into the room to sit in the heated chair and get plugged in.

Perceptor and Wheeljack appeared to make sure the protoform was up to snuff, then joined everyone, mostly in the hallway, to wait. Immediate family that had arrived was inside. Prime and Prowl showed up, chatted a moment, then entered the room. It was darkened, Ratchet was relaxed and everyone was waiting.

"Well, when you're finished, I'll take the baby home. After all, they're all mine anyway," Prowl said to grins and laughter everywhere.

"Call Jarro. Prowl's having an episode," Ratchet said as a slight heaviness pressed on him. Then it passed. "This could take a while."

"That's fine," Prowl said as he sat in a chair. "It's not like we have **ANYTHING ELSE TO DO!"**

Huge laughter.

-0-In the hallway

"This feels familiar," Springer said as he sat on the floor leaning into the wall. Drift sat beside him. All the others had commandeered the chairs and couches. Some were leaning on the wall while others sat. A lot of mechs and femmes were here. Footfalls sounded as everyone looked down the corridor. Chromia and Maelstrom were walking their way. They paused at the edge of the crowd. "What's the word so far?"

"Nothing, reall-" Elita began.

 **"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAARGGHHHHHHHHHH!"**

Everyone paused to allow the sound to filter through their neural nets, then Elita grinned. "I stand corrected."

Huge laughter.

-0-Inside

Ironhide wringed his servo which had just taken its first hit. "Ow."

"Frag you, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he relaxed again. "I wonder what they're laughing about out there."

"I don't know. This is what, the 47 infant?" Prowl asked archly.

Ratchet grinned. "Pretty good number considering I didn't 'born' them all."

"Behave, Sonny," Docker said as she fussed around him. "You need your strength."

"Yes, Loon. Obey the little femme," Prowl said with a grin.

"Football in three orns, Prowl. Praxus will lose. I feel it in my bones- **AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!"**

-0-Outside

"Oh my." -everyone

"Makes you want to run right out and get sparked." -Springer throwing it out to be ornery.

"When can we expect it?" -everyone looking at Springer.

(Frowns) "Why are you looking at **me?** " -Springer having all the feels

"I don't know, Springer," Arcee said with a smirk as she sat on the floor next to a slightly smirking Magnus. "You seem the type."

(Bigger frown) "What's the type, Arcee? You mean like Magnus?" Springer countered because he could.

Magnus grinned a bit bigger. "You think I wouldn't?"

Everyone in the corridor blinked in surprise at the bad ass, by-the-book, stoic, genuinely dangerous mech who had as much integrity as Prime. Elita leaned forward, then glanced down the row. "Really, Magnus?"

Magnus looked at her, then sat back with a grin. "You seem to think its a bad thing. I don't see anything wrong with it, myself. Hound had an infant. I thought we've been through this before."

"Then you'd have one," Elita persisted.

"If that's what Arcee and I wanted, I wouldn't shirk my duty," Magnus said.

Elita grinned. "Never change, Magnus," she said sitting back. She grinned at Springer. "Wuss."

"So its going to be that way. Slap Springer around," Springer said. He glanced at a smirking Jetta. "What about you? You 'game'?"

Jetta considered that. "I haven't thought about it."

"Cop out. Easy out," Chromia said as she sat on the floor next to a hulking gigantic Maelstrom. He was grinning broadly at the fun.

"What about you, Chrome?" Springer asked. He smirked at her, his now sister and the hulking brother-in-law sitting next to her.

Chromia leaned into Maelstrom, then grinned. "If and when the time comes, I'll be there for Maelstrom."

It took a moment to sink in before the smirk on Maestrom's face disappeared.

As he nearly wrenched his helm off glancing down at a smirking Chromia, the big mechs of Ironhide's family wandered in. They were Scout and Trooper, an expectant Alor, a grinning Delphi and Turbine, a joyous Raptor, Blackjack and Hardie. Trailing along behind them was a mud covered, sulking Cargo and a beat down muddy Keystock toting a big backpack that looked to crush him. Behind all that came a happy, expectant Partition.

The whole gang was pretty much here.

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"**

-0-TBC 10-24-17 **edited 12-19-17**

NOTE: When I was a kid, there were party lines. That is, there would be one line with half a dozen or more people who used it. Everyone had their own number and their own ring. When it rang your rings, you could talk to everyone else. However, anyone else on the line could listen in, the slaggers. You got expert at listening for the sound of someone picking up their phone to eavesdrop. LOL! That was when a phone number was just the last four numbers of what it is now or it was "Maryhill 4579". Ah, such were the orns. ;)


	169. Chapter 169

The Diego Diaries: Thud (dd6 169)

Note: There are many bits and pieces of the characters I am using here to construct a history for the elders among the family and friends that is the start of a long intertwined backstory. I have pieced this together to make a story that fits this one. This encompasses the Age of Origins, the Age of Wrath and the start of The Golden Age on Cybertron as per the Chronicles of Primus. The framework is drawn from that and a number of other things. The Quintessons started the functionalist and caste system that ended in total destruction millions of years later. The bureaucracy that they built was too strong and entrenched to change and thus, ruin was built in.

-0-In the corridor/waiting room, Metro Femme

" **Thud!"**

Everyone turned toward the sound of something heavy falling. Keystock was standing next to the backpack which he had just dropped onto the floor. He was covered in dried mud and oil to his waist, something that disgusted him greatly. He leaned against the wall, then slid down to sit. Cargo who was next to him did the same.

Springer stared at him, then grinned slightly as he glanced at Hard Drive. "Appa, I see you have him carrying The Kit."

Hardie grinned back, then nodded. "A heady responsibility." Off line, the room was laughing loudly. No one would admit it but some of them could tell tales about 'carrying the kit'. None of the n00bie kids could but the others …

Springer nodded, then glanced at Keystock. "I wouldn't drop it like that if I were you. It isn't wise."

Keystock who was banking an **ENORMOUS** rage stared at Springer. "Why is that?" he asked coldly.

Springer stared at him, then made a gesture of explosion. "Ker-pow."

Everyone of the 'oldsters' picked up immediately and nodded. Some of the youngsters who had no idea what was going on but didn't want to look like yahoos nodded as well, affecting a look of deep appreciation and understanding as they did. Newbies like Partition, Bezel and Lon looked suitably impressed and didn't hide it, though they said nothing. They watched with heightened interest the goings on, missing the subtext altogether.

Keystock stared at Springer, then the bag. He pushed it over from him, then sat back against the wall. The laughter that generated didn't soothe him a bit. Springer grinned at him, then Hard Drive. "How long are these two going to be yours, Appas?"

"As long as the court and Ratchet allow it. Could be a while," Hardie said. He glanced at Raptor. "Progress report on Cargo, infant."

The big bruising mech grinned, then glanced at his father. "He worked for three orns without a cranky remark. I consider that progress. We had to pull solvents out of the ground with a hand bucket line, pull metal off a generator nexus, help refugees make it to a tent camp, took notes everywhere, had a shoot out at a wrecked warehouse when we interrupted a gang stealing stuff," Raptor recited.

"A shoot out," Bumblebee said with a grin. "You should have called us."

Everyone was in agreement, then all of them glanced at Cargo. "How did he do during the shootout, Appa?" Moonracer asked.

"He did what I told him to do. Lie flat and don't raise up anything you don't want shot off," Raptor said. Everyone grinned. "All in all, productive."

"That's encouraging," Hardie said.

"How did **he** do, Atar?" Raptor asked as he nodded toward Keystock.

"Passable fair. He helped carry infants to a transport. That was a good thing. Seeing the end result of your actions is medicinal. We carried bricks to a work site, traveled everywhere, slogged through the mud and solvents of a dozen toxic sites. Saw the shacks that our people are using until good housing shows up. We pulled a lot of unexploded ordinance out of sloshy holes in the ground. Its a mess but he didn't drop The Kit."

"Until now," Elita said as she glanced at Keystock. "I wouldn't do that again."

Keystock stared at her and the others but didn't say a thing. Both he and his brother felt out of place and they were both overwhelmed and rage-filled. Silence was their defense it would appear.

"You know, Appa," Partition said. "I just finished my medic exams. I can come with you and help. I think I'm going to pass it and I finished basic training yesterday."

Everyone glanced at the kid who had bloomed like a flower in the desert of his own life. He was genuine and sincere, sweet and unexpected. Hardie nodded. "You **will** pass that test with flying colors, infant. I have faith in you. I will talk to Ratchet about getting you into the field."

He smiled with overwhelming delight. "Thank you, Appa," he said, unconsciously calling him grandfather.

Lancer who was sitting on one side of him with Moonracer on the other slipped her arm through his. "Sounds like a plan."

He looked at her, a beautiful famous soldier and felt a tingle. "I want to be a soldier. It's the only life for me."

Lancer grinned. "Sounds good to me," she said as laughter and catcalls blazed all around the corridor.

Partition glanced around, then grinned. "Sounds good to me, too."

Huge laughter and applause greeted that, then it settled into a comfortable silence.

"What about you two? You ready for the soldier life?" Moonracer asked with a smirk.

Keystock looked at her coolly. "No. I don't have the yen."

Cargo didn't answer. He didn't feel comfortable enough to say much in this group, some of the most powerful Autobots in the new world order and famous hard bitten soldiers. He was out of his depth so he sat silently and watched.

"Too bad," Moonracer said. "It's never dull and you don't have to sit in an office pushing data." She glanced at Magnus. "No offense."

Magnus shrugged. "None taken. We all have our part to play."

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

"As I was saying," Magnus said dryly as the room exploded in laughter. Arcee hugged his arm as she beamed at him. He, himself, was feeling no pain. That was for Ratchet.

-0-Inside

The roar echoed off the walls but it still wasn't time. There was a bit more to go before the separation would happen. Everyone inside sat where they sat, their insides ringing like bells at the intensity of the hollering. Gypsy who sat next to Ratchet grinned at him. "Nothing wrong with your vocal processors."

"No," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "Nothing wrong with that." He looked at Ironhide, then grinned. "You look like slag."

" **I AM IRONHIDE! I CAN LOOK LIKE SLAG IF I WANT TO!"** he said with a grin of his own. He wasn't holding Ratchet's servo anymore. He had actually dislocated a knuckle joint two pains back so his bellow had joined Ratchet's. Fortunately, there were doctors in the room, so …

-0-Outside, listening

"Sounds like fun in there. Who's going to have the next sparkling?" Arcee asked just to be ornery. "Magnus already put you mechs into the dirt with his stand up manliness. What about it?" she asked as she slipped her arms around Magnus. He was a big, big mech. Fortunately, Arcee was a big, big femme.

"The Well. Never this," Springer said. "Some far off orn, we're going to the Well. Drift won't cooperate."

"Frag you, Springer," Drift said with a grin.

Laughter.

"What about you, Bee? Aid?" Jetta asked to be ornery.

Everyone looked at the two who were leaning into each other. Bee grinned. "Frag you, Jetta."

Huge laughter at the feisty little mech with a big spark and legions of friends.

"Its hard to reconcile the soldiering life with family," Twin Twist said.

"Ratchet and Ironhide have 827 kids," Sandstorm said with a grin. "I don't think that argument works anymore."

Huge laughter and agreement.

"I want Orion. And Praxus. Hero and Sunspot. I want Prowler," Drift said as Springer nodded. "I want them prefabricated. Building one myself has no appeal."

Springer grinned. "We took care of three once. They were amazing. If we do this again, we get three at the same time."

"That's a lot of infants at once," Elita said with fascination.

Springer nodded. "It was fun," he said.

"No kids for me," Jazz said. "At least, not now. I like the bachelor life."

Mirage nodded. "I hear you."

"We all have a duty," Magnus said. "We've lost a third of our population to war and we're still missing most of another third. A good meteor strike on Cybertron and we're on the road to extinction."

Jetta nodded. "I hear you, Magnus, and maybe some time in future. Right now, I'm hardly home and Elita has to find me wherever I am."

"You always were that way, Jetta, from the time you were a kid," Magnus aka Deion said as Arcee aka Arcee nodded.

"Back in the ice age," Bee said with a grin.

"I'm not that old," Magnus said. "I'm old enough to beat your aft. If you want to hear about the good old orns, speak to him or him," he said nodding to Hercy and Hard Drive.

Delphi grinned. "Are you going to tell about the old orns? If you do, you have to go to the museum and put it down for the Talking History program."

"You too, Delph," Hardie said. "You're only slightly younger than me."

"Tell us," Partition said. "Tell us about it, Appa. I'd love to hear it."

Everyone else in the room did, too, but they weren't ready to push it. Some of the elders didn't like to talk about the bad old orns. Hardie, however, was a teacher at spark and he looked at the kids staring at him. "What about it, Recruit?" he asked as he glanced at Hercy.

Hercy nodded. "On it, General."

"You know you're old when you can call Hercy 'recruit'," Springer said as everyone laughed. "How much older are they than you, Kup?"

"A lot. But at some point, that stops mattering," Kup said. He looked at Hercy and Hardie. "I would be honored to hear some of your stories."

The others nodded, then it became quiet in the room. Hardie considered that, then began. "I remember when the Quintessans came," he began to a rapt audience.

-0-Inside

"It's quiet out there. That makes me nervous," Ratchet said with a grin. "What's the word, Gypsy?"

"Not for a while, Ratchet. They need to be closer together," she said with a grin.

"Frag," Ratchet replied. **"ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"**

-0-Outside

"They came to every city, village and town on Cybertron all at once bringing order and higher purpose and status for our people, or so they said. We were unruly and out of control, a world of those who made a life for themselves as best they could in those leaderless vorns. We needed a Prime but didn't have one so we did the best we could as warring tribes and unified areas. They came and told us that the t-cog that we bore was their gift to us and we had 'ceremonies' where they would 'transform' us. We were dazzled. We were safer and unified. Then they took over. They enslaved us, making us work to create all manner of things for them. We were sold, some of us. Consumer goods and military hardware. It was a terrible time. We weren't treated as fully sentient and functional. They were especially cruel. They killed us for any reason or none. So many dead. They never noticed our rising wrath. They didn't even both to assign names to those they drew out of the Well or AllSpark. They just put them into work without a word. Functionalism came from them and a rigid caste system that held us all down.

"Finally, we rebelled. The rebellion was led by A-3, a mech I knew only marginally then. We had worked out a network and everyone worked hard to find out about the Quintessons, what they really were and how they could be defeated. We fought them and they died or fled. They weren't very much for fighting themselves. We could kill them easily and they were unable to fight us off we were so many. They had their own armies, Sharkticons and Allicons among them. They were slaves who did their bidding and carried out their decisions mindlessly. They were their enforcers. When the war came it was brutal but didn't last as long as you'd think. They died so easily.

"We drove them out and they fled. They had great ships and always kept them ready. The world was freed and so were our people. What followed after that was difficult and arduous. We had to figure out how to live with our own decisions and make our own civilization. It was a long process. Some of us took on the role of protecting the planet and others took up other professions. That was when I met you, Delphi."

Delphi nodded. "You were a leader of a battle group that overtook the airfields of Iacon. You nearly got them, Hardie."

Hardie nodded. "We broke out of the places where we were controlled, factories, pens, prison-like barracks. We all stood together, named and nameless. We took on their armies, the Sharkticons and Allicons, killing them wherever they were found. It was brutal. We made gains, then consolidated territory. It was a fire fight, lots of missiles, mortars and shooting. We found them everywhere they were, then chased them to the airfields to get the ships before they could go. We wanted them destroyed to the last one so they couldn't continue what they did or come back. It was a really devastating thing to do."

Delphi nodded. "We weren't equipped to fight but we had to. They kept us uneducated and made us believe that we couldn't survive on our own.

"Some of us had gotten together to talk, to figure out how to break them, then we networked. It took a long time but we had lots of that to do to make it real. We had to figure out how to get weapons and ships, part them out in stashes and develop leadership. There were so many brave spies, so many that worked to undermine the system, the Functionalist system that would be replaced by the System of Exception when they were overthrown," Hardie said.

"What was hard during that time was waiting and watching them kill us for no reason. They used us to fight each other to the death for their own amusement. They were fantastically callous and cruel. When we did rise up, we did so at strategic locations all over Cybertron," Hardie said. "We hit them in their communications and control centers. We hit them where they lived, in huge buildings that were heavily armed. Their armies came against us and we fought them with the fury that only slaves can feel when they throw off their chains.

"It was very bloody but one-sided because in the end we were many and they were cowards who had done what all cowards do, overreach and overestimate their power. They got into their ships and fled. You cannot know the celebrations that took place when it occurred to us that we had won and that the planet was ours. But it was a broken and battered planet we got back for ourselves. The Functionalists picked up the chains and carried on. When they were overthrown, the high castes and powerful merely 'modified' the Functionalist program, making it 'more humane'. It was maddening.

"After the hard battles, many of us, the military leaders, gathered around Praxus. It was an enlightened place, filled with learning and space for us to live. Out of that, when the castes were being fought over first through the Functionalist leadership and then the Senate and various councils, we formed a caste that would be the stop gap, the safety valve for everyone else. We were the warriors and we would develop The Code that would ensure that someone could stop the worst aspects of life under the System. It helped but it didn't in the end save anything."

"Without that, there would have been even more injustice," Hercy said. "It is hard to describe how hard the times were, the uncertainty and the dream of having a Prime strong enough to lead us. Guardian was a great Prime. Prima was as well. Then a long line of slaggers was next until Optimus. By then, the poison had overtaken reason. There was no way back."

Delphi nodded. "That's true. Raptor was a young mech entering the army when Guardian was Prime. We were all so divided by then. The Primes were supposed to unite but they were so corrupted after Guardian that it was hard to do that. Even Zeta took shortcuts. He was a promising Prime but he was as bad as any that followed."

"I remember," Hercy said. "My family had a business and worked hard. They took their function during the occupation and made a business afterward. It lasted a long time. I worked there and was a soldier. I learned everything I could. I remember after the battle ended against the Quintessons, you took me under your wing, Hardie. You were my mentor and teacher, you and Delphi."

Hardie nodded. "We took you and a lot of promising youngsters in, teaching them all we knew about soldiering and being honorable. I knew that the end of the road with the systems of the Functionalists and the System of Exception would lead us to ruin. The poison of superiority was never extracted from the body. The wounds to our collective psyches were never healed, not until now. We never had a unifying leader that was going to take us upward to what we truly were until Optimus Prime."

 **"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"**

The sound through the door was loud, breaking up the silence of the conversation. Laughter greeted that as everyone relaxed. Smokescreen who was sitting next to Devcon and his grandson, Smokey. laughed. "I almost forgot why we were here."

"No doubt," Smokey said with a grin. "Is that why you don't have caste marks on you, Hercy?" he asked.

Hercy nodded. "I don't because I was in the first rebellion and was considered exempt with everyone else who was there. I came in late because I was young and trying to protect my family. I joined up with the General here. I had Molotov cocktails and a good throwing arm. The Quintessons burned real good."

Devcon snicked at that remark. "I imagine." He looked at Hard Drive and Delphi. "Your caste marks are different, too."

"They are. All three of us, Hercy, Delphi and me are caste exempt. However, to get the upper hand with the Praxian Elites, we invented the caste mark that we wear. It's different than any other. Its the image of Cybertron, the engraving of 'Until All Are One' inside the hands of The One. We serve everyone. We leave no one out. It made us the most feared and powerful caste in our culture. It also kept the high castes from going around the bend."

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!"**

Turbine who was leaning against Raptor grinned. "That one was closer to the other. Things are speeding up. Blackjack, lean in and see how long this is going to take."

Blackjack leaned toward the door, then peered in. He talked a moment to someone, then closed the door. Leaning back, he grinned. "They're getting ready right now." He glanced at Alor. "By the way, where are the kids?"

"At Day Care," Turbine said. "I had Scout taken there, too."

Blackjack nodded. "Slagger. You going back in there?" he asked Alor, then his genitors and grand genitors.

Hardie grinned. "Not on your life. Infant is on his own."

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"**

It was silent a moment, then Raptor laughed as he stood up. "That sounded like Ironhide," he said as he opened the door to enter. It closed behind him. Inside the room, Ratchet was laying back on a med berth as screens were being erected around him. They bore the symbol of the city-state of Praxus, a nice touch. Screens were being moved around Ironhide and one had holes for his servos to hold Ratchet's helm and nothing more. He would be as blind as a bat to the whole proceedings. Raptor walked to him, then shook his helm. "Did you just yell?"

" **I DID!"** Ironhide said as he glared at the curtain. "Can I say that right now, I hate our cultural rituals?"

"You can but it won't do slag-all right now," Raptor said as he grinned at his onliest and most beloved grandson.

"Okay, Ratchet," they heard Gypsy say on the other side of the curtain. "I'm going for the spark now."

" **ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"** -Ratchet

"I think I'm going out the door. Join me?" Raptor said to Ironhide who was reaching through the holes in the curtain to hold Ratchet's helm.

 **"DON'T TEMPT ME!"** Ironhide said through his emotional downpour.

Raptor slapped him on the shoulder, then with a grin at everyone in the room, walked out and shut the door. Sitting down again, he grinned. "He's got it completely under control."

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

-0-TBC 10-25-17


	170. Chapter 170

The Diego Diaries: New Penny (dd6 170)

-0-Metro Femme

"Is the protoform ready?" Gypsy asked as she held a shiny new spark in her servos.

"Over here, Gypsy," one of her team members, Jilius, said.

Ironhide and everyone else listened on the other side of the screens as the spark was tended to. When the whoosh came, it was as if the world had stepped off their shoulders. A cheer went up, then the door opened. "What's going on?" someone said.

"We have a baby," Ravel said with delight. That's when everyone fogged in and celebrations erupted.

Ironhide stepped back, then walked to the front of the screen. **"RATCHET! I WANT TO SEE!"**

" **FRAG YOU, IRONHIDE!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as the infant was measured, checked over and found sound. Gypsy turned to him holding the baby. "Here you go, Ratchet. What a fine baby."

"This is a slagging genius baby. A trail breaker," Ratchet said as he took the infant. He grinned. "No one will know **SQUAT** about you, infant, until I show you." He pulled from his carry hold some blankets, a onesie and a Seeker bag with a smiling sun on the front. Slipping the baby in, wrapping the infant up, he put it into the bag. Kissing its face, he slid the sack into his blanket lined carry hold. "Thanks, Gypsy. You and the femmes are the best. Thanks, Percy and Wheeljack."

"It was our pleasure, Ratchet. **HEAR THIS!** Wheeljack, Perceptor and the four of us have taken an **OATH** not to tell anything including gender, appearance and name of this sparkling. **DON'T ASK!"** Gypsy said. "Team Ratchet has spoken, **IRONHIDE!"**

" **FRAG THAT!"** Ironhide said with a grin.

Gypsy set the monitor into Ratchet's neck jack and the screens were pulled just as the humans roared in. **:RATCHET! WE WERE LATE!:** Jessie Landon said.

"That's alright. It's all over but the screaming. Ironhide's screaming, that is," he said as everyone laughed loudly.

"What now, Sunny?" Ravel asked with a disapproving tone. **"I AM UNHAPPY WITH YOU! YOU MAY HAVE WARS WITH IRONHIDE BUT WE ARE INNOCENT!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as Ratchet hugged his ada. "I don't make the rules, Ada. Yell at Ironhide."

Everyone turned toward Ironhide. He frowned slightly. "Fraggers."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that. Drift turned to Ratchet. "Do you want to go home or what?"

" **I'M STARVING!"**

"Then the Diner On The Corner it is," Raptor said with a smile.

After hugs and this and that, they ambled out, a long line of slaggers and hangers-on heading for food and drink at the local hangout. Ratchet walked along with Ironhide who was frowning. "Aww. You look so cute when you frown."

" **I DON'T LOOK CUTE WHEN I FROWN!"** -Ironhide looking impossibly cute

"You do, infant. I always loved when you frowned. **YOU'RE SO CUTE!"** -Delphi reminiscing

"Well … maybe I **AM** cute," Ironhide replied with a grin.

"I think you are," Optimus said as he walked along with Prowl.

 **HUGE** laughter.

They reached the restaurant, then entered. They took up every space and pushed tables together. The wait staff took orders and brought drinks, then everyone relaxed. "How do you feel, Ratchet?" Partition asked. He was sitting next to Lancer who was grinning at him.

"I feel hungry and better. We have another rug biter for the collection and I've left Prowl in the dust. Again," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Fragger. They're all mine," Prowl said as a happy Miler, Venture, Kestrel, and Tagg entered the room. They were squeezed in.

"What's the word, Ratchet?" Tagg asked sweetly.

"Mum. The word is mum," Ratchet said shooting nuclear optics to a smirking Ironhide. He grinned himself, then turned to the four sweet newcomers. "Well, Tagg, Ironhide **HAD ONE JOB!** Now we have a sparkling. According to his own rules, no one can see the new kid for three orns until the announcement ceremony."

" **THAT'S JUST OTHERS! NOT FAMILY!"** Ironhide said as he turned toward Ratchet.

"Not so loud, Ironhide. You'll wake the **NEW BABY!"** Ratchet replied as they came nose assembly to nose assembly. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. "You turn me on, Ironhide, when you act an aft."

 **HUGE** laughter, gagging sounds and frowns from parental units … " **THE PRIME!"** … greeted that revelation. Ironhide sat back only **SLIGHTLY** mollified. Food came and everyone dug in. Tie looked at his son. "The children are in the day care and will spend the night. We'll go get them in the morning and get them to school. The big kids are with Typhoon and their ammas."

"Good." Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "It looks like its down to you and me, slagger. I'm telling you, Ironhide, I'm going to smack you with my frying pan if you don't **KEEP YOUR END OF THE DEAL!"**

Ironhide frowned again. His family grinned. It would be an interesting lunch.

Ratchet, preoccupied, didn't notice the conversation that Partition was having with Lancer.

-0-At home an hour and a half later

Ratchet walked into the apartment which was empty of everyone who lived there. Light streamed in through the window as late afternoon in Martian spring began to wind down. He noted the box by the door that Ironhide had brought in. It was from Metro Femme and the note attached read, "Here you go, Ratchet. I won't have Home Healthcare check in unless you want it. Enjoy. It's always fun with you and yours, Gypsy and the Team."

He grinned as Ironhide opened it. Pulling out the usual kit of blankets, onesies, the book that came with things that Ironhide had helped to put together, the kit of washing things and lotions, they finally came to the silver washing pail that would care for the baby until it outgrew the small basin. They looked at the names engraved but saw no one that they knew personally. Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "I suppose I have to stay out here while you do this? Maybe? Or not?" he asked with a trace of hopefulness in his voice.

Ratchet grinned, then snuffed the trace out. "Bet your rather nice booty, slagger," he said as he took the gear and tub into hand. He walked to the wash rack, then closed the door locking it from the inside as Ironhide stood outside. Placing the things on the raised table that the infants used to bathe, he got things ready for a first wash up. He felt badly for Ironhide as he did, too. He wasn't a cold hearted slagger by choice after all.

Mostly.

Sliding the baby out after regulating the water, he unpeeled it from blankets, then grinned. Bright blue optics stared upward as a tiny form lay on the table. Its unique features were glorious to him and he felt vindicated for going for a non-conventional format and design. Picking the baby up gently, he lay it in the warm water. The baby smiled. Washing it gently, drying carefully with a soft towel, the baby ended up in a onesie again. Laying the baby on blankets, he wrapped it up, carefully covering it with a blanket, then walked to the door. Opening it, he grinned. Ironhide was standing in front of it glowering. Moving past him, he walked to his chair, sat down, pulled his wrist cord and began to feed the baby.

Ironhide, making (unsuccessful) attempts to 'nonchalantly' peer at the infant as he sat in his chair, frowned again. "This is going to be a long three orns."

"Your rules, slagger," Ratchet said as he peered at the infant under cover of blankets. "I'm thinking you can put the bassinet on my side of the berth or sleep on the couch for the next three orns. Your call."

"You really want to turn the screws," Ironhide said.

" **YOU HAD ONE JOB!"** Ratchet said.

A tiny meep could be heard, then Ratchet looked inside the blankets. "You okay?" he asked. The baby smiled. Ratchet grinned. "This is one fine stellar sparkling, Ironhide. This baby likes to smile all the time."

"They all did. They liked their old dad," Ironhide moped. "This one might not know who I am. They might not know that I'm their old atar."

"Aw." Ratchet grinned. "Go to the locker today and get the basket for this one. We have to go to the First Friday Night game and I want them in a warm and safe carrier."

"I can carry it in my carry hold, slagger," Ironhide said.

"Soon enough, slagger," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Frag," Ironhide said.

-0-At a bar celebrating a number of things

The femmes, Maelstrom, Magnus, Jetta, and Partition sat at a table in Club Cybertron. They were celebrating the addition of a new brother/sister/in-law/friend. Things were great and life was good. Lancer looked at Partition. "Let's dance," she said, then rose.

Smiling, he rose, too, and walked to the dance floor. The others watched, then Elita glanced at Moonracer. "What's the deal?"

"She likes him. She told me a few times that he was cute and now that he's not a slagger, he's even more cute." Moonracer shrugged. "He seems like a nice reformed guy."

"His genitors are awful though Aunt Lissie tells me that his brothers are working out well in the Home Guard. Maybe they just needed a chance," Magnus said.

"I hope so. Lancer doesn't just like everyone," Arcee said as she glanced at the two who were dancing up a storm. "She deserves someone." She grinned up at Magnus. "What a better life can be imagined than to be in bondage the same way as you and me, Magnus?"

Huge laughter and another round of drinks greeted that.

-0-Later that night

"I promise to be good."

" **NO!"**

"I tripped. I didn't mean to look. I didn't see anything. Okay?"

" **NO!"**

Ironhide stood in the living room with a pillow and blanket. The couch was calling his name. He looked around, then toward the hallway. "Frag," he said before he reclined to recharge on the 'bad boy's berth' aka couch.

-0-The next afternoon after everyone comes home from school and day care overnighting

" **ADA! WHERE YOU!?"**

"Orion is home," Ratchet said as he sat on his chair holding a sleeping bundle of new goodness. "Ask me how I know."

A row of shorties lined up in front of his chair to stare at him and the bundle in his arms. All of them turned to their surly atar. "Atar, what's this?" Hero asked as she pointed at a smirking Ratchet.

"Your slagger ada has a new dollie and he won't share," Ironhide said. "When I asked to play with it, Ada made me recharge on the couch."

The little kids jolted with shock, then turned startled expressions toward Ratchet. **"ADA!"** -all of them **  
**

"Your old dad is a big cry baby. He's going to wait until Second Friday to play with my dollie," Ratchet said. "Your old dad is a cry baby. And a sore loser. He's a **sore loser**."

Little kids looked from ada to atar, to ada, to atar. Orion looked at Ratchet. "You, Ada, not doing with Atar? You's dollie you's?"

Ratchet grinned, then nodded. "Yep." He looked at Ironhide. "How low is it to use infants to get your way?"

"Low. Expect lower," Ironhide said with a grin. "We going out or staying in?"

"Where's everyone else?" Ratchet asked.

"They'll be home shortly. I'll tell them to meet us at The Pit Stop," Ironhide said. **"INFANTS! GET READY TO DEPLOY!"**

Four little kids hopped to it, putting things away, then lining up at the door. They grinned together, a most becoming sight. **"WE GO TO THE PLACE! WE EATING DOSE!"** Orion said happily.

-0-Shortly later at The Pit Stop

Everyone sat along with the big kids who had come to the restaurant directly with Sunspot and Bos who was spending the night. They ordered, then Bos noticed the bundle in Ratchet's arms. "What's that, Ada? Is it a sparkling?"

Ratchet gave them all a dazzling smile. **"IT IS!"**

Bedlam.

-0-TBC 10-26-17 **edited 10-27-17**

NOTE:

Lordy. It's hard to write the baby without gender. :D:D:D


	171. Chapter 171

The Diego Diaries: **BABY!** (dd6 171)

-0-At the Diner On The Corner

The bedlam ended as the infants were placed back in their seats. Hero frowned at Ratchet. "You said that was a dollie, Ada."

"I know. It is. Sort of." Ratchet grinned. "I know we should have told them earlier but this is about nine orns early."

" **ADA!** I, Orion, see you's bee-bee." He smiled his usual gigantic smile, then tried to climb down. Raptor caught his arm, then set him on the chair. He looked at Appa Tap-Tap. **"YOU BAD! I GO TO SHES!"** he said pointing at Ratchet.

Raptor snickered. "No. Eat."

Orion stared at Appa Tap-Tap, his food, then Ratchet. "She not good me."

 **HUGE** laughter.

At that moment, Prime and his family, some more of Ironhide's and a few punters walked in trailed by Springer, Drift, Bezel, Lon, Hercy, and Kup. They hugged babies, listened to excited chatter about the 'new dollie' and took a seat. When they did, they ordered and everyone grinned at each other even though for Prowl, it was ruse. He was already plotting sparkling theft.

"So … when is the ceremony?" someone in the back called out.

"Second Friday. Noonish at The Fortress," Ratchet said. "Be there or be square."

It was silent as they accessed the dictionaries, then grinned. Prowl on the other hand was doing the math. Lunge times grab squared by the screaming that would follow almost computed to worthwhile. He decided to not chance it. He had a reputation to maintain, after all. There was always ten seconds after the unveiling for a good old fashioned snatch and grab.

"Are you going to the night game?" Springer asked. "Nova Chronum is playing Vos here. First Cybertronian team to come."

Prime nodded. "I am going to that one and the one on Second Sunday. Both of them feature a Cybertronian team. It would be good for the well being of both worlds that we come to them if we can," he said.

"Kaon plays Second Saturday along with Iacon. Praxus plays First Sunday," Prowl said. "We have a game every orn for the next four if we attend them with several left over."

"Tough duty," Hercy said with a grin. "The unveiling after night football and before the second round of games sounds like my kind of afternoon. Who's doing the prelude and then the speech, Ironhide?

"Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "I forgot," he said, then looked at the elders of his family.

"Don't look at us, infant," Raptor said with a grin as his elders nodded.

"I'll do it, Ratchet," Partition said as he sat next to Blackjack. "What do you do?"

Everyone looked at the big kid, handsome, earnest and relaxed in the cocoon of Ratchet and Ironhide's family. How many times did Prime, Ratchet and Ironhide's growing up include sheltering some kid or two that had no place else, who came in thrashed by life, then blossom in the warmth of unconditional love of the family? Too many.

Ratchet grinned. "You have to stand up in front of the entire group that comes to see this and tell them something personal and sincere. Sometimes its about family and sometimes its other things but it winds back around to the new infant and how the family and by extension, the group present has a duty to help them grow up safe and well."

Partition stared at him with a serious expression, then nodded. "I can do that. If you want me to, that is."

Ratchet grinned at Ironhide who grinned back. "Sure," he said.

Partition smiled, then went back to his food. Everyone stared at him with bedazzlement, then Springer turned back to Ratchet. "Who does the prelude?"

"Why, Ironhide, of course," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet with a glass of juice poised in front of his mouth. He frowned. **"ME?!"**

"Yes, Ironhide. You. **YOU HAD ONE THING TO DO!"** Ratchet replied.

Ironhide grinned. "Slaggers."

"Did you know he's residing on the couch until this infant is named? He keeps tripping going past me as he tries to get a look. I have to lock the wash rack doors to bath the baby. Who's the slagger here?"

"Not me," Ironhide said with a grin.

Everyone laughed as the breakfast passed by. "When's the next war game?" someone in the middle asked.

Everyone turned to Prime who was sipping something hot in a mug. He paused the cup. "Do not look at me. Did you not you and Ironhide start this, Blackjack?"

"We did," 'Jack said with a grin. "A helicopter fight between apartments."

"You said, **"Unicron is waking! Unicron is waking! Flee!"** Alor said with a grin. "You slaggers shot missiles at each other and hit me." Huge laughter. "I never told you that Ratchet and I were giving each other intel about your choppers while you were stealthing them between the apartments."

"You traitor, you," Blackjack said with a grin.

"Why not get with Vinn, Prowl, and see what the consensus opinion is among the members of the Gaming Association," Prime said as Prowl nodded. "Maybe we can set it up somewhere down the line and not be unduly hampered by the timing if something comes up."

"I will," Prowl said adding it to his internal list of things to do. "I heard a rumor that the Dinobots are going to be unbearably terrorizing," Prowl said with a frown. "I loathe the Dinobots."

"We know." -everyone

"Slaggers," Prowl said with a sniff. "What would you do without me?" Everyone started at him, then he frowned. "That wasn't a rhetorical question."

"I'd probably put myself on the duty schedule to hang out in Pretender gear in Vegas," Springer said as Drift nodded. "Nothing like hanging out in strip clubs."

"Yeah, but the strippers are human," someone said.

"There **is** that," Springer said. "I find the more I see human nakedness, the more I'm glad to be Cybertronian."

"How much human nakedness have you seen?" Hercy asked with a grin.

"Hanging out in strip clubs with drunken Reptilians has a hand in it," Springer said. "I don't understand human anatomy and to tell you the truth, I don't intend to."

"I can set up a series of lectures, Springer. I can tell you about all the interesting bits like female breasts and men's prongs," Ratchet said to **UNIVERSAL** disgust and screaming. He laughed loudly. "Did you know that human breasts are the infant food delivery system?"

It was silent a second, then a second wave of revulsion emanated from everyone with even a couple standing up to express it. Ratchet laughed. "Wusses. Sit down and eat your breakfast. You'll need your strength for my lectures. They'll be lots of videos to them-" he said before a biscuit bounced off his head.

Prowl who looked like he would purge his tanks glanced at Prime who was laughing riotously. "You're not setting a very good example, you know."

Prime glanced at Prowl. "I know," he said, then continued to laugh loudly. "I have such a terrible image in my processor right now."

"Here. Let me help you," Prowl said as he speared a sausage on his fork, holding it out to Prime. "Eat this."

Prowl nearly cleared the room.

-0-Later

They had chatted, then broke up to go their various ways. The game began at 1900 hours on the TMC so they had all orn to get things done. Grand genitors went on their way with disapproving glances at Ratchet and Ironhide. They stood on the corner watching them go, then Ratchet turned his back on Ironhide and stuffed the baby inside his hold. He turned to Ironhide. "What's your plans, handsome?"

"I have visitations," Ironhide said, "then I have to go to District Eight on Cybertron to see Appa about ordinance there. What are you going to do? Go home."

"I will. I want a book and then a few groceries. I'm going to be home until we go to the game," Ratchet said as he hugged Ironhide. "Best hurry. Be back in time for us to get to the stadium. Okay?"

Ironhide nodded, then slapped Ratchet on the aft. Walking off with a jaunty stride, Ratchet grinned. "You do, **too** , look cute when you frown, you old slagger." With that, he walked toward the Mall of Metroplex and the stuff he needed to get.

-0-At School

Autobot City Unified School District Pioneer School, Transitional Classroom: **"MY ADA HAS A NEW DOLLIE!"** -Hero at show and tell

Sparkling Day School #1, Group D, Speech Therapy: " **ADA! SHE HAS ONE! I, ORION, WANT SEED NEW THING! I GOED THERE TO SEEING THE SHE! ADA SAY 'NO, ORION!' ADA BAD!"** -Orion to Roto during speech class

Sparkling Day School #1, Group C, Classroom sharing time: "Ada has a dollie. We get a new dollie." -Praxus telling Laret the news

Youngling Day School #1, Sharing time in Mr. Terradive's class: "My ada has a new sparkling. We don't get to see it until three orns have gone by because we're Praxian and we have to do that."

"What does the baby look like, Sunspot?" Terradive asked knowing full well what it looked like. At least facially.

"I don't know. My atar got into trouble and now we can't see the new one until the naming ceremony." -Sunspot, a sweet guileless infant spilling the beans

The humans in the class listened to the news, understanding that he was talking about a baby transformer. What it was all about, they didn't know. But they knew that in about another day, the baby would be presented to the world and everyone would know. It was mystifying for some and delightful for others.

 **:CAN WE GO TO THE NAMING CEREMONY, MR. TERRADIVE!?:** -Annabelle Lennox asking for the rest of them, her cup runneth-ing over

He would see.

-0-That evening …

"This is hard, Ada," Hero said as she got ready for bed. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes," Ratchet said. They had just gotten back from the game and were putting infants to bed. They were tired, everyone was tired and Ironhide was looking to exploit that. He walked out, then noted the news was playing. The games with Cybertronian-based teams were a big deal. It had been a very big deal …

They gathered in their box watching together as the teams came out. Nova Cronum Brigadiers walked out, planted their flag and did their dance. They had been brought over by bridge with their staff and a few family to show their quality here on the new world. It had been optic-opening to them to come, stay in a nice hotel the night before and have a tour of the colony. They had met Prime, had a nice chat, then retired for the night. The next orn, they had breakfast, came to the stadium to gawk with amazement, then retire to their team areas. Vos was already here.

The game started out tentatively. The Cronums were **HUGE** and some of them were fast. They were determined to win, to show the home world that they were a force to reckon with. They scored twice before Vos got their footing. From then on, it was a fist fight. The sky overhead was velvet with darkness but the stadium was awash in light. The broadcast was going to Earth, Cybertron and other places including the rec rooms of pirates and Razorclaw.

Earth was stoked because they got twice as much football over more days than before. It was a huge thing, especially now that mechs from the home world were coming here to play. That two of the teams had femmes playing was not lost on anyone. That made three with Chromia who had made the team for Altihex. Maelstrom was almost giddy with pride at the very idea.

By the time they reached half time, the score was tied, 2-2. A half time show of music and replays of the brutality on the jumbotron set the tone for the second half. They came out, took their sides, then the ball was tossed. Nova Cronum caught it, then ran in a flying wedge toward the goal. They looked like a destroyer in a raging sea breaking itself upon boulders aka players as they rammed forward, seeking the shelter of another score or two.

The game was so good and everyone so emotional to have a fully Cybertronian team playing from the home world that even the mini-cons were mesmerized. There would be no arrests, no assaults, no hoo-haw for Springer to deal with and by the time the slug fest was over, several things were determined.

Cybertronian-based bots hadn't forgotten how to play

Nova Cronum might, all things being equal, be a contender

If a game was good, it trumped the fights in the stands

When the count was finally made, it was Nova Cronum, 4 and Vos, 2. There would be wild celebrations in the camps of the cities and small towns on the home world. Cybertron had proven they could play the Martian teams. They were on their way. Three more teams were on world now to play their own games in one of the three stadiums. They would be seen around the colony taking in the sights as they were given tours. The other team, Nova Cronum, would head home the next morning and receive a hero's welcome back on world. Football season had just taken off...

Ratchet walked out of Hero's berth room heading for his own. It was quiet with everyone in bed. Ironhide was relaxing on the berth. Ratchet walked to the other side, then sat and lay back. Ironhide looked at him. "You aren't putting the pup in the bassinet?"

"Not until the naming ceremony is over," Ratchet said as the lights went down. "The infant stays in my hold until then."

"You don't trust me."

"Nope."

"Slagger."

Silence a while.

"You sure that the little mech is comfortable in your hold?" he asked.

Ratchet grinned.

Moments later …

Ironhide lay back on the couch with a grin. It was worth an effort to try and pry out the infant's main gender. The night would pass slowly before the rise of the next orn, the orn where he would meet the new infant. Only then, Ironhide. Only then.

 **"YOU ONLY HAD TO DO ONE THING!"**

TBC 10-27-17 **edited 12-24-17**

ESL

guileless (gile-less) -having no deceit or meanness. Someone completely innocent.

guile: sneakiness, craftiness, deceit

your/my cup runneth over: a Biblical expression meaning that you have so much of something, its spilling over in your life. For Annabelle, it was excitement.

Back in the 1960's, before most of you were born, the expression 'be there or be square' meant come to the thing or place or be considered a dud. If you were square, you were unhip, didn't know jack about things, were 'old', clueless, etc. It wasn't a compliment at all. :D

rhetorical: (reh-tor-i-kul) A question that's asked that answers itself or is so obvious it doesn't need an actual answer.


	172. Chapter 172

The Diego Diaries: **BABY!** (dd6 172)

-0-Second Friday

"What did you think of the game, Chan?" Corr gathered dishes for the washer, a new innovation that Ratchet had insisted upon a while back. For a while, they did the dishes by hand, uncertain about the convenience and whether it was for them or not. Then they used it and it was a marvel. It was a marvel like their washer and dryer. Something rather feared until they found it helped a lot. He slotted them in, then closed to door. Setting it to wash and sterilize dry, he turned to Chan. "I think that the Brigadiers played with a lot of spark."

"They did. I'm so glad that Cybertron can have teams. I think it's going to be very morale building," Chan said as he finished his last newspaper. "What do you think about today, Corr?"

Corr smiled. "I can't wait. Sunny is such a character. Poor Ironhide. What a long suffering mech."

Chan smiled. "I don't think they ruined two families when they bonded, Corr. Are you ready to go?"

Corr chuckled. "I am," he said. The two walked to the door to head to the Temple to pay their respects to the AllSpark, then walk to the Shrine to the Thirteenth Prime which had been created in a niche down from their business plaza. It was their weekend routine.

-0-Elsewhere

" **RAPTOR!"**

A big mech peeked into the wash rack with a sheepish grin. "I was coming back to finish that, Turbine."

"The frag you were," Turbine said as he stared at the disarray around him. He turned to his bond, a big, good natured hoot of a mech. "Clean up this mess, recruit, or I'm telling your ada."

Raptor grinned. "Do you think it'll be anything new for them?"

"No, but my ped up your aft might be," Turbine said with a grin. "Clean. Now." He walked out, bumping Raptor with his shoulder.

Raptor grinned. "It's too early for The Sexy, Turbine." He walked in with the sound of Turbine's guffaw carrying him along. Hanging up the wash nozzle to the shower, he grinned. "You love me."

A helm peeked in. "I do in spite of you and your winsome ways, slagger." Then it disappeared again.

Raptor continued with a smug grin. "Lucky you." He turned in time for a clothes basket to hit him in the face.

-0-Elsewhere

"You need to call Vinn, Hardie," Delphi said as he cleared up the newspaper datapads from the kitchen table. Breakfast was had and now they had some free time. "I want a head start on the war game. My little bot is still under modifications."

"I will," Hard Drive said. "When do you want to get to the ceremony?"

" **NOW!"** Delphi said with a grin. "Ratchet told me that this one would be a different look and modification. I can't wait to see it." He glanced at Hard Drive. "What do you think about Partition giving the speech?"

Hardie looked up from his book. He was sitting in a comfortable chair near the big window that allowed a spectacular view of the city beyond. "I think he's going to do fine. He really loves Ratchet and Ironhide. He's got a nice niche in that family. Did you notice that he's sweet on Lancer?"

Delphi smiled. "I saw that. It sort of surprised me and not. Lancer never was the sort to do things simply."

"No. I do like that the infants are finding things to do and people to do it with. War is a lonely business, Delph. All of the children need to have an alternative life to fall back on."

"Nothing like personal bliss?" Delphi asked with a grin.

"You mean like us?" Hardie asked with a grin. Delphi nodded his helm. "I have nothing to complain about."

It would be a very pleasant morning at the Hard Drive-Delphi homestead.

-0-In a berth room congregated around a toy box

"Ada is going to show us her dollie at lunch time," Hero was saying. "I can't wait to see it."

Orion who was standing inside the toy box with a truck in each servo nodded. "I seed the she. I, Orion, seed the she then."

"I hope its a boy," Praxus said.

Hero looked at him. "Why, Praxus? Don't you want another sister?"

Praxus looked at her, then slipped his arm around her shoulders. "I have a sister, Hero."

Prowler who was holding a dollie as he watched the three smiled broadly. "I like dollies," he said. Then he smiled again.

It would go on like that for a while.

Meanwhile, in a room nearby with the door locked …

Ratchet looked at the baby lying on the berth, its special features as glorious as they were when designed. He waffled a bit, wondering if it was too different and then deciding it was amazing. He would find out when he unveiled this infant in about three joors. He wiped the baby down, applied lotion, then slipped the little tyke into a thickness of blankets designed to help them stay warm during the unveiling. It would allow the entire infant to be seen, then a Seeker bag would be next. He had one that was thermal lined so that the baby would be instantly toasty. He grinned at the smiling infant. "You're one happy slagger. You smile non-stop. Who are you and what are you going to be like? You were an accident … a happy accident. Come on. Let's go tease your old pa."

Ratchet folded the baby into the blankets, then took another to cover it as he walked out of the room. Heading for his chair, Ironhide followed him with a frown. "You won't give me a single peek will you."

Ratchet sat, then arranged the blankets. The infant was completely covered. "Nope." He smiled a dazzling smile at Ironhide. "Less than three joors, slagger."

Ironhide sat. "Frag you, Ratchet."

Bos and Sunspot came running in, then stopped before the two. They smiled brilliantly. **"ADA! CAN I SPEND THE NIGHT WITH BOS? HIS GENITORS SAID IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT! WE CAN GO TO THE WATER PARK! CAN YOU COME, TOO, AND BRING EVERYONE!?"** Sunspot asked as Bos nodded in agreement.

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who was grinning at the two. Ironhide nodded. "Sounds like fun to me."

Both of the kids squeed, then ran back to their berth room together, a bouncing Spot with them. The cat, Cousin, walked past them, then jumped into Ironhide's lap. He settled. Ironhide stroked his soft fur absently as he glared at Ratchet. The door opened and nine big kids entered. "Hi, Ada. Are we late?" Tru asked.

"No," Ratchet said. "You're early. Did you eat?"

"We did but we could use a snack," Santee said like a true 'teenager'.

"You know where the snacks are," Ratchet said as they walked to a low cupboard to raid it. With grins and nods, they carried their booty down to their own lounge where a dog and two other kids joined in on the laughter and conversation.

Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "No one ever said in a fox hole that I would ever live like this."

"I hear ya," Ironhide said with a grin.

-0-At an apartment in the sky

"And so that's that, Atar. I want you to come, both of you," Partition said. "I want you to hear what I say and come to the party afterward. Inweld, Morius and I are going. You have to come, too."

Laslo glanced at Lucien who sat without comment. "I think that would be lovely but will we be wanted there?"

"Of course you will," Partition said as the other two nodded. "This is a good thing. I want you there."

Laslo looked at Lucien who finally nodded. "We can come for the unveiling. I like Praxian customs even if I'm off my feed about them lately. The party … I don't know. I don't think we'd be wanted."

"Then you miss the whole point, Atar," Morius said with a sense of irritation. "You **will** be wanted. Everyone who comes is wanted. The three of us … we're **wanted.** "

Lucien glanced from one face to the next, then nodded. "Alright but if anything happens, we're leaving, Laslo."

Laslo nodded, then looked at his sons hopefully. "We'll come. Thank you for inviting us. Sit. Tell us of your experiences. We haven't been together like this in a while."

"We can stay until 1100 hours on the TMC before we go there," Partition said as he sat. His brothers did, too, the three buoyed by their genitors' decision. "Did you know I finished basic training and passed the field medic exam with a perfect score?"

Neither did. One would be ecstatic for his son and the other something less.

-0-The Temple to the Thirteenth Prime

They stood in front of a statue of Thirteen. He was forty feet tall, gilded with gold and silver and had jewels in his sword hilt. It was the face of a calm individual, someone filled with wisdom and courage. This was one of the most beloved shrines and around the big space sitting on shelves and niches were offerings from individuals given to this most beloved Prime over the millennia straight from the spark of the common people.

There were also recovered icons, ornamental weapons and dishes that held incense-like material that gave off a soft perfume. The place had images and words carved into the stone walls, engravings into the steel that framed the left wall, that told the story of this Prime. When the Primes came to sentience, they were in discord. Thirteen arrived, held up his servo and said, "Until all are one", a message that calmed and united them, helping them to remember their purpose. He was the one who united, he was the wise counsel, the one who was the glue that held the disparate individuals together.

He was Optimus Prime.

Almost no one knew that but it was so. Prime being a self effacing sort knew 'of' it but found it hard to assimilate. His spark had returned to The People, to guide and help them, to give His wisdom and assistance to them through the long travails of their existence. No one knew and He would tell no one. Even Alpha Trion kept the secret, though it amused him to tease Prime about it.

Covering the walls were thin sheets of gold, copper and silver leaf, hand smoothed by artisans who were in charge of recreating and then maintaining the shrines through the Temple and the Museum. The room shimmered in the soft lighting of discreet wall sconces. Nothing about this shrine was as grand as some of them but none of the Primes felt as accessible to the people as this one. He was 'their' Prime. He was them.

Chan and Corr made their prayers as they stood in the soft sweet scent of the incense-like smoke that the braziers released into the room. Others were there, all of them taking from the surroundings just what they needed. Most of the people had their favorites. All of them were reverenced but something about this Prime drew pilgrims. "This is such a blessing, Corr," Chan said taking Corr's servo into his own. "I wish we had lived closer to this shrine. I would have loved to bring Sonny here more than we did."

"We all did our best, Chan," Corr replied. "Now we can."

He nodded, then grinned. "We get another one. Ironhide is around the moon."

"So am I" Corr said. "Thank Primus both of them are knuckleheads."

They both laughed, then bowed deeply. Walking out into the cold crisp light of day, they continued onward to their cafe, then The Fortress to join the others.

-0-On the way to The Fortress

Ratchet ambled along with a carry hold filled with infant. The others were stuffed in the holds of the big kids. Ironhide was free for the new delivery, or so he had said. The laughter he got for that remark was instructive. It was bright and cold, about -87 and there was no breeze. It would be a perfect orn for the unveiling. It always nagged at him, the thought that they would hold one of these and no one would show. It was always a crap shoot as they walked into The Fortress Courtyard.

 **"RATCHET! YOU SHOWING THE NEW INFANT!?"** Ramcharger called out.

"At 1200 hours, Ramcharger. Be there or be square," Ratchet said with a smile.

Hoo-haw and agreements greeted that as they walked inside, chatted their way to Ops Center, then walked to the table to sit and stand around it. Prowl who was there with Solus and Sojourner glanced up from his work. The two femmes were sitting on the data map eating cookies. They smiled and waved. Ratchet picked them up, turned to the big boys and grinned. "Who has Hero?"

Santee raised his servo, then added two little femmes to the one he already had. It would be a sweet thing for all when he did. Ratchet turned to a frowning Prowl. "Don't you look lovely this morning."

"Sit, fragger. You have one of mine?" Prowl asked.

Everyone grinned at his psychosis, then Ratchet patted his chassis. "I have one of my own. I don't know about you, slacker."

"Loon. Who's going to give the speech again?" Prowl asked with his usual silvery angst. Ratchet was now lapping him in the infant arms race.

"Partition volunteered and I have no problem with that. Infant is stellar lately and I think he's going to knock it out of the park as they say," Ratchet replied.

"Slagger," Ironhide said with a frown. "You're a slagger."

"How was the couch?" Optimus asked as he sat next to Prowl enjoying every minute of Ironhide's exquisite whining. Nothing was funnier.

"Inadequate," Ironhide said casting a gimlet optic toward Ratchet.

"Whiner. Poor little femme," Ratchet said with a grin.

Behind them, family and friends began to show. The trine and infants, soldiers luxe, friends, colleagues, and those who happened to drop by, all of them began to gather both here and in the rec room as outside others congregated in front of the building. Ratchet grinned at Sunstreaker who grinned at him. "Did you see Partition and by the way, you have to put an Autobrand on this one right away."

"Yes and yes," Sunstreaker said unsubbing his traveling paint kit. "Partition brought his brothers and his genitors."

Ratchet smiled. "This just keeps getting better and better."

-0-TBC 10-28-17 **edited 12-24-17**


	173. Chapter 173

The Diego Diaries: BABY! (dd6 173)

-0-Inside

The Ops Center filled up with those who were family or just hangers on. It was nearly time to step out so he stood and grinned at Ironhide. "You ready, slagger?"

 **"YOU'RE OVERDUE, MECH!"** Ironhide said with a snort as he stood up.

Raptor slapped him on the back. "Actually, you were, infant." **HUGE** laughter and muy catcalls greeted that.

They began to gather and head for the door, wander through the rec room and out to the courtyard. Near the gates, humans had gathered, a lot of them, along with literally thousands of mechs and the odd femme. They stretched out past the highway into the airfield and spilled out in all directions surrounding the gates. Partition stepped out of the group near the door where his family was plainly to be seen. "You ready for this, infant?" Ratchet asked.

He nodded. "I didn't know so many would come."

"You can step back if that's a problem. No harm, no foul. Remember?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

Partition nodded. "I remember. I want to do this. I need to," he said glancing at his family.

Ratchet glanced, too. "Then do it you will."

He smiled at Ratchet, then glanced around. When he saw Lancer, he joined her. The family that included all sides as well as Prowl and Prime's had fogged out filling the area in front of the building. A camera crew from IntraComm was there and several from Galaxy Productions, covering all manner of angles. Leonora waved and Ratchet nodded to her. Then it fell to silence. Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "You're on, slagger."

Ironhide glared at Ratchet, then stepped forward. A few cheers and catcalls greeted that as he stood in front of a gigantic family that hadn't existed a mere seven or so Earth years before. "Welcome to the naming ceremony. We're glad to have ya. All of you matter to us and so, without further ado, I give to you Partition of Iacon to do the honors." With that, Ironhide trudged back with a smug expression. "Top that, slagger."

"Maybe you'll never see this kid, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a smirk. Ironhide's smug look fell off his face and rolled around on the floor. Ratchet glanced at Partition, then nodded. He nodded back, then stepped forward. The crowd stilled, about 40,000 individuals waiting for his words. He felt oddly calm as he glanced at his brothers. Both of them nodded hopefully, his ada looked surprised and pleased and his father had no visible expression.

"My name is Partition and I was a former high caste slagger," he began.

-0-Lucien

He felt it, a punch in the gut, but no one saw it outwardly. He would grit himself to hear this speech, something that was an honor to his son. For him, it was a big hard punch in the face.

-0-Morius and Inweld

They stared at their brother admiring him for his nerve and his feelings. It was almost more than they could stand, the tension in their chassis. They had discussed it at length and agreed to what Partition felt compelled to say. How it went over in his family, only time would tell. Inweld reached for his ada's hand and held it.

-0-Laslo

Laslo felt the rebuke in Partition's words. Part of him was cheering and the other part reeling. He felt Inweld take his servo, then he squeezed it. A part of him relaxed even as the other part worried for Lucien. Laslo was a futurist, someone who dreamed things up and was able to tell others to drop those things that didn't work.

It was his turn now.

-0-Partition

"I was a terrible person and I didn't think about others. I never did. I was always supposed to be first and I was indifferent to suffering of others. When I came here, I didn't have gratitude. I had the same ideas but being here, working here, being with this family," he said turning to nod at the mob behind him, "it changed my life forever. I had no idea how empty and superficial the old life was. You do what you know, right, Ratchet?" he asked.

"That's right, infant," Ratchet said.

"I did what I knew and what my genitors knew and everyone else. It was wrong. All of it. It led to our suffering. Now, because Ironhide and Ratchet care about me, I get a second chance. I joined the Home Guard and became a field medic. I did that because I want to matter in a real way. I want to help and make things better. I will fight for our people, all of them, with all I got. Hanging out with the mechs and femmes, hearing their stories and having them teach me what they know matters.

"I love my family with all I got but I also love this one, too," he said glancing back at everyone behind him. "Our Prime is the best Prime Cybertron ever had and if we had been smarter and better, we would have listened to him and none of this would have happened. I'm grateful for my second chance. My brothers and I, we have a second chance. I can help you if you get hurt or sick and I can defend you. I will. We all will. I'm a soldier for our people and you have my word that I will take care of all of you.

"Today, I get to tell you about what I owe to Ironhide and Ratchet, to the family and friends that they know and who took me in. They saved me. I owe all of them and I love and respect all of them. I get to tell you about the new baby. What an honor. That's what I say. This is what I believe. Thank you for listening. I think its time to see the baby, right?" he asked with a smile as he turned toward Ratchet.

Behind him, the crowd exploded. There was an incoherent roar, then a sound coalesced. **"PARTITION! PARTITION! PARTITION!"** it said as it rose out of the crowd.

Partition turned to the sea of faces stamping and calling his name. He smiled, then stepped back to Ironhide and Ratchet. "Wow."

"You were perfection, infant," Ratchet said. "You exceed expectations every time I turn around."

Partition smiled at Ratchet, then hugged him. He hugged Ironhide, then slipped back into the family group to stand beside Lancer. She gripped his servo with a squeeze, her own smile as big and bright as his.

Ratchet looked at Ironhide, then stepped forward. The crowd who was celebrating, settled and it was quiet again. He grinned at them. "Well, time for the big unveiling. I will tell you that this infant is different in some ways than the others-"

"Does it look like Ironhide?" someone called out.

 **"SLAGGING RIGHT!"** Ratchet hollered back. "But there's different things about it that won't match any of the others. This infant also isn't a mech. Our daughter, Hero, could use an ally against all the mechs, so this is a femme. But its not a femme like usual."

 **"OLD MECH! WHAT THE FRAG! SHOW US!"** Ironhide bellowed as Prowl moved to stand just outside of Ratchet's peripheral vision.

 **HUGE** tumultuous laughter.

Ratchet smiled a dazzler at Ironhide. **"IN DUE TIME, SLAGGER!"**

"That mech is going to kill me, Tie," Ravel muttered as they stood in the family group.

Huge laughter at that remark as well as agreement.

"This little femme is not only beautiful, its name is beautiful," Ratchet continued as he dragged it out. A cuff to the helm from behind signified Prowl's reluctance for a dissertation as the crowd laughed loudly. "Prowl, you slagger." He turned to the crowd, opened his carry hold and drew out a figure wrapped in white blankets. He grinned at the crowd. "This is going to be swift. I will name her, show her, then she goes into a Seeker bag. So be ready to be dazzled."

" **FRAG IT, RATCHET! HURRY UP!"** Ironhide said.

"That reminds me … Ironhide hasn't seen the baby yet because he **HAD ONE JOB! ONE JOB, IRONHIDE!"** Ratchet said as he turned to Ironhide with a frown.

 **"ENOUGH!"** Corr said, then he shrunk back a bit in his own surprise. "Sonny, be a good mech."

Ratchet stared at his little Amma, then grinned. He turned to the crowd and pulled back the blankets. He held her up, the light hitting her beautifully, and told the crowd her name. In Cybertronian, it meant Radiant Light. Everyone who heard it knew what it meant.

It was a great name for the baby.

Ratchet held up an infant who was set off by the white blankets. She had a solid paint scheme of luminous copper on every part of her little body but her face, hands and peds. Her face was pure white and had the usual features that one expected from a Ratchet-Ironhide collaboration. Her servos and peds were black. Her little blue optics shown against the white coloration of her face. Around her left arm, in thin and tasteful bands where the colors red, white, yellow, green, blue, and black in metallic paint. All of them represented the main color schemes of everyone in the family.

She had no femme wings. She was slender and small but then again, she was a new baby. What set her apart from the normal run of features was the brilliant strands of some kind of thin material that came out of her helm and hung in a sheet down past what would be her waistline if she stood. The strands were copper with silver and platinum on the reverse side. They were long and straight, rather like hair on humans. They shimmered like diamonds in the light. They sparkled when they moved, shimmering like light on water. It brought a sound of appreciation from the crowd.

Ironhide who was mesmerized by her leaned in to sniff her, memorizing her unique odor forever. But before he could hold her, Prowl stepped on front of Ratchet. "Seeker bag," he said.

Ratchet produced it, Prowl slipped her into it, then wrapped the blankets up. Taking her with a swiftness that was testament to his martial arts supremacy, he turned to the crowd and smiled. "Come forward to welcome our newest Autobot," he said. He glanced at Ironhide who was staring at Prowl with amazement. "You snooze, you lose."

The roar of the crowd and catcalls that erupted could be felt in a physical way as the crowd began to file past. Prowl would stand on the platform holding the baby like a proud thief as Ironhide fumed beside him. :You're a slagger, Prowler: he said.

Prowl grinned. :You're finding that out now?:

Ratchet and the family would stand beside them and greet everyone going by. It would take a while.

-0-A full joor later

They walked back into the Ops Center, then Prowl **BEGRUDGINGLY** gave the baby to Ironhide. He grinned, then opened the blankets to see her pretty face. "Copper. I love that. It's holy," Ironhide said. "The color bands are a nice touch. This … hair stuff … what's that?"

Ratchet sat down, then grinned at him as everyone including Lucian, Laslo and their sons watched nearby. "That is a new filament that they want to use for collecting solar wind in space. It's a filament that's so tough you have to hack it off with a really strong laser. I wanted her to be able to collect solar energy no matter how everything else was. This is also the prettiest look, don't you think?"

Ravel who took the baby from a slightly frowning Ironhide nodded. The stands were falling out of the blanket, a dazzling sight, and hanging over Ravel's arm. "This baby is so pretty. All of them are. What about Hero and the others seeing her?"

Babies were procured, then set on the ground. Ironhide who had her back sat on a chair, then held her out. "Here's your insane old Ada's dollie."

The littlest ones came close to stare at her as the bigger ones which now included not just Sunspot and Bos but Reflector and Co-D, too, leaned in. Their family was standing nearby watching with a grin.

Once in a Cybertronian family, never out of a Cybertronian family.

" **I, ORION, LOVE THE SHE!"** he said with delight, then leaned in to kiss her. Cameras flashed and elders got emotional.

 **"This is our baby, Ada? I HAVE A SISTER TO HELP AND STUFF?"** Hero asked as the realization dawned upon her.

"You do. You have to help this one. She doesn't know the rules yet," Ironhide said with a grin. "Of course, I'm going to be helping there, too."

She looked around for the femmes. **"ELITA! EVERYBODY! WE HAVE A NEW FEMME!"**

The big femmes grinned at the little one. "We're a unit, Hero. One for all."

She smiled at them, then nodded.

Hoo-haw and laughter greeted that.

Ratchet smiled. "How about a party?"

Everyone roared their approval as Glenn Morshower rolled closer to see her. His Segway was filled with family and more humans crept closer, too. He grinned at Ironhide, then Ratchet. :She's beautiful. Congratulations:

Huge applause and whistling to that.

:What's her name again? I think I heard something that sounded a bit human when you said it, Ratchet: Morshower asked.

Ratchet nodded. He said it again, a word that definitely sounded human. "It means 'Radiant Light' in NeoCybex."

What the humans heard was different. They heard a familiar sounding word instead.

Halo.

-0-TBC 10-28-17 **edited 12-24-17**


	174. Chapter 174

The Diego Diaries: BABY! The Aftermath (dd6 174)

-0-Tower In The Sky, Terra

" **ADA! BEE-BEE!"** Orion peered around Appa Tap-Tap and Amma Tub at his ada. Turbine and Raptor grinned at him. Orion glanced at them, then smiled brilliantly. **"AMMA TUB! BEE-BEE!?"**

Turbine snickered, then laughed aloud. "We have a baby, infant. Here comes your food. Eat it and keep up your strength. You and your siblings are coming to the game with us this afternoon."

"They are?" Hardie asked with a grin.

"They are," Turbine said. "We're taking the kids to the game, Ironhide. Just so you know."

"Thanks for the head's up. Might take roll tonight and be missing a few," Ironhide said with a grin.

"We aren't going to the game," Ratchet said. "We're going when Kaon plays."

"Who do you play, Sunstreaker?" Drift asked.

"We play Helex," Sunstreaker said. "We don't know a thing about them so its going to be an interesting game. The Helex Hell Cats."

"Sounds like my kind of feline," Ratchet said with a grin. He glanced at Ironhide who had Halo laying on a blanket on the table next to his plate. She was dozing and he was dazzled.

Sitting down the row, eating next to Delphi, Lucien and Laslo shared space with Anders and Burris as they listened and watched the show around them. Their three sons were sitting with other mechs, all of them rough looking soldier-types. Laslo was out of his depth but he had manners. Lucien was appalled but he held it in. Burris and Anders looked around with interest. Having a lot of experience around high castes, Ratchet could see the tells. Laslo was living his training, working out what was real and what was over. Lucien wasn't.

Further down the table, with a look of barely controlled mayhem, Cargo and Keystock sat side-by-side. They were cleaned up but present. Bezel and Lon sat nearby with Kup and Hercy between them and the two. Obviously, Hard Drive and Raptor had ordered them to come. They were silent, eating their food without commenting on the laughter and stories going by around them.

Nearby, eating with a group of former 'Cons who had joined them, Breakdown and Knockout were laughing. A small baby sat on Breakdown's lap taking his bite when offered. Breakout had grown a bit and was looking strong. It was pleasant and homely. He felt a slight sorrow for the rest of the Stunticons, but it passed.

Wheeljack and Perceptor holding Resolve sat down table from him, both of them talking animatedly to the humans who were roaming the table top as the huge group ate. The humans were here to 'show the flag' and welcome the newest Autobot of all. In a few orns, Ironhide would be going to Diego Garcia to see the armory and it was likely that Halo would get her first trip to another world, the home world of the tiny aliens that were such good friends.

Scout who was laughing arose from his seat, walked to Ironhide and took the infant into arms. "Thanks, grandson," he said with a smile as he walked back to sit. Everyone leaned in toward the baby to look and admire her, something that happily lit Ironhide's furnace even as the distance between him and her was hard to take.

"She's a genius sparkling, Ironhide. Expect the family to want to have her," Ratchet said.

Prowler stood up, then smiled at both of them. Then he slipped and fell backward off his booster seat. Supernaturally fast servos caught him, one on each leg, then hauled him up. Hanging upside down between his Amma Alor and Appa Blackjack, he smiled brilliantly. **"HI, ADA!"**

Huge laughter and bigger relief greeted that as he was righted and set down again. He smiled at both, then looked at Ratchet. "Ada, Amma and Appa held me. I falleded."

"Fell," Ratchet said with a grin. "You fall again you might hit the ground. Your brother already fell three stories here. We don't need another fall."

Everyone shuddered as they commiserated about that unfortunate event.

" **Ratchet!"**

Everyone glanced toward Blaster who was sitting with Revet, 'Vette and Roadie. "What's the Thanksgiving contest thing this year?"

Ratchet grinned. "Cookies, Blaster. It's cookies. I will take your applause now for I truly am a winner."

 **HOOTS** and **CATCALLS** out the wazoo greeted that for a moment, then everyone turned back to their meal. Hercy grinned. "You should see the cookie recipe I have in mind."

"Okay." -everyone there.

Hercy snickered. "Slaggers."

"Cheater," Prowl said. "Ringer. Tell me you don't have a bakery background."

"Okay, I don't," Hercy said with a grin. He did, actually, but he would never tell. Neither would Kup, drunk or sober. It tickled both to win without anyone knowing why. Hercy's family even made pastries for the Primes, Senators, and regional governors for special and other occasions. No one but Kup, Delphi and Hard Drive knew it, either.

"There goes the competition," Bluestreak said with a grin.

"That's right, infant," Kup said with a grin. "We'll put the trophy next to the other two."

 **HUGE** catcalls matched that remark as they rejoined their food.

It would be a long leisurely lunch for the group before they slowly began to head out. Shifts were coming up and drunks waited for no one.

-0-Outside the restaurant

Keystock and Cargo waited outside for their directions. They were totally at the mercy of Hard Drive and Raptor, so they waited. Partition with Lancer, his brothers Inweld and Morius along with Lon and Bezel stepped out, then halted to chat with Anders and Burris. Bezel stepped away to speak to his brothers as his genitors walked out. They gathered together. "How's it going?" Bezel asked his brothers, both of whom stared at him coldly.

"How do you **think** its going, Bezel?" Keystock asked. He was as lit about the youngster as he was about his own brother. Both Lon and Bezel were on his personal shit list, too.

"It's disgusting, dirty and dangerous. I think they're doing it on purpose," Cargo said.

"You get to go our home world and **help**. You get to go to Cybertron and **matter**. Why doesn't that mean **anything to** **you**?" Bezel asked.

"I don't think this is the place to discuss this," Burris said as he turned to Cargo and Keystock. "Are you coming home or what?"

"They told us to wait out here," Cargo said bitterly. "They'll come out when they do."

"Then we'll wait with you," Anders said soothingly. He turned to Bezel. "Will you be going on shift, Bezel?"

"I will shortly, Ada," Bezel said. He slipped his arm around Anders and hugged him, then turned back to Laslo. "Lon and I have nights for a while and our beat is from the Industrial Park Cities to the Crater District and back."

"I heard that the horseback patrols are considered an elite group," Laslo said to make conversation. He was feeling very nervous in the midst of all the hostility. Lucien wasn't helping.

"You have to apply and train for it. The horses are amazing. Why don't you come tomorrow to the stables at 0700 when we get off? I'll show you how to ride. You'd love it. You too, Ada. The horses are so gentle and smart." He looked at Lucien. "Why don't you come, too, and we can ride. Then we can have breakfast somewhere."

"That's a wonderful idea," Laslo said with a smile. "You can come as well, boys, if you're off. You and Anders, too, and Burris. I doubt that you'll miss weekend. Will you?"

Cargo shrugged. "I don't know. Fat aft hasn't told me."

It was a cold chill that settled as Bezel turned toward Cargo. "You better not let him hear you speak like that. He can take you apart with his bare servos."

"Frag him. I'm stuck but I don't have to like it," Cargo said as Lon walked over to stand beside him.

"Hello, Lucien … Laslo. I'm so glad you could come," Lon said. "Are you going to a game?"

Laslo who was flustered turned toward Lon. "We are. Tomorrow. The one with Polyhex and Capital City."

"We'll join you, you, Laslo with Burris and Anders unless we have security at the games. We sometimes have to do a tour at a game," Lon said as he squeezed Bezel's servo. "I didn't see it on the master schedule so probably we can just come and watch for a change."

Raptor came out of the door with Turbine and Orion. The others came, too, carrying infants as Ironhide followed with Halo. Ratchet had no one because the femmes claimed Hero. She was delighted, telling Elita how she had duties now helping the new femme. They were amused as they gathered together.

Arcee turned to the elders. "Appa, I heard you were going to the water park in the Tri-Cities Mall."

"We are," Raptor said as he grinned at Keystock and Cargo. "We were going to play with the infants. I think it might be helpful if you and Keystock come along with us. Nothing like fraternizing within the ranks. What about you and Bezel, Lonny?" he asked.

"I'd love it," Lon said. "We have shift in three joors. We'll have to leave a bit early."

"No problem," Raptor said. "Set an alarm or maybe you can allow me, Old Fat Aft, to do it for you."

It was almost funereal in the room as everyone glanced at Raptor. He was smiling brilliantly. Turning to Turbine, he looked past him to the others. "Atar, Blackjack, you coming? If you are, grab an infant. Anyone who wants to come, follow me. You can't miss it. I have a fat aft." With that, he walked forward with a giant grin toward the elevator that went down. Turbine who was carrying Orion grinned at Laslo, Burris, Anders, and Lucien. "Take care, all of you. Thank you for coming."

The others walked past them, taking the show on the road. Ratchet paused beside Laslo, Lucien, Anders, Burris, Keystock, and Cargo. He grinned. "Raptor can hear a fly cough a thousand miles away. I didn't tell you? Sorry about that, Cargo. You need to ask more questions. Did he release you? He and Hardie?"

They stared at him solemnly, then shook their helms. "No," Keystock said.

"Then you best hurry up. Fun waits for no mech," Ratchet said with a smile. "Make sure when he does that you come home and take care of your genitors. They've had a rough week."

Keystock and Cargo hesitated, then with a nod to their genitors walked for the elevator. They disappeared inside and were gone. Ratchet turned to the four silent mechs beside him. "Fun awaits, infants. I'll walk your genitors down."

Lon nodded as Bezel hugged Ratchet. He hugged Anders, then looked at his father. Haltingly, he walked to his father and hugged him. Burris hugged him back, then Bezel and Lon walked to the elevator to leave. For a moment, there was an awkward silence, then Ratchet turned to the four. "Your children need more from you than coldness and formality. They don't need outmoded ideals and slag. They need you and your company as they find their way. How about adapting to the now and let the past go? Its lucky that your oldest sons aren't in prison and your youngest one is a slagging miracle, Burris."

"Thank you for having us, Ratchet. Is there anything else?" Lucien said coldly as Laslo stared at the floor in misery.

Ratchet considered him a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Come with me." He walked to the elevator, held it until they entered, then all of them disappeared from view.

Half a breem later …

They stood at the ramp that rounded the gigantic pool that generated waves at the Tri-Cities Water Park of Mars. Huge slides gushing water wound all around. Smaller pools for floating, swimming and smaller children were nearby. It was loud and there were a lot of individuals in the water or sliding down into the roiling waves. The air texture was soft with moisture and many was the mech or femme who came here just for that reason, to feel it on their armor. The show was good, the food better and they got a slight sauna. Win-Win for most. The group watched as Drift slid down with Bos on his lap. They yelled all the way, then crashed into the waves to disappear.

Raptor was on the highest diving board. He was laughing loudly at Blackjack who was waiting behind him, then he peered over the edge. **"LOOK OUT BELOW!"** he bellowed as he ran forward. He bounded, then flew upward into the air. Down he came and belly flopped into the pool. Half the water welled out, then ran back into the pool. Going with the water was Lucien, Laslo and Ratchet.

Just like Ratchet knew would happen.

Anders and Burris who managed to stand on their peds stared at the spectacle with amazement. Then Anders turned to Burris. He stared at him a moment, then shoved him into the pool. With a whoop of his own, he leaped in with a splash.

Ratchet didn't know that would happen.

-0-TBC 10-29-17 **edited 10-30-17 edited again 12-25-17  
**

 **NOTES: NOTES!NOTES!NOTES! :D:D:D**

 **Leoness** chapter 173 . Oct 28

*cheers*

 **ME:** :D:D:D Finally. It took a while to get through the 'don't name or tell about it' few pieces.

 **Guest** chapter 171 . Oct 28

I can't wait to know the baby. You've done such a great job at building the mystery.

 **ME:** I had to read and reread the pieces over and over so I didn't slip. :D

I swear, this story has kept me sane over the past few months thank you so much.

 **ME:** I'm so glad. This story keeps me going too. Love ya.

 **Leoness** chapter 171 . Oct 28

And you know, if you aren't there, you're square because you aren't a-round...

 **ME:** BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! :D:D:D

 **Leoness** chapter 168 . Oct 24

*Snickers* the waiting room gets crazier with every new infant.

ME: When my sister had her first kid, we were thrown out of the waiting room by a nurse who thought we were too loud. The doctor had to find us to tell us how it went and thought we had skipped out. He was so mad until we told him. :D I guess I write what I know. ;)

 **optimusprime101:** I got the message. I had to cut down a big tree in a windstorm so I'm a bit slow. I have the suggestion in the file. It would take a pile of thinking to put it in but I love challenges. :D:D:D

NOTES: I am not going to take any word for granted for ESL speakers. There are 46 countries that hit this story. :D:D:D

 **ELS:** A tell is some behavior or quirk that gives you away. A tell is a sign that gamblers look for in opponents that tell when they bluff, when they're losing, etc. It's a dead giveaway. Ratchet knows the tells that give him information about someone's caste, especially high castes. They are behaviors that the offender doesn't know they're making. Experts include behavioral scientists and those who help lawyers pick juries. :D

commiserate: (coh-miss-ur-ate) to feel sympathy for someone. To speak sympathetically with someone.

Sympathy: (sim-puh-th-eeee) a feeling of warmth and loving regard toward someone or something else. If you feel sympathy with someone, you feel their sorrows and pain.


	175. Chapter 175

The Diego Diaries: **BABY!** (dd6 175)

-0-At the Water Park in the Mall of the Tri-Cities, The Mall of Tyger Pax

The splash wasn't heard over the roar of the water and the shouts and laughter of those in it. Raptor who had emptied the pool was coming up at the same time his son, Blackjack, landed next to him. They both sunk down as the water roared out of the pool, caught from flooding the mall by ingenious pool design. It roared upward pulling a grinning mech and his surprised little femme who were watching the fun on the edge of the pool upward with it, then downward into the water as it ran back in. They went down, Blackjack and Raptor, tumbling up to roar with laughter, then down they went again. Springer was climbing the biggest water slide with Sunspot in his arms. The baby was nearly delirious with happiness as they went ever upward. Drift was at the top again with Bos while Sideswipe followed with Co-D , Kup with Spot, and Sunstreaker with Reflector. One-by-one, the pairs slid down nearly 60 miles per hour before hitting the water wrapped up in the arms of their transportation devices aka older brothers and 'uncles'.

Bos, Co-D and Reflector's families who were included now in all things were either climbing slides themselves or holding infants as they splashed in the little pools nearby. Ratchet who had been sucked into the water with Lucien and Laslo reached the surface and spouted like a whale. Dog paddling with a huge smile, he watched as Lucien and Laslo surfaced. Lucien was livid. Laslo, not so much. Laslo looked at Lucien, then grinned. Grabbing him by the arm, Laslo dunked himself pulling a surprised Lucien with him.

It was then that Burris popped up with Anders. Anders was laughing loudly, then gripped Burris by the helm. He dunked him, then paddled toward Ratchet. **"This is fun!** I forgot this was here."

"I come when I can," Ratchet said. "It's more fun with the family. Your kids are pretty great."

"Bezel, you mean," Anders said as they floated together. "Bezel always knew himself. The rest of us? You don't who you are when you don't have to work at it."

"I imagine," Ratchet said as Burris swam toward Anders. Before he could say a word, Turbine slammed into him from the big slide carrying a hysterically laughing Praxus protectively in his arms. The lot of them sunk immediately. Ratchet laughed loudly, then turned to Anders. "Let's slide."

Anders glanced around, spotting Burris treading water with Lucien nearby. **"BURRIS! LET'S SLIDE! COME ON, LASLO! LAST ONE UP IS A DECEPTICON!"** Anders turned toward the side of the pool and began to swim with Ratchet right behind him.

Laslo watched them, then glanced at Lucien and Burris who were staring at Anders as he swam away with a mix of surprise and consternation. "Come on, you two. **TRY** and have some fun." Laslo began to swim to the side of the pool, just missing Hercy slamming in from the big slide with Prowler wrapped in his arms. He continued to the side and climbed out, Burris right behind him.

Anders, Laslo and Ratchet were climbing the slide to the top, the biggest and fastest of the many in this water park. It went around in a lavish convoluted path over the pool twisting and dropping, then climbing again as it ran around half the ceiling of the vast mall, such was the force of the water inside. Individuals on other floors above the first one could watch the participants as they flashed by in the transparent tubes, heading all over the place before going back to the pool to land. The bigger you were, the faster you flew. This particular slide was set to speed at 60 miles per hour but big mechs could go faster. They stared at it gushing out to disappear downward, then Ratchet turned to the pair. "How about we go down like a train. I'll be first. You two are behind me holding on. Okay?"

The two looked at Ratchet, then Laslo looked down the stairs. "Burris and Lucien are coming."

" **THEN WE BETTER HURRY!"** Ratchet said as he moved to stand in the water. It was brutal as he held the bars until everyone was behind him. **"SIT! NOW!"** he said as he sat. The others did, too, hanging on tightly to each other as they shot forward. Burris and Lucien made it to the top at that moment, watching with disbelief as the three took off together in a blast of water. They glanced at each other, then stared at the slide as those behind them began to back up.

 **"GET THE SLAGGING LEAD OUT!"** Blaster said as he held his son. 'Vette who was behind him frowned.

Lucien glanced at the water, then hopped down into it. His peds slipped and he flew away slamming against the sides until he pulled his arms in. Burris was shoved from behind and went down face first. His screams were astonishing.

"That wasn't nice, Blaster," Jazz said as he stood behind a howling Blaster, a curious 'Vette and a smirking Revet. **"** **GET THE LEAD OUT, SON! FUN WAITS FOR NO MECH!"**

With that, Blaster with a laughing shrieking 'Vette jumped into the stream and disappeared. The others followed as well.

-0-On the sidelines

Ironhide sat at a table poolside watching the fun. Soon, someone would come to sit with Halo and he would be in the water. The humans who had come along were gathered around him, those from Earth 1 and Earth2, the Consulate, and Sciences grinning as the mayhem in the pool continued.

:We would die in there: Lennox said as he stepped back from the water spray flying over the retraining wall. The view was great, the mayhem intense and the laughter loud. :How do you keep the water from exploding, Ironhide, in this atmosphere?"

"Additives," Ironhide said. "It works no matter where we are. Put the right ones in, nothing freezes or explodes or boils away. Convenient."

:Another line of science inquiry: Michio said as he listened. :Can you drink it?:

Ironhide considered that. "I wouldn't," he replied with a grin.

At that moment, a perfect storm of onslaught occurred and all of the humans and their segways were swept up with water, then rolled back to the pool to disappear over the side. Ironhide stood up, then waved to the lifeguard. The waves stopped immediately as he ran forward with a net. He fished the humans and their vehicles out, then the waves began again.

-0-Perfect Storm-ville

Ratchet and his train shot through the tunnel of the long twisty slide, all three of them screaming their helms off. Behind them, Lucien jetted like a torpedo, then Burris followed face first like a flailing octopus. Hot on their heels, Blaster, 'Vette and Jazz flashed along. On the diving boards, jumping in at the same time, Raptor, Blackjack, Alor, Hard Drive, and Hercy landed in the pool at the same time. Count in three shoppers stopping for the fun to dive in from the side and there was for a moment, nearly no water in the pool. It rose upward carrying a number of things, then came back in torrentially bearing oddly enough a lot of humans and their little vehicles. Ironhide who had watched them go sat up to his knee assemblies in water before it receded.

Standing on the bottom, floundering in suspension under the water, a good dozen mechs watched the humans flail around. They moved forward to grab them when a big dip net reached in and fished half of them out with a single swipe. Pausing in a circle around those that remained, they watched with fascination as the net came back and got the rest but for one segway that sank to the bottom. Raptor reached for it, then bobbed back up. Treading water to the side, he gripped the pool's edge. Putting the segway down, he smiled. "Someone lost their baby carriage?"

Huge laughter and insults met that as Hard Drive rapped his son on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's make a train. Did you see Ratchet, Laslo and Anders?"

"No, but I'm game," Raptor said as the big mechs hoisted themselves out of the pool. A footrace to the steps over who would be the 'engine' to the train ensued as others joined them to make the biggest train ever.

Ratchet, Anders and Laslo surfaced, then guffawed together. That was when a heavy force landed next to them and all went under. Prowl had joined the game.

-0-Ironhide and Prime

They sat on the sideline sipping a cold beer and eating 'chips and salsa'. Around them, the amusement of the crowd was loud and cheerful with some touching Prime as they passed by. He didn't notice, so common was the occurrence, as they sat together watching Ratchet and Prowl dunk each other. Then Laslo and Anders halted that thrilling hoo-haw, chatted for a moment, then all five including Bluestreak climbed out. They ran for the big slide for another go.

Prime grinned. "I love this place."

"Me, too. When Ada climbs out, let's show them how its done," Ironhide said.

"I agree," Prime said as he sipped his beer. It didn't get any better than this.

Miler and Venture stood on the stairs of the big slide behind Prowl and his mob. They were waiting for Kestrel to work up the nerve to go. Tagg got behind him, they both dropped down, then screamed as they flew away out of sight. Venture grinned. "Good thing you gave Prima to Ironhide, Milie. This is going to be a wild ride."

Miler smiled, then moved into place. Dropping down, he whisked away. Venture grinned. "You were supposed to wait for me." He dropped down and was gone. Prowl who was behind him moved to the front. "Hurry up and get behind me."

" **YOU HOG! I WAS FIRST!'** Ratchet said as he helped Anders, Bluestreak, and Laslo get into place. He joined them, then dropped down and away they went. Prowl would scream all the way down.

-0-Kids

They came down the water slides, big and little, carrying kids in their arms or laps. The nine big kids and their ammas, appa and several of their frame were sitting around watching or sliding themselves along with all the adult family members and friends of all stripes. It was incredibly relaxing and delightful to their neural nets, the humidity and warmth of the area. Shoppers went this way and that, some of them stopping to pay their respects to Optimus and to see the new baby. They introduced their own kids and family members, then went happily on their way. By the time Alor and Delphi dripped over to relieve Ironhide, the two were ready to rumble.

Prime rose, then stretched. "How about making a choo-choo of our own?"

"Only if I get to be the caboose," Ironhide said with a big grin.

"That goes without saying, old friend," Prime said as the two walked to the stairs that led up to the big slide.

Delphi sat, checked the babies who were sleeping, then made an order for food and drink with Alor. "This is going to be good."

"I have my camera ready," Alor said as the two settled in for the fun. It would be, that is. Good.

-0-At the top

Prime stood over the gushing water waiting for the green light to shine. They spaced everyone who rode the slides based on weight determined by a scale built into the platform floorboards so no one would be trammeled by the constant stream of players. Behind him, Ironhide waited to hang on. Prime stepped down into the stream gripping the bars, then glanced at Ironhide. "You better hurr-" he said before he slipped under the pressure and flew away from sight. His bellow and laughter echoed in the big room. Ironhide grinned. "Slagger. Choo-choo," he said, then dived head first into the flow of water and shot at nearly 70 miles per hour into the tunnel.

Raptor, Hardie and Blackjack were bobbing in the water as they planned their next escapade when Prime and Ironhide torpedoed out of the flume. Flashing out airborne for about ten feet, Prime fell with a whoop and a howl into the water swiftly followed by Ironhide, who with his enormous size and weight was airborne as well. Spreading out his arms in a swan dive, his grinning face hit the water and disappeared. Everyone along the walkway of the pool itself was enveloped by the waves and slid into the big pool.

Drift and Springer who were kneeling at the edge of the pool with about ten of the tiniest infants were swept in with them as were half a dozen big kids and one hysterically laughing little Seeker mech. The water looked like it was boiling as everyone swirled around, then everyone came up to the surface. Prime, Ironhide, Springer, Blackjack, Raptor, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Lon, Bezel, Cargo, and Keystock of all mechs, along with Inweld, Lancer, Partition, and Morius stared at each other with gigantic smirks. Then Drift noted someone missing. **"WHERE ARE THE KIDS!?"**

Everyone who was treading water in a pool that was more than 75 feet deep looked down. Standing on the bottom of the pool staring back at them, a good dozen and a half infants were watching their churning peds and waiting to be noticed. When they were, they all smiled including Spot who was sitting on the bottom next to Sunspot.

Adults dived and brought infants up, sitting them on the side in a row. "Are you alright?" Springer asked.

 **"I, ORION, FUNNED! GOING TO THE DOING AGAIN!? SHE TAKE ME THERE!?"** he asked as he pointed to the diving boards. **"I, ORION, LOVE YOU!"** He smiled his gigantic smile. Everyone else nodded with big grins of their own.

Huge laughter greeted that as bots parted out the infants. Then the race was on. As they ran for the stairs to half a dozen less lethal slides, the ones that would allow infants with adult supervision, a train led by Prowl with Ratchet, Laslo, Bluestreak, and a howling Anders as the caboose landed in the water and buried everyone. Insults were exchanged as the bots headed for boards and slides. Ratchet, Anders, Laslo, and Prowl along with Bluestreak, Miler, Kes, and Venture tread water. "That was fun," Laslo said with a smile.

"I love this place. Come here every orn, both of you," Ratchet said. "Doctor's orders."

"I don't think that Lucien would like it here," Laslo said wistfully as he watched Lucien walk with Burris to a table to sit.

"Burris is the same way," Anders said. "They don't seem to get the concept of fun."

"Tell me the last time you went out on the town and got over energized?" Ratchet asked the two as they floated on the water.

Anders looked at him. "Never. I never went out without Burris. We never went out much. That's what the … that's how we lived. He was always working. I … I sort of had nothing to do. It was … lonely."

"Same here. Lucien worked all the time. I finally learned something and taught. I also consulted but we never did anything that wasn't together," Laslo said.

"You sound like Edict. Do you know him?" Ratchet asked.

"We do. Not as well as I want. He seems such a nice sort of mech," Laslo said. "I heard that he works at Full Circle in Terra with Joon."

"He does," Ratchet said as he glanced at Prowl with a wink. Prowl looked at him with a puzzled expression. Ratchet looked at the two. "How about going on the town tonight? The four of us. We can invite the usual crowd as well as Joon and Edict. How about it? Are you ready to drink too much and dance a lot?"

They stared at Ratchet and he could see the war on their faces. They were old fashioned and treated the bond in an old fashioned manner. You didn't do anything that wasn't a couple. Given that war had fractured that thinking, a lot of bonds went after their separate interests. Humans always commented on the number of clubs that were available in the city and how all of them were so active. Ratchet grinned. "I dare ya."

Prowl smirked. "You might get arrested."

Anders looked at him, then Ratchet. "Is that possible?"

"It can happen. We tend to get slag faced and fall down a lot. Sometimes, someone wants to rumble. Don't worry about that part. Prowler, here, is a martial artist."

Prowl frowned at Ratchet, then looked at the others. They were appearing to be thinking seriously about it. Anders moved closer, then glanced at Burris who was sitting on the edge of the pool having moved there with a drink to sit and talk with Lucien as his peds dangled into the water. "If you don't tell Burris, I would like that," Anders said in a burst of independence.

Laslo stared at him, then Ratchet. He nodded. "Me, too."

"Oh frag. This is going to be fun," Ratchet said. "I'll get everyone on it and you can meet us on the corner of Metro 1 and 3. How about 1600 hours? The game will be over and we can do the town. Maybe we can get into fights with fans of different teams."

Prowl grinned. "I'll arrest you myself."

Anders looked from one to the other. "This sounds exciting. We can be a … a team," he said as Laslo nodded. "No one need know but us."

And thus, Ratchet's Squad was born.

-0-TBC 10-30-17 **edited 12-25-17**


	176. Chapter 176

The Diego Diaries: **BABY!** The Aftermath (dd6 176) needs a hammer

-0-At home at last

The family dispersed because some were going on duty and others were going to the game. Sunspot after hugging everyone and kissing the baby, walked off with Bos and his big family. He would be spending the night with them. Spot hopped along with the boys as they ran for the metro. Infants disappeared as big mechs walked off with them. Everyone was informed that a Walk On The Wild Side was going to occur so nabs were swift and final.

Prowler went with Praxus and Raptor. Hard Drive grabbed Orion. The big kids were going to stay with Ironhide 'to help take care of Halo' as was Hero. "I **have** to help, Ada. Atar might need me to help him with Halo. We're femmes, both of us." Then she smiled brilliantly. She would go with her big old dad.

Wandering home, the nine big kids, Ironhide along with Hero and Halo made it to the door of the apartment. They walked in, then turned toward Ironhide waiting with great happiness for the word. He grinned. "Let's make a soft bed on the coffee table for her."

Hero spun in a circle looking for something that might be soft, then looked up at Ironhide. **"WHERE!?"**

"Go with Tru to my berth room and pull the heavy blanket pad out of the bassinet and the blankets. Bring them here, Hero," Ironhide said with a grin.

She nodded, then looked up at Tru. **"TRU! WE HAVE TO HURRY!"** she said, then ran toward the berth room, something that would take a bit of time given her tiny self.

Everyone watched her go, then Tru grinned. "I'll help her. I guess we have to hurry," he said with a chuckle. He followed her down the hallway.

Ironhide pulled the baby from his hold, then watched as Santee and Saber removed things from the top of the table. Ratchet who was watching grinned at Ironhide who grinned back. "You're going to have to feed her. I won't be able to do that until a few joors after taking the cure."

"Sounds like fun," Ironhide said as Hero ran back out of the corridor with Tru behind her. He was carrying the gear and she was arm pumping her way back. Pausing by the coffee table, she looked up at Ironhide. **"ATAR! WHAT NOW!?"**

"We make a bed," Ironhide said. He sat, then directed the placement of the blankets and pillow-like pad. He gently lay Halo out, then unpeeled her blankets. She lay on the white blankets in a half sleep, a shiny little copper, black and white version of Ironhide's face. Her long threads of super tough, super long and shiny copper threads trailed around her. They were thin but not thread-like. One side was a shiny copper color and the other alternated either a very shiny silver or a shiny gold. She was small, very small compared to the others.

"Hard to believe, daughter, that you were that small once," Ironhide said with a grin.

"We were?" Hero asked.

"Yes," Ratchet said as he sat down in his chair. "You start out that small, then every so often you get bigger. You won't be through your first protoform development period until you're just about Sunspot's age. You have four of them until you become fully grown up. You grow so slowly it looks like you don't."

She looked at him, then grinned. "She's so cute."

"So are you and your brothers. All of you infants, big and small, you're very cute," Ratchet said.

All of the kids grinned. "What's the plan, Ada?" Quadrus asked.

"I'm going out with friends tonight," Ratchet said. "Atar is going to stay with you and help out with Halo. All you have to do, Hero, is just relax and watch what Atar does."

She nodded as she stared at the baby. She leaned over Halo, rubbing her cheek with her own little servo. Then she leaned in to kiss her. Standing straight again, she smiled. **"I'LL HELP YOU!"**

"You already do, Hero," Ironhide said with a grin.

Ratchet grinned, then walked to the fridge. In moments, he had a mountain of sandwiches made. He took a bucket of cookie dough out of the back of the fridge, smirked at Ironhide who smirked back from his chair, then grabbed a cookie sheet to make some. He made a mountain of them, laying them on a long platter to cool off. Rummaging around, he made a platter of veggie sticks, sliced 'tomatoes', piled 'lettuce' in a bowl, then turned to the group who were sitting silently all around the room watching him. He took out his camera, took snaps and a couple of videos, then subbed it as the mechs all around the room grinned at him. Hero was loving on the baby who was snoozing. "Aren't you **JUST** the **HANDSOMEST** mechs **EVER!?"** he asked with a dazzling smile.

No one disagreed with him.

"I made everything up. The sandwiches are made and ready to go but for the additives. The condiments are in the fridge along with lettuce and tomatoes. Cookies for desert. Eat your veggies. Plenty of soft drinks and such in the second fridge. Stay out of the booze locker," he said as everyone laughed. A cold box sat on top of the second fridge holding all manner of booze and beer. "I'm going to hike around with the ammas, Prowler and some new friends. If you need me for **ANYTHING,** call me. Okay?" he asked giving everyone a stern optic.

"We will, Ada." -everyone including Ironhide.

Ratchet walked to Ironhide, then lounged on his lap. Ironhide grinned. "Flaunting The Sexy in front of the infants isn't the greatest idea you ever had but I can't complain."

"Really?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile. He then pulled the bulk of his weight from the edge of subspace where he displaced some of it and it all pressed down onto Ironhide. He grunted with surprise and the pressure of that much tonnage sitting on him. It was the only way Ratchet could sit on him without crushing the life out of his aft.

"Frag, Ratchet. Get your aft off before you kill me," Ironhide said as Ratchet stood up.

"Just so you know who's boss," Ratchet said with a big grin. He walked around the room hugging everyone, kissed Hero senseless, then petted Halo. "Call me, okay?"

"Where ya going to be? Jail?" Ironhide asked as Ratchet walked to the door.

Ratchet opened it, then smiled at everyone. "The night is young, Ironhide." He walked out and it closed.

Everyone stared at the door, then Ironhide. Tru leaned slightly forward. "Atar … how did Ada get so awesome?" he asked in a hushed tone as everyone nodded.

Ironhide grinned broadly. "Why, son, he gets that from me." No one laughed at his remark. They believed it down to their superstructures. "Who wants a sammy?" he asked as he rose from his seat. "A drink, a sammy, a cookie or six, and the monster truck rally from Kentucky. How's that for a perfect evening."

The big kids arose, then walked over to help him. Santee smeared 'mayo' on his sandwich. "You know, Atar, this is about as perfect as it gets." Everyone nodded with him.

Ironhide grinned, then turned to look at Hero. She was standing over Halo with her cheek pressed against the baby's. He felt moisture rise in his optics. "You won't get an argument from me, son."

-0-1600 TMC at the corner of Metro Highway #1 and #3

Prowl and Ratchet stood beside Yancy and King as Drift and Springer leaned down to get the marching orders in order for the boozer ahead. They were due at the stadium in Stanix to oversee security at the Tarn v Vos game, always a bare knuckled riot. Then they would find the group and hang with them as per the orders of Optimus Prime. Prowl had questioned that until it was made clear that Prime had actually filed a Primal Order that this be so.

The psychic.

-0-Up in the air again

Coming in the door at the same time was Blackjack followed by the twins. They had decided to skip the game and hang out here. Besides, Sunstreaker had to put the Autobrand on Halo much to Hero's **ENORMOUS** delight. **"SUNSTREAKER! WE HAVE THEM IN THE SAME PLACE! LOOK AT THIS!"** she had said showing him her tiny tat on her tiny shoulder. **"YOU GAVE THIS TO ME WHEN I WAS HER SIZE!"**

"I did," Sunstreaker said as he examined it. "It still looks good. You take good care of it, Hero."

She smiled like the sun. **"I TRY! I'M GOING TO HELP ATAR WITH HALO! ISN'T SHE CUTE!? I THINK SHE'S SO CUTE! WE'RE SISTERS!"**

Sunstreaker grinned, then leaned in to kiss her helm. "I noticed that. We have a lot of little femmes now. You're the oldest femme among the little kids. That makes you important."

She stared at him. "I will try."

"You already do, Hero. All you have to do is be a happy femme and play. See all of us?" he asked as he glanced around at the big mechs settling and the others already there. "We're going to take care of the rest. You go to school, you play, you enjoy and don't worry about a slagging thing. We got this," he said calmly.

She stared at him, her little optics focused on his face, then leaned into him. She hugged him. "I'm so happy, Sunstreaker. I'm so glad you're my brother," she said. She looked at the others. **"YOU, TOO!"**

It would take a while for her to get back to Halo as the mechs in the room passed her around for a hug.

At that moment, walking their way with expectation, the rest of Ratchet's Posse was heading toward the corner.

-0- **Hidey Ho!**

They gathered, a lot of mechs with varying expressions of comfort at the prospects ahead. They were among the usual suspects, Ratchet, Alor, Turbine, Delphi, and Prowl. Also joining them was Kestrel, Miler who was smiling brightly, Bluestreak, Joon who was holding Madura's hand, Madura himself, Edict with Bron-E who looked expectantly happy, Anders, and Laslo. There were fourteen in all waiting for something to happen, more than content to allow Ratchet to be the facilitator of the fun and games and/or jail. Scout and Trooper were staging a major play so they were up to their mud flaps in work. But they were going to be available for trick-or-treat the next orn come hell or high water. The rest of Ratchet's elders were at club dinners which, apparently, happened with regularity. It was a delight for Ratchet that the four of them were so slagging social here.

"Stay out of prison before we get off, okay?" Springer asked.

"I was born to stay out of prison, son. It's society that has the problem," Ratchet said to general laughter.

-0-Up there

Optimus Prime sat in Ratchet's chair with his peds on the coffee table. Sitting on his legs in a row like they were riding a single horse, Sojourner, Solus and Miracle watched the big trucks bounce and blow up. He ate a huge sandwich, cookies, a token veggie so he had plausible deniability, and sipped an ice cold beer as the infants all around the room cheered and jeered. It was boys night in and it was wonderful. That Tagg and Venture had joined them was icing on the (celebration) cake.

More food was ordered in, pizzas and all manner of corn and hot dog. There was a lot of beer and soft drinks, chips and salsa, candy, and ice cream.

Mech food.

The television had been programmed to show car crack ups, action movies, the odd documentary, and a show detailing the fate of the Titanic. The media was on point and so were the refreshments. The big kids were handling the dishes and trash while the elders, Raptor, Hard Drive who had arrived with Orion in his hold, Blackjack with a sleeping Scout in his hold, Venture who had a sleeping Prima, and Tagg who would sleep well given his beer intake (three was enough to put him to sleep) sat on their afts and commented on the byplay on the screen.

"I remember when Optimus drove head on into Motormaster," Ironhide said. "I stood on a hillside and watched it. It was the dumbest thing you ever did, you slagger," he said as he glanced at Prime.

Prime grinned as his children turned around to watch him. The little mechs were spending the night with friends so he only had the littlest ones. "If the weather is just right, I can still feel the headache."

Nine youngling mechs stared at Prime with intense amazement. Everyone knew Motormaster and the Stunticons. "Wow, Lord Optimus," Tru said with great respect. "You must have been crazy to do that."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER!**

"I mean … you could have hurt yourself and where would we be?" Tru stuttered with embarrassment.

Optimus grinned at the big kid. "You are right, Tru. It was crazy but it was worth it. You should have seen Motormaster's face when he came to sentience. It was worth it, all of it."

"Slagger," Ironhide said with a grin. He looked at Halo who looked up at him as she lay in the crook of his arm. Hero, who was sitting on the other arm holding his cookie for him until he leaned down for bites, grinned. She had insisted that she 'help' so she sat on his arm, more an impediment than a help, feeding him cookies that he couldn't reach any other way.

It was very mellow and 'fun' in the Casa Del R v IH.

-0-Street side with the Gang of Four(teen)

"Okay," Ratchet said rubbing his servos together. "We're going bar hopping, then we'll go to the bowling alley, have dinner at Delmonico's in Tetriades, go to the water park, then bar hop some more. I think I want to dance. **GOTTA DANCE! GOTTA DANCE! GOTTTAAA DANCE!"** he said imitating Gene Kelly in an old movie as he stood with a giant smile and his arms spread wide.

Everyone stared at him, some with amusement, others with hopeful and fearful astonishment. Anders glanced around. "I've never danced with anyone but Burris, Ratchet."

"Then this is your lucky orn," Ratchet said slipping his arm through Anders own. "Let's go clubbing shall we?" he asked as he walked forward heading for Club Cybertron, his (get his) freak (on) flag flying. The others followed, some of them tingling with excitement to be 'bad boys' for the first time in their cloistered, well mannered lives.

It was going to be awesome.

-0-TBC 10-31-17

Tonight is Halloween and given that we have no snow and its warm (IN ALASKA!) I will probably have eighteen thrillion kids. I will be typing another piece since I started this one last night and hopefully around the bell ringers and the little ghoulies, I will post it. Halloween for the colony will be one orn off. HUGS to all, everywhere. You are the bestest and the mostest as my dear old Granny used to say. :D:D:D

The Gene Kelly reference is the great dancer Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse who danced to Gotta Dance in Singing In the Rain. Go to you tube and be dazzled. :D

Sammy: short slang for sandwich :D


	177. Chapter 177

The Diego Diaries: Amblin' (dd6 177)

-0-Outside the Club

Ratchet stood in the doorway as 13 others waited behind him, some veterans of bars and others not. He turned to them and smiled. "Let's get a booth. They have really big ones in the back. Follow me." He walked into the bar slapping servos with the odd mech who was there watching the games on the big screens that filled the place. Leading everyone into the lounge from the bar, he found the booth he wanted and slid in. Everyone, one after another, slid in behind him until all were seated, including Prowl and Bluestreak who pulled up chairs to sit in front of the table.

Two waiters seemed to materialize out of thin air to ask for drinks. The n00bies hesitated, so Ratchet ordered high grade drinks called 'split infinitives' but 'virgin'. He grinned at them. "You don't want to get too drunk too soon."

"I'm prepared to crawl home," Miler said with a big smile.

Prowl glanced at his ada with a mixture of revulsion, surprise and **BLAZING** admiration. "I'll steer you there."

"See? What a good son," Miler said to the others who nodded.

"How did all of you get let out to play?" Ratchet asked. Drinks arrived, everyone sipped and approved, then Anders looked at Ratchet. "I sneaked out. I told Burris that I was going to be meditating at the Shrine. He doesn't know that I'm … uh, I'm ... what is it again?" he asked with a slight frown.

"Bar hopping?" Alor asked with a grin.

Anders grinned back. "Yes. I feel so clandestine."

Everyone chuckled at the sweet closeted mech who was bonded with a serious slagger. "Which shrine is yours, Anders?" Turbine asked.

"The Shrine of Onyx Prime. I love him so. Sometimes, I think He hears me when I talk to Him," Anders said.

"He does," Turbine said. "He hears **everyone** who comes to Him in love. He also hears perhaps even more those who come in something less."

"I do. I come in love always and need sometimes. He's my great comfort and protector. I bear his mark on my armor," Anders said as he sipped his drink. "I find a lot of comfort in the shrines. Whoever brought them back is a good spark."

"The priests and the Temple Board. Turbine and **my** Venture are on the board," Miler said proudly. He was drinking high grade and already the buzz was strong in him.

Madura glanced at Miler with a grin, then looked at Ratchet and Prowl. "I'm so glad to come tonight, Ratchet. I think I can go outside again. Vinn has helped me so much," he said smiling at Joon who smiled back.

Ratchet clicked his beer bottle against Madura's glass. "That's the point. We all have to rejoin life again. It waits for no one, apparently."

"I've never really had friends," Madura said. "I doubt that any of us in highly placed, high caste bonds can say differently," he said glancing around. "Not like this, anyway."

Miler nodded. "That's very true," he said. "Everything was geared to social restrictions on our behavior and advancing whatever career was ascendant in the bond."

"I hated how you had to entertain because of Atar when you didn't want to," Prowl said to his ada. "You wanted to work on math and he had to do the rounds."

"We both hated it. But that's what it was," Miler said.

"I withdrew. Then that became just another kind of prison," Madura said.

"The more I hear about the high castes, the more I'm glad not to be one," Bluestreak said.

The others nodded. "Sometimes when a system has been in absolute power too long, the way of living in it gets cast in stone. I never liked it," Madura said. "I had freedom growing up because my father doted on my brother."

"Do you know where they are, Madura? And Proteus's family?" Ratchet asked gently.

"They were off world when The Fall happened. I **will** say this for both of them, they got me on a ship, though I was separated from Proteus. He had gone earlier somewhere with Sentinel. He was supposed to be back in a few orns but he never did come. It was so hard," he said softly.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. "That's where **we** come in. Everyone raise your right servo."

Everyone did but Prowl. Ratchet grinned at him. "Raise your right servo or suffer The People's Elbow."

Prowl complied with ill grace. "Like this, slagger?" he said making a rude gesture with his hand.

Miler laughed loudly. "That's my Prowler," he said with a chuckle.

Prowl looked at his ada with astonishment, then removed the gesture forth with.

"Fair enough," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Solemnly swear that you will abide by the Rules of The Code."

"I solemnly swear I will abide by the Rules of the Code." -Everyone, even Madura

"I am now and always will be a member in good standing of Ratchet's Squad."

"I am now and always will be a member in good standing of Ratchet's Squad." -everyone but Prowl

"You didn't swear." -Ratchet

"Why is it **your** squad. Why isn't it **my** squad?" -Prowl, slightly miffed and a ***SMIDGE*** entitled

"There, there, son. I'll be in your squad," Miler said, then smiled brilliantly as he signaled the waiter for another drink.

"You're getting slag faced, Ada," Prowl said with a slight frown.

"He's adorable," Ratchet said. "Swear, slagger, or I'll close the meetings to non-members."

Prowl stared at Ratchet with The Look almost longer than most were comfortable with at the table and three others surrounding. "Okay. I swear, Loon. What now?"

" **THE RULES, OF COURSE!"** Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. "They're very simple. Everyone is for each other. We'll be friends until the end. If someone is sad or lonely, everyone of us is there for them. We meet periodically to play and chat, camping in the Valles, horseback riding and renting a couple of rooms at Hotel Praxus to party being just some of the activities I've come up with. This also means automatic membership in our Book Club which will meet regularly to eat junk food, get slag faced and write stories." He glanced around. "Who has the story we're all writing?"

Miler grinned. "I do and I will tell you, its taken a dark turn."

"I'm going to be your guide dog, Ada. I don't know how long you're going to make it at this pace," Prowl said like a good son.

"That would be so nice, Prowl. Did you know what a good son he is? I'll tell you," Miler began before Prowl cut him off. Miler grinned at him as he sat back relaxed and ready to rumble.

"I'll help you, Atar," Bluestreak said with a grin at a slightly scandalized Prowl.

"We also have to confess all our deepest darkest secrets to each other," Ratchet said with a smile. "I just put that in to see if you're still coherent, though I'm open to confession." He smiled brilliantly. "Also, we need to meet for lunch on a regular basis and tell 'facing stories. I have **so much** to tell you-"

Huge laughter greeted that including a gagging reflex from Prowl. Ratchet sat back with a smile. "Those are the rules. You're bound by them for eternity. All hail, Ratchet."

They did. They also had to pinkie promise ala Hero and **her** Squad.

Sitting nearby watching the game on the monitor overhead, Barricade glanced at the table filled with some of the bots he love/hated most, then glanced at the others. They were watching, too. It would be a long afternoon.

-0-A joor later

They walked out, a long line of laughing smiling bots. They were officially 'Ratchet's Squad. Having researched 'squads, Swift, Taylor' on the internet, they were filled with amusement and ideas about fun both now and later on down the road. Even Madura was feeling buoyant.

"Where to now, oh Grand Poobah of the Squad?" Turbine asked as he walked arm-in-arm with Bluestreak.

"I think we need to bowl. I have word that when the boys got shit faced, they bowled and rode horses. If we can't follow in the ped steps of our great Lord and Master, Ossimus Prime, then what is there to live for?" Ratchet asked with conviction.

"You're mocking me," Prowl said as he walked past Ratchet holding his ebullient ada's arm. "Loon."

"You're my mentor and role model, Prowler. You forget the important things so easily," Ratchet said as they walked onward to the Metro. They would be at the bowling alley in no time.

-0-At the Bowling Alley, King Pin on 7th and Gemini, Tetriades

"How are you doing, Amma Milie?" Bluestreak asked.

Milie grinned. "I'm doing great," he said as he walked along between Bluestreak and Prowl.

They walked into the bowling alley, got their balls and instructions, then found three lanes side-by-side. They stashed the balls, then Ratchet took one, his, and walked to the line. "I was told that you're supposed to run up to it and let it fall out of your servo. Here goes," he said walking back a bit. Holding his ball, he walked forward, then swung his ball downward. Leaning forward from a dead stop, he mathematically sent it in the perfect arc to the pins. They went down in a crash. He looked at the alley, then Bluestreak who was keeping score for all of them. **"HA! I, RATCHET, LEADER OF THE SQUAD DID SLAY ALL MY ENEMIES!"** He sashayed back, took his beer into servo and downed half of it. "Your turn, Miss Priss."

Miler and Anders stood, then were pulled down again by Joon and Edict as Prowl glowered at Ratchet. He took his ball, made a perfect stance because he had studied the videos on Youtube on the way over and let the ball fly. It killed its quarry, too. He turned to the group, then remembered he had to do the idiot dance, too. **"I, PROWL, THE GREATEST DETECTIVE IN PRAXUS DID SQUASH LAW AND DISORDER WITH THESE TWO SERVOS!** These servos … you may stare at them, minions. I give you permission."

 **HUGE** laughter and more booze greeted that. Miler walked up, got his ball, then turned to the group. Pointing a finger into the sky, he began. **"I, MILER** …!" he began.

"Amma, you have to say that **after** you slay your enemies," Bluestreak said as he pointed to the pins down the lane.

Miler glanced at them, then laughed. **"OH! RIGHT!"** He turned around, then tossed the ball onto the lane. It bounced three times before rolling to the pins. It had only enough speed to hit the first one but it toppled all of them. Miler stared at it, then turned and pointed his finger into the sky **. "I, MILER, DID COME HERE TO GET SLAG FACED AND DESTROY THINGS! VENTURE WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT AND MY ADA WOULD HAVE A FIT! I HAVE … SPOKEN!"** he finally squeezed out. He weaved back to the table and sat, taking up his drink again.

"Your ada is adorable," Ratchet said as he smiled with delight at Miler.

Prowl who was looking at Milie with something a bit less cheerful glanced at him. "Did you ever doubt?"

"Yes," Ratchet said with a big smile.

Joon walked up, laid one down and aced it. She hopped in place like a sparkling, then smiled at everyone in their lanes and two over. **"I, JOON OF TYGER PAX, DO LOVE THE WORLD TONIGHT! I AM PRESIDENT OF MY SOCIAL CLUB AND A MEMBER OF RATCHET'S SQUAD! ALL HAIL ME!"**

 **HUGE** laughter and hails from all around the place greeted that as she danced back to her seat and her drink.

"We better get virgin drinks or they're going to get hurt," Prowl said worriedly.

"I have the cure," Ratchet said as he took his second beer of the night.

In this place.

"What if you're too slag faced?" Prowl asked.

"Then call 911. Did you know the emergency numbers in other countries are 999 sometimes? Remember that. Check what they are if you ever go there," Ratchet said to be helpful, if pointless.

"Why would I and when?" Prowl asked as he watched Edict and Anders both get their balls. "How about now?" he asked as the two put them down and rolled them together to the pins. They annihilated them.

Hugging each other, they turned to the group who smiled at them gigantically. Anders laughed. "You go first, Edict. You're taller."

Edict laughed. "That one was for Hobbes. **TAKE THAT, HOBBES! I CAN GO SOMEWHERE AND HAVE FUN WITH FRIENDS ON MY OWN!"**

Anders looked at him and began to exhibit the beginnings of a maudlin drunk. **"THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! I'M GOING TO TELL THAT TO BURRIS!"** he said, then flung his arms around Edict. They hugged, then walked back to sit and slug them down as the drinks kept coming, though every other one of them now was a virgin drink.

Alor, Delphi, Turbine, Bluestreak, and Bron-E aced it, doing hilarious victory speeches for all and sundry. Then Kestrel walked up. He lined up, ran gracefully down to the line and laid the ball gently on the ground. It spun beautifully, arced perfectly, then sank every pin.

" **RINGER!"** Ratchet said as the big self-effacing mech turned toward them showing something of his big son's genuine sweetness as he did.

"Tagg and I play," Kestrel said as he walked happily back to sit.

Laslo took his ball and put it to one side knocking down half the pins. A bit of math and a mechanical adjustment of his curve and he got the spare with all the pins down. He turned to the group, then laughed. "I think you spoke for me, Anders," he said as he walked happily back.

Madura looked at the ball rack, then rose to take one. He paused to look back at the others. "I'm not going last next time," he said with a chuckle. He walked to the line, got on his knees, gauged the distance and the curve, then shoved the ball. It rolled straight into the middle and knocked them all down. He stared at the pile up for a moment, then rose. He raised both arms in the air with exaltation. **"YES! TAKE THAT!"** He turned to the others with a smile. "That felt good."

Ratchet laughed as he got his ball. "Good. Let's see who's the winner."

They played a pretty cut throat game with several of them winning before staggering out into the blazing cold of Martian night time. Standing on the corner under a light, Madura turned to Ratchet. "I've never ridden a horse before. I want to do things that I never did. I want to have experiences, Ratchet," he said.

Ratchet hugged him off his peds. **"THEN YOU JOINED THE RIGHT POSSE!"** he said, then hesitated. "I think I'm slag faced."

" **WE ALL ARE, INFANT! THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE!"** Delphi said with a guffaw. "Horses it is. Follow me," he said as he started off down the street. Turbine ran to get him, then they all turned the other way to go to the metro and the roundabout ride to Fortress Metro #1 and destiny.

-0-TBC 10-31-17 **edited 12-25-17**

 **HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**

Trick-or-treat is getting going. I will keep writing. I hope to have another one up tonight. Or not. ;)

ESL

Maudlin: (mod-lin) a weepy, emotional state of being, usually when drunk or impaired in some way. Sometimes, its someone who is overly sentimental like my great aunt Mildred. :D:D:D

virgin drink: a drink that is completely fake liquor or watered down. It keeps you from getting drunk too fast or it helps a reformed alcoholic have a 'drink' with the boys/girls without paying for it later.


	178. Chapter 178

The Diego Diaries: Amblin' (dd6 178)

-0-At the Autobot City Stables

The horses were saddled, waiting for their riders, their tails swishing almost in unison. They were huge and beautiful, a mix of mechs and a couple of femmes, smaller mares that were chosen for the more timid. None of the horses were out of bounds, all of them chosen for newbies, and as the handlers got them ready, the riders took stock of things.

"We have been riding, Ratchet," Kestrel said. "Orion and Tagg like to ride around the area and I ride them, too. It took a while for me to try but I love this," he said as he was helped up on a white horse, a big robust male who could carry a mech Kestrel's size. Kestrel was self effacing, low key and still on a recovery path from a very long traumatic experience on Cybertron during the Occupation. His demeanor made him seem less robust and assertive than the others in his family but he was no small bot. He sat his horse, gathering the reins, then smiled at Ratchet. "Last one in the arena is a slowpoke." He tapped his horse and the big animal, one of those belonging to Prowl and Optimus began to move toward the big open doors.

" **PONY UP, POSSE!"** Alor said as he clambered onto his horse. The rest were helped or climbed on by themselves, then began to wander into the huge covered arena. The seating which surrounded the arena was empty of individuals as they clip-clopped in.

Ratchet rode in with Anders, Edict, Laslo, and Delphi, sticking with them because the first three had never ridden before. "If you want them to go faster, gently tap their sides with your heels. Gently." Ratchet did and he began to lope ahead. Edict followed, then the others as they cantered around the big open space together. Soon, fourteen individuals were riding around the big open space, laughing and guffawing as they circled and came back around.

Edict glanced at Joon with a big smile. "I think I love this. How do you get to do this?"

"I think you come and take a spin during open riding joors, Edict," Joon said as she galloped past on a small spritely mare.

"I think I'm going to come," Edict said as Laslo and Anders caught up with him. They rode along together, enjoying the freedom of the activity. "I think this is wonderful."

"I like this a lot," Laslo said. "I didn't know that riding was so much fun. Lucien would never do this. I may have to do this by myself."

"Ask him to come, Laslo," Anders said. "I don't care if Burris wants to or not. I like this."

Madura rode along by himself, then grinned at Ratchet as he galloped up, then slowed to match his stately pace. "How are you doing, Madura?" he asked.

Madura glanced at him, then grinned. "I think I'm going to need some practice. I do like this very much. I wonder if Proteus would do this with me?"

"Ask," Ratchet said. "You know … when you talked about not having friends and having to support the bond, it made me sad. There's two in your bond, Madura. You have as much right to do what you want as he did."

"I know," Madura said. "Its weird to remember it. I had a lot of freedom growing up because of Atar spending his time and effort on my brother. I could come and go. I liked to try things, anything. When I bonded, it was like going into prison. I love Proteus. He's a good mech but it meant that everyone watched you, scrutinizing you for advantage. I felt constricted and then, I didn't do things. I stayed home and never came out."

"You're out now," Ratchet said. "You're riding a slagging horse," he said with a laugh. "You get as much say here as anyone else. Remember that. Get Proteus here. Ask for one of my horses. Ride them."

"How many horses do you have, Ratchet?" Madura asked as Bluestreak and Delphi flashed past, racing each other around the arena.

"Prowl and I have about 11 horses each. One of them is strictly Sunspot's horse. The others, they belong to us and we lend them out to the Watch and to the Autobot Scouts. They have a merit badge to earn that pertain to horses. Since we run that, we got the horses. Win-win," Ratchet said.

"You have an interesting life," Madura said.

"You can, too, if you want it badly enough," Ratchet said. "I see nothing but blue skies for you. I don't see why you can't jump in and do whatever you want. How's Proteus doing now?"

"He's terribly happy. He works at the Halls of Order. He liked what he does and who he works with. He's relieved to be useful. Having him in the prison was so terrible. He wants to do something that helps. Heatout has been very kind. They have conversations together. Proteus has a very good education and they have things in common," Madura said. "It's been good and for me, it saved me, Ratchet. If Prime hadn't done this for him, I'd be housebound, still."

"Then good all around," Ratchet said as the group including Kestrel rounded the bend and passed them at a gallop. "Look at that."

Laslo, Anders and Joon who came up on Ratchet and Madura laughed and waved at the group as they headed onward. After a bit of riding, they sped up and soon were galloping around the arena as well. Laughing, waving, sobering up a bit, they continued for a while, then rode toward the gates again. One-by-one, they rode through it and headed toward the big paddock where half a dozen grinning mechs and two femmes waited. Joking and guffawing, everyone dismounted, Alor falling to the ground when he tried, then the horses were turned in. They were hugged and kissed, then the group gathered to go.

Alor bowed, then smiled with his arms spread wide. **"THANK YOU, HORSES! THAT WAS FUN!"**

A good fourteen horses gazed passively at Alor before Bluestreak and Delphi grabbed his arm. Walking out, some of them singing loudly, the group walked to the sidewalk that would take them to the Fortress Metro Station and onward to destiny.

-0-At an apartment high in the sky

"Atar, what are you doing now?" Hero asked as she stood on the floor watching Ironhide at the sink.

"I'm putting Halo into her sleeping onesie," he said. "She's so small, she might need extra warmth. Ada told me to do this."

"He did?" Hero asked as everyone in the room watched the big mech gently handle the tiny femme with the glittering 'hair'. "Can I help you?"

"You can keep talking to me," Ironhide said. "I think I need confidence. You can give me confidence. It's been a while since we had one this small."

"Okay," Hero said. "How do I give you confidence, Atar?" she asked sweetly.

"You keep talking to me. Just hearing your voice makes me feel great," Ironhide said with a grin. He slid Halo into a Seeker bag, then put her on his arm. Looking down at Hero, he grinned. "I couldn't have done it without you."

She smiled like the sun, then followed him back to his chair. He sat, then she looked around. "Your cookie plate is empty."

Ironhide grinned. "Whatever will I do?"

" **I'LL GET YOU MORE!"** she said with excitement. Taking his dish, walking over to the kitchen, she put it on the floor and looked at the counter.

"Do you need help, Hero?" Tru said as he leaned forward to watch her.

She smiled at him. **"I GOT THIS, TRU! THANK YOU, THOUGH!"** She turned to the problem at hand, then tugged a chair closer. Climbing up, she gathered a few of the cookies Ironhide liked, then looked at the plate on the floor. Carefully, slowly, she aimed each cookie to drop on the plate. They landed, all six of them. She climbed down, then bent to grip the plate. Dragging it slowly and with effort toward his chair, she finally reached it. Everyone in the room watched her, mesmerized by her plucky tenacity.

Ironhide leaned over the chair to pick up the plate and put it on the end table next to it. Looking down at his daughter, he watched as she clambered up, moving to sit on the arm. She picked up a big cookie and held it up to him. He leaned down and took a bite. Chewing it a moment, he grinned. 'Thank you. That was amazing."

She smiled with great happiness. So did everyone else.

-0-At Macadam's Old Oil House

They pushed tables together and sat amid the crowded bar filled with youngling mechs, a few femmes and a bunch of younger soldiers. It was noisy, filled with laughter and talk, and nearby, pool and dart games were going strong. They ordered, then sat back with grins. Some of them were starting to sober up and that wasn't going to do. Miler grinned. "There's a lot of good looking mechs in here. If I were several eons younger and single, this would be where I would come."

"We never did. **I** never did, anyway. What about you, Madura? Edict?" Joon said. "We never got to just run around in my family. I have never enjoyed myself so much just running around tonight."

"No, we never did," Edict said. "If it wasn't school, it was clubs and hanging out helping the family do this and that with the career."

"I got more freedom and I used it," Madura said. "I got to go around the city as long as I didn't get into trouble."

"Lucky you," Laslo said. "I was set up to go to University and make something of myself. It took a long time to find out what I liked. Futurism and planning, that was fun." He sat a moment. "Both of them deal with freedom."

It was silent a moment, then a fight broke out at a pool table. Everyone turned to watch as two big mechs who worked as bartenders and bouncers walked over with crowbars. The argument settled almost immediately, then it all began again.

Joon grinned. "That looked like it was going to be something."

" **WE AREN'T DRUNK ENOUGH!"** Ratchet said. **"WAITER! MORE!"**

They would get their drink on.

-0-At the top of the world

The last mech wandered out, leaving the mess behind at Ironhide's insistence. Six of the big kids volunteered to stay to help but were let go to make it home. They were also required to message that they got there since the night had arrived. Games were long past over and there would be a lot of fights and hoo-haw out there. They left at last leaving Ironhide with Fireball, Genesis, Quasar, Hero, and Halo. The other infants were grabbed by their grandfathers and carried off with them. Glancing around, Ironhide grinned. "We better police this space, infants. Old mech will slap us around if we don't."

The three big boys grinned. **"ON IT!"** they said. It was amazing how fast they cleared the place up and put things to right. Hero would straw boss from the top of the table. Ironhide would sit in his chair with a grin and his latest dollie.

-0-On the sidewalk heading for the next bar

Prowl weaved beside his ada who was feeling no pain and Bluestreak. Everyone was feeling awesome as they walked along the street heading for the club. It was a dance club, one with music, good food and better drinks. The streets were filled with mechs and femmes heading together for fun. Everyone was in a good mood as they went their way. They reached Club Domino, then entered. It was loud and the dancing was going hard. They reached a table near the wall and sat. Ordering drinks, they began to get loaded, laughing and telling jokes when a small mech with a great aura walked to their table. He paused, then laughed. **"Well, hello!"** he said with a giant smile.

Everyone turned to look. Then Ratchet smiled gigantically himself. **"MISTERMASTER! YOU SLAGGER, YOU! HOW YA BEEN!?"**

-0-TBC 11-1-17 **edited 12-25-17**

ESL:

self-effacing: humble

plucky: tough, never give up

tenacity: sticking to something until its done, the act of doing it


	179. Chapter 179

The Diego Diaries: Amblin' (dd6 179)

Heads up: To be 'half in the bag' is to be drunk **ALMOST** past the point of no return.

-0-There

" **MISTERMASTER!"** Ratchet smiled at the little mech who was looking at everyone with a gigantic smile of his own. **"YOU OLD REPROBATE!** Where have **YOU** been? Besides jail ..."

He smirked. "I have been on the trail of beauty and love," he said as he found a chair, He wedged it in between Prowl and Ratchet, then sat. "What are we talking about?"

"Life in the high caste lane. We've decided that it reeks as a way of doing things," Ratchet said.

"You're just finding that out **now**?" he asked with a big smile. "I have always known that. I have to say, this is the best place I've ever been. I can mingle with anyone and find the love that is so elusive." He grinned. "I am all about l'amour."

"Jail will get you sooner or later," Prowl said with a slight frown. "You are, after all, a bit on the crazy side."

The little mech laughed, then patted Prowl's arm. "I am a gentleman, Prowl. If I wasn't, I would jump at you from behind things to show you my deep and abiding love."

"I do believe you do that now, Mistermaster," Ratchet said with a huge smile.

Everyone snickered. All of them knew directly or indirectly about him. Almost none of them knew that he was Prime's spy during the run up to oblivion. He had saved countless lives by giving Prime the heads up. He had personally gone into terrible situations where he would have been eviscerated if anyone had known to get intel. He was a strange little mix of half witted amour, enormous intellect and steely resolve to serve all The People and the Prime that he loved, this prime. Optimus was the only one he had ever met in a fabled and fabulous lifetime who understood him.

Prime also knew not to underestimate him, either.

The waiter came, everyone ordered, then they sat back to watch the dancing and a possible fight in the corner as a heated argument over football began to build. Ratchet glanced at Prowl who was frowning. "What do you want to do, Prowler? Do we intervene or wait for the chairs to fly?"

Every inch of Prowl wanted intervention. Every inch of him wanted peace and fun for the group, too. Every inch of him was half in the bag. He sat and watched with a glower. Everyone looked from him to the rising argument up to and including when the mechs arguing rose and swung on each other.

" **OH, MY! SOMEONE IN THE THROES OF PASSION IS MAKING HIS POINT!"** Mistermaster said as he held his drink. "Emotions are so pure and-" A bottle thrown his way missed him by inches as he ducked like the expert he was. He smiled at the others, some of which were ducking down to crawl under the table. **"NEVER FEAR! THEY MISSED!"**

Then two more tables erupted and it was on.

-0-So far …

Under the table … Kestrel, Anders, Laslo, and Edict bumped helms as overhead things flew. Crouching down as she watched, Bron-E gripped the table to peer over. Joon joined her, then both ducked as glasses flew overhead. **"THIS IS SO EXCITING!"** Joon said as she huddled on the floor with Bron-E. Oddly enough, Bron shared her excitement.

Miler and Kestrel were dragged into an empty booth nearby and pressed down on the seating. Bluestreak turned to watch, then ducked two different bottles thrown his direction. He saw Madura huddling nearby, then hurried across to shelter him with his own body. **"COME ON, MADURA!"** he said as he grabbed the big bot's arm. They fled across the room to the booth where Madura crawled under the table. He looked at the three looking at him. **"I'LL PROTECT YOU! STAY DOWN!"**

Alor fell over backward from his chair when the table fell onto him as everyone there stood up to defend themselves from the flying debris from several tables nearby. He lay on his back struggling to get up as big mechs fought over the top of him. Delphi, who rose up with Turbine, Ratchet and Prowl, staggered, then went down as a mech punched him really, **really** hard just because. It was a frenzy now. Prowl yelled, then took one hard in the face. Ratchet stared at him getting hit, got mad, then moved forward to trip over Mistermaster and fall on his face. Turbine seeing half the family on the ground slammed his fists together, then moved forward to fight. He tripped over Alor and fell over him, landing in the middle of a fight. He stood up and then found himself the punching bag of three big mechs. They landed enough punches that Turbine went down, heading as it were, to sleepy land.

It was a melee.

-0-At the intersection of somewhere and somewhere else

"Oh frag. They have a brawl at Club Domino. Where are they on your sensors, Drift?" Springer said as he mounted up again.

Drift smirked. "Ground zero," he said.

"Oh frag," Springer said with a chuckle. "Prime is going to have my aft. Let's motor." With that, they headed out at a gallop to be joined by Lon, Bezel, Hercy, Kup, Sandstorm, and Twin Twist. They would all arrive at the same time...

… just in time to miss the last Paddy Wagon heading out for the jail.

-0-Club Domino

It was a scary frenzy, then it wasn't as a mob of beat cops and those who roved with them entered to gather up the slaggers. Several drove detention vehicles, the so-called 'Paddy Wagons' as old time anti-Irish New York City used to call them. They descended like a plague of locusts on the club. When they entered, they gathered up those laying on the ground. A lot of punters went and so did a groggy Delphi, a groggy Turbine, a Prowl, of all mechs, who was out cold from a chair hitting him full on the face, a staggering and laughing Ratchet, an Alor who was also out cold as a wedge, and an indignant Miler who had to be pried off a mech who had hit Prowl in the face with a chair.

The others crawled out from different places and under things, then gathered around the police. "You aren't arresting them, are you?" Madura asked anxiously.

"We are. We have to. The courts will sort them out," a big cop said.

"Then you have to take us, too. We're a squad," Madura said as he glanced at the others. They nodded as well.

"On what charges?" the big mech asked as he grinned at the obviously well bred mechs who probably never broke a rule in their lives.

Madura thought a moment, then punched the mech in the chassis. Madura wrung his servo a moment in pain, then stared upward defiantly. That was when the others punched him, too. It didn't hurt but it was cute. The officer grinned, then pointed to the door. "That away."

Following Madura, they walked out to the paddy wagon, several high castes, a resigned mid caste named Bluestreak and Optimus Prime's Ada.

They were gone before everyone else arrived.

Mistermaster stood on the sidewalk waving them farewell with his half finished drink in his other servo.

-0-At the lock up at Autobot City Courthouse, Jail Intake

Three paddy wagons rolled into the driveway that led inside to the jail. One of the drivers jumped out and with jailers waiting, opened the doors to the truck. It took a moment to get the belligerent mechs who started it all who were inside out of the van and heading for the lock up inside. The next was unloaded, then the third was opened for its bounty. Out staggered a number of Praxian Elites, their in-laws and a handful of very prim-looking civilians who were sober as judges.

"This way to your new accommodations," one of them said, then he turned to the sober handful. "You know … loyalty is great but you don't have to be here."

Joon, Madura, Edict, Bron-E, Anders, and Laslo glanced at each other, then turned almost as one to the big grinning Watchman. "We have to. We're a squad," Edict said as the others nodded.

He grinned broader, then gestured for them to follow the others inside. They walked forward like someone's granny, which some of them were, heading toward the first jail they had ever seen let alone been locked up in. The grinning Watchman followed.

Inside, it was the usual bedlam as everyone stood, jumped up and down or sagged in the preliminary holding cells. The desk Sargent, a bored looking mech this night named Tolo glanced at the guards and Watchmen who were stashing individuals in cells. "What's the haul this time?"

The big Watchman, Tesoro, turned to Tolo. "We have a buncha fighters … football … a number of highly placed officers of Cybertron and their squad," he said as he glanced at the prim slightly tense group standing in a cell by themselves. Next to them were the first bunch of brawlers in various states of disrepair. Next to them were more, then the 'highly placed officers of Cybertron' who were sitting or laying on the benches inside watching the birdies sing.

"Oh frag. That's Ratchet, Prowl … is that Delphi? … and **Turbine**? My ada is going to be interested in why his spiritual teacher is in here … who are the others?" Tolo asked.

Tesoro looked, then glanced at Tolo after scanning them. "Prime's stepson, Bluestreak, his in-law, Miler and … oh, oh … his ada, Kestrel."

Everyone looked at Kestrel who sat on a bench half in the bag. He grinned, then waggled his fingers in a little wave.

"Who are the others?" Tolo asked. "Are they all in this group?"

Tesoro nodded, then grinned. "The squad," he said as he scanned their transponders as he had the others. "They're Anders, Madura, Laslo, Joon, Bron-E, and Edict. All civilians without a criminal record. I can't vouch for the others."

Tolo looked at them. "What are you in for?" he asked.

Madura stepped forward, then squared his shoulders. "Fighting, your honor," he said firmly.

It was at that moment that Ratchet finally sobered up.

-0-Springer, Drift, et al

"You're too late. Everyone got hauled off." Mistermaster saluted them with his drink and a giant smile.

Springer stared at the bouncer who nodded as he stood next to the little mech, a big grin on his face. It was then that Springer ran for his horse. They mounted up, then galloped off like Hop-Along Cassidy and his sidekick(s). The bouncer watched them go, then grinned. "I think I'm in the wrong business." He walked back into the bar to put things to rights, Mistermaster following.

-0-At Ironhide's house

Ironhide opened the door to see Prime and Tagg standing in the hallway. "What's up?" he asked.

"Guess who's in jail?" Optimus asked with a grin.

Ironhide grinned. "Well, probably Ratchet and Prowl ..." Then he frowned slightly at Prime's grin. **"YOUR ADA!?"**

Moments later …

They gathered on their street corner of the city, coming together at Metro #1 and #3. Hard Drive, Raptor, Blackjack, Ironhide, Prime, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Venture, and Tagg congregated, then Ironhide grinned. "I blame Ratchet until we get the whole story."

Everyone laughed, then followed Optimus as he walked across the highway … at the light … then continued down Cultural Center Road to the Courthouse. It was a light sense of deja vu among most of them as they made their way. Tagg who was new to the insanity and Venture who was terribly impressed with 'My Miler' ambled along, too. The driveway to the jail entrance beckoned, then they arrived, halting outside together. "Do we need to call the others? By the way … who has your kids?" Ironhide asked.

"We have them," Sunstreaker said patting his hold. "We brought them along."

Prime grinned. "Giving Kaon another shot at jail are we?"

Venture bristled. "My baby … a jail bird."

Everyone laughed, then walked into the brightly lit room.

-0-Earlier

"Name."

"Ratchet of Iacon and parts **everywhere** ," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Occupation."

"Medical doctor and ambassador to one and all."

Tolo grinned. "Couldn't you figure out how to prevent this, slagger?"

"It was hard when a battlefield erupted all around us from out of nowhere," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"Name."

"Prowl of Praxus. **YOU KNOW WHO I AM!"** Prowl said before Ratchet shot him the cure. He slumped a moment, then looked at Ratchet. "What took you so long with the cure, loon?"

"You're a cute drunk," Ratchet replied.

"Occupation?" Tolo asked because he could. The slagger.

Prowl stared at him with an unamused expression. "Officer in the army."

"Name."

" **DELPHI OF THE ARMY OF THE PRIME! I CAME FROM PRAXUS!"** Delphi said with a big smile and outspread arms until Ratchet wifi-ed him the cure. He sagged, then frowned at Ratchet. "Save Turbine and the others, infant, or I'll paddle you."

"This is more fun," Ratchet said.

Delphi looked at Turbine who was still blotto. "You're right," he said with a smile.

" **NAME!"**

" **TURBINE OF THE LOST TRIBE! TURBINE OF PRAXUS! TURBINE WHO IS AMMA TO THE CUTEST LITTLE MECH! MY IRONHIDE! MY SWEET LITTLE BABY BOY! THAT'S ME!"** Turbine then walked around the intake desk and hugged Tolo. He was hugging Tesoro when the cure hit him. He looked at Tesoro, then the others. "What the frag?"

" **NAME!"**

" **I AM ALOR, THE ONE WHO WRITES DOWN STUFF AND I SING!** Do you want to hear me?" Alor asked sweetly.

Everyone did so they took a moment for a beautiful song from the Great Alor of Iacon before the intake continued. "Occupation?"

" **LOVE! I SPREAD LOVE FAR AND WIDE! I ALSO MAKE GOOD PANCAKES!** My sweet baby likes it when I make them into bunnies," Alor said with a giant smile. He looked at the others. **"I, ALOR OF IACON, WILL GO TO JAIL WITH MY FAMILY! MY DEAR FAMILY!** Boy, Blackjack is going to be bent out of shape." He laughed loudly as the family debated getting him sober. The vote was tied so they left him drunk.

"You lot are in the same cell," Tolo said with a grin. "Thank you, Maestro, for the musical interlude. Right now, the rest of your squad needs a word with me. Wait over there by the door."

"We want to sleep it off together. Our squad gives me life," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He looked at the others. "My kids really know their slang."

Everyone but Prowl laughed.

Their cell opened and the other 'squaddies' stepped out.

"Name."

"Madura of Iacon. I am here for assaulting a watch officer. I plead guilty," Madura said with no small satisfaction.

Tolo grinned at him. "Save it for the magistrate. Your occupation?"

Madura considered that. "I think I want to be a police man." Everyone including Tesoro applauded Madura as he walked to Ratchet to stand beside him. "My Proteus is going to be surprised soon. I can't wait."

"Madura, you're my hero," Ratchet said as he hugged the slightly smaller mech. Madura grinned proudly.

"Name?"

"Bron-E of Calculus 4."

"Occupation?"

"Infant school aide and trainee teacher."

" **Bron!** You didn't tell me that you were going to be a teacher," Edict said with a bit of happy surprise.

"I think I just decided, Ada." She looked at the judge. "I belong to a squad with my ada and our friends. We want to do something for the colony and our people. That's who we are."

Tolo who just expected to book slaggers looked at her, then the others with a slightly uncertain expression. "That's very admirable. Please go stand with the other prisoners."

Bron-E bowed slightly. "Thank you, Your Honor." She walked to Madura and they gripped each others servo.

"Name?" Tolo asked almost fearfully.

"I am Edict of Iacon and that fine young lady and future school teacher is my only and most beautiful daughter. I'm so proud of her and our squad. I'm also guilty as frag." Edict stood his full height.

"Thank you, Edict. Uh, what do you do for a living?" Tolo asked.

Edict stood straight, looked him proudly in the optic and told him. "I work in retail." He walked to the others and stood with his arm around his daughter.

Tolo and the others glanced at each other, then the rest. "Uh, why do I feel like I'm in the middle of some kind of new age sharing circle?" he mused. "Name?"

"I am Miler of Praxus. That youngster over there," he said pointing his finger at Prowl who froze, then got a cornered expression on his handsome face, "is **my** son. **I LOVE THAT YOUNGLING! HE IS MY WORLD, HE AND HIS BROTHER, PRIMA! JUST REMEMBER THAT! MY SON IS MY WORLD! NO ONE HITS HIM IN THE FACE WITH A CHAIR WITHOUT GETTING A PIECE OF ME!"** Milie said as he raised a clenched fist. "I also work as chief mathematician of the colony and the Bridge Program, your honor," he said in his usual calm voice. He bowed slightly, then walked over to stand next to a totally astonished Prowl.

"Wow, Tolo, this just gets better and better," Tesoro said as the other mechs nodded. Even the last cell full of drunken brawling slaggers who started this nodded.

"I hear you, Tes," Tolo said. He looked at the others. "Name?"

"I am Kestrel of Iacon."

"Kestrel … you're the Prime's ada, right?" Tolo asked almost fearfully. "What are you doing here? You don't look like a desperado."

"Looks can be deceiving, infant," Kes said with his soft voice, an eerie reflection of Prime's velvet tone. "I attend college with my bond but I **do** assist with the infants in our family. I would call that my calling. Thank you, sir," he said with a bow. He walked over to join the others.

"Okay," Tolo said returning the nod with almost automatic reflex. "You? Do you have a name and a story, too?"

"I am Joon of Tyger Pax. My bond, Vinn, was governor-general and we didn't do our best. But we do it ever, now. I'm director of Full Circle in Terra, a master story weaver, the mentor of Edict and Bron-E, and a member of the Circle, the Knights, and the Peace Mission. I serve all humbly in accordance to the Will of Primus." She then knelt down on her little knees.

Everyone watched her, then a guard started to kneel, too. Another caught him and he stood up straight. "Thank you, Joon of Tyger Pax," Tolo said.

Joon smiled brilliantly, then walked to the others. Bron-E and Edict hugged her to themselves.

Tolo watched them, then looked at the others. "Name?"

"Anders of Capital City. I'm between passions but I find I **do** love horses."

Tolo stared at him, then Ratchet who smiled. "That's a very nice … thing, Anders. Thank you."

Anders joined the others and it was Bluestreak's turn. "I'm Bluestreak. I'm a soldier. I'm from Praxus. I have a terrible processor ache."

"Doctor?" Tolo asked.

Bluestreak walked to Ratchet who scanned him. "Just a bump. Here's a script," Ratchet said as he sent the code to Blue who relaxed immediately. "Thanks, Ratchet," he said. "That's so much better."

Tolo watched them, then turned to the last one. "Name? Occupation? Spiritual inclination? Past life experiences?"

Laslo grinned. "Actually, I'm a futurist. You're not far off. I'm Laslo of Capital City. I'm a futurist and planner for the colony and Cybertron. I also teach at the University. I'm up for a full professorship in my department, you know." He smiled, then walked to the others.

Tolo stared at them, then nodded to the guards. "Take care to place them together, not too close to the slaggers. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. This was one for the books."

They entered the side door and disappeared just as the circus arrived in town led by a grinning Optimus Prime.

-0-TBC 11-2-17 **edited 11-3-17 edited again 12-25-17  
**


	180. Chapter 180

The Diego Diaries: In the Big House (dd6 180)

-0-Inside the lock up in the overnight holding cells pending court

They sat on the benches, some of them, as others looked around. "I've never been in jail before, Ada. This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Bron-E said. She grinned, then turned to her ada who was relaxing on the berth with Madura, Joon and Anders. "I think I have the boys beat. I don't remember them being in jail, do you?"

"I don't remember," Edict said with a grin. "There's always a first time for everything. I have to say … this squad business is a lot of fun. I've been over energized before but never because I was having fun. I've never been in a bar fight. I've never been arrested, taken by police and jailed. All of these are new to me and I have to say, Ratchet," he said glancing over to the next cell, "that I owe it all to you."

Huge laughter all around the room greeted that as Ratchet stood up and took a tiny curtsy. "Thanks, Edict. I don't think Hobbes is going to share your sentiments."

"We can't call out of here. I tried to get Proteus on the line and its dead," Madura said as he sat between Anders and Joon.

"They dampen the signals here, even internal ones. No sense letting your ada know you got busted too soon. See those little slaggers over there?" Ratchet asked nodding to a gaggle of grinning mini and micro-mini cons who were watching all of them with amusement. "Those little slaggers are going to get paddled tomorrow when their entire village and all their elders show up."

" **MY ADA IS GOING TO KILL ME, RATCHET!"** one of them said, clearly still drunk on his aft.

"Do you slaggers want to be sober?" Ratchet asked.

They all declined. It was more fun to be blitzed. It prevented coherent thought about the Fam showing up loaded for bear when court opened in the morning. Several of the others in other cells did so Ratchet assisted them. They relaxed and waved their appreciation before falling into a snooze in their respective lockups.

The door opened and a number of sullen youngsters walked in, some of them dead drunk while others were buzzed but more coherent. They were placed in a cell across from Ratchet and the Squad, settling down after dishing out enormous abuse to the grinning guards. They stared at the door as it closed, then glanced around. Ratchet and the 'officers of Cybertron' were across from them. The Squad was next to Ratchet's cell. The cell next to them on their side was empty and across from it was a cell filled with the shorties, good natured doodles that they usually were.

The door opened again and a number of individuals who were still alight with rage and thwarted angst walked in under guard and were placed in two cells next to Ratchet. The guards left. Ratchet recognized one of them, then caught his attention. "Fizzie. What are you doing in here?"

Fizzie, a big mech, turned to look down the row, spying Ratchet with surprise. "I could ask you the same question."

"Answer mine first. I imagine the story is gold," Ratchet said with a grin. Everyone in the room turned to see and listen to the big mech.

"We had a fight over who'd have Thanksgiving dinner this year. My house or theirs," he said pointing to his younger brother, a towering mech called Tizzie. That the first name meant 'strength' and the other 'tenacity' in NeoCybex didn't prevent humans from snickering when they heard them. They usually didn't snicker for long.

"Who won?" Ratchet asked.

"The magistrate," Fizzie said with a snicker. Everyone but the angry kids and Prowl laughed.

It was silent again, then the door opened. Another group of younglings entered and were placed in the cell next to the first group across from Ratchet. Ratchet, along with everyone in the place was checking them over for physical markers to help identify them. Since both warring factions, Decepticon and Autobot, wore their identity markers, their sigils, without a care even though it let anyone with eyeballs know which side they were on, it was automatic to scan for identifiers to add to one's information about a moment. It was always an astonishment to the humans that they did this, bearing their side so openly but for the bots, it was how it was.

They carried tattoos all over themselves, declarations of love for a bond or children, infant or other family names, pledges to their gods and Cybertron to be faithful and true forever, gang signs sometimes, and as always, their caste tattoos. Though it was becoming more common for infants to be born without the obligatory caste tattoo, they were still everywhere and it was habit to check someone else for what they might be. It also was a way to find out if someone was in your sect or faction, whatever it was. Clans, families, organizations, city-states, home worlds, all of them were markers for others to see.

This new group was high caste just like the other group of younglings. They were Iaconian, Capital City and Praxian former residents from their markers for city-state, though that could be inherited from family. They didn't look old enough to be from Cybertron itself but were more likely born on the trail in the Diaspora. All of them bore excellent protoforms and paint schemes and all of them looked mean enough to be trouble. Prowl was already opening files in his processor just in case, that Ratchet could tell from a cursory glance at his sparring partner and all around alibi. They entered their lockup, scoped out everyone, then watched as the guards left. Seconds later, the door opened again.

This time, Optimus Prime and **his** squad entered the room followed by Watchmen and jailers.

"Oh, frag," Ratchet said softly. "Here comes dad."

Prowl rolled his optics and sat back further into the shadows.

-0-Inside detention land

Optimus Prime walked to the cells that held half his family, then grinned. He nodded to both cells including the one with the squad. "You look comfortable."

They grinned at him, then nodded. Joon stood up and moved closer to the bars. "I consider this a learning experience, Lord Optimus."

Huge laughter greeted that. Prime grinned. "I do not think I should laugh about this. It would set a bad precedent for the infants."

"We won't tell them," Joon said with a giant smile.

More huge laughter.

Prime turned to his ada who was grinning at him from a bench in the cell. "Ada … do you need to be bailed out? I can arrange that."

"I am fine, son. I will stay with my squad. I think they say … semper fidelis?" Kestrel said sweetly.

Optimus grinned at the mech who could fell him with a single glance. "I understand."

"Kes, you will be alright?" Tagg asked. "I would like to join you," he said as he glanced around for a jailer. The jailer there startled, then looked at Optimus.

"Atar, perhaps we can come early and be in court for the opening. Maybe Ada wants the experience," Prime said. He grinned at Ratchet who smiled brilliantly at him. "After all, how often do you get to walk on the wild side with a real desperado?"

Kestrel laughed. "That is what I say, Tagg. Thank you for your kindness but I think I might want to see this through. Perhaps breakfast together in the morning? You can help Orion with the infants. After all," he said with a twinkle in his optics, "Prowl is here with us, too."

If Prowl could have sunk through the floor, he would be halfway to the core of Mars. Everyone turned toward Prowl who shrank even further into the shadow of Ratchet standing between him and the lights. Ratchet grinned, then stepped aside. "You mean **this Prowl**?" he asked.

Prowl glared at Ratchet, then looked at Prime with a resigned expression. "It will be alright."

"I know," Optimus said warmly. "Is there anything I can do for you before we go?"

"Yeah," a voice said behind him. "Let us out of here."

Prime turned to the second cell filled with big seriously drunk youngling mechs. "That is beyond my power at the moment. You will be released through Magistrate's Court in the morning." With that, he turned to the others, nodded to Prowl and his ada, grinned at Ratchet who smiled back, then stepped back to allow the others closer.

" **RATCHET! WHAT THE FRAG!?"** -Ironhide

"Where's the kids? Where's Halo?" Ratchet asked, hitting him in his weak spot.

"Halo is here," Ironhide said patting his chassis. "Your ada has the others. **YOU BETTER BE GOOD TO ME OR I'M GOING TO TELL HIM!"**

Ratchet laughed. "Snitch."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"You alright in there?" -Blackjack

"Fine as frog's hair." -Alor, still drunk but happy.

"Sober him up eventually, Ratchet. Though, he's awfully cute this way," Blackjack said showing his blind side. **NOTHING** Alor **EVER** did was wrong in his book.

"I will. Eventually," Ratchet said with a dazzler.

Hardie grinned, then clapped Raptor on the shoulder. "We better get our kids home to bed, son. Morning waits for no mech." He looked at Delphi, then nodded. Delphi nodded back.

Turbine grinned. "I have to teach classes tomorrow. Something tells me that the booking Sargent's ada is one of my students."

"Then teach them the wages of sin, Amma," Ironhide said as the group turned to leave.

"Miler … are you going to be alright? Prowl?" Venture asked with a smidge of anxiety.

"We're going to be awesome, Ven. Don't worry. Take care of Prima. Do you have him with you?" Milie asked.

He patted his hold. "I do. Goodnight, Milie. I'll be here to petition the court to be your custodial guardian if this goes to trial." He laughed. "Have fun." With that, he walked to the door and left with everyone.

"Too bad we can't call Hobbes, Lucien, Proteus, Burris, and Vinn," Ratchet said. "Nothing like a surprise notification in the morning."

"They'll notify them. You were supposed to be home tonight, right?" Prowl asked as the group nodded.

Madura grinned. "Poor Proteus. Will he ever be surprised."

"Not as surprised as Lucien," Laslo said with a grin.

"Or Hobbes," Edict said.

"I got you all beat," Anders said. "I can't * **wait*** for Burris to get here."

Everyone nodded. Anders had them beat.

The kids across the way watched them silently as some of them sat to wait for morning. The lights dimmed as per the usual as everyone settled. Then an argument sprang up between the two cells and the shouting began. Ratchet moved to the cell with the civilians. "This is typical. Don't be afraid or worry. Don't even speak to them if they speak to you. It will pass," he said to them.

"Don't talk to us? Fragger? What's **YOUR** problem?" one of them said as he stood.

"I have no problem but these civilians have never been in a jail before. Advice is good," Ratchet said neutrally.

"Frag your advice, high tone," the drunk kid said as the fight stopped between the two kids who paused to watch. One of them turned to the drunk kid, then Ratchet. "I know who you are."

"That's nice. My fame proceeds me," Ratchet said as he sat down next to Prowl. "My fans love me," he said to Prowl who snorted with amusement.

"Is that what it is?" Prowl asked.

Ratchet nodded. "Yep."

"You took care of my ada and amma on Gliese. Thanks," the kid said as he stepped close to the bars, surprising the slag out of everyone.

"You're welcome," Ratchet said. "It's my duty and honor to help," he said taking another tack of conversation with the surprising comment. "What do you kids do?"

The kid shrugged. "I work in an electronics firm. My family owned a huge one in Protihex once upon a time."

Ratchet nodded. "We always need smart capable kids here. Cybertron is in dire need of all that we can do."

"Have you been there? You've been there, right?" he asked.

Ratchet nodded. "All over the planet."

"What about Protihex? How is it? Is the big factory there still in place? The one by the hillside parks," he asked.

Ratchet thought a moment, then vented a soft sigh. "Protihex is in bad shape. Nothing in the industrial park is standing. We're rebuilding housing and there's a city-former nearby helping the effort but the big factory and the industrial district are destroyed. Sorry, infant."

He nodded, absorbing the information with a strained expression. "I figured it. I won't tell my family. They have enough on their processors at the moment," He walked to the bench and sat. It was quiet for a moment. Then another mech stood and walked to the bars, his face showing up in the glow. He stared at Ratchet and the others, then the civilian squad who sat on their benches watching him. "What are you in for?" he asked.

They glanced at each other, then Joon spoke. "We were in a bar brawl."

The kid looked at her a moment, then grinned. "You?"

Joon nodded. "That's right," she said. "Ask them." She nodded to a cell filled with the brawlers.

"They were in the middle," one of them said.

"What were you fighting about?" Joon asked.

"Football. Vos."

"Vos is a loser. Capital City will be a contender. Vos is filler," one of the other kids said.

"Good thing you're in **that** cell. I'd kick your aft," still another kid said as he stood and walked to the bars. "Vos is a great place but you wouldn't know that, high tone."

The temperature dropped a few degrees as the two stared at each other. Then a mini-con stood. "You fraggers don't know what you're talking about. Uraya is the **best town** on Cybertron."

A rolling wave of snickers greeted that from all around the room as the comment dropped. Then Ratchet stood again. "All of them were good towns once upon a time. But they're smoking holes in the ground now. There's nothing to be gained from going down this road."

"Have you been there?" a kid from the high caste's group asked as he leaned forward in the dark. "What's it like on the ground?"

Ratchet turned toward him. "I've been everywhere. Its a graveyard there filled with ragged individuals trying to rebuild. We house hundreds of millions in tent camps now. Housing and towns are rising again but its tough. My amma is from Uraya. Uraya was leveled but for a few areas that were missed. It looks better than it is. Vos was destroyed in the bombardment. Capital City is a pockmarked wasteland. Since we came back, things are improving. Towers are rising, the economy is restarting and the population that's left is getting its needs tended. Whatever argument you have here about any of these places disrespects the dead. Put it away."

The kid who asked about Uraya rose and walked closer to stand beside the first kid. "My family had a business in Uraya. It was a fun place to visit. I liked that town. Will it be rebuilt? Are they abandoning any of the places?" he asked.

"We're not giving up an inch," Prowl said as he rose. He moved to stand beside Ratchet. "Not **one** slagging inch."

It was silent, then that kid sat down again. The mini-con nodded as he stood in the light of the beams. "I'm glad. I loved Uraya, too."

"I have never asked about Tyger Pax, Ratchet. What about that city? My city?" Joon asked with a solemn expression.

Ratchet thought about it, then turned to Joon. "It's had a lot of damage but the housing district over in Wells is being rebuilt first. The infrastructure underground is pretty well preserved but there's munitions laying around. There's also a lot of dead that have been there a long, long time. We have to do this right and respectfully. It's going to take time."

"I loved Tyger Pax. I loved the towers and the walkways up high. You could see forever. When the summer came and the sky was so blue, the clouds so white, I could see myself flying. I wanted to fly then but I couldn't," Joon said. "We must all do our best together."

"We do," Miler said. "We never were together. We forgot how precious everyone was. Its a scare tactic, driving wedges into populations, pitting them against each other. We were masters at it and we forgot our unity. We must never do that again."

"My life is better here than it ever was under The System. We had everything and we had nothing. I hated my life, the endless high caste handouts that we all thought we deserved. We didn't look down and see the rest of our people suffering. It made me hide away," Madura said. "But now … here … we have a chance to do better. The youth have to learn a new way. Those of us who had all the advantages … it didn't save one life and it didn't change one circumstance. I love it here."

Edict nodded. "We had everything but when you go to the Matrix, you take nothing with you. All the things of the world are fine and good. I love beauty as much as the next, but its only love, friendships and feelings that go with you. Only love." Edict looked at Ratchet and the others. "You saved all of us. You five came here alone and did all the heavy lifting. You did all the hard work so that those of us who came would be comforted. You look for us everywhere. That's love. That's unity. We're only as strong as the smallest, frailest child or elder among us. We were never strong on Cybertron. We lived in that illusion."

"I hated it," Bron-E said as she sat beside her ada holding Edict's servo. "I didn't know how to get along here when we came because my feelings … all that side of me was so tired and shut down. Then it slowly changed. I found a place here with people who liked me for who I was and not what I could do for them because of my father. I have the best mech ever and we're going to ask Prime if he can do the ceremony." She glanced at Prowl. "Would he mind, Prowl?" she asked hopefully.

"He would be honored, Bron," Prowl said.

She smiled, then sat back again squeezing her ada's servo. "I love my life here. I want to be a genitor."

"I want you to **be** a genitor," Edict said with a smile. "Hobbes does, too, but he doesn't know it yet. Once he holds his grandchild, he will understand everything."

Laslo vented a sigh. "I may never be one with my infants. They're all hard headed. Well … all of them but one. The one is making me so happy."

"Partition is becoming a very stand up youngling," Delphi said as he sat on a bench, arms over his chassis as he listened. "He's going to be on missions in the migrations as a field medic. He passed the test one hundred percent."

"That was wonderful," Laslo said. He glanced at Ratchet. "Thank you for taking him in. He really was at wits end here until you noticed."

"He had a core of goodness that was there, Laslo, just like your other two boys. Have they talked to you and Lucien yet?" Ratchet asked.

"Just a little," Laslo said sadly. "They work long hours and then there's basic training. They want to do special schools. Something about artillery. I have no idea. I just know that they're avoiding Lucien with their schedules."

"When he misses them enough he will change," Ratchet said.

"Change from what?" the kid standing by the bars in the high caste cell asked.

Laslo glanced at him as did the others. They knew it would be one way or the other how Laslo answered. So Laslo didn't miss words. "Changing from a spoiled entitled high caste aft to a real feeling mech. My sons makes me proud every slagging orn."

The others glanced at Laslo who wasn't known for any form of emotional attachment to his surroundings, then Joon grinned. "Your three boys have really come through. Tell us about Morius and Inweld, Ratchet, so Laslo can be clear."

Ratchet grinned. "Aunt Lissie and Hercy think they're first class, Laslo. They have beautiful manners, work hard and like what they do. They have a lot of spunk and prospects. Both of them have been taken on as projects, Inweld and Morius. Partition is now under the command, when in the field, of Hard Drive."

"My Hardie will help him hone his innate skills, Laslo. Hardie forgot more about soldiering than anyone knows including Unicron," Delphi said.

Laslo looked at them, then nodded. "Its good to know. I would love them to live at home again. I miss them." He looked ready to cry.

"Then ask them," Ratchet said. "Hang Lucien. He's only one vote out of five. Sometimes, Laslo, you have to take the bull by the horns and shake them."

Laslo looked at Ratchet. "I hate fighting."

"Then tell Lucien to shut his trap," Turbine said. "Since when does he get the first and last word in a family? You're a team."

"That's not how it works," the kid across the way said. Everyone looked his direction.

-0-At an apartment door in Tetriades

Lucien opened the door and looked with surprise into the faces of Optimus Prime, Ironhide, a smirking Raptor, Blackjack, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, Venture, and Tagg. Behind them looking pensive and small somehow, Hobbes, and Burris waited. Nearby, watching with interest and some amusement, Proteus and Vinn also waited. "Good evening, Lucien," Optimus said. "I would like you to join us for a light dinner. I realize its late but we would like you to come."

Lucien stared at him, then the others. "What's this about?" he asked as he shut the door behind him.

Raptor grinned, then slapped Lucien on the back. Hard. "Nothing much. Laslo and the others are in jail.

Lucien was halfway down the hallway before it sunk in. **"WHAT!?"**

-0-TBC 11-03-17 **edited 11-4-17**


	181. Chapter 181

The Diego Diaries: In the Big House (dd6 181)

-0-At a diner in the city of Tetriades

They sat at a big table having ordered food and drink. It was silent a moment, then Lucien leaned on his elbows. "What do you mean that Laslo and the others are in jail? What **thing** did they do that offended some low caste's delicate feelings?" he asked, sparing none of the vitriol.

Burris glanced from him to Prime. "What are you holding them for?"

Raptor glanced at Prime who nodded. "They were picked up in a raid for brawling in a bar."

Everyone stared at Raptor a moment, then Hobbes leaned forward. "Are you **mad**? Joon is with them and Edict. Bron-E. My Edict would no more brawl in a bar than I can fly."

"Well, you better oil up your ailerons, slagger, because that's the charge," Raptor replied.

Vinn who knew more than the others grinned. "I would say, my little Joonie is a stand up femme."

"She's tiny. How did she brawl in a bar?" Hobbes asked with incredulity.

"She didn't. She punched a Watchman," Vinn said with a hint of pride. "So did the others."

Proteus who had been filled in off line by Vinn on the way to the diner grinned as well. "My sweet Madura. He got arrested. I'm so proud of him."

"Do you ever listen to yourself, Proteus?" Lucien asked.

"All the time, but better than that, I've been listening to Madura. Its a nice change. I would recommend it," Proteus said with a grin.

"I never asked you, Proteus, how it was going. I would never have recognized you otherwise," Hobbes said.

"I am well and happy. I work at the Halls of Order and spend time in the lecture halls listening to the teaching of the Guiding Hand through the genius of Heatout," Proteus said. "There's a lot to be said about making full use of a second chance. All of us are out of confinement because of the mercy of the Prime."

Food and drink came, then after touching Prime and bowing, the waiter walked off with a smile. Proteus grinned. "I have seen many Primes but none of them were sought out for that courtesy but you. I didn't know Prima or Guardian but all of the rest, no."

"Prima and Guardian were tapped for the blessing," Hard Drive said. "I remember them."

"What is going to happen to everyone?" Burris asked with a slight tone of anxiety. "Will they go to the prison?"

"That is up to the magistrate," Prime said. "I would imagine given their good records that it will be a small thing to resolve."

"There's always caste court," Blackjack said to be ornery.

Huge laughter greeted that from one half of the group present. Proteus and Vinn grinned broadly. They ate quietly a moment, then Lucien looked at Prime. "You didn't have to do this to tell us."

"No, you could have gotten a message or a beat cop to tell you but Prime is merciful and kind," Raptor said. "Nothing like a personal notification from a ruler of fifteen entire planets. It's not like he needs his recharge or has other things to do. You should stop being such a slagger worrying about others feelings, Prime."

Laughter greeted that. Vinn looked at Lucien. "Laslo has come to group meetings with Edict and that's where he met Madura. They're good friends together. It would do all of you well to support that."

"You sound like we don't," Hobbes said.

"It's hard to tell," Vinn said. "We do know that we love them and want them to be happy. All of us deserve to be happy and realize our dreams. **All** of us."

"I don't wish to go down that road, Vinn," Lucien said.

"What road? The golden paved road that you alone have permission to use?" Blackjack asked. "That road?"

"I weary of talking to you about it, Blackjack. You've made your position clear," Lucien said.

"My position was clear before I was born, Lucien. My genitors and my grand genitors could tell you stories," Blackjack said. He glanced at them with a grin. "You might tell him."

Raptor laughed. "I was born after the Quintessans were destroyed and driven away. My genitors are exempt. You can see the markings of the Elites on them but they only added them because they were there to hold the line. You slaggers thought there was something valuable in continuing the caste system so they had to counter you."

"We did. The Praxian Code supersedes just about anything you slaggers can throw at us," Hardie said. "We didn't become a caste because we believed in the slag. We became a caste because someone needed to curb you slaggers. Someone had to protect from the worst excesses and who was best placed to do that then a group with a lot of big guns?"

"The caste system should have died," Ironhide said. "Think about everyone who could have given us the best of their genius who never had a chance?"

Hobbes shifted uneasily. "It was always the way, Ironhide."

"So was slavery. Even **you** slaggers were slaves. Did you forget that, Hobbes?" Ironhide asked. " **All** of us were slaves. We started a war to end that because we all hated it and thought it wrong. Then when we were free, you slaggers decided to continue it. How's that for patriotism?"

"Our patriotism is without doubt, Ironhide," Burris injected.

"How? Is there anyone at this table who has military experience, for instance?" Ironhide asked. "No, there isn't. That slag is for the low castes because you're too pure to be expendable. You started the wars and we fought them. Without our caste training and leading the younglings, the toll would have been unbearable. Your kids are stepping up now, some of them, and I don't see the pride in your optics, slaggers. Where's the pride?"

It was quiet a moment, then Lucien shifted in his seat. "You've all made your point. When is magistrate's court tomorrow?"

"0800 on the TMC," Raptor replied. "We haven't **made** our point, slagger. You're still an entitled fragger and you probably won't change but know this. Your bonds have. They've seen freedom and friendships that don't hinge on being nice to someone to advance **your** careers or businesses. They won't go back. You'd be a damned fool to stand in their way. They might just surprise you."

The rest of the meal was mostly silent.

-0-0755 TMC at courtroom six in the Autobot City Courthouse, Cultural Center Road, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 7

They walked in, a string of individuals, mini-con families and neighborhoods talking loudly about how they were going to kick the afts of those who had been arrested, the families and friends of others and the bonds and children of the Squad. Prime and Tagg sat along the wall as Venture, Raptor, the twins, Ironhide holding Halo in a lot of soft white blankets, a stern looking Ravel, Docker who was amused, Blackjack, Hard Drive, and Appa Ratchet joined them. Appa Ratchet grinned. "We drew the short straw so we're here," he said with a chuckle. **"I LOVE SONNY! HE'S MY BOY!"**

Everyone laughed as through the door, the posse led by Springer from the night before came to watch the Dance of Doom, that is, Ratchet's bemused inevitability and Prowl's overwhelming angst.

-0-The night before in jail

"That's not the way it works."

"How so?" Prowl asked as he braced for anything.

The youngster stared at the big mechs across from him, then shrugged. "We don't work like that. We work toward the family's greater good. All of it goes to support that."

"Your family is your business. You work on the business getting the next generation ready and you network. All of its planned and it works," another kid said. "You can't have disagreements in the family because it threatens the greater good."

"Of who?" Ratchet said.

"The family," the kid said.

"You're less the individual than someone who's a cog in the bigger machine," Prowl said as he sat down again. "Your unity was your process to success. It's the dullest life possible."

The kid shrugged. "It was the way things were done."

"What about during the time afterward, the time you fled Cybertron? Did that system hold?" Ratchet asked with curiosity.

"It didn't with us," Joon said. "We were just another bunch of mechs and femmes without a home. We fell in with the Circle, thank Primus, and we made a new life. This life is head and shoulders better than the old one. I would **NEVER** turn back to the old ways. I'm not Vinn's servant or his secretary. I'm his bond and I have thoughts and ideas of my own. They deserve to be heard, too."

"It's been a novel idea to me, living like that," Edict said. "I tried to kill myself earlier. I didn't know how to live and my children were having their own troubles. Raff and Rade-R are settled and living great lives. They play football for Praxus and Kaon. My daughter is making her own life and all that remains is for Hobbes to get his act together. I have to tell you, we've had some very intense discussions. I've even walked out the door."

"You **have**?" Ratchet said with a big smile. "You're a stand up mech, Edict." A murmur of agreement ran through the crowd on their side as the kids and mini-cons watched with varying degrees of emotion. None of the mini-cons had spent any kind of time with high castes that didn't involve suffering and to hear them talk like this was entrancing.

"Well, I don't know about that, Ratchet," Edict said in his usual self effacing manner. "I just find having a chance to do things and decide them … that's wonderful. Did you know that the job I have now is the first one in my whole life? I love it. Such nice individuals come in, not all of them Circle. Some of them come from everywhere and we talk. I have so much fun. I love working there."

"We have lunch, the bunch of us. We go out to a restaurant and have lunch, window shop, talk. We never did that before. I was always having to watch myself. I was the bond of a governor-general and I had to watch everything. It was exhausting," Joon said as the others nodded.

"It was. My bond was really at spark a promising individual but the life didn't reward anyone who strayed outside the rules. This is the most free I have ever been and now we work together, side-by-side to achieve what we both want. We never had infants. He has adopted children, friends of friends of friends … no one close, really. I think about it all the time. He does, too, for the first time. Its all so new and … free." Madura smiled. "I love this life."

"But what about the system? What about the old life?" someone in the back asked. "Don't we owe it? Our loyalty? It gave us everything we had."

Anders arose and walked to the bars. "Where is all that now, infant?" he asked. "Where is all our wealth and power? How do you think this happened to all of us?"

It was silent.

Anders looked at the mini-cons. "You were appallingly treated. You deserved better. Now you have it. I am so happy for you. I was so … depressed so long. But now … its different and I feel like I can see with clarity. I am sorry for everything."

The mini-cons looked at him, then one stood and walked to the bars. "This is strange. No one from your caste ever cared enough to say that. I think I'm glad to hear it but its still strange."

Anders nodded. "I thought it would be harder to say," he said. "I mean it, for what its worth."

"Its worth it to me," the mini-con said. "I'm Bucket. I work in Public Works. We're going to be putting out the holiday decorations soon. When you see a banner or a tree in an intersection, that's us. We got into trouble in a bar celebrating a bonding." He looked back at two mechs sitting together, one a mini-con and another a micro mini. They were incredibly cute. "See them? That's the bond."

Anders grinned. "Congratulations. I wish you everything that's good."

They stood up and walked to the bars. "Thanks," the mini said. "We had a good time. You in for fighting, too?"

Anders grinned. "I punched a Watchman."

The others laughed. "That makes you an honorary mini-con. We punched the Watchmen, too."

Anders grinned. "Thanks. I never got into trouble before. This is all new."

"We're sorta known for being rowdy. When we get into trouble, the entire village shows up. My ada and atar are going to slap me silly." He smiled brilliantly. **"IT'S THE MINI-CON WAY!"**

Every mini and micro-mini whooped it up, then settled. The mini-con stared at Anders. "This is a good place, this colony. We're free, too."

Anders nodded. "It is. I'm glad to be here."

The conversation settled and it was pleasant, something surprising to most. It wasn't to Ratchet. It was what he hoped for when they were busted. This could have gone either way but for once, it went the right way. The evening would pass rather uneventfully and when the guards came with the bailiff, Ratchet would have wi-fi-ed the cure to everyone.

-0-In the courtroom

Coln-2 who was prosecuting and Blackstone who was visiting walked in to speak with Farris, the public defender of the orn. No-a was there conversing with Silver, the Clerk of Court while everyone else wandered in to sit. There were elders who liked to jury watch, a big swag of individuals who were there for their mini-con relatives as well as the bonds of the Squad and the 'Officers of Cybertron'.

"This is hilarious: Ironhide said as he checked under the blanket for Halo. She was dozing and very comfortable. "Blackstone sure likes mini-con proceedings. He never tries to miss them."

Prime nodded. "I do not blame him."

Tagg glanced at his son. "When will your ada come in?"

"No-a told me that they wanted to clear the decks first. Mini-cons, about two to three groups of drunken and disorderly younglings, then our group."

"Oh," Tagg said slightly fretfully. "We can eat together afterward if you can come. Otherwise, I will take your ada to the Diner myself."

"I will attend. Prowl will need breakfast as well," Optimus said with a grin. "I think I want to hear the stories from 'stir' myself."

Everyone on the bench by the wall chuckled, Blackjack, Raptor, Ironhide, Prime, Tagg, Appa Ratchet, and Docker. Sitting across from them on chairs in the audience, Lucien, Burris and Hobbes were less amused. Vinn and Proteus made up for them, however. The crowd kept coming, then Silver stood. "Please rise for the honorable Judge No-a." Everyone did. No-a returned to his seat and sat. "You may sit," Silver said. "Remember decorum and maintain the dignity of the court. Any outbursts or undo behavior and you will be removed. Court is now in session." He sat again.

"Silver, what is the first case today?" No-a asked as he looked at the computer in front of him.

"The Prime versus Stamper, et al. The charges are drunk and disorderly and disturbing the peace."

"Very well," No-a said as he sat back with a grin. "Farris and Colie, are you ready to represent?"

"Born ready," Coln-2 said as Farris nodded.

"Bailiff?" No-a said as the soldiers in the room and Watch officers coming along to see the show took seats or leaned against the wall. Security would be more than adequate for the proceedings.

The bailiff, Pendleton, opened the door, leaned in, then pulled the door back. A stream of mini-cons, some swaggering cheerfully in and others slouching with their optics everywhere but on their adas, ammas and nanas walked together toward the line. Then stood on it, then turned to the judge. " **HI, NO-A!** Long time no see," Stamper said with a huge smile.

"Not long enough, you little slagger," No-a said with a big smile. "How many times will you come here before you learn your lesson?"

Stamper thought a moment, then smiled. "I'm a slow learner."

The room erupted in laughter, a few elders stood up to wag their fingers at the mouthy little slagger, then everyone sat. It was on.

-0-TBC 11-4-17 **edited 12-24-17**

ESL

American slang for jail: stir

decorum (day-corr-um) dignity

NOTES: gotv is going to show Titans Return (I think its called) a transformer show on November 14th. I think its a streaming channel. Also, Amazon is in discussion to turn The Lord of the Rings into a tv show ala Game of Thrones. Its still tentative but they want to do the books. :D:D:D


	182. Chapter 182

The Diego Diaries: Accounting (dd6 182)

-0-Courtroom

Stamper thought a moment, then smiled. "I'm a slow learner."

The room erupted in laughter, a few elders stood up to wag their fingers at the mouthy little slagger, then everyone sat. It was on.

Between the laughter and shouting, No-a managed to get control again, rapping his knuckles on the desk before him. "Enough," he said with a grin. "Settle down."

Everyone did.

"So, Stamper, since you're the mouthiest one among this group, what brings you here? You have charges of drunk and disorderly and disturbing the peace. What say you, you little slagger," No-a said. He sat back to get the full effect.

Stamper glanced at Farris. "Hey, Farris. We'll make this easy for you. We'll all plead guilty and take our lumps if you let these two go," he said nodding to the little mini-cons whose bonding they were all celebrating. He smiled brilliantly, like all was settled and can't we all just get along.

Like that.

No-a grinned. "Just like that?"

"Why not? We were noisy and had a few. We were celebrating a great new bond. They should leave here in one piece. We can shoulder the responsibility. Right?" he asked as he turned to the others.

They straightened. "That's right," a mini-con said from the middle of the pack. "We can do this. It's the mini-con code."

"Do tell me the mini-con code. I'm not sure I've heard **this** rule yet," No-a said with a smirk.

Silver was sitting back watching them with amusement. For this case, he allowed the equipment to record and mark the testimony. This was too unpredictable and hilarious to take ones optics off even for a minute.

Mini-cons.

"The rule is, **ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE!** " Stamper said.

" **ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE!** " the others shouted.

" **MINI-CONS FOREVER!** " Stamper said as he turned to them and began to direct them almost as a chorus.

" **MINI-CONS FOREVER!** " the group said as the two tiny mini-cons in the bond held servos and smiled broadly.

" **MINI-CONS FOREVER! FOREVER! FOREVER! ONE FOR ALL! ALL FOR ONE!"** Stamper directed.

 **MINI-CONS FOREVER! FOREVER! FOREVER! ONE FOR ALL! ALL FOR ONE!"** the chorus sang. Then he cut them off, turned to No-a and bowed. He smiled at No-a. "That's the mini-con code, your worship."

No-a grinned at the group. "I may be smiling but I still want to punt all of you."

"That's what most of you big mechs say when you're greeted with the magnificence that is us," Stamper said agreeably. "It's hard to digest, the greatness before you."

" **THAT'S SLAGGING RIGHT!"** someone's amma yelled from the back of the room. A murmur greeted that, then it got quiet again.

No-a grinned. "The greatness, huh? How is it that you little slaggers can't stay out of jail?"

"We like to give full rein to our joys," a little micro-mini said from the line. He smiled brilliantly. "We like to sing and dance." He leaned closer. "We don't leave any mini-con behind, but I hope you let these two off. They didn't make any trouble. We take full responsibility."

No-a looked at the two who smiled at him. "Did you make any trouble?"

They looked at the others, then each other. "We were singing." He looked at the others. "Mini-cons forever."

The group grinned at them. Then they turned to No-a. They all shrugged. "What can I say?" Stamper said.

No-a grinned. "You always say plenty."

Stamper grinned.

No-a glanced at Coln-2. "Anything?"

Colie grinned. "I'd give the little bond a break. But these slaggers? I'd wad them, stuff them in a bag and throw them off a bridge into a river."

 **HUGE** laughter. Apparently, everyone in the room were good friends.

"Well, that's a solution. Farris?" No-a asked.

"Well, they are my clients. I would say, mercy for the little bond. Short time for the rest. They work hard and keep their nose assemblies clean most of the time. Usually." He grinned.

No-a grinned as he considered his options. "I will let the bond go with a warning. **DON'T COME BACK HERE AGAIN!"**

They smiled and nodded. "Okay," one of them said.

Laughter.

"The rest of you? House arrest for a decaorn. I would suggest that you form a choir if you have to sing and do it the proper way. Go and sin no more, you little slaggers, you," No-a said.

They bowed and turned to their families who rose almost as one and pounced. They were dragged in, pummeled for a moment, then everyone began to stream out. The little bond watched them go, bowed to No-a, Farris and Coln-2, then walked out hand-in-hand. When they left, it was nearly empty.

No-a shook his helm. "Pendleton, bring in the next slaggers."

Pendleton walked to the door and opened it. A gaggle of kids walked in, their angst massive and dark. They slouched to the line, then turned to the judge. No-a turned to Farris. "Plea?"

Farris turned to the kids, then all discussed the situation off line. He looked at No-a. "They plead not guilty, your honor."

"Very well. You will be held over for trial. Bailiff, take them to jail," No-a said.

"Can't we get let go to go home until the trial?" one of them asked with surprise.

"I suppose you could but you don't look like good risks to me," No-a said.

They stared at No-a, then hesitated before following Pendleton into the corridor again. They were the second group of high caste kids who had come in angry from a fight with unknown individuals. When they were gone, the first group, the one across from Ratchet's cell entered. They would plead guilty, then get probation with the admonition that a second offense would mean jail. They agreed, then walked out to the probation office to get monitors.

There was a pause between groups. Ironhide peeked at Halo, then grinned. "They have to be next. I would think so anyway. Some of those kids had to be among the troublemakers at the bar."

Prime nodded as the door opened. Joon stepped out searching the room for Vinn to be followed by the others including an amused Ratchet and a thoroughly uptight Prowl. He was last out letting Kestrel and his ada go ahead of him. They walked to the line and were organized by Ratchet. They had seen their bonds and started toward them before Ratchet grabbed their arms and led them to the line.

Desperadoes, they weren't.

They looked at No-a, then back into the room at their bonds, some of whom looked incredulous. Vinn and Proteus grinned at Joon and Madura who grinned back. No-a rapped his knuckles. "Shall we begin?"

Silver read the charges, Public fighting and disturbing the peace. There was no mention of public drunkenness. Whether that was merciful or an oversight, Ratchet couldn't tell. Everyone faced the judge who looked at them with amazement. "I was told that a number of civilians and 'officers of Cybertron' were in the clink. I've rather gotten used to you, Prowl and Ratchet, but seeing the ada of Optimus Prime standing before me is a new feature."

Prowl could have dissolved and Ratchet was amazed his body parts didn't fall off and land on the floor. No-a looked at Ratchet. "Ratchet, please introduce me and explain the relationships here. I was told it was quite amusing."

Ratchet grinned. "Well, if you insist," he said to snickers around the room. "This is Prowl as you know.

This is Prowl's ada, Miler. This is Kestrel of Iacon, the ada of our great Messiah and leader. This is Joon who is a weaver and all around good sport. She's the bond of Vinn, former Governor-General of Tyger Pax. This is Madura, a good spark and bond of a mech who works at the Halls of Order. This mech is Edict. He's in retail," Ratchet said with a smile.

Edict laughed, then caught himself. He grinned at No-a and No-a grinned at him.

"This is Bron-E, the daughter of Edict who is going to be bonded soon by none other than Optimus Prime," Ratchet said turning to grin at Prime who grinned back. "Pencil that in," he said, then looked at No-a again. "This is Anders who is a good sport and is bonded to a hard helm named Burris. Edict is bonded to Hobbes. This mech, Laslo, is bonded to Lucien. They don't have one sense of humor between them."

The three desperadoes snorted, then gathered themselves. They glanced at Ratchet with a grin, then looked at No-a again.

"This is Bluestreak, the son of Prowl and Prime who is working as hard as he can to match his criminal record to Prowl. You might recognize these three, Turbine, Delphi and Alor of Iacon. They're bonded to Hard Drive, Raptor and Blackjack. They're judges, too." Huge laughter greeted that, then died down right away. He glanced around, then smiled at No-a. "Then there's me, Ratchet of Iacon, the ring leader of this goat rodeo. Or so I'm always told."

No-a grinned. "It seems so." He looked at the others, then Farris. "Their pleas?"

" **GUILTY!"** Madura said. He glanced over his should. "I'm guilty as frag," he said to huge laughter and the grin of his bond, Proteus. He turned to No-a and straightened. "I'm ready for my punishment. Hard labor or house arrest. Either, I welcome boldly."

Ratchet stared at Madura, then began to clap heartily. **"Bravo!"** he said as the others nodded and clapped. Then they turned to No-a. He was grinning.

"Madura, I accept your plea. You are guilty and sentenced to a stern warning. I am aware that there were circumstances to mitigate the brawl. But hitting an officer ..."

"We were a squad. He wasn't going to arrest us. We needed a reason to go. I have to say … that **was** rather exciting," Madura said. "I was housebound. I had never been to jail. It was an experience."

"Try to find more positive ones, please," No-a said. "What about the rest of you?"

"I'm guilty as slag," Anders said. "My bond would never understand any of this but I don't care. I've seen the light and frankly, he either steps up or eats my dust." Anders turned to an astonished Burris. "I want you to know, Burris, that we're either a team or we aren't anything."

Burris blinked, then looked around. "We are, Anders. Whatever you want ..."

"I want to be taken seriously," Anders said as Edict and Laslo nodded. "You don't seem to understand that this isn't Cybertron and I don't have to further your career. It's time you furthered **mine**."

Burris stared at him, then sat slightly forward. "What career is that, Only One?"

Anders thought a moment. "I haven't decided. But I will tell you and those sons of ours, I won't stand for it."

"What, Only One?" Burris asked with rising confusion.

"We will talk later. Right now, I might be in jail," Anders said as he turned to face No-a. "I will accept whatever you suggest, your Honor."

No-a stared at the group with amazement, then nodded. "A stern warning?" he suggested.

Anders nodded. "Thank you. That's very kind."

No-a looked at Ratchet who grinned at him, then the others. "Who's next?"

"What about us?" Turbine asked. "I'm a religion teacher and a soldier. Does that count?"

No-a chuckled. "It helps. What about the rest of you?"

"I'm a great-great grand amma." Delph said with a grin. "My great-great grandson-in-law, Ratchet, just separated an infant an orn or so ago. I want it brought to me right now, Ironhide." He looked at Ironhide who's grin faded as he dutifully brought Halo forward and gave him to his great-great grand amma. He walked back in a grump and sat.

Delphi removed enough blankets that her beauty and newness was seen. Then he showed her to No-a, Silver and Pendleton the Bailiff. Moving to stand in line, he grinned. "Alor, the Grand Amma, Turbine, the Great Grand Amma and I would like to spoil this child. If we have to go to jail, she comes, too." He grinned at the baby. "Who is a good baby?" he said softly.

No-a looked at Coln. "Colie?"

"This is almost as good as a mob of mini-cons. We can't have newborn desperadoes."

"Stern warning." No-a consulted his datapad. "Who is next?"

"Kes, then Miler, then Bluestreak, then Prowl, then me. I defer to their greater age," Ratchet said.

Prowl stepped up. "Slagger." He looked at No-a. "We were having a good time when a fight erupted and we were caught in the middle. They swept up the whole lot of us. We were victims."

"That's right," Miler said. "Prowl is my son and he doesn't lie. Well, maybe that one time when he ate half the Celebration cake for Grand Amma's special orn."

Prowl curdled just a little as he shot a glance at Miler. He straightened himself as he looked at No-a. "Kestrel of Iacon is blameless. Miler of Praxus is as well. It would be a miscarriage of justice to allow either to be jailed. In fact, none of the individuals here is jail bait."

No-a grinned. "I would like all of you who were sorted to find a seat."

Anders walked to Burris, sat and took his servo. Joon sat with a very amused Vinn, Madura with a grinning Proteus, and Edict with an overwhelmed Hobbes. Bron-E joined both of them. When everyone stepped away, only Bluestreak, Ratchet and Prowl were left with Miler and Kestrel.

"Kestrel, what say you?" No-a said.

The big mech with the retiring persona glanced at Optimus and Tagg who nodded encouragement to him. He looked at No-a. "I had a wonderful time last night. I have never experienced that kind of fun. I would say that if you feel I owe a debt to the law, I will discharge it as you see fit. I try and set a good example for my son and now my grandchildren. I will bow to your wishes."

No-a glanced at Miler. He grinned. "I had a great time. My son and I, we're both Praxian and that means fun doesn't come easy. I want to be a better person for both my sons. I will abide by your decision. I have never been in jail until now and it was very, very different from what I thought it would be."

"How so?" No-a asked.

"I met some very nice youngling mechs in there," Miler said.

An aww moment was had, then No-a gave them both a warning. "Please find a seat and take Bluestreak with you. You have a warning, too." They did, sitting with a proud Tagg and Venture. The twins sat on either side of Blue with big grins. It was silent again.

"Ratchet of Iacon and Prowl of Praxus … whatever will I do with you?" No-a asked with a grin.

"An admonition? House arrest? The guillotine?" Ratchet asked with a big smile.

"And what would be the good of that if you couldn't get arrested again and be in my court? This was very entertaining and I agree, there were extenuating circumstances. A warning to both. By the way, that is one outstanding sparkling. Congratulations," No-a said.

Laughter, chat and sharing of the sparkling was had, then all of them gathered to leave. In the hallway, the civilians halted to face the 'officers of Cybertron'. Anders grinned. "That was fun, Ratchet. Thank you, both of you, Prowl."

Prowl grinned slightly. "You have to understand, Anders … when you hang out with Loon, here, you have to expect prison."

Huge laughter greeted that, then Ratchet rubbed his servos together. "How about **ALL** of us going to breakfast together? Semper fi and all that."

Lucien, Burris and Hobbes looked at him with dismay, but walked with their bonds as they followed the others. It would be an amusing walk to the Diner On The Corner.

For most of them.

-0-TBC 11-5-17 **edited 12-24-17**


	183. Chapter 183

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 183)

-0-At The Pit Stop

"This is closer than the Diner," Ratchet said as he sat down at a table that had been pushed together with others. His squad sat with their pensive bonds, Cargo and Keystock who looked like they wished they were anywhere else, the mechs who were kibitzing on the floor show at the courthouse, a number of adult sons of a number of families, and others of the hangers-on persuasion. Food and drink was ordered, then everyone stared at each other. "Why no drum head, Optimus?" he asked.

"I heard that you were vacuumed up with the others. It seemed redundant," Optimus said as he sat next to Kestrel, his arm draped over the back of his ada's chair.

"That was very fine of you, son. Prowl and Ratchet were trying to save us," Kestrel said. "I have to say … given that no one really got hurt … that was rather exciting."

Anders grinned. "I think it was as well."

"You were so brave, Madura. You punched the Watchman first. You walked right up and asked why this should happen. Then you punched him. Such a show of unity. We all had to come as well," Joon said with a smile. **"I HAVE NEVER STRUCK ANYONE BEFORE! SURELY, NOT A WATCHMAN!"**

Vinn snickered. "You always were a stand up femme, Joonie. I'm proud of all of you."

"What ever for, Vinn?" Lucien asked with surprise. "They were arrested and put in jail overnight."

"They were a unit, Lucien. They stayed and stood together. One for all and all for one," Vinn said with a grin. "You could have just let Ratchet and Prowl go. The Watchmen who were there to speak at trial told me that you were given the chance two times to walk away but you didn't. I'm proud of all of you."

Burris stared at him, then Anders. "Andi, you have a police record."

"Then that makes us a complete family but for Bezel," Anders said with a slight grin. "I have always done what was expected of me. I have always gone along. This is the first time I have ever bucked the tide, Burris."

"And you ended up in jail," Burris said gently. He was genuinely confused. Lon and Bezel who were sitting with Springer, Hercy, Kup, and Drift watched them. It was astonishing to Bezel to listen to his ada.

"It was the consequences of choice and friendship. I could never allow them to go to jail without me. I'm their friend and they're mine." Anders looked at Ratchet, Prowl and the others. "Perhaps the first real and absolutely best friends I've ever had. Thank you," he said.

Prowl nodded, more than aware of the straight jacket that all of them labored in as high castes.

Ratchet grinned. "You were a pillar of strength to me, Anders, in my hour of need. Madura, you punched the Watchman. I saw you before the cuffs came out."

Madura grinned. "That was odd. I never did anything wrong in my life. I never really did anything, actually," he said as Proteus took his servo. "That was the freest and most liberating moment of my life. Those youngling mechs in the jail, they need counseling. They can't go on the way they're going. They have to understand that The System is gone and it won't come back. I could never live like that again."

"Nor I," Edict said. Hobbes glanced sharply at Edict. Edict looked at Hobbes. "Consider the way we live now, here and on Cybertron. What do you expect from the System? Wealth? Power? The front of the line? This is a cashless society. Anyone can run for office and lead. No one gets the front of the line anymore. All of what we thought we wanted is no longer valuable. We suffered, all of us equally. It changed things forever. You have to understand that, Hobbes. All of the lies, the ways of suppression, the whole thing … it's dead forever. I could never and **will** never go back to living that way again. I refuse to be unhappy another minute or be the cause of someone elses unhappiness. That I tell you is my deepest and greatest truth."

It was leaden a moment, then Madura looked at Proteus. "Edict speaks for me."

Joon smiled. "And me."

Everyone glanced at Laslo who looked conflicted, then he glanced at Lucien. "Edict speaks for me, too."

"I stand with Ada," Bron-E said. She looked at Optimus. "Would you do me and my mech the honor of a bonding ceremony, Lord Optimus?" she asked.

"I would be most honored, Bron-E," Optimus said with his velvet tones.

Mercifully, food and drink arrived. Everyone began to eat. Ratchet rapped Ironhide's arm. "Produce the Radiant One."

Ironhide smirked at him, then withdrew Halo out of his hold. Passing her bundled self to Ratchet, he smiled. "Well, well, well. I just got out of jail, Halo. I hope you don't mind,." Ratchet said. "Kaon is ahead of you but at this rate, I'm bound to have you in the hold when they come for me."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that.

"Could I hold her, Ratchet?" Edict asked as through the door Rad-R and Riff walked, bee lining to their genitors. Halo was passed around until Edict took her. Halo stared at the strange faces as she floated around the table, then smiled at Edict. **"LOOK! SHE SMILED AT ME!** What a lovely baby you are, my darling," Edict said. He glanced at Bron-E who was leaning over to look. "I want lots of grandchildren, Bron. Lots and lots of them. This is a new time and a new start. I want to be surrounded by family." He looked at his sons who looked mightily relieved at their ada's happiness. "That goes for you, too."

"Well, well, well …" Ratchet said with a grin. "Put out an all call for Yenta Claus."

" **LEAVE THOSE YOUNGLINGS ALONE, OLD MECH!"** Ironhide said with a big grin. He got a rap on the noggin for his impertinence. "Pull up a table, infants. Join us," Ironhide said to the two boys who complied joining at the end of the table where the twins and Bluestreak sat.

"What's going on, Ada? I was just told you were in jail," Rad-R said with surprise. "Whose baby is that?"

"Why that's mine, the 827th infant," Ratchet said with a giant grin.

Laughter, huge and long.

"Tell me, Ratchet … how do you manage? I heard you have a lot of children," Madura asked.

"Well, about 30 but only nine live at home. Most of the time," Ratchet said.

"You have my son," Laslo said. "I really appreciate that."

"Tell him to come home and take care of you, Laslo. He's always welcome at our home but he needs to see you and Lucien more," Ratchet said as Partition with Lancer, Morius and Inweld walked in with Aunt Lissie. They stopped by the table.

"Ratchet … you were in jail?" Partition asked with a slight smile on his face.

"It wasn't a total loss, infant. Your ada was there with me," Ratchet said with a giant smile.

" **WHAT!?"** Partition looked at his ada who looked slightly uneasy. **"THAT'S THE GREATEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!** What did you do, Ada?"

Laslo stared at his son, then glanced around. "I … I punched a Watchman."

Aunt Lissie grinned as the three youngling mechs stared at their ada, then each other. Then they smiled. "That's so great," Morius said. Then he saw Springer smirking at him. "Well, maybe not so great … but ..."

" **PULL UP A CHAIR, INFANTS!** Ironhide, help your auntie find a place to sit," Ratchet said with a grin. He glanced at Edict and Bron fussing over the baby and felt good. So far, so good. Lucien looked like he swallowed a live eel, Burris looked confused, Vinn was ridiculously proud of Joon, Proteus looked like he had invented Madura, and all was well.

So far.

"It's Halloween tonight. Kaon is going to play in about four joors. All is well," Raptor said with a grin. "I expect that Simfur is going to get the trick end of the treat thing."

"You guessed right, Abba," Rad-R said with a grin. "We're going to kick tailpipe. Are you coming, Atar?"

"Yes, he is," Ratchet said. "We're going to squeeze you all into the Primal Box."

Prowl glanced at him, then smirked. "Tight fit."

"Lose weight," Ratchet said with an equally smug smirk.

 **HUGE** laughter.

Prowl shot him the stink optic, then looked at the others. "This year's Thanksgiving dinner will be in the Central Labor Hall, in the big party room. We expect thousands," he said. "Everyone here is invited. You'd come anyway, so ..."

Huge laughter.

Ratchet smiled brilliantly. "Bring cookies. That's the contest."

"You have contests? Cookie contests?" Madura asked.

"We do. First year, pies. Second year, cakes. This year, cookies. I'm leaning toward candy next year," Ratchet said.

"How about candy this year, slagger. I heard that cherry divinity is as good as fudge. I'd like to find out," Ironhide said.

"I'll make you some divinity," Ratchet said.

"You don't have to put yourself out," Ironhide said before a ped crunched his. **"OW!"** Gimlet optics greeted hilarity as he pouted.

"Ah, my sweet baby has a sore ped," Delphi said. "Serves you right, infant."

"No help here, I can see. Not even from the atars in this group. Slaggers," Ironhide said as he frowned at Raptor, Hardie and Blackjack. Ratchet handed him a couple of his onion rings and he grinned. "Bribing me?"

"Is it working?" Ratchet asked.

"Yep," he said dipping one into the sauce.

Huge laughs and grins.

"You're cheap, but you're not easy, Atar," Springer said as he lounged in his chair. All was well in his world.

"That's me," Ironhide said with a grin.

"I wonder, Ironhide," Anders said. "I've seen the war games on the television. When will another happen?"

"Vinn? Do you have the data?" Ironhide asked.

"We can have one at Thanksgiving. I was informed through the membership of the Autobot City Gaming Association that date would be a good one. Everyone is working to make their little bots into Godzilla, or so Ultra Magnus told me."

 **LAUGHTER!**

"He would know. That mech is a gorilla," Kup said. "He means to win this time. Someone has to take back the trophy from Cliffjumper. That was a good bonding ceremony by the way, Prime."

"Thank you. The party lasted for seven orns I was told," Prime said. "I find them oddly enough to be a perfectly matched pair."

"I'm curious to see any infants," Drift said.

"Why?" Burris asked.

"Cliff is a mini-con and Buzz Saw is the size of a house," Drift replied. "Buzzie is just about the nicest mech you can ever meet."

"Nicer than me?" Springer asked with a grin.

"No one is that nice," Drift replied with a smirk.

Gagging sounds, laughter and suggestions to 'get a room' filled the space. The younger mechs looked at Springer and Drift with worshipful optics. These guys could do no wrong for them. Bezel leaned over to see his ada. "Are you thinking about getting a remote bot for the games, Ada?" he asked.

Anders considered that. "How do you do that and how do you join?"

"I will 'join' you, Andi," Vinn said. "I'm in charge of the games. I'm sure Bezel can help you with the remote toy. You, too, Burris. It's awfully fun."

"I don't know anything about this sort of thing," Burris said.

"We'll help you," Lon said as Bezel nodded hopefully. "We can go to The Game Place when we leave here."

Burris stared at his son and son-in-law doubtfully, then glanced at Anders who was filled with pleasure and happiness for once. "Alright. Of course."

Anders actually relaxed and grinned at his son. Bezel nodded to his ada with emotional optics.

Conversation picked up and the meal was accomplished without incident. When they finished and rose to leave, Halo was in Ratchet's arms, lunch with the squad was planned for the next weekend at the Tower in the Sky in Iacon and Madura, Proteus, Burris, Anders, and Laslo were in the game. Keystock was wavering, Cargo was going to help Laslo, and of the bonds of the Squad, only Lucien was still unknowable. The others were caught between a truly deep love of their bonds and the deep blue sea.

They stood on the sidewalk outside joshing with the twins and Blue who was mortified still at the 'jail thing', then Raptor slapped Keystock on the back. "Come on, infant. We have to go back to Cybertron. You have to bring the bag, remember?" he said, then turned to Turbine. "You have to get it straight with your students. You were innocent."

Turbine laughed. "That's me. Innocent."

"Come with me, infant, We have to go to Cybertron, too," Hardie said as he glanced at Cargo. "Come with, Partition, if you have nothing on the agenda. Time to get real world experience in the field."

Partition brightened, then turned to Lancer. "I'm going with Abba."

"I'll come, too," Lancer said as she smirked at Ratchet. Ratchet smirked back. "See ya," she said as she took his servo into hand.

That group walked off toward the military airfield nearby leaving the rest. Anders turned to Burris. "Let's go see what we need to do. We're members, too, right, Vinn?" He asked.

"Absolutely," Vinn replied with a grin.

Anders grinned, then looked at Madura. "What about it, Madi? You want in on this?"

"I think if you do, I will," Madura said. "What about us, Vinn?"

"You're in," Vinn said with a smile.

"Come on, Proteus," Madura said as he squeezed Proteus's servo. "I think I want something that flies." With Anders by his side and Burris following with Proteus, the four stepped out to go to The Game Place on Metro Highway 1 down the way.

"I can just make classes," Laslo said. He looked at Lucien. "I'm coming to the games, Lucien. I think I want to have some fun now," he said. He looked at his sons walking away. "I want to go to Cybertron some day, too. I want to help." With that, he walked down the street toward the subway on Metro Highway 1. Lucien glanced at the others, then followed. They were gone from sight right away.

Everyone watched them go, then turned to Ratchet. "Voodoo."

"No," Ratchet said with a grin. "Never underestimate the power of love in the face of great loneliness."

"Is that what it is?" Turbine asked.

"Quack," Ratchet said.

 **HUGE** laughter.

-0-TBC 11-6-17 **edited 11-8-17 edited again 12-24-17  
**

I thought today was Sunday and didn't go to work. My boss called my family didn't know where I entire family tried to call me but I was having a leisurely breakfast. My phone was on some kind of dim switch so it didn't ring. :D Boy, was everyone running around looking. For a moment, I actually felt like Ratchet, the King of Chaos. LOL! :D Hugs to all, everywhere.


	184. Chapter 184

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 184)

-0-On the street

"Where are you going besides home with the baby?" Turbine asked.

"Home with Halo, I guess," Ratchet said.

Ironhide slipped Halo deftly into his arm, then settled her in the crook. "I have to show her the munitions depot. She has to start thinking about her favorite munition."

"You're certifiable," Turbine said as she grinned at his 'little baby boy'. "I have to motor. I have a meet up with the Temple Board. Maintenance of the shrines over the holidays is on the agenda. We can meet up at the game shortly."

Everyone nodded, then Turbine hurried off with Venture. Miler grinned, then turned to Ratchet. "What a fine evening. I haven't had so much fun in a long time, Ratchet. This squad business, its the best thing ever. You know," he began with a slight hesitation, "being in a high caste bond meant supporting the purpose of it. If you didn't have your own identity outside of it, you could disappear. It was almost like a business partnership. Its a good thing that they work out the way they do, with so much love anyway. I think Anders, Madura and Edict have a better chance of happiness than Laslo. He's rather like me. Traditional."

"You high castes have so many rules. Even living with a Praxian Elite all this time didn't show me all of them," Ratchet said.

"Praxian Elites are different. They bond for love and they do what they do. Their Code is different from ours. Mercifully," Miler said as the others nodded.

"I hate The System. It nearly ended Edict and Madura. Fortunately, something I never expected happened for Madura. Proteus turned out to be worthwhile," Prowl said.

Optimus nodded. "I think the distance from The Fall to here affected them more than they realized. I do not expect everyone who comes to change. We must be vigilant and unyielding, but we will see more changes than not, I believe, given opportunity." He glanced at Ratchet. "You do very good things for others. Just so you know, some of us notice."

"I'm a doctor, Optimus," Ratchet said with a serious expression. "I've gotten cunning over the vorns and if I can help someone, I will. Consider the number of children we have," he said before everyone laughed loudly. "I think Lancer and Partition have promise. That leaves how many daughters of bonding age now?" he asked before scorn buried him. He grinned. "Slaggers."

They chatted away, then Miler, Kes and Tagg along with Prime and Prowl walked toward the tower to check in and get things ready for trick-or-treat that night and the game in about three to four joors. Kaon v Simfur was slated to be **BIG, BIG, BIG** , a rematch of the championship on the new march toward the next championship. Springer and the others walked with them, then turned at the corner to go to the station and the office at Metrotitan down the way.

Watching everyone go, Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "Wanna ride the trains?"

Ratchet slipped his servo through Ironhide's arm. "Yep," he said. They sauntered off to do that and take the acclaim of the crowds for their new co-production, Halo of Mars.

-0-Autobot City Performing Arts Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Postal District 187

They stood on tables as the technicians made their last minute adjustments of the Halloween costumes of the little children before them. They had all been roped together by Chan, Corr, Ravel, and Appa Ratchet, then taken with Scout and Trooper to the costumes department of the massive performing arts center. They had decided on costumes earlier and now they were getting last minute fixes on them. It was very exciting.

" **I LOVE THIS!"** -Orion

"This is so fun, Amma!" -Hero

"I can't wait for Atar and Ada to see this!" -the three Prime little mechs

" **WHAT DO YOU THINK, ADA!? IS THIS GREAT!? AREN'T APPA AND AMMA THE BEST!?"** -three little mechs, Bos, Reflector and Co-D who were shared with Ratchet and Ironhide to their smiling families who were there to watch

"This is lovely, Co-D. I think I like this holiday." -Great Grand Amma to her little mech

"I like this, Amma," Prowler said to Scout who was examining a snug corner of the costume.

"I'm so glad, my sweet baby. You look so handsome and grown up," Scout said with a smile.

"I grown up, Amma," Praxus said.

"You are?" Trooper asked with a smile.

"I am. I grown up," Praxus said with a nod and a matter-of-fact tone.

It would go like that.

-0-In a locker room of the arena

They sat together listening to the coaches while adding their own commentary. Soon, they would walk out to do battle with Simfur who had won their last game. They were also among the undefeated, the Kaon Kavaliers. They were determined to stay there. Outside, the arena was already getting spectators, some coming for the concessions and a beer, a chat with their friends in this, a sort of tailgating, before the vast mob came to cheer for their teams. It was relatively quiet in the arena for now.

-0-On the air with the pregame show with Earth, "Cybertronian Football Today"

"How are the Cybertronian teams matching up with Martian, Jazz? Its hard to pinpoint right now from the last games," a reporter who specialized in rugby asked over the MCA from his studio in London.

"Well, they're doing well. All of the teams are named for cities and towns on Cybertron and they're all tough. Nova Cronum is undefeated and so is Kalis and Tesarus. The others can't be discounted. They had a bigger pool to draw from for players than all the others including Mars. Right now, Nova Cronum along with Kalis and Tesarus lead the statistics and standings from Cybertron while Kaon, Simfur and Tarn lead them here. The game is tough that's brought from Cybertron. Our guys are up to it, though, because we have a lot of soldiers on Martian teams and they know about being tough and ignoring pain. It's hard to say how it'll be long term but the teams from Cybertron have professional players and some very tough, very fast players."

"What about the chances of Kaon to repeat this year? They're playing Simfur today, a grudge match most likely," a French sportscaster asked.

"Anytime Kaon plays, they play for the win," Blaster said as Jazz nodded. "They don't quit and they don't give up. They're tough and because half of them are either soldiers, convicts or both, they understand suffering."

Jazz and Blaster laughed uproariously.

"Tell us about that, Jazz," a British journalist asked. "Tell us about the players with prison records. Some of our players end up there but they usually don't start at that point or come from the penal system."

Jazz grinned. "We had an unjust society that kept everyone down. Some had to break the law just to survive and a few got caught. I never got caught," he said as Blaster grinned at him. "Did you?" Jazz asked him.

"No," Blaster said. "I was mid caste and I had a skill. I had options, slagger."

"Are you sayin' I don't have skills?" Jazz asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't say that but I have to **say** , your 'skills' were questionable at the time," Blaster said with a grin. "You were too fast to get caught."

"Fast and smart. The slaggers were never close," Jazz said with a smile, then he looked back at the camera. "I wouldn't say anyone should emulate me. I was living in special circumstances."

"Were the twins living in a criminal manner?" a nice journalist asked who lived in Spain.

Blaster and Jazz stared at the screen, then each other. They burst into laughter. Jazz grinned at the sweet journalist from Spain. "The twins came from my town, Kaon," Jazz said. "They grew up orphans and learned like I did to take care of themselves from the start. You could say they had a less-than-normal background but given the circumstances, we all did. The caste system was slavery. Fighting that wasn't criminal to anyone but the state. To us, it was justice." Jazz grinned. "But all's not lost. Sideswipe is religious."

Blaster and Jazz laughed loudly.

The Spanish journalist watched them with a slight perplexed expression, then leaned closer to the camera. "Sideswipe is religious? Is that unusual?"

Jazz grinned. "No, that's typical but understand, the way the twins were then, everyone expected them to be Decepticons, not the priesthood."

"Oh," the journalist said with a slight sense of confusion. "I see."

Jazz and Blaster grinned.

-0-On the way to the arena

They walked along hoppity-hipping as they made their way to the arena. Sunspot and Spot, Bos, Co-D, Reflector, Rambler, T-Bar, and Spirit walked with Silverbow and Tippy, a nice little femme spending the orn with Silverbow in the company of Ironhide, Prime and Ratchet's elders. Ratchet and Ironhide were coming from the Industrial Parks, meeting up with his squad in the Terra Hub station. They were all going to be sharing the Primal Box, which would be snug but doable.

-0-Terra Hub

The train slid in and a number of individuals stepped out. Smiling, Madura and Proteus joined Ratchet and Ironhide. **"This is so exciting!"** Madura said. "You should see the little remote things that Proteus and I have chosen for the game. We're going into the Wasteland to practice."

"That's great," Ratchet said. "I may join you. Then we can win this slagger"

"That would be delightful," Edict said as she stood with her daughter, her daughter's beau, Borealis, and a composed but slightly nervous Burris.

"Since everyone's here, the next Circle train is the one," Ratchet said. A train slid in, a Circle, so they got on board and the doors shut. Onward it went around the city toward Metro #1 in Autobot City. It would be a very jolly ride. For everyone, that is, but a strangely opaque Lucien.

-0-At the arena

Alor stood at the end of the corridor that led into the field. Optimus stood with him chatting amiably. His family was already in the stands with most of Ratchet's and Prowl's. The 'projects', Partition, Cargo and Keystock were with them as well, following Raptor and Hard Drive to the Primal Box. It would be snug but not too much for all that would eventually be there. The infants were dropped off at the locker room to help the team and be good mascots. Bos, Reflector, Co-D, and Sunspot with Spot happily decked out in their finery for Kaon rushed inside.

Standing in the stands chatting together, nine big kids, their appa, ammas and abbas watched the crowd and made their predictions. Before them were the adults of Prime's 'squad' and their assorted children. All that was missing was Alor and Optimus. Standing among the regular family was that of Edict and Burris, Vinn and Joon, Proteus and Madura, Hobbes, Edict, Bron-E and her pre-bond, Borealis, a teacher at Sparkling Day as well as Laslo and Lucien. Keystock and Cargo along with Lon and Bezel were next to their genitors and all were waiting expectantly for the show to begin. Infants were in arms, holds or carry baskets, some of them being passed around among the newcomers who asked to hold them. The infants were happy to comply having never known anything but love, safety and acceptance all their lives.

Riff climbed through the row, then paused beside Lucien, Morius and Inweld. He leaned forward, then smiled at his genitors who smiled back down the row. "Rad-R is going to play a lot today. Sunstreaker wants him to have some experience and the three of them, Sunny, Sideswipe and Rad-R are going to show a new offense. **This is going to kick aft!** " he said happily.

Keystock and Cargo moved a bit to allow him to stand between them as the stadium began to build in anticipation. Security was out in droves as usual for football and so were partisan groups. Cheers and team songs rose up along with banners, flags and sheer gall. Mini-cons were staked out. Everyone was ready, some really liquored up, though hard stuff was banned from the games and excitement was high.

-0-In the booth

"We're a minute or two from Alor playing the anthem and starting the game. We hope that you enjoy yourself. We're cutting from the live feed and will return at half time, Earth," Jazz said. The line was cut, then everyone relaxed on Earth.

"This is going to be awesome," a London-based sportswriter said.

"It will. I wish I was there," one of them said.

The others nodded in agreement.

Grandma Annie, Grandpa Leonard and the family were there as guests of the Resort. They would agree, too, but they were too busy being at the game.

It was then that the teams walked out in their lines, beautiful, tough and ready to rumble. They walked down the tunnel to pause behind Prime and Alor. He grinned at them, then followed the groundskeepers outward to the middle of the field where he sat at the keyboard. A roar went up, then died down. Alor began to play. Everyone stood for the Anthem of the Primes, then the one for Cybertron. When he was finished, Alor walked off and headed up the stairs. Prime nodded to him, then walked out to be seen. The place went nuts.

Lucien watched Prime as he halted on the edge of the field to allow The People to see him. He was an incredibly impressive figure, Optimus Prime. He was huge, brilliantly colored and looked like he could rip you in two pieces. It was clear to Lucien that he could. Most of the Primes were imposing specimens, mechs of some size who were reformatted during the process of acceptance by the Matrix into even more the perfect specimen of Cybertronian. They were, in fact, perfect specimens.

The cry for Prime was overwhelming and he found himself wondering how much of it was for Prime, himself or for the moment and the spectacle. He wouldn't know. He had never seen a Prime that was beloved. His Primes began with Nova. He watched Prime walk along the side, then up the stairs to the row where he stood. Prime walked to his place, nodding to everyone in the box, then picked up his smallest son, Miracle. Turning to the crowd, he watched as everyone waited expectantly.

The first team to leave the tunnel was Kaon's Kavaliers. They were spectacular. The sunlight seemed to gleam off them as they followed their captain, Sunstreaker, who bore their flag. At the end of the line followed by Sideswipe, four little mechs, one a Seeker leading two dogs and a bug came with intense pride. The stared all around themselves as they did, waving to their families who were one row above the Primal Box. All around them were the shirt tail family of the Prime, friends and allies who might as well have been family, they were so close. The little mech's families waved back as they filmed their babies taking the field.

Reaching the line, then planted their flag, bowed as a team to Prime, then knelt for a moment. After a moment, they stood, then began their war dance and cry. Loudly, passionately, ferociously, they gave their challenge. Then they finished, walked to the line and waited. The place was a madhouse of approval as Simfur walked out, planted their flag, then bowed to Prime. They knelt, then stood and replied to Kaon with their own highly ferocious and ultra masculine war cry. When that was finished, they walked back to the line and all bowed to Prime. He returned the salute with a nod, then both sides walked to the sideline where Sunstreaker would plant the flag in the dirt. The little kids climbed onto a bench, Bob, Spot and Dawg found a place under it to lie in a pile and the offenses walked out to call the toss.

Sunstreaker and the Captain of Simfur called it, then walked to the bench as the Kaon defense and the Simfur offense walked onto the field. They lined up, the ball was tossed to Simfur, then the teams came together like two charging trains. The clang was heard everywhere. A huge pushing match was begun when the Simfur wing who had the ball was caught in the clash of two titanic players. Others gripped them and it was on. A scrum formed almost immediately as the sides pressed their incredible strength against each other. It moved only slightly, then it careened toward the Kaon bench.

The twins grabbed the kids and dogs, hiking it away from the point of impact as the scrum raged their way. It ran over the bench, then slammed hard into the wall where the humans were gathered to watch. Farther up, the newbies cringed at the sight as huge mechanisms slammed into things. Partition who was standing with Lancer and Elita howled with delight. His ada, Laslo, looked at him, then the play. He then smiled and howled himself. Partition turned toward him with a smile, then hugged Laslo off his peds. **"THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!"**

Lucien stared at the pair without expression, then looked at the sidelines again. A number of security had jumped onto the wall to absorb the collision for the humans. They were sitting there on the ledge of the stadium seating watching the fighting going on below. It was legal within parameters and the refs watched with flags in servo looking for an excuse to penalize their sorry afts. With a few terrific punches, they walked back to the line for the ins, cursing and shoving each other as they did. The Kaon team came back, set the babies back up, put the dogs into the stands to go to Ratchet and Ironhide, then walked to the sidelines to see the play.

Bob, Dawg and Spot sat at Ratchet's peds, staring up at him with puzzled expressions. "I know," Ratchet said. "If you didn't have bad luck, you'd have no luck at all. Get faster, infants," Ratchet said petting all of them. Spot and Dawg were parted out as Bob snuggled down between Ratchet's peds, his purring heard by all around him. He fell into a snooze immediately.

"That's an Insecticon infant," Burris said. "I've seen that vermin before."

"That is a damaged, abandoned baby, Burris," Ratchet said. "He's ours now. Lucky us."

"If you say so, Ratchet," Burris said doubtfully.

The ins was begun, the ball thrown hard to Simfur who ran it at the defense and Bracket, the goalie. It was passed around, then thrown. Bracket got a piece of the ball with his servo and it flew out of bounds, the shot a miss. He landed with his usual incredible grace, then received the hugs of his teammates. Simfur stared at him with disgust, then walked toward the lines. The defense was coming on for Simfur. Sunstreaker and his marauders were coming on for Kaon.

-0-TBC 11-8-17 **edited 12-24-17**

NOTE:

If you want to see genius and some facsimile of the war dance the teams do before the games, go to you tube and google **haka**. This is a ceremonial war dance and challenge that heroic societies like those in South Africa and the Maoris of New Zealand do. The Maoris are awesome. They use a lot of scary looking faces to add to the overall awesomeness. The South African rugby team does one, too. They use them to welcome others, challenge others and even at weddings and funerals to honor someone. I LOVE them. I think probably the Scots and others from the Celtic world used them, too, but they were lost to history. The Romans told of feeling despair and fear when facing Celtic and Gothic enemies from the frenzy they would see when they showed up. These are wonderful and I wanted them in the story because they show something of the heroic warrior side of the bots. HUGS!

ESL: opaque (oh-pay-kuh) something that is murky or hard to see through

NOTES TO READERS! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

 **leoness** chapter 183 . Nov 7

Chaos Lord, lol.

I love that line - never underestimate the power of love in the face of great loneliness. So, so, SO true. Kindness and love from a crazy group of community theater people saved 13 year old lonely me, and I'm thankful for them every darn day of my life, even...jeez, 23 years later.

 **ME:** So true, that. You can own everything in the world but when you go, you only take love with you. I think that's the big undertone here, love. You were lucky at a vulnerable time to find a home. Good on you, Miss Kitty. Love ya.

 **Lackwit** chapter 183 . Nov 7

This has been a very good story arc, the downside of the high caste system for the gentler members. Quite sad for the bonds and I can actually believe that love for the bond will assist redemption of the losers. But maybe not Lucien :)

Actually, cookies was last contest, in which Ratchet's frozen hodgepodge was a winner :) This year was indeed supposed to be candy.

 **ME:** I've seen so many partners in relationships fall down into obscurity because the job and the fortune was the focus. They had to make sure the main job flourished. Olivia had the same problem. Lucien is still being unclear to me but the others love the light so to speak. I'll check on the cookies thing. :D I think you guys know this better than me. LOL! HUGS

kattenbelletje chapter 182 . Nov 6

There was a time when the soldiers and the civilians were split up. The civilians went to No-a or one of his colleagues and the soldiers got a drum head with Prime. Why didn't that happen this time?

I love mini-cons.

 **ME:** Prime speaks to that. :D I don't know what we would do at games with mini-cons. LOL! I remember a few things that Cliff and Bee did through the years and it sort of formed my view of them, **NEVER SAY DIE!** HUGS!

Ragemoose chapter 182 . Nov 5

this whole arc has been so cute :D i love the family elders. this is unrelated, but tonight over dinner my parents and I were watching holiday cake wars and there was an older southern gentleman named Jason Smith and all i could think of was hercy

 **ME:** Aw. I love old geezers like Hercy. He's modeled after my Uncle John Paxton. Just a great guy. Hugs to you, darling.


	185. Chapter 185

The Diego Diaries: **WHO! WHO! WHO LET THE TARGS OUT!?** (dd6 185)

-0-On the field

They set their play, the Kaon Kavaliers. Edict and Hobbes in the stands watched with something akin to fear and great pride as Rad-R took his place at one end of the line while Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were at the other. The ball went to Kaon and was tossed to Rad-R. He ran back toward his own goal, paused, then passed the ball forward to Sunstreaker just before he crossed the quarter field line. Any further and Sunny would have been off sides. He ran onward faking out half the Simfur line. Running up the middle and following further back, Sideswipe and Rad-R chased after Sunny.

The Simfur team was running in a bee line toward Sunstreaker who halted abruptly and passed the ball hard and fast to Sideswipe. Rolling at lightning speed on his skates, he tucked it under his arm. Reaching a clearing, he scanned the field behind him, then leaped into the air, turning to face the mob heading his way. He seemed to hang in the air before landing, then spinning to run forward. As he did, Rad-R who caught the ball he threw cut across the field behind the lines heading toward Sunstreaker. He ran until someone saw the ball and shouted. Turning to the left after sliding to a halt, he passed the ball through the clearing of players to Sideswipe who turned on the power, plowed through the defense and put the ball through the hoop.

Kaon, 1 and Simfur, goose eggs.

The crowd went wild. Kaon jumped on each other in their ecstasy, then walked with smug smugness to their side where the little mechs were having a fit of ecstasy themselves.

The refs took the ball, walking together back to the center field. Simfur followed, some of them bitching and yelling at all four refs for some infraction, whatever it was. The refs ignored them, then waited with ill patience in the center of the field. Simfur showing questionable sportsmanship and a deep abiding lack of understanding of who they were playing for as a team gave the refs a number of regional variations of the finger, then hoofed it to the sidelines. The offense would have to straighten things out for them.

The slaggers.

They lined up again, facing each other with intensity and fury as they waited for the ball to fall toward Simfur and the Templars. It was caught by their center, then handed off to their fastest wing. He began to fly, drawing off half the players of Kaon in hot pursuit. The twins who were standing on the sideline watched tensely as the player ran along the line, cut in through an opening and headed toward the goal. Fast and fleet, he bumped a couple of players away, then ran straight for Bracket. His defensive backs held their spots as the entire combined teams began to chase their way.

"This is going to hurt," Ratchet said as he grinned at Prowl.

"I hope it does," Prowl said. "The more that fall, the clearer the path for Praxus."

It was then that the player was tackled, dragged a couple of mechs a few yards, then fell on his face. They had the ins. Everyone lined up, moving swiftly back and forth in front of the player, then he threw the ball.

Kaon caught it.

A behemoth who was new this year, Cagney aka Tiny was the one who caught it. He was like many of the biggest mechanisms, a very sweet, very immense, very funny guy. He grinned as he magnetized the ball in his servo, then turned toward Simfur's goal. Walking toward getting up to a run, he began to make his way. As he did, the Simfurians (*cough*) began to chase him. Most of them didn't have to run far to get a piece of him and when they did, they found that the bigger they are, the harder it is to make them fall.

Lumbering up behind him, Hugh-E gripped a Templar, then tossed him over his shoulder like a used paper bag. Two others he peeled off, discarding them on the ground as they began to jog together, each giving the other cover. The thundering hoof beats of both Simfur and Kaon catching up to assist/desist could almost be heard over the maniacal sound of the crowd. More Templars zeroed in and were backhanded, slapped into the ozone, tossed like a folded newspaper onto someone's lawn, throttled and discarded, tackled by other Kaonians, and generally discouraged from further participation.

Standing at the Simfur goal, his servos on his hips in deep disgust, the goalie watched the Doom of Unicron heading his way. If his own tackles and teammates from the line were less big and more fast, they would have a chance to catch up but they were Huge-E and Tiny's size. Tackles and defensive linemen were not noted for their agility or speed, thus, Tiny and Huge-E were heading in to thrash the entire back field of Simfur without slowing down one bit or being stopped by anyone, anywhere.

It burned. The Precious.

"This is going to hurt." -Templar defensive back

"I know." -Templar goalie

"I think this is **really** going to hurt." -the other Templar defensive back

The two of them ran forward as fast as they could at Huge-E and Tiny, their shoulders down to plow them away in a preemptive strike. They ran swiftly at the two, hit them, then fell to the ground like two big birds flying into a window. They lay there reverberating the shock of hitting a force of nature at forty miles an hour. It would take a few moments for their processors to stop ringing and their internal gyros to reset.

As for the two giant Kavaliers? They hoofed up to the goalie, smacked him into the stands, then gently put the ball through the hoop.

Kaon, 2 and Simfur, fuck all.

The crowd went nuts.

-0-Around

"This game seems less half witted than most," Hot Rod said as he leaned against the wall of the stadium, watching the fun and games everywhere. The action didn't stop at the sidelines. There were two gangs in the stands, near enough to see each other, yet far enough away to be a swift put down if things went south. One was the Coppos minus their hash mark tats and the other, the Southies of former Tie-die fame. They were giving each other the stink optic, between 18 and 22 kids on each side. Springer had arrayed his security to be seen in front of the slaggers, thereby, hopefully, keeping the shooting and other mayhem down to a minimum. There were horse patrolmen here and at the Stanix Stadium to keep watch on the gangs. They were being tracked by Hauser and thus, they were easy to spot and watch with all his meticulous intel being shared with the officers of the Watch.

"If there's a fight, we go in fast and hard," Hot Rod said to Smokey who nodded. "We take them down immediately."

"They look like they're spoiling for a fight," Smokey said as he watched them glare at each other. "Do you think they'd do that here?"

"I hope not," Hot Rod said. "Prime would be bent out of shape."

" **SPEAKING OF BENT OUT OF SHAPE!** Did you see the new movie of us where you have a French accent and a geek face?" Smokey asked with great indignation.

"Not yet," Hot Rod said with a grin. "I heard I look weird."

"You do," Smokey said with great indignation. "Fraggers. Maybe we can go meet this Micheal Bay."

"You'd have to stand in line behind Springer and Drift," Roddy said as he watched some of the Southies step down to the wall, then lean on it. They were about fifty yards away. "Uh-oh. This doesn't look good."

They would watch the play slowly building together.

-0-In the stands

The game wailed onward until the siren blew, thereby ending the hoo-haw for a short interlude. They gathered, bowed, then walked off in lines to the locker rooms where they would debrief, plan, be assisted by infants, and gather themselves again.

The family would watch the jumbotron showing memorable fights both on and off the field of play as they chatted and discussed the failure of the Praxians to score in their last game and the likelihood that they would **FAIL** in the game coming up the following orn. Iacon was zero and one but looked good for the next orn as well.

Maybe.

Across the way, the measure of security forces both on foot and horseback was gathering as the youngsters in the stands began to utilize the time between halves to make afts of themselves. A big mech walked to the wall, then leaned over. **"Hey!"**

Drift who was standing with Springer and Hercy turned to him. "What?"

"These fragging kids are going to fight, mark my words," he said before walking back to his seat.

"Well, this isn't good," Drift said as he turned to the others. "We better go up there and try to head this off."

"You know that's not a good idea, right?" Springer said as he climbed down from Yancy. "We always go up there and end up in the ESPN Christmas Reel." He grinned as they walked to the stairs that led upward. Everyone followed him, big mechs with a lot of tattoos and chutzpah. They reached the steps, then began to walk upward as the cameras that were roving around showing the spectacle were redirected to the spot.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Revet sniffed with a frown. "You don't want the human viewers to think this is a brawl. This is a game of skill."

"And a brawl," Jazz said with a grin. "Who wants to bet Springer flies out of the stands like a ruptured duck?"

No one wanted to take the bet.

-0-Going upward

Springer walked up the stairs that divided each section until he reached the place he wanted. "Hey, you. Come here a minute."

A big high caste kid with a bad attitude stared at him, then glanced at the others. He smirked slightly, then walked down the row to stand on the step just above Springer. They were more optic-to-optic but it was clear that Springer was bigger than the kid who was a Southie, a smart troublemaker named Gar-Bow. "What, officer?" he asked with a very slight grin.

"I have a report that you lot are getting out of hand. If you do, we bag you and put you in jail. No fighting in the stands," Springer said.

The rest of the group was staring at them, then one of them glanced at the other bunch who were not that far away. "Those freaks won't leave us alone."

Springer glanced at him, spotting the faint aroma of gang, though it was clear they were concealing their identity because their stripes were missing. They were most likely Coppos, those across the way. The gang in front of him were the tie die gang, the Southies, who had been ordered to remove that scheme, which they replaced with a stark black and gray coloration. One half of their body was a matte shade of black, the other half gray. It gave an oddly menacing aura, a sort of chimera of evil. "If you don't abide the rules, you can leave. All of you."

It was silent a moment as the kids were doing the math, then the one in front of him, the big strong kid named Gar-bow struck out and hit Springer in the chin. Springer buckled a moment, then jumped on the kid. As he did, the whole section stood up and tried to flee. Those that weren't fleeing were climbing over those that were to assist their leader and maybe get a piece of the other gang, too.

That gang, to their credit, hesitated before joining the fun. It was then that **THEIR** section rose up and began to flee. It became mayhem and chaos immediately.

-0-Primal Box

"What's happening?" Edict asked with shock.

"A brawl," Borealis said as he stood beside Bron-E, his pre-bond. "Don't worry, Edict. You're here and we'll protect you," he said. Bron looked up at him with something akin to adoration as she gripped her ada's servo. Hobbes took the other one. "We'll protect you, Edict. Don't worry," he said as he watched with dread the mayhem across the way. He missed a grateful and loving smile on Edict's face when he did.

Ratchet watched, then glanced at the big mechs watching and itching to be there. "Well, what's keeping you?"

Ironhide grinned, then stepped out followed by Raptor, Hard Drive, Partition, and Blackjack. Alor grinned. "I'd go, too, but I have Scout in the hold.

Everyone watched as they jumped the wall, then jogged across the field. They appeared on the jumbotron as the crowd went nuts. Praxian Elite warriors were joining the free-for-all. It was going to be great. No one forgot the last time when it wasn't, apparently.

Neither did Prowl. "If you dare to defy me and go help them, Optimus Prime ..." Prowl whispered under his breath.

Prime grinned. "Do not worry. I am not that suicidal."

"Good," Prowl said as he slammed his fists together. "I am." With that, he walked down the row, down the stairs and hopped on the wall. He jumped down and began to hoof it across the field. Ratchet who watched him then handed off children as he hurried after Prowl. He was loping across the field on the jumbotron, too, as the cameras followed him and Prowl. On every screen in every place that the game was being watched, a Praxian and an Iaconian were racing forward to do their duty.

Again.

-0-TBC 11-8-17 **edited 11-9-17**

NOTES tomorrow. :D


	186. Chapter 186

The Diego Diaries: **WHO! WHO! WHO LET THE TARGS OUT!?** (dd6 186)

-0-At the Autobot City Unified School District Public Arena, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Everyone watched as they jumped the wall, then jogged across the field. They appeared on the jumbotron as the crowd went nuts. Praxian Elite warriors were joining the free-for-all. It was going to be great. No one forgot the last time when it wasn't.

Neither did Prowl. "If you dare to defy me and go help them, Optimus Prime ..." Prowl whispered under his breath.

Prime grinned. "Do not worry. I am not that suicidal."

"Good," Prowl said as he slammed his fists together. "I am." With that, he walked down the row, down the stairs and hopped on the wall. He jumped down and began to hoof it across the field. Ratchet who watched him handed off children, then hurried after Prowl. He was loping across the field on the jumbotron, too, as the cameras followed him and Prowl. On every screen in every place that the game was being watched, a Praxian and an Iaconian were racing forward to do their duty.

Again.

-0-Getting there

Huge Praxian mechanisms were running across the field passing refs and players who were watching with interest as the security forces rushed forward. Sunstreaker who was at the bench turned to the little kids. "Go over there and stay with the security by the wall. If something happens they can put you over the ledge and keep you safe," he said as he herded four little kids over. "Watch them, boys," he said, then transformed to blast across the field, Sideswipe by his side.

In the stands, things were getting real. Springer and the big kid, Gar-Bow were slagging it out. He was a big kid, had an edge being a stair or two above Springer and showed some skill. A lot of skill. Around him, the mechs were taking on a number of the kids but they were too many. About 44 kids were fighting in the space of two sections. The Watch and other security were escorting civilians caught in the middle away, shielding them from blows with their own bodies. Dropping them over the wall, they ran back for more, some of whom were huddled against the wall trying to defend themselves as the battle raged all around them.

A little elder was standing in front of a few others and some little children as Sandstorm tried to pass fights to reach them. He was terrified but plucky, shoving anyone who came near his little group. Before Sandstorm could reach him, a big kid punched the little mech in the face lifting him off his peds. He flew backward, hit the wall and fell to lie silently. An elder with him cried out and flung himself over the little mech. The others cowered, crying out for help as the fight raged around them.

Sandstorm, who became enraged, picked up a kid, then pitched him back into the mob before he could reach the little group. Picking up the prone elder, he used himself to shield the little group as they struggled along the top of the section, walking toward an opening nearby. It would take time and effort.

Springer gripped Gar-Bow's servo, then squeezed. That big kid screamed, then subbed a gun. Springer saw it, then gripped his other servo. Roaring with pain and rage, the gun went off. It hit the top of the stadium, then glanced off harmlessly. That was when several guns came out.

-0-Primal Box

He handed off his children, then ran for the stairs. Hurrying down, he stepped onto the wall, then jumped off. Flying through the air, he landed gracefully then ran swiftly toward the fight. Guns were out and Optimus Prime could no longer stand and watch. The crowd who was watching him, then noticed the flash of gun fire and began to move on both sides. A stampede had begun.

Prowl and Ratchet arrived at the scene at the same time, then leaped onto the wall. Grabbing kids, they tossed two out of the area. They landed on the ground at the sidelines, then jumped up, gripping the wall to enter again. Prowl and Ratchet were too busy fist fighting at the moment to notice them come back. They were working hard to get to the kids with guns.

Kup and Hercy grabbed culprits as they flew out between helping civilians to flee. The civilian spectators were coming over the wall to get out of the line of fire. Some of them were soldiers who after helping their families and companions to safety turned with guns drawn, waiting to hold troublemakers as they were removed or shoot them if ordered.

Hot Rod and Smokey were in the middle of a fist fight in the stands, trying to overpower a pair of big kids who were kicking their asses. Several Coppo kids had found several Southies and the fighting was fierce. It raged on the stairs near the spot where Raptor emerged into the stands. With an unholy roar, he gripped two of them, crashed them together, then tossed them over the wall. As he turned, a Southie pointed a gun in his face and pulled the trigger. Raptor ducked in reflex, took a graze across the side of his helm and staggered backward.

Ironhide who was behind him caught his grandfather and pulled him down to the ground. **"RATCHET! GET OVER HERE!"** he bellowed as Ratchet raced in. Raptor slid to the ground, then lay back. Ratchet scanned, then staunched a seeping graze. "He's alright. He got his bell run but he's going to recover. Its a graze, Ironhide,"

Ironhide nodded, then turned with a bellow. He ran up the stairs to grab gunmen. As he did, two fired at him at close range. Ratchet who was watching felt rather than saw Turbine and Delphi materialize beside him. "He's got a graze, Turbine. I'm going to help Ironhide. They shot him."

Delphi and Turbine looked up at the mob sharply. **"STAY HERE! DOCTOR EVERYONE, RATCHET!"** Turbine said as he rose to run for the wall. Delphi was behind him.

Ironhide who took a graze across the shoulder and a hit on the left side of his chassis bellowed with rage and pain, then reached for the shooters. They turned and fell back, just out of his reach. That is, they were until Turbine shoved Ironhide out of the way to grab a gun by the barrel. He yanked it away, then bent it with his bare hands. Turning to the field, he threw it and it exploded before it hit the ground. Turning with burning rage, he advanced on both. The one with a gun fired on him, then found himself flying over Turbine's shoulder to land on the steps before Delphi. Delphi picked him up, then threw him out of the section. He bounced on the ground and was grabbed by Hercy. A tazer made the grab easy.

Optimus Prime reached the stands, jumped the wall and landed on benches. Grabbing two kids in his servos, he clanged them together and tossed them over the wall. Turning to the group, he began to advance. That's when two kids shot at him before fleeing. The hits were direct but they didn't stop him. He advanced swiftly on them, catching both. Banging them against the wall, he dropped them, then turned toward everyone. It was a melee. Pulling his big gun, he fired into the air. It was loud in the space, reverberating against everyone in the crowded area. They froze, then turned to stare into the barrel of the biggest gun they had ever seen. **"ENOUGH!"** he bellowed.

It was.

-0-Control Booth

"Well, isn't **this** frag all," Blaster said as Revet and Jazz nodded. "I think they shot Raptor, Springer and Prime. Some **slagger** shot Prime."

"First time I've ever seen gun play at the game. Usually, it happens in the bars afterward. Must be the gangs," Jazz said as they watched security swarm the area and haul off kids to the infield.

"This is horrible. **THIS IS NOT THE WAY FOOTBALL WORKS! DON'T THINK FOR A MOMENT IT IS!"** Revet fumed.

For once, the two of them agreed.

-0-On the ground

Ratchet scanned Prime's wounds, then patched them swiftly. "Not much, Optimus, but they're going to sting. Good thing the guns they had weren't more than civilian popguns."

Prime nodded. "Who is hurt?"

"Springer got a shot, Ironhide, Raptor and Turbine," Ratchet said before Prowl walked down the stairs with two wounds. "Prowl, too," he said as he scanned the big winger.

Prime's expression hardened into something deeply cold. "Is he alright, Ratchet?"

"He is," Ratchet said. "I'm going to field patch everyone." He sent a call for everyone shot or harmed to step forward. Raptor, Ironhide, Turbine, Hot Rod, Prowl, and Prime would be the body count. That didn't count a half dozen abused civilians, an elder who would be hospitalized but recover fully and the reputation of the Nation.

Prime turned to the stairs, walked down, then jumped the wall. He walked past everyone to the center field before he subbed his gun. Standing in the middle, the place became instantly silent. He looked around, then spoke. "There are no words to express the disappointment that I feel right now over the few holding hostage the safety and well being of the rest of us. This was a game for our amusement, not a gladiatorial pit. Those who did this will be charged. Those who feel this is the way we conduct ourselves here or anywhere else in the Empire will find that is a very incorrect assumption. This kind of violence will not be tolerated. Those who wish to bring destruction and warfare to our shores will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. Will the referees come forward. Password? If you are here, come forward."

Solemn referees and a sprinting Password followed by two other football officials came to Prime and they talked together off line. It was silent, deeply silent as the suspects were loaded into several prisoner vans that showed up. When they were loaded, the vans drove off, heading down a tunnel to the Courthouse. Those who were wounded were treated on the sidelines as they gathered to await the verdict. Security, beat cops and horse borne, walked around the field, staring into the stands for more trouble but it wasn't there. There was only the solemn faces of the crowd. Some were enraged, some were frightened, worried, struggling with memories, or concerned about the outcome of the game. It was tense and quiet in the stadium filled with 242,000 spectators.

The jumbotron scanned the crowd as a portion of the screen was given over to Ratchet patching everyone and the group huddled in the middle figuring out the next step. No one offered commentary as the scene unfolded. The sky was blue, flags were snapping in the breeze and thousands were waiting the verdict.

The group discussed the situation, then everyone nodded. Sunstreaker as a team captain and Sideswipe as his nosy brother had joined them along with the captain of Simfur. Prime turned to the group. "After discussion, we have decided to continue the game. However, if there is one more outburst, the game will be forfeit. Both Simfur and Kaon will count a forfeit as a loss. The outcome of this situation is in your servos," he said in a stern voice.

Prime walked to the group on the sidelines, checked his mechs and the situation, then the group turned to the field and began to walk back to their seats. The place was silent a moment, then everyone stood up to howl and applaud. It was stupefyingly loud as they journeyed across, then jumped the wall to go up after comforting the four little mechs. It was a muted group that turned to the game which was gathering together to play.

Joining the others, taking concerned comments from the others, Prime and the others including a seething Prowl, a sore Raptor and a furious Turbine turned to the field to watch. Simfur and Kaon would play a very tough game but the pattern had been set earlier. Kaon would win, 6-2. They would be undefeated, one of only three teams that were.

-0-TBC 11-9-17 **edited 1-2-18**


	187. Chapter 187

The Diego Diaries: In the Kaon Locker Room (dd6 187)

-0-Around a table in the locker room

Ratchet finished patching and replacing the field patches with something more permanent on the mechs who were shot. Prime, Prowl, Springer, Raptor, a seething Ironhide who hovered around his grandpa, Turbine, and Hot Rod were getting permanent care. Most of the wounds weren't deep and many glanced off in the struggle. They were repaired with consummate skill and speed by Ratchet who joked with them to lighten the mood. It wasn't a good feeling around the room.

Standing around or sitting on benches watching, the Kavaliers, Templars, their coaches, four big opticed little mechs, half the family on both sides, Password and his fellow league officials, and the referees were gathered. Jazz was on the air with the post game show while Blaster was here to get the word. Prime turned to him. "Tell the world, especially the humans, that none of the wounds are significant, that the miscreants were a criminal element that were under surveillance and that all is in hand, Blaster."

Blaster nodded. "Everyone is fine, then," he asked.

Prime nodded. "We are going to be fine. We will announce changes shortly. I will be addressing the colony and Cybertron tonight and the feed can go to Earth. I do not want this to create a bad impression among anyone about who and what we are. We are recovering from a catastrophe and not everyone is making the journey in a good way."

Blaster nodded, then walked out to deliver the news. It was silent again. Ratchet glanced at Prime. "There. Everyone is done. You can do your own paint later. Give it a few joors to set."

Everyone usually carried a kit in their subspace or kept a better bigger one at their homes to do the daily touch ups that sometimes were needed. Most attended detailers but there was always these kind of moments. Prime nodded. "Thank you, Ratchet." He looked around the room at the grim faced players and all the others. "Thank you for your forbearance. I congratulate you on a game well played. This will not happen again."

A big Templar nodded. "Half of us are soldiers, Prime. Half of us are armed all the time. Do we continue that or do we intervene? We can help you and do it right."

"It is my hope that such things will not be required. This is our entertainment and our families and children, our elders and everyone else are with us at these times. We can not have it be a battlefield. Continue your current practice as soldiers but leave this to the Watch. If they need you, they will call." Prime turned to the others, then a seething Prowl. "I need to make a statement. Thank you for a good game." he said to everyone who bowed their helms in respect. Then with the others trailing, he walked to the door and beyond.

-0-At the studio

"Is it common practice for your leader to run across a field to join in on a shooting? I can't conceive any country on Earth either allowing it or having someone in leadership who felt compelled to run toward shooting." -UK sportswriter

"Sure," Jazz said with a grin. "He's a soldier and he leads the army from the front. I know that your leadership starts wars that others fight but the fighting we face, we face with Prime. He's no shrinking violet and he's phase six in his skill. I couldn't best him myself and I don't fight fair."

"I don't see our leaders going into combat for any reason," the UK sportswriter agreed. "I don't see Teresa May grabbing her gun and helping."

"Our femme soldiers are kick ass as you say," Blaster said with a smile. "My bond, Revet, was a great soldier, though he doesn't fight much anymore. He's a young mech but he's no one's fool. None of us are. We mean business. Those kids meant business. Unfortunately for them, our Watch and our soldiers know how to deal with upstarts."

"How many in the crowd come to the games armed?" -American sportswriter

"Anyone who's a soldier carries weapons at all time. All of them," Jazz said. "Most of the heavy arms are in our homes or in our lockers at our home depot or armory. Some of the heavier stuff we keep in lockers on our ships if we get deployed. I carry heavy weapons on me at all times. For those of us in the senior command, you're always on call. Day and night, you have to be ready to come at a moment's notice. That's why the senior command carries all their weapons with them. The regular army and air force bear weapons but grab their heavies when activated. The Home Guard, both ground and air, carry small arms at all times. They don't intervene locally and they're only support in combat situations with the regular army. They don't have the experience and they could get killed.

"Combat is something that you have to have acquired prior to Mars for us to have confidence that you won't go out and get killed right away. There's millions of us here that know how to fight and survive as well as on Cybertron and around the reclaimed Empire. The kids and all the others who join us now are not in that category. They're good sparked civilians who want to help, kids, someone's mama, someone's grandparents. We have them in and train them. They're the last line of defense for us and they help us by training and taking over secondary functions so we as regular army and air force can do the heavy lifting. They're good and highly skilled but they won't be in combat unless they show potential or its that dire."

"Tell us about these kids if you can." -Canadian sportswriter

"We have a lot of kids in this colony and on Cybertron, the inner worlds and the Empire. Most of them are fine but some of them formed gangs. Some were orphans surviving. The twins and I were in gangs. We had to get along by ourselves and gangs were good protection. These kids are caste gangs. You know about castes, right?" Jazz asked. The sportswriter nodded. "One of these is a low caste gang and the other mid-to-high caste. They're mortal enemies and they came here with refugees in a migration. They're the kids of refugees and most of them attend school or work. The high caste gang has the support of their families and parents which is considered unusual. The low caste don't. We're working on them to disband but its a process. They've changed their paint schemes and hidden their gang signs. Most of the time they don't cause trouble but this is a step up. They had guns rather than pipes and knives. They fight, sometimes, and we have them in and out of jail. This was a step too far and Prime will handle it."

"What will happen to them and how will you protect the games from this sort of thing in future?" -Mexican sportswriter

"We've arrested everyone, 44 kids from what I've been told. They'll be tried under Cybertronian law in a Primal Hearing. This is federal so it falls to Prime to judge. It's a good thing, too. Prime is ridiculously fair and a jury probably would hang them high. As for the gun problem, Prime's going to give a comment about it on the news shortly. We'll cut to it, then come back to the after game show. I would think he'd change a few things. Understand … we're a martial society, heavily armed and highly trained. You will never be in a group here that doesn't have someone armed. Even some of the elders carry arms because they're struggling to believe life is safe here or anywhere else.

"I would expect that Prime will make it forbidden to bring guns to the games if you aren't military. I can't say but that's my guess. Our people are solid with the Prime. Whatever happens, we'll see," Jazz said.

"Prime's coming on, Jazz," Blaster said as he checked another monitor. "We're going to cut to him and be back," Blaster said as the screen changed to the Emblem of the Primes.

It was there for a moment, the symbol of an ancient power, then Prime's solemn face appeared. "Good afternoon, Mars, Cybertron, Earth, and the Empire. I would like to address the event that happened in the School District Arena during the Kaon-Simfur game. A dispute among two groups of young people turned into a shooting affair when security came to settle it. Civilians caught in the middle were forced to flee resulting in injuries. There is an elder in the hospital who will recover but the fact that he is there is a shameful thing for all of us to bear.

"We have reclaimed over 23,000,000 of our people from terrifying and difficult circumstances to live here on Mars. Some of them come with great hope and pick up their lives better than others. Some have had terrible experiences and it still shows. This new world we are constructing has to be safe and welcoming. The old manner of settling things outside the law is a hard habit to drop when it was the only law and framework you had. But this is not then, this place is not the wilderness and we will not tolerate it.

"I am, by virtue of the Primal Charter and the Matrix which created me Prime, ordering that it will no longer be allowed for civilians to bring into public spaces any kind of weapon or firearm. You will be arrested should you bring them into businesses, public buildings, sporting events, schools, museums, hospitals, or other places the public shares. The only ones I will allow to carry firearms or other weapons into such locations will be those who have trained to use them for legitimate purposes or for their professional services. The army, air force, Home Guard services, and the policing forces shall continue to remain armed and exercise according to their oaths their conscientious professionalism.

"No one will be first response on a situation like this but the Watch. If they require more, the emergency response teams from the prison, airport and Central Emergency Dispatch will respond. If the situation requires immediate attention, then discretion is given to those who are trained to protect all of us, the military forces of our colony, home world and the Empire. We will not allow criminal behavior backed by weapons that deliver lethal consequences to run rampant. Those responsible for this event will face charges and a trial based on the laws of Cybertron and consultation with the Matrix. We are not Cybertron during the Clampdown and we will not be making arbitrary and capricious decisions about this event.

"I want it to be remembered that if you choose to disobey this ruling you will be arrested. No guns in public places among the civilian population. Those who by virtue of your service in the armed forces have a sacred duty to be honorable in your conduct. This **will** not happen again." Prime was solemn a moment, allowing the ruling to sink in. "If you have concerns or comments, enter them in the proper file of the Office of the Primes on the Community Bulletin Board where I can review them and give you prompt responses. Until all are one." The transmission cut.

-0-Heading home

The walk to the apartment was solemn, a pall could be felt everywhere and as they went up to have a bite to eat then rejoin to take the kids trick-or-treating, Prime was greeted with relieved commentary by the civilians he encountered. They parted at the 24th floor as Ratchet, Ironhide and the kids walked with all their family to the apartment for dinner. The twins, Bluestreak and the kids went up with Prime, Prowl and their family.

Entering, they put children on the floor, stripped them of their gear, then Ironhide herded them to the wash rack to get ready for dinner. Turbine turned to Raptor who sat in a chair as the others either helped with dinner or sat in the living room. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I was ready to ask you," Raptor said as he took a beer. "That was fragged."

"It was," Hardie said as he sat on the couch near the window. Halo was in his arms so he sat carefully, settling her in the crook of his arm like the expert he was. "This didn't help us with the humans. Maybe."

"Well, they know we pack heat," Ratchet said with a grin. "I fairly clank when I walk."

"Don't we all," Delphi said as he helped get the food ready with Ravel, Chan and Corr. Docker walked to the wash room to help Ironhide.

The kids danced out, then climbed into chairs. Sunspot looked at the adults. "That wasn't a good thing was it. What do the humans think?"

"They will be surprised and amazed." Delphi handed him a drink and passed out more. "Don't worry about it, infant. We're here to protect you and lead and defend The People. Optimus Prime will make sure it doesn't happen again."

Dinner was parted out, food eaten, the game exclaimed over, then the door opened. Scout and Trooper walked in with big boxes. They sat them down, hugged and remarked to everyone, then sat on couches with beer and a plate. "We came with the costumes. I can't wait to see them," Trooper said. "They were tailored and finished so they should be perfect."

"I can't wait to see them," Alor said with a grin. "Trick-or-treat is a hoot."

The food continued, then was finished. Ratchet turned to the pair. "It's your show now. Tell us what you need," he said as Ironhide set a handful of little jack-o-lantern buckets from previous years down on the table.

Scout and Trooper stood, then grinned at the kids. "You ready for this, infants?"

" **I, ORION, DOING THE SHE, APPA!"** he said with great happiness. He had no idea what it was but he was ready anyway. The others danced, then Hero smiled. "What do we do, Appa?"

"You let us do for **you** ," Scout said pulling the first costume out. They bellowed with delight, remembering the fittings. "Here, Prowler," he said. "Come to me, my baby."

Prowler danced over and assumed the costume. Hero was next, then Praxus, Orion, and finally, Sunspot. All nine of the big kids watched with fascination. They had read up on trick-or-treat and found the concept sound though the idea odd. They weren't dressing up but they volunteered to help the little kids. Their party at school had been fun and they approved of treats heartily.

"This is cute. What do we do now?" Tru asked as he knelt beside Hero.

"We hook them up," Scout said with a big smile. Everyone else was snapping pictures as Hardie held Halo. "Come to me, Sunspot, then Orion." Both stepped forward, then were hitched together. "Now Praxus, then Hero, then Prowler." One by one, they came and were hitched up. When that was accomplished, hats were placed on helms. They were finished.

Genesis grinned. "That is so cute. What is it?"

"It's a glow worm, grandson," Trooper said with a big smile.

The kids were hooked up, biggest to smallest, in a row. They wore a round green body that had black leggings and sleeves to indicate insect legs. Sunspot wore a hat with antennas and the others wore green hats to match minus antennas. "This is the best part," Trooper said as he turned off the lights. Pressing a button on the little gauge he held, the body suits glowed. They glowed enough that they were almost night light bright.

" **APPA! I, ORION, LOVE THIS! THIS FUN!"**

Everyone loved it. Of course, they would love it better when they finally got the hang of walking in a line. It took a while to reach the elevator and then the street where Prime and his family were waiting. But when they did, everyone grouped up and together, they headed out to make the rounds of the city center. They would follow the characters from Monster, Inc aka the Prime kids and a glowing glow worm. Their pails would fill up with treats as they were carefully shepherded by nine big kids. Halo would have a bucket, too, though she would be too busy napping in the arms of her great great grandpa, Hard Drive of Praxus to take much notice.

-0-TBC 11-11-17 **edited 11-11-17**


	188. Chapter 188

The Diego Diaries: The next orn (dd6 188)

-0-In an apartment

Bo and Lil sat on the floor with their trick-or-treat baskets. Sitting nearby filming them, their parents watched with delight. The children loved Halloween where you got high caste treats just by knocking on someone's door. They were sorting them into the otherwise carefully stored but now utilized covered jars that had their names and Halloween pictures painted on them by the kids, themselves. Cookies went into one, candy into the next, novelties into still another. It was delightful.

-0-Elsewhere

She looked at her father with a slight frown. He had their candy buckets. Uraya glanced at Iacon who was frowning, too. "Ada," Iacon said with affronted indignity, "you have **our** stuff."

"I do." Sunstreaker grinned. "You can't eat all of it now. You can each have one."

They frowned at him, tiny frowns, then turned toward Bluestreak who was holding Kaon and Sideswipe who was sitting on the couch next to them. "He has **our stuff** ," Iacon said pointing at Sunstreaker with a tiny digit.

"He has this stuff," Uraya echoed.

"Ada said you can have one," Blue said as Sideswipe grinned. He nodded, too. They were one when it came to their parenting.

Both girls stared at them, then Sunstreaker. Then as one, they crossed their arms over their chassis and turned their noses up at all of them. It was hilarious.

-0-Up in the clouds

"She needs a nap."

"I know. She's napping now," Ironhide said as he sat in his chair with his new dollie and a cold beer. Everyone had gone home after trick-or-treating the night before to rest up and repaint. They would have dinner together at the Tower In The Sky in Terra later on.

"She's adorable," Partition said as he walked into the room. He was gussied up and ready to go on a date with his new flame, Lancer.

"She's a genius sparkling. Look at her nap like that … a professional," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He turned to Partition. "You and Lancer … I approve."

Partition smiled. "She's the best. She's a great person and a kick aft soldier."

"She is," Ratchet said. "You look spiffy. Where are you two going?"

"We're going to the races. Everyone is going and my brothers are going to meet us there," Partition said with a smile. He hesitated, then hugged Ratchet tightly. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Ratchet said as Partition slapped Ironhide's servo. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Since there isn't a slagging thing he **WON'T** do, the road's clear ahead," Ironhide said with a smirk.

" **OH, HA-HA, IRONHIDE!"** Ratchet replied.

A tiny meep and an optic peering up before closing again greeted that. Everyone leaned over to look, then grinned. "Cute," was the consensus. Partition grinned, then headed out the door. They both stared at it, then grinned. "I think we have a future son-in-law, Ironhide," Ratchet said.

" **DON'T MEDDLE WITH THE INFANTS, OLD MECH!"** Ironhide said, then grinned. "You may be right."

"Why, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I'm always right." With that, he walked down the hallway to find out why the kids in the berth rooms were so quiet.

Ironhide watched him go, then grinned. "You are, you red aft slagger."

-0-Proteus and Madura, Anders and Burris, Edict and Hobbes, Laslo and Lucien, Joon and Vinn who would join late

They sat in the cafe in Metrotitan eating a light lunch. The traffic was brisk on the streets and on the sidewalks, this and that mech walking here and there, mostly officials doing official business here in a district set aside to handle all manner of operations and civil departments as they took in the orn. Anders, Laslo, Edict, Joon, and Madura had become great friends over the course of their therapy and given their midnight ramble, the flood gates had somehow opened. Lucien, Hobbes, Burris, and Proteus who knew each other pretty well before made general conversation as they ate and waited for Joon and Vinn to show up.

"You know, Lucien, there's a lot of activities on world that are fun and well attended," Proteus said. "You might consider your interests and getting involved."

"I'm interested in running for local office," Lucien said. "I would like to do something in that field. My work now is not very involving."

"Why not apply for something else more suitable? There's always room for career changes here," Proteus said.

"What exactly do you do at the Halls of Order, Proteus?" Lucien asked. Both Anders, Laslo, Edict and Madura halted their conversation to listen, Madura with a slight tension.

"I'm in charge of all the maintenance of the building now. I am after all a trained engineer as well. It's vast and complicated. I was promoted by Heatout himself. I also take classes. Their philosophy rather dovetails with my own ideas and sense of purpose lately. I find more peace in what I do now than I ever had in a lifetime lived on Cybertron. I'm accepted for who, not what I am and the difference is instructive. It also has allowed Madie to grow and extend himself into the world. For that, I am ever grateful," Proteus said.

"I'm not sure that would suit me, Proteus. I'm needful of more stimulation," Lucien said dryly.

"Then come to the lectures," Proteus said with a slight grin. "Heatout will make you question everything and in the end, you come out of it better."

"I'm sure," Lucien said noncommittally. "I never put a lot of store in the Circle, though I'm aware that most of you belong. My focus was on other things, things that had a direct influence on the planet and its progress."

"Then we have to agree to disagree on whether that was a good or bad thing," Proteus said. "Given that we're sitting here rather than there, I think you know what I feel about that."

Edict and Hobbes walked up and the conversation changed. They sat, ordered, then Edict smiled. "What are we talking about?"

"Paradigms and how fast they shift," Proteus said with a grin. "How are you, Edict? You look wonderful."

Edict smiled. "I feel wonderful, Proteus. Thank you. Now, I want to discuss our next holiday. It's Thanksgiving and we're invited to Ratchet's house. We can find out what to bring and we have to make a baked good for the contest. It's really become quite famous in the colony I'm finding."

Proteus quashed a grin as he stared at the others. Lucien looked like he could disassemble himself into a pile of parts, Burris looked like he dared not disobey Anders, Hobbes looked at Edict like a hopeful pooch waiting for a bone, and Vinn grinned. Obviously, there were household changes unfolding at Casa de Hobbes and Burris. Given that Lucien was in the vice grip of the Caste Court, he would have to go along no matter what happened. Given also what he had learned over the vorns about Ratchet and in the conversations they had here and there when they crossed paths during the orn, his shanix was on Ratchet. He grinned. "Tell us more, Edict. I, for one, cannot wait."

Edict smiled brilliantly, then began. "Well, there are certain kinds of foods that humans eat on Thanksgiving and some of our own that will mesh very well with that cuisine," he began. Everyone would listen, get their marching orders, then all would rise to go to the races together. It would be amazing.

Almost as amazing as it would be if their children were out of trouble.

-0-The night before at Earth2

They began to arrive in vehicles and large segways. Bringing food in towed wagons, they entered the air lock and began to park in rows. All of the 987 individual humans who had lived here before Earth2 were invited to come to the First Earth2 Halloween Party and Trick-Or-Treat Fest to be held. Ops Center at The Fortress had taken over the duties of N.E.S.T. HQ so they could all go together. Food was cooked, desserts and treats created and baked, all of it packaged and stowed in the trailers that were made for the heavy duty segways and the four wheelers that were transport at the different places to be brought to Earth2.

The Consulate personnel were already there, their communications hooked into Ops Center in The Fortress. Sciences was going with the Family and N.E.S.T. making a convoy to the huge habitat awash with lights in a slight crater nearly 25 miles away. The children would come in costume and trick-or-treat door-to-door at the rows and rows of apartments located in the multi-deck housing tiers. It would be like trick-or-treating in a city, going from floor-to-floor, door-to-door with your friends. When that was accomplished, dinner, dancing, friend making, tours of the facility for those who wanted them, a tour of the animals and farms with the kids, and all manner of conversations would be held. The Resort would be staffed by Cybertronians for the duration of the evening freeing up those humans to come. All of the flight and desk crews of Autobot Touring Company who worked for the Resort were also being flown in for the evening's festivities. There would be about 7,000 humans in the habitat tonight. It wouldn't seem like it given its size but it would be a swinging party.

Owen Harris and his partners, Hamilton Brown, Steven Baker, and Lee Jameson circulated among the scientists, N.E.S.T. soldiers, Family, and Resort folks who were ready to party with the newcomers, many of whom were turning out to be really good folks with a lot of appreciation for the way of life humans lived here and the circumstances of things. Gavin Pritchard and Niall Graham walked to the drinks table with their children in arms. Niall, Jr. and Oscar Pritchard grinned at each other as they sat on their father's arms. Handing them cookies, they were immediately happy as the two men ordered beer.

Standing nearby as they drank beer as well, a number of former mercenaries watched the two. Sam Hedges, Jim Johnson, Lawrence Dobbs, Carlos Ortega, Todd Baseman, Steve Anson, and Silvio Lombardi were gathered together, deciding to get a bead on the N.E.S.T. soldiers who were here, some of the most famous individuals connected to Mars in the world(s). The N.E.S.T. soldiers were those they knew, most of them, and they were enemies from Diego.

"There's Lennox over there," Lawrence Dobbs said. "That bastard is the big obstacle here. He won't let us go where we want to go and we won't be able to get what we need done with him around."

"He doesn't have to **be** around," Jim Johnson said.

Lennox walked to Pritchard and Graham, then noticed the group standing by the wall. "Did you see them?"

"We did," Pritchard said. "They asked for privileges at the Resort. Prime has to review it. Judy and the ladies asked him to run it past security. They may get them because Jazz is working them for intel."

Lennox nodded. "Shall we go pay our respects? Newcomers and all. Welcome wagon time?"

Graham grinned as Bobby Epps joined them to get a cold beer. "How about welcoming our civilian counterparts?"

Epps glanced at them, then grinned. "Sounds good to me," he said. "Do you want to bring the kids with us or what?"

"If there's a fight, we'll be your cheering section," Pritchard said with a chuckle.

They turned as a group, then walked toward the mercenaries who were leaning against the wall that led down the 'street' numbered 'C Street'. Pausing before them, it was silent a moment. "So … Harris hired you for what?"

"Security, Lennox," Jim Johnson said as he sipped his beer. "Amazing, isn't it?" he asked. "From Diego to here and you have nothing to say about it."

"You need to read the rules, sonny. I'm boss here and if I say you have to go, you go," Lennox said coldly.

"Maybe, maybe not," Johnson said cryptically.

"Have you been cleared to leave the habitat or are your training wheels still on?" Epps asked.

"We're waiting for clearance," Carlos Ortega said. "You know how bureaucracy works."

"Not really," Lennox said. "We're autonomous here. N.E.S.T., the Resort, the Science and Family Habitats … Earth 1 and the Consulate to a degree … all of us have free reign to run around. Too bad about you guys. It must be tough being trapped here when the colony and beyond is so fucking amazing."

The mercs stared at him, then Johnson stepped closer. "That will change," he said pointedly.

"How?" Lennox said. "I hold your balls in my hand. You better never forget that." He looked down as Annabelle ran up to him, her Bumblebee costume and matching treat bag reminding everyone why they were here. He picked her up, then grinned at the mercs. "Enjoy the night." He walked toward the dinner table nearby where Sarah and Judy were sitting.

Epps smirked at the mercs. "He's got you. Smart move." Epps, Pritchard and Graham with their children left together with grins on their faces.

The mercs watched them go. "Fuckers. I think they will regret that," Dobbs said.

Nearby, watching the mercs, two Strikers attached as security to the Consulate stood by the booze table. They were deep plants from The Resistance. They hadn't had a chance to speak to them and wouldn't for now. When the mercs could wander around the colony, then they would hook up and talk. Until now, they were observing the scene until they had the ins and outs of things before they would try and make a move.

The party raged on around them.

-0-TBC 11-12-17 edited 11-13-17

NOTES:

In IDW, Lancer and Greenlight are a romantic couple, the first ever shown in novels. She is a scientist, a nervous sort and smart. She's the orange femme bot.


	189. Chapter 189

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 189)

-0-At the grocery

Ratchet wandered the aisles looking for fixings to make the Thanksgiving treat that would earn a prize. He had already submitted his designs for the trophies, something that oozed out of his subconscious mind about ten minutes prior to spotting the shop on his way to the store. It would be amusing, he considered. It would also look nice on the shelf at Kup and Hercy's house. He grinned. He turned the corner and nearly collided with Lucien. "Lucien. What's up?" Lucien stared at him a moment with a slight look of confusion. "What brings you here?" Ratchet asked again with a grin.

"Oh. I need to … check in with you," he said. "I would like to apply for a position in the City Hall. It would extend and utilize my skill set better than my current one."

"What job is it?" Ratchet asked.

"Political liaison for the colony," Lucien said.

Ratchet considered that for a moment. "You know that puts you under my command given that the political aides all work through my office as Ambassador-At-Large and Ambassador of State for the colony and the Empire. You would, in the end, be working for me."

"I didn't know that," he said with a slight frown. It was silent a moment as he did the math. "Be that as it may, I would like to apply."

"Alright. You have my blessing," Ratchet said.

"You're joking, right?" Lucien asked as his optics narrowed.

"No," Ratchet said seriously. "If Magnus approves you, then fine. Tell him I have no reservations."

Lucien stared at Ratchet a moment, then nodded. "Thank you," he said, then turned to walk off toward the exit.

Ratchet watched him, then grinned. "Go ahead, slagger. Pull the noose tighter around your own neck." He grinned to himself as he walked onward stalking the perfect ingredients for his magnum opus.

-0-Elsewhere

He worked on the dummy Cybertronian lying on the table before him taking this and that course of action. Sitting nearby, watching with amusement, Lancer noted how skilled and fast Partition was. He was a good guy, working as hard as can be, as if to cram a lifetime of learning and skills into a few orns. She had been aware of him from the beginning, thinking him a colossal aft like everyone, but a very, very cute one. Given that few entered the Realm of Ratchet and Ironhide and came out the same way, she bided her time. If anyone could make a mech out of this clodhopper, it was the two of them.

They had succeeded. She not only had a boyfriend who was considered a mech with lots of promise by the elders of their profession and thus, included in exercises and ventures that nearly every Home Guardsman was prohibited from attending, he had bloomed into a really great guy. She, herself, was of a slightly nervous disposition. She had been a promising scientist when the war broke out and joining up with Elita, Chromia and Arcee had been amazing. She understood his intensity, his laser focus on the task at hand and his drive. He was the one for her.

Watching him work on the dummy under the direction of the coaches who were teaching advanced triage certification for those who were field medics, a thoroughly voluntary course of study, was a real treat. But then, just hanging out with him was the same. He had drive, ambition and a desire to be the best at whatever he chose to do. He loved the family, Ratchet especially, and respected Ironhide like a father. It was amusing to her how things had changed in her own circumstance and now he was part of that. The holidays were going to be jolly this year for sure.

"Very good, Partition. Now do this," the coach said as he outlined a bypass procedure that would redirect energon flow from a severed line that was too damaged to repair into another one, thereby saving the victim's life.

He would do it brilliantly and earn his stripes in this course that was a prelude to what he really wanted to do. Beyond being the best field medic he could be for the military, his first love, he wanted more than anything else to be an elder doctor. The afternoon would pass pleasantly, then the two would leave to join the family for dinner at the Tower In The Sky in Terra.

-0-Elsewhere

They sat side-by-side on the ship coming back from Fort Recluse. They would bridge jump from Fort Apache when they reached it across the Density. They would be bypassing the edge of the territory that Razorclaw claimed, the leading edge of the territory that Prime tolerated for him, if truth be told. They were part of a very powerful but lean battle group checking out things this direction as they searched for the nesting grounds of the acid monsters that surely existed out this way.

"Dinner tonight at the Tower In The Sky in Terra. Ada and Atar want us there if we can make it," Chromia said with a grin. Calling Ironhide 'dad' was still a hoot. Knowing that in fan fiction and even graphic novels and cartoons that she was his 'girlfriend' was even funnier. At least, **she** thought it was funny. Maelstrom, on the other servo, couldn't tolerate the thought that someone else even in fiction was Chromia's love interest.

Maelstrom nodded. "Sounds good," he said as he lounged next to 'his girl'. He called her that to anyone who asked and sometimes when they didn't. He was profoundly in love with Chromia, the only individual in his short term and probably long term memory who could kick his aft. She was beautiful, smart, kick aft, pragmatic, religious, and beautiful. Did he say beautiful? He said it anyone he met, ask or not. "Whatever you want, Chromia."

She chuckled, then slipped her arm though his. He was the beginning, middle and end for her, that mech she never forgot, the one who could give as good as he got. He was huge, a must for her, tough as cybertanium, a must for him, and someone who just 'got her'. She 'got him' and all was well. "Did you know that Lancer has a mech?"

"I saw him. He lives with Ratchet and Ironhide, right? Some kind of high caste?" he asked as he squeezed her servo.

"That's right. One of Ada's projects. He's turned into something pretty good. I'm glad for Lancer. She deserves to have fun."

"Like us?" Maelstrom asked as he glanced down at her, admiring her beautiful face and her elegant gray paint scheme.

"I wouldn't go **that** far," Chromia said. She laughed. That's when the jolt to the ship nearly knocked them off their seats.

-0-Prowl

He sat at the command table finalizing his cookie recipe before the report reached Ops Center. A mech turned at communications. "Commander, the convoy crossing the Density has been hit."

Prowl stood, then walked to Tactical. "What's the situation?" he asked the comm officer as he perused the screen at Tactical.

"They were hit, a ship in the convoy and are in defensive mode. The ship hit took evasive action and is functional. No one is hurt but everyone's at battle stations," the Home Guardsman said with big startled optics.

Prowl nodded, his outward appearance calm and unruffled for the troops, but inside he was working hard on possibilities. "Very well. Patch me through, Mr. Spencer."

Spencer did.

"This is Prowl at Ops Center. What is the status of the convoy?" he asked.

"This is Chromia, Prowl. Some slagger took a shot at us and hit my ship. We've gone into battle formation. No one shows up on the sensors but then, this area scatters signals."

"Very well," he said, "I'm bridging a Seeker flight with sensor specialists. Stand by. You have discretion to return fire."

"Understood," Chromia said.

-0-Out there

Chromia stood by a window staring out as the Home Guardsman at the engineer station searched as best one could for the culprit. She was seething as the mechs on board manned the guns. Sitting at one, grinning at his girl, Maelstrom watched her in her element, ready to kick someone's aft. "Could be cloaking. Could be sensor overload out there. Could be a new alien altogether who operates under different circumstances."

She nodded. "True." Then she looked at him with battle lust on her beautiful face. "They all still bleed."

Maelstrom would regret that he didn't have a picture of her at that moment.

-0-At the command table

They gathered, the leadership of the Cybertronian people who were charged with protecting them. The convoy was evident on the data pad on the table but there was nothing around it that the sensors had picked up. Something was either highly cloaked or there were other factors at work that weren't understood at the moment. Nothing could move that fast to their knowledge to get away from their sensor grid. It was built up out there to find everything and everyone unless it was so alien they didn't understand it or was cloaked.

"This is strange. No visible or sensor reading to indicate that anything was ever there," Wheeljack said as he studied the data. "Very good tech or something else."

"What could the something else be?" Prime asked.

"Someone able to phase in and out of this reality," Wheeljack said.

Ironhide grinned. "You've been watching too much science fiction," he said.

"We should be picking it up," Wheeljack said. "Maybe its signature is slightly askew from what we can detect. Maybe we need to re-calibrate everything to scope wider and deeper."

"Then do so, Wheeljack," Prime said. "We have triple escort out that way until we figure this out. What is the likelihood that Razorclaw is the offending party?"

"I would postulate highly unlikely, Prime," Perceptor said. "I don't want to sound high tone but I don't think he has scientists of this caliber in his employ, though I will be open to more data."

Ratchet grinned. "That's our Percy," he said. He stared at the map. "They've passed the point of no return. Maybe the offender is relegated to the Density and can't function or won't follow into our space or more open terrain."

"Tell the convoy to be aware and let us know," Prime said to Prowl who nodded. "I want to know if they do have a limited range or if they are loathe to venture into more open and therefore, more equal territory."

They chatted a bit, then broke up to go their separate ways as the convoy made its way to Fort Apache. They wouldn't be attacked again. The Seeker flight wouldn't find anything either, not even the signature residue of a ship.

-0-At the City Hall, Metroplex Administrative Plaza, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

He walked into the City Hall, then paused at the counter. Blondi who was waiting for some data at the desk nearby turned to him and smiled. "Hello. Can I help you?"

The room was ultra busy with mechs and femmes walking in and out of offices and through the lobby helping a lot of individuals who were there for this and that thing. He turned to Blondi. "Yes, thank you. I would like to apply for the job listed on the Community Bulletin Board, the political liaison for the colony."

"Ah," Blondi said. "You came to the right femme. Come with me," she said as she took the datapad an office worker handed to her. "Thank you, Castille." She led the way to the half door, then opened it for him. Following her, they passed a number of offices, all of them big and busy. When she arrived at hers, one that said, "Blondi of Stanix, City Clerk and Clerk of Record, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire," they entered together. She sat in a chair by her desk. "Have a seat and let's talk."

Lucien sat, glancing around as he did. The room was large and impeccably furnished, had numerous monitors on one wall with a bank of computers and a work table strewn with datapads and other devices. All of the monitors featured some facet of finance, the colony, data necessary for her function, as well as a screen split four ways showing four different channels of Earth news including their own MCA broadcast.

She grinned. "Tell me who you are, what skills you possess for this endeavor and why you want it."

He considered her remarks, expertly tagged her tattoos as low caste, then began. "I am Lucien of Capital City, though I lived and worked in Iacon most of my life. My family originated from Capital City and we kept a family home there. I was a political liaison to the Senate during the beginning of my career and eventually worked my way up to the Private Council of the Primes. I was political counselor for Empire to the primeships of Nova, Nominus and Sentinel. I was reassigned to be political counselor to the Council of Ancients and the High Council of Elders. I would like to do this because the work fulfills me, gives me a sense of accomplishment and I believe I have a lot of skill to bring to the position. I was involved in direct negotiations with foreign entities and empires and reported to the Primes and Senate on a regular basis what I discovered. I was a standby envoy to the Ambassador of State as well."

"Very impressive," Blondi said. "Those are a lot of skills and your experience at this level of endeavor is admirable. The position would involve reporting to Ambassador Ratchet who is our senior ambassador and Ambassador of State. It would mean being part of envoys for a number of different purposes including economic as well as political. It would mean being part of his team and fulfilling those tasks that he would give you. That would include a bit of clerical in that you would be required to do a lot of reading and preparing briefs for both his department and that of the Prime. Prime's legal and political aides would be part of the process as well. This is a team effort, all of us working together, and you would also be loaned to other departments as the need arises including that of Ultra Magnus here at The City."

Lucien, though he was curdling inside, nodded. "I understand. I am also going to be standing for election in the next district voting period. I would like to represent my district to the committee and work through the system to learn what the colony needs and the greater empire beyond. I would like to assist that process, our efforts to rebuild and regroup."

Blondi nodded. "I think that's evident," she said as she rose. "You've passed my screening. Please sit here a moment while I go and talk to Magnus. He's the next step of the process."

"Thank you, Blondi. I would like to relay that I have spoken to Ambassador Ratchet and he expressed no objection to my petition."

She grinned. "That works in your favor as well. Sit tight. I'll be right back." She left the room.

Lucien looked around, noting the small touches of home that made this office her personal space. Family was a big deal for her but then, she was from Stanix and they were almost mob-like in their family intensity. It was impressive how wired in she was and how luxurious the décor was. But then, he was unaware of Prowl's hard and fast rule. If you're going to live in your office, it better feel like home.

She was back and gestured for him to follow. He did and when they reached the office of 'Ultra Magnus of Iacon, City Manager of The Primal Colony of Mars, Administrator-in-Chief for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire,' she turned to him and looked up. "Go on in. Magnus is waiting for you."

He thanked her, then watched her walk back to her office, nodding and smiling to others who were going this way and that. She was obviously highly liked. Squaring his shoulders, he walked inside. Magnus was standing by a monitor staring at data as Lucien paused by the door. His office was like the flight deck of a ship, monitors and computers artfully and elegantly arrayed along an entire wall. Huge monitors played any number of essential things as the furnishings of the huge room reflected the same luxury that all the others did. A huge desk was near the windows, close to the light that was streaming in, He turned to Lucien. "Hello, Lucien. Have a seat," Magnus said in his all business manner.

Lucien did, then watched as the massive bot, one with an incredible reputation of relentless, implacable menace and integrity walked to the desk to sit. Magnus was an amazing specimen of Cybertronian mech, a huge figure of remarkable physique and strength. He was close to Prime in size, though Prime had the edge and probably did before he became Prime. Lucien remembered Orion Pax and even then saw the huge mech as a unusually powerful figure. Magnus had a very direct gaze, one that often unnerved others. He was smart as a whip, absolutely the figure of integrity and honesty and completely, utterly devoted to Prime. When Lucien had found out they were children together, it rather explained Magnus. Ultra Magnus was no one's fool, a legend as the Tyrest Treaty enforcer and a soldier of extreme skill and boldness. "Thank you, Magnus."

"Blondi tells me you want the political liaison job. She told me that you had the skills and that you understand that Ratchet would have operational authority over you as Ambassador of State."

Lucien nodded. "She did. I also told her that I've spoken to Ratchet and he was good with the idea."

Magnus nodded. "Very well. There are duties that can be assigned that are outside the purview of the job itself, all of them at the discretion of Ambassador Ratchet. What I need to know is if you've learned anything from your recent experiences and the fact that you're still under the supervision of the courts."

Good old Magnus, Lucien thought. Straight and to the point. He nodded. "I have. I was told that this was the place to come to change, to claim another paradigm. My sons have certainly grasped that. My bond as well. What I want to do is be more useful and help where I can with the skill set that I have. I believe that I have a lot of skills that might be more useful here than in my current rather mundane job."

Magnus nodded. "I see," he said. "What I need to know is very simple and I'll be direct. The System of Exception is dead here. It's dead wherever Cybertronians exist. What I want to know is if you understand and accept that very real fact. Prime has said anyone who wishes otherwise must honor fight him. He has also mentioned that perhaps a Convocation of the Will might be necessary to instill that very profound reality."

"I've heard both and frankly, I want to be useful," Lucien said. "I want to do something that fulfills me, assists our society and is more interesting. I believe I'm best placed to do that among your applicants and hope that what has already passed isn't a problem for this moment and this application."

Magnus sat in his chair, a huge commanding figure. He was a handsome mech, very, very handsome with deeply blue optics that could peel paint off the wall with a mere gaze. He was totally unaware of all that and probably didn't care. He nodded. "Very well. If Ambassador Ratchet is good with the situation, then we'll begin. You'll be on a probationary period of several decaorns. If you're proficient and the fit is good, you'll become a permanent member of the Ambassador's staff. I will inform him that you have the position. Blondi will show you your office and begin you on your duties. From tomorrow forward, you'll be directed by Ambassador Ratchet on your work schedule and load."

Lucien rose. "Thank you, Magnus. I'm very happy."

Magnus rose, then nodded. "You're welcome," he said as they shook hands. "Report to Blondi and she will assist you to your office down the street. Be prompt and work hard. If you can do that, we're four by four."

Lucien nodded, then walked out. Magnus watched him go, then smirked slightly. "Ratchet will kick your aft, Lucien. You don't fool anyone," he said softly, then sat down to continue leading the Empire in its day-to-day business once again.

-0-On the road

A sociologist drove a vehicle from Earth2 that was loaded with security, seven former mercenaries that asked to go along to 'get the lay of the land'. Being a good sort and no one to 'spy versus spy' anyone, Corey Wilson got permission, then all bundled in. Corey was one of the individuals who had been cleared to drive in the colony. Many was the group he had ferried out with him as he went about the business of getting a baseline of life here. He was interested in the intersection of bot life and Earth. There were so many similarities that he was going to study them to see which came first, the humans or the Cybertronians. He was due at Sciences in a few minutes to discuss things with a long time scientist there, Alan Murray, a man who had published groundbreaking studies, one of which inspired Corey to come here.

They were in traffic moving along at a good clip. Silvio who was sitting next to Corey glanced around. :I wonder how many of the vehicles around us are sentient and which aren't?:

:I don't know. I would imagine most of them are sentient: Corey said with a grin. He loved, loved. **LOVED** this place. :I'm going to be at the Habitat about two hours. I hope you guys find something to do for that time:

:We can go outside: Lawrence Dobbs said.

:You aren't cleared for that: Corey said with a slight frown.

:He's joking: Silvio said soothingly.

:He better or he's going to get picked up: Corey said.

Silvio turned toward the men sitting in the back seats. :I heard one of you already was on Diego: he said with a snicker.

"Fuck you, Silvio: Todd Baseman said as the others laughed. Memories of being under Kup's foot and carried like a rag in Springer's hand came to mind.

:You're not my type, Todd: Silvio said as they sped ever onward toward the ever growing figure of the Basilica.

-0-At the Shrine of Solus Prime

Olivia Bowers sat on a small bench put there for children. She was meditating in the quiet beauty of the shrine dedicated to Solus the Maker. The shrine was smaller than that on Cybertron but as glorious here situated on the platform of the Basilica as there. The walls of the entire space were covered by hand in gold leaf. Icons and small statues, priceless heirlooms of Her greatness retrieved from Cybertron were set into niches where they would be in the original site. Lights from sconces lit by fire of a type that didn't require oxygen flickered in the room, shining with a gold glow on the endless gold, silver and copper artifacts and the walls themselves. The ceiling was painted with a mural showing Solus floating in the sky, looking directly at them with a loving gaze. Her long neural net flowed like silver locks of hair as her lavender cloak floated around her. She was beautiful and comforting in her direct gaze.

There were others here, some sitting like her and others standing before the jewel encrusted icons of events in Her life, their thoughts their own. Outside, a heavily laden truck from Earth2 passed by, staring at the Basilica and the smaller shrine nearby. It had been near the Basilica on Cybertron and was so now. When she was finished, Olivia Bowers of the Circle of Light, the Primus Peace Mission and applicant to be accepted into the Knights of Cybertron would hop on her segway and buzz off to the Sciences Habitat for lunch with her friends there. She would arrive only a short time after Corey and the mercs.

-0-At the Main Public Library

Hero sat on Arcee's lap as Arcee read the story in her servos to the tiny femme. It was 'femme's orn out', a makeup day for Hero with her sisters. Lancer and Chromia were away but the others picked her up and with Iacon and Uraya in servo, the group were doing the town. First, story time at the library where carefully chosen books designed to bolster a little femme's confidence were read, then swim time at the Water Park in Tri-Cities Mall was had. Everyone going down the slide together was a given. After that, lunch, then window shopping rounded out the orn. All was well in the femme squad. It would be a great time to be little femmes.

The big femmes walked behind the little ones, three little femmes holding servos as they walked along the street looking in windows. Hero holding servos with Uraya on one side and Iacon on the other would set a slow pace but it would be cute. A good time was had by all.

-0-Lucien

He walked into the CMO's office in the Autobot Medical Center with a datapad in hand. He halted before Ratchet's desk. Ratchet, hard at work, glanced up. "Lucien," he said with a grin. "I heard you got the job."

Lucien nodded as Ratchet sat back. "Here are my bonafides." He handed the datapad to Ratchet.

Ratchet gave it the once over, then nodded. "Okay. You have your space in the diplomatic office wing? I had it created along with the rest of the department in building. I'm here most of the time and its easier."

Lucien nodded, noting the big office that was Ratchet's as compared to his. He had to share secretarial and some of the work he had to do himself, clerical and the like, but it was big, sunny and well appointed. All in all, he felt better. "It's fine."

"Good," Ratchet said as he typed on a computer a moment. He then pressed a button and data began to compile. "Come on. I haven't had lunch yet." He breezed past Lucien and was out the door almost immediately.

Lucien watched him, then vented a soft sigh. He followed directly.

-0-On Cybertron

Cargo and Keystock were together today, following Raptor and Blackjack to a place where a lot of bodies had been found. They walked to the edge of a chasm that was two bomb craters. Down below, a large number of tagged bodies lay where they had fallen. They were already sorted, cataloged and as much information and images taken as could be gathered. Now they had to come out of the hole. Raptor stepped down followed by a number of soldiers, some specially trained in recovering the dead. Blackjack turned to the two youngling mechs who were staring downward with dread. "Put down the bag, infant, then join us. We have to remove the dead."

"I can't do it," Cargo said as he stared at the sight below. Keystock was silent.

"We **have** to do it. It's the last decent thing we **can** do," Blackjack said. "Come on. They're waiting for us to care." With that, he began to climb down the crumbling slopes after his father as behind him mechs with body bags appeared, sliding them down on sleds attached to ropes. The dead would be zipped in, placed on a sled, then hauled up to be shipped to a central burial site.

The two stared at the hole, then each other. "I don't know if I can do this, Keystock."

Keystock stared at the hole, then let the bag slide off his shoulders. "I don't know, either. Come on. Stay with me. We can try. We can't let those slaggers think we're weak."

They stared at the sight below, then slowly, with effort and revulsion, they walked down into a field of bodies and bent themselves into the job. It was as ghastly as they believed it would be.

-0-TBC 11-13-17 **edited 1-4-18**

NOTES:

Starting tomorrow, the new show Transformers: Titans Return. The first season was called Prime Wars which you can see there and it would help to see it first. This is the second part. This is the blurb for it on the on-line streaming service, go90.

"Transformers: Titans Return" will feature the voice talents of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime — the role he originated for the original 1980s animated TV show – along with Wil Wheaton, Judd Nelson, Michael Dorn and Jason David Frank in the digital series from Warner Bros.' Machinima and toy giant Hasbro. (Nolan North, the 'Clark Gable of Game Voice Acting' and the voice of Smokescreen in Transformers: Prime will be in this, too. The list is long and filled with great voice actors.)

The series is the second installment in the Transformers "Prime Wars" trilogy. "Titans Return" will premiere in November on the 14th exclusively on Verizon's Go90 video service worldwide, except in China where it will be available on . The series comprises 10 episodes, each about 11 minutes long. Hasbro last year rolled out the Titans Return toy line in the Transformers Generations series.

The first chapter of the trilogy, "Transformers: Combiner Wars," has generated more than 125 million views since debuting in August 2016, exclusively on Go90 in the U.S., according to Machinima.

ENJOY! :D Its happening mostly on Cybertron.

ESL:

bide: (b-eye-d) to bide is to endure. "She bided her time until the cab came."

four by four: means things are done, finished, evened

(Just a cute note: the expression 'sixes and eights' means by the card dealers in the game of craps cleavage, boobies. Sixes and eights means women's breasts.) LOL! I love the urban dictionary. :D

bonafides: (bone-uh-fee-days) your credibility, your record, what makes you legitimate

physique: (fiz-eek) your body and its shape. A body builder is said to have a great physique


	190. Chapter 190

The Diego Diaries: Changes. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes! (dd6 190)

-0-At the Street Side Cafe, Metroplex Highway #1, a storefront across from Club Cybertron and nearly next door to the Metro Station

They occupied a seat outside, relaxing around a small table as a waiter appeared. Ordering what they wanted, they watched the cheerful mech hurry back inside. On the street, a number of individuals were walking here and there as traffic, lighter before schools let out and shifts changed, passed by. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. "I imagine that it cramped you up a smidge when you found out that you would have to report to me."

Lucien shrugged. "You are the ambassador. I'm not surprised that you're the Ambassador of State as well. It makes sense."

"Prime runs the best he can find in all positions but it also helps that he finds those among them that he trusts and relies on. It's not hard to become one of them. All you have to do is earn it," Ratchet said. "Rather like your sons. Partition is a spectacular individual. It's like a dam burst and what's coming over the spillway is platinum."

"My son is a remarkable mech," Lucien agreed.

"Inweld and Morius have stepped up, too. They graduate from basic training in a decaorn. Morius is a crack shot, I'm told and Inweld has a knack for communications. The mechs have made them a project and that includes Partition. That's a big deal among the warrior set, to find promise in kids and take them on. No one wants them to falter in combat or get hurt unnecessarily," Ratchet said.

"My sons weren't meant for war," Lucien said with a slightly stubborn set to his jaw.

"Neither was I but guess what … sometimes the universe doesn't give a frag about what we really want. Your boys stepped up by choice and I'm proud of all three of them. They have a lot of quality."

Lucien nodded. "I won't argue with you, though I reserve my views about their choice of activities."

"I hope you keep them to yourself. All three of those kids are proud of themselves. They see themselves as the saviors of The People. They're ready to protect and defend. That makes them heroic to me. Going into trouble to help another is the finest level of love." Ratchet grinned slightly. "Have they been home lately?"

Lucien shrugged. "They're busy," he said. It was clear that it bothered him but he was cool, Our Lucien.

"I had a great time with Laslo. He's a good mech. Sort of lives in the future and dream land but when he's goofing around, he's a lot of fun. We're going camping in the Valles around New Years and you and the family are invited. I'm going to invite the entire squad." Ratchet grinned. "We will even bring horses."

Lucien stared at Ratchet with a big internal burn. "You don't have to go all out for us."

"I know," Ratchet said as their food was placed before them. "You don't have to thank me," he said with a dazzling smile.

"I won't then," Lucien said as he began to eat a Cybertronian casserole that was HUGE around this time of year.

Ratchet buttered his toast as he prepared to eat his breakfast for lunch. "So … I'm going to give you some briefs, letters from different entities and countries, proposals, invites, etcetera etcetera etcetera. I want you to go through them, prioritize them on a timeline, analyze their contents, and write a report on each of them. I've gone through them myself but want fresh optics on them. I want to see what sort of method you employ to your madness, Lucien. Tell me what I need to know and show me what you got. Then we can sit down and make a plan to fulfill whatever it is that's on the table. I want a thorough and complete analysis set in the context of the colony and the new paradigm. I don't want slag that will make Sentinel Prime smile."

"What's going to happen to Sentinel?" Lucien asked.

"I doubt that he'll reform enough to step out of his rut like Proteus. Proteus is a slagging miracle, but then, he wasn't as full of slag as most of them. He and Madura have a second chance. We all do if we want it hard enough. Sentinel wants out to help with the situation but he wants it his way. He doesn't know that we have that figured out. He's pretty slick, Our Sentinel. However, he has to change and make it real before we can risk him out. Then there's the matter of the population seeing him, then shredding him into iron filings."

"You can't change him like you did Proteus?" Lucien asked.

"I can change anyone on the outside but they have to change on the inside and Sentinel still doesn't get it," Ratchet said.

 **"RATCHET!"**

He peered over his shoulder to see his grand genitors walking toward him on the way to the University Tower nearby. They had left RTR Tools where they had done homework, helped Ravel and Tie Down and lounged. **"HI!"**

They gathered around Ratchet, then he introduced everyone. "Lucien of Capital City, these are my grand genitors, Ratchet, Corr and Chan of Iacon and Docker of Uraya. This is Lucien who is now part of my diplomatic department."

They greeted him, smiling at the stranger. Then they looked at Ratchet. "Dinner tonight at the Tower in Terra? Do we bring anyone or are the infants cared for?"

"We got this," Ratchet said. "Everyone has already claimed one. You're getting slow."

"You're not supposed to notice that, Sonny," Appa Ratchet said with a smile. "We'll meet you there then."

"I'll be there," Ratchet said with a smile. "Steal Halo when you get there. We have to keep Ironhide on his toes."

"You're a hardcore, infant," Corr said with a chuckle.

" **HE DIDN'T GET THAT FROM ME!"** Appa Ratchet said with a wink and smile. They chatted a moment, then walked onward.

They ate a moment, then Ratchet glanced at Lucien. "That's why I fight," he said. "Those four, among all the others. What drives you, Lucien?"

Lucien glanced at him. "All the things that drive everyone else. I want what I want. I don't think that's a sin."

"It's not a virtue if someone else suffers because of it," Ratchet said. "We work for everyone equally. No one gets left out. When you get your reports and conclusions in order, we sit down with Prime's legal and political aides, his scheduler and Prowl to go over the planning. Some of what we do requires us to go to Earth, both different counties and Diego Garcia. That is the most important treaty that we hold. That one must be maintained at all costs. You will learn as we go."

Lucien stared at Ratchet coolly, then nodded. "Very well."

-0-At the Sciences Habitat in Autobot City

They walked in from the environmental entrance, slowing as they stared around. It was a huge building but until you entered it you couldn't really gauge its size. It was as if someone had taken an immensely big glass bowl and turned it upside down. The size of the dome was incredible and disorienting because it was so clear, it felt like there was no cover overhead. Those who first visited it had that flash of fearful vulnerability when they entered. The inside was open space, vast with designated areas. Along the wall to the right of the entrance was the kitchen which led into a bank of monitors and computers. They were communications tech and work stations.

In the area next to that was a dining room that could seat 300. Given that 150-177 lived here full time, including family members who came and went, it was made to be grown. Down below the first floor were the apartments of the inhabitants and below that, the plant that ran the dome and all the stores to keep it going. A lounge filled two spaces, one in the back which had a stone wall running along it that was over 30 feet high and one off to the left of the dining room. A giant monitor could be seen in both areas.

Some of the resident scientists were having lunch and waved the group over. One of them was Alan Murray, a slight wiry man with a ready smile, a genuinely kind personality and an insatiable curiosity about life and other beings. " **Corey!** Join us. Who did you bring with you?"

"Alan Murray, my hero and mentor, this is Jim Johnson, Sam Hedges, Todd Baseman, Silvio Lombardi, Carlos Ortega, Lawrence Dobbs, and Steve Anson. They're security for Earth2 and wanted to come to see the colony. They don't have permission to go out on their own. I told them I'd be here a couple of hours working with you."

Alan nodded. "Find a seat, gentlemen. We're going to be a while. Eat lunch while you wait. Prime rib sandwiches and the beer is cold."

The mercs walked to the counter to make lunch with Corey. As they did, the hatch opened and Olivia Bowers walked in. She smiled and greeted the others, was introduced, then joined the line for lunch. Jim Johnson glanced at her. "I heard you went native."

The atmosphere cooled a bit as she stared up at him. "I like life here and I like the people. If that's going native, then I'm guilty." She grinned slightly. "I heard that some of the security at Earth2 were mercs with Jase Daniels. Any truth to that?"

Sam Hedges nodded. "Guilty as charges, most of us."

"I wasn't," Silvio said.

"Not me," Steve Anson added.

"Good for you," Olivia said to the pair with a cool tone of her own. The line moved slowly as the men prepared big sandwiches and took cold beer from the counter top cooler. She moved up to prepare one as Sheila Conroy and Michio Yamaha walked in from outside. "Hi, Olivia. I'm glad you're here. I want to let you know that the flight to Enceladus is on hold. They're testing the cargo bridge there and flights are rerouted to Fort Recluse instead."

"Thank you, Sheila," Olivia said. "How was it on Charon?" She walked to a table to sit as Sheila and Michio began to make lunch. "Did you get to the heart yet?"

"Heart?" Lawrence asked.

Olivia glanced toward him, then nodded. "There's a flat area on Pluto that is heart shaped. It's as big as one whole side of the planet. If you take an image and trace the area, its a perfect heart, a 1,200 mile wide heart."

"How do you get a ride to Pluto?" Carlos Ortega asked.

"Well," Olivia said with a slight smile. "It depends on whether its one-way or a return."

 **HUGE** laughter in the room.

The hatch opened as three big men walked in, all three of them N.E.S.T. soldiers. One of them was Sargent Toby McFarlane who had driven the mercs to Earth2 when they came and the other two were Trevor Smith, newly minted sergeant and solid Martian home boy as well as a big man named Colin Carver, a Sargent from the UK. They greeted everyone, then walked to the counter to make food. They had noticed the mercs but didn't say anything to them. They had their orders to watch but not engage.

Walking to a table where a couple of civilians sat who were family of those who lived in the Family Tower, they sat to eat. The mercs stared at them as they ate nearby. Then Johnson leaned back in his chair. "You're Trevor Smith," he said.

Trevor glanced at him. "I don't know you."

"You should. I'm fucking famous," Johnson said with a smirk. "You must have seen me on my many TV appearances."

"Nope," Trevor said.

"I've met your parents," Johnson said.

"Lucky you," Trevor said.

It was quiet a moment, then Carlos Ortega leaned around Sam to stare at the two. "How do you get a ride into space? I want to go to Charon."

Trevor stared at him, then glanced at Toby McFarlane who was staring at him with gathering disgust. "I don't think you can count on it," McFarlane said.

"That doesn't sound very neighborly," Ortega replied.

It was icy cold in the room, then Corey stood. "I didn't let you come along to be dicks. If you're going to make trouble, then you can walk home."

"You have no sense of humor," Ortega said.

"Not when it comes to unity here," Corey said. "Either figure it out or I'll leave you to walk back to Earth2."

"How about we catch another ride back?" Ortega said with a cold expression.

"Good luck. I don't think they have Uber here," Michio Yamaha said.

"Where's the phone around here?" Johnson asked as he glanced around. "Someone else can drive us around."

"Good luck with that. You were signed out to my vehicle. You have to come back in it," Corey said.

"Let's see," he said as he watched Michio walk to the comm system to call up Earth2.

"Go ahead. You might get lucky," Michio said as he walked back to his chair.

Johnson rose, then walked to the console. A man was on screen, someone from the office of Harris. "Hey, Lance. We need a ride. Corey's going to be here a while. Is there someone who can come get us? We're on the log."

"Hang on," Lance said as he checked things out. It was silent a moment, then Lance looked up. "I can route someone there. What's the deal? I need to log it in."

"We're stuck here. Corey's doing something with the scientists. When will they be here?" Johnson asked.

"About a minute. They're heading toward Aerie Hill and should be passing the Temple District now," Lance said. "I told them to turn in and get you."

"Thanks, Lance. We'll be ready," Johnson said. The screen went back to the NASA logo as Johnson turned to the others. "Let's get ready to go." He picked up his mask and with the others in tow walked to the airlock where they paused to look back at the group. "Is someone going to let us out?"

Michio walked to the console, then opened the door. They walked in to wait as the hatch door closed. At about the same time, the outer hatch opened and a vehicle from Earth2 drove in. The mercs entered, then drove out as the airlock closed. Those inside turned to Corey. "You better watch your back, Corey," Michio said as he walked back to the table. "Those guys are idiots."

"They're worse than idiots," Toby said. "I'm going to inform Lennox. If they so much as frown at you, call us. We'll be there in seconds."

Corey nodded. "Thanks. Those guys are not good. No one likes to be around them."

"Then that makes it 100%," Sheila said with fury.

-0-TBC 11-15-17 **edited 11-15-17**

NOTES

A fly by of Pluto shows a huge area of Mars that looks flat and white. It also forms the most perfect heart shape. Next to it is a dark space that is whale shaped. Google it. It's fantastic.


	191. Chapter 191

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 191)

-0-Dojo, Tyger Pax

"Well, we have a problem with the mercs," Springer said with a grin as he stood from the couch where he was lounging at the Dai Atlas Dojo.

"What's up?" Drift said as he stood up as well.

"Mercs stretched a rule and it might blow back on a 'normal'," he said. "They changed vehicles and are heading to Aerie Hill. Wanna go with?" he asked.

"Did you have to ask?" Drift said with a grin as they walked toward the door.

'Normal' for the uninitiated was the term used by the Watch to discuss anyone who was on the right side of the law, of history and the way things went among those who had a clue, ie, the law abiding citizenry. It could mean bot or human. Apparently, Corey was a normal, a fact that if he knew would make him deliriously happy.

The others who were watching rose as one and followed.

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress at the same time

" **Commander!** We have something … **someone is downloading the database! TELETRAAN IS UNDER ATTACK!"**

Prowl nearly upended the table as he stood, then hurried to the nearby console. Someone was running data, downloading it to who knew where. **"SHUT THE SYSTEM DOWN! INITIATE BACK UP SYSTEMS!"**

A mech at environmental worked furiously, then the entire Ops Center went down.

-0-Around the colony

The lights flickered, then everything went down. After a puzzled and startled minute, they came back up in the essential places and in homes that were flagged as emergency services back ups. Terradive who was standing in the middle of a demonstration of states of matter glanced around. Behind him, the massive monitor had gone down but now came back up. Obviously, the backup systems of the colony were coming on line for those most in need.

-0-Hospital

The security system in the 'high security-no admittance without authorization of the Prime or CMO' of Metro Femme, Elder, Youngling and Sparkling Hospital went down. A light began to flash and a siren went off. The stasis modalities of the various prisoners were shutting down and somewhere in their psyches, they began to reboot. Rushing in with weapons drawn, the emergency security team of Metro Femme worked manually on opening the doors. Inside, Black Shadow, two enhanced femmes, Arachnid, a number of phase sixers who were the DJD, and other hard afts were gathering their mentalities once more. The head of security for the hospital, Nolo of Nova Cronum, hit the emergency comm link to Ops Center. **"THIS IS NOLO AT METRO FEMME! GIVE US SOME JUICE! THE INMATES ARE REBOOTING!"**

Prowl who heard the message as he began to unwind the attack from their ability to bring the emergency systems back on line worked feverishly. Somehow, 'they' had managed to short circuit the two functions. Someone had familiarity with the system and the system had just revealed a major flaw because of it.

-0-Metro Femme

"Steady, boys. The doctors are coming with manual stasis devices. If the prisoners move, shoot them," Nolo said as the mechs with him, heavily armed and shielded stood in the vault room where everyone was located in their high security stasis containments. Red lights on each were beeping signaling a breach was imminent, then they began to turn green. In seconds, the vaults would open and the trays inside slide out. Those who were on them would be free once again.

-0-Spring and Company

They got the word and sped as fast as they could to Metro Femme. At the prison, all of the emergency teams for the colony including the standby crews at the airport who were always on duty in case of emergency lift off were heading there. Emergency systems built independent of Teletraan were kicking in for the habitats and the prison proper though the lag time, if any, was not yet known All of the human habitations were made independent for just such a thing. None of them were in any danger including the Resort due to stand alone generator plants.

They blasted in, transformed in air, then landed, and ran for the hospital. It was being evacuated, those that could move, while the others were being locked into their rooms and wards. Running through the hallway, they reached the security wing, then slid to a stop. "What's the sit-rep?"

"They're emerging," Nolo said. "Arachnid is coming out now," he said as the tray slid out. Moving to stand next to the prone figure who was awake and glanced around, he put his gun to her helm. "Don't move, Arachnid." A doctor rushed forward, slapped a stasis device on her helm and she fell immediately into it. Sliding the door back, he manually locked it. As he did, the tray with Black Shadow began to slide out.

-0-Around the colony

The steel buckets overhead wobbled, then slowed to a stop. On the ground, the big mechs watched as the lights went out. They were out a second, then came back on. Glancing at each other, Scar who was doing his rounds as director of the whole operation, turned to the comm link nearby. Keying in Ops Center, he made his call. "What's going on? We're having power problems at the Park City."

"Hold, Scar," someone's voice said. "We're experiencing technical difficulties."

Scar nodded. "No doubt," he said, then he looked at his datapad, the one that held information on every facet of the operation system wide for all the five huge Industrial Park Cities. There were dozens and dozens of red flashing flags. "Oh slag," he said quietly. It was now the worst part of being boss of the Parks.

-0-Outside of Aerie Hill

They saw the lights flicker, then heard through the thin atmosphere the distorted sound of sirens going off as they followed the traffic into Aerie Hill, the 'City of the Seekers'. Traffic was slowing in the center of the great district as the traffic lights began to blink yellow, then flashed to off. The district was built along rock ribbed ridges that rose to the original mound where Starscream and the others had first surrendered long ago. Now it had grown enormously and spilled into several large steep gullies that ran off from the main one. The gullies with their sloping steep sides were lined with houses that were built into the terrain, a dazzlingly beautiful city of steel, stone and glass.

They were built in long rows along the curve of the deep reddish colored washes, terraced up the slopes to line the top with long attached housing. Roads ran along each terrace, roads allowing access that way, though most of those who lived here landed and took off from their balconies. Children played in the streets and it was a place to hang out to chat and watch them. The majority of the city, where the businesses and public buildings were located was on the giant mound. It was a tall spire affair, Aerie Hill, with overhead links for roads and walkways among the dazzling towers. It sparkled in the sunlight, this poetically beautiful place designed by Starscream, his trine and the architects that had been graduated from the University. It was his all encompassing pride and joy, this glorious city that threaded out from the mound into the gullies that ran from it, the product of waterfalls and runoffs in some long distant past.

Around their vehicle as they drove through the highway that led upward and then around, redirecting traffic back to Autobot City, there were Seeker and grounder mechs standing together, talking, watching the skies, then some of the Seekers transformed and blasted off. It was an astonishing sight to see. Jim Johnson peered through the window, attempting to look up into the sky. :We must be under attack: he said tensely.

Their driver, a civilian who had no experience with war looked panicked. :We're getting out of here. We're going to the habitat:

A light on their dash beeped. Then a voice came over the radio. :All civilians of Earth2, Earth 1, Sciences, The Resort, and the Consulate are asked to return to their home bases. All of those who live in those habitats, return immediately to your home base. The colony is experiencing a power fluctuation and wish to have the roads clear for repair crews. Return to base immediately. No exceptions:

:That's good enough for me: the driver said as he inched into a left hand turn. It would be a long, tense drive back to Earth2.

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress at the same time

Optimus Prime transformed in midair, then landed hard. He ran into the Fortress, across the Rec Room and through the crowd around the door of Ops Center. Striding in, he paused at the command table. "Prowl. What's the situation?"

Prowl was plugged in and typing furiously. "A moment please," he said as he continued. Then the lights went out again. Almost immediately, they came on again. "I'm rebooting. I shut down Teletraan and now its rebooting."

As it did, the tactical officer called out. **"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"**

With a roar of frustration, Prowl turned to an overhead panel, opened it and hit the big red button inside. The system went down. They were functionally blind.

-0-At the Autobot City Medical Center, Ambassadorial wing of the building, 33rd floor

He sat at his desk in a brightly sunny office with wall to ceiling windows and luxurious furnishings. He had commented on them and Ratchet had grinned. "Thank Prowl. He believes if we live where we work it should be as nice as home." This big beautiful space with lots of equipment showing the world beyond as well as linking him all over the colony would be his ground zero. Here he would do the work of a political liaison and assistant to the Ambassador of State.

Ratchet.

Through the door heavily laden, Ratchet entered with piles of datapads and folders of the business of state thus far. He had learned how to read it quickly but it was going to be nice having another pair of optics and point of view to add to the job. He was going to figure out how Lucien thought to utilize him to best effect and find out his level of threat. He put them on the desk, then went out two more times. Dumping the third big pile and a rack that held a good dozen large datapads, he grinned. "Some of this is background for you to read before you get to this group," he said putting his servo on the stack of current affairs. "We have relations with more aliens than the humans and thus, we have a lot of stuff to do. You know what to do. It's all yours."

Looking at it, Lucien considered a decaorn would do 99% of it up. He would be hard at it for some time with a lot of it ongoing and thus, unending. He would never have a moment where his desktop would be cleared. Then the siren ran, the lights went off and every computer in the building shut down. Lucien stood with concern. "What's happening? Are we under attack?"

Ratchet who had just internally receipted his call to come to the Ops Center shook his helm. "No. Something else."

" **WHAT ABOUT LASLO!? MY SONS!?"** Lucien said with gathering fear.

"Suck it up, Lucien," Ratchet said sharply. "Go find Laslo and stay with him. Don't worry about your boys. They're Home Guard and they have their duties. Go. Now."

He hesitated, then ran for the door. It would take a while to find Laslo but he would be found in a teacher lounge at the University. They would stay there with the others riveted to the Latest Breaking News! On The Hourly News broadcast.

-0-Heading from the Medical Center to Ops Center

Partition, Lancer, Inweld, and Morius nearly collided with Ratchet in the door of the big building as he hurried out to the Ops Center. "What's up, Ratchet? What do we do?"

"Come with me," Ratchet said as he sprinted out and ran down the sidewalk. The kids turned to give chase. It would be a hip and hop through traffic to the Ops Center, then a push and shove through the punters watching in the doorway and just inside. Partition, Lancer, Inweld, and Morius followed Ratchet to stand nearby others at the table where the senior Autobots were gathered. Prowl was running data again and everyone looked grim. It was sobering to all in the room. It was tensely silent.

Then Prowl turned to Prime. "Someone punched into our systems and gathered information." A murmur in the group was heard. Standing on the table with them, Fulton, Morshower, Lennox, Epps, Graham, and General Bowers listened. Also with them was Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons. "I don't know how they did it, that's for Wheeljack and Perceptor to figure out. Just know they did."

"What did they hit?" Springer said with a grim expression on his handsome face.

"That's the interesting part. They hit personnel, technology, the armed services blueprints sector for ships and weapons, medical, and the theoretical sciences sectors," Prowl said grimly. "They skipped over a lot of other things, some more reasonable to troll. Personnel records. Why?"

"Maybe they want to know who is here, who is in charge … maybe they know us from other times," Ratchet said.

"Prime to Wheeljack and Perceptor." There was a pause, then their voices were heard over the intercom. "What have you found out?" They were down below in the situation center where the main access nodes to Teletraan could be found.

"We have a strange situation, Optimus. This came from literally no where. I would speculate, and its just that," Perceptor said. "We have someone who can phase shift apparently, and therefore, reach into places that no one can ordinarily. They leave no trace. We followed their signal back to a point that ended in nothingness. I am quite literally disquieted."

It would have been funny, the elegance of the big red microscope's mystification if things weren't so weird. Prime turned to Paragon. "Please contact Cybertron and the forward bases. Find out if they have the same problem. We might be able to triangulate on them if we understand where they strike."

Paragon nodded, then hurried to Communications to make the calls. Prime looked at Prowl. "We need to have the colony on a system that allows them to continue. We cannot have the entire place shut down if we have to terminate Teletraan. We also need an automatic shutdown when the intruders attack. We do not have one now do we?"

"No," Prowl said as he furiously thought through a dozen scenarios. "It requires commands or pushing the emergency switch in the overhead cabinet."

"Prime to Wheeljack and Perceptor. Please come up when you're finished."

"Understood," Wheeljack said.

"We have an invisible enemy but it is my experience with that sort of thing that if there is a screen, there is someone behind it. We have to be able to detect them," Prime said. "Prime to Metroplex, Fort Max and Typhoon. Report to Ops Center immediately."

A shimmer of lights appeared almost immediately as three enormous mechs materialized out of thin air. They turned to Prime. "Optimus Prime, how may we serve you?" Metroplex asked solemnly. Then a call interrupted Prime.

"Springer to Prime. We have a situation at Metro Femme Security."

"Oh frag," Prowl said suddenly remembering the calls from Metro Femme. **"THE VAULTS! THEY MUST BE COMING OUT OF STASIS!"**

Three major frames derezzed immediately before Prime could even move. It was amazing how fast he could run and behind him came everyone else but Prowl and the two scientists who stepped out of the way for everyone to leave. Watching them go, Perceptor and Wheeljack walked into the room. "What's going on, dare I ask."

"Black Shadow is waking up at Metro Femme," Prowl said with dread.

"Oh, frag," Wheeljack and Perceptor said almost together.

:Oh fuck: Seymour Simmons said in agreement.

-0-TBC 11-15-17 **edited 1-7-18**


	192. Chapter 192

The Diego Diaries: At the Point of No Return (dd6 192)

-0-Metroplex Femme

They ran down the hallway, Prime followed by Ratchet and the others. There was a crowd in the hallway of the high security wing who stepped back to let them through. Inside, a number of big mechs were holding the sliding tray that was Black Shadow's resting place back. It was trying to force its way out and there was a racket inside. Ratchet pushed forward. "When I say go, let him out," Ratchet said as he got out a meter and scanned the scene. "Do the same with the others." Ratchet input a number of commands into the meter, then nodded. "Go."

The mechs stood back and the tray slid out with a slightly ozone smell from gears grinding. Flailing on the tray, Black Shadow tried to rise. It didn't seem like he was very self aware and almost instantly, he wasn't. He fell back, dropped back into stasis as Ratchet turned to the others. "Push him back. I'll reset in a moment." He went from vault to vault, sending everyone back into the deepest part of stasis. Then they were rolled back inside. Walking to a wall monitor, Ratchet reprogrammed the inmates, then turned to the others who looked wrung out from the moment. "They're in stasis but what happened is simple. They had to be fully wakened by me. However, the system here stimulates inmates enough to make them easier to move if something happens. None of them would be able to do anything more than walk where they were led. Their cognitive features … their processors are still under water. I disabled them to be a threat but they could get out and zombie around if it came to that. They aren't a problem unless I do a main reboot among other things and let it run its course."

It was almost sick in the room for a second, then Prime nodded. "What about the others in the big vault?"

Ratchet walked to the monitor, checked, then turned to Prime. "That section was built with a back up fail safe against failure, that's how much a threat they are. If they were ever down, it would only be for a nanosecond. Right now, they're in dream land just like these. It will be more nuisance than danger if this happens again."

"Frag," Ironhide said with a roughly vented sigh. " **NOW** you tell us."

"Why, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "Frag you, too."

Laughter was great and welcome as they walked out. Prime set the orders, then the group hurried back to the Ops Center to figure out what to do.

-0-Lucien

He found Laslo in the lounge of the University staff having a cup as he went through writing assignments from students. He looked up with surprise. "Lucien. What brings you here?"

"There's something wrong on the grid." He glanced around. The lights were still on and everything appeared to be functioning. "Did the lights and power go off here?"

"It flickered but we have an independent power source for the University and the other educational sites. What's happening?" Laslo asked as Lucien turned on a monitor nearby.

"I don't know. It feels like an attack," Lucien said as he sat down next to Laslo. They would watch the news together as others gathered to hear it as well.

-0-Ops Center

"We have a back up solution, Prime, for the colony and for Teletraan. We can power Teletraan through the main power plants. That way, when we turn it off it won't shut down the colony. It will energetically be independent. The colony will be fed through the Plasma Energy Chamber. We can install generators there, then hook them separately into the grid to come on the nanosecond that the power plants and Teletraan falter. We can even run them for an indefinite period of time in place of the power plants, hooking them into Teletraan alone. That way, Teletraan is powered fully and its termination online won't take down the colony. Given that the Triggers, both of them, and the little bridge are fueled up, it should be okay until we come to some understanding of this. If you have the colony on the alternate source until we figure this out, then there will be no disruptions for them if Teletraan is shut down."

Prime glanced at Perceptor who nodded. "How long will it be until you have this modification online?"

"A full orn. We're making huge generators at Park City all the time. They're heading for Cybertron right now but we can spec out a bunch, work out the linkages and get them going. If we link about five of them together to draw energy from the Plasma Chamber, we'll be up and running. If you shut down Teletraan again, the other system because its autonomous and stand alone won't be affected," Wheeljack said.

Prime glanced at a pensive Jetta. "You can do this? What are the affects to the colony thus far of this?"

"We can do it," Jetta said as Mack nodded. "The affects are surprisingly minimal. There were a few fires from surging, some damaged projects from the fluctuation of power on their operation, some inconvenience, and a lot of surprise and fear among the population … given that the essential areas had back up generation, it's minimal, I'm pleased to say."

"I'm pleased to hear it," Prime said with relief.

"We run practice drills, Optimus," Jetta said. "We do it periodically just for this thing. The system has been debugged but still, it would appear that Teletraan has a flaw."

"I want it hammered out. I do not want it so easily accessed. I was under the impression that because Teletraan is sentient that it could self defend," Prime said.

"It is and it can," Perceptor said. "This, however, is obviously new and very powerful. We can redesign the defense measures and get them implemented but it will take a few orns. Right now, we don't know what it is, Optimus, that we're looking at. Phase shifting is a possibility. We have to study this more."

"Then do, Perceptor. The sooner, the better. I also want Teletraan 1 on Cybertron and the others to be protected. Make sure that everyone is covered. We do not know what we are fighting, friend or foe. This has to be highest priority. They already have too much information about us as it is, whoever or whatever they are."

Nearby, on a monitor, the news was broadcast.

"... and that is the latest word on the power outages around the colony. Let's recap," Lim-Lee said as everyone in Ops Center paused to listen. "At 1340 on the TMC, there was a power outage that involved nearly the entire colony. Apparently, preliminary indications suggest that a power surge happened that took out a router in the main power plant at Site 41 on the Industrial Park Highway. Teams are working to make repairs and things are expected to be spotty with scattered outages for the next two orns until repairs are complete. If you have questions or concerns, if you need support for special reasons, contact the Office of the City Manager and ask to speak to Public Utilities.

"There were fires at the Science Center in the Science District out Fortress Road. They were minor and impacted only a few projects. Back up generation was supplied to schools, the hospitals and medical centers. Those who require medical home treatments of a critical nature are also on automatic back up generation. The prison had disruptions as well. Jacx is there getting the latest information."

(Cut to Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison, Prison Road, at the Control Center)

"Tell us, Warden, what happened here when the power went down?" Jacx asked Gee-Gee who stood in front of the main doors of the big command building.

"We had a power outage through secondary lines supplied by the colony that lasted about a nanosecond before the big generators we carry here for such purposes rerouted those functions to our own system. We have a huge power grid underground that is autonomous and runs off its own generation capacity to supply all the energy needs we have here. We had that installed when the prison was built just for things like this, to ensure that nothing would cause a prison break during a catastrophe or incident. We cannot afford to lose structural integrity and have the prisoners get out.

"When the signal failed, there was a nanosecond before the secondary systems kicked in. We run on our own power but there are new additions being built here and some at Sciences down the road so we were partly on the colonial grid and partly on our own. There was a split second when if anyone had understood what was going on, they might have been able to free themselves. But it was so short and so fleeting, it passed." She grinned. "I don't expect anyone here to be happy about it but we have every possible contingency covered. We've been doing this a very long time."

"That's very relieving. I understand that the emergency intervention teams arrived along with the standby troops at the flight line at the Military Airfield," Jacx said.

She nodded. "We have crack teams who are prepared to protect and defend any situation here. They're trained to highly specialized standards and run simulations regularly. The standby military teams at the airport flight line are go to come here when something happens. We cover it all six ways to Sunday as the humans say. I would suggest that our people can be very confident about the construction and maintenance of this place given the kind of individuals we have working here."

"Thank you, Warden Gee-Gee of Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison. Back to you, Lim-Lee," he said.

(Cut to Lim-Lee in the studio)

"Thank you, Jacx. That is very relieving. Right now, we will be taking a report from Gen-O who is at the Main Power Station on Industrial Park Road with Sam-2 of Helex, the main power engineer of the plant and the colony itself for an update on the situation there. Gen-O?"

The scene changed to a big mech standing with Gen-O outside the Main Power Station that was built back from the highway that led from Terra in a straight line to the Industrial Park Cities. It was big, all of its lines were underground and there were a lot of individuals working both inside and out to check out things and make repairs. "Tell us, Sam-2, if you can … what's the latest word here?"

"The word is good, Gen-O. We've replaced a lot of burnt out equipment thanks to the warehouse in Pax that holds emergency backups of everything that we use here to generate and transmit power throughout the colony. We had it trucked in so we could install it. We have a way to go but its getting there. We have back up generation that maintains most of the colony. We're also going to be modifying the power plants to ensure that there's immediate generation in another power failure to keep things running. I just was buzzed that a generation node will be set up at the Plasma Generator to ensure that there's always power. Right now, we have about two orns of work ahead of us, then a shakedown to find bugs before a full restoration happens."

"What will that mean for our people in the various cities?" Gen-O asked.

"It will mean that there'll be some who'll not have power for a bit. Essential services and businesses, government buildings, social and protective services have backups and they have priority including medical and schools. The others will find their power coming on and going off for a while. As we work this out, it will require booting, rebooting, adjustments, and the like. We're sorry for the inconvenience but there's no shortcuts here. This is majorly complex. Some places will be dark for a while and some traffic lights will be off or showing only cautions. It would do everyone well to be careful and patient. Some businesses will be off and on with their power supply but all of us are working on this hard. Linemen have to go through the system both at the sources and in the field to bring this back up. It's going to be strange to see darkness in some places and not others. The power grids are laid out that way for maximum benefit and to make repairs more feasible."

"What about the human habitations? The Hu-An?" Gen-O asked.

"Both of those groups have extensive back up generation sources independently designed and on site. Because the food supply of the Hu-An requires special conditions and is a critical need, it was given priority. The humans lives depend on their power supplies, though as long as their suits and helmets are on, they're safe. We have super fail safes on all these places. There will be no ugly surprises there," Sam-2 said.

"That's a good thing to know, Sam-2. Good luck," Gen-O said as the big mech nodded. "Back to the studio, Lim-Lee."

The scene changed to Lim-Lee. "We will be talking to Chief of Emergency Services, Inferno next and when he's available, Chief of Security Springer. Right now, let's go to the Autobot City Unified School District Headquarters in Metrotitan and speak to Director for Education Herling of Capital City."

Prime turned to the others. "We have to move on this. Priority is given to the power grid and to protecting Teletraan. I want to know if there is anyway to detect who this is. I want to know if any detection devices exist that can give us a bead on who and where they are."

"We can work on it, Prime, but the scan led back to nothingness," Wheeljack said. "Give us a bit of time." With that, Wheeljack and Perceptor walked out to go back to Sciences.

"Keep us at a level 2 alert, Prowl. I want everyone to figure out the current condition of your particular department, then meet back here in a joor to discuss what the situation is," Prime said.

Everyone nodded, then almost as one left to comply. Partition, Lancer, Inweld, and Morius followed Ratchet, hoofing it onward to the Medical Center once again. Upward they rode, then exited at the 49th floor. Entering Ratchet's office, the youngsters sat down on the couches as Ratchet ran through data on a bank of computers that covered one wall of the giant office. "What do you want us to do, Ratchet?" Partition asked.

"Right now, there isn't much to do until we figure out what's going on," Ratchet said. He glanced at the three mechs and his smirking daughter. He smirked back. "By the way, your atar had a job change."

The three mechs glanced at each other, then Morius leaned slightly forward. "What did he do?"

"He's taken an opening as political liaison for the Ambassador of State. He has an office on the 33rd floor and a mountain of work sitting on it. He went to the University to find your ada. It was tense for a bit there when the lights went out." Ratchet grinned. "He really is an interesting guy, your atar."

"He got another job then," Morius said.

Ratchet nodded. "You can do that, infant, if you find what you do less than what you want. This isn't a functionalist society anymore."

Morius nodded, then glanced at Inweld. They both looked hopeful a moment, then Morius stood up. "Uh, Ratchet ..."

Ratchet glanced at him, then paused shuffling data. "What, infant?"

"If its possible for us … Inweld and me … to change jobs … and you being our … uh, mentor … Inweld and I were thinking about doing that. Working in the firm is fine and all but it isn't very exciting. We were thinking of something else." Morius glanced at his brother, then nodded to him with a slightly frowning expression. "Inweld can say more. **Right**?"

Inweld nodded. "We know that you have discretion over our family, Ratchet. We would have to run it past you. I know you would have to agree. The court gave you mentorship over all of us."

Ratchet grinned at both of them. "What do you kids want to do, then?"

Inweld glanced at Morius who turned to Ratchet. "We want to join the Watch." It was silent a moment, then Morius glanced at Inweld. "I **know** this is a change of plans for us being lawyers and all but we like the freedom. We like going on patrols with Lon and Bezel. We're learning a lot in the Home Guard and we're going to graduate basic training in a few orns. We would hope that you agree."

Ratchet grinned. "Why would you think I wouldn't? You're both adults and you've been exceeding expectations for some time now. Your atar will be the stumbling block. I think Laslo is good with you being happy and fulfilled. He's a good sort, your ada."

"He's the best," Partition said as his brothers nodded. "Our ada is just the best. Atar, however, is a hard helm but he's just going to have to get over it," he said with a familiar set to his jaw. "My brothers are going to be great Watchmen. We have the skills and we're getting more."

"I know," Ratchet said. "All three of you have been projects among the generals and my old mech for some time now."

They stared at Ratchet, then Morius smiled. "We are?"

"Oh frag, yes. We take in strays all the time. It's the Cybertronian way. So … you want to be cops," Ratchet said with a smile. "I think this calls for candy." He reached into his desk and pulled out several cans. Tossing them to the kids, they sat together to await the data to print out a situation report for Prime. Ratchet grinned. "This is good," he said as the kids agreed. "So … tell me … what's the deal with you and my daughter?"

Partition actually told him.

-0-TBC 11-16-17 **edited 1-7-18**


	193. Chapter 193

The Diego Diaries: Around the Colony and Beyond (dd6 193)

-0-Public Works

Jetta watched as the huge generators were craned onto big flat bed trucks. Pulled by a non-sentient truck that resembled the engine of an express train, the generators would be towed to the Plasma Chamber Building one mile from Industrial Park #1. It would be placed there on pads that were being created now, five enormous and intensely strong stone platforms that were reinforced with a form of cement that was nearly indestructible. This would be the first, with four more following. They would be capable together given their interlocked design and output to power the entire energy needs of North and South America, drawing upon the energy created in the plasma chamber. Since that was almost eternal in its output, the idea of another power failure due to a lack of energy was now in the past. These were already on Cybertron powering entire regions and city-states. They were the first step in getting the lights turned back on at the home world.

The monster device was lifted into the air by a monster non-sentient crane, then swung ever so slowly as burly mechs on the ground guided it with ropes fastened to the device. When it was over the flatbed, it was lowered and set down with a slight bounce. The crane dropped its line which was pulled out from under the palatalized device as others threw binders over the generator and ratcheted them into a snug grip. It was instructive that Optimus Prime, if need be, could lift the device by himself rather easily.

"How long, Mor-Lee, before this reaches the plasma chamber?" Jetta asked.

"We have to go slow. We'll creep along about 4 miles an hour which I'm told is a fast walk for humans," Mor-Lee said. He was tall but slim, a tense and intense mech who had the maintenance and control of the Plasma Chamber and the Geosynchronous Bridge plant. "It will take about two joors."

"What about the other four?" Jetta asked.

"They're going to be hauled the same way. This is the biggest truck and trailer we have. To get them there safely, we're going to use only the two of them. It'll take about 8-10 joors to get them all there, another 12-14 to get them installed and on line," Mor-Lee said. "We're going to need a number of the weavers to come and help thread the electronics together. Wirelite and Joon will be there along with a couple of their students. It would be one unholy fragging mess without them."

"Alright," Jetta said. "Thank you."

"No problem," Mor-Lee said with a grin.

It was going to take a while.

-0-Ironhide and Company

The elders of the Ironhide persuasion went back to Cybertron or their forward bases to get the word which would be that nothing had happened there. That was relieving to everyone concerned. Ironhide had found that his department had come through in good condition. The systems that siphoned off the dust that filtered off the munitions during construction that could ignite the explosives under certain circumstances had not been disrupted. Their generator had come on ensuring that the airborne particulates from the process itself were continuously gathered, collecting the particles for recycle into munitions. The design of the armory had made such possibilities if not impossible, then highly unlikely.

He ambled out with Halo in hold and went to the Medical Center, riding up with a number of happy new genitors, then stepped off and walked to Ratchet's office. The four kids were there eating candy with Ratchet as data spun past on the screens. "Well, you aren't working too hard." He sat on a chair, then withdrew his daughter, grinning happily as everyone loved on her. He caught a can of fudge, then grinned at Ratchet as he ate it. "We're good at the armory. What about here?"

"So far, so good," Ratchet said. He grinned. "Partition has something to ask you."

" **OLD MECH! HAVE YOU BEEN FRAGGING WITH THE INFANTS!"** Ironhide asked. A tiny meep was heard, a tinier smile noticed, then shut eyes began again. Ironhide, overcome a moment, grinned at her. "Hush. Halo almost woke up."

" **We** have to hush?" Lancer asked with a grin.

"Your old pa is insane. Partition?" Ratchet asked with an encouraging nod.

Partition grinned at Ratchet, then turned to Ironhide with a serious expression. "Ironhide? I would like your permission to see your daughter."

Ironhide glanced at them, then Ratchet who grinned at him. "Your slagging caste customs, not mine. We'd settle this in a back alley in my caste."

"I might, too, if your intentions aren't honorable," Ironhide said with a grin.

Partition grinned back. "They are. Lancer is the best."

Ratchet laughed. "I did my best with what I had to work with."

That got slag squared.

"If your intentions are honorable, I give my blessing," Ironhide said. "I have spoken." He glanced at Ratchet. "I'm supposing you gave your consent?"

"Oh, frag, yeah," Ratchet said. "My intentions are to see everyone of our 487 children in harness, pulling the same slag wagon as you and me. What more can an ada hope for their 487 infants?" he asked with a dazzling smile.

Huge laughter greeted that, then Partition looked at his brothers. He slipped his servo into Lancer's. "We have to find you someone."

"We have 486 more kids. Take your pick," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. That is, he did until a piece of fudge bounced off his helm.

-0-Aerie Hill

Starscream sat in the Command Center at Aerie Hill discussing the situation with the Elders and the command structure in this, a secondary station for the Seekerkin. The big one in The Fortress was manned orn and night and usually directed the operation at hand through there. "We have an invisible foe. This concerns me," Starscream was saying. "They could come here … they could **BE** here and we would not know."

Rainmaker nodded. "We have to redouble our efforts. What can be done about modifying the sensor flights to infrared or some other spectrum to see if there **is** someone there? What is the word on the device that Hercy had when we went after Pharma when he pretended to be the DJD?"

"I'll find out," Sky Warp said as he sat at sensors. They were re-calibrating them to full spectrum. It was a miracle that the beam had been found last time but the fact that it disappeared into nothingness was frustrating and concerning.

They would continue to talk and by the time they were through, the device from Hercy would be part of the internal structure of the sensor Seekers who flew daily around the system. It would be one more step toward detection.

-0-Earth2

They gathered at the conference table in the office level of the structure. Nearby, Operational Center ran smoothly with its Cybertronian crew and a small land bridge from which the crew came and went, something that the humans would never see let alone use. They were not allowed inside the big high tech room even to watch the show so sensitive was the equipment. It was frustrating to nearly everyone because of curiosity, but Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown and Kyle Davis were burning up with a lust to see how things worked. The Pit would probably freeze over before they ever did.

"What do we know then beyond the news broadcasts about what happened? It felt like an attack. Some of our security men where nearing Aerie Hill when the alarms sounded and the sirens blew. They said Seekers were coming out of their buildings to look at the sky. Everyone there felt there was an attack in progress," Owen said.

"I was in a car going to Pax when the sirens happened. Everything went down and the lights for the highway and all the traffic were off. Everyone slowed down, some pulled over and transformed but everyone recovered and continued onward," Cynthia Tomas said. "Everyone seems to believe they have a glitch in their power grid."

"I would love to believe that but my spidey sense is going off," Hamilton Brown said.

Owen nodded. "Mine, too."

"I received a message from Springer about the mercs, by the way. Changing vehicles before they're signed off to be outside is a no-no," Hamilton said as he picked up his i-pad. "They're now on Prime's radar because this will be a report to the Office of the Primes." He looked at Owen. "Not smart having them around."

"Maybe and maybe it might lead to interesting things," Owen said. He leaned back. "I want to see what Springer is made of."

"Spare parts, I can imagine," Kyle Davis said with a smirk.

Cynthia frowned. "You'd be a fool to think that. He's the chieftain of the Wreckers and he doesn't have a fearful bone in his body. You would be unwise to underestimate him or his mechs."

"We have a fan girl," Hamilton said in his usual fragged manner.

"You need to check Twitter, Hamilton," Cynthia said coldly. "That kind of talk can make you infamous these days."

It was chilly a moment, then Harris smirked at Brown. "I think you better. Last things we need is to send anyone home because they're an idiot with our female population. No one is putting up with it anymore."

"Yes," Cynthia said coldly. "No one is eating your kind of shit any more."

The meeting broke up not long afterward.

-0-School, in the library doing assignments

"What do you think caused the power outage?" Fireball asked Tru who was sitting next to him at a computer terminal looking for information on pulsars.

"I don't know," Tru said as he glanced at Fireball. Sitting at a table across the way, Quadrus, Santee and Saber were working on their projects. It was science lab following lunch, the first class for the five to be altogether during their school day. "It came back on so it must mean that there is a backup generation system here."

"I guess," Fireball said. He brightened. "Football for us starts in four orns. I can't wait."

Tru nodded with a grin of his own. "Me, too. They made a pair of teams for us big mechs. I wonder if we're going to be on different sides."

"The draw will be announced at lunch time on Second Friday. I can't wait," Fireball said. "I wonder if Ada and Atar are going to come watch? Appa and Ammas, too."

"Everyone is coming to watch," Tru said. "Uncle Max said so."

Fireball grinned. "It's going to be fun."

"So is Thanksgiving," Tru said. "I hear there's a contest. You make cookies and then they get judged."

"Ada will win," Fireball said loyally. "How about us entering, too?"

Tru grinned at him. "I don't know how to make things like that."

Fireball considered that, then paused his search for information on black holes to search the main public internet database for cookie recipes. He and Tru would be thus occupied for the rest of their lab. They would have to do their research after school at the Autobot City Main Public Library in town.

-0-In a lounge at Sparkling Day

"It's a good thing to have backup. I would hate to lose my data," Roto said. "I have reports due on the progress of a number of little ones. Orion's speech, Bleu's fine motor, Praxus and his advanced curriculum IEP … Hero is due, too, for an update. I do detect a trend here."

Condy who was a speech therapist as well laughed. "I like them, especially Orion. Good thing you've had him from the beginning. You translate him faster than the rest of us. I love sitting in on his sessions."

"He's the one," Roto said with a nod. "I got my first degree using him as a case study. They have a new one, a baby named Halo."

"Ah. Radiant Light. That's a beautiful name. I think I had a great, great, great grand ada named that. Maybe," Condy said with a grin. "I suppose you'll have to pry him from Ironhide's servos with a crowbar, too?"

"Most likely. We should be getting Prowler by next year. I really look forward to that. He's a very smart sweet little imp. Halo, in all likelihood, will be an Academy grad as well. Miss Birdie will be Ironhide's nemesis for a long time yet."

"Funny how the children adore her," Condy said as they continued working. If he had known and a baby could tell him, he would know that the energy aura around Miss Birdie was a golden color reflecting her love for the children. They could see it and feel it. That's why they loved her. That and her sense of humor.

Who knew?

-0-Out there

A big armada hid itself in a nebula to go over a download of information that they had stolen from a big and heavily armed civilization some sectors away. It was going to take a while to go over things. They had struck and then ran. Disappearing from view, they reached their hiding place. He sat at the command seat, the commander of the group. He had a soft voice but he was no one's fool. He was tactical, enormously smart, enormously strong, and unafraid. He was the product of his civilization. He had reached the pinnacle by being the best among the best. It was so obvious that he was chosen by acclamation. The respect he commanded in his civilization and among his men was legendary.

His soldiers worshiped him. His officers respected him completely. They were a warrior society and in it, he was the apex, the heights. Wherever he wanted to go, whatever he wanted to do, his soldiers were ready to die for him. His empire was vast and he ruled it with a tight fist and an oddly benevolent attitude. In their society, he was the last word but his society followed him without hesitation or regret. Now, he had intel and he would go over it. He would gather his officers to work out the situation and what they would do.

He was a king without a country. He was home and then he wasn't. It came and went, leaving him frustrated. It wouldn't do. He would find his way back to his incomparable kingdom and once again, The People would have his strength and wisdom. Until then, they had to figure it out. He turned to his lead scientists and handed them back their datapad. "That is intriguing. Continue."

The four of them bowed. "As you command, my Lord," Wheeljack said. Turning to leave, Perceptor, Shockwave and Jhiaxus followed.

Their lord would digest what they found out and try to see how it could help them in their current state. It was quiet on the bridge of his ship as the Lord of a vast kingdom puzzled out his dilemma.

-0-TBC 11-17-17 **edited 1-7-18**

I am going to be close to the vest about this one. No more than minuscule clues. ;)

-0-Notes:

In some universes, the Plasma Chamber is the source of new transformers, their bodies coming from there in one of the several forms of creation. It's profoundly critical to keep it safe, thus, the Prime carries one of the keys on his person at all time. :D It also powers things like the Triggers.

Holding something close to the vest: not telling anyone. Rather like Ratchet and the last two kids. :D


	194. Chapter 194

The Diego Diaries: Getting On (dd6 194)

-0-Around

He paced in the prison. He had just finished a conversation with his counsels and given that he had to go through a trial anyway, it wasn't setting well. Larken of Galaxy Industries was going to have to face charges for his actions on Cybertron during the war. Apparently, he had risen to a level that even Burris and the others hadn't reached. He was being charged with war crimes. He had arrived on his ship with his son, his bond and his elderly genitors. They were all from one of the most powerful industrial families on Cybertron.

They had met up with Hercy, Kup and Springer in the migration. After a tense exchange, they were given their tags, processed through Immigration and given homes. What they also received was a flag against their names in the database that was acted upon when the Cybertronian mainframes came online. After a short time of investigation and consultation with Barron, a group of Watch mechs came to his apartment and arrested him. They arrested his son and put a tracking device on his genitors and those of his bond who would remain under modified house arrest. Then the two were hauled off to the prison. It was a very tense encounter but the armed mechs in the hallway showed him the error of his ways.

Counsel had been supplied and many were the long sessions in the Prison Command Center conference rooms going over the **ABSURDITY** of arrest and what would happen with the charges. His son was livid and vocal about it. Larken who was smoother but no less unscrupulous had taken a different tack. He argued all his logic, his entitlements, came from every angle but screaming loudly, and **STILL** found himself behind bars. He was in the same cell with his son and some of the adopted and blood family of Sentinel and the others. His genitors were limited in their ventures outside but because of their age left out of prison. His bond became another 'prison widow' as someone facetiously called it.

It would be a long afternoon pacing at the fence of his cell block. The Decepticons sitting in chairs by their own fence would have a much better time mocking his sorry aft.

-0-Conference Room, Ops Center, The Fortress

They gathered, the senior Autobots and a few of the civilians. Sitting down, Prowl turned to them. "I need an overview of departments in relation to the problem."

"We have no power for street lights and street illumination tonight. By tomorrow, we expect that the five generators will be installed and on line, fed by the plasma chamber. We have power for all the essential services, for businesses that require it and for several joors tonight for every apartment in the colony. We sent out a message over transponders that there will be joors of power for every city on a rotational basis when the power will be out. It will be rerouted after a time to others and parceled out equally. Given that everyone will be out of power for four joors each at varying intervals to allow everyone at home to have some power rather than none at all, its the best solution we can provide. I have to say, this power failure not only illuminated a problem with Teletraan but also with our grid. We have strengthened it to exist outside of Teletraan now. We're going to redesign the whole thing to make it more autonomous. If we need to make more stations fed by the chamber to make us clearly and freely safe against this happening again, we will," Jetta said as Mack nodded.

"Right now, the fourth generator is being placed," Magnus said. "I've been to the site with Jetta and I agree that we might want to diversify our points of origin in the power grid. We can also consider dividing the colony into zones with their own power generation plants. Since they have zero impact on the environment and are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, it won't be an eyesore as the humans say. I would like to think we have backups to our backups."

"Do what you believe we need, then present it to me. I am open to good solutions," Prime said.

"The Armories are fine. I worried that the accumulation of explosive dust particles could be a problem but our system backups kicked in immediately. We run sims but never a real life scenario. This was good to know," Ironhide said.

"You might want to know," Blackjack said over a monitor nearby. "No one on Cybertron is reporting this problem. What about the bases?"

"Not here. We're four by four," Flint said from a monitor featuring him from Fort Apache.

"We have no problems, Prime," Cloudburst said. "Luna Base was not affected."

"Nor Fort Cybertron, Prime," Wren said on a split screen. Fort Recluse weighed in as well.

"We are four by four, Prime, here at Gliese," Delirious, a big Seeker said as he spoke by monitor.

"Has anyone contacted Caminus?" Prime asked.

"I will," Prowl said as he arose.

"What about Enceladus, Charon and Europa? What about Trypticon?" Prime asked. "Check them, too, Prowl."

It was quiet a moment, then Prowl turned to Prime. "No effect there. I did forward the protocols and they signaled earlier that they were in place."

"Good. That relieves my processor," Prime said. "Ratchet?"

"We're good. We've always been in the backup grid. Medical, the Industrial Park Cities, the habitats, the schools … there are other places, too, but they were built to continue no matter what happened. We're fine and dandy," Ratchet said.

"Herling?" Prime asked.

"We have the backups. We had a fluctuation, then it settled. We're monitoring things but all is well," Herling said.

"What's the update, Wheeljack? Anything?" Prime asked as he glanced over the datapad Prowl handed him on the outlying areas.

"We're dealing with what might turn out to be temporal in nature, Optimus. I gave the problem to Max and Metroplex. He's going over it with Clipper and some of the other scientists in their group. They have experience with temporal science and we could use the extra processors. This is very complex. The beam originated out of nowhere, took what it could before we discontinued Teletraan, then disappeared. I'm just grateful that when Teletraan went down, they had to stop their raid," Wheeljack said. "I do think we can say with some certainty that no one we've run into is the source of this attack. No one in this part of the galaxy has this capability. The titans are going to send the problem onward toward Soft Space and see what their elders think."

"Thank you," Prime said. "What about the prison, Warden?"

"We had no problems," Gee-Gee said. "We have our own generation that works in conjunction with the main power grid. Because they run at the same time, when the main grid goes down, our own instantly takes over. Behind that, we have the emergency generation system that everyone else has on the main backup plan. We can't allow even a second's lapse so we designed our system to go at the same time as the main lines which is helpful because we're a power rich client. There is no gap no matter how infinitesimal between the two systems."

"That's comforting," Prowl said. "What about the hospital center? It's on the same line, too?"

Gee-Gee nodded. "It is. We're jacking up the power backups to the alternate prisoners. Under no circumstances can they get out."

Prime nodded. "I am willing to have them in stasis if there is even the smallest possibility. Until we figure out what we are facing, it will be an option I am willing to entertain, even reluctantly. The possibilities are so terrible, we have to take the sternest measures."

"I would feel better if that was the plan anyway, Optimus. I don't even like to fantasize about them making a break. We'd have chaos on a scale that would be unimaginable," Ironhide said as he glanced at Ratchet.

"It would simplify things for a while and it wouldn't have to be permanent. This is a special situation we face at both ends of the problem, the strange attackers and the alternate us's. Consider, they're temporal products, too, Optimus," Ratchet said.

"I will consider it," Prime said. He sat back tiredly. "We have to get a handle on this quickly. It could be that they are not going to be enemies or a danger but we cannot entertain anything that could prove disastrous. But one can hope."

"You and me both, brother," Ratchet said quietly.

"Is there anything else that needs to be said? Springer?" Prowl asked.

"We're holding the line. No one took advantage of things, though there was some panic for a short time. It was too much like an attack. We also had the humans … the mercenaries that Owen Harris hired break a rule. They came to the Sciences Habitat with one person and left with another. They made it to Aerie Hill before heading back to Earth2. I'm going to Earth2 in a moment to have a face-to-face with Owen Harris and his committee. I look forward to it greatly," Springer said with a slight grin.

"Bring the hurt, child of ours," Ratchet said as he leaned into Ironhide's arm. "By the way, will this put off dinner tonight at the Tower In The Sky in Terra?"

Prime glanced at Prowl who shrugged.

"I don't see a problem," Prowl said. "Do you?"

"Hopefully not," Prime said with a slight grin. "We stand at security Level 2 and what about the sensors? Did we re-position any?"

"We linked the Proxima Centauri Deep Space Array with the others set up between here and Cybertron and those on the migration trail including the three new ones that Dai Atlas recommended to speed up all manner of things including communication. We have the big dishes on Luna and the Midway Array tied in. All of the sensors out past the dreadnoughts are fixed in overlapping fields and all of it is going to the secondary main frame in the bottom of City Hall which is stand alone in conjunction to Teletraan. I've set up a station there manned around the clock," Prowl said.

"All that since breakfast?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Of course," Prowl said smugly. He sat back and folded his arms over his chassis. "Halo. Now. Consider it an order."

Ironhide frowned at Prowl, then reluctantly handed the infant over. She was lying in a cocoon of white blankets and a fuzzy white Seeker bag. A fuzzy hat covered her tiny helm as her delicate appearing long strands of 'hair' spread out behind her. "This is solar collecting material? Does it do that for her? I never asked."

"It will," Ratchet said with a smile. "Little femme has to age a bit. She's never going to be out of power."

"Nice touch," Prowl said with a grin. She was recharging like the champion she was as everyone grinned at her. Prowl looked at the group. "Anything else we need to know?"

"We're sending deep sensor flight groups out with the innovation of Hercy's visor added. We're not sure how it will help but it adds another spectrum to their arsenal," Starscream said as Rainmaker nodded. "We will see what we can see. They will fly with heavy gunners."

"Good call," Prime said. "Anything else?" No one spoke. "Tune in to your emergency frequencies and keep them online. We may be unable to get to the Ops Center to get things moving so we can still communicate this way."

Springer rose, then stretched. "We have to go to Earth2 but we'll be there for dinner."

"Bring back funny stories," Ratchet said with a smile.

Drift smirked as Springer chuckled. "We'll try." They walked out and after a moment of chat and some clarifications, the rest did as well.

-0-At the entrance to Earth2

They drove out and into the huge paved parking lot of Earth2. Transforming, they stood before the building. They could look into the first floor of the massive building, though it was on stilts. There were humans gathering to look back. Some of them waved. Springer grinned at them with a nod. He glanced at Drift. "This might be fun. Or not."

Drift chuckled. "Stories. Funny stories."

"Oh. Right," Springer said with a grin as he walked toward the great doors that led into the hatch entrance. The doors opened and they entered. The doors closed and the space was instantly available atmospherically to the humans who were waiting in front of the inside first floor door, a glass affair that was part of the elevator humans used that took them up and down. Nearby, the elevator that could take bots their size was waiting. They pointed to it, the humans, so both walked in and went up. Stepping out after the door opened, the big mechs turned to the humans gathering to greet them. Hamilton Brown, Owen Harris, Perry Beliveau, Kyle Davis, and Cynthia Tomas were there to meet the two.

Harris stepped forward. "Chief Springer. I got your message."

Springer glanced at the crowd, then Harris. "Do you want to do this in front of everyone or would a private conversation suffice?"

"I have no problem," Harris said. Cynthia Tomas looked otherwise but said nothing.

"We have one, a problem, that is, with humans going out in one vehicle and changing it up outside. None of the mercenaries that were out with a certified driver were certified themselves. They had no permission to jump vehicles," Springer said.

"I was not aware that this was not permitted," Harris said smoothly. "They were in a safe habitat. They were driven around by certified drivers. I am unaware there was a problem."

"You've read the manual?" Springer asked. The crowd had become quiet, aware that an undercurrent of discord was being played here. It was slight but it was there. It felt like a cop asking you for your drivers license and then quizzing you about what you think you did wrong. Uncomfortable was a small word for this for most of the civilians watching.

"We have," Owen said. "We're now aware that we can't change vehicle from the one we leave with if we aren't certified. What about those who are?"

"Until you have the all clear to go about your business, you have to follow protocols, certified or not. That means, you go out one way, you come back the same. No one gets a pass until you pass muster. If this happens again, we will arrest those involved. We do this to keep you alive," Springer said as Drift nodded. "Things happen and then you die."

"There was a power failure today," Hamilton Brown said. "How often does that happen?"

"This is the first time," Springer said. "No one died. We want to keep it that way."

"What about the weather? Did that make the problem or is this something else?" Hamilton asked.

"We control the weather here. This time of year there'd be sand storms that could engulf the entire planet for months. That doesn't happen anymore because Wheeljack and Perceptor fixed that problem. As for the power outage, it happened. It's being repaired. You're on a backup generator. You won't have to deal with the problem but there will be lights out here and there through the night. It would do you well to stay inside. In fact, consider that an order."

"Thanks for the information. I will take care of this," Owen Harris said smoothly.

"I hope you do or we will," Springer said equally smoothly. He nodded to the group with a grin, then walked to the door.

Drift turned to go when Owen Harris called out to him. He looked down at the humans. "Yes?"

"Tell me about your swords. I hear that the Knights of Cybertron use them and nothing else," Owen said. The crowd watched the two breathlessly.

"We do," Drift said. He pulled his swords, the short ones and twirled them. Holding them out, tips to the floor, he shifted them to show the beauty of the blades and their inscriptions. "This is my primary weapon unless **you** require me to shoot. I don't **like** to shoot," he said glancing at Springer who grinned at him.

"Sometimes, you **have** to shoot," Springer said.

"I don't **like** it."

"Purist," Springer said as the humans watching laughed.

Drift slipped his swords back to their place on his back. Owen noted his ease with them, then looked at the long one. "What about that one?"

Drift considered the blade that had come to him from Wing at the big mech's death. "It's seldom used. It draws its energy from my spark. If I used it long and hard enough, it will kill me. It's a last hope, no chance weapon," he said. "Its sentient."

"Sentient? A sword?" Hamilton Brown asked with surprise.

Drift nodded. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." He turned to go, then paused. Looking back, he smirked slightly. "Hamlet to Horatio." With that, he walked to the door and with Springer in tow went down by elevator to the ground floor. The door closed, then the outside opened. Walking out, they glanced back, waved to the humans who waved, then transformed. Blasting out of the parking lot, they made their way to the intersection and the road to Terra.

"Horatio?" Springer asked as they barreled along.

"Ain't you had no learnin'?" Drift asked.

"Apparently not," Springer replied as they headed through the darkening night toward Terra who at the moment was still lit. None of the stop lights and traffic devices on the way there would be, however.

-0-TBC 11-17-18 edited 11-19-17 **edited again 1-7-18**


	195. Chapter 195

The Diego Diaries: Moving Forward (dd6 195)

-0-Tower In The Sky, Terra, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Ratchet sat at his table while around him everyone had a kid or sat next to one. He relaxed then glanced at Ironhide. He was talking to Blackjack who sat next to him while Halo lay on his arm in a white blanket. Hero was standing on her chair as she rested her cheek on Halo's head. Ratchet grinned at her. "What a nice little femme you are loving on the infant," he said.

She smiled at Ratchet. **"SHE'S MY SISTER!"**

Ratchet leaned over to kiss Hero on the helm. "You have a lot of them now."

" **I KNOW! IT'S SO GREAT!** But they're big. No one is my age, Ada," Hero said. "She's so small. I think we have to help her."

"We will," Ratchet said. "You have to do some of the heavy lifting. How will she ever know how to use a toy if you don't show her? What about her favorite munition?"

"I know," Hero said with the utmost seriousness. She turned back, then laid her cheek on Hero's helm. She would do that and kiss her tiny helm until food came.

Ironhide watched Hero, then grinned at Ratchet. "Little femme is happy," he said with a grin. "Seems to have a lot of love to give."

"She does," Ratchet said. "Good thing."

"It's all good," Ironhide said as he watched drinks be brought forward. The tables for the group were pushed together, enough to seat everyone. Prime sat across from him with Prowl who held Solus. She was looking at Halo. "I like her, Ada."

"That's because she's mine," Prowl said.

Solus glanced up at Prowl. "Ada? That baby is ours?"

Prowl smirked at Ratchet. "They all are, Solus."

"Good thing we provide therapy to all ages here, slagger," Ratchet said as he received his beer.

"They're **all** mine," Prowl said smugly. He grinned. "I heard you had a brief meeting with the humans over their proposal to expand the Family Tower Habitat."

"I did," Ratchet said. It was pretty stupendous and extensive but makes sense. After all, they have family coming and going. No reason they can't accommodate those who want to stay. I told them to organize and show it to Prime. I'd be there when they did."

Prowl nodded. "I will as well," he said as food began to come. Plates were laid down as adults began to organize the kids. When that was accomplished, they began to eat.

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "You need help?"

"No, I got this," Ironhide said with a grin. "I'm going to put her in the hold." With a deft touch, Halo was slid into a warm hold filled with a sleeping pad and warm blankets. Glancing at his father, he grinned. "You ready for Thanksgiving?"

"I was born ready, infant," Blackjack said. "Cookie contest. Who's entering?" he asked as he looked around the group. Everyone raised a servo including the femmes and soldiers.

Bee grinned. "I have plain cookies with gobs of frosting. It sorta oozes out the sides but they taste good."

"Sounds promising," Hercy said with a slight smirk. "It'll be an honor to beat your afts."

Huge slag greeted that.

"Just so everyone knows, we have the same room for the dinner as we have for the contest. Room 113 down the road at Central Labor Hall. Check your email for suggestions for the dinner. I suppose you're going to order a few turkeys?" he asked Prowl.

"Excuse me … did you say … 'order'?" Prowl asked. "I do believe you said order."

"I did, slagger. Who wants my turduckens? Raise your servo," Ratchet said as he glanced around. Ravel raised a servo along with Appa Ratchet. "Fraggers."

"They actually tasted good, son," Ravel said. "It's not your fault they look so unsavory."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"No, its not. Maybe," Prowl said. "Who saw my turkeys last time? They were flawless. I made them myself with these two servos."

"Yes, but did you wash them first?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl frowned. The room laughed loudly making mention of 'Prowl's special sauce' before it died down again.

"Ada, why this good?" Sojourner asked as she held up a fry.

"Because it is," Prowl said.

"I like it. I like shries." Sojourner said. She held up a fry to study it, then looked at Orion across the table. "You like shries?"

Orion smiled. "I, Orion, **LOVE** shries." He put one in his mouth and chewed it.

"Ada. Orion likes shries," Sojourner said.

Everyone looked at Orion who smiled. His fry fell out of his mouth. Choking and gagging sounds abounded.

"Well, wasn't **that** delicious," Ratchet said to more choking and gagging. "What have you decided was the winning combination for a cookie contest, Whiner?"

"Well, Loon, I'm working out a chocolate chip recipe-"

"So am I," Ratchet said.

Prowl frowned. " **MY** recipe will be filled with deliciousness … I'm putting the finest chocolate chunks in so their melting compliments the-"

"So am I," Ratchet said.

Prowl stared at him with The Look for almost too long. "Caramel-"

"Me, too," Ratchet said.

By now, everyone there had paused to watch but for Orion who was entertaining Sojourner, Kaon and Uraya by stuffing fries up his nose assemblies. Ratchet watched Prowl with a pleasant expression even as he was revising the cookie he had planned. Prowl leaned forward, his expression one of battle lust and competitive mania. "You **aren't** making the same cookie. You liar. You loon."

"Oh, but **Prowler** … I am," Ratchet said. He then smiled brilliantly.

Orion who had paused to watch with a half dozen long fries hanging out of his nose assemblies smiled as Ratchet glanced at him, then froze. Everyone glanced at Orion, then did the same. He looked at everyone, then smiled his biggest cheesiest smile.

"Oh, frag, Raptor. I think he takes after you," Ratchet said as the place exploded in laughter.

 **"I DIBS HIM!"** Springer said as he howled.

"Stand in line," Arcee said as she winked at Magnus. Magnus froze with surprise, shock and loathing himself.

-0-Moments and several extractions later

"Sit and eat, you little hoodlum," Ratchet said as Ironhide smiled at his mini-me doppelganger slash poltergeist with enormous pride.

" **ATAR! ADA OWED ME! I, ORION, GOOD! ADA BAD! ADA SHRIED MY SHE! I, ORION, GOED TO DOING!"** His little face was as outraged as he could manage and still have one attached.

Everyone grinned at him. Ratchet who wasn't grinning leaned closer with a gimlet optic. Orion fell silent on the spot, then leaned back with a weak smile. Gripping his fork, he tapped the table. "I, Orion, good."

"You, Orion, eat your lunch, preferably through your mouth before I pat more than your servo," Ratchet said firmly.

Orion frowned, then glanced at his other father. "I, Orion, not like the she."

Ironhide laughed, then nodded. "I don't either half the time."

A slap to the back of his helm shut that down. He frowned at Ratchet. "Slagger."

"Eat. Both of you. You don't want to get on my bad side. It would mean … war," Ratchet said.

The temperature dropped immediately as sphincters all over the room tightened at the thought. "Well, if **that's** all ya want," Ironhide said as he picked up his fork and knife.

 **HUGE** laughter and a chorus of 'little femme', 'wienie', 'wuss' added on filled the room. Food began to be eaten again. Prime smirked at Ironhide. "Wienie."

Laughter.

"Atar? Football for us starts in three orns. Are you going to be there?" Santee asked as he looked down table toward Ironhide.

"I'm the grand poobah of peewee football. I'll be there unless something happens. I will **always** be there," Ironhide said.

"Ah, that's so sweet. You were never there for me. Who do I sue?" Springer asked.

"Poor baby," Alor said with a grin. He held out his thumb for Springer. "It worked for Ironhide. I'll share with you."

"You don't think I will?" Springer asked.

Down table from them, Lucien, a grinning Laslo, Partition and Lancer, Inweld and Morius watched with fascination. This was more fun in a short time than most of the organized gatherings they had attended in their whole lives prior. Lucien was unreadable but the others were having a great time. Ratchet felt warmth for all of them, then he remembered the pile of work on Lucien's desk. "Lucien, I meant to tell you. If you could get through the business proposals dated last week, that would be helpful. I'm going to Diego next week and we need to discuss them with the humans who proposed them. You need to be there and I need summaries collated with case law. Will that happen?"

Everyone glanced down table to Lucien. He nodded. "I will prioritize it."

Laslo grinned. "I would love to see an ocean like that."

"Then come," Ratchet said. "All of you come. Until you see it, its hard to believe."

Laslo blinked in surprise. "Is that allowed?"

Ratchet glanced at Prime who nodded. He looked at Laslo. "Yep."

"The last time I went there I got dunked in the ocean. It's warm and beautiful. It's huge. I never saw an ocean so big. It's bigger than those on Cybertron," Partition said.

"I've never been there but to land," Lancer said. "I'm coming, too."

"I've never been to Diego," Lon said as Bezel nodded.

"Come, then," Ratchet said. "Be my entourage. What's a venture without body slaves?"

Huge laughter.

"Can I come, too, Mom?" Springer asked with a smirk.

"If there's no war or whatever, I don't care who comes. Just don't get arrested," Ratchet said. The conversation continued. A check of Ops Center revealed nothing new to report and Jetta informed them that the generators were in place and now would be wired in with the help of the weavers, Joon and Wirelite especially. By early morning, the system would be shaken down and by the time kids needed to go to school on buses, the street lights and lamps would burst into operation again.

-0-Later that evening at home

The big kids picked up Sunspot, Spot and Orion, then headed for their lounge at the other end of the apartment. Homework was finished, writing was done creatively and all was well. Beyond, the night was darker than usual and they were not scheduled to lose their electricity in the hours ahead because they lost it in their turn mid afternoon. They were now going to stay on all night in the Mare Tranquilitatis while other places lost it for their turn.

Sitting in their chairs, Ironhide holding Halo while the little kids played in Hero's room, they watched the news with the sound down. "What do you think this is, Ironhide?" Ratchet asked.

"I don't know. 'Jack and Percy think its temporal. That could mean anything," Ironhide said. "Until it comes, I'm not borrowing trouble."

Ratchet nodded. "I agree," he said. "Little femme sleeps well."

"She does," Ironhide said as he pulled her blankets back a bit. "I really like her solar collector. This is a nice shiny feature."

"Wheeljack and Perceptor had the fibers on a table nearby when I went in to do the protoform. It was shiny and strong as steel. I like that the strands are bigger around than those of Solus. Hers are like human hair, only slightly bigger. This is flat and wider. It reminds me of streamers. They said it was an easy add but wouldn't come on line until the rest of her solar collectors did just before sub adulthood."

"The colors are great," Ironhide said as he stroked the long strands. "Silver and gold on one side with copper on the other. Nice paint scheme, too. Really unusual," he said with a grin. "She's a really pretty femme. Hero is mad for her."

"When she puts her cheek on Halo's helm, I tear up," Ratchet said. "Speaking of tearing up … I suppose that Hardie and Raptor will work Keystock and Cargo good for the foreseeable future?"

"They will," Ironhide said. "They had to do retrieval detail for the dead at some bombed out sites and it was telling. They gutted up but they felt the burn, they told me."

Ratchet nodded. "Good. Nothing like body retrieval to tell the tale."

Hero ran out followed by Prowler and Praxus. "Ada, when does Halo get a bath? We can help."

Ironhide grinned. She would soon and they would assist. Ratchet would take films as they stood around the little bathing basin which was set on the floor. Hero would hold a sponge and Praxus a wash cloth as they followed their old dad's instructions. It would be very cute.

-0-Later that night

"I can sleep with Halo, Atar. She's so small. We can fit in her little crib and I can help her," Hero said as Ironhide tucked her into her little berth. "She will probably need me."

"That's a back up plan, Hero. I'll keep it in mind. What a good planner you are," He said as he stood again.

She smiled brilliantly. **"SHE'S SO CUTE!"**

"She is. She reminds me of you," Ironhide said. "Get some recharge. We're going to need your good help for this one. She's pretty small."

"Alright. You would call me if she needs me, right?" Hero asked.

"We will," Ironhide said with a grin. "Remember. The first one who gets to sleep whistles."

She smiled, then nodded. She watched them walk out, shut off the light and leave her door ajar. Then she would lie awake a while to consider how you whistled when you fell asleep. She would fall asleep thinking about it. She wouldn't whistle.

-0-TBC 11-19-17 **edited 1-7-18**


	196. Chapter 196

The Diego Diaries: Down the Road We go (dd6 196)

-0-The next morning

Raptor and Hard Drive walked to Cybertron through the space bridge with Keystock toting the heavy bag and Cargo following. They were sullen and weary of the exercise but then, that was part of the process. They arrived at Iacon and walked to the command center nearby. The noise of building was strong in the distance, a sound that never stopped here or anywhere else where they were reconstructing. What was new was the brilliant skyline that was coming along. Some of it showed in the lights that sparkled from apartments already occupied. They were beginning to have a big effect on morale, the rising of the towers. There were businesses, too, both in the city and in the camps.

Walking along the street, they turned into the command center and headed to the center table. Raptor glanced at the two following. "Pull up a chair or grab a snack. We're going to be here a moment or two."

The two nodded, then walked to back to the rec room to fill a plate. Grabbing a cup of something steaming hot, they walked to a table to sit. Keystock put the bag down, then sat heavily. Cargo sat next to him. It was silent a moment. "This is fragged," Cargo muttered.

Keystock nodded. "They think we can't make it."

"Can we?" Cargo asked his brother softly as he picked up a donut. He looked at it, then took a bite. "This tastes good."

Keystock stared at his brother. "We'll do this. Those fraggers aren't going to have the satisfaction of winning."

Cargo glanced at him. "They can do this forever."

"Then we'll defy them forever," he said biting into a donut. It was silent a moment. "This is good," he agreed. They would sit and snack for a while before joining their slave drivers to go once more into the wilds of their home world.

It would be just that, wild.

-0-Walking to the Medical Center

"Where are you going?" Ratchet asked.

"I have work. I, Ironhide, run a department."

"Oh, right. That," Ratchet said with a grin. "I have to get things ready for Thanksgiving and the cookie contest. Meet me at the grocery store in a couple of joors. Be there or I'll find my frying pan."

"Nothing like a little foreplay," Ironhide said as he waggled his optics. He grinned, then turned off to go to the Metro Station and the door down there that led to his office. It was down in the maze underground, proofed against blowing up and was the domain of **THE MECH!** He grinned at Halo who was lying on his arm in a cocoon of hats, Seeker bags and blankets. She stared at him with her little blue optics. "Aren't you cute. I bet we get compliments before we get to the armory." He walked down the steps to the station below, then headed to the door nearby that lead to them armory. He didn't see anyone at that moment so there were no compliments from strangers.

So he gave her two of them himself.

-0-At the homes where those who were off duty hung out

Alor studied the recipes that he was going to make. Two kinds of cookies that weren't really cookies. They were cute and he could make them like a dream, they were that simple. All he had to do was make and bake the fudgiest brownies known to anyone in the solar system. Looking at his ingredients, he began to mix the dry stuff. Adding the wet, he stirred it into a thick batter. Adding some very strong melted 'chocolate', he mixed it again. Putting it into a sheet pan, he tapped it on the counter to settle the dough evenly. Grinning, he slid it into the oven for the ten minutes it would take to bake it thoroughly and slowly. "That part's done. Now the fun stuff."

He walked to the stove and heated up some water in a pan. Putting chocolate into three bowls, red, white and dark brown colored 'semi sweet' chocolate, he put them over the boiling water one at a time until all of them were melted. Putting them into the warming oven, he gathered the rest of his dessert 'stuff' together. Then he pulled a beer and took a swig. Saluting the oven as he waited, he grinned. "To Ratchet for being totally unpredictable and making things fun."

-0-Turbine, Delphi on Cybertron

They walked with their groups of mechs heading into the wasteland where they heard that a number of 'insane mechs' were 'living in squalor' as they 'protected' important religious relics. They had done so since forever and it was arguable if they knew that they were free. Someone had been leaving food out for them and every morning it was gone. They had to be saved from themselves. "What kind of cookie are you making, Delph?" Turbine asked as he stepped over bent steel.

"I'm not sure. Something that's a sandwich-type, I think. You know … two nice cookies with something amazing in between. I think I have two ideas. The question is, which one to make," Delphi said.

"Make them both. Two chances to win if you do," Turbine said as he saw movement nearby. "I see them. The red one." He turned to the mechs. "Surround this place. Remember, this is their turf. They might have booby-traps and they know how to hide. Slow. Gentle. They may be really sick."

The big mechs nodded, then melted away. Turbine walked onward talking to Delphi, hoping to get as close as they could before the chase was on. They wouldn't get very far before a number of individuals jumped up and began to run through the rabbit warren of debris. It would take a lot of chasing, stumbling, cursing, and near grabs before they would get them.

-0-At the dojo

"The night was calm on our beat," Hercy said as he sipped his tea. A box of donuts and other 'pastries' were sitting on the table, one piled high with all manner of things. The mechs there were eating them and comparing the shift as Drift and Springer walked in and sat heavily. "How was your ride? Tell me, did Owen Harris thank you for slagging him?"

"He gave me a big hug and offered to adopt me," Springer said. "I thanked him for his offer but said I had a crazy ada already."

"That's true," Hercy said with a grin. "I didn't get to hear the whole story given how you were being a daddy to the infant. I like that infant. He's one of a kind."

"Orion rules," Springer said as Drift nodded. "Prowl thinks he belongs to him but Orion is ours."

"No doubt," Kup said seriously. "Little mech can wreck. Does his little tats proud."

"The fries up his nose assembly is a new skill. I highly approve," Drift said as he picked up a big fritter.

"Well, our schools are that good," Kup said with a grin. "I saw Hardie and Raptor head out with their two pack mules."

"That's hilarious, Keystock carrying the kit. I imagine that's the most work he's done in his life," Springer said.

"What's in the bag?" Lon asked as Bezel said beside him.

"Lead weights. Cybertanium bars," Kup said. "The General is very tactical."

Hercy nodded. "He is."

It was quiet for a moment as everyone waited for more. It didn't come. But it was alright. The dozen or so youngling mechs with them worshiped the ground both Kup and Hercy walked upon. They considered that the two were 'cogitating' on important things and they would tell them when they were 'ready'. Springer and Drift, the other veterans who knew the pair well knew otherwise but it was cute to watch the infants learning from the best in their profession. The morning would pass sweetly at the Dai Atlas Dojo.

-0-Cybertron, in a vast wasteland near Kaon

They sat on a pile of bricks ravenously eating what they were handed from a pack someone carried just for this moment. Turbine sat in front of them and Delphi stood beside him. "How long have you been out here?" he asked.

One of them, a ragged older mech who looked like he would keel over stared at them as the others paused their eating. They watched the older mech for direction and the others with fear. "Why do you ask?" he asked with a slightly mad tone in his voice.

Turbine leaned closer. "I heard you did The People a great service."

The others stared at him, then the older mech. He shifted slightly, his anxiety rising. "What do you mean?"

"I heard that you protected relics, some old and very wonderful things," Turbine said gently. "I was hoping to help you get them to the Temple priests who are collecting them again."

"Temple priests … they're all dead. Simfur is destroyed," the older mech said as the younger ones nodded.

"They aren't. They were rescued, Lord Lauren, Lord Chevron, and Lady Sela among others. Even Lord Chrome. Optimus Prime is collecting the relics and things again. We're digging out the Temple and the shrines. We were hoping you could help us," Turbine said.

"We're not helping you. Who are **you** , anyway?" the older mech said with anger in his tone.

"I'm a Maker," Turbine said as he turned his shoulder so they could see his clan tattoos. "I'm with the Elder Clan and I'm a Maker."

The older mech stared at the tattoo, then Turbine. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"Do you know any of the old prayers? You know … the relic blessings?" Turbine asked.

He nodded.

"Then you know that only someone from my clan would know them," Turbine said.

He looked at Turbine, then shifted again. "Maybe." Pause. "Only **they** know them. I've heard them before when they came to the shrines to do the blessings, but I don't speak the language."

"Primal Vernacular … the language of the Pantheon. Only the Primes, a few scholars and members of my clan know it. You've heard them, though," Turbine asked.

He nodded. "I have. That's why we saved the relics. We did it for the greater good."

"What if I tell you the blessings for Solus Prime? Or maybe you have another member that you want me to do instead?" Turbine asked. "If I know them, then you know I'm Elder Clan and a Maker. Deal?"

He thought a moment, his discomfort apparent, then nodded. "Vector. I want to hear them for Vector."

Turbine nodded, then thought a moment. He began the Prayer of Time for Vector. His voice was soft but the words sounded beautiful. Delphi knew Primal Vernacular, considered the first language of The People and one that only seemed ceremonial now, so few spoke it. It was beautiful, lilting and musical, the language. It was the only language that Vos of the Decepticon Justice Division would use. Prime knew it by virtue of his questing intellect, lifelong passion for learning and the Matrix. Turbine sang the blessing, then concluded softly. He grinned. "Do I pass?"

The older mech looked suddenly tired. "You do. What now, Maker?" he asked.

"You show us where they are, we take you to help and comforts, then Optimus Prime comes to thank you for the courage of your service. I will sing a blessing for all of you when you get medical help. I do believe that I've never seen such devotion to our people as you've shown, all of you" Turbine said as he rose.

The mechs stared at the group, then arose unsteadily. Turbine caught his arm. "Why don't you show us and the others can sit here to wait for airlift. All of us are going together. Your mission will be fulfilled together. Your honor is an example to us all," Turbine said quietly. He glanced at Delphi. "Why don't you call a ship and get them ready for the hospital. I think they need to go to Mars." He looked at the ragged group again. "Are there others? We can take you all."

"No," the older mech said. "This is my family."

Delphi nodded. "Don't worry about them. We're going to wait for you."

He nodded. "My name is Congo."

Turbine nodded. "Congo. It means good light in Primal Vernacular. It fits you, a spark of light in the darkness."

He leaned against Turbine who slid his arm through Congo's. They walked slowly into the debris field as the others watched anxiously. Delphi called the ship, made the arrangements, then sat down in front of them. "You may not know this but you're heroes. What you did was heroic and we salute you."

They stared at him, a mixed group of young and old. They nodded, but their optics were fixed on the path where Turbine and their leader had taken. They would stay fixed on that path until they came back with the relics. Turbine would be carrying Congo and the mechs with him would be carrying priceless, iconically famous chalices, jeweled boxes containing 'actual relics of the Prime' and small icons of Vector Prime that once graced his shrine. It would be a short trip to the hospital in Kaon with the small group. They were a family who hid in Vector's shrine during a bombardment, saw the city fall, then took the priceless relics with them as they fled southward toward Kaon. Half mad from the long dark occupation, they had kept themselves going by protecting the relics.

Now they would go to Mars for their new life and they would have their story told. They would also be there, better rested, healthier and much improved when the priests of The Temple placed the beautiful ancient objects back into the Shrine of Vector Prime in the Martian city of Helex.

-0-Grocery store, pushing carts

Ratchet walked behind Ironhide pushing a cart as he admired Ironhide's aft. He was ahead with his own cart. "Ironhide, no crap. This is serious stuff. We have to get something for the party and we have to get a list of slag for the cookies. Hear me. No peppers, hot sauce, weird cheese, or other slag. I will kabong you with my ped."

"You're no fun," Ironhide said as he grinned at Halo. She lay on a pile of blankets in her Seeker bag on the seat where kids sat on carts. She smiled at him and he smiled back. "Little femme smiles a lot. She's a real charmer."

"Little femme is that far up the awesome scale," Ratchet said pulling into the baking aisle. "Come on, slagger. You have to help me."

Ironhide grinned, then glanced at his daughter. "I have to help. Pray for me."

Halo smiled.

-0-Alor

He pulled the brownies from the freezer where he had put them after baking. Pulling them out of the pan with ease, he placed them on a cutting block. Cutting them into large equal pieces, he pulled popsicle sticks from a bag. Inserting one into each of them, he put them on a plate. Pulling the melted chocolate bowls out of the warmer, he grinned. Picking up a brownie 'popsicle', he dipped it into the red chocolate so half was covered. Putting it on a wire rack over a cookie sheet, he dribbled sprinkles over it for decoration. He looked at it critically, then smiled. "One down, 24 to go." With that, he continued his cookie creating as Blackjack sat on a chair nearby snoozing. Lying on his chassis, ignoring his new studies of green, five, rectangle, and the sound of barn animals, Scout was snoozing as well. It was very pleasant at the Blackjack-Alor-Scout domicile.

-0-TBC 11-20-17 **edited 11-26-17**

NOTES: Any brownie recipe will work. Just freeze them with their sticks, then dunk. Sprinkles or nuts make them tasty and look nice. Another dessert: Make a cheesecake. Slice it into individual pieces, then freeze them. Melt chocolate colored or purchased that's green. Dunk the slices into the chocolate, then have fun decorating them as Christmas trees. I've done this and they go instantly. Everyone thinks you're Julia Childs and its that easy. :D:D:D


	197. Chapter 197

The Diego Diaries: Moving Forward, HO! (dd6 197)

-0-Around

Smokey and Hot Rod lay on the berth relaxing from their frolics. It was dark with evening having arrived. Both were part time Watch, part time-full time soldiers and had the next two orns off together. It was quiet, then Smokey rolled over to stare down into the handsome face of his boyfriend. "The races are going to be fun tonight," he said as he rubbed his servo on Roddy's chassis.

He grinned. "Some mechs are having dinner at the Club. We can go there first. You aren't supposed to go to your amma's house or your ada, are you?" Roddy asked.

"No," Smokey said as he rubbed his cheek on Roddy's shoulder. He grinned. "I was thinking maybe we should move in together."

"You think?" Roddy asked. "What about your family?"

"They don't have to know yet," Smokey said.

"We got a good thing going. Your apartment and mine," Roddy said. It was quiet. "Your family won't be happy."

"I don't care," Smokey said. He lay quietly a moment. "What do you think about me, Roddy?"

"What do you mean?" Hot Rod asked.

"You know."

Hot Rod felt his sphincter tighten. "Uh ..."

Smokey raised his helm. "You know. Do you love me?"

Hot Rod stared at the handsome face of the longest relationship he ever had. It was quiet.

-0-A joor later

The door opened and a youngling mech walked into the house of his grandparents. He paused with the door as the two of them turned to him. "Hi," he said.

"Hi, infant. Come in and sit," Smokescreen said. The two watched him as he closed the door, then walk in and stand awkwardly by the edge of the living room. The television running was muted as they scrutinized his poisoned aura.

"What happened, infant?" Devcon asked.

He hesitated, then sat heavily on a couch in the living room. "I thought I'd come for some pie. Is there any pie, Amma?"

"Always. For you, infant," Devcon said as he stood. He walked to the kitchen, pulled a big piece of pie out of a cake box he had made just for this occasion, then poured the sauce over it that Smokey loved and Dev made just for him. Walking to the table, he set it there. "Come here and eat for me, Smokescreen."

Smokey rose, then walked to the table to sit. He stared at the pie, then his amma with miserable optics. "I asked Hot Rod if he loved me."

Devcon nodded. "What did he say to you?"

"He didn't." Smokey stared at the pie. "I love your pie, Amma."

"I love to make it for you, my baby," Dev said quietly. He reached out to squeeze his grandson's arm. "I will always make it for you."

"Good. I think I'll need about a 100 if I'm ever going to feel better again," Smokey said with a sigh. He began to eat.

Devcon sat next to him patting his arm, then glanced at Smokescreen who was watching the two of them with a solemn face. It would be a quiet few moments as their precious and only grandson ate his amma's pie.

-0-Club Macadam

Hot Rod sat at the bar downing high grade. He had been blindsided by Smokey when he said he loved him. That word had the effect of napalm on Roddy's nerves, so he seldom said it to someone, even someone as swell as Smokey. They had a great thing going, a rollicking relationship together, one filled with fun, friends and 'facing, the three F's that he loved the best. He had never had a relationship where he felt love for his partner nor did he ever say 'I love you' to anyone before.

Now, Smokey had done that and he had frozen …

"Well?" Smokey said as he stared at Hot Rod.

Hot Rod stared at him. It just wasn't coming out.

Smokey stared at him, then rolled over and stood up. He turned toward Hot Rod, stared at him with a hurt expression, then ran out of the room. The door slamming jolted Roddy out of his reverie as he climbed up and hurried after Smokey. By the time he got to the lobby, Smokey was gone. Where he was heading, Hot Rod didn't want to know. He walked out of the lobby of his building and away into the night.

Macadam's was quiet, the lull before the evening crowd arrived. He sat at the bar and ordered. The bartender, Raven, brought them on, grinning at Hot Rod as he did. "You look like slag," he said.

Roddy downed a drink, then nodded. "I feel like it."

"Where's Smokey? On duty?" Raven asked. He leaned against the bar to listen since it was still quiet.

"No. We had a … misunderstanding," Roddy said as he downed another.

Raven nodded. "What about Devcon and Smokescreen? I wouldn't want to be you, Roddy."

Hot Rod paused the glass in his hand, then downed it. " **I** don't want to be me, Raven."

They chatted together until things picked up. Raven went to serve punters, pausing to chat with Roddy when he could. Roddy sat on his bar stool kicking them back.

-0-In an apartment elsewhere

" **AND THEN I ASKED HIM!"** Smokey said as he paced back and forth. His appa and amma were sitting in their chairs watching him calmly, their poker faces firmly in place. "I asked him stuff."

"Like what?" Smokescreen asked gently.

 **"STUFF!"** Smokey said as a dread of disclosure filled him.

"You told him you loved him?" Devcon asked.

Smokey glanced at his amma, then flinched slightly. **"NO!"** he said, then he hesitated. "Maybe."

"That's when he didn't say anything, then," Smokescreen said.

Smokey sat down heavily. "Yeah," he said miserably. "He didn't say a word. **I TOLD HIM STUFF! PERSONAL STUFF!** He didn't say a word, Appa."

"You feel terrible," Dev said.

"Oh yeah," Smokey replied with a frown. "I'm sort of mad now. How did that happen?"

"It does. It's how things work," Dev said. "Another piece of pie?"

Smokey glanced upward. "I'm not a youngling anymore," he said defiantly, then he deflated just a bit. His amma made an awesome pie. "Yeah. I do," he said venting a sigh. He got up, walked to the table again and sat with giant youngling angst. Dev gave him some pie and watched him eat it. As he did, Smokescreen got up and walked out the door. Smokey glanced at him sharply, then his amma. "Where's Appa going?"

"To have a chat," Dev said quietly.

Smokey stared at him, the door and then his amma again. "I hope he punches Roddy in the face."

Dev grinned slightly. "Eat your pie. Then you can vent all you want. You will always be my little mech and I will always be your amma."

"And a bounty hunter. **THE BEST ONE, I MIGHT ADD!"** Smokey said as he looked at his pie. He felt a wave of angst and sorrow fill him. "You might keep one of these going for a while, Amma."

"For you, grandson, the moon," Dev said. It was a sad interlude for the both of them, Smokey for Roddy and Devcon for Smokey.

-0-Macadam's

They came in, about ten youngling mechs, all of them high castes from Traachon's group. They found tables near the windows along the far side of the bar, ordered, then began to play cards. Hot Rod, finding a bar stool inadequate for the size of his sorrows, rose and walked to a small free table two down from them. Sitting, he instructed the water to 'keep them coming'. It settled, the group of former high caste kids, Hot Rod, a number of mini-cons talking quietly over beer and bar food, several civilians sitting here and there in twos and threes along with a number of individuals playing pool and darts nearby. The band wasn't on yet but their gear was on the nearby stage. It was just before the rush and the quiet was welcome.

Standing in the doorway scoping out the room with the optics of a mech who could take care of himself, Smokescreen of Praxus watched the punters, sorting them as to threat. He spotted Hot Rod, someone he liked, though if he were honest, wished wasn't fragging his onliest grandson and namesake heir to the legend. The room was cataloged, then he walked in, reaching the table before sitting. Resting his elbows on the top, he leaned closer. "Hello, Roddy. How you doing?"

Hot Rod who was trying to get drunk and failing, forgetting to turn off his soldier software that prevented drunkenness in his moroseness, looked up at Smokescreen. "You here to kick my aft?"

"No," Smokescreen said. "I'm leaving that to the bond. I'm here to ascertain your intentions about my boy."

Roddy sat back. "I don't know what they are."

Smokescreen nodded. "I didn't know what mine were with Dev until he kicked me to the curb. Absence makes the spark grow fonder."

"He's a great guy, Smokey. I really like him better than anyone I ever knew," Roddy said. "I don't know more than that."

"That's the problem," Smokescreen said. "He told you he loves you, right?"

"I didn't ask him to do that," Hot Rod said.

"It's not your place to do that. My little mech expresses himself just fine on his own. I just want to know how much slag we can expect here. Dev, Moda, Tress, and me didn't raise him to be a plaything for you," Smokescreen said.

"He isn't," Hot Rod said. "He means more to me than anyone else."

"I've seen some of them, Roddy. That doesn't really answer my question," Smokescreen said. "What are your intentions with my grandson?"

Hot Rod stared at him. "You know … this is personal between him and me."

"Maybe it is with anyone else but I'm Praxian. Remember?" Smokescreen replied.

"Are you going to invoke?" Hot Rod asked.

"Probably," Smokescreen said. "It's my right and he has to and will obey me. Dev and I are resolved. We're Praxian born and bred. We uphold our rules and ways of living. You knew that coming in and so it shouldn't be a surprise that we don't want him exploited until you figure out where you stand. My boy will not be exploited."

"I wouldn't do that," Hot Rod said.

"Maybe you wouldn't see it like that," Smokescreen said. "We would. Our duty to our son and his family because of our city-state expectations and rules is unbending. It's who and what we are. Until you figure out what you feel, you may not see him. I'm invoking and will file the decree with Magnus. You will be in a world of hurt, Roddy, if you transgress the decree. Figure it out, then see me. I hold the decree, not Dev." He stood, then walked back to the door. He disappeared.

Hot Rod watched him go, then sat back in his chair. "Frag," he whispered under his breath.

-0-A few moments later

They sat at the kitchen table playing cards. Dev was teaching him how to cheat at the game they were playing and he was getting better. It took his processor off his problems. He looked up at his appa as the door opened, then closed. Joining the two, Smokescreen waited for the hand to conclude, then took cards as Dev dealt them. "All is well?" Dev asked with a slight grin.

"All is well," Smokescreen said. He ordered his cards, then looked at his grandson. "I invoked on Hot Rod, grandson. I will file with City Hall tomorrow."

Smokey stared at his appa with emotion, then it changed to anger. "Good," he said as he tossed in his ante. He had now reached anger on the scale of the five stages of grief.

-0-TBC 11-22-17 **edited 11-26-17**

 **NOTES THAT I LIKE IN CANON!**

TF Wiki says this about Smokey and the boys: On their day off, Smokescreen played a game of 2-on-2 with Prime, Inferno, and Tracks, shooting hoops and shooting the breeze. (I remember Prime messing with a basketball in an episode) :D


	198. Chapter 198

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 198)

NOTE: Check the ending for my take on Smokey. :D

-0-Around

Keystone sat outside the office of the General who was his nemesis bot. Raptor was doing work inside, getting things organized in his district for Thanksgiving. Everyone in the camps of Cybertron were getting holiday food and drink, programming and the orn off to celebrate a holiday adopted from aliens they would likely never meet. The eight district managers, Raptor included, had gone through a lot of work to get things organized. Food made both here on Cybertron and Mars would be distributed. The entire catalog of football games from the previous seasons on Mars would be released to the public on world along with Platoon: Autobot City, The Bridge series and four movies created by home grown film companies on Mars as well.

Everyone would step down but for the security forces and the military. Those two groups would run very short shifts, rotating in and out of duty so that no one missed very much. It would be the first celebratory moment besides the Festival that they would share with each other, let alone anyone else. It would be highly appreciated by the population.

Keystock was here, waiting to trudge onward. Cargo had gone with Hard Drive to his district on the other side of the world. He didn't know what his brother was doing but he was clear that it wouldn't be fun. They would be released to their family this afternoon, though, tomorrow they would be expected to show up together for the meal in the Central Labor Council meeting room. Hundreds were expected to arrive including Partition and his family as well as Proteus, Vinn and Hobbes' families. Who else would come, he didn't know. It would be an ordeal altogether, he thought.

Raptor walked out, then peered at Keystock. "You ready to move?" he asked.

Keystock stood, then shouldered the bag. The stare he gave to Raptor was cold and determined. "I am going to always be ready."

Raptor grinned, then slapped Keystock hard on the shoulder. "That's what I want to hear. You might just amount to something, infant. Let's go," he said as he walked down the corridor to the rec room beyond.

Keystock followed him as they walked to the tarmac beyond. They would enter a shuttle, then rise into the air to disappear into the frontier of Cybertron.

-0-Elsewhere at the same time

"Wait here," Hard Drive said.

Cargo and three other youngling mechs, the three being Home Guardians getting real world exercise nodded, then watched as Hard Drive slid down the crater to walk to a group laboring in the middle to pull out broken infrastructure from a deeper hole in the ground. It was silent a moment, then one turned to Cargo. "Why are you here? You're no soldier or Guardian."

Cargo glanced at him, then at Hard Drive. "I have to be here. That mech thinks he can boss me around and right now, he can."

"That 'mech' is General Hard Drive of Praxus. You're lucky to have his expertise," another said with a sense of offense.

"If you say so," Cargo said as he studiously watched the general below.

The three mechs glanced as each other, then one looked downward. The crater was shattered glass and dirt, broken in war and still in poor shape. Glancing at one another, grinning slightly, one of them stepped forward, tramping on the dirt around the edge of the crater. As he did, the ground crumbled under Cargo and he fell downward. Sliding and rolling in the dirt, he landed on his back, staring upward at the dark sky.

Hard Drive who turned to see what had happened hurried over. Kneeling, he looked at the stunned kid. "You alright?"

Cargo pulled himself together and staggered to his peds. "I am."

"Watch the edges of things. It's all rotted out from eons of weather and destruction," Hard Drive said as he scanned the kid. "Bumps and scrapes. Nothing more. Come with me and stand over here." He walked back to the group, Cargo following. When he did, he wished he hadn't. It was a mass grave of young people. Cargo stood stoically as Hard Drive got the word, then without a sound, he followed the General and his two aides back up the crumbling side of the crater to go to the next site. They would continue a while before heading back to Mars. It would be a long, long, long afternoon.

-0-Burris and Anders

Anders worked on his recipe for cookies. It was an old traditional favorite among the Cybertronian people and he was a master at it. Using Burris for a taster, he refined the final product, then put the base paste or 'dough' in the fridge to chill. Tomorrow, he would bake, then decorate them with a rich dark frosting and crystal-like bits of tasty confectionery 'sugar', making them perfect. "That was fun. I haven't done that since the boys were small," he said as he went over the recipes of the two fancy salads he was bringing, both of them Cybertronian favorites. They would be put together the next orn in beautiful glass dishes he and Burris had just picked up at The Home Store in Terra.

"They were very delicious, Andi," Burris said as he sat in his chair watching his bond do things with a sense of happiness, something he hadn't seen since they arrived. "How do you feel?"

Anders glanced at him, then paused in his effort to clean up the kitchen. "I feel lighter, Burris. I feel better and more engaged than I ever was. This place has been a revelation to me. I think even if we can, I will live here rather than Cybertron. Cybertron has many sad memories for me and frankly, if I can be truthful, Only One … I'd worry that there'd be dangers for you from the past."

Burris stared at him, then nodded. "You're probably right. What do you think about the boys?"

Anders walked over to sit on the couch beside Burris. "I think that if we have any chance of being a happy family again, its here. I'm so happy that the Generals have the boys."

"They aren't cut out for that sort of life, Andi. Even if you throw The System out of the equation, they weren't raised to accept that sort of life," Burris said.

"Then they have to shape up," Anders said with an uncharacteristic edge to his voice. "That ship has sailed as they say and the new one has no use for drones. Those boys can show as much character as Bezel. That young mech has found his way and a very fine bond as well. I'm very proud of him being a Watch officer and going with the army on rescues. What a fine way to serve The People."

"Bezel has always been different. Lon is a very good mech but he's also different," Burris said as he mused on both.

"Different is good," Anders said. "Keystock and Cargo will change or they will have an unhappy life. I want them to be happy and sensible. I want them to be a benefit for everyone, especially themselves. But I'm also prepared, Burris, to allow all of you to be who you are. If that means you have to have a hard life and no friends, then that's your burden. I won't be a part of it."

Burris stared at Anders, a mech he had been matched with in a dynastic bond, yet had grown to love with every inch of his spark. "You mean it."

Anders' expression turned to an agonized emotion, then resolved into determination. "I do. Do you wish to go with me? I'm going down a road I've never traveled in a strange land. I don't wish to go alone."

Burris turned to him, then gripped his servo. "You will never be alone, Andi."

"I always was, Burris. You were so wrapped up in the business," Anders said. He touched his servo to Burris's face. "You have to bear responsibility for what you did, Bur. You have to accept that what you did was wrong and try to atone. I will help you."

Burris stared at him, then the floor. "The ship … things on Cybertron. You want that acknowledged."

"I do," Anders said. "You know its the right thing. There were a lot of mechs and femmes hurt. It cannot be ignored any longer. Look at our boys. Two of them are living stuck in the past and one of them, the one who wants more can't go forward because we hold them back. We have to show our children the way. I have to know that you will and that you see the need, too."

Burris sat back, holding Anders servo. "I will try," he said quietly. "I don't know how to look at all that my father and his father and his father did and be ashamed."

"Think about it, Bur. I will help you," Anders said as he sat closer. They would sit together and talk for a long time as they waited for Keystock and Cargo to come home.

-0-At the Home Ranch

Ratchet worked out the base energon for the cookies that he was making. He filled a rectangular pan, then pressed them down, filling the bottom. Taking a number of bags of different kinds of candy and 'chocolate', he spread them out on top of the dough layer. The candy layer was thick but not as thick as it would have been if he hadn't eaten a bunch of it for 'tasting purposes'. He grinned. "So far, so good." Taking the last of the dough, he covered the candy covered confection, then smoothed it. Carrying it to the stove, he put it in and set the timer. "One down, one to go."

Walking to the counter again, he looked at the bowl of 'browned coconut. Picking up a bowl filled with a thick melted chocolate, he poured it in and began to stir. Adding a few candies because he could, he began to put them on the tray in small balls. "I don't know how you're going to turn out but you look good. Maybe," he said with a smile. When he had the tray covered, he put it into the freezer to stay overnight.

Looking at the mess, he smiled. **"NOW FOR THE DINNER PART FOR TOMORROW!"** He grinned. "The work never ends."Walking to the cupboard, he pulled out about a dozen bags of buns he had picked up at the bakery. Checking his garlic and parsley flavored butter that he made himself … that is, he mashed up 'garlic and chopped parsley' as directed by the video, then mooshed it into different shaped small bowls. That accomplished, he was finished. "I worked my fingers to the bone," he said with a chuckle as he took another swig of a flavored vinegar 'spritzer'. "Candy stuffed cookies, coconut 'haystacks', buns and butter. Even Primus would be pleased." With that, he walked to his chair to sit and watch the news before Ironhide got back from Moonbase at Cybertron and the kids came fogging in from the buses and cabs they took now. Life didn't get better than this.

-0-On a dimensional plane sitting on a rock watching the fool's parade

"What do you think his odds are for winning the cookie contest, brother?" Solus Prime asked Prima.

"Slim to none but the cookies do look good," Prima said with a chuckle. "I do have to say, his never say die attitude is commendable."

Solus nodded. "I asked Vector who actually won the contest and this is what he told me," she said as she leaned in to tell him. A comet streaked past, its energy flashing large around them along with a fog of crystallized water particles.

Prima nodded as he listened. "Is that what he said?"

Solus nodded. "He did."

"Well, it will be entertaining. Shall we go tomorrow?" Prima asked.

"I think so," Solus agreed. With a grin, both faded from this dimension. The comet continued onward by itself.

-0-TBC 11-22-17 **edited 11-26-17**

-0-NOTES

My take on Smokescreen, Devcon, Moda, Tress, and Smokey of Praxus

I had adults and then babies but I had no continuing character teenagers until Smokey came along. I love the way TF: Prime portrays him. He's an enthusiastic teenager just like Strongarm and Sideswipe are on the cartoon show, TF: Robots In Disguise. I wanted the full range of age from elders to babies and in between. Smokey has these characteristics for this story:

He's a teenaged kid.

He's an Optimus Prime fan boy.

He wants to be with the big bots and has a lot of hero worship and enthusiasm for the job and his elders. **HE LOVES BEING A SOLDIER AND HAVING ADVENTURES!**

He's from Praxus and because of that, he's part of a religious and culturally proud family.

Devcon scared everyone enough that his low and mid caste grandson got a fabulous education just like his father did. No one bucks or denies Devcon and Smokescreen.

He had been in a hostile environment all his growing up, attending high caste schools and the like, so the adults in his life were especially concerned and connected with him. Though his grandparents were often away, they made sure that their little mech had all he needed.

He goes to the warmth when he's hurt or upset. Even though he tries hard to assert himself and he does, he can still be swayed by the warmth of his appa and amma and the pie that he loves that Dev makes for him because 'only you can, Amma."

He's been cocooned, has been invoked for not doing his duty to school which they can … his father already has once for his slipping grades ... and as such is still on his way to fully independent adulthood from the late teenaged life he now occupies. He does stand up for himself and he does want and love Hot Rod, his first real flame. But he's also a kid and as such, he goes to the warmth.

Smokescreen took care of finding out what happened himself, asked what Roddy wanted from Smokey and fulfilled his duty as a Praxian elder toward his grandson. He invoked to prevent this from escalating into a bigger mess to allow the two to figure this out within the structure. Devcon didn't go, he did. Dev let him because he knows he's too invested and might punch Roddy just because this is his only grandson.

Smokey probably is spoiled by the unconditional love he gets. He reminds me of my nieces and nephews. When they were young, they would on occasion ask for something and look at us like we were gods who could fulfill it. We always did because they were so good, they never asked often and we didn't want to let them down.

Smokey is a kid, a bit on the spoiled side because of the unflinching willingness for his family to take care of him, a byproduct of his culture as Praxian, and his own teenaged angst. First love, **TRUE LOVE!** never goes easy. Roddy is older and experienced. Smokey is young and not. This would catch his family's attention. That Roddy still lives is a testimony to their growing willingness to allow the kid to make his own mistakes. But only to a point. It could be worse. They could be from Stanix. Or a mini-con village. ;)

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


	199. Chapter 199

The Diego Diaries: **PAR-TAY!** (dd6 198)

Had dinner last night with the Fam and came home. Went to sleep. It's today. :D:D:D Ah, Thanksgiving is such a hoot even if it makes me sick half the time. I don't eat such rich food commonly. :D I hope this makes sense. I still feel a little green. :D

 **HERE WE GO!** (Oh, and hinie – hy-knee- is a shorthand version of hind end or bottom.) :D

-0-Morning at the Casa

" **IRONHIDE! GET YOUR HINIE IN HERE!"**

Heavy treads came down the hallway as he appeared carrying the baby carrier. He set it by the wall with Halo on his arm, then turned to Ratchet. **"ARE YOU TRYING TO CORRAL ME, OLD MECH!?"**

Ratchet grinned as he put the last dish into the dishwasher. He bent down and wagged his backside at Ironhide who laughed. **"YOU CAN'T THROW THE SEXY IN MY FACE AND GET AWAY WITH IT!** Take a look around."

Ratchet looked between his legs and saw five little kids staring at him with giant smiles. "Oh, hai," he said with a giant smile of his own. Standing up, he looked down at the kids who were laughing loudly. "Why, you little slaggers, you."

" **ADA! I SEED YOU THING!"** Orion said as the others laughed uproariously.

"So did I, Ada," a voice said.

Ratchet turned around to see a line of big boys grinning at him as well. "And what a great thing it is," he said with a dazzling smile.

Bedlam.

"Ada, when do we go to the party?" Sunspot asked.

"Soon, infant. Right now, I have to get things together," Ratchet said. "Why not go over and see if Ammas and Appas are up and moving?"

Five infants smiled brilliantly, then ran madly for the door. They exited as Quadrus watched them run into Alor and Blackjack's apartment. Then he stepped back inside. "What can **we** do, Ada?" he asked.

"Well, you can help me carry slag when we go. Do you know what your appa and ammas are going to be doing?" Ratchet asked as he finished up the counter. Three boxes filled with garlic and parsley butter and buns along with bags of cookies sat on the corner. They were fancy bags designed to show the contents to their best advantage. He had bagged the coconut chocolate cookies, then the other one which he would cut into bars, then place on a plate. He had melted 'chocolate' and spread it over the top, showering it with sprinkles. Hopefully, it would be tasty. Baking them earlier this morning had raised an amazing aroma in the apartment. Hopefully, it would taste that good as well.

"They're on their way, Ada," Fireball said as he leaned against Lumi.

"You finished fooling around?" Ironhide asked as he peered into the boxes. "Buns and butter. Nirvana."

"Stay out of that, slagger. Call up the others and see what's what," Ratchet said as the door opened.

A mech peered in with a grin. "Hi," Sideswipe said as he stepped in followed by Sunstreaker and the kids.

"Where's Bluestreak?" Ironhide asked.

"Upstairs," Sideswipe said. Behind him following like quails, Kup, Hercy, Lon and Bezel, Springer, Drift, Twin Twist, Sandstorm, Elita and Jetta, Mack, Lancer and Partition coming back from his genitor's house, and his brothers, Inweld and Morius followed. They gathered in the giant apartment, then began to sit around the huge living room.

Ratchet and Ironhide watched them, then glanced at each other. "You didn't adopt any of these slaggers, did you?" Ironhide asked.

"I don't think so but then I haven't been sober the whole time lately," Ratchet said with a grin. "I suppose you have your entries, right?" he asked the newcomers.

"We do," Hercy said glancing around at the others from his perch on Ironhide's chair. "I don't know about the slaggers here."

Huge laughter greeted that as the door opened and Prowl stepped in. "Well, it looks like your entire genome is here," he said to huge laughter. "Are you ready to go over or do we have to carry this party on our own?"

"Oh, Prowler," Ratchet said handing a big box off to a smirking Sunstreaker, "you're so far from my league that I'd need the Proxima array to find you."

Prowl smirked. "Loon," he said, then stepped back out.

"Gather up, infants," Ratchet said. "Let's get this show on the road." As he said that, the door opened and more folks entered. Proteus and Madura carrying a dish with a tight lid, Chromia along with Maelstrom who was grinning with amusement as he carried their offering, something that looked awfully bakery inspired...

*cough*

… Jazz and Mirage who only carried a good appetite, Bumblebee and First Aid, Scamper who was here because everyone else was and Metroplex could get around just fine in his pretender shell, Ravel, Tie Down, Appa Ratchet, and Docker because they 'wanted to help you carry things, Sonny' to which a wide load of slag was delivered until Ratchet pulled out his giant frying pan.

That one.

A dog and a bug cavorted around as another dog sat by the door looking bored as only an Old English bulldog could while the room seethed with bodies. The door opened again as Turbine, Delphi, Hard Drive, Aunt Lissie, Raptor who was laughing at Blackjack and his hapless slag as Alor followed with a grin, five kids and a dog, Scout and Trooper along with Flint and his boyfriend, Stu-Rt all entered with their stuff and kids. They stood in a group around Ratchet and Ironhide who looked at each other with amusement. "Jetta, how about stress testing the floor one of these orns. There's a lot of good information to be had when the freeloaders show up."

HUGE laughter and slag go with that along with proclamations that mooching was an honorable profession, all of it coalescing around in the air as they gathered up to leave. The door opened and more individuals came in including Edict, Hobbes of all individuals, Rad-R and Riff along with Bron-E and her pre-bond, Vin and Joon, Burris and Anders along with Devcon, Moda, Tress, Smokescreen, and a very morose-looking Smokey.

"What the frag, Ratchet. How do we still have room here?" Smokescreen said with a laugh.

"I have no idea," Ratchet said. "We ready to head out?"

General rumbles indicated that they were as everyone watched Ironhide tenderly lay his daughter into her carry basket, tuck her in, then grin at her. With a smirk and a jaunty step, he picked both up, then turned toward everyone. "Last one to the potatoes and buns is a slacker," he said as the mob began to turn toward the door.

Carrying boxes and kids, dogs, bugs and attitude, the entire group slowly began to head out together. Walking with Joon, Madura, Anders, and Edict, Ratchet grinned. "Where's Laslo, if I may ask?"

"He's going to meet us there. They have to sort out the family yet. All of them are required in attendance if I understand things, right?" Madura asked with a smirk of amusement.

"Right on," Ratchet said as they stepped out of two of the huge five elevators in the lobby. "This could be interesting."

"Something tells me that very little you do isn't," Edict said with a grin.

It was a huge group and a long leisurely walk to the Metro station and the stairs that led downward to the Central Labor Hall itself.

-0-Earlier

"I have everything made and gathered, Lucien. If you and the boys would help me carry things, then I will be most appreciative," Laslo said as he looked around the apartment.

Keystock and Cargo were sitting on the couch watching him. They were in a funk, the desire to be anywhere but where they were all going was almost overwhelming. They were required by the mentor clause of their court sentence to obey Ratchet. This was outside of their scope to deny. If they disobeyed one of their own rules, then they would be saying that The System wasn't worth the paper it was written on. They were stuck in their own vicious circle.

Everyone would be there, those among their own circle and that of Ratchet and Ironhide's. Apparently, the two had come together of late. Prime and his family would be there along with a lot of important educational, spiritual, cultural, and political figures. This was a holiday of joining together and was considered important in their colony and on Cybertron. There was no way out of it.

"I can't see how you can be happy about this, Ada," Cargo said grouchily.

"This is the first party I've been to in ages and its supposed to be a lot of fun," Laslo said turning to look at the three aggravated mechs sitting on the couches and chairs watching him pull things together. "I like the mechs we're going to go with and consider them friends. Don't ruin my orn," he said. "I want to have some fun today so don't ruin the party."

Keystock glanced at the others, then his ada. "We're not going to make you unhappy, Ada."

"I wish you wouldn't," Laslo said with anxiety in his voice. "I've been having a better time here and I want to continue. I would hope you would as well but for now … I **have** to be happy." He flustered at the counter, then walked to the hallway to disappear down it.

They watched him go, then glanced at each other. "This is a mess," Cargo said.

No one disputed it among the three.

-0-Room 113, Central Labor Council Hall

They entered, noting once again that the Autobot City Professional Assistant Association had made things right. Long tables with places for entries lined the walls. Dinner was beginning to be organized along another wall utilizing a buffet-style set up. Maxi and Blondi were generaling the whole operation with their usual perfection even as Lee-Lee and Holi grabbed the entries for the table.

"Sit, Ratchet. All of you. Then give me Halo," Lee-Lee said as she set the cookies down. She got Halo and the carrier, earning a tiny pout from Ironhide which his ada captured in snapshots. Frowning at Alor, he walked to a nearby table to sit and talk demolitions with an uptight Red Alert and a mellow Inferno.

Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "I wonder if Red and Inferno need a little help in the romance department."

"You have a sickness. Physician, heal thyself," Alor said with a grin. Both of them chuckled together as Maxi secured Scout, disappearing into a gaggle of young mechs and femmes who were purloining sparklings as they arrived.

Following their ammas and appas, a herd of infants, a bigger Seeker infant and a number of Prime infants showed up. Orion walked to Ratchet, then looked up at him. **"ADA! WHERE YOU!? I DO** **ME!? SHE COMED TO THERE AND DO THE DOING?! WHAT YOU!?"**

Ratchet stared at him along with everyone in the rapidly filling room. "Okay."

Orion smiled. **"I LOVE YOU, ADA!"** he said, then hugged Ratchet's ankle.

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that as more came in. Dishes both large and small arrived and ended up with the 'buffet committee'. Entries were laid out, a delectable array which necessitated a 'cop' to watch them from the marauding gangs of infants that began to congregate together.

The big kids hung with the younger soldier and professional civilian mechs, eating up their stories and commentary as a buzz settled over the room. Groups sat and stood together as even more and more arrived. The buffet line was astonishing and a huge box that had been emptied of its contents was then filled with dozens of bags of dinner rolls. It was drawing attention from just about everyone including Ironhide.

A rustle at the door drew optics as Optimus walked in carrying two big boxes. They were filled with dishes that contained 'whole cooked turkeys' that Prowl had fancied up because he was that kind of slagger. Infants were confiscated which appeared to be the price of entry as the group carried the boxes over to set them up. Chevron and the Temple crew arrived, then shortly after, Cyclonus and the bunch from the Monastery. Behind them, fogs of humans rolled in to be placed on the tabletops for their own good.

Music played softly as even more arrived. Arcee and Magnus, half the Watch crews and a number of individuals who ran departments and worked in the operational centers here and there came in bearing entries and their part of the dinner. Rainmaker and his bonds along with his five handsome suns arrived along with Starscream, his family and the Council of Elders of Seekerkin. They were greeted along with Paragon and Arrow carrying entries, food and infants. Herling and his family, the school board and theirs, a good dozen metro-titans and dreads including Tennyson and Paribolus in pretender gear arrived to find out 'what this thanksgiving thing is all about'. Gee-Gee and her family along with half the prison security teams, both her associate wardens, Roadbuster, some of those who ran the stable and every teacher they knew with their kids arrived with food and entries.

They came in and Ratchet was glad they were there and that they had the biggest dining room for public affairs in the colony. They would use every inch of it before Maxi rapped the meeting into order.

"Welcome. Ratchet has a few words to say." She smiled at Ratchet.

 **"I DO!?"** Ratchet replied to a tsunami of laughter and catcalls. "Well … I was thinking lately of how much we have to be thankful for. There are so many new faces and we welcome you. Anyone who comes, welcome. We're glad to know you and to be here today to party and talk. Thank you."

Applause and catcalls galore arose, then subsided. Maxi grinned. "Dinner is served."

Even though they tried, Ironhide and Optimus Prime would have to wait a while in line.

-0-TBC 11-24-17 **edited 11-25-17**

NOTES:

There's a famous website with captioned cat pictures where cats are shown doing something, then a funny saying goes with it. Cheeseburger cats. The idea is that cats can't spell but they have a lot to say. :D "I can has cheeseburger?" is a common thing that they're show to ask. Saying hello or hi spelled this way … hai … is also part of the site's cat speech. :D Ceiling cat, all manner of stuff, its hilarious. :D


	200. Chapter 200

The Diego Diaries: PAR-TAY! (dd6 200)

We are indeed passing part 200 for the sixth time, emmajade32439. **LOL! HERE WE GO!**

-0-At a party in the Central Labor Hall

Lucien found a seat, then sat to watch the show. Laslo was having an animated conversation nearby with Madura and Edict, two mechs he, himself had never seen so open before. In fact, Madura was like a wraith previously, only visible when the conditions were right it seemed. He never liked to step out of his home and milieu. Something about discomfort around crowds, he was told. There was none of that here, right now.

Along the wall, seemingly miles of food items were placed, items that he had researched before coming. It was a habit of his work life, to know about and be prepared for anything and everything. He didn't want to make a social mistake, something that all of them of his station and level of leadership had as a personal habit.

Laslo had made salads, two heaping salads of some consequence. It would appear that they were favorites among humans on Earth, one a fruit concoction of some type and the other a delicate layering of tender type plants, some fruits, all manner of other things, and a light 'dressing'. It was all new so he applied himself. If anyone made a social faux pas here, it wasn't going to be him.

Partition was nearby, a tall femme with him holding his servo. It was startling to see, then he put it into a file to ruminate on later. Standing nearby, having a conversation with other younger mechs and a femme, Inweld and Morius were having a happy moment, too. They weren't anyone he knew, the individuals with his children. He looked around and saw many he knew, some of them aware of his recent humiliation and others who didn't know about that. He would try to avoid one group and speak to the other. It was a minefield, sitting here in this place he didn't want to be. It was disconcerting and odd to him to feel embarrassment but he did. The court was an ordeal.

A big mech walked toward him beer in hand, then sat down across from him. Setting a second beer on the table, Praxus Black Label no less, he shoved it forward. "Have a beer, Lucien. It helps in awkward social situations to hold something in your servo," Raptor said with a grin. "How is your family? From your point of view, that is."

Lucien stared at Raptor coolly, this big mech who was smart, tactical, crafty, and something he wasn't, beloved by nearly everyone who knew him. "You tell me, Raptor. My family has pretty much gone their own way. I'm a spectator in my own home."

"You choose it," Raptor said. "I find that you get what you wish for, Lucien. If you wish to be a whiny cry baby and expect terrible things, they will find you."

"Processor over matter, is that it?" Lucien asked as he took a sip. It was cold and delicious. "They have the formula right about this beer. I don't usually drink beer but this was the exception to the rule."

"The original brew masters are here making it," Raptor said. "All of the good labels are here, most of them, making their magic. It **is** processor over matter. Think about the law of attraction. You act an aft, you make your own life miserable, you expect nothing good … the universe listens to you and gives you want you want."

"The universe," Lucien said. "The universe listens."

"Of **course** it does," Raptor said. "The universe, the universal underlying energy that creates all … Primus and The One if it makes more sense that way … the force underlying all things listens and gives you what you want."

"I don't want this," Lucien said. "I'm not looking for trouble or problems. I don't **want** bad things."

"Then think about what you **really** want," Raptor said. "I only wanted my family together and the chance to help our world recover. I wanted my grandson. I never knew about the babies. We worked all this time hoping and dreaming that my grandson would be found and he was. I can't tell you what it felt like knowing Ironhide had survived. Then the babies … there are no words but I know that I asked The Universal Underlying Force That Animates All Things for him and he was given back to me. The children were a bonus, a very great surprise. The law of attraction, Lucien … as long as you're a whining sourpuss, then universe will feed you that."

"Well, that was edifying. Thanks for the chat," Lucien said as he sipped his beer. He glanced up to notice Hobbes and Proteus watching them. "Do come over. I was having a philosophy lesson from Raptor here."

Proteus smirked, then walked over with a wary Hobbes. Behind them, hesitating for a moment, then joining them at the table, Burris sat. "What are we talking about?" he asked.

"Processor over matter," Lucien said. "Something about the laws of attraction."

"You know about them, too?" Proteus asked Raptor.

"I do," Raptor said. "Old Whiner here, he has no idea that his intentions sent his reality. If you want to change your reality, change your intentions."

"What does that mean, pray tell?" Burris asked. "Philosophy is not my cup of energon."

"It means, Burris, that with your words and thoughts you create your life. If you're an aft, a whiner, a cry baby, someone who never believes that life can change and get better, someone who hates yourself, believes there's no good anywhere, then that's what the universe serves you. On a platter," Raptor said. "It gives you what you send out. It grants your wishes."

They stared at him, then Proteus grinned. "You sound like Heatout. He's firm about the idea of mind and body together, that you create your reality by what you believe and do. Think your life into the light or dark. It's in your hands."

"Not everyone can make that leap," Burris said.

"Of **course** , you can," Raptor said. "You just have to want it and most importantly of all … you have to **BELIEVE** it."

"Are you going to get in line?" Alor said as he walked up behind the group.

"I was hoping you'd feed me," Raptor said with a grin.

"Aw, do you want me to chew it first for you, too?" Alie asked his father-in-law.

"That crossed my mind," Raptor said as he stood up. "Off your backsides, recruits. Food waits for no mech."

Burris stood and so did Proteus. Hobbes and Lucien took longer but soon they were standing in line to get their turn through the heaping buffet. Around them, children and infants were being fed as their genitors either waited to get food or someone was getting them a plate. The room was almost completely full but not oppressive and the buzz was light and happy.

Standing in front of them, Smokey of Praxus moped slightly. Glancing around, he looked for Hot Rod but the big mech wasn't here or not seen through the crowds. Smokescreen nudged his grandson. "Move forward, infant. If he's coming, he can't speak to you until we resolve this anyway. You're invoked. Do you understand your responsibility?"

Smokey sighed dramatically. "I do, Appa." He turned to look at Smokescreen with angst filling his face, an altogether adorable look for him. **"BUT IT'S STILL FRAGGED!"**

A number of diners glanced at him with a smirk or smile depending on who knew and who didn't. Apparently, the news had gotten around, though Smokey didn't know that. Devcon who was talking to his son-in-law, Moda, Smokey's ada, glanced back at the smoldering sulking grandson of his waking dreams. "Eat, infant. A soldier never knows when he's going to get called."

 **"I'LL EAT!"** he said, then frowned. "That's not the problem," he said. He looked around. "I don't see any pie, Amma."

"I have some at home. The door is open 24-7 for you," Dev said.

Smokey wilted slightly. "Thanks." He looked at Dev. "You don't seem mad about this, Amma. You know … at Hot Rod."

Dev grinned. "Your appa is taking care of the legalities. I'm taking care of you."

Smokey leaned against Devcon as they inched closer to the start of the buffet. "It's so mixed up, Amma."

"I know," Dev said. "You're young."

"Does it get better with age?" Smokey asked hopefully.

"No," Dev said with a grin.

"Frag," Smokey muttered as Dev handed him a plate.

"Fill up, infant," he said as he began to fill his own.

Smokey would.

Nearby, sitting with heaping plates and cold beer, Cyclonus and three of his mechs, all of them major scholars at the Monastery began to eat. They had a festival like this coming up in three orns at the Monastery, then they would dedicate the school where their acolytes and scribes would be trained. It would also teach the philosophy of The Guiding Hand to their people, those who wanted to learn more. The functions of the Monastery in Upper Tetrahex were being added as they regained teachers, monks, their learning tools, and time. Cyclonus and his three mechs were hunting the Omega Keys and managing everything else so he delegated.

It was exhilarating.

Nearby them, eating together themselves, Mraz, Templar, Gravitas, Alpha Trion, Chevron, Lauren, Lady Sela, Chrome, and Eronus congregated. Any number of individuals, some religious, had helped them get their food and settle. Rather than arguing against a good deed, they had gratefully accepted the assistance. Gratitude was a major pillar of their belief system.

Sitting down the table from them, Ravel and Tie Down helped the babies as everyone began to come back with heaping plates and drinks. Sitting among the children, they helped feed them, listen to their convoluted stories, prevented Praxus, Orion, Kaon, and Solus from licking condiments that were on the table for use, and other novelties.

 **"AMMA! I DOING THIS!"** Orion said as he pointed to the 'sugar' bowl sitting near him.

"No, Orion. Eat your food," Amma Corr said with a grin.

Orion stared at him, then his plate, then Amma Corr again. "Amma bad one," he said.

Ratchet who was walking to his place balancing food paused over Orion. "Orion is the bad one and if he doesn't settle down and eat, he goes into the corner."

Orion looked straight up in surprise, then smiled his cheesy big smile that he used when cornered. He picked up his fork, then picked up a bite. Ratchet moved down the table to sit among the big kids as Orion watched. He frowned slightly. "Ada bad one," he repeated in a tiny whisper. Then he began to eat, forgetting his beef almost immediately like most little kids did.

Ironhide followed Prime, Raptor, Hard Drive, Blackjack, and Hercy to a table to sit. Behind them, following with their own food, Burris, Kup, Lucien, Proteus, and Vinn made their way to the same tables. Finding seats, settling in, they began to eat.

"Buns and butter. Potatoes, turkey … warrior food," Ironhide said with a grin. **"I, IRONHIDE, LIKE THANKSGIVING FOOD!"**

Laughter greeted that remark as the room noshed away. It was awkward a moment before more joined them. Lon and Bezel, Partition, Lancer, Inweld, Morius, Aunt Lissie, Flint and his boyfriend, Stu-RT, Chromia and Maelstrom, Magnus, Jetta, Arcee, and Elita sat down on the chairs around them, settling in to eat. It was quiet a moment, then Lissie glanced at Proteus. "How are you doing these orns, Proteus? I hear you work at the Halls of Order."

"I do, Lissie," Proteus said with a grin. "I enjoy it a great deal. It's always interesting."

'I'm glad to hear it. How's Madura? I heard that he's out and about now," Lissie said. "That's always good to hear. Everyone grieves their own way. But the time comes when you have to fish or cut bait."

Proteus grinned as he glanced over a few tables. Madura was sitting with Joon, Edict, Anders, several femmes that he didn't know, and a number of mechs as well. "Truer words never spoken, Lissie."

Lissie grinned. She looked at Lucien. "I understand that your sons are going on tour with Raptor and Hardie. I imagine they find it interesting to be home again?"

"I would hardly use that word but they're seeing how it is there," Lucien said.

"It's awful," Lissie said. "It will get better. Effort will make it so. Consider that, Lucien, when you have flights of fancy. That ship sailed."

It was awkward a moment, then Raptor grinned at Lissie. "I gave him the lecture on the law of attraction."

Lissie nodded. "That law is hard and fast, infants. What you believe about yourself, that's what you become. You hold in your servos the keys to the kingdom. It mystified me how many never use them." She looked at Ironhide. "I want that new baby, nephew. What about it?"

Ironhide glanced around noting that Prowl had Halo. "Old tight aft has her."

"Then go tell Ratchet to hand her over," Lissie said with a wink.

Prime would laugh loudly and long. Proteus would be gratified, Burris highly surprised, Vinn would join him, and Lucien would watch with a sneaking sense of sacrilege. Primes never laughed, danced, drank, or carried on in his experience.

It was clear to himself that he needed more experiences.

-0-TBC 11-25-17 **edited 11-26-17**

-0-NOTES

nosh: to eat


	201. Chapter 201

The Diego Diaries: PAR-TAY! (dd6 201)

-0-At Room 113, Central Labor Hall, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"What about you?" Ratchet asked as he ate his food.

:We're having the usual get together but this time at Earth2. All of us from Sciences, Earth 1, the Consulate, N.E.S.T, the Resort, and the Family Tower will be heading out in a few hours. We wanted to be here for the show: Barbara Morshower said as she sat on a condiment box on the table. Humans were scattered all over the place, hanging with friends to enjoy the show and conversation. The room was filled, everyone there eating at a table or getting more to eat. Shortly, they would have the cookie contest. :Who's going to win?: she asked.

"Why, you have to ask?" Ratchet said as he batted his optics. "Do you do anything fun or do you just eat, get drunk and fight?"

:That about explains it. The boys are pretty upset about the mercenaries: Morshower replied. :We'll keep a bead on them. Intel and all:

"Just don't get into trouble," Ratchet said. "Those slaggers would just as soon shoot you in the face as look at you."

:The feeling is mutual: Judy Witwicky said.

Just then, Maxi stood, then rapped the table. "We're going to get the contest sorted out and while we do that, we invite Ratchet to discuss next year's item. First year, pies. Hercy and Kup won. Second year, cakes. Hercy and Kup won. This year, cookies … you get the drift," she said with a smile as laughter, catcalls and hoo-haw arose. "This year, we will choose a winner the usual way with some of the holiest members of our community joining in. We will have the final round decided by Master Cyclonus, Lord Chrome, Chef Rampage, Master Heatout, and Master Weaver Wirelite of Iacon." Huge applause greeted that, then it died down. "Ratchet?" Maxi asked as she took her datapad and walked to the judging platform to organize with a literal army of femmes and mechs who had been recruited to help.

Ratchet looked around, then stood. "Next year's contest is going to be … I was considering barbecue," he said to **ENORMOUS** approval of the punters, "but I think candy is the thing. Any kind, all kinds, you name it. If it's candy, its good."

" **THEN BRISKET!"** someone said in the back to general approval of all concerned. "We can have a cook off like they have on Earth, only ours will be better."

Everyone in the room agreed with the punter as Ratchet sat again. The judges worked their way upward to sit on the chairs of the judging table. They were Bumblebee, Metroplex, Acutus, Jazz, Maelstrom, Hugh-E, Password, Kappa in her pretender format as well, Xantium who wanted to come and eat cookies with his sweetie, and Sideswipe.

"What a mangy group minus Kappa, of course," Sandstorm said with a grin.

"You're just jealous," Hugh-E said as his bond, the tiny micro mini-con, Boo-Boo and their tiny little sons, three of them moved closer to watch Huge-E stuff himself with goodness. He grinned at his kids and they grinned at him.

"We have everyone numbered so no one will know which is which among the judges. No one is allowed to mention names or acknowledge your own when it comes up. Ratchet? Do you have the trophies?" Maxi asked.

"I do," Ratchet said pointing to a large box sitting by the door. "Let me know when you wish me to unveil my genius."

 **"ANY TIME NOW!** " someone in the back called out.

"Frag you," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He held up his two red hands. "See these healing servos, these blessed appendages that lay servos on-" He didn't get much further under the tide of laughter, mockery and hoo-haw. "Slaggers," he said with a grin. **"HIT IT, MAXI!"** Ratchet grinned. "Did you notice how every mini-con in this room just flinched?"

Bedlam.

The runners began to bring cookies up for the judges to taste and score as the room settled in for the fun. Herds of infants played around the room, meeting resistance from the elders who parked in front of the entry tables to keep them out of the cookies. It met with indignation and lots of finger pointing by the infants:

" **ADA! I DOING THIS!"**

"Amma? Can I have a cookie?"

" **APPA! YOU NOT GOOD ME!"**

And onward …

Ratchet snickered, then looked at Ironhide nearby. "Where's Halo?"

" **MAXI STOLE HER! I HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE!"** Ironhide said.

Ratchet smiled as everyone turned to look at him with smirks. "Can I get you a cookie?"

 **HUGE LAUGHTER AND MOCKERY.**

Round one made its way into the history books as Maxi collated the scores. Her battalion of worker bees, members of her professional assistant association were doing yeoman service. The crowd was full, satisfied, having a great time gossiping with others, and the contest was well in hand. All was well with the room. Some, however, had to front.

"Lucien, you should relax," Proteus said.

Lucien glanced at him. "I am."

Burris, ever Burris, frowned. "I can't see it."

Lucien rolled his optics as his son brought him a beer. Partition sat with his own and glanced at the group. "How are you doing? I'm having a great time," Partition said.

"I hear that you graduated from basic training and you passed your field medic course with a perfect score," Proteus said. "Congratulations, Partition. I didn't know you had it in you."

Partition snickered. "Neither did I. I was on the treadmill to oblivion. I get to go out with the medical teams during migrations and General Hard Drive wants me to train in a few other areas."

"Sounds exciting," Proteus said. He looked at Lucien. "You must be very proud. I heard that Inweld and Morius are on the same course."

"They are," Partition said before his father could speak. "They're going to enter the Watch. We like this kind of work. I applied to be a field medic at Watch Station 42 in Retriades. I would work there unless called up. That way, I can keep my hand in and have time to learn both policing and more in the medical field. I want to ultimately become an elder doctor. I want to stay with the army and Watch but also have that skill. When we go out to the migrations or go to Cybertron to assist there, I can help the elder end of things."

"You will," Raptor said with a grin. "You've exceeded expectations by a dozen planetary diameters. Keep up the good work. If you need a recommendation with the Watch, use my name."

Partition glanced at Raptor, then he smiled with surprise. "Really?"

Raptor nodded. "Ratchet speaks highly of you."

Partition smiled, then nodded. "I won't let you down."

"No one thinks you would," Raptor replied as the big kid stood.

"I have to tell Lancer," he said with a grin. "She's going to be so happy." He looked at his father. "I'll see you later, Atar." With that, he walked back to the table to tell Lancer. They both were delighted at the news.

Lucien stared at Raptor with a cold expression. "That mech is **my** son."

"He is," Raptor said. "He's changed more than anyone I've seen come here. He deserves praise. He got what he's achieved on his own effort. That will always deserve praise."

Madura and Edict walked to the table, then sat down. Anders, Vinn and Joon joined them. "What are we talking about?" Joon said as she made room for Laslo.

"We were congratulating Partition for his great achievements," Raptor said. "I'm very proud of that mech. He's got good things in him."

Laslo smiled. "I think he and his brothers have done such good effort. I'm proud of them. Partition wants to be an elder doctor. Did you know that?"

"We do," Raptor said with a grin. "All in all, its good to know what you want and go for it."

Lucien had nothing to say.

-0-Half a joor later

The judges went over their scores, conferred off line, then were finished with their part of the production. They rose and walked back to their tables to sit, filled to the brim but satisfied. Maxi who was tabulating the scores sat nearby. Faun who had the list of finalists rose to announce them. "If everyone can give me your attention?"

It stilled as everyone turned to her. "Our finalists are Alor, Hercy and Kup," she said as the room erupted in laughter, "Madura, Sensi, Buzz Saw, Boo-Boo, Holi, Prowl, Miler, 26 and his children, Lil and Boe, Logos, Twiner of Tellus IV, Livia, Anders, Delphi, Ratchet, Bluestreak, Ravel, Docker and Corr, Blaster and Revet, Edict, and Colie of Lumo 2. Please give a big hand to all who entered. All of you are winners to me."

Huge applause as the room erupted. Many was the finalist who was doing the Cybertron version of blushing. The finalist judges rose and walked to the front of the room to sit. Cyclonus who looked as grim and dangerous as anyone else sat in a chair beside Chrome. Wirelite, as sweet as ever, sat on the other side of Cyclonus. He would, incidentally, be as gentlemanly as could be to her the entire time of the judging. Heatout with a big grin, Lady Sela and a laughing Rampage took the other seats.

Maxi grinned. "We will bring the numbered entries to you and you will score them. This shouldn't take as long though you may discuss the entries together just like the others. Let's begin."

Nearby, the finalists at the table with Lucien were tense and excited. Anders gripped Burris by the servo. "This is so exciting. I've never been in a contest before."

Madura and Edict nodded. "Me, either," both of them said at the same time.

The room watched with tension and intrigue as the judges ate their samples. They scored them as seriously as they would if they were sitting in a trial, marking the points on the pads. When the last one was eaten, they huddled together to finalize the winners. Then they glanced at Maxi and sent the scores.

Maxi worked them out, then grinned. "We have four winners, Third, second, first, then grand champion."

 **HUGE APPLAUSE.**

"Thank you, judges, all of you, and thank you, entrants. All of them were wonderful. Right now, Ratchet, if you would get the trophies, I will announce the winners," Maxi said as Ratchet arose to walk to the box.

Orion ran over and looked in when Ratchet opened it. **"WHAT YOU, ADA!?"** he asked to the delight of the crowd. Drift reached over and scooped him up as Ratchet turned to Maxi. "We're go, Maxi."

She smiled, then looked at her datapad. "The third place winner this year for cookies is … 26, Lil and Boe."

 **ENORMOUS** applause as two delighted kids and their genitors got up to come forward. 26 was laughing as he and his bond, Avor, paused beside Maxi. "This is so wonderful. Thank you," 26 said as he picked up his daughter, Lil.

Ratchet fished into the box and drew out the third place trophy. Holding it up, the room burst into laughter and applause. The trophy stood on a small pedestal shaped like a glass with a wave of what must have been milk rising out of it that said, "Annual Thanksgiving Baking Champion, Third Place, 2017 TMC, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars'. It was an image of Ratchet wearing an apron and a tall chef's hat while he was surfing on a giant cookie. He had a whisk in one servo and a cookie in the other. His face had a giant smile plastered firmly on it.

It got all the love it deserved. He walked to 26 and gave it to him. "Don't let anyone tell you I didn't do anything for ya," he said with a smile.

"I won't," 26 said as they took the trophy and walked back through the applause together.

The room died down as Maxi announced the next one. "The second place winner is Laslo."

The look on Lucien's face was something that Raptor hoped would never fade from his memories over time. Laslo nearly fell off the chair as he stood in shock. He was pushed forward by those sitting on the way to receive a silver version of the same trophy. He hugged Ratchet tightly, then Maxi and would still be hugging if Ratchet hadn't pointed him back to his seat. "Show the trophy to Lucien, Laslo," Ratchet whispered. "He'll love it."

Laslo looked at Ratchet with ecstatic happiness, then nodded. Walking back, he set it on the table. "Look, Lucien. We can put it on the shelf in the living room window."

Lucien stared at it with a sinking feeling in his tanks. His sons sitting nearby were still on their peds clapping and whistling loudly.

"The first place winner of the cookie contest this year is ... **Hercy and Kup!** " Maxi said with a smile.

The two mechs stood in the midst of bedlam, then walked forward to get it. Hercy grinned. "Cookies were never a strong point of ours," he said as everyone in the room laughed loudly. They walked back with the gold statue.

"Now," Maxi said with a smile. "We have to give out the grand prize trophy. This trophy is an acknowledgment of superior effort and the winner is … **MADURA!"**

The room burst into flames as Madura was hauled up and half carried to the front. He stood in the front of the huge crowd in shock as he stared at the big trophy in Ratchet's servo. It was like the others but painted with color to show its features. The others were solid copper, silver and gold. This was painted in true-to-life colors. He took it, then hugged Ratchet hard. Holding it up, he smiled beautifully. Walking back, he sat down beside Proteus who was nearly crying with delight for him. Madura hugged Proteus, then turned to the others. **"THIS IS SO EXCITING! I KNOW JUST THE PLACE FOR IT!"**

Lucien looked at Madura's trophy, then the one Laslo had just won. / … so do I, Madura … so do I …/

The party would continue hearty for some time.

-0-TBC 11-26-17 **edited 1-9-18**

NOTES:

Amazon, New Line and someone else are going to serialize The Lord of the Rings on a series for television. They bought it and its estimated a billion dollars is going to be spent on it. :0)

If you keep 'a bead' on someone, you watch them. I think it might be an old expression of keeping someone in your rifle sights. The bead is the little bump sight on the end of your barrel that you use to target your gun … the bead. :D The Old West never dies.


	202. Chapter 202

The Diego Diaries: The Morning After (dd6 202)

-0-Around

"That looks winning there"

"I think so," Hercy said as he eyeballed the trophy, one in a row with others. "Ratchet makes me laugh."

"He does," Kup said as he stood next to his roomie eyeballing the newest trophy.

"He's a sport." -Hercy

(Nods) "He is." -Kup

Pause to ponder the greatness.

"Ironhide's a lucky mech." -Hercy

(Nods again) "He is."

-0-Trine

"Too bad. Another year without a win, Babe," Sideswipe said before a hard jab in the chassis took care of that sass.

"Ow," Sideswipe said with a grin as he straightened slowly. "I can't stay and frag around but thanks for the invite."

He barely ducked the next one.

-0-On a bus to school

"I can't wait to show it to my class, Ada," Lil said as she stood between 26, her father, and Avor, her other father. A trophy was in a covered box at her feet.

Boe grinned. "You get it in the morning and I get it in the afternoon."

It would be a very cheery ride to Youngling Day for all four of them.

-0-At an elegant apartment

"I'm going to be off this morning, Lucien, so I'm going to Full Circle in Terra. Everyone will be there." Laslo was sorting out his school datapads for his afternoon classes. Both were master classes for engineers geared around thinking conceptually out of the box. He looked at Lucien who was sitting on the couch staring at the trophy sitting in the living room on the shelf in front of the big window. No one could miss it coming in. "That's such a joy for me, Lucien," Laslo said with a trace of anxiety. "I've never won anything like that until now."

"I'm not sure there ever **was** anything like it until now, Laslo," Lucien said dryly.

Laslo stared at him, then gathered his gear. He turned to his bond. "Lucien … I love that trophy. It's mine. I won a very hard contest with my skills. It means everything to me. I won it in the company of friends."

Lucien glanced up at Laslo. "I know. I was terribly proud of you, Laslo. You cook brilliantly."

"There were many good bakers there, Lucien. It means something to me to win against them. I ..." he hesitated. Glancing at the trophy, he turned to Lucien. "That means more than the contest, Lucien. It means friends and happiness. Anders, Madura, Joon, Edict … Ratchet … the others … they're my **friends, real friends who don't want anything but me**. I didn't realize how lonely I was until I came here. I was **so** lonely and … I can't be that person anymore. I want friends and fun, family time and excursions with interesting people. Ratchet is **so** kind, Lucien. When no one else stepped up to help us, he did. That was a terrible moment for me, Lucien, when no one came forward. It broke things inside, the crushing humiliation that no one we thought were friends would help us in our deepest need."

"Laslo ..." Lucien said rising to stand before Laslo.

"It's all changed, Lucien. We have to **change, too**." He stepped closer to Lucien. "I hope you know how much I love you. I love you **so** desperately. You are the **only** mech for me, Lucien, and nothing will ever change that. I want you to know how loved you are in my spark."

Lucien stared at Laslo with a darkening expression of emotion. He touched Laslo's arms gently. "You know you don't have to tell me. I know."

"I pray you do, Lucien. I love you more than my own life but … I'm not proud of you now." Tears came to his optics but he blinked them away. "I want to be proud of you, Only One, **all** of you. You are my heroes."

Lucien stared at Laslo without words. He searched Laslo's face for understanding, then the big mech hugged him. Lucien hugged him back, tightly and emotionally. Laslo stepped back. "I have to go now but I would like to go out to dinner tonight, Lucien. Would you like that, too? Just you and me for once?"

Lucien nodded numbly. "I would like that a lot, Laslo."

"I'm so glad. It's all new and hard but it **will** get better. I can hope for it can't I?" Laslo said. "I will come by your office after my last class." Lucien nodded as Laslo walked to the door. He paused there, then looked back. "I love you forever." Then he stepped out and was gone.

Lucien stared at the door without a word for several moments, then gathered his own work gear. Walking to the door, he stepped out and was gone.

-0-Shifts

"How do you like your new apartment, Buzzie?"

"I love it. Cliffie and I are decorating it to reflect our tastes. We both like casual décor." Buzz Saw grinned. "I'm totally satisfied with my life."

"Your ceremony was so nice. Prime does such a good service," Gypsy said. "The parties were amazing."

"We planned them to last, Stanix-style. I never danced so much in my life. Cliffie is such a good dancer," Buzzie said with a smile. He was so loved in the hospital that everyone showed up for the bonding ceremony in the big room at the Central Labor Hall. It was so big, they had to push back walls to add more space. Prime had done the service, everyone had cheered, then the serious eating and drinking began. Given it was a Stanix bonding and celebration ceremony, it lasted the full four days. The presents were typical of Stanix bondings, sensible, colorful and plentiful.

Cliff had been carried around on shoulders, had been the recipient of literally dozens of well wishing toasts, then had danced the first dance with Buzzie. That he never touched the ground as he swayed in the arms of the huge mech, Cliffie didn't care. He was loved and needed and wanted. He had a home and family, albeit Mafia-like in its intensity and that was all that mattered.

"So … when can we expect sparklings?" Gypsy asked with a giant smile.

Buzzie actually blushed.

-0-In the Office of the Political Liaison, Office of the Ambassador of State, Autobot City

Lucien sat at his desk staring at a picture cube that held endless images of his family, his homes on Cybertron, their life in better times, and his Laslo. It had shocked him what Laslo had said. He had no idea that he had been unhappy beyond the notable circumstances. Laslo had said he was lonely. He had heard the same from Edict, Madura and Anders. All of them had expressed a sense of loneliness. It was shocking.

He sat up in his chair, then turned toward the windows where the giant quarry, now parkland of the Mare Tranquilitatis spread out to the horizon. Around it, gigantic towers, eighteen of them, ringed the depression. They were the first built here, the upward movement toward the light once it was deemed by the Pantheon, apparently, that it was safe to go above ground.

The Pantheon.

Prime conversed with the Pantheon.

Regularly.

He wondered what that was like. He wondered if Sentinel, Nova, Nominus … even Zeta had ever done that. Something told him in his truest heart space that they didn't. He was sure that none of them had ever seen, let alone talked to the Pantheon. It was clear to him that Prima and Guardian did. It was written in the annals and chronicles of their people. There was nothing to say that the other four ever had. It would have been written down some place, perhaps. Some small notation, even, that they had been blessed by such activity. But there was nothing.

He looked at the screen, the searchable database of their people's mainframes everywhere. A simple search had yielded nothing of Zeta, Nominus, Sentinel, and Nova speaking with anyone more exalted than their own reflections in mirrors. Only Prime, Prima and Guardian. The Matrix had spoken. It had chosen.

He stepped back from that very fact to consider it without emotion. If this was true, then most of what he held dear was bollocks. Guardian and Prima never held to The System. They wouldn't have allowed it. Optimus fought it all of his term. The other four held to it like burrs to a long haired dog. Under Guardian and Prima, the people had built the greatest age of their time, the Golden Age of Cybertron. Under the other four, they hadn't. Now, with Prime here, they were thriving again. He turned those facts over and over again, like a strange object with hidden meanings he was trying to divine.

He would until an aide walked in to talk about a project. He would be busy the rest of the orn, pausing only when Laslo walked in with trepidation to be enveloped into his embrace.

-0-N.E.S.T HQ, United Nations Territory, Autobot City

He sat at his station tossing a ball against the wall overhead. He caught it, then bounced it again, repeating the exercise until everyone turned to him. "Keep that up, Walt, and I'll kick your ass," Corey McFarlane said.

Walt Grantley caught the ball, then put in on the console. "Sorry," he said. He turned his chair to look around the vast room where N.E.S.T. on-world did their business. It was high tech out the wazoo. Grantley was new, a Beta team tech who was monitoring sensors. He was tracking a comet through the system to break up the tedium. "Do you think Sarge is cooled off yet?"

Trevor Smith who was manning communications grinned. "I doubt it," he said. "I doubt that Epps will be cooling off any time soon."

-0-The night before at Earth2

The place was packed with the entire human population of Mars. The cameras in the facility were filming everyone everywhere as the feed was sent to Earth for all there to watch on television. The facility did that anyway as part of the agreement for operation. Humans fogged in carrying food, drink, children, and the occasional dog. It was loud, happy and the aromas coming from the concourse were amazing. Most of the heavy duty cooking was done here in the main kitchen and the restaurants on the main floor. Some of the more specialist dishes were being made by families in their apartments, then brought to the party. It was the biggest party that the humans had ever produced on world. Every human was here and the functions of the soldiers and scientists were being watched manually by the bots to allow everyone to come.

The inside parking lot filled up so segways and vehicles were lined up in rows outside. The sun was going down at the time the biggest number began to arrive so the overhead lights, massive and powerful came on and lit up the gathering darkness. Still they came with food, drink and a desire to have a good time. Standing at the door greeting them, Owen Harris and his team waited.

Olivia Bowers and her husband walked in with a huge red velvet cake and three bottles of Jack Daniels. They paused in front of Earth2's greeting party, then continued inside. Walking with the others, they noted that the children were already being fed. Several hundred children and a handful of toddlers were eating at the tables in the vast dining area of the concourse. It was festive and nearby, reflecting against the window that showed a deepening darkness outside, a gigantic artificial Christmas tree twinkled.

" **Olivia!"**

She turned to the voice, then waved back. "Joe," she said looking up at her husband. "I'm going to speak to Charlotte a moment. Can you put this on the table where the desserts belong?"

He grinned, then took it. "I suppose you'll be busy recruiting for the rest of the evening."

She grinned back. "No. I'll probably be discouraging recruits," she said. "Join us when you can, darling." She began to weave her way to the drinks table where Charlotte Mearing, Judy Witwicky, Barbara Morshower, Seymour Simmons, Hildie Wilkerson, Mariah Harris-Davis, and Mikaela Banes were congregated.

He would.

Across the room, a number of N.E.S.T. soldiers were gathered sipping beer as they watched the hoo-haw. "This is a lot of people," Bobby Epps said. "I don't know if I like it. I mean … don't get me wrong. This feels like home but … you know what I mean."

Will Lennox nodded. "I hear ya," he said as his father, Jonathan Lennox walked over to join them.

"Did you ever think you'd see this, son?" Jonathan asked.

"No. I'm not sure I still want to, either," Lennox said with a grin. "When's dinner?"

Jonathan Lennox grinned. "Anytime you want it to be, I was told."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Lennox asked. The group laughed, then began to migrate to the buffet. As they did, other members of their families joined and so did seven mercs.

Fathers and a grandfather of the soldiers had joined them, each of the older men taking a plate. Laughter and joking abounded as they stared at the food tsunami ahead of them. "My, my, Bobby," Amos Epps said as he considered the food ahead. A much admired man on-world and father of four including Bobby Epps, Junior, Robert 'Amos' Epps, Senior considered the haul ahead. "I may have to make a few trips."

"Do it, Daddy," Bobby said with a grin. "This is just the start. You haven't seen Christmas yet."

Amos began, filling his plate and checking things over. Everyone who knew him loved him, this dignified man who had worked hard all his life, sent four kids to college and asked for nothing for himself. He was now a resident 'grandpa' in N.E.S.T. among half a dozen other older men and an enthusiastic participant in health studies of life here on older bodies. They were the thread through which life flowed in the community, their elders. Amos Epps had a million funny stories and the kids adored him. He was one of the few anywhere who could rock a colicky baby to sleep.

Behind them, seven mercs waited as the others followed. Jim Johnson who had been drinking all afternoon was irritated but kept it to himself. Lennox who noticed felt his offense rising. "What's on your mind, Johnson? You look perturbed."

Johnson who was staring at Lennox grinned. "You have no call on me, Lennox. I don't have to answer to you."

"Now, that's where you get it wrong, Johnson. I can kick you off world and not give a reason," Lennox said. "I'm the big dog here. You better remember that simple fact."

Jonathan Lennox and Amos Epps paused, then looked down the row. "We aren't having a kerfuffle are we, son?" Amos asked.

"No, we aren't," Lennox said to a man he respected and liked. "Someone just forgot the protocols of living here."

"Oh," Amos said. "That's not a good thing," he said, then returned to the food.

They moved along, nearing the end when Rick Harris walked up to chat a moment with Will. Rick Harris was totally into his business, giving his clients a good experience, and following the rules. He was actually holding up his part of the deal and was easy to deal with. He actually respected the world and its inhabitants, that was clear. "Will, I was wondering if you had a chance to talk to Interior about the new trail?"

"I have a meeting with them about the training range expansion, Rick. I'm including your proposal. The panel will take the message to Beachcomber when we get finished. I don't see a problem with the proposal. Public Works and the Park Service would be the ones implementing both projects. I haven't seen the master plan yet, but I'll call Magnus tomorrow."

"Thanks, Will," Rick Harris said as he slapping Lennox on the shoulder. "You did me a solid and I appreciate it. You know Beachcomber better than me."

"Who's Beachcomber?" Johnson asked as he began to fill his plate.

"He's the Director for Resources, Conservation and the Interior. Nothing gets built here that doesn't go through him and his department first," Niall Graham said. He was filling a plate for Linda who was sitting at a table with friends. She was now nearly six months pregnant and he was hovering.

"What's the problem? It's all desert and dust out there. This place … I suppose he had a say in that, too," Johnson said.

"He has a say in everything," Bobby Epps said. "Nothing gets done here without an impact study and evaluation."

"What kind of name is Beachcomber and Ultra Magnus?" Todd Baseman asked. "Some of the names here … they're like some kid's cartoon."

The soldiers stared at the mercs who stared back. "You're a guest here. I would suggest that you act like it and be grateful. These bots allow you to stay. Insulting them is a stupid thing to do in reply," Niall Graham said coldly.

"You have to admit that the names here are stupid. Sideswipe. Sunstreaker. There's a couple of psychos for you," Lawrence Dobbs said.

"You tried to smuggle out pictures against the rules. You got booted for good cause," Niall said with no small heat. "It would appear that you haven't learned gratitude yet."

"Fuck that," Lawrence said. "I'm here because I'm good at what I do."

"And what's that, young man?" Amos Epps asked.

Bobby who was startled by his father's question stepped in front of him. "Don't ask, Dad. These fuckers were kicked off Diego in disgrace. It's only a matter of time before it happens here."

Almost out of thin air, Kyle Davis appeared. "Gentlemen, how are we doing?" he asked almost too brightly as he looked from one side of the divide to another. "How's the food? It looks mighty inviting to me."

"We were going over the rules. **Again** ," Lennox said as he glared at the mercs. "Apparently, you haven't given them enough instruction in the chain of command on-world."

Kyle glanced at the mercs. "This is Thanksgiving and we're having a party. Let's all step back and enjoy the moment." He looked at the soldiers. "No one here has forgotten the chain of command, Major. I promise you we haven't."

"You might want to take a show of hands," Bobby Epps said coldly. "Some of them seem to have forgotten." He turned to his father who was staring at the mercs with a pensive expression. "Come on, Daddy, let's get some of this," he said as he stepped between the mercs and his father, turning his back on them. It would be a tense group moving forward through the buffet, then taking seats at tables across the room from each other to eat.

"I don't think I like those men, son," Amos Epps said as he glanced worriedly at his son. "They won't be trouble will they?"

Bobby glanced at the others, then his father. "They weren't much to write home about the first time. I don't think that's changed a lot. Besides, Daddy, we have the home court advantage."

With murmurs of agreement, everyone dug into their dinners.

-0-TBC 11-27-17 **edited 1-9-18**

ESL:

trepidation (treh-pih-day-shun) Unease, fear, nervousness.

exalted: (x-all-tid) raised up, made important

bollocks: I love foreign insults and commentary. This is British and I believe it means an expression of exasperation or disgust. Like our own USA: BS (bullshit) :D

colic (kall-ick) a colicky baby is one with an upset tummy

kerfuffle: a problem, just this short of a brawl


	203. Chapter 203

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 203)

-0-Earth2, the night before

"What do you think?" Owen Harris asked.

"It's pretty wonderful," Glenn Morshower said as they paused by the bar.

"The bots know how to build," Kyle Davis said.

"They do," Glenn said. "They didn't have to do it. They didn't have to make a facility where five thousand people and a lot of animals could live comfortably but they did."

"We know," Owen said as the others nodded. "We want to be a community here, this place and the others. We want to work together and advance the cause of humanity among the locals."

"And what would be your cause, Mr. Harris? I understand that you've been writing to Jase Daniels in prison," Morshower said.

It was silent a moment, then Harris shrugged and nodded. "I am. I have been for some time. He wrote to me and we struck up a friendship. He and his family aren't doing to well in prison so I took pity on him. The prison reads all the incoming inmate mail every time it shows up so we can't be plotting things."

"Who's insinuating that?" Morshower asked.

"We didn't start off well, General, and I don't feel that's improved any since," Harris said. "I want this to work and be the first step to human settlement of the solar system. I would like us to find a way to find common ground."

"I have no problem with that but you have to understand one small thing. You can't live out here without the bots and I do recall that you keep company that has a poor opinion of them and their being here," Morshower said as he took his beer from the bartender.

Pierre Beliveau and Kyle Davis stood beside Harris, their expressions solemn. They didn't say much, preferring to defer to Harris. Harris shrugged again. "I have a lot of business interests, General. Many of those I transact with have conservative, even reactionary personal viewpoints. I'm interested in business, in building them, in bringing products to market, and promoting and building this facility. We spent a long time getting this far and I've had many strange bedfellows. Just because I do business with them doesn't mean that we're friends or that we agree on all points."

"But you have no truck with the bots being here," Morshower replied.

"I would like it better if this system was for humans but that ship has sailed," Harris replied. "We're here and no one is going anywhere. There are going to be many tens of millions of bots here given that Cybertron is unable to take new refugees, apparently. We have to build mutual coexistence and I'm willing to do my part," Harris said as the other two nodded in agreement.

"I will take that under advisement, Mr. Harris," Glenn said. He nodded to all of them. "Gentlemen," he said, then he stepped away heading back to the table where his friends, aides and other civilians in the hierarchy both on and off world were sitting.

The three watched him go. "He's a tough nut, that one," Davis said. "What about we ask the President to look for another Chairman for the Joint Chiefs? That would remove him from N.E.S.T."

Harris thought about that. "Maybe. Maybe not. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know."

"I'll make discreet inquiries," Davis said with a slight grin. "Maybe its time for hell to freeze over."

Nearby, watching the dancing that was happening in the huge area near the windows and the Christmas tree, the mercenaries were relaxing. They had eaten a great deal and it was time to drink. They managed their intake during the day but at night, especially when there was a celebration, some of them imbibed more than usual. Now was no exception.

Sitting nearby, chatting together as they ate desserts and drank beer, the N.E.S.T. soldiers were shooting the shit. "Look at those wankers," James Brooks-Spencer said as he sat next to Jessie Landon. The two were inseparable and now was no exception. "I loathe mercenaries. They get paid by the bullet, they say."

"Who says?" Fig Figueroa said with a snicker. "I love this 'they' and 'them' shit. Who are 'they' and 'them'?"

"The wise ones," James said with a grin. "Ask Hercy sometime. He'll tell you."

"Now there's a soldier's soldier," Bobby Epps replied. His father and grandfather were sitting at the table with them sipping on iced tea together. They had long ago sworn off anything harder. A man got to a certain age and he 'had to take responsibility for himself'. "Springer told me that he can read energy fields over distances and find out where and what you were that way. That old mech has more know-how and tricks than anyone he ever saw. Said he was around when Unicron was here."

"Who's Unicron? Sounds like an old time computer," Amos Epps said.

"It does, son," Harley Epps said to his son. "I remember them. They were big as houses."

Bobby Epps grinned at his elders. "Unicron was made at the beginning of the universe. He was evil and Primus was good. They fought. There were bots around them and Hercy was one of them. General Hard Drive and Commander Delphi were, too. They defeated him. Apparently, Unicron was the size of a planet and he liked to eat other planets."

"This is a story? Is this some kind of story, son?" Harley Epps asked his grandson.

"I wish it was, Grandpa," Bobby said with a grin. "Sometimes, the bogey man really exists."

"Sounds terrible. I may have to put something harder than ice cubes in this tea," Harley said with a grin.

Nearby, a table filled with women from all kind of facilities were discussing the upcoming birth of a new baby. Linda Graham patted her belly. "I thought about it a long time and I want her born here. When she's old enough, she can join her brother in school at Sparkling Day."

"What? No Prep Academy? Think about how that would sound on her application to Harvard. Circle of Light Preparatory Academy," Olivia Bowers said with a grin.

"Sounds like a hippy school," Judy Witwicky said. "Circle of Light Academy. Hippy, dippy."

"Aren't we all?" Lonnie Epps said. "We aren't exactly living the normal life."

"No, we aren't," Sarah Lennox said as they all turned to look at a table across the room where a disturbance was happening. Apparently, one of the mercenaries had too much to drink.

Jim Johnson watched the soldiers, stewing on his clash with Lennox, Epps and Graham on Diego. Even though he was here anyway and relatively free of their control, he was still steaming greatly over the whole business of getting kicked off the island. The bots had annoyed him greatly, though he had been careful to keep his commentary around here to himself, or so he'd thought. The last thing he needed was someone to rip the roof off his barracks and slap the shit out of him. Ironhide going off the rails was a very terrifying thing he had been told.

He had been annoyed by their 'chat' with Lennox and the others. He was annoyed by everything tonight but Hedges had kept him together. However, walking past with a tray, a micro mini-con named Tika had accidentally bumped him. He turned to apologize but Johnson had stood. He turned on the little mech with fury. "Why don't you watch where you're going?" he said.

Tika who had been given his instructions about the humans ran through them, then hurried onward. No one was to take abuse and if a human reacted negatively to you, you were to leave the scene **immediately.** That is what he did. Johnson, infuriated that he had, headed off after him. That was when the table filled with N.E.S.T. soldiers stood and followed as well.

"Oh, crap," Judy Witwicky said as Gavin Pritchard arose and followed after N.E.S.T.

Tika sensed Johnson following, so he hurried to the elevator that would take him off the floor. It was a straight up and down elevator that was only accessible here by approved personnel. It was activated by a program in the bot and it did now. Tika stepped in just as Johnson caught up. N.E.S.T. and Gavin who were chasing after them reached the elevator doors as they closed.

 **"SHIT!"** Lennox said as he slapped the door. Pulling his folded helmet, he held it against the door panel and it lit up. The elevator would return to him and they would have access through his codes. Meanwhile, inside the elevator, Tika stared at the seething human standing across from him. Before Johnson could say a word, the elevator stopped, the doors opened and Tika slipped out.

Inside the big control room, bots sat at stations along with a human from N.E.S.T. One worked on shift here because of the size and complexity of the facility. Given that this facility had asked for greater autonomy than the others all of which could give a rip about hierarchy and ultimate control, they worked collegiality together and didn't need an onsite human observer. Right now, Earth2 did.

"What's happening, Tika?" the shift supervisor, a big bot named Siso asked. The human who was reading a book in a nice chair stood up and stared down at the floor.

Tika had hurried in, then paused by Siso. "This human is angry and chasing me."

The bots stared at Johnson who slowed as he got closer, his fury diminishing due to the fact that he had walked into his worst nightmare alone and unarmed. "Why are you chasing Tika and why are you in here? This is classified space and off limits to unauthorized personnel," Siso said.

The door opened behind Johnson as the N.E.S.T. soldiers and Pritchard piled in. Hurrying up, Lennox turned to the shift supervisor. "Siso, this man isn't authorized to be here. He needs to leave and I would like to handle it." He looked at Tika who looked confused and scared, though Tika could have easily bent Johnson into a pretzel. He may have only been about four feet, nine inches tall, but he was also strong enough to pitch a table clear across the concourse. "Sorry, Tika. I'll take care of this bastard."

"Who are you calling a bastard, Lennox? You looking in a mirror?" Johnson said with growing relish. Maybe he'd be able to fulfill a life's wish, kick the major in the ass. "How about you and me settling this?" He moved closer to Lennox with his fists up.

"Settle what?" Lennox asked. "This?" he asked, then punched Johnson in the face. It was on.

-0-Downstairs

Morshower, his aide, Mick Moran along with Owen Harris, Kyle Davis, Peri Beliveau, and Ron Witwicky stood by the door as Morshower hailed the deck. Nearby, watching with some dread, the remaining mercs were gathered.

"This is Siso."

"Siso, this is General Morshower. Did someone go up there to the bridge?" Glenn asked.

"They did, General. They're currently having a brawl on my deck," Siso said. "I assume you wish to come up here, too?"

"I would," Morshower said.

The door panel flashed, then the elevator opened. Everyone stepped inside, then it closed. They were topside in seconds. Stepping out into the ops center, everyone stopped to watch a fist fight going on before them.

"Shee-it," Morshower muttered to himself.

-0-Down below

They gathered at the door to wait for whatever happened to transpire. Mariah Harris-Davis, Camille Brown, Judy Witwicky, Sarah Lennox, Olivia and Joe Bowers, Lonnie Epps, Jessie Landon, and James Spencer-Davis were silent as they watched the panel. A call had asked them to stand by as there was 'an incident underway' on deck. It didn't bode well. When Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons joined them, it took a nose dive.

"They gave no more information than that?" Mearing asked.

"They said standby and when they do that, Charlotte, they mean it," Sarah Lennox said.

"This had better be good. I'm the liaison between everything bot and human on world and the Earth. This won't be an auspicious start if this is what I think it is," Mearing said.

"A brawl?" Seymour Simmons suggested with a grin.

She glanced at him with a grim expression. "Yes."

She would be right.

-0-TBC 11-28-17 **edited 1-9-18**

ESL:

not have truck with something: old American expression. It means you don't like, agree, or get along with someone

Imbibe: to drink or eat, to take in

stewing: brooding, thinking deeply and emotionally about something


	204. Chapter 204

The Diego Diaries: Party (dd6 204)

-0-At an elevator door

"What's happening?"

The group glanced behind themselves to see Sargent Trevor Smith approaching. He was holding a beer in his hand and a donut in the other. Ron Witwicky turned to him. "One of the mercenaries went upstairs and I think he's probably getting thrashed by Major Lennox."

"We can but hope," Smith said as he stepped closer. It was silent a moment, then he glanced over at the other mercs. **"WE CAN BUT HOPE!"** he said to the delight and agreement of everyone else.

-0-Upstairs

"Who are you calling a bastard, Lennox? You looking in a mirror? How about you and me settling this?" Johnson said as he came toward Lennox with his fists raised.

"Settle what? This?" Lennox asked as he punched Johnson hard in the face.

Johnson staggered back, then touched his face. His lip was split and he could taste blood. He grinned. "This is going to be great," he said as he rushed forward.

They gripped each other as Lennox was slammed into a wall. It hurt but he had expected it. Gripping Johnson around the chest, he clamped down with his arms until the vice tightened. He felt the air leave Johnson's lungs, then the big merc slammed Lennox again. He felt his grip loosen, then break as Johnson stepped back. He saw the fist coming to his face, then ducked it. Johnson slammed the wall, then bellowed in pain. Rage suffused him as he came after Lennox who was moving around in a circle to draw the big man away from the bulkheads.

Around the room, the aliens watched from their seats at the curved console that ran around the walls. Huge windows showed the outside, inky darkness broken by light towers at intervals. The night sky was pitch dark but showered with stars and the moving lights of craft and equipment, the working stock of the colony. The humans were letting each other have it, something that wouldn't even bother the bots if they were the target but the blows landed showed damage being done to the two men.

"Give it up, Johnson. I have enough to order your arrest right now," Lennox said.

"You can't arrest me. I'm inside," Johnson said as he kicked out hard, hitting Lennox on the hip. Lennox fell, rolled, then was up again. He moved as Johnson followed him, the merc's rage incandescent on his face. "Come and get it, Lennox. You know you want it. I've been waiting for this forever."

Siso messaged Springer about the situation and even though there were extenuating circumstances about the fight that fell into the purview of the humans according to the carefully worked and worded, meticulously designed charter, the fact that this was taking place in the control room of the facility, a place one needed an invite to enter gave the ultimate authority to Optimus.

They clashed again, each of them slamming the other hard. Fists flew, blood flew, and slowly but surely, Lennox began to get the upper hand. He had the edge on experience and practice. Johnson was very highly skilled, extremely powerful and furious. But he didn't have the day-to-day practice and experience that Lennox possessed. There wasn't a day that Will Lennox didn't work out and run practice drills, jog through The City to the amusement of the locals, and keep his hands in. Johnson, for all his ability, skill, speed, and strength, was missing the relentless honing of his skills that the soldiers here had to keep.

Over and over, Will blocked blows, then with a flying kick, he clocked Johnson in the gut and dropped him. He lay on the floor dripping blood as Will stood over him, swaying himself with several cuts on his face. **"YOU SURRENDER!? SURRENDER, YOU BASTARD!"**

"Fuck you, Lennox," Johnson said as he slowly sat up.

Will stepped back as Siso walked over and peered at the human. "Is he alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Lennox said as he wiped blood from his eye. It was dripping from a cut over his brow.

"You seep liquids," Siso said, "Shall I call Phoebe Grant?"

"That would be a great idea," Ron Witwicky said as he looked at the others. "Wouldn't that be a great idea? **I** think it would."

Lennox snickered. "If Ron thinks its a great idea, who am I to argue?"

Graham walked to the com panel on the wall near the elevator, then pressed a button. "Would Dr. Phoebe Grant come to the Command Center elevator? We need you in the Ops Center." He glanced at Will. "This is fucked isn't it."

"Not if I have any say," Glenn Morshower said with a cold expression on his face.

Owen Harris, Kyle Davis, Peri Beliveau, and Mick Moran stepped closer. "General," Harris said. "I would like to take care of this. This happened inside the facility and as such, the jurisdiction is mine. I will make sure that the punishment fits the crime."

"That's where you are wrong, Mr. Harris," Siso said as he stepped closer. He was at the high end of mini-con, a strapping fourteen feet, handsome, smart as hell, good natured, mellow, and kind. He was also fragged off at the invasion. "You are not on Earth2 territory."

It took a second for Harris to get it, then he flinched. "Oh. Siso … I wish to apologize. Sometimes when we drink too much, we act stupid. My security officer acted stupid. Is there anyway that we can deal with this without a big scene? I don't think either side of this issue wants that."

"It's not my place to decide, Mr. Harris. I have already alerted the authorities as per my duty. Chief Springer has signaled that he is on the way. General," Siso said as the doors opened and several individuals began to come inside. Phoebe Grant, Judy Witwicky, Barbara Morshower, Olivia and Joe Bowers along with Sarah Lennox stepped out, Sarah exclaiming at the sight of Will. **"Will! What the hell happened?"**

"We had a difference of opinion," Lennox said as he hugged his wife. "You might check him over. I think he's heading for bot jail," Lennox said to Phoebe as he nodded toward Johnson.

She walked to him and knelt, her examination beginning immediately. "You wait here, too, Will. I want to see you next. What happened?"

"We can save it for Springer. No need to tell it fourteen times," Will said as he limped to a nearby decorative railing to sit down. Sarah sat with him.

The elevator came up again and more stepped out. Jessie Landon and a pensive James Spencer-Brooks, Camille Brown, Lonnie Epps, Mariah Harris-Davis, Charlotte Mearing, and Seymour Simmons walked to the group, staring around with amazement. Mearing, on the other hand, was all business. "What happened here?"

"Johnson pursued Tika to pulverize him and entered this deck. It's against the law for anyone to come here without authorization. Siso called the Watch and apparently, Drift and Springer are coming," Niall Graham replied. "Both of them beat each other up. Johnson lost." Graham ended the recitation with a note of amusement over the outcome.

Johnson wasn't amused. "If you think I'm going to be arrested by a bot, you're crazy." He sounded almost sober and the belligerence was typical.

"You'll do whatever you're **told** to do," Morshower said with enormous aggravation. "Siso, could you put me through to Prowl?"

Siso nodded. "Of course, General." He turned to a console, then Prowl's handsome face appeared. He seemed to be at his home.

"General Morshower. I have a rather disappointing message from Earth2. I suppose you are calling about that," Prowl said in his cultured calm voice.

"I'm afraid so. There was a ruckus and a mercenary followed a mini-con, Tika, up the elevator and into the command center. He's broken the law and we need clarification on jurisdiction. Siso messaged Springer and Drift who are apparently on their way."

Siso nodded. "Commander, I followed protocols. I await your orders," he said.

Prowl almost looked like he vented a sigh. He nodded to Siso, then looked at Morshower. "We have no leeway on the charter, General. Johnson will have to be surrendered into Springer's custody when he arrives."

"Surely, Prowl … we can work this out. Johnson will be properly punished for his transgressions. I deeply apologize to you and to the crew here. This was a … terrible lapse of judgment and I promise you, it won't happen again. We truly appreciate the command crew here."

"Those are nice sentiments, Mr. Harris, which I hope you remember next time. Right now, the charter is broken. You are transgressing on sovereign Autobot territory without permission. I have no leeway to make snap judgments about these kinds of incidents outside a formal legal hearing. Even if I wished it to be so, I have no authority."

"Is Prime there?" Kyle Davis asked. "Surely, **he** has the authority."

"He does," Prowl said with only the most minute sound of offense showing in his voice. "However, he is indisposed. He cannot come to the line to discuss this. As of the moment, our hands are tied. You do, do you not, intend to keep the Charter?"

"Of course, we do. It just seems like a lot of work for this to proceed outside the facility," Harris said.

"One should have understood that prior to this moment. We made a lot of effort to work out jurisdictions because you were insistent on having your own power. We all put our effort and expertise in, then both sides signed it. You agreed to the sovereignty of the command center and you broke it. I cannot countermand a law just because you asked. There are channels and your own avenue of summary judgment is not available. I would suggest that you follow the orders of Chief Springer when he arrives. You don't want to start an interplanetary incident do you?" Prowl asked dryly.

Harris stared at Prowl, noting the unbending tone of his voice and the trace of amusement. "No, sir, I don't wish that. We shall comply. I assume we will have representation for our individual?"

"The legal protocol is clear in your charter. Put in a request for Cybertronian counsel to work with whoever you choose, if anyone. Until someone is certified locally, you have no standing in court to represent this offender with your own legal officers. That also is in the Charter. The court in the morning with be where the charges are read and the pleas taken. Is there anything else?" he asked.

"No, sir. Nothing else," Harris said with a slight tone of defeat.

"Good evening, then. Oh … Happy Thanksgiving," Prowl said, then the image disappeared to be replaced by the utility plant telemetry data again.

"He thinks this is funny," Johnson said as he stood up.

Grant glanced at him, then walked to Will to examine him as well. "He has bruises and cuts, superficial wounds, Mr. Harris. Nothing that requires medical attention beyond taping the cuts closed. Anyone can do that. I would suggest it happen before he leaves here."

"I'm not going anywhere," Johnson said.

"You **will** surrender to the bots. We will get an attorney and clear this up," Harris said.

Johnson stared at him, then Siso. "How will I survive out there?" he asked.

"We can let Springer and Drift explain that," Siso said as he noted two high powered vehicles drive into the parking lot, then transform. In the pool of light outside, walking past all the vehicles that had brought all the colony's humans here, Springer and Drift headed toward the hatches.

"Then what? Do we go down there?" Beliveau asked.

"Springer and Drift can walk in and come here. I suppose it might be more convenient if we go there. It's up to you," Siso said.

Harris considered the mess, then nodded toward the elevator. "Come on. Let's meet them."

Slowly, following everyone to the two elevators, they all piled in and went downward. The silence was almost painful.

"What a bunch of weirdos, Siso," another mini-con said. He looked at Tika. "You alright?"

"Give me a minute," Tika said as he stared at the elevator doors.

"You can kill him with a slap, Tika. He can't hurt you," Siso said with a grin.

Tika looked at the door, then turned toward Siso. "Oh. That's right," he said with amazement.

-0-Downstairs

They exited the elevator, then walked through the gathering crowd, most of them unclear what was happening. The appearance of Lennox and Johnson, the outrage of the group with them was shocking to everyone, but no one said anything. It was a strange and silent walk across the concourse toward the big habitat doors and elevators nearby.

As they reached it, the bot elevator arrived, the airlocks hissed, then the door opened. Drift and Springer, both of them curious and slightly amused, walked in to stop close to the doors. Everywhere they looked, humans stood together staring at the two of them. Drift grinned slightly. "Why do I feel like I just arrived at my own firing squad?"

"Practice?" Springer asked with a slight smirk. He knelt down as Morshower, Lennox, Johnson, and the rest of the group reached him. "What's up, General? Siso said you have an early Christmas Surprise present for me."

"Unfortunately, we do, Springer," Morshower said. He turned to Johnson. "Johnson, here, invaded the command center, trespassing on Autobot sovereign territory. He broke a number of other rules but trespassing, assault and battery and being stupid without permission should be a start. Harris, here, is going to contact the Public Defender's Office to get counsel in the morning. The charges should be fully sorted out then. Until that happens, we have no authority to keep him and hereby surrender James Johnson into your custody."

Springer who was looking from one man to the next, looked at Morshower with a grin. "Oh, boy," he said, then rose to his full height. He glanced at Drift who reached into his carry hold to pull out a clear glass-like box. He knelt again, then set it on the deck. "Inside, Johnson. Time to take a horsey ride. You have the right to say nothing, admit nothing, do nothing. A counsel will be waiting when the courts open or they're available. Anything you tell us we will tell the courts. It would do you well to weld your trap shut. Do I need to repeat anything?"

Johnson stared at him with real hatred, then walked forward. He entered the cube, the door was shut and latched, then Springer picked it up, holding it out to Drift.

"You want **me to carry it**?" Drift asked.

"I thought it would be neighborly of you."

"What if he leaks on my servo?" Drift said taking the cube gently.

"That's what curtains are for," Springer said as Drift slid the cube into his carry hold. "Thanks. We'll take it from here. Is Siso and Ops Center okay?"

"They are," Morshower said.

Springer glanced at Lennox, then grinned. "I'm assuming you got that face at the end of Johnson's fist."

"I did," Lennox said.

"How come you aren't taking Lennox?" Carlos Ortega said as he stepped closer.

"Because Johnson was the dumb ass who started the fight," Lennox said. He looked at Springer. "Right?"

Springer laughed. "Yep," he said. "Have a great dinner. We got this," he said as the two walked toward the airlock and the long ride to the special containment lock up at the courthouse jail installed for humans when they finished building Earth2. Jetta was nearly psychic.

The Teasdale twins standing nearby watched them go. "You two are **so** on my future husband's list," Lola said to Cindy. Cindy nodded. Snickers were had nearby.

They left and the crowd turned to the leadership, both soldier, sciences, consulate, and N.E.S.T. Morshower stepped forward. "The Ops Center is off limits. The bots who work here are not your servants, slaves or calculators. You will abide by the rules or you will suffer the consequences. This problem has been taken care of. Let's go back to dinner and the party. Its all in hand. By the way, there will be a news blackout about this event until its sorted out by the Cybertronian courts. Because he trespassed into the command center, he violated sovereign territory. We will figure it out tomorrow. Right now? I want to relax," he said as he moved forward.

The spell was broken as everyone turned back to the party. Some of them would be able to salvage the moment and others wouldn't. Harris, on the other hand, learned a lot from the event. But that was his intention all along.

-0-TBC 11-29-17 **edited 1-9-18**

ESL:

Incandescent (in-can-deh-scent) Something that is lit within. To have incandescence is to be lit internally. Sometimes people can be said to be incandescent with rage, that is, broiling angry, almost lit up with emotion.


	205. Chapter 205

The Diego Diaries: Crime (dd6 205)

-0-On the way to the Slammer

" **HEY!"**

He heard a dull echo of his voice as he stood in the semi darkness of Drift's carry hold. The idea that he was inside a 25 foot tall alien robot heading to who the hell knew where was terrifying. It was also infuriating. He didn't have his helmet, so if the box malfunctioned he'd be dead. That dread sat in his stomach like a rock. Looking all around, it was dark but not completely. There was a weird ambient light that sort of hovered around the ground. He knew that they could turn it way up because he'd seen mechs and femmes stow their kids inside brightly lit spaces.

The sound he made echoed dully, like sound in a space that had been dampened. Hollow. That's what it sounded like. It wasn't cold nor was it overly warm. He knew they could moderate that because they did for their kids. His cage filled the space nearly completely. Motion was almost none existent. He was sure they were moving but they could manage the motion he experienced, good intell, he thought. He wondered if they were actually going somewhere, it was so still. Dark, muffled, still. He had no idea where he was but there would be no humans there when he arrived. He was totally at the mercy of the bots. He couldn't call a human if he tried. There was no helmet to utilize for that. He was totally alone.

-0-Topside

They rode together cantering along the highway as the odd vehicle passed them. They were heading toward the Metro Districts miles away, their beauty and light growing closer and brighter every passing mile. As they reached the more inhabited places, the traffic picked up. Drift glanced at Springer, admiring his handsome profile. The big lanky bot was his true and only one. How that had happened, he didn't know. He just knew that they met in an empty corridor that late evening, glared at each other a moment, then jumped into a cul de sac, and the rest was history. They had been walking around each other and a weird attraction masked in mutual disgust for a few orns before that, so the chemistry had finally taken over. "How do you think this is going to turn out?"

"However Prime wants it," Springer said. "It was only a matter of time." He glanced at Drift with a grin. "Don't tell anyone but I'm glad the mercs are here. We missed them the first time, mostly, and I like the idea of slapping them around here."

Drift grinned. "You always were a contrarian. You get that from Mom."

Springer laughed aloud, then nodded. "I think so. I get my winsome ways, however, from Dad."

"I can see that," Drift said as they reached the junction that led through Metro District #3 or turned left to go to the Industrial Park Cities and the Crater District. Waiting there on horse back, a number of patrol mechs who had heard about the squeal were gathered to hear the straight stuff. They slowed to a halt, then grinned. "Guess what I have in my hold?"

"Pie?" Kup asked as he chawed on his cygar. "I'm hoping its pie."

Morius and Inweld who were riding along just because, grinned. Partition who was there as well because Lancer wanted to ride with Kup and Hercy, grinned at the two. They were as gods to him, the group of elder mechs who were poised, incredibly knowledgeable and deeply, deeply hilarious. "What do you have?" he asked as Lancer smirked, knowing full well it could be anything.

"Well, I have James 'Big Jim' Johnson, my friends, right here in River City," Drift said as he mentioned a line from a movie he had accidentally saw and loved, "76 Trombones'. "It starts with 'J' and rhymes with Ray but you can call him dummy."

After the references were checked, huge laughter broke out. Horses stamped their feet as they waited, most of them preferring to run wide open on the straights to the Industrial Parks and the round about route around the outlying human habitations. They made routes that way day and night, something that the humans looked forward to seeing.

"We better get him into his gerbil cage, then," Hercy said with a smirk. "Can't have old Big Jim leak inside your hold."

Drift's smirk faded as everyone snickered. "Slaggers," he said as he tapped his horse's flanks. "Come on, Rondo. The night isn't getting any younger." The big black horse stepped forward breaking into a loping gallop toward town.

The others watched him go, then glanced at each other. "I think he's in a hurry to dump his load."

Springer laughed loudly. "As long as its him and not Big Jim," he said as he tapped his horse's sides. He headed out and the others followed, making their way into the cities and out again as they headed for Cultural Center Road and the colonial jail.

-0-Prime

"You did not put me on the call, Prowl," he said with a smirk as he sat in his chair.

Prowl walked over to sit in his chair, picking up his beer and plate of snacks. "You're too good for the tawdry stuff. That's my job."

Prime grinned as he sipped his own beer. "Is that so,"

Prowl nodded as they waited for the Community Bulletin Board to roll by and the news to return. "You have no idea. Try being a cop during the Clampdown. I do recall bulletins rolling in to arrest you."

"Did you ever attempt to do so?" Optimus asked curiously.

"No. I had other things to do besides suppressing free speech and our last best hope," Prowl said. "Mind you, Only One … I was a slow learner. I respected you before I loved you."

"Is that so," Optimus Prime said with a grin.

Prowl nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately."

It was quiet a moment as the club schedule usually announced was noted to be suspended for one more orn for the holidays. Prime glanced at Prowl with his beautiful profile, incredible intelligence and soulfulness. "It was the opposite with me."

Prowl glanced at him sharply, then felt the melty edges of his psyche kick in. "You respected me later?"

"No," Optimus admitted. "I loved you first. I respected you two breems later."

Prowl laughed. "Well …" He grinned. "What a pair we were."

Optimus nodded. "We were," he said. The show came back on as the news of the colony rolled by including a lot of interviews with various passersby on the street about the human holiday. The consensus opinion was that Thanksgiving was wonderful. Life was good. It was nice at long last to feel safe and have a shot at your dreams. It was all that Optimus Prime and Prowl of Praxus could hope to hear.

-0-In the Bosom of Love

"Well, isn't that special," Ratchet said. "Prowl sent me a bulletin that Big Jim Johnson, the mercenary-now employee of Earth2 just got arrested."

"What for?" Ironhide asked as he sat in his chair balancing a plate of snacks on the arm of it. The family cat, Cousin, was curled up on his lap napping with the perfect expressive repose of the feline god persuasion on his snow white face. His delighted 'owner', Fireball was at his appa and ammas' house having another meal and chat fest with the big frames who were there in pretender gear to celebrate their own brand of thankfulness. Cousin had found a new lap to lounge on and was muy contento.

"He was fighting. He got into a tussle with a micro mini who works there, followed him into the ops center, got into a fist fight with Lennox, was arrested, given to Drift and Springer, and is on the way to the jailhouse. Now." Ratchet grinned. He liked that old song, 'He's in the Jailhouse Now'. It fit.

"We miss all the good ones," Ironhide said. "Court tomorrow?"

Ratchet nodded. "We have to be there, or at least, I do. Interplanetary diplomacy and all that. I wondered when this would happen. He trespassed on Autobot soil when he went up to the command center."

"Which mini-con?" Ironhide asked as he thought through the mechs who worked there, some of them in the main building with the humans, almost all of which adored the little slaggers.

"Tika," Ratchet said.

"That little bot, the one that's what color?" Ironhide asked. "Yellow? Why would Johnson get into a fight with him, the fragger? Other than he's a fragger, that is."

"I think he was drunk, got jostled, then went after the little mech," Ratchet said. "You need to go over there and have a chat with the on-floor staff in front of everyone. Tell them their rights so the humans can hear, listen to their complaints, show your aft. That sort of thing."

"It's a pretty fine aft," Ironhide said with a grin. "It might start something you can't finish, old mech."

"Frag that," Ratchet said as he appraised Ironhide coolly. "That aft is mine."

Ironhide grinned. "I will. Maybe I'll take someone along. Maybe someone with a nice aft, too."

"Take the twins," Ratchet said. "Nice aft, lots of menace, should do the trick."

"Sounds good," Ironhide said. "Best run it against Prime. He's Prime, after all. No one does it better."

Ratchet grinned as he watched Ironhide chat off line, then the big mech glanced at him. "All's copacetic. I let the twins know, too."

"Good. I want video," Ratchet said.

"So does Prime," Ironhide said with a chuckle.

The monster truck rally came back on so they turned up the sound. They turned it up just high enough to hear without waking anyone important up.

Such as Cousin.

-0-At the Autobot City Courthouse, Cultural Center Road, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They rode to the hitching rack at the packing lot near the entrance and dismounted, hitching the horses who stood with great patience and stoicism like horses do in all dimensions. Walking to the intake entrance, they watched as a paddy wagon pulled out, heading for their roving patrol around the colony. Light streamed out the big open doors as inside they could see officers doing their duty or hanging around waiting for more goofballs to arrive.

Walking inside, they chatted and slapped palms with the usual night shift, then walked to the intake desk where a new mech was running the show. He was a sargent from Station #37 in Pax who was filling in for someone with a big family and a bigger celebration. "Hi, Pycee. How's the rate of intake?"

"Steady," Pycee said with a grin. "There's a lot of hootch being imbibed. We have a few ripping drunks. No mini-cons yet but the night is young."

"Well, will wonders never cease," Springer said with a grin. "We got a human for ya."

Drift opened his hold, then carefully extracted a clear sided cube with a human sitting inside it. Everyone gathered around to stare. Johnson, with alarm, rose to his feet, pressing his hands against the sides to stand. It wasn't level in Drift's servo so he was tilted slightly.

"So … this is Big Jim Johnson? What's big about him?" Hercy asked as he peered at the human.

"I don't know," Drift said. "I just tote them. I don't understand them."

"You're doing a fine job with the toting," Springer said with a smirk. "Maybe the big part is like … you know," he said with a shrug. Everyone turned to Springer who really regretted 'going there' but because he was a Wrecker and had no shame, he was ready to proceed anyway. If it was possible to make another mech lose his shit, the average Cybertronian mech was ready to go there and back again. The mechs stared at him, waiting. "You **know**." He nodded at them like they should. He knew they didn't and when he would finally tell them, they would hop around screaming but it would be worth it. He liked how his ada did it with dear old dad. Now it was his turn to 'Ratchet'.

"Ah," Hercy said more than aware of what Springer was doing. "I agree."

Everyone looked at Hercy who looked knowing, Kup who looked inscrutable, Drift who looked amused, then shook their helms. "We agree," they said. "He does."

Springer turned to Twin. "Does what?"

Twin Twist glanced around the group, then nodded. "You know. Like you said."

It was silent a moment, then Springer looked at the group. He looked at Twin. "You mean … you agree that the big part of his name means he has a big penis?" Springer asked.

It took a moment for the group to access the correct references … initiate access, up link, 'penis, big or otherwise', masculine roles and personality quirks, * **GRASP MEANING!*** , * **BLINK THROUGH VISUAL AIDS!*** cut up link, turn as one toward Springer, and burst into flames.

" **WTF!?"** -all of them but Hercy and Kup who were better at hiding their shock and surprise.

And their appreciation of a good and masterful gulling.

" **WHAT THE FRAG, SPRINGER!"** Twin Twist said as he glanced from Springer to Big Jim and Springer again. **"TOO MUCH INFORMATION!"**

Big Jim who was watching the hopping around and the screaming felt his fear level exceed eleven. **:HEY!:** he called out. The comm box built into his cage broadcast into the room. Everyone paused their raging at Springer to turn to him. **:YOU SCUMBAGS! WHAT'S GOING ON!?"**

They stared at him, then Springer and Drift, then him. Twin bent slightly down. "That's **MISTER** Scumbag to you, fragger."

Snickers greeted that, then Springer turned to Pycee. "We need to book this clown, then put him in the human jail."

"Very well," Pycee said pulling up an intake sheet on his computer terminal. He looked at the human. "Name?" he asked.

Johnson stared at Pycee with rage, then it hardened into belligerence. :James Johnson:

"Where does the 'big' fit in?" Kup asked as he squinted at the human.

"He'd have to drop his pants to show ya," Hercy said with a straight face just to be ornery.

Groaning and gagging sounds greeted that. Pycee laughed loudly, then looked at Johnson. "Address?"

:Apartment 137, X Corridor, Earth2, fuckers. That's my address," Jim said with a cold tone.

Pycee made a show of typing it. "Apartment … 137 … X … Corridor … Earth2 … fuckers," he said as he input the data including the last because he could be ornery, too. Everyone snickered in the group. All of them including Pycee had acquired and kept up-to-date regarding human swearing. As a mech of arms, it was union. Fuckers was one of their favorite words now, most of them including Lancer who grinned as she stood beside Partition. Though what the younger mechs used, all of whom were watching the show transfixed, was still to be determined yet. Corruption was expected to reach 110% among them over the long haul, however, given their newly chosen professions.

Semper fi.

Springer who was having a great time turned to Pycee. "Anything more?"

"Charges?" Pycee asked.

"We're holding him on transgressing borders and invading Cybertronian sovereignty, assault and battery on a human and intent to assault a Cybertronian-" Springer began.

"A Cybertronian? That little shrimp?" Twin said as everyone leaned in to size up the new meat. Johnson leaned back with an expression of loathing on his face.

"You forget. He has a big wang," Bezel said with a giant grin. He had obviously done more research during the interlude.

Everyone staggered, groaned, whined, and upped Bezel in their estimation as the remark percolated though their processors. The mech had Wrecker potential, that much was clear.

Springer who laughed loudly, glanced at Pycee. "Let that stand. Charges will be clarified in court tomorrow."

Pycee nodded. "What stand? The charges or his wang?" Everyone screamed, Pycee grinned and winked at Bezel. "We can get the rest later. Who locks him up?"

"We can," Springer said as he turned toward a bank of habitats that were installed along the wall in front of the intake desk. They were incredibly reinforced. Even Ironhide's canons at close range, full blast couldn't dent them. They were a row about optic level to Springer, three of them, and were fully functional habitats for humans. They were clearly visible throughout their interior but for a low slung wall inside that hid the toilet and the toilet-ee up to his shoulders from view. Everything else was open to any random slagger walking by. "We'll put him in a gerbil cage."

"Good metaphor," Twin said. "Hamster, gerbil … they're all rats."

"You have a bad opinion of humans, Twin?" Sandstorm asked as he lounged against the intake desk.

"Not really, but I make an exception for mercenaries," Twin said darkly. "This slagger was at Diego when the garrison first formed. One of **those** slaggers that tried to kill Silverbow and Spirit."

It was cold and silent for a moment as Drift slotted the box into the hatch entrance. It opened, allowing Johnson to step out. When he did, the hatch closed and Drift pulled the box free. Setting it in a slot underneath, it was ready to use for further transport. The machinery indicated all was well so Drift turned to Springer. "You ready to ride?"

"I was born ready," Springer said with a grin. "See ya, Pycee. Call us if there's a problem. He sees no one until tomorrow."

"Got it," Pycee said as the group walked out. As they did, a mob of babbling mini-cons were being hauled out of a van. They would be dragged in for the same treatment, providing a floor show for the inmate in the 'gerbil cage'. It would be a long night for James 'Big Jim' Johnson.

-0-TBC 11-30-17 **edited 1-9-18**

ESL:

American slang for jail: slammer.

Contrarian: (con-trar-ee-un) someone who goes left when everyone else goes right, someone who goes their own way, sometimes grumpily.

Gull, gulling, gullible: to fool is to gull. The act of fooling is gulling and being fooled easily means you're gullible. I was a seriously gullible little kid but I learned fast. :D

There's a movie to spoofs hair and metal bands, This Is Spinal Tap. The usual Marshall amplifiers, the Cadillac of amplifier in those long ago days, went from 1-10 in sound volume. One of the band members, a dim bulb who played guitar explained how theirs went from 1-11. They asked him if that was a better advancement. He couldn't really explain it beyond it made it 'one better'. It's so hilarious and the band is so dumb, its a must see movie if you're so inclined. :D It's a bit of a joke to say that something is all the way up to eleven. :D

There's a comedy routine called 'schtick' where a guy is annoyed to be called Mr. Johnson, so he exclaims in a loud voice, "My name is Raymond J. Johnson Jr. Now you can call me Ray, or you can call me J, or you can call me Johnny, or you can call me Sonny, or you can call me Junie, or you can call me Junior; now you can call me Ray J, or you can call me RJ, or you can call me RJJ, or you can call me RJJ Jr. . ." ultimately ending with, "but you doesn't hasta call me Johnson!"

A very old song, "I'm in the Jailhouse Now' sorta fits this. "He's in the jail house now! I'm in the jailhouse now! I told him once or twice, quit playing cards or dies, He's in the jailhouse now!" Very old song. :D


	206. Chapter 206

The Diego Diaries: Over-Nighting (dd6 206)

-0-In the jailhouse. Now.

He stood by the window watching the show outside his cage. The jail was busy as bots, almost all of them male, were brought in, booked, then taken to cells nearby or to lockups in other parts of the vast building. Some of them, most of them, came in sullen, angry, silent, and or upset, but not violent. Most of them were drunk, involved in fighting or some other petty thing that also happened most everywhere on Earth on a Friday or Saturday night. Then there were the few violent mechs who were dragged in, fought with the desk Sargent, then were sent packing to their cell. As Johnson stared through the window, he could hear another violent offender outside being hauled toward the door. Moving along the clear front window, he reached the end, then craned his neck to watch.

Outside, he could just barely see the walkway, covered and lighted, that led to the huge paved asphalt-like parking lot outside. There were signs and painted symbols on the ground like they would on Earth, though some were in their own weird language. Some of them were lines for parking outside, a sign for a cab stand with one parked there, a non-sentient driver-less car that was waiting for customers. He had seen them everywhere and ached to try one out. He could go anywhere for free. It was a huge 'thing' at Earth2. They could call for a cab and not have to wait for someone to drive them around, nor wait for someone to finish their errand before going elsewhere.

Light streamed in, light from the tall poles outside and the lights on the building and awning. A vehicle door slammed as someone who was yelling began to come closer. There was the sound of struggling, of cursing, then a body could be seen. Three Watchmen were dragging him struggling forward and his wrists and elbows were manacled in bright blue energon cuffs. He was a huge mech, the one fighting, and the three who were no slouches themselves struggled to hold him.

Mechs who were security workers on site came from the lounge nearby, then ran out to help the other three. Yelling commenced as the big mech dug in. Then someone came back in, walked to the lounge, then returned carrying a long silver spear. Walking out, he bellowed something in his language. The mechs all let go and the one with the spear touched the big behemoth with it. He yelled at the top of his voice, vibrated as electrical energy sparkled all over him, then dropped to his knees.

No one touched him at first as he was incandescent with electrical discharge. Then the one with the spear touched him again with the opposite end of the device. The electricity disappeared, obviously grounded and the mech sagged. They grabbed him again, then dragged him inside, dropping him in a pile in front of the booking desk. Pycee who was still on shift stared over the edge at the miscreant who was gathering his wits on the floor. "I know him," Pycee said pulling up a screen. "He's Tuffalo. He can't handle his high grade."

"No doubt," the mech with the cattle prod said as he stood poised to lay the big slagger out again.

"I have all his details. Put him into a cell. Alone," Pycee said. He watched as they dragged the big mech through the big double security doors nearby which closed behind them. It was relatively silent, though there were drunks sitting in the holding cells, three of them who would sleep it off there and several others who were awaiting transfer to other places such as mental health for a hold or the hospital for a rebuild of this and that dented thing. They were hooting and chatting loudly, but nothing that seemed violent. Apparently, they had burned out that part of their candle doing whatever they were arrested for.

Pycee sat back relaxing in his chair. He glanced at Johnson who was staring at him from his glass house. He didn't say anything, his experience with humans being nearly nil, but he took a call that came in. "Pycee, Central Booking." He listened a moment, nodding a couple of times, then signed off. "We'll be ready." He looked at the set up, then called up his night crew. They came including those who had dragged off Tuffalo. "We have a violent slagger coming in. He's on some substance. The field medic at Substation #76 in Gambian said he was howling at the moon but the stuff he was on would wear off soon enough. He sent an energon sample to the lab in Metro Femme and they said its some kind of solvent. Apparently, its new and leaches into the users who don't wear protective gear at his plant. They called his supervisor and they were unhappy to get the call. He's been told to wear the gear and he refuses. This happened once to three others before they figured it out and made the requirement. He knows but refuses."

"Is it addictive or is he a dumb slagger?" someone huge and malevolent looking asked.

"It's not addictive. It's just highly disruptive of reality or something," Pycee said. "We might want to remove the breakables."

They looked around, moved some slag, then turned to the human. "What about **him** , Sarge?" the big mech asked.

"He's the only non-breakable thing in here. I want my computer station to be held at all costs," Pycee said with a grin. He looked at the human. "Hey, Johnson … get down behind that wall in there and stay put. This is going to get ugly."

Johnson stared at them with a frown, then reluctantly walked to the wall. He stepped behind it and then stared at them defiantly.

"Nasty little slagger," another mech said as the sound of a van and several vehicles, some horses and voices could be heard arriving outside. One of them sounded like Springer. "Here they are. You got your cattle prod?" the mech asked his teammate who held the long silver device.

"It doesn't work on them," Pycee said. "They don't feel it and it fries systems. We're not allowed to use it. Fists aren't effective so you can't pistol whip him," he said with a grin as the others frowned and bitched at that news. "You have to muscle him. He's not criminal ... he's just impaired. Straight shot to the monkey cage. Try and get there in one piece. He may lose some parts on the way but right now, he won't feel it and it won't slow him down."

The team nodded, handed him a number of guns and other devices along with the spear, then walked out together to help move the incoming tidal wave of drug addled fury. Pycee sighed. "Thank Primus that drug gang is still silent. The fraggers," he said to no one in particular.

"What's going on?" Johnson called out. "You got drug gangs here?"

"That's the rumor," Pycee said. "You better learn to duck. You won't be injured but the speed and fury will be out of your league," he said as he gathered breakables on his desk and put them into drawers. He stared at his computer, then frowned. "Design flaw. No way to move you."

Just then, the fury outside escalated and appeared to be coming their way. Johnson glanced at Pycee who stood calmly next to his computer as he watched the door. He didn't look the least bit bothered. Johnson, on the other hand, was reacting normally. He was stomach sick thinking about the herd of elephants stampeding his way.

-0-Outside

They tied up their horses, then hurried to the van. It was stopped but the thing was rocking from side-to-side. The mech inside, singing at the top of his lungs was standing up, leaning on the wall as he rocked the vehicle. There was no one riding in the back, it was too unsafe, but they were gathered at the door in the rear to enter and pull him out. The arresting officer turned to Springer and Drift who were peering into the van through the door window. A monster truck was having a hullabaloo inside.

"Frag," Springer said as he turned to the group. "What's the story?"

"He was singing in the kiddie park, completely off his nut. Apparently, a solvent at work causes this if you're dumb enough not to wear protection. He's going to sleep it off but we have to get him there," Watchman Corrico said. He was a big former 'Con with a jones for order and the muscle to back it up. He was invaluable for these kinds of arrests. The others with him were a mixed bag of soldiers doing part time policing and soldiering as well as civilian cops. "It was the Pit to get him in there and I didn't let anyone ride with him. It's too dangerous."

"Well, that's sort of outside protocols," Springer said as he looked in again. "But completely understandable."

The mechs grinned and snickered, then waited for leadership from above aka Springer to give the go ahead. Springer turned back to them, then grinned slightly. "Fraggers. We're going to have to drag him in there. He's not in his right processor so let's not hurt him too much. Whatever happens, he's going in there. Is the path cleared?"

Mokoe who was shift commander for the jail's night crew nodded. "We're good to go. We have the cell waiting. It's just getting him there."

"Can you remote stasis him?" Drift asked.

"Not in his condition," Corrico said with a shrug. "The medic checked with the emergency department at Metro Femme. They've had a couple or three of these and you can't sedate them. It has to wear off. It's some kind of weird molecule or something. They worked out the treatment with Sciences and the only way they come off swiftly without after affects rather than dragging this out is to let them howl it to a conclusion."

"It's going to be noisy in the lock up tonight," Lon said with a grin. "What do you want to do, Springer?"

"Go home to bed?" Springer suggested as he looked in again.

Huge laughter greeted that, then Springer jumped back. The big mech inside who was named Park had lunged at the door. The van had bounced on its tires as Springer jumped back. "Slagger. We have to take him so I think we open the door and let him stampede out. Then we grab him."

"That's a good plan," Drift said with a grin. "You infants, stand back. This is going to hurt."

Bezel, Lon, Partition, and Lancer who were still with them along with Morius and Inweld glanced at each other, then stepped back.

Lancer grinned. "I think he means back to there," Lancer said pointing to a long lane divider on the road leading out.

"You coming, too?" Partition asked.

Lancer glanced at Springer. "I can help."

"I know, Lancer, but you might want to be the last line of defense," Springer said with a grin as the mechs moved to encircle the van and its back door. "Explain to the noobs what's happening. Make it a teachable moment."

Lancer laughed, then nodded. "I'll visit you in the hospital," she said as she turned to walk to the divider nearby. The others went with her, some reluctantly, and when all were clear, Springer glanced around the team. They nodded and braced themselves.

"Alright," Springer said. "I'll flip the latch and swing the doors open. You get ready to catch," he said as he gripped the door latches. "On three. One … two … thre-" The doors opened and the mech who had gone to the front of the van to gain speed for a run was racing at the door to lunge at it. He hit Springer like a freight train hits an unsuspecting mech shaped water balloon. They collided and kept going. Racing forward with a howling laugh, the big mech bulled onward. Crashing into Springer had released his cuffs so he grabbed Springer around the waist and kept going.

Spinning off like tops, the others crashed to the ground. Drift, before he ate pavement, noted that Springer was hanging on like a spider monkey holds onto his mother. As the big mech crashed to the ground, Park and Springer were rushing away toward town. Rising swiftly, more swiftly than the others, Drift raced after them. He nearly reached Park when he cast Springer off. That big mech went flying backward to crash into Drift, They rolled like a ball, then landed on their feet. They turned in time to see Park hoof it off down the street heading for town, laughing and singing at the top of his vocal processor.

 **"FRAG! GET HIM!"** Springer shouted as the rest of the mechs began to give chase. They would all have to follow Lancer, Partition, Inweld, Morius, Lon, and Bezel as they gave hot pursuit.

-0-In an elegant hideaway in the clouds (sometimes)

They were in the clinch making up for old times when the monitor buzzed inside Prowl's helm. Sorting that buzz out from the one he was already listening to, he took a call almost rotely. Then he startled sharply.

" **WHAT!?"** Prime said as he was jolted out of amour and then some.

" **THERE'S A MANIAC FROM THE JAIL RUNNING DOWN THE STREET HEADING FOR TOWN!"** Prowl said.

They stared at each other, then both bolted up, heading for the door as fast as they could. Thundering through their darkened apartment, guided by practice and the light from outside, they ran for the elevator. Getting off just as they got on, Ravel and Tie nearly spun in a circle. The door closed and the two were gone. Ravel and Tie stared at it, then each other. "What by the name of all thats holy was that about?"

"I don't know, Ravie, but something tells me that The Hourly News will tell us. Come on," Tie said as he took Ravel's servo. They walked to the Primal Residence and closed the doors behind them.

-0-Down below

It would amaze aching humanity how fast a monster truck could run when it saw the need. Fleet of foot, oddly silent in motion, Optimus Prime ran past Club Cybertron like a massive gazelle. Behind him, his lights and siren running, Prowl cleared the path ahead. It would have been intensely hilarious for humans to watch them go by but it wasn't to the average Cybertronian. Whether in root mode or vehicle, a security officer had access to his lights and siren. It wasn't something that would elicit anything more in a Cybertronian than a desire to go and rubber neck at the scene or cause some to hide whatever it was that they had just boosted from someone's house.

They rounded the corner in time to see The Pit Stop's night time clientele, which was usually a lot, bail out of the building. Running toward the door was Lancer followed by Partition, Morius, Inweld, Lon, and Bezel. Springer, Drift and the night crew at the jail were in hot pursuit. They reached the door of the restaurant, then entered in a blob of pushing and shoving. It was then that Partition came flying out of the building through the big front window.

Prime and Prowl ran faster.

-0-The Hourly News

"There is an altercation happening in the Courthouse District, the Emergency Command Center just advised us," Mac-2 said. He was the night news reader and he had just been given the heads up to read the bulletin for everyone. "There's an impaired individual making a disturbance which is being attended to by the Watch. Everyone is advised to stay away from the Courthouse and Hangar Districts unless you have legitimate business there. Cultural Center Road is being cordoned off until the individual can be apprehended. At the moment, he's been cornered in The Pit Stop Restaurant on Cultural Center Road. I repeat, no one is to go to the Courthouse and Hangar Districts unless you have permission or a legitimate reason for being there. If you are there, please go inside and lock the doors. The area is in lock down..."

"Wow," Lola said as she stood at the fridge with her sister. They were in their pajamas but ice cream was calling. So was the last part of the latest report they were sending back to NASA on the 'effects of life on humans on a planet with no discernible atmosphere and marginal gravity'. They were permanent residents here in the Sciences Habitat. "This is going to be a great story. We're going to have to go to the Dojo tomorrow and get the truth."

"Done deal," Cindy said as they walked to the table nearby to tinker with the report, eat ice cream and watch **THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS!** together. It would be an interesting evening's viewing.

-0-The scene of the crime

Prime and Prowl reached the door of The Pit Stop, then jumped back. Mechs were flying out, tossed by the enormous strength of the Mad Mountain Dean inside. They came crashing out, mechs from the shock team at the courthouse, mechs chosen and trained to prevent such happenings. Prime stepped over one, then ducked inside. It was only then that Prowl remembered, then shut off his alarm and lights. Picking up a mech, he steadied the big bot. "Why don't you taze him?"

"We can't. No tazers, no stasis, nothing. He feels no pain and he's mental. It only stops when it wears off. He was in cuffs," the big mech said. "He isn't now."

"Oh, frag," Prowl said as he peered inside. With that, he slipped in just as Morius and Inweld joined their brother through the front window into the street.

-0-Elsewhere

"Thanks, Amma. We'll come back shortly," Ratchet said as Amma Corr slipped in with Amma Docker.

"Ravel and Tie are upstairs," Corr said.

Ratchet looked back as he hurried to the elevator with Ironhide. "Thanks for that news. Halo should be fine."

"Don't worry, infants. We know how to do this," Docker said with a grin. The two disappeared, then both elders walked inside, closing the door behind them. "It must be a doozy with Prime and Prowl going."

"Let's put the news on here. I want to see if they have more information," Corr said as he turned on the monitor low.

"... and there is no new information other than they've blocked off the area," Mac-2 was saying at the two sat in Ratchet and Ironhide's chair to watch.

-0-TBC 12-01-17 **edited 12-02-17**

NOTES;

ESL

boosting something is criminal speak for stealing

rubberneck: to go to a scene and watch, such as an accident or a fire


	207. Chapter 207

The Diego Diaries: Hip Hopped (dd6 207)

-0-At the scene

Ratchet slowed, then stopped running as he saw the show currently underway at The Pit Stop. Mechs were flying out of the windows and doors while some were sitting on the ground. **"PARTITION!"** he said as he reached down to pull the youngster up. Reaching for Inweld and Morius, the three mechs swayed a moment, then turned to him. Ratchet scanned them. "Are you alright?"

" **OH, FRAG YEAH!"** Partition said. **"THAT WAS AMAZING!"**

"What was, sparkling?" Ratchet asked.

"That mech threw us through the window," Partition said as the other two smiled and nodded. "We better get in there."

"I don't think so," Ratchet said as Ironhide reached the door and entered. The racket inside was pretty amazing. "The big frames are in there now. You'd get killed in the crossfire. No one is going to pull their punches now."

They looked to the restaurant, then Ratchet again. "You sure?" Inweld asked. "We're ready to go."

"I know." Ratchet grinned. "You three are a caution. Wait here. You can learn a lot by watching the big fra-" Ratchet didn't finish his sentence due to his amazement that Drift flew out of the window. He bounced, then lay still a moment.

Rising up, Drift glanced at the four. "Nice evening, isn't it?" He asked before he stood up and ran for the door to enter once more.

Ratchet laughed. "This is hilarious," he said. "Wait here." Ratchet walked to the door, then peered in. In the back of the room, Optimus and Ironhide had hold of the perp, Park. Park was laughing wildly as he dragged both mechs around like puppies on a leash. The place was thrashed and a mine field for the mechs of the Watch who were clambering over debris to assist. Prowl was poised on the counter, then leaped. He landed on Park's back, then gripped desperately as the big mech rushed backward, hit the counter and knocked Prowl off. He flew back, went over the counter and landed on the floor. Because he grasped for anything he could grip on the way down, he pulled the entire display case of micro brews down on himself. It crashed with a clatter.

Ratchet glanced around, noting that Springer had leaped over a broken pile of chairs, caught a ped and fell like a stone to the floor, bashing his face when he did. Drift who had grabbed Ironhide around the waist tried as best he could to anchor his old man. All he managed to do was stretch things that weren't meant to be stretched. **"OW! WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Ironhide bellowed.

" **I GOT YOU, IRONHIDE!"** Drift bellowed as he clung to Ironhide. He couldn't see Ironhide's face or the grimace of pain plastered on it because he was sliding downward to the ground himself. Shortly, he would have Ironhide by the knees. It didn't look good.

Springer who was groggy and dented, sat up and glanced around. Three mechs from the jailhouse security squad were pulling chains from their subspace as Prime was thrashed thoroughly against the counter. Park was waving his arm back and forth, the momentum and strength he manifested by the poison's reaction and not feeling pain caused Prime to be jerked back and forth like a rag doll. He slammed over and over into the counter, blows that were cutting into his chill swiftly.

Springer stood up, pulled himself together, then 'sprang'. He leaped into the air, something he was noted to do with amazing skill and accuracy, then fell toward the perp. Park, seeing him coming, lunged forward dragging Prime and Ironhide with him. When he did, two things happened. Springer fell where Park should have been and because his bell was already rung couldn't react fast enough so he landed on the counter, hitting it full on with his chassis. Drift being pulled off sides slid down to Ironhide's knees. Ironhide having no mobility any longer fell forward onto a stack of kindling, once nice tables and thrashed himself. He let go of Park in the resulting fall to earth freeing him up to bash Prime. He commenced to do so.

Springer who groaned loudly, slid off the counter and fell to the floor. Drift who was on his hands and knees looked around in time to get a boot to the face from Prime who was being flung hard as Park twirled in a circle to get him to let go. Drift was lifted up and landed nearby on his back. The three mechs from the jailhouse rushed Park and were swatted away like flies. Jerking free from Prime, Park moved toward the door, singing happily as he did.

Ratchet turned to the group outside including citizens where were dining here when the doom was brought. **"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"** he said as he dropped back and turned to the door. Everyone but the three Lucien and Laslo collaborations did just that. The three youngling mechs moved closer to Ratchet.

" **WE CAN HELP YOU, RATCHET!"** Morius said as he slammed his fists together.

 **"NO! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"** Ratchet said as he spread his arms in front of the three mechs protectively. Park came out of the door, spotted Ratchet, then charged. He swept Ratchet up and began to run for town. Ratchet gripped him with his arms and legs, then began to winch himself as tightly on the big mech as he could. As he began to disappear down the street with the big crazed mech, others began to stagger out of The Pit Stop.

Prime staggered out followed by Ironhide. Drift with a seeping nose assembly and Springer with a seeping chassis were next. **"WHAT THE FRAG!? WHERE DID THAT BASTARD GO!?"** Springer said with seething fury.

"That way, Springer," Partition said. "He grabbed Ratchet and they went that away." With that, Partition, Morius and Inweld took off at a gallop.

The others glanced at each other, then hoofed it after them. Park was heading to the downtown.

It was a colorful group of limping, seeping, dented mechs that pounded down the street toward town. Taking a left at the corner, Park and Ratchet beat feet toward the highway. They passed the Sciences Habitat where the twins and several of the scientists were watching The Hourly News breaking news bulletin. Freezing as they watched a singing mad man and Ratchet blast past, they barely had time to assimilate that before a furious Optimus, a livid Ironhide, a bleeding Drift, and an equally bleeding Springer went past. Some other mechs followed, then they were gone. Glancing at each other, the humans marveled.

"Well, you don't see that every day," Lola said with something akin to awe.

No, you sure didn't.

Morius and Inweld followed Partition as he ran straight up the street without detour. They were heading for the highway, too, convinced that they could cut Park off or at least slow him down for Prime. The streets were blocked off and everyone was inside the clubs and restaurants around there waiting for the all clear. As they reached the highway, the three saw Park turn the corner and head for them, Ratchet gripping him so tightly it looked like he was welded on.

The amazing thing was Park wasn't slowed down. He was still singing, still running swiftly and still oblivious to what was happening. The three boys set themselves and waited for a fight. Park blew through them and they flew all over the place. Getting up, they gathered themselves and turned in time to join Optimus, Ironhide, Lancer, the mechs from the jail, Springer, and Drift in chase. They didn't have to run far. Park turned into the wide open doors of Club Cybertron and before anyone could get there, the place began to dispense its clientele into the streets. Everyone arrived just in time to get run over by fleeing customers.

Park ran inside, slammed Ratchet into the counter, then turned toward the lounge. Those who didn't get out right away moved back to the walls. Park walked in, threw his arms wide open and began to sing. As he did, Prime and Ironhide leaped on him and everyone went down.

On top of Ratchet.

-0-Half a joor later

Ratchet stood at the bar sipping a beer. The place was thrashed. There wasn't a stick of furniture or a drinking implement that wasn't broken. He, himself, had taken the full weight of Park of Helex, Ironhide of Praxus and Prime of Iacon when the latter jumped on the former. They had fallen to the floor where Ratchet had a flicker of his life review, the one you get just after you die that showcases your entire life and its good/bad and indifferent subtexts.

It was a pretty interesting flash that almost made the resulting agonizing pain and desire to let fly from every orifice he possessed worth it. He was sure his tongue flashed out like some kind of cartoon character who had an anvil drop on their head. He saw comets, galaxies and a couple of neutron stars before he finally relented and let go. By then, Ironhide and Prime had Park and were beginning to go through the process of getting their afts kicked here, just as they did at The Pit Stop.

Sitting up slowly, Ratchet saw the room spin, then stop as he focused on the fearful face of Lancer and Partition. They had run in, grabbed his arms and pulled hard. Abstractly wondering why his arms didn't come off at the sockets, he noted the floor tiles as he was dragged head down out of harms way. They were nice floor tiles. Sitting up against a wall, he squinted upward at the several Partitions and Lancers who looked at him with concern. "Hi. Who am I?" he asked dully.

"Oh, frag," Lancer said with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Ironhide and Prime were doing a minuet with Park while the others grabbed patrons and used their own bodies to shelter them out of the bar. Most of the mechs who could help them, off duty soldiers and the like were too liquored up to do more than cheer both of them on. Round and round they spun as they desperately held onto Park. They couldn't punch him. He wouldn't feel it and they could really harm him. They couldn't taze, shoot or reason with him. All they could do was hold on and hope the high he was on would come back down again. It was a forlorn hope but the only one they had.

Springer who was wiping the energon off the two cuts on his chassis that opened when he landed on the counter at The Pit Stop grimaced, then took a bead on Park. Rushing forward with a bloody Drift in tow, they jumped on Park. He sagged a moment, staggering, then shoved Prime away. That big mech flew sideways, grabbed a table in desperation, then crashed into the wall. Ironhide, because Prime was no longer counterbalancing him, found himself spinning off his peds. He flashed around, then Park let him go. He flew through the air, hit the wall, then fell to the ground.

Springer who was on Park's back and Drift who landed on Park's shoulder held on as Park lurched here and there. The behemoth steelworker ran at the bar sideways and slammed Drift into it. The big white and red mech groaned, then slipped to Park's elbow. He clutched it tightly, then fell off as Park ran back. Turning to face the doors nearby and a number of soldiers coming to rush him, he ran backward, slammed Springer on the bar, then lurched forward. Springer with a groan fell off onto the floor.

The mechs rushing Park had chains in hand. They rushed him and after a struggle, had him wrapped up like a cocoon. He staggered until they pulled his peds out from under him, whereupon he fell and landed with a crash on the last intact table and chair in the dining room. He lay on the floor laughing to himself as more troops arrived including mental health security with a restraining stretcher.

Prime who was sitting against the wall watched as the big mech was loaded up and carted out to the Processor Hospital nearby. Ironhide who was laying on his back rolled over to sit up. Springer leaned against the bar while Drift lay on his stomach groaning softly. Partition walked in, then knelt by Drift. "Drift? Can I help you?" he asked.

"Shoot me," Drift whispered as he turned over onto his back slowly and painfully.

The night medics at Substations #4 and #6 rushed in and began triage. It would take a bit of this and that before the sorry lot were on their peds, Ratchet included. Ironhide turned to him. **"OLD MECH! WHAT THE FRAG WERE YOU DOING!?"**

Ratchet looked at Ironhide. **"I WAS WEARING HIM OUT FOR YOU!"**

Prime chuckled, then guffawed. He laughed loudly, then grinned at the two as he glanced around the shattered room. Then he frowned slightly. "Where's Prowl?"

Moments later …

Prowl limped in with a fury and the smell of beer emanating off him like a fog. "Where is everyone?"

"Well, Ratchet and Ironhide are here. They got thrashed. So did Prime," Partition said as he stood by the door with his brothers and a terribly, terribly amused Lancer. "Everyone finally subdued him, Commander. It left everyone injured, though. Commander Springer and Drift as well."

Prowl looked at the kids, then nodded. "Are you alright? I heard you three went through the big window at The Pit Stop."

"We did," Partition said as the three of them grinned. "That was amazing."

"I can think of many things it is, but amazing isn't one of them," Prowl said as he surveyed the bar. "I'm tired of seeing this bar thrashed."

"I am, too," Prime said as he hugged Prowl. "You smell like a brewery."

"Long story," Prowl said hugging him back. "Are you injured?"

"Not much," Prime said. "Apparently, the solvent not only makes you hallucinate and feel impervious to pain, it increases your strength because it kills your inhibitions."

"Really. Well, frag that solvent. We need it banned," Prowl said darkly. "How's the perp?"

"In the Processor Center," Ironhide said as he limped over. "What a mess."

Prowl nodded. "I agree," he said. "Are we through or is there more needed here?"

"We got this, Prowl," Springer said as he swayed before Prowl. He had a couple of gashes in his chassis which were treated, was smeared with energon and looked like slag. But at least his nose looked more normal than before. Drift also needed an adjustment.

"Your nose is broken," Prowl said to Drift. "I assume you're going to fix that? Now? Without delay?"

"I guess I am," Drift said with a grin. He touched his nose, winced, then nodded. "I'm on it."

"Good. That's an order. Take him, too. We can't have our personnel look like slag," Prowl said with a faint smirk.

 **HA-HA, MRS. OPTIMUS PRIME!**

Springer snickered, then nodded. "Okay," he said. He looked out the door to what was left of the bar where Ratchet was leaning with a beer in hand. "I'll get an opinion from Mom." He limped toward the door, then paused next to Ratchet. "We need some plastic surgery. Opinion?" he asked as Drift paused next to him.

Ratchet looked them over, then grinned. "I think a nose adjustment, a few patches on the chassis, butt implants, breast augmentation, and lip injections should do it."

Springer and Drift laughed, then grinned. "What about you? I saw them fall on you."

"I think I'm thinner and taller. Who knows? It might be a look," Ratchet said as he found a couple of beers. Handing them to both, he clicked his glass against their bottles. "Cheers, slaggers."

They drowned their beers, then walked outside into the cold air. About thirty horse patrolmen, a lot of soldiers, beat cops, and civilians stood around the doorway watching the show. Ratchet made a slight curtsy, then turned to the others. "Is class dismissed?"

Optimus who was leaning slightly on a beer soaked Prowl nodded. "I think so," he said with a grin. "Nice night for a beating."

"I hope someone got this on tape," Ironhide said as the four of them walked toward their tower nearby.

Springer and Drift tossed the reins of power to Hercy and Kup, then limped across the street to go to Metro Femme. It would take three orns to put the two businesses back together and two more after that for Park to be fully free of the poisoning. In the meantime, there was always Big Jim in the gerbil cage.

-0-TBC 12-02-17 **edited 1-9-18**

NOTES:

Perp: perpetrator: the one who does something or makes it happen. A shorthand term by cops to use for criminals.


	208. Chapter 208

The Diego Diaries: Dance (dd6 208)

-0-After

"Hold on."

Pause.

"There."

"Another piece of glass? I'm going to be picking glass out of my aft for orns."

"I volunteer to help you."

Prowl grinned. "Done deal."

The water washed over the two of them as they stood under the shower in their wash rack. Soap and a bit of extraction here and there was washing the broken bottles and booze smell down the drain. That it was soothing the battering both had taken was a bonus.

"I admired your pluck."

A rueful snicker escaped Prowl. "I couldn't hold on. That mech was strong."

"The solvent," Optimus said as he massaged soap into Prowl's back. He grinned. "That was a thrashing I have not had in a long time."

"You won't again if **I** have my way," Prowl said with a frown.

Prime grinned. He loved Prowl's expressions. "I hope you are right."

-0-Elsewhere

"That's going to be tender a bit. Dial down but not all the way. You want to still be able to feel it," See-7 said as he looked at Drift's nose assembly through a magnifying glass. "The micro-welds should be set to impervious by later this morning. You aren't going back out are you?"

"I thought I would," Drift said with a grin. "It's sort of my job." He was sitting on a med berth while the orthopedic doctor worked on Springer's chassis and nose assembly. This was the 'finishing' doctor, the 'plastic surgeon' who handled the finish work of this sort of repair to make it invisible. He had done a bang up job on Drift. There was no sign of this bashing and three others that weren't treated until now.

"Well … don't bump or even touch this for about a joor. The welds are integrating with the protoform underneath. If you bump it, I will be most displeased," the little mech said with a pointed frown.

Drift who felt uncharacteristically intimidated for some reason nodded. "Okay," he said meekly. He glanced at Springer who was getting the last micro-weld on his medical plating, that which was covering his chassis wounds. His nose was attended to and would only need See-7's miracle touch to be set for permanence.

"There, Springer," Tulsi-2 said as he stepped back to look at his work critically. "Let See-7 make the finish on your nose assembly." He looked at the small doctor with the powerful aura. "See? Could you attend to the chassis welds, too? I think I'd like them to be invisible as well."

"On it, Tulsi," See-7 said as he rolled his cart over to Springer.

Springer glanced at Drift who sat wearily on the med berth to watch. "You look beat. No pun intended."

"I've known better orns," Drift said with a grin.

"I would say so, infant," Hercy said as the group of mechs lounging in the doorway and along the two walls by the door watched their lord and master get welded back together. "I was told that Park slagged the stuffing out of Ironhide, Prime, Prowl, and the two of you at the same time."

Drift nodded. "He did. He also has a nice voice."

Everyone laughed loudly including the two doctors. It would take a moment but they would complete the work and then the whole group would head back out to do their jobs.

-0-Outside with the horses

Partition leaned against his horse as he waited with a bunch of the others, including his two brothers. They were stoked. So were the others. "I've never seen anything like it. We ran inside and he was dancing and singing. Then he picked us up and threw us out the big window like we were rag dolls."

"It was epic," Inweld said. "I used to think closing a contract was the biggest thrill I'd ever feel but this is so … I don't have words."

Morius nodded along with Smokey, Bezel, and Lon. "I know."

"I heard that you applied to be a field medic at a substation. How did that go?" Bezel asked.

"I have a call back," Partition said. Lancer who was standing behind him with her arms around him grinned. "I can't wait. Half time with the Guard, half time with the Watch. It doesn't get better than that."

"What about you two?" Lon asked his brothers.

"We applied to the Watch. They put us on probation for the training period. I want full time," Morius said. "I want a beat, maybe, or horse patrol. I like talking to people."

Inweld nodded. "I do, too. I like the freedom. Sitting in an office pushing contracts doesn't appeal to me anymore. This is exciting and useful."

"It is. It's also hard and dangerous. You'll never go out without a veteran," Lon said as Bezel nodded. "Bez and me, we get to be a team. I love that. Being on the horse patrol is the best. The only thing that might be better is being a detective. I think solving things would be awesome."

"Hauser is chief detective, isn't he?" Partition asked.

Lon nodded. "He is."

It was then that two mechs none the worse for wear wandered out with a group of mechs who had gone up to give 'moral support' and slag in their joor of need. Walking to their horses, they both grinned at the kids. "You looked a bit epic flying through the windows, infants," Springer said.

"We came to help, Chief," Partition said as his brothers nodded. Lancer grinned, then squeezed Partition.

"You did," Springer said as he gripped the pommel on his saddle. "How about we saddle up and ride?"

There was whoops and agreement as the group saddled up. A large group of horsemen moved onward down Metro Highway #2 as they made their way back to their beats. It was going to be a long shift for at least two of them tonight.

-0-Elsewhere

"I think you slaggers need to go on a diet. I nearly emptied my debris chute when the three of you fell on top of me," Ratchet said as he toweled himself off.

Nearby getting a long hot soak under the shower head, Ironhide snickered.

"You're on thin ice, slagger," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Sorry," Ironhide said. "That was a dumb thing you did."

"Frag you. That was **epic** ," Ratchet said as he tossed his towel into the hamper. Turning with a grin to the table nearby, he picked up Halo and leaned against it to watch Ironhide. He was soaped all over and very shiny. "You missed a spot."

"Where?" he asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Right here," Ratchet said pointing to his lips.

Ironhide grinned. "Give me a minute, old mech, and I'll show you some of the old Sexy."

"Not tonight," Ratchet said as he vented a sigh. "I think my Sexy got flattened."

"Frag," Ironhide said with a grin. He sprayed himself, then dried off, mostly. Walking out, they went to their berth room. The lights outside shown in as Ratchet lay Halo down in her crib. She smiled at him and he smiled at her. "Sleepy bed time, infant, as Orion says." Ratchet flopped over onto the berth and sighed. "Ow."

"Give yourself something, slagger. You're a walking pharmacy," Ironhide said as he tucked Halo in with his usual fussiness. He grinned at her, she grinned at him. "What a cute little slagger you are." When he was satisfied, he walked around the berth and lay back. Ratchet turned over to sprawl on him and it was quiet. "Good night, red aft slagger."

"Good night, wimp."

"Wimp?"

"Park mopped up the floor with you, Prime, our two oldest and half the jailhouse crew. Wimp."

Ironhide grinned. "He did, the fragger. Good night."

Ratchet grinned. "Good night."

-0-At an intersection in Retriarius

Public Works mechs and one femme who worked the night shift were placing a gigantic Christmas Surprise tree into the deep hole that was in the middle of the intersection just for that purpose. Capped all year long, it was now being utilized for the splendid beauty that was a Christmas Surprise tree. All of it synthetic, it would test the skill of any human to tell one of its long branches from that of the real thing. It was covered in ornaments and lights, already to be placed and plugged in. When the crane lowered it in place, they would do just that, then move to the next intersection. It was decided among the guilds and Public Works department mechs and femmes that every intersection through the main road through each city would have a fifty foot Christmas Surprise tree fully lit for everyone to enjoy. Everyone then could see them no matter where they lived and the children would be that much more happy. By the crack of dawn, they would.

-0-Club Cybertron

The owners and staff stood in the wreckage looking around with dismay. "What the frag?" one of them said.

"Curio, I left a message with a firm in Verus to come and clear this out. The recycle plant can have the debris. Then we can get on the repair and refit without being too fragged off cleaning things up ourselves, too," a mech said to his brother.

Curio glanced at him, then grinned. "Thank, Primus. If I have to do this again myself, I'm going to shoot myself."

"You and me both, brother," Langley said as he looked around. "I wish I could have seen this. I heard that everyone including Prime got slagged good."

"It's on the house camera system," another brother, Wilee, said. He grinned. "Come on."

They hustled to the back through the desolation. Entering the untouched offices, they sat down before the big screen and watched Optimus Prime get his helm handed to him. It was, indeed, epic.

-0-Elsewhere

He was brought in on a stretcher with heavy manacles on him beside the chains that were wrapped around him by the jailhouse team. He was rocking the stretcher as he bantered with the crew, lucid and semi lucid remarks greeting the doctors. **"HEY! I GOTTA GO! WHERE IS THIS PLACE!"** He laughed loudly. **"HOW ABOUT A DANCE! I LOVE TO DANCE! DARCEE! WHERE ARE YOU!?"**

Darcee, his bond had arrived earlier and ran to the stretcher. **"PARK!"**

"Step back, Darcee. We have to get him into a room where he can be safe," a doctor said as Rung stood nearby watching the show. The stretcher was carried to a padded room, then laid on the bench that doubled as a berth and bench for the inmates. "Just leave him there, boys. He has to have the solvent wear off. Nothing will make it happen but time," Rabble said as he stepped back out. Everyone followed, then the door shut, cutting off the singing that Park had begun to do.

Rabble turned to Darcee who was distraught. "Let's go talk. I called Rung to help us figure out what to do about this."

They walked to a conference room nearby, then sat. Rabble glanced at Rung, then Darcee. "He didn't wear protective gear so the solvents he used leeched into his servos. He's dealing with a poisoning situation here. It doesn't kill you. It makes you crazy until it wears off. The effects are numbness to pain, a breach with reality, a total lack of inhibitions, and because of all of this, inhuman strength."

"We will let it wear off, then discuss with him why he would decline to wear the protective gear, Darcee," Rung said. "It's been required by the plant since the solvent in question was brought online. We've had three other cases before they determined this was the problem."

Darcee nodded. "Then he's going to be alright?"

Both doctors nodded.

Darcee relaxed a moment. "He's always worked hard, my Park. It was always in scummy places. He does what he does … stoically, you know? He never complains. There was never safety features in any of the places he worked so I'm sure he doesn't … I don't know. Maybe he thinks they won't help."

"Well, we need to disabuse him of that way of thinking. Everyone matters," Rung said. They would sit and talk for a while. It would take a few orns for Park to come out of the manic state he was in, then they would go from there. One of the places they would go was court.

-0-Morning

"I just heard that there was an epic slagging last night. Someone got high and took out The Pit Stop and Club Cybertron," Sideswipe said as he commed off the monitor.

 **"What?"** Sunstreaker asked as he set plates down for his children.

"Yeah," Sideswipe said. "Apparently, it took Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Ironhide, Drift, Springer, half the jailhouse crew, and some of the newbies to slow him down. He wiped up the floor with everyone."

"What the frag?" Bluestreak said as he came from the hallway nearby. "I want details."

"That's your job, Blue. Call Prowl," Sunstreaker said as they sat down to eat.

-0-R v IH

"I wish I had been there," Fireball said. "We could have helped you."

"He was sick and we had to be careful," Ratchet said as he filled plates for infinite infants.

"Still," Quasar said as he sat at the table holding Halo. She was smiling at everyone as they gathered to eat dinner together. "What is everyone doing today? We have one last orn before school."

"Well," Ironhide said as he thought about it. "I have to check in at Ops Center but the rest of the orn, Primus willing, is free."

"We go swamming, Atar?" Orion asked as the other kids paused to stare at Ironhide with hopeful expressions.

"Well, I suppose we could go to the pool. That is, if it isn't overrun with infants," Ironhide said with a smirk.

 **HUGE** agreements among the stature challenged.

"What about you, Old Mech?" Ironhide asked.

"I have to do wellness checks with the special prisoners, then I can join you," Ratchet said. "I'd like to bring Halo with me when I have a chat with Sentinel."

Ironhide frowned. "You're not taking any of the infants to the prison."

"Of course, I am. They especially like Prowler. He's gone with me the last two times. Right, pookie?" Ratchet asked of the little mech eating a link sausage with his digits.

Prowler grinned. "I go with lou, Ada?" he asked.

"No." -Ironhide

"Yes." -Ratchet

"I'll go with you, too, Ada if it helps," Genesis said.

"We will, too," Quasar said as Fireball nodded.

"You have to hang out with Lumi, Fireball, and you, Quasar, have to keep your old atar out of prison," Ratchet said. "You, Genesis, can come along this time. So can Halo."

Ironhide frowned, Ratchet frowned, Ratchet won.

-0-Some time later

They walked through the prison, down the road to the special lockup where the political prisoners were kept. It was as noisy and rude as ever as Genesis walked with Ratchet. Halo was in his hold wrapped in warmth and protection.

"This place is awful, Ada," Genesis said as he glanced around.

"Truer words never spoken, infant," Ratchet said as they waited to enter through the complex security of their lockup. Walking toward the cell block, they waited to be let inside. Sentinel was waiting by the fence with a chair for Ratchet. Ratchet glanced at Genesis. "Bring another chair, infant."

Genesis walked off to comply as Ratchet sat. "I brought a son with me, Sentinel. That's Genesis and he's a dreadnought. He's using Pretender gear to fit our paradigm. He's a youngling mech who attends school."

Sentinel nodded. "I see."

Genesis came back with a chair, then put it close to Ratchet. He sat, then stared at Sentinel. "You're Sentinel Prime, the last Prime."

Sentinel nodded. "I am."

"How are things going? Do you need anything?" Ratchet asked as he pulled Halo from his hold. She was wrapped in white blankets, tucked into a yellow Seeker bag and was looking at the three of them with big optics framed by a yellow hat.

"Thank you for the books," Sentinel replied. "Is that a new acquisition?"

"That's our new sister," Genesis said. "She's Halo."

"Good name, Radiant Light," Sentinel replied. "Is this a passing phase or a career?" he asked with a slight grin.

"This is victory, Sentinel," Ratchet said with a smile. "I have a competition with Prowl and one with myself. I'm wondering how many of these I can cram into the apartment before we call it quits."

Sentinel grinned. "I imagine you have a large apartment."

"We do," Genesis said. "Three of us live here. The other six live at Appa and Ammas' house."

"Who is your Appa?" Sentinel asked.

"Typhoon," Genesis said proudly.

"I knew him. He was an amazing individual," Sentinel said. "I knew his bonds, Clipper and Dangerous. Are they here, too?"

"They are. They let us have Ironhide and Ratchet be our ada and atar. We get to live in a house and go to school. We have clubs and friends."

Ratchet grinned. "They're a work and wonder as Old Hercy would say."

"Is he here?" Sentinel asked.

"He is," Ratchet replied. "That old mech can't be killed. He's like the universe. Deep, unbeatable and ornery."

"That's true. I remember." He stared at Halo. "How is Proteus?"

"He's excelling. He works at the Halls of Order doing maintenance. I think he's happier there than he ever was anywhere else, but then, he was less an aft head than the rest of you. He sort of had a conscience. He also loves his bond. Madura nearly died, but then, I noticed a trend among the leadership's bonds. Did you know that all of them were as lonely as could be? Half of them tried to commit suicide. The entire lot of them suffered or continues to suffer from depression. Having to be the smiling sidecar in a high profile relationship, always supporting that, always being the minor and less important partner, always having to do things to help the major partner at the expense of your own ego … that's been a disaster for a lot of high caste bonds who aren't in the driver's seat in their careers."

"I was never in a bond as you know."

"No," Ratchet said. "I wonder why? There were a lot of mechs and femmes who wouldn't have minded it."

Sentinel shrugged. "I never thought about it. There were so many other things to do. I wasn't that interested in having my own dependents beyond the political alliances through adoption that I made. I didn't want to lose someone. We were working our way toward assassinating each other at the end."

"That's true. Did you assassinate Nominus?" Ratchet asked as beside him Genesis flinched at the question.

"No," Sentinel said. "But that's up to you to believe. I went to see him on his death bed. He never said who did the job. I put my shanix on Ratbat. He was working more for Megatron at the time, he and his partner, than he was for me and my government."

"Ratbat is a slagger, that's for certain," Ratchet replied. "How does it feel living with him? Anything I should know?"

"No. I enjoy watching him in bondage. It's one of my few happy pastimes," Sentinel said with a the ghost of a grin.

Ratchet grinned. "Do you want to hold my daughter? I would like a picture of you doing this. For the historical record don't you know."

Sentinel stared at the baby, then nodded. "I would like that. It's been a while."

Ratchet stood, then turned toward Sentinel. By now, the others were sitting or standing on the porch nearby, more than schooled that their presence wasn't welcome. Genesis stood warily, watching as Ratchet lay the baby in Sentinel's gigantic arms. He grinned. "Hold that pose." Ratchet pulled his camera, took a number of snaps and video, then gestured for Genesis to join the picture.

Genesis glanced warily at Sentinel, then knelt down beside his chair. Looking at Halo in two images, looking warily at Sentinel in another, he stared at Ratchet with a pensive expression for the rest. When they were taken, Ratchet took Halo in arms again, then sat, Genesis joining him. "Tell me things, Sentinel. You know you want to, you slagger."

They would chat for a joor and a half, Ratchet would get a list of things that Sentinel wanted, then they would go. Nodding goodbye, they walked to the gates and stepped out. Slipping Halo into his hold, Ratchet grinned at Genesis. "Let's go see some very strange inmates but first … give me your solemn oath as a titan, as a Cybertronian and as a disciple of Primus and The One that you will keep what you see to yourself. Even your brothers must not know until I decide they need to. Understand?"

Genesis nodded solemnly, then drew his short sword. Kneeling, grasping the sword by its hilt with both servos as the tip rested on the ground, he looked upward at Ratchet. "I, Genesis of Cybertron, do hereby give my oath to you, my liege lord, and do solemnly and with all my spark, my honor and the integrity of my frame, swear that I will bear your secrets to the end. Unto my death, I do solemnly swear." He rose, then sheathed his sword. "I will, Ada."

Ratchet hugged him, then grinned. "Come with me. I want to show you something that's so strange it strains credulity." With that, he headed off toward the Alternate Universe prison lockup to check on the inmates. A shocked and unnerved Genesis would come along with him.

-0-TBC 12-03-17 **edited 1-9-18**

credulity (creh-duel-ity) belief To strain someone's credulity is to strain their belief in something.

Impervious: (im-purr-vee-us) Something that can't be broken or can't be penetrated. Like some people's delusions, you can't change them with truth.

Disabuse: (diss-uh-buze) to disabuse someone of something is to show them how they are wrong

stature challenged (stah-chur) this means short. Stature is your height or your level of power or your personal physical bearing. Stature challenged can mean snort or it can mean you are powerless.


	209. Chapter 209

The Diego Diaries: Day Off (dd6 209)

-0-Sports Center, Tyger Pax

" **CANNON BALL!"**

He leaped off the board, grabbed his knees and landed in the water with a gigantic splash. A good dozen infants floating in the water surged up, then outward as the displacement took them up to the edge of the pool and back down again. Even Prowler was laughing hysterically as he rode the surf of his old man's dive. Standing on the sides, half a dozen elders watched as their little mech dazzled his own little mechs and femmes. Since all of them could swim, they were unsinkable. Given that they didn't breathe, thus, sinking wasn't a disaster, it didn't matter if they went down. They all knew how to come back up and Amma Alor who was floundering in the water, too, was there to police the bottom of the massive, deep pool.

Ironhide came up like a whale spouting water with a breach that sent the water flowing outward again. Riding the waves, their tiny helms the only thing visible, the children shrieked with laughter. Ironhide grinned, then swam toward them to check them out before more came down.

" **LOOK OUT BELOW!"**

A huge black mechanism bounded way the frag high up, did a complete somersault, then hit the water like a D8 cat dropping from a roof top. Away everyone went as Appa Raptor sank to the bottom himself. Even Ironhide nearly slid out of the pool on the tsunami his appa made with his dive. Hero, Iacon and Uraya did, slipping out to sit on the side of the pool walkway when the water slid back into the pool. They only had a second to wait before the secondary waves arrived to draw them back in. They went in again shrieking and laughing.

-0-Home

Ratchet lotioned Halo, then lay her on the bouncing chair that every child but Orion had used. She was sitting on the coffee table grinning at him, her beautiful long tresses falling over the edge of the device. Ratchet grinned back, then picked up the datapad laying next to him. It was his turn to add a chapter or two to the book club aka boozer circle opus that he was part of with the family and now, the members of his 'squad' who had taken to their new life like dolphins to the open sea.

"Hmm … where were we?" he thought as he skimmed the parts written by Alor, his ada and Prowl. "Wow. I better do this right," he said as he began to compose a good twenty pages of his part of the story that was still unnamed. Anders would be next. The light streamed through the windows as he sat in the huge empty apartment tending to the newest pup in the litter. It was nice.

Court would be this afternoon for his case, the redoubtable James 'Big Jim' Johnson

-0-At Earth2

He and two colleagues had come in on a ship that was carrying supplies to Earth on the regular route via Chicago. An Autobot ship sometimes landed here and there around the world to gather up this and that to take to Mars or Diego. Given that it was here to pick up unspecified things and drop a mountain of goods to the warehouses serving the eastern United States for Autobot Outpost, Inc., they picked up three humans who were hired to represent James Johnson for his hearing this afternoon. They were on a communications link that had a fifteen second delay to monitor content, something that all private personal comms between Earth2 residents and Earth still maintained at the moment as per agreements. They were still on that probationary period for all communications. They would arrive with a crate of something that was unknown, get off at the interplanetary airport, then go to Earth2 with a N.E.S.T. soldier. They would be given special life support gear that all visitors utilized if they might be staying over temporarily anywhere but the Resort. It stretched to fit all sizes.

The ship was on the local news, a breaking event when one landed anywhere. They were sitting in a N.E.S.T vehicle maintained by N.E.S.T. North America waiting for the word to board. They had donned their gear and waited with the soldier who was dispatched to bring them through, Sargent Trevor Smith. They would wear their gear all the way to Earth2 and everywhere else for the two to three orns they would be on world. It depended on how long the hearing, trial or whatever they called it lasted.

They were in contact with an attorney, a former high caste mech named Highrode who was to represent Johnson in court. This was a serious charge and Harris was taking no chances. They had done what they could to prepare. Now, it was up to the judges. This was looking to be incredible and amazing to the three lawyers who got out of the car and followed Trevor Smith to the plane. They walked upward and into the cabin where they would find a place to sit. It was vast, the ship was enormous and alien, gleaming white with a big orangish-red Autobrand on the side. There were symbols of the Primes, Mars, Cybertron, and the Empire as well as glyphs that they couldn't read. Walking to their seats, they sat, all of them staring at each other.

Trevor Smith sat back. "You won't feel the take off. The ship isn't sentient. Those tend to be transports for bots and humans. This is a cargo ship but the pilots are bots. Just sit in the seat until we get there. They will open the blast covers on the windows when we get ready to take off. You can watch the show. I would suggest that you close your eyes when we take off and leave them closed until we get into space. I'll tell you when. Some humans vomit at the speed and view when we lift off. It's nearly immediate, our return to space."

They nodded. "You've done this a lot, then," the lead attorney asked, an older man named Robert Gleason, someone Warren Roberts knew.

Trevor nodded. "A few times. We're going to New York next to pick up a few people, then to Diego to let off the crate. Then we go to Mars. I'll drive you to Earth2. You will be escorted, all of you, to and from the habitat. Because you're new, Ultra Magnus made that decision."

"The mayor," Gleason said.

"Mayor, colonial manager and Chief Administrative officer of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. He's a lifelong friend of Optimus Prime. They grew up together and are like brothers," Trevor said.

"That sounds like a lot of responsibility," another older man said, someone named Colin Phillips.

"He's more than up to it. Ultra Magnus is an amazing person," Trevor said. "Close your eyes," he said as the ship began to gather up to rise into space.

The three humans did as the ship rose to space, then sailed downward again in a perfect arc to New York City. They were landing at LaGuardia Airport in no time. "You can open them," Trevor said as the ship set down gently. It had only taken about a minute or two to go from Chicago to New York.

"That fast?" the third man asked, a younger partner named Michael Parker.

"That fast," Trevor said as he rose to walk down the cabin to the door. '

They watched him, then glanced at each other. "Incredible," Gleason said as the others nodded. They watched as Trevor helped release the hatch with a tiny bot that had appeared from the rear. They laughed as they watched it open, the two, then a ramp could be heard descending.

Trevor leaned out to take a bag from Warren Roberts who was walking up in gear followed by Sam Witwicky and an aide, Bill Tillis. They chatted a moment, then walked to the seating section to join the others. After introductions were made, they sat. Gleason grinned at Warren. "You are the luckiest man alive, Warren."

"Tell me about it," Warren said with a grin. "Just for full disclosure, Bill and I will be at the hearing as well. Ambassador Ratchet will be there to hear the case and handle the diplomatic niceties. I will be there to personally represent the Prime with Bill as my legal counsel. Sam Witwicky is coming for the weekend down time."

Everyone nodded to Sam and shook his hand.

"Prime won't be there?" Collin Phillips said. "Pity, that. I was hoping to see and maybe meet him."

"That might be possible, though I won't promise," Warren said as down the hull the little mech was closing the hatch. He grinned. "Better close your eyes."

They did.

-0-Sitting in a gerbil cage

He had a change of clothes, food and a good shower. Doing so in the presence of so many walking back and forth was strange but he managed. Tossing his things into a sack, he sat on the narrow bench that passed for a bed. It was soft enough but it was as transparent as everything else. The light was on all night and every so often a cop would bring a drunk, an idiot or a fucker in to disturb what little sleep he got. Sometimes, one of the bots would walk over to stare at him. It was unnerving wondering what they were thinking about as they stared at him silently. He usually flipped them off. They would grin, return some gesture that he thought was probably their version, then walk off to talk rudely to each other in their strange language.

He had received a message with his meal and change of clothes that attorneys from Earth were coming and that a former high caste lawyer with a stellar reputation named Highrode would represent him in court. It was comforting but if it was enough, he had no idea. He sat and watched the cops outside as the clock ticked onward.

-0-Diego

They landed as swiftly from New York as they did from Chicago, their trajectory carefully calculated to do so. Setting down, Trevor walked to the door with the little mech who had been inspecting the crate. No one introduced him and he didn't bother to do so himself. Trevor, Warren, Sam, and Bill Tillis knew and were friendly with him as he stopped to talk about family, New York and Autobot City for a moment. Then he walked to the crate to inspect some electronic thing attached to it. Gleason glanced at Warren. "What's that?"

"Something," Warren said with a shrug. "It gets off at Diego Garcia for the Embassy. Then we go to Mars. We're taking a bridge so it won't take very long."

"A bridge," Michael Parker said with a grin. "How do I get a job here?"

They laughed, then relaxed until Trevor who was sitting silently leaned forward and told them to close their eyes. Three of them would.

-0-Coming out of a bridge at Mars

They had barely closed their eyes before they opened them again. They were just coming out of a maelstrom of greenish-blue light that signaled a space bridge vortex. Flashing forward, they saw before them a vast reddish-orange world with any number of devices, ships and other constructs in view. There were levels where satellites circled unbothered. Above them were the lanes where ships waited to go downward to the planet. Some of them were huge and many looked military. They leaned forward to watch a sight none of them in their wildest dreams ever expected to participate in.

Mars. They were at Mars.

The ship fell into its lane and waited to go. No one spoke as all were absorbed in the view. Then the ship began to descend with the red planet rising to meet them. It was coming closer, the glittering city of the Autobots, the sprawling colony that was a sight to behold. The ship flew in, then came around, hovering its way to the Autobot City Municipal Interplanetary Civilian Airport. Down they went toward a massive airfield which was swarming with ships big and small, commerce feeding a vast hangar district and worker bees.

The ship settled and was led by a bot with signal lights to the jetway that would be utilized by the humans. It rolled to a stop, then a clear sided umbilical walkway slid out to grip the hatch area of the vessel. The environment settled, then Trevor and the little mech, a flight specialist named Soni opened the hatch. He chatted with Warren, Bill, Sam, and Trevor before stepping back to allow everyone off. He shook hands with the newcomers, grinning at them politely as they departed. Stepping down, then did what all new humans did. They stopped a minute to reflect that they were on another world.

All around them, the business of business went onward with ships parked, moving or being towed all around them. Seekers landed nearby, slamming into the ground in transformation. They walked off together, laughing about something. Others by a hangar leaped into the air, transformed into jets, then blazed off to who knew where. It was busy, colorful and incredibly science fiction for the three newcomers. They followed Warren as he beckoned.

Entering the airport, it was between flights from Earth for the Resort. There was plenty of those coming and going, very few of them human, but lots of different kind of bots. They walked toward the Immigration and Port of Entry area of the facility, then halted before a petite little femme who waited for them. She smiled. "Hello, Warren and Bill. Hi, Sam. So glad to see you again."

"We're glad to be back, Mileta. How are you and your family?" Warren asked as he handed the paper work of the three newcomers to the little femme.

"So much better," she said as she processed and stamped the passports and visas. "My ada is up and running again. You can't keep a good amma down."

"No, you can't. You minis are tough as nails," Bill said with a grin. "How's your brother? Did he get the job he was applying for?"

"He did," she said with a giant smile. "He's so happy. He can get bonded now. Malot's family is old school. No good career, no bond."

"When's the ceremony and party?" Warren asked as he got the papers back and turned to hand them to the three men.

"Soon. I'll let you know. My ada and atar would love to have you come," Mileta said.

"We would love to come," Warren said. They chatted a moment, then the group followed Trevor to the barrier.

"You need to put your gear on and leave it. Don't for any reason whatsoever took it off or mess with it. You will die nearly instantly. If you have a problem, tell me," Trevor said as he helped the men. He turned to Warren Sam and Bill Tillis. "The segway by the door is for you."

"Thanks, Trevor. See you later at N.E.S.T. Is Lennox there or is he out?" Warren said as he put on his gear.

"He's out but he'll be back later. I think he wants to see the hearing," Trevor said with a grin.

"Well, we'll look for you then," Warren said as he, Sam and Bill walked through the barrier, reached the segway and boarded. Sitting in the driver's seat, Warren gunned it and they left.

The three men looked at them go, then turned to Trevor. He nodded to the enclosed vehicle, a big truck that N.E.S.T. now also utilized. "We're going in that. Follow me," he said, then donned his helmet. Checking the others, he walked through the barrier with them without triggering an alert. They walked to the vehicle, then climbed inside. It sealed and the green light came on. :Don't take anything off. Just because the light is on doesn't mean you can. You don't know how to live here: Trevor said as he gunned the vehicle.

They drove outside and crossed the airfield in the lanes. It was an astonishing sight to see. Ships moving and sitting, Seekers coming and going, heavily armed mechs walking along, some of them waving to Trevor who waved back, sentient and non-sentient vehicles towing this and that, all of it was busy, strangely reassuring and oddly familiar. They drove onto Fortress Road heading for the junction and the long ride to Earth2. The Fortress was incredible and imposing as they passed it. Horsemen on patrol, part of the elite riders of the Watch rode past heading toward the Prison on their beat waved to Trevor and he waved back.

:You know a lot of mechs: Michael Park said.

Trevor nodded. :We all do. I love them all: He pulled up at the corner to wait for the light and the left turn toward the Temple District.

:Just like home. How many of the vehicles around here are sentient?: Robert 'Bob' Gleason asked.

:Most of them: Trevor said as he drove forward, turning to the left to pass through Temple District, heading for Metro District 1. :The white cabs aren't but most of the vehicles you see are sentient. They have no drivers:

They spent time watching that, then the incredible beauty of the Metro District appeared. They were on their side of an immaculate eight-lane highway that led straight through. :These cities are sentient: Colin Phillips said.

:They are: Trevor said. :The two we just left, Metroplex and Fort Max … Fortress Maximus are as well. They're mighty among their people. So are these: He said as they drove through in moderate traffic. :We have two more to go before the big junction to the Terra Hub, the Tri-Cities and Industrial Park Cities or straight ahead to the country. We call it that because habitations start to disappear:

They headed onward as to one side the shining towers of the cities and the gleaming roof of the Temple could be seen. :That's the Temple of Primus, right?: Bob Gleason asked as they leaned over to the side to see it.

:That is: Trevor said as he changed lanes.

:Have you been inside?: Colin asked.

:I have. I have permission. It's the greatest honor I ever received to be able to go there when I want to, that place and the shrines: Trevor said with heartfelt emotion.

Gleason who was sitting next to him nodded. :I can imagine. What's after the metro districts?: he asked as they reached the edge of Metro District 1.

:We come to the Mausoleum, their main cemetery, then the Primal Basilica. After that, we pass some of their administrative buildings, then Earth 1, the Consulate, then Earth2. The highway continues onward now to become part of the TransWorld Highway that circles Mars: Trevor said. :We have 25 Cybertronian miles to go from the airport to Earth2:

:Cybertronian miles? How far is that?: Michael asked.

:Fifty miles, the outer most limits that Prime will defend. Earth2 is the last stop on the inhabited highway before you reach science outposts several hundred miles from here: Trevor said.

:They wanted to be a 100 miles away: Bob Gleason said. :That would be … what? 50 Cybertronian miles?:

Trevor nodded. :Yes:

It was silent a moment as they watched Metro District 2 roll toward them as they barreled along. Then Gleason glanced at the dial on the dashboard. :What's the speed limit around here?:

Trevor grinned. :We're in the slow lane. We go at about 70 miles per hour. The fast lanes around here can average 4-500 miles an hour depending on traffic and if the Watch is nearby. No one is supposed to drive faster than 200 miles per hour:

:Wow. That's insane: Michael said.

:Look to the right and see: Trevor said as they did. The other lanes were passing them by without a backward glance.

:They have races here. What's the fastest you ever saw someone go?" Colin asked

"I saw Blurr and the others race the other day. Blurr can break mach three if he wants to and so can the others. The Velocitrons, a group that lived on Velocitron, a planet dedicated to nothing but racing, can go as fast as him. Its a **HUGE** prestige thing: Trevor said.

:How the fuck do they stay on the ground at that speed?: Colin asked with great surprise

:Sometimes they don't. They have special internal gyros I was told. They were born to do it: Trevor said as they entered Metro District 2. It was silent as they passed through it and Metro District 3.

Gleason glanced at Trevor. :Its weird seeing Christmas trees everywhere:

:They love it. They love anything that makes their elderly and young happy: Trevor said. :It was learned and loved at Diego and brought here:

They entered an open area as they left Metro District 3. There were huge buildings here and there along the right side of the road as they zoomed along. The Mausoleum came and went as they drove onward.

:The statues … who are they?: Michael asked.

:The Pantheon and someone else. I can't say more: Trevor said as they continued onward. In the distance, the Basilica and beside it, the completed Shrine to Solus Prime stood in all their majesty. They passed it as the three men leaned that way to look.

:How tall is that building?: Bob Gleason asked.

:Over 200 feet: Trevor said. :Its a building you can visit. You don't need special permission. Just manners:

They continued to a big junction, then stopped for the light. :To the right is the road that takes you to the Tri-Cities, Tyger Pax, Centurion, and Kalis as well as the Industrial Park Cities. This road also will take you to another turnoff that goes to the Terra Hub or you can go straight to another one just before the Industrial Park Cities that leads to the Crater District development. We're going straight. It's a non-stop road to the habitats:

He pulled forward motoring onward as they went through the extraordinarily beautiful countryside that led to the human habitations. There was little to break the scenic view as they jetted along until they came to the turnoff for Earth 1. They looked at it as they sped along and also with the Consulate which came into view. They whipped past, then finally reached the colossus of Earth2. Turning in, Trevor drove across the vast paved tarmac to the doors which opened for them to enter. He did, then pulled up. When the all clear was sounded, they stepped out.

Harris and his team stepped out of the hatch for their elevator and welcomed the three as Trevor got out their baggage. He turned to the men, then nodded. "If all is well, I'm going now. I'll escort you to the courthouse when its time, me and two others."

"Thank you, Sargent," Harris said as the group watched Trevor climb back into his vehicle. They took their baggage and went back into the elevator as the building processed Trevor out. He drove off to go back to The City and his job at N.E.S.T. HQ. Harris turned to the three men. "Welcome to Earth2, gentlemen. Come up with us to have a bite and a chat."

The men grinned, then followed Harris and the others upward to the administrative building where Harris ruled his kingdom.

-0-TBC 12-04-17 **edited 1-10-18**

speeds of this velocity are measured in 1000 miles per hour bursts. mach three if 3000 per hour

planes make sonic booms when they pass a mach speed


	210. Chapter 210

The Diego Diaries: Hear This (dd6 210)

-0-At the Courthouse

The room was cleared of the usual rubberneckers. Rather than cause a ruckus, the parties decided to have a closed hearing into the conduct of Mr. James Johnson of Chicago, Illinois, Planet Earth for now. His human representatives would be in their environmental suits and stand on the defendant's table where Johnson would be sitting with them after being brought out of his cell. His Cybertronian counsel, Highrode, would sit at that table as well.

Coln-2 and Bill Tillis, an aide for Warren Roberts and a trained lawyer would assist Colie with human law and tics. Coln had never prosecuted a human, though he was instrumental in getting the M.E.C.H. prisoners back to Earth and the various lockups that wanted them. Bill would sit on Coln's table. Semi would manage the proceedings as a senior judge and one who handled federal cases, which this was.

Watching as the state's representative, Ambassador Ratchet would be there along with a number of others including Prowl as the Prime's personal representative. It was unlikely that Prime would appear, though anything was possible. The courtroom held a number of individuals, some of which waited outside such as Drift and Springer who would speak to the complaint. Tika would be there and so would some of the humans at the party.

The door opened as the defendant was brought in. He was in the travel cage where he would stay when coming and going. The humans wouldn't have that sort of condition but he was the defendant, not them. The bailiff, Matins, carried the box, then set it on the table. The lawyers who had arrived earlier were shown how to have a private conversation with Johnson who was tense and filled with concern. He glanced around at the room and all who were here, then leaned into the clear sides of the box to have a conversation with the humans and Highrode.

Sitting on chairs on Coln's table, Warren who would attend as senior human representative and agent of Autobot Nation and Bill Tillis, counsel, watched them. They were going over this and that, he was sure. They had arrived earlier and had chatted with Johnson over the link between the jail cell he inhabited and Earth2. Sitting on a bench that was always there for humans, Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown, Peri Beliveau, Kyle Davis, William 'Bill' Baker, and Mark Jameson, all of them money men for the Earth2 project sat on it watching with varying degrees of concern the goings-on. With them was Cynthia Tomas, Publicity and Public Relations.

The door opened again as Semi walked in, tall, confident and imposingly dignified. He would handle the case. Barron and Blackstone walked in and sat down, leaning in to speak together. Owen Harris stared at them, then glanced at the others. :There's the Attorney General of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. That's Barron. The mech with him is in charge of all public defenses as well. He's called Blackstone and was a famous lawyer before the war, a dissident lawyer. They along with that prosecutor are the main movers in the legal community here: Harris said.

At that moment, Silver, the Clerk rose. "Please stand for the Honorable Judge Semi."

Everyone did.

"Please sit and show decorum. If you act up, you will be removed," Silver said as he sat, worked on his computer and tech station setting up the recording, then waited.

Semi was working on his own computer at his podium desk. Behind him on the walls, the flags of Mars, Cybertron and the Primes hung. Around the walls of the room, the banners of the city-states and off world locations of their people hung as well. He finally looked up, took the measure of the room, then sat back. "My name is Semi and I'm a federal judge here on Mars. As such, those cases that bear on federal law or off world jurisdictions fall into my purview. I'm here to listen to the presentations, then decide what infractions have been made and what, if any, punishments should be meted out. I would tell you that this is the first case involving humans on world short of an extradition case some time before. I would thereby asked Silver, the court clerk to read the charges."

Silver glanced at Semi, then turned back to his computer. "The defendant, James Wayne Johnson, human, resident of Earth2 is hereby charged with trespass on the sovereign territory of Cybertron and Mars, disturbing the peace of the colony, assault with the intent to batter a Cybertronian national, assault and battery on a human security officer, and causing bodily harm with intent to do so," he said. He glanced at Semi who nodded. Turning back, he entered the data, then looked at Highrode.

"Counselors, who speaks now and what is your client's plea?" Semi asked.

"I do, your honor," Highrode said. "I am being advised by human counsel who have come from Earth to participate in the trial but because they have no standing here, I am counsel of record."

"Make the record show that, Silver," Semi said. Silver did. "Please continue."

"Your honor, our client pleads not guilty by extenuating circumstances," Highrode said.

Semi nodded. "Very well. We shall take pleadings now."

"I have none at the moment, your honor," Coln-2 said.

"I have a request from the defendant to speak but I'm going to ask that to be at the end, if at all. I have advised my client that he'd be foolish to treat this as something less than the utmost serious occasion it is. I will be counseling him as we go about this course of action. Otherwise, we have no pleadings."

"Very well. Coln? Are you prepared to plead the Prime's Brief?" Semi asked.

Coln nodded. "Yes, sir, I am."

"Very well. Please do so," Semi said as he sat back to listen.

Silver sat before the court plugged into the system, running the machines which recorded everything.

"Your honor, I'm here to plead the Prime's Brief and uphold the laws of The People against the human known as James Johnson. Last night, during Thanksgiving, Mr. Johnson caused a disturbance at Earth2 in which he menaced and chased a Cybertronian national and micro mini-con employee with the intention of creating bodily harm, entering into a highly secured off limits elevator to go to the command center of the installation. When he entered the elevator, he trespassed onto Cybertronian territory, violated a number of agreements and treaties, then reached the command center itself. It was there that William Lennox following him reached the deck and a brawl ensued. Apparently, there's bad blood between the defendant and the on-world commander of all humans who live here.

"While this was happening, a call to the Chief of Security for the Empire, Springer of Polyhex was made and he came along with his second, Commander Drift of Kaon. They interdicted the situation and arrested Mr. Johnson on the spot. That's the situation overall. Right now, I would like to call William Lennox to the stand."

The door opened and a segway drove in, stopping at the stand. Silver administered the oath. "Do you state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?" Lennox agreed, then turned to face the two sets of lawyers to wait stoically. Coln picked up his list of questions and began.

"Sir, you are overall commandant of the humans here, both military and civilian. Correct?" Coln-2 aka C2

:Yes: -William Lennox aka WL

"You were at a Thanksgiving dinner for all humans on-world at Earth2. Correct?"

:Yes: -WL

"You have a history with James Johnson. Please tell us about that." -C2

:I'm senior striker commander for N.E.S.T. ground forces both on Earth and here on-world and I train with my command team, Sargent Robert Epps and Captain Niall Graham all individuals who apply for and pass the preliminary program for striker placements. We're an elite group which demands group unity and cohesion so the standard is high. James Johnson was a candidate who finished basic training at Camp McKall which sorts out those who have what it takes from those who don't. The next step is training at Diego or other N.E.S.T. bases in a beta striker team. Johnson was there. While he was there, he acted out on his prejudices about the bots, created a scene and was scrubbed. He was unsuited to be a striker for N.E.S.T. He was returned to the army where he chose to resign. We don't agree on anything and I don't respect him:

Johnson bristled but he said nothing as his attorneys listened, commented off line together and watched.

"What are your feelings about his presence here?" -C2

:I don't like it. He wasn't up to it with the bots before and having him here is doubly problematic. I don't care for mercenaries. Real soldiers don't: Lennox said as he stared at Johnson coldly. :It bothers me that Earth2 feels they have to have hired mercenaries on site. This place falls under our jurisdiction inside and Prime's outside. Having them here feels like a provocation: -WL

"What did you personally see of the incident, if anything?" -C2

:I saw Johnson turn toward Tika and growl at him. Tika looked afraid and at that moment when Johnson stood up to chase Tika, all of us rose and went, too. I don't think Tika understood how he could have shredded Johnson but he followed his orders and training. He left the area but Johnson followed. We gave chase but Tika followed by Johnson had already entered the elevator to the command deck and were on their way. We were too late to follow: -WL

"What did you do then?" -C2

:I personally overrode the locks and we went up, several of us. When I reached the deck, Tika was standing with Siso and Siso was unhappy about all of it. I told him that I would take care of the problem. That's when Johnson challenged me, making it about Diego. We then exchanged blows: -WL

"Who landed the first one? Apparently, that's an important aspect of human law regarding assault and battery." -C2

"I did: -WL

"Why?" -C2

:I had the responsibility to bring this to a close and I knew he wouldn't go without a fight. I take responsibility for that but I give him full responsibility for creating an interplanetary incident, starting it by threatening a mech and trespassing on the Prime's territory. I neutralized the threat as I saw fit because Johnson wanted to fight at the moment he saw me exit the elevator. Dr. Grant patched us up and Springer arrived. So did the leadership of the facility along with Generals Morshower, Bowers and Liaison Charlotte Mearing. That didn't count the others, several thousand others. Everyone was there for a party. I had to end it and I did: -WL

"Why did Mr. Johnson do what he did in your professional estimation?: -C2

"Objection. This would be a subjective answer with little relevance to the facts," Highrode said.

Semi mulled that over. "I think I will uphold that objection. You have established a history between them. We are aware they are hostile to each other. Any further questions?"

"Not at this time. I reserve more for later," Coln said as he sat.

"Counselor," Semi said as Highrode stood.

"Mr. Lennox … you have a lot of hostility against my client. You landed the first blow. Was there no other way to defuse the situation without a fight? My client is charged with assault and battery which you started by landing the first blow," Highrode said. "That hardly seems fair."

:My role as leader of the human colony and colonists here on-world, Highrode, gives me a lot of latitude. I can send anyone home for good no matter who they are. My purview is based on the concept of keeping everyone alive and the alliance in good order. No one outranks me here, not even presidents and prime ministers. My word is the first and last law. All of the charters acknowledge that including that of Earth2. When I saw the situation on the deck and knew that a territorial breach had happened, I had the responsibility to end the situation before the interplanetary incident became worse than it was. Mr. Johnson was drunk, belligerent, threatening to Tika, and then to me when I arrived with the others. He came toward me to fight. I neutralized the threat as I saw it: -WL

"But my client is bearing the burden of assault and battery," Highrode said.

:I took care of an incursion with a belligerent and drunk invader. The charges aren't my purview. That will have to be taken up with the courts: -WL

"How many of these kind of interactions have you had with Mr. Johnson and his companions at Earth2 in all?" Highrode asked.

:I had an argument at Diego and this fight. That's it. I had no idea that Johnson and Sam Hedges who is also here were being insulting to the bots at Diego until I was told. When that happened, he and Hedges were washed out. They've held a grudge ever since: -WL

"And you haven't?" Highrode asked.

:I haven't thought about them since Diego until they showed up here. I don't like that they're here. They're unprofessional, prejudiced against your people and trouble. They drink and make trouble: -WL

Highrode considered the questions. He had done his best to show a prejudicial attitude in Lennox based on past events but he didn't want to push it too far. Everyone here knew about the mercenaries and what they did to the garrison at Diego. He sat. "Thank you, Mr. Lennox."

Coln stood. "Mr. Lennox, is Mr. Johnson part of the mercenary group on Diego?"

:They were part of a failed striker effort. They, however, spend a lot of time with mercenaries who were there and gave us so much trouble. Now they're here as security for Earth2. I don't like it one bit: Will said with an edge. He stared at Johnson who stared at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Lennox. No further questions." Coln sat.

"Thank you, Mr. Lennox. You may go," Semi said.

Will drove to Ratchet and parked the segway next to him.

"The prosecution calls Tika of Village D4 please, your honor," Coln said.

The bailiff leaned out, then in as a tiny mech walked in, nervous and wary. He walked to Coln, then over to the stand where he stood.

Silver looked toward him. "Do you speak English, Tika?"

He nodded.

"Very well. Do you state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?"

"I do," he said in his soft voice. He glanced at Johnson, then looked away. He was small, shiny red and very sweet. He was also very smart, very kindly and very loved at Earth2.

"Tika, please tell us what you do at Earth2," Coln asked.

"Well … I'm a millwright for the plant. If something goes wrong, I fix it. I can get into places others can't reach. I also do a lot of the computer maintenance and I'm a floor walker. If they need heavy lifting or something that falls into the noted listed items we can attend to, I go there and help."

"How do you get along with everyone?" Coln asked. He already knew. He had dozens and dozens of emails from residents who were worried about this and stood up for the little mech.

"I think that I have friends among the humans. I have never been treated badly until now. I like them and they like me," he said puzzledly. "I don't know what happened."

"What happened from your perspective, Tika," Coln said as he sat to listen.

Tika looked at him, then the judge. "Well, I bumped him … that human," he said pointing to Johnson. "I didn't mean to. It was just an accident, then he rose and began to shout at me. I was … I didn't know what to do, then I remembered the protocols about leaving to go to a supervisor if something happens that feels threatening. I ran for the elevator and entered but this human followed. Fortunately, it was a short ride."

"What then, Tika?" Coln asked quietly.

"I ran to Siso. He's so big, I thought it was safer. That's when Major Lennox arrived and everything fell apart." Tika looked distressed. "I never saw organics fight before. It's messy and awful."

"What and who started it from your perspective?" Coln asked.

"Well, that human was really angry and he turned on Major Lennox. He wanted to fight. He said something that led me to believe they were not friends. He walked toward the Major with his fists up, like he wanted to fight. Indeed, he goaded Major Lennox."

"Then what happened?" Coln asked.

"Why, Major Lennox punched Mr. Johnson in the face," Tika said with big optics and no small sense of amazement.

-0-TBC 12-05-17 **edited 1-10-18**

 **LEONESS: BWAHAHAHAHAHA!** The power of words. ;)

 **PANDORA:** I think I like Tulsi better. :D

 **FANCYSPINNER:** I love their kind of fun. I would love to hang out at the dojo. :D

 **NOTES:**

Has no standing: can't defend someone because you aren't a member of the legal community here. Someone who has no standing in something has no rights, no power, can't act.


	211. Chapter 211

The Diego Diaries: Trial (dd6 211)

-0-In a courtroom

"He punched him hard. Then they brawled. It was awful," Tika said. "I was on Major Lennox's side."

"What happened then?" Coln asked.

"Well … they finished the brawl. Johnson was on the floor and Lennox was very angry. They went downstairs to the ground floor where Chief Springer and Commander Drift had just arrived. They were there to take him away and none too soon, if you ask me," Tika said with some offense. He was terribly nervous and didn't look at Johnson. He kept his optics fixed upon Coln-2. "They took him away as an arrested person."

Coln quashed a grin as he listened to the tiny mech who was a grandfather and a sweet highly skilled guy. "I see. What about now? How do you feel about your job and the atmosphere of Earth2?"

"I love my job. The humans there are very nice but I don't think I can go back there if he stays. I find him very intimidating," Tika said. "Siso told me that I could probably harm him greatly if there was a … a fight between him and me but I don't even like the idea of that. I'm a peaceable mech, Mr. Coln-2. I do believe in the Better Path."

Coln nodded. "I can see that, Tika. Thank you."

Highrode stood. "Tika, you followed protocols for strange or alarming situations and fled to the deck, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Highrode," he replied.

"You could have harmed him greatly even though you didn't or wouldn't want to, right?" Highrode asked.

"That's what Siso said. I personally don't know much about that. My children are peaceable. We raised them that way. I set the example for my grandchildren. I have to be a good mech," he said. "Fighting isn't being a good mech to me."

Highrode nodded. "But the truth is, Tika, you **could** have defended yourself. He couldn't have hurt you if he tried. Right?"

Tika considered that, then ventured a glance at Johnson. "I didn't know that at the time and I would never do that to anyone."

"But you **could** have. Had he tried to hurt you, you could have **easily** fended him off," Highrode asked.

Tika shrugged. "I suppose I could."

"You're Cybertronian and very tough. You have very tough armor from the looks of you. He wouldn't be able even with a human gun or knife to harm you," Highrode said.

"I suppose but I didn't know that at the time. It was very confusing and frightening," he said, then leaned closer. "I thought I had done something wrong."

"No more questions," Highrode said.

Tika glanced at Semi who grinned at him. "Thank you, Tika. You may go."

"Do I have to work with him there, your honor? I would find that difficult now," Tika said softly as he leaned toward Semi.

"I would talk to Siso, Tika. He would have the best advice for you," Semi said.

The little mech nodded, bowed slightly, then hurried toward the door where he left. It was silent a moment as Coln talked to Bill and Warren. Then he glanced at Matins and called his next witness. Everyone waited as Matins, the bailiff called him in. Springer walked in, a tall handsome mech with a lanky manner and good humor. He smirked at Ratchet who smirked back, then walked to the stand. Silver turned to him and swore him to the truth. He looked at Johnson, grinned, then turned to Coln.

"Chief Springer, what happened when you were called to Earth2?" Colie asked.

"We were on our beat. We, my bond and I along with a couple of trainees were riding our beat near Tyger Pax when the call came to us. There was a fight at Earth2 and a possible trespass on Prime's sovereign territory so we beat it there and went inside. When we were allowed in, the whole place was there including a bloodied Lennox and a number of soldiers who were surrounding Johnson and Harris. He was there with the same men sitting with him now.

"Mr. Harris wanted to settle this on the spot. He asked for a number of options none of which we were able to give him. This was a serious breach and even if I had the authority to decide such things on the spot which I don't, I wouldn't have for that reason. We pulled an environmental box which some of us carry because we have humans on-world and put him in it. We took him to the Courthouse Jail and got him booked. He spent the night in the special lockups for humans and we're here now."

"You didn't see the fight?" Colie asked.

"No," Springer said with a grin. "We missed that epic encounter." He grinned at Lennox who smirked back.

"You just had him to escort. Tell me about the requests to settle it on the spot with Mr. Harris and his colleagues," Colie asked.

"Your honor, that's not a part of the issue. It's a normal thing for Mr. Harris to try and mitigate the damage that this action might have to the reputation of Earth2 and its population as well as the relationship with the colonial government of the Prime. We aren't contesting Mr. Harris's efforts to end this in a decent way."

"I would like to ascertain the latitude that this man had to offend freely. The Charter of Earth2 is a very complicated, highly detailed and debated document. It took a long time to agree to the rules and I would like to know if the intention of Earth2 to hold to them is a firm thing or if it has elasticity due to Mr. Harris's attitudes about it," Colie said.

"Objection overruled. Please answer," Semi said.

"Mr. Harris wanted to end the arrest and keep Johnson, punishing him according to their rules and his decision. He was insistent that if it could be affected, it would be a better deal all around. He was apologetic but insistent about taking care of it himself," Springer said.

"Then in that conversation, did it appear to you that he was honoring the rules and regulations agreed upon in the negotiations of the charter?" Colie asked.

"Objection," Highrode said. "You're calling for an opinion."

"A professional one. I'm seeking to know if the leadership of the habitat holds to the laws and regulations agreed upon and if Mr. Johnson was acting out of a belief that he was free to rampage at will. We have our people there and I want to know if this is a one off or worse," Colie argued.

"Overruled. Please reply. I'm seeking your professional, not personal opinion, Springer," Semi said.

He nodded. "I thought it was maybe emotionally reasonable but professionally unprofessional to ask for special treatment for someone he was responsible for and who acted with a very serious disregard for the rules and regulations that we agreed upon in negotiations. I sat through a number of them to parse out jurisdictions and expectations regarding the law and who had what authority over which and sundry infractions. I know that Mr. Harris and his colleagues know what the rules of the road are. He was asking for special treatment and I don't have that authority."

"Thank you," Colie said as he sat.

"Mr. Springer, have you ever had anyone ask for a break or second chance at the point of arrest?" Highrode asked.

"All the time," Springer said with a grin.

"Have you ever granted that?" Highrode asked.

"It depends. I have a lot of latitude on some things that present themselves as teachable moments or involved someone who's impaired or doesn't know. The refugees have a time just understanding what freedom and equality means for them. I've taken a lot of kids home to their families for high grade offenses though I could have arrested them. I've taken some mechs and femmes to the hospital or mental health intake when I could have thrown them in jail. Its a matter of experience and the moment," Springer said.

"Why didn't you agree to a lesser action than jail for Mr. Johnson? Why didn't you allow Mr. Harris to handle this infraction and punish Johnson himself?" Highrode asked.

"Because this wasn't a simple thing. This was a territorial breach of the Prime's sovereignty and it had interplanetary consequences. Because it was a border breach, its up to the courts and Prime himself how many times he wants to deal with this offense. Sometimes, when you take a kid home to be spanked by their mama, they end up in trouble again anyway. Sometimes it takes strong medicine to take care of the problem. I don't have authority to handle on my own the outcomes of federal offenses. This wasn't kids drinking or tagging. This was a violent encounter and a territorial trespass," Springer said.

"So … you'll allow things that might involve our people but not the humans. What's your professional opinion of humans?" Highrode asked.

"Objection. Subjective commentary," Coln said though he had no leg to stand upon.

Highrode who knew that grinned. "I'm asking for professional rather than personal commentary."

Semi grinned, then nodded. "Please answer the question."

Springer looked at Lennox who looked pensive, then Johnson who looked pissed. "I've had lots of contact with the humans here. I like them. They have balls," he said, then caught himself. He smirked slightly. "They're tough and mostly good. Some are irritating like Michael Bay, and others aren't. I have no problem with humans on a professional basis. They understand, respect and follow the law. The humans I know, I like. The soldiers fight, have guts and make me laugh. In a good way. Some humans like Leonora Huttle are great. I love all the kids. They love and get us. The kids are the best."

"What about those at Earth2?" Highrode asked. "Earth 1, Sciences … what about them?"

"Those at Earth 1 and Sciences I know the best. The Family Tower and N.E.S.T. as well. I love Judy Witwicky because she's stand up. So are the wives of the soldiers. The Earth 1 and Sciences humans are fine. I love the Teasdale Twins because they make me laugh and they love and get us, too. I don't know Earth2 very much but the few I've met around love it here and appreciate being among us. I have no problems with them."

"Thank you," Highrode said. "No further questions."

Springer was dismissed so he walked to Ratchet and sat down.

"I would like to call Drift," Colie said.

Drift entered, was sworn in and backed up Springer's account. Highrode questioned him and asked the same questions. "What about the humans, Commander?"

"I like the humans. They have a lot of courage to face us the way they do and they're funny. I like their wives and kids, their families. We have a lot of things in common and a lot of experience with each other. I have no problems with humans. But I will say … I don't care for this one," he said nodding to Johnson.

"Why?" Highrode asked.

"He has no respect," Drift said simply.

"For you? For us? For what?" Highrode asked.

"All of that and for himself. He has the opportunity to live on another world among another species, to see and do things that seven billion of his fellows can't. He treats that and those around him like garbage. I don't respect that or him," Drift said.

Highrode stared at him, then nodded. "Thank you. No more questions."

Coln stood. "Commander … does that have any bearing on how you will treat anyone in the line of your duty?"

"No," Drift said. "I just find it surprising how little gratitude Mr. Johnson has for his circumstances. I wouldn't allow that to affect my job but it does baffle me a bit."

"Thank you," Coln said. "No more questions."

Drift joined Ratchet and Springer. Coln turned to the audience noting Prowl and Ratchet among others. "I would call Ambassador Ratchet to the stand."

Ratchet, with surprise stood, then walked up to be sworn in. He turned toward Colie and waited.

"Ambassador, you led the negotiations at all stages for each habitat to be built here, correct?" he asked.

"That's correct," Ratchet aka R said.

"You led the negotiations with Earth2 both in person and via closed circuit transmission. You have a bit of time with the leadership and know them better than the rest of us because of it, correct?" -C2

"Correct. I probably know them as well as anyone," Ratchet said.

"Tell us a bit about the security arrangements and agreements that led to Mr. Johnson being here with his colleagues. I'm told that they number about seven." -C2

"We made an agreement that what happened inside the habitat that didn't involve bodily harm was the purview of the administration there. If there was a murder, battery or an accident that involved death, they would allow us to investigate and help resolve the issue. That would make the situation part of Prime's overall responsibility. Anything short of that was theirs. We also made it clear that the command center with its tech was off limits and part of the sovereign territory of the Prime of Cybertron, rather like consular or embassy territory.

"There was a lot of back and forth but in the end, the agreement we signed together included a number of jurisdictions and special circumstances. Anything that involved harm to a human fell under our review. Anything that led to murder or accidental death would be investigated by us. We're a sovereign and lawfully led entity because of our Prime. Earth2 is a civilian administered corporate entity that has no lawfully elected administration. It has no laws beyond the charter and company rules because it stated it would be so on Earth due to having so much private funding and a corporate board that manages things.

"It's outside the direct interventional purview of the United Nations because of this, though there are general agreements to hold to basic legal frameworks due to the different nationalities, all of which are too general for me to be comfortable with. I believe they need more delineation. Earth 1 is in association with the United Nations and thus, has its own protocols and lawful procedures based on Earth legal systems. Sciences, N.E.S.T. and the Consulate are part of the United Nations dominion and thus, they are held to the laws of Earth as organized through the treaty agreements and various governments that have personnel here.

"Because Earth2 wouldn't place itself under United Nations control, we insisted that there be a framework for legal disputes, criminal conduct and the like between us and them. We wouldn't tolerate unlawful or illegal conduct at the habitat on world. They also had no authority to reject us coming there for such things because they aren't under the umbrella of a country's control and have no diplomatic immunity. They're a business entity. If we didn't insist upon this, Earth2 would be an autonomous entity that could do whatever it wanted. We wouldn't agree to that and that's why it took so long to make this habitat a reality. They agreed and thus, we have standing and they have to subordinate themselves to us when the situation calls for it.

"For this case, when the fight broke out, that wouldn't rise to the level of our intervening if it had been between two humans. But it involved our citizen and it also included the trespassing element. That made it our case and our jurisdiction. Mr. Harris understood that when he sighed the treaty agreements and the security protocols. If any of our people are abused, we can make an arrest. If anyone enters our territory on Earth2 or breaks the rules regarding the colony … say the Temple … we can arrest them. Johnson is here because he broke several rules that Earth2 agreed would trigger our participation when they sighed the agreements. There will be no get out of jail card for anyone here."

"Thank you, Mr. Ambassador."

"Ambassador Ratchet, it would seem that the habitat is rather at the mercy of the Prime," Highrode said. "It would seem that he could intervene when he chose over issues that may or not rise to the level of such action."

"If Prime were that sort of mech, yes. He's not Sentinel, however, and the agreements are painfully explicit on the triggers because we had to go that route with Harris. He argued every minute part of the documents. That's why we are very clear about the legal standing we have in this case. It would be counterproductive to everyone if we didn't follow mutually agreed rules and protocols each time something came up. This is the first time that a human has been arrested here in the entirety of the colony. That is how few times Prime intervenes. If the habitat had submitted to the United Nations, they would have had a less hard time getting certified and handling events like this but they didn't. They wouldn't. And I would like to say, this isn't the wild west. We can't have entities among us that have no laws beyond whatever the management says at the moment. We're a nation of laws, us Cybertronians, and so will the humans be as well."

"I have no more questions," Highrode said.

Ratchet was excused and walked to his chair to sit. Highrode chatted with the humans on his team, then vented a sigh. Frowning, he looked at Harris who shrugged slightly. "Your honor," he said as he turned toward Semi. "I have advised against it but he insists. James Johnson wishes to testify."

:This should be great:

Ratchet glanced at Prowl who was sitting in his chair with his arms crossed over his chassis. A frown of disgust was on his handsome face.

:I certainly hope so, Prowler: Ratchet replied as James Wayne Johnson of Chicago, Illinois was released from his box.

-0-TBC 12-06-17 **edited 1-10-18**


	212. Chapter 212

The Diego Diaries: Finish (dd6 211)

-0-Courtroom

He stood on the table having left his safety box. Staring at the bots he faced, it struck him again how fraught this was. He was going through a first, trial by aliens for offenses against the Peace of The People. There were humans here but he was, at essence, alone. Jim Johnson stared at Semi who calmly stared back. This was a mechanism that was said to be as sentient as he was. He struggled to understand this, the deepest, most incomprehensible part of this whole process. These beings were alive, but how? He wouldn't be alone. Coming to the conclusion that **anyone** who wasn't from Earth was a 'person', let alone those who turned out to be **this** type of alien was hard for many. What did it mean to their hitherto for position as supreme and central in the scheme of creation? What did these beings really think? What did they really believe? When no one was looking, what were they really like. Did they believe in God? Did God believe in **them**?

What? What? Double what?

All of it flashed through his mind as he contemplated what he would say. Then he began. :I would like to ask that my charges be dropped. First of all, I didn't strike first which is absolutely key to any claim on Earth. Secondly, I was impaired. I admit I was drunk. But I had some cause: Johnson began in a more reasoned and reasonable manner than Prowl would have credited him. :I had bad news from Earth and I was drinking more than I should have. I apologize for that. I don't believe the charges of assault and battery are fair. I admit that I entered the elevator and went topside but that was … I was having a hard time with something from back home and I wasn't thinking as clearly as I should.

:On Earth, I tried to be part of N.E.S.T. I wanted to be a striker more than anything else. I wanted to serve my country and have an adventure. Since I was washed out, my career in the military was a dead end and all my dreams of being a warrior over but for this security job. I was hired because I'm damned good at being a soldier, because I have a little experience around you and your people and because Earth2 needs me. I would like a second chance. I made mistakes and broke the rules. But the spirit of being here, to serve my country and people is still intact.

:I would like a second chance. I'm prepared to take my medicine. I'm a warrior and sometimes things aren't always rosy but I'd like to stay and work here. I **want** to be here. Who wouldn't? I want to serve Earth2 and protect the installation and the people there. That's my hope and that's what I want. Thank you: he said grimly.

Semi stared at him, then his counsel. Glancing at Coln-2, he considered that bot's carefully crafted look of neutrality. "Mr. Johnson … without being too bold, what happened on Earth that would cause such an outburst from you? If you wish it to be extenuating circumstance for my decision, and I believe you do, you will have to give me something to work with. This is a very serious set of charges against you. You will also have to tell me how I can ever believe that you would rise above this given your past history with us."

Johnson stared at him. :I would prefer not to do that. It's personal:

Semi glanced at his counsel. Highrode shrugged helplessly. "Then how may I weigh against what you've done with this set of circumstances? You wish that to help your argument but you refuse to share it."

Johnson stared at him, then sighed. "I have a grandfather who was given the diagnosis of cancer. All the members of his family died from it. They smoked. I have little reason to believe that he won't as well. My grandfather is my hero and best friend:

It was quiet in the room as Semi weighed the information. Then he sat back. "Is there more you need to tell me?"

:No. Just that I wish to have a second chance. I'm not afraid to take my lumps. I'm a warrior. But I want to stay and work here: Johnson said.

Semi nodded. "If you wish to give final arguments or summaries, gentlemen, then begin. Mr. Johnson, please stay where you are."

Coln-2 stood. "Your honor, as it stands, Mr. Johnson came here with a predisposition to be trouble. He didn't last very long before he demonstrated it. He assaulted with the intent to batter a citizen and he trespassed on sovereign territory of The People, which in and of itself is an interplanetary breach of the peace. He has an attitude of contempt toward our people and our presence in this system. He has made that clear on television over and over. Even our children aren't exempt from his contempt. I would ask for prison time and expulsion. One or both would satisfy the claim against his behavior for the Prime."

Coln sat.

Highrode who was talking with the three lawyers off line turned to Semi and stood. "Your honor … I'm no expert on humans, their ideas or emotions, but I know about how family problems can make you do stupid things. I appreciate the outrage of the Prime but I ask for mercy. He's ready to pay a penalty with the hope that he can stay and prove himself worthy. I agree that his behavior is egregious and his past troubling but this place is the birthplace of hope and second chances. I would ask for mercy for my client and the possibility of paying a fair debt for his actions. It's our hope that a tracking device and house arrest with the proviso that deportation is the next step will satisfy the Prime. Thank you." He sat.

Semi nodded. "I will consider all of this," he said as he sat and thought about the arguments and testimony. It seemed to take hours before he sat forward to stare at Johnson. Johnson, for his part, stared back equally calmly. "I have gone over the evidence including the film of the ops center showing a very stupid and brutal set of behaviors by you. I've heard testimony and pleas by both sides. I have come to my conclusion.

"You were allowed to come here, a very great honor given that seven billion of your fellow humans can't. You have a history that should have prevented the honor given you to work here but it didn't. I can only imagine what's on your mind, Mr. Harris, for having him here. Given that being said, apparently, there are extenuating circumstances for these actions. I will check them out, Mr. Johnson, and you better be telling the truth. I would hate for you to think I'm a fool."

He considered everyone a moment. "This is a historic moment when the first human being stands in a Cybertronian court for their actions. I am very aware of my responsibilities and duties. I find that you are guilty of trespassing on Cybertronian soil and disturbing the peace. I find you guilty of assault against Tika but not guilty of assault and battery with William Lennox. That's a pass I give you because Lennox was doing his duty and thus, the action falls into a different, more muddled category of action.

"I sentence you to thirty days in jail. You will be returned to the jail here where you will serve all 30 days credited against you. Then you will be transferred to Earth2 where you will be under house arrest for 30 more days. Any further misbehavior from you will result in jail time for the offenses and a lifetime expulsion from Autobot domains. You will be deported and never come back again. I don't believe very much of what you're projecting. I'm no fool. I've seen everything but I also know that this is the place where second chances and redemption was born. You have one more chance after you pay your debt to act accordingly or I will throw you away from here so fast you'll be orbiting Venus before you even notice it. Do I make myself **clear**?"

Johnson who looked enormously ready to explode nodded curtly. :I do:

Semi sat back. "I will also request from the Office of the Primes that a letter be sent to the United Nations governing board for Human Habitation and Development on Mars detailing this offense and our unhappiness that this happened. I don't want anyone anywhere in the human community to think that they will have an easy time if they come here with bad intentions nor do I want misinformation or lies to dictate what has happened here." He leaned forward to the humans on the table. "Spread the word." He sat back, then glanced at Matins. "Prepare to receive the prisoner. If you wish to appeal, you must do so in writing and have points of law that show there are grounds. Append it to Prime's legal aide, Chime. This case is closed." He rose, then watched as Matins picked up Johnson, then walked to the door to disappear inside.

The humans stood up, stretched and turned to Highrode. They began to talk as Coln-2 walked over to them. Blackstone came bearing Bill Tillis and Warren Roberts. Semi who had paused to chat with Silver walked to the door and left the room. Ratchet looked down at Lennox. "Looks like you have half a victory."

:Give him time: Lennox said with a slight grin. :He didn't get to stay because Prime wants him here did he?:

Ratchet grinned. :Ask Prowler:

Prowl glanced at Ratchet, then Lennox. :I can't say:

:Right: Ratchet said as he stood. They gathered, the group, then walked out to the world again. The news would be local any second now, then it would hit the Earth. Literally.

-0-The Hourly News

"Today, a first transpired that most wouldn't want to claim at the Courthouse," Lim-Lee began. "A human security guard at Earth2 was arrested on Thanksgiving Day at the facility for causing an incident during the celebration for the holiday. All of the humans on Mars, from Sciences Habitat, The Family Tower, The United Nations Consulate, Earth1, The Resort, and N.E.S.T. Headquarters gathered at Earth2 to celebrate together. Nearly 6,700 humans were present when an altercation broke out between a security guard by the name of James Wayne Johnson of Chicago, Illinois of the United States of America and a Cybertronian member of the Earth2 support staff, Tika of the Villages. During the altercation, Tika fearing bodily harm fled to the elevator that led upward to the rooftop Operational Center. Johnson followed him and breached Cybertronian sovereign territory by doing so. The elevator rose to the center, then both departed it.

"Director for Human Habitation and senior military officer of the N.E.S.T garrison on-world, Captain William Lennox overrode the codes and with colleagues in tow, followed the two to the operational center. In the heated argument that ensued, there were fisticuffs resulting in Johnson's overpowering and subsequent arrest.

"Preliminary information suggests that Mr. Owen Harris, Director and Comptroller of Earth2 attempted to negotiate a solution but was denied. Chief Springer and Sub Commander Drift of Autobot Empire Security and The Day and Night Watch arrived and took Mr. Johnson into custody. This morning, the hearing and subsequent decision was reached regarding this case. Judge Semi of Iacon has concluded that James Johnson is guilty of territorial trespass, assault upon a Cybertronian national but not of assault and battery regarding Captain Lennox. Mr. Johnson will be spending thirty orns in jail followed by 30 orns of house arrest at Earth2. Any further infractions by Mr. Johnson will be dealt with vis-a-vis further court action and a permanent lifelong expulsion from any and all Autobot territories including Mars.

"The Office of the Primes has just received the finding, then reviewed and affirmed it. Mr. Johnson has the right of appeal though it isn't clear that he will exercise it. Right now, he was taken into the jail to spend his time in special quarters for humans. This entire process follows the charters and treaties designed and ratified by the leadership of Earth2 and the Prime via his ambassador and chief negotiator, Ratchet of Iacon.

"After the break for local news from the Community Bulletin Board, we will come back to discuss this with Warren Roberts, Chief Agent for the Prime and Autobot Nation, Robert Gleason, chief counsel for the Earth2 Corporation, Coln-2, Prosecutor of the Prime's Brief, and Highrode who was lead attorney for Johnson. We will be right back."

-0-MCA

"What do you think? This is a historic if depressing moment in human-bot history," a talking head said on a news show linked in to the story.

"It was bound to happen. Johnson, James Johnson is a strange individual to be on Mars. His history against the whole idea of aliens even **being** in the system is well known. He was washed out of N.E.S.T. because of his views and has been outspoken in his beliefs. Owen Harris who leads Earth2 should have to explain his inclusion and that of Sam Hedges on-world." a military commentator said.

"I've not been very happy about the arrangement myself," a conservative former congressman said, "regarding the control center of Earth2. No human is allowed up there and they've made it their sovereign territory, right in the middle of ours."

"They can't share the tech with outsiders but they worked around their treaty prohibitions by running the tech themselves and sharing it that way. We've been through this a million times. They have treaties that prevent others from having or knowing about their tech. They could just as well have told us we couldn't be there because of that but they haven't. We have how many habitats on Mars now?" another commentator asked.

"That one, Earth2, Earth1, the U.N. Consulate, Sciences, the N.E.S.T. garrison, The Resort, The Family Tower … seven? How hard can it be to follow the rules? It was only a matter of time before this happened," another said.

It would go on like that for days all over the world.

-0-Outside on the way out

"You're going to be famous for a while, Lennox. There's going to be those that will burn you in effigy," Ratchet said to the human rolling along with them.

:Fuck 'em: Lennox said with a grin.

"Succinct and to the point," Drift said with a chuckle. "Where are you going now?"

:To lunch at the Science Habitat. Everyone is going there to celebrate the verdict: Lennox said. :I hope him being here still is worth the hassle of him still being here:

"I have no idea what you mean," Prowl said with a grin. They waved as he took off across the airfield as he made his way to the Science Habitat. Prowl glanced at the others. "I have no idea why Optimus wants him to stay but I've learned to be patient."

"He's a loose cannon and therefore, someone who can be useful in some future moment," Ratchet said. "Take it from me, the 'mother of loose cannons'. Optimus has his ways."

"He does," Prowl said.

"Do tell," Ratchet said as he waggled his optical ridges.

Prowl stared coolly at Ratchet, then smirked slightly. "Loon."

"I never said I was perfect," Ratchet said as he stepped out to head for town.

"And you never will," Prowl said with a grin as he stepped out to follow him.

Drift and Springer watched them, then glanced at each other. "I do believe that winger insulted Mom."

"He did," Drift said as they stepped out together. "What a cad," he said as they hoofed it after the two and faded into the hangar district hoo-haw.

-0-TBC 12-07-17 **edited 1-10-18**

cad: someone who isn't nice or honorable. A very old fashioned word. :D


	213. Chapter 213

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 213)

-0-In the human world

It was dull and tense at Earth2 among the population. The news was playing on the monitors and televisions everywhere. Business and science was ongoing and the schools were open. The monstrous facility was going great guns but there was a feeling among the population that something had happened that might not be put back together. Gathered in groups, at work stations, in the common spaces, those who lived here talked in hushed tones as the day went forward. There were dozens and dozens of requests to talk to inhabitants from Earth media organizations but that was still off the table due to management directives.

"This is crap," Monica Hadden said to her husband as they worked together on a row of carrots in a field of the farm on the third floor. They were researching the growth of the plants for a number of mission programs.

Zak Hadden was a plant geneticist who was not only hopeful of working with the Hu-An but putting together new ideas about growing food that would help with future colonization of the planet. They were hopeful given the promising data thus far that they would be able to grow all of their own food in five years for every habitat on Mars that was home to humans. "I know. I asked to go to the Hu-An habitat three days ago and got an e-mail this morning from Harris saying that we were going to have to wait and see."

"This is going to come to no good, Zak," Monica said as she stood up to go refill the water pitcher. They were hand watering a group of isolated plants to ascertain the difference from direct application of water over diffused irrigation. It had implications regarding rainfall and the lack of it here. "Everyone is furious."

Zak nodded. "I know. I think Harris better explain this to all of us to our own satisfaction because right now, the presence of those guys is a detriment to the mission. I'm furious that I have to wait."

She nodded, then walked down the rows to the path that divided the massive 'fields' from each other. Nearby, a stand of trees and other kinds of forest-type plants grew in a stand that was very popular to everyone here. It was a short walk to the station buildings along the wall where their labs were. She filled the water pitcher, then paused long enough to listen to the talking heads on programs from Earth over the MCA.

"The treaties between Mars and Earth give them full right to arrest, detain, judge, and punish those who break the law on world. There's nothing we can do about this. We have treaties," one talking head was saying. "Everyone was informed and instructed. We have not had problems until now and that's pretty amazing considering there are 5,000 or so humans living at Earth2 alone."

"The letter from the Prime's office was very clear. This individual trespassed on Cybertronian soil and therefore, has no recourse to the outcome short of appealing to Prime. It was made very clear to all of them that they would be held accountable to Cybertronian law if they broke them," still another said, the host who was named Phil Cartney.

"They would have an easier time holding him by sending him to Earth to fulfill his sentence," a woman by the name of Kate Keller said. "We can take them and have them serve here. Frankly, I don't like the idea that in the middle of the facility, the center is off limits and considered territory of Prime. Its the heart of the entire thing and frankly, we should have our own people trained to do the jobs there in case something happens. For nothing other than back up, we should have that option."

"The bots built the facility. The building is hundreds of years more advanced than what we can put forward now. Our people wouldn't be in any shape to do anything by the time they reached Mars via our tech. The radiation alone would damage their brains. They would die of cancer," Phil said. "I find it … incredibly ungrateful that anyone would hold such views, Kate."

"It isn't **about** a lack of gratitude," she began before the other woman on the panel, Lisa Mandrake, cut her off.

"It is. Its also about honoring our word and commitments. We don't even have a facility on the moon. We decided to skip that intermediate step and go for Mars. If we had to do it ourselves, we couldn't go to either without tremendous effort, cost and danger. We'd still be tinkering over some tiny plan right now without the bots. Our people can live in comfort, have state-of-the-art facilities and labs, do massive advanced research on everything we need to know, and get to learn about the system and other species. I don't hear gratitude here. After all, he **did** break the law and make a spectacle of himself. He's a loose cannon and Harris needs to explain what he's doing there, he and the others," Lisa said.

"Kate, this is autonomous territory," Matt Lewis said. He was a science reporter for their station. "We agreed in advance. We don't have the right or luxury to change our minds because we don't like what's going on. That being said, I think the committee needs to explain why these individuals are there. The bots give intensive security to the human community so having former mercenaries on the job is a bit of overkill."

"I agree," Phil said.

"They don't inside. The bots don't come inside." Kate said. "There has to be someone inside to keep order and handle problems. I just don't like the idea that the facility has places that we can't enter. It makes you wonder what they're doing there."

"They're keeping our people alive," Lisa said. "It was mutually agreed upon that this area was off limits for reasons of tech and personal security. Now is not the time to argue about that. The management of the facility signed off and so did all the related governments."

It would do on like that as Monica walked back to the field with a full pitcher of water. It would stick in her gut as she did.

-0-At the jailhouse

He stood in his cell watching the goings on outside the clear box windows. There were mechs coming and going, then a small femme that he had seen at games, Maxi who arrived with an armload of datapads. She left some, picked up others, then walked back out. Glancing at him, she smirked as she left. He frowned at her as she went.

The desk sargent changed with every 12 hours that passed. The mechs who worked here were uniformly massive and if he wasn't so pissed, amusing. They worked hard when prisoners came in, then hung out shooting the shit together at the doorway, in the lounge nearby or with the desk sargent. It could have been any barracks he had ever occupied. That was weird to see. He walked to his couch, a transparent molded shape with clear air cushions for comfort. His berth nearby was also clear and his blankets, strangely soft and completely clear were laying on it with an air filled pillow. Everything was clear including the monitor which played everything the bots showed. Nothing was left to chance.

He didn't know that the box had every kind of sensor attached to it that was possible so he wouldn't be able to harm himself. He just knew he was stuck here for thirty days. He sat on the couch, then turned up the sound on the monitor. A talk show on the MCA was playing.

"... don't have a facility on the moon. We decided to skip that intermediate step and go for Mars. If we had to do it ourselves, we couldn't go to either without tremendous effort, cost and danger. We'd still be tinkering over some tiny plan right now without the bots. Our people can live in comfort, have state-of-the-art facilities and labs, do massive advanced research on everything we need to know, and get to learn about the system and other species. I don't hear gratitude here. After all, he **did** break the law and make a spectacle of himself. He's a loose cannon and Harris needs to explain what he's doing there, he and the others," a blond woman was saying.

He frowned. It was clear to him that he had few friends on the air. He sat and watched the screen alternating between movies, shows and news. He was front and center on all of the commentary programs on Earth. He grinned slightly. Owen Harris owed him large.

-0-Home

"Get that."

"Here."

"Thanks." Ratchet carried the tiny trees to the window and put them in a row. The bigger tree was already in place with its lights going strong. The windows were draped by the lights that he had gotten for them years before. Hanging things up, setting things around, he looked at everything critically.

Ironhide walked to his chair. He had Halo on his arm. Sitting, he grinned. "Shiny."

"It sure looks it," Ratchet said. "Do you think we need something new?"

"Probably but don't ask me to get it," Ironhide said. "I'm too comfortable."

"Then I suppose I have to get Prowler?" Ratchet said with a grin.

"That would be really ho-ho-ho of you, slagger. Halo and I were going to have a spark-to-spark together."

"Well, we can't stop up the lines of communication," Ratchet said with a grin. "I'll get him. You still have to do the homework. I have a lot of case work to finish up and I want to see what Lucien's up to. He's my new minion after all. What kind of tyrant would I be if I didn't go in and rain on his parade?"

"There's that," Ironhide said with a grin. "I'll take care of Prowler and the family has the others. They're taking them to their lessons at the dojo and Sunny to dance class at Aerie Hill." He watched as Ratchet gathered his work into his work bag, then kissed Halo's little face. "Sounds like a plan," he said. Kissing Ironhide, he walked out to do his daily duty. The door slowly closed.

Ironhide watched it, then looked at his daughter. "I think it's time for The Promises," he said as he stroked her cheek gently. She smiled at him and he grinned back. "Your old dad is from Praxus and we make promises about our infants according to The Code. You'll learn about The Code. Your old ada smacks me with it a lot. I promise to take care of you forever. I promise to help you always. I promise to give you a good life. Whatever you need, you tell me. I wouldn't want to miss something you needed because you didn't tell me."

She smiled at him and he grinned back.

"You're a cute little slagger. Your old ada did a good job on you. You're going to be as pretty as your sisters. Some fine orn, I'll make these promises to you when you can understand me. Until then, just consider it a given. Your family loves you. So ..." He grinned. "Let's talk munitions."

She smiled again.

-0-On the way to the 33rd floor

Ratchet walked down the hallway to the suite of rooms where the diplomatic business of the Department of State happened. Entering, he chatted with a number of those working there, then headed for the office that was Lucien's. Pausing in the doorway, he watched as Lucien was working on a contract that was prompted to them by the Ecuadorian government. "You look busy."

Lucien glanced up, then sat back. "It's interesting enough," he said. There was a lot of work there and it required review and study.

"Good to hear," Ratchet said. "The humans are interesting as well. Right now, they aren't altogether happy about what's going on."

"Given the treaties, that would be a tenuous position to hold at best," Lucien said.

Ratchet nodded. "Prime said it best. They're a young species with much to learn. By the way, we're going to Diego Garcia in a few orns. I'll let you know when the meetings are firmed up. There's more discussion about the new habitat and access to the colony. I think they're going to start pushing for more habitats and more humans here. This event doesn't help that but we have to talk. We were going to go over the rules and such anyway but this makes it rather different in tone and outlook."

He nodded. "Very well."

Ratchet stared at him a moment, then grinned. "See ya." With that, he walked out, bantered a moment with the staff, made two decisions that had been pending, then left to go upstairs.

Lucien watched him go but said nothing. He turned back to his work, something that never seemed to diminish no matter how hard he tried.

-0-Prowl

He looked at the list of work that was coming due. Another migration was showing up and there were ghosts on the edge of their sensors that might or not be Decepticons. The Tall White ship that had left Earth some time ago was nearly at the station that their people kept in space for travel and communications, the one that was destroyed. It was the first one, the one that was open to another dimension. It would be time to see what he did when he passed. It was assumed that he was going to his home world by sleeper ship so it would be interesting to see if there was going to be any attempt to talk to the now-destroyed station. Time would tell.

He keyed in the datapad to look at the shenanigans of Razorclaw and his mechs. They were getting intercepted messages that he and his ships were menacing alien worlds on the other side of the dividing line between Prime and the Decepticon leader. They would have to step in and slag Razorclaw hard. They were told not to bother anyone and they were doing this anyway.

He watched as the door opened and Prime walked out. Grinning, he walked onward heading for the Prep school to pick up his daughters. It was that time. Prime would arrive there just about the same time as Ratchet.

-0-TBC 12-09-17 **edited 1-10-18**

NOTES

Guester: Thank you for the comment. I am juggling 12 pages front and back of threads. I will add your comment. I love it when someone sees something and lets me know. I have about six or seven viewpoints going at the same time and I might not get all the angles and nuances of each person as I go. That's where you guys shine. Thank you so much. ADDED! :D

ESL:

tenuous: (ten-U-us) something that's not very sure or stable. A fraying rope bridge is tenuous.


	214. Chapter 214

The Diego Diaries: New Playah (dd6 214)

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Smokescreen sat at communications doing his duty. Tonight, he would join Dev for a poker tournament in the Central Labor Hall's Veteran's Hall. They were going to slay, he thought, then a communication came through from Caminus. He tapped the link. "Ops Center, Autobot City."

"This is the Mistress of Flame," a beautiful femme said when her image appeared on the screen overhead. "I must talk to Optimus Prime. It's important."

"I'll page him, Mistress," Smokescreen said as he commed the Prime's office.

"Prime here."

"Optimus … the Mistress of Flame has asked to speak to you," Smokescreen said.

"Please transfer the call to my office, Smokescreen," Optimus said.

"I'm transferring you now, Mistress," Smokescreen said.

Optimus Prime waited in his office with Prowl and Magnus. They were going over the latest local and Cybertronian business as well as preparing the agenda for the meeting in two orns. The monitor overhead came into being, then the Mistress of Flame appeared. She bowed her helm, then looked at him. "Greetings, Lord Optimus. I am speaking to you from Caminus."

"I have reports from Caminus that all is well with the transfer, Mistress. The two gas giants are making a big difference in the condition of your system," Optimus said.

"They are," she replied. "They've encouraged a good 15% of the debris in the system to draw to them. The impacts are rather spectacular but not of any consequence to bring worry. That's being raised among us through soundings over the Deep Space Array recently installed here. We've gotten a lot of hits from the device which we amplified through the System Amplifier Array near the alien trade routes. We've picked up Decepticon signals, a lot of them coming from several different directions heading toward one."

Prime nodded as Prowl rose and left the room. "I understand. Have you sent us the data?"

"It's on its way, Lord Optimus. We've studied it and it would appear that a lot of the big groups that had been stationed past Junk, even past the Benzuli are coming this way," she said. "We've picked up radio traffic between ships and that of Razorclaw's redoubt."

Prime nodded as Magnus sat back in his chair. "This would be a reasonable expectation, Lady. We will be seeking a forward base your way and build an interdiction team to be placed there should anything come your direction. Until we see the data, we can not tell you more than that. It was going to be part of our planning anyway given that we have to find a good home for Cybertron and the local system planets. There are other places that require transfer as well."

Prowl walked back in with a datapad filled with information. He sat and worked through it, then glanced at Optimus. "There are several big groups that appear to be going to a place of meeting. Some of them come from the Rim, some from past the Benzuli and a few from the outer edges of the empire that border the Barren." Prowl frowned. "They appear to be contacting Razorclaw as well."

Prime nodded. "Then we have to get more information. We need to know where they are precisely and whatever we can about their forces and numbers."

She nodded. "We will continue to monitor the situation. Right now, we're helpless to put forward forces to defend Caminus."

"That will be taken care of, Mistress. I will be back in touch with you once we find out what the threat is and then plan a defense. Right now, we need more information. Please send what you discover to us directly. We will be sending out data seekers to augment that." Prime glanced at Prowl. "We need to call a meeting of the senior Autobots right now." He looked at the Mistress. "We will be calling upon you shortly, Mistress."

She nodded, then bowed her helm. "Thank you, Lord Optimus. Call upon us. We will do what we can." The screen changed back to the logo of the Primes. It was silent a moment, then Prime glanced at Prowl. "I would like Typhoon, Dangerous and Clipper to come to the meeting as well as Metroplex and Fortress Maximus."

Prowl nodded and put out the call.

-0-Within moments

They gathered in the big conference room, the grounders and fliers of the colony and Cybertron. Called in from Cybertron, trailing their sullen charges behind them, Ironhide's family arrived together. Following them, trailing Lucien as his assistant, Ratchet entered as well. Sitting by the wall looking put out, Keystock and Cargo glanced up at Lucien with surprise. He took a seat by them, the three watching as the military elite of the Empire of the Primes gathered.

Springer and Drift stood with Rainmaker who was here with the Seeker Command. They were discussing something amusing but it was hard to tell given the conversations among those filtering in. Barron was there along with Magnus, the Autobot femme unit that was famous even among the Diaspora, a lot of soldiers, some of which they knew and most they didn't, many of the metro-titans including the leadership, the elder soldiers and more, all of them walking in to sit.

Raptor turned to the three against the wall. "You will sit here and listen. You will be on your oath to keep what you hear to yourself. If you break that oath then I will ask the Former Decepticon Association to take you into the desert and put you through a gauntlet. Do you understand?" he asked as behind him looking grim, his father, son and grandson watched.

Lucien glanced at Cargo and Keystock, then nodded. "Of course."

Raptor looked at the other two. They nodded. "You get no warnings and there will no appeals or recourse if you break your word," Raptor said as he turned to the table and pulled a chair. More entered, then the door closed. Prowl who was having a conversation with Prime off line turned to the group. He nodded to Devcon who was sitting next to Smokescreen to turn on the monitor and put through the other participants. The Mistress of Flame appeared and so did Soundwave from Cybertron.

It shocked Lucien and the two youngsters to see him, the deeply hated face of the enemy but they said nothing.

"We have news from the Mistress of Flame from Caminus that there is a big group of Decepticons filtering into the local area from different reaches of the Empire still under Decepticon control. If you would tell us what you have determined, Mistress, that would be helpful."

She nodded, the bowed to Prime. "We have the benefit and responsibility of maintaining the sensor output of the Deep Space Array newly installed since Caminus was transferred to this system around Tau Ceti. It reaches far into the unexplored and still Decepticon-controlled areas of the local group and many sectors beyond that could mean trouble. We've had soundings of several groups converging on a point that we amplified through the System Amplifier Array near the ancient alien trade routes. They appear to be coming from different areas, past Junk, past the Benzuli, the Rim, the edges that are unmapped by our side along the Bootes constellation which by the way might be home to the Tall Whites.

"The point of convergence as calculated by everyone's current direction of travel is a small system with a number of hard rocky planets. They seem to be heading that way but they could change direction," Spiria said. She looked as grim as she did when she had to find help to save Caminus.

"You mentioned that they've exchanged communications with Razorclaw," Prowl said.

She nodded. "We have evidence of transmissions between the two different groups but nothing definitive. It could be that they're meeting up to decide what to do because Cybertron has fallen to Lord Optimus or they don't know anything yet. It could be that they're sending feelers out to make alliances or not. We don't know enough to do more than speculate."

Prime nodded. "We need more information. We need to know where they are going. Is there going to be a meet up between them? Will they make alliances together then? Will they go to Razorclaw? What do they bring to the table? What sort of resources do they have alone or together? I would like to know who they are, the leadership. Are they regular Decepticon army or are they something even worse?"

It was silent. Then Starscream leaned forward. "We need to have information but we don't want to tip off the groups that we're as powerful as we are or that we draw them into something we don't want to have. They're going to be halfway between Cybertron and Mars if the pathway shown on the screen is going to hold. They could break either way and Cybertron is in no condition to have a fight on their servos."

"We do have over 1,800 metro-formers on world if the worst possible scenario plays out, but it would be catastrophic if they have to leave or even transform to fight," Rainmaker said. "What I want to know definitively is simple. Are there Seekers among them? If so, then we need to peel them off. Maybe they don't know about us. Maybe they don't know clearly about us. There could be families in the group that might be persuaded to defect. We have no clear information but I'd be surprised if there weren't Seekers in the group."

Starscream nodded. "And I, Leader," he said. "We need to send flights that are swift and capable of deep space scanning. Perhaps a ship with tech that can also do the same. We can make a swift scan, then leave. We can operate on Decepticon frequencies so that they remain in the dark about us and what we represent. The less they know, the better it is for us."

Prime nodded. "I agree," he said. "I will leave that to your expert hands. If you require a shuttle with deep space capabilities, Wheeljack and Perceptor can manage that aspect. We would need a strong security element. I want that to operate on Decepticon frequencies and if there is any visual contact, then limit it to one or two mechs as spokesmen for the group. They will require Decepticon camouflage both for the ships and for those who would speak."

"We can do that, Prime. We can fly security for the Seekers, a number of shuttles with big firepower," Hercy said as Kup nodded.

"I don't like the idea of Decepticon drag but I'm game," Kup said.

Laughter greeted that, then they turned back to Prime. "Typhoon, I would like a dreadnought reassigned to Caminus," Optimus said. "Maybe even two. I will leave that up to you, Metroplex and Fortress Maximus to decide upon. Perhaps one will suffice. I want a major force of firepower on site in case they decide to explore our way. We do not need to hide your faction, Typhoon, because you are there to explicitly protect Caminus. Everyone already knows that Caminus is allied with the Autobots."

Ty nodded. "We can work that out and head out immediately. Command us, Prime," he said as the others nodded.

"Thank you," Prime said. "Right now, we need to be ready for anything. I do not have enough information to decide beyond probing them and reinforcing Caminus. Once we know more, we can act. I want Cybertron on a level 2 alert, Soundwave. I want the local area to be ready to do what is needed if the time comes. Turn the local area arrays to cover a 180 degree radius of space from the local group to Caminus. That will alert us to the prospect of any of these individuals heading toward Cybertron. If that happens, we will bring the hurt."

Soundwave nodded. "It will be done, Prime," he said with a grim expression. He was nothing if not a home boy.

Cyclonus who was watching him with a dark expression said nothing. If he had a chance, he would carve Soundwave into confetti. He looked at Prime. "I would like to go with the group, Prime. I would like to listen in on the communications. I might know who some of them are if I hear them. I spent a lot of time in the Bootes and out on the edges of the Benzuli."

"Granted," Prime said with a nod. "We need to build a picture ultra fast. Right now, I want to speak to Razorclaw."

Smokescreen turned to the console behind him and input data. He waited, then turned to Prime. "The message is sent," he said. They sat a moment waiting silently, then a signal was returned. Smokescreen glanced at Prime. "Do you want audio only or do you want this on screen?"

"On screen," Prime said.

Razorclaw's face appeared on the monitor, a face with intelligence and ruthlessness, one who noted everyone in the room. He looked at Prime. "You rang?" he asked.

"I would like information, Razorclaw. There are soundings of ships coming this way. I also have confirmation that they have contacted you and you have replied. Tell me now," Prime said coldly.

"I get a lot of messages, Prime. I receive them and I answer them. Mostly, they're groups passing through," Razorclaw said. "They don't like that Cybertron has fallen to you but they accept it, mostly, and move on."

"Move on to you," Ironhide said darkly. "Tell me where I'm wrong."

Razorclaw glanced at Ironhide. "I wouldn't say no if they come."

"You should," Prime said. "I would consider it a personal insult if you did otherwise. I am not going to allow anymore dangerous mechs into this system. It would not take much to break you into confetti, Razorclaw, and it would do you a lot of good to remember that."

"Perhaps, Prime, but a lot of others would get hurt, too," Razorclaw replied. "I have no interest in disturbing the balance of power between us. I have my domain and you have yours. When others want to play, I can hardly be blamed for that."

"If they cross into my domain, I will," Prime said. "Prime out." The screen went back to the logos. It was silent a moment. "He would take them in a minute. I want him monitored. We know he has some bridge tech. I want to know if he has anything big enough to get him to a meet up spot out by Tau Ceti or if he's going to have to go a part of the distance by ship first. I want information. Until then, we wait. Wait and plan."

The others nodded. The conversation continued, then the group broke up to go and put into motion their part of the operation. Rising, then following Ratchet and Raptor out of the room, Cargo, Keystock and Lucien waited quietly in the rec room as the others filtered out. Blackjack, Alor and Hardie paused beside Ironhide and Ratchet. "Well, I think I've been given command of the group," Hardie said. He glanced at Cargo. "Lucky you. You just might see action yet."

Cargo glanced at Hard Drive with alarm but didn't say anything. Keystock looked tense and Lucien disquieted. Raptor turned to the three. "You three have never seen the end result of your slag. Now you will. I'll make sure that you're on a ship going out. All you have to do is sit and watch what happens. It's one thing to command a war into being and another to be there fighting it. Maybe you need to see what happens when an arm chair general decides to kill other people's soldiers." He glanced at his father. "I have to go to Cybertron but I'll be back in three joors. Will the planning be held in the sub ops center?"

Hardie nodded. "It will. Meet us there."

Raptor nodded, then glanced at Keystock. "Shake a leg, infant. We have things to do." With that, he walked onward to the bridge room with a shaken but stoic Keystock following.

The others broke up with Ratchet walking to the Medical Center with a silent Lucien. Ratchet glanced at him. "Nothing? No comments? No greater wisdom of the high caste variety? Maybe you can tell me what a piss poor slagger Prime is again?" Ratchet asked as they crossed the street heading for uptown.

Lucien had nothing to say.

-0-TBC 12-10-17 **edited 1-10-18**

NOTE:

Bootes Constellation: Huge constellation, the plowman. There are little diacritical marks over the oh's, two dots and each oh is pronounced. Bou-outis, which emphasis on the last syllable. It is a strange part of space with almost no galaxies in it. It's an empty or nearly empty area of space.


	215. Chapter 215

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 215)

-0-At a house near their own house

" **AMMA!"**

"What, my little angel?"

"Why you dis? We doing it. Going there and doing it, We doing it for the shes?" Orion asked as he stared at the boxes of Christmas Surprise stuff that his ammas and appas had brought up from their storage room in the basement of their tower. **"WE HELPEDED LOU!?"** he asked as it all sunk in.

"Of course," Docker said with a smile. "How could we ever do it without you?"

" **SKU-WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"**

After pulling four little kids back from plunging head first into the decoration boxes, ammas and appas showed them the tree and their job. They were to hang the ornaments while the adults took pictures, then everyone would have a treat. After pulling out carefully wrapped ornaments, the little kids began to take them as carefully to the tree and hang them. All of them did but Prowler who walked back and forth with Hero, Orion and Praxus, smiling brilliantly as he dragged his panda bear behind him. He seemed content to be a companion rather than a decorator.

It would take a while, especially when Praxus, Hero and Orion would 'consult' about this and that decoration and where it should belong. When it was all done, they stepped back to look at it. Then Orion turned to Corr, Docker, Appa Ratchet, and Chan. **"AMMAS AND APPAS! WE DOING!"**

"You sure did, my babies," Corr said with a big smile. The Christmas tree was heavily decorated. That is, it was as far up as the little kids could reach. It would take Sunspot and the three big boys to come and rearrange the decorations so they went all the way to the top. Until then, the four lined up in front of the tree for more pictures, then joined their doting grandparents at the table for a treat.

-0-Ratchet and Lucien

They rode up the elevator together, then Ratchet stepped out, turning to Lucien as he did. "I need your opinions, impressions, etc, for what you heard. Understand, we took a chance including you so if you break this trust, then a gauntlet is waiting for you in the desert."

Lucien stared at Ratchet, then stepped off the elevator. He looked at Ratchet with a cool gaze. "When I give my word, I keep it. As for the information, its disquieting and worrisome. I'm not fully briefed on the military capabilities of the Prime but I'm assuming he can meet a force adequately."

"You forget … they're trying to link up with Razorclaw. He has over 250,000 troops himself," Ratchet said. "If this group gets with them then we have the game changed. Caminus is close to this meet up spot. The forces moving in appear to be large. We have a situation, Lucien. Given that you never fought a fight that didn't include a plate of snacks at a staff meeting, I want to know what you think about having a fighting Prime as opposed to the poseur Sentinel or Nominus. Say what you will about Zeta and I could go on forever, that slagger knew how to lead an army."

"Sentinel was a soldier. He knew how to fight," Lucien said.

"But he didn't know how to lead," Ratchet said. "Anyone can order an army into combat. Look at Earth. The last 50 years there show what a folly it is to follow a fool. We have a genuine bonafide war leader and genius of strategy. He's all around, Our Optimus. A genius at combat and a genius at politics and government. I just want you to know that because you're going with us when we stand out. I want you to see what its like to taste your own bile."

Lucien stared at him. "You can't order that of me. I'm a political attache for the department."

"And I'm going to need my attache, slagger. You think you can do a better job than Prime and me? I'm going to test that theory. You **will** come if I have to send the Mounties to get you," Ratchet said. "You better get at it. We won't stand out until its necessary. They don't appear to have bridges so its giving us time to figure out what's going on and who they are. When I call for you, you better come or I'll have your ball bearings in a jar on my desk." Ratchet stared at him evenly, holding his gaze, then turned to walk down the hallway toward a desk where someone was working. He paused there to begin to give standby orders.

Lucien stared at him, a churning in his gut an unusual feeling since he usually won encounters with words, not fists. He walked into his office to go back to the job. He wouldn't tell Laslo about this fragged turn of events unless he had to. Until then, he would do his job. Ratchet could do what he wanted regarding his condition. He had mentor rights as per The Code and there was nothing Lucien could do about it. If he didn't follow the rules or complained, it would be the death knell of The System of Exception and he knew it. It was either followed or it wasn't. His complaint would be the end of things for him in that regard.

The door to the office complex closed slowly behind him.

-0-In the sub floor Operational Center of The Fortress

Metroplex, Typhoon, Dangerous, Clipper, Caminus, and Fortress Maximus sat around a table nearby the operational complex of the sub floor command center, the emergency center if things were fragged above and the planning center for most of the commanders to work out missions. Metroplex and the others studied the big roll out map datapad that was getting direct feeds of the latest data from upstairs.

"The signals are going to be too close to Caminus for my comfort when they reach the projected convergence point," Metroplex was saying.

Nearby working on their part of the planning, Raptor and Hard Drive were discussing configurations with others who were there and some who were on monitors overhead. They had their data map and were going over it as well. It was calm and intense as the different groups around the room put together proposals for Prime to make decisions. It was like it was for generations of campaigns, though the snacks and surroundings were many planetary diameters better than usual.

"What do you think about moving Clipper and Dangerous to the Tau Ceti system?" Max asked Typhoon. "They can be on station and ready to deploy. What about staying in ship mode so you can fight?"

Clipper nodded. "That would be optimal," he said. "What about it, Ty? Do you want to go out there and have one of us here to manage the infants or do you want to stay here and do that yourself?"

Typhoon was lost in deliberation as he considered that. "You have a great ability, Danny, to take out big ships and no one fields Seekers like you, Clipper. I think Max is right. You deploy and I can be there in seconds."

They nodded, then continued. They would build a two pronged plan for dealing with the developing situation and for keeping Razorclaw in check. It would take all of the dreads and Supremes on world including Tennyson from the dimensional rift to make the show box office.

-0-In a house near a house a bit later

" **AMMA! THAT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL!** Why are the decorations so low?" Sunspot asked as he stood in the living room of his grandparent's house.

"The babies took care of the first wave of decorating," Corr said as he took the book bags of four kids, three very tall and one very small. "Now you have to spread them out."

" **POT! WE DOING!"** Orion said with a big excited smile. "We camed here and doing for the shes." He looked up at Corr. "You my she," he said. He looked at Quasar, Genesis, Fireball, and Sunspot with a grin. "They my shes."

Fireball snickered, then picked Orion up to hug him. "You're so cute. Where's Halo?" he asked as he looked around.

"Atar got she," Orion said as he was put down on the floor again. "We going to this. You doing?" he asked glancing way up again.

"I think so. Why don't you watch?" Genesis said as he plucked the little kids up and put them on the table nearby. "Do you want them higher up, Amma?" he asked Corr.

"I think that would be wonderful," Corr said as the others nodded. "While you do that, we can get you a treat. You must be terribly hungry after all that education."

"We are, Amma," Quasar said. "I heard that Ammas and Appa might be deploying shortly."

"They might," Docker said. "We will be taking care of you children. All you have to do is go to school and be happy," she said as she put big pastries on a platter. "We can figure that out when it comes. Right now, our tree is sort of in need of some rearranging," she said with a smile.

"We're on it, Amma," Genesis said as he bent down to remove some of the ornaments. It would take a while but they would be placed higher up and spread out evenly. It would be beautiful.

-0-Seekers

They flew up in quantities, those fleet mechanisms with huge scanner capabilities. They would be accompanied by heavy gunners and three heavily armed battle shuttles. Several hard bitten mechs would command them and the crews were veteran Wrecker and former 'Con ship boarding experts. When they gathered on the tarmac of the airfield, they were given the go ahead and soon lifted off to be bridged toward the oncoming enigma. As they did, Clipper and Dangerous were given the go to head for Caminus twelve light years away in the Tau Ceti system.

-0-Out on the DMZ

Clipper and Dangerous materialized on the command deck of their ships. Chromia on Clipper along with Maelstrom and Arcee on Dangerous worked with the two to get them into flight mode and on their way. The ships disgorged their Seeker flights, all of them swarming out like hornets out of a fallen nest. When they were clear, the brilliant and unsettling sight of a battle station transforming to a ship filled the darkness with lights and movement. It would take a while and the number of moving parts almost made the vessels look like they were boiling.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City

"What is the word on the dreadnoughts, Prowl?" Prime asked as he walked from the conference room toward the command table.

Prowl looked at the datapad with incoming intel. "They're transforming to ship mode and should bridge out in about half a joor." He sat back. "This could be a chance for Razorclaw to probe our defenses."

Prime nodded as he sat. "He could. He could also die today."

Prowl smirked slightly. "Sounds like a winner," he said. "They always throw a wrench into our holiday seasons."

"They do. We are going to throw it back. Hard." Prime sat forward to study the datapad. As he did, the last Seekers lifted off on the airfield outside to go to the Trigger to make their way toward Tau Ceti. A short time later, two gigantic dreadnought ships were gathering in their Seekers to bridge their way to the same place. They would do so without hiding themselves from anyone out there who might be looking.

Caminus and the Forgefire Parliament would be looking. Some time later, others would be as well.

-0-TBC 12-11-17 **edited 1-10-18**

NOTES:

LEONESS: I found the site down last night. I got nothing and just as weirdly, it came back on. Good to know you're getting alerts. :D

NASA is going to release new information about 'alien news', their words, and its going to be Thursday. I'm not sure if its about 'aliens', exoplanets like Earth that have our atmosphere and thereby, might have aliens, communications from aliens, etc. They just said Thursday they would report this 'exciting' news. Remember, these are uber nerds, so their ideas of 'EXCITING NEWS' might not be like everyone elses. :D

GUESTER: Now that Partition is shaping up to be a model citizen, is he going to own up about his part in the drug running? He supposedly carried the drugs in diplomatic pouches, or that's what you wrote when the drug guys came to Mars. I guess you have dropped that line a bit with all the other stuff happening. Too bad you don't have Prowl's processor, you could keep all the different story lines running smoothly...

ME: Redemption is not a linear line usually. He will and Burris is being pushed by Anders to do the same. They will. But it won't be as fast as you would think. There's a lot of shame about the past and it doesn't actually help things move along very quickly. Its on the thread list but it won't be an easy step for Partition. He's flying and he's changing but that's a shameful thing and he has to consider it. Having Lancer on his mind will help him make all the moves he needs to make but not as fast as maybe he should. :D

Mounties: Shorthand for the name of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the RCMP's. They wear red coats and black boots. Very sharp. We have Mounties on the boarder between Alaska and Canada. Good policing force over all.


	216. Chapter 216

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 216)

-0-Out there

They were called, the nine kids, and they appeared on the deck of Clipper to see a whirl of activity. Walking together to where Metroplex and Typhoon stood together, the big mechs watched them approach. "What's happening, Appa?" Quasar asked as the others gathered around.

"We have intruders coming and Prime wants your ammas to deploy to the Tau Ceti system to take up station. Some slaggers want to hook up with Razorclaw and they're too close for comfort to the Camians," Ty said.

The kids looked solemn. "Tell us how we may serve, Appa. We are yours to command," Quasar said as the others bowed their helms with him.

Ty grinned. "You will keep the faith here and go to school. You'll live your life here and I will lead you. I'll stay here with all of you. We intend to be on duty but not you kids. I want all of you to check in with Ammas, then head back to school. We just wanted you to know what's going on."

"Will there be fighting, Appa?" Santee asked. "We will come and help you."

"If there is need, you will be summoned. However, it cannot be counted upon, infants, because you're the front line of defense against the enemy here," Ty said. They chatted a while, hugs were given and nine slightly disappointed tall youngling mechs derezzed to go to Clipper and Dangerous before heading back to school.

-0-Ratchet

He finished up his work as swiftly as possible, then plugged in the deployment plan for Group Alpha and standby for Group Beta. If there was a standout of armed forces against threat, he'd be ready and so would the entire corp that would deploy with him to the front. Right now, it was wait time for any intel the flights could bring back.

He finished his work, then walked to the window. Down below, the city whirled and ships came and went. Across the other side of the hallway, his tower could be seen. Here, he had a sliver of a view of the airfield and that part of town all the way to the prison, but a clear shot of Aerie Hill, the Resort, the Monastery, and the Mons beyond. It was beautiful and sunny outside but very cold. It was, in short, perfect.

:Ironhide:

:What?:

:Where are you?:

:Setting up munitions at the armory. Are you in the office?:

:I am. That was bold of Raptor and Hardie to include Keystock and Cargo in the meeting: Ratchet said with a grin. :I wish you could see how uptight Lucien is. I told him he had to deploy with us when we stand out:

:That would teach him. All he has to do is give up the system and adopt a normal life and he'd be off the hook. I doubt that he will: Ironhide grinned. :Serves him right. Old men start wars and young people die in them. He should see what he's done:

:What's supper looking like? I was messaged that the kids went to the DMZ to see off Clipper and Dangerous: Ratchet checked the time.

:I hope to be home for it. I'm training new special operation supervisors for here and Aerie Hill. I think I'm going to turn over requisitioning and deployment to them for the pre-mission run up and check it out tomorrow. How about take-out, in:

:Sounds like a plan. I'll get it going. Ratchet out: The energy got soft again, the energy that always existed between them. He glanced around, noted that everything thus far was good to go so he go'ed. Walking out his door, he paused beside the desk with Lee-Lee. "I'm going now but I'm on call all night. Call me, infant, then go home yourself."

Lee-Lee grinned. "No problem. Are you going out with the fleet? There's rumors galore."

"I'm essential equipment, infant. It's a given," Ratchet said with a grin. He swished out to the hallway, then headed for the elevator. As he did, he ordered food to be delivered at 1800 hours on the TMC. By then, everyone would be home from clubs and other activities and raring to eat. He disappeared into the pedestrian traffic and headed for The Fortress. He would send his order to The Catering Place and it would be waiting for them just as they got home later.

Life was a miracle sometimes.

-0-Out there at the DMZ

The sirens sounded, letting everyone know that it was time to haul aft. They were gathering in their flight crews and when the last one re-entered, the hangar deck doors slid shut. They had transformed while the Seekers waited nearby in space marveling at the massive stations as they shifted back to ship mode. Their guns bristled and their long lines were heavy with menace. Nearly 12 miles long, Typhoon was the biggest among the three adults that lived here but Clipper and Dangerous were over ten miles and carried the full weight, depth and breadth of a mature vessel. The children were big and long but not filled out. These three ships were the Doom Made Real.

"Ty, we're ready to go," Clipper said as he stood by the navigator who was his non-sentient symbiont. "Danny signals the same."

"Very well," Ty said as he sat at the command table with others in pretender format. Tennyson, Paribolus, Metroplex, Caminus, Metrotitan, Acutus from off world, and Fort Max were with them, ready to help if needed when they arrived. Their end point near Caminus was already chosen and would place them squarely on the grid with that colonial outpost. It would also put them squarely on the sensors of the unknowns coming this way but it was what they wanted. "Take us out."

Clipper linked in to the pilot by jacking into his shoulder. "Prepare to engage transport," he said. His voice echoed all over the ship with a metallic tang. "Prepare to transport on my mark."

The voice of Dangerous could be heard as well as he began to do the same. His massive figure was some far distance over in the darkness but his lights made him visible to their specialist optics. He began to glow as brightly as Clipper, then it was too much to look at even for the bots as the ships got ready to bridge. The light intensified, then there was a gentle sense of movement. It seemed like a long time but it wasn't before the light began to fade. When it did, they were elsewhere.

The screens compensated for the brightness, then adjusted as it faded. They were twelve light years from Mars and Earth, just a hop and skip even by normal ship travel with their level of technology. It was a formerly four, now seven planetary system and all around them rocks, dust, gas, and ice particles flew. There was an enormous amount of debris but it was getting noticeably better. Of the four original planets that orbited a star only 85% as bright as the sun were two gas giants transported by Sciences to help the other newcomer, the planet of Caminus adjust to its new home without being pulverized.

Outside the windows, the constant stream of debris that whirled past on trajectory with each of the two newly placed gas planets, Savior 1 and Savior 2, meant less potential collisions with an occupied planet. As it was, the night time displays of meteors and other space junk was interesting to the locals. Nothing had struck them in a way that was harmful so far. The battering rams were doing their jobs.

"Ty to Dangerous. Link in with me and Clipper," Ty said as the ships slowed on their way to their permanent temporary places of occupation.

"Done, Ty," Dangerous said. "Smooth transition. I'm at my coordinates. Will deploy my satellites and begin to deep space scan."

"Link up with me, Danny," Clipper said as he pulled his plug at flight and walked to the sensor station. He jacked in and had that far away look that all bots had when they were analyzing something complex. "I have them."

"Affirmative," Dangerous said. "I have them on my sensors. Just on the edge. They don't know we're here yet."

"Very well. Commence the work up of the local area out 950 light years. We need to send a better map back to Prime," Ty said as he walked to the table to join the others. They would sit and watch, adding the odd comment or suggestion as the beginnings of knowledge began to commence.

-0-Watch Station #4

"What do you feel about not going out with the group?" Drift asked as they walked out to the street again. They were going through the data collected by this and that station regarding a rumor about drugs again. They were just rumors yet but anything could happen and they wanted the heads up.

"I think we're no longer on the Dean's List. I think we've been dropped in favor of younger models," Springer said with a grin. They walked to their horses, mounted up, then began to walk down the sidewalk to head out of town to another station in the Seven Cities-North. "You?"

"A bit," Drift said as they moved to the sidewalk that bordered the highway out of town. "Given that we're masters at our craft, it would seem that they'd want to see us at work."

Springer snickered. "Yeah. By the way, did you see the newer cartoon? Robots In Disguise? It's been on a while but I haven't seen much of it. That's my problem. I'm too selfless and dedicated."

"I noticed that about you," Drift said with a grin. "I saw it. I have to tell you, its a really cute cartoon. Bee makes me laugh, those little mini-cons … I really like them. Even if the depiction of me is sort of off, I do like it. Those little mini-cons make my character likable."

"I like them," Springer said. "First mini-cons I've seen that I don't want to punch."

Drift grinned. "There **is** that." He looked at Springer. "I think we're going to have to fight one or the other of these slaggers before this is over. I just hope a migration isn't needing us too soon."

"You and me both," Springer said as they both began to pick up speed the closer they got to the limits of Autobot City. Soon, they would gallop away toward the Terra Hub and their next stop for intel. A cop's work never ended.

-0-Home

He sauntered in, then glanced around. No one was there. Walking out, he made it to his genitor's apartment before finding anyone. All of the kids were watching cartoons in the laps of their ammas and appas as the big kids sprawled on couches to dispense their advice about the various cars racing on the monitor. Squeeing commenced, then he joined them. "This is nice," he said as he sat rather tightly between Saber and Santee. "Did you get to see your ammas before they left?"

"We did, Ada. Appa told us they'd be home as best they could. Uncle Max is going to stay with us at the house," Saber said as the others nodded. "We wanted to go with them but they said no."

"Your appa and ammas are right. If this is a shooting war, only veterans allowed," Ratchet said.

"I'd like to see Caminus now that its moved," Genesis said. "That would be amazing."

"We'll see," Ratchet replied. "Dinner is at our house. Ada? Will you and the others come over or do you have a social event to attend?"

"Not tonight, Sonny," Docker said. "If any of our things conflict with helping with the babies, we're going to stay with them. They need continuity, son."

Ratchet smirked. "I'll have them in day care part of the time. You older infants can help when you can but I don't want anyone modifying their stuff to do this. These infants are troopers. **AMIRITE!?"** Ratchet asked the little ones with a big smile on his face.

 **"ADA GOOD SHE!"** Orion said as he slid to the ground. He walked to the middle of the room, then pointed to Ratchet with his fat baby digit. **"SHE MY SHE! SHE GOOD!** My ada good."

Ratchet laughed, picked him up, kissed him senseless, then put him back on his peds. "You ready to eat, spud?" he asked.

Orion smiled. **"I, ORION, DOING THE THING! I DOOM THIS!"**

Santee laughed loudly. "Get **you,** Doom Bringer. You've been watching Atar too much." He looked at Ratchet. "Where is he?"

"He's coming. Right now, let's get things going." Ratchet stood, then grabbed Orion. Gathering up, they walked down the hallway to the big apartment where boxes of food sat outside the door. They picked them up and walked inside. By the time they sorted it out, Ironhide with Halo would walk in. **"NOW HEAR THIS! I AM IRONHIDE AND I'M HUNGRY! GRUB! NOW!"**

He would be pelted with carrot sticks.

Meanwhile, out there …

Ships moved through the night of space heading for the conference point. They had been talking together for a while before discovering the secret that couldn't be hidden from those who had a vested interest in knowing. This system had the makings of a lot of easy-to-reach energon. Following the trail like bees heading for nectar, the ship groups flew onward toward a small broken planetoid to do something they usually didn't do. They were going to talk peaceably together.

TBC 12-12-17 **edited 1-10-18**


	217. Chapter 217

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 217)

-0-Out there

They came through the darkness, a large battle group. They had left the Benzuli, the far side that wasn't close to the 'Ghost Zone', or so it was called where Blackjack and Alor had created a legend. Most of the hardened battle group leaders weren't afraid of much, if anything at all. This one was no different. He was a hard, hard mech, but oddly enough, he had a few habits that were out of the norm for someone like him. He liked books. He liked good food and he liked music. He also liked to fight, run his own show and take no slag from anyone. He was someone that even Megatron respected, someone who was 'almost an equal' or so he considered himself.

For Megatron, no one was his actual 'equal'. Not in his mind, not in his reality. This commander was smart enough to know that Megatron was 'manageable'. All he had to do was his job to the greatest ability, keep the loyalty and discipline of his group and someday, he would be strong enough to challenge Megatron for the leadership. His crews were treated with care and rewarded for good performance. They, in turn, gave him a fanatical loyalty and worked hard.

Now, when the news reached him of Prime's recapture of Cybertron and his building a redoubt in an area where energon was apparently plentiful, he was stepping out on his own. They came about the long way around following a message from Prime and Starscream. Then one came from Starscream and Rainmaker. It was a struggle to convince his Seekers to stay with him. He wasn't completely convinced that they were still going to remain anyway. The ordeal and disquiet of being on the outs with the Great Elder was almost genetically hardwired into them. Sixty Seekers were part of his group, the usual flight component for his configuration.

It would be interesting to see the other three and note what they fielded. He, himself, had a large and battle tested fleet behind his leadership. When they met up, the other three and himself, they would decide what to do together, here, and with Razorclaw, somewhere in the mix of Prime's sphere of influence. The word about Prime was disconcerting. It would be incredibly difficult to cross territory he held to reach Razorclaw, the ultimate destination so far agreed among them for their groups.

"Captain."

He turned from his musings to his sub commander, a big smart mech with no noticeable emotional sense of self named Pleon. Pleon stood by sensors with a datapad in servo. He was big, given to cold calculation and completely devoted to his leader. "What did you find?"

"There is no one there yet, Ominous. We will be first."

Ominous nodded, then sat back in his command chair. "Then let us go in and make ourselves at home. Put the group where we agreed."

Pleon nodded, then turned to make it so. They would be close enough should things break down on the surface of the planetoid where they would gather but not so close as to impart any impression than that which he sought. They would see what would happen. He intended ultimately to be the boss, himself.

They continued onward, silent and deadly, into the inky darkness of space.

-0-Elsewhere: Caminus

"How far can we see now?" Spiria asked.

"We can see details up to three hundred fifty light years, Mistress," a femme said as she sat at the sensor array in the ornate Ops Center of their military command.

Outside, the sun was setting in the sky as the warmth of spring caressed the planet, itself moved from its original star far away to this place. At night, there was a light display as debris from space entered their atmosphere and burned up. They had been transported intact. They had a nice atmosphere, a bit less oxygen than humans might require but enough to give them weather, warmth and a beautiful blue sky missing since forever. It was almost unbearably wonderful to have night and day again.

She walked to the windows nearby and looked out at the colony as it gathered itself for evening. Most work was over and now there was relaxation, entertainments and other diversions for the population. It was incredibly wonderful to be in a safe place again.

Then the Decepticons showed up on their sensor screens.

The arrays placed out here by Prime to aid in security for Caminus and Cybertron, hidden and highly functional, had paid for themselves by the early warning. Four big groups were nearby, close enough to feel a threat, though whether they knew about Caminus was unclear. Camp Recluse was the closest outlying fortress to their planet. They had access to the Prime but they were not able to defend themselves, though Recluse would be a good staging area for any actions taken against intruders. Though they had warriors, they couldn't fend off one battle group let alone four. "Please send the orn's data collection on the bullet line to Prime. We must be vigilant."

"As you command, Mistress," the tech replied.

It would be a long quiet night in Ops Center as they tracked the ever closing distance between four groups of Decepticons toward a craggy nondescript planetoid in the outlying areas of the Tau Ceti system.

-0-Night in Ops Center, The Fortress, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Data poured in from everywhere that a camera and/or sensor was pointed, building a picture that would be more complete when the data Seekers returned. Right now, they had a semi-complete picture of one group and only the barest outlines of three others. They gave signatures that indicated they were similar in size and configuration, though what they truly composed was still to be determined. They didn't seem aware of Caminus, though it didn't matter now. Dangerous and Clipper had arrived on scene, remained in ship configuration with weapons on line and ready to use. On board were flights of Seekers and striker teams with their shuttles ready to fly out and engage an enemy immediately.

Home Guards worked at the stations around the operational center on graveyard shift, those who had the highest ratings, and they were led by a regular army officer, a mech named Fortemp. He was a smart and decent commander with eons of experience as an intelligence officer in the Autobots. He was skilled at going in and blowing things up, tapping and hacking for information and leading troops. He sat at the command table watching the datapad changing as information about the configuration of the battle groups arrived and updated it.

They were heading for a planetoid, all four of them, perhaps to talk and battle it out for supremacy. They always did that, he considered. Whereas, talent made you an officer in Prime's army, the ability to kill the current commander and usurp his place was the way of things among the 'Cons. He liked the Autobots.

It would be a very quiet night in Ops Center as they gathered intel to build the big picture. He would be glad when the Seeker teams came home with more data.

-0-Home front

"If we can put the station together near Fort Cybertron, that can be a staging area for defense both for Cybertron and that entire series of sectors. It would protect any aliens using the trade routes and be a boon to them without compromising or diminishing its trade potential. That direction is no longer as safe as it was," Prowl said as he walked out of the wash rack. He walked to the berth and sat.

Optimus was sitting on a couch nearby going through the last few communications sent before recharge. It never ended for him. He glanced up. "What is the status for the construction?"

"We had to redesign the war world plans to make it more useful for our purposes. That slowed things down a bit but we're now fabricating it to be assembled in space. Once its created it can be sent through a bridge to the location we're chosen. Right now, its very preliminary. We're in an oppositional orbit of Trypticon around Saturn. That will be where its constructed. It would be much easier than taking things to the location and putting them together there."

"I was under the impression that it would be operational and we could fly it," Optimus said as he closed the datapad and set it on the dresser next to the couch. He rose and walked to the berth to recline wearily.

"It will be." Prowl lay back, then called off the lights. "I think we can gain a lot of good will by having a depot there that supplies travelers at no cost. It's funny, isn't it. Cybertron was killed by greed. Now we want to redeem our interstellar reputation by providing goods and services for nothing."

Prime grinned. "I think its the right thing to do. And besides … we have not been good neighbors all the time. It might take a bit of time to convince everyone that we are not the enemy so they can have confidence and come to the station. Have they chosen the color scheme yet?"

"We're going with metro-titan white," Prowl said as he glanced at Prime. His profile was beautiful to Prowl as it was highlighted with the light from outside. "No black, nothing menacing, nothing that looks like a weapon."

"I agree," Optimus said. "We need to reclaim our honor."

Prowl looked at him. "You never lost yours. Most of us can say the same thing. Those who have the problem are still out there. I don't look forward to them trying to contact Razorclaw. What do you want to do about this and when? You know they're talking to each other."

Prime nodded. "That is on my list."

They chatted a while, then fell into recharge. Morning would come soon enough.

-0-Elsewhere

He gently toweled Halo off and lay her on a soft blanket. Everyone else was standing below, shining brightly from their own baths as they watched the new baby being cared for by their big old dad. Sitting nearby taking pictures with his camera, Ratchet grinned.

Orion looked at him. "Ada, when we going to doing with the she?"

Ratchet glanced at Hero who smiled. "When is Halo going to school?" she translated.

"Not for a while, infants. She has to bake a bit more," Ratchet said.

They grinned at Ratchet, then their atar. "Atar … you doing this with me?" Orion asked hopefully.

"Not tonight, son. Everyone has to go to bed. Tomorrow is school," Ironhide said as he smoothed out her copper and silver 'hair'. Picking her up, he grinned down at the others. Kneeling, he held her out. Everyone looked at each other.

"She's so cute," Hero said as she lay her cheek against Halo's forehead. Straightening back up, she smiled at Ironhide who smiled back.

Orion who watched moved closer and put his cheek on her head, too. Straightening, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Grinning, he turned to the others. "Pax, Pot. You doing? You comed to Halo and doing?"

Everyone glanced at Orion with surprise. He glanced at them, then smiled brilliantly. He didn't know what was what but he was glad to oblige. Everyone did. They kissed the baby, then Ironhide handed her to Fireball. Gathering up infants, they walked out for the evening ritual of stuffing them into their beds. After a lot of hoo-haw, the big kids were saluted to their beds. Watching them go with a white cat hopping along behind, Ratchet grinned. "I'm beat."

"Me, too," Ironhide said as he walked toward his own berth room with Ratchet and Halo. Walking in, he tucked her into her bassinet, fussing with her blankets and dollies. Ratchet grinned as he did, amazed that the rough cob of a mech who had done more mayhem and absorbed more slag for the good of others, who was as tough, stoic and unemotional about what he did as a career could be such an amazing caretaker of tiny infants. He was tender, gentle, devoted to a fault, and loving.

Who knew?

Ratchet walked to the berth, then flopped down. Ironhide checked Halo one last time, then walked out to settle infants again including big kids who were gaming behind a blanket to kill the glow of the screen. A lot of good natured hoo-haw later and everyone was in their beds including a white cat purring loudly. He made it back, peered at Halo, then flopped himself. "What an orn. Just as things get easy, it gets hard again."

"I know," Ratchet said as he turned over to spoon with Ironhide.

"Where's Partition?" Ironhide asked. "I didn't see him today."

"He's moved in with Lancer," Ratchet said, then he grinned. " **HA-HA, Ironhide**. I knew something you didn't know."

"I knew that."

A punch to the gut took care of that oversight.

-0-TBC 12-13-17 **edited 1-10-18**

NOTES

disquiet (dis-kwi-it) a feeling of unease and discontent

redoubt (ree-dow-t) a place of refuge that was secure and safe. Many are the castles on mountaintops that are redoubts.

disconcerting (diss-con-sert-ing) something that is disconcerting is something that's worrisome. To worry about something is to be disconcerted. Also, put off, put out, worrying, emotional. "To lose the money in a fire was disconcerting."


	218. Chapter 218

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 218) needs a check over

-0-Out there

They landed on the planetoid at the coordinates that each commander had agreed upon. It was cold and dark but the lights from his shuttle lit up the area. Soon the others would come and they would do whatever it was that would come of this, a gathering of homeless troops seeking territory alone or in tandem with Razorclaw. They had been in contact with him, all of them, having heard his messaging for troops as well as Prime's. He was the reason they were coming together first to discuss strategy among other things. Only with numbers would they be able to meet the force of nature that mech represented. They also needed to have better information about Prime. He had taken over Cybertron, that much was known. Now they had to assess threat and go from there.

As he stood on the rocky cold surface of the planet, the lights of other ships coming for the rendezvous could be seen over head.

-0-At the homestead

Ratchet walked to the hospital. Everyone was on their way and the morning was young. Overnight, the news was coming in more swiftly. The size of the forces coming in and their intentions thus far were clearer. They were big forces. The ships, if they were running optimally in relation to crews, would add another 75,000 troops, 10 battleships, 15 cruisers, 11 fighter transports, an indeterminate number of support ships, and a boost in confidence to bad guys everywhere around here that Prime didn't want them to have. They were gathering to talk which in and of itself was strange. But then, they were deciding what to do in an extremely secured local cluster. If they could make it to Razorclaw, there was always the danger of the big smart mech. No one came to Predaking without a swift and decisive exit plan in place.

It was not gong to be easy for them. They weren't big and strong enough to take on Prime either with Cybertron or in the Sol System. They would make a butt load of trouble, however, if they combined and set up shop in the fringes. He would have two moldering hot spots in his sphere of influence. But better the location of the enemy you knew than the vaguely understood position of the enemy you couldn't see.

Ratchet entered the hospital, chatted his way to the top and entered his office. Lee-Lee walked in with datapads, a hot drink and a plate of snacks. Updating him swiftly, she hurried out to do eighteen million other things. Checking his digital desk chart of the hospital building, he saw that Lucien was hard at it. He sat and began, hoping to keep caught up, hoping that the slaggers would frag off and not make a problem here as he considered the rush of Christmas Surprise events and things that were ahead. Frag them if they messed up this, Halo's first Christmas Surprise.

It was quiet in his office as he worked.

-0-Ironhide and the family

They gathered at the corner seeing off the last of the kids to school. Halo was stowed in Ironhide's chassis as the big mechs waited for Keystock and Cargo to come. It was cold, sunny and bustling around the neighborhood as mechs swept their storefront sidewalks and others set up for the orn's business. A bus filled with humans drove past, taking pictures and waving madly in their delight to see such famous Autobots. They waved back.

Emerging from the Metro station, Keystock and Cargo walked their way. They had their usual expressionless faces as they halted in front of the group. Raptor picked up the backpack from the ground, then tossed it easily to Keystock who caught it. Slipping it on, the two stood silently side-by-side as they waited for the orn's program.

"There's a huge munitions dump at the pole that needs sorting out. I sent the sappers in to survey it. It's a depot that was abandoned when Megatron left. No one kept it up but it apparently isn't in bad shape. We need to extract detonators, then send the stuff into a star. It's not stable anymore. Age, wear and tear make it unsalvageable. What we have to do is clear it and about four others in that latitude. We can't have anyone stepping on some slag after all this," Raptor said.

Hard Drive nodded. "We have to make a new place to take the dead. We filled up the allotted space in the midlands." It was silent a moment as that sunk in. "That's our job today, helping the priests find another site. We're entering them into the main plat book so that we can turn all of these places into a memorial site eventually. It's the least we can do."

Keystock shook his helm. "The least you can do."

Hard Drive stared at him as the others bristled in offense. "You fled. What's the least **you** can do?"

Keystock stared coldly at Hard Drive but he said nothing.

:Not to worry. This mech is going to be some wisdom today: Hard Drive told the others.

The other three, Raptor, Blackjack and Ironhide glanced at Hardie, then nodded.

Ironhide glanced at a horse patrol going past, then they waved. "I have to prepare the inventory to meet the design of the fleet that'll meet these slaggers if they make trouble. Right now, we're four by four. You three will be on Cybertron today?"

"We will, infant," Hardie said. "Meet us for a break if you can. Signal all of us. We can work out the situation together when we add this to the master plan. I want to touch base about 1400 hours on the TMC as per the Iacon time piece," he said referring to the clock that was kept at the ops center in Iacon that was used to sync with Mars.

They nodded, then Raptor turned to Cargo. "Get the lead out, infant. We have a lot of inspections today. We have to find all of our people and help them." He nodded to the others, then headed for the airfield briskly.

The others watched the two leave, then glanced at each other. "I'll be there at 1400. Signal me where you are and I'll bridge directly there," Ironhide said as he stepped out to head for the Metro station which would take him to his office in the armory below their peds.

Blackjack turned to his grandfather, then grinned. "I have to go to the office for a while, but first, I have to see about something that Trooper and Scout want to do. They want advice," he said. "See you at 1400." He walked out heading for the cab stand where he would take one to the Performing Arts Center west of Terra which had opened and had become a hub for their colony. He disappeared swiftly.

Hard Drive watched him go, then turned to Keystock. He looked at him appraisingly, long enough to see discomfort in the mech. "We have to go. Maybe when we're there, you can point out the things that you've done for Cybertron other than leach more than your share of unearned resources from those who actually created them." He stepped off the sidewalk and headed toward the airfield.

Keystock watched him go, then followed. He was sphinx-like in his outward appearance.

-0-Elsewhere

"So. She's a big femme."

"That goes without saying," Chromia said as she sat outside at a sidewalk cafe in New York City with Maelstrom. They had traded her bachelor apartment in Iacon for a two berth room apartment in the colony named for a much respected city on Earth.

"And?" Maelstrom asked as he smirked at 'his girl'.

"And nothing," Chromia said. "She's going to figure it out. I just never figured Lancer would settle for a high caste."

"Partition is turning out alright," Maelstrom said.

"I suppose so," Chromia said as she smirked slightly at 'her mech'. They were two peas in a pod, both of them, a perfect match of aggression, friendship, common interests, and intense loyalty. "We're not due on Clipper today. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. There's a card game at Club Hoyle. The races this afternoon. Dinner at the steak place in Bern?" Maelstrom said, outlining for him the perfect orn.

Fortunately for him, it was also the same for Chromia.

-0-On Cybertron: Hard Drive

Hard Drive stepped off the transport ship and walked out onto the broken ground that surrounded the badlands of Kaon. They were going through a series of major fracture inspections. There were all over the world, places where the barrage of bombing had been too much even for the armor of Primus. The lines were sometimes just small but deep while others were long and deep, long and shallow, and wide and bad. They were given extreme attention because the repairs took a lot of skill. Crews were bivouacked on site so they could continue around the clock to effect the repairs, something that had to be done before anything else. Things were only as stable and strong as the ground they stood upon.

The camp was nearby and so were piles and mounds of materials to make the repairs. The crews were the typical kind, all manner of mech and femme working carefully and well together. They had a job to do that was helping **THEM** and they got good food, shelter and their self respect back. They had no one standing over them with a whip and they were **FREE.** Hardie stood on the lip of a break with Cargo beside him. They stared down inside which was lighted with arc lights to illuminate the area. The wounds were being repaired along with all the deep down infrastructure that made life the miracle here that it was.

They listened to the overseer speaking about this and that thing, pointing out this and that thing as Hardie's adjutants took notes. They would need this and that thing, this and that skill, this and that recheck of the plans. He listened knowledgeably. He had been a worker drone way back in the beginning so he had a lot of these kinds of skills himself. When the crew had shown what was done and expressed what they needed, Hardie took his leave and with entourage in tow, walked to the ship. Before they reached the next place, ships would be landing here with what they needed. Their next stop would be to meet with priests and find another grave pit for the stacks of bodies that were waiting for a final place to rest. It would be a grim business altogether.

-0-Full Circle, Terra, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Edict and Anders worked to put the newest merchandise onto the shelves and hangars of the big expanded store, the flagship of the Circle of Light. It was here that artisans offered their wares, some of them extremely rare and vanishing, families got materials for their children in the prep schools that the group founded, books, art, conversation, and advice. Setting up her loom, Joon chatted with the merry group that was now staff at this, the hub of their social life and that of hundreds of others.

"Well, that looks lovely," Madura said as he smiled at a hangar that was holding a beautiful weaving in colors of gold, silver, white, and yellow. "So beautiful. Did you do this one, Joon?" he asked.

"No," Joon said as she peered at the display in the main window. "That was done by Hobie. He's a weaver from a long line of them. That's a very rare design. It took him four years to make it."

"Wow," Madura said. "I'm not sure I have the patience." He walked to the little cafe that was at the other end of the building and began to get the baked goods and other items ready for the 'regulars', mechs and femmes from the neighborhood who came here to chat, read, study, catch up on things, and hang out.

Anders grinned. "Me neither. I love the colors. I'll get the others from the back," he said as he walked though the store to get more.

The door bells jangled as a mech walked in. He smiled. "Hello. How's everyone today?"

Madura glanced at him, then smiled. "Hi, Sturba. How is the family?" he asked as he wiped the counter of the little diner with a clean cloth.

"They're just fine and dandy, Madura. My son is finishing up a construction project in the Crater District. Then he's going to work on the modules for the war world space station being put together at Saturn," he said as he sat at one of the three little tables with chairs that fronted the little cafe. "What's good this morning?" he asked with a smile.

"I have something called fruit danish, stollen, and a number of really pretty Christmas Surprise cookies," Madura said as the door opened again. It would be a nice morning chatting with the customers as Madura served them, Edict handled the retail end of everyone's purchases and Joon wove to her heart's content. Groups of students including those of Olivia Bowers would come in for lessons in the life views and philosophy of the Circle of Light. It would be a very peaceful orn with the group stepping out for lunch at The Confectionaire nearby.

Madura, Anders and Edict had found their niche.

-0-On Cybertron: Raptor

He walked through the jumble of broken and tangled metal, wires and other bits and pieces of what once was a hometown for someone. Now and again, they would walk past a florescent piece of tape that had been tied around something to flag a body that would require digging out. There were a lot of flags. Keystock walked with the heavy backpack and the mass of aides and other soldiers and worker bees that came with Raptor when he went looking for their people.

They found them sometimes, half mad, hidden away, startling at every sound. Sometimes, they sat staring numbly once they were gathered, saying nothing because they had nothing left. Sometimes, they found someone who never left a body that was someone they loved. It was hard to get them to move so Raptor would grab the steel and lift it, his gigantic strength and resolve augmented by the rest of them. The body would be pulled out whole or in pieces, wrapped up, then taken with them. Often, he carried someone in his arms or on his back, never shirking from the demands and horror of the scene around them. Sometimes, Keystock would have to help. It was numbing work.

They walked into a clearing where a number of mechs waited, their tattered dignity reminiscent of what and who they might have been once upon a time. He paused before them. "I'm Raptor. I came at your signal to relieve you of your post, General," he said to a tall mech who looked worse for the wear. Others around him had the dull look of the starved and shattered. They were all his age and there were no children or younglings. "We came to take over your duty."

The mech who was a civilian by all appearances straightened. He nodded. "Very well. We've stood our posts. We turn the detail over to you."

Raptor bowed. "I am honored to assume your duties and hope to be as distinguished and honorable doing so as all of you are now."

The mech wavered, then held out his servo. They shook, then he looked around a moment. "This is a good base, young mech. You will find it very adequate."

"I can see that," Raptor said. "If you go with these mechs," he said nodding to a solemn faced medic and two soldiers, "They can take you to headquarters and you can report."

"Thank you," the mech said. "I will," he said. "Let me gather my command." He turned to the others, then gently took the servo of one of them. "Come. We get to stand down," he said quietly. The others stood, some of them unsteadily, then began to follow their leader, a mech from the neighborhood who had fended off the horrors of war as he defended everyone of them. They were friends and family, all of them in bad shape but soon they would be in comforts and aid. Their long vigil and ordeal had pushed them almost too far and they had coped as they could.

They walked past Raptor who saluted them. They paused to stare at him, then nodded. They continued onward until they were gone from view. The mechs with Raptor sagged with emotion as they gathered around their general. "This is so fragged, General," one of them said with misery in his voice. "So fragged."

"It is," Raptor said, "But we have to do our best. They deserve the best we can give. They are why we work so hard. We have to find everyone," he said. "Let's go." He walked onward and by the time they got ready to meet Hard drive and the others at 1400 hours in Helex, they would rescue 127 others too weak and confused to rescue themselves.

-0-TBC 12-14-17

NOTES

Stollen: (Christmas bread in Germany, I believe. I love it madly) Stollen is a fruit bread containing dried fruit and often covered with powdered sugar or icing sugar. The bread is usually made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices

A plat book is a book of deeds to land that make up an area. A plat book for your town shows deeds of ownership for the land in it. A deed or title to a piece of land is called a plat and is registered by the local political entity … county, borough, parish … to show who owns what.


	219. Chapter 219

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 219) All hail guest for finding the plot hole. I will try and not write these at night when my thinker is dented. Hugs to all!

-0-In the Ops Center

"When is Christmas Surprise?"

Prowl glanced toward Tactical where Smokescreen was sitting. He was looking at a datapad as he waited for a signal to return on a testing run for Tactical throughout the base and array systems of their local group. "In nine orns its Christmas Surprise Eve. The kids get out the morning of Christmas Surprise as usual after Santa Prime and the rest show up." He grinned slightly. "You're aware of the horse-pulled wagons in the cities?"

"I am," Smokescreen said. "They decorated all of them up for the season."

"Santa Prime is going to arrive at the schools in one of them," Prowl said. "We're going to make it more real that way."

"The kids will love it," Smokescreen said.

"We're planning to do it when they gave a general recess and everyone in the school is on the playground. They can see him arriving with the elves and a bag of gifts. The bag is just going to be stuffed with filler. The gifts will come the usual way," Prowl said. "This way they can see Santa arriving with this … sled."

"That's going to be outstanding," Smokescreen said. "I almost wish Smokey was a little kid again."

Prowl grinned. "My only wish is that the slaggers out there don't make a mess of this."

"You and me both," Smokescreen said as he turned to the console to gather the data and send a tracer signal through the lines to Cybertron. The tests were going well.

-0-Cybertron

They gathered at the city's edge of Helex. The former first capital of the Decepticons before Kaon usurped that distinction, it was one of the first five cities to fall to the 'Cons when the war began in earnest. Now, it was a slowly rising desolation just like everywhere else. It was nondescript, actually, no more interesting or dynamic than any other large urban area. It had been a place where Decepticons and Autobots could co-exist, mostly because The Triumvirate who was in charge of this place were corrupt, spent their time and money on gladiatorial games and frivolous pastimes and less on doing their job, like keeping Autobots out of their fortress city, the slaggers.

Now, they sat on piles of bricks sharing their lunches with a few of the local kids. Raptor and Hard Drive had flown in while Ironhide had bridged. Their entourages were gathered here, most of them friends or working acquaintances. They sat in small groups eating and drinking food that had come from Mars while the locals told them about the area. It was coming along. No one was hungry here anymore and the medical teams stationed around the area were doing a good job of making hurts better and/or forwarding the needy onward to Hammer of Primus, the closest metro-titan to this location. The children played, then chased off after their genitors as the locals were called back by siren to work.

For them, lunch was over and life rising from the ashes beckoned. The group watched them go.

"I like their spirit," Raptor said. "They feel better."

Hardie nodded. "They do," he said. "The locals around the areas we've been to are doing a lot better. The tents are Primus-sent and incredibly appreciated. They were living in hovels made from scrap or tunnels in the craters." He vented a sigh. "This is such slag."

"It'll get better, Appa," Ironhide said. "We have the planet and every orn that passes where the people are fed, housed and fixed up is an orn Megatron will never get back." Ironhide glanced at Cargo and Keystock who were sitting nearby eating their lunches, too. "What do you two have in mind for Christmas Surprise? Depending on the circumstances, we get three orns off."

Cargo glanced at him. "We're going to the games and races. That's about it."

Ironhide nodded. "Blur and the Velocitronians are making some amazing cards. I might go myself."

"Someone said they might re-institute the Speedia 500," Hardie said. "I'd go see that. That much speed is a work and wonder."

The others nodded. Raptor glanced at Keystock. "Tell me what you've seen, infant. I want your perspective. Sometimes, it helps to have outside optics. You stay too long in this and you miss important things."

Keystock paused the bottle in his hand halfway to his mouth. "Lots of destruction. Lots of people living rough. More building than I expected."

Raptor nodded. "Your people are from where? Capital City?"

Keystock nodded. "Some."

"Have you ever been there?" Hard Drive asked.

"Not since I was small. I don't remember it much," Keystock said. "You were never there," he said to his brother who said nothing.

"Would you remember your area?" Hard Drive asked.

"We had a house in the Camber District, on the hill by Government House," Keystock replied.

"Embassy Row, then," Raptor said. Keystock nodded. "I'm going there today to inspect. You two are coming with me." He glanced at his father. "I'll take them on my inspection rounds, Atar. Give you a rest."

Hard Drive grinned slightly. "Mighty nice of you, son," he said as he glanced at the two stone-faced youngsters. "By the way," he said glancing at his great grandson, "Hand over the baby."

Ironhide paused his own bottle halfway to his mouth, then grinned slightly. "Don't tell old mech. He'd used his frying pan on my helm," he said as the mechs around him laughed. Reaching in, he pulled out a swaddled infant in a white Seeker carry bag who had a fuzzy white hat on her helm, its strings tied into a bow. It was covered in snowflakes, each of them sparkling with a silver glittery effect. She was dozing but awakened slightly as she was handed from her father to her great grandfather. Her beautiful copper and silver stranded 'hair' cascaded off his hand as he held her. "Ah, my little muffin," he said as he stood up. Settling her on the crook of his arm, Hard Drive turned slowly. "See this, baby? This is your spark's home. This is the very body of Primus who gave up everything for us in an act of selfless love so profound that words can't do it justice."

He turned slowly, then paused in the direction of the mass camp where their people lived, bathed in light along the horizon several miles away. "That's the treasure of our species, The People. They're the only thing that matters. We can write more books. We can paint more pictures. We can create any kind of civilization that we want. Primus is never in doubt. We stand on Him. He comes to us at Festival and loves us unconditionally. The One gives us His blessing. We are loved deeply and truly. What we can't replace, redraw, repaint, or recreate is our people. They are pearls of great price, our greatest and most esteemed treasure. You, my little Halo, can't be replaced." He looked at her as she stared back, her little blue optics focusing on him in the all-too-bright light of the shuttles. "You're the reason we do what we do, all these endless vorns. We waited for you to find us and now, we will die so that you can live if it comes to that. Nothing by anyone will prevent you from having the best life possible. You know why?" he asked her. She smiled. He laughed. "Why, you ask ..." he said with a smile. "Because you live. That's why."

They stared at the lights beyond, then Hardie walked to the pile of bricks and sat again. "This little femme is a caution. She's going to be in University before you know it. She smiled at me."

"She's a bit of a wonderment," Ironhide agreed as the mechs all around grinned including her great great grandfather. "This is her first Christmas Surprise. It's going to be fun."

"I think so," Hard Drive said. "What else do we labor for but them? Them and the rest?"

No one said anything aloud but the murmurs of the soldiers and civilian aides with the generals were clear about their agreement. They would finish their lunch, then Ironhide would return to Mars with his daughter to continue in the armory. Hard Drive would continue toward the north to review the situation and trouble shoot problems. Raptor would head for Capital City with Keystock and Cargo in tow.

He wasn't going to go there originally. He asked them for personal data so he could impart his portion of the lessons that they as 'projects' of the Praxians would have to learn this day. They boarded their shuttles, Keystock carrying the heavy rucksack of metallic bars, then lifted off to go to the political capital of Cybertron. They disappeared almost immediately into the dark sky.

-0-Ratchet

He walked out of the building having gotten things organized for the possible deployment of medical teams, caught up on the paperwork for the hospitals on-world and on Gliese 581 g. The structure in place was doing heroic work and so were his teams and staff, both in and out of medical facilities. He had orders on his desk for medical and mental health reviews of Sunee and Sio which were coming up along with three others who were looking to be released as outpatients.

He also had to plan for several big dinners, one being Christmas Surprise Eve at their apartment and then Christmas Surprise Day at Prime's. The traditions, they burned, my precious. He grinned as he walked to the Mall of Metroplex to spend a few moments doing something 'normal'. Then he had to high tail it to the schools to get in his joors. He walked into the crowds and was gone from sight.

-0-Capital City, Cybertron

They walked through the cleared streets, ones that were beautiful and broad once, rather as famous in their own way here as the boulevards of Paris were on Earth. Lamp posts which were famous in the Golden Age fashion when they were first erected were missing, victims of bombings and war. The ornate and beautiful buildings that lined either side of the broad streets with their dividing islands and foot bridges that arched over the traffic were pockmarked and broken. The bridges were gone as well. It was a hard thing to see, this most beautiful and elegant city laid so low.

Cargo looked everywhere as they walked along, straining to see some semblance of the city he knew from pictures and fond stories of his family and friends, a city that didn't exist anymore. Keystock who had actually been here in his early youth found it hard to bear, that such a great urban center should be reduced to this. They passed the High Imperium, the House of the Senate without a word. The staircase leading up was divoted, the building missing a roof and the statues of the greats and Pantheon missing in their niches. It was heartbreaking to see.

They continued onward as Raptor took meetings on the fly with local leaders and soldiers who were here full time in the reconstruction. He asked good questions, paused to look at this and that before hoofing it onward again, then made sure that wishes and needs of the locals were noted to be met. By the time they reached the edge of the Camber District, most of the conversations had been concluded. They paused at the big gates that kept the riffraff out of the high caste enclave, something that would be a pattern everywhere that high castes congregated to live. It made sure that the lower castes weren't granted admittance but it also kept out assassins, disgruntled employees, citizens, and others with grudge and harassment issues. The tide of humanity, as it were, outside the wrought iron fences had been huge and growing angrier every passing orn. This was their frail bulwark against inevitability.

Raptor monitored the tense mechs following, gauging their readings against his experience with helping reform slaggers. Praxians were known and prone as some said to take on lost causes. They showed them 'the error of their ways' and many a mech or femme found a better life because of it. The family had taken on Keystock and Cargo because Ratchet had done the same. They didn't ruin two families when Ratchet and Ironhide bonded.

Raptor stepped forward walking down the broken gravel and paving stones into the once wide and well maintained street that wound through the district. Tall buildings with multiple families, some single owner homes and huge towers filled the area. It housed the rich, powerful and important. Anyone who was anyone in government and media lived here. Industrialists and other businessmen had homes here to live in when they came to get the government to do their bidding. The social scene here was glittering and few places short of Iacon could muster a greater social season.

The broken glass of someone's home crunched underfoot as they walked onward. The area had been cleared of debris in the streets but the houses and towers were still a wreck. Raptor knew where he was going. He had done his homework. Burris and his family had a home nearby, one on the fourth floor of a very old and ornate building that stood on the street, one with a history that was fabled and furnishings said to be breathtaking. They were headed that way. Raptor was going to test their mettle, the two youngsters with him. He would see what they would say and do when they reached their bombed out home.

-0-Mall of Metroplex, the Grocery

He pushed a cart as he went down his list. He would make prime rib and 'the fixin's, Ratchet' for the big lug and the infants. He gathered three of them because he was hungry himself and he fed three or even maybe nine big boys as well as the shorties. Gathering sides, vegetables, a huge sheet cake with the emblems of Mars and Cybertron in the thick frosting, he picked up what he needed for two breakfasts, two lunches and the two dinners. After that, everyone was on their own. He grinned. / … sure, Ratchet … sure …/ He rolled his massively heavily laden cart toward the general vicinity of checkout, thanking Primus that they had a delivery network from businesses in the colony that had no parallel in the solar system. He would be a bit of time in line.

-0-Ironhide

:What's happening?:

:They're staring at their old home:

:What do they think? Anything?: Ironhide asked his father as Hardie listened in as well.

:I don't know yet, infant. Give it a moment: Raptor said as he watched two youngling mechs staring at the home that was once theirs, one that was burnt out and broken down. The huge windows, some of them stained glass were long gone and so were the ornate copper placards by the door that told who lived here and described their Houses. Both his ada and atar came from famous families, Anders from wealthy industrialists and Burris from a powerful wealthy political and military dynasty.

Now, it lay shattered, the walls crumbled, the dark shattered windows staring back at them with a weariness that was notable. The street was swept but there were weeds growing in the gaps of the sidewalks, something both mechs knew their family would never tolerate.

Keystock let the backpack slide to the ground. "Is it safe to enter?"

"No. You won't find anything in there. What was left and not destroyed or stolen was gathered by the museums and cultural rescue teams. You can go to the museum annex in your city back on Mars and ask to see if you have anything left. Just give your address," Raptor said.

"Why did you bring us here? Cargo was never here," Keystock said as he stared at the husk of his former home. "What was the point of this but to make us feel bad?"

Raptor turned to the two. "Does it make you feel **anything**? That would be a victory. Your selfishness is so boiler plate on you that any sort of normal feeling for this would be a welcome change. Imagine the loss. You lost a lot of stuff didn't you."

Keystock glanced at him, then turned to face Raptor. Cargo stared at him, then Raptor. "We lost everything. Our home, our belongings that couldn't be carried away … the art in our house was irreplaceable and the windows? They were ancient."

Raptor nodded. "I lost everything, too. So did everyone else. You've seen the people now, how they live, the suffering … they lost everything. They had nothing to start with and now they have less. You lost a lot of slag but then you had more than one house. You might think you lost everything but you have no idea. You lost nothing." Raptor turned to his mechs. "Gas up the hog. We're going to Iacon." He looked at the two. "Keep up." With that, he walked onward back the way he came, heading for the ship and the short trip to Iacon. After a moment of hesitation and a last glance at their old house, Cargo and Keystock began to follow.

-0-Pioneer School, Metro-titan, Metro District #3

Ratchet sat on a chair watching as Hero and Ferie worked on their writing. The six children in the class was the top end of enrollment. He thought about Praxus being here and almost shuddered. Little mech was too young for this. The idea of either Hero or Praxus being promoted to Youngling Day sort of wilted his lettuce. It was peaceful here watching the infants work and when he was finished, he walked to the metro nearby to take a train to Centurion. It was time to watch a little Seeker do his best with a roomful of humans and Cybertronians. It would be math time and it would be lots of fun.

-0-Iacon

They walked down the narrow winding streets of Iacon heading into the Jumble. The gate with the sign overhead that said, "The Cooper District of Iacon, Sector 4" which was the official name of the slum was still there rusty and dented from being hit by gunfire. The district had had a lot of hand-to-hand fighting but was spared the big bombing campaigns that had leveled so many places. This was where Ravel and Tie Down had lived and worked all through the occupation. Raptor knew where he was going and when he arrived, they all halted before a dilapidated building, one that was old and weary with age and use.

Pulling open the door that led inside, he entered and the others followed. It was then that they began to climb the stairs. The elevators, long since given up even when Cybertron was young, were mute testimony to the level of neglect that everyone living here had to endure. The contrast of this place to the house in the Camber District was amazing. Up and around they went until they reached the 22nd floor. Walking down a dark hallway lit only by the light filtering in from the broken window down at the street end of it, Raptor reached a door, then turned to the others. "We're going in. It's a tight squeeze. How about you two infants coming in with me?" he asked Keystock and Cargo.

Keystock dropped the bag next to the wall, then followed Raptor through the scarred door into a musty smelling room. It had a couch, long and battered, a shelf for whatnot and a table against a wall. There was another room attached that held a sagging old bed and a dresser near the only other window in the place. It was broken out as well. The smell of mold could be determined from eons of neglect and acid rain coming through the windows. A small makeshift kitchen with an ice box that held 'ghetto ice' … a concoction formulated through trial and error by the locals that remained cold enough to preserve food longer sat on a small shelf attached to a cupboard with a battered door. "What's this place and why are we here? It's clear to me that you want me to feel ashamed about something. Right?" Keystone asked as his brother stood by the couch, his expression hard to read.

"Why, infant … this is sacred ground," Raptor said. "This is the childhood home of Optimus Prime."

-0-TBC 12-15-17 **edited 12-16-17**


	220. Chapter 220

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 220)

-0-In the Cooper District of Iacon

It was silent in the room, a slum room where people had once lived. It was cramped and tiny. Keystock looked around himself. "How did they fit?"

"Well …" Raptor began, "I would think that Optimus slept on the couch his whole life. His genitors had the closet." He grinned. "You have bigger closets than they had for their room. "All three of them are tall and big. All three of them labored hard but this is all our society believed they deserved. Fragged isn't it."

They didn't say anything, the two of them. Their faces were solemn but what else they were was hard to tell. They were affected by this place but how, he didn't know. Repulsed? Yes. They hated to be here, like standing in this space would impart a disease or something. "Imagine in the summer when it got so hot you could fry an egg on the street outside. Even though you could manage the heat, it still was stifling. You couldn't afford to go to the shore and the sea. You couldn't afford to cool this place. Frag, this place should have fallen down. I wonder how many infants were waiting here for their genitors to come home and they never did because your family was too cheap to make the factories, mines and shops safe? Imagine working all orn at the steel mill or on the docks, then coming home to this? Can you or is that too much to ask?"

Cargo flinched, a slight movement but Raptor caught it. Keystock looked around, then turned to him. "This was the way it was-" he began before Raptor cut him off.

"No," he said cutting off the standard line given when a high caste was confronted with this sort of thing. "No. This was a **choice** made by **individuals** who **knew** the circumstances but **didn't care**. This was deliberate. This was policy. Everyone knew about this but no one **cared**. No one in the high castes outside of the Praxians and a handful of others gave a frag. Something that was supposed to be the way it was to be was the commandment, 'until all are one'. That was the commandment from Primus Himself and The One. Tell me how **this** ," he said sweeping his arm around the room, "fits that demand from Primus and The One?"

It was as silent as a tomb in the cramped space that had spawned a colossus. Keystock stared at him. "You want an answer?"

"Entertain me," Raptor replied.

"Not today," Keystock said as his expression hardened. "Are we through?" he asked.

"No," Raptor said with a cold grin. "We've only just begun, slaggers. Keep up." With that, he walked between them, bumping them contemptuously apart as he walked to the door and the long winding trip down to the street. His entourage waited until the two passed them, then walked down behind them. It was amusing to them, some who had been with the General since forever. He had a new project, something that happened often on their journeys before coming to Mars. Many were the high tones that still expected deference when picked up from whatever hell hole they were squatting in. It didn't last long around the General and his bond.

They reached the street, then Raptor glanced around. "This is the building where Optimus Prime and his genitors lived. This is their historical home. I put in for it to be preserved the way it is now. I never want anyone to forget, nor do I want anyone to be fooled." He turned to the two grim-faced youngsters with a slight grin. "It doesn't matter what you got. It doesn't matter how you came up. It doesn't matter if you have a lot or a little. What matters is your character, your spark and your actions. Optimus Prime didn't have a pot or a window but he had amazing genitors and a great enduring spark. He cared then and he cares now. He's courageous, brilliant, almost unbearably decent, and the greatest Prime … frag, the greatest **FIGHTING** Prime in the history of our people. He's a gift from Primus and The One in this, our joor of greatest need. I don't tolerate slag from anyone, myself. Don't let my manner fool you, infants. I'm a professional soldier and what I don't know doesn't matter but I'd follow Prime off a slagging cliff. I would never do that for the other four Primes I served under. They were fraggers, the entire lot of them. They had nothing and gave us only misery.

"Sometimes, I'm so ashamed of being high caste, its unbearable. The System brought about a war that nearly destroyed us but make **no** mistake. It destroyed us **long** before with this," he said glancing up at the slum building. The rest did, too, then turned back to the General. "This is a building that could tell stories. Generations of broken dreams, suffering and death. Our culture under The System killed all that's good and great about us everyday a million times a day in a million homes all over this planet. Deaths by a thousand cuts. Yet, somehow, **we're** supposed to be superior. How can **that** be when we **knew** about this and **allowed it**? Are our babies somehow **more** important and tender than theirs were? They **died** , you know. Our infant mortality rate was horrendous and we had orphans out the aft because their genitors died in factories, mines and from untreated injuries and illnesses. **THEY WERE UNTREATED BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T TAKE CARE OF IT! THE FRAGGING MONEY WAS THERE BUT IT WENT UP AND NOT TO THE ONES WHO MADE IT AND DESERVED THEIR SHARE!"**

He looked around himself, then the two youngsters standing stoically in the group of grim-faced mechs. "The System is death. Anyone who supports it supports the death of babies. It's that simple. If you do, then you better get it straight with The One and hope you live forever. I personally want to be there when you stand before The One and He asks you, what did you do for the least among you?" He stared at the two, then glanced around. "We have miles to go, yet. Let's get going." He walked off toward the gates of the district and the shuttle nearby. Everyone would follow.

Silently.

-0-Prowl

He walked to the Ops Center from his office after clearing the decks, approving the force plan should it come to launch and a myriad other things that needed doing. He also had a file going for the festivities that were coming up. Optimus would have to fete Earth2 because they were having their first big holiday here, fete Earth 1 and the Resort as well. It didn't really require it but it gave the tourists another nice story for their conversations back home. He had plans for all three events and would manage that with the proper sources later today when he got off to get the shopping done for the family hoo-haws. He grinned. His aides, a pair of youngling mechs with political degrees had cornered him one fine afternoon.

"Commander, you do realize that we're not just your work aides. We're also your life aides. We can get the kids, do the shopping, care for the Residence, and the like. All you have to do is remember that. Your time is so precious, why not avail yourself of our help? We're ready orn and night to help you with your burdens," Homestead said with a concerned expression. His partner, a mech named Cordial nodded as well. They were his left and right servo on the job and after absorbing the notion of others knowing his business on duty, he had fallen into their help with both peds. However, it was still a learning curve.

"Gentlemen, my gratitude is boundless. I'll consider your fine offers," Prowl had said. He had delegated a lot but not the family stuff. Who knew what his children liked to eat and what sort of sauces Optimus favored over others, though he would never say so, the big patient mech. Cooking and designing anything for his bond was a long learning curve given their different starting points in life. After 'interrogating' Kes and Tagg, he had come to the conclusion that if he put dog dung on a plate, Optimus would eat it and say it was good. Ghetto kids were sometimes very gentle with their genitor's inability to give better than they could and Optimus was no exception. He loved good food well made but he was kind and ate anything given.

Prowl had taken to this conundrum like it was a mathematical problem and had figured it out almost to a veritable tee. That part of his life, he kept to himself. It made him ridiculously happy to make his family happy. If anyone who knew him as a cold blooded, Machiavellian-style, bull-headed, hardcore fragger saw him now, they'd be amazed.

He amazed himself, sometimes, too.

Entering Ops Center, he sat down beside Paragon who was awash in work. "Anything new, Pari?"

"Not so far, Prowl."

"What about your children? How do they like Christmas Surprise so far?" Prowl asked.

Paragon looked up with a smile. "They love it. I don't understand trees and what they mean but the children love them. They love the lights and sparkle. Arrow and I are going to put them into the Prep Academy after New Years during the new intake. We want them with us and we want them to develop friends both here and among the Seekers. When they're old enough, they'll go to the Seeker Academy for the good cultural stuff but the Academy for their foundational educational experience. Sparkling Day will get them next."

"Wonderful," Prowl said. "You **do** know that when Optimus goes to Sparkling Day, your children can come to see him. All of the home school and home bound kids come to this place and the others to see him. He's coming by horse drawn wagon. Apparently, they figured out how to hitch several horses together for that moment."

Paragon grinned. "That sounds wonderful. We'll be there. I don't understand the holiday particularly, but I'm grateful for it."

"That's the point of the season, I'm told. Gratitude. I'll be grateful if the slaggers don't interrupt things. I have to put on a spread Christmas orn. If you have the time, stop in with your family. Everyone does. Usually."

Paragon nodded. "We will. I hear you have endless numbers."

Prowl nodded. "Thank goodness for a huge kitchen and deliveries from The Catering Place. Its BYOB."

"BYOB?" Paragon asked.

"Human for 'bring your own bottle'," Prowl said with a grin.

"Ah. Another human custom. We shall," Paragon said as Dexter, a Home Guardsman walked to them with a datapad. Prowl read it, then nodded to the kid who walked back to communications. Prowl glanced at Paragon. "The other groups have arrived at the meet up. We have our sensor teams and their back ups waiting far enough to be out of the way but close enough to do a more articulated scan. We should have hard complete data shortly."

"Frag," Paragon said as he sat back with a frown. "Just move along, mechs. Just move along."

"From your lips to Primus's audials," Prowl said as he messaged Optimus.

-0-In the Industrial Park City #3's Special Warehouse District, Hangar #32

Optimus walked along with several mechs through the mountains of pallets that contained the gifts that the different industries and businesses of the colony had made for all the children, elders and others who were going to be honored. This was a warehouse set aside for this purpose because those who contributed began to make the next year's presents practically the orn after Christmas Surprise. They were stored by types and such, then after their future recipients were assessed, names and locations were added to each and they were bagged. Boxed together according to locations they would go, they waited for the volunteers of the various guilds and unions to carry them to the proper places for distribution.

Sitting on a pallet nearby, a throne that bore fresh paint and embellishment waited for its occupant. Optimus grinned, then walked to it to sit. "How do I look?" he asked with a smile.

After the cameras were re-subbed, Jetta laughed. "Like a potentate from some despotic kingdom."

Optimus laughed, then stood up. "I hear I will be arriving at my locations in a horse drawn carriage. The full Santa treatment?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Bulkhead said with a chuckle. "Nothing but the best for our Santa Prime."

Everyone laughed, then they toured some more. The plan was explained, Jetta and Mack would be his guide to get him and his elves where they needed to be and all was well. The other Santa Primes … Magnus, Ironhide and Springer would also go by carriage. No one had told Magnus yet but it was a thing.

-0-Mayor, Empire and Colonial Administrator's office

" **WHAT!?"**

"Now, Magnus ..." Arcee grinned as Elita and Greenlight lounged on one of his couches in his huge sunlit office. "You know you want to. You'll be driven to each center. They've consolidated the senior center clientele so you'll only have to visit one per city. The home bound will be visited as well. I have the maps, Greenlight and Moonracer will help us. You'll have fun." She smiled brilliantly.

"You **do** remember what fun is, right, Magnus?" Elita asked with a big grin.

He frowned at her. "Of **course** , I do."

"Good," Arcee said as she hugged him tightly. "It makes me terribly happy to see you do this. I want everyone to know what a great mech you are. How can I be the only one who really knows that, Magnus?" she asked.

He hugged her back. "I'll do it. **FOR YOU**."

Arcee grinned up at him, a mech several feet taller than even her. "That's my mech." She looked at the others. "We have slag to do. We have to bring a dessert and drinks to Ada's dinner and to Prime's. What do you want me to bring for the drinks, Magnus?" she asked.

"Whatever you wish," Magnus said.

She grinned, then with the others walked out as Magnus sat to continue his work. Slowing outside, Elita turned to Arcee. "It's magic how you play that mech. He's no one's fool but he's putty in your servos."

Arcee laughed. "That's my mech you're talking about. Magnus is such a good mech. It pains me that he's his own worst enemy."

"I know. Let's go find Atar. I want to see that baby again," Greenlight said as they walked toward the half door and the bigger world outside. They would do so with a light step.

-0-TBC 12-16-17 **edited 1-4-18**

NOTES:

fete: (feh-tay) salute, party


	221. Chapter 221

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 221)

-0-Ops Center

Prime stood with Prowl staring at the map on the table, the one that held up the various different areas in the local cluster that they controlled and were still in play. It was clear that the several groups had arrived at the same spot and were discussing things together. They had seen a burst of energy several hundred light years away that indicated that Razorclaw was working on perfecting his bridge tech. This was a great deal farther than the first time it was indicated, when a group used it to close the distance between themselves and his domain, fleeing capture as they did. "That's disquieting to see."

Prowl and Paragon nodded. "He's stepped up," Paragon said.

Prime nodded. "Perhaps we can return the favor when he leaves his rendezvous and we can guide him here." He thought a moment. "Prime to Wheeljack."

"Wheeljack here."

"I need your advice. Please come with Perceptor to the Ops Center."

"On our way," Wheeljack said before the transmission cut.

"What do you have in mind?" Prowl asked.

"We have been scouting and interdicting intruders out that way for a long time. We know the area rather well," he said as Wheeljack and Perceptor walked into the huge room. They watched them approach, then Prime asked his questions. "Gentlemen, is it possible that when Razorclaw begins his route back to his own domain that we can intercept him before he reaches his point of transport via bridge? We have his farthest location, correct?" he asked Paragon and Prowl.

"I would say so," Paragon said. "He would have exited into this quadrant closer to the meet up otherwise. Logic dictates such a course."

"Then we have that point. When he's heading back this way, we need to target him and catch him with a bridge before he reaches it again to leave. Is that possible?" Prime asked his scientists.

They thought a moment, then nodded. "That's very possible. We just have to be precise. We have Seekers and their back up shuttles there, all of them capable of pinpointing Razorclaw's exact position as he returns. We can use their information sent in real time to pose the moment when we open a bridge to catch him," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded.

"Then make it so," Prime said. "I want him captured. We need to talk. Prowl, put together a group to meet him. Bring him into the solar well, just inside. The unstable energy will give us a few seconds from the disorientation to capture him."

"I will do that," Prowl said as he turned to Paragon. They walked to a console nearby where Paragon sat to work the computers and Prowl watched, leaning over him as he did. Perceptor and Wheeljack walked to a computer and sat down together to work out the details.

Prime looked at the data map. Razorclaw was already there. It was his hope that the slagger wouldn't be going back as freely.

-0-There

It was a cold and clear atmosphere all around them as Razorclaw stepped out of his vessel. He came in a heavily armed ship with a full crew of cold blooded killers. None of his siblings were there, however, but some very famous and dangerous Decepticons were. He walked to the group who were gathered near a pile of rocks with their seconds and personal guards. It was silent as they took in the measure of the other. Everyone knew everyone already and reputations didn't have to be supplied.

Ominous and his second, Pleon watched him walk closer. With him were three other captains and their entourages. He had little experience with Razorclaw since Predaking liked to go it alone most of the time. In set piece battles with large forces, he had seen him. It wasn't someone he would like to tangle with. If he went to Razorclaw, there was no doubt who would be boss. The others knew it as well. He paused in front of them. "I'm Razorclaw. You called me to see about joining my forces. I am not unhappy to have you. You may know that Prime is very strong here and he has Cybertron. This is his entire sphere of influence and as long as the peace lasts, they leave us alone. The point of this whole exercise is to gather enough forces to match or exceed his."

The group captains nodded. "You would be commanding," Ominous stated.

Razorclaw grinned slightly. "That would be a non-negotiable item on our dance card."

The others glanced at each other, then one of them, a huge mech named Liko who was a piratical ship boarding monster turned to face him. "What's in it for us if we join you? All of us have been successful on our own and nothing is stopping us from forming our own group and digging in here. We've scanned and know about the energon floating in this area. We don't really need you without good cause.'

"That's true but it begs a few questions. Will Prime allow another group, a large enough one, to dig in here? Would he just decide to cut his losses and go after you? What about us? We have a greater force than yours. What would keep us from coming for you ourselves?" Razorclaw said. "Prime has forts and forward bases all over this area from here to Cybertron and beyond. He's got tentacles everywhere. Together, we're stronger than on our own or even the four of you. He has metro-formers, Supremes, all the free floating Seekers, endless populations of skilled workers, and a city complex where they live. He's pulling Cybertron back from the brink. There **is** no Decepticons on Cybertron anymore. He took down Black Shadow, the Decepticon Justice Division and who knows who else?"

It was leaden as they considered that. Around them, the cold air embraced their bodies, though it could have been a balmy orn for all it mattered. The sky was dark with the vacuum of space, though a bright smear of stars was everywhere.

"If we go on our own, what can we expect from you?" Ominous asked. "For informational purposes only." He grinned humorlessly and Razorclaw returned it.

"I wouldn't like it," he said simply.

"I'm not ready to give you an answer yet. I want to talk to my colleagues," Ominous said as he nodded to the other three.

Razorclaw glanced at them, then the big mech with the silent sub commander standing beside him. "Don't wait too long," he said tersely. "You know where I live." With that, Razorclaw walked to his ship and boarded. The three watched as he flew upward, the hatch closing as it did, then jet away into space.

They watched him, then turned to each other. "I'm sick of being a second tier mech for anyone," one of them said. The others nodded. Moving to the rocks nearby, they sat and began to discuss the situation together.

-0-On the way back

Razorclaw brooded in his command chair as the ship flew toward the closest point in space that their bridge could reach. When they got to it, they would fly in and arrive back home. His ship, a fast light battle cruiser was armed and ready to fight, even as it sacrificed a bit of armor and crew complement for speed and agility. No one had anything to say as they flew along. That is, they didn't until a space bridge burst into life before them. They were swallowed by it before they could react. It closed behind them immediately.

-0-At the other side of time

They had gathered a pair of shuttles and stocked them with the best they had. Hopping out to the solar well to interdict Razorclaw's ship, Kup and Hercy sat along the wall of the City of Helex while Drift and Springer rode in Impactor's Revenge. It was quiet as they flew through the maelstrom of light into the dark and roiling energy of the solar well. They flew just outside the turbulence, then powered down to wait. The precision of the bridgings would be a masterful piece of art shortly when the speedy ship of Razorclaw was going to pop into view. They manned gun turrets, then hunkered down to wait.

They wouldn't wait long.

-0-Ops Center

They stood around tactical listening to the cross talk on the Trigger. Trigger 2 was making the catch and retrieve while the other continued with its regular debugging and maintenance. Miler was making commentary as they loaded the precise moment when the bridge would open, Razorclaw would fly in and it would close behind him. They finished loading destiny coordinates, then all of them poised themselves to wait.

-0-Out there

Razorclaw was brooding on his plans when the bridge flared in front of him. Caught in surprise along with everyone else, he had barely stood up to call out for evasive maneuvers before it was too late. Inward they flew, then it closed behind them. He stood on the deck, his fists clenched tightly as they came out again, flashing into dark space and a turbulent area of energy ahead. As they throttled back, their sensors pointing and gathering information in all directions, two gleaming ships appeared out of the darkness.

"Springer to Razorclaw," an amused voice said over Razorclaw's ship's intercom. "You there?"

Razorclaw felt molten fury rise through him, then quashed it. "Is that you, Springer? What brings you here?"

"Actually, its the other way around. Prime wants to speak to you and he told me that if you decided to make that difficult, I could blow you to sub atomic particles. Isn't that great?" the voice asked with a big smile implied.

Razorclaw felt all optics upon him as he sat in his chair musing over the possibilities. "Put him on screen. I can take a minute but I'm overdue at home. I left the stove on."

Springer grinned as he waited for Prime's return message. It came, he read it, then he opened the channel to Razorclaw. "He says, if you come this way again, he will shoot you to molecules. Right now, he can hold you as his prisoners. He has a few words. Hang on." He leaned back and the screen images changed. Optimus Prime was staring at Razorclaw.

-0-Out there

Pleon stared at the device in his servo, then glanced at Ominous. "Sir, Razorclaw has disappeared. A bridge appeared and he went through it."

"He did to come here," Ominous said.

"That was a bridge that was quite smaller and short ranged. This was huge, powerfully lit and had an infinite range," Pleon said.

Ominous considered that, then turned to the others. "It would appear that Razorclaw just got hoisted by Optimus Prime. It will be intriguing to hear from him again. I, however, don't find myself filled with confidence. I propose that we band together and make our own kingdom here. In time, it will be us and Razorclaw for the leadership. We have the advantage. Any of our kind of recruit that wants to see him or anywhere else has to come past us here. We can add our own troops as they show up. Tell me how I'm wrong?"

No one did. They agreed.

Another combined force set out to find a suitable headquarters. The leadership problem was solved almost immediately. They would allow Ominous to be the leader. If they didn't like it, they would resolve it the old fashioned Decepticon way.

They would beat each other until only one was standing. He would be the leader of this branch of the faction. It was the Decepticon way.

-0-Face Time

"I am surprised that you can think you can buzz around my sphere of influence without consequences, Razorclaw. You seem willing to start war," Prime said.

"I'm just trying to be a good neighbor, Prime. I flew out to say hello to the new guys," Razorclaw said with a tight grin.

"You are intent in building up your forces. That will not be allowed. I am confiscating your ship. You will be bridged here and then bridged home. Your brother wishes to talk to you," Optimus said.

Razorclaw didn't reply right away, then he did. "I would hate to have you take my ship. I'm rather fond of it. I **would** like to speak to my brother. That's mighty fine of you to offer."

"I will send a bridge. Come unarmed or you will be shot on sight," Prime said. He signed off.

"You aren't going are you?" Blue Bacchus asked.

Razorclaw shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt. I want to see if Rampage will come." He rose to his full height, then glanced at the others. "Wait for me here." With that, he walked into the elevator and disappeared. He would reappear almost seconds later on the tarmac of the Military and Civilian Interplanetary Municipal Airfield on Mars.

-0-TBC 12-17-17 **edited 12-18-17**


	222. Chapter 222

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 222)

-0-At a clinic for a check up

He sat on the med berth with plugs galore in his small frame. He was getting his scheduled check up, one that was required when fighting off situational dementia. Sitting nearby watching closely, Chan waited for the word on Corr. They were seeing a geriatric specialist, one who was expert at this very syndrome. Watching closely as well, Partition stood beside Corr. "This is looking good, Corr. Your levels of processor fluids, the ones that regulate cognition are at optimal. I think that we can consider you at the peak. What I would like to have you do is come in again in 15 decaorns for another review. Right now, I have to say that you look like a solid recovery," the doctor said.

Partition looked at the data, then Corr. "You're good to go then, Amma," he said.

Corr who sat between them patiently smiled. "I hope so. I do feel really well lately, Dr. Medley. Thank you for your kindness. I was not myself from time to time."

"It happens, Corr. That's why we're here. You come or call when you think you need to see me. I would be very unhappy and sad if you didn't. I love to take care of our elders," Medley said. He was a very kindly doctor with a manner for elders that was reassuring and sweet.

Corr smiled. "Thank you. Sonny will be very happy to hear that I'm better. He worries so and he has so many things to do. My Sonny is a doctor, too."

Medley grinned as he pulled the last plug. "Ratchet is a great doctor and a hoot. He's a fun guy to work for."

Corr stepped down, then turned to look up at Medley. "We always told our grandson to be a good mech and help others. He's such a good doctor. It was hard to get him to that point. You know about The System, right?"

"I never lived on Cybertron but my family told me about it," Medley said.

"It was very terrible. My Sonny had a hard time getting into medical school but he was so great that they let him in," Corr said as Chan rose and walked to him.

"They let him in because he was good," Chan said as he patted Corr. He looked at Medley. "When Ratchet graduated, they wouldn't let us go to the ceremony to watch it. He was first in his class and graduated with honors. He made the highest scores ever recorded in the school but he had to graduate alone. We stood outside waiting for him, Our Sonny. We were so proud but it was hard." He bowed to Medley, then turned to a pensive looking Partition. "This youngling here is like our grandson, too. He wants to be an elder doctor. Right now, Partition is a Home Guardsman and a field medic. Isn't that wonderful?" Chan smiled proudly at Partition who grinned back at him.

"Elder medicine is a great career. The more, the better," Medley said with a grin.

"What do we need to do for Corr now, Doctor Medley?" Partition asked.

"Just continue what he's doing and see his script doctor when I send the report. One to Ratchet and one to Doctor Haley in Scripts and Prescriptions at Out Patient on the eighteenth floor. They will be changing his medications and we plan to taper them off so he's free of them at some point but it must be gradual."

Partition nodded, then looked at the sweet pair. "Shall we go, Amma and Appa?"

"I think a treat is in order, Chan," Corr said as he patted Medley. "Come with us, Partition. We can talk about your plans to be a doctor. We helped Ratchet get there. We will help you, too," Corr said as he walked to the door. They made their goodbyes, then walked to the elevator for the trip to the eighteenth floor.

Partition looked at both of them as they reached the elevator. "They didn't let you go to Ratchet's graduation?"

"No, son," Chan said as Corr nodded. "We were low caste."

Partition felt a flash of shame for a moment. He looked at them with a solemn expression. "There's nothing low caste about either of you," he said as the elevator doors closed on the three of them.

-0-Ops Center

Ratchet stood next to Ironhide as they looked at the incoming intel. The four groups were together in the same place now having a meet up. They had a large group and were centered in an area where any number of locations could suffice for their needs if they decided to join up. Whether they would was hard to say. Most times, Decepticons were so territorial about their groups and power that giving it up to anyone else without a fight was impossible. But these were new times and anything could and did happen. As it was now, they were closer to Fort Recluse than anywhere else in Prime's arsenal. Fort Apache was farther out and they were exactly halfway to Razorclaw and the solar well of the Sol System. What they would do as an independent force would be simple. They would be an easier group to join if others wanted than to make the trek to Razorclaw. Either way, they would be a pain in the ass.

The plan to snag Razorclaw was underway and they were waiting for him to come here. Prime had gone to the conference room nearby to wait for him. Rampage had come as well as Scar and Nitro.

"They've been there a while," Alor said as he studied the data in his hand. It was updating on the datapad as they stood together watching in real time. None of it looked good. The configuration of the battle groups were for extended journeys and brutal conflict. They could not be allowed to go to Razorclaw and it appeared that they were going to hang around. They were slowly moving through the maze of slag out there looking for a place to dig in. Another barnacle on the side of the Empire.

It was quiet as they watched the data sent to them by Seekers accompanied by Wrecker shuttles.

-0-Autobot City Performing Arts Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Trooper stood in the loges listening to the singing on stage. The State Orchestra of Mars as the musical accompaniment was called filled the orchestra pit, playing beautifully as a number of singers worked out their songs for upcoming plays. He was directing one of them and was getting a feel of the acoustics of the theater from the singers. The music was Scout's, the play was his and the actors were those from the colony and his troop, both professionals from Cybertron, one from Earth and others locally from the growing talent pool that was burgeoning here.

This play was about humans and bots living together and the amusing bits that would arise from such a venture. It was a comedy play with singing bits. The actor was one from The Bridge who lived here now at Earth2 and worked on the series approaching its third season finale cliff hanger.

"What do you think, Troop?" Scout asked as he walked from the steps to the middle of the loges where he stood.

"This place has amazing acoustics. I think we have to boost the volume on Gemini's mike. Her voice is strong but thin, do you know?" Trooper asked.

Scout nodded. "That's the problem of being a small organism, that little human. I have to say, though, that she's hilarious. She's not known for it on Earth, by the way."

Trooper looked at Scout with surprise. "Really?"

Scout nodded. "Truly. This is going to be a fun presentation."

Trooper nodded. "I think we all need to laugh, Scout."

They stood together troubleshooting the singers, then had them sing again, this time with Gemini's mike turned up. It made a world of difference.

-0-Cybertron

Keystock sat on a rock waiting for Hardie to finish getting the lowdown on the security of a camp the size of which he had never seen before. It was the home base of over two million Cybertronians. It could be seen flowing out to the horizon and beyond, a sea of lights and the dark shapes of tents. It was an astonishing achievement bringing this many in from the cold. Everywhere they went, the vision of towers and those rising was evident. It was going fast, he was told, but for him, it wouldn't be fast enough. Living in the tents would be the Pit.

Hard Drive walked toward him. "Let's go," he said as he continued onward. His entourage followed, a collection of senior officers with various delegated assignments, several junior officers whose sole function was to record both what was said and asked for and take images as well. Everywhere they went, the officers who were with the General recorded things for the Prime. Everywhere they went, messages were handed to him from everyone around, officials, civilians, former soldiers, and anyone else who wanted something brought to the attention of Prime. Having gone back with Hardie, he had seen that the General made sure that the notes were given to Prime. He wondered what they said.

Trudging along with a backpack that seemed even heavier than usual, which unbeknownst to him it was, they made their way along the track to the clearing where the shuttle was. Climbing on board, they lifted off to fly into the darkness once more. As they did, he could hear over the ship's radio updates on the situation not so far away of four battle groups deciding what they were going to do.

-0-Out there

They had hashed it out, the pros and cons of going to Razorclaw or staying here to make a kingdom of their own. None of them were unknown to each other and oddly enough, they were of one mind. Being the king of your own fiefdom was preferable to being a serf in someone elses. The only thing to sort out was who would be boss hog. Two of them were smart enough to decide patience was a virtue, thus deferring to the others. Two weren't but the situation was reasoned out given the possible mayhem that would result in the battle for top dog. Ominous would be leader and Liko would be his sub commander. Liko was brutal, a ship boarding killer and had pirated since leaving the 'Cons. He was smart enough and oddly enough, patient for a killer. Ominous was his equal and not having the best medical care possible, it was a zero sum game fighting him. No one could be king if they were both broken or dead. He would wait for his chance to advance after all the hard work of digging in was over.

Treachery was the Decepticon way.

They gathered up and began to search for a base as at the same time they monitored the Autobots nearby who were monitoring them.

-0-Airfield in Autobot City

He stood radiating aggression as he was surrounded by Autobots and their guns, a massive seething mechanism with intelligent optics and a highly functioning processor. The array of artillery pointing at him precluded a stupid move and even though he loved to inflict mayhem and battle, he wasn't known to be stupid. That, of course, had its up and down sides. He wasn't going to be Dinobot berserk but he wasn't someone who could be easily fooled. He was the brains of the most perfect combiner ever constructed. That could never be underestimated.

Prowl and Paragon stared at him. "Follow us. You **will** be in the gun sights of everyone between here and where we're going. Make a move for any reason and you will never see another orn," Prowl said.

Razorclaw stared at him, then Paragon. "You're brothers, right? What a fragging great combiner you two would make," he said as he grinned at them, a grin devoid of mirth. He moved forward walking between them as they headed across a cleared airfield for The Fortress. It was night now, dark with lights casting pools on the ground all the way to the brightly lit fort. The city beyond was beautiful, its towers lit with the lights of family life. The air was cold but filled with energy, the energy of nearly 24,000,000 individuals working and building their futures together. It had a sense of brilliance that had been missing for eons for The People.

They walked through the courtyard and entered the building. The rec room was empty but there were guards with guns standing in the doorway of the Ops Center. Prowl and Paragon led the way and he followed, his optics roaming around the vast space, itself in muted light for night shift. The consoles were well lit and the activity brisk. He followed them to the conference door, then entered. Inside, there were guards with guns around the room. Rampage, Nitro, Scar, and Optimus Prime sat at one end of the big table. They stared at each other a moment, then Prowl gestured to a chair. "Sit, Razorclaw."

He stared at Prowl, then the others. "Sure," he said with a slight grin. He sat, it was silent, then he leaned forward on the table with his elbows. "Hello, brother. How's it going?"

Rampage stared at him, then opened his carry hold. He pulled out his son, then sat him on the table. "I thought you might want to see him before he graduated from University."

The baby looked at his father, a slight look of angst forming on his face as he felt his atar's energy storm. He looked around the table, then rose. Walking to his father, he reached for him. Rampage picked him up and hugged him. "You want me to come, Razorclaw. You want me to give up my life, my family and my self respect to destroy things with you. I don't think you get it. Look at this kid. He's mine. My family, my bond … my life here … it's what's real. Its the only thing that is. I will never go back to the old ways. That life is dead to me," he said.

They stared at each other. Razorclaw sat back, his gaze on the child. "Cute kid. You **do** know that when Megatron comes back he will level this place and your kid won't have any more luck than anyone else."

"When that **fragger** , that **coward** comes back, I will be there with my guns. No matter what happens, he will **never** rule me again. Not **him** , not **you** , not **anyone**. This kid gets my best. My family gets it **all** ," Rampage said as he slid his fussing son into his hold. Rising, he leaned forward and placed his palms flat on the table. "What the frag are you that my son means nothing to you?"

Razorclaw stared at him. Then he looked at Prime. "Can I go now or do you want to lock me up?"

It was leaden in the room. "I want you to go back to your fort and stay there. I will not allow anyone to cross my territory to join you. The groups you went to see will be destroyed if they so much as blink my direction. I am the Prime of Cybertron, the First Disciple of Primus and I have an oath to protect and defend everyone, from that baby to the oldest elder. If you think you will prevent that from happening, then you are a very great fool. I have spoken, Razorclaw, and I do not intend to have to say it again."

Razorclaw considered that, then nodded. "Very well. New rules," he said. "May I go now?" He smirked slightly at Prime but there was murder in his optics.

"You are dismissed," Prime said coldly.

Razorclaw chuckled a moment, then glanced at his brother. "That's a really cute kid, Rampage. I'm glad for you. But this means that the ties are cut. Too bad. We were great once," he said, then with guns and guards, he walked out the door to the bridge room. He would have to give coordinates for his fortress or risk ending up floating in space.

It was not a good orn for Razorclaw.

Oddly enough, it was a very, very liberating one for Rampage. He sat with everyone for a bit as they talked about the ramifications of this moment and admired the sweet baby that stood on his father's lap watching everyone and everything in the room.

-0-Out there

They found a nice place to dig in, one with a lot of broken stones ready to be easily built into a stone fortress. Standing on debris and their shuttles near enough to see them through long range sensors, a number of Autobots and Seekers took locations and images for their files.

-0-At Camp Terror, out there

Razorclaw walked out of the bridge into the airfield of his fort, then halted to glance around. As he did, he clenched his fists and bellowed into the howling wind his infuriated thwarted rage.

-0-TBC 12-18-17 **edited 1-4-18**

cognition (cog-nish-uhn): the ability to think and reason

loges (low-jus): the seating in the back that is above the floor seating, sort of a balcony in the back

serf: a near slave who worked the land for someone with little paybacks (a term for the working poor during medieval times)

fiefdom (feef-dum): a kingdom for a petty ruler


	223. Chapter 223

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 223)

-0-On the airfield at Autobot City Prison

They had been captured in space, then brought to the ground. Walking from the ship, seething with contained outrage, Razorclaw had surrendered his weapons, those they could find, and walked to the Ops Center in a sea of rifles, all of them pointed at his helm. Behind him as he left, he could hear the orders for his mechs to step out and surrender or have their ship detonated. They would not be going back with him, the mechs or his ship. He would be bridged back to his base alone when he finally was returned.

They gathered on the line as a small femme gazed at them with a cold and appraising optic. They were sullen as fuck and in no mood to be nice. Gee-Gee and her mechs including Roadbuster gave none back as they sorted the group mentally. Blue Bacchus who had come along for the ride was beside himself, but he managed to tamp it down. She moved closer to them. "I'm Warden Gee-Gee, your new lord and master. This is my prison and I run it my way. I'm adding you to my collection.

"You will live here according to my rules and if things work out, you can have a chance to live in the colony like a mech. Until then, you live in the cage I give you and do what you're told. Otherwise, I will have to take measures."

"Like what, fragger?" a big hulking mech asked before he landed on his aft, his lower left leg bent at a strange angle. It took a moment for the big mech to feel the pain, so swift was the blow that landed, then he bellowed as he gripped his knee. **"FRAG! YOU BROKE MY LEG!"**

"Do you want more? I got an endless supply of broken bits for you. Just ask me," Gee-Gee said softly as she glared at all of them. **"I AM THE QUEEN OF AUTOBOT CITY PRISON! I RULE IT LIKE A BENEVOLENT DICTATOR! FOLLOW THE RULES AND LIFE WILL BE BETTER THAN YOU EVER LIVED! DON'T AND I WILL BE YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!"** She moved closer to the silent row of dangerous mechs, ones who required a less refined approach to check in. She wasn't afraid and they could see that. They weren't afraid themselves but they were very wary of getting slagged by someone who had incredible skills and speed wrapped in a deceptively slim and small femme frame. It was disconcerting, the difference between her appearance and the level of carnage she could deliver.

She stepped back. "You will do what I say. You will eat, sleep, work, and **do what I say**. You will be taken care of, fed and housed better than anything you ever saw. You will be entertained through the media system and you will be slagged into dust molecules if you break even one rule. You hurt yourselves, your cell mates, my crews and techs, or try to leave without permission, use and abuse substances or each other and I will be **very** unhappy. Roadbuster?" she asked.

"Yeah, Warden?" Roadie asked as he gazed at the warden like she was Solus Prime.

"Does that cover it?" she asked.

"I think so," he replied as he smirked slightly at the line of fragged off 'Cons who were hers to contain.

"Very well. These are my boys. They are **mine**. You **will** do what they say. Hurt them and you **will** regret it," Gee-Gee said. "Take these slaggers to their rooms, boys. Thank you."

"On it, Warden," Roadie said as he held his big gun up to the face of one standing at the end of the line closest to the cell blocks nearby. "Walk along, slagger. Don't make me break you, too." She glanced at Blue Bacchus. "Not you, yet."

He stared at the others, then her, but didn't say a word. The Decepticons who were seething began to file off, lots of mechs with big guns on both sides as they trudged onward. The mech on the ground watched them go, then glanced at Gee-Gee. **"WHAT ABOUT ME!?"**

"A medic is coming," she said as she watched a medic with several guards hoofing it with a stretcher toward them. When they arrived, she nodded to the mech on the ground. "He needs a repair."

The medic nodded, then knelt down beside the big seething mech. "Sit up," he said and when he did, the medic deactivated him. The 'Con crumbled into a pile. The medic looked up at the warden. "Had to show them who was boss?" he asked with a grin.

"Sometimes, you have to. I wish they would come in smarter," Gee-Gee said with a soft sigh. She looked at Blue Bacchus. "You, come with us," she said as she walked off toward Ad-Seg. Blue Bacchus would come along sullenly and find himself kenneled with Motormaster and Wild Rider down the row. "You will stay here until Prime speaks with you. Whenever that is," she said, then the lot of them walked to the gates and left.

Motormaster and Wild Rider watched them go, then turned to look at Blue Bacchus who was staring at her with murder in his optics. "What the frag happened to you? I thought you were with Razorclaw. How did you get here?" Motormaster asked with disgust.

Blue Bacchus turned to them. "I was. I was told that Black Shadow was here, that he'd been captured by Prime."

Wild Rider nodded. "He was."

"Liar. **No one** captures him," Blue Bacchus said of his partner and idol, one who would just as soon kill him for good or even no reason as look at him. Everyone knew that was true but Blue Bacchus. He wanted to be just like his idol who kept him around for amusement. That is, until he stopped being amusing.

The poor dumb fragger.

"Prime took him down. He's in stasis in the hospital security lock up last time I heard. He came here to blow up the place and Prime took him down. We were here. We saw it," Wild Rider said.

It would take a bit of time for that to percolate into his processor, then Blue Bacchus would spend the next few joors cursing and bellowing for Prime. It would be the most entertainment that Motormaster and Wild Rider ever had in Ad-Seg.

-0-Ops Center

They sat around the data map watching the lights of the group who had apparently consolidated into one and was heading toward a defensive position in the area near their meet up place. "We have another thorn in our afts," Raptor said as he sat beside his father. "The data indicates that they have maybe close to 90,000 troops and a lot of ships. They might not be as neighborly as Razorclaw," he said with a grin. "That is, Razorclaw **was** neighborly. He might not be now. What do you want to do with Blue Bacchus?"

Prime considered that. "I just received a message from Warden Gee-Gee that he's in administrative segregation and having an adjustment problem."

"He's probably howling at the moons," Springer said with a grin. "He's not going to like it that Black Shadow is here in stasis. Good thing its in the main lock up with Shockwave now. It's not safe enough in the Metro Femme Security Sector."

"We will continue to move the worst down there," Prime said. "We will move Arachnid there shortly. Jetta is getting it refit to hold more stasis pods. Black Shadow is already there and the Decepticon Justice Division will go there with Arachnid shortly. I do not want even the idea of a mistake happening that allows them to get out."

"If you didn't have so many scruples, Prime, we could part them all out and have a piece of them framed and distributed among the senior staff for Christmas Surprise presents," Blackjack said with a grin. "I have space on my trophy wall for a leg strut from Shockwave."

"I want his big red optic," Chromia said with a dark tone. Maelstrom snickered as he sat beside her. It didn't matter where she went now. He was there, too, enjoying himself.

"What do you want to do about the surveillance on the group now, Prime?" Starscream asked.

"We need to maintain it. Our arrays … what is their range out there, Prowl?" Prime asked.

"We have that area covered. It's a pass through for the pirates and others to go toward Razorclaw, so we built up the arrays out there. We can watch them very closely. In fact, the views on the datapads come from that set up," Prowl said. "It's also the direction we watch for Cassio Imperialis."

Prime sat back. "I think we can recall the group when they see where they settle. I do not want them to have contact with the Decepticons. I just want a pinpoint of their location. Then they can be withdrawn."

Starscream nodded, then leaned forward to watch the datapad. "They appear to be heading toward that large planetary nugget here," he said pointing toward a bright spot on the datapad. "It's a good area. Big planetary fragment, lots of debris in the area to scatter surveillance, plenty of free-floating energon, and lots of room to hit and run all our locations. Good thing we have bridges. It prevents a lot of confrontation."

Prime nodded. "They will gather anyone coming their way. They will grow. Razorclaw, less so. We need to do some long term planning to get this group out of here. They have only to stumble in the wrong direction to find Gliese." He looked at Wheeljack and Perceptor. "What is the plan for Gliese? How far are we away from doing something about it?"

"We're examining systems and stars, Prime. We think Tau Ceti is a good start. Given the unstable configuration of Gliese, we don't want to place it in an area of free-floating debris. Nothing like a lucky shot to cause havoc," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded. "We will prioritize it. Gliese is the same size as Caminus so the same programming with slight modifications should do the trick when we move it. Now, Cybertron is massive so that's a whole 'nother can of worms, as the humans say."

It was silent a moment. "I will be glad to see Cybertron, her moons and the inner planets safely moved to a place where there can be sunlight. I wish for sun to shine on my home world again," Optimus said as he stared at the lights as they passed into the mass where the planetary fragment was. They looked to be slowing. "It would appear that they found their base. Please, Starscream, when its determined what is happening here, recall the team." He looked at Wheeljack and Perceptor. "Are the dishes and arrays ready to read that sector of space?"

Wheeljack nodded. "They are. All we need is for them to land somewhere so we can dial in. When they do we'll be able to watch them to a great level of detail."

"Thank you, gentlemen, all of you," Prime said as he glanced around the table. "Ladies." They murmured back. He sat back thinking about things, then glanced at Springer and Drift. "Could you bring Blue Bacchus here please?"

Springer grinned, then rose along with Drift, Hercy, Kup, Lon, and Bezel. "Your wish is my command." They gathered, then left to go to the prison.

"He won't be a happy camper, Optimus," Elita said with a grin.

"That will make two of us," Optimus said with a slight grin of his own.

"I'll get some donuts," Ratchet said as he rose. "Come on, Leadbutt. I can't carry everything."

" **I AM IRONHIDE! I CAN CARRY THINGS!"** Ironhide said with a grin as he stood to follow.

"Need help, Daddy?" Elita asked.

"Frag yeah," Ironhide said. "Be a comfort to my old age."

"Speak for yourself, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he walked to the main doors that led to the buffet that was kept in the Rec Room for just such things. It would take a moment to bring Bacchus from his kennel.

-0-Prison

A big group walked to Ad-Seg to get Black Shadow's running partner from his cage. He stood at the bars with a seething expression of outrage. Motormaster and Wild Rider stood at the bars of their cages with big grins. **"HEY, SPRINGER! TAKE ME, TOO! YOU KNOW YA WANNA! ME AND PRIME GO BACK A LONG WAY IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"** Motormaster said like the slagger he was.

"In your dreams, Motormaster," Springer said as the group halted before Blue Bacchus. "Prime wants to speak to you, slagger. Are you going to do this the right way or the idiot way?"

"Open the door and find out, fragger," Blue Bacchus said as he cricked his neck and cracked his knuckles.

"Okay," Springer said with a big grin.

-0-TBC 12-19-17 **edited 1-4-18**


	224. Chapter 224

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 224)

-0-At a dog run

"Okay," Springer said with a big grin.

Everyone looked at each other, then subbed their weapons. The guards standing nearby had enough of those so they decided to go extra virgin, gun wise, for this slagger. Fists they brought and fists it would be. Drift grinned, then set himself. Springer did as well as Bumblebee who was along for the fun because First Aid was doing night shift at Metro Femme did so, too. Everyone else fell into a half circle to watch and critique what should be a wild encounter. This slagger was big enough to pal around with a phase sixer, strong enough to hold his own and sneaky enough to have learned a bunch of things from watching Black Shadow kill everything and everyone he wanted. This would be no walk in the park.

Probably.

Springer looked at the Officer of the Orn, then nodded. The Officer of the Orn grinned, then pressed a code on the remote he carried. The lock slipped and the door which was lit by electrical charge swung open slowly. They braced themselves for the charge.

It didn't come.

Blue Bacchus who knew in the end he'd get slagged good stood in place with a grin on his face. He laughed, then set himself. "Come get me, fraggers."

They would.

-0-Ops Center

"And that's what we got them for Christmas Surprise. Everyone gets a toy truck for their collection. The sparklings never make it past the vehicle bins at the store," Ratchet was saying as the adults around the room grinned. They had a great little toy vehicle collection in their offices from the sparklings giving them as presents. Half the joy of getting them was the detailed instructions the babies would impart once they were opened by their recipients. Ratchet grinned. "I have about ten now. I keep them in my desk at the office. You never know when you want to drive them and make car noises. I hear that's what human kids do as a rite of passage."

'I do believe you are right," Prime said. "I wonder what is taking them so long?"

-0-Dog run

They launched themselves into the small lockup, both Drift and Springer, grabbing arms and gripping whatever they could. Bacchus leaned back and pulled them in. Given the space had about two paces worth of width and two paces worth of length, having the three huge mechs inside together was a tight fit.

'Frag, Bacchus. You've put on a little weight," Springer said as he grappled with the big mech. Drift guffawed as he did the same.

Standing outside, watching with amusement, Bumblebee glanced at Hercy and Kup. "I think they need assistance." With that, he ran in and grabbed at Bacchus. At this point, just as Bee knew, the space inside was maxed out completely. There was no room to move and because it was so constricted, Drift, Bacchus and Springer were squished. Even Bacchus laughed loudly. **"FRAG! WHAT'S KEEPING THE REST OF YOU!?"** he asked.

"Common sense?" Hercy said with a calm tone and a slight grin.

"I think they need help. How about we see how many we can stuff in that pen?" Sunstreaker said to Lon and Bezel. Sideswipe who laughed loudly ran forward and shouldered Bee into the other three. Pushing in, he was trapped tightly against one side of the opening where the door would be if closed. "Frag. It's tight in here."

"Not tight enough," Sunstreaker said as he walked forward, pressed his shoulder into Bee and rammed himself inside. "Oh frag. It is," he said as the others groaned.

"Frag, this isn't going very well," Springer said as he was smashed tightly against Bacchus. "Is that a grenade in your subspace, Bacchus, or are you just happy to see me?" he asked.

Drift laughed, then tried to shift. He couldn't. His nose assembly was pressed against Bacchus's face. "You should have shaved, Bacchus," he said with a chuckle. "Bee, your face is crushing me."

"I doh," he barely managed as he stared at Drift's side. He was pressed intensely hard against him by Sunstreaker who was goading Hot Rod to join them.

"Go, Roddy," Smokey said as he glanced from the spectacle to his erstwhile lover. They had found themselves in the group together, though they hadn't spoken in two orns. Smokey was still slightly steaming with teenaged angst.

" **You** go, Smokey," Hot Rod replied.

" **WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO GO!? WHAT'S KEEPING YOUR PEDS NAILED TO THE GROUND!?"** he replied.

"Wow. You're still holding a grudge, I see. No talking to **you** tonight," Hot Rod replied.

" **YOU HAVEN'T CALLED ME IN TWO ORNS!"** -Smokey

"And neither have you, **SMOKESCREEN! WHY SHOULD I DO ALL THE CALLING!?"** -Hot Rod

"Ah, young love. Kill me now," a guard said with a grin.

Hercy who was standing in between Hot Rod and Smokey looked up as the two turned on each other, oblivious to the crowd watching with amusement and the … whatever it was going on in the Cybertronian version of a telephone booth nearby. "Oh, frag," he said glancing at Kup who was chewing on his stogie as he enjoyed the show. "Trouble in paradise."

"Then maybe you can work it off," Roadbuster said as he gripped Hot Rod by the arm. Shoving him forward, he crammed him into Bacchus's cell. Facing out, his aft wedged between Bee and Sideswipe, Hot Rod was stuck. He stared at Roadie with astonishment, then tried to move. He couldn't.

Smokey who was **THRILLED** at the sight, stepped forward. **"WELL, DON'T *YOU* LOOK STUPID!"**

" **DON'T BLAME *ME*! ROADIE! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"** -HR

"What? I don't hear you, Roddy. I think I have a buzz in my audials," Roadbuster replied as he enjoyed the spectacle.

" **FRAGGER!** " -Hot Rod

" **HAHAHAHAHAAHA! YOU LOOK STUPID!"** -Smokey

"What now?" Lon asked as he stood beside Bezel and Kup, one watching the spectacle with astonishment, the other with amusement.

No. Astonishment is too small for what Bezel felt. All of them went up 10,000 notches in his book tonight.

"We wait and see what happens," Kup said. "This is a teachable moment." He glanced at the prison guards who were having a **GREAT** time as they took bets on the play. "What do you think? Teachable moment?"

"Sure." -all the guards including Roadie.

Especially Roadie.

"Well, who **else** can we cram into that can of sardines?" Kup said as he looked around.

"This one," Roadie said as he gripped Smokey. Dragging him forward, he tipped him upside down and stuffed him on top of everyone. Shoving hard, he got the majority of Smokey into the structure. Smokey, for his part, bopped his helm on the back wall, then slid downward until he was staring at the back of Blue Bacchus. " **WHAT THE FRAG!?"**

Roadie stepped back looking at his handiwork with a critical optic. "I think we've achieved maximum occupancy."

"I think you're right. Too bad Cliffjumper isn't here. We could cram him in right there," Kup said pointing at a small spot near the floor with his cygar.

Everyone nodded. "Too bad," they said.

"You trip over the fragger when you don't need him and when you do? You can't find him," Roadie said with a touch of regret.

"He's bonded and its … I haven't arrested him like I usually do," Lon said as Bezel stared at the spectacle mute and mesmerized. "Buzzie is good for him."

"Buzzie is good, period," Roadie said in agreement.

"Hey?" A weak ass voice sounded from the mash up in the cage. "How about … uh, how about helping here," Springer said, then he laughed. "I hate you guys."

"Not until Kup gets a bunch of pictures for social media," Hercy said because he was ornery and because he could.

" **HEY! GET ME OUT OF HERE! MY FACE IS TOO CLOSE TO BLUE'S ARM PIT! SLAGGER! DON'T YOU EVER WASH YOURSELF!?"** Smokey said as he tried to struggle out of the wedg(ie) e he was in.

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that.

-0-Ops Center

"And that was when it all fell down and he sat up with a dazed look on his face. I told him, "You can't sneak in climbing up kegs, slagger." Ironhide grinned. "It was hilarious. He smelled like Kremzeek for a week."

Everyone laughed because most of them were there and highly liquored up. Now they knew the rest of the story. Prime grinned, then glanced at Prowl. "What's taking so long?"

"What about we go there ourselves?" Ironhide asked.

Prime thought a moment, then nodded. "Let's roll out."

They rose and as a group walked to the door to go to the prison. It was at the same time that Roadie was stuffing Smokey of Praxus into a small open space in top of the kennel.

-0-Moments later …

"And as you can see, we're doing important science here, Prime," Hercy said with a straight face and a serious tone.

Prowl stared at the confinement, then Hercy, then the confinement, Prime, Ratchet, the confinement …

Moments later …

Prime struggled to keep his laughter buried behind a straight face as the mechs were pulled out, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, a furious Smokey until he saw the entire senior Autobot command staring at him whereupon he stepped behind Lon and Bezel, Hot Rod who was struggling to keep his laughter from killing him by way of Prowl's fist to his face, Bee who wasn't holding it in and thereby drawing night duty at the TransWorld Highway Sensor Array Station like **FOREVER** from Prowl, Drift who staggered out backwards, then fell on his aft, and at last, Springer who popped out like a cork shot from a champagne bottle, then tripped over Drift and fell at Prowl's peds.

Prowl reflexively kicked him.

" **WHAT THE FRAG, PROWL!"** Springer said as he stood. Then everyone turned to Blue Bacchus. That mech staggered without a sound, then fell face first on the ground. Springer stared at him, then turned to Prime with a grin. "There you go."

It was then that Prime bellowed his laughter in a torrent. It probably could be heard on Charon, a place some of them were likely to spend the rest of their adult lives if Prowl had his way.

Moments later-er at the Control Center in the Prison …

Prime sat on a chair at the head of the table like some long suffering father of a family of chromosomal challenged hoodlums. Springer and Drift were standing by the door secretly fuming at life in general. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were having a ripping great conversation off line at the expense of everyone in the room, especially Bee. Bee was relating his tale off line to First Aid while Bezel and Lon were discussing the side of being a warrior that they didn't know existed … the lame brained sparkling side of things. Prowl sat beside Prime with a glazed expression as Ironhide and Ratchet discussed him off line in amusing tones. They were joined in that by their adult daughters and all of Ironhide's family. Half of them were pissed that they weren't there to see if they could fit in the dog kennel, too.

Blue Bacchus had been revived, then dragged into the room. He sat in his chair staring malevolently at everyone. He only vaguely remembered a torrent of abuse and laughter from Motormaster and Wild Rider in their pens down the way from his as he was dragged out by his peds by the guards. "What the frag was all **that** about, Prime? What the frag?"

"We were doing hard science, slagger. Sit up and answer the Prime or I'll taze your aft off," Hercy said unsubbing his electrical prod. He pressed the button and a thick wad of electricity shot straight up with a loud snap as ozone filled the room. "Nothing like a shot of plasma to clear the cobwebs," he said with a calm voice.

Blue Bacchus glanced sharply at Prime. "Is that it, now? You're going full Megatron on me?"

Prime shrugged. "I am a busy mech. Tell me about Razorclaw and you can go back to your phone booth."

 **HUGE, HUGE** laughter was had off line but Bacchus wouldn't know by looking at them. Prime, however, was **MIGHTILY** entertained. "He has a fort. He has a big force. He wants to rule the universe. **BLAH-BLAH-BLAH.** Stop me if you've heard this before."

"I've heard he's menacing the area past where he thinks he rules," Ironhide said. "You're in our territory and therefore, that's a vain notion. You rule zip."

"Tell that to him. I live in a phone booth now," Bacchus said to Ironhide. "If you'd like, I'll call him for ya."

It was a testimony to everyone's game face that they didn't fall on the floor and laugh.

"Tell me things I do not know, Bacchus. Maybe I will tell you something you want to know," Prime said calmly.

"He's going to gather troops and overrun you. That's his game plan, such as it is. We're the Decepticons, Prime. We don't do details," Bacchus said.

"That's true," Devcon said as he sat nearby. "You might have noticed that you lost Cybertron if you did."

Prime did grin at that one. "We have Black Shadow."

"So I heard," Bacchus said. "I don't believe you but if it makes you happy, then fine."

"You're going into a high security prison and I don't see you getting out, slagger. Just so you know," Prowl said as he finally found his voice.

"Nothing like planning your orn," Bacchus said to Prowl with a spiteful smirk.

"Get him out of here," Prowl said coldly.

Roadbuster and the prison crew moved to Bacchus, dragged him to his peds and out the door. They watched him go as he cursed and laughed loudly. They would take the underground train to the prison stop and walk him back to his cell from there. It was safer and easier.

As they sat watching him go, Prowl slapped his servo on the table. **"WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE FRAG WAS GOING ON AT THE PRISON!?"**

Everyone stared at him, then a grinning Prime. "Yes. I would like to know, too," the big mech said.

Hercy grinned slightly. "Don't look at me. They blinded me with science."

HUGE laughter greeted that. A great deal of it was from Prime.

-0-TBC 12-20-17 edited 12-21-17 **edited 1-4-18**

Thomas Dolby, 'She Blinded Me With Science' is a very funny song.


	225. Chapter 225

The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 225)

-0-Later

They walked toward home heading for the barn. Bacchus had been caged, counting down another major slagger who was no longer running loose. It was a win. Crossing the highway, they walked onward. Halo needed to go to bed and so did they. It had been a long time between home stays and soon it would be weekend. Kaon v Nova Cronum. It was going to be epic.

-0-Springer and Drift

"I'm glad we took the night off," Drift said as he tossed a beer to Springer. He grinned. "I want to see the video. Someone took one. Or three."

"Give them a few breems and check social media. I'm sure its going to be there," Springer said as he sat on his chair, resting up from the insanity of a few joors ago. Being a big sparkling like the others and most mechs in general, what they did wasn't surprising. Nothing like a small space and a fight to add spice to life.

Drift collapsed in his chair. "Feels good to sit."

"You were hilarious. How's the nose assembly?" Springer asked.

Drift chuckled. "It's felt better," he said. They clicked on the monitor to catch up on the news, then adjourned to the berth room for a mercy frag.

-0-Residence

"If that gets out on social media, I will beat afts," Prowl said. He sat down, then lay back as weariness settled in. "I will never understand the mentality of Wreckers."

"Do not try," Prime said as he called down the lights. He grinned, then peered at Prowl who was still fuming. "I thought it was hilarious, just so you know."

Prowl smirked. "Sincerely, I think you need better friends. The ones you have are corrupting you."

They chatted together a while before drifting off. It would be pleasant and quiet in their house.

-0-Trine be true

They gathered in their berth room going about the business of getting ready for bed. Sideswipe lay down, then pulled Blue over. He grinned. "You look edible."

"There's snacks in the fridge," Bluestreak said with a grin.

Sunstreaker came out, then crashed on the other side. "If you two are going to 'face let me know. I'll dial down. I don't feel like purging right now."

"In your dreams," Sideswipe said as he grinned at Bluestreak. "Dial down, slagger," he said, then he didn't say anything.

Sunstreaker didn't dial down.

The slagger.

-0-Later that evening

He climbed out of his big boy berth, then paused to look both ways in the hallway. The one end had a lot of big kids including Co-D who was staying over. 'Pover' aka Partition wasn't staying over either. He and Lancer were living together in a nice apartment somewhere else. Orion walked toward his genitor's room, then around their berth, fixing them with a curious optic. They were snoring, something they both denied and most humans wouldn't believe them capable. Revving their 'engines', 'peeling out their 'tires' and the like, they would see. But snoring? How? Why?

Muy inscrutable were the ways of mechs.

Orion patted Cousin who was curled up on the berth next to Ironhide. He tended to go here and there in the night, curling up with this one, sleeping with that one, batting at the optics of still others. The cat watched him, then relaxed into sleep again. Orion smiled, then paused by the bassinet with Halo. He stood on his little tiptoes, peering in as best he could, then he walked to the end of the berth. It took a while to clamber up and by the time he 'stealthed' to the spot between them, both of his genitors would be silently awake. Muscling down, arranging himself and his 'sleepy bed' dollie, Orion relaxed.

:Little slagger. Always picking that spot: Ironhide said.

:He takes after you, Ironhide. Predictable: Ratchet replied.

:I'm not predictable, Ratchet. I'm consistent: Ironhide said with a grin.

:Is that what it is?: Ratchet replied with his own grin. Locking his limbs, he fell back into recharge. So did Ironhide. That was how tired they were. Orion would grin at both, 'whisper' and sing to his dollie, watch the shadows on the wall from the light outside, then fall asleep himself.

-0-Lon and Bezel

"What do you think?" Bezel asked as they rode along the highway heading for Earth 1. "That was insane and absolutely incredible. They don't seem to have much fear."

"I think there's a lot of stuff we don't know," Lon said with a grin. "I wanted to laugh so much I thought I was going to throw a rod."

"You and me both," Bezel said. "I never had such a good time as joining the Watch, Lon. I'm having so much fun."

Lon grinned. "Have you talked to Keystock or Cargo lately?"

"No," Bezel said. "They don't talk to me."

"I talked to Ironhide about what's happening. Praxians, especially the soldiers, like to take on what they call 'projects'. They pick someone who might seem hopeless and try to help them. Right now, the court ordered it but because Ratchet is mentoring Partition and his family, it sort of inspired them to take up Keystock and Cargo. They go to Cybertron, do the dirtiest details all orn long and come back dragging. You know that backpack that Keystock has to carry?"

Bezel nodded. "I know. Some kind of really important thing or something really delicate."

"Actually, Bez, its filled with cybertanium bars. Lots of them. General Hard Drive is adding more every so often so it gets heavier."

Bezel glanced at Lon with surprise. "Why?" he asked.

"Because, he wants to break down Keystock's barriers, his hard aft attitudes. He wants to make him tired. It's one thing to trudge all over Cybertron. Even doing some duties there. But its another thing to do it when you're weary. Putting the weights on him speeds that up. The orn will come when Keystock swings on the General and that's when things will make or break. Hard Drive won't be giving up on Keystock any time soon. He's done this over and over in the past. He's relentless. By the way, that's completely classified."

"General Raptor has Cargo," Bezel said as he nodded.

"I love Raptor," Lon said with a grin. "I'd love to hang out with him everyday myself."

Bezel grinned. "He's funny. I don't think Cargo thinks so but I do."

"If anyone can help them, its those two. We're invited to their Christmas Surprise Dinner at Ratchet's. It might be Christmas Surprise eve. I'll ask. We don't have to bring anything but I think we should. Are your folks having a dinner?" Lon asked.

"My Ada is. He cooks so great and he wants to try the turkey thing. We're invited along with a lot of others. I don't look forward to it. Key and Cargo make me so nervous. Atar is trying. He works at the hospital full time now. He works in the kitchen." Bezel glanced at Lon. "My brothers hate it."

"Well … frag **them** ," Lon said coldly. "We'll do our best for your genitors. Cargo and Key will either sink or swim. Your genitors are who I worry about now."

They rode onward talking about Christmas Surprise. They would be part of the security arrangement to get all the Santas to their locations by horse drawn wagons. Whether the Santas would know yet was unclear. Lon just knew that he volunteered himself and Bezel to help.

It was going to be epic.

-0-In Ad-Seg

Blue Bacchus lay on the bench that served as that and a berth. Nearby, arguing together in their different lock ups, Motormaster and Wild Rider sparred. There was something that happened or they did and neither remembered it the same way. It led to a brawl and their placement here. It would be a long night for the running partner of Black Shadow.

My, how the mighty had fallen.

-0-The Hourly News, Late Night Edition

"And in other news, the Director of the Interior, Beachcomber has stated that there will be a closure in the Valles at Camp 13 due to rock slides. The public works division is doing a survey of the area to see about its stability for continued rock climbing. Until then, rock climbing is limited to sites 17, 22 and 41.

"When we get back from the Community Bulletin Board update on school menus and clubs, we will have sports and weather next." The image cut to the slowly scrolling message board's front page which was subtitled in English for the human and in the main language of the Hu-An, Alsan, for that habitat's dwellers.

Aleph sat back to wait and chatted with the weather man, Stencil, the son of Barron. He was working at his first job post graduation from Intermediate School, trying out broadcasting before going into the university for a journalism degree. He was interning here and on the * **!JAZZ AND BLASTER SHOW!** * He had a burning desire to do investigative journalism and root out 'bad stuff'.

His atar, Barron, and naneth, Alto, were incredibly proud of him.

The sports reporter, Jericho walked in and sat on the set. He grinned at Stencil. ready for this?" he asked.

Stencil nodded. "I think so, Jeri."

"Good thing," the director said. "We're live in 3 … 2 … 1. You're live."

"Good evening, everyone. We're back with sports and weather. We have a mentorship presenter for the weather, Stencil of Delgon IV. Welcome, Sten," he said with a grin. "You're seeking a career in journalism and wanted to try broadcasting to help you refine your goals, correct?"

Stencil nodded. "I do. I don't know if this will be the course I take but I sure am interested in what it entails. Its harder than it looks," he said with a smile.

Aleph laughed. "I think you might be right. What's the weather going to be like tomorrow?"

Stencil grinned, then turned to the huge animated screen that had a giant image of Mars that could be narrowed down to a specific building on a specific street just by touch. "Right now, let's look at Mars overall," Stencil began. "The northern latitudes are still showing signs of late winter. We expect that this will change with the increase of winds and the slight rise of temperatures," he said.

Sitting in their apartment, watching even though it was very late, Barron and Alto recorded their boy's efforts on the news channel at IntraComm. They were very, very proud of him, this good boy who had big ambitions.

-0-In a berth with a dollie

He stared at the ceiling as he sang softly to himself. It was sing-songy because he was about to fall asleep. Orion was on the edge of slipping into recharge and his song was helping him. It would. His genitors had fallen back into sleep about half a breem earlier.

-0-TBC 12-21-17 **edited 1-4-18**

Happy Yule everyone! Darkest day of the year here. There are places in the northern part of my state, Alaska, that get zero daylight for a while now. :D Lucky them. :D


	226. Chapter 226

The Diego Diaries: **PARTAY!** (dd6 226)

(Note: Since Christmas is going to take about a week to write, I'm starting today. For this story, Christmas Surprise eve is tomorrow with the day itself following. If we don't do it now, we're going to over run New Years which is also their Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. It takes about a week to write an event and sometimes, it took a month to get two or three days in. I like to see what everyone is doing. That's right. I'm nosy.) :D

-0-Around the colony

"Put that in the back of the refrigerator, Chan," Corr said as he mixed a mixture in a bowl at the counter. Sitting on the counter next to him, their inscrutable faces watching his every move with intensity, Appa Ratchet's cat and Appa Corr's waited for their best opportunity. Given that it was Corr doing the mixing, they didn't have to wait long.

Sitting on the floor nearby working to put the right present into the right shiny colorful bag, Docker and Appa Ratchet made their way through the mass of gifts, some chosen a long time back, that would go to the children shortly. Their tree, a gigantic one picked out by Ironhide some time ago twinkled near the windows, its beauty a thing to see.

Corr covered the dish, then set it in the fridge to marinate. He walked to the two, then sat himself. "How is this going?"

"Very well, Corr," Chan said. "I can't wait until tomorrow." He walked over to join them, helping match the proper little gift to the proper individual. It was harder now having so many adult grandchildren but they had worked at it a long time to get it right. Things were great in their little kingdom.

-0-Kestrel and Tagg

Walking to the cafe in the University, they got their snack and drink, then found a table to sit. Tagg pulled out his newspaper datapad, then began to scan the news. "The planning commission okayed the University District last night, Kes. They said they would green light it on the schedule for construction."

"Is it still going to be on the right side of the road across from the Basilica?" Kestrel asked as he waved to Smokey who was heading to class. The kid waved back, then disappeared around the corner. "That infant is so smart. If he ever figured it out he could be a prime."

Tagg grinned. "I don't think he will. He's awfully young and adventurous."

Kes grinned. "What parts of the plan passed?"

"The campus layout as we've seen discussed. There will be a lot of buildings, each dedicated to a particular science or occupation. The Science building will have a huge auditorium for lectures that's going to double as a public presentation space. There's a language building, a social sciences building, a number of things. There will be an administration building for offices and the leadership. A student union building … that will be nice. They're going to have a big cafeteria there. Lots of space for a huge bookstore and a cinema. It sounds like fun, Kes."

Kestrel nodded. "Will they have that dorm plan?"

Tagg read, then nodded. "Yes. They want a place for those from Cybertron to live without using hotels or shared housing. They want them to have more comfort and a sense of belonging."

"That's a good idea. They need it," Kes said. "What about other things? I heard they wanted a small gallery and a sports complex. That way, they won't have to use The Sporting Centers around the colony for some courses."

Tagg read, then nodded. "They will. They're going to have a giant pool as well." He grinned. "I may have to learn how to swim after all."

"It sounds like fun," Kes said with a grin.

They sat together sharing a bite and some conversation before heading out for their last class of the orn. It would also be the last class before Christmas Surprise vacation.

-0-Roto and Terradive

They finished their chat over the monitor, then signed off. There was things to do before the next orn when all the kids would arrive for classroom parties and the arrival of **SANTA PRIME!** The parties were organized by the G-TA, the Genitor-Teacher Association who took care of such things. Given that conferences would be coming up after break, the teachers were bogged with work so the group handled the extras as they always did, brilliantly and well.

His classroom which always displayed art had been decorated by the G-TA with a sparkling tree and lights around the windows. All of the treats and small gifts that the G-TA always provided, usually a sparkling ornament for the kids to put on their home trees or hang anywhere else, were already in the room safely stored from prying infant optics.

The kids were outside for recess, then they would fog in and begin again. School would be usual stuff until after lunch, then they would do art and read stories. Play would end the orn until the next day when they would come back here at 0800 on the TMC. Youngling Day would commence at 0800, Intermediate at 1000 and Sparkling Day at 1200 on the TMC. Giving their staggered starts, Santa Prime(s) would make it with ease (hopefully) to everyone.

The siren sounded so Terradive put his snacks away and hid his (non-alcoholic) drink in his desk drawer. He walked to the door and into the hallway to banter with Mrs Lyrica, his teaching partner and Miss Coral, a teacher down the hallway working with second levels. The flood from the elevator would be loud and long. **CHRISTMAS SURPRISE WAS ALMOST HERE!**

-0-At the Industrial Park Warehouse set aside for Christmas Surprise

An apprentice metal worker was shining up the throne of Santa Prime. It was hilarious, beautifully colored and filled with symbolism. Some of that symbolism even related to Christmas Surprise. Most of it was inside jokes related to the Grand Poobah of Christmas (Surprise), Optimus, himself, by the big mechs who made it. It would be trucked to each place that Optimus was to go and set in place.

There had been a memo sent out by the Director of Christmas Surprise aka Blondi, the City Clerk. It had gone about like this:

To: All the Santas and Elves for Christmas Surprise (see list at bottom and your assignments)

From: Blondi, Director of Getting Things Done

RE: Christmas Surprise

We will meet up at the warehouse in Industrial City Park at 0700 tomorrow and gather to come back via horse drawn wagons to the various places you will attend with duties. I've taken the liberty of informing a number of others that they are now Auxiliary Santa Primes due to the number of home bound infants and adults as well as the growth of our populations included here. They will be listed below and will be assigned at least one elf per Santa. Any other elves have volunteered and their service to The People is accepted by a **Grateful** (Autobot) **Nation.**

Come sober and upright.

The routes that you will fulfill are marked and attached to this email. Open the one listed in your name to familiarize yourself with the job ahead. A member of the Professional Association of Assistants et al will be assigned to each of you with the plan, routes and time schedules. If we didn't do that, this would be a disaster.

 **ALL HAIL THE ASSOCIATION! FEMMES FOREVER!**

All of you will go by horse drawn wagon. The touring company has graciously provided enough of them that all Santas no matter how convoluted your routes will arrive in traditional style. Elves will ride as well.

 **:( :( :( NO EXCEPTIONS! :( :( :(**

You will do your duty at each stop and make merry for our people as you always do. I am proud of you. Make your adas proud, too.

 **:) :) :) THAT INCLUDES YOU, TOO, MAGNUS!** **:) :):)**

There will be treats and drinks available at Ops Center when everyone is finished. You will be brought there by horse drawn carriage, upon which moment they will be freed to go and bring more beauty and light to our colony. Thank you for your **PROMPT** attention to this matter which is a ray of light and joy to **INFANTS** and **ELDERS** who have had hard lives.

Is that enough or do I need to make the guilt trip bigger? :D

Blondi, cracking the whip

-0-

Santas and Elves by group:

1\. Optimus Prime for the Sparkling Day School, the Temple Priests and helpers, Autobot City Medical Center/Metro Femme and day cares which will come to the Central Labor Hall meeting room #142. Designated elves include Prowl as the Missus ;) (I volunteered you, Prowler. Sorry. Not sorry) Venture, Tagg and Kestrel because they asked :D Aren't they wonderful?

2\. Springer as Santa for the Intermediate School, Social Care Home for Infants, Jail and the Prison. Your elves will be Drift as an elf along with Roadbuster who didn't ask, Hercy and Kup who did and Bumblebee who is a wiseacre and a good spark.

 **(MINI-CONS FOREVER!)**

3\. Ironhide for Youngling Day, the home schools, all academies and all home bound in the Seven Cities North. Your elves will be Ratchet, Docker and Roto.

4\. Blackjack for all home bound in Seven Cities South, East and West along with the assisted living towers (elders and children only for now) Your elves will be Twin Twist, Paragon and Alor.

5\. Starscream will handle all of Aerie Hill and the care centers there. I am told his trine 'volunteered' along with the Great Elder.

( **BRAVO!** It feels like team spirit around here.) :D

6\. Hard Drive will handle the Metro Districts and the big Metro children. He will be aided by Delphi and Heatout along with Charlotte Mearing, Olivia and Joe Bowers and Seymour Simmons, all of whom volunteered.

( **BRAVO!** We are now multi species.) :D

7\. Raptor for all home bound in the Crater District the Tri-Cities, the Metro District comprising Gambian and the other cities therein. Your elves will be Sandstorm, Turbine and Jazz.

8\. Ultra Magnus: all senior centers in the colony. They have agreed to meet up in the biggest one in their individual city. The femme team will help you along with Arcee, Magnus. Semper fi, darling.

9\. Every other place that isn't outlined here falls into miscellaneous and encompasses sites here and there. Expect to ride a while, Jetta. :D Elita, Mack and Blaster have been dragooned to be your elves.

-0-

For the human facilities, **EVERYONE** in the committee and senior staff is expected to hit the N.E.S.T. Habitat and Sciences. Everyone of the Family will be there all orn having an early 'beer blast, Blondi. Come if you can'.

*pencils in beer blast*

You may act accordingly. Everyone is expected to gather to go to Earth 1, Earth2 and the Resort tonight as well. We will signal when you come. The Hu-An will be included with that group as well.

I'm unclear that anyone is left out but if they are, call me at 2387-ASB70-S2S21, my private number. Thanks for being sports. Out of this, memories are born.

*cough*

XO, - (Look it up, Magnus)

Blondi, still working out the details

PS Sorry for the sloppy email. I'm trying to get slag done so I can come and straw boss this train wreck tomorrow. Idle servos are the Liege Maximo's workshop or so my ada says.

 **MERRY CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!**

-0-All around the place

"Seriously, Arcee, you **have** to get better friends. Your standards leave something to be desired lately," he groused as he stood in the doorway of his office in City Hall.

Arcee hugged him tightly. "Why, Magnus … I bonded with you didn't I?" she asked with a big smile.

He grinned in spite of himself. Deep inside, he was elated to have the seniors again. He would have made it happen if Blondi didn't already know.

-0-In a group at Ops Center

"This is going to be fun but it means we film everything so we can see what we miss," Raptor said as he leaned against the Tactical console.

"That's the downside of this," Ironhide said. He grinned. "I get Youngling Day again. The wagon ride is going to be great. It's going to take a while, though. Good thing we go to the schools first."

Hard Drive grinned. "I volunteered if truth be known." He glanced at Delphi who was grinning. "I volunteered you, too. Oh, and I 'volunteered' Keystock as well."

They laughed loudly, then Raptor slapped his father on the shoulder. "Guess what? I volunteered Cargo."

"Oh, frag, Delphi and Turbine … film is mandatory," Alor said.

"I think I have you all beat," Ironhide said as he commed off a private call. "That was Ratchet. He just volunteered Lucien."

 **HUGE** laughter and unanimous agreement followed. Ironhide had them all beaten.

-0-Smokey

He walked out of University happy as a clam that his classes were over until after New Years with its combination of Memorial and Veteran's Days for the bots. Then he paused on the sidewalk. What now? He was feuding with Hot Rod and now he was on his own during the time when they would be like two ticks on a cow. He stood rooted to the spot for a moment, then glanced toward Club Cybertron. Maybe Hot Rod was there, he thought, as he waffled in his resolve. Maybe he was at Club Hoyle. Maybe he was at his apartment. He wasn't at the one that Smokey had in the bachelor tower.

Frag, he thought, as the expanse of holidays through the new year yawned out before him like a bottomless cavern. Then he gathered his guts and headed for Club Cybertron. Mechs would be there and maybe he could join a game. He stepped out with resolve after subbing his textbook datapads and other school paraphernalia. It wouldn't do for his all around self image as a **FRONT-LINE** mechanism with **SKILLS** to be seen as a college boy. He meandered onward into an uncertain future and a dinner with an empty place at the table at his Appa and Amma's house.

It was fragged.

-0-Around

"So … what do we do?" Seymour Simmons asked as he sat at the dining table in their apartment in the Family Tower. Since no one cared if you shacked up unless any breakup might disturb the overall good atmosphere of the human colony, they had shared an apartment from the moment the DJD got slagged and Vos's facial helm rolled across the floor of the battleship, Salton Sea. They were a pair to draw to, both assuming roles as reps for Sector 7 on world or as the liaison between the bots and Earth on serious matters of law and conduct. Charlotte Mearing was essentially room monitor for the human population on Mars. It was her job to manage the fall out of the antics of the mercenaries at Earth2, for instance as well as other major things that could 'impair, impede or otherwise harm the relationship of the humans of Earth and the sovereign people of Mars', or so the United Nations charter said.

"We get to ride in the wagon and watch things. I find I've always like Christmas," Charlotte said as she washed the dishes from their breakfast. It was her turn. She also found that they were like two peas in a pod. Life was good. Christmas was penciled in to be enjoyed for once. That it took this and another world to make it actually happen was not lost upon her.

"What's the party schedule like?" Seymour asked as he perused the local newspapers on-world.

"We have to do this with the Prime tomorrow. Then we have to go to a Christmas Eve dinner here. Everyone has agreed to spend Christmas Eve in their own habitats. The colonial leadership is going to Earth 1, Earth2, the Hu-Ans, and the Resort to pay their respects as usual tomorrow, by the way. I have a cab for that reserved. We're going, too, Seymour. The last stop is the Hu-An Habitat, then we come home to have the children open some presents. On Christmas Day, everyone is going to be going to Earth2 for a huge dinner and dancing."

"They better lock up those fucking mercenaries. I don't trust them a bit," Seymour said as Charlotte sat down with her coffee and newspaper datapad. "I don't, either," she said as she began to catch up as well. It was extremely pleasant in their apartment on the second lower deck floor of the expanded and updated Human Family Habitat of Mars.

Who knew?

-0-Earth2

Mariah Davis worked at her computer in her apartment putting together the party that would be broadcast to Earth on the MCA. Fortunately, the last one wasn't or the world would know that a human was now residing in the jail for being a dumb ass rather than that a 'misunderstanding' had happened between some of the men who had too much to drink, or so the press release said. When the letter from the Office of the Prime via the Ambassador of State, the designation for the bots equivalent to Secretary of State or Foreign Minister on Earth arrived at their respective governments, it had been curt and to the point. Anyone who broke the laws of the colony would serve a full penalty for it.

A great deal of apologies followed along with a lot of discussion on Earth about a number of things. First and foremost, there was indignation among the more nativist elements about a human being held in jail by a bot. Secondly, there was discussion about the wisdom of inviting mercenaries, especially those, to a place like Earth2. Thirdly, there was the astonishment that after all these years, this was the **first** human on-world arrested for **any** crime. A lot of self congratulations were had for that and justifiably so. Only after this was there a concern about it harming the relationship. Conference calls were made, statements and appearances expressing regret by the relevant officials followed.

Mariah and the humans at Earth2 were still getting questioned about it and where was the miscreant? They kept it vague. Earth found out anyway and the Prime's Office had to release information and pictures about it to appease the outcry. That was when Ratchet went onto television to speak about it.

-a few ago

"You ready, Ratchet?" Jazz asked with a big grin.

"I'm waiting for my beer first," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I think authenticity counts don't you?"

He snickered, then began to countdown. "Three … two … one. You're live."

On the other end, the smiling face of Ratchet appeared using the Prime's set. He nodded to the camera. "Hello, Earth and everywhere else. I'm here to address the confusion and concerns regarding the arrest and incarceration of a human in our jail. First, the details. During Thanksgiving, Earth2 held a party for every human on-world. By all accounts, it was a great party and everyone was enjoying themselves, making friends and building the relationship between all the human habitats here. Just so you know, they include Earth2 with over 5,000 residents, Sciences Habitat that now clocks in with 120 inhabitants, Earth 1 with nearly 400 full time residents since families have joined the locals, the Family Tower Residence which has about 600 full timers, The Resort of Autobot City which is home to nearly 250 humans for various positions including the transport part of their business, United Nations Consulate which houses 112 people, and N.E.S.T. Headquarters which is home to 210 humans and their families. There are so many humans here we have redesigned and expanded the Human Tower and N.E.S.T. Headquarters buildings already. We have nearly 6,700 residents of the human persuasion on-world. They're our neighbors, friends and colleagues. Their children attend our schools and we have great times together. That's why this is so distressing.

"The party was going extremely well by what we were told when a micro mini-con who works there, Tika, accidentally bumped a human's arm passing by. This mini-con is a very talented and experienced individual who stands about four feet nine inches in height. He is a father, grandfather and a sweet natured kind person well liked by all who know him. He was chosen to work inside to be of assistance to the humans and he handles all problems as per his job as habitat millwright. He was startled by the furious reaction of the human, James Johnson, and followed his training and orders if something happened that was out of order. Being set upon for something like this is out of order.

"He fled to the tower elevator that would take him up to the command deck, a space that's designated by treaty, contractual and military agreements both verbal and written as sovereign territory of the Cybertronian people. Given the nature of the equipment that runs the habitat, its proprietary nature and your long time and annoying habit of taking tech and making guns out of it, this was the agreed upon decision of both parties. We would run the place, you would use and live in it. Please be aware, the Prime and his government have only leased all of the habitats on-world that house humans. They do not 'belong' to you. You have leases on all of them for a period of 100 years, whereupon at that time, you will renegotiate them. I personally don't see that as problematic for your continuation 100 years from now but its the way the contracts and treaties were drawn up.

"The complexity of maintaining safely a habitat that houses so many people is up to us. You don't have the skills or tech to do it. Since you want 80,000 humans here, it would seem wise that you abide by your agreed upon and signed documents to ensure that all will be well with those you have now. Every group that comes here is a trailblazer for every group that might come next. It would do you well to keep your agreements, keep your word and show yourself mature enough to come to this, a zero error environment. You can only live here to the degree that you do because we do all the work, provide the apparatus for you to survive and only ask that you obey the laws.

"When our mini-con was chased, he ran to the elevator that went upward to the command center and entered. His pursuer, James Johnson reached the elevator and managed to enter before it closed and went upward. The others who came to Tika's rescue, soldiers of N.E.S.T. who saw what happened and some of the longtime civilians on-world, were locked out because you aren't allowed to go upward. There's only one human there by agreement. N.E.S.T. sends an observer who attends to a shift there in case there are times when a human's advice is needed. The Prime asked for and received that clause for the comfort of the people. He didn't have to do it but he did.

"When they arrived on deck, he pursued our bot. The commander of the shift, Siso, was shocked to see what happened and before he could do anything about it as per the rules, N.E.S.T. soldiers who were at the party and the security head of the Resort, Gavin Pritchard arrived on the deck having overridden the elevator codes, something that Major Lennox can do. The soldiers included General Morshower, commanding, Global N.E.S.T. and Colonel, pending Brigadier General John Fulton of Diego Garcia who were there for the party with their families. They were able to access the control room in time to watch fisticuffs between On-World Commandant of Human Activity, Major William Lennox and the renegade individual, James Johnson. It ended, the Night Watch was called to collect Johnson and the incident was detoxified.

"Johnson spent the night in the jail at the Courthouse and during Magistrate's court had Cybertronian counsel. He was found guilty of his offenses and sentenced to 30 days in jail which is a reasonable sentence all told. He could have very well been deported. As it is, he has another chance to act according to the law and with dignity as a representative of the human species to us here on-world. He is currently there now and will be there until December 30th when his sentence is over. He will then be on step one of his rehabilitation. Any further offenses will be met with deportation and a lifetime ban from this planet.

"We are under the impression that the law matters and that abiding by them, being a good citizen and working for the common good means something to you. If you feel that in any way we have mishandled this incident by expecting him to pay his debt to our society, the one that has given him a very rare and wonderful chance to have a great personal adventure, then perhaps you need to rethink your stance. If we came to Earth and broke your laws, you would expect payment. We do, too. Right now, the debt he owes us is being repaid. Anything less than that would put into jeopardy our unity and alliances with Earth. Either your word means something or it doesn't. That's the final concern between us.

"We wish you the greatest and most happy holiday season and the greatest and most peaceful new year. From the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire, from the people of the same places, we look forward to deepening the relationship between our two great peoples. Nothing like this strains our ties here when its all sorted out. If they do at your end, that's on you. May you have peace, prosperity and unity in the new year ahead. As my people say as our creed and greatest prayer, until all are one. Good night."

"Cut," Jazz said.

-0-TBC 12-22-17 **HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL** (just in case I forget) :D:D:D **edited 1-11-18**

What a lovely surprise and card, Miss Cherry. Hugs to you and your sweet baby. :D:D:D

ESL:

nativist: usually someone who puts country first, resists anything new and sometimes can even be a racist with a good hatred for 'outside forces', usually anything that isn't original to their point of view.


	227. Chapter 227

The Diego Diaries: Partay! (dd6 227)

-0-In an office in the top of a tower in Metrotitan, a vast office filled with amazing tech, comfortable furnishings, a big desk, and a lot of Wreckers

"Hey."

Everyone looked toward the door where Maxi stood. She worked and ruled the roost outside in a vast room with several assistants assisting her to run the show as she sat by the window at her big desk with tech out the wazoo. Tyke was home and life was good again. "What's up, Maxi?" Springer said as he looked up from a dozen or so datapads that needed his attention.

"Got a call from the Parole Office. It would appear that Traachon hasn't shown up for work for two orns and he hasn't called his job, nor has he called his PO. Given it was him, I thought you might want to handle it yourself."

"Good call. I'll take it," Springer said. Maxi walked back out to do a million other things in this, an entire tower dedicated to the Day/Night Watch of the colony. Downward in the levels below this, the penthouse, labs, lock ups, offices, data centers, and a number of things he didn't know about more than in passing were busy with the business of teaching new officers including those in from Cybertron, detecting, collecting and such.

It was amazing.

"You'll take it to get out of doing your desk work, slagger."

Springer glanced over at Metrotitan who was slouched into a comfortable chair, his big peds resting on the coffee table in front of him, then grinned. "I liked you better before pretender gear."

Huge laughter greeted that as Springer stood up and stretched. "Pony up, boys. Time to take down a high tone."

Everyone including Titan rose to walk to the door. Snarking with Maxi and two others in the outer office, they walked out to take the elevator to the ground but not before they found out that Traachon was in the Diner On The Corner in Terra.

-0-At the Diner

They walked into the diner, then took a seat next to the booth where Traachon sat with three others. They gathered together, pushing tables against each other to sit. Waiters took their orders, then everyone relaxed. Laughing about another who wasn't here and some funny thing that they had done on the beat, they made a show of not noticing Traachon who was watching them silently.

He sat with three mechs that neither Drift nor Springer knew, all of them obviously at lunch and all of them watching the group with concern or wariness. Springer grinned, then made a show of glancing their way. He 'startled', then grinned again. "Traachon. Fancy meeting you here. Who are your friends?"

Traachon stared at Springer, the worst kind of individual to him … smart and violent. Dedicated to Prime, Springer was no ally and neither was Titan who was smirking at him. "Eating. You? You just happened to come here to this very place?"

"Actually, I came to pick you up for a parole violation and decided to not only let you finish your lunch but have one of my own. I brought a few of the mechs. Go ahead. Finish up," Springer said as he turned to the waiter who brought his food. Plates were laid on, drinks topped off, then the waiter hurried off to help others. "This looks good. It looks good, right?" he asked a smirking Drift.

"I would say so," Drift said as he began to eat his food.

"Parole violation … did the court order this?" Traachon asked in a very calm voice even as the three with him began to tense up.

"Yep," Springer said. "Who's your friends? I can check them for parole violations, too."

"They aren't bound by such restrictions," Traachon said.

They sat together, the four watching the dozen or so eat their food, trade quips and drink their beer. It was a busy place but there was no way they could walk out of the diner through the big mechs. They had sat together blocking the pathway out of the building, something they did on purpose, it was clear.

For a while, they sat quietly, then Traachon leaned closer to Springer. "We want to leave now. I suppose that's out of the question."

Springer nodded. "You haven't reported to work two orns in a row and you haven't let the Parole Office know, nor your P.O. You've broken the conditions of your parole, Traachon. I figured someone like you would have better sense than to test our resolve."

"I have extenuating circumstances," Traachon said as the others sat silently, warily, watching the exchange.

"Well … I'm open to a good story myself," Springer said as he leaned back and fixed Traachon with a cool gaze.

It was silent a moment, then Traachon replied. "My bond is feeling under the weather. I've stayed home. Frankly, if I may be clear, I'm bored with my employment. I would rather not go there given all things being equal. I would rather stay with Millow."

"I can see that," Springer said as he subbed a device. Tapping in a number, he waited. A voice answered. "Substation #42, Watchman Partition speaking." Springer grinned. "Partition, I need you to go to make a wellness check at the home of Traachon and Millow of Capital City. You can find it in the database. Take a mech with you to witness."

"On it, Chief," Partition said, then the line went dead.

Traachon who had signed off a message with the bond at the same time sat back. Millow would cover him.

"What's the story on Millow?" Springer asked. "What's his situation?"

"He's had a hard time. He hasn't felt well the last two orns. I stayed home to care for him. I put that responsibility over everything else."

"Is he depressed? Does he feel lonely and isolated?" Springer asked.

"You don't expect me to discuss my bond's well being with **you** do you?" Traachon answered with offense.

"Not really, but I've noticed something about all the bonds of you pompous windbags, you titans of Cybertron and your fragged up thinking. All of your bonds are depressed, feel isolated and have trouble feeling anything but fragged. Edict drank solvents and tried to die. Anders was severely depressed and Madura was housebound with depression and misery. Why is that, Traachon? Why would the bonds of all you high fliers be so oppressed and miserable? One of them to the point of suicide?"

Traachon stared at him, then shrugged. "Why don't you tell me? You're the expert it would appear."

Springer glanced at his device, then put in another number. A voice answered. "Autobot City Processor Health Hospital and Out Patient Center, Togo speaking. How can I help you?" he asked.

"This is Chief Springer, Togo. I need a wellness check at the home of Traachon and Millow of Capital City. Contact Watchman Medic Partition who's doing a wellness check. Meet him there and give Millow a full field exam. I'm heading over there now with his bond. He's due to go to jail for a parole violation but I want to know that Millow is safe and up to it."

"On it, Springer," Togo said.

Springer stood, then looked at Traachon. "Up and at 'em, Traachon. Time to go." He looked at the other three. "Do I need to run your names against the warrant database or can I take your word for it that you're not wanted?"

The three stiffened, then glanced at each other. "No," one of them said. "We were just visiting and we're going now."

"Good," Springer said. "You might rethink who you associate with."

The three glanced at Traachon, then slid out of the booth. They hurried onward to the door and left. The group watched them go, then turned toward Springer. "Move it, Traachon. We need to check in at your house, then head for jail."

Traachon stood, then walked without comment to the door with Springer and the others. It was a long silent journey to his city, tower and apartment.

-0-Already there

He rapped on the door as he stood in the hallway with Aero, a veteran policeman who was here with 'the rookie'. The door opened as a big handsome mech opened it, staring at them silently. "Yes?"

"I'm Officer Medic Partition of the Day Watch and this is my partner, Officer Aero. We were delegated to come and give a wellness check for Millow of Capital City, bond of Traachon. Is that you?" Partition asked.

Millow stared at both of them, then opened the door wider. "Yes. Come in."

The two entered, then the door closed. The apartment was elegant and filled with things that were antique enough that they had to have come with the occupants over the long travail of The Diaspora. It reminded Partition of a lot of homes he had visited in his youth, vague memories of life in another time and place. He looked at Millow who looked at him. "I will need to plug in," Partition said as he unsubbed his field kit. Opening it on the coffee table, he turned to Millow who had sat down on the couch. Carefully, gently, he plugged in and waited as the data came forward. As it did, a rap could be heard on the door outside.

Aero walked to it and opened the door, letting in a mech with a kit of his own.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Target. I was sent to do a mental health wellness check by the Watch."

Aero nodded. "Come on in. Partition is doing the health check."

Target nodded, then walked in to sit down beside Millow who looked like an ice cube of suppressed rage and overwhelming control. "Hi. How do you feel? We received a call to check up on you, Millow."

"I feel … tired," Millow said.

Target began to pull out meters and plugged into Millow's wrist jack. He watched the meter as he recorded the data. "Do you feel any sense of being isolated?"

"This is all new. I have to find where my friends live and start over. That's always … tiresome," he said quietly.

"What about depression? Do you feel sad or even unhappy, without control … does it come upon you out of the blue or is it a companion?" Target said as he pulled the jack and began to scan Millow with hand devices.

"It comes and goes," Millow said. Whether he was lying or not, it was hard to say. "It's been a hard venture coming here."

"It's a common complaint," Target said. "Just losing the idea of maybe being attacked or having something come out of the darkness to hurt you … that's a common complaint and dream. Have you had dreams like that?"

"I have … I find it hard to see my bond struggle and have him gone as much as he is," Millow said.

A rap on the door sounded, then Aero opened it, leaning out a moment. He stepped back to let Springer and Drift in with Traachon following. Traachon paused in front of Millow, then frowned. "This is not acceptable."

"Neither is you breaking parole," Springer said. "Anything yet?" he asked the two working on Millow.

Partition turned to him after checking his data, then pulling the plugs. "He's sound. He has no protoform wasting and I detect no drugs or scripts in his system. He's had a drink but nothing excessive. He's fit and well without blemish or difficulty internally. His processor reads clear and so do his major systems. I can detect with this preliminary examination nothing wrong with him that's evident at this level."

Springer nodded. "Thanks," he said, then he turned to Target. "Anything?"

Target glanced up, then looked at Millow. "Millow reports fatigue and concern over his bond. He reports some separation anxiety but nothing of great consequence. Right now, I detect nothing obvious but that's because this is only cursory. Something more in depth could reveal anything or nothing more. I would say that he's slightly anxious, could be suffering incipient depression and a sense of isolation due to change of circumstances and the absence of his bond. I find nothing extreme or worrying in the data. He's not suffering either substance nor physical impairment. Further tests would have to be run to determine how great his anxiety condition is but for now, I'd say its at a mild level."

Springer nodded. "Thanks," he said. "I'd love a report forwarded to my office of your findings."

Partition and Aero nodded, then packed up. Moving to the door, they waited. Springer was staring at Millow, then turned to Traachon. "Your bond appears to be able so he should be alright while you go to jail for parole violations. Millow, you're going to stay on our radar while he's in jail. Tomorrow, the magistrate will review your case and see if there's enough in it to revoke your special permit release. Let's go," he said as he took Traachon's arm.

Millow stood, his gaze fixed on Traachon. They appeared to be speaking off line, then Traachon moved toward the door. The group walked out and the door closed behind them. Walking to the elevator, they entered. Springer glanced at Traachon. "You're a real piece of work. Merry Christmas Surprise, Millow."

Traachon didn't say another word from that moment until the jail bars went up behind him at the Courthouse.

-0-TBC 12-23-17 edited 12-24-17 **edited 1-11-18**

NOTES:

I saw the latest episode of Transformers: Titans Return on Youtube that was so great. I LOVE the portrayal of Megatron and I NEVER liked him before, he was such a great villain. There is a GREAT thing with Fort Max in this that you have to see. Just search for **Transformers: Titans Return**. The episodes are only about 11 minutes long and the entire series, a second one, you can get the other online as well, is only about an hour and a half altogether. Peter Cullen voices Prime PERCY is there. :D You will love it. Cybertron is also beautiful.


	228. Chapter 228

The Diego Diaries: Christmas Surprise Eve (dd6 228)

-0-Early that morning, Christmas Surprise Eve on-world

He crept through the apartment checking everyone at both ends of the building. The night before had been the usual hoo-haw of kids, adults and passers-by. Now, it was his job to begin things or they would never get done. How that had landed upon him was beyond him but given that it had, he made his way forward. Walking back to the kitchen, Ratchet pulled two foil-wrapped 'prime ribs' that had been 'marinating' overnight from the refrigerator. He had decided before hitting the berth that he would make things easier for a change and get the prep done ahead of time. With Ironhide kibitzing over his shoulder, he managed to get it done anyway. Given that Ironhide by virtue of his schooling and caste was a better cook than he was, it still didn't do a bit of good in the division of labor department.

"I clean up. I eat. I wash the … things … the dish clothes. You cook. Of course, you can ask my old ada to make extra if you wa-" An elbow to the gut cut that line of slag down to size.

Ratchet grinned as he slid them into the double oven, set the cooking temperature down low, then glanced around. He was done. He would provide that, the apartment and a bale of buns for the dinner. Everyone else would bring the rest. He looked around mentally making a picture of how to move things around for more chairs and a table from Alie and 'Jack's house. There was plenty of space on the floor and the hallway always was available.

He walked to the berth room, admired Ironhide's fine aft, then crashed into place again. He was off line the moment he landed.

-0-Across the hallway

Alor worked in the kitchen making the lattice-top crusts of the dishes he would bring. One of them was a pie, Earth-style and the rest were traditional Cybertronian foods that always made the table during a holiday. Blackjack was snoozing and so was Scout. All was well in their abode.

-0-Across the hallway

Docker finished the sauce that would be poured over the dish that Ratchet had always been given during events. They were slum dishes that had been co-opted and gentrified by the higher ups, though there were some who said that those couldn't match that of the authentic cuisine. Chan who was a great cook lately, having taken up a few cookbooks to experiment with things like lasagna, barbecue and other delicacies of human cuisine was working on a large crust covered dish called chicken pot pie. It looked and smelled delicious. The two chatted softly together as they worked, two cats watching for the odd 'accidentally' dropped bit of this and that while Ratchet and Corr slept soundly. It was very pleasant in the kitchen with the lights of the decorations and tree softly glowing.

-0-Across the colony

"Raptor. Taste this."

Raptor rose from his chair to walk to the counter. He took a bite of something that Turbine was mixing. "That's great. Just the right amount of sweetness."

"Thank you, oh golden paletted one. I want this to be right. It's the first time anyone is going to bring it and some of them are great cooks," Turbine said as he continued to stir the mixture.

"So are you," Raptor said as he sat again. Picking up the datapad with the morning papers from Earth, Mars and Cybertron, he grinned. "What's Lucien bringing besides a massive sense of grievance?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask Laslo but he's happy to come. The kids are, too. Poor Lucien. Maybe he needs to go to Cybertron with you and carry a backpack as well."

Raptor grinned. "That's not a half bad idea, though Ratchet has him doing desk work at the Department of State. Serves him right."

"Some don't mind flying a desk, Raptor. They prefer it to sitting in the mud and getting slagged," Turbine said as he put a lid on the bowl he was working on. Walking to the fridge, he put it inside, then pulled out another bowl with something else. "I know. It's hard to imagine," he said, glancing at his big old mech.

"Slaggers don't know what's good for them," Raptor said with a grin.

-0-Somewhere else

"What do you think we should bring? Ratchet said we don't have to bring anything," Roto said as he sat at the table eating breakfast with Terradive. This was a half orn of school education before vacation. The next one after today, Christmas Surprise Day, would be a shortie with the kids coming for a party and their present from Santa Prime.

"I don't know. How about a bottle of something good? I could go get it but they might frown on me keeping a bottle of high grade in my classroom," Terri said with a chuckle. "You get it on your break and have them deliver it to the apartment."

"What about those sub adults down the hallway? What if they see the bottle sitting by our door?" Roto asked.

"Good point. Bury it in the bottom of a box of tomatoes or something, then bring it back to school. Lock it up and no one will know," Terri said.

"No wonder the Decepticons lost, Terri. No offense but … you get my drift, right?" Roto said with a snicker.

Terradive grinned at him. "Slagger."

Roto would get the box of groceries and in the bottom wrapped up was a nice bottle of high grade. No one would notice it was there.

-0-Trine be true

"I don't like the idea of you being gone all that time," Sideswipe said.

"You **know** I do communications on Enceladus once every nine decaorns," Bluestreak said as he put his side dish into the fridge. "That's the way it goes."

"It's fragged, Blue," Sunstreaker said as he held Uraya. They were eating breakfast and she wanted to be held. "I'd prefer you came home every night. It's bad enough that Sideswipe is tasked to Diego and I have to drag out to Charon. But having you away at all is fragged."

"Prowl doesn't play favorites," Blue said. "You knew that going in."

"He's still a slagger," Sideswipe said. "When do we go to the dinner at Ada's?"

"1200 hours," Bluestreak said as he sat down to finish his breakfast. "Be here before and help me get things to the party."

"You wound me," Sideswipe said with a grin. "You seem to think we don't carry our weight."

"You don't. Just be here on time. 1130 hours or I'm going to mess you up," Blue said.

"I think he means it," Sideswipe said to Sunstreaker.

Sunstreaker smirked at both of them. "I hope so."

-0-Up in the clouds

Prowl sat at the table working on tasks that had to be done so he could relax enough to have fun. He had to organize a party the next orn after they all played Santa Prime, finish work at the office in between all the fun, open presents sometime between now and tomorrow night, visit a number of human habitats including the Resort, be a dazzling host, and wrangle a lot of kids.

He couldn't wait.

-0-In the Bosom of Love, Inc.

"What's for breakfast?" Ironhide asked as he peered into the stoves.

"The usual," Ratchet said as he pulled out toast from the heat wrack. He put it in a basket, then handed it to Ironhide. "Be useful, old mech."

 **"I AM IRONHIDE! I'M USEFUL!"** Ironhide said with a grin.

"You need butter with that," Ratchet said.

"Okay," he said agreeably. Fogging out of the back room came three big kids and two smaller ones, Sunspot, and Co-D who spent the night. A cat and a dog bounded out, tussled, then turned to Ratchet for their breakfast.

"Don't look at me, fuzz balls. I'm busy," Ratchet said.

"I got them, Ada," Fireball said as he hurried to get them fed. Spot and Cousin were delighted that he did.

Infants hip-hopped out, bounding with good humor and a jones for getting into the presents. They were glommed, then sat on their chairs. By then, plates of food were handed out, toast was slapped on their plates and everyone sat down to eat.

"Where's Halo?" Ratchet asked as he sat to eat.

"She's still recharging," Ironhide said.

"Ada? Atar? Can you bring her to my school?" Hero asked with hopeful optics.

Ironhide being a schlub around his kids nodded. "Can do. Eat up, Little Missy."

Hero smiled at him, then began to eat. It was the usual morning. Praxus and Orion were racing to see who could eat the most toast, Fireball was discussing a physics assignment with his brothers, Hero was smiling as she tried to fit a long piece of bacon into her mouth with her small hands, Prowler was humming to himself as he ate his breakfast, and Spot was looking for scraps.

"When does Santa Prime come, Ada?" Praxus asked. All of the children paused to look at Ratchet.

"Tomorrow," Ratchet said. "He's coming to your school to give you a present. I hope you earned it. I would hate to wonder what to do with all the coal if you didn't."

Huge laughter and reassurances of 'I bees good, Ada' went around the table before the door opened and some of the usual squad of ammas and appas came inside. Scout who was walking pretty well ran in, then stopped beside Orion. He smiled. "Orion, you come play?" he asked.

Orion who was eating bacon looked down, then smiled brilliantly. **"TOUT!"** he said, then leaned down to hug him. He lost his balance, then fell onto his helm before tipping over to lay spreadeagled on the floor." It got quiet immediately, then everyone rose as one.

Blackjack picked him up. "You alright, infant?" he asked worriedly.

Orion blinked, then looked down. "I falled down."

"You did, your hard headed little slagger. Here," his grandpa said as he sat the baby back on his chair. "Eat and then play." He picked up his son. "Scout, you wait for him to get done." He walked to the counter, then handed his son a piece of bacon.

"That infant will be the death of me," Ratchet said with a smile. "What's on your agenda and when can we raid your dining room for furniture?"

"We have some slag to do in Las Vegas and Cybertron, but we're going to be back about 1000 hours on the TMC," Alor said as he kissed Hero. Then he walked down the hallway.

"We're expecting slaggers to show up from noon onward," Ironhide said. "We're going to be open for business before that."

"We can help," Blackjack said. "The others have the same schedule. We're just ensuring that the good holiday stuff has gotten out to where its supposed to go."

Alor walked back in carrying Halo. She was laying on his arm in blankets, a smile on her tiny face. "I'm taking this one with me, Ironhide. Just so you know."

"Thief," he said with a grin. "Going to take her to Sin City? Don't let her near a roulette wheel. She's got enough vices already."

"This perfect little imp?" Alor asked.

"She's coming to my school, Amma. Can you come, too?" Hero asked hopefully.

"I'll come to your school before I go to Earth," Alor said. "We can both come with you in the cab."

" **THAT WILL BE SO FUN, AMMA!"** Hero said.

"That will," Sunspot said with a smile of his own. **"I LOVE CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!** Did you know, Amma and Appa, that we're going to the stables and give presents to our horses, too?"

"I do," Blackjack said. "We're coming, too."

"That's going to be fun, Appa," Fireball said as the others nodded. "I can't wait until tomorrow. We get to have a party and then a present when Santa Prime comes."

"That was started by Sunstreaker. He wanted everyone to have parties for big events," Ratchet said. "Your old brother is a softie at spark."

"He's the greatest," Quasar said. "What do you think will happen when Kaon plays Nova Cronum this weekend, Ada?"

"I don't know. Nova Cronum is a lot like Kaon. It's going to be a train wreck," Ratchet said.

"Sort of like us if we don't get going now," Alor said as he slipped Halo into her Seeker bag.

" **HURRY UP, INFANTS! I HAVE SPOKEN!"** Ironhide said with a grin as a crowd of laughing kids quickly finished their food, then rose to get ready to go. He glanced at Alor. "Need a hand?"

"If you want to come watch this, fine," Alor said, "but I'm going to slap your aft if you think you're getting her back."

"Slagger. My own ada," Ironhide said as he rose to clear the table.

The hoo-haw was loud and hectic but soon they were lined up at the door ready to leave. Alor looked at them as he slid Halo into his hold. **"SHALL WE GO! WE HAVE DINNER HERE AT NOON!"** Huge squees and hopping greeted that.

They walked out to head for the elevator and the ride on buses and cabs to school. Ratchet turned to Ironhide. "You better get Prowler to school and get back here, slagger. I'm going to need you to tote that barge."

"Frag that," Ironhide said as he picked up his son. **"I AM IRONHIDE! I DON'T TOTE AND FETCH!"**

"Wanna bet?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Nope," Ironhide said with a snicker. "Be right back."

"Better be. **I, RATCHET, WILL PUT MY PED UP YOUR AFT IF YOU DON'T!"**

" **SONNY!"**

Ratchet glanced back to see his ada frown in his direction as he walked with the others toward the elevator. "Hi, Ada. Come here and let me hug you."

"Oh, no, you don't," Ravel said as he hustled to slip past his son.

He wouldn't make it.

-0-A short time later

She stood in her classroom with all six of her classmates around her. Lying in her amma's servos, Halo was on full display. Her blankets and Seeker bag were nowhere to be seen. Hero was quivering with delight as she looked at her teacher. They had asked her to tell about her new sister. The six advanced children in her Pioneer class were fascinated. "This is my sister, Halo. She's brand new. **I HAVE A LOT OF SISTERS BUT THIS ONE IS THE ONE WHO LIVES WITH ME! I GET TO HELP TAKE CARE OF HER! ISN'T SHE CUTE!?"**

Everyone agreed that she was amazingly cute.

Hero looked at her, then put her cheek against Halo's. Standing back up, she smiled. "She's so nice. She's pretty and doesn't do much. She smiles all the time. When I talk to her I think she knows what I say. I can't wait until she can play. I help my ada and atar take care of her. I asked my amma if she could come today. **SHE SAID YES! I WANTED YOU TO SEE HER AND AMMA! THEY'RE BOTH SO NICE!"**

Alor grinned. There would be nothing in the world that could top this moment. As he knelt in the classroom for his granddaughter to show and tell the baby, all was incredibly well in his world.

-0-In a jail in the Courthouse

Traachon sat on a bench betraying little. He had wearied going to work at a job that didn't give him any sense of satisfaction. He was bored with it. He had stepped away and he didn't care about the consequences. He also missed the idea entirely that what he felt was what billions had felt over the course of The System. Being low castes stymied in dead end jobs that offered no satisfaction, that bored you senseless was something he couldn't put together with his own feelings. He just wasn't wired that way.

The morning dragged onward toward arraignment. He would have his counselor, a chance to plead, then he would end up in jail again. He, Traachon, was going to fight the arrest even if he lost. For him, it was preferable to being a drone in a dead end job. It made him feel something again.

Irony was not his long suit.

-0-TBC 12-24-17 **edited 12-25-17**

I will write notes tomorrow. Right now, I'm sitting here after eating too much and having fun at my sister's house. :D:D:D

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it and Happy Holidays to one and all. You are my delight and writing for you is my pleasure. Take care out there in the big world and know you are loved. :D:D:D:D


	229. Chapter 229

The Diego Diaries: **PARTAY!** (dd6 229)

-0-Here and there

"Over there."

Ironhide and Blackjack hoisted the table and put it end-to-end with the one already there. They had denuded Blackjack's house for chairs and couches. There were places to sit for a cast of thousands as every space along the wall featured a chair or couch. Two couches from Amma Docker's house filled the last two places. Small folding tables were featured in the kitchen for the spread that was coming. A stack of beer from the last party stood beside the food cupboard ready to be augmented by the slaggers who figured beer and high grade constituted a food group.

Ratchet checked the prime rib. It was doing beautifully and there would be medium rare and burnt ends for everyone. He looked at the two who set chairs around the table. "There," Ironhide said. "The kids are set."

"We're going to be using the hallway, slaggers," Ratchet said. "Maybe Christmas Surprise Eve should be held in a party room next time."

"And ruin the intimacy?" Blackjack said with a grin. "Frag that."

"Where's Alie? Is he back yet?" Ratchet asked as he walked to the cupboard to pull out a portion of the buns that were stashed all over the place including some in the berth room closet that had somehow been pilfered by a certain big black mech.

"He's still there. He has to triangulate on the Tall White ship heading back home. Those slaggers need to up their tech. It takes months to reach there from here," Blackjack said.

-0-Las Vegas

Alor stood before the main screen watching as the white light of a White alien ship beeped slowly across the interminable darkness of space. Laying in his arms with a smile as she chewed on her fist, Halo watched her amma as he concentrated on the data. "They are nearly at the site of the destroyed way station," Alor said. "We can't allow them to see the rift. They have to get past and be on their way."

"Do you want to ask Tennyson about that? He had a few ideas," Torbo, Alie's second-in-command replied.

"Put me through, Toby," Alor said with a nod.

Torbo aka Toby worked the panel, then Tennyson's handsome face appeared. "Hello, Alie," he said with a grin.

"Hi, Ten. How's it going out there?" Allie asked.

"All is quiet thus far, Alor," he replied in his amused and deeply masculine voice. "The barrier effort is holding. I have plans to skirt this area for the ship you're tracking. I can do a pinpoint bridge that's so fast he won't feel it. It won't trigger his ship to wake him from stasis and put him on his way to his people. I'm monitoring the planet that was destroyed. Their people are there taking in the enormity. When he arrives, they will certainly pick him up and we can figure out what comes next."

"That's great, Tennyson. I worried what he would do if he reached you and saw how it was. Did you contact Prime?" Alie asked.

"I did," he said. "He asked me to wait until you were ready to call it."

"I do," Alor said. "It's at your discretion, Tennyson."

"Very well," the big mech said with a grin.

"What are you doing for Christmas Surprise Eve and Day?" Alor asked. "Is Paribolus going? I heard everyone was."

"There's a huge party at Ty's home," he said with a nod. "We're going out to watch the Santa Primes, especially at Intermediate Day because of the infants attending there, then party until we drop. Pari is coming."

"Will the apartment hold all of you?" Alor asked with a laugh.

"We can lighten our frames through the pretender process and subspace. We can also make ourselves smaller through the same process," Tennyson said. "Don't tell anyone that. It makes us feel good to be taller than everyone else."

Alor laughed. "Mum's the word. Have a great party and I hope to see you around. Blackjack got pressed into being a Santa Prime and I'm an elf."

Tennyson laughed loudly. "I can see that. Have a great party, Alie. I'll message you when he passes through."

"Thanks, Tennyson. You, too," Alor said as the screen reverted back to telemetry. He turned to the others. "Has the schedule been set for you to be off the next three orns?"

Torbo nodded. "We're leaving shortly. Only one of us on station for two joors at a time, then off the rest of it."

"Good," Alie said as he walked back to the table to sit. He would do so with a smiling Halo laying in his arms.

-0-Lucien and Laslo

Laslo spruced up the apartment as he waited for 1145 hours on the TMC. They were going to go to Ratchet's house for Christmas Surprise dinner and had a bunch of food to take with them. Partition, Morius, Inweld, and Lucien were watching a game nearby as Laslo made work for himself to burn off his nervous energy. When the time came, he turned to them. "Time to go to the party," he said.

Partition, Morius and Inweld rose to walk to the table to get the boxes. Lancer was with the femmes and would meet them at her ada's house. The big mechs turned to their father. He stared at them without expression.

"Are you coming, too?" Laslo asked as he waffled slightly. Going anyway without Lucien would be a new and very big step for him out of the prison of his former caste. Lucien shook his helm. Laslo gathered himself, then turned to his sons. "Then have a good afternoon. We're going." With that and a quivering spark, he walked to the door trailed by his solemn-faced sons and left.

-0-Burris and Anders

They gathered together, the entire family. There was drinks and food to carry. Anders had gotten a small gift, something that was good manners among his caste to give to Ratchet and Ironhide for the invite. Some habits shouldn't die. Cargo and Keystock sat on the couch watching a game on the monitor. Bezel and Lon who were here to help Anders and Burris turned to them. "Time to go," Bezel said.

Cargo glanced at him. "We aren't ordered to go so we aren't going."

Anders frowned at them, Burris frowned because Anders was frowning, then he turned to Anders. "We should go, Andi. They will expect us."

"Too bad we didn't raise you with better manners, Cargo and Keystock," Anders said crossly. Then with Bezel, Lon and Burris in tow, they walked to the door and left.

-0-Edict and Hobbes

Hobbes stood by the door holding a box with dishes inside. Edict logged off the monitor from a conversation with Bron-E who was going to be coming shortly with her pre-bond, Borealis, a primary school teacher at Sparkling Day. Rade-R and Riff were waiting with Hobbes for him to finish. "Hurry up, Ada. You're going to make us late."

Edict turned to them, then paused a moment to smile. "You're the best mechs that ever lived. I love you so. Merry Christmas Surprise," he said, then a slight darkness informed his handsome features. "The only thing better would be for Sunee to be here."

"We're going to see him first, Ada. He's getting better," Riff said as the others nodded.

"I hope so," Edict said as he began to rally. "I want all my family around me. I want so much for all of us to be happy. Burris, its all I want."

"Then you shall have it, Edict," Burris said, though he was still unclear how that would happen given his own continuing confusion. The only thing clear in his head was his need for Edict's happiness.

Edict grinned. "Let's go have fun, then." With that, they all went through the door and it closed silently behind them.

-0-On a train heading to The City

Raptor, Turbine, Delphi, Hard Drive, Springer, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Sandstorm, Twin Twist, Willa and her new bond, Artur, Burnoff, Default, Copperton, Turquoise, First Aid, Bumblebee, Trailbreaker, Hound with both of their children in arms, Terradive, Roto, Herling with Diesel, Nova with Flynn, Laret, Neo with Fifi, Breakdown and Knockout holding a baby carrier with a singing Breakout in it, Ultra Magnus and Arcee, Lancer heading there to meet up with Partition who was helping his ada and atar, Greenlight, Moonracer, Chromia with a totally content Maelstrom who was holding a pie (made by Rampage's talented team), the twins and Bluestreak with kids in arms who had joined up at Tyger Pax, Paragon and Arrow with their infants, Smokescreen, Devcon, Moda, Tress and a slightly angsty Smokey who were coming for a while for the fun but would stay until the end for the lulz (pies in hand), Jazz and Mirage, Roadbuster, Wheeljack, Perceptor with Resolve, Aunt Lissie, and two cars full behind them that included Elita and Jetta were on their merry way to Ratchet and Ironhide's house with food, drinks and good cheer. It was a good thing that the hallway outside would be handy, though it would surprise everyone how many their apartment could hold without crowding. They would also open up the apartments of Alie and 'Jack, the ammas and appas as well as Ravel and Tie. They would sit and eat, drink and be merry. What would surprise everyone when it was over was how neat and policed up the extra spaces would be.

Hot Rod would show up with Blurr as well as Nitro and family shortly after everyone arrived. It would take a while for the two, Smokey and Hot Rod to notice each other. Then it would be the biggest entertainment of the crowd gathered to surreptitiously watch the two angst around and try to make the other jealous.

Dinner and a floor show. It couldn't be beat.

-0-Prowl et al

He looked at his turkeys which were perfection as usual. Having downloaded the menu into his processor and noted to everyone out there what they had committed to bring, it was going to be great. Half the menu was Cybertronian, half human. Turkey, ham and prime rib would be the main human-style entrees. A lot had committed and he was holding them to it. There would be a pile of Cybertronian dishes, sides and treats. **YAY!** There would be buns galore, mashed potatoes and gravy as per Primal orders, some salads, a lot of veggie style things and a huge sheet cake with a Santa Prime image on it. Devcon was bringing his pies, Hercy had made a huge Celebration cake sheet cake thing and there were lots of different cookies, candy and the like.

The beer, wine and hard stuff wouldn't be a problem. They were 'in the army now, not behind the plow'.

His prim upbringing put an end to the next two lines of the song as he checked a number of things, then commed The Loon.

 **:WHAT!?:** -Ratchet

:When do I bring my masterpieces, Loon?:

:Anytime, Whiner. I'll leave it up to you when to bring the food you made:

 **:HA-HA,** Loon. On our way: Prowl said with a grin. He looked at Miler, Kes, Tagg, and Venture who were waiting for the word. "We are go to Loony Tunes Land."

Prime who was standing nearby with Sojourner and Solus in his arms laughed. **"Autobots, roll out!"** he said as they guffawed and prepared to load up a lot of food, kids and cats.

-0-At the House-e-enda

Bos, Co-D and Reflector ran into the house squeeing with delight as behind them, the families they actually belonged to entered as well. It was bedlam a moment as everyone greeted each other, handed off food and drink, then watched the kids dance around hugging each other. Then the door began to open in earnest and admit friends, food, drinks, total strangers, and a kid with a tiny horse therapy companion who was a HIT with a capita IT for Spot and the cats. It wouldn't be the last one. Between a bug, a mouse, several cats, a lot of dogs of all size and kind, a bird, and a fat black and white miniature cow, it would hit home to the adults how hard life had been for the children. The animals hung out with their charges at first, then wandered to the window to lay down on Spot's bed. More were added as one-by-one they gathered to hang out together. Many were the snaps made from that.

It was then that Cliffjumper, Buzzie who was radiant and sweet, Leader 1, Lumi, his bond, their three kids and the aft helm twins, Mud Flap and Skids, Rainmaker and his entire family, Starscream and his along with the Seekerkin Council of Elders arrived. It was joyous noel for a moment, then everyone settled to watch the influx of the partiers. It was like watching the evacuation of a great sinking ocean liner in reverse. Rainmaker sitting next to Ironhide would have an amusing commentary going as the door kept opening and folks kept arriving. "The floor show is without parallel," he said as Scout and Trooper entered with Flint and his beau.

"I agree," Ironhide said with a grin. "Old mech likes cozy get togethers."

Rainmaker laughed loudly as the door opened again and the crowd from the train began to arrive in earnest. It was evenly matched, the problem of putting food and drink somewhere along with bodies. As that was happening, Optimus Prime, Messiah of The People stood outside with his fathers, all three of them holding completely cooked turkeys while Venture, Miler and Prowl held the mashed potatoes and gravy. It would take a while to get inside but they would do it.

Eventually.

-0-TBC 12-15-17 :D:D:D **edited 1-7-18**

NOTES:

First, Merry Christmas for those who celebrate it. Happy Holidays and Happy Jolly Daze to those who don't. "D"D"D – My new blotto emoji. :D

Secondly, the new gotv series, Transformers: Titans Return is amazing. You get to see combiners form and you get to see a major city format, Fortress Maximus, not only transform but fly. If you wanted to see an image of the big frames flying in root mode, that is the series to watch. Beautiful. Michael Dorn who is Worf on Star Trek voices him. Perceptor who is **ADORABLE** and funny in this incarnation is voiced by Will Weaton, who was Wesley Crusher and who grew up to be one really fine young man. :D


	230. Chapter 230

The Diego Diaries: **PARTAY!** (dd6 230)

-0-In there

"Orion. What are you doing?" Ratchet asked as he sat by the window chowing down on a plate filled almost impossibly full of food.

Orion glanced up at his ada. "Ada, I doing she."

"What have you got in your hand?" Ratchet asked.

He held up a cake pop, one covered in sprinkles. "She going for this. Her. Ha-Ha."

"Is that her name? Ha-Ha?" Raptor asked as he leaned forward to peer at the two infants. Halo was sitting in her bouncy chair on the floor in front of three grandpas and three other grandpas of various greatness. Grand, Great Grand and Great Great Grand Ammas and Appas peered at the two with big grins.

Orion smiled back. **"SHE NEED THIS ONE!"** he said happily as he held up the cake pop.

"Orion, you eat it and tell her how good it was. She can't eat those yet," Ratchet said using a trick that never failed on the good sparked little yellow banded bandit.

He stared at Ratchet, then the cake pop, then his sister. He took a bite and it was gone. Chewing it, he looked at the empty stick. Leaning down close to Halo, he grinned. "Ha-Ha, dis good. I, Orion, gooded it." He paused a moment, then leaned in closer. "I, Orion, eated it. It good. Good this. You not eated it. You she. I eated it. Good me." He smiled brilliantly.

She smiled back equally.

"Come here, Spud. Eat your food. Halo will be fine," Arcee said as she rose to pick him up. Planting him at the table, she returned to sit down beside Magnus who was holding her plate. "You little ones crack me up."

"Get your own," Blackjack said. "You'll have a floor show all orn long."

"I'll take that under advisement," Magnus said with a shake of his helm. Huge laughter greeted that.

The door kept opening until someone pinned both back. Friends, strangers and familiars who everyone knew but couldn't quite place fogged in and out, dropping food off, carrying it by the plateful to someplace both inside and out to sit and eat while others gathered by the doorways to chat before entering. Prime and Ironhide sat in the two chairs, his and Ratchet's, their plates never emptying and their glasses always topped off. Prime who sat with his peds on the coffee table grinned at Ironhide. "Thanks for the feed, old friend."

"You're welcome," Ironhide said with a grin. "Eat until you drop."

"You have to Santa Prime tomorrow, the lot of you," Ratchet said as everyone laughed.

"I get the leftovers all over the colony," Jetta said with a grin. "Sounds like fun."

"It will be," Elita said. "I can't wait to arrive in style in the horse wagons."

That brought a bunch of discussion, then the kids began to rally. Sliding down, they began to run around, hopping into the mound of service animals by the window which were still growing, then running madly together only to pause by an adult for a bite. Orion who had his eyes on the cow and tiny horse paused beside the cow. He patted him, then looked at Ratchet. **"ADA! I, ORION, LOVE THIS DOG!"** Huge laughter. He grinned at everyone's laughter, then looked at Ratchet. "Ada, I, Orion, want this dog."

"Oh, frag. Ironhide, just say no," Ratchet said.

Ironhide who was eyeballing the cow-let grinned. "I don't think I can, Ratchet."

"Oh, frag. You have to clean up their debris then," Ratchet said. "How are you going to justify getting a cow, Ironhide?"

"I don't know," Ironhide said. He glanced at the others who were admiring the little cow, too. "What about you taking him in and letting me play with him? You know … like my cyber fox, Appa. You both took care of him and I got him when I got home."

"Don't tempt me, Ironhide," Raptor said with a grin. He leaned down and snapped his fingers. "Here, cow."

Everyone laughed, then a little femme walked to the cow. "Come on, Nova. Let's go show him how cute you are." The little cow stepped over a couple of dogs, the followed the little femme to Appa Raptor. He paused next to Raptor who rubbed his fat little side.

"Is this your baby cow?" Raptor asked the tiny femme.

"He is, Abba. He's my friend. I couldn't recharge too good so Amma got me a cow. **I love cows!** I saw little ones on the Animal Channel and they gave me this one. **ISN'T HE CUTE!?** " she said.

"He is," Raptor said with a grin. They chatted, then Nova and his girl walked back to the window where he moved to a sunny spot and stood, his contentment off the scale.

"Appa … are you really getting a cow?" Ironhide asked with immense curiosity.

Raptor sat back with a grin. "I'll let you ruminate on that thought," he said.

Ironhide glanced at his Amma. Turbine grinned. "He's brought home worse."

Huge laughter and requests for details followed. Mechs and femmes filled up and sat here and there as others came in with their own offerings. There were so many now that they were in the corridor up to the elevator and down around the corner. Some sat in the grand genitor's houses as they ate and chatted. Christmas Surprise lights were warm and bright as the children played or ate in the crowded rooms.

"How was Las Vegas?" Delphi asked Alor who was feeding a piece of something to Prima and Scout.

He glanced up. "The White ship is just about to reach the destroyed base so we're going to flash bridge them to the other side so they won't see it. Tennyson is on station and all seems well, right, Tennyson?" he asked as he leaned to the side to look around a number of individuals.

Sitting on the floor laughing at a joke with Fort Max and Metroplex before heading out to Typhoon's apartment, Tennyson glanced toward Alor. "What?"

"What's it like on station at the moment?" Alor asked.

Tennyson paused to consider that, then grinned. "All is well. The White ship has two more orns to the point of transport. We have that on automation because it has to happen fast enough to move their ship ahead but not fast enough to trigger their stasis."

"You can manage that easily," Ratchet said.

"We try," Tennyson said as the room erupted in laughter and catcalls.

"I wonder how that will turn out in the long run," Optimus mused. "They, after all, have a relationship with the humans and the situation would be explosive if not handled right."

"Everything is explosive to the humans," Cliffjumper said as he sat nearby with Buzzie. "The humans are nuts."

"I can see that bonding has mellowed you, Cliff," Turbine said with a grin. "When can we expect a sparkling, Buzzie?"

Buzzie paused his fork to his mouth, then almost blushed, if mechs could. "Uh ..."

Huge laughter.

"Speaking of sparklings … we're going to the Valles to camp in a few after the new year. I just thought I'd warn ya," Ratchet said.

"We are? Since when" -the entire Prime-Ironhide family.

"Since now," Ratchet said. "After all, we have to be there to begin the First Annual Mars Autobot Scouts Jamboree."

 **HUGE** angsty screaming and overall laughter at Prowl and Ironhide's expense ensued, both of which nearly rose out of their exoskeletons at the mere mention. **"WHAT DO YOU *MEAN* JAMBOREE!?"** -both of them.

"I was reading up on jamborees and it appears that you have one periodically to celebrate the … the, uh, the will of the pack or something. **FRAG ALL OF YOU! HERE I AM TRYING TO MAKE NICE EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES FOR THE SPARKLINGS AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS RIDE MY BUMPER!"** Ratchet said with massive indignation.

It was silent a moment as everyone stared at Ratchet, then Prowl and Ironhide, then Ratchet. Ironhide frowned. "Look at them looking at you like you're some kind of hard working **VICTIM** who doesn't get a lick of support."

"Is it working?" Ratchet asked the crowd around him with a dazzling smile.

"It's working for **me** ," Hercy said with a grin. **HUGE** hoo-haw followed that. Hercy and Ratchet grinned at each other.

"What's a jamboree and how do I get out of the detail?" Sunstreaker asked as a concerned Drift and Springer nodded in agreement.

"Well, for all you slaggers that don't care if our babies grow up with any good memories and experiences, if you don't care if their little quivering chins ever turn into smiles, if you don't care if their nightma-"

 **"WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH! WHAT'S A SLAGGING JAMBOREE!?"** Ironhide asked to tumultuous laughter.

Ratchet dazzled him with a smile. "Well, you bottomless pit of uncouthness, its this. Its a big rally of scouts from all over the place every four Earth years or so where they get together for slag and companionship. They do a lot of things. A zip line is part of them along with long distance bike riding, climbing and rappelling, kayaking, rescue exercises, scuba, free swim and dragon boats … we don't have water so those are problematic ... **UNLESS WE HAVE THAT PART AT DIEGO!** … golf, archery, shooting of all kinds … skeet is a big thing … orienteering which is fun, geo-caching, tours of fancy places, sing-alongs, eating out, sleeping in camping set ups … its about six days usually." Ratchet grinned. **"WARLORD!** What's the scout creed thing?"

Warlord who was sitting with his parents, all three of which looked at him with delight, smirked at Ratchet. "On my honor, I will do my best. To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the _Scout_ Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."

It took a moment for the applause to die down, then everyone glanced at Ratchet. "What were we talking about?" he asked to great laughter.

It was silent in the room for a second, then Twin Twist grinned. "Why the frag would anyone voluntarily go bivouacking? I don't get it."

"You have no high conceptual ability," Hercy said. "You and me? I could give a frag about camping out. Been there, done that a zillion times. But look at him."

Everyone turned to look at Orion who was sitting at the table showing the others how to put bread sticks up his nose assemblies. Huge laughter broke out. Prime glanced at Ironhide who was torn between paralyzing embarrassment and intense pride. "He takes after you, I see."

 **HUGE, HUGE LAUGHTER** and agreement.

Orion turned to look at everyone. Two bread sticks stuck out of his nose and he looked like a walrus with giant tusks. Ravel stood up and walked to him. "Infant, you take after your ada," he said as he sorted the baby out.

 **"YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!"** Ironhide said to huge laughter.

"You were saying, Ratchet?" Twin asked with a chuckle.

"Consider how they will remember their youth some fine orn when they talk about camping out at the jamboree with Uncle Twin and the boys," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"I hate you," Prowl said darkly to **ENORMOUS** acclaim.

Ratchet gave him his best dazzling smile. "Frag you, too, Miss Priss."

"When is this train wreck supposed to happen, Ratchet?" Kup asked.

"Soon. The sooner the better. We can have Galaxy film it, then we can show it to the humans. We can record a message to the scouts on Earth who have their jamboree in 2019. Hands across the sea and all that slag. **YOU DO REALIZE THAT I, RATCHET OF IACON, AM ALMOST SINGLE HANDEDLY BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARTH AND US! DID YOU NOTICE THAT!?"**

" **I** noticed it," Drift said as the entire room stared at Ratchet in silence.

"You would," Springer said. "Mama's boy."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"When can we all expect to suffer? I'm assuming you're going to draft all of us, right?" Springer asked.

"You got **that** right, slagger," Ratchet said. "I'll let you know."

"Frag. There goes the new year," Ironhide said.

"Ah, poor widdow baby," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Who wants pie?" Alor said as he stood. A number did so he walked to the pies, picked one up with a serving fork, then began to ladle it out to those who wanted what he had. It took a lot of desserts to fill everyone up. Sitting again, he grinned. "What about T-ball. Do they have a jamboree for that?" Alor asked innocently.

Bedlam.

-0-TBC 12-27-17 **edited 12-18-17 edited 1-11-18  
**

I was so tired last night, sorry about that. Eating too rich food is enough to lay me low. My family cooks too well. :D I cook like Ratchet. :D

NOTES:

Miniature cows are for real. Google it and *die*

Leoness: I think its going to take hooking Orion up like a yo-yo and bouncing him in the floor to fix him. LOL!

First off, Blondie rocks absolutely!

I was wondering when that fucker would screw up. Now Hobbs has to choose between his cousin and his barn. That should be an interesting conversation don't you think?

Happy Christmas, fancy spinner

ME: Blondi is a go-getter. She reminds me of my younger sister. :D Hobbes either has to choose family or despair. That's going to be fun when he has to tell Traachon he's on his own. :D

Leoness chapter 226 . Dec 22

Heh! Blondi rules. And the "elves" in the form of those miscreant high castes should be a hoot. Doofuses.

ME: Ratchet is evil. I can't wait to see Lucien in an elf hat. It will be fun to see if all of them can handle it. Keystock is a tightly wound dude so this could be fun. :D:D:D

HUGE HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! I think I'm back on my feet again. :D:D:D


	231. Chapter 231

The Diego Diaries: Partay! (dd6 231)

-0-At the party

"I have to say, Ratchet, that you manage to make things interesting," Delphi said as he sat again with another plate of food.

"You know, Delphi, when I think about it, I do," Ratchet said with a grin. "I was the morale officer for a zillion vorns. If not me, then who?"

Never give a slagger an opening …

"Some of us might **HAVE** some morale if you were normal," Prowl said.

Ratchet grinned at him, he grinned back. "Well, Prowler … let me say this about that," Ratchet said handing his plate to Prime once more. He rose up and towered over everyone.

Who were sitting down, that is.

"It was me that started infant football. I got the coaches together, the infants lined up, the quarry dug out and fixed into a playing pitch, the emblems, trophies, and publicity for the infants organized. From that, I got adult league football restarted-"

"You did that?" -everyone

"Yep." -Ratchet

" **ALL HAIL, RATCHET!"** -everyone

Ratchet grinned. "From that little pitch grew adult league which expanded into twelve and now twenty-four teams and three major stadiums. It's one of our most important exports to the allies and a major cultural artifact retrieval. Then, I sparked the Autobot Scouts into being, then T-Ball. I do remember once mentioning racing as well-"

"I remember that," Optimus said with a grin.

"Do you really?" Prowl asked. Prime nodded. "Don't. It only encourages him."

Huge laughter.

Ratchet smirked at Prowl, Prowl smirked at Ratchet. Then Ratchet continued. "Going back to T-Ball, infant football and the Autobot Scouts … I organize them, I get the coaches and referees, I get the pack leaders, the den mothers and all that slag … I designed the costumes, rewrote the manuals to fit our situation, organized the rules, got the different sports centers to make the gear for the players and their little teams, make sure it happens in the stadiums, organize the publicity for the winners and the players, get their transportation worked out and call the schools and care centers to remind them of things … all this slag I do every fragging season and you have the ..." Ratchet leaned in toward Ironhide and Prowl who were sitting side-by-side on a couch. "You have the **!**GALL**!** to give me slag about this?!"

The windows actually vibrated.

So did the audials of everyone on this floor.

For Prowl and Ironhide, it was like someone had blasted an air horn in their face. If they had any hair on their head, it would be frozen backwards, blown by the proverbial wind(bag) of Ratchet. As it was, they sat reverberating like a tuning fork for a moment. Prowl gazed up at Ratchet with a cool expression. "What was that? I didn't hear you?"

" **OH FRAG!** Don't say that. I figured you **knew** Old Mech by **now**?" Ironhide said quickly. "Don't poke the maniac."

 **HUGE** laughter and a bag of admiration for Ratchet's sonic abilities was had, then Ratchet sat. "Slaggers."

"We need to go out on the town again," Prowl said as he gave Ratchet an appraising optic.

"I thought getting jailed a week ago had dimmed that prospect," Optimus asked with a grin.

"I heard about that," someone said. "I heard your ada got busted, Optimus. It was all over social media."

"Was it?" Kes asked with a smile. Everyone laughed. "At least, I was in good company. You cannot go on the town without us."

"Your squad is going, too," Madura said as he sat nearby eating dessert.

"I would feel abandoned in my joor of need if you didn't," Ratchet said.

The squad who was sitting around the room in various places was delighted. Half their bonds were and half weren't. Some of their children were happy and a few were clearly not. Ratchet watched their reactions and noted it was the usual suspects. Well, they would learn.

"I thought getting arrested was the highlight of the evening," Turbine said with a grin. "My religion students did as well. I find that very progressive of them."

"You're out of your mind, Amma. Whatever will Primus think?" Ironhide asked with a smirk.

"Primus was and is a sport, infant. You wouldn't deny your old amma a fun night out would you? Why the stories I could tell about your childhood-" Turbine began before Ironhide cut him off.

" **WHAT THE FRAG! IS THIS KICK IRONHIDE IN THE CODPIECE NIGHT!?"** he asked with a giant smile. He already knew the answer but it didn't hurt to get confirmation. He got it from everyone in the room, that is, everyone but Orion.

Orion who was standing near his Amma Doh-Doh turned to his father and watched as he was laughed at unmercifully. Feeling shocked and offended down to his tiny little Ironhide peds, he marched through the guests to pause in front of his father. He turned toward the room, then shook his finger, something he saw a bit in school among the bandits he ran with. **"YOU! I, ORION, SAY TO YOU! NOT DOING TO HIM, ATAR!"**

It was silent instantly. The tiny figure was outraged and it was fascinating and devastatingly cute. **"YOU NOT HIM, SHES! HIM MY SHE! HIM MY ATAR! I GOING TO HIM TO DOING NOT YOU!"** With that, he walked toward Twin Twist and slapped his ped with his tiny servo. He stepped back as the size differential between them finally computed. Afraid but undaunted, he backed up to Ironhide, then assumed the stance Sensei Willa taught him and raised his tiny fists. **"YOU NOT** **DOING TO ATAR! I, ORION, FIGHTED LOU, BAD ONES! I DOING THIS FOR MY SHE!"**

It was incredibly silent a moment, then Hardie stood up and collected Orion. Carrying him to his chair, he sat, then set the baby on his lap. He looked at Ironhide who looked all misty with pride and then his appa. **"APPA! I GOING TO DOING! THEMS DOING TO ATAR!"** He made his deeply shocked face for two reasons … one, he **WAS** shocked and two, he just remembered he slapped someone. "They made Atar crying."

"Did they?" Hardie asked.

Everyone looked at Ironhide and it looked like they might have, so proud was he of his pint-sized mini me trying to 'save him'. Then they looked at Orion who was beginning to feel uncertainty. One, he had slapped someone and two, he was the center of attention and he didn't know what kind it was. He also wasn't standing in front of his old pa so he had no one to 'save him' from everyone. "Appa? You mad me, Orion?"

"No, infant. You were very brave. Did you think they were going to be mean to your old atar?" Hardie asked.

He nodded. **"THE SHES! THEY DOING!"** He looked around with a crabby face at everyone in the room. "They not bees good to she," he said pointing at Ironhide.

"I think they were kidding," Hardie said. "Joking." Orion stared at him, then Hardie kissed his helm. "Funny."

Orion looked around at the smiling group including Uncle Osimus and his ada. He looked at Hardie a moment. "The shes funny to Atar?"

Hardie nodded. "Yes."

Orion grinned slowly, then covered his mouth with his servo. He chuckled. **"ATAR FUNNY!?"**

"Atar is a laugh riot," Hardie said with a grin.

Orion turned his head to see Ironhide who was giving him oceans of love with his emotional optics. **"ATAR! YOU FUNNY!?"**

Ironhide nodded. "Yep," he managed.

Orion slid down, then walked to the area in front of Ironhide. He walked to Twin and patted his ped. Then he kissed it. "You, she, good. I, Orion, good you." He kissed his ped again, then walked around the room making amends, kissing peds and getting hugs. "I good you, shes. My atar good. I, good, Orion. You good?" he asked in his funny quizzical manner. "I good you."

It was hilarious.

-0-Out there

Ominous stood in the clearing where a fort would begin to rise. He had won the discussion among the mechs from the four groups that were heading this way when it was clear that Prime and his arsenal would discourage that. Razorclaw had disappeared but after making a call, they had talked. Another plan had taken shape in the discussion. They would be connected even if they were far apart. No one would make the mistake of trying to cross Prime's territory. It was a zero sum game.

Even though Razorclaw commanded over a quarter of a million individuals and he, himself had seventy-five thousand, they were in no shape to take on the massive might of Prime. They would have to keep gathering strength and make alliances. Until they were strong enough, they would bide their time and dig in. He would make a fort here, this place between Fort Recluse and Fort Cybertron. They would never be off the Prime's sensors. It would be interesting to see what they would be allowed to get away with.

Energon, building materials and allies were all around them. They would dig in, build their own installations and watch what would happen. As they did, the Seekers with them would be biding their time to slip away and heed the call of the Great Elder, just a long frantic flight away.

-0-Later that night

Ratchet sat in his chair with a 'wine spritzer' and half a dozen drowsy infants on his lap. Around him, the place was humming. The adults of the family and a number of friends, hangers on and the Squad were getting things in order. The party had wound down with any number wandering out as they vowed to be there in the morning for Santa Prime. Having been told to sit and relax, Ratchet did.

Mechs were putting furniture back to where it was supposed to be, dishes were consolidated and parted out. Elders would be taking a lot of good food home to eat on the next orn or so given that every store on-world would be closed tonight. The big mechs, minus Raptor who had to attend to something, walked around picking up slag, shooting the breeze with their friends and putting the place back together, were busy as beavers.

Ironhide who was washing dishes grinned at his amma. "Amma, just go sit down. I, Ironhide, have spoken."

"I, Turbine, brevit **GENERAL** of the Army, say pass me more dishes to dry, infant. You know you wanna," Turbine said. **"YOU CUTE LITTLE INFANT, YOU!"**

Ironhide preened just a bit, then complied. "Where's Appa?"

"He had something he had to do," Turbine said.

They worked together getting things sorted out as Raptor walked back in, then picked up Orion and Praxus. "Dibs."

Hardie reached for and retrieved Halo from Ironhide. "Dibs. Also, Hero."

"What? Halo is still in the wrapper," Ironhide said as the others gripped Prowler, Sunspot and Spot. The big kids were still at their Appa and Ammas house and might be staying there overnight. Prime and Company had just left and all that were there was the odd worker bee and the family. "That'll leave me with the ball and chain. **DON'T LEAVE ME!"**

A stomp on a ped ended that hoo-haw as they sat watching everything but the kitchen sink disappear out the door with family and friends. Delphi grinned. "We have a crib for the baby, a bottle in case Halo needs one and Hero to straw boss. Things are about perfect."

"I get to help, Ada. Isn't that nice?" Hero said sleepily.

"No," Ironhide muttered as the remaining crew walked out the doors and they closed behind them. It was silent, too silent as they stared at the doors, then each other. "Frag, Ironhide. I think this means we have to talk to each other. Whatever shall we do?"

Ironhide grinned. "I don't know. How about a Merry Christmas Eve frag?"

Ratchet laughed. "Ho, ho, talley ho, slagger." He arose, then pulled Ironhide to his peds.

" **I AM SANTA IRONHIDE! I DELIVER!"**

And he did.

-0-TBC 12-28-17 Snicker. I love Ironhide. **edited 1-7-18**

NOTES:

Brevit ranks: A **brevet** rank was an honorary promotion given to an officer (or occasionally, an enlisted man) in recognition of gallant conduct or other meritorious service. They served much the same purpose that medals play today (our modern system of medals did not exist at the time of the Civil War).


	232. Chapter 232

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 232)

-0-0630 TMC, Industrial Park City

They gathered in the warehouse to see what was supposed to happen. All of the Santa Primes were there along with their elves. Given that some of the Primes had more elves than could sit in the wagons outside, there were horses for some to ride. Prime and Ironhide, Raptor, Springer, Blackjack, Starscream, Ultra Magnus, Hard Drive, and Jetta stood around Bulkhead, Payload, Nitro, Copperton, and Slacker who were organizing the delivery of the carefully collated pallets of gifts, each managed by someone from Blondi's professional assistant association. It was noisy but utterly under control. Maxi Herself was queen of the process and as she got things lined out, Blondi and Holi were giving everyone else the last few words.

"Everyone who is a Santa rides in the carriages. The company braided the horses up, put wreathes and bells on the vehicles and horse harnesses and have everything ready. You will ride to the destination, then wait for your site manager who are members of our association to get it organized. You will go inside and there will be the presentation. For those of you who are visiting home bound or those who aren't affiliated with schools or centers, most of the families contacted have agreed to bring them to local youth centers. Those who can't come have been identified and you will go to them on foot. That means some of you elves will show up with the gifts because even if we've narrowed down the list, there's still a lot of houses to hit for any one Santa. Any questions?" she asked.

No one had any so she herded them outside. Standing in a long row, dazzlingly shined and polished carriages pulled by two horses each waited. Their black finish glistened and the harness was rubbed with harness polish until it glowed. The horses, washed, brushed, hooves blacked and polished along with their tails and manes braided, waited with gathering impatience for their passengers. The drivers sat in their seats, a jaunty elf hat on their helms as they waited with good natured laughter and commentary.

Walking out, Ratchet hopped up on his followed by Ironhide. Roto and Docker joined them as others boarded. Huge laughter at Prime along with the others followed as everyone clambered aboard. A number of off duty police were waiting to accompany Springer who sat back in his coach with a big grin and a Santa hat. All around them, the media swirled, recording the event live for IntraComm. Galaxy was there as well, adding the event to their future broadcast features. It was lively and loud. In a car nearby, Lennox, Epps and Graham watched.

"This is insane," Epps said with a laugh. "We better beat them to the school."

"I don't think that's going to be hard," Will Lennox said.

"What now?" Ratchet asked as he lounged in the cart. Maxi was standing at the head of the line of vehicles, then climbed into Raptor's carriage. The femmes in charge clambered aboard and sat down, one to each vehicle. Maxi who was standing in Raptor's waved her servo. **"TIME TO GO!"** she cried.

The first carriage driver gently tapped his horses with the whip in his servos, then they began to move. Bells filled the air as they began to leave one by one. Down the main drive of the Industrial City complex they rolled cheered on by those who were finishing up the last shift before the area closed down for Christmas Surprise. Prime who was lounging in his own beside Prowl waved to the multitudes, received the love of the Nation and relaxed. He would attend to Sparkling Day and all of the hospitals in the hope that perhaps the Matrix might want to weigh in. His father, Tagg and his ada, Kestrel along with Venture sat with them waving as they rolled out to the highway heading back to the colony proper. Behind him in a long line, the rest of the eight wagons followed. Police were transformed into vehicle mode and drove slowly ahead and behind them, their lights flashing. It could have been an event on Earth if all the cars were alive and the horses were robots.

"This is fun," Ratchet said as he sat beside Ironhide. Across from him were Docker, Roto and Lee-Lee. "I suppose Terradive is in class."

"He's waiting," Roto said as he adjusted his elf hat. "Poor slagger. He's missing a great time."

Docker smiled. **"THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!** Honestly, Ratchet, I've never had so much fun until now."

"You deserved it forever, Amma," Ratchet said with a grin. "Everyone is at the schools, right?"

Docker nodded. "They are. What is our route, Lee-Lee?"

"They're mostly going to be at the Academy in Terra. All of the others have consolidated at the Academy in Retriades. Then we have to do home bound in Seven Cities-North. Most of them will be at the care centers and treatment places because they have appointments but some will be in apartments. Most of them will be consolidated, though," Lee-Lee said.

"Good," Ratchet said. "This would be impossible otherwise. We may have to divide things up next year into zones and get more Santa Primes."

"I think so," Ironhide agreed as he waved at Lennox, Epps and Graham who were speeding past heading for the city on the sidewalk of the highway. "Slaggers. Where's a traffic cop when you need one?"

"Prowl is probably already texting them a ticket as we speak," Ratchet said.

Huge laughter greeted that as they rolled along, heading for the turnoffs that would take them all in different directions. When they did, so would go the media. The entire procession from the Industrial City to their destined stops would be filmed and play on the screen. It would be edited and given to the MCA in a shorter, less undignified form which would play well on Earth. Robots in jaunty hats being hauled around by robot horses would trend large on twitter.

-0-Later down the road...

They headed toward Terra and a rendezvous with the little tots at the Circle of Light Preparatory Academy. A number of Missionary schools would be there as well, gathering to meet up with Santa Prime in whatever incarnation presented itself. Rolling down the crowded streets toward the Academy on 'L' Street, Ironhide and Company waved to the crowds. Many were the residents who waited on the sidewalks for a glimpse of the strange but utterly entertaining procession. Ironhide smiled, waved and when they arrived, stood up in the carriage with his arms spread wide to take the acclaim of the crowd. There was a lot of laughter, catcalls, applause, commentary, and the like as he stepped down off the carriage. Docker, Ratchet, Lee-Lee, and Roto followed, then gathered on the sidewalk out front with the directors of the Academy and a highly amused Miss Birdie.

" **I AM SANTA IRONHIDE! I AM HERE TO GIFT LITTLE KIDS!"** Ironhide said to great acclaim.

"Then come inside," Miss Birdie said with a grin. "Inside voices."

Ironhide grinned. "Okay," he said quietly to much abuse as he followed the teachers and Miss Birdie inside.

The lobby was crowded with genitors and other family as Ironhide walked in, spotted his chair, then walked toward it to sit. Nearby, coming in through a freight door sat the pallet of gifts in big boxes. All of them were sorted and retrieval was expected to be flawless. Ratchet, Docker and Roto walked to the gift boxes to get things explained by the Guild member who was going to organize the retrieval. Ironhide grinned at everyone, most of whom he knew from Prowler's attendance, then he glanced at Ratchet. **"HUSTLE, ELVES! PRESENTS WAIT FOR NO INFANT!"**

Huge laughter and a rap on the helm greeted that as the doors opened and a class of infants clutching a rope were led into the room. They glanced all around, then froze as one. Staring at Ironhide, they then ran for him to fling themselves onto his peds. It was hilarious. He leaned down and patted, rubbed and chatted with them as their teachers gathered them back again. "Well, well, well … **LOOK AT YOU!"** he said with a grin. **"WHO'S A CUTE LITTLE SPARKLING!?"** he asked.

Of course, tots being literal, they ran back up to tell him personally. It took a moment to retrieve them. He grinned. "When I say your name, you come to me and let old Santa Ironhide give you a present. I just know you've been good."

A little mech walked up and stopped before him. "Santa Prime?"

Ironhide leaned down. "What, infant?"

"I been good. I do good," he said, then turned enough to point at another tiny mech standing nearby. "He beens not good."

Ironhide nearly split a gut holding in his laughter as the teacher retrieved the little snitch. Ratchet and the others including most of the room, on the other servo, laughed loudly. Ironhide grinned at Miss Birdie who grinned at him. "Well, let's see what we have," he said as he glanced at Lee-Lee who had gotten the correct box open. Gifts began to come out. Ironhide took one. "Comet," he read.

Two little kids stepped forward with giant smiles. Ironhide glanced at Lee-Lee who fished out the other 'Comet', felt up the package to figure out what it was, then gave it to Ratchet to give to Ironhide. After a bit of monkey motion, the correct Comet got the correct gift. They sat down to open them but were carried to their line by aides. More little kids came, then a new line and then another.

Family were parted out to take films with the Prime and Ironhide family kids. Sojourner and Solus walked up holding hands. They peered up at Ironhide. "Uncle Ironhide?" Sojourner asked.

"What, Princess?" Ironhide asked.

"Are you Santa Prime, too?" she asked as Solus leaned against his ped.

"I help him. Santa Prime has a lot of infants to take care of. You'll have to tell your atar about it," Ironhide said.

She smiled and nodded. "I will."

He handed both a gift, then Prowler who was loved up, then more kids and a few elder volunteers. When they were finished here, they picked up to roll toward two other prep schools, then onward to Seven Cities-North and a lot of stops around town.

-0-Prime and Company

They rolled along taking in the view, getting honks and waves. Waving back, they relaxed into a peaceful ride. Venture was taking videos with his camera while Tagg and Kestrel just enjoyed the ride.

"We've taken these rides in different places, Orion. I sure enjoy them," Tagg said.

"I do as well," Kestrel said. "This is a very kind thing you are all doing, son."

"We want our children to be happy and look forward to good things rather than bad," Optimus said. "I want these memories to overlay the others. This holiday is beautiful and comforting to families, their elders and children."

"I agree," Kestrel said as he waved to someone who called out to them. "What do the humans think about us utilizing one of their holidays?"

"I have mostly heard only good things, Ada. We do not touch on the religious aspects of the holiday. We take the secular side for our own. There are studies going on in different places about cultural exchanging and influencing like this. I find it interesting," Optimus replied.

They turned toward Terra and pulled up after some travel before Sparkling Day School. Nova was there and after a lot of laughter, led the way inside. In the immense lobby was the throne built by the guilds and unions for him. Huge mechs were waiting and after a bit of monkey motion, the first classes began to come down in the elevators. The doors opened and they were led out, halting with great amazement and delight at the crowds, the glitz, the presents, and Santa Prime. Standing around him in their various elf and Mrs. Santa hats (minus the wig and glasses ripped out by Prowl aka Mrs. Prime), Kestrel, Tagg, Prowl, and Venture waited expectantly. Nearby filming, Miler watched with great expectation. One of the infants for the gifting was Prima, coming here to have Santa Prime give it personally.

The children halted, then broke ranks, running for Prime as fast as they could go. They swarmed him, patting and getting patted. Then they were brought back into their lines to wait, loudly, impatiently, with a bit of angst thrown in. "Hello," Optimus said before they charged him again. For a moment, it was bedlam, then it was organized again. "If you wait for your turn, I will be giving you a gift from our colony for all the good that you have done for all of us. We are proud of you, infants. I am proud of you."

A gift was given him and he called a line forward. They took their gift, some of them shyly, some happily, some who wanted to tell him their entire life story, and others without a word. Each line waited, came forward, were loved on, given a gift, then walked back to class for their party. By the time Groups A-D, Level One appeared, their own kids began to show up.

Prima who was placed in line with Praxus walked forward with group D. They smiled as they stopped at the line where they were expected to wait. Orion glanced upward. **"OSIMUS!"**

Huge laughter was had.

Orion stepped out of line and marched up to Prime. **"You she! I love you!"** he said in a reasonable voice. It triggered a stampede which took a moment to unwind.

"I love you, too, Orion. I love all of you. I want to give you something for being so wonderful." He began again, posing as all of them would for family snapshots and to chat a bit with their hero, Santa Prime. That he was Optimus Prime in a Santa suit didn't compute at all with them. Even with his own kids, there was that unreal sense of awe around Santa Prime, rather than Daddy.

They came and came, hopping up, running, being carried for injuries or shyness, but all of them got a present as well as some time with Santa and the elves. When the last infant was gifted and the elder volunteers as well, they gathered up their squad to head for the major hospitals around the colony and the Autobot City Processor Hospital and Outpatient Center.

-0-Senior Citizen Land

They pulled up before the Vos Tower Senior Center in Autobot City. Climbing down, Ultra Magnus and Arcee, a large number of the femmes who rode there on horseback, Partition who was riding behind Lancer, and a number of other mechs who had come along for the lulz walked to the door through the crowds of family, friends and passersby who had stopped to watch. A large number of humans were among them. He walked inside, met the group in charge, then sat down on his chair. Faun would be his straw boss and he would the king of the mountain. With smirking elves around him, the first elders were escorted up by their families or the directors of the senior program.

"Welcome," Magnus said as he leaned forward to look at a small pair of elders. One of them looked gruff and the other shy. "I would like to present you both a gift that is a token of our respect, admiration and love for you and your contribution to our society. We are very proud to do this for you," he said as he took two gifts in servo. They had the names of the recipients on them and he handed them over. They bowed, the gruff mech stiffly and the other deeply. He looked at Magnus. "Thanks. I heard that you did this. It's nice."

Magnus nodded to him. "We are glad to do it."

"Thank you," the other said. "I never got a gift until this place. It wasn't like Tray-C didn't provide. He did. This is just unexpected."

"I worked hard, Cyro. I always provided," Tray-C said gruffly. "Don't think I ever slacked."

"We know you didn't," Magnus said. "We are honored to reward your great service to our people. Thank you and Merry Christmas Surprise."

They both nodded, then limped to their table to sit. The shy mech would open his but the gruff one would wait until he got home. No one ever rewarded him before and he didn't know what to make of it but he would love the thick book that told of the wildlife and plant life of Cybertron. He wouldn't be the only one who would find this strange and unusual but they would all have one thing in common in the end. A sense of happiness and pride.

They were beginning to believe, these who had lived in The System the longest, that they had a value beyond their utility after all.

-0-TBC 12-29-17 **edited 1-11-18**


	233. Chapter 233

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 233)

-0-On the way to Seven Cities-North

They rolled down the highway with escort like some kind of oriental potentate. Waving to those who honked or waved, they made their way. "Where's Lucien?" Ironhide asked as he suddenly remembered that sullen force of sourness.

"He's waiting at our next stop. I thought going into homes and seeing the destruction face to face is better than being entertained in the schools. I couldn't have his grumpy puss there around the babies."

"Good call," Ironhide said with a grin.

They trundled onward.

-0-Aerie Hill Senior Center, Aerie Hill District, Autobot City

"And this is for you, Elder. It is a token of our deepest respect for you and your family," Starscream said as a small mech stood before him. "This other one is for your bond."

The elder Seeker smiled at him and took both. "Thank you, Lord Starscream. You have no idea how much it did my spark good to hear your voice calling us to you. We were in our deepest despair. My bond and I," he said glancing at a small Seeker mech sitting in a wheelchair, "were at death's door. Now, if we keep up therapy and go through a couple of more operations, Silo will walk again. The doctors told us so. Goldwing is a very good doctor."

Starscream beamed with pride at the small mechs and the big doctor standing by the wall nearby laughing with three other Seekers over something. He leaned in closer. "When I came here, I was dying, too. I was saved and sought that all our kind come here and become all they were meant to be. My spark soars every time you come to us. I am sure I danced when you came."

The little mech smiled. "I am sure that it was amazing."

Starscream sat back with immense amusement on his face. "Can it be other?" Huge laughter erupted in the room as Starscream surveyed his domain. He wore a Santa Prime hat and he sat on an ornate throne created by his trine for him. His people were safe, they were excelling and everyone was moving forward into the world that should have been theirs but never was. He grinned. "You are why we do what we do every orn. I am honored to serve you."

The mech stared at Starscream, then bowed deeply. "All hail, Starscream."

They did.

-0-Intermediate School

Springer sat on an ornate chair that was draped with all manner of things, courtesy of the school art department and the students of Level Eight, Mr. Corlin's art career focus group. He sat with a jaunty hat, a smirk and a number of elves helping. Around the room were a lot of hangers-on, Wreckers who liked the detail, those who wanted to see for themselves the spectacle of the Wrecker Chieftain playing Santa Prime and any number of off duty police that wanted to play, too. It was boisterous, the lobby of the building, and filled with fabulous energy. The kids had come and were in their classrooms playing or whatever kids did during school parties as they waited to come down.

He glanced at the massive crates, two of them, that held more sophisticated presents for older children. Many would be the telescopes, machine assembly and art kits that he would hand out. Electronics were big and all manner of other things that kids everywhere liked to have would be excitedly received. As he glanced back, the first group walked in with their teacher. It would be Rambler's class. They waited at the line with grins and excitement, then Springer leaned forward toward them. "Anyone who hasn't tagged a building, step forward."

Huge laughter and a surprised glance or two between some of them was had. He sat back with a grin. "What a good looking collection of future clients," he said as the room erupted in laughter. "I'm happy to be here again, to be Santa Prime. I even dressed up for you." He glanced upward at the hat on his helm as laughter and applause greeted that. "This is the best orn of the year for me. I'm happy to be here. Why not come forward when I call you so I can give you something that tells you how much the colony loves you. We're proud of you. You're good and loved and welcome here. Just ... never forget that. No matter what, never, ever forget that," he said.

Drift handed him a gift. "Coros," Springer said.

Coros started, then walked forward, pausing before Springer who knew his story intimately. "How are you doing, Coros? I hope things are going well for you."

He stared at Springer, then shrugged. "I think I'm good."

"That's all we want. You and the rest to be good, protected, feel safe, and be happy. You're a kid. Be one and enjoy it. You're an adult forever and take it from me … sometimes it's no fun at all," Springer said with a grin.

Coros grinned faintly, the nodded. "Thanks."

Springer handed him a gift, a big box, which he took with pleasure. "No. Thank you for being a great kid."

Coros stared at him a moment, then nodded. "Thanks," he said simply, then returned to the line. He passed Rambler, a kid he was beginning to like a lot. Rambler grinned at him and he grinned back. He got into line and waited. The others went up, all of them including Rambler who hugged Springer who he considered an uncle. Among the Cybertronians, any adult who was close to a family, related or not, was considered an uncle or aunt. Given their tough lives and the amount of death that visited them, the strictest notions about relationships mattered less than the actual networks that were built among families and their closest friends. If Rambler was asked by others who Springer, Drift and a large number of others were including Ratchet and Ironhide, he would tell them without artifice that they were uncles and aunts.

"How are you doing, infant?" Springer asked as he hugged Rambler.

"I'm doing great," Rambler said. He was a sweet kid with a sunny spark. Having a family had saved him from despair and he didn't think back often on the life he had before Mars. The death of his parents, the soul-killing effort of keeping his brothers and himself alive in a battle zone and the hunger … it was gone in the past and he was living in the now. He couldn't change what had happened before so he didn't try. He put it where it belonged, the past. The golden memories of his parents who loved him he kept alongside the parents he had now, the ones who had chosen him and who labored not just for their people, but for him and his siblings so they would have a beautiful life. Rambler had learned to let go and embrace the now where all the love he could hope to have lived. "You make a great Santa Prime. You **do** know that Spirit thinks that Atar is different from Santa Prime."

"I know," Springer said with a grin. "It's the cutest thing ever. He's the cutest little mech **ever.** "

Rambler nodded, the hugged Springer again. Taking his gift from Drift after a hug, he walked back to the line to stand with Coros. As he did, Pulley walked forward. Another kid with Coros' group, he was doing very well in school, had relaxed into it with relief even as he ignored most of the bellyaching that his genitors still engaged in at home. He love infant league football, had signed up for cross country track and was going to play basketball when they figured out how to do it here. He was a happy mech almost all the time. It wasn't until football that he realized how much he liked this place and how happy he was. Now, he stood before Springer, the 'enemy', with a happy spark.

"How are you doing, Pulley. I hear nothing but good things about you," Springer said.

"I love this place," he blurted out, surprising even himself. "Uh … I really like it here."

"You're an amazing wing, I hear," Springer said. "How's your team doing?"

"We've won half our games. Maybe next season we can do better," he said, warming up to the big mech before him. Springer was an amazing mech himself and the more he heard about the Wreckers, the more star struck he was around him.

"You're doing great. Half is no small thing. There's big mechs on some of the other teams. Do you go to the games in the big league?" Springer asked.

He nodded. "I love them. I root for Capital City. That's the family town."

Springer nodded. "Next game, wait by the gate where Prime stands before he comes in. I'll come get you and you can watch at ground level with us."

Pulley stared at him a moment, then smiled. "You mean it?" he asked with surprise.

"Sure. You haven't **lived** until you see it at ground level," Springer said with a grin. "You can meet our horses, too. Do you ride?"

"We do in class … gym class," Pulley said with gathering excitement.

"Good. Next game," Springer said as he made a note to himself. "Prime's entrance," he said as he took the gift from Drift and handed it to the kid.

"Thanks, Springer," Pulley said with a huge smile. "That will be awesome."

"I think so. For both of us," Springer said with a grin.

Pulley hurried back where he was surrounded by kids who listened as he told them of Springer's offer. They turned to him with surprise. He waggled his fingers in a wave and they laughed. The line came, kids who were sweet, shy, happy, outgoing, beautiful. It was glorious and that was only the first class. They kept coming and coming and coming.

-0-Blackjack and Company

He sat on a highly decorated chair waiting for the group helping invalids and those with ill health but were ambulatory get organized for the fun. The lobby of a health center in Iacon had been decorated and was ground zero for most of the most fit members of the group they would serve, the housebound and physically limited members of the colony who lived in the Seven Cities-East, West, South as well as the assisted living towers on-world. They were for the most part only partially full which made their effort for Christmas Surprise feasible. Given that Paragon had created them, he was assigned to help Blackjack reach everyone. Arrow who was carrying their kids in his hold had just come from the Academy with them after being feted by Santa Ironhide. Donning an elf hat, he set himself forward to help with the gifts.

Blackjack watched as the groups gathered, then grinned. **"HO-HO-HO! I'M SANTA BLACKJACK, EMISSARY OF THE SANTA PRIME AND I BRING GOOD CHEER!"**

Huge laughter, applause and smiles greeted that as a wheelchair was pushed forward by a big mech that appeared to be family. The mech in the chair was smiling and clapping his servos together. It would appear that he was mentally affected in some manner. His son, the big mech pushing him grinned at Blackjack. "General, this is my atar, Lars of Helex. He took some shrapnel to the processor and he's recovering. We asked for something he wanted and I hope they got our letter."

"We got **all** the letters, infant. We **are** Santa Primes, after all," Blackjack said with a grin as he reached for Lars' servo. He squeezed it gently as the mech focused on him. Lars smiled but he said nothing. It seemed to Blackjack that he was looking into the optics of a child. "Lars," he said. "You're a great mech and we're so glad that you're here. Just know that, somehow."

A bag was handed to Blackjack who peered inside. He looked up at the son who nodded. "If you could give it to him, he would appreciate it. He's stoked about Santa Primes."

Blackjack nodded, then pulled out a toy truck. He looked at it, then handed it to Lars. "Here you go, Lars. Merry Christmas Surprise from a grateful nation."

Lars stared at the truck for a moment, then smiled and took it into his servos with delight. He looked at it like it was solid gold. His son glanced at Blackjack with emotional optics. "Thank you."

Blackjack nodded. "What's the prognosis for your father?"

"We have hope. There's always hope. There's so many like him that Sciences is working on the problem. I have hope now where there was none before," he said.

"You have my name if there's anything I can do. Call me and I mean it," Blackjack said solemnly.

The mech nodded. "Thank you, General."

"No," Blackjack said gruffly. "Thank you for surviving and coming here. You are why we do what we do. **Never** forget that."

The mech nodded, then wheeled his excited father back to the family who stood nearby waiting for them. They surrounded him to hear his garbled delight. Blackjack sucked it up, then turned his cheerful gaze onto the crowd. **"WHO IS NEXT TO HONOR ME WITH THEIR GREATNESS!?"** he asked as laughter filled the room. More would come and then more and more. Working silently with Alor, Partition and Arrow, Cargo would help with the gifts. He would wear the elf hat without complaint.

-0-Optimus Santa Prime

He sat on his chair, the throne of thrones, and grinned as his minions scurried to get things ready, at this, the Autobot City Medical Center. There were wards to go through but there were a lot of outpatients who were here along with those who could walk coming down from upstairs. He grinned as those gathered to watch took snaps with him, touched him with bowed helms, chatted about this and that to pass the time until the elevators opened at last and the patients began to walk out. They were in various stages of repair, some trailing devices and helpers. They gathered before Optimus with great expectation and happiness. For some, this was their first time.

"I am so delighted to see you. I usually just visit Sparkling Day but we want everyone everywhere to have something of the season. This holiday is for you and your families, your children and your elders. This is someone elses holiday but we have made it ours, too. I wish you to know how grateful I am to see all of you here in this safe place. I wish you to know that you are the reason all of us work this hard, to provide you a good life and to keep you safe. You work hard as well and this is our way to thank you. I am grateful to be your Prime and I dedicate my life to you in service."

It was silent a moment, then someone knelt. Others began to kneel, too, as others bowed as best they could. Prime sat forward. "Please … friends …"

An older mech in the front glanced up from his knees. "I had no hope until now. I know it's because of you and your vision. You are The One Who Comes. You are the First Disciple of Primus. Thank you, too, Optimus Prime. We give back the same love to you," he said.

Agreement flashed through the crowd as they began to climb to their feet. They came forward, all manner of mech and femme in all manner of condition. He received them one-by-one, listened to them, accepted their compliments and spark-felt feelings of love and gratitude. He lay his servos in their own upturned in supplication and respect, posed for their pictures and held their children. It would take longer to leave this, a smaller crowd, but it would be a beautiful moment for both sides.

-0-Magnus and Company

They clopped along heading for a mass gathering of senior citizens at Nova Cronum in the Crater District. A smaller local population, it was expected to be a smaller group. Arcee leaned against Magnus, her servo holding his. "Tell me this isn't the best thing we do all year."

Magnus glanced down at her as the femmes festooned every surface on the vehicle. "I won't disagree."

Arcee smiled. "That's my boy," she said to laughter and general agreement.

Maelstrom and Chromia who were riding horses behind them with Lancer and Partition were laughing and joking around about how great it would have been to have horses for getaway vehicles back in the old robbing and pillaging paradigm. Partition who had been an aft most of his life, if not a marauding criminal, was clear in his processor that he wasn't in Maelstrom's league as he listened raptly to the big mech chat with Chromia, trying to one up each other in the fist fight and bar brawl category.

He was in love.

-0-Hard Drive, Delphi and Company

They rode along the sidewalk heading for the Tri-Cities where Raptor was hitting his stops. Home care and house bounds were being feted. The internal conversations that were waxing and waning back and forth with the family were amusing and he joined in with them. They would meet together to do the areas of need around Fort Max and Metroplex including the Processor Hospital. That was the place they would test the mettle of Keystock who was riding along behind them with a sour expression. He was ordered to wear the elf hat that no one else in the group wore, something he felt was an insult. It wasn't but Hard Drive knew that he would think so.

It was amusing to watch the big mech ride a horse. He hadn't done so before today and his unease was curious. The horse he was riding was Cinnabar, a dapple mare who was a steady, sweet horse for novice riders. One would have to be a very poor rider, indeed, to not enjoy Cinnabar. Keystock didn't appear to be enjoying the steady mare. "How are you doing, Keystock? This is your first ride after all," Hardie asked.

"I am fine," he said coldly.

Hard Drive grinned, then continued onward. When they arrived at the gathering place in Tyger Pax that would take them through the last few stops for Raptor, they would join in. That is, Keystock would join in and Hard Drive and Delphi would watch with amusement. It was incredible how hard Keystock was fighting his basic nature toward change.

-0-Jetta and Elita with Company

They walked toward the elevator to go down to the lobby. They had made fifteen stops in the city block where they were picking up odds and ends, mostly those who were unable to leave their homes for whatever reason, some for medical and others for psychological. Reaching it, they squeezed in, Jetta, Elita, Mack, his bond who joined them for lulz, Blaster, Revet with 'Vette, several Wreckers, and his aide from the professional association running things, Mika.

"This is fun. I'm glad that we can still do it, though, I think we need to have more Santas next time," Elita said. "Where to next, oh great one?" she asked Mika who walked out the elevator when it reached the lobby.

She smiled. "We're going to Kalis, then Centurion. After that, a care center in the Crater District, then we're through."

"That's not really a lot is it?" Revet asked. "This is going very well. I hope we didn't miss anyone."

"We made a point of checking the names submitted against others sources. I think we have everyone," Mika said as they walked out and began to get onto the carriage. Crowds who were there petting the horses and chatting together applauded them. They waved, then off they went, jingle bells ringing. It would be a very merry afternoon for the lot of them.

-0-Outside the Autobot City Processor Hospital and Outpatient Care Center, Autobot City, later that afternoon

Several carriages lined the street, parked to one side to allow the Santas and their flunkies to disembark and enter the building. Ironhide with Ratchet and his crew along with Hard Drive and Raptor with theirs had arrived. Lucien and Keystock stood together stoically bearing what they felt was humiliation in their elf hats as the group gathered. There was a large box of presents already inside waiting for distribution along with security to ensure that it went well. All of them had been vetted against the possibility that they could harm anyone or their recipients.

"How is it going?" Ratchet asked as he hugged Raptor.

" **I AM RAPTOR! IT IS GOING!"** he bellowed with a big laugh.

Everyone laughed, then they turned toward Ratchet. Ratchet stared back. "What?"

"How do we do this one, Ratchet?" Hard Drive asked.

"Well," Ratchet said as he turned to the director, "we're going door-to-door, right?"

The director nodded. "We will have security there to restrain anyone and we will let you know which ones to slip in the slot and which to give face-to-face," he said. "Thank you for this."

"It's our honor. We just want to do it right and well," Raptor said. He glanced at his elves. "Come with me." He walked in followed by Jazz, Turbine, Sandstorm, Mirage, and a sullen Cargo.

Hard Drive grinned as they went past, then glanced at his mechs. "Keystock, you will attend General Raptor and his crew. The rest of you can attend to me." He grinned. "Do attend, won't you?" he asked with a smirk.

" **I, RATCHET, AM ATTENTIVE!"** he said as he followed Hardie with a smile.

"I do it better, Ratchet," Ironhide said as he followed them and brought his laughing mocking crew with him. They entered the lobby and made their way around the corner of the corridor. Mika was organizing the presents to take to a room where several patients were well and trusted enough to gather. When they were distributed to Keystock and Cargo, the two groups followed the guards and director to the corridor beyond. Hardie glanced back at Ratchet. "Come along, Ratchet, and bring your tazer."

Ratchet snickered, then followed. It was silent a moment. "I think I better go and bring my fists of doom," Ironhide said as he followed.

"If my infants are going into battle, they won't go alone," Docker said as she slammed her tiny fists together. She followed them.

Everyone was silent again, then Roto grinned. "I better go in case someone needs … uh, speech therapy or something," he said as he walked to the corridor and disappeared.

Laughter filled the room, then everyone looked at everyone. Without another word, they all followed Roto down the corridor and disappeared inside.

-0-TBC 12-30-17 **edited 1-11-18**

 **Notes:**

fete, feted: (feh-tay, feh-tayd) to celebrate something is to fete; to be celebrated is to be feted.

GUEST:

I love Christmas surprise!

I was thinking, cargo or key stock should have a total meltdown at the indignity of being forced to wear hat else. Sorry dictation is off as it usually is.

It's such an insanity the way they celebrate Christmas surprise. I love that they haven't given it up no matter how big the city has gotten they have just adopted it for themselves. I think it not only does the youngling's and elders good but it does them good as well. I love the story!  
Fancy spinner happy New Year's! It's coming tomorrow

 **ME: HI, FANCYSPINNER!** I agree with you. This is insanity given how big they are but they're determined to overwrite a few programs of despair. Magnus crabs about doing this but he loves it and it gives him something back, a chance to be a softie for someone besides Arcee. This is such a good time for everyone. I love Cargo and Keystock. The night is young meltdown wise but they aren't loving it. BWAHAHAHA! Poor babies! :D Happy New Years, my dear friend, and many more returns for you. :D:D

 **Ragemoose** chapter 231 . Dec 28

ohh. Orion is so cute, protecting his big ol' dad... what a sweetie. He's gonna grow up to be one hell of a mech, that's for sure. If i were ratchet I'd make sure Ironhide had been taking his tablets before agreeing to anything, but that's just me. :-D another excellent chapter. I'm excited to see how Santa prime plays out. :D

 **ME:** LOVE me some Orion. My Niece would do that if anyone bummed out her granny and grandpa. :D I agree with you about the tablets but I think these two marauders don't really care too much anymore about the family as long as its healthy, fun and getting along. They have dependable babysitters which helps. LOL! I know it would for me. HUGS, dear ragemoose. :D

 **Guest** chapter 230 . Dec 28

I love Christmas surprise. LOL I am so proud Laszlo for being strong enough to walk out. That must've been so hard for him. Jamboree should be a hell of a lot of fun. :-) What's up with Slacker? You know how much I love him. I hope he doesn't bond with Gesso. not because I don't like her but I think he was pre-bonded with a mech Not that that matters in this society but I wonder if bonding with the first person that you click with is the best idea.

Oh, I hope he Keystock and cargo get there acts kicked really, really, hard!

Thank you so much

 **ME:** Laslo among all the group is the weakest when it comes to his bond because Lucien is such a hard nut to crack. Its a good thing that he loves Laslo enough to not make too big a stink about things like ordering him to stay. Laslo is growing and will continue. Lucien will continue to get pummeled by Ratchet and the Fam. How that turns out is still unclear to me. :D

I am going to go around the story and touch bases with a lot of characters on New Years (theirs) and after so that we can see how everyone is. He's just finding company. I think Gesso is more into it than he is. He's still in deep grief. He's such a good guy, Slacker. Someone who was honorable, someone who worked hard and supported his family, he's the salt of the Earth and this happens. He wanted Prime to win so badly. It's part of the destruction of this universe. I don't see how they can come together again without this stuff. I try and balance both realities, the families who are tight universes of their own, dead or alive, and this sadness. It sort of pops up at family times for guys like Slacker and Hydro. Its time to see where they are now.

I think its going to take an ass kicking to make the shifts for Cargo and Keystock. Cargo feels possible for me but Keystock is like Lucien and Sunee and Sio. Tough and hard inside and out. Raptor and Hard Drive have infinite patience and they won't give up. We can see how this flies. :D:D

Happy New Year to one and all. When I count my blessings each day, all of you are included. A most prosperous and hopefully better 2018. We are here together, watching the world turn and without your company I would just be talking to myself. I love you all, -Cathy the Arctic Octopus. :D:D:D


	234. Chapter 234

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 234)

-0-Outside the big family chat room at Autobot City Processor Health and Outpatient Center

"So ..." Raptor said as he turned to Ratchet.

Ratchet grinned. He looked at security. "Is everything ready?"

"It is," one of the bigger ones said.

"Keep the transparent wall handy so you can see. Leave your artillery, Raptor," Ratchet said as he began to unload his own weapons. Turning toward Partition, he began to stack up a surprising array of hand guns, knives and a small sniper rifle that emerged from his subspace in his arms.

"Wow," Partition said. "You come fully loaded."

"Ironhide thinks so. Right?" he asked Ironhide with a dazzling smile.

 **HUGE** gagging sounds were heard as the big mechs unloaded their weapons, a daunting pile, into the arms of their entourage. Raptor, Ironhide and Hard Drive smirked at Ratchet. "This good enough?" Raptor asked.

"As long as they can't reach the rest of them," Ratchet said as he gripped the door handle.

"I don't think they'll be fast enough to grab the grenade launcher I store in my codpiece," Raptor said because he was ****!RAPTOR!**** and he could. Huge laughter and worshipful optics greeted that from the lesser beings and his grandson as the three prepared to follow Ratchet inside. Behind them came Delphi and Turbine with the boxes of presents. The door closed behind them as the transparent wall flashed the scene inside before them. It was silent a moment. Then a youngling mech who was along for the ride and who worked swing shift in the Watch whispered what the others were thinking. "How do I get adopted into that family?"

-0-Inside

They walked in and caught those sitting around the room by surprise. Half of them stood and the other half sat in their seats watching the group with varying degrees of feral optics. Ratchet turned to them, scanning everyone swiftly. He paused a moment to check it, then grinned. "Everyone is fit as a targ. How are you all doing today?"

No one spoke as they stared at him. Raptor grinned. "Tough room."

Ratchet smiled. "You have no idea." He grinned at the mix of mechs and one femme. None of his most dangerous patients transferred from Special Detention at the prison were among them, so great was their danger to themselves and others. "We came here today to bring you presents. Today is Christmas Surprise Day and in the colony, we give things to each other as a sign of respect and love. Today, we brought you each a gift."

No one moved or spoke including Sunee and Sio who were sitting together playing a board game. They had become fast friends and were even being considered to be room mates in the secondary security wing of the hospital where 'trustee-type' patients could be housed. It was greater freedom and the chance to develop friendships that motivated this housing as a goal for the inmates. Ratchet glanced at the two. "You two have nothing to say to me? I'm surprised."

Sunee sat back regarding Ratchet with a calm expression. "You should be used to that by now."

Ratchet grinned. "I suppose but I don't really look forward to it. Your ada is one of my good friends now. We hang out and do things, Edict and the group. Your ada, too, Sio."

Sio considered that. "He told me."

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. He turned to Turbine and took some of the presents out of the box. He read the name, then walked to a wary looking mech standing by the window. "Here, Senzi. This is for you from the colony." The mech took it, his optics never leaving Ratchet as the big medic walked to others handing them their gifts. He gifted everyone, then pulled one for Sio and Sunee. "Here. Those games you wanted."

They took them, then glanced at each other. Sunee smiled very faintly. "Thanks. It doesn't change a thing but thanks. Only for my ada. I know you look after him." It was silent a moment, then he nodded.

"Easiest thing I do being friends with your ada. He's an amazing mech. Did you know we went on the town and got caught up in the middle of a bar fight? We got swept up but your Ada didn't. He walked up to a Watchman and punched him so he had to go, too," Ratchet said.

Sunee frowned slightly, sitting straighter. "What for? Why did he do that?"

"Because he's a **friend** , Sunee. A **good** friend," Ratchet said.

It was silent, then Sunee glanced at Sio who smirked. "My ada is the greatest mech who ever lived."

"Sounds like it," Sio said with a quick smile. They both glanced at Ratchet, then the group. "Does it take this many to come in here?"

"No," Raptor said with a grin. "We just wanted to come. We also brought two hard afts that you might know," he said as he glanced at his grand amma. Delphi went to the door, leaned out and stepped back as Keystock and Cargo walked in, elf hats in place.

It was silent a moment as they stared at each other, then Sunee began to laugh. " **You slaggers!** You're a **project** aren't you."

The two said nothing but Raptor laughed. " **SLAG RIGHT!** These two are helping us put things to right on Cybertron. You **do** know we have it back, right?"

"We heard," Sio said as he sized up the pair. He glanced at Sunee. "These are the slaggers you ran off from your colony, right?"

"They were," Sunee said with a wolfish grin. "They came in and thought they could take over. Fraggers. How does it **feel** to be ordinary?"

"And you're in here, Sunee. How does it feel to be **caged**?" Keystock asked.

Cargo tensed, then stepped back. Apparently, he wasn't much for the physical side of things, though it was evident that he had skills himself. Hard Drive and the others filed that observation away.

Sunee rose slowly, his feral optics never leaving Keystock. "I'm free," he said. "I'm free and no one can **touch** that unless I **allow** it. What about **you**? I heard you were slammed by the Court. I heard that you have to **lick Raptor's peds** if he says so. How does **that** feel, Keystock? I don't have to do a **slagging thing** I don't want to do even in here. I'm **free.** How does it feel to be caged, slagger?" he asked.

Keystock didn't reply as the two stared at each other with unbridled hate. Raptor turned to them. "You know these slaggers?" he asked with a grin. Even Sunee and Sio laughed.

"We know each other," Keystock managed.

"I beat his aft several times before his group left our colony. They thought they could take over what we created and we showed **you,** slaggers. We showed **you** the fragging **door,"** Sunee said with deep and blazing rage.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet clasped his servos together. "Well then," he said doing his best and most crisp impression of Prowl, "we should roll onward." He turned to the kids in the room, mostly young adults, then Sunee and Sio. "Merry Christmas Surprise. I'll tell your families I saw you and you look good."

Sunee stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "Hug my ada for me," he said.

"I will. Easy duty," Ratchet said as he nodded to the others. "Onward ho," he said.

The door opened and the group slipped out until it was only Ratchet and the kids. He looked at them. "You know, infants … there's nothing we wouldn't do to help you have a happy life. We want you to be whole and free again. Even if you don't believe it, we care about you. Happy Christmas," he said, then walked out the door.

The kids stared at the door for a moment, frozen in place, then one-by-one, they began to inspect their gifts. There would be unanimous smiles and pleasure among them when they did.

Ratchet and the group watched them through the walls, then Ratchet turned to Rung. "Anything new or break through-ish?" he asked.

"Less hostility to you and the others. That's good. You looking in on Edict helps Sunee. I think today was enlightening. I will have to consider the long term effects, if any, though, before I can say."

"Thanks, Rung. You're my hero," Ratchet said as he turned to the others, all of them pensive. Cargo and Keystock were stiff with tension as they stood with Lucien who hadn't been called inside. Partition who stood with his father and Roto looked as freaked out as everyone else. "Well, shall we journey onward? What's the next stop?

Lee-Lee consulted her datapad, then grinned. "The Ops Center, Ratchet."

" **AH! FOOD!"** Ratchet said. He walked forward followed by the others. They would pile into two carriages and mount a posse of horses to ride through the city to the Ops Center where several others were arriving as well. Some would take longer but eventually, everyone would arrive for the treats, 'eggnog' and laughs.

It was a peaceful and laughter-filled ride through town to the Ops Center. It was getting darker so the lights that were everywhere were bright and warm. The town was bustling as the clubs which were going to stay open for parties and some of the restaurants as well attracted the bachelor and adventurous set. Other places were closed or closing, even though the grocery stores would remain open until midnight. Crews that worked were rotated in and out, including the military installations everywhere and the airfields. Traffic was still brisk but they allowed the horses stolidly pulling them in and out of the lanes as they wove their way toward their end goal, a cuppa and a laugh in the conference room of The Fortress.

The schools were out and family was bee-lining with infants to the Ops Center as messages reached all of the Santa Primes and elves on the wagons. They reached The Fortress and joined a line of wagons unloading passengers. When it was their turn, Ratchet and his crew hopped off including Lucien, Keystock and Cargo.

"Are we released now?" Lucien asked.

"Nope," Ratchet said. "Your families are inside waiting for you." With that, Ratchet began to walk inside with the others. Following slowly, the three solemn-faced pouters walked with them. It was filled with laughs and individuals as they entered the Rec Room. A huge buffet spread and a wet bar lined two walls and there were any number of mechs and the odd femme filling a plate and a glass. Shouts went up as the crews continued onward, Ratchet curtsying and preening to the point where Ironhide grabbed his arm to drag him along.

Entering the Ops Center, they walked to the crowded row of conference rooms which were all open to the group with their walls pushed back to release the space. A table filled with food and drinks were waiting as they walked in to applause and catcalls. It took a moment to get treats and a drink, then they gathered to 'debrief'. Edict, Madura, Anders, and Miler hugged Ratchet, then gathered with him to discuss their orn and the fun things they were beginning to do now that they were more confident.

Pulling Edict to one side, Ratchet grinned. "We met up with Sunee and gave him a gift he really wanted. He was in good form and he asked me to do this." Ratchet hugged Edict to his chassis and Edict hugged him back. They clung to each other, then Edict looked at Ratchet with emotional optics. "Thank you, Ratchet. I feel hope where there wasn't any before. What a great ungrateful fool I was before."

"You were only as good as your programming and consider this, Edict. You were living a life that didn't demand anything of you. All of this greatness inside of you was suppressed by conditioning, a lack of confidence and sadness. You're free now. He said he was free, too. Both of you, it will get better every day and I believe this utterly."

Edict nodded. "Thanks, Ratchet. Merry Christmas Surprise, my friend."

"And same to you, Edict. I always have hope," Ratchet said.

Edict nodded, then squeezed his servo. "We're going to have dinner together tonight and exchange gifts. Madura, Anders, Joon and some others. We're gathering at Joon's apartment. Burris and Proteus are coming happily."

"What about Laslo?" Ratchet asked as he got a beer and handed one to Edict.

"He's still working on Lucien but he told me he's coming anyway. His sons are behind him and they'll come, too. Lucien is fighting his better nature but Laslo has hope."

"We all have hope. It dies last," Ratchet said.

They gathered food and turned back to the group, folding themselves into the happiness and good cheer around them. Getting food and drink as well, Lucien, Keystock and Cargo walked to a corner and sat. Lucien vented a sigh. "Well, here we are." He glanced around the room noting Maddow and his family here with Hauser and his. Others were as well, those who once were friends and allies like Fenix and Trill, his bond. It was clear that they no longer were.

"I heard that Traachon is in jail pending a parole violation. He's going back to prison," Cargo said as the others glanced at him. "Maybe even Millow."

"Prime's crushing opposition," Keystock said darkly. "They're going to keep beating our afts until we break. I don't intend to."

Lucien nodded. "Raptor is unrelenting but the real force to watch out for is Hard Drive. He's implacable but it doesn't seem that way," Lucien said. "Don't let his calm and reasonable manner fool you. He's relentless."

"I know," Keystock said bitterly.

At that moment, Buzzie and Cliff entered to loud and sustained applause. He walked to a table and climbed up on top. Everyone turned to him, some catcalling about his lack of couth along with height among the stature-challenged. He pulled a gun, then the room silenced. Mostly. They were soldiers after all. He grinned, then subbed his gun. "I have an announcement." He glanced around the room eating up the moment, then he told them. "Buzzie is sparked."

 **BEDLAM. RIOTOUS ACCLAIM. LULZ SQUARED.**

Yes, Buzzie was that well liked.

Moments later...

"You slaggers. You never told me a thing," Ratchet said as Buzzie huddled with him and his squad, half the family and many children.

"We just found out, Ratchet. We're a Stanix family so we had to tell all of them and there's a lot of them," Buzzie said.

"You have to tell them face-to-face, right?" Ratchet asked.

Buzzie nodded. "We did. It took a while."

"No kidding," Delphi said with a laugh. "I've seen the family trees."

Huge laughter met that.

Cliff who was being passed around the room by the big mechs was laughing loudly as he took his applause. Since bonding, he hadn't been arrested for drunken slaggery, something that happened every weekend before. He had a home he was working to 'modify for Buzzie and me … Buzzie has a lot of hobbies ... did you know he's the most talented mech in the universe? ...", someone to listen to his stories, carry him when he needed it, and worship at his ego altar. In exchange, Cliffjumper the Slagger actually adored the big mech. Now the most inexplicable thing happened and they were going to have an infant.

Who knew?

More mechs and the odd femme walked in along with a gaggle of humans on segways. They were from the habitats and resorts. They were informed that the senior Autobots were going to visit shortly and to be there or be square. The ambiance of the room was wonderful. Arcee and Magnus followed by the femmes entered, hooted and hollered, then took their turn at the refreshments. Shortly later, the last to check in, Jetta and Company entered and were engulfed.

The humans who were on the tables were chatting, poking curiously at the familiar and unfamiliar food items on the table as the drinks flowed. Jessie Landon with James Brooks-Spencer sat on condiment boxes as they talked to Miler and Tagg. Ravel who sat on the other side listened to the latest gossip of the human contingent. He would find out that Sam Witwicky and Carly Brooks-Spencer had become engaged and were planning to be married here on Mars. It would be family, bots, Optimus officiating, hopefully, and as media free as possible. There was **HUGE** interest in their wedding pictures on Earth so Warren was negotiating their sale with the proceeds going to children's charities.

The scientists had their contracts to stay on-world extended another five years. They would be mentoring a lot of others who would be coming here to work and explore, some of whom were very, very famous on Earth. The Resort would be expanding their green belt to create more trails, more woodlands and another large water hole for the guests. Linking the stream into that lake and out again would allow a water pathway to be added. Given that the birds were doing well and now the insects after some experimentation and adjustment, there would be a place for more. The beehive was not only ensuring that their flower gardens were going great guns but also that there was a very fragrant honey in stock.

Leonora Huttle sat on a stack of datapads in the middle of a table in the middle of the room surrounded by titan frames in pretender gear. Two of them, The Dire Wolf and The Hammer of Primus were visiting from Cybertron to be experimental subjects for the device which would allow the titans to go into the surrounding areas relatively normal-sized and lift out heavy objects or help in the building in places where anyone else was either too small, too weak or it would take too much time to cut and drag off debris. They were having a great time sitting around the table, drinking beer and eating the snacks that were like nothing they had ever seen. They were as big as Paribolus, Metroplex, Fort Max, Caminus, Metrotitan, and Tennyson and just as happy to be here.

She grinned at them, then walked to Metroplex. :May I ask you a question, Metroplex?:

He looked at her as did the others, then nodded. "Yes, you may, Leonora Huttle," he said in his deep wise voice.

She grinned. All of the bots but for those she worked with closely used both her names, probably thinking they were one. :I keep a lot of secrets and if you wish to tell me, and I know you might not, I will keep secret anything you say: she began.

Max nodded. "We know, Leonora Huttle. What do you wish to know?" he asked.

She looked at them, bots millions and millions of years old, then asked. :We're in the third dimension here. Which dimension is Soft Space?:

They glanced at each other, then Metroplex leaned closer. "It is the twelfth dimension, Leonora Huttle. It is where we hide, regroup and protect each other. No one must know."

She nodded. :I know. What do you know about planetary evolution?: she asked as she remembered a story she had read about consciousness and evolution being a universal ideal.

Metroplex glanced at Caminus, then her. "You are aware, are you not, that everything has consciousness, from the smallest particle in a molecule or atom to the universe. All things have consciousness. They are aware and alive, though it might not seem that way to you as a third dimensional being."

She nodded, though it was skirting the edge of her understanding. :When I walk on the ground, across a floor, across grass … I'm stepping on a conscious thing?:

They looked at each other for a moment, as if in conversation, then Metroplex looked at her and nodded. "You are."

:But that hurts them, right? It creates harm to a conscious being or entity: She replied.

They considered that. "Sometimes, but consider this. You would be stranded in place. What makes it alright is your intent. How do you feel about and treat all that is around you? If you have respect and understanding of how things are and how all functions and is made, then its alright. If you respect the world and all of its enormity, then you are on good ground."

:Why do you go to the twelfth dimension and we can't?: she asked.

Caminus leaned closer. "Everything is based on vibrations, energetic vibrations. The totality of All That Is is a chorus of vibrations. Low vibrations … third dimensional, for instance, can only rise to the level their vibration matches. You are a low vibration species, Leonora Huttle. I mean that not as an insult but as an observation of truth. You kill each other for greed, you allow terrible things to transpire … its where you are at this point in your evolution. If you were of a higher order of vibration, you would see that All That Is … all of it is one. Our creed and prayer is Until all are one. Until everyone is, no one is.

"We vibrate at a higher level than you and we can rise to higher dimensions of vibration with all their gifts and wonders. Some orn, you will, too," he said. "You have to want it."

:How do you get it?: she asked.

"There is only one path to the high dimensions, Leonora Huttle," Paribolus said. "Love is the only path forward to advancement on the energetic evolutionary scale. Everything and everyone is energy. All of us. Some of are older and wiser perhaps but even that didn't save us. The Decepticons are third dimensional density individuals that were among the rest of us. They are warmongers and destroyers. The rest of us are fifth dimensional and beyond. Just like your Earth, herself."

:What do you mean? You said we were third dimensional: she replied.

"You are as a species but Earth isn't. Earth's normal place of existence is the fifth dimension. She's ascending now. Her spirit, her internal consciousness is rising into the fifth dimension where she belongs," Paribolus said. "Do you remember Caminus when Prime moved her to Tau Ceti?"

Leonora nodded. :I do. That's still classified so I haven't told anyone but Wheeljack and Perceptor answer my questions:

"Because you keep confidences," Fort Max said. Everyone nodded and Leonora felt warm in her heart.

"Caminus was moved to call for help and the universe who listened sent it. Prime came and moved her but not before the star that she orbited came to him on the Matrix. She, Caminus, the star whose consciousness loved her and Prime came together. The star told him that he was holding back until Caminus could be moved because if he died, he would kill Caminus as well. When they moved the planet, he passed onward and returned to Source Energy, or if it helps you, The One."

:He loved her, you say: Leonora asked.

They all nodded. "All energy and its infinite forms have consciousness. He was able to save Caminus because he operates on the most powerful impulse and motivational force in All That Is … love," Titan said as the others nodded.

"What other force compels a stranger to sit with someone who is in a wheelchair and can't flee a building when its falling down, which happened with the World Trade Center? What motivates a person to stop their car and jump into a river to save a drowning person they never met before? What impulse will make a cat walk back into a burning building to save their young while being burned themselves while doing it? Only the most powerful and titanic force in the universe would make strangers help strangers in such ways. Its love. That is the most powerful force in the universe and it is the glue that holds all of us together," Tennyson said with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his handsome face.

"She cannot see the threads, Tenn," Fort Max said.

"Then I will see them for you," Tennyson said as he slowly looked around himself, staring at the party raging onward around them. Then he looked at her as he touched the side of his helm. An image appeared, a sharp one with everyone Tennyson had just seen. Silver threads of the finest thinness seemed attached to everyone, themselves, one to the other, networking all together. They shimmered, the finest softest silver glow, then the image was gone.

:What was that, Tennyson?: Leonora asked.

"That was the ties that bind, I do believe your people say," Tennyson said with a grin. "Those are the silver threads that connect all life together. You do get to see them, Leonora Huttle. When the blessing from The One comes, that overwhelming light, that is every thread from every individual thing no matter how big and small vibrating at the same time as they seethe with the love of The One. It is how love travels from The One to us and between us to each other.

"You are never alone. You are never apart. Everyone, everywhere is connected. That is why you should be more careful with your actions and words because when you strike out at one of you, you strike out at all. Megatron never learned that, I'm afraid. Your planet, you call her Gaia, is ascending to the fifth dimension where she belongs. You have to decide what you want. She will bring you along but the life you will receive will be different than this one. There will be no greed, no war, no separation. You are living the illusion of separation and duality. You have always been One. Always. You have created the idea that you are all separate unto yourselves, that you are islands when you have never been thus. You are as tied together as us. Did you notice that the same threads that bound us together held the humans not only together but with us as well?"

She nodded. :I saw that in the image:

"Your loneliness is disturbing to me," Paribolus said. "I find you very lonely. You don't speak to each other enough, to say the things of the spark. Our sparks become one when we bond. We are bound together in fate and design. You are, too, but you find the darkness too attractive sometimes. I feel pity for your sense of isolation when it doesn't have to be so."

:When Gaia ascends as you say, where will she go?: Leonora said.

"Nowhere and everywhere. She will raise her vibration and in doing so, she will rise energetically. So will you. You do know that the chaos of your world right now are the old paradigms breaking apart. Secrets long buried are rising to the surface. No secrets will be held back now. People are finding their voice and the weariness of the old ways of separation and division are being tossed aside. Your species is growing and rising up. Those who cannot or won't will be swept aside as they are now in the mass movements of liberation that are coming forward now. I know this to be true. We are ancient and have seen much. We know the signs. There is upheaval on your planet in relation to the rising of Earth's energetic evolutionary signature. Your people are coming into their own," Metroplex said. "This is a good thing, Leonora Huttle. It means that your people are growing up to the fullness of their greatness."

She stared at them, then walked to Metroplex. She hugged his thumb, pressing her face mask against him. :I always feel better around you. I love your people. It's such an honor to live here and be with you. I want you to know that:

"We do," Tennyson said with a grin. "That is part of your evolution, to speak of love to those who you wish to grant it and to feel a part of a whole once again."

She nodded. :I do:

They chatted together a long time about love and emotion, about evolution, vibration and Earth. It would be a glorious thing for Leonora Huttle, pioneer human on Mars.

-0-TBC 12-31-17 **edited 1-2-18**

Dear Ones,

Just a final wish of the greatest possible love and happiness in the coming year. This was a helluva a year and I can't thank you enough for coming along. I am ever the optimist. I hope 2018 will be the year when all of us find our way together. I prefer to love everyone, everything, everywhere and find commonalities rather than differences. We are all one. Some of us find that hard to swallow but it's true. From my House to your House, a most beautiful, peaceful, prosperous, and happy New Year. Until all are one … Cathy in Alaska

Waves at Leoness!


	235. Chapter 235

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 235)

-0-Ops Center conference rooms, Christmas Surprise Day

"So far, nothing coming out of the ether to ruin our festivities?" Ratchet asked as he stood beside Prowl sipping a drink that Arcee had spiked in the big punch bowl nearby.

Prowl who was on his third and had no clue they were spiked grinned at him. "So far, we're good."

"You do know, Prowler, that your drinks are tampered with, right? I saw Arcee pour two bottles of high grade into the punch bowl," Ratchet said with a grin.

Prowl stared at him for a moment, wavering on whether to be mad or glad, then decided to lie. He grinned. "I know that."

" **I** did **not** know that," Optimus said as he glanced over at the pair. "I **should** have but ..."

"A flaw. You have a flaw," Ratchet said with a grin. "Is dinner at the usual?"

"It is. The flawless meal that I, Prowl, have prepared is at the usual time," he said as he grinned into his cup. It was amazing how good the drink tasted.

Herds of children and the odd service animal or pet ran around the room weaving through the forest of legs, pausing only to get a treat or eat one held down for them. All was jolly among the little people. Around the colony, the residents were getting ready for their parties and family get togethers. Before that could happen, the Prime and his senior staff would have to make pilgrimages to the human habitats and the Resort. It was tradition, apparently, and they would continue it. The humans one-by-one signaled that they were returning to their facilities and would be ready to receive visitors at this point forward.

Optimus watched as the last human vehicle departed reluctantly, then turned to the room. It was jam packed with the people he loved, some of them for the entirety of his life. He felt a warmth and sense of belonging that had been an elusive thing during the long tribulation they had all somehow survived. Sometimes, war didn't leave its scars and ravages on the outside. "May I have your attention?" Everyone paused, then turned to him. He grinned. "We have to go to fete the humans but what I would give for a picture of all of you here at this moment."

Huge laughter greeted that, then Prowl staggered forward. "Everyone gather around Optimus and we can use the camera system to take the picture." It was hilarious how many individuals this included and their struggle to grip children, animals and each other so that they could have an image taken. The shorter were in front and in the center of it all was the center of all, Optimus Prime. Prowl grinned. "Hold it and smile," he said as he directed the cameras in the corners to take a plethora of images. He would forward one to all including selected humans who would use it for their desktop wallpaper on their personal computers. "Done."

Huge applause and laughter greeted that including a number of jokes about hoping Cliff would be in the shots given what a peewee he was. He didn't give much slag back, a clear indication that Buzzie was good for him. Optimus turned to them. "We are going to start at the Consulate, Earth2 and Earth1, then Sciences, the Hu-An and N.E.S.T. Habitats and end with The Resort. Everyone is supposed to be at one of those so we should not miss anyone. If you wish to come, then you are most welcome." He grinned. **"AUTOBOTS! ROLL OUT!"**

Everyone would come.

-0-On the road again …

It was a brightly lit line of vehicles that rolled down the highway toward the human habitats just out of town. They had all honked and blinked their lights as they rolled past the Metro Districts and the two big children having a good time with their Supreme uncles and auntie. The sky was black with night and the stars were out on this, a holy day on two worlds. Earth celebrated their religious and/or secular beliefs related to this family holiday and the hope for peace and the prayer that all would be one some fine day. The bots did the same here, minus religion, but the prayers and hopes weren't much different than the humans. Both were strife-ridden cultures who knew what suffering meant and hoped against history that things would change. It was with that fervently in mind that they drove into the hinterlands to salute their fellow Martians.

They passed the Basilica and the shrine there, both lit up and filled with pilgrims. The shrines would be busy on a normal orn but more so on the holidays, human or Cybertronian. Reflection was always good. Driving onward, they reached Earth2, then paused along the road to transform. Turning on their lights, they began to walk down the rise to follow Optimus into the huge paved parking lot around the gigantic facility. Its own lights were brilliant in the soft velvet of darkness as the inhabitants gathered on all three decks to watch the parade of aliens walking toward them. They came in a stream, tall and small, enormous or delicate in bulk, with an array of optics that glowed different colors, though most of them were blue. Led by the one that they called their Chosen, they followed and gathered together in front of the building.

It was silent, then Prime spoke to the humans inside over their intercom system. "Earth2, this is Optimus Prime. We have come here tonight to salute you on this, a holy occasion among your people. We have chosen it for ourselves because it was given to us as a kindness to our children from the soldiers of Diego Garcia and those around the world who helped them. They contributed to help our children have a beautiful moment in the midst of their destitution, something that we reverence with gratitude. We have not forgotten that and have incorporated this holiday into our own culture to continue the sentiments expressed so beautifully by the event.

"We wish in the spirit of the season for peace and goodwill between us. We seek harmony and wish happiness and prosperity for you and your people. Earth is very dear to us, this planet that took us in and allowed us to regroup once more. You are our allies and friends. You hold pride of place in our sparks. In this, a beautiful moment in your cultural life, we wish you the best and most happy Merry Christmas. May those who watch over you bless your House. From mine to yours, we salute you." With that, everyone pulled their guns and taking aim into the distance, fired them into the air. It was astounding in spite of the thin atmosphere, the noise that reached the humans. The bursts of fire from plasma guns and other weapons with discharge were a brilliant flashing accompaniment to the sounds. They fired three times, then subbed their weapons, watching as the humans applauded and waved to them from their safe perch. The People waved back, then turned to go. Up the slight incline they went until Optimus was alone.

He stared at them, this leader of unthinkable age, of great wisdom, character and decency, then he knelt on one knee. Bowing his helm, he paused a moment, then stood again. Then alone in the moonlight, a figure of almost mythical stature, Optimus Prime walked up the incline and was lost from view.

-0-Moments later as a big crowd of mechs walked on the highway heading for the United Nations Consulate of Earth …

"You have to hand it to that mech of mine … he sure knows how to show his quality," Prowl said as the last vestiges of drunkenness burned off slowly in the bracing cold. Walking before him holding the leashes of his sisters and brother, Rambler guided them along. Spirit and T-Bar were riding on the arms of their grandfathers, Tagg and Venture who were laughing over a joke.

"That's why he's the big cheese, the big kahuna, the mech," Ratchet said as he perused his slang files. His buzz wasn't started because he had been told he would have to stay sober for the group.

The fraggers.

"That's him. That's **my mech** ," Prowl said firmly.

"You get off with him being Prime and you holding the title on his aft, right?" Ratchet asked with a smile as inside his hold, Halo slept on. The others were gaggling along on leashes or sitting on arms somewhere in the midst of the laughing boisterous crowd of revelers.

" **I DO!"** Prowl said just before Ratchet shot him the cure. He assimilated it, then glanced at Ratchet. "Thanks."

" No problem. You know what's missing here, right?" Ratchet asked louder than he needed, thereby drawing attention from half the crowd. Everyone waited. **"Caroling."**

Huge laughter greeted that, then Sandstorm began at the top of his voice. **"Grandma got run over by a reindeer walking home from our house Christmas eve! You can say there's no such thing as Santa. But as for me and grandpa we believe! She'd been drinking too much eggnog …!**

That was as far as he got before he was overrun with laughter and scorn. Rambler who was glancing over his shoulder grinned at the mechs, then he began to sing. "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose."

It was at this point that both T-Bar and Spirit sang the missing parts: **"LIKE A LIGHT BULB!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as they listened to the children, all of them in the group that were in Youngling Day sing the song together. **"AND IF YOU EVER SAW IT, YOU WOULD EVEN SAY IT GLOWS!"** -every kid

" **LIKE A LIGHT BULB!"** -Silverbow and Hero chorus

Silverbow and Hero ran forward to walk with Rambler and they sang, too.

" **ALL OF THE OTHER REINDEERS USED TO LAUGH AND CALL HIM NAMES!"** -kids

" **LIKE PINOCCHIO!** -chorus

" **THEY NEVER LET POOR RUDOLPH JOIN IN ANY REINDEER GAMES!"** -every kid

" **LIKE FOOTBALL!"** -Hero and Silverbow chorus

" **THEN ONE FOGGY CHRISTMAS EVE, SANTA CAME TO SAY!"** -kid

" **HO-HO-HO!"** -chorus

" **RUDOLPH WITH YOUR NOSE SO BRIGHT WON'T YOU GUIDE MY SLEIGH TONIGHT!"** -kids

" **FINALLY!" -** chorus

" **THEN HOW THE REINDEERS LOVED HIM AND HOW THEY SHOUTED OUT WITH GLEE!"** -kids

" **YIPPEE!"** -chorus

" **RUDOLPH THE RED NOSE REINDEER, YOU'LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY!"** -kids

Laughter and applause greeted that as they reached the Consulate. Everyone was in the windows watching as the group paused, then walked across the parking lot to the facility. Watching through the windows were a lot of people who were becoming good friends. Sam Witwicky and Carly Brooks-Spencer were there waving as well. Prime grinned. "Good evening. Merry Christmas, friends."

Everyone jumped up and down and waved at that as his rich baritone came over their internal sound system. It was beautiful inside with Christmas trees and lights giving the darkened spaces a glow of warmth and gaiety "I wish to tell you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Its been a journey for all of us and we are happy you are along. Please give our best wishes to everyone both here and on the Earth. We reverence the treaties that bind us together and look forward to the next calendar year together. Until all are one," he said.

Inside, they could see the inmates calling out the creed in return as everyone outside unsubbed their guns. Pointing into the distance, they discharged them three times. It flashed and echoed, then was over just as fast. Waving as they began to leave, hoisting up children as they did, they walked toward the highway together. Prime, when he alone was left, knelt down on one knee and bowed his helm. The expressions on the faces of everyone inside were amazing as they absorbed the honor he was granting. Then he rose and with a wave of his hand, walked toward the others and the next habitation, Earth 1, just down the road.

"I love that mech," Carly said. "He's so honorable."

"Optimus Prime is the best person I ever met, bar none," Sam said as he watched them disappear into the darkness. He looked at the others. "He's the best there is."

No one argued with him.

-0-Down the road

The glow of Earth 1 grew as they reached it, then paused on the lip of the crater. The road ran down to the facility and its huge parking lot. The place was glowing with lights and in the windows, they could see the inhabitants waiting. Prime stepped out and they followed, the mass of mechs with lights glowing and children staring with curiosity ahead. Prime, Prowl, Ironhide, and Ratchet's families walked along, overwhelmed by the dignity and ceremony of the moment. To see a Prime take their knee to anyone was almost unheard of. It was a profound honor to another for it to happen. They reached the facility, then paused.

Standing by the window holding a smiling baby who patted the window with his fat baby hand, Hildie and Jarrod Wilkerson waited with Angus Optimus in arms. Prime grinned, then walked closer, kneeling in front of them. He was massive but the dignity and kindness that he expressed unconsciously was soothing to those standing in the group. He reached out his servo and touched a digit to the window which the baby was patting.

Angus paused a moment to look at the digit, then his parents. Then he smiled and put his hand on the window pane. Optimus grinned, then touched the window. It was still for a moment, then Hildie put Angus down. He walked to the window to put both hands on it, then looked up with a smile at Optimus. Dozens of cameras flashed as Optimus leaned in toward the baby. He grinned and the baby smiled. Two images would become famous and one would earn a Pulitzer Prize. Most of them would become cherished family album images.

Optimus finally stood up again. Hildie picked Angus up and everyone stared at Optimus expectantly. He grinned. "Merry Christmas, dear friends of Earth 1. We are here to salute you and reaffirm our great friendship on this, a day of celebration and reverence on three worlds. You are our good friends and we are glad that we have a moment to say so. We wish you peace and prosperity in this now moment and in the future. Together, we cannot be defeated. Happy New Year as well from Autobot Nation, Earth 1. Until all are one," he said as he stepped back and unsubbed his guns. Pointing into the sky over the wasteland nearby, they gave a three shot salute. When the sound died down and all the guns were subbed, the group waved, smiled and turned to go. When they were on the road again, Prime knelt on one knee, bowed his helm, then reached out again.

Prime touched the window and a little girl reached out to touch back. Children and adults reached out, then Angus, too. Prime grinned, then rose. With a nod of his helm, he turned to leave and walk out into the darkness toward the city with his Autobots. The humans of Earth 1 would watch them until they disappeared from sight.

-0-Sciences

Most of the N.E.S.T. folks and all of the Family where here in the habitat for dinner. It would be close but not uncomfortable with that many in residence. Optimus and the boys were due to come by so they gathered here rather than in the tower. N.E.S.T. would have a skeleton staff rotating in and out throughout the night so that everyone would have most of it off. As they sat together eating or getting food, Annabelle Lennox called out. **"HERE THEY COME!"**

Everyone stood up and walked to the windows that made up the dome of the facility. Down the street a lot of bots walked, the usual suspects, their families and children as well as tons of soldiers and civilians, some they didn't know. Among them were Lucien, Laslo and their kids along with a crabby Keystock and Cargo. Their genitors were walking with Bezel and Lon. They halted by the windows and grinned at the humans inside.

"Look at the tiny people. I just love our terrarium," Ratchet said as everyone inside and out laughed loudly.

 **:OPTIMUS! RATCHET! EVERYONE! MERRY CHRISTMAS!:** Jessie Landon said as she stood wrapped in James Brooks-Spencer's arms.

 **:DON'T FORGET! ALL OF YOU ARE ON OUR FUTURE HUSBAND'S LIST!** : Lola Teasdale said as Cindy agreed. So did half the inhabitants as well.

:Merry Christmas, everyone: Charlotte Mearing said as she stood beside Seymour Simmons. :From me to you, the very best. I have never loved a posting as much as this and I owe it to you and your people:

Prime nodded. "We are honored to have you."

Judy Witwicky grinned. **:YOU KNOW WE LOVE YOU! ALL OF YOU!** I do remember when Bumblebee drove up in a better format than his original one and not knowing he was an **ALIEN** , I grilled my son about where he stole the car: **HUGE** laughter. :Little did I know how much my life would change. We love all of you, too: Everyone applauded and nodded.

:Semper fi, Optimus. This is a dream job. Not only do we get to work and learn from you. We can do it with our families. From the moment I stepped onto Mars back when, I knew nothing would ever be the same again. Thank you:

Prime nodded. "It has been so for us as well. All the long lonely years of seeking a home … we found it here among you. I would hope that those on Earth know how much we reverence you and the alliances. It adds so much to have you here. From us to you, we wish you peace, prosperity and love. Merry Christmas, human friends. We love you, too."

A huge cheer went up and when it died down Ratchet turned to Prime. "Do we salute them with guns or do I get the honors."

"Oh frag. What now?" Ironhide asked to great laughter.

"It would be dangerous for us to shoot in the city limits. What do you have in mind?" Prime asked with a grin.

"This," Ratchet said as he subbed a stick. "Shall I?" he asked with a giant smile.

Everyone stepped back outside and those inside braced themselves. Ratchet glanced around, then smirked. "Little femmes."

"Please, do the honors," Prime said as he stepped back.

Ratchet chuckled at him. "Messiah of The People ..." He pulled on the end of the stick and it burst into sparkling light. It rolled up like a bubbling spring, sparkling and lighting up a great bit of their area. "See? Nothing to fear," he said as he turned to the crowd of bots and pressed a button on the side of the stick. Flames and lights shot out of the stick like a cannon. They hit the crowd around him and everyone stampeded. Given that kids were by this time in carry holds, no one was hurt but it didn't help with the image to see hard boiled mechs stamping away like prima ballerinas from the big over-sized sparkler in Ratchet's hand. He laughed loudly, then subbed it when it died.

" **RATCHET!"** Everyone turned to Ravel who was fuming. "You might have hurt someone in the stampede."

"I'm a doctor," Ratchet replied as he glanced at everyone around him. "Sometimes, Ada, I think you forget that I, Ratchet, am a healer. **I, RATCHET, FIX SLAG!"**

"You, Ratchet, will never be **too big** to paddle," Ravel said with a frown.

"Your ada is **so** cute," Sandstorm said as he grinned at Ravel.

"You just noticed that?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile. He turned to the habitat which was filled with laughing humans. They waved and everyone waved back, then headed out for the Hu-An and N.E.S.T. HQ. It was a very mellow group that followed Optimus down the road to the airfield.

"I want to go with them," Sarah Lennox said with a grin.

"You and me both." -everyone inside

-0-Hu-An Habitat

They were waiting for Prime and Company to saunter up. When the group gathered around the side of the habitation that bordered the road itself, it was obvious that they were going to do something for Optimus and the boys/girls. They were standing inside, an amazing group of huge burly females holding long staff-like poles. A number of others stood around the edges of the group holding lit torches that threw off flickering light. The femmes were stripped to the waist, their muscular physique appearing to be well developed but male in configuration. If Prime hadn't been told about their gender, he wouldn't have known they were femmes.

Their hair was flowing, their locks hanging down to their knees in thick wavy sheets. Their tattoos could be easily seen now signifying their clans, their leaders and their status in their own society. Standing on the lowest platform nearby on their towering habitation, the bots could see Tempest, a number of others that were smaller and therefore, the males and a number of children. All of them were born here on world and they were kept almost hidden due to their cultural practices of sheltering infants until they were of a certain age and educational attainment among aliens or off world.

Aliens were interesting.

Prime bowed slightly. "Larc and The People, I bid you happy holidays," he said.

Larc bowed lower and then moved closer to the dome. "Lord Optimus Prime, I return your sentiment. I wish you and your great people all that you seek. In return, we wish to honor you with a tradition of our own. It is something you might find familiar. During your games, your teams show their quality and warrior spirit. Humans call them haka. We have a similar tradition and they are enacted to honor others or to brace ourselves for combat. We would be honored to show you some of our quality."

Prime nodded. "I would be honored to watch."

Larc nodded, then stepped back. He held out his staff and a torch bearer lit both ends of it. The others were lit as well, then the torch bearers speared the torch handles into the ground to act as lanterns. Turning to the group, they began to stomp their feet. Larc and the others joined them, then a chant began. It was guttural and harsh, spoken in their language and went on for a moment before Larc and the others began to spin and twirl, doing so with the staffs in their hands. They twirled them like batons, using them like spears to thrust forward and spin like weapons which they obviously were. The chorus rose up joined by howling and cries from those on the tower steps and platforms. The torches were weirdly flashing, casting odd shadows as the Hu-An showed their warrior traditions to the ultimate warriors.

It was rousing and many were the warriors with Prime who watched intently, noting the skill and coordination of the fifteen Hu-An who were demonstrating their own haka. Roars of the singers filled the air as the flames flashed in circles, arcing swings that if connected to someone would probably kill them and fast footwork that was impressive. Their hair flew and they ducked their helms, their long horns showing their dangerous aspect as weapons to the entranced bots watching. It flew past them, an ancient rite given for their honor, and when the dancers, singers and spectators on the tower finished, the empty silence was almost painful. Their bodies were covered with sweat and their long wavy locks clung to their bodies. Larc thrust his lit spear into the ground and stamped out the flame on both ends. Then the others did as well. As one, they bowed low, then moved closer to the dome.

"Optimus Prime, you are the master of our rescue and resurrection here. We are your brothers-at-arms and we will hold you and your people in our sagas forever."

Prime knelt down on one knee and bowed his helm. All of the group with him did as well. He looked at the Hu-An who were still shorter than him even on his knee and nodded. "And you will be held in ours as well. It is an honor to know you and your people. You have my word that the first moment we can, we will help you free your people in bondage."

The group glanced at each other, then Prime. Bowing again, they grinned. It was slight but it was what it was. "Thank you. Merry Christmas Surprise, Optimus Prime and your people," Larc said.

Prime rose and so did the others. "And the same to you, Larc of the People. Until all are one."

Larc nodded. "Until all are one, Optimus Prime."

Optimus grinned, then nodded to the group. Turning to move onward, everyone followed, some chatting a moment with the Hu-An, who all of them liked. When they were out of sight, one moved to stand beside Larc. "How did Megatron come from the same species as Prime?"

Larc shook her head. "I don't understand it either."

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

Optimus knelt by the window chatting with the four humans who were there on duty. They would be getting off in a joor and head for Sciences in exchange for four others who would do a joor duty before they would change. It would be like clockwork. Everything officially was five by five so after a few more jokes and hilarity, Optimus nodded and rose. With a grin, they flowed with him heading for the road which would lead toward Aerie Hill and the Resort. There was no official location in Aerie Hill and they were official residents of the Cybertronian Empire so they wouldn't be receiving an official visit by the rapidly sobering gang of thousands currently following the First Disciple of Primus wherever he went.

The Resort would be the last place they would go before they would split up to go home to Christmas Surprise dinner. That most of them would just wander up with Optimus and the Fam wouldn't surprise anyone.

-0-TBC 1-1-18 **edited 1-2-18**

Well, here we are. 2018. My gut usually tells me about how things are going to be and right now, there is nothing but calmness and peace. Given that (in)testimonial, I will call it. 2018 will be better in the ways that matter than 2017. :D Have a great one, everyone. You are sooooOooooOooOoOOo loved. :D NOTES tomorrow. Right now, I have a dachshund from my niece that doesn't like fireworks. Two cats, my dachshund, my chihuahua and Bentley huddled in blankies. :D:D:D


	236. Chapter 236

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 236)

-0-On the way to The Resort

They cut across the highways, open spaces and byroads of the local area to reach The Resort. It was blazing with light as they climbed the rise to the road that led to them and the Monastery. Standing at the windows waiting, it seemed like everyone inside was there watching them come. They emerged up a rise, then walked across the road to the parking lot that fronted the massive building. Beyond the resort itself, the huge dome of the Outdoor Habitat could be seen, its lights strategically placed to enhance the beauty of the area in the night time. Beyond it, the construction of the extension could be just seen as workers began to break ground to triple the size of the outdoor portion.

Walking to the window, they gathered around Prime, a dazzling array of incredibly famous and incredibly interesting individuals. Those inside took pictures, stared in amazement and felt small. Few of them were less than fifteen feet tall and most ranged upward through twenty-five. That half a dozen or more titans were there, amused by the whole process of chivareeing was a distinct bonus. None of them were less than thirty-three feet tall and Paribolus was forty-four.

Optimus knelt down on one knee, then leaned into the window. He touched it and they touched him back. It was a beautiful and rapt moment, two different species coming together peacefully with mutual respect. He grinned. "Good evening. I am Optimus Prime," he said before the crowd inside began to applaud, jump up and down and scream. He grinned, waited, then began again. "We came to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It is our great achievement to be friends together, to bring you here to enjoy the beauty of this world. Thank you for coming. Know that you are not alone, that we will always defend you and that we respect and love you greatly."

He stood, then subbed his guns. Everyone else did and they fired three volleys into the wasteland beyond. It was loud and the flashes of light brilliant. It was what it would be like to be in a firefight with them, these incredibly unlikely aliens. Optimus subbed his guns, then nodded to the humans. Everyone began to walk back to the road but for him. When he was alone, he knelt on one knee, bowed his helm, then rose again. With a slight grin, he turned to go. As he did, he took the acclaim of the crowd in the resort with him.

Reaching the road, the group gathered with Optimus. Cyclonus glanced at the Monastery, then Prime. "If you would stop in the Monastery, there is a small party for our children."

Prime nodded. "I would be honored." He looked at the others. "I am attending to the Monastery. If you wish, you are released."

They didn't wish. They followed Cyclonus and Prime to the Monastery beyond. The sky overhead was velvety black as the amiable group made their way, then walked up the grand concourse of steps to the building. Inside, the lights were shining as the main room was filled with party goers and their children. Entering, they paused near the doors to look at the revelry. It was low key compared to some but there were tables where families sat eating together as children played in groups, chasing and running around the room. Everyone glanced at the group, then rose to stand.

Prime waved his servo. "Friends … please. Sit and enjoy. I am here to salute you. I wish you happiness and joy through the season. Your leadership asked us to come and I am delighted to be here."

Applause broke out as mechs and the odd femme rose and came to the group to shake hands and chat a bit. Children came to be blessed as their family members grabbed and brought them forward. Held up, Prime touched them, then whispered the small blessing that his ada and atar had said over him every morning and night of his growing up. Some came just to touch him and others to chat. It was very friendly, though less ebullient than most parties but it did everyone good to see that the Guiding Hand allowed this moment to happen. Cyclonus stood beside Prime, his pride evident as the people received the Blessing of the Matrix from the First Disciple of Primus. Though they were two different traditions, they held in reverence the same things. After a bit, the group took their leave and walked out again.

It was cold and dark but the colony glittered in the distance. One could see the winding roads that led everywhere outlined by the lights that interspersed their entire lengths. In the distance, the brilliant lights of the Industrial Park Cities could be seen glowing in the inky darkness of night. Prime turned to the group. "Thank you. You are released. Merry Christmas Surprise."

Applause and whoops filled the air as they began to take their leave. Almost everyone transformed including a dazzled Laslo, Madura and Anders who were headed for Joon's apartment in newly acquired alt modes. They had never taken one before for whatever reasons and when they did after careful study of all manner of possibilities with Joon who transformed to a smart car-type vehicle, they transformed into a dazzling array of expensive concept cars. Proteus who watched as Madura rolled toward the road in the format of a Porsche turned to Prime. "He never had an alt mode. It never occurred to either of us to do that. It would surprise you, Prime, how many high castes didn't have an alternate mode." He nodded, then transformed to a Porsche himself. He rolled to the road, then floored it to catch up with Madura.

Lucien who was standing beside a nervous Laslo glanced at Ratchet who nodded. Ratchet glanced at Laslo. "What alt form did you take, Laslo?" he asked.

Laslo glanced at Lucien, then turned toward Ratchet. "I took a Bugatti. Would you like to see it?"

"Oh frag, **yeah**. I love Bugattis. The sports model?"

He nodded proudly. "A Veyron 16.4 Sports Rally. I went low with 1200 horsepower until I have more practice but I can go 415 miles per hour." He grinned at Ratchet with great personal pleasure. Then stepped to one side. Transforming, the beautiful aerodynamic lines of the car,, a format preferred by Drift albeit with more horsepower, shown in the lights of the Monastery. Revving up, he drove forward and disappeared into the night.

Ratchet laughed, then turned to Partition who was dazzled along with this brothers and Lucien who was hard to read. "You're going to ride to the party at Joon's?" he asked.

Partition nodded as he pulled Lancer up behind him. "We are." He looked at his father. "You need a lift, Atar? We have plenty of room."

Lucien stared at them, then the darkness beyond where Laslo disappeared. "I think I'll drive, son," he said, then transformed into a very expensive Cybertronian-style vehicle. He rolled forward and disappeared.

Ratchet glanced at the kids who were watching him go. "You better hustle. They have a huge head start."

Partition grinned. "On it," he said, then the four of them began to turn to hustle cross country to the tower where they would hitch their horses and go up to party. It would be fun in spite of things.

"Well, my marvelously wonderful dinner waits for no mech," Prowl said as he transformed. With his lights and siren going full blast, he peeled out and blasted off. It was a race at that point for the mechs and femmes to transform and head out. Nearly all of them would end up at the Residence. The humans watching would get amazing video and pictures.

Win-win.

-0-A little while later, way up there

"Why don't you two sit and we'll take care of this."

Prime and Ironhide who were in line and nearly at the start of the buffet glanced at Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. They glanced at each other, then handed the two their plates. Walking to a big couch nearby, they parked themselves, put their peds up and relaxed. "I could get used to this," Ironhide said as they watched the two heap their plates up ridiculously full, then grab beers. Walking toward another couch, the two sat down, then grinned at both. "Thanks. We were tired of waiting."

 **HUGE** slag hit the fan as a laughing Prime and deeply affronted Ironhide let them both have it. A cuff to the nobbin from Prowl and Bluestreak added something to the hoo-haw as they both walked to the buffet to take cuts, fill two plates and grab beers. Handing them to Ironhide and Prime, adding to the slag the twins were getting from everyone in the room, they walked back to their place in line.

"No sense of humor in this room," Sideswipe said as he sipped his beer. "Slaggers. Where's the 'merry' in Christmas Surprise?"

"It was strangled to death by slaggers like you," Ironhide said as he popped a buttered bun into his pie hole. **"BUNS! WARRIOR FOOD!"** Huge laughter and agreement greeted that.

In no time, everyone was sitting around the room or in the corridor outside eating and drinking. The kids were at the table, the animals were circulating and all was well.

-0-At another buffet in another apartment elsewhere

"This looks so good, Joon," Anders said. "We must do this more often. I think I like cooking. I always was good at chemistry. I liked the precision."

"I do, too," Joon said. "That's all it is, chemistry. Put this and that together and you get something very delicious."

"I agree," Madura said. "I never cooked much. We always had staff. I never really did much but read and recharge. Did you know I'm taking swimming lessons? I want to go to the Water Park again. That was the most fun ever."

"My favorite part is the long slide that goes all around the ceiling of the mall before coming back to the pool. What fun," Joon said.

Bron-E and her pre-bond, Borealis sat on a couch eating together as they chatted with Neo and Laret. Borealis was a handsome kid, red mostly and very smart. He was a former low caste who was a classroom teacher for higher level sparklings, those ready for a more technical educational experience. He was the one who spotted Hero and also Praxus. Sitting nearby, Proteus and Burris discussed football and the expansion of the Resort's habitat dome. Lucien was sitting between his sons who were laughing about something he wasn't clear on, someone who had done something funny.

"How are your new occupations coming, infants?" Vinn asked as he glanced up from his plate toward Partition, Inweld and Morius.

They grinned. "I love it. I have a beat in Verus," Morius said. "I go out with two veteran officers and I learn from them. I have to do classes, community policing classes which everyone is expected to pass. It helps us build a personal relationship with the people and to build trust. We don't have trust here in every community because of the past."

Inweld nodded. "We weren't fair before but now … I like it. Its as interesting as I thought it would be. I still do legal work for the Watch and so does Mori but we do beats. I get Metrotitan. That mech is hilarious."

"He is," Joon said with a smile. "I feel better already knowing you're there to protect us," she said. "What about you, Partition. I heard you have a medic posting with the Watch."

"I do, at sub station #42. Its call out but when I'm not doing that, I ride with a horse patrol in Gambian and that area. The horse patrol is an elite group, next to detective the favorite choice. I'm lucky to be there," Partition said as Lancer nodded.

"What about you, Lancer? Are you still a soldier?" Joon asked.

"I am," Lancer said. "I'm deep cover special ops with Elita and the commando femmes. Same old, same old."

"Lancer is awesome," Partition said. "She's a scientist, too. I'm learning a lot from her."

Joon grinned. "Life is strange and wonderful isn't it."

Keystock, Lucien and Cargo sitting nearby might have other opinions but they kept them to themselves. Bezel and Lon were just happy to be with a group that was making its way forward. It had been lonely for a long time for both of them.

-0-Residence

Turbine handed his plate to Ratchet. "Hold this, infant. I have a message and have to take it." He rose, walked through the masses and stepped outside.

"That's me," Ratchet said as he balanced two plates. "A plate holder."

"Well, most folks tend to rise to the level of their own competence," Prowl said with a smirk.

"I should have left you drunk," Ratchet said as the door opened and Turbine walked back in. Taking his plate, he sat again. "All is well?" Ratchet asked because he's nosy.

"All is very well," Turbine said with a big smile.

The party wound onward as the children played and food was devoured. By the third or fourth drink, most were feeling no pain. Gifts were given out, small tokens like candy or booze. Everyone got something. Prowl had ordered crates of especially favored high grade and all of the hangers on would take one to their great delight. As they sat back admiring the token gift that they all shared together on Christmas orn, the children playing with their toys nearby, Turbine sat forward with a grin. "Off line your optics, Raptor."

Raptor who was joking with Ironhide and Hercy glanced at Turbine. "Why? What have you done, Old Mech?"

" **OFF LINE! NOW!"** Turbine gave him that no nonsense look that even Ironhide wouldn't buck.

Raptor grinned. "I love it when you throw your weight around."

"I'm going to throw it **at** you if you don't obey," Turbine said with a grin.

Raptor complied, then Turbine stood and opened his carry hold. Reaching inside, he pulled out a white and black object, then sat again, his hold sliding shut noiselessly. Holding the object, he set it on the ground. Everyone in the room looked at it, then Turbine, then it, then burst into applause. "Open your baby blues, baby," Turbine said.

Raptor on-lined his optics, then glanced at the floor. He stared at it, then stood, then sat again. He looked at it, then Turbine. **"YOU SLAGGER, YOU! WHAT DID YOU DO!? TURBINE … THIS IS AWESOME!"**

"I thought you'd like it," Turbine said. "The Animal Center opened just for this."

Standing on the floor was a tiny cow, a white Holstein with black spots and patches. He had big blue optics and a fat belly. He glowed with health and his little black hooves shown like glass. He looked up at Raptor, then walked closer as if to see him more clearly. He stared at Raptor as he assimilated his welcome message, the image of the one who needed and wanted him and the option to say no. He didn't. He walked toward Raptor, put his little hooves up on the couch and tried to climb up into his lap.

Raptor pulled him up, sitting the little cow on his lap. He smiled at the cow, then Turbine, then the cow. **"WHAT A CUTE LITTLE THING YOU ARE!"**

"You have to take care of him, Raptor. You have to take care of the mess," Turbine said as he sat back with a grin.

"Done deal, old mech," Raptor said. He grinned. "He needs stuff."

"In the box outside. He has a harness with a handle so if he needs carried you can grab and run. He has a bed to lie on, bowls for his food and drink, a bag of food, and other things. They said he's really easy to maintain," Turbine said.

"I can see that. He's coming to Cybertron with me. Something else that slagger can carry," Raptor said. "What's one more backpack of dead weight among friends?"

That got huge applause as the cow was passed around. The kids glommed him, patting and petting him.

" **APPA! WHY THIS DOG!? I, ORION, THIS DOG!?"**

"No. I, **Raptor,** this dog," Raptor said as he watched the little cow stoically be sniffed by cats and dogs. The bug was too afraid to do the same but he watched nearby from his perch on top of a snoring Dawg.

"That's cute," Sideswipe said. "Don't let Earth2 know. They'll take him for their farm."

Raptor laughed. "Fat chance," he said with a grin.

"Well, I always wanted a chicken," Ratchet said to be ornery.

"Oh, slag," Ironhide said to great laughter.

-0-A joor later

They began to go, heading off for home with presents, children and a lot of laughs. The apartment was bused to the nth degree and everyone left with something. Standing in the doorway holding his tiny cow which was snoozing in his embrace, Raptor went over the next few orns for his district and Turbine's with Prowl and Prime. Everyone was getting holiday rations on Cybertron, huge celebration cakes and other delicacies flown in from Mars in bulk. So far, so good.

When they stepped off to go, Ironhide grinned. "This is going to be fun. My appa used to rescue anything he'd find. He had a lot of animals at his house and that was number 1,222,497 why I liked going there."

"He's a hoot," Ratchet said as they stepped out of the door. They chatted a moment more, then headed for the elevator with holds and arms filled with drowsy or sleeping children.

-0-On a train toward home

They stood together, the cow in Raptor's arms and the box in Turbine's. Those around them stared at the animal, then the pair. Finally, someone asked. "What's that?"

"A cow," Raptor said with an enormous giant smile. "Only one of three in the colony."

"Oh," the person said. It would be quiet the rest of the ride.

-0-Later that night

"I'm glad you like it. It was a miracle they had this baby available. They got an order wrong and had one cow too many, not that it wouldn't be snapped up right away, mind you. That makes three altogether in the colony," Turbine said as they lay together in the darkness.

"It's slagging amazing. That's the greatest cow I ever saw. He's beautiful," Raptor said with a smile. "Do you like the name?"

"He's yours to name, Raptor. I do like Pudding, though."

"He has such a fat belly. It swings when you pat it," Raptor said with a chuckle. "It seemed sort of appropriate. "Pudding."

They both grinned. Turbine turned his helm to Raptor, his optics filled with love and happiness. "Good night, Raptor. Happy Merry Christmas Surprise."

"You, too, Turbine. This is the best present I ever got. Good night," Raptor said.

It was silent a moment, then Turbine glanced down to the berth space between them. "How you doing, Pudding? You alright."

A tiny cow who was laying on his side on the soft berth between the two behemoths glanced up at Turbine. Then he lay back down and vented a sigh. "I'll take that as a yes."

" **Slag** , yeah," Raptor said as both of them set their proximity sensors. It would be a nice night for all concerned.

-0-TBC 1-3-18 **edited 1-7-18**

Details on what it costs to own and maintain a Bugatti sports car:

They start at $1.7-$2,7 million dollars

Here's the scary part:

$30-$50,000 a year to insure them

oil change and STANDARD (not beyond normal) service: $21,000

tires: $40,000+ They recommend you change them often.

Bugatti Veyrons can actually go 450 miles per hour. If you owned one, you would be adding to its demise just driving it around normally given its high octane powerful motor. If they don't get run the way they were designed, they crack up.

Amazing ...


	237. Chapter 237

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 238)

 **-0-MORNING!**

"Hi."

Ratchet looked up from the spill he was cleaning on the floor by Praxus and grinned. "Just in time."

"Just in time to get Hero. Girls day out." Elita grinned as the rest of the femmes walked in with a big grinning Maelstrom behind them.

Hero jolted like she'd been shocked, then stood on her chair. She turned to her adult sisters with a smile. **"THIS WILL BE FUN!"**

Ratchet snickered. "Are you finished eating?"

Hero turned to him, then nodded. "I am, Ada. Can I go?"

"Yes," Ratchet said. "Get your gear and be good."

She smiled brilliantly. **"I WILL."** She turned to the femmes who were grinning at her as they waited. **"I"LL BE RIGHT BACK!"** She hopped down, ran for her berth room, then reappeared swiftly half in and half out of a onesie. Elita knelt down, fastened her in, then snapped her little hat on her helm. Hefting her up, she grinned. "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya."

" **WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ME?"** Ratchet asked as he bent down to continue scrubbing up spilled breakfast.

Huge laughter greeted that as they walked out.

"You done fooling around down there," Ironhide asked as he peered downward.

Ratchet snapped him with a towel. "Yep." He sat again. Then the door opened once more. Ironhide's family walked in, grabbed the leftover food from the serving dish, then sat down around the room. On a leash following along behind Raptor, a little white and black cow stood placidly.

"That's a slagging fine cow there, Raptor," Ratchet said with a grin.

"That's a genius cow. He slept on the berth last night and didn't make a fuss," Raptor said as he patted the little animal.

"That was your job, Amma, right?" Ironhide asked with a grin.

Turbine smirked. "He was always bringing home stray or lost animals. There was always something in the berth besides the two of us. Feels like old home week."

"If you get a few more, you can have a herd. You can have the biggest herd on Mars. What did the trail head cowboys call cows?" Ironhide said as he thought a moment. "Oh yeah. Beeves."

"Beeves. Don't worry, Pudding. We won't eat ya," Turbine said.

"What are you up to today?" Ratchet asked.

"We're taking the infants," Hard Drive said. "Date weekend."

"Frag," Ratchet said with a grin. "Feel free, then."

"We will," Raptor said.

"I go you, Appa? You and dog?" Orion asked.

"Yep," Raptor said.

" **ADA! I GO HIM!"**

"Eat your food, infant, or you don't go," Ratchet said.

The kids dug in stuffing their faces.

"Where are the big kids?" Delphi asked.

"They went to their appa and amma's house after the party and stayed over," Ironhide said. "They're going to run around with friends today."

"Ah, that's nice," Delphi said as he picked up Prowler. "How's my baby? Are you finished?"

Prowler smiled at his great great grand amma. "I done, Amma."

"Good. We divided everyone up. We get Prowler and Halo. Raptor and Turbine get Orion and Praxus."

"Halo?" Ironhide asked.

"Oh yeah," Delphi said with a grin. "We're going to do the colony with Blackjack and Scout, too. Blackjack can come, the big baby and Alor has a bit of work to do in Vegas so we're going to hang out until he gets back. If you want to, you can join us."

"Poor baby," Ratchet said. "Go with them, Ironhide. You know ya wanna."

"I could. Might be the only way I get to see my kids," Ironhide said with a grin. "You have dance lessons today, right?" he asked Sunspot who nodded.

"I do, Atar. **BUT IF YOU COME GET ME I CAN HANG OUT WITH ALL OF YOU!"** Sunspot said with a big smile.

"Done deal," Ironhide replied. "Finish your food, infants. Apparently, we're due to wander around today." He looked at Ratchet. "What are you going to do?"

"I have a couple of things at the office. Then I can find ya," Ratchet said with a grin.

They gathered their dishes and tossed them into the sink as kids ran around getting ready to go. By the time they wandered out, everyone had The Plan.

There was no plan.

-0-CMO's Office

Ratchet sat at his desk going through reports that he had been stacking up for some time, reports on peripheral things that were important but not demanding. Picking up the report for Denita and Stormy, he read it through again. Rising, he walked to the door, took the elevator down, then walked to the security unit. Entering, he pulled open Stormy's tray after tapping in the code. She was in stasis and there were still indications there that Wheeljack and Perceptor had gone over her analyzing her physique. He plugged in and began to listen. There had to be something inside that they overlooked, perhaps something alien that they had never seen. Perhaps, it might be something that was designed to look normal but was alien tech modified to fit in without attracting attention.

He slid her off onto a gurney and rolled her to a suite nearby used for autopsies. He would be hard at it for the next three joors.

-0-Elsewhere

Ebio Imperialis stood on the street of the main stronghold of their rising base of operations. They had the run of the three worlds but everything had been destroyed by Prime when he collected the colonists. It had taken a lot of effort to rebuild and to make a presentable habitation for him, his brother and their armada. The sun was high overhead, hot and oppressive. Everywhere around him, the business of digging in was still hard underway. His brother, Cassio was in the headquarters nearby working the contacts list that he had been putting together to make allies out of loose ends.

He personally was looking forward to taking Prime apart in his colony somewhere far from here. The word was that it was highly developed and advanced. Word also was that he had taken Cybertron without a shot. He would have to see about that. Turning back, he walked into their HQ and the door closed behind him.

-0-Magistrate's Court

He stood on the line without emotion or comment. His parole officer and public defender sat together talking quietly as the prosecutor for the court chatted with the clerk of court. When he sat, they began.

Alchemy, a magistrate from Iacon looked at Traachon. "Traachon, you are accused of breaking your probation and not reporting to your place of employment. What do you plead?"

"I plead boredom with my job, magistrate. I plead not guilty by reason of boredom," Traachon said.

Alchemy glanced at his lawyer. "Does your client understand the magnitude of his charges? You can go back to prison, Traachon."

"Your honor," his attorney said. "My client is having a rough patch and would like forbearance for his situation. Perhaps we can settle this with a mere adjustment of his situation."

"That would be well and good. The purpose of magistrate's court is to solve problems but having your client decide to walk away from his probation is not acceptable." He looked at Traachon. "You work in an office doing needed and necessary work. If that is not acceptable to you, what is?"

Traachon considered that. "I am used to working in the governing body of our people. I am a general and I have skills for leadership that are not being utilized. I would like a leading role in the governing of the empire now."

"Just like that?" Alchemy asked.

"I would hate to waste my considerable talents on menial tasks. Few have my skills and leadership qualities," Traachon said. "I am tired of menial labor. I could not more enter that building again than I can fly."

"Many of us can fly, Traachon," Alchemy said dryly. "Pray, tell me … why shouldn't I put you in jail?"

"Because it would be a terrible waste for The People if my abilities aren't utilized to the maximum," Traachon said.

It was silent a moment, then Alchemy looked at the haggard figure of Traachon's attorney. "I don't feel as if Traachon understands his situation. I am sure you tried to explain it."

"I have, your honor."

"Well, do you wish a trial? You can have one but unless you have more compelling reasons to break your parole you will likely not succeed," Alchemy said.

"Then give me work commensurate with my skills and we will be even," Traachon said.

Alchemy stared at him. "Do you wish a trial or not?"

"I do," Traachon said. "Either a trial or a job that justifies my talents."

"Very well," Alchemy said. "I am binding you over for trial. You will be scheduled shortly and until then you will stay in the jail." He nodded to the bailiff who gripped Traachon's arm and led him away. When he was gone, Alchemy glanced at his lawyer. "Lucky you."

The youngster shook his helm. "Yeah. Lucky me."

-0-In the morgue and high security unit

Ratchet had both of the femmes lying on gurneys. They were both undergoing side-by-side examinations against the voluminous database he carried as a doctor. Something was nagging him from the report from Sciences so he went through every structure and system in both femmes looking for something that was not supposed to be there or designed to look like it was. As he examined them, he could see that their frames were indeed the work of Jhiaxus.

-0-In a department store

Hero stood in front of a mirror looking this way and that. A cute hat was on her helm, one with side flaps for audials. She was trying on hats with her sisters, all of them sitting or standing around her. Elita had several in her servos and Hero was deciding which one was the best. It was hilarious watching her serious expression as she turned this way and that to look.

"I like the panda hat," Chromia said as Maelstrom nodded.

"I like the one with the little kitten faces all over it," Moonracer said.

"What do you think, Hero?" Arcee asked.

She turned to them, then felt the old self consciousness rising upward with sheer delight that she was hanging with her heroes. "I like this one and that one and that one," she said pointing to the three she had tried on.

"Then try these," Elita said as she handed her another.

Hero took it and tried it on, turning this way and that to the delight of everyone watching. She would take two when it was all over.

-0-CMO

Ratchet noted two slender coils that were behind the optical region of the femmes that didn't seem to be standard issue. As he worked through their craniums, he found them. Given that few Cybertronians went from birth to death with only what they had been born with, it didn't surprise him to find additions even among those who would seem unlikely to do such things. Finding the coils didn't surprise him. That they were attached to their optics and threaded into their processors did. That required a high level of skill.

He considered that, then put in a call to Gullwing and Goldwing. He would have them help him figure this and then, perhaps, they would find out how the two did what they did. Until they could do that and remove that ability, both of them would never be brought out of stasis again.

-0-Here and there

They stood on a train going around the colony. Coming back from dropping Sunspot off at The Seeker Academy in Aerie Hill, they were going to meander through the 'boy's toys' sections of a lot of places. As they rolled along, cow in tow, they made plans for the next war games which were coming up soon enough.

"I heard that Magnus is a gorilla," Raptor said as he sat on a seat holding his cow in his lap. "I heard he was going to be Godzilla this time."

"Then he'll fit into the family," Ironhide said.

"Are you still overloaded?" Turbine asked him. "I do recall an inability to fly your helicopter very long."

Ironhide frowned slightly. "I'm not overloaded."

"You're overloaded." -every family member there.

"Slaggers," Ironhide said with a slight pout.

" **YOU'RE SO CUTE WHEN YOU POUT!"** Turbine said with a smile.

" **I AM IRONHIDE! I DON'T POUT! I MERELY SHOW MY DISDAIN WITH MY FACE!"**

"You pout," Hard Drive said with a smile.

 **"ATAR POUT!"** Orion said as he pointed at his father.

"Traitor," Ironhide said. He paused a moment. "Ratchet just called. He figured out how the two femmes did what they did going between dimensions and all that slag."

"Just a few things at the office," Delphi said with a grin as he smiled at Halo. "Your ada is a smart smart aft, infant."

"He is. I told him to meet up for lunch," Ironhide said as they hurtled onward to the Mall of the Tri-Cities.

"Good," Delphi said.

The train flashed through the underground and disappeared.

-0-TBC 1-4-18 **edited 1-7-18**


	238. Chapter 238

The Diego Diaries: After the Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 238)

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT LAST NIGHT BUT THE SITE WOULDN'T LET ME! ARRRGGGHHH! Sometimes, it hates me, this place. :D:D:D

-0-Around

They stood at the windows peering inside. They heard about this place and wondered. The mall was mostly closed including this place because of the holidays but the windows were floor to ceiling and the lighting inside the businesses was amazing and decorative even when no one was around. The showroom was tasteful, artfully lit and filled with mind blowing things. Swords that had to be 25 feet long stood tip down in a row, suspended by a means they couldn't see. A row of daggers lay on dark velvet cloth in the window display, their shining blades lit by discreet lights overhead.

They were between two and four feet long, highly reflective and etched with discreet writings of some kind. Their hilts were beautiful, wrapped tightly with highly colored cord-like wires of almost peacock luminescence, reds, blues and greens. On the others side of the shop past the door was another window display and there were tools there for various weapons that were astonishing to see. They were ergonomically designed to fit the hand just so and most of them had some component part, usually the business end, that seemed to be made of some transparent material.

:I heard that they make transparent steel of some kind of quality that only they know. Its hard as it gets and all their stuff is made to be beautiful as well: Todd Baseman said as he stood in front of the windows with several of his compatriots.

:The windows of the habitat are transparent steel: Silvio Lombardi said. "I would love to have a set of daggers from them:

:Ask. You don't have to pay for stuff here: Lawrence 'Larry' Dobbs said.

They were out on their own, having been inexplicably given the right to drive around. They didn't know they were tagged on the system by Jazz and Elita to have every move they made out of habitat recorded. They just knew they could go wherever they wanted. They had even debated going to the jail to visit Jim. That had produced a chuckle as they climbed in and drove out swiftly, heading for a more thorough investigation of the colony.

The counter in the back gleamed with lighted displays of knives, tools and other implements that the company was famous for producing, all of them laid out expertly to showcase their amazing beauty. There was nothing in this shop that didn't have a major component of beauty. All of the designs were hand drawn, refined, then crafted. This was indeed an artisan shop.

:They should be open Monday. We can come then and ask about what they can make for us: Steven Anson said.

:Would they? Make stuff for us?: Larry asked.

:Don't know until you ask: Anson replied. :Come on. Let's go: They walked back to the truck and entered. Driving out, they continued on their way heading out of town toward the Mall of the Tri-Cities and the water park that had been mentioned now and again among the locals at Earth2 as 'having to be seen to be believed'.

-0-CMO

He sat at his computer going through the data to make a preliminary report. In a collection dish before him were four coiled devices that had an enormous number of wires protruding. There were two other devices that looked like simple patches that were attached to their sparks that were also laying there. It was incredible the care they had to manage to have them removed without harm.

He sat back as he considered the devices which he had run through what was being called The Shockwave Archives. It was there that they were discussed for their generative abilities which led to several other areas that discussed the femme program that Jhiaxus had created, information hitherto for unmentioned. He had gone through them and it had been enlightening. Apparently, the tech that created the femme gender was tampered with for Denita and Stormy to create the big frames that the two femmes and several others in their party bore. It was a reverse of the process that allowed them to accommodate a big frame for what should have been genetically at this point, a small spark. The difference was simple. They wanted a femme with a large frame. It had to be tampered with to allow that. It was complicated until the archives explained it.

Why anyone would do this, he didn't know. He also figured that short of strip mining Traachon and the others, he would probably not find out either. He sat back as he considered the situation, then tapped his call box. "Elita."

:Elita here, Mom:

Ratchet laughed. "You little minx, you. Where are you?"

:We're at the Mall of the Tri-Cities checking out the latest embellishments from Needlenose's spring collection:

"Slaggers. How about dropping into the office. I have some news for you and I want you to hear it from me," Ratchet said.

:Is this about the femme thing?: she asked.

"Yes. Your call if you want to hear it," Ratchet replied.

:On our way. Elita out:

Ratchet sat back as he considered the story thus far from the information recovered and the femmes still in stasis. This was going to be a strange conversation.

-0-Moments later

They walked in, big, rangy, strong femmes and took a seat around the big office, relaxing onto chairs and couches as Ratchet tossed cans of candy. When he sat with his own, putting his big peds up, he grinned. "Allow me to assimilate this much beauty for a moment."

The femmes snickered. "That's us," Elita said. "What's up, Ada?"

"What's up, Ada?" Hero echoed with a huge smile.

" **A NEW HAT!** You did well, my padwans," Ratchet said as he picked up Hero. He hugged her, then opened his hatch. "Go here, baby. I have to talk dull stuff to your sisters."

She looked at them, smiled, then disappeared into the hatch. Ratchet sat back as the hatch closed, regarding the femmes in the room with a grin. "Well, I wanted you to know that I figured out the big femmes, Denita and Stormy, and I wanted to tell you about it myself. That's because I'm a good ada with only your best interests in mind."

Both sides grinned at each other, then Arcee stood up to pace like she always did on this subject. Ratchet watched her a moment, then began. "I've been studying the internal scans that we made of them when we put them into stasis. They have to stay that way until we figured out their special function. It was slagging hard but I, Ratchet the Healer, Ratchet the One of His Kind-"

"That's true," Elita said with a grin. "What did you find?"

"A couple of wires that didn't belong where they were," Ratchet said. "It was easy to overlook, so small and nondescript were they, but they were the head of the trail back to this place," he said as he pulled open a desk drawer, reached in for two shiny pairs of coils with dozens and dozens of wires protruding outward. He dropped them on the desktop with a grin. " **BEHOLD!** This is some serious tech removed from behind their optics."

Elita reached for one and examined it, handing it to Chromia who looked like she wanted to eat it. "So this is the big deal."

"It is," Ratchet said. "I think its straight out of the aft end of Jhiaxus and before him, the aft end of some unknown alien scientist. You know he never met a scientific advance that he didn't want to steal."

"Fragger," Chromia said as she tossed the device onto the desktop. "I need to disinfect my servo."

"What now?" Elita asked. "Tell me more."

"What this does is two fold. It's a trans-dimensional device that's also capable of creating extremely good, and I mean **extremely** good pretender shells," Ratchet said. "They can move between this dimension and others, particularly if the dimension is stable and calm like null space, which I believe is their preferred staging area, and then back again. They're invisible while this device works and only become visible when they form a pretender shell or shed it back to themselves again. It is powered in some unknowable way by their spark which is fed with this," he said as he dropped the several patches on the desk.

"Frag," Moonracer said as the others nodded.

"When I was searching the stuff recovered from Jhiaxus I came across something else. Someone finally decrypted the passwords and opened up new files that include the files on you, which I have personally moved to my own database from the Shockwave Archives. I padlocked the slag out of them so I alone could access that part of his swill and no one would be the wiser," Ratchet began.

"They're files on us, right?" Chromia asked.

"You and the others," Ratchet said. "You were given numbers in his research so you can't be really identified but there are clues to me about this. There were over 2,500 different mechs used to try to inject gender into the population."

It was silent with shock for a moment. "I knew there were others but **that many**?" Arcee asked.

Ratchet nodded. "You weren't alone. There were many. He worked on it a long time and he managed to manipulate our CNA into something altogether different. He was looking for a way to inject a change into our general population CNA so that femmes would appear 'naturally' through the process of living and creating families with you as the injection points. The CNA splices that he used to do this with all of you were injected into the subjects of his process, you, making the essence of difference available if you sparked or sparked someone else. It wasn't enough that there would be femmes in future, femmes that were easily visually different. Those that were manipulated at the time, meaning you as ground zero, would have to jump start the process of them being accepted in a natural way by the public. He achieved that by changing your basic energetic signature, your aura. His point was to make you femmes right away even if he couldn't change your appearance to one.

"You would carry the CNA and then it would disperse throughout the population in a more natural manner. It would be accepted because others would see you and see femmes, eventually becoming 'normalized'. That you didn't change to look like it was a flaw that eventually made him drop the program altogether. It was a thing he couldn't change so he got tired of trying and pursued some other heinous thing.

"In summary, he couldn't change your direct appearance but he changed your aura, the thing that announces us to each other before we even meet. He failed to change you outwardly, you, the proto-generation, but he changed you inwardly, thus changing how everyone perceives you. You see yourself as you originally were but you're projecting a changed energetic aura that announces you to others as a femme. I can only guess how difficult that is for you."

It was silent a moment, then Lancer shifted. "Then how is it that Gypsy and the others look like they do?"

"You're first generation, changed but unchanged. The other mechs went on with their lives, bonding and having families. That's how the CNA changes ended up in the greater population through the birth of infants, some femme, and that's why femmes are such a small portion of the total. Since the femme CNA is designed to create the differences, sexual dimorphism its called, and a smaller frame among other changes, it was passed on through those of the 2,500 who had families. It was a small number to start with and it created only a small number thus far of Gypsy-style femmes. Not everyone carries femme CNA. I do because of Amma Docker. Ironhide doesn't. It still isn't as wide spread as it would be otherwise. It's not a natural mutation.

"When they began to have infants, they put femme sparks into mech frames because they didn't know any better. The femme sparks died because they were too small to live in mech frames. It was only after research that the femme frames began to be made for what everyone thought was a naturally occurring genetic mutation in the species. It wasn't. As time went on, the mutation changed to accommodate femme or mech frames but oddly enough, now when a femme spark is placed in a mech protoform, it doesn't die. It adapts like a chameleon, changing to a mech. If this were better known, there would be more femmes because the CNA would be understood and planned for. Now, femme sparks mutate into mech and there is no difference when they're born and grow up. It once again signifies that we are truly a genderless species no matter what they did because the sparks do that."

Arcee stopped pacing. "Could you summarize this, Ada?" she asked.

"Sure. There were 2,500 or more of you who were reformatted to become femmes. It was only partially successful. It was a big enough population to add femmes into the greater species in small but visible numbers but it didn't do more for you ground zero mechs than to confuse others about what you are. Even though you're a mech in looks and mannerisms, you bear the CNA that adapted your aura to femme. That was done to the proto-generation to begin to have the population accept femmes. It didn't adapt anything else about you because it wasn't designed to do that, though Jhiaxus thought it would with enough tinkering.

"Because life marches onward, the victims became genitors, the CNA adapted to become whatever protoform it was given after a lot of death, then the mutation spread into the population. It's no wonder that most of us seldom, if ever see a femme. The process is still seeking to spread. As time has passed, the femme protoform-type has morphed along with the tastes of the day. In only a few vorns, the femme type was changed from you, who were the process of injection, to the type of femme that Gypsy and Hero emulate. The CNA did what it was designed to do. Evolution … its a process. Albeit, a slow one. I think last survey before The Fall that femmes of the Gypsy model made up only 3% or less of the entire population."

It was silent in the room for a moment, then Elita asked the $64,000 question. "Then why don't the two of them look more like Gypsy than us?"

"That's the rub," Ratchet said. "They should but they don't. Their CNA reads the same as Gypsy and others. But they don't look the same and their spark didn't morph to mech due to the size of their protoform nor did it die. Someone is holding back. These two femmes have Jhiaxus written all over them. I want to know what's up here."

"You and me both," Arcee said as she slammed her fists together. "Give them to us. We'll find out for you, Ada, then you can put them back together."

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea. These are Traachon's daughters and they're fanatics. They wouldn't give up a thin dime under that kind of pressure. I believe it. Remember … Waldeen is their brother," Ratchet said. "I'm going to bring them out and have them meet up with Prime at the Center."

"We want to be there," Elita said.

"I want you there. As for the two … they're going to jail and there will be a trial. They made a pact with Harris, I believe, and that alone is worth punitive stasis for treason." He grinned. "By the way … Traachon is in the jail for breaking his parole. He doesn't like his job, apparently, so he didn't go for a couple of orns. That mech wants to fight."

"Aw, poor little man," Elita said with a grin. "How about us escorting these two femmes to the Ops Center for you, Ada? You know … femmes forever and all that."

"I like that," Ratchet said with a grin. "What I want to know is simple. Are you all going to be alright?"

They glanced at each other, then Arcee shrugged. "As alright as I can be. I'm a **MECH!** I'm a mech and frag the world. I want first crack at Jhiaxus if we get him even if he's from the other dimension. Killing him no matter where he's from will be therapeutic."

Ratchet grinned. "You're my daughters. Mama gets first crack."

They laughed as they stood, then Chromia grinned. "You have to arm wrestle me first."

"Well, frag," Ratchet said as he led the way to the door. "I concede already."

Laughter followed him as he walked to the elevator. They entered, then went down to a recovery room on the surgical floor. Having stashed the alien parts in his subspace, Ratchet was ready to bring them around. He grinned at Carlo, head of building security who was reading a newspaper as he waited for Ratchet. "I have my daughters for escort, Carlo. Thanks," Ratchet said.

Carlo grinned, traded quips, then walked out as Ratchet bent over Denita. He checked her and her data, then began to code the return to real life. He did the same with Stormy, then watched a screen as the process of revival began. The moments seemed to drag before their optics on-lined. When they did, both flinched, rising in reflex. Restraints for that purpose held them down as they glanced around themselves wildly. "Relax. We just brought you out of stasis," Ratchet said as he checked the monitors again. He looked at both of them. "You and I are going to walk to the Ops Center and if you make any weird moves, all of these outstanding individuals here will happily break you into kindling. Do you understand?"

The two stared at Ratchet a moment, then gave curt nods. Ratchet pulled plugs, released bonds, then watched as they both sat up stiffly. "This will pass. When you're ready to walk calmly to the Center, we go. By the way … your transformational cog, your interior communications systems and your special function nodes are removed and shut down." He unsubbed one of the silvery devices. "Just so you know I'm not kidding," he said as both of them stared at the device. "Stand if you're ready."

Both of them heaved themselves up, stood a moment, then turned to him with defiant expressions. Elita grinned. "I don't think they like you, Ada."

"To know me is to love me," Ratchet said with a snicker. "We're walking out. Frag up and you will never know how much these femmes want to mess you up. No love is lost here by anyone."

Ratchet walked to the door with the femmes following, two of the team on each side of them. Down the elevator they went, then out onto the street followed by a mellow Maelstrom. Apparently, nothing he had heard bothered him one little big. It was busy with traffic both pedestrian and automotive as they walked in the cold bright day along the highway. The two glanced around but said nothing to anyone as they followed Ratchet. Pausing at the lights at Fortress Road, they waited. Ratchet glanced at them. "You might want to know that your atar is in jail for breaking his parole. Your ada is facing collusion charges out of what you did and no one is a happy camper. Your brother probably will be jailed as well depending on the ongoing investigation but for now, he's free. Imagine that." He stepped forward and crossed the street with the others following.

Across the courtyard and into the building they walked, passing through the rec room to the Center itself. It was a whirl of activity as usual as they headed toward a conference room door. Entering, Ratchet walked to sit beside Ironhide. The room was filled with senior Autobots including the elders of Ironhide's family to the different leaders of groups and divisions that showed up every orn. Included were also Alpha Trion, Neo, a pensive Chrome, and Maddow.

Denita and Stormy were shown their seats. They sat silently, nothing about them showing an inch of give, something that everyone expected. They stared coldly at Maddow, then Prime.

Optimus Prime noted them and their unbending aspect. Then he glanced at Blackstone. "Counselor, are you prepared to undertake a defense of these two femmes?"

"I am, Lord Optimus," Blackstone said. Sitting with him was Coln-2 and a solemn-appearing Barron.

"Stormy and Denita, you are here today because of your actions in relation to a series of bombings and adventures on Earth that have cost our people dearly. We are going to ask you to explain yourselves and we want you to understand, the charges you may face because of them are of the most severe kind and could lead to grave penalties up to and including punitive stasis."

They stared at him without comment. Ratchet glanced down table to the pair. "Punitive stasis requires the removal of your spark from your body and the destruction of your protoform."

They glanced at him sharply, then looked back at Optimus. He stared at them, then leaned forward on his elbows. "There is a myth going around that I am some sort of soft-sparked Autobot. I do not mind having a reputation of mercy and unity but over the vorns, I have come to accept to some degree that there are things that must happen to protect the greater good. It would be a mistake for you to assume that because I prefer mercy that I'm unwilling to go the other way."

They stared at him, shifting slightly, but said nothing.

"Please discuss your findings, Doctor," Prime said.

Ratchet turned to the femmes. "We discovered how you do what you did." He pulled the several devices from subspace, then laid them on the table. "These are pretty ingenious. They have two functions, are deeply nondescript in appearance and hard to notice where they were placed. Partial overgrowth by protoform made them hard to spy. But spied they were. These devices allow you to journey between dimensions and exist there without harm. You do need a portal to travel within them, going from Earth to Mars, for instance, but between dimensional barriers? Not so much. Once you're in a dimension, you can manage to form a very high caliber pretender shell to move around. You used both of these to go to Earth and back and its my belief you used these attributes to plant or set explosions around the colony that caused harm and suffering to innocent victims. Tell me where I'm wrong."

They sat stone-faced and silent in their chairs. Around the room, tense mechs and femme watched equally silently.

"Your family is in disarray. Your father was put on a special release program that allowed him to leave the prison and live at home with your ada. He had to work every orn and stay within the law. Two orns ago, he decided that he did not want to work and did not go. He also did not call his probation officer. He was arrested Christmas Surprise Eve and resides in the jail pending trial today. Your ada, Millow, is

under investigation for the same actions as your atar and we expect an arrest to be imminent. It would be in the best interests of you and your family to tell us the truth. Your situation is dire and I will not minimize the potential for you to pay the severest of prices for following the path of your father. This is not a small settlement or colony in the Diaspora. I am the Prime of Cybertron, the First Disciple of Primus and not some colonial administrator who can be run over. I am as serious right now as its possible to be."

It was deeply silent. Denita glanced at Blackstone. "You are representing us?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Stormy asked.

"Because I give you my solemn oath," Blackstone said.

They stared at him, then Prime. "We want to talk to him alone."

Prime nodded. "Springer, take them to the small conference room next door. Soundproof it but leave the window open. Intervene if they make any advances on Blackstone. Use extreme prejudice if necessary."

The two femmes stood and walked to the door followed by Blackstone. Springer left with them and the door closed. Prime sat back. "Impressions?"

"I think these two are a dead end. Maybe they can be leverage against Traachon," Raptor said. "I've seen their kind. They would rather be dismantled than tell."

Delphi nodded. "I agree. I would like your opinion, Maddow."

Maddow looked terrible, but he gathered himself. "I don't believe that they will give. They've been raised in Traachon's own ideology and they are fanatics. My … Traachon did some very bad things during the Clampdown and a lot of suffering came out of it for a lot of individuals. I have no hope that they will tell you anything."

"What about Millow?" Prime asked.

"Only if you play the hardest of hard ball. If they are to be tried and if found guilty, I believe Millow will only break his silence if the femmes face punitive stasis. That will be what it takes. I don't believe Traachon would be moved but Millow would. Traachon is not … right in his mind."

The door opened as Springer leaned in. "We have Millow."

"Bring him in," Prime said.

Springer stepped inside making way for a very handsome mech to enter. He paused to take in the crowd, then walked to the chair offered. He sat in an almost supernatural sense of composure. He stared at Prime and Prime stared at him. "We know, Millow, how it was done. We have removed the devices from your daughters. What do you say about that?" Prime asked as Ratchet moved the devices to the center of the table for Millow to see.

He stared at them silently for a moment.

-0-TBC 1-5-18

The difference in size and height in a population between male and female is called sexual dimorphism


	239. Chapter 239

The Diego Diaries: Femmes (dd6 239)

-0-In the conference room at Ops Center

Millow looked at the devices, then Prime. He was probably the most composed person Ratchet had ever seen given the circumstances. He went through his database on the family, then linked to Teletraan to fill in the holes.

Millow, son of Haverseen, a huge industrialist who made medical components and was the largest producer of them and medical supplies in the Empire. He created treatments and could set the price, effectively making them out of the reach of most. Many were the citizens that died because of it and no one ever paid a price for his greed besides them. Millow was raised in the best schools, kept the best company and was a force to reckon with in spite of his low key and calm appearance. He didn't have a career, per se. He was Traachon's confessor, partner in all things and a pretty good strategist in their milieu. However, that set and lifestyle was gone forever and it would be interesting to see him try his stuff in the here and now with experts. Given what they had already done, it would be a wild ride.

Millow glanced around the room, then fixed Prime with his calm gaze. "What do you want me to say, Prime?" he finally asked. "You have my daughters, son and bond in custody. These obviously came from my daughters. I don't know what they are. I'm not a physician. Perhaps you can enlighten me."

Prime stared at Millow without comment so Ratchet leaned forward on his elbows. "I took those out of the skulls of your daughters. They were wired into their processors and seated next to their optics. Do you know how dangerous that was? To put add-ons in the processor and to place them that close to the optics is to invite death or worse. We removed them and your daughters are denatured. We know that they went to Earth to build relationships with the Resistance. We know that they were part of the destruction and bombings that transpired here. We know that you want to restore your privileges and you will do whatever it takes to do that." He leaned in closer. "We also know that your bond is responsible for the death of Emirate Xaaron."

It was silent a moment, then Millow shrugged. "I am not aware of my bond's business and I doubt that what you have said is true unless you have hard facts to prove it. I would suggest that you either charge me or let me go."

"You may wait outside," Prime said coldly.

Millow nodded, then rose. He walked outside to wait by the door with a pair of Watchmen. When the door closed, everyone turned to Prime. He was silent, then turned toward Blackstone and Barron. Coln was standing by the wall with Fenix. "Is there anyone here who can give me more insight into these individuals?"

"I knew them but I never trusted Traachon. He was ego-driven and mad for power," Barron said. "We never socialized with them because they were in a different mindset than Alto and me."

"My family was close until things became so out of balance, Prime. They were the fanatical branch of the family. My own genitors weren't military like his. They were arts oriented. We drifted apart when our grand genitors passed onward to the Matrix. It was like a truce was in place as long as they lived that we would be civil to each other no matter what. After that, it was open contempt and we came apart. I even had to hire Hauser to protect us. That's who Traachon is. Even me and mine weren't safe from them. They created an army in the Diaspora and wielded it like a club. They're only loyal to each other and their goals."

"What is the legal standing that we have regarding Millow? We know he knows but what can we prove?" Prime asked.

"Other than our suspicions, short of a conversion from someone, we haven't got a lot," Coln-2 said.

"Suggestions?" Prime asked.

Barron leaned back. "We have enough to hold and charge Denita and Stormy. We have a trial in three orns with Traachon regarding his parole violation. Millow is less solid ground. Perhaps surveillance would be in order, track him on the grid. See who he congregates with and all of that. Of course, given the status of the Empire in modified martial law, you can do more than that."

"I will not," Optimus said. "I would like you to put Millow on the grid, Springer. I want to know what he does and who he does it with. I want to be on top of this. Given that his daughters were part of a bombing campaign, we cannot discount them picking up again. Where is Waldeen at the moment?"

Coln shook his helm. "He's serving a sentence in jail. He got into a fight in a bar."

"He did?" Ratchet asked with surprise. "When did this happen? I try to go to the more entertaining trials held."

"It was a short time back. He got into a fight and was carted out. He was insolent to the judge and the usual three orn sentence is extended to a decaorn," Coln said as Blackstone nodded.

"He abused his attorney at the trial, verbally, and he appears to be beyond hope right now. I won't have my staff abused," Blackstone said.

"Nor should they be," Optimus agreed. "We have to understand that there will be some who will not change and find their way in our society. We have to be vigilant and protect the greater society against them. What is the status on the bombing investigation?"

"The forensics are complete. We're still working out the sequence of events. That they didn't register on the grid is a problem so showing how they were delivered as well as those which were overloads of structures on site will be difficult. We want it all in a row before we present it to you for a Primal Hearing. The entire group is on the grid and we're watching them closely. I set up a tactical team that works out of the secondary command center in our tower. We're creating a team that can do tracking, both of trends and individuals, predictions … figuring out what someone is going to do before they do it and to gather intel on threat. A bunch of smart kids are the analysts working with some from Cybertron and the army who are whizzes at this sort of thing. Our analytics are going to be crucial in maintaining law and order on multiple worlds. We're still working out the problem, Optimus," Springer said as Drift and Hauser nodded.

Prime nodded. "Very well. It would do then to monitor Millow, keep the others in jail and work out more of this problem. Please present to me whatever you have worked out as soon as you can. We can hold them according to the legal limits but not beyond. This is not Cybertron during The Clampdown."

They nodded. "What about Millow then?" Barron asked.

"Springer, tell Millow he may go home. Tell him that we will be continuing our investigation and that includes both him and his family but until then, he is free," Prime said.

Springer nodded and with Drift in tow, walked out to speak with the big mech. The door closed behind him.

It was quiet a moment, then Maddow leaned forward on his elbows. He looked wretched. "I wish to apologize for my family, Lord Optimus. I know they are making their own path but they're family and I feel responsible."

"You are not," Prime said. "I am sorry for your family situation but you have no burden in this. Everyone is endowed with free will. Some cannot make that jump when the paradigm changed. They are too rooted in their own world view."

"I know," Maddow said. "It was the way they were raised. But for the Grace of Primus, my genitors could have been the same."

"There's a lot of us with the same situation, Maddow," Hard Drive said. "We have relatives, if they still live, that had a lot of similar ideas. They were in-laws, mostly, but they were entitled. It would appear that some learn and some don't. I feel for them but I wasn't them. You should consider that, too."

Maddow nodded. "Thank you, General," he said.

It was silent a moment, then Prowl sat back. "Then we have a plan, such as it is," he said.

Prime nodded. "We do," he said as he stood.

The door opened and Springer returned along with Drift. "He listened and said nothing. I'll have him on the grid, level 1 priority."

Prime nodded. "Very good. Then I think we're finished here. Thank you for the time."

They left slowly, heading back to their remaining joors of the orn. The next one would be a normal work day and they would have their usual catch up meeting before heading to their stations and offices. It would be with a few more problems than before.

-0-Gathering up again with the youngin's

They stood at the side of the water park as the kids were gathered. The femmes and Hero were standing around Ironhide, his family and Ratchet. "What did they do with the femmes?" Arcee asked as she collected Hero's gear.

"They invoked," Springer said as he watched Orion and Praxus hop into the tidal pool. A wave rolled in and they went up and down, laughing madly as the other kids hurried to join them. "They're in jail."

Arcee gathered up dropped gear as well. "Good. They're where they belong," she said with a faint trace of bitterness.

"What's the plan for the weekend with you?" Elita asked Ratchet who was stowing the gathered child gear into his carry hold.

"We're going to get the little slaggers ready for school. We don't have a life," Ratchet said with a smile.

"Then we better have fun now," Lancer said as she pushed Partition into the pool. They had arrived behind everyone and he had barely reached the group before falling in. Lancer jumped in behind him and thus, the rush was on.

Paddling toward the infants towing a small round raft, Ratchet began to put them into it, grouping them to ride the waves. Orion, Praxus and Hero bobbed on the water as they waved to their adult family. Those maniacs were racing for the stairs and the giant water slides that made this place a phenom.

It would be a great afternoon.

-0-Driving around still, inside a very protected car, relaxing without head gear

They rolled through the city of Terra, staring upward at the gargantuan towers that seemed to be as thick as trees everywhere they went. "I like that they have overhead walks and streets," Silvio Lombardi said. "We need to go to Tyger Pax and try them out."

"Where's that?" Todd Baseman asked as he lounged in the passenger side of the truck.

"Way the hell and gone that way," Silvio said as he drove with the heavy flow of traffic. The giant multi-directional roundabout was coming up that would send them in any number of directions. "Let's go there," he said as he entered it, drove around, then exited in the right direction.

They disappeared into the traffic.

-0-Water Park

Raptor sat on a chair sipping a cold one with a plate of snacks beside him. A small cow on a leash stood beside him dozing. Patting him happily, he glanced at his grandson who was doing same with his daughter, Halo. A big dog was lying on his side beside Ironhide's chair and all was well in their worlds.

"What's on your agenda tomorrow?" Raptor asked.

"I have to plan a new munition the Seekers want," Ironhide said. "You? Need I ask?" He grinned.

"Well, we have to break in the cow. My pack mule is going to be taking care of Pudding. I don't trust my cow to just anyone. I'm going to train that pack mule the right way," Raptor said with a grin.

"How much weight is Keystock carrying in the backpack, Appa?" Ironhide asked.

"Well, its the same weight as two footballs … about 600 pounds. It's not enough to break his back but enough to put a dent in his attitude. Now, he can hold the leash, too. As for getting the cow in and out of areas, I can carry him myself. Until he proves himself totally worthy, Keystock only gets to hold his leash. Right, Pudding?"

The cow glanced at him, nudged his leg with his soft nose, then fell back into recharge. Raptor grinned, then patted his side. "We had a lot of animals but never a cow. What a shame we didn't have cows on Cybertron."

"Are you going to get a little horse?" Ironhide asked.

"Don't tempt me, infant. You know I have a weakness for animals, the cuter the better," Raptor said with a laugh. He grinned. "This is the life."

Ironhide nodded. "It is."

At that moment, coming out of the tube that wound around the ceiling of the entire mall, hitting the water at about 65 miles per hour, Ratchet, Alor, Delphi and Turbine emerged. They landed with a thunderous crash and a lot of screaming, then disappeared under the waves. Bobbing like a cork on the ocean, three little infants laughed loudly as they rode their little round raft in the tumult.

"Those infants are a caution," Raptor said as he glanced at Halo. She was sound asleep. "So is she."

"You won't get an argument from me," Ironhide said.

-0-Family Tower

"I think that would be a great idea," Annabelle Lennox said as she sat in the lounge at the table set aside for kids to work upon. She had gathered her school work along with Sandy and James. "Daddy?"

Will Lennox who was sitting with a number of men and women watching a football game from Earth glanced at his daughter. "What, Princess?"

She grinned. "Can I go talk to Uncle Optimus tomorrow?" she asked.

"Why?" Will asked as the men and women watching glanced her way with curiosity.

"Because he was a friend of Zeta Prime and I have to write a paper about him," Anna said.

The adults stared at her, then each other. "Zeta Prime?" Fig Figueroa asked. "Which one was he? Was he good or what?"

The kids stared at the adults, then each other. Annabelle looked at them. "He was a prime who tried to change things. He was a good one who tried to make things happen faster than he could and ended up messing up. Don't you know that?" she asked almost with incredulity as the other two kids nodded.

The adults stared at them, then each other. "Uh, no," Will said. "We don't go to school here."

"Oh. Can I go ask him?" Annabelle asked.

"Ask me tomorrow, Annie. Optimus, after all, is the sole leader of a multi-planet empire. He might be busy," Will said.

"He and the others told us if we ever needed to know something or needed help we could come to see them," James Hoyt said as Sandy and Annie nodded.

The adults stared at them, then Will. Will glanced at Sarah who grinned at him. "Well?" she asked.

"I guess so," Will said. "Tomorrow, ask us and we'll see."

"You should come, Daddy. You should know about the leaders of Cybertron. Some of them were bad and some good. None of them were as good as Uncle Optimus, though," she said as the others nodded.

Will grinned. "Well, I can't find fault with that remark."

No one else could either.

-0-TBC 1-7-18 **edited 1-12-18**

-0-NOTES

This is posted later than usual because its Catnip Sunday at the house and my girl, Spike, is sooooooo high right now. :D:D:D Queen is, too, but I think she's crashed somewhere sleeping it off. :D Spike tipped over a tupperware container of catnip and ate a bunch, then rolled in the rest. Good times. :D

Its fun to write with player movies from the War for Cybertron and other TF games playing on Youtube. :D:D:D Peter Cullen's voice is so great.


	240. Chapter 240

The Diego Diaries: Chat (dd6 240)

-0-Conference Room, The Fortress the next orn

"Seems like ten vorns ago we did this," Ratchet said as he sat in his chair leaning against Ironhide. Halo lay on the table before them sleeping fiercely through some kind of puppy dream. Everyone was still coming in to join them and the snacks and drinks flowed.

"You have your report?" Ironhide asked as he took another donut.

"I do. Do you?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Maybe," Ironhide replied.

Prime walked in, sat and pulled Halo towards himself, folding her form into his giant arms. Grinning at her, he glanced at Ironhide. "Mine."

"It's catching, the insanity and grabbiness," Ratchet said with a smirk.

Prowl who came in next with datapads glanced at the baby. "I see you've retrieved our newest acquisition."

" **Ha!** " Ironhide said as the room began to fill in earnest.

Data pads hit the table and folks picked them up, counting down the list until their turn to see how long they had play before they were on the hot seat. Prowl sat back. "We are in order. First order of business is to ask if there is an update on the attack Teletraan recently went through. Anything new to add to the general database?"

"We have nothing beyond what we know, Prowl," Perceptor began as Wheeljack pulled Resolve from his carry hold. He tucked him in blankets as he lay on his arm and the baby fell back into recharge. Everyone in the room was watching him as Perceptor spoke. "The beam that hit Teletraan came from a point in space but no further. It came from nowhere and can be traced back to nothing. I am of the opinion that its a different dimensional point of origin that our own because where it ends … or begins, if you will, is nowhere. Where we traced it back to is just empty space. There is also no discernible trail of propulsion to be had there either. We are working on it but its like chasing ghosts. You can see something but does it really exist? How does it exist and better yet … where does it exist?"

Prime nodded. "Keep me informed, Perceptor. Perhaps we can pray its a one off situation."

"Will do, Optimus," Percy said as he glanced at his sleeping son. He grinned at Resolve. Everyone grinned at Percy.

"Medical?" Prowl asked as he glanced up from his datapad.

"We all participated in the femme problem yesterday. I turned the devices over to science for study. I expect you'll have something to say about them eventually," Ratchet said as both Wheeljack and Perceptor nodded. "As for the rest, we're doing good work in all the hospitals. We now have a medic at every Watch station in the colony so that there can be immediate emergency response ahead of the system. Those medics are to the last one army or Home Guard soldiers so that when its time to step out and help a migration or support a battle, they can do that as well. Its very well organized and professional. Our newest protocols for protoform wasting for the severe and resistant cases are working out very well and its being blitzed through Cybertron and the Inner Planets as swiftly as possible. It can be transfused in mass quantities which shocks it into arresting, then reversing. More study will come but its doing the job on the most persistent hold outs."

"Where is medical on Cybertron now? How is that going?" Prowl asked.

"We have medical going everywhere. They're still finding the strange hold out, mostly those with mental problems, and bringing them in. The trainee programs for processor health, field medicine and child/elder care are exceeding our expectations. There are a lot of trained and capable individuals in the population who've picked up on their old careers. It's enormously relieving, especially in the little burghs and the villages. The city camps are being tended to in a very organized and even routine manner but getting it to every crevice of Cybertron was the hardest part. We're doing good stuff there."

"That's relieving," Prowl said as Ratchet nodded.

"Are the titans providing enough?" Prime asked.

"Those dedicated to medical and hospitals are doing great work and can handle the burden thus far. The worst cases still go to Gliese or here. We're managing family care, making it easier on everyone, especially the victim in their recovery. I will keep you apprised," Ratchet said.

"Thank you. Please do. This is very relieving," Optimus said.

"General Raptor?" Prowl asked. "Your district?"

"We're finishing up our territorial assessment and map for the overall plat book for Cybertron. So far, we've located and denatured 134 out of 327 ammunition disaster sites. There's a lot of munitions spilled around. These are the huge caches and warehouse districts. This doesn't count the ammo that's just there or the unexploded bombs and the like. We want the ones closest to where our camps are to be cleared first. A child could pick something up," Raptor said. "We've found a lot of dead and are digging them out. The mass burial site at sector B-2 has a lot of my district's lost people and we expect to fill a lot more. I thank the priests for making the effort to send them off with good wishes. We try our best.

"We have a balance going, Optimus, between the living and the dead. Both get our best," he said. "We have a lot of Decepticons working the area, some in security, others in construction. They're slagging fine individuals and the backbone of what I'm trying to do. They've pulled their weight and given us a lot of help but that's because this is their home, too. We have them managing the weapons that are found or turned in. We're going to gather them in a big warehouse near Kaon, go over them for feasibility, then destroy and smelt down for steel those that are worthless. Most of them are."

"It sounds like my district," Hard Drive said. "We've decided among us," he said glancing at Turbine, Delphi and several others around the room, "to work out various kinds of problems together. Raptor will have the problem of weapons confiscation and destruction, I have small ships and runabouts in battle configurations because Nova Cronum is in my district and the huge airfield there can handle the ships being brought in. We all handle some things on our own, like the dead, but we've parted out the major stuff to be shipped to each others district so we don't waste expertise and manpower by doing duplicate ventures. All the relics, art, antiques, anything of cultural, historical or even monetary value for that matter goes to Turbine's district because of his clan. He can handle it respectfully if its religious and otherwise. As a Maker, he's the only one short of Lauren, Chevron, Chrome and you, Optimus who can safely handle some of that."

Prime glanced at Turbine. "What are you finding, Turbine?"

"Lots of relics, some of them appearing to be relics from the shrines that were either pillaged or cached to keep them safe. I'm keeping a bead on the keys but they shouldn't be here. We have one key from Cybertron and the rest will be found off world if the Chronicles are to be believed. We have a lot of good warehouses in a secure district that we're using to house this and lines into the Temple and University for expertise. We also have the Temple at Simfur in my district as well," Turbine said.

"How is the work going there?" Prime asked.

"They have nearly removed all of the debris and broken buildings away from the Temple District. It gives the archaeologists clear access to the vault rooms. They seem to go downward forever," Turbine said. "Its disheartening to see such a big crater there but its at least cleared out and cleaned up. When the time comes, they will rebuild and it will be a massive comfort to The People when it happens."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. Call upon me if you need me."

Turbine bowed his helm. "It will be my honor, Lord Optimus. Thank you."

"We're searching for the same things in my district. I have daily visits. The People get worried they've been forgotten so we go there on a regular schedule and see what's needed. I'm gratified that their requests are filled so fast. Sometimes, it matters more than you can know to get some little thing. It's my duty to go in the field and I encourage other district commanders to do as much as you can around your other demands. It means that much to see us coming to them," Raptor said. "All in all, my district is coming along well."

"Thank you," Prime said after comments from the other five district commanders. "What is the rebuilding like now? How is it coming along? What can we do to help? I know that sub ground infrastructure and planetary stability is a problem around the world."

Everyone nodded. "We've managed to make deep structural repairs in the worst hit areas, Prime. We have water flowing in its tracks and there's even new emerging energon rivers in the lowest structures that we need to make the repairs topside. Down deep, we're aware that the energon lakes and deposits are beginning to recover and hopefully, energon will flow on the surface once again some orn," Jetta said as he consulted his datapad.

"Some cities which have been at it a longer time have a good deal of construction rebuilt. Iacon is 25% reconstructed. We're talking the housing districts. The rest will come after our people have a home. We have plans in place that will go one after another as things progress. Overall, I would say that 12% of the housing we're going to provide in our redesigned and eventually rebuild cities is now completed. It might not seem a lot but it's yeoman effort, I can tell you."

Prime nodded. "I know. I congratulate everyone for their effort. I know it seems slow to those who have suffered so much but everyone will have a home some orn, everyone."

They discussed supply lines and building materials, then moved onward to such things as finance, investment and other things both on and off world that put even attentive mechs to sleep. By the time they reached Springer everyone was ready for the drunk tank report.

Springer grinned at Drift who pulled a datapad out of subspace. "You took notes?"

"No," Drift said with a grin. "Maxi told me to give you this."

"Oh," he said as he glanced over the data. "We have no real headway on the bombing campaign of yore but will be continuing to work on it. We have a drunk problem in this colony among the young and full of themselves. We were told that the magistrates have decided to have newer and more public punishments for public intoxication. They will be sending their ideas to you, Optimus, for your approval and/or input."

"Such as?" Prime asked.

"Working along the roads and other public works projects under the supervision of the Watch. Some of them feel maybe a little bit of public humiliation might make a dent in their swerve," Springer replied.

"You aren't arresting Cliff as much, are you," Ratchet asked.

"No," Springer said. "Buzzie made a new mech out of him."

"Buzzie is sparked in case some of you don't know," Ratchet said. "He told us at gun point so I guess its public news."

Some hadn't heard and clapping was had by all including speculation whether it would be a massive mech like Buzzie or a shrimp like Cliff. Either way, everyone was inordinately pleased.

Especially Prowl.

"Herling, please? Tell us all how my many children are doing," Prowl said with a smirk. He got many back.

"We are excelling. Our spelling program has been updated and voted into use by the school board last week, thank you, Ironhide. It is a comprehensive program in NeoCybex that leads from level to level in a manner that builds, then reinforces skills and rules. We are attaching it to our writing programs. Writing is essential and spelling is, too. They will be taught progressively with the goal to be fully literate by the time they reach Intermediate Day.

"Our human students are doing well. Those from Earth2 are still in half orn pull out for personalized education and tutoring. They go the rest of their orn back to their classrooms for their general instruction there and the asset classes," Herling said.

"What are asset classes?" Arcee asked as she lounged beside an attentive Magnus.

"Those are classes that teach things that fall outside the academic program that will be asset skills for our kids … music, art, dance, swimming, all the physical education classes, our band, the new drama program we've begun with Trooper and Scout … those things. We'll be adding to them as we go. Our children need to have exposure to everything we can," he said earnestly.

The room had an internal aww moment, especially the many genitors among them, then Herling and Nova continued. They told of the vocational program upgrade underway, the mentorship and apprentice offerings available to third level Intermediate Day students, the visiting expert program, progress in science on Trypticon, the level of art being produced, and a host of other things. It was an impressed audience who listened, then they moved onward.

By the time they reached the end of the agenda, everyone's optics had glazed over. Hovering over the baby, Prime glanced up. "What about the good of the order?" he asked with a smile.

What about that, indeed.

-0-TBC 1-8-18 **edited 1-14-18**


	241. Chapter 241

The Diego Diaries: After the Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 241)

"Good of the order?"

"Who got coal besides Magnus?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

Huge laughter and a frown from Magnus.

"I got an upgraded remote toy," Springer said. "I intend to rule."

"Until someone blows you up," Hercy said with a grin. "How many changes does your bot have?"

Everyone looked at the triple-changer, the only one in the room who sat with a smug expression. "Six."

"Bull," Ironhide said as Raptor laughed loudly. "Tell us what they are."

"Maybe. Maybe not," he said as he grinned with deep almost purring satisfaction.

"Then you got nothing," Ironhide said with his own grin. "If you got it, show it."

"Oh, I **got** it," Springer said with amusement.

"He's got it," Drift said with a grin.

Huge laughter greeted that. Springer glanced slightly askance at Drift who shrugged. "You do," he repeated. Springer grinned, then fixed Ironhide with a smug expression. "I have root and automobile mode. I also fly."

"That's three, slagger. Even Halo can count that far," Ironhide said as everyone glanced at Prime and Halo. She was sleeping and Prime was grinning. "Three more."

"Alright," Springer said with amusement. "I have a tank mode, a fighter jet mode and a beast mode."

Everyone stared at him, then the room exploded. **"THE FRAG YOU DO! YOU'D HAVE TO SHOW ME! BEAST!? WHAT THE FRAG!? LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!"**

The last was Ratchet.

"I do," Springer said as he sat forward to rest his elbows on the table. "I expect to be the biggest baddest bad aft in the next game."

"I'll let Grimlock know," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"No rush," Springer said to overwhelming laughter and derision.

"Who else wishes to tell the world of your pending greatness?" Prowl said with a gagging sound.

"What about you, Prowler? What sad embellishments do you have that will make us laugh even louder this time?" Alor said.

Ratchet turned to him and grinned. "Nicely done, Alie."

"I have you for inspiration," Alor said with a chuckle.

"Fraggers," Prowl said as he studiously avoided the amused faces of his genitors. "For **your** information, I have upgraded stingers, the two biggest guns this side of Omega's aft and more I'm not going to tell about. I'm going to show," he said with a wolfish smirk, the kind he had in his Machiavellian orns back before he bonded with the Matrix of Leadership. It was the kind that would make even Megatron's sphincter tighten up.

That one.

"I'll let Omega know something's missing from his aft. You know, Prowler, I don't remember seeing a gun there when I did his last tune up," Ratchet said as he leaned forward. Their nose assemblies were nearly touching.

"Because **I** have it," Prowl said, then sat back smugly to fold his arms over his shapely chassis. Prime's laughter took precedence for a moment, then the conversation continued.

"I was told that Grimlock and his brothers have beefed up to the point where their weapons might hurt spectators," Magnus said just to be ornery. He wasn't **ENTIRELY** clear but heard on the City Hall scuttlebutt grapevine that this was so. Take that, Ada. "I also heard that they saw Jurassic World and had a team of raptors made to help them. That doesn't count the rumor that they're a combiner now as well."

"Oh frag," Springer said glancing at a grinning Raptor. "Good thing we can outrun your sorry aft."

Raptor laughed loudly, then punched Springer's servo. He laughed louder as Springer rung his hand. "Very funny. I like this one, Ratchet."

"He's yours," Ratchet said with a chuckle. He glanced at Turbine and Delphi who he could see were conspiring to get Halo away from Prime. "What about you two?"

Turbine glanced at him and grinned. "We have so many guns if we hit soft sand we're done for. We have a transformational mode. We're transforming to jet boats."

"Those are water devices, Turbine," Beachcomber said with a grin.

"Ours are powerful enough to skim sand like water and we have them crammed with guns," Delphi said. "Root, tank and jet boat. Triple threat."

"Bravo," Raptor said with a grin. "What's your upgrade, Ratchet? Rolling pins and ping pong paddles?"

Huge laughter greeted that. Ratchet said back with a smirk. "I was **going** to tell you but-"

" **TELL US, SLAG IT, RATCHET! I HATE WHEN YOU DO THAT!"** Ironhide said as he turned toward Ratchet. At that moment, a tiny meep was heard. Everyone glanced at Prime who was glancing downward. A tiny femme had opened one optic, was peering up with a tiny frown, then it closed and she was off to sleepy land again.

"Loud mouth. You gave her her very first complex," Ratchet said with a grin.

"It won't be her last with **you** as an ada. Tell me about your slagging toy," Ratchet said.

"If I did, it would be the end of suspense," Ratchet said. He grinned at Alie, Turbine and Delphi, then sent them his 'special feature'.

Three mechs flinched but they could say nothing given that Ratchet had gotten their oaths as officers before he gave in to their off line begging. They glanced at each other, then sat back with a grin. Ironhide who watched turned toward Ratchet with a fearful expression. "What did you do, Old Mech?"

"I can't say. They can't either. They gave me their oaths," Ratchet said as the three nodded.

" **WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? IT ONLY ENCOURAGES HIM!"** Ironhide asked three of the mechs whose mere glance could bring him to his knees.

"Because, **infant,** some of us have honor," Delphi said as the other two grinned.

"Slaggers," Ironhide said as he sat back. "It can't be good," he said as he grinned at Ratchet.

"I don't know, Ironhide … I think its slagging amazing," Ratchet replied as the others glanced his way and nodded.

Ratchet who had the oaths of his toy makers and his promise to make sure that they would be there when he did his thing grinned in anticipation. The playing field was roped off already and the layout was being set up and changed. They put sensors around it to signal when Wheeljack would stealth in with a reluctant Perceptor and because of it, he had only been intercepted three times so far. Ratchet grinned. **NO** one had his special option and because **NO** one did, he would rule this time. He, Ratchet the Healer, Ratchet the Medic, Ratchet the Grudge Holder From The Pit would determine the Fate of the Toys this time himself.

Huzzah.

"What about you femmes?" Ratchet asked. "What about the rest of you? Unless, of course, you keep secrets."

"Secrets? From you?" Elita asked. Ratchet smiled a dazzling smile to whistles and claps. "I want you to look at us, the Warrior Femmes of Cybertron who will through the magic of science form the combiner Super Harpy."

"Harpy? Isn't that a demonic feminine force of nature-" Perceptor asked, then he paused. "Ah. I see the link up."

 **HUGE** laughter and a moment of research.

"I want to be with you," Ratchet said as even Prime nodded.

"Whose side are **you** on?" Optimus asked.

"Why, our **own** , of course," Elita said with a dazzling smile.

"What about you, Maelstrom?" Drift asked.

Everyone glanced at the big mech lounging in his chair with his arm around Chromia. "Whatever they want."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"You sound like Jetta and Magnus. Neutered," Springer said before he was punched by both. "Ow. Fraggers," he said. He glanced at Wheeljack and Perceptor. "Now that you can't pre-mine the field, what are you two clowns going to be doing?"

Perceptor glanced at Wheeljack. "Did he just insult us?"

"Don't worry about it, Percy. I'll handle this," Wheeljack said with a smile. He looked at Springer. "Frag you, Springer."

Springer stared at him a moment, then shrugged. "Well, that took care of that."

 **HUGE** laughter, negative commentary and kicks under the table took care of that.

"I'm not saying just yet," Wheeljack said as he spoke with a trace of dark magic in his voice.

"Stand next to me, 'Jack. You know you deserve it," Ratchet said.

Everyone made a mental note not to do that.

"How many newbies are there going to be in the game and how long after the first joor do you suppose they'll be still in the game?" Lancer asked. Partition was on duty. She was free to plan and scheme. Win-win.

"Well, the squad is coming," Delphi said with a big chuckle. "What about your mopers?" he asked.

Ratchet peered through the open door to see Lucien, Cargo and Keystock sitting together in the rec room waiting for things to happen. "The squad is and that means they have to. I think they should. It might do them good to get some aggression out."

" **Make it so!"** Raptor said loudly.

Turbine smirked. "Make it so yourself, lazy aft."

"I could do this all orn," Prime said as he listened with a grin.

"I could, too, but nothing would get done," Hard Drive said. "What about you, Optimus? What new terrors do you have in store? I **do** hope you step away from the Matrix and show your stuff."

Prime grinned. "I have a few new items."

"Yes. **Yes,** you do," Prowl said with a cold tone in his voice. He glanced at everyone, then his mech. "You **will** triumph."

"So sayeth the Prowl," Raptor said. He grinned.

Prowl grinned back. "Yes. It's good to be The Prowl."

"Even if you can't hold your booze?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl frowned at him. Prime grinned. Halo continued sawing logs.

The rounds were made and by the time everyone confessed to the immense number of modifications and other acts of toy vandalism they could manage, everyone knew everyone elses business but Ratchet's. It wound down and everyone began to return to the world beyond. Ratchet wandered out with Alor and Raptor, pausing by the table where the three 'mentorships' sat. Ratchet grinned. "You are dismissed to work, Lucien. Thanks for waiting. Nothing new to add to the case load."

He nodded and without a word rose and walked out of the room. They watched him go, then Raptor turned to Keystock and Cargo. "Get ready to leave, infants. We have a staff meeting in Iacon with Soundwave."

The two started at the name, then Keystock walked to the backpack slouched by the door. Hefting it up, noting that it was heavier today, he followed Hard Drive, Raptor and his brother onward for the trip through the bridge to the latest daily horrors of Cybertron. Everyone watched them go, then turned toward Ratchet. "How long do you think its going to take?" Chromia asked.

"How long do you think Keystock is going to live?" Ratchet asked.

Laughter filled the rec room as they filed out to begin another orn. Some would be on world, others off but all of them would be working hard for The People.

-0-On a street in town

They pulled up, then stared up. Stepping out, one of them pushed the button and the door next to the door, the one for humans all businesses that didn't have open doors had for convenience opened. They drove inside and it closed behind them. Driving inside, they rolled slowly toward the counter admiring the astonishing array of items on display inside. When they reached the counter, they pulled up and climbed out.

Overhead, a mech appeared, one who looked around the room. He couldn't see anyone so he turned to go back to the back again when Todd Baseman called to him. **:HEY! DOWN HERE!:**

Ravel of Iacon, an artisan's artisan peered downward to see half a dozen humans in suits with the logo of Earth2 on the lapels standing before his counter around a travel vehicle. He stared at them, then leaned closer. "Can I help you?" he asked uncertainly. He didn't know these humans. He was aware of the tension regarding Earth2 and he was unclear why they were here.

Todd Baseman glanced at the others, then Ravel. :That's what we came here to find out: he said.

-0-TBC 1-9-18 **edited 1-25-18**

NOTES: Note replies tomorrow. I'm still coughing too much. :(

It's an old cartoon thing and an expression that when one is sleeping heavily, they are 'sawing logs'.


	242. Chapter 242

The Diego Diaries: Post Ho (dd6 242)

-0-Onward Ho (ho-ho)

 **RAP! RAP! RAP!** "You got a minute, Optimus?"

He glanced up to see Wheeljack and Perceptor along with a number of their very smart colleagues standing in the doorway. "Of course."

They walked in, some sitting on the comfy couches as Wheeljack spread a datapad across Prime's desk. Grinning at the big mech as he moved his own work, he began. "We're working on the planet moving problem and want to update you on the project we've chosen … moving the local group first."

Prime nodded. "Go on."

"We have room at Tau Ceti to place three more planets. We would like to move three of the moderate sized worlds first and perhaps into the local group. We would move Little Iacon, Relevus 1 and Relevus 2. The other two remaining can be moved when the time comes but they won't be affected very much by the removal of three of their partners. We're slipping away from them and given enough time, we will be leaving them behind as Cybertron drifts. The two that will wait are the two closest to Cybertron at this time."

"Very well," Prime said. "Tell me about this and what we can expect."

Wheeljack punched a button and the data map sprang to life. "There's us," he said pointing to Mars. "About 12 light years away is Tau Ceti, a decent bright star that is currently hosting Caminus beautifully, if I say so myself. The two gas giants placed there have begun to vacuum in everything that isn't nailed down. I expected it to take longer but the two are larger than Saturn and Jupiter, thereby creating a greater effect. We're down more than 50% density in the dust and debris disk that surrounds Tau Ceti. As that thins, it will clear the system to the degree that we all prefer. That it was this fast is striking to me and much unexpected."

He looked at the map again. "Here's Razorclaw. He's 875 light years from us and has a lot of stuff between him and us including Clipper and the titan kids. Here's where Ominous is. He's 772 light years away. Tau Ceti is firmly in the safe zone for us at 12 light years and given the set up for our defenses and base systems, it might was well be inside this system with us."

"What would having these planets this close to Caminus do for their cultural sovereignty?" Optimus asked.

"They would be a quarantined planet, basically, with them choosing for themselves how much and who they wish to interact with. Given that the five local worlds are more about work, storage, prisons, and other slag, I doubt that there will be much visiting. They're now and always were utilitarian worlds," Perceptor said.

"They have atmospheres, some of them, and other features. If they get moved, what happens to that?" Prime asked.

"That's the thing. Caminus had a very light atmosphere, nothing a human could breath but it was enough to create a beautiful blue sky. When it transferred and was settled, some of it leaked off but most of it held. We're monitoring it and the planet is recovering. Given that you need a source of gases for an atmosphere, those that don't have it will probably suffer. Caminus has enough plants that it has its atmosphere. It's also rebuilding atmosphere because the planet life is flourishing in the sunlight and warmth of Tau Ceti. I expect that will only increase. That's my hope with the new worlds that whatever we lose we can replace. None of these worlds are more than rocky planets. They have no normal plant life but rather what we've put there over the eons in efforts to transformer it to something more like home. We can create an atmosphere artificially if necessary. We will do that for Cybertron once its moved. We control weather here and balancing an atmosphere is part and parcel to that."

Prime nodded. "I want sunny skies. I would like the atmosphere of Cybertron restored. I want it back to Earth-normal."

"You and me both. That isn't as hard as it sounds given that we're living on the body of a living being. That's our goal as well," Wheeljack said. "We want to bring them in one-by-one and establish them in the inner planetary ring. This is a big far flung system. We're leaving pride of place for Cybertron and her moons in the optimal orbital ring but these work-a-day worlds can occupy spots farther out. We now have seven planets in the system, four that came with it, the two gas giants and Caminus. We will insert these five planets past Caminus and before the giants. That leaves the best place for Cybertron. We're also thinking perhaps dividing these between Tau Ceti and Sirius, too, thereby keeping the number down below ten which is rather optimal. We're waiting for the hard data from Sirius, then will decide. We could put three or four there and create less of a balancing act than not."

"What sort of planets exist around Sirius, if any?" Optimus asked. "I read in a report that it had a dust disk as well."

"It has a small one which indicate planetary accretion. Some exist in the out reaches of the gravitational well of the star," Perceptor said as he pulled up the system. "They have some affect on the dust, indicating its diminished size. That can be enhanced by a gas giant if you wish it."

Prime smirked slightly. "Such decisions," he said.

Wheeljack laughed. "I hear ya," he said. "We can tighten up the plan, then present possible moves to make at that point."

"I would like that as soon as possible. I would like to have this organized and on a schedule. The sooner that Cybertron and Gliese are closer and more secured, the better," Prime said.

Wheeljack nodded. "We're on it," he said. The group gathered, then walked out.

Prime watched them go, then marveled at the conversation they just had. With a grin, he got back to the job at hand. The humans would have come apart at the seams if they had been here listening.

-0-RTR Tools

The humans looked up and the bots looked down. :We want to know if you make tools and weapons for humans: Todd Baseman asked. The others stared upward at Ravel, then Tie Down who had been called to come assist.

Ravel glanced at Tie who glanced at Ravel. "What do you think? Do we for Earth2 humans?" Ravel asked.

Tie looked down. "Just a moment. I will ask if that's allowed." He began to call Ratchet and Lennox at the same time off line. Ravel stared at the humans uneasily, then Tie. He waited.

:Tie Down to Ratchet and William Lennox:

:Ratchet here:

:Lennox here, Tie. What's up?:

:Several humans from Earth2 are here and want to know if we make weapons and tools for humans. I don't know what to say: Tie replied.

:On my way: -both of them

Tie stared down at the humans. "I have asked for clarification. If you can wait a moment, I will be able to tell you," he said. "We aren't clear on what's allowed or not with humans from the new habitats."

:Are we on some kind of watch list?: Silvio Lombardi asked as some of the men with him began to walk toward the displays to look at the gigantic swords.

Tie shrugged. "I'm not sure. Better to be careful than to do something that might be incorrect."

Lennox who was crossing the airfield with Epps, Pritchard, and Graham got there first but Ratchet who was leaving Metro Femme was a close second. They nearly entered at the same time. Watching with relief, Tie and Ravel smiled at them. "Thank you for coming. We are not clear on things, son. Maybe you and William Lennox can sort that out."

The N.E.S.T. soldiers and Gavin stepped down from their vehicles, then walked to the counter. The Earth2 security turned toward them and it was immediately tense. :What brings you here?: Lennox asked as Ratchet continued around the counter to stand behind it with his genitors, both of who looked at him with relief. He squeezed their shoulders, then bent over the counter to watch.

:We came to see if they made things for humans: Todd Baseman asked. :Their stuff is amazing:

:Its beyond amazing: Epps said as the others nodded. :This is beyond anything made on Earth. Ever:

:Is it possible to get a knife or even a sword our size or is that too hydraulic for you?: Baseman asked.

:My, aren't you the sweet natured bloke: Niall Graham said with a smirk. Gavin Pritchard who was riding along for the lulz nodded with a grin of his own.

Silvio glanced at Baseman. :Relax: He looked at the soldiers. :We all just want to get along:

:Is that so?: Epps asked. :Have you been in to visit Johnson? He's blazing a trail for you guys at the jail:

:When Johnson gets out, you'll be sorry you said that: Baseman persisted.

:I'm afraid. I might have to leave world: Epps said as he glanced at the others.

Pritchard nodded. :Me, too. I better pack my bags. Johnson is getting out soon:

Carlos Ortega shifted uneasily. :We just came to see about getting a weapon. That's all:

Lennox looked up at Ratchet who was watching the show with a slight grin. :Hey, Ratchet? Do your genitors make human-sized weapons?:

Ratchet glanced at his genitors who shrugged slightly. "Do you, Ada?"

Tie and Ravel glanced at each other. "What sort of things, Sonny?" Ravel asked.

"What do you want made?" Ratchet asked.

The mechs glanced at each other, then looked up. :Personal knives, combat-style … maybe a sword for the collection: Carlos Ortega said.

Ratchet nodded, then stood up and turned to his genitors. {"They want hand weapons. I don't want to see your swords in their hands. Even if they were toy sized like this, they would still be your weapons. They want knives, like Bowie types."}

The two accessed the internet, then had an off line conversation. Tie glanced up at Ratchet. "We can try to make the knives. Bowie knives have a longer blade. Small will be intriguing." He glanced at Ravel who still looked unsettled. "That is, of course, Sonny, if you think its alright. We don't want to do anything that will create problems."

Ratchet considered that, then walked around the counter. He knelt on one knee in front of the humans. "We won't allow swords. Those are sacred objects to us, sacred and special. Some swords acquire so much power that they become sentient. Half the swords in this room will become sentient in the right servos. As for the knives … they will try to make Bowie-style knives but you're asking for something of their quality in a very small size. As you can see … very little of what they make that small has an edge. There are high standards here and they won't release anything that doesn't meet them."

They glanced around the room noting that, then looked at some of the micro tools that some of the kits contained. Carlos looked up at Ratchet. :That's fine, Ambassador. We would like to own a great knife from this shop. That's all **I** want. That's all **we** all want. We're martial men and we appreciate the craftsmanship here:

Ratchet stood up and walked to the row of swords that glistened in a row under special lighting. Picking one up, he walked back to them and held the 20 foot sword down where the humans stood. It was mirror finish and their images could be seen on the blade. Carved into it were glyphs of an almost unknown language, Primal Vernacular, which both Ravel and Tie Down spoke, read and wrote because of this task. They touched it and felt a pulse of energy even through their gloves.

:That's the first time I ever touched a sword that feels alive: Niall Graham said as he stroked the blade. The others did as well.

"It has energy," Ratchet said. "It's imbued in the blade and from that base, the swords have their own spirit. All of them do. Some of them become sentient and can interact between themselves and their bearers. The long swords of the Knights are sentient. They're alive and interact, connecting both though the spark."

:You put that into the blades?: Baseman asked as he looked upward to Ratchet's genitors.

"We do many things for the blades. That's why they're so special," Tie said.

"They are. These are blades that are used by the best, only the best. They have spirit and they demand. Not just anyone can carry a blade like this. These are the best and most extraordinary blades our people produce and we produce amazing things," Ratchet said with pride. "It takes a long time and a lot of know how to make them. You won't be having one any time soon." He glanced at the others. "You on the other hand ..."

The soldiers grinned. :We'll remember that: Lennox said. He looked at the wall and pointed to one with a scarlet hilt. :I dibs that one:

Everyone present laughed, then Ratchet stood and put the sword back. It glistened, then seemed to dial down its luminosity. Turning to his genitors, he grinned. "How about trying to make these slaggers their toothpicks. If you can, fine. If not, then chalk it up to experience."

"It requires a lot of folding and care. But then you know that. You're a fine sword maker, son," Ravel said.

"It's been a long time," Ratchet said.

:You made them, too? I thought you were a doctor: Silvio said.

"I was a tool and die maker before that and worked with them in the shop making tools, swords, knives, some specialized guns, and the like. It was the family business," Ratchet said.

Silvio nodded, then looked at Ravel and Tie. :Is there anything we need to do to get this going or are we good?: he asked.

"No," Ratchet said.

:Thank you: Silvio said then glanced at the others. :We better hit it: He looked up at Ravel and Tie. :Thanks. We look forward to hearing from you: With that, he walked to the vehicle and the others climbed in. Driving to the door, one hopped out to open it and they drove through. He closed it behind himself.

The soldiers and Pritchard watched them go. :Do you think we need to tell them about the button on the dash that opens all human doors here?: Epps asked.

"Why?" Ratchet asked as he glanced from the door to the floor. He grinned. The soldiers grinned back.

:Are we good here?: Lennox asked. He looked at Ravel and Tie. :You have full permission to deny any request from a human here from any habitat, Ravel and Tie. You don't have to do this project:

"I think it might be interesting, William Lennox," Tie said. "Tiny things have their own problems and rewards."

Lennox nodded, then glanced at the others. :Uh, Tie? If you get this figured out and can make them … would you make one for me, too, please?:

Ravel grinned as everyone of the soldiers jumped on that idea as well.

Ratchet laughed. "Slaggers. Make the moochers their toothpicks, Ada. If you need me to help you, I like miniatures, too."

They chatted a moment, then the humans drove off activating the door from their console. When they were gone, Ratchet turned to his genitors. "Remember, you don't have to do this thing for them. I don't want you worried that you might do something wrong when you're constitutionally incapable of doing such a thing."

Ravel grinned at his son, then hugged him. "I better make the templates and formulate the steel. Did you download all the Bowie knife information, Tie?"

Tie nodded. "This could be fun, Sonny."

Ratchet hung around and watched as his genitors patiently, expertly formulated the steel, then made the tools to handle tiny blades. With the smallest hammer he had ever seen, he watched as they pounded the blades into shape. Hanging them on a string, he watched as they tempered them in the water and oil baths that made blades strong. They said the same prayers, ground edges and polished the blades the same way as ever, though in a fraction of the time.

Taking one into servo, one minus its hilt, Ratchet grinned. He could see his face, it could cut through just about anything laying around and when it had its hilt would be a wondrous thing of beauty. It was a nice chat as they sat together making the tiny knives as Ratchet worked through a piece of leather to make the tiny sheaths that would hold the blades. It was just like old times.

-0-Later that afternoon

Ironhide walked in, then into the back where Ratchet, Tie and Ravel sat together eating donuts and sipping tea. "Hi. Looks like fun."

"We made a special order together. I still have it," Ratchet said.

"You do, Sonny," Tie said as he opened a velvet pouch. Slotted into tiny slits in the fabric to hold them in place without covering an inch of the beauty of the blades, about a dozen tiny Bowie-style knives with black wire wrapped hilts glistened in the light.

Ironhide grinned. "These are cute. Are they toys or the real thing?"

"Real thing. The humans want them. Lennox and I made a judgment call which I hope I don't regret. Some of the humans were the mercs," Ratchet said.

"You aren't going to give them to the mercs, right? They might try to figure out the steel or slag," Ironhide asked as he pulled one from its sheath and held it up. "This is slagging cute. What a beautiful blade." He looked at Ravel and Tie. "You can't make anything that isn't beautiful, can you."

They grinned. "We try, Ironhide," Tie said modestly.

"Practitioners **try** , Tie. Magicians don't need to," Ironhide said as he slid it into the sheath.

The door bell jingled as the human door opened in the show room. An engine could be heard as a pair of segways rolled across the show room, around the counter, then into the back. All of the N.E.S.T. soldiers from the morning including a number of others summoned appeared.

:Hi. You rang?: Glenn Morshower asked as he stood on his segway with Andrew Settles, Fig Figueroa and Joe Bowers. Lennox, Pritchard, Epps, and Graham were on the other.

"We did, General. We have a gift for you. Show them, Sonny," Ravel said.

Ratchet grinned, then gathered the velvet display bag. He lay it out on the floor and the dazzling knives could be seen. Lennox glanced at them. :We just asked for them this morning:

"These toys were made in jig time, Lennox. Note their perfection as miniatures," Ratchet said. "Take the one you want."

The humans glanced at each other, then Ratchet. He nodded with a grin, then all of them watched as the humans jumped down, then walked to the knives. Picking up one here and there, they stood in amazed excitement and pulled them out. They sparkled like diamonds on their perfect blades, blades that required care. Looking up at the four bots watching them, they smiled almost in unison. :Are you kidding me?: Lennox asked as he looked at his blade.

"No, Lennox. Those are for all of you. Use them. See if they're going to be a problem in other servos. No one can match the steel because it's energon based so if the mercs have them they can't duplicate. But they are dangerous. Let us know what you think about the others having them," Ratchet said.

:No problem: Lennox said as he glanced at the four bots. :Thanks are too small for this:

Ratchet grinned. "Then settle on until all are one then."

They would.

-0-TBC 1-10-18 **edited 1-25-18**

NOTES:

My growing up had a lot of old time remarks and sayings and asking someone if something is too hydraulic for them is to ask them if its too hard for them to figure out. INSULT!

The science is out on Sirius having planets. Speculation indicates some either close in or very far out. I am going with some planets far out.

Bowie knives; (boo-eee or bow-eee ... tenderfeet or those who aren't part of the scene call it a bow-ee knife.) a man named Jim Black made this knife for a western man named James or Jim Bowie. Its a knife that alone can scare things to a stop. Its blade can be as long as two feet and they're razor sharp. They're a beautiful blade and a swipe of one of them can cut off your arm. They have some variation in design but most are long, have a guard on the hilt to protect your hand from slipping down and losing fingers and are very sharp.


	243. Chapter 243

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 243)

-0- Courthouse

Barron and his staff sat together organizing their presentations for the Primal Hearing that would sort out the crimes of the Functionalist Council and the 22 others with them that had been taken into custody some time before. The data was in and they were preparing the cases against the Council as the main felons and their assistants as secondary targets.

The situation had cooled off a great deal, so it was time to do their jobs and see about getting the case judged. It would be a Primal hearing in a closed courtroom. Given the sensitive nature of the charges, it was considered helpful for the accused not to sit in a hostile room filled with those who wanted them dead.

"What do you think, Barron?" Cashel asked, a mech who was his clerk. "Do you really think there's a chance for them in this hearing?"

"Given that Prime will do it in conjunction with the Matrix, I think it can happen. Good for them that Prime is the leader here. The others would have executed them," Barren said. "We cannot go back to those times."

"What can Prime do with them?" Cashel asked as two other aides walked over with more data and the rules of law book as it applied to Primal Hearings.

"We have latitude but I think they've passed the stage of rehabilitation. I'm going to outline the kind of options open including stasis punishments," Barron said. "Their murder is so vast that I think they belong in the vault with Shockwave and the others."

"I'm glad I'm not making the decision," Cashel said as they worked onward on the case.

-0-At the dojo

Smokey sat on the couch near the back wall relaxing with his peds up. Sitting at the other end, Hot Rod was laughing over a joke with someone else. Hercy and Kup who were hanging out for lunch when someone brought the usual pile of junk food that arrived about this time of the orn watched the two ignore each other with amusement. Both were unclear on how they ended up at odds but the show was entertaining. It was now over a week since Smokey had opened himself up to a surprised Hot Rod and it didn't look like they were going to resolve anything anytime too soon.

Springer and Drift walked in followed by the twins, all of them off for the orn. They walked across the room and settled down on the couches. Grinning at Hot Rod, Sunstreaker nudged him. "Move over, fat aft."

"Who are you calling fat?" Roddy asked as he shifted.

"Who do you think?" Springer asked. They settled. "The game coming up Wednesday night is going to be Capital City and someone else. A kid named Pulley at the Intermediate School is going to show up at our corridor and I want him to have a good time. He's a bit of a high caste aft who's really making headway, so let's show him how the other half live."

"He's that kid who you told to come around during Santa Priming, right?" Drift asked.

Springer nodded. "He seemed interested. I told him he could hang out."

"You've been hanging out with Ratchet too much," Hercy said with a grin. "Don't tell me you're taking up projects, too?"

" **HA!** This is small stuff compared to the afts he's taken on," Springer said. "I'd have planted Keystock and Lucien by now. Cargo doesn't seem as bad as the two."

"Partition has shaped up. I hear he lives with Lancer now," Kup said.

Springer nodded. "Those two have a thing going. He's doing a good job as a medic at the 42nd. He's had a few call outs and handled them well. Who knew?"

Everyone agreed. "What do you think about the generals dragging those goofballs around. I think Keystock hasn't looked in the backpack yet," Sandstorm said with a grin.

"What's in the backpack?" Smokey asked.

"Steel bars, I think," Sandy replied. "I know its nothing but dead weight."

"Smokey grinned. "Dead weight. That's hilarious," he said as he glanced directly at Hot Rod.

That bot smirked, then sat back, putting his peds onto the coffee table. "Yeah, there's nothing like dead weight to tote around. Fortunately, I don't have that problem."

The bots who were watching the subtext grinned, then glanced at Smokey who was looking at Hot Rod with a cross expression. "Yeah?" the kid replied.

They looked at Hot Rod. "Yeah," Roddy said. "There's nothing worse."

"I have to agree," Smokey said as everyone glanced at him. "Nothing like carrying someone's fat aft around. It isn't like there aren't others out there."

"Other what?" Sandstorm said to be ornery. "Backpacks?"

"Yeah," Smokey said as he sat up with a smug expression on his face. "There's plenty of backpacks out there." He stood up and stretched, showing off his long lean lines and handsome well made body. "I think I'll go find one now."

"Go ahead," Roddy said with a slight frown. "No one's stopping you."

"That's right," Smokey said as he started for the door. **"NO ONE IS!"** He walked to the door and left.

Hot Rod watched him go with a slight frown, then glanced at the others. **"WHAT!?** " he asked.

"Nothing." -everyone with a grin

Fortunately, junk food and beer had just arrived.

-0-At a club in Iacon for kids

They sat around a table playing cards. They had learned poker and it was a thing in their club. They weren't allowed to bet much so they used Oreos. "What do you think about Lancer and Partition?" Lumi asked as he anted out.

"I think they're nice," Santee said as he matched the pot.

"Do you and Lumi get weird looks anymore?" Quasar asked Fireball.

That youngster glanced at his brother, then shook his helm. "Not really. I don't care anyway." He glanced at Lumi who grinned at him. "I like you and they can get over it."

Everyone grinned at the youngsters who smirked back. Lumi glanced at Quadrus. "Did you see Smokey and Hot Rod? I don't think they're together anymore."

"Why?" Saber asked with surprise.

"They weren't sitting together and I think that Hot Rod was trying to make him jealous," Saber said. "He was acting like he didn't know Smokey at Christmas Surprise dinner."

"Wow. I thought those two would bond," Lumi said.

"I think Lancer and Partition will," Genesis said with a grin. "That is, if Atar allows it. I don't know that he wants Lucien in the family."

"Who does?" Quadrus asked with a grin.

:Ratchet to the big kids:

:Here, Ada: -the big kids

:Dinner time. Better head for the barn:

 **:On our way!:** -the big kids

They gathered their Oreos, stowed them in subspace for later, then walked toward the door to begin the trek homeward. It would take a while in the early evening rush.

-0-Earlier that day

"Keep up, infant," Raptor said as he walked through the broken ground and trash that occupied this part of the airport at Micro Sims, a huge former aircraft manufacturer outside the industrial city of Protihex. It had been bombed and was pitted but this would be where they would build an energy station to power this part of the district.

'Infant' was hulking along with a heavy backpack and a small white and black cow in his arms. The look of stoicism and contained fury on Keystock's face was admirable. He wasn't going to give Raptor one inch of satisfaction about what was happening. The cow sat placidly in Keystock's arms, a small and surprisingly calm figure. They wove their way to the big hangars nearby, half of which were rebuilt. They were easy, straight sides and a roof. What was inside was the best part. He was here to inaugurate a generation system that would supply light and power to an area of 672 square miles. It would revolutionize the housing and manufacturing needs of several million individuals.

They reached the warehouse, greeted the local team and walked to a number of massive generators which were housed inside. They were fed by energon which was smelted on site, Class A so that it would require only small amounts for maximum benefit. Raptor listened to the locals proudly explain their set up, then he clapped them on the back. "This is a slagging fine effort. My congratulations to everyone involved. When does it go online?" he asked.

The local manager grinned. "We were waiting for you to start it up."

Raptor grinned, then noticed a small femme standing nearby looking at the cow, one who was a child and who was peering at him from behind someone. "Who's that little spark breaker?"

Everyone turned to her and she ducked behind the mech in front of her. They laughed, then the mech picked her up. "This is my daughter, Thera."

"Infant, **you** push the button," Raptor said.

She looked at him, the button and her father who held her. He nodded, then stepped closer. She reached out tentatively, then pushed it. It burst into life, surprisingly quietly, then the entire room burst into light. It was bright and felt 'normal' to those who had made due on smaller generators and lesser illumination. Cheers and clapping went up.

Raptor grinned. "Night is going to be less scary around here now. Well done," he said. They chatted a while, had pictures taken, then walked back out through the hellscape that would be on the list of things to do. Until they needed that patch, they would let it lie. Right now, they were going to expand the smelting pits that were here and start making specialized steel. It would be a huge boost to the programs of building underway on world.

Victory.

-0-At an office in another district

Cargo input information in the computer in the corner of Hard Drive's big office at the main depot where he had his HQ. It was drudge work and he wondered for the zillionth time if this was the point. He was weary of the morning spent clambering over masses of rubble to look at subterranean infrastructure as they regenerated the planet for reconstruction above ground. It was dank, dangerous and tedious. He was also reminded by Hard Drive that he didn't actually have to be be part of the actual mucking out so he should just straighten up and fly right.

It irritated him to see the smirks on the faces of Hard Drive's entourage when the General would chastise him with his soft voice and piercing optics.

This afternoon, they were in the office and he had mountains of data to input. He was aware of the fact that they could slot the information directly in but Hard Drive had said he wanted opinions about it. That could only happen if he, Cargo knew the data and the only way that could happen according to Hard Drive was to input it. Hard Drive, himself, sat nearby at his desk going through the administration of the district with mechs coming and going.

Outside, the skies had decided to open up and the steady drizzle of rain down the panes of the windows nearby, the gun metal gray of the skies overhead which were already dreary from the darkness that shrouded their home world was almost unbearable. He missed the sunny skies of Mars. He glanced up as Ironhide walked in, himself heading for some place else but stopping in to check with the General, his grandfather. Hard Drive sat back with a grin. "Sit, infant. Tell me things."

"Half day for the kids at school for the next four orns," Ironhide said as he pulled up a chair. "Conferences coming. We're going to have to arrange around them. How's it going?"

"We have power in the steel belt, Raptor told me," Hardie said. "They brought the big generation station online."

"That's good news. It'll light up that big camp there," Ironhide said. "How's his cow?"

Hard Drive laughed, a good sound to even Cargo. "He's taking that cow everywhere. Pudding. What a great name."

"I love that cow," Ironhide said. "If we didn't have about 11 dependents at home, I'd have two or three. Nothing like having a little herd in your house."

"You already do," Hardie said with a grin. "I'm going to have lunch in the northern pole with a number of the managers. We have to decide about the new camps. Come with."

"Alright," Ironhide said as his great grandfather stood. He glanced at Cargo. "Come on, infant. Time to go." He looked at Hard Drive. "Did you go see the breaches in the northern quadrant?"

"We did," Hard Drive said as he shoved his chair into his desk. "Those are deep holes but they're coming along. We can't restore power there until they're taken care of."

Ironhide nodded as he followed his grandfather to the door. They exited followed by a solemn Cargo. It would be a short ride to the gathering and a nice meal and chat had by all. Cargo would sit with Keystock who would sit with Pudding. Many were the pictures taken of the three by the leadership of the reclamation of Cybertron.

-0-Earth2

"When is that idiot getting out of jail?" someone asked as they ate a light meal in the bar on the Business Concourse of Earth2 with several friends.

"In about ten days," I was told. Thirty days after arrest," someone else replied.

"I get a lot of emails from home about him. None of those idiots belong here," the first said as the others nodded.

The conversation cut short as Carlos Ortega, Sam Hedges and Todd Baseman walked in and stopped at the bar. Getting beer and bar food, they walked to a table nearby to sit and snack. No one in the bar spoke to them or paid them any attention. They were trouble and no one wanted to be seen with them. The three knew it and had felt it since Thanksgiving when they became an international pariah in some quarters, many of them here.

It was a stand off between those who wanted a good relationship and work life here and those who had other goals and orders. They would eat their food, drink their beer, then hit the road again. This time they were heading for the dojo of Dai Atlas.

-0-TBC 1-11-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	244. Chapter 244

The Diego Diaries: Hanging (dd6 244)

-0-Home for dinner

"Conferences are coming up in a few orns. Do you have anything to say that we need to know?" Ratchet asked the kids at the table.

They glanced up. "No. I think we did good this period, Ada," Fireball said. "I feel its going to be good." The others nodded.

Ratchet grinned. "Why would anyone think otherwise?" he asked.

"What about the twinnies, Ada?" Quasar asked.

"This is their last meeting over their deafness. The testing should show them recovered. Its taken a bit of time to remember language and use it. They still sign but they talk now. Sunstreaker is greatly relieved."

Everyone nodded. Ironhide looked at the big kids. "What are you infants going to be doing during the afternoons when conferences are being held?"

"We have projects. We're going to the club, too. After school. A bunch of our friends and the others are meeting up there," Genesis said.

"How did you do in the last dart tournament?" Ratchet asked as he buttered more buns for Praxus and Orion who, truth to tell, would eat them exclusively if they were allowed.

"Tru. He always wins. He's such an accurate shot. That's why Appa had him shoot that ship. Remember?" Fireball said.

"Who can forget?" Ironhide asked. "Tomorrow, you go about your business but let us know where you are. The little kids are going into the Military Daycare at The Fortress. I'm going to be on Cybertron until noon when all of us plan to come for the conferences that orn if nothing comes up."

"We have the baby conferences and Sunspot tomorrow. We have you big kids one at a time over the next three orns after," Ratchet said. "We'll make this work."

The conversation was pleasant, clean up was swift and everyone disappeared into their rooms to do this and that. Ratchet and Ironhide sat down on their chairs, turned on the TV without sound, then paused to take a call. Both of them grinned together. Apparently, the mercs were traveling on thin ice.

-0-About the same time

They rolled into the dojo and slowed, watching around the vast room as different mechs were working out on the giant mats. One of them was getting his clock cleaned by a small femme while Drift was working through what appeared to be a kata. They drove further in heading for the lounge, unaware that the moment they got off the elevator they had alerted on every soldier's sensors in the dojo at the other end of the concourse. It was a professional thing for them to notice.

"Slaggers at 0630." Kup nodded toward the door.

"I know," Hercy said. "I wonder what they want here?"

The truck rolled in, slowed, then sped up as it drove toward them between the mats. It slowed when it reached them, then stopped. A good half dozen or so, it seemed, humans were inside. After a moment, the doors opened and they stepped out, turning to watch Drift whirl through his moves with both swords. He didn't notice them. He was concentrating. Everyone noticed them for him. Springer glanced at the others, then changed to their comm channel. "What brings you here?" he asked.

They turned toward him, startled. Then Silvio Lombardi stepped closer. :We saw this place on Platoon. We wanted to see for ourselves:

Springer nodded, then glanced around. "Well … you see it," he said as the others laughed.

Drift concluded, sheathed his swords, then turned toward the lounge. He froze in surprise. "What brings you here?"

"They wanted to see the splendor," Hercy said drolly. "Put your peds up, infant. Nice kata."

Drift walked to his chair beside Springer, then sat. "Thanks," he said to Hercy, then turned curious optics on the group. "Does your habitat know you're driving around like this?"

:They do. They want us to learn about the colony, to figure out where things are in case someone needed us to come to where they were: Silvio said as the others leaned against the vehicle. :We're hitting the places on the series. What can you tell us about RTR Tools?:

It was silent a moment, then Drift leaned forward. "They make the best tools and weapons of anyone I've ever seen including the ancient stuff. No one does it better. Why?"

:We stopped in and asked for a knife. They said they would try and make them. I personally wanted a sword for my collection but I don't think that's going to happen: Silvio said.

"You got that right," Kup said as he stared down at the humans. "Those swords are special category even for us."

:I was told they become sentient. How does that work?: Silvio asked.

It was silent a moment, then Drift leaned forward. "Everything has a spirit from a dust mote to a quasar. Even a black hole has a spirit. Everything is also energy. If you can match frequencies with something, you have communication. Not all communication involves speech. You use a sword and it becomes you and you, it. My swords are sentient. It happens through use and respect."

:Your swords are alive. They can think and communicate?: Carlos Ortega asked with a trace of doubt.

Drift stared at him and the other mercs who weren't really hiding their thoughts on that bit of news. "You doubt me."

:You're asking us to believe that an inanimate object that was created by someone out of raw materials is alive: Sam Hedges said. :That's a bit of a reach for us:

"Well, so is being on Mars, I would imagine," Hercy said. "Talking to aliens that look like us must be a bit of a stretch as well."

Silvia grinned slightly. :You have a point: He looked around. :This sort of seems like a club house for you on the show. Is this where you hang out?:

"Sometimes. Sometimes, not," Springer said. "We have duty shortly."

:How do you get on Platoon? What does it take to be on that show?: Todd Baseman asked.

The mechs grinned at each other, then the humans. "I suppose you have to convince Leonora Huttle that it's a good idea," Sandstorm said.

:Leonora Huttle, huh?: Baseman said. :It might be a nice touch to have more about the humans on it. Not saying that to be combative but it would be interesting to see us together. It might make the people of Earth more amenable to you being here:

Silvio turned to Baseman, then frowned. :What a dumb thing to say. They're here and that's that: He turned to the mechs. :Thanks for the time: he said, then walked to the vehicle. He climbed in and the others did as well. With a wave, he turned it around and drove out.

They watched them leave, then glanced at each other. "They want to be in show biz," Kup said. "Noble aspirations."

Springer grinned. "Maybe we can use them for target practice on the show. Some of them tried to run over Silverbow and Spirit."

It was chilled in the room a moment, then Sandstorm looked at Kup. "Sounds good to me," he said.

-0-On the road

They drove out into the traffic and headed out of the town. Tyger Pax fell behind them as they made their way toward the Metro Districts. Their free roving time was nearly up and they were due back. Falling into traffic, they drove southwest toward the end of the road.

"Those bots are dangerous to provoke," Silvio said. "Getting them angry with us cuts off future conversations. Maybe you shouldn't say anything around them if that's the best you can do."

"You aren't my boss or supervisor, Silvio," Baseman said.

"Then you can explain how you piss off everyone we meet to Harris. He wants us to go around and do what we can. He wants us to talk to the bots. If you mess that up with your big mouth, then he's going to be pissed," Silvio said.

"Silvio is right," Sam Hedges said. "This is going to be hard enough now with Jim in jail. No one is going to trust us and even in the habitat, the locals are shunning us. We're no good if we can't fit in."

"Fuck that," Baseman groused. "You aren't my boss, Silvio."

"Then maybe we need to sort that out, Todd," Silvio said as they sped toward the wide open road that led back to the habitat.

They would. Silvio would be the boss of Todd.

-0-Heading back to the barn

They reached The Fortress, checked in and dropped off datapads. Taking the leash for Pudding and the backpack from Keystock, Raptor released him. Cargo who was with Hard Drive walked in as Keystock walked out. Pausing long enough for his brother, the two left together and disappeared into the crowds. Hard Drive watched them go, then turned to his son. He grinned. "I wish you could really see yourself right now, Raptor. You look like you're taking your pet to school."

Raptor laughed, then slung the backpack over his shoulder. Picking up Pudding, he grinned at his father. "Drop off your slag and I'll wait for you. Where's Ada?"

"He and Turbine are coming. Let's eat out tonight," Hard Drive said as he dropped off his datapads at the table. He walked back and slapped his son on the shoulder. Taking Pudding from Raptor, he walked toward the door. "Keep up, Sonny. There's food out there waiting for me."

Raptor ambled out with a grin.

-0-Shortly later

Turbine and Delphi walked toward the restaurant, The Steakhouse of Iacon, then entered. They had come shortly later than the two, dropped off their datapads, then headed out into the gathering evening of Mars. Entering a classy place, scanning the huge dining room, they saw who they wanted and walked through the crowd to get there. Sliding into the booth where Raptor and Hardie waited, moving Pudding slightly, they grinned at each other. "This is strange. Where are the babies?"

"At home with their suckers … uh, genitors," Raptor said with a grin. "But never fear. I brought Pudding."

Turbine glanced at Pudding who was laying on the seat. "I can see that."

"Mech was always collecting strays, Turbine. You never had a chance to have a normal life," Delphi said. "We tried as hard as we could with what we had to work with."

"Oh, ha-ha, Ada," Raptor said with a grin. He leaned back as the waiter brought drinks. He took the rest of the order, then hurried off. "This is the life. I never expected it to be great again, but this?"

Delphi nodded. "Where's 'Jack and Alor?"

"Home. Scout has a test tomorrow for conferences and he and Blackjack are cramming." Hard Drive grinned. "Infant is as bad as Ironhide with worrying about things. Everyone of them are afraid of Miss Birdie."

"Aren't you?" Turbine asked as he sipped his beer.

"No and neither are any of the kids. Have you noticed that? They read her energy field. Its a beautiful thing, her energy field," Hardie said as his steak arrived with all its glorious sides. Food was placed and they thanked the kids who brought it. Staring at it a moment, Hardie grinned. "The humans have some saving graces. This is one of many."

They began to eat their meals. Soft music played, it was clean and not bombed out and the food glorious. It was a nice way to end after another day in hell.

-0-Home

"I have to take Lucien to Earth with me shortly. By the way, we have to plan our camping trip. I'm thinking you slaggers have to cook for us. I want you to barbecue for me out there in the Valles. Then we can decide, we, the usual cooks, who is King of Brisket."

"You're going to have to show me where that is on a map, slagger, before you corner me to cook something over a flame in the middle of nowhere," Ironhide replied.

"You ordered that grill. All of you did," Ratchet said. "You're going to do it. I'll tell your ada."

"You would, too," Ironhide said as he grimaced at Ratchet. "You're never going to be normal are you?"

"Nope," Ratchet said as he took a long pull on his beer. He smiled beautifully. "Get ready to fricassee stuff, Only One. I promise you, I will give you my vote unless it really sucks."

"What makes you think it will?" Ironhide asked with a frown.

"I don't know … **IT WASN'T LIKE YOU DIDN'T HAVE COOKING LESSONS IN SCHOOL!"** Ratchet replied.

"Oh, that," Ironhide said as visions of beautifully prepared dishes flashed back into his processor. He had them **HIGHLY** firewalled so Old Tight Aft wouldn't know how much skill he had and make him use it. He hated cooking but he could.

Typical Cybertronian high caste.

"Yes, slagger, **THAT**!" Ratchet replied. He grinned. :Alor:

:What?:

:When we drag these afts to the Valles, let's bring horses and make them barbecue, too. And let's talk about jamborees and t-ball and everything else we can while we're there: Ratchet said off line.

Huge laughter greeted that. :I'm soooo in:

:Tell the others, then we can plan. Ratchet over and out:

-0-Across the hallway

Sitting on the floor with Scout going over colors and shapes, Blackjack didn't notice the smirk on Alor's face. Alie watched the two, then called the others. :Delphi, Turbine:

:What?: -both

:Ratchet wants to camp with horses and have a barbecue contest. Remember? Hardie, 'Jack and the others get to cook this time, the slaggers. You in?:

:I'm sooooo in, I'm out. Let us know when and the rest. Everyone has a barbecue, right?: Turbine asked.

:We do. You get one, too. Portable. I'll let you know. We need to get the word out when we get ready to go. The more, the better: Alor said as he grinned at Scout. He was stacking blocks like a Rhodes scholar.

:Done deal. Turbine out:

:On it, Alie. Delphi out:

-0-At a steakhouse in Iacon

"What are you two grinning about?" Raptor asked as Hardie looked up.

"Nothing," Delphi said. "Sit up straight."

Raptor did from years of habit and his ada's instructions. He grinned. "Slagger. Why do I feel I'm going to regret something here?"

"Habit?" Turbine said as he glanced at Pudding. That little imp was sleeping hard. "What do you think, Pudding?"

He didn't.

-0-TBC 1-12-18 **edited 1-13-18**


	245. Chapter 245

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 245)

-0-After the morning mayhem getting infants to daycare and other places after morning classes

"When are your conferences?" Ratchet asked as he sat down at the command table in Ops Center.

"Tomorrow," Prowl said as he sat back. "You?"

"We have them one after another," Ratchet replied. "Orion and Praxus, then Sunspot, Prowler and Hero. The big kids come one an orn for several."

"Sounds busy," Prowl said.

Ratchet nodded. "Take notes about the twinnies, will you? I'm no longer consulting on that one so I don't know what's happening."

"I will," Prowl said as Ratchet arose.

Ratchet grinned. "I'm taking Lucien to Earth in a few. I'll send video."

"Do," Prowl said with a grin. He watched Ratchet leave, then picked up his work again. It never ended. Ever.

-0-At Sparkling Day School

They gathered, the adults of Ratchet and Ironhide's family, heading toward the elevator to go upward to get the word on two of the eleven children that were theirs. It was a jolly ride, then a tense walk to the conference room area where a number of genitors were waiting to go in and hear the news. Reaching it, Terradive grinned. "Come on in."

They did, filling up the room to stand or sit around the table. Roto who was there grinned at the mob. "I'm here for a moment so if you want to hear about Sunspot, that'll free up your afternoon. Then Roto can give you the word on Orion and Praxus," Terradive said.

"Sounds good," Ironhide said. "We can have a beer during Sunspot's conference time. We may need it."

Terradive grinned. He pulled up the files, slid them to Ironhide and Ratchet, then turned on the monitor overhead. "We've made a lot of headway. He's testing better, less worry and stress and more accurate information. He's strong in math, that's holding at above average. His language arts portion … reading, writing, thinking, drawing conclusions, spelling, and grammar have improved across the board. He's still weak in the language arts area but not like before. Here's the testing results," Terradive said as he pulled up several tests and explained the results. Sunspot was still only slightly below grade level in the tests of reading and writing but at and above grade level in math and science.

"That's a big improvement," Ratchet said as the others nodded.

"I know," Terradive said. "Much improved. He's got more confidence and he's great in groups. I am going to assign more projects for independent work because I want him to be able to function outside a group, but so far, so good. He's a champion team player."

"Little mech **is** a champion," Raptor said as the others nodded. "What about his elective classes?"

"He attends cultural school and that elevates him in all manner of things. Art, music and dance are strong points for him and he's very strong in learning his language, the one of the Mountain Clan. He's a good dancer and likes to dance. Having artists in the family like he does is very good," Terradive said.

"He's doomed to be artistic," Ratchet said with a smile.

"We're teaching him how to paint," Scout said as Trooper nodded. "He likes to watch the set designers work."

"That's good stuff, Scout," Terradive said. "As for his temperament and confidence around others … he's a brilliantly nice little mech but he still feels uncomfortable around adult humans. He's friendly with the human's children, though I will say he's not around Rain and Lilly."

Ratchet nodded. "He doesn't like how they ask personal questions. As for the adults, its a work in progress."

Terradive nodded. "The humans are curious and you're very famous among them. I don't think its more than that."

"How is Rain doing since her suspension?" Ratchet asked.

"She's smart and determined to do a good job. She gets along with everyone but the others are more outgoing and have more friends among the kids. If she doesn't get in trouble again, she might fit in." Terradive grinned. "We'll see. They're all surprised that they have to catch up. They had good educations on Earth but not like this."

They chatted a bit about Sunspot, referring to testing, examples of his work and other markers of his current condition and state of being. When it was concluded, they were happy. He was on his merry way. All the small stuff would come with time and training. He was the most diligent little kid about his education.

"Now, let's talk about Orion," Roto said as everyone turned to him with mixed emotions. Roto grinned. "Right now, I would say that Orion was ready to learn to read like the big kids. His readiness is almost self perpetuating. I don't really have to teach him words. He's figured out sounds and patterns. He puts them together himself. He's more 'normal' if that's the word for math and science. He's remarkably language oriented and can determine things from circumstances, predicting and concluding. He's still rather speech impaired. He's making small headway but this glitch is a very strong thing, rather like a pinch and to get words out in an organized manner is a hard thing for him. They tend to be scrambled, so he relies on what he has to get his meaning. That he does is probably more to you learning what he means than him really making himself clear."

They would talk onward about him, then turn to Praxus. Praxus wasn't deficient in any area. In fact, he was showing great progress in all the cognitive areas as well as a level of ability that needed stimulation. He was ready for more than Sparkling School was able to give at present.

"We went over this before. Baby is a younger sort than Hero. He's so small and child-like. He might be smart for book learning, but he is really young for advancement," Ironhide said.

"I'm in agreement," Roto said. "He's pretty young. He can go longer but its coming to the point where we have to consider moving him up. It's as bad stagnating. Right now, we design everyone's program separately, so he's getting the stimulation he needs here at Sparkling Day. Just consider it, that's all."

Ironhide nodded. "We will but don't expect miracles."

Roto grinned. "We'll see," he said. They talked a while, then gathered up their things to go. Everyone was doing a great job in school thus far.

It was a huge relief.

-0-On the train to Metrotitan

They hung on the straps grinning at each other as they took the train to their next stop. Hero was at The Fortress Daycare Center, the military daycare and would stay there all afternoon with the others. Only Halo was with the adults as they meandered through academe together.

"I think Orion would be sad if he was the only one left at Sparkling Day," Turbine said. "I know I'd be sad."

"I know," Ratchet said. "This is the hard part of parenting. What to do for both of them."

It was a silent ride to Titan.

-0-Earth2

They sat at a table in the dining area of the building. Down the concourse and around the corner, the local school was still in session and would be until mid afternoon. Lilly, Rain, Jaycee, and a girl named Rita sat together passing the time. "I'm glad I'm not going here. We'd be sitting in class," Jaycee said.

"We go more days and longer than they do," Rain said. "They get more time off than us, too."

"We're going to Enceladus shortly," Jaycee said. "What about you guys?"

"We aren't," Rain said. "We don't have a field trip planned for a while."

"I want to go outside and run around. Some of the locals go to clubs. They have clubs for kids here" Rain said. "I want to go there and see it."

"We don't get to go out alone," Lilly said. "I'd like to go outside, too."

The conversation would last until the International School of Earth2 got out, then the fun would begin. The pool and gym were great gathering places for the kids.

-0-At Metrotitan

"She's doing very well socially because she and Feri are such good friends. She was the only femme in the classroom until Hero arrived. They were inseparable." They sat down with their teachers, a group of them, and got the word. She was an incredibly advanced student and the three orns she had spent with Roto in Terradive's class as an 'observer' had shown that. She was ready for the academic challenges of Youngling Day but the hold up was her tender feelings. It was not time to change things up for Hero. She would be distraught.

They discussed her independence getting to and from school which was self initiated and a step up. They also discussed her perfectionism. It was finally agreed that she stay put with individualized instruction.

Win-win.

That left Prowler.

They ambled onward to Ironhide's destiny and the scrutiny of Miss Birdie.

-0-At Circle of Light Preparatory Academy

It was a tense group of big mechs who walked into the lobby of the Academy followed by their families. This would be the first conference of Scout as well. Both Blackjack and Ironhide would be on the block. The case manager spotted them, then waved them over. "Both of you go in. You're a family and we can cover both little mechs together."

"Don't do anything special on our account," Ironhide said as he meekly followed his father into a conference room. Everyone else followed with big grins.

Wusses.

They sat at a table facing Miss Birdie and a raft of teacher trainees. They were silent, then Miss Birdie spoke. "Gentlemen, you were given the charge of your babies. The home component was imperative. It reinforces all that we do here." She gazed at them levelly. "Now let's see how we did."

You could hear a pin drop in the room.

-0-TBC 1-13-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	246. Chapter 246

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 246) {} NeoCybex

-0-Outside

They gathered together, those that were present to rehash the news. Sunspot was making great strides, though his fear of adult humans was still intact. That was progress. At Circle Prep, Miss Birdie had led the conferences of the smallest babies and the news was reverberating through their processors. They had sat in the conference room with a number of teacher trainees watching as Miss Birdie went through the data for Prowler.

"This is a lovely child with a lot of basic intelligence. He's got a good sense of himself, loves to help others and he's smart. He learns fast, plays well with other and grasps things swiftly. Your efforts as reported on your reports filed every decaorn match the achievement he expresses in class. He's a full timer now, though we do let out three joors sooner than regular district schools. We do believe in the home component in the basic raising of infant children. That will continue. Your efforts are worthy, Ironhide, who I believe is still the main home instructor for this child?" she asked as Ironhide nodded meekly.

"I am, Miss Birdie. I love it. All of us help him but I'm still the main teacher for him. We do a lot together," Ironhide said.

"I can see that. He tells us a lot of his rambles around the colony and his visits to the armory," Miss Birdie said. "That sort of socialization is very important to growing up confident connected children. He's a social little mech but not out of bounds. His language skills are solid, though affected by his brother. That is typical among children who have deficits among their siblings, but it doesn't affect him too much. I am assuming that Orion is making progress?" she asked, piercing Ironhide with her level gaze.

"Little mech has a glitch that should be ironed out with age," Ironhide said. "Roto says he is."

"I heard that it runs in the family," she said.

Raptor shifted uneasily. "It does but it was corrected when Ironhide rolled down the steps at our house. Didn't Steiner have the same problem?" he asked Alor who shrugged.

"I remember something like it," Alor said. "I'll ask Auntie Lissie."

They all turned back to Birdie. "Suffice it to say, its a small insignificant thing here for Prowler, but it does exist. As for his person? He's got good fine and gross motor skills, he can color inside the lines, make things reasonably close to type with all manner of mediums and he's got and is enlarging a decent vocabulary and database for conversations. His skills at pre-reading and language are strong and so is his grasp of basic concepts. He can predict, analyze information and come to good conclusions for simple problems. I would say he's exceeding expectations in the content areas and we will continue to prepare him for Sparkling School in a Terran year."

"Sparkling School? One year?" Ironhide asked with surprise.

"Yes. It's our process to hand over to the district any infant that is this far ahead of our program. It would do him a great deal of good to go from our highly evolved academic program to another one. I expect that he will be at some point evaluated for acceleration."

Everyone stared at Miss Birdie, then each other, then Miss Birdie. "Oh." -All of them.

Outside …

They stood on the sidewalk debriefing together. Alor grinned. "These infants are going to kill me. Tomorrow, we get a short overview of Scout because he's only been in school a short time. I have to say, whatever we're doing, we need to keep it up. Hero is accelerated. Praxus and Prowler are looking toward it. Well done, us."

Huge laughter greeted that. "Tomorrow, we have the big kids. Orion, Hero, Praxus, and Prowler are doing well. I think the big kids are going to come out like champions. Ironhide, you go to Bos's conference, Raptor and Hardie, can you make Reflector's?" Ratchet asked as the two nodded.

"We'll make time," Hard Drive said.

"Good. Then we have Co-D as well," Ratchet said as he went over the list mentally.

"We have him," Ravel said with a smile. "We can go and applaud him."

"Great," Ratchet said with relief. "We have to work this around our schedules."

They worked out the schedule in which several of each would show up for everyone, then ambled off to their jobs here and there. Ratchet and Ironhide walked along the road heading toward the Hospital. "How's Halo?" Ratchet asked.

"She's gearing up to be a champion just like the others. I see her in college before too long," Ironhide said with a grin.

"I can see that," Ratchet said as they crossed the street at the lights. The crowd swallowed them up in the mid morning rush.

-0-Earth2

They sat in the coffee shop on the Main Commercial Concourse as it was called on the plans and sipped coffee together. They had been out the day before traveling everywhere and were now waiting for their time to go out again. They were looking closely at a list of things that Harris wanted to know about that included utilities, different business locations and the layout of the local security. They were building a map of the colony, something that the habitats short of the Family and N.E.S.T. were forbidden to have.

Around them, the habitat swirled onward with almost no one in the civilian population paying them any mind. In fact, they were ignored by most of those who lived here. Word had gotten around about some of them following Jim Johnson's arrest, news about Intel-Martin and their friendships with those in the anti-bot movement. No one wanted that kind of trouble so they avoided them.

"Where are we going this afternoon?" Carlos asked.

"We're going to check out the local police stations. He wants them all located. He also wants us to go to the Hangar District and get a bead on the bots who live there. The big ones," Silvio said.

"Jim gets out in ten days," Sam Hedges said. "We better regroup when he does. He's a hot head."

"You're best friends," Todd said.

Sam nodded. "We are but we're also in the midst of the enemy and we better be on our toes."

A couple of women walked in, ordered and got coffees, then walked out. Todd watched them. "There's a lot of good looking women here."

"Most of them are married," Silvio said.

"Yeah," Sam said. "Married. Remember that."

Steve Anson walked in the cafe and made his way through the shop to where they sat. "You ready to go?"

"We can't until 2," Todd said.

"We got final clearance," Steve said. "Harris was notified."

They stared at him, then each other. "Why do you suppose that Prime has allowed that," Silvio said mostly to himself. "I think that's strange."

"Maybe," Carlos said as he stood and stretched. "I want to see the big bots. Let's go."

They rose together and walked out heading for the gear locker in the entryway and the vehicle that would take them out into the big world.

-0-Earlier that morning at school

{This afternoon, I will be meeting with your genitors to explain how we are doing here. I would like to tell everyone of you that you have nothing to worry about in terms of your performance and efforts. All of you have worked very hard and well. What I'm going to be doing and for those of you from Earth2 with the teachers in your pull out classes … we're going to show your genitors all of the many things we're doing and your efforts. I expect that things will be very happy in your homes tonight} Terradive said.

There were happy faces all around the room as the kids listened. Given that their school day lasted nearly ten hours and ran year around with time off for three day weekends and the odd holiday, they had invested a great deal of effort in their education. They were gathered at their tables before being dismissed for the day. Lunch had been had and now they were heading out toward their homes.

{All you have to do is work on your individual projects. For the next four mornings, we are going to have open work periods rather than normal individual classes. I am going to be putting extra credit work on the board for you to do or not. Some of you have done most of your projects and have worked out the different assignments for math and science so this will be a nice extension of what we're doing in class. The stories for Cybertronian History are due by next week after weekend. If you need to use the library here during the morning sessions, you will be allowed. Any questions?} Terradive asked.

{I have to interview Uncle Optimus, Mr. Terradive, to get some more information about Zeta Prime} Annabelle Lennox said in perfect NeoCybex. {I hope to do that tonight but if I can't, can I take a cab to Ops Center to talk to him if he isn't able to do that tonight?}

Terradive considered that a moment. {Ask me tomorrow, Annie. We will see what we can do. That would be a really strong feature if you could talk to Optimus Prime about Zeta}

Rain Harris raised her hand. {Rain?} Terradive asked.

:Mr. Terradive … when are we going to be learning more about Cybertronian history and culture? Those of us from Earth2 would like to know: she said.

Terradive considered that. {That's a question before the school board, Rain, and when they give us a policy and plans for this to happen, you will be included}

:Would that mean going to shrines and seeing relics and things in different places like the Temple?: she asked. The other humans of Earth2 glanced at her, then Terradive.

{That will be up to others to decide, Rain. I would like my students to have very possible opportunity for learning but I'm only a classroom teacher so I can't say myself. I will be seeing Ironhide and Hugh-E who are on the school board so I'll ask them about it. Until then, not likely for now} Terradive said. He looked at the others who grinned at him. {I'd like you to pack your book bags and get ready to go home for half orn now}

The kids rose up to get their things together. Books and datapads, projects, story journals and other things were pulled together for them to carry away. Sitting in a slotted stack on a window sill nearby, folders for each child was placed to show their families when they came to hear the news. They included daily work and long term projects, lots of videos and other bits and pieces that would show families how their students were doing. All of the related teachers would add their bits and reports as well. By the time the families went their way, they would have a deeply detailed idea of how their child was doing in classes.

They walked to their lockers and gathered their things. Rain glanced at Anna Lennox. :What are you going to be doing after school?:

:I'm going to play. Swimming, running around. I want to go to the Water Park. The one at the Mall of the Tri-Cities: Annie said.

:Will you be allowed to go?: Rain asked as she closed her locker door.

:I already have permission: She looked at Rain, Lilly and Camilla. :Come with us:

:I don't know if they'll let us. If we can, that would be great: Rain said. They chatted, then walked to their tables to sit. The buses were here and so were cabs and genitors. The careful process of letting the kids go home began and in minutes the room was silent. Terradive turned to his desk and organized his list of genitors. In moments, he would have the genitors of Silverbow in. Hound and Trailbreaker would be very, very pleased when they left.

-0-On their way

They beat the buses to The City and turned toward Fortress Road to drive along the side of the Military Airfield. Cutting off, they drove toward the enormous hangars where the giants lived. Passing ships, some of them probably sentient, though they weren't clear, they drove toward the massive, colossal, stupendous hangars where the Supremes lived. Driving in, they pulled to one side. Sitting on a massive docking station with cables and lines sticking out of just about every possible slot, Omega Supreme was dozing. Nearby, bending down to speak to someone, Kappa Supreme threw a long shadow their way.

She was having a conversation with what appeared to be a Dinobot. The Dinobot didn't appear unhappy but was gesturing toward the outside through the open doors nearby. As he did, another walked in, one who was big and dangerous looking. He also looked pissed.

"Oh, God. Look at that fucker. That's … that's Slag," Todd Baseman said as the mercs sat in the vehicle watching as Slag came to the pair and began to rant. No one appeared to pay much attention to what was probably a common sight. But to the mercs, it was unusually interesting and when Slag transformed and blew a bale of fire upward at Kappa, they began to reconsider that conclusion.

-0-TBC 1-14-18 :D **edited 1-23-18**


	247. Chapter 247

The Diego Diaries: After School (dd6 247)

-0-In a youth club, Iacon

"How many do you need, Rambler?"

Rambler Prime glanced at Quadrus. "I think I'm good, Quadrus."

"Anyone else?" he asked and got no takers. They anted up, then stared at their cards. "What are you doing this weekend?"

Rambler glanced up. "We're going camping."

"Sounds like fun," Lumi said as he glanced at his science partner.

"You're coming, too," Rambler said. "Hasn't Uncle Ratchet told you yet?"

"No." -nine big kids

-0-Ratchet on the way to the office again

:Ada:

:What, Lumi? Where are you and where is everyone else?: -Ratchet

:We're at the club in Iacon with Rambler. Are we going camping this weekend?: -Lumi

Ratchet grinned. :Yes. We were going to surprise you:

:You did. Thanks, Ada: -Lumi

:For you infants, the moon: Ratchet said as he entered the building to go upward.

-0-At the Hangar District nearby

He blew a bale of fire upward but it didn't burn anything. It dissipated in the air as most of it fell backward onto Slag. He shook his helm, then ran forward. Kappa gripped him, then stood. Holding him before her, she was talking to him firmly when he blew another bale of fire at her hand. That was when he fell about 5-600 feet to the floor below.

It would be written in the annals that he landed on his peds, broke both his hydraulic struts, then fell over to spray fire everywhere. He lay on the floor bellowing and spraying fire, driving everyone away from him as he did. The other Dinobot, Sludge pulled back as the door of their big apartment nearby opened and the boss hog of them all, the mighty Grimlock walked out to see what the frag was going on.

" **SLAG! WHAT HAPPENED!?"** he bellowed, then glanced up at Kappa.

"There was a disagreement, Grimlock, then he charged me. I picked him up to discuss things with him and he burned me. I dropped him to the floor. I think he's lame," Kappa said with more kindness than most.

Grimlock looked from her to him. "Slag, you idiot. You broke your legs?"

" **FRAG YOU, GRIMLOCK! I WILL MESS YOU UP!"** Slag said as he floundered on the floor.

Standing around the area in the midst of the hoo-haw, worker bees and others related to the area and its work watched with something akin to slightly heightened boredom. Apparently, this sort of thing happened here often, the mercs thought.

"That fall would have killed the rest of us," Carlos said stating the obvious. Everyone was so amazed at the sight that they nodded silently. "These guys are crazy. Look at Grimlock's face."

They did. It was truly scary.

The sound of a siren outside was heard, then a red and white hummer-type search and rescue vehicle careened in, drove up, then transformed into Ratchet. He walked forward, just outside the blast radius of Slag's fire feature, then looked up at Kappa. "I heard you got burned, Kappa."

She knelt, then showed her hand. "Just a touch."

Ratchet scanned, then sprayed the area with something that he transformed out of a digit finger. "How's that feel now, Kappy?" he asked.

"Much better. What about Slag? He fell from my hand a good 5-600 feet and broke his legs, I think," she asked as they both glanced at the furious bot laying on the floor.

"Slag, let me see your legs," Ratchet said. "I don't want any crap when I do. You will never walk again if you don't let me. Tell him, Grimlock."

" **SLAG! LET HIM FIX YOU!"**

Slag glared at Grimlock, then Ratchet. **"FIX ME AND I WILL BEAT YOUR AFT, SLUDGE!"**

Sludge shrugged. "No, you won't."

Slag glared at Ratchet who walked forward to look him over. "Frag. You broke both of your hydraulic struts. You need replacements. I'm going to call the prison. The best orthopedist is working there today to fix a few things. I'm going to give you to him to do the job. Just let him, Slag. If you don't I'm going to get the biggest hammer I have and use it on your slagging head. Understand?"

"I'm not afraid of you," Slag said darkly.

"Then we can leave your sorry aft this way. You can crawl after mechs with your spite."

" **FRAG YOU, RATCHET!"** Slag said.

Ratchet hauled off and punched him in the face. Slag fell back and the birdies began to sing. Producing a meter out of thin air, he punched in a code and Slag fell into a heap. "I'm not going to allow him to beat up my doctors, Grimlock. I'll put him back to rights when this is over. I called the ambulance from the prison and they're coming." Ratchet stood up and walked over to stand beside Grimlock. "How you feeling since the last surgery?"

"I feel fine." He looked at Ratchet. "How many more?"

"I'm still studying what that slagger did to you but a few. Not as many as you'd think given what happened. Are things clearer and faster?" Ratchet asked.

Grimlock nodded. "They are. Slag doesn't want this and the others, they do. I think we all need it. I'm going to kill Shockwave."

"Stand in line," Ratchet said. He knew Grimlock was aware of where Shockwave was. It didn't hurt anyway to have a dream. He grinned. "Here they come."

A vehicle drove in, then pulled up. Three mechs climbed out, traded slag, then hauled Slag into the back. Away they went and the place became quiet again. Ratchet looked way up. "Need anything else?"

"No, Ratchet," Kappa said with a grin. "I'm fine. You, Grimlock?"

He shook his helm. "I'm fine," he said, then walked back into his apartment nearby, the one he shared with the others. Sludge nodded to both, then followed. It was then that Ratchet noticed the vehicle down the way with mercenaries in it.

-0-Water Park at the Mall of the Tri-Cities

They stood at the edge of the surging pool, the massive one that was the main swimming area. Some bots were shooting out of the various slides, landing with huge splashes in the water. Standing together watching them fly, Annie Lennox, Lucy and Bobby Epps, James Hoyt, Sandy Thomas, Camilla Baker, Jaycee Jameson, Lilly Brown, Lindsey and Elliott May were gathered. The last two were just transferred to Terradive's room capping him at 27. They were found to be compatible to his program and teaching style so they were moved. They were the son and daughter of the chef at Earth2 who had decided they wanted this experience rather than attend the in-house International School.

All of them were out of school for conferences, had heard that Annie and Lucy wanted to go to the pool and had asked to come along. They crammed into a vehicle, then jetted over after ascertaining permissions from relevant adults. Now, they stood on the side of the big pool with Will Lennox, Ron Witwicky and Bobby Epps.

:How deep is this pool?: Elliott asked as the waves rolled past them down below the water line.

:This pool is 140 feet deep. You're not going in it: Will Lennox said. :You're going over here: he said as he turned to the other three pools, all of them of graduated size and difficulty. :This is the deepest you're going into: He pointed to the biggest of the three, one that ran in depth from 2 to 30 feel deep. :You can play here but nowhere else:

The kids glanced at each other, then Annabelle ran forward and cannon balled in. The others followed. The three men watched them a moment, then glanced back to see a group of mechs careen out of the slide, fly through the air, then land in the water to disappear together. :I would pay a lot to be able to do that: Ron Witwicky said. The other two nodded. It would be a long and pleasant afternoon at the swimming hole.

-0-Hangar District

Ratchet walked toward the vehicle, pausing before it. He had checked their status through Ops Center and found that Special Ops wanted them to wander. Kneeling down, he looked through the window of the vehicle. :You would do well to avoid this area. It's unpredictable:

:We noticed: Silvio said with a grin. :You laid that Dinobot out with one punch:

:I only look like a pushover: Ratchet said with a slight grin. :Where are you headed?:

:We're seeing the sights: Silvio said non committally.

Ratchet nodded. :Best head out of here. No sense being on the wrong side of a Dinobot. You would regret it greatly:

:Got it, Ambassador. Thanks: Silvio said as he put the vehicle in gear. Pulling forward, he headed out to the airfield and a drive through the area to the Cultural Center Road.

Ratchet watched them go, then followed them outward, scanning a vehicle parked nearby. Transforming, he rolled after them. They wouldn't know who he was beyond the dark gray hummer following them in normal traffic.

-0-Down the road

They drove on the sidewalk and slowed before the door of Club Cybertron. "Here's that bar that's so famous. I heard some of the worst bastards they have here hang out inside," Sam Hedges said. "Let's go in and look around."

They sat a moment silently thinking about it, then Silvio drove toward the door. As they entered the bar, Ratchet transformed, charged his main profile back and walked inside. This might not be so good.

The vehicle drove into the lounge, slowing as it went, then pulled to one side. They sat in the cab watching the patrons, many of whom were sitting at tables drinking and eating. A group nearby sat at two tables, ominously scary dudes with a lot of armed individuals around them. They watched the humans with feral gazes, ones that were hard to meet.

"This place is scary. Let's go before we get in trouble," Todd Baseman said.

"We aren't doing anything. Let's see what happens," Larry Dobbs said. He turned in his seat to look around, catching the gaze of Barricade. "Fuck. Look at that one."

Everyone turned to look, then a guard stepped away from the group and walked over. He knelt beside the vehicle. "What are you doing in here?" he asked.

:We're looking around the colony. We've seen this place on Platoon so we came in to look: Silvio said.

"You need to leave. Those mechs with us would kill you for sport and they have before. This isn't a place for you. None of the bars on world here are for newbie humans. You need to come with the N.E.S.T. mechs if you come at all: the guard, a huge Seeker said.

The humans looked at him, then Silvio nodded. :Understood: he said turning on the vehicle again. The mech moved as they backed up and drove back out missing spotting Ratchet by the bar.

Ratchet waved to the guard, then followed the humans out, transforming into his gray hummer costume as he did. Pulling up behind the humans, he drove off with them, intrigued by their chutzpah and nerve.

-0-Ops Center

"So, we're going to the Valles this weekend and all is reserved. What you have to do is barbecue for the lot of us," Prowl said. "I know that all of you have a barbecue because you thought it would be the next Thanksgiving debacle and you wanted to be a winner. Remember?"

Prime stared at him as did Ironhide, Raptor, Blackjack, Hard Drive, and Alor. They were here to give their latest district reports, then half go back while half went off duty. It was silent from the lot of them, then Prowl glanced at Alor. "Not you, Alie. Just these slackers."

"What?" Ironhide asked. "You want me to barbecue?"

"Yes. The best barbecue wins," Prowl said as he found himself warming to the slag. "So sayeth the Loon."

"Oh frag," Prime said. "How do you barbecue?" he asked as he glanced at the others.

"Don't ask me," Hard Drive said.

-0-Nearing the Shrine of the Thirteenth Prime and the Primal Basilica

The humans drove toward the Basilica, then pulled up in the parking lot. They stayed inside a moment, Ratchet noted, then after a scan for their gear by their vehicle which he could see, all of them climbed out to stand in the lot and stare around. Ratchet pulled up nearby, then watched as they began to walk toward the shrine that was placed near the Basilica just like it was on Cybertron. He buzzed the Ops Center. "Ratchet to Prowl and the Messiah of our People."

"What, Loon?" Prowl's voice said. "I'm explaining barbecue to the clueless right now."

"Awesome. I want to know if the mercs have the right to enter the Shrine to the Thirteenth Prime?"

Prime considered that. "Go in with them and watch what they do. If they do anything but act properly, send for the Watch, Ratchet. By the way, how do you make brisket?"

Ratchet laughed. **"YOU'RE ASKING ME!?** I'm on it. Ratchet out."

They sat silently at the command table, then all of them together hit the internet. It was quiet and intense for a few moments. Prowl watched them with great amusement. Ratchet, on the other hand, transformed back and followed the humans at a distance as they climbed the steps and walked across the platform for the shrine.

-0-TBC 1-15-18 **edited 1-23-18**


	248. Chapter 248

The Diego Diaries: Shrine On Harvest Moon (dd6 248)

-0-On the platform of the Shrine for the Thirteenth Prime

They stood in the doorway looking inside. A soft yellow golden light poured out from the dimly lit interior. It appeared that the vast area inside was illuminated by candles and low light sconces set high in the walls. There were mechs inside sitting or standing by themselves or with others around the vast space. The mercs walked inside and paused by the door to look around.

The walls were enormously high, higher than anyone inside stood, tall to accommodate the interior décor and the massive statue at the end of the room. The walls were covered with sheets beaten copper and glowed with the reflected light of the candles and other illumination, all of which were low key and subtle. Set upward about 30 feet off the ground was a band of gold that much have been 5 feet wide that ran all around the room. Niches were set into the walls all around the room and in each one was a statue or a picture that was encrusted with jewels and their strange writing.

The center aisle was cleared though there were benches sitting along the way for those who came here to use. They walked forward toward the first niche, then paused before it. Small votive-style candles burned before it, an image of the Prime to whom this place was dedicated. He was big and had the familiar format that Prime himself bore, an affectation they believed must be part of the Primal legacy. How Prime was a Prime, they weren't clear about but they must have a standard, they mused among each other, for him to be chosen.

The image showed Thirteen full length with a sword in his big hands. The frame looked old, was copper and studded with all manner of shiny stones of which only a couple they could identify. The two they could were emeralds, about as big as their fists and shaped to give maximum color. The frame and image looked immensely valuable and venerable with age. Walking along, they saw other images, some things that must have been personal items, then weapons. A sword hung somehow in the air, point down, as lights highlighted its great shining beauty. Their language was etched into its blade along with abstract images.

Across the room, they noted some of the niches were empty of relics but held chairs and benches for those who wished to sit and reflect. Between those niches were murals that apparently relayed the life story of this Prime and his brothers and sister. They looked at it, a panoramic vision of individuals and places that were life size and brilliantly rendered, noting its progression but most of the images and their inscriptions were abstract enough for them to only guess the meaning.

Walking forward, they passed silent mechs, some sitting with their optics shuttered as if they were meditating, while others stood together whispering in their language. They finally reached the statue at the end of the building, a massively tall being with a beautiful sword. The statue was carved and painted to reflect the actual mech, apparently, but the sword was real, fixed in the statue's grip and astonishingly reflective. They saw their own faces on the blade.

Candles were lit and placed around the base of the statue, some well used and others just placed. There were slots for more. :I don't think we can pick that up and place it: Silvio said with a grin as he glanced into a box filled with candles for pilgrims. They all looked, then looked up at the statue which had to be at least 50 feet tall. :I would hate to face that guy in combat:

No one replied as they stared at it, then around themselves. That was when they saw Ratchet sitting on a bench watching them with a slight grin on his face. :There's Ratchet: Baseman said. :He's following us:

Silvio walked toward him followed by the others. When they reached Ratchet, they halted before him. :Fancy meeting you here: Silvio said with a slight grin. :One might think you were following us:

"One might be right. I saw you coming here. This is my shrine. I was hoping you wouldn't be idiots when you were here," Ratchet said.

:Your shrine?: Lawrence Dobbs said.

Ratchet nodded. "My family and I are fond of the Thirteenth Prime. This is our family's shine. Some have others. Prime's is the one for Solus the Maker."

:What does all this mean?: Carlos Ortega asked as he glanced around.

"It honors our ancestors," Ratchet said. "We give respect and homage to our leaders from the darkest days."

:So this is part of your religion: Steve Anson said.

Ratchet shrugged. "It's part of what we believe," he said. "I'm not allowed to say more than that about it."

:Maybe you should. Maybe it would be a point of agreement and trust between us: Anson said.

"I think having trust first before telling you about this sort of thing would be a better idea. You expect me to trust you before you earn it. So far, you're zero for one. Johnson is in jail. That's not trust affirming."

:Johnson is a hot head. He's going to learn: Sam Hedges said.

"He will or he's gone forever. Lennox will frisbee him back to Earth in no time. Where are you going next?" Ratchet asked.

:The Basilica: Silvio said.

Ratchet nodded, then gestured to the door. "Lead on."

They stared at him, then turned to the doorway. It was getting darker outside as the mass of Olympus Mons began to impose itself on the journey of the sun overhead. Long shadows would be forming soon and darkness would follow. They began to walk that way. Ratchet watched them go, then waited until they were in their vehicle. Only then did he rise, glance around with pleasure at the familiar scene surrounding him, then follow

They drove toward the Basilica, itself overwhelmingly vast and tall, then drove up to the steps. Getting out, the mercs began to walk up them, a massive number of them, to the platform above. As they did, Ratchet walked up the big steps and beat them to the top. He watched them climb with a grin on his face as they toiled upward. When they reached the top, both sides appraised the other. "You need an elevator."

:We could use one: Silvio said with a chuckle. :Of course, this is a good training exercise. I think I lost two pounds climbing it:

Ratchet laughed, then walked toward the doors of the Basilica. The others watched him, then followed.

-0-Swamming Hole

They climbed out of the pool where they were swimming in their survival suits. It actually was more fun to do that since they didn't have to hold their breath, worry about drowning or even getting wet. They swam, went down the spiraling slides and played with the floating toys. At this time, it didn't matter that some of the children here were older than Annie and her friends. They were having fun in the water. Having decided on the bus to go swimming together, it didn't take long to get permissions. The Earth2 parents were happy, indeed, that there was burgeoning friendships between the locals and the new kids.

 **:DO WE HAVE TO GO!?:** Annie and Lucy asked.

:We do. Dinner is coming up and everyone has to be home. Go stand under the dryers and get yourself as dry as you can. You'll stick to the ground otherwise: Bobby Epps said.

The kids ran for the dryers, stepping on the platform under them that turned them on. They were buffeted by the blast of warm air which almost instantly dried them off. Running toward the men, they gathered. **:WHAT NOW!?:** Annie asked.

:We head for Earth2 and drop everyone off: Will Lennox said as the kids followed them to the edge of the Water Park where their N.E.S.T. transport was waiting. They piled in, then the seal was set. Starting the vehicle, Bobby Epps drove it toward the big doors near the elevator bank that would take them outside. Driving through the crowds, waving at mechs and a femme, they made their way outside and headed for the roadway that would take them to the highways and Earth2. Traffic was picking up when they slipped in and began the long drive that direction.

Sitting on the benches in the back, the kids chatted about this and that. Jaycee Jameson who was getting into the grove of living here sat next to Sandy Thomas. They were discussing music they liked in common. "We have a station in the school, Intermediate Day. They let you be a DJ and learn how to broadcast," Sandy said.

"I know. I listen to it. I like it. I love listening to Jazz and Blaster, too," Jaycee said. "When I get there I'm going to take that class."

"You can also do the TV station, too," Sandy said. "I think that would be fun."

Will who was riding in the passenger seat grinned. Even though the kids were older, they appeared to get along with the younger locals just fine. Sandy and Jaycee appeared to be good friends. It made him feel better. Things should be good between them but it was hard to feel it would happen with the attitudes of the leadership. They zoomed onward heading for Earth2 and home for the girls and one boy who had been invited by Annie and Bobby Junior to come along.

-0-School that didn't close

Scout sat on a chair in the corner of a room filled with mirrors watching students going through the reps that would make them dancers for the company. They were training all manner of students here for all manner of art forms, some of them unique to the bots. Right now, they had their main troop working with the newcomers who were showing promise. It was beautiful to him and elegant, the type of thing he and Trooper had worked so hard on Cybertron to build. The theater and roving art troops were a feature of their culture that had huge followings on and off world.

Right now, he was scheduled to go to the main stage in the big theater to work out a hitch in his newest play but he also wanted to be here to watch. He was an enthusiastic teacher, a tireless instructor and a very encouraging individual to those who wished to perform. He knew about dreams and hopes, about wanting something too much and fearing failure. Artists had fragile dreams and he was careful with his commentary, fulsome in his efforts to help someone achieve their greatest desires and tireless in his willingness to work with anyone, anywhere, any time. He was a true believer in the arts liberating the soul so this as the Matrix made real for him, the culmination of endless eons of hope and dreams while trapped on a planet in the middle of nowhere.

They moved through the warm ups and drills, then began to stage the piece under instruction. The teachers gave the go, tapped the meter with their cane and watched meticulously. It was astonishing to see such grace in such individuals. They whirled and moved together, flowing like a stream around each other and when the piece concluded, they turned to their teachers and to Scout. He grinned at them and applauded. "Most lovely. Now, take it from the top," he said with a big smile.

They laughed and gathered, glanced at their teachers, then began again. They would do it three more times before they got it 'perfect'. He would only then go to the main stage in the main theater to figure out what to do about a dialog snag.

-0-Driving into Earth2

Will Lennox drove into the safety zone of Earth2 and watched as the big doors closed behind him. As he did, he called for a couple of others to come to him besides the parents of the Earth2 children with him. When the lights signaled and the scans approved, he got out with Camilla, Jaycee, Lilly, Lyndsey, and Elliott. He watched as Hamilton Brown and Marita Elliott walked out after the door opened to greet them.

"We had a great time, Mom. That pool is amazing. The big pool, the one with the waves is 140 feet deep," Elliott said as his father walked out.

Gordon May shook Will Lennox's hand. "Thanks for taking the kids out. I sure appreciate it. I want them to fit in here and enjoy the colony."

"We do, too," Will said. "The kids were great. We had a great time. They swam in the biggest kid pool. The main pool is too dangerous with mechs coming off the slides at 65 miles an hour."

" **I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT!"** Elliot said with a laugh. Everyone with him agreed.

At that moment, Silvio Lombardi walked out to stand by the Mays. "You called for me, Will?" he asked.

Will nodded, then reached into his belt and pulled out a long knife in a sheath. He tossed it to Lombardi. "That's from RTR Tools," he said. "You can't have it analyzed and its worth more than you can imagine. A blade chooses its owner. If this blade chooses you, be worthy. Also, be worthy of their desire to honor you because that's what this is."

Lombardi pulled the long knife from the sheath and held up the gleaming blade. It was magnificent. "This is glorious. They made one for me but not the others?"

"You weren't part of the group who tried to run over their kids. I think someone believes you might not be hopeless," Will said. "Prove them right." He looked at the kids and the adults who were glanced at both silently. "Thanks for the fun."

"Thank you, Will," Gordon said shaking his hand. He shook hands with the adults including an amazed and surprised Lombardi.

With a nod, Will turned back to the truck, waited until everyone was inside and the go given, then drove off as the kids waved. He was gone in seconds.

Inside the facility watching him go, Lombardi watched as the others turned back into the facility to go home or to work. He glanced at the magnificent blade, then slid it into the sheath. Behind him, Carlos, Steve, Sam, Laurence and Todd walked up to him. They looked at the blade, then him.

"How the hell do **you** rate?" Todd asked with indignation.

"He said I didn't try to run over their kids," Lombardi replied. "He said someone doesn't think I'm hopeless." He grinned at the group, then walked away heading toward the concourse and the life of the massive facility. They watched him go.

"Fucker," Todd said hotly. "Butt kisser."

"It could be that they're playing us one against the other. Have you thought about that, Todd?" Sam asked. "I would bet that's it."

"I don't care. I want a knife like that," Todd said as the group turned back to the facility. He would be grumpy for the rest of the day.

-0-In a lounge for kids nearby

"You should have come," Jaycee said. "The Water Park is awesome. The slides were amazing and when we go under water, we don't have to worry about breathing because of our masks."

"Maybe next time," Rain said with a grumpy tone.

"What's with you?" Camilla asked.

"My mom. She's on my case. She wants me to be part of the social whirl here," Rain said.

"You can't if you come with us. Next time, come with us," Jaycee said. She rose from the couch. "I have homework. See ya later." She walked out. It was silent a moment.

"Come on. Let's go bowling," Camilla said as she rose. Rain rose reluctantly and followed them to the bowling alley and an afternoon of taking her aggressions out on the pins.

-0-In the office complex

Cameron Frazer sat at his desk coordinating the importing of food stuffs and other consumables to the facility. He was a whiz at procurements and thus, his job was made to order. He was scheduled to go on a hike in the Valles with Rick in two days and he was looking forward to it. He was working out in the gym and the idea of one third gravity was going to be interesting. Less effort for more results.

He was also looking over the available single women here and though most of them were the brainy types, scientists and the like, many of them were very friendly and attractive. He was going to make an effort to meet them and see what shook out. He considered the morning earlier when of all things he had actually run into Sunstreaker, of all individuals …

He was walking along a corridor near the schools when a big mech rolled to a stop before him. Cam was startled because he was unaware that a bot was going to be inside the facility. Walking with their teacher coordinator-school administrator, someone he didn't know but had seen around, Sunstreaker had come to visit the schools. They both slowed to a stop, then stared at each other. Then the big yellow mech leaned down on a knee, bringing his face close. "Well, well … hello, Cameron Frazer. Fancy meeting **you** here."

The director glanced at both and gulped. "Is there anything wrong, Sunstreaker?"

"Nothing that a slagging can't fix," Sunny said. "This fragger likes to harass women." He glanced at the director. "When your femmes come to you about him, believe them." He looked at Cameron, then stood again. "Beat it."

Frazer who felt the doom of Satan fall upon him when Sunstreaker leaned into him decided to cut his loses. He walked past the two without a word, then went down another corridor.

Sunny watched him go, then looked down at the school director. He was here to meet the staff and explain a few things to them about satellite schools. "That slagger is bad news. Remember that."

The director nodded, then turned to the corridor. "Thank you, Sunstreaker. Shall we continue?" he asked with a flustered air.

Sunstreaker rolled to the corridor Frazer had used but didn't see him. Rolling back, his swords sliding in and out of his wrists unconsciously, he nodded. "Lead on."

The director did...

Frazer sat back and ruminated on his molten fury. They were going to give him shit here, too. If they did, he would fight back. Fuck both the twins. After a moment of ranting to himself internally, he picked up his pen and continued.

-0-TBC 1-16-18 **edited 1-23-18**

 **NOTES! :D**

 **Sunstreaker's Girl** chapter 247 . 5h ago

Ohhhhh, the meds better behave. They're walking on holy ground now. I really was hoping Barricade would play kick the segway at Club Cybertron!

 **ME:** That's so true. Barricade is going to be a recurring nightmare for the mercs. I love that bot. He's such a wretch. :D:D:D The anti-Prowl. :D:D:D The mercs are going to go to a lot of places and we will see if they can handle it. :D

 **Silverhornd** chapter 247 . 14h ago

Question. Why would the bots let Harris and company try to make a map of the colony. Don't they know that is what they are trying to do. What do they need a map for anyway it isn't like they can do anything about it or try to get the bots to leave. Idea they need to go the prison and see the ones who wont change and have them tell them what would happen to them if they ever got out and how they think that Megatron is still out there and could and might come back one day.

 **ME:** Prime won't allow competent maps of the colony to be known and/or made by the humans. It's a security thing. They, however, have been working to make one for some time when they would come. It's a way of getting the lay of the land and having a map for wherever they want to go to do whatever they want. They're still learning the place and how it works. It might be fun to have them visit the prison. That goes on the list. :D The more they see the power they face, the better off some of them might be. 99% of Earth2 are just happy to be there and want good. It's the 1% that are the problem. As usual. :D

 **Guest** chapter 245 . Jan 14

I'm sorry you're feeling so horrible seems to be going around. This flu season is supposed to be horrible. Be safe and take care of yourself.  
Fancy spinner

 **ME: FANCY!** This has lingered but I feel alive again. LOL! I hope you are doing great, too, my dearest Fancy. HUGS!

 **Leoness** chapter 245 . Jan 14

Nothing quite like the terror of school conferences. Feel better over there!

 **ME:** I remember when parents would come in just like Ratchet and Ironhide for their conference. I remember feeling their pain. LOL! I love how they fear the infants. However, their kids are on it. They just forget that each time. I feel a lot better. Thanks, honey. :D

 **Guest** chapter 244 . Jan 13

Lmao... I live Pudding! That's a great name for a cow!

Why do I have a feeling Baseman will be the next moron in jail? Either jail or exiled.

 **ME:** Dad used to haul cattle and my uncle and aunt had a ranch. I love patting cows. They have such fat bellies. Pudding sort of suggested itself. LOL! Baseman isn't too bright and after this, he's got one more grievance. :D:D HUGS!


	249. Chapter 249

The Diego Diaries: Basilica (dd6 249)

-0-Basilica, earlier in the orn

They walked inside, pausing long enough to look up. It was over 200 feet to the top of the building, a sort of vertigo-inspiring sensation as they gazed upward. The building was Martian stone rather than the metal of Cybertron and it was the identical image of the original otherwise. Gigantic statues of mechs lined both sides of the vast room. Benches ran the length of the building but rather than face the altar-like feature three quarters of the way forward, they faced the center.

The room was filled with light, some from discreet sconces high up on the wall but mostly from the windows that had to be 75 feet tall. They alternated between the statues that lined the room on both sides. The statues were mechs of all manner and design. One had symbols of time carved into his massive frame. Another was beast-like in his design with cloven hooves and strange big wings. There was a small one with a hint of humor on his face and others who were beautiful in their design. One of them was female. They were set into niches and their gaze was felt wherever you stood inside the building.

In the front of them was a long wide aisle, then a massive stone that had been shaped to be relatively rectangular and held a smooth flat top. It was plain but massively impressive. It would take a lot to move the gigantic feature into the building. Along the walls were plaques that spoke to various things and near the altar-like feature was the niche that held the Seeker drone. Its sarcophagus was covered in crystal stones, some of them carved with glyphs. Evidently, leaving them was a practice.

They walked forward passing mechs sitting or standing here and there. When they reached the altar feature, they peered upward, feeling as if they were standing before El Capitan in Yosemite. It would be the same difficulty trying to climb it. Looking around, they wandered here and there. On the back wall was a giant carving into the stone. It was two servos cupped. There was nothing in them but evidently, they indicated something. Carlos turned toward Ratchet who was following behind them with a bemused expression on his face. :What do the hands mean?: he asked.

"Love and protection. They mean more, of course, but that's what they generally symbolize," Ratchet replied. He thought of The One and considered them. It was going to be Prime and Lauren's decision if they ever learned more.

The mercs wandered, peering here and there, then they gathered in front of Ratchet who was sitting on a bench watching them. :This is an amazing place. I heard that Primes were buried in it:

Ratchet nodded. "It's a celebration place of every prime in our history including and especially the ancient ones. If you were important enough, you were buried here. That's what it took to be so. It's a great place for our people to visit. Do you feel it? The sanctity and peace here?" he asked curiously.

They stared at him, then Silvio nodded. :I can see it. I've been in St. Peters in my country. It sort of has the same vibe:

Ratchet grinned. "Where next?" he asked.

:We passed the Mausoleum. Let's go there. You can tell us about it: Silvio posed.

Ratchet considered Silvio and the record that he had of him in their database. He wasn't a cold killer like the others. He was college educated and had served as security, albeit with Intel-Martin. As far as could be determined, he had no atrocities to his name. Ratchet moved him to another category from the others, an only slightly better one. Some of the others were college boys, others straight up military but all their records showed they were bad news. Silvio was sorted from them slightly in his assessment. "Alright. Let's go." Ratchet stood, then walked toward the door. The mercs would have to jog to keep up.

On the road …

They followed Ratchet as he transformed and drove out. It was getting long in shadows now as evening began to beckon. They drove behind him as he backtracked to the Mausoleum down the road. Todd glanced at Silvio. "What's your game?" he asked.

"I want to know more. Sometimes using your brain helps you get it. Going down Johnson's road, you got nothing," he said with a slight grin. "Tell me one thing that the bots have told you that has any value so far." No one said a word. "Let's see what that bot will tell us. He won't tell us anything he doesn't want us to know. You underestimate him at your peril. He's been fending off fuckers for millions of years. We must seem like ants to him."

No one said a word as they reached the turnoff and drove down the paved road that led to the entrance. Ratchet transformed, then turned to watch them as they pulled over, were scanned, then climbed out. They walked to him and looked upward. "You're following protocol well. It's -134 degrees out here. How long do you imagine you would last if you fragged up?"

:Seconds: Silvio said with a grin. "What's this place besides your burial ground? There's the symbol of the hands again:

"This is the first burial ground on-world. We have another one out on the plain. Some of our people who died in space are buried there in a communal grave. We're building a new one on the escarpment out in the Crater District. It's going to be a terraced affair and will last a lot longer than this one." He turned to walk inside and the humans followed.

The area was vast and surrounded by the wall which only reached Ratchet's shoulders. It wasn't designed to hide what was inside. The peaks of a row of private crypts could be seen towering over the wall itself. The inside was laid out in enormous squares, walls that enclosed swaths of specially groomed soil. They covered the entire enclosed space and were served by roads that allowed access to every place inside. A row of crypts with family names on the lintels ran the length of the back wall and were built from gleaming white stone. Some of the huge squares had no one buried in their confines. Others had some and one was filled. They walked to that one and stared at the scene.

There were graves inside, lined in rows with medallions fixed on them. They didn't know that the dead were buried standing up. Given they were a finite world with zillions of individuals living and dying throughout the entirety of their vast history, space was a premium. Their towers weren't built literally miles high for nothing. The practice continued here. Each plaque indicated a person. The inscriptions told of them, named them and the image placed in the oval inset beside the tale showed who it was. Nearby, a grave had the inscriptions but the image was braced like a picture on a dresser. It showed a mech with deeply red optics.

:Why is that done that way?: Lawrence asked as he pointed to it.

"When we bury someone, we put their image up for a year for anyone passing by or the family to see. At the end, the image is set into the plaque. It helps some remember what this place is and who's here." Ratchet glanced at the mercs who were looking around with curiosity. "We live a long time."

:No doubt: Lawrence said. :I hear that there's a lot of death on our home world. What are you doing about that?:

Ratchet considered him and noticed a flash of irritation on Silvio's face. Lombardi had more tact and thus was more tactical than the others. "We're taking care of them, too." He turned from them and walked along the border of the grave site toward the crypts.

:Are these special or what?: Todd Baseman asked. :Do some get this kind of burial over others?:

Ratchet shrugged. "Some like a family vault and others don't. It depends on the family. They get what they want." He halted as he stared at the one with Commotion's name over it. His image was on the wall beside the door along with an elaborate plaque of his life. The pangs of that kid's death filtered through Ratchet, then he glanced down at the mercs. "It's getting onward toward evening and the temperature is going to fall farther. You better pony up and go back to Earth2."

The mercs stared at him, then nodded. :Thanks for the tour: Silvio said. They began to walk back to their vehicle and when they were in, waved to Ratchet. They drove to the highway, took a left and booked it toward Earth2. They disappeared into the evening traffic. Ratchet watched them, then transformed himself. He was gone in seconds himself. But it wasn't before he met up with Lennox and gave him the knife for Lombardi. Only then did he head for home and family once more.

-0-In a lounge having a chat

"That was about that," Lombardi said as he sat with the knife on his lap. He rested his hand on it, the smooth leather and the etched poem in the sheath which felt good to him. He didn't know it was one. He figured it was more of their strange writing detailed to be ornamental. If he did, he would know it as a soldier's prayer, a famous one. 'One day an Autobot shall rise from our ranks, and use the power of the Matrix to light our darkest hour.'' Following it was 'Until all are one.'

He could have had the Autobot Warrior Creed but Ratchet held back on that one. The other was interesting enough. He was hoping that Lombardi would get it translated, then come to him to talk about it. If he came, Ratchet would have an opening. If he didn't, then all would be well, also.

"Then you think you can make a relationship with Ratchet?" Cam Frazer asked.

"It could happen," Lombardi said.

"Good luck with that. I was jumped by Sunstreaker this morning," Frazer said.

The others glanced at him, his father, Pierre Beliveau, Kyle Davis, and Owen and Rick Harris. "What happened?" Pierre asked.

"He called me out in front of the school administrator over that shit at Diego. He went out of his way to fuck me over," Cam said bitterly.

"Stay away from him if you can," Kyle said. "That maniac will kill you. I heard he already killed someone with a single punch, someone who once ruled Cybertron, here in this colony."

"What happened?" Lombardi asked.

"Someone insulted his kid and he punched him in the chest. The bot died," Kyle said. "There was a trial but he only got a slap on the wrist. He's the son-in-law of Optimus Prime, after all."

It was silent a moment. "Prime makes his decisions with the Matrix. He's said to be incapable of making a bad decision under those circumstances," Owen said.

"There's a court system outside of the legal system here," Rick Harris said. "Its called Caste Court. The high castes take their grievances there and the highest caste of all judges them. It's final, someone told me."

"Who's the highest caste?" Harris asked.

"Ironhide and his family. They belong to something called the Praxian Military Elites. Even a Prime has to obey them if they say so but they don't. They were formed to counter balance the others in the high caste ranks. They're considered completely honorable. Ironhide, his father, grandfathers and great grandfathers are among them. There's also another family of them here … someone named Piro and his father, Micro, who was just rescued a while back. They're unbending in their sense of honor," Rick Harris said.

"Ironhide … who would have guessed?" Owen said.

"He came from power, real power and wealth. You underestimate Ironhide at your peril," Rick said to his father.

It was silent a moment, then Owen took the blade. Pulling it from its sheath, he shook his head. "This is spectacular. It makes me shudder to hold it. The blade must be the sharpest I've ever seen."

"You can shave steel with it," Lombardi said. "Ratchet said it can't be scanned."

"What do the sayings on the blade mean?" Rick asked as he took it from his father.

"I don't know. I'm going to speak to Ultra Magnus tomorrow and I'll ask him," Lombardi said with a grin. "I think I just might use it as an entree into meeting some of the locals."

Harris nodded. "Do."

-0-Home

Dinner was had, conversation and updates on slag were taken, then everyone ran for their particular homework, video game and/or toy box. Ratchet sat in his chair beside Ironhide and held his daughter. "What did you find out were some of her preferences today, Ironhide?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Well, she likes trains. She likes compliments about her hair follicles … uh, threads … what would you call that?" he asked as he peered at the little femme dozing in Ratchet's arms.

"Let's call it hair to make it simple," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Okay. She's got compliments on her pretty hair. She sort of likes big bombs but that could be because she can see them better than the little stuff. She can really grip a cartridge, though. Femme has a grip," he said.

Ratchet grinned. "You're certifiable."

"I am. I don't care," Ironhide said with a grin as he sipped his beer.

"What are you going to barbecue this weekend?" Ratchet asked.

Ironhide frowned. "Nothing."

"We'll see," Ratchet said cryptically. " **We** will see."

"Oh, frag," Ironhide said with a grin.

-0-TBC 1-17-18 **edited 1-23-18**


	250. Chapter 250

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 250)

-0-Jailhouse

The desk sergeant chatted with Endar, then nodded as he entered information into his computer. Endar walked to the see through box on the wall nearby, one of three designed to hold prisoners. Jim Johnson who was lounging inside rose and walked to the wall. Tapping the communications button next to him, he leaned closer. :What's happening?:

"You get released in a few hours. Get your stuff together and get your suit on. Someone will come here from Earth2 in a few and take you there. You're under house arrest for thirty days before you can start over again. I would suggest you use that time to consider whether you want to be exiled off world for your behavior and change it," Endar said. He glanced at the desk sergeant, then Johnson. "I'm calling for your habitat to send someone." With that, he walked back to the desk to facilitate release.

Johnson stared at them a moment, then hustled to get his gear together. He would be dressed and waiting for a bit, then Silvio would drive in to get him.

-0-On his way

Silvio drove up the long ramp built into the Metroplex Administrative Plaza as he jetted his way toward the colonial mayor's office. He was going to take the measure of Ultra Magnus before getting Jim Johnson out of jail. He was alone and had the blessing of Owen Harris who was looking toward him as the leader of his gang of miscreant mercenaries. Up the ramp he went, then carefully through those who were on the platform with him. The monument to the dead was astonishingly tall and burned with a flame that was miraculous at night. The jets were set to braid the flame, a symbol of their unity even in death.

He drove to the door, pressed the button on the dash that he had discovered accidentally, then entered the vast marble lobby of the building that housed the leadership of the colony and Cybertron administratively. It was beautiful, shiny and busy. Pulling up to the counter, he switched channels. A mech leaned over to look down. He looked up through the window and waved. :Hi. I was hoping to speak to the Mayor, to Ultra Magnus, please:

"Do you have an appointment?" the youngster asked

:No. I have to get someone in the colony and I wanted to pay my respects since I'm passing by: Silvio said.

The youngster stared at him, then nodded. "Wait here."He disappeared, then returned a short moment later. "Drive to the half door down the counter and I will let you in."

Silvio waved, then drove onward sliding through the opening to the inner sanctum. The kid walked onward and Silvio followed him, driving past door after door, halting or passing individuals who were working or chatting together over something. Many walked briskly past him going who knew where. They reached the door of the Colonial Manager of numerous places and as they did, the kid halted. "You may go inside."

:Thank you: Silvio called out with a wave, then he drove inside, entering the biggest and most amazing office he had ever seen. It was huge and took a while to reach the desk where Magnus sat staring at him as he came closer. It was overwhelming how big and powerful the mech was and his charisma and personal character was almost frightening to take in. Though they were roughly the same size and type, edge given to Prime, they were temperamentally as different as could be.

He had a gaze that was hard to meet, the kind soldiers get when they have fought a lot of battles for a very, very long time. He had the kind of warrior charisma that humans like George Patton could only dream of. Silvio pulled up and stepped out, walking to stand before Magnus who remained in his seat. :Good afternoon, Commander. I am pleased to pay my respects to you:

Magnus considered that, then nodded. "Welcome, Mr. Lombardi:

:Commander, I was appointed head of the personal security detail for Mr. Harris and his colleagues. I am on my way to pick up Jim Johnson from the jail and I would like to personally apologize for his actions. I personally pledge to do my best to ensure that such an event doesn't happen again and Mr. Harris has asked me to ensure it. I hope you understand that we would like to be good neighbors and appreciate greatly all that you and your people have done to make our presence here possible: Silvio said with his cultured Italian accent. It was appealing and he knew it.

Magnus nodded slightly. "Admirable sentiments, Mr. Lombardi, if you can make it happen. My experiences with human mercenaries is very poor at best. Even among our kind, mercenaries are the lowest rung of warrior. Please understand, I stretch that term when I include mercenary in the warrior classes."

Silvio grinned. :I understand, sir. I would like you to know that I admire your army and your prowess as warriors. I would hope that you would allow me to observe and perhaps journey with them on occasion. Perhaps even to Cybertron? I would be deeply honored to learn more about your people and planet. I think the more that is known, the better it will be between us. Ignorance is our common enemy:

"I agree about ignorance but I will be taking visits to Cybertron under advisement. You can watch the Home Guard train at the shooting range in Tarn. As for learning our methods, I would suggest that you talk to Hercy of Helex, Sideswipe of Kaon or Lissie of Iacon. They are our top trainers."

Silvio grinned. :Thank you, sir: he said. He pulled out his blade. :I received this from RTR Tools and its the most magnificent weapon I've ever seen. Could you explain the meaning of the etchings and what such a tool means to you? I am told they can become sentient:

Magnus took the tiny weapon, then pulled it from the tiny sheath. It had a blessing from the Chronicles and some of the symbols of Cybertron etched into the gleaming blade. "This is the usual exceptional work RTR Tools is famed for. There is no finer made anywhere. The symbols represent Cybertron and the army. The words are a poem that I am not at liberty to tell you. As for blades becoming sentient … that is true. It can even mean these daggers and knives. You will know because you will sense it. They will sometimes alert you to the enemy. You will feel it. It comes through handling. You will probably never get a sword. I don't think you can expect that. They are made to be held and respected. Respect that blade. You might also check the literature of the Japanese. They held that swords have spirits as well."

:Thank you. I will. Thank you for your time, Commander. It was an honor to meet you: Silvio said as he took the little blade which looked enormous in his own hand. :I will do my best to keep things orderly between us and some of my colleagues:

"A leader leads. Failure in the ranks falls to the leader. Johnson will have a life time ban next time. You might impress that upon him," Magnus said.

Silvio nodded. :I will, sir. Thank you for your time: he said as he walked back to the vehicle.

Magnus nodded. "You're welcome."

Silvio entered his vehicle and with a horn honk drove off for the door. Magnus watched him thoughtfully, then returned to his job once more.

-0-At the courthouse

He drove inside the jail end of the Autobot City Courthouse, entering through the intake door to pull up in front of the desk sergeant. The desk sergeant looked down, then nodded to a guard watching nearby. That huge mech walked to the cell where Johnson stood waiting and ready to go. He grinned at the crabby human inside. "Come on, slagger. Your mama is here."

Everyone in the room laughed rudely as Silvio stepped out. He watched the box open, the big mech grip Johnson, then put him on the ground. Johnson walked across the floor with a frown, then gripped the handle of the door. :Took you long enough:

:Want to walk back?: Silvio said pointedly. As Johnson climbed in, Silvio turned to look up at the big mechs. :Do I need to do anything more to get him off your hands?:

The desk sergeant grinned. "No. Check with the courthouse on his in-house confinement. If he wanders from the straight and narrow, confined or not, he's deported."

Silvio nodded, then waved. :Thanks: He climbed in and drove back out.

It was silent a moment, then Johnson glanced at him. "Where's Sam?" he asked.

Silvio grinned slightly. "A few things have changed since you went to jail. Let me explain."

And he did.

-0-At a site on Cybertron

They ate a bite together, Ironhide included. He had come to discuss ordinance laying around. They were troubleshooting getting rid of it faster. Raptor grinned. "What are you going to barbecue in the Valles this weekend?"

"Besides Ratchet's aft?" Ironhide asked with a slight frown.

Huge laughter. Even Keystock and Cargo smirked slightly.

"Alie is going to help me cheat. He's going to pick it out and get it ready, then I get to watch it heat up or whatever it does." Blackjack grinned. "You may give me the trophy now."

"Turbine is a great cook, I will count on that knowing this, slagger," Raptor said as he eyeballed his son with a slight frown. "Frag you, by the way."

"I have to agree with Raptor, infant. Cheating doesn't become an officer and a mech," Hard Drive said with a grin.

" **FRAG THIS!** If you cheat, Atar, then this means war," Ironhide said with a deep deep frown. "If you use Ada, then all bets are off."

" **THEN CONSIDER THEM OFF** , sore losers. Whiners," Raptor said with a big smile.

"You do know about ten thousand mechs and femmes show up to these and Bull Horn already announced it," Hardie said with a chuckle.

Everyone switched to Bull Horn or Cybertronian Twitter as it was known on Earth …

Yenta Claus: Usual suspects, there will be a barbecue contest in the Valles this weekend. Bring your barbecue and cook it there. Any ringers will be tazed." :D:D:D #BurnItHard

"Oh frag," Ironhide said. "Old mech has screws loose."

"Go farther down, grandson," Raptor said with a guffaw.

He did.

Yenta Claus: "Also featured in the venture are Lucien and Laslo and their progeny, Burris and Anders and theirs, Proteus, Madura, Joon and Vinn among thousands. Get your reservations in swiftly. Inferno and Red Alert? I would come, too. This involves fire. **MAY THE BEST MECH WIN! PREEN!** Thank you for the trophy ahead of time." #BurnItHard #BestMechNamedRatchetWins

Everyone turned to look at Cargo and Keystock who looked like someone had hit them squarely in the face with a tuna. **HUGE** laughter greeted that. And … it was only just before noon on the last orn before weekend.

-0-Around the town, touching base

:Burris, when you get off for luncheon, meet me at The Outdoor Place in The City. We have to prepare for camping. Lon and Bezel will be there. Okay?:

:I will be there, Andy. What is camping?:

:I don't know but Lonny and Bezel know. They said they would help us. Isn't this exciting?:

:Uh … I hope so, Andy. See you soon:

Burris who had found an unexpected talent in food prep turned to the mech next to him. "What is camping, Cymbal?"

Cymbal who was into orienteering smiled. "Why, its the greatest thing ever, Burris. Are you going?"

"Andy wants to and so we shall," he said.

"When and where? We'll join you. We have a group that works here who camps. We'd be delighted to go and share the adventure," Cymbal said.

Burris almost felt tears well up from the kindness in the big mech's voice. "I will tell you when I meet Andy shortly. Will that suffice?"

"Sure," Cymbal said. "You'll love this, Burris."

"It … it must be exciting. Andy is very happy to do this. He has such a group of friends now. We both have. I'm so happy lately I'm almost afraid," Burris said as they worked on vegetables together.

"Go with it, Burris. It comes with this colony," Cymbal said. They would discuss camping together and when Burris met Anders, he would speak with authority on what they would need. Both of them would have a great break together. Anders would be very impressed with the knowledge of camping Burris displayed and he would be happy as a clam that Anders was proud of it.

-0-Laslo

He got Ratchet's message when he was working with Joon and Anders. They had discussed the situation, then agreed to go with Anders to The Outdoor Store. It was exciting even if there was a slight cloud over Laslo about the whole adventure with Lucien. They would have a great time getting organized for the Valles.

-0-Ratchet

"How is it going?"

"Well," Lucien said as he worked on his reports and analysis. The stack never seemed to shrink as Ratchet knew.

"You're aware that camping in the Valles is happening with just about everyone who doesn't have a duty over the weekend. Laslo is coming along with your sons. What about you?" Ratchet asked.

"I haven't talked to Laslo yet. I am not sure 'camping' is up my alley," Lucien said. "I suppose you're going to make me come."

"I don't know. I would think you'd want to come given this is a chance to play with your family, your bond and sons. They're pretty wonderful. I'd do it just for that reason. It's called love, unconditional love, Lucien," Ratchet said. "I'll help Laslo with getting ready. You be ready to come and maybe have some fun. There's going to be good food, beer and games. By the way, nice work. Thanks," Ratchet said as he walked out of the office back to his own to clear the decks for weekend.

Lucien watched him go. He sat back. "I know about love, you slagger. You don't think it's in me. We shall see," he said unconsciously mimicking his son, Partition's blind spot. He turned back to his desk work.

-0-At a camping store in The City

They filled a basket with things needed for camping. Inflatable tents and sleeping bags, something that seemed so ingenious that it was a marvel to the group gathered. Since Lon and Bezel had done it before, they helped everyone. Camp chairs, food containers for provisions, plates and utensils … all of it was gathered along with camp stoves. Boxing it up, they then walked to the grocery together and picked up food and drink, some that they had never experienced but were assured was genuine 'camping food'. They also picked out a small grill and food for that. It was fun and lively, the whole experience, and everyone went back to finish their shifts or cart things home for the day. Tomorrow, they would 'bug out' to the Valles and 'camp'.

It was almost more excitement than they could contain.

They would have no clue.

-0-TBC 1-19-18 **edited 1-23-18**


	251. Chapter 251

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 251)

-0-That night in the House-e-enda

"What the frag. Are you bringing the entire apartment?" Ironhide asked as he looked at the boxes stacked up by the door.

"We have a few kids, slagger. It's not like you and me crouching in a bomb hole sucking on rocks," Ratchet said as he turned toward Ironhide with a smile. "You have the carrier decked out, right? We can always use the runabout to put Halo in if things get weird. You can shack up there, too. Little femme can't be alone in the night."

"Good idea," Ironhide said. "What's that box filled with?"

"Your slagging barbecue," Ratchet said with a grin. "I have a lot of stuff in the refrigerator. Did you read up on it like I told you?"

"Uh," he said pausing a moment. "I just did. Frag this idea, Old Mech. **WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO HERE!?"**

"Sit on **MY** aft while you lazy slaggers pull your own weight for once," Ratchet said.

"Appa said he was going to get Amma to do the work," Ironhide said as he peered into the box.

"Which one?" Ratchet asked.

" **DOES IT MATTER?!"** Ironhide asked.

Ratchet grinned. "You're a piece of work. Let's hit the hay. Tomorrow waits for no one."

They did.

-0-Alor and Blackjack

Blackjack parked his son in bed, then walked back out to the kitchen. He paused beside Alor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm saving your sorry aft," Alor said as he seasoned the 'meat' at hand. It was a brisket, it was being encrusted with 'rub' which Alor rubbed, then foil was wrapped around it. He also did the same with something he called ribs, another slab of energon-based 'meat'.

Blackjack watched the gourmet cook work his magic, then put everything in foil back into the refrigerator. Inside, there were covered dishes.

"What's all that?" Blackjack asked.

"That, you lazy aft, are the barbecue 'sides' … side dishes that they serve at barbecues," Alor said. "That's a potato salad-"

" **POTATOES!"** Blackjack said with a grin. "Warrior food. What else?"

"I also made barbecue beans, a salad-"

" **Salad.** A Decepticon invention. Continue," he said as he pulled out a jar of large sweet pickles. Opening it, he popped three or four inside, recapped it and slid it inside.

"Piggy," Alor said with a grin. "I also made deviled eggs-"

" **AWESOME!"**

"Corn bread in the covered pan over there and butter that we can heat up and dip onto it. I love melted butter," Alor said.

"It's nectar of the gods," Blackjack agreed.

"That set of things are all the food and treats for Scout. That's a big number of sliced tomatoes … beef steak size. I love them," Alor said as he grinned at Blackjack who was smirking. "Big freak. Eat your veggies. That bowl is onions in vinegar."

"I love vinegar. What flavor?" Blackjack asked.

"Vinegar," Alor said with a grin. "That big thing in the back in the cake case is a cherry chocolate cake, just like you like, ba-bee."

Blackjack grinned. "I think I'll keep ya."

"I thought I'd change you in for a newer, younger model," Alor said as he shut the door. "Don't say I never did anything for ya."

"Okay. I won't," Blackjack said as he grinned. "I can't wait to see what Ratchet's going to do. That mech is a caution."

"He is," Alor said. "Now sit down and figure out what you're going to say if anyone asks you about barbecuing ribs and brisket. You better know what to say."

"I do. You take it between your fingers and eat it," Blackjack said. "How's that for an answer?"

"Your father is going to kick your aft," Alor said.

-0-Raptor and Turbine

"And this is the salad-"

"I don't eat salads, Turbine. You must have a fever to have forgotten that," Raptor said as he stood beside Turbine with his servo resting on the big mech's aft.

Turbine grinned at him, then pointed to other things. "I made bread myself, slagger, and there it is all 'growed' up." A container with immaculate buns was sitting on the counter. "I also made special flavored butter. This is the beans, this is the corn and this is the dessert."

"Ah, pies. You're my hero. A Maker's maker," Raptor said with a smile. "Let's test it to see if it tastes good."

"Frag you, lazy butt. This goes out the way it is. I've fastened the boxes. The ribs and brisket are going to stay in the fridge until we go," Turbine said.

"Hurry up tomorrow," Raptor said with a smirk.

-0-Hard Drive and Delphi

"Then you take this and rub it in, Hardie," Delphi said as he sat on the couch reading to directions to his bond.

Hardie did. "Then we wrap it?"

"Yes," Delphi said.

Hardie did, then put the 'meat' into the fridge. "What's next, Delph?"

"A pot of barbecue beans, then the potato salad," Delphi said. "How are your pies doing?"

Hardie peered into the oven, then glanced at Delphi. "Browning."

"Good," Delphi said. "Peel the potatoes, Hardie. I'll tell you what to do next."

He would.

-0-Hercy and Kup

"That's looking good," Kup said.

"This food is nice. Should taste really good. I'm going to simmer these beans for a while, then we can put them in the refrigerator. What about the pies?"

Hercy looked into the ovens. "Both of them are browning."

"Looks fine. I wonder how many are going to cheat?" Kup said with a grin.

"Enough to make it interesting," Hercy said with a smile. "Help me with these buns, Kup."

He would. They would also eat a few before they boxed them up.

Warrior food.

-0-Bluestreak

He put the last box by the door, then turned to the twins who were lounging on the couches. The kids were in bed, the place was boxed up and the gear was ready to go. "Lazy afts. This was supposed to be your thing, not mine."

"We'll put in on the grill, Blue," Sideswipe said. "If anyone asks, we'll give you credit."

"Wow. So much love," Blue said with a grin. "Slaggers."

"You knew that going in," Sunstreaker said as he pulled the big winger down on his lap.

-0-The next orn

They drove to the airfield near the Fortress to fill their rented runabout with boxes. Others were there and they waved before taking off as Ratchet unloaded Ironhide into the vehicle. The kids were with the dreads waiting to come with the rest of the family. All of their gear had been stuffed into Ironhide and he had wheezed his way to the airfield with Ratchet. When it was all off loaded, he transformed, then turned to Ratchet. **"WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH! DID YOU CHECK MY DEBRIS CHUTE!? I'M SURE THAT THERE MUST BE A TENT OR TWO STILL THERE!"**

Ratchet laughed loudly, then tweaked Ironhide's pug nose. "You're so cute."

"I am aren't I," Ironhide said with a grin.

"Everyone's coming. Expect it to be a tight fit," Ratchet said as a number of cabs began to arrive. Everyone was coming for the party and indeed, it would be a tight fit.

-0-At the Valles

Runabout after runabout began to land at the parking lot of the campground. Mech after mech stepped out and began to haul their slag to the trail upward. The rangers there directed them to their campsite as more and more came. It would take a long time for them to arrive and in the midst, Prowl and Prime's family group along with Ironhide's would arrive as well.

-0-At the airfield

"Everyone in?" Ratchet asked.

"Where are you going to sit, Ratchet?" Appa Ratchet asked. Everyone was packed like sardines in the ship along with their baggage. There was no room for Ratchet.

He looked around the vehicle, then glanced at the rental vehicles who were all claimed or already gone. He grinned as he walked to the front of the ship, then climbed up on the hood. Gripping the vehicle, magnetizing himself, he grinned through the windows of the runabout as he lay spreadeagled on it. **"FLY ME TO THE MOON, ONLY ONE!"** he bellowed.

Ironhide who was pilot this time laughed loudly, then powered up. Lifting off, he flew toward the Valles to camp.

-0-Springer, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Sandstorm, the twins, Bluestreak, the children, Bee, First Aid, Cliffjumper and Buzzie along with a large a number of others getting organized to fly to the Valles nearby

"Look at that."

Everyone turned toward Drift, then the direction he was pointing. Overhead, just above them, a runabout was flying. It looked packed to the rafters but the best part was Ratchet laying on the hood spreadeagled with a big smile on his face. They watched him fly over, then disappear into the sky toward the Valles.

It was silent a moment.

"Damn … Ironhide is a lucky fragger," Hercy said.

Everyone nodded. Then they humped it to get loaded and on the way.

-0-At the Valles

Prowl and Prime were unloading their vehicle when they looked up to see a heavily laden runabout appear nearby. Venture and Miler, Kestrel and Tagg along with most of those coming to the campground and their kids paused long enough to see who else was flying in. They all stared silently as a vehicle made its way to the landing spot near the others. On the hood, Ratchet was splayed, hanging on with a death grip. It landed gently, then Ratchet slid off, staggering backward to land on his aft.

Prowl glanced at Prime, then stepped closer. "Loon?"

Ratchet glanced at Prowl, then grinned. "Hi, Prowler."

Prowl stared at him, then Ironhide who sort of popped out of the crammed vehicle. It was then that everyone else began to pile out, a Cybertronian clown car of a pile up that included scandalized genitors and loudly laughing children. Prowl turned toward Prime, then back to Ratchet and the madness. "This doesn't look good for us, does it, Optimus?"

Optimus who finally jolted out of his surprise glanced at Prowl. "I think I have to agree," he said as he began to laugh loudly.

Bedlam began and would last a bit.

-0-At the campsite

"You can't be normal can you," Prowl said.

"Where would be the fun in that?" Ratchet asked as both of them watched Prime inflate the tents and sleeping bags. "Like Prime. Look at the genuine happiness on his little face."

Prime was laughing loudly as the tents and sleeping bags flew off his servo. Watching him as he did, a passel of infants gathered at his feet. They were as tickled by the spectacle as he was. Ratchet glanced at Prowl. "So … how much did you cheat?"

Prowl stared at him with The Look even as the evening previous came to mind …

The door opened and a number of younglings entered with boxes from The Catering Place. They put them into the kitchen while Prowl watched to make sure no one entered to see. Prime was in the office and the children were playing elsewhere. When the delivery kids left, he hurried back to the kitchen, pulled a number of covered dishes out of cupboards and began to unload the containers of food into them as artistically as he could. He grinned as he put them into the fridge, then pulled out more things.

Foil wrapped 'barbecue' ready to be grilled was placed in the fridge, a sheet cake that he put on the counter and a number of bread items joined it. Looking at the cake, he pulled out a several icing devices and began to decorate it with the greatest of precision. It would take a bit of time before he finished. He looked at it carefully, then grinned. Chibi versions of Optimus and the kids graced the cake top. "Cute," he said. Putting it into the fridge, he looked at the rest. It would take only a few moments to get it organized, enough time for Prime to pause by the door behind him and catch him red handed.

But Prime being Prime, he would walk back out silently. He would go back to his office and shut the door, dial up the soundproofing and laugh his aft off to his spark's content.

At the Valles …

They set up the camp, then their little barbecue grills. They were arrayed in a circle around the fire pit, the one with the cook stoves turned up high. Ironhide, Raptor, Venture, Optimus, Springer and Drift, Lon and Bezel, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Hercy and Kup, Lucien helping Laslo, Burris, Proteus who was having a swinging time, Heatout who was here for the lulz, Vinn, Bee, Buzzie, the twins and a cast of thousands sipped their beer.

"This is going to be fragged," Sunstreaker said with a grin.

"We know." -everyone who was there

-0-TBC 1-20-18


	252. Chapter 252

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 252)

-0-At the Valles

" **WHAT DO YOU *MEAN* NOW!?"** -The 'boys'

" **NOW!"** -the other boys

"Okay," Ironhide said with a grin. "What do I do?"

"Did you read the slag I sent to you last night?" Ratchet asked with a gimlet optic.

"Oh." He paused. "I did."

"Honestly, Ironhide … get with the program," Alor said. He grinned. "Time to become one with your grill." He turned to the row of grills that were placed around the campsite and then others in two other groups. All in all, there were 22 mechs who obeyed their mother. **"COOKING STARTS NOW, SLAGGERS!"**

Bee and First Aid who were watching walked to their grill nearby. A box was opened, the package inside set on the grill, then the lid shut. Ratchet who was watching frowned slightly. "You have to turn the grill **on** , slaggers. What do you have in there?" Ratchet walked to their grill, bumped both of the protesters aside, then opened the lid. A package was inside and it looked beautiful. Ratchet had seen it before from The Catering Place. He frowned at both. "You brought fake ribs in."

"They aren't fake," Bee said with a grin. "They're real."

" **RINGER! FAKERY! WHERE'S THE COPS!?"** Ratchet said.

Huge laughter greeted that. Bee took the package, then pulled plates out of their box. Opening the package, Bee filled two plates, then handed one to First Aid. "Excuse us, Ratchet. We're going to eat now." The two walked to their chairs and tent nearby, then sat down and began to eat.

"Slaggers. Who else is going to risk **The FIST OF DOOM!?"** Ratchet asked.

The punters who were watching hustled altogether to get their grills and smoke on. Ratchet grinned, then walked to the first string ring of grills. Springer and Drift were setting the temperature as the others looked in their boxes.

Hard Drive who actually made everything himself albeit with Delphi giving directions, nonetheless began to put things together to grill. He lifted his foil wrapped dishes, placed them in the grill, then closed the lid "Well, that's that. Where's the beer?" he asked to great acclaim.

After a lot of fuddling around, the grills were going great guns. Hercy who understood cooking stood before his with the lid up as he watched his ribs and 'chicken' grill on a low heat. The others fell back on the idea of wrapping foil around things so it would maybe do all the work by itself. No one really had a clue but for a few of them.

Ratchet watched as Ironhide watched his grill heat up. It was getting hot to the point where it felt scary. "Are you going to leave it that hot?"

"How should I know, Old Mech. **I AM IRONHIDE! I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO BARBECUE!"** Ironhide said as the little kids ran past like a flock of seagulls.

"Turn down the heat, slagger," Ratchet said as he did. It was almost instantaneous, the drop and it didn't hurt to stand closer now that he did. "What are you putting on there?"

Ironhide reached down into the box. He pulled something out.

"That's deviled eggs," Ratchet said.

He bent down again.

"That's beans, slagger. What did the ribs and brisket get wrapped in last night?" Ratchet asked.

" **HOW THE FRAG WOULD I KNOW?! YOU DID ALL THE SLAGGING WORK!"** Ironhide said as he pulled a box of buns and butter out.

Everyone turned toward him and began to catcall. Ratchet frowned. "Slagger. You have a big mouth."

" **AND I'M GOING TO FILL IT WITH BUNS AND BUTTER!"** Ironhide said before Ratchet grabbed the buns.

Pointing to the right things, Ratchet watched as he finally pulled out the barbecue. Opening the lid, he pointed to the grill. Ironhide grinned as he tossed it on the heat. Frowning at the grill, glaring darkly at Ironhide, Ratchet organized the items, pulled the foil back a bit, then shut the lid. He turned toward Ironhide with gimlet optics. "Slagger. **WATCH THAT! DON'T LET IT BURN!"**

Ironhide watched Ratchet walk to the beer locker, take one and sit. He frowned. "Slave driver. Slagger." He turned back to the grill and peeked inside. Things were bubbling. "They're melting. Is that allowed?"

"That's the meat sizzling, slagger. If you'd cook once in a while, you could know a few things," Ratchet said.

Everyone turned to Ironhide with a cautionary look on their faces. He frowned back at them. "Don't look at me. That's a dead subject around my house."

"What is?" Ratchet asked through narrowed optics.

Ironhide stared at Ratchet, then smiled weakly. "Nothing."

Huge laughter, catcalls and slag greeted that. Ironhide frowned at them but stayed by his grill.

Next to him, Prime was doing the same thing. Sitting in a chair with a beer, Prowl was guiding him off line. Putting beautiful things into the grill, Prime grinned at Ironhide. "This is harder than war."

" **I HEAR YA!"** Ironhide said as he glanced over his shoulder at Ratchet. He looked at Prime. "What ya cooking?"

"I think its ribs and brisket." Prime shrugged. "I don't know. I just do what I'm told."

"You two are neutered sad sacks," Springer said nearby as he and Drift managed their grill. It was giving off steam.

"What about you, slagger? You're on fire," Ironhide said. He glanced around. **"INFERNO! RED! SPRINGER'S ON FIRE!"**

The two who were working out their own grill walked over to Springer. Inspecting it, they looked at Ironhide. "There's no fire. It's just the way the slag is working." They walked back to their own and began to tinker once more.

Ironhide frowned, then looked around. "Hercy, why didn't you close your grill?" he asked.

"I'm tending my stuff. It's what you do," Hercy said as he poked his food gently, making sure that the juices saturated everything.

Everyone watched him for a moment, then glanced at each other. Then almost to the last one, they all opened their lids, too.

"What a bunch of sad mechs," Ratchet said softly to Prowl. "Tell me, Prowler. Did Optimus know you would coach him through this?"

Prowl who paused his off line dissertation about lids up or down to Optimus glanced at Ratchet with a cool optic. "Are you talking to me?"

Ratchet snickered. "Fragger." Ratchet stood, walked to the barbecue box and pulled out a container and a brush. He opened it, then handed both to Ironhide. :Dip the brush into the slag, then brush the food with it. Do it every so often, Ironhide: Ratchet walked back to sit. :Watch the slaggers squirm:

Ironhide stared at the brush, then the sauce. Dunking the brush, he began to paint the food on the grill. Everyone who was now up and going glanced at him, then froze. They looked into their boxes, then at Ironhide who noted that and felt like pretty hot stuff. He smirked at the others, then painted each piece carefully as the others watched. Conversations were going great guns off line all around him.

Prowl steamed. His sauce went on after the grilling. He debated with himself whether to change plans.

"Look at Ironhide. What a cutie," Delphi said as he stood next to Hardie. He was working his grill, adding this and that to the food, then closed the lid. "I think he may have a good shot at this. Remember, it was Ratchet all the way, too."

"Was there any doubt?" Hardie said with a chuckle.

Nearby, in the domes for the humans that were environmentally safe for them to camp, the children were playing. They had toys, games and snacks inside. Someone's amma was sitting nearby watching them so they wouldn't fall into a hole and break something.

Nearby, Anders worked over his grill as Burris helped him. Bezel and Lon were standing with them, watching the show as they drank a beer. Laslo and a strangely compliant Lucien were in the camp next and grilling madly together. Laslo was laughing as Partition, Lancer, Morius, and Inweld kibitzed. Proteus and Madura along with Joon and Vinn shared a site as both of them grilled together. Everywhere Ratchet looked, he could see friends and family enjoying themselves as 22 of their number grilled madly. It was hilarious and wonderful. Dinner was going to be great. Even if there wouldn't be enough barbecue produced here for everyone, he was aware of groaning boxes of food in the camps. No one was going to go hungry tonight. "How's the barbecue, Ironhide?"

Ironhide glanced at him, then looked at the grill. "It looks slagging fine. My paint job is the best part. I never saw barbecue that looked better."

"You never saw mine, old friend," Prime said. He grinned, then glanced at Prowl and winked.

Prowl who was made of battle lust at the moment glanced at Ratchet with a smug expression. "What he said."

Huge laughter.

Ratchet glanced around for more victims. **"HOW YOU DOING, RAPTOR!"**

" **SLAGGING GOOD!** I might even eat this myself," he said with a big laugh.

"I wouldn't go that far, Only One," Turbine said as he sat on a chair nearby. He rose, carted his chair to Ratchet and Prowl, then sat. Clicking his beer with theirs, he sat back to watch.

All around the campground, tents were set up, fire pits lit and food boxes stacked. Beer was shared out among the bachelors who came with tents, high grade and junk food. They walked around peering into the grills, taking snacks up from the tables where they were set out and chatted. The sun was bright overhead as the clock ticked toward mid orn. Everyone who was coming had arrived, though there were supposed to be others, mostly bachelors, arriving later on.

"This is looking good, Prowl," Prime said as he started his third beer. He stood with a long handled fork and a grin on his face as the grill cooked beautifully.

Prowl got up and looked into the grill. "I think it looks incredibly winning, Optimus. How about putting the sauce on?"

Prime looked down at Prowl, then grinned. "What sauce?"

"The one Prowl ordered from The Catering Place, Optimus," Ratchet said. "Keep up."

Prowl glared at Ratchet. "Are you insinuating that my mech here would cheat?"

 **"YES!"** -nearly everyone around them including a number of civilians no one knew who decided to join the party. Sitting in their chairs with the others, they raised their glasses. **"ALL HAIL, OPTIMUS PRIME!"** they said in true mini-con bravura.

 **"ALL HAIL, OPTIMUS PRIME!"** -everyone

Prime grinned, then looked down at Prowl. "Did you hear that, Prowler? How nice is that?"

Prowl frowned at Prime, then patted him. "Very nice. Here," he said handing Prime the sauce and a nice brush. Taking Prime's beer away, he watched as Prime grinned at the sauce.

He looked at Prowl. "I paint it on?"

"Yes, Only One. Just like you decided to do last night," Prowl said as he glared at Ratchet. "When you decided to cook this yourself."

"Did I?" Prime asked as he swayed slightly. He dunked the brush, then turned toward Prowl. "Where do I put this?"

Prowl stepped back, then redirected him back to the grill. "On the food, Only One."

"Oh," Prime said as he began to paint the meat. "This is fun. Painting is fun."

"Yes, it is," Prowl said with a grin.

" **TELL HIM, PROWLER! THIS IS THE MESSIAH OF OUR PEOPLE!"** Ratchet said with a laugh. "How ya doing, Ironhide?"

Ironhide who was putting another coat on the meat turned to Ratchet. **"I AM IRONHIDE! I KNOW HOW TO PAINT!"**

Huge laughter.

"Did you bring sauce?" Springer asked softly to Drift who was looking through the box.

"No," Drift said. "I know as much about this as you do."

Delphi walked to the two with a container and a brush. "Allow me, infants," he said. He brushed the meat, then walked to others who agreed that this was the shit.

"What else did we bring?" Springer asked quietly.

"I asked The Catering Place to put it in. I have no idea," Drift whispered back.

 **"I HEARD YOU! SPRINGER AND DRIFT ARE CATERED!"** Bee said as he swayed, half in the bag.

"Slagging mini-cons," Springer said.

 **"THAT'S MY MECH YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"** First Aid said.

"How did this happen? How are we here burning flesh on fire and listening to drunk mini-cons?" Magnus asked no one in particular.

Maelstrom who was standing with the femmes, Jetta and a number of Wreckers laughed loudly. "I guess you were born lucky, Magnus," he said.

"Frag that," Magnus said with a slight smile. Arcee gave him a beer and he poured a touch of it on the grill. "There. My special sauce," he said to great laughter all around.

"I think Magnus is getting into the spirit of this," Ratchet said. "How much longer do you think this is going to take?"

"You're asking **me**?" Prowl asked

"Given that you had this catered, I was thinking you might have asked," Ratchet said.

"Puh-lease," Prowl said.

"I suppose you said that when you asked," Ratchet replied. He stood up, walked to Prowl's box, then peered down. Pulling up a scrap of paper, he read it, then turned to the whole area. **"ACCORDING TO THE CATERING PLACE, YOU HAVE ONE MORE JOOR FOR BRISKET AND A BREEM FOR EVERYTHING ELSE!"**

Prowl jumped up and grabbed the paper. He glared at Ratchet as he sat again. Ratchet sat to laughter, catcalls and applause. "Loon."

"Whiner."

" **IRONHIDE! YOU JUST FORFEITED THAT INFANT! PRODUCE IT NOW!"** Prowl said with a smug grin at Ratchet.

Ironhide glared at Ratchet as he handed Halo over. **"I DIDN'T DO SLAG!"**

Prowl cuddled her, making sure she was warm. He grinned. "Price of being the bond of a loon, loon."

"Good thing Vinn came. Looks like you could use a tune up," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

"A tune up," Prime said, then he laughed. "Very funny," he said with a smile.

It would go on like that for a little while longer.

-0-TBC 1-21-18 **edited 1-23-18**


	253. Chapter 253

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue in the Valles (dd6 253)

-0-Down in the Valles, the Valles so loooowwwww …

"How does it look?"

Springer squinted through the smoke. "Sort of done-ish."

"Oh."

Springer glanced at Drift. "You know … you could help me."

Drift grinned. "But you're doing so good."

Silent stare from green and yellow mech toward white one.

White one feels the burn yet grins slightly in spite of it. "Really. Good."

"Okay," Springer replied grimly as he squeezed his beer bottle tightly. "You can eat it."

Drift glanced at the smoke fogged stuff on the grill. "Okay," he said doubtfully. He looked up at a grim Springer. "You don't think I will?"

"Right now … nothing is a sure thing," Springer said. "My little buddy is empty," he said shaking his beer bottle.

Drift took it with a smirk, then walked to the communal beer cellar and hooch cache near a pile of rocks. Everyone had dumped their many tonnages of hooch into the several cold boxes there to make it simpler all around. It was easier to crawl one direction than to try and remember where you put your own. It would be a long barbecue.

"What do you think? Do we get the tables ready for everyone?" Ratchet asked as he lounged in his buzz.

"Define 'everyone'," Prowl said as he slouched in his chair. His buzz was a medium sized hum.

Nearby, watching him with amusement, Miler, Kestrel, Bluestreak, and Joon sat together sipping their cold drinks … non-alcoholic … someone had to have standards … and watched with amusement half the mechs who usually did squat and everyone else laboring while they sat and enjoyed themselves for a change. Miler grinned. "I think Prowl tied one on too early."

"I think you're right. I find him a hilarious drunk," Kestrel said. They all laughed as the whirly-gig flew on.

Laslo stood beside Lucien who was grilling their contributions. Their tent was nearby along with tents for their children and the femme, Lancer. She was interesting. She wasn't fazed by Lucien though she could be ordinarily. She was a tense individual when the pressure was on. Partition was crazy about her and they were nearly inseparable. She stood beside Lucien watching as he poked things and turned this and that over. Oddly enough, Lucien found that he liked barbecue.

"Anders, what about the wet stuff?" Burris asked as he worked over his grill. Keystock, Cargo and Lon were sitting in chairs with Anders while Bezel helped his father.

"In the box, Bur," Anders said. He grinned, then glanced at the two sourpusses and Lon sitting with him. "I think I like this activity. Camping is a new thing for me, however. You've done camping, right?" he asked Lon.

"I have," Lon said as he patted Anders' servo. "We're going rock climbing while we're here. I expect that you'd like to come, Key. And you, too, Cargo. It's not straight faces but gradual rises. I'd think you'd want to test yourself."

They looked at Lon with dark expressions as Anders glanced at them. Anders who was having none of it glanced at Lon, then winked. "I don't know, Lonny. I'm not sure they would enjoy it. They're city creatures. This requires skill and courage, right?"

Lon grinned slightly. "I believe so," he replied.

Anders glanced at his sons. "Pitting yourself against an unyielding opponent in unforgiving terrain might be a lot to ask. It's not like you've put yourself into the countryside around here."

The two stared at their ada, then each other. "You don't think we can do it?" Keystock asked somewhat incredulously.

"I'm not sure. You prefer the city life best. Even in the colonies, you stayed in the habitation sites," Anders said. "This isn't the city."

Cargo glared at Lon. "I'm not afraid to climb. How hard can it be? Bezel does it."

Lon grinned. "Then we shall see." He glanced at Anders. "Another beer, Andy?"

"I would love another beer, son," Anders said with a grin.

It would be a quiet quartet that would sit and watch Burris labor.

-0-Overhead

A shadow crept over the campground as a big ship came in to land nearby. On the shiny sides of the vessel read, "Autobot City Stables, Autobot City, Mars". It landed, then after a moment, the doors opened to a ramp and horses fully saddled were being led down. Ratchet smiled. **"SPRINGER! GET SOMEONE TO GET THE HORSES!"**

Springer glanced down the hillside, then at Drift. "Here. Watch this."

"No, chief, you watch it. I'll get the horses," Drift said as he ran swiftly for the side of the ledge and began to slide down the hill. Lon and Bezel, Kup, Sandstorm, and Bee hustled after him to jog toward the horse carrier. They chatted a moment with the handlers, then hopped up on the steeds, taking one by the lead who was carrying the feed for the seven beasts for the overnight they were expected to be here. Waving, they then began to ride up the trail toward camp. Hoorahed by the crowds down below, they began to trek upward just as a flock of infants gushed out of the clear energy domes nearby. Several elders who were sitting there blocked them and fed them back inside where their toys and games were as the big horses plodded past and went upward still.

Prime who paused a moment to watch glanced at Prowl. "Horses? You brought horses?"

Prowl who was frowning glanced at Prime. "The horses-" he began as Prime smiled.

"I love that horses are here. What a great idea," Optimus said as he swayed slightly in front of his grill.

"-were my idea," Prowl finished as he glanced at Ratchet with pure smug delight.

"You liar, you," Ratchet said. He rose, swayed a tiny bit, then walked toward the horses as they came down the path that divided the campsites from each other. Pausing, he reached out to pat Rango. The horse had paused in front of him as Ratchet patted all over, then finally after a bit of fumbling, his face. "You're so pretty. **MY TURN!"** he said as he set his bottle down. There was nothing under it so it fell to the ground.

Drift grinned, then hopped down. "You need a boost up, Ada?"

"No," Ratchet said with a giant smile. "I've done this before," he said as he took the reins. He walked to the horse, then gripped the saddle. Then he hopped. Nothing happened besides a small jump. "Am I on?"

Huge laughter erupted as Ratchet grinned over his shoulder. "That was a test for all of you. **YOU PASSED IT!"** He then turned to Rango who was a very calm, very big, enormously strong stallion. He looked back at the drunk who owned him and watched as he did the math. Ratchet put his ped in the stirrup, swung over, then sat.

Backwards.

He looked over his shoulder, then laughed. Laying down on the broad powerful rump of the horse, he hugged Rango. Ironhide who was watching frowned slightly. "Get that drunk off that horse before he falls off. Slagger. You're backward, Ratchet."

Ratchet sat up, then smiled. "I wondered where his ears were." He swung his ped, tried to turn, then fell off backward to land on his head. Laying in the dirt as Rango looked down at him, he heard the birdies sing. Drift ran around the horse, then helped Ratchet up. "Ada … you might want to rethink this," he said doubtfully.

" **Oh, frag no** ," Ratchet said with a big smile. He heaved himself up and kept going over the saddle, landing on his back in the dirt again. Looking up at the horse's belly, he smiled. "He's a fat little fragger, Our Rango." Sitting up, he stood again, put his ped up, gripped the pommel, then sat. **"HA! I, RATCHET, AM UP HERE!"**

"Lead him around like a good son," Turbine said with a smirk. "Your old ada is shit faced." Pudding who was dozing next to Turbine, standing on his peds like a big boy, paid no attention to the insanity.

Drift laughed, then tugged the reins. He lead Rango forward as the others walked through and were staked out in an open space behind the main campsite, one protected by a ridge and rocks. Singing loudly, Ratchet rode back and forth until they passed Ironhide the second time when he flung his arms wide at the crescendo of his song and fell off over Rango's big rump onto the ground. Drift looked down, smiled at Ratchet, then led Rango to the others to hitch him to the line. They looked at him, then stood placidly together, resting for the hoo-haw that would surely follow.

Drift walked to Ratchet who was laying flat on the ground. "You alright?"

Ratchet snickered, then sat up. "Help me up. I think I sprung my spring."

" **YOU BETTER NOT!"** Ironhide said with a grin as he watched Drift help Ratchet find his chair again. "You better have the cure ready, Aid."

First Aid smiled at Ironhide and saluted him with a beer bottle. Bee laughed. "I think you're too late."

"Frag. **NEW RULE! MEDICS DON'T GET TO DRINK!"** Ironhide said with a chuckle.

"That's a good rule. Isn't that a good rule, Prowler?" Prime asked sweetly. He was turning his stuff over and over which was probably a good thing given he was playing with fire, though the taste might be affected somewhat. It was nearly time to eat.

Ravel watching the spectacle shook his helm. "Some times that boy worries me."

" **DON'T WORRY! THAT BOY IS PERFECT!"** Appa Ratchet said as he slouched in his chair with his cat.

Docker took his beer and replaced it with a juice cup. He wouldn't know the difference.

Gypsy walked to Ratchet, then leaned in. "We're ready to eat, Ratchet. Is there anything more to do with the barbecuing?"

Ratchet thought a moment. "In the box. Merit badges … you know … **LIKE THE AUTOBOT SCOUTS!"** he said in his battlefield voice.

Everyone froze, then looked at Ironhide, Prowl, a convulsing Prime, Springer, and Drift, the grand poobahs of T-Ball, then burst into laughter, catcalls and insults. Especially Warlord and the Seekers.

Prowl stood with a slow burn, then stared at Prime who was howling with laughter. He turned on Ratchet. **"YOU DID THIS TO HIM!"**

Prime caught himself a moment. "Actually, I think it was the beer, Prowler." Then he began to laugh loudly again.

Tagg stood up and walked to his son, taking the long handled fork before he poked himself. "Here. Sit, infant. Let your old atar finish this for you. It was heroic what you've done so far." He helped his son sit.

"No, Atar … **YOU'RE THE HEROIC ONE!** " Prime said as maudlin tears began to well.

Prowl who sobered instantly whirled in time to see Optimus dissolve into a puddle of pudding. **"WHAT THE!?"** He whirled on Ratchet. **"THE CURE! NOW!"**

Ratchet grinned at Prowl, then waggled his fingers in a wave. "You're so cute, you uptight priss. You teacher's pet, you."

 **"FIRST AID! CURE! FOR PRIME! NOW!"** Prowl said as he moved to stand in front of Optimus in a vain attempt to preserve his dignity.

Prime grabbed him around the waist and pulled him onto his lap. "You're so cute."

Tagg who was thoroughly enjoying himself poked at the barbecue, then turned off the grill. "Kestrel, why don't you help me get the dinner together while Ratchet figures out how to sober everyone up."

Kestrel stood, then walked past a pile of snickering drunks. He began to pull things out of the box and take them to their table. He looked at Ironhide who looked at Ratchet with amusement. "Do you need help getting him to get the correct cure, Ironhide?"

Ratchet was smiling and humming as he stared at his fingers like they were rainbows. Ironhide grinned. "No. This isn't the first time Old Mech made a spectacle of himself." He shut off the grill, then walked to Ratchet. Leaning in, he grinned. "Cure, old mech. Everyone is flying around here."

"I want to fly, too," Ratchet said with a big grin. He sat up and fiddled with his pharmaceutical programming and after going through the lot, he jetted the cure to everyone within several miles whether they were part of the camp or not by WiFi. It was like a sledgehammer in the face.

"Oh, that smarts," Prime said as the buzz evaporated. He glanced down at Prowl. "Prowl, why are you in my lap?"

"Never mind," Prowl said as he leaned back into Optimus. "Tagg's got it."

Tagg did.

TBC 1-22-18 **edited 1-23-18**


	254. Chapter 254

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 254)

-0-A moment later

"How do you want this, Ratchet?" Ironhide glanced over his shoulder to watch Ratchet sprawled in his chair with a grin on his face. He knew he had the cure the same as everyone else but he still looked shit faced. "You sober?"

"Yep," Ratchet said with a smirk. "I'm just enjoying your aft."

"You are, are ya?" Ironhide replied with a grin.

Everyone in their group was setting up the table and piling the food for today on top in mass quantities. There was more than enough for the families and the many hangers on who would supplement their junk food stores with the real deal.

Ravel walked to Ironhide with a big plate. "Put it on here, son," he said sweetly.

Ironhide pulled back foil and began to pile ribs and brisket onto the plate, then folded the rest down to keep it hot. "If other slaggers want some, they have to get it," he said as he walked toward the table. Ratchet joined him and a sober-ized general staff as ribs and brisket, chicken and even burgers covered in barbecue sauce were brought over. Moochers filled up, then everyone helped the kids. It was then that the adults piled it up and they did. Beer was had, then everyone sat down to eat.

It was silent a moment, then almost as one, they glanced at the cooks. **"THIS IS GREAT!"** -everyone

"I think this one tastes like beer," Sandstorm said as he gnawed on a bone.

Magnus smirked at him as he dug in as well.

Elita leaned down the row. "That's some of Magnus's special sauce."

Groans filled the air as they continued and so did the kids, adding to the hilarity with their commentary.

" **ADA! I, ORION, LOVE DIS!"** he said holding up a rib.

"It's ribs." Ironhide waited for his son to mimic him as he had been doing lately very well. But kids being kids and life being a bitch most of the time, it wasn't to be.

"Dibs."

"Ribs."

"Tibs."

"RRRRibs."

"RRRR-bibbles." He smiled brilliantly as some of the mechs chuckled. **"TIBS! DIBS! I, ORION, DIBS THE TIBS!"**

Loud laughter greeted that. Hero smiled at Ironhide who had pulled Halo out of his hold to check on her. She held out a rib. "Here, Atar. For Halo."

Ironhide took it, then grinned. "She's too young. You eat it and tell her how good it is," he said handing it back, knowing full well that Hero would tell more than just the taste.

She bit it, then chewed. Smiling, she looked at Halo. "You're going to love this, Halo. I'll show you how to eat things. You and me … we can do a lot."

"What sort of things, Hero?" Drift asked as he sat down table from her.

Hero smiled at him. "We can play. She will need a thing like this, too," she said pointing to her tiny emerald embellishment. **"DID YOU KNOW MY SISTERS HELPED ME GET THIS!?"**

"Yes, I **did,** " Ratchet said glancing at them with a gimlet optic.

Elita grinned. "Be there or be square."

"Is barbecue the next Thanksgiving thing?" someone down table asked.

"I think its candy," Ratchet said. "I was thinking barbecue but old tight aft here wants candy."

Ironhide frowned at him, then grinned. **"I, IRONHIDE, LOVE CANDY!"**

" **I, PRAXUS, LOVE ATAR!"** He smiled as he held a rib in his tiny servo.

For a moment, it was intensely quiet, then everyone laughed. "I, Springer, will steal you and your brother, Praxus."

Praxus smiled at him, then began to eat a deviled egg.

All of the littlest kids would need a good hosing off when this was over.

"What's for dessert?" someone down table asked.

"No one is finished with their dinner yet," Prowl said with a smirk. "Lazy afts. Some of us worked our digits to the bone. I have a sheet cake, mind you. One which I spent literally forever decorating."

"I think so. He did it last night," Optimus said with a grin. He was getting his buzz back even if the food helped his sobriety. It was his second beer since the cure. "It has our pictures on it."

"I drew them myself." Prowl grinned smugly at Ratchet.

"I'm proud of you, Prowler. **SOME** part of it should be made by you," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Prowl frowned, Miler took a snap, Prime hugged Prowl's shoulders, and everyone kept eating.

Nearby, seven horses stood side-by-side drowsing on a hitch line as a tiny cow joined them. Standing under Yancy, Pudding dozed, too. Raptor glanced at him, then grinned. "That's a slagging fine cow."

"You won't get any complaints from me," Hercy said. "How is it taking him to Cybertron? He's the first cow ever on Cybertron. That there is a historic cow."

Huge laughter greeted that. Raptor grinned. "He's a trooper. He mostly gets carried by Keystock."

"He carries the cow **AND** the backpack?" Kup asked with a faked look of surprise.

Everyone but the civilians, some of the Home Guardsmen, Keystock and Cargo, Cliff, because he'd carried it himself on more than one occasion and it worked so no one told him about its real purpose, a number of mini-cons that no one knew but who had moved their tent, chairs, provisions, homemade brew, two tiny children, and a cyberfox pet to the camp to join in on the fun knew what was in the backpack. It was the **'DON'T DROP THE BACKPACK OR KERPOW'** backpack, an old ploy used to great affect by Praxian commanders since the Age of Rust.

Raptor nodded with a serious expression. "It's a struggle for him but he stands up well. I'd carry the cow but sometimes you have to general. Then there's the backpack. I have to tell you … I'm slagging glad he's never dropped it."

Everyone of the soldiers there glanced at Keystock who looked at all of them with loathing and nodded with serious expressions. Anders and Burris who had no idea what was what but saw their son being praised beamed at him. "That's my boy," Burris said. "He's doing a damned fine job with the General. I'm proud of you, Key."

Anders nodded. "I am, too. Being the aide of a famous and fabled general is an honor."

Everyone stared at the two, then Keystock who looked like he was going to dissolve. "Anders, Burris … there is no finer honor than to serve The People. Your two boys are doing that and I find that admirable," Hercy said. Everyone nodded in agreement for Burris and Anders.

Anders flustered a moment, then smiled at his son and bond. Burris looked immensely pleased. "One can only hope that their children will remember that, Hercy. You hope for everything for them."

Hercy nodded. "That's all a genitor can hope for. That's why I'm letting Ratchet and Ironhide raise the little ones so I can claim them later on."

Huge laughter greeted that as Hercy expertly turned the subject around. Prowl leaned out, then looked down table. **"ALL OF THEM ARE MINE!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as they dug back in. When that was over and the debris corralled, dessert was served. Prime got a big slice of cake and pie handed to him by Prowl who was mathematically cutting things to fit the size of the crowd. There would be huge slices for everyone, such was the amount of baked goods brought from bakeries all over the colony. Only a few made their own.

Prime who was on his third beer grinned at his cake. "I see my face on this . Why does my face look like a cartoon, Prowl?" he asked sweetly.

Prowl paused, then patted him. "I used the chibi drawings of you I once saw on the internet at an art site and made them also for the kids. I thought they were cute."

"I think so, too. Did you make one for yourself? If you do, I hope you get that part. Or maybe me. I love cake," he said as he began to dig in.

Everyone watched him, delighted at his relaxation. When he over drank, he was a sweet mech. The only time that ever was different was after a loss when he would occasionally hit it with the boys. Then, he was a morose and self flagellating drunk. Fortunately, he also had self respect and self control. Those moments were few and far between, though it could be said that they usually happened in the company of Springer pre-Prowl.

Such were the heavily firewalled orns of yore.

"Who has your aft, Optimus?" Ratchet asked as he glanced around the table.

" **I DO!"** Turbine said. He then took a big bite. **"I DID!"**

Raucous laughter, ribald remarks and catcalling greeted that.

"Tell me again, Turbine?" Kup asked. "You're a religion teacher, too?"

Huge laughter.

"I may teach religion but I'm not dead," Turbine said. "I do like to look at a nice aft." He glanced down the table. "You have a nice aft, Optimus."

Optimus grinned. "Thank you, Turbine." He glanced at his highly amused genitors. "I have a fan."

Laughter.

"I think that's very nice, dear," Kestrel said with a grin.

More laughter.

"What are we going to do with the horses, Ratchet?" Sandstorm said.

"We're going to race. They love to run and they need it. I want to see some racing. I also brought a bunch of their horse shoes. There's a game where you stand way back and try to hook horse shoes around a stick stuck in the ground. I also heard some of you slaggers are going to rock climb and hike steep trails. I also hope that if there's any arm wrestling matches that someone volunteers their tent to catch the losers," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

 **"HA-HA, RATCHET!"** Cliff said with a grin as Buzzie beamed at him like he was his (re)inventor. "Funny." Cliff grinned. "I'll have you know, I've been practicing with Buzzie. It won't be so easy this time."

"I'll take that bet," Sunstreaker said as he held Uraya on his arm. He was feeding her with cake.

"Me, too." -every mech in the camp.

"Slaggers," Cliff said with a grin.

"I would like to try throwing horse shoes," Optimus said as he finished his cake. "Where are they?"

Ratchet who had finished stood up, then pushed Prime down. "Let me set it up, Optimus. Then you can come and try." Ratchet stepped out of the camp table, then walked to a box by his tent filled with games and children's toys. He pulled out a box with horseshoes, a mallet and two iron spikes. Walking past the horses to a flat open space, he hammered a spike in the ground, then walked way the hell and gone down the field, to hammer the other. By then, the mechs were beginning to congregate.

Ratchet dumped the mallet in the box, then picked up about six horseshoes. Giving half to Prime, he grinned. "Here's how this goes." He turned, then gripped a horseshoe. He figured his swing, the light breeze, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, then swung his arm, letting the horseshoe fly.

Everyone watched silently as the shoe sailed through the air, then hit the spike. Rather than staying, it twirled, then flew away. "Frag," Ratchet said as everyone laughed, applauded and drank their beer. He tried again and managed to get two of three to stay. He turned to Prime. "Notice that mine had a spot of yellow on them? Yours have red, Optimus. That's how we tell how this goes. Your turn."

Optimus looked at the horseshoes, at Prowl's wary and highly invested gaze, at his genitor's delight, at the delight of the soldiers and civilians with him, his children and everyone elses, a cow who had wandered in to stand beside Rambler, then turned to the field. Being too blitzed to gauge, analyze and otherwise figure anything out, he just let fly. Then he did again and again. He grinned, then turned to Ratchet. "What now?"

"We go see how we did," Ratchet said slipping his arm through Prime's. It was a good idea because he wasn't walking in a straight line. They reached the spike and did the count. Ratchet, 2 of 3 and Prime? Three dead ringers in a row. Even drunk, he was a deadly force of nature. "Frag," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "You slagger. I think you're a ringer. Get it? Ringer?"

Prime grinned at Ratchet as Sandstorm slipped him another beer. It would take two sips before he would. Then he would laugh loudly.

-0-TBC 1-23-18 **Edited 2-2-18**

 **NOTES:**

We had a big earthquake up here after midnight. Usually, we have hundreds of small ones everyday with one maybe reaching a magnitude we feel. This was 8.1 they said and everyone got an alert on the phone. It was really deep, thus, no tsunami of any record. But it was 260 miles south of me and it woke me up and jiggled the bed. It lasted half a minute which is a sickeningly long time for an earthquake. We don't have great population or building density so we do well. An earthquake of this magnitude in a city would be a **MASSIVE** killer. All is well here, however. :D:D:D:D Thanks, Lackwit! :D:D:D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 253 . 5h ago

Oh what a great few chapters! I'm still laughing my aft off at Ratchet's shenanigans.

 **ME:** I love Ratchet. He's me if I had guts and nerve. :D:D:D He actually reminds me of my dad. My dad was a lot like him. **HUGS!**

Pandora chapter 253 . 15h ago

Hope everything is okay up there heard about the earthquake

 **ME:** It was a doozy. The big one on Good Friday in the sixties was the largest ever recorded at 10.1 and lasted an entire FIVE minutes. It laid waste to everything and destroyed entire towns. The tsunami reached Crescent City, California and killed a lot of people. It wiped out the town of Valdez here in Alaska. We have a great warning system. We're pretty good to go. Thanks, honey. I hate them but they come with the territory here. We also have four active volcanoes within 80 miles of my house. :D:D:D

Ragemoose chapter 253 . 21h ago

I have a hard time accurately expressing how much i love this fan fiction. Prime is so cute. You can really see how he takes after his parents in mannerisms when he gets wasted. He gets so sweet. Anders is learning how to work keystock and cargo and im proud of him for it. :D

 **ME:** Prime, to me, has a goodness about him that is so wonderful and I would think his parents would be a lot like him. I see them as a wonderful family unit, uncomplaining, tons of integrity and decent to the core. I agree he is so much like him when he's plastered. I love him drunk! LOL! So G1. :D:D:D

Anders is getting a handle on things. He wants happiness and if he has to twist everyone's nose to get it he will.

It delights me to write this for readers, ragemoose. You guys are my heroes. I thank you for being here. **HUGS!**

kattenbelletje chapter 252 . Jan 22

All this grilling meat made me think about how Cybertronians would see eating meat. There species doesn't even have to kill plants to eat. I keep thinking about how they would react if they were in a survival situation of earth with the humans and the humans killed a rabbit or deer. What would their thoughts be on that. Also. What is the normal diet of Cybertronians? Here they mostly eat cybertronised human food.

 **ME:** I agree. Prime is the apex Cybertronian and he sees value in all life. I think he would be upset to see it but then, he would know they had to live somehow. I don't think he would be a fan of hunting not only because he's seen enough death but because he would see it as a life taken for very little reason. I will include that in a conversation with the human soldiers. It will be interesting to see how that comes out. For their part, they utilize energon, usually in liquid processed form to eat. If they go in the field, they would use that and its the most common form in the pro fics if they even mention it. I read a pro fic where Cliff used a personal converter that attached to his chassis with a tube to make energon in that form to eat when he was stranded on a planet. Here, they have a choice. Liquid energon is fed directly into their apartments but they also have mechs who are fascinated with food and make it however that takes them. Some of the food items are Cybertronian derived, favorites I made up that came from Cybertron such as Celebration Cake and other things. They eat both in this story to make meals more interesting and because it makes me laugh that Rampage became a baker. I didn't plan that. I still remember writing that he sat up on the med berth and discussed baking with Ratchet. It sort of popped out. LOL!

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 252 . Jan 21

Still laughing like a loon here in NC. Ratchet... Good stuff.

 **ME: BWAHAHA!** I love writing their adventures. So glad. Stay warm, honey. :D

Lackwit chapter 251 . Jan 21

LOL why does Prowl cheat so much? I know he is competitive but he can actually cook and does so for the Thanksgiving and Christmas contests. So why cheat so completely during camping?

OMG Ratchet! Don't give Orion more ideas OoO

 **ME:** Prowl likes to put one over on Ratchet. He likes to think he's that slick. But Ratchet is a guy who had to be slick to survive and he will always know. Prowl also has a lot to do and he loves to take care of his family himself but the competitive thing he has while camping makes him cheat. He just has to do this when camping because its a beat the other guy sort of thing. I think watching Ratchet try to cook while camping makes it happen for him because as talented and versatile as Ratchet is, he's a poor cook. LOL! Prowl's hilarious to me. He's this uptight perfectionist who projects this aura of perfection and togetherness, then Ratchet pokes his pretty balloon. Prime loves it, too. ;) **HUGS!**


	255. Chapter 255

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 256)

-0-As darkness falls

They sat around the fire pits drinking beer and telling lies. It was getting onward toward dark and after eating themselves silly, the kids were in the domes nearby, warm and content to play with their toys and each other as the lights that lit them blazed in the gathering inky darkness. Soon, they would be put to bed and the adults would join them or sleep it off in their chairs. The several grills had been bagged up and more fire pits gathered. All over the vast area, fires dotted the campgrounds. Near the valley that led into the deeply carved ravines that spiraled off from the camping area, the campground office and apartments for the on site rangers at the HQ nearby could be seen.

Ratchet slouched in his chair as he watched the stars overhead. He grinned. It was nice to cut loose and after an afternoon of tomfoolery, it was good to sit. They had spent all afternoon playing, together and with the kids. A number of mechs had taken off to climb and ramble around the lower floor of the vast gash that was the ravine where they were camping. Sitting on the top of a plateau that was part of the natural topography of the area of the campground, all around them were deep wandering narrow valleys. Sheer cliffs of red stone and dirt called to a few and they climbed them, including the sons of Burris, Lucien and Vinn. Keystock and Cargo didn't.

That none of them fell was a miracle given that a few of them had tied one on.

 **WRECK(AGE) AND RULE!**

Others had ridden the horses, thundering through races that led to a winner, Madura, of all mechs. He had been taking riding lessons and sprung the news on everyone when the races were held. Two mechs at a time rode down a long stretch of open space that ran along the back of their location racing each other to the delight of the crowds and the horses. Even if the mechs involved had been more sober, it appeared to Ratchet that Madura would have won. He was a natural and was expanding his range. It was delightful and even when he raced with Drift and Springer, he beat them hands down.

It was amazing. It would have been better if Ratchet had been sober but he clapped loudly as the winners blew past. He, himself, had all the riding he planned to do when the horses arrived. Later in the arena with Ironhide, Tagg and Kestrel would suffice for him.

The evening deepened and stars came out. Sitting around the fire eating snacks and drinking beer, they began to tell stories. Lucien and Laslo sat across from him with Joon and Vinn on one side and Burris with Anders on the other. Everyone else was seated around the blazing camp stoves which threw a lot of light and heat around the area. Keystock and Cargo sat together while the sons of Vinn and Joon lounged here and there among the mechs, soldiers and civilians both.

Optimus was slouched in his chair sitting between his genitors while Prowl sat beside his own nearby. He was discussing the war games which would be the next big thing for them to look forward to having in the schedule. The mechs perked up and some of them began to discuss the application of 'certain modifications' that would 'blast the aft off the slaggers'.

"Magnus, I heard that your mech is a gorilla," Ratchet said with a grin.

Magnus who was only as drunk as his special internal gear would allow, which was very little, glanced at Ratchet. "I have made modifications that I believe will stand my remote in good stead," he said.

Arcee glanced at him. "Your little bot is a monster."

"It is," Magnus said with a grin. "I expect to do well."

"What about you and 'Jack, Perceptor?" Ratchet asked. "I heard that the alarms have caught you both trying to mine the site at least two or three times."

Wheeljack smirked. "So **you** say."

Huge scorn greeted that.

"We plan to bring our own remotes," Wheeljack said.

"What kind?" someone in the back asked.

"I can't say," Wheeljack said mysteriously.

"Slagger. What is it? A neutron bomb?" another asked.

He laughed. **"YOU WISH!** I don't plan to lose. Just leave it at that."

"Wheeljack, that's a bit hasty," Perceptor said. "Really, you could be setting yourself up for failure," he tut-tutted.

Everyone grinned at the prim nerd, then Wheeljack. "You're not going to hold us hostage, Wheeljack. Let's make a group vow that if he looks like he's going to level the game, we blow his aft up," Ironhide said.

Everyone vowed. Wheeljack frowned. Prime applauded. Prowl took his beer away. Sandstorm slipped him another and the beat went on.

"How many combiners are there this time?" someone in the back asked, probably Cliffjumper getting intel on the next round for the title.

"We're making one. All of us." Elita grinned. "It's sort of big."

"What about you, Maelstrom? What part of the combiner are you?" Bee asked from somewhere in the back.

Maelstrom laughed loudly. "I'm myself, only bigger. Much … much bigger," he said with a wolfish grin.

"Frag," Hercy said. **"NEW VOW! WE TAKE OUT MAELSTROM!"**

Huge laughter.

"What about the Dinobots? Who has intel on them?" Prime asked as he glanced around. Prowl took his beer. Sandstorm slipped him another. Prowl caught it and frowned at Sandstorm.

"I'm sitting next to the booze locker, Prowl," Sandy said. "I got a million of them."

Huge laughter and a lot of ridicule about 'your mama' and **'LET PRIME BE PRIME!"**

Optimus chuckled. "Yes, let Prime be Prime."

Prowl stared at him like he'd grown horns.

" **COMBINERS! IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"** Raptor called out.

It was quiet a moment, then they did. Elita and her femmes were combiners. Rainmaker and his sons were a Seeker combiner-

" **A SEEKER COMBINER!** What's that?" Raptor asked as he glanced at Starscream, who himself was half in the bag.

 **"THE GREATEST INNOVATION IN THE HISTORY OF HISTORY!"** Starscream said. "Guess who gets to be the aft of our combiner?"

Everyone stared at Starscream as he grinned.

Starscream began to frown. "No one is going to guess?"

"I'll bite," Ratchet said as he sipped his beer. **"MEGATRON!"**

Starscream frowned at him as the others around him convulsed in laughter. **"YOU PEEKED!"**

"No, actually, I guessed. Who's a bigger aft?" Ratchet said to great acclaim.

"Point taken," Starscream said with a grin.

" **AIM FOR STARSCREAM'S AFT!"** Raptor said as everyone laughed. " **I** will be," he said with a feral grin. Turbine took his beer. Sunstreaker slipped him another one.

"What are the humans doing for theirs?" Hard Drive asked as he sat beside Delphi eating a piece of pie.

"I don't know but I've decided to blow them all to the Pit right away," Springer said. "Get the squishies," he said with a grin.

"What did they ever do to you?" someone asked.

"Nothing," Springer said with a smile.

" **I'll** help you," Drift said to catcalls.

"Are you going on horseback? I want to see your horse's tail burn again," Sideswipe said.

"We're going by horseback. Of course, we beefed the horses up a bit ..." Springer said.

"Who's coming as heavy artillery? Are you and Delphi going as tanks, Amma?" Sunstreaker asked as he reached for another cookie from a heaped plate.

"No," both said. Turbine grinned. "I want to out last Grimlock. Did you know that the Dinobots are bigger, stronger and they can combine?"

It was silent a moment, then Springer glanced around. "New game plan. Destroy the Dinobots, then the humans. Get the big afts and the ants out of the way. Then we can slag each other to the Pit."

Huge laughter and agreement met that. Then First Aid leaned forward to peer toward Prime. "What's the layout going to be? Is the set up from before going to remain?"

"No," Wheeljack said. "Jetta took the plans and reworked them," he said as Jetta stood and took a bow. "Fragger. Between Fort Max, Metroplex and Jetta, its different. They're going to unveil it with the buildings and the like the night before so we can look it over."

"If you were a good son-in-law, Jetta, you'd show your old ada the plans. No pressure, you understand. A **good** mech would," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Huge laughter greeted that.

"What about the newbies. What about your mechs?" Ratchet asked.

Madura leaned forward. "Proteus and I have a mech. I don't know how long we'll last but we're coming."

"Partition, Inweld and Morius have showed Burris and I how to use them. We practice in the desert," Anders said with a smile. "I hope to last a few minutes but I promise nothing."

Huge laughter.

"I have a big mech. I added more guns. I can run fast," Optimus said with a grin. "Right, Prowl? You got that firm to design our little bots and make them foolproof-" Prime said before Prowl handed him a cookie. He took it and grinned. "I love cookies."

Everyone grinned at Prime, then his genitors. They grinned back.

"What about you, Kes? Tagg? Are you going to play this time?" Ratchet asked.

"No," they both replied. "We are not cut out for it."

"I hear you, Kestrel," Ravel said. "I'm not an insane person like my son so I don't think any of us will try it this time."

Agreement and laughter greeted that.

It was peaceful as they chatted together, then the kids came fogging in. They ran to their genitors and smiled. **"ADA! WHAT US!? SHE SAYED GOING TO YOU!"** Orion pointed to someone's amma who was grinning at them after herding them up to camp. Down the way, the domes were shut down. Toys were everywhere inside but the lights were off.

"Bed time, infants," Ratchet said as he tried to stand. He managed, then gripped two of the kids, Orion and Praxus around their fat baby bellies. "Let's go." He walked forward, then paused. "Where are the tents?"

"Oh, my," Ravel said as he stood. "Follow me, infant. You're a danger to us all."

Ratchet laughed and followed Ravel to the tent where the kids would sleep as all the others hopped along behind. They went in, the hoo-haw was loud and then they came back out. "Who else or is that all of them?"

Ravel gently pushed Ratchet forward until he found his chair. "Sit, infant. We'll take care of this."

Prime stood up, swaying slightly. "I will help you, Ravel. Where are our kids, Prowl?" he asked before his father gently tugged him down.

"I think we can do that, son. Enjoy yourself," Tagg said with a smile as he rose and began to gather kids and cats.

Raptor glanced to the horses who were staked out again. "Pudding?"

The cow turned a baleful optic on Raptor from where he stood under Yancy.

"Are you going to come into the tent?" Raptor asked.

"You're talking to a cow, Appa," Sideswipe said with a grin.

"That's no ordinary cow," Raptor said. "That's a slagging **fine** cow."

Pudding walked down the slight incline to where Raptor sat. Raptor pulled him into his lap as Keystock and Cargo watched both with loathing. "This cow, this **very** cow is a trail breaker. The **first** cow on Mars."

"I think he's the **third** cow on Mars, Raptor," Turbine said.

"Uh … that's right. This cow, this **very** cow is a trail breaker. The **first** cow on Cybertron," Raptor said. He grinned. "I love cows."

Everyone laughed.

Turbine stood. "You need to recharge it off."

"Later. I'm going to stay here and commune with my cow," Raptor said.

Turbine glanced at Ratchet. "What's on the agenda tomorrow?"

"Food. Fun. Badges. Everyone gets a badge. I, Ratchet, have spoken," he said with a grin.

 **"THAT'S RIGHT! MY RATCHET HAS SPOKEN!"** Appa Ratchet said. He grinned at his grandson. "Don't forget to give yourself the cure, Sonny."

Everyone laughed. "Do you have it?" Sandstorm asked as he popped a brew.

Ratchet considered that, then shrugged. "I hope so."

"We're doomed," Ironhide said with a grin.

Prime chuckled. "We're doomed," he said as he sipped his beer.

Prowl rolled his optics.

-0-TBC 1-24-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	256. Chapter 256

The Diego Diaries: There has to be a morning aaaafffftttteeeerrrr! (dd6 256)

-0-The next morning. Probably.

He came to sentience slowly, his optics fritzing, then clearing. He was looking at sandy dirt. Raising his helm, Ratchet glanced around. He was in his tent. He recognized his nice sleeping bag nearby. He also recognized Ironhide was in it. He had crawled into the tent, apparently, then grabbed the first soft spot he could feel. He had climbed into the sleeping bag head first. His nice shapely aft was sticking out but his helm was cozy and warm.

At the foot of the bag.

Ratchet grinned, then rolled over. Flooding himself with the cure, he rose slowly then stepped out. He knew the kids were good. Most of his family never got slag faced and would handle the kids. Peeking into tents, he saw that Ravel and Docker were with them. They were lying in little rows like tiny sardines with the two lying across the doorway. The big kids were sawing logs in their tent and Spot was with them. He raised his head, grinned in that dog way at Ratchet, then rolled over again. Ratchet grinned again, then stepped out. The sun was breaking the horizon and the shadows were long. Around the campsite where everyone had congregated, there were empty chairs, empty bottles and a number of mechs who either gave it up sitting in their camp chairs or dropped before they got very far. It was a hilarious sight.

He electronically commanded the camp stoves to shut down and they did. Glancing around, he walked to the edge of the small plateau where they were camping to look out at the Valles. Looking down, he noted three of their number lying at the bottom of the slope. Scanning them, he grinned. They were fine but it would appear that they walked off the edge in their drunken stupor. Funnily enough, none of them was Cliffie.

He gazed at the other campers, some of which were stirring. The air was cold and crisp, about -110 below zero. It was a bracing and beautiful springish morning on a planet that felt like home. Around him, a lot of friends of terrifying and terrible encounters were shit faced and/or sleeping. He would check them out, then the horses. Turning back, he looked them over. Sideswipe was flat on his face in the general direction of his tent. He vaguely remembered an arm wrestling contest in which Chromia put them all in the dirt.

None of Prime's family was here, though he knew it wasn't because Optimus didn't try. The sweet mech was probably led to his tent by a slag-faced Prowl and his gentle genitors. He remembered their pleasure at his. Their wonderful son had friends who would die for him and they were here, drinking beer, eating food and playing together with him when they didn't have to. It made Kes and Tagg proud and happy that so many loved their only son and wanted his company for just that. They also knew better than to drink too much given how Optimus couldn't hold his beer. They were unsure if it was because of the Matrix or because Their Orion was so self denying he had never learned to develop a tolerance. Either way, they were in love with and proud of their boy, his family and his life.

It made theirs worth every sorry moment they had before coming here.

In the distance, other mechs lay sprawled including both Bumblebee and First Aid. It appeared that Aid was the one who fell down and Bee gave it up to join him in Blotto Land. He grinned at Raptor sitting in his chair, splayed out like a chicken as he slept deeply and hard. Lying at his peds, his little optics following Ratchet, the Ever Loyal Pudding kept him company. In the clearing nearby, seven horses dozed on their feet, their patience a thing of beauty. They had galloped and galloped the night before and it was a good thing. Nothing like burning up pent up energy for a good night's sleep.

All of the Squad but for Alor were in their tents along with their families. Alor was half in and half out of his tent having fallen on his face before getting fully inside. A light layer of dust covered him like it covered everyone else outside. He snickered as he looked inside noting that Flint had Scout in his own carrier next to his sleeping bag. Stu-RT, or Stewie he was renamed in honor of a certain cartoon baby was lying in his own next to him. How they made it, Ratchet couldn't tell. He remembered vaguely how Flint was telling stories and laughing giddily at Alor, Aunt Lissie and his genitor's discomfort over some of the hilarious disclosures.

The slagger.

He surveyed his area, then sorted out a WIFI delivery of the cure. Taking in the last quiet moments, he watched private ships fly over on their way to the northern climes where the flying clubs often gathered to race back to the colony. It felt good to see them. He often watched craft flying overhead when he was a slum kid with dreams in Iacon in the orn.

He turned to the group, then sent the cure. It hit them all at once because he saw them all stir at the same time, a reaction he never tired of. He grinned at their discombobulation, then watched as they sat up and looked around. Walking to his own chair, Ratchet sat down. He grinned at Raptor. "I see you can still hold your liquor."

The huge mech smirked, then laughed. "I remember distinctly you trying to twerk in Ironhide's face."

Ratchet thought back, then laughed. **"I DON'T AND THAT'S MY STORY!"**

By this time, everyone was staggering out or up, some with kids and others with **MAJOR** fuzzies toward the chairs. Sitting, waiting for the last defrag to finish in their programming, the sorriest crew of partiers this side of the solar well pulled themselves together. Stumbling out of tents, the others came out to join them. After a moment, they all turned to Ratchet.

Ironhide frowned slightly as he watched Prowl sit down with Halo. "What now, Old Mech. We're out here because you have a bug up your aft, so what happens next?"

Huge laughter and agreement rattled out of them as Ratchet frowned back at Ironhide. "Why frag you, Ironhide. A show of servos. Who is happy they came to this little soiree?"

It was still a moment, then Drift and Springer raised their servos. **HUGE** laughter and catcalls greeted that. Drift smirked. Springer grinned at Ratchet. "I, for one, had a blast. These ungrateful slaggers should pay a penalty, Ada. Conscript them into the Autobot Scouts."

 **HUGE** revulsion and fear manifested itself, then everyone leaned forward to tell Ratchet they never had such a good time which was the truth for all of them. They, after all, invited themselves along to the party.

Ratchet grinned. "Fraggers. Breakfast time," he said as he stood, then walked to his boxes. Reaching in, he pulled out his giant frying pan. Turning with a smile, he looked at all of them. "Behold, one of the wonders of the universe. With this pan, I, Ratchet, shall feed the slagging masses."

"You can't feed **all** of us. Some of us have stuff, Ada," Springer said as he pulled a box he and Drift had brought closer to his chair. He looked in. "We got … uh, we got something called Ho-Hos and some … packaged slag." He looked at Drift. "Were we drunk when we packed this?"

Drift glanced inside. "I hope so," he said to huge laughter.

Mechs got up and rummaged around, bringing out food they had brought from the colony. Some had nothing and others had some terrible slag. Prowl who was mesmerized by Ratchet didn't bring out the perfectly packaged food he had catered. The floor show was too interesting for him to remember that. Ratchet grinned. "Good thing I'm not a doofus like the rest of you," he said as a ship began to descend in the parking lot. It landed, then a number of youngling mechs stepped out carting boxes.

Up the trail they went, then halted before everyone which now included all of Prime's family and a number of civilians no one knew who had joined the group the night before, tents and all. "I have an order for the Autobot Scouts," one of them said, then smiled.

The entire crowd flinched as Ratchet raised his servo. "That's us. I, apparently, am the den mother of this sorry lot of slaggers. Thanks, boys."

They put the boxes down, traded slag, then ran for their ship to deliver things in other places in the Valles. One could get takeout even at the north and south poles of Mars if you had a functioning communicator, it would appear.

Ratchet turned to them, then grinned. "There's food for everyone here but Ironhide and me. Help yourself."

Everyone grinned and began to rise when Ironhide did. **"WAIT A MINUTE! I'M NOT INCLUDED?!"**

"Why, Ironhide. You just passed your physical. Your hearing is perfect," Ratchet said as he turned on a stove and put his big pan on it.

" **WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH!"** Ironhide said as everyone either went to get a beautiful box of food or one for their companions. In seconds, everyone including the kids and the Prime menagerie were sitting down again to eat a big breakfast perfectly wrapped. Ironhide looked in the boxes, then turned toward Ratchet who was watching him with his arms crossed over his chassis and a bemused expression on his face. Everyone eating watched them, too, like they were a movie playing on a screen. A murder mystery, probably. **"YOU DIDN'T BRING ENOUGH FOR ALL OF US!"**

" **WHO THE FRAG SAID I HAD TO!? WHEN ARE YOU SLAGGERS GOING TO FIGURE OUT CAMPING?!"** Ratchet asked.

"Probably never now. This is good, Ratchet. Thanks," Kup said as he ate a breakfast sandwich.

The others laughed including Prime and a fascinated Prowl who was sitting beside him. The Squad was mesmerized and so were their kids and bonds, almost against their will. They had never experienced or seen such things, especially among the highest officials of their kind anywhere. This kind of surreal slag never happened in the high castes.

The poor dumb fraggers.

They stood toe-to-toe, then Ironhide sat down. He glared at Ratchet who glared back. Then Ratchet turned to the pan and began to cook. Everyone who knew The Story watched with a mixture of dread and fascination. Ratchet rummaged around, then pulled out 'bacon, eggs, bread for toast, sausage, a big steak, hash browns ready to brown, sliced tomatoes and butter', putting them on an upturned box. He began to cook, standing over the fire with a long handled 'food flipper' as Sunspot called it.

He attached the bread to the 'toaster' rack that turned slowly over the stove. All was in hand. It was amazing. Ironhide watched with a big internal grin and an outward frown. All of it looked good and so far nothing had caught fire. No one dared to say a word because this was touchy ground. They watched the Dance of Doom between the two and ate their own food. The off line conversations were epic.

"You need help, Ratchet? I can help you," Partition said as the nine big kids nodded.

"Don't fret, infants. Thanks, though. I got this," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He watched everything reach the right moment to turn, so he did. He flipped them like a pro which he was after many an hour locked in his berth room with the flipper and a number of datapads. They sizzled so he pulled two big plates. Carefully, equally, he began to fill them up. It was delicious looking, delicious smelling and appeared to be head and shoulders above even the greatness everyone was eating out of their boxes.

Putting the toast on the platters, turning off the stove, he placed butter and jam on the plates, then handed one to Ironhide. Tossing him a juice bottle, he took one and sat down with his plate. Tru leaned over to look, then grinned. "That looks great, Ada. I think you cook great."

Everyone grinned at the sweet kid who always said good things about Ratchet's cooking and even showed anger when Ratchet would be teased about it. Tru lived up to his name in every way. Everyone sat silently eating for a moment, then Hercy grinned at Ironhide who was shoveling his face and giving bits to the little kids who were gathering around the two. "How's the grub, Ironhide?"

He glanced at Hercy. "Good stuff. I think I'll keep ya, Old Mech."

A smack on the back of the head took care of that and the spell was broken. Conversation was had, horses were fed and infants carted here and there to see and do things by their elders. A clean up of the meal and camp was had and everyone grabbed a beer to relax. Big kids climbed up on the horses after feeding them and with the little kids in front and behind, they began to wind down the trail to ride on the flat surface of the landing zone, the rest following for their turn. Pudding started to follow Spot but Raptor plucked him up.

It was pleasant as they chatted. All was well in the Valles.

-0-Nearby

"When are you going to say anything?" he asked.

She grinned. "I can but you have to ask first."

"Oh," he said. He looked at the crowd, then felt his nerve recede. "I … okay." He looked at her, then walked to Ratchet and Ironhide. He leaned down. "Could I talk to both of you for a moment?"

They looked at him, then nodded. Rising, they walked to the tie line for the horses. Both of them looked at the two, then Partition gathered his guts. "Ratchet, Ironhide … I want to bond with Lancer." He looked at her. "Right?" he asked nervously.

She smiled. "Yes. I want that, too."

Ratchet and Ironhide glanced at each other, then the two. They grinned. "You sure? You haven't known each other very long."

"We are," Lancer said as she gripped Partition's servo. "We want to do this right."

"You are, infant. What about your family? Have you told your genitors?" Ratchet asked.

"Uh," Partition said as he looked over his shoulder at his genitors who were in a group with Proteus, Madura, Joon, Vinn, Anders, and Burris. They were chatting together. "No."

Ratchet nodded, then glanced at Ironhide who shrugged. "You know his genitors best, Ratchet. I'm okay with this bond. I'll go with your call on this."

"You have to tell your genitors. Tell them that you have our blessing," Ratchet said as both smiled. "But you have to tell them before its announced to anyone else."

Partition nodded. "I will. I just … it's hard."

"We know," Ironhide said as he squeezed Lancer's arm. "We approve."

Ratchet nodded. "Slagging right, we do. Good to hear this from you rather than the grapevine. We can get together on dates and slag but for now, know we're good."

Lancer and Partition hugged them both, then walked back to the camp to sit with friends. Ratchet grinned, then glanced at Ironhide. "She's from Praxus, you know."

"I know," Ironhide said with a grin. "Get ready to party."

The walked back to the camp to sit and enjoy. They both did. Heartily.

-0-TBC 1-25-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	257. Chapter 257

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 257)

-0-Home again jiggity jig

They walked in with gear and children, minus the biggest ones who were heading for the library to crack the books for a project that was due First Monday at school. They had helped load up the horses, children, other animals, stacks of empty boxes, and themselves, this time with Ratchet on the inside, rather than the outside of the runabout. It was a short jolly flight back to the airfield south of The Fortress and a jollier time loading up Ironhide to drive their slag home.

The little kids ran for their rooms as they entered the house. Ratchet walked to his chair to sit. Ironhide who dropped the stow away gear by the door which was stuffed into a big duffel walked to his, pulling Halo out of his hold. He grinned at her and she grinned back at him. He looked at Ratchet. "That was fun."

Ratchet grinned. "It sure was."

-0-Before everyone gathered to go...

"Before you slaggers go, you need to have your badges for the barbecue. I also have moocher merit badges for the rest of you," Ratchet said as he pulled a heavy sack out of the bottom of his 'grub box'. Everyone paused with grins for this portion of the insanity as Ratchet stood up. "For barbecuing above and beyond the call of duty, I have this badge for you to keep forever and become a family heirloom to be handed down through the generations." He smiled brilliantly, then took some out. He frisbeed them to those who had barbecued including Ironhide.

They were round and had an etched image on them. It was Optimus Prime in his (unconscious) Superman pose. He was standing with an apron on, a grilling fork in one hand and a beer in the other. He was grinning. Behind him, the figure of Prowl stood holding a whole dead pig with an apple stuffed in his mouth like they always showed on the cartoons. He looked burdened and sweaty browed. The images were in full color and around the rim it said, "First Annual Barbecue in the Valles, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars".

Huge laughter and clapping emerged from that along with a frown from Prowl and a loud guffaw from Optimus. Ratchet grinned. "Here is the Moocher Medallion of Dishonor for the rest of you." He tossed everyone around the area a frying pan shaped medallion that was just as 'tasteful' and filled with lurve as the other one. It had an image of a dumpster. Sitting inside, peering over the rim, Bumblebee, Sandstorm and Roadbuster looked out with sappy grins on their faces. A banana peel was perched on Bee's helm like a hat. It was in full color and had the words, "First Annual Moocher's Medallion, Barbecue in the Valles, Autobot City".

Laughter greeted that, then Bee stood up. "Thanks, Ratchet. I don't have a thing to give you back but if you want, I'll erase the twerking video I took when you shook your fanny in Ironhide's face."

 **HUGE** laughter and requests for copies greeted that as Ratchet sat with a smirk. "Slagger."

-0-Home again

Ratchet laughed. "It was a lot of fun. We have to do that once in a while to break up the slag. The kids need memories and we adults need a few fun ones to replace the others."

Ironhide nodded. An internal message reached both of them as they sat relaxing. Because they were general staff, they were informed of all that went down. They acknowledged the message. It was Prowl. :We have a small group coming in from the trail, some who didn't get gathered by Dai. They're a colony that pulled up stakes and finally reached our outer sensor range. We're going to pick them up and bridge them in. They appear to be a mixed caste enclave with soldiers who bound together and built a colony out past the crown nebula. How they got that far, I don't know:

:Do you need us?: Ironhide asked.

:I would like Ratchet to go check them over, a general sweeping scan if nothing else. We need an overview of them for a starter. There's only about 10,000 of them and the Bureau of Refugees and Immigration already is organizing them for settlement. I'm going down but Optimus is staying with the kids:

:I'm on it, then: Ratchet said as he stood. :You expect trouble or is this just precautionary and evaluative?:

"Both: Prowl replied as he paused the elevator he was riding on Ratchet's floor. :We just want to take a sense of it. Magnus told me he has it organized. Someone mentioned a number of high castes. I want to nip anything in the bud that arises:

Ratchet walked out his door, slowed with a grin as he spotted Prowl at the elevator holding it, then walked down to join him. The door closed and they began to descend. "You don't expect trouble, do you?"

"Who knows? Every migration is a crap shoot anymore," Prowl said as they descended.

-0-On the ground

The usual rush to prepare to receive refugees was in full swing and under control. They both remembered the early orns when twenty was a catastrophe. Now, they accepted millions at a time and their people rose to the occasion like the champions they were. They walked to the airfield and arrived as the first several ships descended from their parking orbit to land. The hatches opened and ramps were extended as the soldiers with them walked down carrying kids and those who were unable to walk.

Ratchet walked up to scan them and found them sound, but in need of attention. Their group had some skill and resources, using them to make their way. A soldier walked to Prowl and shook his hand. "Commander, I'm Commander Tulee of Nova Cronum. We're really glad to be here. We had to book it because of alien unrest in our sector. We're sort of crammed in and short on everything but hope."

"Welcome, Commander. We'll be needing any information you can give us about your area and journey," Prowl said. "Welcome to Autobot City."

He looked around the area, then smiled. "You've been busy," he said.

"We have. What is the caste make up of your party? We've outlawed the System and want to know if there's going to be a problem here."

He stared at Prowl for a moment, then looked at the civilians being taken off the ships. "I sort of left them for the last to arrive. We hoped to be able to avoid trouble and we still do. The high castes on the ships are … uh, very traditional and they have the attitude. They haven't been non cooperative but they have their ways. You know?" he asked with a wry expression.

Prowl nodded. "Thank you for that." They chatted a moment, then his family walked to him. "Why don't you help your family, then report back to help us take in the high castes?" He looked around, then waved a Home Guardsman over. "Please help this mech and his family to be settled, then bring him back to me here to assist with a problem."

The Home Guardsman, a young kid, nodded. "I will, Commander," he said. He turned to the mech and his tired family. "Come with me. I'll expedite you through Immigration and take you to your home. Then I'll bring you back and your family can rest there until you get back."

Tulee nodded, then followed the youngster with his family to the front of a line where they began to go through the routine. Ratchet watched him, then glanced at Prowl. "Trouble, do you think?"

"No," Prowl said firmly.

They waited and waited, the reclamation proceeding swiftly with the large number of intake officers working. Tulee came back after a while energized and surprised at the apartment for him and his family in the Crater District. By then, the last few ships were landing.

It was mid afternoon by the time the last three ships landed, slowing to a halt on the tarmac. The ramps opened and a number of very fine looking mechs and their families stepped out to walk down to the ground. They came out and hesitated as they looked around, their surprise remarkable on their handsome faces. They came toward Prowl, some of them recognizing him even now as the S.I.C. of the Autobot Armed Forces. One of them, a handsome bot, large and exquisite in his paint scheme paused in front of him with his family. "Commander Prowl. It's good to see you again. I am Treadwell of Polyhex. I knew your genitors."

Prowl nodded. "Welcome to Autobot City and the Reclaimed Empire. I'm here to welcome you in place of the Prime who is busy with his family. You'll be going through Immigration and the Bureau of Refugees will help settle you. As you know, the Prime has set the rules and upholds the Charter laws of Cybertron. The System of Exception is banned here and throughout the Empire which he has reclaimed from the Decepticons, many of which live here as full citizens. Cybertron and the Inner Planetary System is now under our control."

Treadwell and the group around him which continued to grow as more came from the ships stared at him with silence. Then Treadwell leaned closer. "Prime has Cybertron?"

"He does. It's being restored so none of you may go there for the duration. You will live here. The Bureau will help you with questions and other concerns. If you would join the lines, they will assist you." Prowl nodded to the lines formed beside them.

"When will we get to see Prime? I have many questions," Treadwell said as others nodded.

"You can make an appointment through his office and he will meet with you. He has many duties and demands on his time but he makes himself available for our people, all of them," Prowl said.

They stared at him, then Treadwell nodded. "Thank you. We will," he said. He looked at the lines, then his group. "Let's go to do this then." He looked at Prowl. "Thank you."

Prowl nodded, then watched as they walked toward the lines, a large number of mechs and a femme here and there. All of them were immaculate and some of them were familiar. Most familiar were two mechs who walked behind a group of tall sub adults. They glanced at him, then slowed. Prowl who turned toward Ratchet froze in place as he saw them over Ratchet's shoulder.

Ratchet who had no idea what was happening glanced at Prowl, then the two mechs he was staring at. Ratchet froze, too. Then he glanced at Prowl. "Prowl?"

Prowl blinked, then glanced at Ratchet. He didn't say anything, but he walked forward, stopping before the two familiar strangers. He looked at a loss for words. Then one of them, a big mech who looked remarkably like Prowl straightened his posture. "Prowl. You survive." He was formal and awkward, his emotions tightly in check as he stared at Prowl. The other mech with him, someone with similar colors and design looked equally as surprised. He said nothing.

"You … I did. How did **you**? The city was destroyed. It was wiped out. I went to your house but it was obliterated," Prowl said.

"We weren't home," the big mech said.

It was silent, awkward even, so Ratchet stepped forward and scanned them, breaking the impasse. "Well, you're both in good condition. I'd say some rest and good food will do it for both of you." He looked at Prowl who looked like he had just seen a ghost. "Prowler … who are these mechs?"

Prowl stared at them, then Ratchet. "They're … uh … they're my amma and appa … Zenith and Shadow."

Ratchet stared at Prowl, then the two. "Oh," he said with surprise.

-0-Moments later in the conference room of the Ops Center

They sat silently, staring at each other over the table, two formal mechs and their grandson, the Gothic Rebel usually known as Prowl of Praxus. These two were scientists and inventors, mathematicians of the highest order, wealthy and influential in the glory days of Cybertron before The Fall, owners of many homes, bonding together two great families, and clueless about the changes in store for them. They were the genitors of Miler of Praxus, a sweet spark who loved his son and family and worked hard for everyone, everyday. What this meant to that was still unfolding.

Heavy treads broke the strained silence as Optimus Prime walked in. Both rose and bowed their helms. "Lord Optimus, it is Primus Blessed to see you again."

"And to see you," Prime replied in the formal salutation. "Please … sit and let us talk together." They did and so did Prime. "What a miracle that you are here. Are you well? Do you require anything?"

"We are well and apparently, we shall be taken to our new home shortly," Zenith said.

Prowl sat silently, staring at them with an odd mixture of emotions on his face. Prime glanced at him, then them. "Has Prowl told you very much about life here, about **his** life here?"

"No," Zenith said. "He mentioned that The System is dead and that the Bureau of Refugees would assist us with our life here."

"We shall as well." Prime squeezed Prowl's servo. "Prowl and I have a bond."

They glanced at both sharply, then recovered completely. "I see. Congratulations are in order then," Shadow said as Zenith nodded.

"We have infants. Several. We have grandchildren. Several," Prowl managed.

The two stared at him, then Prime. "That is … unexpected. But then, all of this is," Zenith said as Shadow nodded.

"There's more, Amma, Appa," Prowl managed. "Ada and Atar are here. They survived and reached us. They live and work here and they have another son. They call him Prima."

Zenith and Shadow sat back to absorb the new information. "I see. Miler … is alive then?" Shadow asked.

Prowl nodded. "He is, Amma. Do you want me to call him to come?"

Zenith and Shadow glanced at each other, then Prowl. "I think … that would be agreeable."

Prowl nodded, then made the call internally.

Ratchet and Ironhide watched them as they talked together off line. :This is not going well, Ironhide:

:I know: Ironhide replied as he sat silently beside Ratchet. :I saw them and met them once. They're very conservative and really high tone. I don't know if they changed but this is going to take some unwinding:

"Have they been given their home yet, Prowl?" Prime asked quietly.

Prowl glanced at him, then shook his helm. "Not yet, Optimus."

"Grandchildren. We have them?" Shadow said. "Tell us about them, Prowl."

Prowl stared at them, at the pair who never seemed to understand even the smallest thing about him, who wanted him to conform to their caste and its demands and felt the urge to say no. "We have several. I have an adopted son who with his bonds have three children, a mech and twin femmes. Optimus and I have four other sons, all young, and two daughters who are babies."

"You say that Miler has another child," Shadow asked.

"Yes," Prowl replied. "A son named Prima. Ada wanted another ..." He paused on the word 'chance' for a second. "He wanted another child and Atar is very happy about it, too."

The pair nodded, then a rap on the door signaled someone coming. Prime stood and turned to the door as Miler and Venture stepped in. They smiled at him. "How can we help you, Optimus?" Miler asked sweetly. Then he glanced toward the others. Freezing in place, Miler of Praxus saw his ada and atar, Zenith and Shadow of Praxus rising slowly from their chairs. It was excruciatingly tense and suspenseful in the room.

-0-TBC 1-26-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	258. Chapter 258

The Diego Diaries: Family 1 (dd6 258)

-0-Ops Center, Conference Room, The Fortress, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Miler stared almost without comprehension at the two mechs staring back at him. They were extremely handsome and well made, their paint schemes impeccable and of the type that Miler, Venture and Prowl bore. It was a high caste two tone, black and white with small tasteful embellishments like the chevron and silver attachments here and there. It wouldn't do at their level of august refinement to be garish. Neither of them would change their paint scheme from sickly greenish-yellow to white and red for a mom van.

Miler glanced at a stunned Venture, then his genitors. "Ada … Atar … are you really here?" he gasped.

Zenith straightened even more as he glanced at the others watching solemnly. "We are here, Miler. It is … good to see you. You appear to be well."

Ratchet watched with two points of view. First was the doctor reading and dissecting the train wreck happening before him. The second was that of the beloved son of a large family whose entire life was focused on the nurturing of his well being in the midst of the hell of their world. There was no emotional connection here or, more likely, it was so buried under mountains of social restraint and training that it couldn't emerge even with the greatest provocation.

Miler was rooted to the floor. Venture was stunned into silence. Prowl was helplessly sitting in his seat. Prime was clueless. Everyone was riveted. Ratchet stood. "May I say something, Miler."

Everyone turned toward him. "Ratchet … I just ..." He glanced at his genitors, then Ratchet. "Please do."

"This is a very great shock. Not everyone reacts the same way. Right now, everyone is stunned and tired. What I think is in order is that your genitors go to their home and settle in. Why don't you and I along with Ven and Prowl take them there. I can help you if the shock is too great. Would that help you?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl stood slowly, his gaze moving between his ada and his grandparents. "I think that's … we can do that." He moved around the table, then turned to his grandparents. No one moved to embrace, though there was unease and shock clear enough to see on all of them. "How about we take you home, Appa. You can rest and settle. We can … talk and then … we can figure out what comes next."

Zenith stared at Prowl, at the only grandchild that he was aware of until now and nodded. He glanced at Shadow, then Prowl again. "I think I'm finding this too shocking at the moment." He looked at a pensive Venture and an emotional Miler. "I … I never expected to see any of you again. This is most … shocking."

Ratchet walked around the table, then slipped his servo through Miler's arm. "I agree. What a surprise. How about we go and settle in. We can send for food and do this right. After a good nights recharge, then we can break down what's happening here. Come with me, Venture and Miler," Ratchet said as he turned toward the door. Tugging on Miler, the silent mech followed, glancing back at his genitors as he did.

Prowl turned to the two. "Shall we go?" he asked.

"I will come, too, Prowl," Prime said as he stood.

Prowl glanced at him with a look of relief. "That would be a good thing, I think. I … come, please."

Prime walked behind the two as they followed Prowl to the door and outside. The others watched them go, then glanced at each other with surprise. Springer shook his helm. "I don't know where my family is but I'd chop off my arm to find them. What the frag is wrong with them?"

No one could say.

-0-Outside

They walked toward the junction of Metroplex Highway 1 and the road to Terra through the Temple District. Zenith and Shadow walked quietly, their optics taking in the area and all of the unbelievable sights. When they crossed the wide highway at the lights, they walked down the street toward Metro Station #1 and the train to the Crater District. Down the steps they went, silently and orderly. The tension was rising as the strain began to build. Standing on the station, they watched the trains go by as they waited for the Southern Line which would go straight through to Centurion, then turn off to the Crater District.

They stood in the empty car staring at each other and the floor as the train started. Zenith turned to Miler who looked wretched. "I am told that you have another son, Miler."

Miler looked up at his father with a brighter expression. "We have a son, Atar. His name is Prima. He's so wonderful. When we get to your home I will show you."

"I would like that, Miler," Zenith said as Shadow nodded. That big mech looked around, then sat on a bench. He looked tired. Zenith glanced at him. "Shadow, are you alright?"

Shadow glanced at him. "This is all very … shocking. Here. I'm saying that word again but its true."

"Ratchet can give you assistance," Optimus said as he sat down across from the big black and white mech. There were traces of Prowl in both of them, the brilliance that was almost auric about him, the intensity of gaze, the hard edged intransigence that never said die, the formal streak that Prowl only used as a weapon, not as his everyday affectation. Prowl was hilarious, normally informal and decent to be around by most who worked with him. For Prime, he was the alpha and the omega of his soul. These two were ULTRA formal, ULTRA self controlled and a perfect specimen of the most elite high caste type one could find on Cybertron in the orn, one that was rigid in their formality and adherence to the Way Things Went. This was going to leave a mark. He glanced at Miler who looked emotional and tense. It already had.

They passed stations, stopping sometimes and others not before they arrived at Nova Cronum Metro #1. Prime glanced at Prowl. "Which station, Prowl?" he asked gently.

Prowl who was standing between his genitors with his arms around them jolted. "Oh. Metro #2."

They stayed aboard, then when the train slid into the next station, stepped off as a group. Prowl gripped his ada's arm. "Follow me. I will take you there," he said as he steered his atar and led his ada with him to the stairs.

Up they went into an enormous beautiful cityscape. It wasn't a city with a full population. It only had about half the citizenry that would call it home. Businesses were in place, their doors open for customers who were walking here and there as vehicles, sentient and not, drove on the wide eight lane highway that divided the city into two pieces. A huge square with water works could be found as they walked out of the station. Pausing on the sidewalk, they stared around themselves. Prowl turned to them. "You live in a tower on 8th and E Street. Follow me," he said as he led the way, steering his genitors along.

Venture gathered himself, then took Miler's servo. He knew that neither Zenith or Shadow would approve but he decided at that moment that he didn't care. Miler was his bond and he was upset. Down the street they went, crossing at the lights until they reached a massive gleaming tower that disappeared into the sky overhead. Prowl turned to the group. "Remember this location and this building, Amma. This will be where you will live now," he said as he turned to walk inside, heading for a bank of gleaming elevators at the far end of the marble filled lobby. It was beautiful and nearby was the desk where the building manager took care of business. He wasn't there at the time but the buzzer that called him was clear to see. Entering an elevator, they took an awkward ride upward to the 42nd floor where they stepped off.

Walking down an immaculate hallway, passing apartments that were occupied, they reached one on the corner that was numbered 33. Prowl opened it, then turned to the party. "You can make your own security code. Right now, its open to us because you're assigned to it." He entered, walked to the window, then turned to face them. They walked in followed by Miler, Venture and the others. They paused in the living room to look around.

It was not what they expected, the level of luxury here and the view. Beyond, the other cities of the district could clearly be seen inside the massive crater that was their location. They dazzled in their gigantic magnificence in the distance. The apartment itself was beautiful, sparkled with its brand new opulence and the floor-to-ceiling windows that gave a marquee view of the world beyond.

It was a two berth room apartment with wash rack, office, big living room, kitchen and dining room that embraced the windows. Everything sparkled as Prowl stepped forward to do the honors. "Amma, Appa, everyone lives like a king here. This is your home and you can go about the colony to acquire the things you need to make it feel like home. This kitchen is for you and we can show you what you can do with it tomorrow after you rest and relax. The device on the corner, that is the energon dispenser which delivers class A energon to your home directly. There are many ways to eat here and I ordered food to be brought for you. If you follow me, I will show you the rest of your apartment."

They stared at him, then Zenith nodded. Following Prowl, they walked down the hallway to see the rest as everyone watched them silently. Miler stared after them, then walked to the couch to sit down. He stared at the floor, then Venture joined him. "Milie, are you alright?"

Miler stared at him a moment, then shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I couldn't … what does this mean, Venture? Its like nothing has changed."

"They're in shock, Miler. Give them a few orns and it will get better," Venture said gently. "Everyone is different, right, Ratchet, about such things?" he asked as he looked upward to Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded. "They are. I can give you something, Miler, if you need it."

He looked at Ratchet, then his servos. "I might," he said truthfully.

Ratchet wifi-ed him a script and he relaxed visibly. He looked at Ratchet. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he said with a small grin.

Prowl led them back into the living room as a knock on the door occurred. Ratchet opened it and took a box, thanking the kid who delivered it. Closing the door, he walked to the counter and set the box down. Turning to Prowl, he waited. "Do you want to do the honors or what, Prowler?"

"Amma, Appa," Prowl said. "Why don't you sit at the table with Atar and Ada while I get you all some food. I think it'll be nice to have some," he said nervously as he walked toward Ratchet to assist.

The four walked to the table and sat to face each other. It was strangely awkward. Prowl and Ratchet bustled with dinner, then placed it before the four with a drink that was familiar and much loved from Cybertron. "This is food we like here, food that you can have all the time if you want," Prowl said as he pulled a chair to sit. "I can join you." He looked at Ratchet and Prime. "Why don't you join us? I ordered enough."

Ratchet walked to the box and handed Prime a boxed dinner. He handed one to Prowl, took one himself, then sat down. Opening it, everyone began to eat. It was excruciating. "Tell me, Zenith … what made your group leave?"

Zenith who was savoring the food glanced at Ratchet. "There were restless aliens in the area and when a group of Autobot soldiers heard our signal, they came to our colony and took us all away. It was a fortunate thing that they were there."

"I agree," Ratchet said. He would burble on, asking questions, getting food and other items for the diners and when they were finished, gather up the scraps for the recycle. He grinned, then turned toward the grim dinner table. "This is my favorite part of the apartments. Anything you have as waste or recycle goes in here," he said stuffing the trash into the slot on the wall above the left counter and next to the liquid energon dispenser. He closed the door for it, then pushed the button that activated it. A light blinked then shut off. "Its all flushed to the sub basement where its scanned, sorted, then taken care of. We operate with a zero tolerance for trash and waste."

"That's very ingenious," Shadow said.

"How do you feel, Ada?" Miler asked.

He looked at his son, his only child. "Tired, Miler. Very, very tired."

"Then you need to rest," Miler said as he stood. "Let me assist you both."

"You needn't, Miler," Zenith began before Miler cut him off.

"I insist, Atar," Miler said. "You must be exhausted. Allow me to help you get some rest." He stared at them until they stood, then began to walk to the berth room.

Zenith and Shadow paused. "Thank you for your assistance. This is all … overwhelming and new. We are very appreciative of what you have done for us," Zenith said. Then the two followed Miler down the hallway.

Prime, Venture, Prowl, and Ratchet waited silently, the pall of the encounter overwhelming. Even Miler and Venture were in an agony to see Prowl when they arrived with their migration. No one forgot the reactions of Ironhide, Prime and Ratchet when they found their own. This was a strange and sad encounter for the three as they waited for Miler to return. When he did, he was strained but composed. "Thank you for coming to help them get settled. This is all new and very stressful," Miler explained.

"We know, Milie," Ratchet said. "Are they alright?"

"They're settled. We're going to go to breakfast in the morning at The Diner On The Corner before showing them the colony and helping them get things organized," he said.

"Would you like company at breakfast?" Ratchet asked.

Miler looked at all of them with a grateful expression. "That would be wonderful. If you could."

"It would be our honor, Miler," Optimus said as they walked to the door to leave.

-0-On a train back to the Residence and Vos Tower, The City

They sat across from each other, Ratchet and Prime facing Venture and a solemn Miler. Miler vented a sigh, then stared at his son who was standing next to Optimus. "This is going to be strange. I don't want to go backward." His expression crumpled for a moment, then he leaned into Venture. "We never showed them Prima."

It would be a long ride back to The City.

-0-TBC 1-27-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	259. Chapter 259

The Diego Diaries: Relations (dd6 259)

-0-Residence shortly after

Prowl paused his pacing to turn toward Optimus who was sitting on his chair in the living room. The children were playing elsewhere and the two were alone, albeit home early from work. "It was like time hadn't passed. They were just like I remember. There was no warmth or recognition, no love for my ada, none for me. I have never met such coldness and they wanted me to be just like them." He looked solemn. "I was … for the longest time."

"No," Optimus said. "You were never like them. You would have never achieved the fullness of yourself if you were, Prowl. I am sorry."

Prowl looked at him with an emotional expression. "This will disrupt our life. They won't accept things as they are. They're so bound into their life that they nearly destroyed my genitors. I rebelled because I couldn't be them and still, I had some of it seep into me."

"We will not allow it. We can see how this plays out. They will have to accept that the past is past and that now is the way it is. As for the children and the others … we shall protect them as we always do," Optimus said.

Prowl nodded. "We shall," he said. Then he began to pace once more.

-0-Vos Tower

Miler stood by the window staring out at the approaching night. Across the way, The Praxus Tower stood, the home once upon a time of the trine. Now they lived in Tyger Pax, closer to Sunstreaker's business and the younger set that made up their friend circle. Living here was a blessing. It was close to work and they had most of their own set here, the center of life among the elders of their community. Though Venture and Miler trended to the younger end, they had legions of friends among those older, all of them the spectrum of caste labeling from the old system.

"Are you coping, Miler?" Venture said as he held Prima. The infant was recharging in his father's arms, wrapped in a blanket that was embroidered with Lord Prima's name, his symbol and a few of his greatest and most comforting sayings.

"Mostly, Ven. This is not a good thing for our family," Miler said. "I missed them terribly and reconciled myself to their death. Now they walk in from the mists and have no give, no emotions from their travail. I'm sure their life was hard and if I didn't know them as well as I do, I would chalk this up to that. But I know them very well. They were part of the effort to make us their image and I can't live like that again, Venture. I would have to renounce everyone that I love, renounce every idea and value that I have come to embrace and that won't happen."

"Why don't we give them a bit of time, Milie. Let them settle in and maybe we shall see what they've become. Everyone in the end becomes someone different after all of this," Venture said.

Miler turned to him. "That's what I pray for," he said. "I will take them to the Temple tomorrow and we will have an understanding. If they wish to be a part of our lives, they have to reach up for it. I won't be going down."

"None of us will. Maybe if they get lonely enough they will change. This isn't Cybertron in the orn where they had control of everything," Venture said.

Miler paled. "What if they invoke?" he gasped.

Venture stared at Miler with a sinking feeling. "I don't think they would do that, Miler. One orn at a time, one moment at a time. You must believe that love will find a way."

Miler stared at him, then nodded. "For me and you, it has. I just wish it could for them. I never understood how lonely and solemn they were before today."

"Nor I, mine," Venture said.

Miler walked to him, then sat on the coffee table before him. He rested his servo on Venture's knee. "They will be found, Only One. It's almost like its supposed to be now. Over 23% of the migrations now deliver someone to a resident here. I have faith in all things, Venture."

He nodded. "I think so, too."

They sat together talking quietly for a long time. Outside, the lights moving overhead did the business of empire while the 23 million stories of the colony spun onward.

-0-Raptor, Blackjack, Flint and 'Stewie', Hard Drive, Ironhide, Kup, and Hercy

"Your deal, old mech."

"Who you calling an old mech?"

"You." -everyone there but Hard Drive

Hercy grinned as he shuffled the cards, then dealt them. They were gathered in the man cave for the usual card game. Many of the usuals, Perceptor and Wheeljack, the twins, Optimus, and others were busy with slag. Unusually, they weren't here. Optimus and the two scientists for the family reasons and the others for the huge card at the Races. "So … what's going to transpire with Miler's genitors, do you think?"

Raptor shrugged. "They will change or not. Their special kind of slag isn't worth anything here."

"But they can invoke," Hardie said as he anted up.

Everyone glanced at him. "What would happen, Atar?" Raptor asked.

"The invocation would be valid, son," Hardie said.

"What sort of recourse would Miler and the others have against it?" Ironhide asked as his tanks began to churn. "Those slaggers would do it, too. What a cold pair of slaggers."

Hardie shrugged. "There's very little you can do if you uphold your cultural traditions. I invoked on you, Raptor, that time, remember?"

Raptor glanced at the others. "Uh, yeah, but keep it to yourself."

Hardie grinned at the others glancing from Raptor to Ironhide. "If you wish." He looked at his cards. "Ante?"

They anted, then Ironhide leaned forward. "What invocation? No one ever told me that any of you were ever invoked."

"Moda invoked on Smokey. I hear he and Hot Rod are still feuding. Young love. I could hurl," Hercy said with a smirk. "Oh, did I change the subject?

Hardie grinned, then nodded to Hercy. "Yes, you did, recruit. Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Hercy said as he threw tossed in another Oreo.

" **TELL ME!"** Ironhide demanded.

"Mouthy little mech. Takes after a certain sonny that looks like him," Raptor said with a frown. He looked at his son. "You were supposed to teach him to respect his elders, Blackjack."

"I did what I could with what I had," Blackjack said as he anted up, too.

"Oh, ha-ha. That doesn't change the subject. Talk," Ironhide said.

"I don't remember," Hard Drive said because he liked Ironhide's little frowns. He grinned at the miffed youngster. "I don't. Do you, Raptor?"

Raptor glanced at Ironhide, then his grandfather. "If I did, I wouldn't tell."

"You're both covering for him," Ironhide said. "See if I tell **you** anything **EVER!** "

"We'll just ask Ratchet," Blackjack said. He smiled brilliantly at his son who frowned.

Ironhide would never know how many adults sitting in the room enjoyed that he did.

-0-The next orn

It was a tense morning in The Residence as Prowl and Prime got the children going. Breakfast was had, then a short walk to the street for the buses to come. Ratchet and his menagerie joined them with their kids and Ironhide. He had lost the night before, surrendering all his Oreos to the others who made a point of telling him how tasty they were as they ate them in front of him.

The buses began to come down the street, stopping to pick them up in bunches. The little mechs with Sunspot, minus Rambler, hopped on board and took off. The next bus took the big kids and Rambler. Then Hero's cab arrived. Finally, the special buses for Sparkling day … Miracle, Orion, and Praxus took the first to Sparkling Day while Sojourner, Solus and Prowler were carried aboard theirs for Circle Prep by aides. It left and all of them stared as it departed.

"I don't know about all of you but this is an intervention by the gods," Ratchet said. They all agreed, then everyone turned toward Prime and Prowl. "What's going to happen today, Prowl, and how can we help you?"

Prowl considered that, then called his ada and atar. They chatted, then Prowl turned toward Optimus. "I just called my genitors and they think the first real meet up should be with the three of us. They don't want any of you being treated badly, if at all. We don't know what they think or believe but last night wasn't a good start. I, personally don't want you to be mistreated even accidentally, Optimus."

"I can go with you," Prime said. "All of us can. Just tell us what you need."

Prowl glanced at everyone, then Prime. "I think I'll go with what Ada and Atar suggested for their sake. Then we can go from there. You don't mind? You aren't hurt are you?" he asked.

"No. I will do what you three need," Optimus said as Prowl stepped into his embrace. "We can come at a moment's notice."

"I'll remember that," Prowl said as he looked up at Prime. "I will meet you at The Fortress, then."

Prime nodded, then all of them watched as Prowl walked onward heading toward the Diner On The Corner.

Ratchet glanced at Prime. "This is fragged. I would hate to have this happen to me and mine."

"We were too poor, Ratchet, to have this much time to make things difficult," Optimus said.

Ratchet nodded. "You got **that** right," he said.

Ironhide didn't say a word.

They walked onward together to the Ops Center to wait.

-0-At the Diner On The Corner, Autobot City

Prowl sat in a booth near the back waiting anxiously for his family. No one spotting him would notice that feature. He was in full control of himself. When they appeared in the doorway, Miler with Venture who carried Prima in a carrier followed by Zenith and Shadow, he felt tension grip him. He stood and waved to them. They walked up and sat down as Prowl pulled a chair for himself. The two sat quietly, their elegance like an aura around them.

Zenith looked at Prowl. "Good morning, Prowl. Is the Prime unable to attend?"

"He had a detail to take care of. If he can, he will join us," Prowl said as the waiters brought menus.

They took them, studied them, then looked at Prowl. "I will defer to your greater wisdom with the menu, Prowl," Shadow said.

When the waiter came, Prowl ordered for them, himself, then his genitors did their own. It was quiet a moment. Prowl looked at his grandgenitors. "Did you recharge well? How do you like your apartment? Perhaps we can move you closer to The City here when an opening comes about," Prowl said.

"We recharged well," Zenith said. "The apartment is beautiful and luxurious. We have not had such amenities in some time."

It was silent a moment. "Did they see Prima?" Prowl asked his grim faced ada.

"They did," Miler said. "He was happy to meet them."

"He is a very beautiful child," Shadow said. "I understand that the schools here are excellent."

"They are," Prowl replied. "We have always had a school since we always had infants in the company. We have private schools and public. We put our daughters into the Circle Prep Academy because we wanted them both with us during the day and they have an excellent home school program."

"Prima is going to be placed shortly. We want him to have all the advantages," Venture said. "It's hard to have him gone from us even for such a short time but we have to make sure he's given the best we can."

Zenith nodded. "What about religious schools?"

"We have one at the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea. We have lessons in the schools with Lady Sela. We don't have a Temple school for children yet. What do you think, Ven? You're on the Temple Council." Miler asked.

"They discuss it but its mostly for older individuals with a focus on the priesthood," Venture said. "I will talk to Sela if you wish it."

"I would be interested, Venture," Zenith said.

It was silent again, but mercifully, the waiters came and delivered big platters of food and large drinks of Cybertronian 'tea'. They left and the two sat for a moment staring at the food. "What is this, Miler, and how do you eat it?"

"Its energon-based food shaped and designed to taste like that of the cuisines of our allies, those who live one planet over. It's really delightful and most delicious," Miler said, unconsciously falling into his old role of peacekeeper between his genitors. Venture and Prowl. "Why don't you try it? This is called butter and you put it on the pancakes. Then you pour this syrup over them and eat them that way. The eggs and bacon are eaten without fuss."

They did what they were told and soon everyone was eating. Prowl looked at them as they ate as regally as they lived, with great manners. "What do you think? I love this food."

"It's different," Zenith said. "I'm not used to the flavors or textures but I can see how you might like it. Are there Cybertronian restaurants here?"

"There are, Atar," Miler said. "I will show you things. I'm taking the orn off. Venture is as well. We can show you this miracle and I know you will be amazed."

Zenith nodded. "I am sure we will be, Miler," he said.

They continued their meal without conversation.

-0-Ops Center

"Prowl is a wreck. I can only imagine Miler," Ratchet said.

Prime nodded. "He is tense, tenser than I've seen since we came to this system."

"Well, unless they invoke, there isn't much they can do about things." Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "Is there?"

"You're asking me?" Ironhide replied.

They sat together tensely waiting for Prowl and his family to be finished. What they would do after that was anyone's guess.

Time would pass slowly in Autobot City this orn.

-0-TBC 1-28-18 **edited 2-2-18**


	260. Chapter 260

The Diego Diaries: Return (dd6 260)

-0-On the street after breakfast

They stood on a street corner watching the traffic go past. There were vehicles both manned and otherwise along with trucks doing their business, going their own way on the spacious highways and roads that were lit with real traffic lights. Businesses were open with customers coming and going along with pedestrians on the sidewalks. There were also street vendors with immaculate carts 'selling' street food which was especially huge in the colony. It was like Cybertron in the orn but organic.

Prowl, Miler, Venture, and Optimus Prime watched Zenith and Shadow stare around themselves. They were perfectly mannered, self contained, non emotionally demonstrative, and ready to go wherever the family was ready to take them. It made the four nervous down to their superstructure. Miler had fallen back into the 'referee' role, the one who kept both sides calm and happy at their own expense, Venture was silent again, Prime was concerned for all of them, and the shadow of Gothic angst shaded Prowl's usually forward moving personality. Only Prima in his carryall was relaxed as he watched the sky from the swaddling of his soft blankets.

"This is the main thoroughfare of Autobot City," Miler was saying. "This is the main highway and it runs three directions through the colony. Down that way is Aerie Hill, the enclave where most Seekers live. It's designed for them to fly in and out without crashing into the buildings of this part of the colony. That direction is the Terra Hub, the Industrial Park Cities and your home in the Crater District. This way," he said pointing down the street beyond, "is the Temple District, the route to the Mausoleum, the Primal Basilica with the Shrine to the Thirteenth Prime, the Tri-Cities and Metro Districts, and almost all of the human habitats and consulates."

They nodded, then Zenith turned to his son. "Humans are the organics from Earth?"

"They are," Venture said. "They're our first friends, the closest we have and our partners in many ventures. You will see them buzzing around town in vehicles of many stripes. There are also other organics rescued from the Decepticons who live in a large habitat on the other side of the airfield who are call the Hu-An. They usually stay in their quarters tending their gardens. They require them for food."

Zenith nodded. "Where do we go next?" he asked.

"I thought we would take the trains to the Terra Hub, then go through the Tri-Cities. We have a number of other developments, the Seven Cities-East, North, West, and South which can also be explored. Over 23 million of our people reside here with more coming shortly in migrations prepared by Dai Atlas and the Knights of Cybertron," Miler said. "They're very heroic with what they do as are all our soldiers and people." He began to lead the group and they followed, heading toward Metro Station #1.

Down they went to halt on the platform. There were a happy group of youngling kids, apprentices most likely who were either heading to work or play. They were boisterous and friendly, laughing together at one end of the platform. Prime's presence drew a wave which he returned as trains came and went. They boarded their train and were gone. When the Circle Line came, all of them stepped aboard. The doors closed and they sped onward.

Sitting in seats, they watched the lights as they came and went down the tunnel. "How long does it take to get from place to place, Prowl?" Shadow asked after a moment of silence.

"The trains are very fast and travel to every corner of the colony. They run continuously, all orn and night, so you can always travel for your needs. There are multiple stations in each city and therefore, you should find the one closest to you. The station we took is the first and the most busy of all in the colony," Miler said. "There are trains that carry only children to and from school, the Orange Line and The Bus as two are called. Those are busy in the morning and evening as well as being dedicated to children, though between times you can ride them."

"There are many schools it would appear," Zenith said.

Prowl nodded. "We have always supplied education for all our people. Our schools for all ages are stellar. We have renowned individuals supplying opportunities and education to our children. Our university is excellent, staffed by many of the best in their field from Cybertron. They're very happy to do what they did before and we're happy to have them."

Zenith nodded. "That is good," he said as the train slowed when it reached Terra.

This hub was the premier station in the system with lines going from it to everywhere, north, south, east, and west. It had ten different platforms that fed different directions but most used the three that were the main transfer lines. They walked to the stairs and with a lot of pedestrians going up as on the other side of the rail lots went down, they reached the main station proper and walked out of its marble confines to the street. It was busy as they emerged in the light to find themselves on the Grand Plaza as the locals called the City Center.

It was vast and open with places to sit, fountains recently placed, sculpture of famous Cybertronians and moments or works from artists commissioned in contests. Around it were the tall towers that they favored, huge buildings that were homes and businesses for the two million who lived here or came to the city for whatever reason. At the end of the long plaza, the tower of Sparkling Day School #1 gleamed in the sunlight. It rose up to the bright sky along with the others, its fenced environs with its carefully designed and frolicsome playgrounds distinguishing it from other places.

"That is Sparkling Day School #1. We have two each of it and Youngling Day as well as one advanced school we call Intermediate Day for older children. This is the jewel in our crown. Everyone attends and we're expected to do service in the classrooms with our children," Miler said.

Prime turned to the two who were looking at the building down the way. "School is compulsory for sub adult children without exception. We have other alternatives such as the Circle of Light Preparatory Academies, the Hub Schools which are administered by the Primus Peace Mission and a number of others. Most of those students are funneled to the public schools at a certain age, such is their quality. There is no barrier to anyone wanting to have an education any longer."

Zenith and Shadow turned to him, then nodded. "I see," Zenith said. "I'm told that there are technical schools as well."

"There are. We are constructing a University Center across from the Basilica in which we shall consolidate all of our higher education opportunities including trade and technical schools. We have many individuals from Cybertron coming here to be trained, retrain or learn vital skills to take back with them when they return. We want to house them in a comfortable and collegial setting to help them with their educational plans. It will be opening in three decaorns."

Zenith nodded. "Shadow is a mathematics professor and was one of renown in Praxus. I, myself, have much to offer in physics and mathematics. It is our hope to contribute to those areas in some manner."

"You will meet Wheeljack, Appa," Prowl said. "He and Perceptor manage and direct all sciences for the Empire."

"Perceptor … he lives?" Zenith asked with a micro hint of surprise.

"He survived with the Wreckers before coming here. He and Wheeljack have a bond and a son, Resolve, named after Percy's father," Prowl said.

"Resolve," Zenith said. "I knew him well, a most brilliant processor. Does he live here, too?"

"No," Prowl said. "We're still rounding up our people from everywhere so we have hope."

Zenith nodded. Shadow stared at Prowl a moment. "Hope. It's a good thing," he said quietly. "I'm most impressed, Prowl. I'm assuming that some of the children attend this school."

"Miracle attends here. Solus and Sojourner attend the Circle Academy. They will eventually be shifted here to continue. Both are rigorous educational programs," Prowl said.

Shadow nodded. "That's good to know. You and Miler were given the best educations we could find. You've both excelled greatly."

Prowl considered this, the closest to a compliment that they ever allowed. "Thank you, Amma. Shall we go?" He walked forward leading the group toward the school. Before they would enter, they continued down the main street to The Confectionare. He held the door open as they walked inside. Smirking slightly at Optimus, he followed the big mech in.

Half a joor later …

They walked out and gathered to get their bearings. "That was most tasty," Shadow said. "I find it strange to walk out without paying for it."

"We are a cashless society here," Optimus said as he carried Prima in his basket. The baby was sleeping peacefully. "We began that way from the start and its what our people prefer. I bow to their wishes."

Zenith stared at him as if to say something, then glanced at Shadow. "Interesting," he said as Shadow nodded. "Where to now?"

"The station again. We're going to The Basilica," Prowl said as he lead the way. He gripped his ada's servo as they walked together, Miler clutching his hand gratefully. It would be a quiet ride to the district.

-0-Ratchet

He sat at his desk running information on the new refugees. They were a healthy bunch. He dialed up a number, chatted a moment, then signed off. Sitting back, he watched the monitor nearby playing a number of stations he watched for a few moments every day to get a bead on things on Earth. They were discussing a number of stories related to humans as well as bots. One station was uniformly against them while the others reported the news as they saw fit. That usually translated to reasonably good and accurate coverage with an emphasis on the strange. Most of them saw the need for the alliances, though they often focused on discussion items such as Jim Johnson's arrest and Earth2 to discuss ad infinitum with any number of talking heads of every possible political and social persuasion.

Lee-Lee peeked in. "He's here, Ratchet."

"Thanks, Lee-Lee. Send him in," Ratchet said as he stood.

A small slender mech entered, glanced around in awe, then turned to Ratchet. "Doctor … you wanted to see me?"

"I did," Ratchet said with a grin. He shook the mech's servo, then directed him to sit. Pulling two cans of candy out of his desk, he tossed the mech one. "Candy … old recipes from Cybertron. How long has it been?"

"Forever, or so it seemed like," the mech said. He was Princep, a doctor of some skill and reputation back in the orn who had been the main physician of the refugee group just arrived.

"How are you settled in? Is there anything you need?" Ratchet asked as he sat on the chair next to Princep to eat fudge.

"We're good right now. The apartment is astonishing. I don't think my apartment in Capital City was that nice," he said. "I'm hoping to be a physician here as well."

"That can be arranged. Relax a few orns, then come here and we'll put you to work. What I'm sort of interested in was how your colony functioned. You're aware that The System is banned here, right?" Ratchet asked.

Princep nodded. "I don't mind."

Ratchet grinned. "That's good. I was wondering what your colony was like? Did The System work there?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Princep said with a slightly bitter tone. "We were divided. There was the high caste contingent and the rest."

"You're high caste," Ratchet posed.

A cold expression formed on the small mech's handsome face. "We die just as easily, maybe even easier than anyone else."

Ratchet nodded. "I would agree."

"We were divided. We had our part of the colony and they had theirs. It was interesting how they were able to build their own homes and services when we refused. There were more of us than them and in the end they had to heft their own weight. We traded with each other, goods and services, but that was it. There was no mingling, no detente. We were barely civil, most of us, most of the time."

"Where did you fit in? I'm assuming you're a dissident high caste breakaway," Ratchet said.

He nodded. "It didn't work did it? The System. It was the cause of everyone's misery. It was hard to see it before The Fall. Some of us genuinely didn't see the problem. Some did and didn't care. For those of us who could and felt the shame, we didn't align with the slag. We couldn't. **I** couldn't. My bond is high caste and our kids … they had friends of all stripe. That's the thing … the young get it. They have to be taught to see the differences that aren't there unless we say they are. In the end, the Decepticon's bullets killed the high and low together. There's equality in the grave."

It was silent a moment. "We have counselors of the greatest degree here. I would suggest you see one."

He nodded. "Survivor's guilt … tension … I hope it bleeds out with peace and comforts. I don't intend to do less than what my people … all of my people require of me. That ship has sailed," he said.

Ratchet nodded. "It has. Do you know two mechs named Zenith and Shadow of Praxus?"

A cold expression formed once again. "I do. They were among the leadership of the high castes. They expected everyone to cater to their needs. We didn't. They especially hated those of us who didn't uphold 'The Life' as it was called. We were invisible to them. They shunned us but we didn't care. It was hard for a long time, then it got better. Frag them."

"What are they like?" Ratchet asked.

"They're cold and formal, the old style type of high caste. They never show emotion, they're always watching and listening, figuring out how things work … how **YOU** work. They're ultra smart but they're old school, really high end old school. They're hardcore high castes, the kind where the lines are drawn in titanium. Do you know them?"

"They're relatives of a friend. He wasn't very happy to see them come," Ratchet said.

"Lucky him," Princep said with no small amount of heat. "I'd shoot myself with family like that."

"I hear ya," Ratchet said. They sat together eating candy, discussing the upgrade education Princep would need to be current, then he went his separate way. Ratchet sat by the window considering Prowl's problem. For once, Lucien faded into the background as he considered the newcomers.

-0-Primal Basilica

They stood on the platform staring upward at the incredible building before them. Glancing at the Shrine to the Thirteenth Prime nearby, Zenith turned to Miler. "Are there other shrines as well?"

"There are, Appa," Prowl said. "Our family shrine is the one for Solus which is in town by the City Hall. She is patron of Optimus, his personal patron," he said for emphasis.

"I see," Zenith said. "It would appear that you put them where they would be on Cybertron."

"When we could," Miler said as he walked forward.

The others followed, Prime bringing up the rear with a solemn Venture as they all disappeared into the building together.

-0-TBC 1-29-18 **edited 2-3-18**

Notes tomorrow. I tripped and crashed to the floor like a big doofus. Nothing broke or bent. It's surprising how little it really hurts. :D:D:D No harm, not much foul. I'm one sturdy old geezer. ;)

HUGS!

If something is ad infinitum (in-fin-nigh-tum), then it goes on forever.


	261. Chapter 261

The Diego Diaries: Return (dd6 261)

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress

Prowl walked in with a grim aura heading for the table to sit. Ratchet who was nearly ready to leave relaxed a moment. Prowl sat, then stared at the datapad. Ratchet leaned closer. "How are you, Prowler?" he asked in a soft voice.

Prowl glanced at him with the usual snarky response ready, but he didn't say it. "This is going to be a problem."

Ratchet thought a moment about the comments he gleaned from Princep. "It could be that they need to decompress. They seemed pretty flat line to me."

"That's who they are. What you're seeing is them," Prowl said. He sat back fixing Ratchet with a appraising expression. "I never really told you much about my family sober."

Ratchet grinned. "No. You were a rebel. That's about it."

Prowl vented a sigh. "My family is one of The One Hundred."

"Really?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

"My ada's family descends from them, the slagging 100, the ones who stepped in and filled the gap when the Functionalists were routed. There was enormous wealth and power always but they were never crass enough to be seen wielding either in public. They were kingmakers and they were that powerful. Over the vorns, customs took over and there were layers of behavior and expectation that had to be maintained. It nearly crushed my genitors. They had no idea what to do with me, The Legacy. I was the first crack in the dam and The Fall and Diaspora was the breach for my genitors. Consider what we've all suffered. Even hard helms like my genitors saw the light, but not them.

"They have such a rigid social code that they can't be anything but who they are. They're holding up Cybertron, don't you know, on their shoulders. They keep the keys and the secrets. Their wealth was so great I couldn't begin to tell you and they could stop a charging rhino with a single gaze. Kingdoms rose and fell according to their whims. No, cancel that. They don't have whims. They do have calculation and traditions. My genitors were a matched bond. They didn't know each other until they bonded. It was a slagging miracle that they were so good for each other. They love each other madly."

"Its only one of a billion parts of their charm, Prowl. Your genitors are wonderful," Ratchet said.

"They weren't before here," Prowl said. "We would live in mansions, in apartments in the sky. We had summer homes. Think about that. We had social obligations and each generation had to conform to the parade. It was claustrophobic to a degree I can't explain. I rebelled to save my spark. It drove them mad. I thought they would invoke a few times but, apparently, my genitors intervened. I didn't know that they did."

"Well, you know … love and all ..." Ratchet replied.

Prowl grinned. "I never thought I would have theirs. I never expected that they would understand how to give it and I really never knew what that was. I had a strange ambition to spite them. They wanted a physicist and mathematician. They wanted someone to carry on the family tradition of shaping Cybertron from within. I studied all of that and earned the degree but I put my time and attention into law enforcement because it might mean change was possible for all of us. I wanted to take down the corruption and the slaggers who were making everyone so fragging miserable. I had a lot of inside knowledge. I wanted to use it."

"Paybacks?" Ratchet offered.

Prowl considered that. "Yeah. Paybacks. I used to sneak out and go into the city when I was younger. I saw how the other 99% lived. I wish I could tell you of the shame I felt wandering around, seeing things that should never have happened if we had only practiced what we believed. All are one? Frag that." He stewed a moment. "Funny how self deluding cultures and groups are. We trotted out our creed when it was convenient but we never lived it. The humans don't either. I read an Oxfam report that said in 2017, 80% of all the wealth created on Earth went to 1% of the world's population. We did that. Notice how it ended. Shall I tell them?" he asked bitterly.

"Something tells me, Prowler, that they already know," Ratchet replied.

"And they don't care anymore than we did."

"Where are they now? How are your genitors?" Ratchet asked.

"Home resting, my grand genitors" Prowl replied. "My genitors feel terrible and I don't think it'll get better."

"For the sake of argument … what if they decide to invoke over something. What's going to happen?" Ratchet asked. "Do you and your genitors have options?"

Prowl considered the question, then pulled a laptop over. Tapping on the device, he watched the data. "I have never heard of anyone defying an invocation and the database confirms it. Out of all that were filed, none were ever challenged."

"Is there a process to do that?" Ratchet asked.

"I've never heard of one," he said as he worked on the computer. He studied the answer, then leaned back. "No. There's no mechanism."

"You Praxians have a fragged culture," Ratchet said.

"Tell me about it," Prowl said.

"Where's the Messiah?"

"He's on Cybertron. He came with, which helped no end. He explained the new paradigm to them and they listened but didn't react. It's like I'm a child again having to visit their house." Prowl frowned. "I hated that. They were sort of the anti-fun."

Ratchet nodded. "I'm sorry for all of it. I just lived in a tenement. I played in the street. Everyone's old amma and appa sat on the stoops and watched us while everyone else worked. We didn't have slag and it was hard, but we didn't live up each others aft. A fight in the alley took care of just about everything, or a visit to someone's appa and amma. My own could drop me to my knees with a single glance. I always thought your end had it going on but the more I learn, the more I feel badly for all of you."

"You shouldn't. Our way of life created all of this," Prowl said.

"But forgiveness and living the right way, **BEING** the creed … that will make it better … it will make the change we need. Your grand genitors are hard afts and we have a duty to help them change," Ratchet said.

"And if they don't?" Prowl asked.

"Then, as the soldiers say … they're going to be a pair of really lonely motherfuckers."

Prowl smirked slightly. "I really like that word."

Ratchet grinned. "I do, too. Funny story. Will Lennox said his mom, Thelma, used to say 'mo-fo', the shorthand version of it around the house. Finally, he asked her, "Mom, do you know what that word means?" Not being a heathen like her son, she said, "No. It's just a funny cute word, right?" He told her and she nearly melted through the floor. All he has to do is whisper 'mo-fo' in her ear to have her hop around the room in mortification."

Prowl slowly smirked, then grinned, then chuckled. "Thanks. I needed that. I like Thelma. She's a nice woman. I will be sure to mention the word around her next time we meet."

" **That's** my Prowler," Ratchet said with a grin. "I'm going to find the three oldest Cybertronians that I know and ask them about this. I'm also going to try and find Alpha. I'll report back when I do."

"Thank you, Ratchet. We have to have our ducks in a row," Prowl said. He grinned. "I like that, too."

Ratchet laughed as he stood. "I do, too. You alright?"

"For now," Prowl said with a grin.

Ratchet nodded. "Then my work here is done." He walked off to the doors with a brisk step.

Prowl watched him go. "I'm afraid its only just begun, my friend." He vented a sigh, then dove into his refuge against intractable problems … his job.

-0-Temple of Primus Restored, Temple District, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District #1

He walked in, hurried across the platform, then down the steps to the Well. Pausing long enough to bow to both the Well and AllSpark, he walked toward the offices that occupied part of the lower level. Down the hallway he walked, pausing to chat with the odd acolyte and priest, civilian employee and/or volunteer helper, he found the door he wanted. A big office filled with bookshelves groaning with texts, datapads and other creations of their people's ancient genius, a desk occupied a corner. Couches and chairs filled another.

"Hi," Ratchet said with a smile. "I see you're working out the hidden corners of our history."

"I try," Alpha said as he sat back with a grin. "What brings you here, my friend? Deep philosophical conflicts? A need to confess? The latest gossip which I don't know?"

"You haven't got the vorns, Alpha, to hear it all," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He subbed a can of candy. "Would it offend some deeply held notion of self denial if you sit here and eat candy?"

"Oh, frag, no," Alpha said as he caught the can. He arose and walked to another chair to sit and open the can. "Ah, the good stuff."

"Only the best," Ratchet said with a chuckle as he unsubbed his own can. They ate a bite, then Ratchet grinned. "So … sachem … how's it going?"

"Well," Alpha said. "I find my life's arrangement conducive to my happiness. Part time in the Temple doing research and keeping the Chronicles, part time in the archives of the various museums, the university and the Monastery giving wisdom even if I don't have it. Life is good."

"That's good to hear," Ratchet replied. "I have a few questions I need answers to, if possible."

"You haven't asked Optimus? He's rather talented with insights," Alpha said.

"He is. He's the Messiah, after all. He has that certain something … something old and shiny perhaps?" Ratchet glanced pointedly at Alpha who grinned.

"Are you seeking something, Ambassador? Asking directly helps," Alpha said.

"I have before," Ratchet replies. "For the sake of argument, let me pose a mech who has a tendency to be self denying and often finds himself called 'The One Who Comes'. What can you decipher from that?"

Alpha chuckled. "You want to know about Thirteen. You seem to imply that I might know."

" **Now** you get humble," Ratchet replied with a grin. "Seriously, **now** you get coy?"

He grinned. "If you say so."

"I would like to know a few things, Alpha. I want to know the down deep about Praxian culture. Not the Elites. I have a pipeline into them. I want to know about the rest, the other Praxians who live with a pipe wedged sideways in their afts." Ratchet grinned. "You know … the hoi poloi."

Alpha snickered. "They wouldn't want to hear you say that around them. The pipe and all … its so declasse."

Both laughed loudly.

"Do tell," Ratchet said as he tapped his can to Alpha's in salute.

"Well, what can I say? I lived in Praxus for eons and kept an apartment, shop and lab in Iacon. I had the best of both worlds. Praxus, as you know was a wondrously beautiful city with learning everywhere. Its rather an academic's dream come true. The Elites congregated there because some of them came from that area and it was always a place of research and development from the slave masters. The learned were there and so the soldiers came together to protect that against exploitation once more. They developed their own ways of living in reaction to the others, to keep them in check. They were the ones who had to fight so they made sure that fighting wasn't the first item on the high caste list of must dos.

"As they gathered, so did a lot of the molders of The System. After the Functionalists were defeated, they ran the show, beating everyone into place as they sorted through the Functionalist system and modified it to impose gradually on everyone until the population thought it was normal and necessary.

"The wealth congregated in Polyhex as the financial capital, Capital City as the center of power and politics, Iacon as the center of everything that mattered, and Praxus as the brains of the entire venture. Out of that grew the castes that drove us all into the ground. It solidified around them and their modification of the Functionalist System but it became something else. There were few checks on them though the Elites have more powers than maybe they can remember. What is your underlying question?"

"Is there any check on the practice of invoking on your family? Someone I know has a pair of grand genitors that are a piece of work and there's the danger of invocation. What, if anything can they do?" Ratchet asked.

Alpha considered that for a moment. "Well, I think there are things the older ones can remember, perhaps. I've never heard of anyone ever contesting one. That doesn't mean that there isn't a way. I would have to ask around."

"Please do and let me know, Alpha." Ratchet grinned. "Now that that's taken care of, tell me about your love life."

They both laughed loudly.

-0-In an apartment in Nova Cronum, The Crater District, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They sat in their chairs watching the monitor play the news. It was disconcerting to see something so familiar in such a new circumstance. All refugees had that to a degree with some needing psychological help. Most recovered quickly and they would be among them.

Shadow had made 'tea', then put treats on a plate. They sipped it as they watched and commented on the news, discussing together what they were hearing on the screen. Having made a check of the call record for those they knew, they had located several friends from the old orns and made an appointment for a meet up for dinner.

"I hadn't considered that so many of our friends had survived to come here. It will be good to see Lucien and Laslo again," Shadow said.

Zenith nodded. "I agree," he said as they sat together in the mid morning in their apartment in the sky.

-0-TBC 1-30-18 **edited 2-2-18**

NOTE

In the books and shows, Alpha has a big ego and he's a more regular guy than some have portrayed him. He's one of the more interesting folks all around.

Oxfam is an organization dedicated to eradicating hunger and poverty. They are mucho influential.

Sachem: (sah-sheem) a wise and learned person, in some cultures, a medicine man/woman. A name given in great honor to an elder who is wise and usually leads in some way a group.

Declasse: (day-class-ay) common, ordinary

The Lennox-Thelma 'mo-fo' story actually happened to me and my sweet mom. :D


	262. Chapter 262

The Diego Diaries: Return (dd6 262)

-0-Later that afternoon in The Residence

They gathered there to chat after Zenith and Shadow had rested from the morning. The children were home from school and they were playing noisily. Having been introduced, they had galloped away to their berth rooms to have fun. As they did, Prowl remembered running in their house was a major taboo in his own childhood. He admired his children as they ran freely away, unaware that limitations of that kind existed.

It was silent a moment, then Zenith looked at Prowl. "They attend school. How do they do academically? I am curious how the travails affect such things."

"They do well. Rambler was accelerated. He attends the Intermediate School, has music lessons and attends classes at the Performing Arts Center for our gifted children," Prowl said without disguising his pride for his oldest son (minus Bluestreak). "Spirit and T-Bar were more adversely affected but they've achieved equilibrium in Youngling Day. Miracle attends Sparkling Day and is excelling in all the academic areas while the girls attend Circle Prep. They have strong academic precursors that bode well for the future. They are laboring at the moment to recover their speech from an audial difficulty that was corrected. All of them are at or above their officially tested and predicted placements."

"That is very good to hear," Shadow said. "Education is a very important factor in our family's life. Without a sound rigorous education, the doors to dreams are hard to open." He looked at Miler. "You were profoundly gifted in mathematics, Miler, though physics was more difficult."

"Ada is the navigator and Alpha Team mathematician for the space bridge program," Prowl said. "His physics have few equals."

Zenith nodded. "That is marvelous to hear. After all, physics and mathematics are our strong points. We hope to find avenues to bring our skills to bear. It would be a waste otherwise."

"There are opportunities in the colony for original new voices. Have you discussed such things with the Employment Department of the Department of Economic Development?" Prime asked. He glanced at Venture. "You might know who they can meet with, Venture."

He nodded. "Meet with Paradis. She's the director for employment and can match skills with programs, jobs and the like better than anyone else. She's in the City Hall and part of my department. I don't work in that building anymore. They moved us to a new development in Terra but she's there because of the refugee waves. It's closer to the Bureau of Refugees and those that come."

"I will see to it, Venture. Thank you," Zenith said. He looked at Miler. "We would be interested in developing our research into the multiverse and other interests that have been put on hold too long. It would dovetail with the bridge program at some point. Right now, we are working on theoretical models of our theories. We need a bigger computer than we had. We have even considered working privately, creating a business entity of our own, that is … if hard and theoretical science is allowed here." He looked at Prime.

"We allow our people to do the things that they desire as long as they are legal and ethical. If you wish to do hard science, it is welcome. I would suggest that you discuss your model with Wheeljack and Perceptor. They are co-directors of all science in the Empire and on world," Optimus said as Prowl nodded.

"Maybe having your own space to think and work is the ideal, Amma," Prowl said. "You do have a tendency, if memory serves me, to get lost in your work. Being on your own schedule might be the thing for both of you."

Zenith nodded. He looked at Prime, then Prowl. "Thank you for the wonderful lunch and the conversation. I am anxious to figure things out, so perhaps Shadow and I can visit the names suggested and find out what is possible. I am not adverse to working in the system but our focus is rather esoteric and not especially useful at the moment."

"I can help you, Atar," Miler said.

"That's alright, Miler. Your ada and I want to see if we can navigate the colony. Since you all have complicated and full time jobs, its probably a good thing for us to start doing that," Zenith said as he stood. "Take the Fortress Line from Metro #1 to the Sciences stop five from here. That will bring us to them. The City Hall is across the street from here. I'm assuming I'm correct?" he asked Prowl.

Prowl grinned slightly. "You are, Appa," he said as he stood. Everyone else stood, all chatted a moment, then the two took their leave. When the door closed, everyone sat again. It was quiet a moment.

"Maybe they'll be so engrossed in their work that they won't be a problem, Ada," Prowl said. "Sorry to be so bold but they do. Did. Will."

"Don't apologize, Prowl. They do and it might be a … a solution," Miler said as he vented a sigh. "I don't think they'd be happy in a system that they can't control. Having their own business will be better."

"We can but hope," Venture said.

Then the children came in and made everything right.

-0-On a train to Sciences

"Having our own situation would appear a good idea," Shadow said. "We can do what we want without all of the problems this is going to bring having to depend on others or share space."

Zenith nodded. "I agree."

The train sped onward and when they came to the Sciences station, they stepped off, walked upward, then out to the double lane road that led to the ten story Sciences building in the distance. Transforming, they drove there, transformed again, then entered. The building was beautiful, the lobby large and hanging from the ceiling, a giant slowly turning globe of Cybertron rotated. They stared at it, then walked to the desk nearby where all visitors had to go.

"Can I help you?" a youngling mech asked.

"Yes," Zenith said. "My name is Zenith of Praxus and this is my bond, Shadow of Praxus. We've just immigrated and were told that all science on world is derived here. We are mathematicians and physicists. We would like to talk to Perceptor who is an old friend."

"Allow me to check," the youngster replied as he did. Then he pointed to the elevator. "Go there, step off at the tenth floor, then walk to the end of the corridor. Their office is there."

"Thank you," Zenith said as they walked toward a bank of elevators. It was a short trip up as they stepped off on the tenth floor, a place abuzz with offices, massive libraries of both hard copy and digital information floor to ceiling. They walked onward passing conference rooms where groups were going over things, offices both occupied and not by their owners, a viewing room for groups to watch presentations, then finally, the office space of Perceptor and Wheeljack.

The receptionist-assistant in the outer office looked up from their desk. "Welcome. They're expecting you. Please go in."

They nodded and did, walking into a huge office that had started out as two but were joined together. The views were amazing of the desert beyond through floor-to-ceiling windows. Two desks were pushed together to face each other so that conversation was enhanced as several tables around the space held any number of projects, devices and who knew what for their work. A wall was covered with shelves that held books, datapads and various devices. A lounge area with couches and chairs was nearby next to an entire wall of electronics, computers and monitors. Data flowed faster than could be followed on some of them while others held the Emblem of the Primes and the symbols of Mars and Cybertron as they waited to be utilized.

In a corner, playing inside a playpen with his toys, Resolve entertained himself as he ate his snack of cookies and juice.

Wheeljack noticed them first, then grinned. "Come in."

They did, all shook their hands, then Zenith asked his questions. "We're looking to do our work here but we want to have your opinion about working on our own privately or not," he said to Perceptor.

Percy glanced at Wheeljack. "What do you think, 'Jack? I suppose that it depends on your work, its purpose and how much you wish to be free to make your own schedule and do what you want."

Wheeljack nodded. "I think so," he said. "I suppose you wish to continue your theoretical work regarding multi-dimensional realities."

They both nodded. "We're not sure how that fits with the projects you have going on and we're not at the point where a direct application can be devised. Our work is highly theoretical," Zenith said to Perceptor.

Percy glanced at Wheeljack, then the two. "I would suggest that until you have something solid, you might want to have the quietude and freedom that having your own space provides. Paradis would be who you should see."

"That's who we were suggested to contact. Perhaps when we have something more operational, we can sit down and discuss things," Zenith said as he glanced at Perceptor.

"That would be optimal, I think," Percy said with a cold tone.

Zenith nodded, then everyone shook hands. Walking out, the door closed behind them. Then Perceptor turned toward Wheeljack with fury. **"DID YOU SEE THAT!?"**

"Percy-" Wheeljack began but was cut off.

"They directed the conversation to **me** , Wheeljack. They ignored **you** and talked to **me**. **I WON'T HAVE THAT!** **THAT KIND OF HIGH CASTE SLAG HOW NO PLACE HERE AND CERTAINLY NOT WITH YOU! I WON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF INSULT DIRECTED AT YOU!"** Perceptor said with heat.

Wheeljack grinned. "They'll learn the hard way, obviously. Poor Prowl."

Perceptor stared at the doors with fury. "They'll learn it from **me** if they do that again, Wheeljack. **NO** one will disrespect you in front of me. I won't **allow** it." He looked at Wheeljack. "I was a **Wrecker** , 'Jack. I **know** how to fight."

Wheeljack gently stroked the Wrecker tat on Percy's arm. "I never doubted it, Percy. Not for one moment.

-0-On the way to the City Hall

They got off the train at Metro District #1 and walked to the street. Stepping out, they made their way to the City Hall, entering the lobby together. It was busy. They walked to the counter. Faun was there doing something for Fenix when they walked up. "Can I help you?" she asked sweetly.

"We would like to speak to Paradis. We were directed to do so by Optimus Prime," Zenith said.

"Ah. Please wait here and I will find her," Faun said as she finished her task, then walked to the corridor that led to the offices of the worker bees and officials of the colony and empire.

"This is a busy place," Shadow said as he glanced around. "Ultra Magnus is the chief administrator."

"So I heard," Zenith said as a small femme walked out to greet them.

"I'm Paradis. Please, come this way," she said as she opened the half door. In they walked, down the hallway they followed her and into her nice office they went. Everyone sat, then she smiled. "How may I help you?"

Zenith explained their situation, their desired plan and how they would do hard science that didn't necessarily have a direct application yet.

Paradis listened. "Hard science is going on all over the colony. There's room for it here as long as its safe and ethical. If you can fill out this datapad, I can submit it to Ultra Magnus who okays all of the non-essential operations in the colony. That is, those businesses that do not produce a direct product immediately. All of the science-oriented operations, private or not, fall under the purview of Wheeljack and Perceptor. You need to submit a detailed plan of what you're doing so it can be reviewed for safety and ethics, then filed. You will be required to submit a paper or report every 20 decaorns to their office to be filed. Otherwise, you would be an independent entity."

"What happens to the annual reports?" Shadow asked.

"They're reviewed, checked for safety and perhaps for any sort of support or added resources that might assist the research. No one is allowed to do anything that might be dangerous or unethical. We have 23 million individuals here and their safety is paramount. That being said, unless it suffers from either, you'll be given free rein to work. We don't want any budding Jhiaxus wannabees running around."

Both of them knew Jhiaxus and both found him distasteful. They nodded. "We understand," Zenith said as he began to fill out the application. He handed it back when he finished. "What happens now?" he asked.

"We will review this, Ultra Magnus will have a chat with Wheeljack and Perceptor because its their purview, then if granted, you will be fast tracked to a facility that will be yours to operate. The system of supply and other features will be explained and a sector of Teletraan that manages such things will be granted. Anything that's necessary to the functioning of your operation will be designed, delivered and set up by the Foundry Exchange and the Office of Business Management. At that point, you'll be listed and ready to go."

Shadow nodded. "Very efficient."

"It is. Our purpose is to support our business and science community and get them up and running." She rose. "I will have an answer for you in a joor if you wish to go to a cafe and wait. We also have one in the building on the second floor."

"We will wait here then," Zenith said as he rose with Shadow. "Thank you."

She nodded, then watched them walk out. "You two look like twins to Prowl. Weird," she said as she walked out to deliver the datapad to Magnus.

He would discuss things with Wheeljack and Perceptor. Then he would discuss the situation with Prowl and Optimus. Ratchet would be consulted, then he would grant the request. Shadow and Zenith would be up and running in two orns.

-0-TBC 1-31-18 **edited 2-3-18**


	263. Chapter 263

The Diego Diaries: Return (dd6 263)

-0-At a staff meeting called to clear the decks

They walked in, the senior Autobots. Gathering at the table, they sat down to wait for Prime and Prowl. The civilians weren't called this time given that the missions outstanding were to be the only topics discussed. Prime and Prowl walked in, then sat. Prowl looked at his data pad, then glanced at Percy and Wheeljack. "We would like an update on the bridging plan for planets, gentleman. It's been a while since we touched base about it."

Wheeljack glanced at Perceptor, then Prowl. "We've moved a pair of gas giants to the Tau Ceti system. It took a bit of timing and effort to place them in the farthest planetary orbits we could calculate and still have them do the job of cleaning up the system's garbage. Since its only 12 light years from us, about a little more than three parsecs, we can reach it in about three orns flying at normal speed by ship or ten seconds by bridge. We want to bring Cybertron with at least one moon because of the oceans and seas. They have wave action and we have to calibrate their transfer, perhaps bringing Cybertron with Moonbase, then the others after."

"Can you do that? It seems a very huge order, Wheeljack," Prime asked.

"It is. That's why we're working so hard to make it foolproof," Wheeljack said.

"As foolproof as it can be. We're on fourth generation field stabilizers now," Perceptor said. "Our bridge team is working to make them enormously powerful generators for the field integrity part of this. Our ability to use triggers will be ready when the two new big ones are built. Given that they all fly, we can station them in the Tau Ceti system to bring the planet there. When everything is regulated and stable, we can fly them back to this system and park them, say, around Neptune or Uranus. When Cybertron is moved and stable, we can put them there for safe keeping. Of course, that depends upon the ground game on Cybertron. I, for one, will be glad to see sunlight in the skies there again."

"What is the likelihood of that happening? At the moment, our atmosphere, such as it is, is poisoned and thin," Prowl said.

"We know," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded. "The atmosphere is recovering incredibly slowly but we can work on that when Cybertron is secured. As you know, we can terraform planets, adding atmosphere and whatever we need to create what we want. We always could and we still do sometimes. To some extent, we did that here because we control the weather and no longer contend with the colossal sand storms that enrobed this planet for months on end. We can do a lot of things and we're working on new tech. If we lose more atmosphere moving Cybertron, it won't be a great loss because its so polluted. We can begin atmospheric regeneration through the terraforming tech we have now. It might take a while but its possible to restore an Earth-like atmosphere on world at some point."

"That would be wonderful," Ratchet said. "The human soldiers are jonesing to go there again. They like the place."

"Who doesn't?" Perceptor asked.

No one argued.

"Continue with Tau Ceti, please," Prowl asked.

"It's a stable star with 78% of Sol's mass and about 55% of its light output, thus requiring inner planetary placements closer to the star than Earth planets," Perceptor said. "It has two planets of its own, not the four or five conjectured by humans. That creates a very heavy dust disk which we will vanquish with the gas giants. We've 'already inserted two gas giants into the farther flung system space to absorb the impacts of debris and gather the dust from the planetary disk. We've ascertained that they're stable and secured thus far, though we've stationed a science vessel there to continue to assess the situation. This must be perfect all around for Cybertron and her moons. Since its a single star, we don't have to balance and calculate more than Cybertron's orbit and companions around it, so firm are we on the other bodies. There's a low luminosity star nearby that the humans were convinced was a companion. It isn't. It's just in the line of their viewpoints. Nothing stands out as a problem and insertion was relatively easy.

"If you seek a bright sky like Earth for Cybertron, it would have to be placed closer than Earth is to Sol, meaning an orbit like Venus. There's a lot to do but we're getting closer. If we move Moonbase and Cybertron together, it will take at least two and perhaps more triggers. The new ones that are going to be built by Saturn will be modified to move gigantic features, bigger ones than the two we have. Those will be linked to not only give more power when we do this but to also provide stability in the transfer. Given that Cybertron is four times bigger than Earth and nearly seven times bigger than Mars, it will take that kind of device."

"When will the building begin?" Optimus asked. "Will it be a problem for the Trypticon station?"

"We have the specs going through deconstruction by the engineers. We're going to build a lot of it here, then transport. It will be nearly twice as big, each of them, than the ones we have now. It's going to take time to get them made and troubleshoot them for all manner of scenarios," Wheeljack said. "There should be no trouble with Trypticon because our orbit will be farther outside the rings than his. We will have ship traffic delivering things to contend with so we're being careful about that."

Prime nodded. "We have this construction, the new housing development, the deep space station on the trading trails 800 light years from here … what else is a mega project?" Prime asked.

"Other than things happening on Cybertron, nothing else," Jetta said. "We have project managers working on each that coordinate with Scar at Industrial Park Cities, Slacker through the ports and us."

Prime nodded. "That is good to know. We cannot cut corners on this bridge project. If it takes time, we make it. What is the status on Gliese for a move?"

"Gliese poses different problems due to its unique makeup, Optimus. We don't want to settle it in the same star system as Cybertron for obvious reasons. We're considering Sirius, a binary star system 8.6 light years from Earth for Gliese. There are other worlds around Gliese that show promise. We're building a dossier on them as possible transfers as well. Given the tech, we can design systems for our own purposes and have more opportunities to develop our situation the way we want it here," Wheeljack said.

Prime nodded. "I would like to be in the loop on this process, gentlemen. Thank you."

"You got it, Prime," Wheeljack said.

"What about Cybertron now?" Prowl asked.

"Our divisions are making good headway. Iacon is cleared out to the Wells, back through to the Foothills and Western Districts as well as the Valley. We have stockpiles of metal and broken debris gathered in the former airports of the Tander area and we also utilize the warehouse district. We don't use them for stores because there's a lot of work to do on the subterranean infrastructure there yet to do. Our buildings are going upward at a better clip because of this. We've risen from 15% rebuild to 22. It may seem like a small thing but its major. We have shelter for the most vulnerable in the towers now but we can do better. Our camps are a thing to behold but the general attitude is still good."

"That's the big thing," Hard Drive said. "That's why all of us go out into the field constantly, take down needs and meet them within half an orn at most. We have extended communications into the farthest regions we have in our district which is major and meaningful for the people there. We expect we have less than half of our own people in good housing, that is, housing we bring in. The rest are still living rough but food and medical have reached even the most backward areas in my district."

"Mine, too," Turbine said. "This helps greatly. Overall, it would be too much to do without delegating and dividing into areas of expertise and management. Right now, we have several thousand locals working smaller districts, getting information to us so we can have needs met in country. Its a miracle that we haven't had more trouble than we have thus far. We have hot heads who figure it should be faster, some who feel they need or deserve the rising housing themselves, a few that are just mental and a lot that are mean. We've worked out the policing with Springer and its up to the task. We're taking down the gangs in my district as we catch them. The tolerance for them now is less than zero among the people."

"Same here," Delphi said. "Those slaggers are being hunted down. Some of the soldiers doing duty at HQ are being sent out to stamp them into the dust. I don't want a single civilian being afraid of them."

"Springer, please get together a plan to send special teams to the different districts to hunt these individuals down. I want them eradicated. No one is to live in fear any longer if we can help it." Prime looked at the directors of the districts, most of them Ironhide's family. "Let them know what you need and they will help. Trackers, shooters, tech experts, bomb sappers, and a medic, Springer. Special team it."

"On it, Prime," Springer said. He looked at the district commanders. "I'll put it together and shoot it out to you for final approval. Then we can go on it."

"Excellent," Raptor said. "The sooner, the better."

They discussed Cybertron, troubleshot a bunch of problems, then discussed the new construction projects. Prime sat forward after a moment. "What is the word on Caminus and the situation with Razorclaw? Ominous is out there and I want to know what is happening now that Dangerous and Clipper are there. What is the status quo?"

Ironhide leaned forward to look down the table. "Right now, Razorclaw is minding his business. What's going on behind the lines on his end of things, we aren't sure. We know there are emerging civilizations that way and a number of pre-space ones as well. We should check that out somehow. Perhaps bridge that way. As for Ominous, they're still digging in. They had a few scouting flights toward Caminus and were warned off by the dreads. I don't think they want that kind of pain."

"We need to keep this all in line. Starscream, I would like to know what, if any danger other planets and species might be undergoing out of sight of us by Razorclaw. Would you take care of the bridge flights to find out?" Prime asked.

"I will do that," Starscream nodded. "We need to map that area anyway. The more information, the better."

Prime nodded. "I agree. Prowl?"

Prowl stared at him, then the others. "I have asked for a personal meeting of the Praxians here so unless there is more, this meeting is concluded."

There were no other agenda items, so most of the room left. Jetta rose to leave, then Prime called him to sit. Springer and Drift were called as well. When the door closed, only family was left behind. Prowl stared at the tabletop, then Hard Drive. "You're the senior Praxian Elite, Hardie, and by virtue of that, the senior high caste in the colony. I have a problem with my grand genitors that needs your advice and counsel," he said formally.

Hardie nodded. "I will give it if I can and hope to help you," he replied formally.

Ratchet who watched and who loved a good ritual himself once again marveled at the stultifying level of tight aftness high castes labored under.

"My grand genitors are very, very old school. They're incredibly hardwired into their system of life. You know of them, perhaps?" Prowl asked.

Hardie nodded. "I know them and know of them. Their form of practice is well known to me and I have dealt with the odd thing with this style on a few occasions. I was called in to informally settle a dispute."

"You have," Prowl asked. "I am … concerned that they may dislike our lives here and invoke. I need to know what, if anything, Elites can do about that."

Hardie considered that. "The invocation of our culture is a two headed snake, Prowl. It's custom and law among our culture as Praxians but its also formalized into the legal system. When someone files an invocation with the Prime's office, its as formal as any law or document. That makes things a bit more difficult with it as a standard and long time legal action."

"Theoretically, if they invoked on me … given my bond and his …" Prowl frowned deeply. He stared at his balled fists on the table. "... caste … what if anything can I do about it? Other than defy them? Have you ever heard of or known this to happen?"

Hardie considered that as he walked through his data files. "If they invoke, its a legal as well as culturally binding action. I have never heard of anyone fighting the action, especially since its a thing families usually do and few want to defy their loved ones. You **can** defy it, I suppose. It would be new territory but I think you would bring an action by the state and even the caste."

"Can caste court hear this sort of thing? Do they have standing?" Prowl asked.

"Caste courts can hear anything. You can bring this there but precedent and law have a lot of weight. We would hear it, then decide. There's another thing that can happen, something most don't know because most take the action at face value, as an unassailable thing. One or more of us can have a chat with them if they do. It would be informal and it wouldn't be binding but it can happen. I was asked to 'chat' on two occasions. The invocation held but there was a new understanding between the parties. It worked out, rather, after a while. I would do that for you if you ask. I can also bring others."

"If we or I defy them … what then?" Prowl asked.

"You risk being shunned by your own family," Hardie said. "Your family will be in the position of choosing what to do."

"If they invoke on my genitors, I stand with them. That applies to my family here," Prowl said as he glanced at a pensive Optimus. "No one is going to do anything to my family that won't involve a fight."

"There is always that, too," Hardie said. "You can fight it out, an honor fight or choose someone else. I will tell you about Zenith and Shadow. Zenith is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. He's old school and they do nothing halfway. If there is an honor fight, someone is going to get hurt badly."

Prowl nodded. "My appa knows a lot of styles. It was one of the few things we did together that interested and entertained me. He's why I know what I know."

Hardie nodded. "I know a lot of them, too … some even the two of you don't. I offer myself as your champion if it comes to that."

Prowl stared at him. "That's incredibly good of you, Hardie, but I could never ask you to do that."

"That's why I'm Praxian Elite and you aren't, Prowler. I'm the senior Praxian in the colony and maybe even in the universe. You would have to give ground to me if I say so. What I say is the last word," Hardie said. He sat back. "We may be borrowing trouble. Then again, I want to know if they agitate or attempt to bring The System back even in the smallest way. I can challenge them both on that in a number of ways including but not limited to Caste Court." He grinned slightly. "I am old and I remember everything, Prowl. Delphi and me, we know more than they do. I will be told and I tell you formally, I will be told about violations of the Prime directive on The System or if they wish to make life hard for you. It is my duty to maintain order among the high caste Praxians. You will obey me."

Prowl stared at him for a moment, then bowed his helm. "I will, Abba. Thank you, General. You ease my processor, but I will not allow you to fight my grandfather alone."

"You will." Hardie said with a grin. "I don't know that it will come to that. After all, I am exempt and so are you, Delphi. We know a lot more than we ever made known. I would hate to show it to either of them."

Delphi grinned. "Hercy didn't become Hercy by being anyone's fool. Three exempts is usually two more than a problem needs."

Hardie grinned. "I agree with that."

Ironhide who had been watching the two grinned. "I am one lucky slagger with you for grand genitors. You're holding back on me again."

"You are and when you grow up, we'll fill you in, infant," Hard Drive said as he grinned at his most beloved grandson.

Huge laughter greeted that as everyone sat back and relaxed. Turbine turned toward Prowl. "Don't borrow trouble, Prowl. A Primal directive outweighs anything else and if anything they do touches on The System, Prime and the Caste Court can step in and quash it."

"I hope so," Prowl said as he vented a sigh. "This is not going to be an easy thing to do, getting them to bend from their training. They're so rigid, I don't even know where to start."

"They will bend or break," Hard Drive said. "Either way, we aren't going to make them an exception. We all live or die together now. Perhaps having them slag out a few holes and carry the dead to shuttles on Cybertron might do a bit of good."

"It couldn't hurt," Delphi said.

"You don't know my grand genitors," Prowl said.

Hard Drive grinned, then leaned forward on his elbows. "I do. I knew them, their genitors and their great grand genitors."

"How did they get so rigid and hard?" Ironhide asked.

Hardie sat back, then relaxed. "A lot of reasons. Some because it helped them survive the Quintessans. Some because it served to keep them alive in the Functionalist tyranny. Some because they're built that way. Just know that its in all of us to adapt and change. In the beginning when things were terrible, we all did. They will. Everyone comes back to this place with their own baggage. The generations of your family were conformed almost into oblivion. This is millions and millions of years of cultural conditioning at play. It will be harder to change them but they must."

Prowl nodded. "I hate this. I hate how my life feels now with this in it, this … unexploded ordinance."

Hard Drive nodded. "Imagine how bad it would feel to them if they could really know?"

No one had a response to that.

-0-TBC 2-1-18

Note: Some scientists believe there may be four or five planets around Tau Ceti but for the sake of this story, I am asserting two. :D:D:D

Something that is unassailable (un-uh-sail-uh-bl) is something that can't be breached or broken or taken over.

To ascertain (ah-cer-tane) something is to find out about it.


	264. Chapter 264

The Diego Diaries: Return Again, Turn Around (dd6 264)

-0-In a conference room that afternoon at Ops Center

Barron and his team sat at the table along with Blackstone, Coln-2 and their assistants, legal secretaries and case managers. Rung and Jarro for processor health, Ratchet for medical, and Prowl as scribe sat with the legal aide and the scheduler/private secretary for Optimus, Haret and Winslow, as they gathered to discuss the Functionalist case. Ironhide sat beside Optimus because he was a snoop and right servo go-to mech of the Prime. Or, so he said. The energy was dense and intense among the mechs.

"Lord Optimus," Barron began formally with a nod. The others nodded, too. "We are here to present the outline of the case involving the Functionalist Council and their group in relation to the genocide of the settlements near the Rim. We will present our outlines, then formally request a Primal Councilor Hearing for this matter. We all feel gravely enough about this that we accept that the Matrix and Pantheon will formally weigh in to discuss what resolution addresses this matter the most clearly."

Optimus nodded. "I agree. I would be loathe to decide this alone. I would need their wise counsel."

Barron glanced at the others, then began to outline the procedure that would follow given this was a case of the utmost seriousness and import to the Peace of the People. "We would call a gathering of those involved in the large courtroom of the Courthouse. It would be a closed gathering, Lord Optimus, to prevent anything from disrupting the proceedings. Because it would be, you would be responsible to tell the people what transpired and the outcome so they will understand that this was done to the greatest possible integrity we can provide.

"We would be there and I would marshal the case, that is, introduce the two sides, defender and prosecutor, address the laws under which we would be operating, the factors of the Matrix and Pantheon weighing in after verdict, then address things that arise in the course of case presentation.

"Coln-2 would proceed, laying out the case and its facts. That allows the defense and defendants to hear the facts and theories, thereby helping them to defend themselves more fully. When they finish, Blackstone will present the defense. He can call, or not, defendants to speak, though if they do, limited cross examination by prosecution will be then derived. Most of the time with an offense this great, the defendants decline. I'm told that they're prepared to speak if necessary, even against advice of counsel."

Blackstone nodded. "I'm going to ask that they not but they're strong willed, Lord Optimus."

Prime nodded. "I understand."

"At this point, the cases will be closed. There will be no closing arguments given that the facts and presentations. You will then be asked to listen to the case summary by me in which I read their statements or remarks, if any, then I will summarize the facts. At that point, the issue is yours to decide. When you have, when the sentence is delivered, the Matrix and Pantheon will either intervene or not on the verdict, depending on Their feelings about your decision. The verdict will be carried out immediately, whatever it is. Given that the Pantheon and Matrix weigh in, if They do, that is the appeal process that follows this hearing. If they decide that your sentence is not acceptable, They will give one themselves and it will be binding.

"The defendants will be the Council of 12 and 22 of their assistants. The remaining 872 who came here will be judged by you as well as lesser offenders. They are the secondary leaders, their families and the Council's dependents among the 2,500+ individuals who came. They were participants in the process and benefited greatly from the outcome to greater or lesser degrees. They were directors of the enslaved mechs and femmes that came with them. There's a portion of responsibility that they owe and we leave it up to you what constitutes restitution after great and long discussion about this."

"We believe, even the defense, that there's culpability among the adults for some portion of the problem. Evidence will be presented and both Coln and I will debate it. It would be up to you to decide their fate if you feel from Barron's summary that its warranted," Blackstone said. "We both agree, though, to the degree they share, that the others bear the greatest responsibility."

"What about the children? I am aware that they are in detention in the prison with their genitors. I am concerned about that," Optimus said. "They are blameless."

Barron nodded. "We made the conditions of their holding as optimal as possible. We haven't separated them due to the case needs and our desire to help families stay together. But this is proceeding to trial and because there's uncertainty, they will be cared for by the Guiding Hand community once their families are disposed of legally. Master Cyclonus has a plan in place through the Monastery to take the children in and find them places to live until their families are settled, released as not guilty or jailed for whatever term their crimes require. All of them have a place to go to with siblings and other related children who will be taken in together. Right now, the schools serve them and their overall needs are met."

"They are segregated from the main group and protected from that element? Do they have diversions?" Optimus asked.

"They do and they are," Barron said.

Prime looked relieved. "Thank you. I will speak to Cyclonus and offer more assistance if needed. Is Processor Health a part of this?"

"We are, Optimus. We meet with the children daily," Jarro said as Rung and their aides nodded. "We're going to certify the defendants for the trial and will speak to the others as well. I'm sure they'll want to know about their children and I will speak to that. We're working with all of them in the prison. The children are strange but receptive. However, the adults are tough nuts to crack."

"I know you will do your best," Optimus said encouragingly. "My major concern in the threat they pose and the debt they owe. I know all of you will do the very best possible and I thank you in advance for what you have done to make this moment possible. I also know that nothing we can do will ever undo or mitigate the magnitude of this matter. We must all do our best, without emotional distortion and with intense moral clarity."

They nodded.

"We'd like to do it, at least the start of it on Second Martian Wednesday," Barron said as he glanced at Prime's scheduler, Winslow. He was Prime's scheduler as well as private secretary. Glancing at his datapad, he turned to Prime. "We can do that, sir, if nothing comes up. We also can follow up the next two orns if needed. Right now, you have meetings with some officials on Earth but they're for later in the orn due to time discrepancies between Earth and Mars and can be disposed of electronically."

Prime glanced at Prowl who nodded. "Very well, Winslow. Please mark that time for this matter. I will be visiting the Temple before the hearing so I will need a joor before that. Is it clear?"

Winslow consulted. "Yes, sir, it is."

"Very well, then," Prime said. "Is there more to discuss or schedule?"

No one had anything more to add so they began to file out until there was no one but Winslow, Prime, Haret, Ironhide, and Ratchet. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet looked at Prime. "If they have to be held in stasis, is there room in the vault or what?"

"I have had Jetta on the problem since they were arrested," Prime said. "There will be enough space for the Twelve and for the others if necessary, the stasis chamber for the Insecticons has space." He was silent a moment. "I loathe such things."

"We know," Prowl said. "The danger they pose is colossal. The ancillary danger is to the Functionalists both here and in the Empire that aren't connected to them."

"I know," Prime said. "I am going to ban fundamental Functionalism. I am going to speak to Alpha, Lauren, Cyclonus, and Sela about it in order to have my perceptions and decision crystal clear. I would never ban a religious belief that was peaceful but this formulation of Functionalism, this branch of the Guiding Hand is dangerous, brutal and cultish. I want my views and decisions to be based on dispassionate facts and not revulsion over this act. The Council is for me a cult and a criminal cartel, not a religious belief system. They are criminals that have appropriated religion to be the cover for their criminal enterprise. I want my arguments to bear out what I feel is truth now. We cannot have this form of criminality loose among us or anyone else. As much as its obvious that they feel nothing for most of us, how much more terrible is their view of others?"

"I would hate to find out," Ratchet said.

They chatted a moment, then kicked back, almost willing themselves to shake off the darkness of this event. Ratchet glanced at Prowl. "How's it going?"

"They applied for a business of their own. Given their practice before, they will practically live in their offices. Maybe it'll be all for the better. The less they emotionally try my genitors, the better," Prowl said ruefully.

"Well … you can call me up. We can take them on a boozer, get compromising photos, then show them when they're sober," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Prowl stared at him with a slow forming grin. "You don't think I won't take you up on that?"

No one there doubted it.

-0-Home, on toward dinner time

"How about this?"

Orion considered it, then smiled beautifully. "Good, you, Ho-Ho." He took the block, placed it on the empty space, then all of them stepped back to look.

Prowler who was holding his Little Blue Dog by its tail glanced upward at Orion. "I like that, Orion. You do good."

Orion looked at him, then smiled. "Po-Po good. Po-Po my she. I love Po-Po," he said. He hugged his brother, then walked to his sister, hugging her. "You my she, too."

They smiled at each other, then gathered more blocks. It was already almost taller than them but they were going higher. Their tower would be as tall as they could make it.

-0-Earth2

They sat by the window drinking coffee. James Johnson was back a few days now. It was interesting to see how he was being ignored by everyone but those who worked with him. Even the other security who answered only to Siso and the others in the Command Center, eight human men and a human woman who were ex-military and police from several different countries who were vetted and trained to Autobot standards, all nine of them, ignored the mercs. It was serious, the fallout from his stunt. A pretty woman passed by, walking purposefully toward the cafe and equally purposefully ignoring them. They watched her go by.

"Good looker," Carlos Ortega said. "There's a lot of good looking women here."

"They're ignoring you or did you notice?" Silvio asked with a grin. "I may have to start ignoring you, too, if I want to have feminine company."

"Fuck this," Johnson said grumpily. "This is just the day job."

"You ready to go home?" Sam asked curiously.

"No. I'm ready to go out and look around again," Johnson said.

"You're under house arrest," Lawrence said. "You couldn't go out if you wanted to go."

"When its over, I'm out." Johnson sat back. "Only 22 more days."

The afternoon would drag by until the group went out leaving Johnson behind to brood.

-0-That evening approaching dinner at home

" **ADA!"**

Ratchet peeked into Orion's room and noted a tower that should have been impossible for them to build but for the toy box upon which they stood. All four of them stood around the tower and smiled. Orion who was the 'boss hog' of the construction stood like Superman as he smiled gigantically. **"SEE ADA!? LOOK AT DIS! PO-PO HELPEDED!"**

Prowler who was holding his Little Blue Dog by the tail smiled. "I helped."

" **HO-HO HELPEDED! PAX HELPEDED! I, ORION, HELPEDED!"** Orion then turned to point at the tower and clipped a corner. It fell into a pile in the middle of four ultra shocked kids. They stared at it, then Orion, then Ratchet.

Ratchet who wanted to bust a gut laughing grinned at them. "Dinner. Go wash."

They ran out but for Orion who stared wordlessly at the pile. Ratchet walked to the wash rack, supervised, then rushed them out. Passing the berth room, he saw that Orion was still staring at the pile silently. Scooping him up, washing his tiny servos, they went to dinner where Orion would explain that he hadn't really knocked the tower down.

Like a typical kid his age.

It would be hilarious.

-0-On a balcony at The Residence some time later that evening

He stood on the balcony enjoying the crisp cold air on his neural net. It was pleasing in the way a cool breeze was on a hot day to humans. It was velvety dark, things were winding down and the night beyond was beautiful. Gathering his thoughts, he enjoyed a moment to unwind, consider a few problems on his processor and get ready for the next orn.

He considered his home for a moment as the sound of his children laughing reached him. He heard Prowl joking with them as he chased them around the house, then into their berth rooms. He grinned. It was everything. It was utterly unexpected.

He had lived in a lot of places, some of them for a decent amount of time, but nothing was home but here. No matter how fragged his orn had been, no matter how many problems or fights that ensued, the moment he hit the door to this place, everything was alright. The energy here created by his family, his children and bond, his genitors and Prowl's, the friends and events that happened here, all of it was home to him. All of it was brilliant and warm, enveloping him in such a deep warmth that nothing that happened out there could hold him down here.

He had lived on ships, in caves, on hard trackless ground. He had lived in buildings, warehouses, bombed out shells of places, craters in the ground, the open spaces in full elements, and sometimes in amazing luxury. It would be noticeable for anyone who knew him now how spartan all those spaces were. Even The Residence in Iacon held almost no personal items of him or his life. He didn't invest himself into them, so great were his travails and responsibilities. His life was transient, always changing for the better or more likely, for the worse. He was always coming and going, leaving places to find new ones.

He had become inured to the need for roots and comforts. He was almost immunized against hoping for such things for himself. To impart yourself into a place you might have to leave minutes later was a futile exercise and leaving things behind that told of you and your life invited troubles for you and anyone else that might be important to your life. It was often a bleak harried existence where the gentler and finer things that made life easier and better had no place.

"Primes don't party."

Arcee on Transformers: Prime had said so. That mech, that Prime was closer to the truth than he wanted to let on. That one bore the burdens of his office like a cross, grim and determined but self denying to a degree that was almost unbearable to watch. That Prime was him if Prowl had never shown up. He was Prime with all the burdens and none of the virtues of life. He was Prime without children and a home.

He loved his home. He loved every inch of it because everywhere he looked he saw the image of his life playing out. His son practicing his piano, his children chasing each other as they laughed hysterically, Prowl hiding behind doors during hide-and-seek, all of them crawling over him on the floor or the berth. He saw himself sitting at night working on a problem with Miss Kitty sitting on his lap purring contentedly. There was dinner at the big table with the family or friends. There was the sight of his genitors sitting on the couch explaining something in school that excited them. Their sweetness was almost painful for him to think about. There was an almost painful happiness in his spark. They were everything and so were Prowl's genitors. The addition of Prowl's amma and appa was problematic but all of them were determined that they wouldn't disrupt the life they fought to have for so long. He thought of his own, good natured quiet mechs who labored in steel, their huge frames dictating their futures and felt once again a pang for them. That they were safe in the Matrix was only partly comforting to him as he watched a ship fly upward into the dark sky.

When he walked into his house, he felt complete. He noted that it was less so when he was alone but still, this place and everything in it was home. Prowl would pose questions now and again … 'what do you think about this thing' or 'that thing'. He would give his opinion, then it would appear. It took a while to catch on but he did. Then he would say, 'Let us go out and look together?' They would amble out and discuss this and that thing together. Then they would enjoy a break at a cafe before going on to real world problems. It was something that they had both come to enjoy.

Their home was their collaboration just like their children, just like their pastimes and friendly get togethers. Dining after games, celebrating this and that thing accomplished by the children or the grand genitors … it was his life and he embraced it like a starving mech. He had known anger and irritation, disgust and even fear, but he had never felt hopelessness, even with Black Shadow. This was the line over which no enemy would cross. He was the Prime and he would prevail.

As he considered his life, something else was considering him. As he stared at the night sky filled with stars, the reflected lights from around him, the airfield, and the ships coming and going, everything faded away.

Nearby, collecting toys, Prowl peered into a berth room. "Go to recharge," he said with a grin.

"I haven't kissed Atar good night," Spirit said as he sat in his big boy berth in his berth room.

" **I HAVEN'T EITHER!"** -several others in different berth rooms weighing in.

Prowl laughed. "Stay put. I'll get him," he said as he walked down the corridor to the living room. Spotting Optimus on the balcony, he walked to the door, then stepped out. Halting his advance, he considered the big mech who was staring at the sky without noticing him. He couldn't. Prowl could detect no aura around Optimus so he stepped back inside and walked to the children's rooms. Leaning in, he grinned. "Atar is talking to the Pantheon. He will come when he's finished. Alright?"

"Which one, Ada? Lady Solus?" Spirit asked as Prowl tucked him in.

"We'll have to see, baby," Prowl said as he kissed his son.

He walked out and paused by the door to the balcony. There was no aura because the essence of Optimus Prime minus that part necessary to maintain his body was in the Matrix. He would stand by the door and wait until he returned. Then together, they would walk to the berth rooms of their children and kiss them all good night.

-0-TBC 2-3-18 **edited 2-22-18**

NOTES:

inured: (ih-nuur-d) immune from something


	265. Chapter 265

The Diego Diaries: Pantheon (dd6 265)

-0-Up there

"Atar … what you?"

Ironhide glanced up at Orion. "I'm on it."

Standing around him with concern and grave expressions, Prowler, Hero, Praxus, and Orion kibitzed the 'operation'. Ironhide, for his part, was on his knees, holding a tiny tire in one hand as he looked over a tiny truck with the other. It had come off and they had run to him in near tears with a 'hurt fruck' and its tiny little boo-boo. He had come in, knelt down and was working his mojo so the kids who had *!* **ABSOLUTE*!*** faith that he could 'help the little truck, Atar' wouldn't be disappointed.

"Atar … fruck broked. This falled off. It owed. Poor fruck. Owie," Orion said near to tears.

Ironhide looked at the others who looked ready to cry as well. "Don't worry. We're going to do this," he said, though he had no idea. He smothered a grin. Everyday, something about children unveiled itself to him and he was dazzled. Every truck, even the toy size brought out the tears in the kids. They must believe it was alive. He heard a rustle behind him. Glancing up, he looked at Ratchet who was grinning. "The medic is here. All is well."

" **ADA! YOU GOOD THIS!?"** Orion asked with hopeful optics as he pointed to the little yellow truck.

"I can see," Ratchet said as Ironhide handed it to him, then the tiny tire. Ratchet made a show of examining it, watching the concerned faces and tension in the kids. It was hilarious. Then he subbed a finger into a micro welder. With infinite care, he welded the piece that held the tire, then snapped it back on. Pretending to look at it closely with his specialized optics, putting it against his audial to listen for its … something … he handed it back to Ironhide. "The operation is a success."

Ironhide grinned as he put it on the floor.

The children who were near to vapor lock stared at it. Orion knelt, then rolled it a little. He then applied vroom-vroom sounds to the operation. Looking up, he smiled at his genitors. **"YOU DOING DIS! YOU DID DIS FOR US! GOOD YOU, ADA AND ATAR! YOU DOED DIS!"** He stood up, then began to hug his siblings. He hugged Spot who had wandered in, then saw that the big kids and Sunspot were standing in the doorway grinning at everyone. **"YOU, WAYMAR! YOU SEED DIS!? ADA AND ATAR DO GOOD US! POT! YOU SEE!?"** he asked as he pointed to the toy car. He bent down and patted it. "You good. I, Orion, doing good you." He stood up and looked at his siblings. **"WE DOING GOOD, DIS!"** he said. Then they group hugged.

Ratchet stepped out with the three dread kids to laugh as Sunspot walked in to get group hugged. Ironhide stood, grinned at the infants, then checked the time. **"BERTH TIME!"**

Huge disagreement that went nowhere ensued as they were scooped up, then deposited. Waymar aka Quasar, Sissy aka Genesis and Pooh-Ball aka Fireball, the latest version of Orion's designation currently in use for the big dread kid gathered in the living room with Sunspot after the four were tucked in. The oldsters sat down with Quasar holding a sleeping Halo, then gave their full attention to their older younger infants.

"So … tell us everything. Especially how you and Lumi are doing in your great friendship," Ratchet began.

Everyone grinned. "Lumi is so great. He's my best friend. I really like him almost better than anyone. He's my ..." Fireball paused a moment as he struggled with the concept. He looked intently at Ironhide and Ratchet. "He's my boyfriend. You don't mind do you?"

Ironhide grinned. :Your subject area, old mech:

"Thanks, fragger: Ratchet grinned. "We don't mind a bit. Why would we? You don't do anything we would frown on, right?"

Fireball looked embarrassed a moment, glancing at the other two who were smirking with self conscious amusement. Yes, they were good boys. "No, Ada. We talked. Remember?"

Ratchet did …

"I just … he's **so** nice. We like to do everything together," Fireball said as he sat in the CMO's office eating candy. The others were coming. He had just gotten here first.

"You **do** know the limits, right? Sometimes, when you like someone more than anything, feelings take over and things happen. Have you noticed that?"

Fireball stared at him, straining to understand, then he did. He swallowed. "Uh … maybe."

Ratchet laughed. "It's normal. When you have those feelings, try not to act on them. I'll be clobbered by your amma and appa if you do. You're young. You like each other. Just go with that. Later on, if you still have feelings for each other, then we'll have The Talk."

Fireball nodded, solemnly agreeing but if truth were told, he had no idea what The Talk was …

"We did, didn't we? And what a talk it was," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. He looked at the other two. "What about you? How's your love life?"

" **OLD MECH! LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE!"** Ironhide said with a big grin.

"Frag you, Ironhide. We know that Sunspot still has a trine going, right? You, Comet and Silverbow?" Ratchet asked.

Sunspot smiled, then nodded. "That's right," he said as he sat on Fireball's lap.

"We approve of that relationship, too," Ratchet said as Ironhide nodded. "What about school? Anyone giving any of you fits? What's the scoop? The gossip? Assignments or projects? What?"

"Our class is trying out for the Science Bowl," Quasar said. "It would be fun to get on it."

Science Bowl was a game show on IntraCom where kids from Intermediate Day competed in teams against each other in an elimination system. It was science and the odd factoid about Cybertron and the Empire. It was one of the highest rated shows locally.

"That's outstanding," Ironhide said. "No matter how it works out, we're proud of all of ya."

They grinned at him. "We're going to Trypticon next Second Friday. We won't need lunches, Ada. They have a cafeteria there now that scientists are living on board to do research," Genesis said. "Humans are going to be coming there for tours. We might see them. They'll go to the school section to see what we do. Maybe they can see the human kids, too."

"What's that like, Sunny, having humans in your classes?" Ironhide asked as he glanced at Sunspot.

"I don't mind. The kids aren't scary. When their genitors come, I don't like it. Mr. Terradive helps me when they do," he said. "The femmes aren't asking so much about our lives now. They're more normal."

"That's good to know," Ratchet said. "I heard that Jaycee Jameson in Mrs. Lyrica's class is fitting in really well. So are some of the others. What about Rain Harris and the ones in your room?"

"They play with the other humans at recess, mostly. Jaycee plays with us and the Family kids. Annabelle and the others play football with us and Jaycee does, too. The others hang out with themselves," Sunspot said.

"Maybe they're shy," Ironhide said.

Sunspot shrugged. "Maybe. They want to come to the Temple and learn about Cybertron and the Empire. We're going to the Tempe of Thirteen orn after tomorrow. They were told they could come to the shrines but they couldn't listen to the lectures, Ada. That's our shrine, isn't it?"

"That one is," Ratchet said. "It was mine when I was your age. It was in Iacon so I could go there more often. You had Solus, right?" he asked as he glanced at Ironhide.

"Solus was ours," Ironhide said. "I rather like Thirteen. He's the calm one. Reminds me of Optimus."

Ratchet smirked and he smirked back. "We have both but my favorite is Thirteen."

"Solus is where? Downtown here? I wonder why they didn't put it in Praxus?" Quasar asked.

"They would but there were no spaces in the downtown where they try to put them, so they compromised and put Her shrine near Optimus. Everyone knows that She's his patron now. He sees Her more than the Others. I was told She was pleased Uncle Optimus named his daughter after Her."

"I wonder what its like to see Them. I think they might come when we go to the Temple or shrines," Fireball said.

"They come. They're there. You just can't see Them unless They will it," Ratchet said. "I heard that they show themselves to great little mechs like you."

"I hope so," Genesis said with a grin. "I would love that."

-0-Nearby and far, far away

He stood on the white sandy beach. Overhead, a silvery sky with the twinkling lights of stars shimmered. He looked around, then saw the beach house, the one set aside for Primes at the Sea of Mercury. Walking through the immaculate sand, he reached the path, walked to the porch and climbed the steps. The double doors were open so he walked inside. Sitting around the living room with a roaring fire in the big stone fireplace, the Pantheon awaited. They were all there including those reverenced by the Guiding Hand. He bowed from the waist, then waited to be acknowledged.

"Optimus ... brother … come sit with us. We have much to discuss," Prima said as he patted the arm of a big empty chair.

Optimus walked toward it, then noticed the array of greatness before him. Vector, Prima, Solus who smiled at him, Micronus, Onyx, Solomus, Epistemus, Solomus, Adaptus, Quintus, Nexus, Alchemist, and of all individuals, Alpha sat in the couches and chairs arrayed around the fireplace, each of them grinning or smiling at him. He slowed, then knelt on a knee. "I am honored to be in the presence of such greatness," he said.

"Rise, brother," Prima said with a grin. "You're in the company of family."

Optimus rose, then walked to the chair. Glancing at Solus who nodded to him, he sat. It was silent a moment, then Prima stood. "My dear brother, you have a very hard task before you regarding the Functionalist Council and their outrage against the Peace of The One."

Optimus nodded. "There will be a Primal Councilor Hearing. I have a duty to find the right way forward amongst a mine field of terrible possibilities. I will need Your wise counsel."

"You rather don't, dear one," Prima said, "though I understand your desire. We are very much aware of your wisdom and compassion. There is much to discuss now. You bear a heavy spark for the planets as well."

"All things are sentient, Lord Prima, as I have learned, both great and small. I had to take lives out of a desperate need to save the dignity of the dead. I am unclear that the balance was equal in that transaction."

Prima nodded. He glanced at another. "Solomus. You are wise. What would **You** have done in that situation."

Solomus, the embodiment of wisdom looked at Optimus was kindly optics. "It was a zero sum proposition, brother. No matter which road you took, the toll would be high. You did change the future that had the least possibility for peace and a good outcome. If they had been left there, the local aliens would have pillaged them and created a terrible possibility for those around the area and those encountered. But you prevented that. However ..." he said as he thought a moment. He glanced at Onyx. "You and I have discussed this together, Onyx. The possible ways forward are many and some without good ends. Perhaps You can tell us of Your thinking and what You have seen."

Onyx, beautiful and fierce in his beast aspect glanced at Optimus. "I can see the past, present and future, my dear Optimus. I have seen many outcomes for the actions you have taken. First, the prospect that you had left them to lie where they died, all of the innocent ones. The aliens would have pillaged them, which for many species such as the organic kind would have smaller and less terrible consequences. Most species cannot be reformatted into weapons the way We can. They would have become a tyranny, the sword arm of their unity God. It would have been a problem to a great number of individuals including Cybertron if they had been allowed to do so.

"Then there's the aspect where they didn't, one of several threads of that action that's playing out now. You do understand, do you not, brother, that there are branches for every possibility and if you choose one, the others do play anyway. They go in all conceivable directions to fulfill the other paths not taken. Since they were deprived of the dead, one thread has them adapting to their loss without any resulting problems coming of it other than anger and a futile sense of vengeance that leads nowhere. Another has them meeting Megatron and being obliterated for possessing what Cybertronian tech they have. Still another has them being nearly destroyed by other coalitions that come across them. They utilize the rifts and dimensional breaches there to fight back and save themselves. There are more but I think you get the drift."

"I do, Lord Onyx. Which one have I set in motion by my actions?" Optimus asked with a slight tremor of anxiety in his beautiful voice.

"That is not your burden," Onyx replied. "I am leaning toward none. There are so many, you see. But you must understand that for every road not taken, the road ever goes onward. What comes of it is not your concern or responsibility. I would think you would understand that with the Alternative Megatron that you have encountered through what We, Ourselves call the 'shattered glass universe'. That's a possibility of this dimension. There are some where Megatron loses, you win … Megatron wins and you lose … some where Megatron doesn't exist and some where you don't. You do understand that the only universe and path you bear responsibility for is this one."

Optimus vented a sigh, then nodded. "Thank you. I … feared for worse news."

"You are an empath, my dear Optimus," Prima said. "You **feel** deeply and that is what makes you a good mech. Of course, you can feel **TOO** deeply. Do not borrow the burdens of other dimensions or empires to yourself. They are grown up and able to think, therefore, if they take a difficult road and meet up with Megatron at some point, in some dimension, that is their choice and their path."

Optimus nodded. "Lords and Lady … I found out that all things bear energy … a consciousness. I knew that as we all do to whatever degree our personal development allows. However …" He trailed off as he thought of planets and stars.

"The planets," Micronus said with a slight grin. "You are worried that you destroyed sentient beings."

Optimus nodded. "Yes, Lord Micronus. I am."

"You did," Micronus said as the others shifted or smirked.

"Ever the diplomat," Quintus said with a chuckle. "Optimus … there is a universal law that applies to all sentient beings in the Great All That Is of The One. **NO** one leaves life without consent. There is never a death without consent."

Optimus looked at him. "Forgive me, Lord Quintus … I am merely a being of metal and circuits and the wisdom that you give to me is out of my ability to reference. Please … explain."

Quintus glanced at Prima. "If you would do the honors, Great One."

Prima laughed. "Of course." He looked toward the window nearby where the view of the ocean was great and no chairs or furnishings filled the space. As he did, a light appeared, small and bright, then began to grow. It filled up the space, was tall and oval in appearance, the rough size and shape of a humanoid figure and out of it sparkles of silver emerged, circled it, then re-entered. When it finally reached the size it wanted, it stopped growing but the sparkling effect, one of great beauty and oddly enough, a sense of great age continued. "This is the group consciousness that created the planets upon which the Functionalists settled. They have much wisdom and will address your questions, brother."

Optimus slowly stood, his optics fixed on the being. He knelt on both knees, then placed his servos on the ground. He leaned down and touched the floor with his helm. "Forgive me," he said.

The figure gleamed, then a voice appeared, one that touched his processor but not his audials. "Rise, brother."

Optimus stood, then stared at the being. "How may I apologize?"

The sound of laughter greeted that. "You do not understand. We shall help you." The being sparkled a moment, then began. "We are a group consciousness, one that is ancient and highly developed. Three of us live here together in great harmony. We have lived many lives and some of them are concurrent. They are lives lived as many things all at the same time. We are a multiversal singularity as are you, great ones," it said. "We come into form for knowledge. Sometimes we do it alone, mostly together, always to learn something. There is so much to learn, Optimus Prime. Sometimes it takes billions of years to learn a single thing and sometimes it takes minutes. We have lived as butterflies and mountains, as planets, quasars, dust motes, and rivers. We were molecules floating in space and one of us is the satellite moon that the humans call Luna. We embody things to learn and when its time, we leave them.

"We are so old that sometimes we know when our end will come and how. Such was it with the planets that the Functionalists occupied. We were learning a great deal from them. Empathy, solidarity, compassion, perseverance, grief … all from the interactions of all who lived upon us. They taught us by example many things that we craved to learn and we did. No life lived is a wasted one. No matter how long or short, how hard or easy, your spark learns and so do others because you lived. So was it for us as the planets. We embodied them from their beginning five billion years ago, a part of our group consciousness, and we have lived that life beautifully. When the Functionalists came, we knew they would and that it would lead to our demise as those planets."

"You knew how it would end?" Optimus asked.

The figure pulsed. "Yes. We knew but that's part of the wisdom. We lived our life there, watched the lessons of the Functionalists and knew that you would either destroy us or not. You have a Hobbesian choice, as they say. You could end the alien's ability to take the dead and pillage them, creating a new future for someone else that is filled with death and destruction, or you did what you did and ended a tyranny before it started. For you who dwell without insight into the endless possibilities, it was a terrible choice that had only one solution. You are the Prime of Cybertron and they were your people."

"What should I have done? I could see no other path," Optimus said.

"You took the path that your conscience and responsibilities dictated," the being said. "We knew you would. We were prepared. We left that incarnation with much wisdom. You may not see that but its true. You live your life to learn. What did you learn, Optimus Prime, from this encounter?"

Optimus stared at them a moment. "I … I am greatly grieved to have not understood how things worked earlier in my life. That all things have consciousness. That everything is interlinked even if we cannot see it. When the star who saved Caminus passed onward, he showed me many things. The silver threads that interconnects all life … the sacredness of unconditional love. I believe I am not wise. There is so much that I do not understand. I believe in the right for all sentient beings to be free and live as they wish but now … sentient life is **all** life."

They considered that. "You are right but understand, Optimus, intention is the distinguishing featured that separates bestiality from everything else. Your intention with Caminus was to save her life. The star was at the end and ready to go. Because you care and have compassion, you saved Caminus. Your nemesis would not have done so. Your intention with us was to spare not only the dead who were beyond caring one way or the other, but to spare others you do not know from the affects of those species getting tech they might use to harm them. Your intentions mitigated your actions. Do you understand?"

Prime stared at the beings who were unfathomably ancient and wise. He considered their words, then nodded. "I believe I do."

There was a musical effect, more feeling than sound that felt like light laughter. "There is a saying among the humans, Optimus, that it is a wise man who knows he isn't wise. Knowledge is the beginning of wisdom. You are an ancient being and you will learn more and more. Your spark is filled with empathy and goodness, yet you are also pragmatic and realistic. Every decision you make is taken with care. Your intentions were honorable, so there is no offense. We knew this day would come and it did. Besides, we all live in the protection and love of The One. We are never alone and we are always safe. Remember that."

It was silent, then Prime bowed. "I would have done anything else if there was a better way out for my people. I am still very sorry. Your kindness to me I will never forget."

The light laughter was back. "Life doesn't end at death, Optimus Prime. You have come back many times from what too many think is a finality. Consciousness cannot die. It doesn't end. It's immortal. You have done your best and we hold no animus toward you. We wish you well in your endeavor. Follow your soul. It will be your guide." The entity grew in intensity, then faded out.

It was silent in the room for a moment. Then Prime turned to the others.

-0-TBC 2-18 **edited 2-22-18**

Hobbesian choice:

A Hobson's or Hobbesian **choice** is a free **choice** in which only one thing is offered. ... The phrase is said to have originated with Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), a livery stable owner in Cambridge, England, who offered customers the **choice** of either taking the horse in his stall nearest to the door or taking none at all.

Prime's choice was that no matter what he had to do, someone would suffer.


	266. Chapter 266

The Diego Diaries: Pantheon (dd6 266)

-0-In the ether

He turned to the gods who sat around the room watching him with expectation. "Lords and Lady … thank you for that, though I will tell you … it is my nature to feel the loss anyway."

"You always were the one with empathy and deeply held consideration for everyone else, brother," Prima said with a slight grin. "What do you know now that you did not before."

Optimus considered that. "That life is eternal." He grinned faintly. "I, who have died more than a dozen times know this to be true."

"Your stays were short, Optimus. You will to serve The People is legendary among Us. That is why We watch what you do," Micronus said.

"I am glad for that," Optimus said with conviction. "It once was a hard thing, leading alone."

"But Prowl is your companion," Solus said.

Prime nodded. "He is. He's my boon and my solace."

"You **do** know that all of Us have been at this a long time, those of Us in Our one life and the rest of All That Is, The People and everyone else, through many. As everyone goes through their lives, they do not go alone," Nexus said as the others nodded. "No one does. You forget a lot so that you can learn a lot unencumbered by prior knowledge. You, yourself, know that. You could not come as you are to a world and do what you have to do without forgetting. But as you are not alone with Us, so it is with all others. A veil falls over their memories to protect them against knowing too much. There is no purpose to a life if you know everything before you come. What would you learn? Had you known about the planets sooner, would it have changed your mind? Caminus had only hinted at the magnitude of All That Is."

Prime sat down and considered the question. He shrugged helplessly. "There was no really good alternative. The dead required, for me, solace and respect. Yet, being dead, they were removed from the equation, thereby, having no real say one way or the other. They would have been pillaged and used against others anyway. As for the planets, they also were sentient beings who deserved their lives as well. The dead were, in the strictest sense, out of danger but for their utility to the others. I had no really good option."

"You do," Prima said as the others nodded. "Err on the side of the greatest good. You always have, sometimes to your own doom. There is no perfect solution. You have to choose the best one among them and live with it. Sometimes, you will be right, sometimes not, but that is the world you live in and that is the burden of leadership. Primus had the same zero sum game and chose to default to the greater good, thereby, taking his own wants and needs out of the picture to do the greatest good for the greatest number."

Prime considered that. "So it must be," he said quietly.

It was silent a moment, then Onyx leaned forward. "You are faced with an equally hard decision, Optimus. You must decide what is suitable for the mass genocide of our people, one that satisfies honor and fits the crime. We are interested in your thinking on this matter."

"You will have to partake in it, too, Lord Onyx," Optimus said.

"We shall. This is beyond the ability of one to decide," Prima said. "What is your theory about this?"

Optimus considered that. "I was there to see the ending. I wasn't there to see the beginning. There will be a major effort to see to it that they explain themselves. I do not believe there is any explanation that will suffice to mitigate this matter. However, they must and will be given a chance to speak fully on it."

"That is a good thing," Alpha said. "I, however, reserve judgment."

"How is it, Alpha, that you are here?" Optimus asked. "You never seem aware of that when I see you back on Mars."

Solus grinned. "We bring him here to help us, then send him back."

"I never remember a thing," Alpha said with a grin. He glanced at Prima. "I rather would like to lodge a protest, brother."

"And I give to you all the consideration your protest deserves," Prima said with a smile. "That is to say, none."

Huge laughter in the group filled the space, then subsided as everyone looked at Prime. "Optimus," Solus said. "We will be watching this. This is an outrage of enormous proportions but the Matrix has already told you of those who passed, has It not?"

Prime considered that. "Over the past few Festivals, I have had visions of everyone who ever lived walking out of the water to look at me, each and everyone. Then they walked back in to disappear. One stopped last time to tell me that it was too late. I now know was too late to help them. I remember feeling deep disquiet at the time, though I didn't know why."

"They were telling you from the Matrix that they were already gone. They were telling you, also, that they were safe and well again. No one is ever **not** safe, Optimus, whether in or out of the Matrix. No one is ever alone. Everyone, no matter who, what, when, and where is ever in danger. This life is a hologram in which you come to gain wisdom. Nothing is really what it seems. That goes for everyone everywhere. Most do not know that but many do. Do not worry or grieve for them. They are safely with Us in the Matrix and they will have another chance, like you have now and every other time you left the world. You came back to help The People each time because that is your nature. You are not the only one who can. Everyone can. Just listen to the facts and follow your spark. We will, too. Then when you make your decision, We will call you here," Prima said. "Do not over think, brother. All is well. It always was and it always will be."

Prime bowed his helm. "Thank you. All of you. This is a terrible thing to decide upon by myself. There are children involved who are innocent. I do not want to be the source of their sorrows."

"You won't," Epistemus said. "They are ancillary to the main culprits. It's unfortunate but part of their life's path whatever follows. Do what you are good at, Optimus. Be honest and honorable."

The others nodded, then rose to stand. They shook Prime's servo, smiling at him as they enjoyed his company, the disappeared along with Alpha. Solus stood beside Prime to see them fade, then turned to face Optimus. "You always were the one who could bring Us all together, the hub to Our spokes. Are you going to be alright?" she asked.

He nodded. "I will, Lady. I will do my best."

Solus smiled at him. "Oh, Optimus … do you know how to do other?" she asked before she faded away. The room shimmered and he was back on the balcony.

He shifted, then noted he was gripping the balcony railing tightly. Releasing his grip, he took a moment then turned to go into the Residence. He halted as he saw Prowl standing inside the doorway, watching him with his usual intensity.

Prowl stepped out and walked to Optimus to embrace him. They held each other, then Prowl looked up. "Did you find balance for yourself?" he asked.

Prime nodded. "Always," he said.

Prowl nodded. "Good. Someone else needs balance. Several children want their father to kiss them good night."

Optimus grinned. "Then we shall," he said as they walked back in together.

-0-Morning

They stood on the sidewalk with kids, adults, ammas and appas, watching as the buses came to get kids and a cab slid in to get a little femme. The 'baby bus' came to get Solus, Sojourner, Prowler, and Prima, taking them away to 'all day school' at the Academy while Scout would go with his old dad because he wasn't full intake yet. They watched the last bus go, then glanced at each other, the Prime-Prowl family and the Ironhide-Ratchet family. "Breakfast, anyone?" Ratchet suggested with a dazzling smile.

The suggestion was universally accepted so they ambled across the street for the Diner On The Corner. The morning crowd was brisk as individuals walked to work or wherever, filling the sidewalks and taking metros all over town and the colony. It was Second Tuesday. The next orn would be the opening of the Primal Councilor Hearing and the first step to figuring out the situation with the Functionalists. They walked in and took seats, watching as off duty police and soldiers began to arrive at this, ground zero of off duty eats.

Ratchet glanced at Prowl. "Tomorrow, the hearing?"

Prowl nodded. "Yes," he said. "I dread it."

"You and me both. I have to testify. Medical."

Hercy and Kup followed by a number of Wreckers ambled in along with their youngling 'infant Watch officers' who were worshipfully following their 'elders'. They pushed tables together, greeted everyone, then made their orders. Hard Drive leaned over toward Hercy. "I would like to speak with you at some point about an issue that isn't quite one yet. It will help me to have you be there given your exempt status."

"I'm there when you need me, General," Hercy said.

Hardie glanced at Lissie. "You too, Lissie."

"Just call, Hardie," Lissie said.

The odds of having any exempt Cybertronians let alone four in the same room were astronomically next to impossible but there they were. If one calculated the four individual's ages together, it would still outnumber the entire calculation of everyone else in the room. They were now as rare as could be, but they knew things that most didn't, including what slavery felt like.

Hardie turned toward Delphi and nodded. He nodded back and the conversation continued. Springer and Drift walked in, took a seat, an order and a cup of something hot before relaxing. Ratchet grinned at them and they grinned back. "What's the word, boys?"

"The word is 'in servo'," Springer said smugly.

"That's two words," Drift said. Springer glanced at him with a bland expression. Drift smirked in spite of himself.

"He's right. Two words," Hercy said dryly. "Wouldn't you say so, General?" he asked Hardie.

Hardie nodded. "Two words and three syllables. Sorta mouthy this morning aren't you, infant?" he asked Springer with a straight face.

Springer glanced at him, then Drift, Hercy, then Hard Drive. "Frag you. Sir." Huge laughter greeted that. "Who's going to the game Wednesday?" Most were but not all of them. "We got a high caste sub adult with potential named Pulley. He's going to show up and hang around. I want all hands on deck. This kid has potential and not a lot of support at home to change."

Everyone murmured agreement. Food came, so everyone dug in. It was silent a moment.

"General, I heard you were going to Helex today," Hercy said.

"I am. You coming? I hear that's your town," Hardie said.

"I would be obliged," Hercy said as the younger kids watched him with something akin to awe. He was like the cowboys they loved on teevee … quiet, powerful, a mech of few words.

"We leave at 1000 on the TMC," Hardie said. "My man, Cargo, will be there. Maybe you can do some servos on when the moment presents."

"On it," Hercy replied.

Several of the kids who were trainee cops looked at each other, then Hercy. "Commander, General, do you think you need help? We'd be happy to help you," one of them, a kid named Timber asked who was a mid caste sub adult learning to be a cop which he always wanted to do, especially now that they had a horse patrol.

Like that.

"What do you think, General? Do you think you can use three strong smart kids who listen well and learn fast?" Hercy asked.

Hardie who was open to any kid with potential looked at them appraisingly. They sat up straighter and watched him with hopeful optics. They were adorable. "Sure. Just keep up and obey your officers, infants. We can always used good hands."

They smiled at him, then each other, then Hercy. "We will, General, sir," Timber said as the others nodded.

It was highly amusing to watch them, eager kids who wanted to learn and do things. They'd be a lovely counterpart to the drab display that Cargo presented every day as he did what he was supposed to do the way he was told. There might be a teachable moment in the venture.

Raptor grinned as he sat in his chair eating breakfast, slipping this and that to his cow. "No fair getting the good kids. I have Keystock. How about finding me two or three good kids to show him the error of his ways?"

"Doesn't Pudding do that every day?" Springer asked.

"This is a **slagging** fine cow," Raptor said as he petted his cow. "Couldn't hurt to have someone else along to be a good example for Keystock. Pudding can't carry the load all by himself."

"If you keep messing with the back pack, neither will Keystock," Kup said as everyone laughed loudly.

It was then that the door opened and the two aforementioned kids walked in. They took a booth and ordered something light along with a hot drink. Eating together, they ignored everyone else but sitting beside his foot, a heavy back pack waited for Keystock to pick it up and carry it forward. When he did, he would be trailed by three hyped up trainee policemen and one contented cow.

-0-TBC 2-6-18 **edited 2-22-18**


	267. Chapter 267

The Diego Diaries: Carry On (dd6 267)

-0-All around the next orn

He walked in and sat down beside Alor. Alie who was working out something on a datapad focused on the moment, then glanced up. "Well, well, handsome … where have you been all my life?"

Sideswipe laughed. "Does Blackjack know you're a player?"

"Blackjack knows what I tell him," Alor said with a chuckle. He studied the kid next to him, noting how handsome he was. He was working off his pretender gear and it looked as good on him as a human as his normal Cybertronian form. "What are you doing here, infant?"

"I'm assigned here for the next three decaorns. I got day shifts with you," Sideswipe said.

"No kidding. Prowl let this happen?" Alor asked with surprise.

"He did. Apparently, he's losing his touch," Sideswipe said.

Alor reached for the comm link on the console in front of him. "I'll ask him," he said before Sideswipe grabbed his hand. Alor laughed. "You **do** know the limitations of this form, right?"

"Don't eat or drink," Sideswipe said.

"That's right," Alie said as he stood up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Sideswipe said as he got up to follow.

"Lunch," he said as he walked to the garage.

Sideswipe stopped, then glanced at the others who were smirking at him. With a chuckle, he grinned himself as he followed.

-0-Playground during the before-school-starts recess

The human kids made their way to the playground on their segways. They were parked by the door, small single rider machines built for the human kids who attended here to get around when they weren't being transported by box carried by their aides. They were kept in a small alcove by the outside doorway where they could grab them to go play. Sometimes, small as they were, it took a while to get to the playground on foot, just in time to be called to come inside.

Problem solved.

Jaycee Jameson rode out with Annie and Sandy, heading for a group of bot kids who were hanging out at the swing set laughing and talking together. Camilla Baker, Rain Harris and Lilly Brown rode out to the hard top where it was clear of bots for the moment. :Did you hear the rumor? There's going to be a trial for the bots who killed everyone any day now. I wonder what you have to do to go see it?: Rain Harris asked.

:I hadn't heard. I wouldn't want to go. I would hate to see that they'd do to anyone who did something like that: Camilla said.

:I heard they don't have the death penalty. Prime won't allow it: Lilly said. :I don't like it either. What if they're wrong and you didn't do something terrible? They could kill you and be wrong:

:Dad said that Prime uses the Matrix. It helps him make good decisions: Rain said. :They're going to the Temple today. I wish we could go:

:Write a letter: Lilly said with a grin. :Couldn't hurt:

:It would if **I** did: Rain said gloomily. :I have to help my mom after school. I have to help her with a luncheon for the women in that group they have here, the Autobot City Ladies Auxiliary. Mom wants join and some of the women at Earth2 to as well. Your moms and a few others: She sighed with deep teenaged angst. :I hate social stuff. I want to go ride horses:

:Ask Annie. She's got the bots on her side: Lilly said as the siren sounded to go inside. :When you get it, tell me. I want to ride, too: she said as they turned around and began to race back to the door and their transport box. Riding segways was one of the best things **EVER** so far.

-0-Optimus

He walked through the crowds heading for the Temple. Nodding back to those who nodded to him, noting abstractly when someone touched him as they passed, he walked toward Sports Center Road, crossed the street, then headed toward the Temple District. The short hand among the bots was growing as everyone became more and more invested in the colony. The City was Autobot City, the downtown and the main settled district. The Hill was Aerie Hill. The Hub was Terra. Tri-Cities was Tyger Pax, Kalis and Centurion but it also applied to the Mall there.

The Eights was the huge district made by the eight metro-formers who had come when they were being overrun with newbies. The Seven City districts were becoming known as Seven South, Seven North, Seven East, and Seven West. The Industrial Park Cities were called The Parks. The Metro Districts were Metros One, Two or Three. All in all, the colony was getting a homey vibe as the huge population took to it with a dire need for normal.

Right now, it wasn't. Prime entered the Temple, passing crowds who were there for whatever reason or like Ratchet's family and Prowl's, came to make their morning prayers for their family, Mars, Cybertron, and the Empire. Some of the smaller sects were working out how to pray for the lost and wandering around the clock so that they could be found and returned. What the Monastery did, Prime didn't know. He would eventually when he consulted with Cyclonus over the children of the prisoners if their verdict went the way he believed it would.

Climbing the steps, he entered the confines. Standing at the railing helms bent in prayer, a number of Missionaries were hard at it, beckoning the Universe to return their lost sheep. He walked past, then took the stairs, heading downward to the Well and AllSpark. Both of them were inscrutable as he halted before them, bowing to their magnificence and holiness as per custom. The AllSpark continued to turn slowly, though there was more electricity passing over its surface at his approach, almost as a welcome. The roiling white mist of the Well stayed in its confines even as it rose slightly as if in greeting.

He stared at both, then closed his optics. He recited a prayer that his grand genitors had taught him, one of fealty to his people and world, one of love and respect to the relics and Pantheon, closing with a call to wisdom and the ability to remain good in a system poisoned by everyone elses poor choices. He listened for a response but felt only a soft soothing energy. Bowing deeply, he walked back out, heading for the streets and the long journey to the Courthouse. Today would be a very, very heavy orn.

-0-At the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea

Cyclonus walked from the niche where he said his daily prayers and meditations. He was to be at the hearing to listen as the ultimate source of any information necessary to explain what the Guiding Hand really stood for and what it didn't. He would be there with Heatout, Lauren, Alpha, Chrome, and Neo who all were religious and historical experts at the more esoteric features of religious belief among their people so that the information supplied would be accurate and fulsome. He walked to the main doors where the Guardian and the two mechs, one who was Master of the Scriptorium and the other who was his second waited. They bowed and so did he. "I will be back, though when I can't say. Call me if needed. If there is any trouble or decisions necessary with the plans for the children, I will come."

They nodded, bowed and watched him walk to the platform, the steps, then transform to fly to the Courthouse. "This is going to be a tightrope. Prime and Cyclonus must be very clear about what they are and what we represent."

"So far, so good," the Guardian said as they watched Cyclonus disappear.

-0-At the Courthouse

The hallway was cleared and there were guards there with visible firearms. Prowl and Prime walked down the corridor, pausing to clear things with the guards. Entering the big courtroom, they walked to the dais where they would sit. Prime would officiate and Prowl would record. Coln-2, his assistants and legal team were already there. Blackstone was with his clients in the jails beyond the door. It was very tense and solemn in the room as Ratchet, Rung and Jarro joined the group to sit in the audience. Ironhide who was going to come would be in later due to a situation in the Armory that required his expertise. Hard Drive, Delphi, Hercy, Wirelite, Alejate and his bond, Elba along with a mech named Cezr sat together, all of them the only exempt caste individuals found in the colony. Lissie got called to Cybertron for something in her field of expertise but could and would speak by communications feed if need be. They were there to speak to the ancient times of the Quintessan Enslavement and the resultant Functionalist Tyranny.

No one else was there so far, though a long list of individuals was filed and ready to consult should a defender or prosecutor choose to do so. This was a closed hearing, one of the most serious levels of review open to their species. It was not unknown for a member of the Pantheon to actually show up to speak about this or that, so egregious was the past and some of the players. One could read from the pages of their history books of the Fallacious Pretender who claimed to be Solus Herself and others who were there to wreak havoc on The People.

At that moment, Neo, Heatout, Alpha, Chrome, Lauren, and Cyclonus walked in and sat in the audience with the others. No one spoke to each other, so intense was the energy in the room.

The door nearby opened as Blackstone and his team walked out to take their place at their table. They organized, then Blackstone walked to Coln to whisper together. Ratchet watched them, then glanced at Prowl who had set up the recorder, plugged in, then opened the computer that would be his interface with the process, one he could find whatever was needed or replay whatever point was to be heard. :Hey:

Prowl glanced at him. :Hey:

:This sucks as the humans say: -Ratchet

Prowl nodded. :That's an understatement:

:How's the grand genitors?: -R

:They have their office now and I expect they're hip assemblies deep in research. Thank, Primus: -P with a rueful grin.

:I will hope for the best, pal: Ratchet said.

Prowl grinned slightly. :Thanks:

:How long will this last, do you think?: -R

:I don't know. I was told that Coln plans to indict the entire movement and that means putting history on the table. This could take a while: -P

:Did they find the Book?: -R

:We found it. Grand Cybertron Taxonomy. Hilarious how 'grand' they are, isn't it, for mechs with no real face: Prowl said with bitterness.

:Well, empurata had to come from somewhere: -R

:That was listed last night as one of their charges. Coln is going for their throats: -P

:Good thing Optimus is making the final decision. Maybe: -R

Blackstone sat, then nodded to Prowl. Prowl glanced at Coln who nodded as well. "Everyone stand," Prowl said as he rose. Everyone did. "Let it be known that we are here to ascertain the truth. Only the truth will be allowed to prevail here and the judgment, if any, will be reached by Prime through consultation with the Matrix and the Pantheon. Anyone who acts against good conscience or the good order of things will be removed. Please sit. The Honorable Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars, the Empire, and anywhere Cybertronians exist, bearer of the Creation Matrix, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership presides." He sat, checked his gear, then glanced at Prime with a nod.

Prime nodded back. He was silent a moment, then spoke. "We are here to listen to the facts of a very grievous and terrible set of actions and circumstances that have cost the lives of half a million of our people. This event has caused trauma to all of us but we must put that aside. We are duty bound, all of us, to find the way forward for everyone without bias or vengeance. We are here to find the truth, assess judgment if any, then allow the Holy Ones to speak Their truth." He looked around the room. "Coln-2, are you and your colleagues ready?"

He stood and bowed. "Yes, Lord Optimus. We are."

"Blackstone, are you and your colleagues ready?"

He stood. "Yes, Lord Optimus."

"Ratchet for medical, Rung and Jarro for processor health, Heatout, Neo, Alpha, Chrome, Lauren, and Master Cyclonus, are you ready to speak to matters of religion, practice and doctrine?"

They rose. "Yes, Lord Optimus," Heatout said. "I am." He looked at the others who bowed. "We are," Neo said as the others nodded.

"Alejate, Hard Drive, Delphi, Hercy, Wirelite, Chromo, Alejate, Elba, and Cezr … as exempt status individuals, are you ready to speak to the times before and during the relevant periods in question?"

They arose, then bowed deeply. "Lord Optimus," Chromo said. "I speak for all of us in that we will do so with the greatest of effort to be truthful without bias. Lissie of Iacon is on world and ready to speak via comm link as called."

"Thank you. Please, you may all sit." Prime sat back. "Let this process begin."

Prowl looked at the data before him. "Heatout, Neo, Lauren, Alpha, Chrome, and Cyclonus, you will give informational presentations about the times before the Functionalists gained power and the religious implications of their practice of the Guiding Hand system of belief. I am told you have worked out how this will go?"

They nodded, then Heatout stood and walked to the witness box. He stepped in and turned to Prowl. He rose. "Heatout of Praxus, do you promise to tell the truth without embellishment or subterfuge?"

"I do," Heatout said solemnly.

Prowl sat. "Then begin."

Heatout turned to Prime, then the two sets of lawyers. "In the beginning, there was only The One ..." he began.

TBC 2-7-18 **edited 2-22-18**

Fallacious – (fuh-lay-shis) false, wrong, could apply to actions and ideas


	268. Chapter 268

I hate to do this but I'm going to post tomorrow morning. I can't find my copy of the Covenant of Primus. I have the cool case but the book isn't in it. I will have to find it to fact check this. They're going to be laying out the history that led to The System and some of it isn't well known to those who are just casual fans so I'm going to try and get it right the first time.

:D

I have to fact check some of the different ages and their participants so I'm going to turn the house over tomorrow to find it. I can never find it when I really need it.

:[

I did find two other books that I can use so I guess it wasn't a complete loss.

:|

Sorry. More trial tomorrow. I will replace this place saver in the morning. HUGS TO ALL! -me, having a melt down.


	269. Chapter 269

The Diego Diaries: The Beginning (dd6 269)

-0-In a court room

The door opened as several mechs entered, all of them ordered to be there. They were Lucien, Keystock, Cargo, Traachon, and Waldeen. Behind them with a grim expression was Ironhide, Blackjack and Raptor. They took seats in the back as the big mechs walked toward the wall benches where they sat with Ratchet, Jarro and Rung. The five were ordered to come as part of their parole plan and told if they made a scene they would be jailed at the Prime's Pleasure. Their release then would be at that moment when Optimus cooled off enough to entertain the possibility.

If he ever did.

Heatout continued. "He wanted to see and experience the **INTERPRETATION** of His Creation … that is, He wished to see what He had wrought through the optics of those who would live in and among all that existed. He created Unicron to do so and when it was clear that unbridled unchecked nihilism and chaos untempered by reason was destroying all that had been made, The One knew that there would be no peace but only destruction. From the spark of Unicron, He created a twin, Primus. They were yin to yang, dark to light, destruction to creation. The One, Prime Source, watched Them battle, considering all that He saw.

"Because Primus is a multi-universal singularity and could exist in all universes and dimensions at the same time, He evaded and battled Unicron with great skill because Unicron can exist in only one at a time. He had to find Primus and that became His great Cause. Sparing all that was around Him, He gave endless chase. However, the destruction was still vast when They met in combat. Their sparks evenly matched so the outcome was always even. it was then that Primus removed Himself after creating the Primes to do what He couldn't. He would slumber so that Unicron would not find Him and They would do the deed that couldn't be done by Him alone against the equal perfection of His brother. The Primes were various in design and skill. They were formulated from both so They held the negative attributes of Unicron as well as the Love and Light of Primus. The light and the dark, they, too, shared. Between Them, They would do what He couldn't. Thirteen, who had a spark most perfectly like that of Primus was to be the key. Thirteen would be placed close to Unicron's spark and because His was most like that of Primus, Unicron would be compelled to fall into stasis, too.

"The battles were terrible, some were grievously wounded but They prevailed. Unicron was defeated at last. Then we all know the next part where the Primes, tainted by Unicron's presence, battled each other with many dying. There came next the formatting and populating of Cybertron by us. There are many versions and many interpretations. I won't tell you about them. We are intending instead to go to the place in our history where things went wrong.

"During the chaos of the Patterner Period, the Quintessans, a vile alien species were watching and waiting for that moment when they could come into the struggle, present themselves as the solution, then put everyone in their reach into slavery. It was slow and steady, the pacification of The People, and then it was too late. They were the overlords with assistance from some among us who either were drawn in through trickery or their own personal avarice and desire for power. The Quintessans overtook the law, the dissemination of information, all production, and instituted a renegade policing force. The warlords and warriors of the chaos period were outlawed and hunted. Power was consolidated and soon, it was too late.

"The Well during that time was the greatest source of individual sparks and for some reason, they began to come without names. They were drone-like in their affect and were pushed into work that suited their size and capability. Those who were data bots were of less value than those with rare formats or some more specialized purpose. Thus, they were given less value in the society because of it. But all was not lost. Resistance was always there, deep in the population and among those brave enough to organize the future battles for freedom that such an appalling life almost dictated.

"This is the place where I step aside for the Exempts to tell their story," Heatout said with a bow. He stepped down, then Hard Drive stood. Walking to the box with great dignity, he stepped up, was sworn in by Prowl, then bowed to Prime. "It would be now that the accused should come and listen," Hardie said quietly.

Prime nodded, the bailiff leaned out, then stepped back. They came in, the twelve of the Council and the 22 others who were accused as well. They were eerie and strange, their single optic silent affect something never considered attractive among The People. That it should be the form used for empurata was no accident, it would seem. They walked in, took their seats, then faced forward silently. Hardie stared at them. "I am Hard Drive, General of the Army of Cybertron and the Empire, leader of a caste which was created to curb excesses of those like you, exempt mech, and one of the leaders of the Resistance against the Quintessan Enslavement during the Age of Wrath.

"I was designated HRD-DRV, eventually an information bot whose entire life purpose according to the slave masters who held us in thrall was to create data systems and build them for their convenience. I had been switched from ship painting to this work because it was a practice to do so. When you would fail, which was expected, you ended up in their arenas fighting to the death. It was their sport. They had no idea who we really were and what we could do and know. They never looked that closely at their property and what they did and learned to do when no one was looking. That I was good at data systems was my secret saving grace at the time. It allowed me to travel and network with others. I was fond of Delphi, my bond now. He was the same designation as myself and learned to be very good at penetrating systems for nefarious purposes. He had the math and he had the skills. He was so skilled that he was slated to be sold to an alien corporation and taken away.

"A number of us with Delphi included had been organizing a resistance against the Quintessans. When it was clear that Delphi would be sold away, we launched it. We shut down the entire grid of Cybertron and destroyed their communications and control. That was when the war really began. It began in Iacon and Praxus, then spread across the world. Those who are also exempt have their stories to tell. Chromo and Wirelite, please explain your great courage during this time of tribulation." Hardie glanced at Prowl. "Please swear them all in. They will tell their stories now."

Chromo, Wirelite, Hercy, Alejate, Elba, Cezr, and Delphi stood and were sworn. Everyone sat down but Chromo and Wirelite. Wirelite looked up at Chromo. "You tell them, Only One."

Chromo squeezed her servo, then looked at Prime. "We were house drones, both of us. It shouldn't have been a surprise that we served Megatron at The Residence when he was there. We are very good workers," he said with a trace of pride. Wirelite smiled and nodded. "We were their care givers and we learned their languages, though they never knew the entire extent. They believed we knew only simple commands for needs and wants. We had to steal their codes so that Hardie and the others could break them. Wirelite, she went into their computers and took them. It was so incredibly dangerous. We would have ended up in the tanks with the Sharkticons if we were caught. But we weren't," he said proudly. "We were saboteurs. We blew up the grid in Iacon. Then we fled and blew up communications systems, short circuited a lot of tech and took down weapons systems. Wirelite is a weaver, you know. We both know how to built up, breach and tear things down and we did. We did it gratefully." He looked at Hardie, then nodded. Both sat.

"Alejate and Elba, tell them what greatness you achieved for The People," Hardie said quietly.

The two stood, then bowed to Prime. "General Hard Drive was such a great leader. He and the others, they saved everyone but we all worked together. We did all we could together, equally. We all shared the dangers and the punishments if caught. There was never a greater time to live but then. Sentinel Zeta Prime was a good Prime. He was our leader but Hard Drive was our general. We worked in the transportation of goods and services. I was a router and Elba was a data specialist. We sent things to the wrong place, canceled others and derailed the shipping system. We sent guns and bombs to the Resistance and not the crooked police. We blew up ships and trains, underground systems, and ambushed truck convoys. We destroyed their ability to fight us. We aren't sorry either," Alejate said as Elba nodded in agreement. "I love Sentinel Zeta Prime because he was aware and fought back but you are the Prime I waited my whole life for, Optimus Prime. I would do it again for you." He bowed, Elba did, too, then both sat down again.

"Cezr, dear friend," Hard Drive said quietly.

A mini-con of great age and humor stood, then bowed to Prime and Hardie. "I was your aide for a while, Hardie. I carried a lot of messages for you to others in the Resistance. I was also a sniper. I killed a lot of Quintessans. I know that's not a good thing to say, killing someone like that, but I did. I stalked them. I shot them orn and night. I sniped the collaborators. I carried messages everywhere because the grid went down. I never worried about myself. I only worried for others. I wanted to be free. I met everyone in this room and they're precious to me. They're my other family. All of us live for those who didn't. I wish you could know how I felt after all that danger and all that suffering, to see the Functionalists and then the System rise up. I could have gone hunting again." He looked at the audience. "You have no decency. You have no sense of history. How dare you look down on us? We freed your lives from slavery. No one could go some of the places we went." He looked at Hardie. "It's good to be here, General, and live the life we all deserve. I will fight if you need me if it ever changes." He bowed, then sat.

"Commander Hercy," Hard Drive said. He grinned slightly. "Recruit."

Hercy stood, then bowed to Prime and Hardie. "I was a hard headed kid heading for the scrap heap when the battles broke out. I was marked as 'malfunctioning' because I resisted the slag. I was corralled with all the others who were self aware and ready to go to war. We weren't useful so they were going to smelt us. They smelted us alive, you know. The Quintessans made films of it and showed them at their parties and gatherings. The fraggers were going to smelt me. I still have the marks on my armor," he said turning his arm to show a strange set of letters written in white. "I never removed them so I wouldn't forget. I was only a few orns from being killed with the fighting broke out.

"We overpowered our guards, then went out in gangs to kill anything that stood in our way. I was a sniper. I got really good at taking out slaggers over distance. We roved in gangs until the General here, he and the bond got it organized. We killed them in numbers and we would have gotten them all but they fled like cowards. Those who couldn't didn't live to see the next orn. We freed ourselves and we weren't going back. Its **COWARDLY AND INSULTING TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED TO FREE EVERYONE** that the **SYSTEM** should have come back. **EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS THE DESCENDANT OF SLAVES!** Only the courage of a few made that end.

" **YOU DESECRATE THEIR MEMORY WITH YOUR CASTE SLAG!** No one is better than any other. We were made in the same way. We have the same dreams. **NO ONE IS BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE! ALL ARE ONE MEANS EVERYONE!"** He turned to stare at the mechs in the back row. "We shed energon to make sure that the world would be free and everyone was equal. You and your ideas are alien, treason and in opposition to The One. You betray everything that it means to be Cybertronian. You should be on your hands and knees thanking us that we **HAD THE BEARINGS TO THROW OFF THEIR CHAINS! IF WE DIDN'T YOU WOULD STILL BE A SLAVE!"**

He turned toward Hard Drive. "I will never forget the orn when we saw you and the bond coming over the hill with the flag of Cybertron and a sword in your hand. You were driving the enemy toward us, the remnants of the police around Helex. I will never forget the first time we met. We were free at last, our chains were broken and the world was ours. **THEN WHAT HAPPENED! SLAGGERS PICKED UP THE QUINTESSAN'S SLAG AND IT ALL BEGAN AGAIN!"** He turned to the mechs in the last row. **"FRAG YOU AND YOUR ALIEN SLAVERY! I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT YOU! I WILL NEVER BE A SLAVE AGAIN! FRAGGERS! TOO BAD YOU DIDN'T FEEL HOW THAT FELT! YOU FRAGGERS NEVER SAW A SLAVE AUCTION! FRAG YOU AND YOUR AIRS! YOU'RE LESS A MECH THAN ANYONE IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE YOU DON'T LOVE CYBERTRON AND HER PEOPLE ENOUGH TO STEP AWAY FROM THE QUINTESSAN POISON!"**

Hercy looked at the group, staring hard at everyone sitting in the audience. "I've learned over the vorns to let some things go but not all of it. I'm a warrior but I didn't start out that way. **I STARTED OUT AS A SLAVE!** Anyone who supports that, anyone who would hold anyone of us down is my **enemy**." He turned to Prime and bowed low. "Sentinel Zeta Prime was my first. He was good and smart. But you're the best one. I tell you that as someone who has seen everyone of them. It's an honor to serve you and to live in a society that you lead. And you, General … you and the bond. It's on your shoulders that all of us stand." He sat down again and it was silent for a moment.

Hardie nodded to Hercy and he nodded back. "Delphi?" he asked in a soft voice.

Delphi stood and bowed to Prime. "You know some of our story now but you miss the details. You cannot know what it means to be nothing but equipment. I was due to be sold and but for my mech, I don't know where I'd be. I was prepared to fight to the death, maybe even go to the Sharkticon tanks before I was prepared to be sold. You never saw that spectacle, any of you. You never saw and heard the despair. Because **SOME OF US** are prepared to do all the **SLAG** , you never will. I will die and I will kill everyone I love before that ever happens to them again.

"As for you, you supercilious parasites … your ancestors were slaves, too. All of us here, Wirelite, Chromo, Hercy, Cezr, Elba, Alejate, Hard Drive, and me … we were called The Immortals by our people then. All of us who still live carry the worst memories of our people's terroristic past. I wish you could know how we've all felt watching the Functionalists pick up what the Quintessans started, then have it compounded by The System of Exception." He looked at the last row where Lucien and the others sat. "You're the biggest, saddest frauds I've ever seen. You don't know anything." He turned to Prime, bowed, then sat.

Hardie began again. "The following orns after the rebellion were an orgy of revenge though we tried to stop it. Our people were so traumatized that they nearly burned the world to the ground. Then they had to pick up again and they were ripe for anyone who could restore order and some sense of freedom. Con men came and they used religion to restore **the same damned thing.** When you were driven off and we did," he said staring at the Functionalists, "the next layer of liars took over and The System of Exception was laid down. It has nearly destroyed us completely." He looked at Prime. "The Praxian Military Elites were formed to stop the mess as best we could. We tried and I wish we could have done more. What we can do **now** is stand by you, Prime, and our people. We do. I, Hard Drive of Praxus, senior Praxian Military Elite pledge my life and honor to the Prime of Cybertron." He turned to Prime and bowed his helm. "Command me."

Prime nodded back. "I accept your pledge with gratitude, Hard Drive of Praxus."

Hardie nodded, then stepped down. He walked to his seat and sat beside Delphi, taking his servo for a moment. It was silent as a tomb.

Prime glanced at Prowl who was organizing. "Continue, please."

"Heatout, we need information about the Functionalist Tyranny," Prowl said as he stared coldly at the unknowable figures before him.

"I would ask Neo to speak to that. The history of oppression is her specialty." He looked at Neo. "I mean that only in the academic sense, my dear friend."

Neo looked at him, then nodded. "It could apply both ways."

"Not now, my dear Neo," Heatout said.

Neo looked at him with the most grateful expression, then walked to the stand where she bowed to Prime and took the oath. Turning to the group, she vented a sigh. "I wish to tell you about the Functionalist Tyranny. When the chaos was starting to subside, groups in power and those gathering it began to coalesce around the idea that form greeted function. It was only a tiny step up from what we already knew. It felt like freedom but it wasn't. The greatest outcomes of effort were channeled to the same few. This was the birth of the Golden Age.

"Because there were so many individuals and because commerce was skyrocketing with inventions, creations and workers working hard to provide material goods for all, the effects of our slavery were not taken into account. The rush to build a society for ourselves that was great and magnificent took precedent. We were beginning our age of greatest exploration and space bridges were being worked out and built. We ended up colonizing hundreds of worlds, terraforming them if needed into our own little Cybertrons, meeting demands for everything but our social well being. The slave attitudes about place were digging deeper and deeper into our psyches, traumatized by war, strife and deprivation. It was almost inevitable that the slavery would come back in another form.

"This time, they used 'science' and 'studies into the nature of our being' to solidify the caste system that was picked up and refined by the Functionalist movement. Your form dictated your function. Again, the will and desire of individuals was cast aside in the dictatorship of functionalism. The book that codified the system, making it seem scientific and rational, the Great Cybertron Taxonomy was wielded like a hammer. If you wanted to do what you wanted but it was outside your designated societal placement, you were arrested and imprisoned, your efforts destroyed and you were sometimes even murdered. It was a prison without bars for billions over many generations.

"At last, the same impulse to be free overthrew the Functionalists and they fled after eons of oppression and destruction of dreams and lives. Where they went, no one knew. We were then tasked with trying again but it failed. It always failed. One cannot underestimate the lure of power and fortune for some and we had never addressed the impact that slavery had on all of us. As time passed, the System of Exception became the new prison. Never were we allowed to be who we really were. Even in the Golden Age when religion and religious fervor erupted in a major way among The People, it only flourished more. 'Until all are one' became a meaningless tool of the state to bend everyone to their will. Your patriotism was suspect if you didn't go along with the state. The military grew and became another arm of the government to hold everyone down. As cracks in the system, as energy became scarce, it only got worse.

"It was inevitable that Megatron would arise. What was also inevitable was the response to him that the government made. They had no idea of the pressures The People were under with this oppression. It was inevitable that our great people would have to suffer again as they threw off the chains that had never really come off. Megatron was a primal scream by our people against tyranny. It's astonishing to me that there was someone great, strong and wise enough to hear it and change the world forever," she said as she looked at Optimus. "I am grateful every orn for the life I lead and the chance to make amends for the terrible deeds I created and participated in. We are for the first time in our entire history free and its only because of you. Thank you, Optimus Prime, for the chance to say so." She bowed deeply, then stepped down. Taking her seat, she leaned against Heatout who squeezed her servo.

"Lord Chrome, you and Lord Lauren are here to address religious questions. Do you have anything to say at this time?" Prowl asked.

Chrome glanced at Lauren, then Prowl. "We would like to speak later when the subject gets closer to us. We are here to address religious questions and support our great colleague, Master Cyclonus. If there are direct questions by the Prime or the two sides of this issue, we will answer them now. It would appear that there is some confusion about the concept of 'until all are one' even yet among our people."

Prowl nodded. "I will note that, gentlemen." He glanced at Cyclonus. "Master, do you wish to speak at this moment in the informational segment of the proceedings?"

Cyclonus nodded, then stood. "I do," he said as he stepped forward. Taking the stand and the oath, he looked at the gathering. "It is difficult to look at you, you who would take that which is sacred to millions and turn it into blasphemy. There is only one creed that holds true among all our people and that is the idea of 'until all are one'. It is more than a call to mutual identity and purpose. It is the sacred bond between all of us and the Pantheon. It is the tie that binds us to Primus and The One. The idea of standing on Cybertron, the actual body of our greatest lord is **sacred.** Primus is **sacred.** There is little in my thinking that holds as strongly than the protection and veneration of Cybertron. We live on the body of a **GOD!** He gives us **EVERYTHING!** It belongs to **ALL OF US!** How you could believe that this could be any other way astonishes me. I have read your histories and books. I have studied your films and found astonishment at the blasphemy therein and still, I cannot see how you can say you believe in Prima and the Guiding Hand. You have nothing in common with their goals and will.

"I once was a Decepticon, a lieutenant of Megatron himself. I fought many battles and I won most of them. I did it **FOR CYBERTRON!** I did it to free our world and our people from the tyranny of slavery that you and your perversions represent. There are many of our belief who talk to me about their fear that we will be tainted by your stink. You were never a part of the Monastery and its life. You were never really a part of Cybertron. You were a parasite feeding off the body of **PRIMUS, HIMSELF!**

"I am here for Cybertron and I am here for the Guiding Hand. I serve both with all my spark. I also serve Prime. He has the difficulty of helping the rest of us separate ourselves from you. If I had my own way, I'd kill all of you myself. Good thing I am not Prime," he said before he turned to Optimus. "I will answer any questions you may have about what we are and what we do and allow. Thank you," he said with a slight bow. He walked menacingly to his seat and sat.

It was dense in the room as Prime waited for Prowl to finish his notations. Prowl looked at Prime. "We have had the informational portion of this hearing and we are ready for the trial itself."

Prime nodded. "Very well. Coln-2, you have the floor."

Coln who looked as solemn as anyone in the room nodded, then stood. He began formally. "I am Coln-2. I represent those who have no voice. I represent Cybertron and our people. I have the duty to tell their tale," he began.

-0-TBC 2-9-18 **edited 2-10-18 edited 2-24-18  
**

 **HERE YOU GO!** I am weaving a lot of strands together for the history here. Most of it is canon but the order might be slightly different. I am fitting a lot of stuff into a long form story so … :D:D:D:D:D

All was not lost last night and this morning. I found two other reference books for the story. :D:D:D:D

Given that Thirteen was the spark most like Primus of all of Them, its no wonder that He became Optimus Prime. :D


	270. Chapter 270

The Diego Diaries: Reckoning (dd6 270)

-0-Courtroom

"I am Coln-2. I represent those who have no voice. I represent Cybertron and our people. I have the duty to tell their tale," he began. "We have listened to the tales told by our elders of the days of tribulation and trial that shaped us for good or ill into what we are now. The humans say that the past is prologue. It is. We have been haunted by systems of belief imposed upon us from the earliest orns of our existence, systems that assume things about all of us that are rooted in alien interference that has never been shaken off or excised from us. It has led to eons of evil, criminality and despair. Now, we sit here in judgment over another action so vile and terrible that it requires oversight by the Pantheon.

"We are here to address actions that have resulted in unspeakable crimes which the defendants face. We are talking about genocide … mass murder, slavery, abuse on a grand scale, perversions of our laws, trade in our weapons and technology with alien entities in violation of the Tyrest Treaties, and all other laws that apply to our duty and responsibility to prevent others from having such things. How many other species have suffered terrible possibilities because such trading and commerce happened? We may never know. What we do know, however, is that because of these individuals and their criminal conduct couched in religious belief, more than half a million of our people were murdered without mercy. And make no mistake," he said coldly as he turned to the group. "Religion was the smokescreen that you used to cover up your greed, avarice, indifference, and hatred for anything but yourselves.

"We intend to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you did what you did with depraved indifference and that you have utilized your philosophy as a screen to cover up your hateful conduct and your overwhelming greed and cowardice. We intend to prove you to be a criminal organization with evidence, testimony and expert witnesses, some of which you have already heard. What happens to you after that is in the hands of Optimus Prime and the Pantheon." Coln-2 bowed, then sat.

Blackstone stood, then bowed. "We have the charge of assisting the accused with a defense and explanation for the actions that happened. We will be doing so to the greatest degree possible. We do not challenge the fact that this happened. We will be putting forward a defense that shows why it did and what it all means from the aspect of their philosophy and viewpoint. I do not expect it to be easy. I do not expect it to even prevail. But we are advocates for our clients and will do what we can to assist what they have decided is the path forward. We have counseled them in the new paradigm and they are adamant. Thank you, Lord Optimus," he said as he bowed, then sat.

Prime nodded. "I would warn the defendants that they listen to their counsel. Now is not the time to disregard their wisdom." He glanced at Prowl. "We will take a break, then meet again for the prosecution to begin."

"Please rise," Prowl said as Prime stood and walked to the door nearby that led to the judge's offices.

The bailiff called the defendants to rise and they walked out, all 34 of them. The door closed behind them. The exempts rose, chatted a moment, then walked out, all of them heading back to a life they never expected to have. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet walked to the silent mechs in the last row. He sat, then grinned slightly. "Any thoughts?"

"Do you really expect them?" Traachon asked.

"Not really," Ratchet replied. "I don't expect natural reactions from any of you. You're so grand, remember? How does it feel to be reminded that your first ancestors on both side were slaves?"

They stared at Ratchet coldly but didn't reply. Then Cargo sat slightly forward. "How long are we expected to watch this?"

"Why, all the way through, infant." Ratchet grinned. "It's what the humans call a 'hail Mary pass', this effort. It's the last thing you do before the end slams you into the ground. A desperation move, the last chance … I'm hoping that if you hear this it might stir something in you, something that's covered in rust and lost for eternity … you know … your spark." Ratchet rose and with a grin walked back to the group gathered around Hard Drive and Delphi.

"You never talk about that slag, Appa," Ironhide said.

"We were just a few of many," Hardie said. "There were many leaders. It's sort of interesting that everyone who spoke were those we knew and worked with."

"Alpha was one," Delphi said. "A-3. He was quite a fighter for a scholar. Then there was also old recruit here." Delphi hugged Hercy's shoulders.

"It still burns, Delphi, after all these long years. It was like yesterday talking about it," Hercy said.

"You should. Get it out," Rung said as he eyed Hercy. "It helps with the burn."

"Maybe," Hercy said.

They chatted together as Prowl joined them. The different lawyers were talking together with their aides and assistants and the room felt heavy. Prowl glanced at Blackstone. "I don't think they must be cooperating with Blackstone," Prowl said quietly. "Too bad for them."

"They got away with everything since forever. I think they believe they can talk their way out again," Delphi said.

"Frag that," Hercy said as Cyclonus walked back into the room. He had a cup of something in his servo. He drank it down and tossed the cup into the disposal. As he did, Prime walked back inside.

Prowl walked to the desk, then called for order to return. The bailiff sent the prisoners back inside and everyone sat down. "Due to the circumstances of their case, we are asking for decorum to be preserved. We have stationed security inside and outside to secure this place and if you cannot handle the proceeding, please leave. You may be seated."

Everyone sat, Prime nodded and Coln stood. "I would like to call Commander Prowl to the stand."

Prowl rose, walked to the stand, then recited the oath. He turned toward Coln. "Please tell the circumstances that led to the discovery that the ships carrying the Functionalist Council and their party were heading our way."

"We received notice that a group was coming, one that wasn't aware that they were heading in a direction that would take them to Razorclaw at his enclave. We sent Seeker flights out to see who it was and determine enough information for us to affect a rescue as well as warn off Razorclaw from attempting to overtake them. It was then that they were identified as Functionalists. Their ships bore their insignias … a yellow castle nut with two sets of wings and three circles. We sent a message to them and received one in reply."

"What did it say?" Coln asked as he took up a datapad and put the message up on the big monitor on the wall nearby.

"It said that they acknowledged Prime and that they wanted to talk to him," Prowl replied.

"What happened next, Commander?" Colie asked.

"Optimus Prime along with a number of our older officers who have had experience with the Council of 12 and their manner went out to the ships who were being held together with Seeker protection. It was then that we arrived and dialog began," Prowl said.

"Did you have reservations about this group based on past experiences with them?" Coln asked.

"Objection. We are discussing the present. We have not established the relevance of this line of questioning," Blackstone said.

"Very well," Coln said. "Given Razorclaw and a number of other factors, did you approach this group with concerns or was this just another group of refugees?"

"You're fishing, Coln," Blackstone said.

Prime considered that. "Is there a way to retrieve your information with further questioning? Follow the line of events and perhaps you can get your points made. I have to find for Blackstone."

Coln nodded. "What happened when you got to the group, Commander?"

"There was discussion on our ship about the group and incidents from the past when someone on board remembered a tactic that they had employed in the past where devices were placed in processors to implement what were called 'recalls'. That is, when a bot was considered useless and disposable, the chip was detonated and the bot died. They could then be smelted down and reused for other things. It was discovered on the ships meeting this group that some of those on board carried those chips in their processors."

"What happened next?" Coln asked. The room was funereal.

"CMO Ratchet did research, then called upon Teletraan to help with determining if anyone on board carried the detonation chips. Several did, all of them from the first age which he then removed. It was determined that everyone elder enough to have lived during the Functionalist Dominion would probably carry them. It was later determined that this was true both on Mars and Cybertron. They were removed. It was determined that Gamma and Xantium Supreme carried them and they were sent back."

Coln nodded. "What happened once this was determined on your way to the group?"

"Prime ordered them to be brought over, the leadership, all twelve," Prowl said. "Four came and there was discussion about the terms everyone follows when coming to Mars. We download databases and materials that we use to rebuild our culture. We return them afterward. They didn't want to do that. They offered little and refused the rest. There was discussion, they refused to cooperate so Prime ordered a ship destroyed, one that was a drone. Prime ordered them to turn over the device that the Functionalists use to make their recalls … the device that activates the death chips in the processors of everyone they have around them and they refused. It was then that Prime showed him the error of his ways."

"He pulled off the arm of Eleven of Twelve and began to beat the other three with it. He then was told that they activate the recall together. It takes all of them to kill with that process. He also, One of Twelve, blamed this activity on the will of Adaptus, something we all considered blasphemy when he said it." Prowl was hot when he said that part and it was obvious that he didn't care.

"What happened then?" Coln asked.

"Ratchet was commanded to deactivate them until this process could be neutralized. If it took twelve of them to do it, four were now disabled. We had found half a dozen of the recall chips in the processors of our senior crew. Who knew how many others had them? At that point, Prime was called to the Matrix. We waited in silence for him to return to us," Prowl said.

"Is it possible to know what transpired?" Coln asked as he glanced at Prime.

"I am not able to comply," Prowl said.

"I was in discussion with Solus Prime," Optimus said. A hush fell over the group. "She was not opposed to what I did to get the information, though I personally find such actions not in keeping with my own views. However, lives were at stake. I will explain further is necessary, but suffice it to say, we discussed the moment and little more."

Coln nodded. "At this point, I assume, you boarded the ships and took them over. What happened then?"

"We did. Then we began to go through the databases. It was then that we discovered where they had come from and that there were many more out there who were not here. Given all of the elements thus far, we had a very great foreboding about the remaining unknown number who weren't in the group. With the arrival of Master Cyclonus, it was determined that all of those who weren't here, half a million, had been killed. They were murdered by the group before they fled."

The room was silent as a grave.

-0-TBC 2-10-18


	271. Chapter 271

The Diego Diaries: Requiem (dd6 271)

-0-Courtroom

"All of them? How many did you at that time understand were affected?"

Prowl stared at Coln. "We were under the impression that half a million individuals were in this group in total but there were barely 3,000 in the group in hand. They intimated to us that they were leaving their settlement under duress. That meant a catastrophe had to have happened and we had to find them."

"Then you went forward to do so," Coln asked.

"We did. When we arrived in the system, we realized that we weren't alone. There was a confederation of alien civilizations who lived there who shared the same cultural references and had a strong alliance based around a mutual god. They couldn't be bargained with. They wanted us to leave and they began to build up a huge force against us." Prowl glanced at the first rows of the defendants but they weren't registering any kind of response. "We went to the planets themselves and thereby, we confirmed our worst fears and their testimony about what had happened."

"They had confessed," Coln asked.

Prowl nodded. "Eleven of Twelve told us what had happened. We went from place to place and found only dead. There were dead mechs of all ages, femmes, children from babies to sub adults … it was grim and terrifyingly awful."

"What happened then?" Coln asked.

"There was contact with the aliens from the start and they made it clear that they wanted us gone. They began a huge build up and so did we. We called up the secondary fleet and then in the end, our biggest frames. As that was happening, as we were on the ground figuring out what to do, they began to build a huge energy enclosure around our entire battle group. We also had some tests, shootings and ships sparring at this moment and it was clear to all of us that this wasn't going to end well. We figured there would be fighting when we broke the energy enclosure but they didn't fight us at that moment," Prowl said.

"There was no one to save," Coln said. "Where did you find everyone and how did they get there?"

"There was no one left alive. They were called from their locations and told to go to their homes. It was then, when everyone was in their homes and accounted for that they issued the signal that killed them. It was … 'efficient'." The tone of Prowl's voice left no guesses about what he felt about that.

"When it was clear that no one was alive, we tried to find evidence of what happened. We looked everywhere, then pulled the databases and computers," Prowl said. "Prime could make no headway with the aliens in negotiations, so we had to figure out how to leave without abandoning the dead to the vultures for pillaging," Prowl said. "It was decided to destroy the installations on the two worlds where there were no bodies. Then destroy the home worlds themselves where the bodies were."

"How did you accomplish that?" Coln asked.

"The Prime decided to pull everyone out, letting them think we were leaving," Prowl said. "The battle group went through the bridges until it only the dreads and Supremes were left. As they also turned to leave, Prime ordered them to unload every missile and bullet that they carried into both planets. The aliens came for us when we did but we went through the bridges. Tennyson before he teleported saw the two planets disintegrate. We left and it was over. The aliens wouldn't have our people to pillage."

It was silent a moment. Then Coln considered his questions. "Tell me, Commander, what you know about the councilors."

"They were unwilling to cooperate at any point in the operation. They hindered us all along the way. They showed zero remorse about what they did and they had to be coerced to help."

"It is understood that Prime removed an arm and beat four of them with it," Coln said.

Prowl considered that. "They weren't cooperating and at that time, we felt that half a million of our people were still alive and in danger. They weren't helping us to find and rescue them. It was a question of who was in the more urgent situation. We defaulted to trying to save the people in greatest danger and if the four had a discomforted moment, then I stand guilty as charged."

It was silent, then Coln put down his datapad. "No more questions for now."

Blackstone stood, then considered his questions. He had a terrible hand but he was going to try to pick this apart where he could. "Commander, tell me about the coercion of the four leaders."

Prowl considered things, they opted for the facts. "Prime asked them for information about where the missing individuals were and what happened to them. They refused. It was a calculation to do what was done, one designed to save half a million lives. Prime pulled off an arm and beat all of them with it."

"Is that standard practice for interrogations?" Blackstone asked.

"No. However, given the circumstances and their unwillingness to tell us about half a million missing and likely endangered individuals, it was a calculation we were willing to make. I'm sure that if there are charges brought, all of us as participants and witnesses are ready to stand for them," Prowl said.

"There was no other way?" Blackstone asked.

"We had exhausted all other possibilities and short of jacking into them and rummaging around in their heads, we did what we felt would elicit the information the quickest," Prowl replied.

"No more questions," Blackstone said as he sat.

Prowl was dismissed and sat at the recorder's table. Coln stood. "I wish to call to the stand Commander Ratchet."

Ratchet walked up, took the oath and waited. Coln stared at him a moment. "Commander, you found the chips. How did that happen, how do they work and what is their purpose?"

"We were discussing the Functionalists on board ship and some of the soldiers with us who are exempt and remembered them mentioned the devices. We scanned the elders with us and found them there. It could be that they were a Quintesson feature that the Functionalists co-opted for themselves or they weren't. I'm not sure and the record is sparse. However, it consists of two chips, one in the PC-31 sector of the processor and a smaller one hidden deeper nearby. I removed them and had the group scanned. Both Gamma and Xantium Supreme bore them, one giant one to kill them. They were sent back to have them removed, then came back with their siblings, all of whom bore them. They were small devices for everyone else that if activated by a signal would short out, tripping some delicate wiring in the processor which would explode it. It would be instantaneous and the Functionalists wouldn't have to see the end result of their actions due to the remote detonation feature."

"How did that many of them die like this? Prowl said they were in their homes," Coln asked.

"We went through the data and saw that their last message, the last one sent to everyone was an order to go to their homes and stay there. They went, all of them. There was no one in the mines on other worlds and no one at the different work sites. Everyone was found in their homes. It was there that they all lie dead. All of those I examined, and I did many, were dead from exploded processors. The explosions originated in the same locations, the PC-31 sector. It killed everyone, mechs, femmes, elders, children, and babies. Families died together, it would appear."

The air was heavy in the room but the Functionalists sat stoically in their seats, rows of silent identical individuals who could easily have been items on a store shelf. They discussed a few more technical things, then Ratchet turned toward Blackstone. He stood and looked at Ratchet thoughtfully. "Doctor, what would you think about someone capable of doing such a thing to anyone, let alone that many and various a group?"

"I would have to examine them to search out deformities in their helms and bodies because this is so outside the norm for anyone. I was alternating between horror and fury at the time," Ratchet said. "At the moment, more practical concerns weren't at the forefront of my mind."

"Would you consider anyone who could do such a thing deficient in their grasp of how things are supposed to be? Damaged in their mentality or even defective?" Blackstone asked.

"That's usually the first thought when something like this happens, especially when children and babies are part of the crime. Its so outside the normal that your first instinct is to try and find the source of such cruelty and indifference. It's why I ordered Rung and Jarro to assess them and try to find defects. I handled the medical end with a number of specialists who are experts at determining processor health from a medical point of view," Ratchet said.

"And what did you discover?" Blackstone asked as he picked up the medical and processor reports he was given.

"We found no obvious deformities in them. We saw normal processors and with very few deviations from the normal," Ratchet said. "If I were looking for a medical place where such a world view could originate, I didn't find one. I believe that the processor department is going to have to give you findings for why they did this. It very well could be that they just don't care this much."

"You found nothing medical that could account for this?" Blackstone said.

"No, Blackstone. I really looked but found nothing that would spark this," Ratchet said.

"What about oppressive conformity of behavior," Blackstone said. "I read a few of your papers about this phenomenon among our people. The kind of thing that makes someone a 'good soldier' to a tyrant. How would those studies you made apply to this situation? I doubt that anyone would argue that there are few groups more suffocatingly overbearing than this one."

Ratchet considered that as he stared at the group who didn't react to Blackstone's insult. "I believe there are personalities that don't like to think for themselves, that they're very happy to be told what to do and are willing in their zeal to conform to very high degrees to participate, even in terrible things. They have many motivations. They may just want to belong that greatly, are swept up in something bigger than they're used to, want to impress someone that they admire, or even rise to the top of the group they aspire to and are willing to do what it takes. Pressure on some, especially those with a weak will or processor, can make them do things that are terrible or against common sense."

"Do you believe that you see that here? The Functionalists demand absolute conformity," Blackstone said.

"It could. I would have to discuss it with my colleagues and examine them again. I don't rule out anything now, Blackstone. I only have my small part of the puzzle," Ratchet said.

"Thank you, Doctor," Blackstone said as he sat.

Coln stood. "Doctor … if the ideas that you were studying apply to them, for the sake of argument, does that eliminate responsibility for things they do? Is it a mental condition?"

"That depends on a lot of factors. Other factors would have to be present to make it a mental and thereby mitigating condition. However, mostly its not. It's not a mitigating factor in what a person does. Many are the atrocities committed in war that were done by weak willed individuals who were 'just following orders'. We aren't immune to that and its not enough of a factor to release them from responsibility."

"Thank you." Coln sat.

Ratchet stepped down and sat on the bench.

"I would like to call Commander Springer," Coln said.

The questioning of soldiers involved in the take over would last a while. They would all tell similar stories along with many Seekers. It wouldn't go well for the Functionalists.

-0-Earth2

The kids walked in from school heading for home and then fun and games. Jaycee Jameson wasn't one of them. She was at the Family Tower with Annie Lennox and the others. She was fitting in swimmingly and often hung out with the younger kids. Even though they were younger, they got along greatly. Rain and Lilly walked into the cafe to get a bite. School was so long that they found themselves ravenous by the time they got back to the habitat. Sitting after ordering, they sat back tiredly. "Rowing in the pool is going to kill me," Lilly said.

Rain nodded. "I've never seen such a big pool. I like rowing, though."

Lilly nodded. "We're going to Trypticon tomorrow. Does your Mom still want to come? Mine does. She has to do her two hours at school so she's coming along."

"Mine isn't. A bunch of reporters and magazines are going to be here for a few days. Mom is in charge of showing them around. I hope to get a picture at least in the Vanity Fair article. Imagine," she said with a grin. "Vanity Fair."

Lilly grinned. "I hear you." Their food was called and they got it, returning to sit to eat. As they did, they did what they also did when they got off. They began their homework.

-0-Middle afternoon in a courtroom

"Coln-2," Prime said. "We are going to end the session today if you are at a point where you can break. If not, we will continue."

Coln looked up at Prime. "No, sir. We can rest here and pick it up tomorrow."

Prime glanced at Blackstone. "Counselor?"

"We can rest here, Lord Optimus," Blackstone said.

"Very well," Prime said as he stood. "This court is in recess until tomorrow at 1000 hours on the TMC. You are cautioned that an informational black out is in place on this case."

Everyone nodded, then stood as Prime stepped down. It was a weary group that watched the defendants walk into the jail once again. Prowl finished up the recording and set it for the next orn. Locking the record, he turned to Prime. "I'm famished. Are you?"

Prime nodded, then glanced at the others. "I think a meal at The Pit Stop would be a good idea. That is where we are going. You are welcome to come if you can."

The others stretched, then followed Prowl and Prime out as Coln and Blackstone sat down together to talk. It was a nice walk to the restaurant which was between rushes. Sitting, pulling tables together, they ordered and waited for food. No one spoke of the orn's exertions. Everyone spoke about family and fun.

Life.

-0-TBC 2-11-18 **edited 3-4-18**

NOTES:

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 269 . Feb 10

I'm shocked at how passionate Hercy got during his portion of the beginning speech. He's normally so even tempered. It just goes to show how deep and abhorrent the deeds of the Functionalists and the System of Exception are.  
I loved the beginning speeches a lot. It explained more about Cybertron and Primus. It also delved into the poisoning of the entire culture. The Exempt Bots are amazing and needed to endure so much. I admire them more now then before.

ME: YOUR MESSAGES SHOWED UP! LOL! I love telling about their history and the entire enormous backstory of the TF's. It's so interesting though I will say I tweak a bit of it to fit the story here. Not much. They have such a huge range of possibilities. I didn't know about the Guiding Hand until I started this story and did research. :D Hercy was a kid and he was ready to be scrapped. He still feels the pain. The exempts are their treasure, the ones who remember everything. I love showing the long history of this universe and its characters. I love TF something awful. HUGS!

kattenbelletje chapter 269 . Feb 10

I love it when elders tell stories about how things used to be. I hope we will learn more. Will there be flashback stories or a spin off?

ME: Yes to both. I have been brewing up a story about Ironhide as a little kid strarting with Delphi and Hardie in the most remote past. I think them having Raptor and the progression to them showing up on Mars would be a really fun story to write. Right now, I'm sort of outlining it. DD sucks the wind out of me. I still have the other story that needs picking up and I will. I have about two stories connected to the elders being blocked out now. I love the elders and their solid decency.

optimus prime101 chapter 268 . Feb 9

Do you know where I can look at the covenant of Primus all I find of ones where you have to join the website to download it?

I have tried to find it online and have had no luck but I'll try again. You never know. :D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 267 . Feb 8

Here we go...

I'm curious, are the Functionalist Council in the courtroom yet or are they sequestered elsewhere? I'd think they would be elsewhere since I doubt they could keep their non-mouths quiet.

I like that there are multiple exempt Bots available to question. I'd hate to be the only one to reflect on a time that was so depressing and full of turmoil. They say misery likes company and that's the time the Bots won their freedom from the Quintessons but lost it immediately to the Functionalists.

I'll also repeat my previous post by saying, Optimus may have a hard time with this case, but he's the only one who could determine the punishment. Not only does he consult the Matrix, he also asks the Pantheon for help.

That said, I'd love to be present for a Cybertronian court case, though not this one. I think it would be fun and interesting. Maybe the cutest cases so far are the cases with drunk Mini-cons. Yes, that's exactly the type of case that would be my choice to sit in on.

ME: I love the trials. Some of the funny ones, the mini-cons crack me up. Some are just fun for the fights and this one, it needs to happen. The background didn't involve them so they weren't there. They will be and they won't be a good client for poor Blackstone. The case is so terrible that the Matrix has to be part of it. It's too big and awful otherwise. :D


	272. Chapter 272

The Diego Diaries: Requiem (dd6 272)

-0-Later that night

She spelled it perfectly.

Ironhide looked at the image of a house he held in his servo, then his daughter who was standing on the coffee table in front of him beside a growing stack of pictures. He handed her the house picture and she put it on the stack, turning to him for the next one. **"THIS IS FUN, ATAR!"** she said with a giant smile.

"This is insane," Ironhide said with a grin. "You're the smartest femme in the room."

Hero glanced at Halo who was dozing on the table next to her. She smiled and petted her helm. "Halo will be reading, too. **I'LL HELP HER!"**

"Not too fast, infant," Ironhide said as he held up another card. "She's still small."

Hero smiled, then began to spell in NeoCybex. "A-u-t-o-m-o-b-i-l-e."

Ratchet who was sitting across from the two of them working on his segment of the Squad's story grinned. "Little femme has skills."

"She has," Ironhide said as he handed her a card. Taking another, he held it up as she turned back from the stack. "Try this one, femme."

She smiled. "H-e-l-i-c-o-p-t-e-r."

She added another to her stack.

-0-The Residence

They sat together on the couch as the kids ran about playing their games and getting their fun on. Prowl glanced at Prime. "How long are you going to bear everyone's burden about this? You know you can't be everywhere at the same time. As it is, you're almost infallible even so."

Prime grinned slightly. "I have some burden in this no matter what. The Matrix makes it so."

"Maybe, but it seems that the Pantheon have already admonished you about that. You can hardly argue with Them," Prowl said as he snuggled closer. He pulled Prime's huge arm around him. "You are good. I think sometimes you forget that."

"That is what you are for, among multitudes of other things, to remind me," Prime said as he grinned at his daughters running past as they chased a wildly hysterical Miracle. Both grinned at them, watching them disappear down the corridor. "They are wonderful."

"They are," Prowl said. "The first of their kind. Focus on that. Let the rest go. Tomorrow will come soon enough."

"I am … shocked. I should not be. After all, I have seen much that is strange, but their lack of response is shocking even to me."

Prowl nodded. "They may not have the capacity to feel. They might have altered their personalities to the point where they aren't able to feel anything. How much easier it would be to do what they do otherwise? And the question then would be rather intriguing … would that absolve or make them more responsible for what they did?"

It was quiet a moment. "I will ask those questions. I find them critical to my own understanding as well."

The kids ran back in, all of them shrieking hysterically as they chased Solus this time. She ran as fast as her tiny self could, one arm held to the side, stiff and straight so that she would remain upright in the manner of all tiny children everywhere. She ran around the table, then crawled under Prime's huge leg. **"ATAR! SAVE ME!"**

He reached down and very gently scooped her up. Sitting her on the couch between Prowl and himself, he grinned at the others. "Safe on base."

Sojourner and Miracle laughed uproariously, then began to climb up. They would get help and they would be the perfect tonic for the moment.

-0-Elsewhere that night

"I'm not sure what I feel about telling our story. What about you?" Delphi asked as he cut pie for the two of them. Hardie was getting the beer out of the cooler on the top of the fridge.

"I'm not sure either. It's almost … I don't know how to put this but you would get my gist. Being a slave was such a shameful thing. I remember talking about it with younger mechs when things picked up after the war. They looked at me and asked me why I allowed it. Why didn't I break free sooner?"

Delphi put the dessert on the table, took a beer and sat. "I know. I remember that as well. As if somehow you could throw off the chains and the mindset in a blink. No one can understand what that kind of oppression feels like and judge anyone without the experience. I gave up talking about it. They made me feel inadequate and ashamed about it even though we were, all of us, the group that destroyed the Quintessans."

Hardie nodded. "I remember someone asking me how could you just allow it? How could you just walk around in chains?" He vented a sigh. "They wonder why we don't talk about it."

"Everyone in their prime feels invincible. Never again, they say. It's so easy. Look what happened after the Quintessans. Look how easy it was for the Functionalists to pick up the whip again. Things are very complicated, Hardie. I try not to judge others. I fail a lot but I try," Delphi said. "I will say, my dear one, you were so brave. You and Alpha and the others … you were my heroes. Nothing that ever happens will change that."

"You couldn't be taken, Delph," Hardie said with emotion. "I would have searched the universe for you."

"I know," Delphi said as he squeezed Hardie's servo. "If it helps with this, if it stops this infection from spreading, then I will tell my story to everyone."

"The Museum heard about us exempts and wants us to tell our stories for the Talking History program. What about it?" Hardie asked.

Delphi considered it, then nodded. "If we don't learn from the past, we repeat it. It happened three times, Hardie. Something is not computing with our people. We have the duty to tell."

Hardie nodded. "I agree. I will let them know."

"Ironhide was very emotional and so was Blackjack. Raptor … he hates to even think about it. Poor Raptor. He's that generation, the son of slaves. It's all hard for everyone isn't it? We have a very complex history, our people, our planet and our family."

"It might do all of us good to hear it," Hardie said. "Secrets have a way of coming out anyway."

Delphi nodded. Then they talked about other things, these two companions of all the wars of their people but the first between the Primes. It would be a comfortable evening at their house.

-0-On the road

"What do you think about Amma and Appa?" Drift asked.

Springer glanced at Drift as they rode toward the Industrial Park Cities with their share of the newbie trainee police. Every newbie had the chance to go on horse back patrol as part of their overall instruction in the program. "That whole part of our history makes me furious. I want to break things thinking about it. Then this happens. It's not just a story. It's about family. I would have loved to know all of them back then. I can't imagine what it was like, then to free yourself … its amazing to consider. Maybe sometime they'll tell us about it."

"I'll bring the beer," Drift said.

"Lots of it," Springer said as he began to gallop on the straightaway toward the Park. Behind him, the others followed. None of the n00bs would fall off. For once.

-0-Earth2

Carlos Ortega sat by the window watching as night fell swiftly around the habitat. The concourse was in night lighting, simulating the evening in a big city. There were street lights and small traffic signals on the main roads that led everywhere on all three levels. They were there for the vehicles. Most of the people walked here and there, though loads were carried on special trucks.

As the light for days went down inside and evening arrays came on, he saw his reflection and that of everyone behind him as they went about their business in the massive structure. It was about 1900 hours on the TMC and in a few, the siren for curfew would sound. All of the kids would head for home. One hour before midnight was the witching hour for kids here during the work week. Right now, the cafe, diners, cafeteria, and club was going strong. They had two bars, both of them closing at midnight during the week. Drunkenness was deeply frowned upon by management so most who liked to drink did so in their quarters or apartments.

He was waiting for the others to come and play cards here at this place. There were two soldiers who were due to come who lived and worked at the Consulate. They were onsite N.E.S.T. security who had taken to spending their spare time here, helping at the farm or goofing around in the pool. The Consulate had lots of amenities but a pool wasn't one of them. Lots of the Consulate personnel came here or Earth 1 to swim. A few even went with bots to the Water Park. He was thinking about joining them next time they went.

The sound of footfalls drew him back as he turned to watch them wind their way through the tables and chairs of this, the major recreation and dining area in the facility. They were the N.E.S.T. soldiers who greeted him, then sat. Behind them came the rest of the mercs, some carrying beer and snacks. They would sit and play cards until midnight when the two soldiers were due back at the Consulate. They would have a good time. They would dance around each other for appearance's sake, to keep the facade one would know they were more than just a bunch of guys in similar work playing cards

The mercs were Harris's men.

The two N.E.S.T. soldiers were The Resistance moles.

-0-Ops Center, N.E.S.T. HQ

Corey McFarlane sat at communications sending and receiving data from the still restricted and censored human groups. Some of it was personal, messages from their families on Earth or heading for there by the locals. Some of it was professional. They were helping NASA track several comets at the solar well. It was a quiet night as he sat doing his job. His family was deeply invested here and so was he. It was incredibly nice to go home to them every night instead of messaging them when he could.

Others around the room were the long time men and a few newbies. Some of the day shift were with the mission forever and some were new. Corey was part of a team that Lennox had put together who were tracking the transmissions of the mercs at Earth2 and the two moles at the Consulate. He was the one who sent most of the transmissions onward after careful scrutiny since the targets seemed to wait until this time of night to do it. He would run them through special equipment supplied by the Autobots, searching for embedded messages before sending them on with tags to trace where they went once received by the addressees. He was building up a list of individuals that the targets were talking with, hoping that they would be able to get an idea of what they were doing with whom.

"You want a sandwich, Corey?" Sargent Simpson asked. He was a big kid from the Midwest who was a bachelor, loved the football and climbing in the Valles with bots and/or Rick Harris.

"I would. Ham and cheese if they got it. Sourdough bread, some mayo and lettuce. Thanks, Jake," he said as he stretched. It was then that a run of messages queued up to be sent. He would be spending a few minutes doing his part before they were released.

-0-Home

Blackjack and Alor sat on their chairs eating a snack as they watched the news. Scout was in bed ready for school tomorrow and they were winding down. Blackjack looked at Alor. "I hate to think of my amma and appa ever being hurt by someone. We came too close, our family. If Appa hadn't of known about Amma being sent away, he wouldn't have been able to help him get free. Amma meant it when he said he would die before shipping out."

"Those orns are so foreign to me. I don't like to think about them. My family, yours … the fragging Functionalists … all of us were slaves. What a starting point. I don't understand how we didn't learn. It happened three times, 'Jack," Alor said as he shook his helm. "I guess we never did think about this and figure out how it affected us. We were walking in a straight line from one set of chains to another."

"It's hard to shake off an authoritarian mind set. When you can't do what you want, when you're used to being told what to do and having it called normal, patriotic, safe, and what's best for you … all that fragging slag … 'we know how to keep you safe' … 'trust us' … then I guess it happens. We never had a chance to know anything else before it happened again. It took Megatron to snap us out of it," Blackjack said.

Alor grinned slightly. "At last … something I can thank that fragger for."

-0-In a jail cell in the Courthouse

One of Twelve stood by the bars staring across the silent jail wing at the others. They were held one to a cell, all of them on cameras in case they decided to leave the world behind or hurt themselves. No one was there and it was silent. The day had not gone well for them, all of them knew. No one here was a fundamentalist Functionalist and they wouldn't understand their life and points of view. Blackstone had tried to get them to cooperate with his plans to either throw themselves on the mercy of the court or plead some form of impairment. They weren't going down that road. They had lived eons of time according to their own code and they wouldn't change now.

It had been a long time since they were on Cybertron, a long time since they had to deal with a Prime. Optimus was strong individual who appeared to have close access to the Pantheon. How that would affect their path, no one could conjecture. All that they had agreed to in the few moments that they were able to talk together was simple … they would hold the line about what they believed come the Pit or high water.

Time would pass slowly in their lock up.

-0-TBC 2-12-18 **edited 3-4-18**


	273. Chapter 273

The Diego Diaries: Requiem In Pace (dd6 273)

-0-Courtroom that next morning

Prime stood in corridor waiting for the trial to pick up again. The previous orn, the two sides had laid out their opening commentary after a brief breakdown of their people's religious and political history. Now, the prosecution would continue his case before he finished and it was Blackstone's turn. A rap on the door called him in, so he entered and the group there stood. They included both legal teams, the doctors of various disciplines, the defendants, Lucien and his companions from the orn before, Ironhide, and numerous guards. In the corridor and side rooms nearby, the witnesses waited. Prowl called everyone to order and they sat after Prime did. He checked with the lawyers, then turned to Prime who nodded. "Prosecutor Coln-2, please continue your case from the orn before."

Coln rose, bowed to Prime, then turned to the bailiff. "I would like the presence of B-42124, please."

Ratchet who glanced at Eleven of Twelve noticed him tighten his posture, then relax again. It was swift but clear. The door opened and a small extremely nondescript bot walked in, his body tight with fear and tension. He kept his optics on the floor as a tech from the Processor Hospital walked with him. He took the stand and the oath. The tech stood between his view of the defendants and the little bot. "Your honor, I have asked for support for the next two witnesses and I beg the court to allow them to stand between the defendants and the witness. It is extremely difficult for them to be here but they want to speak."

"I grant those conditions," Prime said. He glanced at Blackstone who nodded. "Please, B-42124, know that you are safe and your testimony of the utmost importance. You have my solemn oath as Prime that this is so."

The little mech nodded, but he didn't look up. He was small and solid but bore the most basic of format and color. He was a dull silver with no markings but that of his 'numbers', the markings that the Functionalists gave to their 'equipment' which included his designation. His number was his name. Coln stood, then moved in front of the defendants. "Thank you, Bee, for coming. Do you prefer your entire name or is Bee or 24 acceptable?"

"24, sir."

"24, you were born into the Functionalist way of life, correct?" Coln asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Was that the history of your family?"

"Yes, sir."

"What was your function?"

"I was a housekeeper and I made Eleven of Twelve's tea three times an orn. He said that no one could make it like I did."

Coln nodded. "How were you treated by Eleven of Twelve?"

"I was expected to work during the working orn … from before break of light to evening. I had my chores and duties … taking care of him, his house and family. Lesto and I did. We were a pair."

"Were you a bond?" Coln asked gently.

"No, sir."

"Is there a reason or was it your choice?" Coln asked.

"Household weren't allowed to bond. Not those who cared for the Council. We were expected to serve them at their will."

"I see. You worked your whole life for them. Did you get an education?" Coln asked.

"No, sir."

"Why not?"

"It was above my place. I was household help. I didn't need an education. I worked for the family taking care of them. I didn't need to read or write for that."

It was leaden in the room.

"Were you ever struck or abused?" Coln asked gently. He had discussed this with Blackstone and he had accepted this line of questioning with caveats.

"On some occasions, sir."

"Why?" Coln asked.

"I spilled Master Eleven's tea."

"I see. Did you ever see anyone die at the demands of the Council? You do know why we are here, correct?" Coln asked.

"Yes, sir." It was silent a long time, then 24 answered. "I did, sir."

"What happened and why?"

It took a moment for him to speak the words out loud that conveyed his story. "Our first colony. We were going to pick up to leave and there were several elders who weren't capable of working at very much. They were … malfunctioning," he said. It was silent, then he continued. "They gathered us on the ships, then I looked out a window in the hold. I saw them on the tarmac, the elders. The Twelve were with them and after a moment, the elders fell. The elders fell to the ground, the Council walked on board and we left."

"They were left on the ground, the elders," Coln asked.

"They were, sir."

"What do you believe happened to them?"

"They were recalled. The Council does that to be merciful, sir," he said. He stared at the floor, his voice a whisper.

"Merciful?"

"They didn't want to leave them so they recalled them. They went to the Matrix and were greeted by the Guiding Hand and Primus Himself. We know its a glorious reunion, sir. It was," he said. "I believe that it would be. They deserved it."

"Who told you that it would be so?" Coln asked.

"The Council. They say that the recall is part of the plan of The One. Its His way to get back His children. When you can't go on, you go to your reward."

The room was as silent as a tomb.

"The Council told you that The One welcomed the recalls?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you believe them?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why, 24?"

It was silent a moment. "Because they said so. They speak to the Guiding Hand themselves. They wouldn't lie to us."

"You believe that, 24?" Coln asked gently.

He looked at Coln, then the floor. "They are the Council. They know more than us and they told us that. I … I don't know better than them. They know a lot."

Coln stared at him, then looked at Blackstone. "I think I'm done here, Blackstone."

Blackstone looked at the wan little mech who didn't have a clue how his life had been manipulated and dragooned by his clients. "I don't have anything for this witness. Thank you, 24, for your courage to come here."

The tech took the little mech by his arm and they walked out. He didn't lift his optics from the floor once.

Coln watched him go, then looked at the bailiff. "The next witness please. Her name is Lesto."

Ratchet blinked at that as it ran through his language files but he didn't say a word. The door opened and a small dully finished femme walked in, took the stand and oath, then was blocked in view of the Council by another tech.

"Lesto, thank you for coming. What was your job with the Council?" Coln asked.

She was silent a moment. "I was housekeeping. I worked with 24, sir."

"You were a great housekeeper, I take it. One who could make a cave shine," Coln said gently.

She glanced at him, then the floor again. "I can't brag, sir. It isn't allowed. I was adequate."

"Your religion as the Council teaches doesn't allow bragging or feeling good about what you do. You just do it, what you are told to do. Is that right?" Coln asked.

"Yes, sir."

"You were born into this, right?" Coln asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Did you ever get hurt, slapped or punished?"

"No, sir. I worked hard not to make mistakes."

"Mistakes got punished?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you see the others who were in your classification? Did you see how they lived?" Coln asked.

"No, sir. I was always in the house."

"You never went out?"

"No, sir."

"24 talked about a recall as they were leaving a colony. Did you see that, too?" Coln asked.

She almost didn't tell, her fear was so powerful, then she spoke. "I saw it. My ada and atar were with them."

"The recall? Your genitors were part of it?" Coln asked.

"They were. They went to the Matrix. The One wanted them back, sir."

"Is that what you were told?"

She looked at him, then the floor. "It's what we believe. The recall is part of what The One expects. When you don't serve a purpose, you go back to Him."

"Even your genitors?" Coln asked.

She shifted, then nodded. "Yes, sir."

Coln stared at her, then Blackstone. "I don't think I need more evidence from you, Lesto. Thank you for your courage. I salute you."

She nodded, then followed the tech as he walked out with her. Coln watched her, then turned to Prowl. "Let the record show that Lesto is a dialect word from Stanix that means 'useless'." He turned to the prisoners. "Let the record show that everyone of the worker class was named when they were born by the Council."

The rage in the room could be felt on armor as the counselors regrouped. Coln turned to Prowl. "I call Jarro of Iacon to the stand."

Jarro came, took the oath, then turned to the courtroom. He considered his findings, what they were from such uncooperative mechs and waited.

"Doctor, you examined and interviewed the defendants, tested them and have come to some conclusions about their mental and moral condition. I would like you to discuss with us what you've found and what you and your colleagues have concluded," Coln said as he sat.

Jarro nodded. "They weren't easy subjects and what we did get is subject to that. Our findings are not fulsome nor especially complete because they didn't cooperate. They also used their 'cultural and religious' practices as their answer to a lot of our questions. That being said, we've come to some firm conclusions about what we believe they are and what we believe they aren't. I've also talked to Dai Atlas who figures prominently in the Guiding Hand mythos. I won't bore you with the tests or their statistical findings but I **will** tell you that we've scored them and applied the findings against the databases to reach support for our conclusions.

"We've found that they're exhibiting the classic symptoms of sociopathic personalities. Not all of the attributes that fall under the heading of sociopathic behavior apply. There is no firm malignant narcissism, though there are some attributes from that designation. I found a very strange variant of self belief that comes close but doesn't quite match up, something that entwines itself around the religious portion of their practices and self image. A sort of religious mania without the manic features. Narcissists have an enormous need to feel special in every corner of their lives and though this group has that codified in their practices to some degree, it isn't an egoic sort of belief. This is more rooted in bigotry. Their narcissistic tendency revolves around an overpowering idea that some are just less important than others and that they, themselves will be the arbiters of that stratification.

"Their entitlement, willingness to exploit others and a huge, almost catastrophic lack of empathy has been systematized externally in their practices which utilizes religion for justification of what they do and believe. They didn't allow us to get too far inside. They stuck to their belief that they were following the Will of The One. Yet, all three of these issues, classic symptoms of the malignant narcissist are present in them and their business. They have zero interest in nor empathy for anyone who doesn't reach a level of usefulness and uniqueness they require. Nor are they sentimental about those they may have known for eons when they aren't useful anymore.

"The gold standard for this condition is the degree that it impairs their functioning. I would say with a recall that it does to a massive degree. Though we would need more time to fix this characteristic to them with certainty, there's enough evidence to say that they display narcissistic personality disorder to a degree because it affects their functionality in groups. Even if they assign attributes to what they do and did in the framework of this set of beliefs, they still came from the same culture that you and I did. In that culture, this is not acceptable. Therefore, it's a factor but not enough to be mitigating to me. They wouldn't allow better examination so I can't fully exclude it or assign it as mitigation.

"As for sociopathy, we can find traits of that in these individuals. Some of them are failure to conform to social norms in regards to lawful behavior, deceitfulness in relation to chronic lying, reckless disregard for others safety, consistent irresponsibility which I will expand on further, lack of remorse as well as evidence of conduct disorder which includes callous, deceitful, aggressive behavior. These individuals can be and often are sadistic, unempathetic, cruel, devaluing, immoral, callous, predatory, bullying, and dehumanizing. They definitely display many of those regarding antisocial personality disorder or sociopathy but to what degree, we aren't completely clear due to a lack of cooperation. We do believe that the evidence in hand with this will give us the picture that we need. Definitely, the two witnesses demonstrate what happens to others around these types of personalities." Jarro concluded, then waited for the questions that were coming. Rung would speak to the same thing. They had worked independently and reached the same conclusions.

Coln considered his list. "Doctor, which came first, the sociopathy or the practice?"

"I've done historical research on the mainframes here and on Cybertron as well as discussing the past with a number of elders and the exempt mechs and femmes in the colony. It was almost automatic the transfer of power from the Quintessons who fled to the Functionalists who picked up the ball. There was very little time in the chaos of overthrow for anyone to take a breath and consider what should come next. Couching their actions in religion was a smart move. It made the bitter pill taste better. Having their ideas codified in the Taxonomy was also another clever move. If it was written down, to a population conditioned to obey and who couldn't read and therefore notice that the book was new, not old, it was easy to pick up the ball and run."

Tell us about the findings, please," Coln asked.

"We find that an underlying platform for their practice is based on intense bullying that transformed down to even to the design of their frames, the lackluster quality of their paint schemes and their dehumanizing names. The two witnesses weren't necessarily avoiding eye contact with everyone out of fear. They were doing it out of practice. No one in the servant classes is allowed to make eye contact with anyone who isn't. There are many kinds of bullying … physical, verbal, prejudicial, relational, and cyber to name a few. The first four apply here. Prejudicial bullying considers the idea that some are inferior and some are not. I consider their treatment of their victims a hate crime," Jarro said.

"Objection," Blackstone said. "We are not dealing with that charge."

"If you cannot supply evidence beyond conjecture, Jarro, then I agree," Prime said.

"Of course, Prime. They, the Council, exist around the idea that some are less worthy than others. That's prejudicial bullying. They beat and recalled this class in their colonies and settlements. They also convinced them that they were inferior. Verbal abuse is spark killing treatment for someone from the time they were born and that's what we're dealing with here. These individuals, all their servant class victims know nothing else."

"Continue," Coln said as he sat.

Jarro would.

-0-TBC 2-13-18 **edited 3-4-18**

Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow, my dear ones. :D


	274. Chapter 274

The Diego Diaries: Requiem in Pace (dd6 274) HERE WE GO!

-0-Courtroom

Coln stared at Jarro. What can you tell us about your findings regarding the Council as individuals and as a group?"

Jarro considered that. "They operate as an authoritarian group, making decisions together. They've parted out their responsibilities, each of them having a piece of the overall process. One of Twelve is the Convener, Two manages as Auditor, Three, Authenticator, Four is the Moderator, Five, the Enumerator, Six is the Enactor, and Seven is the Curator. Eight functions as the Disseminator of information and other things, while Nine handles all functions related to his role as Inquisitor. Ten is the Evaluator, Eleven is the Mediator, and Twelve is the Castigator.

"They have divided up their responsibilities and oddly enough, assigned them, it would turn out, to those in their group for which nothing they would do would pose a personal or ethical conundrum. Twelve is the Castigator. He's the one who applies the punishment. His data from evaluations and interviews shows that he has nearly no sense of empathy nor mercy for those to whom he has to punish, considering what he does the Will of The One. He's as devoid of emotional connection to others as anyone I've ever treated or evaluated. I hope you note that I've treated and evaluated some of the worst individuals our society has ever produced. Nine is of the same mindset which suits his role as Inquisitor. He not only doesn't have concern for others, he rather rates high in my professional opinion as a sadist. All of them are to lesser or greater degree but he's especially indifferent to others and thus, attacking even children and creating harm and havoc is right up his alley. I say so because questions posed including children received the same response. He sees no difference to them in carrying out even orders that will harm them."

"What can you tell us about each individual from your evaluations and examinations?" Coln asked.

"They're of the same brand of thinking. It's interesting that they divided up the task of leadership into component parts and gave them to others in the group to carry out. Though they're all responsible for the end result, some of them are given a more direct leadership role than others. One is the overall leader. He formulates the agenda and puts forward all of the direct leadership and goals of the group. Even though they're a committee with functions, One is the default leader of this faction. He's cold, focused, ruthless, secretive, indifferent to a great degree in the ideas of rights and inherent privileges that all living things possess, and isn't afraid to act in his and his group's own best interests no matter how contrary it is to others. He's the guiding dominant force in this group, though they'd like you to believe that their group is a collective, that all decisions are made by the group as equals. They are to an extent but he's willing to override and massage a decision to fit his plans. I would hasten to add this. Nothing about that observation mitigates what they've done individually and as a group. He carries no more blame and them less because of this.

"Two is the Auditor and manages the plans forward. He also is responsible for data and achieving what they do. You will find his glyph on every page of their data no matter how trivial. It's impossible for me to convey just how attentive they all were to the most minor detail. No one in this group can say truthfully that they didn't know what was happening since they all signed off on everything, from what they served that orn in the rec room of their command center to the greatest decisions including recalls. The data, thanks to Two, will show that. He's obsessive to the point of mania.

"Three is Authenticator. He rubber stamps everything. Only his signature is singularly on more things than Two and One. He read everything. He never changed any of the documents that we scanned, a selection out of the mass of things found with them, making any of the terrible things they did change course. He was a company man, as the humans say. Nothing was ever thus far noted in our searches changed from the course it ran by him .

"Four is the Moderator. He was the general secretary of the group, if you will. You had to pass him to reach everyone. Nothing that went in ever came that way without his perusal, nor did it leave without his approval. He ran the meetings from the business end of things and kept records of the minutes, findings and who spoke about what, when. He's methodical, devoid of emotion even for this group and sees nothing wrong with his job, what he did in it and what came of the outcomes of their decisions. He's as much an emotional cipher as the others.

"Five was the Enumerator. He formulated the policies at the order of the group, putting things together to allow them to make decisions. He was the researcher, the legal secretary and the one who had access to all materials related to their law, history and religion. He was their resource for information and gathered it as ordered. He put together the presentations that Eight and Eleven put forward. He's cold, efficient and lacking in empathy, though to a lesser degree than some of the others. His job required him to read books and acquire knowledge that made no difference in why a mech should be put to death. His effort and conclusions then ensured it happened. He presents himself as a 'functionary' of the leadership, not a complicit individual in what is at best a criminal enterprise."

"Objection," Blackstone said. "I would prefer that editorial comments be stricken and that the evidence be presented as professionally and unemotionally as possible."

Prime thought a moment, then looked at Jarro. "I concur. This is very fraught, Doctor. We are seeking insight here. Please help us as calmly and clearly as possible."

Jarro bowed slightly. "As you wish." He looked at Blackstone. "My apologies, Counselor."

Blackstone who looked strained nodded. "Thank you, Doctor. Please continue."

Jarro considered the others. "Six is Enactor of the group. That is, when a decision is made, he's given charge to carry it out. It could be as trivial as making sure that the lights come on and as devastating as recalls. There is no action taken that he isn't given the responsibility to fulfill. He states that he's merely carrying out the orders of the Council and that anything that isn't lawful in that framework isn't his responsibility. He puts it back on the others, especially One. I found him to be devious, scurrilous in his willingness to point blame to others and of a very weak character. That surprised me because they function as a group so closely that to find one willing to throw the blame on the others and attempt to excuse himself from his share was a strange deviation from the others."

Jarro watched the group but they showed no emotion at the news. He considered that,then made mental a note to tell the guards to video the group tonight to ensure safety from reprisals. "Seven is the Curator. He manages the infrastructure of their group, the databases, artifacts, the Taxonomy itself. Two, Three, Four and himself, Seven, have access to the Taxonomy in a data managerial basis and are charged to its upkeep. He makes sure it and everything else is. He's part of the group that finds reasons for their actions in case anyone challenges that. He's dedicated to the work and considered himself an academic because of it, that his part of this is merely academic. The others bear the actual responsibility to make things happen in his thinking. He sees himself as part of the group that maintains what he calls "the memory of things".

"Eight is the Disseminator of the group, that is, he makes sure that everyone is informed and that the orders of the Council are made known to everyone in the group or those in the servant class that need to know them. He reads all of them, no matter how trivial or terrible, and gets them to those who will carry them out. He makes no changes and we haven't found any evidence thus far that he objected to anything he was given. He's a very dedicated member of this group and considers it his religious duty that everything is sent out to be enacted upon. Even those things that were short of recall show no deviation in his behavior. They bear his glyph and apparently from that, his approval.

"Nine of Twelve is the Inquisitor. He's cold in his outlook, immersed to a degree that I feel is pathological regarding his religious views and everything that's asked of him is couched in that world view. He believes thoroughly that The One approves of them, that One of Twelve is in contact daily with The One and that they carry His blessing. He believes that Dai Atlas and the others would approve of his actions and that of their group. In the breakdown around the expulsion of the Quintessans, the older individuals like Dai Atlas formed the Knights of Cybertron, hoping for peace and possibilities. When it was evident it wasn't coming, they left to find Cybertopia and resurrect Cybertronians as what they first were, the peaceful race that no one ever let us be. There are many stories but Nine believes that they would approve of their actions, somehow."

Prime glanced at Prowl. "Please put in a call for Dai Atlas to come here. I will give both of you access to speak to him ahead of time and if you find virtue in your conversations, he will speak."

Both counsels nodded. Blackstone looked thoughtful and Coln looked pleased. Ratchet who was watching wondered what advantage each just thought they were delivered when Jarro continued.

"Ten is Evaluator. His job is to look at plans and try to discover their effectiveness both before and after they're implemented. He knew every order and either approved, or not, everything that this group does. They part out all things to someone who's given the authority and responsibility to carry it out. It's rather ingenious for the division of labor but it also includes everyone at every step of the way in everything they did. Ten considers himself a technician or worker bee. He looks at the possibilities of what's being considered, sends his ideas and recommendations to Two as Auditor and Five as Enumerator, then it goes back to the group for a discussion and agreement before being sent to others in the group to make it happen. He's a 'functionary', a cog in the machine. I don't believe he means it in an evasive manner. I just believe he's that banal.

"Eleven is Mediator. He acts as their ambassador. If there were indeed tech transfers to other groups and aliens, this mech would be the intermediary. He's the public face of the group in all transactions no matter how big or small. He would also mediate factions and disagreements in the group. He believes that there's an argument to surmount any problem. I asked him if that would apply to genocide or the Tyrest Treaties and he nodded. He didn't, however, elaborate. He said that I'd have to ask their enumerator for the details. They have no deep and personal standing in the things they've done. It appears with Eleven that its all just business. It's all just the Will of the One. None of them were shy about attributing this to following their religious path. All of them did that.

"The last is Twelve and his job is Castigator. If someone is going to get hurt, it comes from his orders. He's given the job of what they call 'defending the faith and the body'. He's indifferent to suffering. He sees zero value in the worker class as they all do but he, more so. He is the one who delivers the punishment no matter how large or trivial. He views anyone who stands in the way of their faction as the enemy. He sees nothing wrong with recalls. He sees it as the Will of the One, as a way of … what was it he said?" Jarro paused a moment to access the exact phrase. "It was a way of 'decluttering'."

The room was funereal as those listening digested that bit of news. Jarro continued.

"They have many attributes in common. They're cold and ruthless in the pursuit of goals. They have no problem dividing living sentient beings into a couple of categories. One set is predicated on the idea of 'useful versus not useful'. The other major one was 'dangerous to their purposes or not dangerous'. Understand, there is a lot of thought that went into their behavior and actions, lots of it rational and even if its cold and alien to us, it makes sense to them. They exhibit a number of cult-like features. A cult has about six major features that are common to almost all of them. They include an authoritarian leadership, exclusivity, isolation, opposition to independent thinking, a fear of being expelled from the group, and threats that if they leave, something terrible will happen to them.

"This leadership is the very definition of authoritarian. No one could do anything that wasn't sanctioned by it. Considering that the worker class that came with them was born and raised with this group, they were literally generational prisoners who were emotionally, physically, and psychologically unable to escape this relentless and malignant exploitation. They're the very definition of exclusive. I've dealt with many who believe they have the only truth available but none of them ever put it into practice to this degree. Their willingness to couch their ideas and demands around that of The One, to make their victims feel that the very Pantheon sanctioned this is appalling but symptomatic of such a system.

"Their escape from Cybertron was an effort to survive the mobs coming for them and tracing their movements through their own data, they never lived near a Cybertronian group again. They self isolated to protect themselves from reaction. They were the end all and be all of what happened and was thought truthful. Some of their workers still believe that The One will punish them if they don't hold to the teachings that were forced upon them by this group for the entirety of their lives. They fear independence, of thinking about their own needs and wants because of The One punishing their 'bad behavior', and most of them are in care with some in the Processor Hospital on holds. They don't know how to function without being told what to do. They believe they will die if they don't do their jobs. They don't believe that the recall of their colony was a bad thing. They're the victims of a cult and the consequences have been devastating."

"What else do you know about them and their mental condition? What else is there to know about them and how they could do this?" Coln asked.

"A sociopath has no feelings and regard for anyone. Their needs are the only ones that matter and if others suffer so that they can be met, then that's alright with them. They see only themselves in the mirror, only their purposes count. Most sociopaths can make their way without telegraphing themselves easily. But some don't, won't or can't hide it. I don't believe they suffer delusions or irrational thinking. Though we believe their ideas are irrational and some even criminal, they aren't delusional or irrational definitionally to me. They think out what they do as a group, plan it almost obsessively in detail and carry it out without remorse. They lie when it suits them, fall into patterns of blame … The One wants this or even point the finger toward others like Six did. They have no shame. They see nothing wrong with their logic, their actions or beliefs and their concern for others, such as I've discerned it, stops with their classification.

"Those who are not of an 'evolved' format don't deserve consideration beyond that which the Taxonomy allows. They learned nothing when they were overthrown. They continue to this orn the actions that led to such misery on Cybertron and their ouster. I don't believe they get it. They have no normal world view by which to assess themselves. They hold rigidly to the Taxonomy, their view of their religion and the aspects of The One that they acknowledge while ignoring the others … the obligations we have to one another because of The One's love and concern for us. That being said, they don't exhibit mitigating factors in my estimation that would bring into consideration lesser culpability such as diminished capacity." He glanced at Prime. "Understand, they didn't give us any cooperation while we did the evaluation but we know a lot by their writings, their anti-social behavior with us and their organization."

Coln sat. "Thank you."

Blackstone stood. "You say you understand them and can make a judgment on their ability to recognize their behavior or not. Yet, you say repeatedly that you didn't get cooperation. How can we trust your opinions?"

Jarro thought a moment. "First, we're all very experienced and know a great deal about this type of personality from the past and our efforts to help others in similar conditions and circumstances. We're all very highly qualified to discern. They also gave us enough to know what we're seeing. I'm not going to hide that they fought being studied, but we're very knowledgeable. We also, Rung and I, agreed to evaluate them separately. We knew they wouldn't cooperate so we did this separately and have reached our conclusions on our own. He can tell you what he discerned and you can compare. My biggest finding was that they were organized, delineated work that created what has been discovered and did it to an enormously high degree of efficiency. If they were disturbed or mentally incapacitated in some way, they would've had enormous difficulty holding together as a group and doing what they're accused of. Those who are disturbed don't play well with others. This group is the epitome of getting a job done together."

"What degree of delusion do you detect in their beliefs regarding their religious world view and the idea that The One and the Pantheon would agree with their actions and ideas?" Blackstone asked.

"That's a good question. You can look at it several ways. They either believe what they say or they're using religion as a shield. Most religiously delusional individuals tend to be sloppy in their actions, their zeal often taking over where discretion might have worked better. Heretech is a good example of that. Not all, but many function to this or that degree, something that is easily noticeable. These individuals are very organized and another important factor is that the framework they built served them rather spectacularly. They benefited magnificently from their point of view and it served them well.

"They overran Cybertron and if history is to be believed, one billion of our people were recalled before they were overthrown and escaped. That's part of the historical record. They learned nothing of their own history but where they lived, they lived in a greatly enhanced circumstance compared to others. I believe from my findings and interviews that they believe their views but they also use them for control and personal benefit. What my colleague, Rung, discerned about that from what the group would tell us is his to say."

Blackstone nodded. "Then you really aren't certain on this issue."

Jarro thought about it. "I'm certain to the extent that they allowed me to learn. I believe my findings are accurate."

"Thank you," Blackstone said as he sat.

Coln stood. "I would call Doctor Rung to the stand."

Everyone looked around until a small old timey mech stood up, one who had big round optics. He walked to the stand and was sworn in.

-0-TBC 2-15-18 **edited 3-4-18**


	275. Chapter 275

The Diego Diaries: Requiescat In Pace (dd6 275)

-0-Courtroom

"I find similar circumstances in my results that my colleague reached. I also examined a number of other things outside of the direct testing of individuals to allow me to have an array of questions with with to assess them. I had a number of individuals in the data division of the City Hall and the National Archives at the Museum do historical researches for me. I wanted to use that information in my questions to find out what we're dealing with here.

"I would like to say that nothing really phases me in the quest for the truth and the well being of my subjects and patients. I have 47 of the most difficult patients here and on Cybertron. I have serial killers, some of the most deadly patients from the prison who had decompensated and were rescued before they went past the point of possible retrieval, individuals who see me as a game, a test of their inner ability to triumph over the state … that sort of thing. As it stands, this group falls slightly past the middle in difficulty.

"I found that they are sociopathic in their thinking and conduct and I concur with Jarro on that point. I find that some of them are also psychopathic. I concluded that One, Three, Six, Nine, and Twelve exhibit the classic symptoms of psychopathic personalities. All of them fall well below normal on the personality scales that we use to place them in the continuum of behavior that constitutes both normal and abnormal activity. All of them fall short of normal. I could give the court the data and explain it if you require," Rung stated with a slightly hopeful tone to his voice.

"I am confident in your credentials, Doctor," Coln replied. Blackstone nodded. Both remembered three joors of sitting with Rung as he explained in minute detail what he had found. "We have had the benefit of your professionalism already. Are you good with that, counselor?" he asked.

"I am. Thank you, Doctor," Blackstone said.

"Lord Optimus?" Rung asked.

He glanced at Coln and Blackstone who looked tense. "I defer to the counsel's greater wisdom and to you, Doctor."

The two lawyers and their group relaxed as Coln turned to a slightly disappointed Rung. "Please continue, Doctor."

"They were resistant but that is my favorite kind of patient. I have become quite adept at seeing in that sort of personality that which they most try to hide. Patience is a virtue," Rung said. "They have no empathy, but then, this kind of individual is devoid of it and that's a major feature of their personality disturbance. They can't see the other person in their own place and thus, the things they do tend to be of no more consequence to them than taking out the garbage or swatting a fly as the humans say. They don't have regrets, features of remorse or any depth of understanding of relationships. They see the others as 'other' … as equipment and apply no more attention to their well being, rights and sovereignty than they would with a table saw or a truck.

"They've divided their personalities, if you will, into twelve parts and I think it also divides the responsibility as well. There's plausible deniability for some on the worst things, though I will say, their collaborative methods put lie to that. They do make a point of saying they make their decisions together."

"What else have you discovered about them that hasn't been illuminated by Doctor Jarro and his team, sir?" Coln asked.

"They are secretive. There are many locks on their databases that needed to be broken and their reports are sometimes in code. Most of those involve disciplinary actions or things that we'd consider criminal and suspect. They exhibit an awareness of their actions in terms of their liability by being so secretive and uncooperative. If they didn't understand that this would be something that the state, that is, you and the Cybertronian government considered illegal, then why take such measures?"

"What else? Is it possible to assess the presence of mental illness?" Coln asked.

Rung considered that. "It's not normal to do what they're accused of and their lack of emotional content surrounding it is remarkable, but then, I've seen it in soldiers who've done terrible things in war. Sometimes that's the way they cope and for others, its who they are. I'm leaning toward the opinion that they don't care and that's who they are. Consider this … they live in a closed society with its own rules and no oversight. They've displayed their sociopathy every time they had a chance without fallout or corrective oversight. They were as terrible in the past as they're accused of being now. I checked their identity and transponder numbers against the mainframe on Cybertron. These are the same mechs from the Functionalist era right here in this room. They did what they did then and its well documented. They're accused of repeating history here. They cannot say they aren't one and the same. I would say, given the information at hand and the data collected that they're as sane as you and me regarding the issue of knowing right from wrong. What they are, however, is ruthlessly cold blooded and remorseless.

"I agree with Jarro and his team that we're dealing with sociopaths and psychopaths. I believe they're a terrific danger to anything that steps in the way of their business. I believe they're lacking in a number of normal mental, spiritual, psychological, and societal attributes but not to the degree that they were incompetent. They knew what they were doing and the consequences to others. They knew it was against all that Cybertron and her people believe and hold dear. They are many things but not mentally incompetent."

"Thank you, Doctor," Coln said as he sat.

Blackstone sat in his chair staring at the little medic. "Doctor, how can one not be mentally impaired if for some reason this proves true? If they're the same mechs from the past with all of the recalls attributed to them by history … if this one is proven to be their doing … how can you not be impaired mentally and not responsible for your actions given the magnitude of this?"

Rung considered that. "Someone who is not responsible would not understand the consequences of their actions and how it would be a problem for them if someone knew. They wouldn't have taken the steps to hide their actions the way this group has. They wouldn't understand that what they did was wrong and that there could be consequences for it. They hid their actions, they made it difficult to access their data and the data was highly encoded and encrypted. Someone who has awareness that what they did was wrong and takes steps to hide it knows what they're doing may have punishments attached. They took steps. That means they reasoned that the things they did would have consequences, that they were wrong. That implies self awareness of the deed. Someone who was sick wouldn't know or care if others knew. That's the simplistic explanation of what they did and why they are as sane, if not as moral, as you and I."

"No further questions at this time. I reserve the right to question at a later point," Blackstone said as Prowl noted the request.

Coln stood. "I would like to call General Hard Drive back. Before I make this request, I wish to have him speak about these mechs and what he recalls about the Functionalist period of our history."

"Objection," Blackstone said. "We have no cause to go back in history to that moment. We aren't trying those events. We are here and we feel that to allow this would be prejudicial to our case."

"We have a repeat of history. I want to hear more about how this group functions. It wouldn't be prejudicial but informational," Coln said.

"What focus would you make, Counselor? What are your questions going to cover?" Prime asked.

"Recalls, sir. I want to know what the exempts know directly about recalls. This was their policy both on and off world. I want to know more about this process to assess motives," Coln said.

"The past is not on trial here and we know what the process was. I would be very aggrieved if this were allowed as its prejudicial and therefore out of the scope of this proceeding," Blackstone said.

Prime thought a moment. "Please submit your questions, Coln-2 and if they meet the point of this hearing I will allow them. If not, I will tell you so."

Coln nodded, then sat. "I have no more questions at this point and rest our case with the caveat of the request I just made."

"Very well." Prime looked at Blackstone. "Counselor, the floor is yours."

Blackstone nodded, stood, then bowed. "I would like the court to know that I have discussed the seriousness of this hearing with my clients and they insist on being allowed to speak. I warned against it but they were not to be reasoned with. I would like to register my disapproval with the court and my concerns that this will irretrievably harm their cases. With that being said, I call One of Twelve to the stand."

The little yellow mech rose and walked to the stand. He took the oath with his slightly metallic voice, then turned to Blackstone. "Thank you, Counselor. You may sit."

"I think that would be deeply unwise, One. Allow me to defend you and protect your cases," Blackstone said.

"That will not be necessary. I know what I'm doing." One stood silently as Blackstone sat heavily, his concern and weariness clear to all. The other eleven were silent and rigid in their seats.

"One of Twelve, you would do well to listen to Blackstone. He is a very remarkable counsel," Prime said.

One turned to Prime. "I am aware and feel gratitude for his services but he cannot represent us better than we can."

"Very well. Proceed." Prime braced himself for anything as did everyone else in the room.

"I am One of Twelve, the leader of the Functionalist Council which at one time brought order and peace to Cybertron. Living according to the law as delivered to us from the Great Cybertron Taxonomy, we were able to bring the world into its fullest level of prosperity and greatness. It was unfortunate that The People didn't understand this and we had to go. We took our methods and culture with us and founded two colonies. The last one was the place from which we fled."

"One, where was the other?" Prime asked. He glanced at Prowl. "Do we know?"

"We're looking through the databases but unsurprisingly, that information is highly encrypted," Prowl replied.

"Very well. Tell me when you find it. We have to go there and see what has happened," Prime said. He looked at One. "Continue."

"We picked up the wreckage of the Quintessans to bring our people into order and to launch the way forward to the best ages of our existence and history. Because we were a sovereign government prior to the Matrix being awarded to the Primes, your authority wasn't in existence over us and we cannot be held here nor tried because of it." One considered his thoughts. "The first Prime after the Quintessans didn't have access to the Matrix. Your authority doesn't extend to us or what we do. We are in essence a sovereign entity with our own rules, laws and authority. We were a government before the Charters and documents and thus, you are not sovereign over us."

Prime considered the argument. "We have had this discussion with others in the past and the charter and foundational documents have been found to trump the renegade assumptions of others regarding my authority as Prime. Barron, we would need a ruling on this assertion."

Barron nodded, then stepped into the hallway with his team to search and discuss the question. Prime looked at One who was standing silently on the stand. It was deadly silent in the room, then Barron stepped back inside. He stepped to the front and bowed to Prime. "Lord Optimus, there is no basis for this assumption regarding their independent sovereignty. They were overthrown and thus, their credibility and authority was made forfeit among The People. Given that they are Cybertronians and that the foundational documents from the congregations that gathered to recreate our society after the battles intended them for all Cybertronians everywhere they may exist, their assertion is in opposition to the intent of the documents and Primal Charter.

"The Matrix gives you authority over all Cybertronians everywhere but also included is the title of Prime. Inferred as well, the authority of Primus is not only granted to the Matrix but also to his First Disciple. You are the representative of Primus among The People. That was always the intention of the Pantheon, that the Primes be the leaders with all the authority and power possible to lead and protect us. To say that any Cybertronian is exempt from your authority is not supported by the documents and the **INTENTION** of the Pantheon."

One looked at him. "We predated the Matrix and the Primal system existed after us. When we left, we left Cybertron and our world behind. You have no authority over us."

"That is debatable but what isn't is the status of those who went with you. They never gave anything up and they are still bound as citizens of the Empire. You took Cybertronians with you no matter what you may assert, depriving them of a real opportunity to stay. Their status is still on the books as Cybertronian. They didn't relinquish anything. They still are the province of the Primes and when you did what you are alleged to have done to them, you also did it to us," Barron said.

"We disagree," One said. "I am the leader of my group and all of them with me are my subjects. You have no authority over me or my people. Your arrest of us was unlawful and you hold us against our will. It is our right to claim our own sovereignty and we assert it now."

"This is without merit, Lord Optimus. You have sovereignty over this group and they are subject to our laws because they left Cybertronian and never relinquished anything. No one in any of the Diasporas ever gave up their identity as Cybertronians," Barron said.

"We disagree," One said. "It is our right to rule ourselves because we always have. We also would assert our right to leave this place."

"And go where?" Coln asked.

"That is not your concern," One said.

"But it is mine," Prime replied.

-0-2-16-18 **edited 2-22-18**

Sovereign: to rule yourself in this case.

Sovereignty: one's power. Prime has sovereignty over his people as their leader.


	276. Chapter 276

The Diego Diaries: Requiescat In Pace (dd6 276)

-0-Courtroom

Blackstone stared at the table in front of him as the Functionalists carried on their mutually agreed self defense. He remembered the last meeting he had before this happened …

"You can't carry that as a defense. There is no basis for it. Others have tried only to be told in no uncertain terms that they had no standing in law. The foundational documents, the precedent from the Pantheon Themselves and the Primal Charter will put lie to your arguments. You have to understand, if we don't take the path that there's a psychological reason for what you did, then you have no argument against the charges of genocide and murder. You **have** to put aside your egos and your self belief in your own omnipotence and face reality for once. You're not in charge of this outcome. Do you understand?"

He stared at them with concern but they were featureless and hard to read. They were as tied together as if they were one unit. One shook his helm. "You do not understand. You are asking us to betray our values and process. We are not going to do that, Blackstone. You can sit and listen but you may not intervene. We will handle this and take the verdict delivered, whatever it is. We are going to hold to our culture and our values no matter what transpires."

"You could be placed in punitive stasis or even dismantled. Have you considered that? Perhaps its a symptom of your processor status that you can't seem to grasp that. This isn't Cybertron during the Oppression. This is Mars now with a Prime who will stand by the Charter, the Matrix and consult with the Pantheon. They **will** weigh in," Blackstone countered. "They won't take it well, your lack of self awareness. You have to show some kind of understanding."

"They will. We shall see what They say. Our Pantheon will tell us what is right about this situation. They have always stood with us and They will now," One said ...

-0-Courtroom

"We were the government of Cybertron after the Quintessans were driven away. There was no one else to step in and provide order and safety," One said. "We did it. We provided work, shelter and other things that provided quality of life. The Guiding Hand helped us devise the Taxonomy and everyone had work according to their best qualifications. It was a just and fair system and we prospered. We became a great empire and our culture grew to great heights. We are not subject to the Charter because our life and culture developed before it. We are not in the realm of your rule, Prime, so we ask to be set free to go on our way," One said as the others nodded.

"Do you speak for the others?" Prime asked.

They nodded as One did. "I do."

"Blackstone, you were charged with their defense. I understand the difficulty here so I am asking you to speak for them," Prime said. He looked at One and the others. "Blackstone will speak. You will listen for your own good."

Blackstone stood wearily. "We've talked long and hard about this tactic, Lord Optimus. They refuse to understand that the Cybertronian people are bound wherever and whenever they are to the Charter of the Primes and the foundational documents created by the Convocations with the aid of the Pantheon in the beginning. There's no exception written into them and they've been upheld by the Pantheon and courts through the vorns as the Law. We have eons of case law that protects The People from capricious and arbitrary actions of those who through their actions and delusions discount themselves as bound by them. It's designed to prevent a repeat of the eons of terrible decisions that came from these early times when no one had a view but the few. Caste Court has refined them over the years until its clear and of record that all Cybertronians are bound by the same laws in the same ways as any other no matter how artificial their stature may be in the society. They've held onto the delusion that they're exempt when its clear here and now that they never were."

"Then tell me where the System of Exception came from if this is true," One interjected. "If such laws are so apparent to everyone, where did the System come from? Why did The People tolerate it again if it was so intolerable?"

Prime looked at One. "Your counselor is trying to save your life. You would do well to listen."

"Then answer the question," One said.

Coln glanced at Prime and Prime nodded. "To answer the question … you have a population abused and tormented by the slavery of the Quintessans. When they leave, an equally nefarious group slips in, you and yours, and applies a lesser brand of slavery to a traumatized and reeling population. I'm sure that Rung and Jarro can tell it more exactly but that's what it is. You took advantage of a ravaged society and applied a more carefully dressed but equally evil system onto them that led to a second civil war."

Prime nodded to Blackstone who looked gray and defeated. "Please, counselor, continue."

"I do believe that they suffer a group delusion, as you can see, that makes them unaware of the danger they present to themselves by pursuing this line of defense. I also believe that it prevents them from understanding what may come of it if they continue. It's my contention, Lord Optimus, that they're delusional, psychologically and morally deficient, and thereby unaware of how their actions have caused so much havoc. That includes their own precarious position now. They believe in their system to the greatest possible degree, relying on it now to free them from this and therefore in my estimation, none of them are aware of the consequences of what they do here. I believe they're mentally ill and therefore, deserve consideration and mitigation.

"I've never felt it more strongly before. These mechs have no idea of what they've done and why its so deplorable. They see it as 'decluttering' and 'cleaning house' … getting rid of old equipment to make way for new. They don't see nor do they understand that they ended a half million sparks. It has no weight or consequence to them because they can't understand what they did is wrong. I'm asking … I'm begging for mercy for them. They're so self deluding that they have no idea the jeopardy they're in at this moment." Blackstone bowed lowly, then sat wearily. His team looked exhausted and defeated as well.

Prime looked at One. "Do you have more to add, One?" he asked.

One looked at him. "We have stated our case. I reject Blackstone's comments. They have no bearing on us. We acted within the bounds of our culture and our life mores. We believe what we say and frankly, we deplore this whole proceedings. We're autonomous and you have no hold."

Prime looked at Coln. "I hold my questions to the end. Coln, do you have questions for this mech or any of the others?"

"I would like to speak to Twelve," Coln said.

One stepped down and the light blue cipher called Twelve took his place and then the oath.

"Twelve, you had the job of implementing the orders reached by the group. Correct?" Coln asked.

Twelve nodded. "Correct."

"It was your job to implement the recall. Correct?" - Coln

"Incorrect. We cannot recall without everyone's participation," he said. No one in their group seemed phased by his comment. They sat as still as statues. "I plan the event and we all implement it."

Coln stared at him for a moment. "There were babies and children … elders in this group. One half million of them. You called for them to return to their homes, then you all implemented the recall."

He hesitated, then nodded. "That is correct."

"There were children and babies. What did you think about ending the lives of children, babies … elders and adults? Did you hesitate? Did you think about the children and the others?" Coln asked.

Twelve appeared to be thinking. "We had orders. We reached agreement. They were no longer helpful or necessary to our colony. The recall was merciful and necessary."

The room was funereal. No one moved, not even the Council. They sat as emotionless as ever.

"Twelve … you killed half a million sparks that were granted by the Pantheon. You killed babies. Yet you talk about it as if there was no other way. Why didn't you just abandon them? That would have been more merciful than this," Coln asked.

"No," Twelve said. "They would've had to function without us. That would have been a terrible thing to do. How would they function without our direction? How would that have been merciful?"

Coln stared at them a moment. "Then murdering them was merciful from your viewpoint. What do you really think that The One feels about this?"

"The One would have approved," Twelve said as Blackstone shifted in his chair. He leaned on his elbows, his helm in his servos. "It's our way. It's the way of the Functionalists. If you serve no purpose, then you're recalled." He thought a moment. "It isn't terrible. They go to the Matrix and The One."

Coln stared at him a moment that stretched and stretched, then turned to Prime. "I don't think I need more, Lord Optimus. I rest my case."

Prime nodded, then glanced at Blackstone. "Blackstone … do you need a moment?"

"No," Blackstone said emotionally. "I'm fine." He looked at One. "Are you finished?" he asked. One nodded. "We are concluded. I wish to seek appeal directly for Them, Lord Optimus. I don't want to wait pending the verdict."

Prime nodded. "I will grant that," he said. "I would require closing arguments. My questions are irrelevant now. Are there any redirects that need fulfillment?" No one spoke so he glanced at Coln. "Counselor?"

Coln stood, his posture and aura suffused with rage. "We've heard testimony from a number of mechs including a couple of the members of this cult. I'm calling it a cult as well because it fits. This is to all intents and purposes a criminal organization of long standing who've used religion as a screen for their murderous and life annihilating practices. They were part of a criminal organization that took over Cybertron and ground into our consciousnesses the idea that some are better than others and what you were became who you were. The fact that among those who came with them to this planet are rare transformational patterns, mechs and a femme who were spared shows their priorities. They were so rare that they were nearly exempt themselves and declared so because the Council saw in them something unique.

"What they weren't ready to see in anyone else was the simple fact that **ALL OF US** are rare and unique. There is only one each of all of us. **ALL OF US** matter and **ALL OF US** deserved to live as we choose, to become and attain that which we wanted. Many of us have stories in our families where someone tried to become what they wanted during their reign and were hurt, arrested and even killed for doing so. You were what your form dictated. You got whatever that gave you.

"Isn't it interesting that those who dictate such things always live better than anyone else. They also get to do what they want, live how they choose and at a level of luxury that the rest can only dream about. It isn't limited to us alone. The humans do the same thing. Conformity for convenience. Conformity by the majority to benefit the fewest. This is an act of astonishing cruelty and they disposed of half a million of our people when they became **inconvenient.** They expect to be able to leave or to stay here on their own terms. They see nothing wrong with what they did though their cruel actions can only be matched by Megatron. Do we let **him** stay among us unpunished as well for his despicable crimes? I'm sure he has his own reasons for killing millions as well.

"This was purely reasoned, they knew what they were doing and they **have** to face a commensurate punishment. Five hundred thousand dead cry out for justice. Five hundred thousand will never have a chance to live their dreams which they would had they lived long enough to come back to us here. That's the biggest and most terrible cruelty of all, that they were **so close** and fell before they could come to us. That's the worst part for me personally. They were **almost home.** I ask you for justice, Optimus Prime. I ask it for the half a million dead who can't speak for themselves. This isn't a culture or a religion or a way of life. It's a criminal organization without mercy, morals or shame. Thank you for the honor of speaking for the dead who should be foremost in the minds and sparks of everyone here." He bowed and sat, his weariness evident.

Prime looked at Blackstone. He rose and bowed deeply. "I reiterate my plea, Lord Optimus. These are not fully well mechs. They have no idea the magnitude of their offense. There's something deep and profound missing from them. They're defenseless against their own guilt. They have no idea of their own peril. I would hope that you understand and account for that. No sound, sane individual would be that oblivious to their own peril. I ask for mercy from the court. I ask it with great hope and despair." He bowed and sat.

It was silent in the room as Prime considered their comments. "I have heard all of you. I have considered all of it. I am to make my own judgment, then the Pantheon will weigh in. I cannot tell you when that will happen. I know that you will receive my decision now. When the Pantheon weighs in, I will call you to hear Their decision. It could be that it will overturn my own or uphold it. I have a heavy responsibility to justice and the best path forward for our people, living and dead. All of their sparks weigh upon me and nothing I decide will be done with vengeance nor taken lightly. I do so with the Matrix in combination with myself. The defendants will now stand."

Blackstone stood and turned to them. He nodded, so they stood. Everyone in the room watched Prime with dread and tension as he stared at them.

"You have had outstanding counsel, yet you have not availed yourself of it. Your counselors were very correct in their assessment of your peril. That you ignored them and plead your case yourself using the outdated, outmoded and clearly illegal irrelevant arguments of your time in charge of our people shows a lack of understanding of your situation.

"This is not Cybertron under your rule. I am not Zeta Sentinel Prime. Even though he was aware of your selfish, cruel and criminal regime, he was unable to overturn you. It took the massed agonies of The People to accomplish that and the poisoned legacy of your command made it possible for The System of Exception to come to pass and all of its horrors to prevail. You have no idea how powerless you are right now. You have no idea how empty your arguments still are after all this time. The foundation documents and the Charter of the Primes gives me responsibility and authority over **ALL** Cybertronians wherever and whenever they are. You have ignored that to your own peril.

"Your lack of cooperation with the doctors who sought to help you by identifying whatever it was that drove you to be so cruel and sparkless was a bad idea. Now there is question about your mental fitness but I have no data in which to temper my decision. Having a 'feeling' about it is not the same as knowing. Believing that a damaged spark would be the only kind to act how you have acted is not enough to suggest that you have one. Group think makes one do terrible things, yet seldom in that group is there a damaged processor. The closed circuit of your lives and the echo chamber of your thinking can make terrible things happen even by the servos of sane individuals.

"It is in my power as Prime to end your sparks. You have given nothing to me that mitigates your situation, nor have you helped others who wished to try. Your counsels are weary of trying. Your doctors cannot tell me what makes you tick. Therefore, I am hampered in my deliberations by your self belief that you can talk your way out of this. I am afraid that was a very bad calculation."

Prime stood before them like a god. He stared at the Functionalists for a moment. "I am Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, the bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of the Autobots. I am ruler of a great and ancient people and I am Prime to all of them. Those who were born, yet died, those who live and those yet to be born … all of them are mine to serve. You are enemy to the peace. You always were. You came here divested of the greatest treasure of our world and culture, our very great people who you destroyed without a second thought. You are an enemy of our people and I declare you so.

"It is my judgment made in tandem with the Matrix that you, the Functionalist Council shall be placed in punitive stasis for one million years. There will only be an appeal of this verdict from the Pantheon. When They allow me to know Their Will, I will call everyone forward. It could be that They reverse or mitigate it, or they could call for more and worse for you.

"I saw them, those you murdered. I saw them in a vision. They came from an ocean, all of them. They stared at me with hopeful optics the first time I saw them. In the second vision they were walking back into the ocean. One of them stopped to look at me. "You are too late" they told me. I saw all their faces, each of them before they disappeared and I had no idea until you came what the vision meant. They are safe in the Matrix and that is the only thing that gives me comfort now. If you cannot find it in yourself to feel despair and sorrow for them, then I will. You will be taken to the jail and held there until the Pantheon weighs in. If they do not in one decaorn, the verdict stands. If you know any prayers that are contrite and convey anything but pride and self importance, I would suggest that you direct them to the Pantheon. If you are to have any mercy, you will have to find it from Them." Prime nodded to the bailiff and he led them away.

They stumbled out in shock.

The room was intensely silent as the door closed behind them.

-0-TBC 2-17-18 **edited 2-22-18**

capricious: (uh-pree-shus) -arbitrary, spur of the moment actions or words, no thought put into something

mores: (more-ays) – the beliefs and ideas that you have with which you live your life.


	277. Chapter 277

The Diego Diaries: Requiescat In Pace (dd6 277)

-0-Courtroom

Prime pulled up a chair to sit across the table from Blackstone who looked emotional and drained. He leaned forward on his elbows. "This is not your burden. Short of being declared incompetent, they had the power and right to do this. If they fell short of their self chosen goal, that is not yours to bear."

"I believe they're incompetent to make those decisions, Optimus. I believe they're impaired and even if it doesn't match some specified labeled illness, it still is so. They had no idea of the direction they were headed and no amount of reason could touch that. I believe they're ill," Blackstone said tiredly.

"I had to have more information, Blackstone. I cannot work with assumptions and feelings," Prime said.

"I know," Blackstone said. He looked at Prime with a rueful expression on his face. "Two years service for each life taken?"

"It seemed fair. They at least have a chance to be freed at some point. We cannot take the chance that they can ever act on their beliefs and convictions. Who knows what will be waiting one million years from now?" Prime replied.

Everyone gathered around the table, pulling chairs closer. Ratchet patted Blackstone's servo. "You are the antithesis of them, a loving empathetic spark to their cold emptiness. They devised this process and in the doing, wrote their own end. They committed at the very least, blasphemy. By the way, Optimus … Dai Atlas commed me and said he would come as soon as possible. They're having a big group come in and they need him to help organize it. He called me to ask for more specialist medical doctors which I sent." Ratchet looked at Blackstone. "He chooses the light because the Guiding Hand stands in it. These individuals perverted that. This is on them."

"We've all suffered so much. This could have been their reaction to slavery. Not everyone rises to the heights of Delphi and Hardie. Sometimes you break and it isn't readily seen. I feel badly for all of us, for Cybertron … for all of us." Blackstone vented a sigh. "What do you expect now, Optimus?"

Optimus considered his question. "They will weigh in. This was no small thing. Genocide … it requires a higher power devoid of sentiment and the hope that things will get better when perhaps they can not, especially considering the individuals involved. I can feel a sense of gathering … They will have Their say."

"The others. The 22. What about them?" Blackstone asked. "You hesitated from sentencing them."

"I will," Prime said. "I need to consider the situation and their actions. The idea that they can just claim they were following orders is not one I will honor. That being said, they have some mitigation in that they were more minor players. Of course, that doesn't mean they cannot think and decide how to act in an immoral situation. Their group think is the problem for me. I am having to think about it, Blackstone. I will call them forward when I have decided. Perhaps the Pantheon will give me inspiration when They come forward with Their own decision."

"We then come … all of us?" Coln asked as he glanced at the others.

"Yes," Prime said. "All of you must come back here to be present. Until then, I think we need to adjourn to dinner. I would be honored if you would join me, then disperse back to your lives to regroup your spirits in the midst of your families. What is done is done."

They got up slowly, then followed him outside. The evening was coming with its bracing chill and the fading light of the sun. Long shadows stretched across the ground, a mournful metaphor for the afternoon spent in deciding responsibility for the loss of the unthinkable, a half million of their brothers and sisters. Walking along the sidewalk, they talked in hushed tones as they headed for The Pit Stop. Entering, they pushed tables together and sat.

Alto, Barron's bond entered with Lyssa, the femme bond of Blackstone and Carsa, the femme bond of Coln-2. They joined the group and orders were taken. It was a subdued gathering. But all in all, the food, drink and conversations were a welcome thing to all as the night began to exert itself outside.

-0-Later on

The kids were bathed and put to bed. Ironhide walked to the living room and sat heavily in his chair. Pulling Halo out of his hold, he smiled at her. "You little thing. You make a lot better."

Ratchet sat down and grinned at her. "I almost forgot we had one of these."

Ironhide chuckled. "You and me both. I wonder if things will ever slow down and we can play."

"I don't know. I just know I'm glad I'm not one of them. What a joyless life they lived."

"We have to find their other settlement and check it out. We can't allow whoever is there to lie around unmourned," Ironhide said. "Jazz is looking hard."

"Good," Ratchet said as he leaned back to relax. He turned on the monitor and the evening news was playing. Fortunately, it wouldn't have a word on the trial until the next orn.

-0-On a balcony several floors upward

"What do They say?" Prowl asked as they watched the evening sky together on the balcony of The Residence.

"Nothing yet," Optimus replied. "I think this may mean an appearance."

"Do you really?" Prowl asked with surprise. "I've never seen one of those, though I heard about it."

"This feels different," Optimus said as he slipped an arm around Prowl. "I do not know what They will do but I feel They may come."

Prowl nodded, then hugged Optimus tightly. "It will be okay."

They stood together on the balcony watching the lights around them and the busy airfield below.

-0-The next mid morning

Ratchet walked into the Offices of the Secretariat of State heading for Lucien's own. He walked in and sat down. Staring at Lucien who looked up at him, he grinned. "Analysis of the trial, use your personal views and feelings. I don't want a cold rendering. I want to know what you think and feel about what you heard."

Lucien sat back, staring at Ratchet a moment in silence. "It was appalling. They murdered half a million individuals for nothing."

"They used your ideology when they did. How do you feel about that?" Ratchet asked.

"They didn't. We don't hold their beliefs," Lucien said with some offense.

"Really? They believe that some are intrinsically better than others. They don't allow anyone to step out of their place defined by them alone. They use laws and religion to enforce their world view and keep everyone in place. They have no mercy for anyone who wants better and tries for it. They use the law against such actions, jailing and even killing those who persist. You **do** remember empurata and shadow play, right? You **do** remember jailing those who wanted a different life than the one you assigned them. You **do** remember the repressive laws that you passed and enforced to keep everyone in their place. You **do** remember that, r **ight**? I could go on with similarities but I think I made my point."

Lucien stared at him. "You're enjoying this. It makes you happy to do this to me. You get to hammer me with your rhetoric."

"Again, you'd wrong. I'm of the camp where anything is possible, where redemption is always on the horizon. I believe in you whether or not you do. I believe in your family, your sons, your sweet bond. I believe in everyone. I'm the King of Fairy Dust and Unicorns. I'm the one who never gives up. I took you on when no one else would because I have empathy. This isn't pity, Lucien. This is empathy. I'm sad for you that you came from a long line of deluded fraggers who had more in common with these killers than they had with Solus and Prima. You were born on the very **back** of empathy and you have none."

Lucien stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"The humans talk about the Good Samaritan who came forward when no one else would and helped a total stranger when it was against their rules and laws. Rules were rules but when it comes to suffering, nothing stands in the way of helping others if you have even a scrap of empathy. Maybe its because I'm a doctor or maybe its because my family in the face of great injustice and evil mindedness never let it become who they were. Do you know **any** greater sacrifice than that of Primus for us? He gave up His life and freedom to save us and keep us safe. What did we do in return? We did all of this. He didn't give up everything for just a few to benefit. He gave up His life for **ALL** of us. How can you justify your views in light of His sacrifices? Try and tell me how what you believe squares with the selfless loving and empathetic actions He committed to give us a home and safety. I **dare** you."

It was silent as Lucien stared at him. "I don't care for this conversation."

"I know. You have no argument. Primus is the very **embodiment** of love. He **IS** love. Your ideas and behaviors are the very **opposite** of what He did for us. You have **no argument.** " Ratchet leaned forward. "Prime believes the Pantheon might show up for this one. This is no small thing and he believes They might come to have Their say. You're ordered on the pain of a gauntlet by the Former Decepticon Association to be there when the call comes. You and Traachon … Cargo, Waldeen, and Keystock, too. You will be there or its a gauntlet. The Court gives me the say so on it. Do I make myself clear?"

Lucien stared at him. "Perfectly."

Ratchet stood and stared at him for a moment, his optics glittering with malice. "I'll make sure you regret it **majestically** if you disobey." With that, he walked out the door to do his job.

Lucien watched him go with something new in his spark.

Fear.

-0-On Cybertron

Keystock and Cargo stood to one side of the gaping hole in the ground. It was in the Manganese Mountains and the ground below their feet was that part of the planet that was still organic. They were discussing a cache of weapons that were stored there and how they would pull them out for transport to oblivion in one of the nearby stars. The two were talking off line. :We were ordered to be at the sentencing of the others and for the possibility of the Pantheon weighing in. If we don't, Ratchet will order a gauntlet from the Former Decepticon Association: Cargo said with a slight tone of dread. :What do you think about the Pantheon coming?:

Keystock glanced at his brother, then the hole where Raptor and Hard Drive were looking at bombs with Ironhide and some of the locals. The rest of their team but for their adjutants were standing up here with them while the others took notes on the problem with the generals. :I don't know. I … I don't know yet. What about you?:

Cargo glanced at him, then focused on the hole in the ground. :I don't know. I'm nervous:

Keystock nodded. :I know:

It would be a long tense orn for everyone but Pudding who would amble along on his leash and enjoy the mechs who held or patted him. He would also enjoy the tidbits slipped to him when they would pause to eat something.

-0-Earth2

The luncheon was set and the ladies and men of the Auxiliary had begun to show up. They walked to the dining room with their hostesses and gathered. It was a smaller one with a view outside and beautiful tables inside. A buffet ran along the wall and there were pitchers of mimosas for everyone. Taking a drink, they gathered in groups to chat. There were ladies and men from the Consulate, Earth 1 and Sciences. Everyone was trying hard to forge a community that included everyone on world who was human. There were several visiting journalists from magazines like Vanity Fair, People, Vogue, and OK!, all of whom were there to tell about life among the humans on world. They were an eclectic group, each of whom came with a photographer and reporter. They were staying at Earth2 thanks to Mariah and her group who were determined to get good publicity for their habitat following the salacious incident with Jim Johnson.

"This looks great," Judy Witwicky said as she glanced at the buffet. "You do know how to put on a party, Mariah."

"Thank you, Judy. I do want the social life here to be fun." Mariah glanced at the others. "Thank you so much for coming. We need to make the connections between our habitats stronger. The human community here are trail blazers and we love to party when we can."

"I'll drink to that," Barbara Morshower said to great laughter.

A reporter from Vanity Fair who was nearby walked to them. "Tell me about the interactions between the habitats. I heard about the book clubs and the auxiliary."

"We built up good will with the bots early on. Judy, here," Lois said as she nodded to Witwicky, "was the first to know them. Then the soldiers and their families … my dad among others was next. Little by little, it grew. We have strong ties together, especially among The Family. We want that to stay that way. We have groups that do things in the community with the bots and with each other, the two groups being just a few."

"What about the rumor that the bots are going to build a huge habitat and have humans live there under contract to them, working on beneficial projects for Earth, yet be their employees unattached to anyone but Autobot Nation? I heard that the entire habitat will hold about 20,000 humans and they would work on industries and products for Earth as employees of the Prime," the Vanity Fair reporter, a man named Britt Stoner asked.

The humans gathered stared at him for a moment, then Barbara and Judy glanced at each other. "Do you know about that, Judy?" Barbara asked.

"No," Judy said with surprise. "I don't," she said. She looked at the reporter. "Where did you hear that?"

"I did from no one in particular. It's just a rumor," Brett said.

"Well, no one told **us** ," Judy said. "I'd think if it was true we'd know but we don't. Interesting. 20,000 more humans. I think I need another drink," she said to great laughter.

-0-At the Circle of Light Guild Store in Terra

"Thank you for visiting. I hope you come again soon," Edict said as he handed a purchase nicely wrapped to a youngling couple who came for a tapestry.

"Thank you, Edict. We will," the younger of the two said with a smile. They walked out and the door closed with a tiny jingle of the bell.

Madura who was hanging up a replacement for the one just purchased glanced at Edict. "You have a very nice manner for retail, Edict. I compliment you."

Edict chuckled. "Thank you, Maddie. This feels less like a business than a club house for me."

Joon who was weaving nearby grinned at both of them. "Since everyone came here to work, this has become a wonderful gathering place. I've enjoyed your company so much."

Madura grinned, then walked back to sit beside Joon. "This is so lovely. So much skill and love go into them. I want to learn some fine orn when I have the time."

"They teach classes at the Halls of Order. You can have a small one to keep at home and make the smaller pieces. The patterns are easy to learn."

"I want to take one," Madura said as he watched the shuttlecocks fly under Joon's expert direction. They slid back and forth as she sent them along, touching the control on the floor with her ped to make the loom press each row into place. The threads today were a spectrum of yellows, from gold to nearly white, all of them made from specially textured metals. "Who do I ask?"

"Ask Cloudy in the cultural department on the fifth floor. He's in charge of restoring the really old items and he can help you enroll. The looms you'd want to start with are easily transportable and you can have one at home. I do. I have the one I learned upon. It makes all manner of things including rugs and little blankets that I give for separations," Joon said.

Madura nodded. "Proteus and I have considered getting a spark from the Well. We never had children of our own. There was never time," he said with a trace of bitterness in his voice. "It was probably for the best. I wasn't in any good condition to be a father."

"But now …?" Joon asked as Edict walked back to listen.

"Now, **anything** is possible and I want to have a family. So does Proteus. We want to be fully in the life again and children are so wonderful," Madura said. "I think we both feel fools for what we've missed."

"Then don't wait. The Well is a good thing. They give you the spark that was destined to be yours alone. The delivery method is the only difference," Joon said.

"Would you come? I think I would like all my friends around me," Madura asked hopefully.

"Why, Maddie … we're a squad. We'll **all** be there," Edict said.

-0-A short time later

Ratchet walked into Ops Center and sat down beside Prowl. "Guess what I've been doing?"

Prowl glanced at Ratchet, then sat back with a smirk. "Is this 20 Questions, Loon?"

"No, you brittle old bag of wind," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "This is good news."

Prowl laughed aloud, then grinned slightly. "Tell me, Loon. You know you wanna."

Ratchet grinned back. "Madura and Proteus are getting a spark from the Well in two orns. I just helped them plan a protoform for a **SPECTACULAR** little mech-"

"Are there any other kind? After all, they **all** belong to **me** ," Prowl said with a bigger grin.

They grinned at each other a moment, then Ratchet leaned back in his chair with pleasure. "The entire squad will be there or be square."

"Did you ever doubt we would be?" Prowl asked. "After all, I have to be there to take in the sight of my newest progeny."

"You're certifiable," Ratchet said with a huge smile.

"I hang out with you. Case closed," Prowl said with a huge smile back.

-0-TBC 2-17-18 **edited 2-22-18**


	278. Chapter 278

The Diego Diaries: Requiem (dd6 278)

-0-Mid morning the next orn

Ratchet walked to the Circle of Light Guild Store in Terra. Opening the door, noting the soft tinkling of bells on the door, he grinned at Edict who was dusting a number of delicate glass sculptures. He smiled at Ratchet. "Hi, Ratchet. So good to see you."

"Good to see you, too, Edict. You look wonderful as usual," Ratchet said.

"I feel so good. Burris is having such a good time at the job you gave to him. He went out last night to have a beer with his friends there. They played a game called pool. They're going to help him learn how to play it."

Ratchet laughed. "That's hilarious. I'm so happy to hear about it," he said as he hugged the big mech. "He always needed a direction other than oblivion. He's working his way up the pole. Right now, he's working in food services. He likes to cook, I'm told."

" **He does!** He cooks at home and it tastes so good," Edict said with amazement. "I find him such a good companion now."

"How does he **really** feel, Edict?" Ratchet asked. "Down deep?"

"He's still mixed up but he told me something two orns ago that stayed in my mind. He told me that working at the hospital doing these things makes him feel relieved. It's like a burden is off," Edict said.

"I believe it. I'll stop in and see him, maybe chat," Ratchet said.

Anders grinned. "That will be helpful."

Edict nodded in agreement. "I'm so glad. Did you know that we're planning the pre-bonding parties for Bron-E and Borealis?"

"Count me in if you need help," Ratchet said. "You know how I like to party."

"We need another pub crawl," Madura said as he stepped out of an aisle of books. He ran the little cafe that the store featured because he had a flair for creating snacks and drinks that appealed. Part of the high caste training that he wasn't ashamed of was being put to good use.

Ratchet laughed. "I'll check the schedule with Granny," he said as they laughed together. It was relaxed and wonderful in the sunny room. Joon waved, left her loom, then hugged Ratchet. "I come here to get my morning burst of happiness."

"This is the place to come," Joon said.

"I heard about you and Proteus, Maddie, going to the Well. I can't tell you how happy I am for both of you," Ratchet said.

Madura smiled a dazzler, something that no one had seen before their pub crawl. "We miss that, the warmth and companionship of family and children. We have children in the prison, adoptees from political alliances. They aren't warm, those sorts of things. They were business deals and political alliances. We want children and grandchildren of our own. I'm so happy. Proteus and I have been getting a room ready for our little mech."

"Do tell. Details," Ratchet said. "Have you been to the Protoform Clinic at the Medical Center or Sciences?"

"We went last night to Sciences. We have **such** a beautiful protoform. We want wings and a simple but elegant color scheme. We want him to fit in without feeling poorly about caste. We won't have a caste mark applied either." He grinned. "All of the preparation is so exciting."

Ratchet laughed. "You'll miss all the screaming and yelling."

"I don't mind. I don't want to wait, either. I want a baby of my own, one from Proteus and me. I know that The One has held that spark for us until we came to our senses. This place is a miracle, Ratchet. I don't know much about babies but day after tomorrow, we'll have our own little mech." Madura almost looked ready to cry.

"There's nothing like it," Ratchet said as the two hugged. "I'll be your physician. I'm pulling rank," he said as they laughed. "We need to have a party for you and Proteus. You can't have an infant without celebrations."

"We have that covered, Ratchet. The invites go out tonight. Dinner at the Tower In The Sky here in Terra. I hope everyone makes it. The Squad saved my life." He grinned. "Life is good now, Ratchet."

"Life is," Ratchet said. "I'm glad you got the protoform covered. I came to make sure," Ratchet said. "How's business here?"

"We're going great," Joon said. "All is well."

"All is, Joon," Ratchet said with a whole heart.

-0-In the Office of the Primes, The Fortress

He sat at his desk staring at the pile of work before him. He felt antsy, like there was something he had to do that he had forgotten. Outside the open door, he saw mechs and the odd femme walking here and there. It was pleasant and mellow, something that was needed after the past few orns of terrible tragedy. Now, they had to wait. He wondered if the itchy feeling that he had was because of that or something bigger and more explosive. He knew They would weigh in. The group that had been committed to the trial would be there to see it to the end. What that would mean, how it would happen, he had no idea. He just knew that he was ready for it to end no matter how it would be.

He looked at the work, then slowly began to sort it out. It would take a while for him to focus enough to do that but he would. He would also know that the Pantheon was getting ready to speak.

-0-On Cybertron

Raptor and Hard Drive sat on a bench going over the plans for the restoration of the local area, one that overlapped on their districts. The major settlement here was half in one, half in the other. There were a lot of refugees living here in comfort and good supply. Sitting nearby on a pile of rocks, Keystock and Cargo looked like a couple of dejected puppets. The only perky thing about them was Pudding. He stood in front of them looking like a contented cow. He was, actually. The backpack was sitting on the ground nearby as they watched the generals discussing things with weary expressions on their faces.

:I'm hungry: Keystock said.

:Me, too: Cargo replied. :What do you think about the trial? Lucien looked awful:

:He's not the only one. No one looked very good. Blackstone was the most disturbed. I don't know what I think about this. I'm too tired and hungry: Keystone said. :Let's talk about something else:

They were silent for the most of the stopover. Shortly before they were ready to press onward, they were recalled by Prime.

-0-Armory

Ironhide was checking out a stockpile of Seeker rockets as Halo watched him. She was propped up on a historic pillow sitting in a historic box. At least, to her papa, all of that was so. The things that his kids had used were kept in the locker in their building's basement or closet of his berth room, 'heirlooms' of their family to be 'passed down to the next ones'. Ratchet humored him even as he felt the same way. Ratchet, however, would sip hot lead before he would say so.

"See these?" Ironhide asked as he held one of the slimline rockets in his servos. "These fit on the arms of the bigger Seekers and fire from there. These heat seek and sink slaggers. No one wants one of these on their aft." He grinned at his daughter as he put it back on the rack. She was waving her arms at him, a smile brightly shining on her little white face. "You're one cute little femme. Your old ada sure knows how to paint. Your little face is so cute. Your little black peds and servos are really pretty. Copper is a great color for a little femme," he said as he ticked off the box on his datapad that said the munitions passed inspection. "You need to learn this. Little femmes should learn how to defend themselves."

He walked to her box, bent down to sniff her, then put her binky back into her mouth. She smiled at him around it, then relaxed. He tucked her blanket around her, then grinned. "Two pretty femmes. First femmes but for your Great-Great-Auntie Lissie. Now there's a femme's femme. Little femme knows how to fight and how to be a great teacher. She's a pretty femme, too. I heard that she has mechs swanning around her now, some of them younger." He grinned. "Nothing changes much. That happened back home, too."

Ironhide walked to the next pallet loaded up with a number of slimline rockets that were part of the one-two-and three man fighters. "I don't know much about what femmes need but Hero is your friend there. She loves you so much. She felt so alone among all the mechs." He grinned. "You have a lot of sisters. Better not get an embellishment without your old ada with you. He's going to throw a rod." He counted the rockets, checked, then marked them off. "We're ahead of schedule. Good thing you keep me on the straight and narrow or I'd not get this done. When I'm through, we can go to the Street Food Fair Mall in Kalis and get lunch. Maybe your old ada will be free, too."

They wouldn't get a chance. The call from Prime to come arrived just as he finished the last count and inspection. They would hurry out and upward to get to the Courthouse.

-0-Office of The Boss, Metrotitan

He was dozing in his chair in front of a pile of datapads that was deeper than he liked on the desk in front of him. Nearby on a couch, giving up the pretense of being awake, Drift was stretched out as he had some 'shut eye'.

They both had a fondness for cowboys and westerns.

It was nice in the office as light streamed through the big windows. There were dust motes floating in the beams as they warmed the air. It was peaceful and comfortable in the silent room.

Maxi stood in the doorway watching with a smirk on her pretty face. "Slaggers," she said softly. She walked back through the door to her own desk. As she sat, a message from the Courthouse came through. "Come at once to the courtroom. -Prime"

They would.

-0-Ratchet and the rest

He rapped on the doorjamb to Lucien's office. "We have to report to the courthouse. Prime's call."

Lucien looked up almost startled. "What does that mean? The verdict was made."

Ratchet grinned a tight humorless grin. "By Prime." He turned back and walked toward the door through the offices of the other members of his State Departmental staff. Lucien would hustle to join him.

Barron, Blackstone looking pensive and concerned, Coln-2 and their respective staffs made their way down the hallway to the courtroom. Inside, waiting at the dais, Prowl looked tense. Prime was not present as they entered followed by all of the witnesses including the two who were part of the party. They looked tense but stood with their tech aides from Processor Health. Others came as well, Springer and Drift, Ratchet followed by a tense strained Lucien and then the generals and their respective problem children. Waldeen followed them with a strained expression on his face. The room filled up, then everyone sat as Traachon entered last. Ratchet walked to Prowl and chatted with him as they waited.

Prowl froze a moment to take a call, then turned to everyone. "You're to sit. You're to wait. There's little precedence for what might happen but understand … the presence of great holiness is nearby."

Everyone glanced at each other, then sat, their bodies suffused with tension. The room seemed electric as their own tension combined with that of the moment. Prowl was grim as he stood by the podium, then the door opened and Prime entered. He walked to the front of the room, then nodded to Prowl. Prowl bowed low, then walked to a seat next to Ratchet. It was silent a moment, then Prime spoke. "We are here to determine the fate of the Council of Twelve. I have not given my verdict for the others who bear responsibility for their share of the crimes committed. Without their unswerving support and effort, nothing that happened could have transpired. I would like all of them to enter the courtroom to sit in their places silently."

The bailiff turned to the door, opened it and leaned out. Leaning back in, he held the door as a long line of simplistically styled mechs walked in. They walked to their chairs, then sat almost as one. They looked as unchanged as ever as they did. However, it was at that time that something none of them had ever felt before happened. A surge of electricity shot through their bodies, a feeling of electrical energy that appeared out of nowhere. They felt it, then glanced around at each other. Prime who was standing in front of the room felt a greater portion of it, then he spoke. "We are here. We are here for you," a different voice said. Then everyone in the room, prisoner and participant disappeared altogether.

-0-TBC 2-19-18 **edited 2-22-** 18

They plan to reboot the TF universe dumping Bay's stuff. :D They plan to resurrect even dead bots. More when I hear it. :D


	279. Chapter 279

The Diego Diaries: Ascension (dd6 279)

-0-Going away

They fell through a long tunnel of whirling energy, one that looked like the inside of a vast computer. It seemed they were blowing away but that could be debatable. After a moment or many, they spun to a stop. They were standing as a group on a silver sand beach. It ran into the distance where it met a silvery sky, one with white clouds and diffuse sunlight. Beside them, undulating with immaculate beauty was the silvery waters of the Sea of Mercury. Hard Drive recovered, then looked toward the beach as it sloped upward to a spectacular house nearby. "I remember this place. It's the beach house of the Primes."

Prowl nodded. "I've been here. It is."

"Our houses are nearby, the beach houses," Raptor said as Delphi nodded. He glanced at Prime who was looking at them without expression. "Are you Prime or are you someone representing him?"

"I am and I am not," the figure of Optimus said. "I am the Gatekeeper, the first one you meet when you return. You would know that but to live in the world you must first forget."

Prowl walked toward him, then bowed. "Tell us what we might do, Gatekeeper. We are yours to command," he said quietly.

"They will come to decide what will happen. Optimus Prime has made a just decision but They always have the last word." He looked at the Council and the 22 others with them. "You will stay here. You will not speak unless They wish it."

The Functionalists looked fearful as they stood together in a group in the middle of the others who had been brought here as well. Cyclonus stared at the figure, then bowed. "Gatekeeper, we are here to settle disputes of belief. We employ one as well at our Monasteries. We will bow to your wishes."

The figure turned toward Cyclonus. "Understood. Also understand … all return to the Matrix. No matter your life and deeds, all are returned to The One. All come back to the Prime Source of All Things, The One. No one is abandoned or left behind."

At that moment, a stir in the ocean was seen as everyone turned to watch. Figures began to rise out of the silvery liquid which slid off them to reveal figures both known and revered. One of them stepped out walking to where they stood, then turned to the group. "I see you have met the Gatekeeper," He said with a grin.

"Lord Micronus," Hardie said as he knelt down on one knee. Everyone else joined him.

Micronus grinned. "Hard Drive of Praxus, rise. All of you rise. You are here for a specific purpose and we must be of sober mind."

More came forward, stepping on the beach to stand before them. They were immensely tall, though not as tall as They would be in other circumstances. They came and came until They were all there. Those of importance to the Guiding Hand philosophy, Adaptus, Epistemus, Prima, and Solomus stood together as the others came forward who were revered in the Temple practice. Solus, Prima again, Vector, Nexus, Logos, Onyx, Alchemist, Amalgamous, and Quintus gathered together. Then Solus stepped forward and knelt. "Alpha, welcome. We return Optimus to you," she said as Prime glanced at Her, then the others with a touch of disorientation. Then he saw them and went down on a knee. "Lady," he began before Solus cut him off.

"Please stand, brother. We are here to support and help you. Please be one among equals," she said.

The others glanced at Prime, then each other. Then all of them turned to the group that they had been taught about and reverenced since birth, some who served with fervor and all had respected their entire lives. Prima grinned. "Well, well, dear brother," he said as he looked at Optimus. "You bring us a knotty problem. We are here to review and decide upon the actions of the Functionalists and the sentence you have imposed for the actions they have taken against the Peace of Primus and The One. I think We need to hear from you, Quintus."

Quintus looked at them ruefully. "I was afraid You would say that, brother," He said as He looked at the bots before Him. "I am Quintus Prime. I am bearer of the Emberstone," He said as He opened His servo to show an enormous and beautiful blue jewel that glowed with a sentient-seeming light. Its blue rays shot out of It as if seeking something in the group that It could entwine with. Before It could, Quintus closed His digits and the light was gone. "I was a scientist, perhaps the first, and I used this stone to create life in the universe. I am afraid that I created the Quintessans." He frowned slightly. "What a sad orn that was, but then, what genitor is not disappointed by Their offspring from time to time? I had no intention for them to become what they have. They were filled with misconceptions and malignant information. They caused great suffering to The People. That was unintentional."

"You brought them to life, Lord Quintus?" Optimus asked.

Quintus nodded with a forlorn expression. "I created many forms," He said with a brighter tone. "I created butterflies. I rather love butterflies. I seem to have gotten better with organic forms later on. The Quintessans were among the first organic forms I ever tried to make. It's a creative urge in Me, you see. There was no malice, only the desire to create beauty and life, to share the empty universe with Us. It was once terribly lonely."

"Sometimes, things don't go Your way, brother," Onyx said. "I remember remarking to You about such things on more than one occasion."

"You do have a way with the natural world," Quintus said dryly. "How be it may, they were part of the universe and that they would come and turn the natural order upside down … that was an unforeseen circumstance."

"They lay down a manner of living that was outside the Will of Primus," Prima said. "Their ideas that some were more important than others is contrary to all that We represent. The Quintessans took advantage of your naivete and your youthfulness, children. They implemented structures that are contrary to everything We hold dear and represent. At no time in the history of The People did any of Us hold to the ideas that they planted and which others nurtured." Prime looked at Traachon and Lucien who were standing beside Keystock and Cargo. "You know that as well."

Traachon stepped back as all of them took in the figures before them. They knew what this was though they had never heard about one happening or knew of anyone who had. This was the ultra tribunal and it wasn't anything that a Prime could call without cause. It was apparent to everyone that this one did and that They respected and admired Optimus enough to show up. "Lord Quintus," he stammered. "I … I didn't ..."

"You did. All of you did. You may not as children but you grew up to see what was happening. You did not follow the law. There is only one law that rules Us all. Until all are one. It is from The One, the prime source of All That Is and the One Rule. It became Our Creed. Our gift to Our children, all of you. There is only love. It is the greatest force in the universe and it is your **birthright**. It is the birthright of **All That Is.** Why did you turn that upside down?" Prima asked.

Lucien who looked as poorly as the others stepped back as well. He glanced at Traachon who for once was at a loss for words, then looked at the Pantheon. "You seemed so far away," he said. "We prayed to You and we did what You wanted to remember You but You never seemed here. You almost seemed a myth."

Onyx grinned at Prima. "That one has bearings. They usually don't get that bold around Us. Especially," He said as He looked at them with a hard expression, "when they have so much to account for."

"You took the teachings of all of Us and you perverted them. First, it was the Quintessans," Prima said as he shot a slight frown at Quintus who grinned back. "Then you came, you, the Functionalists with your lies and deceit. You ruled a broken people, turning them back into slaves and you killed over a billion of them in your recalls at that time. What say you to Us, now?"

The Council seemed frozen in place, like a row of parking signs that stood and did nothing more. They finally glanced at each other, then looked up at him nearly as one. "We are confused, Master. We would need time to discuss this," One of Twelve said.

"What is to discuss? You categorized sentient beings into useful/rare and obsolete/common. You took the right away from everyone to decide what they would do with their lives. You benefited, though I will say … it was at a lower level of luxury than your descendants here," Prima said as he nodded to Traachon and Lucien. "You are murderers. You are raising children, the purest of sparks, those who among you are still by virtue of their births close to The One to be killers, too. It disturbs Us profoundly. Everyone of your ruling cartel benefited, though not all of them issued and carried out the actual orders. What say you to Us, Functionalists? Explain and justify recalls to Us who love our Children with all that We possess."

The Council stepped closer together but it was obvious that they had nothing to say that would work or prevail. This was Prima, one of the gods of their practice, the direct progeny of Primus along with Adaptus, Mortilus who was deceased, Epistemus, and Solomus. They had sprung fully formed from His spark and now They were here staring at them with disapproval and there was nothing they could say that would save them from Their wrath, if this was what They were coming for.

Cyclonus who was watching Them with an almost overwhelming sense of wonder stepped from the crowd, then went to his knees. "Lords of the Guiding Hand … I have served You all my life. These mechs have taken Your honor and ground it into the dust. They have no respect for You and what You have sacrificed to give us our lives. I am leading the Monastery and Your ideas and ideals are first and foremost presented. I have strayed," he said. "I fought with Megatron against the evil of this system to free Primus the Great from His fate. It was something I have put aside. I serve only Cybertron, Primus and You now. Tell me what I should do to serve You. I am Your servant," he said as he bowed his helm.

They glanced at each other, then him. "Rise, Master Cyclonus. With you, We are well pleased," Prima said.

Cyclonus rose, his optics never leaving Them. He bowed, then stepped to one side, moving away from the Functionalists and the civilians. It was silent again.

Prima grinned. "There are many paths homeward, my children. There are many stories to tell the tale. But all of them lead to the same house. None of the systems that you practiced, that of the Quintessans who set the poison into the body of the people, that of the Functionalists who maintained it nor that of The System of Exception that put it into its logical terrible climax serves the Will of Primus, the Will of The One, nor does it serve Us. We have **always been here**. We have **always** been among you. We gave you a Prime," he said as he nodded to Optimus. " **WE GAVE** **YOU A PRIME!** We **cannot** tell you what to do. You have **free will.** There are planets in this universe where those who live there do **not** have that gift. And gift it is. They live in systems like yours," He said glancing at One of Twelve. "They live their whole lives being told what to do and how to do it. It is a rare planet where there is free will. We had gifted it to Cybertron. The humans have it, much to their own despair sometimes.

"We do not step in to save you. We **have** prevented complete destruction of the world when you came close to protect our brother and We have done our best to guide you with Primes and suggestions made through your aura. I do believe you call that both inspiration and your conscience. It is not Our fault if you chose to ignore that which We could do for you. We received the dead when they came to Us, put to death or killed by your incessant wars or value systems. We comforted them and made them safe. **BUT WE DID NOT** **STEP IN!** This is **your** life. You **KNOW** what is right and wrong. If you **choose** genocide, you cannot tell Us that you **do not know the consequences** or how it will be received. **Our BROTHER, PRIMUS, GAVE UP HIS ENTIRE LIFE, HIS FREE WILL TO GIVE YOU SAFETY AND A HOME!** He keeps Unicron from finding you and doing you in. Yet, you seem to think that We owe you something. All you owe **Us** and **each other** is love. **LOVE AND GRATITUDE!** Perhaps if you had all practiced those two simple love-based things it would have been different."

"You have done a dangerous thing making some less worthy than others. It makes murder easier," Solus said. She shrank down to their size, then walked toward the group. They went to their knees, the Functionalists and the civilians. The others were too overwhelmed to move. "It grieves Me most deeply, a despair that crushes My spark that you would do and believe what you maintain. Babies came to Us. Babies, children, sub adults, adults, and elders, entire generations of families … they came to Us bewildered. They had no idea what had happened to them at first. They came and We comforted them. It took a while for them to understand that they were as loved by Us and by The One as anyone else. They were beloved and comforted.

"Now, Our brother, Optimus had to sit in judgment over your deeds. He was given the choice about what to do with all of you. He has passed judgment on the twelve but not the rest. He knows this is deeply important and that what happens here will have repercussions in the timeline beyond just you. We are here to weigh in which is Our duty and responsibility given the gravity of the offenses. When its Megatron's turn, it shall happen again. For now, We have to decide about **you** ," she said as she looked at the Functionalists.

They, at last, looked afraid and some of them fell to their knees. Solus turned to the others, then returned to their size, a good 50 feet. They were silent, their optics boring a hole through the miscreants and the terrified civilians who were also standing there. Prima looked at Hard Drive. "General, you and your bond, Delphi, have been judges, those who sought to moderate the problems following the first war. What are your thoughts about this? We trust and applaud your wisdom. That and all of the exempts present."

Hercy and Kup stared at the apparitions before them silently. Millions of years of hardship and effort seemed to weigh them, then lifted up as they watched Hard Drive consider their request in off line conference with Delphi. They both looked up at the gods and goddess who were watching them with varying degrees of attention and amusement. "We're honored to see this moment. You're the very essence of who we are and strive to become. We uphold the Prime. Optimus Prime is an honorable mech, the very epitome of service and courage. We stand by the Prime, Great Ones."

Delphi nodded.

Prima considered that. Then he looked at Optimus. "We feel your verdict is just but We also feel that the service in stasis would be less educational than other things We can do. We are setting aside your verdict, brother. " He turned to look at the Functionalists. "We are going to take you back, all of you. You are a continuing danger to all that exists and you do not have a basic understanding of the magnitude of the debt you owe. We will recall you now." With that, Prima raised his hand toward them and the Functionalists began to fade away. In seconds, they were gone.

Prime stared at the spot, then the Pantheon. "Where are they?" he asked.

It was eerie how silent it was, then Prima spoke. "We have recalled them to the Matrix. They are in need of appropriate educational reformatting. Their crimes are too big for them to stay with you. We will take care of them and show them the right path for all of Us, the one that is paved with love and mutual respect. They will get another life at some point when its clear that they understand their links to others." He looked at the 22 who froze with fright. "As for you, what do you choose for them, Optimus?"

Optimus stared at them, then the Pantheon. "They have children. They were worker bees. They made no decisions themselves. I am in a quandary to decide."

"Then allow Us for you," Prima said. He raised his servo and they were gone. He looked at Prime. "When they show Us that they understand the right path toward others, We will return them. The length of time they are gone is in their servos."

Prime nodded, then bowed. "Thank you, Lord Prima."

Micronus who was standing beside Onyx grinned slightly. "What about these mechs, Prima?" he asked as he pointed to Lucien, Traachon, Keystock, a frozen Waldeen, and Cargo.

Prima grinned mirthlessly as he looked at them with his penetrating gaze. "Yes," he murmured. "What about them ..."

As He did, another mech walked from the sea. Prime who turned to look bent to a knee and bowed his helm. "Lord Primus," he whispered.

-0-TBC 2-21-18 **EDITED 2-21-18**


	280. Chapter 280

The Diego Diaries: Ascension (dd6 280)

-0-On a silvery beach

It was as if time didn't exist. It was as if all that was real anywhere before was captured and contained only in this small beautiful space. The greatest among them short of the Creator Energy Itself, The One or Prime Source was coming from the sea. Silvery liquid slid off His glittering armor. He walked toward them with light streaming from His very Essence, the light of love and creation, that which was His very core. He had silvery armor, a sort of quicksilver, unlike anything anyone of the group watching had seen short of Optimus. Light seemed to surround and suffuse Him as He walked toward them. He was astonishingly beautiful, the most beautiful mech any of them had ever seen. Yet, the greatest feature of His Presence was the enormity of the love that He projected to everyone there. It was a encapsulating gentleness akin to that of His Blessing. The sound of the sea and their own movements seemed to be sucked away. It was as still and silent as vacuum.

He paused with His own first creations, the Greatness of Cybertron, the gods and goddess who He had left to carry the battle forward when it was finally clear to Him that He and Unicron, the One Who Must Not Be Named, were too evenly matched to settle the dispute one way or the other. They nodded respectfully to Him and He nodded back. Then He turned toward Optimus. "Rise, my son. I am well pleased with you."

Optimus stood, his gaze fixed on the intensely blue optics of Primus, the god of his youth, the inspiration of his life, the guardian of his interminably difficult and fated role as Prime, and the very ground beneath his peds. "Lord Primus, I am filled with joy at Your appearance. I have had a difficult decision that required the assistance of the Others. That You would come as well to deliver wisdom to us who need it is a blessing." He bowed low and the others did, too.

Primus grinned. "You have such greatness in you, Optimus Prime. It is a virtue in you that you bear such humility when you also bear such gifts. You are beloved to Me. I am so pleased with you. You never gave up. You try to find the good in all things and you defend often to your own detriment those who need you and are shirked by others. The System of Exception did not break you or your remarkable genitors who We love greatly as well. They gave you all the virtues and none of the disadvantages that others have in abundance." He turned to look at the others.

"General Hard Drive and Commander Delphi … Commander Hercy and Commander Kup. Those of you who serve in the Temple and the Monasteries … those of you who have dedicated yourself to the truth and to The People, I commend you. I believe in you and hold you dear." He looked at Neo who was trembling. She sunk to her knees. "Stand, Neo of Iacon. You have changed your path and for that I have only gratitude. You cannot hide your spark. I know you for your true self and its beautiful to Me."

Neo stood, then stumbled forward. She reached out to touch his ped, then embraced it. "I love you so. I am so sorry. I love you so much."

Prima leaned down, then touched her gently with a digit. "I know," he said softly. He looked at the others. "Heatout, Chrome, Alpha ... brother ..." He grinned at Alpha and Alpha grinned back. Primus glanced at the others. "Lauren, friend … I hear your prayers as I hear all of them from everyone no matter where they are in this or any other universe. I give you My love back."

They bowed deeply, some falling to their knees as Alpha walked forward. "There, there, Neo. All is well," he said as the two embraced.

Primus grinned, then looked at the others. Wirelite who was smiling beautifully, Chromo who was holding her hand, Lesto and 24 who were holding each other in a mixture of fright and overwhelming disbelief, Alejate and Elba who were holding servos, all of them stood as statues, their optics fixed on the figure before them. Cezr who was smiling brilliantly at the god who was his personal favorite gripped Elba's servo. This was their very creator and the love of his life behind Micronus, of course.

Mini-cons forever.

"You are My beloveds. Your service to me in my joor of greatest need was noted and I am in your debt. There is no greater love than to put yourself into harms way for another. You have courage, all of you, and My Blessing." He looked at 24 and Lesto. "You are as dear to me as Optimus Prime. You must believe that and live it. What you know and believe are lies. Let others give you back your truth. Then you must help the others, especially the families of the 22, but do it as a full equal in the optics of The One. We will ever be beside you."

The two nodded even as they clung to each other.

Primus looked at still more of them, going around the gathering as if to see them fully and take their measure. Coln-2, Blackstone, Barron, and their assistants were standing in an awestruck group, rooted to the ground. He grinned at them. "Be at ease," he said gently. Then he grinned again. "Ratchet … welcome. Your family as well," he said as he looked at Ironhide, Blackjack and Raptor. "Rung, Springer and Drift, welcome. Your diligence to The People is not overlooked nor is the long convoluted path you took to get there. It brings Me great happiness to see good will and love granted to others. We all are one. That is Our creed and Our deepest prayer."

Drift was mesmerized into immobility. Springer was stunned. Then he shifted. "Uh, we try hard, sir," he said as everyone laughed.

Primus grinned at him. "I have noticed you fall off your horse sometimes. Nothing is too small for Me to worry about."

Springer blinked in surprise. "I'll try harder."

Laughter filled the space and the air felt lighter. Then Primus turned to the civilians. Waldeen was a pillar, standing frozen in space, rigid even from the moment they had arrived. Not even the Primes walking from the sea nearby had moved him from the intensity of his fright. The other four were on the edge of fritzing out. Traachon fell to the ground and pressed himself against the sand. Lucien and Keystock stepped back, tripped, then sat hard. Cargo slowly eased to the ground to sit with his arms wrapped around himself. "You appear to be ill at ease."

None of them replied.

"I am disappointed in you, that you would hold yourself better than others. Cezr was a slave and he showed courage and a desire for freedom for all. Your actions have undercut his sacrifices. You have undercut everyone your entire lives and that of your ancestors to the detriment of Myself. It lead to the inevitable, civil war. You didn't listen. I have suffered enormously. My body is broken and cast apart. **I suffer. Do you understand?"**

Lucien stared at him, then rose shakily. "Lord Primus … we didn't … we … we didn't ..."

"You did," Primus interjected. "You broke Me on the wheel of your indifference, greed, self worship, and bigotry. You seem to believe that you are by virtue of your existence better than anyone else here. You have heard their tales. You have seen their dignity and courage. Some serve all of Us with their whole sparks. The smallest child anywhere by anyone is a part of **Me**. **You** are a part of Me. I feel all of your pains, triumphs and tragedies because **you** come from **ME.** I come from The One directly and it is **MY** responsibility to create you. The Matrix is the gateway to The One but it **GOES THROUGH ME!**

"You **do** understand now, don't you, that you cannot take the Matrix from whom I give It freely, nor do you own It or have special knowledge about It. You do not have the smallest concept of what It is, what It can do or where It reaches. It is the property of Optimus until We call it back and I will tell you directly, We have no desire nor will We in any future you wish to concoct of doing that. He is Dear to Me, he is The One Who Comes. He is the one who was prophesied. Of all the concepts that you will learn from your encounter with Us in this moment, that is the only one you will not take back with you. It is enough to tell you now and know you understand what We assert and demand. We give you the right to learn it all over again back in the world so that you understand on your own what We require.

"Optimus Prime is the One Who Comes.

"There is **no** hierarchy anywhere. Even in the Matrix. No one is better, higher, more exalted, nor more deserving of anything than any other. None of you are greater than Us, nor are **We** greater than **you**. We all come from the same source, from The One. All of Us are part of Him seeking experiences in the Creation that He has wrought. For you to assume hierarchy is to blaspheme the love and connection that keeps all of everything in balance. There is an attachment unseen from you to Us and to everything else no matter how large or small, how defenseless or powerful, how whole or broken, how close or far away, nor how wise or unwise they may be that makes Us all one. It is the bond of love and commitment that The One makes to **ALL** of Us that we are never alone, that we are never disconnected from Him or His unconditional love. If you feel differently, its because **YOU** believe that you are alone. You have forgotten that and in your lazy ego-driven self love, you have laid waste to **ME! TO MY VERY BODY!** "

The place was deadly silent, the energy of the bots listening varying from amusement to outrage. Primus looked at the five. "You have no authority by right of birth over anyone else. You follow that practice at your peril. You have a duty to others of your thinking to disabuse them of it. Your happiness lies in the unity of all of Us, not in the unctuous luxury and smug elitism of the few. You will take care of this. I am the one who holds My brother at bay, He who would kill **ALL** of you without a thought. I do so through the **WILLING** sacrifice of My own life and desires. **YOU WILL LEARN THIS HIGHER LEVEL IDEAL AND LIVE IT.** **IT IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT! REMEMBER IT AND PRACTICE IT!** I would suggest that you use Optimus as a template. He is the epitome of dignity, wisdom and courage."

Primus looked at the group, nodding to Prowl with a grin. Prowl nodded back with a faintness of processor at the greatness around him, then Primus grinned. "You will now empty your carry holds."

For a moment, the shift was startling, all of them staring at Him with disconnect, then Ratchet turned toward Ironhide with a grin. "Empty your pockets, slagger."

"After **you** do it," Ironhide said with a frown.

Ratchet grinned, then reached in and set two little mechs on the ground.

Orion and Praxus looked up at him, then each other. **"ADA! WHAT YOU? I, ORION, HERE! WHY YOU!?"** Then he looked around, froze, then looked back at Praxus. **"PAX! SEE THEM!? THEY MY SHES!"** With that, he laboriously took Praxus by the hand, then headed toward Onyx and Micronus with all the boldness of a deeply loved child. He paused before the two behemoths, then smiled. **"HI, SHE! YOU MY SHE!"** he said, then turned toward Praxus who was smiling brilliantly as well. "I comed to there. I falleded in with Eemie. We go sploosh!" he said making arm motions that looked like a splash. Praxus who was listening with fascination was nodding. "We goed down to the place. We go boop," he said as he jolted himself. "I goed to Eemie … Eemie, you not doing. I, Orion, keeped you good. I good, you. I, Orion, doing dis," he said. He wrapped his arms around Praxus and Praxus returned the favor.

"You taked care of Mimi, Orion?" Praxus asked.

Orion who was as oblivious to where they were and who was with them nodded to an equally oblivious Praxus. "I doed," he said with a nod. He then turned toward Onyx. "I sayed dis to my she … **YOU! SHE! YOU NOT DOING TO EEMIE! I, ORION, BOOP YOU! I POW-POW YOU!"** He glanced at Praxus. "I doed dis," he said, then launched into most of what was his dojo kata. He kicked and punched, whirling in a twirly mix up as he improvised and embellished his 'battle with the She' like all little kids do. He stumbled to a stop, then walked to Onyx's ped and pow-powed him. Stepping back, wringing his servo from the pain of hitting a force of nature, he glanced at Praxus. "I did that. I told my she, I, Orion, taked care of Eemie." He looked at his servo. "Owie."

It was as if the spell was broken as the adults, Pantheon and otherwise laughed. Onyx bent down and touched Orion's little servo. The pain disappeared. "Is that better, my friend?" he asked with a slight grin.

" **I GOOD! I, ORION, GOOD, SHE! I LOVE YOU, SHE! YOU MY SHE!"** he said, then glanced at Micronus who was howling with laughter. **"I LOVE YOU, SHE! YOU MY SHE!?"** he asked as he took Praxus by the servo.

"I am. I think We all are, Orion," Micronus said as the others nodded around their grins.

"This my she, Pax. He good. My she good," Orion said calmly as he glanced at his brother. Praxus for his part grinned back.

"There are more," Primus chided.

Holds opened as infants appeared. Hard Drive grinned at Primus. "What genitor or grand genitor wouldn't want their infants to see You?"

Primus grinned as the children began to appear. "I can see your point."

Prima appeared out of Prowl's hold with Sojourner and Solus. Hard Drive delivered Scout, Hero and Prowler. The twins appeared out of the hold of Delphi and ran to the other babies who were congregating around Orion and Praxus. Ironhide pulled Halo out and held her up to Primus. "This is the new one."

Primus grinned. Then He shrank slowly until He was half the size he was coming out of the ocean. He was the size of a planet and they all knew He could be bigger but for now, He was the same size as them to enjoy the best part of their lives, the small children brought here 'surreptitiously'. "You **do** know that We knew they were here. Stealth is a moot point around Us."

The children stared at Him, feeling the incredible energy that He emitted, then ran almost as one toward Him. They gathered around His feet as He bent down to touch and pet them. "This is the best part of all. These are the flowers of Our communal garden. They are the future. None of them is lesser or more than anyone else."

"We would have brought them all but they wouldn't fit," Delphi said.

Primus chuckled, a soft beautiful sound, then He stood. "We have to change. You do have free will but there are actions that transgress My Will and that of The One who Is all and Ever Will Be. When that happens, We will step in. I decree from this point forward that systems of oppression that have laid waste to Our Peace and the lives of those who are dear to Us, Our most Beloved Children are forbidden. From now until time ends, We are in agreement."

The others nodded, then Primus looked at the children. "We have received too many of you at the Matrix door, so many without a chance to live, to love and experience all that life has to offer. It is unbearable to Me. Heed me well, my most Beloved Children. You are here to learn with all the others. This path is over."

Vector nodded as he held a device. "I agree," He said as He glanced at Primus, then the others. "I have looked down every path whereby the Functionalist and System advocates can take where they still live in the world and none of them end well. All of the ways forward hold many forks in the road. It is the way that life works. A path leads to choices, some taken by individuals and some by societies. All of them that hold these ideas ends in more mass murder and destruction. None of them are a good way forward and whatever lessons may be learned are not worth the death and terror. What say you, Brother?" Vector asked as he turned toward Onyx.

Onyx grew still a moment, then glanced at Vector. "I have seen the past. I have examined multitudinous futures where this cancer is allowed and none of them end well. I concur with you. Your future is now. You can choose another way. But the choice is yours. Know from both of Us that to continue in this vein is to invite ruin. Lord Primus has decreed. Heed it. Either way on every road lies two different fates. One is a future where children live and the other one is where they continue to die."

It was incredibly still, then the sound of a shutter was heard. Everyone turned toward it. Ratchet who was peering over the top of his camera smiled a weak smile. "Uh, I just … the family album?"

Solus smirked as the others laughed. "You are indomitable."

"I try," Ratchet said as he snapped a photo of Her beautiful face.

Primus laughed, then waved his servo. The last thing they saw before they were back in the courtroom was the beauty of the smile of Primus and the riotous laughing faces of everyone else.

-0-TBC 2-21-18 **edited 2-22-18**


	281. Chapter 281

The Diego Diaries: Ascension (dd6 281)

-0-Back in the real world again

"Have a seat," Ratchet said as he watched Traachon, Lucien, Keystock, and Cargo stumble to the audience and pull chairs toward the defense table. They sat as Ratchet turned to a wooden Waldeen. He was stiff from the encounter. Ratchet took him by the arm, then steered him toward the table. He sat, then stared dully at the table top. Ratchet turned toward an equally silent Jarro and Rung. "This one is yours," he said. "Keep him as long as it takes."

They both nodded, then found a chair to sit. It was obvious to everyone there that no one was in a hurry to leave. The moment had caught them and they were going to stay together for now. Ratchet organized a series of different tests, then slowly scanned everyone in the room. He digested the information, then walked toward Lesto and 24. "Have a seat. You're just fine. Everyone is fine," he said as he helped them sit.

Optimus who was returned to the dais stepped down, then pulled a chair over to the defense table. He sat and stared at the five silent civilians for a moment, then leaned forward on his elbows. "How are you five doing?"

Traachon stared at Prime for a moment. "I'm not sure."

Lucien nodded but didn't speak.

"That is a common side affect of such an experience. How may I help you assimilate this?" Optimus asked gently.

It was silent a moment, then Keystock looked at him with indecision on his face. "That was real, right?"

Prime nodded. "It was."

"You go there … to the Matrix … you see Them. They know you by name," he asked.

Prime nodded. "Yes."

"He's the Prime. They would, Key," Cargo said. He looked at Prime. "They said that everything we believe is wrong."

Prime nodded. "They did and They meant it."

It felt coagulated in the room as the energy which was already high began to take a turn from their confusion and emotion. Cargo sat forward, staring at Prime with an expression that changed second to second. "Nothing that we believe is supported by Them. They said They were against it and … They said that we can't live our life. They won't allow it. Primus said that, right?"

Prime nodded. "He did."

"What are we supposed to believe then?" Cargo asked with rising emotion.

"That's very simple," Alpha said from where he sat with the others in the audience seating. "All are one and nothing more, nothing less."

Cargo looked at him. "They knew you."

"I know Them," Alpha said enigmatically, something that gave him a great chuckle, displaying the 'mystery' that came with great age.

It was silent again.

Ratchet looked at Lesto and 24. "You two need help. All the slag you know, every bit of it is wrong. It was designed to keep you down and not allow you to be a real person. It was designed to take away your spark. You did hear Primus Himself say there was no hierarchies, that none was better than another, including us with Them. I think you need outpatient care." He looked at Jarro and Rung. "What's the status on them and the others?"

"We have them in the halfway house tower in Verus. The others, the families of the Council and the 22, they're also intake but in another city, Stanix. What are we going to do to tell them and The People about this, Optimus? What do we keep to ourselves and what can be known?" Jarro asked.

Optimus considered that as he leaned back into his chair. "I will tell The People the truth. I expect a certain amount of disbelief about this from the high caste mindset but that will be dealt with. Given that Primus has weighed in on what He wants and what He will do about it, everyone must be told. I will also let everyone know that my verdict was set aside in favor of them being recalled."

"That's such a charged word now. Recall. What a terribly efficient way to discuss murder," Hard Drive said. "Perhaps another word. They might think we're mocking them if you use that one."

Prime nodded. "I will choose my words carefully. But everyone needs to know. There will be no more lies and hidden aspects to our lives anymore. We are going to be free of the taint of these oppressive systems once and for all."

It was silent again. Cyclonus who was sitting on a bench along the wall glanced at Prime. "We will do what we do to distance them from us but it would do us all a great good if you would stress that once more."

Prime nodded. "I will."

"We don't expect trouble but we're going to be prepared for it. What concerns me is the reaction of the families. That's about 2,400 or so individuals altogether with about 900+ associated family members. What do you want us to do, Optimus?" Springer asked.

"Post extra officers around their housing areas when they are dispersed. Most of them are still being held rather than working at anything, correct? They are still being evaluated and treated?" Prime asked Jarro and Rung. They both nodded. "Then they can be watched. If it means that we put tracking gear on them, we will. What about the families of the 22? What about the children who have no one now, Cyclonus?"

"We have them in servo. The families are part of the bigger group and thus, they're corralled but the children will need a regular schedule. We've created a school at the Monastery for them. We want to treat them there, help them rewire their thinking, then later on put them into the school system. There are families who have volunteered to take them in and they have signed on to the school. Our teachers are certified and ready to move on this," Cyclonus said. "We have facilities and when its possible, we will integrate them into other places where children go in the public system."

"Thank you," Prime said. "That relieves my processor greatly. Please contact Herling for whatever you might need. We will supply your school as we supply others and our programs are open to your children as well."

Cyclonus nodded. He stared at Prime a moment, then stood. "You were my enemy for so long I can't remember when it wasn't true. Then I realized that Megatron had no real love for Cybertron and was using all of us to further his own ends. I love my home world and would die to save it from anyone and anything. When I came here, I found some of my assumptions were … incorrect. This place allowed me to do something that filled my youth with purpose and pleasure. The Monastery was my home growing up and it is now. You are responsible for that. You live the virtues of the Primes and the Pantheon without the failings so evident in Megatron. I will defend this place, I will serve its people and I will do so willingly up to and including my death. It was an unspeakable honor to see Them, to hear Them and know Their will. Thank you."

Prime watched him, noting his willingness to speak so freely in such an open forum. It was not in the big mech's style to have such actions transpire in front of others. They had battled across the eons, this incredibly able foe, and it was intensely pleasurable to see him making the remarks he was making in front of others. This was commitment to the Cause and to their people. This was the ending of war and the beginning of real peace. "I have always held you to be a great force and commanding foe, Cyclonus. I never underestimated you. It is my great honor and that of our people to have such mechs as you on our side. The Cybertronian people and our home world will once again rise from the ashes. It will be so because of mechs like you. Thank you."

Cyclonus nodded, then sat down again. The room was quiet but not tense. The ambiance of the encounter still held.

Wirelite stood and walked to Prime. She took his servos, then squeezed them gently. "That was a moment in a lifetime, Lord Optimus. Thank you for including me and I believe I can speak for the others … all of us thank you." She turned to the five civilians sitting in silence. She walked to them and placed her servo on Traachon's shoulder. "General … I served the Primes for most of my life starting with Guardian. He was a great mech. Zeta started well but cut corners in his zeal to win, becoming when he did little better than the foe. We have seen it all, those of us here who are exempt, from slavery to freedom and back again. I have learned many skills, weaving and housekeeping. I taught myself to read, though the punishment if caught was terrible. My mech and I taught our children because it was our right to learn no matter what the rules were at the time. Its an aim of dictators to keep their people ignorant. It's easier to lie to them and lead them astray.

"We've loved our world and people all of our lives and I'm sure no one here would have believed that Chromo and I were as brave as we were," she said with a slight grin. "You judge all of us on so little. Cezr was a sniper of the highest quality. He sneaked into terrible places to take them down. The Quintessans feared him so greatly, it helped them decide to leave. He was implacable but all you see is a small mech whose utility appears from your point of view to be limited and whose personality is of no consequence. Cezr is my hero. So is my bond, Chromo. He was so brave. We blew things up, stole information by infiltrating places … we did it all for Cybertron and her beautiful people. All of them. We were never afraid. If there was any fear felt by anyone, it was in the possibility that we might fail our efforts and thus, our people.

"I was mostly happy in my life with my bond and children because you can be if you try, but I've never been happier until now. All of my story and that of my friends … the General and Delphi, my dear friend, Hercy who was fearless and such a hero of the revolution … all of those who spoke, many others and lots of the dead were my dear ones. You don't see that when you look at us because of the poisoning that the Quintessans brought to our world. I see you as misguided but I don't hate you. You're as much a victim of this as any of us. Now you sit in the ashes of your world view and you have to decide. Will I **truly** be a Cybertronian, will I **truly** honor my world and its history, do I have enough grace to change? I pray you do. I **hope** you do. There is no more room for what you believe anymore. Please … change and join us here." She leaned in and kissed his helm gently, like a mother her child, then walked back to sit.

Chromo put his arm around her, then grinned. "There was never a more beautiful femme than you, Wirelite, when you put it all on the line for freedom. Until you lose it, you cannot know how sweet and beautiful freedom is. Then the Functionalists came and we were slaves again. We threw them over, all of us again fighting them off and **your** system was next. It was endless, the oppression. It has hurt us all so much. I wish for you that you never know how that feels. It destroys the spark and ends happiness. All we have to do is choose to love each other and work together like They wish. I don't see that as hard. We were created to be free and happy. If I hated you for what you believe and how you've lived, I couldn't say that but I doubt many of us in this room hate you. You're misguided and we wish you to change. Forgiveness is what we offer. Are you going to accept it?"

Traachon who was staring at them looked at the others. "I don't know … I'm confused."

Chromo nodded. "We all were. That's how they put us back into chains. Think about it, all of you. From me and mine, you have our forgiveness. We give it to you because Primus and The One hope we can and because it frees us. We don't have to carry the burden of you with us when we do."

Hercy nodded. "I have a hard time with that part of the rules, Chromo. But I try. I will defend our people as long as I function and even beyond that. When you have nothing to lose, its not a problem. I look at the children, at those little kids ..." He grinned. "He pow-powed Onyx Prime." Hercy chuckled. "That's what I fight for and anyone who tries to harm or limit that, they have to face me. Me and the recruit here."

Kup nodded. "Frag right."

Ironhide grinned. "Recruit?"

"It's a long story," Hercy said with a grin.

They chuckled, most of them. Cyclonus grinned, then sat back with amusement. He crossed his arms as he relaxed slightly.

Hard Drive grinned. "Those were the orns. We had a common enemy and purpose. We have one now. It's called notions. Your notions were always against what the Pantheon and The One expected us to follow. All of your notions have led to war, poverty, death, destruction, broken dreams, and exile. Why you would mourn them is beyond me. What are you missing? You see us here. We all live in possibility. All of us have the same chances and our colony is glittering. Cybertron is once more rising from the ashes and Primus Himself said He was most pleased. Any ideas that you had that somehow poor individuals were incapable of rising upward or they couldn't be trusted to think were hateful and wrong. How many dreams died, how many inventions didn't happen, how many great artists, leaders, singers, teachers, you name it, never got to blossom because they didn't fit some stupid rubric? That's over. You know what Primus said. Why would it make you feel bad to follow His simple instructions? He let you run amok for eons, even when He was harmed by it. Now you can't. All They want is for you to do the right thing by everyone. How can that be hard?"

"Everything that we ever were taught or told is wrong. Everything we ever **did** is wrong. Everyone we trusted and believed was telling us lies. How do you **expect** us to feel?" Cargo said.

"I suppose that's true," Hardie said. "But think about everyone on the other end of the stick. That was their life and they dealt with it every orn of it. I'm not surprised that Wirelite said what she said. Did you know they raised four sons on nothing? They had whatever scraps from parties and functions were left over at The Residence to help with pitiful pay and no consideration. They got by and their kids grew up to be great mechs. They did it anyway and never complained. No one heard them complain. Did you?" he asked with a grin.

Wirelite glanced at Chromo, then Hardie who was a great and good friend. "To whom and to what end?"

Chromo grinned.

Hardie looked at Cargo. "You were forgiven. You were told by the Pantheon and by Lord Primus Himself. Now what? Tell us what it means to you? You've come with us every orn to the scene of the crime on Cybertron and I don't believe it affected you to this degree before. You saw the dead, the destruction and still, I never felt any sense of understanding from you about it. Yet now, you see the Great Ones and you feel gutted. What did it? The fear of being recalled by Them? Fear of Them in particular or is there another reason for your sudden emotional collapse?"

Traachon turned toward Hardie, someone who had been an implacable foe, someone who used his caste against every move Traachon made through the endless eons. "You enjoy this don't you."

"No," Hardie said with a serious expression. "Not a bit. It pains me that it took you this long to register emotion."

Traachon sat back, then sagged. "I won't lie. I fear their reprisal. I also … have no footing. I'm adrift. I don't know what to do about it."

"Well, you're going into intense therapy, all five of you. I command it for you, Lucien, Cargo and Keystock because you're mine to mentor. As for you, Waldeen and Traachon, along with the rest of your mangy family … you'll be ordered into therapy, intensive therapy to figure out how you'll live now that you're just a nobody like the rest of us. Consider your daughters and son if you need to think about someone elses misery besides your own. I can make that happen as the CMO. I'd suggest doing something that makes amends. It helps you find your footing faster. Talk to Proteus, Burris, of all mechs, and Maddow. Your brother is a work and wonder. I would think you owe him and his family **HUGE** apologies. Include Hauser in that effort, too. You'll not be allowed to wander until I'm convinced that you know how to make your way in this new paradigm. Understood?"

The group stared at him, then nodded with a sense of resignation and dejection that was astonishing to see.

"Primus is love personified. He's the archetype of love and endurance, of caring and decency. He embodies honor. You would do well to emulate Him," Hardie said as Delphi slid his arm along the back of his bond's chair.

"We built the Elites to try and curb your excesses. We did it for the betterment of us all. You'd do well to remember that there were many trying in their own way to help you out. We want you to change and succeed. We know with all our spark that you'll feel the difference and be glad. All of us labored all of our lives for everyone. Try and think about that. Be selfless for a while. The idea of helping others will lift you from whatever depths you're in better than anything else," Delphi said.

Lauren stood, then said a blessing for the group. He talked about love, about sacrifice and the shared heritage of all their own kind. He walked among them laying his servo on their shoulders, comforting them. When he was finished, he turned toward Prime and bowed lowly. "Lord Optimus, Prime of our People and Chosen of Primus. We are filled with wonder at what happened and we pledge ourselves to help you with your burdens and with this sad and solemn event. Command us."

The others stood, then bowed. They looked at him and he, them. He felt the years well up and fill him with emotion. "You already have, old friends," he said.

-0-TBC 2-22-18 **edited 2-24-18**


	282. Chapter 282

The Diego Diaries: Ascension (dd6 282)

-0-At the conference room in the Ops Center

Ratchet stood in the secondary large conference room, the one used for big meetings but not the massive community type that ran the colony, Cybertron and the Empire. This one had the same features of transparent 2-way walls and electronics, but it was more intimate a setting for part two of The Event. He stood at the door as Rung sat in a chair at the table. He would be back up and Ratchet would run the table. He knew most of the players very well and he had even called friends for support of those on their way.

They came through the doorway, several of them together. Burris walked in with Anders who was with Joon, Vinn, Madura, Proteus, Laslo, Lon, Bezel, Neo, Laret, and last but not least, the sphinx-like perfection of Millow, bond of Traachon. He had considered calling for Denita and Stormy but that would take too much time and hassle. Behind them, Maddow and Hauser followed. They were waved in by Ratchet and came, their curiosity high and their cluelessness at eleven.

"Ratchet … what's going on?" Laslo asked, then he slowed. "Is Lucien alright?"

"Everyone is alright. I need to talk to you about a miraculous experience that happened just a moment ago today," he said as they fogged in. "Have a seat and let me tell you. Then we can talk about it." They walked in, nodded to Rung, then sat. When Ratchet closed the door, several of those from the other room who were sitting with Lucien, Waldeen, Keystock, Cargo, and Traachon walked over and lit up the wall to watch and listen to the conversation. Everyone was sitting in the room waiting for Ratchet to speak.

"I would hate to be him right now," Prowl said as the others nodded.

Ratchet began. "Today, we held the trial for the Functionalists. I have to ask for and get your personal solemn oaths that what I tell you about it is confidential until after Prime announces the results to the colony and Cybertron. It seems a reasonable request given that so many have lost family and friends. Do I have them?"

Everyone nodded. "You have mine, Ratchet," Laslo said as he stared at Ratchet with concern. "I don't envy Optimus having to do that."

"I didn't either but all was not lost. We held the trial and as you may know … some of the mechs in this room have struggled with assimilating and others are soaring. I can't tell you enough what a blessing Burris is to have on staff. I've only heard good words about you, Proteus, and I go to The Circle Guild store as often as I can. It feels more like a clubhouse than a business."

Everyone grinned. "We do love what we do, Ratchet. Our squad is very supportive and happy to be friends together," Madura said as the others nodded. "We love each other. We're family to each other."

"And that's the way it was always supposed to be, Maddie," Ratchet replied as the others nodded. "It was very traumatic, the trial. We have a number of caste exempts in the colony. You might not have known that Wirelite and Chromo were heroes of the War for Freedom from the Quintessons. They were part of the revolution along with Cezr of the Villages, Delphi and Hard Drive, Alejate and his bond, Elba … did you know their son is Ramcharger who likes to game in the courtyard of this building?" Everyone nodded and murmured. "Hercy was exempt as well. They spoke of their heroism and how it was that the poison of the system came from alien slavers. We're all the descendants of slaves without exemption, equipment to be sold or destroyed at the whim of the slavers. Then they talked about the Functionalists coming. And after that, it was inevitable that the System of Exception would be formed. It was long and ghastly. In the end, it was also inevitable that they be found guilty. The only real question at stake was … what form of obligation that they would have to pay that could be enough for the magnitude of their offenses? What could society take from them that would even slightly mitigate the debt that they owed to us by their actions? And the greater question was ... how could we structure this so that this kind of oppression and practice never happen again?

"They murdered in their recalls a roughly known figure over the eons. One billion of our people during their oppression. We've estimated that's slightly under the number who died in the war just finished with Megatron. How do you stand in payment for that? What judgment is just? That was Optimus's great question and his duty to answer it and make judgment."

The room was silent. Even Millow was listening. He had a small tell when Ratchet named the System but he was as marble now, cold, unmoved and contained. He was the one that Ratchet had number one on his list. The others … they were already on their way home. Millow had none to go to.

"When he declared them guilty, he also levied a million year sentence on the Council. They tried to explain that they were living prior to the laws of Cybertron and the Primes and he had no authority over them. But the Charter is clear. It extends into the Beginning … from the moment Primus birthed the Thirteen and it extends into the now and the future until time ends. That is the Primeship. That's why there's a Matrix to guide Primes. It was granted by Primus, upheld by The One and no one who is, was or will be Cybertronian is exempt from it. We concluded and they went to their cells. The 22 also in charges were held over because the guilt or level of responsibility for their actions was still a muddle to Optimus."

Ratchet pulled a chair, then sat. "It was exhausting to the counsels. Blackstone is a work and wonder. He's as honorable a mech as I know. So is Coln but Blackstone … you'd never think he was imprisoned and tortured during the Fall the way he takes on anyone and fights for them with all he's got. We have to take him on a boozer with the squad. He has a great bond as well, a little femme."

The squad nodded. "Tell us who and when, Ratchet," Madura said as the others nodded.

Proteus who was sitting with his arm on the back of Madura's chair nodded. "I can come and hold doors open."

Ratchet smiled a dazzler. "Done deal." He looked at the table, then the group. "I asked Lucien, Keystock, Cargo, Traachon, and Waldeen to come because their progress and understanding of how things are as opposed to what they want them to be is key to their futures and their happiness. I wanted them to see the flip side of their swank life and from which swamp it came from. The System wasn't some proclamation of The One. This is the taint of Unicron and it was introduced into our body politic by aliens. The Quintessons tricked us into slavery, the Functionalists codified it and The System reaped the bitter harvest.

"Prime told us that this was a Primal Councilor Hearing and that the Matrix would weigh in as ever on the big issues. He also said that he was clear that the Pantheon and maybe even The One Himself would as well. It's designed to be this way. If Megatron was ever held and tried, the Pantheon and maybe, indeed, The One would be there to render the final verdict. Prime's verdict is only reviewed and any appeal granted or not through the Pantheon. He said if They didn't move on this in one decaorn, the verdict was final and they would spend the next million years in stasis in the dungeon under this building. They would go through that time with Arachnid and Shockwave."

The room was deeply silent. Glancing here and there, but studying Millow the most, he had them in his power. Rung was focused on Burris and Millow and didn't try to hide it. He said nothing but sat silently watching everyone, but those two in particular.

"Lucien was shaken, I will say, Ratchet," Laslo said. "He came home and was very quiet, something that's unusual. We've taken to having chats in the evening. It's lovely and we talk about all the things we never could before. I wondered what had happened but he wouldn't say."

Ratchet glanced at Millow. "What, if anything, did Traachon and Waldeen say, Millow?"

"Nothing," he said quietly. He sat very still, his servos clasped together. He looked relaxed and poised but his servos showed tension.

Ratchet and Rung considered that. They were making dents. "We were called back, everyone in the trial from the two slaves who had the great courage to speak, to the exempts, law enforcement, medical and processor health, everyone who had anything to do or say in this trial from Temple Priests to the Monks at the Monastery, from Neo and Heatout on religion and history to all of the Elites who were there to witness and keep order … to the five of your family members who were there to witness and learn, everyone came back. When we were all gathered, Optimus stood, slipped into his trance and we all went to the Matrix together. The Guardian had taken him over and because He did, we could all go to the Matrix with Optimus. We had permission to pass into the vision."

Ratchet let that sink in as everyone in the room registered intense surprise and shock. Maddow leaned forward slightly. "Everyone went? Did you, Ratchet?"

Ratchet nodded. "We all did. I know some of you don't know what this is but we ended up at a facsimile of the Beach House of the Primes on the Sea of Mercury. I never got to go there as a child but Ironhide's family had homes on the shore, the slaggers. They had the right tattoo to go. I didn't. It's funny how that still hurts sometimes, but I digress. We stood there on a silver sand beach, then the water roiled and They began to walk out of it. They shed the mercury, showing Themselves. They were all there but Mortilius, the Liege Maximo and Megatronus, of course. They were beautiful, massive and filled with love for Optimus and for us. We could all feel it.

"They greeted us one-by-one, giving us Their personal blessings. They weren't happy with the Functionalists. They also weren't happy with Lucien, Traachon, Keystock, Cargo, and Waldeen," Ratchet said as everyone around him tensed.

"Is Traachon alright?" Millow asked with a jolt of emotion.

"All of them are fine and nearby. I, however, have been given the job of telling you what happened. This is no small thing," Ratchet said firmly. Millow sat back silently, his optics fixed on Ratchet. "They discussed what The One wanted for everyone, that **ALL** of us were one and equal to **EACH OTHER** in every way. They discussed the sacrifices of Primus to keep us safe, how we had free will to choose the right path, and our sterling lack of gratitude for our life and the way before us. They were very unhappy about the lack of love for one another that seems to persist in our culture over the vorns and a lack of gratitude to Primus who sacrificed everything for us.

"Then they set aside Prime's sentence. Prima said the crimes were too great, the threat if they ever got loose too high, so They took them back to the Matrix. For all intents of purposes, the Council of 12 is dead. They will be in safety, they will be given help to understand their failures, and eventually come back to live other lives. I don't expect that any time soon. However, the other 22 were taken back to learn and mend their ways as well. If they do, they get to come back as themselves." Ratchet sat back. "What do you say about the story so far?"

Maddow who was sitting next to Hauser looked at Millow. "Millow? Are you alright?"

Millow glanced at him. "Of course, I am fine."

"I wouldn't be if someone told me that Prima had words with my bond," Ratchet said as he studied the figure sitting two seats down from him across the table. "Allow me to continue. When that was done and everyone was gone, it should be remembered that Optimus was unclear what punishment the 22 deserved. They served the system. They carried out the orders. They didn't create them but they didn't stop them. They didn't challenge anything. But they had children, so Prime being Prime, he tried to work out a merciful process where the children wouldn't suffer for the sins of their genitors." Ratchet sat forward toward Millow. "That's why Prime is Prime. He's merciful and everyone matters. The Pantheon called him 'brother.'"

Ratchet sat back, then considered the room. Everyone was tense but they were listening. No one had asked again how everyone was. It was interesting. The Squad trusted his aft to the bitter end. He almost smiled he was so proud of the mechs in front of him. "That was when Primus came out of the sea."

They gasped, then sat back. "You say 'Them'. All of Them. They talked to you and you knew it was Them," Madura asked.

Ratchet nodded. "Primus acknowledged each of us. His aura was so golden and white, radiant with light and love. He talked to everyone, then he turned to Traachon, Keystock, Waldeen, Lucien, and Cargo. He said he wasn't proud of them. He was hurt, it felt, hurt that anyone would abuse each other and Him. He was hurt that the level of respect and love He gave and still gives to us every orn isn't returned, not to Him and not to each other. He told us that we are **ALWAYS** connected, that there are no hierarchies of any kind because we all matter equally. No one spark is greater or lesser than another because we come from the same source. He included the Pantheon and Himself in that statement.

"He said He chose Optimus to be Prime because he was the one who was best, the best to do it, and he will be so until Primus or Optimus come to the conclusion that he shouldn't be. No one has control of the Matrix but Primus and The One. All souls are precious and equal because they come from Him and all come through the Matrix which comes though Him. He was very, **very** clear. He suffered and still does because of this. He knows of and about everyone, their life and their pain. He's **always** with us no matter how awful things are or how far away we seem. He's **always** there. Then he condemned the System, fundamental Functionalism and the Quintessans. He banned them forever more. He says that these systems lead to mass murder and they were banned **forever**. He would **personally** step in if they were continued or arise again.

"He condemned the greed, ignorance and bigotry of the System. He said that this had broken Him, that it had caused Him great suffering," Ratchet said as he glanced at Rung. "Am I on target with my summary thus far, Rung? You were there as well."

Rung nodded. "Yes."

"He told us that He expects us to live with unconditional love and respect for each other. He expects us to be responsible for each other and to practice our creed. He said … use Optimus for a template because he's good, decent, brave, and wise. Then ..." Ratchet grinned.

Laslo who was transfixed leaned closer. "Yes?" he asked tensely.

"Primus asked us to empty our carry holds." Ratchet grinned and so did Rung.

It was silent a moment, then Millow shook his helm. "Whatever for?"

"Unbeknownst to each other, we … some of us, had gone to the schools and gotten our smallest children out of class to bring with us. We hoped that they would be able to be in the presence of the Pantheon." Ratchet grinned. "They loved the children. Primus called them the blossoms in our garden and that He was tired of receiving dead children's souls. They had to comfort the dead because their murder was so fast, they had no idea they were dead or what had happened. Babies sparks returning to the Matrix were beyond terrible for Them and for Him especially. He said they had no way to live and love, to feel and know because of this. He won't allow it to continue.

"You may not know that my son, Orion, fell down the Well of AllSparks at the Temple a while back trying to grab another baby who fell in. While they were there, they met Onyx and Micronus Prime. They saw them at this gathering and Orion told that story. It was a very beautiful moment for me and the Pantheon was pleased with all the children. They are **very, very** unhappy that children have suffered under these oppressive practices."

"Their words, 'oppressive practices'," Rung interjected. "It was then with the children that Primus said that some practices are so detrimental to our people that They **personally** will step in if they continue. These systems of oppression are banned forever. **They will step in if they continue.** I hope you understand that simple fact. Primus made it extremely clear. He's tired of greeting dead children at the Matrix."

"This path is over, he said," Ratchet intoned. "Vector and Onyx said there is no road down which this path goes that doesn't end in mass murder and death. You now know the story. Primus charged Traachon, Lucien, Waldeen, Cargo, and Keystock to make it right among the high castes. They have a duty to make them change their ways. That's how it went. We just got back a moment ago. That's when it happened, moments ago, though I will say, it seems like vorns."

Rung nodded. "There is no time in the Matrix. They exist outside of time. Time is a linear three-D dimensional conceit."

It was silent in the room, then Ratchet walked to the door, opened it and leaned out. "I think we can have them come in now."

It was silent a moment, then footfalls indicated individuals coming. They entered the room one-by-one, slowing as they saw their families sitting there. Laslo stood up, then turned to Lucien. "Lucien? Lou?" he asked almost fearfully.

Lucien gripped him in an embrace, clinging to Laslo. Laslo embraced him back. They came in, Keystock and Cargo near to tears. It was awkward, then Burris and Anders embraced their sons. Waldeen stood in the hallway waiting to leave with Rung while Ratchet watched Traachon walk into the room. He looked drawn and imploded. When Millow stood, he looked at Traachon with a fearful sense. "Tray, talk to me."

Traachon stared at Millow who he loved with all his spark. The others watched, the sons and brothers, friends and family gathered. Traachon shook his helm. "I don't know. I feel empty," he said.

Millow gripped him, pulling him to one side. He held Traachon's helm in his servos. "Traachon? Tell me something, anything ..."

"Everything that we were taught, everything that we believed, everything that we did was a lie. Primus made it clear. I don't know what to think. I'm very tired." Traachon leaned against the wall wearily. "All of it … all of it," he repeated.

"Sit down, Traachon. Maddow, help your brother," Ratchet said almost as an experiment.

Maddow hesitated, then walked toward Traachon. Millow spun on him. " **Don't** you touch him. **Don't.** "

"Millow."

Millow turned toward Optimus who was standing in the doorway. "It is over. Your bond is in trouble. Let him have the assistance of his brother."

"No," Millow said. "He's coming home with me. Is there anything else or is he free to go?"

It was silent a moment, then Prime nodded. "He can stay with you but you both gave an oath to keep this to yourself until I speak to The People. I will expect you to do so."

A look of great bitterness crossed Millow's face. "I give my oaths and keep them. Unlike others," he said as he glanced at Maddow. "Come, Tray. Let's go home." He took Traachon's arm, leading him to the door. They stepped out and continued onward.

"Springer," Ratchet said. "Send someone to follow them discreetly. I want them home safely. I'm going to see him tomorrow and if he's not better, I'll need a Primal hold, Optimus."

Prime nodded. He looked at the others, then pulled a chair to sit. "We should all sit together and talk," he said as the others found their chairs. It was silent in the room as more participants from the actual event found a space to join them.

-0-TBC 2-23-18 **edited 2-24-18**


	283. Chapter 283

The Diego Diaries: Ascension (dd6 283)

-0-In the conference room

"You see them a lot don't you," Lucien said rather than asked. He was sitting beside a tense but hopeful Laslo.

Prime nodded. "I do."

"They call you brother. I don't suppose they did that with other Primes. Sentinel, perhaps?" he asked.

"I am unaware that they did. Some of them were fine mechs and tried very hard to save The People and some were less so," Prime said.

"We never had festivals like here," Springer said. "He and Nominus banned them."

"The Pantheon made it clear through the Matrix that they were outside the bounds of our creed," Prowl said. "They withheld the blessing not because They didn't love us. They did it to send a message that no one in power was interested in hearing. We **do** have free will, after all."

"I am at sea," Lucien said.

"You have had a spiritual awakening," Lauren said. "The markers you steered by are proven to be false and now you must find others. We are here for you, all of us."

"Can you be honest?" Ratchet asked. He looked at the three still here. They looked back at him for a moment, then Lucien nodded. "Alright, before you went through this, before the Pantheon scrambled your world, what did you really think of me? Be honest because it doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters to me," Ironhide interjected.

"Hush, Only One. I need true honesty here," Ratchet said with a grin. Ironhide frowned at Ratchet but said nothing more. "Honesty, the three of you."

Keystock sat back. "I wanted to punch your face. I thought you had a lot of bearings to order me around.

"Is that all?" Ratchet prompted.

He looked at Ratchet a moment before glancing at the tabletop. "No," he said softly.

"Cargo? You had a fight with your brother. The Court mediated," Ratchet said. "You essentially became the property of the Generals. What about that? What about your brother and Lon and everything? What did you feel then?"

He stared at the tabletop with something new on his face ... embarrassment. "I did what I thought was right."

"And now?" Ratchet asked.

He looked at Ratchet with a flash of the old fire but it died almost instantly. "You heard Them. You know what They said."

"So did you," Ratchet said. "Lon ... tell your story from when you came here and how things went for you and your friends then."

Sitting at the end of the table with Bezel, Lon tensed. "Alright," he said. "We came here, about eight of us on a ship separate from the families. It was underground then, the city. We went through intake and were given space in a barracks. Some of the guys with me didn't think that was right. There were apartments for those who were sick or had babies. Prime and Prowl had one, too. That stuck in their processors. They didn't put a lot of elbow grease into their jobs and for that, they were cut off from energon to make a point about it. For myself, I saw the security guys ... Drift and Springer for certain and thought that's the job for me.

"I never really believed the high caste slag. All of us when we fled had to live the same hard life. If we didn't do something it didn't get done. The mid and low castes that were with us treated me good and taught me a lot, maybe more than they knew. All I wanted was a peaceful life serving the common good. I was working my nerve up to talk to you," he said glancing at Springer and Drift, "when the mechs who were with me were sitting in the rec room one orn when Prowl walked in with his grandson. They sat and it was sweet. you know, both of them. That's when the mechs with me decided to insult Prowl. They insulted that baby, Kaon. I couldn't believe it. They wouldn't shut up so I got up and begged them to follow me. They didn't.

"Prowl handed Kaon to someone nearby who was about ready to pop everyone himself, then he began to thrash them into dust. I watched from the corridor but I didn't know what to do. Then Ratchet came in lit with rage and joined Prowl. Everyone ended up in the brig. I must have walked all over the colony at the time to try and get a handle on my feelings. It was a short time later that I worked up the nerve to go to Drift and Springer and ask to be a security officer. I told them that I didn't hold to these kind of ideas and I wanted to serve. It was the greatest moment in my life when they agreed."

"What about your genitors? They're engineers and I imagine they were amazed at your decision," Ratchet said.

Lon nodded. "They were. But they were changed by the ordeal of trying to find a place to live after the Fall. Everyone mostly was. You had to work at it to keep the old ideas, it seemed to me. Everyone needed everyone to survive and it meant we had to work together. Most of us high castes didn't have the basic skills to construct homes and produce energon for food. We never had to," he said bitterly, "but we had to learn or die. We had to protect each other and cooperate. That made all the rest moot in my opinion. You can't hate someone you know, not if you have a chance to be a normal person."

It was silent. Then Ratchet leaned forward on his elbows. "What about it, Cargo? Are you a high caste or are you a normal person now?"

He looked at Ratchet a long time, then the tabletop. "I'm ... I need to think."

"Good answer," Ratchet said with a grin. "I'm glad. This is no small change but the Pantheon gave you the heads up. They let you know in advance. That's a blessing. That's a kindness. You and your brother will continue with the Generals. It's good for you to do positive things and helping The People on Cybertron is as positive as it gets. Also, one can never discount the influence of Pudding."

Laughter finally filled the room as Raptor patted his carry hold. "My Pudding is a slagging wonder of the world. This one and every other."

Ratchet sat back, smirking at the big jovial version of Ironhide who was about as feared a soldier as it got. "Softie."

"There is that," Raptor said as he winked at Ratchet. He looked at the two boys. "You two are our projects. Do you know what that means in Elite terms?"

Cargo and Keystock glanced at both of them. "Yes, sir," they said.

Raptor grinned. "Then you need to know a truth. One that's basic to the training regime of a project if they're especially hard helmed like you." He looked at Keystock. "Remember the backpack you carry?"

"Yes, sir," Keystock said.

"It's filled with cybertanium bars."

It was silent a moment as Keystock stared at him. "What?"

"It's filled with heavy steel. We added more and more each orn. It's a device to break down hard helms. We had no idea that the Pantheon would do what They did. Most of the time, toting an ever increasingly heavy backpack is enough to get a slagger's attention. Do you have to carry it tomorrow?" Raptor asked.

Keystock stared at him with astonishment, then looked at Hard Drive. That mech was analyzing him with cool optics. He felt parts of his processor implode. He sat back sagging a little. "No, sir."

"Good. Tomorrow when you carry it, it'll be filled with cookies and candy for the kids. We're going on a tour of schools in camps. We need to help the children feel better and treats are the trick," Raptor said. "You both will still come with us. Expect instruction this time around."

The two stared at them, then nodded. They were resigned to their fates, a first step to finding their way back. At least there was no violence at the revelation. Both Raptor and Hard Drive had tested their boys and both had passed. Ratchet looked at Lucien. "What about it, Lucien? Are you still my political adjutant or do you need intake at the hospital with Waldeen and probably Traachon?"

He looked at Ratchet blankly a moment. Laslo sat close to him, his arms around the big stunned mech he loved with all his spark. "I have the job, right? Is it still mine or what?"

"I gave it to you because you have talent and skills. I want to know that you can manage it in this new paradigm shift," Ratchet said.

He considered that, then nodded. "Yes," he said. Laslo looked almost light helmed with relief.

Ratchet looked at Burris. "You okay, Burris?"

Burris who was looking at his two sons with anxiety glanced at Ratchet. "I am. Are they?"

"Ask them," Ratchet said.

"Boys?" Burris asked with some small anxiety. "Are you alright?"

They looked at him, then nodded numbly. "Nothing is right is it?" Cargo asked. "Everything is changed."

Burris glanced at Anders who looked at him with anxiety. Burris straightened in his chair, assuming a stronger expression of himself. "Things are different and changed, yes. We can do this. I ..." He stopped a moment to gather himself as emotion threatened to overwhelm him. "I was wrong. My fathers were wrong. All of us were wrong. I hurt a very great number of mechs and femmes by what I did. I never saw them as important and that will always be my shame. I … I feel so much sorrow every day. The mechs at the hospital … they include me in stuff they do. We're friends. They don't expect anything from me but friendship. It makes me feel ashamed. I don't want that for you. I'm your father and I want you to live right. We can do this together, all of us," he said firmly.

Anders squeezed his shoulders. "It takes a strong mech to do what your father has done. He's my hero. I want you to be my heroes, too. We can do this together. Not just because the Pantheon said it must be so but because its right. Do you understand?"

They stared at their anxious genitors, then nodded. "I'm really tired," Cargo said.

Prime stood. "I think we all need to go somewhere and rest up. Tomorrow always comes. But this time, it comes with only the desire that we understand that all of us are one and that all of us matter. It was an honor to have you come. Thank you," he said.

Springer snorted. "You're thanking us?" he asked to the general laughter of the group. They rose, stood together as if unwilling to go, then they did, small groups leaving to go back to their lives and whatever they were going to do in this new, personally changed life they were leading.

Ratchet leaned forward. "We want you in family counseling, boys," he said. "Your ada and atar go and you will go as well. Jarro's office will monitor the progress to make sure you're safe. Lucien, you will go as well and the same restrictions apply to you as well. All of you have your jobs. All of you have therapy. I'm proud of you to understand what happened. It was only with great and abiding love that you ended up with Optimus. They could have been indifferent to you and your points of view but They love you and want you to change. They brought you along. Heed what They say and see what greatness is waiting for you when you do." He stood and the others did as well.

Laslo and Anders hugged everyone, thanked everyone, then steered their family through the door. Optimus, Prowl, Ironhide, Raptor, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Delphi, and Ratchet were left. Just as they sat, the door opened again. Alor and Turbine stepped in with frowns. **"YOU SLAGGERS! YOU GO TO THE MATRIX AND YOU DON'T TAKE US?"**

"Take it up with the boss," Raptor said as he nodded to Prime.

Turbine cuffed Raptor on the helm, then both sat. "So … what did the Pantheon do, if that's not secret?"

Prowl grinned. "The oppressive systems are dead and gone forever. If they come back, the Pantheon, maybe even Primus Himself will intervene personally."

"Frag. I think we live in Nirvana now," Alor said with a grin. "By the way, Lissie is sad she couldn't help. She said she hoped it went well. I would say it went well. Who showed up?"

Raptor grinned. "All of Them."

Loud bitching and another rap on the noggin were had. Raptor frowned, then pulled out Pudding. He sat the cow on the table. He grinned at it. "The ball and chain punched me twice. Attack Turbine, the slagger."

Pudding stared at him, then stepped closer to Raptor. He leaned in and began to chew on his nose structure, what there was of it. Raptor grinned. "How about me dumping the ball and chain and you and I running off together?"

"Mixed bond, is it?" Turbine asked as he rubbed Pudding's rump. He picked up the cow and sat him on his lap. "Sweet baby. Run away with me."

"I want a cow," Blackjack said with a grin. He glanced at Alor. **"I WANT A COW!"**

"Big mouth. I see where Orion comes from. Speaking of which … hand them over." Alor leaned in with a deep frown. "Empty."

Babies were pulled from holds and stood on the table. They smiled at everyone around them and everyone around them smiled back. **"ADA! WHAT THAT DOG!?"** Orion asked as he pointed at Pudding.

"That's a cow," Ratchet said.

" **COW!"**

Everyone applauded. They weren't aware that Orion could say cow from way back when.

" **I, ORION, LIKE DOG! CAN I, ORION, GET DOG! ME, ORION, CAN DOED THE SHE!?"** he asked with growing excitement and slowly deteriorating vocabulary.

"He wants a cow, Ada," Hero said as she crouched over Halo, petting her little face gently.

"We have a cat, a dog, almost a dozen horses … **YOU WANT A COW, TOO!?"** Ratchet asked.

Orion smiled like a scraplet. **"I, ORION, WANT THE SHE!"**

"You, Orion, will have to learn to live with disappointment," Ratchet said with a grin.

Orion stared at his ada, then glanced at Great Grandpa Raptor. "What sayed?"

"Ada said yes. You can have a cow," Raptor said before numerous servos slapped him in the helm.

It took a few moments for the screaming, yelling, slapping, and the occasional peeved moo to transpire before everything got back to whatever usually passed for normal among them. Raptor glared at all of them including a uproariously laughing Prime. "Slaggers. You seem to think that having pets for the babies is a bad thing. Why, Blackjack had tons of pets and look how he turned out?"

Everyone turned to stare mutely at him. Blackjack grinned in spite of himself. "Frag all of you."

"What pets did you have?" Prime asked sweetly. Short of the cyber bugs that plagued his building, he had never had one of his own until Miss Kitty and he found them lovely.

"Everything short of trags. Atar was always dragging something home that needed a place to live. We always had pets," Blackjack said with a smirk at his father.

 **"SLAG RIGHT!"** Raptor said. "Make it a law. All kids have pets. They need to learn responsibility and bear the joy of unconditional love."

"There was that," Turbine said. **"YOU WERE THE CUTEST LITTLE SLAGGER!"** he said as he grinned at Blackjack. **  
**

Prime grinned. "I bet he was."

Blackjack preened. "Slag right. Broke sparks at primary school."

"I never got to go to school," Ratchet said as he picked up an old game he played to make the family crawl. It always worked. "What about you, Optimus?"

"Never. Not an orn," Prime said with a grin. "I **did** watch others go to them."

"Me, too. Since you and I came from the same slum, you must mean the Perfector Day School down the road from us. The one the rich kids went to," Ratchet said as he warmed to the task.

"I remember that. It was next to the library we could not enter either," Prime said with a slight smirk.

Everyone else in the room was twisting slightly from shame and embarrassment in their chairs. Raptor leaned forward to look down the table at Prime. "If it would make you feel better, I'll lend you Pudding for a while. He can bring a smile to a stone monkey."

"What about me?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

"Frag you, slagger," Raptor said with a smile of his own. **"GET YOUR OWN COW!"**

"Huge laughter.

"Save some of this for the meeting tomorrow," Prime said. "Right now, I have to go to IntraComm and let the colony, Cybertron and the Empire know what happened."

"Do you want us to come? We can stand behind you and look ravishing," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Prime guffawed. "Only if you bring Pudding along."

It took a moment to stow kids and pick up the cow, but they were soon on their way heading toward the airfield and the walk down Cultural Center Road to the turn off to IntraComm.

-0-TBC 2-25-18 **edited 3-4-18**


	284. Chapter 284

The Diego Diaries: Requiem (dd6 284)

-0-IntraComm

"You're on in three, Optimus," Jazz said as he directed Prime's statement to Mars, the outlying forts and bases, Cybertron, the local cluster and the Empire. It would be broadcast to Ominous and Razorclaw but not to The Resort, Earth, Earth 1 and 2, the Consulate or Sciences. N.E.S.T HQ, and the Family Tower along with selected individuals like the Warrens and Morshowers who weren't on world at the moment but Earth instead would received the broadcast on special transmission. "Three … two … one. You're on."

Prime sat at the dais on the set that was kept just for him. Behind him stood Ratchet, Ironhide, Prowl, Raptor and Turbine, Hard Drive and Delphi along with Alor and Blackjack. They looked solemn and grim. The Emblem of the Primes hung on the desk portion in front of Prime and the walls behind them bore symbols of Mars and Cybertron. "Good afternoon. I am Optimus Prime and it is my duty to inform you about the trial of the Functionalist Council that has been undertaken these past several orns. It was decided given the nature of the charges against them and the heightened interest of The People because of the situation in judgment that this would be a closed hearing. It was a Primal Councilor Hearing, one in which the cases would be presented by counsels representing the defendants and the state, all testimony taken to protect the interests of all involved, then the task of judgment was mine alone. It was a harrowing experience for everyone involved. Many witnesses spoke, many offering their expertise about the group. Both sides had the right and opportunity to present their cases as they saw best for their positions.

"In the end, the decision is mine alone. Given the overwhelming evidence regarding the murder of half a million of our people, the verdict for the twelve counselors was guilty. The 22 assistants who were part of the process were not judged and sentenced at the time. I needed more time to think about the level of responsibility they bore. I judged that the twelve owed The People a sentence of one million years in stasis. They were then taken to their cells in the jail to await the rest of the process.

"During the sentencing, I felt a stirring in the Matrix. When the Pantheon wishes to weigh in on what I do or should do about a situation, I feel it, sometimes for orns in advance. I knew that They were going to step in and consider this case Themselves. There are two kinds of Primal hearings. The first is the most common. This is led by me alone. I can ask other judges to participate or not. All Primal hearings encompass federal transgressions against the law. They are not trivial actions and neither is this process a trivial device. We have had several of those now and they tend to encompass the most egregious breaches that present themselves to us. The other is a counselor hearing. This is a hearing where a more deliberate process is in place, where there may be experts called and it allows the Pantheon to enter into the decision Themselves if They choose. Only the most serious offenses rise to this level.

"Given that the charges included the willful murder of 500,000 plus individuals, this was indeed a Primal Councilor Hearing. During the evening that followed the sentencing, I was made clear through the Matrix that the Pantheon was gathering and in the morning when it was time for Them to come, I called the entire group who were part of the trial to come to the courthouse. They did. When they were there, when everyone was gathered, the Matrix took all of us away.

"When we came to our senses again, we were together in a facsimile image of the beach house of the Primes on the Sea of Mercury. It is the practice of the Pantheon to create a simulation of a place for us to be when this takes place. When we were there, They arrived. All of them came but Mortilus and Megatronus who are deceased and the Liege Maximo who is far away and does not congregate with anyone anymore.

"Lord Prima, Himself, led the first discussion and during so made clear His dissatisfaction with a number of things including the lack of gratitude we bear as a people for each other, the deep distaste all of Them feel for the systems of oppression that have driven us to the brink, our unwillingness to live the creed, and the idea that such evil as this can exist when we have the right to do better and be better. There was discussion over free will. We have it and many species do not. They do not step in because of free will, something they consider Their gift to us. We are responsible for the things we do. Though They are always with us, They do not interfere though They try to help us through our consciences or step in reluctantly only to prevent ultimate catastrophe of Cybertron itself. Given our home world is the body of Primus, Himself, that is the only level of participation They will contribute toward our well being. The rest is up to us.

"After He had expressed His wishes, hopes and disappointments, He turned to the twelve. He said that they owed a great debt and that they and their ideas were so dangerous, they could not be allowed to stay on Mars, even in stasis. Prima then took them back. They vanished and were sent into the Matrix. For all intents and purposes, they have died. He said they would be taught to understand what they did and their obligations to others, something they did not have in sufficient amounts to be, in Their opinion, ever trustworthy in their present incarnation. I know that they have families here and I am sorry for them and their suffering. They were told before this broadcast and efforts will be made to comfort and support them. They should know that their family members are safe in the Matrix. It is also highly desired that they get a chance to live here without fear of reprisal or social isolation. Those who did the actual crimes are paying the price. Their families should be allowed to live their lives here without fear or social osterization.

"It was then that Primus Himself stepped from the water and came to stand on the beach with us. He was filled with love and we all felt it, the unconditional love that He radiates through every portion of His being. It is impossible for me to tell you how beautiful He was and how greatly He loves all of us. He expressed His love to us individually including Master Cyclonus of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea, the home temple for the Guiding Hand practice, then discussed His feelings about the Quintessan, Functionalist and System of Exception Caste oppressions. He is deeply and profoundly unhappy with all of it. He is disappointed that these ideas persist. He spoke of His disquiet at receiving dead children at the Matrix from such systems. The Matrix is a doorway into the world where we go when we leave this life. Primus was created directly by The One. The Matrix is the way through that realm into this one and this one into that realm. He said the Matrix is the gateway to The One but it goes through Him first. He knows of and feels every death including the event that these systems have caused.

"He took back the 22 assistants to the Council. He said they would be taught to value life and to understand their love obligation to others. When they did, they would be returned to their life, this life. It was in their servos how long that would take. He reiterated that He alone chooses who bears the Matrix and that He alone would determine if it stayed or was returned from the mech or femme He chooses. No one else has that power but Him. He reiterated His desire that I remain the bearer and the Prime of all The People everywhere in the past, present and future as the Blessing of the Matrix conveys.

"Primus spoke of love and the inter-connectedness of All That Is. He said there is no hierarchy anywhere where some are better or higher in value than others. He said that it didn't exist among us and it didn't exist between Them and us. **All** were equal in value to The One and to Him because we all collectively come from The One Himself. He then condemned without exception any system of oppression that should rise or now exist that would put lie to His assertions. He condemned expressly the System of Exception. He said it and any like it were over and had no place among The People. He said that those who were part of this had a duty and obligation to stamp out any ideas among those who still held them that it will ever be different. He said that He would personally intervene Himself should this commandment be disobeyed.

"It was an extraordinary event, unprecedented in my life that so many should come to meet the Great Ones together like we did, but that is the process of a Primal Councilor Hearing. The Pantheon and Primus Himself have spoken. They have laid down the gauntlet. You may not hold nor act on such things as the System or fundamental Functionalism. It is forbidden. It is an affront not just to Primus and the Pantheon, but to The One who created All That Is. Our creed is specific. They have made a point about it. He has borne the wounds of our disobedience and lack of fealty to our deepest values and beliefs in His body and the pain is His grief because we have inflicted it ourselves. He spoke of His suffering in the wars that have driven all of us to the brink of extinction. It cannot and it will not continue. Those who wish to do so risk drawing the righteous wrath of Primus Himself."

Prime sat back a moment, then gathered his thoughts. "I am banning the cult of fundamental Functionalism. I wish to draw a very great distinction between the Guiding Hand and fundamental Functionalism. One is a life path that is demanding, honorable, ancient, worthy, and honored by the Pantheon. The other is a criminal organization using religion as a shield for their murderous actions. There are Functionalists both here and on Cybertron. They are **not** part of this group and they **do not** bear **any** responsibility for what has happened. The Guiding Hand has no guilt either. Both groups are clear in their ideals and fealty to the members of the Pantheon that form the core of their ethos.

"The Council of Twelve are solely responsible for the mass murder of hundreds of millions. They picked up the gauntlet from the Quintessans who introduced us into slavery and when they fled, the System of Exception and the caste network that has driven us to the brink of extinction lumbered into power. Eons of time has passed and generation after generation of individuals never got the life they deserved or wanted because of arbitrary rules and demands by those who lied when they used religion to bolster their claims. Out of that poisoned well, all of our present suffering springs.

"No more.

"It was very clear that the Pantheon and Primus have put lie to that and are prepared to take direct action if it persists. I have already condemned without exception all systems of oppression that have plagued our people over the entirety of our history. I condemn them again with the full backing of the Pantheon. The cult of fundamental Functionalism is banned from now until forever. The System of Exception is banned from now until forever. There will be no reprisals. There will be no sectarian fighting over this matter. Lord Primus has made His demands and we will honor them.

"Every orn, those behind me and many others go to Cybertron and the local cluster to help our people rise up again. We work hard to locate them everywhere they may be and rescue them. We fight to defend this system and everywhere we have population. Eventually, we will bring Cybertron and the local system planets closer to us. Eventually, it is hoped that our home world will be safe, close and the sun will shine in the sky again. We have to do that together, as one people. We have the right to believe what we wish but we do not have the right to apply it to others in defiance of our fundamental belief that all are one. No one is better or more important than any other. All of us matter equally. If you have not learned that from our agony, then you need to examine your conscience.

"I am proud of our efforts and our people. All that we do, we do together. Every orn, we meet the problems before us with courage, skill and unity. We have come this far because we have worked together. We are one. We must never forget that. No one bears responsibility for what happened but those who have now paid the price the Pantheon required. That price was paid to ensure that the rest of you are safe from this happening again. Never again will we face this. **Never again.** " It was silent a moment. "All of you matter equally. **All** of you. If you remember nothing of what Lord Primus said about this, remember that. Until all are one," Optimus said, then the broadcast closed. He sat back, then pulled his daughters out of his hold. He grinned at them, then kissed their helms. "You are my queens," he said with great love.

Raptor pulled Pudding out of his hold. "That's what I tell my cow every orn," he said.

It was the right comment for the right moment.

-0-Shortly later

 **RAP! RAP! RAP!**

The door opened. Millow stared at Ratchet, Springer and Drift. "May I help you?" he asked glacially.

"We're here for a wellness check," Ratchet said. "I need to see Traachon."

He stared at Ratchet, then opened the door. Ratchet and the two officers walked in. Traachon sat on the couch holding a cup of something. He looked at Ratchet and the two behind him without much expression. Ratchet calibrated his sensors, then scanned him. He walked to the chair across and sat. "How do you feel, Traachon?"

Traachon shrugged. "I just saw Prime's broadcast. I don't know how to feel yet. Things are … hanging."

"Your vital signs are all depressed. Did you eat?" Ratchet asked.

"No."

"I see. I think you need to go into the Processor Hospital until we have a chance to get you up and running again," Ratchet said.

"I don't think that's necessary," Millow said as he sat closer to Traachon.

"You don't have a say in the matter, Millow. Traachon is depressed and his systems are running at less than optimal. Ordinarily, that would be normal and not a consequence. Sometimes a shock can do that. However, this is no ordinary shock and his entire world view is lying in the ashes around his peds. I'm not going to leave him here until he can stand up and convince me he's up to it." He looked at Traachon. "Come with me, Traachon. I'll help you get through this.'

Traachon stared at Ratchet dully. This mech was a marauder of politics, the military and who knew how deep the well went. He was a dangerous man once, someone with few scruples, a lot of nerve and little empathy for anything but Millow and what he wanted otherwise. He put the cup down, nodded, then stood. "Alright."

Millow stood. "I'm going with you and I'm staying there."

"We can figure that out when we get there. They have more rules there than other places but we can ask," Ratchet said. "The bottom line is Traachon's safety and health. Waldeen is also there. Let's go see how he is, too." Ratchet walked to the door, then waited.

Traachon walked to the door with Millow clutching his servo. They stepped out, walked to the elevator as a group, then went downward. It was a silent ride to the hospital and the waiting party of Rung and Jarro.

-0-Moments later

They ambled along to the Mall of Metroplex

"Come on, infants. I want some cake. I need you to carry it." Ratchet walked into the bakery and while in line piled sheet cakes, donuts, pastries, and other deliciousness in their arms from the tables and bins around them. When they were checked out, they walked to The Fortress. Ramcharger was there setting up his game board. "Hey, Ram. Your genitors are amazing," Ratchet said.

Ramcharger nodded, then stood up with an emotional expression. **"THEY'RE THE BEST! THEY FOUGHT THE ALIENS AND THE FUNCTIONALISTS! THEY'RE MY HEROES!"**

"And ours, too," Ratchet said as he handed the little mech a bag of pastries. "I got this for you."

He took it, peered inside the bag, then looked at Ratchet. He smiled. "Thanks. I love sprinkles."

"So does Ironhide. He calls them warrior dust," Ratchet said with a grin.

 **"HE'S RIGHT!"** Ramcharger said as his game buddies showed up. The donuts were just what the doctor ordered.

Ratchet followed by his boys walked inside to the conference room and the council meeting.

-0-Moments later

Huge sheet cakes, plates and utensils, donuts and cookies were laid on the table. Taking a plate, Ratchet cut a square piece of cake and put it on a plate. He pushed two cookies into the top and handed it to Ironhide who grinned. "Thanks, old mech. **I THINK I'LL KEEP YA!"**

Huge laughter and ribald remarks greeted that.

Ratchet then carved out a circle of a piece in the middle of the huge cake putting it on a plate. He put a donut on top. Then he chose another spot and carved out a wedge shape. He put it on the donut topped piece, then set a donut in the frosting on its side. He put it in front of Optimus with a grin. He grinned back.

Prowl stared at it, then the cake. "Savage."

"Wait until I make you a plate," Ratchet said. He cut a car shape, put it on a plate, then picked two cookies to place on the frosting to look like wheels. He slid it to Prowl who stared at it, then grinned in spite of himself. **"WHO'S NEXT!?"**

Ratchet would cut a few more pieces before the meeting started including a piece for Raptor in the shape of a cow's udder. He would be delighted.

The savage.

-0-TBC 2-26-18 **edited 3-4-18**

Leoness: He did, didn't he? Raptor would be a fun grandpa and anyone who loves cows can't be all bad. :D:D:D


	285. Chapter 285

The Diego Diaries: Mucking Onward (dd6 285)

-0-Meeting

The reports went one right after the other. Jarro picked up his datapad to give his own. "We have 211 individuals in care. Most of our patients are home care and outpatient. We've gleaned the most endangered and dangerous. Our plan to expand the hospital upward was as Magnus stated approved by the Planning Commission and passed review with you, Optimus. We'll be adding ten more levels to the facility, opening more beds to patients. We have a number of them in Amity on Gliese who are either suicidal or delusional with potential to either harm themselves or others. Those individuals will be moved to The City once there's placement for them.

"We graduated ten new therapists for our more disturbed clientele. They require a great deal of specialized attention so we organized a program to train some of our more veteran therapists to handle the types of patients we're sorting into our hospitals. We plan to train more and have them on standby from their normal duties for anything that comes to us.

"We have counselors in every school to treat children and we'll be testing all refugee children when they arrive to ensure that we catch those high risk individuals and their families sooner. Our hospital expansions are our big projects now so we should be able to house those who need help. The families of the Functionalist Council, the three of them that exist are now in custody. They didn't take it well. We have the other families including the 22 administrative heads on tracking devices. We don't know how someone who never heard no before will adapt to this. We're alert to them and ready to move if needed.

"As for the nearly 1,000 slaves that were with them … they're in halfway houses and getting counseling every orn. There are no children among them because there were no bonds. None of them were ever allowed relationships so that entire side of their life is missing. They're deeply intimidated and programmed through their training and the religious aspect to obey without question. Just getting them to look at us is difficult. They weren't allowed to make optic contact among other things. We're looking at it as a long term project," Jarro said as Rung nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Please give my regards to your departments and all who work there," Prime said.

"We will," Rung said.

"Cyclonus?" Prowl asked as he consulted the agenda.

Cyclonus leaned forward and gazed down toward Prime. "We have a lot of members that live in all the different cities and work in all manner of industries and professions. We've asked them to listen to the commentary about this and if there's any disruption of thinking regarding us. So far, there's a lot of anger toward the Council and that branch but its not being applied to us for now. We're hoping that this holds. We have a lot of calls from members who want to know how things truly are and if they have to worry. We plan to protect them and will make an effort to educate the colony about the Monastery, its mission and the differences.

"As for the children in the leading group who don't have a relative to take care of them, they total 15. We have them in homes and will make arrangements for them to be raised by families. We will apply to the courts for custody. As for the others … there are a number of families involved in the 22 who were taken for re-education. We have mentored them to families and will be watching them closely. Those who lost a member of the Council are in care and we plan to add tracking devices to make sure that they don't make a spectacle of themselves or do something strange. Only three of the Council had bonds or children but they also had other family who are upset. We took them into hand ourselves.

"We're watchful. Hopefully, this will be no more terrible than when the atrocities were discovered. All of them are in a halfway house in Gambian. As for all the children of the group ... we will attend to them in our Monastery school until we're sure they're up to placement in the greater society."

"Thank you, Cyclonus. Tell us how we may help and we will assist," Prime said as the big mech nodded.

"Loon."

Ratchet grinned at Prowl who smirked back. "Well, we're simply amazing. Thanks."

Huge laughter.

"Loon," Prowl said with a slight condescending tone, one he knew Ratchet both hated and loved. "Do tell."

"Okay," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "We have enough highly trained doctors that we're rotating more and more of them into the effort with Dai Atlas. They work shifts, then bridge back. They get lots of direct experience and the refugees get excellent care. We're setting up for the new mob coming soon so that most of the worst is already addressed.

"Given that the Functionalists have detonation devices in the helms of our people, we had a confab about what to do about the possibility that there would be those on Cybertron and other places that would have them as well. We devised a program that we could use with low level flights of ships scanning the planet and everyone who lives there. We have the Office of Statistics dividing Cybertron into divisions which will be parted out to ships that are being formatted technically to scan deep and well. They will do flyovers of everywhere at an altitude of 1,000 feet and scan the frag out of everywhere. Its ground penetrating so that we can find everyone including those we've maybe still missed.

"When they find someone, fast reaction teams will jet there and track down the culprits through GPS tagging. We'll then remove the chips from them on the spot. If they turn out to be some of those who are hiding or for whatever reason don't know … we can deal. This is going to help out several different problems. We want to snuff this out. Even though they're gone and they need to be together to make the recalls, we don't want this slag there anyway. Its a matter of killing a problem before it's even realized.

We'll let you know when its accomplished.

"Lastly and not least, Proteus and Madura are going for a spark from the Well tomorrow and if you feel it, come on by. Given that they're part of Ratchet's Squad, I feel as the **SQUAD LEADER** a need to spread the word. **AMIRITE, PROWLER!?** " he asked with a giant smile.

Prowl who was lounging in his chair with his arms folded before him and a slight sneer on his face sat forward. "Fragger," he said. Then he sat up straighter. "Yes. Right. Magnus?" he asked super crisply as he moved onward.

Huge laughter greeted that as Magnus sat with the usual WTF on his face. Arcee who was laughing hugged his shoulders. "You tell them, Magnus," she said.

He glanced at her. "Tell them what? That those two are certifiable?"

"There **is** that," Arcee said as she glanced their way with a smirk.

"If you can manage to find your adult sensibilities, I would like to say that we're ready for the next migration which will be coming to the colony in batches of several thousand. We've moved the immigration set up to the west end of the Big Frame station southeast of Terra. That way we have a nice big flat space where we can bridge large groups, have them pass through customs and immigration, then head out with volunteers. We can avoid shutting down The City by not having the airfield be the hub. No one is using the facility right now but for routine maintenance on the Supremes. We've already dispatched Siphon to Atlas to be their guardian, medical and production center.

"The Crater district is home at the moment to 239,119 individuals brought in through small migrations and others who were transferred here from other places including Cybertron. We can host 6.1 million individuals there and will, though we're now breaking ground in a crater north of the Industrial Park Cities, west of Aerie Hill and northwest of Terra. This will be another massive complex in the manner of the Crater District's hubs and will host between 8 and 10 million individuals. We have decided to make the next district as big as possible. We are not going to be caught flat footed again. No more Little Iacons. We have plotted planning programs to host up to 200,000,000 Cybertronians here as a last resort. Cybertron is not projected to be ready for refugees short of the Omega Keys so we're planning ahead."

Everyone absorbed that a moment, then he continued. "All of our industrial output is up to the challenge, though we're going to be expanding Industrial Park City #5 to increase the production of steel, transparent aluminum and glass. Our designs will be presented to the Planning Commission in a decaorn and to you, Optimus, so everyone with interest is invited to attend and give their 2 shanix.

"We've broken ground on the new mausoleum annex on the hillside in the Crater District. We'll be able to accommodate up to 50,000 burials in the initial construction with ample room to expand. It will be terraced down the slope of the crater and have a space for personal crypts and places to visit and sit. It will be landscaped to our tastes and open the same as the other one. The maintenance will be shared with City Works, the Temple, various clubs and volunteer groups. The highways will be built that way, go through the new site for housing and return to the colony with a roundabout turn out to Aerie Hill. Rather than run through that district, we will have the highway parallel it with turnoffs. We'll eventually run a train line from Terra's hub to the new district, the new mausoleum and back to The City with branch lines to Aerie Hill. That's about it."

"Thank you, Magnus. I truly appreciate your efforts. Please convey my regards to everyone," Prime said.

"Will do, Optimus," he said as he sat back.

"Springer."

Springer grinned at Prowl who smirked back. "The usual drunks, slaggers, odd balls, wise aft kids, mass murderers, and the like. No humans yet but the decaorn is young. Hauser is tracking the possibility that a drug gang is here but its a faint trail yet. We can hope it stays that way. Other than a couple of gang fights and a kid who's tagging again, the slagger, we're obnoxiously low key," he concluded.

The meeting carried on with everyone speaking their part, adding what they could about the temperament of the colony in relation to the trial, then the Good of the Order or as Ratchet so quaintly put it, "Optimus's Me Time' came around. By then, a little cow was on the table eating the rest of the remaining sheet cake that was in front of Raptor. Prowl stared at the cow and Raptor with mild disgust. "Its clear that unit discipline has taken a nose dive," he said.

"This cow is merely doing his part to keep things clean. Right, Pudding?" Raptor said as he stroked the cow's fat belly.

Pudding looked up with icing on his face, then murmured a tiny moo. He then turned back to the task at hand.

"I want a cow." - Blackjack

"What about the war game? I thought we were supposed to have it around Thanksgiving." - Springer

"We had to put it off. At least it wasn't as pushed back as the Seeker Convocation." - Neo

"I said I want a cow." - Blackjack

"That was an amazing thing. I appreciate being allowed to attend." - Magnus showing the way

"What about the Whites and their little ship, Alie?" - Prowl

"They're on their way and in about an orn or so, we bridge their sorry afts. They'll be past Tennyson and the rupture and heading toward their home planet." - Alor

"How long will that take?" - Prime who was enjoying Blackjack's sulk and the tiny cow eating a pile of donuts now

"About six decaorns. Slaggers will get there sooner thanks to the bypass but still … it'll take time." - Alor who was enjoying Blackjack's sulk, too

" **I WANT A SLAGGING COW!"**

Everyone in the room froze, then turned toward Blackjack. He looked at them, then smiled a giant pac man smile eerily reminiscent of a smaller version of himself. Alor turned to him. "Don't give me a shit eating smile, slagger."

"Will it get me a cow if I don't?" - Blackjack, hopeful.

"Probably not," Alor replied as he sat back. "Pudding is a unicorn. You can't expect to get another one and have them even come close."

"Like where did that pile of wisdom come from, old mech?" Blackjack asked with great affront.

"There, there, infants. Don't make me invoke," Trooper said with a grin as he stroked Pudding's smooth fat stomach.

Blackjack turned to the grinning mech. "You're from Iacon. You can't invoke."

"You can. Invoke on yourself, slagger," Alor said.

Blackjack sat back with a slight frown, something that he had no idea endeared him all over again to his genitors and grandgenitors. "Slaggers. **NO SUPPORT ANYWHERE!"** He looked at Ironhide. **"WHERE WERE YOU IN MY JOOR OF NEED!?"**

"Watching that slagging cow eat the last of the donuts with sprinkles," Ironhide said with a frown of his own.

" **TREASON! TRAITORS! CASTE COURT!"** Blackjack bellowed.

Huge laughter filled the room, then Hard Drive leaned forward. "Are you going to whine, infant, or are you going to suck it up?"

Blackjack frowned at his grandfather. "Some help **you** are. **WHAT HAPPENED TO 'MY LITTLE MECH GETS ANYTHING HE WANTS, RAPTOR! GET USED TO IT'!"**

Hard Drive leaned back with a grin. "I must have been drunk."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that. By dinner time, Blackjack of Praxus would have his cow. His grandparents would give it to him with a big bow.

-0-TBC 2-27-18 **edited 3-4-18**


	286. Chapter 286

The Diego Diaries: Moo-ving On (dd6 286)

-0-Military Airfield the next morning

It was still dark as they gathered, all of them getting ready to take a ship through a bridge to Cybertron. The sun wasn't up yet but the area was lit with lights on tall poles. Ships came and went, mechs with their tools and carts went here and there as the business of the colony went on round the clock. Keystock and Cargo were there waiting together. They looked guarded and worn. Both bore backpacks and carried satchels. All of them were filled with candy, cookies and small toys. They were visiting the camps and the camp schools. The kids would get a lot of good things. Two big crates were loaded already into the big gun ships that would be their transport.

Crossing the big field carrying his cow, Raptor walked with his father and son. Blackjack who was coming for the lulz since he was off today led his newest acquisition on a leash. Behind him trotting like a pro, a tiny Hereford steer ambled with him. He had the basic white legs, tummy and face with the reddish saddle of color that filled in all the other spaces. To top his (miniature) magnificence, he bore tiny curved horns. He was flawless.

They reached the two who stared at the new cow. Blackjack picked him up, then turned to the two boys with a look of rapture on his face. **"You're here!"**

"We're supposed to," Cargo said as he glanced at his brother. "Right?"

Keystock nodded wanly. "What's with the new cow?"

Raptor roared with laughter as Blackjack set his little steer down. "This is the new wonder of the family. This is my cow. I call him Flipper."

"Flipper?" Cargo asked with a slight frown of pain/confusion/suicidal thoughts. (Take your pick)

"I was wondering what to name him when my son, Scout walked up to him and tugged his little ear. He turned around, hooked a horn into Scout and flipped him over on his helm. Flipper. See?" Blackjack asked with a giant smile and twinkling optics.

"Didn't he hurt your son?" Keystone asked with a slight look of amazement.

"Nah," Blackjack said. "He landed on a pillow. Besides, he has to learn he can't pull someone's ears. Flipper slept in Scout's bed all night."

Hard Drive grinned. "I may have to get a cow to keep up with the neighbors," he said as he watched his aides arrive with Raptor and Blackjack's. "Time to go. Get the cows on board." Hard Drive walked to the ship and climbed up.

Blackjack picked up Flipper, then turned to his father who was stuffing Pudding into his carry hold. "Head 'em up and move 'em out. **Whoopie-ti-yi-yo!** " he said with a chuckle. He nodded to the kids who gathered their gear and climbed on board.

Blackjack looked at Flipper, then grinned at him. "They love you," he said as he climbed the ramp himself. The ship was on its way before it retracted and the door slid shut.

-0-In an apartment or two

"Can I get you anything, Lucien?" Laslo asked as he gathered the breakfast dishes. "You and I should take an orn off and wander. At least, Only One, until you get your footing again." He put them in the sink, then sat with a worried expression. "This has been an awful shock."

Lucien glanced at Laslo, hating the anxiety on his face. It had been gone a while now. "It was," he said. "I have to say, Las, that I feel strange. I don't know what to think. All this time … the things we did and how we lived. It was hated by the Pantheon. I thought I should feel worse than this. I thought I should be as angry as I could be but I feel flat."

"You aren't going to do anything … rash?" Laslo asked as he gripped Lucien's servo.

He grinned faintly. "And leave you? Never."

Laslo looked relieved. "I think its a good idea to go to therapy. Vinn understands. He went through it as well. **Please** tell him your spark. Tell him all of it. You can't feel better if you don't get it out and understand it."

"The gist, Las, is that our families lied to us. They were lied to. All the way back, everyone lied. I can hardly fathom that. My atar was my best friend."

"He didn't know any better than the rest of us, Lou," Laslo said. "You can't blame him. You can't blame anyone but the first one. They were there to see the Functionalists. They could see that it wasn't any better than with the Quintessans. They set the tone and raised their children to follow that trail. It was cast in stone at that moment. If anyone is to blame, blame them. We were as big a pair of pawns as anyone else."

"I don't know why it didn't matter that so much was wrong," Lucien mused. "I'm not used to this. I keep my feelings in check. I don't allow them out. I don't give things away. I was the master for so long. I don't know what to think about this."

"That's where Vinn is invaluable. I'll go with you. I think we can both work this through. Then we have to live our lives in a good way. The boys … they already have. You do know that Partition is sweet on Lancer. Lancer is a mid caste. What do you think about that, Lucien?"

He considered that a moment. "Now or before Primus Himself told me what **He** thought about it?"

"Both. Neither," Laslo said anxiously.

Lucien gripped Laslo's servo. "It's Partition's call. I don't know her but if he loves her, then we can't stand in his way. Before? You already know. Now … the world is upside down. We **have** to obey."

Laslo nodded, then stood. "Come with me, Lou. I have to make a stop before you go to work."

Lucien stood tiredly and with effort walked to the door to leave with Laslo. They walked from their building to the Metro station nearby, going downward to take a train to the Temple District. It was a long ride but soon they were there, walking up the steps to the street above. It was crowded with the morning's workers and pedestrians heading this way and that. Gripping Lucien's servo, Laslo led the way, turning into the Temple at the big gates. They walked inside, then entered. They walked across the big concourse until they spotted a priest. Laslo walked to him, then nodded. "I would like to speak to Gravitas if I may. I come for answers."

The priest nodded. "I will find him, Pilgrim." With that, he walked down the steps to the Well, crossed the big room and entered the private apartment area nearby. He was gone for a moment, then came back with Gravitas. They climbed the steps, then walked to the pair who nodded.

"Thank you for coming, Gravitas. My bond is troubled by the new paradigm and needs wise counsel. We come to you to seek answers." Laslo bowed his helm.

Gravitas nodded to the other priest who went back out to the morning crowd. He looked at the pair. "Laslo and Lucien, I'm so glad to finally see you. Won't you come with me?" he asked as he led them down the stairs to a counseling lounge that was off the vast space. They would sit and talk for a long time together.

-0-At the end of the night

They walked into the Diner On The Corner to sit and eat breakfast. The usual group behind 'The Boss and, oh yeah, Springer' as Sandstorm so snarked on the way in followed the big mechs as they entered and took a booth. Sitting with a touch of fatigue, they made their orders. Partition who was off shift at the 46th Substation pulled up a chair for Lancer, then sat himself.

"When are you two tying the knot?" Springer asked. "Consider me asking for Ma and Pa."

Huge laughter greeted that. Sandstorm grinned at Springer. "You and Drift shacked up for a while if memory served me."

"I remember that," Drift said with a smirk.

"Best orns of your life," Springer said with a grin. "Or so you told me."

"I did?" Drift asked as the others laughed.

"I have to tell my genitors first," Partition said.

"Tell them now. I think a few things were squared away with your atar," Springer said. "Something tells me that objections aren't going to be in the cards."

"Have you talked to your genitors yet?" Hercy asked as he lounged in his booth. "A mech has to square the family away and make sure they're in good shape. Way of the Warrior."

Everyone grinned and nodded as they watched Partition's face. He worshiped the ground Hercy walked on and they knew he would do the diligence. Food arrived so they began to eat. Drift grinned at Springer. "Did you hear that Blackjack got a cow?"

Springer grinned. "Why am I not surprised?"

Drift paused a moment as he touched base with Alor. Then he grinned. "Amma said he got one because he whined enough. Hard Drive has a thing about his grandchildren. By the way, he's calling the cow … Flipper."

The group guffawed as Springer considered the name. He looked at Drift. "Flipper?"

"Yeah," Drift said. "Alie brought the cow in with Hardie, Turbine, Raptor, and Delphi. They surprised him. They had it in the works for a while. When they did, Appa lost his shit. He was really surprised and happy. Scout walked up to pat it, then pulled its ear. The little cow has horns. He hooked Scout and tossed him. He flipped him over on his helm."

"Did he get hurt?" Springer asked with surprise.

"No. Apparently, he was building a fort on the floor with his old pa and there were pillows," Drift said with a chuckle. "Ironhide's family is hilarious."

There was general agreement that the generals were the bomb. Then Kup grinned. "I wonder which of those two kids gets to carry him?"

Huge laughter.

Sandstorm glanced at Kup. "I would."

Everyone there agreed. They would, too.

-0-Mid morning

They began to arrive for the brunch, a lot of women invited from The Family Tower, The Resort, Sciences, Earth 1, and the Consulate. They drove in and joined the group inside waiting at the door. It was the second get-together by the powerful Women That Ran Things and Mariah had put on the dog. She had a splendid brunch laid out for everyone in the special occasions dining room. The reporters from the magazines that were here doing pieces on the habitat were taking pictures as they watched the group greet each other. "Where is Linda?" Mariah asked as she greeted several of the women from N.E.S.T.

"Linda is about ready to pop. She's at the N.E.S.T. HQ now until the baby comes. She's about three days overdue," Lois Morshower said. "She's staying close to the doctors."

"Oh, my," Mariah said with a smile. "The second human born on Mars." She looked at the group, then the locals. "Shall we go?"

The women followed her and Allison Beliveau toward the gala. It would take a while to walk there.

-0-At N.E.S.T. HQ

"How do you feel?"

"Terrible, Niall. Everything is swollen up," Linda Graham said as she sat uncomfortably on a couch in the lounge. Nothing she could do would make it better including Niall hovering around her.

Mama Fig had opted to stay with her so she sat in a chair nearby knitting booties and other baby things for the new infant. "Rub her feet, Niall. That always feels good."

Niall who was living and dying with every ache and pain Linda had sat on the floor, removed her shoe and began to rub. "How's that?"

"Better," Linda said as she lay back. "Where's Phoebe?" she asked.

"At Earth 1. She's coming over shortly. She's going to be here to deliver the baby. Don't worry," Niall said.

"I'm not. I **do** want to beat you to a pulp though," Linda said as another false labor pain ripped through her.

He grinned and began to rub the other foot. As long as he held them, he reasoned, she couldn't kick him.

-0-TBC 2-28-18 **edited 3-4-18**

Putting on the dog means to really do things up high tone.


	287. Chapter 287

The Diego Diaries: Carry On (dd6 287)

-0-In Helex

They sat on a bench watching children sing. They were visiting the schools there, the big ones in the big camps. They were very large tents placed in rows, their interiors designed to teach children and hold any number of things toward that end. There was one set aside for a lunchroom and the children ate there every orn, breakfast, lunch and snacks. The entire operation was inside a low chain link fence to keep things out and tiny ones in. It was the safest place in the camp and there were twenty of them for this vast city camp alone. They were visiting each of them.

Keystock and Cargo sat on the bench with the generals as their aides stood along the walls watching the kids with genuine delight. They told stories, showed art and danced. They sang alone and in groups. They were small, middle and nearly grown up. They were beautiful, loved and the treasure of their people. At last, the last child showed their stuff and the generals, the staff and everyone applauded, rising with smiles to show their deep appreciation for the effort.

It was amazing how happy the kids were, basking in the good will of such individuals. Then the candy, toys and cookies came out. Cargo and Keystock held out handfuls of treats which the children accepted shyly, happily, uncertainly, with gusto, and every kind of emotion imaginable. The school was gifted with crates of things that would assist their programs, all of them surveyed, gathered, bundled, and shipped by the School District.

It was then that the cows came out at last.

The children stared at them, transfixed by the strangeness and the universal cuteness they embodied. The braver ones came forward to pet, touch, inspect, and hug the pair. Others worked up their nerve to do the same and soon Flipper and Pudding were overrun with children who were delighted to see them.

"Moo."

The children froze as Flipper mooed softly. He looked at them, then nudged them with his little cow nose. A tiny femme smiled. **"HE PUSHED ME!"**

Blackjack who was kneeling next to her grinned. "He only does that if he loves you."

The little femme smiled up at Blackjack, then the cow. She hugged him tightly. "I like this cow. I never saw a cow before."

"There's lots to see in the world. Get through school, then come and look," 'Jack said.

She looked at him, then grinned. He handed her candy and a little doll. She took it, then stared at it with astonishment. "I like this. This looks like Optimus Prime," she said as she held the doll up.

"It is," Blackjack said. "Optimus Prime loves you, too."

They chatted with the children, visiting each school to see wonderful things, then they spent a bit of time in the hospitals taking things to the children there. Flipper and Pudding would be a hit there, too.

-0-Mars

Lucien came into the office late. He felt a bit better but not much. He had been a marauder and was proud of his ruthless ability to get what he wanted, how he wanted, when he wanted it. No one was his equal in slithering through the labyrinthine hell hole that was the Presidium. Not even Traachon. He was the power behind the power, the one who made things go to their logical conclusion. The Senators and others in power were dimwits, slaggers or amateurs. If things were to get done, it took hatchet men like him.

Like his father.

Like his grandfather.

Like his relatives going back into time.

He had been raised to accept that things were the way they were and change was anathema to their way of life. He wasn't taught to look down and see anyone's suffering from what he did and frankly, he never knew they existed. He moved in a ratified world, a bubble, going from one cosseted place to another, his peds never touching the ground.

He was religious, oddly enough, but his belief seldom strayed into the passages that said to do right by our fellows, take care of each other, you're only as strong as your weakest member … until all are one. That part was malleable and he did what most of his cast did … he applied what met his need and explained the rest away by saying The One and Primus agreed with him. That They didn't, that Their offense was colossal, that it actually caused Primus harm, the life they were living this way never entered his processor. He wasn't raised to be empathetic and see what his actions did to others. That wasn't the way any of his caste lived.

Megatron was not only inevitable, he was nearly ordained.

All of it was repudiated by Primus and the rest of the Pantheon. It had been a phenomenally terrifying experience and parts of his psyche had shattered under the glare of that beautiful all powerful individual. He had fallen on his aft in his overpowering desire to run. He had sat in the sand and watched deep painful emotions on the face of the god he had loved above all others and the one he had prayed to all his life. That god was livid with him. He said that his actions had caused His suffering. He, Lucien, had harmed Primus the Great.

Primus the Good.

Ordinarily, he would have blown this off by now and would be working on strategies to push back. But how do you push back a god? How do you fight someone who can see into your spark and read all your private messages written there?

You can't.

A soul destroying moment of infamy had overtaken him and everything in his world had been turned to dust. He was tired, confused, in turmoil, and terrified. Nothing was the same as before. Now, he had to change and he wasn't sure how. Everyone else always changed. Not him. His life was handed down to him and all like him from his ancestors who lived the same lives. The crushing conservatism of their lock step life came down on him and turned to confetti. It blew away in the heat of Primus Himself.

Vinn had scheduled him for therapy every orn before work. He would go and maybe in this stumbling clueless way forward he would find his way. He just knew that the best part of himself, the best part of his memories and life was behind him. What came next, he had no notion.

Notion.

Notions.

That word would forever be loaded for him. He would avoid it. Walking into the main room of the Secretariat of State, he made it to his office without having to chat. Sitting, he looked at the pile of work and the notice that he would be going to Diego Garcia with Ratchet and Fenix in a few orns. He considered that, then began to work. Maybe it would help him feel better.

It would.

-0-Around town

The reporters rode in Earth2's cars as they left The City to head for the hinterlands. They were getting a tour and sitting with them narrating as well as answering questions, Mariah Davis was working to ensure that the stories that would be published showed Earth2 in the best kind of light.

"This is the road to Terra," she said as they sat in the vehicle with their helmets off. The reporters and their photographers sat in the back looking out while half of them snapped pictures. "Terra is a hub city and the first one built after Autobot City. It leads to several others and the train system goes through Terra as a main switching station. Terra is named for Earth."

They buzzed along in the traffic. "How many of those around us are alive?" the reporter form OK! asked.

"Probably most of them. You can pretty much tell when they have no driver," Mariah said.

"What's the story on Linda Graham? When is she do?" the reporter from People Magazine asked.

"She's overdue, poor thing," Mariah said. "The baby was due four days ago. We expect it any moment."

"Do you suppose living here might have affected it?" another asked.

"I don't know. I hope not. We'll have two more human babies born here after this one. I don't know anything about names or the like. I just know that family on both sides are here for the delivery and that Phoebe Grant from Earth 1 will do it just like she did with Angus."

They would have a long day of driving around seeing the sights but it would be totally worth it.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

Phoebe Grant checked the data with the doctor brought to Mars just for this event. He was a birthing specialist and Phoebe was a general practitioner. They discussed things, then turned to Linda and Niall. "We agree, Linda, that its time for this baby and we're going to induce it. What do you feel about that?"

"Given that its four days overdue, I think I'm ready. What do you think, Niall?" Linda asked the pale faced soldier standing beside her.

He looked at her, then the doctors, then the family standing around the room. "Uh ..."

"He agrees," Linda said. "Let's do this. Niall? Can you call Ratchet?"

Niall looked at her. "Uh ..."

"I'll do it," Judy Witwicky said with a chuckle. "I don't think he can fit in here but there's always cameras. That is, unless you don't want them."

"I don't care, I'm tired," Linda said. "Maybe not. If Ratchet faints, he'll take out half the building."

"Got ya," Judy said as she walked to the hallway and the communications kiosk nearby. Dialing in Ratchet's number, she began. "Hey, Ratchet. Linda's going to have a baby. Okay?"

:On my way: Ratchet said.

Judy walked back in. "He's coming."

"Good. Niall … why don't you go let him in?" Linda said as she stepped down.

He stared at her, then the others, then her. "Uh, okay," He stared at her a moment, then walked to the door and the bot entrance off Ops Center nearby.

"That boy is a pillar," Judy said as she helped Linda walk to the surgery next.

"He is cute isn't he?" Linda asked with a grin.

She got no argument from anyone.

-0-Ratchet

He walked out of Lucien's office, then got the call. Heading out, he walked to the elevator. Lucien was still stunned and uncertain. It was probably a good thing. Vinn had messaged him that he was in therapy. That was good. He was going to check in on Traachon and Waldeen shortly. Right now, another baby was coming into the world and he would be there. Everyone else had checked in but wouldn't be able to attend. Either they were all busy or the biggest wusses in the known universe.

He reached the streets, then jogged toward the HQ. Its dome sparkled in the light of day. By the time he reached it, the door was already open. He stepped inside, then it closed. Atmosphere hit the huge room instantly as he walked toward the Ops Center and the hatch. Niall stepped out with a grin. "I'm glad you could come. Everyone else wimped out."

"They have no love for squishes and their squishables. They prefer that you keep that stuff inside your bodies," Ratchet said. "How's Linda?"

"She's ready to burst. I'll really be happy when this is over," Niall said tiredly.

"There's nothing like a daughter. Someone to rub your old peds when you're old," Ratchet said. "Ask Ironhide. He has one for each ped."

They laughed together.

"Do you want to watch on the screen?" Niall asked.

"Are you?"

"Oh, **hell** no," Niall said with feeling. "I worship the ground my wife glides over but this is out of my league."

"Slagger. I see it runs in Terrans, too," Ratchet said with a grin.

"You just noticed?" Niall asked as the monitor nearby showed a message feed from his family about what was going on.

"Linda is being prepped. Is Ratchet here, son? Does he want to watch? How can you make that happen?" His mother was writing on her device.

Niall read it, then picked up his phone. Tapping in, he wrote back. "Ratchet is here. He can't fit inside so I'm keeping him company."

"You're a wanker, son. -Dad"

Ratchet smirked at Niall. "Your father is a cute guy."

"He is. He's a helluva lot tougher than me," Niall said with heartfelt emotion.

"She's being induced. Phoebe says everything is good. It might be soon now. -Mum"

"Lord, I hope so," Niall said.

It was silent as they watched the screen. Another message appeared several minutes later. "She's having labor . -Mum"

"I should be there. I'm such a coward," Niall said.

"You are,"

Niall looked at Ratchet. "Thanks, pal. You're supposed to say, 'No, Niall. You aren't.'"

Ratchet laughed. "Oh. I thought I was supporting you by agreeing. I'm not?"

"No," Niall said with a grin.

"Okay. Uh … you aren't a coward not being there while your wife tries to push a Volkswagen through a knothole." Ratchet smiled a dazzler. "Is that better?"

Niall was laughing too hard to answer before another message came.

"It won't be long. **GET IN HERE!** -Mum and Dad"

"Better hoof it," Ratchet said. "I'll wait here."

Niall smiled at Ratchet, then nodded. Away he ran until he was gone. Ratchet watched, then sat down to wait. He wouldn't have long.

Niall of Fort William, Scotland and Linda Graham of London, England would be the parents of a ten pound four ounce baby girl, Aedh Louise Graham.

Of Mars.

Uncle Ratchet would the the first bot she would meet.

-0-TBC 3-1-18 **edited 3-4-18**

The Seeker Convocation is going to be told in flashbacks over the upcoming days. I wanted to add it but the holidays and other things would have not done it justice. More on it to come. :D

malleable: (mal-ee-uh-bul) – easy to shape and bend

Aedh – Gaelic name for fire (eeed-hhh) emphasize the 'h' at the end. :D

cosset(ed) (coz-zet) cared for and protected in an overindulgent way


	288. Chapter 288

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 288)

-0-Going on down the road

Herling walked through the school on his way to visit classrooms. He felt renewed, reformatted almost since the announcement from Prime. The idea of the systems being over was accepted by most here but the finality of it, the denunciation from the Pantheon and Primus Himself was game changing. There was always the worry that something might change and the old slavery come back but now it was finally over, dead, finished. It surprised him how happy he felt to know that was so. Primus and the Pantheon Themselves would step in if it ever came back again.

He walked from door to door to watch the kids inside working together, making something out of nothing as they learned the things their society and culture wanted them to know. A lot of discussion had come out of the event, especially here in the Youngling School and he had sat in on some of the rounds himself. There were high castes everywhere but not in numbers. The discussion had been emotional here and there, but it was civil. It was obvious to him watching them that some families still held to the old poison. He flagged them in his processor to ensure that their transition to the new paradigm would be less bumpy than it might be otherwise.

Mrs. Lyrica was teaching about the formation of Charon during geography class and how it was rather like a macaroon in appearance with its wide band of faulted and crushed terrain running around a great deal of it. She was discussing the possibilities determined by humans. When she was finished, the students would test them and come to their own conclusions in groups.

"And the main theory they hold is that Charon and Pluto had a glancing blow. Given that the rotation of Pluto is off and that Charon is tidal locked on a shared center of gravity, that might be a good theory. We've gone through all of their possibilities. All of them seem reasonable. What I want you to do is get into your assigned teams and work your way through them. Prove or disprove each. We're going to use the computer lab," she said as she nodded to that side of their enormous remarkable classroom that held a big state of the art lab, "and you can build models to test them. We will rotate out in joor intervals. This project is to continue during Geography through First Friday. That will give all of you a chance to test the theories, test your own, then write up a report. It will not be less than 30 pages and requires sources, data and images. You may create your own or use those that support your suppositions from Teletraan. If that is not enough time, query me. I will be your resource," she said with a smile. "I believe I'm going to prepare to be dazzled," she said with a smile.

The kids laughed and smiled at her as they stood and began to gather up their group to work. She walked to the lab where ten remarkable computers and a number for creating charts, images and other things were laid out on tables. They were roll up datapads, all of them big and tapped into the school's nexus with Teletraan. "Group Red goes first in the lab."

The room shifted as the kids gathered, some of them human such as Jaycee Jameson and all the other various Cybertronian kids including Bos. Bos had been in in the group with Jaycee since she came. Red Group walked to the lab and with a stool, Jaycee climbed up on the counter to walk to her big computer with monitor, one created just for her, her size, that was in the same row.

Herling walked to Lyrica. "How are things going, Lyrica?" he asked as he smiled at the children. They weren't worried that he was there. He came often and always walked away with notes pertinent to the class to assist them and their teacher for their needs and wants.

"Pretty well. We had a discussion this morning to get it out of the shadows. Jaycee, our human was very helpful. She talked about slavery on Earth and during her country's early history. She said its still a shameful and terrible thing to this day. It helped a lot having her perspective."

"That's wonderful. I'm exhausted of this 'them versus us' stuff. I want us to be one for all and all for one," Herling said. "I'm going to see what they're up to, Lyrica. Is there anything you need?"

"I'm planning a field trip to Pluto. I want to be able to land on Charon and tour the other satellites. Some of them have absolutely weird orbits," Lyrica said.

"You'll want vessel number 6 then," Herling said as she nodded. "I'll look at the schedule and slot you in. Send in the application with your request and I'll personally get it organized."

"Thank you, Herling. I have a multi-purpose all event permission slip from everyone's genitors including the humans and I'll get that ready. The human genitors went to come on the away visits. I'll check with Lennox about the legalities of that. They may want to send a soldier with us which will be fine," she said.

"Let me know, Lyrica, and I'll iron out any problems," Herling said as he walked into the lab. He chatted with the kids, then came to Jaycee. He had heard that she was fitting in beautifully and had a lot of friends among the bots. She was bright, worked hard and even though some of this was out of her league, she worked hard and asked great questions, endearing her to Lyrica and the other teachers. She was the most outgoing, engaging and sweet sparked among the new humans from Earth2. "How are you doing, Jaycee? I keep hearing great things about you."

She smiled at him. :Thank you, Mr. Herling. I'm working on a project about Pluto. **We get to go there!** Mrs. Lyrica is planning it. I'm so glad to be a student here:

Herling smiled. "We love having human children here. It's always a good thing for different species to come together. How may we help you learn? Are you able to understand everything or is there something we can do to support all your good effort?"

:The morning classes really help, Mr. Herling. I know I'm behind but I'm going to catch up. Everyone helps me. My group always helps me. I want to learn everything. This is the hardest best school I ever went to. The best part is I don't have to be bothered by other kids. This is the first school I ever went to where there isn't any bullying: She got a serious expression on her face. :I'm sorry about what happened to all those people. All of us are at Earth2. We want to be a part of things here and we feel awful about that:

"Thank you, Jaycee. We work hard to make sure everyone is safe here. It wasn't always so. We love that you're here. All we want is for everyone to be happy and learn all they can. You're not on any time line here, infant. You don't have to hurt yourself keeping up. We can have tutors for you to help you."

:Thank you so much, Mr. Herling. You know … I was worried when I came here that it would be too much to handle. I didn't know anyone and everyone is younger than me but I love it. I'll remember that. Right now, they all help me: she said with a smile.

Bos glanced at her. "We all work together, Mr. Herling. Jaycee is great."

The two kids smiled at each other.

"I'm proud of all of you. What do you think is the solution about Pluto?" Herling asked as he pulled up a chair. They would spend a while discussing their theories, then Herling would move onward across the hall. It would be the best part of his job short of classroom teaching.

-0-Across the hall, earlier

"I don't like this at all, Mr. Terradive," Ope said with a frown. "We wouldn't be friends and be in school. How can that be good?"

"It wouldn't," Terradive said. He was watching the three human girls who were listening with solemn expressions. Rain Harris, Camilla Brown and Lilly Baker had offered no comments but were listening to everyone. It was ironic that all three of them would be high caste if they were Cybertronians. He was nearly inclined to ask just that but for the fear it might boomerang on him with their acceptance by the other kids.

:Mr. Terradive … someone told me that Seekers were considered lower than low caste in the system. What does that mean?: Annabelle Lennox asked with a frown. "What a bunch of baloney:

Terradive grinned in spite of himself. He leaned forward and turned his neck to her. "See my caste markers?" he asked.

Everyone leaned forward to check the caste markers that could be found along the upper jaw line near the finials or on the finials themselves. They were there and they spelled out 'low caste - qualified status'.

Annabelle frowned. :What does that mean? What's 'low caste – qualified status'?:

"Well ..." Terradive said as Sunspot leaned forward.

"Mr. Terradive … I have the same thing," he said as he turned his face, too. It was there, the glyphs that spelled doom for his dreams in their society then. "It means that we can serve in the army and in some other things but that's it. Right?"

Terradive nodded. "It set really hard and fast limitations on us," he said. "We were considered machines and equipment, nothing more. We were lower than the lowest caste once upon a time."

"But why?" T-Bar asked with a shocked sound in his voice.

"Because we preferred to fly," Terradive said. "It once was believed that if you wanted to fly, something was wrong with you. You weren't accepted and this happened."

"I don't like it," Spirit said with an emotional expression. "That's wrong. We wouldn't be friends. Sunspot and I wouldn't be friends. You wouldn't be our teacher."

Terradive nodded. "No, infant … we wouldn't."

That was when Spirit burst into tears.

-0-At Earth 1

"We have to have a party when Linda Graham gets better," Sharlene Miller said as she stood in the doorway of the administration sector of the facility. "We have another Martian baby and that means party time."

The two women and three men who worked in the office grinned. "Sounds good to me," Gordon 'Gordy' Wallace replied. "I like a Gaelic name. Aedh. What a great name."

"You would, 'Wallace'," Tyler Preston said as he finished the filing. Sliding the door shut on the cabinet, he walked back to his desk. "I wonder who'll be next?"

"I imagine that will be an Earth2 event," Sharlene said with a smirk. "They're in competition with us, I think. Have you noticed that?"

"I noticed it with the leadership. Most of the others seem reasonable and nice," Tyler said. "Though … I will agree with you. I hope Brandon's on his toes. They intend to be teacher's pets with Prime."

"Hey, now that you mention it … did you hear the rumor that Prime is planning to build a colony that'll hold 20,000 humans who'll work for Autobot Nation and be under his control?" Sharlene asked.

They looked at her, then Gordy grinned. "I heard the rumor but it was 10,000 humans."

"Either way, I'm not sure what I think about it. That would make between 16 and 26 thousand humans here," Cicily Ammon said as she paused in her data input. "26 thousand more ways to fuck things up."

"I hear ya," Sharlene said with a grin.

-0-Terradive's class

Herling sat nearby watching as the children worked on their history projects. Terradive sat next to him on the table of a group filling him in on things. "It was strange talking to them about this. They're so sweet about things. Spirit burst into tears when I explained to him how the Seeker's fared in the system. They were all shocked that we didn't even qualify for low caste."

"I am, too," Herling said as he shook his helm. "I couldn't understand the prejudice against flight. It's my wish that I could fly better than I do."

Terradive nodded. "I know but conformity is the bottom line of the systems that oppressed us. All of them. Roto and I would be given slag on Cybertron during the System. Function mixing was highly frowned upon."

Herling nodded. "Its a dark stain on us that now can no longer plague our well being. I, for one salute all of us for surviving. What a great species we really are when you look at it in its wholeness. We beat them, Terri. Now we have to help the young ones be all they can be. We have a lot of generations to make up for now."

Terradive nodded.

"What about the human girls?" Herling asked as he watched the three working on their project.

"They didn't say anything but they listened hard. They sort of stay together which is understandable. Jaycee from Lyrica's class has friends in here, many of them bots. She works hard to fit in but these three … they're not trying to be standoffish but its harder for them," Terradive said.

"We'll keep working," Herling said. "Can I do anything for you and the kids?"

"We want to visit Pluto with Lyrica and then Sciences. We have some topics coming up and I thought it would help them choose what they wanted to do if they saw how it all applied and talked to some of the scientists there about each of them," Terradive said.

"Put in for a bus to Sciences and let me know if you need assistance. I will put you in with the others for Pluto," Herling said as a tall bot child laughed at a table nearby. Cardinal was laughing with him as they worked on a part of something or other. It was sweet, the sound, then they got serious again. Herling stayed a while. All of it was sweet to him.

-0-Earth2

"I received a message from Lyrica and Terradive's classes that the kids were going to Pluto and Charon day after tomorrow for their geography project about that planet," Mariah said as she stood in the office of her ex-husband. All of the men, Pierre and his son, Cameron who was requisition officer, Kyle and Harris worked in this module, the first floor administration area. "I'm not sure that's wise. I don't want Rain going to another planet to investigate things."

Owen considered that. "I think it's great. I'm going to come. What about you?"

"To Pluto? Is that even a planet anymore?" Mariah asked doubtfully.

"I don't care. It's another thing to check off the bucket list," Owen said with a grin. "Do you have the message? I'm going to ask to be a chaperon."

Mariah handed him the message with a dubious expression. "I don't like the idea."

"You're living on a planet without atmosphere that's nearly 33 million to 200 million miles from Earth on a good orbit. We're in a tech cocoon and there's no danger. They take their own kids there after all," Harris said with a grin.

"Their own kids can survive in this," Mariah said. "Put me down to go as well."

"I will," Harris said as he formulated the email for Terradive and the signature that was needed to make it completely official.

-0-Family Tower

Linda Graham walked into the Family Tower lounge to the applause and cheers of those there. There would be a celebration dinner tonight with all the group including N.E.S.T. soldiers who would be shifting control of their ops center to the bots during that time. The scientists and families of Sciences, Earth2 and Earth 1 along with the Consulate were planning a brunch slash party when Linda had a chance to rest up. She carried the baby in her arms as Niall brought up the rear. Niall Junior was still in school but he knew about the baby. He was just too young still to understand how things had changed.

" **LET ME SEE THAT BABY! COME TO GRANDMA JUDY!"** Judy Witwicky said as she took the bundle from Linda. Linda was ushered to a chair where she sat as everyone gathered around to look at the infant. She was fair skinned with dark hair and perfect little baby features. "Awww. Damn that Sam. I want grand babies. He better quite goofing around and get on it."

"I'll tell him," Ron said as he grinned at the baby.

Huge laughter greeted that. The doors nearby slid open as more humans arrived, among them Sam and Carly. They walked toward the group who turned to grin at the two of them. "What?" Sam asked as he noted everyone's smirking faces.

 **"WHEN ARE YOU TWO GOING TO QUIT FUCKING AROUND AND MAKE ME A GRANDMOTHER!?"** Judy Witwicky said to great laughter.

"What she said," Ron said with a grin.

Sam looked like he wanted to run. Carly was too busy laughing to join him.

-0-TBC 3-3-18 **edited 3-4-18**


	289. Chapter 289

The Diego Diaries: Moo-ving On (dd6 289)

-0-The Family Tower

"This baby is so big," Carly said with a grin as she sat in a chair holding Aedh. "What a beautiful baby."

"Thank you," Linda Graham said as she sat in a chair with her feet up. "She's just a bit larger than Niall was. He was a big baby, too."

"I heard that Ratchet came," Sam said with a grin. He was watching his mother stare at Carly with the baby, then glare pointedly at him. He tried not to make eye contact. His father said 'never make eye contact with a predator' and he was determined to obey him.

"He did," Linda said. "I asked Niall to call him. He wasn't in the room but he was there. That made a lot better for some strange reason."

"I asked him if he wanted to watch but I don't think he was that into it," Niall said with a grin.

"We got calls from all of the reporters here for an interview and pictures," Lois Morshower-Howell said with a grin. "We said we'd get back to them. You made the news on Earth. Warren has gotten offers for the first pictures that are racking up. Six figures the last time I heard from him."

"Six figures?" Niall asked with surprise. "What happened with Angus?"

"The same thing. Some offered millions of dollars. Jarrod and Hildie only accepted that if they donated to charity," Lois said.

"I must have been asleep or something. I didn't hear that," Linda said.

"Millions of dollars?" Niall asked with a grin.

"Charity, soldier," Linda said with a grin.

"Oh," Niall said with a sigh. "A guy can dream."

-0-Noon time at the Temple

Ratchet and Ironhide walked into the Temple heading for the stairs where the Well could be reached. Others were waiting below, all of the squad and their bonds were here including Partition with Lancer, Inweld and Morius. Lucien was absent at work but Laslo was there along with Joon and Vinn. Edict and Burris were also there. Standing with them were Lon and Bezel. Keystock and Cargo were on Cybertron. Prowl was stuck in Ops Center waiting for important intel on the first Functionalist colony with Prime.

Proteus and Madura were talking to the others. Proteus held a little box with a protoform inside. A baby carrier and tiny clothes were sitting on floor next to the Well, ready for their son when he was granted. Gravitas, Eronus, Mraz, and Templar, all friends from before, were there to officiate and attend. It was electric in the air.

" **RATCHET! IRONHIDE!"** Madura called out. Everyone turned to them and it was a chaos of happiness and greetings. They gathered together a moment, then Gravitas smiled at Madura and Proteus. "Are you ready?"

Madura looked faint with excitement and Proteus looked happier than anyone had ever seen him. Both nodded. As they turned to Gravitas, Bron-E came down the stairs to join them. "Am I late?" she asked.

"No," Edict said. "You're just in time."

"We're ready. Right, Proteus?" Madura asked breathlessly.

"We're long overdue, Maddie," he said.

"Very well," Gravitas said as he opened the little box and took out a tiny gray protoform. It was laid gently on the side of the Well. It gave the impression of a white base color that had bands of black, red and blue around the left arm. Tiny silver finials graced a handsome little face and mech wings were folded behind him.

"What a pretty format, Madura and Proteus," Ratchet said with a smile. To him, they all were.

"We thought about it very hard, Ratchet. We want our son to reflect how we feel now. Peaceful and loved," Madura said.

"That's obvious," Ratchet said.

Gravitas moved to the Well and the others joined him. They were silent a moment, then began to chant the prayers to Primus, The One and the Well for a spark. It was asked for a lovely spark for lovely people, those who wanted a child, who had waited a long time and were aching for children. The Well began to respond as the white undulating mist began to rise. Everyone stared entranced at the miracle as the universe began to comply. The mist rose up and spilled over the Well, hovering low on the floor, then overtaking the view of the protoform as it began to rise, filling the room with a light, an infinitely loving and beautiful white light. It seemed to hold them forever, then it faded almost immediately. The Well was the same, the hovering white mist and the quiet peaceful atmosphere returned. The AllSpark that had slowed its rotation before the flash, then sparkled with electricity across its encrypted surface as if in salute.

No one moved, then the baby did. A soft cry was heard as Gravitas leaned over, touching it with his hand to bless it as he murmured a soft prayer. The others smiled as he did, then touched the baby as well. It was blessed from this moment until forever as a child of The People, of his new family and the Pantheon. Ratchet stepped forward to scan him. He was sound and fit as a fiddle. He turned to Proteus and Madura who were rooted to the spot. "Who gets him first?"

"Madura," Proteus said around the emotion in his helm that threatened to swamp him.

"Proteus," Madura whispered.

"Go get him, Maddie," Proteus said.

Ratchet stepped aside as Madura knelt before the baby. He was beautiful, snowy white, the color of purity, peace and love, had three bands of color on his tiny left arm, red, black and blue that saluted both his genitors and the silver of his finials gleamed in the light. He touched the baby, stroking his little face. He touched the baby's tiny servos and his peds. Gently wrapping the baby in his blankets, he stood, then turned toward Proteus. **"OH, PROTEUS! WE HAVE A BABY OF OUR OWN! THE ONE IS GOOD! PRIMUS AND THE ONE GAVE US A BABY OF OUR OWN!"**

Proteus nodded, then walked forward to envelop both of them in his arms. It was silent as a tomb in the building as the group, those around them and those peering over the balcony of the first floor watched. Then they began to clap and whistle, strangers all but united in the moment. Proteus and Madura looked up at them, then around. It was then that they were both enveloped by the squad and all their friends. It was beautiful.

Moments later …

They sat in an alcove of the Temple upstairs listening to Ratchet as he explained the basics for the two newbies, everyone gathered around to watch. Proteus was off work for a decaorn and so was Madura as they learned how to take care of their baby. "This is one sound little tot," Ratchet said as he showed them how to slip him into onesies, the clothing type he recommended that they put him in when they went outside. Then the Seeker bag came next, one with a sweet teddy bear's face on it. A hat with teddy bear ears was fixed on him and tiny mittens with paws prints on them came last.

He was already sleeping which was amazing given all the individuals watching him. "I'll go home with you when you go and show you swaddling, bathing and the rest. You have the stuff from Metro Femme, right? I told Gypsy I'd cover this but Home Health Care is going to be coming every other orn or more if you need it for a while. They can show you a lot."

"We both have watched the films in the medical archives around how to do this but if you could come that would be wonderful," Madura said.

"My pleasure," Ratchet said. "Let's put him in the carrier."

It was produced so Ratchet lay him down inside. "It can close to keep him inside if its too cold and anything below -10 is too cold. Most of the time bundling him like this and covering him with blankets inside and draping one over the top like a tent is enough," Ratchet said as he tucked the baby in, then covered the whole thing with another blanket. "Warm and toasty."

They nodded, then grinned at him. "I thought we could go to lunch somewhere but I think we're still too new at this to do that yet."

"Good idea. Let's take him home to practice a few things, then have a lunch to celebrate this another orn," Ratchet said as the others agreed.

"That's a great idea," Madura said as he stood. "I feel very tired all of a sudden."

"Excitement can do that," Ratchet said as Proteus took the handle of the carrier.

Everyone swamped them with hugs and congratulations, following them to the street where they chatted before going off to the world again. Ironhide shook their hands and walked off with Halo in servo, heading for the armory and work. Ratchet watched him go. "Ironhide is one of the most expert infant handlers. You're on his list," Ratchet said. "Let's go home and see what we can see."

They walked down the broad stairs to the path that led to the street. It was a short walk to Temple Metro and a longer ride to their home. It would be a wonderful journey for all.

-0-Ops Center

Prowl grinned. He glanced at Prime who was looking at something or other on the master datapad on the table. "Madura and Proteus got a spark at the Well. A mech with wings."

Prime glanced up, then grinned. "That is good news. We must send them something."

"Already done," Prowl said. He sat back. "They named him already and they don't have cultural restrictions."

"What is his name?" Prime asked with curiosity.

"His name is Rugur."

Prime considered that, then grinned. "They named him after his father. Proteus's father was named Rugar."

"R-u-g-a-r. This one is spelled with a 'u'," Prowl said.

Prime considered that, then grinned. "Beautiful."

Prowl nodded. They both turned back to the job at hand.

-0-At the apartment

They walked in and put the baby carrier on the table. Pulling the blankets back, they stared at him with joy on their faces. "What now, Ratchet? I think I can't remember a thing at the moment."

"Well, let's take him out and check him over," Ratchet said gently pulling the baby out. He was then placed on the table after the blankets were folded for him to lay upon. He was sleeping. "How about you taking his gear off and we can put him to bed. I'll tell you about the bathing and other things. You both are fixed to feed him?"

"We got the gear from Gypsy," Madura said as he held out his wrist. Proteus nodded as well.

"Good. Proteus, you take off his gear. Madura, you get to put him to bed," Ratchet said. "Then you switch up. Each of you do each thing and learn it with confidence."

Proteus leaned over the baby with a grin, then gently and carefully pulled him out of his gear. He stepped back as Madura picked him up, settling him on his arm with Ratchet's assistance. "Because he's still asleep, you can feed him later. You have the schedule, right?"

"We do," Proteus said. "We can start it when he wakes and keep to it for feeding from there."

"Trade off. It gets hard to rise and shine at night," Ratchet said. "Lead away."

They walked through the apartment to a berth room that was next to theirs. Their place was comfortable, had some beautiful antique looking things but was overall reflective of mechs who had decided to be happy rather than showy.

The baby's room was sweet. It had a nice crib, toys and was decorated to reflect family and the love of his parents. There were framed images of sweet children's characters with sayings about family and love hanging on the wall. The dresser had teddy bears painted on it and the bed had soft blankets sporting the same motif. "I love teddy bears," Ratchet said.

"So do I," Madura said as he laid the baby down on the crib. He was tucked in, the baby alarm channeled through both, and a tiny teddy bear put next to him as they tiptoed out to sit tiredly on the couches and chairs. "I'm so tired."

"So am I," Proteus said.

"Every genitor I ever saw get a spark from the Well said the same thing. Take a nap before he wakes, then feed him. I'll come back tonight and help you bathe him. By the way, what's his name?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

They both grinned back. "We're calling him Rugur."

Ratchet nodded. "That's a beautiful name. It reminds me of Resolve, Wheeljack and Perceptor's son. They named him with a name they felt he could grow into. They believe that the name should challenge their son somehow to be something more."

"That's what we think, too. Rugar was my atar's name. We didn't spell it like that. We spelled it with a 'u'. Rugur," Proteus said. "I get to hear my atar's name but it doesn't mean the same."

Ratchet nodded. "It means what you feel and want, right?"

They both nodded. "Rugur. Redemption," Proteus said.

"Beautiful," Ratchet replied.

-0-TBC 3-4-18 edited 3-10-18 


	290. Chapter 290

The Diego Diaries: Life (dd6 290)

-0-That afternoon

Prowl sat at the center table in Ops Center working on a stack of slag that piled up during the trial. He was waiting for Ratchet to arrive so they could discuss the incoming refugees that would be arriving in groups of ten thousand in two orns. They would be gathering together half a million before this prepped group would be cleared. More were coming and many were already in the camps that Dai Atlas and his group ran in the hinterlands far away. This would be an enormous help, bridging so many away. More would always come. They were finding groups small and large everywhere.

The afternoon had only one small glitch for him, the short side trip he had taken to visit his grand genitors. They had a business in Crystal City, a large and beautiful office space with work rooms, offices, storehouses for supplies and things needed for their products, whatever that was, computers that were hooked into the commercial and research sectors of Teletraan III, a reception room, and lots of space to branch out for whatever they needed to do their work.

Prowl had gathered himself, then walked into the reception room. It was already impeccable. The furnishings were expensive and familiar, the kind of solid display he remembered from the past. They had such massive wealth that they owned a tower in Praxus and placed their own offices in the penthouse. They had a lot of smart people working for them and they had entree to anywhere they wanted to go. They wined and dined with everyone who counted, though they preferred smart people to any other kind.

The images on the walls reminded him of the landscapes that were on the walls of their home office, though those were enormously famous originals by the artists themselves. No one was around so he walked down the corridor, passing impeccable offices with impeccable furnishings. When he reached a work room, he found them. They were bent over a computer datapad, one that lay on a drafting table. They were discussing the details of something or other off line. He almost turned around to leave when his Appa spoke. "Hello, Prowl. Please come in."

Prowl entered, then walked to the table as the two turned to look at him. He stared at the designs. "Interesting. Still in transition or are you nearing completion?"

"We're far from that golden moment," Zenith said. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine," Prowl replied. "I came to inquire about you. You have a habit of disappearing into your work so I came to see what you might require. Have you eaten anything?"

They glanced at each other, then him. "No," Shadow said with a slight grin. "You remember well."

Prowl grinned in spite of himself. "Should I send you food or are you going somewhere to eat?"

"We're rather stuck on a problem and would like to dine in. However, we are not yet up to the nuances."

"I will order you breakfast, then program good places for this sort of thing for you into your system," he said as he walked to the wall communicator nearby. Opening the colony directory, he scrolled through the listings, organized them under headings for the different meals, then programmed a save. He ordered food to be delivered, then commed off. "Your system is programmed. When they come, I told them to come in and set it on the front desk. I would hope you remember to eat it before too long. The delivery has been notified that you're working on science and that you might not hear them. All of the scientists in the colony have the same problem now and again. They're used to it."

"Thank you, Prowl," Zenith said. "What have you been working on lately? Anything interesting?"

Prowl considered the question. "You haven't heard the news."

"No. We've been rather involved," Shadow said nodding to the datapad.

"Uh … I don't know if you've heard about the Functionalist Council … we captured them and their group," Prowl said.

The two glanced at each other, then him. "No," Zenith said. "They're wanted, I know, for many crimes in the past."

"They were wanted for them now as well. Before they left their colony to come here they recalled half a million of our people," Prowl said. "The trial was held over the past few orns. You didn't hear about it?"

"No. Sorry, Prowl," Shadow said. "What was the outcome? I'm assuming this was a Council hearing?"

"It was. They stuck by their guns. They didn't defend themselves but reiterated their beliefs. Optimus had no other choice but to declare them guilty and impose a million year sentence in stasis for them," Prowl said.

"That seems fair," Zenith said. "Sentinel would have them executed."

"We don't execute," Prowl said stiffly. "It was taken out of our servos in the end anyway."

Shadow straightened slightly. "The Pantheon weighed in then?"

Prowl nodded. "The Pantheon, all of Them along with Primus Himself. When Optimus went to the Matrix, all of us involved in the trial went as well."

They stared at him for a moment, then Zenith leaned against the drawing table regarding his grandson for a moment. "You went, too? Remarkable."

"We all did, even the witnesses, the counsels, security … all of us including Optimus and the defendants. We were in a simulation of the beach house on the Sea of Mercury, the Prime Residence there. They came out of the sea and gathered before us."

"Go on," Zenith said as he nodded.

"They were happy to see us and gave us all a personal nod which was a glorious thing, I will tell you. They did, however, hold Their pleasure with the Council and their assistants. There were 34 on trial. They expressed Their deep displeasure. They spoke of our free will and how we were always loved, all of us equally. They expected us to love each other and how our failure to do so through the Quintessan Oppression, the Functionalist slavery and lastly, The System of Exception had caused terrific harm to all of us and mostly, to the Person of Primus. They were very unhappy about all of it and They made it very clear."

It was very silent in the room. Shadow who was staring at him without expression nodded. "Please continue, Prowl."

"They made it clear to everyone that They expected better. They took the Council of Twelve back … They recalled them. They said they were too dangerous to leave alive among us because they were cold sparked killers. They said it would happen again and again and again. That was when Primus stepped from the sea." Prowl thought about the beautiful figure of his personal favorite with his great and loving beauty. "You should have seen Him," Prowl whispered. "He was beautiful and love personified. He greeted us, too, speaking to Optimus as a father to a son. All of Them called Optimus brother. They saw him as the best among those who had ever lead us. Primus was angry. He said that the actions of oppression had harmed Him. He was the access point to The One and the Matrix. The Matrix was a part of him that was the place where all of us returned first, where the Gatekeeper waited. He saw every death, ever dead child, every broken spark. He was tired of it. He was angry and made it clear that it would never happen again."

It was so quiet Prowl could hear machines in the background.

"He spoke of unity and how we all were one. He said there was no hierarchy, not between us and not between Them and us. We all came from the same source. He was angry that we didn't learn. Vector said there was no path down which one could go with the System or the Functionalists that didn't end in death and destruction. Onyx agreed. Primus then said He would take the assistants. They vanished. He said that they could return if they changed and learned another path, the one that He and The One had always expected that we would take. He at that point banished for all time any system of oppression that pitted some above all others. He said that they were over and would never return. He also said and the others concurred that if they ever rose again in any form, He would personally intervene to end it." Prowl shrugged slightly. "It was a miraculous interlude. Then we were back again, here in the courthouse."

Zenith and Shadow stared at him. Then Zenith stood. "There were others there … those who saw and heard the same thing?" he asked.

"Yes, Appa, there was. Lauren, Alpha, Chrome … Master Cyclonus of the Monastery … they were all there to speak to the religious blasphemy that underpins the process. Heatout of the Circle was there. Many were. Optimus delivered the verdict and told of this conclusion in an empire-wide broadcast following the event. It should be in the folder of IntraComm in the Community Bulletin Board." He stared at them and between them lay the chasm that had divided them from his youth. "Is there anything I can do for you before I go on duty, Appa? Amma?" he asked.

"No," Zenith said as Shadow nodded. "Thank you for your help, grandson. We appreciate it."

Prowl nodded. "Well, its my honor," he said. "Ops Center is in the directory and you can call me off line. I'll see you soon then." He looked around. "This is very nice. I'm very happy that you've found what you want to do."

"Thank you, Prowl, for assisting us," Shadow said.

Prowl nodded, then walked out to leave. They followed and when he reached the door the delivery of their food was there. He took the box, thanked the kid, then set it on the front desk. He opened it and put the food on the table. "Enjoy," he said with a grin. Then he walked out.

They stared at the door as it closed, then the food. Without a word, they walked to the desk and sat. It would be a while before they spoke. It would take a while to digest the news.

-0-Ops Center

Ratchet wandered in with Halo on his arm. Her pretty 'hair' hung over his arm sparkling in the light. He sat, then stared at his empty arm. Grinning at Prowl, he sat back and put his peds up on a chair. "Slagger. I see you haven't lost it."

"I never will. They're all mine," Prowl said with a grin. He lay her on the table, then smoothed her glittering hair out. "This is nice. Solus has a more filament style but this is flatter and wider."

"I sort of think of it as fettuccine-like while Solus is angel hair spaghetti." Prowl glanced up at Ratchet who gifted him with an Orion-sized smile. "I'm hungry. You had lunch?"

"No."

"Take a break, slagger. Let's eat," Ratchet said as he stood.

Prowl glanced at Trailbreaker nearby. "I'm going to lunch with Loon, Trailbreaker. If I don't he'll hurt himself walking to the door."

"A mercy lunch then," Trailbreaker said as he glanced over his shoulder from Tactical.

"Someone has to keep him from stepping on his own face," Prowl said as he stood and tucked Halo into his arm. "You know how he is."

Everyone in the room laughed as Ratchet stood to follow. A nice rap on Prowl's noggin helped grease the way. They wandered out, then walked down Fortress Road to the intersection. The lights were good so they continued until they reached The Diner On The Corner. Entering, they found a booth and settled with Halo laying on the table by the window. She drifted into recharge as they ordered and settled back.

"You're especially feisty today which is a nice way of saying you're an ass hole," Ratchet said with a smile.

A kick under the table put end to that as Prowl sat back with a smirk. "Takes one to know one. I do believe that's the proper response to your rather churlish insubordination."

"Insubordination? I've seen you drunk. Don't make me post videos," Ratchet said as he enjoyed the smirk fade from Prowl's impossibly handsome face.

"Cad."

"That's me," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. Their food and drink arrived so they dug in.

"I visited my appa and amma this morning. They have a nice office in Crystal City and are hard at it. I could have written the script when I saw them. They haven't changed a bit."

"You sort of lived in your office, too, if I remember right," Ratchet said. "I, on the other hand, find grinding drudgery and best boy slaggery less entertaining than fragging the old mech and pub crawling. Remember how I tried to get you to get loaded with me back in the orn? You were such a good boy, Prowler. I'd come to the HQ and needle you."

"You were a first class slagger. I remember. I never did go. I wish I had. It would've served Sentinel right," Prowl said.

"Have you ever told your genitors about him and you? Your appa and amma?" Ratchet asked because he was a snoop and a cad.

"No. My appa would beat him into a pulp. Hardie was right about him having skills. I'd have a hard time against him myself," Prowl said.

Ratchet nodded. "You know, Prowl, I don't see a lot of happiness in the high castes. Money and power didn't make life better. Such a load of bullocks." He grinned. "Did I ever tell you how much I like that word?"

"Many times and I agree with you. Did you notice how may of the bonds were so unhappy? By the way, I want to see the new baby. Rugur is a great name and it fits," Prowl said.

"They all fit, Prowler," Ratchet said with a grin. They would sit and chat, eat and then wander back. Newbies were coming, lost lambs from far away and they would be there to greet them.

-0-TBC 3-5-18 edited 03-10-18


	291. Chapter 291

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 291)

-0-Outside the door

He gathered himself, then opened the door to step inside with a smile firmly placed on his face. No one was there, so Miler walked down the hallway until he came to the work room where his genitors were standing around a drafting table working on a problem on a huge datapad. He flashed back to his youth when he did the same then, waiting outside the door with trepidation as his brilliant genitors worked on something that no one else could imagine.

"Come in, Miler," Zenith said as he stared at the problem on the datapad. Both of them turned to him, noting his usual presence of depressed energy and a barely contained uncertainty. "How are you today, son?" he asked.

"I'm well. I came to see how you were and to look at your new location. It looks very nice, like the one in the tower back when," Miler said as he walked closer. He looked at the datapad, then his genitors. "Very tough mathematics. It looks very interesting."

Shadow nodded. "It is. Perhaps you can offer an opinion at some point. Your mathematics are extremely good."

"I would like that," Miler said. There was a silence for a moment that always unnerved him. Both of his genitors lived a lot in their processors working on astonishing physics and inventive processes that weren't even known to be needed until they were unveiled at trade shows and 'premiers'. There was little that one could find fault with in their professional thought processes. "Did you eat? I can bring you something if you like. I have to go to the Trigger today. We're bringing in the first group of refugees but I can fetch you something."

"That's fine, Miler. Thank you. Prowl came by and took care of that." Zenith nodded to a neat stack of empty dishes and bowls nearby. "The cuisine of this colony is first class."

"It is," Miler said feeling relieved that the conversation didn't stall dead. "Rampage is a remarkable savant with food."

"He is a Predacon, correct?" Shadow asked. "I do remember that combiner. I was asked to check out the math to find his weaknesses. He doesn't have any."

"He does now. Rampage lives and works here. They can't combine without him and hold the circuits. He has a wonderful bond, businesses that meet a great need, a big extended family, and infants. He's an impressive individual who is so happy here and has refused to rejoin his brothers when they've called for him to come," Miler said.

Zenith nodded. "That's fortunate for us," he said. He looked at Miler musing a moment. "Prowl told us about the Council Hearing. The Functionalists were criminals over the eons and they came to a deserved end. However … I am very disappointed to hear about the other revelations. I will be talking to some who were there … Alpha and the priests. We haven't touched base with them anyway and I have many concerns."

"I don't believe it will help you, Atar," Miler said. "The Pantheon and Lord Primus Himself spoke not just for Himself and his siblings, but for The One as well. They were adamant."

"I will still have that conversation," Zenith said quietly. "We are aware of the liberties that you have taken in the family when we were absent. The children are wonderful but there are things that vex us a bit, Miler."

Miler looked at them, at the power of their softly spoken words. He felt himself shrink down to a child who was told how the world would work and that he had to conform. The conformity had shriveled him into an anxious, clueless automaton who followed the rules to the point where he nearly lost his spark and his beloved son, Prowl. "The family saved my life. Everyone of them I love with all my spark. **All** of them," he said almost without thinking. Inside, he was stunned that he had but outside he was still calm.

"You **do** understand, Miler, that our family traditions and beliefs are sacred," Shadow said.

Miler looked at him. "What are you asking me to do? Turn away from those in the family that aren't high caste? The twins, Lord Optimus himself? What are you demanding? Some of my grandchildren don't bear my tattoos."

"We can discuss this later when we've talked to others. We aren't asking you to do anything about anyone, Miler," Shadow said.

Miler stared at them, then turned sharply and walked down the hallway. He paused by the door, then stepped outside. He nearly ran all the way to Ops Center.

-0-In a conference room in Ops Center a short time later

He saw his ada coming and rose to intercept him. Miler was emotional and nearly dragged Prowl into the small conference room nearby. He closed the door, then turned to his son. "I saw my genitors this morning. They aren't happy about the outcome of the hearing."

"I don't suppose they are. Sit down, Ada," Prowl said as he pulled a chair.

Miler sat, then Prowl did. "Prowl, they talked about the family traditions and all of that. They acknowledged the children but told me they were unhappy with those in the family that aren't high caste. Maybe in not so many words, but I know them. I know what they say without words, the meanings in the spaces between."

Prowl felt himself suffuse with electrical tension. He patted his ada's servo. "They can't do a damned thing," he said as his anger began to rise. "What will they do? Primus Himself will come and swat them into the next dimension."

"They can cause trouble and hurt. I … I actually spoke up," Miler said as he shook his helm with astonished disbelief. He looked tense and surprised with himself. "I demanded to know what they'd do and they said we would speak at another time." He stared at his son with a look of determination doused with emotion. He was waiting to know what Prowl thought about it and it was obvious that this was all new terrain, standing up for himself before his genitors.

Prowl looked at him, seeing a small mech who was 'molded' by his genitors to the detriment of his spark. He also knew that this was the first time he had ever asserted himself against them and it was a grave moment in his self belief and confidence against the overwhelming force that his genitors presented. He wanted to hold his ada in his arms and hug him forever. Prowl took his servo. "I'm proud of you, Ada."

"Prowl … I have **never** spoken back. I did all that they required. I ever bonded dynastically. That your atar is my hero was a miracle. Then we … we obeyed our … **'caste'** when we raised you." Miler looked almost ill as he considered that. "I was so nervous when you were a baby. You were so small and perfect. My genitors could break my spark with a look and my grandgenitors, their fathers … I did so many things wrong with you that I try make it up with you and Prima now. Prowl, here on this world among everyone … its the most wonderful place I've ever been. Your atar is so happy and fulfilled. So am I. I'm so happy here."

"Ada … you have **nothing** to say or do for me that needs done. I understand what it was like for both of you and I'm sorry that you both had to suffer like that. I'm so sorry that this is the way things are but this place is a miracle. Change happens here. Hard Drive said there are things that can be done through the caste and the Court. Did they say they would invoke?"

"No but they implied it. I don't want anyone to have their feelings hurt. There are so many who had terrible lives in our family because of us and I don't want to start this again," Miler said nearly to tears.

The door opened as Venture stepped in followed by Optimus. "Please, sit," Prowl said. He looked at his ada. "Please tell them what you told me."

Miler did. It was leaden in the room. As they sat silently a moment, the door opened again. Ratchet stepped in. "You called?" he asked, then he froze at the scene. Miler was upset and everyone was here. Grand genitor trouble, he considered. Moving to a chair, he sat. "Tell me what I can do for you and its done."

Miler smiled slightly. "That's what a squad does, right?"

"Oh yeah," Ratchet said with a grin. "Squads stay together, do or die. I'm assuming and tell me to butt out if I'm over some line here … your genitors aren't assimilating very well."

"No, they aren't. I'm going to speak to them right now and I want you to go with me," Prowl said as he stood.

Miler gripped his servo. "Oh, Prowl. Don't go. This won't end well. They don't have a clue how things really work. I think … they're good inside somewhere. They just had it programmed into a corner. I don't want hurt and I don't want trouble. For anyone."

"You already have it, Ada. I'm just going to outline the new rules," Prowl said grimly.

"Prowl … I can speak to them," Prime said. He stood. "Let me speak to them first. They might hear me because of the Matrix and there will not be hard feelings among you."

"I will fight **both** of them together before they make **any one** of our family, no matter who they are, feel small or abused," Prowl said to him.

"I'll go with," Ratchet said. "Neutral observer … triage," he said with a light tone. "Your genitors need you right now."

Prowl stared at him, then nodded slightly. "We **will** have words at some point. Just so you know."

"Perhaps, but I found that things sometimes are not so poisoned if someone else goes. You have just found your family including them. Let us take the time to try and make peace without breaking any bonds between us," Prime said.

Ratchet walked to the door, held it open and followed Prime out. He glanced at Prowl. "Don't worry." He walked out and the door closed.

Prowl sat, then looked at his ada and atar. "I want you to always remember that you both are the most wonderful mechs I know. You came back from the brink. You're loving and good to my children and you gave me a brother. A mech can't ask for more."

Miler stood and the two embraced. "We were clueless, Prowl. We both love you so much. We're so proud of you. You and Prima are our treasure. You and the infants, all of them. I don't want this to destroy our family."

Venture who was sitting on a chair stood and wrapped his arms around both of them. "It won't, Miler," he said. "We shall see what happens."

-0-On their way

They walked to the station on this side of the intersection. Down Fortress Metro they went, then boarded a train for Crystal City. It was silent on the nearly empty train as they stood together. Ratchet glanced at Prime. "What do you think about, Optimus, when you look around? You and I can go any where we want now. There's no barriers."

"I'm relieved and proud, Ratchet. Our people have overcome everything to make a monument to themselves. We're bringing back things that matter and leaving behind those that do not. Things like this … they are small but powerful," he replied. "I will protect my family and this colony … everyone and everything in it because its my job. I am weary of this poison."

"That's what it is," Ratchet said. "Its an infection that persists. My genitors and grand genitors are the best mechs and femme that I know. There were others … uncles and great grand genitors. We lived near each other and it never felt too terrible to me because I had them. That's the same feeling I have here. I wonder where the others are? I hope they're well. If not, then they're safe in the Matrix. This place is our monument to them."

Prime nodded as they reached Terra Underground Hub. They rode through as the tracks switched automatically and headed toward Crystal City. The second metro there would be closest to the offices Zenith and Shadow had in a tower dedicated to commerce and business. "It ends here. I would hate to have the Pantheon step in and deliver a punishment against them. It would punish all of us. Prowl and Miler deserve some kind of detente. This has been a long time coming."

"Miler is a sweet mech. He's so happy. He's the cutest drunk," Ratchet said with a grin. Prime grinned, too. "I will back your play."

Prime glanced at Ratchet, someone who grew up in the same slum as him, who watched the same inequities down the street from the gates that hemmed them in from the rest of the world and who knew the same deprivations, slurs and thwarted dreams as he did. "Since when was it other?" he asked as the train slowed to a stop. He stepped out followed by Ratchet and the two walked up to the street. It was a silent walk to the tower and a quiet tense ride upward.

They walked to the door of the business, then waited a moment to affect the right persona. Prime glanced at Ratchet who nodded, then opened the door. Both entered, finding the reception area empty. Down the hallway they walked before reaching the work room. Both were there, both were sitting on the couch nearby discussing something or other between then. They stood when Optimus entered the room. Ratchet stayed back in the doorway as the big mech received their bows and returned the proper nod. "Forgive me from entering unannounced but I am here to speak to you of matters that involve all of us." He glanced at Ratchet, then both again. "Ratchet is also a grand genitor of my grandson, Kaon and the little twin femmes so he is here as well."

Zenith nodded. "Welcome," he said simply.

Ratchet considered both of them and noted they were really old school at this moment. They were so rarefied that he doubted their peds ever touched real ground. He had seen some like them and they usually came from massive old money. They had lived in the prison of privilege all their orns and this was going to be really, truly difficult.

"I will get to the crux of the matter. I am aware that you are unsettled about the decisions reached by the Pantheon and Lord Primus Himself during the councilor part of the hearing just past for the Functionalists. I am here to listen to your concerns and help you with anything that I can."

Zenith nodded. "We're going to be speaking to Alpha Trion and others who were there. I'm curious that this was spoken by Them. I need more information. I do not come to conclusions without the facts. I'm a scientist, after all, and as such need to be clear in my processor about all matters relating to this unusual set of circumstance."

"Neo was there. Lord Chrome, Lord Lauren, Master Cyclonus of the Monastery … all of them were there. Heatout is high caste Teacher for the Circle of Light and someone who is famed for his clarity and honor. I will supply you with a list if you require it. I, too, admire the scientific process of gathering information to make conclusions. It makes things easier without drama or undo emotions."

"We have a family history and traditions that inform us to a great degree. We support a very traditional form of Temple practice which we taught our son, Miler and our grandson, Prowl to honor. I'm sure that you've noticed this," Shadow said.

Prime nodded. "That is so. They come to make amends before the Festival every year. They keep up the prayers for the dead and Cybertron on a regular basis. Venture is on the Temple Board and we keep Praxian customs for Prowl and his family's honor. I, myself, have a less rigorous religious practice, though as First Disciple of Primus and Bearer of the greatest Matrix that exists, I have come to many conclusions and customs because of that."

"We're serious individuals, Lord Optimus. We honor the traditions of our ancestors. It should be evident to all who come into contact with Praxians that we do. They're our central identity as a culture and we have many laws and customs that we follow to honor that," Zenith said.

"When the infants were separated, we followed all the customs," Ratchet said. "We honored them to honor Prowl and my bond, Ironhide. He's Praxian as well. We raise our children accordingly. Like Optimus, my process was less formal but equally as important and self defining. We understand your desires to remain who you are but paradigms change and things move forward. You don't have to like them but they are so."

"Perhaps," Zenith said quietly. He looked at Prime. "There are many customs in our family that helped get us through all the history of our people. We honor and follow them. I'm sure you're aware of some of them, perhaps all of them."

"I am aware of invoking, if that is what you are striving to say," Prime said. "I am also aware of the dictates of Primus and The One. Until all are one. That's the simple underlying principle of our people and Their hopes for us. It exemplifies Their unending love for us. All of us."

It was silent in the room, almost too silent too long. "We honor our traditions and uphold our way of life. Our culture is precious to us, Lord Optimus. Thank you for adding fuel for thought. We don't take anything lightly and thank you for your wise council," Zenith said as he and Shadow bowed.

Prime nodded. "I hope you do. It is a miracle that you are here, safe and ready to prosper. It is the Will of Primus that we all do. I wish you well today and in your ventures ahead. My House is your House, Zenith and Shadow of Praxus," Prime said formally, asserting once again his status as the Prime of Cybertron and First Disciple of Primus. "I will take my leave now."

They bowed as Prime stepped out of the room. Ratchet turned to him. :I'm going to speak to them. Intel, brother. Could you wait outside a moment?:

Prime nodded, walked down the hallway to the door, then outside. Ratchet watched him go, then turned to the two. He grinned. "It's a great thing to have you here. We're a nation of orphans. I have about 40 or 50 children. I lost track. I adopted about 25 or 35 of them because they needed love and a foundation of family. We were lost so long that most of the mechs here never saw a child until Ironhide and I had one.

"We built this together with our bare servos brick-by-brick, side-by-side. It was hard and joyous and wonderful. We go to games together. The Championship of the Primus Cup is in two more decaorns. Your grandsons-in-law, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe who are my adopted sons are in the finals against Helix from Cybertron. Its going to be great and you should come as our honored guests and family. The whole family goes and stands in the Primal Box mid field.

"You'll see something there that you never saw on Cybertron. You'll see unity, happiness, all kinds of castes standing together, pride, joy … you'll see what Primus and The One want us to be. What you won't see is brutality, segregation, armed guards beating people, exclusion, anguish, and terror. Given a chance to choose which of those two paths you can take, I'd wager there isn't a mech or femme either here or on Cybertron who'd willingly take the second one.

"I just want you to know that we welcome you with love because Prowl and Miler are yours. I'd hope after all of this, that would be enough." Ratchet turned to leave when Zenith spoke again. He turned back to listen.

"We have traditions in our culture that matter to us. You must be cognizant of some of the more demanding ones," he said.

"If you mean invoking, yes," Ratchet said. "I'm not unclear about your customs, Abba. My old mech is Ironhide of Praxus. He and his genitors, grand genitors and great-grand genitors live here. You might know them. His genitors are General Blackjack and Senior Commander Alor of Iacon. His grand genitors are General Raptor and Senior Battalion Commander Turbine of Praxus. Last and not least, General Hard Drive and Senior Commander Delphi of Praxus. The last two are members of The Immortals from the War Against the Quintesson Oppression. Every last one of them belong to the high castes because everyone last one of them are Praxian Military Elite. I know about Praxian culture. We mostly raise our kids in it. Just so you know," Ratchet said. He nodded and walked down the hallway to the door. Stepping out, he met Prime.

"There were no fisticuffs?" Optimus asked with a slight grin.

"Not yet," Ratchet said. "I told them the Tale of the Immortals. Sort of," he said as they walked onward to the train station and the long winding ride back to The City.

-0-TBC 3-6-18

Thanks for the patience. I find it easier to sit today and thus, gave you three or so extra pages of story. :D You are the best ever, readers. Remember that. :D:D:D PS This is the first piece I think I've written first draft in two or three years that had no errors during spell check. **HOORAY! ^. .^**

savant: (suh-vont) Someone who is very gifted at something. Sometimes, that person can be mentally deficient in some ways yet be astonishingly good at something like art or music. You don't have to be so to be a savant. Someone who is, is sometimes called an idiot savant. I find that word offensive but historically, that's what they were called. In my book, you have to be a very HUGE ass hole to be considered bad in my book. :D

NOTES:

optimus prime101 chapter 290 . 13h ago

So does zenith and shadow start trouble yet?

ME: Yep. :D They will try. Sometimes, it takes a while to change. It isn't always smooth sailing. :D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 289 . Mar 5

This was another wonderful chapter. I cried when the new-spark inhabited the baby's frame. You write beautifully and sincerely.

ME: Thank you, honey. I describe the movie in my head. That's where it comes from. I love to write for all of you. HUGS!

Guest chapter 287 . Mar 3

Oh dear, there is a lot going on at the moment it seems.  
I do hope that Lucien can finally get himself straightened out, because if having his believes

disapproved so thoroughly by the Pantheon and Primus doesn't make him understand I fear nothing will.

ME: Right now, Lucien and the others are in shock. They have no way to go but down the straight road. Fear right now and shock is their friend. LOL!

And I do understand why the Cybertronians would wimp out on human childbirth it can make your skin crawl with everything that's going on. You know the pain, the blood and everything and that's when everything goes according to plan. The amount of things that can go wrong during childbirth for both mother and child is scary. Bet you anything that a caesarean would give them nightmares.

ME: Child birth is such a miracle and frankly, so scary, messy, difficult. They have a real problem with the messiness of what constitutes organics. I love that aspect of them. Childbirth is such a marathon and such a brave undertaking. KUDOES TO MOMS! (and dads) :D

Also makes me wonder how they would react to appendectomy, open heart surgery or organ transplantation.

ME: Ironhide told him he would probably pop his cork. Poor widdow baby. :D:D:D

Anyway, wonderful chapter as always and I hope everything goes alright for Linda.

ME: Thank you, sweetie. Its all good for her. They have to honor the baby now and media on Earth is having a plotz. I think a Platoon episode on the kids and the new habitats is in order. I'll ask Leonora. ;)

kattenbelletje chapter 287 . Mar 2 couldn't Ratchet enter in Pretender form? Men are such wusses :)

ME: I forgot about that. Ratchet does love doing things in pretender gear. LOL! Men are. Niall is a good guy but he lost his stuff this time around. HUGS!

Lackwit chapter 285 . Mar 1

Seeker convocation! Have you written about it yet? I have been waiting for the details but don't recall having read about it yet. Where? What's Magnus teasing us about? :)

ME: I am going to do it in flashbacks. The mass of stuff coming one after another cut that back so much that I decided that flashbacks would do it more justice. I want to add more stuff for Seeker culture and that demands attention. It will be coming shortly. Leoness chapter 285 . Feb 28

I adore the Ironhide side of the family particularly. They're such delightful loons. Orion didn't fall far from that tree for all Ratchet gets the blame!

ME: There's something so intrinsically funny about them, especially with Raptor, that I can't stop writing their insanity. They're so confident. THey have so much comfort together that they are a dream to write. I love them too. HUGS!


	292. Chapter 292

The Diego Diaries: Problems (dd6 292)

-0-Ops Center, later that orn

Miler and Venture sat together in the conference room again. Miler had finished his tour in the Trigger. Ten thousand refugees had come through in big cargo ships. It was decided that this would be the way to bring in a large number of individuals without the complications of having an ocean of ships to deal with. Huge cargo vessels from the Prime's Fleet were taken through and loaded up. Miler had been the navigator and after a bit had lost himself in the work. Venture had gone to work at the office in Terra. It was harder to lose himself in his job given the unspoken possibility that Zenith and Shadow could invoke on both of them.

Having grown up in the rarefied heights of their caste, they were raised to be conforming and obedient. The Praxian group had their own habits and rules, rather like Stanix and other sub cultures around the planet. For the greatest part of their lives, both had been obedient sons, doing what was asked of them without comment. That they were beautiful companions for each other was a miracle. Coming here had not only been the finest event in a long terrifying and arduous flight from Cybertron, it had reunited them with their son. Now, the past was extending itself into their newly found freedom and family ties. What they would do about it was scary and uncertain.

After they finished their shifts, they walked together to the Ops Center, called there by Prowl and Prime. Entering, they walked with Prowl to the conference room and sat. Prowl looked at both with concern. "How are you today?" he asked.

Venture glanced at Miler, then shrugged. "That's in the hands of your grand genitors. I'm concerned."

Miler nodded. "They were almost gods on Cybertron. They had few equals. They had power and wealth so they never had to learn disappointment. They never had to learn limitations. I don't know what they might do even if they can't do anything about The System. They aren't used to hearing no." He looked bitter a moment. "I certainly never told them that."

Prowl nodded. "They use silence as a weapon, you know. They know it makes most nervous. It doesn't matter what they want. They're going to find out what limits feel like."

"What if they invoke, son?" Miler asked. "I don't know what I would do about that. I'm … our culture is important to me. I know I'm ..." He halted a moment to think about his thought, then he looked rueful. "I was raised this way and I find comfort in what I know and believe. Of course, things have changed or were modified, but the outline of my life always gave me comfort. Even if I didn't know how to be close to them, I was close to Primus. I was proud of being from Praxus. If they invoke, I think it'll be a crisis point for me."

Prowl nodded. "I know. I sort of have the same existential angst, too. You know what being Praxian means to me. Optimus has agreed to teach the children what that means. What would it mean to have to choose whether to acknowledge the core of your identity or give it up for something else. I'll tell you now … I'll give up my culture before I give up one person in the family or any friends I've made." He looked pensive a moment. "I have to tell you that I was a real cold blooded fragger for a long time. I was machine-like, I think, in the way I approached things. I had … bad relationships because I had no confidence but if others heard that then, they would have laughed. I was good at projection."

Miler squeezed his servo. "I had no confidence. I hid in books and learning. I didn't have the social graces but I learned how to pretend. The house was exquisite but soulless. Our life was glittering but drab. The only color in my life was you and Venture and I didn't know how to treat you or nurture you … you were a mystery to me and I admired that. I didn't know until The Fall that was what I felt. You were always free, Prowl. You had more freedom than anyone and even though you were a wonderful son and mannerly, you were impenetrable. My genitors were proud of your achievements but they pressured us to make you follow the path more closely."

Prowl nodded. "I know. I want you to know that I always knew that and how hard the forces of our class pressed you. I never blamed you. I blamed the system that made things so. You did your best and I know that. I always did." He grinned slightly. "I liked thwarting them." He sat silently a moment. "I … was never good at the emotional stuff. I thought it was a wedge into me and what I wanted, to let anyone see that part too closely. But something in my spark is filled with … I don't know if compassion is the word … I feel sad for both of them. They're incredibly talented and gifted. They had every advantage under the sun but they're so lonely to me. They're so incredibly lonely."

"Its the life. No one gets too close to each other in our caste," Venture said. "Notice how lonely and desperate all the bonds of our friend group were? Edict tried to kill himself. Madura became housebound. Laslo was a nervous wreck trying to be the referee in his family. Millow is a glacier and a threat to Traachon ever becoming reconciled to the new reality. They all were harmed and squeezed by The System. No one was truly happy at our end of things but the Elites. I remember the first morning after we reconciled with you when we came here. I walked out into the sun and marveled. A sense of dread that had been with me for as long as I could remember was gone. It felt like a weight was lifted off. It was clear to me, Prowl, that the only thing that matters is love. Love and family … friends. Helping each other and caring for each other. Those personal intimate things are the only ones that matter.

"Remember how wonderful their house was? They had more money than even my family and we were … we were parasites, too." He looked emotional a moment. "My family had love for each other and we were a team. Miler had another story. You were so beat down by them. It came to me when we bonded and were trying to become friends. I remember how anxious you were and it made me feel terrible to see it in you. That's no way to live. All you have is love. You can't take anything else with you to the Matrix in the end … only love and memories. They don't and may never know that."

Prowl squeezed both their servos. "You have mine."

They stared at him, their contrarian son who had known what he wanted and pursued it young, then hugged him. "You and Prima … the best things I ever did for myself, Prowl. You're our hero," Miler said.

"And you two are mine. It wasn't an accident that we found each other in the universe and this isn't one either. Maybe we have to save them," Prowl said. "Maybe this is being put together to make things better."

"I'll hold a good thought," Miler said as the door opened and Optimus walked in. Behind, trailing him as he walked to a chair next to Prowl was Hard Drive, Raptor, Delphi, Blackjack, Ironhide with Halo, Turbine, Micro, and his son, Piro. They were bruiser mechs, all but Hard Drive and Piro. Piro would become a big mech like his father, Micro, at some point in his life but for now, he was a taller and bigger version of the more slight, slender and less obviously lethal format of Hard Drive. Everyone sat.

"How are you both today, Miler? Venture?" Optimus asked sympathetically.

"Nervous," Miler said. "Worried."

Optimus nodded. "I know. I asked Hard Drive and his family along with Micro and his son, the only other Praxian Elites in the colony to come forward and discuss this discreetly with us. I do not wish to make public any of your private worries-"

"No," Venture said. "It's alright. We have a big problem here and maybe the Elites are the only ones who can make it right. Thank you, Optimus, for helping us."

"We are family, Venture. I will always take care of the family to the best of my ability," Optimus said. He glanced at Hard Drive. "General, you are senior Praxian here. We have a problem with the genitors of Miler's and their views on The System and the members of the family who they feel fall short of their caste. We have discussed some things with them, myself, Ratchet and Miler, and the implied but unspoken threat of invoking has come up. We would appreciate your counsel on their situation and your ideas about how to handle it without breaking up the family or causing irretrievable hurt."

Hardie nodded. "Thank you for asking us, Optimus. The first rule of our caste is to serve without prejudice all the people of Cybertron. Our caste was a dampener and a control device on the rest of the high castes. We had a Code that we lived by to ensure that our focus was kept true but it also meant over the eons that rules and agreements about what we could do and how much we could intervene grew up that were binding and held true across the high caste group." He unsubbed a book, a large one with a silver engraved cover. It was written in Primal Vernacular.

"You read Primal Vernacular?" Optimus asked with surprise as he looked at the book.

Hardie nodded. "I do," he said. He glanced at the others. "I'm unclear how many of you do. After all, it's the language of the First Primes and mostly ceremonial. Few beyond priests and historians use it anymore, though it's your Matrix language, I believe," he said as he glanced at Prime.

Prime nodded. "It is."

Hardie set the big book down. It was large and very thick. It had metallic pages and was beautiful, rather like a highly polished jewel. It also had the essence of great age to it. The book itself almost seemed sentient. "This is The Code of the Praxian Military Elite which is supported by our patron Prime, the Thirteenth Prime from whom the creed comes. In here, kept over the eons by me and others, all of the rules that apply to the high castes reside. No one but the Elites read or edit The Code, though nearly every Praxian had a copy of some of it, mostly the family and societal obligation stuff to keep for their family. Every youth of our particular sub caste is raised in accordance with the rules on these pages. Its not opened for others unless there's a good and compelling reason. Like now." He grinned slightly. "We have to ascertain what the precedence is for invocations that appear to be unjust and if there's a way to oppose them without destroying the family and any future chances for reconciliation."

"That's the hope," Venture said. "They never said it but they implied it. I don't know what I will do if they force the issue."

"Well, let us see," Hardie said. He looked at Micro. "What do you think about this, Micro? Your point of view is always diverse and intriguing."

Micro laughed. " Nicely put, old friend. I think the first step of a visitation by a delegation is in order. Frankly, I remember Zenith. He's fierce in the martial arts. Though he's no soldier, I would hate to face him in a fight." He looked at Prowl. "I see that you follow your grandfather in that manner."

"We would go to the dojo in the Middlin District, the small one," Prowl said. "It was one of the few things we enjoyed together. I think his personality was formed by the philosophy they taught with the forms and techniques."

"They also taught respect and attitude," Micro said with a slight grin. "Your appa and amma use that as a tool. They use silence as a weapon knowing most can't stand silences. Good tactic. Smart."

Prowl nodded. "I remember. I also remember that Appa was really happy when I passed and was accepted. I just wanted to learn something to help me when I went into the police force."

Micro nodded. "Shadow is no slouch, either. They were given high remarks by Master Yoketron." He grinned. "You were Yoketron's favorite student. He thought you had as much talent as he did. He also thought you were the hardest hard helm he ever trained."

Prowl smirked in spite of himself. "I was untrained and undisciplined. He was right."

Micro nodded. "I think a delegation visitation is in order. Then … what about a hearing if they feel the need to invoke. We always have the last word."

"We do," Delphi said. "Given that caste is forbidden, the idea of invocation might be moot. You cannot invoke if you have no force of caste behind it."

"But it **is** written into Cybertronian law, into the legal codes and statutes, Ada. That makes it different. The Stanixians enforce their own cultural rules, usually with fists and peds but there's no legal law to support their positions. They're supported by agreement and practices developed over the vorns. There's no other sub culture that I'm aware of that got their rules written into law," Raptor said.

"That's because of the Millian fiasco. Remember?" Delphi asked.

They thought a moment, then Hardie nodded. "I remember." He looked at the others. "There was a family in Polyhex who owned a business, a big business. They had a lot of kids and their bonds had a lot of kids. Most of the time in that situation, at least back then, the oldest child inherited and the others worked for the company with good wages and such. It was a way to protect businesses from being broken up due to the death of a genitor. Inheritance laws were changed by this as well. The family owned the Millian Company who made space vessels and invested in real estate all over Cybertron. If the business was divided it would lose a lot of value, jobs would be lost and it would have been a mess.

"The patriarch died and left his company to his oldest son just like the rules and laws stated. The bonds of the younger ones were unhappy as you can imagine and there was a court proceeding to contest it. The family wanted the laws changed to make things more equitable." He grinned slightly. "Equitable when they wanted it, not otherwise. The oldest son petitioned a number of other business types in the Senate who were wealthy scions of corporations about writing the invocation language into Cybertronian law. That way, if they took it to court and the court ruled that the informal rules and practices were not legally binding, he'd be wiped out without protections. Invocations that carried the force of law would prevent them defeating him. The senators pushed it through and it was codified into law.

"Given that the oldest family member in a group, the oldest son in this case, became defacto 'atar' of the family at the death of his father, he could invoke. Anyone could invoke basically on anyone if they were related and senior. A younger brother can't invoke on an older sibling but the older sibling can on the younger. It's a strange mishmash of rules but they were designed to preserve power, not be fair. Over the eons, they were mostly used to preserve families from mistakes, such as someone bonding with a bad person. Also oddly enough … you'll find very few actual invocations in the record. Just the threat is enough to make most problems disappear."

"That case also codified the rules of inheritance. The older brother prevailed, he could legally invoke on the younger ones and his problems went away. How the others felt about it is unknown," Delphi said.

"Then invoking because its legal and codified in the law makes anything they do a binding transaction," Venture said.

"I would think so," Hardie said.

"Then we have to impress them with a delegate visitation. If they persist at that point, you can call for a caste court to review their rationales. If its just straight up bigotry, we can somehow fashion a ruling from the Primal ban regarding the application of the law toward that end. If everyone is equal, an argument that some aren't is rather moot I would think," Micro suggested. "Any laws that are designed to support bigotry fall under oppression, correct?"

"I would believe so," Hardie said. "Barron could give us a lesson on that aspect. We have a lot of leeway short of caste court and if they chose that route … you can call it, Miler, then we can hear their explanations. I don't know what they would hold to short of caste justifications and bigotry and both of these arguments are moot because of the ban and our new view that bigotry is not legal here."

Venture relaxed slightly. "That makes me feel slightly better," he said.

Prowl nodded. "The legalization of the invocation process makes this a problematic situation. They haven't stated that they'd do that specifically but its implied in what I heard and you, too, right, Ada?"

Miler nodded. "I heard it under the surface." He frowned. "I want to love and be proud of them. I want them to see our family and friends as the miracle that it is. I don't want them to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel the sickening oppression again. The idea that the twins might have to undergo this sort of thing … and Ratchet. It makes me want to weep."

"Then we have to do our part," Hardie said. "First, the delegation discussion with them. Then its in their court. They invoke, not invoke … it will be over if they don't. It could be that they won't. If that fails and they decide to press their point, we have two courses. They can face a caste court and lose there. Frankly, I don't see a feasible argument for this for them unless they know something all of us don't know, especially after the last case with the Functionalists. They have to have at least a decent enough argument, though I'll warn you … sometimes its just enough to invoke. The argument is almost irrelevant. The second course if they lose in caste court is to sue in the colonial court system. Since its a law in the Cybertronian legal code, they can pursue it that way. If they lose there, they can appeal as a last resort to you, Optimus."

"Has anyone ever done that?" Optimus asked.

"No," Hardie said. He opened the book and thumbed through the pages. He came to the section on courts and various options to bring there. Reaching the pages on invocations, he read a moment. "There has never been an appeal outside the court before but there are only about fifteen invocations listed here. They involve alienation of affection, blocking unsuitable affairs from becoming bonds and a few civil-style litigations. Nothing about our problem. Remember, this tended to shut down problems. Going to court was everyone's option but it was final in a way that nothing else is and we had a great deal of power to control things, as you may have noticed with Lucien and the others."

Prime nodded. "It is the only reason this is not discontinued. Until the last high caste capitulates, we have to have this option."

Hardie and the others nodded. "I agree."

"How does this work, Hardie?" Venture asked.

"We will choose the delegation," he said. "I think Delphi, Micro and me. Raptor can come along as the muscle."

"That's me," Raptor said with a big smile.

"You'll be so cute at it, too. I love your little face when you attempt to be a hard aft," Delphi said with a grin.

"Attempt?" Raptor asked with a slight sense of miff. His genitors were delighted. He had the cutest pout.

"What about us, Atar?" Piro asked his father.

"You won't be needed unless a court happens," Micro said. "If a court is required … refresh my memory, Hardie. It's been a while."

Hardie opened to the section on courts and picked the one for invocations. "We have to have a quorum. If you appear with Turbine, Delphi, me, Raptor, Blackjack, you Micro and Piro, we have one with a spare. You, Piro, will record. Ironhide, you get to be the muscle."

Ironhide smiled. "I get to be the tough guy. Maybe I better come along on the delegation visit and get lessons from you, Appa."

Raptor frowned. "Insolent child. **CASTE COURT! I INVOKE!"**

Huge laughter erupted.

Hardie smirked at his son, then his grandson, then his great grandson. "Slaggers. No respect for tradition and your elders. Did I say elders? I meant betters."

Micro laughed loudly, then slapped Raptor on his shoulder. "You poor sad sack."

Hardie read a moment. "The court will receive the petition and it will be a closed session. These sessions because of the personal nature of the content are usually closed. We hear the petition which they can present themselves or have counsel, both sides get their turn, then we think about it. We don't have to come to a finding at that moment. Sometimes, a court will hold the finding allowing the litigants to stew about it and sometimes they find a way to figure it out themselves. We could do that here."

"I don't think they would budge if they invoked," Miler said sadly. "They've never heard 'no' in their lives."

"Well, we can fix that," Hardie said as he closed the book.

-0-TBC 3-7-18 **edited 3-8-18**

moot: (moo-t) has no power, isn't in effect, over

pensive: (pen-siv)

angst: despair, fear (ang-st)

existential: (x-ih-sten-shul) Existential Angst is the relation to one being aware of the possibility that life lacks meaning, causing an extreme form of anxiety, and a feeling of despair or hopelessness.


	293. Chapter 293

The Diego Diaries: Moments Later (dd6 293)

-0-Outside on the sidewalk in front of The Fortress

They gathered together, all of the group called by Hard Drive to assist the Prime and his family. Hard Drive considered the problem before them, then turned to Micro. "When do you want to do this? Now? I think the sooner the better."

Micro nodded. "I agree," he said. He looked at his son. "We're going to a delegation visit. You can wait outside so we can organize once we find out how this goes. I don't have a lot of hope here for this to turn out well, so if it doesn't, we need you to be here to organize Plan B and fetch the beer."

Piro nodded. "Alright, Atar," he said with a grin.

"Then its me, you, Hardie, and Delphi. Raptor, you're the hard aft. The rest of you can go or come, either way is fine with me," Micro said. He grinned. "Of course, we can have an inside hard aft and a couple outside. I wonder … do you see anyone around who fits the bill?"

Huge laughter and frowns from Blackjack and Ironhide greeted that. With a grin, Hard Drive walked onward to the Fortress Metro with Micro as the others came along behind, some of them laughing while others bitched.

-0-In another town

He sat by the window rocking in the chair that Proteus had commissioned from a Guild shop that specialized in furniture and ancient crafts from Cybertron. This one was metal, copper in color and shimmered in the sunlight pouring through the window. Laying in Madura's arms, Rugur slept soundly. They had finally gotten the knack of caring for him, a bit of touch and go alleviated by the video library on the Community Bulletin Board.

Proteus was sitting on a couch reading a book, enjoying the quiet. Rugur was on a schedule now thanks to the shortcut ideas of the Home Health Care medic and social worker that visited them every other day since he had come to them. They were going to come twice more, then be on call. It would appear that Madura and Proteus were naturals.

"What are you reading, Proteus?" Madura asked.

Proteus looked up. "A book of poems. A youngster in the Intermediate School is very talented and has published a couple of books."

Madura nodded. "Could you read them aloud?"

Proteus grinned, then nodded. "I can."

He would read them as they waited for Rugur to need them. Until then, he slept onward contented in the arms of his ada.

-0-Crystal City

They waited outside the door as they squared away all their positions, who would speak, who would overawe with their magnificence … all of them … who would stand in the hallway … the beer they would have when this was over …

Like that.

Hard Drive gripped the door latch, then walked inside trailed by Micro, Delphi and Raptor. It closed behind them. Piro stood outside with Turbine, Blackjack and Ironhide. It was quiet, then the young kid turned to the others. "I would hate to be in there with them."

Everyone with him nodded in agreement.

-0-Inside

There was no one in the reception area, so Hardie walked down the hallway followed by the others. The two were in the work room and glanced up with surprise. Hardie stepped in. "Zenith and Shadow, its been a long time since we saw you last."

Zenith looked at the group, then nodded. "Hard Drive … it has. Hello, Delphi and this must be Raptor. You've grown a bit since last we met."

Raptor nodded. "I have."

Zenith glanced at Shadow, then the group. "May I help you in some way?"

"This is General Micro of Praxus. We would like to sit and talk to you a moment if you have the time," Hardie said.

"Is this business or personal?" Zenith asked.

"Perhaps both," Hardie said.

The two stepped into the hallway and led the way to the office area. Waiting for everyone but Raptor to find a seat, they sat. "I'm of the opinion that because Raptor isn't sitting, that you're here on caste business."

"You would assume correctly," Hardie said as the principal speaker. Delphi and Micro could jump in but Hardie would be the first to speak. "We're here to mediate anything that might hinder a joyous reunion of your family. Given that you're by extension relations of our own, we are duty and honor bound to help with any situations that might cause discord in our extended family and its clan."

"Perhaps you can specify that of which you speak," Zenith said.

It became tense but no one showed it on either side. It was a downturn in their personal auras that made the room feel crackly.

"Due to the Primal Councilor Hearing, things have changed in the manner in which we're instructed to live. Lord Optimus banned The System from the start of this colony and has extended that decree over the planet, Cybertron, the Empire, and wherever our people are, both now, in future and into the past as per the charters. During the trial, we were favored by the Pantheon and Lord Primus Himself who decreed that any system of oppression is banished and would be so forever. Both indicated that if they were continued in defiance of the Will of The One, They would personally intervene to end them. It was very clear. I was there and given the honor of seeing and hearing Them."

It was silent.

"I am told this happened. But why does that bring you here and what family transaction or event are we discussing?" Shadow asked.

Micro glanced at the big mech. "There are those in the family that fear your displeasure at some of the bonds, some of the individuals that are now related in familial ties. They worry that discord will be introduced and that the tranquility that they've created together will be jeopardized. Apparently, you both disclosed your feelings over having mid or low caste individuals as relatives."

Zenith considered that. "Since you're family, Hard Drive, something that until now I considered a good thing, I suppose we should be frank with each other. I'm not happy about it. Neither is Shadow. We've never caste mixed in our family history and we don't wish it now." He sat back, his lethal power brought about by a lifetime of martial artistry evident to everyone there. He wore it without conceit. It was just part of him now like his servos and attitudes. "Let us assume that The System is dead and gone. I find that a devastation to consider, but for the sake of argument … assume it is. That doesn't prevent us from living among our own and choosing our associations. That doesn't require us to do other."

Delphi nodded. "No, it doesn't. That sword can cut both ways, Zenith. As easily as you can boycott us, that's how fast we can leave you. It's unfortunate to me and a bit mystifying that you would do this. It reeks of bigotry to me."

Shadow looked at Delphi sharply. "Having standards, Delphi, is hardly the same thing."

"They are if they're based on subjective criteria that makes no difference, like the color of your format, the size of your finials and other trivial ignorant conceits. Did you know that the humans of Earth, a lot of them, consider us to be repugnant because of our bonds? Bonding with your own gender is considered the epitome of disgusting to some. So are certain skin colors, gender designations, religions, preferences of taste and attitude. You would be highly scorned among many of the humans because of your bond. In some countries there would be the death penalty waiting for both of you … Nigeria, Mauritania and Iran, for instance.

"Then remind me never to go to Earth," Zenith said coldly. "I am uninterested in the sad notions of an alien species that cannot even fly to their own moon."

"Their 'sad notions' are based on ignorance, intolerance and hatred. So is The System of Exception," Micro said. "You don't seem to be consistent in your ideas and opinions, Zenith."

"My opinions and ideas are not your domain, General. Given that The System is done, I'd be remiss to throw away all of my … notions. They stood us in good stead forever and I favor them for the continuity they bring to my life. What I do or not do in relation to my son is my own business, that and Shadow. You do believe that we might invoke. That's why you came in delegation, correct?"

They nodded. "We came as members of the court and as Warrior Elites. We have a duty to all our people as The Code demands and will fulfill it as ever. It's a matter of honor," Delphi said.

"Then you understand my position. I won't turn my back on my family and their history. Though Prime may have laid The System to rest, he has no control over what I believe or do in accordance with the law. You are aware, are you not, that invocations are embedded in our legal system. If we do or not, you cannot block that."

"No, but we can hear it in a Caste Court. If one is called, you cannot say no," Hardie said quietly.

"Perhaps, but I have the right to sue in court and appeal to the Prime. However, what we will or not do is between the two of us. What we will do we won't be sharing with you. We know you will understand," Zenith said glacially.

"Your call," Micro said. "We have our duty. You have your bigotry. Duty, in the long run, trumps bigotry. I hope you will learn to understand."

It was silent, then Hardie stood. The others joined him including the two. "Understand this in your calculations. The Pantheon and Primus in proxy to The One have spoken. The Functionalist Council didn't think they had to listen either and they were recalled. So were their assistants and accomplices in crime. Primus said there is no hierarchy … not between us nor between the Pantheon and us. You might seek advice from the Temple. I'm sure that Lady Sela can help you. She, after all, is not only a historian of our culture but holy." He nodded, then walked to the door. The others followed and it closed behind them.

In the hallway waiting, Turbine, Piro, Ironhide, and Blackjack turned to them. "What happened?" Turbine asked.

"Its in their court and I think they're going to volley it right back to our faces," Hard Drive said as the group walked to the elevator.

"Frag. I guess we better reserve a courtroom," Turbine said with a grin. "Sounds like a court."

"I think I need a beer," Raptor said as the doors closed on them. "I was slagging awesome as muscle."

The doors cut off the loud laughter.

-0-Sitting at a table in Club Cybertron

Prowl walked in with Ratchet and sat. "What happened? As if I need to ask,"

"They're thinking it over," Raptor said. He was kicked back with the rest of them including a grinning and mesmerized Piro. "Food for thought and slag like that."

"They're going to invoke aren't they," Prowl said rather than asked.

"Hard to say. Both of them play a close game," Hard Drive said. "We'll be ready."

" **SLAG RIGHT!"** Raptor said as he pulled Pudding out of his carry hold. He set the little cow on the table top.

Pudding looked at Raptor, then mooed softly. Raptor leaned forward and kissed him on the nose. "That's my little cow. Slagging fine cow."

Ironhide who was holding Halo laughed. He glanced at his father. "I think this is a two cow affair."

Blackjack pulled out Flipper and set him next to Pudding. Another round arrived as they kicked back to strategize, tell lies and pet the cows.

-0-TBC 3-8-18 edited 03-10-18

NOTES

frank: truthful, open

trump: to beat something else an ace trumps or beats a 10 of hearts.


	294. Chapter 294

The Diego Diaries: The Fam (dd6 294)

-0-Club Cybertron, mid morning

"So, its inconclusive."

Hardie shrugged. "I'm afraid so. Sometimes I used to think they dialed down their emotions to get the sort of calm that they exhibit."

"I've never seen them raise their voices. All it took was a look," Prowl said as he sipped his second beer.

"Its a tactic," Delphi offered.

"It worked on my genitors, especially my ada. I don't want to see him like this," Prowl said. "He wounds so easily."

"None of us do and he won't," Ratchet said. He grinned. "Tough slaggers, both of them."

"Very tough," Hardie said with a nod. "Now we wait."

They sat commiserating, eating lunch together, then they walked out to their lives and work. Micro would tour Cybertron with Hardie, then be given management of re-educating the former Decepticon troops into the Autobot Way. He would enjoy it immensely. It's not known how the 'Cons thought.

-0-Later that early afternoon in the foyer of Ops Center

"Thank you, Wheeljack. We need that extra bit of computer power to run this portion of our simulations. We want to test our basic assumptions," Zenith said as Shadow stood beside him. They had chased Wheeljack down to seek more computational power for four orns to test part of their project.

"No problem," Wheeljack said as he paused on his way to see Prime with an update toward moving Cyllus II, an inner system planet that was part of four that served the local cluster. It was a warehouse and storage place for materials bound in a million different directions as well as a former prison camp site during the misrule of Megatron. It would be less keenly felt if it was lost, so it was the first one to be tested with a transfer to another system. It was also slightly bigger than Earth, though four times smaller than Cybertron and one and a half times smaller than Gliese 581 g.

Nearby with his sensors and audials listening in, Prowl was bent over the big datapad 'working'. Their appearance had made him feel the itchy and unwanted sensation of nerves. Wheeljack nodded to them, then headed toward the door that led to the offices of the senior Autobots including Prime. He disappeared right away. Zenith and Shadow chatted a moment, then noticed Prowl. Glancing at each other, they walked into the room toward him.

Smokescreen who was working tactical and was sub commander of the orn due to Paragon attending a school function with Arrow noted their approach. Given he was Praxian, too, and had invoked on Smokey over Hot Rod which still held, he recognized the signs of Praxian familial disapproval.

/ … oh oh …/

He dialed in discreetly with secret software that he had stolen, modified and integrated that gave him nearly every advantage a professional gambler could want.

The two paused beside the desk as Prowl noted their appearance and turned toward them. The conversation they had was off line but Smokescreen could see the tells in Prowl that showed it might not be going well. Prowl was stiff, ultra formal which he only was when he couldn't break things and so prim it hurt his optics to watch. They were less so, more calm and contained. It was obvious that they were his appa and amma from their looks and manner, the two who he had heard through the grapevine aka Sunstreaker's Big Mouth were in town now, rescued and ready to rumble it would seem.

:Prowl … we had a delegation visit by Elites. Do you know about this?: Zenith asked.

:I do, Appa. I asked for it: Prowl said as formally as he could which was enough most times to stop a charging rhino. It wouldn't work on his amma and appa, both of whom had rigid facades themselves.

:I see. Why would you do that? I think we need your rationale, grandson: Zenith said as the two stared at him, their affect calm and relaxed even if what they allowed out of their aura, something that was unusually close to their frame, indicated anger.

:I'm concerned about your expressed lack of pleasure about the make up of our clan. We have a large extended family of individuals not all of whom are former high castes. Given that we have children and grandchildren, I'm concerned what this might reach them and cause offense. I don't want turmoil in the family nor a sense of worthlessness that The System made some feel. I want them to be welcome and feel comfortable around you even as I want you to love all of us if you can. I don't want it to be all one direction:

:I see: Shadow said. :You believe that we will invoke, then:

Prowl glanced at him. :Yes, Amma, I do. Your words about the family worry me. I worry about it causing offense for everyone and agonized decisions for my ada and atar. I want you to understand … we have a tightly knit loving family with children and grand children. If you invoke, you will test loyalties both to you and to our culture. I don't know if you understand how likely it is that you will be pushed back:

Shadow stared at him, then looked around. :This is your domain? You rule this space and do your job to the greatest possible level of achievement?:

:That's my goal every waking moment. I assist the Prime and protect everyone in this colony, the empire and Cybertron. My family lives here and their lives are precious to me. That includes you two: Prowl felt it at that moment, the suffocating lives they had led, the ruinous beliefs that they didn't seem about to shed. He felt a blinding sense of sorrow and loneliness for them.

:We told them that we didn't have to have The System back to live as we please. No one can force any associations upon us that we don't wish to enjoy. I'm as free as anyone else, Prowl: Zenith said.

:You are, Appa. I just … I find you so lonely and alone. I was all my life. I know Ada was. He was nervous to do what he was expected to do. When he came here, he bloomed. Prima is perfect. He's wonderful and both of them are trying to make up to him what they didn't feel they gave to me. I told them they're in error but they feel it. Why do they feel that they failed me, Appa? What suffocating sense of failure do they bear that made them believe this of themselves?: Prowl asked.

They stared at him. :We cannot speak for Miler. You know that we don't. It's part of our culture which we revere. It made you a miracle of a mech … brilliant, handsome, powerful in your confidence and skill at what you do. That came from who you are and how you were raised, Prowl: Shadow said.

:I was also lonely, defiant of the chains of my caste and unwilling to be the next cog in the family machine. I got away and I serve everyone no matter who they might have been once. I'm an ada, something I hadn't even in my most reckless flights of fancy ever contemplated. My grandson, my little Kaon opened my spark and my horizons more than any other thing in my life. I have children, beautiful children. Some of them came from my spark and some we found along the way. But make no mistake. Those three little mechs are gifts from The One as clearly as the other three. I would never tolerate them even having the slightest notion that they weren't as precious, loved and important as any other:

They stared at each other, neither side meeting at the midpoint, then Zenith glanced around again. :Very well. We know where we stand. As for invoking … we will keep our council. Give my regards to your family: Then he walked toward the door with his servo through Shadow's arm. They disappeared into the rec room and were gone.

Prowl watched them leave, unaware of how long he stood there, then he turned around and flipped the command table over. Things flew everywhere as everyone but Smokescreen jumped, startled by the sound. Prowl stared at the mess, seething with anger, then turned to Smokescreen who was lounging with a calm no one else had. "You have the conn, Smokescreen." With that, he stormed out of the room and disappeared.

Smokescreen stood up, then righted the table. Putting everything back on top, marveling at how well made all of it was, he turned to the surprised mechs and femmes around the room, most of them Home Guardsmen on their duty tours. If they were veteran Autobot soldiers, no one would have been surprised. This wasn't the first and would probably not be the last time Prowl flipped a table in outrage. Usually, that was directed at Prime or Springer, but not this time. No one had an idea what had happened and some of them showed fear on their faces. "Family squabble. Don't let it frighten or throw you off. Remember, you're sworn to keep **ALL** activity in the Ops Center as secret above secret. Your oath holds for this as well. If you only knew how many times Prowl's flipped a table because of some dumb aft thing, you wouldn't even raise an optical ridge over this. Let's all attend again, right?"

Everyone nodded, murmuring agreement, then got back to work. Smokescreen grinned. This wasn't the first family snit he'd seen and/or faced today. There must be something in the water, he thought …

… at the Dojo before shift, off to one side …

" **WHAT THE FRAG!? *REALLY*!?"**

Smokescreen grinned at his grandson whose range of emotional expressions and attitudes never failed to delight him or Devcon. What Moda and Tress felt about some of his flightier flights of emotion, he didn't know. He just knew that many more would be the pictures and short videos he would file away for himself and Dev before this conversation was over. "Lower your voice, Smokescreen, unless you want everyone to know your business."

Smokey came to a screeching halt. His genitors always called him Smokescreen. They **HATED** Smokey for their wayward and dazzling young and only sonny boy. It was too much like a gambler name for them … cough ... and even though they were a tightly knit family with few outstanding arguments between them, getting back together with Smokescreen's shenanigans over the orns was a process. His beloved Amma and Appa always called him Smokey **UNLESS** they were **SERIOUSLY** fragged off at him or his behavior.

Devcon was the hub to the wheel of this family and in his own quiet manner ruled the roost.

Inscrutable are the ways of the Praxian Amma and Appa ...

"Sorry, Appa."

"Look at it from our position, grandson. You've blown off school again. We needed to get you a tutor to prevent Moda from going off the deep end and filing another invocation. You **do** know that he told me if you ever fragged school up again this badly, he was going to have a chat with Prime about releasing you from the army, then go see Springer about the Watch."

Smokey stared at his appa with a shocked, then desperate expression. "He wouldn't."

Two internally generated snaps and a short video later, Smokescreen nodded. "Yes. He said so. Given that we agree with the need for you to be well rounded, we're backing him to the wall. Both Amma and me."

Smokey looked at his appa with the deepest sense of betrayal a moment. "You wouldn't do that, Appa … would you?"

Then Smokescreen played his trump card. "You're our treasure, you and Moda. Tress is such a good ada. But Tress is mid caste. He had options we never did. I can still remember staring through windows at things I could never own that had little signs telling about them that I couldn't read. I remember seeing books and looking at them, grandson, knowing full well I couldn't read them. Do you know what that felt like?"

Smokey looked solemn, then shook his helm. "No, Appa."

"Your amma and I made a pact. If we ever had the chance to have a little mech of our own, we would do for him what we did for Moda. We'd get the slagging dirt on anyone standing in our way and get you an education. If we had to beat the slag out of mechs, and we did, Smokey … we actually did a couple of times … we'd do it. We taught ourselves how to read and we read a lot. Do you know that?"

"I do. You have books stacked up to the ceiling in your office room. Some of them look good, by the way. Do you care if I borrow some?" he asked in that mercurial youthful way that brought both he and Dev to their knees in love and amusement.

"You can," Smokescreen said with a grin. "We lost a whole world, Smokey, because we never were allowed to access it. There was this whole world in books that we never got to see until we bucked The System and learned how to read. We could read charts and do the math of navigation but reading? Real reading? Nope. We couldn't fill out library cards because we couldn't read them so the few libraries that allowed low casts to go there were closed to us, too. It was too embarrassing to let anyone know until we decided we wanted to learn. We learned the fragging **hard** way, Smokey. **You** won't. You can't blow it off or take it for granted. I won't have an ignorant son or grandson. You have a chance here to get what we were denied. An ignorant person lives in chains. **THERE WILL BE NO CHAINS ON MY LITTLE MECH!** Do you understand?"

"I do, Appa. I wish … I'm sorry things were so bad. You got me into good schools in Praxus and no one ever treated me badly. Never. I didn't know you bashed them," he said with a grin. **"THAT MUST HAVE BEEN EPIC!** What about Mister Beedle? Was he one of them?"

Smokescreen laughed. "No. Your chemistry teacher in Intermediate School wasn't one of them."

"Frag," Smokey said with disappointment. He grinned. "I'll do this."

" **Slag right** you will," Smokescreen said. "Tell you what … I'll work it out with Amma and your genitors to take the next term off if you pull your grades back up to where they should be **BECAUSE YOU CAN DO IT!** If not, then all bets are off."

Smokey stared at him, then flung his arms around his appa. **"THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! YOU'RE THE BEST, YOU AND AMMA!"** He stepped back. "I'll do it but its **still** fragged."

Smokescreen laughed. "Go take it out on the mats, infant. By the way ..."

"What?" Smokey asked as they began to walk back to the lounge where everyone had sat looking innocent as they all listened in to the conversation.

Just like Smokescreen knew they would.

They of the Same Shuttered Lifestyle And Bad Daily Experience had the same opinion about younger bots getting an education. Smokey would find no mercy here.

"How's it going with you and Hot Rod?" Smokescreen asked with a smirk.

 **"SPEAKING OF FRAGGED!"** Smokey began …

… Ops Center …

"Leesie, you have the conn for a moment," Smokescreen said as he walked to the door that led to the Senior Autobot offices where he would pass Wheeljack on the way out.

"Got it, Commander," the little Seeker femme said.

Smokescreen disappeared down the corridor.

-0-Moments later

"And that's what happened, Optimus. You might want to see what's going on," Smokescreen said.

"Thank you, Smokescreen. I will," he said. "Do you have the conn?"

"Yes. Go. Do," Smokescreen said as he followed Optimus out.

He would.

-0-In a park near Sparkling Day School

Optimus saw him sitting on a picnic table having tracked him with his bond link. Walking to Prowl, he sat down beside him. Glancing around, he grinned slightly. "I see you have sought out expert advice for your solace."

Prowl nodded as he sat with a sour expression. "I did."

Playing in a sandbox nearby, T-Bar, Rambler, Sunspot, Spirit, Praxus, and Orion were building forts. Orion was the straw boss and the others were the amused minions. Nearby, running in a chase game, Iacon, Uraya, Solus, Sojourner, Prowler, and Miracle were being chased by Hero. They were shrieking with their joy and she was laughing as she 'chased' them. Prime grinned. "They are so beautiful."

"They are. I would have gotten Prima and Scout but they were in physical therapy. Bos, Reflector and Co-D are on Trypticon doing assignments. The nine big kids are in class so I didn't get them. I love them, though. I love them all. How can you look at this and not be on your knees in gratitude to the Pantheon and the Mercy of The One? If someone had told me back in my dark reign as the Sourpuss of the Autobots that this would be my life at some point, I would have punched their face."

Prime grinned. "I can match you word for word but for the punch. I never figured to have a private life. It is amusing to me that the human films portray me as a solemn brooding mech who does not party and has no humor." He looked down at Prowl. "I do have a sense of humor, right?"

"If they only **knew** how much. Your auric wisdom and personal gravitas overawes them obviously," Prowl said as he leaned against Prime's big arm. He vented a sigh. "I was so angry all my life. I had a veneer of calm and collected but it was thin and easily dented. How much did I break in Ops Center?"

"Nothing," Prime said, then he chuckled. "I am not sure whether to tell you this or not but when an order for equipment goes to Fabrication, they reinforce anything that can be hand held in the Ops Center."

Prowl sat up, staring upward at Prime. "Seriously?"

Prime looked down with a smile. "Yes. Even Scar has heard about how you like to abuse furniture."

Prowl smirked slightly. "I do. It's an old habit." It was silent a moment as the children ran past waving at both of them. They waved back. "I've lived with repressed emotions so long, my own and my family's, that it sometimes exploded out. Even now I marvel that dark mech could change. The turn of things still surprises me. I can never go back. Kaon saved me, you know. I always admired babies and children, though I had no interest in having my own nor in taking care of one. Bluestreak was a high end sub adult, not a little child. He resolved my parenting issues and being older was also helpful in his own care. Then Kaon came."

It was silent as the two watched Orion's fort cave in. They both smiled as he stared at it with amazement. Then the little mechs and Sunspot began to rescue him. He would go on and on about what happened and how it wasn't his fault. Both of them laughed. Then Prowl leaned against Prime again. "Kaon saved me from complete idiocy. He made things matter that I hadn't even thought about or even knew I possessed. I was determined to be the best bond I could. That part was almost easy. You're so easy to care for and love. But I didn't think about children until Kaon, though I **will** say … I admired all the children I saw, especially Orion. I love that little pirate."

They stared at the kids, then it was silent again.

"I'm aware of how I was viewed. I was such a hard aft, such a cold mech … its almost … **ALMOST** comical now to think of it. I wasn't even prepared to rescue Kup." It was silent a moment. "I will tell you … I never told anyone else before … I was jealous of Kup. Me, old Slide Rule Prowl didn't see the profit in it." He frowned, then continued. "He was loved and admired. Mechs risked their lives to rescue him. I can't imagine the same happening for me at the time. Springer hit me in the face for it, then he disobeyed orders to get him. It took a long time to understand why and it bothers me to this orn that it did. But that was the life then, Optimus. Normal emotions and reactions weren't part of my early bringing up."

"Well, I do not recognize that individual," Prime said.

Prowl glanced up to him. "Surely, you jest. You were there for every excruciating moment as I recall."

"I was. But I was in love. You were … the most intriguing individual I ever met. All of your … quirks were interesting to me. I found you impenetrable at times but never unkind. You had a wall around you and now I know why. But the thing is, Prowl … you are free of that prison. You do understand about how time works, right?"

"Now **that's** impenetrable, the physics of time. All time and all history of all things exists at the same time and always will, past, present and future. Everything that happens or happened or will happen exists at the same time forever," Prowl said as he entwined his digits with Prime's.

The big mech squeezed them gently. "From the tiny fraction of physics that I retain from my bold venture into university, the idea of time was the most interesting. Humans believe in the false construct of linear time. One moment follows the other and the past disappears even as the future never arrives. They cannot understand how nothing vanishes because everything that exists no matter how trivial or great is energy, even thoughts, and that is immortal. Their awareness of the reality of it is so limited. Your past still exists, every second of it with all its actions, words and deeds. However, you do **not** have to lumber around with it. You can dismiss the past, forgive, acknowledge and learn from it. It does not **have** to be your lifelong companion. Consider your genitors. You have memories of them that are less than happy and it colored your life during much of it, even now to some extent. Correct?"

Prowl nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Well, consider them now. They are wonderful, kind, loving, decent, supportive, remarkable grand genitors, and they love and accept you without reservation. Correct?"

Prowl nodded. "As usual, you are."

"They even provided a brother to you, regretting that you grew up alone. Which memories matter more to you, the first or the second?" Prime asked gently.

"The second. I never expected them. That's why this is so hard. I don't want this to change the good we all share," Prowl said.

" **Then cut them loose** , the memories and events that do not serve your greatest good. You can **choose** what you believe, what matters and what follows you. If you want to feel sorrow forever, keep these memories," Optimus said.

It was silent a moment. "How do you get rid of them?" Prowl asked as he considered the novel idea of choosing how he wanted to live his life.

"Its very simple," Prime said. "First, you acknowledge them, then you forgive them, then you say 'I do not need you anymore. Good bye and thank you for whatever wisdom that you gave to me'. All of our experiences are learning and teaching moments. If you were hurt, you learned what that felt like and maybe you never made anyone else feel that way because of it. If you were lonely, you knew the difference between that and having this family. You learned love from the absence of it and why because it was missing how its the most powerful force in the universe. You learned the value of life through the war. You are learning about redemption from your genitor's own and from Cybertron. How can you appreciate the light if you never see the dark?"

The children played as they sat together on the table. A few bots walked here and there and the traffic on the streets was between rush hours. Then Prowl rubbed his face against Prime's arm. "Even if you didn't have a matrix, you would be the smartest person I know. I hate that you were living in a slum and that you had to sneak around to learn. You deserved everything."

"When you first saw me, did you know I was low caste?" Prime asked.

The usual flare up crossed Prowl's face. " **NOTHING** about you is low." Prowl vented a sigh. "I knew you were and I'll fess up only once and deny it forever after … it did color my thinking for a moment until you spoke to me and I fell in love."

Prime chuckled. "It did, though. You can have that memory forever or you can let it go. Why would you carry that around, Prowl, when its only purpose is to make you feel badly?"

Prowl considered that. "I don't know. I think I have a bit of masochism in my make up." He frowned a bitter frown. " **Of course** its there. I'm Prowl."

"There you go," Prime said. "You are applying your past and how it made you feel directly to the present, limiting yourself to self doubt and scorn. When you do that, eventually it goes from being an emotional comment or response about something and turns into a self belief. You cannot feel badly or let others hurt you without your consent. Consider this … given that those were learning experiences, all of them for the good or ill, what about letting them go now? You learned all the wisdom. You gathered the benefit. Now, let them go because they no longer help you. You have all they can grant and its interfering with the love and life you have now. If you do that, what happens after has no power over you."

"How?" Prowl asked with emotion.

"You have been wounded and hurt before. Right?" Prime asked.

"Sure. Who hasn't?" he asked.

"You healed then."

"Yes," Prowl said as he waited. Optimus always had a point and what the human's called the Socratic Method, the illumination of a point through questions was something he often used.

"Do you remember them anymore? Are they there waiting to emerge into your mind and vex you?"

Prowl considered that. "No, they aren't. Thank Primus."

"Then you have to jettison any memory, grudge, foul intention, angry moment, all harm that ever befell you including words and disappointment, too. You have to heal yourself from their effects, then forget about them. Those wounds can be healed, too. You do that through the most difficult, yet easy process ever," Prime said as he watched his daughters hug Hero. It warmed his spark. "You have to figure out how to forgive, then **mean** it. You may have to repeat your forgiveness over and over and over again until the burden lifts. Say it in your processor twenty times an orn and **mean** it. Know that because you come from The One, you are already wonderful and perfect. Do not let circumstances you learned from adversity decide you are less. You are a glorious spark who came here to live and learn. You certainly are for me and our family, for the endless friends we have together. You will feel the lightness of being when you do. They will not lurk in your processor egged on by your ego to ambush you. You do not need a matrix, though I **will** say it helps." Prime grinned, then waved at the little mechs and the others who were waving at both of them in the sandbox nearby.

Prowl considered Prime's remarks. "You know … I struggled to love them, my amma and appa. All of them, though Atar's genitors were nicer and more fun. I tried to do that. I even felt my love for ada and atar slipping away. I will tell you something, Optimus and I hope you don't hold it against me." He looked up at Prime with a slightly worried expression.

Prime looked at Prowl's face memorizing its beauty and nuances. "You should know better."

"Maybe," Prowl said as he gathered his thoughts. "When I was small, when it was … difficult … I was passed upward in school and things were stressed … I actually … um, I actually thought that Primus, the Pantheon and The One were cruel jokes on all of us. The thought that They existed didn't make sense. I … I didn't believe in Them."

It was silent a moment, then Prime nodded. "I understand."

 **"HOW!?"** Prowl asked. "How could you understand my whining given the life you lived. I … I went to see the place you lived, Optimus, because Raptor put that entire district in for historical preservation. I went up to your tiny house and when I closed the door and looked around I actually cried. I wept. I had a hard time with the guilt and shame that you would have to live like that and I had houses and penthouses and country and lakeside houses. It made me sick."

Prime squeezed his servo. "You missed a lot of things then. You missed the love that was there. You missed the gatherings of family, the moments of celebration. There was a lot of love there, Prowl. I learned a great deal from that deprivation. I learned the strength and importance of family, of unity and love. I grew enough courage from that life to step forward when the time presented itself to make change happen. I learned resilience, hope and charity. I learned that everyone matters and that our people are great. I learned that all sentient beings deserve freedom and respect. I do not blame the high castes for what has happened. The failure of our society to love, value and assist everyone was set in stone when the Quintessons landed. What matters to me, Prowl, is not all of that. I got a lot of wisdom from it. What matters now is just that … now." He grinned. "As for your lapse … its totally understandable. You were growing and learning. Just remember, even if you did not believe in Them, they believed in you."

It was silent a moment, then Prowl looked upward at Prime. "I wonder … if I can ask … have you ever seen The One?"

Prime grinned. "Yes," he said. He looked at Prowl. "Do you remember the Blessing during the Festival?" Prowl nodded. "That white light that comes out to touch us … that is The One."

Prowl stared at him for a moment, then leaned closer. "He actually **comes**?"

Prime nodded. "Yes. He actually does. Do you think if He didn't want us to let go of hurts and things that do not help us so that we could advance that He would not come to love us? He does so out of unconditional love, knowing that we need His love and His touch. If you give yourself the same thing, you will not need a matrix to become blessed."

Prowl stared at Optimus, then leaned into him again. The children ran around in the park enjoying the freedom of it during the school orn. While they did, Prowl took tentative steps forward.

-0-Medical Center

:Ironhide:

 **:WHAT!?:**

: **You** sound like a lover, **IRONHIDE!** :

:I do, don't I: -tiny over-the-wifi preen

:Did you get the message from Neo and Barri at Sparkling and Youngling Day about Prowl and the kids?: Ratchet asked as he sat in his office desk chair spinning slowly.

:Yes. Did you get the message from Optimus that they'd bring them home when it was time?: Ironhide who was straining as Halo lay in a box nearby sleeping up a storm.

Ratchet grinned. :Yep: Bigger grin. :Ironhide?:

:What?:

"You wanna frag? No kids. Insert waggly optical ridges here and stunning leer: Ratchet said with waggly ridges and a stunning leer.

Ironhide laughed as he held up the heavy end of a crate in the armory at the weigh station on the TransWorld Highway two thousand miles as the crow flies away. :No can do, Old Mech, though I **can** see why you'd wanna. I **am** Ironhide, after all:

:That's true. Uh, Ironhide?:

:What, old mech?:

:Turn up your internal audials?:

Pause, Feverish think through. :Why?: (Insert **HUGE** suspicion in the processor of a big chaos dude, but in the end, not enough)

:Because I have a **sweet, sweet** present for you, ba-bee: Ratchet grinned.

:Done: Ironhide said as his internal sappiness over ruled eons of knowing better.

 **:OW-OOOOOOOOOOGAH!** See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya. Ratchet, over and out: He sat back with a grin. "That'll teach ya." He grinned as he turned off his googily horn sounds file. "Nah. It won't."

Momentary pause, **HUGE** swearing somewhere in the boonies.

 **:RATCHET! PICK UP! I NEARLY DROPPED FOURTEEN TONS OF MUNITIONS ON MY PEDS! RATCHET!? PICK UP, YOU SLAGGER! I! AM! IRONHIDE!:**

-0-TBC 3-9-18 **edited 3-12-18**

Have a great Friday. I'm sure Ratchet and Ironhide will, too. :D

Boonies: way the heck in the middle of nowhere.


	295. Chapter 295

The Diego Diaries: Life (dd6 295)

-0-Dinner time at the Tower that evening

"Mama … who is your favorite Prime?" Annie Lennox asked her mother as their family sat together eating dinner in the lounge. There were others around, most of them eating as the day began to wind down.

"I never thought about it. I think Optimus is," Sarah said.

Annie grinned. "He **is** the best isn't he?"

"I think so," Sarah replied with a grin. "Who is yours?"

"I like them all except for Liege Maximo, Megatronus and Sentinel. I **do** like Onyx. He looks so cool with those mirrors in his mask. Did you know that the third mask on his body has two sides. It's called the Mournsong. The front face can track sparks on their way to the Matrix. He's the beast mode Prime."

"I like him a lot," James Hoyt said as he sat nearby eating dinner with his family. "Did you know why the Quintessons are called that?"

The adults stared at him, then Niall Graham grinned. "We make **you** learn that so you can tell **us**."

James grinned. "They were created by Quintus Prime with his Emberstone. They're called the Quintessons because of that."

"Those are the aliens that ruled Cybertron first, right?" Lonnie Epps asked.

"Yes. We've learned about them out of order because of what happened," James said. "They were the worst. The Functionalists killed a lot but the Quintessons killed more and started slavery in the system."

"The bots don't seem to have a lot of luck. First, the Quintessons. Then the Functionalists and finally, The System of Exception. They've never really been free," Will Lennox said.

"They are now," Annie said. "They're free here and our home world is free," she said as the other kids in the room nodded in agreement. "They won't take Cybertron again. We won't allow it."

The adults stared at their kids, then Epps leaned toward his son who was frowning with resolve as he nodded in agreement. "You **do** know that you're human, **right**?"

Bobby Junior grinned. "And I'm also Cybertronian."

It was an amused set of adults that listened to the kids talk about the Primes, their reports on Primes that were due to be presented and discussed the following day, and 'their home world, Cybertron'. It would make for a very amusing evening.

-0-Earth2

They sat in a corner of the facility library going over their material. They were giving reports on the Primes they were assigned tomorrow in class. Rain had drawn Quintus out of the 'hat' while Camilla got Solus … **"AWESOME! I GOT THE GIRL!"** … and Lilly drew Thirteen.

"Here's the stuff you wanted. I got it by email from the library down town," Lilly said as she passed her special datapad over to Camilla. "The censors took longer because their researchers are overrun with university requests. When the campus over there opens up, they will double their researchers."

"If they'd trust us, we could find out ourselves. What does it say, Camilla?" Rain asked.

"It has the library censor mark and it also has the Temple and Office of the Primes marks, too," Camilla said as she read the material. "This must be a really secret thing to go through that many. It says … let me see … it says that she was the third Prime … that she was a master maker of anything they needed … we all know that … ah, here.

"There are no genders per se in the Cybertronian species. All Cybertronians are one from the moment of creation and they accommodate other species with honoring the attributes that are commonly considered feminine for that species for the comfort of others. Cybertronians do not have genders and therefore don't follow that courtesy gesture among themselves. Even though Solus Prime appears to have many physical features in common with human females, Solus is not female. Her body type to accommodate her specialized feature, the lathe, was designed to house it to best advantage by Lord Primus during The Creation Event. That Solus is called 'she' among those humans who access information about this Prime is a courtesy to human sensibilities and nothing more.

"There are many species in the universe that have no specified genders and there are some who have more than two. It is the practice of the Cybertronian people to accommodate where they can those perceptions of aliens in a spirit of amity. Otherwise, the concept of gender does not exist among the Cybertronian People. We are, essentially, androgynous."

The three girls sat on the comfortable couches taking in that mystifying and undeniable truth.

"Oh my god. Can you imagine us as a species without boys?" Lilly said as she betrayed one of her favorite pastimes.

"No," Camilla said truthfully. "That would be … weird."

"Then what about the femmes we see all the time? What about the little kids like Prime's daughters and Ratchet's? They have long hair … like stuff. Some of the femmes are as big as mechs but they don't look like femmes to me. The small ones do but the big femmes … Arcee?" Rain asked as she thought through the few she sort of knew.

"Yeah. Arcee and Elita-1. I know those two but they have a squad. All of them look like mechs to me but everyone treats them like girls. I don't get it," Lilly said as the others nodded. "What are you going to do about that? Are you going to ask? I think Mr. Terradive as a teacher might have something to tell about it. Maybe he can tell us why the mechs treat Arcee and Elita like girls even if we don't see it." Lilly thought a moment, then opened the communications channel to the Family Tower. Tapping the number in the directory that she wanted, she waited a moment.

A window on it opened and Will Lennox's face appeared. "This is Lennox."

He looked like he was in the kitchen of the facility using the wall comm station. Behind him, the dining room looked like everyone were having dinner here and there.

"Hello, Major. This is Lilly Brown. I have a question for you that I just noticed."

Will nodded. "I'll try to answer, Lilly. What's the question?"

"The little femmes in the colony, the ones that look mini-con … those are femmes, right? Not mechs?" Lilly asked.

Will nodded. "Those are."

"What about Elita and Arcee? They don't look like femmes but they're treated like it. Are they femmes? Why don't we see girls when we look at them? We do with the little ones but not the big ones. Why is that? We're writing a report on Solus Prime for school and I wanted to ask. It's been bugging me since I came," Lilly said.

Will stared at her, then it clicked. He didn't see femmes either when he looked at the squad. He never gave it more thought than a sort of momentary musing when they first started showing up on Earth and the comfort level between them was still in progress. They didn't talk about the personal much and he as a courtesy didn't press the issue.

Much.

Then he dismissed it because they could fight, they were good friends and it wasn't his business. He knew that the bots were androgynous. That never bothered him. The disconnect had faded about the big femmes as time went on. It had come together in his mind that perhaps they were just different models or regional styles.

Until now.

"Hold on, Lilly," Will said as he muted the screen. He turned to the table where Niall sat holding Aedh along with Linda, his family and hers who picking at their plates. "Linda … you see the femmes a lot, the soldier squad. What do you see when you look at them … girls or boys?"

Linda looked at him a moment as she puzzled it over. "Uh … I was told I was looking at girls so I thought I was. I wasn't?" she asked with a puzzled look.

Will turned back to the screen and unmuted the button. "Lilly, can I call you back? We're working it out."

"Okay, Major. Thanks," Lilly said as the screen went dead.

Will turned to the others who looked at him with curiosity. Judy who was at the counter cutting up dessert glanced at him. "Did you notice that, too? I figured it was a variation in the design or something. You aren't telling me that those femmes are boys are you?"

"I don't know. I think I need to talk to Ratchet," Will said as he rose and walked across the huge lounge to a comm station nearby in a small alcove.

"I'm coming, too," Epps said as he took his plate and followed.

 **"I WANT DETAILS!"** Judy Witwicky called out after them. So did most of those in the room.

-0-In a tower across the way

"This is Ratchet. **MAJOR!** What's up?" Ratchet said as he pulled the chair out of his desk to sit and shoot the breeze with Lennox. Behind him, he could see Epps eating something from a plate and half a dozen other humans, some of them elder appas of the soldiers.

"I got a call from Lilly Brown at Earth2. She's writing a report on Solus Prime for school and she had a question. After hearing it, I was sort of … how do I say this? I had a moment where something that was nagging me made sense. I have to ask you about it and it pertains to the femmes … Elita and her squad to be specific. You, of course, have the right to say nothing."

Ratchet nodded. "Fair enough. What's the question?"

"Lilly mentioned after working on information about Solus that the big femmes were different to them than the little ones like Gypsy. I thought it would be an easy question pertaining to their size differences but it was something different and when she told me, it sort of resonated. She wanted to know why the 'big femmes' were called that when they didn't appear to be feminine at all when she looked at them. She said that they looked just like any other mech." He sat back himself. "When I first met Arcee, you told me she was a femme and I took your word for it but actually, Ratchet … I'm almost embarrassed to say this … she never looked like a girl to me either. She looked just like a mech. All of her squad do. I don't see a femme. I see mechs."

Ratchet stared at him, considering the intriguing information he had handed over. He sat back thinking furiously. "Let me put you on hold. I have to run this past Prime first. Can you hang on or do I call you back?"

"I can hold. I'm nosy," Lennox said with a grin.

"He is. I can get more dessert," Epps said.

Ratchet grinned. "Slaggers. Hold on." Ratchet put them on hold, then dialed Prime. Prowl answered. "Hey, Granny … I have an interesting scientific discovery to clear with the Messiah? Is he raising the dead or can he get on the horn?"

"The humans will burn you at the stake for blasphemy for that remark," Prowl said with a smirk.

"It's mild compared to what they say about ours on social media," Ratchet said.

Prowl frowned. "What do they say?"

"Google it, Granny. Hi, Optimus," Ratchet said as he saw Prime lean down to speak on the screen.

"Hello, Ratchet. What can I do for you?" Optimus asked.

"First of all, you can back hand the ball-and-chain for me. Secondly, I got a call from Lennox who got a call from Lilly Brown at Earth2 about the femmes around here. She said that when she looks at Gypsy, she gets it that she's a femme. She said that when she looks at Elita or Arcee, she sees mechs. She wants to know why that is."

Prime looked as surprised as Prowl. "Why is that, Ratchet?"

"Well, its all preliminary but it appears that the alterations made are only perceptible to Cybertronian processors and sensors. If the humans can't perceive them, then its us who have the rewrite, not everyone else. That might be consoling to Arcee and the others but it really is weird and fascinating to me. Lennox said he thought there were two kinds of femmes back when, girl femmes like Gypsy and guys who were called femmes like Elita and the squad. He just took our word for it that Arcee and the others were some kind of femme. They actually don't seem able to perceive what we can about the changes."

"What does that mean for them?" Prowl asked.

"Probably nothing but I need to know what I can tell Lennox so he can give what we allow to Lilly for her report," Ratchet said.

Prime considered that. "Tell them the bare minimums. In fact, tell them that there are different kinds of femmes as there are different preferences for body type. Tell them we do not acknowledge gender unless it helps others be comfortable around us. For us, there are only individuals. Gender is irrelevant. As for the soldiers, they will hold whatever you tell them in confidence."

"Alright. Go back to whatever you were doing. Is that bed head, Prowler?" Ratchet asked before he commed off with a laugh.

Prowl stared at the blank screen, then linked up to define 'bed head'. Prime would be faster and he would chuckle off and on all evening. Prowl wouldn't.

Much.

-0-Back to the point

"You still there?" Ratchet asked as he cut Lennox back on. "By the way, before I forget, we're going to salute the baby tomorrow if things don't frag up. Can Linda go to the N.E.S.T. HQ? We can do it there easier. Springer can't hold all of us," he said with a brilliant smile.

Huge laughter.

"We can, can't we, Linda?" Lennox asked. There was conversation somewhere else, then Lennox turned back around. "We can."

"Good. As for the problem, tell Lilly that we don't hold to gender. Tell her that we have differences in appearance and femmes are a tiny, tiny, very minuscule part of our society. Tell her that we only acknowledge gender for others comfort, not because we agree to have them. We don't. You might also tell her that Solus was made by Primus to look like that to accommodate her tool, the Lathe. It only seems like she's a femme when she isn't. Matrixing makes her see a femme where one isn't."

"Arcee and Elita … then they're mechs. That's what I see when I look at them. For a bit, I thought I was somehow messing up because they look like mechs to us, too," Lennox said.

"That's intriguing. We're a strange and inscrutable people. Just remember that always," Ratchet said with a giant smile.

"How can we forget? We saw some of you clubbing. Did you know that when Prime went clubbing he got blotto and they went to the arena to ride horses. He hugged all the horses going in and coming out and he tried to jump the rails inside. He kept falling off."

"Oh, frag. That must have been epic. What about Ironhide and Bee? They fancy themselves cowboys," Ratchet asked.

"Bee had to be carried everywhere. He drank himself into a coma and Ironhide couldn't walk. They had to carry him up and down the metro steps. I think he fell down them a few times," Lennox said with a laugh. "It was so, so sad."

Ratchet laughed loudly. "You give me a copy of your videos or I'll be hard to live with." He grinned at them with amusement.

"You aren't already?" Epps asked to general loud guffawing.

"Slagger," Ratchet said with a grin. "Be at the HQ at noon tomorrow so we can salute the newest Martian and dual citizen of Cybertron and the Empire."

"Will do. Thanks, Ratchet. Lennox out," he said. He then commed Lilly and after a moment they were linked. "Hey, Lilly. I called Ratchet. He said they don't acknowledge gender. They just don't care and if they do, its just to make others happy. Solus was designed to carry a device that helped Her build things and if you think it looks like a girl, then its your perceptions that are at play here. Some mechs are different in appearance but it doesn't mean they're girls."

"Okay. Thank you, Major. That really helps," Lilly said.

"You're welcome. Good luck with the report. Lennox out." The screen went back to the Earth 2 logo.

Lilly looked at the others. "How weird. No boys. Or girls."

"They're aliens. I can't wait to tell my mom," Rain said as Jaycee Jameson walked in, then sat on a chair next to them.

"Tell your mom what?" she asked as she pulled her home work out of her backpack.

"There's no girls on this planet but us," Camilla said with a grin. "All of the girls are really boys."

"No," Rain said. "They don't have gender here. They aren't mech or femme. They just are."

It was silent a moment.

"Wow," Jaycee said as the sun outside faded into evening once more.

-0-TBC 3-10-18 **edited 3-12-18**


	296. Chapter 296

The Diego Diaries: Life 2 (dd6 296)

( ) Human/English/other languages { } NeoCybex

-0-School

The morning bell had rung and everyone was setting up for school to begin. Terradive sent his attendance to the Central Office in Metrotitan, then grinned at his kids. They were nearly ready to go including the large number of human kids who were part of his class list. No one else in the system had as many and he was the consulted expert about them by other teachers. A few notes were delivered, read and filed away. Then they all sat and looked at him with expectation. {Well, don't you all look handsome. How was your evening? Did everyone finish their home work or do you need extra time?}

No one did.

As usual.

{Today, we're going to present the reports on the Primes. All of us should be ready because no one said they needed more time last night before you left school. Is that still true or do you need to be put at the bottom of the presentation list so you can continue to prepare?}

No one needed time.

As usual.

Even the new humans.

 **HOORAY! VICTORY!**

He grinned. {We'll start after the daily announcements} He pulled up the giant wall monitor with the aerial shot of the colony and the logo of the district emblazoned over it. The screen changed and their principal attending on-site officer or Senior Teacher as their principals were called appeared. This was a mentor-instructor teacher who was assigned a school with two subordinate experts, one in special services and the other in counseling who helped the instructors and students as well as managing the orn-to-orn business. They were required to teach a three decaorn unit of study in each classroom to allow teachers to prepare during that time, assess students personally and keep their own teaching skills up-to-date.

A handsome bot with a smiling face appeared. {Good morning, students, teachers, support staff, and genitors of Youngling Day School. What a wonderful orn it is. Its pretty cold at -122 degrees because of the slight wind so remember to be safe and secure when you go out. Today, the reports on the Primes will be had in the classrooms of the Level Ones. I will be going in and out to listen and watch because its going to be a wonderful event for our students.

(Level Two students will be having preparation for their science fair. When that's up and ready for viewing, all levels will be taken there to see the great projects and the conclusions of the students. We would like to thank all of our maintenance crew for their kind effort in helping set up the display areas in the two annexes on floor 7 and the lobby of the building. We can't do our jobs without you. Thank you so much.

{Level Three students will be preparing an overnight stay on Trypticon where they will be concluding a unit on deep space galaxies. They will be using the telescope labs there to track and locate galaxies we are watching that are as far away as 13 billion light years. They'll be preparing their own science fair following their research and hopefully, the images they'll show will be as beautiful and informative as those they've captured already.

{Congratulations on the wonderful learning that goes on here by everyone. Genitors are always welcome and some have become much loved volunteers, student mentors and room assistants. Thank you, all of you.

{We'll be having a good lunch today, thank you lunchroom wizards. It will include congi, sepho, rice with gravy, tepish, and for dessert, an ice cream sundae. The dishes that are Cybertronian were designed especially for our Appreciate Our Home World decaorn by Mr. Rampage of the Catering Place. We will continue to showcase our traditional food along with that of the newer forms we have available to us here for the duration. We hope you enjoy it. Some of it was very loved on Cybertron by your family.

(We'll be having recess inside if the wind keeps up. Sorry about that. We always practice safety first. Those of you who go to the Central Labor Hall Guild Day Care after school will be taken there after you go to Metro Femme for a check up on protoform wasting. They have everything ready and all you have to do is cooperate) Mr. Delay-O grinned. (We can't have another snit like last time)

Snickers rounded the room as Terradive glanced at his students. He grinned. None of those involved were his kids so he felt better.

(We're going to start swim teams again and there will be sculling offered for our human students as well. We also are working out visitations to the Performing Arts Center to watch plays, hear music and go behind the scenes to see how plays are made. Maestros Scout and Trooper of Iacon are keen to have us come. They will be offering a number of classes and lessons open to all students shortly. So, in conclusion, I'm happy to announce another orn for us to learn at least three new things. I'm proud of you and will see you about today. Have a good orn, students.) The scene changed back.

Terradive picked up his datapad, then looked at the kids. {If we're ready, we can begin. Any questions thus far?}

Rain raised her hand. He nodded. (Mr. Terradive, I was wondering about something that I'm confused about. Camilla is going to discuss Solus Prime. She's a she, right? Solus is a femme?)

Terradive who had expected this question a lot earlier than this, thought a moment as he went over the agreed upon answers in his processor for the best one for the question. {Solus is called a femme by some and nothing by others. You **do** remember how I explained that we don't acknowledge gender among ourselves, right? We're unconcerned about it because its meaningless and unimportant in our culture and point of view}

(That's true. But … there **are** femmes in the colony. That's what they call themselves and that's what I hear them called. Commander Ironhide has some and so does Lord Optimus. You see them everywhere. Well, you see them around. I met one named Gypsy the other day and she's small and pretty with smaller wings. Then I met Elita a while ago and she's different. How is that?) Rain asked with genuine interest and confusion. She waited for him to speak while the conversation with her mother the night before flitted through her mind ...

-Earth2 last night

"And that's why I called Major Lennox. I don't know what this means and its confusing. I go to school with femme girls and then they say they aren't girls. I don't know what to think."

Mariah stared at her daughter. "I don't either. I just … I wait for them to tell me. I've been memorizing the different identified bots from the picture archive. Some of them look feminine to me … as much as you can be in this species, I guess. I don't know what to tell you, Rain, but that these are aliens and they don't live, look or act like us sometimes. I **will** tell you, though, that this is easier living here than I thought. They live so much like us that I feel amazed. Just don't do or say anything that'll insult anyone. We have to make this place a part of things and making the locals mad won't help." …

… Classroom

Everyone in the room including other humans were looking at Terradive, then Rain, then Terradive. He looked at the kids, some of them 'femme' and the rest 'mech'. He considered the limitations on information still in force, then turned toward Rain. {I think we're going to defer that question until tomorrow, Rain. I'm not doing it because I don't want to answer. I just think that I need other input before I can. I want everyone in this class to go home and talk to your genitors about this question. See what they want humans to know and what they will tell you. Then ask them, yes or no, if they want me to discuss this in the room with the human children. I don't want to talk about sensitive things like this without knowing what your genitors and families think about it. Tomorrow, we take a vote and the majority wins. Democracy} He smiled as the kids clapped. He looked at Rain. {If the vote is no, then I will have Ambassador Ratchet come and explain what he can to you, Rain. We want you to have what we can}

She grinned and nodded. (Thank you, Mr. Terradive)

He grinned. {Some of our kids have had bad experiences and this place is a haven. We try to fulfill all we can but there are extenuating circumstances in our schools} He looked at his kids who he loved. {Some of us know what being shot or hurt badly feels like} he said as hands went up including Sunspot's own. {Some of us have had terrible hurts and have seen terrible things. This place is our safe place}

The kids nodded. Sunspot looked at the three who sat with Annie and the others, all of whom looked solemn. {I was a soldier for the Decepticons. I was in battle and I've been short and stabbed. This is the best place I ever was. I will help our army defend this place. I've been in battles before. I even was on the same ships as Megatron}

There was an unholy sense of unease at that confession. Annie Lennox turned to Sunspot who was one of her closest friends. He was due to spend the night at the Family Tower this weekend as her guest and that of the other four kids. {You're never going to fight again, Sunspot. Your genitors wouldn't allow it and besides, we have the army and the air force. Uncle Optimus would pulverize them. Remember Black Shadow?}

Everyone murmured about that as Terradive sat down on the edge of his desk, placing his datapad on its surface. The kids murmured, then Minka, a small former Decepticon femme turned in her chair to look at the humans. {We were on ships hidden from Megatron. Our genitors were too afraid to leave us behind in our hiding places when they went on missions. My ada and atar agreed that if they were killed in battle they wanted us with them. They were terrified what Megatron and Shockwave would do if we were orphaned and found out. We always lived afraid} she said as the others like her nodded. {I haven't been afraid since we came here. I was so sick and my appas and ammas almost didn't make it. They work in glass making. They were experts at stained glass, the really hard stuff and now they can make it for themselves. Did you know that you couldn't make different kinds of images during the time Megatron was in charge? All the patterns they loved, all the beautiful old patterns were forbidden. This is the best place ever. When Black Shadow came, I cried. I thought Megatron sent him to find and kill all of us. All I wanted was my ammas and appas. My genitors were in the battle. I was so afraid}

{You know they would have to get past me to get you, Minka} Sunspot said with absolute seriousness. {I know how to fight} he said as he turned to show his wings. There were two scars there, faint and tended. One was from a sword blow and the other from a large caliber bullet. {I have wounds. See? I know how to fight. I would defend you} He turned to the class. {I would defend everyone. I have before. I will always defend you}

Silverbow who was listening jumped up and ran to him. She hugged him tightly. { **I KNOW YOU WOULD! YOU ARE MY FRIEND!** }

Terradive shifted. {Let's go to the steps. I think we can talk there better than this}

The kids rose and began to walk to the stair-stepped reading nook and conversation pit. Some held servos and others had arms around each other. The humans followed as everyone sat on the steps. Mr. Terradive sat down in front of them. {I want a few things understood as best you can, my babies. I'm a warrior. I was a very good, very dangerous Decepticon Seeker fighter. I know more about fighting than most because I was never off the front lines. I carry weapons on me like every other Home Guardsman or regular army and air force reservist like I am. Every soldier in this colony is armed at all times including Seekers. You've seen the rockets that Lord Starscream carries on his body? All the Seekers are armed, some very heavily.

{All of us are ready to defend you. I will. No one will get past me to get to you as long as I live.

{Teaching has saved my life. All of you have saved my life. I was born to do this and I will always put you first. Black Shadow was scary and it's made some of you feel insecure but he was defeated. Maybe we should talk about that again} He looked at the humans. {You three weren't here when it happened but it was pretty tense. My bond, Roto, was coming out of City Hall when the sirens went off and we, the adults, were notified of the situation. Our internal transponders alerted us, then the template of the emergency shelters was flash sent to our processors. It showed us where to go. Roto didn't go into the City Hall, but he fled to Sparkling Day before they sealed the doors to help there. If he had been a second later, he would have been stranded outside.

{He barely made it. When the alarm went out, 1,200 soldiers were alerted to report to the schools armed to the teeth, 400 to each. They started at the top of the buildings and worked their way down checking every nook and cranny against any child being afraid and seeking to hide in a closet or cupboard. Each floor was sealed off on the elevators until the building was cleared. Then they made sure everyone was in the shelters below before sealing the blast doors. They spread out in the corridors. taking up stations down the way to defend the two last sets of blast doors between you and trouble. There were layers of heavily armed soldiers all along the path, all of them the barrier to getting to you. All of them would defend you, each layer.

{We waited didn't we. All of us in the shelters} he said as they nodded. {Every single able bodied mech and femme in the colony climbed into every ship or shuttle around and went to Ceres to defend Mars while more went to surround the Earth. One million Seekers took off to fight. No one was going to hurt anyone without suffering a serious blow. Every possible person who could go, young, old, sick, able … they all went and faced the enemy together because we are and ever will be one.

{Our Fortress turned their guns into the sky while Maximus, Metroplex and every city former in the colony transformed their towers into guns. It was … so amazing. I was so in love with everyone when this was happening. All of us adults could access the citywide feed which was still going. We could watch the automated cameras showing everything and everyone. Everybody went to the shelters. Mechs and femmes helped others, the old, the feeble and sick … all of it happened because **we are one**.

{Then he landed, Black Shadow. He was alone but I recognized him. I've meet or seen fifteen of them, these phase sixers. This one was a bad one but he was alone. I remember for a second thinking I've never seen anyone so alone. Then they came, the Prime and our senior Autobots. They faced each other on the airfield. More came, Wrecker shuttles, Seekers, Starscream, the Great Elder and his family, his sons … our warriors came to protect all of us with Prime. Then he was deactivated because someone knew the secret code that Megatron had put into them. Does anyone here know why he did that?} he asked gently.

Annie Lennox raised her servo. {Because he doesn't trust them either}

Terradive grinned. {That's absolutely right} He grinned again. {How would you like to live a life where you could trust no one? Where everyone was the enemy even if they were on your side?}

No one did.

{You're **so** protected and loved. You're all so precious. No one can get you without getting through a firestorm. You will never be a soldier again, Sunspot. We know you're brave and you've been a soldier, but you're a child now and by the time you grow up, there will be no more wars. All you have to do is be children, learn, play, love, and be loved. That's all}

It was silent a moment, then Silverbow walked down to Terradive to sit in his lap. She pulled his arms around her as he hugged her. {I hate Megatron. He killed my family. I'm so glad to be here. I just don't want it to happen again} She looked up at Terradive. {This is a good place}

Terradive grinned at her. {This is the best place} They would sit and discuss things including what they felt about being underground and alone from their families. It would be educational for the humans, the three that weren't hiding in a shelter for their lives unlike the other five.

-0-Convo with Herling

Later that evening, after the buses had left and the kids were dispersed, Herling sat in the lounge on the 10th floor with the teachers who had human kids. Terradive had called for the meeting and their Senior Teacher, Mr. Delay-O had provided the space and snacks. It had been a long intense orn for some of them given the circumstances and they needed guidance.

"What can I do to assist you, Terri?" Herling asked.

"We had a meltdown in the classroom this morning and it wasn't anyone's fault. I need some information about a question and I want to say that my children are still traumatized by Black Shadow coming here. First, a human child, Rain Harris, asked about why femmes look different than mechs, but are considered mechs anyway by us. We're doing reports on the Pantheon, but only on them as personalities, like ordinary Primes. We aren't touching on the holy aspects but just talking about them as individuals and what they did and could do superficially. We're rather putting them on the same level for the sake of learning as the Primes that followed, Zeta, Nova, Optimus, and the like.

"Since it was decreed that we would ease them into some of our history and culture, I submitted and was given the go ahead for oral presentations of the Primes. That led to this question since one of the students, Camilla Brown was presenting Solus Prime. What are the limits of this exploration and what can I tell about our gender situation?"

The door opened as a smiling Lauren walked in. Everyone stood as he pulled a chair. "Do sit, my friends. I'm sorry I'm late. Someone came for a spark from the Well and … you know," he said with a beatific smile. "I was asked to give the Welcome Prayer so … where are we then?" he asked sweetly as everyone sat down again.

Herling grinned at the sweet scholarly mech. "We're easing some of the kids from Earth2 into a bit of our culture and history. This is the part of the curriculum where the Level Ones learn and discuss the Primes. Terri, please explain how we decided to present them with the new students from Earth2 included."

Terradive looked at Lauren. He bowed his helm and got a nod in return. "Lord Lauren, we've decided to do small things here and there. We've stated that we're going to find out more about our ancient leadership, the Primes. We didn't tell the humans that they're holy and the rest. We just stated Primes like we would with Guardian and the others. Its being managed but it brings up strange sidebars like our androgyny and why do femmes look female, yet aren't considered female? They mentioned that Solus looked like a 'girl' but isn't considered feminine among us unless its a courtesy to others. What is our responsibility to the privacy of our people in light of how much some Earthers would mock us if they knew more?"

"Ah," Lauren said as he sat back. "Well, we **do** like telling our story as best we can. We **are** among the most ancient beings in creation. On the other hand, the humans are one of the newest and therefore, like all cheeky juveniles might disrespect their elders and cause offense."

"That's about it," Herling said with a laugh. Everyone grinned at Lauren who was one of the most beloved individuals in the colony. In fact, all the priests and Lady Sela were respected, loved and honored among the people.

With the exception of Megatron and his thug army, perhaps.

"Well, how are the reports coming?" Lauren asked.

The consensus of the teachers there was well, that they had just the right content and didn't transgress the limits of the assignment.

"How are the other students about keeping some things quiet from them until the Prime states they have full privileges?" Lauren asked.

The consensus of the teachers there was that the students had exceeded programming in keeping the sacred away from the profane.

Lauren nodded. "May I suggest that you continue as you are with the teachings. Perhaps we can form a curriculum committee with Lady Sela advising you over any content that worries you. Right now, you submit it to us for review but perhaps it might do us a better turn to have a regular meeting with the historians on the history curriculum committee meet with her and perhaps Eronus because he advised the Primes about these sort of things as a member of the Council of Ancients. You can devise actual pathways through this minefield together and even create materials for humans that help with content without being problematic. Nip the problem in the bud, if you will, by anticipating and devising other solutions, rather than stumble into them head on."

"That would be a good idea, Lord Lauren. What say you about the femme situation?" Delay-O asked.

Terradive told about how he postponed answering the question until he had genitor input. Lauren listened, then mused a moment. "I would get together with Ratchet and see if he can come give a short but sweet talk about gender and how we don't care about it. It might help them develop ideas more conducive to unity to hear this. Your decision was wise, Terri. Democracy is always a good idea. In fact, I would develop it in the schools. Perhaps there could be elections in classrooms where children are chosen to represent their class in a general meet of the delegates. Having them help find solutions to problems or present them for their peers to the group for solution is a good idea."

They all agreed that it would. In a decaorn, Youngling Day and Intermediate Day would hold open elections for room delegates to the first ever Open Forum Councils ever held among The (Child) People anywhere in the history of their species. Optimus Prime, the Senior Autobot and Civilian Committee as well as the Colonial Council of Delegates would be there to watch Ultra Magnus inaugurate them in the Grand Theater of the Performing Arts Center and sit through their first meeting.

They would be the tiny group sitting in rows on the stage hearing ideas, problems and suggestions, debating them, then voting.

It would be awesome.

It would also be televised live.

-0-Ratchet and the Femmes

"Hi. About time you showed up. I nearly ate all the donuts and drank all the beer," Ratchet said as the femmes began to walk into the little lounge off Engineer Corridor. "I got us a few minutes on the clock between frags. Slagging mini-cons still frag around in here." He smiled a dazzler.

Arcee laughed, then tossed a beer to everyone but Lancer who wasn't here.

"Where's Lancer, need I ask? I almost expected to find her here when I walked in," Ratchet said with a chuckle as he held out a box filled with donuts.

"Well, you know … she's in lurve," Chromia said as she sat.

"Where's Maelstrom? I heard you decided to become conjoined twins," Ratchet said.

 **HUGE** laughter.

Chromia smirked at Ratchet. "He has duty at the prison. He likes walking past old friends and neighbors with a gun."

 **HUGE** laughter.

They ate and sipped a moment or two, then Elita smirked at Ratchet. "What's up, Ada?"

"I have a very interesting scientific observation to give you," Ratchet said. "Did you know that the humans can't see you as femmes? Only us."

It was silent a moment, then Chromia cracked her knuckles a moment. "How does that work?"

"Whatever auric changes that Jhiaxus created when he introduced the gender changes into our genome are only detected by us. That's why we see you as a femme and even the little ones like Gypsy when everyone knows all of us are mechs or at best, gender neutral. The CNA mutated and introduced Jhiaxus's idea of what a 'femme Cybertronian' should look like as well as the smaller frames and all the details that even confuse the humans because they **see** mechs. Yet, because you were ground zero, the changes didn't change your frame. They're only reflected in your aura. Your energy reads femme to us and thus, you have that discord between who you are and how you're perceived. Because the humans don't read energy, they can't see you as more than just another mech. Lennox and the others finally said that they thought you were just another set of mechs but since everyone treated you as femmes, they just shut down their confusion and accepted that you were."

It was silent a while as they digested that news. "That's fragged. Does it help us with our problems?" Elita asked.

"Not so far," Ratchet said. "I'll work on it. Maybe there is, probably there isn't. Just know that the only ones who seem to find you 'girlie' are us. The humans find you, both the little ones and the big ones to be mechs."

Arcee vented a sigh. "Frag. I better not tell Magnus. He might dump me for Holi."

 **HUGE** laughter.

Elita smirked at Ratchet. "Never a dull moment is there."

"Nope. I also wanted you to know that we found the colony that the Functionalists first settled. It was mixed. There were other Cybertronians there. There were words, big words, and the group was run off. Before they did, they listed a number of 'useless mechanisms' being recalled." Ratchet shook his helm. "Fraggers. Maybe Zenith and Shadow need to come along for the ride."

"I volunteer to take them," Chromia said darkly.

"That's good to know. You get the duty. All of you need to report to The Fortress for a confab." He looked at all of them closely. "Are you okay with this? I know it isn't much solace but some see you as you are. **YOU KNOW I DO!** " Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

 **HUGE** laughter.

Arcee smirked as she stood. "I may have to start hanging around with humans. Oh, joy."

"Mixed relationships aren't easy but I have faith in you," Ratchet said as he stood to go with them. "After all, what kind of ada would I be otherwise?"

"There **is** that," Greenlight said with a chuckle as they walked out the door together.

-0-Earlier, around noon

They came together on the airfield, the mass of Senior Autobots flying or bridging in and the Committee members that governed the community. Half a dozen priests came to stand with them as Prowl and Prime took a message.

"Everyone ready to par-tay?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile and wide spread arms.

 **"NO."** \- Everyone waiting.

"Buzzkills," Ratchet said with a grin.

As they waited, they noted that dozens and dozens, even a couple hundred humans had driven down Cultural Center Road to head for the N.E.S.T. HQ for the ceremony. They waved and honked as the bots waved and honked, flashing their lights in salute. Prime and Prowl finished their conversation, then walked to the group who gathered around both. "Thank you for coming. I would like to inform you that the first Functionalist colony was located from information they contained in their databases. We are going to go there but in force. There was another group there who warred with them and forced them to leave. It appears that there were some individuals in the Functionalist group who were recalled," Prime said.

It was grim, then Raptor nodded. "That little femme … Lesto. That might be her genitors that they murdered."

Prime nodded. "I know. I want a force to go. Raptor and Hardie … you will command and I want the femmes to go as the commando ground forces if needed. We can plan after this." He then headed toward the N.E.S.T. HQ as the clock neared noon straight up. The rest of the group followed him with solemn expressions on their faces. The priests whispered prayers to the dead as they joined them. They disappeared among the ships on the tarmac as they cut through the hangar district.

-0-TBC 3-11-18

The food names are just stuff that floated up to the top when I was thinking. :D:D:D I realized editing this that tepish is the phonetic sounds for the last name of Vlad the Impaler. LOL! HUGS!

conjoined twins: twins born with joined body parts, once called Siamese twins due to the famous pair that became world famous in the 1800's. There's a trine -sorta- for you. They both married different women, had a good dozen kids between them and were joined at the abdomen. When they died, one died first, then the other, they were discovered to be a very easy separation, though it wasn't known them how to do it. Amazing pair.


	297. Chapter 297

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 297)

-0-A bit later that same afternoon in an office of great power

She sat on his lap, leaning into his huge frame and pulled his massive arms around her body. He was one of the most powerful individuals in the Autobot Army and justifiable feared not just for his warrior abilities but also for his ruthlessness, relentlessness, dedication, integrity, and incorruptibility. She grinned. "This feels good."

"The door is closed, I **will** hand you that. It doesn't mean someone won't come inside," he said.

"Let them. I can't help it if they feel envious and jealous," Arcee said as she grinned.

Magnus grinned himself. "When do you go?"

"This evening at 1800 hours. We're bridging nearby and will do deep recon with Springer and the crews that're going. Wreckers and veterans, all," Arcee replied. "You'll have to cook for one tonight."

Magnus grinned. "You like to dream don't you."

"I do," Arcee said. "By the way, Ada called us to the little lounge down Engineer Corridor. Beer and confession time."

"He had that 'little talk' with you at last? It would appear he's a bit late," Magnus said.

Arcee smiled. The sense of humor that Magnus possessed was dry and delightful. He seldom showed it because he was wired to have dignity and integrity among the ranks but it was wonderful to her when he showed it. "That's funny," she said as she pulled his arms tighter around her. "He was there with beer and donuts."

"How did you all fit with the mini-cons in there? I think I'm going to weld the door shut," Magnus said with a grin. "That room is getting a reputation."

"You just noticed, did you?" Arcee asked with a chuckle.

"What did he disclose?" Magnus asked.

"A scientific finding. It would appear that the humans don't or forgot how to read energy fields and auras. It would appear that when humans look at us … the squad, they see mechs."

It was silent in the room, then Magnus turned his helm to look more directly at her. "They do? Forgive me, Arcee, but I don't."

"I know," Arcee said. "You've been infected so that all you see is what Jhiaxus wanted you to see. Fragger. I'm going to kill him, then pray to Primus to allow him to live so I can kill him again and again. I think if I spend about 2 vorns doing that every waking minute, I might be mollified."

"Perhaps. I don't know if this helps you but I hope it does," Magnus replied. "How long will it take, this mission? I'm sorry I wasn't there to assist in planning. I had to help sign off the University District with Jetta. Is he going?"

"That's alright. He's coming. He's running the ground reconn as usual. We expect an orn or two. It depends upon what we find. There's supposed to be a colony there, those that drove them off. We're going to have them come with. I don't know if they **want** to come but we'll make them an offer they can't refuse." She grinned.

"How very gangster of you," Magnus said with a slight grin.

Arcee smiled. "Very good, Magnus."

"I try, Arcee," he said before the door opened and Holi walked in.

-0-At the Secretariat of State, Autobot City Medical Center, Suite 32, Offices 1-32, Tranquilitatis District, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 2

Ratchet sat in a conference room with Lucien, his political adjunct, his ambassadorial scheduler, his departmental lawyers and two experts on the trade deals that the humans were seeking. The last two were part of the City Administration and worked in Venture's domain in Terra. They were going over the stack of requests and proposals from Earth.

"This first item, Ratchet," Porque said as he opened that item on the agenda, "is for a commercial venture centered on harvesting helium from either Saturn or Neptune and/or their moons. Given that they have huge quantities in their atmospheres, the companies venturing would seek a joint project that would allow harvesting. Earth is running out of helium to put it simply. It's getting to be a rare element on world if it isn't already, so they'd like to work out the science and make a joint arrangement with us. The details of the exchange are to be worked out, given we have a cashless society who doesn't need payment for this sort of thing and they're rapacious marauders economically … it would be a good place to begin something that could lead to other projects. It would be a test of how we work together on ideas and projects which tend to benefit them more than us. We could see this as a good public relations venture for our two not always unified societies."

"Do you have their proposal?" Ratchet asked.

"On the device," Porque said as Ratchet opened the proposal and read through it. "Sandy can write the contracts and help you negotiate if you feel this has value," he said nodding to one of Ratchet's departmental lawyers, "and go over it with Fenix. They want different things but are rather vague on how to achieve them. They seem to be willing to let us develop the tech and apply the heavy lifting. They want their engineers on this and they want to be at the site but they're rather loose about the path forward technically."

Ratchet nodded. "The need is there," he said. "This is vague because they can't get there by themselves and they can't harvest it alone. They hope we can do that. Put this on the list for the conference. I'll speak to them about it but make it clear that the tech and techniques are proprietary. They can come and watch but they can't have the tech."

"I agree," Porque said as he glanced at Simsit, Ratchet's departmental scheduler and general manager. "Very well. The next one is a joint venture to study the sun. Earth has concerns about the solar flares that ravage them periodically. They expect a 'big one' that will shut down their grid. They want to have access to see the sun better, perhaps a joint study on a science vessel with, maybe, access to the Science Habitat for scientists to stay and do research."

"That would require the agreement of the scientists there. Since they have half their families staying there half the time, they'd have to sort it out. I don't have a problem with this though I'd need a formal proposal ready to read through and discuss at the conference. Please write a letter to them on our letter head stating that. If this has the agreement of the locals, then fine. I'll hear it," Ratchet said.

"There was a report on Earth that the Prime is considering a habitat that would be controlled by us, where up to 20,000 humans would live and work. They'd work on things that would be necessary to Earth, her upkeep and repair but be employees of the Prime under his complete control. It's getting huge local and worldwide coverage so you can probably expect it at the United Nations meet up shortly. What do you want to say about that?" Porque asked as everyone looked at him.

"I don't know where that rumor came from but I've heard it a lot now," Ratchet said as he glanced at a pensive Lucien. "What have you heard, Lucien?"

"I've heard it around but nothing solid," he said. "I'm unaware of where it came from but its in the community."

Ratchet considered that. "It could be just a rumor that started like rumors do or it could be an idea planted into the community by certain humans who want more here. I'll discuss it with Optimus and see what he says."

"Do you think personally that its a good idea?" Carne, a departmental lawyer asked.

"I don't know," Ratchet said with a grin. "Having more humans here would be problematic because not all of them will have the buy-in that the locals have. Earth 1 is nearly ready to have enhanced access to things. We've studied them and feel they're ready. Earth 2? Not likely. Earth 3? I shudder to think but maybe we can call a bluff here and stock it with true believers. The more the leadership of Earth2 remain a minority opinion on world, the better. Put that pending," Ratchet said. "I'll fill you in after Optimus and I go over the notion."

They would continue.

-0-Armory

He took a moment to take a moment with the infant sitting up by herself in The Crate That Must Be Preserved As A Historical Artifact Because Every Baby In The Family Used It Since Orion. He grinned as he handed her a baby cookie. "Slagger. Sitting up just now. Your old ada is going to slag me to the Pit." He pulled his own and they took a break together. "How do you like the new arrangement? Moving the big rockets and bunker busters to a deeper and more secure armory near the Crater District gives us more room for the smaller stuff including your favorites, the little mini-con pop gun shells."

She paused in her efforts to find an edge to her cookie that was softer than the rest to smile at him. **"AI!"**

Ironhide's optics would take a while to crawl back to his face from their current location down near his debris valve.

-0-In the corridor on the way to the Ambassadorial meeting going on in the Secretariat

"Just remember, Halo, that you have to sit up and say Atar. 'Ah-tar'. That's all you have to do," Ironhide said as he walked along with the baby in the crook of his arm. "Don't tell the old ball and chain that you did this without him. He'll plant one in the middle of my face." He reached the door, walked in and headed to the big conference room where everyone was. Walking in, he sat down beside Ratchet who took Halo and kissed her sideways. She laughed her tiny laugh, smiled her giant baby smile, then tweeted.

It would take a moment for all of them to find their optics which were rolling around somewhere in the corners of the room.

-0-RTR Tools

Pausing before sliding a blade into an oil bath to blaze, Ravel turned to Tie Down who was hammering away on a sword. **"Tie!** Halo can sit up, tweet and talk baby speech."

Tie paused a moment with surprise, then smiled. "That's very early, right?"

"Very," Ravel said with a smile.

-0-Around the familial grapevine ...

He paused on top of a rubble pile with Keystock and his entourage. He listened off line, then smiled. Turning to slap Keystock on his (backpack-less) shoulder, he laughed. " **MY INFANT CAN TWEET!"**

The entourage grinned and congratulated him. Keystock would after it was all explained to him …

-0-And over there …

It was a long walk to the end of the potholed road where the junction came together. One road led to the old airfield of Shan, another to the highway that led to Furnace Ravine and the last to Helex. Behind him, walking with as much care as they could, their personal lights brightening up the darkness that was perpetual on Cybertron where repair was still just a plan on a list, Hard Drive and his crew gathered. He looked both ways, considering that this was the 'country' where a lot of manufacturing and very little housing beyond slums existed. Then he got a call. Then he grinned and turned to his entourage. "My little Halo can sit up and tweet. My little princess is trying to talk already."

He was heartily congratulated. Cargo would congratulate him, too, when he had it all explained to him …

-0-As well as here ...

Blackjack walked toward the bridge room in his district office on Cybertron with gusto as Turbine and Delphi followed having bridged in to tell him. They had gotten the message and were determined to be there to see a new thing for themselves. They had missed nearly everything before but now was a new orn. They stepped on board and disappeared …

-0-And still here ...

Prowl frowned. Another one of 'his' had excelled and he wasn't there to see it. There would be consequences. He glanced at Paragon. "I will be right back, Pari."

Paragon nodded, then watched as he left. Grinning, he turned back to the job at hand.

-0-Rec Room, Ops Center, The Fortress

Prowl nearly collided with Blackjack, Turbine and Delphi. "Where are you going in a hurry?" he asked as he fell in line with them.

"Our baby can tweet." -all of them

Prowl frowned slightly as they existed the building. / … **mine** , you mean, slaggers … they're all **mine** …/

-0-At a cafe following classes and just before going to do volunteer work at the Shrine for the Thirteenth Prime

Docker grinned. "Halo can sit up and tweet."

"Oh, my," Corr said as he glanced at Docker with surprise. "Isn't she rather young?"

"It would appear so, Corr," Chan said with a smile. "Our little princess is growing up fast. I'm not sure whether I'm happy or not."

"I know. We **must** have a party tonight. For her and all of them," Docker said as she began to mentally organize it. "We must **always** celebrate their little achievements. We did for Sonny and look how he turned out?" she asked with the most serious of expressions on her beautiful face.

It was unanimous. They would.

-0-Getting ready to leave

The airfield was getting ships on line to lift off shortly. There would be seven big shuttles, all of them armed and ready to go with veteran crews and pilots. Soldiers were called along with Seekers. When sundown came, they would be on their way. Sub Command below Ops Center was busy with the team that would set things up and do some of the work along with Ops Center above. Missions were now so complex it took extra servos, optics and even facilities to complete them effectively. The alpha armada was on standby in case there was a problem while the Bureau of Refugees sent their alert, 'standby to receive refugees' to their official and support personnel.

It was busy.

-0-At the Secretariat

They all converged, those that had zeroed in on their prize, as all came through the doors and office like a force of nature. Delphi who led them walked in, then picked up Halo. The tiny femme smiled that gigantic smile that babies are famous for as she greeted her great-great grand amma. "My sweet smart little baby. You can sit up and tweet. Tweet for us, infant. Make me love you even more."

" **TWEET!"**

It would take a moment for them to recover their body parts scattered all over the room.

-0-At the Diner On The Corner a short moment later

They sat together marveling on a certain little femme who was so far ahead of schedule, they thought, that everyone's main topic of conversation was how long Ironhide would be able to hold onto her before the truant officer came with a butterfly net.

 **"SLAG THAT! SHE'S LITTLE! SHE NEEDS TO BE HELD AND … AND ALL OF IT! SHE'S NOT GOING TO SCHOOL YET BECAUSE SHE'S SMALL! I, IRONHIDE, HAVE SPOKEN!"**

Everyone stared at him for a moment, then laughter long and loud broke out. He frowned at all of them, unconsciously delighting his elders to the nth degree. Delphi leaned forward. "Relax, slagger. Whiner. Poor baby."

"You wonder why I grew up this way," Ironhide said with a big smile. As he did, Raptor and Hard Drive walked in without their charges. "Well, look who's here."

Hard Drive relieved him of the baby, then sat. Raptor, who was smiling at her as she lay in Hardie's arms with cameras going off all over the place, sniffed her. "You're so cute. I need a daughter." He looked at Turbine. "I say, old mech … we could use a princess of our own."

"I'm glad you volunteered," Turbine said with a grin. He was sitting back with his arms folded over his big chest smirking at the big lug as he made 'suggestions, loudly'. "I got you the 'slagging cow'. Now you want a daughter."

"I could use a son, too," Raptor said as he pulled his cow out of his hold.

Blackjack frowned. "Slagger," he said.

"Both of you are," Alor said as he walked in followed by Flint, Trooper and Scout. **"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TELL ME SLAG! FRAGGERS!"** He picked up Halo, then smiled. "Who's a perfect little infant," he cooed.

"What's her pitch? Is she a singer?" Trooper asked as everyone gathered chairs and sat. Orders were taken, then everyone turned back to Halo.

"I don't know, Appa," Ironhide said. "She's just starting out."

"Well, we'll keep an optic on her. She looks like a singer, Scout," he said.

Scout nodded. "Could be, Troop. She's still small."

"Dibs on her when she's older. We can see what she likes," Scout said with a big smile as his drink came.

"What if she doesn't like anything, Appa?" Ironhide asked.

"Like you?" Trooper asked with a chuckle. "And you have such a great singing voice, Ironhide. You break my spark," he said dramatically. Overly dramatically.

"He does that, breaking sparks, but not in a good way," Ratchet said as huge laughter rose up.

Ironhide glared at him. "Slagger."

"I was talking about Megatron," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Ironhide smirked at him. "If you say so, slagger."

"When do you take off, Appas?" Ironhide asked.

"1800 hours," Hardie said as Raptor nodded.

"Can I come?" Ironhide asked. "You might need me."

Half the elders of a certain age were halted a moment at that request. A certain menace to society shrank back down to a hopeful little mech ala Orion for a moment, then reality slipped back in. "You can come if we call up the alpha fleet. Right now, we got this," Hardie said.

Ironhide grumped a moment, then food came. It would be delish, too.

-0-TBC 3-12-18 **edited 3-30-18**

 **NOTES:**

mollified: (mall-ih-f-eye-d) made okay, eased, made whole again, satisfied

Porque: (poor-kay) :D

Carne: (Car-nee)


	298. Chapter 298

The Diego Diaries: Soundings (6-298)

-0-Far away

"Do you have the signal again, Fermi?" Ophir asked as he looked toward the sensor station on the ship he commanded.

"I do, Ophir," Fermi said. A tall slender mech with a pure white paint scheme, he was handsome and elegant. "We have it again."

Ophir who was bigger in frame but equally as elegant looked relieved. "Good. I want to pulse a message to them. How far away are they by ship's chronometers?"

There was a pause, then Fermi looked up. "Four joors," he said.

Around him on their ship others worked. They were the command shift, those among them who knew how to sail space and had experience. All of them had come out of the hell of The Fall with a need to learn many things beyond their planet bound skill set. The ordeal of The Diaspora had changed a lot of things. Even the high castes among this ship's manifest and all of the others in their armada were toting and fetching like anyone else. It had not been easy anywhere. They weren't welcome in most places and a few times they had to fight their way through.

Now they were heading toward a faint sound that was Cybertronian. It was Prime and Starscream, of all things, working together to gather them. They hadn't understood the meaning until they came across a deep space trading party who had told them of the 'robot civil war' and how it was concluded essentially without a shot. Lions had laid down with lambs. Their beloved and much missed home world had been reclaimed by the Prime of Cybertron who, Blessed be Primus, still lived. They were being called to come. It hadn't taken much persuasion to do that.

On their way toward that small spark of hopefulness, they had found others who had heard as well. Coming to every call, picking up everyone they found including seven Seekers who had been disabled and were at the moment of rescue being vied for at a tech auction. Those big mechs flew beside them, alternating through shifts to be one of their several guns against anyone who would be foolish enough to get in their way.

"We have another message," Fermi said. Sitting nearby, watching anxiously, an older mech fretted with weariness and fear. He was very elegant and handsome, had the wisdom of age and the anxious optics of someone who knew suffering. He rose to walk to Fermi. That bot looked up at him. "You should sit, Ada. You don't need to fall again."

"I would like to help, Fermi. I feel so poorly for those who are calling us. It's a miracle that we heard them," the elder mech said. "Its my constant nightmare that we'll miss someone."

Fermi pulled a chair, then tugged his ada to sit. "You need to rest. When I can, we can go sit with Atar. Its going to be alright. We'll be close enough to call to Prime soon and he will come get us. He's holy."

The elder sat, his optics fixed on the screen. The blinking dot where the emergency was waiting for them seemed too far away. He wrung his servos and sat with his son, trying not to think of the delirium that had enfolded itself around his bond, Ballast. It had been arduous and he, himself was failing, too.

-0-At the other end of the emergency

They had fled their system driven away by Decepticons who had alien allies. They wanted their settlement which was old, beautiful and prosperous. They had argued but the guns shoved in their faces made their point. They had crammed their ships, then lifted off in a whirlwind of turmoil into the dark emptiness of space. They had been harried until they came into the Barren, fleeing across a huge empty toward the faint call of Optimus Prime. They were astonished that he lived, that he had a sanctuary for them and that he would come if they could tell him where they were.

It kept up the morale. They had been forced to leave fast so they were less prepared than they would be otherwise. Their ships were adequate but they were many, crammed like cord wood into them. Children had nearly reached their breaking point, their endurance fraying along with everyone else. Some had fallen into wild despair and had been put into light stasis by their hedge doctor from the colony. Others just sat and stared as the endless expanse of space began to sap their will.

Their captain, his bond and three sons were on the lead ship. He was Skimmer, a big mech who had been a soldier once upon a time. He had organized their fleet and because his bond, Repeat had been a mechanic, they kept things together. However, four ships were coming apart and finally, here in the big cold empty of space, they had slid to a stop to go no further. What they had to do now was put too many individuals into not enough space. There was just no space for anyone else. They were stacked up everywhere. Then an answer to their subspace call for help, one they put as low as possible to not attract unwanted attention, had arrived.

Fellow Cybertronians.

They talked, compared identifiers, then signaled their location. Everyone who could stood at the windows with guns handy as everyone waited tensely. Who knew if the chat was with a friend or foe? Some of them didn't care.

-0-Striker Team heading to Callipe 2, a former Functionalist Enclave near the 'Big Burn'

They flew to the Trigger, then fell into their order of flight. Hercy sat by the window with Kup as Hard Drive sat in the engineer's seat on the battle shuttle that was identical to the one Raptor was commanding. Two others were with them. They were poised to go as the big machine began to power up.

"Miler Navigator to Striker 1 commanding."

"Striker 1, Hard Drive here, Milie."

"Hardie, I'm going to download your plan for transit. All the markers are go. When you get there, the charts are pretty bare but you're going to be close to the Big Burn. Please take care," Milie said.

"We will. Thank you, Milie. We'll be home shortly," Hardie said.

"Please do," Miler said. "Striker 1, you are go on three. Go at three. One … two … three."

The ships jumped forward following a blaze of light down the huge rails of the device. They shot forward into a whirlpool of energy, then disappeared. When they came out, they were near the Rim and the most dangerous, unpredictable area of the Benzuli Expansion called the Big Burn. It was unstable, said to be dimensional rifting, filled with unpredictable flashes of radiation and light, home to stars that would combust into being or die in equally bright flashes. There were quasars around here and gas giant stars who were cannibalizing their partners into nothingness, eventually facing cannibalizing by their victims until an explosion settled both their hashes.

It was bright and one could almost feel the energy crackle on neural nets all around the vessel. Hardie looked at the star chart on the panel before him as the ship began to fill things in. "Take battle stations and be ready for anything. Transmit to the others the same orders, Rem."

"Yes, sir, General," Rem said as he complied.

"Raptor to Hard Drive."

"Hard Drive here."

"The course is set. Should we fly in a level 6 motif or do you fancy something more elegant?"

Hardie grinned at his son's inability to take anything too seriously if there was going to be a good slagging. "I think that would be fine. Follow me," he said as he nodded to Rem. Behind him, all the mechs were sitting at gun emplacements, their barrels pointing outward. If anyone came too close, they would be sorry.

Their ships disappeared almost immediately.

-0-Out there in the other direction

They saw the lights grow larger as their rescuers came closer. When they drew even and slid to a stop, the stranded looked out at the newcomers. They were flying big ships, cargo and former liners, ships that could travel through space. Some of the ships were elegant and high caste, all of them were older and filled with pilgrims looking for safety, too.

"This is Ophir. I wish to speak to the captain. We need to get you moving," he said. "No one is following that we can detect but anything can happen in space.

"This is Skimmer. I'm glad to see you. Four of our ships can't go further and we have too many passengers to carry. We can't leave them. We need assistance."

"You have it," Ophir said. "Let's get this going. How many do you have and what will they bring? We have some space in our storage ship and can put things there. How many do you have to house?"

"150."

Ophir mentally did the math, then turned to Fermi. "Let's get them here, then we can go."

Fermi nodded, then rose to walk out. Between the two of them and their Seekers, they would make the transfer and work out their flying order. When it was time to go, a soldier who was now a civilian had crossed the abandoned ship's circuits. By the time they were well away, they would overload and explode. When all was exchanged and packed away, they moved forward. Standing on the deck of his ship with Skimmer, Ophir watched the vessels fade into the distance. When they blew up, they blossomed in fire and light, then winked out.

It was silent on the deck as everyone mourned their passing. Seafarers everywhere, in space or on water love their ships. They consider them part of their souls, calling them 'she' and 'her. When those ships faded away, it was solemn on the deck. Then the sound of a message, a recurring message was heard once again over ship's communications. "My name is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-Big Burn

They flew together with guns pointing outward toward a growing signal of habitation. The signal was Cybertronian and it was nearby. Hard Drive sat in his seat listening to the on board mechs laughing and talking. They were ready for whatever came ahead. They had little information but because the Functionalists were here, it wasn't likely to be good. He glanced at Rem. "Are we close enough to talk to them?"

"If anyone is there, yes, General," Rem said as he made it so. "You can speak now."

"Thank you, Rem," Hardie said. "To whomever may be listening, this is General Hard Drive of Praxus, a member of the General Staff of Optimus Prime. We are aware that there is a Cybertronian settlement here that shared space with the Functionalists. We have taken them into custody and have come here to render you assistance. We are Autobots serving the Prime of Cybertron. Cybertron has fallen to Autobot servos and we are gathering our people wherever they may be. Please respond."

They flew onward toward the signal that was pulsing toward them, an automated one it would seem. Then someone spoke. "This is Static. Please send your identifiers. We ask for proof. If you come here without permission, we will take up arms against you."

Hard Drive nodded to Rem. "Send them."

He did then it was quiet again. After a moment, the voice was back. "General, please come here. We have to talk. We're sending you our coordinates."

They came, were received and Rem changed course. Picking up speed, they headed as swiftly as they could in such a dangerous area toward a tense voice filled with dread. They rode that way equally dreading what they would find.

-0-At the homestead

They ate cake and watched the infants, all of them eating cake themselves. Orion looked at all of his elders sitting nearby on the couches. "Amma, why you?" he asked as he pointed to the cake nearby.

"This is for Halo. She sits up now and tweets," Ravel said. "We have to celebrate you infants. You're our sweetest treasure."

Everyone grinned at Ravel as he fed a piece of his cake to Cousin and Spot.

Praxus smiled at Ratchet. "Ada, can we have a cow?"

Ratchet grinned. Ironhide grinned. Everyone grinned. "No," Ratchet said.

"Ada, can we have a little horse?" Praxus asked with a giant smile.

"No," Ratchet said.

"Ada, can we have a … a," Praxus looked at Hero and Orion who were smiling brilliantly. He laughed, then looked at Ratchet. "Can we have a **CHICKEN!?"**

" **NO!"** Ratchet replied with a grin.

"Ada, can we have … uh ..." Praxus leaned closer to Orion. "What?" he asked softly as Orion whispered into his ear. He smiled, then looked at Ratchet. "Ada, can we have **a bozo!"**

" **NO!"** Ratchet said with a smile.

Praxus laughed riotously as Orion and Hero grinned at him, then Ratchet. "Ada, can we have … uh, can we have … uh … **A CAN OPENER!?"**

" **NO!"** Ratchet said with a laugh.

And so it would go.

Again.

-0-TBC 3-13-18 **edited 3-30-18**

Leoness chapter 297 . 17h ago

Given current human society I can see some mass confusion among the newcomers from Earth on hearing "Halo can tweet" lol.

ME: Heh-heh-heh … I agree. :D More human confusion coming shortly. ;)

Leoness chapter 296 . Mar 11

So have the boys run into any non-binary humans yet? Speaking as someone coming to terms with that themselves, I can see it being an interesting discussion.

ME: I hear ya. I'm working out more aliens now. Do you know about budding? Go to tee eff wiki and google it. :O The art is scary.


	299. Chapter 299

The Diego Diaries: Mission (6-299)

-0-Heading into the heart of things

They flew in a furious line, a spearhead shaped formation as they jetted toward the automatic signal. Someone had called them to come. They sounded tense so it wasn't going to be a good thing. The other colony apparently was still up and at it, so the reach of the Functionalists had to be less than it seemed.

Perhaps.

They flew past markers that were rather sophisticated sensor arrays to alert the … whoever was there that someone might be coming. They flew onward toward a small sun with two planets circling it. It was powerful enough to support life if that life was hardy and resistant to slag the way they were. It was also in a nice position where you'd have to know it was there to find it. Following the message and its stated coordinates, they burst through a debris field of an ancient rocky planet that had met its doom with the unstable radiation that made living here a crap shoot as the humans were wont to say about high risk ventures.

The sun shown brightly as they made their way forward following a directional signal that had come to them as they burst through the unofficial barrier that made this a good place to hide. Flying onward, they came upon a hot rocky planet that was the home of the signal. Hardie leaned forward and tapped a toggle on his console. "This is General Hard Drive of the Prime's General Staff. We're coming in. What should we know when we do?" he asked calmly.

The tense voice came back. "It's hot here, General. We live in specialized housing, some of it underground. We will meet you at the airfield. The beam will bring you in. Thank you for coming." The voice clocked off.

"Take us in, Rem. Everyone be on your peds," Hardie said. "Raptor."

:I'm here:

"Did you get all of that?"

:I did. You lead?:

:Yes. Look alive, son. Hard Drive out." He sat back to watch the planet grow larger as they got closer. It was a large and well made settlement there with a big airfield and energy production plants nearby. There appeared to be little else beyond the housing and living spaces that were built around an array of towers that extended about ten stories upward. How big the place was, no one knew but if some lived underground, this was no smallish settlement.

Rem took the ship in, then settled on the tarmac where a group of mechs waited for them. Hardie rose. "Rem and Sandstorm, stay on board and guard this. Sunstreaker? Take a turret gun and be ready to blast them if they pull a stunt. The rest of you, with me." He walked to the door, opened it, then stepped out onto a rock hard tarmac supporting a large fleet of tanker ships. It was about 120 degrees Fahrenheit outside, killer heat for humans but rather wonderful to self regulating adult Cybertronians.

Raptor and his soldiers stepped down, then joined Hardie. Everyone took the measure of the other, then a tall mech with a very plain format walked toward them followed by others like him. He held out his servo and Hardie gripped it Cybertronian-style. "I'm Blanc. I command the settlement. You're Hard Drive?" he asked.

"Yes," Hardie said as he unobtrusively read Blanc's tattoos. Primus Peace Mission. Neutral. Praxus. "My son, Raptor. This is our crew. You were good to give us coordinates. This is a good hiding place."

Blanc nodded. "We needed it after the Fall. This was a refuge from the chaos and marauders. Can you come with us to our central control? We have things to tell you and we'd like to know what's happening abroad. Some say that Cybertron has fallen to the Prime. That he's looking for us. We'd like to know what's going on."

Hardie nodded, then followed the party to a place nearby that looked like an airport terminal with floor to ceiling windows surrounding a very large building. They entered and it was much cooler, perhaps more normal to average Earth temperatures. "This feels better. Mind you, I'm not complaining about the heat but this feels good on the neural net."

Blanc nodded. "We keep a good temperature here. Its a nice contrast. Won't you sit and perhaps have refreshment?"

"If you wish it," Hardie said as he pulled out a chair. Good energon with a famous type of energon cake was placed before them and they made a taste and sip for good manners sake. Then they ate their cake because it was that good. "Tell me what you're doing here. This is the most dangerous part of the Barren and Rift."

"We were driven this way, General, long ago by the Decepticons. They were after all the Missionaries," Blanc said. "We came here and were left alone because they weren't really expecting us to thrive. We did. We manufacture fuel of all kinds from the energy floes, then sell it to big stations on the other side of this area owned by different alien conglomerations. We've charted a stable pathway through and every few, we take huge loads of fuel and trade. Its been very peaceful and stable until the Functionalists came."

Hardie nodded. "Tell me about them. I want to know everything there is about it."

Blanc leaned back, then glanced at another mech, someone called Darvik. "You tell them, Dar."

Darvik looked at Hard Drive. "I was a teacher in the school system in Praxus. We're part of the Missionary movement, some of us from all over the planet. I keep the record here. The Functionalists came here after we were up and running. We took in the odd fleeing group that came this way or were near. We saved a bunch of our people. It's the way we live. Our way."

Hardie nodded. "I know. I know a lot of Missionaries." He turned his arm slightly showing his own tats. "I'm from Praxus, too."

"You're an Elite," Blanc said.

"So is my son," Hardie said as he nodded to Raptor. "Please … continue. Leave nothing out."

"They came here and we gave them space. There were about 6,000 or so of them. They were just a group of explorers, they said, driven from their world by the 'Cons. We gave them shelter and they built their colony some distance from here. They wanted isolation to practice their religious beliefs, they said. We were okay with that. We even offered to share our tech with them to give them a chance to earn a living just like us. They took it and we really didn't have much contact. They said they were a … an ascetic group living an austere life of religious devotion. We … we've seen a lot of individuals who sort of went that way … falling into a rigid practice to hold together. We gave them their space.

"They came and went in space, heading out they said to get their people, some they had to leave behind until they found a safe place. We asked how many and they said just a few hundred more. We were working on sensors out that way after a bit of time passed and tested them by scanning their settlement. They were at nearly 50,000. It made us nervous because we ourselves total now after all this time merely 11,000 or so. I didn't like the vibration from them and they were beginning to outnumber us. We called them to a meeting and they came. We knew they were functionalists. They have a bizarre practice and presentation, that singular optic.

"We talked and they said they were going to be organizing their own competitive operation. They also said they were going to be taking over our settlement as well because they saw us as inefficient and out of line with how they felt things should work. Needless to say, there were words. Fortunately for us, we have guns and over the vorns have learned how to use them. It was a standoff for a while, then they raided our main energon depot and destroyed the machinery. They sent us a message to give up control or we'd suffer."

"Sounds like them, the slaggers," Raptor said darkly. "What happened then?"

"We used our sensors to get a good bead on them, then we flew in at night and slagged their grids, their own tech and energon production sites and a few other places. We then came back and called them. We told them they had two orns to leave or we would come in there and slag them all." Blanco looked at Hardie with a cold expression. "We don't believe in violence but we also don't believe in slavery and murder. We figured out who they were about then from this action. They were the actual slagging Council of Twelve of the Functionalist Oppression. We then organized ourselves to fight and modified our smaller ships. We made flyovers to test their weapons and resolve. It was then that they began to pack up.

"It took longer than two orns but they finally lifted off and were gone. We scanned their settlement very diligently for bombs and mines, then entered it. There were dead everywhere. There were dead in houses and homes mostly. No one was dead in the working areas. There were dead on the airfield where their ships were parked, a large group of elders. They were still lying where they fell. They detonated their recall chips," Darvik said with a cold expression. "We read about them and what they did. We never saw it until then. They left 3,200 dead behind."

It was silent a moment, then Hard Drive sat back regarding the group levelly. "The Prime retook Cybertron. It's free but pretty badly off. We're rebuilding it. Until then, the refugees that we go out to get by ship and bridge live on a planet called Mars in a deeply secured system in a colony that last time I heard was approaching 23 and a half million civilians, soldiers, Seekers, and former Decepticons. Its a good place because we all live there in peace. Do you wish to come with us?"

They stared at him, then each other. Blanc considered the offer. "We discussed this in our community when we were waiting for you to come here in the hopes that might be an option and did a flash poll for the will of the order. It's our way. The majority are willing to leave here. This place is dangerous and we don't have any more protection should the floes change their mind and strike our way. There's marauders, strange aliens and Decepticons out here. What do we have to do?"

"We have specialists who take care of getting groups ready to go. What worries me is the dead. Where are they?" Hardie said.

"About 200 miles from here," Blanc said. "We buried them in decent graves. It took a long time and frankly, it took a toll. I'd hate to leave them here when we go. They didn't have much of a life and leaving them behind seems as callous as their killers."

"I will inform Prime. Do you know much about space bridges?" Raptor asked.

"We do. Some of us had been theorists at the Science Institute in Praxus about space bridges and advancing the level of tech we had when the war overtook us. You can bridge in here safely. We can help that way." Darvik sat back with some relief. "What about our dead? Our personal things? We didn't get to take much but some of it's precious to some of us. My ada has some glass that belonged in the family a long time. It may seem trivial after all this-" he said before Raptor cut him off.

"No. We can manage it. Bring what you want and need. We can get this organized swiftly, then blow the settlement," Raptor said.

"We lived here a long time. We built this with our servos. I'd hate to see it go but that's what has to happen. There's some really dangerous aliens out here and given how close the Rim is, I wouldn't want them to move in and prosper here," Blanc said. "We've been alone a very, very long time. I would like to feel closer to home."

Hardie nodded. "Where's your comm station?" he asked.

"Follow me," Blanc said as he rose rather wearily. "This is going to be bittersweet. This place saved us and it feels like treachery to destroy it."

Hardie nodded as they walked to the door. "I know. Been there, done that." They left.

Raptor sat back. "We caught the Council. They were tried for their crimes. Not these but others. They abandoned another colony, one with half a million of our people. They killed all of them but about 4,000 the same way."

The Missionaries stared at him with shock. "It never ends does it," Darvik said quietly. "I want to go somewhere that has peace."

"Autobot City does. It has the Temple and a peaceful life. When the hearing was concluded on these slaggers, the Pantheon weighed in. They took a bunch of us to the Matrix and passed Their own judgment on the slaggers. They were 'recalled' themselves. Primus, Himself weighed in," Raptor said. "They aren't in favor of caste slavery."

Darvik leaned closer. "They did?"

Raptor nodded. "I think you're going to like the colony."

-0-Elsewhere

Lucien sat at the table with Ratchet going over the agenda for the United Nations Interplanetary Business Conference that was going to be held at Diego Garcia where the humans attending could meet the bots in a more informal manner. It would be televised like their previous meetings had been held. It was shaping up to be a long and interesting three orns. There were several categories of proposals which were organized to be covered. First, there were 'joint ventures' that pertained to mining the system and making things together. The Autobot's foundation was gagging with money and investments were going to be a big item on the first part of their talks.

Secondly, there were proposals by companies that made films and television who wished to increase their platforms on world and elsewhere. There were even those who wanted to make documentaries … 'respectful joint venture films' about their recovering world, Cybertron. Others wanted to make historical films about their culture, the Decepticons, the War and the Fall.

That was going to be a delightful minefield to traverse.

Thirdly, there was the idea of more humans living abroad, including some of the planetary system moons. They wanted to do hands on research abroad, then build habitations on some of the less extreme planets to utilize their resources with the idea of building a series of space habitations leading to the solar well. Wheeljack and Perceptor was studying their proposals now and were expected to attend that part.

"I wonder if the rumor about a habitat commanded by Prime and filled with humans will come up. That rumor is a hoot," Ratchet said with a grin.

Lucien shrugged. "I don't know. I can hardly stand the ones we have now."

Ratchet laughed. "How do you feel, Lucien? How is this new reality percolating down?"

Lucien sat back and tossed his stylus on the table. "Ask me in a while. Right now, I just want the ringing in my spark to stop."

Ratchet watched his face. "You know … I understand how you feel. You may find that strange or funny but I have oceans of empathy. I always wanted us to be better, to be united. Wandering alone in space trying to find the AllSpark, wondering where Ironhide and my family was … did they make it off Cybertron? Did they die in their beds? I spent a lot of time alone looking for everyone. It was ghastly. It was spark breaking. In the end, there's only love and those who matter. Nothing else does, Lucien. You have a great bond, great kids, a good job, I hope you have outside interests. I don't truly know what else matters anymore. I lost so many on the battlefield. Why? Why did any of this have to happen? In the end, we all lose."

Lucien stared at him. "I don't know any other way."

"Do you go to counseling with Vinn?" Ratchet asked.

Lucien nodded.

"Good. Give it time. In the end, it's only those you love, the memories of them and the places and times you shared that count. Imagine a life without your kids when you feel it come over you. No matter what you owned or did or the power you had, not having them would be the worst thing of all. Only love matters, Lucien. You will get there. I have faith in you," Ratchet said gently.

Lucien stared at him. "You're a mad bastard."

Ratchet grinned. "You're just finding that out now?"

He stared at Ratchet, then the faintest ghost of a grin appeared to appear. He looked at the agenda. "What do you think about this idea?" he asked. They both bent their helms to the task. It would be added as well.

-0-TBC 3-14-18 **edited 3-30-18**

NOTES:

ascetic: (az-seh-tik) characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons. "an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labor" (Or as Ultra Magnus calls it … "Tuesday" ;)


	300. Chapter 300

The Diego Diaries: Coming Home (dd6 300!) 300. Again. :D

-0-Ops Center

Prime stared at Hard Drive as he watched Optimus from the monitor screen for orders. After a moment, Prime nodded. "Please send a detailed plan of need and action, General. We will move on it. Please figure out the exact possibilities, if any, for bridging closer to where you are. The less travel through that particular area, I would imagine, the better."

Hardie nodded. "We will do it, Prime." He glanced at a solemn Prowl. "I will send it to you in a moment, Prowl. Hard Drive out."

Prowl watched as Optimus rose from his chair and walked to the door that led to his office. The big mech entered it and disappeared. Prowl decided to wait, then see how Optimus was when he would bring in the plan for his perusal and approval. It was a heavy place, the Ops Center, for now. He turned back to the job at hand.

-0-Office

Optimus Prime stared at an image on the wall, a small picture of a number of youngling mechs hanging out in front of a tenement building, gathered on the steps of a stoop. He saw himself as a young mech with his friends, Jetta, Deion and Distar, a long lost friend he wondered about often, one he had grown up with as well. It seemed like a million vorns ago and it probably was. Even though he could calculate his own age to the nth degree, he didn't. It was the now that needed him, not the broken and long ago past. Even though he knew that past existed in this moment along with everyone elses and every other moment past, present and future … damned physics … he didn't like to go there very often in his processor. For all its difficulties, it was a beautiful thing to him, one fraught with memories good, bad and indifferent as well as much loved and long missed individuals. Maybe he would some fine orn as he showed his children around the old neighborhood. It was being preserved for its historic content he had been told.

The orn was sunny in the picture and he could even see a bit of blue sky between the tightly packed towers. He could smell the hot pavement, the trash that was gathered to be picked up, maybe, and all the other sensory aspects of his memories. His grand genitors lived nearby and his genitors along with all the others were there in his dreams, sitting on the stoop on stifling orns, chatting and watching the children play. It felt warm and loved to him.

Home.

The buildings were disasters, all of them run down from neglect and age. This was a district set aside for machine shops during the Quintessan Oppression and here, generations of mechs slaved their lives away, dying and being smelted when they gave out or killed for whatever infraction real or imagined. Given their energetic state and their ability to read energy, it was a place filled with ghosts.

Literally.

He could see them and had become immune to their presence. Some of them did the same thing every time he saw them and he knew they were merely residual energy patterns, like video. Others were intelligent and they sometimes followed him around, drawn by his even then unusual energy and charisma. He didn't like it when he was small and he told his genitors about it with fear. They had 'told' the ghosts to go away and stop making their perfect infant scared. It must have worked because for most of his infancy he never saw them again.

It was good training for the Matrix.

But now he did on occasion and depending on the place when he went to Cybertron, endless masses gathered around the deep pit graves, all of them staring at him. He could see them and sometimes those around him could as well. But mostly, it was him. Maybe it was the Matrix or maybe his eternal empathetic goodness made it possible. He had learned to let go any connection in emotion to them but for his sadness and pity. They didn't make him afraid. They made him deeply sad.

Like now.

So many had been killed, including the genitors of Lesto. How would anyone tell her that her elders were found lying in the dirt of an abandoned airfield just like when she saw the Twelve murder them. What would it do to her recovering and how could she live with it in the long run? She had seen them murdered and it was all a lie. He would protect her from that even as he would protect her elders by bringing them here for burial among those who would have protected, cared for and loved them.

It mattered that they could do this when they could. The Decepticons scavenged their dead, pulling out what they needed and tossing the rest. The Autobots buried their dead. There was no scavenging unless someone's life was at stake and then only with respect and the requisite prayers. Maybe that was the difference … or **A** difference … he was too much in turmoil at the moment to draw any distinctions. He turned to the desk and sat down wearily. Musing on the information, at the failure of their efforts for this little group, he wondered what could be done differently. Then he looked over at a chair by the desk and She was there. He started to rise but She raised her servo. "Don't rise."

He sat heavily, then shook his helm. "The road is filled with graves in all directions."

"They were not put there by you for the most part, brother," she said. Solus sat back, relaxing Her lithe body as her long silver 'hair' fell over Her shoulder and the arm of the chair. "I would like to discuss with you, brother, this insistence for you to take on the sins of others. Your destiny was to become the Prime of The People, not their Perfect Master."

"There are so many that need us. What is happening to them? How many are suffering?" he asked with gathering emotion.

"You misunderstand our places here, Optimus. We all come here knowing what's ahead. It's part of the lessons in this, the hardest school possible. No one goes down a road they didn't choose. This is a school, a play, and you are all actors in the drama. Some have chosen to be villains to learn valuable lessons and others heroes for the same reason. You do that for each other to advance your learning and spiritual growth and you do it for love. Sometimes, my dearest brother … it's easier to be the victim than the victimizer. Consider that We are all spiritual beings of a higher energy who are the embodiment of love when We aren't here on this plane of existence, brothers in all things. Imagine being love, then having to be evil to another because they need you to do that for them."

"Megatron has good? … I am unclear about that, Lady. I do have faint memories of a companion I once cared about but that might have been a trick of light and shadow," Optimus replied with a trace of bitterness.

"Perhaps. But what have you learned by your life as his greatest foe?" she asked.

It was silent a moment. "Implacable will. I have to find our people and bring them to safety. I must defend those who need it and I must never give up."

"Ah," Solus said with a nod. "You learned a greater love then."

Optimus stared at Her. "Perhaps."

"There is no perhaps, brother. You have always been the best one, the one most like Primus Himself. You have always had bounties of love for others and a burning thirst for justice. You would no more be ignoble than Megatron can become noble. You are in miniature, the two of you, Primus and Unicron. One is chaos and the other is love. What neither of you are is infallible. What we expect you to be, all of Us, longed for and prayed for to be is good. Dedicated. Determined. Loving in your outlook to others. Your resolve is remarkable. Your ego is your partner, not your master. Megatron never learned that, not in the Pantheon and not here. His namesake killed me, you know, Megatronus. I loved Him but he killed me with my own creation." It was silent a moment. "I understand your sense of failure and sorrow but you are not to blame. You have to push on. You will bring them home in time."

Optimus stared at her with compassion. "I am sorry for that … that such a thing should happen to You," he said. "I am well versed in the legends and tales. You are my patron and solace."

She grinned at him. "And you are my brother. Be what you can and nothing more. Trust Me that it's uniquely and greatly enough." With that, She faded from view.

He sat quietly thinking when the door cracked open and Prowl peered in. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"No but I will persevere. A good friend told me that it would be so," Optimus said.

Prowl entered and together they finalized a plan to remove a colony from the middle of a death trap. Part of that project would be to remove 3300+ bodies from their graves.

-0-Earth2

Cameron Frazer gathered his gear, then walked out the door of his first floor apartment to join Rick Harris for a joy ride around the colony. He wasn't cleared to go on his own but he could go with someone who was. Rick was approved about a year before so he was waiting at the front hatch for Frazer to arrive. "Help me with the helmet," Cam said as Rick handed him one from the gear closet near the hatches.

It took a moment but it was secured, so both walked out and climbed into a vehicle. The lights changed to red inside. :Don't take your helmet off. Even though we can, I don't like to do it. One fuck up is all it takes to claw your eyes out:

:This feels tight and close: Cam said as they pulled out of the facility.

:You'll get used to it. It's light, you can see 280 degrees all around and its the only thing keeping you alive: They pulled out onto the highway. :There's the Consulate over there: Rick said as they buzzed along. The Consulate was down a long road, set against a rocky ridge.

Frazer stared at it. :That's where Carly works, right? That's one truly beautiful woman:

:One, she's out of your league and two, she's going with Sam Witwicky. She's practically engaged to him, I think: Rick said with a grin.

:If she isn't, she's fair game. What's that?: he asked as they drove past a big complex.

"That's the energy station that supplies half the colony. It supplies us, though we have redundant back ups. We also have priority. The bots make sure that our power is never endangered: Rick said. :That's the Basilica:

:We can go there, right?: Frazer asked.

:We can but not the Shrine with it yet. We obey the rules and we find we get farther that way if we do: Rick said. :I don't want to piss off the bots. They've been champions with me and my business. I have no complaints:

They drove onward passing the Mausoleum, then reached the big roundabout that led to several different directions and destinations. :I have to go to Sciences, then I thought we'd do lunch at The Resort. You can look around. The managers there are mostly tough smart women. Don't underestimate them. They're the movers and shakers … the gatekeepers for the human community here. Piss them off and you're on your own:

Frazer nodded as they swept through the second of the two Metro Cities on their way to Autobot City. It would be rather easy until they reached the Temple District. It would slow down due to those reporting in to save a colony of refugees just located for rescue. It would be fascinating to both men to watch the show as they drove toward the Sciences Habitat nearly in the center of town.

-0-At the Big Frame Repair Center, five miles from Autobot City and seven from Terra

They came with their equipment, computers and other devices to set up for a new wave of rescued immigrants. Apparently, they were in good shape and had led a relatively peaceful life for a long stretch of time, so the hope was that they would be able to check through and get on with their lives faster and easier. This was a mixed bunch, apparently, of Primus Peace Mission and Circle with some hard helmed but weary Neutrals thrown in for spice.

They set up the tents and tables, hooked up the system to Teletraan III's Bureau of Refugees, Medical and Immigration/Customs sectors of the computer, then worked out between all of them what they would do when the first ships began to set down nearby. They would be directed here rather than the Military Airfield downtown. Even if they weren't busy there heading out to get the newcomers, it would still be a much easier place to work than the crowded congested downtown.

-0-Driving slowly, bumper-to-bumper

They edged along Metroplex Highway #1 as they drove forward though the Temple District. Frazer stared at the big building and its immaculate unknowable grounds surrounded by a wall. Foreign but obviously Cybertronian words were written on the wall, cut into the stone. He saw them everywhere, Frazer did, but they were just so much gibberish to him, rather like their spoken language. :I wonder what goes on inside there:

:I hope to find out someday: Rick said as they moved forward again. :That place will get you banished from Mars forever and I mean … **forever**. Just so you remember:

:You sound like you've lost your edge, Rick: Cameron said with a grin as they stopped at a red light.

:I like this place. It's peaceful, beautiful and the bots treat me well. I like being here and working in these conditions. I won't save you if you screw up. I don't want banned: Rick said with a pointed stare.

:You know me: Frazer said with a grin.

:I do and that's why I'm saying this: Rick said.

Cameron laughed as they moved forward and shifted to the right lane. Turning on Sports Center Road that ran alongside the big building, they pulled into the turn off that led to the habitat doors. Signaling his desire to enter, the doors began to open. Driving inside, they closed equally as swiftly behind them. After the atmosphere was established, they stepped out, pulled off their helmets and walked into the huge facility. There were family members of the scientists around including two geologists that Rick wanted to speak to as well as a lot of pets.

He introduced Cam, then walked to the lounge to speak with the two scientists about things he was discovering on the climbs and runs. He was becoming as interested in Mars as they were and he had taken to giving reports to their great delight.

Cam walked to the counter, pulled together a big piece of pie, then took a cold drink. He walked to a table to sit. An older couple, the civilian parents of Sheila Conroy who were practically living here full time nodded to him. "Are you from Earth2?" Dale Conroy, Sheila's father asked.

"I am. I'm head of procurements and supply," Cam said as they shook hands.

"What's the problem with the mercenaries there?" Dale asked. He was an ex-cop, a veteran -military police- and as such had no time for such men.

"Um, they made a mistake. They're paying for it now," Cam said.

"Good. Make sure they do. We have a great reputation here. I don't want those fools to mess it up," Dale said as Mildred, his wife nodded her head. "I have no time for hired guns, especially stupid ones."

It was awkwardly silent a moment. "I will, sir. We're on top of the problem."

"I hope so," Dale said as he rose and walked to the counter for dessert. "My daughter works here. She's among the first 30 humans to ever come here and she's doing incredibly important research. I don't want that sullied." He returned to the table and sat with his pie. "I was a cop for thirty-five years and I can smell a punk fifty miles away. Some of us family, we have skills and we know how to use them. Tell them that, too."

Cameron nodded. "I will."

Rick who was glancing their way with a grin turned back to the two scientists he was conversing with. They were grinning, too.

Everyone liked Dale and Millie Conroy.

Especially Dale.

-0-TBC 3-15-18 **edited 3-16-18**

Interesting tidbit about Solus Prime. The difference in her and the mechs wasn't her body. She is different because her processor was different for her specialty. That is where the change emanates, the difference that all can 'see' but isn't really present. Then for this story, the CNA changes made the format differences but in all, they are all mechs or equally genderless. This theme will continue as its refined for the humans.


	301. Chapter 301

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 301)

Guess who can't get online with this site once again? :[ ARGH! I HATE THIS HAPPENING! :D

-0-In the doorway to the Operational Center of the Autobots on Mars

They stood on the back of a segway watching the show inside. They were winding down their visit here and the prize that they sought was standing by a computer station watching the monitor. The reporters from three magazines on Earth who were still here, both serious and fashion, watched the big catch, Optimus Prime. They had asked to interview him and he had agreed after a conversation with a number of liaisons from the human community to speak with them for a few moments but it would have to be together.

There was something going on but the reporters hadn't been able to catch the news because they were going everywhere talking to everyone they could to compile stories down the road. At last, Prime turned from the console and walked to the conference room nearby to disappear inside.

A mech who was a runner, someone who carried things from station to station and had the duty to find, go to and otherwise be wheels on the road walked toward them. "Major, Prime has a few moments. We have a situation with a colony we're rescuing so its been busy. But if you go in there," he said nodding to the conference room, "he can speak to the humans for a moment."

:Thanks, Topper: Will Lennox said as he gunned the segway. Buzzing to the room, he drove inside and pulled up by the table. The ladder was already there so he led the way upward and when they reached the huge flat surface, they could see the impressive and handsome face of the strangest alien they had ever seen watching them quietly. They could see his dignity and quiet confidence. His intelligence spoke from his deeply blue optics. Lennox walked forward and they followed. He told them to tune into the bot channel and they did, then set their translators on which would be unnecessary. Optimus Prime spoke better English than they did. :Hi, Optimus. These are the three reporters who wish to talk to you. I know you have a mission underway among other things, so we'll keep it short: Will turned to the three. :You go first, you second and you last:

They nodded, then Kyle Brodie of People Magazine stepped forward. "Thank you, sir, for having us. I appreciate it a lot:

Prime nodded. "Thank you for coming. We welcome visitors every day from Earth."

:We were wondering given that there are so many habitats for humans here and it would appear that all of you, both human and Cybertronian get along well … when will normalized opportunities for general habitation for humans ever happen? Colonizing Mars was always on the books for us. We were wondering given the interest on Earth what you feel about that: Kyle asked.

"We have no problem with humans living here. What we do require is a level of control that relates to safety and defense. Some of the requests were made for settlements far outside the range of what I would be comfortable defending at the moment. Understand, we are responsible for any habitations, the security, operation and upkeep of such places as well as maintaining them to our standards. You are organic so your exposure to life here would be fatal if such care and effort by us wasn't expended. We also are very proprietary about our tech due to our own treaties and laws as well as with you. Your people have an unfortunate habit of turning tech into weapons. We have no problem doing this for you, our greatest allies and friends. We have had humans on world for a very long time. We are not opposed to humans living here … but until the threat of the Decepticons can be confidently said to be over, we cannot have you here in quantities because if your habitations were breached during a conflict, you would die."

"What can you tell us about the incident at the Sciences Habitat? We understand that was the first time humans were in that sort of danger and that the habitat held: he asked.

"It did. Two criminals made it through security when they came with a migration and were hiding in the population. They were discovered by a former police officer who knew of them from before on Cybertron and in the effort to arrest them, they breached the Sciences Habitat and took those inside prisoner. Most managed to get to the underground bunker but others, Major Lennox included, were taken prisoner. We negotiated a release and took them into custody. The habitat exceeded expectations," Optimus replied.

:Some of the humans living here have dual citizenship. Some of them have businesses. There are many humans on Earth that would like to build businesses here. Perhaps if settlements are longer in the making, what about businesses here? What about resources and the possibility of having more joint ventures, here and perhaps in the system?"

Optimus sat back a little. "We are not opposed to joint ventures. We have a number of businesses on Earth who employ a lot of humans and make things at very low cost for the benefit of everyone. We prize and enjoy our human friendships and partnerships, but again … we are still unsettled with the realities we live in and keeping things simple keeps everyone alive.

"That being said … we will be looking into ventures. Commander Ratchet will be going to the United Nations economic meet up shortly with a list of proposals that have come to us for discussion. We are an urban people and we make things from scratch our way. We do not want to mar this planet nor harm it. We have one open pit to mine from on world and everything else comes from space. We share those resources with Earth in the hope it alleviates and relieves the need to mine there. When that one reaches a certain level, we will fill it, then find another. It will be left as pristine as can be. If you come here to work or build businesses, they cannot leave any destruction to the environment. We work very hard to be respectful of this world."

:There has been a lot of speculation in the press on Earth and there have been a few mentions in local newspapers here that you are going to create another habitat in which the humans employed there will be workers for Autobot Nation and thereby, they would have to obey you as an employer and work provider: Kyle said. :Do you know anything about this?:

Prime grinned slightly. "That rumor has been circulating but it did not come from me. We make our plans carefully and balance out what we want and can do across several planets and an empire. We are very close to our human neighbors here but I did not start that rumor, though I have heard it around. I cannot give you a better answer than that."

And so it would go on …

-0-far away

A large silent group stood around a carefully tended burial site. Big mechs with experience in exhumations were brought in from Cybertron to help with the disinterment. It was hot but it felt good to the workers who were digging with hand held machines into the hard packed dirt. Down below were casings, long burial tubes stood into the ground Cybertronian-style. The deceased were interred feet downward, standing for all eternity in memory of a planet with finite space for their dead. There were over 3,300 of them, mostly from the Functionalist massacre but a few from the colony itself. Not everyone got to go to the promised land.

The crowd that watched were solemn, some emotional but all of them grateful for the little priests who had come to apply to the canisters the brands and to the despairing sparks of the crowd prayers to ease their wounded souls. Their murmurs were received with gratitude as the morning wore on. Tube after tube with images of the dead in life fastened to their sides were pulled out and laid carefully and respectfully on pallets. They were stacked up and winched tightly on. When the entire group was removed, Prime would come with his officers and they would have a moment together, these lost members of their people's agony, retrieved with all their family before they would be taken to safety on Mars.

Turbine would be there to add his own worthy sympathy to several who were reclaimed to his own sect, then all would gather to go. Before they would, they would swarm Prime to touch him, tell him their story and thank him with agonized gratitude. It would take a while and it would be intensely emotional for everyone.

-0-Around the colony on Mars

They drove around the area looking at everything. The two moles from the Consulate were driving and in the vehicle was every mercenary from Earth2 sitting on the seats in the rear of the big N.E.S.T. vehicle. Driving up the highway past the Mausoleum, then merging with heavier traffic heading into the Temple District, they motored onward. It was silent mostly as they watched the vehicles around them. Nearly everyone of them was driverless. As they reached the first stop light at the junction of Fortress and Sports Center Road, three of the cars around them flipped into transformation. They stepped off on either side of the road to walk off on their own private business as the humans watched with amazement. Nearby, a bus load of visitors from the Resort were watching and taking pictures as well.

Carlos Ortega laughed. "That'll never get old. What a great way to go somewhere. You never have to worry about parking."

The others grinned or chuckled. Jim Johnson leaned back against the seat in the rear of the vehicle. "It would. Where are we going anyway?"

"I thought we'd take a spin around the city center, then go to Terra. Their mall there has a water park that has to be seen to be believed," Levi Hutter said. He was a plant from The Family who was part of the Beta Striker force who served at the Consulate as security. Beside him sitting in the passenger seat was his partner, Miles Anderson. Both of them bore the tiny dot tattoo on their ankle which alerted others of their persuasion to each other. They disappeared into the traffic as they continued onward. At no time when they did would any of them be off the radar of Special Ops who had found them out and attached code to their gear that would allow Elita and Jazz to know where they were at all times.

All of them.

-0-At the big frame yard

They began to come in, groups of hundreds who were transported to the colony on large vessels. The first group that came were the dead. They were taken to the new mausoleum on the hillside of the Crater District where a new burial ground had been created. They would be held there until their families were here and settled in. Then an announcement would be made about them and thousands of Cybertronians in the colony would come forward to join the interment ceremony. Once the elders at the airfield were identified, therapists would be told of the news. None of them would consider it wise or prudent to tell those like Lesto about it for now.

They had been loaded after a short moment with Prime, Turbine and some of the General Staff and Committee before taking off. It had taken a while for Prime and the others to walk back through the bridge that sent them, some back to Cybertron and the rest to Mars. Now the people came, their belongings soon to arrive on huge cargo ships. They walked from the ships looking around in astonishment before being led gently toward the techs waiting to reclaim them for The People. In the distance and all around them the giant spires and towers of cities glistening in the sunlight could be seen. Actual highways, eight paved lanes with traffic signals seemed to lead everywhere. There were spires and towers galore in each obvious and seemingly massive city location. Some of them were several such cityscapes grouped together while others were singular and spread apart.

It was almost silent as they stepped out. This was not what they expected. They had left their established settlement with dread about what could happen next, though there were very few among them that didn't understand their time in their old location was running out. The disconnect between expectation and reality was almost overwhelming.

Morius, Inweld and Partition stood nearby with Lon and Bezel waiting to be dispersed to assist when the crowds reached the immigration and refugee stations. They were full time Watch mechs now, the five, though some of them were also attached to army service. Lon and Bezel were 'on-call, stand by' status soldiers which made them quasi-regular army. They didn't muster every time but often enough to earn credibility among the professional army. Because the 'big mechs' mentored them and loved them, they got more opportunities to go out on actual missions than 99.9% of the Home Guard would ever have. Morius, Inweld and Partition were full time 'trainee' status Watch mechs who were working toward full accreditation as police. They were also Home Guard in their military status which meant unless it was considered a good training exercise they would probably never go out on missions. Partition would be an exception as a medic and when Morius and Inweld finished their coursework, they would be standby medics as well, attached as junior back up medics to a police substation in the colony. That two were lawyers was a huge bonus to their new most beloved careers.

"This is amazing. It shouldn't take a lot of time," Partition said.

"Where's Lancer?" Lon asked.

"She's helping the mission. They took the femme team for ground offense but it wasn't needed. She commed me that she's coming back with the last ships after they blow the settlement," Partition said as he watched the crowds mentally bookmarking any that looked like they needed help. His medical kit was carried on his back just like his brothers and he was ready to go when the refugees reached the stations.

"When are you two going to get bonded?" Bezel asked. "Shacking up can't be going over too well with the genitors, I can imagine."

"My ada is good with us. He would rather I do the 'right thing'," Partition said with a grin. "We're … that is, I'm going to be telling them this weekend. Given the championship game is on at the same time, I hope it distracts my atar enough to accept things."

"How is he doing?" Bezel asked.

"He's sort of lost," Partition said with a sad expression. "It's hard to watch. He's my best friend."

"He's … sad about things," Morius said. "We're hanging out with both of them more. He's still unsure what to do about all this. It's been a big blow and its sort of all he knew."

"I also think it made he aware of the stuff he was part of on Cybertron. There was a lot of slag," Inweld said. "We have to own up to it, Bez. All of us. No matter how hard it is to do it."

Bezel nodded. "It's better here. I wish they could see it. This is better than Cybertron ever was," he said. "Are you going to Cybertron any time soon?"

"I'm going with Ratchet after the U.N. meet up on Diego." Partition grinned slightly. "I asked to go and he said okay. I have to apologize to a bunch of mechs there. I was a slagger to them and I want to clear the decks."

Morius grinned, then slapped his brother on his back. "I never thought I would see the orn."

Partition smirked. "You were nothing to write home about either."

They laughed, then turned toward the crowd, picked their spots and walked to them. The weary and overwhelmed newcomers would be grateful.

-0-Lucien

He worked at his desk finalizing things that would be discussed at the Diego meeting shortly. It would be the first big action of his post Pantheonic slagging. He sat back as he considered the father and grandfathers that he adored. They were all wrong. He could pretend that what happened didn't matter and all manner of foolhardy self delusion. Apparently, everyone had lived in it since forever. Joining the new paradigm, even as outlined and underlined by the Great Ones Themselves felt like betrayal and it astonished him how much it hurt.

Laslo had embraced their new life altogether. Partition was keeping company with a mid-caste femme … make that former mid-caste femme. Morius and Inweld had shown them their tattoos declaring their status as full time peace officers. They were nearly finished with field medic certifications. He remembered when they graduated from the University full fledged attorneys. His spark had nearly burst with pride. Partition, his best friend and most beloved eldest son had graduated from the Diplomatic Institute to become a diplomat and negotiator.

He had overlooked the comments about suitability from everyone. This son was capable and decent he had countered. He's young. Give him time. When it was clear that Ratchet wouldn't be having him on his team, this designated Secretary of State and head of the diplomatic corps, he remembered the hate he felt for the big low caste medico. It felt righteous then but it felt heavy now. When they needed saving at Caste Court, this mech who should have hated them, who should have gloated as they sat humiliated and repudiated by their own community saved them.

He was deeply conflicted and confused. Maybe time would heal all wounds but he, himself, felt left behind. Maybe the Diego trip would help. He hoped so as he turned back to his pile of work and the agenda that he was creating for everyone who would attend. The afternoon would pass by quietly in the sun-filled office of Lucien of Iacon.

-0-TBC 3-17-18 **edited 3-18-18**


	302. Chapter 302

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 302)

-0-Later that night

They futzed around as they got things sorted out for the next orn. It had been a jam packed orn altogether. The new refugees were settled, some of them in the hospital for an overnight watch. Leaving their home, even one as endangered by location as it was, was a difficult thing for some. That they could bring their dead was the biggest possible blessing. But it came with another funeral. They would have it at the new Mausoleum On the Hill in the Crater District. The old one wasn't even close to being filled but there were going to be moments like this and they wanted to be prepared.

"How did it go on Cybertron?" Ratchet asked as he sorted through the tiny book bags and the bigger ones of the dreads. He was hanging them on the row of hooks by the mid door in the corridor, the door that used to be the main one for that co-opted apartment.

"It went well. I think I'm going to take Morius, Inweld and Partition tomorrow for a jaunt. I want them to get real world experience. The first two have applied for substation appointments and Contrail wants me to 'shake them out' under pressure," Ironhide said.

"Well, Contrail would know," Ratchet said with a grin. Contrail was his director of medics for the Watch and Emergency Services departments. The number of services that Ratchet ultimately controlled was amazing and wide spread. "Where will you be going?"

"We're going to go through the dead ends around the planet. There's rumors that some of the lesser … uh, the ones still messed up might be drifting back. What you know is better than what you don't know, I guess. I want to test them under tough circumstances," Ironhide said. "The Dead End, the Wasteland, the Dumping Ground outside of Capital City … those kind of places."

"They'll excel," Ratchet said loyally. "They need to know it all."

Ironhide nodded, then they walked down the corridor to the berth room where they crashed and recharged like the dead all night long.

-0-Morning, the next orn

They sat in a small cafe in Iacon eating breakfast together. Inweld, Morius, Partition with Lancer, Laslo, and Lucien were together enjoying a nice meal around a street side table. It was actually pretty good.

"Senior Commander Ironhide is taking us to Cybertron today," Morius said as he invoked Ironhide's full title. He wanted substance around something he was certain his genitors would worry and fuss about.

"Why, son?" Laslo asked. "Where will you go there? It must be so terrible. I know you'll be so helpful and useful with your training." Laslo was proud of his sons. They were respected and useful. They were doing things for The People and he told about them to his friends and those he met. Lucien was still shrouded, so he talked up their deeds when they came up.

"We're touring the dumping grounds where mechs and femmes were penned up when they couldn't do anything useful anymore," Partition said with an uncharacteristic edge. He glanced at Lancer. "You were there when they were liberated. Right?"

She glanced nervously at Lucien, then Partition. "I was. It was a nightmare," she said truthfully. "I've been at war a long time and I knew things were terrible in some of these places. We stayed on world a long time after The Fall to organize resistance and harry the 'Cons. But this was … unworldly."

"Lancer is a warrior, Atar. She's amazing," Partition said as he steeled himself. "I want to tell you that I want to bond with her. She's the one. I love her. I want both of you to know, too."

It was silent a moment, then Laslo smiled. "Why am I not surprised?" he asked as he squeezed Lancer's servo. She squeezed it back.

Lucien sat back. "Are you sure?" he asked his son.

Partition nodded. "I'm more sure of this than I am of anything else. I just want your blessing. You're my best friend and I love you … you and ada. I want this."

Lucien took it in, musing inside why it didn't blow his processor off his shoulders, then nodded. "Alright. Just make sure you're clear that once it happens it cannot be undone."

Everyone at the table stared at Lucien for a moment, then they exploded into joy.

-0-At the airfield next to the Ambassadorial Yacht

Lucien walked toward the colossally beautiful ship that bore the seals of the Primes, the city-states, Cybertron and Mars, the Autobrand and the Creed. It was stupefyingly beautify with all the colors that mattered to his former caste glistening in the cold morning sunlight. Emerald, luminous shades of dark metallic blue, copper, silver, and gold tastefully arrayed on its sleek and monumentally expensive body. He had ridden on such vessels in the past. His family was immensely rich but such a ship was outside of his range. However, it was now the official vehicle for the Ambassador and Secretary of State for the Prime of Cybertron and that knowledge didn't bother him as much as he expected it to.

Weird.

He walked up the ramp with his satchel of stuff for the meet up and headed for the lounge. White on white, the ultra status décor of his former caste greeted him. It was luxurious on a scale even he hadn't seen in his endless travel for the Primes during the orn. He set his bag down on a glass coffee table, then looked around. Walking to the windows nearby, he watched the airfield outside as things were organized. It was as busy as ever, a thrilling sight to an urban guy who liked airports and travel. The city glistened in the distance along with the Temple roof. He felt a momentary surge of pride that they had accomplished this, his great people, then he felt it fade. It was almost like he was subconsciously quashing anything that didn't meet the standards for his usual thoughts.

Maybe that was part of the high caste conditioning Vinn liked to mention **ALL THE TIME**.

He caught himself thinking that, then shook his helm. He was mad, he thought. Stark raving mad. Then he saw Ratchet walking toward the ship with Ironhide, his sons, a number of soldiers, and a few of the workers from the office who were coming along to assist. They were laughing and horsing around, something that instantly made him feel jealous. He didn't do that. It wasn't done. You were supposed to be …

He caught himself. What **were** you supposed to be? He didn't know anymore but he knew that the easy fun and laughter that rolled out of Ratchet was almost impossible for him. He watched his sons with a hunger he never knew he possessed. They were easy and laughing, too, then Partition hugged Ratchet. He. Hugged. Ratchet. Then his sons and Ironhide walked off with a laugh. They were walking to another ship to go to Cybertron. Ratchet snarked with a few of the ground crew, then walked to the ship. He was easy, confident, happy, relaxed, liked …

Liked.

Ratchet was liked.

By everyone.

And respected, too. Respect was given because he was liked and ...

It stung, strangely enough, as he turned to the door to watch Ratchet prance up, trade slag with the pilots, then walk into the lounge with a big smile trailed by soldiers who seemed delighted to come along. He smiled brightly at Lucien. **"YOU MADE IT!** I worried I'd have to send the hounds after you. Or maybe, just Hound. See what I did there?" He waggled his optical ridges as he grinned at Lucien.

"I'm here," Lucien said with the ghost of a grin. "When do we go?"

"Why, Lucien," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile, one that even a mortal enemy could recognize as brilliantly beautiful. "We're going now because I, numero uno of the blab squad have arrived."

The mechs with him laughed uproariously, trading slag and insults. Ratchet smirked at them taking no offense. "Slaggers," he said before flopping into a beautiful ultra comfortable white chair. It was white like everything in the vast lounge that wasn't metal … copper, of course … or glass.

Lucien sat, then the pilot came over the intercom. "We're ready when you are, Ratchet."

"I, Ratchet of Iacon, am ready to make my latest stunning and enormously well reviewed entrance onto the world stage. Take it away, my good man," he said with enormous good humor.

The pilot laughed, then the doors began to close nearby as they got ready for lift off.

Lucien smirked slightly. "You seem inordinately, even disgustingly happy today."

"I am," Ratchet said. "My daughter, Halo, said her first word. Guess what it was."

The big mechs with them smirked. One of them, Sandstorm, leaned forward. "Was it 'frag' or was it 'beer'?" he asked.

 **HUGE** laughter.

Ratchet smirked at him. "I'll have you know, Halo of Autobot City can sit up, smile without bribing, say 'ai' and eat a cookie like a pro. She also for the first time, mind you, said 'ada' this morning."

Applause broke out. Then Sandstorm grinned. "I bet Ironhide's fragged."

" **HE IS!"** Ratchet said with maniacal laughter. "Serves him right, the slagger. I told him to take her to the shop but I know he has her with him. Slagger has no sense. It's one of his many alluring charms."

"I heard that Praxus and Orion have already been to Cybertron," Racket said. He was a very grizzled soldier who was expert in hand-to-hand on a scale with Hercy.

"That slagger didn't fall far from the cyber tree. His genitors took both of them there. They got to stand around on the planet. Alie told me that both of them decided to go for the wall and they had to chase them down to get them back. Slaggers. No sense in **that** CNA pool," Ratchet said. "Tons of fun but no sense."

"Those two are hilarious but then, Blackjack is Raptor's son," Sandstorm said. "He didn't have a chance."

"No, none of them did. Delphi and Hardie are straight as a die but the rest? Things sort of went south with each new generation," Ratchet said as they all laughed and nodded. "Guess what Orion calls Cybertron." He smiled.

They stared at him, then shrugged. "Little mech is a wonder but I don't know. I can only know that its cute," Racket said.

"Foofer."

 **HUGE** sustained laughter.

"I can see it," Smokescreen said. He was along to check on the grandson.

"Funny enough, so can I," Ratchet said as the pilot came back on.

"We're here, Ratchet. We're coming in to land. I suppose you better check your make up," he snarked.

 **HUGE** laughter.

"I hate to tell you, Cospo, but this face doesn't require much," Ratchet said as he stood. "Just some spackle and a shammy cloth." Huge laughter erupted as Ratchet glanced at Lucien. "Come on, Lucien. Time to get famous," he said as they began to walk to the door. There was no sensation of landing or taxiing but they were finally at their tie down. Ratchet turned to the others. "Remember, we're here for Cybertron and the dignity that you display will reflect on the Prime and all of our people. Dignity, sobriety, and honor for Cybertron," he said as the hatch slipped back.

On the airfield were reporters and network people from all over the world. Cameras were stupendous in number and reporters equally numerous. Literally the entire off duty base was there to greet one of their favorites back. Ratchet grinned at the group with him, some of whom were already snickering, then stepped forward with Lucien in tow. Out into the light of a zillion cameras and recording devices he stepped, then he lounged against the door frame like an old time movie star. Emoting for them, he then began to descend to the tarmac, posing and preening like an over the hill debutante all the way down.

The crowds outside roared and applauded, laughed and cheered as he minced, pranced, emoted, and generally made a spectacle of himself all the way down. Standing on the tarmac, he struck poses, blew kisses and profoundly blew Lucien's mind. He was behind Ratchet and had to be prodded to continue, so stunned and amazed was he by Ratchet's 'performance'. Ratchet knew he would be and the others were used to his antics here. He loved this place and its people and its people adored and loved him back. This was why he was the most well-liked and personally accessible of the entire Autobot Nation. This was why in polls stating, 'which Autobot would you like to have a beer with?' Ratchet won with a crushing plurality.

Sam Witwicky, Warren Roberts, Mikaela Banes, Carly Brooks-Spencer, their aides, the base functionaries along with both Fultons roared with laughter as they watched. They knew Ratchet well and knew he was tactical and smart. They knew he knew how to make humans comfortable around their species and thus, he always put on a show. Everyone who knew on base always came when Ratchet was on a special mission to watch as well. Some of the most viewed videos on websites on Earth were of him having a bit of fun when arriving for something important.

He reached the bottom and walked toward Sam and the others. Following were a dazed Lucien and a lot of hard boiled soldiers striking their own poses for the punters. Flexing their 'muscles', stopping to glower in a soldierly manner, chatting up the odd soldier, sailor, airman, civilian, and marine who called out to them, they did what they did when they came on missions with Ratchet … they helped him help the humans be comfortable.

Getting famous and having themselves on videos on Youtube didn't hurt either, the slaggers.

"Hi, little people," Ratchet said as he knelt down. "Are you ready to rumble?"

"Born ready, Ratchet. By the way, we're having a barbecue this weekend at my house. Can you come? Its a celebration party for the Primus Cup," Warren said. "A lot of interesting people will be there and it might be a way to judge the zeitgeist in the ambassadorial and political community without being known to be alien."

"That sounds awesome. Message me," Ratchet said. "I'll get old mech into something sexy and we can charm them the slag to death."

"Come as handsome boys together," Warren said. "Some of them are bastards if you know what I mean."

"Done deal," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "You know I love challenges like this. I'll bring my red shoes."

They all laughed uproariously, then Ratchet stood. He turned to the crowd. **"HELLO, LILLIPUTS!"** he called out. The crowd roared, then settled. "I, Ratchet of Iacon, bid hello to Earth and all the rest of you little slaggers. I'm here to make crooked things straight," he said before the roar drowned him out. When it settled, he grinned. "I want you to meet my aide, Lucien of Iacon," he said as he turned to the handsome utterly startled mech behind him. The crowd cheered and clapped. **"THESE OTHER SLAGGERS I BORROWED FROM THE JAIL!"**

Bedlam broke out as cameras, network and hand held devices ate it all up.

Ratchet grinned. "There's no place like Diego. There's no place that means as much to me on this planet as here. We started here, five of us, and when we think of home this place and you are included. I hope we all walk away with a smile today, but for now, I think I need a swim. **SEE YA! WOULDN'T WANT TO BE YA!"** he said as he walked forward through the bedlam and undying love of those he knew and didn't know. It would take a while to reach the Embassy but when he did, he would curtsy and walk in with his howling mob.

The crowd would stand outside waiting. Of all the bots in the garrison, Ratchet was always the one who would come out to play.

-0-Inside

They walked in together, pausing as Ratchet razzle-dazzled the garrison. They crowded around for news and the inevitable cans of candy he stocked up in his subspace. Tossing them around, he walked into Ops Center. As he sat, the monitors around the room switched to the smirking slightly judgmental face of Prowl. "Hello, Loon."

"Hi, Miss Priss." Ratchet smiled a dazzler as he sat at the control table with his peds up. Having tossed cans of candy to everyone there, no one was feeling anything but mellow. The five humans who served here sat back to enjoy the show. Everyone knew about R v IH but only a shift crew were fully versed on R v P.

"Well … yes," Prowl said crisply as Prime and others popped up on screens.

Prime who was chuckling shook his helm. "You do that so well. I salute you."

"He's a loon. He's … not well," Prowl said with a bigger smirk. "I warned you. Remember that I did."

"He did, didn't he," Ratchet asked as Prime nodded with a smirk of his own. "He does that because at spark, Prowl is a good girl."

The Ops Center erupted into laughter. Lucien who was sitting across from him with a can of candy, oddly enough his favorite, watched with almost a dazed amusement. This was not like diplomacy or command/control on Cybertron in the orn. No one would dare to speak or act like this around Sentinel or Nova or Zeta even.

"Are you ready to do business, Loon?" Prowl said as he sat back.

"I am. I have my trusty side kick here, Lucien, and these handsome slaggers," Ratchet said as he nodded to the soldiers who were hanging around eating candy as well. So were the operators on shift.

Prowl nodded with a smirk. It was amazing how much slag you could put into subspace.

Smokescreen who was leaning against the console beside Smokey chuckled. "This is great."

Smokey grinned at his grandfather. "I love candy."

Everyone in the room turned to the kid and gave him an 'aww' moment. He smirked back at them. "I do," he said.

"So do I," Ratchet said as he stood up and stretched. "How about going out and getting some from the humans? **AMIRITE?** " he asked with a giant smile and widely spread arms.

"Loon." Prowl smirked in spite of himself. When they got back there would be a mass funeral. This was a good interlude. "Whatever you do, Ratchet, do not … twerk." He remembered an ill attempt the last time they were slag faced and somehow it came to mind.

Unfortunately.

Ratchet grinned. "We're going now. Stay tuned in." Ratchet nodded, then walked toward the door with Lucien following. They snarked through the rec room, then entered the bright sunlight and 82 balmy degrees of Diego. Behind him carrying his back pack, Lucien and the soldiers along with some of the garrison who were off duty followed. Ratchet paused to look at the gigantic massed crowds who were gathered along with cameras from all over the world. This was an enormous and enormously important worldwide and interplanetary event. He grinned again. **"HEY, LITTLE PEOPLE!"**

They roared back, clapping, laughing, smiling at this most personable, unpredictable and unpredictably hilarious individual. He grinned at them, "Guess what? **I CAN TWERK!"**

And he did.

-0-TBC 3-18-18 **edited 3-31-18**


	303. Chapter 303

The Diego Diaries: Dicker (dd6 303)

-0-Diego, shortly after a spectacle

:Where do we stand or sit?: Sunstreaker glanced at Ratchet. He had seen The Spectacle on the monitor and blitzed over to hang out.

:Wherever your sickeningly good looks will do me some good: Ratchet said as he smiled brightly to the roomful of humans who were gathering. Sunstreaker grinned, then walked to the wall nearby to lean against it to watch.

Cameras were everywhere and the networks as well as the consortium broadcast was carrying the whole thing live. Ratchet would sit in front of them on the usual huge bench while other bots would stand here and there in front ready to assist or to record the goings on. Humans would have chairs. Ratchet stood in front of about 300 humans, all of them with an agenda. They represented about 15 countries and several major corporations. There were also trade and technology groups here. He sat, then glanced at the army techs who were running things. "Are we ready to go?" he asked.

They grinned and nodded.

Ratchet looked at the crowd who were sitting down or getting there. He grinned. "Welcome to Diego Garcia, a super secret base," he said as everyone laughed. "This was ground zero for the Autobots when we came here eleven of your Earth years ago. There were five of us then, me, Ironhide, Jazz, Bumblebee, and Optimus Prime. We helped you with a problem or two, then stayed to make sure those problems stayed small and managed. Along the way, we made ourselves at home among those who live and work here, some of them dear and deeply loved friends. When it became clear that when Optimus Prime's signal for more soldiers to come defend the Earth also attracted refugees, we had to do something. He's the Prime and they're ours. We found a place for them and we've continued to take them in.

"From the first group of about 54+ individuals, we've graduated to rescuing nearly two and a half million at a time," he said as some in the room gasped. "We received them, working as hard as we could to provide shelter, care and quality of life. Our children go to first class schools. We get to choose the work we want and we all live a high quality life in terms of material desires. Our people are industrious, far thinking, intensely decent, resilient, and good. Those words can describe anyone of them and it truly defines Optimus Prime.

"He has never given up the faith, seeking a place of safety for our people even as we searched for Megatron and objects of great prestige that are his alone. He never wavered. He never gave up. He helped those along the way who were in harm's path and suffered for it sometimes. He commands respect and gives it. That makes him about unique among those who lead. In these days all over your planet, that sort of leadership, that sort of inspiration may seem odd or even quaint. But understand … I'm talking about a devotion to his people, culture and duty that has spanned millions of your Earth years.

"Now we gather to talk about things of interest, some of them mutual. Nothing that's agreed upon nor declined is done with glibness nor a lack of understanding how important it may be to you. We know what it means to want something desperately, but understand … we also are no one's fools nor are we likely to approve anything that doesn't meet our standards or holds its own integrity. We live a life with standards that we don't compromise. Understand … if your proposal calls for resource development of the planet and its delicate environment without greater purpose than to exploit the local mineral base, it will have hard sledding with us. We're careful about the care and tending of worlds. Given that you have a lesser drive about such matters, we're going to be hard line for proposals that involve mining or other planetary invasive practices.

"We also have been neighborly in terms of the kinds and number of developments for humans on world. I know that you want more but you don't have to develop, build and maintain such structures nor defend them. We do. We love our humans. They're our friends and some of them are our countrymen and women. We're happy to have them and we work and live together well. We will maintain that relationship without distraction or disruption. If you keep that in mine, we shall be fine.

"Warren Roberts is our business agent and general manage of Autobot Nation, Incorporated. Warren is our interface between your world and ours as well as the personal legal counsel, adviser and friend of the Prime of Cybertron. Also with me today, among a cast of individuals who will come and go at times is Sam Witwicky, our business and field representative for Earth. Carly Brooks-Spencer is the general representative for commerce and all business related matters for the United Nations Consulate on Mars, Mikaela Banes is our Communications and Public Relations Director for Autobot Nation, Lucien of Iacon is my political adjutant and consultant, Fenix of Capital City is legal counsel and consultant to the City Manager, Ultra Magnus of Iacon who isn't here yet as well as legal counsel to Venture of Praxus," Ratchet said nodding to the big handsome mech. "Venture is chief economist and economic adviser to the Prime for the Empire, Caro of Polyhex is manager of business contracts and economic development. Last but not least," Ratchet said as he turned toward the doors in the back of the hangar which were opened for the breeze. "Those mechs are all soldiers, some of them are my sons, all of them are just this side of awesome. They came for the fun. Right, boys?"

They laughed loudly, then grinned at the humans who ran a range from intimidated to outright awe. Ratchet grinned, then looked at the group. "The Prime's second in command, Prowl of Praxus should be here eventually. He'll probably bring a hammer with him just for me," Ratchet said as the room burst into laughter and applause, just like he knew they would. He smiled brilliantly, then glanced at Warren. "If you would do the honors, Warren."

Warren Roberts who had been sitting with the other aforementioned members of The Family rose to walk to a podium with a dozen microphones. "Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. I first met these incredible people when I was working for the State Department and was sent here to investigate aggressive actions against the Autobots by paid mercenaries who were brought on base with a liaison stationed here. It was a life changing experience. I found my calling. I'm the gateway to the kingdom. No one passes through that gate without my permission. Through the efforts of everyone named, both human and bot, we've managed to work out an amazing array of opportunities for our people to live and work off world and for us to live together in a way that fosters friendships and understanding.

"There are many installations on Mars that are the domains of our own people. There are the first ones, the Sciences Habitat and the N.E.S.T. Headquarters where the garrison lives. After that, the Family Tower was made to house families of soldiers and eventually, a lot of others. After that, Earth 1 came about. Then the Resort of Autobot City, the Consulate, Rick Harris's adventuring business, and finally, Earth2. There are roughly 6,400+ humans who live there full time. That number fluctuates because many of the long term residents, the scientists, the soldiers, and those who run the Resort had family members come to visit and most of them now live either part or full time on world.

"Babies have been born on Mars, human babies. Angus Optimus Wilkerson and Aedh Louise Graham will forever list their place of birth as Autobot City, Mars, the Primal Colony of Optimus Prime. There are four more babies on the way. We know and appreciate your desire to join them and make a life for yourself and your business on Mars. We understand completely. But you must also understand a few things as well.

"Mars functions and thrives because there are rules, standards and laws that are in place and they work. Everyone follows the laws of Cybertron. That's part of every charter. The Ambassador can tell you about the endless minutiae that we had to go through to delineate everyone's duties and responsibilities. All of us agreed. If you break the laws of the colony, you will be arrested. There are even jurisdictions agreed upon inside the habitats that also can be adjudicated by the Autobots. The entire operation that includes a lot of other planets, enormous burdens of responsibility including the building, maintaining and facilitating all of the habitats and the security of everyone falls to Optimus Prime.

"I will tell you that in my life I have found individuals that are honorable and good, but no one meets the level of decency, intelligence and honor that defines Optimus Prime. It's my deepest honor and achievement to be his agent but more so, to be his friend. We are here to discuss ventures and their feasibility. Some of you might not be satisfied and others will be. Either way, you're here to tell us what you'd like, how it would be accomplished and why it would be ventured. We're open to your ideas and if we don't accept them now, go back and work on them. You will find from the conversations today how things function here. Use that knowledge." He glanced at Ratchet. "Mr. Ambassador, its all yours."

Applause greeted Warren as he sat. Ratchet grinned at him and he grinned at Ratchet. "Thanks, Warren. You know how we feel, too." He looked at the expectant crowd. "You have the agenda. Shall we begin?"

They would. The mechs watching glanced at each other, then Sunstreaker walked to Ratchet and leaned down. :You need us?:

:I will always need you: Ratchet said with a dazzler.

Sunstreaker chuckled. :We're going for a swim. Have fun:

:Slaggers. Abandon me in my joor of need: Ratchet said as they walked out with laughter. He glanced at the humans. "Infants these days," he said to laughter.

-0-Ops Center, you know where

"You sort of set yourself up for this;"

Prowl glanced at Prime with a gimlet optic. "Yes," he said softly. "Thank you for reminding me."

Prime grinned, then chuckled. "You two are fun. Just know that. When do they want me to swing by and shine my light?"

"I will message you and you aren't really going to … shine?" Prowl asked warily.

Prime grinned, then rose. "Figure of speech. Maybe." He walked with a light tread to his office.

Prowl watched him go, then glared at the monitor. "You're a slagger, Loon, but you're surprisingly good at shaking your aft. Especially since you don't really have one," he said softly to himself. He grinned, then turned back to work that included the invite to a barbecue at Warren's house after the big game.

 **THE ONE PRAXUS WASN'T GOING TO BE IN! AGAIN!  
**

With a sniffle heavily suppressed, Prowl of Praxus went back to work.

On his donut and tea.

Frag the loon.

-0-There

"We would then be able to supply helium to Earth and carry on research about life on Titan and Europa. We know that you have already made a lot of surveys of the system and we've gone over that a great deal, but we also want to have a chance to explore. It's in our genes," a science presenter for a powerful multinational energy company consortium said. He would continue.

-0-Cybertron

"This is the Dead End. When we came here it was a mad house. Nearly everyone was starved, all of them were damaged and helpless. They lived in squalor and we had to chase them down. Right now, there's word that some have crept back. They don't know they're free and we can help them. There's mechs and a femme or two that are in long term care and probably won't be able to live on their own again. But they'll be safe and cared for. We're going in there and look. Keep your tread light, your scanners open and when you locate someone, tell me. We have to approach them carefully. Some of them will kick your aft."

Inweld, Morius, Partition, and Lancer stood near the gate of the ghetto where who knows how many had lived and died over the eons. Bezel and Lon were with them as they walked in to look for lost sparks. It was empty and eerie as they walked down the dark empty street. The area was going to be torn down and rebuilt as housing for those who lived in this area. The buildings that would be rising up for the very bots they rescued would be as high caste as they could make them.

They walked into the dark brooding area with long shadows thrown by the light towers around the area. They would walk in the spooky area for several hours and find no one. It would be an enormous relief. Walking back to the ship parked nearby, they climbed aboard and lifted off to the Wasteland of Kaon. They would find the odd addled mech there. They would treat them gently, hold their servos as they babbled and personally check them into the local hospitals. It would be an education.

They would all pass it.

-0-TBC 3-19-18 **edited 3-31-18**


	304. Chapter 304

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 304)

-0-Around that same day

The cab pulled up at the back of the facility, then everyone climbed out clutching their transport containers tightly. They stared at the big doors, then watched as Annie Lennox walked forward. Because the Resort tech was keyed to the kids who came here all the time and every other adult as well, all of them bearing a number of tiny nanobot sized devices under the skin on their upper left shoulder that could locate them **ANYWHERE,** automatically open doors in all the places they would go to and keep their vitals on the computers at Metro Femme, they strolled in easily. Standing on the other side of the door was T-8, a mini-con security agent for the facility and Gavin Pritchard, his boss as head of security. Also there was a nice 'walk around', Lacie 'Rorie' Callahan from Scotland.

"You're on time as usual," Gavin said as he hugged the kids. He looked at the Cybertronian ones among them and grinned. "What a great day when you can come here."

Silverbow smiled. "We like coming here, Uncle Gavin." She looked at Sunspot and Minka. "They're still sorta afraid."

"We're going to protect you. You wouldn't come here if there was a problem, babies," Rorie said with a pat on Sunspot's shoulder. "You stay with us and every time you come, it gets better."

Sunspot looked at her, then nodded silently. Minka walked to Rorie to stand next to her. She glanced at Gavin. "Everyone is waiting for you. Time for treats," she said with a smile.

The kids smiled back, then followed the trio through the utility area of the place where waste was managed, things were washed as well as repairs and upkeep were centered. Through the doors that were locked to anyone else they followed, the Cybertronian kids automatically placed inside the center of the group of human kids leading the way. It would take a moment before the human guests saw them, the famous children of Autobot City. They would be startled at the sight, then delighted.

Gavin walked along with Sunspot's servo in his hand. The little mech was glancing nervously around as they walked smoothly and swiftly across the massive concourse toward the long curved reception desk that ran nearly the length of the building. Behind it were the offices and other places that were important to running such a vast and complex place.

Humans walked along taking pictures, talking together and pointing. Nothing they did was bad but it was unnerving to some of the kids. Finally, an older man stepped in front of them. "Hello," he said.

They slowed to a stop, then Annie and James stepped closer. "Hi," James said.

"May I say hello? I've waited all my life to meet an extraterrestrial," the older man said. He knelt, then held out his hand to Silverbow.

She looked up at Gavin who was grinning. He nodded, so she reached out to tentatively take his hand.

He grinned at her. "I am honored to meet you, Silverbow. All my life I've wanted this moment."

She looked at him, then stepped slightly closer. "Who are you?" she asked in English which they had downloaded as part of their slow march toward Intermediate where Earth and its cultures were a priority item. All of the kids starting with Level 1's in Youngling Day had a simple basic English and French program added to their databases. Anything more complex was impossible due to their age and development, a factor forgotten by Megatron in his zeal to get more soldiers for his army.

"My name is Calvin O'Hara. I'm from Earth."

"Oh." She stared at him. "I'm Silverbow. I used to live on Earth."

"Diego Garcia," Annie said with a smile. "We used to play together in the day care with the mechs."

Silverbow nodded. "Bee and Sunstreaker. He's my hero. All of them are."

Calvin grinned. "You are mine," he said. "All of you."

More people who were watching with delight came closer to get pictures before Gavin decided to push onward. Sunspot was behind him gripping his hand as he stared at them from a safer place. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. O'Hara. Thank you," he said before tugging them along.

He watched them go, this systems analyst from Dublin. This would be one of the best memories he would ever have in his life. He watched the children disappear behind the counter, then walked to the windows to stare at the colony below through the telescopes. It would be a very happy afternoon for him.

-0-In a conference room nearby

They walked in and sat as the women who ran this place began to fill plates. Judy Witwicky filled one and brought it to Silverbow. "You kids must be starving. Here. We got something for both of you. Rampage sent us a lot of food," she said as she took one to fill for Minka. "How is your naneth, Minka?" she asked.

Minka whose family were Decepticons smiled. "She's well, Miss Judy. We're all so glad. She's lived so long without an arm that I never believed she would ever get a new one."

"Well, that's why you're lucky. You can get one back if you come to the right place," Judy said as she put the dish down in front of Sunspot. "Here you go, sweetie. Eat up, then we'll go with you when you go out there. We'll keep you from being loved to pieces by everyone." She sat next to Sunspot. "We would never let anyone hurt you and everyone out there? They just love you so much. They all want to hug you."

"People scare me, Aunt Judy," Sunny said with a anxious expression.

"We know. That's why we're going with you," Judy said. "Aren't we all?"

Everyone nodded as they sat together chatting with the kids as they ate little sandwiches and special sized pastries, some from the Resort and the rest from The Energon Basket. It would be fun to hear the school gossip before they had to leave the room and go out into the resort once more.

-0-Diego

"We would love to have the opportunity to make a settlement on one of the moons designated in our proposal. We'd be interested in learning how to work and live safely in dire environments. We know that we would rely on you and that we have a lot to learn but there are worlds out there that can teach us a lot. We want to be more active partners in the exploration of the solar system and that means boots on the ground. We hope that you've read the prospectus and all of our research and related papers. We would make this a joint venture with NASA and the European Space Agency so that the venture's bonuses make the payoff world wide. We intend to start a fund to work on environmental problems here and apply what we learn out there to this planet. Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. We hope to hear from you positively about our proposal." He bowed slightly and walked to his seat.

"Thank you, Mr. Holley. We've put a lot of time and brainpower into each proposal sent to us and we will give you an answer swiftly given that we have to meet with the scientific community and the Prime before issuing any answers either affirmatively or not," Ratchet replied. He glanced at Lucien who consulted his device.

"The next presentation is from a consortium business entity from the far east, Quan Tell. Their spokesman is a gentleman named Xi Chen." Lucien glanced up to watch as a small man in an impeccable suit walked to the podium, bowed to everyone, then began his presentation. "Thank you, Mr. Ambassador," he began in perfect British inflected English, "for the opportunity for me, my government and the consortium that I am partner with to discuss with you the possibility of a space station halfway between Earth and Mars …"

-0-Elsewhere at about the same time

"This was a terrible place to live," Ironhide said as he pointed out features on the nearly flattened denuded plain that stretched out to the horizon. "This was a tenement as far as the optic could see. This was so dangerous that no one, even the army or police would come this far in. You would never make it out alive. This was the place where half the gangs on world would be based and they would retreat here when things got too hot. Every vice and criminal venture could be found here and this is where Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were separated and grew up."

"What a terrible place. It even feels awful still," Morius said as he glanced around. He bent down to pick up what looked like a spent bullet casing. He looked at it, then tossed it, the hollow sound of it striking the ground as mournful as the scenery around them. "This was a dumping ground then, too?"

"It was. After the Fall and the Exodus, this became another place for those without hope to come and many were just hauled here and tossed out. It became a pit for survival. What we're going to do is go along that ridge and subsurface crack. It's been drained and cleared out. The crews when they finish at Crossroads will come here and bring that back to specs. Unfortunately, there are some very sick and dazed individuals said to be crouching in the caves over there," he said pointing to the far edge of the area. "We need to coax them out. Food will do it."

The youngsters, all five of them nodded, then followed Ironhide and a few other soldiers who had joined them to walk through the broken wastes to get there. They would find three of them and the boys would carry them on their backs to the shuttle where they would be airlifted. When the workmen came, they would scour the place, then repair it. No one would be able to hide down there again and it would be one less place to search for their lost sheep.

-0-On the way to the point of the mission

They walked to the door, then Judy looked at everyone. "Kids in the middle. Everyone else take up your spot. Here we go," she said as she opened to door. They walked behind the counter until they reached the end, then stepped out to head for the huge doors that led to the outside. They walked briskly and kept their eyes on the prize even though humans spotted them quickly. Some followed while others watched them from where they were as they walked across the patio and headed for the trail that led into the forested area and out past that to the new addition. The golf course was going great guns and everyone was relaxing in a carefully controlled and maintained dome that held a surprisingly large and varied slice of Earth life. It also was warm as summer and felt balmy in the carefully monitored and controlled space. It was always summer inside.

The river was flowing and the pond and lake were busy with swimmers and sunbathers. Some individuals were canoeing on all three as the group soldiered onward. Approaching the new area which was filled with bird song and flowers, they entered a bigger more dense forest before coming out about halfway into a meadow. There were flowers growing wild and this was the place they were headed. When they reached mid meadow, Judy turned to the group who gathered around her and the others. "Here we are. You did it, did you?" she asked with a smile.

"We did, Aunt Judy," James Hoyt said with a smile as he held up his container. The others nodded and smiled.

"Then we better do this," Gavin said as he watched the kids begin to open their carriers. "This really helps the ecosystem, children. We're really glad you took on this task."

" **I LOVE IT,** **Uncle Gavin!"** Silverbow said as Sunspot smiled at him, too.

Minka held her little carrier up. "I can't open mine, Mr. Gavin," she said.

He helped her, then stepped back. The kids looked inside, then pulled the tops off their carriers. Inside sitting on leaves, all manner of butterfly was poised. Sunspot looked at his Monarchs, then smiled. "You can go now. Fly," he said. He held his container high, then one by one, six Monarch butterflies emerged, moved their wings a moment, then flew off into the sunlight. It took a moment for all of the butterflies to go but in the end they did.

They stood together watching them as they flew from flowers to bushes to grasses. It was beautiful in the sunny flower filled meadow of a habitat devised for humans on the fourth planet from the sun. Videos of it made by visitors would end up on the internet and draw literally hundreds of millions of views.

-0-There

"And that concludes our presentation," Mr. Chen said as he bowed to Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded back. "Thank you, Mr. Chen. We will report back to you on our conclusions as swiftly as possible.

Mr. Chen bowed again, then walked back to sit.

Ratchet checked the time internally, then stood. "How about a break? You've been sitting here a while. Fifteen minutes, then we can get back to it," he said with a smile.

Everyone began to stand as some of them came to him. Ratchet looked at two, a man and a woman. He reached down and set his servos on the ground. "Care for a stroll?" he asked.

They looked at him, then his servos, then walked up to climb on awkwardly. Standing again, Ratchet walked out carefully, then headed toward the beach. Others followed to the door to watch as the twins accompanied Ratchet and the humans disappeared toward the sea. It was maddening to see them go and wish you could be them, some of them said to each other as they wandered back in for refreshment.

They reached the sea, then halted on the sand to look into the distance together. It was warm overhead and the sound of the sea comforting. It shimmered like diamonds. "I love the ocean. I love swimming in it."

"Do you have oceans on your world?" the woman asked.

Ratchet nodded. "Several. One of them is filled with mercury."

"Mercury?" the man asked with astonishment.

Ratchet grinned, then nodded again. "We don't do things by half." He held his hands up to look at the humans. "You want to be in space and see the world and the galaxy. I can get behind that. I need to know something out of curiosity."

Both of them nodded as they clung with one hand to his fingers and the other to brace themselves as they sat.

"Tell me what you know about a rumor about a big habitat on Mars that Prime is supposed to own and operates himself with 20,000 humans living there as employees," Ratchet asked with a grin.

-0-TBC 3-20-18 **edited 3-31-18**


	305. Chapter 305

The Diego Diaries: Chooglin' On (dd6 305)

-0-Diego Garcia

They stared at him as they sat on his servos. The rush of ocean waves warred with the beating of their hearts. They were sitting on the hands of one of the most famous individuals in the solar system, an alien of such a strange type that they would never forget this moment. His optics were very blue and they stared at them both in the most intense manner. "I've heard that rumor," the woman from Spain said. "I don't know where it came from but its been discussed in and out of the media for a while."

The man who was from Australia nodded. "I've heard it, too. Its been floating around since Earth2 opened." He looked at Ratchet thoughtfully. "If there is any truth to that, I would like to apply."

The woman nodded as well. "I would love to work for you on Mars."

Ratchet laughed, then nodded. "Send your resumes." He looked thoughtful again. "We've heard this for some time. I have no idea where it came from or who's behind it. However, it's making the rounds in your media."

"None of us would say no," the woman said.

Ratchet nodded. "It's an interesting life over there," he admitted. "Thank you. I'm baffled by this and so is the Prime."

"If we track it down, if we can, will you hire us if you do make the installation?" the man asked as the woman nodded.

Ratchet laughed. "Send your resumes to Sam and Warren with a note about this chat. I don't know if it'll come about. None of us have heard about it until lately but we could always use smart self motivated people in our businesses."

"Done deal," the man said. They stood on the beach chatting about this and that before Ratchet turned back to go inside. He set the humans down at the hangar doors, then chatted a moment with the bots around the entrance. He zeroed in on the two who were surrounded and quizzed over what had happened.

The two mentioned that the 'rumor' had come up and had any of the others gathered around them heard anything solid about it? Everyone seemed to have heard it but nothing solid or leading. The United Nations director for Economic Development called them to order and everyone sat including the bots. "Thank you, everyone. Shall we continue for the next two hours, then break for the day?" Everyone agreed, so Lucien announced the next presentation.

A very tall and refined looking Englishman walked to the dais and began. "Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, for taking a moment to hear our proposal. As you know, Earth needs a steady and adequate supply of energy to run industry and power our cities, a form that is clean ..."

-0-Ops Center

"What do you think, Ada?" Spirit asked hopefully as Rambler and T-Bar stood behind him.

Prowl look a moment to look at his little mechs, all three of them as beautiful and lovely as ever, then he grinned. "What about the residents? What do they know about this and what would they think? What about Sunspot's family? Does Uncle Loon know?"

All of them laughed, then Spirit hugged Prowl's leg. "Sunny's going to tell him. Annie and everyone told their genitors and they say its okay with them."

"I see," Prowl said tapping a monitor on behind him. "Prowl to Family 1."

The screen changed to the lounge area of The Family Tower Residence of Earth as the official designation stated on all plats, titles and agreements, treaty or otherwise. Mama Fig answered. "Hello, Prowl. How is my favorite polizia?"

Prowl grinned. "I'm fine. I was checking to see if you were really expecting my three little mechs at your residence tomorrow after school?"

"I do hope so," she said with a big smile. "It's Sandy's birthday and the party will be held here. Food, swimming in the pool, all kinds of food. Did I say that already?"

 **"YOU DID!"** a voice could be heard to say before Mikaela appeared on screen. "Hello, Prowl."

Prowl smirked slightly. "Mikaela. What's this about a separation party? You wish the little mechs to go home with Annie tomorrow after school?"

"We do. We planned a party for Sandy and she wants all her friends there. If they take cabs to the back door, we can wait for them and get them inside. Then we can bring them home afterward. If you don't mind," Mikaela said.

"Not at all," Prowl said. He looked at his kids. "You would be on your best behavior and be mannerly?"

" **WE WOULD!"** they said together, then T-Bar smiled. "I've never been there before, Ada. I don't know what their house looks like."

"Well, you shall find out tomorrow," Prowl said as he grinned at them. He looked at the monitor. "Is there something that we should send … gifts perhaps?"

"That's optional, Prowl. Just having **them** is gift enough, though humans give children a gift on their … separation day," Mikaela said.

"What sort of thing?" Prowl asked.

"Some kind of jewelry would be nice. There are so many beautiful things on world," Mikaela said.

They worked it out, then commed off. Prowl stared at the kids who were really excited. Then he looked at Paragon who was grinning at them from Tactical. "I have to go gift shopping with these little mechs, Pari. I will be right back," Prowl said as he stood.

The kids were jumping in place as he did, then followed him out as Prowl picked up Spirit. They walked out and were gone.

Fortunately, nothing untoward happened while he was gone.

For once.

-0-On world

They walked toward the bridge room in Kaon with the rest of his family. Their shift was over and they had covered a lot of ground. They were tired, hungry and ready to go home. Walking into the bridge room, trading slag, the group stepped through to the Fortress on Mars, then walked upward together. It was a short trip to the Ops Center to check in and check out.

"Where's Prowl, Paragon?" Raptor asked as he paused by the desk with Ironhide, Lon, Bezel, Morius, Partition, and Inweld.

Paragon looked up, then grinned. "He's getting separation presents for his little mechs. They have a party at the Family Tower tomorrow."

"That sounds great," Raptor said with a grin. "Maybe they need a cow. What do you think, infant?" he asked Ironhide.

Ironhide snickered. "Everyone needs a cow, Appa."

" **SLAG RIGHT! I HAVE A SLAGGING FINE COW!"** he said as he patted his carry hold. "Speaking of which, where's Blackjack?"

"He's getting Scout and dropping him off with Amma," Ironhide said. "We have a funeral in about two joors at the new grounds."

"Oh, that's right," Raptor said as he watched his genitors walk in together. "How was the orn?"

"We have that serial killer," Hard Drive said. "Snagged him in the commission. Saved the victim. He doesn't like the color purple."

"That's the motive?" Raptor asked.

"There's always a story, son," Delphi said. "Where's Turbine?"

"He's helping officiate at the funeral so he's at the Temple," Raptor said.

Hard Drive turned to the five mechs with Raptor and Ironhide. "How was your orn? I heard you went with Ironhide to see how the job on the ground works in reality rather than here."

"We did, Appa," Morius said. "It was pretty terrible but I'm glad we did it. We helped a lot of really sick people get saved." The others nodded.

"That's the highest form of service, to help those who are lost find their way," Hard Drive said as the five solemn youngsters nodded. "Good work."

If he had given them gold bars, it wouldn't come close to those two words to the five kids listening. He grinned, then looked at Ironhide. "You going to dinner or home?"

"The old mech is on Diego and should be wrapping it up. Ravel has the babies and I have Halo. Sunspot is with Ravel as well. I suppose we can get take out for home or go out. I know old mech won't be up to slagging out another dinner for all of us," Ironhide said with a grin as he waited for the inevitable blow back.

Raps on his noggin and mild scolding was had by all.

-0-Moments later

:Ratchet:

:What?:

:Come to the Fortress. We're dining out:

:Okay. Where's the kids, Ironhide?:

:Family have them. We're eating together then going home. We can get them there because Ravie and the others want to feed them. Hurry up and get the lead out, old mech. **I, IRONHIDE, HAVE SPOKEN!:**

:Shut up, Ironhide:

:Okay:

Two huge grins on two different planets greeted that as the elders sat down to wait. The three kids of Lucien followed their father out to grab Laslo and eat out somewhere as well. It was a pretty mellow group that left trailed by Lon and Bezel who were going to be going on patrol with The Boss and Springer shortly. A quick bite and trip by the house was in order.

Everyone stared after them, then shrugged. "Miracles," Delphi said. "They're a thing."

Everyone grinned, then watched as Prowl walked back in carrying two kids while Rambler walked along side carrying a bag. They were glommed by their various uncles as Prowl sat. "Sunspot is invited to a separation day party at the Family Tower after school tomorrow. You're to get him a suitable gift for Sandy who is the star of the occasion."

"I'll get it. Femme, correct? Sweet, worries she's too tall for her age?" Delphi asked.

"That's her," Prowl replied. "They will swim, play and have food. Apparently, Rampage caters our food to them as well when they need it."

"Sunny told me that they went to the Resort to let their butterflies out. They had something to eat there, good stuff," Spirit said with a smile.

"As good as you?" Raptor asked with a grin.

Spirit smiled at him, then chuckled. He walked over to Raptor and lay his helm on his lap. "That was funny."

"How true," Raptor said as he rubbed the little mech's back.

"While we're all here … we have to plan the next few. If nothing messes things up, we need to get organized. The championship game is in four orns. Then dinner following. The next orn, the war game. Then my victory party follows immediately afterward," Prowl said as the others howled.

"Your victory? I heard that Grimlock had half a dozen raptors made up for their team," Delphi said.

"Half a dozen of Uncle Raptor? Really?" T-Bar asked with surprise.

"Imagine that," Raptor said. "That many handsome mechs in such a confined space."

"You wish," Prowl said with a smirk as he pulled Rambler into his lap. "Google the Cretaceous on Earth."

They did. They frowned.

"What happens after all of that, Ada?" T-Bar asked.

Hard Drive pulled him into his lap, then hugged him. "We go to the water park at some point and dunk your father."

Everyone including Prowl was down for that.

-0-At the wrap up for the orn

Ratchet knelt down to speak to the delegates, almost all of which wanted to chat. They had never had a chance to speak directly to aliens before and this was their moment. The following day, they would pick it up and continue. There would be other conversations had about how to best repair the damage done to Earth and how that could best be accomplished. The Foundation of the Primes was the vehicle of choice for the Autobots. The humans had a maze of organizations to front all of their ambitions to make the world whole again.

Morshower and his gang along with Fulton finally shooed everyone along and then it was just Ratchet. Lucien and the others had gone onward, heading for home either here or on Mars, though most of Prime's human crew were going to Mars for bedtime even if they stayed here to play and talk to the delegates. Warren Roberts was going to be staying on Mars with Maureen, his wife who was already there for the Resort monthly meet up. Their invitation to a barbecue at their home would be accepted and a number of Autobots in pretender gear would be heading their way when the weekend on Earth rolled around. It was going to be fun, fun, fun. Judy and John Fulton along with Glenn and Barbara Morshower would be there as well.

Among others.

"Well, what do you think?" Glenn asked Ratchet.

"Some very interesting proposals. I asked about the rumor and no one knew but they're going to scope it out. I want to know myself," Ratchet said with a grin. "All we need … Earth3."

Glenn grinned. "It might not be so bad. I can be a mall cop there in my retirement."

"You and Granny," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Well, dinner calls. I'll contact you tomorrow and come by a bit early so we can Machiavelli this our way." He stood up, then looked at Warren. "You need a lift? Maureen is already there, right?"

"Sure," Warren said as he turned to his aides to finish their arrangements for the next day. Sam and Carly along with the others were already gone and would return in the morning. "Need a lift, Glenn? John?"

"We have to make phone calls," Glenn said as he rolled his eyes. "We'll see you later on."

Ratchet nodded and with Warren firmly in hand, he walked out the hangar to head for the Embassy and a bridge home.

Morshower grinned. "I can't wait for Warren's barbecue."

"You and me both. Do you have your war game bot?" Fulton asked as they turned to walk out together.

"I do. Did you hear the rumor about Grimlock?" Glenn asked as they disappeared into the gathering gloom of the evening.

The guests would remain here for three days before leaving. Then all the fun would begin.

Football.

Barbecues.

War Games.

Grimlock v Starscream.

It didn't get any better than this.

-0-TBC 3-21-18 **edited 3-31-18**


	306. Chapter 306

The Diego Diaries: Par-Tay (dd6 306)

-0-That night

"Then we'll have the food and treats. The Catering Place is going to have the food for the bot kids sent just before everyone arrives. There's a caveat about it. No one touches it without gloves. Energon is in an inert state this way but its still a foreign and alien substance. If it gets in a cut it can make you sick," Judy Witwicky said.

Mindy Thomas, Sandy's mom was sitting with the rest of the women as they planned the course of the first Human-Cybertronian party held by children outside of school on world. In a way, it was historical, this event. Her daughter had bloomed here, blossoming from a shy self conscious girl to one who would happily do things she never dreamed of on Earth. The kids were nearly her height or taller in her class so here she was just another 'femme'. When she sent her daughter to school Mindy and Marco Thomas did so with a good feeling. Mindy was a computer tech for the N.E.S.T. Habitat working hand in hand with their communications civilian, Thomas Howell, Glenn Morshower's son-in-law. Marco was an Alpha Striker and all around good guy.

"This is going to be interesting," Mindy said. "Who's going to serve the energon food?" she asked with a big dimpled grin.

Everyone turned in their seat to glance at Lois Morshower-Howell. "Shit," she said with a chuckle. "Okay. Be that way. I'll do it."

"Of course you will," Barbara Morshower said. "I'll be too busy taking pictures."

They continued onward.

-0-Later that night

" **ADA! I, ORION, STAY WIF LOU?!"** A tiny image of his big old pa stared upward with hopeful optics on his cute little face. "You doing with I, Orion? We going here," he said as he pushed Ratchet's ped backward. "Sit dere," he said pointing at the chair.

Ratchet with a sleepy Praxus in arms sat down with a grin. "Okay. I'm sitting. What now?"

Orion thought a moment. "Lou sit. My, Orion, doing." He walked to the table and tugged a chair toward the counter. It took a while but it was there eventually. Pulling Hero's little footstool over, he climbed on it, then the chair. Stretching as far as he could, he barely gripped the overhead cupboard next to the sink. Straining with grunting sounds, he gripped it, then pulled. It slammed back. Again and again, he worked furiously until it came open. Pushing it back with a frown, Orion stared at it with a ticked off expression, then glanced at Ratchet.

He froze at the surprise on Ratchet's face, then screwed up his courage because now Ironhide was sitting in **HIS** chair with Halo in his arms as he watched the ballsy baby. Gripping his fingers together insecurely for a moment, Orion decided to brazen it through. "Lou sit. My, Orion, doing." He turned to the cupboard, then gripped the faucet of the sink.

Barely.

He then began to tug himself upward, grunting with effort as he failed again and again. Pausing a moment to figure it out, he tried again and made it after the fifth time.

Truly, the struggle was real.

Ratchet and Ironhide watched him with mesmerized incredulity and admiration for his tiny aft which was doing yeoman's work here. When he finally made it, Orion crawled forward, then carefully stood up, bending around the cupboard door to look inside on wobbly legs. He looked at the two who were mute with wonderment, then shot them a big cheese-eating smile before turning to the cupboard. Sitting on the second shelf up were cans of candy. This was where Ratchet kept Ironhide's fudge. Staring at it with the optics of a desperado, Orion calculated how he could get them down. Reaching up, he gripped the can as best he could, then pulled it back. The can slid out and fell.

Onto the floor.

With a loud clang and thump.

Loudly.

Looking up, then around, then down, Orion stared at the can on the floor. He frowned as he stood with his tiny servos on his tiny hips. Then he turned around, stretched as far as he could and pulled down another. It hit his helm before falling on the floor. Rubbing his helm, he glanced around. "Owie," he said in a tiny voice to himself. He was so focused on the crime in motion, he forgot about Ratchet and Ironhide. Orion stared at the floor, then the shelf, then the floor. "Well," he whispered to himself. "I going now." He was talking to himself as he worked out the lay of the land, then knelt. He tried to back out to the chair, then lost his nerve.

Sitting on the edge of the counter, he stared at the chair just below him. Before either Ratchet or Ironhide could move, he slid off and landed on it. Gripping the chair, he stood up, then noticed both staring at him with concern. He shot them another giant insincere smile before climbing down onto the stool, then the floor. He looked at the chair and stool, then began to put them back like he did this every day and this was his one job in life. The whole time he did, he talked in a very soft voice to himself: "I doing this … I doing this and that there … there. Doing it, I, Orion."

When that was accomplished, he looked at the cans, then picked one up. Walking toward his old man and his other old man, he paused before them like a fisherman just off the boat after a month at sea. He carried the can like a longshoreman carries his lunch box after work. "I doing that dere, Ada. I, Orion, do for you and Atar." With that, he put the can down, pried off the lid and reached inside. He pulled out a piece of fudge for Ratchet and handed it to him. He did so for Ironhide, then put the lid back on. He hefted it up, then nodded to both very workmanlike in his manner. "I, Orion, doing dis. I goin' dere," he said pointing to the hallway. "I goin' dere. Not you, this," he said patting the can he held. "I doin' it. I,Orion, doin' it for dis. I go dere. You not go, I, Orion. You doing here. Sit. I go dere."

With a confident nod to the pair and the sleeping babies, he walked to the hallway and disappeared into his room. Ratchet and Ironhide glanced at each other with amazement, then toward the hallway. Orion was walking back again like a banker going to a foreclosure. His arms swung and he chatted softly to himself as he walked to the other can. Hefting it up, too, he glanced at them. "You doin'. I go dere. This, I, Orion doin'. Go you there. Not you, me. I doin'," he said as he walked to the corridor and disappeared again.

Ratchet and Ironhide stared at the hallway then each other. "That didn't come from **my** side," Ironhide said.

"Of course, it did," Ratchet replied. "I may strike a coin for him. Better get the candy, Ironhide. I'm going to sit here and pray to Primus."

Ironhide laughed, then walked toward the hallway after putting Halo gently into her bouncing chair. She stretched, then fell back asleep. Ratchet sat back for the show. It was silent a moment, then a loud conversation was had, it ended, then it was silent a moment. Ironhide walked out with two cans of candy in his servos. He tossed one to Ratchet and then took a snoozing Praxus. "Hold my place," he said as he walked back to put Praxus in bed. As he did, a little mech slipped out of his room and sort of stealthed to the back of the chairs. He stood quietly though one could seen tiny peds if you looked down. Ratchet who was laughing intensely inside his skull relaxed with a can. He opened it and popped a piece. "Better hurry, Ironhide. I'm going to eat all of it. Both cans."

A gasp behind the chair greeted that, then it was deeply silent.

Ironhide walked back, noted his oldest smallest son, then sat down to open a can. "I don't know about you but this is the best part of the orn. Sitting here, eating an entire can of candy … how can it get better?"

The sound of a little mech melting down behind them was heard with gurgling sounds, then was stifled. Ironhide grinned. "I have to hand it to Orion. He didn't fall on his face."

"That probably deserves a treat next time. Can't have little mech fall on his face," Ratchet said with a grin. "Um-um. This is so good. I'm eating the whole thing."

A little mech finally ran out to stand before them, his face a case study in aggravated concern as he gripped his servos.

"Why, Ironhide … you're losing your touch. I thought you put little mech to sleepy-bed." Ratchet grinned, then popped candy in his mouth.

"Ada … you not doing? You not doing dat?" he asked as he pointed to the can. Orion looked at both of them with deep baby angst.

"Thought I would. Why are you up?" Ironhide asked.

"I, Orion, helpeded lou. I doin' dis," he said pointing to the can.

"Tell you what," Ratchet said with a grin. "I'll give you one and then sleepy-bed time."

Orion smiled like the sun, then took one. When he was finished with that, he got another for points on his ordeal. Then he was back in sleepy-bed. When he was, Ratchet and Ironhide found another place to put the candy that he, short of flying Sunspot into the closet would never be able to reach. Ratchet grinned as he lay back. Ironhide finished tucking Halo in, then joined Ratchet. Calling lights out, he grinned. "Never dull around here."

"Nope." Ratchet grinned. "Good night, Ironhide."

"Good night, Ratchet."

-0-In the dark

He lay on his big boy berth, then sat up. Somewhere in this house was grub for a hungry mech. He slid out, then tiptoed down the hallway. He looked at the phone device nearby, the handset that hadn't been placed back in its cradle. Often, he had watched his fathers order food in using it rather than the monitor.

How hard could it be?

He stealthed over, picked it up and watched the lights come on. Remembering a pattern, he pushed it in. A voice sounded. "If you want dinner, press 1. If you want lunch for tomorrow, press 2. If you want breakfast, press 3. If you want to select individual items, press 4..." He pressed 4. "When we say the items and you want them press 1. If not, wait for the next items named. Our menu changes daily. You can order things delivered on a schedule on our web page. Check the Community Bulletin Board in the Directory for restaurants and food delivery. Pizza, press one …"

Orion stared at the device, then began to press buttons. He punched and punched, then hung up. Walking to the door, he stood and stared at it. Somehow, when you did that food appeared at your door. After a moment, Orion froze. Someone was up and heading his way. Running swiftly, he ran to his room and climbed up on his berth. As he did, Spot who was watching hurried in and climbed onto the berth. Licking Orion's face, he walked in the circle that all canines do before he settled. Half laying on Orion and half not, he sighed and began to sleep.

Orion stared at him and struggled, but Spot was not going to move again until morning. Outside in the kitchen, Genesis got a drink of juice, then put his glass in the sink. He walked to his room and the lights went out behind him. The Haus of R v IH was in for the night.

-0-The next morning

It was the usual hoo-haw to get ready to go. Kids were fed, things gathered, instructions for the party for Sunspot given, then everyone lined up. "Ready to go?" Ironhide asked as he tucked Halo into his hold.

The three dread kids would go on their bus to Iacon and their school. Hero would cab. 'Little Bus' as it was called from the Circle Academies and their aides would take Scout and Prowler, Sojourner, Solus and several other kids to their schools. Sunspot would ride the bus with Co-D, Reflector and Bos when it came their way. Orion, Miracle and Praxus would ride their bus to Terra. The only one left would be Halo.

"I think we're ready to go," Ratchet said as he opened the door.

No one moved to leave.

Ratchet peered out, then turned to Ironhide. "You aren't secretly hoarding are you?"

Ironhide peered out the door as well. "What the frag?"

Moments later after stuffing the buses with kids …

They carted the last box in, then stared at seven boxes filled to the brim with the oddest collection of congealed pizzas, uncooked ramen, ham sandwiches, several kinds of beer, soft drinks, pudding, vegetables, a huge chocolate cake, candy of all kinds, and tubs of cooked spinach.

It would remain a mystery until dinner time when they would eat what was edible along with the usual food and Orion would tell then them how he used the phone the night before to get candy like the hapless little confessor that he was. The phones would join Ironhide's fudge on the top shelf of the closet in their berth room and Orion would end up on the Chair of Doom.

With fudge.

-0-TBC 3-22-18 **edited 3-24-18 edited again 3-31-18  
**


	307. Chapter 307

The Diego Diaries: Fun (dd6 307)

-0-Ops Center

"Well, what's up, Prowler?" Ratchet said as he sat down on a chair across from the Intensity Known As Prowl.

He glanced up. "Is Sunspot going to the party today?"

"He is along with our three little mechs," Ratchet said. "Ironhide got the present so Primus help all of us. Sunny was with him so it might be something that will make it through Terran customs if Sandy ever takes it to Earth. Maybe."

Prowl smirked. "What about the weekend. We better plan things. Everyone is going to be turning to us for instructions anyway."

Ratchet nodded. "We're going out for breakfast on the game orn, probably to the Diner. I'll call them for reservations if you forget."

"You assume that I, Prowl, am capable of such mundane possibilities," Prowl said.

They stared at each other a moment, then Ratchet smirked. "I'll call them."

"Good," Prowl said with a smirk of his own. "Dinner after the game. I suppose you have your mob coming including Partition?"

"He asked to bond to Lancer. Eventually, Lucien is going to become an in-law," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "My life … it's not my own."

Prowl laughed loudly, then grinned at Ratchet smugly. "I noticed that."

They glanced toward the door as Ultra Magnus walked in. They noticed him before he arrived by the density of his energy. Ratchet glanced at Prowl, then Magnus as he arrived to pull a chair to sit. "You look like slag. What's up?" he asked.

"Is Optimus here?" he asked as he nodded to Ratchet. "There has been a development on Earth."

Prowl was silent a moment, then he sat closer. "What's going on?"

The door nearby opened as Optimus stepped into the huge room. He walked to the table and sat. "You called?" he asked as he glanced at Prowl.

"Magnus says there's a development on Earth," Prowl said as he looked at the grim faced mech sitting at the end of the table. They all turned to him. "What's going on?"

"I was given the heads up. It would appear that William, James and Jason Daniels along with Theodore Galloway and Bill Nast were given presidential pardons last night and are due to be released from prison in two orns," Magnus said.

The three stared at him, then Prowl leaned slightly closer. "Excuse me?" he asked with incredulity.

Magnus nodded. "I was given a call from someone I know in the government and was told that the President pardoned all of them himself. Apparently, they were friends of a friend. They get a full release back into society and will be free Friday."

Silence reigned a moment, then Ratchet shifted uneasily. "Who's the friend?"

"A billionaire who's incidentally part of the consortium of investors that owns 41% of the Earth2 corporation. He's a man by the name of Harvey Richardson who owns a lot of real estate, casinos in Las Vegas, Mississippi, Florida, Europe, and other places still being searched. He's worth a tremendous amount of money as a venture capitalist and likes space. He wants the tech. He also likes the earning potential of space, thus he's become with his friends the single largest shareholder of the corporation that fronted and pushed through the development and implementation of Earth2."

"Frag," Ratchet said. "I do remember that Johnson and Hedges used to hole up in Lake Tahoe as the house of a ultra nationalist billionaire. Someone who has ties to the other side of things."

"There's more," Magnus said. He looked at Prime. "I was told that he's pressuring the corporation to let Jason, Ted Galloway and his father, James come to Mars and work at Earth2."

Prime stared at Magnus, then glanced at Prowl. "Get Mearing, Lennox and Simmons here, then have Glenn on the phone … I believe he's at Diego today. I want Warren as well." He rose and with the others walked to the conference room nearby while Prowl organized things. Then Prowl walked to the room and closed the door behind him.

-0-Cybertron, regarding the war games in three orns

:I'm going to slag you into the fifth dimension:

:You can try but you're not as feral as me, little mech: Raptor said as he trudged along a pathway that led to housing areas. A lot of small towns and villages, waysides in the roadways leading to other places, stations and roadhouses were finished and he was seeing the results. All of it was noted in the computers that ran everything and kept track of all of it but there was nothing like seeing it yourself. The area was very happy to show him their efforts which were amazing. This had been a pockmarked wasteland and now it was mint new and covered here and there with beautifully restored roads and habitations. :You will never see the orn, infant, when you can best me in the air:

:We'll see: Ironhide said to his grandpa. Raptor was on the other side of the world from him. He was looking at a restoration project along the Sea of Mithral. It was going to be hard slag to get things cleaned up, the ordinance lying around cleared away and the right combination of growing things planted to hold together the structure of the shoreline. When the storms rolled in, erosion and long term damage was assured. The storms when they came were doozies in the odd disturbed condition of the planet. Dark clouds were hanging overhead in the dark endless night of their planet and not for the last time did Ironhide wish to see blue skies again. :Three orns and we'll see, that is, if there's nothing stupid rolling in to stop it. Then the best mech will win:

:Tonight in the man cave, infant. We have to get our team game plan together. The slagging Dinobots made half a dozen raptors. Slaggers: He was silent a moment, then he was back. :You have to go back. Optimus needs you over something:

Ironhide stopped by the roadway, then looked at the others. "Carry on a moment. Prime wants me to do something a moment. I'll be back when I can." Then he called a bridge. When it burst into sight, he entered and was gone. The others would carry on including Partition and his brothers for the second orn in the field and all its unpredictable problems.

-0-Ops Center

Ironhide walked in and saw that Paragon was pointing to the conference room. Nodding to the big winger, he walked to the door and let himself in. A lot of senior Autobots were there and some were on monitors including some of their human allies. He walked to his usual place and sat down. "What's going on?"

"Jase Daniels, his father and grandfather along with Ted Galloway and Bill Nast are being let go from prison due to a presidential pardon," Ratchet said.

 **"WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Ironhide asked with his own incredulity.

"Well, its all unanimous now," Ratchet said with a grin. "It gets better. Their benefactor owns almost half of the Earth2 Corporation and he wants them to work here … at least, Galloway, Jase and James Daniels."

Ironhide stared at Ratchet, then glanced at Prime. "Never. Right? This is going to happen?"

"That's what we're talking about now," Magnus said. "Warren is getting the ground information for us."

Warren nodded. "I just received a text that the deed is done, the President and Harvey Richardson are friends and that they have some business ventures or did have. The President gave them all a pardon. Apparently, he's quite unpredictable."

"No doubt," Seymour Simmons said. He turned toward Prime. "There was a saying that one of our presidents once used to live by, Prime. Lyndon Johnson. He said its better to have your enemy on the inside of the tent pissing out, than to have them outside the tent pissing in."

"Colorful but self explanatory," Morshower said. "How about this one? Do you feel lucky, punk?"

They referenced it, saw the entire movie in 0.2 seconds, then half of them grinned. "I see your point," Ironhide said with a nod.

"I think we need to gather as much intel into this as we can, then wait to see it shake out. I'm sure public opinion isn't behind it. I also think that it could be another window into the opposition," Ratchet said. "It will be up to you, Prime, to decide and for me as your head of the state apparatus to send a letter to the government protesting this move. At least, put that on the table. As for the rest, we can wait. We still have time."

"Has Richardson said why he wants them here? What does Harris say? What would they do?" Jetta asked as he sat beside Jazz and Elita. If there was going to be an operation run against this new twist, they would control it.

:I have feelers out about it. No one will keep it from me. No one liked Ted and this whole business is such a stain on our honor: Mearing said as Simmons nodded.

:I'm going to put the squeeze on Bannachek. Tom owes me large: Simmons said with barely repressed battle lust.

"I want to know what they will do and what they owe Richardson. What does Richardson want that he believes these three will bring him? Understand, the mercenaries that Jason Daniels had with him on Diego are those at Earth2," Prime said.

Springer and Drift walked in, pulled a chair, then sat. "What?" Springer asked as he glanced at the faces around him, all of them grave. "What now?"

"Ted Galloway and the Daniels along with your good friend, Bill Nast have been pardoned. In three orns they will walk out of prison free men," Elita said with a slight smirk. "I can't wait to tell Arcee."

It was grim in the room.

-0-On highly secured monitors all over the place

"What do you know about Harvey Richardson, Ted Galloway and the Daniels … Jase, James and William, Joe?" Morshower asked tersely. "You **do** know they were pardoned today and will walk out of prison on Saturday free men. Correct?"

Joe stared at him as he sat in his office at N.E.S.T. HQ. "No, I didn't hear that. Why?"

"That's what we want to know. They're big friends of Harvey Richardson. He's a big friend of the President. We have a problem because as a major shareholder and investor with Earth2, he wants at least Ted, Jase and James to work there."

"That would be ridiculous," Joe said as he leaned back in his chair. "That's going to give a black eye to the facility. Prime won't allow it, would he?"

"Prime's keeping his own counsel. I need information. I need it yesterday. This is going to get ugly and you have to decide which side you truly are on. Either the side where things matter or with them," Morshower said.

Joe sighed. "I have friends, Glenn. I will consult them."

"Do it wisely and keep it down low," Glenn said. "I have the brief for everyone there. Putting these fools there the way the bots feel and with their former mercenaries is asking for trouble. There is no leeway for trouble, Joe. People could die and we're talking about children here. They live in the same spaces as well."

Joe nodded. "Give me a day. I'll call you."

Glenn nodded. "On the encrypted line. Morshower out."

The screen faded as Joe Bowers sat in his chair staring out at the desiccated landscape of an ancient world. As he did, he wondered when it began to matter this much to him. He hadn't noticed the change. Maybe the place did that to you. All of the humans he knew and worked with felt that way. Maybe he was just a slow learner, He opened his message manager and began to scan for a few men he knew that knew everyone and everything going on everywhere.

-0-Later that afternoon

They boarded the same bus, all the kids heading for the party. Among the humans that were going home to their tower, there were a few others heading there for the party from other places. Jaycee Jameson and Camilla Brown were going to Sandy's party. They sat on the bus with Cybertronian kids also invited. Sunspot, Bos, Co-d, Reflector, and a micro mini-con femme named Minka were going to be the first bot guests at a Tower party since forever.

At the tower, everyone was getting ready. The party would start when they arrived. It would be amazing.

-0-TBC 3-24-18 **edited 3-31-18**


	308. Chapter 308

The Diego Diaries: Left Field (dd6 308)

-0-Ops Center

It was silent around the table as everyone took in the news. Ratchet sat back. "They live in a bubble., these people. I think the humans have the same problem with high castes that we do."

"I would agree," Prime said. "They cannot bring any of them here if we do not grant them visa status."

"No," Prowl said. "What we have to do is try to figure out what benefit they get from sending them here. I've scanned the news services on Earth. There's a reason why they want them to come here and we have to figure it out. Harvey Richardson is good friends with the Daniels and that could be the extent of the thought behind this, someone trying to help out a friend."

"What do we know about him, Prowl?" Prime asked. "I have heard his name come up from time to time."

Prowl thought a moment as he accessed his database and that of other places. He turned toward Prime. "Harvey Richardson is the oldest son of Louis Richardson, a manufacturing mogul who had investments in literally all manner of businesses. He bought distressed industries from the economic disaster of the Great Depression back in 1929. He had diversified and therefore, he had less to lose. He made agreements with those in trouble and when they couldn't meet them, he took them over.

"Louis flirted with fascism, hated unions with a passion and broke them even with violence in the early portion of the twentieth century, supported repressive policies of the period, was an expressed admirer of Mussolini and Hitler for their methods of achieving results, and hated any form of government policy or action that stood in the way of his business and personal goals. He was a very difficult man to be around, though his sons adored him. They had a very tight and apparently happy family.

"He raised his sons to be cut throat and they were, even as adults with each other. Harvey was the favored son, getting control of the family business. He was raised according to the dictates of his father's rather extreme views which included red baiting, deep involvement in the social warfare that has been going on openly since the 1970's in governments around the world, and funding those projects, groups and ideas that appeal to him. He has three sons, only one of which is interested in the business … Harvey, and has a lot of contacts and friends around the world of high finance, multi-national big business, perhaps the opposition to us as well as rumors of being part of what's been called by some the 'deep state' or cabal. At least, that's what they say and I would think that the Resistance, the Family and MECH fit with them neatly."

"That's the group that some believe has a hand supposedly in the running of the world, a conglomeration of billionaires, multi-national corporations, the military-industrial complex, and media. They're the deep down slaggers that pull the strings and do what they want as opposed to what's decent or what everyone else wants," Ratchet said. "Close?"

Prowl nodded. "Not bad," he said. "Harvey gave Johnson and Hedges refuge and has financed a lot of dicey things. He's friends with Harris, a good one, and he's friends with everyone else who has financed this project. They have a lot of contacts in government and between nations. Money hangs out with money, it would appear. This man is not a doddering idiot with money. He's smart and he's ruthless. He controls the narrative on his side and has a lot who believe him. Given the amount of money in governments and media he has spent, and that includes all of our treaty allies, then its going to be more rather than less difficult managing this if we don't keep tight control. They've networked and all of the major treaty partners have ties to him at some level or other."

"What about the son? Is he as big a slagger as his father? Where is he and what does he do? Is he friends with Rick Harris? What about the other sons?" Arcee asked.

Prowl looked at her. "The son is named after his grandfather, Louis. The other two are in businesses but the arts. They don't appear to have their father's favor or they don't want to be in his kind of business. Louis, himself is a full partner in his father's business and lives in Dallas, Texas, thus his friendship and partnerships with Nast. He's married and has two kids, both young and not part of things. The interesting thing about Louis is that he was in the army with William Nast. They were friends from there and that could be the reason he wants him out of prison. Semper fi, slaggers. Friendships among these individuals appear to be very strong. Rick Harris and Cameron Frazer and now William Nast and Louis Richardson. What their long term game plan is we can't guess but the reasons they want them here are understandable."

"Where does Ted Galloway fit in here?" Elita asked.

"He was a major player in the opposition. He must still have value for Richardson the Elder to keep him around. The old man is very, very loyal to his friends and fellow travelers as the humans used to say. Ted is a tough man with a tunnel focus on what he's doing. He has no personality beyond his job identity that I can find and he's an aft but there must be something between them. He's close or was to Owen Harris," Prowl said.

"I would like to register a letter to the government stating our disappointment that they were pardoned. I do not suppose that it will be received well," Prime said. "We cannot help that. We do have the last word here about who comes. They have to pass through our immigration and customs to be allowed inside. Unless, of course, they come inside a crate."

Jetta laughed. "I wouldn't put it past them."

"You could be called out by the new administration to allow them in, Optimus," Ratchet said. "This might ratchet up the discord that has always been here under the shiny surface, at least from their end. I would say, this could be a wild ride."

Prime nodded. "I know. We must be vigilant and I hope that they do not make the humans who are on our side pay a price for whatever comes out of this."

"They might make us close the Embassy on Diego, worst case scenario," Ratchet said.

It was quiet a moment. Then Jetta sat forward. "We own the land it sits on."

"We would not be allowed to do business with anyone from it. It would still be ours but we would have to do things less directly if it happens. If they close Diego to shipping, we can use Luna Base. We can stay inside but we can't go out," Ratchet said as he considered the laws of Earth. It was complicated.

"Well, we need to send a letter, Ratchet and Prowl. Then we wait to see what happens next," Prime said.

They would chat a bit longer, Prowl and Prime along with Ratchet would formulate the letter sent via his office on his formal letterhead, then they would go back to their lives to wait.

-0-On a bus pulling up to the tower

They sat together, half the kids coming to the party. They stood up and walked to the door where the scanner checked the humans out to go. They walked out, then gathered on the sidewalk. Annie Lennox hoisted her backpack. "Let's go up," she said as she led the way to the doors and elevator nearby and around the corner. It was busy on the sidewalk and the car traffic was busier as they walked along the street. They were carrying gifts in their backpacks for Sandy who was having a laugh with Jaycee Jameson. They reached the doors, entered into a big elevator, then rose upward when the doors closed.

:I've never been here: Camilla Brown said.

"You can take off your helmets in the elevator," Annie said as she pulled hers off. They all did, then the door stopped. "Here we go. We're home," she said as she punched the button.

The door opened and they walked inside including a very nervous and suddenly shy Sunspot.

-0-Nearby in the middle of the open space by Tower 1

They worked diligently setting up the vast game board for the war games that would happen in three orns. There were changes made especially when the players signed in to participate and announced their devices. Grimlock announced and signed up six, count them, six raptors for the game. It would need room for the rampages and to make the place safer, the smart kids from Sciences would install a nullification device whereby if the robot bots ran to stomp something and it would mean crossing the lines into the safe spaces where the spectators stood, it would drop to its face when breaking the beams.

No one told the Dinobots.

-0-At Club Cybertron

They sat together eating a light meal mid afternoon. The big game was in two orns, the Primus Cup after a long season, brutal fights and intense games. Kaon's Kavaliers were the team representing Mars while the powerhouse of Nova Cronum would represent Cybertron. The next season would fall into that pattern with Mars representing one league, the Martian, while Cybertron would be the other. The highest winning Martian team would play the highest winning Cybertronian team for the Cup going forward.

Given the season, the two had been kept at home for the duration until the championships. The twins ate their light meal to maintain their peak energy efficiency. They were discussing their plan for the game which they had been working out with the team and coaches for the last week or so.

"We need to keep the game tight. Rad-R is going to be your back up, Sideswipe. Nova Cronum is dying to get the championship for Cybertron," Sunstreaker said.

Sideswipe nodded. "I'll tell you and only you, Sunny. If anyone has to win it but us, only a Cybertronian team."

Sunstreaker nodded. "Next year, its going to be leagues. Nice surprise that they rebuilt the stadiums at Iacon and Altihex. They're working out how to play the championship on alternating seasons on Cybertron and Mars."

"They weren't that hard to do given the shells were still up. Now we can do away games," Sideswipe said. "I can't wait."

Sunstreaker nodded. "I agree."

-0-At a party way up there

They floated in the pool, bot and human children as adults sat around the huge lounge and main room. The kids had come in, put their gifts on the counter in the kitchen, then met everyone. Sunspot held 'Aunt Judy's' hand as she introduced humans that he didn't know as well. The introductions were made, then the kids ran off to the recreational side of the Tower. Laughing, playing together, they swam, ate snacks and talked, climbing in and out of the pool with delight. Among them was Sunspot.

And Spot.

-0-Ops Center

Lucien sat with Ratchet and the others in the big conference room as they watched news broadcasts, heard pundits, read print commentary, and searched the internet for some consensus of the pardons among the talking classes and the public. Harvey Richardson had released a statement in conjunction with the group he lead, Earth2 Science Group. It was simple.

"We are glad that the President saw fit to extend pardons to our friends, James, William and Jason Daniels, Theodore Galloway, and William Nast. Given their sentences which were served to a large degree in a very severe location, we feel that clemency was warranted. We are happy to welcome them back to freedom. We believe that their experiences will be helpful in their life going forward. Thank you, Mr. President, on behalf of those of us who call these men friend. -Harvey Richardson, CEO of Richardson Industries."

"It's notable that they left Earth 2 group out of this announcement," Ratchet said as Prowl pounded out the letter.

"Perhaps," Jetta said as he lounged in his chair. He and the intel department would manage any of them should they be allowed to come here. "What about the calls for interviews?"

"We're still mulling over the situation. We want to see how Prime's letter is received," Ratchet said.

Prowl finally finished, then glanced at Prime. He nodded, so Prowl read it. "This is going out on the Primal letterhead and will be sent to the Secretary of State, whoever that is right now, for delivery to the President. "Today, the Prime of Cybertron was informed that William, James and Jason Daniels, William Nast, and Theodore Galloway were pardoned by the President of the United States for their convictions against not only Autobot Nation but the United States of America and all the related and affected citizenry of Earth.

"It's a deep concern for our government that these individuals were given clemency for their crimes which included treason, actions of criminal intention against our embassy, and conspiracy to commit acts of war against not just the United States and Autobot Nation, but the peoples of Earth itself. These were not simple crimes. They put into jeopardy the entire security of Earth. They were committed with the leadership of the Decepticon faction with the intention of making alliances that from our long experience with them would have lead to the extinction of the human race.

"It was made clear to our allies that such alliances are never successful. No one has alliances with this faction. They do not make them. They endangered the entire population of Earth and its security by their actions. Their pardon is surprising to the government of the Prime of Cybertron. We register our strongest and most firm displeasure with these actions. We make our agreements in good faith and work hard to protect Earth and this system. We understand how the Decepticon faction works. This is very disappointing at best to us and all we do.

"It is our hope in future to be consulted on points of interest between us. Even if it makes no difference in the outcome, we wish to ensure that your decisions are made with solid and complete information. It is also our hope that this does not undermine a relationship that I value and work daily to secure. Our relationship is of the utmost importance and we shall do our part to keep it strong.

"Sincerely,

"Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Cybertronian Empire

Autobot City, Mars"

Prowl looked at Prime, then the others. "Short and curt."

"I do not mind. Short for now is good. I do not want them to think that we are pushovers. I also know we will be slagged for this letter. I do not believe that the President is going to enjoy receiving this but we have to set up our position. I have decided that if they want these men to come here, I will allow it after putting up resistance."

"Better having them here," Jetta said.

Optimus nodded. "Any window into their side is worth the short term inconvenience. We can always toss them off world. It might be a good thing to do that with someone to set the tone."

"I have to go to Diego for the afternoon presentations and I have one more orn after that. Given that I'm the Secretary of State for this government, what do you want me to say to anyone who asks?" Ratchet asked.

"Say that the government is in consultations about this and that we take this very seriously," Prime said. "Lie."

Ratchet laughed. "You came to the right door for that."

-0-Par-tay

They stood before the buffet with their plates. Each of the plates had their names on them and would go home with them along with silver forks and spoons which also bore their names. Human kids were in line for their food and the Cybertronian kids waited in line for Mrs. Lois and Amma Barbara, her mom, to serve them their food. It all looked delicious, the trays of cakes, little sandwiches, fruit, and other delicacies devised by Rampage. Sitting on a table nearby surrounded by presents, two cakes waited. They were identical, both of them two tier birthday cakes, one energon and the other lemon flavored and buttercream frosted. Flowers were made for both and they each said, **"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SANDY!"** , one in English and one in NeoCybex. Around the top layer of each were Autobrands at intervals.

"This looks so good, Mrs. Lois. Thank you, Amma," Rambler said as Spirit and T-Bar waited behind them. Sunspot and his dog were next as were the other bot kids. Plates were piled up as Amma Fig poured 'juice' into glasses with the children's names engraved on them to carry to the table.

Fig, Epps, Lennox, and Graham had made a point to be here along with just about everyone else that was off duty and on world. Scientists, family members old and new, soldiers, genitors, and all the rest were gathered here to eat and play with Sandy and her friends. She was over the moon with happiness. Given that she was low key and shy ordinarily, watching her laugh, run around with the other kids, play the games devised by the adults, and swim without being body self conscious, her parents were ecstatic. Mindy turned to Linda Graham who was sitting with Aedh in a chair nearby eating a plate filled with goodness. "We need more parties, especially with children. These ceilings are big enough. We need to have a dinner party with some of the bots. Maybe start with Ratchet and Ironhide."

"That sounds like a winner," Linda said. "Maybe we can go on a pub crawl with them."

"And get arrested?" Mindy's mom, Debby said with a laugh. "Only if I can come along, too."

The meal ran on and then more fun. Finally, Judy Witwicky pulled out two pans and clapped them together. **"TIME TO EAT CAKE AND SEE PRESENTS!"**

The kids ran into the great room gathering together, bot and human. They smiled at the adults, then Mindy pointed to the tables. "Sit, babies. Time to eat cake and look at things."

Everyone ran to a table and sat, watching as Sandy sat at the big table heaped with stuff. After a moment's fumble, Appa Omar Epps was asked to hand out the gifts to Sandy.

He grinned then walked over. "What a fine duty. Here we go," he said handing the first to Sandy.

She was delighted and blushed brightly as she took it. That and the next few were beautiful clothing to wear inside from humans here. Her parents got her two new environmental suits with embellishments that were very cute and something a girl her age would find delightful. Then he handed her a package from Rambler, Spirit and T-Bar. They smiled as they watched her open the beautiful box that held it. It fell away from the gift exposing it to everyone's view. Everyone stared at it, then gasped.

"We went with Ada and we liked that, Sandy," Spirit said as he turned in his chair to sit on his knees. He smiled and she smiled, too.

The gift was a sculpture of a dolphin swimming in a sea. It was made of precious stones that were commonly found here. The dolphin was a massive diamond carefully shaped. The sea it was swimming was made of giant carefully cut sapphires. There was so much brilliance in the sculpture that it fairly twinkled. " **Oh, wow. Thank you** ," Sandy said as she looked to the table where the three boys were smiling at her. "This is so pretty."

"Here you go, sweetie," Amos said as he slid the present from Sunspot.

She smiled, then opened it. She stared at it, then Sunspot who was smiling hopefully. **"Wow."** She looked at it again. It was a necklace and earrings. There was also a tiara because (Ratchet). They were all brilliant, the size of large grapes, the big stuff in the settings, and all of them were surrounded by smaller (relatively) white diamonds. It was beautiful.

The presents came and they were oohed and awed over. The presents from the bot kids were made of local gems, something you would have to go to the Tower of London to find stones of similar quality and size. The gifts from the human were beautiful, more personal and weren't composed of several hundred carets of gemstones. It was astonishing how many millions of dollars of items made of jewels were given to Sandy for her birthday by the oblivious bots of Mars.

When the last gift was given, they turned to the cakes after she hugged everyone in the room. Sandy sat as the cakes were lit. "How about we sing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl?" Mama Fig asked with a big smile.

They did. Then they did it again in NeoCybex. It would be a very, very happy afternoon for everyone.

-0-TBC 3-25-18 **edited 4-1-18**

I am going with the flow of who is the leader of the treaty countries mentioned. I like the world and what's going on so I keep up on other countries and things going on there. I may not name them or maybe rename their leaders but I want this to be current given this is the eighth year of its writing. We're on our second American president. LOL! Hugs, one and all. :D

Just so you know … pardon and clemency …

While clemency and pardon are not interchangeable, a pardon is a form of clemency. Clemency is a general term for reducing the penalties for a particular crime without actually clearing your criminal record. A clemency can come in the form of a pardon, which is forgiveness of a sentence, a commutation, which is reduction of a sentence, or a reprieve, which is a temporary putting off of punishment while the situation is analyzed further. Therefore a pardon is always clemency, but when someone receives clemency, it does not necessarily mean a pardon.

A pardon is meant to indicate forgiveness of a particular crime, either because a person was wrongfully convicted or the punishment was not appropriate for the crime committed. A commutation is a merciful act offered when it is determined that the penalty given was too harsh. A common use of commutation is to reduce a death penalty verdict to life in prison. A reprieve may be given when more information is needed before it can be determined that it is appropriate for a person to serve a particular sentence. This is also often used in death penalty situations.

It's important to note that in all cases of clemency, pardon or otherwise, the person's conviction is not overturned or removed from the public record. In fact, some people feel that accepting a pardon is tantamount to an admission of guilt. Those seeking to remove a criminal record will need to pursue expungement or having their record sealed. When a conviction is expunged, it is as if it never happened. There is no need for any kind of clemency because the crime is deleted from the record. This is obviously the ideal situation, and it happens more commonly than one might think. For many first offenses, even felonies, expungement is a real option.


	309. Chapter 309

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 309)

-0-Later that night

"How was the meet up?" Ironhide asked as he got up to carry dishes to the counter.

"One last small thing tomorrow, then I'm free. After breakfast, I have to go and hear final presentations. It's all been interesting," Ratchet said as he began to organize the dishwasher.

"How did it go at the party?" Ironhide asked Sunspot as he helped clear the table.

Sunspot was petting Cousin who was swanning around the coffee table in the living room. He glanced at his big old pa. Ratchet was wiping the table. "It was fun. We got to swim and play. We got to look all around the tower. Then we had food and cake. Sandy got a lot of presents. She really liked what we got her but it was a bit big."

Ratchet turned to him. "Whoops. I tried to find little jewelry. I heard that human femmes like that. How did she like the little crown thing?"

"She really liked it. I think they call it a tiara. Her mom wore that and the set for a moment because Sandy asked her to do it. She liked the whole thing. The diamonds were huge to them. Everyone seemed surprised." Sunspot smiled. "They said they have to have some of us over for a dinner party some time."

"The roof is high enough," Ironhide said with a grin. "How was it around the humans?"

Sunspot thought. "I like most of them. I know them but there were others there that I don't know that well. Amma Judy and Barbara are so nice."

"They are," Ratchet said. "Any homework?"

" **NO!"** He smiled brilliantly. **"FOOTBALL TOMORROW!"**

"That's right. The **CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLDS!"** Ratchet said.

Huge laughter and running around among the smaller set was had. It would be a great time in the house that night.

-0-Owen Harris's office, Earth2

They sat in the office watching the talking heads discuss the surprising pardons of the Daniels, Nast and Galloway. The jury was still out on Thomas Jasper, Nast's 'field commander' but good money was on him getting cut loose as well. Apparently, there was a paperwork glitch that was being ironed out. It wasn't going over well anywhere.

"What's the deal with you and Lou trying to bring them here, Dad?" Rick asked as he sat in a chair sipping a beer. He was heading out for a night time hike with three clients from South Africa in the Valles, then a camp out in the specialized dome sector of the Valles Campground that was ground zero for the Senior Autobots and half their mangy crew when the Autobot Scouts called.

"Lou wants them here to help with the running of this place and to let them live somewhere they can cool off if you know what I mean," Owen said as he muted the commercial. "Personally, I don't care one way or the other. They're his friends, mostly, not mine."

"They'll just bring trouble, Dad. They don't need to be here." Rick stood, then slipped his bottle into the wall slot that was recycling. They were everywhere in the common places and in apartments and barracks as well. Everything was recycled, though none of them knew how it worked. "I have to go. I'll be back about noon tomorrow for the game." With that, he walked out.

"Be careful, son," Mariah called out.

"I will, Mom. Love you," Rick said as he disappeared.

Mariah who was sitting with Allison and Perry looked at Owen. Kyle who was on the phone nearby sat in Rick's seat. "What's your game, Owen?" Mariah asked with a pointed stare.

Owen smirked. "Lou has things he wants them to do and both of us want to push the limits. We want to see how far we can go, especially since there will be new businesses coming out of the meet up at Diego. Ratchet and Prime will have to okay some of them. Then we want to lead the business community and maybe push for another habitat. We want a wall around us so that if anyone gets bounced off world forever, it isn't us."

"What's the possibility that another habitat is going to be built? That's just a rumor thus far, right?" Allison Frazer-Beliveau asked.

Owen shrugged. "I don't know. Someone started it for a reason. Someone has a reason to push it. I believe Ratchet when he says he doesn't know. I'm letting Lou take the lead on this. He's working behind the scenes with some of those who proposed businesses here and when it comes to fruition, we will be that much stronger. Jase and Ted will be coordinating those businesses and if something goes wrong …?" He trailed off with a grin.

"What makes you think Prime will allow any of them to come here?" Mariah asked. "After all, those five are mortal enemies of the bots."

"Prime plays a strategic game. Think of it as chess. The board is set up for war. Prime is as smart and self aware as the rest of us. Having us here where he can watch it beats having us out of sight working against him. This is going to be fun," Owen said.

-0-A meeting of tacticians

"My phones calls were targeted at those who were in positions to know and find out without trailing the information back to me. I think its critical to put a layer between us here and Earth," Charlotte Mearing said as they sat in the conference room of N.E.S.T. HQ going over the intel all of them were able to dredge up. "My sources tell me that they want to be in leadership of the human business committee and the human colony. They have a number of habitat plans ready to bring forward as well as the big space station between Earth and Mars. Owen is playing the long game, working out a way to worm himself into control."

"That's what my sources say," Epps said. "Everyone at N.A.S.A. knows about the station. It would be the go between for their efforts to stage more habitats on world. They want their 80,000 citizens there because that's basically the tipping point between staying or being pushed off. Right now, the population can be ousted if things break down. More and it, becomes a more emotional problem for Prime due to the buy in of Earth."

"We have to track down the rumor," Will Lennox said.

Glenn Morshower nodded. He looked at Joe. "You know more of the asshole side of the situation than I do. What do you know about this rumor, Joe?"

Bowers considered this, the first time Morshower had asked him in for an important meeting or asked for his advice. "I can find out. I appears to be something tied to a corporation called Sen-Sec. They're a multi-national that makes electronics, has an aerospace division and is partners in the space station proposal with others. I would have to track down the investors, the ties between factions … it's doable."

Morshower nodded. "This is our most important alliance here with the bots. I think you've lived here long enough to understand how important it is. We're going out in five days to inspect an area where the pirates have dug in. Prime's sending a big shooting force to do that. I want you along. I want you to see first hand what we're facing here. This is dire, Joe. What we face is so dire that without them we/d all be dead by now." He looked at the others who looked solemn faced. "Tell me where I'm wrong."

"You aren't," Niall Graham said. "Understand, if we fail here, Earth falls. Think of your wife and family. Think about all that you love and care for. Gone in minutes. That's how important it is to trust you and work together here and on Earth."

"To help with that simple proposition, Joe, I asked someone to come and talk to you about it," Morshower said as he stood. "Come on." He walked to the door and stepped out. Everyone rose and followed. They walked through the rec room, then entered the Ops Center. The doors outside were just closing as a number of big mechs entered. The atmosphere evened immediately. Morshower grinned. "Welcome, gentlemen. I need to have a come to Jesus moment here. I'm glad you came to help."

Springer glanced at Drift, then Morshower. "Okay," he said with a grin.

-0-On the grapevine

"Then we're set for the usual place," Prowl said as he checked his datapad calendar and reminder.

"Sounds good, son. We will be there. It's going to be a long orn. Maybe this time next year, we can go to Cybertron and watch the game there. I do hope that we find the Omega Keys before then. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Miler asked with a smile.

"I won't complain," Prowl said with a grin. "What have you heard from Amma and Appa?"

Miler's smile faded. "Nothing. I'm sad about that, Prowl. It's all just so sad."

"Don't be, Ada. I'll have someone keep an optic on them. To see how they're doing," Prowl said. "We have to let them make up their processors. As for us, we have a game, then war game, then who knows what. I haven't check in with Loon yet."

"Perhaps our book club and squad can do the town? I haven't been arrested in a pub crawl in some time, son. I have a reputation to maintain as a gangster," Miler said as he smiled.

Prowl snickered as he looked at his ada's sweet happy face. "That's you, Ada. Gangster." He grinned. "Be here tomorrow and we can have breakfast together at the Diner. Ratchet reserved the spaces for the usual horde."

"Its going to be amazing tomorrow," Miler said. "Everyone is so festive about this. It has to do with Cybertron being one of the teams. I'm so happy for Cybertron."

Prowl grinned. "You and me both."

-0-N.E.S.T. Ops Center

They walked into the pressurized space. "Thanks for coming. You saw the news?"

Cold expressions came over the bots as they nodded. "We did. I don't pretend to understand your species," Drift said as the others nodded in agreement.

"That makes it even for all of us. Joe, here," Morshower said as he nodded to Joe Bowers who tensed as he did, "is trying to figure out what's what. When you go out to inspect the pirates, all of us are coming to watch. Joe has never been in combat and he's never heard a shot fired in anger. I don't say that to shame or belittle his contributions to this man's army, but I think its a terrible deficiency to have in a situation like we face. Tell him why its colossally important to preserve, protect and grow our relationship."

The big mechs stared at Bowers, then Drift knelt down. "I'll cut to the chase. I was a Decepticon. I was a very, very bad one. Ruthless and without pity. We didn't care. Whatever we were told, we did. It was a miracle of Primus and The One that I was able to get off that merry-go-round and find another path.

"It sort of amazes me that you think the Decepticons wouldn't destroy the Earth. You held him. You harmed and humiliated him. He decimates his own troops, kills one out of every ten in front of the others while everyone watches. He destroyed his own planet. He massacred and murdered his own people. What's so special about all of you that you'll be spared when he didn't even do it for his own species?" Drift stood. "I admire you slaggers. You're small but you have spark. You stand up against us even though its a forgone conclusion that in the end, if the forces of Megatron were ever gathered in sufficient numbers, it would be over in seconds. Why would you invite that even accidentally?"

"Infant is right. I'm caste exempt. When I was separated, Earth was still a swamp. You were still monkeys or however that works. I'm so old I remember the beginning as much as any. I've fought the kind of Megatron every era presented all my life. The Quintessans who introduced caste slavery, the Functionalists who institutionalized and streamlined lined it and the System of Exception which made it so awful that it was the last straw. What is there **so** precious about you that Megatron will spare you that we didn't possess, his own people? I was part of a struggle they called The Immortals. If you can't believe any of the mechs here and the humans with you who get it, then believe me. I will never leave here because if any of us do, you will die to the last man, woman and child.

"If you can't believe the soldiers here who know what they're talking about, then believe us. Think about all that you love, everyone, every place, everything. Think about them burning without us here to prevent it. You're either with us or you're no better than Nast and the Daniels." Hercy stared at him with a direct stare, one that had faced down the worst enemies of The People and lived to tell the tale.

"We can go home to Cybertron now and rebuild it for everyone. But if we leave, it means the front door is open. Razorclaw has a quarter of a million soldiers and ships within striking range. More groups have dug in as well, pirates and killers. This place is overwhelmed with energon. There's not a space on any surface of this solar system that won't be overrun with Decepticons, pirates and marauders looking to secure it. You were lucky that we came," Springer said.

"Optimus, Ratchet, Jazz, Bee, and Ironhide followed the trail. Think about this if you can't be bothered with the rest. The AllSpark could have landed anywhere. It's capable of knowing what it wants. Ask your wife. She knows. Consider out of all the universe and all its possible resting places, it chose Earth. Then ask yourself, why did it come to Earth? Was it an accident? A coincidence? Or was it drawn here to draw us, too, and save your species and your planet from extinction? My money is on the last one. There's no such thing as a coincidence. You might argue about luck but coincidence? Not in my book, not over the eons that I've been at this. Think about the odds of it, Bowers. Then get on your knees and thank whatever god you believe that it happened," Springer said with a solemn expression.

It was silent a moment, then Morshower looked up at the mechs. "Thanks, boys. See you at the game."

"We count on it," Springer said with a grin. "It beggars the question. If mini-cons kick our afts in the middle of the game and you aren't there to see it, does it really happen?"

Huge raucous laughter greeted that as the humans stepped back, then the hatch closed. The outdoor one opened, the mechs waved to the humans, then walked out together. Standing by the windows watching, Epps grinned. "I love those guys."

Morshower nodded. "Thank God they love us back," he said as he turned to Bowers. That man was solemn and silent. "I need that information, Joe, but I need to know I can trust you even more."

Bowers stared at Morshower, then he nodded. "You can, Glenn," he said at last.

The outside doors slammed shut once more.

-0-TBC 3-26-18


	310. Chapter 310

The Diego Diaries: **FOOTBALL!** (dd6 310)

-0-Morning

The madhouse and the struggle was real.

" **ADA! WHY YOU! I DOING DIS!?"**

"No, Orion. You can 't go with that. You'll block the view," Ratchet said as he took the hat that Hero saw in a catalog and Old Softie aka Pa had made for her, a choosing hat from Harry Potter. He plucked it, then frisbeed it into Hero's room.

" **BWAHA! THAT GOOD, YOU! YOU GOOD, ADA!"** Orion said as he danced after it.

 **"EVERYONE WEARS WHAT I PUT OUT! GET DRESSED! WE'RE GOING! NOW!"** Ratchet bellowed as he walked into his berth room to get Halo organized. He halted to stare. She was sitting up in the middle of the berth holding a dollie as Ironhide prepared her carrier. Ratchet shot molten optics to the big lummox. **"SINCE WHEN HAS SHE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT!?"**

Ironhide glanced at her, then Ratchet. He smiled a big cheese eating smile reminiscent of a smaller version of himself. "Uh … **HOW WOULD I KNOW!?"** he said deciding a good offense was the best defense. Several pillows and a small box hit him in the face.

Ratchet walked over and picked her up, holding her before him with a grin. "How's my little baby? Say my name, slagger, and I won't throw you at him, too."

She smiled at him with her little white face and luminous 'hair', then the sound of heavy treads were heard. Ironhide and Ratchet glanced toward the door, then froze. He zipped in, took the infant, then grinned at both. "Thanks. Times up on the loaner," Prowl said as he turned with the baby and walked out. It was silent in the room a moment.

"That mech needs a hold. Call Jarro," Ironhide said as he picked up the carrier.

"Fragger. Call Springer. I want to report a theft," Ratchet said with a chuckle. As Ironhide walked past, Ratchet slugged him on the arm hard. "You better not hold back, Ironhide, or I won't either."

" **DOMESTIC VIOLENCE! I'VE BEEN ATTACKED! CASTE COURT!"** he bellowed loudly as they both walked to the living room.

"What happened, Ada? Uncle Prowl came through, then left with Halo," Lumi said as he sat on the couch with Saber and Fireball. They were waiting to help carry everyone to breakfast.

"Your Uncle Prowl," Ratchet began, then he paused as if choking up with emotion. Everyone halted their antics to watch him. "Your Uncle Prowl is ..." * **CHOKE UP** * "He's just … **FRAGGING INSANE! I WANT TO REPORT A ROBBERY!** " Ratchet said with a smile.

Huge laughter and no small amount of relief greeted that from the infants stacked up all over the place. When everyone was ready, they gathered the babies then headed out for breakfast. The Diner On The Corner would be overrun once again.

-0-Moments later

Ratchet took his takeout into servo, then frowned. "I have to go to finish the conference. Hold my place."

"Slaggers. They sure know how to ruin someone's orn," Ironhide said as he frowned at Ratchet. Everyone had ordered and food was coming. After bantering a moment, Ratchet walked out. "Tell 'em good, Ratchet, then get back here."

Everyone there agreed.

-0-Diego Garcia

It was warm and balmy at Diego. This was the last orn of the meet up and the day that everyone knew the Football Championship of Cybertronian would commence. Everyone who could was slotted somewhere in front of a screen to watch the Kaon Kavaliers take on Nova Cronum Killers, or so their first team suggested name was said to be. Nova Cronum had to settle for Brigadiers, a tip of the hat to the number of desk jockey senior soldiers and air force that called it home. It had become a flight enthusiast center in the orn and a retirement area for old soldiers.

Ratchet walked out into the sunlight and the masses who cheered him. He grinned, then waved, kneeling as humans came forward, obliviously or not, walking onto Autobot sovereign territory. "Hello, little people. How are you today?"

"You tell **us** , Ratchet," someone said from the crowd.

Ratchet grinned, then set a low level scan. He hit them all, the light passing over them as he moved his arm. He looked at it, saw a number of illnesses that he would slip to Fulton later, then grinned. "How's that? I find you as small as ever."

Huge laughter.

 **"WHO'S GOING TO WIN TODAY!? NOVA CRONUM OR KAON!?"** someone called out.

"Well, due to my superior devotion to my family, I would have to say Kaon. Otherwise, it will be a brutal defensive game and who really knows? They're both amazing," Ratchet replied.

" **HOW DO YOU SCORE TICKETS FOR GAMES!?"** someone called out to everyone's hopeful delight.

Ratchet snickered, then winked. "I think you mow Fulton's lawn."

They bantered and laughed, then Ratchet stood and carefully made his way to the hangar. The attendees were gathering and it was time to wrap things up. He entered and the crowds either went their way, sat nearby for him to come out or went back to work.

-0-Inside

Ratchet sat, then grinned. The United Nations official who ran the show made remarks, then turned it over to Ratchet. He nodded to the speaker, then looked at the crowd. "Thank you. I would like to say that this has been a very interesting adventure here. I always like to talk to humans and see where they are in their thinking and observations. It's our intention to be good neighbors, to work together on projects that don't compromise who we are or our rules and laws.

"You have a strange habit of taking things with promise and turning them into weapons. We have treaties about such things, the Tyrest Accords, that prevent that. If you really thought about it, about the frightening devastation that our tech can deliver, then you'd be glad that this is so. Organics have a long history among us of wanting to tinker with us even if it terminates our lives. We're rather sensitive about such things." He grinned. "We watch the movies made about us and find them funny and at the same time driven by the same sort of idea. In each of them, the humans involved both military and civilian want to take us apart and make things from our 'tech' as you call it.

"For you, you might see only tech. But for us, we see arms and legs, internal mechanisms not unlike your own that function to keep us alive and well. It's difficult for most organics to deal with those of us who aren't. There are non-corporeal life forms out there, light bodies, who are as sentient and deserving of their own bodily and intellectual integrity as anyone else. The universe is filled with strange things. I know. I've seen an enormous amount of them. But you're new at this. Really new.

"What you ask was all interesting and we will go over your proposals with a fine toothed comb as you like to say. If you're rejected, its not personal. We're bound by laws and our own hard won wisdom. We're old and understand tech like this and how it can destroy. It won't be personal. We know what you want to do, we know you're driven by the same instincts. We also know you like to kill each other, often for profit and advantage and you make bad things out of good. That will influence some of our decisions. They will be rendered soon and all of you will be informed. If you don't make it this round, keep working. Time is your friend." He glanced at the moderator. "If you wish to begin final statements, I would be ready."

The moderator nodded, then called on the elegant Englishman to close his case. He stood, walked to the dais and grinned at Ratchet. "I would like to say before we begin that I have a large bet on Kaon. I tell you that not because of your familial connection to the team but because I would hope next year at the championship game, I will be there."

Laughter ran through the crowd as Ratchet grinned. "Only time will tell, Mr. Brady."

He laughed, then began. One by one, they would make their final pitch. When they were finished, Ratchet would stand, thank them all, chat a bit, then walk back to the Embassy. It would be then that with the entire crew and garrison in tow, they would all go to Mars for the fun. The doors would lock shut and the system would be run through Fort Max and Prowl.

As usual.

-0-On the ground

The town was filled with bots heading to the stadium. A lottery was held this time with half the crowd made up of those chosen by Nova Cronum to come. Entire extended families would be here as Guests of the Prime and the league. Food and frivolity were everywhere as the other half of the lottery winners, the locals themselves headed toward the School District Arena to see the actual game and others to its sister, the Public Arena and the one in Stanix to watch the enhanced holographic presentation.

Street food vehicles were everywhere and lines were long. The aromas were amazing and beer could be had. Shops had closed for the game, Club Cybertron and other bars were doing box office business with their big screens, cold beer and bar food while the prison had all the day trippers back until the next orn. No one was going to worry about Barricade and Company when there was **FOOTBALLLL!**

Children danced around the peds of their genitors as they waited in lines, gathered to talk or otherwise hang out. The game was two joors away but they were gathering. The roads in the city center were closed off to traffic for the block party atmosphere and security was out in force. Seekers, grounders, young, old and in-between were here to par-tay. This was not only the championship, the Primus Cup, but this was the chance for Cybertron to win it.

Maneuvering through the crowds, Prime's party made their way. It had grown over the past few months and now the Primal Box was packed out. Proteus and Madura walked with Edict, Hobbes and Bron-E, carrying their son in his carrier. They looked ecstatic as they slowly walked toward the stadium. Borealis was already there holding their seats. Everywhere Ratchet looked as he followed Ironhide, holding Spot as Ironhide carried Sunspot, he could see friends, total strangers and the odd glimpse of humans buzzing around. At no time even before had he felt this Cybertronian. This was a great orn. The optics of Cybertron were upon them. Everyone in the frazzled edges no matter how far away would receive this broadcast.

Prime would tell the slaggers of the world that not only was Cybertron his, he could provide the greatest kind of amenities to those under his dominion. He knew the cameras would rotate the images seen continuously as all of them had been reset to show the hubbub. It was a street party in the colony and all was well.

Defy me at your risk.

The odd mech and femme reached out to touch him, a few took a moment to talk. They ebbed and flowed all the way to the stadium where Sunspot was placed inside the locker room of Kaon with Spot. Bos, Co-D and Reflector would arrive seconds behind them, then all would retire to the stairs to climb upward and settle in. They would be among tens of thousands who would join them as nearby Scout and Trooper with the Old Band of the Old Army of Cybertron got ready to help Alor with the opening of the game.

-0-Near the tunnel across the way from the Primal Box

He came, happily running to where the big mechs stood gathered. Springer grinned. "You made it."

"I did," Pulley said when he joined Drift, Hercy, Kup, Lon and Bezel, Bumblebee, First Aid, Splice, Hauser, Hot Rod, Devcon, Smokey, and Smokescreen as well as several others. Behind him, five youngsters stood by the tunnel opening. He glanced at them, then the mechs. "I … uh, I was wondering if my friends could come here, too. They really want to. They know you let me come and watch things."

Springer looked at the kids standing nearby, hopeful and self conscious. They were O-D, Coros along with Spence, Tilmulous or 'Tim', and Quantum. All of them were Intermediate Day kids who had come with Pulley on their migration. They had struggled to catch up with everyone else and had been borderline disciplinary cases at the beginning. However, being young and impressionable in spite of things, they had listened to Pulley tell of hanging out with the soldiers and security during the big games and they were hopeful to come, too. He grinned at Pulley. "Sure," he said.

The smile on Pulley's face would be in his processor forever. Pulley waved to them and they came, smiling and uncertain but totally happy. They would stand with the big mechs, listen to them and ask a lot of questions. The game would be awesome and the big mechs' efforts at securing the peace would be worshipfully noted by all of the kids. It would be the start of a beautiful relationship.

It would also be the start of a mentorship program between the Watch and Intermediate Day kids lead of course by Springer when Ratchet noticed it from the stands later on in the game. For once, none of them minded a bit.

-0-TBC 3-27-18 **edited 4-1-18**

NOTE: I have just finished my taxes. **ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!** Just finding everything is enough to make me want to lie down. Now that it's done, I hope to write more every day. **THAT'S THE PLAN!** optimusprime101, I hear ya. I will try now that this crap is finished. :D:D:D:D:D Notes will be answered tomorrow. HUGS and good night, my dears. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D


	311. Chapter 311

The Diego Diaries: **FOOTBALL!** (dd6 311)

-0-At the game

They walked to their seat leaving Optimus with Alor at the tunnel entrance. The band and the grand genitors were in the next one down waiting for the show to begin. The jumbotron was showing the images that were filling the screens of several worlds, some of which were from Cybertron. Crowds there were in clearings watching projections. They waved and cheered when the cameras showed them on screen. Forward bases and other places in the system guarding Prime's sphere of influence rotated one by one as Jazz and Blaster chatted with the humans and a number of mechs on Cybertron who were added to do the color from there.

"We're looking at the images of Cybertron, Jazz. What can you tell us about them?" a newscaster from Earth said over the MCA link up.

"That scene just now was in Nova Cronum which was a huge airbase and manufacturing center. It was a retirement area for military brass and a tough town. What you're seeing in these images from Cybertron are the gathered citizens from refugee camps collected together to watch the show. All of the Empire is watching this game including the pirates and Decepticons out there. Prime decided that everyone should see this, the first unity event between Cybertron and here," Jazz said.

"Let the slaggers know what they're missing and showcase our people on Cybertron … its a win-win for us," Blaster said with a grin.

"What's the pre-game going to be, Blaster?" another voice from Earth asked.

"We're going to have the game begin with the Old Band from the first army of Cybertron, the army that was then called The Immortals. Trooper and Scout of Iacon, genitors of Alor will be playing the anthems and other songs that were popular during sporting events back in the day. Then Prime will step out and take the salute. When he makes it to his box, then Password, League President will come out and speak to the crowd here and welcome Cybertron. There will be salutes from all of the forward bases around the area. They're going to shoot off flares into space at the end, by the way.

"At that point, the teams come out. Nova Cronum will be first for the honor of it, then Kaon. After that, all bets are off," Jazz said.

They group would chat until the announcements to begin were sent to them. Then they would cut off the Earth side and begin to cover the events unfolding here. The stadium was filled to the brim, here and everywhere else. Anyone with access to a monitor everywhere was listening and watching all over the sector. It was then that the Old Band stepped out and walked in their usual brilliant precision to the middle of the field. Following them to his keyboard, Alor walked proudly. The crowd here and there exploded in delight. Most of those watching were unaware that Trooper and Scout had been saved and as Alor sat to play with them, it was a madhouse, then it wasn't.

The band stood like statues, Scout poised and silent before them. Alor waited, then Scout nodded. He began to play the opening bars of the Anthem of Cybertron and when he did, the entire stadium stood up. Voices broke into song as they sang the words. The band was silent as Alie played. The words rang out and filled the stadium, then they concluded and the spectators still stood, watching with excitement at the spectacle before them.

It was then that Scout and the band began to play the Anthem of the Primes. When they did, Optimus Prime stepped out as the entire place sang the words and walked to the sideline where he stopped to allow his people to see him. The place exploded with noise and the roar of it felt alive. He waited, knowing that they needed to see him this way as the band rose in volume. When it hit its peak, he walked onward heading for the stairs that would take him to the Primal Box. He made his way along, then stood in the box, staring at the crowd who saluted him. The band concluded, then with the same grave dignity, they marched off silently together.

It was weirdly and expectantly quiet in the stadium, on Cybertron and bases all over the place. What the pirates and Razorclaw were doing was anyone's guess but everyone here in command knew they were receiving and thus, watching the show. It was then that Password walked out with the referees to the center medallion on the turf. Everyone roared for them, then quieted. He grinned, then began to speak. "It's my great honor to lead a league that now has expanded to Cybertron. Twelve teams," he continued until he had to wait for the roar to subside. "Twelve teams from Cybertron came here to compete in honor for the right to represent their city in the Primus Cup Championship game.

"Nova Cronum won that right," he said as half the stadium went mad. Nova Cronum's people and those who supported them jumped up and down roaring their approval.

He waited, then continued. "Today, two cities and two worlds meet to battle for the honor of their own. It's a great orn that this moment has come to pass. We are reclaiming ourselves together. We are presenting our culture and our greatness to the universe today."

 **ROAR!**

"Next year, the league will have two divisions … the Martian Football Division and the Cybertronian Football Division united under the Cybertronian Adult Football League umbrella," he said.

 **ROAR!**

"Each division will play us and we, them. A winner in each division will meet together in the Primus Cup. Next year, the Primus Cup will be played in the Iacon Stadium on Cybertron."

 **BEDLAM! ROAR! OH YEAH!**

"Today, we unite at long last to find a champion. Two great teams meet to find victory or defeat. Today, we are the luckiest people in the world. **LET'S PLAY FOOTBALL!"** he cried, then walked to the sideline with the referees for the presentation of the teams. The place was ballistic with joy and would remain so for a bit longer.

Out of a tunnel, walking with an air of dignity and pride, the Nova Cronum Brigadiers came forward to the field.

 **ROAR!**

They lined up, planted their banner, then began their war dance and chant. They were amazing and loud as the crowd showed their appreciation. They then bowed low to Prime who returned a nod. It was then that Kaon marched out.

 **BELLOW! ROAR! ROAR!ROAR!ROAR! YO MAMA!**

They walked out in a line, beautiful and full of the imposing magnitude of the Cybertronian male. They were as awe inspiring as Nova Cronum and they were lead by Sunstreaker. He carried the banner for Kaon with a fierce look on his face. At the end of the line holding leashes for two dogs and a bug, four little kids followed. They walked to the line, planted their banner, then showed their quality as well. Bowing low, Prime nodded back and it was done.

Password walked out. "The referees for today are Coney, Barrow, Tinseth, and Boister."

 **HUGE** applause and disdain mixed.

Password glanced at both teams, then walked to the sideline to thunderous applause. The teams dispersed with their lines walking out to do battle. Kaon would receive, Nova Cronum would defend. Prowl would angst, Magnus would smirk, Arcee would whisper in his audials causing his smirk, Sunspot/Bos/Co-d and Reflector would wave, Dawg/Spot and Bug wouldn't, Springer and Drift would finish up pegging the mini-con clusters in the crowd, the mini-cons would be lovingly filmed by IntraComm flipping them the Cybertronian bird for their efforts, Maxi would be seen standing in a tunnel cracking her knuckles and cricking her neck, five kids with Pulley would be lovingly petting the horses as they hung out with the security teams surprising their genitors who would see them on the jumbotron and find out their kids weren't 'hanging out in the Library doing homework, Ada', humans would be seen, not heard, and several elderly ammas would be tsk-tsking as they poured beer forbidden in the stadium over the wall in their sectors while their sub-adult great, great, great, great grandchildren whined.

In short, it was a normal day at the train wreck.

They lined up, the two teams, then the ball was tossed to Kaon. They turned almost as one and ran down one side together while Sideswipe ran along behind them. Most of Nova Cronum followed allowing Sunstreaker who had the ball to gallop madly toward their goal. When they discovered the error of their ways, everyone but their center turned to give chase. That mech was too busy pummeling a Kaon lineman who laughed at how hard they fell for the ruse. It was a toss up what to watch … the inevitability of Sunstreaker roaring in for a score or the two Man Mountain Deans beating the slag out of each other at the sideline.

"That's a tactic," Ratchet said as he grinned at Prowl.

Prowl who had Solus, Hero and Sojourner in his hold as he held Halo in his arms to Ironhide's **DISMAY** nodded. "If you say so," he said with a grin. / … all of the femmes … they're mine …/

/... slagger … has a screw loose … **I AM IRONHIDE! I AM PISSED!** … /

/ … you're both nuts …/ -Ravel, not Ratchet for once

Sunstreaker drove onward and shoulder butted a defensive back into the stands. He flew sideways having been hit down low by the speeding maniac with nice finials. Sunny drove into Nova's goalie, then jumped for the score. As he did, he spun and flashed the ball to Sideswipe who had arrived with everyone else. Sideswipe spun in a circle and handed off to Rad-R. Rad-R threw it hard to Sunstreaker who put it through the goal.

 **SCORE!**

 **ROAR!**

 **DU JOUR!**

Prime grinned. "Too bad that was anyone but Iacon."

Alor nodded. "I feel your pain. How do you feel, Raptor? After all, **IT ISN'T PRAXUS!"**

Raptor grinned at Alor. "Feeling a bit under the weather are you? Having a sad, Alie?"

" **NO!"** Alor said with a grin. "Fraggers. All of them. I'm recruiting the twins and Bracket for the team next season."

"Don't waste your breath," Raptor said. "I've already tried."

Somehow, that didn't help anyone a bit.

-0-On the sidelines

Sunstreaker sat on the team bench with the kids watching as the defense ran out to do battle. "That was good teamwork. It's going to take it. Nova is better in the second half."

Sideswipe nodded. "This is going to be tough. They're going to fight."

Sunstreaker nodded, then both shifted to watch the lineman and the center fighting nearby. They were holding up the game but until they cocked their fists, this was legal. And that was why minions on numerous bases and several planets thought Cybertronian football was **AAAWWEESSOOMMEE!**

After a moment of the refs tapping their peds in irritation, the fisticuffs were ended. Then the game began again. The ball went to Cronum, then plowed forward with Kaonians hanging off them like Christmas ornaments, then were halted at the near goal line. Setting back up after both sides yelled at each other a moment …

" **OH YEAH!?"**

" **YEAH! FRAGGERS! WHO'S YOUR DADDY!?"**

"What the frag are you saying, Emran? Your **DADDY** is **MY DADDY!"**

" **FRAG THAT! PLAY BALL!"**

They hut-hutted and got ready. The ball was served, the usual goofing was accomplished and after tossing Bracket out of the way, two Brigadiers stuffed the ball through the hoop.

 **OH LORD, HAVE MERCY!**

 **THOSE TWO ARE MY SONS!-a daddy  
**

 **WTF!?**

 **BWAHAHAHAHAHA!**

They walked to the bench and were patted by their offense who went out to draw blood and whatever else they could wrench off the other side. Nova Cronum who weren't shrinking violets themselves hulked out and set up.

 **HUT-HUT, FRAGGERS!**

Then the slagging ball was dropped and the lines came together:

 **KA-BBBBBBBLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMM!**

-0-TBC 3-28-18 **edited 4-1-18**


	312. Chapter 312

The Diego Diaries: **FOOTBALL!** (dd6 312)

-0- **BLAMM!**

The two lines came together in a ka-bong heard around the world(s). They clambered up each other as Kaon tried to grab the ball. Nova Cronum had it and they weren't giving it back. A scrum formed almost immediately and the crowd went wild.

 **"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"**

Prime grinned as he glanced at Prowl and Ratchet. They were beating on each other as they stared at the game riveted to the spot. He knew they would be an item on the jumbotron shortly so he made a point of looking calm, cool and collected.

As he rooted for Nova Cronum.

Frag Kaon.

They knocked Iacon out of a wild card by defeating Polyhex who appeared to be better this season.

Apparently, they had finally taken a page out of Prowl's book. The one called, "Prowl and His Cheating Ways'.

Prime loved that book.

The game roared onward.

-0-Springer, the kids and everyone else

Coros and Pulley, O-D and the others were watching a mob of mini-cons in the stands who were working themselves up to incarceration. Springer was leaning against the wall next to the tunnel where a number of horses were drowsing in their ground hitches. Every now and again, one or more of the kids would walk back and pet them, then come back out and ask questions about the Watch. It was pleasant, the mechs were great to the kids and all was well.

It would be weller if the slagging mini-cons stayed put.

-0-Nova Cronum fan section or as it was normally called, 'half the Public School Stadium'

They roared, they sang team songs, they delivered abuse as they watched their team kick the slag out of Kaon. They had been a tough team, their defense old school … that is, they served knuckle sandwiches with extreme prejudice. Consider their playoff game with the redoubtable and fully fragged Praxus Scientists …

 **"WHAT THE FRAG! THAT'S THE FOURTH ONE! WHERE IS MY HANDHELD! I HAVE TO CHECK THE RESERVE LIST!"** -Prowl in no mood for sandwiches as another scientist is carted off the field...

Then there was that time with Iacon who was united if not on the field, then in the intensive care ward of Autobot City Medical Center ...

"Look at **that** , Loon. That slagger laid out your center," Prowl said with a smirk and a smug look.

A roundhouse right to the face took care of that as Ratchet watched **YET AGAIN** the team of his town go down. **THE FRAGGERS! THEY WOULD NEED HIM SOMETIME! THEY WOULD NEED HIM AND** …

"Uncle Ratchet?"

Ratchet looked down into the sweet face of Spirit. "What, angel?"

"Ada fell down," he said as he looked at his father sitting groggily on the ground with droopy wings.

"Slag," Ratchet said with a grin. "He did. Imagine that." He helped Prowl to his feet, ignored the death rays emanating from Prowl's pretty baby blues, then fixed the slight cut on his rather smooth cheek. "There. No worse for wear."

"Glad you feel that way," Prowl said before he laid Ratchet out on the ground. It would take a bit to separate them before they would get back to the real job at hand, cursing Nova Cronum to the Pit.

Then they would have brunch afterward...

-0-At the tunnel

The mini-cons were winding up as they leaned almost as one over the ledge to cheer on Nova Cronum. They were local mini-cons. The Cybertronian-based mini-cons who came through the bridge to Mars to watch the game were overwhelmed with the greatness and were screaming in their seats. Martian mini-cons were working up to their usual pre-(de)(ar)ranged, unsolicited but utterly adored 'half time' show and the mechs of the Watch and Autobots who volunteered at the dojo to help because the view was better on the ground were watching them with gimlet optics.

Those guys.

"What's going to happen with them, Springer?" Pulley asked nervously.

"Nothing, I hope," Springer said as he looked at them. He turned to the kids. "Here's what you do if this goes south," he began as a bottle thrown from way up there landed on his helm. It smashed, Springer staggered forward and without his express wishes or consent, he was dragged into the scrum and disappeared.

If transformers could breathe, there would have been no air on Mars as they took in the spectacle of a guy on the sidelines getting swept into the scrum that had staggered across the field heading their way. The mechs on the sidelines watched as Springer was grabbed, sucked in and disappeared. Drift who was frozen a moment exploded into action. He ran forward, then leaped in the air. He landed on the scrum and began to run around it looking for Springer. That's when someone grabbed his foot and dragged him in. He disappeared swords and all.

The place was silent a nanosecond, then **EXPLODED** into a roar of delight and surprise.

"Oh frag," Ratchet said. "That's my boys." He looked at Prime who was shocked, then began to laugh in spite of himself. **"YOU'RE LAUGHING AT MY SONS!"**

" **I KNOW!"** Prime said as he doubled over in laughter.

"Frag," Ratchet said with a smirk as he turned back to the field. "Some messiah of the people **you** are, slagger."

Prowl would have agreed but he was laughing too hard as well.

-0-Sidelines

" **WHAT DO WE DO, MR. KUP!"** -the six kids

"Stay here," Kup said as he glanced around. "We better pony up, boys." He then bit down on his cygar and entered battle.

Sandstorm grinned. " **I'm** not going in there."

"Me neither," Hot Rod said.

Smokey who was standing beside Devcon and Smokescreen glanced at him and frowned. **"I AM!"** he said, then ran for the scrum. He leaped up like a Kung Fu fighter, then fell into the scrum when a hole appeared and disappeared almost immediately. It was hilarious.

At least is was to Prime. He was nearly to his knees in howling laughter.

To tell the truth, so was everyone else.

-0-Devcon

He reached out to grab Smokey but missed. Smokescreen grabbed Dev. "Don't go out there."

" **THAT'S MY LITTLE MECH!"** -Dev

"Blaster and Jazz are doing the commentary. Do you want him to have to explain how his amma saved him?" Smokescreen asked.

Dev wavered. "I'm going to bend anything that's still straight on his aft when he crawls out of there."

"I'll help you," Smokescreen said as the two of them walked to the line and began to scan for their baby boy.

-0-Elsewhere

" **WHY AREN'T THEY PULLING HIM OUT!?"** -Tress

"They will." -Moda, just as confused but hiding it better

" **WHEN!"** -Tress

"Soon." / … I hope …/ -Moda

-0-In the stands

" **LOOK AT THAT! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! THE SLAGGERS ARE GETTING TUMBLED DRY!"** -a mini-con who owned a laundry and cleaning business

" **BWAHAHAHAHAAHA!** " -his family

" **MAYBE WE SHOULD HELP THEM!"** -someone's antique old appa who probably gave a good bite on the knee during the Quintessan War once upon a time

" **MAYBE WE SHOULD! HELP THEM! BWAHAHAHAHA! LET'S HELP NOVA CRONUM! MINI-CONS FOREVER!"** -the antique old amma bond of the antique old appa

Mini-cons roared and jumped over the wall to the ground below, a tide of them heading for the field. Nova Cronum's bench watched them come, then surge through their ranks like rats leaving a sinking ship as the little slaggers began to emerge for battle. It never seemed they would end but they finally did. The only ones left were the two old timers who couldn't raise their legs high enough to get over the wall. That would be alright in the end. Someone had to post everyone's bail.

-0-The Primal Box, the land where dignity lived (once upon a time)

Prime had sat down to laugh as everyone watched a helm, a leg or arm rise up with a Watch tattoo, then disappear once again into the mixer. Then the mini-cons decided to commence what mini-cons were becoming famous for … they marched in vast numbers to the field to get pulverized in many and sundry ways.

What would a game be without them?

Prowl often wondered.

" **Oh frag. THOSE LITTLE SLAGGERS!"** -Prowl howling

" **BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"** -Ratchet howling

-0-On the field

Jolt and Dymascus stood on the sideline holding the boxes where the drunkard little hooligans inevitably ended up. Before they could move, a tiny moped wheelied out of the tunnel heading for the field. The refs who were rooted to the spot with surprise and amazement jolted, then threw flags and whistled. It was for naught. No one in the mess heard them nor cared a fig about them.

 **FRAG THE REFS!**

Maxi transformed, flew through the air with her flying kick of doom, then hit the top of the scrum. She landed, skidded across, then flew off. She took out two of the three refs as she did. She landed easily and they were out for the count. Hopping back up, she ran forward in time to be tackled by her big old bond who had wised up and sat near wherever she was just for moments like this. Picking her up, he walked with a grin to the sidelines and inspired fan fiction from here to Kalamazoo and back again.

Bumblebee who glanced at the others frowned. "I have to heed the call of My People," he said with a grin, then he ran forward, leaped in the air and fell on top of a bunch of them mowing down a number when he did. They rose faster than he did and because they did, he also disappeared from view under a flurry of fists and kicks.

"Oh, Primus," Coros said. "We have to help him."

"No, infant," Hercy said calmly. "How will they ever learn if you do that?"

They looked at him a moment, then the field, then Hercy. Then they all stepped closer to him. Hercy of Helex was now in the pantheon of the Most High in their book. He would regale them with pointers of technique and opportunity as they watched the mob and the mechs devolve into a brawl.

Everyone on Earth would wonder why it took this long to happen.

-0-In an apartment

They watched the game with amusement. There were few Cybertronians who wouldn't be amused by this and they were no exception. This was a highlight of the week watching the games. It was sad that Praxus didn't make the cut. It was rather nice that a Cybertronian team had. None of the fights would bother them. This was what made it the game it was. Zenith and Shadow would watch the game through, absorb the follow up shows, then go to the office to work. It would be a wild time in the old colony tonight, it was clear. They would stay over at the office just in case.

-0-On the sidelines

"Do you see Springer and Drift?" Sideswipe asked as the Kaon team stood together, several of them standing in front of the kids while the game went south.

"No. Not for a while. I expect Springer to shoot his way out any time now," Sunstreaker said with a grin. The team would laugh uproariously.

-0-Up there

"Well, isn't this something? I was sort of hoping for mini-cons to do their thing in the second half. This destroyed Nova Cronum's momentum," Blaster said with a chuckle.

"I hear ya," Jazz said. "We have two Wreckers in that mess. Kup just … oh," Jazz winced. "There goes Kup. Good thing Maxie's bond grabbed her. She might hurt someone."

Uproarious laughter.

-0-In the stands

"I think we need to help them."

"You may be right."

"I think so. What about it? You up for this?"

"I was born for this, Ty," Metroplex said with a grin.

That was when Metroplex, Fort Max, Acroplex, Tyke, Typhoon, Dangerous, Clipper, Tennyson, Paribolus, Metrohex, Caminus, and Hammer of Primus in for the game rose in the stands, walked to the steps, descended to the wall, then casually jumped off it to head toward the brouhaha ahead.

Shit was lost on three worlds.

-0-TBC 3-29-18 **edited 3-30-18**


	313. Chapter 313

The Diego Diaries: **FOOTBALL!** (dd6 313)

-0-There

Nine big titanic kids leaned toward their elders as they watched their other elders walking toward the football field, passing through the Kaon Krewe. The contrast was comical. "Ada, we **have** to go down there. Our function-" Quadrus began.

"Is subject to age restrictions," Ratchet said with a big grin. "Let's watch the big frames handle this."

"We're big, too," Santee said.

"Not big enough, infants," Raptor said with a giant smile. "This could be good. Or not."

-0-Down there

:We could thump all of them but the game would be halted due to extreme helm denting: Ty said as they reached the midfield. Nearby, the scrum was still waging war, Bumblebee was still getting pummeled, Nova Cronum was still smirking at the hoo-haw, two of three refs were still spreadeagled on the ground watching the birdies sing, and Drift, Smokey, Kup, and Springer were still nowhere to be seen.

:How about we peel this turkey?: Fort Max asked, mixing his produce as he reached the scrum, then pulled the refs out of the way by their peds.

:Done deal: Paribolus said as he leaned in to grab a mech. He gripped a Cronum by the neck, then another. With an ease that defied description, he stepped back with two 'squirmers'. :Your turn, boys. I caught my limit:

Huge smiles and laughter erupted from the normally dignified and contained appearing mechanisms as they moved forward to grip players. Some were grabbed by the neck, others by the arm, aft or ped. All of them were swiftly gripped, then tossed halfway across the field. They bounced, sat a moment, then rose to look at the big mechs. The big mechs looked back. The littler ones stepped back.

"Will you look at that," Hammer of Primus said with a grin. Laying on the ground in various positions of bent and busted, Smokey, Kup, Springer, and Drift appeared. Dazed and trampled, they were gently hoisted up by Metrohex and Titan to be laid along the side of the field like strips of bacon on a griddle. They were too bent out of shape to notice the gentle handling but it would be commented upon by elders far and wide: **"THOSE BIG SLAGGERS ARE GENTS! DIDN'T I TELL YOU? WHY BACK IN THE ORN OUT ON THE** _ (fill in the blank) **WHEN I WAS WORKING THE** _ (fill in the blank) **WITH OLD** _(fill in the blank) ..."

"Here, Appa. Drink your Ovaltine."

The gents ran out of bacon so they turned their big selves back to the mini-cons who were jumping up and down on Bumblebee as Hercy watched with six or so worried kids on the sidelines. Fort Max grinned. "Are you going to save him?"

"And have these infants miss watching the masters of the game do it?" Hercy asked with a slight grin.

"This is going to be a fiasco isn't it," Acroplex asked with a smirk.

"Yes. Yes it is," Tyke said with a malicious grin. "Every mech for himself." Then he stepped forward to grab a wad of mini-cons. He did. They promptly bit his digits hard and fell from twenty feet to the ground. All was not lost. They landed on Bumblebee.

 **"MINI-CONS DISPERSE! I, GENERALISSIMO PUTTER SAY, BUG OUT! NO SURRENDER!"** a small blue mini-con said just before Tennyson gripped him by his little round skull and picked him straight up to surrender him to Jolt and his box. All of the others rather than mourn their erstwhile field commander and all around self appointed generalissimo began to run in all directions.

"Oh, frag," Ratchet said as he turned to slip down the aisle from the Primal Box to head out to do triage. "Here we go," he said as he ran down the steps, then jumped off the wall. Unfortunately, a camera man was crouching there to get the shot between the Kaon team's legs so Ratchet hooked a ped on him and face planted. All of it was lovingly caught on film. It would make the game highlight reel both in regular action and slow motion and be a highlight of the half time show. A picture of him face in the ground with flailing body following would be on the cover of Autobot City Sports Illustrated and most newspapers the next orn.

Both here and on Earth.

No good deed goes unpunished.

-0-Earth

"That was Ratchet. I just negotiated with him," an elegant Englishman said. "He just splattered himself all over the ground. How am I supposed to close my deal with **this** guy?" he asked his group who were gathered at his country home to watch footie.

"I think he should get a gold medal for that," his wife said before she laughed aloud.

The bitch.

-0-There

Ratchet spit dirt out of his pie hole, then stood groggily. Staggering forward as his functions glitched, then tried to reboot, he found himself groping someone as he felt his way forward in the general direction he needed to go but forgot why.

Sideswipe who he was groping turned around, then smiled. "If Ironhide needs a witness for the divorce, he can subpoena the entire stadium and Earth."

"What?" Ratchet asked as he gripped anything he could. "Do I know you?" he asked before his systems began to work again. Shaking his helm, he looked at the field. "Get the kids behind the wall. This could go any which way." Then he staggered forward and made a bee line, mostly, toward the first of what promised to be many casualties.

Meanwhile, in the box everyone stared at Ratchet with concern. Everyone looked at Ironhide's family.

They looked back. **"NOT ON YOUR LIFE!"** -everyone of them

Docker then began to head for the stairs before Prime picked her up gently, then set her beside him on the bench. "Let's see how this develops," he said knowing full well that she would be stationary and not in such a hurry to commit suicide in the light of the Most High.

She would be.

For now.

-0-Here and there

"That was some face plant Ratchet took," Blaster said when he could finally stop laughing like a banshee long enough to say so.

Jazz who hadn't reached that point could only nod.

-0-On the field: **THE SIT-REP**

Mid field: It was dire. Huge towering mechanisms were stumbling around trying to grab tiny mechanisms who were transforming into tiny vehicles or running like the wind here and there. Some of the little nut sacks were standing between the peds of the big frames daring them to grab them. It was harder than it looked. Big frames could do a lot of slag but picking up what amounted to marbles rolling around while wearing metaphorical oven mitts made it harder than it should have been. Big frames could be very, very fast but not now.

Oh no. Not now.

-0-Miss Priss

Prowl frowned as he stood beside Prime and a frowning Docker. This was a highly anticipated part of their sport for the humans but it was incredibly outside the rules of good play. He did, however, enjoy Springer's Dilemma when the little slaggers went off the rails. He would never admit it, though Prime knew.

Bond link.

Prowl enjoyed Springer running around looking like a jackass. He enjoyed the overly confident and extremely well liked slagger who not only punched him in the face on several occasions but was the start of the … rumor … that he liked to tip tables and desks from arguing with him about **FRAGGING UP HIS CAREFULLY MADE PLANS! THE FRAGGER!**. Of course, he did. However … it did clash with the kind of image that he liked to portray of himself as an unflappable, calm, elegant, and altogether together mech around town.

Frag.

This was fragged.

But funny.

But juvenile.

But awesome.

Yes, Prowl the Good Girl was conflicted.

So, he stood beside Docker and Prime and enjoyed the show.

Immensely.

-0-At ground zero

"How many digits?"

"Eighteen?" Springer suggested as the birdies continued to sing. He sat up slowly, then looked at Drift. He was coming around, too. "How is he?"

"He's better than Bumblebee," Ratchet said as a nearly hysterical First Aid ran lickety split to the first aid station carrying Bee in his arms. The cameras captured every traumatic moment until he disappeared down a tunnel with his bond. **"GANG WAY! EMERGENCY! GANG WAY!"**

Springer laughed, then whimpered. Everything hurt.

"Well, remind me to never have Bee and Aid together on the same mission," Ratchet said as he sat down heavily on the sidelines. "I face planted jumping over the wall to save you. Some slagger was crouching there and I caught a ped. Don't say I never did anything for ya."

Springer laughed, then groaned. "No. I'll save that for Hercy," he said as several worried kids came to him and knelt.

"You okay, Commander?" -several kids

"I'll live. Maybe," Springer said with a weak grin around the cascading gear grinding going on inside his chest.

Drift sat up, then glanced around. "Who am I?" he asked.

Smokey would take a few moments longer. Dev and Smokescreen were bending over him. Dev glanced at Ratchet. "Can you scan him, Ratchet?"

"Sure," Ratchet said as he pointed his arm to comply. Springer had to turn it from the general direction of nowhere toward the prone kid with the soon-to-be big helm ache. He scanned, then looked at all five versions of the data on all five of his arms. "He's good. Probably."

Dev chuckled in spite of himself. "Get a grip on him, Smokey. We have to get him to the aid station before Tress and Moda throw a rod." They gathered him gently and walked off to the tunnel after Bee and his beau.

Hercy walked over and looked at everyone. "You were a champ going over the wall, Ratchet. I haven't seen you do that since that time you bailed out of that bar in Altihex when they raided it."

Ratchet grinned. "Slagger." He looked at Drift and Springer. "You ready to give chase to the mayhem or do you want to skip being on the department's Christmas Surprise reel this year?"

Springer laughed, then coughed. "Frag you, Ma. I have duty to attend to. Care to come with?"

"Wild slargs couldn't keep me away," Ratchet said as he picked gravel out of his mouth. The three barely stood up, then turned to the field. The updated sit-rep was as follows:

All of the twelve big frames were lurching here and there mostly missing the mini-cons

The mini-cons mostly being missed were getting cocky as they danced, pranced, careened, and otherwise disgraced their type mechanism before the eyes/optics/eye stalks/ectoplasm of several worlds. It was a given that there would be a massive party on Cybertron in the tent cities, finished towns, villages, and those towers in cities that had occupants when this slagging game was over and many would be the drinks raised to the shorties.

Watch mechs were chasing them, some on horseback, roping their sorry afts like they were tiny, tiny cattle.

Both Pudding and Flipper were enjoying standing together in the sunlight through the window of the apartment of Alor and Blackjack. Neither would agree to go down to the field either. Blackjack and Alor, that is. The cows had no opinion on the matter.

The teams had staggered to their benches unwilling to earn penalties or ejections because they were dumb enough to enter the hilarity that was going on around them.

They wanted to be there.

 **THEY NEEDED TO BE THERE.**

But they didn't dare go there.

Besides, it was more fun watching Ratchet, Springer and Drift stagger all over the field chasing the little slaggers.

Kup sat up a bit dazed but otherwise fine. He looked at Hercy. "Slagger. You gonna come this time?"

Hercy smirked, then flipped out his tazer. "Oh, yeah," he said. He looked at the worshipful kids gathered around him. "Save my place here, infants. Ol' Kup and me are going to mow the lawn." With that, Hercy pulled Kup to his peds and both stalked off to hunt the wild dingle berry.

-0-The Most High

Prime watched the fun with a grin that would live on in the annals of jumbotron presentations everywhere. The cameras were gathering the mayhem for the half time show and among them were shots of him grinning, Docker fuming and Prowl smirking. It would also show that Docker slipped under them and made it for the wall. Jumping off, she ran for the field. As she did, Sunspot began to chase her. It emptied the Kaon bench as everyone rushed after them. A small femme and a smaller Seeker would be carried back on the arms of the twins to the great roar of the crowd. Docker would be conflicted. Part of her wanted to throw a Molotov cocktail again and part of her was proud of her grand children. Boy, would Ratchet get an earful after the game.

-0-TBC 3-30-18 **edited 3-31-18**


	314. Chapter 314

The Diego Diaries: **FOOTBALL!** (dd6 314)

-0-On the field of battle

It would be amazing to those watching from whatever planetoid feature or dimension they were just how fast the little rats were and how slow the big frames could be in comparison. Even though they were terrifyingly swift in most of their movements and situations, watching them try to grab the little slaggers walking and running around in their tiny alt modes was hilarious. Huge groups in the stands were singing songs for the musical interlude as Ratchet, Springer, Drift, and Kup raged. Walking to the center of the field like they were on a hike, Hercy and Roadbuster sauntered.

"What do ya wanna do, Appa?" Roadie asked.

"You drive them this way and I'll brand 'em," Hercy said as he concealed his tazer behind his back.

"Gotcha," Roadie said as he turned toward a knot of little half wits taunting Metrohex nearby. They saw him, then ran around the big mechs legs, making a break for the other side of the field. They tried to skirt Hercy who stood silently watching them approach, then they moved too late as he came forward with astonishing speed. They weren't as fast as him as he tagged them one-by-one. Falling like summer hay before a scythe, they fell in heaps on the ground twitching from the shock of a lifetime.

The crowd roared as Jolt and Dymascus walked over with their boxes. Grabbing the little twitchers by an arm or leg, they were tossed inside. Jolt grinned. "Nice haul. Four down, ninety-six more to go. You lost the element of surprise, Hercy."

"Maybe," Hercy said with a grin. He looked around. "Let's go help Ratchet." They walked that direction to where Ratchet was rolling around on the ground with half a dozen mini-cons who knew how to mix it up. When he reached them, he leaned in. "You need help there, Ratchet?"

Ratchet who was being beaten senseless glanced at him with fury. "No."

"Okay." Hercy grinned, then walked away.

Roadie who smirked slightly as he watched Hercy leave reached down and began to pick up mini-cons. He threw them down field in the general direction of Jolt and Dymascus who were standing in the center of the field chatting about the duty shifts on Charon. As they bounced on the ground, the two picked up the riffraff as they landed and bagged them.

The crowd was delighted.

Prime was howling.

Prowl was smirking with disgust and delight.

Ironhide was wondering how much of a beating he would get if he didn't go down to help.

Warlord and his brother leaped into the air from the stands and began to give air support to the fighting on the ground. Sweeping in, they grabbed slaggers by whatever they could get, bringing the winged version of everyone present to their peds to salute and sing patriotic songs. Oddly enough, that included Prowl.

Metroplex was so pissed for Ratchet that he reached down to pick all of the little slaggers up and jerked Ratchet to his peds in the process. Swaying like a runaway drunk, Ratchet looked upward, sort of. "Thanks."

Metroplex who had three minis in his servos grinned. "Don't mention it."

Ratchet cracked his knuckles, cricked his neck, then ran forward in an slightly wavering line to the next pile up arriving there eventually. Springer was getting his clock cleaned.

Drift who was nearby was chasing three little squealing intensely delighted femmes. They were hoofing it like debutantes just ahead of his grasping servos. Tee-hee-ing as they galloped along, they could see themselves on the jumbotron. They made it to the Kaon bench, then crawled under it. Drift who on a normal day could pivot on a dime and leave change found himself unable to stop. Perhaps some deep down mechanism labeled 'stop' in his mainframe was glitching or maybe he was just too pissed but either way he kept going, tripped over the Kaon bench, then flew headfirst into the wall of the stadium. The humans leaning over the edge to watch flinched mightily as the great Drift went down for the count. Lying in a pile with perhaps a neck two inches shorter, he watched the sparkles in his optics for a while.

Springer who would have galloped to his defense was being rescued by his old ma. Ratchet had rattled up, lunged about three times before he gripped a mini-con who was actually the real one among the three he was seeing at the moment, then turned and began to spin to throw his aft all the way to the Industrial Park Cities. Around and around, both of them went. The mini-con screamed as Ratchet spun like someone throwing the hammer in some Robot Olympic Games.

Unfortunately for both of them, Ratchet couldn't or wouldn't let go. Both of them flew off for quite a distance before crashing to the ground. Fortunately, Ratchet landed on the mini-con. Everyone who had paused a moment to watch then turned back to the task at hand. Mini-cons dropped into boxes, mini-cons ran like the wind. Policing forces kept arriving and soon it was down to the big frames, about 25 mini-cons, a slowly rousing Ratchet/Drift/Springer and the one referee who wasn't smashed flat at the start.

"What the frag," Ratchet said drowsily as he stood up and weaved in a circle. Something was bent in his gyros he considered so he demanded his programming to fix it. It did. It happened so fast that Ratchet lurched just in time to trip over a tiny pickup truck heading as far from Typhoon's giant servos as he could. Ratchet did a complete flip in the air, then landed on his back. It took all Ty had not to step on him. He didn't but that didn't mean that 6 fleeing mini-con mechs and three little giggling femmes didn't run up his chassis getting away from Hammer of Primus.

He would need a new buff when this was over.

Among other things.

-0-In the stands

"I have to go down there." -Ironhide

Everyone nodded.

"I'm afraid to go down there." -IH

Everyone nodded.

-0-In the midst of battle

They bagged the last few, dropping them in the box. Three terribly sweet, very drunk, giggly little mini-con femmes rode on the servos of Acroplex, Metrohex and Titan rather than the box because they were cute and it would look bad. They didn't do anything anyway but run and jump around, flinging their arms and flirting with everyone so it wasn't like they deserved to be strung up by the neck until dead like the others.

It was clear that Tyke was smitten.

Drift who was crawling on his servos and knee assemblies got past the Kaon bench because the players lifted it up to let him by. He kept going until a stretcher arrived and he was loaded up. Springer who was hanging like a limp rag in the big servo of Fort Max was given a stretcher of his own. Ratchet was still flat on his chassis watching the birdies sing as overhead a number of mechs were staring down at him.

"Hey, Ratchet? You still alive?" Hercy asked as six worried kids ran onto the field and blew the collective processors of their oblivious families in the stands.

"Is he alright, Appa?" Coros asked.

"He's going to be fine. I want you to know that if we ever have a chance to be in the human Olympics, I'm going to suggest Ratchet to represent our gymnastics team," Hercy said with a straight face.

The boys nodded, unaware of what he was really saying but they were with him and he was saying it so it was true.

Like that.

Hercy grinned, then watched as Ratchet was loaded up. Nearby, Kup was loaded as well and they were given a hero's salute as they were managed off the field. Nearby in the stands, Ironhide was hoofing it with Ravel to the exits to see what the frag they could do about it. Mostly, Ironhide was steeling himself for the gigantic shot to the kisser he was probably going to be receiving.

-0-Lying on gurneys in the triage center

Ratchet was watching the light show in his helm as the others were getting theirs. First Aid reluctantly walked away from Bumblebee who if he were a human and Aid was as neurotic about him there as he was here, Bee would be lying in a head to toe plaster caste with intravenous lines out his ass. But he wasn't so he wasn't.

Yet.

It was a frenzy of doctoring as several friends on staff at the hospital walked in to assist. Ironhide crept in with Ravel who paused next to his son. "Son? You alive?" Ravel asked with anxiety.

"Dorfo-blahsmia," Ratchet said as he looked at the lizard people standing over him. It was clear that he was in their clutches and would need rescue. If he could remember who he was, he would call for others he couldn't remember either to come. Whoever they were.

Somehow, he knew this wasn't Kansas anymore.

"He's really got his bell rung," Ironhide said.

Gypsy plugged in, then grinned. "He's going to be fine. Just a lot of rebooting and stuff."

"Good," Ravel said with a sigh. "This is one wayward youngling but he has a spark of gold."

Everyone grinned at Ravel. "He has. Why don't you go to the game? I'll help get him stabilizing so he can reboot."

"Do you think that's going to be okay?" Ravel asked anxiously. "I don't want to not be with my boy when he needs me so."

"It'll be alright," Gypsy said with a smile. "I'll stay with him."

"I'll get you back to the stands, Ravie. I'll be right back, Gypsy," Ironhide said. "What will he do? Recharge until he's rebooted?"

"I think so," Gypsy said with a slight smirk.

Ironhide nodded. "Uh, I'll be right back. I have to help Ravel get back safely." With that, the two walked out of the door.

Gypsy grinned. "Ratchet is so going to clobber you, Ironhide."

-0-On the way back

"I can find the place, Ironhide."

"I know, Ravel. I just want to make sure. Old mech will be out of it a bit so ..."

They walked onward.

-0-A joor later

Ratchet sat up as the last program clicked in. He looked around at the mob. Springer, Drift, two mini-cons, and Kup were lounging on their stretchers, the odd groan punctuating the silence. He looked around and didn't see Ironhide. Grinning slightly, he felt along the bond link just enough to locate him. He was in an agitated state of being. Either Kaon was winning or losing. He lay back down, then grinned. Two could play at this game, slagger.

-0-A joor later than that

They walked along the corridor heading to the triage station. The kids were parted out to a number of different individuals so that Ironhide, Ravel, Tie Down, Raptor, Turbine, Alor, and Hard Drive could go see how everyone was. They walked into the triage center, then looked around. No one was there but a kid cleaning up the place. "Where's everyone?" Alor asked.

The kid glanced at them. "At the hospital. They took everyone there."

It was silent a moment, everyone glanced at each other, then with haste they hoofed it out almost as one. The kid watched them go, then grinned. "Heh-heh-heh," he said to himself, then he put the broom in the closet and left to go to the after game party with his friends and family. His work here was done.

-0-Emergency, Autobot City Medical Center

They fogged in, pausing by admissions. "Where's Ratchet and the others?" -everyone

"That away," the clerk said pointing to the elevator. "They're in intensive care."

Everyone stared at him, each other, then ran for the elevator. They packed in, then went to ICU. Bursting out, they hurried to the station. "Where's Ratchet and the others?" -everyone

The nurse on duty looked at them. "If you can hush, you can go in. Understand?" he asked with a fierce look of fierceness.

They nodded suitably cowed, then were allowed in. They entered a room with beeping devices, several mechs in berths with thermal blankets over them, and a nurse or two here and there looking worried. The mechs had plugs in every orifice as they lay in a dense stupor with their optics off line. A soft moan could be heard from them now and again.

Ironhide crept forward until he reached Ratchet. His big old peds were sticking out of the blanket so he found him easily. Nearby, Drift was moaning as he lay attached to devices everywhere. Ironhide took Ratchet's servo gently. "Ratchet?" he asked with a bit of fright.

A loud moan rose from the area where Ratchet's helm was supposed to be. It was awful.

-0-TBC 3-31-18. **Edited 4-1-18**


	315. Chapter 315

The Diego Diaries: Football? (dd6 315)

-0-Intensive care

"Ratchet?" Ironhide leaned close, then whispered.

 **"OHHHHH!"**

Ironhide flinched and so did everyone else as they gathered around Ratchet's berth. Drift, a couple of mini-cons, Bumblebee, and Springer were lying around all plugged in. Kup was under tent-like thing and only his peds were sticking out. It was as sinister and dense as any ICU anywhere.

"Ratchet?" Alor asked as he leaned in.

"Oh … is that You, Solus?" Ratchet asked in a feverish sounding voice. "Am I dead?"

Everyone flinched again. They glanced at each other, then Hard Drive with a grave expression walked to the others to check them out. Springer and Drift looked blotto and Bee looked banged up and asleep. He walked to Kup and peered into the tent-like device that covered him. He looked at Kup. Then Kup looked at him. Kup grinned, then put his cygar into his mouth. He winked at Hardie, then Hardie grinned back. He stepped back, schooled his face, then walked to Ironhide. "They don't look good, son. What do you think? Should we call the priests to come?"

Ironhide glanced sharply at Hardie, then Ratchet. **"NO."**

Everyone looked at him and hissed. Nurses were fierce on their own turf.

"No. I don't feel that over the bond link." Then the bond link disappeared almost altogether. Ironhide jumped, then looked at Ratchet. He looked at the data which still flowed even given the silence between them, Ratchet should be hippity skipping to the Matrix but he wasn't. He stared at Ratchet, then the others, then Ratchet. He quashed a **HUGE** belly laugh, then decided two can play at this game even though he never won a round.

Ever.

"I think we just need to haul him to the Mausoleum. We can shoot him to the Matrix in a torpedo tube with his mug on it," Ironhide said as he began to warm up to the game.

Tie Down looked at Ironhide with a frown, then he looked at his son. He looked at Ironhide, then Ratchet, then the others, then Ratchet. Then he raised his fist and brought it down hard on Ratchet's chassis. He hit the center of Ratchet's gut and the bellow that elicited was **MASSIVE.**

Ratchet rose up and roared, then floundered, flapping his arms and legs as he tried to get out of all the massive amounts of plug ins that he had jammed in every rectangle and circle-shaped hole on his body. Everyone jumped back as Drift, Bee, Springer, Kup and both mini-cons sat up to watch. Ironhide who was startled didn't have the sense to run but as Ratchet pulled all his plugs loose, he began to get feeling in his peds again. " **YOU! YOU DIDN'T COME OUT THERE AND SAVE ME! NOW I'M ON EVERY PARTY REEL AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL FROM HERE TO THE MATRIX!"**

"You were … uh, you were doing so well," Ironhide said as he involuntarily grinned as memories of Ratchet's many and sundry face plants resurfaced in his processor. Falling over the wall, getting slammed by this and that tiny/big bot. All of it was epic. He began to step backward from the rising fury of his bond.

 **"I WILL UNSCREW YOUR HELM AND USE IT FOR A BIDET!"** Ratchet said.

 **"WHAT'S A BIDET!?"** Ironhide yelled as he skirted around the berth holding a mini-con. He scanned for its meaning. "Oh. That's a bidet. **SEE YA**!" he said as he turned and ran like the wind.

He made it to the elevator ahead of Ratchet who pried open the closing doors of the other one, threw three mechs out bodily and jumped in for hot pursuit. Tie Down, Alor, Hard Drive, Turbine, Raptor, and Ravel hurried to the hallway to watch the doors close. Ravel looked at the others. "What now?"

"We go to court in the morning and bail them out," Hard Drive said with a grin. He looked at Tie Down. "Nice punch."

"My boy is a slow learner about some things. I found a hands on approach gets his attention," Tie said as Ravel nodded. "We better part out the babies tonight."

Raptor nodded as the group ambled to the elevator to leave. Springer, Drift, Kup, and Bumblebee who had limped out to watch the show glanced at each other. Springer leaned against the doorjamb. "You wanna go home tonight?" he asked Drift.

Drift who was listing to the left glanced at him. "No. You?"

Springer shook his helm. "Nah." He gripped Drift's arm and helped him back inside. Kup and Bee followed slowly behind them.

-0-Down the Boulevard (of love) …

Ironhide ran through the crowds hot footing it to the Temple District. The Temple was a sanctuary space where even Prime's couldn't go to grab anyone. As he wound through the ecstatic crowds of revelers, Ratchet was in hot pursuit. He turned right at Sports Center Road and ran past the Diner On The Corner. Heading back toward home, he flashed to the next corner, turned left and ran down Administrative Plaza Way to the highway that led toward the Courthouse, Cultural Center Road. He glanced back and didn't see Ratchet, so he jaywalked and ducked into Club Cybertron.

As Ratchet reached the corner, he glanced all around. Then he ran across the street bee lining to Club Cybertron. He entered into the open doors of the swinging club and was lost in the crowd almost immediately.

-0-Home is where the heart is …

"Where Ada? Where Atar?"

Ravel looked down at Prowler who was dragging his targ dollie around behind him. He smiled brilliantly when his amma did. Ravel grinned, then petted his face. "Your genitors are going to go to jail shortly and we're going to do our best to cushion the long term effects of the trauma."

Corr laughed loudly. He had Halo and was holding her in a onesie while her carry bag was being arranged by Raptor. "That's very funny." He looked at the children who looked at him with confusion. "Your amma is being funny," he said sweetly. "Atar and Ada have to do some work and it came in late. They will be home when they can but for now, we get to keep you. You big children and Sunny, you can stay here with me and Chan. We won you in the choosing. Isn't that wonderful?"

The kids grinned at the small mech with a retiring manner but a spark of gold. Genesis hugged him gently. "I love you, Amma."

"I love you, too, infants. It's so lovely to take care of you," Corr said as he watched Orion and Praxus drag their bags out to the living room.

" **WE GOIN' WITH SHES?"** Orion asked as he pointed to Hard Drive.

"You come with me," Hardie said as he took their bags. "You, Hero, Praxus, and Prowler, Orion. Halo goes with Appa Tap-Tap." He grinned at Orion who grinned at him. "Your atar used to call him that, too. Appa Tap-Tap."

Raptor laughed as he laid Halo gently into the carrier. "I remember that. What a cute little mech he was then. What the frag happened to him?" he asked with a grin.

Everyone but Ravel grinned back. "We tried with our boy but things just don't always work out," Ravel said with a faint trace of disapproval. "They **do** need a night out now and again, though this is not what I had in mind."

"They have their ways," Turbine said as he grinned at the little mech with the impeccable manners and sweet spark. "What's the drill, then?"

"We take Halo with us, Turbine," Raptor said. "Little femme has to learn to herd cows as soon as possible. It's going to look good on her college applications. The big mechs stay here with Corr and Chan. The little mechs and Hero go with Atar."

Hard Drive nodded. "I get you."

The little kids smiled at him like a room full of spotlights.

-0-Clubbin'

Ratchet scanned the room and spotted Ironhide holed up in the back of the dining room trying to look like anyone but himself. Quashing a huge laugh, he walked through the crowd like a guided missile. Gripping the table, Ironhide watched him. This could go any which way. Ratchet stopped, put his servos on the table, then leaned in close. "Fragger. I could beat your sorry aft. Dance?"

Ironhide stood and grinned with a tiny preen. "You askin'?"

"I'm askin'," Ratchet said. They walked to the dance floor and began to show the punters what real dancing was like.

-0-Here and there

"What the frag happened?"

"We got mowed down," Springer said. "I don't remember. I just remember fists. Lots of them."

"I don't remember anything." It was quiet a moment. "I can imagine you were epic, though. I can imagine that in the annals of getting fragged to the Pit, you went down like a … a hero from the Golden Age," Drift said with a smirk and true belief.

Snickers went around the room as they lay in the ICU ward for observation. It was dark and they were feeling better. There was nothing like a good pain script to make things all better. Drift glanced this way and that. "Fraggers."

"You two … you renew my faith in something. I hope to remember it when the swelling goes down," Kup said as they all laughed.

"Ow," Springer said. "It hurts to laugh. It hurts to move."

"I remember titans there. I remember big peds. I don't know what happened," Kup said. "Oh, wait. I went into the scrum to find you two slaggers." He laughed, then moaned. "I remember a hand coming up and dragging you in, Drift. You were standing on the scrum looking for Springer. Hilarious."

"If you say so," Drift said with a grin. He glanced at Springer's dark form nearby. "I would hunt you down wherever."

"Aw. You sound like Aid," Bee said. "He's sorta romantic that way."

"Yes," Springer said with a grin. "That's us. Romantic." He pulsed immense emotion and warmth over the bond and got it back.

Painful laughter greeted that remark, then it was quiet again for a moment.

"Where's Smokey? A nurse told me that he was clocked as well," Drift asked.

"Dev has him in a private room. I can only imagine the slagging he's getting," Springer said with a smile …

… in a private room …

"That's good stuff, Amma."

"I know. Want another?"

"I'd **LOVE** another. Ow. That hurts."

"You got your backside thumped, Smokescreen." (Rises to get another piece of pie and pour his special topping sauce over it)

"You called me by my full name." (Youngling mech braces for whatever was to come)

(Walks back and hands dish to grandson. He glances at **DISAPPROVING** Atar and Ada and amused Appa who are sitting around the room) "I did."

(Crestfallen grandson pauses eating to stare at his amma) "Are you mad at me?"

"Sort of. I'll deal. I only have one most precious and only grandson. I don't want to have to visit your grave and miss you."

Smokey stared at his heroes and role models, Smokescreen and Devcon of Praxus. He adored the ground his genitors hovered over but his Appa and Amma … they were his pantheon. They did **EVERYTHING** for him. There were powerful people on Cybertron who stepped off the street to allow both of them to pass by if it was crowded. He saw the same people talk respectfully to both of them and for most of his life he thought that was the way it was supposed to be. 'Look at the highest of the elite being respectful to my grand genitors.' It was only a while after that it all clicked in. There was **NOTHING** and **NO ONE** that they wouldn't face down for him, his father and his other father. They were formidable in a way that took most of his life to understand. To let them down or win their disapproval was gut wrenching. "You won't."

Dev stared at him, then nodded slightly. "I would be … unhappy if it ever was otherwise, Smokescreen. That is who you are to all of us and we, to you. That's the Praxian way and its our way. Chalk it up to the System or just the way things turned out, but know this. You're our gold, our treasure. We don't want it spent stupidly. A scrum was a ticket to the Matrix for most."

He nodded. "It was tough. But I'm here."

"You will remain here," Tress said. "Or I'll … I will be hard to live with, Smokescreen."

He looked at his genitors, then his amma and appa. Smokescreen grinned at his grandson. "Better eat that. It's better warm."

He did. They would also watch the sports news and see together how clobbered he was when the blooper reel was run. But nothing he had happen to him matched the spectacular 'performance' of Ratchet, Springer, Drift, and Kup.

Now that was epic.

-0-Clubbin'

They stood at the bar draining a beer. Ratchet stared at Ironhide with an appraising expression. "You better get going. I'm going to count to ten and I'm already at eight."

Ironhide was gone before his glass landed on the bar.

-0-TBC 4-1-18


	316. Chapter 316

The Diego Diaries: Duh-Do-Run-Run, Duh-Duh-Do-Run-Run (dd6 316)

-0- …

"Pass the ketchup, old mech."

[Pass]

"You know, Ironhide, coming from a ranching family ..." [both grin] "... asking for ketchup in some parts will get ya strung up."

" **I, IRONHIDE, DON'T CARE! I, IRONHIDE, LIKE CONDIMENTS ON MY STEAK!"**

[Tall medico slinks down a bit in the booth at the steakhouse while the surrounding patrons look their way and grin] "I, Ratchet, will el ka-bong your skull if you do that again."

Ironhide grinned as he cut his huge steak into bites. He put one in his pile hole and savored the goodness.

A waiter paused by their table. "Are you doing alright?" he asked with a grin. He really liked these two.

"I need another basket of buns if you don't mind, infant," Ironhide said as he looked at his own which was only half full. "These little mechs are going fast."

"On it, Ironhide. Ratchet?" he asked.

"I'm good, infant. Thanks," Ratchet said as he savored his own steak.

He nodded, then with a grin hustled off to comply.

"We have to go to a barbecue tomorrow. Warren and Maureen have invited us in pretender gear. How about we alt mode something outrageous and drive up in it. He hopes we're a spectacle."

"Since when aren't we?" Ironhide asked. "Who else is going?"

"They invited all the senior Autobots and Neo, Laret, Springer, Drift and of all mechs, Smokey and Bee." Ratchet grinned as Ironhide grinned back. "He's expecting about 250+ guests and wants about 25-30 of us along for the fun. There's going to be media, governmental and business slaggers there along with a lot of his friends he wants us to meet. No one will know until the end. He wants us to have some fun if you know what I mean."

"What about Aid?"

"He's doing the final run through at Gliese. Consolation is having a massive upgrade," Ratchet said. "He traded orns now in return for a week off so that they could traipse all over the Valles with Rick Harris and the mercs. They want to try their luck at deep country climbing and the two are going along to recon," Ratchet said.

"Everyone in pretender gear? Can his place hold all of us?" Ironhide asked as he grinned at the waiter. He brought a big basket and lots of butter pats. "Thanks. You're my new hero."

The waiter laughed, then hurried away.

Ironhide spent a moment sniffing his bounty, then grinned at Ratchet. "Do you think he'll have buns there?"

Ratchet snickered. "I'll bring some. What kind of alt mode?"

"Something slagging awesome. How about we all come in tanks? Bedazzled tanks?" Ironhide asked with a dazzling smile.

"How about I frag you under the table and let all the punters around here cry from envy?" Ratchet asked.

Ironhide guffawed, then waggled his optical ridges. "Sounds like a plan," he asked in his typically comical smokey style.

Ratchet grinned. "How about you and I see who can finish our bun basket first?"

Ironhide's optics narrowed as he gazed at Ratchet with a sizzling stare. "You're on. One, two, **three!** "

Ratchet stuffed them in as fast as he could with both servos, chewing madly but he would lose to Ironhide who dumped the whole basket in his pie hold and tamped them down with a spoon. It would take a while for them to go down and it was fortunate that he didn't need to breathe to live. It would be a toss up who would laugh louder, the waiters or the nearby patrons.

The waiters would bring them more buns and butter.

They would eat them.

-0-At a big old house on a large farm in central New York state

"The food is taken care of, Warren. The tents are set up and all of the dinner components are in place," Maureen said as she sat at the kitchen table with Judy Witwicky, Lois Howell-Morshower, Sarah Lennox, Lonnie Epps, and Linda Graham. Thelma Lennox and Mama Fig were also there as directors of desserts. Most of the mainstays and those from the Resort would be coming along with their soldier or civilian spouses. The desserts would come from the Resort and would say so on the table card that would be placed there in the food tents. Tables for everyone to sit, tables that could handle up to 250-300 people were in place and a crew was hired to handle that part of things. All they had to do was show up. The marinating and prep was done at the Resort and being held in special stasis-style walk-in refrigerators until needed. Autobot tech cut their spoilage down to under 1% and that ended up in the composter for the gardens and habitat areas.

"I'm glad. You ladies are amazing," Warren said as he looked at the datapad rolled out on the table. It was the one Lois used to event plan and she had gotten together with Maureen to help out a sister. They were a very, very tight group. "What do I have to do?"

"You get to walk around and schmooze. I expect that the bots are going to be hilarious. I heard from Mindy that Ratchet is chasing Ironhide all over the colony for not rescuing him during the game," Maureen said.

"That reel is so funny, I split a gut," Judy said. "Poor Ratchet. He's such a good guy. Always trying to do the right thing. He was going out to triage and needed it himself."

"The big bots were amazing. I have to tell you, if I were a robot I'd chase Metroplex," Judy said as everyone nodded. "And Max. Titan. I think Titan is sweet on one of those little mini-con femmes. I'm going to their trial by the way. They're out on family release until Monday when they have to face the music. Oh, and Caminus."

Everyone grinned. Everyone nodded. Warren laughed. "When do Andrew, Lilly and the Fultons get here? Is Barbara done with that project with the new Mausoleum?"

"They come tomorrow with us by bridge. We're coming before everyone so we can help and so they won't see how we got here. Barbara is nearly finished with that project. She's going to solicit designs from a contest on the Resort website for the commemorative plaque for the building. Something from Earth to the bots."

"That's a good idea," Warren said as he sat back to enjoy the conversation. He would also hold Aedh while he did.

-0-Later that night

They walked in after a night of clubbing. Dancing here and there, drinking beer, eating bar food and steaks, both of them were staggering when they slipped in. Walking through the house, checking on the kids who were there, they teetered into their berth room and flopped. They would stay there until morning.

-0-Morning

He stood under the hot water, the hotter the better and felt crooked things become straight. Literally. His internal repair was almost finished. Ironhide had already bathed and was out shooting the slag with the big kids. Shutting off the water, hitting the overhead dryer which had him bone dry in seconds, he walked out with a grin.

"Ada. You okay?" Genesis asked as he stood and enveloped Ratchet in a hug. The others joined him, then stared down at their old 'ma'.

"I'm okay. Your atar, however, deserves a beating," Ratchet said as the four turned to stare down at Ironhide in his chair.

He frowned. "Don't blame me. Slagger. Stay in the stands."

Ratchet looked at his boys, then smiled a dazzler. "I'll beat him later. Have you eaten?"

"We were waiting for you," Fireball said.

"Aw," Ratchet said as he hugged the boys. "I think I'll keep ya. Ironhide on the other servo ..."

They snarked, gathered up, then walked out for the Diner On The Corner after rousing everyone else in the apartments all around them. Blackjack would follow them out last with a little cow on a leash.

-0-Diner On The Corner

They entered and walked through the snark, laughter and rudeness to their booth and sat. Their kids joined them pulling up an extra chair. The boys stared at the others with frowns.

"Don't laugh at Ratchet," Fireball finally said.

It became instantly silent, then Hercy leaned closer. "No one is laughing at him. They were on his side. It just happens that Ratchet's a klutz. That's part of his charm."

Fireball stared at Hercy trying to divine his meaning, then he looked at Ratchet who was smirking. "Ada?" he asked uncertainly.

Ratchet leaned forward. "Uncle Hercy is right but for a few things. See those slaggers over there?" Ratchet asked as he pointed to a table filled with soldiers who were grinning at him. "They're laughing at, not with me. Those two over there … not the blue and white one but the others?"

Fireball nodded.

"They're laughing with me, not at. That blue and white one wants to laugh at me but he knows I'll be his doctor some time and he doesn't want to burn his bridges all at once. He'll laugh later on somewhere in the Valles where no one can watch him. Those four," he said pointing to a table filled with Wreckers. "Those slaggers are howling on the inside but not the outside for the same reason and because they know I have a nice selection of hammers in subspace. See?" Ratchet smiled a dazzler.

Fireball stared at him, then them, then him again. "No one better mock you, Ada. I won't like it." The others nodded as well as they glared at the tables around them.

"And that's why you're getting all my stuff," Ratchet said as he hugged the kid. "I'm starving. What about you?"

Fireball turned toward him after glaring at the groups around him, then nodded. "Me, too, Ada."

They ordered, relaxed, grinned at the nice loyal kids, then began to discuss the fight. As they did, Drift, Springer and Kup walked in to a near standing ovation. They glared at everyone, took chairs from the big kids who glared **for** them and sat. Springer looked at Ratchet and Ironhide. "Did you ever catch him last night?"

Ratchet snickered. "Did you ever doubt? Why last night in the berth-"

 **HUGE** laughter and mockery met that remark as they fell into ordering and eating. Springer grinned at Ratchet. :Sorry you had such a hard time. Thanks for tying to help us:

:For you, the moon. How do you and the Boss feel this morning?: Ratchet said as he hit them with a scan.

:Bent. But getting there. Maybe: Springer grinned, Drift grinned. Then breakfast came and all was well again.

-0-A joor later in Ops Center, the big conference room

They gathered, those who were given the golden ticket. Techs were waiting with tech for those who didn't already carry it. Children were running around the table in a big flock as they were brought back or gathered up by their owners. Optimus sat at in his chair with a flock of infants standing on the table in front of him. Solus, Sojourner, Prowler, Resolve because his dads were here to supervise the tech installation and sitting up in the circle of his arms, Halo grinned at him. Hero knelt beside Halo to 'help her, Uncle Optimus. She has a round bottom and falls over a lot' she said with a brilliant smile.

Optimus was dazzled.

"Otis, we seed cow. I want a cow," Prowler said with a giant smile. He reached up and pulled Prime's face closer. "You telled Atar and Ada?"

Optimus grinned. "Okay."

The kids jumped for joy, then turned to their genitors who were sitting around the table waiting for Prowl. They smirked at Otis. "Fragger. Considered us telled."

Optimus laughed, then looked at the kids. He enclosed all of them in his huge arms. "Talk to me, infants. I need some sweetness."

They moved closer to hug and pat his face.

Prowl breezed in, then sat. Staring at the kids loving on Optimus with great pleasure, he looked at the others. "You're invited to a party on Earth at Warren and Maureen Roberts house. The group is listed as Neo and Laret, Magnus and Arcee, Jetta and Elita, the twins and Blue, Ironhide and Loon, Mirage and Jazz, Springer, Drift, Bee, Kup, Hercy, Raptor, Turbine, Hardie and Delphi, Blackjack, Alor, Optimus and me along with of all mechs, Smokescreen. Of Praxus," Prowl said as he peered over the edge of the datapad in his servos with The Look. " **Praxus** , the city of my youth who you **will** be representing among others of us."

Smokey who was as surprised as everyone else nodded. "Sure. Warren and I are this close," Smokey said as he held up to fingers closely aligned.

Who knew?

Prowl stared at him, then the others. "We're going in pretender tech and will remain in character through the entire event. There will be about 200-250 humans there from all manner of echelons of power and wealth. I think he wants us to scope them out. You'll remain in the command structure though you'll mingle and behave so as to bring honor to Autobot Nation."

"We're in disguise," Hercy said. "No one will know."

Prowl gave him The Look. " **I** … will know."

It dropped forty degrees immediately.

Prowl grinned. He loved to do that.

Prime grinned. He loved when Prowl did that.

Prowl looked at the roster. "We'll be doubling up. Someone will haul us there in the most spectacular vehicle modes we can conjure that will match the inventory of design on Earth. No Cybertronian formats though human concept cars that actually exist will be allowed, the more expensive and showy the better. You will, of course, pass them by me." He glared, then continued. "I'm assuming that bonds will go with bonds and take one or two others."

"Why not go with everyone separately and dazzle them with our greatness?" Springer asked with a smirk.

"Truck formats, Optimus excluded, can hardly dazzle," Prowl replied.

"Let's see," Drift said. "How many of us did you just insult? Springer, Ironhide, Magnus, Kup, and Ironhide's entire family."

All of the aforementioned turned to look at Prowl. He hid behind his datapad affecting a cool disregard for the plebes even as his prong shriveled.

Optimus smirked. He loved this look, too.

"Maybe we can come in designer colors. You come as a red glitter tank, Delphi and I'll come as a blue glitter D-8 cat," Turbine said with a grin. "Maybe they just need to heed all the possibilities."

Prowl stared at Turbine going over in his helm the severity of his reply since the big mech was holy, then glanced at Prime. "Perhaps we can pare the invite list down."

 **HUGE** laughter and insults.

"What do we tell the humans, Prowl?" Neo asked.

"Well, I've concocted cover stories for you," Prowl said as he flipped a screen.

"Oh frag. Here we go," Raptor said with a grin.

Prowl blazed a look at the big mech, then grinned. "You **will** be the following. That's an order," he said, then began. "Neo and Laret will be aunties of Maureen, some from Vermont which is a place on Earth somewhere. They will be very sheltered and nice."

Neo laughed loudly at that point.

The twins and Blue would be 'friends of the family' who farmed upstate and had an organic orchard.

Obviously, some of them would have to do research.

"What about the relationship?" Bluestreak asked with a grin as he sat on Sideswipe's lap.

"That's up to you. Be ambiguous and let them draw their own conclusions," Prowl said. "Nothing that will get you arrested."

Blue glanced at Sunstreaker. "We can still have a trine, Farmer Brown."

Sunstreaker grinned. "That's me, a farmer. Can I borrow your cows, Appas?" he asked to loud laughter.

Prowl frowned.

Prime grinned.

The kids sat in the circle of his arms like chicks in a nest.

"You, Springer, Drift, Smokey, Hercy, Kup, and Bee are going to be N.E.S.T. soldiers, strikers who've been on Mars and are going to rotate back into the lineup," Prowl said. "You've been invited to come because Warren wants to showcase N.E.S.T. and the alliance."

"That's why he got us to do it as ringers," Bee said to huge laughter and agreement.

"Then we get to make their uniforms look good," Springer said with a smirk.

"You can try," Prowl replied dryly.

 **HUGE** laughter and insults.

"Hercy and Kup, you're old friends of Morshower and Fulton. Old, old, antique friends," Prowl said as he found himself in the groove.

Huge agreement and laughter amongst the punters.

"Jetta, you're an engineer friend with the wife," Prowl said. "Magnus and Arcee, you're a couple that Warren knew in government. You can choose what that means but be informed and vague. There will be a lot of governmental people there. In fact, you better do your homework and not pin yourself down too easily. These are the mid to upper echelon of things we're pretending to be."

They nodded.

"Mirage and Jazz, you're both international photographers specializing in war zones. Fake it," Prowl said.

"I would say something here but there's infants," Jazz said as he glanced at Smokey.

Smokey who was instantly offended as youth are everywhere smirked like he earned the right to do so. "I've been around."

"Where?" Magnus asked in spite of himself.

Arcee grinned at him with pride.

 **GO, MAGNUS!**

"Around," Smokey said as offense and the possibility that they'd know he was still a 'virgin' and fronting in terms of being everywhere, doing everything and living to tell.

"Who? What?" Sideswipe asked. "Where? When? Why? **HOW?** Inquiring minds."

Smokey frowned at all of them. "Frag all of you." Then he jolted. "Not you and Prime, Prowl. You'd punt me to Charon forev-" He sat back. "I'm not talking to any of you," he said with a frown.

"I'm adding your ada," Prowl said as he added Devcon to the list. "Weak link."

Dev who was in Ops Center entered the room in time to see Smokey's cute frown. "What did the infant do now?" he asked.

"We want you to go to a party and keep him out of trouble," Prowl said.

"Okay," Dev said as he sat down next to his grandson. "Done deal."

Smokey frowned at everyone, then leaned into his amma's shoulder. He was adorable.

"Pick a cover, then fill me in, Dev. I'll send the finalized scenarios to everyone," Prowl said. Then he grinned. "Blackjack, Hard Drive and Raptor will be businessmen attached to Autobot Nation. So will you, Ironhide. You will be integral in the something or other of something I haven't thought up yet."

"Okay." Raptor grinned. "Somehow, I don't think I'm going to like what comes next. Right?"

"That depends," Prowl said with a smirk. "Turbine, Delphi, Ratchet, and Alor … you will be their wives."

It was silent a moment, then Raptor roared with laughter. The whole room broke down into bedlam and finger pointing before Prime rapping his knuckles brought them into order. "Order?"

"Order or orders?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"Both." Prowl grinned at the mechs staring at him with incredulity. "Ha. I, Prowl, am powerful."

"You think so?" Ratchet asked as he activated his pretender gear internally. "Maybe we can troubleshoot this thing given I'm a slagging doctor and all."

Everyone sat back staring at him warily. He stood and then his form shifted. He was a tall female wearing a nice dress. He was as tall as anyone there but definitely human. A ravishing beauty with long red hair and deeply green eyes, the kind of female men drooled over, stood before them. He smiled. "I looked up 'Mary Sue' and took the usual dimensions and attributes that make them such an enduring winner. Flaming red hair and deeply green eyes. Huge aft and skills. I left off the bow and arrow, the knife, the ability to make any male who meets me want to frag immediately, the orphan with a deeply secret backstory, someone wounded and wandering alone in a dystopian wasteland, possessor of small mutant dog that can talk, and all the teenaged angst. What do you think?"

Everyone stared at him a moment as they gathered their thoughts, then Ironhide frowned. "Your front. It doesn't look like a human femme."

Ratchet looked down at his figure which was a compromise from the usual flawless exaggerations of the kids who wrote fan fiction. He hit the files for video games, then grinned. "You mean this?" he asked as he morphed. What he morphed into came to a bouncing rest on the top of Smokey's helm. The size of Ratchet's rack was so gigantic that it needed its own support platform as it settled amongst the infant's finials.

Everyone there lost their shit including Optimus.

-0-Moments later …

The donut plate was still going around the table as Ratchet sat with his own and a cup of tea. Even the babies took one to solace themselves from the mayhem just passed. Ratchet put the plate with the donut on his giant boobs which were resting on the table. Everyone stared at him with a mixture of huge loathing and a burning desire to poke them to see if they were alive. Ironhide had moved to the other side of the table and was staring at them, then Ratchet, then his rack again with fear and a strangely overpowering desire to squeeze them.

He would go to his grave several times before he would tell anyone about that, however.

Buns …

He jolted. "Old Mech, you need a keeper."

Ratchet smiled at him. "You volunteering?"

Ironhide shivered from the willies, then frowned. **"FRAG NO! PUT YOUR AIR BAGS AWAY!"**

 **HUGE, HUGE** laughter.

"I'll tell you now, Prime, that I've done a lot for Autobot Nation in the past but this?" Delphi asked with a slight frown. Then he grinned. "This is about the greatest thing I've ever been asked to do." He glanced at Wheeljack's kids. "Install the gear, infants, in everyone. We have a lot to do before we go in a few joors. I'd think learning to walk with that in front of you is part of it."

Ratchet grinned. "I'm thinking of getting a different outfit, Delph. Maybe something a lot tighter and more revealing."

"You're not going as a … a slut bag," Prowl said as he signed off from the urban dictionary.

"Ho-bag," Jazz said with a smile. "I think that's more current."

"Did you know that your name is in the urban dictionary and it isn't a compliment, Ratchet?" Perceptor said with a scandalized tone.

"You're so ratchet," Prowl said as he experimented with total mean girl douchey disregard for his entire moral upbringing.

"Prowl is, too," Ratchet said with a smirk.

Everyone scanned it, then Prowl jolted.

Perceptor turned toward Prowl. "That isn't very nice either, Prowl."

Ratchet leaned in slightly, as far as his gazonga rack would allow. "What about you and Prime? Are you going as the Pope and Joan of Arc?"

A dash through the world wide web was had, then even Prime laughed aloud. The infants not knowing why he was laughing did what infants do around big emotions. They joined him. It looked like a nest filled with baby robins waiting for their parents to come back and stuff regurgitated worms down their gullets.

Snaps were had.

Lots of them.

Prowl glowered. "I will have you know that I've concocted a suitably dignified scenario for him and me. He won't be going as a tool, he'll be going as a philosopher."

It was silent a moment, long enough for Prowl to almost squirm. Then Raptor leaned forward. "What will you be? His stone?"

 **HUGE** laughter and props for a medieval reference were given freely.

Prowl frowned. "I'm his assistant. His editor."

"His editor ..." Ratchet leaned forward. "How dull. How typically Praxian of you."

" **HEY! THAT'S MY/OUR TOWN/CITY STATE! SLAGGER/LOON!"** -everyone but Dev

"I agree with Ratchet," Dev said. Everyone turned toward Dev. "You need something less dignified but more fun, Prowl. Take off your corset and step up."

Anyone else would have earned the Gimlet Optic of Hell but it was Dev and everyone everywhere loved-feared Devcon of Praxus. Prowl frowned. "I will never countenance the honor and dignity of this mech being harmed," he said yanking his thumb toward Prime who was grinning. "He is the **Prime of Cybertron and the Empire**. He will **never** be … be besmirched by anyone."

"No one is asking you to **smirch** him, Prowler," Raptor said.

Prowl glanced at Raptor with a frown. "That's not even a real word, Raptor."

"How about you make him a rancher? He can wear a big hat and drive a car with big horns on the front. You can wear a low cut dress and a fur, lots of diamonds and tight jeans. You can go by the name "Lindy-Lou" and he can be "Big Ted" or "Big Bob". I'll even loan you my cow."

"I like Big Daddy," Ratchet said. Of course, he did.

Everyone stared at Ratchet, then Raptor, then Prime who looked like he really wanted to do just that scenario as opposed to the Philosopher and his Stone, then Prowl who was looking slightly panicked. Prowl frowned. "Thanks for the input, * **RAPTOR*** , but I think we'll keep the first story."

"How about a religious person? How about a bishop or something? The clothes are kind of nice," Hardie said to be ornery. "They have nice hats, some of them."

"You can be a church man's wife, Prowl," Blackjack said. "You don't have to have the … uh, pontoons that Ratchet has," he said to great laughter. "You can be flat and dumpy. I was reading an old story about a preacher who was mean to his wife so she took a frozen roast beef haunch, beat him to death with it, then cooked and served it to the police. No one ever caught her."

They all looked at Blackjack. "Give me your reading list, 'Jack." -everyone but Prowl

"What do you think, Optimus?" Jetta asked with a grin.

He looked at Ratchet who smiled his dazzling smile with his flame red hair and green, green eyes around his big, big boobs, then Prowl who was promising lots of intense intensity if he agreed. Then he looked at the babies who looked up at him. "Do you want cookies?" he asked.

Laughter, mockery and other indications of disdain and humor flowed freely.

-0-A half joor later

They stood in the room with their gear on. They were tall human specimens all but some of them were female. They were having a **RIOTOUS** interior conversation about centers of gravity, how big 'the bass' should be and how 'all about it' they should be, bras, hair, high heels or no and if so, Louboutins or Manolos?, jeans-tight/no panty lines or not v dresses-tight/bombardier or not, and other pertinent female things. Arcee and Elita were less freaked out than Delphi, Turbine, Alor, and **PROWL!**

Yes, Prowl.

Prime decision. Prime who was having a **GREAT** time with the whole process said that if they both went as men, some of the more brazen women with track records might hit on Optimus and then … what should he do, Prowl? Should I give it up for Cybertron or pretend celibate in honor of nerd academics everywhere? He asked with a concerned expression and that was all it took. Prowl was a tall brunette with red eyes until it was pointed out that humans only had red when they had pink eye or drank themselves to death. He then changed to green because Ratchet wasn't going to be the only Mary Sue at the ball if it was the last thing he would ever do.

Prowl considered his figure and went with athletic. Turbine and Delphi because they were sports experimented with gigantic racks which bounced out and mostly sagged to their knees. Reigning them in to decent sized cleavage, they turned to Ratchet who of all the 'girls' was last to lose the cleave.

He grinned at them, then reigned them in. Ironhide who was watching felt both a deep revulsion and a blazing sense of loss. Perhaps pretending to be a human male had side effects even he didn't know about. They adopted nice warm weather clothing, expensive, expertly cut and tailored to their bodies like they were designed by computers.

Which they were.

Now the important stuff began.

Whips.

"I'm going in a concept car, slagger. Ferrari," Prowl said as he stood in a tight white dress, 6" Louboutins and black hair to his perfect ass. His green-green eyes were accented by over sized emerald and diamond jewelry that he wore in copious amounts. He looked swank and tense. He turned to Optimus who looked like the handsomest, fittest, most perfect specimen of professorial man meat in the known universe. He wore jeans, a polo shirt and a light jacket. Faun colored boots complimented his casual look and his hair was short, neat and salt and pepper. "Ferrari? Or do you want another make? I draw the line at Porsche."

Everyone standing there agreed and the murmur made Ratchet laugh. "Poor Porsche. The slagger."

"Frag Porsches. Frag them," Sunstreaker said. "I'm going to be the latest concept version of Lamborghini and its going to be yellow. You two can come with me."

Sideswipe and Bluestreak, both dressed like Sunstreaker in tight jeans and nice t-shirts held biker jackets in their hands as they watched the madness. Neither of them could take their eyes off Ratchet's still ample rack. "Ada, make your things bigger," Sideswipe said with a smile.

Ratchet looked at him and grinned. "You mean these?" he asked as his boobs grew enormous again. They stretched his nice knit shirt and exploded out wobbling in the air with their vastness of shape and size until they settled. Since they were modeled on mannequins, they didn't sag but stood straight out. Everyone in the room ran in circles, shouted loudly and screamed. It was fortunate that the day care on the second sub floor had already taken all the kids and the big ones were on their way to their ammas and appa's house. Even Optimus was trying to find a place to hide.

Sunstreaker was laughing maniacally and was the only one not under the table, pounding their heads on the wall or running for the door. **"ADA! BIGGER!"**

"For you, my son," Ratchet said as he grew they straight out until they slammed into the far wall. How they didn't fall down was an engineering triumph for the ages.

 **"RATCHET! PUT THOSE APPENDAGES AWAY BEFORE I VOMIT!"** Prowl bellowed as others from the Ops Center appeared in the doorway to see what the hell was going on. They stared in frozen amazement at the spectacle.

"For you, the world, Prowler," Ratchet said as he amended his program and two gigantic improbable boobs zipped back to him so fast that he stumbled backward into the wall. Staring down at his chest, he returned them to ample but not obscene. He was determined to have a rack to chat up the punters with and get intel. It was also fun watching his chest grow and shrink. Almost as much fun as watching everyone lose their shit.

His ada would whip his butt.

Prime who rose again was nearly paralyzed with laughter. "That would be a most unexpected weapon."

"I think there's women on Earth who would love to be able to do that to some of the slaggers there," Ratchet said as he adjusted his tight fitting white top. He wore tight black jeans, a butt load of diamonds and 6" heels. He smiled. "Had enough or do you want me to do it again?"

It was a tie vote that Prowl pulling rank broke for common decency. They gathered themselves, settled on cars, then Percy gave them the gospel:

"You can eat, sleep, get drunk, taste, feel and smell things just like any other human. Their food will taste like what it does and I'm told it tastes just like ours. Rampage is quite a culinary genius. Be aware that you have to get rid of what you eat and drink before you derez. Your seats will be glad you did. We enclosed the appropriate hygienic videos in the database," Percy said. "I would caution against drinking. Only Ratchet will be able to sort you out if you do. Link in to him so he can sense when you need reviving. Your gear is foolproof and as senior individuals, we will not be taking it back. Updates and the like will be granted you as they appear but given your status in the leadership, you will keep this tech. You can boot it and use it anytime you want. The limitations on it are unknown in terms of creative facsimiles. Humans aren't the only organics you can make."

"Really?" Ratchet asked with surprise. "We can make any organic form from the image base?"

Percy nodded. "The only limits are size. Small individuals like Neo and Laret can't be the size of Optimus but they can be anything they want with that limitation."

"Wow," Ratchet said. "Then I can do this, right?" With that, he internally scanned an acid monster and transformed immediately. Everyone in the room lost their shit.

-0-On the way

They walked toward the ship that would take them to Earth. They would fly there, then drive through the on ship bridge to a backwoods paved road to head in convoy to Warren's country home. They would then be locked and loaded. Given that they could be an unknown distance from their main bodies, ie, the trucks and cars that were their forms, some of them could leave them parked at the airport here on Mars and board the ship in their pretender gear. They would only have a few cars to park around the farm rather than all of them. Their bodies and operating consciousnesses could be that far apart and operate aces.

They began to walk up the ramp. Ratchet grinned. **"THIS IS NOT EASY IN THESE STILETTOS!"**

Prowl who was behind him slapped Ratchet on the butt. "Move it, loon."

They boarded, found seats and sat facing each other around a big lounge. The ramp closed and the ship lifted off. In the lower hold, a good ten concept cars waited to be driven through a bridge as their conscious selves were upstairs sitting around. Everyone stared at Ratchet. He smiled brilliantly.

"I want to be you when I grow up," Sunstreaker said with a renewed sense of awe.

"There's a catch. You never grow up," Ratchet said. "How do you like me now, cowboy?" he asked as he slapped Ironhide on the shoulder.

The big handsome mech grinned. "Keeps the bond interesting."

"Is **that** what it is?" Prowl asked with a smirk. He looked at Ratchet. "Do not under **any** circumstances grow your boobs again. That's an order."

Ratchet grinned slightly, then shook his head. "Oh, Prowl, Prowl, Prowl … you never learn do you," he asked as his boobs shoot straight out and hit Prowl of Praxus right in the face.

-0-TBC 4-2-18

Game highlights shortly including who won. :D:D:D


	317. Chapter 317

The Diego Diaries: Party (dd6 318)

-0-A long winding driveway at a highly secured farm north of New York City

They drove up the driveway which was tree-lined with wooden snow fences along both sides. Sheep and cows grazed in the fields as the road gave way to a big beautiful rambling farmhouse built in the late 1700's and added onto over the decades. It had been in Maureen's family since the beginning and the 250 acres with it were filled with orchards, a huge prepped field for a kitchen garden and animals. Dogs barked as they parked along the drive, a group of ten concept cars unlike any other. They had come through a bridge to this place and a short drive to the party. Stepping out, they were greeted by both Witwickys, both Morshowers, Bolger-Settles and Fultons as well as the Army femmes.

After a moment of happy greetings, it got quiet again. Judy Witwicky was staring at Ratchet with her usual directness. "Ratchet … where did you get your fashion ideas?"

Everyone turned to look at Ratchet who felt suddenly self conscious. "What?" he asked with surprise.

"Okay," Judy said as the other women nodded, "all of you with us. You boys? Take care of the bots. You females, with us." She turned and began to walk toward the house. She slowed. "Elita and Arcee? You, too. Neo and Laret, you look great."

The bots hesitated, then followed. Neo and Laret looked at each other, then Prime. "Should we go, too? It appears to be a femme thing."

Prime shrugged. "It might be wise."

Neo and Laret walked past them and caught up. All of them entered the house and were gone. The bots stared at the house, then each other. "What does that mean, Warren?" Prime asked with a touch of confusion.

Warren who like everyone else was struggling to keep himself from laughing turned toward Prime. "I think they're getting a touch of fashion advice for the party. Shall we go up? Everyone is going to be here soon enough." Together, the group followed Warren and a chuckling Glenn Morshower to the house. They would pass a glorious Cybertronian crystal garden in the front lawn, one that Maureen had specially designed at Specialty Fabrication-Decor, Art and Home. They would even send three of their artisan mini-cons to install it. It sparkled like fire as the group walked toward it, paused a moment to admire its beauty, then disappeared into the house.

-0-Inside

They walked into a huge house with homey touches and tremendous warmth and charm. Walking up stairs, they walked down a sunlit hallway to the master suite with its sunny spaces and full length mirror. Everyone entered, then waited rather nervously for the human women to speak. They were at the moment silently considering everyone. "Where did you get your fashion ideas, boys?" Judy Witwicky asked as she cut to the chase.

The bots glanced at each other, then the women. "Uh, the usual places … media … the internet," Alor said as he shrugged.

"MTV, movies, television … soap operas … wikipedia, reality tv." Everyone looked at Delphi. He shrugged. "I like the big hair."

"MTV, fashion blogs … websites and stuff," Ratchet said as he stood self consciously in his rather risque garb.

"That's not … normal attire for most things," Maureen said with a grin. "You need an assist and as fellow Cybertronians we feel the need to help."

The femmes glanced at each other, then their attire. They were wearing ripped jeans, Doc Martens, tight t-shirts over negligible cleavage and jackets. No makeup. No jewelry. "What's wrong with this?"

"Nothing, if you were going to a gang fight," Judy Fulton said with a chuckle. "Ratchet, no offense. You know you're loved but you look like a floozy."

Everyone scanned for meaning, then laughed. "That's the word I was searching for, Loon, when someone asked me about you the other orn," Prowl said before Ratchet slapped the back of his head.

Ratchet grinned. "Then what do we do? We only know what we see."

Lois Morshower-Howell pushed him in front of the mirror. "How do you change your image?" she asked.

"With images from the database or good small suggestions," Prowl said as he grinned at Ratchet.

"Okay," Judy Fulton said as she rubbed her hands together. "Can you modify the cleavage for starts? Use math to make it proportional." She grinned. "I was good at math in school."

Ratchet smirked at her, did the math, then he morphed. It was a huge improvement.

"Fuck. I want that tech," Judy Witwicky said as she sat on a chair nearby. Huge laughter and agreement.

"How about a summer dress? This is a garden party and barbecue. That might work elsewhere but not here. Scan for one, Ratchet. Something with a full enough skirt that it swishes when you walk," Judy F said.

A momentary morph and he wore a light yellow summer dress. He grinned. "This works?"

"Indubitably," Judy F said as everyone laughed. "Now get flat shoes so you don't sink in the lawn that match the biggest color you're wearing, something cute in a sandal, make the jewelry simple, and find a shade of red that occurs in nature and can't be found in a child's crayon box for your hair."

Ratchet laughed and complied. He was a bit shorter but immeasurably better. As he was morphing, so were the others. Gone were the strange clothing choices and here were nice garments, sensible and attractive shoes along with simple jewelry, hair and hair colors. By the time they got to makeup -"day time makeup, girls, scan for images'-all of them looked fit for a high class party in the boonies.

Elita who was sitting on the bed in a **DRESS** with Neo who looked sweet in hers looked at Ratchet. "We have no idea how you femmes work. All we know is your media. How do you manage with this slag all the time? We don't have to paint our faces and wear weird shoes. What do you really think of the difference between us and you?"

"I think you have it easier but I like being a girl," Judy W said as she inspected everyone. "There's nothing like being a girl."

"I think we need to make a new girl rule here," Maureen said as she sat beside Laret on a love seat. "Raise your right hands and repeat after me."

They stared at her, then each other, then raised their hands.

"I, insert your name here, do hereby swear," Maureen began.

"I, Alor/Ratchet/Prowl (warily)/Elita/Arcee/ Neo/Laret/Turbine/Delphi, do hereby swear ..."

"That if I ever have to be a girl again you will contact one of us immediately." -Maureen laughing

 **HUGE** laughter.

"That if I **EVER** have to be a girl again I will contact one of you immediately." -all of them including Prowl

Prowl grinned, then looked at the others. They looked as good as could be and would blend a great deal better than before. "You have your orders. We have to mingle and check out the slaggers on Warren's list. Some of them have good ideas but we don't know much about them. If you find yourself in trouble ping someone and they'll come pull you out. Any questions?"

No one did so they walked out to the living room where the others were waiting. Ratchet twirled, then grinned. "Neo and Laret were the only ones to pass inspection."

"This is different and I can see it's better somehow. We better have a sit down on how to blend in with pretender gear here on both sides of the gender divide. Its clear we have a problem with camo," Jazz said with a grin. "However, there's nothing wrong with this," he said spreading his arms wide as he stood next to Mirage looking hot and appropriate.

"Slaggers. See if you **EVER** dump another detail on me," Ratchet said.

They goofed a moment, then walked through the house heading for the party that was gathering outside. Several hundred were already there, walking around the house toward the scene in the back. Some of them watched newcomers walk out with their hosts and other VIPs and felt the burn. They had walked around instead of through the house. They would have to find out who they were.

Such was the pecking order in the 1% anywhere.

Maureen halted them before the group. She grinned. "We have a special guest here, someone who wants to film on Mars. We know he holds a special place in your spark. He's around here somewhere. We invited Michael Bay."

Groans and laughter greeted that as they then continued forward. They would break up and meander around, meeting others, having drinks and canapes as they gathered to do what they came for. Intel for Warren Roberts.

Some of them would also hunt for Michael Bay.

-0-Around the party

"So, Orion, what do you do?" a business mogul asked who was part of the push for the space station between Earth and Mars.

"I'm a philosopher," Prime said with a slight grin. Prime according to Prowl was a wealthy philosopher who wrote groundbreaking books on how to live an ethical life and he, Prowl was the editor. They were friends of the Roberts who often vacationed with them on the Mediterranean and shared a beach house in Hawaii. They lived on a mountain top near the Canadian border.

So sayeth The Prowl.

Prime who was laughing loudly on the inside as he went through the hoops grinned at the business man's blank stare. "I am working out a very esoteric point of view that postulates not only is the unexamined life not worth living, neither is the life that is lived in isolation, ie, the interconnectedness of all that is. We are at essence ethical beings with deep ties to the well being of all that is."

The businessman stared at him, then nodded. "Okay."

Nearby …

Ratchet was sipping champagne in a nice glass as he hovered near Bryce Billings and Tawny Mantree, the lead actors in The Bridge, the longest running bot-human television series which was based on Mars. It was a hard hitting crime drama and they were the two leads. That they were two of the most famous actors on Earth before this was also interesting. Mantree, a UK citizen, was beautiful, cultured and sweet. Billings was rugged, handsome and stalked by half the women of Earth. The buzz was that their chemistry on screen was also true for real life.

A fan grrl could hope.

They were talking to several individuals who were in business and government. One of them was questioning them about life on Mars. "What's it like to work there?"

"Great. I love it. It's the most interesting place I've ever been and the tech they use is amazing. The crew is tight and the scripts really well done. The author, Nitro of Vos is always there to talk to. He works with Ironhide in the Armory," Bryce said as Tawny nodded.

"How much of the city and stuff can you see? I heard that Earth 1 and the company has the right to go here and there now," another said.

"We do. We have the same access as N.E.S.T. and Sciences. Earth 1 and our company are no longer on probation by Primal decree," Bryce said.

"It's great to come and go," Tawny said.

"What about some of the places off limits? What about the Temple? Can you go there?" someone asked.

"We can. They only have high security danger areas off limits, though we're going to use the prison in the story next season," Bryce said. The show was currently on hiatus and both were here to make a movie during their down time.

"What's it like there? What do you see when you go? Have you?" the businessman asked.

Bryce considered the question. "We have but you're not going to know. It's a matter of trust. We aren't going to break it. We love what we do and being there. We're not going to tell anyone what you're not supposed to know."

Ratchet grinned. Bryce was on the future husband's list. He would linger and listen but Bryce and Tawny would hold their ground. They would in turn never know who sent the rare wine and expensive chocolates to their apartments when they returned to Mars later on.

Ratchet turned to glance around and saw Michael Bay standing nearby talking to movie people. Grinning slightly, he walked across the grassy lawn to his next target, Public Frenemy #1 of Autobot Nation.

-0-TBC 4-3-18


	318. Chapter 318

The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 319)

-0-Mingling

Optimus and Ironhide stood beside Warren meeting people as they walked through the gathering. There were famous faces around them and some who weren't. All of them were important in business, government and media with many of them hoping to align themselves through their various projects with Autobot Nation. A number of businessmen were gathered together talking shop when Warren stopped beside them. One of them was the elegant Englishman, Colin Brady, from the Diego conference. Warren introduced them, then mentioned that they were businessmen associated with Autobot City. It was a conversation starter of the finest kind.

"Mr. Paxton," Brady said as he looked at Prime. "You have business relationships with the Cybertronians. How did that come about?"

"We have aligned interests. Warren Roberts was so kind as to assist us at that junction," 'Orion Paxton' said with deliberate vagueness.

"We, that is, the four of us represent ventures that we put before the Ambassador at the United Nations Economic Development Forum at Diego Garcia recently. We don't feel very confident that our prospectus will be received with a lot of enthusiasm. What was your experience in dealing with Prime's government?" Blake asked as the others nodded.

"We want to do business with Prime in a partnership manner but I don't feel a lot of interest from them," another partner, a Canadian named Harper James.

"We had no problems," Prime said. "I believe that if you are open and above board, that you tell all that you desire in the most truthful and steadfast manner, it helps. They have had bad experiences with humans and that continues once in a while in the habitats. They are very ancient and can read artifice easily. Also, they have different viewpoints on stewardship of environments than most who live here. The ends does not justify the means to them."

"We would be conscientious in our stewardship of habitats and ventures," Harper said. "We would be careful and meet all expectations."

"What are your projects?" Prime asked as Warren listened. Ironhide was a blank slate beside him, giving away no emotions about where he stood on the conversation.

"We want to build a scientific outpost on one of the big moons of the gas giants. Perhaps Europa. We want to do hard science, harvest helium and explore. It's something that we want to do that will benefit Earth. Our resources for energy are running out. We have to adapt. If we could build an outpost there we can work on these problems. That would lead to other ventures including more human habitation on Mars and perhaps space stations in the system beyond what Quan Tell is proposing."

"You presented your proposal to Ratchet, then," Ironhide said.

They nodded. "The Ambassador heard our proposal but I don't feel confident," Lucas Bearup said with a shrug. He was a venture capitalist from California who specialized in energy investment. "I find it hard to read the Ambassador."

"Ratchet's smart and he's no ones fool. If you gave a good account, you'll get a fair rendering. He'll discuss it with Prime and they'll get back to you," Ironhide said.

"Do you know the Prime and the others who make the decisions?" Harper asked.

They both nodded. "Very well," 'Orion' replied.

"Then maybe we can prevail upon you to put in a word for us," Brady said. "In the spirit of advancing the well being of Earth together."

Prime nodded. "I will do that. I would like to know something that keeps popping up in conversation."

The humans nodded. "Alright. What is it?" Brady asked.

"We keep hearing about a huge habitat constructed on world by Prime who would operate and run it as owner-director. It is said to employ and house 20,000 humans and would be his domain. The projects would include working on products and ideas to help with Earth's problems. What do you hear about this?"

"I've heard it. It's in the rumor mill. Some would like it to happen, though having the Prime having final say over it not so much," Harper said. "It sort of came out of a group of venture capitalists and others in New York who were angling ways to get more humans on Mars and finding a way to do projects on their minds this way. I think it was sent out as a trial balloon which is getting a lot of currency on Earth. It's sort of an underground idea that's making the rounds."

"Who are these guys?" Ironhide asked.

"A group called Focal Investment. They're a bunch of tech freaks who made their mark and now want to be the next Elon Musk. They live and work on Wall Street and from what I hear are very influential, all of them wanting to make their mark on the world. They don't actually have a lot of social graces, but are very driven and goal oriented," Harper said.

"I think I know which group," Warren said. "They have lots of money and want to make more by working on futuristic ideas. They're obnoxious and don't really take no for an answer."

"I was wondering. I heard the rumor and some of those on Mars are concerned about it," Prime said as he looked at the humans. "The community there is very tight and they take care of each other. The idea of someone coming without good intentions would not sit well."

"We just want to do what we have planned. Some of them want more habitats. Prime has an entire world and we just want our little part of it," Brady said. "It would seem unneighborly not to share."

"The Autobots have standards," a voice said as someone joined them. "They look at things differently. They have concerns about the planets they occupy and what they do with them. They don't think much of what's happened to Earth and they would never let you do that there," Will Lennox said as he stood beside Warren. "They have little use for doing something just to do it. Everything but energon comes from space. They don't have mining operations for anything else and when they finish up a quarry, they return it to its former condition. No one would be able to tell otherwise when they were finished."

"Major Lennox," Brady said holding out his hand. "Good to meet you." Niall Graham and Andrew Settles joined the group and introductions were made. Brady grinned at Graham. "I would like to speak to you later about life on Mars if you don't mind, Captain," he said.

Niall nodded. "Alright," he said as the N.E.S.T., Sciences and Consular contingent from Mars made their way to the party. By this time, food was being brought out by the catering crew and everyone began to make their way to the tents and tables to sit. As Ironhide walked along with Prime and Warren, he noted that Ratchet was in conversation with a familiar face nearby.

Michael Bay.

-0-Nearby

He walked to the group of individuals having a conversation, then picked up a glass of champagne off a tray held by a server. "Thank you," he said. He turned to the group who were looking at him. "Hi," he said.

"Hello," an older man replied. "Are you a friend of Warren's?"

Ratchet nodded. "Warren and the Autobots."

It was just the right approach.

-0-Glowering in line

"Cosmic rust getting to you?" Prowl asked as he grinned at Ironhide.

The big mech glanced at Prowl. "Among other things."

"Eyes on the prize, Ironhide," Prowl said softly. "Intel. His studio and partners have a proposal in for Optimus to go over."

"Fraggers," Ironhide said, then he moved up, saw the food and felt immensely better. Warren Roberts knew how to eat like a warrior.

-0-At tables

They began to sit, taking their food and drink to the dining area. It was getting on toward evening and the light was fading. Lanterns came on and gave a beautiful effect to the gathering. The soldiers began to sit and so did the various Autobots among them. They wore a small round black pin on their lapels that was mostly unnoticeable unless you knew what it was. Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Smokey, and Bee joined the soldiers.

Smokey watched the humans around him. "It's weird being this small. And this … soft," he said as he touched his own arm. "How do you guys stand it?"

The humans laughed. "I don't know, Smokey. How do we stand it, boys?" Epps asked with a grin.

A number of individuals began to sit around them including a number of movie industry and media people. It was obvious that they wanted to talk to the soldiers but everyone was having too good a time to make it easy for them. As they began to gather, Michael Bay walked to the table with his food and drink, sitting with Able Morrison who was head of the studio that distributed Galaxy Productions' works.

The soldiers smirked at each other as the bots stared at Bay. Moments later, more Autobots came over to sit including Springer and Drift.

:Springer, your boyfriend is sitting behind me: Sideswipe said with a smirk. :You know who is here:

Springer glanced at him as the buzz surrounded them on all sides. :Who?:

:Think movies. Think cosmic rust: Sideswipe said as he jerked his head in the direction of Bay.

Springer froze at the sight as Drift smirked. "So. He came."

"A gift from Warren. He wants on world to film stuff," Sunstreaker said as he gazed at Bay like he was a mark.

"Well, he won't," Smokey said hotly.

Everyone around them paused to glance at him. He glanced around, then sat a bit lower in his chair. "He won't," he said in a soft voice. "Will he?"

The soldiers on both sides laughed. "We shall see," Hercy said with a smirk. "It's up to Optimus."

Prime walked out with Prowl and Maureen as she led him to the table where they wanted both to sit. Ratchet and Ironhide followed along with the other senior Autobots. Alor and Devcon walked to the table, then Dev walked toward Smokey nearby, taking a seat he saved. They sat and grinned at each other. "I could hear you in the tent," Dev said.

"Sorry, Amma," he said with a grin, then he nodded toward Bay. :That's the guy who makes the movies about us, Amma:

Dev looked at Bay, memorized him like prey, then grinned. "Eat up, infant. There's more where this came from."

"Good thing, Amma. I'm hungry. But know that no one makes desserts like you do," Smokey said as he began to eat again.

Everyone grinned at him as he did.

-0-Nearby

"What did you and Bay chat about?" Maureen said as Ratchet sat across from her.

"Well, he likes my look. He asked if I was an actress. I told him I was a friend of Autobot Nation." Ratchet grinned. "He asked me the likelihood of his company and studio getting a chance to work on world. I told him fair."

"Do you really want him there?" Warren asked with a grin. "I don't think he'd be welcome with open arms would he? He did, after all, kill most of you including you," he said as he glanced at Optimus.

"I did die in a heroic manner," Optimus said with a grin. "That part if it had to happen was at least memorable."

"It was slag," Prowl said quietly. "You're above such things."

Ratchet laughed. "Go, Prowl," he said. "It was remarkably civil. I didn't have time to have a cinematic discussion with him but I did tell him that there were a lot of Cybertronians who think his cavalier attitudes about killing bots aren't popular on world."

"What did he say?" Alor asked.

"He said he only cared about Bee and Optimus," Ratchet said. "He didn't care about the rest of us. He told me that he could always just make up more." It was grim for a moment. "I asked him about making Mirage a doofus. He laughed. I don't think its a deeply held thing for him. Its all about the boom booms. I told him Wheeljack is a handsome bot and that his rendition of 'Jack was incredibly offensive and awful."

"And?" Prowl asked.

"He just shrugged," Ratchet replied. "I don't think he likes criticism because he's up his own aft a bit but I'm surprised I didn't punch him. By the way, a number of these slaggers want to speak with the four of you before this is over to get inside tips and intel on us and how things operate. They really, really want to come to Mars and around the system."

"We have to discuss the proposals. I want them troubleshot to the last detail," Optimus said. "As for the 20,000 human habitat … its the brainchild of venture capitalists in New York who are tech billionaires. I want you to find out about them, Ratchet and Alor, when we get back."

They nodded. As they chatted, Harper James and Colin Brady walked to the table taking a couple of empty seats. They settled, then grinned at Maureen. "What a beautiful dinner, Maureen. Thank you for having us," Colin said.

"It's our pleasure," Maureen said. "We like to have a good mix of people at our parties."

"You do, indeed. I learned that these gentlemen," he said nodding to the group at the table, "are in business with the Autobots. We hope to speak at length with you before the evening is over. But before that, perhaps you can tell us a bit about the cars we passed walking in here. I was told they belong to you."

Ratchet grinned. "You can say that," he said.

-0-TBC 4-4-18


	319. Chapter 319

The Diego Diaries: Party (dd6 319)

When I don't show up, its because I can't get in. An email usually resolves it but if there isn't an update, that's almost always why. **HERE WE GO!**

-0-At the barbecue

The sun had settled with the coming of night. Lights here and there had come on and the area was warm with a soft illumination. The space was filled with people eating, standing together to talk or getting drinks at the bar tent. Some of them knew each other and most knew of each other. Shop was the main topic, the political, business, and media inside game making the rounds of the crowd. Joining them at the tables where they were sitting to eat, Harper James and Colin Brady made their way and the conversation though zeroed into the projects they were promoting had strayed to the cars. Apparently, they weren't the only humans at the party who were enamored about them.

"I've never seen so many great cars before." Brady glanced at Warren. "Apparently, working for the bots pays well."

Ironhide smirked. "Working for the bots makes everything right."

The conversation flowed as they talked cars, then Bay looked at Raptor. "What's your favorite model? I've probably blow up more cars that anyone you'll ever know."

Raptor considered that. "I like them all. By the way, not everyone is happy about your movies. You do know that there's real individuals for each of the characters you killed, some of them very well liked and respected."

Bay shrugged. "Its show business. I tell stories. People watch them. The bots make interesting heroes and villains and its not personal."

"To you, maybe. You killed Ironhide and Ratchet for no good reason. That doesn't even count Jazz and the others," Ironhide said.

"It's just a story, Ivor," Bay said to Ironhide aka 'Ivor Burnshard'.

"Not to the Cybertronians. They weren't amused. You want to come to make movies on Mars? What kind?" Ironhide asked.

"I want to make a science fiction movie and use the terrain and city for the film," Bay said.

"Then you have a script and plan already," Ratchet asked.

"No. I want to look around first. Getting ideas there would be the trick and I think relatively easy. The local media scene would be one I'd like to explore and work out collaborations," Bay said.

Everyone stared at him, then Prowl smirked. "Call Jack Melcher. He's the one to get the inside track for this request."

"Who do we have to talk to about our requests besides Prime?" Colin Brady asked. "And you, too. We could use advice and allies."

"You made them to Ratchet. He's going to bring them to the Prime and the senior Autobots will go through them. They're fair. Nothing is dismissed out of hand. If your ideas are good and have a point to them beyond exploitation and greed, then you might have a good chance to make headway. There are a lot of businesses and opportunities already for humans on world," Turbine said.

"The Resort is a big investment of the bots in the human community. The humans wanted to make a platform for humans to come and enjoy the colony and the bots. It was a way to promote understanding possible between both sides," Niall Graham said. "The relationship between the bots and the humans is very important and protected."

"That's a huge facility. Earth2 is as well. All of the habitats were built by the bots and we understand that we're asking a lot but we want to move forward. We want to be part of the bigger picture out there," Harper said.

"They aren't against building what habitations are needed. They are, after all, only leased to you for a century at a time. Autobot Nation owns them and can end their occupation should a breach of the contracts are made," Delphi said as Carly Brooks-Spencer nodded.

"They're very scrupulous and honorable about their agreements," Carly said. "The buildings and their maintenance are the province of the bots. We don't own but, rather, lease them. I'd think that practice would hold for any further habitations for humans on world."

"Even the big habitat that's being rumored?" Harper said with a grin.

"I would love to know more about that," Optimus said. "That rumor has been plaguing us for some time."

"What's the likelihood, in your opinion, that Prime would agree?" Colin Brady asked.

"He is open to good ideas and plans. There is no immediate refusal for good solid plans, but the greatest feature of the relationship is between the two camps. The relationship on world is protected and valued," Optimus replied. "No one would be allowed to stay who would jeopardize that."

"The two hot heads. Have you met them?" Harper asked. "What's the story on one of them getting arrested and ending up in bot jail?"

Blackjack shrugged. "He trespassed on Autobot territory during a Thanksgiving party and caused a fight. He threatened to hurt a bot who works on the floor. It was a mess and they fell under bot jurisdiction according to treaties and agreements. I think they need booted but Prime is merciful. More so than me," he said as the others nodded.

"Harvey and Lou Richardson want to send the Daniels and Galloway to Earth2 to work for them," Brady said. "What do you suppose Prime will say to that?"

The group glanced at each other, then shrugged. "Prime keeps his own council," Hard Drive said. "He never tells us anything." Hardie leaned forward slightly. "What do you know about them? The Richardsons? I heard that they dabble in the fringe groups … the Resistance and The Family."

"They're right wingers, really far right. Nothing would surprise me about them. I don't like them. They're provincial and dull. They have no point beyond securing what they want any way they can get it," Brady said.

"And you aren't?" Ratchet asked with a grin. The two grinned back.

"I don't think we're in their league," Harper said.

Grins met that remark. A phone rang, then Warren pulled one from his pocket. Reading the text that had arrived, he grinned, then rose. "I have a call to make. Excuse me a moment. Maureen?"

Maureen excused herself and walked with Warren. "What is it?"

"The bots asked me to step away a moment with you so they could talk frankly," Warren said with a grin. "Let's get dessert. They're going to ping me when its safe to come back." They entered the food tent and disappeared together.

Ironhide leaned closer. "What's really on your mind? Everyone has the story they tell and the one they don't. What about you?"

"You want allies, then you better level with us," Ratchet said as the others including Carly nodded. "You won't find better allies or worse enemies than us."

"What's your back story then?" Brady asked.

"We work on R and D. Our purpose is to find things to help Earth recover from stupid exploitation. We have the long game in mind. Of course, all the rest follows," Hardie said without elaborating. He would leave that to the humans to fill in themselves, in their own minds.

"There's a lot of money to be made if the right circumstances present themselves," Harper said.

"They run a cashless society. Its all about giving to get back. No one on Mars is going to pay you for what you do," Prowl said.

"They run businesses on Earth," Brady said.

"For their Foundation. The Prime Foundation gives all of its funding away to help humans and the planet. There's no influence peddling, no games, all of their investments are made ethically, all of the information is on public display, and no one suffers because of it. It's how they roll," Delphi said. "I actually prefer it."

"We want to be players in the game. We represent several trillion dollars worth of investment capital and we're prepared to spend it to have a place at the table," Brady said. "My group, Harper's, the tech nerds in New York … those are just some of the players ready to work for a piece of the pie."

"A space station between Mars and Earth, stations on moons … what else have you heard? Someone has to be floating the idea about the habitat because I don't hear it on Mars," Blackjack said as the others nodded.

"My money is on the tech nerds in New York," Harper sand as Brady agreed.

"That's just the beginning. What about interplanetary trade? What about exchanges of goods, services and technology? There's no end to the possibilities," Brady said as Harper nodded.

"True, that," Alor said. "But it hinges on the bots doing the heavy lifting. I'd suggest a respectful attitude, brutal honesty and no underhanded crap. They weren't born yesterday and they've met about any sort of person possible. They can't be fooled easily."

They sat back, then nodded. "Would you advocate for us?" Harper asked.

They stared at him, then each other, pretending to mull it over. "Send us your plans. We'll go over them. If they look viable or if we can give you advice, we will. I wouldn't mind more humans there. We come and go. It'd be nice to see more humans," Prowl said.

They would discuss things for a bit longer, exchange numbers and email, then Warren would come back.

-0-Three joors later

They drove through the space bridge at the end of the road, slipping from Mars to Earth. It had taken over an hour of car talk before they could make their way onward. When they did, they had the names and numbers, emails and basic information of over 37 humans with money and dreams that were interconnected through this push. They were also interconnected to a lot of big money slaggers who had no problem shivving the Autobots in the back.

Driving to The Fortress, taking a trip to the wash racks for the changeover, they gathered at last in the conference room. Kicking back, it was a pensive group arrayed around the big table. Prime glanced at Neo and Laret. "What did you discover, if anything, Neo? Laret?"

They glanced at each other, then Prime. "They were very much interested in coming here but I didn't get a good feeling from them, some of them anyway. There were some very nice people there who want to be a part of the colony in what I felt was an ethical manner but there were others, too, with dark auras and what felt like hidden agendas. I don't think I trust them," Neo said as Laret nodded. "Colin Brady and Harper James. They're too intense for my tastes. I've seen too many like their kind to trust them fully."

Prime nodded. "I agree. Sometimes, you have to have them close to keep them from being problematic. We will go over the plans and proposals after the weekend."

"Are you going to allow Bay to come here to work?" Ratchet asked with a smile. "He only cares for you."

"And Bee," Springer said with a smirk.

"That, too," Ratchet said. "I figured you'd lay him out on the ground a moment there."

"Me?" Springer asked with a smirk. "Not in front of witnesses."

"There are several who want to come and work in the industries here. Perhaps he can be one of many and we can control them better that way." Prime grinned. "Its mid afternoon here. Take the afternoon off if you have nothing to do."

"War games tomorrow," Turbine said as he stood. "Dinobots and raptors. I can't wait."

Huge laughter met that as they stood and began to wander out. Tomorrow would be a barn burner.

-0-Home again, jiggity jig

"What do you think? Trouble or manageable?"

Ironhide shrugged. "I think having your enemies close is good. As for the moon operations, I don't know. It'd be easier to gather the helium and take it to Earth. If we give it away, then no complaints."

"Unless you sell gas," Ratchet said with a grin. "I don't know. I wonder what Prime will do about all of it especially the Daniels and Galloway situation. Bay is small potatoes to me but those slaggers? Major problems. I'd bring them here to see what they do, who they do it with and how it all turns out. The news showed them getting out of prison today."

-0-Earlier in the day

They sat in the room where they were going over their departure. They were exonerated by their pardons so there were no halfway houses or other features of release to hold them back. Their families were waiting for them, Tom Jaspers included following the fix of his paperwork glitch, so they were ready to go. The Daniels were going to William's big estate in Virginia. Theodore Galloway was going back to his home in Chicago and Nast to his family in Houston. Jaspers who had family in Hawaii was going there for the duration. All of them had been contacted by the Richardsons and were going to lie low for a few days until things were ironed out.

The Warden of their prison, someone deeply unhappy about the pardons entered the room. Staring at them with unconcealed contempt, he nodded toward the door. "Your cars are waiting. I personally will be open for business if you ever decide to sell us out again. If you do, don't ever expect to get out of here again. At least, not alive."

They stood to gather their things, feeling the oppression of everyone's contempt. Staring at the warden and two guards with defiance and some concern, they followed them out, down the corridor, signed the release paperwork, then were turned them over to their own personal security, two lawyers representing all of them and a counselor.

"There's a lot of media out there. We're going in a straight line and get in the cars. You ready?" the counselor asked. "No comments whatsoever."

They nodded. Then the group of them walked out the door into a fusillade of cameras, shouting reporters and infuriated screaming protesters.

-0-TBC 4-6-18 **edited 4-12-18**


	320. Chapter 320

The Diego Diaries: WAR! (dd6 320)

-0-House

" **ADA! I DOING! HIM NOT DOING ME! I, ORION, DOING!** "

"Ada, Orion won't clean up his room."

"Clean up your room, Orion. Hero? Can you be good enough to **HELP HIS SORRY AFT!?"**

Both of them looked up at Ratchet, Hero with a giant smile and Orion with a giant fake smile. They ran like the wind for his room. Ratchet walked back to the table to sit where Halo was perched, wobbling as she sat up by herself. Ironhide was watching her as he joined the table. "What a cutie. See this? All this is yours, you poor little slagger," Ratchet said as he kissed her helm.

She smiled, then flapped her arms. **"ADA!"**

Ratchet smirked at Ironhide who frowned slightly. "Halo love Ada, slagger."

" **LOVE ADA!"**

It would take a moment to screw optics back into heads as the parental units took a moment to reboot.

-0-A moment later

"Atar love Halo."

" **APPA** love Halo." Frowny face glowers at son. Son glowers back.

Alor smirked at Blackjack and Ironhide, then grinned at Halo who was basting herself in all the attention. "Amma love Halo best."

She smiled at Alor, then her binky fell out of her little mouth. She stared at it in her lap, then looked at Alor. **"AMMA! AI!?"**

Huge internal combustion happens in those not saluted thus far as Alor does the Happy Dance.

-0-Meanwhile, down at the Game Board

It had been placed under surveillance for a few decaorns when the game club had been working on it. It still was watched to disallow Wheeljack who had been suspended from the design committee of the Autobot City Gamers Association from emptying all his unresolved childhood issues onto the game board. It had burned until someone showed everyone at the meeting the highlight reel of Wheeljack's shenanigans. Perceptor who smirked at 'Jack as he fumed was delighted. This game was going to last longer than the others. Maybe his own little bot with all its secret embellishments unknown even to Wheeljack would make it to the end.

Who knew?

The game board had more features, many of them water, and was designed to specs for groups that asked for and claimed various types of forts. This would have more mesas, an underground fort and extra cities. It would have mazes, a large frame fort and other features to be named later. The crew had been working all night long to add the final touches including the Temple and triage center which was going to be considered holy ground and therefore, off limits. If you could make it there, you were safe.

There can be Only One.

The field was over a mile and a half long with 2 big lakes and an 'ocean'. Beachcomber had asked for and been granted a fort in the middle of the sea and an array of boats, human and Cybertronian that could be used to get to it. There would be two docks and a submarine base to access his heavily fortified stronghold.

Heh-heh-heh …

The Dinobots asked for and received the underground fort.

The humans had the farthest fort away, past the ocean and near the razor wire.

Yes. Razor wire.

Metroplex had a city as did Hammer of Primus and Consolation who was coming to watch. Hammer was sweet on Consolation so he intended to surprise him by having one of the cities doomed to be destroyed to the sub basements named after him. Nothing says love like burning to the ground.

The romantic.

There were rocky crags, a mountain range and a deep crevice that would be for an interlude. Some of the little kids both human and Cybertronian had gotten little models of themselves made and were working on gaming as members of the Autobot City Junior Gamers Society and thus, there was a treasure hunt for them in that area. It would be held during the interlude in the middle where the dusty remains of Those Who Lose would be swept off the game board unless their demise was so funny that they would be left where they fell, burned, exploded, or were walking in circles quacking for shits and giggles.

There as a tower installation inside of razor wire that would part of the adult treasure hunt. The committee liked the idea so well, they made a treasure hunt for the slaggers that would be going on during the game. There were five discs hidden and the first one would be in the Tower of Death inside the Razor Wire of Doom.

An aspiring writer was on the treasure hunt committee.

Sub adults.

There was a tremendous, fast moving, rock and rapid filled river connecting all of the lakes and ocean. There was a bridge where one could cross that was wide and solid. It also had an ogre living under it. (A member had a tiny mech who loved (the three) billy goats (gruff). The river was designed to cut through a number of features such as Yellow Fort, Metroplex, the Large Frame Fort, and the Triage Center.

No one has told Ratchet yet.

The river was even faster than before and given its size and malevolent bad-assed-ness would be considered another playah.

There were mesas everywhere as per the Whining of Starscream.

"Winning. Winning, slaggers," he had said to the committee while Rainmaker laughed his aft off next to him.

Another maze bordered the Ocean which the same tiny child being babysat by his atar while his ada was at his book club, who liked Billy Goats, sweetly named 'Pretty Ocean'. Just west of Pretty Ocean was 'Blue Lake' and west of that, courtesy of the same little mech was the scarily swirling clusterf**k called 'Swirly Hole'.

Given that the baby went home with several cookies for his cleverness, Atar would find himself babysitting more often when the baby told Ada how much fun he had. Atar wouldn't really mind except when there was a card game at the club he couldn't attend.

That one.

Here is basically what it all means:

Large Frame Fort Tall Fraggers aka **CAMP FRAG YOU, XANTIUM**! **I HOPE YOU DROWN!**

Temple and Triage Holy Ground: 'Go there to die' with a tiny mausoleum in the back. Actual funeral piers optional. If you aren't already burned to a crisp, that is.

City of Hammer of Primus and City of Consolation nearly next to each other.

Ah, love, sweet love.

Mesas: Mesa Where Starscream Bites It Epicly and Mesa of the Dinobots or as they like to call it, Victory Plaza.

The Crags: Snow capped mountains above the fruited plains (Google America, the song)

The Underground: An installation built to specs for the Dinobots who swore the committee to secrecy.

(Insert horror here.)

Bridge over the River Styx (and not the band) where the Ogre lives.

Two mazes: one by Pretty Ocean and one by Lake Swirly Hole.

Two, count them, two mini-con towns because mini-cons: Village **AWESOME** led by reigning champion and soon-to-be-reduced to a pile of bubbling plastic, **CLIFFJUMPER!** The other which was called More Slagging Mini-cons City behind their backs would be led by the more respectable and normal Leader-1.

Razor Wire Maze, because.

The Tower of Death: Three giant towers inside four concentric circles of blazingly sharp razor wire.

Of course.

A big long snow capped mountain range near the sidelines which hid the N.E.S.T. and All Other Human (sacrifices) Fort. That one. It was Fort Earth or as the big frames called it Camp Sitting Ducks.

" **BWAHAHAHAA!"** all of them but the metro/dread kids who were much more polite

Quack. (That would be its final designation. Camp Quack.)

Last but not least, there was a canyon filled with twists and turns, boulders and the such which was part of the children's treasure hunt but could also be a great hide out to the end because once you went into it no one could see you again until you clambered out.

If you could.

There were forts all over the board designed and constructed for the returning teams who apparently didn't get enough slagging the last two times. As it was, most of them were tall, made of stone, bristled with guns and one, Yellow Fort, had a river running through it. Green Fort even had a moat for some reason. Only time and full disclosure would tell.

Thus, given a few hidden features that had nothing to do with Wheeljack and his major psychoses, the game was set to play.

Oh. There was also an oil pit. (Flames optional)

-0-All around the watch tower …

They began to gather, some to dine together and others to pack up their little fraggers and head toward the game board. IntraCom was already doing the pregame show as the players began to arrive to check in with Vinn as game director, main referee and judge, Joon who would keep the (death) statistics and the rest of The Squad who were going to be watching around the edges of the board for anyone and anything that needed Vinn's attention. They had little yellow flags and would wave them. Edict, Anders, Madura, and Laslo were gathered together chatting excitedly as they waited to be deployed.

Standing together chatting as well, Lucien, Burris, Proteus, and Hobbes were ready to watch. Proteus held his son in his carrier as they laughed together. Ratchet would have been pleased to see Lucien. This was the first time that he had actually looked somewhat at ease since Primus slapped him to the outback of the beyond. An ecstatic Partition with Lancer, Morius, Inweld, Lon, Bezel, Bron-E and Borealis as well as Cargo and a pensive Keystock were with them, waiting together for the show to start. They were going to be allowed into the 'league' next game.

Of course there was.

There would be teams in different age group divisions who would duke it out, then in the end meet up with the 'A Team' in the 'finals'. Given this had started with those coming today, they were 'grandfathered' in and would be the team all the others would face for supremacy.

Crowds came to stake out their places as humans arrived as well. There was a platform built in the middle area of the sidelines that allowed viewing of the entire board. Climbing a set of stairs, the humans would be able to stand together and watch the show behind a clear shield of the type that was used to make view ports on battleships. It was thin, light and strong enough to take anything the little bots could throw at them. When not in use, it would be stored at the Speedy Delivery warehouse between games with all the other stuff that was crucial to the action.

Safety first.

Humans came from Earth 1 who now had freedom of travel and fraternization, The Resort and Family Tower, Sciences who also could fraternize, N.E.S.T, the Hu-An, the Consulate who was still earning props, and a handful from Earth2 who were guests allowed by Prime. Anyone who could drag a leg and who was allowed to come did.

In all the annals of televised events, including the races and Cybertronian Football, nothing was more loved and anticipated than this. There were probably few monitors, televisions and telephones on Earth, among the Decepticons nearby, Cybertronians on Cybertron, and here on Mars that didn't have this playing. Human sports broadcasters were here as guests, all of them standing on the surprisingly spacious platform to watch. The anticipation was incredible.

Jazz and Blaster were doing the pregame but would hand it off when they had to begin play. It was hilarious and dominated channels throughout the MCA and her partner broadcasters.

"So, the reigning champion is Cliffjumper who with Buzzie is expecting a sparkling any orn now. They will be here. Cliffie is commandant and el supremo of the mini-con village he calls **CAMP AWESOME** which is over there," he said pointing to the far end at the right. "He's between the Oil Pit and Metroplex. Yellow Fort is also going to be an issue along with that slagging river. What's it running? Forty miles an hour? Frag."

"I think so," Blaster said as he scanned it. The light of his optics could be seen as he did, then it went off. "Forty-five miles per hour to be exact. The last time we saw a river, Bluestreak and dinobots met a grisly end there. It was hilarious."

"It was," Jazz said. "Here come the Dinobots."

The entire attention of the crowd turned to the boy band of the Autobots. Grimlock came holding a folding screen, a bag of something and was followed by his team carrying another bag and their own enhanced miniatures.

Frag, were they ever enhanced.

They walked to the underground installation, surrounded it by the screen, then emptied one bag into it. They then walked to the side, put their gear down and huddled. They were monsters in size and malice and even though most were used to them, it was still frightening how big and malevolent they looked at times. Even though Grimlock, Swoop and Sludge came often to the Diner At The Corner for pancakes and eggs, they were still huge and mind blowing.

It was then that the Seekers began to arrive.

-0-TBC 4-7-18 **edited 4-13-18**

To be grandfathered into something is to be allowed to stay or continue no matter what changed otherwise.


	321. Chapter 321

The Diego Diaries: **FOOTBALL!** (dd6 321)

NOTE: I took forever to design the playing field on a big set of papers taped together and find all the team members plus adding the two. There are 186 players in this game now and that doesn't count the humans. **LOL! :D** Here we go …

-0-On the way

They were gathering, the giant mechs and the tiny humans who had their own contributions. Getting their assignments when signing in, the humans found their fort over on the other side of the Mountains of Death, Fort Quack as it was listed on the chart that Vinn held. He grinned. "I got a lot of messages from Ratchet. Apparently, Orion liked that fort when they'd walk home and he named it."

:Sounds like a winner: Lennox said as he laughed. Turning to the usual crowd of scientists, Resort femmes, soldier femmes, N.E.S.T. soldiers, three new players from Earth 1, Sam Witwicky, Warren Roberts, Glenn Morshower and wife, Barbara, John Fulton and Judy, Andrew and Lilly Boles-Settle, and of all individuals, Olivia Bowers and Joe, he grinned. :Fort Quack it is:

No one disagreed.

Oh and yes, Joe Bowers had taken a flight of fancy.

For the first time ever.

It was at that moment that Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons arrived with their oversize botlets following, both loaded to the gunnels with guns including one on the top of Seymour's doppelganger's head ala Devcon. They would be free range.

So would the following …

Jazz, Mirage and Bee. Magnus, Jetta, Mack, Springer and Drift along with Hauser had said they would help defend Fort Teal if needed but they were going to free range. A botlet lasted longer on the run than cooped up in a box no matter how many guns it had facing out. They would be joined by Charlotte and Seymour. It would be good and comical at the same time.

Fort Teal would be the last known residence of the femme team, Maelstrom, Lee-Lee who was Ratchet's assistant, Blackstone, Barron, Gee-Gee who was the awesome local warden, and Maxi of the Perky Moped and Flying Kick of Doom were helping defend Teal. Magnus, Jetta and Mack would range but defend.

Or so they implied.

Blue Team would once again be Ironhide, Raptor, Turbine, Delphi, Fireball who was loyal, Edict with Riff and Rad-R, Proteus, and Hard Drive given leadership due to advanced age and seniority.

('senility'-Raptor)

They had struck alliances with Red and Brown teams in the hope of lasting through the Dinobots because hope was eternal. There were others made but they were secret.

Maybe.

Yellow Team was once again the twins and Blue. They also included Devcon who struck an alliance with Blue team because he loved Raptor, Smokescreen, Smokey, Hot Rod even though it was tense (with unfulfilled lust and fury) and because Roddy was always a member, Sandstorm, and Bob who was a mascot. He was also a game piece having been crafted to **EXACTING** specs by Sunstreaker to represent the biggest, baddest full on mature adult Insecticon that had ever been seen in these parts with an Autobot tat and Bob in Gothic script over his huge chest plates. It looked like it could bite a hunk out of Prime's actual leg without a problem. Bob who only vaguely remembered why that bot looked so familiar lay down on his peds in groveling adoration bringing a tear to the optic of everyone around.

Brown Team had a lot of alliances even as they trumpeted to the heavens their independence. They were lead by Hercy and Kup and included but were not limited to Ramcharger, Alejate, his antique atar along with Elba his antique ada who finally got her own dollie, and three old geezers named Density, Corrosion and A1-23 or 'Toothy' as he was called. Whether it was because two-three sounded like it or if he ever had dentition in some dim past, one didn't know.

It was a mystery of the universe.

All of them utilized canes and knew how to use them. They were either members of The Immortals or their first born children.

 **"FRAG YOU ALL! WHY, I REMEMBER BACK IN THE ORN WHEN THE SHARKTICONS BLAH-BLAH-BLAH!"**

Red Team or The Prime 1's were led by himself, Optimus Prime and included but were not limited to Prowl, Miler, Venture, Willa, Devcon who was free-ranging between Yellow and Red, Artur and his brother, Tabulation or 'Tab', Coln-2, Arrow and Paragon, Hauser, Faun, Holi, Wheeljack of all mechs, and Perceptor.

Apparently, Wheeljack hadn't been allowed to mine the field so he had to choose up. He chose the Matrix.

Now he gets religion.

Thank Primus.

Team Human or the 'Soon To Be Grease Spots' as the bots called them consisted of everyone who could manage to get a bot together on time. They were squeezed into the fort past the mountains where most of them were hoping no one would see them until the end where they would burst out, finish off those still stumbling around and take home not only more disembodied heads for their collection in the N.E.S.T. HQ and Family tower but the trophy itself.

That leaves two, count them, two mini-con villages. First, Mini-Con Central led by Leader-1 and consisting of him and twelve others including Mudflats and Skids.

Apparently, their time outs were completed to Lea's exacting standards this time.

Secondly, there was **CAMP AWESOME!** led by the one and only soon-to-be-a-father, Cliffjumper, undefeated and current reigning champion. Buzzie who hovered behind him with a few hundred of his family held a little pennant that said, **"GO, CLIFFIE!"** and was assisted by a wild aft party of co-conspirators which included Flim-Flam, Hopalong, Sipple, Pokey, and JimJam. They were, of course, regulars in Magistrate's Court and knew how to put on a good show.

This might actually be good.

A new entry, Team Oceania was created by Beachcomber and three friends from the climbing group that they created to venture into the back of the beyond on Mars. They had a small island built in the middle of the ocean, Pretty Ocean, that could only be reached by boat. It was **HIGHLY** fortified and isolated. There were three docks. One had row boats. Another had inflated rafts and the last was a submarine base.

This would be good.

Green Team was the big frames, all of them but a resolved Fireball and wavering titan and dread kids who wanted to be loyal to **EVERYONE**.

Purple Team were the Seekers. Starscream would continue to be tactician and Rainmaker would continue to be no use from guffawing madly. They would continue to die in numbers and many and sundry ways.

That left the scariest force both on and off the board, the Dinobots and their ever loyal and devoted team. No one would know the planning and drill that went into this given the growing IQ of the group through the science and effort of Ratchet and Perceptor. They would include the Monster Trucks, No-A of all individuals … monster trucks of a feather apparently flock together … a half dozen raptor dinosaurs, a tip of the Fedora to Earth and the Cretaceous, and an unknown horror in the hole in the ground.

Mommy.

Standing along the sidelines with their own life-sized robots, the kids who were going to play in the treasure hunt during half time … yes, they now had a half time … were watching with amazement and delight. A good dozen human kids and a good dozen Cybertronians were waiting for their turn. Among them was a tiny dog from the last game, Mr. Boo, saved from an early grave last time when Sunspot ran onto the game board during the battles and scared everyone to death.

New rule: Stay off the slagging game board.

They fogged in setting their little mechs in the designated spots for their team. The crowd was ranged around, the taller in the back and shorter in front. The Hu-An were there in numbers, laughing and waiting as expectantly as ever. They were a surprise last entry into the game. Half a dozen huge muscular and long horned Hu-An bots stood in their space waiting like the others. Expectation was high everywhere and when the Temple and medical botlets were placed, everyone turned to Vinn.

That he blasted his horn helped.

He laughed. "Welcome to the third game of the Autobot City Gamers Guild. Included here today will be the Youth Auxiliary." **HUGE APPLAUSE AND MUCH BLUSHING OF EXCITED CHILDREN.** "First of all, business and rules along with safety. Any more teams or individuals? We have Team Fuchsia which are the two mini-con groups ..." **HUGE APPLAUSE AND MUCH LOUD LIP NOISE FROMM THE SLAGGERS!** "... Brown, Red, Teal, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Purple teams ..." **HUGE APPLAUSE AND MUCH CHEST BUMPING AND THUMPING AMONG THE PUNTERS!** "... the free range contingent, the Dinobot team ..." **MUCH BOOING AND LIP NOISES AMONG THE SOON TO BE RIPPED TO SHREDS TEAMS!** "... and last but certainly not least, new this game, the redoubtable **TEAM HU-AN AND TEAM OCEANIA!** "

 **ENORMOUS APPLAUSE!**

 **ENORMOUS RUNNING OF THE MOUTH!**

 **SLAG FROM THE SOON TO-BE-EVEN-SHORTER TEAM TEAL!**

Huge waving of a pennant by Buzzie that warmed the cockles of everyone's spark, he was that loved. **MASS CHANTS FROM MINI-CON VILLAGES AND THE GIANT STANIX CONTINGENT!**

"Now, safety. No child may enter the game. Ever. Tell me and I'll halt it if the reason is good. Saving your amma is not a good reason, infants."

Huge laughter and some disagreement from the ammas present including a smirking Devcon.

"If you can make it to the sideline, you can be repaired. The Game Place and Micro-Gaming Central have come to do the deeds if you can make it. They also made all the miniature bots. Give it up for both companies."

Everyone did. The windows all around rattled from the patter of the yelling.

"The Temple, Aid Station and Mausoleum are off limits for fighting. We would've had the Primal Basilica here to be holy ground and sanctuary but it was pretty beat up last time and the stained glass windows are taking a bit of work," Vinn said as the crowd vented their regrets. "We're going to allow you ten minutes on the TMC to get where you're going. No one has mined the field, thank you, Wheeljack and Perceptor," Vinn said to loud and ribald mockery, "so that isn't going to be a factor. Just know that some of the players are combiners, some have developed hidden abilities and some are just as mean as it gets."

 **HUGE** laughter and agreement.

"Please note that I have helpers doing the refereeing here to help keep it real," Vinn said. "Please wave your flags, friends."

They did, delighted and self consciously pleased with the applause as they stood beside Vinn.

"Okay, no questions?" There were none that were relevant beyond Cliffie's ass getting trounced and prayers for the slaggers against the Dinobots. Vinn grinned. "We would like to call upon Lord Lauren, then Lord Optimus."

 **HUGE APPLAUSE.**

Lauren grinned. "Don't blow up the Temple and may Primus go with you. Someone should."

 **HUGE, HUGE** laughter as the priests walked around the game to put their little bots on the Temple plaza. Sela followed with a grin. Everyone then turned to Prime including enough cameras to cover every inch of the area ten ways to Sunday.

He glanced around, then shrugged. "May the fortunes of sportsmanship smile upon you. Though, I will say, I hope I win this thing." **HUGE LAUGHTER AND A TENSE PROWL NODDING AS HE LOOKS GRIMLY AROUND, HIS BLOOD LUST ALREADY PEAKING.** "No cheating, no holds barred. **AUTOBOTS, ROLL OUT!"**

And they did.

It took a moment for everyone to find their place. While they did, the announcer began to outline the battlefield with Vinn. "Please describe the field of battle for the viewers here on Mars, Earth, Cybertron, and beyond, Vinn."

"This field was designed and built by Beachcomber and his committee. He has a fort in the middle of the ocean over there," he said. "It and the team is new. We don't have a lot of luck with the river and lakes. Note the bridge over there is the only safe place to cross unless you can jump like a gazelle. Under it is a troll or ogre suggested by a child of a member of the planning commission that overseas this game. Nothing is as it seems. To the right, you see Metroplex in the near corner which has the river running through part of it. Camp Awesome borders the edge farther out and then the oil pit is next. Following along the far edge is a mesa that the Dinobots have claimed. Next to that is Red Fort led by the Prime. Coming this way, you see Yellow Fort which is intersected by the river, Blue Fort led by Hard Drive, then the river itself.

"If you look to the right, you see the bridge where the ogre is. Crossing the river that runs at 45 miles per hour, roughly 200 miles per hour if it were up sized from botlet to us, you will come to one of two mazes. Free rangers tend to hide in them. Brown team claimed the area on this side of the river from Metroplex and between the city and Swirly Hole Lake. They don't tend to have a fort itself. As you come to the sidelines again, you will find Mini-con City, the second village site.

"Going eastward, there are the crags which are jagged peaks with snow and glaciers, Green Fort which wanted a moat, up from them is the Underground Fort designed and created for the Dinobots and whatever horrors they brought with them. If we continue, look farthest out … that's Green Team's fort and is the home of all the big frames. The Temple, Mausoleum and Triage Center is next along that direction followed by Team Teal and their fort.

"Coming this way, south of Green Fort is the second lake, Blue Lake. South of that is the city, Hammer of Primus. Nearby to him is the city, Consolation. Both live here when not at work on Cybertron and beyond. The Seeker mesa is next to Consolation and will be home of Team Purple until their arms and legs are pulled off by the Dinobots." Vinn grinned and so did the reporter. So did everyone on five worlds and some far out bases.

"Go eastward and you find another maze, a huge one. Free rangers tend to hang out there as well. We're passing Pretty Ocean. The small island in the middle is for Team Oceania and can only be reached by boat or sub unless your little bot can swim. Next to Pretty Ocean is a huge razor wire maze. Get in that, lose a body part, its that sharp.

"Following that, you come to three tower surrounded by razor wire. I was told that's an open fort. If you can get through the razor wire, then the guns can pick off anyone on the board. Its sort of an incentive site suggested by Wheeljack because he's still steaming about not being allowed to mine the game board. South of that is quicksand but no one knows. The committee decided to leave that out from the players. One of the rules here is you can't be tapped into the commentary. We have a dampening device curtailing the internal commentary link with us unless you stand this far away from the game, so I can tell you and they won't know.

"Further east, you come to the Mountains of Doom, Fort Quack, the last resting place of Team Human and N.E.S.T. and way up to the north on the edge of the game board, the Canyons of Doom. Those are steep, boulder strewn and dangerous."

Jacx grinned. "You sure know how to mess things up."

Vinn grinned. "Bingo." He looked around the board, then pulled a starting gun. **"THIS GAME IS ON!"** he said, then he fired it into the air.

A roar of the crowd was only exceeded by the roar from the Dinobots themselves.

-0-TBC 4-8-18 **MORE TO COME! Edited 4-13-18  
**


	322. Chapter 322

The Diego Diaries: It's On (dd6 322)

-0-Game On

It was amazing how fast off the mark the Dinobots were. They ran forward in full root mode, their weapons flashing as fire poured forth. Reaching their mesa, they climbed and jumped aboard it, then roared as one. It was then that they seemed to run in circles but to those who knew, a combiner was forming before them.

"Frag," Ratchet said as he grinned at Prime. Prime was grinning as well.

The bots came together and seemed to burst into light. When the light burst cleared, a combiner was there. It was nearly twenty feet tall which was almost terrifying. Some of the crowd watching nearly flipped out their own personal guns. Prowl looked at Grimlock. **"WHAT THE FRAG!? SINCE WHEN!?"**

"Since now," Grimlock said with **HUGE** satisfaction.

Starscream blinked, then glanced at Rainmaker who stared at the combiner with a huge smile. :I think we need to act:

Rainmaker looked at him, then smiled. "Do it," he said.

Starscream looked at his remote, then sent the message. Everyone of the 25 Seekers in the game rose up and flew upward with their usual audial shattering flair. They flew upward and swarmed together like a flight of sparrows. They swirled, then flew like a missile toward the Combiner which was hurrying to turn to face them. Fire spewed at them and was met with the strafing power of 25 Seeker jets. The bullets and bolts of energy hit the big combiner in a continuous malevolent stream. They flashed past rat-a-tatting on the ground until they flew over and swirled in the air once more. The noise was thunderous.

It was silent a moment, then the combiner fell apart and rolled down all the many sides of the mesa. At the bottom, they lay a moment, then they moved again, clambering back up to gather at the top. Working together, the Dinobots activated the combiner code and the little bots jumped at each other. They crashed, then fell to the ground. It would appear that their combiner ability was kaput. What was instructive was that the entire fusillade had left no other marks on the bots.

It was disquieting.

"Well, that deserves all the love it can get," Venture said with a smile. **"ALL HAIL, STARSCREAM!"**

A roar broke out among the punters as everyone bent into the game. Springer and Drift who were hiding by the maze near the swirling hole of water named Swirling Hole Lake moved forward heading by horseback to Blue Fort.

"Well, look at that. You never learn. Horses are so vulnerable, though I will say you have little to no tail on those," Ratchet said with a grin.

"These horses have skills, Ada," Springer said cryptically as he glanced at Springer.

"I won't argue with that," Drift said. As he did, the Dinobots issued the first throw down.

" **YOU'RE ALL COWARDS! COME FIGHT US NOW!"** Grimlock bellowed.

Everyone looked at each other, then Grimlock. "No." -everyone

Huge laughter on several worlds and out in the hinterlands where the bad guys were watching erupted along with interminable bad mouthing of one's length of back strut and the ability to use it.

Grimlock took the lay of the land … Yellow Fort straight ahead, Blue Fort to the left, his left and Red Fort farther to the left. Glancing at the others, it was silent, then they all nodded together.

"Oh, frag. That's not good," Prowl said softly, but not softly enough for the cameras to miss.

" **I, GRIMLOCK, SAY WE BREAK RED FORT! I, GRIMLOCK, SHOULD BE PRIME!"**

A sweep of shock ran through the crowd. Then Vinn hollered out. **"WAIT A MINUTE!"**

Everyone including Grimlock paused to look at the big grinning mech. "I want to tell you about an extra feature. There are five disks hidden all over the game board. The team that gets the most wins something. I haven't decided what it is but it might be an advantage in the next game. Just so you know. Obliterating each other isn't enough now. You have to compete for prestige by winning the treasure hunt. **BEGIN!"**

Everyone glanced at each other, then watched as the Dinobots roared down the mesa toward Red Fort. Prime who watched them come looked at his team. **"WHY US FIRST ALL THE TIME! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE GUYS?"** he asked as he pointed to others. "Get ready for the slaughter. Try to not make it our own."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER** and agreement bloomed in the dessert of hard knocks as the plague swept toward them on thundering peds.

Grimlock's team began to try to climb the walls to grab the guns at all three levels of the towered fortress. The team inside defending consisted of Optimus, Prowl, of course, Miler, Venture, Willa of the Dojo, Artur, her now bond and majordomo of Smoke, Faun from City Hall, Holi from Arms and Armory, Wheeljack and Perceptor because they were enforcing ethics for a change and it was join a team or sulk, Devcon who was free ranging but associated with Prime, Artur and Tab, Hauser, Chief of Detectives and gang expert along with great good friend, Coln-2 who was chief prosecution director of the colony.

All of them ran for a gun turret as the great steel gate was closed. Of the group included, only 5 were warriors and of the rest, only 2 others had ever had any kind of combat no matter how feeble.

Yes. In this case, fighting over bread sticks at the steak house counted for combat.

They did, however, try, having worked their tush off in the desert doing tiny maneuvers, so …

They were doomed.

Things were locked up and guns redirected just as the Dinobots arrived. Slamming into the gate, they managed to break one of the hinges. Everyone flinched, then bore down. Unfortunately, their guns didn't bend down that far so if the invaders clung to the walls of the fort, they couldn't be blown to bits. Everyone else took notice and 'oh frags' and 'what the hell's' bloomed everywhere for a few moments caught lovingly by the many and sundry cameras everywhere but up Grimlock's aft

" **I WILL BREAK THIS THING DOWN!"** Grimlock said as he and Slag slammed into the door. It began to bend in.

"Frag, Optimus," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Do you need me now or later when you're scattered all over the place?"

" **I NEED BLUE FORT!"** Prime said with a grin.

"What do you need, Prime?" Hardie asked. "I can't hear you."

"That's **FINE!"** Prime said with a chuckle. Everyone ran to the walkway at the very top, everyone but Prime and Prowl who were standing in front of the door to die first when the slaggers broke through at last. Venture wavered, then went upward with them, too. Someone had to carry on the family name and tell stories to Prima about his long gone relatives.

The others reached the top, spread out, then began to shoot downward. As they did, two other Dinobots sneaked around the back to begin to beat down the stone walls. Their fists punched hard. Their fists began to break the stone.

 **"VEN! THEY'RE BREAKING IN!"** Miler said as he ran his bot to that side to shoot downward.

" **DO YOU NEED US, MILIE!?"** Edict asked as her bot waited at Blue Fort nearby.

 **"I DON'T KNOW, EDICT! WAIT THERE A MOMENT!"** Miler said as he began to drop rounds onto the helms of Sludge and Snarl. They growled, then Swoop flew in and grabbed Miler's botlet. Miler screamed. Her little bot didn't. It was too busy falling to the ground.

 **"Oh, Ada! WHAT THE FRAG!?** " Prowl said as they kept up the fire. Up Swoop went, then he let go of Miler.

" **I'VE GOT THIS!"** Warlord called out as he transformed and flew madly toward the falling botlet of Miler of Praxus. Fast he flew, then upward. Jetting even faster, he caught Miler ...

... where upon both promptly fell to the ground under the falling weight of Miler of Praxus. They both landed in Swirly Hole Lake. They both disappeared immediately.

"Oh, frag." -Miler and Warlord.

Everyone else? **"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAHAHAHAAAHAHAA!"**

" **BEACHCOMBER! WATERSHIP DOWN!"** Ratchet bellowed, then smiled brilliantly. "I don't know what it means either," he said to great laughter.

It was intense a moment as the group watched Grimlock beat on the door and the other Dinobots pound on the walls without interference. Prime glanced around. **"GET IN HERE AND HELP BECAUSE WHEN THEY FINISH HERE, YOU ARE NEXT!"**

The place burst into activity.

Everyone ran for the wind or dug in even deeper.

"Fraggers," Optimus said as his ada laughed madly behind him.

-0-Out there

"You do know that Prime has so much power and resources that he can play and film it for the masses," Outcast said. He was watching the recording in a group of mechs that were sitting in the rec room drinking high grade. They weren't on duty until the next orn but they were aware of the games and how they were broadcast. "He's so powerful he can play and wave it in our faces."

The others nodded, then looked at the big mech. He was a cold killer, a smart mech and tactical. One of them grinned. "Why don't you go tell Razorclaw. I'm sure he'd be fascinated. As for me? I'm going to drink and watch. I find this hilarious."

Outcast glared at him, then sat back. "Good thing you do, slagger," he said as he sipped his drink.

It would, indeed, be hilarious.

-0-Red Fort

Bot Grimlock beat on the door hard, bending the metal in the gate. Then he stepped back. Guns flipped up on his shoulders as he leaned forward. He fired, two rockets went out and slammed hard into the gate. It pushed it further back but the shrapnel hit Slag hard. He lost half his helm and a hand. Turning toward Bot Grimlock, Bot Slag blew him a bale of fire. Given that he lost half his helm, he also melted the other remaining half a bit.

"No more fire for you, Slag," Ratchet called out. "You'll burn your face off and die."

" **SHUT UP, RATCHET!"** -every player in the game not a Dinobot

Ratchet: **"BWAAHAHAHAHAHAA! CRYBABIES!"**

A crack could be heard as the wall began to crumble in back. Prime viewing the overall plan decided a strategic stroll elsewhere was prudent. **"BUG OUT THE BACK! SHOOT THE DINOBOTS AND RUN FOR THE EAST! I WILL COVER YOU! AUTOBOTS! BUG OUT!"**

It wasn't as inspirational as some commands but it got the point across. Bots jumped down and everyone ran for the back wall which was falling down. Shooting as they ran, they flattened Sludge and Snarl, then burst as a group toward the east and the possibility that some slagger somewhere would let them have more porridge.

So to speak.

Laying in the sand, Snarl and Sludge get up very slowly. By the time they turned to give chase, the group was flying. The Big Frame base was coming up and it didn't look good. Metrotitans as thick as asparagus and the odd dread or two slowed them down as Prime discussed things with Prowl, neither showing a shred of shame in their exploits thus far.

"Autobots, follow me," he said as he swerved to run back through the deep sand toward the river and the bridge that would allow them to cross toward the greater safety of a maze and a mini-con village. Given the mini-cons and their willingness to lick razor blades, so to speak, Prime considered it good strategy. It was more fun slagging mini-cons than someone big enough to hurt you back.

They flew. Figuratively.

:Prowl:

 **:WHAT!:**

Ratchet laughed. :Are you going over the bridge?:

 **:YES!:**

:There's an ogre uh, troll thing under it: Ratchet replied.

[Pause]

:There's four chasing us:

:Good point: Ratchet grinned. This was going to be good.

:Optimus, there's an ogre under the bridge. Remember?: Prowl asked as they came within sight of the river and bridge.

:Shrek. How bad can it be?: Prime asked as they began to slow at the bridge approach.

Something stirred underneath, then a huge figure crawled out. He was massive and square built. His head had horns like a ram and he had fangs out to here. He had muscles upon his muscles, appeared to be a mechanized organic and looked meaner than Megatron's mommy. He hulked to a stop before them and said, "Who's that trip trapping over my bridge?"

Venture glanced at Prowl. "We aren't even on his bridge."

Prowl shrugged. He didn't know, either. Nearby, though, a tiny mech was losing his shit over the greatness of the moment.

"We want to pass over the bridge," Optimus said because he was pure and thought reasoned discussion would help but it never worked.

Ever.

Just ask every villain in every universe in Hasbro.

"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll/ogre.

Everyone hit the internet, then Prowl as Senior Tactician and All Around Teacher's Pet relayed the story to Prime. Prime nodded, then moved his botlet closer.

 **"Oh, no!** pray don't take me. I'm too little, that I am," said Prime quoting verbatim the Norwegian fairy tale. "Wait a bit till the second group get here. They taste better."

"What if I don't?" asked the ogre/troll.

" **WHEELJACK! THAT'S NOT WHAT HE SAYS! HE'S SUPPOSED TO LET US PASS!"** Prowl said to Wheeljack who had created and would run the slagger himself even if his own Wheeljack botlet was running for his bacon in the group with Prime. Perceptor tut-tutted beside him.

" **IN WHAT UNIVERSE?"** Wheeljack shouted with an unholy light in his optics.

 **A HUGE ROAR OF LAUGHTER.**

Prime glanced at Prowl. "What now?" he asked with a grin.

Before he could say a word, the troll/ogre charged Botlet Prime.

-0-TBC 4-8-18 **edited 4-13-18**


	323. Chapter 323

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 323)

-0-On the ground in the … thing

"Where are you going, Springer?" Ratchet asked as he moved to stand between Drift and the big green and yellow mech.

"To watch Prime bite it," Springer said with a grin.

"You and all of us," Ratchet said with a snicker. "Talley-ho."

-0-Nearby

The ogre/troll ran forward toward Prime to 'eat him all up' supposedly. Prime's little mech brought guns to bear and began to shoot. The shots pinged off the ogre as he only minutely slowed from their impact. Prime glanced at Prowl, then gave the word. **"AUTOBOTS! COMBINE!"** With that, they did.

Venture, Willa, Faun, Holi, Coln-1, Prowl, and Prime ran toward each other and a fierce light blinded sight of them. When it was done, a fifteen foot combiner stood before the little charging ogre. With more finesse than they figured any of Red Team possessed, Super-Mega-Prime-Atron, named by Spirit, kicked the ogre hard in the chops. He flew up, spun, then landed in the Swirly Hole Lake with Warlord and Miler.

Starscream laughed. "More company, Warlord."

"Frag you, Starscream," Warlord said good naturedly from the huddle with Miler nearby as they worked toward retrieving their bots out of the deep. Miler nodded.

Prime laughed loudly, something lovingly filmed by the multitudes and all the cameras. **"TAKE THAT, VARLOT!"**

Everyone looked at him, skimmed the internet, then howled.

Prime turned the big bot slowly since as the helm he was in control. "Okay. Let's go visit Blue Fort and thank them for their support in our joor of need."

"Oh, frag," Hardie said with a laugh.

With careful steps the big menace walked toward Blue Fort as nearby the now combiner-free Dinobots considered their next move. They conversed off line, a thing that gave everyone the willies, then they began to run past the maze and toward the bridge. "Go to the underground fort," Grimlock bellowed and they did.

Prime being new to such exalted heights swiped at them and missed by a mile. Down the road at Green Fort, metrotitans, dreadnoughts and Supremes laughed loudly and mockingly for some time.

" **BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAA! IF IT WASN'T FOR MY MAIN FUNCTION, I'D SHOOT FOR PRIME MYSELF!"** -Hammer of Primus having a laugh and scandalizing Consolation who had led a more sheltered and nurturing life, the big hospital vessel. Secretly, he was fluttering with emotions and possibilities as Hammer flexed his metallic muscles and showed his rather fine quality.

Ah, young/old/ancient love.

Prime straightened his rather colorful tower of mechs and began again. Following on foot with weapons akimbo, Bit Bot Perceptor, Wheeljack, Hauser, and Artur with his brother hoofed it along madly. Devcon's bot who was part of Red Team stood in the maze by the lake watching over a metallic hedge. That is, all of the improvements of the bots allowed the players to watch their field of vision on their handhelds, allowing them to see what was on the up and up, so to speak, at ground level. Dev could divine that all was in servo at the moment so he held back, watching his grandson and their fort come under attack.

Little mech could use the experience.

It was at that moment that Ironhide, Raptor, Hardie, Delphi, and Turbine ran out of their little fort and began to combine. Behind them, Alor and Blackjack sulked. They wanted to be combiners, too. A flash of light signaling connection also blinded everyone and when the tower of black botlets finally straightened out, they were fifteen and a **half** feet tall.

"Prime, they're taller than you. How does that feel, big boy?" Ratchet asked.

"It's not the quantity but the quality," Prime said as he worked to maneuver the big toy forward. That he was buried in laughter and catcalls, especially from the mini-con villages didn't deter him from his focus … to slap Ironhide's family into the back of the beyond.

Ironhide's family with Raptor and Ironhide as legs turned toward the bridge and began to teeter toward the general direction of Prime. Hardie who was controller laughed. "Keep up, Ironhide."

"Yeah. Keep up, slagger. Don't make me carry this team," Raptor said as he was buried in laughter.

Fireball, Edict, Riff, and Rad-R hurried along behind with their little pop guns and swords. It was hilarious and the sweetest thing to watch their operators huddle nearby over their remotes with Hobbes. Standing nearby was Maddow and his family. They were with Hauser but even so, being this close to his cousin without a fight was progress. Ratchet looked around the huge area and saw many a mech and femme that were on his list of those who were concerns. Things like this were good. They brought people together.

It was then that Prime and Ironhide's little combiners faced off together.

" **YOU WILL EAT MY DUST!"** Raptor declared as he staggered forward directed by his father from on top.

Hardie grinned. "Step it up, Raptor. You, too, Ironhide. Time is not our friend here."

They hustled forward, raised an arm just as Prime's combiner did, then both whiffed, missing each other by a mile. Running forward with momentum, Prime continued onward rumbling toward Yellow Fort past Blue Fort as Hardie headed the other way. He barely stayed upright until he reached the bridge, hooked a ped named Raptor upon it and down he/they went.

 **KABOOM!**

A tiny mushroom cloud of dust rose upward as they came apart at the seams.

Prime, on the other servo, was slowing down until he planted a ped aka Coln-2 into the river which was gushing at 45 miles per hour, spun completely around from the force of it and fell backward onto Yellow Fort.

 **KA-BAM!**

A puff of Yellow Fort-a-tiers flew up, then down, their tiny popguns firing almost without command. It became quiet a moment as Yellow Team furiously discussed **THEIR** **REVENGE** off line. They were led by Sunstreaker and included Sideswipe, Bluestreak, Devcon when he wasn't free balling, Smokey, Smokescreen, Hot Rod, Sandstorm, Neo, and Laret. Somewhere under the swiftly unraveling pile of Super-Mega-Prime-Atron lay a number of bots with a vendetta.

Except for Neo and Laret who loved everyone.

Inside the confined spaces of the very tall and not very wide Yellow Fort, botlets were standing upright again. Smokey who had been flattened by a rapidly and heavily falling Optimus-let had a bent neck and an arm hanging by a wire. He walked forward into a wall, then kept walking.

" **WHAT THE FRAG! MY BOT IS HURT!"** Smokey said.

" **ON IT!"** Ratchet bellowed. Downfield, almost impossibly far away, a tiny red and white bot ran lickety split with a nautical safety ring under his arm. Heading past the debacle of all that was going on, he bore a flag of truce. That is, a tiny white flag was fluttering on the little pole welded to the top of his head as it ran with exaggerated urgency toward the gathering storm.

Prowl snickered, then glanced at Ratchet. "That sums you up to a tee, Loon."

"Frag you," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I may or not go look for your ada."

Ratchet's little mech arrived, opened the doors to the facility, waited for some of the clowns inside to exit in a stampede, then entered. He tossed the ring around Smokey's little bot and tugged on the rope attached. Dragging him out, he then began the long torturous trip to the triage center. Yellow Team was down one loudly complaining slagger.

Prime, on the other servo, was trading straight on fire with the twins and Smokescreen. Backing out, he parried shots brilliantly and was actually heroic in his defense before Hot Rod's little bot turned around and shivved him in the back with his sword. It was like time stood still as everyone watching froze. Prime and Hot Rod themselves stared at their bots, then each other, then the bots. Then tiny Prime jerked the sword from Hot Rod's tiny bot servo by stepping forward, then turning toward Hot Rod again to grip him tightly. The sword ran through Hot Rod, too.

You could have heard a pin drop.

-0-News on Earth, MCA HQ, New York City

"Oh, my god," the main newscaster said as the panel watching and commenting froze. "That's so … meta."

Everyone nodded.

"The player is Hot Rod of Yellow Fort and he just stabbed the Prime in the back. What a strong move on Prime's part to give him back his sword," the sportscaster on the panel said as he consulted the booklet of factoids he was given. He grinned. "I want to be in this game."

Everyone nodded.

-0-There

Prime grinned as he tried to push Tiny Hot Rod off his bot. The little mech didn't move. They were stuck, apparently. He frowned slightly. Big Prime did, that is. By then, Big Prowl filled with vengeance reached Little Prime and began to hammer Little Hot Rod on the helm with a good sized rock he picked up off the ground. Huge laughter rose upward.

"Never get on the wrong side of Prowl," Hercy said quietly as he watched with a slight grin. "He takes the bond seriously."

"Noticed that," Kup said.

Aunt Lissie who was free booting on the sidelines waiting to choose a team and enter that way, new rule, nodded. "If they would last longer, I would join them."

Snickers were had by all.

-0-Down at Ground Zero (Tolerance)

Prowl's little bot beat Tiny Hot Rod on the helm and Botlet Roddy was stuck and could do nothing about it. He couldn't do anything given that Prime was stuck to him face-to-face. So he did the only thing he could. He directed Tiny Roddy to grip Not As Tiny Prime around the waist, heave him up, then run away from Prowl as fast as he could. Huge laughter rose up, most of it from Smokey of Praxus as the two beat feet to flee/or not from Prowl.

Big and Little Prowl who weren't having it unsubbed Tiny Prowl's not so tiny guns and began to run as well, laying down fire on Tiny Hot Rod's butt as he did. They ran forward heading toward the river. Over the bridge Roddy ran with a wriggling Prime in his grasp. **"WHY DON'T YOU HELP HERE!?"** Prowl called out to Prime as he kept up fire trying to save his tiny doppelganger/poltergeist.

Big Prime: **"BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!"**

Over the bridge they went as Roddy fled the Wrath of Prowler. Ahead was Blue Lake, Green Fort with the airfield with the big frames and a mob of tinier Supreme bots that still looked like Sequoias even this size. A tiny botlet fully transformed to fly of Cosmos also sat there looking **AWESOME!** The group began to move toward the edge of their airfield causing Tiny Roddy to take stock. Ahead was the Doom of the Titans, behind was the Wrath of the Prowler, so he made the big mistake of going south past the Underground Fort of the Dinobots. Running madly, gripping Prime tightly, they made it halfway past before the ground rose up, two long arms reached out and pulled both Prime and Roddy inside. The earthen cover slammed shut and it was silent.

Prowl who was shooting constantly paused his little mech in front of the fort. It was sandy and earth covered, silent, malevolent, and had his mech.

Frag Hot Rod.

" **PAUSE THE GAME!"** Big Prowl called out as Hysterically Laughing Vinn did. He turned to the judges. **"WHAT THE FRAG IS THIS!? BRING PRIME OUT! KEEP HOT ROD! PULL OFF HIS LEGS! BUT PUT PRIME BACK IN THE GAME! GRIMLOCK!? IF YOU EVER WANT ON A MISSION *EVER*, PUT PRIME BACK!"**

Everyone looked at Vinn with amusement, then Grimlock and the Boys. Grimlock was conversing off line with his mob, then turned to Prowl. "No," he said.

It was on.

-0-MCA

"I think Prowl is having a meltdown. Prime is underground when two big arms reached out to grab both of them. I shudder to think what's down there given Grimlock and the Dinobots had a screen to cover when they loaded up the hole in the ground. Notice that Prowl is organizing a rescue. Go, Team Prowl," the sportscaster said with a grin. "Notice also how no one is helping him."

Everyone on the panel: **"BWAHAHAAHAHA! I JUST NOTICED THAT! BWAHAHAHAHA!"**

-0-There

Prowl was lit as his little mech stood on the lid of the Underground Fort and shot at it with his many tiny not-so-popguns, slashed as it with his little-diabolically sharp sword-lets and barely ducked getting himself blowed up from the blow back and reverb of his shoulder stingers. As fragged as Prowl was, it was instructive for humans watching everywhere just how armed these slaggers were. There would be speculation posed in inches of printed columns that someone somewhere actually saw a gun come out of one of the bot's asses.

Ratchet who dragged Smokey off the game board into the waiting servos of the techs picked up a pair of shovels, tossed them in the wheelbarrow and hoofed it to Prowl. Reaching him at last, his bot handed a shovel to Prowl's bot and the two little slaggers began to dig. Downwind to the left, a massive shootout was underway.

-0-TBC 4-9-18 **edited 4-10-18**

A varlet is what Orion would call a bad one. Shakespeare used it and it means punk. Medieval word. :D


	324. Chapter 324

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 324)

-0-Stuff

There was a huge shoot out around Yellow Fort as hot helms began to make their point when everyone was distracted from the spectacle of Prowl and Ratchet digging on a mound of who knew what trying to liberate Prime.

Roddy was on his own.

Smokey would be enjoying that more than he was at the moment because at the same time he was caught in the cross fire of three forts shooting it out together. Having just been repaired, he was back and ready to rumble. Red Fort, former home of Optimus Prime currently relocated to the dungeons of Hell(ishness) was shooting it out with Blue Fort or Whining Central after The Fall/Stumble of the Titan(ettes). Scrambling to run back to their fort, Ironhide's elders, Ironhide, Alor and 'Jack who were only sulking a smidge as Fireball hoofed it with them. Their fort was open and no one was home. Edict, Riff and Rad-R were heading that way as well after watching the combiner they were so proud of bite it at the bridge.

Yellow Fort had the inside track at the moment due to sheer numbers and leadership. The Insane Twins were in charge and they were rollering around shooting willy nilly at anything that moved. Blue was sitting on the top of his fort sniping. Dev was standing nearby watching Smokey shoot randomly as he hopped all around with his usual enthusiastic sense of invincibility. Smokescreen was next to him and if their bots could smirk, they would have. Sandstorm was grappling with Raptor **AND** Blackjack while Neo and Laret stood to one side fretting.

Their bots actually looked like they were fretting.

Meanwhile, back at the Pits of Doom …

"I don't think we're going to dig him out, Prowler," Ratchet said as he watched the two tiny bots digging. "Where did the Dinobots go?"

Everyone heard him and froze. A quick look around the area brought them into view. They were hiding by the crags waiting to go to either Mini-Con City led by Leader-1 or toward Orange Fort with its moat. It was then that the tiny bot of Auntie Lissie could be seen hoofing it toward Orange Fort. She was carrying **HUGE** guns and a determined expression on her tiny bot face. Glancing at Hercy and Kup, she grinned. "I invite you to the cotillion."

Hercy grinned. "I accept." He looked at the others. "What about it, boys? Do we help the lady or what?"

"Count me in," Kup said as his tiny bot began to run.

" **WE'RE COMING, LISSIE!"** Ramcharger said as he, his atar, Alejate, his ada, Elba along with three other old coots began to run after them. **"REMEMBER THE IMMORTALS! REMEMBER CYBERTRON!"**

The crowd watching did. Wildly.

Lon glanced at Bezel who grinned. "Charge?"

"Charge," Bezel said as the two began to follow.

They ran swiftly for the antique mechanisms and reached the fort, forded the little moat and ran through the door. They boarded it up and clambered to the walls where they took up residence in the big big gun turrets that were there. They turned almost as one toward the Dinobots who looked at them with loathing.

"What now, Grimlock?" Swoop said as he leaned against Kappa's ped with his console.

:We go to the mini-con village but make it look like we're going to Orange Fort. Go between the crags and there, then run as fast as you can to the village. Destroy it: Grimlock said.

The others nodded, then ran like the wind from their hiding place waving their weapons and blowing fire. They ran past the fort and crags, then pivoted swiftly toward the village which was walled and had big guns. A lot of screaming commenced.

" **GET TO THE GUNS! FIRE AT WILL!"** Lea said as his little bot waved his tiny sword.

The Dinobots came fast, raining down like thunder as they reached the wall, then jumped. Flying over most of the guns and all of the walls, they landed inside the heavily populated area. Medieval style streets filled with three and four story housing loomed up and hindered the battle. Ten little bots, the mini-twins and Leader-1 fought like tigers. Most of them were left burning either inside their little houses, outside running for their lives or from sheer bad luck. The mini-twins and Lea ran down a street that split three ways. They disappeared.

Grimlock, Slag and Snarl who were following each took a street. There was bursts of fire going upward, pieces parts flying, then tense silence. That was when four of the five Dinobots exhaled as one and the entire place went up in flames. Hopping over the fence, they gave chase to three mini-cons who had abandoned ship and were hoofing it toward anywhere. JimJam, FlimFlam and a big little 'Con named Mopey were heading for anywhere with a door knob.

Metroplex would do just fine.

The crowd was laughing loudly as the first village went up in flames. It burned madly even in this, an almost no atmosphere atmosphere. The construction of things was different here the humans would find out through ventures like this. They would covet all of it **MIGHTILY** , the 1% slaggers.

Beating feet, the survivors of the Lost City of Mini-Con City passed Swirly Hole Lake even though Swoop was strafing their sorry afts with fire. Flying overhead low and swift, Mudflaps only a little bit worse for the wear gripped Swoop's ped and hung on for dear life. Away he went shooting wildly and yelling loudly.

" **MY BROTHER!"** Skids bellowed as he limped away from the growing black cloud of humiliation and destruction once called Home.

By someone.

Surely.

 **"KEEP RUNNING! THAT'S AN ORDER!"** Leader-1 commanded as he hobbled toward Metroplex. They saw the city emerging as they sort of wobbled after FlimFlam, Jim Jam and Mopey. Fortunately for them, they wouldn't have to cross the river but would run into the city toward wherever there was a knob with a combination lock. It would be over the elegant confines of Metroplex City that the Delbert named Mudflaps would let go and bounce down the steps of the Administration Plaza before rolling like a ball into the open doors of Club Cybertron.

The Dinobots slowed as the four survivors they were chasing disappeared into the city. Everyone who had stopped long enough to watch turned back to the fighting. Then the Dinobots headed toward them skirting the river by heading into Metroplex. They ran down the main street, took a right at Club Cybertron, then ran forward heading toward either Camp Awesome, Yellow Fort, their mesa, or a dip in the oil pit. No one could tell and once again, they all paused to watch with dread the horde of maniacal fraggers run their direction.

" **FORT UP! HERE THEY COME!"** Sideswipe said as he climbed off Ironhide to run for his own.

" **FRAGGER! COME BACK HERE AND LET ME *PUMMEL* YOU!"** Ironhide bellowed.

"He was pummeling **you** , infant," Raptor said as his bot let go of Sandstorm so he could run for Blue Fort nearby. **"YOU WERE THE SLAGGER ON THE GROUND!"**

" **I ALMOST HAD HIM! COWARD! YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE!"** Ironhide bellowed as he began to hoof it to Blue Fort.

" **POOR WIDDOW BABY!"** Sideswipe said with a laugh as their team began to stuff their fort.

"I give that mech the best few decaorns of his life and that's the thanks I get," Ironhide said with a grin as he stood between his grandparents whose little botlets were booking it as well.

"You didn't born them, infant," Turbine said with a grin as he transformed into a tank with Delphi to make entering the premises painful. For someone. Everyone was inside including Neo and Laret who manned guns immediately.

The two plucky femmes were both adorable.

Even tiny.

Especially tiny.

Edict, Riff and Rad-R made it was well and earned the applause of Hobbes who was really, really getting into it with Proteus. Madura who had a bot with Proteus were observing the Auntie Lissie rule. Truth be told, they were both scared to their superstructures.

It cleared up really quickly, the grand melee as everyone ran to fort up. Red Fort was falling apart in the rear and thus, Wheeljack, Perceptor, Willa, Artur, Hauser, Coln-2, Faun, and Holi gathered in the wreckage to peer out. "Who's in charge?" Holi asked as she watched Ratchet and Prowl's tiny bots dig their way to China. "Prowl is indisposed."

 **HUGE** laughter.

Dev who was watching saw his chance to become the big Kahuna so he motored in, transformed and walked to the doorway, too.

His little bot, that is.

"Never fear. Devcon is here."

Everyone turned to look at Smokey who was the punster and who blanched. Then they laughed. His relief was evident on his handsome face. Devcon who was laughing, nodded. " **Fort up!** They might come to finish us off. I'm sending you battle plans." He did.

Prowl who's little mech was digging like a boring machine glanced at Devcon. "You're **temporarily** in command."

" **You're** standing on a landmine," Dev replied with a grin.

They stared at each other, then Prowl looked at the fort his mech was digging into. Before he could make the little mech run, a pair of huge black arms, shining and long reached over the top and began to grab at Ratchet and Prowl. Ratchet's botlet flipped off while Prowl's was grabbed and disappeared inside. The lid shut and everyone gasped. It was almost revolting how terrible the moment was.

" **WHAT THE BLAZING HELL!"** Prowl bellowed as he turned toward Vinn.

Vinn grinned, then shrugged helplessly.

Prowl turned toward the Dinobots, then a look of outrage coupled with vengeance like a bonfire crossed his face. "Open that slagger and let them out. **Unless** you want to clean latrines for the rest of your slagging life ..."

Grimlock stared at Prowl, then grinned ever so slightly. "Alright, Prowl … since you asked." He began to work his console.

Everyone glanced down field to watch with a growing sense of dread, danger and loathing as the lid slowly, ever so slowly rose up. When it did, two dark forms leaped out and landed in the open space over the river that separated Red, Blue and Yellow Fort a great distance away. It was then that the humans and then the bots because the humans were … started to scream and run in circles.

-0-A few moments later

" **WHAT THE FRAG! SHOOT IT!"** Prowl said as the two giant hairy scary and metallic tarantulas stood beside the mesa waiting to be deployed. **"FRAG INSECTICONS!"**

Grimlock grinned, then deployed one toward Yellow Fort. As it crept slowly like all arachnids do when they do anything, the sneaky bastards, all of which grosses out all humans everywhere except for those who **LIKE** them and who are probably severely mentally ill because they do … like that … everyone, even the bots stared at them with the instinctive loathing that humans and now, bots, have for spiders. The sound of a gun went off and the spider flew into several hundred shiny metallic bits. Everyone stared at the bug's bits, then looked around for the shooter. No one had a gun and no one was volunteering.

Grimlock frowned, then he looked at Vinn. **"WHAT THE FRAG!"**

Vinn who was secretly **DELIGHTED AND DANCING THE METAPHORICAL MAYPOLE** looked at Grimlock with feigned sympathy, then shrugged. "It's in the rules."

:Since when?: -everyone in the crowd.

:Since now!: Vinn said as his internal audials rang from several hundred people off lining to him at the same time about killing the hairy slaggers. "Since last time. It's called the Sandstorm Rule."

It was unanimously approved by the Congregation.

Off line.

We **are** taking, after all, about the Dinobots.

Fuming madly, Grimlock pressed a button. The remaining spider began to rampage.

 **HUGE SCREAMING AND RUNNING IN CIRCLES BY HUMANS AND BOTS ALIKE COMMENCED!**

Their little bots, however, kept their slag together and the fusillade against the **EVIL FROM THE PIT** was almost unimaginable.

-0-MCA

" **IS IT DEAD YET? IS IT DEAD YET? IS IT DEAD YET?!"** -two of the six commentators on the panel exhibiting their arachnophobia from behind their hands.

-0-Across most of planet Earth …

" **IS IT DEAD YET? IS IT DEAD YET? IS IT DEAD YET? IS IT DEAD YET?!"**

-0-Cybertron

"What the frag is **that** , Amma?" -everyone on Cybertron with an amma

"I don't know but if they don't kill it soon I'm going to shoot the monitor." -every amma on Cybertron

-0-Camp Terror, Razorclaw's base and the base of Ominous, yet to be named

"I think I'd like a few of those." -Razorclaw and Ominous

:Frag. I hope not: -everyone else on two bases

-0-There

It would be talked about a long time how high spiders can jump. A swift search of the internet found that if a tarantula was agitated or cold enough it could leap 12-14 feet in the air. This one did and landed on top of Yellow Fort. Everyone inside began shooting upward all at the same time. It leaped again and landed outside of Camp Awesome where thirteen mini-cons were screaming for their mama. It was then that a gun came out and a spider flew into splinters under direct fire.

Everyone stared at the spider, then the shooter, then Grimlock. It was fortunate for Buzz Saw that Buzz Saw was Grimlock's surgical nurse during his mental upgrades or Grimlock would be sorely pissed. However, he wasn't.

Mostly.

After all, **EVERYONE** loved Buzzie.

Buzzie looked shocked and worried as he glanced around with a smoking gun in his servo. Cliffjumper who was startled, then began to do what Cliffie was good at.

Yelling:

" **DID YOU SEE THAT! BUZZIE IS THE BEST! HE'S THE BEST OF THE BEST! SEE THAT *GRIMLOCK*?! FRAG YOUR BUGS! WHAT YA GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!?"** Cliffie said loudly but not well.

Grimlock stared at him, then grinned. "Why don't we find out?" he said as he turned his own bot toward the village. The other four began to run to join him. All of the Dinobots were heading for Camp Awesome commanded by the Generalissimo Majordomo El Supremo Cliffie.

It was hard to figure what was worse … a giant spider or five Dinobots with a grudge.

-0-TBC 4-10-18 **edited 4-18-18**

We grew up with a kid named Delbert Morrell Mitchell. He was always getting swatted by his too old to be parents parents. Now, if you're a dudley or doofus, my family says, "Don't be a Delbert." :D

I grew up in a house with black widows. ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!


	325. Chapter 325

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 325)

-0-There

They came in a cloud of dust, four bots running and one flying. They spewed fire as they closed ground.

" **WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, CLIFFIE!?"** Buzzie cried out as if the little slagger himself was going to die rather than his cute and **HEAVILY** armed little botlet.

" **THIS!"** Cliffie said as he fell back to the gates of his city where twelve of his troops were finding places to hide. Rocket launchers flipped up out of botlet subspace and fired. The recoil shot him backward into the city where he went through three walls before he slowed down enough to fall to the floor in a haberdashery shop.

Grapple liked 1800's UK architecture styles.

Two missiles spiraled toward the bots who lunged to miss them. All of them did but Snarl who was shoved into them by his brothers fleeing and was vaporized. The three on the ground and Swoop hovering stared at the glassed hole in the ground where Snarl had stood, then turned to the fort. Fire blew in bales as they started up again.

One down, four to go.

 **HUGE** applause lit up that statistic as the Dinobots reached the city gates. **"BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND!"** Grimlock said as he took a road going right and exhaled. The others took their own routes, breathing out at different intervals to set the place ablaze.

Little bots were running for the walls, climbing over and heading lickety split to Metroplex where several other survivors of their own special Titanic were hiding out with Leader-1 and the heavily grieving and venting Skids. They would be followed by several bots who were dragging Cliffie who wanted to stay and duke it out. Given the blaze in progress and the lack of fire departments anywhere, they were opting for paybacks at a future date.

" **I WILL FRAG YOU *UP*!"** Cliffie said firing at the debacle as his mechs towed him off.

It was then that Sludge jumped over the wall, transformed into a bot and ran for Cliffie. The botlet mechs who were towing him away dropped his snarling little botlet and ran for it. Clambering back up, Cliffie raged. **"FRAGGERS! I'LL SHOW YOU HOW A MINI-CON FIGHTS!"**

 **HUGE MINI-CON APPLAUSE AND BUY IN!**

 **STANIX DID A WAR CHANT AND DANCE AS BUZZIE STOOD OVER CLIFFIE CLUTCHING HIS SERVOS TOGETHER AS HE WATCHED IN HORROR.**

The only thing missing were the pearls.

It was then that the stingers came up on Cliffie's little botlet shoulders and the last two missiles in his arsenal flew out to hit their targets. Sludge who ducked just in time was nevertheless clipped alongside the helm as the missiles flew onward. They hit the wall of the village and blew up, throwing fire and shrapnel everywhere. Cliff watched them with appreciation, then turned to Sludge. That mech was walking in a circle. Cliff would've run up to him to administer the **CLIFFJUMPER FATAL BLOW OF DOOM! (TM!)** but Swoop had other ideas. He glided in, picked Cliff up and flew off. Buzzie nearly vapor locked.

" **AAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH! CLIFFIE!"**

Swoop flew off and disappeared so to speak somewhere on the other side of the game board whereupon he dropped Cliff from a (relatively) great height into the Mountains of Something Or Other. He fell into them and disappeared. A roar went up as Sludge continued to walk in a circle. That was about the time that Ratchet finally made it to the big Dinobot and nailed him with the nautical ring. His little botlet then started to drag him toward the sidelines.

 **"NO, RATCHET, NO!"** -every tarantula-hating individual there including the priests, Lady Sela, half the panel at the MCA who hadn't forgiven Grimlock either, everyone of the Supremes including several others who were still not returned to the family who would have agreed if they had been here, every human on Earth who wasn't deeply mentally ill, most of Cybertron who hated bugs especially Insecticon types, and Magnus.

He hated spiders, too. He also hated Dinobots but most did.

Except Sadee.

She sorta had a crush on Grimlock.

" **NO, RATCHET, NO! NO, RATCHET, NO!"** A chant broke out as Ratchet struggled, then dragged the little slagger over the line. He turned back to the crowd as the gamers took the little bot for repairs.

"Thanks, Ratchet. There's more here to work with than Snarl," one of them said with a grin as he glanced Ratchet's way.

Ratchet laughed. "Give me a magnet and I'll go see what I can get."

 **HUGE** laughter.

Ratchet's botlet picked up the ring and began to saunter back. **"I, RATCHET, HAVE LAID SERVOS ON, BRINGING TO TRIAGE THE LOST AND-"** That was as far as he got before the catcalls and genuine outrage that Sludge might come back buried his BS. He grinned as his little bot headed for the bridge. (Somewhere just off the game board a very pissed off Ogre/Troll huffed his way back through the feet of the crowd who were cautioned by Vinn not to step on him, the malevolent little slagger.) Ratchet had to rescue Prime, Prowl and whoever else was in the hole in the ground yet. Glancing at Grimlock, he grinned. **"GRIMLOCK! I DID YOU A SOLID! LET MY PEOPLE GO!"**

Grimlock grinned at Ratchet, then glanced at the hole. "Okay," he said.

Everyone froze everywhere, even on multiple planets, including the other Dinobots. The lid began to rise and everywhere on several worlds everyone waited for something revolting and not a little scary to jump out. They wouldn't be disappointed.

-0-Around

"Mama, I hate spiders," Little Former Pastor Bob said.

"I do, too," Former Pastor Bob said as he lounged in his parent's house for the game. He was president of the Earth-Cybertron-Mars Autobot Cultural Appreciation and Sports Association which had about 120,000,000 members at present and which had become a full time job. Not only was he busy in an office running an internet business that was number 46 in overall traffic on the internet but he was also consulted and often on television to explain the bots, talk about their culture and be a part of the presentation of their sports.

He had resigned his other job and taken to the new life with a vengeance. Never in the other life did he have as much fun, nor enjoy what he did this much. His wife worked with him and his kids helped him with social media. His parents were immensely respected, his mother the most read Autobot blogger on Earth, and all was well.

The slagger.

"They're all God's children," Amma Annie said with a grin as she real time blogged the debacle.

"There's that," Former Pastor Bob said absently as he watched the show. He was also live blogging and both he and his mother would be consulted afterward during the MCA post game.

Appa Leonard and Amma Annie grinned at their family. All was good.

-0-There

The hole opened slowly, like someone easing up a chest freezer door. Something could be seen moving inside and it was bone chilling. There wasn't a bot who couldn't destroy anything on the board with a well placed ped but this was still scary in some undefinable manner. Then the lid burst open enough that three things leaped out and landed in the open space near the Crags and Swirly Hole Lake. In their mouths, they held the well chewed botlets of Optimus Prime, Prowl and Hot Rod.

Three Utah Raptors shimmering in a nice metallic red reptilian-style paint scheme looked at everyone with shifty but deeply intelligent eyes. It was then that Grimlock signaled them to spit all three out.

 **PA-TOOIE!**

" **GRIMLOCK!"** Hot Rod bellowed as his bot got up with the other two. Roddy's body was covered in chew marks, teeth having done yeoman work on his frame. His frame among Cybertronians was considered mucho handsome and desirable which is why he perfected his paint scheme and general overall appearance over the orns. He knew he was that handsome. Now he looked like an old chew toy.

Smokey: **"BWAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAAAA! LOOK AT YOU!"**

Prowl was only marginally better off. Rather than toothpick legs like Hot Rod now possessed, he had bite marks, bent and pathetic little wing-stubs and little else. Prime, on the other servo, was more 'refined'. His arms and legs were slightly bowed making him look like an old time cowboy or a barrel rider.

Not of the horse variety, one might add, but the actual keg.

Prowl fumed at Prime who was laughing loudly, then made his bot turn toward Hot Rod, pull out his big old gun, put it against Roddy's helm, and pull the trigger. The bullets took the top of his helm off staggering Roddy on his spindly legs.

 **"WHAT THE FRAG, PROWL!"** Roddy said with amazement.

" **FRAG YOU, *HOT ROD*! YOU'RE OVER!"** Prowl raised his gun again.

Hot Rod seeing retreat as the better part of valor beat feet with a sword still rammed into his chest. His little helm, open for all to see, sparkled as the mechanism worked from its control center inside. Prowl limped after him as Big Optimus howled.

Three raptors watched them without moving. It was unnerving. After a moment of intense willies, the three raptors hopped back into the hole and the lid closed. If everyone could breathe air, a sand storm would have kicked up when they did from the exhales of relief. Then everyone turned to the high comedy of P v HR.

Roddy ran toward Orange Fort hoping against hope to find sanctuary. If he had gone to the Temple, he would've had it. Now it was up to Auntie Lissie and the Boyz to decide if he lived or died. They were discussing it as the slow mo chase raged on.

"What about that infant? Do we save him or let the inevitable take over?" Kup said as he considered the spectacle. "He won't last long against someone with their complete faculties."

" **WE'RE TALKING DINOBOTS!"** Xantium bellowed to be ornery.

" **FRAG YOU, XANTIUM! I HATE YOU!"** Grimlock said as he maneuvered with the others toward Metroplex.

" **GO INSIDE, GRIMLOCK! TEAR UP MY CITY!"** Metroplex said with a smirk of Hidden Knowledge. Grimmy wasn't the only low down slagger in the game.

"What about we let him in and use him for a step ladder if the wall ramps fall?" Hercy said to Lissie, an old friend and dear combat companion.

"I think that would be merciful. It's not like he's going to be much help and if mechs pile up at the door because they can't get in it cuts down on our options," Lissie said sweetly and strategically.

" **SLAG HIM! SLAG THEM ALL!"** Ramcharger said as his bot stood on the ramparts with his little antique genitors. Elba and Alejate were standing beside him on the sidelines with their remote controls. They were good gamers. They were retired and had the time.

" **LET ME IN!"** Roddy said as he limped to the door.

They looked at each other, then Lissie nodded. "Let the mercy case in."

The doors opened, Roddy limped in and they closed. Prowl bumped his tiny helm on them as he found himself, yet again, a day late and a dollar short.

" **LET ME IN! I'M GOING TO MURDERATE HIM!"** Prowl roared as the crowd laughed mightily.

Hercy grinned, then turned toward Prowl. "You left Prime alone with the raptors."

Prowl nearly jumped out of his exoskeleton at that reminder, so the crowd had the happy opportunity to see him stagger back to Prime. "Optimus, move it along. Head for the bridge," he called out as he neared the Trap Door of Doom.

"Okay," Prime said with a chuckle.

" **YEAH! MOVE IT ALONG, PRIME!"**

" **LISTEN TO YOUR MAMA!"** -Venture

"Prowl, save that mech. He's holy." -Miler aka 'Prowl's Mama'

-0-A moment to study the situation or 'sitch-ee-ashun' as some arm chair generals call it ...

The teams are in various degrees of disarray and smashed-ness … Blue Team, Yellow Team, Red Team, Mini-Con City, Camp Awesome, and Cliffjumper have seen better orns.

The Dinobots are ascendant with possibilities luxe. The Arachnid Caper was a bust but the potential for the six, count them **SIX** , raptors to slay is off the charts. Miler and Warlord are hard at it with a tech kid to get their bots out of Swirly Hole Lake. Five mini-cons including Leader-1 hid in Metroplex while Cliffjumper and his entire team flee the site of their **Latest** **FAIL.** The level of angst of Buzzie was another casualty of Cliffjumper's **Latest** **FAIL**.

Two mini-con enclaves were burning with Mini-Con City tapering off. There would still be places to hide but they would be shorter than they were before and perforated with holes cast by exploding ordinance and falling rocks.

Two combiners showed their glory out of the many still hidden amongst the punters. They were Red and Blue Teams who showed a level of doofusness that was rarely achieved in the Annals of Fail, Epic or Otherwise. Red Team had a sad in the back confines of their fort and Yellow had a bit of damage from tarantulas falling out of the sky and those inside driven mad with overpowering fear and loathing unloading endless streams of gunfire into its tender and extremely ugly underbelly.

Like that.

Mudflaps was somewhere. Oh, right. He was crawling out of the bar of Club Cybertron in Metroplex.

Cliffjumper was wedged in the Mountains of Something Or Other.

Everyone had Swoop on their 'Kill- **DON'T** Capture' list.

The slagger.

Orange Fort was now occupied by Auntie Lissie and the **LEGIONS OF THE IMMORTALS** (and their antique sons) with **Three Towers Amid The Razor Wire** still up for grabs.

Forts and groups biding their time: Teal Team with the femmes and related spouses, the Titanic Team of (Blunt Force) Trauma aka titans and dreads, Seekers, Beachcomber whose little group was having a good time on the beach at their oceanic Fort Cool, free-ballers like Bee and Jazz's group were all still in one piece.

Sitting it out had its advantages.

Ask the Hu-An thus far.

Mudflaps crawled out of Club Cybertron and joined the other mini-cons under the leadership of Leader-1 until Cliffjumper arrived. The two were currently shooting it out for supremacy on the mean streets of Metroplex.

Hammer of Primus and Consolation were having a charming conversation and setting up a dinner date for the evening in the course of their budding romance. Both would agree that pretender gear was the bomb.

Ratchet would be getting the subtext first and have a casual conversation aka snooping session after the game that would scare everyone in the big frame camp for miles around.

No one would be getting any of the treasure disks hidden about, all five of them, for some time to come though Devcon who had the ability to be thinking about more than two things at a time would be hunting. Finding hidden things was his thing.

Prowl, on the other hand, and Paragon who was no slouch himself were too busy **FUMING AND SHOOTING THINGS** (Prowl) and **LAUGHING MADLY WITH HIS BOND** (Paragon) to tune into that part of the game just yet.

The orn was young.

The humans? They were waiting for everyone to kill themselves so they could cake walk to the win.

So was Madura and Proteus, though they were in truth just too intimidated as yet to enter though Edict was encouraging them.

N00bies...

-0-Back to the action

:I think we're playing a fool's game waiting for the Dinobots to either die or come to kill us. How about we take the war to everyone: Raptor said to Blue Team.

:Sounds good to me: -everyone on every team in the game together coming to the same conclusion independently.

Seconds later …

Everyone everywhere armed to the teeth and beyond ran out of their forts with guns blazing. Then they halted, looked around and ran back inside.

It was going to take a while for anyone to grow a pair and try it again.

That was when Springer and Drift galloping along the river decided to get fancy.

-0-TBC 4-11-18 **edited 4-12-18**


	326. Chapter 326

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 326)

-0-There

That was when Springer and Drift galloping along the river decided to get fancy. They had been working out the little bots and the horses in their spare time and being some of the most accomplished horsemen in the colony or anywhere else for that matter, they had decided to make their grand entrance upon the playing fields (of doom) by showing off.

Yes, hot guys can be exciting(ly stupid) sometimes.

They galloped along the river heading toward Yellow Fort which could be entered on either side of the river. Rather than doing the easy thing, they decided to show what they had perfected on the desert outside of Tyger Pax when no one was looking. Glancing at each other, they turned their horses toward the river and got up to speed. Side-by-side they ran, then side-by-side they jumped. Side-by-side they flew through the air and side-by-side they miscalculated the distance. Sitting up like a champion in the saddle, both little bots leaned forward to help mini-bot Yancy and Dancer make it to the other side.

Like twin flames flicking brightly and burning out too soon, both of them landed in the river.

Everyone watching: **"BWAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHA!** (intake of breath by everyone watching who breathed atmosphere) **HAHAHABWAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHA!"**

Both little horses hit the water, all of them went under, then came back up. Riding the horses like they were blow up versions in someone's backyard pool, both of them sailed swiftly away down river. They were really ripping along when they came to the bridge. They barely ducked it as they sped along.

"Frag," Springer said with a grin.

"We better get out of there. We have a reputation to protect as horsemen," Drift said with a snicker.

" **SINCE WHEN!"** -everyone there.

"Fraggers," Springer muttered. "Let them come around, then steer for that flatter level of land on the far shore near Yellow Fort. We can climb out there."

Drift nodded, then watched as their little horses and riders boated along in the screamingly fast current of the river.

"Well, wasn't **THAT** special?" Prowl said with a boatload of venom. He was currently directing a wobbly Optimus toward the sidelines where a tech or two was waiting for both of them.

" **SWOOP! GET OPTIMUS!"** Grimlock bellowed.

Everyone froze as Prowl's bot hustled Prime's bowlegs along, half dragging him by his finials. He would have let Prime use his weapons but his arms were so bowed it was problematic that Optimus might shoot himself in the face accidentally. They **BARELY** made it off the field as Swoop dive bombed them both. Prowl's little bot shot at Swoop and stitched his carcass. He flew erratically for a moment, then crash landed on the airfield of the titans of the Green Team. He stood up and staggered, then Xantium put his big botlet ped down and squished him so hard his main springs and mother board flew out to lodge themselves into the side of the Mausoleum nearby.

It was silent a moment, then **HUGE** laughter and applause greeted that.

" **I WILL KILL YOU, XANTIUM!"** Grimlock raged as he was approached Metroplex.

" **BRING IT, SHRIMP!"** Xantium said as he flexed his metaphorical muscles for Kappa. Kappa was torn between missing her little tweety bird and being impressed with her honey.

Swoop, himself, was pissed. "Xantium, you are a fragger."

" **I DON'T CARE!"** Xee said as he laughed loudly. Yes, Xantium Supreme was that bad ass.

"Three Dinobots to go," Optimus said as he watched Drift and Springer ride their floating horses toward the bank that would get them out of the river. That it existed was a nod to the problems of last time. Anyone who didn't get decapitated by the bridge would have an exit point to rejoin the game.

"Here we go," Springer said as they steered toward the bank. With a graceless effort, both pulled up and clambered onto dry land. Catcalls greeted that as the two galloped to Yellow Fort.

By then, an ogre-troll concoction had made it to the game and was sauntering in like a big pissed off gorilla. Wheeljack was locked and loaded.

-0-Metroplex

They found their fighting positions and were set to make Grimlock's appearance in the city smart. The ogre who noted Grimlock nearby headed toward him with a sword. Grimlock spotting him and relishing the idea of a fight that would be a challenge turned toward him as the other Dinobots of which Slag constituted the entire company ran onward to the city. Rushing back toward the ogre-troll, Grimlock pulled his sword out. They clashed. What would transpire would be inspirational for others who thought they could game well. The two, Wheeljack and Grimlock, would show everyone everywhere what a full on duel by swords looked like in miniature.

As that was happening, Slag made it to the city. As he entered the city, Metroplex the Gallant, Metroplex the Soul of his People showed his dark side. It was then that the city itself began to transform to stand up. Everyone paused including Wheeljack and Grimlock to watch with astonishment something that should have been solid and unmoving, move. With the cutest transformation sound **EVER!** , the city began to come together in a robotic modality, shaping ever upward toward completion. When it did, it would stand 14 feet all on its own, nearly the same size as its companion, the botlet that Metroplex played himself.

Everyone looked at it, then Metroplex, then it again. It had transformed but the bots inside who didn't get out could still be plainly seen. Their arms, legs and helms were sticking out of joints all over the big mech's body as they were folded into the shape of his root mode as he transformed. They had no way to get out, but merely found themselves becoming part of the transformation. None of them were dead. All of them had some bending but they were relatively intact and moving.

It was sickening to watch and if truth were to tell, the deepest and darkest nightmare scenario of Cybertronians everywhere.

 **HUGE LAUGHTER, HUGE SCREAMING AND DISGUST! 'OH MY GODS' AND 'WHAT THE FRAGS' EXPLODED AT NEARLY THE SAME LEVEL THE SPIDER'S ELICITED.**

It was loathsome and awesome and terrible and terrific all at the same time. Everyone turned to look downfield at Metroplex. That intensely handsome and terrifically ethical dignified mech was grinning at everyone. "Ha, ha. Fooled you."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER, INTENSE APPLAUSE AND APPRECIATION** for a member of a group of Cybertronians for whom love and respect were too small of a word to express the feelings of The People. These were the most selfless, most respected and most honored members of their society short of a good Prime. That one would do something like this was not only impressive but hilarious.

 **HUGE APPLAUSE FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND LAUGHTER!**

"Metroplex, it would appear that you have a bad case of mini-con. Do you want a cream for that?" Ratchet asked to uproarious laughter.

Leader-1 stared at his console, who then found his little botlet stuck head first in the shoulder of the big mech with his legs waving grinned in spite of himself. "Metroplex, we have to talk."

Kappa who was awash with admiration at Metroplex's audacity while Xantium and Ty were bent over laughing hugged him. "That was amazing. What now?"

"I think we have to have him join us," Metroplex said as he guided the big mech to the sidelines to walk around without harm. Yes, he was that good a mech.

"I don't know whether to laugh or purge my tanks watching those little bots wiggle," Prowl said as he watched the little mech walk in front of him on his way to Green Fort.

"I think there's a medical paper in there somewhere along with Lea's helm," Ratchet said.

Even Leader-1 laughed.

Grimlock and the ogre-troll turned back to the moment and began to slag each other again. As they did, the Seekers decided to exact a bit of revenge. Lifting off, all 25, they flew up, formed a obliteration formation, then flew in hard at the pair. Strafing the ground ahead of them, the two bots flew into the air in the chaos of the run. This was the formation that had destroyed Praxus and for some, it was hard to watch a Seeker annihilation even in miniature. When they pulled up there were blast marks on the ground all the way up but the two bots had little to show for their wear and tear. Starscream called out to Grimlock. "What are they made of?"

"Cybertanium." -Wheeljack, Grimlock and the Gamers who made them, the slaggers.

" **NO** wonder. Time to bring the big payloads," Rainmaker said with a smirk. "Maybe you can do this thing again and show them who brings the boom to the barrage."

Starscream smirked. "That would be poetic."

"Especially since you blew yourself up last time. Right?" Ironhide asked from across the way.

Starscream frowned. Then he transformed his fighter, flew it to his servo, subbed a huge bomb and attached it, then sent it on. Up, up it went. Then down, down it came. Flying for the two who paused in the battle to run, Starscream dropped the huge (for the game) payload.

On Blue Fort.

-0-Moments later after an explosion that could be felt on the armor of those in the back row, a blast that lifted humans and Hu-An off their feet ...

Starscream stood in a smirking group of his own mechs and smirked at the punters who wanted his metaphorical helm. Rainmaker had no opinion yet because he was bent over laughing. Everyone gathered back up again, noting the hole in the ground in the area of where Blue Fort used to be. Most of the mechs had flown upward and landed here and there around the game board. None of them were harmed by it since it had hit the ground, shattered the fort and knocked them out before the main blast. But the idea of it was galling.

Hard Drive and Turbine who had landed on top of the Temple, slid off and landed on their helms on the plaza. Ironhide, Delphi and Alor spiraled straight up and came down into the smoldering wreckage of their fort. Blackjack was digging how way out of the smoldering wreckage of Mini-Con City while Raptor found himself landing on his helm in the maze in front of Swirling Hole Lake. Edict, Riff and Rad-R were blown straight ahead and bounced off the front face of Dinobot Mesa before hopping back up to race back and save the Blue Fort survivors.

They were turning out to be outstanding mechs, all of them.

Fireball who was too big to be inside stood outside by the gate, daring anyone with big enough bearings to enter at their own risk. He had been blown sideways and ended up slamming into Red Fort. He was unharmed but majorly pissed. He looked at Starscream and made a decision. "Wolf Pack, arise," he said.

Across the way where the big frames were eight kids glanced at each other, then grinned. "We obey," they said almost as one.

Fireball turned to the Seeker fort. "We heed the call of the Primes," he said with a slight grin. "That and our family which you just blew up."

"What do you plan to do?" Razor asked. He was another handsome son of Rainmaker.

"We plan to defend our honor," Fireball said as his botlet pulled out a sword and gun from his 'subspace'. He started for Seeker Mesa by stepping across the river. From the north, their guns and swords ready, the other eight walked out to meet Fireball in the open space in front of the city of Consolation. It was disquieting how it looked that nine giant kids were coming for them.

The Seekers glanced at each other, then Starscream turned to his team. **"WHO IS GOING TO LET KIDS SCARE YOU FROM YOUR DUTY!?"**

They glanced at each other, then 24 hands went up. **HUGE LAUGHTER AND MOCKERY** erupted. Starscream smirked at them with disgust and amusement, then turned to the kids who were coming. **"BRING IT!"**

" **WE WILL!"** Xantium said as he tossed a box to the botlets at their base. It landed and the Supremes ran to it to take things out. They planted them. They were howitzers. They were ready to go.

Fireball looked back at the adults, raised his little botlet arm with sword, then his controller grinned. **"FIRE AT WILL! TEAM! CHARGE!"** With that, nine little bots began to run across the field toward the Mesa. It was then that the artillery began to land.

-0-At Camp Quack

The humans standing along the sideline watching the show were astounded at the intensity of the battle. Nine giant kids were running toward the Seekers who were gathering up to go. As they did the artillery shells began to hit the ground.

 **KABOOM!**

-0-TBC 4-11-18 **edited 4-12-18**

NOTES:

ESL: smart has several meanings. Smart as in intelligent. Smart as in looking nicely turned out. Smart as in hurt. If something smarts, it hurts. To make someone smart is to hurt them.


	327. Chapter 327

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 327)

-0-There

It rained down like thunder and not in a good way. The artillery being launched by the Supreme's little mechanisms was very high powered and were making their mark. Twenty-five Seekers had risen up to hover in the air, watching the mesa that was their fort disappear under explosions. They were so mesmerized for a moment that they didn't notice nine big kids rushing them. Swords swung through the air and half a dozen Seekers fell to the ground in two or three big fiery pieces. The others pulled straight upward. It was then that artillery shells began to fall onto the nine big kids.

Whether it was accidental or on purpose would be a much debated question in saloons all over Mars for some time. No one, however, would argue that it wasn't about the dumbest thing ever played in a game so far.

They burst and stung as they landed. At least, they stung in the sensibilities of the kids who turned to frown at their elders. Xantium who was leading the barrage laughed loudly as he preened with purpose for the benefit of Kappa who was grinning as she held her controller next to him. **"MOVE IT, INFANTS! WE HAVE A BASE TO TAKE APART!"**

Fireball who felt the burn, literally, glanced at his siblings. :I think the Supremes have earned a beating. All of them but Auntie Kappy:

They grinned and nodded. Then Quadrus looked at their elders from across the game. **"WOLF PACK! COME TO ME!"**

Eight kids grinned, then answered. **"WE OBEY!"**

Eight little mechanisms stopped their ducking, then turned toward Quadrus. Pulling both swords from their scabbards on their backs, they moved to make a spear shaped line, the point … Quadrus … gestured with one of his swords toward the base where their elders were watching with amusement. **"FORM UP AND EXECUTE ALPHA-BETA-TWO-EIGHT-ONE!"**

The little mechs swung their swords toward the ground, their points touching the earth. They then went through a small kata, one of three they programmed into their machines to unnerve the punters. Quadrus stepped forward, then turned his bot toward Prime who was watching with the rest of the crowd with intense interest. **"ALL HAIL, OPTIMUS PRIME!"** he said as the other eight echoed it. **"ALL HAIL, CYBERTRON!"** They hailed. **"FOR HONOR! FOR INTEGRITY! FOR THE PEOPLE! FOR PRIMUS AND THE ONE!"** It was then that they ran forward more swiftly than many would think possible with their swords over their helms straight for Green Fort and a good two dozen surprised mechs and one femme who loved them madly.

It was amazing how fast they ran across no mans land between the Pretty Ocean and Blue Lake. Almost as one, swords raised and their battle cries ringing, they leaped the river and landed on the tarmac in front of Fort Tall Dudes. With minimal swings of their swords in a clearly precise and determined formation, Supreme helms, arms and legs began to fly. Moving with recognizable form, with coordinated metrotitan precision, the nine kids demonstrated their quality.

There wasn't a veteran soldier watching, human or bot, that didn't feel all the feels: 1.) they wanted them in combat with them, 2) they were impressed by their precision even in tiny format and 3) they wanted them in combat with them.

The Supreme mechanisms who seemed mesmerized until the kids leaped over the river swung their artillery pieces around and tried to pull guns and swords in time but failed to do so. It was a slaughter. The bigger formats who knew their styles and abilities stepped their bots off the tarmac leaving the Supremes to be trounced. When they had disabled everyone but Kappa, they sliced and diced the artillery pieces.

"Auntie Kappy? You need to step off the board, please," Santee said as he turned to the female titan who all of them came to for a 'motherly' touch. "We don't want to hurt you."

" **YOU HURT *US*!"** Xantium said with fury. **"KAPPY! *ANNIHILATE* THEM!"**

"I will **NOT** harm children, Xee," Kappa said as she walked her little bot off the field. "Thank you, boys. I didn't want to harm you either."

"That's the point of the game," Beta said with a slight confusion as he glanced at the others. "Right? Isn't it the point of the game or am I missing something here."

"I think its the point of the game, Beta," Ty said around his belly laugh. **"ALL HAIL THE TITANIC KIDS!"**

All of them were hailed. Then they did their victory kata. Stepping on as many pieces parts of the Supreme slaggers as they could before leaving in triumph, they walked together off the game board to stand at the feet of their controllers. They were given a long and loud ovation.

Xantium in pretender format like the others frowned at the pieces lying there, then reached down to gather his up.

Edict waved his flag. "That isn't allowed, Xantium, not until after the intermission." He looked downfield. "Right, Vinn."

"You're right, Edict. Unhand those pieces parts, Xantium. You have to wait and personally, I don't think they have enough glue and tape to fix what's wrong with you."

Xantium dropped his botlet's pieces-lets with a frown as the entire crowd laughed loudly **AT HIM** , not **WITH HIM.**

" **YOU GOT WHIPPED BY LITTLE KIDS!"** -Every Wrecker at the game

" **BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAA!"** -Optimus and Rainmaker

" **LOOK AT THE FRAGGERS POUT! TAKE THAT, XANTIUM! LIVE BY THE SWORD! DIE BY THE SWORD!"** -Ty, speaking for the taller members of the extended family

There was no glee in Mudville. Poor Xee had just struck out. He glowered at the kids. "Wait until you see what **I** give you at Christmas Surprise, turncoats."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER** and **MOCKERY** greeted that. Xee only frowned deeper, an amusing expression to most of the crowd including a much miffed but ultimately loudly laughing Omega.

Starscream grinned. "All hail the kids," he said as they looked around for another perch. Discounting the roof of the Temple because of the blasphemy aspect, they settled on the still empty Three Tower Fort in the middle of nowhere just southwest of the Canyon of Doom and northwest of the Mountains Where Cliffie Was Wedged as well as Camp Quack.

All hailed the kids.

The Seekers flew in and carefully landed until the entire enclosed area of the fort surrounded by razor wire was packed with Seekers nearly shoulder to shoulder in the overfilled space. Several climbed the towers and took up the turret guns while others arrayed themselves around the perimeter of the razor wire with their guns pointing out. It was cramped and the razor wire was supernaturally sharp so they were careful with limbs and other personables. It wouldn't do well to have to fly out of here in a hurry.

Rainmaker, Starscream and Harrier took command of one tower each, then grinned. "Bring it, slaggers," Rainmaker said with amusement.

Everyone on the board who could still move, crawl or will their subconscious malice that way: "Okay."

Huge frowns were had in Seekerville as everyone on the board that wasn't hiding, slaughtered and leaking their life forces away, trapped in a place with a Dinobot, wedged into a mountain which Buzzie was nonchalantly … not … trying to figure out how to retrieve Cliffie's sorry carcass, too chicken to join the game yet, or squatting on holy ground made their way toward the fort.

"Oh, frag," Harrier said with a grin. "This is going to be awful. Do you have pity on femmes? Kappa got pity."

"It depends, Harrier," Hardie said as he organized Blue Team. "Ask me if we get past the ogre and the underground fort."

 **HUGE** laughter and a **HUGER** bug out.

-0-MCA

"This is getting to be insane. Did you see the dances that the titan kids did?" -reporter 1 on the panel

"That was a kata, the dance. My son has one at his karate lessons." -reporter 4 on the panel

"Those blades much be very sharp." -moderator on the panel

"We'll find out if the Seekers have to fly out of that fort very quickly. Someone told me that the razor wire could almost cut you just by looking at it."

"This is going to be good." -reporter 2 on the panel

Everyone on the panel nods.

-0-On the ground

Blue Team formed up and began to make their way east. They reached the bridge, crossed it after remembering the ogre/troll was in the bottom of the oil pit. Or was it the lake? No one really knew. No one really cared. They only worried about the raptor hole.

"If those slaggers come out of that hole, Appa, we're sacrificing you. Tell them your name. Maybe they won't eat you," Ironhide said as they trucked swiftly over the bridge.

"Something tells me that won't help. I can't quite put my digit on it but ..." Raptor said with a snicker. Glancing downward to the ground where a box holding something covered sat, Raptor grinned. He had secrets, too.

It was at that moment a fully refurbished but unpainted Prowl and Prime ran back onto the board. They were hooted and hollered … "Where's your pants, Prowl? You're naked!"

Prowl glowered at Raptor. "You're officially on the list, Raptor."

"Frag. You're on Prowl's Shit List, the most unpopular place to be on several worlds and planetoidal fragments." Turbine grinned. "I want to see how you die this time, Prowl. Chewed up by Utah raptors is novel in the extreme."

"I'm aware you're bonded to Raptor, Turbine," Prowl said. "But somehow I expected better from you."

 **HUGE** riotous laughter.

Yellow Fort was thundering past the maze to flank the Seeker's new fort from the right. Blue Fort was going to take them head onward and Red Fort with their newly reformatted El Supremo and little frag buddy were going in on the left. If the N.E.S.T team had a sense of esprit d' corps, they would've boxed the Seekers in from the east and all would have been welded shut. They didn't. Neither did the Hu-An who were strategizing and laughing very loudly from the sidelines along with a number of others who were waiting their moment to emerge victoriously.

Which was when everyone else killed each other, of course.

Leader-1 and his faction were still stuck in Metroplex who stood next to his slightly taller robotic companion staring blankly ahead as it waited new orders.

Brown Team were sauntering slowly from the west, watching the entire show with amusement. They weren't in a hurry to get there because there was always that moment in a battle when things were winding down where you could go among the wounded and shoot them in the face.

That moment.

Free Rangers (of the North) sat on the hedge rows of two mazes watching the spectacle. They were determined to be there at the end so they could shoot each other, preferably in the back, then claim victory.

Drift and Springer were riding along behind Yellow Team as they came up from the south to cross the open spaces there for Starscream's Last Stand.

The Big Frames were planning cremations and in deep mourning over the Supremes **(BWAHAHA!)** so they stayed put. The titanic kids were watching Blue Team closely, ever ready to do battle for the Fam.

Teal Team was holding fire because they didn't care who won this round as long as they won the last one.

Oceania Team led by Beachcomber were getting a tan on the beach. Camp Cool was forgotten in the buzz to get Starscream's helm on a platter.

All was set for a Battle To End All Battles.

That's when the Yellow Team found the quicksand.

-0-Yellow Team

" **YEOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!** " -all of them

Springer and Drift put on the brakes and missed sinking up to their necks in quicksand. Staring at the tableau of everyone on their team trapped in aspic, so to speak, they glanced at each other. "Bug out?" Drift asked.

Springer nodded, then both of them turned tail to go. They wouldn't go far. Grimlock was heading toward the underground hole and he was looking pissed.

They had nowhere to go that didn't hurt.

 **AND** to make matters worse, no one could see where the troll/ogre was.

 **WHEELJACK!**

Meanwhile, back in the quagmire, everyone who was Yellow Fort ... the Twins, Bluestreak, Smokey and his Appa, Smokescreen, Hot Rod, Sandstorm, and Neo were stuck up to their chins. Laret of Yellow Fort who was lagging due to the size and heft of her guns was the only one not to be stuck. She looked at the others. **"WHAT DO I DO!?"**

"Well, you can shoot Drift and Springer for ditching us," Sunny said with fury.

Laret who was so unnerved and distraught turned her little robot and did just that.

-0-TBC 4-13-18 **edited 4-13-18**


	328. Chapter 328

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 328)

-0-There

It would be talked about a lot how a slimline missile from an over-sized gun held by a tiny little femme botlet could find its target so perfectly. It ripped out of the barrel, flew in a straight line and went up the aft of Springer's horse. The horse exploded and turned to shrapnel which just happened to miss Drift and his horse. What it didn't miss was the lower half of Springer's botlet's body. That erupted like the horse and peppered the area with his green and yellow lusciousness for some distance around. Flying ahead of Drift who was slowing his botlet, Upper Torso Springer or UTS as he would be known now hit the ground, rolled, then sat upright on the nubbins of his nibbins.

" **WHAT THE HELL!?"** Springer said with surprise.

Everyone there turned toward Laret who was standing with her console next to Miler paralyzed with surprise. They gave her a standing ovation.

" **SPRINGER!"** Laret said with a stricken expression. She turned toward Sunny who was looking at her like she was a goddess. "What do I **do** , Sunny?"

"Shoot both of them to dust, then stand next to me," Sunstreaker said.

She turned toward the little botlets where Drift-let was pulling UTS onto his pony. She turned her botlet, glanced at Sunstreaker with uncertainty, then fired. The missile burst forward, zeroed in on Drift riding madly, then went up that horse's aft as well. A rupture of explosion occurred, then the horse disintegrated. UTC and now UTD were thrown aft over tea kettle away to land in the maze and disappear. It was silent a moment, then every Wrecker in the audience laughed loudly and long.

" **WELL DONE, CHIEF!"**

 **"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"**

"I don't think its funny." -Partition, loyally

"I think its pretty hilarious." -Lancer 'mourning' her brothers

Everyone turned back to the quicksand. Sunstreaker who was considering pulling his team out by hand, frag the rules, glanced at the others. "You slaggers. Listen up."

" **ATAR! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"** Bluestreak called out as he glanced down the row at Prowl.

Prowl who was torn did the math, then leaned back himself. **"NO CAN DO JUST YET! HANG ON!"**

" **TO WHAT!?"** Bluestreak asked with a laugh.

"Try to move to Sunstreaker, then climb up onto his helm," Prowl said with a self satisfied smirk.

"I'll remember that," Sunny said as he considered how to get his bot out of there. Then he came to a conclusion he remembered seeing once when he was laughing his way through a Bay movie about their people, the one where Ironhide shoots the ground to propel himself over a screaming woman about to become toe jam on his big old peds. Arming his guns which were fully under the gunk, he fired them. The resultant compression, the bubble of the explosion when it reached the bottom of the quicksand created lift off. Sunstreaker rose upward and flew through the air. He landed on his back, then froze. He was still on quicksand but floating because his body was spread out over an unbroken surface.

"What now, Sunny?" Blue asked.

"Let me get out of here and I'll pull you out. I'd have **horses** to do it but Springer and Drift are sad," Sunny said as he studied the problem. "Laret, probe the ground. See where solid earth begins."

She looked uncertainly at Sunny, then her little bot began to touch the ground with her tiny foot. She edged out until she was in reach of Sunstreaker's servo. "It begins here, Sunny."

"Put down your gun and drag me out, Laret," Sunny said as Laret complied.

It was slow and he was heavy but soon he was standing up again. He grinned at her. "Thanks."

She nodded, then looked at a smirking Drift and Springer. "I didn't mean to do that. I was just … unnerved."

" **IT'S THE GAME, LARET! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO STAB YOUR OWN SIDE IN THE BACK! JUST ASK THE KIDS!"** Xantium called out in a Supreme moment of (poor) sportsmanship.

 **HUGE** laughter and catcalls.

Sunstreaker grinned. "Ignore him, Laret. He's just jealous of your gun and aim."

Laughter and agreement met that as Xee sulked on the sideline.

The whiner.

" **SHOOT YOUR WAY OUT!"** Sunstreaker said. **"WE'LL GRAB YOU!"**

It was then that the crowd was granted the spectacle of tiny botlets shooting their guns off in the mess and pipping up and down here and there. Slowly, with effort, they were hauled out. All of them but Sandstorm, Neo and Sideswipe were missing feet, having shot their own off getting out. Smokey was missing both. He glared at his amma and appa who were doubled over laughing as he stood up on his pegs. **"WHAT'S SO FUNNY!?"**

" **YOU!"** -everyone there who were laughing madly as well.

" ***NOW* WHO LOOKS LIKE A JACKASS!?** " Hot Rod called out from nearby.

" ***YOU DO!"** Smokey replied.

" **YOU HAVE NO PEDS, *SMOKEY*! TELL ME WHO THE *REAL* JACKASS IS!?"** Roddy called out as both of them forgot the entire galaxy was tuned into their little bitch fest. He, himself, had just returned from nearly a full body rebuild without paint, of course.

His vanity … it burned, the precious.

" ***YOU* ARE! LOSER! I WILL *KILL* YOU!"** Smokey said as he began to walk his little weebler toward Hot Rod's on his suddenly spindly no-feet legs.

Roddy, who other than being 'stark naked' began to traverse toward Smokey.

"What do you wanna do, Dev? It appears that someone is going after our one and onliest grandson," Smokescreen said casually.

"I saw that … our **only** one," Dev said calmly.

Hot Rod slowed, then glared at Smokey. "I'm **still** going to get you, slagger. **YOU HEAR ME, DEV AND SMOKESCREEN!?"**

"We're **recording** it, Hot Rod," Smokescreen said with a grin.

" **HOW! HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT, TOUGH GUY!"** Smokey demanded. **"YOU'RE STARK NAKED!"**

For a moment, Roddy blanched with embarrassment and insult, then gathered his sense again. He may be naked, glowing a dull metallic over most of his body but it didn't mean the same thing here as it did among the humans among whom he was spending way too much time, obviously. Being 'naked' among the Cybertronians meant you were either a boorish, irretrievable slob or someone who just got nuked. One was preferred over the other.

(We will let the reader determine which one Roddy preferred and Smokey inferred. -The Management)

Roddy glared at Smokey. **"OH *YEAH*!?"**

That was when Smokey began his long humbling march to take Hot Rod apart.

Dev and Smokescreen glanced at each other, then grinned. "I can't wait to see this. A teachable moment, Smoke. Let's see what little mech still needs to know."

Huge laughter greeted that as the two bots stumbled toward each other, one with no feet and the other with no shame. While that was happening, Yellow Team regrouped without two of their dimmer members, the other teams crept closer to the Seekers, feeling along for more quicksand, and Red Team stopped to watch everything and everyone.

This wasn't going to end well.

-0-Fort Three Towers and Razor Wire

Starscream and the elders worked out what to do. They would blast everyone to hell and gone and win.

Strategy.

Easy peasy.

"I think I want to watch Hot Rod and Smokey do their dance of doom," Warlord said as he moved to one side to see better. "What a pair."

"Truly but a pair of what?" Rainmaker said with a giant smile.

The groups got closer. So did Smokey and Hot Rod. Everyone was split watching the two in a game without many rules and everyone else on the board. Anything could happen and it did. When the two were close enough, they pulled out their over size guns, pointed them and fired. A missile hit Roddy and he flew backward to sit in the sand with a big hole in his chassis. Smokey could see the ped of Bulkhead through it. That is, he could have if he still had most of his helm but he didn't.

Thank you very much, *Hot Rod*.

He staggered backward and sat down hard, too.

"Well, that was anti-climatic," Tyro said as he stood beside Bulkhead. "At least we know where both of them are for the duration. **WHO WANTS TO DRAG THEM TO THE SIDELINES!? BESIDES RATCHET!?."**

chirp … chirp … chirp …

(Insert cute scowls from two youngling bots that should know better. Cue Ratchet the Ever Ready and his nautical ring)

"My sentiments exactly," Scar said as he swayed gently. His daughter was dozing in his carry hold. "What's the deal with infants these orns? In my orn, we got worse and still had to go to the mines."

:I had to walk to school down a snow covered road two miles to the bus stop. Then I had to take a bus: Will Lennox said knowing full well what would come next. It was still hilarious.

"I didn't get to go to school," Scar said with a slight grin. "What about you, Bulk?"

"Nope," he said. "What about you, Leo?"

Around the group next to the shoot out, the big mechs and a couple of femmes told their own 2 cents. None of them went to school, none of them lived in the north where there was snow and all of them were poorer/more put upon/whinier than Lennox.

"So what's next, Lennox? Poor stories?" Jazz asked with a big jazzy smile as he stood behind the soldiers fort. "You know ya wanna."

:I actually want to hear how you robbed Prowl's family instead: Lennox said to the hoots and hollers of the punters all around including the still steaming Xantium and Omega.

Prowl frowned. "As if," he said as Red Team gathered to watch the show. "Sentinel, maybe. How about it, Hobbes? Anyone hit your house?" he asked because he was Prowl.

Burris smirked. "They did. Many times."

"Where did you live, Burris? It might jog a memory," Sandstorm said as everyone laughed rudely.

"What now?" Sideswipe asked Sunstreaker as they gathered in a row across the way from the fort. He would've added his own tales of larceny but he wasn't sure the statutes of limitations had run out on all of them.

"How about everyone coming forward to unload on them at the same time," Sunstreaker said with a big grin. "I want Laret right here," he said pointing to a place next to him.

She grinned as her little botlet lugged her big, big gun forward. "Come along, too, Neo. You can help me."

Everyone grinned at the two femmes as they leaned together over their consoles to make it so. Blue Team arrived, Turbine and Delphi turned into ridiculously enhanced tanks while Magnus and the femmes huddled. They grinned, nodded and everyone's sphincter tightened for miles around.

Magnus's little dude stepped forward followed by the rest of the femmes and a grinning Maelstrom-let. Magnus smirked slightly at the punters, then said the magic words … " **Team! COMBINE!"** With that, a mob of femmes and Maelstrom botlets ran toward Magnus's little bot and jumped on him. A light blasted, then settled. A new combiner had made their way toward the Annals of Immortality.

Magus-Feminista-Giganto-Excaliber-Calypso-MegaBlast.

Magnus who hadn't been informed of the name in advance glanced at the femmes and Maelstrom with a frown. "What?"

"We used a name generator from the internet. Go with it, Magnus," Arcee said with a grin. "Please note that I'm the Right Hand of Doom."

Everyone identified themselves, then **MFGECMB** or **MUFF-GEC-MUM-BUH** reached down to pick up the sword formerly known as Maelstrom. Magnus as the helm told his arm/Elita to raise it, then teetered a moment. He then righted himself. "I, Magnus, leader of … of ..." He frowned as he glanced at Arcee who was smirking. "This combiner … I declare war upon Seekerdom." Glancing at the other teams, Magnus grinned. "Last one there is a slagger." With that, he raised Maelstrom over his helm and charged.

Everyone watched breathlessly as **MUFF-GEC-MUM-BUH** ran forward. Turbine and Delphi opened up fire on the Seekers as Prowl glanced upward at a bedazzled Prime. "Are you going to let them do this without us? They're going to get all the glory."

Prime grinned down at Prowl. "Yes. For now." He winked at Prowl. "Also, all the blast holes."

Prowl stared at him, then Magnus. Then he watched as the Seekers opened up on the slaggers hoping to unhinge **MUFF-GEC-MUM-BUH** with carefully placed shots. They pattered against Magnus as he ran forward looking like Voltron if Voltron wasn't a ground vehicle, didn't have lion-like appendages and was half grrl.

19 Seekers and their turret guns let him have it. It didn't slow him down a bit. Starscream called out for air support. Half a dozen Seekers jumped up to transform mid air and fly up to blast everyone to the dark ages. Two of them actually made it. Four of them were too close to the razor wire and when they jumped up the sharp blades reduced them to confetti. The slight breeze that had been there from the beginning began to blow them away.

 **"WHAT THE FRAG! WE'RE IN A DEATH TRAP!"** Red Wing said as he laughed loudly.

"We have to get out of this, Starscream," Warlord said for his father who was nearly sitting on the ground laughing at the sight of Seekers shredding into Wetabix to blow away and the look on Starscream's face when they did.

Starscream bellowed his rage, then began to direct his flights to leave. They were getting peppered to death by the accurate fire of the slaggers closing in on them. By the time the mob had departed, Starscream, Warlord, Razor, Rainmaker, and Harrier were left. **"GO! WE HAVE TO G-"** Starscream began before the Doom of **MUFF-GEC-MUM-BUH** reached them in the sharply edged format of Maelstrom. It cleaved the tower down the middle. Both Starscream and Rainmaker lost an arm in the process.

Warlord grabbed his father's console and managed to get his little botlet transformed. He flew upward with only one wing and bobbled off along with the others. Starscream who was last, bless his little spark, watched Maelstrom come down one more time, was flipped off the tottering tower and landed on the razor wire. It was like watching an onion get sliced all at once on a mandolin. He was cut into seventeen slices all of which landed on the ground in his shape, then fell apart like bread slid out of its plastic bag.

The laughter and howling could be heard on Cybertron.

-0-TBC 4-13-18 **edited 4-14-18**

mandolin: a slicer where you move the thing being cut across the blade. It's also a tiny guitar-like string instrument. :D

I think the X-Man girl in Deadpool has the SINGLE GREATEST name in cartoon world: Negasonic Teenage Warhead. LOL! Only with Deadpool. :D


	329. Chapter 329

Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 329)

-0-There

"It would appear that we're down to seven if Warlord gets out of the lake." Rainmaker laughed loudly. "I guess this makes me the leader by default. Your fault, Starscream."

Huge laughter and much gesticulating at the sad sack staring at his little julienned botlet laying in the tower pen. As it was, the remainders, all six of them were flying madly to the crags. It was then that the two bots, Miler and Warlord clambered out of the lake with Miler carrying a shiny silver disk with the glyph 'three' carved on it. **HUGE** applause greeted that as they staggered to the sidelines. A tech held the disc up. **"ONE IS FOUND! DISK 3! A POINT GOES TO RED TEAM AND PURPLE TEAM!"**

 **HUZZAH** and a new determination to find the other four burst forth among the malice minded.

It was at that moment that strategy everywhere changed. Shiny objects can do that.

 **CHARGE!**

A mob of bots began to run toward each other on the board. Blue Team headed toward Red Team with the intention of obliteration. Red Team sensing betrayal all around them turned toward Blue and readied themselves for a duel to the death. They made a line across from each other and charged. Turbine and Delphi who were in tank mode drove forward then fired their heavily modified guns directly at Prowl, Prime and Hauser who was running with his guns next to both. The missiles hit the mark and tiny shimmering bits of bot flew in all direction. The game immediately froze in place.

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Prowl exclaimed as he bent down to look for parts to rescue. He would need a teacup and a sieve to find them. **"YOU TERMINATED THE MATRIX, YOU DUMB AFTS!"**

Prowl would be allowed his remarks considering he, too, was galloping to the Toy Matrix with the Messiah of His People.

" **ALL HAIL DELPHI! ALL HAIL TURBINE!"** Ratchet said until Prowl turned to him and punched him in the face. **HUGE** uproarious laughter at all of them, the slaggers and sore losers.

"I'm back with Red Team," Dev said as he ran toward the teaming line of civilians who didn't have a clue what to do now that the Messiah et al was drop kicked to the Matrix.

" **YEAH! GO! DESSERT US, SLAGGER!"** Smokescreen said as he grinned at his grandson. Smokey was staring at his botlet sagging on the ground in full blown sub adult angst. Parents of teenagers on Earth would recognize that look in an instant.

" **RATCHET! CAN YOU SAVE MY BOT!?"** Smokey called out.

Ratchet bent down to stare at the hole through the little bot. "Nope."

Huge laughter.

 **"CHARGE! TAKE NO PRISONERS!** **GET THOSE SLAGGING TANKS!" -YELLOW TEAM!, RED TEAM!, BLUE TEAM!, TEAL TEAM!  
**

Everyone ran forward, half of them colliding with the civilians of the other side and tipping over from the rebound. The rest began to slag it out. Ironhide shot everything that moved including one of the legs off his Appa Raptor.

" **IRONHIDE!"** Raptor said as he activated a hidden talent. A rotor rose from his helm and began to whirl. He rose up and continued to shoot everything that moved including 'accidentally' shooting Ironhide in the aft.

" **APPA!"** Ironhide grinned as he considered going rogue and tearing up everyone and everything around him. Then he did. **BLAM! BLAM! BLAMMA-BLAM!**

Delphi came apart at the seams and Hardie disintegrated in a fireball. The game actually stopped. Everyone turned to stare at Ironhide who was grinning at his console. Then he wasn't. **"WHAT!?"**

"You feckless fragger," Hardie said. He looked at the others. **"GET IRONHIDE!"**

Everyone on the board turned to him, then he began to run like the wind. Rolling away in a cloud of dust followed by Raptor and his tiny rotor head, he ran for the maze and disappeared inside. Yellow Team who was chasing him slowed, then turned on Red Team. **BLAM-A-BLAMMA-BLAMMA-BLAM!**

Raptor flew back to help. He was nothing if not loyal.

Mostly.

Not being predators, backstabbers or the other kinds of low lives that made up the regular Autobot Army of Yore, Willa, Artur, Tab, Faun, Holi, Coln-2, and the redoubtable Venture went up in a flash of confetti. That left the veterans Dev, Wheeljack, Percy and sweet, sweet Miler. They ran for the hills.

To regroup.

*cough*

" **WELL. ISN'T THIS JUST GREAT! SMOOTH MOVE, DEV!"** Prowl offered.

*cough*

Dev grinned, then gathered the remnants in the area near the Razor Maze.

Yellow Team led by Sunny glanced around to see what was left. "There's Teal Team. Destroy them." He then raised his swords and the team followed as they chased the Teal Team back to their fort north of Pretty Ocean and the Razor Wire. They got inside and boarded up the door.

"What now, Elita?" Magnus asked with a smirk.

"We obliterate them, Magnus. Is there any other way?" Elita asked with a smirk.

"No," Magnus said with a satisfied grin of his own.

Ironhide sidled up to Drift and Springer who were smirking at his audacity. :How about the three of us taking on everyone?:

:You mean the one, the half and the other half of us?: Springer asked.

 **:BWAHAHAA!** Of course. Wait for this: Ironhide said as behind him rising from a box was the heavily armed and mighty Helicopter of Doom. It made it over his helm and flew toward the maze. Sitting down on it, the rotors stopped. **"GET ON BOARD! NOW!"** Ironhide bellowed as his little mech jumped on. Emerging from the fronds of the bushes, two half a mechs running on their hands clawed their way on board. It was sort of sickening, the sight of them.

:There's bombs on board. When I tell you, drop them overboard: Ironhide said as he flew toward Teal Fort and the convergence of armies. Everyone watched, then began to shoot upward but the bullets and missiles didn't go that high. They fell back and thus, Edict, Riff and Rad-R went to the Matrix together. Ironhide had obliterated three more members of his own team.

By their own hands.

" **LET THIS BE A LESSON TO YOU ABOUT UNGRATEFUL INFANTS! EVERYONE! GET THAT HELICOPTER!"** Blackjack said as Alor nodded.

More firepower booked it upward and all of it fell back. But now, the little bots shooting were able to dodge things. Just as the last missile fell short, Ironhide arrived over Teal Fort. Just as they were trying to leave, bombs went away. Down, down they went dropped by half a mechs and a gleefully maddened master of the army who apparently really, really wanted to win this time. They were carefully aimed to drop in the middle of the enclosed structure in numbers and ferocity and they did.

They also exploded together doubling and tripling their explosive power.

Lee-Lee's head, Mack's torso, all of the femmes but Elita and Arcee along with Maelstrom's left arm flew outward shredding anything in its path.

Goodbye, Laret, Neo, Sandstorm, and Bluestreak.

" **WHAT THE ?!"** -Neo, Laret, Sandstorm, and Bluestreak.

Blackstone and Barron finally getting the gate open walked into the massed swords of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe who made neat little piles of their pieces parts in the doorway. It was then that the helicopter flew off the game board to reload.

" **HE'S RELOADING! MAKE DEALS! PROVIDE A UNITED FRONT! LET'S GET THAT TURNCOAT SLAGGER!"** Raptor rallying (what's left of) the troops.

That was then what was left of Grimlock who had clawed his way out of all his many trials and tribulations made it to the underground fort and disappeared. Willies were had by all.

-0-As it stood now …

 **Big Bot Team:** all of them were still operational but the Supremes.

 **Dinobots:** the only one still roaming free was Grimlock. He was underground doing who knew what with who knew who. Raptors were somehow in the equation.

 **Hu-An:** biding their time and laughing uproariously from the sidelines next to their fort.

 **Brown:** Fighting off the Yellow Team which wasn't hard now. They had all their members and great leadership.

 **Yellow Team:** It consisted of Bob, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Smokescreen.

 **Red Team:** It was becoming a faded memory as it was now whittled down to Wheeljack, Perceptor and Devcon when he wasn't scoping out a better platform for victory.

 **Teal Team:** Having been ground down to filth as the drag queens sometimes say, it consisted of Arcee, Elita, Magnus who was seething at dear old dad (in-law), Maxi, and Gee-Gee, two of the more kick ass femmes. A one armed Maelstrom was also there in deep grieving over the late Chromia. She was seething, too. She was also considering stealing Maelstrom's console to get even with Dear Old Dad.

Even as she admired his audacity to the maximum.

 **Purple Team** with the seething and recently late Starscream consisted of Warlord, Rainmaker and five others who got lucky. They were in the crags trying not to fall in and get stuck.

 **Blue Team** or **THE BETRAYED** consisted at this rendering of Raptor of The One Leg and Helicopter Head, Turbine, Alor, Blackjack, and a wavering Fireball who wasn't looking forward to decapitating Daddy. Ironhide, Springer and Drift had been excommunicated from **EVERYTHING** and **EVERYWHERE** including Blue Team.

 **The &^%$ TRAITORS!**

 **Free Range** had everyone. Jetta, Mack, Bee, Jazz and Mirage, Proteus and improbably, Charlotte and Seymour. Who knew?

 **Oceania Team** was having a margarita on the seashore nearby. Everyone apparently had forgotten them.

The game had dwindled from 189 players to 68.

 **LET THE GAMES BEGIN!**

Ironhide who was newly loaded to the gunnels lifted off and headed out to bomb the slag out of everyone. Given that he had the range of their guns, he flew just above them as he headed toward Free Range Team. They began to run but were boxed in between Razor Maze and the (Deep Blue) Pretty Ocean (Sea). It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Some of them ran for the ocean and leaked energon all the way to the bottom. By the time he pulled up to come around, Proteus, Mirage, Bee, Mack, and Jazz were either dead or on their way. Ratchet was running out to save them when a big black helicopter with a Gatling gun strapped to its undercarriage unloaded on him.

Ratchet flew apart and his helm with flag attached landed near Lennox on the sideline.

He dibs it, of course.

It was as quiet as a tomb.

Then sound slammed back in as the entire group unloaded on Ironhide with all their fury and laughter. He smirked as they did. He glanced at Ratchet who smirked at him. "That was a low blow, Ironhide. **GYPSY! CAMBO! AID! SAVE THE WOUNDED!"**

They tried.

The bodies were piling up from Team **BACK STABBER** aka Ironhide, UTS and UTD.

The chopper hoovered as the others began to run for it. Then it turned its long range guns onto the crags where the Seekers were trying to be nonchalant and invisible. They transformed to lift off and some made it. Rainmaker, Warlord and his other son, Blast Hole flew upward and onward to the far away mountains but the others didn't. Their soft underbellies were stitched by the Gatling gun and they exploded over the hills. Falling back to earth like ruptured ducks, they peppered everything and everyone around.

Cliffie who was still in the mountains was bellowing on the sidelines as a distraught Buzzie watched. "Maybe its a good thing where you are, Cliffie," Buzzie whispered as he leaned forward toward Cliff. "If they forget you're there and kill each other, you win as the last bot standing."

Cliff considered that, then did a very uncharacteristic thing. He buttoned his pie hole.

Yes. Buzzie was very good for Cliffie.

Ironhide at that moment turned his attentions on the big frames. There were about five titans, the spare Metroplex with mini-con embellishments, and the little kids. Siting in on Typhoon, he let her rip. It did. Ty's face came apart at the seams. It burst into flames and fell off. His bot staggered but stayed upright.

 **"WHAT THE FRAG!? WHAT KIND OF AMMO ARE YOU USING, IRONHIDE!?"** Typhoon asked as the others began to book it.

" **BIG AMMO!"** Ironhide said as he flew after Metroplex, Little 'Plex, Caminus, Fort Max, and Tyke. They were running along the sidelines for some reason when safety was just three feet away. None of them took it until the helm of Caminus flew past them after taking the direct hit of two powerful missiles. Then they stepped off and took stock.

The helm of Caminus was rolling around next to the Mountains of Doom. Typhoon was burning like the penthouse of a skyscraper as his carcass stood on the tarmac of their fort. Xantium and Omega were laughing and taunting them with great satisfaction as Kappa shook her helm at their antics.

It wasn't going well for Team Tall.

The nine kids retreated to the sidelines to consult.

Ironhide along with UTD and UTS flew back to the sidelines to rearm from their never ending Box of Death.

That's when Grimlock emerged from underground with six Raptors. He was riding on the back of one of them swinging a sword.

The game had just become interesting.

-0-TBC 4-15-18 **edited 4-16-18**

Gatling gun: first repeating machine gun around which was first used in the American Civil War. It shot big bore ammo out at alarming rates. It was as big as a small cannon to use and move.


	330. Chapter 330

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 330)

-0-Game time.

Grimlock with his raptors began to beat feet. All around the game board little bots were running for the hills. It didn't matter. Grimmy was heading for the big bots. They were in consultation and decided to go for broke. As long as Grimlock was loose with his beasties there was no hope for anyone. Tyke stepped back on the game board with his guns and began to sight in on the two running to one side as all seven swept forward like a bore tide. He fired. The beast was slowed, then came back to speed. Tyke stepped back off.

"What now?" Fort Max asked as he howled with laughter. "All of you **together**. **GET THAT RAT!** "

They all stared at him as the raptors and Grimlock arrived at the fort and began to desecrate the dead. Bits and pieces of the Supremes were rendered to nothingness in their fury. As the raptors gnawed on the pieces parts, Metroplex's little mech leaned over to grip one by the leg. Lifting it up, he dropped it right away as it chewed off his fingers up to the wrist. Caminus of the No Head nearly fell down laughing.

"Ow," Metroplex said with a laugh. His bot never made it back to safety as three raptors jumped on it and reduced it to long strips of metal and tiny fires. Both his planned bot and the ringer were rung.

At that moment, Ironhide flew in with new bombs … cluster bombs. Stumpy little bots and his own in the doorway held them in their servos as Ironhide maneuvered it over the raptors. Grimlock turned his and fled followed by two others. Three which were preparing to topple Lil Plex who was burning down to his waist didn't see the bombs fall but they felt them as they exploded sending pellets and jagged shrapnel everywhere.

It was instructive to see them stand, then disintegrate. There was almost nothing left of them after it was over and complimenting the show was a lot of swearing by Xantium who took a pound or two of shrapnel on the ped. Kappa was highly amused. It paid to see the boyfriend in all manner of situations, good and bad before one got in too deep.

Ironhide cut around and began to chase Grimlock. Using his Gatling gun, he destroyed two more raptors before Grimlock made it to the underground fort and disappeared. Ironhide got a standing ovation from the crowd and the Cybertronian finger from Blue Team. He then flew to the east trolling for victims before dropping a grenade into the crevasse where Cliffie was stuck and forever ended any chance he would have of winning two in a row.

He and Prowl had more in common than they knew.

Buzzie was in deep mourning as Cliffie unloaded on Ironhide.

Verbally.

Ironhide was back for more ammo.

The remaining slaggers of the bot teams were burning up the lines working out strategy. Those who were left were few … Wheeljack and Percy along with Dev converged on the Pretty Ocean. The twins, Smokescreen, Insecticon Bob, Jetta and Mack, Charlotte, and Seymour who was calling to the humans to come join in. That brought in a chorus of **"ONE MAN! ALL ALONE!"** from the crowd.

The humans told both to go stuff themselves.

Arcee, Elita, Maxi, Gee-Gee, and Magnus met up with Brown Team by the Swirling Hole Lake. Their handlers were furiously working out a plan when Team Turncoat lifted off again.

"This is kinda fun. Who's next?" Springer whispered to Ironhide.

Ironhide grinned. "Guess," he said as he flew eastward furiously. Before the humans could make a move to dessert their area, bombs were falling. Dust kicked up. **HUGE** blasts occurred. Ironhide had packed the payload himself having experimented with different combinations of bombs, bunker busters, gun ammo, and other devices including a tiny EMP in his spare time in the hills behind the armory at Stanix. It was paying off. He was going to be the slagger who won if he had to level everyone and everything everywhere.

He was well on his way.

The dust began to settle as the humans began to peer into the wreckage. Their devices were only working on some of the bots. Epps's doppelganger staggered out of the wreckage with a lower functional body but everything above his belly button was gone.

 **:EW! KILL IT! NOW!:** Lonnie Epps said as she looked around for a gun.

 **HUGE** laughter.

Ironhide who was hovering put Lil Epps out of everyone's misery. Then he finished off the rest. He hovered as he watched the others making for the sidelines. **"BOMBS AWAY!"** he bellowed as he gave pursuit. The twins, Jetta and Mack fell in a furious burst of machine gun fire. They exploded and gave up their essence to the universe. Charlotte and Seymour zigzagged their way off the field and were given huge props.

Swinging back, Ironhide took aim at Brown Team. They hoofed it back to the other side rolling past the underground fort which opened and with a maddened Grimlock and a raptor helping out, everyone but Hercy went bye-bye.

It was silent a moment as Ironhide flew back to ammo up. Ratchet who was watching him smirked. "I have to say, Ironhide, you don't seem worried about having to live here amongst us after this is over."

"He should," Raptor said with a smirk. He was handing ammo to his grandson. The softie.

Ironhide loaded up, then flew outward again. Grimlock was facing off with Hercy who didn't look too worried about it. They were going great guns when the last raptor made a break for it, chasing Gee-Gee toward the Insecticon manipulated by an infuriated Sunstreaker. Bob and the raptor jumped on each other and rolled around on the ground as Bob the Bug bit the slag out of it. Apparently, his teeth were as sharp as the real thing.

Meanwhile, Hercy and Grimlock were trading blows, neither of them getting the upper hand. Grimlock stepped back, blew a bale of fire at Hercy, then watched him burn. Before Hercy 'died' he transformed a bomb, walked up to Lil Grimmy and put it against his chest. Nothing happened as everyone watched, then Hercy blew up. He had a big, **big** bomb hidden inside his botlet and the fire exploded it. It took him and Grimlock along with half his underground fort up with it. It was startling how much firepower the little bot exuded.

"All hail, Hercy," Smokey whispered in overwhelmed awe at the little slagger.

They all hailed.

Actual Grimlock and Pretender Xantium nearly got into a real fight but were curbed with a cuff to the helm by Metroplex, Caminus, Tyke, Fort Max, and Acroplex.

Together.

Ironhide who was howling with glee looked at the game board. The nine kids were off the deck and looking worried. The humans were burning and adding a quaint glow to the game. The Hu-An were still off the game, and the few left were trying to find a place to hide. The raptor and Bob were about even though they were edging close to the line. Maybe they would make it-

They didn't.

The moment they neared the line, Roadbuster stepped over it and squashed both of them. Everyone stared at him, a bot whose blood lust couldn't be anymore contained than a dinobot. No one had the stones to call him out. Obviously, the big mech liked to fight, even in toy format.

Flying around the board, Ironhide shot up and bombed just about everyone and everything left. Seymour and Charlotte were still off the board, Beachcomber and his crew were getting their guns ready before they died, Arcee, Elita, Magnus, Gee-Gee, Maxi and the last three Seekers were about all that was left if the Hu-An didn't come on board. The nine kids had come to a conclusion but it would take in the rest of the game's outcome before they would tell.

Taking aim at Beachcomber's fort, Ironhide flew in guns blasting. They blasted back and UTD who was leaning out to drop a bomb took one on the chin. He fell out as Ironhide flew over and landed in the compound. Their joy and that of the audience was short lived when the bomb he had held in his servos went off and took out everyone. The tower fell, Beachcomber who had survived the blast was eviscerated by the razor wire and all went up in smoke.

Wheeljack, Perceptor and Dev finally made it to Bob who was a smear in the sand and all turned to watch what Ironhide was going to do. A plan was born as the Seekers remaining slugged it out with Ironhide. They were also splattered over a large area as they met a plucky doom. Flying back for ammo, Ironhide took a blow on his helm from his parents as they walked over to see how much ammo he had actually brought with him, some of which had just obliterated the entire Blue Team at last.

"If that ever exploded, Ironhide, there would be actual dead everywhere," Turbine said with a frown.

"It won't, Amma," Ironhide said with a maniacal gleam in his optics.

He got another slap on the noggin just because.

Then he flew out to do battle with the remnants of the melee. As he approached Magnus and his crew, Arcee climbed up on Lil Magnus along with Elita. As the gunboat came in, they shot it up, their ammo landing. They didn't do much good because this was double plated cybertanium. But they allowed the two to grab the sleds of the helicopter and hang on. It flew around, then buzzed the ground dragging both through the sand. Arcee bit it at the Razor Wire while Elita finally made it inside. No one could see the fight that transpired but they could see UTS fall from the helicopter with a pair of bombs in each hand. He bounced on the ground, then ran on his hands as fast as he could. The bombs went off behind him.

Magnus laughed, then ran after Springer, shooting at the half a mech as he scurried away like a demented crab. Flying overhead, the pieces parts of Elita scattered over the ground. Lil Ironhide leaned out with a pair of razor sharp swords. Ironhide howled. **"I. AM. IRONHIDE!"**

Metroplex smirked. "That's **my** line."

Gee-Gee, Bob, Maxi, and Magnus ran toward Dev, Percy and 'Jack. Heading together to Consolation and Hammer of Primus, they would have reached it if all things were equal. A strafing run took out Gee-Gee, Maxi, Magnus, Percy, and Dev. Wheeljack made it into the city. Ironhide buzzed over just as the Hu-An entered the game. Half a dozen of them ran for Consolation and the city to regroup with the remaining player(s).

Wheeljack.

Charlotte and Seymour were in consultation with the titans.

Drift was sitting on his hands. Literally.

They were a mixed bag. Lil Plex was done for. Metroplex's other bot had been stripped down to only one semi functional hand.

Ewww.

Caminus was done for. Tyke was complete and so was Fort Max. By the time they settled on a plan, there was little left to do but burn up from a dive bombing helicopter. So they gave the team cheer, sat Seymour and Charlotte on their shoulders and stepped off. Metroplex turned to the kids. "When are you going to help us?"

"We aren't," Quadrus said.

Everyone paused. "What?" -every titan there in the game and audience

"We can't shoot our atar," Quadrus said as the others nodded. "As long as he's going along, we're out of the game."

Everyone stared at them, then laughed loudly. **"IRONHIDE! YOU'RE LUCKY THEY HAVE WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE! CHARACTER!"** -everyone there

Ironhide grinned at the kids and they grinned at him. Then he flew furiously forward with his appas and ammas giving him (unwanted) advice. There was no where to go but to the cities and all of the survivors made it there. That's when Ironhide began all alone to drop napalm on both. He selected his places, then down it went. **HUGE** fires broke out immediately.

"Oh frag," Arcee said with a grin. "Doesn't pay to have the Master of the Armory as an opponent."

"Tell me about it," Perceptor sniffed as he leaned in to watch the cute little city burn to a cinder.

The fires were furious as everyone tried to get out. The Hu-An did and ran for their fortress, a space on the sidelines like the titans had. The titans were headed for Ironhide who gunned them down as best he could before flying to the sidelines to rearm. When he did, Tyke began to melt down into a sagging pool of plastic and Fort Max had half a face. Charlotte was laying on the ground burning after being picked off and Seymour was scattered all over the field though he managed to land a shot on the chopper. It had a broken window.

"You look like you've seen better orns, Max," Metroplex said with a laugh. "You're next."

"Wanna shake on it, Metroplex?" Tennyson asked with a snicker.

Huge insults circled the game as Ironhide lifted off to go out again. The slagger.

-0-TBC 4-16-18 **edited 4-18-18**


	331. Chapter 331

The Diego Diaries: Game (dd6 331)

Sorry. Tired as can be last night. **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

-0-There

"Who's left?" someone whispered behind Ratchet. He was standing next to Ironhide who was losing his shit with his elders.

"I think Wheeljack and maybe a titan or two. There's no one really left," Willa said as she smirked at Ironhide.

" **HE KILLED CLIFFIE!"**

Everyone turned toward Buzzie who was still steaming. Ironhide paused long enough loading bunker busters to the sled of his helicopter to turn to him. "They're just models, Buzz."

" **MODELS OF MY CLIFFIE!"** Buzzie said.

Ratchet grinned, then glanced down at Cliffjumper. :Strive to be worthy, Cliff:

:Every orn, Ratchet: Cliffjumper replied.

Then there was lift off.

Across the way, a miffed Hammer of Primus and a highly amused but slightly scandalized Consolation were discussing the options. They glanced up as Ironhide flew to the two cities to drop more napalm. Grabbing their consoles, Metroplex began to transform Hammer. Everyone watched as the little city began to rise up. Then they watched as it began to ooze back downward. It only fanned the flames as the poor little robot habitation began to move its parts.

" **WHAT ABOUT YOU, CON!?"** Ratchet called out over the uproarious laughter.

"I don't know," Consolation said as Max took his console.

"Let's see, Con," Max said as he triggered the transformation. Consolation stood upward about halfway before the inferno engulfing him caused the botlet to collapse in a pile of runny slag. "Good thing no one was in there," he said, then grinned. "Oh, wait. Wheeljack."

'Jack was frantically working his console next to a very amused and slightly smug Perceptor. "Well, 'Jack," Percy said. "That will teach you. Paybacks for the other games."

Wheeljack glanced at Perceptor. **"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT ME TO THE BITTER END!"**

"My end came earlier, though I will confess, it was bitter," Percy said.

He got a standing ovation. Wheeljack got buckets of mockery.

"Ironhide."

Everyone turned toward Larc and her warriors, all six of them. "Meet us on the field of combat," Larc said with a grin. "Warrior to warrior. If you have the stomach for it."

" **WHoooOOOOOooo!"** went through the crowd as the throw down was flung.

Ironhide grinned at Larc who he loved and admired. "I reserve the right to fly this thing up your aft if one against six is a bust."

"Are you afraid?" Larc asked with a grin.

"Probably," Ironhide said as he set his helicopter down by the burning carcass of Consolation. He hopped out with a sword in one hand and a gun in the other.

The Hu-An walked out of their fort and arrayed themselves around him. "Gotcha, Ironhide," Larc said with a smirk.

"Maybe," Tempest said with a grin.

" **BRING IT!"** Ironhide said as he ran forward shooting and waving his tiny sword.

A big Hu-An warrior ran forward and bowed their neck. He hit Ironhide in the chassis even as both arms fell off due to sword and shot. **HUGE** laughter greeted that as Ironhide flew past the warriors. He clambered up and began to run as the six began to chase him.

"Look at that. Pamplona comes to Mars," Ratchet said. After a swift internet search, everyone howled with laughter.

Ironhide ran behind his vehicle even as two of them jumped on board and tackled him. The three rolled around as Ironhide shot blindly. A Hu-An helm rolled away even as the other pummeled him. The others began to bend the rotors of the helicopter even as more ran to join the one on top of Ironhide.

"You better choose discretion. I heard its the better part of valor," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

Shooting upward, the Hu-An on top of him came apart at the seams. Hopping up, Ironhide's little bot ran to the ship and it began to take off. Once inside with two Hu-Ans, it lifted off. Its rotors were bent but it managed to make it upward. The fighting inside was fierce, or so it seemed. It was hard to tell. It was only clarified when a Hu-An fell out and was diced in the Razor Wire Maze and the other exploded halfway down to the ground after being shoved out. The helicopter limped along at ground level to the sidelines. Two Hu-Ans, one without arms, chased him.

"They did better than the Supremes, the titans and most of the others. Well played, Hu-Ans," Optimus said with a chuckle.

Larc grinned. "We try," she said as the group howled.

Fort Max grinned, then stepped his playah onto the board. With only half a face, he decided to commit suicide by helicopter. Marching toward the sidelines where Ironhide was standing with two fists of ammo and a tech straightening rotors, he loaded up and rose to fly toward the big titan glitching his way to his doom.

"This is going to be good," Paribolus said with a chuckle.

"For Max?" Ty asked.

"No," Paribolus said to great laughter and agreement.

He flew at Max shooting him up. Max swatted at him like some kind of giant gorilla. Back and forth, Ironhide flew stitching the towering behemoth as the instructors on the sidelines explained strategy to the soldier trainees in the crowd.

Ever the teacher.

Ever the teachable moment.

Zooming in, firing all his guns and launching two missiles, they all found their target. Quivering under the onslaught, Fort Max came apart at the seams. Parts of him flew everywhere prompting some bots along the sidelines to throw themselves in front of the shrapnel. It bounced off them harmlessly but would have left a mark on the children. Titans everywhere laughed loudly, especially Xantium. Even Omega laughed.

Ironhide, this game's Wheeljack was ahead in points to say the least.

"That leaves these little weeblies," Ironhide said with huge glee as he turned to fly after two Hu-An who were standing in their fort. Between them, a huge gun was facing out. The one with arms loaded it, the one who didn't smirked and the device fired. It flew forward.

Ironhide prepared to dodge it when it switched directions and plowed into him. It was a massive fireball in the sky, then the entire burning mass fell straight downward. Unfortunately, momentum carried it directly to the Fort Hu-An and it plowed into it with a savage speed. It was then that all the ammo on the ship exploded at once. It was quite a burn radius left behind.

The two burning melted cities were tossed across the board ending up in a pile on top of the Razor Wire Maze. Beachcomber's fort disintegrated. The Seeker Mesa, scene of the mass immolation of what was left of Starscream's Pride blew away in the wind. Blue Lake and Pretty Ocean collected a lot of pieces parts which sank right away. Then it was silent.

It was the kind of silent that astonishes someone who goes to the woods alone after growing up in the city. It was dead silent, like most of the players. Then Vinn glanced at Joon who was staring with wonderment along with everyone else. "Well," he said, then became quiet again.

"Who won?" someone asked in the back.

Springer grinned, then his little half a bot walked out of the maze on his servos. "I did."

The mayhem and laughter, mockery, indignant screaming, hoo-haw, and gnashing of denta was unprecedented.

Then Miler turned to Vinn. "What about Warlord and me? We found a medallion."

Vinn grinned. "You did. There were four others all hidden around. One was in Blue Lake, one was in the Razor Wire Maze, another in the Oil Pit and the other two were at the Troll Bridge and Swirly Hole Lake."

It was quiet a moment. "Slag." -Everyone

Vinn and the judges and referees huddled a moment. Then Vinn made a decision. "The winner of the game is Springer. The winner of the entire event is Warlord and Miler."

" **WHAT THE FRAG!? HOW IS *THAT* SUPPOSED TO WORK!?"** Springer asked as Drift guffawed.

"They found the disc. You didn't," Vinn said through a convoluted logic that was purely Cybertronian and thereby unknowable. He grinned. **"TIME FOR THE KIDS!"** He looked at Wheeljack and Ironhide who were frowning **MIGHTILY.** "It's safe, right?"

They both nodded as they glowered. A couple of dozen human and bot botlets along with the wondrous Mr. Boo ran onto the board and began to look. It was almost macabre to see them run past pieces parts and past blast holes but it was also instructive to watch them find all three of their game pieces in jig time and bring them off the board. They gathered to look at them. One was in the Canyon of Doom, another in the Mountains, oddly enough next to the obliterated carcass of Cliffie and the last was in the Maze where Springer hid. Oddly enough as well, no one used the ships or sub base to make it to Beachcomber's fort. He was still crabbing about that to his worshipful little bond who stood on the sidelines holding their son in a Seeker bag while he nodded in sympathetic agreement.

Vinn grinned. "The children found them all. Which team has the most?"

The kids looked at him, huddled again, then turned as one. **"WE ALL DID!"**

Momentous applause.

"Well then … I guess Team Cybertron and Earth win together."

 **APPLAUSE! LUX!**

"As for the adults … Springer wins the game for being last to survive. Miler and Warlord win the overall game for most game pieces. You can have an advantage in the next game or choose to embrace the winning prize." Vinn stared at that, then Ratchet. "Did I say that right?"

Ratchet dazzled him with a smile. "You did."

"We take the advantage." -Miler and Warlord

 **HUGE LAUGHTER.**

"What about you, Springer? Advantage or embrace?" Vinn said.

It was tense as Springer worked through the process of grief. He grinned. "I suppose the advantage is smarter but the other sounds interesting. Just for the sake of argument, I'll take the embrace." He looked at Ratchet with a smirk. Ratchet smirked back.

Ratchet also removed a small but very fat little Ratchet doll from his chassis and put it on the ground. It was him but rotund. It also bore the Emblem of the Primes on a tiny flagpole on his helm. He began to run toward Springer's little bot. Everyone watched including Springer as Ratchet reached the half a botlet, then picked him up. He hugged the little mech tightly.

Everyone went 'aw', then everyone went **FRAG!**

It was then that Ratchet detonated his little botlet and it exploded with an actual mushroom cloud that shook the board but didn't throw out any blast wave. If flashed, blew them both up, then settled. Nothing on the table was moved. Everyone looked at Ratchet. He smiled brilliantly. "Neutron bomb."

Mayhem at this point broke out everywhere.

-0-A joor later at the Tower in the Sky Restaurant in Iacon

They sat around the table filling the room. All of the players were here and so were families and friends. It had taken a while to get here due to interviews and commentary with the human broadcasters and local newsies. But now they were. Food and drinks were being brought out in mass quantities and all was well. Laughter, commentary and jokes were told as Ratchet looked at his giant hamburger with pleasure. Then he turned in his seat and grinned. "You okay over there, Only One?"

Ironhide who was relegated to a table by himself in a corner nearby glowered at him. **"I'M FINE!"**

 **HUGE** laughter commenced.

-0-Later that night when everyone was in bed but the old folks

They sat in their chairs relaxing. Ratchet grinned. "The kids are loyal to save you like that, Ironhide."

"They are."

"You aren't," Ratchet said.

Ironhide grinned. "Nope. I decided to win. When Prime went down it changed things. A mech has to do what a mech has to do."

"I noticed that," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I heard its going to be a while before the games come back. The entire area has to be reworked. Probably a good thing. It might allow Prowl to instill a killer instinct in Optimus."

They watched the screen showing highlights of the game, then glanced at each other. "Nah," they both said.

-0-In another apartment, laying on a berth in the dark

"If it helps, you can hide something here and I'll help you find it."

Springer laughed a long, long time.

-0-TBC 4-18-18 **edited 4-22-18**

Notes

Neutron Bomb: a dirty bomb that kills every living thing with copious amounts of radiation but the blast is so small that it doesn't destroy anything around it. Yes, we are a savage people.

Every year, Pamplona in Spain lets out their fighting bulls to run through the streets to the arena and people run along with them. You can get killed and gored doing it.


	332. Chapter 332

The Diego Diaries: Heading Onward (dd6 332)

-0-Morning

" **WHAT! I, ORION, NOT DOING?! I GOING THERE?"**

Ratchet stared down at his son, the foghorn that he didn't even know he needed. "Big mouth. You're going to school, too."

Orion smiled brilliantly, then hip hopped off. There was a lot of laughing and trilling around in Hero's berth room so he headed inward to join in on the fun.

Ratchet watched him go, then walked to his own berth room to get ready to go. They had a staff meeting shortly to catch up and set the plans for the next decaorn. Until then, the buses and cabs were coming and everyone had to hustle. Tall kids and tiny walked in and out of rooms, some of them helping each other and some being helped. By the time things were organized, it was nearly time to board vehicles for school. **"HUSTLE! DOWNSTAIRS!"** he said as he carried Halo in a baby sack. She was smiling brilliantly as he held her, her tiny face the only thing visible to anyone looking. Her long silver and copper hair shimmered in the light as they grabbed infants and stepped out.

It was a crowded elevator that took them down in time to see the first buses line up at the curb. Children hustled, one cabbed up and everyone watched them go with a wave. Prowler, Prima, Sojourner, Solus, Resolve, and Scout were some of the infants that rode on the Circle of Light Academy Infant Transport Bus. Now, none of the zillion kids anyone in five miles raised would need their genitors to take them.

The schools had spoken.

Ironhide was alone in casting the only negative vote to the change of transport plans in this manner on the school board.

They watched the buses go, then took the shortcut across the airfield to The Fortress to begin another orn for The People. Most of the crew was already there, lounging in and out of the conference room. Snacks and drinks were had, then they all entered and the door closed.

Then it opened again as Prowl ran in with datapad agendas.

Then it closed.

Again.

-0-Inside

Everyone found their place on the agenda, then settled back. It had been a while so there were a number of items that required discussion. Everyone waited as Prime and Prowl coordinated, then it began. "We are going to Cybertron this afternoon and you are invited to come if you can. We will be there for a short time, then you can go," Prime said as everyone nodded. He glanced at Prowl.

Prowl sat forward, then checked old business. "We need a final update on the University District, Magnus and Jetta. I understand that it was signed off already?"

Jetta nodded. "We've signed off on the entire area including the housing for out world students. There's been expressed interest from several universities and research centers from around Earth to have them be available for students from their institutions, rather as advanced graduate students. We can discuss that with the Science community here. The University and its annexes are open to all both here and on Cybertron with the housing mostly set aside for those who come here to learn or go to uni from Cybertron. That way there's more comfort and families can come as well. We want to make it easier on those students coming from far away."

"Please make it so," Prime said. "I think exchanges are good for everyone and having comforts available is very good news indeed"

"There are state-of-the-art labs, classrooms, the library is connected to everyone and everywhere on Mars and Cybertron as well as having access to human databases. The housing consists of both apartments and barracks. We'll use the barracks housing for short term students, like those staying a few orns only or those without families no matter how long the duration of their presence. Housing for families with a student are available both long and short term. There are facilities for fraternizing to build esprit d' corps and theaters … a huge swimming pool, a major dining area and three small cafes. Its quite wonderful and already is being occupied with the rest of the University's staff to transfer and begin work by the next weekend. All of the vacated space by the University and related groups is being claimed by businesses."

"We're putting the schools for policing and officer training into the University and have a course to train forensics officers as well," Springer added. "It's housed in the Science Center there."

"It'll improve performance and standardize practices this way," Drift said as the others nodded. Small discussion was had for the University and its programs including a major build up for medicine, then they moved onward.

"We have a great deal of money to invest in projects," Caro said as he began his report. Sitting on the table in an easy chair with the rest of the humans present, Sam nodded. "Even with the volatility on the New York Stock Exchange lately with tariff battles and the like, we've managed to hold our course. We're going to invest several hundred millions of dollars in river clean up throughout the northwest and northeastern America and in the UK." Caro paused a moment with a sheepish expression. "I watched a documentary and saw how much the waterways of Earth are contaminated and thought this would be a good investment. Children are drinking contaminated water and elders are affected harshly as well. I have a set aside of several billion dollars to invest in Asia and Africa for the same reasons. Water projects, clean ups and land rehab are goals that make the biggest immediate benefit, especially on the health and lifespans of humans. They'll employ a lot of people at good wages and benefits who we can train to do the work and manage the resources when we finish. This is a long term education project to utilize our tech to help with their problems. None of the tech we'll give will be of use for nefarious purposes, however," he said glancing at Prime who nodded.

Caro continued with Venture's assistance to explain their vast fortunes and holdings. They were buying up swatches of land all over the world that had turned to desert with the intentions of rehabilitating them and their animal populations. It was all corralled under an umbrella organization called The Prime's Land Trust. All in all, it was a great use of resources for places and people in dire need. He sat pleased and applauded, the sweet kid.

"Medical?" Prowl asked.

"We're getting in the new flood of refugees shortly and given that the records for them arrived shortly before the weekend, I'm not totally sure of what's what. Given that Dai Atlas and his teams along with our support are working wonders, I expect that little will be needed overall. Our teams on Cybertron have reported that the courier-trap problem has been eradicated," Ratchet said to huge relief and applause. "We hunted every square mile of the planet and found several thousands who were still hiding out. We're going to keep at it in case some drift back there again.

"Our population is booming on both worlds and we're keeping up just fine. Infants are spouting up everywhere. Our elder population is doing better over a range of infirmities. There's only a very small pool of elders who don't respond well to protoform wasting protocols at present but we're working on it. Some of them have been traumatized so long that its inhibited their normal processes. As for the rest, all is well."

Prime nodded. "We will be taking in a steady stream of new refugees from Dai Atlas over the next three decaorns. They will be taken through immigration and refugees where, Magnus?"

"We have a permanent office at the Large Frame Depot at the northeastern corner. We'll bridge in there, then take them by the metro station nearby for the freight depot and metro stations onward to the Crater District where they will be living once they come through. We have no ships in the depot now and the freight system is being requisitioned to take our people to the metro station at Terra. From there, they'll leave the freight system and take a metro train to their new home. We expect the flow to be manageable so there won't be a glut. If the freight system is needed then we'll reroute a metro train through that line to run continuously and carry refugees in gathered groups. We can bunch them at the immigration port and send them through between freight routings."

"Let me know if there is more to do," Prime said. "I would like this to be ironed out as smoothly as possible."

"We shall," Magnus said. "I have great expectations."

Prime nodded. "As do I."

"What about education?" Prowl asked.

"We're preparing for the children that are coming. We have field teams that go to Atlas's camps and evaluate the children there. From the preliminary reports, most of them have had some formal education and therefore, its not a start from scratch situation here for a large percentage of them. We have our interim program which will take these children in and sort them out. We want to make a smooth transition for them. Not all of them have had difficult lives in their locales but some have. We have special needs children and some of the families need support. We will do our part and work with Mental Health to ensure the best possible outcomes."

Jarro and Rung nodded. "We've flagged those most in need and we're going to be evaluating everyone as they come through. We have quick on-the-spot assessment testing and we've developed profiles to flag those that appear to have the right combination of behaviors that should be evaluated. We want to help them from the get go so that they can come into their new life in better shape than otherwise. We've learned a lot over the years of taking in groups."

"Thank you," Prime said.

The conversation continued with business and security data being laid out for everyone. There were no stand out problems in the business community. Business was booming. A cash free society made supply and demand problems a thing of the past given that production didn't rely on profits. Businesses were busy meeting needs and desires with individuals working to provide products for the endless number of businesses that 'sold' them. Artisans were busy and so were craftsmen, their special skills and products being rescued from extinction every orn. Anything that could be wanted was available. More businesses were opening every decaorn and more were planned. It was exciting.

"We also have to meet up for the filings made by the different companies at the United Nations gathering on Diego shortly ago. Some of them are interesting and others problematic. A number of them want to create habitats on any number of moons to do any number of things," Venture said.

"Schedule it through the office, Venture, and we will go over it. Ratchet? Coordinate the time around your convenience. The humans can wait for us to be able to decide," Prime said.

Ratchet nodded. "If the refugees coming in are in good order, I can be flexible."

"What about the humans who want to come here, Optimus?" Neo asked.

"We've received a letter petitioning you to allow Jason, James and William Daniels along with William Nast to come to Earth2 to work. They'd be working for the Richardson Corporation on studies that he's commissioning about business and product development. Richardson owns about 42% or more of the Earth2 Development Corporation and is second only to Harris and his international investment group. Harris has issued no opinion about this request and everyone else is quiet as well. He says he's trying to help friends get back on their feet," Prowl said. He glanced at Optimus. "The decision is yours. Sometimes, having your friends close and your enemies closer is a good thing. Whether that applies here, I'm not sure. It's being speculated on Earth nonstop."

"What does the speculation say?" Prime asked.

"It's about half and half … half say you'll let them come because of the potential they present to understand the opposition and half say you won't. You're considered … how do I say this? Inscrutable." Prowl grinned. "They don't know the half of it."

Chuckles rounded the room.

"Well, they'll be living on the grid in Paribolus and maybe given their dimness, we can learn what we need to know. Something tells me that they know more about the tech stolen from Sentinel's ship than they let on. Dirt bags cluster together," Springer said.

Prime nodded. "That is why I am going to okay the request. I want to know what they know," he said as he glanced at the big mechs sitting along the wall. "Paribolus, I would expect you to keep a vigilant optic on them. I also want to know if they create any disturbance among the population there. If they cause havoc, I want to intervene. Most of the humans appear to be adjusting well and making effort to be part of the community. I want nothing to hinder their assimilation and I am not sure that their leadership will be interested in ensuring that. I will allow no abuse of any kind on world. That behavior will not be countenanced."

Paribolus nodded. "There are conversations among the targets, Lord Optimus. I will lengthen the list of those who must be surveilled."

"What do they say, Pari?" Prowl asked.

"They discuss having more freedom to come and go. The mercenaries are ill tempered and deeply untrustworthy, though some are smarter than others. There is one called Silvio Lombardi who appears to have a clue. The others? Not so much. I am keeping a closer optic on the one called Cameron Fraser. He seemed enamored of some of the femmes. No one especially likes him. He appears to believe he's an important individual."

Prime nodded. "I will be interested in their conduct. Perhaps a few more in jail will help set the kind of tone we require here on world."

"Prison, perhaps?" Ironhide said with a grin as he glanced at Jetta. "We still have the clear cell block, right?"

Jetta grinned, then nodded. "We still have the fish bowl."

"Good," Blackjack said. "Always be prepared." He looked at Ironhide, then Prowl. "Or so an Autobot Scout told me."

Chaos.

-0-TBC 4-19-18 (Happy Birthday, my sweet Pippin) **edited 4-22-18**


	333. Chapter 333

The Diego Diaries: Meeting (dd6 333)

-0-There

"Entertain me, minions," Optimus said as he held Halo in his arms. She was smiling at him from the middle of a Seeker bag, her long shiny 'hair' flowing over his arm.

"That's one cute baby," Caro said. "I think the next one will have long filaments and be a femme."

Payload glanced at him with surprise. "The next one?"

Huge laughter and ribald commentary flowed like water among the heathens as Prime grinned at the baby. He looked at Prowl. "When will we be given leave to allow the Daniels and Nast to come here?"

Prowl shrugged. "That's up to you."

"Then we need to send a reply," Optimus replied.

"Let us help you, Prime," Starscream purred as everyone agreed. Loudly.

"Take a memo, Prowler," Ratchet said. "Dear Shit Heads-" he began before he got cut off by members of the same species, if not temperament.

:Optimus:

Everyone looked at Lennox who was sitting among the humans. He grinned and the others did as well. Given that nothing of note was mentioned in front of them in English including the role of Paribolus in the daily life of Earth2, they were unaware of most of the subtext. :How about letting us in on the hidden stuff for once:

Everyone glanced at each other, then Prime. He grinned and so did Halo. "We are discussing allowing the Daniels and Nast to come here to Earth2 to join the colony."

:I suppose you have a strategic purpose?: Seymour Simmons replied as Charlotte Mearing frowned slightly.

Prime stared at them a moment. "No."

 **HUGE** laughter.

Prowl snickered, then leaned closer to the humans. "Keep your tolerables close but your slaggers closer. I paraphrase."

"That sort of sums up your bond, Optimus," Raptor said with a smile.

Prowl shot him daggers, then sat back smugly. "Our **BOND** is just fine, thank you **VERY** much."

"Ooh. Granny has a kink in his man bun," Ratchet said. He grinned. "It rather explains it though. They'll make mistakes. Just watch."

"I'll put the fish bowl back into the prison, Gee-Gee," Jetta said as he grinned at the warden sitting down table from him.

"I rather like humans as prisoners. I feel a bit cheated with Big Jim. That was very selfish of you, Springer, not to give him to me," Gee-Gee said.

Springer grinned. "It was, wasn't it."

Drift grinned. "He's very giving most of the time."

Ribald remarks and much optical ridge waggling commenced at that remark. Drift grinned at Springer, then shrugged.

Springer who was smirking at the crew stared at Drift. "Slagger. I told you not to tell them about my super powers."

 **BWAHAHAHAHA!**

" **WHAT MIGHT THOSE BE!? GETTING YOUR AFT KICKED BY MINI-CONS!?"**

"What's a super power?" -Neo to Gravitas who shrugged with a grin

Springer smirked at everyone. "I'd tell you but I have to adhere to The Code."

"What's The Code, slagger?" Raptor asked with a feral smirk.

"I can't tell ya," Springer said as the room erupted again. He sat back. "I hope you know that we … all of us in enforcement and public safety are the thin blue line between you and the Nasts of the world." He glanced at Optimus. "I love the idea of having another crack at them. Allow them out as soon as possible. How can I arrest them if they stay home?"

"True, that," Drift said to snickers all around the table.

"That is the point," Optimus said with a grin. "We plan to have them out and about as fast as possible without arousing suspicion."

"Sounds good to me. Tell me, Optimus … if you have settlements on other moons in the system, how will we police them? They're going to be our facilities like these, right? I'd think given how they won't be directly in view of the home world here this might cause things to happen we might not like," Springer asked.

"We will have to work that out. If it comes to that, there will be a lot of conditions of settlement that will not be subject to debate. That includes their purpose and goals," Prime said.

"We could being their moons into orbit here," Wheeljack said with a grin. "What would they be? Enceladus. We have a base there. The others … not so much."

"Why would we do that, Wheeljack?" Perceptor asked as he looked up from his math datapad where he often went on flights of fancy for joors upon joors. Volcanoes could go off around him and in the past, they did. He wouldn't notice.

"I'll tell ya later, Percy," Wheeljack said with a grin.

"When are we moving Cybertron? I want them to have blue skies again," Prowl said.

"We have a plan in mind and all it takes is a few more visits to systems we plan to use for all of our different planetary needs. We have to set up the dust catchers and let them have a bit of time to draw down the debris in the orbital fields. The red dwarf system for Caminus has lost fifty percent of its orbital dust and debris from the gas giants we put there. Hooray for us."

Applause and other forms of exultation were awarded to the nerd squad.

"We'll let you know as soon as possible," Perceptor said.

"Good. I want Gliese and Cybertron moved to safety as soon as we can. The inner planets of the local group will be moved as well. Everyone is drifting and that makes them extremely vulnerable to bombardment or other disasters," Prime said. They chatted onward, then called it. Everyone began to walk out the door reminded as they did to come with Prime to Cybertron that afternoon. They all would.

-0-Virginia

William Daniels, his son James and his grandson, Jason sat in the sitting room of the rambling farmhouse that he had converted to a modern domicile. It was built in 1724 and sat on 119 pristine acres of trees, meadows and well watered land. Horses were kept here along with sheep and it was set back from the road by a long winding drive. It was cold outside but they were warm here. Prison had been torturous and they were falling back into comforts like parched men with drink.

"Harvey just called," William said as he rejoined both. "He sent the letter in about staying at Earth2 and he was told to expect an answer in a couple of days."

"What makes you think Prime will let us? We aren't exactly friends," James said with a trace of bitterness. "He would be a fool to agree."

"I can't read him," Jase said as he sipped his bourbon. It and the rest were almost too much greatness to handle, so horrible had been prison for him. Indulging in these comforts and the privacy of this place were a major part of his general recovery thus far. "What makes you think that the population there will be happy to see us?"

"I've had discussions with Owen. He isn't against us being there but he expects us to do the work. Not me, perhaps, as much as the two of you. I, for one, am tired and would like a rest without paparazzi hanging about. Eventually, we can all come back and it will be better," William said.

They stared at the crackling fire in the fireplace as they chatted, hoping against hope to have an out for a while. Parked on the road nearby with their cameras and microphones, the news media was tracking them like game.

-0-Cybertron later that same afternoon

They landed at the airfield, then halted to look around themselves. Everywhere in every direction were multitudes of individuals. Families, singles, children, the elderly … they were gathered together in total silence. Down the middle of the area a space was cleared to be a walkway through the crowds, one that ended some distance away where an old flag pole had stood flying the flags of Cybertron and the Primes. It had been restored and the flags were there along with one for Mars.

Prime glanced at the others in his group, then began to walk forward. The crowd was expectant and excited but silent, waiting for him to reach the distant raised flag pole platform where a number of individuals were waiting for him and his party. As they walked along, the odd mech or femme dashed out to touch Prime, then bow before slipping back in. Hands reached out for him and he grasped them, touching his people and being touched as they continued onward.

The group with him consisted of the Civilian and Senior Autobot Committee along with Epps, Lennox and Graham riding in a box carried by Mack. They were sitting as they were carried along, as silent as anyone there. The sky was dark overhead but the area was flood lit with lights and beyond, the city could be seen rising again.

When Prime reached the steps, he walked up with his group and when he gripped the servo of the dignitaries waiting, the crowd howled with delight and pleasure. He shook hand with all, then turned to the crowd. A device attached to the flagpole, small but powerful was a speaker system. All he had to do was speak and he would be heard, so he waited until he was introduced along with the others.

The crowd seemed almost alive as they vented their delight and sheer joy. Prime felt it patter against his neural net, their glorious delightful energy. When they settled down a bit, he spoke to them. "Good afternoon. I am Optimus Prime."

It would take a moment for the bedlam to calm down, then he began again. "I am here to honor this city and her people for their achievements. In the distance beyond, the rebuild is rising into the sky and homes will be made for the throngs who live here. For now, we wait patiently for such a happy orn to come. Because of that, we look to our culture for strength and unity. Today, I am here to present to you a symbol of that unity, one that was gained by this city through effort, honor and courage."

 **HUGE** applause.

"Today, it is my honor to award the Primus Cup of the Cybertronian Adult Football League to **Nova Cronum**!" Prime said as the crowd exploded in delight. There was singing, club songs and pennants in servo. There was dancing and hugging, tears, shouts and jumping in place. It went on and on, then settled. Prime grinned as he waited. Turning to Password, he nodded. "The President of the Cybertronian Adult Football League will present the trophy to the captain of your team but before he does I would like to tell you that next season, the stadiums in Polyhex, Praxus and Iacon will be hosting the Cybertronian Football League."

 **PANDEMONIUM!**

"That league will play each other as well as the Martian Football League in regularly scheduled and televised games. The Primus Cup will be contested by the team in each league with the most wins. The next Primus Cup Championship game will be held here on Cybertron in the stadium in Iacon."

 **BEDLAM! SINGING! DANCING! SWAYING WITH JOY!**

Password pulled the trophy out of the bag he had carried it in to Cybertron and handed it to their team captain. That huge mech hugged it, then walked to the edge of the platform. Smiling with enormous happiness, he raised it over his helm. It gleamed in the light as the crowd cried, sang and exulted. The trophy would go on a tour of Cybertron with the team so that The People could see it. Then it would be placed in a glass case in the center of Nova Cronum where it would remain until the next season's championship.

Nova Cronum's Brigadiers of Cybertron had beaten Kaon's Kavaliers of Mars 8-7.

-0-TBC 4-20-18 **edited 4-22-18 HAPPY EARTH DAY!**

This would have been finished and posted sooner but Age of Ultron was on. :D:D:D


	334. Chapter 334

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho, Bro! (dd6 334)

-0-On the way back home

They left a maddeningly happy city behind them as they gathered on their vessel to come back home. Ratchet sat down next to Sunstreaker who came with Sideswipe to represent Kaon's Kavaliers. They had been congratulated themselves by the Brigadier fans who recognized them. It was light and absolutely spark warming how everyone felt and the good it did for a battered hard luck Cybertronian town to come out on top. He glanced at Sunny. "I never had a chance to ask you how you feel about the game."

"If anyone but us had to win, better a Cybertronian team. We found out a few defects that we're going to plug. Next year, its ours," Sunstreaker said as Sideswipe nodded in agreement. "They had a very strong defense but the game was between offenses. It was a tightly played game if I say so myself. But it won't happen again."

Ratchet grinned. "You did get slammed good," he said. "Flying out of bounds and landing in the stands was a great move."

Sunstreaker smirked. "That will teach the priests to sit that close to the field."

"No mini-con riots, no fights of any note in the stands … it was rather pedestrian in that way," Ratchet replied.

"Everyone wanted to see if Cybertron would win. They did. Not next time, though," Sideswipe said.

"You're going to bear arms?" Ratchet asked.

"Sunny might but I'm going to slay them with my killer good looks," Sideswipe said before being buried in mockery.

-0-On the ground

Ratchet walked to The Fortress heading for Prime's office along with the others. Some separated until Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl, and Prime were the only ones headed for the doorway that led to the corridor where the senior Autobots had offices. Entering the big one for Prime, Ratchet walked to the desk and sat. Putting up his peds, he smiled a dazzler. "How do I look? Do I give the office all the gravitas it deserves?"

"The Matrix is telling me to tell you to sit up straight," Optimus said as he sat down across from Ratchet. He grinned as Ratchet grinned at him. Prowl didn't grin. He was scandalized.

"Good thing you're not the Prime. There would be nothing left after your lunacy," Prowl said as he worked on the monitors nearby. He turned to Ratchet. "You're being put through."

Ratchet sat up and schooled his expression as the others sat down across from him out of the view of the camera that allowed Prime to have video conferencing in his office. The Emblems of the Primes on screen was replaced with a conference room where Harvey and Louis Richardson, Owen Harris and half a dozen other high rollers in the Earth2 Corporation sat around a big table.

It was silent a moment as both sides took in the other, then Harvey Richardson turned more fully toward the camera. "Ambassador Ratchet, we meet at last."

"I'm assuming you're Harvey Richardson," Ratchet replied.

"Yes," Harvey replied. "I would like to introduce you to some of my partners … this is my son, Louis Richardson, you know Owen Harris and Pierre Beliveau. This is Clark Walters, Simpson Lawson, Abel Matthews, Lyle Cutter, and Benjamin Alton. All of us are the owners of Earth2 Corporation. We're glad to talk to you about a number of things. We didn't expect to have this opportunity."

"Given the nature of the request, we felt it would be productive to have a conversation. You **do** understand that our history with the Daniels and Nast isn't good and we're not hopeful that it'll get better," Ratchet replied.

"Understood," Harvey said. "The Daniels family and mine have been friends for about a 100 years. We are close and I have to tell you, this was shocking to all of us. But they paid a price. No one expected the pardon. What do we do now to help friends back to productivity and service to the idea of the greater good? That's the crux of our request."

The sound of someone or something could be heard. Ratchet grinned. "We have static on the line. I could give you the science but you can also just believe me."

"We'll take your word for it, Ambassador," Owen Harris said with a grin.

Ratchet nodded as he cast a gimlet optic toward Prowl and Ironhide, both of whom snorted at Richardson's remarks. Prime grinned at Ratchet as Prowl smirked. "Tell us about your request in some detail. What can they do here and why should we let them beyond your concern that they have a place to live where people won't stone them. We are talking treason among other things here."

Harvey grinned. "Point taken. What we want are different studies taken concerning product development and efficiency studies about life in a closed environment. Even though the habitat is a remarkable and very large facility, we're interested in a number of projects we want to fund in our R and D budget." He leaned forward. "We have several requests from our scientists to join you for mutual research as well, if I might be so bold to add that bit of news into the conversation."

Ratchet nodded. "They're under review. We have a very positive view of your population for the most part. The scientists and families are very welcome and show a good face for humanity. We have our own coterie of security that are part of Chief Springer's department," Ratchet began. "They rather off set the bad image of the mercs that you've employed, Owen Harris."

"May I ask, Ambassador, what the Earth2 colony needs of nine human security officers working inside Earth2 yet are responsible to you and Springer alone? I rather feel as if you aren't sure you can trust us," Clark Walters asked, interrupting Owen's reply. He was a venture capitalist who could finagle money out of dry holes. He was smart, educated and interested deeply in this project. He was planning to move his offices there when the okay was given by Prime's government.

"We have redundancies built in. Ops Center there is maintained by our people and us. We come and go there without entering the facility directly through the main habitat doors. It's because we want to cut down on problematic possibilities that might erupt from a non-space going species like yours. Problems. Misunderstandings. We also want to protect our people from accidentally or inadvertently giving away things you don't have standing to know. We maintain mini and micro-mini personnel to work inside the facility to maintain it and to help with whatever the scientists or population needs within a highly negotiated and strictly observed list of acceptable items during charter negotiations. Our nine human security officers are part of our safety protocols for the facility. They operate independently of your own, they report to us about any incidents that are part of our highly negotiated list of items that fall to us to know about, and they meet our standards for training and operational functionality. They're under Springer's purview because they're employees of that department and the Prime's government. This is all negotiated and agreed upon during the build up. They are there to tell us if something happens that might just 'accidentally' slip your minds."

"Then they're spies," Clark persisted.

"No. They have only a limited number of responsibilities and spend some of their time rotating out to the other habitats. They help maintain and secure the UN Mission, Sciences, the Family areas, and the rest. Earth 1 has them two days out of ten. We've discussed this and frankly, I find it rather irritating that you keep bringing it up and casting aspersions on our motives when none of you can live here without us. We have millions of things to do besides working our tails off taking care of you. Read the charter documents, Mr. Walters." Ratchet sat back with a calm expression but he was intent about what he was saying.

"We have, Mr. Ambassador. We don't want to get off on the wrong foot together. We have hope you understand that our ventures are fluid and we will seek conversations about them along the way," Louis Richardson soothed. "This is just one of them, I assure you."

"We don't mind that. Things change. But some don't. We have half a dozen mercenaries from Diego Garcia in the facility who have a poor and abusive history with us and now you want to put four humans there who went out of their way to cross our paths and not in a good way. I'd think you'd try a little harder to see another point of view other than your own. You're asking a great deal and we've decided to make this call to you before deciding what we will allow and not to ensure both sides understand each other," Ratchet said. "We understand science and scientists. We also understand fuckers and frankly, all of the mercs at the facility and these four fall under that category. Tell me how things are different. As you just said … things are fluid and all over time."

It was silent a moment, then Harvey sat back. It was clear he wasn't used to be spoken to this way but he was smart. "We believe, some of us, that redemption is always possible. No one expected this pardon and for those of us who are friends of these people, life has been difficult. They had families and homes, lives that they lived before Diego. Now they want them back but life here would be terribly difficult right now. Therefore, we've asked that they come to Mars to live and work there. There are things they can do that are very helpful to our overall view of life on Mars. They could show they've changed and have hope that they can. We're sorry for the past but we live in the present and have to deal with it as it is. It's our hope to kill two birds with one stone. We wish to help rehabilitate their reputations and find their footing in the world as well as getting good work from very capable workers. That's our purpose here."

Ratchet nodded. "That's very stand up, Mr. Richardson, to do this for friends."

"We'd like to do a lot of things, Mr. Ambassador. We don't want to be your enemies but your friends. We want to do mutually beneficial things together. Some of our members are going to be moving to Mars. We've put their applications into the Secretariat of State. We hope they get approved," Harvey said.

"Walters, Louis Richardson, Abel Matthews, and Lyle Cutter? I've seen the applications," Ratchet said.

"Who would have to approve them, Mr. Ambassador? Who is the Secretary of State?" Lyle Cutter asked.

"Why, **I** am, Mr. Cutter," Ratchet said with a big smile.

A sound of movement could be heard, then Ratchet grinned at something off screen. "Excuse me a moment. Something dull and heavy just fell off a shelf."

Ironhide frowned at Ratchet who leaned out of camera range to smile at him. Prime and Prowl swallowed their laughter as Ironhide shifted back a bit more in his chair. Ratchet sat back up, then smiled. "There. All better."

"When can we expect to hear from you, sir?" Cutter asked.

"I'll be taking it up with Prime immediately, perhaps before I even leave this office," Ratchet said with a smile. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss before we part?"

"We have a lot of ideas, Ambassador. We would like to be able to discuss them with the relevant individuals when they come up," Louis Richardson said.

As he did, Prime grinned, then pointed to Ratchet. Everyone smirked but Ratchet.

"We'll schedule time. We aren't against discussions. We're against subterfuge. You will receive our letter by courier tomorrow with our answer. If by any stretch of the imagination these four return here, they will have to meet and discuss the very major caveats attached to them. They will have to agree to abide by them before we clear them through customs and immigration."

They nodded. "Understood, Ambassador. Thank you," Harvey said.

"You're welcome. Ratchet out," Ratchet said as he waited for the line to cut. When it did, he sat back and put his peds back up on the desk. "This is nice. I threw a few things in, Optimus. No sense allowing your soft spark Autobot ways to get in the way."

Prime grinned. "Send the letter. The sooner they are here and on our grid surveillance, the better. Paribolus will take the inside route and we, the outside. I want our tech back and our enemies vanquished."

Everyone nodded, then they stood to go. Ironhide and Ratchet walked out together to go about things before dinner and the inevitable rush of infants. Prowl sat with Prime to write the letter and things rolled onward.

-0-That evening in a big office in the Sears Tower, Chicago

Harvey and Louis Richardson stood by the window looking out over the city of Chicago. The Prime's letter had arrived by diplomatic courier and they had read it together. The green light was given but not unless there was agreement on the rules. They were simple. You have to meet with the Prime, then Springer. You have to wear trackers and you have to stay inside the habitat until further notice. If there ever was going to be a time when you wandered, you had to have special and formal permission from the Primal government to do so. If in some far off future that you proved your trustworthiness, there might be an ease of restriction.

That would be in a far off time, perhaps in another galaxy far, far away.

The slaggers.

Harvey turned to his son and smiled. "Make the calls. We're go."

His son nodded, then walked to the desk nearby to make calls to the Daniels, Nast, Walters, Cutter, and Abel Matthews. It was time to roll out.

-0-TBC 4-21-18 **edited 4-22-18 Happy Earth Day!  
**

Football highlights will be played out throughout the next few. I knew that would happen so I'm going to put the highlight reel on blast. :D

Someone asked when they would all end up in prison and/or off world, all the humans coming with poor intentions. Its going to take a while. After all, the length of this story should be a clue that nothing is ever fast, usually. I think we passed seven million words and a zillion chapters. I'm editing furiously, about 50 parts a day which should take me through Christmas Surprise. :D

It's a living. ;)


	335. Chapter 335

The Diego Diaries: Things (dd6 335)

-0-Around the place … RTR Tools ...

"Thank you," Ravel said as he accepted the order. The youngster nodded, then headed out of RTR Tools heading for other places and businesses that needed deliveries from the Foundry Exchange. Ravel carried the box of metals to the back warehouse and set it on the work table. Opening it, he smiled. "It's all here, Tie."

Tie Down who was hammering something at one of the anvils glanced up. Putting things aside, he walked to the counter and helped pull items they ordered for a special creation out of the box. Sheets and sheets of silver and copper were piled onto the counter as they went through the contents. "We can make them as soon as I finish with the designs. All of the pictures were very helpful. We can make the templates tonight and begin tomorrow."

"I can't wait to tell everyone. This is **such** a good idea, Tie. Thank you for being so clever," Ravel said with a smile.

Tie grinned at Ravel. "I have you for inspiration, Ravel," he said.

-0-Secretariat of State, Autobot City Medical Building, The City

Ratchet walked in and sat down in Lucien's office. "We're going to let the slaggers from Earth come here. They're going to be coming shortly and have to pass inspection."

"I read up on them. Why would you have them here? They're bad news all around," Lucien said as he sat back in his chair. His desk was covered in work and there were files pending.

"I can get you an assistant or a writer if you want one," Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"I do better without. It might take a little longer but it gets done," Lucien said.

Ratchet nodded. "We have problems beyond Diego with these types. Someone stole a lot of our tech and while most of it is beyond the means of the humans to recreate due to materials and conceptual limitations, we want it back anyway. We also find that those with the most money are the ones who we find working to do us harm. Having them here puts them on our radar and we can perhaps get lucky."

Lucien nodded. "I see."

"When we do the interviews and the rest when they get here, I want you there to watch and listen. The more you know, the easier it is for you to do work that relates to them. It took a while to get them but we have a good group of humans around us. It's the ones we don't know that create the biggest problems," Ratchet said as he rose. "I'll let you know when. All of this detail is secret beyond secret. We have adversarial beings on world and we have to be careful should they find out. The element of surprise is ours to lose."

Lucien nodded. "Very well."

Ratchet nodded, then walked out. The light streamed in from mid afternoon as he considered that, then turned back to his job.

-0-At the United Nations Consulate, United Nations Territory, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and Earth

"We're going to need all hands on deck, Carly," Charlotte Mearing said as she finished debriefing Carly Brooks-Spencer on the threat and the newcomers. "You're the only one here that knows and we want it that way. No one is to know what the picture is. We're picking strategic individuals in all the habitats we hold to be our eyes and ears. They represent a real threat to us and we have to deliver on the intel. Do you understand?"

Carly stared at the two intense figures before her and nodded. "I do. I remember them from the news. They were part of the group that harassed the bots at Diego and tried to kill the children. Prime must think they have value to let them come here. I hope the colony doesn't know them or what they did on Earth. It might get ugly."

Mearing nodded. "That's what we have to protect against. Since you're the individual here who routinely visits all the habitats including Earth2, I want you to listen. Don't act. Just listen unobtrusively. Don't do anything else. Leave it to trained professionals."

Carly nodded. "Very well. You two are the contacts then."

"We are," Mearing said as she stood. "Right now, we have to go to Earth 1 and talk to our contact there. I'm not going to mention who that is for now because of security issues but know that there's going to be one in every human habitat on world."

"What about Earth2?" Carly said as they walked to the door of the lounge.

"We're working on it," Mearing said grimly. "Thanks, Carly."

"Yeah, thanks, doll. Don't be a hero. We're the ones who do the heavy lifting," Seymour Simmons said as he followed Mearing.

Carly smirked at him as they left. He was humorous, Our Seymour, she thought. Then she returned to her office to work.

-0-On the road

:Why not stop at Earth2 first: Mearing said. :I want to speak to a few individuals there that I'm grooming. I want to do rumor control:

:On it: Simmons said as he drove the heavy duty segway that they were taking. They would be adding small enclosed vehicles to their motor pool shortly to make distance travel like this less open to the elements. Nothing replaced their segways for getting around as well as getting in and out of places but having the option of more comfort and protection for distances was welcomed by all.

They disappeared down the road.

-0-Elsewhere

Ironhide walked around the armory as he sized up the types of big bombs that they were using in their medium range cannons on smaller fast ships. They were very powerful, 'smart' and a good feature for their army and even the heavier Seeker fighters. Sitting on his arm smiling at him around her binky, Halo listened to him. She didn't get every word or many, but she got his tone, his warmth, all the little kindnesses he did for her, and the familiar greatness of this place.

He grinned at her. "Cookie?" he asked.

She smiled, then pressed her nose against his shoulder. Smiling upward, her binky fell out of her mouth. Fortunately for both, it was hanging on a string around her neck. **"ADA!"** she said loudly. Then she chuckled, a fat wicked sound that began somewhere down around her toes and came upward.

Ironhide grinned. "Cutie."

" **ATAR!"** -Halo

" …!" -Ironhide

-0-Shortly later in the CMO's office

"Atar."

 **GIANT** smile.

"Ah-tar. Atar."

Silence as seated femme-let looked at them, then the floor, ceiling, her toes, her old ah-tar, the window, the floor …

Moments later …

They sat on chairs with their peds up in the office of the CMO eating candy while a baby sat on the floor looking around. She grinned at them, they grinned at her.

Stand off.

"She said it plain as day," Ironhide said as he grinned at her. "Little femme is growing too fast. She's not going to school, Ratchet. I don't care how advanced she is. She's tiny and new. The wrapper is still on her and she's not going. I, Ironhide, slave to the peewees have spoken."

Ratchet laughed. "If you say so."

"I do-"

They both froze as they watched a tiny femme reach up to a chair and pull hard. Slowly, painfully, she pulled herself up until she was standing on her wobbly legs. She patted the chair, then fell backward onto her backside. Ratchet and Ironhide stared at each other, then Halo, then each other, then …

-0-RTR Tools

"Those are very fine templates, Tie. Do you want me to cut the metals?"

"How about you do that while I get the silver ready? We can form it in the molds and be that farther ahead. We only need three of them. We can store the templates against the future and have them available for perhaps special orders and the like. Prowl might be interested," Tie said.

Ravel nodded, then with magnificent skill and patience, he took a very fine tipped torch and began to cut the sheets of metal to Tie's exacting specifications.

-0-CMO

Halo sat on Ironhide's lap patting her dollie. She had her binky firmly in place and was as content as could be. Her genitors on the other hand weren't as much. They were guzzling down candy in a tense silence. Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "She doesn't go to school this time until I say so. You had sway on everyone else. This little femme is mine to decide."

Ratchet looked at Ironhide, then shrugged. "Within limits, Ironhide. If she's sub adult and still waiting to go to Sparkling Day, then I'll step in."

Ironhide smirked. "That's not a problem. What **is** the problem is how fast she's growing and acting. I want her to be an infant for a long time. You're an adult forever, Ratchet. I want this little femme to be a baby. She may have a lot of good habits but she's still a little baby."

"You won't get an argument out of me," Ratchet replied.

-0-Earth2

They entered the big concourse and walked onward, heading for the farm where a couple of individuals worked who were friendlies and insiders on the way things happened here. It was a short elevator ride upward to the top floor that opened into a gigantic space so big that it was difficult to see across one side to the other. They walked together past the farm where the animals lived and toward a field of green growing plants that were benefiting from the overhead light from outside and the special spectrums that operated on all growing things inside.

Finding the ones they wanted, they chatted for about an hour together. By the time they left, they would have some good intel, some speculation and a bit of a rant. Cam Frazer was interested in the young single women who worked here. Rick Harris was a pretty good guy to be around. He was mannerly, liked living here and helped out when asked.

They had heard on the in house news that the Daniels and Nast had been released. They had as much knowledge of things at Diego as the next person but they were aware that some of the mercenaries working here were part of that process including trying to kill the children. No one liked them and tried to avoid that group altogether. The idea of more coming wasn't popular.

When Simmons and Mearing left, they would go to Earth 1 and find out much the same sort of feeling, if not the same observations of the enemy. No one liked the mercs and some of the men and their families who employed them. Some of them were obnoxious especially around the women and more were coming. It was going to be something else when the new party would arrive.

Mearing and Simmons left and drove onward, heading toward The City and a short chat with Jazz and Elita. Then they'd head for home and dinner. The sun was getting to the downside of its journey across their light blue sky.

-0-Earth

They sat together, old friends from school and a lifetime of shared adventures. Jase Daniels brought a drink for Harvey and Louis Richardson. He gave them to his family, then sat with his own. They sipped their scotches for a moment, then William Daniels looked toward Harvey. "Thank you for helping us, though I'm unclear how this will be a game changer for us."

"You can cool off and come home some day. All you have to do is get past Prime," Harvey said. "My son will be moving his operation to Mars if Prime okays it. Everyone will be there to help you. We have two Beta Strikers from N.E.S.T working for us in a permanent station in the UN Consulate. We plan on getting more on world. It's going to be fine. You have to send us what you know. Understand, they aren't gods. Relax and do your job. That's all you have to do."

Jason, William and James Daniels gave Harvey a nod wrapped around a helpless shrug.

"I hope so, Harvey," William replied with a slight case of worry.

He wouldn't be the only one.

-0-TBC 4-22-18 **HAPPY EARTH DAY!**


	336. Chapter 336

The Diego Diaries: Roamin' in the Gloamin' [ ] indicates Cybertronian spoken

-0-Early morning at Earth 1

The sound of a heavy door closing echoed across the concourse as the kitchen crew of the massive facility gathered their overnight marinades from the massive walk in refrigerators to prepare for 'barbecue day'. It was one of the big perks of living here, the food. Even though the residents had the option of cooking in their apartments, most of them took advantage of the cafe and kitchen during the day with some eating there exclusively. They carried huge foil covered pans to the ovens where they would slow bake until lunch time when it would be pulled out and served with all manner of side dishes.

Nearby, the 'kitchen munchkin', a small good natured woman named Harriet who went by the name Hattie was preparing ingredients for omelets. Fresh baked bread was cooling off on racks nearby as music played in the kitchen. Hattie's husband who was a chef was pulling out a rack of muffins and pastries which would be out all day long for snacking. The pastries would be fruit filled and frosted, tempting to even the strictest dieter in the community. Those with special needs for diet or through a religious obligation would be handled as well through the skills Hattie brought to her job as dietitian. It was a well oiled machine, the big kitchen crew.

Nearby, the sound of running feet signaled that the jogging group was making their latest round of the facility. Every morning, a good dozen men and women gathered in the lounge, stretched, then ran for a good half hour. Then they would take measurements and tests before breaking up. Some of that data would be given to Jason Daniels as part of his project on world when he and the others came. That was still not common knowledge among these humans or those on Earth2, though there were rumors running wild there about it.

Brandon Clark and his newly wed wife, a lady named Susan who had no great specialty beyond great warmth and a desire to help the community walked to their table by the window. "What's the headlines today, Brandon?" she asked as she sorted through her and his email for him.

"A long term migration is coming in through the next three weeks, the concert season has opened at the Performing Arts Center and according to the report, you have to get your tickets early. Let's see … there won't be any metrotitans in unless there's an emergency for the next three decaorns due to the migration ..."

"A decaorn is ten days, right?" she asked.

He nodded. "Ten days is a decaorn, a day is called an orn and an hour is called a joor."

"What about minutes?" she asked.

"I'd need a calculator. They have nanoseconds and the like. They can calculate it that fast. Not me," he said with a grin. "It looks like they want to film some scenes for 'The Bridge' here."

"Oh, my god. Will Bryce Billings be here?" Susan asked with delight.

"Not if I can help it," Brandon said with a chuckle.

A bell rang softly as those gathering turned to look. Hattie was standing at the flattop with a grin. "Come and get it."

They did.

-0-Earth 2

There was a buzz in the huge dining room as the day broke brightly outside. Hundreds and perhaps more than a thousand were gathered to eat breakfast, exchange news, chat about this and that before heading out for the day. Some would work in the greenhouse which was producing some of their food. Nearby was a huge construction which would be an extension of the one they had, similar to the one being created also at Earth 1, a structure big enough to work out a grove of fruit trees and several olive. A grapevine in the smaller greenhouse at Earth 1 would be replanted there and allowed to vine around the walls to its heart's content. They would have one here as well to augment the one already growing up on the farm deck. It would be interesting to see the difference in growth from the big building to the greenhouse, if any.

School would open in an hour to allow families to get ready for their day without undo rushing. Children were sitting together, grouping into friendly cliches of like minds. Some of them were about ready to run for the bus that would gather them for Youngling Day. The bus for Sparkling Day would be right behind it to gather up the three little toddlers that were now members of that venerable institution. There were applications into the Circle of Light Preparatory Academy that were pending. Two families wanted their children to experience this because they were Buddhists and it appealed to their personal philosophy, the ideas of the Circle of Light, such as they were known.

Some of those gathered would be taking classes at the University now that they were being cleared to go out of the habitat. They had to have specific reasons for clearance, college being one of them, and they had to pass tests and inspections. Others were cleared generally and took those who weren't sometimes with them as they went about their day. It was a slow process to be given full rights to wander.

The mercenaries sat at their table by the window laughing and joking among each other. Nearby, nine security officers hired, trained and maintained by Autobot Nation, all of them former soldiers of the armies of the United States, the UK and Belgium ate their meal together. They were going to leave shortly to do their duty at other installations. Two would be at the Consulate for a week, two would be at the Resort for a week while the others would break between Earth 1 and Earth2 while coming home every night.

There was no communication between both groups. They didn't fraternize. They made a point of being polite but there were no friendships, no friendly conversations. The mercenaries considered them spies and the enemy. The nine considered the mercs unprofessional carrion dogs of war. There was no common ground among them. One of the nine rose to walk to the condiment counter nearby. Tabasco sauce was needed for the Denver omelet they were eating so she obliged.

The mercs watched her, then turned back to their conversation. "She's a good looking woman," Sam Hedges said.

The others nodded, then Johnson glanced at his partner. "She's the enemy. She works for Springer and Prime."

"But she's still pretty," Hedges said with a grin.

"What do you think about Daniels and the others coming here?" Silvio Lombardi asked.

Johnson and Hedges glanced at him. Then Johnson grinned. "If that little bastard so much as crosses the line with me, I'm going to plant him."

"Jase?" Carlos Ortega asked.

"Any of them," Johnson replied.

They laughed loudly as the kids bound for Youngling Day gathered up and ran for the habitat doors down the concourse. The bus for school had arrived.

-0-Consulate

Carly sat at a table eating breakfast with Sam. He was on world for a while handling a number of business transactions by conference call. He had a lot of planning to do with Venture, Caro and Fenix so he was going to be here for a while. Carly didn't mind. She was going to have her wedding here with or without him. She grinned. "Slow down. You have time."

"I have to speak to Magnus before the meeting," Sam said. "What's on your agenda today?"

"Well, planning the wedding. Getting some contacts in touch with each other for mutual benefit, arranging a few groups to come here for conferences and tours … that sort of thing," Carly said.

Sam nodded. "Don't firm up the date yet. We have to see how a few things shake out. It'd be a disaster for the wedding if the bots get called out."

She nodded. "As long as you show up."

Sam grinned. "What makes you think I won't?"

She grinned back. "Have you asked Bee to be your best man yet?"

"Not yet," Sam said. "What about you?"

She stared at Sam a moment, then sat back. "I thought about Mikaela or Jessie but I think that would be a bad idea."

Sam stared at her silent a moment, then sat back him, "Do ya think?"

She laughed long and loud.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

"What's on the overnight?" Fig asked as he swapped seats with James Brooks-Spencer.

"Quiet thus far," he said with a grin. "What's for breakfast?"

"Whatever's left over," Fig said. "Ask Mama. She's on KP duty today."

"I will," James said as he walked into the rec room that formed a large part of the facility. Most of those who lived there were eating breakfast at the tables around the dining area. He walked into the kitchen and took a tray. Breakfast was ample and beautifully made. Given their isolation and the idea that an army travels on its stomach, the food provided was incredible. Now that some of the soldiers were assigned to go on beats with some of the Watch patrols to learn more about their allies and vice versa and their training had expanded to deep desert terrain, food for fuel was of the essence. Even protected, living here expended more energy than home so most of them were constantly hungry. There wasn't a human habitation that didn't have food of all kinds sitting out for the inmates.

He filled his tray, got a hot cup of tea, then walked to a table to sit. Waving to the children as they ran for the habitat door, those who had spent the night with their families having duty, he sat and grinned at Lennox. "You look miserable."

"I got a message from Prime. He approved the package."

James looked at him, then the others. "That's not good."

"No, but its going to be interesting," Epps said with a grin. "Things just got interesting."

-0-Getting on with it

Olivia Bowers arrived at the Halls of Order and drove inside. She made her way to the office of her mentor and friend, Heatout of Praxus. She pulled over, then jumped down to walk to the ladder that led to the top of his desk. Climbing up, she walked to a chair that was set there just for humans and sat down. :Good morning, Master: she said with a smile.

"Good morning, my friend," Heatout said with a grin. "I want you to meet someone who just came in for a moment with the first refugees." He looked at a big warrior-class mech with kind optics and wisdom oozing from his pores. He seemed to seethe age and intelligence, though he looked no older than anyone else. Cybertronians reached adulthood, then seemed to freeze in time, never aging beyond that point to the untrained eye. "This is my friend, mentor and leader … this is Dai Atlas."

Olivia Bowers almost swooned.

-0-Earth2

Owen Harris had returned the night before from meetings on Earth with his fellow owners. Harvey and Louis Richardson had somehow finagled Prime into letting the Daniels and Nast come to Mars to work here at the plant. He had no problem having them. Any kind of thorn in Prime's side was welcomed. After all, he had hired most of Daniels's mercs to come and do his bidding. That included provoking and irritating as well as spying. He sat down in his chair in his office with his food. There was work to do and catching up with others. A documentary team was looking to come here and film. That would be a good thing.

The office staff outside were arriving for work as the farmers on the top floor began to do their jobs in this, an essential part of the overall plan. He had visited The Farm, availing himself of the animals and their sweet undemanding affections. Then he had walked about the massive structure taking in the neat rows of food, the flowers blooming on their little orchard and the trees reaching upward in the grove for the light of the transparent ceiling. Upward, the sun could be seen. It seemed smaller than that of Earth but the light inside was bright. It was carefully screened for UV harm, then magnified to match that of Earth. The bots thought of everything.

He picked a grape from the vine nearby and tasted it. It was still bitter. The farmers joked about making a small vintage from this crop. It would probably fill three bottles at best. He grinned. He would love to brand their own wine. That would be a proud accomplishment for everyone. He walked out, got his food and went to the office to work. As he did, Seekers flashed past on their way to their stations around the TransWorld Highway system. He watched them go by at 200 feet above ground level and felt their muffled sonic booms. He grinned. This place was fantastic.

-0-Riding the bus

Camilla, Lilly, Jaycee, and Rain sat on a seat chatting together about class, about boys, bands, and boy bands. They were catching up to some things and thus, were left more often in the classroom for writing, spelling and some of the sciences that rotated through the decaorns. Biology and mechanical-Biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, technology, and geology were subjects that were taught in intense bursts, then rotated with another every nine decaorns. Those still required a lot of support and pull out by their tutors.

:What about the rumor that Bryce and Tawny are coming to the habitat to film scenes for 'The Bridge'?: Jaycee asked. :Which habitat? Ours or theirs?:

:I don't know. I'll ask my dad. He was on Earth for a few days so I couldn't: Rain said.

:I wonder if we can be in the scenes: Camilla said with a grin. :I'd love it:

:You and me both: Jaycee said. :What about the water park? Are you going with the others? I am:

:That's a dangerous place: Camilla said as Rain nodded. :I hear the waves are like tsunamis:

:They are: Jaycee said. :That's the brilliant thing about it:

They pulled up to another stop and more kids walked in to sit. Among them were Sunspot, Spirit and T-Bar. The door closed and they moved onward. Staring out the window, they saw Ironhide and Prime's family waving to the kids. They waved themselves and received them back. The bus continued onward in the busy morning crush.

-0-At a metro station in Crystal City

Zenith and Shadow stepped off the train at the second metro stop in the city. Walking up the stairs, they reached the sidewalk, then headed for a cafe with street side service where they took their breakfast. Sitting and ordering, they read their downloaded newspapers and wire services. Soon, they would be at the office nearby and on the job searching out clues for space bridges that could transport in and out of different dimensions. Some said it couldn't happen but they were undaunted. It would help when they found a suitable black hole.

The morning would pass in deep contemplation between the two. They wouldn't have contact with their son and his family today, either.

-0-School [ ] indicates Cybertronian speech

They ran inside and headed for their classrooms, all of the lines of kids moving swiftly as teacher-trainee, Le-O carried most of the humans in their transport box. Stopping by classrooms, he dropped off the proper students, then headed onward to more. By the time Rain, Camilla, Jaycee, and Lilly reached their own, the last bell rang. Jaycee ran for Mrs. Lyrica's class as the other three headed across the hall for theirs. In they hurried with a wave to Le-O, put things away, got their books and stuff, then hurried to sit. Mr. Terradive who was standing by his small corner desk was sorting through his plans for their orn. He turned to the class. [If you have any homework that isn't turned in, do it now, infants]

Camilla joined Miu-Miu as they ran for his desk, slotted their datapads, then ran back. There was noise, then silence as they watched him. He glanced up, grinned, then turned to the class. Opening the monitor up to the home screen, he picked up his datapad. [Welcome. Are there any notes or messages, questions or other business before we begin?]

Hands went up. He answered the questions, nodded to a parent of a child here to do their two joors, then opened the monitor up to get the morning message from their site director. Mr. Delay-O, their principle onsite attending or senior teacher as their Principal or Head Teachers were called, appeared with a smile on his handsome face. [Good morning, everyone. Welcome to another orn of school and learning. I would like to say that recesses will be outside today. The threshold is holding for us but if it changes due to the winds we'll call it then. Remember, the bell means come inside] He grinned.

The kids grinned back.

[Level ones will be using the planetarium the next two decaorns. They have units of instruction they're finishing up in astronomy classes so they have priority. Level twos have priority in the computer lab due to creation of three dimensional projects on the systems there. They will be there for a decaorn to print out their creations. They require more equipment and working space than their room labs can provide to allow everyone to finish their projects in the allotted time frame. Please bear with us here. We will try and work out alternative scheduling for others who might need the space and big computers.

[Level threes will be shadowing a number of individuals in different professions this decaorn. The humans at the Sciences Habitat are happy to welcome you to come and tour the facility. They will be very happy to sit down and talk about humans, Earth and life there with the visiting students. We know you will do us proud. We are also going to be releasing more information about students from Earth coming here for short visits and school exchanges. Make sure your family keeps up on doings through the Community Bulletin Board School Highlights interface.

[Today's lunch will be all Cybertronian. It's a major holiday on Cybertron similar to Earth Day on Earth which was yesterday there. We will be doing joint projects with Earth next Earth Day to celebrate their beautiful planet together.

[Level ones have a major art display in the gallery and corridor display cases on floors 4 and 5. Please feel free when you can to see their creations. Classes are welcome to come look and we encourage it. Well done, level ones]

"That's us," Silverbow said with a big smile. "My genitors are coming today after school to look."

Everyone nodded as Terradive chuckled.

[Tonight, the school board will be discussing expanding programs between schools at Earth 1, Earth2 and selected sites on Earth. If your genitors have an interest in this topic, make sure that you tell them by showing them your take home notes. Their voices count and their input matters. There will be a short staff meeting tonight between Level two teachers and support staff. Very short. Be there early, leave early] Mr. Delay-O said with a grin.

[Level ones will be going to the Temple this decaorn and part of their visit includes a new display in the pavilion of relics related to the Functionalist era. As you know, that was a very sad time for all of us and recently, we had a taste of what that must have felt like. It had historical consequences that have lasted up until this orn. You will be seeing very old things, infants, and they relate to a lot of our more difficult history. Please act on your best manners and ask questions. Lots and lots of questions. I know you will be amazing.

[Study hard, learn new things, play well together, and take care of each other. We are one. Until all are one] he said.

"Until all are one."-Mr. Terradive's class.

[Have a wonderful orn, infants. I'm proud of you already] Mr. Delay-O said with a smile, then signed off.

Terradive turned to them. "Until all are one is our creed. We live and breathe it. Remember that."

" **UNTIL ALL ARE ONE!"** -the kids in Mr. Terradive's class

-0-On a train going to the armory

Ironhide rode along with Halo on his arm thinking about the morning hoo-haw …

 **"ORION! GET IN HERE!"**

" **I, ORION, HIDING!"**

" **PRAXUS! ORION! GET IN HERE!"**

" **I HIDING, ADA! ORION AND ME! BWAHAHAHA!"**

" **WHERE'S MY TASER!?"**

Ironhide who was watching Ratchet try to wrangle cats grinned at him as he chased infants all over the place. Then he glanced at the couch. Somehow, Halo had managed to get there and pull herself up to stand. She stood on her wobbly legs with her binky in her mouth, her long tresses hanging to her little waist. He nearly plotzed. Before he could move, Hero saw her, dropped her dollie and ran to her side. Smiling brilliantly, she lay her cheek against Halo's helm. Halo smiled at her behind her binky.

"Halo, you need me to help you?" Hero asked as she kissed her sister.

Halo grinned.

Hero moved behind her and knelt. Taking Halo by the waist, she steadied the baby who had begun to bounce on her feet in joy. "I'll help you."

Ironhide who watched nearly wept from the sweetness. Hero had mellowed since Halo. Having another girl in the family, one who was nearer her age and who lived here full time was a good thing. He watched them with pride and considered what a desert it must be to live a life without daughters.

" **ORION! PRAXUS! PROWLER!"**

" **I GOED TO ORION, ADA!"** -Prowler goed-ing

" **BWAHAHA! FIND ME, ADA! I HIDED!"** -Orion hideded-ing

" **ADA! ORION, ME AND PROWLER! WE HIDED!"** -Praxus hideded-ing with his homies

Ratchet thundered into the berth room and paused as he spotted three sets of tiny peds in a row behind the curtain. Pulling his camera, he took half a dozen snaps, guffawed loudly inside, then let her rip.

" **ADA!"** -Praxus coming apart at the tension of waiting to be discovered during hideded-ing

" **OW, ATAR! ADA OW ME!"** -You know who

"Ada? You go me to kool?" -Prowler

Ratchet walked out with three infants, all of them held in his servos upside down by one ped. As he thundered out with his catch of the orn, he noted Hero talking softly to Halo as she knelt to hold her. Between plotzing at the sight of Halo standing and the intensity of Hero's loving help, Ratchet was near to tears. Turning to the couch to drop three hoodlums on it, he walked forward, leaned down to kiss both Hero and Halo, then stood again. "Never were two femmes better named."

" **ADA! YOU OWED ME!"**...

Ironhide stepped off the train, then continued onward toward the walkway that led to the hub station below. He grinned. "Nothing like a typical morning in our house, Halo. You'll get used to it," Ironhide said as he opened the door and disappeared downward to inspect.

The door closed silently behind him.

-0-TBC 4-23-18


	337. Chapter 337

The Diego Diaries: Roamin' and Gloamin' (dd6 337)

-0-There and here and there again

They arrived at the Temple, two classes from Youngling Day. They piled out to meet both Lady Sela and Lord Chrome. They greeted the children, then gathered them around. "Infants, welcome to the Temple. Today, before you go inside for your history lesson, we have another out here at the Pavilion. The display you will see will be open to the public in two orns. Right now, we're going to see what it holds and talk about it. It covers a period of our history that was very bad and it was the starting point of what has happened to us ever after. We are going to talk about the Functionalists. Come with us," Chrome said gently as the kids made a long line. With their teachers and Lady Sela, they walked up the winding path to the huge open air pavilion nearby.

-0-The Hourly News everywhere

"Today it was disclosed that a number of humans from Earth would be taking residence at Earth2 in three orns who have a negative history with The People, It began during the initial habitation of Optimus Prime and his advanced team on the island of Diego Garcia in the middle of the British Indian Ocean on Earth. Having found the AllSpark on world after a long and brutal search, Optimus Prime, CMO Ratchet, Commanders Ironhide and Jazz along with Autobot Scout Bumblebee who made the initial discovery then settled in to help the humans defend against Decepticon incursions. There were many Decepticons still roaming Earth and there would later on be the discovery of a Protocol Team led by Arachnid as well.

"During their stay, more Autobots were sent for and came, heeding the call of Optimus Prime, drawing refugees as well. It was then that several humans were sent as State Department liaisons who would handle the Autobot brief for their government. They included Theodore Galloway and Jason Daniels. It was also during that time that humans began to liaison secretly with the Decepticons in exchange for technology that included Autobot soldiers to reverse engineer.

"During that period of interaction, Jason Daniels, Theodore Galloway and a man named William Nast worked together to make agreements with Decepticon leader, Shockwave. Given the level of tech that Shockwave could deploy, the humans had no idea that the human they were talking to was an upgraded hologram projected by Shockwave himself. Implicated in the deal making was Jason Daniels, liaison to Diego Garcia for the Autobot brief, his father, James Daniels of Daniels Industries, his grandfather, William Daniels who was former Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and last but not least, William Nast of Intel-Martin, a mercenary security company that specializes in private armies.

"After a long period of investigation upon discovery of their activities, all four were arrested, tried and sentenced to prison for treason and lesser offenses. Several days ago, the President of the United States gave them full pardons and they were released from prison. The story would end there for Autobot Nation but for a friendship with all of these human males with Harvey and Louis Richardson who are major partners in the corporation that runs the Earth2 facility on TransWorld Highway Road. Harvey Richardson has petitioned the Prime's office to allow the four to work at Earth2 on projects reflecting interests of the corporation in research and development.

"The Office of the Primes released this statement. 'Optimus Prime has given provisional permission for Jason, James and William Daniels along with William Nast to reside in the Earth2 facility under a number of highly restrictive caveats. They will be monitored, have no access to the colony unless granted by Primal Accord, and will be subject to scrutiny for the actions with deportation the penalty for any infractions.' There is no information for why they have been allowed to come here given the past but the Richardsons are asking for these people, four close friends, to have a chance to rehabilitate themselves in the midst of those that they harmed with their actions. Their desire is for friends to resurrect themselves and become productive individuals."

Magnus who was listening smirked slightly. "Whatever you think you might be up to, Richardson, Optimus is three steps ahead of you."

Jetta who was there with Mack nodded. "Truer words never spoken. Jazz is running the show with Paribolus. I'll keep you filled in."

"Do," Magnus said before they turned back to the new habitation site in a crater north of the Crater District.

-0-Resort Office at the same time

" … resurrect themselves and become productive individuals. We are going to take a break here and come back after the community club news from the Community Bulletin Board." It began to scroll slowly in NeoCybex, French and English.

Lois sat back from her computers, then grinned. "They're trying to infiltrate us. We better get our game dolls rehabbed and built a defensive line around this place. I think they might be coming here when they can."

"I hope they do," Sarah Lennox said as she remembered the men from Diego. She grinned. "This might be fun. Are they bringing wives or girlfriends?"

"I don't know," Judy said as she turned to her screen, flipped open the colony's 'phone book' and dialed in Earth2. A face appeared, a pretty woman of about 30. "Hello, Casey. Did you hear the news?"

Casey frowned. "We did. Sorry in advance."

"Apology accepted. Tell me all you know," Judy said as the women in the office gathered around to listen.

Gavin Pritchard who was checking a message nearby grinned. If anyone could get intel together, it was Judy Witwicky. He would fill in Niall and the boys later on.

-0-Sitting in a cafe at the new University of Autobot City …

"What do you suppose that might mean for Orion?" Kestrel asked with a slight worry.

"I think Orion has everything completely in control," Tagg said. "He's a very deep thinker, our son. He wouldn't allow them here if he didn't have it buttoned down. Don't worry, Kes. It will be fine."

Kestrel nodded. "He is very clever about this sort of thing. I find machinations difficult."

"That's because you're good, Kes," Tagg said with a grin.

Kes grinned back. "We can talk to him tonight. I won't allow anyone to harm our boy."

"Then we're on the same page, Kes," Tagg said as they ate at a table in a large beautiful cafe in the administration building of the university. All around them, students dined. Others walked busily here or there or gathered to chat. It was the final place where higher learning would be moved and it was brilliant.

As they sat eating, a forlorn winger walked up to them and sat with his own lunch. "You don't mind do you?" Smokey asked the two.

"Not at all, Smokescreen," Tagg said with a grin. They both helped him with his studies and they both loved the big kid who loved them back.

"You sound like my ada," Smokey said as he organized his plate to eat. "My family only calls me that when they're going to lower the boom."

"Then don't give them an opportunity to do so," Kes said with a grin. This mopey reluctant student was hilarious to him and he loved being around him, he was so bright and cheerful.

He looked at Kes with exasperation. "We're talking about **physics**."

Tagg and Kes both laughed loudly.

-0-At a meeting at Circle of Light Preparatory Academy

She drove into the conference room and parked. Bando who was a specialist on child intake gently put her on the table where she sat on a chair. Bando sat himself, then grinned. "Welcome, Mrs. Graham."

:Thank you, Bando. I'm so glad to be here to ask a few questions: Linda Graham said with a smile. :I know that our daughter, Aedh, is a bit young but Niall and I both want to have information about this school because we would like to have her attend here, then enter Sparkling Day when she's finished with the program:

"Your son attends Sparkling Day in the infant groups, right?" Bando asked.

:He does. He's attended that school since we came here to live. Both Niall and I are very happy about it. He's among four human babies his age who attend. What we want is for our children to have a thorough education in a very unique environment: she said, this surgical doctor and co-director of the Resort.

"We would delight in having your daughter attend here," Bando said as he opened a datapad. "This is our program. We know she's very young but its good to have plans in place for that event." They sat together talking for a joor, then Linda signed the application for Aedh's attendance. Niall would swing by after shift to sign as well.

-0-Sciences

"Then this system is a go," Wheeljack said as he looked at the data from the sciences station aboard a ship in orbit in the Sirius system. "We can utilize a few things to set it up. Sirius B won't be a problem. Much. We can use Selso V to test. If anything goes wrong, no one lives there and it'll be first of the five inner system planets that needs moving anyway. If this goes well, we can think about Cybertron and Gliese."

"The data will tell. We can move the inner system planets, the local group as our run ups to Gliese and Cybertron. This puts us a great deal closer to saving them from wandering. We can load the different planets with different kinds of sensors so we can figure out what affect moving them has on the worlds themselves as well as simulations of our own people."

Wheeljack nodded. "Agreed. Let's get this in presentation order to take to Prime. He has the call. Also get the data together to show what affect moving Selso V will have on the other planets in that group."

The youngsters and oldsters of the planetary group handling the science behind planetary transfer nodded, then bent their helms to the task.

-0-Farm

"This dispersal array of water is doing better than that one," Andrew 'Army' Steadman said. He was a tall thin man who was a pioneer of coaxing large amounts of food out of difficult and unproductive places. He was in charge of the overall program of food production, though there were many different individuals who had their share of the pie. He glanced over to another mass planted area and noted that the greens growing there were only half the size of the ones in the plot he was standing in. "I always wondered what part gravity would play in the growth or inhibition of growth in plants. The underground dispersal of water to the root systems is a better system than spraying. Its also good in the conservation of water as well." He looked up to the dome overhead with its bright daylight streaming in. "I am in awe of their tech. Think about the simple joy of not worrying about water condensation inside the facility."

The three scientists with him looked up and nodded. "Can you imagine what it would be like without this? We'd be crammed into a tiny set of habitats fending off our deaths from radiation poisoning and hoping against hope we could succeed," Arthur Talbot said.

Army nodded. "I look around this place and I'm in awe. We have a fully functional farm. If we succeed in any rate here we can grow our own food. The animals will always be exempt but we can grow a lot of our own produce here."

Ana Pavlov nodded. Then she stepped closer. "Did you hear the news this morning? On The Hourly News broadcast?"

Everyone with her nodded grimly. "We have to be watchful and careful. We're getting sketchy characters here and I don't want the Autobots to think we have anything to do with them. I also was told that some of the partners are coming here with their offices to work. The Richardsons to be exact or some of their partners. I don't know which it is but I don't like it. They have no idea what we're doing here and how we're not in it for profit yet. We can't do this out of order. It has to be done right without interference or pressure from management."

They nodded. After a moment of conversation, they bent to the task again. They were trying out non poisonous and non ruinous pesticides for weeds. They were also allowing some areas to have weeds to study. Everything was new here, even the stuff they had mastery of on Earth. This was all new territory. It was the most exciting and fascinating thing ever. The morning would pass quietly on The Farm at Earth2. As they worked, the roving camera feed that was automatically downloaded to Earth over the dedicated channel on the MCA would show them from time to time on the job.

-0-At the door of the CMO

A face leaned in with a grin. "You home?"

"Nope," Ratchet replied. "I'm here. What's up, bub?"

"We're going to lunch or 'lutch' as I heard it pronounced once by a little kid at Sparkling Day. Come with me or shall I say 'us'?" he asked as he moved his arm into view. Sitting on the palm of his big servo was a little femme with a white face and a copper paint scheme wearing a pale yellow onesie. Her long 'tresses' pooled around her as she smiled at Ratchet around her binky.

"Ah, incentive. Is that what this is or a bribe?" Ratchet said as he arose to take Halo into his arms. "Hello, cutie pie."

"She is. Looks like someone, I'm told," Ironhide said with a tiny preen.

"I heard that. Don't know what they're talking about," Ratchet said as they walked out heading for the elevator. "What's the poop out there in the colony?"

"Well, most think she's the cutest little femme ever. She likes micro mini-con popgun shells. She's saying atar like a pro. That's about it," Ironhide said as they stepped into the elevator.

"Sounds good to me," Ratchet said as the door closed on both.

-0-TBC 4-24-18


	338. Chapter 338

The Diego Diaries: Roamin in the Gloamin (dd6 338)

-0-About

The Diner On the Corner was filling up with the lunch crowd as Ironhide, Halo and Ratchet sat in their booth waiting for their food. The baby was a solid sitter now, her optimal frame holding her where another type might not. She smiled at everyone around her, many of which stopped to compliment her and her very rare embellishment type. She smiled at them, then looked at her dollie. It was then that she held it up for them to see. Blinking with surprise, Ratchet explained the Tao of the Dollie where upon everyone stopping by leaned in to kiss it.

Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "Are you as afraid as me?"

"Totally," Ironhide said as he stared at his daughter with glowing pride. "She's a bit like him. Loud. Does the dollie thing. She's growing faster than she should. All of it scares me just a little."

Ratchet chuckled. Glancing up, he noted that a bus went by outside filled with tourists. "Looks like things are back to normal around here. I almost forgot what that was."

"You and me both," Ironhide said. "How's the refugees?"

"Pretty good. Really good, in fact. Having expanded medical out in Dai's camps is the best thing we ever did. We get about 10,000 every eight or nine joors so we'd be swamped if it were the old system of 'come and we'll fix here'. Now they come and its groups we can handle rather than sending in the hurt and injured in a rush mode. As it is, the worst cases are sent to Gliese as they come to Atlas, then we fix them there, mostly. The strain on the system is relieved and everyone can hit the ground running."

"Good," Ironhide said. "Haven't heard a word from Razorclaw and Ominous. I'm not sure that's a good thing or not."

Ratchet nodded as he handed half an onion ring to Halo. She took it, gummed it a minute, then frowned. Looking at Ratchet with a disgusted expression, she held it back to her ada. Ratchet grinned, then leaned forward to eat it.

Ironhide watched him, then Halo, then Ratchet again. "You're a twisted mech to eat anything gummed by a baby."

"Big wimp," Ratchet said with a smile. "You don't know what's good for you does he, baby?" Ratchet asked Halo who smiled as her ada handed her a fry from Ironhide's plate. She chewed on it, then smiled. "Since he doesn't know what's good for you, you come with me this afternoon."

"Don't be too hasty," Ironhide said with a frown. "How will I learn if we don't stick together? Right, Halo?"

She smiled at him and he grinned back. "See?"

"Wimp," Ratchet replied as Prowl and Prime entered the restaurant, walked to the back and pushed a table over to their booth.

They sat as Prowl glommed Halo with a smirk directed toward Ironhide. "I see you have my loaner."

"I see you're still insane," Ironhide said with a frown.

They gave their orders, then sat back to relax as Prowl helped Halo eat her fry. He held it, she gnawed on it and smiled at him. Prowl was a goner.

"What's the word on the refugees?" Prime asked.

"Its all in hand," Ratchet said. "We have the system debugged and unless something else falls out of the sky, we're in good shape for the influx. We take in 10,000 every eight joors. If all things are equal, we can jump it up to 24,000 an orn."

Prime nodded. "We're going to be at it a while. We have to transport about 900,000 individuals to make room for more that are incoming. Can we increase the numbers any?"

"I can get with Jetta and Magnus. We have the secondary port of entry fifty miles from here. I'll see if we can use that or if there's a reason we're going at this pace," Prowl said as he internally proposed the memo to both and sent it. Before he could take his plate from the servo who materialized out of thin air beside him, the answer was back. He settled his food, then glanced at Prime. "Jetta and Magnus just sent me a message that they'll open that up and move more individuals. There's no real reason considering the number of refugees with each group and all being fit to go forward for us not to do that and expand the process."

"Good," Optimus said. "I received a message that the four humans are going to be here tomorrow. So are two of the partners of the Richardsons who will be moving permanent offices here. They want to be here and experience life at Earth2, apparently. I will need a number of you to address them when they arrive. I want to speak to them before they pass customs and immigration. The airport receiving area should be empty but for the customs officials who will see to their status to come forward. You and Ironhide, Blackjack, Raptor, Hard Drive, Hercy, Kup, Springer because he gets to speak to them as chief of security, Prowl, and Magnus will be their welcoming committee."

"You're going for straight up intimidation then?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

Prime nodded grimly. "I am. If they want to continue to play spy versus spy, then I want them to see the brick wall in front of them before they hit it."

"This could be fun," Ratchet said. "You know the slagger is among them who ordered the kid to shoot me. **And** run over Ironhide."

Prime nodded. "I know. He is on our turf now. He rolls by our rules or he goes to our prison. I talked with Paribolus this morning and he is aware of his responsibility to protect the other human residents against all their machinations. I do not want them to have any trouble because of these individuals. They are doing a good job assimilating as I've been told."

"They have," Ratchet said. "I visit their hospital once every four or five orns when I can for collegial affect and what not. They're always happy to see one of us and very polite and decent. I like most of them. So … have you made a decision on starting your own human colony?"

Prime smirked slightly. "I have, actually."

-0-Sparkling Day

He sat on the hand of Mr. Abel-1. He was the specialist who was monitoring studies on the human children and the affect of living on Mars within the limitations that they had via environmental suits and lighter, negligible gravity. Though the gravity in the human habitats was set to Earth normal, the gravity everywhere else wasn't. The schools and all other areas of life in the colony that were mostly or completely non-human oriented were maintained to Martian standards which was one third or less than Earth's gravity. The human kids were not only light of body but they could out jump and out perform most infants their age because of it.

Niall Junior smiled, then splashed the water with his hands. His little suit was covered in sunflowers head to toe, a feature available to the oldsters through the Requisitions team that specialized in their gear. Almost all of the Family humans had taken to embellishments as well as different designs and colors to spice up their off duty apparel while wearing on duty suits outside in the big world around them. The children were no different.

That is, the Family children weren't. Every other habitat but for the Family Tower group, the scientists of Science Habitat and colonists from Earth 1 had to maintain the color and design of their particular habitation. Everyone else had to keep to the color code to make it easier to know them as they jaunted around and to help interact for the locals.

The baby along with everyone else wore his environmental gear all the time, a concession to the environment in which they lived. But they added their individuality when they could. Mr. Abel-1 grinned back, then lowered the baby into the warm water up to his neck. He laughed loudly, then down he went again. He was underwater looking upward. Standing with a wobbly lean, he straightened, then looked around. No one was there but them in the water. He looked up at Abel, then smiled. :I like this:

"I do, too, baby," Abel said with a chuckle as he moved his hand around under the water to the delight of his charge.

-0-Virginia

He put his luggage by the door to his house as he waited for his grandson and son to return. They would arrive tonight and join him until the next morning when they would fly on the Richardson company jet to New York and be whisked through the Autobot terminal there to go to Mars. The jet would have already fetched Bill Nast and his two children from Texas. It would be a tense ride from Virginia to New York for all of them.

They had received the news with mixed blessings. It would be good to be away from the paparazzi and the hecklers, those who gathered outside his house to protest his freedom. He would be glad to be somewhere else, though stepping into the heart of darkness among the worst enemies of his life was a gamble. Disregarding a lot, William Daniels and his son, James were gamblers. They made their fortune together by ruthlessly buying, stripping and selling off businesses in the predatory venture capital manner, hang the workers and their woes. They were efficient, ruthless and breathtakingly rich.

None of that mattered now. The country wanted them hanged. It would be a long tense wait for William Daniels until his son, daughter-in-law and grandson arrived at last.

-0-Driving together

They drove together from their houses to the 'home ranch' as it was facetiously called by the family. In an hour, they would pull into the long winding drive that led to the home of William Daniels. They would leave their luggage in the car, a rental, then load his. When the dawn of light came, William, James, Cassie, and Jason Daniels would then drive to the airport where a private plane would carry them to New York City and destiny with the biggest enemy they ever faced.

Literally.

-0-Here

Elita and Arcee walked in and slouched onto the couch nearby. Grinning at Jazz who grinned at them, Elita asked the question. "Where are they now?"

"They're flyin' to New York on Richardson's plane. Too bad I couldn't convince Springer to take one for the team," Jazz said with a chuckle.

"Try Tracks. I heard he's done this before," Arcee said with a big smile.

They all laughed together at the memories of that hapless bot. Elita picked up a datapad and perused their case and project open files. "Looks like things are up and going well."

"They are. We're just going to add four more slaggers, that's all." Jazz glanced up. "Let me correct myself. Several more. Some of Richardson's partners are coming along with their kids. Some of the kids have accounts on Instagram." Jazz grinned as he watched them open and locate the accounts.

"Oh, frag," Elita said with a smile. "This is going to be fun."

"I thought you'd think so," Jazz said with a chuckle.

-0-Prowl and Ratchet

Ratchet walked in buoyed by the conversation he had earlier with Arcee. Apparently, some of the kids coming were major primadonnas on Instagram. He walked to the table and sat. "Hello, slagger."

"Hello back," Prowl said as he sat back to ponder the imponderable … how two such different personality types should be like brothers. "What brings you here this time of orn in the middle of a migration besides the ineffable call of donuts and gossip?"

"My, Prowler … you read me like a book," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"A small book, a Golden book … one showcasing three words," Prowl said with a grin as Ratchet picked up a datapad and sought something.

"Fragger," Ratchet said with a grin. "I thought you might like to see what kind of kids are coming with their parents to live at Earth2." He handed the device to Prowl who perused it, then frowned deeply.

"Frag," Prowl said. "What the frag is 'Rich Kids of Instagram'?"

"Puh-lease … do open the earmarked accounts," Ratchet said.

"Tinsley Walters … Tinsley?" Prowl asked with a grin. "Sounds like my kind of name … Tin–sley."

"It only gets better," Ratchet said with an encouraging nod.

"Very well. Pray for me," Prowl said as he tapped the screen and a video began.

A girl of indiscriminate age … perhaps 14 or 15 tops was standing in a palatial sun-soaked bedroom wearing a tube top and expensive bedazzled jeans. Her hair was blonde and her make up was rather professional in its look.

"Note the Instagram eyebrows," Ratchet said as Prowl looked up with a blank expression. "I hear that there's such a thing."

"Indeed," Prowl said dryly. He tapped it again. The girl was holding a phone as she sang to herself.

"Money, money, money-money-money," she sang as behind her on the bed, the spread was covered in cash, lots and lots of bills of large denominations. She grinned. "This is my week's allowance, bitches. This is just my fun money," she said. Then she leaped backward and fell on it. It flew up like confetti, then landed like snowflakes. "I'd love to stay here and show you more. My closet, my cars. But I'm due for a manicure. For those of you who are poor people, that's fingers, not toes." She sat up and collected some of the money. Fanning it to the camera, she smirked. "See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya." Then the film ended.

"There's others if you want to see more of that star power," Ratchet said.

"No thanks. I grew up with this kind of thinking and I hated it then," Prowl said with disgust. "How many of them in this group have this illness?"

"Four of them have accounts, they hang together and according to them, they have their parents on their knees begging them to give them what they want every time they want it," Ratchet said. "I hope they don't hang out with my kids. Orion's bad enough as it is."

"Nor mine," Prowl said. "Of course, you can always send Orion to me for deprogramming." He stared at the screen, then Ratchet. "I can't tell you how much I had to endure this kind of thinking and behavior growing up. I felt like an outsider from orn one. This is so destructive. I can't wait for them to get here." He glanced at Ratchet with a pointed smirk.

"You and me both, sister," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

-0-On a jet heading for New York City from Los Angeles

Several kids, mostly girls sat in their seats chatting together. Their parents were with them and they were texting and sending images to Instagram as the night gave way outside to morning. The families on board were fixing to move to Mars. It was a **HUGE** thing on their accounts and they made a lot of it on social media, hoping to become on Mars a bigger version of what they were here.

It was going to be interesting.

-0-TBC 4-25-18

There is a real series of kids of Instagram both on Youtube and Instagram. It's as bad as it sounds. Also, rich kids of Beverly Hills.

PS: There's a new series of animated cartoons on go90 dot com starting May 1 called the ? of the Primes. I missed the first name. Its part of the Prime trilogy and they have the first two on the site. May 1st and Optimus Primal shows up. :D:D:D You're welcome.


	339. Chapter 339

The Diego Diaries: Roamin in the Gloamin (dd6 339)

-0-The next morning in New York

They gathered in the VIP lounge, something they were used to doing. They never flew public transport and now was no exception. The kids were sitting together or standing alone depending on how well they knew each other. They were several. Lyle Cutter and his wife, Anna were talking to the Daniels and a lawyer who was here to help them get going. Their two daughters and son sat on a couch nearby fiddling with their phones. Cora was 16 and very pretty. Terri was 14 and already was showing vivacious good looks with long blond hair and blue eyes. Their only son, 'the heir' was named Clay and would if he grew into his rangy gangling youth be a big tall man some day. He was 15.

Nearby, taking selfies for Instagram and making a lot of noise, the Walters kids were waiting. Barrett was 16, quieter appearing, cute, and had eyes that took in everything. Gina was a tall 14 and very pretty but Tinsley was the one who would be the acknowledged beauty of the three. She was tall as well, thin and outgoing. They lived in Los Angeles full time near the Walters and were denizens of the same private schools. All of them were anxious to go to Mars. No one in their group would be able to claim the first Instagram fame on another world but them. Time was a wasting.

Standing by a window staring out onto the busy airport, Tim and Amber Nast watched the show. They were Bill Nast's children and had begged to come along. They didn't want to be separated from him and he, them. He also knew he needed to do something besides hide in his house from the **MASSIVE** condemnation of his former friends and neighbors. Maybe they could find their footing on Mars he thought as he accepted Harvey's invitation. The only way he would go was if his kids truly wanted to do it.

They did.

Anything was better than this.

A door opened nearby and Will Lennox appeared. Behind him carrying a box were several soldiers and a couple of women that everyone knew from television. They all turned to him and quieted. He walked to the table and sat down a small box filled with helmets folded down into card deck size. He glanced around, then got to the point. "I'm Major Will Lennox. I'm senior human on Earth and I have the duty to protect and serve the community and ensure that the relationship is preserved. You will hear that a lot, The Relationship. Understand it perfectly. It's more important than any single human's presence on world. It was born in war and nurtured in the peace. Anyone who jeopardizes it will be tossed. No one puts a dent in that relationship. No one.

"This is Staff Sargent Bobby Epps and Captain Niall Graham from the UK. We're a multi-national group, the human community, with all manner of beliefs, religions and ethnic groups. If you bring your prejudices with you, button them down. Anyone who acts on them is bounced. Anyone who thinks the rules don't apply to you, good bye. I'm the alpha and the omega on world. If I decide you go, you go. I don't even have to tell you why. There are no mechanisms of appeal, that is the breadth of my authority. That applies to kids as well. Understand and remember it. There **is** no court of appeal. The charter gives me complete and full authority. I can kick off presidents and kings without giving a reason.

"Behind him is Staff Sargent Jessie Landon who'll be the liaison for Earth2 as appointed by me. If there's anything on your mind or if you want to check things before you do it, contact her. She's a Cybertronian citizen along with the rest of us as well and we are as knowledgeable about Mars, the Cybertronians, their law, and the way things are done as anyone you will ever meet. The other person with her is Judy Witwicky who is a director of The Resort at Autobot City and among the first three humans to have a relationship with the bots. She's probably the leader of the human colony on world with my wife, Sarah Lennox, Barbara Morshower, wife of General Morshower who leads Global N.E.S.T. Alliance and Lonnie Epps, Sargent Epps's wife.

"We're going to put you through your paces so you can go with us through the bridge to the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport where Optimus Prime and a team will meet you to discuss the limitations and liabilities of your presence. I'll be honest with you. I wouldn't allow any of you on world myself. Given your actions in the past and how you treated all of us, the bots, their kids and us soldiers? I wouldn't allow it. Optimus Prime is more merciful and forgiving, probably, than I am.

"We're going to put you through your paces and read you the rules of the road. You kids listen up as well. The reason we run a tight hard nosed ship is because if you make one mistake, you die. There will be no rescue in time. They try. They might even get you before you die in agony but what's left when they do isn't worth living. Understood?" Will asked in his direct manner.

Everyone there nodded. Then a girl clicked an image. Epps turned to her and held out his hand. "All phones. All of them. Now."

Tinsley glanced at her father. "We can't have phones?"

"You're going 194 million miles from Earth. They won't work. We bag them and you get them back when you come back. They'll be locked in the safe at N.E.S.T. Headquarters on world. All phones now." Epps took the phone from Tinsley, then everyone else gave up their phones rather meekly. He put them in the box, then nodded to Lennox.

"Right. Now we learn about environmental suits, helmets and the penalties of not using them right or tampering with them," Lennox began.

They were handed their suits made to specs for each of them. Cora glanced up at Lennox as she saw herself in the window's reflection. "These are ugly. Why one color?"

"They're designed for protection. Without them, you die in less than two minutes. You die in excruciating agony when your lungs turn to dust. As for the color … you're from Earth2 so that's their local identifying color. In the facility, you can wear what you want though most keep their gear on because its safe and precautionary. Each facility with humans has their own color to identify them. You don't have permission to change it and you aren't allowed to pin anything to it or modify it in any manner or way. Understand … any holes in that suit and you die. Besides, the material is so tough it won't allow puncture. You should thank god that it doesn't," Lennox said. "It's an exile offense to tamper with anything there or this gear."

Graham reached into a box and pulled out a flat metal device that was the size of a cell phone. He looked at Bill Nast. "Come here."

Bill Nast stared at him, then walked forward.

"This is made specifically for you. Put your thumb there," Niall said as the human touched a circle with his finger. A light flashed. "This is now keyed to your bio signature. No one else can use it. It won't work for anyone **but** you." He glanced around. "Understand completely. You can't take anyone elses helmet and use it. You will die. Don't hide them. Don't play around with them. Death is damned near instantaneous if you mess up. If its determined that someone died because you wanted to be funny, you face their laws, courts and prison." He then handed it to Nast. "Touch it with your thumb again."

He did, then dropped it as it sprang into life. He picked it up as Graham secured the others. "Now, put it on your head and relax." They did and as they did, the helmets sealed to the hood that covered their head. They glanced at each other in the upgraded helmets everyone now wore. Lyle Cutter turned toward Lennox. "How can we breathe in these things? Where are the tanks?"

"There aren't any," Lennox said. "Its proprietary information anyway. Let's work out the comm channels." They did and soon they were talking to each other, working out the exercises the soldiers showed them.

"All habitats and vehicles are designed to scan you and not let you out if you have a problem. It'll save your life. Don't count on going out very often. You have to earn your trust and frankly, I wouldn't count on it, some of you," Epps said bluntly.

"There's a lot of activities that can be had on world but you have to work your way forward. The population of Earth2 can attend conferences and the like among the habitats but that requires certified drivers or the hire of a bus. There are only 200 people at Earth2 right now who have the right to come and go relatively freely. We certify 50 a week now to do that. It's slow because its a lot of training. You have to know how to live in this environment and drive around in the colony without problems. You can hitch a ride with any of them if they agree but you can't command one. If they don't want to take you, don't pull rank. That'll get you kicked off world immediately. There's no caste or 1% bullshit allowed on world. If you come with a sense of entitlement or an attitude, you'll be going home with it," Epps continued. Everyone with him nodded.

Jessie stepped closer. "The human women on world are very social and do a lot of things. Book clubs, the Ladies Auxiliary, some are getting into the philosophies, and others the religions. We're a close knit community, filled with friendships and fun. We look out for each other, plan each others weddings, volunteer all over the place, welcome new babies and help raise the older ones, have parties, luncheons and get togethers, and do our duty with the idea that we're representing our species. We want that to be cherished and preserved. You can contact me at N.E.S.T. HQ or Judy at the Resort if you need advice or help. We'll do that. We won't break the rules for you or enable you. Some of us, all of us have been with the bots since Diego Garcia and Judy from day one. We love them. We **LOVE** them. We also are Cybertronians ourselves by Primal Decree so we work hard to preserve and extend the relationship and trust. We do it for Earth and humanity. We want them to love us as much as we love and respect them."

"Questions?" Lennox asked. There were none. He turned to the others, then Judy Witwicky. "Judy?"

She looked at the humans, then put her hands on her hips. "My son brought home a psychotic robot car once upon a time and it all changed. We're family, all of us and some of us have ended up in the middle of battlefields with these people through no fault of their own I might add. Don't fuck that up," she said.

Lennox grinned. "Good advice. Gear up."

Everyone checked their gear and had it checked by one of the party, then Lennox grinned. :Grab your gear. Both hands. What's left over will be brought over on a cart:

Everyone stared at him, then the mountain of luggage in the corner. They picked some, those choosing small bags corrected to bigger ones, then all turned to Lennox. "Follow me," he said as he turned with a couple of cases toward the door. They walked out into the concourse where those traveling to Mars were waiting as those who were coming back were leaving. A transparent barrier separated the usual concourse to the ships from that which facilitated the space bridges. Calling one up, everyone in the area froze to watch it come into life with all its violent energy. "Come on. Let's go," Lennox said as he led them forward.

Everyone followed, some with obvious fear, into the storm along with three cart loads of stuff pushed by soldiers. They entered, then it pipped out of existence. The cameras of the tourists would flash for a moment later.

Inside the whirlwind of color they walked, stepping up onto a hard surface that should have been just light. They should have fallen through but they didn't. They held their urge to vomit and as quickly reached the other side. They stepped out into a terminal with marble floors and wall to ceiling windows. They turned toward them to stare with amazement. Outside, the airfield was ever busy as two Dinobots walked past, Slag and Snarl. They continued into the hangar nearby and disappeared from view.

:You can remove your helmets. Put them in the pocket for them. We can trace every piece of equipment and apparel that you have that's bot made. If you lose it we can find it. You **DON'T** leave where you are if you do: Lennox said as he took off his helmet.

All did, then stared at him for more information. He glanced down the concourse, then the others with him. "Wait here. I'll see what's up." With that, he began to jog down the concourse to the gigantic open space that filled most of the building where bots came and went. It was around the corner from the set aside for the humans.

"We're on Mars and I don't have a camera," Cora said to Tinsley. All of the Cutter and Walters kids knew each other from school and some were friends while the others were friendly. The Nast kids were new to them so they stood with their father as all three stared around.

"I know. I had all kinds of plans for this moment," Tinsley replied. It was then that they all felt it, the reverberation of heavy weight under foot. The bots were coming.

-0-Daniels

They stood together, William, James and Cassie along with their only child, their son, Jason. They were feeling the strangeness and the uncertainty of their reception. The others appeared to know each other. None of them had met the other two, though they were aware of each other from the trials. All four had served time in the same maximum security prison in Colorado. William 'Bill' Daniels was a widower. James and Cassie had been high school sweethearts. Their only son, Jason was never married though he was linked to famous women now and again. He was focused to the exclusion of everything else on his career so his relationships were never long or deep.

They watched as they felt the tremors. Jason knew they were coming. He turned to his family, then leaned closer. "The bots are coming."

His family nodded, then stood closer. It was a strange feeling, the sense of vulnerability that they felt. Usually, it was the other way around. The world was upside down. Jason steeled himself to face his enemies, the sheer terror and humiliation of the last time coming completely to mind. His hands felt numb as he schooled his face. He might feel terror but Prime would never see it. It was his special power.

The kids walked toward their parents, stepping closer to them as the sight of big figures began to emerge. The first was black with huge weapons. It had to be Ironhide. Next came another that looked like him, then another, then a more slender version of him. It was intimidating to see. Behind him came a tall mech that they knew was Springer and with him, the one who was his bond, Drift. Drift looked calm and even amused as he followed the first. Somehow though, he couldn't quite dampen his intimidating affect completely. Or was it confidence? None of them could discern.

Still more came … Ultra Magnus as the official senior interface with the human habitats, Kup and Hercy for intimidating affect, Prowl because he was Prowl, then Ratchet with a grin. They walked side by side, then gathered in the open area as the human soldiers walked to them to greet each. It was then that the enormous figure of Optimus Prime appeared.

-0-TBC 4-26-18


	340. Chapter 340

The Diego Diaries: Roamin in the Gloamin (dd6 340)

-0-Airport

That was when the enormous figure of Optimus Prime appeared.

They stared at him, this incomprehensible figure who walked behind his troops, moving through them as they paused in a half circle. It was clearly planned, the maneuver, to intimidate and underscore his power and authority.

It was working.

The space was silent and filled with a deep tension. Some of the bots facing some of the humans were victims of their behavior and here in this place of ultra safety and remove, there they were.

It was going to be slagging fun.

It was almost too long, the silence, then Prime glanced downward at Lennox who was smirking slightly as he waited. "Major Lennox … would you do the honors?" he asked.

Lennox nodded. "I'd be honored to do that, Optimus." He turned to the group. "This is Lyle and Cassie Cutter with their kids Cora, Terri and Clay. This is Clark and Annie Walters along with their children, Barrett, Gina and Tinsley. You know the Daniels family." He grinned. "This is Commander Ironhide, along with Raptor, Hard Drive and Blackjack, all of whom are generals of the army." He grinned at Ironhide who smirked at him.

:Slagger. Rub it in: Ironhide said in a message he sent to Lennox.

"This is Commander Hercy of Helex, a member of The Immortals, Commander Kup who is a senior member of the Wreckers, Commander Springer who is Chieftain of the Wreckers and Commander Drift who with Springer runs security here, at the Embassy on Earth and all of the Empire including Cybertron. This is Commander Ultra Magnus who is Chief Administrator of the Empire, the Mayor of Autobot City and Administrative Head of Cybertron directly. Commander Prowl of Praxus is second in command of the Autobot Armed Forces and bond of the Prime. This, of course, is Ratchet who is Secretary of State for the Prime's Brief and is the chief diplomat for the Empire. Last, but not least, this is Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire, bearer of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of Primus." Lennox grinned.

:It never gets old: Ratchet said.

Everyone agreed internally, though nothing showed on the outside. It was silent a moment, then Prime stepped slightly closer. He knelt, bringing his face closer to everyone. "I am Optimus Prime. I want you to remember that and know my authority here and on many other worlds of the Cybertronian Empire. Some of you have caused harm to my people and my command. Some of you were dangerous to the well being of your own people. Some of you are new to my understanding. However that may be, you will abide by the laws and conditions of your presence here. I want it deeply and clearly understood between us that any laws that any of you might transgress, you will face consequences here. You have no diplomatic status either in the habitat or outside of it. There is no place on world where you may commit offenses, then run for sanctuary." He glanced at Springer who stepped forward next to Prime.

"I'm Springer and I lead the policing forces, the Day and Night Watch along with the Wreckers and other specialized military forces. I also lead any military security forces that have policing responsibilities both here and in the Empire. Even Diego Garcia is under my authority. It's my duty to protect everyone in the Empire. You being here puts you in the Empire, too. Obey the laws, treat each other right and we'll be fine. Don't make me come to the habitat to arrest someone. I have already and I will again if the circumstances warrant it. Your status here is not diplomatic and even though there's a diplomatic unit here for Earth, they have no ability to grant immunity to you without Prime's consent. He doesn't consent." Springer glanced at Drift who smirked. "I think that takes care of it." He stepped back a bit.

Prime nodded in agreement. "Our law supersedes yours outside the habitat and even inside covering a number of issues. The charter of the Earth2 Habitat negotiated by both sides over a long period of time and signed in mutual agreement allows us to inspect everywhere under certain conditions and it also allows us to investigate any actions within that might be unlawful or unsafe that fall into certain categories of severity. The habitat belongs to the people of Cybertron and is only leased to you for 100 years at a time. If at renewal you wish to continue living there, it will be negotiated again and leased once more. Anyone who transgresses against the rules and laws that govern us and keep us safe puts themselves into my jurisdiction. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded, then Clark Walters stepped closer. "Sir, we're honored to be here. Since I was born I wanted to come here. Mars was my favorite planet. To come here to live and work, to bring my family along is such an honor and delight. I want you to understand my resolve to be an asset."

Prime nodded. "That is good to hear. Though, we have heard it before and have been betrayed. We have not always had good relationships with humans through no fault of our own. We will be watching," Prime said as he stood. "You will give to me your personal oaths that the conditions of your placement here will be upheld. Swear to me on whatever gods you hold that this will be your true intention."

Lennox and the soldiers glanced upward with surprise. Ratchet grinned at them, then nodded just slightly. They turned to the newbies and shrugged. "Your word of honor," Lennox said.

They looked at Prime, then Walters raised his right hand. "I promise on my honor."

The others glanced at him, then Prime, then raised their hand to pledge.

Optimus stared at them, then nodded. "You are on your honor. We have 25,000,000 of our people now with continuous migrations and more coming every day. We created this place as a refuge for them after the terrors of their lives. Do not come here to disturb that. A ban from this world is lifetime for you if you do. There will be no appeal." He glanced at Lennox. "Major," he said, then he turned to go. Magnus and Springer followed along with Hercy and Kup.

Ironhide and his family stared at the humans, then the soldiers who grinned at them. "What's up, Ironhide?" Jessie asked with a smile.

"I'm memorizing features," Ironhide said darkly, then turned with his elders to leave. As they all disappeared, only Ratchet was left.

"Ratchet, do you have anything to say?" Epps asked with a smirk of his own.

Ratchet knelt down as he looked at all of them. "This is a privilege. There's seven billion people on Earth who want to live here, too. Remember that and you'll be fine. I can do nothing for you if you frag things up. Look to those who've lived here for advice. No one has died from driving around and going about the colony. We want to keep it that way." He looked at the kids, then the adults. "What about these kids? They look school age. Everyone in the colony that's school age has to go. You have choices including very fine schools at Earth 1 and Earth2."

"We thought about sending them to your schools to get some life experience," Clark Walters said. "How do we do that, Mr. Ambassador?"

"You apply to the Autobot City Unified School District for evaluation and placement testing," Ratchet said. "If you qualify, you come. Understand that our schools are ten hour days, ten days a week, year round. We have days off here and there but they go continuously. There are no summer breaks and the holidays are infrequent but the education provided is beyond excellent. The Community Bulletin Board will help you with contact numbers."

"What about activities? How do we enter into them?" Lyle Cutter asked. "I'm told there's an organization for business and commerce like the Chamber of Commerce on Earth. How do we go about joining or seeking to join them?"

"The same way. Look them up, then apply. Every organization and individual has free will here and they will or not let you in. Remember. To get respect you have to show it." He looked at the Daniels. "I don't know if you ever expected to be here. How are you?"

"We're fine," Jason said. The others nodded. "We're looking for a place that's safe and reasonable."

"That's up to you," Ratchet said as he stood. "We're fine in spite of you. How you are depends on whether you have any honor or not." He looked at the soldiers, then grinned. "Have fun, tiny people." With that, he walked to the main concourse and disappeared.

Lennox turned to the humans. "That's the Senior Autobot Command, Prime's General Staff, though there are others on it as well. What they don't know about war and self defense doesn't exist. What they don't know about honor and keeping their word doesn't exist. You've been given a challenge. Now let's see if you're up to it." He looked at the others. "Take your passengers. Get them in order and let's go."

There was a flurry of action as the humans got their gear ready, then stepped through a door that led outside. A row of their jeep-like vehicles were waiting for them. One had a loaded trailer filled with luggage. As they walked toward the vehicles, marveling that they were on Martian soil, a disturbance nearby drew their attention. Grimlock and Slag were arguing.

-0-Nearby, heading back

"Do you think the Matrix has any hold over their oaths?" Prowl asked Prime.

Prime shrugged. "I doubt they get held to the same standard as us. Maybe they get to feel Its disappointment if they fail," he said with a chuckle. "What they do not know does not matter."

It was then that a call was made to Prowl about Grimlock and Slag. Everyone pivoted on a dime and hoofed it back.

-0-Lennox

:Move back inside. **NOW!** : Lennox shouted. The humans who were frozen in place jolted and ran for the door. They entered and ran to the windows to watch.

Outside, two big mechs were arguing, shoving, then blowing bales of fire onto each other. Their shrieks were deafening and terrifying to the humans who had never seen such a thing short of football or a war game in the Parkland on a television screen. There was no way to express how the difference being here was compared to safely sitting in your living room watching it on your flat screen.

No one working around there looked disturbed. Then a number of bots appeared around the corner running toward them. They passed the N.E.S.T. vehicle toward the two. Half of them looked like Ironhide and among them were Drift and Springer. Prowl and Ratchet followed the others while Prime paused near the corner to watch.

Springer and Drift walked to the pair and began an off line conversation. Apparently, there was no reasoning as Slag turned to Springer and blew a gale of fire in his face. He was enveloped and so was Drift.

:Whoa. Springer? Drift? You still alive?" Lennox said with a amusement over the general comm line.

 **:WE ARE AND FRAG YOU, LENNOX!:** Springer and Drift who were falling back to pat out the fire burning on their armor.

Everyone in the group including the newbies were tuned into that channel to listen to the translated hoo-haw and hear the instructions of the soldiers as they were shepherded to their new homes. It was an astonishing sight to watch and the sounds were extreme. That was when a pair of huge bots stepped out of their apartments nearby followed by one that seemed able to fly. They watched, then jogged to Grimlock and Slag. A fiery conversation began between them.

Literally.

Ironhide who was pissed stepped closer. "What's the problem **this** time?" he asked and received a bale of fire for his troubles. As he stood burning in an inferno, the other two transformed and lined up with Grimlock and Slag. Ratchet ran forward and transformed a digit to spray fire suppressant onto Ironhide. It was then that he was charged by Sludge and Slag. Impaled on the triceratopsian horns of Slag, Ratchet was driven off his feet and straight backward toward a hanger where he was plowed into its hard sides by the big mech.

Sludge swung his long tail and swept Springer and Drift off their peds. They fell like several tons of bricks, then rolled to get out of the way of his feral breath. Rolling farther away, they stood up and took a stance. That was helpful but not particularly successful as both of them were plowed by bots. Sludge hit Springer in the chassis and drove him backward until they reached the windows where the humans were standing. The newbies jumped aside but the other humans stayed put as they hit the window. It didn't break or budge so secure and well made was it. Drift who turned to follow the two was blindsided by Snarl who charged him, driving him sideways toward the pile up that was Ratchet and Slag.

The Daniels who were holding each other glanced down the way to Prime. He was standing without concern or notable emotion as he watched. A red siren nearby went off signally all personnel to evacuate the area due to the situation but Prime was unmoved. It was shockingly raw and astonishingly intimidating to all of the newbie humans. The soldiers and Judy Witwicky were watching by the window unmoved by the mess outside as they discussed it and laughed together. It was shocking to see.

Prowl had turned on Swoop who was watching and was moving him backward by the sheer force of his outrage. Whatever Prowl was saying was effective because Swoop stayed put when Prowl turned to join the fray. With a speed even the oldster humans had never seen before, Prowl ran forward, leaped into the air, then kicked Snarl into the window. He flattened, then slid down, stunned by the move. Prowl stared at him with satisfaction, then saw the humans of which half were afraid and half laughing loudly. Hand claps from the soldiers and Judy Witwicky greeted him as he frowned slightly. Glancing around, Prowl ran toward Grimlock to defuse his ass with his bare servos.

He was grappling with Blackjack and Raptor as Hard Drive leaned casually against a transformer unit that was on a pallet nearby. He was watching with a slight grin as his son and grandson struggled with the behemoth who was phase six if he was anything. It was amusing.

" **FRAG YOU, GRIMLOCK! FALL DOWN!"** Raptor bellowed with a laugh.

" **FRAG YOU, RAPTOR!"** Grimlock countered as they grappled, then fire enveloped all three of them.

Prowl flew through the air like a ninja which he was and as he did, his ped connected with Grimlock's face. He flew backward into a stack of steel pallets waiting for shipping to be placed upon them. They clattered, then a few exploded sending shrapnel everywhere. Prowl rebounded, rolled, then came up in a battle stance as they all watched Grimlock burning on the ground. Ratchet who staggered toward them after Hercy dropped Slag came with his digit fire extinguisher and a hard knock or two. A harder kick in the codpiece, a slam in the face with the butt handle of Hercy's big ,big gun, and when Ratchet was clear, a jolt from his tazer in the nether regions did the trick and Grimlock was a smoldering pile on the ground.

Ratchet hurried toward Blackjack and Raptor, then covered them in fire suppressant. He laughed loudly as the two sat up covered in white powder and soot. Sludge who was standing nearby transformed back to root mode, then turned toward the three.

" **SLUDGE! WHAT THE FRAG!?"** -all three

Sludge shrugged. "Grimlock was fighting. We came to help. We're a team."

"Frag that," Ratchet said with a grin as he looked around. Grimlock, Snarl and Slag were on their faces. Sludge was the only one still standing besides Swoop who watched from the doorway of his apartment in the hangar nearby, the big one that housed the Supremes. "Who needs a tune up?" Ratchet called out as the local constabulary began to shackle and drag off the Dinobots.

"What gave you that idea?" Springer said as he and Drift limped toward him.

Ratchet grinned. "Come to the Med Center. I have a two for one sale going on."

Huge laughter greeted that as the group limped and walked toward Prime. They passed him, then disappeared from sight around the airport building. Prime turned to go, paused to look at the humans, nodded, then disappeared himself.

It was silent a moment, then Will Lennox turned to the humans. "Yes. How about we go now?" he asked as he led the way to the door. A very silent group of humans followed him and the others out to the vehicles.

-0-TBC 4-27-18

NOTES! NOTES!NOTES!NOTES! NOTE-Y NOTE NOTES! :D:D:D

****Misty Legionnaire chapter 339 . 57m ago

I'm curious if any of the humans on world in the trust/family may be called to be judges for human criminals? May make it seem more fair to the trespassers they did wrong since it's decided by both Cybertronian and Human together.

Looking forward to the next chapter and teen angst without their social media fixes.

I hope none of the on-world kids introduce them to the bot networks.

Have a wonderful night.

 **ME:** That might be a good idea even if they're only there to observe and translate actions and deeds to the bots. It might make a difference. Perhaps a blended court. **ON THE LIST!** :D I love kids who want it all and can't get it. One of the many things they have to give up is their freedom a bit. They can die here. I'm also interested in the kids together, Rain and her group and this new one. It could be a lot of fun. LOL! All of them on Bullhorn … now **that's** an idea. :D You have one too, my dear Misty. HUGS!

****kattenbelletje chapter 339 . 16h ago

Can the suits be used to go scuba diving? I would kill for one of those if they can be. No carrying heavy gear, no worries about oxygen, no worries about temperature or pressure. Being able to talk to others. sigh.

Jason might think Prime won't see, but he is probably lit up like a roman candle.

 **ME:** That's how they're designed. All they need is oxygen in the air or where they are for it to be magnified for breathing. The suits act like that because the Mall of the Tri Cities has humans swimming in the water park. It would be wonderful. Maybe in our lifetime. I hope. I might even do it that way. :D BWAHAHA! I bet they can see him on Pluto. :D HUGS!

****Ragemoose chapter 339 . 23h ago

It's funny to me that Jason thinks Prime or ANY of the bots, for that matter need to see his fear on his face in order to know he's scared shitless. These poor dumb bastards don't have a clue.

 **ME:** They don't. Jason had a golden opportunity to make himself REALLY valuable by learning them and taking his time to know stuff but he never did. Given that all things are energy and they can read it like a book and know about others before they even see him, he has no way to hide or fool anyone anymore. The bots are also more savvy about the humans now. It's going to be fun. :D HUGS!

****Leoness chapter 338 . Apr 25

*gags* of course the instagram thing is real. Urgh...

ME: I had to go see it to believe it. Rude, entitled, malignantly narcissistic, overly sexualized at that age, even racist. I see them as babies and it makes me sick to see people like that because I can always imagine them as babies and pure little kids. It will be fun to watch the two groups compete … Rain and her group and this one sort of dominated by Tinsley. (That name is real by the way. LOL!) More to come, my dear Leoness. :D HUGS!

****Leoness chapter 336 . Apr 23

So does Halo have a favorite ammunition yet?

 **ME:** Apparently, she likes the popgun bullets that micro-minis have in their little guns. :D A big Kewpie doll mentioned it in passing. ;) HUGS!

****Guest chapter 331 . Apr 22

The games are always so much fun! I guess now we get back to business? Big hugs thanks for keeping this going.

 **ME:** We're back to business with the newbies arriving and a couple of other things that Prime wants to do to keep the whiners off balance. :D More to come. ;) Its my extreme pleasure to write this and have you along. HUGS, honey.


	341. Chapter 341

The Diego Diaries: Roamin in the Gloamin (dd6 341)

NOTE: Just so you know … this heifer is now 7,400,000+ words from part 1 to 6. I think I've edited about 100,000. More or less. LOL! I consider that job security. :D HUGS to all of you for making it possible. -Me, tip-tapping away.

On the way: Lennox

They drove out of the airfield heading for Fortress Road and the long drive to the Earth2 facility. Lennox drove the Walters, the Cutters and Nast and his kids while Epps had the other kids. Graham, The Tactful and Polite One, drove the Daniels party. They sped across the field darting around small, medium and giant ships as well as the dance that went along with maintaining them. Seekers were here and there with some leaping up to transform and fly away.

They reached the road, waited for traffic to allow them in, then headed for the junction up ahead and the left turn onto Temple which would turn into TransWorld Highway Road eventually. It would lead from where the Consulate was located, past Earth 1 and 2 toward the actual highway itself which circumnavigated the entire planet. It was quiet as they slipped in and made it through the light at the junction. Following a couple of big format Cybertronians in vehicle mode, they got in the far right lane and headed out.

Cutter glanced at Lennox, then looked out the window. :How far until we get there?: he asked.

:The facilities are grouped near each other and they're on the additional highway that melds into the TransWorld Highway that goes all around the planet. No one can be more than 25 Cybertronian miles away. Earth 1 is 12, the Consulate is 13 and Earth2 is 13 and a half miles. A Cybertronian mile is two earth miles so you live 27 miles from the closest city. This city covers about 1,200 square miles now all told and there are many ways to get around. The underground system reaches all three of the habitats but it won't be opened until the inhabitants show they're reliable. Earth 1 is scheduled to have their underground opened in about three months. We have one to N.E.S.T. that allows us to get anywhere we need to be due to the work.

"The underground feeds the entire colony and reaches even the Industrial Parks. Some of them run only in circles for their local city while others go circular routes around every place in the colony. Some branch out to different places and only run back and forth from a hub location to that place and back again. The trains have the system on the walls in NeoCybex, English and French. Those are the two languages of the United Nations under whose charter all of us operate so that's why that's so. A lot of the locals are learning French, too, just because: Lennox said.

:Some of the kids speak their language, I was told: Cassie Cutter said. :I was led to believe that it was never going to happen that any human could read, write and understand their speech:

:Kids still have an elastic brain: Lennox said as they slowed a bit as traffic began to gather. Ahead on the right was the Mausoleum. :That's where they bury their dead. Its the Mausoleum of Cybertron at Mars. They have another on a terraced hillside in the Crater District:

:I thought they couldn't die: Lyle asked.

:They can if they're hurt or sick. But they don't age. They can live forever if they don't get shot or take a fall. They conquered death long ago: Lennox said as he withheld the part about Mortilus. :The facility up ahead is the Primal Basilica where Primes and other important individuals are buried or honored. The building next to it is the Shrine of the 13th Prime. It's holy ground and you need special permission to enter. The Basilica and the Mausoleums are open to all humans. The others aren't:

:You can enter: Clark Walters said.

:They trust me: Lennox said as they drove past the Basilica. :Over this way is the junction that leads three directions. Straight ahead takes you to the urban centers of Tyger Pax, Kalis and Centurion. The right fork leads to Terra and the Terra Hub. The other one goes to the Big Frame Repair Yard which is a new road: They drove onward.

Nast and his kids didn't have anything to say. They stared out of the windows silently.

-0-On the way: Graham

The Daniels sat quietly as they followed Lennox and the other adults. They were watching everything as they merged into heavier traffic heading for the highway that would take them to Earth2. Graham glanced to the right. :This is the Temple District where the Temple of Primus is located as well as a number of locations for the Monastery and Circle groups, too. Those are the main philosophies and religious groupings of the Cybertronians and none of them are open to you to visit:

It was silent as they finally began to see something that didn't look like a utility facility or public works installation. Though they were immaculately maintained and enclosed with fences, they were what they were. :Ahead is one of the two cemeteries, the Mausoleum of Cybertron at Mars. Up ahead is the Basilica of the Primes and the Shrine for the 13th Prime. You can visit the first two but not the last one. It's off limits for now and maybe forever. It's up to Prime:

They continued. :That road takes you to the Tri-Cities, the Terra Hub or the Big Frame Yard. If you go to school in the system, your bus will take you to Youngling Day School which is down that road: he said nodding to the giant roundabout that they flew past. Three roads spanned out and disappeared into the distance. They could see a city with its glittering spires down one but nothing else on the others. :That's Tyger Pax. The twins live there. Beyond is Kalis and after that, Centurion. Centurion is where the Day School is located. My son goes to school at Sparkling Day but its in Terra:

They continued onward

-0-On the way: Epps

The kids sat in the vehicle in the back while Clay Cutter sat in the passenger front seat. They stared out the windows. Tinsley turned toward the front. :How many of the cars around us are alive?:

:Probably nearly all of them: Epps said.

:There's some really hot cars out there: Clay said. :I have a Lamborghini. My dad gave it to me for my birthday:

Epps smirked slightly. :That format is popular here. The twins are Lambos. I've ridden in every kind of hot car there is. I like them:

Clay glanced at him. :What was the deal with the robots back there?:

:First of all, they're not robots. They're autonomous robotic entities. They can think and feel and they're alive as much as the rest of us. Some of them are rugged and meant for battle. They like to fight. The Dinobots love fighting: Epps began.

 **:THAT WAS THE DINOBOTS!?:** Cora Cutter said in surprise.

:Yes, it was: Epps replied.

 **:I DIDN'T HAVE MY CAMERA!:** she bemoaned. :What a pile of crap. I need a camera:

:Why?: Epps asked.

:Because I have a great Instagram page. I want to put pictures of my own there. I have a lot of followers who want me to do that: she said as she sat back with a slight pout.

:If you post things without permission from those in the pictures, you can be in real trouble here: Epps said. :Exploitation is a huge no-no. Besides, its problematic if you get to go out. The bots in the facility aren't there for you to bother. They're there to make things work. You respect them or you explain it to Prime:

It was silent, then Cora sat closer to the cabin of the vehicle. :How big is Optimus Prime. We didn't come up to his ankle:

:He's between 28 and 30 feet tall: Epps said. He personally wasn't completely sure himself.

:What's the deal between him and Prowl?: she asked.

:What do you mean?: Epps asked casually.

:You know. Them being together and all: Cora asked.

Epps considered the question with all its charged particles. :They have a bond. They're together. They have a family and kids. That's the way it is here: He decided to let them talk. They would.

-0-Arrival

There was a crowd at the habitat doors of individuals who came to greet the new arrivals or to stare at the infamous group that was now going to live here. There were over 5,000 people living at Earth2 and all of them had a purpose and place, families excluded. Every recruited adult there supported the work and the facility. Now, two more bosses had arrived with their infamous children who had been searched out on the internet by many who found their social media posts. The four criminals and their families were also an unknown possibility themselves.

The four vehicles drove in, the doors shut and the atmosphere changed to Earth-type immediately along with gravity. They pulled up, showed the passengers when they could step out without masks, then jumped out. Epps, Lennox and Graham helped the newbies pull their masks and gathered them for the nearby lockers which would hold them in their individual named slots for use when they were cleared.

Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown, Lee Jameson, and Steve Baker were gathered together and walked through the doors to welcome the newcomers along with Pierre Beliveau and Kyle Davis. Waiting inside were their wives. They shook hands and chatted a moment, all four of the main newcomers and their children, then everyone turned toward Lennox. "Thank you, Major, for delivering them. We'll take it from here."

"Glad to hear it," Lennox said with a grin as he glanced toward the luggage in the trailer behind the last vehicle.

Everyone pitched in to unload the vehicle and put it on a cart pushed out by Jim Johnson and Sam Hedges. They moved it toward the pile, then glanced at the soldiers. Lennox grinned. "Got you doing the grunt work do they?" he asked.

Johnson paused, then turned toward Lennox. "You got something in mind, Lennox?"

Lennox grinned. "No. Just carry on. Its amusing."

The temperature of the room dropped several degrees before Owen stepped between them. "Thank you, Major. We can do the rest of this."

Lennox grinned at Harris. "Glad to hear it. We gotta run," he said as the three smirked their way back to their vehicles. They waited until the baggage was loaded, trundled in by the two mercs, then the doors closed. When the light was go, they went.

Harris watched them go, then turned to the silent group gathered around him. "Welcome to Earth2. Let us help you settle in, then we can talk. You kids come with us. We'll show you your homes." He clapped Bill Nast on the shoulder, then led the way to the executive wing of the facility where apartments for the directors and board members were assigned. The kids followed, their eyes wandering as they made their way to their new life.

-0-On the way back

"What do you think?" Epps asked over the intercom of the vehicle he was driving. He had his mask off and was relaxing from the tension. The others were as well.

"I don't know," Graham said. "They were mostly silent all the way there. Nast and his kids feel like trauma to me. I almost feel sorry for them."

"I hear ya," Lennox said. "I read that, too. What about the kids?"

"They talked about their life back home and here. They want to be famous for being here. They're pissed about their phones. They're the most spoiled entitled kids I ever met. It's not going to end well," Epps said with a grin.

"I hope they don't find out about the youth gangs here," Lennox said with a snicker as they drove swiftly into the gathering mid afternoon traffic.

-0-Near the swimming pool, Earth2

Jaycee Jameson, Rain Harris, Lilly Brown, and Camilla Baker watched as a group of kids they knew for the most part from their own hermetically sealed world of privilege wander around the concourse. The Nast kids weren't known to them but the others were. In the world of oneupmanship and privilege, they were competition. They also weren't very good friends back home. It wasn't going to improve itself here, the four thought.

"Cora and Tinsley … what the hell," Lilly muttered quietly as the group saw them and began to come their way. "Here we go. Are we in agreement?" She looked at the others who looked at her, then nodded.

" **Hey!"** Tinsley said as the group minus both boys walked up to them. They stared out the window, then turned to the four. "We just got here and settled in. How does this work? It looks like a farm."

"It is," Lilly said with mild offense. "We're learning how to grow things on other planets."

"We saw a robot," Cora said. "What are robots doing inside here?"

"Those are the deck hands. They manage things and they're … nice. They're not robots," Camilla said. "You have to treat them really well and they're not here to do anything for us. They help run this place."

Terri glanced around. "What's the deal on school? You go to their schools, right?" All four nodded. "How do we go there, too? Is it hard or what?"

They stared at the newbies feeling mildly irritated, then Rain leaned forward a little. "Have your parents sign you up. It isn't hard one bit."

The other three nodded in agreement.

It was war.

-0-TBC 4-28-18 **edited 5-14-18**


	342. Chapter 342

The Diego Diaries: Roamin in the Gloamin (dd6 342)

-0-Around

Partition walked into the Diner On The Corner with Lancer to eat lunch. Shortly, he would go on duty at his substation, #46 and be a beat cop and call out medic for that district. Lancer was working on a number of items with Special Ops-Intelligence and would be busy. This was one of the few times they could come together easily for the foreseeable future. The job was a heavy task master sometimes. They took a booth, ordered, then grinned at each other. "What about the weekend? Did you ask them for time off?"

"I did. It depends upon the job, Partition. I hope to have it off but you know how it is," Lancer said with a grin.

"I do," he replied. "What about the plans? What do you need me to do?"

"Show up?" Lancer said with a smile.

"No problem there," Partition said. "Bluestreak said he'd handle the reception and parties. Apparently, there's more than a few."

"Well, I am from Praxus after all," Lancer said as the waiter brought their food to the table. They organized their meal, then Lancer grinned. "I don't have a mob to challenge you about the bond. Just consider it done."

"Your family will come. I know they will," Partition said loyally. They ate a moment, then he looked at her with a serious expression. "What would they think of me, Lancer? Really."

Lancer grinned. "They would love you because I do."

He stared at her for a moment. "I do. Forever."

She nodded. "Ditto."

They ate their meal together chatting companionably until it was time to go to work. Then they parted and went their separate ways. Their bonding ceremony with Optimus Prime was nine orns away.

-0-At Earth2

They settled in and joined everyone in the main recreational room for breakfast. It was strange having dinner with about 1,200 people sitting in the vast space. If pressed, it could hold everyone and it did during the celebrations thus far. Outside, the light was dimming as night time began to assert itself. Inside, lights coded to the internal rhythms of the human body were beginning to rise just slightly. It would be so gradual that no one would really notice. Then at 2200 hours, the lights would go down and nightlights throughout the facility but for the fields of the farm would come on to signal that evening was hard upon them. It would stay dark until dawn when they would gradually rise until they went off for the most part during the sunny day.

Cynthia Tomas sat with some of the newcomers helping them through the first few days. The Walters and Cutters were sitting with her, along with the children who eating and asking questions. Most of them had to do with school and getting outside. Clay sat with Barrett almost in self defense with all the girls and listened. Both of the boys were quieter in their demeanor but not in their actions. All of them had a huge social presence on media on Earth from Instagram to Twitter and Facebook. She had done her homework and had a small pit of dread in her stomach over what the future could hold for everyone with such entitled kids in the habitat. She would make them her special surveillance project.

The adults were interested in getting into their jobs, one of which would be singularly his own personal business. Clark Walters would be running his Earth businesses here rather than contributing directly to the mission of the habitat. Lyle Cutter would be working on efficiency. That also filled her with dread. The Daniels sat nearby eating with the Beliveaus. Most of them knew each other and were friends in the sense that they knew the same people and often ran into each other. Cassie Daniels was a nervous woman who liked to support her husband's aims and goals. She would dive into the social whirl, such as it was and be an ally to Mariah Davis and the others. How the local women would receive that was still a guess.

Bill Nast sat with his children eating with them and Rick Harris. They were a lot alike, both ex-military and well trained. They would become friends, Cynthia thought as she scoped everyone out. His kids were a bit overwhelmed though they hid it well. They were orphaned by Shockwave and here they were, motherless in the heart of Botswana. She would keep her eyes on them, too. They were asking to go to school here at the facility. Tim was 17 and a junior while his sister, Amber was 16. They had always attended Christian schools so this would be an eye opener for both of them. 400+ kids attended the public schools here, both elementary and high school. They would be just two more.

Mariah Davis walked to their table and sat down. She grinned at Annie Cutter and Willow Walters. "How are you doing?"

"It's a change, a big one. I'll feel better when the kids are in school and I can look around to see this place. It's remarkable," Willow said. She was tall and thin, impeccably groomed and wore 'casual' clothing, the type that looked simple but was expensive and tailored. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, was well educated and liked the social life.

Mariah nodded. "I hear you. The schools are good. Are you sending them here or to the bot schools?"

"I want to go to the bot schools," Tinsley said. The others nodded.

Rain who was sitting nearby with the other two grinned slightly. "I think you should go. We'll show you around."

"Then its settled," Willow said as the others nodded. "Barry, Tinsley and Gina will go there. Right?" she asked them as they nodded. "What about your kids, Annie?"

Anna Cutter glanced at her kids who nodded. "We want them to go as well. Nothing like experiences to get you into Harvard."

They all laughed but they all meant it. The kids, on the other hand, were only curious and interested in how they could parlay this experience into fame on their own home world.

-0-Out there

The flare of huge dimensional energy flashed out and rolled into the darkness of space. It was an extraordinary light show for whoever might have been there but no one was. That is, they weren't until the flashes died out. A fleet was present where one wasn't before as the light dimmed all around them. They sparkled with energy across their bows and along the length of their vessels, then it was gone.

Sitting on the command chair in the eye of the storm, a big rugged mech looked around. "Status report."

His second worked it out, then looked at Optimus Prime. "It's happened the same way as before. We aren't where we're supposed to be. Again."

"Get Wheeljack up here," Prime said as he sat back in his chair. "We have to understand what's happening." He glanced at his second. "How far are we from where we were last time?"

Prowl studied a monitor, then turned toward him. "We're several sectors away."

"Take us back there and pull into that nebula," Prime said. "Get Jhiaxus and Shockwave on this. This has to be resolved. We have to go home."

Prowl nodded, then made it so.

-0-Sciences

Wheeljack walked into the sensor control and data room, then halted beside a group of youngsters who were working on a deep space array near the Rim. The energy rifts there were being monitored due to their proximity to the local group and Cybertron. They were unpredictable and dangerous with the whole sector being off limits for Cybertronians to traverse almost since their beginning as space going creatures. They had rescued everyone that was known to have lived there including the unwilling neighbors of the Functionalist Council. Now they had a disturbance that read familiar according to the operator at the console.

"What's the word?" Wheeljack asked.

A youngster looked up. "We had a massive power discharge, plasma that was off the scope. What's left behind is reading like a battle group."

"What's the data? Show me," Wheeljack asked.

They did and it appeared that they weren't there a moment, then they were. He stared at it, then pulled up more data. Putting them together, he noted that they were similar read outs. "Interesting. This is what happened when something attacked us last time. They have a number of similar attributes. Download this and I'll take it to Prime."

A youngster did so and handed a datapad to Wheeljack. He took it and set out for Ops Center and Prime.

-0-Ops Center

"Your genitors want to have a dinner for everyone in two orns," Prowl said as he sat down with Optimus. "They want to have everyone over to their apartment because they want to cook all the food you liked as a child. I think that's brilliant."

"It was very simple food with different things added from time to time. I liked it but then that is what there was," Optimus said as he conjured back to the simple fare that he ate as a youth.

"They eat that now when your ada cooks. I think they need to know both sides. By the way, the Jumble is being set aside for preservation because of your little flat. The entire area will be surveyed, sorted out and made safe structurally. Then they plan to return it to what it was before it was left to really go. All of the few things left in your family's apartment are being removed so that they can be refinished and restored to their condition when you lived there. Then the whole area is going to be a museum for the city and planet. Magnus put the project in for registration in the historical domain files and it was approved," Prowl said.

"Who approved it?" Optimus asked as he thought of the tiny two room apartment that had been his home all of his life.

"The Historical Preservation Committee at the University and the Restoration and Assessment Team at the Museum. They believe that we have to take different places and preserve them for the historical record. Your home and that entire area is considered ground zero for that. I agree," Prowl said. He looked at Prime. "I went to see it before the final vote." …

… The Jumble, Iacon, Cybertron

It was dark on the winding streets that led to the tenement that was home to Orion Pax from birth until adulthood. They were scattered with trash, the debris of war and runaway neglect. They held shadows that were eerie and memories of good and bad times. Families lived here in cramped quarters, homes that were sweltering in the heat and light of summer and cold during the winters. Children played in the streets watched over by elders or other family members too sick, debilitated or indifferent to work. Given the unemployment rates which contributed to the rise of Megatron, a significant factor in his sweeping popularity at the time, it was probably less by choice than circumstance that so many had no work.

There was little here but poverty, broken dreams and pride. It was a closed society, this place and others, where the inmates did their best and showed a solid front to the government that didn't care about them, the landlords that exploited them, the police who harassed them, and the Primes that ignored them. It was a tough, hardcore place and he wondered what it would be like to grow up here in this much disappointment. Then he considered that Ultra Magnus, Ratchet, Elita, and Jetta along with Optimus himself had come from these very streets. It almost beggared belief.

The triumph of the spirit and the spark over oppression and repression was something he could relate to. He had done the same thing from the other end of the spectrum and somehow, somewhere in the middle, the child of poverty and the child of privilege had found common ground. He looked up at the dark sky and felt the longing for sunshine again. He would have to talk to Wheeljack and Perceptor about that. He reached the corner tenement where had Ratchet lived. He paused, then walked in. It was a long haul to the floor where his apartment was, if one could call two closets an apartment.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside. It was ridiculously small and cramped. The furniture was primitive but mended to be useful. There was a small table and chairs, a dilapidated couch and in the other room, a frame for a small double berth. There were small cupboards nailed to the wall, one for the kitchen and one for who knew what in the tiny berth room that obviously was for Ravel and Tie Down. He looked at the couch and thought about Ratchet coming home everyday from hard work to sleep there. It made him sick so he looked at the kitchen. There was a ghetto cold box, one everyone made themselves which could keep a few things longer and a battered pan for a sink. There was no running water, no inside facilities, no comforts at all.

He walked out, went down and continued. He passed the building where Elita and Magnus aka Deion lived and crossed the street. On the other side of the narrow street, the tenement that was home to Jetta towered into the darkness, all of its windows as broken out as any other in this area. He reached the building that was the home of Optimus, then stared upward. He glanced around. This was the home of Orion Pax, son of Tagg and Kestrel of Iacon. He walked in, crossed the battered lobby, then went upward on the winding stairs. It seemed to take forever to reach the door.

Standing outside, he looked around and imagined a small child like Miracle living like this. He put the through out of his mind, then opened the door. The apartment, such as it was, was like all the others, two tiny rooms and shabby furniture. There were notes tacked to the walls about the condition of the place and what needed done first before the rest of the heavy lifting by the restoration team. He read them. They had taken all the furnishings away for evaluation and restoration at some point.

The windows were broken but he looked out of them anyway. The walls were tired and the paint peeled. He wondered if it did when they lived there. Tagg would have prevented that, he thought. Looking around the tiny room, he peered into the other, noting its emptiness. Their room, his couch … just like Ratchet and the others. Growing kids curling up on a couch that at some point would be too short for them to be comfortable filled his processor with unwanted images. Growing up in a gang of kids, playing in the streets, working too young, and watching others live their dreams … that was life here.

He felt shame. He felt white hot fury. He looked around, then touched a wall. If it could tell him the stories of Optimus's life, he would have been grateful. All the orns of his life where Prowl wasn't there were hurtful to him. He wanted to be there to change the awful dreary poverty that had been the relentless companion of nearly everyone he knew. But it was past and this was now. It was only now that he could shape. He looked around, then stepped out and gently closed the door. It would be a long silent walk back to the gates of the Jumble and a bridge jump home.

… now …

"It's important to save that space, Optimus. If we don't learn from history, we're doomed to repeat it," Prowl said.

Optimus nodded. "It was not all bad, you know. Some of it was beautiful. Playing in the street … being there with my genitors when they were young … my grandgenitors. It was my life."

Prowl nodded. "I wish I had known you then."

"I know. I didn't know you but I missed you. There was never anyone else before you, Prowl," he said quietly.

Prowl squeezed his servo, then turned to see Wheeljack walking in with a datapad. "What now?" he asked softly.

-0-TBC 4-29-18 **edited 5-14-18**


	343. Chapter 343

The Diego Diaries: Roamin' in the Gloamin' (dd6 343)

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

The usual suspects gathered around the command table to discuss what to do about a strange appearance of something not seen for some time. Wheeljack and Perceptor along with Zenith and Shadow, of all individuals, gathered to go over the information. Wheeljack and Perceptor stood to one side talking with Zenith and Shadow, their helms nodding as they went over the readings from the sensor arrays far out from Cybertron and designed to keep watch over a very dangerous, unpredictable sector of space.

Prowl watched his grand genitors out of the corner of his optics as he sat beside Prime affecting a very nonchalant attitude. Only someone who knew him well could tell he was tense at their presence. Finally, Wheeljack turned to the group. "We studied and discussed the data and believe that we have temporal rifts in that area that are seething with plasma energy. Consider it a black hole without the hole. That is, something that erupts outward rather than draws inward."

"There's some long ago disruption of time and space there that has always plagued us, though understanding it has always been the conundrum. Going too close to it is suicidal in the extreme. There is no way to predict when the rifts will secrete plasma and radiation that even we would have a hard time withstanding. I'm not clear on its nature and composition. Perhaps enough big stars went supernova at the same time that it disrupted more than the fabric of space in that location could withstand. There's a lot of latent energy there in the sectors around it that we calculate is dispersing slowly enough to indicate a great span of time from when it theoretically happened and now. It indicates something big and explosive happened in the past to create this. It cannot be predicted with any reasonable precision, thus, we've always made it off limits. The only difference this time is the appearance of a fleet, one that bears very familiar, yet different energy registers that are very close to our own. It would appear that whatever happens captures someone in another dimension and brings them here." He turned toward Zenith. "That's your field, correct?"

Zenith nodded. "Shadow and I have been working on the concept of using space bridges to travel between dimensions. As it is, we have the capability to travel from one end of this universe to another but not between dimensions. We want to try to enlarge that capacity." Shadow nodded.

"I discussed the data with them because they're the greatest living theorists on this concept. I do believe we're dealing with a dimensional rift. It could be that the newcomers are just a bit out of sync with us and therefore, we can't see or hear them," Wheeljack said.

"But they attacked us last time. They hit our databases and stole information," Prowl said.

"They did. Just because we can't see then, theoretically, that doesn't mean they can't see us. Consider as well the possibility that they could be yet another dimensional version of us. It has happened already once. It can happen again. They're just out of our vibration and we can't see them," Perceptor said. "Their energy probably vibrates at a difference frequency and prevents all of us from seeing and running into each other."

"Until now," Wheeljack said.

"What's the course you would advise given this being true. Or not," Prowl asked as he sat back working out a dozen of his own plans as he did.

"We need to go look. It doesn't mean that we can find them but it might be a good idea to take a science ship loaded with every kind of sensor tech we have and go there," Wheeljack said.

"Take Tennyson," Prowl said. "He's the expert on trans dimensional rifting."

Prime nodded. "Gather a force and go with Tennyson. Let us know what's happening. We can put Cybertron and the local group on level two alert and have the local breach covered by battleships. Have a fleet standing by, Prowl, to ensure that we can fight if they choose to do so."

Prime nodded and began to comply. Everyone else talked a bit, the scientists together, then headed out to their jobs or the mission ahead. Shadow and Zenith left without a word. It was a toss up how much it bothered Prowl.

And didn't.

-0-Ominous

They flew around their area skirting the wall of death that had appeared out of nowhere from the arsenal of the Prime. Dangerous and Clipper, two of the biggest ships they ever saw had already levied a warning as their scouting teams buzzed the local area. Their sensors had told them that a colony of some size and prosperity was nearby, so they came to see. Ominous sat on his command chair when the warning message arrived.

"Ominous … a message from up ahead just came in," a very dangerous looking mech said as he turned in his chair to speak to his captain.

"Put it on," Ominous said.

A deep voice came over the intercom on the bridge. "Unidentified ship, this is the Cybertronian vessel, Dangerous. I am a dreadnought-class ship who maintains the security of this sector and all who dwell here. State your purpose and identity."

Ominous considered the possibility that the biggest ships ever built by their people was just up ahead tending the farm. It was disconcerting. "This is Ominous. I'm captain of a peaceful exploration group. We were coming this way to see what was here. We didn't know you were in this sector."

"This is the Cybertronian dreadnought-class vessel, Clipper. I help maintain the peace as well. You would do well to tell the truth. Explain your purpose in this sector, all of which belongs to the Prime of Cybertron and the Empire."

It was silent on the bridge. Two dreadnoughts was enough to give even a slagger like them pause. "How do we know you are who you say you are? Dreadnoughts were said to be destroyed long ago," Ominous said.

"The reports of our demise are premature. You may proceed to the edge of the broken field, then you will see us on station. Come any farther and you will be dead. Proceed, then leave this space," Dangerous said as both of them began to have their drones load their launch tubes with slimline missiles just in case.

"What do you want to do? Go there and see?" Rattler asked as he stood beside Ominous.

Ominous considered the possible outcomes and knew that if he didn't fire, being Autobot ships, if they were really there wouldn't shoot him on sight. "Let's go look," he said as he sat back again. "This is Ominous. We're coming in for a look."

With that, the ships disappeared into the night time of space.

-0-Ops Center

The science ship and military escort had just left for the Ruins as that part of space was called by the few locals who dared go there. A mech at sensors handed a message to Prowl who read it. "Well, Ominous is checking out Clipper and Dangerous. They were called out and are coming in to take a look/see."

"I'm going to Clipper, Prowl. I will be online," Optimus said as he rose and with Ironhide in tow, walked toward the bridge room below.

Prowl watched him go, then turned toward the map. A flick of his fingers and the space that occupied the area of Tau Ceti and the settlement of Caminus appeared. Two ships were holding their places as four much smaller ones slowly approached them from the other side of a broken field of ice and snow.

-0-On a playground after lunch

"Then you can come and spend the night." Reflector smiled brilliantly at Sunspot and Spirit. He was determined to have them for a sleepover at his house.

"That'll be so fun," Spirit said as they sat on a merry-go-round that had benches and other safety gear for the kids. Someone was spinning it and they were enjoying themselves in the -85 degree weather.

"We can go swimming, then the movies. Amma said so. We can eat stuff and play," Reflector said as he glanced from one little mech to the other.

"I'll tell my ada. He'll let me, right, Sunspot?" Spirit asked.

Sunspot nodded. "My ada will. Can Spot come, too?"

"My amma likes Spot. He can come. Bos and Co-D are asking their adas, too. We can have **so** much fun. We haven't gone swimming or the movies in a long time."

They discussed the enormous possibilities as all around them kids played, ran or stood together to talk. Teachers stood discreetly around watching them as they burned off energy. Soon the bell would ring and they would have to go inside. But for now, it was fun as far as the optic could see.

-0-Elsewhere

" **WHAT YOU DO!"** Orion frowned as his little sand sculpture lay upside down on the floor. He had been taking it to the teacher to have them put it in the small kiln that fired a special kind of sand into a solid structure without losing its loose-looking texture. It looked like a pile of sand but afterward, it was as hard as concrete.

The key word was 'after'.

His tiny 'house' with all its lavish care lay in a pile under the little plate he had built it upon. Staring at the floor, torn between laughter and lying, Han saw a trip to the corner. He held his own, then set it down behind him on the table before Orion could boop it out of his tiny servos. He stared at the mess, then picked up the plate. They stared at the sand, then Han held it out for Orion. Watching none too subtly out of the corner of his optics, he was trying to look less guilty than he felt.

Orion had **LABORED** over his construction, something that he had difficulty translating from the grandiose picture in his helm to the usually weebled little finished products that he gave his genitors with joy. Now it was fragged. The only thing left to figure out now was who would throw the first blow and Han who had accidentally bumped him was trying with all his might that it wouldn't be him in the dog house.

Mr. At-Lee was working with another and so far hadn't seen what was happening. Han who was feeling the pressure bent down and tried to put the sand back on the plate. Tiny handfuls of colorful sand began to heap up on the plate. Orion stared at the plate, the sand on the floor, Han's helm, and his own gathering fury. **"HAN! YOU BAD!"**

It was as if time stood still. Everyone froze, then everyone turned to look. Two intensely cute little tots were facing each other, one with a plate of spilled sand and the other winding up to rip up the world. Art aide, Calypso, a student-trainee walked to them and knelt. "What happened, boys?" he asked.

" **HAN BAD! HAN BOOPED ME! MY DOING FALLEDED!"** Orion stared at Han with a cross expression.

Han stared back angrily, then wiped that look quickly. He wasn't going to chair prison if he could help it. He looked at Calypso with the most insincerely sincere expression he could manage. "I didn't do it," he said, using his fall back defense.

He was a baby, after all …

" **YOU, HAN, BAD! HAN BOOPED ME!"** Orion took the plate and held it up. The sand on it slid down his arm and pooled on his baby belly. He stared at the sand.

Han stared at the sand.

Mr. Calypso stared at the sand.

Han laughed.

No one else did.

It was on.

-0-Medical Center

Ratchet walked back to his office to get the data on his home visitation patients. He had about a dozen elders and four little kids who were coming along just fine the last time he visited them. He did it to 'keep his hand in' as someone once said. One could rust if you didn't do your part. That's when the call came in.

He frowned, then sagged. Ironhide had gone with Optimus to Caminus.

The slagger.

-0-Sparkling Day School Art Center, 18th floor of the school, Terra

Ratchet stepped off the elevator, then walked with dread to the conference room down the hall from the art center. That giant space had all manner of art modalities and the experts to teach them. Everyone in the little kid end of education on this planet visited the art center every single orn to work on this sort of thing and that. An entire bookshelf in the living room of their apartment held the comical and sometimes impressively well made bits and pieces brought home for them. Their berth room walls held framed examples of their painting. The rest went into a multi-drawer cabinet in the corner of the Man Cave where Ironhide kept every single thing they made, did or were handed.

Chaos bringer, my aft.

He paused at the door, then entered. Calypso and Roto were lounging in chairs as Orion stood on the table regaling them with tales of the life and like that. Ratchet stared at him and he turned to stare at Ratchet. **"ADA! YOU CAMED TO ME, ORION!"**

"What now? Jail or the guillotine?" Ratchet asked as he hugged the little imp and sat down with Orion on his lap.

They accessed the internet, considered what a guillotine was, then grinned. "He got into a tift," Roto said. "Han booped him and his art piece fell on the floor. They almost came to blows but it was caught in time. We're here going through the drill, decompressing and all that."

Ratchet grinned. "I love it when you get all science-y and stuff."

Roto grinned. "Orion, tell your ada what happened."

Orion stared up at Roto from the middle of Ratchet's lap. Then with a laborious effort, he stood up and staggered around to face his ada. Ratchet set him on the table, then grinned. "What the deuce did you do now?"

Orion saw the grin on everyone's face and decided to go for broke. **"ADA! I DOED THIS THING!"**

Roto translated. "He made a great little sand house on a nice plate."

" **I DOED IT GOOD! NOT ME BAD! I GOED THERE TO THE DOING!"**

Roto: "He was carrying it to the kiln for firing later today."

" **I CAMED TO THE SHE! SHE MY SHE!"**

Roto: "He really likes you, Calypso."

Calypso grinned. "I really like him."

" **I LOVE CAPYSO-SO! SHE MY SHE!"** He paused, then frowned. "Not Han. Han bad. **HAN OWED ME! I FALLEDED! I CRIED! HE POWED ME!"** Orion then showed how Han powed him. He kicked an imaginary foe over and over. Then he bent down and beat his fist against the same foe. He stood and frowned, then wagged his finger. **"YOU, ORION! I POWED YOU!"** Then he broke into his kata just because.

When he was finished, he had to stand on the table by himself for a moment as Ratchet, Roto and Calypso went out into the hallway to laugh.

Loudly.

-0-TBC 4-30-18 **edited 6-4-18**

Guest chapter 342 . 16h ago

Yes, finally new info about the attack from another dimension - or that's what I assume it is.  
Will be interesting to see what you do with all the newbie humans, but don't forget the bots, please.  
Thanks for writing this, and enjoy the first of May, if it is a holiday in your neck of woods.

 **ME:** You assume brilliantly. :D More to come. The bots have a big backlog of stuff that's simmering. **TIME FOR DRAMA!** Its sort of a nod to his G1 roots and his smarts all around. You are most welcome, Guest. I hope May First is a good one for you as well. Any day I'm still upright and typing is a holiday for me. **LOL! HUGS!**

Lackwit chapter 342 . 23h ago

I can't believe those dudes got pardons. Crazy. I hope they get their butts tossed right back in. Along with those sickening kids. I can't even think of our real-life examples without fury. I am interested in what you do with the Nasts though.

Isn't Lancer from Praxus? That's what Ratchet said to Ironhide when she and Partition made their intentions known.

An important typo in this chapter that completely changes context. Prowl should be saying "I WENT to see it before the final vote" and not " **I WANT** to see it before the final vote". Last line before the section on the Jumble (sad and depressing to think about slums)

ME: Nothing like Instagram kids to ruin your day. :D Its amazing, the pardon thing. But I've seen worse folks get them. The Nasts are speaking to me clearly and in a soft tone. I go where the story tells me. I think half the time I'm just the stenographer. **:D THANKS** for the type alert. My fingers automatically go off the road now and again. Then and Them I have to check in the reread. **LANCER:** she is Praxian. Thanks for the catch. One of the others I'm making from Stanix. I like the idea of tough femmes from tough towns and cultures. :D **HUGS,** dear one!

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 340 . Apr 28

I'm glad the first thing these human scene where the Dinobots attacking each other. Hopefully that display put the fear of whatever God they believe in, in them. Don't mess with the Bots! Don't think you can live on Mars without their help! Listen or be banned for life!

ME: I agree. Prime wants to map their network with them and some part of him I think loves the chance to have the drama. After all, their favorite canon television show is the soap opera, "As the Kitchen Sinks". Heh-heh-heh. I love that title. **HUGS!**

Whackedgourd chapter 153 . Apr 28

Chapter 151 names and genders the new sparkling of Ratchet and Ironhide. I'm rereading and noticed the slip. I absolutely love this saga.

ME: **WHOOPS!** On it, darling. So glad you like the story, honey. It's sort of an old friend now with me. **:D HUGS!**

cball671 chapter 340 . Apr 28

I love the Dinobots. As a kid when they first appeared in the G1 cartoon it was great. Grimlock is my favorite; T-Rex is my favorite dinosaur. I love when they have these brawls. And a great way to scare the newbies. Grimlock had a plan I'm telling ya.

ME: They are so much fun. I love Grimlock as well and when he thought Hot Rod was dead and cried with his little hands over his face I wanted to hug him. :D Their brawls are enough to let everyone know they're bad ass and I remember in the reread that Grimlock indeed was psychic. **LOL! HUGS** , my dear cball671. You have been around this story since forever, my dear. I salute you. :D


	344. Chapter 344

The Diego Diaries: Roamin' in the Gloamin' (dd6 344)

Sorry about last night. I was dragging a leg as my granny once said. By the way, gotv has the new part of the Prime's trilogy up. There was something else going on but I forgot to write it down to tell you. I will try and remember. Getting old isn't for the faint of heart, younglings. Remember that. :D:D:D:D:D

Oceans of love to everyone. -Granny ;)

-0-On their way

They stepped onto the deck of Clipper and walked to the Ops Center, gathering around the table where Typhoon, Fort Max, Paragon who was here as director of the dreadnought projects as well as Metroplex stood. Ironhide and Prime glanced at the forward view port and noted lights in the distance. "What do we know?" Optimus asked.

Paragon turned to Prime. "We have a group of four ships heading this way. They want to see what's going on here. Right now, Clipper and Danny told them who they were and to identify themselves. They didn't, much, so they're coming in to look."

Prime nodded. "Ominous is their leader then."

Ty nodded. "Yes," he said. He turned to watch the monitor nearby which followed the lights that were approaching. They were big ships but their guns were off line.

"Have they spoken to you?" Prime asked Clipper who was sitting at tactical plugged in. His voice was heard over the intercom albeit tinny sounding.

He glanced at Prime. "Only the first conversation. They're radio silent at the moment." He turned back to the screen where he was organizing a number of possible responses to the intruders.

Prime nodded. "Then we watch."

-0-At the same time a long distance away

They watched the huge ships leave, taking with them the tall metallics who had come before and made their demands. They were huge, twice and three times taller than themselves and bore a terrible energy. They wanted what they wanted which was some of their tech and some of their minerals. That meant they had to dig in the earth beneath them, the earth that sustained their minimal demands and filled their souls with light.

They were ancient themselves and highly evolved, more highly evolved than they let the mechanicals know. They showed a facade to them that was projected. The mechanicals who were advanced dimensional beings couldn't breach their facade because they were even more advanced. They appeared to be organic, tall and thin, with androgynous features. They appeared to wear long robes that were plain and simple with few if any adornments. Their settlements were simple, both in reality and in depiction, showing little that would draw someone as technologically advanced as the mechanicals. It was their defense, this ability and their simplicity.

But they weren't simple.

They watched the ships leave, then when they were gone the facade fell away. They glanced at each other, shrugged, then walked back to their lives.

Razorclaw's field commander, Slasher along with his crew had no idea the depth of indifference their threats held for The People. They merely had to call.

-0-Over the waves and onward

Their message went out over the energetic vibration that sounded its music. It was called the universe, The Great All That Is, the multiverse. It was there always, a silvery hum that evolved beings could hear and sense. It was the music of the stars, the very substance of being. It rolled out as a thin feeling of emotion sent by the Great Shaman of The People. It reached those advanced enough to sense it, pausing them in their endeavors to listen and feel the underpinning love that made its lilt move through the cosmos.

They gathered, different groups in the local area that were allies and friends, peaceable sorts that knew all but didn't interfere. They helped on the peripheral, sending their never ending love and and empathetic energetic support to emergent planets like Earth and those who were in the throes of war and self destruction. Had things been different, Cybertron itself would have heard it. But caught in their own pre-ordained self immolation, they were blind to it, the lifeline of support, love and assistance given to them by more highly evolved beings than they were even currently aware of.

All is energy. Energy never dies. No one dies, they just transform. Even organics transformed as their essential essence, their soul and all its wisdom went from one shape into another, one not dependent upon a physical body. The bots knew that and so did many humans, but among most, it wasn't a deeply developed idea beyond vague notions rooted in their religions.

There were many layers to All That Is and not all of them were visible to everyone. Some beings were deeply highly evolved, living in the seventh, eighth, ninth dimensions and beyond. They were limitless but most including the humans hovered in the 3-D to 5-D range. The People were beyond that and could manifest themselves in a range from 3-D and beyond. They were well acquainted with the humans of Earth and other species, helping them from a distance to evolve. Mostly, they were left alone to live their lives peacefully, though they were often asked to assist in different endeavors when the moment called for it.

Now, they let the local group know the escalation of the situation that they were all monitoring. All would be intent to watch the show as it was called. This new player had possibilities, some of them and they would be curious to see what happened when the big metallics came back. They would wait and see.

-0-Out there

Ships came in passing slowly by the big vessels as they made a wide traverse of both. Seekers swarmed out and flew next to them, turning with them as they moved along. The dreadnoughts had to be seen to be believed. Nothing ever created in their understanding of the universe could compare to them. They were the largest ships known, the most powerful and the most loyal to their calling. No one could turn them from their special obligation to the Prime. It had taken Straxus poisoning Metrotitan with a virus to turn him away from that most deeply hardwired urge inside him, his duty to the Prime.

Prime sat in the command chair watching the ships as they flew. Their weapons were down and off line. They were offering no opposition which was smart. There were weapons on the dreads that if fired would chase them back to their fort and kill everything there when they landed. Prime knew it. Ominous would put it together from 'legends' and 'tales' about the big vessels. Hence, his care in checking things over now.

"Ominous to Prime."

"Prime here."

"Nice ships. I thought they'd been killed during the Golden Age or had been lost in space making colonies. Nice acquisition." The voice was deep and cold but smarter sounding than most. This one belonged to a mech who liked books, music and being the boss. He was a smarter than average Decepticon and no one's fool.

"You are mistaken. There are eight of them assisting us in the defense of our colony. That doesn't count nearly 30 metrotitans that can deploy from there as well and several hundred that can do the same from Cybertron. Just so you know."

It was silent a bit as they finished their traverse, then headed back the way they came. The voice came back. "Thanks for the chat, Prime. See you around the neighborhood."

"If you come back, I will have you destroyed. These ships are permanently stationed here. You try to reach Razorclaw at your own peril," Prime said. "Prime out."

They watched the ships disappear into the night, heading for their base in the darkness. Soon, there would be another fort out there, one located near Caminus. It would be Fort Fury, named by Raptor in honor of an 'amusing human in that Marvel Comic Universe'.

Fort Fury it was.

Prime rose, then glanced at Paragon. "Any word on the timing regarding the new fort this way?"

"We've finalized the plans and are making a lot of it prefabricated, then will transport it more completely made. We have a small hard rock planetoid that's held by Tau Ceti very close by. It's got what we need and we're going to excavate there shortly. Jetta would know more. Once the utility part is finished, it won't take much time to bring the fort in and set it up. Prowl is adding it to the line up for personnel and supply."

Prowl nodded. "It will be soon."

"Good," Prime said. "When it is, one of you can return to your usual location, Clipper. I will leave it up to you which it will be. A dreadnought and a fort should be security enough for this situation. Something tells me they will be less rather than more likely to push their luck now that they have seen both you and Dangerous."

Ty nodded. "That's the point. Clipper is staying here. Danny will redeploy to the DMZ but be on call to come back if they get stupid."

"You never know," Prime said. "Though, Ominous is not like most of them. He's smarter and more self aware than most."

"Well, here's hoping he's smart enough not to tangle with us," Ty said. They chatted a moment, then most headed back to see if the intel on the other problem was back.

-0-In an art room at Sparkling Day School

"I doed this, Ada. I putted this here. I doed this here," Orion said as he began to reassemble the colorful clay for his little house project on the little plate which had his name already baked on. This was part of his 'home and family' unit in health, the unit where they studied families and homes. They were at that basic a level of educational readiness. "I goed to the thing with my … my thing. He booped me. He owed me."

Ratchet grinned at the hooligan as he patted the rather cohesive 'sand' into shape. A slightly lumpen and tilted shape it was. "Is that so. Can I kiss it?"

Orion glanced up at Ratchet. He smiled, then pointed to his nearly non-existent nose structure. Ratchet leaned forward to kiss it. "How's that, Spud?"

" **I, ORION, LIKEDED IT! YOU KIPPED ME!"**

"I did. What comes next?" Ratchet asked as he looked at the little shape.

"I doed this."

He doed.

-0-Autobot City Processor Health Hospital and Outpatient Center. The City: Waldeen

He sat in the sun room absorbing the light. He had remained here since The Event. His father, Traachon was an outpatient and his ada, Millow, was stonewalling the world. He had no way to reference what had happened to him in a manner that fit the world view he had held his entire life. He had been raised to be religious and he was. Mostly. He attended all the shrine events, the Temple as well and observed all the holidays and obligations, though until here he had never felt any of the blessings. He had grown up with stories and teachings about the Pantheon, Primus and The One. He believed like a lot of others did, shallowly, narrowly and obligatorily. The depth that many had, mechs like Turbine or Prowl was missing.

Maybe it was hard to reconcile privilege like he had with the admonitions and teachings of their belief system. Maybe on some deep level he knew better but he didn't give it a lot of thought. Life was too busy and demanding. He had surety from his family, his wealth and the idea that it was always like this. Prejudice ran deep in him, learned from his rigid family upbringing and two genitors that doted on him and his siblings. He had no idea how the other 99% lived because it wasn't allowed. He wouldn't have anyway because he never saw the need. It was the way things were, always had been and because of that, they would remain so.

Then the Apocalypse came and everyone bugged out.

He had gone with the family ahead of the flames and swords. They managed to get away well provisioned and given their relative luck until the Decepticons drove them off, they would have remained content and oblivious. But it wasn't to be. They tried but the Pantheon had stepped in.

Primus and everyone.

They were all there including the Primes that weren't as celebrated by The People through the Temple, those of the Guiding Hand. Quintus Prime. Solomus. They were there and They made it clear that **EVERYTHING HE EVER BELIEVED, THOUGHT AND DID WERE LIES PUNISHABLE BY RECALL.** He saw the Functionalists disappear, fading into infinity or wherever they went right before his optics. He stared at them vanish with a mere wave of a servo and thought without a shade of doubt that he was next. He stood rooted to the spot, holding himself with his arms as he watched the unbelievable do the unspeakable. He was sure he was next, then he wasn't. They said change. They banned his entire life before his optics and he was terrorized to his core when they did.

He had to change everything. Nothing his genitors, his family and the cultural life he lived was to continue. All of it was wrong. They had said so. He had to change.

How?

The door opened as Ratchet stepped in. He had come by after getting Orion back in the groove to see his holdovers. Traachon was sitting in another room nearby, reading a book as calmly as anyone else. He was not considered a safe bet for release yet. His earth shattering event hadn't surfaced yet. He was still flat in his affect. They had chatted a moment, then Ratchet walked out. When he did, Traachon returned to his book.

Ratchet stared at Waldeen, then walked to a chair next to him to sit. They were silent a moment, then Ratchet turned toward the big youngster. "Waldeen, how are you doing today?"

He looked at Ratchet. "I don't know," he said.

-0-TBC 5-2-18 **edited 6-4-18**

optimusprime101: the new aliens are going to be unknown for a bit yet. The new ones that are above will be explained in the next two parts. :D all in its time, as my granny used to say. (Usually when I whined to her when the Thanksgiving turkey would be done) :D


	345. Chapter 345

The Diego Diaries: Force (dd6 345)

-0-Processor Hospital, The City

"I don't know."

Ratchet stared at him a moment, his compassion button heavily compressed. The mech beside him was stripped of support and he was laid bare. "Have you been talking to the counselors here? I asked them to speak to you."

"They can't help me. I don't think anyone can," Waldeen said.

"No one can unless you let them. Tell me things. Tell me what's on your processor right now. What are you thinking about, Waldeen?" Ratchet asked gently.

He stared at the door for a moment, almost for too long a time, then he vented a sigh. "I never even felt Them before during Festivals or anywhere. I never met anyone so old. It **was** Them, **right**?" he asked as he looked at Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded. "Yes, it was Them."

"They never gave the Blessing on Cybertron. My genitors and grand genitors said they never felt or saw it from Them or the Matrix, not even when Zeta was Prime." He glanced at his servos. "They hated Zeta."

"Why?" Ratchet asked.

Waldeen thought a moment. "He was more like Optimus Prime than Sentinel. They really liked Sentinel." He sat back. "I never met him, Sentinel. I just heard a lot from the family."

"Mostly good stuff then?" Ratchet asked.

Waldeen nodded. "Good stuff. Our stuff."

"He never did a good thing, Waldeen. There's talk that he tried to kill Nominus for the Matrix," Ratchet replied.

"I heard that. I don't know. I never heard that he did or didn't," Waldeen said. "It was a blur then. A lot of things have happened since."

"What do you want to do with your life? You're young, smart and strong. You can be pretty much anything you like if you want to do it," Ratchet asked.

Waldeen stared at his servos. "I don't know what that is. We wanted our own way. We wanted our old life. I miss it. I miss the order and the neatness. I miss knowing what I was supposed to do and believe."

Ratchet squeezed his arm gently. "All of us did. But most of us hated it."

"I don't know about that. I never knew. I lived and never knew," Waldeen said.

"You and your sister … you sort of lived in the bubble then," Ratchet asked.

He considered that. "I suppose you could call it that. I just … I lived. Everyday I lived and then … I was just … I was living."

Ratchet considered the kid and his shattered affect. "What did you think when you saw Them?"

"I didn't believe it but I also believed it. I thought I was dreaming but I knew I wasn't," Waldeen said as he sat back. "I knew it was Primus. He was so loving and good. He came out of the sea and … He was there."

"He was. He was loving. He loves all of us, even those of us who frag up. He loves you, too, though I don't think you know that." Ratchet sat back, settling in more comfortably.

Waldeen stared at the far wall. "I don't know. He was going to kill me. I knew it in my spark. I knew that He was going to recall us and we were going to die."

"It scared you?" Ratchet asked.

He nodded as he stared. "Uh-huh. I knew He would. Then He did. That was when we died, all of us."

Ratchet considered the kid, then scanned him. Several levels that regulated emotional equilibrium were low. "Waldeen … you were always safe. The others? They went back to the Matrix with the Pantheon. No one is punished. No one is harmed. You judge yourself and then you find a way to come back in another life and make things up. Not everyone is like Optimus. I've seen him die 18 times and he always came back as himself. Everyone comes back eventually. How will we ever learn to love unconditionally unless we come back to try again."

"He killed us," Waldeen said in a flat tone. "He waved his hand and we died."

Ratchet considered the kid. "Your old life died. You're right here. You're waiting to feel really alive again. What you were before was a sad empty thing. Now you know what it means to feel alive. You're waiting for that."

"Am I?" Waldeen asked as he glanced at Ratchet. His optics were dull with drained emotion and he was dull in his affect. This had hit him like a low flying Seeker.

"You are. Now you know what's the reason we're here for. Now is the time to grasp it by the horns. We're here to learn, to love and care for each other. When the refugees come … when you came, it made things just that much better everywhere. You're tired. Once you rest and we fix up your levels, the idea of how much you're loved just as you are will be easier to be believed. You don't have to have anything to be loved. Chances are, it helps you even more when its so."

"Nothing I believe is right. They said so. They said They would recall us if we didn't change. I don't even know what He means. I don't know what He wants me to do," Waldeen asked.

"Then that's where we help you," Ratchet said. They talked a bit longer, then Ratchet stood. "I'm going now to talk to your doctors. I want them to know that you're sad and you need some treatment for that. I'm going to tell them how that'll work and soon, very very soon you'll be feeling better. Until then you should talk to your doctors as much as you can and a priest. They can help you with the sadness."

Waldeen stared upward at Ratchet, then nodded. "Will you come, too?" he asked.

Ratchet nodded. "I will. I will come to see you everyday for a while. It may take a while to get here some days but I will. We're taking in refugees, a lot of them. Everyone of them is a new page in our story, just like you were. Don't despair. Nothing happens by accident. This was meant to be."

"Why?" Waldeen asked dully.

Ratchet stared at him imagining the little infant he once was. "Because everyone deserves to be loved." Ratchet squeezed his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he walked out, chatted with the desk nurses, talked to the doctors and watched as they and a counselor walked into the room where Waldeen sat all by himself. The door closed behind them, so Ratchet walked back out into the world again.

-0-Later that afternoon

Ironhide peered inside the office and grinned. "You still pretending to work?"

Ratchet sat back with a grin. "You still carting that baby around a war zone? Come here so I can el kabong you with my ped."

Ironhide walked in, sat, then pulled out a wide opticed little femme. Putting her on the desk, she lay swaddled and smiling at both. Ratchet slid her over, then began to remove her garments. When she was free, he helped her sit up. **"ADA!"**

They both gulped at her diction and volume, then Ratchet handed her a toy he kept in his desk just for moments like this. "By the way, Alternative Megatron is transporting an alternate Fort Max in a joor just for us. Among others."

Ironhide stared at him with surprise. "How? What are we going to do with that slagger?"

"Hold your horses, cowboy. Get this. In their universe, Fortress Maximus is the size of Ultra Magnus. So is Tennyson and The Dire Wolf. Not all of the metrotitans here have the same sized counterparts over there. Black Shadow and Sixshot are bringing them in by ship through a bridge at the specialized lockup in just a bit. Wanna go?" Ratchet asked with a giant fake smile.

Ironhide gave him one back. **"SURE!"**

They both laughed loudly. Halo who was chewing on a teething ring made of steel looked at both. **"BAI!?"** she asked as she pointed at Ironhide.

Ratchet grinned. "I don't know. Ask him."

She smiled at Ratchet, then looked over her shoulder at Ironhide before falling backward onto the table top. She frowned at the outcome, then continued to teeth in the ring.

Ratchet laughed. "She has a round bottom just like the others."

"Little femme isn't fazed by falling. Took it like a champion," Ironhide said as he pulled the little garments and his daughter by the ped closer. He expertly dressed her, then slid her into his hold. "Come on. I want to see a permanently small Max and Wolf. This might be funny."

Ratchet rose, then walked around the desk for the door. "It might be something but I doubt its going to be fun."

-0-At the landing pad at the specialized lock up for alternative universe prisoners

Gee-Gee and her crew including a fully loaded group of security stood with Prime, Blackjack, Alor, Hard Drive, Raptor, and Prowl. Others were there but they weren't deployed. They just came along to watch. Springer, Drift, Hercy, and Kup were there to handle the hand off. Black Shadow and his crew were due back on their own Cybertron as soon as possible. They were hunting other riffraff for capture.

"What do you suppose a short Fort Max is like?" Springer asked.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask that one?" Drift said as several big mechs began to walk down the pathway to the tarmac together. They included Metroplex, Metrotitan who was courting a small flirty femme mini-con who had cavorted around the last football game in which he and his frame had come out to resolve on field. They were a pair to draw to as Smokescreen might say. Tennyson and Caminus were with them along with a smirking Xantium.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Springer said as they joined the group. "What brings you here?"

"A dance off. We're having a dance off, Springer, with the bad guys," Xantium said as he smirked at a mech that he loved.

Everyone hit the internet, then laughed loudly. Prime grinned as he watched a big ship coming in, one that bore the new sigil for the reunited alternative Cybertron. A new symbol of unity showed on the ship as half an Autobot sigil was joined to half a Decepticon one. It was an interesting blend and reflected the effort at reconciliation that Megatron and Prowl were working on.

The dust kicked up as the big ship landed, then the hatch opened. A beam of light touched the ground, a bridge for those inside to walk down. One of them did followed by two others. Pausing at the bottom to look around, the three big mechs walked toward Prime. They were Black Shadow, Blue Bacchus and Sixshot.

It took all that some of the Autobots had not to reflexively shoot the three of them between the optics. They walked to the group, then halted together. "Prime," Black Shadow said with a nod.

"Black Shadow," Prime replied. "Your prisoners are with you?"

"They are. Lord Megatron sends his greetings," Black Shadow said.

Prime nodded. "Give him mine in return. I am told there might be others as well."

The big black mech nodded. "There are. Some of them have to be coaxed out of hiding and maybe they'll do us all a favor and provoke a shoot out."

"We can but hope," Hercy said with a smirk.

Sixshot grinned. "My feelings exactly." He looked at the ship, then Prime. "We can bring them if you're ready."

"We are," Prime said as he glanced at Gee-Gee who nodded.

They walked back to the ship whereupon Bacchus and Black Shadow climbed back up. Sixshot waited with his guns poised for them to come back down again. When they did, more security followed as big mechs, surly and angry were led down to the tarmac. They were roughly formed into a line, then marched toward Prime. They reached the welcoming group, then halted as they looked around. Fixing on Prime, alternative Metrotitan smirked. "You're a fragger here, too, it seems."

Sixshot cuffed his helm. "Shut up, Tyke. You're done being a slagger. Time to go into the cage."

"Frag you," Titan said with a dark tone. It was then that he found himself flat on his back with his arm bent tightly backward. Standing over him with a slight smirk, Gee-Gee held him fast.

"That wasn't very nice of you, Metrotitan. You're mine now. Do what I say and we'll get along just fine," she said.

 **"AND IF I DON'T?!"** he bellowed mostly from rage, not pain. His frame could take a lot of punishment.

"A femme," alt Fort Max said with a snicker. "You got dumped by a femme."

Titan struggled, but gave up as Gee-Gee held him pinned to the ground. She stepped back and he clambered upward. "I'm going to kill you, fragger," he said to her.

She struck him hard and he went down on his knees. Striking him again, he fell forward to lay on the ground groaning. She stepped back, then grinned. "Who's next, tough guys?"

It was silent for a moment.

-0-TBC 5-3-18 **edited 6-4-18**


	346. Chapter 346

The Diego Diaries: Home Sweet Home (dd6 346)

-0-Lock up

Gee-Gee noted each of the big mechs who would be prisoners here, then turned toward Black Shadow. "Who can't be stored together and who can?"

Black Shadow looked at the group. "They're all compatible, mostly. Their frame type sort of prevents them from killing each other. It was a fail safe provided when they were made, they were so dangerous. Some of them are big but those are really few and they were formatted for city and colony work so they're in stasis right now, those we've located. No one is ready to let them out until they sign on to the new Matrix holder, Megatron."

"All of our type here are spark bound to the Prime and Matrix. It's our strongest function and one we gave when our sparks entered out of gratitude for the honor of service," Metroplex said as he looked at his counterpart with a stern optic.

"That's the idea where we come from but we're finding its not always a sure thing. We're hunting them where we know they are and some of them are giving up," Black Shadow said.

"What's the deal with them being so small?" Xantium said as he glanced at the group, all of whom showed offense.

"Small? Frag you, fragger," Metrotitan said as Sixshot cuffed him again. He was weaving from the beating but still burning hot with fury.

"Small," Metroplex said. "See those lights that way? That's me in city mode. What you see here is pretender gear. It allows me to remain there in service to The People, but walk around in a more normal size. The others," he said nodding to the big mechs with him, "are dreadnoughts and titans like me. Shortie." Metroplex grinned as everyone laughed and slapped him on the back.

Alt Metroplex glared at him. "Frag you. If you say so."

Xantium shook his helm. "Gauntlet anyone?" he asked as the group nodded.

"I'll keep that idea in mind," Gee-Gee said with a grin. She turned to the big mechs. "Make a line. Now."

They stared at her, then reluctantly complied. They were big mechs, some of them a good 35 feet tall. Metroplex turned to Sixshot. "What is their special function? Do they become ships? What do they do?"

"They like to raid. They have very tough armor and no spark to tell of. That's what passes for their special function. They work in teams together and commit raids that are pretty terrible. They can take concentrated fire like no one else. That's why they're so bad. A pack of them is pretty catastrophic," he replied.

"Everything has been stripped from them personally?" Gee-Gee asked as Ratchet hit them with a number of different scans.

"They're clean, Gee-Gee. I know this frame type and even though things are slightly different internally from our frames, I know where everything is and all the places they can hide things. They're clean from my scans."

Gee-Gee nodded. She turned to them and considered things. "You are my prisoners. I'm Gee-Gee and I run this prison. We have a lot of slaggers here and all of those who were captured on your world and brought here. We do this as a gesture of solidarity and goodwill with that Cybertron and that leadership. We could put you into stasis and that's always an option, but we won't until you prove it a better placement than cell blocks.

"If you act up, harm yourself or others, harm anyone who works here or visits to do their job I'll take you apart and store you in a filing cabinet in my office. Anyone who doesn't follow the rules is going to regret it. I don't believe there's anything I haven't seen tried in a prison and you can't fool me. The food and entertainment here is good. Life doesn't have to be hard or stupid. It's up to you. I got all orn, too.

"We're going to put you in three cell blocks. We're going to break you up. Pick your cellie and let me know." Gee-Gee watched as they looked at each other, nodding slightly as they paired off. Then she grinned at Roadie. "I want you to take Metroplex and Metrotitan, Roadie. Cell block 3-D."

He nodded, then looked at the pair. "Move it or I'll shoot you. I'd rather shoot you."

They glared at him as he and two other heavily armed mechs led them away. The other pairs were led away, too, heading down the road to the heavily armed, highly guarded lock up nearby. They watched until they were out of sight, then turned to each other.

Black Shadow looked at Prime. "Thanks for taking them. It's good to have them gone at last."

Prime nodded. "How is it going on world?"

"Well," Black Shadow said. "We're taking mass surrenders and we're rounding up the political and business leadership that helped make this happen. It's a process."

Prime nodded. "One we hope goes well for you."

"How is it here?" Sixshot said.

"We have Cybertron but we also have two large groups camped on our doorstep, an unknown who is hitting and running and our own set of war criminals. We are much alike and much different than each other. But we are united in wishing for a good end to both paths," Prime said.

Black Shadow nodded. "That's very true, Prime," he said holding out his servo. Everyone shook, chatted a moment, then watched the three climb onto their ship and lift off. It was gone in seconds, aided by a bridge jump to the breach and home again. Tennyson who was stationed there waiting for science duty in the Ruins would wink his running lights at them as they flew into the gaping chasm opened between dimensions. They would wink them back and be gone.

Prime turned to Gee-Gee. "Is there anything more you will need, Warden?"

"I would like you big frames on call if they act up. You're evenly matched and we can probably handle them but having a back up team like the lot of you would be a good thing," she said as she smiled at the big mechs standing around Prime.

"We'll come," Xantium said as he pounded his fists together. "No problemo, Gee-Gee."

It was with a humorous tone that they turned back to the world and headed for home. The light of day had faded and the stars were bright in the sky.

-0-Out there

In the Bootes region, they flew together as a cohesive unit. They were a large battle group from the Decepticons and their outlaw friends who had combined in the fall out of a temporary shift of command from Megatron to someone else entirely. This group was old school and new, a mix of criminal element civilians and soldiers from before the revolution. They had been vicious fighters and reliable units for the Decepticons and many were the burned out husks of settlements and battlegrounds where they had proven their willingness to do what it takes. Now they were heading out, leaving the areas where they had prevailed because of the new management.

Whoever was holding things together for Megatron were vicious and vehement about keeping things together. They were also unknown, never showing themselves but making their presence known by fanatical teams of 'Con enforcers who roved around. The idea of anyone but a Cybertronian telling them what to do was anathema so before the net closed completely, which it just had in the vastness still controlled by the Decepticons, they managed to leave. Gathering smaller groups with them in the local area and on the way while also taking their criminal civilian partners, they headed out to find their own kingdom far enough away from new management that it would take a bit of effort to track them.

The Bootes was very sterile, though there were star systems there. It was a vast empty space on most human star charts given the types of telescopes they used. The bots saw more there but it was spread wide apart and hinted that unless you had superluminal drives at the least, you would be alone for a long long time crossing it. They were heading toward a lot of radio traffic, the calls of Prime and Starscream among them. That had been weird. So had all the rest.

The transmissions said that Cybertron was in the hands of the Prime. They were tracing those signals to get a handle on things, hopefully soon, before they fell into Autobot hands by accident. Keeping a military organization and chain of command, having become friends, some of the leadership over the eons, they were a tightly knit and very competent group heading toward a star with several planets that appeared to be inhabited.

"Sir, I have a transmission."

He turned toward the comm officer and nodded. "Put it on the forward screen, Toff."

Toff complied and in seconds a bot appeared that no one on board believed still lived. He stared at the captain and the captain stared at him. "Hello, Ominous. Fancy seeing you out here."

Ominous grinned. "I imagine, Slasher. I thought you were long gone by now."

"I'm a hard kill. Where are you?" Slasher asked as he lounged in the command chair.

"A system where energon floats in the dust disk between planets. Can you lock onto my signal?" Ominous asked. "I'm inviting you to come and talk. I'm looking for new co-conspirators."

Slasher grinned. "Is that so."

"I was heading for Razorclaw who has a big group nearby but the Prime prevented that link up. He has Cybertron and this system. He has titans, dreadnoughts and millions of former Decepticons and Seekers. He's stronger than both of us combined."

"Well, maybe we can help," Slasher said. They would talk a while, then Slasher would receive the coordinates for the redoubt of Ominous. Ominous signed off. Slasher was quiet a moment thinking about the news, then glanced at his second, a big bot named Cardio. "I wonder how big a group Ominous commands?"

"We can find out when we get there. There's always room for a new commander. It's the Decepticon way," Cardio said with a slight grin.

Slasher grinned, then leaned back in his chair. "You read my processor," he said softly.

-0-That night after the circus was put into their beds

"So I'm going to see what I can do for Waldeen. He's sort of splintered on me, Ironhide. He says that the Pantheon killed him and I think he sort of believes it," Ratchet said as he flopped down on the berth.

"I'm sure he feels it," Ironhide said as he finished fussing with Halo. He lay down, then they called the lights off.

"Orion nearly got into it with Han. Han bumped his little sand sculpture and there was nearly war," Ratchet said.

"Slag. Did they get into trouble?" Ironhide asked worriedly.

"Nope," Ratchet said. "I went to hear about it and stayed a while. You better get your two joors in. Can't be a slacker." Ratchet grinned. "You can be a slagger, though. Don't let the grand genitors hear that you take her to Cybertron."

-0-The next morning

" **YOU DID WHAT!?"** -Alor, what whatting

"You took Praxus and Orion," Ironhide threw back.

" **THEY WEREN'T STILL IN THEIR WRAPPER!"** -Alor hitting it back with gale force

"Bacon?" Ratchet asked as he slid a plate he was holding into the space between them.

"Don't mind if I do." -both of them

"Slaggers," Ratchet said with a grin. **"FRAUDS!"**

" **ADA!"**

Everyone looked down at Orion who was sitting at the table watching with about 900 other big and small kids.

"What?" Ratchet asked.

" **WHAT FWAG!?"**

"Fraud." -Ratchet

"Fwag." -Orion

Everyone stared at him, then Ratchet. Ratchet grinned. "Close enough."

 **HUGE** laughter and much eating ensued. It would be good they could. A big battle group had just cleared the Bootes Barren and were making their way following a signal to the nondescript solar system on the outer Orion arm of the Milky Way Galaxy.

-0-TBC 5-3-18 **edited 6-4-18**


	347. Chapter 347

The Diego Diaries: Bootes (dd6 347)

Pronunciation of the Bootes Constellation: (There are little marks over the 'e' but my keyboard isn't that cool. ;) "boh-oh-tees'. (It is 197,000 light years away and is among the lightest in the sky.)

-0-Autobot City Operational Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, 1:35 AM Martian Standard Time

They began to gather, drawn from their homes and berths, some with sleeping children in arms. They walked to the command table, the Senior Autobots of the Prime's General Staff. Prime sat there as he listened to Prowl explain something to him from data on the massive roll up datapad that usually lay there. It showed the entire sphere of Primal influence in almost obscenely layered detail. Prime glanced up and nodded as he listened to Prowl. Then he sat back. "Welcome. We have new intruders."

"What else is new?" Blackjack asked with a grin. He held a bundled sleeping Scout in his arms as he stood next to Ironhide who held no one. Halo was sleeping away in her crib in their berth room. Ratchet made sure of it.

" **I CAN'T GO THERE EMPTY!"** Ironhide had groused with a big grin on the elevator ride to the lobby.

" **YOU GOT ME, BABY!"** Ratchet had replied with a dazzling grin.

 **"LIKE I SAID-!"** Ironhide began before a fist to the gut took care of that impertinence.

"What's up, Prowler?" Ratchet had asked.

Prowl flipped back through a few levels of the detailed map to begin to explain. "Here, here, there, here and these three places are the extensions of the Comprehensive Deep Space Array, the one that is maintained by the new computer nexus on Luna Base. "Its part of the greater array that covers our entire reclaimed empire in detail in all directions up to 155,000 light years in a 360 degree field."

"Kudos, Wheeljack and Perceptor," Ratchet said as he glanced at the two.

"We have a lot of talent added every time a refugee group comes," 'Jack said as Percy nodded. Resolve was too fast asleep in Percy's arms to weigh in.

Prowl grinned with deep satisfaction. "We do. It's always going to be our edge, that and encouraging research and development. This area is the deepest emptiest part of the Bootes where we're tracking a bunch of different groups. We have regular runs of Seekers out that way to tip us about what these sensor readings are in actuality. They bridge out there and back on a regular schedule so our data is pretty comprehensive about what is there and isn't supposed to be. Most of them are aliens going about their business but some of them are turning out to be break away 'Con groups or civilian pirates." He looked at all of them. "Data suggests that compared to the greater whole of the Decepticon operations thus far, these are mere snowballs compared to the Decepticon blizzard. Their operations past Cybertron were always vast and strongly held. These are splinter groups falling away. Now it would appear, one large one is heading this way and cleared the Bootes several joors ago. They appear to have limited bridging capabilities which make their traverse not only quicker but unpredictable."

"How is it that we're only noticing that now?" Raptor asked as he held Scout. A pouting Blackjack was standing next to him.

Prowl glanced at Wheeljack who turned to the group. "We have a lot of lead time with the Bootes. We can see clearly across it because of the lack of stars and galaxies occupying that part of space. There is less need for interpretation of data and monitoring so we have four cameras on each array site monitoring the general area where things might hazard to leave it but only four all told monitoring inside it. We just didn't have the traffic and there were other areas in which infiltration could occur that needed more inspection. That's why we just noticed them. They triggered our other cameras."

"What do we know about them then?" Turbine asked as he held Scout. A pouting Blackjack and Raptor stood next to him.

"We know from all the data gathered that they're a ship boarding group, a very powerful one and one that will be nothing but trouble when they get here. It would appear from transmissions that they sent to Ominous that they're led by Shrike." Prowl frowned. "Tell me that isn't his real name."

"It isn't," Payload said with a frown. "I don't know the real one but that's what he goes by. He's really, **really** bad news, Prime."

Nitro and Scar nodded. They conferred together, then Scar turned toward Prime. "He can't be allowed to join Ominous. He'll kill that mech, as bad as he is, then take over the combined forces and come at us. There's no strategy, no real thought to what he does. He just does it. We have to take him out before he gets here because he's afraid of nothing and no one."

"I am not clear on this one," Starscream said. "I don't know him. Do you, Elder?"

Rainmaker glanced at his son, Razor who was frowning. "You know him?"

Razor nodded. "He doesn't like Seekers. He kills them where they're found. He has to go." He turned his side to show a long scar on his wing. "That fragger gave me this when I walked into a bar where he was. He just jumped up and did it."

"Teach **you** to go to bars," Rainmaker said with a mirthless grin. He looked at Prime. "We may have to fight this one, Prime. Unless your powers of persuasion can peel off his crews."

Prime smirked ever so slightly. "From what I remember, that is not likely. He does not honor civilians and he has been rumored to kill children for sport. This one is really bad. He cannot link up. As bad as Ominous is, this one is worse. Prowl, link me to Ominous."

Prime nodded to the night comm officer and in a few moments the face of Ominous was seen on the big monitor nearby. "Prime. You called?"

Prime stood, then turned his imposing features toward the monitor. "Ominous, I called to warn you about a Decepticon battle group that has cleared the Bootes barren and is heading your way. It is led by the criminal known as Shrike."

Ominous nodded. "He's signaled his desire for a meet up, Prime. I'm aware he's coming this way. Why would that worry you beyond the obvious? You're clearly warning me of his approach."

"He does not play second to anyone. He will overtake and kill you, then turn his guns on us. We are protecting Cybertron and over a billion individuals there, more in the local cluster and billions on Earth. We will destroy anyone and everyone who puts that into danger. You will be in his cross hairs from the moment he reaches you. You would do well to be prepared."

"For him? Or for you?" Ominous asked.

"I will leave that open for you to decide. Prime out." He sat a moment in silence, then turned toward Prowl. "How long do we have before he is a problem that needs dealt with?"

"We have three orns at their current rate of speed even using their limited bridging capacity before they traverse into our territory and pose a threat. There's two threats. The one to Ominous which will bring war to us and the one where we go to Shrike and eliminate him before he reaches us. Either one is going to be a fight." Prowl waited as Prime did the math.

"Take the command staff below and build a plan. I want him either in chains or eliminated before he reaches striking distance to Ominous. I want it overwhelming. We will make the offer of surrender or leave. If he refuses, we attack. There is too much at stake for us to finesse this situation. I want plans and a design as fast as you can troubleshoot it."

Everyone nodded, then began to walk to the door to take the stairs and elevator to the sub command deck where missions were planned as a matter of course. Given how big they were, they were also facilitated there along with the main deck. This was going to be a big hard military action.

-0-Later that morning

They drove past the Military Airfield heading toward the Hu-An Habitat and Embassy. There was a lot of activity there with big ships being rolled to their spot in the flight order to be serviced and loaded with all manner of things. Olivia recognized a military operation but the others didn't. Willow Cutter, Annie Walters, Mariah Davis, Cassie Daniels, Allison Beliveau, Cynthia Tomas, and Olivia Bowers drove past the vast space heading for Cultural Center Road and the long drive to the big habitat where Olivia was going to show the new expansion and all of the greenery that humans were allowed to come visit inside.

:What's happening here, do you suppose?: Cynthia asked.

:The Hourly News will tell: Olivia said as she turned the corner and began to drive to the huge green filled domed habitat past N.E.S.T. HQ. They passed businesses on the four lane highway including The Pit Stop and a number of administration buildings for the airfield. In the distance, the unbelievably tall and vast hangars for the big frames could be seen but none of them were out and about. :We're going to pass the N.E.S.T. HQ which is the ground zero location of the human community here. Past that is the Hu-An Embassy. It's a fully recognized embassy of The People and we're on our best behavior there. It's easy to do. The Hu-An are the greatest:

:What do we need to know, Olivia?: Mariah asked.

:They're a heroic society so they hold to honor and manners. They believe that everything is sacred, from the earth they stand on to the food they eat. They commune with plants and believe that trees hold the secrets of all life everywhere. Trees are the keepers of memory to them. All the plants inside are hand tended and considered sacred. They're private and kind. All that you will meet or see are females. The ones with fixtures on the end of their horns are warriors. They also have engravings on them to tell of their clans and achievements. They use them in combat. Most of the fixtures are steel balls that they slide onto the points to protect everyone and to show their status. The golden ones are the highest status. Larc has them and so does Tempest.

:No one farms like them. They allow us to have gardens of our own and help us. All of the stuff they grow is genetically engineered to feed them. All of it and I emphasize … every single thing they grow for themselves no matter how much it might still look like it could feed us will kill us almost immediately. It's not fit for human consumption now because they changed it to suit them. We will show you what you can pick and eat here and nothing more. Always asked before you do. Be safe and not sorry.

:The new dome is open and they're preparing it for cultivation among other things. They're building a river, already have a big lake for the birds that live there and are creating a small forested stand for their contemplation. They go into the trees on their home worlds to think and get visions. They're really spiritual and honest. We all get along on world, all of us. There are so many different philosophies and religions here. We all have to be intensely respectful of everyone:

It was quiet a moment. Cassie Daniels leaned forward from the bench in the back of the truck where she was riding. :What about you? You teach one of their religions here. What happened? I remember you from before, you and your family. We don't live that far apart in Virginia:

Olivia grinned at her as she slowed to turn toward the Hu-An habitat entrance. :That was then. I teach a philosophy of life tied into the Guiding Hand. It's the most wonderful thing I ever did. I was a selfish person before, someone who didn't care how others were treated as long as Joe and I came out on top. It was stupid and selfish. Unloving. Here, I found my footing. This place is home to me in ways I can't describe. My life began in a true and loving way when I came here. You will see. Give it time: She turned in, then slowed. On the other side of the big door was a Hu-An named Mingo. She grinned and waved. :Good morning, Mingo. We'd love to come see the new addition. Is it open for visits?:

:It is for you, Olivia Bowers. I'll let you in: the big female said over the radio. The doors opened so Olivia drove inside. They closed, the habitat atmosphere became normal immediately, then she drove forward as the inside doors opened. "Welcome," Mingo said with a grin.

Olivia pulled her mask, lowered the window, then leaned out. **"Hi!** How are things this morning? I heard that the bees are working out really well."

"They are. We find they aren't harmed by our genetic modifications. In fact, it sort of assists them. What we're working on now is if this change can immunize them against environmental hazards on Earth to prevent colony collapses. Your bees on Earth are in dire need."

"Just about everything on Earth is in dire need, my friend," Olivia said. "I love bees. Thank you, Mingo, for the genius of your people."

Mingo grinned. "Follow the road to the junction. One way, the right road leads to the new habitat. The road is a roundabout and will being you all the way around our domain. The left road goes the usual way."

"Thank you," Olivia said.

Mingo nodded, then watched as the little vehicle drove ahead. Checking the list to see if more visitors were due on the monitor next to the habitat controls, she saw she was free for a while and went back to the little station house where she would work her shift as sentry for The People.

-0-Downstairs

"We're going to go to war," Hardie said as he spoke to the group who would be under his field command. "Therefore, we have to prepare for all manner of possibilities and make them overkill. There's always a chance they'll run or surrender but its a very small possibility with this group."

"We shall prepare strike teams to support ships. I am assuming you want a number of nimble ships for close in and to protect the battleships?" Starscream asked.

Hardie nodded. "I'm considering dreads or titans but I'm also aware that could just delay the inevitable. If they flee, we'll be back at this later. I want this concluded with perhaps titans in reserve. Given that this is supposed to be a regular formation of ships, having big ones in the mix could make it hard to maneuver. We'll plan a three part strategy," he said as he turned on a monitor and picked up an electronic stylist. "Lissie, you get the close in combat," he said as he glanced at his good friend and in-law relative. She nodded.

"Starscream and Rainmaker, you'll provide the usual brilliant air cover," Hardie said as the two grinned.

"Raptor, you'll command the heavy ships." Hardie turned to the board and began to outline a standard encirclement strategy that they'd work on for two orns before presenting it to Optimus who would agree.

-0-Down the road in Shangri-la

They drove past the cobblestone path that led to the upwardly spiraling habitations of the Hu-An. They were beautiful and from every window and ledge there trailed vines and flowers in window boxes. It was a fairy tale confection of deck platforms fronting round shaped houses with big windows that spiraled upward into the sky and were reached by communal stairs. The grounds were perfection, manicured with skill and nearby was a small playground for children. Dashing past, they drove down a wide two lane dirt road that was lined on each side for the duration of its length with flowering bushes interspersed with tall trees.

"This is gorgeous," Cassie said quietly as they stared all around themselves through the windows. "I can't believe it exists under domes."

"It's wonderful. I can only imagine the beauty of their home system," Olivia said. "They keep this place Earth standard oxygenated because the planets they engineered do better in it. They do everything well, everything is beautiful. Even the gardens they put aside for us. It's all beautiful."

They sped past orchards carefully tended with the white stacked boxes of beehives. They would see them everywhere, near every flowered area and near the fields of vegetables and grains they were growing. "They just introduced a lot of insects and butterflies. All of them have protected status here. They're doing some research for Earth here as well. These are the best people," Olivia said with feeling.

They passed a pasture with barns near the back that held a small group of goats, sheep, miniature horses, and miniature cows. "They keep the animals and the birds that live here for their children. They want them to grow up to understand that they're a part of and not on top of the ecosystem they live in. All things matter to them. Trees keep the memories. Water does, too. Water is either living or dead to them. They prefer living water."

"What's the difference?" Mariah asked with surprise.

"Living water comes directly from the planet itself. It isn't treated and it doesn't bear chemicals. Its pure and untouched. That's the kind they want … not the stuff from a faucet that's been treated. Of course, our water requires it but I feel better with the filtered stuff in the habitat. Every thing to the Hu-An is alive and has a voice. They use respect with everything. They work so close to nature that they say they hear it talk to them. We once did but we've stopped listening," Olivia said. "They absolutely revere trees."

They sped onward to the junction, then took the right hand turn. It was astonishing how big the habitat was. It was many square miles of area with plans on board to expand again. It was not only for the good of the Hu-An people but because they were taking on issues from Earth to work on and it would require micro habitations and acreage. They were building a river to study fish that would lead from the lake that was in the distance in the midst of plowed fields, go all around, then end up in the lake where it would start again. They were putting together a small forest for their own meditative wanders and for the purity of having more trees. Birds were being brought in along with all manner of different insects which would be studied as well. All that they learned would be gifted to Earth.

The road meandered through the plowed fields, past tall stands of corn and sunflowers, between fields of vegetables and tall bushes of berries, then through a carefully handcrafted rocky rise of hills. Planted among the rocks with prepared soil were small trees, grasses and bushes that were placed there to experiment with land reclamation against flooding and landsliding. They finally came out of that range of terrain into the open again and in the distance there were Hu-An working on a canal that would traverse the entire facility to irrigate as well as facilitate the fish. Driving down the road, they swung around a stack of rocks anchoring a fence, then onward until they came even of the crew. Pulling up, Olivia stopped the truck, then climbed out.

The Hu-An working on the canal, lining it with smooth flat rocks and fast drying cement to hold the water in walked to where they were parked. They were big, warrior class and females. One of them bent down on a knee, then grinned. "Olivia Bowers. Welcome."

"Hi, Eppa. I love the stonework along the drive over there," she said pointing in the direction of the winding sloping road they had just passed through.

"We're working on plants that hold soil. Something that can combat mudslides on Earth and hold good soil in place is much needed," Eppa replied.

"That's so good of you. We appreciate it so much," she said with a smile. "How much of the new habitat are you going to plant now?"

"We're going to put two big fields to fallow and work with the soil but plant the rest. About half of the land we don't transform for other needs. We want to vary the diet a bit. More berries and fruit will be welcome. We also want to build butterfly habitats here as well."

"I love that you have them. They always made me feel good to see them," Olivia said. She introduced the others to the big femmes, walked to the canal to look at the careful work going on there, then grinned. "Are there going to be boats for us shorties for the canal, river and lake?"

Eppa grinned. "We'll add that to the list."

They chatted, laughed, then everyone piled back in. Waving to the crew, they drove onward following the road back to the older habitat. The Hu-An watched them go, then got back to work. There was a canal to build and experiments to begin. That didn't happen by itself.

-0-TBC 5-6-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	348. Chapter 348

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 348)

-0-Around the area

The soldiers stood in the viewing stand for their species and watched the show before them. It was clear that an operation was going to be heading out but they hadn't been told yet. The ships that were being brought to the field and serviced were battleships, light fast cruisers and a lot of fighter-carriers. There were also more than the usual number of Wrecker and Wrecker-type battle shuttles among them.

"This is a fleet to fight a fleet," Will Lennox said as he pulled out his encrypted phone. Dialing a number that only a handful of individuals had both on and off world, he waited. The voice at the other end was crisp and to the point.

"Morshower. What's going on, Lennox?"

"General, we're standing in the viewing box watching a huge fleet build up. Have you been told about it yet?" Lennox replied.

"No. I'll get back to you." The caller hung up.

"He's calling back. He hasn't heard either," Will said as a number of big heavily armed Seekers lifted off to fly into the darkness of space. Their roar was muffled by the building.

-0-Phone tag

"You have an incoming call from Morshower on Earth," Prowl said as he leaned into the office from the corridor. "Do you wish it or do I fob him off for now?"

Prime who was sitting at his desk attending to many different things glanced up. "I will take it, Prowl," he said as he looked at the monitor nearby. Tapping a blinking light on a console on his desk, Glenn Morshower's face appeared. He looked concerned. "General. Good morning."

"Good evening, Prime," he said acknowledging the time difference on two worlds. "What's happening? I hear you have a fleet build up underway."

Prime nodded. "That is not for public consumption just yet. A big battle group just jumped in from the Bootes Constellation. They are a hardcore group of very dangerous Decepticons and civilian criminals. We have to meet them before they team up with Ominous who is their closest point of intersect or Razorclaw who is harder to reach but not out of the question for them with their limited but effective bridge capabilities."

"How is this group different from others?" Morshower asked as several of his aides listened in the background. He was in his spacious office in Virginia at the Pentagon.

"This group is led by a figure called Shrike. That is the name he uses but is not his original designation. Not much is known about him personally but professionally, he is very dangerous and no one who can be reasoned with. He is a cold blooded killer. If he reaches Ominous, he will challenge for the leadership and very clearly could prevail. At that point, the combined forces would then immediately come for us here at Mars and Earth. There is no question among us that he would follow those steps of conquest. He kills our children for sport. He cannot combine with Ominous, overthrow him and move forward."

"Then you're looking at war with this group," Morshower said rather than asked, his face grim with concern.

Prime nodded. "It will be the only way to stop him. There is no reason in him nor, I would wager, his crew."

"What are his capabilities and strengths?" Morshower asked.

"We are unclear at the moment. I just dispatched heavily armed Seekers to bridge out to where he is and do a sensor sweep. The more we know, the more we can design our team. We are going for overwhelming force. If they do not surrender, they will be turned away or annihilated."

"What is the likelihood of them turning away?" Morshower asked.

Prime considered that. "There is no history of this commander or his forces ever doing that. I do not expect it now."

It was silent a moment, then Morshower nodded. "What can we do to support this?"

Prime felt the warmth that filled him when these small creatures always stepped up. "You can continue to be our friends both here and on Earth. I do not want your people to know this and panic. We can tell the end story when its over but for now, we wish you to have confidence in this and to rest easy."

"I can give you the confidence, Prime, but the resting easy part will be harder. We will do our best for a successful outcome," Morshower said. "What is the likelihood that some of us can hitch a ride with you on this venture?"

Prime considered that. "It depends on what the Seekers tell us is coming. I will keep you in the loop no matter what happens."

They chatted a moment, then signed off. Moments later in the viewing box …

"They said they would know shortly. Keep me informed on what you see yourself," Morshower said.

"Will do," Lennox replied, then they signed off. Staring at the field as things continued, Lennox looked at the others. "It looks like war."

-0-Elsewhere

Ratchet called his troops, gave the word, then headed out to take care of the civilian end of their process. Refugees were coming in a steady clip and that wouldn't change. Few of them needed very much doctoring so the range of facilities from Cybertron, Gliese and here were ready for anything that might come of this venture. He would issue orders to the alpha, beta, gamma, and standby shifts as soon as Prime spoke to The People. Now, he had to take care of their personal civilians.

He hurried out of the building, walked down the road to Sports Center Street, then crossed at the corner from there to Metroplex Highway 1. Down he went, walking through the crowds on the streets heading this way and that, past businesses on storefronts that had customers coming and going until he reached the Polyhex Business Plaza where RTR Tools was located. He walked inside, through the crowds to the store where he entered. It was crowded with those making orders and those picking them up. He walked around the counter, kissed his ada on his helm, then slipped into the work room. It was filled with adults between classes who greeted him with hugs and hoo-hah. Sitting, taking a donut, he chatted until Ravel walked back inside.

Tie who doused a glowing knife blade into water glanced at Ratchet through the steam. "Why are you here, son?"

Everyone looked at him expectantly so he decided to be factual without being emotional. "We have a big group jumping in from the Bootes that's up to no good. We have to go out and stop them from coming here. Prime doesn't want them to link up with Ominous or Razorclaw, so we're going out to slag them before they get closer. They can't link up or they'll come at us with big resources."

It was quiet, even funereal in the room as they stared at him. Appa Ratchet sat forward, his cat hopping down from his lap. "What does this mean, Sonny? You going to fight?"

Ratchet looked at the elder who had worked like a mule his entire life, who had been his rock and comfort, who had deprived himself so that he could have the little his family could scrape together for him and felt emotion rising. "It could be called that. We prefer calling it a good hard slagging. We're going out in force, with overkill built in. I do the doctoring, they do the fighting, a bad guy bites the dust and all are safer again. We don't take chances with anyone or anywhere."

"But you're going to be in danger, all of you," Ravel asked anxiously. "Are the femmes going? What about our boys?"

"We're going in teams, highly veteran teams. We know how to do this. We're bringing big guns. We know how to shoot them. Hardie is in charge. Lissie has close in while Ironhide, Raptor and Blackjack are going to lead arms of force. You can't do better than that."

It was quiet, then Tie lay down his tongs and blade. He sat heavily on a stool. "I had gotten used to the peace. I had gotten used to things being better. I don't want my family in harms way. I don't want anyone else who is here to be there either. This is so hard to hear, son. I know they still roam around out there but this is hard."

Ratchet stood and walked to his atar. He hugged him as he sat in the chair, weariness and disappointment slumping his shoulders. "I hear ya. But know this … we took Cybertron without a shot because Prime led us. He leads us now. Remember that."

"Its all that keeps me going sometimes," Tie said.

They sat together in the work room talking about what they could do about the kids during this, perhaps several orns of battle far away. It could be over in joors or last longer. Either way, the elders worked out how they would cover the family's children.

-0-In a garden nearby

They stood at the gate of the section set aside for the humans. It was surrounded by a small wooden and stone fence that had been fronted with bushes, held flower boxes on its sides at intervals and was highly grown over with flowers and vines. It looked like an old English garden in some country town in the midlands. It had an arch over the entrance that said, 'Home is where the heart is' carved into the wood. They opened the gate, then walked inside. There were plots of a good size everywhere in the enclosed space. Leafy trees bordered the green space and around the area small bird bathes could be seen. Feeders for birds, both for seed and the liquid humming birds required were hung on ornate poles. The paths to all the plots around the space were cobblestone. Green grass grew between the stones and in the far corner a small bee hive buzzed with activity.

"Don't worry about the bees," Olivia said. "They can't sting through the suits." She led the way forward as they walked down the paths that separated the growing plots from each other. There were individual family plots for the human groups here and three big ones that were set asides for the schools. They were tended by the human children of Sparkling, Youngling and Intermediate Day. Some of the plants were for projects and others were those the kids wanted themselves. It was pleasant, warm and the air smelled of moist soil and flowers.

"This is so beautiful," Cassie Daniels said as she walked with the others through the big enclosed space. Hanging from some of the bird feeders were small bells or beads that sparkled in the light from the dome, their silver music adding to the magical atmosphere of the place. "How do they water this? I have a big garden at home."

"They use underground watering systems for this. The weeds are maintained by us, pulled out by hand. The garden tools are in that little shed," Olivia said as she pointed to one nearby. "The berries are ready to eat. Let's have a few. See how big they are?" Olivia said as she walked to a blackberry patch and pulled some. They stopped a moment to indulge, called them delicious, then walked onward. Another gate led out of the area into a small stand of fruit trees. "This grove is ours. See those over there?" she said pointing out a big stand that stretched out toward the housing area of the Hu-An. "That grove is poison. These trees are the only ones that are safe. They're tended by us and when the fruit is ripe, the Ladies Auxiliary comes out to pick them. They produce a lot of fruit. We share it with the N.E.S.T. and Family habitats. Hopefully in future, we can have more and more will get it. Earth 1 has a grove and Earth2 just started one. We want to produce our own food here. Remember, if its outside our fence, its death."

They stood in the warm sunlight eating small sweet apples, then walked back out to the vehicle. A ride around the rest of the road system brought them to the gates and Mingo once more. She let them out and they drove onward heading toward the Resort on the hillside and lunch with the real movers and shakers in the human community, Judy Witwicky and her squad.

-0-Mission creep

Partition stood in the doorway of the sub-command center looking for her, then entered when he saw Lancer sitting on a chair next to Arcee. He paused behind her. "What's the word so far?" he asked.

Lancer grinned at him. "Might be good, might not be. We might have to pause the bonding ceremony. This could be fast, or not."

Partition frowned. "Frag. I'll let my folks know. They're working out party details with Bluestreak. I suppose he's going, too?"

"Actually, Blue is handling things here. We can't have entire families on missions together when they have kids," Lancer said as Arcee nodded. "I saw your name on the medic roster. You're tentatively posted to Ada's ship."

"Good," Partition said with the fervor of true belief. "What about Morius and Inweld?"

"They're pulling shifts for the alphas in the Watch. Lots of fill-in responsibilities for the newer recruits. I'm surprised you're on the medic list. No offense," she said with a grin.

He smirked at her. "None taken. Much."

They bantered together as the planning went onward as the lists forming on the overhead monitors by the various commanders building the fleet began to grow.

-0-Out there

They flashed out of the bridge and flew onward, their guns and sensors facing the threat that was close by. Given that Shrike hated Seekers the same way that some humans hated minorities … mindless and heated rage … they wouldn't have to contend with counter measures from their own kind. They flew onward together in a very dangerous (to an enemy) battle formation as they began to cast their sensors wide and far.

-0-Ops Center

They sat on chairs listening to Prowl and Prime describe what they hoped could happen with the children as they clued Kestrel, Tagg, Venture, and Miler in on the mission. Downplaying how much danger there was, they expressed a plan that leaned heavily on The Fortress Military Day Care here in the building. No one was to overdo themselves and no one was to drop their life. It could be overnight or even longer, but it wasn't going to be months and years. Those long term battles were no longer part of the thought processes of Prime and Prowl. Though they were now living a peaceful personally fulfilling life together, though Prime was given to the possibilities that war was a last and losing strategy for everyone at best, Prowl hadn't lost any of his cold blooded calculation and merciless instinct for the jugular just because he had a happy home life. In fact, one could say it was magnified under those conditions.

"So we want you to know that becoming worn out will not be helpful to yourselves or the children. They are military kids. They know that sometimes things happen and that day care is there for them and for you," Prime said gently. "Miler will be on duty during this process with the Alpha Bridge team so I am afraid it falls to you three. Bluestreak will be on duty at communications in the Operational Center and the twins will be in the field with the rest of us."

Kes nodded, then put his servo over Prime's. "What is the likelihood of danger to our people, son?"

"There is always danger, Ada, but we are very good at this," Optimus said gently. The markers of distress were already there in his Ada's aura and he felt fury that they were. "You must trust in us that we will prevail and come back home swiftly."

"We will," Tagg said firmly. "We can go to the Temple, Kes, and ask the Pantheon for help. They will help us. Orion bears the Matrix. They will listen to him."

Kes stared from Tagg to Optimus. "We know. We know they love you. How could they not? You are a good mech, Orion. We will do our part."

Optimus felt warmth filter through him as he stared at his parents. Nothing could ever express how he felt that they were here, safe and happy. "You always do," he said gently.

Prowl who was watching them with a helpless sense of fury nodded. "Don't worry, Kes and Tagg. You either," he said to his genitors. "Those slaggers are going to fall."

-0-TBC 5-8-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	349. Chapter 349

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 349)

-0-Resort of Autobot City, Hillside District, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 122

"And that's what Will told me," Sarah Lennox said as she sat at her desk in the office surrounded by the others who owned and ran the facility. "We're looking at straight up war."

"It was grimly silent a moment, then Lois sat back in her chair. "Think about this without the bots. The 'Cons would come. The energon is here. What about that?"

"I don't want to think about it, its so terrible," Barbara Morshower said. She slumped in her chair. "I hate war. I hate it. We could lose friends, neighbors. This is bullshit."

"No one would disagree, Barbara, but I do salute your language. You're stepping up," Judy Witwicky said with a grin as she stood by a biz hub waiting for a receipt from New York City over a convention group that wanted to come and talk about geology.

"You're wearing off on me," Barbara said with a grin.

"Lucky you," Judy said. "I suppose they're watching at the viewing station."

"They are. Glenn wants to go along, the idiot," Barbara said …

… a phone call earlier …

"So expect us at 2200 hours. I'm bringing my team with me. We can put them up at the Resort, right?" Glenn Morshower said over the encrypted phone all senior officers and 'senior' humans in the community had.

"We can," Barbara replied.

"We're going to go on observer status if Prime allows it. We've been in fights before but this might be an eye opener."

"You're an idiot, Glenn," Barbara replied …

… Resort …

"And they think **women** are busybodies," Lois said.

" **WE ARE! AND WE'RE PROUD OF IT!"** Judy said as they all laughed loudly.

-0-United Nations Consulate, United Nations Territory, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

They gathered before the television to watch the news around their duties both inside and outside of the facility. A really big build up was taking place in the middle of town and they were trying to figure out what was happening and where they fit in the scheme of things. Carly walked in and sat down beside the consul for Brazil. "Sam told me that a big Decepticon fleet has jumped out of the Bootes Constellation and was heading this way. Prime isn't going to allow it. There are a couple of Decepticon groups in the surrounding sectors and they're contained. He doesn't want either to reinforce themselves with this new group which is, apparently, very terrible so they're going out to either turn this group away or destroy them."

"Which is the possible outcome, Carly?" the consul for the United Kingdom asked.

"Sam believes they'll have to fight. This group is lead by someone who never surrenders or turns away. He's really, **really** bad news." Carly sat back. "The bots are the only thing between us and them. I wish everyone on Earth could really get that."

She wouldn't be the only one.

-0-Full Circle, Terra

"This is going to be terrible," Anders said as they watched the small monitor in the little lounge in the back during a short snack break. "We could have funerals."

The others nodded. "I hate this. I forgot that we're not entirely at peace," Madura said as he fed his baby. "We have to do what we can for everyone. Vinn would know, right, Joon?"

Joon nodded. "He would. I'll find out. We can do whatever we can together."

The others nodded as they worriedly watched the screen.

-0-Around

Big mechs were getting their marching orders, regular army, special ops, specialty skilled, and heavy gunners. Those who knew how to board ships, most of them former 'Cons who were once upon a time highly feared for that skill were gathered to be debriefed by Commander Lissie who would command the close up action. They were huge, fast, dangerous, and utterly fearless. At least, mostly fearless. Many of them had bonded and started families here in the peace, so the old brio was more muted and replaced by a cold fury and a determination to make things brutal, fast and over for the invaders.

Others were gathered in groups that would be commanded by different leaders like Hercy, Kup and Magnus. They would be given their part of the pie and would follow the ship breachers under Lissie's command to provide the punctuation to the saga that would unfold in the enemy vessels. A Seeker commander, Radius, would be handling the fighters, both two and three manned versions. They would strafe the slag out of the ships and handle any fighter response that would arise from them.

Elita had a team of electronics experts who would be jamming the enemy fleet, infiltrating their computer systems to overtake command of them or to shut them down as swiftly as possible. Jazz would employ a special ops EMP system that would jam communications before all of them would join in the melee of taking the ships left intake and dead in the water one by one.

Ratchet met with his teams on the ground here on Mars and by monitor with those on Gliese and Cybertron to lay out the plan. Omega and Xantium would come as platforms. Xee would be the Seeker platform and Omega would be command and control. Prime would direct the battle from there and the overall commanders such as Hard Drive, Turbine, Delphi, Alor, and Raptor would be there with him to work their peculiar magic. Ironhide and Blackjack would free range wherever they were needed. Phobos would be the main hospital ship with immediate bridge access to Gliese and Mars if the need dictated. Every team from alpha to standby/fill in would be on call. Standby and Omega would fill in for Alpha and Beta so they could stand out with the ships. It was all troubleshot and ready to go. Ratchet would command his kingdom on board the battleship Phobos.

-0-At the field

They were moved away once their deadly cargo was loaded. The field beyond the long runways was filling up with big ships. Battleships, light fast cruisers and fighter-carriers were moving forward as they were brought to battle status. Teams worked long and hard to fuel, flight check, load up, and test out systems so they were what was needed for any venture ahead. It looked chaotic but it wasn't. Everything going on was planned and worked out through hard work and experience.

Pilots gathered together to discuss their orders. The Master of the Muster stood at his platform near the street going over the ship manifests as they came in. Soldiers and support teams checked in, then went on their way with the information they needed when the time came to muster. Many were the mechs going aboard their assigned ships to drop off their gear and find their places. Guns would bristle as the ships took off, all of them ready to point at Shrike and his fleet. It was an old drill but one resented even more than usual. Peace was a good thing and this? It wasn't. The show would spin onward and the humans would gather at the viewing place to watch.

-0-Out there

Razorclaw watched the lights blinking on his screens as the news of another player reached them. He had hailed the newcomer last night and spoke with him a moment. He was heading toward Ominous and it was going to be a game changer if Prime allowed it. No matter how this happened, he would learn something from it. Prime would never allow a mech like Shrike to reach Ominous. Both of them know that Shrike would never be anyone's second. He would kill Ominous, take over his command, then come at Prime without hesitation. No amount of chat with the big dangerous mech had made any difference. Shrike had been successful for a long time using his current model and no one would be able to change that.

He knew.

Shrike had been a criminal before the war. He was an enforcer, someone who enjoyed inflicting pain on others until they complied with whoever hired him for the job at the moment. He was smarter than most gave him credit for. He just liked to create havoc and harm. He enjoyed fighting to an indecent degree and he never liked to lose. Fortunately for him and no one else, his frenzied desire to win was usually enough to propel him to what he desired. It would be interesting to see what Prime was going to do.

Razorclaw conjectured that if by some miracle Shrike beat both Ominous and Prime, he would then turn his rage-driven focus on him. He would enjoy it for the sheer joy of fighting and taking another group into his operation but he had little faith that the 'Con would make it past Prime. There might be a lot of explosions and frenzy but Razorclaw doubted that Shrike would be more than a situation for Prime to settle rather than victor. Together, the three of them might have a chance against Prime but that would never happen. The other two would no more take second place than he would. As he mused it didn't occur to him right away that this truth played into Prime's hands.

He would later on.

-0-Around the airfield

"I can't believe that Lancer is going and we aren't."

Inweld and Partition glanced at Morius who shrugged. Inweld grinned, then turned to Partition. "I can't believe **you're** going."

"I'm going because I learned the skills necessary," Partition said. "You could if you'd get a stick on."

They stared at him. "What does that mean?"

Partition shrugged. "I don't know but the humans use it."

"Oh," both said almost together. "Let's go look around. Maybe someone will let us go," Morius said as he set off for the Master of the Muster. The other two followed.

They wouldn't be allowed to go.

-0-Xantium

:What's happening now?:

:They're loading medical just in case: Xantium replied to Kappa. :Why don't you come? You can watch me flex my stuff:

A laugh came over the comm system directly, rather than between the two off line. Everyone working on Xantium paused to listen, grinned, then hurried back to the job. Xee grinned as he sat on his gear to allow himself to be loaded. :You can come with us. That way you can have a chance to observe combat and maneuvers in a tight field of battle:

:I'll keep that in mind: Kappa said as they bantered together. It would be a long busy afternoon.

-0-In the schools

"What's happening, Mr. Landro?" a child asked as he stood on the playground doing recess duty.

He looked at the children gathered around him. "There's a mission happening. The Prime protects us by taking very big battle groups out to show everyone the error of their ways."

"Will someone come here and attack us?" a small mech asked, one who knew from personal experience what that felt like.

"They haven't yet. They didn't when we had a smaller army and they won't now. You forget … we have the armies on Cybertron to help us as well."

They stared up at him, then at each other. "I forgot about that," the little mech said with a grin. With that, they ran out to play once more without worries. Mr. Landro would take care of that for them.

-0-Ironhide

He walked through the airfield heading for a number of ships to check their ammunition supply. Things were highly computerized and he was sure that everyone had what they needed. Climbing into each, he chatted with the crews who were preparing the ships for flight. Everything was in servo, so he walked back out and motored onward. Walking through the crowds, dodging small vehicles, he climbed up the ramp to Omega. The leadership was there going through the plan, making sure that all was clear and in place. Walking to the command table where they sat along with Omega Supreme, he glanced at his hands. Raptor who held Halo grinned at him. "You snooze, you lose."

Ironhide glared at him, then grinned at his daughter. "She's that far up the awesome scale."

"So are you, infant," Raptor said as he turned to the table. They would discuss and troubleshoot the situation for a couple of joors, then adjourn for dinner. In T minus 4 joors, they would stand out from the colony and head into deep space. Before they did, Optimus Prime would speak to his people. It would only be then that Earth would be clued in again.

-0-IntraComm

They worked out the presentation time for Prime even as they tempered the reporting until the mission was announced. The tension in the colony was already high enough without ratcheting it up with on air speculation and supposition before the announcement. Jazz sat with the communications board and Blaster, though both would be with the armada. They were members and officers of IntraComm and part of the broadcasting community. Their show would be managed by 'interns', two sweet kids who were wanting to do a broadcast radio show of their own when they graduated from Intermediate School.

"We want to get the information out in real time but we don't want to scare anyone. We're going to have Blaster be the conduit and it'll be funneled information to him through Prowl who's Prime's interface for the mission. Due to security constraints, we're going to hold back some of it but we're going to be as upfront as we can. A full mission briefing will be held after the show and all questions will be answered then. Right now, we have to think about our people and what they've been through. I don't expect to lose this fight but I don't want anyone to regress because its happening." Jazz glanced at Blaster. "Your opinion?"

"I agree," Blaster said. "We might lose people and if we do, their families come first. Prime and the rest of us will be ready to debrief right away. All inquiries from Earth need to be held in abeyance. They get the same information we're releasing here. Full disclosure will happen when we have something to tell."

The conversation continued with the board until Optimus Prime walked in to give the mission statement before lift off.

-0-Prowl

He hurried from home to the airfield where he was going to go straight to Omega. Prime had left earlier to go to IntraComm after comforting the family who would manage all the children including the twinnies and Kaon along with Venture. Miler was on duty for the mission as Navigator and thus, it fell to Kes, Tagg and Venture to pick up the slack. Reaching Omega, he walked to the command table, put his satchel of datapads and other work items on the floor just as the monitors all around changed from the symbols of Mars and Cybertron to Optimus Prime's handsome face. It stilled as he began.

"Good evening, Mars, Cybertron and Earth. My name is Optimus Prime ..."

-0-TBC 5-8-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	350. Chapter 350

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 350)

-0-IntraComm

"My name is Optimus Prime and I am here tonight to inform you about a mission that we are undertaking to prevent entrance into our sphere of influence of a rogue Decepticon group led by a mech who goes by the name of Shrike. He is someone known to us and is a very grave danger to all of whom he comes into contact. We have decided to meet him far away from here rather than allow him to come into range of the two quarantined rogue groups who are here already.

"Razorclaw and his battle group lie, as you know, near Epsilon Eridani while the newest intruder, Ominous and his group have taken up camp near Tau Ceti and our outlier colony of Caminus. Both stars are well within bridge range and even ship travel for us but far enough away that if we have to take action, it will not harm anyone here. Right now, we are planning to intercept Shrike and his group at a distance of 100,000 light years from here. Given the distance, it would be problematic for him to reach Mars, Earth or Cybertron even with the limited bridging capabilities it appears he possesses through the operation we have designed to meet this threat.

"Our battle group is composed of veterans of great experience led by our most senior commanders. All of the individuals leaving are ready and able to bring this invader to a conclusion of our choosing and we will be standing out in one joor. I am aware as we do that there are families who are concerned and lives that have been disrupted. Understand, we do not waste our people. We have designed and will carry forward an overwhelming force which we will bring to bear on them no matter their decision to leave or fight. It is not what we seek but sometimes fate delivers to you what you least expect or want. We have our oath to Cybertron, Earth and Mars. We have our oath to all who we protect and we aim to carry it out.

"We will be giving information to you as it warrants telling. We ask you to keep the faith and know you are protected. We will do all that we can and all that is possible to do so. Sometimes, there is no other choice on the table." He stared at the camera, then nodded. "Until all are one." The camera cut to the Emblems of the Primes as the statement concluded.

-0-Out on the airfield

They gathered, several hundred humans, some in the viewing stand and others along the edge of the field. Protecting them against the odd possibility, two Night Watchmen were there as per orders from Springer. In a cleared space now that ships were moving, hundreds of Seekers began to gather. Their impressive chieftains had already landed and were standing in a growing circle of Seekers, families, youth, children in arms, and the warriors themselves. As they gathered, a stamping sound could be heard to build from where they were, a steady slow drum sound. The humans turned to watch as the Seekers began to move in unison.

A stamp of peds, a slow drumbeat of sound echoed loudly enough that the humans could hear it. The tremor of peds stamping in unison could be felt underfoot. As more came, more joined in. A huge deep circle began to form around the Elders, Starscream, Red Cloud, Cloudburst, Rainmaker and his sons, and a number of flight commanders. As they stamped a slow regular drumbeat, they began to lean inward, then back outward. Back and forth, they swayed forward, then back. As they did, the circle began to step toward the right. Inward, outward, stomp, step. It began to gather until everyone everywhere was stilled to watch this strange dance.

In the middle, the leadership stood stock still, absorbing the energy that began to rise. The crowd moved in a slow circle swaying and stamping as they turned. Then voices began to rise, ululations of sound and cries of passionate defiance of their enemies. A roar rose upward as they moved, swaying and stamping, some twirling like dervishes as their emotions began to rise.

Harrier spun, then rose up, hanging in the air over the mass. She swung her silver staff, twirling it in her servo as she exhorted them to greater passion. The circle began to move faster, then it changed its dance. They swayed forward, then right, then left, then stepped two steps before repeating. It was obvious to those watching that some of them began to slip into a trance-like state as they did. Heat began to rise from that much massed power as children were held up by adults to watch their masters show their quality. Moving in almost a trance-like state themselves, most of the Elders were circling counter to the masses around them.

Warlord cried out and as he did he burst into flames. He drew his swords and began a flame filled kata before leaping upward to fly swiftly toward the heavens. Everyone watched as he seemed to stall out, then fall almost without thought toward the ground. Just before he was past the point of no return, he thundered overhead, flying back upward to the sky. Others who were overcome with emotion transformed to join him, the group flying closer than seemed possible as they roared overhead. They flew upward again, then down to land with their usual thunder before joining the dancing once more.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

The rhythmic sound of hundreds, maybe thousands of peds slamming down at the same time was hypnotic to those watching as well as participating. Singing burst into gales of sound along with roars of emotion and loyalty unto death for all concerned. Outbursts of fury, shouts of victory against the enemy greeted Rainmaker and Silverclaw as they whirled their staffs, dancing through a kata older than nearly everyone present. A roar of primordial power went up at the sight as The People watched the past join them here in this place of mustering.

It went on for what seemed forever, then it ended nearly as fast. The silence was almost unbearable as Rainmaker turned toward the airfield where Prime was standing near Omega watching the spectacle. Rainmaker smiled as the crowd parted nearest to Prime. He nodded to Prime, then went down on one knee. A gasp of astonishment went through the crowd as they stared at him, then Prime. Rainmaker bowed his helm, then stood. It was then that Optimus Prime returned the salute of equals to the Elder.

The roar seemed alive as it went up at the sight. Prime stood, then walked to Rainmaker to hold out his servo. He grasped it in the warrior manner. Grinning, Rainmaker glanced around. "We're ready to serve The People as it must be and should have been always."

"We are ready to fight by your side, Elder," Prime said.

Rainmaker grinned, then turned to the crowd. **"TIME TO FLY! FOR CYBERTRON AND THE PEOPLE! FLY!"** he cried out.

The ground shuddered as mechs leaped up, then roared off unto the sky. Flames and blow back engulfed the crowd but no one was injured as the group thinned itself of warriors who flew off to the cheers and ululations of the crowd. When they were gone, Rainmaker turned to the others. "Give witness to this orn. Today, the Army and Air Forces of Cybertron and Mars write a new page in the Book of Honor. I have spoken." Then with a nod, he and Prime walked toward Omega with the rest of his Seeker command and boarded.

Following them swiftly in N.E.S.T. vehicles, humans booked it to join them.

-0-On Omega

They rode in boxes to the place of attachment near the forward view ports and the giant monitors that told the story of their mission. Images of the space bridge lineup and other important information was on screen as just ahead through the view ports the sun began to fade and light poles and arrays began to automatically come on around the colony. The mechs carrying the three boxes slotted them into their ports which would support the humans inside and keep them from flying around during hard turns.

Glenn Morshower, his two aides, Mick Murphy and Tom Brennan along with John Fulton, Andrew Settle, Commander Martin Constable, commandant of the British contingent at Diego, Lilly Bolger-Settle, Owen Harris, Rick Harris, and Brandon Clark rounded out the first box. Next to them was Will Lennox, Bobby Epps, Niall Graham, Joe Bowers, Charlotte Mearing, and Seymour Simmons. The third box had a grab bag of individuals including Sam Witwicky, Ron and Judy Witwicky, Jessie Landon, James Brooks-Spencer, Gavin Pritchard, and Pierre Beliveau.

They were all allowed to come because some of them, those who were locals, were good for interviews of what happened and strong advocates of the alliances. The others were here to be assessed under pressure by the bots to see if they could be persuaded by the hard reality of life in the local group that the partnership of bots and humans was the only thing between them and the abyss.

Hope springs eternal.

They stood or sat in their containers glancing around at the command deck of the ship. Prowl was in conversation with Prime before heading out, satchel slung over shoulder while mechs were assuming positions all over the deck. Rem would be back up pilot as per the rules of Primal travel. He leaned forward over the conn to chat with the humans as others took up position. Then Prowl kissed Prime and walked toward the hatch where he disappeared.

Morshower watched the civilians and noted a startled glance between some of them at the affection between Prime and Prowl. He kept it to himself as he stood by the side of the container, leaning against it as the ship began to gather to go. Prime sat at the command seat while the command table was nearby with Alor, Delphi and Turbine together working on data as the giant datapad added it. Ironhide walked toward the boxes and sat down on one of the forward benches along the forward wall. He looked at the humans taking in who they all were. Then he nodded.

:Ironhide, what's the word now?: Lennox asked.

Every human turned toward him and stilled. He loomed over them like a mountain. His face was inscrutable but ultimately comically handsome. He had a scar over his right optic that was small but still visible. Ratchet had insisted that it be assuaged but not removed. "It gives you a devil-may-care sort of look," Ratchet had said. They had bantered about The Sexy as he fixed it. It had been funny. Now old mech was on another ship nearby and here he was, going out on his eleventy billionth battle with the same mechs. It seldom got better than this. "We have them at 96,000 light years from here. They can jump short distances by ship bridge. There's also the possibility that its not limited to just their bigger ships. They have smaller ships with capability because some of them are running alongside the battleships which means they can keep up. It would appear the slaggers have been innovating."

:What's the plan?: Owen Harris asked as he felt himself caught up in the excitement and professionalism all around him. Every time he came, he felt lifted out of his own sense of individuality and drawn into the solidarity of the moment and individuals. He wondered if this kind of thing, the adrenaline rush, the comradery that seemed immediate, and the sense of unity was part of the military life or he was just emotionally drawn to danger. After all, here he was going into war by request. One could make either point and it would probably apply to him.

:We go there, assess them, tell them to leave … if they don't, we blow them to slag." Ironhide stared at them with his bristling masculinity, his direct gaze and deep muddy voice. He was the real deal, the genuine article and everyone inside the boxes was dazzled by him. Praxian Elites always had that effect on others. It was part of their enormous arsenal for defending The People, their steely opticed integrity and fearlessness.

Intimidation lux.

That he was an all around slave to infants and a gangling old mech, that he was a son, grandson and great grandson who worshiped all his elders, that he was brother in all but one way to Optimus Prime, and a mech of considerable education and savoie affaire didn't really compute with the humans most of the time when the situation called for the Chaos Bringer. It disappeared in the shadows when faced with the devastation he could unleash if required.

He was a vast and complex individual, Our Ironhide.

:Oh: Owen Harris said with a slight grin. Everyone in the boxes laughed loudly.

Ironhide smirked, then glanced down the cabin. The ship was moving forward. It would be second to last to leave with Phobos bringing up the rear. When the line up was made at the Triggers, Omega, Xantium and the Wrecker shuttles would go first followed by the massed Seekers, then every other ship with Phobos last. The medical ship would be protected all the way.

They rolled along the runways which were closed to other traffic until this cleared, then began to pick up speed. Owen Harris watched Ironhide who was staring out the window again. :You've been at this a long time, Ironhide. What do you think about when you go into battle?:

Ironhide looked at him, considering the man asking and what he thought himself. "I think about Cybertron. I think about who's helpless and needs my protection and help. I think about my honor and that of my family. Then I think about kicking Decepticon aft. Sometimes, its not in that exact order."

Owen grinned. :You've done this a long time then:

Ironhide ran a short check of the databases for humans. :Your ancestors were running around as mice among the dinosaurs when this began on my planet. I've been in all the memorable fights," he said. He sat back. "I'm good at it by now."

The ship lifted off and they were in space almost immediately. A voice came over the intercom. "This is Miler-Navigator. You are cleared to go. Come back in one piece and may The One and the Pantheon bless your journey."

"Thank you, Miler-Navigator. We will aim to comply." Rem glanced at the conn. "You're cleared to go to the sled, Omega. All is in alignment."

"Understood: complying," Omega said over the intercom. They shifted, then slowed as he came into alignment with the sled that would lead to a blazing tornado of energy ahead. It was a slide to infinity and the energy generated cracked all around them.

:That's an artificial wormhole: Brandon Clark murmured. :That's beyond me:

"You don't have to understand it to know we have them and bring that much to the table. The 'Cons have them on their ships as well. That's how we have to go and take care of this. They can bridge into the solar system and even to Earth unless they're dealt with," Ironhide said as he leaned closer to the box with Owen Harris and Pierre Beliveau. "Imagine that … them bridging into Earth and you have to deal with it all alone. When you see their fleet, imagine fending that off by yourselves." He sat back, his stern appearing gaze fixed upon all of them. "You're welcome."

Lennox and the soldiers laughed long and hard as they flashed forward into the roiling maw of eternity and disappeared from this time and space into another one far away.

-0-TBC 5-8-18 **edited 5-9-18**


	351. Chapter 351

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 351)

-0-Out there

They flew out of the bridge at high speed, then found their place in the armada that was forming up into the battle line that they would use to forge ahead. Seekers were interspersed with the fast ships, some of them hitching a ride on their hulls by magnifying themselves on board. When the check in was made, they set off swiftly, heading for a place in space where they were clear the intruders were traveling. The moment Prime's group jumped there they would become visible to the others. Even old ships had the ability to detect movement this far out even if they might not be able to tell what it was to any degree of accuracy.

They flew forward quietly, everyone in the command crew working silently together. The humans watched all around themselves, turning toward the forward screen and Ironhide, then back to the others. Rem glanced toward Prime. "I detect running lights ahead, Optimus."

He nodded, then turned in his command chair toward Dev at Sensors. "What can you read, Devcon?"

Dev checked, then turned to Prime. "A really, really big battle group," he said.

-0-At the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 4

The new group came in just as those leaving gathered to go. The two in question followed the newbie group glancing this way and that as they made their self conscious way forward. They had arrived in London by train from Edinburgh dressed in their usual 'uniform' of pretty dress and sweater for her, nice slacks, short sleeved shirt and sports jacket for him. Priscilla and Randolph McLean followed everyone on board and settled in for the incomprehensible ride through the solar system toward Mars. As they rounded Mercury, a soldier for N.E.S.T. who was going along for the ride since one never knew when someone would lose their mind on the way over walked to them. "Mr. and Mrs. McLean?" he asked.

They looked up and nodded. Everyone around them turned to watch as the N.E.S.T. soldier asked them to come with him to 'suit up'. No one knew that the two were the parents of Sandra Pritchard and had finally worked up the nerve to go to another world to visit their newest, most beloved granddaughter, Aedh, who was born at Autobot City, of all places. They got up uncertainly, then walked to the back of the ship where they were shown how to put on the environmental suits that they would wear at all times outside the habitations and half the time inside. They marveled at the clear membranes that encased their feet and hands, made from material that didn't feel any different worn than their own skin.

They had walked back in tan environmental suits with the different patches on the shoulders that identified them as Family and gave their names and nationalities, C. McLean, R. McLean, Scotland, UK. The Autobot sigil was placed on both shoulders like they were with everyone else, a sign of solidarity and the fact that some of them were actual Cybertronians as well. Soft comfortable boots fit their feet immediately, though they were unaware that they were designed to do that, conforming in the best way to each wearer. Walking back, they sat down, uncomfortable in the gaze of everyone around them. When the soldier, Sargent Trevor Smith walked back to his seat next to a smiling attendant, several leaned in to ask about their changeover. Cilla glanced at Randolph uncomfortably. Then looked at the others who were curious. "We're going to be visiting our daughter who lives on Mars. We're going to visit our grandchildren."

The conversation would roll until they landed giving both a minor taste of celebrity. Randolph 'Rand' would love it. Cilla wouldn't.

-0-Out there

They broke down the enemy fleet even as they were scanned back by the Decepticons. Both sides were measuring the other with the outcome not in doubt by both commanders. Neither side was going to go to oblivion without a fight. The humans who were watching noted the efficiency and silence with which all was done. Then Prime took a datapad in servo from Delphi and called up Prowl on a battleship nearby. All of the commanders then came on scene through split screen at the front of the ship. "We have a big group. Prowl, I would like your input."

"We could ask them to surrender or leave but something tells me that they won't. I would, however, start with that gesture. Then we need to move fast. What I want to know, sir, is if you're resolved to fight to the end if they decline? They expect a fight but if we jump right at them and unload, we can knock out a lot of their force or disperse them so they can't work in solidarity together."

Prime nodded, then glanced at the others. "Comments? Suggestions?"

"I think if we call up the rest of the Supremes and bridge them in behind the battle group to hem them in and to allow them to use their slim lines to tackle specific targets, we can prevent them from flying apart in unmanageable numbers and configurations," Alor said. "What we don't want is a billiard affect of all manner of flight paths to intercept and deal with."

Delphi and Turbine nodded. "It would prevent us from splitting up too much. As it is, some of them are going to get through. We have to prevent them from jumping."

Prime nodded. "Get them here. Bridge them into place directly. I want them there immediately. While you do that, I will speak to this mech." He turned to Sandstorm. "Put me through."

Sandy nodded, then worked the board. It was silent, then a harsh deep voice could be heard. "Optimus Prime … you live. How sad for us all."

"Shrike, I am asking you to leave this space and not come back. It is my domain and sphere of influence. Turn around, go back the way you came and I will let you live," Optimus said with a cold tone.

Overhead, Prowl was working out the order of battle as he called up Beta, Gamma, Zeta, Alpha, and Kappa. They would be arrayed around the farthest side of the enemy fleet when they bridged in. Both triggers and the small one would handle this matter with the smallest lag time possible. Until it happened, Prime had to bluff.

"I'm coming to speak to Ominous, then Razorclaw. You need to step aside, Prime. You can't stop me and I'm not leaving. So make of it what you will. We're heading onward. Fight or frag off," he said, then the line went dead.

:That fucker is asking for it: Bobby Epps said. :This is going to be a fight:

Everyone in the boxes watched grimly as Prime waited for Prowl to signal that things were go. Around him, the battle groups were given their targets as they began to array themselves in the path of the big group of blinking lights some distance ahead. That group was still coming forward though it was spreading out, taking positions against a fight. It was tense but calm on the bridge, a strange combination for a battle. The most uneasy individuals were the humans from Earth2. The others including the Witwickys were transfixed with interest.

"They're bringing their guns on line, Optimus," Devcon said calmly.

"Shields up for us. What is the status of our weapons?" Prime asked as a flash of light across the bow indicated energy shields were now in place.

"Our fleet is go," Alor said quietly from nearby.

Mick Murphy and Tom Brennon watched the show. Swiveled in their seats, their belts firmly clicked into place, they noted with a military eye the informal but professional show around them. They had never gone to battle with the Autobots but the stories of Morshower and Fulton who had resonated with them. Now, it was a bit different. Everything they loved and believed hinged on Optimus Prime and his armada being very, very good.

Rick Harris sat behind Murphy, his face reflecting the tension he felt as he watched. The armada seemed enormous and so did their side. This was familiar to him, going to battle, but he never liked it even as a soldier who was decorated and respected. He preferred the solitary tramps through the wilderness and the feeling of being close to an ancient being, Mars, to this flash of lights and guns. Owen Harris divided his attention between Prime with the mechs before him and the show on the monitors everywhere. Some of it was data which he couldn't read and some was detailed views of the ships ahead. They looked ferocious.

Pierre Beliveau had never been in war. He had never been in conflict. He was a diplomat and therefore, this represented failure to him. War was failure. He would have that view in common with many of the Autobots in the armada. He was glad that Prime was here but he regretted his decision to come. Better the shit you didn't know than the shit you did. He could just as easily have read about this in the papers than be here. Fortunately, he was in the same box as a number of soldiers. Unfortunately, he had chosen to come. He would never make that mistake again.

Jessie sat between James Brooks-Spencer and Gavin Pritchard. She was watching Devcon, a mech she loved and wondering what would happen next. She had been in combat before and she wasn't afraid now. Living with the bots had given her insight and she trusted and believed in them with an almost unholy intensity. They would prevail. Then she pulled her encrypted phone from her pocket. Hoping it would work, she pressed a button that was highlighted with a face. It rang, then a voice spoke, a deep one. "Sunstreaker here."

"Sunny," Jessie said. "Where are you?"

"On Impactor's Revenge. That you, Jessie?" the deep masculine voice asked.

"Yes. We're on Omega. We want to see what happens. I'd tell you more but it might get intercepted." She smiled. "Bring the rain, Sunny."

A chuckle filled the box. "We will. Stay low and keep your powder dry, Jessie. Sunstreaker out."

She slipped the phone into her pocket, then sat and buckled in. "It works out here. Take that Verizon."

They laughed together, everyone but Pierre as Prime gave the order to go.

-0-At the Municipal Airport in Autobot City

They walked off, carrying the odd bag until everyone was in the reception terminal. Cilla and Rand McLean were led off by Sargent Smith who pulled them to one side. He handed them a metallic appearing device that was as big and thick as a deck of playing cards. "This is your helmet. See that red button? Press it."

They did and nearly dropped the face masks that popped up. Everyone heading in and everyone heading out paused to watch, film and take pictures. Smith who was used to this helped both pull the hoodie feature of their suits up over their heads, then took Cilla's mask. "This is coded to your DNA so when you press it against your face, it will shape itself for you. It's transformational like a lot of stuff here. The hoodie is what it attaches to, so always have it up when you go somewhere or it won't work. Here," he said holding the mask up. It was a half mask, all translucent front without back and when it fit on the face it was minimal. It didn't stick out more than needed and it hugged the face and head well so it wouldn't obscure view or bump things. It was so clear that it gave the impression of having no mask on at all. The mask in Smith's hand was held against Cilla's head and it attached automatically. "What color light do you see? It's on the tiny pop up screen in the lower right corner."

She glanced down and saw red turn to green. "Green" she said though no one could hear her yet.

Smith nodded, then helped Rand before putting his own on. He showed them the channels, had them experiment with the screen that could show information and images, especially GPS stuff before being clear they were go. :We're going out now. All you have to do is know that if you aren't safe the barriers in place around the colony won't let you out. They will signal you that you aren't safe. Okay?:

They nodded. He grabbed their gear and led the way to a segway where they entered, sat, then fastened the belts to stay on. When they were ready, he sat down on the seat and began to drive the big segway toward the barrier nearby. As he did, the crowds of over 400 humans gave them a standing ovation and cheers. Waving with surprise, Cilla and Rand McLean rode toward the barrier, pierced it to emerge into the cold airless sunlight that was Mars that day. It would be a nice drive across the airfield toward the Arena District and the Monastery District to the Resort.

-0-Go

Down the way, well out of easy reach, five big Supreme mechanisms materialized out of thin air. They appeared, then launched their missiles. They sped off toward the huge fleet that was moving away from them even as they burst into view. Optimus stared at the screen above the forward view ports as the missiles roared toward the enemy fleet. It was beginning to weave and launch counter measures as the distance between them and fiery impacts began to grow shorter.

"They've launched, Prime," Devcon said in a calm voice as he rose to leave. He reached the elevator, then disappeared. As he did, several Autobot shuttles jumped forward to shoot missiles and launch counter measures at the incoming. Behind them, flashing with an almost unheard of speed, a Cybertronian ship followed.

:That's Dev: Glenn Morshower said. :He's going to take out the missiles:

A shuttle which was following opened a door and a mech leaped out, transformed into a fast light blue streak of a ship, then flashed after the group.

:Who's that?: Martin Constable, commanding the naval group for the United Kingdom at Diego Garcia asked.

"It's Blurr," Rem said as he watched the show with the humans.

They flashed past the shuttles showing the proles what real speed looked like. Small missiles flashed out and bore down on three of them coming. They connected in a fireball that flared, then winked out before Dev and Blurr came around and fired on the other four. One was nicked, then spiraled out of its flight path straight into a counter measure that blew both up. The others flew onward heading toward Impactor's Revenge and the City of Simfur.

"Take them out, infants," Hercy said as he lounged on Simfur.

Riot grinned, then began to hammer that direction with one of the mounted guns. A missile blew and another spiraled off to blow up by itself. "Them losers, zero. We'n's two."

Huge laughter erupted.

Impactor's Revenge laid down a blistering line of fire that caught the remaining missiles and blew them up. Grinning in his seat in the engineer's station, Springer chuckled. "Two more down, infinity to go."

It was then way down the field of battle that the missiles from the Supremes caught up with several of the fuel tankers that supplied Shrike's fleet.

-0-TBC 5-10-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	352. Chapter 352

The Diego Diaries: Informational :D

I got a great note so I thought I'd tell you about some of the background stuff that I'm writing into the story. One of the things that I thought was amazing is that in every single universe of TF's, the bots have relationships with kids and they have them around no matter what's going on including battle. G1 was sort of notorious for setting this trend. Kids were in battles, kids were captured, they fought with the bots, and that was considered normal. That continued all along the path to Bey verse. Prime smacks down Simmons for taking 'the children' in the first TF movie, then tells Sam later on to put the cube in his chest if he lost which meant Sam would have to go into the personal combat of two behemoths and get close enough to shove the AllSpark into Prime's chest. On one hand, understanding of their age and frailty was clear and on the other, a view of them as warriors who could handle it.

There are also very young bots with the different universes. Kids like Jolt and Wheelie, then Sideswipe and Strongarm in TF: RID are kids and Bee calls the last two 'teenagers'. All of them are young and that includes Smokey from TF: Prime.

The bots don't know much about the humans and their frailties and their inclusions of kids in all manner of events show that over and over. Who can forget when Raf got hurt and Prime was so apologetic even when hurt. There are many times when someone got hurt and Prime pauses to stare at them in horror and shock, like it just occurred to him what and who they were. I don't think they're that clued in to age given their own semi-immortality, so they have a different opinion about including humans on their adventures. Even in the movies and books, this is so.

The soldiers of N.E.S.T. like to come along and some of the civilians in this story, one as a professional watching professionals and the rest, curious or self motivated individuals. Some of them are just friends who like their company. They've lived together a long time, the bots and family humans and most of the locals have gotten over their fear of space and living dangerously. They would come along to watch and Harris invites himself because he has ulterior motives in all he does. The others come because they want to see, too. They just don't get it yet what this can mean, some of them, going into battle. Their curiosity overrules their common sense.

Never underestimate the curiosity of humans.

As for Jessie … she's adapting to two styles of military life. One is the regimented life she leads on duty with the human garrison and one is the easy-going, mellow path with the bots, most of whom have been friends of the human soldiers from the start. There's respect for Prime that permeates every universe and it comes from the bots in a friendship sort of way. Some call him sensei and others admire him so much that no matter what he asks of them they will do it. They know he will lead fearlessly. They call him by his first name and he, them. There is very little formal structure in their army but they obey him and the general command because that's how their army runs. It also runs on the sense of pride and respect that Optimus commands. Smokey when he met Prime showed that.

Jessie likes the informality. She fits it and when she called Sunstreaker it was because she was nosy about the mission and wanted to see if the phones worked. She's formal in her own army and relaxed and casual in theirs. She becomes what each army is by her demeanor. She in her own way is this story's Miko, someone who loves them without reservation and finds their company fulfilling. It mutes her natural fear.

Humans going along is business as usual for the bots. Being casual together is also normal. The humans have adapted to that format and enjoy it in this story. I like this idea because its something that has persisted in TF and is hilarious some of the time. Where else would a kid like Miko be genuinely considered a Wrecker and equal among the big mechs so she ends up in battles than here in TF's? I'm adding this atmosphere into Mars to allow the humans to interact with the bots the way the shows do. :D

I wouldn't go with the fleet myself but some of the humans do and personally, I think they're nuts. But even so, they're canon. I do remember the kids dividing up with bots to find relics. G1 Bee and the kids. All of it is canon. :D

:D:D:D Love the notes.

-0-Me, tip tapping the segment for today **edited 7-3-18**


	353. Chapter 353

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 353)

-0-Out there

There was a huge fireball as two tanker ships unable to move away or counter measure were struck with slimline missiles from Supreme mechanisms. They went up in a gigantic explosion, one slamming into the others fireball as they detonated seconds apart. They flashed and threw shrapnel everywhere as they fell into oblivion. Ships from the enemy fleet pulled out and rounded on the giant vessels as they plowed forward through the mass of fire, unspent fuel and rubble of ships. Flying forward, they began to shoot. As they shot, they dispensed small fighters in profusion.

-0-Seekers

They flew in masses heading for the fighters that were landing shots on the Supremes. Those ships were interlocking fire to move down the slaggers as they churned out through the dense rubble of battle. Seekers flashed into the battles and the Supremes broke off fire. Furious shooting, Seekers landing on ships to shoot directly into the cockpits and dog fights galore were only overshadowed by five big ships ducking down as one to go under the battle that congested the road ahead. It was unbelievable to watch.

-0-Forward

Two battleships began to fire on Prime, all of their shots heading his way. Omega barrel rolled, churning downward as the agile fleet Prime put together broke formation to let all the missiles pass. Plasma fire and large shells followed, peppering the battleships and Omega as he rolled again, bringing his side guns into alignment with one of them.

Gripping tightly to the chair where he sat, Optimus Prime watched as his troops began to take the battle group apart. That was when some of it broke free and began to speed away. It was a lot, then more joined, heading toward the Bootes with zeal. The largest part was still engaged but it was now cut down by at least a third.

Humans watching were mesmerized by the show outside. It was faster than they expected and they knew it would be speedy. It was violent in a very impersonal manner, the distances and violence disallowing one to see their enemy and put any value on them. There was no sound either. That was strange. Radio traffic could be heard on board ship with voices calling out or calling in. But the sounds one was used to seeing in a space battle on film were missing here.

Truly. In space, they cannot hear you scream.

-0-A battleship being eaten alive by smaller vessels

They came in, Wrecker shuttles, and began to lay down seams of fire that stitched the ship in all the most vulnerable places. All around them the battle was engaged. Several more ships began to break off and head for the Bootes. Only two of them made it through the field of engagement. A battleship was firing madly at the ships incoming as a Wrecker shuttle blew up, scattering its shrapnel everywhere. Fire engulfed the view, then it was gone. Floating in space were several mechs, their bodies showing signs of the fight.

Ratchet watched the scene, then turned to his rescue teams. "I won't ask you to go there but I'm going. Get the fast shuttle ready," he said as a number of soldiers ran for the elevator. He looked at the sensors that were running numbers on the mechs. They might make it, some of them, if he got them now. He would, he vowed. With that, he ran for the elevator and disappeared into the ship.

-0-Nearby

 **"FRAG! LOOK AT THAT!"** Sideswipe said as he fired on the battleship. **"WE HAVE WOUNDED OUT THERE!"**

Springer got the location, then glanced at Usso, a grizzled old mech who had been a pilot in the Golden Age. "Bring us around and we'll pull them inside."

He nodded, then moved the ship around explosions and debris to slide in close to the silent floating mechs. The hatch opened, bots leaped out and the wounded were pulled inside almost immediately.

" **ANYONE ELSE!?"** Drift called out over the noise.

" **WE GOT THEM!"** Usso shouted as the door closed.

"Ada is coming. Move us off so we can download them," Springer said as the ship shifted. They moved out of the way of more incoming fire, hunkering down as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker began to help with the wounded. As they did, a blast from the battleship signaled a big rupture and as they moved onward toward a small fast shuttle heading toward them with medical markers, the battleship began to jump wildly with internal explosions.

"Bring us around and we can take them through the hatchback," Ratchet said as they closed distance through the intense fighting to Impactor's Revenge. As they did, the battleship began to come apart at the seams.

They moved to the windows, Springer and Ratchet on their respective ships, to watch the spectacle of a ship that could carry 10,000 individuals optimally begin to disintegrate. It ruptured in the middle spilling out metal and fluids as the stern buckled. It seemed to hump up and bend in two, then fling itself back to level. As it did, a massive part of the engine that propelled the ship burst through the hull, barely missed several Seekers tussling with a small three-man fighter and began to flash through space willy nilly.

" **Omega, move!"** Rem said as he helped the big ship make a barrel roll once again. Crashing into a small cruiser that was trading fire with two Wrecker shuttles, he bounced off harmlessly but cut his retreating space by nearly half. The flaming sparking piece of ship trailing burning fluids and shrapnel cleared the distance just as Omega rolled again. When he did, he broke the enemy cruiser in half, then shuddered with impact. The flaming piece of debris had struck him directly in the chest where it slid down his body which was braced by the cruiser, laying him open all the way to his stern before flying free to head into open space.

The impact was bone jarring and so was the cry from Omega as the debris cut him up. He rolled and rolled, spinning out of control even as he held his structural integrity for his passengers. He spun, then leveled out as he hit another cruiser, this one Prime's own fleet. He glanced off it, then slid swiftly without propelling himself as he drifted away from the group.

" **OMEGA!"** Xantium's voice rang out over the intercom system as the big mech moved closer, his guns blazing at a cruiser nearby. They came together as Xantium slowed Omega's drift. "Xantium to Prime. **WHAT THE FRAG IS HAPPENING!? IS HE ALRIGHT!?"**

Prime who was up and at tactical and environmental tapped a toggle. "He is. He has to go back. We are switching to you, Xantium. Prepare to receive us."

"I'm waiting but you better come fast. **I'M GOING TO BUST THEM UP!"** Xee said as soldiers and civilian workers began to bridge over to him.

Prime walked to the humans. "You will go back with Omega. We cannot have you here. This is greater than you can safely watch, though not unexpected. Stay where you are. The containers have internal gravity and you will be safe. When you get to Autobot City, this action is classified until we have the full picture. You are on your honor."

:Understood, Prime. What's the situation on Omega? Can he get us there?: Lennox asked.

Prime glanced at the monitor nearby, then the humans. "Hang on. It will be a bumpy ride."

They stared at him, then nodded.

"I would transfer you to another ship but its not possible right now. Omega has to go so you go with them. Everyone else is needed here. If I can, I will have you retrieved," Prime said as he turned to leave. He looked back, nodded, then ran for the elevator. He disappeared along with Ironhide, his family and the stuff from the table.

Lennox stared at the door, then turned to the others. :Something tells me that this is going to be a wild ride home:

:You may be right: Glenn Morshower said.

:Bring it on: Judy Witwicky said grimly. It was then that Omega began to move again. He was heading slowly, haltingly toward a space bridge that had burst into sight nearby. Coming from it with guns locked and loaded, several shuttles bore down with a tow vessel between them. They made their way through the littered battlefield, shot up two fighters who came for them, then locked onto Omega. As they did, a mech transferred over and ran for the elevator across the fight deck. He disappeared inside.

-0-Elsewhere

The battle was frighteningly furious as the enemy began to run for the Bootes. They had to pass the fury of Omega's siblings, some of whom made up for their relative lack of shooting chops in genuine fury and invective. They flashed past as the big ships moved to prevent further escape with their enormity and fury.

Downfield, the battle was raging. Prime was now on Xantium and he was directing a pincer movement to cut off the escape of several troop ships and cruisers. Six other battleships were trying to find maneuvering room even as Prime's forces cut them off. As they turned and backed around, small fighters and Seekers were scoring the slag out of their propulsion units. They were finding themselves unable to turn or move, making them sitting ducks for the shooting that was blazing all around them, everywhere.

The tow beams hit Omega and they began to back toward the bridge when a number of enemy shuttles and fighters flashed toward them. Putting out a call, the shuttles opened up and debris began to fly. Moving behind several large sections of a ship that was breached, three enemy fighters and a shuttle slowed to wait. Others fought the shuttles before they scored two of them and sent the tow ship into retreat. Before anyone could come to assist, Omega in his delirium began to move toward the bridge's funnel. As he did, a mech transferred back to a shuttle carrying the boxes of humans in his arms. It was a good thing.

-0-On Mars at the airfield at Autobot City

The siren went off and everyone in the Hangar District paused to listen. The siren was long, then it gave three short bursts. It was then that everyone in the area fled to the streets to leave or into the shelters below buildings. Something big and dangerous was coming into the airfield hot.

Silverbolt who was on Earth had been called back to Autobot City. Told about Omega's wounds, he flew as fast as he could. The bridges were held for the mission so he had to fly. He would miss Omega's landing at The City.

It would be a good thing.

-0-Moving with dispatch

He flew toward the light which in his delirium represented freedom. He flashed into the funnel bashing his way through a number of Decepticon fighters who disintegrated upon impact to fall into the bridge for home. Unnoticed with him in the fury and sensor distortion of the moment, three enemy fighters and a shuttle flew after him, their presence on sensors under represented in the debris field his wounds were leaving behind him.

-0-Autobot City

The sirens howled again signaling that a crash landing was probably going to happen. Seekers flying up to the funnel itself waited to slow down what was heading for them. Omega burst out of the funnel, barrel rolling in distress as he began to fall toward the airfield, going on some imprinted memory through the procedure of landing on the long runway that was their frame's preferred place. On the ground, safely out of the area, those who had businesses, those who worked in the hangar district, those who were at the Courthouse, Museum and IntraComm watched with astonishment as a heavily damaged Supreme mechanism began to dog leg around to come into a landing on the long runway.

"Oh, frag," Lon said as he and Bezel stood together holding back civilians from the area who wanted to watch what appeared to be a looming disaster of the magnitude unseen since Metroplex was burned. Seekers were attaching to him to slow him as the ground was being covered with foam. The entire runway was covered by the time he began to descend, heading for a crash landing of awesome magnitude.

They arrived, big frames who watched with horror as the great Omega came in trailing debris. Down he came as Tennyson joined the others, watching with shock and fear as it was clearly too late to intervene. Down he came, then Omega hit the ground. A rumble below them was heard and felt as the ship slid in the foam, spraying it like waves on the ocean in all directions. Seekers were pulling hard on him, then he began to roll. They cut loose and managed to free themselves as he rolled toward the side heading swiftly toward the Courthouse. He slammed into it, then rolled again, heading toward IntraComm and the Museum of Cybertron and Mars. He hit them, sheering off the front of IntraComm and the side galleries of the Museum before continuing. He was rolling now, over and over before he hit a building that catered to small businesses that used fixed offices. He shattered every window on the side he struck, then halted. Dust hung in the air, glass fell from thirty stories upward, artifacts of The People lay scattered everywhere, and a tower for transmission of music and radio programs lay bent and broken on the ground.

IntraComm was missing an entrance with all its windows, the art in the foreground, their cab stand, and a number of vehicles used to transport reporters and movie equipment. The Museum lost its galleries that held a number of priceless books and paintings. Those would have to be sifted out to see if they could be reclaimed by restorers led by Jade. All of the outside of the building was pockmarked by flying debris and small fires that sputtered out when the fuel that caused them burned up. A long curving groove and several divots where he had landed on his slide tore up the roads and byways.

The Courthouse had heavy damage, though everyone had gone below. Omega had hit it directly and it caved all along the front side, the stonework of this, one of the first buildings built here collapsing under impact. Debris had hit everywhere including the businesses and administrative buildings across the street from the runways all the way down to the Pit Stop. Dust was high but it was clear that shit had hit the fan. Other than things bouncing off their domes and buildings, N.E.S.T. HQ and the Hu-An Habitat were safe and undisturbed.

It was silent a moment, then a siren commenced again. A voice sounded over the Emergency Transponder System. "Everyone is to go inside and stay there. If you're near a shelter, go there. We have intruders in the system. Our Army and Air Force are on the situation. We want everyone off the streets and inside. Stay inside. Do not go to the schools. They're on lock down. Everyone, clear the streets and stay inside. Get off the streets and go to the nearest building or shelter. Repeat, this is no drill. We have intruders in the system ..."

It was only then that they noticed that Omega didn't come alone.

-0-TBC 5-11-18 **edited 7-3-18**

ESL:

Invective: words spoken in anger. :D


	354. Chapter 354

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 354)

-0-Word

The monitor nearest to Prime lit up with the image of Prowl. **"OPTIMUS! Four ships made it through the bridge with Omega!"**

Prime froze as he stared at Prowl. "Prime to Springer. Bogies in the system. Go through the bridge and take care of it. Ironhide is going to command."

Ironhide who was running for the bridge room was already gone.

-0-The airfield

Dust hung in the air as the sound of wrenching metal slamming into things ended abruptly. More police had arrived and were rushing through the empty streets with Lon and Bezel toward the silent figure of Omega. There was debris, foam, small fires, falling glass, artifacts scattered, and broken buildings laying willy nilly all over the place. Overhead, a bridge was still open where Omega had entered and out of it during his crash four vessels flew heading toward space to disappear.

"What the frag was that?" the officer at sensors in the Flight Control Center at Fort Max said as his servos flew over the board. **"OH FRAG!** Bogies in the system. They followed Omega. **SOUND THE ALARM AND GET SOMETHING IN THE AIR!"**

They sprang into action immediately.

-0-Around the colony

They stood at windows in their homes, buildings public and otherwise, staring out and upward to the sky. There were intruders here and it was very scary for the civilian population. Thousands and hundreds of thousands … maybe even a million had gone to the shelters in their buildings, deciding that retreat was the better part of valor. Thousands more were inside any open door they could find as those on the road kept going and those in the big quarry climbed to the top of their pits to watch the sky.

On the ground at the airport and nearby at the ship depot where Roadie ran the repair show, groups whose sole purpose was moments like this sprang into action and lifted off. Getting data from the Flight Center, they flew into space to give chase. A returning Seeker patrol was diverted to head to Earth to intercept and a Seeker and soldier contingent from Luna Base also did the same.

Out of the aperture came Impactor's Revenge with Ironhide now aboard. They gathered intel, then flew swiftly into space. Until the ships were accounted for and nullified however it took, the all clear was not going to be sounded.

-0-Omega

Medics and techs from the Big Frame Yard and from the Specialty Medicine Division: Big Frames headquartered at a huge hangar at the shipyard Roadie operated nearby ran or landed to pile out and head toward the mountainous figure of Omega nearby. He had fallen into root mode during the crash and lay on his back, his arms flung wide. He was off line, fortunately, and therefore would be easier to work on. There were damages all down the chassis of his chest area and gaping wounds where things had been scraped away by the thundering pass of the flaming wreckage. He was covered in broken glass, some of which was still falling from the office building which had shattered and listed from the impact of his slide. Foam covered him and would have to be removed immediately. Tankers flew in, then began to drop a liquid that would wash it all away so that the teams scanning him could begin to check what they had to do for emergency triage. It had to go before they could really do more for him. The liquid which was impervious to freezing rained down on him and the foam began to melt away. Running into the gullies he had created with his own body was a lot of his own energon.

-0-Out there

They were already ahead in the battle when Omega left having disabled most of the enemy ships that hadn't fled. Four cruisers, two heavily damaged battleships, a number of smaller shuttle-like vessels and a troop ship with fighters were unable to function around the colossal damage to their propulsion units inflicted during close quarters fighting. They were slagging it out with Prime's fleet, shooting wildly and furiously as they defended their failing vessels. Auxiliary ships were listing without propulsion, their fighters and small vessels that were such a terror to most species that couldn't defend against metallic warriors were scattered around, some of them with dead crews and others which were drifting without power.

Hardie walked to Prime where he sat. "We have them surrounded. I would suggest that we pull back out of their firing range and take stock. None of them have weapons or weapon systems that can touch us for range now if we pull back. We have them where we want them."

Prime nodded. "Make it so, General."

Hardie nodded, then gave orders. "What is the status of our armada, Smokescreen?"

The big mech made an assessment, then turned toward Prime and Hardie. "We have a lot of damage, Optimus, Hardie. We have Omega down, Salton Sea has major damage and should go back. We have four shuttles shot to slag with injured, what extent is unknown. We have fourteen Seekers in medical right now with two casualties. If there are more, we haven't received the data but there are injuries of varying intensity all over the fleet."

Prime nodded grimly. "Open a channel."

The communications operator did so. "You are go, Optimus."

He nodded. "This is Optimus Prime. I wish to speak to Shrike."

It was silent. There was no answer. Prime turned to communications. "Can they hear us?"

The tech worked a moment, then nodded. "They can. They also have the ability to respond."

At that moment, Prowl walked onto the deck toward Optimus. He paused beside him, having an offline conversation, then Prime turned toward Raptor. "Raptor, please go to Autobot City and handle the situation there. Omega came in damaged and crashed. He has taken down the Courthouse, part of the Museum and IntraCom before sliding to a halt into the Professional Building of Autobot City. They are working on him but there is need for control and leadership. The ships that went into the bridge with him are on their way to Earth."

It was funereally grim as Raptor nodded and hurried off to the bridge room. As he did, Xantium's voice could be heard. "What is Omega's status?"

Prowl glanced at the intercom nearby. "He is in bad shape but he is Omega. No one expects him to be going anywhere."

-0-Silverbolt

He burst into the atmosphere and flew toward the ground before transforming in the air. He landed, slid some distance, then ran swiftly toward Omega through all the broken, soaked and debris-littered streets and roadways. He slowed, then turned to Goldwing who was supervising the triage. "What is going to happen to him?"

"He's getting the best we have. I believe he's going to be fine," Goldwing said.

Silverbolt stared at him, then turned to Omega. He knelt beside Omega's face, touching him gently. "Omega? Can you hear me?" he asked. The big mech didn't stir. Silverbolt leaned forward to embrace Omega, placing his own on the big orange face of his bond. He would stay there until he was asked to step back when the big ships came to lift him to go to the medical hangar where all the big frames went when they were fragged up.

It would be a while.

-0-Ironhide

He sat in the engineer's seat while the boys took up turret guns or sat on the benches along the hull. They were following the signal of several groups. A shuttle and two flights of Seekers were ahead of them and coming the other way were more troops from Luna Base. Somewhere in the middle, their signals strong and fast paced, four Decepticon ships flew madly toward Earth. It was grim and silent on board the ship. When the four ships disappeared from the radar and sensor nets of all the Autobots pursuing them, it wouldn't be.

Silent, that is.

-0-Prime

He watched as shuttles with guns and missiles pointing at the listing Decepticons gathered the injured, pulling them in from space or from damaged ships. Some of them were placed in runabouts which sped with great speed toward the bridge nearby. It was being guarded by small cruisers who had taken a beating but were functioning well enough. It had been a brutal costly affair as both sides knew it would be and now they were taking stock.

"What's the word on the bogies, Prowl?" Prime asked as he sat brooding on the command chair.

"Just a moment," Prowl said as he leaned over sensors. He stiffened, then turned toward Optimus. "They just fell off sensors."

Prime glanced at him sharply. "They are heading toward Earth still?"

Prowl nodded.

"Prime to Springer."

"Springer," the voice said. "We're looking for them. They have capabilities. Those are now confirmed."

"Can you pick them up in some manner? Fuel residue perhaps?" Prime asked.

"No," Springer said. "Not yet anyway. Wheeljack and Perceptor are on it. We're plotting a reasonable calculation for their trajectory."

"Keep on it. Call up who you need, Ironhide. We cannot allow anything to happen to Earth. I will contact Morshower. Prime out." Prime glanced at Prowl who connected them to Glenn. He looked to be at N.E.S.T. HQ. "General, we have a problem."

"So we heard," Glenn said grimly. "We sent word to Earth through the network and there will be radar on alert for their arrival. When will that be?"

"In thirty minutes, General," Prowl said as he looked toward the screen. "We have everyone at Luna, a Seeker patrol diverted and Ironhide with crews led by Springer following them. They appear to have the ability to cloak. We know Megatron was working on it but we had no idea of their progress."

"Understood. Prepare for the shit to hit the fan," Morshower said. "We will get on it. Give me what you got when you get it. It helps."

Prime nodded. "We will."

"How's the operation?" Morshower asked.

"We have them contained," Optimus said. "We will come back as soon as we can."

Morshower nodded. "Understood. Morshower out." The screen went back to what it was before as the bots on the bridge turned back to the task of settling a battlefield as even a new one just opened on Earth.

-0-Over the Pacific Ocean

Four cloaked ships traveled low over the Pacific Ocean as their cloaks began to falter. It took a lot of energy to hide so they were limited on the time they could. However, it got them into the atmosphere of Earth and a chance to find a place to go where they would be safe from prying optics until their cloaking tech recharged and came back on line. They angled their ships and dived, disappearing below the waves as they did.

Nearby on maneuvers, naval components of Japan, Australia, the UK, the United States, South Korea, New Zealand, and Canada were working together in anticipation of RIMPAC. Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC for short, was an international gathering of naval entities to practice cooperation, safety at sea for shipping as well as keeping the peace in a dangerous world. It would be held in June and July of this year. Some of the entities were already together, near enough to the situation to pick up everyone on radar and sonar.

Skimming the waters, too, Ironhide and Impactor's Revenge flew toward a spot in the ocean that had been disturbed, like a very big rock landing in the relatively placid surface of a very big lake. Seekers and the ships following were ordered to dive. They went in fast and disappeared from view as well. As they did, fighter planes lifted off two carriers, one from the UK and one from the USA and headed their way locked and loaded.

-0-Airfield

They were climbing in and out of his chassis taking care of energon leaks and scanning for the repairs that would have to be done. Tankers landed or hovered overhead for their turn to pump energon back into the big mech. As each broken line was repaired or clipped off, the better his statistics began to read. At this rate, he would be ready to lift up and transport in a couple of joors.

Until then, everyone was ordered to stay inside.

-0-Pacific

Jets bombed over noting that a ship was hovering in place over the sea. It bore the Autobot markings of the Prime and Cybertron. The jets flew off and soon were replaced by big heavily armed helicopters. Two of them hovered alongside the ship upon arrival. Their doors were open and guns were pointing at Impactor's Revenge. Ironhide rose, walked to the hatch and popped it. Staring at the humans sitting and standing in the door of the helicopter, he did the same from his vantage point. Then he made a call to them. :We're here because some slaggers broke free from a battle and made their way to Earth. Point that slagger at someone else. Call your ship. Have them call Morshower at N.E.S.T. , then head back to base. You're in over your helms:

The humans stared at the bots while the call was being made. It would be a very tense standoff.

-0-TBC 5-12-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	355. Chapter 355

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 355)

-0-Out there

Those who were left from the invading group were surrounded, their ships disabled or blocked in as the Autobots began to gather up their own craft and people while keeping the mob in a chaotic ball. Prime watched the data incoming even as he watched the broadcast from IntraComm from the shelter studio that they used to get word out when a disaster happened.

It had.

There was a trail of destruction from the runway into the business district that fronted the airfield and into The City nearby. IntraComm got clobbered, the Courthouse had half fell in the tumbling crash and the new glassed galleries of the Museum were destroyed. He didn't take the time to consider the destruction given the circumstances but he did deploy Raptor to handle things. There would be a stand down from the order to go inside shortly, as soon as they got the crash area blocked off to the public. It was going to take a while to clean up and put things back together.

Ironhide and Springer were on the intruders who had reached Earth. Morshower was taking on the RIMPAC ships and they were pulling back, if not leaving the area. Where the slaggers were in the ocean was not determined yet but things were starting to blaze madly in the media on Earth.

-0-Around the globe

"Preliminary indications suggest that during a bridge opening to allow injured to come back to Mars from the battle against new intruders, three to four enemy vessels slipped through and made their way across space heading for freedom in the direction of Epsilon Eridani, a star in the general area of the quarantined Decepticon group led by the Predacon, Razorclaw. They were pursued immediately by Autobot forces and when they were faced with those launched from Luna Base as per protocols, they dove into the Pacific Ocean to hide. Right now, a large force of Autobots are scanning the ocean to find them. There is a sensor grid surrounding the Earth which will alert the Autobots if they come up from the ocean where they can be intercepted. Right now, all security forces on Earth are standing at DEFCON 2." The newsreader turned toward the others on the panel, then shook her head. "You'll forgive me but never in my life had I ever believed I would read a news report like that."

They would discuss things and wait for more news, running the news feed from IntraComm down the MCA the moment it began to broadcast to Earth.

-0-IntraComm … The Hourly News … **THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS!** moments later ...

"This is Aleph of Iacon and I'm reporting the situation as it stands from the emergency broadcast studio in the sub basements and shelter of IntraComm. I have the latest breaking news on the ongoing operation ..."

-0-Earth … a news panel broadcasting to the entire Earth at the MCA HQ in New York City …

"... I have the latest breaking news on the ongoing operation."

The news reader halted the conversation on the panel. "We're going live with the latest breaking news from Autobot City on The Hourly News broadcast."

The screen cut to Aleph, the 'Walter Cronkite of Cybertron' as he gravely gave the news and updates.

"I am Aleph reporting from Autobot City. As of now, the entire colony is on lock down due to several incidents of the last few joors. As we have reported, the Prime and our Alpha and Beta fleets stood out to intercept a rogue Decepticon and piratical civilian group that was bridging their way across the Bootes Barren in the Bootes Constellation as they made for the quarantined encampment of the Decepticon marauder, Ominous. They were given an ultimatum by Prime to turn back and leave the area or face consequences.

"They are led by a mech who goes by the pseudonym Shrike. Information indicates that he was a crime syndicate leader on Cybertron who is named Cobalt and who in the Empire along the Rim before the revolution dealt in the black market and hijacking. Given his activities then, he joined the Decepticons when war came. He is incredibly dangerous, unyielding and unwilling to compromise even to advance his own agenda. He was seeking to link up with Ominous and after scanning his battle group by sending Seeker data flights to investigate, Prime and the General Staff determined that his force was huge, veteran and highly dangerous to the balance of power here. It would be a 'game changer' as Information Officer, Commander Jazz has said.

"They stood out to engage in battle if he wasn't prepared to leave and battle it was. There was a violent exchange 95,000 light years from here, an inevitable outcome given the personality involved. The battle was violent enough that shrapnel damaged Omega Supreme to the point he had to be evacuated and towed here to be treated. The tow team was attacked when they arrived and Omega in his delirium came through the bridge, then crashed landed on the runway favored for his size frame.

"We were given a fleeting heads up given the circumstances and foam was dispensed on the runway while the Hangar District and surrounding areas were evacuated. Seekers managed to slow him down enough manually so that he didn't further slide to The City and take out towers. It would be marginal for him to survive such a thing and the carnage would have been incalculable to our citizenry as well. He crashed, spun out of control, then flew toward the business sector in the Arena District. He crashed into the Courthouse causing half the building to collapse along the front facade. He then spun and rolled into the galleries of the Museum of Cybertron and Mars, clipped the front of the building here at IntraComm before crashing to a halt in the Business Tower nearby.

"He is being attended to right now and will be airlifted to the Medical Hangar in the Hangar District for intensive repairs. Preliminary indications suggest that a long convalescence will be in order. He is in very serious but guarded condition right now. No one on the ground was hurt by this event, which is miraculous given the time the area was given to prepare for this. Omega Supreme is an elder among the Titan Class members of our species and incredibly honored and loved. We wish him well. His bond, Silverbolt has returned from duty on Diego Garcia on Earth and is with him now.

"We were also told that with the chaos of battle, the distortion such brings to sensors and the open bridge to Mars that at least three and maybe four small fighter ships from the group made their way through the aperture here to Mars in the shadow of Omega. When that was discovered almost immediately by Flight Command Center in Fortress Maximus, emergency teams whose job it is to handle such eventualities mustered and gave pursuit. An alert was also triggered at Luna Base where their first response teams flew to assist, placing themselves between the enemy ships and Earth.

"It was then that they disappeared off sensors, cloaking with tech that is new to our experience before diving into the Pacific Ocean to hide. We have sent several ships that specialize in deep scans to link with Luna Base to reach the depths that these ships will be using to hide. The forces are commanded by Commander Ironhide of Praxus and assisted by Commander Springer of Polyhex, head of the Wreckers Special Operations Command and the Day and Night Watch here on Mars.

"The threat level on Earth stands at DEFCON 2, which is precautionary. The operation will be handled by our forces given the differential between humans and our species in terms of sheer firepower. All of the governments of Earth through the N.E.S.T. Global Alliance commanded by General Glenn Morshower are being apprised of all information as we receive it.

"Optimus Prime is in battle at the moment, a combat that has come out in our favor. At this moment, the reports say that a good third of the battle group fled back to the Bootes Barren when it was clear that they would be destroyed if they stayed. All of the enemy ships left behind have been disabled and cannot move or flee. There are damaged ships on both sides with the greatest damage to Shrike's group. Right now, it is not clear if Shrike is still alive but the Prime is in negotiations for an unconditional surrender. It is unclear whether this group will do that or not.

"Preliminary casualty reports indicate that Omega Supreme, the battleship Salton Sea, the battleship Manganese Mountains, the cruisers Furious, Helex and Altihex have taken hits that render them less than effective. Those ships will be returning when the enemy is fully contained. They are still functional but their propulsion units and other engineering operations are rated less than optimal now. We have lost twenty-two small close in fighters, six shuttles and have 22 injured with 2 killed in action. Families of the deceased have been notified and we send as a grateful people our deepest and most sparkfelt condolences. The flags of our colony and Cybertron will be lowered for the next three decaorns in honor of them and all who have served in this operation.

"Commander Jazz has stated that it is a miracle that more are not lost given the ferocity of the battle. At no point in this mission were the enemy going to surrender or leave. The level of battle was as bad as it ever was around Cybertron during The Fall. We will be updating you with information as it comes in. In one breem, the siren will give the all clear for you to come out. Do not go near the hangar district. More ships will be coming and the danger is too great for anyone to be there who has no business in the operation. Please stay where you are until the siren signals the all clear. It will be a very long single blast of sound ..."

-0-Earth

"That sounded ferocious," a military expert said. "Look at the pictures," he said as the feed from Mars began to show the destruction. It didn't show the crash but it showed the aftermath interspersed with the empty streets of the cities. "That ship is nearly 700 feet tall when he stands in root mode as they call the robotic configuration they make. He's massive on a scale that has to be seen to be believed. When we visited the Resort, we got to go to their hangars as visiting military. The hangars are over 700 feet tall. I got vertigo just looking up."

"He's pretty damaged. Look at the Courthouse. He broke it down the middle and the entire front half collapsed," a man said as they stared silently at the mess. It was in every manner that was possible.

-0-Earlier that same orn before disaster …

"What I doing?"

Mr. Abbe-12 grinned. "You're getting ready for a body cast, infant. We're going to make little statues of each of you out of this cast method. All you have to do is stand still while we fix it around you."

Orion who was pinioned into stillness by the fast setting cement that hardened almost the moment it was applied to the body suit he had been squeezed into glanced down at his cemented tiny lower body. "What I do? I, Orion, 'tuck."

"You bet you are," Abbe said as he applied cement to the wrapped arms and chest of Orion. He stood on an art table for the adults who were working as a team to apply the cement form over the almost overbearingly tight body suit to get every crevice and cranny of their charges figures down to perfection. It hardened and as it did Orion stared at his tiny chest. He couldn't move an inch. "Okay, Orion. Remember how we showed all of you about the hood for this game?"

Orion stared up at them with his comical little Ironhide face and his popping blue optics. He nodded. "You doed it."

Roto who was here to help coax the show into action chuckled. "We doed."

Orion smiled brilliantly. **"WE DOED!"**

"Well, dude, what about you letting them put the mask on and finish this job. When you get done, we can go to lunch and have ice cream," Roto said as he lounged on a chair nearby.

Orion perked up. **"KEEM! YOU DOED IT WITH I, ORION!? KEEM!?"**

"Yes. You and me and keem," Roto said as the others chuckled.

"I, Orion, doed it. For keem," he said as the last part of the full body cast was lowered over his head and attached to the entirety of the rest of his imprisonment. It was still a moment. Then it wasn't.

-0-Lunch with the early bunch

"I don't like that. They did that and I don't like it," Praxus said as he sat at the lunch table with his group, A. He had been advanced in his learning plan in his level and was now surpassing Orion because he was intelligible and Orion less so. They were about equal in output that could be measured but Orion was still garbled, the little slagger.

The staff had met, gone over the data and plan, discussed the family's wishes and paranoia, then moved Praxus to a more individualized and accelerated plan within his level. He had what it took to flourish in Pioneer School where Hero was but the family was too worried that he was too small and immature to go there. There was still a hold on Hero for the same reason regarding Youngling Day. The next few conferences would tell the story of their ability to flourish and move on.

Or not.

Bleu nodded. "I don't like it," he echoed. He glanced at the others as he spooned his food into his mouth. "You like it?"

Everyone at the table shook their helms. They didn't like it either.

-0-At an art table in an art room several floors away from the gigantic lunchroom

Abbe used a micro saw to cut on the outline edges of the suit that Orion was encased in. Up the side of his legs, along his tiny chassis and along his arms he cut. Then he cut around Orion's tiny helm. Pulling gently, the two halves came off beautifully. Orion who was inside sputtered loudly as he staggered a bit. Even though he had been held fast, he had floundered furiously in his helm. **"WHAT! YOU OWED ME! I, ORION CRIED! YOU BAD, YOU!"** he bellowed in his tiny huge voice. Glancing around frantically, he ran forward in his zeal to get away and stepped off the table where he was caught, thankfully, by Abbe's assistant, Mr. Tone-E.

Tone-E handed Orion to Roto who reached for him. "Gotcha, Spud. Come on. You can tell me about it." He glanced at the others. "He was the last one, right?"

Abbe grinned as a little mech to whom he taught some of the art they required at this school as well as in the others. "Yeah. We kept the goofiest one for last."

Orion frowned as he sat in Roto's arms. **"I, ORION, NOT GOOBER!"** he said with an insulted tone. Then he grinned. "Goober." He cackled loudly. **"I, ORION, GOOBER! BWAHAHAHAAHAAHA!"**

Roto walked out with Orion laughing madly. They watched him go. Then Abbe looked at Tone-E who was holding the two halves of Orion's form. "Don't tell anyone but he's one of the bits on my top ten list."

Tone-E grinned. "Me, too."

That was when the siren went off.

-0-TBC 5-13-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	356. Chapter 356

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 356)

-0-Here and there

They stood on the third deck balcony, one that stared out across the main concourse and led toward the work areas beyond. In the other direction, apartments and living quarters of those who worked here were arrayed over a three story configuration. Almost all 5,000 residents were in the shelters having fled when the signal alerted.

"This is not a drill. Go to the emergency shelters, log in for head count, then stay there. This is not a drill ..."

The mercs helped the nine Autobot directed human security team and the bots who worked here look for and direct everyone to the shelter. Sam Hedges, Carlos Ortega and Jim Johnson had gone to the farm deck and saw that those there were shepherding the animals into their barns and enclosures. They had hollered for them to come and forget the animals but they didn't. When the last duck, chicken, sheep, goat, and bouncing dog, including Cora the Australian shepherd who helped corral everyone was inside their keeps, the humans shut themselves into the little barn with the miniature horses.

They weren't leaving for anyone.

The three had ran back, then paused on the concourse. The message was still blaring, the door to Ops Center on this floor was still locked and they weren't ready to go below either. They stood on the concourse watching the outside world, waiting for an invasion or attack. Oddly enough, the three were ready to fight to protect the habitat.

-0-Family Tower

They helped the elders and their pets make it to the elevator that would drop them three stories below ground into the special bomb shelter for humans. Charlotte and Seymour, an 'item' and among the local women who planned the social and event life of the human colony, 'a possibility' were gentle and organized as they grabbed cats, dogs, old ladies, and feisty old men. The odd baby was given pride of place in the elevator as they cleared the three levels of human occupation in the tower. It was only when the last ones left that they inspected again, then went down themselves.

-0-Sparkling Day School

Roto was just walking out of the infant lunchroom with Orion when the message from Emergency Management in Fort Max hit his transponder. He halted with all the adults, then glanced around. Everyone began to firmly manage the kids around them into elevators for the trip downward. The emergency plan everyone had painstakingly created began to work as teachers, aides, visiting family, administration, and others began to lead the kids to elevators to go below. Herling and Mr. Delay-O along with office staff went to the top and began to check every floor for the odd child hiding in terror and to lock the elevator access off when they were clear. It wouldn't take as long as you would think.

-0-Youngling Day

They came running from the playground, assembling in lines as the teachers shouted, **"FIRE DRILL! FIRE DRILL!"** Running with laughter and delight to their teachers, they were managed into their lines, then filed inside swiftly. There were told if they beat their record, it was ice cream for everyone. It would take about ten minutes to clear the building and another ten to check each floor. Each floor warden would check every nook and cranny, find five kids hiding in terror at the siren, then carry them to the elevators and the shelters below.

-0-Intermediate Day

They walked swiftly, a stream of kids hurrying to the elevators for the 'fire drill'. They had one unscheduled every so often, so this was a swift and humorous event. Down they went, hordes of kids, as the floor wardens checked for stragglers. By the time they were all below, twenty minutes would have passed, Omega would have crashed and the intruders would be well on their way toward Earth.

-0-Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport, Autobot City

The change over of vacationers, 250 leaving while 251 arrived was underway when the alarm sounded. There was no finesse here. Soon, a Supreme mechanism out of control would pass overhead and no one could be here when it happened. They were hurriedly pushed and cajoled into all the elevators of the facility until they were all in the shelters below along with the bots who worked here or were here for whatever reason. It was noisy, then the ground shuddered underfoot. Everyone was silenced as the rumble repeated a few times, then died. A tall bot walked to a monitor and keyed it on to The Hourly News. It was spoken in NeoCybex here, the commentary and video that was disjointed and hurried, as if someone somewhere else was running swiftly to the sight they were viewing. They were. IntraComm was buried under rubble at the moment and no one would be able to go in or out for a while. This was the linked in personal video of a rescue worker heading as fast as he could to Omega.

-0-The siren giving all clear some time later, the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport

The crowd from the bunker came up to the main concourse, their expressions devoid of the usual happy expectation that arrival here entailed. They gathered around the humans who were attendants on the ships nearby, getting the word to leave. They sorted the new arrivals from the others who then began to make their way to immigration. He, himself, saw Seymour Simmons cross through an energy barrier to walk to him. They shook hands, then he handed gear to Tom Banachek who was here to spend a week in conversation with Seymour as Sector 7 on world liaison and Charlotte Mearing, the interface between Bot World and the Earth on the official governmental level.

"Slip into that and I'll show you the mask. We gotta motor. I'll take you past the disaster," he said glancing toward a segway that was from N.E.S.T. Tom would stay at the Resort, but spend his time going around learning about the colony, the bots and the humans who lived here. It was common knowledge among those on Earth in government and military positions who had ties or worked with the humans here that they had all 'gone native', including Mearing and Simmons.

He slipped into the gear, then took the face mask from Simmons who yanked the hoodie over Tom's black hair. Helping him fix it to his face, getting the shorthand of 'go or not' security wise and 'channel 2, Tom, to talk to me alone … channel 5 for the bots and other humans. The other six channels are for different things and two of them are permanently on as overrides if there's a disaster. Just say 'channel 2' or 'channel 5' depending on what you need."

Tom nodded then followed Simmons to the segway nearby where he piled his luggage and computer along with himself into the vehicle. Waving to the crowd who waved at them, Simmons buzzed out through the huge barrier to the main concourse, then onward to the airfield. They were heading for the Resort but nothing said they couldn't have a good look at the disaster as they made their way there. They disappeared into the ships and controlled chaos of the airfield.

-0-Earth 1

They climbed out of the shelter, then ran for the monitors and televisions in the big main lounge. Turning them all on, they watched channel 4 coverage of the disaster at the airfield. Aleph was speaking to reporters in the field as he ran the coverage from the sub basement emergency studio at IntraComm. The scene was grim as they saw rescue crews swarming Omega, Silverbolt's agony over the situation, crews pumping the gullies alongside the road, some of which were overflowing with foam, energon, different colored fluids, and the liquid they were using nearby to spray Omega clear of all of the aforementioned.

Ships hovered overhead raining down spray that cleared out the mess which ran in rivers to the streets and gullies. Mechs held hoses and sprayed him from trucks that were parked all around. They had to clearly see what was what as doctors, techs, specialists, and other medical personnel lowered themselves into Omega through the gaping holes in his chest. There was no panic, just carefully crafted and swiftly delivered coordination among the different entities detailed to serve this emergency.

"I wonder how the battle turned out," Markey James said as he stood beside his boyfriend, Corey Taylor. "This is so bad. I hate to think anyone was lost. These are our neighbors."

Everyone nodded as Aleph ran through the preliminary loses thus far. They were unchanged from earlier but they were a number too many for everyone watching.

-0-Simmons and Banachek

They rolled toward the road and crossed a steel plank that was laid over the ditch for that purpose. Usually, the sidewalks were clear and the gullies that bordered them shallow and dry. Now the sidewalks were under water and the gullies looked dangerous with strange colors from strange liquids mixing together. They halted, then looked down the way to the runway that bordered Cultural Center Road. It was set back near the Hangar District, the working area of the airport and the place where the big frames lived and were attended to. It was also the area where trade happened, the business end of it. The actual landing and storing of goods and commodities was behind the big frame hangars in a large hangar district of its own overseen by Slacker as General Receiving and Shipping Manager for the colony and Cybertron.

Omega had come around on a dog leg to line up with the airport runway, then fell onto it. Fortunately, his life was saved by the foam which he plowed like an icebreaker before continuing onward until he flipped, went airborne and landed on the terrain off the runway that led to different businesses, public buildings and towers. A long slide gouged out by Omega was filling with liquid as it ran over the surface of the sand. It was designed and treated to do so, to prevent the problem of contamination on top of everything else. There were bounces where he had flipped again and another series of skids as he flew along.

Buzzing forward, they reached the other side of the road, traversed another plank bridge, then headed toward the Courthouse. No one stopped them, everyone was busy so they made it to the road that led to the jail end of the building. It was shattered from a full on body shot from Omega and the front facade back a good twenty-five feet inside had fallen to the ground almost as one. Inside the building, the interior rooms could be seen, though the jail was untouched because it was in the back. Whether there were structural problems anyway would have to be determined.

:Damn. This is toast. Imagine that happening to the White House or the Sears Tower? Imagine that happening to the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa?: Simmons said as he warmed to the idea. :Helluva mess:

:This is a disaster: Banachek said.

:Disaster as in 'disaster' or disaster as in 'Prime fucked up'?" Simmons asked.

Banachek shrugged. :I'm not the enemy:

:You will be if you talk like this. Treat this as a tragedy in the family and you won't put your foot in your mouth: Simmons said as he gunned the segway. Heading forward, he followed the trail of Omega's suffering until he reached the clear area between the Museum and IntraComm. They looked at the buildings, then the ground where glittering artifacts lay in the midst of foam. He climbed off and walked to a sparkling metallic object, reaching down to tug it out of the mess. It was a jeweled dagger, one that had a spectacular history among The People. He looked at Banachek. :Come and help me get this on board. We can give it to someone before it gets messed up worse than it is:

Tom Banachek, director of Sector 7 and a member of the National Security Agency for the President hopped down, gripped the dagger by its hilt and helped Simmons drag it onto the segway. It took a bit of effort, then they climbed on and sped onward, staring at the destruction silently. When they reached the area around Omega, they would deliver the dagger to Inferno who would thank them. Then he would boot them out of the area for their own good.

They would speed onward to the Family Tower and the grim faced group waiting there for news.

-0-Out there

They were gathered together, everyone but Raptor, Ironhide and Springer. They were discussing how to take the ships without causing undo harm to anyone, especially their side. Prime had been updated momentarily about Omega, then shared the news. "Omega Supreme will live," he said to enormous relief in the room. "He is gravely injured but will be brought back to optimal over a period of time. The Museum, Courthouse, IntraComm and the Business Tower of Autobot City were damaged, some of them extremely, when he crashed onto the runway on his return."

It was silent, then Xantium who was listening growled his relief laced outrage. "So … when do you give the word to blow these fraggers to molecules, Prime?" he asked gruffly.

Prime who considered the question with more agreement than he thought possible glanced at the interface panel of Xantium. "We will take them alive if we can, Xantium. It is the Autobot way."

"And if they fight back?" Delphi asked quietly.

"Then we fight them to the floor," Prime said grimly.

-0-Sparkling Day

They walked upward carrying and leading infants, all of them glad to be out of the 'jail'. Orion who was sitting in Roto's arms was having an animated conversation about the event given that he remembered the last time they were downstairs waiting out a disaster. **"TO-TO! GOING TO THAT THERE? I, ORION, NOT LIKED IT!** Down dere bad. What we go there?" he asked.

Roto grinned at him. "We have drills. Practice. We went down there to practice. We have to do it, Spud."

"Go there to doing? Going there to doing this and that?" he asked in his usual manner.

He reminded Roto of a baby bird with bright optics and a big mouth. Roto chuckled as they rode upward in an elevator. "Yep," he said as they stepped out and began to walk to the classroom where the kids would finish their orn.

" **I, ORION, GOED TO THE DOING!"** Orion cried with joy. **"I, ORION DOED IT! SO DOED EMMEE! BOO! PAX! CO-CO!"** He laughed loudly. **"CO-CO! COO-COO! I, ORION, SAYED COO-COO!"** he said as he cackled loudly. So did everyone else as they walked into their classroom and the door closed behind them.

-0-At a Pioneer School

They walked into their classroom, six little kids, one teacher, and two aides. Ferri and Hero were holding servos as they walked along, chatting about fire drills and how they had to learn things to be safe. It was amusing to Bron-E who was a first level teacher-trainee and student at the University. Soon, she would be assigned to a regular classroom to get training across the spectrum before returning to this one, the room she had applied for and won. When she graduated, she hoped to have a future classroom in the Pioneer Program or one like it with the Circle. Either way, she was stoked.

The door closed quietly behind them.

-0-TBC 5-14-18 **edited 7-5-18**


	357. Chapter 357

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 357)

-0-Out there

The bridge was silent as they listened for response. Shrike was either dead or going radio silent. Either way, they were stuck with big ships and many dead. It appeared they would have to board them and his best leadership for the task, Springer and Drift were on the Earth trying to catch four (maybe) ships that had broken through with Omega. Omega was being airlifted to the Repair Hangar for big frames in the Hangar District to be assisted with Ratchet tuned in as facilitator due to his programming as a bonded medic for big frames. He was watching a feed of the operation in a part of his processor that could do dozens of things at the same time without distracting or discombobulating him from his duties at the fore front.

Right now, he needed Springer and Drift. :Prime to Springer:

:Springer, Prime:

:What is your current situation?:

-0-Earth, at the Current Situation

Springer paused to take the call. :We're dropping sensor sounders and hopefully can get a grip on where they are, the fraggers. They're speeding around Hawaii at the moment. The volcano is throwing out radiation and heat among other slag and its distorting things. We thought we had them a couple of times but they turned out to be whales:

:Are you on cameras?: Prime asked.

:Uh …: Springer glanced out the hatch of his ship at the several helicopters hovering around them, two from news organizations and three from the RIMPAC fleet nearby. Apparently, the navy of other countries weren't going to take any orders from the General in charge of Global N.E.S.T.

Among other things.

:Yes, unfortunately:

"Prowl, check for broadcasts from Hawaii and see if Ironhide's operation is on camera," Prime said as he turned back to Springer. :Ironhide:

:Here, Prime:

:I need Springer and Drift to lead ship boarding. We have them hemmed in and contained. Unless they surrender, they will have to be boarded. Can you manage without them? Call up others from the general army, alpha class to assist. I am going to need Hercy and that level of soldier for this mission so if they identify with this, do not call them up:

:On my way: Springer said as he clapped Ironhide on the shoulder. "See ya."

"Be careful, you two," Ironhide said gruffly.

They grinned, then turned to the doorway. Waving at the helicopters, they walked to the end of the shuttle, Impactor's revenge. Several sailors, a marine and two news reporters waved to them as they left, stepping through the bridge to the shuttle deck of Xantium nearly 95,000 light years away from Earth.

-0-On the ground

They had affixed cables onto certain features of Omega's frame that were placed there just for this specific purpose. Four flying cranes were overhead and they were given particular areas to lift to help raise the big figure of Omega Supreme. They had designed a plan to lift him in unison to alleviate more internal breakage from occurring. It required precise math and coordination on the part of the four pilots and eight crane operators among the four ships. But they were incredibly good at this kind of thing. They lifted all manner of immensity both on and off world as well as Cybertron. No one was better.

That was only mildly comforting to Silverbolt who had been assured that Omega was now stable and even though it would take time to recover, he would. Silverbolt would be off the duty rotation until Omega was back on his peds, something he had been granted from Prowl from the moment he'd been told. He was on Diego chatting with this siblings before they went to Cybertron. When they had departed and he'd relaxed into recharge, the call had come. He had never flown so far so fast in his life.

A siren went off calling everyone to clear the area. Trucks, other vehicles and those on foot ran free and clear, then turned to watch. The four ships hovering overhead slowly began to retract their cables. When they were taut, the operation fell into the realm of the engineers and cable operators. The pilot turned the ship over to the pre-programmed computer map of the operation that would lift Omega, fly him over the Hangar District, than directly into the huge medical building that was made tall enough that big frames could be cared for standing up. Sometimes it was necessary.

The sound of metal grating and the shifting of metallic parts was loud but signaled nothing more than moving an unconscious load of several million tons into the air. Moving upward slowly and in perfect unison, the ships rose to a height that would clear everything around them, then flew slowly forward. It was an astonishing sight to see, the invulnerable, magnificent, phenomenal figure of the Great Omega Supreme as most considered him, hanging in wires several hundred feet above ground, slowly flying forward to the Big Hangar as it was called. It seemed to take forever, then they reached it and flew directly inside, the design of the building created as necessary for occasions such as this. It took what seemed forever before the sound of millions of tons of metal settling on the ground was heard. Then about a half breem later, the ships moved out of the hangar one by one.

Huge cheers and clapping went up as they flew out, then onward toward the Industrial Park Cities where they worked every day. Omega was in the hospital and all would be well. It would also be a colossally viewed video on Youtube for some time to come.

-0-Around

Tom Banachek and Seymour Simmons had stayed around to watch Omega lift off. They had sped after the sky borne giants to the medical hangar where they saw the cranes gently lower the big mech to the ground. Standing around with innumerable machines, cables and fuel lines, a mob of crew was waiting. He was lowered, then techs unhitched the lines which were then winched back upward. When they were, the ships flashed their running lights in delight, then moved off slowly through the open doors at the other end of the hangar. It was an astonishing sight in a long line of the same.

Seymour turned the segway around, then made their way back toward the crash site. They were going to skirt it, head toward the highway nearby, then speed to the Resort and Banachek's check in there. It was slow going as they had to wait for trucks and vehicles to pass, police to redirect them around hazardous waste and other damages that were everywhere, as well as find ways to forge streams of liquids that shimmered in the sunlight with rainbow patterns. A bot threw a piece of metal over a gully at one point so they could reach the street.

Normal traffic was blocked off but they were able to move onward. Aerie Hill would have to use the alternate roadway in the west to get home while Resort traffic was curtailed until further notice. Small vehicles such as segways would be able to maneuver but the rest was still dangerous until it was cleared up. Buzzing along the sidewalk, Banachek looked at the giant arenas across the way, both of them stupefyingly big but ultimately familiar. Passing both, crossing the highway to get to the side where the path was smooth and free of debris, they hustled along. :What do you think?: Simmons asked as he drove. :It's bigger than it looks on television:

Banachek grinned. :I noticed that. The arenas look surreal:

:You should be there during a game: Simmons said as he gunned it along. They followed the street until they came to Resort Drive, the turnoff to their destination and the giant monastery beyond. Buzzing down that turnoff, they crossed the street again and followed the sidewalk.

:The straight ahead road at the junction … it was to Aerie Hill, right?: Banachek asked.

:Yeah. The Seekers built into the hills because it helps them come and go. They like heights. The Resort wanted the view for tourists. This your first time here?: Simmons asked.

Banachek nodded. :Yes, it is:

:Lucky you. You're going to get the million dollar tour: Simmons said.

Banachek looked to the south which was the panoramic view of the colony. It was a glittering sight with eight lane highways leading to every island of civilization perched here and there, dotting the vast sandy plain for miles. One could make out faintly the human habitats from this distance on the cliff side as well as the Basilica. The bigger buildings, the forest of skyscrapers at every city location, the Industrial Park City complex that seemed to fade into the distance in a gleaming white conglomeration of carefully planned and designed magnificence … all of it looked beautiful and organized yet without regimentation. One could expect that from machine-based individuals but the beauty surprised him. It didn't seem to be in keeping with AI mentalities. It was clear to him at that moment that he had a lot to learn. It was to his credit in his line of business that he was open to doing so.

They turned up the cobblestone drive to the massive Resort before them. It was colossally vast and tall, three giant floors of habitation and recreation followed by two giant domes to the west, the first outdoor space and the new one that was double the other. The cobblestones themselves were beautiful, hand laid in a herringbone pattern that was smooth as glass. Copper colored sand grouted them together, a salute to Mars even as they patterned the drive in accordance with human tastes.

It was a long drive past the building to the rear where they would pull in and after passing through the habitat entrance enter to park and dismount to go inside. They walked along the loading dock, through one of the stores rooms that held thousands of tons of supplies and materials to enter the building. It was filled with humans who were stranded inside because of the catastrophe outside. Staring through the telescopes, through Resort binoculars or their own telescopic lenses on cameras trained to the airfield, they watched as on screens around the room, some rolled out by the facility, the guests speculated on the disaster. A large number of them had actually been watching the colony with the devices when Omega came in and crashed. It had taken a bit of time and effort to get everyone in the shelters including those watching with incredulity as the scene unfolded.

Walking toward the desk down the concourse, several humans noted their environmental gear. An older man with two younger ones and their wives turned to them. "Hi. Are you a local or what?" the older man asked.

"I am. He's visiting," Simmons said as they halted. As they did, more humans noticed and began to gather around them.

"What happened? Some in the shelter said that they saw a ship come through that bridge thing, then crash. He rolled and rolled, hitting a lot of buildings. What was this about?" the older man asked.

"That was the great Omega Supreme," Simmons said with a trace of pride and protective feeling. "He was in combat with Prime and got hurt. He came in at death's door and tried to land. He crashed and rolled. He's going to be alright and you guys will get to go out again when they clear the area. They do things quickly around here so it shouldn't be too long."

"What about Prime and the battle?" a younger man asked. "What about the ships going to Earth?"

Simmons glanced at Banachek who stared at Simmons curiously. Seymour turned to the group. "Prime stopped a terrible group of 'Cons and criminals out there. Some got hurt. He's taking them apart now so they don't come here and do that to us. Ironhide was given the job of getting the ships on Earth. They're fighters, small ones and Ironhide will get them. Trust me."

They chatted a moment, then the two excused themselves as they headed toward the office and check in. Walking around the counter, they entered the big common office where the women and some of their family and worker bees were huddled around a giant television screen displaying both the scene outside and the one on Earth. Judy Witwicky turned to Seymour, someone who had arrested her in the past but was now on the same team.

Team Survival.

"Is this your boss, Seymour?" she asked with a smirk.

"He is. Tom Banachek, meet Judy Witwicky," Seymour said with a smirk.

"Forgive me if I don't have a purse handy, Banachek, but if I did you'd get one across the face," Judy said.

The women and men around her laughed. "You better believe it. Just ask Rampage," Linda Graham said as she sat in a glider nearby rocking Aedh slightly.

Her mother and father who were sitting with them glanced at Linda. "Who is Rampage?" her mum asked.

-0-Out there

They gathered on Xantium as they went over the plan to take the ships. Some of the smaller ones would be the Object Lesson for the big ones. If that failed, then Plan B would commence. Plan B was simple. Board, bag, blow up. Everyone hoped for Object Lesson to prevail. Everyone but Roadbuster, that is.

"Let's try this one," Springer said as he pointed to a relatively intact shuttle that had become trapped between two cruisers that no longer had propulsion capabilities.

Prime nodded, then sat back in his chair. "Open a channel, Smokescreen." He did. "This is Optimus Prime, small shuttle numbered A-67. We are seeking your surrender. Leave the ship into space and come our way. When you are out of range of the guns currently still operational on the cruiser blocking you on the starboard side, we will pick you up and transfer you to a medic and detention. You will be given all the treatment that the Rules of Warfare demand. Send receipt and intentions of compliance."

It was silent, then a seething deeply guttural voice replied in a heavy Slaughter City accent. "Frag off, Prime. You want us, come get us."

"You were asked to surrender. What follows will be on you," Prime said as he nodded to Devcon.

Sitting at fire control, Devcon targeted the propulsion section of the shuttle, then shot it to slag. It blew up brilliantly, faded just as swiftly, then the secondary explosion that followed due to the proximity of the engines to the energon stash of fuel the ship used caused it to slam into the side of the farther cruiser that prevented its escape. Ricocheting back against the first cruiser, then back again to the other, the shuttle was slapped within an inch of its life. It finally sagged with defeat, drifting downward like a dead fish to the bottom of the ocean.

It was silent, then Prime spoke again. "Shuttle, step off and come this way. The next shots will not be designed to do anything more than send you to the Matrix. Comply. You have half a breem. Prime out."

They sat in silence, their guns posed on the ships in the center of their circular firing squad. It would seem like forever before the ship gave word of their intentions.

-0-Resort

"Attention. Attention."

Everyone in the giant facility paused a moment to listen.

"This is management. We've received word that no one from the Resort will be going into the colony until tomorrow morning. So in response to that, we're extending the duration of your stay with us by one day. We sometimes have these things happen and we want you to have the full experience you sought when you came here. Please enjoy your day here. Tomorrow, the program of touring and sightseeing with commence once again. Thank you."

Sarah Lennox toggled off the main speaker, then grinned at the others. "We're going to have a one day overlap but thank goodness we have the room to make it happen."

"Yeah," Lonnie said as she rose to walk to the printer nearby. "I'm glad we can. This is a trip of a lifetime. Sort of like the time I finally got to go to Niagara Falls."

"For your honeymoon?" Linda Graham asked.

"No," Lonnie said with a grin. "That was at Yosemite. I got to go to Niagara Falls when my girl friend got married and wanted to do it on the platform near the water falls. I thought I'd drown."

"Sounds romantic," Linda said with a laugh.

"I went to Niagara Falls once. Never on a romantic thing. I just wanted to see it. Tommy is a good guy but romantic? Eh..." Lois Morshower-Howell said. "Don't tell him I said so."

"We won't." -everyone in the room who would tell him anyway.

The slaggers.

-0-In a hangar

Silverbolt stood with the team of engineers and doctors who were putting Omega back together. On a monitor nearby, Ratchet watched the plan, running it against the telemetry that was flowing directly from Omega to him. It was a solid plan, one designed to stabilize the big mech, allow his systems to be examined and temporarily shunted to handle his situation along with debriding all his wounds. Taking out the damaged stuff, some of it to be immediately replaced would take a few orns. Some of it would have to be wait listed because putting new hardware in to replace the damage required letting it assimilate and reboot. It would take time.

Ratchet glanced at the pensive face of Silverbolt, a mech he really liked. Silverbolt was smart, decent, kindly, hard to fool, gentle minded, and loyal. This was going to be a long convalescence for everyone. They would settle on a plan, Silverbolt would watch them fix Omega and it would be a very long two weeks before Omega would be able to sit up and allow even more work to be done. By the time he was standing in the repair bay, he would be well on his way. It would take a month before he would be able to walk out of the hangar and feel even close to his old self.

Silverbolt would be beside him when he did.

-0-TBC 5-15-18 **edited 7-5-18**

ESL:

AI: artificial intelligence, computer robotic minds.

debride, debriding: to clean a wound. if there is dead flesh in a wound, debriding cuts that away. In Omega's case, they will clean out and take out anything that can't be left


	358. Chapter 358

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 358)

-0-Earth2

They came out of the many hatch doors that led below to the shelters. They were ushered out by the eight men and one woman who made up the Autobot Auxiliary Security Force Unit that reported to Springer and were paid for by the Autobots. They were a big sticking point in the negotiations with the humans who wanted to police their own domain without what they considered interference and prying eyes.

The bots had insisted in having a force, albeit small, inside. They would be trained to their own specifications in a hostile world where a poor lapse in judgment could be fatal and would be able to understand and respond even more than the others to events as they emerged. It had been agreed upon, though the nine former soldiers from numerous countries on Earth stayed in their own separate quarters in the building, one that overlooked the back of the facility facing the great plain beyond.

They had apartments, work out rooms, a sauna, lounge, and small lap pool. They were autonomous to the living arrangement even as they were autonomous to the command structure, reporting to and taking direction from Siso and the other shift commanders in the Operation Center of Earth2, a space they were keyed to enter and leave.

They were the neutral observers that were needed if there was ever a problem that caused a clash of facts. Now they helped everyone come back up to the facility even as one was heading to the Farm to check on the others there. It would take a moment for everyone to come back out, passing these individuals dressed in N.E.S.T. camo and special gear that linked them into the bots even when they weren't on the comm system.

Walking out, their conversations and exclamations filling the concourse with a loud racket, they headed for a big monitor nearby that someone had turned on. On the screen, laying where he landed, Omega Supreme sprawled in all his frightening glory. Someone near the front glanced at someone next to him. "Who could do that much damage to him?"

No one knew yet.

-0-Out there

The small ship shuddered as it lost its tail section. They had targeted the rest of its propulsion system given it was still able to move, disabling it entirely. It drifted downward, if downward existed in space, falling away from the others. It bounced against a disabled cruiser listing nearby rupturing its hull. A segment of the cruiser imploded, then blew outward as some major functional junction exploded inside. The shrapnel of that explosion ripped the small ship open and those watching could see the sparking interior as its electrical system began to fail. They were dead in the water.

"This is Optimus Prime. Throw down your weapons and step into space. Come to me and you will be given good treatment as per the Rules of War and Space. Refuse and we will end your misery with our next barrage and go to the another ship. Prime out."

There was no movement, then a number of mechs stepped toward the holes and began to jump out. As they did, Prowl sent for the three prison ships at Autobot City. They would be coming through the open bridges nearby when the first slaggers came within grabbing range. One down, twelve to go.

-0-Autobot City

They came out of the woodwork, shell shocked and surprised. The transponder system relayed messages to all adults in the system, letting them know that the all clear was underway, that the airfield in the middle of Autobot City was off limits for some distance around, that Omega Supreme was determined to be in serious but stable condition, that the Prime was pursuing the battle to a good conclusion 95,000 light years away, that the two quarantined piratical groups were hunkered down and not offering support to the newcomers and that The Hourly News was the best source for truth though they would continue to update through the emergency transponder system as it came in.

Traffic began as individuals began to go about their business again with a number heading toward the airfield anyway. None of them would be from Earth 1 or Earth2 because they were ordered to return to their habitats and await the final all clear. Until then, the news outlets were their only source of information and they were playing everywhere in the colony as everyone waited for the updates and eventually, the word from Prime himself.

-0-Temple and Monastery

They gathered at the Temple, the representatives of each discipline when there was a disaster. Cyclonus and Chevron sat at the table as Heatout, several other Circle officials and the representative for the Peace Mission gathered.

"Thank you for coming at such a time," Chrome said as he joined them with Lauren and Lady Sela. "We have a catastrophe on our hands, both our own and theirs. The enemy have lost a great deal of lives and we have a responsibility to them as surely as we do to the two families of the dead and the 22 of the wounded on our side.

"Prime will be gathering them in as they take down the fleet. Right now, Turbine who is our liaison there said that there is still surrender to undertake. A good third of the enemy fleet made it away, heading back into the Bootes Barren. The rest are disabled or blocked from escape. Prime and the fleet will probably have to board some of them and take them down deck by deck."

It was funereal at that news.

Cyclonus sat back. "I will liaison with Prime. I am very skilled at ship boarding."

"You are, Master," Lauren said. "However, you are also the Master of the Monastery and thus, your duties to the greater portion of your followers rather outweigh the possibility of your loss doing something like this. We are rebuilding our respective groups together and separately because we are the living repository of each group's wisdom. A loss such as yourself is not replaceable."

Cyclonus stared at him a moment then nodded slightly. "You speak wisdom. I will speak with Prime and see what is needed."

"Good," Chevron said with a slight grin. "I worried you might feel called to do direct intervention when its obvious that your calling is here, Master. The Monastery would not exist but for you."

Cyclonus considered that then nodded. "Very well."

Lauren then picked up a data pad. "We need to be ready to receive the dead. Prowl has informed me that they will be cared for here. Shall we decide what we need to do?"

They would spend a couple of joors working out the process, then adjourn to help those who were coming to them in their anxiety over the operation.

-0-Out there

They sped along among the debris until shooting erupted. Moving swiftly behind floating chunks of it, several dozen piratical Decepticons stared back at the other ships with fury. They were trying to surrender and their own side was shooting at them. :Snapper to Prime. **THESE FRAGGERS ARE SHOOTING AT US! WE'RE SURRENDERING! YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!:**

"Prime to Snapper. Stay where you are. We are going to take care of this," Optimus said as he turned to Devcon and Hardie. "Please take care of this." He turned back to the view. "Prime to Springer."

"Springer here."

"We are going to take care of the shooting. Then move in and take them on. Scans indicate that we have 27 surrendering. Perhaps you can transfer them through ship bridge to Warden Gee-Gee's ships."

:On it. Springer out:

As Prime sat back willing himself to relax he listened to Ironhide direct the Earth action. Outside, he saw Impactor's Revenge moving up as Devcon directed a barrage at the shooters. The shots flew through the ships that were either unable to move or blocked in, finding their target. It stitched the side of a cruiser which was using guns mounted along the side of it to fire upon their own side. It blazed with fire, then winked out. Shooting stopped immediately.

"Prime to enemy battle group. You are hemmed in or disabled. You are at our mercy. You can choose to make this difficult and lose anyway or you can await your turn to surrender and live. We can make it happen either way, though I will suggest that in only one scenario you still get to walk around. The next ship that fires on anyone of us or someone surrendering will be destroyed. Prime out."

Nearby coming in gingerly, Impactor's Revenge reached a group of seven mechs trapped by a huge section of a battleship. They slid silently beside them, then the hatch opened.

Roadbuster who had transferred aboard stood with Drift and Springer in the doorway armed as they grinned at the 'Cons. Well ... all but Roadbuster were grinning. He was simmering with malevolence and battle lust.

:Come on in, boys. The beer's on me: Springer said as the furious faces of the mechs huddling outside made him laugh.

One of them shoved off and drifted to the door where he was scanned, shaken down for arms, then shoved roughly inside.

Sandstorm grinned as he moved the mech along to a functioning bridge in the back. He stepped through and was gone. It took a few minutes to send the other six onward before they moved on to the next group, three Man Mountain Deans trying to hide behind a single piece of ship rubble. Pulling them in, feeling ant-like in their towering evil, they shoved them along as well. Then they moved onward.

Ten down, seventeen more to go.

-0-At the other end of the bridge on a big big prison ship

Gee-Gee and her team waited at the bridge with giant guns and grins. The mechs came in, were frisked again, their transponder stuff scanned and all other manner of virus control and hidden this and that taken care of.

They were led to the desk at the forward deck where they were asked a few questions. After getting few answers, they were dragged or shoved toward a cell where they entered, then were contained as others came. It would take half a joor to get the 27 from the small ship. There were cruisers and battleships among others that were still to be sorted. As for Shrike? His demise or escape would have to be settled in a deck-by-deck search.

Meanwhile, the next ship fell into the cross hairs of a seething Xantium. Prime could detect the big mech's rage through the heat surrounding him and the minute tremor in the auras of everyone on the deck as they dealt with it. "This is Optimus Prime. Captain of the cruiser D-4s-A or anyone who can hear me. We are targeting you now. Drop your weapons and step out. Float toward us and we will retrieve you. Your own side is targeting you. Do not be a fool."

A harsh enraged voice could be heard. "Why should we? What's waiting for us with you?"

"A place of safety, medical care, good food and a chance to live a better life. Where's Shrike? Hand him over. You have no loyalty to him now. He has not stepped up to lead you. Surrender and live. Fight us and you will die."

It was silent a moment. Prime frowned slightly. "Prime to Springer."

:Springer here:

"Board the cruiser, D-4s-A and show them the error of their ways. Come out in one piece."

:Understood. Springer out: He turned to his crew who were cracking their knuckle joints and fingering the edges of their blades. "Time to dance," he said as he walked to the hatch. "Boys, cover us. We're going in."

With that, Springer leaped into space and with momentum floated to the listing cruiser to magnetize. Behind him with grins, feral glee or both, the twins, Roadbuster, Splice and Reamer, a huge experienced former 'Con ship boarder followed.

Seekers arrived with guns and magnetized to the cruiser hull. Grinning at Springer, they waited for his call. He was walking toward the hatch nearby, then halted. :Hello, the broke ass cruiser. This is Springer and I'm here to repossess this fine mo-sheen due to nonpayment. You can come out and walk into the inevitable with your limbs intact or I'll ask the Seeker horde on the hull here to ventilate this sad aft vehicle. I get paid either way:

Drift who was admiring Springer's gall and his fine blue optics grinned. :You've been hanging out with the humans again. Ask me how I know:

:I would but something tells me this isn't going to be easy: Springer said as below their peds they could feel the tremor of a group running toward the hatch nearby. They stepped back and raised their guns just as the hatch began to slide open slowly...

-0-Earth

" **WHAT THE FRAG! SLAGGERS! FOLLOW THEM!"** Ironhide bellowed as the deep divers sent down to take a bead on the signal near a few lava vents came up empty handed. Actually, they came up with beacons that were placed there to distract and confuse. Neither quite happened but it was enough for the 'Cons to leave the unstable and very volcanic Hawaiian Islands. **"GET A BEAD ON THEIR SORRY AFTS! I WILL PERSONALLY KICK THEM INTO ORBIT!"** Ironhide said to his crew as they began to fix a bead on the underwater path of their quarry.

They were heading for the bigger Pacific Ocean and the eastern coast of Africa. Without so much as a fine adieu, the Autobot ships lifted off and bombed onward leaving helicopters and the fleet of RIMPAC spinning.

Metaphorically.

-0-TBC 5-16-18 **edited 7-5-18** **5-7-19**


	359. Chapter 359

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 359)

-0-Out there

The hatch slid slowly as the Autobots entered with their big, big guns pointed. It was dark inside, then it wasn't. Shooting erupted from two directions with the bots trapped in the middle. They climbed over each other to go back outside, then regroup. **:SLAGGERS! YOU STEPPED ON MY FACE CLIMBING OUT!:**

Everyone glanced at Splice who was fuming. Sunstreaker grinned. :Then you're saying nothing important was harmed in the retreat?:

 **HUGE** slag was traded, then Springer nodded to the Seekers laughing on the roof. They spread out, some walking to the underside to fire upward and some spacing themselves on the top to fire downward. Then it began. A fusillade of a heavy caliber began to rip the slag out of the wreckage of the ship. After a few seconds it stopped, then everyone began to scan. It was inconclusive.

:Springer to Prime:

:Prime here:

:Can you scan this sieve and tell us if anyone in there is worth bagging up?:

:Stand by: It was quiet a moment, then Prime was back with a slight trace of amusement in his voice. :They all went to the starboard armory of the ship, the side directly across from your current position:

:Thanks, Dad. We're on it: Springer said with a grin. :They put themselves into an armory. Slaggers want us to skin them. Meet me on the other side of this heap: he said before everyone scurried off leaving him alone with Drift. He frowned. Drift laughed. They scurried off to join the rest.

-0-The City, Hangar District

The hazmat teams were working hard to clean up the area before Public Works could come forward to fix the holes, skid marks and other broken access points. It would have to be at least smoothed to allow trucks to come forward to transport stuff needed to fix all the damaged buildings. The Courthouse was being scanned from space by Teletraan and one of its little satellites. The other buildings would be as well to find out how much damage was caused by the impact of that much ship going that fast and that out of control.

Big curious crowds were being held back by barriers and the odd Watch officer placed there on duty. Trucks were at the ready in lines nearby to come in and be loaded by heavy equipment which would clear up the broken stone and steel that would have to be replaced. They would be able to work out a plan when the final scans were made and the data analyzed. Even the smallest crack or shift from plumb would have to be accounted for if the buildings were to be made safe, beautiful and structurally sound again.

Barron had arrived earlier with several judges who were having a luncheon in Terra when this happened. They huddled with other lawyers, paralegals, office workers, more judges, magistrates, off duty jail officers and clerks, officials of this and that department, the parole officers that did their duty here as well as roving to check on their clientele, medics who worked here, civilian employees, and all the others that took care of law on world. Dotting the pitted sidewalk that led to the damaged building, they spoke in hushed tones. To the left of them were the battered Museum galleries, a clipped IntraComm and the professional building that had finally stopped Omega's wild landing.

Outside of The Pit Stop, the clientele that had been there and the staff, owners and cooks watched the disaster around them. They had been lucky. A few bits of shrapnel had bounced off the building but left no mark or damage. Some of the administration buildings and a few private firms took it on the chin and would have to have a lot of work to return to their former glory.

The ditches were being drained of fuel and the liquid used to clean Omega so they could assess him. Tankers were running in, taking a load, then running onward to the fuel terminal at Industrial Park City #7 for denaturing and incineration. There were heavy bulldozers pushing various piles of rubble into bigger ones to be examined and hauled off for refurbishing or recycling. Dozens of professionals were digging through the buildings bashed looking for things that needed pulled, turned off, retrieved if possible, or shored up.

It was noisy, busy like an ant hill and looked like it would take a long time and energy.

A number of prisoners at the jail had been transferred to the prison to be kept in segregated confinement from the general population so they could be safe. There would have to be another place where they could hold trials and do other business until they could return to the Courthouse but no one had a clue when that would be. Trucks came and went while reporters for print and television crawled everywhere. It would be busy night and day for a long time.

-0-Out there

They crept along the hull heading toward the heavily armored sector of the ship that had rolled over and presented its thick plated defiance. Searching its somewhat bowed plating, Drift walked back to Springer. :I think if you shoot it you better duck because its coming straight back at you:

:Well, that's … helpful: Springer said with a frown. :Anyone got a torch?:

Two Seekers did so they walked to the corner of the section where it joined the regular hull and began to cut. It went quickly and when the sector fell inside, they jumped in. Shooting commenced and then it was silent. Springer walked over to look downward. :Caster? You there?:

It was silent a moment, then a helm poked up with a grin. :I'm fine but they aren't. Do you have a shovel handy?:

No one did but the hospital ship would take them in and begin to piece them back together like a ventilated jigsaw puzzle. One ship down, several more to go.

-0-Ratchet

They came in, damaged, blown up, raving or silent, then were directed to the various different areas on board for repairs. Some walked in, silent or violent, then went their various directions to receive assistance, some for the first time in ages from the look of them. Ratchet supervised in a general manner but for most of the duration he was in surgery.

-0-Ironhide

They flew over the ocean heading oddly enough toward the Indian Ocean. The sounders would tell them where they were in their underwater flight plan generally, but they were flying swiftly onward, almost as stranded themselves as Ironhide felt. They were being tracked on sensors and radar all over the earth as the humans worked to clue themselves into the problem.

Around the world, the news was reporting what they felt was needed in terms of what their countries were going to do for their own security, then they focused on the situation itself. More Decepticons were on the planet and they were all in danger, or so it seemed. Some reporters actually fanned that idea into a small blaze in different places. The MCA stuck to the facts and led the coverage given their straight line access to Autobot Nation.

Shannon Murphy, their mid afternoon reporter gave the latest briefing while moderating a panel of experts to discuss the news. "What we know so far is pursuit is being made toward the Indian Ocean in the general direction of Diego Garcia. Their information officer has stated that the base is on DEFCON 2 and is currently deploying the fleet that's there so they won't become sitting duck targets if they swing off trajectory and make landfall. Those assets are not involved in the search though they are lending their capabilities toward the effort. The Office of Information for Autobot Nation has stated that Commander Ironhide of Praxus is leading a veteran team in pursuit of the intruders, tracking them with advanced technology to find and detain them before they make landfall anywhere.

"As for the battle in space, the Office of Information through Commander Jazz of Kaon stated that a large fleet was encountered space jumping this direction some 100,000 light years near the leading edge of the Bootes Constellation in an area charted as The Barren. They were making their way toward one of two quarantined groups in this, the local cluster where Decepticon Razorclaw and Decepticon Ominous have dug in with their respective groups. Optimus Prime has kept a number of groups from joining either in the past to augment their capabilities and did so now with this confrontation.

"Optimus Prime met them with overwhelming force at their staging area more than 95,000 light years from this system and told them to turn away and go or there would be a confrontation. He made it very clear that they were not going to be allowed in the system or to join Razorclaw or Ominous. It was then that combat began and it was a brutal fight in relatively close quarters. The Supreme mechanism, Omega, was disabled and seriously injured when a large piece of shrapnel, a breakaway engine from a battleship flew into him and caused him to withdraw. During his attempt to land, he crashed and rolled out of control damaging several large buildings at Autobot City on Mars before coming to a halt. We've been told that he's in serious but stable condition with the prospect of full recovery, though it will take some time.

"A number of wounded have been incurred by the Autobots including two Seekers who were killed in the melee. An unknown number of the enemy forces were killed or wounded with their leader, Shrike, still missing. They're being rounded up, some in ship boarding combat but will be brought to the Autobot City Civilian and Military Prison for incarceration."

A panelist reporter for the MCA, David Collier hesitated a moment to listen. Then he glanced at Shannon who was standing nearby beside a board where the star map in simplified form was displaying in blinking lights the situation in the Bootes and the system here. "It has just been reported to me that the sonar devices that are allowing Commander Ironhide's group to track the Decepticons indicate that they are heading toward the general direction of Diego Garcia. It's unknown if they know that the Autobots have an Embassy and presence there or if they're heading for the first island they can find. No one believes that they have a clear view of our planet or are heading toward that cluster of islands in their line of flight. The Commander is in hot pursuit."

-0-Hot Pursuit, Inc.

"Fraggers," Ironhide muttered as he called in to the base. "Ironhide to Diego."

"Diego here, Ironhide. What's the word and how many do you need?" the voice replied. It was Tracks.

"What's the status of the base? We don't know if they know you're there. They've never been here but I don't want the fleet or base to not try moving," Ironhide said.

"The ships around here are leaving and heading northeast to be out of the line of fire. Know that the Navy of several countries are and I quote 'pissed' to have to do so. Fulton is here and he's putting the base on alert to fight. The civilians and other drags on our efficiency are going into the shelters and everyone is waiting. What's the chance they come our way and how do you want us to get them?" Tracks asked.

Everyone in the room including a number of humans were listening to the conversation.

"Be standby. If they come that way let me know. I want these slaggers in the bag before sundown," Ironhide said.

"Got ya," Tracks said. "Diego out." He sat back, then grinned at the others who were listening. "We may or not get them but don't get too comfortable. Something tells me its going to take more than them to bring these fraggers to heel."

No one argued with him.

-0-TBC 5-18-18 **edited 7-5-18**


	360. Chapter 360

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 360)

(This would have been out sooner but I feel asleep at the keyboard here in the middle of it.) :D:D:D

-0-Out there

They walked into the ship fragment to check for those who were alive or needful of care. The ship was a wreck inside, strewn with holes from shooting and from the battle itself. Things were dripping or sparking but there was no movement in the corridors, the few remaining non-imploded rooms and hidey holes here and there. Medics followed the big mechs with their guns, picking up this and that mech and assorted body parts that had been shot off during the exchange with the two Seekers. When they were carted out and floated to the runabouts heading for Phobos and the hospital there, they came back for more.

A cruiser in relatively one piece, if unable to move listed near two big battleships who were unable to leave as well. A deep scan had reported that they weren't fully manned because a number of soldiers and civilian marauders had bridged away to those ships fleeing before the fighting had destroyed that mode of escape. They were dealing with only a few hundred individuals in the battleships and several dozen in the remaining smaller ships.

:Prime to Springer:

Springer who had magnetized paused his trudge toward a hatch near the top which would lead down into the battleship's maintenance areas. :Springer:

:I am unwilling to allow anymore casualties on our side. Pull off and allow negotiations. If they do not agree, we will begin to destroy the ships until they do:

:Understood: Springer said. He looked at the others. :Prime wants to try gunboat diplomacy. Hop on a Seeker and pull off:

The mechs good naturedly groused with the Seekers who transformed, then towed them off ship toward the Autobot shuttles nearby. Moving away from the ships which were working to turn their remaining firepower toward Prime, they watched the show.

:Prime to remaining Decepticons and civilian allies of Shrike. I am giving you a choice to surrender to us or be destroyed. I am not willing to lose anymore of my soldiers or ships to you. Either give up or pay a high price for your refusal. Hand over Shrike if he lives. Do both things now, or I will end this in my favor. What happens to you is of little consequence to me:

:Do you think he means it?: Drift asked as he sat on the hull of Impactor's Revenge.

:Hard to say. He doesn't want war anymore than the rest of us and frankly, given a choice between us and them? It's not a real choice: Springer replied as the fleet began to target the ships listing and hemmed in all around them.

The fire was intense and targeted. It was designed to destroy the ships as hiding places. Enormous bursts struck the enemy vessels sending shrapnel flying everywhere. Flashes of light, bursts of debris, all of it happened extremely fast, then a small disabled cruiser and the battleship closest to Prime shuddered and began to come apart at the seams.

Hatches opened as mechs flew out, their jet packs taking them to free floating engine blocks, destroyed hulls and internal components, some of which were big enough to be good shelter. Behind them, the little cruiser began to burst into multiple blasts causing even more individuals to abandon ship. The battleship moved slightly on impulse power before the forward section of the cruiser blew up. It burst into flames which then flashed out from vacuum. But the momentum of the segments flung out from it were fast enough to slam into both battleships. The first one shuddered and began to shed sections from low level blasts, sort of the kind one gets when something backs up and takes out a system.

Hatches along the top opened and mechs flung themselves out, some to float helplessly while others sped off with their rocket packs. They were being tracked though they didn't know it and as they found shelter, there were Seekers dividing up their capture even as they lounged on the hull of Impactor's Revenge. Scans followed them, noting that both ships were losing crew swiftly. None of them could reach their flight decks, Prime's ordered strikes making sure of that, but they clambered out and attempted to retreat from view.

:Prime to Springer:

:Springer here:

:Can you bag them?: Prime asked.

:We can. We have them located and the Seekers have the firepower to make them pay if they don't surrender:

:Take their surrender from a distance. No one dies on our side today: Prime said.

"Understood: Springer said. :Here's what we do …: he said as the Seekers all round him transformed, then jetted straight at the enemy with guns blazing.

The fighting was furious but over in a trice. The resistance melted under the hot lead of the Seekers who then began to drag floating mechs toward the medical runabouts waiting nearby. Springer stared at them, then glanced at the others. :We do that:

The mechs with him stepped out and flew with jet packs toward the Seekers to assist. They left behind themselves hoo-haw and laughter, insults and rude gestures for their chief. Springer frowned at them, then stepped out with Drift to assist. Two cruisers down and one battleship. They had another battleship and several other much smaller ships to inspect and no one knew what it would mean. How many were still here before they blocked the retreat, no one was clear. It would be enough to make things exciting he thought as he reached a mech and began to drag him toward the closest runabout. It would take a while to clear the decks.

-0-Ocean

They noted that the ships flying underwater had turned once again heading away from Diego Garcia as they tried to elude Ironhide and his teams. They were deep and fast enough that the sounding devices were always just a bit behind. It was worrisome that they might turn the wrong way at this rate if they didn't locate the slaggers any faster than this. Ironhide was huddled over the data screen before him considering what they might do and where they might hit landfall.

The ships changed direction and began to fly toward Africa again as a group. The bots flying under Ironhide's command changed with them in hot pursuit.

-0-On world

The streets around the crash site were starting to look better as the debris began to recede along with the levels of fluids in the ditches all around. Omega had been lifted and flown away. The heaps of soil that would need burning grew as the night began to fall around them. Huge light arrays flooded the area with illumination as crews began to pull the chunks of rock and metal out of the Courthouse. It would take a lot of work just to clear away the damage before they could begin to work on rebuilding the half destroyed building. In the meantime, court would be held in the command center of the prison where the short term prisoners were held pending hearings, trials and the like.

Teams were also nearby pulling art and artifacts out of the dirt, sand and mud. IntraComm fared the best though it would be a while before a replacement broadcast tower was available. It was being fabricated in the Industrial Park City. The Professional Building had lost part of its rear facade but that was mostly cosmetic. Omega had lost a lot of speed when he finally reached it so the slam was only bad, not brutal. The galleries of the Museum were destroyed and as they waited to move on it, reclamation crews picked among the debris for artifacts and art. It was painstaking and slow going.

The work went onward even as the day ended, bringing with it solitude from the crowds.

-0-Earth2

They watched the monitors and televisions all around as the work was profiled on the local on world system. The damage had done a lot of harm and word had it that prisoners from the enemy fleet would be arriving at the airfield at the Prison. More and more bad guys were out there holding out. The Prison was an off limits area so no one really knew the story there. They just knew it was ground zero for their nightmares.

The security presence in the colony was accelerated but few could know how much. All humans were ordered to stay in their habitats until the all clear was given. Until Ironhide nailed the lid shut on the 'Cons on Earth, everyone had to stay home near their shelters. If they ever broke free of Earth and headed back here, there would be dead everywhere. It would be tense in the human community for a while longer.

-0-Here and there

They divided the kids up with Venture taking the twinnies, Kaon and his own son, Prima. Kestrel and Tagg had the Primal kids. All of the kids belonging to Ironhide and Ratchet were still at home living there while their ammas and appas fussed over and cared for them. A brief message from Ratchet had stated that all was well at their end, they were 'mopping' things up and it might be either real soon or close to it before they were home.

The big kids were a great help with the little ones but it was still a hard thing because they weren't together. The family was everywhere but home and their house felt empty. Orion 'helped' his ammas as they took care of the chores. An endless stream of questions followed him as he followed them. All of them had to do with 'when dem comed to me, Orion, amma/appa?'

No one had a good idea.

-0-Earth

They hovered over a deep section of the ocean trying to get a bead on the ships which had stopped fleeing. They were deep down in the dark water doing who knew what? It was terribly frustrating. Ironhide was bitching about things with Ratchet. :We got them pinned to the map but they're deep and with short of a metrotitan to take us there, I don't want to try to scope them out: he said.

:I hear ya. We have standing room only here. The 'Cons made the mistake of calling Prime's bluff. He's not the same soft sparked Autobot he used to be:

:Yeah. He's a good bluffer: Ironhide said.

:He shot up two cruisers, took over a battleship and is in the middle of the second one. Most of the crew bridge jumped out of here while the shooting was taking place. We have maybe 500 troops left with most of them either penned in or shot up. They don't appear to be the surrendering kind: Ratchet said as he watched another patient coming as they took his most recent one away. :This could have been worse, much worse:

:Do you have Shrike yet?: Ironhide asked.

:Not yet. I don't think he bit it but you never know. I'd like to verify he's a goner before assuming something that might be wrong: Ratchet said. :That slagger has no fear. Prime is opening up on a troop carrier that's dead in the water nearby. The slaggers aren't even shooting back. They're jumping ship like rats:

:You're insulting rats: Ironhide crabbed as they sat in their ships watching the ocean below them as the last reading of the enemy moving below indicated. It would be a while before they noticed nothing was down there. The enemy shields had regenerated and the four ships had flown the coop.

Ironhide when he found out would be personally extremely pissed.

-0-TBC 5-19-18 **edited 6-2-18**

ESL: trice (ter-ice) something that's over in a second.

Watched the wedding and I have to say, very nice. If you ever find a person who looks at you like he did her, grab them. My dogs and cats do. ;) Well done, UK. You're welcome. ;)


	361. Chapter 361

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 361)

-0-Standing at a barrier on the corner near the crash site

"I wish I'd seen this."

The other mech with him nodded, then glanced at his partner, their leader by sheer grit and smarts whose name was Gravel. "Omega was a fragger but now he's out of commission for a while. I won't cry about it."

"No," Gravel said. "I wonder how hard it is to get on a team going to Cybertron. Once we're there we can disappear and pick up where we left off."

"I don't know. The plum jobs are given to long timers. Besides, what kind of skills do we have beside drugs and addictive games?" his partner, Perdo asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll ask Partition," he said as the two laughed.

"I think that might be problematic. Word is, he's reformed. He's going to bond into Ratchet and Ironhide's family any orn now. Not a good idea."

"Probably," Gravel said as they watched trucks fully laden rumble past heading for the Industrial Park Cities with their contaminated and broken loads. It was noisy a moment, then they were gone past. Glancing down the street, they watched for a while, then headed off to work. They would disappear back into the colony once more.

-0-The Hourly News

"Good afternoon. I'm Lim-Lee and I'm here to bring you the latest headlines and news, sports and weather. Today, we have updates on the battle going on 95,000 light years from here in the Bootes Barren. Optimus Prime and the Alpha Fleet are wrapping up the encounter that ended with more than half of the ships and crews commanded by a Decepticon named Shrike being destroyed or disabled. They were given the option of surrender or leaving and took neither one. The encounter that happened almost immediately was incredibly violent and swift. The forces of Prime, battleships, cruisers, fast heavily armed shuttles along with the air support provided by various veteran designations of Seekers brought to a close what could have been a very dangerous situation to the peace of this system.

"Shrike who was a danger during his civilian career as a long time criminal was attempting to link up with two quarantined groups here in the local group. One of them is Razorclaw near Epsilon Eridani and the other, the newer threat, is one led by a Decepticon of grim reputation, Ominous of Slaughter City. They were contacted by Shrike says Jazz, the Information Officer for the Prime and had been invited to parlay. That was when they bridge jumped in range of our deep space arrays and it was clear that given time Ominous and his battle group would be within striking distance of our system from that of Ominous's base a mere 12 light years from here.

"The fleet lifted off, engaged the enemy and prevailed. The casualty list has risen with 112 wounded, some seriously and 4 dead. Families have been notified and until they speak to Prime and give their wishes for the solemnities, no names will be released. The colony and Cybertron grieves with the families of our fallen heroes," Lim-Lee said with a solemn expression. "As for the casualties of the battle group, we are unclear. The operation is still underway and the full extent of the situation is not fully known, though Commander Jazz states that they took heavy casualties on their side of the conflict.

"The two quarantined groups are being heavily monitored and to help secure Caminus in the Tau Ceti system, two of our dreadnought platforms, Clipper and Dangerous have been deployed there to show the flag and keep the peace. Ominous and his group has made no moves toward them and it would be unwise for them to do so. There is no armament or platform in the Autobot or Decepticon armies that can stand up to a dreadnought, let alone two.

"As it stands, ships will be returning when the last two enemy vessels are cleared. It's requiring boarding and taking the vessels by hand. Two ships filled with prisoners have arrived at the airfield of the prison. Jacx is there and we will cut to him live right now. Jacx?" she asked as the screen switched to Jacx who was standing with Assistant Warden Colius.

"I'm here at the prison airfield, Lim-Lee, watching as the second ship lands with prisoners. The first did just now and is making ready to bring them off. These, I'm told, are soldiers that weren't hurt in the fighting or had only minor injuries. They're being removed to the prison here to keep the situation in control out there. Some of these prisoners, I am told, are extremely dangerous, some criminals from Cybertron while others are pretty terrible and violent Decepticon soldiers."

Behind Jacx and Colius, a line of mechs began to walk down the ramp to the mustering area for new arrivals which was flooded with light and guards. Gee-Gee stood in front of them, a small figure without fear as she watched. Jacx looked at Colius. "This is Assistant Warden Colius of Crystal City. What's going to happen now, Warden? Is she going to sort them or what?"

"The Warden, Gee-Gee, is going to give them the standard welcome and probably sort them out for violent/dangerous and dangerous/non-violent."

"Let's watch and listen then," Jacx said as the cameras zoomed into the sullen group and the heavily guarded little femme.

They gathered across from her, huge mechs, tall ones, the odd mini-con and glared. She didn't seem phased. "Who leads this group?" she asked.

No one answered.

"Line up on the lines shoulder-to-shoulder," Gee-Gee said in a quiet voice. "The faster you do this, the faster you get out of restraints."

They stared at her with insolent silence. She looked at a mech behind her, then took his long metallic pole. "This is a weapon that's set at level 2 and delivers a shock painful enough to drop you to your knees. If I turn it up like this to ..." She opened the control, set it at 3, then closed it. "If I turn it up to five," she lied, "and I just did, it sometimes is lethal. How about you lining up so I don't have to give you a love pat?"

They stared at her, some of them smirking with contempt while others looked like they wanted to kill her. Then she moved, a small blur that raced forward toward them. Before they could step back or aside, two of them were writhing on the ground as the sparkles of electrical current delivered with the weapon sparkled all over them. The crew watching grinned and did nothing, standing around with studied nonchalance while 'The Boss' took care of things.

The prisoners stared at the mechs on the ground, then her. They stepped back as she stepped forward and grounded them with a touch of the other end of the device. Stepping back, she leaned on the pole waiting for the pair on the ground to get up.

They did slowly, their murderous expressions and wariness amusing to see. They turned to her and stared with rage and silence. She stepped closer. "I need you on the line. I won't tell you again. If even one of you refuses, I'm going to taze everyone of you. Do you understand me?"

They stared at her, then glanced at each other. Most of them, big mechs, walked to a line to stand. Two didn't, the ones she had touched. The others turned to them, then her. "Get on the line, slaggers," a big mech growled.

One of the biggest glanced at Gee-Gee who was watching with a mild expression on her pretty face. "Are you going to stab all of us if they don't line up?"

She nodded. "Yes. Count on it."

The entire group turned on the two. **"GET IN LINE, COMMODY! YOU, TOO, CENTER! NOW!"**

The two stared at the group with deep hatred, then walked slowly to the line. Everyone looked at the line on the ground, each other, then Gee-Gee. She stood straighter, twirled the tazer in her hands, then planted it again. "I'm Gee-Gee of Stanix. I'm warden here. Before all this slag, I trained the army in hand-to-hand and defensive tactics. I helped develop the training manual for offensive and defensive tactics for the entire army. I can drop anyone. I know every weak place on your armor and fifteen different ways to break off every single piece of you one at a time or all at once. I'm afraid of nothing. No matter how big you are, I have tactics and I personally selected and hand trained my boys and girls here," she said as she turned to the amused group of mostly behemoth and heavily armed individuals ringing the group. "They are mine and they are perfect.

"You are now my prisoners and I own you and your orn. This place has good food, entertainments, jobs if you're smart enough to take one, and a zero tolerance for slag. **ZERO!** I'm the only authority here. My word is law. I've managed all manner of prisons including level nines and there isn't a con, scheme or stampede that I haven't seen fifteen times and have thirty counter measures against all of it. I'm fair but I'm your worst enemy if you fight, use controlled substances, abuse anyone, assault anyone, hurt anyone of my boys and girls who work here, hurt a civilian including the medical and mental health individuals who come here … I can't tell you what would happen if you hurt a priest. They come here, too. Understand me … that would be the end of you. You'll be going to cells for new prisoners so we can assess you. When we figure out where you go, you will go there. Understand me. There are phase sixers in my custody. I do not fear you. If you get along, you don't have to fear me. If you don't … I'll leave it up to you how that turns out. We have dog kennels in administrative segregation for you if you decide to test me or this place. Any questions?"

There weren't any from the grim seething group of miscreant children of a fallen god. After a moment of slag, they were turned to face the main road and marched forward under massive guard to the interim holding area. They did so to an accompaniment of prisoners in the cell blocks mocking and insulting them as they went past. It wasn't what any of them expected as they disappeared into the gathering darkness, heading toward the lights of the prison blocks nearby. As they did, the other prison ship began to unload.

"Colius, what level of prisoner do you think you see in this group?" Jacx asked.

"This is a level 4 group. They would kill you with their bare servos for sport. Right now, they're probably fantasizing doing that to their leader." Colius grinned.

"What phase sixers does the Warden manage?" Jacx asked.

"All of the phase sixers that have been taken prisoner are under her purview. All of them no matter where they're stored or housed are her brief. Shockwave, as you know, is held here. Even if he isn't in the prison per se, he's her responsibility," Colius said.

"What will happen to them and how much of a danger do they pose to the colony?" Jacx asked.

"They'll be in quarantine for a few orns as we sort them out, check them for warrants elsewhere, then put them in groups or alone depending on their temperament and history. Some of them will go to the special detention section here, the place where the most dangerous are being held away from everyone else. We have special protocols in place for that type of prisoner. As for the danger they pose … they'll always be dangerous but we've built this prison to house the worst of the worst. We have redundancies on our redundancies. Our personnel are spectacular and Warden Gee-Gee is an amazing individual. She sets the tone right away. This colony is in good hands."

"How many prisoners do you expect to add to the prison with this mission, Warden?" Jacx asked.

"Between 350 and 500," Colius said.

"Thank you, Warden, and good luck," Jacx said as he turned to the cameras. "Back to the studio, Lim-Lee."

Her sweet face appeared again. "Thank you, Jacx and Assistant Warden Colius at the airfield at the Autobot City Civilian and Military Prison. Word has arrived that the Seekers have been released and will return through the bridges shortly. The ships are surrendering all but for one battleship. The crew prior to the heaviest fighting had bridged off the ship before that capability was destroyed. The group remaining on the last ship number about 55. Commander Springer and Commander Drift of the Watch and Empire Security are leading the search for them now ..."

-0-Out there

The sound of running peds echoed everywhere as the Autobots gave chase. Ahead of them were a number of Decepticons, those that were sensed by Kappa and transmitted to the group giving chase. The shooting had been intense and when they reached a junction everyone halted. Hercy and Kup leading a few mechs glanced at Springer and Drift who were doing the same. "What now, infant?" Hercy asked with a grin.

"Dare I tell you? You never listen," Springer said.

"You sound like Prowl," Kup said with a grin. "How about you go that way and we go this way. When we find them, we shoot them. How's that for a plan?"

"I like it," Hercy said as his team nodded.

Springer stared at the little mech with a sense of the inevitability of futility as half his own group nodded, too. He glanced at them. They stopped nodding. "Fraggers. How about … you go that way and we go this way? When we find them, we shoot them. Does that sound like a plan?"

The group stared at Springer almost too long. Just before he was ready to climb the walls, Hercy grinned. "I wish I thought of it," he said as he and his group turned to the corridor, looked down, then began to run. They were gone in seconds.

"We better go, Boss," Roadbuster said. "They'll beat us to it." He then began to run down his own corridor. The others followed but for Drift. He grinned at Springer. "I like your plan."

Springer smirked. "Thanks. We better haul aft."

Drift nodded, then the two ran down their corridor, their peds echoing fainter and fainter the farther they went.

Then the shooting began.

-0-TBC 5-20-18 **edited 6-2-18**


	362. Chapter 362

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 362)

-0-Outside the doorway of the Data Center, Autobot City Medical Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 2

He peered in, then hesitated. Squaring his shoulders, Laslo of Iacon walked into the vast room heading for the console where Bluestreak was working inputting data for the mission. He was recording injuries, deaths and all the details regarding personnel before sending it back to Prime and to Jazz as information officer of the mission. Halting before the intense youngster, Laslo leaned down. "Bluestreak?" he asked softly.

Blue glanced up, then smiled. " **Laslo! Hi**! Have a seat. Pull up a chair."

Laslo looked around, took a spare chair at an empty console, then moved it to sit beside Bluestreak. "Hi, Bluestreak. Am I interrupting?"

"No. Give me a moment to redirect everything," he said as he put his console and job on autopilot. It would be done through his automatic processes. Every Cybertronian of a certain age was able to do that, plugged in or not. He turned to the handsome tense mech beside him. "You brought food?" he asked with a smile.

"I did. I thought you might like a sweet bun and something to drink," Laslo said kindly.

"You read my processor," Blue said as he took the 'cinnamon bun and coffee'. After a sip, he grinned. "What brings you here?"

"Nerves. At least you didn't go out there. One less to worry about," Laslo said with a slight grin. "I hope I get used to this sometime."

"Don't," Blue suggested. "Just roll with it. Nothing about this is normal." They clicked mugs, then took bites for a moment. "Are you worried about the ceremony? Don't. I have an understanding with Rampage and the hall because this happened. They'll be ready when we are."

Laslo looked relieved. "I'm so glad."

"This happens often," Blue said. "It's going to be fine."

"I'm so happy you helped us, Blue. You really know how to organize a good party," Laslo said.

Blue chuckled. "Its self defense. The twins idea of a good party is a kegger and cards."

Laslo grinned. Then the grin slipped a little. "I'm so glad that Optimus Prime will officiate. All of the goodness and kindnesses … I find it hard sometimes given all things."

"You don't think you deserve them?" Blue asked curiously.

Laslo stared at him a moment, then nodded. "I think so. We have so much to atone for, Lucien and me. We feel it now."

"How long do you plan to feel it?" Blue asked.

Laslo glanced up. "What do you mean?"

"There comes a point, Laslo, when feeling it becomes self abuse. Take me, for instance," Blue said with a very serious expression. "Do you remember the Seeker barrage on Praxus during the war?"

He nodded. "Who can forget it? The Obliteration they called it," Laslo said solemnly.

"I was the only survivor. I was a kid, a little kid. Ironhide and Prowl found me. Prowl took on my care and parented me. I spoke to Rung for eons about this. It took 600 years before I would even speak to him. He never gives up, Rung," Blue said with a grin.

"Oh, Blue … I didn't know. I'm so sorry," Laslo said with a stricken expression.

"So was I, for a long, long time, but Prowl was my way out," Blue said. "He had the same guilt as you, being high caste. He rebelled his whole life. He was hard and cold, repressing the rage until he found me. Because of me, he found he could let go and live again. He found out that love is the only thing that matters."

"I feel it now. I want my children to be happy and I want grandchildren. I want to do for them what I couldn't do for myself and my sons. I want them to do what they want and to excel if they do it. All that I feel is so heavy," Laslo said.

Blue nodded. "It was for me, too. I hated Decepticons. I forgot that they were Cybertronian like me. I hated Seekers. Just seeing them fly enraged me. Then it became a weight I didn't want to carry anymore. I made a decision. I made it and kept it. I decided it was easier to cut the chains that bound me to them with forgiveness than to keep them through hatred and fury."

Laslo considered that. "How do you do that, Blue? How do you forgive like that? How do you forgive yourself because I was part of the reason war happened, me and my entitlement."

"Maybe, but that was then. How are you living now? With joy and consideration of others?"

Laslo nodded. "Yes. Every day. It makes me feel so happy to be of service to others."

"That's how I feel in the army. I hate war but I serve our people. If you really want to be free, you have to forgive yourself. I can show you how. I learned it the hard way myself but Prowl really helped me, Prowl and Ratchet."

Laslo nodded. "I would be so grateful."

Bluestreak thought a moment and grinned. "It isn't that much but if you mean it, it will save you. It will cut the past loose and you can live in the here and now. All you have to do is forgive. That means everyone including yourself. If you don't, you carry everyone of them every orn. For a long time, whenever I smelled burning things I was back in Praxus. I could hear a Seeker fly and it set me on edge. But then, I decided I didn't want to feel that way anymore. It didn't feel good. It made me tired and uneasy. So … I decided to try what Rung and Prowl suggested. I decided that it was easier to live trying to forgive and be forgiven, than to live hating and brooding. Just think about things and when you do, forgive yourself. Forgive and mean it and that includes others that hurt you. It might take a while but it works."

Laslo considered that. "It's that simple?"

Blue chuckled. "It doesn't feel like it at first but eventually, if you mean it and say it enough, it is. You will come to a moment when the thoughts that plagued you don't come first before everything else, when you can wake up and feel good, rather than uneasy. If your family is in the Matrix, and they are because we all go there, everyone of us, they will be happy if you can do this and mean it. I feel that mine do."

Laslo sat back. "Mine have to be there. We never got a chance to find out. I wish I knew. Maybe some orn I will but for now, they're the ghosts trailing me around."

"Forgive them. They didn't know better," Blue said.

"I think they did. They just felt justified, entitled and indifferent," Laslo said sadly.

"Then forgive them and mean it. Think good thoughts for them wherever they are. Don't always live in the past. It's gone and you can't change it anywhere but in your spark. Forgiveness is divine the humans say. I know the Pantheon and Primus would be happy to see you rise up. The One would. Prowl said Primus purposefully forgave Neo there. If He can forgive her, what did you ever do that can touch her life before here? How about joining Them in Their forgiveness?"

Laslo grinned slightly. "I can do that." It was pleasant between them a moment. "I'm so happy for my boys. Lancer is such a good femme. We never had a femme in my family that I know of. She's so good for Partition. He wants to be a better mech for her. Morius and Inweld are incredibly happy. They like being with the other Watchmen. They like fitting in with them and doing their kind of work. I don't think that they will ever go willingly back to an office again."

Blue grinned. "What do you feel about that now as well as then when it was different?"

Laslo paused his cup. "I had no idea you could do something outside of what your path was. We were to follow our families and do what they wanted. It never occurred to me that you could do differently. I … I would have been embarrassed and there would have been terrible pressure on them to change then. Now? I tell everyone. My sons, the Watchmen, the medics. Did you know Inweld has his medic certification as a Watchman and Morius is nearly there? They're on the backup beta team until a position opens up at a station like Partition's did. My family helps others. It makes me terribly happy." He grinned. "It wouldn't delight my family or Lucien but they would just have to deal with it."

Blue laughed. "You're already halfway there."

"I hope so," Laslo said with a softly vented sigh. "I can't wait for grandchildren."

They chatted together as the afternoon rolled onward. Out in the battle zone, both of them had family. It would be a hard wait for them to come home but they would. Eventually.

-0-Out there

They shot it out taking hits and delivering them. Four Wreckers were hauled out with wounds that needed tending, though they swore up and down they could continue. Springer watched them go with a frown. Then he reached into his subspace and brought out a concussion grenade. "Stand back. Fire in the slagging hole," he said as he activated, then rolled the device down the corridor and into the door where the last of the 'Cons were hiding. Moving back swiftly, the blast went off, the entire ceiling of the entire corridor collapsed and everyone was trapped.

Decepticon.

Autobot.

Laying pinned under an aft load of metal, Springer shook his helm. "Frag," he said.

-0-Ratchet

They were getting less injured, mostly those who took a few rounds on the grief trail to surrender. Ratchet patched them up, kabonged a few on the noggin for their rude ways, then sent them onward to the prison ship or by bridge to the prison itself. He heard the call from Springer for back up and an arc welder, then ran for the door. It was short jump to the ship which was beginning to swarm with soldiers. He crept in and followed them to the debacle. Fourteen Decepticons were pinned under steel in a room nearby and a good ten Autobots were scattered around the corridor, their helms poking out here and there from the collapsed ceiling.

Ratchet grinned. "Well, my stars and bars as the Yanks say. Looky at you."

Springer who was sitting on his aft with a lap full of girders smirked at Ratchet. "Get me out of here, Ma. I have riff to raff."

Ratchet transformed a digit, then bent to the task. "This is going to take a few orns because my little cutter isn't up to this thick a girder, infant. I'll hold your servo, though. Just don't tell your old pa. He frowns about such liberties."

Springer grinned around the pressure on his legs. "He always was a loudmouth."

"Orion came by it naturally," Ratchet said as he sat down beside Springer. Down the hallway the sparks of welders could be seen flying up like fireflies. Girders were moved, mechs pulled out and as they were Ratchet hit them with sensors. Mild stuff, the equivalent to bruises in humans but little else. They were lucky. "How long are we going to be here?"

"This is the end. The end, my friend," Springer said channeling a band he liked called, of all things, The Doors.

"We have a bonding one of these orns. Your sister, Lancer and what's his name," Ratchet said with a smirk as girders began to be lifted and cut around Springer. "You'll read him the riot act like a good brother?"

"I thought Lancer was from Praxus," Springer said as the load on his lap began to be lifted off.

"She is. But consider the request Stanix-oriented. I'm sure someone among us has Stanix relations," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I don't. Do you?"

Springer thought a moment, then shook his helm. "We were from civilization, Polyhex."

"I'll be sure to tell Buzzie," Ratchet said.

"When's he due?" Springer asked as he stood slowly, shaking himself a bit.

Ratchet froze. Then he frowned. "Yesterday. Ratchet to Lazarust"

:Lazarust here, Ratchet. Where are you?: a voice said in Ratchet's audial.

"Here in the fun. Did Buzzie and Cliffjumper have their infant?" Ratchet asked.

:Yes. They did. A little femme:

" **A FEMME!? I THOUGHT THEY WERE HAVING A MECH!"** Ratchet said as everyone in the room paused to look at him.

 **:SURPRISE!** It happens. It was an easy modification of the protoform. When you coming back?: Lazarust asked.

"Any second now. Ratchet out." He was a seething pile of frustration as he stood in the hallway. Everyone looked at him with fear and loathing.

"What did they say, though I can guess that Buzzie and Cliffjumper had a sparkling," Springer said with a grin.

" **THAT SLAGGER HAD A FEMME WITHOUT ME THERE! WHAT THE FRAG IS WRONG WITH THIS MECH'S ARMY!?"** Ratchet bellowed to no one in particular.

"Fragged if I know," Springer said before he lifted Ratchet off his peds in a bear hug as the entire group in the hallway erupted in cheers. The Decepticons wouldn't give an opinion. They were still buried up to their necks in steel.

-0-On Mars in an apartment after all the slaggers went home

They sat side-by-side in their apartment looking at the infant femme lying in Buzzie's arms. Cliff sat beside him staring at his daughter.

 **DAUGHTER!**

He looked at Buzzie, then the baby. "You're the best thing I ever did for myself, Buzzie. **Now** look at us."

Buzzie nodded as he glanced from Cliffjumper to the baby. "You know my spark, Cliffie. Just so you know."

"I do," Cliffjumper said. He grinned. "What a great name for her. We sorta had to improvise."

"We can keep Ferrus for the next one. I know your father would be proud to have a grandchild with his name."

Cliff nodded. "He would **love** this kid. I do. How fast was that?"

Buzzie nodded. "Pretty fast. Thank you for agreeing to have my grand amma's name for her."

"It's a great name, Buzzie." He looked at the big mech. "It's an awesome name. Awesome like you."

Buzzie smiled, then nodded. "You know my spark, Cliffie."

They would sit for a long time staring at the sweet little baby girl with Buzzie's face and Cliffjumper's paint scheme and silver horns. Her name meant flower in NeoCybex.

Agnus of Mars.

The newest Autobot of them all.

-0-TBC 5-21-18 **edited 6-2-18**


	363. Chapter 363

The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 363)

-0-MCA broadcast over the network including Earth and Cybertron

"... and that is Kappa Supreme ..."

In the distance glinting in the morning sunlight, the magnificence that was Kappa Supreme could be seen making her approach to the airfield. Overnight, they had managed to bring things back to operational, if not pristine around the area. One could still see the damage to the runway, the roadways around and the buildings, probably better from Kappie's viewpoint than on the ground. She came in smoothly, halted almost instantly, then transformed. Her towering figure, one of an exotic nature as well as blazing beauty rose upward, then turned toward the hangar where their frame were treated. She moved swiftly there and when she arrived only then would she let everyone out who had journeyed with her.

"It would appear that she's concerned for her brother, as all of us are," Aleph said solemnly as the camera watched the huge behemoth walk carefully but hurriedly to the hangar to disappear inside. "Next in the order of flight is a number of battle shuttles, most of them utilized by the Wreckers. They were designed according to specific standards and are considered some of the most dangerous and swift ships in the fleet."

Overhead, nine battle shuttles with flashes on the side indicating the Wreckers, Cybertron, Mars, the Global Alliance, the Autobots and other smaller features came down together toward the airfield. One sped up and landed, making way for the others to accomplish the same thing. They rolled to their place in the lineup to stop and power down.

"The first three ships are manned by Wrecker teams and are named City of Praxus, Mystery of Mercepius and Impactor's Revenge. Impactor was the legendary former head of the Wreckers before dying in service. His chosen lieutenant, Commander Springer of Polyhex then advanced to his position. Springer commands the Wreckers, the Day and Night Watch security forces both here and in the empire as well as serving on the Prime's General Staff as a senior Autobot officer. Coming down the ramp with him is Commander Drift of Kaon who is sub commander of the Watch and all other features of Springer's command. Behind him are Roadbuster, an Autobot soldier and prison extraction expert, Sandstorm, an veteran Autobot soldier and three others I am unfamiliar with. We will annotate their identities when this goes on the web page in the Community Bulletin Board at the link, 'Mission to the Bootes Barren'."

They walked down the ramp heavily laden with guns and gear, gathered a moment as they waited for the crew of the other ships to join them, then all turned to look down the airfield toward the disaster.

"The crews walking toward Springer include Commander Hercy of Helex, Commander Kup of Iacon, Senior Commander Lissie of Iacon, Autobot Bumblebee of Polyhex, one of the better known individuals among the human population, Autobots Smokescreen of Praxus, the grandson of Smokescreen the Elder, Tracks of Capital City, a winged Autobot which isn't common, Autobot Splice of Kaon, and several others we will identify when we post the video shortly."

They began to walk forward toward Cultural Center Road which ran through the center of the disaster. As they did, two cruisers began to approach to land. Their outside configuration bore the impact of shots, some of them leaving gaping holes in the body of the vessels. There were scorch marks and one had a nick in the aft tail section. They landed one after the other, then began to taxi to their spots as directed. Dropping behind them was the first of several battleships, huge vessels of great power landing heavily on the runway. A lighted vehicle drove in front of them leading them to their place of rest and repair. They, too, bore the effects of close in fighting. Small vehicles mustered including a number of individuals on foot who were running forward to assist. It was very controlled chaos as everyone ran to help the ships and their crews.

"That first battleship is the Phobos, a medical vessel with full and complete capability to assist a colony if necessary. These battleships are able to carry a crew of ten thousand if necessary and they have been modified, some of them, to do specific jobs. The Phobos is commanded by Senior Commander Ratchet of Iacon who runs the medical portion of all missions directly himself. The other battleship behind that one is The Siren, a ship modified when captured. It was part of the Decepticon's fleet and was captured when surrendered at Nova Cronum on Cybertron. These two ships are identical in format and capabilities. Both of them can fight and bring down things with the same ferocity."

The image on screens everywhere was of huge ships slowly taxiing down the runway to pull off onto the flight line. As they did, the air was filled with runabouts coming to land and carry those aboard Phobos to care centers and hospitals around the colony. It was orderly, the landing of two or three runabouts at a time, the mustering of stretchers from the landing deck of the battleship as the wounded were carried off to be flown away. It would take several minutes before Ratchet could be seen walking down the ramp carrying a corner of a stretcher. Standing on the ground, he checked patients as they were carried past, then assigned to be flown away. As he did, more ships began to land.

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Zeta, and Xantium began to come through the bridges followed by smaller vessels, some of which were damaged. The smaller ships came in waves to land, rolling away to their tie downs and the waiting crews that were there to assist. Then Zeta came down followed by Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. They landed and rolled to the flight line to off load everyone before transforming to go to the hangar to see about Omega. As they moved away, the last ship in the fleet, Xantium came bombing in. He hit the ground, rolled a distance, then turned swiftly toward the hangar district. Dropping a ramp at all four entrances, he waited until everyone including the command team and Prime were off, then swiftly transformed. He nodded to Optimus, then walked toward the hangar where Omega was being treated. He disappeared swiftly inside.

The cameras zeroed in on Prime and the command crew as they walked toward the Master of the Muster-Personnel, the Master of the Ground Command-Ships and Ratchet who were talking together as the crews of ships began to leave, gather to talk, or help with gear. It was crowded and orderly as Prime and the others reached Ratchet. The cameras watched as Prowl ran down a ramp from a battleship and across the field to the group. Joining it, they discussed something as he held a datapad in his servo. Hercy, Kup, Springer, Drift, and Lissie joined them along with a number of soldiers and Wreckers. Behind them, Ironhide's relatives, all of them big menacing looking mechs walked over to assist in the conversation.

"As you can see, Optimus Prime and his senior command crew landed and have gathered with other commanders of the fleet to discuss the situation as it stands. We are unclear on how things are at the moment because the Office of Strategic Information hasn't updated as of yet. We've sent Jacx to join the group on screen to find out what we can about the operation and where it all stands as of now.

"The officers around Optimus include General Hard Drive of Praxus, General Raptor of Praxus, General Blackjack of Praxus, Senior Commanders Turbine and Delphi of Praxus, Senior Commander Alor of Iacon, Senior Commander Ironhide of Praxus, Senior Commander Paragon of Capital City and numerous others that are hard to identify from the camera angles. Coming to join them now is Senior Commander and Chief Administrator of the colony, Cybertron and the Empire, Ultra Magnus. I can see Elita-1 and her bond, Senior Commander Jetta of Iacon. There … I think I see Commander Arcee of Iacon. There are many and the crowd and moving vehicles are making it difficult to identify everyone. Jacx? Are you there yet?" Aleph asked.

"Nearly, Aleph," Jacx said from somewhere in the crowd. "I'm almost there." There was a pause, then he was back. "Here, now." He was silent a moment, then he could be seen trying to get the attention of Magnus. "Commander Magnus, can I speak to you a moment?"

Magnus turned to him, then glanced around. "I wasn't in the group, Jacx. Why not talk to someone who was? Elita?"

A tall beautiful femme turned to the call of her name, then threaded her way to Magnus. "What's up, Magnus?"

"Jacx would like to ask about the mission," Magnus said with a slight smirk.

She smirked back, then looked at Jacx. "What do you need to know that I have liberty to tell you?"

"How did the mission go, Commander? I can see a lot of damage on the ships coming in," Jacx asked.

"It was fast and close in. We took a lot of hits but we delivered more. Right now, we're counting heads and figuring out what's happened," Elita said. "I don't know how much is going to be released this early in the regrouping but know that those slaggers took a hard hit. They lost half their fleet in a good estimation and they didn't come into our space to link up with Razorclaw or Ominous. That's a win for us."

"We lost a few of our soldiers this time around," Jacx said.

Elita's grin faded. "We did. The fighting was close and intense. They lost more if that's any comfort. It isn't to me."

A voice called to Elita and she turned to notice that Prime and his group were heading for The Fortress. She looked at Jacx. "We did our duty to protect this system, Cybertron and everyone in it. We won. We don't ever intend to lose. Gotta motor," she said as she slung her rifle over her shoulder and stepped after the command group.

Jacx watched her go, then turned to the camera. "The Prime and his command staff are heading for The Fortress, so we're going to follow. I hope to have interviews and comments if possible. Back to the studio, Aleph."

It switched back to the newsreader who nodded. "That was Jacx at the Autobot City Military Airfield talking with Commander Elita-1 and Commander Ultra Magnus, both of Iacon. When we have more information from him and our other field reporters, then we shall deliver it. I received a note that Prime will deliver an address at 2000 hours tonight on the TMC. We will deliver it live here and on the MCA to Earth and Cybertron. Right now, we're going to take a brief moment to scroll the Community Bulletin Board latest news page with all the most update information and numbers you can call if you require assistance about this mission. When we come back, we will be taking a visit to the Titan Hangar Medical Station for an update on Omega Supreme and hopefully, a statement or two from his siblings."

The screen changed to the Bulletin Board.

-0-At the Ops Center

They walked in and headed for the conference room where they fogged in, some to kibitz and others to lay down facts and figures. Prowl sat down and organized a page for notes on his work datapad. Prime looked a combination of resigned, infuriated and aggravated. He looked at the group. "Has Shrike been found?"

"We've read transponders, sir," Coleus who was there for Gee-Gee. "We haven't located him yet but there are more prisoners being sorted. It could be that he fled with the group that got away."

"I hope not," Alor said with a frown. "He's going to be trouble. What little I remember about him was when he was running a crime syndicate out of Nova Cronum. He's a vengeful mech."

Jazz who sat down next to a weary Mirage nodded. "I remember that. He was a strong armed loser who killed anyone who crossed him. He had political connections so he never had to pay a price. It's made him more dangerous because he has never faced consequences. What he did out there was as stupid as it gets but it also shows his weakness … entitlement and bravado."

"Which works to our favor," Prime said with a nod. He glanced around the room. "Thank you for your efforts. We have lost people, at least two Seekers in the number. I will declare a three decaorn period of mourning to allow grieving and those who wish to attend memorials and funerals. I will attend all of them and I hope as many of you as can come will do so. All flags and other markers at half staff, Prowl. Drape the memorial plaques with mourning tags and prepare a place in the Basilica for a plaque with their names and faces. They will be honored there."

Prowl wrote furiously as he nodded.

"What do you report?" Prime asked as he braced himself internally for the toll.

"Well," Raptor said. "We have damage on every ship but Phobos that went out there. The Supremes even took glancing blows. Fighting in such close quarters will do that. All of our ships came back on their own power and will be refit and refurbished for the ready-go flight line. Our mechs and femmes acted admirably including the Home Guard that were there. I would suggest that we consider this as a wake up call for them. We should troubleshoot all the possibilities for danger before we bring them in numbers the next time."

Everyone nodded. "They were good but they aren't veterans," Elita said.

"The medical ships and teams were admirable. We saved a number of mechs including four that were thrown into space because they work so well. My medics were first rate. I've spotted a couple of needs so training will be devised but all in all, I'm proud of them," Ratchet said as he lounged against Ironhide's broad shoulder.

Prime nodded. "What about wounds and future outlooks for the wounded, Ratchet?"

"Two Seekers will never be combat veterans again, though they will fly. All of our wounded will be up again and I believe they will re-certify for combat. Most of the wounds were shrapnel though some of them were direct combat in the ship taking process." He glanced at Springer who was sitting nearby leaning against an amused Drift. "How do you two feel?"

"Bent but unbowed," Springer said to general laughter.

"Throwing a fragmentation grenade into a corridor that's been weakened by sustained fire, then bringing the roof down on top of yourself will do that," Ratchet said with a grin.

"I'm glad I missed that one," Jetta said with a smirk.

"I'll trade ya next time," Springer said to his brother-in-law.

They discussed the mission, gathered information, decompressed, shot the shit, then everyone relaxed. As they did, Ratchet noted Partition standing outside with his arms around Lancer. They were laughing with his brothers and a number of others who were there waiting for the all clear. He turned around to look down the table at Prime. "By the way, Optimus … Partition and Lancer are going to want to know when their bonding ceremony can happen. Do you have a moment that we can pencil in?"

Optimus glanced at Prowl who was thumbing through the follow up schedule. "Today … you have to get the overview of the mission which will be followed up by **DETAILED** individual reports from all senior Autobots," Prowl said as he cast a gimlet optic around the room. He got back groans, moans and the Cybertronian version of the finger. Smirking in spite of himself, he looked at the schedule again. "We have to speak to the allies on Earth, check in with Soundwave and the Cybertron Command … we have to … let me correct that. **You** have to give an address to the Empire and to Earth tonight about this. That's for 2000 hours. I made the time with IntraComm and they will be waiting.

"Tomorrow, there's the debriefing … **THE FORMAL ONE AT 0900.** Bring your data, slaggers. All of it. You also, by the way, need to visit Omega and see how that is. Who's the liaison there?" Prowl asked.

"I'll do it," Paragon said as Arrow walked in and took a seat next to him.

"Thank you, Pari," Prowl said looking at the agenda again. "We have talks tomorrow with allies, heads of government, some of us with media … no slacking on that if I call on you," Prowl said with a narrow optic.

"Oh boy. Not," Ratchet said.

"I volunteer. I'm the best looking," Tracks said with a preen. Howls met that.

Ignoring the slaggers, Prowl continued. "Tomorrow will be damage control. You also have to go to Cybertron to reassure everyone there and visit the command centers. All of it is designed to put us back on track. There will also be visits to the hospital for the wounded and home visits to those who lost someone." It was silent a moment. "I would suggest that everyone go if you can to visit the families. They know about this and everyone is with them. But it helps anyway for us to come as well."

Agreement went around the room.

"I would say … the morning of Martian Wednesday is open until noon when you have conference calls and meetings with the humans," Prowl said. "Day after tomorrow, 0700 to noon."

"How about 1100 hours?" Prime suggested. He looked at Ratchet. "Would that be alright?"

"I think it would be great. Blue has it in servo, Optimus," Ratchet said as he sat back. "As the mother of the bride," he began as the room laughed heartily, "you're all invited to the steps of The Fortress at 1100 hours on Martian Wednesday to observe a Praxian ceremony uniting in unholy bondage Partition of Iacon and Lancer of Praxus. I will, of course, be the dazzling babe on the steps and I'll be there with old what's his name."

Howling erupted, a much needed thing at the moment and then the cows came out. Flipper and Pudding stood on the table staring at the group around the room with their placid cow expressions. They were a perfect antidote to a very depressing three orns.

-0-TBC 5-22-18 **edited 6-2-18**


	364. Chapter 364

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 364)

-0-At a conference confab

They sat around the table, those that were still there, and around the edges of the room eating food that had been called in by Ratchet. It was 'Chinese' today and it was being devoured by mechs and femmes that hadn't eaten during the mission. Standing on the table in front of stacked boxes of electronic datapads, eating from a small box perched on top, Flipper and Pudding joined them. The box was full of 'hay', ie, energon designed to look like alfalfa shaped Wetabixes and they were stuffing their faces.

Ratchet leaned back somewhat satiated, then grinned at Raptor. "Flipper is one slagging fine cow, Raptor."

He grinned. "That cow is and more. He's all that as they say. Somewhere." He grinned at Turbine, then winked at Ratchet. "If there was a disaster, I don't know which I'd grab first … Turbine or Puddin'."

A rap on the noggin signaled Turbine's wrath as he grinned at Pudding. "Who's a good boy?" Turbine then asked the little steer.

Pudding paused a moment with a mouthful of food, then lowed softly. He turned back to the important stuff, eating hay with his bestie, Flipper.

"Did you know they overnight together sometimes?" Alor asked with a snicker. "Big Baby over there," he said nodding to Raptor, "and Bigger Baby over here have them do sleepovers." Alor grinned. Blackjack frowned slightly.

"I'll have you know, Ali, I'm bigger than him," Raptor said with a grin at his son. "Besides, the cows are friends. Why not have sleepovers?"

"Well, for one … it's easier to recharge with one cow on the berth than two," Alor said with a smirk at Blackjack.

"I thought you had a little berth bed on the floor by the window for them," Ironhide asked with surprise.

"We do." -Turbine and Alor

"Sometimes, Kitty will sit on my chassis and bat at my optics to wake us up," Optimus said with a grin. "I like cats." He looked at Blackjack and Raptor. "I like your cows, too."

"Get one. You won't regret it," Raptor said. "We can have a big herd and drive our beeves around the place like the cowboys do."

"Beeves?" Springer asked with a grin.

"That's what the cowboys call cows. Beeves." Raptor grinned. He liked cowboys and their insane vocabulary.

"Maybe you can have Bumblebee help you. He's about that size," Drift said before he got a hard smack on the leg for his impertinence. "Are you going to see Cliffjumper and Buzz Saw's infant?"

"I am," Bee said with a grin. "I love babies." Then he froze and glanced at Ratchet who was grinning at him. **"FRAG OFF!"**

Huge laughter and much ridicule greeted that. Prime grinned. "Everyone is off until they are called or something comes up. We can debrief tomorrow. Right now, the clean up crew is going over the battlefield in case something was not retrieved or find something that might transpire trouble that we missed."

"Good," Ratchet said. "I have to see the family, then hit the grocery store. I'm sure we're cleaned out."

"If you ever learned to say no, that wouldn't be a problem," Prowl said with a slight smirk.

 **HUGE** laughter and smirks were exchanged, the cows wandered over to their 'daddies', then lay down together to chew their cud.

Yes. Even metallic cows have cuds.

"I suppose I should go with you, Ratchet. We were coming up short before this started," Alor said. He rose and with Ratchet walked to the door. Delphi and Turbine joined them, though they were headed for the office to get a jump on the reports.

Outside, the group gathered watched as they came up. Partition and Lancer smiled. "What's the word, Ada?" Lancer asked.

"1100 hours here in front of The Fortress day after tomorrow. Come to our house a joor early or earlier. I'll let Blue know that everything is go for then unless something happens," Ratchet said.

Both of them smiled happily. "This is so great. We need to tell your family," Lancer said as she glanced at Partition. He nodded, then with happy faces both of them hurried out to let the world know things were on.

Ratchet grinned. "Par-tay." He glanced at the others who were smiling. "Better alert the Squad."

Huge laughter and agreement met that as they ambled onward, two of them heading for the grocery store and two toward their offices nearby. The sun was bright overhead as the airfield was still a whirlwind of activity.

-0-Around the area shortly afterward where Armageddon came early

Prime stood in the rubble that was piled up as engineers and heavy equipment worked to break up the mess that was once the highly manicured plaza entrance to the former museum and now Courthouse of Autobot City. The former Cultural Center had been swallowed up by additions, expansions and other new constructions until it was barely recognizable. The courthouse was made of gleaming white marble found in the mountains to the south. It was a beautiful building with windows and light streaming into the seven stories that now lay scattered all over the place.

There were hordes of individuals inside pulling things back from the facade which had been slammed and had collapsed. Offices had been exposed, things inside had been whirled in the impact and glass was everywhere ankle deep. It would take a while to clear it all away to get the fullest picture. As it was happening, engineers both structural and design were sounding the building to see how safe it was. It was going to take a while. Oddly enough, the computer center in the basement and the jail area was untouched. Relatively.

Things crunched under Prime's peds as he looked around. Memories of other times flooded him as he remembered how solitary this building setting had once been when it was the only thing here, their museum, cultural center for artists and in the end, half of it their legal center. It had been massive, terrifically beautiful and was now crunching under his feet. It was disconcerting.

Jetta explained things, then they moved onward to the Museum itself where the greatness of their people's genius was scattered around. Flags marked where things lay as teams of restorers worked to remove them from their landing places. He watched as a portrait of Guardian Prime was gently removed from a sudsy indentation in the sand. It dripped fuel, solvents and who knew what as it was held up by two students of the art department with tongs. Jade was looking at it with a device, then nodded to a colleague. He held a spray device and began to gently spray off the contaminants. When it was clean, they carried it to a box and carefully lay it on a white absorbent cloth. Placing the lid on top, it sealed and the piece was now saved from further degradation.

They carried it to a cart and laid it gently down, returning to Jade to help with a fragmented icon of Zeta Prime. It was very famous, had disappeared from a museum before recovery here and had been put in the gallery for the light to enhance its construction. It was covered in the most amazing jewels, none of which could be found in this solar system. It had been in the personal collection of a group of financiers who had arranged for its 'liberation' from a public gallery and who exchanged it amongst themselves, this highly venerated icon of a good Prime. When The Fall came, the magnate who held it ran with his stash of things before getting killed by someone at an outpost. It had landed in the care of a number of individuals who gave it to the Museum when they arrived along with many other priceless treasures that had been 'stolen' or came up 'missing' during the Golden Age.

Now it was endangered. Its frame had shattered and the gems were laying in the bottom of watery puddles, shimmering anyway as they waited to be collected. Pictures were taken, samples of the contamination, then long padded tongs were used to pick them up out of the mess. Prime watched as the entire collection of jewels, priceless antiques from the time of empire when they were bringing beautiful and strange things back to Cybertron with nearly every ship's return were saved. Placing them in containers with clear liquid, they were gathered swiftly. The hard part would be to retrieve the handmade frame.

Glancing into the distance, Prime noted the business tower and IntraComm. With a calm facade and a grieving interior, he followed Jetta and the crew with them toward the next island of disaster to hear the plan for its restoration from the Master Builder of Mars, Jetta of Iacon.

-0-Grocery

Alor and Ratchet moved along loading their carts with things to fill the bottomless pits of their families. The crowds were light but many were the individuals who stopped them to quiz about the mission. Giving them what they could and many assurances, they continued onward. "We have a wedding orn after tomorrow. Partition is going to be a son-in-law. Imagine that."

"No one could. Who could have? That was the dumbest youngster I've seen in ages," Alor said as he got a number of soft cheeses for Blackjack. Mech liked his cheese. "He's a good kid now but who could have known?"

"He had a lot of possibilities but he had to re-write his hard drive. Most of them have come around. I have to go visit Traachon today." Ratchet tossed two big balls of mozzarella into the cart. Hopefully, Ironhide wouldn't toss them directly into his mouth, then empty a chips box next.

"How's he doing?" Alor asked as they picked out dinner for the next several orns. It would be packed in the cupboards and fridge at Ratchet's house in the order he would reach in and use it. Alor would be a bit more sophisticated.

"He's stiff and stuck. Its going to take a while. Millow will be the one to watch. That mech is going to throw a rod here any orn soon. Don't be around when he does," Ratchet said. He looked at Alor. "Two daughters in stasis, their son an inmate at the Processor Hospital and a bond, too. Yet, nothing is changing in him but his pressure level. He's going to blow. Mark my words."

"We're a sad and pathetic people, Ratchet. Just so you know," Alor said as they turned the corner. Ahead of them was a very, very long aisle filled with colorful bottles. "We got here just in time," he said as he picked out bottles of flavored vinegar 'rose' and beer. Ratchet would join him.

-0-At home later that night

"You have to go to sleepy-bed, you little slaggers," Ironhide said as he tried to catch his kids. The big ones had gone to their end of the house with a hug and a grin. The little ones were playing hard to get. Ratchet sat in his chair with Halo watching the show. "Show 'em who's boss, Only One."

" **I, ORION BOSS! I, ORION BRING POW-POW!"** Orion paused running in shrieking circles with Praxus and Hero, then planted himself.

Prowler who had been caught already because he was mellow and didn't run was sitting on Ironhide's servo. He looked down. "Orion, what you do?" he asked.

Orion smiled like the sun, then took his stance again. **"I, ORION POW-POW ATAR!"** With that, he burst into lightning moves, blows struck to a big black ped and fancy pageant dancing aka his kata.

Ironhide who was staring downward grinned. "Ow."

Three little kids looked startled, then attacked him. Sunspot who was sitting on the couch watching with Spot grinned. "They're so cute."

"They are. Help me get them moving, infant," Ironhide said.

Sunspot grinned, then slid off the couch. He walked to the little group, took Orion and Praxus by the servo, then turned to Hero. "You wait here, Hero. I'll come get you." He looked at a smiling Orion and Praxus. "Come on, sparklings. You have to go to bed." With that, the three walked happily down the hallway to their rooms.

Ironhide watched them go, then glanced at Ratchet who was laughing. He looked down at Hero. "You, too?"

She smiled at him melting his spark once more. "I have to wait here for Sunspot. He will help me."

Ratchet and Ironhide stared at Hero with grins, then watched as Sunspot came back. "Come on, Hero. Time for bed."

She took Sunspot's servo and walked with him and Spot before turning to wave at everyone. **"CALL ME IF HALO NEEDS ME! I'LL COME!"** Then she followed him down the corridor to her room.

The two stared at the corridor, then each other, the corridor, Prowler who smiled at them, then each other. Ironhide grinned. "It's good to be home again."

Ratchet nodded. "It is. You're going back to Earth tomorrow? To continue the search?"

"I am. They went to ground. We'll get them. We have the area on deep sub tracking with robotic sonars," Ironhide said. "Slaggers are going to get caught." Ironhide gathered Halo, then with Prowler in servo walked down the corridor to put them both to bed.

-0-2000 hours on the TMC, broadcasting over the MCA to the Empire, Earth, Ominous, and Razorclaw

He sat in the set that was his and watched as the red light changed to green. Mirage sat nearby watching as Jazz personally directed the broadcast as usual. It was still in the room, then Prime spoke. "Good evening, Earth, Mars, Cybertron, the forward bases, the local planetary system of Cybertron, and all places where Cybertronians exist who may receive this message. I am Optimus Prime ..."

-0-TBC 5-23-18 **edited 6-2-18**

ESL

lowing: a soft low moan that cows make. Sometimes it can be loud if they're upset but mostly its low.

And sweet.

confab: meet up to chat

For the city slickers out there … a cud is what a cow chews when they barf up grass and feed that they just ate and re-chew it. YUM! When you see a cow lounging around doing that, that's what they're doing. Cows have four stomachs and food progresses to the exit point through them as it gets re-chewed and digested.


	365. Chapter 365

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath and Beyond (dd6 365)

-0-Dojo in Tyger Pax, earlier in the orn before Prime's broadcast … the rest of the day ...

They lounged, weary and slightly dinged. A long shower, a trip to the detailer and most of the slag would be repaired. Some of them would require a visit to the 'plastic surgeon' to get the dents out. That would come in due time. Right now, a beer, a donut and a soft chair was the ticket. Just as Springer, Hercy, Kup, the twins, Twin Twist, Drift, Lon, Bezel, and Splice kicked back, the door across the vast space was filled with the sounds and sights of little kids.

"I was hoping there'd be a floor show," Springer said with a grin as Neo led her line into the room followed by Laret and hers. Level 1, Group C and D were here from Sparkling Day School for their once a decaorn 'self defense' lesson. They wandered in holding their grip on the rope that Neo and Laret held as they walked to a mat where Willa was waiting.

" **EO! YOU COMED! I, ORION LOVE YOU!"** someone said from back in the line.

Willa aka **EO!** , **IO!** , **ILLO!** laughed as they came forward to gather around her.

The mechs grinned as they watched the lines stop and the ropes get gathered up. The bus driver along for the fun walked to the lounge and sat. "This is the best floor show in town," he said as the mechs nodded. They handed him a beer and a donut which he took, rules of the road be damned.

"I love you, too," Willa said with a smile at the little imps who gathered to hug and pat her legs. "How about you find your place and show me your stance?"

They smiled all together, then ran for the mat, finding their places, mostly, then turned around to face her. There were fifteen little kids on the mat, all of them toddlers, all of them well known to the mechs who always tried to be here to watch them. Some of them were family.

"Okay. Let's do our movements. Do what I do," Willa said as she began to go through the slow series of movements that made up the first part of their katas. They would follow.

Mostly.

-0-Home, joors before Prime's broadcast that night

Ratchet walked through the apartment picking up this and that, straightening this and that as he bused the place. He had put the groceries away, thought out what he would cook, then got the call from Ironhide. Deep sea sonars had tracked the entire ocean finding that the mechs were hidden, cloaked and powered down somewhere below them from minute particles of exhaust which made location difficult due to ocean drift. He bridged in to take over command again but would be back by dinner unless something happened. It didn't look good for him spending the night at home.

Such was life.

-0-Grapevine around about the same time

"I was told that in two orns, at 1100 in front of The Fortress, the bonding ceremony will occur," Laslo said over the monitor to Lucien who was working in his capacity as political adjutant and adviser to the Secretary of State and Ambassador in the Autobot City Medical Center. "Bluestreak is coming by tonight to tell us what we have to do. Mostly, we have to show up."

"That's a relief," Lucien said. "Are they coming to dinner tonight?"

"Yes," Laslo said. "Inweld and Morius are going to be there. They've taken leave for the festivities. I'm having it catered. Partition and Lancer can tell us about the mission."

"When do you get off?" Lucien asked as he signed a datapad handed to him by someone off screen.

"I'm coming home a little early to get things ready for the dinner. I'm so glad to have a celebration party. It's been so long since we could really rejoice … I'm so happy."

Lucien grinned, then nodded. "I am, too. See you in a joor or two."

Laslo nodded, then the screen went back to the Emblem of Mars. He turned around to inspect the house, then began to make the table for the intimate party they would have this evening. He had ordered the best possible dinner for everyone from The Catering Place and there were drinks to be had. Lucien had grown into the moment, Laslo was sure, and he was doing a fine job at the Secretariat, he was told. Their lives had taken a turn since the Pantheon meeting and it was good to watch Lucien decompress.

The other wonderful part of this would be the bonding ceremony in two orns. They would celebrate with dinner tonight with Lancer and the family, then dinner with the bigger one, Ironhide and Ratchet's the next night at the Tower in the Sky. It would be a beautiful event with food, children, dancing, laughter, and joy. Lucien almost quivered with happiness as he set up a beautiful table, a comfortable living room and a kitchen ready to receive the most beautiful food. Then he sat down at his desk and commed the Squad to get the latest gossip and to coordinate when all of them would show up the next night for the dinner with the Mob. It would be difficult for him to remember a time when he was ever happier in his entire life.

-0-Bluestreak earlier in the orn before the 2000 broadcast by Prime

He walked into the house and began to throw things around. :Sunstreaker?:

:Here, Blue:

:You get the kids. I have work to do to coordinate the parties for the bonding ceremony. Remind Sideswipe that the bonding dinner with everyone is at 1800 hours on the top floor of The Tower in the Sky in Terra:

:On it. What are you doing?:

:Calling everyone. Getting the word to Rampage and the Tower. I have to go see Laslo because he's having a nervous breakdown he's so happy and there's so much to do. Just get the kids and keep them with you. Bluestreak out: He grinned, then pulled out the datapad where he had organized this affair. Sitting down at the monitor, he began to get it rolling. He would.

-0-Dojo

They sat on a number of laps, little kids taking bites out of donuts as Neo, Laret, Willa, and Bus Driver Calus kicked back a moment to kibitz. It was hilarious. None of the kids were afraid of hanging with mostly strangers and all of them loved biting a donut or two. Orion took a big bite, chewed, then swallowed it. "I, Orion, like dis. Good, me." He looked up at Drift. "Good you, Spliff. You good she."

Drift chuckled, then kissed his little helm. "Orion is a good she, too."

Orion smiled, then pointed to Springer. **"YOU GOOD SHE?"**

Springer nodded. "I am your father."

 **HUGE** laughter.

Orion pointed to Kup. **"GOOD SHE!?"**

"Finest kind," Kup said with a grin.

"You good she, you she?" he asked Hercy.

"I'm the best she here," Hercy replied with a chuckle. "What do you think, Praxus? Am I a good she?"

Praxus who was working on a donut looked up, then smiled brightly. "You're good, Uncle Hercy. I love you." Then he went back to the donut.

Hercy grinned at Neo and Laret who were enjoying a donut as well. "This is why we fight," he said.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

-0-Later that afternoon along toward 1700 hours

The schools began to send their children home. The stations for the metro were below the schools now, letting everyone who rode the tube lines off at platforms there. Children climbed onto the three different long trains, each going in a different direction to deliver children to their stations. They still had to pass inspection with aides who rode along before they could get off at their stops. The streets topside were filled with cabs, the big yellow buses that transported kids and even the odd adult transformed to wait.

Waiting on the street for the mob of infants to show up down town, Ratchet chatted with other genitors and/or grand ammas/appas. Those who could were here. Those that couldn't would get their kids from the various day cares around the colony after work. All of them were carefully staffed and administrated by the school district or various private schools around. Two were run by the military and several were religious. The children of the 22 assistants of the Council of Twelve went to school and day care at the Monastery until their genitors who were getting retraining and counseling came to get them. They lived in a closed hermetically sealed bubble and it kept them out of trouble.

The children were strange, quiet and watchful. They were almost devoid of emotions and normal reactions to things. No one cried. Everyone did what they were asked to do. Spontaneity had been bled out of them and the counselors that worked with the teachers in the classroom set up for them off the secondary scriptorium did so in a quiet place. When the final testing was made and evaluated, it would be decided then whether or not they were ready to ease into joint activities with other kids. Right now, they weren't. Their genitors were also kept out of the big picture in the colony yet, with their jobs being mostly related to the Monastery and nearly full orn instruction on how to live and work in a life that was normal. It would take a long time to affect change. Perhaps when the Pantheon decided the 22 had a clue and they came back, it would help. Right now, it was a long term project for the community of the Guiding Hand.

It helped that a small number of other Functionalists lived here. They lived a simple life, were relatively unemotional like most of the Guiding Hand but not homicidal. Where Cyclonus was dour and stern, most fell along a spectrum of personality types. They all were very serious about their religion but they could laugh and goof around without feeling they were betraying some guideline somewhere. Their point of view covered a spectrum of behavior. It had been worse for the congregation than it was for other Cybertronians who felt the burn of the murderous act. The betrayal the congregation felt was real. It was going to take a long time before this group would ever fit in but Cyclonus and the Board which included Turbine in an honored capacity as his clan held secrets and lore of the Guiding Hand as well, all were determined to accomplish it anyway.

Cyclonus watched the children playing in the small area set aside for them. There were toys and swings, a sand box and other opportunities to cavort and be children. It was mostly empty. The children stood by the window and stared out at the colony beyond. A cold fury ran through him that this should have happened. Somehow, they would always be tainted by the horror. It was what he felt. He walked to the playground and paused by the dome window. The kids looked up at him. He looked down. "How was school?" he asked.

They stared at him with their little faces devoid of emotion. "It went well, Master," one of them said.

Cyclonus nodded. He wondered what he should do now. He had grown up in a sect that had the same reserve. Thinking a moment, he knelt. "See that dome?" he asked.

The kids nodded.

"That is the Temple of Primus. That big building beyond, the one with the spires?"

The kids nodded again.

"That is the Basilica of the Primes." He would point out the landscape and they would listen. There would be very little 'normal' to the moment.

-0-1950 hours that night

She smiled at him melting his spark once more. "I have to wait here for Sunspot. He will help me."

Ratchet and Ironhide stared at Hero with grins, then watched as Sunspot came back. "Come on, Hero. Time for bed."

She took his servo and walked with him and Spot before turning to wave at everyone. **"CALL ME IF HALO NEEDS ME! I'LL COME!"** Then she followed him down the corridor to her room.

The two stared at the corridor, then each other, the corridor, Prowler who smiled at them, then each other. Ironhide grinned. "It's good to be home again."

Ratchet nodded. "It is."

Ironhide gathered Halo, then with Prowler in servo walked down the corridor to put them both to bed. Walking back out, he sat down and they chatted a moment comparing notes of the battle when the monitor signaled that Optimus Prime would speak about the battle. They turned up the sound, then Prime spoke. "Good evening, Earth, Mars, Cybertron, the forward bases, the local planetary system of Cybertron, and all places where Cybertronians exist who may receive this message. I am Optimus Prime ..."

Moments later, Ironhide would be hurrying to bridge his way back to the mission over the Pacific Ocean of Earth.

-0-TBC 5-24-18 **edited 6-2-18**

Congregation is any gathering for any reason. Some use it to describe a religious gathering. I use it for all its meanings. When the people go to a game, its a congregation. Congregating means to come together. Just so the meanings are always clear. Leoness, I wish I had a biology lesson for you but I think clarifying the word will have to do tonight. **BWAHAHAHAAHA!** You can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher. **HUGS!** ;)


	366. Chapter 366

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath and Going On (dd6 366)

-0-Everywhere

"I am here to tell you about the mission to the Bootes Barren that intercepted a very large Decepticon fleet that was heading here to hold talks with Ominous and Razorclaw, two quarantined enemy groups in our local sphere of influence. We have just concluded a mission designed to turn them back or punish them to the point where there was no purpose continuing forward. I commanded the group at the point of confrontation and took a force so great that it would meet any contingency. Because this pertains to everyone in this system and by extension Cybertron, I am broadcasting to Earth, Mars, Cybertron, and the Empire. I am also including the two quarantined groups as well as an object lesson.

"Eleven years ago, fifteen countries of Earth were in the business of maintaining an alien figure and a strange cube device that was found in the arctic region of this planet by an explorer by the name of Witwicky. Both had lain frozen into the ice and snow and would still be if the melting conditions of the area had not allowed them to be seen and retrieved by humans. For nearly eighty years, you held the figure and examined him. You experimented upon his body and you developed a number of devices for your own use from that research. There were two unfortunate outcomes this effort created. First, the figure was Megatron. Secondly, at no point in this venture over the eighty year period was he unaware of what you were doing. He was in stasis bodily but his mental processes were aware and operating. He felt, heard and saw everything that you did to him.

"When he became free, he set in motion events that play out to this very day. We fought him and drove him off. We fought his mentor, Megatronus and we secured the system. Because I called for more soldiers to assist in this effort, refugees heard as well and came, some of them in great distress and grave condition. We had to care for them. I am their Prime. It is my duty to do so. We built the colony on the nearest viable planet, Mars, to resolve this problem, something that is a bone of contention to this day among some of you. Our people needed rescue and we needed a place to care for them. In doing so, we joined ourselves together, willing or not, for the future.

"I know Megatron well. I once called him brother. He will never forgive nor forget what happened to him for eighty years in your custody. He was aware of every single thing that happened to him. No one shames or humiliates him and lives. Because he is gone for now, the Empire is in disarray. We overtook Cybertron from them without firing a single shot. We are working to relieve over one and a half billion of our people there and there are millions upon millions in space and scattered through the galaxy seeking to come home or on their way.

"The undertaking before us, all of us Cybertronians, is daunting. On top of that, the greater part of the Decepticon empire is still intact and functioning. Their threat still remains. On the fringe of that, there are groups breaking away to build their own kingdoms. Two of them are heavily quarantined within the sphere of my influence which covers an area in all directions around this solar system out 110,000 light years. Within that space, Cybertron, this system and all number of different worlds which we are searching for our people exists. We will defend that space with our very sparks.

"We set out via space bridge to the place in the Bootes Constellation we call the Barren. It is a section of space with few planets or even galaxies within its confines. It is possible to track movements there and map the area to see who and what lives or operates there. It was then that this group led by a criminal and gangster named Shrike was spotted. He led a very big group of ships, one of the biggest we have come across. We saw from their movement that they had limited space bridge capacity which means they could jump, regroup and jump again until it was possible that they could come knocking on our door. We had to intervene with them far enough away that they would not be able to get here.

"We took a huge fleet with us, one designed to deter them. However, Shrike is not the kind who backs down. He made the decision to fight and in the close quarter battle, half of his fleet desserted. The other half decided to fight and in the intensity of battle, two of our own were killed and a number wounded. Shrike's group took heavy casualties and all of the ships that did not flee were disabled or destroyed. Some of them required boarding with hand-to-hand combat to subdue their crews.

"In the combat, a number of our own were badly wounded including the city-guardian, Omega Supreme. He was dispatched to leave for medical attention and in his delirium, he came through the bridge and in the attempt to land safely crashed heavily and spun out of control. I have been told by medical control that he will recover from his injuries, though it will take a while for him to be fully functional.

"Several of our ships were damaged as well and when we returned, that was evident by their condition. We brought back 497 prisoners, some of them badly wounded. They will be treated, then placed in our prison until further notice. Their ships and databases, their weapons and some new technology that they have developed was gathered. Part of that technology is the ability to not only cloak their ships but fall off the grid.

"Four ships made it through the bridge with Omega in the chaos of battle. They are being tracked in the oceans of Earth. They flew past us, cloaked, then made their way to Earth before plunging into the oceans where they are attempting to hide and elude pursuit. We, however, have them on sonar when they have to uncloak. Their powers aren't infinite. They have to recharge before cloaking again. When they do, we will find and apprehend them.

"What you do not have to do is panic. We have them located and will take them into custody when they surface. Your governments have been fully briefed and the militaries of the areas involved are being informed as the event develops. We have always informed Earth when things happen and we work very closely with the militaries of your world through the N.E.S.T. Global Alliance. Your governments have been informed and that will continue.

"I realized that this will once again dredge up old arguments about the alliances we have made and our place in this system. The old argument that if we were not here, they would not be here also will arise, rest assured. That argument has no validity when you consider the personality of Megatron and the fact that he was held prisoner by you for eighty years fully aware of what was happening to him when you did. He will never forgive. Given what he did to his own home world and people, what makes you think he will ever forgive what you did and leave? He will never leave without avenging his wrath upon you.

"We are securing the space where this conflict occurred. We also have issued warnings to Ominous and Razorclaw that we can just as easily turn our guns upon them. We will not allow battle groups or free floating Decepticons or pirates to come to this system and cause trouble. This is our home. We have families here as well. We will defend this space. Right now, I have ordered a mourning period of thirty days in which the flags of Cybertron, Mars and the Alliance will stand at half mast. We will be honoring the sacrifice of our fallen brothers even as we draw the iron curtain that surrounds us even tighter.

"We ask that you remember the fallen, take comfort in the courage of those who battled so that you can live in peace and hold true to the alliance that we share to make our home safe. We are, both sides, in a situation not of our own choosing but it is what it is. We share the same fate as you. It is our creed to stand together for each other and those whose lives and freedom we will defend. Until all are one. Good night," Prime said. Then the screen changed to the usual emblems.

Prime stood, chatted a moment with the crew, Jazz and Mirage, then turned to head for the door. That was when he received a message from Ironhide.

-0-Flying into the ether from the Hawaiian Islands

"They cloaked and I don't know where they are," Torque said. He was the pilot of the vessel Ironhide was flying, commanding the mission as the hits began to come in.

The four enemy ships broke the surface of the ocean flying swiftly upward to the sky before cloaking. They faded immediately, then were gone. Casting their nets wide, triangulating and all of the tricks of the trade couldn't locate them. Ironhide was lit. **"FRAG!** Put me through to Prime."

Torque complied. "You're on."

"Prime, the slaggers broke the surface, cloaked and are gone," Ironhide said furiously.

"Are they headed for space?" Prime asked.

"I believe so. I think they're making a break for Razorclaw," Ironhide replied.

"Understood. Alert the DMZ defensive forces, then follow. Try to see if they make a mistake or need to uncloak. Then disable them, Ironhide," Prime said.

"Got it, Prime." He turned to Torque. "Hit it. I want to be close enough to shoot in a wide array. We can see if they're anywhere near us, then let them have it."

They sped off shooting this way and that. The ships didn't reveal themselves and they wouldn't. They would barely make it to Razorclaw before they came onto his radar themselves. They would need to power up again before they could cloak once more. They would zoom with escort to the big mech's base where he would quiz them about their tech, then turn it over to his own mad scientists. It was his lucky orn.

-0-Autobot City Ops Center some time later

They sat around the table debriefing the slag. Then Prime glanced at the comm officer. "Please put me through to General Morshower at the Pentagon."

The comm officer did. "You're on, sir."

Morshower appeared on screen with two of his aides. "Optimus. What's happening?"

"The four ships made it to Razorclaw. Their tech has eluded our detection. Now Razorclaw has it. I want to keep that under wraps for now. We are studying their databases and will counter measure soon."

Morshower nodded with a grim expression. "Do we stand down?"

Prime nodded. "We do. For now."

They would talk a while troubleshooting the problem, then sign off. Morshower would alert everyone that the DEFCON condition was no longer applicable and a good dozen world leaders would have to give their solemn oath to uphold the secret beyond secret understanding that the quarantined battle groups now had new tech. They would be a grim group of individuals when they signed off.

-0-Late that night

Ironhide slipped in, then checked his kids. Tiptoeing into the berth room, he checked Halo, then lay down wearily. Ratchet turned onto his side and patted Ironhide. "You lost them, then?"

"We did. The slaggers and their tech are now with Razorclaw," Ironhide growled.

"Slag. We better crack the whip on Wheeljack and the Nerd Squad," Ratchet said.

"Tomorrow," Ironhide said tiredly. "Right now, I only want to see the inside of my optics."

Ratchet grinned. "You and me both. Good night, Ironhide."

"Good night, Ratchet."

-0-Farther up the pole

He walked in quietly, pet Miss Kitty who was waiting for him, then headed for the berth room to collapse. Prowl was already there having come earlier to assist the kids. He sat on the berth, then lay back tiredly. They had lost mechs, the enemy had aided the other enemy and the humans would probably be loudly unhappy, some of them. All in all, it was successful but costly.

As usual.

Prowl rustled, then glanced at him. "The speech was what they needed to hear. We will take this one orn at a time. As usual."

Prime nodded. "Tomorrow," he said. "Good night, Prowl."

"Good night, Optimus. Tomorrow when it matters more."

It was silent as outside the airfield was still a hive of activity and the weak light of the two moons of Mars shed down upon them as they flew swiftly overhead. The work crews were hard at it with the damaged buildings and repairs. Commerce still was transacted in the Hangar District and school would open again in a few joors. Life went on. It always moved on.

-0-TBC 5-25-18 edited 5-28-18 (I heart you, Dorothy, my dearest friend on your day)


	367. Chapter 367

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath of War (dd6 367)

Nothing like going into the wilderness to camp (in RVs). Onward ho!

-0-Around

"Did you watch Prime last night?"

"I did. Fragged, this whole thing. We lost our guys."

"I know. Have you ever heard of Shrike? Pass me that router."

"No." (Passes big machine hand tool to partner in the machine shop) "I hope I don't again unless its to read his obituary. That's one funeral I'm up for."

"I hear ya."

-0-On the subway to work

Ultra Magnus stared at the screen in his servo that held a datapad with every publication of consequence both on world here, Cybertron and Earth. He stared at it but he wasn't reading. He was standing by himself at the end of the car listening to the passengers talk. Everyone was pissed and relieved. Everyone was furious that this had happened and their side had lost people. It was what he expected it to be and when the train pulled into Metro Station #1, he followed them out of the car and into the daylight as they climbed the stairs to the street.

-0-Earth, a news program heavily watched

"Good morning. Last night after a battle nearly 100,000 light years from Earth, Optimus Prime and his armada turned back an invading force led by a criminal and Decepticon leader by the name of Shrike. He was engaged in battle, lost heavily among his forces, then fled into the Bootes Constellation. There was heavy casualties on both sides. One of the major ships, Omega Supreme, crash landed returning wounded from battle and half destroyed the Hangar District at the Military Airfield in the Old City of Autobot City.

"There were casualties among the Autobots and a 30 day period of mourning has been called by Prime. Flags and other symbols of their culture are at half staff, preparations are being made for a memorial service and there will be plaques placed in the Primal Basilica for them and at the Temple of Primus. It was said that nearly 500 prisoners have been taken and the casualty list for the Decepticon invaders is still unknown.

"Last night in general broadcast to Cybertron, Earth, Mars and other unnamed places, the Prime spoke to the people. He discussed the history of Megatron's incarceration here on Earth, how he functions in regard to personal insult, and how he will not leave until he feels personally avenged. He also discussed the enormity of the situation facing his government and people given the relief effort on Cybertron and the attention paid to protecting every part of this solar system including Earth.

"Prime then detailed a bit of the battle, how Omega became hurt and had to be pulled from the battle order, as well as the four small ships that followed Omega through the space bridge during the chaos. They are being tracked here on Earth by Commander Ironhide of Praxus. I have asked Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon to speak to us about this matter and to give us any updates on the problem of the four intruders. Ambassador, are you there?" Neil Cummings asked as he turned to the big screen behind him as Ratchet appeared, broadcasting from Prime's set at IntraCom.

"I'm here, Mr. Cummings. Good morning to you and good morning Earth," Ratchet said with a slight grin.

"Good morning, Mr. Ambassador. Welcome. I understand that you went out with Prime and the fleet. We saw you helping off load the wounded when you returned," Cummings said.

Ratchet nodded. "I go with the fleet to run the medical end of things. I'm also usually the only doctor in the group that's rated to fight in combat, so I rather go along as well to protect my doctors and other medical workers. We put together a versatile fleet, then bridge jumped to the site where we met them. It was only a short period after that we had the clash."

"Did you talk to him? What is he like and what did he say to your overtures to leave?" Cummings asked as a panel with him listened solemnly.

"We did. He isn't the talking kind. He was a very dangerous criminal who had political connections on Cybertron so he never had to worry about consequences. You probably can relate to that because its a problem with you and your countries on Earth. When you do terrible things and there's no accountability, then you get worse. It never stops. You just keep going and get more and more grandiose and careless. That mech forgot who Optimus Prime was and he learned it. He limped off into the Bootes and left half his fleet behind. We destroyed them and took the survivors. He laughed at our request to leave. He had his chance but when you're the king of the world, no one can tell you anything. That works in our favor every time.

"As for what he's like … he's a stone cold killer. He has no empathy nor compassion. He would go to Earth and kill for fun, then take anything of value and sell it elsewhere. He was bad before the war and he hasn't gotten better."

"There has been a number of these groups, Mr. Ambassador. Can you tell us more about this phenomenon and what we can expect to see?" Cummings asked.

"Megatron runs his forces with an iron fist. He brooks no failure. He's changed a lot, becoming even more ruthless and merciless. Even though there's a group running the faction while he's off doing whatever he's doing, there is still volatility and instability in the group. Some, a small number, have broken off to do what they want, nearly all of them led by renegade civilian criminals. They gather to become larger, then look for the best place to settle. Word is out that this system has energon. It also has a couple of very tough, smart and organized battle groups. You underestimate Razorclaw or Ominous to your peril."

"What can you tell us about the two and their groups? What is their size and force? Why are they still here inside the ring of Prime's defense?" Cummings asked.

A brief pause as Prime weighed in, then Ratchet glanced at the group on his screen. "Razorclaw is the brains and focus of the most perfect combiner ever created. Predaking is a terrifying figure and a phase six level phenomenon. He's unlike any other combiner in that his group has the usual defective members who hate each other, but they come together to create the most perfect example of this kind of war machine ever made. And make no mistake. Predaking is a war machine. Razorclaw understands the balance of power here. He knows even with Ominous he can't defeat us. So both of them wait for the free agents to stop by, to work out augmenting their groups to make their move. We figure they could divide us by taking on Cybertron and Mars at the same time, thereby dividing our forces. So, we work long and hard to monitor what they have, prevent anyone else from adding to it and being ready to slag them to The Pit if they decide to be stupid. Unfortunately for everyone, neither mech is stupid.

"As for their size and strength … that information is classified. Just know that we have them over matched, outgunned and hemmed in. No one can reach them. Our forces are deployed to listen, watch and alert us for intercept. That's how we detected this group. They are many, hardcore and dangerous. But we are many-er. If that's a word," Ratchet said with a grin. "As for the slaggers on Earth … the Prime informed me this morning that the four have left Earth and made it to Razorclaw. They did so through stealth, a tech innovation very close to several we have ourselves. As Optimus said, we're working out counter measures so it doesn't happen again. Earth is free of them as of 0300 hours on the TMC last night Martian Standard Time."

"They have cloaking and bridge capacity. Could they use it to reach both worlds? We know they used it to get to Earth," Cummings said.

Ratchet nodded. "They did, the slaggers. They have limited bridging capabilities. Without the kind of energon that can be found here, they can't jump like we can. We go from point to point. They leap frog. That alerts us to their presence. Bridging is Autobot tech. We have the best bridge scientists living on Mars, some who developed it back in the day and they can figure it all out. They will. They always have. Understand. The cloaking devices that they have drain their energy and have limited scope. They have to power down periodically to recharge the devices so they can only go so far at a time before they become visible and thereby, blast-able."

"Mr. Ambassador, there is a great deal of concern in capitols all over the world that some of them reached Earth. What sort of assurances can you give to us that will make us feel less vulnerable?" a military analyst asked.

Ratchet looked at him, then sat forward to lean on his elbows. "How about the idea that we would have caught them and prevented them from making landfall? Consider what it would be like if they had landed? They didn't. They never were able to leave the ocean because they knew we were there gunning for them. They had to take a chance to flee, the security is so tight. We work with immense precision to keep this simple and clear. We give you excellent highly capable professionalism. Some of you think we should be able to give you relentless perfection. We give you our word that we work around the clock to prevent such things. Given that we are now eleven years into the relationship and Earth has been saved from invading fleets, marauding flight groups, abandoned Decepticons, space debris from the Oort Cloud, and Razorclaw, its a tremendous achievement that this is such a rare event."

"But they got through," the analyst, a civilian persisted.

"We're going to be burying some of our people soon. We did our part. We get nearly all of them but its a bit much to expect that we can get all of them," Ratchet said. "I can't give you assurances that guarantee that we'll get them all. We will get them, nearly all of them, nearly all the time. Those who slip through will have us on their tails immediately following."

"You are aware of Stanford Watson who runs a nativist organization that has connections all over the world. He finances it along with his colleagues, a board of individuals who are a veritable who's who of industrial finance. What do you say to his remarks?" another asked, a war correspondent to the network.

"You mean the rich kid who bought his way out of the draft when it was time to step up for his war but hasn't met a war now that he didn't want to lick? That guy?" Ratchet asked.

"I wouldn't have put it that way," Cummings said with a grin.

"Well, that's why I'm the diplomat and you aren't. Wait ..." Ratchet grinned. "Let me say that if they want to talk to Razorclaw or Ominous and appeal to their reason, I will personally fly them out to try. Until then, you're not a credible individual to me, Mr. Watson." Ratchet glanced at the others. "Funny how many of the opposition never served. Funny how many of them want to wage war with everyone everywhere now. Nothing like armchair generals to make this old soldier's spark go pitty-pat. We have done our part. If the human dissenters can do better, go to it."

The conversation would continue for some time.

-0-TBC 5-27-18 **Edited 5-28-18** (I heart you, Dorothy, my dearest friend on your day)


	368. Chapter 368

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho (dd6 368)

-0-The next morning

"We could've helped, Ada. What happened to Uncle Omega is so terrible." Fireball helped wash servos and faces of tykes lined up at the sink.

"I know, infant, but know he's going to be fine. Omega is a great spark. It takes a lot to off line his type," Ratchet said as he stuffed the last dish in the washer. Nearby down the hallway, the usual getting ready for school hoo-haw was going full blast.

" **ATAR! YOU OWED ME! I, ORION, OWED!"**

"I'll owie you, slagger. **COME HERE!"**

" **BWAHAHAHAAHA! CATCHEDED ME, ATAR! I TOO FAS-"**

Fireball and Ratchet who were looking down the hall grinned. "I think he catcheded him."

Fireball laughed. "He did. These little kids are so cute."

Ratchet grinned. "They are. **WHAT DO YOU THINK, LITTLE KIDS!? ARE YOU CUTE!?"**

They stared at both with nearly seam bursting excitement, then Hero nodded with a big smile. "I think Halo is cute. What do you think, Prowler?"

Prowler who was smiling brilliantly as he held his sloth dollie nodded. "I like Halo."

"I do, too. She's so cute. She can walk," Praxus said as he stared at his happy siblings.

Ratchet: **KABOOM!**

-0-Nanoseconds later

A tiny femme held onto the coffee table as she stood by herself, a wholly new thing for everyone but the little kids, the slaggers. She was smiling as she patted the table. **"BAI! ADA! ATAR!"**

Ironhide and Ratchet: **KABOOM!**

-0-Less nanoseconds later

Every adult in the family that lived in the building was staring at a tiny femme who was wobbling at the coffee table. Then she turned slightly and set out. Walking almost too fast like all new walkers do, she made it halfway to the couch before falling forward. Catching herself with her tiny hands, she wobbled a moment as she mimicked a camel. With Hero hovering around her, she stood up, wobbled a moment, then headed for the couch. She made it.

Alor, Blackjack, Ravel, Chan, Corr, an ecstatic Appa Ratchet, a rhapsodic Docker, Tru, Saber, Santee, Quasar, Genesis, Quadrus, Fireball, Lumi, and Verilus who had gathered in the room to watch:

 **KABOOM!**

-0-Moments later

They sat around the room eating ice cream and cookies as Halo was passed around for a huggie and kissie. The door opened and the rest of the family, that is, the senior branch entered. "What's the big deal? Some of us have to work, slaggers. Why aren't they in school yet?" Raptor said as he was followed by Turbine, Delphi, Lissie, Flint and his beau, STU-RT or Stu, Hard Drive, and Jetta who had been having a bite with them when the call came.

Ratchet put Halo on the ground. She stood swaying as she smiled at everyone around her, then stepped out. She made it to Jetta who picked her up. Meanwhile … Raptor, Turbine, Delphi, Lissie, Flint and Stu, and Hard Drive: **KABOOM!**

Jetta who didn't know slag about kids didn't know this wasn't normal. He hugged her and they grinned at each other.

-0-More nanoseconds later

They all sat around the room eating ice cream as Halo and Hero sat on the coffee table. Hero was taking a bite, then Halo was as Hero fed her. They smiled at each other in perfect accord. The adults were watching them as Ironhide went through the five stages of grief in quick succession. He looked at the group. **"THAT INFANT ISN'T GOING TO SCHOOL! GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK PROCESSORS! SHE STILL HAS THE ORIGINAL STICKERS ON HER AFT!"**

"And what a tiny aft it is. She's too small. All in favor of her being too small raise your paw," Ratchet said with a grin. Every servo went up including Hero's.

"Ada? What are we voting for?" Hero asked as she gave her sister a bite.

"Nothing," Ironhide said. "Just play, infants. You're **TOO SMALL** to concern yourself." He gave a toxic optic to everyone in the room.

"Whiner. How did you get to be such a whiner?" Alor asked Ironhide with a grin.

"Because every perfect thing needs one tiny flaw," Delphi said. He meant it.

Ironhide preened. "Amma is always right. I remember you saying so, Appa."

Hard Drive grinned. "That's true. We have very few rules in this family. Infant is perfect and Amma is always right."

Huge laughter greeted that. Jetta grinned. "That explains a lot of things."

"Then tell me," Ratchet said. "I'm still in the dark here." Jetta and Ratchet grinned at each other. "What are you up to that you should come to have ice cream in the middle of the work week?"

"The Festival of Solus Prime is coming. It was mentioned to Optimus and he wants to re-institutes the ceremonies for their festival orns. I was asking Turbine to tell me what that includes so we can get it right."

"Well, it means those who hold to Her will show up. It could mean huge crowds or not. It depends on which shrine, if any, was your family shrine," Turbine said. "As you know, we have to attend to all of them because of my clan. I personally favor Thirteen."

Hard Drive nodded. "Thirteen is the one most like me and my ideas about service."

"Humble, big, unassuming … does that sound like anyone you know?" Ratchet asked with a slight grin.

They all grinned back. "No, it doesn't." -everyone lied

"Slaggers. Thirteen is our family shrine, though Amma Docker leans toward Vector because that one was closest to Uraya when she was growing up, right?" Ratchet said. Docker nodded. "It's going to be nice. Maybe we can present the kids there."

"I think so. Solus is ours. Praxus, you know. Present them at both," Ironhide said. "Which one was near Vos?"

"I don't remember," Ratchet said.

"Onyx," Turbine replied. "That one can be a stop for Sunspot when His festival orn rolls around. Prime wants to add holidays to the calendar. He approved all the festival orns. He also wants to add an orn that's dedicated to Earth. Earth Day will be a colony-wide holiday for us."

"I like Earth Day. Maybe if they see us celebrating their planet, the slaggers will be nicer to her," Delphi said. "Earth's historical name is Gaia."

"Guy-uh," Ratchet said. "Nice name. What does it mean, if anything?"

"She's a Greek goddess whose name is used for Earth because some science indicates its a living organism, that it has a consciousness. Given that Caminus does and Cybertron, it would be stupid not to extend the same thing to Earth," Turbine said as she wiped Halo's little white face.

Everyone agreed. "Are we all ready for the bonding tomorrow?" Ratchet asked.

"I can't believe we're adding Lucius to the family tree. And Partition," Raptor said with a grin. "My, how the mighty have fallen."

"They're bonding up," Blackjack said with a grin. "That mech changed and so did the family. I guess having a hard aft like you on their case was enough."

"I hope so. Lancer deserves the moon. That leaves how many daughters out of harness now?" Ratchet asked with a smile. It was interesting how many things he dodged from around the room.

-0-Bluestreak and Lancer

"Then the parties will be held here and here," Bluestreak said as he pointed out the two rooms he had arranged. There were zillions of RSVPs returned. Lancer had zillions of friends and Partition had a lot now that he wasn't an ass hat. They were going to have food, drink, dancing, live music, and fun, fun, fun. Bluestreak really knew how to throw a party.

"What about the chivery?" Lancer asked even though she could forgo that portion.

"I'm having a fire truck come to do the honors. We can drag the entire downtown before heading for dinner at the Tower in Terra. Everyone is going to come, then when its time for the parties, we can go do the rounds. This is going to be great, Lancer. Don't worry. Who's going to do the speech?" Blue asked with a grin.

"Lucien," Lancer replied. It was silent for a moment as both digested that, then they got down to the real business of the party. The food and drink.

-0-Twins

The dojo was quiet for a moment between training groups. The usual crowd was there bullshitting and hanging out. Beer from the cooler in Willa's office was passed around and so was the pizza when it came. It was a muy good moment for a bit. Then Hercy glanced at Sideswipe. "What do you think about having Partition as a brother-in-law?"

"Not much before but he's shaped up. Lancer will keep him in trim. He really wants to belong," Sideswipe said.

Sunstreaker nodded. "I don't know what drew them together. He was such a slagger before. But she thinks he's the one, so ..."

"You're going to be hardcore then? To the bitter end?" Kup asked with a slight smirk.

"Until he really proves himself. He frags with Lancer, he gets the boot," Sunstreaker said.

"Count me in," Sideswipe said.

Everyone else nodded.

"I'd hate to bond into your family if you were from Stanix. It's bad enough that you're from Kaon," Lon said with a grin.

"Sometimes you never find the bodies," Sideswipe said with a wink.

Sunstreaker nodded in agreement. He didn't wink.

-0-Laslo

"Then we have two parties afterward. I'm so glad you'll come there. This planning thing is so complex. Having the family involved in the military and police makes scheduling difficult," Laslo was saying as he sat in Full Circle sharing a moment with the Squad.

"This is going to be exciting. We have nothing to bring?" Madura asked.

"Nothing but your good sparks," Laslo said. "Blue is my hero."

"We need another pub crawl after this," Edict said with a grin. "That would be magnificent even if we don't get arrested."

"That's the best part," Joon said with a chuckle. Everyone agreed with her.

-0-Ops Center

Ratchet ambled in, then sat. Prowl glanced up. "Nice job. By the way, you're the official mouthpiece of Mars from now on."

"Why, thanks, Prowler. I think," Ratchet said as he considered the long televised conversation he had made earlier with Earth …

"How is it that the Prime allows two fully armed enemy forces this close to Earth?" a famous conservative commentator and columnist asked. They were from the consortium pool and ended up on these broadcasts through the luck of the draw. The reporters were from all over the world and across the political spectrum.

"We could confront them and have all out war or we can contain them. You slaggers fight each other at the drop of a hat. You fight wars in people's neighborhoods and drop bombs on civilians. We're not that type."

"And what type is that, Mr. Ambassador?" he asked, this man who wrote columns against the bots and having them even in the system.

"Baby killers. Your armies of this world have no problem killing civilians and babies. Children. You fight your wars for whatever reason and then call victory when you stand astride a wasteland." Ratchet was feeling the burn.

"You should hardly be lecturing us about wastelands, Mr. Ambassador. Our world is intact and apparently yours isn't," he shot back.

"That's right. We have some standing on this issue. What about you? What the frag are you fighting for? Resources? We give you slag from space so you can have some decent land spaces left. We're helping you feed half the world with our tech and direct donations. We fought a war of annihilation against a tyrant. It's amusing that you'd challenge that like you know what that means and feels like. Is that what you want for Earth? Who gave anyone permission to do that to seven billion people who want peace?"

"What would you really know about **us**?" the human said as everyone on the panel began to become uncomfortable.

"More than you can know, slagger. I've seen this story over and over again. You fight rather than cooperate. You don't work for anything but the well being of the few over the many. I'm as old as your species, slagger. You'd lecture me about natural outcomes of aggression? We're holding two big powerful forces at bay. They're big enough that if we attacked them they'd scatter and fly off in all directions including this way. How would you like to see elements of a big force suddenly appearing in your sky because we took them on? That's a stupid thing to do when quarantine works better. They'd slaughter you in your beds for the control of this system. They'd take you off world and make you dig for energon in the dirt with your hands until you died if they could. Don't lecture **me** about the way things work, sonny. I've seen it all."

It was then that the moderator stepped in and they cut to commercial.

-0-Ops Center

"You were firm. I will hand that to you."

"Thanks, Prowler. I try. Then the slagger said when the commercial was over ..."

-0-Interview

"Picking up from what we just discussed," the commentator said as the show came back. "You say that they'd scatter? What prevents you from going in and destroying them all at once?"

Ratchet smirked. "They have big guns and ships, too. They're not going to sit on their asses and die on the ground. They'll go to the sky, fly in all directions and head for the nearest hostages they can find to ensure they make it out of here alive. That's **you,** slagger. You have no defenses but us against that from happening. You don't stir up a hornet's nest. But then, you wouldn't know that. I read your bio during the commercial and you have **ZERO** military experience. You're a Major General in the Chicken Hawk Brigade. You have nothing to add, embellish or say about anything involving war and combat. You're just another blowhard who thinks you know something about being tough. **I'M** tough. I've been a soldier for 10,000,000 years. **EARTH** years. Your species only became hominid 9,000,000 years ago. Tell me something I haven't seen, done, experienced, smelled, tasted, suffered, or forgot about this slag. Tell me."

The commentator sat silently, then the moderator stepped in. "Ambassador, perhaps you can tell us something more about Razorclaw and the new player, Ominous."

"Razorclaw is the brains of the greatest combiner ever. He's smart, ruthless, has no feelings for organics, something he shares with the Decepticon creed, could give a rip about you and your stuff, your babies, your land, your wives, and elders. He sees his path, plots it carefully and goes after it. You seldom see him coming. You almost never live through it. He's justifiably feared and even if you hate his spark with all your might, he gets respect.

"Ominous is a criminal and gangster who ran pirating groups for Megatron. He's smart, loves books and music, plans his moves, and takes no chances. If he can't make it happen, he doesn't try. When he comes at you, you better be on your toes. He never makes a move he can't dominate. Both of them have a lot in common and they aren't considered easy foes. They're feared justifiably. We keep them corralled by continuous surveillance, overwhelming force and psychological operations. Prime makes his points directly and they know he means business. Optimus Prime is hated by the 'Cons for obvious reasons but he's also feared by them. He's relentless, brilliant, favored by the Pantheon and the Matrix, and he gives no quarter. He will fight as hard for an alien organic child or elder as he would for his own.

"You're **SLAGGING** lucky that Prime has a conscience because we could have moved on after Mission City but we didn't. How long do you think you'd have lasted against this group without us? They would've come here because they were following the faint trail of the AllSpark and that was leading directly to Earth. When they reached the solar system and saw the masses of energon found here, you'd be long dead and in your grave. They would **NEVER** leave here because of the energon. You're welcome," Ratchet said coldly...

-0-Ops Center

"You looked like you could bite that one slagger," Prowl said with a grin as he sat back with his arms folded over his chassis. "It might have been entertaining."

Ratchet grinned, then paused a moment to listen to an internal message. "I know something more entertaining. The Squad wants to tie one on after the bonding. What say you, Miss Priss?"

Prowl smirked. "Bring it."

Ratchet grinned. "I'll alert the jail."

"Good precaution," Prowl replied.

It was.

-0-TBC 5-28-18 (I heart Dorothy on her day) :D **edited 6-23-18**

ESL and NOTES:

Gaia (guy-uh) The name used to connote the Earth. Here is what the general meaning of the world entails: **Gaia** is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth, and as a name it was recently revived to refer to the hypothesis formed by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis, who postulate that the whole biosphere may be alive in that the Earth's life forms are themselves responsible for regulating the conditions that make life possible. Or not.

I went into the wilderness this weekend and was there with the earth, the river, trees leaning in the breeze, the sunlight, animals, and birds. It's hard for me to believe that Earth or Gaia isn't alive. I love her.

PS There's a video on YouTube that shows Gaia 'breathing'. Search for those words and you should see it. :D You're welcome. ;)


	369. Chapter 369

The Diego Diaries: Life Marches On (dd6 369)

-0-The Meeting

They sat in front of monitors, reps and their hangers-on from each of the human habitats on world. A big social event was happening and they were organizing their own participation. Lois Morshower-Howell, record keeper and junior member of the 'Wise Woman Trine of Barbara Morshower and Judy Fulton was recording everything, utilizing her position as event planner/coordinator of The Resort At Autobot City to fullest advantage. The 'Special Ops Trine' … Judy, Lonnie and Sarah were discussing the events that humans would attend and what they would do for the situation upcoming aka **PARTAYS!**

"We will be at the bonding ceremony at 1030 hours on the dot. Anyone cleared to come, be there on time. It's easy to get lost in the legs of all the attendees which I'm told by Blue are many … huge," Sarah said. "They've cleared a space in the front row for us to watch the show. The list of those who can come is approved and can't be expanded. Some of you from Earth2 and the Consulate are going to have to represent your facilities the best you can. This is being broadcast on the Cybertronian Lifetime programming channel, 37, so you can watch if you can't come. Thank Ratchet for that mercy."

The women nodded, then went over the lists.

"All the Sciences Habitat will come and have agreed to be there. That's about 100 individuals depending on family living there. Those newbie folks will stay there and watch the big screen. From the Consulate, Carly and the other 15 on the list have been approved. The diplomatic community is this close to getting freedom to come and go so just accept that this is who comes.

"The Hu-An have been invited. We can expect 10 or 12 of them to show. Larc and her bond, Temple have specifically accepted. The Earth 1 installation has been accepted, all of them. Newbies or visitors need to stay, of course. No accidents allowed. As for Earth2," Sarah said as she consulted the list, "Mr. Harris, Mr. Davis, Mr. Brown, Mr. Jameson, the three cleared scientists that wanted to come that are in collaboration with Wheeljack and the Sciences Habitat along with the scientists named Zak and Monica Hadden are cleared. No one else. We went over this with the event planner and there is little room for more and the clearances for Earth2 residents aren't complete yet."

"The Haddens?" Kyle Davis said from his screen. "Who are they?" He glanced at someone off screen.

"They're plant specialists on the farm," Owen Harris said. "Why them and not others? Why not Perry and others?"

"They've made friends in the science community here and they were just cleared. Someone asked for them to be included, so they are. In fact, we were asked to take them around, even after the ceremony. Someone likes them a lot," Sarah said as the other women nodded.

"The Hu-An work with them on their projects at Earth2," Lonnie said. "Farmers of a feather ..."

"I see," Owen said with a tight grin. He was pissed but he held it in. "We should be there at 1030 hours, then the parties? I have heard there will be two of them."

"You can come. You have to stay with us. We're going in a convoy so we don't get separated. They usually have a place set aside for us at things, a cordoned off area. It won't usually be inside a place where we can take off the masks. Make sure you hit the bathroom when you come here. We're going to meet you at the viewing stand at the airfield at 1030. We're not going to use it because the crowd that's expected will fill up the area and engulf it blocking the view. So pull in there and wait if we aren't there already. We're going to park there and walk to the viewing area in front of The Fortress where the Day Watch is going to support us. They'll even help us get to our spot if necessary and help us get back to the vehicles.

"After the ceremony which is very short and sweet, the family is going to The Tower in the Sky in Terra for a blow out dinner. We're invited. They usually put us on the table and we chat. Then there'll be a break until 1600 hours on the TMC when we go to the Central Labor Hall, to room 113 and 412 for the two parties that are going to happen there. You can stay at the Family Tower or Sciences until time to go. They begin at 1500 but we're getting there a joor later because the party will be swinging by then. We're meeting at the viewing platform and we'll drive you in, those among you who have to go back to check on kids or projects. There's a way to drive into the building that the locals know." Judy consulted her datapad. "Any questions?"

"Do we bring anything, Judy?" Carly asked from the Consulate.

"Just your smile," Judy said with a grin. "Cameras are optional. Remember … you're still on a general censorship rule, some of you. Once you prove yourself, that ends. Until then …?"

"When do we prove ourselves?" Hamilton Brown asked.

"When they give you full range. Its then yours to lose, the trust," Barbara Morshower said from another screen. She was in Virginia getting ready to bridge back for the fun tomorrow.

They chatted and discussed for a bit longer, then broke up to go their separate ways. Owen Harris was going upstairs to speak to Zak and Monica Hadden.

-0- Around the affair

"This is great, Rampage. Thanks for the hard work," Blue said as he checked the menu at the parties with a silent nervous Laslo. Blue grinned at him. "Relax, Laslo. Rampage has this."

"I know. Its all beautiful. I'm just … my first bond among my kids. This is so exciting I think I'm going to fall over." Laslo, helm in the sky Laslo grinned at both.

Blue and Rampage grinned back at the tall tense mech. "We'll get it there and set it up. After that, its up to you to eat and drink it."

"Give us a hard job," Blue said with a smile.

-0-Ratchet lounging in Ops Center with Prowl

Optimus Prime walked in with a still miffed Ironhide. They sat. Ratchet grinned at both. "Ready to do the bonding tomorrow?"

"I'm always ready," Optimus said with a smirk at Ironhide.

"I'm a slagging chaos bringer of **THE** **AUTOBOTS!** I'm ready for anything. Then I plan to get drunk right afterwards," Ironhide said with a mild sulk.

"That's my boy," Ratchet said with a smile.

Then they all looked down at the floor.

-0-Discussion much later that afternoon

"What is a Praxian ceremony like?" Jack Mellar asked as they sat in the sunny outer office of their business, Galaxy Productions which was on an upper level of Tyger Pax, a street side storefront establishment that now employed 30 humans on world. The youngsters and elders in the place were handling things as the 'bosses', Jack and Aaron Melcher had a chat with the 'real boss', Leonora Huttle.

"Well, I asked Bluestreak when I caught him at the Catering Place yesterday. They had his own and the twins at Diego back in the orn as they say," she said with a grin. "It's short and very to the point. Prime is officiating. When the crowd is assembled, literally anyone who wants to come along with family and friends, then Prime or a designee says something about the moment. After that, the family which is standing there comes into the picture. The two who are bonding are out of sight and are called to come forward. When they do, Prime begins. He asks if they want to bond. If they say yes, then he calls for genitors to step forward to make the promises, to support the bond and any kids. If they agree, then the good part comes."

The two men nodded. "Yes?" Jack asked.

"They discuss the meaning this has for Praxians, then Prime will ask if they agree, Lancer and Partition, to give genitor rights freely and fully to their Praxian family elders. Since Lucien and Laslo have agreed to a Praxian ceremony, they agree in principle to this part as well. If they agree to do that, then Prime seals the deal, declares them finally adult in the optics of the community and its over."

"They aren't adult now?" someone asked with surprise.

"Not in all the ways. You don't have to bond to be considered an adult. Once you reach a certain age, that's it. No one has to bond but a lot do and more so now that there's peace and hope. It's a coming of age thing, bonding. So is war, military participation and holding a job. Moving out and holding a job makes you an adult at a certain age no matter what your marital status is. You have to live here and talk to them a long time before it makes sense. It helps to understand them to talk to them about life, liberty and all that," Leonora explained.

"What are genitor rights?" Aaron asked as others who were listening nodded.

Leonora grinned. "I once dated a great guy from Rome, Italy who was handsome, decent, kind, and sort of suffered from the same thing. As long as you have a father, you'll always be a son. Also, his mom still treated him like he was living a home and since he dropped off his laundry for her to do every weekend, stayed over half the time and ate her amazing food, it sort of brought this home when I asked someone about this law. You give up your freedom to choose your way if your genitors decide that you need guidance. They can invoke … its even on the Cybertronian law books, some formal code that allows them to take over your life if they feel you're going down the wrong road."

It was silent a moment. Then a young man, an film and copy editor, leaned closer. "You mean … if they don't like what you're doing, they can reclaim you like you were eleven years old?"

"Pretty much," Leonora said with a chuckle. "They have the right and duty to invoke to stop whatever is happening dead in its tracks, pull things back and prevent, or not, something going forward. Even if you're bonded, you have to do what they say including leaving your house if they think you need to do so. I asked my friend about abuses and he looked puzzled a moment. He says its so rare an event that he never saw it happen in his own lifetime. Then he grinned. He said that Moda and Tress have invoked twice on Smokey for goofing around in school. It has the force of law. Most Praxians will tell you they never saw it but they heard about it. It usually involved someone chasing someone who wasn't good for them. Its extremely rare."

"What did they do? Did they obey?" the kid asked.

Leonora nodded. "Yes. They did. They didn't like it at first but it turned out alright in the end, the few who knew about one. I asked Prowl about it and he said that the idea of it usually took care of most crap. He said there are so few on record other than the trivial things like Smokey that few Praxians can tell you about one they knew of. Pretty neat system for taking care of goofy stuff, I think."

It was silent a moment, then Jack glanced at Aaron. "We have our season finale for Platoon. 'Autobot City: Weird Alien Rules'."

Huge laughter greeted that as Leonora smirked. She already had it down for the next production meeting three days from now.

-0-Ops Center earlier

Then they all looked down at the floor. Standing on her segway honking the hilarious little horn she had put on her own, Leonora Huttle was smiling up at them.

"Hello, Leonora Huttle," Prime said.

:Hello, Optimus. I was wondering … may I film the ceremony and parties tomorrow? I think that would be a great thing for humans to see: she said with a hopeful expression.

The bots stared at her, then each other, then her again. "Yes," they all said at the same time.

"I'm getting slag faced," Ironhide offered as a sidebar to the main event.

:Done deal, Ironhide: Leonora said with a smile.

Win-win.

-0-Farmville

They saw him coming with Perry Beliveau, Kyle Davis, and Hamilton Brown. Glancing up, they walked along their furrows toward the men and stepped down to the pathway.

Harris glanced around. "Looks really good here. How are the new trees doing?"

"Well," Monica said as she glanced at a small grove of fruit trees nearby. "The Hu-An helped us get them rooted and started well. No curling or falling leaves from root shock."

"Good. I hear you're going to the party and ceremony tomorrow as guests of someone. I was surprised to hear that since you haven't been cleared yet," Harris said. "Who asked that you come?"

Zak and Monica glanced at each other, then the men. "We're working with Larc, her Ag team and Wheeljack. Perceptor invited us along because it came up when we were face timing and he asked if we'd like to be there. We jumped at it."

Harris nodded. "I'd like to know about such things, Zak. It would help us plan our public relations campaigns to win the trust of the bots if you do. Everyone of us is an ambassador of our planet to the Martians here. We'd like to know we're a team."

Zak shrugged. "We're aware of that every time we interact or speak to the aliens here. We're scientists, not public relations experts, Owen. If you want us to do that, you can tell us and we'll help. We don't know what everyone is doing here. Maybe a memo will get the group more organized."

Owen nodded as he stared at Zak with an appraising expression. "I'll do that. Thanks for helping us get closer to the bots. They hold the keys to the kingdom. The more the better." He looked around again. "How's the irrigation project going?"

"We planned in the original outline to drip feed them but there's so much water here we've advanced to the second and third stage plan and we're working on general irrigation with buried pipes networking. It'll ease evaporation and provide a steady measured allotment. All in all, its doing great," Zak said as Monica nodded.

"Good work," Owen said with a tight grin. "Carry on. It's good to have trees here." With that, he walked down the wide path between the huge fields toward the facility's elevator bank on the far wall. They were gone in seconds.

"Somehow, something tells me that we have a demerit against us," Monica said.

"Something tells me you're right," Zak said. "Middle and upper management assholes. No matter what world you're on, they're always there making things harder than they should be." He looked at his wife. "Don't worry about it. I heard a rumor."

"What rumor?" Monica said as they walked back to their targeted plants.

"Wait until I have something to tell you that's rooted in irrefutable facts. Then I will," Zak said as he paused to look at Monica. He grinned. "We're going to see an alien wedding, sort of, between two of the most unlikely aliens ever. Then we're going to a party and dance. I can't wait. Who could have thought this up if they tried?"

"I don't know … Hasbro?" Monica asked as she grinned back.

They both laughed a long time.

-0-TBC 5-30-18 **edited 7-7-18**

ESL:

demerit: (dee-mair-it) a mark against you. Sometimes if you reach a number of them, they show you the door, either out or to your cell. ;D

Sorry about last night. I had to get up at 4:30 and drive to Anchorage for a car recall. They're tearing up the roads so stop, start, stop, start. :D I did see a lot of eagles. Its very weird to drive along the inlet at 65 miles per hour and see a bald eagle flying with a seagull about ten feet away at eye level keeping up. Beautiful place, this one. HUGS!


	370. Chapter 370

The Diego Diaries: Party All the Time, Party All the Time! (dd6 370)

-0-Sub Operational Center, The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 1

They gathered, the committee of The Thing Under Discussion. It had long been discussed, both pro and con in small hushed groups, but this was getting to the serious stages. Things in space were coming together making time for discussions of items put off and soon it would be completely feasible, if somewhat different from the usual Thing. Judy Witwicky, Barbara Morshower, Judy Fulton, Jessie Landon, Olivia Bowers who was ultra glad to be included, Harley and Omar Epps who were major consultants as well as Larc and Muro, a major player in the support tech that would be needed gathered together again. Jetta who would be the general engineer and overall contractor, Perceptor who was intrigued and Wheeljack who was stoked joined Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Raptor because he was interested in having a role and Blackjack because his father.

"Thank you for coming, everyone. We have the final designs and have aligned all your input and suggestions to make it even better," Optimus said. "This is going to be an important development and I am very glad you have taken an interest."

"Oh my, Optimus," Harley Epps said with a grin. "This is fun. Thank you for including us. I've never been part of a secret operation before. Now I know why my grandson likes this kind of thing."

Prime grinned, then glanced at Jetta. "Could you show the final schematics. Has it passed final review with those concerned?"

"It has," Jetta said as he rose to walk to the console. An entire wall changed into a monitor and a giant plan was on it, one that could be examined inch by inch by all its many facets and levels. For over an hour, Jetta showed what it was, what it would do and how it would operate. When it was presented, Jetta turned to the silent group. "Any questions or suggestions?"

No one had any.

"Where is Metroplex? I need to speak to him," Optimus said as he glanced at Prowl.

"Off world taking care of his part of the venture. He'll be back this evening. I can have him stop in," Prowl said as Optimus nodded. Then they began to work out the details, the millions and millions of details to come.

-0-Las Vegas, Nevada, in deep cover

Alor stood in the sunlight in pretender tech absorbing the sunlight anyway. In the big fenced in yard, a pair of tiny mechanical cows wandered. They were out and about walking over the tiny green grassed in space, over the stonework that filled up most of the yard up to the edge of a large swimming pool. The two were with Alor because Raptor and Blackjack were in meetings and Alie thought Pudding and Flipper needed a time out. A lot of ranting and raving later, he had driven in with two cows in the back seat and begun his shift.

Houses on the other block behind and around them were two and three story McMansions, extravagant places where (usually) small families or single couples lived large. The neighborhood had begun to pick up again and the houses were being bought. They were no longer the only show in the subdivision. Now they had to be more careful. Even though they got the odd nod driving in and out, no one had taken the time to come near them. But Alor was aware that several of them used binoculars to watch what they did. That many incredible cars without much action other than driving in and going away was strange. Right now, light glinted off the binoculars of a lady who lived in a house directly behind the one that was HQ for the mission. She was in her upper floor bedroom and she always seemed to know when someone was out. They had researched her and she was the wife of a wealthy man who worked in the casinos downtown. She seemed to be bored.

He grinned, then waved. The glint disappeared along with the lady. Calling to Pudding and Flipper, Alor grinned again as he watched them amble toward him, their fat bellies swaying with each step. They were unconscionably cute, the pair. They went inside and so did Alie. All went back to status quo.

-0-Blue

He stared at the datapad and noted all was checked off. Everyone was alerted and everyone was ready. He walked to the door, then left, making his way to Ops Center and a confab with Prowl. The day was sunny and cold but beautiful. Everyone was making their way in that weird manner everyone did when something had happened and changed the lives of a few. Somewhere in the colony, families were dealing with the death of their loved ones in combat. But everywhere else, the world was turning and the show went on. It was something he understood even as he hated it. It had been the hardest part of his childhood to know that everyone else was having their life and his genitors were dead and never coming back.

He entered the metro and disappeared.

-0-Full Circle

They sat together eating lunch in the lounge between customers. A giant party and ceremony would happen the next orn and everyone was stoked. They would be there to represent. The Squad would represent. "I haven't been to a real party in so long. Proteus is such a good dancer," Madura said.

"So is Lucien," Laslo said.

"Hobbes can but he isn't that fond of it," Edict said with a grin. "He's going to dance anyway."

"You can dance with me," Madura said with a grin. "I'm bringing the baby," he said. "I don't want to not have him with us. Rugur has never been away from one of us since he was separated so we're going to keep him with us. I think there's going to be other babies there. Ratchet's bringing his kids, too."

"Prima should be there and the twinnies as well. Don't worry, Madura. You won't have trouble getting anyone to help you with him," Edict said. "I wish my kids would get on with it. **I WANT GRAND CHILDREN!"**

Huge laughter and agreement on that score happened.

-0-Around the colony

He sat on the medical docking station having been pulled into the hangar by ships designed to lift massive loads. Omega was getting a complete rebuild of the affected areas. All of the destroyed material was removed and new was getting implemented. It also included a number of upgrades and permanent pretender software and hardware as well. He was in medical stasis, a light level, and it was helping with his discomfort at the sight of a gaping hole down the middle of his chassis. He had been wounded many times before. He and Xantium were warriors. Yet, it never got easy.

Sitting nearby waiting to hear the outcome of a system replacement, Silverbolt chatted with First Aid and Gamma in pretender gear. They were discussing the long term rehabilitation program for Omega. He would have to assimilate and sync everything and that would take a bit of time. He was getting a lot of work done internally that affected other systems that hadn't been directly affected so his off time would be longer than smaller less intricate mechanisms.

The sun shown in the big open doors as the day progressed throwing long shadows on the hard concrete floor of the massive facility. Huge lights allowed for more illumination which was a good thing. A mech could walk into Omega's chassis and look up a long way. Some of the repairs required handling very tiny parts. Mechs came and went, some bringing new parts and others carrying old out. He was the biggest rebuild ever attempted here and a lot of newbie engineers and doctors were watching and assisting. This was a rare opportunity to learn, as craptastic as it was to happen.

-0-Lancer

She stepped down from the platform at The Paint Box after getting the full treatment. Joining Arcee, Elita and Moonracer, they walked out to have a bite at The Diner On The Corner. Entering, sitting to order, they leaned back and grinned at each other. "I remember sitting in a bombed out building wondering if there was ever going to be a better life anywhere once upon more times than I care t0 think about. Funny how things change," Arcee said with a grin.

The other three nodded. "What about Magnus? How long have you had a thing for him?"

"Since we were young. I always liked Magnus. He's genuine and big. I like them big," Arcee said with a chuckle. "But I also like a good mech. He's really the only mech I ever liked that way. It was good to see him step down from that ship in Diego."

Elita nodded. "I hear ya." She looked at Lancer. "Tell me again … what's the story between you and Partition?"

Lancer grinned at the big femme she idolized. "He's a good guy. He just needed to remember that. He's working as hard as he can to be that mech. He makes me laugh. He worships Ratchet and Ironhide. He's sort of awestruck by them. He wants a bond like that."

"Who doesn't?" Moonracer said. "Does he want that many kids?"

Lancer laughed. "We want kids someday. We both know its not today. Or soon. As for that, we're still negotiating."

"Play hardball," Elita said with a grin. "Tomorrow, you make the pledge. You can't turn back. You sure?"

Lancer nodded. "I am. You'll see in time. He's just not the same guy he was. I sorta think he was trying to break out of the prison he'd been living in his whole life."

"I hope so," Moonracer said. "He'll face a gauntlet with us if he doesn't."

"I was thinking Ada could make him a pie. That should just about do it," Arcee said with a smile.

-0-Earth 1

"We can't bring Angus so I'm going to take him to The Fortress and the Army Daycare there. They have facilities for human infants and we can keep in touch."

"What about Earth2? Do they have a trustworthy person there?" Jarrod asked.

Hildie shrugged as she put Angus on the floor. He ran off to the living room of their apartment toward his toy box. "I don't know anyone that well yet."

Jarrod nodded. "Alright. We can see how long we stay."

"If they dance like I heard they will, I might just take up residence there," Hildie said with a smile.

-0-Earth2

"I wish they had let more of us come," Mariah Davis said with a slight pout. "They should have allowed the wives of the leadership here to come. Just you, Kyle and Hamilton. And Jameson. Why not more?"

"We aren't cleared yet, Mariah," Kyle Davis said as they sat in his office. The place was filled with monitors and tech that allowed him to run his businesses on Earth long distance. What he didn't know was every transmission he made was recorded as per protocols. He had deep business ties with a lot of the bot opposition around Earth and therefore was on Prowl's Personal Shit List.

"Well, this should be interesting. I wonder what their parties are like?" she said as she stood up to go.

"We'll find out tomorrow," Kyle said with a grin. "I'm actually looking forward to this."

She grinned back. "I think I am, too."

-0-Home later that day

" **ADA! YOU GOING TO DOING?! WE GOING, TOO!?"** Orion asked in his usual indoor voice as all around him stood little kids looking upward hopefully. They had just finished up at the detailer and were shiny as new pennies. Halo was standing with them, something that was causing gyros to whirl in every adult's helm that had seen her lately. She smiled, too, though she had no idea why. Hero stood beside her with her arm around the baby's shoulders.

"You are," Ratchet said as he stuffed the last dish in the washer. "That's why we had you detailed. We do like that new car smell." He smiled at the tykes who looked at him without comprehension. He grinned, then hugged them gently as a group. "Go play. It's almost berth time."

They squealed, then ran off. Halo clung to Hero as she tottered off with them. Ironhide who was sitting in his chair and Ratchet watched her go with intense amazement. "Frag," Ironhide said. "Don't tell anyone. We still have munitions to sort out and all that."

"Don't worry. Mums the word." Ratchet sat down, then grinned. "Tomorrow reminds me of another time earlier. Remember when we pranked you and I called you out over Arcee. 'Our little girl is in a pre-bond'? Remember that?"

"Vaguely," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "You lot are a first class set of slaggers."

"We are," Ratchet said. "Tomorrow we party."

"We do," Ironhide said. "As hard as you can with a load of kids."

" **ADA!"**

They glanced in the general direction of the berth rooms. Then Sunspot came by leading Fireball down the hallway. They were discussing a new Transformer novel that he had found at the book store that afternoon. They disappeared into Sunny's berth room just as laughter erupted from the general direction of the big kid's lounge. It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. "I sort of feel like a spectator in my own life," he said as Spot and Cousin danced by to go to Sunspot's room.

"I hear ya," Ironhide said with a grin.

-0-TBC 5-31-18 **edited 7-7-18**

Happy June 1st tomorrow. No holiday for us. Just a deep sense of happiness that its getting on toward summer. :D


	371. Chapter 371

The Diego Diaries: Bond(age) (dd6 371)

-0-Home

" **ARE YOU READY TO GO, SLAGGERS!?"**

Ratchet stood in the middle of the living room waiting for the chaos and yelling at both ends of the house to subside. Bos, Reflector and Co-D who were sitting on the couch grinned. "This is just like home," Reflector said. They were here for the ceremony and breakfast as members of the family. Their genitors and entire family would be there for the ceremony, then bring them and themselves to the parties later that orn including the dinner.

Ratchet laughed. **"IT IS!"** He strode toward the big kid end of the apartment and after a moment nine big kids and one smaller one with a dog burst out.

Running for the couch, Sunspot hopped in between Bos and Co-D, then smiled. " **THIS IS FUN! WE'RE MISSING SCHOOL THOUGH!** "

Ratchet who was walking out grinned at them. "It's going to get funner. You just wait." Heading onward, he entered the corridor of shorty land.

Sunspot who was leaning against Bos who was leaning back himself laughed with delight. "Watch this."

It was silent a moment, then shouting could be heard.

" **OW ME! YOU BAD ADA!"**

" **I'LL 'OW' YOU, SLAGGER! MOVE IT!"** Ratchet could be heard to say.

 **RIOTOUS LAUGHTER AND FEET RUNNING COMMENCED.**

Hero hurried out with Prowler and Praxus right behind. They ran into the middle of the room, paused almost in hysterics as they looked around, then ran for the curtains. They ran behind them and stilled. Their peds could be seen, Prowler's nervously hysterical laugh could be heard, then they silenced.

"See?" Sunspot said with an enraptured smile. The others were smiling too brightly to speak but they nodded their helms as they watched with delight.

" **IRONHIDE! WHAT THE FRAG! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE!? CHANGING YOUR OIL?!"**

" **SHUT YOUR FLUTTER VALVE, OLD MECH! I AM IRONHIDE! I HAVE TO LOOK GOOD!"** he said as he walked into the living room. Surveying the flowers in his garden, he grinned. "Fortunately, I don't have to work to hard to get there." He preened for the benefit of the shorties who laughed and the big kids who nodded in enraptured agreement.

Ratchet snickered as he followed the big lug. "I won't argue about that. Where did the little slaggers go, I wonder?" he asked as he stared at their peds. "I guess we'll never know." He looked at the four big little kids and the nine big bigger kids who were sitting around the room laughing. "We may have to rent out their rooms if we don't find them. I get all their toys though."

The curtain rustled, then Orion stepped out with a concerned expression. "Ada … you not my shes?"

" **FRAG YEAH! I GET YOUR TOYS IF YOU DON'T HELP ME FIND THE OTHERS!** I can't find them," Ratchet said with a smile.

Orion stared at him, then smiled brilliantly. **"I NOT KNOWING! I, ORION, NOT TITCH!"**

Huge laughter greeted that as Ironhide picked him up. Handing him to Lumi, he yanked the curtain up. Three little kids screamed and danced. If they would have been human, someone would have needed a mop. Picking them up, parting them out, Ironhide turned to Ratchet who was standing by the door highly amused. **"THAT'S HOW YOU HERD PEEWEES!"**

Just then the door opened and slammed Ratchet on the helm. **"ARE WE LATE!?"** Alor asked as the rest of the family's ammas and appas began to fog in.

"For a party or a funeral?" Ratchet asked as he rubbed his helm. **"TIME TO GO TO BREAKFAST!"**

With that, they began to stream back out and head for the Diner On The Corner and a gabfest before the big show began.

-0-Home, earlier

" **HURRY UP!** I need my baby fix," Turbine said as he watched Raptor lovingly dry Pudding with a towel. "That cow looks better than you do."

"I'll tell you a number of things, Turbine. This cow is a **SLAGGING MIRACLE!** I had a complete detailing at The Paint Box yesterday and so did he. You have it good. Check this out," he said as he flexed his brawny chassis. "Prime stuff."

Turbine laughed. "I can't deny you have a good figure, Raptor. It's one of your best features."

"And my winning personality?" he asked with a grin as he gently stuffed Pudding into his hold.

"Let's discuss that over breakfast. Hurry up. I want my babies," Turbine said as he walked to the door. Raptor would follow and they would banter all the way to Ratchet and Ironhide's apartment.

-0-Home

"That's the last of that. This is going to be a great orn, Hardie. Time to go. Turbine is going to hog the babies," Delphi said. "Mech is a glutton for infants."

"And you're not?" Hardie said as he shut down the monitor link up to Cybertron.

"I never said I wasn't." Delphi grinned as they walked out. "This is going to be a fun orn. You ready to dance, twinkle toes?"

"Is the sky blue?" Hardie replied with a grin.

"Occasionally," Delphi said as the elevator closed on both.

-0-Across the hallway

"Either get done with that **cow** or leave him **here,** " Alor said as he finished the last bit of a composition on his composing computer for new music. He was waiting for Slowpoke to get done fussing.

"That cow comes with. This cow is a **PRINCE** among cows," Blackjack said as he slipped the cow into his chassis. "This cow is my service animal."

"I thought you said he was your spirit animal yesterday," Alor said as they walked to the door. Scout sat on his father's arm smiling at Blackjack who smiled back.

"He is. He's also my long lost brother, my first boyfriend, my best racing mech, my-" he said as the door closed on both.

-0-Home nearby

"Are you ready, Ratchet?" Docker asked as they finished cleaning up the immaculate apartment. Chan and Corr stood at the door watching as Ratchet fussed with the pillows on the couches.

"I am. Gotta leave a place nice, my old ada used to say. Never know who might just drop in," he said as he joined Docker.

"Your ada was a wise mech, Only One. Cavalier was a great mech and so was Timorous," Docker said. "You must tell your stories about them to the babies. They need to know their own history."

"I will," Appa Ratchet said as he stowed his cat into his chassis, then got Corr's. They would snuggle and purr all orn long. Then he joined the others for the short trek down the hall to their grandchildren.

-0-Home

Kestrel and Tagg left their apartment to go upstairs to the Residence. They were laughing over a joke Tagg had heard and when they stepped off, they were festive in spirit. Rapping on the door, they stepped inside to infant acclaim, then walked to the kitchen were Prime and Prowl were cleaning up. "Good morning, Orion, Prowl. This is going to be a good orn," Tagg said.

"I think so," Optimus said as he hugged both. "I hope you are going to the parties and dinner as well."

"We are," Kestrel said. "We worked out our absences at school. We must be honorable to our programs there. I want to dance with your atar. He's a very good dancer."

Everyone looked at Tagg who grinned. "One of my hidden talents," he said glancing at Kes. "My **DEEPLY** hidden talents."

Optimus laughed as they gathered up the excited babies fogging into the room. "It is one of mine as well."

"You're going to have to dance. I want everyone to be envious of me. I also don't care what they say on Transformers: Prime. Primes **do** party," Prowl said. He grinned. "Lennox showed me the video of your night on the town with the boys."

Prime blinked. "He did?"

"He did. We can go over it tonight. I told him there was a deep hole on Pluto where he could visit death's door if he ever showed it to anyone else," Prowl said as he picked up Rambler.

Prime laughed. "Thanks. It would appear you have my back as they say."

"I will always be there," Prowl said.

"Punching and kicking all the way," Tagg said with a chuckle as they walked to the door together.

Prowl glanced back, then grinned. "Shh," he said as they exited the apartment for town.

-0-Home

"I have Prima and his bag, Miler. We should be ready to go," Venture said as he stood by the door, his child and gear stowed.

Miler who was fussing around paused in the living room. "I think we're ready, Venture. I can't wait for the fun. It's so much happier here than anywhere I've ever been." Then he frowned. "Do you think my genitors will come? They were invited."

"They will or they won't, Milie. I, for one, won't be worried whatever they decide. Let's go have fun. It's a party today," Venture said as he opened the door.

Miler smiled. "It will be. Everyone is expected to come. This is so exciting, Ven."

"It is, Milie," he said with a grin as they stepped out to go to the Diner. The door closed quietly behind them.

-0-On the way

Miler and Venture walked up to the Metro One entrance to the group gathering there. A number of family was heading their way as well so they waited. As they did, more came from the metro. The femmes and their bonds/significant others walked up to join them. Maelstrom looked as content as ever as he chatted with Ultra Magnus. Then Lancer and Partition arrived followed by his brothers and genitors. It was a big crowd that hugged, greeted and laughed at/with each other. When Ratchet and Ironhide arrived with most of both families, they began to head their way to the Diner. They had reserved the entire place.

Moving slowly along, more joined up. The twins and Bluestreak were coming holding little infants in colorful garb. Elita and Jetta, Proteus chatting with Hobbes and followed by Madura carrying Rugur in a carrier, Joon, Vinn and Edict laughing about something, Rade-R and Riff, Bron-E and Borealis who had set their own date for a bonding with Optimus officiating, Maddow with his bond and kids, Hauser with his, Hercy, Kup, Lon and Bezel, Devcon, Smokescreen and a subdued Smokey, Flint with Stu and Auntie Lissie, a rapturous Scout and Trooper, Wheeljack with Perceptor carrying Resolve, and still more fogged out of the station heading for the diner. Notably missing would be Zenith and Shadow.

It was mayhem in the restaurant where everyone pushed chairs and tables together and filled booths. Children were parted out and found willing hands to hold them and feed their little gaping pie holes. Halo stood on Ironhide's lap bouncing in place with a giant smile on her face. Her long 'hair' tinkled slightly.

"Little femme can't be special ops," Hercy said as he admired her. "Her sensor array will give her position away."

"Little mechs and femmes aren't going in the army. We're resolved, right?" Ironhide asked as he glanced at Ratchet.

Ratchet shrugged. "If we're still fighting by then, then frag all of us."

Everyone agreed as drinks were passed around. Partition who was sitting at a table with a slightly smirking Lancer glanced nervously around. Lancer leaned in, then grinned at him as they chatted off line. Then Partition nodded, stood up and tapped a glass. Everyone paused to look at him. He looked faint a moment as Drift and Springer arrived and sat in saved seats nearby. "Uh, I think I want to say something. It's important. To me, that is. It's important."

Everyone silenced as they stared at the improbable kid who won the spark of a special ops member of Elita's fabled team. He swallowed hard, then began. "I want to tell you that there isn't a person in this room that I don't love. My family … my genitors and brothers are my heroes. Lancer is my hero and so are all of you. When you came to me, Ratchet, and took me on, I fought you tooth and nail. I was stupid and entitled, a goof off, and someone who didn't have a clue about how things really worked. I had no manners and no feelings for others. But you persisted. You did for me what no one else was willing to do.

"You made me a good mech. My folks … they're the best but all of us were stuck. All the good inside us was trapped. Being with you and around the family, being trusted to do important things like being on the Watch and being a medic has made me a mech. I love everyone here because all of you treated me good even when I didn't deserve it. My brothers came around first, then my genitors. I love all of you for winning your freedom from caste slavery. That's what it was. Poison.

"Now I'm going to bond to the greatest femme that ever lived. I get to be part of a huge family that lives love. I have friends who really care about me and trust me to do my part of the job at hand. My genitors are the best … the greatest. You're my best friend, Atar and Ada … you're the best person I know. My brothers are the greatest and best, too. I hope they find someone who will make them as happy as Lancer does for me. I really am the luckiest mech in this room right now."

He turned to Ratchet and Ironhide. "I love you. I love both of you. I love your family and how you live. I love this place and I will work to defend and serve it and all the people. The People on Cybertron … I will help them, too. All you have to do is ask me and I will come. I will come humbly, gratefully and willingly. For you, Optimus Prime, I will serve the people and die for them if that's the path ahead. Thank you for your belief and kindness to me. I'm sorry in my spark for any discourtesy and bad behavior I ever felt or showed against you. You are The One Who Comes. Thank you for letting me be part of this, this new world and life.

"Thank you, Ratchet and Ironhide for believing in me. I will take care of your daughter the rest of my life. She's like a queen to me. It's an honor to be here living this life with you. I wanted you all to know." He stood a moment, then sat down. Lancer leaned toward him and enveloped him with her arms.

Ratchet grinned. Then he looked at Ironhide with a smug expression. "Voodoo, slagger."

 **HUGE, HUGE** laughter.

-0-TBC 6-1-18 **edited 7-7-18**


	372. Chapter 372

The Diego Diaries: Bond(age) (dd6 372)

-0-Breakfast

The food came as jokes and raucous laughter filled the room. More came, soldiers, the usual slaggers and Roadbuster. They sat down and ordered, eating and drinking as the food arrived. It was happy, full of good cheer and amusing. All along the table, children stood on top, talking to everyone, eating what was offered, and tinkering with the stuff around them. Orion stood in front of Uncle Hercy with an amused expression. "Hoopy, you good?" he asked.

Hercy grinned. "Mostly."

"I love Hoopy. Hoopy good. He good. He my she," Orion said. He glanced down the table to Optimus. "Otis? He my she?"

Optimus grinned. "I thought **I** was your she."

Orion glanced at Hercy, then Optimus. Turning toward Hercy, he leaned in. "You my she, Hoopy. My she?" he asked quizzically.

"You bet."

Orion smiled brilliantly, then walked through condiments and plates down the array of tables to pause before Optimus. "Hoopy my she. You my she. All dem my shes," he said as he looked around.

"Do you like all shes?" Optimus asked as he stared at a kid that fascinated him intensely.

He nodded. "Yes. I love shes," he said as he nodded with a sense of agreement. "All shes good. I love shes. I love that she," he said pointing at Prowl. "Owl good she."

Snickers rose and died in the heat of Prowl's gimlet optics. Orion looked at everyone, then Prime. Prowl smirked. "What are their names, Orion? I forgot."

Orion stared at him, then everyone. "I telleded you, Owl." He then began to walk down the table naming everyone as he pointed with his fat baby digit. Everyone in the room watched him with mesmerized fascination. "Lou Maypo." (Maelstrom)

"Lou Domo." (Chromia)

" **Lou Ping Pong!"** **GIANT SMILE ILLUMINATES THE REMARK!**

Springer leaned closer. "No. My name is Atar."

 **HUGE** laughter and gimlet optics from Ironhide were had. Orion basted himself in the moment, then continued.

"Lou Spliff." (Drift)

"Lou Lello. Lou Sudspoo. Lou Boo." (Sunstreaker, a newer version of Sideswipe and Bluestreak)

Sunstreaker leaned closer to him. "You mine."

Orion gripped his helm and hugged him tightly, then smiled at him for a moment before moving onward.

"Lou Mimi." (Miler who was delighted)

"Lou Ventoop." (Venture equally pleased)

"Lou Dev. Lou Topey. Who lou?" (Smokey Junior was a newer face)

Devcon and Smokescreen grinned at the little kid, then Dev leaned closer. "Another Topey."

Orion smiled, Topey 1 and 2 smiled, Dev kissed his tiny nose. He hugged himself, then continued.

"Lou Amma, lou Amma, lou Amma … why ammas?" he asked Optimus who was eating it up.

"Because." -Optimus

Orion stared at him, then smiled. "Lou Amma, **LOU APPAS! LOU AND LOU AND LOU AND** … why lou? You appas. All my shes appas. Ammas, too."

Scout, Trooper, Raptor, Turbine, Blackjack, Alor, Hard Drive, Delphi, Ravel, Tie Down, Chan, Corr, Docker, and Appa Ratchet roared with laughter. **"THAT'S RIGHT! MY SWEET PERFECT LITTLE BABY HAS A LOT OF AMMAS AND APPAS!"** Appa Ratchet said amidst the laughter.

Orion smiled at him, he smiled at Orion. Then the little imp continued, pointing at those sitting in booths and other tables.

"Lou Magtak." (a grinning Magnus)

"Lou **RRRRR-CCCCCC.** " He grinned, then looked at Optimus. "My she telleded me her thing."

"You taught him your name?" Optimus asked Arcee who was laughing.

"It wasn't that hard," Arcee said with a grin. "Keep going, Spud."

"Lou Wee-ta." (Elita)

"Lou Jetttttt-ah." (Jetttttt-ah)

"Lou Spint." (Flint who was laughing loudly)

"Lou … lou poo-poo." He paused as he stared at Stu, Flint's live in partner, then laughed loudly. **"I SAYED POO-POO!"**

Huge laughter. Stu leaned in to Orion. "Stew."

"To. Lou Tu?"

Stu grinned, then nodded. "I am."

Orion hugged Stu's face, then continued.

"Lou Hissy." (Auntie Lissie who kissed him madly)

Grinning madly: "Lou **TOTO! I, ORION LOVE TOTO! HE MY SHE!"** He looked at the others with him. "Lou Lon."

Everyone blinked.

"Lou Bezel."

More blinking.

"Lou Kuuuuuup."

Huge laughter.

"Lou Ferry" (Terradive)

"Nailed it," Roto said with a smirk. He leaned in. "Springer isn't your father. I am."

 **HUGE** lambasting of the impertinence commenced, then died. Orion smiled, then moved onward.

"Lou … I knowed lou. Lou Bumster."

Roadbuster stared at him, then leaned closer, his normally blank face still blank. " **I'm** your father."

 **HUGE UPROAR** , then more coolness:

" **LOU JOON! LOU VINN! LOU MY SHES! I LOVE LOU!"** Hugs were had with Vinn and Joon, then he moved onward.

He looked at others he was familiar with because they had moved into the family orbit. He was pretty sure on names but not totally. He began anyway:

"Pico." (Edict)

"Hobo." (Hobbes who laughed)

"Proper." Pause. **"BWAHAHAHA! LOU POOPER!"** (Proteus who laughed loud and long)

"Lou Mama." (Madura looked ready to cry as he hugged Orion)

Moving onward with great concentration:

"Lou Jack. Lou Peppy. Peppo. Poo-Poo." He grinned. **"BWAHAHAHA! I SAYED POO-POO!** Lou know him?" he asked as he pointed at Perceptor who was sitting next to a wildly laughing Wheeljack.

 **HUGE, HUGE LAUGHTER!**

"I knowed lou, she. Lou goed Spliff. Lou Maddow."

Huge surprise from all.

"Lou … lou Hopper. Hooper. **POOPER!** " (Hauser)

Orion laughed loudly, then turned to Optimus with a serious expression. "Why shes all pooper?"

It would take a moment for the laughter to die down.

"Lou Boo-Boo. Lou … lou Ando. Anpo. Po-Po. My not sayed good, me."

"I think you're a champion," Anders said as he kissed Orion's head.

Burris grinned. "I'm Boo-Boo now?"

Orion nodded. "You Boo-Boo. You my she." He continued leaving a very pleased Burris behind.

"Lou Lou-Lou." He smiled. **"I SAYED LOU LOU LOU! I LOU LOU! BWAHAHAHA!"** (Lucien)

Everyone joined him loudly, fascinated by the little goof ball. Orion looked at the young mechs who came next who stared at him with slight grins. The little slagger was hilarious. "Lou dem shes?" he asked as he pointed at a very amused Lucien. They shook their helms. He got their names and mulled them over. "Lou Tip-Tip and lou Peacock."

Cargo and Keystock snorted, then laughed in spite of themselves. Orion grinned, then looked at a mesmerized Laslo. "Lou know I, Orion. Lou La-La."

"I'm La-La. I'm getting that tattooed on my armor later, just so you know," Laslo said as he grinned at Lucien.

Huge laughter.

He looked at Edict and Hobbes's kids. Bron-E who knew him grinned. "I love you, Orion."

Orion smiled. " **I, ORION, LOVE YOU, SHE! BONEY! MY SHE!"** Huge, huge laughter. He looked at Riff and Rade-R. "Lou Him and She Him. Lou dem dere?" Orion asked as he looked at Bron-E.

Bron-E nodded, then said her brothers' names. He grinned, then looked at them. " **RIFF** is lou," he said pointing, then he said, "Lou Rippo. Ratto. Moo-Moo. What she?" he asked.

"Rade-R," Bron-E said around her laughter.

" **RADE-R!"**

He got applause.

"Lou, who dis she?" he asked Bron-E.

She told him.

He looked at Borealis for a moment. "Lou … lou Bow-Alice."

"Close enough," Borealis said with a laugh.

Orion looked around the room, noted everyone he could see, then grinned. He walked back to Optimus, then leaned against his arm, crossing his peds like an old lush at a bar. "Lou see, she. All my shes."

That's when he got tremendous applause.

Laslo wouldn't be the only one getting a new tattoo shortly as well.

-0-Conversation around the tables

"So I was saying to Marko, what about moving the date until later on and letting things sort of fall together," Burris was saying as he chatted with Laslo. They were discussing an event at the Halls of Order, a place all of them went to get comfort and counseling. The social whirl of the colony extended to all manner of clubs, movements and points of view.

"We were thinking that we could attend the first meeting but the second is going to be a miss if they don't change the schedule a bit. Lucien and I have a lot of friends in the group, so we were going to go …"

"... That kid is a piece of work," Drift said as he sat beside Springer watching Ratchet prevent Orion from squirting mustard down a straw into the sugar bowl. They were discussing it together pointedly. Appa Ratchet was howling with laughter and egging Orion on.

"He's really ours, just so you know. If anyone asks, tell them," Springer said.

"You sound like Prowl," Drift replied.

"It's way too early in the morning to insult me like that," Springer said.

" **I HEARD THAT!"** Prowl said as he leaned forward to look down the table.

"Tip a table and you'll feel better," Springer replied with a smirk.

"What's this, Prowl?" Miler asked as he fed Prima. The baby was sitting on the table kicking his peds as Miler spooned baby energon into his cute little pie hole. "What table tipping?"

Prowl glanced at his ada with curled peds, and not in a good way, then frowned at Springer. "It's nothing, Ada. Ignore him. He's insane."

"I remember when you tore your office to shreds when we didn't do what you wanted on the Veyo III mission," Kup said with a slight smirk. "We came back, you lost your processor and destroyed your office."

It was silent in the room as everyone turned to watch. Then Roadbuster nodded. "Then there was the time he tipped the table at Perseus VI. You were really mad."

Prowl stared from one to the other as other mechs began to tell the sad tale.

"I remember when you tipped **my** desk when I did not do what you wanted about the Mersinger mission," Optimus said with a grin.

Prowl stared at him with betrayal clearly splayed on his face. "You didn't follow the plans. The carefully drawn detailed plans. **NONE OF YOU SLAGGERS WOULD! WHY THE FRAG WAS I EVEN THERE!?"**

"Comedy relief?" Hercy offered with a grin.

Prowl glared at everyone, then his **DEEPLY** amused ada. He frowned. "You asked that question on purpose."

Miler looked at him with a bland expression. "Did I? Did I, Venture?"

Venture who was having a great time at his son's expense grinned. "I don't know. You're a very kind mech, Milie. You would **never** embarrass your son. Now **ME** on the other servo ..."

 **HUGE** insulting and raucous laughter greeted that as Prowl sat back and crossed his arms. "You're right I did. You slaggers, you. You never followed my plans. We would have ended this fragging war vorns ago if you did. Slaggers. All of you."

"Does that include me?" Ratchet asked with a brilliant smile.

"Yes. When are we going on the town? The Squad's been asking," Prowl said as he glared at Ratchet.

"How about tomorrow night? That is, if we sober up by then," Ratchet asked as he looked at the membership around the room.

"Only if I can come," Proteus said with a laugh.

"Done deal," Ratchet said as the Squad applauded.

" **Primus** , I love my life," Partition said with spark felt emotion.

Maelstrom glanced at him. "Welcome to the club."

Prowl glared at everyone, then Prime. "You're required to back me to the wall."

"I think he did, Prowler," Wheeljack said. "Back to the wall and through to the other side."

Huge laughter.

"I own the duty schedule and requisitions and housing and ..."

Everyone stared at Prowl, then grinned. "Who's the slagger again?" -everyone

Prowl sniffed, then Orion stopped in front of him. "Owl good?"

"No. Owl not good. See everyone?" Prowl asked as he leaned forward toward Orion. Orion looked around, then nodded. "They're picking on me."

Orion's optics got round, then he turned to everyone. **"LOU NOT DOING OWL! OWL GOOD SHE! ALL LOU! OWL GOOD! OWL GOOD DOING! OWL MY SHE!"**

Everyone stared at Orion who was quivering with indignation and Prowl who was smirking smugly next to him.

"Slagger." -everyone

Prowl sat back, then grinned at Orion. "Want a cookie, my king?"

Orion smiled. **"OWL GOOD! I DOING FOR SHE!"** He looked at the others, then smirked. "Bad shes," he said with a fat knowing chuckle.

It would take a while for the laughter to die down again.

-0-TBC 6-1-18 **edited 6-2-18**

FANCYSPINNER: Family is good times. Take care down there. Know you my she. :D I wish I could send you some of our rain. Hugs, darling.


	373. Chapter 373

The Diego Diaries: Bond(age) (dd6 373)

-0-Elsewhere at the same time

" **DAD!"**

Will Lennox peered into his daughter's bedroom where she was standing in front of a full length mirror holding two environmental suits up against herself, alternating between them. Three others were lying on the bed nearby. "What?"

"Which one is best for the bonding? I can't choose. Mom had a few things made for me for school and special events. Which is best?" Annie asked as she turned toward him with a hopeful expression.

Will studied them both. "I like the yellow. It's you, Sunbeam. Yellow is your color."

She smiled. "Thanks, Dad. When are we going?"

"As soon and you and Mom get dressed. Hustle, baby," he said as he walked back out to the office nearby where he was doing work over the system.

Nearby, standing in front of the entertainment monitor, Sarah Lennox was checking mail, looking in on the party food that would be served to the group going to the ceremony for lunch at Sciences, coordinating for the trip to the parties and the dinner afterward for the humans here in the Family Tower. There would be about 700 people here. It would have been their high end capacity before the expansion. Now they had a dining room on the third floor that could hold 1,500 in a pinch and was served by swift elevators. "Will."

"What?" he called from the office.

"Are we ready to go? We have to pick up the Earth2 guests." Sarah Lennox glanced at her daughter who looked adorable in yellow. She smiled as Will entered the room and took in his girls.

"You both look great. Let's go," he said as they walked to the door of their apartment in the Family Tower and the elevator that would take them down to the garage on the ground floor. They would be joined by others who would jog along as a few of them were delegated to get Earth2 and Consulate guests of the family. It would be a happy event all around but they had to hurry. Soon the roads to The Fortress would be blocked off by Watch mechs and femmes and the gathering crowds expected.

It was going to be fun, fun, fun.

-0-Earth 1

They were getting ready and gathering to go. The school district was providing buses to take the 357 individuals who were there, regulars and visitors, to The City. It was a happy group filled with expectation and excitement who were going. They filled the concourse with their barking dogs and laughing children, all of them out of school for a 'special event-cultural' which counted as credit for their classes.

The buses were waiting in the habitat environmental entrance, their human drivers as happy as them. All would be going to the bonding ceremony and the parties afterward as honored guests. It was going to be one of the bests things ever. Bluestreak had said there would be dancing.  
 **  
DANCING!**

They gathered, did the usual double check, then walked through the door to the buses. Only dogs and cats along with the small animals and birds that lived there would be left behind.

-0-On the way to Earth2 and the Consulate

They drove in a convoy, ten N.E.S.T. troop vehicles. Most of them were packed with soldiers and their families while the others were free for pick up passengers. The kids watched out the window as the traffic, rather heavy for the hour formed up on all sides. "Dad?"

"What, baby?" Bobby Epps asked as he followed Niall Graham in traffic. All of the kids were with him.

"Have you ever been to a bonding ceremony? Weren't you there when the trine did this on Diego?" Lucy asked her father.

He nodded. "No. I've seen them here since. Its short and sweet. I like it. I saw the film when Ratchet showed us. It was nice and funny. Especially the part where Sunstreaker had to give parental rights to Ironhide. That was hilarious."

Lonnie grinned. "I wish I had been there. The twins are funny. They come around sometimes. They come into the facility to chat. It gives the guests a tingle to see them."

"What do they talk about?" Bobby asked with surprise.

"Usually something that the humans do they don't understand. What we think we see and say isn't always clear. I asked Prowl about it once and he said most of the time if they don't understand what we're saying, they just nod and look like they do," Lonnie said with a chuckle.

"Then you need to learn NeoCybex," Bobby Junior said. 'Bob' was the oldest of the Epps kids, all of whom were fluent in NeoCybex and were trying to learn the major Seeker language as an experiment for the school district. It was something that blew their parents minds when they weren't asking them to translate something into English.

Win-win.

"That day will never come but I'm memorizing a lot of their words. I can pretty much read what I'm looking at if its very short and sweet," Lonnie said.

"Ask us, Aunt Lonnie," James Hoyt said with a grin.

They sped onward heading toward 'the country' and their guests.

-0-Earth2

They gathered at the hatch, those going and those not. Those not were unhappy about it but there was nothing they could do. It was only a tiny percentage of the population that was certified to go out on their own and they weren't among them. Needless to say, many were those who were unhappy. Standing nearby watching the show, Marilee Alton was leaning against a wall, her Autobot City insignia along with the Day/Night Watch flash indicated she was one of the nine officers who worked here under the aegis of the Prime of Cybertron. They were a civilian ex-military special ops group that was an affiliated subdivision of N.E.S.T. but commanded by Springer.

She watched the leadership of the colony, those allowed, and their agitated spouses. The women of the men in charge were working hard to find their way in the informal but intense social life and power structures of the colony. Some of them felt sincere. Some didn't. It was her job with the eight men who were part of the team to keep this place safe, running properly and allow an alternative place for problems to come for everyone who worked here. They wouldn't be swept under the carpet with this team. The leadership knew it and were scrupulous in their dealings.

Mostly.

The door opened to the drive through outside, a huge covered space to allow big vehicles to enter and leave. Walking out, she headed to Will Lennox's vehicle, the first in the line of N.E.S.T. troop carriers that were inside. Pausing by it, she watched as he stepped out. He grinned. "Hi, Mary. How's the day going?"

"Better if we could go," she said with a smile. "Sam and I drew the short straw."

"Sorry," Will said with a grin. "Watch it on the monitor, then come to the parties tonight."

"We are," she said as the leadership walked up to Will.

"Major, has the party changed their mind about who can also come?" Owen Harris asked.

Will shrugged. "Just Cynthia Tomas. This is a private occasion so they get their say. It's not personal. They just don't want to have so many humans they get hurt. You ready to go?"

He nodded, then waved to Cynthia nearby. She came forward and with Monica and Zak Hadden, Hamilton Brown, Mark Jameson, and Kyle Davis, they entered two of the vehicles followed lastly by Owen Harris. Rick Harris had been invited separately and was already heading toward The Fortress. They entered, everyone walked back in, then the hatch sealed. Almost instantly, the vehicles were cleared to go and they did. When they were outside, the hatch closed and the space evened out nearly instantly. Anyone inside could go outside into it and live.

Several women fumed together as Marilee walked back to her job. She grinned. Sometimes, you can't get what you want. It was a nice feeling to have as she disappeared back inside to head for the big lounge where the facility occupants were gathering to watch the show on five giant monitors provided for just such occasions.

-0-In the back

Cynthia sat next to Carly Brooks-Spencer and Sam Witwicky, both good friends now. Across from her was Owen, Hamilton, Kyle, and Mark Jameson. Several soldiers and their families occupied the space as well as they pulled out to head for The City. In all the vehicles, there were humans gathered up to go who were on the approved list. All of N.E.S.T. and the Family were approved along with their extra guests and family. It was festive and happy, with expectation for who knew what. All they knew was that some city-states and their micro-cultures had various ceremonies that differed for each, built up by varying circumstances, religion, poverty for a few, and limitations of their culture. Praxus had one that was very old and required what to them were controversial promises made to each other. They were all excited to see what happened, then come back until later for the drive to the parties. The same humans were going, no more, no less.

Cynthia rubbed her now short hair as she sat with her helmet in her lap. Many of the women who were cleared had affected shorter hair because of the helmets, a trend that was much discussed on Earth in the social and entertainment media. It was just easier to manage here. "This is going to be great. What an honor to come."

Kyle glanced at her. "I don't know. This is going to be strange. But then, that's why we're here, to learn about things and grow."

Cynthia nodded, then glanced at Carly. "I heard that you and Sam are going to have a ceremony here with Prime officiating. Any idea when? I think we need more parties."

Carly grinned. "We'll let you know, Cindy. I agree with you about the parties. I heard that the bots really know how to party."

"They do. They dance and sing. They tell jokes and laugh. It's like being down at the Grange Hall on Saturday night. They're fun," Sam said with a grin.

"Leonora is filming the entire thing and its being broadcast on world on channel 37. It's not bound for Earth until she makes it an episode for Platoon. By the way, she said she has episodes on line for Platoon that include all the habitats."

"When?" Owen asked with surprise. "I haven't heard a word."

"You won't until she works out the schedule. Roll with the flow, Owen. This place is more informal than Earth and I like it that way," Carly said.

Sam nodded. "The bots are that way. That's why this is a dream place to live. They have structure but they don't have their heads up their asses like a lot of humans. They don't have hierarchies. They call Prime Optimus, they do things less formally and they get it all done without making enemies. That makes them ahead of the curve for me. No ass hat bosses to butter up while you try to do your job."

"Are you including us in that assessment?" Hamilton Brown asked.

Sam shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Personally, I think you need to listen more to your people."

"What have you heard?" Kyle Davis asked.

"It's what I see," Sam said. "You have some of the best and smartest humans in your habitat but you treat them like shit. Take Zak and Monica Hadden. Word has it that they're on your shit list for forgetting to mention that the Hu-An asked and got them permission to come to this. If you had spent a moment learning how things are done, you would have known that the Hu-An treat their friends like family and that inviting them along in their party is part of their culture. They wouldn't be here otherwise. Zak and Monica have made that good a friends with them and that benefits the habitat. It's just that you're too up your own asses to see and know that."

They stared at each other for a moment, then Owen sat back. "Thanks for the heads up. We don't pretend to know everything."

"Then don't get on the backs of those who are learning for everyone. Right now, Monica and Zak know more about this place than you do," Sam said. "I like them and consider them friends as well."

"Noted," Owen said with a tight grin.

Sitting in the driver's seat beside Annie and Sarah, Will Lennox grinned. He would grin all the way to The City.

-0-tbc 6-2-18

More to come. I have to walk the dogs before it gets too hot. :D:D:D


	374. Chapter 374

The Diego Diaries: Bond(age) 4 (dd6 374)

-0-In front of The Fortress at 1053 hours on the TMC

Some humans were already there, the cordoned off space where they would stand and the walkway back to the small area their vehicles would be parked was cleared ahead of time. A single Watch mech was placed there to make sure all was well as the humans drove in, parked and got out. Sciences and Earth 1 were gathering along with the Hu-An who were coming. More humans would be coming, the Family and N.E.S.T., as well as the guests from the Consulate and Earth2.

It was sunny, about -50 degrees and calm. Mechs and femmes, elders, infants, children, Seekers, and all manner of bot were in the crowd. Apparently, the couple had a lot of friends. The courtyard was empty and ready for the family to gather. The steps were swept and it would be there that everyone would stand in the wide gateway to do this thing.

In the Central Labor Hall, two huge rooms were getting ready for parties which could last anywhere from a while to several days. Food groaned on the tables, drinks were available in ice coolers or bars which would be tended by friends rotating in and out. The dance floors were shiny and ready while tables and couches were everywhere around the rest of the room. A band stand was nearby where one of the local groups, Shriek, would play. In the other room nearby, the same thing was available with a different band who played more sedate music. Blue had thought of everything.

Parked out back was a fire engine which would take both Lancer and Partition around the city on a chivery with the sirens blaring before dropping them off. What Blue hadn't told anyone was that Ratchet, Ironhide, Laslo, and Lucien would be going along for the ride as well.

Blue had thought of everything.

-0-Inside The Fortress

They sat or stood around a conference room and into the Ops Center, those family that fit. Others and their adjunct family members were in the rec room waiting for the fun to begin. Standing by the doorway nearly shaking with nerves, Partition waited. Lancer with her arms around his waist watched him with a smirk. "You aren't having regrets are you?" she asked.

He glanced down, then tightened his grip around her. "Never."

Ratchet and Ironhide walked in with 15 kids and a dog. Cousin was in Lumi's hold as they paused by the two. "You look terrible," Ratchet said to Partition.

"I think I'm going to pass out," Partition said. "I was told the crowd is big out there."

"It is. You two have a lot of friends and some of them are here for the free beer," Ratchet replied.

 **"OLD MECH! YOU CAN GET FREE BEER EVERYWHERE!"** Ironhide said with a big grin.

Huge laughter greeted that as they walked past the pair to the conference room. The big kids who were holding the littlest kids stayed with the pair, chatting about this and that thing and the parties ahead. Ironhide wandered into the room behind Ratchet who bee lined for Prowl. He sat down next to that relaxed slagger, then grinned. "Are we on for tomorrow? An inquiring Squad wants to know."

"We are," Prowl said. "Apparently, there are going to be extra hangers-on who want to steel our thunder."

"Thunder? I just thought that was gas," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile.

Prowl gazed at him coolly. "You are a savage."

"You both are," Raptor said as he glanced down table. "When does this goat rodeo start? I want to dance."

Prime rose, then glanced at the wall clock. "Now would be good. What is the crowd like outside?"

Prowl consulted his datapad which was keeping a running check via 'Little Bessie', a small low orbit satellite that worked the ground game on world for Teletraan. "It's approaching 22,000."

"Does it look like its slowing down?" Prime asked as everyone rose to go.

"It does. Anyone past 1100 hours is shit out of luck," Prowl said with a smug grin.

"Ah, Prowler … you savage, you," Ratchet said as he slapped the back of Prowl's helm.

Prowl rose with a frown. "Move it, scow."

"Like this?" Ratchet asked as he swished his aft back and forth out the door.

Raptor laughed. "You will never win, Prowl. Don't you know by now? Ratchet has no shame."

Prowl smirked at Raptor. "And deny him his chance to be an aft? You **know** he wants it," he said as he followed a grinning Prime toward the door.

"Something tells me that you do, too," Alor said as he laughed. They wandered out, gathered up Lancer and Partition, Lucien, a very excited Inweld and Morius along with a quivering Laslo, then headed toward the door and courtyard beyond.

-0-The Courtyard

The sky overhead was blue and the sun was bright. It threw much shorter shadows around them as the sun magically made its way to straight overhead. No wind, cold but not terrible, it was a good day to do this. The families divided into their component parts. Miler, Venture and Prowl with their kids joined the nine big smiling titanic kids as proxy family to Ratchet and Ironhide's clan because of Bluestreak's bond to the twins.

Everyone looked at each other. Then some mechs and femmes came into the courtyard from the crowd outside to gather around Lucien and Laslo. Laslo smiled at the entire Squad and their families, then turned toward Ironhide and Ratchet. "I hope you don't mind. I knew we'd look silly with our tiny family so I invited the Squad and all theirs to stand with us. I hope you don't mind. They're like family to me."

Ratchet laughed, then glanced at Prime who was grinning with amusement. "It'll make the bonding pictures look more balanced. The more, the merrier."

Prime grinned. "Sure," he said. The relief on one side of the courtyard was intense and the happiness even more so as Prime turned to them. "Are we ready?"

Everyone nodded including a terrified Partition and a terribly amused Lancer. Standing with Jetta, Magnus and Maelstrom, the entire femme squad waited to be called for her along with everyone else. The rest of the adult siblings, Springer, Drift, the twins, Bluestreak along with Hercy, Kup and the other geezers that were like family were waiting with them as well. It would be incredibly crowded on the steps outside. Prime laughed aloud, then turned to walk out. The moment the crowd saw him they roared their approval.

-0-Leonora and the human contingent

They had worked overnight to arrange the filming. Whether it saw the light of day was unclear but it would be captured. They were working with IntraComm as usual utilizing the colonial cameras, the satellite 'Little Bessie' for overhead views, camera crews from IntraComm as well as their own Galaxy Pictures crews to cover it all. Leonora, a full partner in the company now and its affiliates because she was loved, trusted, respected, and friends with nearly everyone everywhere was producing this event. Whatever she wanted to do, the company did. What started out as a production assistant job had taken a great turn for her.

She filmed the humans arriving, climbing out of vehicles, laughing and chatting together as they walked to the enclosure in the front. She filmed some of them pausing to talk to bots they knew, joining the Hu-An with whom many were close friends along with those from other habitats. The color of their suits identified their location as they mingled together, waiting for the event to start. The last few humans had arrived, soldiers, civilians and families all when Optimus Prime stepped into the gateway and out to the platform that led to the few steps down to the ground. The crowd roared and he grinned. It was beautiful.

-0-Inside

"You remember what to do?" Ratchet asked Partition as everyone watched both him and Lancer.

"I do," Partition said.

"Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It'll calm ya," Ratchet said with a grin.

Partition stared at him, then Lancer. "We don't breathe air."

"Oh. I forgot," Ratchet said as the crowd laughed loudly.

Just then, Prime began. Everyone got silent everywhere. "There are some things linked to being Prime that are wonderful and personally fulfilling. Conducting bondings is one of them. Today, we join two Houses together. It is a sacred moment and a gloriously happy one. Welcome to the moment when Lancer of Praxus, daughter of Ironhide of Praxus and Ratchet of Iacon bonds with Partition of Iacon, son of Lucien of Capital City and Laslo of Iacon. It is my honor to ask the questions that have to be asked in front of the community that will be their home. When they have been asked and answered, then they will be considered bonded with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities as any similar adult. As Prime, I am honored to do so." He turned to the group behind him. "I need Lancer of Praxus and her genitors, Ironhide of Praxus and Ratchet of Iacon."

They both stepped forward from inside the courtyard with Lancer who continued down to stand on the top step, trailed by family who filled in the background. She turned to smile at them with enormous happiness. They smiled back. This was a light moment for all of them, helping this great femme make her way. She smiled at them and Prime. Prime smiled back then turned again. "I need Partition of Iacon along with their genitors, Lucien of Capital City and Laslo of Iacon."

The three stepped forward with a delighted Laslo, a surprisingly proud and smiling Lucien and the large group of the Squad, their families and friends, stopping beside Prime as Partition continued toward Lancer, his face filled with rapture as he looked at her. They joined servos and waited.

Prime smiled slightly. "And now the questions. Lancer, are you prepared to bond with Partition and have no other before you?"

"Yes," she said.

"Partition, are you prepared to bond with Lancer and have no other before you?"

Partition nodded. He stared at Lancer a moment, then whispered, "yes."

"Ironhide, as proxy genitor for Lancer do you promise to be responsible for her, to assist them both if they need you and to stand by their sparklings as guardian if such need comes?"

"Yes," Ironhide said for the sixth time in his life. This was getting a lot easier with each passing event. It was a great orn in his spark at this moment. His little girl was getting bonded.

 **SNIFFLE!**

"Lucien," Prime said turning to his former nemesis. "As genitor granted proxy status in the legal and cultural format of Praxus, do you promise to be responsible for Partition, to assist him if they both need you and to stand by their sparklings as guardian if such need comes?"

"Yes," Lucien said.

"Do you, Laslo, promise the same?" Prime asked.

Laslo nodded. "Yes," he whispered as he squeezed Lucien's servo.

"Ratchet, as bond to Ironhide what do you say?"

Ratchet who was standing with the entire group of his family around him opposite of Lucien and Laslo who had the same, stepped closer and nodded. "Yes, I agree."

"Ironhide and Lucien as principle Praxian genitors by birthright and proxy have agreed to protect this bond and to step in when the need arises. That is their responsibility to you and your family, including the extension by bond to Lucien and Laslo of the actions I will now ask you to decide. Now you have to do so. Do you give freely genitor rights to both Lucien and Ironhide?"

Partition and Lancer looked at each other. This part was weird for Partition but he didn't care. He wanted this more than any limitations by some ancient law, so he grinned and nodded to her. He knew it would mean they had to publicly acknowledge the right of either Lucien or Ironhide to step in including Laslo and Ratchet to separate and control them if something should arise that endangered any of them or their sparklings.

Lancer nodded. "Yes."

Partition held almost in thrall by her, nodded. "Yes."

Huge and thunderous applause greeted that as the crowd weighed in. The family who had acquired Silverbow in the midst of the beginning where everyone came forward laughed loudly and joined them. Lucien looked almost impossibly happy as he stood with his arms around Laslo. So did all the others, former hard afts all as they stood with the bonding party together.

As the hoo-haw subsided a bit, Prime closed the ceremony. "This is a Primus blessed event, witnessed by all and freely agreed upon. This is now a public record that Partition of Iacon and Lancer of Praxus are a bond, that they are adult in the eyes of the community and that a new family is born today. Congratulations," he concluded stepping forward to hug Lancer before the entire family group surged almost as one. It would be a howling good time for a moment or two.

That is, it would be until the siren sounded nearby.

-0-TBC 6-3-18 **edited 7-7-18**


	375. Chapter 375

The Diego Diaries: Bond(age) 5 (dd6 375)

-0-At the scene of the crime

It would be remembered forever by every human there, soldier or civilian, how fast and how vast the guns that appeared out of nowhere were turned to face the direction of the siren. Then they disappeared just as fast as the crowd roared. At the junction nearby, a huge fire engine with Inferno sitting on top of it raced its siren again. **HUGE** applause, cheering and stomping followed as the crowd turned back to The Fortress steps.

Perceiving without much comprehension, Partition watched as the femme squad grabbed Lancer and carried her bodily to the engine. Perching her on top, they stepped back as Springer, Drift, Jetta, Magnus, and Maelstrom picked up Partition and carried him to the same fate. Laughing for a moment, then watching upside down as he was freighted there, too, Ratchet howled loudly. Ironhide sensing the futility followed along with Lucien and Laslo. Stuffing Ratchet on along with the other three, Inferno then leaned into the cab and the truck began to move. With siren blaring, it rolled off to do its full circuit of the colony with the six big mechs sitting on the back watching the world roll by with incredulity and hilarity.

In The City, the family was gathering with friends and children to go to the parties at the Central Labor Hall. They would have dinner later together at the Tower In The Sky in Iacon, but for now, they could leave for a while or go party. Everyone headed to the party.

-0-On a fire truck heading south

Lucien sat beside Laslo with a slight grin. "I never saw or participated in a chivery. This is interesting."

Ratchet who sat next to Laslo who was waving to someone driving alongside them as he pointed out his son, his new daughter-in-law and their bond just now grinned at Lucien. "This is slagging awesome. Some of the ghetto fun was just that."

They sped along, took the roundabout to Terra, then hit the speed dial. Every so often, the siren would go off. Ratchet peered into the window of the cab. Then he sat back and grinned. "This is an automated truck. I imagine that Inferno is controlling it remotely. Expect the million dollar tour."

He was and they would. Have it, that is.

-0-Humans

They walked down their cordoned off pathway to the vehicles parked nearby. Kids skipped and hopped, talking excitedly together as they hurried along. Piling in, they were let to go down the road to the metro where they would be led by a Watch mech walking along in front of them to the rear entrance doors where they would drive into the parties. The parties were across the interior two lane from each other so they would be easy to go to, both of them. It would be epic when they got there.

-0-Touring the main drag of Terra

Ratchet waved like the Queen of England, then like a beauty pageant winner. Then he waved like he personally knew some of the pedestrians that stopped to watch the spectacle, waving like a friend excited to see a long lost paramour, then he waved like a shy little child, and before he could find new ways to wave Ironhide popped him on the back of his noggin. Needless to say, it was a lively discussion as they headed toward the Industrial Park Highway on their 'float'.

-0-Inside the big loud party in room 113

The humans parked along the wall outside, then as a group formed lines to walk inside. A lot of mechs and the odd femme, curious little kid and googly-optic baby were also going in. The music was playing loudly so their masks automatically toned down the level of noise inside even as the bots did so as well. They walked to their roped off area, then entered it to sit on comfy couches, chairs and at tables. Looking around, the old timers saw the normal bonding party decorations … huge painted images of their particular home towns, an affectation becoming common after The Fall, lots of food and drink, comfortable places to sit, images of the bond pair in various stages of their life, some when they were babies, places for the family to sit as the center of the show, and lots of conversation and dancing.

For Lennox, it felt like any bar on any assignment he had ever undertaken. Fighting men were everywhere in the room along with their little (or gigantic) adas. They congregated in groups to talk, drink, eat food, and celebrate. It was very relaxed and happy here, filled with good friends, good entertainment and stuff to eat and drink. All was well in their (Cybertronian) world. Now all they needed was the new couple and their wacky genitors.

-0-On the way back from the Industrial Park Cities

"That was fun. I never saw a fire truck chivery go through a steel mill like that," Ratchet said as the group laughed loudly. "Poor Chromia and Maelstrom. Look what they missed. Springer. And Drift. Arcee and Magnus. I think I'm getting a complex, those slaggers." He was sitting with his big peds hanging over the side as they raced along. The others were comfortably hanging on even in this circumstance as they hit it for the first of four Seven Cities, a quad city, several other metro-former cities, Crystal City, Pax, Aerie Hill where they would get razzed out the wazoo from the hooting, hollering Seekers, the slaggers, then back to The City once more. It would take a bit of time to do that.

-0-Humans

They sat at a table watching the big mechs dance. Springer and Drift were tearing up the dance floor as only a Cybertronian could. They danced a number of different ways following the tempo of the music as they did. Right now, it was fast and they were jumping and bounding like the others around him, their arms flinging and their smiles gigantic with laughter as they did. Dancing Cybertronian style was not for the faint of spark and encompassed a lot of agility and speed. It wouldn't be too out of step on Earth given some of the dancing there but most of the time it was a seething mass of movement and colors, laughter, shouts, the odd howl, and all of the time, joy.

:Oh my god: Cindy Teasdale said as she watched. :Just when you thought that they couldn't be more perfect, this happens:

:I hear ya: Lola said as she sat beside her sister in a grinning group of bedazzled humans. : I don't think its going to get better than this for a while: she said with awe in her voice.

:I don't know: Sam said as he nodded to a pair down the mob. It was Prime and Prowl swaying slowly to their own music as they held each other in an embrace. :I think that's the tops for me:

:Awwww. Ohhhhh: -Everyone at the table.

:Where are all the good guys?: Cindy whimpered. :I'm going to get Ratchet to set me up:

:With a mech?: Sam asked with a look of amusement.

:Why not?: Cindy said with a glance around the room. :I hear Smokey is available: She tuned into his channel. :Smokey:

An improbably handsome face peered around a couple of mechs to look their way. He grinned. "Lola?" he asked as everyone listened in.

:Cindy but close enough. How about you and me going on a date?: she asked.

He stared at her, then the group with him who all began to smirk, then her again. Standing up, he backed out of the tables around him, then walked over beer in hand. "What?"

:Look at that: Cindy said nodding to Prime and Prowl who were dancing to their own tune in their own world.

Smokey grinned. "That's cute. Old people are cute."

Everyone burst out laughing, then Cindy leaned in. :How about a date? Are you still with Roddy?:

"Oh frag no. That loser?" he said as he looked around to spot Hot Rod. He did. He was hanging at the bar with friends. Smokey frowned, a totally cute look on him, then he looked at Cindy. "What sort of date?"

:How about the races this weekend? I hear Blurr is going for a rematch from the Velocitronian who tied with him last weekend: Cindy said.

" **THAT WAS EPIC!"** Smokey agreed. Everyone grinned at him. He was still considered a teenager among the bots and his enthusiasms proved it over and over. "Okay. Let's." He glanced over at Hot Rod, then Cindy. His expression grew a wee bit hard. "You're on. I don't know what humans do on dates so you'll have to tell me."

:Since you're asking, just know you're the single most awesome bot in this entire room of awesome bots because of it: Cindy said. :Get me at the Earth 1 habitat at 1700:

He grinned at her at the compliment which didn't hurt his rather fragile ego at the moment, then nodded. "You're on." He rose back up, grinned at the crew, then walked back to his table to sit and shoot the shit with the big bots.

 **:OMG! I'M HAVING A DATE WITH A BOT! A CUTE ONE WITH A GREAT AMMA AND APPA!** This is **SO** not going on the blog: Cindy said as she clicked beer bottles with her twin. :He's moved up on the future husbands list big time:

:Since you pulled this off, fix me up and we can double date: Lola said with a grin.

:Go with Hot Rod. I hear he's available: Ron Witwicky said with a chuckle. All the kids cracked him up.

-0-Round and about

"I forgot they had a branch of The Paint Box in Aerie Hill now," Ratchet said as they finally made their way back toward The City. The crew was relaxing on the truck as it sped past the Arena District and headed down the highway with the siren going toward the Central Labor Hall freight entrance. Pulling in, it slid to a stop and they staggered off. Walking to the big doors nearby, the truck moved off to head back to Metrotitan and the hub fire department dispatch center there.

They entered, then walked the half mile down the wide two lane with sidewalks that the underground part of Central Labor Hall still employed. They could hear the party before they could see it. When they reached the doors, open and swinging with a number of mechs and femmes standing in the hallway sidewalks to chat, sip beer and bullshit, they entered to universal acclaim. In typical bonding party fashion, big mechs grabbed Partition, then passed him overhead all over the room. Several of them then carried him across the hallway to room 412 where the more sedate party was happening to do the same thing there. Given that Lancer was a 'girl', it appeared they were giving her a break.

"Well, isn't that special," Ratchet said before Maelstrom, Springer, Drift, Jetta, and the twins picked him up and sent him flying around the room as well.

Ironhide who was watching with amusement turned to Lucien who looked startled. "You better get a beer and sit down. You're going to be next."

It was instructive how fast Laslo and Lucien made it to a table with a drink. They did so just in time to see Ironhide whirl by at optic level.

-0-Around the parties

In the sedate party, the elders sat at tables of honor in the back of the room near the wall. All of the dancing and hoo-haw wouldn't bother them there. They were delighted and had most of the children. The titan kids were in the other younger party dancing away. Typhoon and his family split their time between parties, sitting with this and that amma and appa and this and that sibling of the 'bride/groom'.

Food was delicious and was being devoured with drinks galore. Bluestreak who knew how parties went among his people had made sure that loads and loads of both were on hand. The bands played, one loudly and the other in moderation as couples swayed/spazzed to the beat.

It was going to be a very, very nice evening indeed.

-0-TBC 6-2-18 **edited 7-7-18**


	376. Chapter 376

The Diego Diaries: Bandage (dd6 376)

-0-At the parties

The band played on, loudly and with gusto. The bands that were playing were famous on Cybertron and they were famous here. They were making new music and there was talk of sending a USO-type tour of musicians to Cybertron with them headlining. There was even talk of Jazz pulling his old band together, something that was highly receptive to the bar scene crowd from back in the orn. As it was, the noise was loud and the beer flowed.

Ratchet after taking a tour of the ceiling tiles of both rooms found himself sitting in the midst of mechs from the Wreckers and the army who were laughing and telling ribald jokes. He grinned as he ate his third plate of food and sipped his third beer. Springer who sat next to him grinned at Ratchet. "Hey, Ma. How ya doing? Is tomorrow night still on?"

"Absolutely," Ratchet said as he clinked his beer with half a dozen half drunk slaggers across the table. "What kind of squaddie would I be if I let the Squad down?"

"Someone who wouldn't have to make bail, I would think," Drift said as he sat down again with another plate and two beers. He gave one to Springer, then grinned at Ratchet. "You do know that we have to go wherever you and Prowl go. Boss's orders."

"I know. I also know that I saw the film the soldiers took of you when you went on a bender with Prime. You **do** remember that, or do you?" Ratchet asked.

"Uh, sort of," Springer said.

"Prime jumped his horse and landed on his aft. That was worth the price of admission," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "You boys set the bar. We just have to jump it now."

"Why do I feel like there's going to be traction somehow involved here?" Drift asked.

"Experience?" Springer replied with a grin.

Across the room, Prime, Ironhide, Raptor who was getting there, Blackjack who was assigned to make sure Raptor 'got there' without bumping his helm on the door, Hard Drive who was cuddling with Delphi, Alor who was haranguing someone about something, and Gee-Gee were filling the couches along the wall. Everyone was seriously happy but Blackjack who nursed his soft drink with ill grace.

"Look at that." Ratchet said nodding to the group. "'Jack has to stay sober."

The mechs glanced at them, then Ratchet with grins. "Tell us funny stories about them. Raptor is hilarious," a big mech said.

"Hm," Ratchet said as he thought a moment. "Raptor is a joker but he's deadly serious about a lot of things, too. He likes a neat munition. No one can sneak up on him. Sober, anyway. He's got stealth tech out the wazoo as the humans say. It's all illegal tech he acquired and made me install, the slagger. He's a mech of distinct tastes. He likes cows, his old mech, dancing … did you see him dance? That mech can dance anyone here under the table. He likes hiking around the outback of the beyond. He can find anything that's lost no matter how small, and he cheats at cards."

"He does?" Springer asked with surprise. Everyone else looked surprised as well.

"Didn't you notice?" Ratchet asked with a smile. "Slagger cheats at cards. He can count them, he has tech to scan them … he's good at gambling because he cheats. Just ask the management of the Belagio in Vegas."

"That rat," Springer said with a grin. "What a slagger. Even Smokescreen can't beat him."

"Yeah, well … don't tell him I told you," Ratchet said as he began to eat again.

" **HEY!"** Half the room paused as they turned to see Springer waving his arm. **"APPA RAPTOR! COME HERE A MOMENT!"**

Ratchet glanced at Springer, then grinned. "If I were sober, I'd bend a wrench over your helm. You traitor, you."

Springer grinned and pulled a chair for Raptor who weaved over with a half finished beer and a donut. He sat heavily. **"GRANDSON! GRANDSONS! I, RAPTOR OF PRAXUS AM HERE! WHAT MIGHTY DEED MUST I DO TO PROVE TO YOU THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE HALF THE MECH I AM ON MY WORST ORN!?"**

 **HUGE** laughter and applause greeted that as Springer smirked at Ratchet, then his appa. "I was wondering how you managed to win at gambling like you do."

Raptor put his bottle down and held up his huge servos. "See these? These are divine. They're inspired. **WHY, THE PANTHEON GAVE THEM TO ME PERSONALLY SO THAT I MIGHT PREVAIL IN ALL ARENAS! I, RAPTOR AM A GAMBLER'S GAMBLER!"**

"And you cheat," Drift interjected with a grin.

"And I cheat," Raptor replied with a grin. He glanced at Ratchet. "Thanks, slagger."

"Don't mention it. Maybe when we all sober up we won't remember," Ratchet said as he sipped his beer.

"We can but hope. Sure comes in handy in Vegas. Now Blackjack … there's a son any mech would be proud of," he said as he glanced across the way at his boy. He waggled his fingers and Blackjack grumpily waggled them back. "He's big, powerful, handsome as slag, a slagging fine atar, an even better appa … he fights like a demon and he's good to his troops. He learned that from me by the way," Raptor said as he glanced at the troops sitting around him hanging on his every word. Lon, Bezel and Inweld looked like they might have vapor lock at any moment. **"WHY, YOU'D NEVER FIND A BETTER SON IN ALL THE UNIVERSE THAN MY BLACKJACK! I NAMED HIM AFTER A RELATIVE! I FORGET WHICH ONE!"**

"Blackjack?" Ratchet suggested.

"Oh, right. That one," he said with a grin. "Where was I? Oh yeah … **BLACKJACK IS A SLAGGING FINE MECH! HE ALSO OWNS A COW WHICH MAKES HIM PERFECT!"**

Across the way, everyone was watching Raptor embarrass his son. Blackjack looked a bit smaller in stature in his chair as he tried to make himself disappear into the wall. Turbine grinned. "Your atar is feeling it."

"He can't hold his liquor like me," Blackjack said as he glowered at his ada.

"Is **that** it," Turbine said with a grin, then glanced back at the table across the way.

" **YOU KNOW WHO ELSE IS PERFECT!? MY IRONHIDE, THAT'S WHO! HE'S PERFECT AND I NAMED HIM AFTER ANOTHER RELATIVE! I TOLD BLACKJACK TO NAME HIM AFTER SOMEONE!"**

"Ironhide?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"That's right. Old Ironhide. He was a slagger's slagger. The most fair and hard aft uncle a mech could ever have," Raptor said as he took a donut off Drift's plate and began to eat it.

Drift grinned. "There's another uncle somewhere?"

"Which one?" Raptor asked as his gin soaked train of thought derailed again.

"There's Steiner, Trooper's brother. Maybe Trooper. Or Scout. Isn't Blackjack the Elder your ada's brother and Ironhide the Other his son? Is that right?" Ratchet asked as he mused over the line.

"I don't know. They just lived in … somewhere over there," Raptor said pointing in the direction of left. Everyone snickered. He snickered, then hugged Ratchet. "I'd stick around and tell ya family secrets and stuff but my boy over there … look at him, handsome slagger … he isn't embarrassed enough." He rose, then bowed. **"I HAVE A COW! HIS NAME IS PUDDING! I HAVE THE BEST COW ON MARS! REMEMBER THAT!"** he said as he winked, then walked back to the group across the way.

They watched him go, then Springer glanced at Ratchet. "That family is gold. No, they're platinum. They're … they're … words fail me."

"They never fail Raptor. He knows ten ways to Sunday how to wear down a recruit and embarrass a family member. He's a genuine dude as the humans say," Ratchet replied.

There would be no argument around the table.

-0-Dancing in the middle of the hoo-haw

Lancer and Partition swayed together, the beat being as irrelevant to them as it was to Prime and Prowl. The party was a total blast. All their friends were there to enjoy. It was amazing looking around how many of those here were friends of his now, too. He knew that Lancer was respected and well liked, so he knew they would come in droves. What surprised him were the Watch officers, Home Guardsmen and others he was beginning to meet and know who came for him, too. It was affirming in a way he would never be able to articulate. So he didn't. He swayed with Lancer and enjoyed himself. Nearby, jitterbugging in the classic Cybertronian manner, Maelstrom and Chromia flung themselves around. They were as competitive and striving on the dance floor as they were everywhere else. It was hilarious.

Prime leaned against Prowl nearby as they sat with their peds up. They had rescheduled the meetings in the afternoon with humans around an 'emergency'. The food and drink were too good, the company too much fun to leave and the occasion a victory for the light. Partition had found his way. Ratchet and Ironhide had another son-in-law and the world was looking a bit brighter than it had before.

Finally.

"Raptor really knows how to break someone's bearings," Prowl said with a snicker as he sipped his beer.

Prime grinned. "He is a masterful manager of individuals. He is also one of the funniest mechs I ever met."

Prowl nodded. "Your genitors are good dancers," he said as the two of them watched Kestrel and Tagg dancing together on the edge of the 'dance scrum'. They were big, graceful and delightful to watch. Kes was having a great time. "School for them is winding up for the session. They have a couple of decaorns off before it starts again."

Prime nodded. "Maybe we can take them somewhere."

"How about Earth?" Prowl asked.

Prime glanced at him, then shrugged. "Diego, certainly. They enjoyed it when they were there for the Settle wedding. Maybe we can go again for a picnic or something. There are a lot of islands in the Pacific Ocean that have no populations."

"That sounds good. Swimming, sunning … relaxing … what's that, anyway?" Prowl asked.

"I have no idea," Prime said with a grin.

At a table nearby, a lot of tiny kids stood on the top eating munchies and watching the dancing. Now and again, they would dance themselves, mostly intense staring with the odd jerk of an arm and bouncing in place. It was the universal dance of children who felt music down into their souls. They were with their ammas and appas who had come here to show the flag after leaving the more sedate party in the other room.

"Appa, can you dance?" Hero asked Appa Ratchet.

"I can," Appa said with a grin. He stood, picked up Hero, then walked to the crowd. He began to dance with her in his arms. Before he barely started, the rest would be making their way to the dance floor with their ammas and appas along with an uncle and auntie or two. The kids who were pretty good dancers themselves from school lessons would have a glorious time.

-0-Nearby

"Amma, this is so fun," Reflector said as he sat in his amma's lap. He was eating something and grinning at the other kids as they chased around, played, or sat and talked to the adults. "I'm glad we came here."

"So am I," his amma said with a grin. "We're family, too. We get to come to the fun stuff like everyone else in the family."

Reflector leaned into his amma, then grinned. "I'm glad," he said with spark felt emotion.

"Me, too," she replied.

Nearby in the cordoned off area for humans, several hundred humans were availing themselves of the hilarity. There was a room inside the area for them that was a small habitat box. Inside, there were facilities, food sent over by the Resort earlier and plenty to drink. It could hold all of them in an emergency and half of them comfortably. Those who were watching and chatting with bots outside of it were watched by those inside who were dining, laughing and talking together inside. Among them were several humans from Earth2.

Owen Harris sipped good beer and ate stellar food. The Resort was a miracle of organization. They were intensely hooked into the bot's world. Hamilton Brown and Mark Jameson sat with him, the two enjoying themselves immensely. Kyle Davis was chatting with someone about business opportunities here and everyone else was partying. He watched Monica and Zak Hadden nearby as they sat with friends from all the habitats.

There were Hu-An outside for some time, but they then left to work. They had chatted with Zak and Monica, then nodded to everyone else before leaving. It was intriguing how the networks were building but some part of him, the part that had to control all things was still simmering about the Haddens being invited without his knowledge. He shifted in his chair, then joined Jameson and Brown as they discussed the sights out in the huge room. It was fun, loud and if it were humans, any place on Earth one could possibly be.

That was the part that was oddest for him. How same and how different it was. The party would crawl onward and last for two orns. Partiers would come and go, then come back again. That in itself was different. But it was a small thing overall.

-0-TBC 6-4-18 **edited 7-7-18**

NOTES!

kattenbelletje chapter 375 . 10h ago

ROFL. I'm glad nothing bad happened. It would be just their luck. I love the firetruck.

 **ME:** I remember a friend married a fireman and was driven around our town in her nightgown on her wedding night by the fire department. Chivering someone is a big deal where I lived. That cliff hanger wrote itself. LOL! :D

kattenbelletje chapter 374 . 11h ago

OMG The siren?! WTF. They have no sense of timing.

I love how short and simple the questions and speech are. I went to a wedding once and the useless speech about the families and how they met and about the historical building were kind of boring and too long.

Why was Ratchet asked to agree as bond to Ironhide, but Laslo wasn't asked to agree as bond to Lucien?

 **ME:** They don't, do they? Inferno is such a great character. :D I love short, sweet weddings. I cringe when I think about speeches and stuff. There would be no way a guy like Springer would get mushy with Drift to that degree. He's got a sweet thing with Drift and they talk to each other that way to a degree, but they would never do that. Partition apologizing to everyone was enough at the dinner.

Laslo didn't have to do it because Partition is their son. Ratchet and Ironhide are proxy or adoptive parents. I wanted to show a difference there but forgot to write that into the segment. LOL! You a have eagle eyes. I'll have a human ask so someone can explain it. HUGS!

-0-

Fancyspinner chapter 362 . 11h ago

Awwww! I love that Cliffjumper has a baby girl! Buzzy is wonderful Isn't love an amazing thing?!

 **ME:** I love that he does, too. He needed a girl. Buzzy is a big sweet guy. He reminds me of a cousin of mine and his spouse. That sweet. :D

OOO, I cannot wait to be able to be woken up at 5AM by my cats! I will be with them again in less than a month. I hope to be able to sleep better.

 **ME: HUZZAH!** I have two and they love to sit on me especially when I write. :D I love, love, love cats. :D I hope you get them and have all you need, fancy darling. There's nothing like pets to help everything get better. :D

Poor Omega Glad Silverbolt is with him.

 **ME:** I had that come to me, what happened to Omega. Usually, they get off pretty light but this felt darker. Silverbolt is my favorite Aerialbot. He's the nicest and smartest. Omega did good. :D

Fancyspinner: I love all the babies. I can't wait to see what happens with the high casts. Morons! I wonder if families will be reunited? what will happen with prowls grand genitors? Will Wheeljack and some of the others get fam back? I miss migrations. can we have a look-see at one?

 **ME:** I love the little kids. I can see them all so clearly. High castes are slow learners. Even with obliteration, never underestimate entitlement, even among humans. More families are coming. A few big migrations are coming with surprises. As for Wheeljack, that is on the list. I won't give too much away but I think a lot of potential for hope is still here.

-0-

Leoness chapter 375 . Jun 3

Oh, well played. Welllllllll played.

 **ME** : I actually incorporated a couple of things that I saw at weddings I attended into this. :D:D:D

-0- Leoness chapter 374 . Jun 3

ACK! You can't leave it off THERE! (you wonderful evil author you)

 **ME:** BWAHAHAHA! I actually wrote the next one because of you. :D:D:D


	377. Chapter 377

The Diego Diaries: Swayin' (dd6 377)

-0-0400 in the next morning

They decided to head for the barn, the two of them, when Ratchet stood up and began to sing. Prime and Prowl who had staggered out earlier missed that moment, one that would live on in infamy and the internal film archives of many sitting around watching. Ironhide swayed, then applauded as he staggered toward Ratchet. That mech bowed, then climbed onto Ironhide piggy back style for a ride home.

Alor would have taken pictures but he was asleep face down at a table at the moment under which Blackjack had slid some time earlier haven given in to 'just one beer, slag it'. He would remain there until later, come to sentience, then panic over where he had left Scout. Alor would head out, fall down the steps to the Well of AllSparks in his rambling and spend the rest of the night there until Lady Sela found him before morning prayers. As for Scout, that tyke was at his namesake's house having a good sleep. Raptor was sleeping on a couch while Turbine and Delphi staggered home with the intention of finding it. Blackjack who was supposed to stay sober and help everyone had failed at his job and would have a drum head in the morning in the middle of his own living room by his ammas. He roused and seeing no one in his stupor wanted to go to his own berth to sleep it off. He almost made it.

Almost.

Hard Drive noting both his son and grandsons sleeping here and there leaned back in his chair and joined them. Ravel, Tie Down, Appa Ratchet, Chan, Corr, and Docker had retired with the Prime, going when the getting was good, holds filled with infants who were sleeping like babies. Bos, Co-D, Reflector, and their families had taken Sunspot with them along with Spot because it looked like his genitors were going to be trying on the lampshades for some time yet.

Grown children were here and there, some of them still upright while many were part of several card games going on in both huge rooms. Bands were still playing, food and drink still being eaten and dancers still going at it. The humans had left earlier, making their way back to wherever they came from filled with images of hilarity and solemnity, enough for a lifetime (movie).

Staggering to the door with Ratchet whoopee-ti-yi-yoing on his back, Ironhide made his way forward. Fortunately, it wasn't far. Having ricocheting off the big doors to the exit, two tall lamp posts and barely missing being hit jaywalking across the street, they made it to the lobby of their building, crossed the vast empty marble space, then collapsed in an elevator in a stupor. Landing hard, they lay still a moment, then fell into recharge almost instantly. They would spend several joors riding up and down the entire length of the building as the automated system tried to find their floor.

-0-Elsewhere

The pair in question slipped out eventually for a long walk servo-in-servo in the moonlight of the night. It was a new world for both of them, Partition, a youngling mech who had never cared about anything before and Lancer, a nervous youngling femme scientist with no known surviving family joined in a deep form of connection that humans would never know. They were assimilating their new situation when they finally walked home to 'face like bunnies until the sun came up. Then they would go to breakfast with the gang and head for work.

There was no rest for the weary.

Nor for the bleary.

It would be very early in the morning when someone coming home would wait for an elevator and find when it opened two of their more storied neighbors passed out on the floor. A call to the building manager brought him running along with half a dozen of his friends from the all night poker game held periodically at his home among the many building managers of the Martian Housing Management Association.

It would take all of them to drag the two to their door where a slightly disapproving Ravel and a smirking Tie Down were waiting. Opening the door to the apartment, the group managed them into the living room where they lay them on the floor. Ravel stared at them, then the chuckling group. "Thank you, young mechs. My son and Ironhide are good mechs overall. We just had a bonding party and they got too frisky for their own good."

"Don't worry, Ravel," the building manager said. "Do you want them left here?"

"Yes," Ravel said with a hint of tut-tut in his voice. "We will take it from here."

They chatted a moment, got congratulated on the bonding, then the mechs left. Ravel stared at his son, then shook his helm. "He takes after my father. I do like that streak in him, Tie, but sometimes I wonder about him."

Tie laughed as he arranged limbs to be more comfortable. "Don't. He's a good mech. He just lives a bit larger than we're used to. We don't live in the Jumble anymore, Ravie. We can have fun now without going to jail."

"We can," Ravel agreed. He grinned. "That was a great party. Did you know that the Squad is going on the town tonight?"

"You might want to skip an orn to recover," Tie said as they walked to the door and stepped out. The door closed as Cousin stared at them from the top of the kitchen table. Then he jumped down and walked to the pair to sniff them all over. At that point, he did what all cats do. He made himself supremely comfortable.

On Ironhide's face.

-0-Dawn rising

The hoo-hah at various houses didn't reach Ironhide's. He was still sleeping with Cousin's fuzzy butt on his face. Ratchet was sawing logs as well, both oblivious to children and jobs anywhere.

Topside, Prowl slid out of bed, then staggered to the wash rack. Standing under the hot water, then the hot blow dryer, he felt his processor almost reset itself in self defense. Pulling a vial out of the cabinet over the sink, he slipped it and felt blessed relief flow through him. Thank Primus he had asked First Aid for a home remedy kit back in the orn. No one was going to catch Prowl flat footed again if he could help it. He walked out looking fit and refreshed. Pausing by the door, he looked at his dearly beloved.

Optimus was lying where he fell, his body half on and half off the berth. He was three sheets to the wind and would need a vial of relief for his own good. Prowl smirked. "You look cute anyway you are. How do you do that?" he asked softly, then walked out to track down his kids and other relatives that he vaguely remembered from the night before.

-0-Elsewhere

"You up, Magnus?" Arcee asked as she pulled prepared breakfast from the heater oven.

Ultra Magnus walked into the living room looking pretty good for having gotten really loaded the night before. "I'm up. Thanks for the antidote," he said as he sat heavily in a chair at the table. "Prowl's learning."

"First Aid is our fixer. Most of us figure Ada is slag faced and no help so we keep it around," she said as she lay the trays of food before them. A nice cuppa hot stuff, utensils and the morning newspapers would make a raucous night fade into the mists of legend as they sat together eating, reviewing the news and whatever else they could still remember.

-0-Elsewhere

Elita sat on the couch watching Jetta prepare breakfast. Jetta was a good cook, especially breakfast, so she demurred to his greater abilities and interest. "I wonder where Ada and Atar ended up?"

Jetta grinned. "The last I can remember, Ratchet was riding Ironhide out the door toward home."

Elita laughed aloud, then grinned. "This is the most fun I've had in a long time."

"It is." Jetta dished up breakfast, they sat down together and chatted as they ate their breakfast.

-0-Elsewhere

Chromia and Maelstrom walked into the Diner At The Corner with hangovers. Sitting there equally brung down was most of the crew and elder family members such as Drift and Springer. They were waiting for Raptor to come out of the head nearby, having gone in there to splash his face. Hercy followed him to make sure he could make it back. When he did, a message in everyone's internal comm file would be the cure. Ratchet had timed it to go to everyone at about this time in the morning and when he walked back out with a chuckling Hercy, Raptor would be king of the world once more.

So would everyone else there, thank Primus.

-0-Elsewhere

He came to sentience slowly, his flags and service warnings kicking off as he defragged his processor on the long dark climb from the rim of the Pit where he was spinning like a demented toe dancer for some time. Sitting up slowly, Ratchet looked around. Ironhide was sprawled beside him, out like a bird that flew into a window and Cousin was sitting on his face. Ratchet grinned. "Hi, Cousin." Then he fell back to wait out the reboot in peace.

-0-Elsewhere

They lined up to show their tiny hands, then were placed around the table to eat. The Prime kids, the Trine kids and their own were waiting for their food as politely as could be. When they got it, Venture and Miler helped them eat so they could catch the bus to their schools on time. Education waited for no femme or mech.

-0-Elsewhere

Sunspot ate his breakfast with a grin, sliding this and that under the table for Spot. Spot would get his breakfast at the school where food was kept for kids' service animals if they missed a meal at home. However, snacks didn't hurt and Spot was happy to oblige. Bos grinned at him as they discussed the upcoming orn at school. Soon, Reflector and Co-D would burst in and all would go down with their family to catch the proper vehicle to Centurion. It would be fun.

-0-Elsewhere

Turbine and Delphi having slept it off together at Turbine's apartment arrived at The Diner On The Corner having scanned for their bonds. Hard Drive and Raptor pulled chairs for them, then looked around. "Where's Alor and Blackjack?" Raptor asked. "I remember Ratchet and Ironhide leaving. Where's little mech?"

Devcon who was eating breakfast with Smokescreen, Smokey, Moda, and Tress at a table nearby grinned. "'Jack headed out from the party early on. He said something about going home."

"Frag. Where did he go?" Turbine asked with a grin.

"Hard to say. Dial up the locators, Hardie, and tell me where they are," Turbine said.

He did, then grinned. "Alor is at the Temple and Blackjack is in an alley near the Mall of Metroplex."

"Frag," Turbine said rising with Delphi. "We better go get them." They headed out as the others watched them go. They would hold a place for them until they came back with their wayward infants.

-0-Temple of Primus, lower deck

Lady Sela grinned as she stared down at Alor. Kneeling, she shook the big mech's shoulder. Optics fluttered, then Alor looked at her. "Sela? Where? What am I?" Alor asked.

Sela laughed, then helped Alor stand. "You're lost. How was the party last night?"

"I'll have to review the films," Alie said with a grin. "I wonder," he said as he glanced around. "Where's Blackjack?"

They both set out to find him.

-0-Elsewhere

They sat at the table waiting for the oven alarm to signal breakfast. Ironhide was pulling white cat hair out of his mouth as Ratchet grinned at him. "I can't remember a thing."

"Don't worry about it. Something tells me that Ravie has chapter and verse," Ironhide said with a grin.

The oven went off so they served breakfast and had a few laughs eating it. Those would vanish after Ravel and Company got the kids off and came back to el kabong both of them for making a spectacle of themselves with the neighbors.

-0-Elsewhere

Lady Sela, Turbine, Alor, and Delphi stared at the big pile of black armor and cuteness that was laying in the alley holding a trash barrel like it was a favorite stuffed toy. Blackjack was out like a light but that was resolved when Alor rolled him over, poured the antidote down his pie hole and stepped back to watch the magic.

The magic was slow and grumpy as the big mech stood up at last shaking the last shards of drunkenness from his body and mind. He stared at the four in front of him, then Sela. "Lady, what are you doing here?"

"When I saw Alor laying at the bottom of the steps where he fell next to the Well of AllSparks, I decided to be merciful and help him find you. I had no idea you would be passed out in an alley among the garbage cans," Sela said with a big grin.

Blackjack laughed. "You need to get out more. What you just said is my middle name. How about breakfast on me?" he asked with a big smile.

"You're on," Alor said as they walked back to the street. It was a short walk to the Diner and a rousing breakfast among friends and family. It would take a while for everyone to come together and compare notes. They would do so at the conference room in Ops Center during the community-senior Autobot staff meeting.

It would be amusing.

-0-TBC 6-5-18 **edited 7-7-18**


	378. Chapter 378

**Chapter 378: Chapter 378**

* * *

I'm livid. Somehow, my computer shut down and took three of the four pages of my segment with it. Usually, it automatically saves every three minutes. I learned this lesson a long time ago but it didn't this time. Updates. They suck.

I will post it tomorrow and replace this. Sleep tight, or not, my dears. Me-chewing nails

PS A bot dropped that religious tract. Every now and again, someone who thinks that world is ending does that. :D Hugs!


	379. Chapter 379

The Diego Diaries: After The Ball Is Over (dd6 378)

Here's the thing … we're motoring toward summer solstice and because of it we have almost no darkness up here. On June 21st, there will be none at all. You think its 3 or 4 in the afternoon and its midnight. Happened last night. **SIGH! HERE WE GO! PS! I wasn't able to get on until now. HIDEY-HO!  
**

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress

They came into the conference room in twos or threes, settling down with cup and plate, their good humor, most of them, still lingering from the night before. Ratchet and Ironhide sat together, Ironhide with a sprinkle covered donut in each servo. Ratchet was feeling no pain either. When Prowl and Prime cruised in, everyone was there including a selection of humans from all habitats, a new innovation, and the door closed behind them. Sitting, Prowl shot the agenda around, then glanced at Ratchet with a smirk. "I see you found your way home."

"Don't ask me how," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"You were riding Ironhide piggyback to your building. I have a work order to fix a dent in the light pole just outside of the service entrance to the Central Labor Hall," Jetta said to great applause and laughter.

"Well, aren't we a pair?" Ratchet asked as he glanced at Ironhide.

"A pair a what?" Ironhide asked as he downed the second donut. He loved sprinkles.

"Well …," Prowl said, then he glanced at his datapad. "Yes. Let's begin. A debrief of the battle and department reports related."

Hard Drive grinned, then glanced at the humans. :Does that go first given who's here?:

:I think it might be instructive: Prime said.

"Very well. We had a close quarters shoot out with a massed enemy battle group, one directed by the maniac criminal, Shrike. He was a career criminal on Cybertron who had been an ally to unscrupulous corporate and political interests which allowed him to get away with just about anything he wanted to do. There were rumors that Sentinel Prime made it clear that he wasn't to be picked up. He robbed and raided everyone and everything, being smart enough to keep the bribes large and frequent.

"At the start of the battle, the chaos prevented us from locating his ship right away. As it was, a good third to nearly half of his fleet fled before they became disabled or boxed in. It would appear that he was among them or he bridged right about the same time. Those ships who couldn't escape were built to contain thousands of troops. We were only able to bag less than 500 due to escapes made through bridge tech on their vessels. As it was, nearly all of them were destroyed or so damaged that they're going to be deconstructed for tech, any modifications that might need assessing, then smelted. Roadie has the few that could be salvaged at the shipyard north of us. He will fill us in on any innovations or tech that's worth considering for ourselves.

"All of the databases are pulled and turned over to Special Operations for examination. Elita and Jazz have them," Hardie said. "Many were the dead on site, about 1,200 or so. We have placed the wounded in the prison hospital and security wards of Medical. The site is going to be left to some degree with a beacon signaling what happens if you enter Autobot territory with malice in mind. All in all, it was a hard mission but met all the set goals."

"Thank you, General," Prime said. "Is the prison sufficient for this and perhaps other roundups?"

Jetta nodded. "Yes. It has a lot of room yet. Combined with Gee-Gee's ability to rehab inmates, we'd have to take a very, very large number before we'd have to expand."

"Very well," Prime said as he glanced at Lennox. "You were retrieved before Omega went through the bridge, correct?"

:We were. Thanks, Optimus. That would have been a rough ride in: Lennox said as the others nodded.

"You would have survived without harm unless vomiting is considered that among your kind," Ratchet said. "The box has a system that reacts in emergencies like this to buffet the blows."

:Good to know: Lennox said. :I personally consider vomiting lethal but that's just me:

Every human there nodded and agreed.

Prowl who was smirking at them shook his helm. "Wimps."

Laughter loud and long along with insults supported that point of view, then the meeting continued. "Tell me about the damage here, Jetta," Optimus asked.

"We took a big hit. Omega is on the mend by the way." Everyone was highly relieved. "What we're doing now is sounding the buildings for structural integrity, taking out the wreckage and setting them up to be repaired. As of the report this morning, they can be repaired. The Museum is collecting the relics for restoration. I don't know how that's going but all but two things have been recovered to varying degrees. An ancient tiny miniature of Solus Prime and a crystal jewel seeing stone credited to Onyx Prime are still being sought." He showed a holographic image of them from the device on the table. They were extremely beautiful and delicate. "We've asked the Stanix community committee to send a seer over to help look. They sent word to Cybertron for one and he's going to be here this afternoon."

"Good," Prime said.

:May I ask a question?:

Everyone glanced down at Owen Harris who was sitting on a chair with the other humans who were here for the meeting. "What question?" Jetta asked.

:What is a seer and what do they do?: Owen asked.

Everyone stared at him, then Jetta, then Prime. Prime nodded to Jetta. He looked at the humans, then leaned closer. "A seer can read energy, predict things, know things without being told, see spirits and ghosts, has insight into the afterlife, takes messages from the Pantheon, assists people in their lives, can find lost things and people, heal those with sickness both in body and spirit, knows when someone lies, has precognition, and can tell you about yourself in ways no one else could know. They're holy among our people. They aren't made, they're born."

The humans stared at Jetta, then Lennox nodded. :We have those kinds of people on Earth. Psychics, mediums and stuff like that:

The bots searched online, then looked at them. "Sort of like that. This is more solid, more dependable and accurate. I'm not saying I don't believe your own practitioners. I'm just saying the accuracy of our own is off the charts." He looked at Prime. "I'll let you know what he says about the missing articles and I'm having him assess the damage as well."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. The sooner the better. I worry about the loss."

Jetta nodded. "We know."

The conversation continued with updates about city services … they were building a hall for basketball due to overarching demand … more halfway houses for disabled individuals, more cooperation with the medical and service communities on Cybertron, more refugees coming, more requests from Earth for access to the planet to make films. There was a standing request to make films in cooperation with Galaxy Films, a request given to Jazz to research.

The Temple and Monastery weighed in. The families of the Functionalists were making some progress though it was considered too soon for the children to mingle with others. Their families were working at the jobs set up by the Monastery but they were lacking in spontaneity, curiosity and friendliness.

"They're very button down, Prime. They don't interact very much with others including the adults. The children play if you suggest it but they don't otherwise. It's very perplexing. I'm considering giving them to foster families in the colony rather than allow them to be under the influence of their genitors to see if we can break through the walls. They're not making enough progress to make this feel like there will be potential at some point for them to become who we hope they will be. I have contacted Functionalist families in the colony for a meeting. The processor health workers will be there as well. Perhaps something this abrupt will prompt some sort of response other than nods and silent compliance," Cyclonus said.

Prime nodded. "It is perplexing," he said as he glanced at Jarro who was sitting with Rung along the wall. "What do you notice, gentlemen, that we can work with to assist them? Perhaps having the Seer go there as well?"

"This is a process, Prime. These children were trained from separation to comply. Allow me to pose a similar situation. There was a polygamist group on Earth, one that was secretive and for good reason. They were raided for child abuse of all kinds. It would appear that when their babies were born, they were punished until they learned even then not to cry. Complete and utter compliance was the ultimate goal and it would appear that this happened here. It might take forever or it might take until a momentary threshold is reached where a breakthrough will happen. We will ask the Seer to come and give his impressions. We will not give up," Jarro said.

Prime nodded. "Thank you. We have all absorbed too much trauma. We hope that we can all find our way back to the light."

Jarro nodded. "We're all in this for that outcome, Optimus."

The meeting went onward, then 'for the good of the order' mercifully arrived. Out came the cows. Two tiny cows stood on the table staring at humans in chairs. Then Flipper walked over to park his tiny butt on Will Lennox's lap. Bellowing at the weight, Lennox shoved. He couldn't budge the imp so Jetta moved him, putting him and Pudding down the table. :Thanks, Jetta. That cow may be small but he weighs a ton:

A scanner hit him as Ratchet checked, then grinned. "Wimp."

Huge laughter. Then Lennox grinned. :How does it feel to have another son-in-law?:

Ironhide grinned. "Good. More help moving furniture."

"Don't bring that up. Remember?" Ratchet asked with a smile.

" **I CAN'T FORGET! I AM IRONHIDE! I WAS ABUSED! CASTE COURT! CASTE COURT!"** Ironhide bellowed to huge laughter and ridicule from everyone.

:Are there any caste courts coming?: Brandon Clark asked.

"Oh frag no," Ironhide said. "Slaggers. Need to toe the line. **I, IRONHIDE, CHAOS BRINGER OF THE AUTOBOTS SAY SO!"**

"Pass me a donut, infant," Turbine asked with a grin.

"Okay, Amma," Ironhide said as he slid a plate closer to his amma. **HUGE** ridiculing laughter greeted that. Ironhide grinned. "I want a cow. Just saying. I'm going to say so until I get one. Every meeting from now until the end of time. **I, IRONHIDE, HAVE SPOKEN!"**

"Shut up, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"Okay," Ironhide said to a tidal wave of ridicule.

Mirage who was lounging against the wall turned toward Springer and Drift who were snickering behind Ironhide's back. Literally. "I heard the Squad is doing the town. I suppose you're going for backup and clean up."

 **HUGE** snickering erupted. "So I'm told. Standing order and you know me … I'm all about obedience."

"Is that true, Drift?" Jazz asked through the laughter and insults.

Drift glanced at Springer who was smirking at Jazz. "Is it?"

Springer nodded. "Yep."

Drift glanced at Jazz. "Yep."

"Ah. You got him house trained. Nothing like losing your edge," Warlord said with a chuckle.

"Neutered," Jazz replied.

"Neutered?" Drift asked, then everyone in the room downloaded the meaning. Everyone in the room sat up straighter, then glanced at each other.

 **"WTF?!"** -everyone in the room

Then everyone stared at the humans sitting on the chairs. They stared back, then Epps looked at Jazz. :What?:

"Neutered. Do they really do … you know … cut things off … down there?" Jazz asked with aching and agonized loathing. Everyone watched Epps the same way.

:Snip stuff?: Epps asked. :You mean your bearings? Your balls? That stuff?: he asked because he was Epps.

" **OH PRIMUS!"**

" **OH GOD! DON'T TELL ME!"**

" **TELL ME! TELL ME!"** (Ratchet, of course)

" **ARGH!" -** everyone including all the human males there

:Whiners: Epps said. :It's not so bad. What do you think they cut off?:

Several mechs stood, then sat as the rest of the room Prime included curdled to varying degrees.

Ratchet who was laughing looked at the humans. "Do you mean this?" he said before he projected a short video of someone getting a vasectomy.

 **"ARGH!"**

 **STAMPEDE!**

Flinging oneself against others in the rush to leave!

Prime trying to duck under the table in a surprised automatic reaction.

Prowl staring with **PROFOUND ROOTED SURPRISE** at the images showing.

Humans climbing over each other to 'fight or flight'.

Then it flickered off. Ratchet looked at everyone who paused in their mania, then smiled. "Wimps."

It would take a while to pull himself out of the garbage can in the hallway where he was stuffed by half the room. It would still be funny to him.

And worth it.

-0-TBC 6-8-18

The polygamy colony in question was run by an industrial scale pedophile named Jeffers. When the media went there to talk to the women, they were stunned by the lack of affect, emotions, understanding and the like they exhibited. When the boys born there got about 16, they were chased off. They had to run for it from the colonies because they were competition for the adult men. There is a set of grandparents who were driven off from the colony and despair of ever seeing their grandchildren again.

All 100 of them.


	380. Chapter 380

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 380)

-0-After the meeting

They gathered in the rec room with Ratchet newly extricated from the garbage barrel. He smirked at Drift and Springer for their impertinence even as he understood that all he had to do was troll the internet, find something gory or cringe inducing, then own them all. It was a lively conversation among friends and relatives, companions of fox holes and civilian compatriots just as the message reached Ratchet. He listened a moment, then shoved everyone aside as he sprinted for the doors nearby. Dashing through them, he vanished from the courtyard before anyone could move.

"What the frag?" Ironhide said, then raced after Ratchet, the others following him as closely as they could. Ironhide may have been big but he was extremely fast when he wanted to be. He wanted to be so now.

Ratchet ran in a bee line toward the Tranquilitatis District cutting through traffic and jaywalking without a thought as he raced for his tower. Entering the lobby at last, he raced for an elevator and disappeared inside just as the rest of them were dancing through traffic down the street outside. Ratchet reached his floor as the others reached the lobby heading toward the elevators. Ironhide who was frantically calling Ratchet over their comm link got nothing back but static. He felt his insides turn to ice until it dawned on him at the elevator doors that no kids were home to be frightened for.

This was about elders.

The mob entered the elevators almost as one and took all of them up to the 24th floor together.

Ratchet reached his floor, sped out and ran for his amma's apartment, reaching the door in seconds. Gripping the latch, he wrenched it off its hinges, tossing it aside as he strode inside. Kneeling on the floor in a state of near hysteria beside a prostrate Corr, Docker looked up. **"SONNY! CORR! HELP HIM! HE JUST FELL DOWN!"**

Ratchet moved her gently, then plugged in as every scan he had hit the small crumpled little mech at once. He lay on the floor arms and legs akimbo, his optics off line. He looked too still for anyone's comfort. Ratchet listened, watched and assessed. "We have to get him to the hospital. What happened? Did he bump his helm or what?"

"He **… I DON'T KNOW!** He was walking to the sink, then fell down. **I CALLED YOU, SONNY! YOU'RE A DOCTOR!"** she said uncharacteristically terrorized.

Just then, everyone made it to the apartment, Ironhide in the lead. Ratchet looked at them. **"GET AMMA DOCKER!** I have to get Amma Corr to the hospital. Get my Amma, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he slipped his arms under Corr. Turning him slightly, he stood, then shifted him more carefully in his arms. Walking around everyone, he left the apartment and hurried to the elevators. Ironhide gripped Docker, then picked her up. Moving through the mechs and femmes with him, he followed Ratchet. They reached the elevators at the same time, then everyone piled on and down they went. The door lay on the floor where Ratchet flung it.

-0-At the bottom

Ratchet stepped out, then hurried for the doors, calling on an emergency team to meet him in emergency receiving. He was bringing in a processor case and needed **EVERYONE** there. Following with a nearly hysterical Docker in his arms, Ironhide, Springer, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Paragon, Blackjack, Alor, Raptor, Turbine, Hard Drive, and Delphi followed.

They reached the hospital doors, then entered to run for the elevators again. They took them up and stepped out on the 49th floor where a gurney and a medical team was waiting. Gently laying Corr onto it, they hurried to the processor injury suite where Gypsy was waiting. They hooked Corr up, then watched as the data ran. Ratchet jolted, then turned to the group silently watching. **"IRONHIDE!** Get the others. Get my appas. Don't tell them a thing. Tell them I want to see them here. I'll tell them myself," he said as he remembered that they weren't here. "Springer and Drift, get my genitors. Lock the slagging shop up. Don't tell them. Please, do this."

Everyone nodded and with Paragon sitting on the couch with Docker, the group hurried out to comply. It was tense and silent as the machines made their assessment. More mechs arrived to watch, whisper among themselves to explain what they knew to each other, then it was silent again. Sickeningly silent. As the machines spun, Ratchet called up a number of mechs who were processor experts along with him, Goldwing and Gullwing, both of whom were his students years before during the big Seeker push for professions. The monitor flashed on and there was an outline of Corr's body on it. Data was spinning, then the internal structures of his body on screen began to turn silver on the diagram, outlining what could be detected of Corr's internal condition.

As it did, the data from other scans was made coherent as Corr's geriatric specialist, Dr. Medley walked in with the data charts on Corr's progress for his situational dementia and protoform wasting. He stood to one side waiting for the diagnosis to spit out. It was grimly silent.

-0-Elsewhere

Prowl entered the shop where Ravel and Tie were working. Behind him, dispatched swiftly were Springer and Drift. Having been alerted by Ironhide, he had hurried to the store. The three gathered in the showroom together, the doorbell ringing as they entered. Ravel walked out, then smiled. **"Boys!** Hello. What brings you here?"

"Amma, Ada wants you to come to his office. He found something he wants you to see … something that comes from the old neighborhood," Springer said. The others nodded.

"He does?" Ravel asked with surprise. "That Sonny, he's filled with surprises. Does he want Tie as well?"

Prowl forced a grin. "He does. You know him. He likes surprises."

Ravel grinned, then walked to the back. After a moment, he came out with Tie. Tie grinned. "What's he got up his subspace now?"

Drift grinned slightly. "You know him, Appa. Could be anything."

Tie grinned, then pulled up the sign that said they were closed for a moment. "Everything is banked so we can go. Tell me, infants … he hasn't got some weird trick up his sleeve does he?"

Prowl stepped forward and patted Tie. "No, Abba … he just wants you there."

They walked together to the door and left. The sign said they would return shortly.

-0-Tracking down Chan and Appa Ratchet

They found them at the Main Public Library near The Fortress getting books related to a class they were taking. Glancing up to see Ironhide, Raptor and Blackjack, they smiled. " **Hello, infants!** Are you getting books, too? I still can't get over the idea I can come here and get all the books I want," Appa Ratchet said with a big smile.

Ironhide grinned at him. "You can take the whole library, Appa. Right now, Ratchet has a surprise. He sent us to get both of you. Can you check out and come?"

"What's that infant got going on, Ironhide? He's so wild and untamed," Chan said with a smile.

 **"THAT'S MY BOY! HE'S PERFECT!"** Appa Ratchet said with emotion. "We'll check out, son. Give us a second."

They carried their books and datapads to the desk where the librarian helped, then they subspaced them. Walking out with the big mechs, they began to head back uptown to the gigantic medical tower that was next door to their home. They hadn't a clue.

Drift, Springer, Ravel, Prowl, and Tie arrived at the hospital, then went upward to the 49th floor. Stepping out, they noted half the people they knew standing around a suite down the hallway. Ravel glanced up at Prowl. "What is happening, Prowl?" he asked.

Prowl put his arm around Ravel and Tie. "Let's go find out."

They walked to the doorway where the crowd parted, then entered the suite. That's when they saw a stricken looking Docker and Ratchet. **"SONNY! WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY ADA!?"** Tie Down asked with shock.

Ratchet turned to his father. "Atar, we have to fix a problem."

That's when Tie Down burst into tears and ran to stand by his father's silent helm.

-0-Down below

They entered the elevator, then went up, Chan and Appa Ratchet standing like mini-cons in the midst of Ironhide, his father and grandfather. They had chatted about books and going to the theater this weekend on a group pass connected to their classes on classical Cybertronian literature. Chan, Docker, Corr, and Appa Ratchet had a 'box seat, Sonny … down in front. Scout and Trooper got it for us. Can you imagine that?' …

Ratchet could.

When they saw the group standing in front of a door and heard the sounds of crying, they slowed to a halt. "What's this, Ironhide?" Appa Ratchet asked.

Then Chan stiffened. "What's happening? Something's wrong with Corr. I thought he was recharging at home. He had a … his processor hurts. Sonny?" he called.

A moment passed before Ratchet walked out, hurrying to his little appas to kneel. He gripped their servos. "Appas, Amma Corr fell down at home. He has a helm injury. We're getting him treatment now. I don't want you to be afraid. He's got the best doctors Cybertron ever had working on him now."

"Corr? My little Corr?" Chan gasped. "Where is he, Sonny? **TAKE ME THERE!"**

Ratchet picked Chan up and carried him down the hallway until he reached the suite. Entering, he set the little mech down gently. Tie was standing by Corr's helm crying as Ravel tried to comfort him. Chan was stricken, then he moved to Corr taking his servo. "What is this, Ravel? I thought he was recharging. I … the bond was muted."

"He was walking to the sink when he fell, Chan. I called for Sonny. I didn't know what to do. He just fell and I didn't know what to do," Docker said as she rose to walk to them.

Appa Ratchet stunned out of his stupor put his arm around Docker. "You did the right thing. Sonny knows what to do. You can fix this, right, Sonny?"

Terrified optics looked up at him as Ratchet stared at the data. "We will, Ammas. I want you to come here and sit down so we can figure this out. Okay?" he asked gently as he guided his terrified little grandparents to the couch. Big mechs jumped up and helped them settle as Ratchet gathered Tie and Ravel together. "Please, help ammas and appas. I'll help Amma Corr. Okay?"

They stared at him with terror, then nodded, sitting on the couch with the others. Chan was crying softly and Docker looked numb. Ratchet looked at them and felt devastation flash through him. Turning to the screen, he studied it. "We need Levee in here. This looks like a bleed."

Gullwing and Goldwing nodded. A tech made a general call as they began to sort the data out. After a moment, a tall handsome older mech joined them, gathering with Gullwing, Goldwing, Medley, Ratchet, and a med-tech for processors, Insert. It was a tense off line conversation, then Ratchet turned to the others. "Amma Corr has a very frail protoform. He's got less than you need to avoid this kind of thing but he was doing well, right, Medley?"

Medley who was the doctor for Corr's health related to protoform wasting and other geriatric conditions nodded. "He was taken off his medications because his system was making good protoform at a good rate. If you look here," he said calling up a diagram of Corr's internals when he came from the rescue. "He was very, very deficient at first," he said pointing out the silver outline that showed his internal structure of protoform. He tabbed a key and another diagram overlay that. It was half again as developed from before. "He had come past the 66% magic marker line in the course of his treatment that meant his body was on track again. He still had a way to go to be secure and out of danger for breakages, but he was doing it himself. I discharged him from his medication routine to encourage rather than control that. He wasn't due for a check up for another 9 decaorns."

It was then that Levee arrived and was quickly filled in. He looked at the two diagrams, then the scans of Corr's helm. He looked at the patient, then turned to the family and Ratchet. "Protoform wasting is a strange condition. It seems to be worse in some areas than others. I see a lot of thinning of protoform structures in the helm and back struts. That allows for simple bumps to cause big problems. I would suggest, Ratchet," he said, "that Corr bumped his helm either today or not long ago, something that would not be a problem any other time. It was enough to cause a fracture of this area," he said pointing to something that would be in the area of the left frontal portion of Corr's processor. "He had a small injury which led to a slow bleed. Given any other time, it wouldn't have happened but he's still regaining full development of his protoform so it did. It led to a bleed that caused a rupture."

"What will it take to fix it?" Tie said as he stood up from the couch nearly trembling with fear. Ravel stood with him and held him around the waist. They both looked terrified. All of them did.

"I repair two or three of these an orn," Levee said gently. "We have so much thin protoform development from starvation and other factors, that I do them nearly daily. I will do this and we can put him back on track."

"What about long term? Will my ada have … you know … mental problems?" Tie asked.

"We can determine that after the operation. Most of my patients are fine. Some have a tiny bit of trouble reading or talking but there are things we can do. We have to determine what the damage is, then fix it. After that, we can find out how its going to be," Levee said. "I do this a lot. I don't want you to be afraid."

Tie looked at him, then the others. Moving to sit next to a terrified Chan, he put his arm around his father. "When will you do it? We have to be here."

"We can do it now. The sooner, the better," Levee said as he turned to Ratchet. "I will do this. You take care of your family, Ratchet. I can have Gull and Goldie help me and observe if you'd like that."

Ratchet heard about every third word around the sirens in his helm. He nodded wordlessly, then helped them put Corr on a gurney to be wheeled into a surgical suite nearby. Chan stood up, wailing as Corr was rolled out. Ratchet picked him up and held him, swaying wordlessly as he did. Docker stared at him with a numbed expression as the others sat down again. "What now, Sonny?" Appa Ratchet said as he stood again. **"CORR IS A GOOD MECH! HE NEVER HAD A BREAK BUT HE STAYED GOOD! WHAT NOW!?"**

Ratchet moved toward the door. "Bring them to the sitting room nearby," he said to the others as he carried Chan with him. They were brought along, mostly in the arms of their sons-in-law and grandsons to the comfortable big lounge nearby. Sitting them down, Ratchet held Chan as he wailed. **"CORR IS MY BOND! HE'S MY HERO! HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT HIM!? HE NEVER GAVE UP! HE WAS ALWAYS A GOOD MECH! HE LOVES ME, SONNY! I LOVE HIM! THIS ISN'T RIGHT! IT ISN'T FAIR! WHY ISN'T IT ME!? HE'S THE ONE WHO WAS SICKEST! WE ALL ENDED UP IN THE DEAD END BECAUSE THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT HIM! WE HAD TO PRETEND! WE COULDN'T LET THEM TAKE HIM AWAY! HE COULDN'T BE DUMPED TO TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF! THIS IS MY CORR! MY LITTLE CORR!"** he wailed.

It was sickening.

-0-Twenty minutes later

Optimus Prime walked into the lounge to see a subdued group sitting listlessly around the room. Chan looked up and stared at him a moment, then jumped up. He gripped Prime's servo, then knelt down on his knees. **"LORD OPTIMUS! MY CORR IS SICK! HE'S HURT! CAN YOU HELP HIM!? WE PRAY EVERY ORN TO THE PANTHEON! CAN THEY HELP HIM!? DO YOU KNOW IF THEY CAN!?"**

Ratchet picked Corr up, then carried him to the couch, wifi-ing a sedative to the little mech as he did. It took a moment, then he sagged a little, falling into a light sleep. Setting him down gently, Ratchet rose and walked to Prime. They hugged a moment, then Prime and Prowl who walked to Optimus moved to a corner to speak. "Amma bumped his helm and ordinarily it wouldn't matter. But his protoform is so thin it started a bleed. Levee, Goldwing and Gullwing are working on him now."

"What is the prognosis?" Optimus asked with concern.

"We'll know when they're done. It could be nothing or it could leave some impairment in speech or reading," Ratchet said as Prowl slipped his arm around Prime's waist.

Optimus shook his helm. "This is awful. I am sorry, Ratchet. I cannot predict the Matrix. Sometimes, the things that happen to us are life lessons we need to learn and the Matrix will not intervene. If I can, I will."

Ratchet nodded. "I know. We just have to wait and see."

Optimus walked to the forlorn group of elders sitting on a pair of couches nearby. Sitting on a coffee table, he held their servos and comforted them as everyone sat or stood around waiting for the outcome. As they did, relatives from all over began to converge on town.

-0-Three joors later

Levee stepped into the room, passing through the mechs both inside and out to reach Ratchet and the family. Gullwing and Goldwing followed along with Gypsy and Medley. The little mechs on the couch looked at them with terror and hope. Levee looked at Ratchet. "We repaired the injury, cleaned up the bleed and recharged the nodes around the area to insure they're operational. I've seen worse injuries. He has delicate protoform recovery in his helm. It might require that he wear special head gear until the recovery grows more structure there. As it is now, he came through well. We have good data. What we'll determine when he's awake is the extent, if any, of lingering effects of the injury."

"Will he know me?" Chan asked in a quavering voice. "He's my bond. He's been sick and didn't know me sometimes but he always came around. Didn't he?" he asked the others who nodded. "He won't be hurt in his helm? He'll know me, won't he?"

Levee nodded. "He will, Chan. What he's going to be is sick, disoriented and weak for a few orns. We're keeping him here for about five orns to make sure that the reboot going on is smooth. I believe it will be. We want him here to care for him so you won't have to worry. The best doctors are always here so you don't have to worry."

"I do," Chan wailed. "He's so small. He worked so hard all his life. They threw him into the Dead End. We were thrown away. I could cry forever thinking about how helpless he was. If we weren't there, he would have been harmed by someone or shot. He never deserved it. **HE NEVER DID!"** He began to wail again.

"I'm checking Appa Chan in. I want to have Jarro see him. He needs to see someone, too. In fact, all of you do," Ratchet said firmly as he picked Chan up in his arms. "Amma is going to be alright. We need to make sure we take care of him until he's at 90% or more protoform. Then this won't happen. Right, Levee?"

Levee nodded. "Right. We'll take both of them." He looked at the others. "Do you need to stay as well? We have room and you can get sleep and good care. We want all of you to be happy and healthy again."

"I have to stay with my genitors," Tie said around his tears. "I love them so much. They deserve everything. They never hurt anyone in their lives."

Docker hugged Tie tightly. "We can all stay. I don't think I can go home again until we all feel better. Is that okay, Sonny?" she asked Ratchet with an almost disoriented expression.

"It's going to happen. All of you. We have a ward we can use. Right now, I want our boys to take one of you and carry you to the eighteenth floor to the big family ward there. We can close off space to make it private and you can all stay there together." Ratchet glanced at the silent solemn mechs standing by the door. "Help your elders, infants."

Sideswipe entered, then gently picked up Docker. She clung to him and began to cry. Sunstreaker took Chan, Drift gently picked up a faint Appa Ratchet, Springer took Tie Down, and Hercy gently led a weaving Ravel out of the room. When they were gone, Ratchet turned to Levee. "Tell me what you couldn't say in front of them."

Levee looked at Ratchet. "It went well, Ratchet. There's always possibilities of complications but it looked good. These little elders … they come here trounced. We work together, Medley and all of us with Geriatrics and Specialties to prevent this but I get two or three cases of breaks, some in processors, backs and elsewhere that are just like this. He'll recover. If there's complications, they won't impair his life very greatly."

"He loves to read. He goes to school. I want that for him. He's earned it," Ratchet said.

Levee squeezed Ratchet's arm. "I've treated impairment cases. This doesn't reach that level. I feel good about this and you know me. I never say so if I don't think so."

Ratchet hugged him, then Gullwing, Goldwing, and Gypsy. He hugged Medley, the techs, everyone standing around, then Prowl. "I love you all. You have no idea how awful this is. I could kill Sentinel and Megatron with my bare servos."

"You and me both," Levee said. "I have two more cases, Ratchet. Same thing. Have faith." He patted Ratchet's arms, shook hands with everyone and with the doctors in tow, filed out to do that same thing two more times.

Ratchet watched them go, then glanced around at everyone. "I love you all. I couldn't do this without you. If you ever tell anyone, I'll bash you good."

Hard Drive who was sitting on a chair arose. "Our lips are sealed," he said before Ratchet enveloped him with his arms.

-0-TBC 6-9-18 **edited 6-18-18**


	381. Chapter 381

The Diego Diaries: Memory Hole (dd6 381)

-0-At the ward

It was dark in the room but for a small night light near the door for the nurses who were going to be checking on them in the upcoming orns and nights. Ratchet was here for the night tonight and the rest of this orn up to it after admitting them. There were seven beds here, six of them filled with small bots and the one for him. The room's walls were shifted and it was now a big private space for them with a small lounge near the window which looked out onto the desert beyond The City, toward Aerie Hill. It was nearing dinner time but they hadn't eaten, so weary were they that they lay down and drifted off.

Ironhide, his family, the mechs who were friends and adult children of the family had reluctantly gone off to do their jobs. Ratchet would update them but for now, the quiet of the room and their fright and exhaustion had been enough to send everyone to berths. Ratchet could use one now that the chaos was over and he had an idea of what they would need to do. Everyone had left and he was alone with them, something he didn't mind. He had always taken care of them before and now was no different.

He found silence coaxed memories, some beautiful and some not so much. He could see them younger, less care worn and more synced with their fate, all of them but Docker. His Amma never accepted that there would be no dreams for them, no future with hope and possibility. She railed against fate with her son, Tie Down and she did so again with her precious grandson, Ratchet.

His Amma Docker was a stand up femme. Always.

She lay nearby curled up in a thermal blanket, stunned and numb by the turn of events. They had survived together so long, through so many terrible events and circumstances, that now at the end of the rainbow the thought of losing someone had laid even her low. It had him as well. They were always a unit, a team, the seven of them. They were a clan. They were family. They were gifted and happy and made their way together.

When the war broke out, Ratchet had not been able to return to Iacon to find them anymore than anyone else. The world was in flames and they were on the other side. He couldn't see them through the haze of unbearable pain that enveloped all of them. He wondered as he sat in the chair by the window, sprawling with fatigue and the down turn of fright leaving his body what the humans would think if they understood their deep despairing capacity to understand pain and loss. He was sure most humans didn't. Their cars didn't mourn. Why should these strange aliens?

But mourn they did. The alcoholic consumption rate among their people was higher than most. Most had dreams from time to time, dreams of the events they witnessed, dreams of cataclysm and apocalypse. Some were ready to fight at every and any offense. Even though there was no stigma about getting mental and emotional support here, there were many who didn't even yet. Ignoring felt easier than confronting the horrors that dwelt in all of them for many. He would see to it that his genitors and grand genitors got more counseling than they had. This had demolished a lot of good, he could see, and they would have it. He, their life's goal, would see to it.

Life's goal …

Many were the stories they would tell him about their decisions for family, of the separation of his genitors, Ravel and Tie Down. Chan, Corr and Appa Ratchet had grown up together in the slums of the Jumble, living next door to each other and finding work in the same places. Docker had come from Uraya, an adventurous 'country femme' who had struck out for the big city to find her fortune. What she found was a jaunty mech named Ratchet who loved her at first sight. 'His Docker' he called her, his little femme. They had all become friends ... more than friends … they had become family as they worked and tried to build a future that held even a few of their dreams. They saved for a long time before they ventured into genitorhood, birthing two sons that were good and creative, gentle, honest and honorable. Ravel and Tie Down were always friends, growing up in each others houses, weathering the storms of fate and suppression as they grew to love each other.

There were celebrations when they bonded, his ammas would say. "Tie and Ravie, they were meant for each other."

It was a long haul through the process of creating their business, using their genius to make tools and weapons of such exquisite perfection that it attracted the optics of corporate predators who had created a law that allowed them to take over businesses that they wished without recourse for their true owners under some guise of 'protecting outstanding skills and products'. The business faction that backed the puppet Nominus had formulated it and the Senate had passed it. Forced Acquisitions, it was called. General Dynamic used the law to take control of RTR Tools, an artisan business and they kept the profits which were astronomical. His genitors got next to nothing and General Dynamic touted their creations as their own.

He had never gotten over that. He had never been able to reconcile the feelings he had for the theft of his genitor's genius, hard work and future. It still burned as brightly now as it did then. Nothing they could do would change any of it. General Dynamic called themselves investment brokers who 'helped' businesses like RTR Tools 'grow'. He pushed the thought away.

It was still white hot even now.

Someone stirred so he stood, then walked to the berth where Chan lay. He straightened his appa's blankets, then sat down in a chair beside him. He stared at Chan, a small mech with an incredible spirit, a tough body and amazing courage. He was an electrician like Docker. They all worked the same jobs, the four of them. They were very good, called up for a lot of good jobs by the Union Hall and looked out for each other. Appa Chan worked with Amma Docker on the electrical side of the tall steel buildings, wiring them for all manner of things. Appa Ratchet was good with electrical projects but better with electronics. He helped them when they worked on jobs for communications and on others by himself to ensure that computer systems worked the way they should.

Amma Corr was different. He was a high steel worker, someone who worked in the clouds of the huge buildings catching red hot rivets flung to him in a bucket, then slamming them into the steel girders with tongs and driving them in with a big rivet gun. They would cool and the seams would be unbreakable. When testing for rivets was made by the companies he worked for, no one ever found a flaw in his work. He was fast, strong, meticulous, and proud of his work. Chan was also quiet, gentle, sweet, unassuming, decent, honest, kind, loving … he was that and more. So were the others. They lavished all their love on him and Ratchet had bounded into life ready to shake the tree of conformity.

Without them, he would have perished or been imprisoned long ago.

They had helped him get through the long hazing blur that was University, rejoiced when he was in the Army and a shooting star in the medical corp and danced when he met Ironhide. He, in turn, had never relinquished his emotional and loving hold on his family, stealing medical supplies and food for them every time no one looked. He did it for others, never forgetting that the place he came from informed who he was. It was the place where **they** were, where love lived. He should have been caught but he never was. When he bonded, he had co-conspirators. He had Ironhide and his family helping him.

He would go into the ghettos and hold impromptu clinics, treating the sick, getting them medicine and food, doing for them what his family had done for him. He gave them unconditional love and support. Ratchet of Iacon had never and would never forget where he came from or who he was.

He was Ravel and Tie Down's son. He was the grandson of Ratchet, Chan and Corr of Iacon and Docker of Uraya. He was loved, protected, supported, forgiven, indulged, disciplined, held, nurtured, and sheltered young from the worst aspects of their condition as much as the six of them could. He was their future going forward. He was their greatest and most beloved dream.

Then the war came.

Everyone of them lost someone. Millions upon millions still didn't know. It was an obsession when migrations came to study the names list, to check out any familiar ones, then steel oneself for disappointment. It almost always came. Sometimes, someone would be lucky and strike pay dirt. Their stories were always published to give heart to others who still waited with crushed sparks for hope to come to their door as well.

When he had found his appa Ratchet, Ratchet the Younger nearly came apart at the seams. It was a miracle but it was also a huge flaming agony. He had one. Where were the other three? Most didn't think about it. The scenarios were too awful and the outcomes of what happened too real. But each reconciliation was a victory and as each victory happened, one could begin to dream even harder that they could have their own.

Ratchet felt a small hand on his shoulder. Glancing to the side, he saw the beautiful profile of Docker. "Amma, you should rest. You'll feel better in a couple of joors if you do."

"I know, Sonny." She looked at him with That Look, the one that bespoke love, protection, history, pride … the one she always gave him. "Thank you for coming so fast, grandson. I never was so frightened since they decided Corr was going to the Dead End."

Ratchet slipped his arm around her. "It's my honor and great love to take care of you. You did for me what I'm doing for you."

She nodded, then lay her helm on his. "You're our shining star, little mech, you and your family. We are the luckiest elders in the world."

It was silent, then Ratchet pulled her into his lap. She lay back and relaxed. "You were always a good little mech, Ratchet. Always were, always will be."

"Look who raised me? I'm only half crazy rather then all," Ratchet said with a slight grin.

She grinned herself, then snuggled closer. "When all is said and done, Sonny … the only thing that matters is love. You can't take anything else with you when your time comes. You only have memories and love. Remember that."

Ratchet kissed her helm. "I never forgot it, Amma."

He held her for a joor, then rose and carried her to her berth. Settling her small form down, he tucked her in. Staring at her, then checking everyone including Corr most carefully, he walked to the berth by the window and lay down wearily. He would tune into them with his alert programming, then drift off. In a few joors, he would order food in and they would eat it together as Amma Corr recharged onward in mild medical stasis. Until then, it was quiet and calm in the room.

-0-On the job

Drift and Springer sat in their office in Titan in the Metro District where he was situated for the unforeseeable future. It was quiet as they worked through the data stacked up. Drift rose, walked to the fridge and grabbed a beer. "Want one?"

Springer looked up and nodded. "Yeah. I'm hungry, too. Why don't you order something delivered."

"What?" Drift asked as he walked to the monitor to pull up takeout places on the screen. "Chinese? Tarn? Italian? High tone Iaconian?" He grinned. Mocking the mockers would never get old.

Springer grinned. "Chinese. Maybe Thai. Ada said its good eats."

"Okay," Drift said as he ordered Thai. Then he looked at Springer. "Poor Ada. He's a doctor. He can't fool himself."

Springer sat back. "I know. This is fragged. Corr should be good. Levee said so. I hope so. He's a really sweet little mech." He frowned. "I want to go to the prison and shake Sentinel until his arms fall off."

"He'd plant ya," Drift said. "You couldn't take him, though I admire the sentiment. I agree with it, too."

Springer stared at him. "You don't think I can take Sentinel?"

"Can you take Optimus?" Drift asked.

"To a dance. To dinner," Springer said with a grin.

Drift smirked back. "Same frame. Sentinel doesn't fight fair. Ask Sunstreaker."

"Probably, but maybe some fine orn he'll tunnel out and we can go after him. We'd bring him back but I'd like to give him a whirl. Maybe being in the prison took his edge," Springer said.

"I doubt it," Drift said with a grin.

"I do, too," Springer said as he looked at the table top. It wasn't shrinking no matter what they did. "This is fragged."

"I know," Drift said as he sat in his chair in front of the desk with a pile of work on his lap. "Goof off."

Springer grinned, then chuckled. "That's me. Goof off."

They would work together quietly until dinner, burning their brains out with the spicy food, then get their horses to ride their beat. They would also get a message from Ratchet that all was well in the hospital with the little mechs and femme that were the center of their family's happiness.

The evening would go by slowly on Mars.

-0-TBC 6 10-18. Edited 6-15-18 **edited 6-18-18**

NOTES!

kattenbelletje chapter 380 . 18h ago

OMG, this is so terrible. Poor Corr.

I did think it was kind of mean to lure the family to the hospital, by implying that Ratchet had a nice surprise. It nearly broke my heart :(

ME: I hear ya. They were so deprived, they have to be careful. The family didn't quite know how to handle this. No matter how this went, they were going to be sad. I remember having to tell two people on two different occasions someone had died and it was awful. HUGS! Dear heart. More to come.

Megatron Owes Me Money chapter 379 . Jun 9

I bet Harris is getting nervous about alien seers LOL!

ME: HE SHOULD! Mama Fig is one as well. She saw the femmes as ghosts. She also makes predictions. That sort of thing runs in my family on my mom's side. I love the idea of their seers. LOL! It would serve them well to have help with Owen.

Poptart chapter 379 . Jun 9

What the heck, you're still making fanfics of the Diego diaries? Jeeez, you've been working on this foreverrrrr lol

ME: I'M NUTS! I began this at the end of October in 2010. Then I posted it November 2, 2010. On November 2, 2018 it will be eight years, nearly every day. LOL! I love this. WELCOME POPTART! UNTIL ALL ARE ONE!

kattenbelletje chapter 377 . Jun 6

Great, the world is ending for the N'th time this decade. We got a doom and gloom preacher again.

ME: I'm surprise more spam doesn't make it through. :D It makes me chuckle. The religious spam and missionaries always seem to find me. :D HUGS!

Guest chapter 377 . Jun 6

Funny, fun, fun!

ME: They needed fun. I think when Optimus is feeling happy, no one is cuter. HUGS!

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 377 . Jun 6

Lmao... Cousin slept on Ironhide's face! I can picture it in my head perfectly!  
This was a hilarious chapter... I loved it!

ME: Between mice standing on Prowl's face and this, we have the animal kingdom representing. LOL! HUGS!

Leoness chapter 377 . Jun 6

The Ironhide side of the family is so flipping hilarious.

ME: I love them. They're so much like my own, its fun to write them. They're so confident and happy with this, they write themselves. HUGS!

Ragemoose chapter 377 . Jun 5

I love this family. They're so much fun. :D

ME: Sometimes, you get lucky. Raptor was the inspiration for the others. Some straight laced and others wild eyed. Showbiz and military. Odd and even almost. I love them, too. HUGS!


	382. Chapter 382

The Diego Diaries: Corr Values (dd6 382)

-0-Late that night

Tie Down stood beside Ratchet with his arm around his shoulders as he sat beside Corr who lay sleeping. He had gotten up having awakened from a deep weary sleep. It had knocked him down to see his ada in this condition. He was their only child and he thought of them like gods. Now, they were all smaller than he remembered, his genitors and Ravels' and they were laying here weary and set back. "How is he, Ratchet?"

"He's doing well, Atar. He's going to be up tomorrow and we can talk to him. I think he's going to be alright but we have to fit him for head gear. He has to wear it all the time except in recharge. If he falls its bad enough with his protoform. But hitting his head again would be unacceptable. That goes for all of you, too."

Tie Down nodded. "I know. We aren't as spry as we used to be." It was quiet. "What's the next step?"

"We get him up and see how he walks. That should be alright anyway but protocol is protocol. Then I'll talk to him, ask him questions and that sort of thing. You can talk to him after me. I want to assess him when he rises," Ratchet said.

Tie nodded. "He's going to miss school a bit. Good thing that the end of term is happening now. We have time to get him ready again. He loves school so much. He told me it makes him feel like a real person."

"He is. You **all** are. **All** of us are." Ratchet shook his helm. "This infuriates me, the lack of understanding everyone has about how wonderful they are. You're **all** going to counseling again."

"Do you think your ada and I need it?" Tie asked.

"Absolutely. I think you need to stick with it as well. Private and group. If you want to skip group therapy, then you better have a good argument. One better than the store," Ratchet said.

Tie nodded. "As you say, son."

Ratchet glanced at him, at the handsome profile of his father. "I do. I say it as a son and as a doctor. This time we knuckle down and do this right. This should be the last time he's in here, Amma and any of you."

"That's always the plan," Tie said. They chatted a while waiting for morning and the moment that Corr could online his optics once more.

-0-Morning here and there

Alor helped Ironhide feed kids, all of whom were 'helping, Amma'. They actually were as they ate, lined up to hand their dishes to Alor, then run for their rooms to get their school stuff ready. Orion ran out lugging his book bag and a pair of dollies. **"WHERE'S AMMAS? WHERE APPAS?** Lou telleded me, Orion, Amma Lay-Low?" he asked as he demonstrated a new attempt at his Amma's name.

Alor grinned. "Lay-Low?"

Orion smiled a huge smile.

"Everyone is getting a tune up. They'll be back shortly. Are you ready to go?" Alor asked as more kids ran out. The big kids stayed over at Typhoon's house though they **REQUIRED** an update on Amma Corr as soon as everyone else knew the story. They would get it. They then hugged and walked out to catch the bus to Intermediate School.

The shorties stared up at Alor.

He stared back.

They smiled.

He smiled. "What, Orion?" Lay-Low asked.

He stared at Alor, then grinned. "Quack."

Everyone laughed uproariously. Hero turned to Orion with a hearty chuckle. **"YOU FORGOT DIDN'T YOU!"**

He nodded. **"I DID THAT THING, HO-HO! BWAHAHAHA! I DID THAT THING! PO-PO! I, ORION DID THAT!"**

Praxus who was smiling hugged Orion. "You did. You forgot."

Everyone turned to Prowler who was smiling enormously as he watched them, backpack and dollie in servo. He glanced at them, then Alor. Then he held his panda dollie up for Amma Lay-Low to kiss. He did and as he did, the door opened and the others stepped in.

 **BEDLAM!**

Moments later, they were sitting on the arms of their ammas and appas as they walked to the elevator. Sunspot went ahead to press buttons and lead the way with Spot bouncing along with him. They reached them, chatted and laughed all the way down, then walked to the street. Sunspot called for Hero's cab, then everyone waved as she left. The bus for Orion and Praxus came, grabbed them and other imps waiting including Miracle Prime, then rolled off for Terra. A small bus then pulled up and Sojourner, Solus, Prowler, and a number of other babies were loaded. It rolled off for the Academy in Terra as well.

Everyone then turned to look at Sunspot. He smiled beautifully just as his own bus rolled up. He hugged everyone, then with Spot in tow climbed on and waved until the bus disappeared ahead. They stared at it, then each other. Then they looked at Blackjack. He looked back with aggravation.

"I **thought** we were short one," Hard Drive said as he stared at his grandson. "Produce the evidence." A hatch opened and curled up with a tiny cow, a little baby dozed. They stared at it, then him. "Take him to school, Blackjack. Don't make me paddle your butt."

He frowned at his grandfather, then smirked at Alor. **"I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO TAKE HIM THERE MYSELF! SLAGGING BUSES!"** With that, he turned toward the Metro Station, then stepped off with a jaunty strut.

They watched him go, then Alor shook his helm. "Hopeless. He's hopeless. Better check him later. Something tells me we're going to have to."

Alor would be right.

-0-In a hospital room nearby

Ratchet stood over Corr as he was slowly brought out of stasis. He was still but for involuntary movements of his servos or a twitch of a ped. He was swimming into a new hardware paradigm and it was going to be smooth if it killed his grandson. An expert was at the wheel.

A master was at work.

Behind him, their faces reflecting their fear, a mob of little mechs including a single femme watched Ratchet, then Corr. It seemed to take forever, then the reboot was accomplished. Ratchet leaned down and whispered, "Amma? You in there?"

Ravel would have slapped him for the impertinence but for his own choking fear. Everyone was silent and it was terribly tense. Corr twitched, then his optics flickered. He blinked, then glanced his optics around. He didn't speak, nor did he get up. He lay still and stared until his optics focused upon Ratchet's face as he sat on the berth beside his amma. "You there, Amma?" he asked.

Corr stared at him, then nodded slightly. He raised a servo, then stared at it. "Where am I, Sonny?"

"You're in the hospital. You fell and bumped your helm. We had to fix you up," Ratchet said. "I want to ask you questions. Can you try to answer them?"

He stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "Okay."

"What's your name?"

"Corr. Corr of Iacon."

"What did you do for your career?"

"I was a … a riveter. I built tall buildings."

"Who is your bond?"

Corr glanced around but he didn't see the others. They were standing back out of the way because Ratchet asked them to do so. "Where is Chan?"

"He's here, Amma. We have to do these questions and stuff." Ratchet gripped his servo. He gripped it back. It was firm. "Where do you live now?"

"Autobot City. I live there."

"What is the name of your ada and atar?"

"Stereo and Fuller."

"What did they do for their career?"

"They were riveters and welders, too."

Ratchet nodded, then leaned inward. "I'm going to help you sit up. Tell me if it hurts or you want to purge. Okay?"

Corr nodded. He sat up with Ratchet's help, then moved his feet toward the floor. Waiting a moment for the vertigo to leave him, he stood up shakily. Ratchet held him as he waited out the dizziness, then he walked to a chair to sit with help. He was weary and confused. "What happened? Why am I here?"

Chan looked at Corr with fear, then Ratchet. "We told him already."

"He's coming out of stasis. It makes you confused. It'll clear," Ratchet replied.

Chan nodded, then sat in the chair next to Corr, taking his hand gently into his own. "Corr? Do you hear me? Do you see me?"

Corr glanced his way, then leaned closer. "Chan. I see you."

Chan relaxed, sagging slightly. "I see you, too, Corr."

The others sat down and with Ratchet asking questions watched as he finished the assessment. Docker glanced from Corr to Ratchet when he was finished. "What do you think, Sonny?"

"I think Levee is a genius," Ratchet said with a grin.

It was almost sickening how much better they felt almost immediately.

-0-School

Lumi read the message internally, then grinned. He texted it to the others. They texted back their eternal relief, then all got back to their studies. It didn't take long to make its way to everyone that Corr had come through with a good score in the tests run on him and his memory cores. Relief would be a small word to describe how everyone felt when they got it.

-0-Shortly later

Ironhide walked in with a grin followed by Blackjack. They hugged Corr and Chan, patted the others, then sat on a berth. "How you feeling, Corr?" Blackjack asked.

"Better. I think I don't remember falling but Docker says I did," Corr said.

"You'll be out of here in no time," Ironhide said. "I heard that he wants all of you to stay here for the remaining five orns."

"I don't know, son," Tie said as he lay on his berth relaxing. "We have deadlines for our customers."

"They can wait. You need to unwind," Ironhide said as the chat went onward. By the time he and his father got up to leave, Tie Down was fast asleep.

-0-Ops Center

It was with relief that Prowl went about his business. Things were getting closer to normal again. Though the situation on Cybertron was smoother than expected, there were many problems that required their attention. There was a bomb site that required special handling near the north pole, a new series of utilities laid on that needed inspection by one of them to show the flag for the local crews, some Primal Hearings to do in Capital City on various crimes, a new cache of art and bullion, literally acres of underground tunnels filled to the ceiling with possessions, cash, irreplaceable art, important relics, and other things to be determined later.

Prime would have to go to see all of this and head the hearings. A Prime's work was never done. He grinned. His wasn't either. Glancing down to the floor under the nearby console, he grinned again. Prima was recharging like a pro.

Of course, he would. He was Prowl's brother.

With a lighter frame of mind than before, Prowl of Praxus got back to work once more.

-0-Up there

They came in to be introduced and make their own assessments. Therapists for everyone, a physical therapist for Corr, Dr. Medley who had put Corr back on the regular office visit list until this got remedied, Levee to see about his patient, and occupational therapists to check if there was impairment and if so, how much. It was busy for a bit as the elders watched the ocean of care descend upon their little Corr.

They would never be able to get over it that this was the way things worked now.

Truth be told, Ratchet sometimes felt himself agreeing with that sentiment even now.

-0-TBC 6-11-18 **edited 6-18-18**


	383. Chapter 383

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 383)

-0-Morning

Ratchet stood by the wash rack door as Corr was sudsed up by Chan. Holding a towel, Appa Ratchet kept up his usual upbeat patter as Docker held the sprayer. They were getting him ready for testing from his doctors and their first series of counseling sessions held here before discharge in four orns. His own ada and atar had argued with him about the store but he prevailed. They were all tired and needed to be together to get better. He would put a sign on the door to tell their legion of customers that they could place their orders on line and those picking them up could meet him at noon straight up to get them when he came there to fulfill that dueling point. His genitors were nothing if not good sorts about getting individuals what they wanted.

Docker sprayed Corr off and the three of them took towels to help him dry off.

"Step under the hot air blower, Amma. It'll get all the crannies," Ratchet said with a grin.

Corr smiled at him. "This is so much nicer. Hands on, Sonny."

Ratchet laughed, then watched as the three fussed him to the rocking chair that Ratchet had rounded up. He sat tiredly, then smiled. "That was very nice. Thank you, all. You're the best sparks I know."

Ratchet grinned as Ironhide walked in to take a gander at the four of them, all of whom sat down on the couches and chairs to keep Corr company. "You look better, Corr. How do you feel?"

"A bit tired but better. My helm hurt a bit before I fell," Corr said.

 **"YOU NEED TO TELL ME!** Until you four are at 95% protoform regrowth, you're **all** susceptible to injury from bumps and falls. **DON'T MAKE ME HUNT YOU DOWN!"** Ratchet said with a cross expression.

"Inside voice, Sonny," Chan said with a grin.

Ironhide howled, then grinned. "Where have I heard that before?"

"Speaking of which … where is everyone?" Ratchet asked.

"In school," Ironhide said. "By the way, the visiting reporters want an interview. I told them to talk to you, blabby. I'm going to Cybertron with Prime. I'll be back for lunch. How about meeting me somewhere?"

"How many will be there or is this a romantic request?" Ratchet asked as he waggled his optics.

"Romantic," Ironhide said with a grin. "I only invited 30 mechs to join us."

Huge laughter greeted that along with teasing and jokes before Ironhide walked out to do battle with the disaster slowly coming along that was his home world. They watched him go, then looked at Ratchet. "What about you, Sonny?" Appa Ratchet asked as he petted his cat and Corr's.

"I have to go to the human habitats. Once every three decaorns I do that."

A rap on the door drew their attention. A pair of specialist techs for Corr were there along with their old counselor, a little femme named Min-D. They chatted a moment, then Ratchet excused himself. Heading out feeling infinitely better, he made his way to the elevator and the short hop to the street. He would be on his way to Earth 1 in no time.

-0-Cybertron

They stood in a group listening to the local constables discuss the situation around the edge of the Sea of Mercury. There was looting in the bombed out mansion houses that were owned by the hoi-paloi back in the orn. They walked along a wide avenue that had been lined with big houses and towers where the very wealthy had lived. The ruins were old but they were honeycombed with tunnels and pitted with holes where enterprising thieves had decided to excavate.

Pausing beside the beach house that had been part of the 'Primal Condition' as it was called humorously by his staff back when, he stared at it and the memory of Primus rising from the sea. Some of those with him remembered it as well. He turned to the local police. "I see that they hit this place hard. There were relics there that belonged to the nation and they need tracing if possible. I realize that you have many duties but if there could be some sense of awareness among you about what might be missing and passed around, I would be grateful. We must gather our culture back together. It belongs to all of us."

"We'll watch for it. We're investigating this to see if its just locals or something more organized. We have a pretty brisk black market on valuables now. We'll let you know," the big mech, Taz-R said. He was the local detective for the district and in charge of all investigations. He led them onward down wide pockmarked streets with hulking bombed out buildings, showing them the warren of holes and destruction. It was pretty awful.

-0-Earth 1

He stood in the habitat door waiting for the atmosphere to equalize. Inside, the usual suspects were waiting to chat and discuss the habitat and her inhabitants. When the door opened, he walked inside. **"HELLO, LITTLE PEOPLE!"**

He was swarmed.

Shortly later …

He sat on the floor of the corridor outside the small hospital that served Earth 1. Phoebe Grant had just worked out the plan for the unit for the next six months and now it was time to gossip. "How is it with Earth2? Are things well or do you have anything you want to tell mama?" Ratchet asked.

Phoebe laughed. "We sorta get along. There's a different atmosphere over there than here. Owen and the others make it hard to relax."

Ratchet nodded. "That man is not to be trusted. However, if you get any good intel, you can let me know. See?" he asked with a big smile. "That's how it works."

Phoebe laughed. "I will. They want to make it bigger and they want to explore on their own. They're looking at the mineral wealth around here, Ratchet. They want to drill to see what's down there."

"They won't be allowed. Prime won't permit it. Consider this world is ancient, dormant mostly, but filled with unknowns. What if you brought up a virus, triggered a reaction among your kind and died in agony. How would we explain that to your families?" He smiled. "I'd burn a candle for all of you, though. Just so you know."

It would go like that for the duration of his stay as others gathered around to chat with the Autobot that most of them knew the best.

-0-Earth2

They waited by the habitat doors for Ratchet to appear. He was here to review medical and ascertain the health of the inhabitants by going to the Ops Center upstairs and plugging in. Apparently, the habitat suits and implant nano devices in their arms everyone bore as locators and scanners that tabulated their health and kept track of their conditions allowed him to tune in and give suggestions about those in their population that might need assistance. Overall grumbling about big brother turned to gratitude when a small child was diagnosed with childhood leukemia this way. That the bots were working to cure the baby was not lost on anyone.

The leadership was there to have a private conversation with Ratchet about their various applications for this and that and their requests for other things. Ratchet was the best conduit they had into the machinery that was Prime's operation and when he said he would take it up with him and get back to them, he always did. Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown, Steve Jameson, Pierre Beliveau, and Cynthia Tomas waited as they saw a search and rescue truck turn off the highway and head their way.

"Here he comes," Kyle Davis said as he walked over to them from the windows nearby. "We're in agreement on our agenda?"

They nodded. "We are," Harris said.

Behind him, the colony ran busily, the energy suffusing the place bright and intense. Scientists worked in their labs and offices, the farm, the greenhouses, with the big telescopes in the array of science labs that occupied nearly all the second floor housing everything of note, and in the businesses, support industries and classrooms of the facility. Vehicles drove on the streets, pausing at traffic lights to let others past, then moving onward with a wave and smile. Everyone here was delighted and still overwhelmed by the magnitude of the place and its amenities.

The business sector was as busy as any town. The grocery store, cafes and bars were well used by the locals. Many were the locals who cooked here, displaying videos of their efforts on YouTube. The Farm had a channel there along with the broadcast of the enterprise to Earth through their own station, ME2, Mars, Earth2. Cameras live streamed different areas, the little pasture where the goats, tiny cows, pigs, sheep, and horses spent their days. Chickens were everywhere along with a number of ducks in the tiny pond that made up a corner of the pasturage.

People could watch real time video of life here including the main intersection on the concourse floor where a number of roads crossed complete with traffic lights and crosswalks. A camera was on the main junction day and night here along with one that caught the main concourse and business district, streaming what was happening to Earth humans who tuned in to watch. The local station in the facility ran programming eight hours a day including in-house news in the morning and evening detailing life inside. It also ran programming from IntraComm, their shows and movies along with that of Earth that was popular among the population. International news from Earth, The Hourly News from Mars hourly, and local news from the human habitats to keep everyone up to date.

Ratchet pulled up, transformed, then stood up to stare into the windows of the second floor. Those inside who saw him waved and he waved back, posing like a debutante while a couple took snapshots. Then he walked to the door of the habitat with a grin, heading into the lion's den for his annual visit. The transit was short and he was inside, staring down at the humans with a grin. "Hello, tiny people. How are you doing today?"

"We're good, Ratchet," Cynthia said as she smiled upward at him. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks. I'm going to medical to check things out, then up to Ops Center. Do you want to meet in the usual place when I'm done?" Ratchet asked.

"We do, Ambassador," Owen said with a nod.

"Then I better get on it," Ratchet said. He nodded, then walked forward into the facility, waving to humans as he made his way toward the medical center. He reached it, knelt down and began to speak to the staff there. It would take a while.

The group watched them, noting his easy manner with the group which included Monica Hadden who was walking by and joined them. Then they walked toward the lounge in the far corner near the exercise area to sit and wait. It would take a while. Cynthia Tomas would rise after a moment to join the group at medical. She would enjoy herself when she did.

-0-Twenty minutes later …

He walked to the elevator that led upward. It was highly secured but he entered with his overriding code which all senior Autobots possessed. Riding upward, he stepped out and grinned. **"HOWDY, BOYS! MAMA IS HERE!"**

The bots and two humans from N.E,S.T. who were always on duty shifts there laughed loudly. Siso who was shift boss grinned. "What brings you here?"

"Why, your handsome face, Siso," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. Huge laughter and rudeness greeted that as he scanned everyone, then plugged into check the data on humans here. "Have to see who needs a hug." He read the data and found little to nothing in need of intervention. "Well, no one is going to be sick for a while. Nice. I have to go talk to the slaggers now. Want me to deliver any messages?"

"You might end up in the brig," Siso said with a grin.

"The mercs," Sargent Collier, a N.E.S.T. 'observer' said as he lounged in his chair with a book.

"Acting up? Showing their oats?" Ratchet asked with a smirk. "Perhaps I can help there," he said as he unplugged and walked to the door.

"Ratchet?"

He looked back at Siso. Siso stepped closer. "What's this I hear about another bigger habitat for humans being considered?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I love rumors. They're so cute," Ratchet said with a nod. He entered the elevator, then went down.

:Do you think there's one underway, Siso?: Sargent Collier asked.

Siso shrugged. "I don't know, Tommy. I wonder if they need a shift boss there?"

He wouldn't be the only one.

-0-Outside and down there

He walked past humans who were working, eating or walking about. Waving, moving onward, he reached the bosses who were waiting for him. As he did, a number of powerhouse teenaged girls were watching. It would pique their curiosity a lot. They skipped their lunch break to walk that way and find a perch where they could watch and listen. No one but Ratchet would know they were there.

-0-TBC 6-13-18 **edited 6-23-18**


	384. Chapter 384

The Diego Diaries: Visitation (dd6 384)

-0-Earth2

They sat on couches along a window that looked out onto the desert and the sight of the tips of communication towers for the Consulate in the distance. The light was bright as it raced toward noon, the warmth generated through the windows welcome. Ratchet sat on the floor, then grinned. "Speak away."

"Did you get our proposals, Mr. Ambassador?" Kyle Davis asked as defacto fall back business agent.

"I did. They're on my agenda when I meet the Prime shortly," Ratchet replied.

"When will that be?" he asked.

"Lunch time in all likelihood. I have to meet the mob at The Diner On The Corner. I'll get with him there," Ratchet replied.

"That seems a rather informal place to discuss such serious measures," Hamilton Brown said.

"Not really," Ratchet said. "We aren't terribly formal nor hierarchical here. I would think you'd have noticed that by now."

"We do," Owen Harris replied. "We're just very interested in his considered opinion."

"Prime considers very heavily everything, gentlemen," Ratchet said. "He's the sole leader of a good dozen inhabited worlds including this one. Our empire encompasses a lot of territory and each have their own problems and needs. Your proposals will be given good consideration."

They chatted about this and that part of this and that idea, then the subject changed to collaborative possibilities. "We would like to affect exchanges between your schools and ours. We would like all of our kids to have the chance to know alien individuals of their own age and perhaps share part of what it means to be human with them. We would like educational, cultural and friendship exchanges in place," Cynthia Tomas suggested.

Ratchet nodded. "I agree. The more, the merrier. Our infant league football has humans already playing and would be a good point of convergence for the human children here. It's not touch or tackle. Its flag football."

"We would love that. Who do we write?" Cynthia asked as she drew out a small datapad and began to write down things.

"The school board. Send it to the Central Office where Herling will get it first. He'll add it to the agenda at the next meeting and will message you so you can be there. He really likes human kids and inclusion is a thing for him," Ratchet said. "I see no trouble, really, because some humans are already there."

"We would also like to use the facilities on Trypticon. We want to make documentaries about the colony and the different aspects of its features. Having adults and children using them would make that interesting. I don't think many know about Trypticon and what he means," Owen said.

"Trypticon is the result of a number of unethical people getting together to get their way at all costs and creating instead a open path to our doom," Ratchet said. "When you have no conscience and you don't care what the outcome of your progress to a problem, then the answers that spring out of that can be difficult. It's debatable if Trypticon is sentient in the manner that other titans are. He's a malevolent dangerous individual they made but could neither maintain nor defend. Trypticon is more healthy and put together now than he ever was during his rampages. He's in deep medical stasis and will stay that way if and until we ever figure out how he can live any other way. He's profoundly dangerous otherwise."

"Then he doesn't know he's being used as a platform for various functions?" Steve Jameson asked.

"No. He doesn't. Good thing for both sides. He would kill everyone there, then come here and repeat the process. He's not an individual that can be reasoned with," Ratchet replied. "I will put your request on the list."

"Ambassador … what do you really believe will happen to our request to expand and to do ventures beyond the walls of this place?" Hamilton asked. "Truthfully."

Ratchet considered his question, then shrugged. "We won't allow digging here for any number of reasons. This organic world is still unknown in many different ways. Organic material exists here, elements of organic material that indicate that life may have existed here long ago on its own. If you did up things that you aren't prepared for, you could die of viruses or unexpected compounds for which you have no exposure and thereby, no immunity. We also don't try to destroy places we live. This world could end up like Earth in no time. You don't seem to get the idea that poisoning your own bed is a bad idea. Everything that you need or could want we can supply from space and we do."

"You dig. You excavate," Kyle Davis countered.

"We test drill to figure out the composition of this place. We test drill for water sources. We dig in two places for energon, then cover them to pristine recreation when we decide its deep and big enough. We're interested in finding out the make up of this world without destroying it to do so. You tend to break things and ignore the consequences to the bigger picture. We don't do things for sport here, not on the big overriding issues."

They stared at each other, aware that neither side was going to give an inch. "Our requests and that of others for off world habitations … how are those going?" Owen Harris asked.

"They're being examined by Sciences and our Public Works and Building commissions. We're going over them with a fine toothed comb considering your probably improbable request to live in these habitations and places without our presence," Ratchet said. "But they're being weighed seriously. All of your requests are."

They discussed several more items, then Ratchet arose. "I must motor. I have lunch coming up and interviews with reporters here from Earth. I understand that they intend to live here and at the other places to get the big picture. How's that going?"

"Very well," Cynthia said. "We welcome the scrutiny."

Ratchet nodded. "Having information out there builds allegiances. Good luck. I'll inform you about your requests as soon as Prime gives his decisions." With that, he nodded, then walked down the concourse to the doors and the outside world.

They watched him go, then turned to each other. "He's going to continue to play hardball. They want to limit us to agriculture, minor science and industry. This is very frustrating." Pierre Beliveau said.

Owen nodded. "Then we put on the pressure via Earth. The first step, Operation Reporters." He grinned. "We must keep the pressure on and see what happens. This place is just the first relatively autonomous habitat we want to have on world or anywhere else. When will they be here?"

"This afternoon," Cynthia replied as they walked toward the administrative block of the facility.

Watching them go were several high power teenaged girls. Reporters were coming. They were elated.

Now was their time to make their mark. They followed at a distance, then ducked into their school for the remainder of the day's session.

-0-The Diner On The Corner

They entered, then sat, big mechs all, some of them bearing heavy arms attached to this and that part of their anatomy. Hercy and Kup pushed tables together and sat along with half a dozen other big mechs and Ratchet. He grinned at the medic. "How was the confab with Harris and his minions?"

"They want expansions here and on several moons. They want autonomy on any facility off world," Ratchet said. "They want to expand their resource base to expand their industry. It's a litany every time we meet up."

"You don't have to even go there, Old Mech. You do this to yourself," Ironhide said as he took his beer from the waiters. They had his number before he even looked at the menu.

They made their orders, took their drinks, then kicked back. "What's this about the big habitat that Prime's supposed to be building? Its supposed to have 60,000 humans there who work for him and make all kinds of slag. Or so some say," Springer said as he grinned at Ratchet.

"I heard it was 20,000 and grew pumpkins," Ratchet said.

"It's getting out of hand. Prime has to take a stand. Pro-pumpkin forces are demanding satisfaction. By the way, I like pumpkin pie," Springer replied.

"I'll make you one," Ratchet said.

"No rush," Springer replied before Ratchet crunched his ped under the table.

 **"OW."**

"Serves you right. I give you the best decaorns of my life and this is how you treat me? Sad ungrateful wretch," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile.

"Sort of describes you, Springer," Kup said as food began to be placed before them.

"Suck up," Springer said.

They organized and began to eat their food. "I heard that they want a facility on Europa. Not a bad choice but they can't live there alone. I've been there. It's not a good place for organics to hang out." Drift glanced at Springer. "Pass the condiments if you would."

Springer did, then glanced at Ratchet. "I agree. What do you think Prime will do?"

"I don't know. I'll tell him what we discussed and let him mull it over," Ratchet said. "He has his own mind on this and wants to keep it under as much control as he can. The rumor is less far fetched than the idea that humans can live on system moons without us there, too."

The conversation continued.

"Have you seen Partition and Lancer?" Springer asked. "They seem to have fallen off the planet lately."

"You know … young love," Ratchet said with a snicker.

"Do we?" Drift asked with a smirk at Springer.

Springer who might not be that young but knew a lot more about love now than he ever did before glanced at Drift. "We do."

Huge laughter greeted that.

The door opened as Prime and Prowl walked in to join them. Pulling up chairs, they ordered, then sat back to watch the others eat.

"I see you waited for us," Prime said with a grin.

"Like one piggy waits for another," Ratchet said. "I have requests for you. Forward bases, drilling and digging, more expansive local facilities and individuals to live and work there, documentaries on and off world, trips to Trypticon for adults and children, cooperation between the schools … I think that's about that."

Prime nodded. "They are persistent. Meet with me and Jetta to discuss some of them orn after tomorrow. It is the celebration orn at the Shrine for Solus Prime tomorrow, so we are going to be there to pay respects. Between that and pressing issues on Cybertron, I will not be available before then."

"I'll let them know. Are you going to allow humans into the shrines on their celebration orns?" Ironhide asked.

"The locals. Maybe some of the certified from other habitats. I am still mulling it over," Prime said as he ate his sandwich.

A BLT was a BLT was a BLT.

"What's happening on Cybertron?" Smokescreen asked. "I haven't been back on rotation in a while. I'm commanding Diego now, after all." Huge laughter greeted that as Smokescreen grinned. "Slaggers. You're jealous of my mercurial rise in the ranks."

"That's us." -Everyone there.

"We're going to Iacon to see the building there, then Capital City. Housing is rising everywhere but there's still way too many who aren't sheltered decently," Prowl said. "No new word on the Omega Keys. Its going to be luck that finds them. There are no more on Cybertron. The rest are elsewhere."

"We've been lucky this far. We'll be lucky again, buzzkill," Ratchet said with a smirk. "We need a road trip, the two of us and the Squad to find them."

"We need to tie one on," Prowl said. "How are your genitors and grand genitors?"

"A lot better. I got the report on Amma Corr a joor ago from the techs who examined him this morning. He's showing great improvement. They want to keep all of them for two more orns, then send them home with Home Healthcare support," Ratchet said.

"Good," Prowl said with sparkfelt relief. "When do we pony up the Squad?" he asked with a smirk.

"Given that some are in the hospital and others aren't, how about we meet this halfway and tie one on tonight?" Ratchet asked.

"That's halfway?" Springer asked with a chuckle.

"In my book it is," Ratchet said with a grin. "Clear your decks, infant. We're going on the town tonight." Then he glanced at a highly amused Prime. "Right, Dad?"

"Only if I can go," Optimus said.

Before it was all said and done, all of the bonds of the major Squaddies and half the freeloading slaggers at the table would be going as well. It was going to be crowded at the bars in the old town tonight.

-0-TBC 6-14-18 **edited 6-23-18**

NOTES:

BLT: Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. You toast three pieces of bread, put mayo on them, stack bacon, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, onions and the like between the double layers, then cut them diagonally to stack on a plate and stuff your face. I love BLTs. They're a cold sandwich otherwise and a hard one to mess up. Some put cheese on them, too. Yum.


	385. Chapter 385

The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho-Ho-Ho! (dd6 385)

-0-Cybertron

They walked through the largest redeveloped area of Iacon and perhaps in the whole of Cybertron, noting with an inexpressible joy the sight of towers gleaming in the light of the stars. They towered overhead and housed nearly one and a half million individuals from the sprawling camp villages nearby. As far as the optic could see, towers were in development following the old plan of the city with some adjustments. Iacon was incredibly ancient so they were saving the footprint as much as they could where it made sense and improving it where they could see a better flow for everyone.

The plan of Mars, having businesses in the street side storefronts was being followed here and they were incredibly busy. Most of them were restaurants and bakeries with grocery stores here and there for the more adventurous individuals. Street traffic was brisk, everyone walked with a lighter step and they were profusely grateful to Prime when they saw him. Some came from across the street, some from businesses where they were transacting whatever it was they were doing, others from corners where they were waiting for buses and cabs.

Most of them were civilians but some, many, were former Decepticons with family and others alone or with friends. He met their children and elders, their bonds and friends, hearing of their new lives and prospects. Some of them apologized to Prime, soldiers and civilians alike, telling him of their regret of choice in leadership. They spoke about their service under Megatron, the hardships and the overwhelming sense of happiness and relief that things were different now. It was a continuous display as they walked along with some religious reaching out to touch him as he passed by, heading for the well lit headquarters of the Autobots in the city in the distance. It would take a while.

-0-At a counseling session in the hospital

Min-D sat on a chair with the little group of elders talking to them about how things were going. Ratchet had contacted her about them and she came gladly. These little mechs were like a lot of their elders here … sweet, conforming and gentle, beaten down by life and slowly unfolding their wings in the new paradigm. That a speed bump along the way could upend them so completely wasn't unusual. They would find their way again.

"Our Sonny is our guiding star," Corr said as the others nodded. "We never expected it would be easy to have and raise a child in our situation. But we did. We made him the focus of our lives and he grew up to be a very good youngling mech. Mind you," Corr said as he leaned closer to Min-D, "he can be a handful." The others nodded as well. "But he is good. Down in his spark, close to the place where Primus can see us, he's good."

Min-D nodded. "He takes care of you all very well."

"He does. He's our boy. He always does. He tells us he reads our medical reports to make sure everything is going to plan. Maybe he worries too much," Docker said as she looked at the others. They nodded. "But he's a good mech, our Sonny. He got us on our peds and made sure we have a nice home. We prefer to live together, all of us. We can help each other, just like in the Jumble."

The others nodded.

"What was that like, Docker?" Min-D asked again.

Docker looked at her, then a frown came over her pretty face. "It was bad. They had no respect for us. I fought them. I didn't allow them to treat us badly."

"It was lucky, Only One, that they didn't arrest you," Appa Ratchet said. "Docker was brave," he said. "She was our hero."

The others nodded.

"No one deserves to be less than anyone else. The One and Primus expect us to love each other unconditionally, to help each other and not to judge. We **all** are one. No one believed it then. We lived in a terrible place but we made it as good for our Sonny as we could," she said fiercely. "It was defiance against The One and Primus that made all this happen. Defiance of the greatest thing we can do for each other … love and forgive each other unconditionally. If something had happened to Corr, nothing else would matter. We could be the richest and most powerful in the world but without Corr, nothing would be good."

The others nodded.

"You find solace in your religion?" Min-D asked.

"We do," Chan said. "We keep the holy orns and took Sonny to the Shrine on that orn. We tried to save to go to the Temple. We wanted Sonny to see the relics but it was always too much and something would come up. We would have gone, though. We taught him what the Pantheon and The One wanted … to love unconditionally, to forgive unconditionally, to treat each other with love, the way you would want to be treated."

"Did it work?" Min-D asked with a slight grin.

Chan grinned back. "No."

The others nodded again.

-0-Cybertron

They walked to the big hangars that they had built on the footprint of those destroyed long ago. The shimmering sea beyond undulated with its endless beauty. The Sea of Light was a colossal rarity, a liquid body that shown with a glow from minerals that suffused its sandy bottom. It gave an eerie light in the constant darkness of the world, one of the few self illuminated places on this, the strangest planet ever.

The pathway to the warehouse district above was winding but the area was cleared and attempts were made to restore it and the shoreline which disappeared into the distance in two directions. Arc lights were here and there but the area was mostly darkness due to the lack of use of the area around the building complex. Huge plants were asserting themselves around the shore and they were thick on the ground, spreading their roots into the distance, adding more shoots upward as they spread out.

It was rather eerie, a sensation that was not lost on the mechs who worked here.

They reached the end of the sloping climb from the sea, then walked further onward, passing buildings that were not in active use at the moment due to ends of shifts or storage of supplies and other shipments that came here, a hub for spare parts for half the planet. They walked toward the lighted building where everyone was, their ped falls echoing in the evening air. They talked about this and that, feeling even as they did the tension on their armor from their auric fields. Glancing this way and that, they picked up speed.

"This place gives me the creeps," one of them said as the other nodded. "I swear I saw shadows moving at the northern warehouses."

They both looked that way, fearfully watching the dark shadows between the buildings before reaching the lighted area that was maintained orn and night with huge light towers. It felt better to get there. They couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, though. They also weren't the only ones who did. When Prime came in three orns, they would talk to him about this and see what the Matrix advised. If there were ghosts here, they would need a seer.

Or three.

They entered the building filled with light and comrades with relief. The dark shadows watching them had no emotional buy in as they did. Half of them weren't even aware that the two mechs had walked past and the others were content to wait for them to come back out again.

-0-Circle of Light Superstore, Terra

"I heard from Ratchet that his family members are doing well," Madura said as he entered the business with his son, Rugur. He set the basket down as his baby was sleeping, then turned to Joon and Edict who were stocking shelves. "Corr is getting better and will be released soon. The entire group is staying at the hospital because this was such a shock. They're having counseling for their hurts, thank Solus."

"That's good to hear. Prowl said he'd tell us if the pub crawl is on for tonight," Joon said. "Do they need anything? Ratchet's family?"

"No. It's in servo so far," Madura said as he began to set up the afternoon cafe rush. He came in the mornings usually but had to attend to something with Proteus involving the disposition of some of the adopted sons they had in the migration with Rockwell and his bond. They had been in prison all this time but their deadlines for disposition were upcoming and there was a lot to do. They weren't part of the 45 who had foolishly tried Caste Court with Rockwell and ended up in a quarry. These were different cases and more serious given their relationships.

"How did the meeting turn out? I suppose that Gradient expects Proteus to stand up for him," Edict said.

"Actually, I did the talking. We decided to not allow them to know of the format changes Proteus had done because they can't be trusted to keep their mouths shut. I won't trade my bond's new life and growth for anything. I made him promise me that they were on their own and he wouldn't do anything noble like help them," Madura said. "They have to pass inspection with Prime but I have my doubts. They're still entrenched in the old paradigm."

"Some of them are," Edict said sympathetically. "My Sunee is making good progress. He and Sio are fast friends. I hope he can have day release. I want him to ease back in. When he has to stand for his behavior, we will be there but he has to be realistic and face the consequences of his actions with understanding."

"How is Hobbes? He seems to be making great progress, Edict," Joon asked.

"He is. He's a very happy mech. He goes out on mid decaorn to play cards and have a beer with the mechs he works with. He likes supervising and procuring for the department but he still works with them, side-by-side, doing the dirty work. He's grateful," Edict said. He grinned. "He must have been traded with a clone. This can't be my Hobbes."

"Or my Proteus. Or Lucien. Or …" Madura said with a chuckle. "My, how the mighty have fallen."

Their laughter was loud and long.

-0-Later that evening after stopping by the overnight version of the Military Day Care Center in The Fortress and seeing off a number of big kids to their Amma and Appas house

They gathered on the sidewalk at Metro 1. They were waiting for Ratchet and a couple of others to show up. Prime's kids were with the twins. Blue was here and the twins were bitching about it over the bond link. Everyone came with significant others and a grin. When Ratchet galloped across the highway from the Medical Center toward them, they were ready to go.

"How are the genitors and all?" Prowl asked as he walked toward the Metro with Optimus and the others. The many, many others.

"They're all tucked in and feeling very well. Min-D is back as their counselor and I might discharge them tomorrow after the last set of tests if all goes well," Ratchet said as he walked with Alor, Delphi, Turbine and their bonds, Hercy, Kup, Arcee, Elita and Jetta, Hauser and his bond, Springer and Drift who were 'on duty', Smokescreen and Devcon because … fun … all of the Squad and their bonds who were varying degrees of delighted and slightly wary, Joon and Vinn, Lon and Bezel, Inweld, Morius, Terradive and Roto because they heard about the first time Prime pub crawled and were determined to be here for this one … like that and a cast of thousands more following.

It would be the biggest floating party in the history of Mars.

They began to descend down the steps of the Metro station heading toward Gambian and a big club there with dancing. It would be epic.

-0-TBC 6-15-18 **edited 6-23-18**

NOTES:

Silverhornd chapter 384 . 18h ago

It seems like Earth2 is not going to give up on trying to get permission to dig, I say let them do it for a little while and then get sick and have the ones that don't learn a big lesson, that what the bots where doing was for their on good. Question is one to the things that is beaning rebuilt on Cybertron is 6 lasers over Cybertron or they are going to do that last because everything else is more important.

ME: They never say die. You have a good point. Maybe they can dig up a life form they have no immunity against and wipe themselves out. LOL! It would probably happen. Six Lasers will be rebuilt and Prowl would like one here. when I can actually figure out something big enough, it will happen. A couple of big projects are ahead of it on the list though. :D:D:D HUGS!

Megatron Owes Me Money chapter 384 . 20h ago

Onions? I've never had onions on a BLT before... going to have to try that! I usually don't toast my bread either. I like the soft contrast of the bread compared to the crunchy bacon and lettuce. Plus I'm a Miracle Whip BLT person! Sweet vs salty! To spice it up I sometimes use sriracha sauce along with the MW... damnit! Now I'm hungry! :P

ME: I think I put onions on everything. They seldom are on BLTs unless I make them though. :D Toasting the bread makes it for me and I will tell you, I AM A MIRACLE WHIP GAL! Sriracha sauce ... damn. Sounds good. I actually had a BLT at a diner tonight after writing that down. I forget out good they are until I write something into the story. :D:D:D HUGS!

arctapus chapter 41 . 23h ago

I accidentally posted Diego Diaries part one 41-45 here when editing and had to report 41-45 part six. I hope those reading this will know and get them. Sorry about that. This is now over 7.5 million words and I think I have to hammer out about 6 million of them by hand. LOL! Thanks for those who tipped me off. HUGS!

Guest chapter 46 . Jun 14

Just for your information, on this part 6 the chapters 41 to 45 are from Diego diaries 1. You must have corrected them and they ended up in the wrong place.

ME: See the above, darling. I hope you get to go back and see them. GOLD STARS for whoever finds this kind of dumb crap I do. HUGS! Guest.

Leoness chapter 383 . Jun 13

Aggravation kills the muse - or in the case of my co-worker, results in another piece with the biggest case of jerk ass with a heart of gold trope in our entire writing lineup as a main character!

Leoness chapter 382 . Jun 13

ME: jerk ass with a heart of gold trope is the GREATEST line I have read in a very, very long time. BWAHAHAHAAHA! Aggravation or emotional hoo-haw shuts me off. I think I love your co-worker. At least I do for what inspiration they give you. KUDOS! :D:D:D

Leoness: chapter 382 June 13

Their old lives are so sad. I like the realism of them trying to accept that new reality.

ME: I think about this and even though they're aliens and tough, what would it be like to have this happen? Would it take a time? Would they have fall backs? I agree with you on their old lives. It must be like a dream for them now. I like to see how this works and what it takes. HUGS, my dear Leoness. :D:D:D

That Hobbit Girl chapter 45 . Jun 12

Hi really enjoying your story slowly but surely catching up! don't know if you realized but chapters 41-45 of part six are actually the updated chapters for part one a blast from the past which was fun but might need fixing going to keep reading hopefully won't miss anything interesting. thanks for writing such an amazing story btw you obviously put a lot of hard work into it remembering all the different story lines I can't wait for the seeker coming of age gonna be so cool

ME: I fixed that finally. Thank you for the heads up, Hobbit Honey. The Seekers will be blasting back in. The threads are so many, I have to braid them carefully. Right now, the bots want to dance. :D:D:D HUGS!


	386. Chapter 386

The Diego Diaries: Ease on down the road … (dd6 386)

-0-At the club

Some of them were dancing while the others were sitting at tables and booths drinking and chatting, laughing and telling lies. Springer and Drift who were leaning on the bar looked around the huge room where most of his family and friends were making noise and flinging themselves around. They didn't see it like that. Cybertronian dancing was as wild as one would expect. They saw normal fun and the humans saw hilarity.

Like right now.

Someone had leaked the evening plans and thus, several segways filled with local humans were parked nearby watching the fun as it unfolded in all its inglorious glory. Springer glanced at Drift. "Those humans are taking videos of the progress."

"They did last time. Ada told me," Drift said with a chuckle. "Shall we show them our stuff?"

"Do you think they can handle it?" Springer asked with a grin. He glanced at the humans, then downed his drink. "There. I think I'm drunk enough. Let's go show them."

Drift laughed as they walked to the crowded dance floor, then flung themselves into the bounding, bouncing hilarity that was called Cybertronian dancing. It would make amazing video.

Ratchet sat in a booth knocking them back. Ironhide sat beside him with his third beer and a bowl of snacks. He was already on his way to oblivion, something that Raptor and Hardie were feeding, the slaggers. Ratchet leaned forward. "You really want him over energized?"

They grinned together. "Uh-huh," both of them said.

"He's the cutest drunk," Raptor said.

"You have to carry him," Ratchet said as he ate from his own bowl of snacks, a collection of Oreos, 'peanuts' and 'pretzels'. Even though Docker, Ravel and Corr weren't here, he had the rest of his Squad and just about everyone else he knew along for the ride.

This could be fun.

Maybe.

"Got ya," Raptor said with a laugh. "I have to stay sober to do that. No fun here."

"I hear ya," Hardie said as he watched Prime knocking them back. Prowl was watching him with concern even as he downed his own drinks. He would find himself floating in the ozone before he knew it so he wouldn't be any help soon. Prime was a big mech. He'd need allies.

To move him around.

Glancing around, he spotted who he needed. :Hercy, Kup, Springer, and Drift, check in:

They pinged him.

:I'm staying sober and so is Raptor. I'm going to need you to do the same. Ironhide is already halfway there. Prime is heading that way and so is Prowl. I'm going to need heavy lifters:

They pinged back agreement from somewhere around the room or in the dance mob. He doubted that any of them were happy to be the 'heavy lifter' but it was necessary. Hardie sat back with a grin. "I have a team. Drink away."

Ratchet laughed, then looked at Ironhide. He was staring at Ratchet's bowl, then reached for it. Taking an Oreo in both servos, he smiled. "I love Oreos. Don't you, Appa?"

Hardie grinned, then leaned forward. "I do. Care to share?"

Ironhide stared at him through a haze so it took a moment to gather his scattered wits. He looked at the half empty bowl, then all three of his Appa Hard Drives. "Uh, you want one?" he asked as he held one Oreo out, one that already had a bite out of it.

"Not really. Go ahead, infant," Hardie said with a chuckle.

Ironhide smiled. **"THANKS! YOU'RE THE BEST APPA EVER!"** he burbled, then stuffed cookies into his mouth.

Ratchet watched him, then Hard Drive and Raptor. "You did what you could."

Hardie and Raptor laughed. "We did."

The room was filled with all manner of bots, some of them young and some elders. The biggest group in the room were the members of the Squad and their bonds. Lucien sat with Laslo who were chatting together with Proteus, Hobbes and Edict. Madura was dancing in the mob and it didn't look like he had a partner. It didn't matter. You could dance by yourself or with five others. The point was to dance.

Darts could be had along with billiards, Cybertronian virtual reality games, several games of chance that were popular in the club scene on Cybertron in the orn as well as card games. There was a lot of drinking and eating, the bar food here being a big feature for crowds. The band was loud, the atmosphere exciting and the peace maintained thus far. The sound of horse hooves could be heard as Ratchet looked over Ironhide's shoulder toward the big open doors. Outside on the street, a police horse patrol passed by. Things were in servo.

Turning back, Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "Wanna dance, big boy?"

Ironhide who had just emptied his bowl and Ratchet's glanced at him with a big ass grin. **"I AM IRONHIDE! I DO STUFF!"** With that, he slid on his backside toward the dance floor, scooting along the booth as he did. He slid, then fell hard to the floor. Sitting back up on his aft, he glanced upward. "Ratchet. Where are you, slagger?"

Hard Drive and Raptor who were glancing downward along with a slightly tipsy Ratchet grinned. "That infant can't hold his high grade. Where did we go wrong?"

"I have no idea. I told you we should never have let Alie and 'Jack raise him. You **do** remember that, right?" Raptor said with a grin as he followed his father out of the booth.

Both of them stared down at Ironhide with grins, then Hardie nodded. "I remember that," he said as he gripped one of Ironhide's arms. "You noticed that I agreed with you at the time."

"I did," Raptor said as they heaved the big mech up. He swayed from side to side, then flung his arms around his Appa Hardie.

" **APPA! YOU ARE THE GREATEST MECH! I, IRONHIDE SAY SO!"**

Loudly.

Prime paused his third drink, then glanced at Ironhide. "I think Ironhide is drunk." He looked at Prowl who was lounging against him with a drink in his servo. "Are you?"

"Who, me?" Prowl asked.

Jetta, Elita, Magnus, and Arcee grinned as they looked from one to the other. Then Jetta leaned forward. "Tell Osimus, Prowl. We won't tell."

Prowl frowned at Jetta. "His name isn't Osimus. You must be drunk. As for me … I'm not drunk." He glanced up at Prime with adoring optics. "Right, Optopus?"

Prime stared at Prowl a moment, then nodded. "You are not drunk. Much."

Prowl glanced at the others with a smug expression. "Ha, ha. Nice try."

"I thought so," Jetta said with a chuckle. "Someone at this table better stay sober or we're never going to get you home when you fall on your face."

Prowl frowned. "Are you insinuating that Otomass and I can't hold our high grade?" He downed his drink, then set the glass on the table next to the other two that were empty. "Watch this, slaggers," he said as he slid out to stand. As he stood, he stepped on his own foot, then fell forward on his face.

Optimus who was staring at the bottom of his empty glass with a slight frown of wonderment didn't notice until he turned to speak to Prowl. "Prowl. Where did you go?"

"Check the floor, Optimus," Jetta said with a grin. Prowl was there trying to work out the order of his limbs so he could get up. No one noticed him down there but the humans who were filming madly nearby.

Prime slid over, then stared downward. "Prowl … what are you doing down there?"

Jetta and Magnus slid out, then helped Prowl up. They helped him sit, then took his drink glasses away. "Both of you are drunk already," Jetta said as they both sat.

"You are," Magnus said with a frown. "Do you think this is wise? You're going to be on the news if you let this get too far out of hand."

"Do you think so?" Prime asked with a slight grin. "I do not know if I really like that but it happens. I am Prime, you know."

"He's Prime. **DON'T YOU EVER FORGET IT!"** Prowl said as he sat up straighter in his seat.

Ratchet in the next booth turned in his seat, then peered over the booth. " **Prowler!** You're drunk. You need a fix yet or are you going to make a spectacle of yourself?"

"You don't think I can hold my booze?" Prowl asked with gathering offense. **"BARTENDER! BRING ME ANOTHER TWO OF WHATEVER THIS IS!"**

"I think its time to go," Magnus said as he shoved at Jetta. The two slid out followed by Elita and Arcee.

Magnus took Prowl by the arm and dragged him out. Prime was easier because he still had contact with his legs. "Come on, boys. Time to go outside and take the air."

Prime giggled. "Take it where, Deion?" he asked.

They gathered the two and began to head for the open doors nearby. The rest of the group watching them leave gathered up to go. Ratchet watched as Hardie and Raptor dragged Ironhide out, then steered him forward. Hardie glanced at Ratchet who watched them with a big grin. "You need help, Ratchet?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Nope," Ratchet said as he slid out, fell on his face, then staggered up. **"WAIT FOR ME, SLAGGERS! ROAD TRIP!"** He then weaved his way to the door. Joining the migration of their Squad and everyone else, they made it outside for a confab and change of venue meeting. It would be hilarious.

-0-A diner in Caminus

They flooded in, finding seats and booths around the big diner, The Bent Spoon. They were noisy, happy, mellow, and amused. Lucien and Hobbes along with Proteus and their bonds found a seat near Prime and Ratchet. Leaning over the back of their booth, Madura grinned at Ratchet. "Are you drunk yet?" he asked happily.

"Yep," Ratchet said. "I fell on my face at wherever that was a moment ago."

"You have the cure, right?" Madura asked with a chuckle.

"I do," Ratchet said. "When I reach a certain level, the cure floods me. I thought about that when I was still responsible."

"You're that kind of mech, Ratchet," Madura said as the waiters came. He sat down again, ordered food, then grinned as he looked around. "This is the most fun I've ever had. What do you think, Lucien?"

He looked around the room, then smirked faintly at Madura. "As me when we end up in jail."

Huge laughter erupted. Madura grinned at him. "Been there, done that."

After a bit of wild discussion, several votes in which Ironhide, Prime, Ratchet, and Laslo voted for everything posed, they decided to go to Club Cybertron after they ate. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though Springer and Drift stared at each other a moment with dread.

Hamburgers and fries would never taste so good again.

-0-On a train to The City

They leaned against the walls, sat on the benches, hung onto each other, and told jokes, lies and stories. The stops came and went as they reached Metro #1. Stepping and falling out, they headed toward the steps to go upward. Ratchet waited as everyone streamed by. After a moment, the crowd thinned. As the crowd thinned, the train doors closed and it began to pull out again. Staring at Ratchet with a sappy grin, Ironhide went with it.

Ratchet stared at the train, then the tail end of the group going upward. He stared at the tracks, the steps upward, the tracks … then he hollered. **"HEY! YOU FORGOT SOMEONE!"** With that, Ratchet stumbled forward and fell off the platform onto the tracks. He lay there a moment, then sat up. Shaking his helm, he gripped the platform, then clambered upward. Rolling over onto his back, he felt himself floating in a fog. As he did, another train slid into the station buzzing past to go to a trunk line that led out of town. He missed getting hit by seconds.

-0-At Club Cybertron

Prime stood in the doorway watching the hoo-haw at the bar and the lounge inside. Grinning at Prowl who he was helping hold up, he rapped his bond on the helm gently. "Wanna dance?" he asked sweetly.

Prowl looked up at the three Primes staring down at him. He smiled. "Sure," he said.

Prime gripped Prowl, then stumbled into the lounge and the big dance floor beyond. He would dance to his own beat, swaying in place as he held Prowl in his arms. Prowl's feet never touched the floor.

-0-At Metro #1

Ratchet stared at a face staring down, a blurred face.

"Ada?" the face asked.

Ratchet reached up his servos, pawing at the air. "Ironhide … you look younger … you slagger, you..."

Drift laughed. "I think he needs the cure. Where's Atar?"

They looked around, then a train came. As it flashed past, they noticed Ironhide leaning against the window, his big servos pressed against the glass of the coach. He was grinning like a drunk as he disappeared into the darkness down tunnel. They watched him go, then glanced at each other. "Frag," both of them said at the same time.

-0-TBC 6-16-18 **edited 6-25-18**

NOTES:

Guest chapter 381 . 4h ago

I'm glad we had an introspective chapter with ratchet. That's always great. Drift and springer always have such great moments in the story. As well  
Hugs  
Santee spinner

ME: I like mixing up the mood. Fun, then drama, then deep thoughts, then Orion, then mayhem, them … HUGS! :D:D:D I like to write dialog for guys because that sort of chat that Springer and Drift share reminds me of my uncles and dad. All of them were hilarious. :D

Guest chapter 380 . 5h ago

Poor core! He can't touch your break. This chapter had me crying. Sigh! I hope things work out. All of these others they deserve the best in life! All of them!

ME: I don't think you can go through this without problems. They will do their best and with their wild aft son looking after them, they should be safe. All of them deserve it. :D:D HUGS!


	387. Chapter 387

The Diego Diaries: Where In The World is Ironhide? (dd6 387)

-0-Here

Smokey stood in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by others who were gyrating to the latest fashions of Cybertronian dance clubbing. His arms were spread wide, he was shivering like he was being electrocuted and he had a blissful expression on his face. All around him dancers were giving it their all. The music was loud, the booze flowed, good company could be seen in all directions, and even the Messiah of Their People was having a great time with his little buddy. Prime was slamming them back at the table with Prowl, Venture, Miler, Proteus, Bumblebee, and a hilariously drunk First Aid. Around them at tables were the rest of the Squad, their bonds and a number of The Crew that always showed up when things got interesting around Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl, and Prime.

Like now.

The only thing not noticed was Ironhide was missing.

-0-There

They saw the train flash by with Ironhide who was at the window with his servos and nose assembly pressed against it. He was smiling like a very drunk drunkard as he whipped past. Springer and Drift watched him go, then looked down at Ratchet. "Oh, frag," both said together as they hauled Ratchet up. They dragged him to the bench nearby, sat him heavily and with a servo on each of his shoulders held him in place as they consulted the metro map on the wall above him.

"Let me see … which train was that?" Drift asked Springer.

"I thought it was the Circle Line but it didn't stop this time. Since when does the Circle Line not stop?" Springer asked.

"Maybe he changed trains up the trail," Drift said …

Moments before …

He had swayed on the train holding a strap as it whipped to the next station. Doors on both sides of the train opened allowing those to disembark for the stairway to the street or to step onto the median platform in between the exit side platform and the back walls, one that was reached by overhead bridge and stairwells downward to allow several trains to fill with passengers going this way and that at each stop. Ironhide glanced around, noted he was alone, then stepped out.

Onto the middle platform.

The Circle Line train closed its doors and sped off, heading in a giant circular journey through the colony, hitting only half of the main stations. Pulling up as it left, another train, the Blue Line came up, opened its doors and he staggered into it. They slid shut behind him and he was off. Ironhide was now on the larger circular route, the train that delivered individuals to every city in the colony including the Industrial Park Cities. It would go to Aerie Hill, then everywhere else before returning to Autobot City again. It would only open to the street side platform at each stop and thus, Ironhide who in his stupor was facing the far side of the car that opened onto the middle platform was now a prisoner on the Metro Line …

The two studied the map, guessing which train it was that came through. They were all automated, running on a continuous loop and managed by the Public Transportation Administration who ran a skeleton crew during the graveyard shifts. Buses, cabs, trains, the various commercial space vessel companies, and personal aircraft were managed through them and they were relentless about time tables and dependability. Now, they had a drunk romping through their hinterlands and it would take a bit of coordination to find him.

"Springer to Public Transportation," he said as he stared at the map. Ratchet was leaning against him humming to himself, blotto to the world but not at the point where his fail safe would kick in. Springer looked down, grinned, then the call was connected.

"Public Transport here. Identify please." A femme's voice could be heard.

"This is Springer of Polyhex, Chief of Security for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, number 45-7HB-251. I have a need for you to find someone on a train, an impaired individual."

"Understood. What train and who?" she replied.

Springer glanced at Drift. "Do we want our dirty laundry known around the colony or what?"

Drift shrugged as Ratchet wrapped his arms around his waist. He grinned. "Nope."

"Who is this please?" Springer asked.

"Ginny, supervisor of the graveyard shift, Springer."

"Ginny, this is a private fiasco. We lost a member of our party on a train but we're not sure which it is. Can you scan with the security cam system for him and let us know where and which one it is?" he asked. "It's Ironhide, Chief of the Armed Forces."

"Stand by, Springer. We'll do that."

They stood by.

-0-There

Ironhide didn't stand by, that is. He had sagged to the floor and on a wide turn by the train rolled under a bench to wedge tightly against the wall. He would then announce by his actions a slight defect in the system because even as the cameras sought his sweet, sweet aft, it was concealed by the bench he was under.

He didn't mind. He was snoozing like a baby.

-0-At the wingding

Hardie laughed loudly at a joke Hercy told about his son, Raptor. Raptor who was as good natured as he was decent laughed himself. Glancing around, Hardie frowned slightly. "Where's little mech?" he asked. Everyone looked around. Ironhide was nowhere to be seen.

-0-Sitting on a bench in Metro Station #1

Ratchet leaned over and sprawled on the bench. He talked to himself a moment, laughing and pawing at the air, then fell into recharge. Drift who straightened him out grinned at Springer. Springer smirked, then shook his helm. "This gets better every orn."

Drift nodded, then Ginny was back. "Springer, no one of that description shows up on camera. He might have gotten off."

"Thanks, Ginny. Springer out," he said as he stared down at Ratchet sawing logs and Drift waiting patiently for the go ahead plan. "We've misplaced dear old dad. We may have to track him by his transponder ourselves. Springer to Emergency Control Center."

"Emergency Control, Springer. What's up?" a youngish voice asked.

Springer grinned. "Hot Rod, find out where Ironhide's transponder is. Tell me."

"Hold a moment."

They did.

He was back. "It's moving. It appears to be in Gambian heading southwest."

"Frag. Thanks." Springer looked at Ratchet, then Drift. "Leave Ma here and lets go find Pa. Hurry. The train is coming."

They tucked Ratchet's limbs in, then ran for the train as it slowed. Hopping on board, they sped off chasing Ironhide, a task that would never have a good conclusion given the circumstances. They would always be a good one or two stations behind him at best.

-0-Confab at the Club

Hardie and Raptor turned over the safety detail to Hercy and Kup, then headed for the door. Stepping out into the darkness, Hardie called Emergency Control. "General Hard Drive to Emergency Control Center."

"Emergency Control Center. Ginny here."

"Hot Rod, I need to know where the transponder of my grandson is flashing."

"Who am I looking for, General?" Hot Rod asked.

"Ironhide of Praxus."

"Ironhide? Springer is looking for him. He had me scan for him. I did and he's heading southwest toward the Tri-Cities. That's the best I can do, General."

"Springer is after him?" Hardie asked as they walked toward Metro #1.

"Yes, sir," Roddy replied. "He's apparently on the move and Springer is looking for him."

"Thank you, son," Hardie said as the two reached the steps. Down they went hurrying for a train. As they rushed toward the opening doors, they didn't notice that Ratchet was sleeping in a stupor on a bench nearby. They jumped in, then glanced out. "What the frag? Is that Ratchet?" Hardie asked as the train took off swiftly.

-0-At the Clerb

The dancing, drinking, gabbing, eating, hoo-haw, laughter, and lies continued as the evening wore onward. The Squad was dancing madly including some of the stuffier slaggers. Lucien was actually having a great time and Laslo? He was ecstatic. Everyone was having a great time and no one noticed that Ironhide, Ratchet, Springer, Drift, Hardie, and Raptor were missing in action.

-0-At the moving fiasco

Ironhide was traipsing through dream land and the wilderness of camping with his appas and ammas on an organic world when he was a tot. He had a great time until he fell into the mud hole and became stuck. It would take a while for them to winch his tiny butt out and longer to get the mud off but he would have a great time directing the big mechs to where all the dirt was hiding in his aft. They would have a greater time listening to him and following his directions …

-0-At a hub station

Ratchet slept like a targ who got hit by a bus, hanging half off the bench in the muted light of the station. It was late and things were dialed down just slightly, making it less harsh lighting for the odd ball who would need to travel on the trains this late at night. Lights on the tracks were extreme in their clarity but here in the station itself, things were less bright, almost mood lit. He turned over on his side, then fell to the floor. Raising his helm groggily, he staggered up.

A train slid into the station without passengers so he headed for it barely making it aboard before the doors closed, then it sped onward. It was a school vehicle, a Bus bus, and would take him on a round of academia for the lulz. He stood swaying in the car, then fell on his aft. Falling back with his arms and legs flung wide, he fell into a stupor of sleep. The rocking of the car would help him stay that way.

-0-Posse

Springer and Drift followed the link that Hot Rod had sent him showing Ironhide's progress via transponder signal on his rampage. He was strangely enough following the Blue Line, a circular route that took in a bigger range of places than the Yellow or Circle Line. They stood at the window of the door watching the darkness broken by lights, then darkness again. "This is strange. We're not catching him. He … wait. He took a turn. He's heading for the Industrial Park Cities," Springer said.

"Frag. We don't have horses. He could get into a crash. He's pretty drunk," Drift said with a chuckle.

"He is," Springer said. "Let's get off at Gambian and drive after his aft."

Drift nodded, then when they slid into the station, they ran off the train, up the steps, transformed, and headed out to the Industrial Park Cities. They both disappeared into the night.

-0-On the trail

Hardie and Raptor rode on the train heading toward Gambian. Ginny had linked them in so they decided that given he had taken a turn for the Park Cities, they would jump off, transform and chase his sorry big/little aft down. They reached Gambian, ran upward and transformed. Blasting off, a black TopKick pickup truck and a sleek black sports car headed out to the west. They disappeared into the night.

-0-Blotto

Ratchet curled into a ball on his side dreaming the dreams of the damned. The rocking of the train was soothing so he curled up again. As he did, he rolled against the door. When the train slid into Tyger Pax, the door opened and he rolled out landing on the platform which was mercifully empty. The door closed and the train rolled onward into the dark tunnel of the subway system. Ratchet lay in sleep until the next train came which would wake him as it drove past. He would sit up, stand up, sway madly, then march onward to find Ironhide.

He would make it up the stairs, down the street until he stumbled into an alley where he would fall down among the trash bins where he would stay until he was found sometime down the line. It would be like old home week.

-0-At the Clerb

"Where's Ratchet?"

"Where's Ironhide?"

"I don't see Springer or Drift either."

"Where's Hardie and Raptor?"

The Squad and its Auxiliary stared at each other, then their half empty glasses, then each other. Then they grinned and went back to dancing madly, swilling beer and eating bar food.

-0-At the station

Turbine and Delphi who were still on their peds entered Metro Station #1 and looked around. Hardie had called them to come and look for Ratchet but they didn't find him anywhere. "Turbine to Raptor."

"Raptor here."

"Ratchet isn't in the station. We can't find him, Raptor," Turbine said as they stood in the middle of the station alone.

"Oh frag." -Hardie and Raptor

-0-TBC 6-17-18 **edited 6-18-18**


	388. Chapter 388

The Diego Diaries: Where in the world is Ironhide? (dd6 388)

-0-Around the may pole

They drove madly along the highway toward the Industrial Park Cities. Ironhide's signal was buzzing along and they drove as fast as they dared on the nearly desserted highway to get to the Industrial Park before he crashed into a pile of steel and dented his cute little pug face.

"I can't figure this out. He's not exactly running on the roadway" Raptor said to his father.

"I know," Hardie replied as he gunned it to get ahead of the signal and beat Ironhide there. "He might be off road, the slagger. We better get there to cut him off."

They poured it onward and soon drove through the large gate that fronted the huge fence that ran all around this, the main industrial plant for Mars and a great deal of Cybertron. Sliding to a stop, then transforming, they stood side by side to await for sight of their wayward boy. What they would do if he came barreling in, they had no idea. Improvisation would have to be the name of the game. They stood braced for his arrival as the signal got closer and closer, then passed directly underneath them to move onward to the metro station half a mile away in the Park.

"Frag. He's on a **train**. **I FORGOT THE TRAINS!** What comes here?" Hardie asked as he turned to run for the metro down the parkway.

" **THE BLUE LINE! IT COMES HERE!"** Raptor said as he hoofed it after his father.

They ran swiftly, waving to a couple of mechs who knew them, then reached the metro station. They ran down the stairs, headed toward the platform but there was no train there. It had already stopped, picked up passengers, then sped onward. They fumed mightily a moment, considered running down the track, then jumped on the next train as it slid in. It slid out just as swiftly. It was silent on the platform and would remain so until shift changed again.

-0-In an alleyway

He lay on his side hugging a small trash bin to his bosom. He was out like a light having danced and drank himself to oblivion. It would be debatable when and if someone missed him. Everyone was cutting loose at the Club. It was long overdue and welcomed. Like right now was. He was comfortable as could be laying in the sand among the bins. It wasn't like this was a new experience. Sometimes when he did this, there was a gunfire staccato to keep him company. He dozed onward as the night grew deep.

-0-At the Clerb

They gathered together to hit the road for the next watering hole. Turbine and Delphi were still gone and so was Ironhide, Hardie and Raptor. No one noticed that or Ratchet missing as they laughed, danced and guffawed their way out to the street. "Where now, Prowler?" Optimus asked as he half held up the winger of his dreams who was three sheets to the wind.

Prowl smiled at Optimus. "Wherever you go, wither shall I go. Whatever you do, that shalt I do-do." He laughed. "I said do-do."

"Potty mouth," Alor said as he swayed beside Blackjack who was nearly numb in his lower extremities from mixing his drinks. "Let's go. Follow me," Alor said, then stepped out into the street. The sound of a car slamming on its breaks, then a thud could be heard. Alor rose up over the top of the group, all of them looking up to follow his trajectory, then landed in a heap. He lay there a moment, then sat up.

Blackjack who was trying to get his legs to go in the same direction crab walked over to him. Reaching down to grab Alie's helm, he bellowed. **"ALIE! YOU OKAY!?"**

" **LET GO OF MY HELM!"** Alor then bit Blackjack on the thumb.

He bellowed. Alor stood finally, then they hugged it out. Alor laughed loudly as a shaken mech stared at him with doubt. "You okay, Maestro?" he asked.

 **"I'M FINE! I AM ALOR OF IACON! I BOUNCE!"** he said, then smiled at the others. "Come with me. **I, ALOR OF IACON WILL LEAD THE WAY!** " He did and everyone followed.

The mech stared at them, then shrugged. "Okay," he said with a slight grin, then transformed to make his way home with a really, really good story.

Moments later, Delphi and Turbine were back. They scanned the mob inside, then stepped out. "Zero in on his transponder, Turbine," Delphi said.

"Which one, Delph?" he asked with a grin. He was silent a moment, then grinned. "I have him. Come on. We need to take the Circle line a couple of stops." With that, Delphi and Turbine of Praxus stepped out to hunt the elusive grandson-in-law. The party would keep swinging in Club Cybertron for another joor or so before they would begin to evict the drunks. The Watch would be nearby watching them to gather in those that weren't going to make it any farther than Ratchet.

-0-On a Blue train, three stations behind Ironhide

"Frag, that little mech," Hardie said with a chuckle. "He's my boy."

"He is," Raptor said proudly. "Do you think we're going to catch him?"

"Not unless they arrest him," Hardie said.

Truer words never spoken.

-0-On a Blue train ahead of the posse

Ironhide swayed in the doorway as he watched the lights come and go. He was 'stepping on his own tongue drunk'. They had made a bargain. He would get trashed and Ratchet would get ripped. There was some discussion over the internal line about which was the one where you fell down and didn't get up and which was the one with enough sense to get a cab for two. Apparently, he was the trash panda of this escapade. He didn't know that Ratchet was getting collected by the police two steps ahead of Delphi and Turbine as the local beat cops loaded his smiling aft into a paddy wagon. It would be turning the corner to go to the police station just as Delphi and Turbine arrived to find him gone. His outline in the sand would be small consolation to both.

Ironhide on the other servo watched the train slow, then stop. Ordinarily, he would be easily able to stay on his peds short of the train crashing into a brick wall, but this time he wasn't. He slammed into the divider by the door that funneled people in and out, then fell forward out the door when they opened. Standing on the platform, several cops heading back for their beats after carting off a raging drunk watched as he staggered out and fell on his face.

"Well, would you look at that," one said with a grin. "I think that's Springer's old pa."

They nodded. "What do we do with him?" one asked.

"Well," the first said, then paused as two young trainee cops stared at them. He looked at the two, then the others. "Uh ..."

"We take him to jail, right, Sargent?" a fresh faced youngster trainee-probationary cop asked. "I mean … Commander Springer would **never** show favoritism would he?"

The older cops stared at the two young kids. Then the first grinned. "I don't think so. Call a pick up, Link."

The young kid nodded most earnestly, then made the call. Between all of them, they managed to get all of Ironhide up the steps and into the paddy wagon. He sprawled on the floor next to another mech who was going to jail, too. The doors shut and they drove off.

The older cops grinned. "That was Ratchet," one said.

They nodded.

"This is going to be a fun night," the first said as the five of them walked down to go back to their beats. They would join the next train and miss the following one, the one with Hardie and Raptor.

It was one of those kind of nights.

-0-Springer and Drift

They would run in circles until five cops, two of them trainee-probationary kids would tell them the Tale of Ratchet and Ironhide. It would be a foot race to the jail house.

-0-At another club

They danced, laughed, drank, ate good food, chatted, told jokes, and watched Prowl practically drool into his fries. Prime was a pretty big mech and could hold his hootch. He wasn't being moderate tonight. He was needful of giving into the zeitgeist, apparently. Besides, Magnus, Jetta, Hardie, Raptor, and a couple of others were being sober for him. He was grateful. Prowl was hilarious.

Their dance of doom and hilarity would continue from here to the bowling alley before Jetta and Magnus would call it and stuff individuals and their partners into cabs to go home. They would all make it. They would find their apartments, some would fall down and stay there while others would make it to their berths. Among them would be everyone but Ratchet and Ironhide. They would have their own berths elsewhere.

In the jail.

Alor of Iacon would be **PISSED** when he found out.

-0-At the Jail House now …

They drove up to the parking lot, then halted by the door. Mechs were waiting for the night's catch. The doors opened and mechs reached in. They pulled Ratchet out and held him between them. He had silly string for legs at the moment, so he held on for dear life. **"HELLO, BOYS! WHERE AM I!?"** he asked loudly with a big silly grin.

"The lock up, Ratchet," one of the jailers said with a grin of his own.

" **OKAY! *WHO* AM I!?"** he asked next as they half carried him in. **HUGE** laughter greeted that. It would take all of them to get the dead weight of Ironhide inside. They would both be placed in a drunk cell in the back where it was quieter than the front where the mini-con taggers from Port of Nexus in the eight city metro district were going at each other at the top of their vocal processors and would for some time.

-0-At Club Cybertron

Hardie and Raptor walked into the club, then noticed no one was there. Walking to the door to reconnoiter, they noticed Turbine and Delphi walking toward them down the street. They waited, everyone compared notes, then walked across the street to Day/Night Watch substation #6 nearby to see if they were picked up yet. When they entered, a loudly yelling amma was letting her three **GIANT** grandsons have it.

" **YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME HOME! I HAD CHORES! YOUR OLD APPA NEEDED YOU TO COME HOME! I TOLD YOU, DIDN'T I!?"**

"Yes, Amma." -three grandsons who were being shredded by a micro amma of **IMMENSE RAGE**

" **YOU DIDN'T, DID YOU!? YOUR OLD APPA TRIED TO FIX THE THING HIMSELF AND HE PUT A HOLE IN THE WALL!"**

"I can fix it, Amma," one of them said in a tiny voice as he tried to placate the smallest littlest old amma Hardie and his family had seen in some time. She wasn't having it.

 **"I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO GO TO THE CLUB, GRANDSONS, SO YOUR OLD APPA COULD CLIMB ON A LADDER AND MAKE A HOLE IN THE WALL HANGING A PICTURE OF YOUR SORRY AFTS GRADUATING FROM TRADE SCHOOL! I ASKED *YOU* TO COME AND DO IT! BUT DID YOU?"**

"No, Amma." -Tiny contrite voices from three monster trucks.

" **YOU DIDN'T! NOW YOUR SWEET OLD APPA FEELS STUPID! DID YOU KNOW HOW BAD HE FEELS RIGHT NOW?!"**

"Uh, no, Amma." -three monster trucks shrinking before everyone's optics in mortification and regret

" **BADLY! THAT'S HOW HE FEELS!"** -Amma who wasn't feeling badly. She was too pissed to feel badly.

"Uh, Abba," the desk sargent asked behind his desk as the entire Watch crew present, some civilians who worked there and everyone nearby in a cell watched in fascination. "What do you want me to do?"

" **PUT THEIR SORRY AFTS IN JAIL!"** Amma/Abba said in fury. **"I ASKED THEM TO DO THIS! MY OLD MECH CAN'T DO HEIGHTS! HE WANTED THAT PICTURE UP SO EVERYONE COULD SEE HIS LITTLE MECHS AND THEIR GRADUATION! HE FELL ON HIS AFT! FORTUNATELY, HE'S TOUGH AS TITANIUM BUT ITS THE PRINCIPLE! I NEVER ASK ANYONE TO HELP US UNLESS WE NEED IT! PUT THEM IN JAIL AND LET THE JUDGE HEAR THIS! I WANT THEM IN PRISON!"**

Hardie almost couldn't contain the urge to laugh as a tiny, tiny little femme **QUIVERING** with **OUTRAGE** let her three grandsons have it.

"Uh, Abba … I can't do that. There's no crime here," the sargent ventured.

She turned on him with fury. **"THEY DIDN'T HELP THEIR APPA! THAT'S CRIMINAL!"**

It was at that moment a tiny mech limped in and stood beside his little femme. "Coco, you aren't going to have them arrested are you?" he asked with a slight grin.  
 **  
YES, I AM, BIM! WATCH ME!"** she said as she looked him over. "Are you alright? You should be sitting down." She turned on her boys. " **GET YOUR APPA A CHAIR!"**

The three nearly ran up each others backside to comply. Three chairs appeared. Bim took one, then sat. "Go ahead, Coco. Show them your stuff."

She looked at him, then the three hulking grandsons. **"I'M LEAVING YOU HERE! THE JUDGE CAN SORT IT OUT!"** She turned to a nearby cop who was grinning until she looked at him. The grin was gone at warp speed. **"YOU THERE! GRINNER! DO YOU TREAT YOUR GRAND GENITORS LIKE SLAG?"**

"Uh, no, Amma," he said as he shifted to strand straighter.

"Good. **CARRY MY OLD MECH! HE FELL ON HIS AFT!"** She stared up at him with a 'don't test me' expression.

The watch officer glanced at his sargent who nodded. Gently, he picked up the mech, then the femme. "Let me get you home."

 **"SEE HOW ITS DONE!? A TOTAL STRANGER KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OLD PEOPLE!"** she said as they disappeared out the door.

It was silent a moment, then everyone turned toward the three contrite grandsons. The sargent grinned. "You three are idiots."

"We got the date confused. I thought Amma said tomorrow," as the other two nodded. He stepped closer to the desk. "We aren't going to jail, are we?"

"No. You should," the sargent said. "Go home. Fix this by morning. Don't darken my door again."

They nodded, then beat feet out. It was quiet as the mechs grinned at each other, then all turned toward Hardie, Turbine, Delphi, and Raptor. "What can we do for you? Are you volunteering for jail, too?"

"Uh, no. We want to find two missing family members." Hardie gave them the names and he searched.

Then he grinned. The sargent looked up at the four. "They're in the jail house now."

It was silent a moment, then they beat feet for the door. They were gone in seconds. The cops looked at the door, then their sargent. He laughed. "It must be in the water tonight."

He got no arguments from anyone there.

-0-TBC 6-18-18 **edited 6-25-18**


	389. Chapter 389

The Diego Diaries: Hoosegow For Now (dd6 389)

-0-Around the fiasco

They lay on the berths inside the drunk tank cells sawing logs as they drifted on the Sea of Oblivion. Outside in the jailhouse, half a dozen mini-cons were here for the same reason. They included someone who had raged in his cage until he fell asleep after fighting his new brother-in-law at a bonding party over football, a femme who didn't know that shoplifting-wasn't-necessary-here-where-you-could-get-anything-you-wanted-for-free-but-still-she-persisted-in-being-sneaky-about-it-so-she-was-on-a-hold-for-mental-health-at-the-magistrate-hearing-she-would-attend-in-the-morning-with-her-concerned-genitors-who-couldn't-help-her-understand-by-themselves-that-she-was-safe-and-could-be-fulfilled-here-without-sticky-fingers … that one.

There were a couple of former criminals in here as well who were up to their old tricks of scamming individuals, this time of priceless antiques. They would face the magistrate as well. It was a mixed bag and the night was still filled with possibilities.

Beyond the double doors of the 'privacy suites' as Springer and the jailers called them was general intake and the administration area where a number of individuals were rapidly bee-lining, converging on the two Miscreant Children of the Damned who were themselves heading for the magistrate for a little chat in the very soon-to-come morning court.

Outside in the parking lot, several beings began to transform back to root mode after having driven madly and/or flown to that very spot to rectify a (sorta) very (misunderstood) wrong regarding role models and familial elders of the sot variety. Hard Drive and Raptor turned to see Delphi and Turbine drive up and do the same. Overhead, they could hear the whup, whup, whup of rotors on a helicopter as a green and yellow one began to set down in the parking lot nearby, one that carried a very amused Drift on its back.

Drift stepped off, then turned to watch Springer transform back to himself. He grinned at Drift. "You're getting a fat ass. Better get to the gym."

"More to love, baby," Drift said with a chuckle. They both turned toward the jailhouse, then froze. "Hi. Are you here for the same reason as us?"

"If you mean getting my little mech and the hoodlum he bonded with out of the drunk tank, yes," Hardie said with a grin. He **ADORED** these two. If they weren't already his grandsons, he would have offered to adopt them anyway. It was a common feeling among the adults in the family to feel the same way. Drift and Springer were a good fit for this mob.

Springer laughed. "We tried."

"We did, too. But we're as half aft right now as they are. Let's go see about them shall we?" Delphi asked as he took Hardie's servo. They walked to the door watching as another paddy wagon arrived filled with a group of very happy, very drunk sub adults from what they could see who got into their amma's high grade … he was an artisan brewer … and had a P **AR-TAY!** What they were celebrating was unknown at the time.

Magistrate Court was going to be **AWESOME** in the … (checks time) ... in a few joors.

They entered then watched the jailers carry a short little femme into the jail as a small mech trotted after them. Springer glanced at Mojo, the night desk sargent and intake officer. "What's that about?"

"Family dispute. She slapped the slag out of her sister-in-law. Apparently, they were arguing over date night and a brawl between them broke out. Apparently as well, it was brewing over the last million or so years." He grinned. "I love my job. What can I do for you, Springer?"

"Well," Springer said as outside the doorway a lot of shouting could be heard. The sub adults had begun to come inside. A number of big mechs exited their lounge and the ongoing card game that inevitably happened during the down times when no one was needing checked into Hotel No One Wants To Stay Here. They walked out and it was silent a moment. Then **HUGE** giggling and carrying on happened.

In they came.

A number of very happy youngling mechs were followed by a very bouncy, very flirty mini-con femme. Then, of all individuals they could have expected, Tyke entered behind them grinning in a sheepish manner that said, "Yeah, I know better but fuck it all."

Like that.

"Tyke. What the frag?" Springer asked as everyone grinned at the big mech. "Did you get arrested, too?"

He nodded, then shrugged. "I'm in love."

" **WITH ME! MY MECH IS IN LOVE WITH ME!"** A tiny femme stopped tra-la-la-ing happily about, her arms flung this way and that as she danced to her own beat, she was that drunk. **"TITAN IS THE BEST MECH!"** She turned toward Springer. "Did you know that? He's the best, most handsomest, the smartest, wisest, most goodest mech ever," she said as she flung her arms widely to show how 'goodest' he was in comparison to 'ever'.

It was pretty big even for a tiny speck like her.

She sidled up to Springer, then tugged on his arm. He leaned down. "Did you know that he's my beau? He's the best mech that ever lived and he's mine. We met in the middle of a football game brawl."

Springer grinned at her. "You have amazing good fortune. Tyke works for me. Did you know that?"

She looked surprised, then looked way the frag upward to Tyke who was regarding Springer with a smirk and a half of mild amusement and deep, deep contempt. **"YOU DO!? TITAN! THIS IS YOUR BOSS!?"**

"Nope," Tyke said as he reached down to pick her up. She sat on his servo and stared at him with adoring optics. Then she leaned forward to grip his face. Pressing her cheek against his, she smiled. **"WE'RE GOING TO BOND WHEN I'M OLD ENOUGH! LET ME FINISH INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL! THEN WE CAN!"**

Springer nearly choked, then he grinned.

Tyke grinned back. "Count on it," he said.

Delphi who was in love himself with both of them stepped closer to the tiny femme who was a beauty. "What's your name, honey?" he asked.

" **2-LIP! MY NAME IS 2-LIP! TITAN SAYS THERE'S A FLOWER ON EARTH WITH MY NAME! HE SAYS ITS BEAUTIFUL LIKE ME! HE SAID THAT!"** She hugged his face again. **"ISN'T HE ROMANTIC?! TITAN IS THE MECH! MY ADA SAYS SO, TOO! SO DOES MY WHOLE FAMILY!"**

"That's delightful, darling. You're still going into the jail until the magistrate's court tomorrow," Delphi said. He looked at Titan. "You might lose some amma points when they hear about this."

"No, actually," Tyke said with a chuckle. "I came on this after the cops were called. I told them if she goes to jail, so do I."

"Aw, you got it bad then," Raptor said with a smile as he shook Tyke's servo. "Make sure we can come to the bonding and parties."

 **"YOU WILL! EVERYONE CAN!"** she said as she nearly fell off his servo to the floor.

Titan caught her leg, then lowered her gently to the floor. She lay there a moment, then sat up. Standing shakily, she smiled up at Titan. "What now, beautiful?"

"You go inside, darling, and take your accommodations," Mojo said with a grin. "We made them just for you."

She smiled, then turned to look around. "Let's go. I've never been in jail before."

A big grinning mech gestured to the door. She smiled at him, then danced to the door. Pausing to look at the others, she smiled like the sun. **"COME ON IN! THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN!"** She entered and the others followed.

Delphi looked at a smitten grinning Tyke. "Don't let this happen again. Something tells me that wherever she is, fun happens."

"You got **that** right, Abba," Titan said as he walked to the door and entered.

"Lord, he has it bad. She, on the other hand is the cutest drunk I've ever seen," Turbine said with a chuckle. "What about ours, Mojo. Are they here?"

"Ironhide and Ratchet? Yes, they are. Magistrate's Court is in four joors. Why not have breakfast, then come back. It's going to be a fun court today so come and stay for it all. We have taggers, fraggers, drunks, punks, and 2-Lip. I'm going to stay for this one, too."

Everyone laughed, agreed, then the six of them stepped out into the lightening skies of morning. It would be bright soon so they ambled down to The Pit Stop where they would eat breakfast, compare notes and hope that everyone made it home in one piece. All of them would but Ironhide and Ratchet.

-0-Around the world in eighty ways

Lucien sat at the breakfast table watching Laslo work on their food. He was as happy as Lucien had ever seen him.

"I got word from Partition and Lancer that they're going camping in the Valles and they want us to come this weekend. They have a group of friends and they said they were inviting their families along to introduce them into this sport. I thought it would be fun unless you have something else planned, Lu. Inweld and Morius want to come pending their shifts. Being new on the force means less leeway that way but they plan to come if they can. Inweld wants us to meet someone he's dating, a mech who's on the force as well."

Laslo dished up the plates, they set them on the table. He sat and they chatted about life, love and fun. Lucien would find it comforting, emotionally fulfilling and as alien as anything he ever felt before. Change was a bitch. But change, like time, was inevitable.

-0-At the hospital

They sat around the lounge in their little ward eating breakfast. Their schedule was filled with rehab, counseling, rest, reading, visitation from family on and off through the orn, and chances to refresh their depleted batteries. Sonny would come later on in the morning. Delphi had told them that he was 'indisposed' and would be along shortly. They would never know the difference.

Fortunately for Ratchet.

-0-Primal Residence

Prowl grinned as he shut off the monitor. Prime was stacking morning breakfast dishes in the apartment. The children were still at daycare with all the others. They would be fed and sent to school from there. He leaned on the doorjamb. "You look good doing that."

He grinned at Prowl as he slid the last dish into the dishwasher. "Thanks. What is the sit-rep?"

"All made it home and used the cure Ratchet sent by timed WiFi. Ratchet and Ironhide are in jail. All is well otherwise," Prowl said with a smile.

"Jail? When is Magistrate's Court?" Prime said as he walked to the doorway.

"In about a half joor. Shall we?" Prowl said as he looked up at Prime.

"Wild horses could not keep me away," Prime said as they both walked to the door. They left and it closed slowly behind them.

-0-In the jailhouse right now

They gathered up breakfast trays from the sorted sordid menage a criminals that were lounging, sleeping it off and otherwise occupying their time until the guards came to shovel them into the courtroom for the hammer to fall. Ironhide and Ratchet who were sitting on their bunks side-by-side … that is, as side-by-side as the bars from two cells allowed grinned at the civilians who ran the feeding end of this zoo process.

"I was so shocked to see you two sitting here. What did you do to get arrested?" Salis asked as he stacked their trays on the cart he was pushing.

"We took the Squad on the town. I don't know how I got here. I just woke up and here I am," Ratchet said with a big smile. Salie was a friend from Iacon. A co-conspirator, actually, when Ratchet was stealing food for the poor. He was a child of the Jumble as well.

"Sounds like fun," Salie said as he moved onward with a grin.

Ratchet looked at Ironhide who was lounging on his bunk. "Well, this is fragged. I hope I had fun."

"I'm sure we didn't," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "I may get my servo patted."

"Don't tell my ada and I won't tell yours," Ratchet said.

He would be shit out of luck.

-0-Court

They fogged in, families and friends of the miscreants in the lockup. Some of them looked strained and upset while others were amused. It was hard to pick which ones belonged to which. No-A who was promoted to federal judge was still taking cases in magistrate court to keep the backlog moving. He sat down to engage Silver in a conversation that only partially pertained to the job. They were discussing a dinner all of the court members and employees were having to celebrate someone's anniversary as a judge that was happening shortly.

Prime, Prowl, all of Ironhide's appas and ammas, a fuming Alor, and a highly amused Blackjack were followed in by Springer, Drift and The Crew all of whom heard and showed up en mass to laugh and otherwise show something slightly less than support, moral or otherwise. The Squad wasn't there because they didn't know. They would be highly supportive and slightly put out that they missed 'the fun'. The twins and Bluestreak who were alerted by Raptor came as well including an amiable Metroplex, Fort Max and Kappa to give Tyke moral support. They sat together and chatted until Silver stood and told everyone to stand.

They did.

"This court is now in session led by the Honorable No-A. Please observe the decorum and be seated or we will bounce you out of here."

Everyone did. Sit, that is.

"Welcome to Magistrate's Court. We're going to hear some cases before taking a break for a private hearing. We'll try to clear the decks as fast as we can. Silver? What's the first case?" he asked.

"The Prime versus Elia of Capital City," Silver said.

The bailiff opened the door, leaned in, then stepped back as a small femme walked in with a grave expression. As she did, a worker from Public Heath attached to the Courthouse slipped out behind her. He sat in the audience and watched as she walked to the front, studiously ignoring her family who sat together in a concerned huddle.

"Elia of Capital City, you're charged with of all offenses … shoplifting. I'm surprised to see this listed on the docket. What can you tell me, infant, about your inclusion here?" No-A asked gently.

She stared at him, then glanced at her genitors. Turning back to No-A, she shrugged. "I don't know what you mean, your honor. I didn't shoplift."

"Tell me what happened?" No-A asked.

"I was in the jewelry store … my favorite, The Tinder Box. I walked out after looking when someone in the shop stopped me. We spoke a moment, then I walked onward. A Day Watchman stopped me a little bit later and brought me here. I don't know why I'm here." She stared at him without making eye contact.

"Please bring the officer and shopkeeper in here, Manley," No-A asked the bailiff.

They entered at his request, then walked to the front. She stared at the floor as they did. "Mr. Kelso, you own The Tinder Box. Correct?" Kelso nodded. "Tell us what prompted you to call the Day Watch."

He shifted uneasily. "I have seen this little femme in the store before and she's a nice little femme. We talk about jewelry. We take things on consignment from Needlenose, the designer, and she likes them, too. When she leaves, I notice things missing. Given that this is a cash-free system, I don't mind her wanting things and coming for what she wants. What bothers me is that she never goes through the check out. She slips things into her subspace, then leaves. I'm afraid for her if something happens doing this and she gets hurt or in trouble. I called the Day Watch because I worry she might need help. I've had shoplifters before. All of them seem to be troubled. I sort of watch out for them now. Processor Health has issued calls for us in business to do that if we find someone who may be in trouble. We want to help."

No-A nodded. "I see that. And you, Baffin?"

Baffin, a Day Watch officer who came to the call nodded. "Some of the business owners have this problem. They worry about those who do it. Nothing costs anything anymore but some still shoplift. This little femme had several embellishments in her subspace that were from The Tinder Box and hadn't gone through inventory check out. We brought her here like we do all shoplifters to see if they need help. Springer made it the protocol for this sort of thing when it kept popping up and after talking to Processor Health and Dr. Jarro, it became a policy for us and an alert for business owners. We deal with a lot of conditions from the war and Diaspora and we want to help everyone we come across."

No-A nodded. "I commend that policy. Thank you, both of you."

Coln-2 and a defender named Gilley who were waiting for the next few cases and the closed hearing watched the proceedings. The little femme was on a 'suspicious hold', meaning she wasn't arrested but she wasn't free until her condition could be ascertained. They both were here to advise but it was in No-A's hands where she would go from here.

"Elia, tell me about life before you came here. I'm always interested in the circumstances of our people and what they were heroic enough to survive," No-A asked.

She stared at him, then her family. "It was hard. We left when I was small and there was never any place that felt safe. I just … we came here."

"Do you feel safe here?" No-A asked gently.

She thought a moment, then shrugged. "I guess."

No-A glanced at the court mental health officer. "Satler, what can you tell us about this little femme?"

He stood. "I find that she suffers from PTSD and that her condition of vulnerability is high. It's very preliminary but I find that she's struggling to understand why she's here in court. I find her answers genuine. I'd suggest that she be an intake patient at Processor Health, get the full battery, then a plan be made for treatment. I don't believe she means to be outside the law … or be inappropriate. I just think at this stage, its a compulsion brought about by a life on the run."

"It would appear so, Satler. Elia, I'm asking that you go with Satler to the Processor Hospital for an examination and treatment. You're not charged with any crime. You're here because a lot of individuals are worried about you and want you to be happy and well. Your family may go with you. Satler, could you take them on the underground so they can have some privacy while they leave?"

"I will do that," Satler said as he stood, then walked to Elia. "Come on, Elia," he said softly. "Let's go where they can help all of us. Your family, too."

Her family stood with barely controlled despair and joined Satler and Elia as they walked to the door nearby to leave on the special security train underground that led from the courthouse to the prison and different hospitals all over the colony on closed and secured routes. The door closed behind them.

No-A glanced at Silver who stood. "The Prime versus 2-Lip, Selfige, Cooper, Dynamo, and ..." He paused a moment with a grin. "Metrotitan."

A murmur went through the room along with snickers by Metroplex, Fort Max and Kappa who sat in pretender gear behind Prime and his party. They snickered and grinned as well. The bailiff with a grin of his own opened the door and they began to walk in, three big sub adult mechs, one tiny sub adult mini-con femme with the biggest brightest smile and last, but not least, Metrotitan.

-0-TBC 6-19-18 **edited 7-10-18**

Kattenbelleje: No one was thinking straight that night. I imagine they'd still be going in circles given no one decided to step off and wait for him to come around again. Given that he fell off shortly after the Industrial Park, they'd be standing on a platform waiting in vain. LOL! No one covered themselves with glory that night. ;) Ask me sometime about my running in circles and screaming when my two year old niece had her head caught in the automatic windows of my car. I **STILL** scream over that. :D

LOL!


	390. Chapter 390

The Diego Diaries: Hoosegow For Now (dd6 390)

-0-2-Lip

They walked in happily, staring around as they found the line where they were supposed to be. Titan followed, taking his place as he towered over everyone there, even Prime. No-A grinned at him. "Well, Tyke, imagine seeing you here."

"He's my beau," 2-Lip said. "He came with."

"And you are?" No-A asked with a sense of wonder and enchantment.

"I'm 2-Lip. Titan and I are one." She smiled like the sun.

Titan grinned at her, then glanced in the room to spot her family. They were upset because she was a good girl and they had never come to jail before.

"You're under arrest for underage drinking, little femme. You three mechs as well. Titan … what are you doing here?"

"I came by after the fact and told the Watch who was rounding them up that if she went," he said nodding to 2-Lip who beamed upward at him, "I was going, too."

A gulping sound behind them caught a few optics who noted that several of the family there were tearing up over Tyke.

"That's very gallant and romantic of you, Titan, but these infants were breaking the law. Whatever shall we do with you? I do remember you and your femmes galloping all over the football field back when. You were dancing and flinging around in a most amusing manner," No-A said as he basked in the joie de vivre of a mini-con femme of good character and three of her cousins.

" **THAT'S WHERE WE MET! ISN'T HE THE BEST!?"** she asked as she turned to look up at Titan with a genuine look of devotion.

He grinned down at her, then looked at No-A. "No-A, I'm hoping they get off easy for this. It's their first time. They're all related. They have great families. They just … uh, goofed up and decided to run down the street to see who could run fastest in a straight line while … um, ..."

"Soused?" Coln-2 offered with a grin.

Titan glanced at him, then grinned. "Yes."

The four youngsters were watching the show with great interest as Titan worked it out for them. He had his titanic prestige and among The People, that mattered **ENORMOUSLY.** It did now as well. No-A grinned. "Look here, you kids. I could put you in jail. I could do a lot of things, but I agree with Titan. You need to apologize to your amma, your families and get yourself in order. Selfige, Cooper, Dynamo, and 2-Lip, I sentence you to 3 orns probation for this offense and demand that you get yourself together. We can't have this happen to you. Your family expects better and so do I."

They took a moment to work out the plan, then Titan carried 2-Lip to the door to hold it open for the families, the other three miscreant cousins and a reporter who wanted to talk to them before nodding, then leaving himself. The door closed quietly behind them.

"That was adorable. An ant and an elephant," someone in the remaining crowd said to everyone's great delight. Then Silver called more jail birds.

-0-Next

They came through the door, about half a dozen mini-con mechs who lived in Port of Nexus in the 'Eight Ball' as the eight metro-former city district was called by the locals who could muster that much sass. Most had a more reverential opinion of the city-formers and showed it every orn. This group had sass. They walked in, chip on shoulder still intact from an evening of bitching at each other in adjoining cages in the jail. They begrudgingly lined up on the line in front of No-A. As they did, one of their appas or ammas stood up and glared at them with a huge frown. They turned to look, then froze. That individual walked to the door, opened it to lean out, then held it open. Outside in the hallway, dozens and dozens of the family and old neighborhood were waiting for the verdict.

They began to fog in with their babies, small children, elders both feisty and not, mortified adas, fragged off atars, friends from down the street in the old neighborhood, new friends from up the hallway in the new one, those working toward a divinity degree, tech certificate, a couple who were going to be groundbreaking physicists but didn't know that yet because they were still quibbling over a major at the Uni, the grocer who knew someone who was a friend of someone who was a brother-in-law of a mech who met the amma of the ada of the one in the middle, the big mouthed one with the red racing stripes up his aft, a supervisor of a few of them who liked trials, the sweethearts of two of them who were as fragged off as their ammas because they were told they were studying for exams when they were tagging the back side of Port of Nexus like junior criminals, some friends from the Diaspora, their elementary school teacher from the hedge school on Putter's Mark 6, their last colony before getting the word to come with the Knights who found them, a window washer who liked someone who was the niece of one of the fragger's granny's grandpa's half brother, and Ultra Magnus.

He was there because he was insulted for Port who was aggravated that they used dayglo paint that made him look ridiculous both orn and night. He was a total gent, Our Port of Nexus.

Everyone sat, stood around, held someone in their lap, and turned their searing gaze on the slaggers standing in a row before the very bemused gaze of No-A, Coln-2, Blackstone, and everyone else who was over 16 feet tall.

"Well, what are the charges, Silver?" No-A asked as he sat back for the fun and to ease out of the massed bad auras of the audience.

"These mechs have been charged with vandalizing by tagging the person of Port of Nexus, being out for nefarious purposes, mouthing off to the Watch who caught them in the act, and being idiots." Silver grinned. "Strike that last bit. It might be true but its unprofessional. I'll speak to Autobot Smokescreen." He sat and made a note.

:Speak to Devcon. That'll take care of it: Prowl said with a smirk as he leaned against Prime as they sat along the wall.

Everyone grinned.

"Well, you've been charged, caught red-handed and look guilty as frag," No-A said as he grinned at the kids. "We can go through this but I will take it under advisement if you want to cut to the chase."

"We won't get our rights?" one of them asked with surprise.

"You will. Your choice. I want to know what you wish. Trial? Plead and beg for mercy? Or should I just turn you over to your families and let them take care of it?" No-A asked.

The six blanched, then peered over their shoulder. No one there looking back looked friendly. Then the elder stood again. "Your honor."

"Yes," No-A replied.

"I'm here to witness this with no small sense of satisfaction. We've all been on them to stop this madness."

Everyone there nodded including two of the babies who were imitating their mamas.

"I personally could slag them myself. They desecrated a titan. **A TITAN!"** he said with emotion and embarrassment.

" **A TITAN!"** everyone said almost as one before breaking into shocked whispers amongst themselves.

No-A grinned. "Go on."

" **THEY'RE SELFLESS! THEY TAKE US IN AND CARE FOR US! THENIS! YOU DON'T EVEN KEEP YOUR ROOM NEAT!"** the little mech bellowed as one of the six sort of began to shrink down in embarrassment.

The little mech walked forward, then turned to them. **"YOU! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER! WE ALL WORKED HARD ALL OUR LIVES! WE DID FOR YOU THE BEST WE COULD AND NOW THAT WE'RE HERE IN THE BEST PLACE WE EVER LIVED YOU DO THIS! WHAT THE FRAG IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"**

" **YEAH! WHAT THE FRAG IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"** -the village sitting/standing behind the accused.

" **ALL WE WANT IS FOR YOU TO BE GOOD AND GET THROUGH TRADE SCHOOL! YOU COULD BE A WIZARD WITH ELECTRONICS BUT YOU HANG OUT WITH THESE SLAGGERS! ALL OF YOU TOGETHER ARE POISON! LOOK AT YOUR ADAS! GO ON! LOOK!"**

They glanced back to look at a few mechs scattered all over the room. Sensing their moment, they became extremely sad and one began to wail. **"WHERE DID I GO WRONG!? WHERE, APPA, WHERE!"**

"I don't know. **YOU TELL US, INFANTS!"** Appa said as he leaned into them.

They leaned back and sputtered.

Appa turned to No-A. "You can put them in jail. You can do a lot of things. Nothing would be worse than giving them to us. I would ask you to consider that, your honor." He bowed, then walked back to his chair. Everyone leaned forward to watch.

Including Prowl.

They looked contrite as they stood before No-A, who himself was having a big internal belly laugh and joke fest with Coln-2 and Blackstone. Those two sat quietly and no one could never tell by looking at them. You could tell Silver was clued in from the big grin on his face. He didn't have to be impartial.

Besides, they all loved mini-cons.

"That's an intriguing thought," No-A said as he grinned at the group. "What about it? I turn you over to them and hope they don't have a gauntlet in mind?"

They looked shocked, then glanced at their village who were still glaring at him. Turning back to No-A, they shook their helms. "No." -all of them.

"Here's what I'm going to do … instead of sending you to jail and giving you prison cred like the little jackasses you think you are, I'm giving you to Appa here. I also want you to scrub your slag off Port and give him a very big, very sincere apology. He's a good mech, Our Port, and he didn't deserve this. If I see you in here again or hear about you cavorting into someone elses court, I will punt you to Earth. Do you hear me?"

They nodded. "We do." -all of them

"This court gives me a lot of latitude and you just got lucky. Or not." No-A glanced at Appa. "They're yours. Make it count. It's a jail sentence next time."

Appa stood, then slammed his tiny fists together. "Count on it. Thank you."

"Go with Appa and behave," No-A said.

They nodded, then walked contritely toward the village who enveloped them, smacked them good all the way to the door, then disappeared. It was unnaturally quiet and spacious after they left. No-A grinned. "Next case, gentlemen."

The door opened and three big surly mechs walked in slouching toward the line to stand with studied indifference. No-A glanced at Silver who read the charges. "These three mechs are charged with grand larceny, running a confidence game, attempting to swindle elders out of their property, and ..." Silver grinned. "Being stupid afts." He glanced at No-A. "I'll talk to Smokey today."

No-A grinned as he nodded. He looked at the case file open on the computer before him. These mechs were criminals on Cybertron and apparently it would seem ran a confidence game there which swindled antiques away from the vulnerable. He looked at them. "Cairn, Flagman, Buffer … you have some serious charges before you as well as an outstanding warrant for the same from Cybertron. How do you plea?"

They stared at him, then shrugged. "Not guilty," Buffer said as the others nodded.

No-A glanced at Blackstone. "Do they have representation?"

"It's being cleared, No-A. They haven't been bending over backward to be helpful. That worries me," Blackstone said as he stared at the three. "You could go to prison a long time for these charges if found guilty. It's in your best interests to cooperate."

They didn't speak so No-A bound them over. "You'll be held in jail until trial which will be scheduled through the offices of your attorneys. I would suggest you work at this or you'll find yourself cake walking into a prison cell for a very long time." He glanced at the bailiff. "Please take them."

He did. They slouched out heading for jail and the door closed behind them.

" **NEXT!"** No-A said with a grin.

"The Prime versus Polus of Polyhex." Silver said as the door opened and a brooding femme walked in, a femme that was smaller than most but still tough looking and furious. She stopped on the line and stared defiantly at someone sitting in the audience.

"Polus, you're here for domestic violence. You got into a fight with your sister-in-law. Care to tell me how you plead?" No-A asked.

" **I DID IT!** What are you going to do to me for punching that slag heap in the face?" she asked.

A femme stood up in the audience. **"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SLAG HEAP, YOUR SLAARG!?"**

Polus turned to face her sister-in-law, then grinned. "You, fat aft."

It was on.

-0-TBC 6-21-18 **edited 6-21-18**


	391. Chapter 391

The Diego Diaries: Account (dd6 391)

-0-Courtroom

She jumped for the aisle to run at the femme who was plowing down the row to meet her in the aisle for mortal combat. They met there and gripped each others helm. Prime, Prowl and Ironhide's elders sat right in front of that encounter taking in the malevolence of the moment. Raptor glanced at his father. "Do I stop this?"

"And deprive the bailiff of valuable real life experience?" Hardie asked with a slight grin.

Turbine stood with a smirk and grabbed both by the nape of their necks, metaphorically speaking. They kicked and screamed as they hung in the air. Turbine looked at No-A who shrugged as the bailiffs walked down rows to help. Turbine clanged them together like symbols, gently, then held them out. "They're yours," he said with a grin.

They swung in his servos groggily, then staggered off with the bailiff for the jail in the back. Two slightly milk toast appearing mechs stood. "Uh, Judge No-A? Where are our bonds going?"

No-A grinned. "To cool off. When they settle, they can come out and we can hear this. Right now, instead of one being in trouble, they both are."

The little mechs who were brothers glanced at each other, then one stepped slightly closer. "Uh, can we ask something of you please?"

"Of course," No-A said.

"Can you hold them for a while … maybe an orn or so? Frankly, we'd like some peace and quiet if we could." The other mech nodded. Everyone else with them did as well.

No-A who was surprised a moment glanced at Coln-2 who was laughing loudly and Blackstone who was grinning at the two little mechs with affection. "What do you think? Two orns in jail for disorderly and fighting, then the trial on the other? It might do them some good."

"I think so. Don't you, Briard?" the bolder one asked sweetly to his brother who looked haggard.

"I think so, Benji. I'm tired of this. Fighting over the infants, fighting over having them over for sleep visits … I think I want to send a message." He looked at No-A. "You would be doing our family a very big service if you would do that, Judge No-A. My brother and I are being manipulated into not being together by these two femmes. We bonded with sisters. They never liked each other and its been a competition all this time. I don't remember what peace and quiet is like. I would love to go to a peaceful lunch out with you, Bri. Can you do this for us, sir?" he asked almost plaintively.

Briard put his arm around the shoulder of his brother, then looked at No-A hopefully.

No-A who like everyone else was rifting through a sympathy surge for the two glanced at Coln and Blackstone. "Gentlemen? I think three orns in the jail will bank some of the flames. I loathe fighting in my court. Its disrespectful. Three for contempt. Then we can deal with this and perhaps have a counseling intervention when we do. These two are part of the problem to solve as well. Apparently, they aren't able to fend for themselves without help."

They both nodded with grins.

No-A looked at the pair and what were obviously grown children of both. "I will hold them three orns, then start again. I would suggest that you leave them to their own company without visits. They'll either figure it out in the jail or kill each other. One way or another, we're going to get to the bottom of this. Domestic violence is not allowed in this colony."

They smiled at No-A, then their children who smiled back, some of them holding very tiny smiling children. The two brothers hugged each other. Turning to No-A, they bowed. "What about lunch in a nice place, Bri?" Benji asked. He looked at all their kids with their families who were standing up with big smiles. "All of us. We can talk and it'll be wonderful." He looked at No-A, then bowed again. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," No-A said as they began to leave. In seconds, they were gone.

It was quiet a moment, then Raptor laughed loudly. **"WHAT DID WE EVER DO TO DESERVE MINI-CONS!?"**

It was with unanimous approval that everyone agreed with him. No-A grinned at Silver. "Next, dear one."

Silver laughed, then stood. "The Prime versus Ironhide of Praxus and Ratchet of Iacon."

Everyone watched with expectation as the bailiff opened the door, leaned out, then in to pull the door back. A grim faced Ironhide walked in followed by a smirking Ratchet. Looking around for elders, then looking relieved not to see any, Ratchet noted that none of his family were here. They were still in the hospital having checked their status earlier but everyone from Ironhide's was including a slightly peeved Alor. He smirked at Ratchet who smirked back as they took their place on the line.

"Charges, Silver?" No-A asked.

Silver stood, smirked at Ratchet, then read them. "Both of them were picked up from the ground, literally, drunk and unconscious. Ratchet was hugging a garbage bin in an alleyway in The City while Ironhide was found on a platform of a train station in the Industrial Park Cities. Apparently, he had rolled out when the doors opened. Both were discovered and collected by the Night Watch and charged with public intoxication, conduct unbecoming of an officer and 'making a damned fool of themselves'." He grinned, then glanced at No-A. "That last comment was relayed to me by Ultra Magnus."

'Thank you," No-A said as he smirked at Magnus who smirked back. Ironhide glowered at Magnus while Ratchet waved with a giant smile before they both turned back to No-A. "What do you plead? Besides insanity?"

"Here, here," Magnus was heard to say.

"I plead …" Ironhide paused to think. "I would say extenuating circumstances but it would mean being held over, so guilty."

"What say you, Ratchet?" No-A asked.

Ratchet smiled dazzlingly. **"GUILTY! GUILTY!GUILTY!GUILTY!** I will now sing a selection of prison songs for your listening pleasure."

" **NO YOU AREN'T, OLD MECH! TAKE YOUR LUMPS AND WE CAN GO EAT BREAKFAST!"** Ironhide bellowed.

"You already did," Ratchet replied with a grin.

"No offense, No-A, but the portions in the jail are too small," Ironhide said as Raptor and Blackjack burst into laughter. He glanced at them, then No-A who was struggling not to laugh as well. Coln and Blackstone were relaxing in their chairs thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Tell me, Ironhide … do you have any mini-cons in your family tree? Why do I feel like I'm talking to FlimFlam, Jim Jam or Mopey?" No-A asked.

 **HUGE** laughter from everyone filled the room as Ironhide glared around. He looked at No-A. "Does this chassis look like a mini-con?"

" **I HAVE A MINI-CON IN THE FAM!** Does that help?" Ratchet asked with a dazzler.

"Docker? I know. How did that happen?" No-A asked.

"Beats me," Ratchet answered with a chuckle.

"Good idea," Ironhide said with a gimlet optic to the mad mech standing beside him.

"Domestic violence will get you time with a couple of shortie femmes if you want to pursue that, big boy," Ratchet said. He grinned, then looked at No-A. "I plead guilty. I am **GUILTY! I, RATCHET OF IACON DID DRINK TOO MUCH WITH THE SQUAD AND FELL DOWN IN AN ALLEY!** Bins are great pillows. **SEND ME UP THE RIVER! I'M READY TO PAY MY DEBT TO SOCIETY!"** He flung his arms wide like the big ham he was, then smiled. "Did you buy it?"

"Nope." -everyone in the room including a couple who were court watching for fun.

"I'm sending you both out with a warning. You weren't violent or disruptive but you were soused. If you weren't as Prowl told me earlier … 'essential equipment for Cybertron at the moment' I would do more. Maybe" No-A grinned. "You keep your nose assemblies sober and we're even."

"You're the best, No-A," Ratchet said with conviction. "That's why I've prepared a selection of interpretive dances just for you."

Ironhide grabbed Ratchet's arm and jerked him off his peds. Dragging him toward the door, he looked back with a grin. "Thanks, No-A."

"No problem," No-A said as Ratchet sang his way out of the room half carried by Ironhide. The door closed. He glanced at the row of elders, Prime, Prowl, and Magnus along the wall. Everyone of them was howling with laughter but Magnus. He just looked resigned. **"CASE CLOSED!"** No-A said as he rapped the desk. Howling laughter from the court room carried the family into the corridor as they walked out to leave.

-0-In the hallway

"Are you sober, Loon?" Prowl asked as Ratchet hugged him off his peds.

"Born sober. I'm hungry, however. Ironhide was right about the food. Good but small." Ratchet grinned. "You never stayed long enough in the clink for food."

"I'm unclear what you're alluding to. You must still be impaired and perhaps mentally dysfunctional as well. There's a cure for that," Prowl said as he slipped his servo through Ratchet's arm as they walked toward the door. "Mental hospitals are pretty good around here. I hear you can make little crafts, talk about your ada and mechs actually listen."

Ratchet laughed as they ambled toward the door, the rest in tow. Standing there with grins and smirks, Springer and Drift waited. "I see you won your case or are you on house arrest?" Springer asked.

"We were framed. I'm on the lamb right now. Don't arrest me without giving me a head start," Ratchet said as they walked out into the cold sunlight together. "We're going for chow. Come with. I do like having a lot of handsome around me in my joor of need."

" **OLD MECH! DON'T TEST ME!"** Ironhide said with a grin as he walked toward the sidewalk with a snickering Prime and a grinning set of Praxian elders following. Even Magnus joined them.

And so it would be all the way to The Pit Stop.

-0-Ciao

"This is the right size," Ironhide said as he looked at the platter laid down before him. "I'm hungry."

"I noticed," Ratchet said with a grin. "I think we need to get prison tattoos, Ironhide. You and me, Something romantic and identical."

"How about 'jail bait'?" Prowl suggested. "Or 'loser'? I'm sort of partial to 'loon' myself."

Ratchet grinned. "You're that kind. Copper."

Prime grinned. "I do not know how any of you feel but I had a great time last night. I actually bowled a few strikes at the bowling alley after you two disappeared."

"In someone elses lane," Springer said. He laughed. "They added those strikes to their own score, or so I was told."

Prime grinned. "Maybe we can form a bowling league like the humans. We can make teams. I think I might like this game sober."

"They wear matching bowling shirts with their names on them," Ratchet said as he signed off on the internet. "Four or five players each team, bowling shirts, beer. Sounds like a winner. Prowl, make it so."

Prowl paused his food a second. "Me? Why me?"

"Oh, that reminds me of something that was suggested by a number of individuals who need support on an idea of great potential good."

Everyone looked at Prime.

He grinned, then explained it.

It was silent a moment, then Prowl, Ironhide and Springer stood up. **"WHAT THE FRAG!?"**

Moments later …

Three mechs stared at Prime with stone faces. Ratchet who was sitting next to Prime leaned slightly his direction. "Do you think they vapor locked?"

"I do not know," Prime said with a grin. "I do, however, declare that it happens. It was made through channels, is a good public relations event, and will do a lot of good for everyone." He leaned closer to the three. "Are you in there?"

Springer, Prowl and Ironhide stared at him, then almost as one turned to gaze at Ratchet. He leaned back. "What?" he asked with a slight grin.

 **"YOU! ITS … ITS … ITS YOU!"** -Prowl, Ironhide and Springer together

Ratchet smiled a dazzler. **"ME! IT'S ME!ME!ME!"**

That's when all three stood up and lunged for him.

-0-TBC 6-21-18 edited 6-22-18 **EDITED 7-9-18**

Longest day of the year here. We have sunlight until midnight when it dims, then brightens again almost immediately. I can tell you, it looks like ten o'clock in the morning out there. I can read by the light we have here on this day. HUGS! Happy Solstice everywhere. :D Now, I shall begin an interpretive dance for the occasio- … ;)


	392. Chapter 392

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 392)

-0-Vroom

He jumped back as they came at him.

Prime rose. "Ahem."

The three glanced at Prime, then slowly sat down. Ratchet walked to his seat, sat, then stared at them with wary optics. "I'm going home with you, Optimus."

"Please. Do," Prowl said with heat. " **You.** You … **cad**."

"This is the first I heard of this, too," Ratchet said. He grinned at Prime. "You have a masochistic streak prodding Granny like this."

Prime grinned. "We have to make gestures that pay dividends. This does." He looked at the three. "We have drawn the names of seven children who are Cybertronian and will add five resident humans to the group. I have commitments from them to participate. It will not take place until next week."

The three glared at Prime, then Ratchet. **"YOU'RE COMING, TOO!"** -all three

Ratchet smiled brilliantly. "Okay."

"Where is this atrocity supposed to be?" Springer asked with some heat.

"Alaska," Prime said.

"Frag." -all three of them (especially Drift and Springer)

-0-Shortly later

Prowl walked down the corridor toward the office where Optimus was working. Pausing in the doorway, he smirked. "I think I want to punch your face."

Prime glanced up. "I can imagine. Just know its for the Autobot Cause."

"Camping in the wilderness of Alaska with a bunch of kids?" Prowl asked with a bit of heat.

"You are after all the exalted and supreme sub commander of the Autobot Scouts," Prime said with a grin.

"You will pay. Just know that," Prowl said as he walked back to the Ops Center.

Prime watched him go, then grinned. "I count on it, Prowler."

-0-Walking to the job

"I could punt your sorry aft."

"Now, Ironhide … think about it. The humans are going to be fascinated with your figure. They're going to be there to film things and so is Leonora. You'll be a star."

"Frag that, Ratchet. I am **Ironhide**. I am **NOT** a scout leader."

"There, there."

They split up going their separate ways. Reaching the ward where his family were staying in the hospital, Ratchet quizzed Min-D as she left their room. "How are they today, Min-D" he asked.

"They're much better. This was a real blow to them but they recognize it for what it is. They're going to go to counseling when they're discharged, all of them. I'm setting up a private group for them with me and Sissle. Every other orn, the full group, every orn for a while with Chan and Corr."

Ratchet felt relief flooding him. "Thank you, Min-D. They love you and Sissle has the same warmth. You're my hero."

They chatted a moment, then Min-D hurried onward to do the good of the whole. Ratchet walked into the room, pausing to watch them as they sat together in the lounge talking about a book they were reading together. It must have been for a class or something. They were intensely discussing a point about it so they didn't notice him right away. He watched them, the bravest and best little mechs and femme he ever met, then rapped on the door. They started, then looked his way. Then they burst into smiles. Ratchet felt his spark melt.

-0-Armory

Ironhide grumped into his office ignoring Holi as he did. He sat down, glared at the stuff on his desk, then glanced up when she entered.

"Hello, sourpuss."

"Humph," he grunted as he looked at a datapad.

"What's up? You're usually a sweetheart," she said.

Ironhide glanced up, then grinned in spite of himself. "I am aren't I."

"Won't get an argument out of me," she said as she sat in the chair in front of his desk. "Give."

He sat back. "I have to go to Earth in a few orns with a scout troop to jamboree with one there in the boonies. We're going to Alaska."

She sat forward in surprise. "Wow. That sounds amazing. Do you need help? I'll go with you if you want me to."

Ironhide stared at her, his 'work wife', then did what all men do when their ass is in the fire. He smiled. **"DONE DEAL!"**

-0-At an office in Metrotitan

"What's with the long faces?" Maxi asked as she shuffled the work load on Springer's desk.

"My face isn't long," Springer said grumpily.

"Even if it was, I'd still look at it," Drift said with a grin as he sat down in front of the desk in the usual place, the one with most of the work piled in front of it on the coffee table.

Even Springer laughed at that.

"Give," Maxi said as she crossed her arms in front of her chassis. She was doing 'that thing', the one that said 'I'm standing here until you tell me'.

They did.

" **WOW!** That sounds like fun. Can I come?"

" **OH FRAG, YES!"** -two wankers getting a den mother

-0-Up there

He bounded into his office to prepare the discharge papers for his family. As he did, Lee-Lee walked in with the morning 'sign this' stuff. She grinned. "You look happy."

"The fam is going home. How are you, Lee-Lee?" Ratchet asked.

"Good. Maxi just called me and so did Holi. They're going to Earth with Springer, Drift and Ironhide with the scout troop. How do **they** get the good details?" she asked with a bright smile.

"Because they work for idiots. Want to come to Earth?" Ratchet asked.

Lee-Lee's squee could be heard down the hallway.

-0-Ops Center

Ceelie-B2 – Cee-Cee - walked into Prowl's office with the newest intel. She grinned at his intensity which indicated he got thwarted at something and was doing a low level burn. "What happened?" she asked as she put the stack of datapads on the 'in' corner of his big desk.

"What do you mean, Cee?" he asked as he glanced up from a datapad with a layout of the small remote campground they would be using outside Denali Park.

"You look like you lost an argument," the little femme said as she grinned at him. She was his senior personal assistant, his 'work wife' and one of three intense, young and dedicated individuals assigned to him. All of the senior Autobots had defaulted to assistants after a personal intercession from Prime who had five of his own. He had resisted, then after three individuals were appointed to assist in the major areas found himself in love. He could now actually sneak out to do his joors in the schools without the place falling down.

"Perhaps," he said to the little femme who wasn't intimidated by him in the slightest. She was smart, charming, sweet, and bore a rod of titanium up her central strut that made even him dance when she needed it. He genuinely liked and admired her like a proud father with a bright daughter.

"It isn't about the scout thing is it?" she asked.

He sat back. "You know about that? **SINCE** how long?" he said with a slight frown.

"Hold your fire," she replied with a chuckle. "Lee-Lee, Holi and Maxi just called me. They're going."

"What?" Prowl asked with surprise, then he frowned. "Those … those tools." He glanced up. "Their **bosses** are the tools."

She laughed and nodded. "Well?" she asked. She grinned. "I'm coming, too. Right?"

He looked at her a moment, then grinned back. "Never a truer word spoken."

She actually squeed.

-0-Check out

They gathered at the desk where the check out would be managed and all outpatient treatments sorted into a schedule for the little group. Ratchet leaned on the counter listening with a grin as the little stars of his personal galaxy went through the process.

"And you have your list of medications, Corr?"

"I do. My Chan and the others will help me. Did you know that Ratchet here is my grandson?"

(grin) "I think I heard that. Lucky you to have such a good doctor in your family to help you."

"He always does. **MY SONNY IS A GOOD BOY! HE'S MY SHINING STAR! HE SAVED US AND CORR!"** Ratchet hugged his Appa Ratchet who hugged him back emotionally.

"I'm so glad, Abba. Do you have your counseling schedule worked out?"

"We do, infant. We go to a group every other orn with Sissle, then Corr meets with Min-D every orn for a while. We hope we can get better enough to be a group and have that enough. Our school is important, too. Fortunately, it's between terms right now. Poor Corr could get behind and we can't have that, can we, Tie?" Ravel asked with a slight anxiety. "Our genitors are doing so well and they love it so. They waited all their lives to do this."

Ratchet felt almost faint as he stroked his ada's shoulder. "They're champions, Ada. They're going to be back at it in no time."

"I think so, Sonny," Corr said as he squeezed Ravel's servo. "Don't worry, Ravie. We're going to be back in school when it opens again."

It continued, then Ratchet walked them home. RTR Tools would open tomorrow but for now they would remain at home resting up while Ratchet held them on his internal sensors. All six of them wore a medical tracker device in their neck ports where he would be able to maintain his vigilance. It was the only way he was going to let them go home. Even on Earth or Cybertron, the system would alert him. They walked out with a steadier step as they headed for home next door. It would be a cheery group that headed for the barn with him.

-0-In a classroom in Centurion during sharing time

"Last night, my atar got a message that a scout troop leader on Earth was going to be camping in the Alaskan wilderness for four orns and they invited the Prime to send a group from here," Annie Lennox said in flawless NeoCybex.

Everyone gasped, then leaned forward including Terradive and Roto who was here to grab Sandy Howell for her speech check. The human kids were given short passages to read periodically as Roto studied their transition into multilingual fluency with NeoCybex. They were even making **HUGE** inroads into speaking the major Seeker language, Sim-Keen. When he had told Starscream during a meeting over his children the big Seeker nearly fell out of his chair in surprise.

"They want a small group so a name draw will be made among the Cybertronian scouts. That seemed the fairest way. If someone doesn't want to go, then maybe you can volunteer. I don't know. My atar didn't say. But he wants all five of us to be the human Cybertronian side that goes with the other Cybertronians. All five of us are going to Earth to do this." She looked at Terradive. "Will you let us take our school work with us? I don't want to get behind."

Terradive stared at her, then nodded. "Alright. When will they tell us?"

"They're still figuring it out. Daddy said he'd tell you when he finds out. I suppose Uncle Ironhide will, too, and Uncle Prowl. They're the leaders," Annie said with a smile.

Terradive smiled. "Are they going, too?"

She nodded. **"ISN'T THAT GREAT?"**

Terradive laughed loudly. " **I** think it is. I don't know about them."

Moments later when the kids are working on their journals, Roto turned toward Terradive who was leaning against his desk with a grin as he watched his kids work their sparks out. :Too bad the whole class can't come along:

:I know. I never liked Earth when I was stuck there but I'd love to see it again to see if it would be different now: Terradive replied.

Roto grinned at him, then resolved an idea. He was going to see if it were possible to take day trips to Earth with classes, touching down in the more secluded areas to see the world third from the sun. The School Board would love it. Ironhide would be flummoxed. Prowl would be amused until he found out that he would be the 'official of the Prime' that would have to go and then all frag would break out.

He would be overruled, of course. In the end, he would be glad he was. Their first visit would be Diego Garcia and the beautiful Indian Ocean.

Such was the Tao of the Prowler

-0-TBC 6-23-18 **edited 7-17-18**


	393. Chapter 393

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 393)

-0-Later that afternoon

They fogged in running for the kitchen and the endless supply of food left there for hungry kids and adults. Reaching the dishes, they plated up, grabbed juice, then ran for a table nearby. Sitting, they began to eat. Mama Fig and her little dogs along with half a dozen other elders were sitting nearby. "How was school?" she asked.

"It was great. We found out that some of us are going to go camping with a scout troop in Alaska. Some of the bots are coming including Uncle Prowl and Uncle Ironhide," Annie said with a smile. **"THAT'S GOING TO BE SO FUN! I hope its us."**

The others nodded as they chatted with the elders who were amused and as interested as they were. No one knew which kids would go.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

"So that's that." Niall grinned. "My kids are too young. Enjoy Alaska. I understand that this time of year their state bird is in abundance."

"The willow ptarmigan?" Epps asked because he was stationed at the base there for special training once upon a very long rainy summer.

"No, the mosquito," Niall said. He sat at the table where everyone was gathered going over data on a training exercise. "I hear they leave scars when they bite and they actually fly in clouds."

"Fuck," Epps said. "I never got out that far and when I did go out, the weather kept them down. Bring bug spray."

"I'll check with Wheeljack," Lennox said with a grin. "They better not pick us."

They would.

-0-On The Hourly News

"On the lighter side of the news, it was mentioned earlier today in a press release by the Autobot City Council of Autobot Scouts that a troop of human scouts in Alaska on Earth have invited Autobot City to send a group of our own scouts to spend a few orns in the wilds of that great state doing scouting adventures together. We called the Office of the Primes and were told the following by Commander Prowl."

A film rolled showing a tense winger staring at Jacx with a hard expression on his handsome face. "We received a request from Earth to join a troop camping in the wilds of Alaska for a few orns in a short while. It was suggested to be a get together to introduce our children to theirs and to allow a number of different film companies to record the encounters to develop for programming on the National Geographic Channel and by Galaxy Productions here on Mars. The Prime has approved it and therefore, we are going to carry through."

"Who will go, Commander, and what is the program going to be? The duration and so forth?" Jacx asked.

"It will be in four orns and will last three or four there. We are asking that five of the N.E.S.T. children come along to help host our children and the Council here has drawn seven children at random from the entire scout population to be the ones who will go. It seemed the most fair way to choose. They are getting with families for permissions and when all is in order, we go. As for the events planned while there … I am not aware of them." Prowl was stiff and formal, even more so than usual.

"Who will be among the adults going? Are any of the leaders of the Council going? Will genitors? How does this work? This is rather monumental given its the first cultural exchange since the art exhibition that's going to Earth. What will security be like?" Jacx asked.

"Since Commander Ironhide, Commander Springer and Commander Drift have administrative responsibilities for Scouting and some of the children's sports, they will be going. Apparently, Autobots Springer and Drift will go as well to support the event and to help provide security. We will send a shuttle that will be housed out of view of the camp so that the children aren't frightened by it being there but it will be sent to support the security of the event and to house the adults overnight. The children will take their scouting equipment and tents, that sort of thing. Those who will be going beyond those already named is still being worked out. It **is** monumental. Apparently, there are requests to the school board about children visiting Earth to see it and meet humans. It's all preliminary but its in the planning stages."

"Given that you're part of the scouting council as a board member, will you be going as well?" Jacx asked.

Prowl tensed. "There is a lot going on and with Cybertron in transition, that might not be possible."

"Thank you, Commander Prowl. Back to you in the studio, Lim-Lee," Jacx said as the light on the camera went out to show the broadcast had switched. Jacx grinned at Prowl. "You hate this, right?"

"You have no idea," Prowl said as he shook his helm.

-0-At the CMO's office

"Holi, I have camping gear. What about you?" Lee-Lee asked as she sat at her desk chatting with her besties as she worked on this and that thing for Ratchet.

"We go camping a lot. We have our stuff. I think bringing tents and sleeping bags will do it. What about you, Ceelie?" Holi asked from the multi screen that held her and the others in the conference call.

"I'm going to The Sports Center tonight with my mech and we're going to get things. Will we need to bring food things or what?" Ceelie asked.

"I asked Springer and he grumped, so I called Ratchet. Food will be brought forward by the bridge in the shuttle that will hold security. I think we might have a chance to recharge there but I was thinking it might be fun to set up our tents or at least one or two near the shuttle so we can go there at night. This is going to be fun," Maxi said with a chuckle. "What about Prowl, Ceelie? I caught his broadcast and he seems to be intense about this."

Ceelie grinned. "He always has a good time but he has this formal thing he does. He's going to get over it. He can always punch Ratchet."

They all laughed, then planned their strategy to run the show like they did here. They were the ones who made the system run, rather like the sergeants in the military, the nurses in the hospitals, the secretaries, cashiers, and others who did the hard stuff to keep the rest of the stuff running. It was going to be fun.

-0-Home

They reached the apartment, then walked in as Ratchet carried Corr in his arms. He had insisted upon doing that so Corr wouldn't be worn out just getting home. They walked in and watched as Ratchet sat Corr on his soft comfortable chair by the window. He tucked in his lap blanket, then grinned at the little mech. "You look good sitting there. Are you hungry?"

"I think I could use a little bite, Sonny. Don't worry about me. I can get it shortly," Corr said in his usual meek and mild manner.

"You all sit and I'll slap something together," Ratchet said as he turned to the others and herded them to chairs. They sat and watched as he checked the fridge and began to prepare plates for all of them. "You'll be having Home Healthcare come by every orn. They'll check all of you out and make lunch for you. They're going to want to know what you eat every orn so be ready to tell them. What and how much you eat matters right now. It helps them formulate your protoform medications.

"You need to rest, read, sleep, watch television. No one goes out. You order in. Amma, that's your job," he said glancing at Docker. "You stay in and order in. If you need something call me and I'll come or send someone. I have an entire army at my command. You do **not** have permission to leave this apartment for the next three orns. Doctors orders. I'm going from here to the shop and meet some of the customers. They make appointments and I take care of them. No arguments. I'll put you back in the hospital if you break **any** of these conditions. Understand?" he asked as he began to carry plates to them.

"We understand, Sonny," Appa Ratchet said as he took his plate. "Right, Docker?"

"If Sonny says so, Ratchet," Docker said. "Right, Chan?"

Chan nodded, then looked at Corr. "Corr?"

"What Sonny wants. He's a doctor."

Ratchet looked at them, four little bots who he would fight Predaking single handed to defend and felt a warmth rise up through him that was almost overpowering. "You do this and I'll be glad. The sooner you reach 95% protoform function, then you can do what you want. You're going up and down on this and that's because you aren't resting as much as you need. It will all be there waiting for you when you recover."

They looked at him, their big gangling smart little mech and felt emotion rising through them. **"WHATEVER YOU SAY, SONNY!"** Appa Ratchet said with emotion. **"YOU'RE OUR GOOD LITTLE MECH!** You tell us. **WE'LL DO IT!"**

Ratchet bent down and kissed his appa's helm. "You better believe it. Are you alright now?"

They glanced at each other, then Ratchet. "We are, Sonny. Are you?"

"When you hit 95%, then I'm going to be 100%. Right now, I'll get your drinks, then go to the store. You do what I ask and I'm going to be happy," he said. He got them drinks, checked and fussed, then stepped out. The door closed behind him.

"That's one fine little mech," Chan said. "He takes care of his old folks so well."

"He was raised to be a good mech. I wonder how their fun night out went last night? We're going to have to get better, Corr. We have to go with the Squad, too, remember?" Docker asked.

Corr nodded, then grinned. "It's always fun with them. I wonder how much fun they had last night?"

Mercifully, they would never know.

-0-At the store

Ratchet laid out the items that were going to be picked up. There were several daggers, two tool kits, a ceremonial sword for a Knight initiation and two for Circle kids who were reaching initiation as well. They were glorious, all of them, and were sheathed in the trademark RTR scabbards made of scarlet dyed leather-like material. The door opened and a number of mechs entered, closing it behind themselves. Walking to the counter, the oldest with them grinned. "Hi. We're here to pick up a sword for my grandson here," he said glancing toward a young good looking mech who was lighter framed and had youthful eagerness but was the son of his elders. They all were a handsome group.

"So, you're going to be initiated into the Circle are you?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"I am," he said glancing at his elders with a smile. "Is that my sword?" There was awe on his face and in his voice.

"Maybe. A sword chooses its master," Ratchet said as he held up the long blade. It glinted and the scabbard was beautiful. It bore incised glyphs of a prayer and the name of the youngster along with images of their culture. It was extremely beautiful and hand tooled. Ratchet pulled the sword, then held it up. The movement seemed to leave a smear of light as he expertly manipulated it. There were glyphs carved into the blade, a prayer to Primus and a promise to Cybertron. It was a gloriously beautiful work of art.

The youngster stared at it mesmerized by its beauty. The elders were as well. The first looked at Ratchet. "No one makes swords like this, not before and not now. This is unbelievably beautiful. I wanted my son to have his sword be a thing of mystery and beauty but this … its a work of art."

"It is," Ratchet said. "Never touch the blade with your digits. Always use soft cloths to wipe it and bring it here if you need anything done. Don't do it yourself. It's blade is infinite. It was made that way. Always treat it with respect. Prayers were put into it as it was forged. The Pantheon hears them when we make them. These blades are or will become sentient with use and care. Let's see if it will claim you." Ratchet flipped the blade catching it by the hilt. It was wrapped with scarlet wire, tightly woven and brilliant. "Hold out your servo but don't grasp it."

The kid did, the expression on his face a thing of wonderment as he held out his servo toward the sword. Ratchet felt it, the energy of the blade move slightly. He moved the hilt closer and the magnetic effect of acceptance began. It slid toward the kid, moving out of his hand. Ratchet caught the blade so it wouldn't fall with his other servo clothed in a yellow piece of cloth. He held it, then grinned at the kid. "It would appear to accept you. Take the sword by the hilt, hold it and close your optics to listen."

The kid grasped it, then lifted the heavy blade toward his face. He closed his optics and all was silent. Then he glanced at his elders and Ratchet. "I feel something."

"That's good. The sword accepts you. Now be worthy of it. Remember what they taught you in the Circle and be worthy," Ratchet said as he handed the scabbard to the elder who appeared to be his appa.

"Thank you," the kid said with a big smile. He glanced at the others, then held the sword as his appa slid the scabbard over it. He looked at Ratchet, then bowed. "Thank you. I will treasure this and use it only to bring honor to our House and to our brotherhood."

"Then I give it to you with happiness," Ratchet said finishing the salutation.

His elders smiled. "I may have to get a sword made here. That's the most beautiful sword I've ever seen. Please tell Ravel and Tie Down how much we appreciate this. We wanted out boy to have a great sword for his initiation but this was beyond hope."

Ratchet grinned. "I'll tell them," he said as the group bowed and began to leave. He bowed back, then watched as the door closed behind them. "No problem. Your wish is my command." He grinned as the door opened again and more eager customers came to claim their treasures.

-0-TBC 6-24-18 **edited 7-17-18**

swords that are sentient (sen-tee-ent- alive, self aware) are canon in TF. Drift's long blade is and so are those on the ship during TF:5 when Prime runs onto it and says, "recognize, a knight', then pulls one. :D


	394. Chapter 394

The Diego Diaries: Time Waits For No Mech (dd6 394)

-0-Night in The City

Springer and Drift rode on their beat with a trail of the usual suspects riding with them. Most of them weren't officially police but they ran with the two as part of their posse. They were good company, had no family encumberments and liked hanging out. It was really cold and a bit dusty. The usual sandstorms that once made the planet a fuzzy speck on telescopes for months on end were a thing of the past but now and again, the winds would blow the finer grains into the air where they would hang for what seemed like forever.

Chatting about this and that, commiserating with the two over the Scouts and asking after the family, they rode onward making their rounds for miles and miles around the colony. Getting off the beaten path and going alongside the highways on the shoulders, they could rip away and ride like the wind. The best part of their horses, among many things, was that they never tired.

Sing the praises, won't you, of metallic horses and men.

-0-Appa and Amma Land

Ratchet helped with the dishes, then turned to the group who were sitting on their chairs and couches watching him. Lumi was with him drying and putting away as Ratchet washed. Sitting with the elders as they did, Fireball, Tru, Genesis, and Quasar fussed over them, getting them things and helping put their crafts away and books on the shelves around the room.

"You do that very well, Sonny," Ravel said. "Thank you, all of you, for coming here to do this."

"Our pleasure, Amma," Tru said. "Are you feeling better?"

"I feel much better. What about you, Ada?" Tie Down asked with a trace of worry in his voice.

"I feel wonderful. It's so good to be home among your loved ones. Remember that, infant. The best things in life aren't things." Corr grinned. "The best thing for me is family."

Tru nodded. "We know. Ammas and Appa made sure we knew all our cousins. The titans were always around but there were few our age. Ammas and Appa never let us go with the wolf packs. It got lonely some times, though they were so good to us."

" **AND WHO WOULDN'T?"** Appa Ratchet asked with emotion. **"YOU'RE FINE YOUNGLING MECHS!"**

Tru grinned at him. Appa Ratchet grinned back.

Ratchet put the last thing away, wiped down the sink, then hung the dish towel. He turned to them again. "Ready for beddy?" he asked with a brilliant smile.

Huge laughter met that as he helped them up. Corr walked between Tru and Quasar as they gently held his little arms to steady him. He was actually pretty fit, all things considered, but they were concerned about their great grand amma so he let them assist with a sweet smile and comments. They walked into the berth room and with Ratchet and Chan helping, put him to bed. Chan hugged all of them, then began to settle himself. Across the hallway, Ravel and Fireball were helping a surprisingly tired Ratchet into his berth. He lay back, then sighed. "This feels good."

"Then I prescribe more of it, slagger. You better follow my orders or I'm going to el kabong you and it won't be with a guitar," Ratchet said firmly as he watched Ravel and Fireball fuss with his blankets.

Docker sat down, then was tucked in. She smiled. "This feels reversed."

"It is," Ratchet said with a grin. "Enjoy it or else. Do you need anything?"

"No, baby boy," Docker said with a smile.

Ratchet grinned, then they all backed out. He inspected both pair of grandparents, then the lights went out. Walking out to the living room, they regrouped. "You go home and we follow you to tuck you into beddy bye as well," Ratchet said to general grins, "then we go home. Come on now." Ratchet walked to the door and stepped out.

Ravel grinned and followed with Tie. "He's sure bossy," Ravel said with a smile.

Tru who didn't see the smile patted Ravel. "He loves you, Amma. He wants to make sure you get better just like the rest of us."

Ravel took Tru's servo, then walked out with him. "We sure want that don't we, sweet little mech," he said as the closed the door behind them.

-0-Across the hallway

Ravel and Tie Down demurred but were tag teamed into bed. Grinning at the tall mechs surrounding their berth, Ravel glanced at Ratchet. "Did that young mech get his initiation sword? Did it accept him?"

"It did. So did the other three. The kits and daggers and the like … all of it was picked up. Everyone was twitching with amazement and send their eternal thanks for your genius," Ratchet said with a grin.

Ravel and Tie Down smiled. "That's the best part of it, helping others feel happy, Sonny. Thank you for that."

"No problem. Its like old times. Good night," he said as he kissed their helms. Everyone said good night, then walked out. The door closed as the lights went out and they gathered in the hallway. "It's nice to have you infants stay over sometimes. There's always room," Ratchet said as he walked to their own door.

Tru nodded. "We love staying here. We'll help you get everyone on the bus tomorrow, Ada," he said as he entered the apartment. "We'll help you. Amma and Appa think that's the best thing you can do."

"It is," Ratchet said as he followed the kids in. He grinned as he closed the door behind him.

-0-Across the hall

" **BLACKJACK! GET THE COW!"**

Blackjack walked to the berth room and grinned in the doorway. Flipper was standing on the middle of their berth chewing his cud. Scout was trying to stand next to him to hug his neck. Flipper had the classic cow expression of 'meh' while Scout was nearly incoherent with laughter. He reached for Flipper and nearly got him by the neck before the unstable footing of the berth nailed him and he fell, rolled sideways and off the berth onto the floor with a splat.

Blackjack debated pulling Scout out but before he could move a tiny helm popped up and servos were grasping the duvet to clamber back up again. He was chuckling the sort of chuckle that the glazed eyed had when they fell over and over again and were halfway to incoherency because of it, the breathy sort of laughter that indicated half mad determination to succeed.

Alor peered out of the berth room, then frowned. **"GET THAT COW OFF THE BERTH!"**

"Killjoy," 'Jack said as he walked to the berth and picked up Flipper. "Don't you want to see if Scout can nail him?"

"I'll nail **you** if you don't prep the cow and put him on his little bed," Alor said from the wash rack.

"Why don't you?" Blackjack said as he watched his son walk around the berth, then halt before him with a wild aft smile on his little face. He wanted Flipper. "Scout wants to play with him."

"Either you dump his trap or clean up the floor. It's time," Alor said as he walked out and scooped up Scout to kiss him madly. Sitting down on the berth, he watched with a grin as Blackjack carried Flipper into the wash rack. It was silent a moment, then a loud moo was heard.

 **"JUST HOLD ON, FLIPPER!"**

" **MOOOOOOO!"**

" **FRAG! THERE! HOLD STILL!"**

" **MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

Tiny hoof sounds could be heard as Flipper made a break for the door. He ran to Alor, then stood between the big mech's legs. Staring at the door with a fragged off look, the tiny bovine waited for the treacherous mech of his dreams to come out. He was going to fort up with his other reason for living and the knee biter in self defense. He hated having his tanks evacuated. It was nearly a deal breaker for his little cow constitution.

Blackjack leaned out, then grinned. "Stampede," he said with a chuckle.

-0-In the Residence

They tucked in the last renegade kid, then snuck back out to their own room. Prime sat on the berth, then threw his arms out as he flopped backward. "Ah. This feels good."

Prowl grinned slightly. "I can think of several other things that aren't bad either."

Prime raised his helm to take in Prowl. He was standing at the armoire by the wall with a grin. Inside was a collection of guns that both used along with knives and other tools of the trade. The doors were keyed to the two alone so the kids couldn't get into them. Prowl was unloading his body stash into the cabinet. Prime grinned. "Sounds promising."

Prowl grinned, shut the doors, then walked slowly to the berth. He sat down on Prime's lap, straddling him. Putting his servos on the big mech's big chassis, he grinned. "Well, Farmer Brown … when will you make the big announcement?"

Prime chuckled. "I do not have a firm date, Milk Maid. Perhaps we can discuss it."

"Milk Maid?" Prowl asked with a look of amusement on his handsome face. He scanned for meaning, then snickered. "Milk Maid. Do I need blond braids and a little stool?"

Prime grinned as he gripped Prowl's backside. "Nope," he said. Then he said nothing more for a while.

-0-Infants and dogs and slag, oh my …

The big kids helped the little kids go to bed. Halo was the exception as Ironhide walked to his chair with her dozing in blankets on his arm. He sat as the big kids hugged him on their way to their own berths. Ratchet sat down next to him, then grinned at Halo. "I almost forgot we had one of those. I suppose you took her to Foofer as well?"

"I refuse to tell you. **I LIKE LITTLE BOTS AND I CANNOT LIE!"** Ironhide said with a smile.

Ratchet laughed loudly, then grinned at him. "Slagger. You took her to Cybertron. Where's my guitar? Or better yet, my heaviest balpeen hammer?"

"We were never in harms way," Ironhide said. **"BEER! FUDGE!"**

Ratchet sat in his chair grinning at Ironhide without moving a digit. Ironhide grinned back. It was on. The first one to give in was a mama's boy. No one would have fudge and beer this night.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ, graveyard shift

Corey McFarlane sat at communications going over the messages, films and other transmissions heading for Earth from the human component of life here on the Red Planet. He was almost as conversant on people as their mamas as he read their stuff, noted their pictures and searched for hidden information before passing it to Ops Center at The Fortress for the censors to pass over in Special Operations. They were all aware of moles but they only had a tenuous idea who it was. This would hopefully help them nail their short list a bit.

"Are your kids going on the scout trip to Alaska, Corey?" Sargent Akoni Kahale asked. He was a beta team member who was Hawaiian, loved water sports and often lamented the lack of (surviving) oceans for surfing on world. He did, however, admire the slag out of the water park in the Tri-Cities, though he hadn't gotten either permission or the nerve to take a board and go in there.

Yet.

"No. I heard that Lennox and Epps are going. Sandy and James will be going. That makes all five of the humans. I think that's a good thing. Those kids have been at this longer than mine. They can make things work," Corey said.

"Might be fun. Or not. Lennox doesn't look too excited, nor does Epps," Akoni said.

"I think it'd be fun. Alaska that time of year … mosquitoes, bears, endless daylight, rain, pucker brush … sounds like my kind of thing," Corey replied with a smirk. "It's going to be fun to hear how the Cybertronian kids do."

Akoni nodded. "I hear ya."

It would be.

-0-TBC 6-25-18 **edited 7-17-18**

NOTE

There's a huge sandstorm on Mars now, seasonal, and probably has enrobed the entire planet. They can rise up 250 miles and last for months.


	395. Chapter 395

The Diego Diaries: Moving Onward (dd6 395)

-0-The next morning at the Ops Center, big conference room

They walked into the room taking their seats with plates and cups. Prime was sitting at the head of the table working on a donut and hot drink, taking a moment to kick back. The chat was lively and the group was congenial as they waited for everyone and Prowl. Ratchet sat with Halo who was nodding off as Ironhide stuffed his face with donuts.

Mech liked a good donut.

Neo sat with her cup and a plate of cookies. "How was your night out, Ratchet?" she asked sweetly.

Ratchet grinned. Ironhide glanced at him with a frown. "We got arrested. Again. Ironhide and me. I half expect Youth Services to come and take this infant away."

Everyone paused their conversation as they turned toward the pair. Grins abounded as Ironhide frowned at everyone. "Nothing to see here."

"Actually," Turbine said, "Little mech, here, got stuck on a train and went in circles around The City. Old Pathfinder here," he said nodding to a widely grinning Hard Drive, "and Sure Foot Navigator here," he said nodding to Raptor, "actually thought he was driving and chased him to Industrial Park City only to find out he was on a train going nowhere."

"Were you sober?" Neo asked with a chuckle.

"Mostly. We were told to stay sober but that didn't mean a beer or two wasn't in order," Raptor said. He grinned. "Or three."

"Don't include me into that," Hardie said with a smirk. "I was sober. As a judge sober."

"So you say," Delphi said. He grinned. "All in all, you were short grabbing him. The Watch got him first."

"They did," Ratchet said. "I was told that we went in the same paddy wagon to the jail."

"You did," Springer said as he lounged in a chair against the wall with Drift who was grinning at Ironhide who was peeved that their dirty laundry was being aired. He frowned at his son, then his grandfathers. "Slaggers. Some things stay in the family."

"What happens in Autobot City stays in Autobot City." Turbine grinned. "Or not."

"What was the verdict or are you going to be tried later? Was it No-A who was the judge?" Neo asked.

"Yes. We pleaded guilty. I offered to give testimony in the form of interpretive dance just so you know," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that. "I would have loved to be there for that," Starscream said as Rainmaker laughed loudly.

"You and me both," Warlord said. "How do you manage to stay out of jail, Ratchet?"

"I have no idea," Ratchet dazzled. "Perhaps Ironhide can tell you."

Ironhide paused stirring his drink to frown at Ratchet. "Don't drag me into this. You're the lunatic in the family."

"The winner and still champion," Ratchet said with a smile.

Prowl walked in, slapped datapads on the table, then sat. "What did I miss?"

"An aria and a pirouette," Turbine said.

Huge laughter greeted that as Prowl shot dark optics toward Ratchet. "Why do I presume that the chat is about you and your criminal tendencies?"

" **BECAUSE!"** Ratchet said as he spread his arms wide. He smiled beautifully.

Prowl stared at him, then picked up a datapad. "Yes. Right. First item of business-" A donut bounced off his helm. He glanced up with a steely gaze. "Departmental reports," he said as he glanced at Magnus. That redoubtable bot rolled his optics.

They began to give their reports, some of which included their portion of the Cybertronian situation. When the district commanders, among them Turbine, Raptor, Hard Drive, and Delphi gave their own, it was clear that things were moving forward on world, even if all wished it was faster. Tens of millions were given good shelters and three million now lived in tower housing in the major cities. Infrastructure in great swaths of the world was being developed for distribution of supplies, building materials, food, medicine and medical support, censuses to determine who was there and who wasn't, transportation, and dozens of other mundane things that most take for granted until they go.

Power had reached every place on Cybertron at long last, they were told. Over 1,200 city-formers were now permanent residents of the planet with rebuilding including them in the planning. Many would be the location with city-formers built into their surroundings, taking their places once more in the middle of The People to serve them again. They were glad to be there and everyone was glad to see them. There were more now living on world then there were at any other time in the history of the Cybertronian People.

Schools reported that conferences were coming and would be held over a three orn period. There were placements for everyone who came as the wave of those transferred to Mars from elsewhere for various reasons continued constantly. There were six public schools now, three for babies, two for the younglings and one Intermediate for those approaching or who were sub adult. They discussed opening another tower for babies and for sub adult kids. The demographics were changing with refugee migrations and Cybertron. It was approved. There would be a fourth sparkling school in Metrohex and an intermediate school in Pax, public schools number seven and eight.

The University was graduating its first classes in the new facility shortly. A group of law enforcement students specializing in forensics would graduate along with a large nursing contingent, teachers, engineers, and those who were going to be absorbed immediately by the film industry. Herling was delighted to report that as well as the findings of the school board about the new curriculum updates, the idea of student visitations to Earth and the **SCOUT JAMBOREE IN THREE, COUNT THEM THREE ORNS!** He didn't have to say that part but he liked to see Prowl's optics roll back in his helm.

"Frag that, Herling," Springer said darkly. **"I SAY FRAG THAT!"**

Drift grinned at him, then Herling. He winked and Herling grinned back. "That's the gist of the educational world at the moment, Prowl."

Prowl stared at Herling with huge angst, then glanced at his datapad. "Well, wasn't that special," he said to **ENORMOUS** laughter and mockery. "Loon, enlighten us."

Ratchet dazzled him with a smile, then looked at his datapad. "Well, I spent the night in the drunk tank with Ironhide and found that there's a lot of miscreant children who like to tag city-formers. Port of Nexus, no less. Little slaggers. What's this world coming to?" he asked.

Drift shrugged. "I don't know. What?"

Ratchet smiled at Drift. "You get stuff in my will." He looked at Prowl to continue.

"I sorta wanted your collection of swizzle sticks and old gum myself," Prowl said with a slight grin.

Ratchet looked at Prowl like he was the Messiah. "That was good, Granny. Kudos for you."

Prowl sneered slightly around his smirk. "Continue, Loon." Internally, he was highly pleased at the laughter and nods.

"Well, I was saying … the drunk tank is quite the experience and I recommend it heartily. As for the medical scene, we're doing great things. Protoform wasting is being controlled through the local clinics. Courier trap testing has finished on Cybertron and all who were affected have been treated. Its a null issue thus far but we'll continue to seek it out when 'Cons come in or newbies from off world. You can't be too careful.

"Its easier for our people to come in for check ups as well using local clinics that way. Home Healthcare is expanding to meet demand. A lot of elders need that extra touch. All in all, we're keeping ahead of the curve thus far. We have roving medical flights all over Cybertron and the recruitment and training of medical personnel and boosting of training of those already skillful is going well. But what can one expect," he said raising his big red hands. "These magical servos lay on the healing and crooked things become straight."

"Is that so, Ironhide?" Hercy asked with a grin.

Ironhide frowned at Ratchet. **"OLD MECH! YOU'RE INSANE! GIVE ME THAT FEMME BEFORE YOU BREAK IT!"** He slipped Halo into his arms, then sat back with a big grin. "I, Ironhide have spoken."

Ratchet smirked. "Slagger."

The drone of reports continued along with good questions. Law enforcement, finance, industry, a report from Ratchet about diplomacy, the environment, city expansion … it went on and was delivered to the community team who ran things. Reports would then be filed with the Colonial City Council who were the representatives from all the cities who met once every three decaorns to discuss local problems and plans. Ultra Magnus as the city manager and overall mayoral leader locally would discuss the findings of this body with them. They would take the information back to their local city based councilor groups and it would be spread into the community. It was the closest things they had to a formal representative government and everyone liked it. Anyone could run and serve and they did.

All old business was finished along with new. Then at long last, the good of the order staggered into view. Prime sat back with a smile, then glanced at the humans who were lounging in chairs before him. "I have one more thing to discuss before you amuse me, minions, but I need your complete and total submission to my will first."

Laughter greeted that. Springer leaned forward to stare down at the former lover who was a great and good friend even still. "I thought that was Prowl's job."

Raucous laughter and ribald commentary bloomed like peonies as Prowl stared at Springer like a butcher would a carcass. "Ha, ha," Prowl said to enormous mockery.

Prime who laughed sat forward with a datapad he pulled out of his subspace. "If I may have your attention."

"Sure," Kup said to great laughter.

"I have been hearing a lot of gossip around town and in the media, both on world and off. I find gossip intriguing on occasion, at least this gossip. I think for once I would like to buck the trend as the humans say but I need your complete silence on this outside of this room and our formal discussions."

He got it.

"I am studying the idea of creating a habitat for humans that we control ourselves, that works on projects that we desire and are employees of Autobot Nation. Humans want a great habitat with tens of thousands of humans living there.

"I think I want one, too. I want it under my command with humans who are my employees doing things that I feel have worth and value, all for the good of Earth, of course," he said. He grinned at the humans who grinned at him. "I have done a great deal of research, talked to many humans and considered the idea for some time. I am unwilling to continue to play this game with the humans who want to undertake a project like this for themselves. We can conduct a lot of research beneficial for humans in a big habitat, yet keep control of it ourselves. That is our next side project. I would like Typhoon and Metroplex to explain the basic format of the project which I have discussed with Prowl, Hard Drive, Metroplex, Fortress Maximus, Ultra Magnus, Wheeljack and Perceptor, Zachary and Monica Hadden of Earth2, Jetta, Ratchet, and Harley Epps."

Bobby Epps started at that, then looked upward at Prime. :You talked to him, Optimus?:

Prime nodded. "I needed information. Right now, Typhoon and Metroplex will explain the basic framework from which we will begin this task."

Ty who was grinning glanced at Metroplex. "After you, brother."

Metroplex grinned at him, then Optimus. "I have been spending a great deal of time in conversation with Lord Optimus and the group aforementioned. We have been plagued with manipulation in the past by humans with agendas and find ourselves losing the war once more regarding a big habitat designed to be expansive in the kinds and amounts of research and development that would go on there. Typhoon and I have put the proposition to our brethren in Soft Space and there has been not only a lot of discussion about it but huge interest.

"Given the initial plans discussed, we have concluded after much study and designs drafted that it will take either four metrotitans of great transformational skill or two dreadnoughts of adult status and growth to format what we have decided we need. Given that four of them have been traced down and brought to soft space since you have arrived, Ty, that gives us the option of asking and devising the plans with them. They are very old and skilled, mature and wise. Invincible and Thrasher have agreed that they would like to take part in this project. They understand what it means, what it will take and seek company among our own kind. They wish to serve The People in whatever manner is asked and have agreed quite happily to take on this project since it does not involve war and fighting, both of which they are justifiable weary. So they are on their way. Expect two ships fourteen and fifteen miles long, Ratchet, to arrive together at the solar well in a week." Ty grinned brightly. "You're welcome."

Huge laughter greeted that. Then Springer grinned. "They sound bigger than you, Ty."

Ty grinned at Springer. "Why, aren't **you** a little ray of sunshine? Tiny."

Everyone laughed, then Lauren leaned forward to look down the table to Prime. "What exactly are these worthies attempting to do that will assist humanity and dampen the drum beat of the less savory types to come here and dig willy nilly, Lord Optimus?" he asked.

Prime grinned at him, then everyone around the room. "We are going to be building a farm."

It was silent a moment, then Raptor opened his hold and pulled out a rather sleepy cow. Setting Pudding on the table, he smiled. "Finally. Pudding can have play dates."

Prime actually laughed aloud.

-0-TBC 6-26-18 **edited 7-17-18**


	396. Chapter 396

The Diego Diaries: Farmville (dd6 396)

-0-In a conference room near the end of a community council meeting

"Optimus … tell us your thinking on this project," Hard Drive said as he watched Blackjack add another cow to the 'herd' on the table top. Flipper glanced around, then lay down to doze. Pudding joined him.

"The humans are an inventive species, creative and determined. They will make their way into space at some point on their own. Their steadfastness in their vision and persistence in trying to achieve it is admirable and inevitable. It is also with their level of technological development foolhardy. Some orn they will come and I would like it to be with more potential than they can bring to the table alone.

"They wish a big habitat and larger on world population and presence. We will supply that but under our own control. We can work on the problems that will plague them off world as well as those on Earth. Earth is in dire straits nearly everywhere with a population they cannot feed at present. If we take the time to do the work here, we can give it back to the humans to use on their own. But since we will control it, we can give it to them for no cost. The humans are looking for ways to make money which is understandable but if it means some don't get the benefit, then it is not. We do not have that as a goal for our own civilization anymore, to make profits at the expense of the common good. It has been a game changer for us to do things this way. Everyone is important and worthy. Everyone can benefit from the group's effort. This way, Earth can as well, receiving for nothing all the benefit that we create here.

"I am also tired of playing games with the humans, those who bear us ill. Many are the humans who want to come here and who would do their best to be good neighbors. They want to learn, do research and some, make money. I am not against that. I **am** against any project that does not benefit the whole. Everyone on Earth deserves the same benefits that come from any efforts here. I am tired of the machinations, frankly. Let us do this but our way. All of the benefit goes gratis to Earth."

"I figured that was what you were working on here," Hardie said. "How big a population are we looking at?"

"We have planned a facility that would house in the beginning 10,000 humans with bot administration, security and supervision. It would be a facility that would hold many, many more." He glanced at Ty and Metroplex. "What would be the capacity for the installation, gentlemen?"

"We, that is … **I** can hold up to 20,000 individuals. Between Clipper, Dangerous and I, that's over 65,000 individuals. Given the size of the two mechs coming, you can house almost 42,000 individuals in the facility as planned," Ty said. He leaned forward on his elbows. "That's the number for the configuration as it stands. We can do other things, even building extensions of the habitat portion where everyone lives if necessary to accommodate more in future expansions. As you know, all our frames can fit into constructed surroundings such as cities and have in the past. All of the bots on Cybertron at some point will be included into construction to some point or the other."

Prime nodded. "The installation itself with all the housing, labs, facilities, an urban center for recreation, and commerce will encompass most of one mech who will be combining slightly with the other to make the design happen and be secure. The rest of the design will consist of a dome that will be the open spaces that will be the farm itself. There will be outbuildings as well but they will be constructed. The mech making the dome will handle environmental efforts such as atmosphere, rainfall and the like."

"How big will that be?" Hard Drive asked.

Jetta leaned forward. "We have a design that's L-shaped, a huge ten story facility with tall decks for us to walk around. You might have to lean slightly," he said to the titans sitting down table. "The farm itself must enclose a space of nearly 80 square miles. That will be accomplished by energy domes combined from both that will be created energetically, then set permanently after the diagnostics are clear. It will be as tall as seven stories, range outward to cover the entire area, then seal it against the atmosphere. The size of the space is what's required by careful cultivation to feed a population as big as the one we have on Mars. This can do that, this much space.

"We used to do this in the old orns on planets that had difficult atmospheres or environments. It hasn't been done since the age of exploration when the ships would take colonists and miners, geologists and the like out into the boondocks. It was easier to cover an area under a dome than try to work in a place where the circumstances were less than ideal. Given that two dreadnoughts who have enormous experience in deep space exploration, a capacity to mine and manufacture built in and lots of time spent being various types of habitats for various types of situations, they're perfect for this venture. The fact that they want a quieter life given they've been hunted since The Fall makes it a win for them as well."

"Are they well, Metroplex? What do they require to feel up to this?" Optimus asked.

"They require work and updates but they've done this a lot before. Some of our older settlements were part of their purview and they not only formulated habitation but protected it as well. They're looking forward to this. Most of their hurts are already healed in Soft Space. They're ready to take on light duty among our own kind," Metroplex said. "We're ready to welcome them home."

Optimus nodded. "We are as well. We have situated their location in the expanse south of the Industrial Park Cities and southwest of the human habitations. The United Nations Consul would be able to see them but the other habitats would have a more difficult time. This effort is to defuse impressions that we are not willing to share. The project's purpose is for the benefit of Earth and all her inhabitants. We will control the project and its many different efforts. By the time humans can come into space and settle around the system, all the science they need will be developed and refined here. I also think it might be interesting to see what the humans at Earth2 will do about this facility, especially in light of who owns and operates it."

Prowl nodded. "We are already aware of a network connection between the Family and Harris Industries. Now that there will be a human facility that operates outside of their influence … Earth 1 is autonomous but it still has human control dominating it … we can see how they deal with this one."

"What are we calling it?" Blackjack asked with a grin.

"I am thinking 'Unidad-Terra 1'," Prime said. "I like the sound of 'unity' in that language."

It was silent a moment, then Hard Drive leaned forward. "I like it."

Everyone nodded, then Epps who was listening stood. :Optimus, why did you discuss this with my grandpa, other than he farmed most of his life?:

"For that very reason. I wanted to understand more about the human pursuit of agriculture, something that can benefit Earth greatly if we can figure out how to increase crop yields as well as nutritional value of food grown here given the hunger on your world. Your abba has a lot of knowledge and so does the Haddens."

"Are you going to poach the Haddens from Owen Harris?" Raptor asked with a grin.

"Yes. I am," Optimus said with a smirk. "This is what we have planned to do. Call it the first real volley over the helms of the Family, the Resistance and those who would bring harm to Mars and Earth."

They would study the plan, troubleshoot it, then kick back for a few moments of laughs, lies and gossip. Everyone would leave with an appreciation for the multiple levels of agriculture among the humans and the generosity of spirit by their titanic brethren. What would surprise the humans would be how knowledgeable the bots were about farming. Until they mentioned that they had all pretty much come across farmers in their lives and many had helped them with their work, it seemed like the most incongruous thing possible.

-0-On the way out

Ratchet and Ironhide walked out with Halo smiling at them from her Seeker bag. "Optimus likes fragging with the humans. Don't let his integrity and his awesome dignity throw you. He enjoys sticking it to them when he can."

"Mech doesn't like those who won't do the right thing. If he can eradicate hunger on Earth, he'll be the happiest mech around," Ironhide said.

"He and me both," Ratchet said as they disappeared in the pedestrian crowds all around them.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

They gathered at a table in the rec room, all of Bobby Epps' adult male family. His father, Amos sat down with his own father, Grandpa Harley. "What's up, son? We're missing a game."

"What's this I hear about you talking farming with Optimus?" Bobby asked. The others sitting around him stared at them with interest including Olivia Bowers who was sitting nearby eating lunch. Joe was out with Charlotte and Seymour doing the business of human interests.

"He wanted to know about farming, Earth style. I told him. He knows a lot about farming himself, Optimus does. I asked him how he did. Did he learn it on the internet?" Amos said. "No, he said. I've helped others in my life and travels. I can imagine he did."

"What do you think about them making a farm here? One covered in a dome and filled with humans working it, all of whom are employees of Autobot Nation?" Bobby asked.

"I say sign me up," Omar said with a grin as his father, Harley Epps nodded in agreement.

"I didn't milk cows for fifty years for nothing, Grandson. I have a lot of wisdom and some to spare," Harley said.

Bobby Epps grinned at the two men who had shown him everything he needed to be a good man. "You do, Grandpa. Do you think he's going to start a dairy?"

"I don't know. I do know if he does, then I'm in," Harley said.

Omar nodded. "Imagine. Walking out into the fields again on a sunny morning to get the cows. The last homesick feeling I have for Earth will be gone when I can." He grinned. "Well, maybe not all of them. I **do** love a good cinnamon bun from the bakery in town."

They chatted cows and cauliflower, carrots, chickens and irrigation. Every day in every way, things got better and better.

-0-Out in space

They slipped through the last layer of existence necessary to reach third dimensional space where Mars and Earth were located. They had flown here from the ninth dimension, one where having a non-corporeal body and abilities was normal and having a meat sack or metallic frame wasn't. They had arrived at last, working out together the transfer coordinates that would take them to the solar well of a little star system on the edge of something called the Orion Arm, a minor part of the galaxy they found themselves in. Cybertron was somewhere around here but they put that out of their processors. They rested side-by-side, their running lights blinking, then with a few algorithms, teleported themselves away.

Soft Space was filled with their kind, titans of all shape and form. They felt something powerful when they arrived, something that felt like a gentle embrace. Their wounds were soothed and healed. Their traumas smoothed with energy that seemed to dial itself for just such a thing. No one knew what it was or where. They just knew that their frames hid there between disasters and came there to heal. One always healed there down to their paint scheme.

Flashing away, space was once again itself, its emptiness returning as the big vessels disappeared. All was well again in essentially null space. If someone wasn't in that spot, in the end, did it really exist?

Far away, two massive vessels appeared at the edge of the solar well where a white and red doctor, a winged wonder, a chaos bringer, a titan and a dreadnought, chieftains of their people, along with the Prime of Cybertron waited to welcome them home.

-0-TBC 6-27-18 **edited 6-28-18**

NOTES:

ESL:

non-corporeal: something that has an energy body, rather than a material one like us.


	397. Chapter 397

The Diego Diaries: Out there on the edge (dd6 397)

-0-On Kappa at the solar well

They held in place, their vastness stupefying to those presently watching them from Kappa. Metroplex and Typhoon were grinning broadly as they carried on an off line conversation with both Thrasher and Invincible as they walked with Prime and his officers to the bridge in Kappa. She was laughing as she weighed in as well, filling the two in on Mars, Cybertron and the project that they had volunteered to undertake. It felt good against their armor, the happiness of the big frames as they stepped through and walked out on the deck of Thrasher.

A tall mech waited for them with a grin. He knelt down on a knee and bowed his helm. "Lord Optimus, I am Thrasher and I am yours to command. Whatever you wish me to do, that will I do."

"Stand, Thrasher," Prime said as he halted before the giant mech.

Thrasher stood and gazed at Prime with emotion. "I never believed the orn would come when I would see a living Prime again. To hear that Cybertron is back in the hands of the Autobots is a revelation that reverberates among our people elsewhere. Tell me what you wish and I will do it."

Prime extended his servo and they gripped each others wrist in the warrior shake. "I need your greatness to help put forward a project that will benefit a species that requires much help to assuage great need. Have you been given the plans and rationale for the effort ahead?"

"I have," Thrasher said. "Hosting aliens and growing things within our confines is a new direction of an old plan. We are looking forward to it and to find peace and harmony among our own kind. That so many of us are on Cybertron is a prideful thing among our frame. We are here to serve them and you without question or reserve."

Prime felt the warmth that always surged through him in the presence of the big frames. Both of these mechs were that in abundance. "Is Invincible here as well? Does he bear pretender tech as well?"

"Most of us do now. He is coming," Thrasher said. "We can meet him wherever you wish."

"Perhaps the bridge," Prime said. He turned to Ratchet. "Can you diagnose their needs there or do you require another spot?"

Ratchet looked around, then back to the two. "I can plug in anywhere but the bridge will do."

"Come with me," Thrasher said as he walked down the corridor. Lights came on as he passed, going out when they walked onward to the elevator banks nearby. Entering, they were up on the command deck in no time. Stepping out, the lights came on as Thrasher walked to the flight console and sat. He turned in his chair. "Do you wish us to wait here or go there for repairs?"

Ratchet considered that. "How much difficulty will it take for you to set down in this configuration? I'm assuming you will do some transformations in the descent?"

"We can do it many different ways," Thrasher said as another big mech walked from an elevator, crossed the deck and knelt on a knee before Prime.

"Lord Optimus … I am Invincible. Command me," he said in a deeply cultured voice.

Prime turned to him and held out his servo. "Rise, Great One, and be welcomed."

Invincible stood, then gripped Prime's servo. "I am honored to be here. I am honored to be chosen to do this."

"We are honored to have you, Invincible. The prodigals return to the fold," Prime said with a grin.

Invincible grinned, then nodded. "A good comparison to our rather lamentable life since The Fall. Now, we can do what we were created to do … serve The People and you."

"We have plans," Ratchet said. "Right now, I think I want to diagnose both of you, then decide if you can land and be worked on there or do it here." He walked to a console, plugged in, then disappeared into the data.

It was silent, then Ironhide turned to both. "We heard you were in Soft Space."

Thrasher nodded. "Its a strange cloud-like existence filled with healing, soft lights and the feeling that you will never be more safe or loved anywhere but there."

"How hard was it to leave?" Ironhide asked. "It sounds like a place to be."

"It was hard but it wasn't. Our function is paramount but there was encouragement there, somehow, to go and grasp life again. That place is still there but we are needed here. I was heavily damaged when a wolf pack found me and helped me to go there. We can move between dimensions. We're multiversal singularities so that isn't much of a problem. It was being here that was. Fortunately, that dimension was located and the word sent out to come. Some of us hiding in plain sight were prevented from leaving on our own or right away but the Titans are looking for all of us."

"There were about what … fifteen of you in total? How many do you know about?" Raptor asked.

Thrasher nodded. "There were. We have six here with the infants, the two of us and two more in Soft Space. Five more are known. It's just a matter of moving them onward into safety and that's the province of Terror."

"Terror?" Blackjack asked.

Thrasher nodded. "He's a fighting mechanism of the titan class. It's his only function. He's our general, our warrior of warriors. He's relentless and as dangerous to those who would seek our harm as anything you could ever know. He's finding the lost, figuring out rescues, then putting them in place. He organized and directs the wolf packs."

"Sounds like my kind of mech," Raptor said with a grin. "So you're telling me that he's a smarter, taller, better looking Xantium?"

"Now, General … that's my mech you're talking about," a chiding voice filled with amusement said over the intercom between ships.

"Kappy deserves only the best. I could tell you stories about Zee, Kappy," Raptor said as he grinned at speakers nearby.

"I am sure you can. Maybe even some Zee hasn't already told me," she replied with a chuckle.

They gabbed a moment exchanging information before Ratchet pulled the plug and turned to them. "I think you're slagging fine for the age and wear you've had. Maybe we can import a few pounds of Soft Space and make me obsolete."

"You mean you aren't now?" Prowl asked before a cuff to the back of his helm took care of that.

Ratchet laughed, then turned to the two who were grinning at both. "How do you want to do this? Here or there? Your command will be my wish as well."

They had a chat with Ty, then a short sweet conversation with Prime here and Jetta over the comm channel to Mars before deciding that home was where the heart wanted to be. Walking to the command chair, Optimus sat, then grinned. "This feels good."

They laughed loudly as Thrasher took the pilot's seat and Invincible turned it over on board his own deck to the drones who were his arms, legs and pilots. He sat in the navigator's chair, then glanced at Prime. "We can land partially transformed given that we have to slot together. Thrasher will go first, transforming his base to match the pad Jetta has built. Then I will descend onto mine. We can settle, transform into each other, then begin to make the rest. Most of my infrastructure will be off limits since I have the functionality of the facility and the dome to maintain as well as hold stores for the facility. I will provide one fourth of the space the aliens will use to work and live, but the rest will be maintained securely to run the facility and all its functions."

Prime nodded. "I give the operational control to both of you. Please work with Jetta and Public Works to make this happen. I have been working on this project for some time now, especially with designs and implementation of the basic steps require to land you. We have landed big ships on world many times but never two dreadnoughts together or even alone in as intricate a manner as this. This is new territory. I give you leave to do what you will. Flight Command at Fortress Maximus will be your control."

"Max is here then," Invincible said as he turned toward Prime.

"He is. He was the first to come, then Metroplex." Prime glanced at Ratchet. "We better all hold on."

"Have you told Autobot City?" Ratchet asked as he gripped a chair.

"This entire project has been kept under lock and key. The formatting of the pads was part of that effort. I recorded a message to be played once it was discovered what we were needing to do to help both Thrasher and Invincible get repairs and medical attention. It will be played on the news." He glanced at Prowl. "Please let Mars know we are coming and have the recording released to the public please. Give them the lead time to receive us."

Prowl nodded, then walked to Communications. Plugging in, he sent the requisite messages, then walked back. "It's done."

-0-The Hourly News, Mars

"And we just received a message from the Office of the Primes. This message is about the arrival of two ships on world and we will play it now," Aleph said as the screen changed to the Seal of the Primes. That, too, changed as Optimus appeared.

"Good morning, Autobot City and everyone in the colony. This is Optimus Prime and I am here to tell you that shortly from the moment of this broadcast, the colony will be supervising the landing of two dreadnought class ships returned to the fold from hiding all these long endless vorns. They are Thrasher and Invincible, two of the most fabled members of their class to ever grace Cybertronian history. They will be landing south of Terra and north of the human habitation districts. There has been construction there for some time as the City Engineer, Jetta of Iacon worked out the pads upon which both these mechanisms will rest.

"They have just arrived at the solar well and I am presuming are in good health. We are honored and delighted to have them here and willing to work for the betterment of the colony and our people. The airfields will close within fifteen minutes of their arrival in orbit of Mars and will stay closed during the entire time of their descent. Once they are secured and settled, the ban will be lifted. Highways are being closed in a tight radius around the sites and I would like everyone in the area to go inside buildings or stay away entirely. Given their great size, the energy displacement of their landing will be extreme.

"When they have accomplished that and their infrastructure support is in place, the project that I have asked them to participate in will be announced. Until then, stay back and stay away. Anyone who cannot follow these directions is placing their life in danger and will be arrested. I am very happy that two of our own are once again home and in due time, I expect that you will be able to tell them as well yourselves. Until then, keep back and keep safe. Until all are one," Prime said and then it was back to the news where they would discuss this, then send teams to film a stupendously amazing event not seen since the age of exploration after the Functionalist Dominion was put down.

Billions upon thousands of billions of tons of sentient steel would be descending from the sky casting long shadows over the city as millions of Martian Cybertronians and thousands of humans would stare from windows and safe distances away. Two monster ships would blot out the sun as they made a maneuver for the ages. Among them on the ground, having bridged to the closest safe spot nearby, the steps of Terra, Jetta and his crews would be watching both come in with the same sense of awe as everyone else.

Ratchet would be watching them with a critical optic as he made a list of slag to fix.

It would be awesome.

-0-TBC 6-28-18 **edited 7-1-18**


	398. Chapter 398

The Diego Diaries: Farmville (dd6 398)

-0-Goin' Down

He sat winched into the command chair as all around him the displaced energy, gigantic engines and slow steady descent of the big mechanism in tandem with the other ship created havoc to everyone else not fast enough to sit and buckle in. Prime glanced around with a grin as he watched Ratchet bounce all over the deck with a giant smile on his face. He was hopping around like a drop of water on a hot surface, arms flying and legs akimbo.

Ultra Magnus had lasted gamely for a while but fell on his aft even so. He was currently sliding toward the forward bulkhead on his back with a disgusted expression on his face. Prime waved a servo as he slid past earning a frown from Magnus as he did.

Behind Prime sitting on his backside, Raptor popped around the floor with loud laughter. Hard Drive was magnetized to the floor, a risky move with few dividends. He was flouncing as the rumbling made him look like a wooden puppet on a stand with a button underneath that made the toy fall down limply, then straighten back up when released. He was actually laughing loudly at the absurdity even as he hung on for the duration. It was remarkable that his limbs didn't fly off his body.

Ironhide had lost his footing and was rolling around the floor like an oversize bowling pin, his arms flailing as he tried to grab something to hold onto. Ratchet bounced past him with a smile, then hollered to Ironhide. **"MAGNETIZE YOUR AFT, IRONHIDE!"** he said as he bopped onward heading toward the walls again.

Ironhide did and found his legs and arms bouncing like ping pong balls in a whirlwind. **"FRAG! THAT HURTS!"** he bellowed as he demagnetized and found himself sliding in the general direction of Ultra Magnus.

Arcee who had joined late and found a console seat to buckle into laughed loudly. "I could watch this all orn."

So could Prime.

-0-A good joor before on world

Prowl walked to the door to take a bridge to a ship. Prime was there and would ride the vessel downward. Invincible would be following just several hundred feet higher, then link up on ground level. He would hold 600 feet above ground while Thrasher set down and was hooked in to the general set up. The rest would follow after Invincible settled himself. Orders had been issued and the media had been alerted.

All was go.

-0-Hoomans

In the habitats around the colony, all the humans were getting the word. They wore a band on their wrists that seemed innocuous and was very thin. Some of the more fashionable complained about how plain it was but they would find out today, most of them, one of the many reasons they were required, these tough devices that could withstand everything including attempts to tamper and scan. They located the lost and gave information to the entire group when needed. Or to the one. It depended upon the message. Right now, the adults and elders of all the human population stopped to listen to the message being relayed through their bands.

"This is the Office of Emergency Services who with Fortress Maximus Flight Center have prepared a bulletin for all humans on world. Please listen carefully. All flight traffic into and off world will be put on hold for the next two hours due to the landing on world of two dreadnought class vessels in the construction site southwest of the Mall of the Tri-Cities, southeast of the Industrial Park Cities and west of most of the habitation areas of the colony.

"Construction has been undertaken there for the past month in preparation for their arrival. Because they are ships of the highest titanic rating, the operation of their landing is very dangerous to those on the ground. The areas from the Terra Hub though the Industrial Parks Cities, south through the Tri-Cities and north to Seven Cities-South are being evacuated of all traffic as well as those who work in the Public Works buildings along the Industrial Park Highway to prevent anything untoward happening. The area for 100 square miles in all directions will be evacuated of traffic and all who might be there to ensure that nothing and no one is overlooked.

"It is impossible to stress how important it is that you be out of the zone of concern that landing such vessels creates. The displacement of energy will create a dust cloud that in all likelihood will take more than one day to dissipate. Debris blown away in the displacement will turn small objects into lethal weapons. Anyone who feels the need to breach the barricade we are creating around the disrupted area will be arrested and face charges. If these ships land on you for whatever reason, you will perish forever. There will be no way to retrieve you.

"The operation will begin when the sirens sound. The lights of the metro-titans will continue to flash for the duration of the descent. Heed them. When the ships are secured and all is in hand, sirens will sound again. You will still be barred from going there until the final all clear is given by Commander Jetta of Iacon who is chief engineer of the colony and this project. A dreadnought class ship has never landed on world," Inferno lied as he read the message. "This is new territory for this colony. Heed this warning and all will be well. Breach it, then go to jail. Inferno for Emergency Services, out."

The message stopped but the organizing didn't. Every Day Watchman, most of the Night Watch and several hundred soldiers were building road blocks and manning sensor sweeps of the area to reach everyone who might wander in while Seekers waited to lift off to provide assistance for the ships. All were working hard. It would be a massive, massive operation.

-0-Earth 1

"God, I wish I could see this. Television doesn't do it justice," Brandon Clark said to Jerry Skura who nodded in agreement. Brandon had ordered everyone at the habitat who was still on world and not gadding about with the Autobots around the system to return. All of the habitats had the same orders. Return, count everyone, then send the report to Emergency Services in Metrotitan.

He did.

-0-Earth2

They stood at the window with a grim countenance. They wanted to watch but had to comply. To not comply with emergency bulletins or orders was to be kicked off world forever. Safety was the mantra of the day every day. A monitor played the operation which showed a lot of equipment leaving the pad where the ships were apparently going to sit.

"No one knew this was going on," Kyle said as he hung up on the Consulate. He had called everyone and no one knew or was willing to tell what was going on. "What is he up to?"

Owen Harris shrugged. "I don't know. What would you do with two ships that big?"

"Something big as well," Perry Beliveau said.

Cameron Fraser who was staring at the monitor nearby glanced at them. "Building a habitat?"

Owen glanced at him, then the window. "I wouldn't put it past him. But to what ends?" he asked himself. "What are you up to, Prime?"

-0-Prime

He laughed as the ships began to vibrate anew as they hit the atmosphere of Mars in a big way. Though there wasn't much of one, the difference in texture between void and something capable of weather and winds was instructive. Ratchet was howling with laughter as he popped around on his aft like kernels of corn in hot oil.

Magnus and Ironhide had slid from the front to the back and were heading back to the front again as both of them gave in to the inevitable. It was now impossible to stand up without enormous luck and skill so they gave in and slid on their backs however the ship vibrated.

Raptor had given up and when he slid past Arcee's chair gripped it tightly. He lasted a while, then slid onward torn from his grip by the increased vibration of the vessels. Hard Drive had shaken himself half to pieces and thus, gave up the ghost. He had slid on his aft toward the back of Prime's chair, then braced himself with his peds from going further. They were having a laugh riot together as the rest slid and bounced around the floor.

Sitting buckled in at the consoles around the room, the others mocked the bouncers unmercifully. Ratchet didn't care. He had no shame. He sat on his aft smiling broadly as he skidded and bounced back and forth. It would be an amusing descent for some and an ordeal best not talked about by others.

-0-Resort, N.E.S.T., Family Tower, Sciences

They were all there but for the on world N.E.S.T. leadership. Epps, Graham, Fulton and Morshower who had come over along with Joe Bowers and Will Lennox were in Ops Center watching film of the deck on Thrasher. The mechs bouncing and sliding around were **ENORMOUS** entertainment for everyone there including the humans.

The Resort, Tower and Sciences were gathered around monitors watching with amazement as Harley and Amos Epps grinned. The farm was coming to town.

Literally.

-0-Consulate

"Sam told me that the new ships can be seen by us from here when they finish transforming," Carly Brooks-Spencer said as she stood at the window with her colleagues. They could see nothing yet but the rise of dust in the area.

"What do you suppose Prime is doing?" the Australian consul asked.

Carly shrugged. "I have no clue," she said truthfully.

-0-Around the area

Literally tens of thousands of Cybertronians gathered around the edges of the quarantined area to watch the show. Security was out in force and the area where the vessels would land was nearly evacuated. Big equipment had been removed and the last of the worker bees were driving swiftly away. There was massive underground infrastructure for the vessels to feed and manage their maintenance. It would be occupied after they sat and all of the hookups that were going to happen would then. Right now, it was evac time and everyone was churning up dust to get clear.

When they would, the sirens would roll and the titans around the area would flash their lights until the all clear sounded again.

-0-Coming down

Thrasher who was flying himself downward was also enjoying himself on a scale that was hard to imagine prior to leaving Soft Space. For a very dignified mech, all of the hoo-haw undergoing around him was hilarious. He was laughing as hard as Prime who was having a good time watching his command crew flailing in the turbulence. He had warned them and they had taken reasonable precautions for a normal ship but these weren't normal vessels. He was as fully mature as Ty but bigger. Both he and Invincible were either 15 miles in hull length or close to it. Given their age and life experiences, they were unclear how big they really were themselves. It never came up in conversation.

Neither of them were size queens.

Dust began to rise as the downward push of this much weight met the unyielding ground below. The turbulence would get worse before it got better.

-0-Jetta

He stood on a safe hillside watching the dark spots overhead coming closer to the ground. The area had been policed and no one was in harms way but the few rocks that would be pulverized when billions of tons settled down on the ground. The shock waves would be minimal due to the unheard of strength of the two mechs but it would be felt everywhere. Things might even fall off shelves. Dust was kicking up and would be an issue for a while. Removing dunes from the city would take a few orns. It would be a small price to pay for the benefit of having another two dreads in The City. Paribolus was helping them with an off line conversation. He would be happy to have another dread on the ground here as well.

Dust kicked up and there was nothing to see but a dark spot overhead heading their way. Then thrusters kicked in and a whirlwind of dust blotted out even that.

-0-On Thrasher

He was in conversation with Invincible as they descended together. Thrasher led the descent, heading more slowly toward the ground as his thrusters slowed and controlled their downward movement. It lightened the hilarity of those unfortunate enough not to get a seat belt and they began to stagger back to their peds.

Prime glanced their way with huge amusement as they did. Watching the altimeter nearby on a console, he waited for touchdown. As Magnus and Ironhide walked forward with grim expressions, the thrusters cut out, then they finally set down with a gigantic internal rumbling thud. Ironhide and Magnus, Ratchet, Raptor and Hardie hit the deck, then were tossed upward to hit the ceiling before falling back down with a rapturous clatter. Laying where they fell and listening to the birdies sing, Prime leaned over to look at Magnus. "We touched down, Magnus. Just so you know."

He sat back with a grin. Sometimes it was good to be Prime.

-0-TBC 6-29-18 **edited 7-1-18**

In most shows, gravity plating of some sort prevents that from happening. However, it didn't this time. I love G1 Prime. He would howl with laughter over such tomfoolery. :D

That is a great introduction, 'I am Invincible'. Until you told me, kattenbelletje, I hadn't noticed it. :D:D That's why readers are gold. HUGS!


	399. Chapter 399

The Diego Diaries: Farmville (dd6 399)

-0- **Touchdown!**

Ratchet sat up and glanced around, noting that everyone was sitting up as well while Prime howled with laughter still winched into his chair. Ratchet stood up, then walked to Prime. **"GLAD TO MAKE YOUR ORN, FRAGGER!"**

Prime unbuckled, then stood. "You're welcome, slaggers."

Thrasher, who though warrior class was a gent and who'd never seen a Prime joke let alone laugh like a maniac, stood up from the conn. "Touchdown, Lord Optimus," he said with a smile. "Invincible is making the seal and setting the coordination for the dome now."

Prime nodded, then glanced around. "What is it like outside? As bad as we expected?"

Magnus consulted a console, then turned to Prime. "Yes."

Ratchet howled, then grinned at Prime. "That was funny, somehow."

Magnus smirked at his ada-in-law. "Glad to entertain you."

"You did." -everyone there including Prime.

Thrasher glanced around, then nodded. "I thought it was funny, too."

A few moments of agreement met that dazzling assessment, then Invincible entered from a heavy door that formed to connect both operational centers. He bowed his helm to Prime, then glanced around. "Did I miss something?" he asked even though he knew. He had been linked into Thrasher from space.

Huge laughter among the warrior classes.

"Lord Optimus, the dome is programmed to go up. I will start the programming now. The energy form will cover the allotted space instantly including down 200 feet into the soil to make an enclosed pod for the working and living space for humans. This will prevent any breaks in the dome or the possibility of leaks underground, or above for that matter. It will also take care of any radium leaks that might be here. I haven't had time to assess the soil yet," Thrasher said. "It will take about two minutes for it to change into a solid feature. The solidity of the dome will take about half a breem to become impervious to impacts, then it'll be self maintaining. My sensors will be linked with Thrasher and monitor every square inch of our features and super structure together."

"And that's why the titan classes are **the mech** ," Ratchet said as he slipped his arm through that of Thrasher.

Thrasher who didn't mind having one of the most beautiful mechs he had ever seen hanging on his arm grinned at Ironhide. "Jealous, much?" he ventured to the big grinning Autobot standing by his father.

Ironhide laughed. **"YES!"**

They walked to the door nearby which was a sheet of glass-like translucence, hooting and hollering to Ironhide as he followed. Outside in dome, the dust level was amazing. As they watched, it swiftly dropped as the air became clear and normalized very swiftly. Outside the dome, it was a different thing altogether. Thrasher turned to Prime. "Shall we go out?" he asked.

"After you," Prime said as Prowl joined them through the double steel doors from Invincible's Ops Center.

The door opened and they walked through, entering a vastness that was nearly impossible to comprehend that would be accessible and completely safe for the humans who would work here. Outside the dome, a sandstorm was raging as some of the heavier particulates fell back down sliding off the dome as they landed. It would take a few joors for most and a couple of orns for the finer stuff to settle back down out there. Public Works would be digging out the cities for some time.

Prime walked forward heading toward an indentation nearby. "Is this where the pond is going to be?" he asked with a grin as Jetta and his team ran out of the operational center to join them.

Jetta laughed. "I don't know."

Mack who was with him consulted his datapad with the plans. "It's four miles that way, Prime," he said pointing to the west.

"Four miles. The humans are going to come apart at the seams over this," Ratchet said. "Maybe we need to start a series here. "'Farmville: The Passion'. I can see it now. It'll feature a doctor with miraculous servos and his beau, someone with nice shoulders. They can roll across the prairie and set up a log cabin by that pond. It'll feature the usual strife, double entendre, passionate 'facing, and divorce. Can't you just **SEE IT!?** " he asked as he turned to the group with a giant smile.

They would agree, some of them, after they finished laughing loudly.

Even Magnus. Humans, the insectoidal indigenous lifeforms of Earth, were hilarious sometimes even to him.

Prime laughed, then put in the call he planned for his new team. Walking forward, they continued inward to the vastness that would be Unidad-Terra 1.

-0-The Family Tower

Harley and Amos Epps walked to the door with their 'great sonny boy', Bobby. They went down and entered a truck, a Cybertronian truck, to go to the newest habitat on world. Another truck had driven to Earth2 and amongst the startlement of the masses there retrieved Zak and Monica Hadden. They had been as surprised as everyone else including the management who had come to see what was what. Climbing into the vehicle which was Inferno in armored truck format, they drove out to 'see Prime'.

Owen Harris watched them go with the others inside the habitat. "What's Prime doing? Why would he ask for Zak and Monica? I don't know what he's playing at but something tells me we have competition."

"Fuck that," Kyle Davis said with a frown.

"Indeed," Owen Harris replied.

-0-On the way

They drove through a dark firestorm of flying sand on a highway that had drifts everywhere. Inferno taking this form, his usual one when things were like this, traversed them easily. He was silent until Zak leaned closer to the dash. "Inferno? Are you there? We got your message. What's going on?"

"Prime asked me to get you and bring you to the new installation. I don't know more than that, Zak. Prime needs both of you for something," he replied.

"Okay." Zak sat back and took Monica's hand into his. "This is a big mess. How long do you imagine its going to take to get things back to normal?"

Inferno chuckled. "We're going to be at this a while. The finest particulates might not clear up for months. Wheeljack and Perceptor are working on some kind of ionization thing or something to clear the air. I don't know about that kind of science but I know those two can fix anything but a broken spark."

Monica chuckled. "I love them." She grinned. "I love this place. Thank you, Inferno, for letting us live here. This is the greatest experience of my life, knowing this place and your people."

They couldn't see him smile but he did. "No problem. Ditto," he said as they blasted ahead into the darkness.

-0-Driving to the newest, swankest place in town

Omar and Harley Epps sat in the vehicle with their 'perfect son', Will Lennox, Niall Graham, and Gavin Pritchard who was in the building at the time. It was dark and they were hurtling over dunes and other masses of sand on their way to a looming darkness ahead. "Where are we now?" Omar asked.

A voice from the radio spoke. "We're nearly there, Mr. Epps. That dark shape ahead is Thrasher and Invincible."

They stared out the window at a massive darkness coming ever closer. "Well, isn't that something?" Harley Epps said as they disappeared into the darkness.

-0-Sciences

"This might be the thing. It'll lower the particulates in the air by about 85%. That should make the visible field of sight for the humans about 50% better." Wheeljack glanced at Perceptor. "I wish Ratchet were here. I have no idea how an 85% clearance of the air would result in a 50% increase in visibility even for humans."

Perceptor nodded. "I don't know either. Poor little organics," he said as he consulted his datapad.

Wheeljack grinned. Perceptor got cuter and cuter every orn in his optics.

-0-Inside Thrasher's Ops Center

They met nearly at the same time, then drove inside. Letting out their passengers, the two transformed. The other mech was Squint, a former Decepticon brought in with Knockout and Breakdown who was a shift boss and general manager of the Public Works teams that made the colony fit to live in. He had been a hard helmed and greatly feared Decepticon but now he was a bond, a father of two little femmes that he worshiped like the goddesses that they were and a friend of Jetta, Bulkhead, Payload, and other members of his circle and union.

He stood beside Inferno, an unheard of thing in the past without shots fired and followed the humans as they walked toward the doors ahead. They instructed them to do so and as the humans worked to cross the floor, the big mechs called to them, picked them up and walked out the door to the group standing some distance away, talking together as they pointed to things all around. The humans were overawed into silence as they sat on the mechs servos and stared around themselves.

Prime and the others turned to them as they reached their group. "Welcome," Prime said with a grin. "Let me introduce you," he said. "This is Thrasher and Invincible, the two mechs whose forms have created this habitat. They are dreadnought class vessels and have agreed to come here to live and form this space."

Through the door nearby, a number of giant mechs walked out to join them including Dangerous, Clipper, Typhoon, Tennyson, Metroplex, Paribolus, Caminus, Tyke to kibitz, Fort Max to congratulate, and Metrobon because he was a gossip. They joined the group, chatted happily a moment, then turned to Prime. "Our frame is overjoyed about this new development, Lord Optimus," Caminus said. "More will come and we will be at your beck and call."

"Thank you. When was it ever not so?" Prime asked. "Your honor precedes you, my friends." He turned to the humans. "Zak Hadden, is your father Leslie Hadden?"

:Uh, yes sir. My father teaches at the University of Minnesota: Zak said.

"You can remove your gear inside the dome," Jetta said. "Everything including particulates in the air is optimal."

The humans removed their head gear, then looked around with amazement. "What can we do for you, Lord Optimus?" Monica asked with a slightly breathy tone.

Ratchet scanned her. "You're about to hyperventilate, infant. Take a moment to relax and breathe deeply."

They watched her with concern as she complied, then looked up at Ratchet. "I'm better. It's just … this is so exciting and I love this world so much. Zak and I … we feel so privileged to be here let alone spend time like this with you."

Everyone stared at them for a moment, their emotions evident as well. Zak and Monica Hadden were elevated onto the Family List at that moment by all of them. "We return the sentiments, Mrs. Hadden. What we have created here is a habitat that will be a farming and manufacturing experiment. This habitat will be owned and operated by us, Autobot Nation, and will be housed and staffed by human employees of the same. They will be employed by the Prime Foundation and subject to us, our rules, regulations and laws both inside and outside of the facility.

"We will be working on agriculture, medicine, transportation, environmental problems related to Earth, hard science, animal husbandry and medicine, and other avenues that are still under development. All of this research and development will be for the ultimate benefit of Earth and her people. We are very concerned about the problems afflicting your planet and this is a way to assist. This facility will house, potentially, 45,000 individuals with the ability for infinite expansion in future. For now, we will begin with 10,000. All of them will be related to those industries we will be starting up first including manufacturing and construction. We will develop trade agreements through Autobot Nation, Incorporated to send our results to Earth at no cost as the program warrants. Right now, we need a visionary agricultural specialist to head the largest industry that we will be managing here, someone like your father, Mr. Hadden."

Zak who listened to Prime almost in a state of trance glanced at his wife who was in the same condition. "My father? **HE'D DIE TO COME HERE!** This is what he tried to teach others to do all his life. **MY FATHER AND MOTHER WOULD PAY YOU TO COME HERE!"** He caught himself. "My mother is a botanist with a specialty in bees."

Monica nodded.

"Her expertise would be most welcome, too. He would be director for agriculture and all related areas for the facility and report to me and my designated farm liaisons, Generals Raptor and Blackjack," Prime said with a grin.

Everyone glanced at Blackjack and Raptor who stared back with surprise. Then Blackjack howled. Reaching into his carry hold, he pulled out a surprised little cow, one with a Holstein paint scheme. Setting him on the ground, Raptor complied with his own, a tiny Hereford with horns. Everyone stared at them, then the two.

Raptor grinned. "Moile. The first two cows in the habitat."

"Oh, my god," Monica said as Inferno put both her and Zak on the ground. She walked to the two tiny cows, both of them reaching her shoulder in height. She grinned up at the bots.

"The good looking one is Pudding and the other one is Flipper," Raptor said with great pride.

Blackjack frowned at his father.

Everyone around him grinned.

"Pudding, I can see, but Flipper?" Monica asked.

"My son made the mistake of pulling his ear," Blackjack said with a proud smile.

"Shame on you, Ironhide," Monica said with a smile and wink at the big mech who grinned. Then she hugged the little cow.

They would spend an hour walking around the farm land, then head inside. The part of the facility facing the dome was fronted with clear reinforced aluminum allowing the light to flood the facility. The ground floor was administrative, held the huge commercial sector and would be the 'lounge' of the habitat with different places to play and exercise including a huge pool.

There were facilities for a barber, two beauty salons, groceries, restaurants of all manner, a multiplex theater, three clubs which were also bars, a post office, city hall where Leslie Hadden would work if hired, a small hospital, a police station with little sub stations on each floor for the security force that would be Springer's to manage, a tiny jail, a big library and media center, a broadcast station and studio connected to all the habitats and IntraComm, a newspaper office for dailies and magazines for anyone who wanted or needed to publish … that space would maintain the web pages for the facility … a huge expandable school for children from baby to high school, a nascent college facility for those who would graduate the local schools then move onward and any adults who wanted education, a dining hall with cafe and cafeteria that be repeated on deck three and five, places for those who didn't want to cook at home to eat in community, and other space to be utilized later on.

That didn't count the two-to-three bedroom apartments, studios and dormitory living facilities for the resident employees.

Some of the commercial and public facilities were clustered together on deck three and five to make the place less dependent on the first floor and control traffic better. The facility would utilize four wheeled vehicles some of which would be automated 'cabs' and huge elevators located at each end and in the middle of the facility. They would follow the roads laid out with bordering sidewalks for pedestrians and utilize traffic lights at the intersections. There was a massive warehouse and delivery system set up in the back of floor one which would be the sector that would deal with the outside.

It was overwhelming, spectacularly beautiful and infinitely well thought out. The humans sat on their mech's servos, then Harley looked up at Prime. "What do you want me to do, Prime? I'm ready to go." Omar nodded as well.

"I would like you, gentlemen, to start a dairy here. I would like you to produce the typical products that such a situation creates." He glanced at the Haddens. "I would also like a vineyard and orchard. The Hu-An will be consulting. I expect Larc shortly."

"He wants butter and cheese, Daddy," Omar said to his father who nodded. "We can do that." Omar looked up at Prime. "We're going to have to look at some cows, Optimus. We're in."

Prime grinned. "Thank you, gentlemen. We will help you facilitate your situation. Mr. Hadden? Would your father be interested?"

"I can call him. **Now** , even," Zak said with a hopeful expression.

"Here," Lennox said. He punched some buttons. "Dial like normal. I put it on speaker for Optimus."

Zak nodded, dialed the phone, then waited nervously.

"Leslie Hadden," a voice was heard to say.

 **"DAD! THIS IS ZAK!"**

" **ZAK!** How are you, son? How is Mars? Is Owen still giving you shit?" the voice asked.

" **DAD!** Listen. You know the thing that's going on? On Mars with the big ships landing?" Zak asked nearly breathlessly.

"Yes. We're watching it on TV now," Leslie replied.

"I'm standing inside it. It's a domed habitat for farming," Zak said. "Optimus Prime is right here. He wants to know if you'd like to be director for agriculture here."

It was silent a moment as the bots leaned slightly forward to listen.

 **"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?"** -Leslie

" **YES!"** Zak held out the phone. **"HERE'S OPTIMUS PRIME, DAD!"**

Prime grinned slightly. "Mr. Hadden, this is Optimus Prime."

" **OH! MY! GOD! YES! YES! WHATEVER YOU WANT!"** -Leslie Hadden agreeing to the greatest event of his life short of his marriage and the birth of his kids.

Prime grinned at Zak. "I think we have a director."

They would.

-0-TBC 7-1-18 Happy July, everyone. :D **edited 7-1-18**

Sorry this is late. I'm planning for two a day but slag happens. Last night, I stood by the window looking out at nearly midnight. It looked like three in the afternoon on a sunny day. **ALL HAIL, ALASKA!** Hugs, forever. :D


	400. Chapter 400

The Diego Diaries: Farmville (dd6 400) (Sixth time we have passed 400 since 2010) :D

-0-University of Minnesota Administration Building

He ran in, then paused to catch his breath. Glancing around, he ran toward the office of the President down the corridor nearby, flashed through the outer office startling everyone there, then opened the door to the office of the Big Kahuna himself. He stopped before the desk of the President who nearly jumped out of his chair in surprise. Eric Kaler stared at Leslie Hadden with fright. **"WHAT!?"**

Leslie caught his breath. **"ERIC! TERRIE AND I NEED A SABBATICAL STAT!"**

-0-Terrie Hadden

She sat in her office quivering with surprise after Les had called her. She stood up, then sat down, then stood again.

Mars.

They were going to Mars.

To work.

On a farm.

On Mars.

For Optimus Prime.

With their son and daughter-in-law.

On a farm.

On Mars.

She rose and walked to the door of her office in the Science Building at the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences. She opened it, looked at everyone there who glanced up to look at her, then screamed as loudly as she could.

-0-Kaler v Hadden

"You have classes for a few more weeks, Les, before we can let you have one."

"My grad students can finish them. They have my notes, they have my tests, they have my confidence. I'm going to be director for agriculture on Mars for the Prime of Cybertron."

"I know that, Les. Congratulations, by the way. However, we **do** have this matter of your classes."

"I have two classes, master students. My grads can finish. **I NEED THAT SABBATICAL, ERIC!"**

-0-Terrie

" **I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! TAKE ME!"** -everyone in her office

-0-Les

He walked out of the building with a grin and sabbaticals in hand. He didn't expect to honor them by coming back when they were completed but he was a man of his generation. His Depression era parents would hate for him to take a high flying risk without a net. Heading for his office, he would rent a u-haul trailer, load his slag before dinnertime and head for home after prepping his **SERIOUSLY JEALOUS** grad students to finish the three weeks left of his master classes, all two of them. He would park in the driveway of his house beside his wife's car and u-haul trailer when he got home. It would be a very screamy evening in their house as they Skyped with their son and called their entire family including their three sons who were farmers in Iowa to tell them.

They would scream, too.

Christmas was going to be awesome this year for everyone.

-0-Back at the habitat

They were dropped off by Inferno and entered from the darkness outside. Waiting at the door was Owen Harris, Pierre Beliveau, Kyle Davis, Hamilton Brown, Steven Jameson, and some of their wives who hung back to watch. Also hanging back were the Daniels and nearby, Nast. It was amazing how alive the grapevine was in the habitat. Everyone wanted to know everything.

"Hello. You're back," Owen said as the two slowed to halt in front of the group.

"We are." Zak took Monica's hand into his. They both squeezed.

"Where did you go? Did you go to the new ships? I'm curious what Prime is planning here," Owen asked smoothly.

Zak glanced at Monica, the two thinking about what Prime had suggested they tell anyone who asked.

The truth.

Zak looked at the group, then Owen. "Optimus Prime is opening another habitat dedicated to research and development in the areas of farming, manufacturing and construction techniques. We've been asked about the farming aspect for some time and they wanted us to see what they created."

The group looked shocked and surprised, then Owen stepped closer. "What **did** they create?"

Zak grinned internally even as his face was solemn externally. "They created a ten story habitation with a complete city inside, more spacious state of the art labs and facilities than I've seen at international corporations on Earth, a plan for helping Earth with all the discoveries, and 80 square miles of dome-enclosed farming land."

It was so silent among the group that they appeared to be statues to Zak and Monica, then Steve Jameson spoke. "And you never saw fit to tell us about this?"

"No," Zak said equally coldly. "I'm not obligated to tell you everything that I do, think and believe. The United Nations Charter and our Constitution apply here, too. Prime asked. We answered."

"You're employed here. Your first responsibility is to **here**. I'm disappointed in you both," Owen said.

"Then we resign," Zak said following the plan Prime had laid out. "Both of us. We'll leave now. I'm not your slave, Owen, and neither is my wife. We resign. We'll gather our stuff and call a cab." He started to walk around Owen who stepped in front of him.

"Just like that. You'll quit," Owen said with suspicion.

"You have no confidence in us and I'm tired of negative scrutiny. I think having worked here all this time that it won't be hard to find a job somewhere," Zak said.

"At the other habitat, I suppose?" Pierre asked.

"None of your business. We've resigned," Zak tugged Monica's hand as he walked past Owen, bumping him with his shoulder as he did.

Fury flashed in Owen, then died equally quickly. He watched them go, then turned to the others. "Who wants to bet that Prime has his first employees?"

No one did.

-0-Upstairs

They gathered at the door and in the living room of the Haddens. They were packing, which wouldn't take long, and chatting. There were upset individuals watching them gather up, but it was inevitable. Everyone knew that the Haddens had gotten on the bad side of management and this was the result. Zak turned to them. "When we get where we're going, I'll call you. Bonny? I'll call **you**. You tell everyone and give them our numbers. Okay?"

Bonny who looked emotional nodded. Everyone hugged, then helped the Haddens carry their things to the elevator and the habitat doors below. They walked across the concourse drawing more and more as they passed by. Reaching the door, they opened it to see a white cab waiting. It was Hot Rod detailed to imitate one to get the Haddens safely away. He would bring both to Unidad-Terra 1 when he left here.

They hugged again, then boarded with their things, waving to everyone on the other side of the door. They drove away and a silent tense group walked back to their jobs. They passed a pensive Owen Harris and Company when they did.

-0-Moments later

It was a jarring ride through the sand dunes that were drifted everywhere with the odd boulder piled here and there. The air looked clearer as Wheeljack and Perceptor managed the same programming and equipment that prevented sandstorms to form worldwide on this problem. It would be 85% clearer soon but they would only be able to see 50% of what was before the blasts. They didn't care. They were heading for The Ranch as Unidad-Terra 1 would become known. From The Farm at Earth2 to The Ranch. It was all for the good.

They entered the vast building as Hot Rod transformed, shifting their gear to his carry hold. It barely filled the palm of his servo as he walked in with a grin behind them. The doors closed, atmosphere rectified and they walked into the facility through the hatches. Prime and his mechs were waiting for them, expecting them to be swiftly returned. He grinned. "Was there any trouble for you to leave?" he asked.

"They wanted to make it, Lord Optimus," Zak said as he paused before the giant mech. "They wanted a fight. I told them I'd be resigning with Monica and they had suspicions. I didn't tell them a thing beyond what you said to say, but I think they know where we're headed." He grinned. "It felt so good to resign. Everyone in our group would come as well if they could."

"We will look at that as we go," Prime said. "Any word from your father?"

"He called when we were packing and I took the call in private," Zak said handing the phone back to Will. "Thanks," he said. "Dad has a sabbatical and so does Mom. They're home getting organized to come. To say they're excited and ready to go is an understatement."

Prime grinned. "I can imagine," he said as he looked at the humans gathered around. "It would appear you will be the first to live here. It's rather large but should soon be filled with occupants. Warren Roberts is going to handle that prospect for us. If you know those who would be an asset and who can work well with others which I consider a vital component to our success, send my office their names and I will forward them to Warren. Until the public announcement is made, this is not for publication."

"Understood," Zak said. "I won't … neither of us … we won't let you down. Thank you for this incredible honor, sir."

Prime nodded. "I look forward to what you can create here. Omar and Harley Epps are masters at their craft and so are the Hu-An. I know you will do us all proud here."

They chatted a moment, going over what they would do. Omar and Harley Epps would be moving into large adjoining apartments on the top floor with room for their spouses, grandchildren and other family when they visited. They would be able to see into the vast wastelands of Mars toward the cliff sides near the blue dunes. It would be amazing. It would be from that height that housing would begin to be assigned until the last human required was placed here. Most of the housing would be locked up and kept for later on. The Haddens, Junior and Senior, would live in big apartments on the same floor across the hall from the Epps. It would be a very, very congenial association.

It would be a very empty place for the few who would first come, who would walk around the silent storefronts and streets of the habitat. The only place that felt alive and welcoming until more humans came was the vast and fertile lands of the farm itself.

-0-Minneapolis-St Paul Airport, Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota, USA, Earth

It was the evening of the second day since they were informed that they were going to be going to Mars. It took an entire day to put everything on auto pay, call his son to come by and be shown how to manage the house and grounds while they were gone, something he did always anyway since they were so internationally in demand, help pack and kennel the three dogs that were their babies, then drive them to the airport for transport to Mars by an Autobot cargo ship heading this way to deliver goods to the Autobot Outpost Store here in the city.

Everyone was excited as they walked through security at the VIP sector, then into the lounge where they would wait. A number of young wealthy individuals were there waiting for their private jets to refuel as well as a couple of famous actors going home to California. They walked in, two trim but ordinarily dressed individuals with a son who hugged them, then headed back out. They walked to the bar, then sat. Smiling at the bartender, they ordered beer and a sandwich. Neither had eaten much in the frenzy to get ready to go.

They sat quietly eating as the bartender and a waiter took care of everyone. Outside on the lighted runway a ship was rolling their way. It was big, had a **HUGE** Autobrand on the sides and was a sleek white. Everyone inside paused their business to look. The actors stood up and walked to the windows. "I've never been around to see an Autobot ship in person before. I wonder if its sentient?"

"I don't know," the other said.

The wealthy kids rose and walked to the window to watch. "I wonder where its going?" one asked.

"To Mars. Autobot City," Leslie said with a wink to his wife. They were wolfing down their food and drinking their beer as best they could.

"Well, most of them do," one of the actors said.

Leslie stood, paid the bartender with a big, big tip, then turned to go with his wife's stuff. "We know. See you there," he said as an airport security guard entered. "Mr and Mrs. Hadden?" he asked.

"That's us," Les said as he grinned at the youngster.

He grinned back. "The Autobots are ready for you to board. They have your baggage already and your dogs."

"Thank you so much," Terrie said with relief. "How do we board?" she asked.

"Follow me," the guard said as he walked to a door, unlocked it and let them out. He stepped out and locked the door behind him.

The others stared at the door, then the outside where the two were walking to the ship. A beam of light shot out to the ground, then with hesitation, the two walked up it to the ship. The guard stepped back as the ship signaled lift off. Rising gently into the air, it then sped upward into the night to disappear in seconds.

No one said much in the VIP lounge after that for a while.

-0-In an apartment in the sky

"Hello. Bonny?"

Here, Zak. Where are you?" Bonny Evers asked as she paused at the pond. She was measuring its pH values, something she did every day.

"At Unidad-Terra 1, or as Monica and I call it … The Ranch," Zak said as he stood with Monica and looked out at the far away dunes.

"Oh, my god," Bonny whispered. "How do I get out of this prison?" she asked.

-0-TBC 7-1-18 **edited 7-5-18**

NOTES:

Eric Kaler is the current president of the University of Minnesota. There. He's now infamous. ;)


	401. Chapter 401

The Diego Diaries: 'Epps: The Moosical' (dd6 401)

-0-At the Autobot City Interplanetary Municipal Airport, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Zak Hadden paced nearby as Monica sat beside Bobby Epps on a couch in the airport waiting for a supply ship from Earth to arrive with his parents. They had lifted off about an hour ago to pick up a mech from Diego, then continue onward. They were part of the Autobot Nation fleet, a shipping arm of the Autobot Nation Foundation and Commercial Enterprise entity that supplied their stores worldwide and facilitated other business transactions. There were centralized warehouses all over the Earth which were supplied with product. That product was then dispersed to stores or to customers through their burgeoning online presence.

He turned to the pair. "I guess we live in Unidad now," Zak said. "Weird how fast things can change."

Bobby nodded. "I know. I had no idea that my dad and granddad were part of Prime's plans. They retired as farmers. Now they're back at it."

"I think its wonderful. My dad and mom are easy to work with. They're all about the work and the ideas. They don't run things like a pirate. Owen Harris targeted us from the moment we agreed to help Optimus with his plans." Zak shook his head. "He doesn't like having to toe lines or having employees that don't obey everything he says. I think there's going to be a lot of Earth2 workers jumping ship."

"Then he'll have to replace them. Right now, we know who you are. Newcomers could be a hazardous proposition," Bobby said. "We'll take it day by day."

Zak nodded. Then he turned back to the window as the sound of an engine making its way toward them was heard. Lights flashed through the facility from an approaching ship, blindly bright in the facility which was empty on the Earth side of the building. Steeko was there to put them through immigration but no one else was. The other side, the bot side was busy as usual orn and night.

The vessel came forward, then turned slightly to align with the jetway that would allow the humans to walk off into safety. It slowed, then stopped. After a moment, the jetway slid out and hooked to the ship with a hissing seal. They gathered at the window, the three of them to watch. Two mini-con mechs came out carrying kennels. Next came crew who flew the ship. They carried the Hadden luggage, tiny looking bags and cases in their big, big hands. Then next came a mini-con leading the Haddens forward. They were looking everywhere with excitement as they followed the mini-con.

"Here they come," Zak said with a big smile. He was nearly quivering with excitement as he and Monica watched them walk through the jetway toward the door that would let them inside. In seconds, they cleared that hurdle, then walked into the huge facility reception area glancing around with amazement. Glancing their way, they saw Zak and Monica. Bellowing with joy, they ran to each other and hugged tightly. Babbling was key for a moment, then they turned to Epps. "Mom, Dad, this is Master Sargent Bobby Epps of N.E.S.T. This is my father, Leslie Hadden and my mom, Terri."

They shook hands. "This is incredible. We flew through organizing this. I'm delighted to see you, Sargent, and to be here," Les Hadden said.

"We're glad to have you. My father and grandfather are going to be running the dairy," Epps said proudly.

Both Haddens stared at him, then their kids who smiled and nodded. Les leaned slightly closer. "Dairy?"

Steeko walked to them with a grin. "How about we clear you through customs and get you on your way? It's getting late."

They followed him to the counter nearby and after giving their passports and photo ID over, the pass through to 'foreign worker-permanent status visa' was cleared. Epps turned to the happy foursome. "Why don't we leave here so Steeko can go home. Come over here and we'll show you your gear. We can check-clear you on it tomorrow. This gear is rated for each of you alone. It won't save you if you mix it up so we put your name on it. It'll read your bio signature when you don it and that way it'll alarm if you pick up the wrong stuff."

They followed Epps to the couch, donned their gear with some fumbling, then followed him to the barrier and out to where a N.E.S.T. truck was sitting. Walking past it, he stepped out onto the platform that ran all the way around the vast building outside. Down the human steps next to the bot steps he went, then paused before a sand garden that bordered the staircase. Turing to them, he grinned. :Step on that. Its the real Mars."

They looked at it, then smiled at him. Stepping into the sand, they both turned to their son. :We're on Mars. We're really on Mars:

Everyone laughed, then Zak nodded. :You'll get used to it. About ten life times from now:

They chatted a moment as Epps pointed out a few sights in the darkness around them and the glittering beauty of The City beyond. Darkness had arrived and without the city's lights, it would be pitch dark around them. :Come on. We're heading for Unidad. Let's load up and go:

They did and entered the vehicle, peeling out to cross the Military Airfield which was only busy with Seeker flights and the odd ship coming in or going out on soldiering business. Back behind them, the shipping center near the Municipal Airport was going great guns as usual and would do so around the clock. The group was silent as Epps reached Fortress Road and slipped into the lighter traffic of night.

Les looked out the window. :How many are bots and how many are cars? Is there a way to tell?:

:Not always but most of the bots drive without holograms sitting behind the wheel. If it drives without a driver, its usually a bot: Epps replied.

It was silent again as they drove Fortress Road, passing the Citadel which looked skyward bathed with floor lights, massive guns and menace. They entered the intersection, then turned left to head for the big roundabout near the Mausoleum that had a turn off toward the Mall of the Tri-Cities. It would be there that they would follow the highway toward Industrial Park Cities, then turn off the road to plow through the darkness toward the massive lighted structure of Unidad-Terra 1. It would be impossible to miss once they passed the Temple District and the outer edges of The City.

:Is that the Temple of Primus?: Terri asked.

:It is. You're not cleared to enter it: Epps said with a grin. :Don't feel bad. Most aren't:

:Its huge. And beautiful: Terri mused. Then she turned to her kids. :Have you been to the habitat yet?: Terri asked Monica and Zak.

They nodded. "We have. We moved there after we resigned from Earth2. Optimus Prime made sure it was easy and brought us here. We might be the only ones living in it tonight beyond the internal bot crew who are getting things organized and finishing up other stuff. The Operational Center will have a full crew who'll be there all the time, changing with shifts. We aren't allowed to enter it, same as Earth2. Earth 1 is run remotely for now. No one there has charge of the facility. It's not considered safe. There might be 100 individuals there, tops. It's suited right now to house 45,000: Zak said.

:Whoa. What's the command structure of the facility? I'm assuming that Optimus Prime has some kind of structure in mind: Les said as they passed the Mausoleum and entered the huge roundabout. It was four lanes around with turnoffs to different places spaced out around it. They took the road to Mall of the Tri-Cities which was posted in English, French, NeoCybex, and Sim-Keen, the Seeker language of choice. Heading toward the lights of the Tri-Cities, several other facilities located along the highway were busy with crews clearing sand, stones and debris. With Seven Cities-South in the distance, they made their way as best they could. As they did, the glow of the behemoth habitat could be seen easily from the night time flood lights that illuminated it to the world.

No one had a word to say as it slowly grew bigger.

-0-Night time at Unidad

Corbal who was facility manage for all aspects of the building and had an office in the administrative area of Ops Center sent his army of workers onward with a big smile. He was a mini-con Seeker who had a degree in business administration, systems management and was currently working on one that included international business. He was hooked on advancement after spending too much of his youth shooting at other younglings across the philosophical divide. Now he was running a massive installation filled with humans (eventually) and it made his elders proud.

He walked back to the elevator and went directly upward two flights to the finally configured Operational Center for both buildings which were fused together in a slightly tweaked building design that held a slight crescent shape. The crescent shape accommodated Invincible's slightly smaller size with the bigger Thrasher. It was a nice touch and was a stunning design, this place, with the usual sweeping views, highly polished interior and major amenities for the inmates. He would have to run this place in all its many and sundry aspects and do so as not only the youngest manager on Prime's business division team but the most highly placed Seeker. He was thrilled and so was his family.

Entering, he nodded to Micro who was overall operational control officer of the place. "I'll be in the office, Micro."

Micro nodded, then turned back to Springer and Drift who were going over the internal security force which would go online the following orn and the procedures to implement if there were emergencies. It would take a while, then Drift and Springer would gallop off into the darkness to do battle with the Elements of Evil.

-0-At the gates

They bumped their way in the darkness over dunes, rocks and the odd pot hole toward the receiving area of the facility, the same style of entry that Earth 1 and 2 utilized, though many times more vast. Buzzing in, they pulled up in front of the airlock where Breezer waited. He was the 'majordomo' of the place, the go-to guy for information on locations, things and all that made life worth living. He would be the one who would make the place fly until everyone who was going to live here worked it out. Then he would be one of the shift leaders for Micro.

Airlock magic happened, then they stepped out, walking to the door as Breezer had a mech collect their stuff. He followed them in and set down the dog kennels, knowing from experience with humans that they liked their piddly little yappers with them. They opened the kennels, two border collies rushed out and jumped all over everyone, then they followed Breezer to a vehicle with a trailer attached. Loading up, he looked at Epps. "I set the GPS to find their quarters. If you'd drive them, it might be easier than trying to load me up as well. I'll meet you up there."

"On it, Breezy. Thanks," Epps said as he hopped in and drove forward. They drove along the street which was drawn onto the floor until they reached the buildings that formed the inside and made actual streets appear more normal in the towering structure. Listening to the GPS, he drove onward until he came to the big vehicle capable elevators along the back walls. Entering, the vehicle set the elevator and they went upward. The elevator had a glass wall that allowed them to see out as they passed each level toward the top. The view, of course, was on the darkness beyond which was the enclosed habitat. There were no lights placed into its vastness yet. That would come when areas were marked off, roads built and canals constructed.

"This is amazing. Look at all the lights out there," Les said.

"Those are different cities, Dad. Some of them have five or six major cities situated in a cluster with each other. You have to see it to believe it," Zak said as they halted and the doors opened.

Epps drove out and followed the directions until he came to stop in front of an apartment door where Breezer waited. Shutting off the vehicle, dogs and people climbed out, then halted before Breezer. These two apartments are yours," Breezer said. He showed them how to key their place to their bio signature, then glanced at two across the way. "That's the apartments of Harley and Omar. They asked if you'd come over when you got here."

"Thank you, Breezy. We will," Bobby said as they watched the big mech nod, then walk back the way he came.

"They can walk around in here. Good," Terri said.

"They design the habitats that way. It helps them with emergencies. You're going to find that safety is king around here. Come on," Epps said as he walked across the hall and rapped on a door. The others followed with their dogs and when the door opened, they entered to welcome, hugs and dinner. Merlie Epps, wife of Harley, mother of Robert Merritt 'Omar' Epps and grandmother to Robert Merritt 'Sonny' Epps, Junior had made the first meal ever served in the complex and everyone would sit down to eat it.

After that, they would talk cows, crops and how lucky it was to be alive. They would become fast friends in the process.

And it wasn't even morning of the second day yet.

-0-TBC 7-2-18 **edited 7-5-18**


	402. Chapter 402

The Diego Diaries: Farmin' (dd6 402)

-0-At the Home Ranch

" **ADA!"**

 **"WHAT, SPUDDER!?"**

" **BWAHAHAHAAHA! LOU CALLED ME FUDDER! ADA!"**

" **WHAT, SPUD BUNNY?"**

" **BWAHAHAHAAHA! LOU CALLED ME FUD BOO! ADA!"**

" **WHAT, SPUDDY LOU-LOU!?"**

" **BWAHAHAHAAHA! LOU CALLED ME FOOFY! ADA!"**

" **WHAT, SPUD MUFFIN!?"**

" **BWAHAHAHAAHA! LOU CALLED ME STUFFIN"! ADA!"**

Genesis who was sitting on the table holding a hysterically laughing Hero glanced at Quadrus with a grin. "I could listen to this all orn."

Quadrus who had a hysterically laughing Praxus smiled. "Me, too."

Sunspot was laughing too loudly to give an opinion.

" **ORION!"**

Everyone turned to Praxus who smiled. **"ORION! YOU … YOU A BOO BOO!"** he hollered, then grinned broadly as he waited for the applause.

He got it.

 **"BWAHAHAHAAHA! LOU CALLED ME BOO BOO! PAX!"**

And so it went for a moment or two more.

-0-Down below

They took the elevator down listening to Sunspot tell knock-knock jokes as they did. Arriving at the ground floor with uproariously laughing infants, they sauntered to the door and outside. Walking to the group around the bus stop, they pointed, chatted, punned, laughed, and told hilariously silly jokes.

" **WHAT IS BLACK AND ..."** Infant peers closely at a traffic light nearby. **"IT BLINKS AND … CARS NEED IT!"** Sunspot said happily as Spot sat next to him, a tongue lolling picture in contentment.

It would take a while for the infants to figure it out.

The Youngling bus arrived so Sunspot, Prime's kids and a dozen others with their pets entered it to go. Next came the Intermediate School bus. Genesis jolted, then looked at Ratchet. "Ada, Quadrus and I have to go to the weather station on the TransWorld Highway today."

"You don't have lunches. On it," Ratchet said with a smile.

They hugged him, then hopped on their bus, waving as the bus pulled away. Next came the Circle of Light Preparatory Academy bus which picked up Solus, Sojourner and Prowler among a dozen others, then drove off happily, filled with smiling tiny children. Everyone there looked down at Hero who was waving at them as they left. She looked up, felt a self conscious thrill that others had noticed her, then walked self consciously to the cab stand. Pressing the button, she said, **"HI, MR. CAB MAN! THIS IS HERO!"**

"Hi, Hero. Are you ready to go?" a warm voice answered.

" **I AM! I'M GOING TO SCHOOL NOW!"** She looked at the adults grinning at her with a joyous smile. **"MR. CAB MAN IS SO NICE!"**

"Who wouldn't be with you?" an elder who accompanied their four grandchildren to the bus stand every day said with a smile.

She stared at the ground self consciously, then smiled brilliantly at all of them. A cab slid up, she slid in, then waved to them until it disappeared. The elder grinned. "That's one fine little sweet femme, Ratchet."

"I think so, too, Hister," he said with a smile. They chatted a moment, then all of them dispersed to the life at hand … navigating over the mountains of sand, dirt and particulates the size of boulders that were piled up everywhere but the narrow band of highway everywhere that had been dug out the night and early morning before now. Some of the roads and highways were still waiting to be opened but one could go about above ground to all the schools, the different cities and important places without clambering over mounds and mounds of blow back.

Now side roads ...

-0-Back at the Other Ranch

She stood on the sandy dirt staring around herself. Picking up a rock, she put it into her mouth. Every adult including the humans froze, then fluttered in a frenzy. Ironhide picked Halo up, then removed the rock over her loudly (for her) voiced objections.

Prime grinned, then looked at Ironhide who held Halo in his hand, holding her before his disapproving eerily similar face. "She takes after you, I see."

Ironhide frowned at him, then grinned. "She does. **THIS IS A STELLAR SPARKLING!"**

Halo startled as she looked at her father, then smiled because he was smiling. "Atar. Bai?" she asked.

"See?" Ironhide said proudly. "By the way, don't tell anyone that she walks. Or talks. Or does slag."

"That's rather young isn't it, Ironhide?" Jetta asked as he and Mack stared at the baby with amusement.

" **ITS SLAGGING YOUNG!** If anyone asks, tell them," he said as he gently put her down on the ground.

She smiled at him, then picked up a rock and put it into her mouth.

It would take a while to get this one back out and she would whimper in his carry hold for a while.

-0-Medical Center

Ratchet watched as trucks trundled past heavily laden with sand. They were taking it out to the new habitat to spread it around the outside for future farming land and to landscape the area. They believed in beauty in all things. He walked in, went up, had a staff meeting, approved and disapproved many things, hurried to The Catering Place to get two lunches ordered for Genesis and Quadrus that he could barely lift … he was a good ada … then he had them delivered in time, went back to chat with Lee-Lee about her upcoming sojourn with the Autobot Scouts in Alaska, something Ratchet had forgotten completely, did rounds in Intensive Care, consulted on four processor cases, congratulated everyone in the separation wing with a new baby, ate candy at his desk, took several calls from Gliese and three from Cybertron, went over a budget proposal for expanded care in the camps around the Manganese Mountains which was step one in the process of prioritizing production of said idea/need or action, ordered dinner to be delivered that evening, sorted his desk drawers, and caught up on gossip before he was ready to go to Unidad to see what was up.

He walked out with a smile.

-0-The Ranch

"This will be plowed to work the soil. We haven't had this much land to reform lately but we know how to bring sterile soils back to life, Optimus Prime," Larc said as she and three of her experts told him of their ideas to bring things up to workable. "We have the formulation in to the Foundry Exchange and it will begin to be delivered later this afternoon. We're going to put in pasture land for the dairy first, then work out the overall layout for the fields to be planted as the infrastructure comes on line."

"The orchards and vineyard will be last," Les Hadden said as his wife, son and daughter-in-law listened. They'd been in conference with the Hu-An for three hours that morning, a thrilling experience for Les because the ideas he wanted Earth to adopt were those the Hu-An had refined for generations. Renew, reuse, refine, reap responsibly.

The Five R's.

There would be a natural organic bent to the farming that would be accomplished here with a minimal use of fertilizers, all of which would be naturally derived and careful irrigation throughout for a maximum yield per acre. Bees would be paramount for the process along with 'good bugs' and crop rotation to ensure that fields were fertile and not overused. Nothing would be introduced without adequate study. This was a closed space and if a problem began, it could spell catastrophe.

Prime and Ironhide listened as they discussed things with Jetta who asked questions and Mack who took notes. The humans had it going on. Prime and Ironhide were sucked in because they liked cowboys, cows, farming as an idea if not a practice they had any knowledge of beyond the few times they were asked to help pick something or dig a well by hand on an alien planet somewhere, or any interest in the food in question. They just liked the calm peaceful idea of working on land to make something bloom. It was a metaphor for Cybertron. On that, the humans and bots were simpatico.

"Harley and Omar are organizing a herd of 60 cows, Jetta. We're going to get them before the pasture is up but that's okay. We have plenty of feed in stores and hay as well. The paddocks and other enclosures will be up by the end of the orn so they can have room to live before the pastures come online. We want them acclimatized to the place before they get let out to graze. It'll allow the canals to be in place and the river to begin circulating water throughout the area," Les said, then he grinned. "That sounded awesome."

"It did, Dad," Zak said with a grin.

In the distance, the bots could see work going on in different areas, including outbuildings already in place. It included a huge dairy structure and barns for other animals to come later. Jetta began to point them out. "That's going to be a low dam with a spill way to help circulate the water that'll be flowing around the canal system. Each field will have their share of it by a system of shutters blocking them off from the main flow. When a field has to be watered, pastures or otherwise, the barrier can be pulled up by hand to allow it to flow in, then lowered when optimal watering is achieved. The pastures will have small channels networked through them for the grass to grow and the fields will feed water everywhere down rows between crops.

"We're making water from the oxygen and hydrogen outside as well as tapping into the deep deep aquifer below ground. Its massive, Optimus. We've located a lot of them and analyzed all of them. This one is clean and has no problems associated with it. Microbes and viruses are not found there and its big enough to last longer than I bothered to calculate for all the needs here and elsewhere for that matter."

Prime nodded. "That is good news."

"It is," Jetta said as the humans watched them silently.

Prime glanced at Les. "There are indigenous lifeforms here of microscopic size and they are part of the reservation we have about unconditional habitation. We are careful about our use of land and resources because of them. We do not dig willy nilly. It is a source of friction between us and Earth2."

"Everything that stops Owen Harris from doing what he wants is a source of friction," Zak Hadden said as Monica nodded.

"Apparently," Prime replied.

They listened to the humans and Hu-An as they discussed the following plans …

*Plowing the soil would begin shortly with a number of big mechs transforming to make plows that would pow in tandem and turn soil as it mixed nutrients and other vital elements in with each furl of their blades.

*An experiment with horses would take place in the area where the vineyard would be planted to figure out if such was feasible and practical on other worlds in future. That the horses would be mechanical and pull a wide plow with many blades would be the only caveat to credible information. Since they had no horses yet, they would experiment on the process with those from the Autobot City Municipal Stable.

All knowledge was good.

The horses who pulled the street carriages would have a chance to show their stuff given that they were on hiatus until public works chiseled the streets out of their wind blown cement-like dust coverings.

*Everyone including Prime and Ironhide would be there to watch that happen. Ironhide would call his elders and they'd come, too, Unidad Primal Liaisons and all around cow daddies that they were. The first two cows ever in the habitat would watch as well, lowing with interest at the operation.

*Ratchet would stick around because. Bumblebee who **LOVED** cowboys and horses would arrive with First Aid in tow as well.

*Bee would plotz.

*Cows would start arriving any time between nine o'clock tomorrow morning and noon. The herd would be hand picked by Harley and Omar, then brought in after securing health certificates. It would include 58 cows and two bulls. 22 of the cows would either be ready to calf soon or would have little calves with them.

*Two ponds and a slightly larger 'lake' would be crafted in three orns. Their construction would take a week because they would have to be rock lined, sealed against draining away, allowed to proof against leaking, then fed by the canal system. It would take two orns for the system to fill up with enough water to spill over the dam and make circulation possible. It would be then that the system to pump water from the aquifer would come on line to ensure that the levels stayed at a set level no matter how much water was used otherwise.

*That an underwater paddle system at the spillway would assist circulation would be a boost.

*Various fish were planned to live in the system. Screens would be part of the canal barrier system to prevent them from swimming into a field to die. Studies would commence on the possibility of raising fish in different kinds of circumstances. The idea overall was to have diversity of species and not dinner.

*The bots were very glad to hear that. Mack even made it a note as all the bots were assured that none of the animals or birds that would live here would become food.

*A clue that Wheeljack and Perceptor, finding the eating of animals 'appalling, the brutes' were working on food replicators for humans to use was explained, though it was in preliminary stages. More details would be released later but it would make growing animals, fish or birds for food obsolete.

*Everyone was cheered to hear that including the humans.

*The dairy would be up and running in less than two days, providing their first ongoing research project. Harley would be Numero Uno and his three sons and two daughters would assist.

*They informed Prime and Jetta that his three sons and two daughters with their spouses, all retired, would come to help run the dairy and make products from the milk. Apparently, they were all experts in the mysteries of cheese, butter and sour cream.

*Prime expressed delight that this was so, being an only child and all, then asked if Bobby Epps was aware of it.

*He wasn't.

*Everyone agreed not to tell him.

* **SURPRISE!**

*Trees from every continent, of all manner and relevant growing zones were being sought out on Earth by the team who Warren assigned to take their orders and find things to send over. From the grass seed needed for the pastures, the bushes, flowers, plants that anchored soil, plants that grew around lakes, ponds and along moving water like that of canals, food starter seeds, fruit trees, olive trees, vines, decorative plants, helpful weeds, lily pads, and all the other kinds of vegetation that's constantly taken for granted and/or abused on Earth was chosen and orders placed. A forest would follow the east walls, thick enough to have trails and some elevation. It would also have underground sprinklers to keep it healthy, a nod of the helm/head to a lack of rainfall and other precipitation.

*It all would be sent when the moment called for it and until then gathered in warehouses rented in Hawaii for just that.

*Everyone decided that Hawaii was a great place and there would be exchanges there when possible.

*Pigs, sheep, goats, chickens-ornamental and otherwise, ducks-domestic and wild, geese-bad ass to the bone, a few peacocks because peacocks, wild birds of many kinds to begin a natural wild population, rabbits, squirrels, insects to set wild populations and to help care for the ecosystem, personal dogs and two cats left on Earth by Zak and Monica rounded the order of living things. Adding it to the cow population and the hope of real horses, donkeys and a mule because Harley liked them, it was a beginning. Other animals from other parts of Earth would be carefully examined and added to the ecosystem when it expanded later on.

*The enclosed dome had the possibility here to expand in its nearest environs to enclose 500 square miles solely around itself. Given that it was in a place that was designated for this on the until now private master plan that Prime and Prowl had drawn up way back when when a huge habitat was desired and they would have to do something about the uproar but on their own terms, the slaggers, it meant that it could expand beyond that for a very great enormous distance before hitting the wall of growth potential all around it.

*It was decided that Prime and Prowl were either visionary or wusses. The verdict was split along bot v human lines.

*A council of individuals would have to be formulated to govern the facility on site and answer questions of the locals as well as liaison to the Prime on all things. He would have ultimate control of everything as the Big Kahuna but day-to-day would have the committee to figure out the small stuff.

*They'd have a security force like the small one at Earth2 and a jail. All trials would be the purview of Prime and would either be settled in discussion amongst those with grievances or receive the Big Jim Johnson solution in federal court.

*Warren Roberts would receive and handle applications and their vetting, though there were currently 1,472 individuals on the invite list for positions in the habitat. They were already vetted, extremely capable and half were employees of Autobot Nation Incorporated already. The rest of the 10,000 individuals would have to be hired 1,000 at a time as industries came on line.

*Everyone agreed that a beer would be handy right now, given all the decision making going on. The Hu-An would go home to eat lunch, everyone would go inside who was human to eat some more of Mama Merlie's awesome food and the bots would go to The Diner On The Corner to kick back and eat. All would reconvene at 1300 hours here.

All was well on Mars.

-0-TBC 7-3-18 **edited 7-3-18**


	403. Chapter 403

The Diego Diaries: Farmin' (dd6 403)

-0-On the way out

They hit the airlock, then walked out into the slightly beige sunlight of the world post touchdown. The sand had swirled away leaving a lot of bedrock, then it swirled back and plastered the side where the airlocks were located. As they began to climb up on the concrete-like mound in and around the front of the door, they looked upward toward another nearby. Ratchet was standing on it waving madly. **"OO-HOOO, SLAGGERS! HI!"** he said, then stepped forward. The crust underfoot broke and he fell forward rolling down the incline to land on his back. Staring upward, he sat up. "I think I'm going to do that again." He smiled brilliantly at the others who grinned at him on the ground.

 **"OLD MECH! GET UP!"** Ironhide said around his laughter.

Ratchet staggered up, then slipped his arms through Springer and Drift's. "Where are we going, handsomes?"

"To a bar. So I can get drunk," Ironhide said with a grin as he followed a laughing Prime and the others.

" **GLAD I COULD ENTERTAIN YA!"** Ratchet replied as they walked toward the dirt track that was going to be an eight lane highway from Unidad to Industrial Park Cities Highway 1 in the distance.

Prime laughed, glancing back at his party. "Last one to The Diner On The Corner is a Decepticon." With that, he transformed, put the metal to the peddle and blasted off.

It was a mad scramble as the others joined the rout, with Ratchet shoving Drift and Springer aside and off their peds as he followed. Drift and Springer landed on their afts, jumped up, transformed, and gave chase. It would be a slow pursuit as they drove through the sand dune disaster that was the highway back toward town.

-0-Moments later in town

They transformed, then walked down the sidewalk to the door of their 'home away from home', some of them, entering The Diner On The Corner. Pushing tables together, they sat, ordered, then smirked at each other.

"I'm claiming sparkling abuse, Ada," Springer said to Ratchet who dazzled him with a smile as he leaned against Ironhide.

"Poor widdow baby," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "After all the decaorns I selflessly gave you, it comes to this?"

"Yes." -all of them including Prime.

"Slaggers," Ratchet said with a grin. "Maybe I won't tell you the gossip that I was told by various and sundry humanoidal insecticon-lets."

Perceptor glanced at Wheeljack from their booth next to the table. "What is he talking about?"

"Humans, from the sound of it," Wheeljack said with a chuckle. "Do tell, Ratchet. Even if you don't get respect from them, you won't get it from us."

Everyone stared at Wheeljack, then Ratchet, then Wheeljack. Then Ratchet snickered. **"AND A BIG FRAG YOU TO YOU, TOO, 'JACK!"** He looked at the others. "Well, someone told someone who knew someone who was a friend of two people who were sort of related to several others including a guy in New Jersey who'll do anything for fifty bucks-"

" **SLAG IT, RATCHET! TELL US!"** Ironhide said with a laugh. **"NOW!"**

"I don't know how you do it, Ironhide. It would be like living with a giant toddler," Prowl said with a smirk.

" **WHOO HOO!** Prowl said a funny. Good one, slagger," Ratchet said with a smirk.

"Ahem. Gossip?" Optimus asked because behind the dignified holy facade was a snoopy slagger just like the rest of them.

Ratchet grinned. "There's going to be a big barbecue in Unidad today with Sciences, The Family and Earth 1. Earth2 isn't invited. Only some of the Consulate is. Some would be invited from Earth2 but it might cause trouble so they weren't, which made some unhappy about it. It's need to know. They're going to have a visitation for those who they can trust and apparently, Harley and Omar along with Merlie are spectacular cooks. It pays to live on a farm, I guess."

He then leaned in rather conspiratorially toward everyone who leaned in automatically to hear along with several strangers in a booth next to Wheeljack and Perceptor. Everyone waited as Ratchet made a show of looking around for spies. A cuff to the back of the helm by Ironhide and Prowl menacing him with a dinner fork spilled the tea, so to speak. Rubbing his helm after glowering at Ironhide, he looked at Prowl with a smirk. "Assault with a dead weapon, Prowler?"

"Anything you want to tell us, Optimus?" Springer asked Prime with a smirk.

Huge laughter. Especially Prime.

"Earth2 is livid with this new development. They're afraid that the spotlight will go off them and they won't have leverage or opportunity. New kid on the block and all. They want to join up as much with Unidad as they can. They want to dig in and figure out what you're up to, Optimus." Ratchet grinned. "Apparently, you're working some grand strategy here that has future ramifications or some such slag. If they only knew."

Prime snickered. "I **do** like cows."

Huge laughter.

Prowl stared at Ratchet as he tapped his digits on the table. It was the usual appraising cool gaze of a mech deciding to take on someone with whom he was out of his depth. "Is that all?" he finally asked.

 **"NO!"** Ratchet dazzled Prowl. "They want to go on mineral expeditions, our Earth2. They want to work on collecting gem stones, gold and silver. They want to start a jewelry business for Earth. I don't have a problem with that, but they want to hook up with the 'fashion and artisan community' here to partner in the project with Cybertronian designs for all manner of jewelry."

"What's wrong with that?" Springer ventured. "Dare I ask?" he also ventured.

"Needlenose is our leading designer in gems and jewels," Ratchet said.

It was quiet a moment, then Springer laughed. "Serves them right."

"How has he deported himself, Prowl, since getting paroled?" Optimus asked.

"I haven't heard about infractions," Prowl said as he looked toward Springer. "Anything on the legal front?"

"He likes to cheat at cards," Drift said with a grin. "He likes to cheat at everything. He and Owen Harris are meant for each other."

Everyone agreed with that, then turned back to Ratchet.

"Soooo … more?" Ratchet asked.

Another cuff to the helm.

He glowered at Ironhide as he rubbed his helm, then grinned. "Hurt me, baby. Why the other night in the berth-" Ratchet began before laughter and revulsion shut him down. He grinned at a frowning Ironhide. "Cuff me again and I'll show movies."

"You have **movies**?" Drift asked with a grin as Springer snickered.

"An entire library," Ratchet said. "I think I'll upload them to the library and have them posted under 'fragging' and 'sports'."

Near upturning of tables at that one.

"Tell. Primal decree," Optimus said as he sat down once more laughing all the while.

"In that case, O Holy One, I was told that the teenaged girls of the leadership of Earth2 are forming a clique to dig into the 'way things are done here' so they can tell the world. Its not about intel, so to speak but the fame game. They want to be playahs."

"I doubt that includes the Nast kids. They don't seem the type to honk their own horn." Prowl smirked. "Unlike some exhibitionists we all know who are sitting at this table in medical drag."

 **HUGE** snickers.

Ratchet eyeballed Prowl, then grinned. "What was that, Prowler? I was reviewing a 'facing tape of me and Ironhide-"

 **HUGE MAYHEMIC-STYLE MAYHEM!**

Waiters loaded down with trays grinned nearby as they watched the show, then everyone sat down to be served. For a moment, it was all about the food, then Ratchet grinned again. "I forgot one item that I know you'll love."

"I shudder to ask," Prime said as he glanced at Ratchet.

"Shudder away, Optimus, because the Scout Jamboree in Alaska is in two orns," Ratchet said as the place exploded into chaos.

-0-Unidad Terra 1

They stood by the big hatch waiting for the atmosphere to even out. It was almost instantaneous for obvious reasons. Then they slid open. A mass of N.E.S.T. trucks towing heavy duty segways pulling enclosed trailers that bogged down on the way off the highway were waiting to come inside. The first pulled in, then slowed to stop beside Robert Merritt "Omar' Epps and his father, Harley. "Where do we go from here?" Sargent Trevor Smith asked as he leaned out the window of his jam packed vehicle.

"Follow us," Harley said as the two walked to their segway and climbed upon it. Driving toward the far end of the immense installation, a distance so far away that things there weren't clear to see, they followed the segway. Vehicle after vehicle, some towing big segways filled with cases that held food and drink followed after the two men. They drove across an immaculate space with roadways painted into the floor. It would keep driven vehicles on a path that pedestrians would be able to avoid as traffic went about the immense gigantic facility.

It rose up several hundred feet and felt as tall as the Basilica. There were upper floors and all of them were open to the front where the giant windows allowed them a good vantage point of the Terra Hub and the Mall of the Tri-Cities to the northwest of them. There was a real honest to goodness appearing downtown area with shops that were spaces to be filled, some of them two and three story while lights and signage signaled much more. They passed side streets that went into the facility with sidewalks and traffic lights, signs posting street names and at intervals, wall mounted monitors that were going to allow access to the news, weather, web pages of the citizens, a community bulletin board of everything including the bots as well as a directory to contact anyone in and outside of the building.

They drove for what seemed a mile or so before they reached the common area for entertainment and recreation. There was a spa, a big exercise facility, a barber and hairdresser shop, a huge swimming pool with tables and chairs, lounge and otherwise, set around it. Nearby, a pair of big grills from N.E.S.T. HQ and that of The Family Tower were going great guns. Merlie was waiting with a smile as the vehicles began to park in a neat row in front of the windows facing outside.

Everyone began to pile out, looking around, chatting and hugging. Then they began to pull their food and drinks, heading for a long table where they would be placed for the barbecue. Lots of it was being brought from the different locations and The Resort, chicken, ribs and brisket, given the size of the crowd. It was a great secret, this party, between those who were trusted and those who weren't yet. Some of them were too new to know and others had proven themselves suspect. Today was a celebration and everyone wanted to be here to have fun, not censor what they had to say.

Nearly 900 people were here, all of them bringing food, dogs, drinks, dessert, gossip, funny stories, and their best cameras. It would be a great, great day. It would be even better when the bots came back after their lunch break.

-0-At the Diner

"And then he said, "I have diplomatic immunity."

Everyone laughed loudly at Drift's story of a high caste drunk who went home to someone elses house and wouldn't leave so he was arrested. Everyone laughed at the high castes who persisted. Some of them were genuinely funny in their delusions. Then Drift glanced at Ratchet. "How are Partition and Lancer? I haven't been seen them in a bit."

"They're working," Ratchet said. "No sparklings yet but the bondage is new."

Prowl who was glaring darkly at Ratchet along with Springer and Ironhide leaned closer. "Evil. That's what it's going to get for an amma. An evil slagger with no shame nor redeemable features."

"Let me see … the five stages of grief … denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance … I think you're stuck in the name calling stage, Prowler," Ratchet said as he felt a sharp kick to his shins. "Think about it. You may be the power behind the mech, but you need a turn in the spotlight."

Everyone stared at Ratchet, then Prowl, then Ratchet.

Ratchet smirked. "You poor little femme, you. Poor picked on slagger. You get to go and help little kids be happy. You get to be famous. You get to just stand around and look … uh, handsome." (Another kick) "You can't handle little kids?"

"I'll have you **know** , slagger … little kids are **my thing** ," Prowl said. He leaned back to stare at Ratchet. "You're evil. You're a satanic force for evil and all that is … evil comes from you."

Ratchet grinned, Prowl smirked, Springer shook his helm. "We never had a chance," he said glancing at Drift.

"Nope," Drift said with a big smile.

-0-Half a joor later at the airlock of Unidad Terra 1, Interplanetary Habitat of the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire

They entered, let in by the Ops Center crew who had been on duty since joor one. Walking in, the entire group of mechs from before along with several others and most of the soldier femmes including one trailing a smirking Maelstrom headed for the swinging party down the way. The place was stunning and short of the apartments of the locals and other places of work and storage, most of it was big enough for all of them to wander.

They nearly reached the site of the party, one with food, dancing, laughing and talking, swimming, lounging, and overall joie de vivre when someone shouted Prime's name. Before the bots reached the party, the party reached them. It would take a while for the applause from the humans and the barking of dogs to die down in the facility.

-0-TBC 7-4-18 **edited 7-5-18**

-0-It should be known that as of now on Mars, there's a sand storm so vast that it covers one quarter of the planet and reduces visibility down to midnight up a polar bear's backside. Our little devices there have powered down and will check periodically to see if it has enough solar power stored to power up and call us. For now, our devices are on sleep mode. **SNIFFLE! THEY'RE SO CUTE AND LITTLE ON THAT BIG PLANET!** (just me loving on the rovers) :D

 **HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY FOR THOSE WHO CELEBRATE AND HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY FOR THOSE WHO DON'T! AND HAPPY FIFTH OF JULY FOR EVERYONE AND HAPPY SIXTH OF JULY FOR EVERYONE AND … ;)**


	404. Chapter 404

The Diego Diaries: Farmin' (dd6 404)

-0-1311 hours on the TMC

Their footfalls echoed through the vastness of the building as the Autobots entered the facility. They held the codes, the Senior Autobots, and could come and go through any building, habitat or structure related to humans, or not, on world. None of them were shut out of anywhere for any reason given the circumstances of human frailty.

Or bot.

Sunlight shown through the great windows as they walked toward the group and its happy noise down the concourse. Around them, the emptiness of the building was a sight to see. In a week, the first 500 newbies would be coming. Swearing everyone to secrecy, Warren Roberts had secured department heads and experts in all manner of business and creative functioning to come and take charge of their piece of the pie, answering ultimately to a soon-to-be named onsite daily manager and overall manager, Ultra Magnus, Venture, Prowl, Prime, and himself.

He had also emailed Prime a framework of individuals who would be the 'board' of the facility which both agreed upon. They were to be led by him, something Prime heartily approved, Sam Witwicky, Judy and Ron Witwicky because of the Resort and their senior status among the bots, Harley and Omar Epps, Leslie and Terri Hadden, Charlotte Mearing, and three others who were experts in business administration, commercial development and systems management. They would be promotions from within with one more poached individual.

Some of the local businesses run by humans would open shops here in the downtown, moving some of their stuff here. Galaxy Productions had asked for and been granted a big office on the second floor of a three story building on the 'main' street of the downtown. The Resort would have an office there which was going to handle some of their marketing and inventory out of the facility. Leonora Huttle had opened a studio to produce a talk show program in which local bots would be interviewed for local and off world viewing. Rick Harris would have an office for his business next door to Galaxy.

There was much more but the bots weren't yet apprised. Reaching the party, they grinned as the humans rushed forward clapping and shouting their delight to them. Taking the applause as Ratchet posed and preened for the cameras to Prowl's everlasting amusement, they finally silenced enough for some to be heard. "Welcome to the party. We're celebrating together before others come," Harley said as he grinned at Prime. He wore an apron that said 'kiss the cook' and held a big fork for turning barbecue on the grill.

"I see that," Prime said with a grin. "I am delighted that you are."

"I'd give you a bite but I don't think you eat this stuff," Omar said as he glanced at the long table filled with food.

"We can but you don't want to be around later," Ratchet said as Prowl slapped his helm. He slapped back and they had a 'moment', then turned to the humans who were howling with laughter.

"Prowl, call me when you and Ratchet go on a bender again," Judy Witwicky said. "I heard its epic."

Prowl sniffed at Ratchet. "If you mean we end up in jail because of Loon, here, who's just out himself mere orns ago, then yes. I would agree its epic."

"I heard you were in jail, Ratchet, you and Ironhide," Jessie said as she stood beside her beau, James Brooks-Spencer. "How did that turn out?"

"How did that **happen**?" someone in the crowd asked as everyone laughed.

"Well," Ratchet said holding up his big red hands. "We went on the town to lay servos on. We went among the heathen to-" A slap on the helm ended that as he grinned at Prowl. "What should I tell them? The time you had Prime land on you during the Battle of the Prison or the time you got slag faced, went to the prison and kicked Sentinel in the aft?"

" **WHAT!? YOU DID THAT AND NEVER TOLD US!?"** someone in the back hollered out.

Prowl stared at the crowd, then Ratchet, then the crowd, then Prime, then Ratchet. "Loon."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER** all around.

It would be a pleasant joor chatting with the inmates before stepping aside with the Epps, Lennoxes, Witwickys, Charlotte Mearing, the Haddens Senior and Junior, Sam, Judy, Ron, and Carly for a chat.

-0-Near the doorway of the facility

They gathered as the bots knelt, bringing themselves eyeball to optic with the humans. Some of them were feeling no pain including a very relaxed Charlotte Mearing. Seymour Simmons, her roomie and all around partner in steely opticed professionalism joined them as well. Prime glanced at Prowl who downloaded the latest messages from Warren into him. He looked at the humans. "In three days, the initial group of humans will arrive, all of them managers at various levels of this place. I have put all of you on an overview committee that will report to me ultimately and Prowl practically. The organizational charts are being finalized by Warren but Leslie Hadden, you are in charge of agriculture and all departments relating to it. The well being of the plants and animals here will by yours."

He looked inordinately pleased. "We won't let you down."

Prime grinned. "Understood." He looked at the Epps family who were expecting their remaining Earth bound children this evening unbeknownst to their youngest, Bobby. "You will run the dairy, any large fauna including horses and sheep as well as manage any products manufactured from them. I am thinking about dairy products and other related items."

"We will do that, Lord Optimus," Omar said. "We're pretty good at it."

"I have no doubt on that matter, Mr. Epps," Optimus said. "Ms Mearing, I would like to have you run that part of this place that requires liaising with the other habitats, Earth itself, too, as well as vetting any and all overtures of cooperation between this place and others, particularly off world." He looked at Seymour who was nearly salivating at that possibility. "I understand that you work for Sector 7, Agent Simmons, and thereby have your own set of procedures and structures to navigate. However, I would like your assistance on this venture given its security nature."

"On it, Prime. Banachek can eat it," he said with his usual intense ferocity. Mearing smirked at him, glanced at Prime, then nodded.

"I will be having Springer design, recruit, train, and manage a policing presence here made up of humans. They will in all likelihood be special operational soldiers," he said as he looked at Will. Will nodded. "The more they resemble the diversity of Earth, the better, Major."

"On it, Optimus," Lennox said as Epps nodded, too. Gavin Pritchard and Niall Graham who were standing beside them would help.

"Sam, I am instructing Warren Roberts to release you from your position in New York to head the business division of this facility, to manage its budgets and supply and to work with Venture in the Economics Department of the City Hall to handle all of the interest that will be coming this way when word gets out. All of the detail management pertaining to that and all business related ventures I would like you to shoulder."

Sam who was surprised grinned up at Optimus. "I'd like that. A lot."

"I will assign Mikaela to take care of the communications and public relations of this place and I would like you, Carly, to consider working here as the day-to-day manager of the place. I understand and respect your position in the Consulate, but the position is yours if you wish to accept it," Optimus said.

She smiled at him, then Sam. "What do you think? Day-to-day manager …?"

"I wouldn't mind," Sam said with a grin as he glanced up at Optimus.

"I accept. I'm not on contract like some of the others who assist the consuls," Carly said. "I would have to wait for a replacement but that could happen in short order. Thank you for the vote of confidence."

Prime nodded. "I am building a hierarchy that will work well together and will liaise with us in a fashion that will be conducive to harmony and cooperation. The overall general manager of this place will be Venture. He will be the decision maker on things that come up or are derived through channels. The major departments that will come on line now, agriculture, light manufacturing and services will have their directors who report to the committee who in the end reports to Venture, then to Prowl, then to me. Harley Epps is in charge of the dairy and products derived therein. Leslie Hadden will be director for farming. I would ask you, Mrs. Hadden, given study of your background that you be director for the forests, ponds, all non-food plants, and the bee program as director of forestry and land management both urban and rural."

She looked lightheaded a moment, then nodded. "It would be my very great honor."

"There will be a number of other appointments and you may draw on talent who are coming in the first group, 500 of our own employees promoted to this facility to help you do your jobs. When everyone is here, in position and ready to go, we will hold a meeting to work out jurisdictions and overlapping functions before the rest of our employees start to come. The frequency of their arrival will depend upon industries coming online here. Judy and Ron Witwicky, I would like you to be on the committee as business owners on world and as someone clear and well versed on how things happen here."

"On it, Optimus," Judy said as Ron nodded in agreement. "The others can help us with this."

"That is optimal for me," Prime said. "The center for your offices will be the City Hall Building on Main Street. The maps are up on the Community Bulletin Board for Unidad and will help you find things and places. We will code the spaces to your bio-signatures." He glanced at Harley and Omar. "I have received a written request that Olivia Boles would like to bring her horses to this habitat and keep them here. She has volunteered herself to their care and any other possibility that you might have need of support. She was apparently 'born and raised on a horse farm'. They are thoroughbreds that are utilized for riding," Prime said. "Would that be a problem?"

Omar Epps glanced at his father, then Prime. "Not at all. We 'd be venturing into horses at some point, I'd think. Daddy says it isn't a farm without a mule."

Harley Epps grinned. "I said that. It's very true."

Prime grinned at the two men who he liked more each time he was around them. "Then I will tell her. I suppose she can arrange their airlift with you?"

"I'll organize it. Maybe they can come with the cows," Omar said as Harley nodded. "Or not. The cows are coming tonight at 7:00."

"1900 hours, be here." Ratchet grinned. "Perhaps I can find a few cow songs and serenade everyone in honor of our newest residents?"

"Perhaps I can put a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger," Prowl said to great and lasting acclaim including that of Ratchet.

Prime grinned at Ratchet, then the humans. "In three days, 500 people will be here. Major Lennox and Ratchet will give them the standard talk. I expect that you will be able to direct them to their quarters and positions? The policing forces will arrive when, Major?"

"We have the group chosen, Optimus, mostly. They're working in security outside of the armed forces, all former special ops. We vetted them, most of whom we know and trust. We'll have them online tomorrow if you need it," Will said.

"If that isn't too difficult. I would like a force here to assist people when they come. I do not anticipate trouble but we have to be ready for the possibility of Autobot City syndrome among the newcomers," Optimus said.

"On it. We can have N.E.S.T here to help until they arrive. Baggage is coming with them so its going to be easier for everyone with a lot of hands to help. Our doctor will be here until the team comes. The mini-cons and micros … when will they come? Everyone is waiting to meet them," Lennox said.

"They'll be here tonight. The crew of the Operational Center are already on duty but the floor and facility crews will be getting their last briefings today. We hope that you explain rather fully how the system works with them working inside every orn, Major," Prowl said.

"We will, Prowl. Say what you will about Earth2, they treat the crews there well. There hasn't been a problem with anyone since Johnson," Lennox said.

"We hope to keep it that way," Prime said. "I am going to make the announcement to the colony tonight and then have Prowl release a statement to the media of Earth. I expect a rush of applications to come here to work. That is Warren's province. He is using our security services on Earth to vet everyone. We will be having them come with their families and pets 500 at a time until all 10,000 initial positions are filled. That means about 20,000 individuals will be here when we reached our targeted number of on world workers."

"By then, the medical, business, educational, recreational, and departmental work programs will be online," Ratchet said. "I was delegated to handle that due to unforeseen circumstances among some of the Senior staff." He smiled like the sun.

Prowl, Ironhide and Springer shot him death rays from their optics as Drift grinned at Ratchet. Lennox who was good with the subtext blazing silently among them chuckled. "I won't ask. Tell me later, Ratchet."

"Since I'm such essential equipment here, I'll be happy to do that," Ratchet said.

Prime who snickered glanced at the humans. "Anything more before we go?"

"Actually, there is tiny housekeeping things I wanted to ask you," Harley said. He turned to his grandson. "Sonny, will you get me my iced tea? I forgot it."

Bobby Epps stared at his grandfather. "I can get it in a moment, Grandpa. Go ahead."

"Actually, my throat is pretty scratchy," Harley said as he rubbed his throat. "I could really use my ice cold tea, Sonny."

Everyone stared at Epps. Lennox grinned. "You wouldn't want us to think you indulge in elder abuse do you? I'll fill you in."

Epps glared at him, then walked to a segway. Hopping on, he gunned it and hurried toward the barbecue. Harley grinned, then turned to Prime. "Young people these days," he said as everyone snickered. "I'm having my three sons and two daughters come here to help with the dairy and making the cheese and butter. We have a lot of old timey products that we can also make along with helping with a couple of the businesses in the downtown that'll be good for the residents. My sons are competitors on the national barbecue circuit. They compete with each other, too. They can open a barbecue pit and my daughters can help my wife with her restaurant."

"Merlie's going to have a restaurant?" Will asked with surprise.

And delight.

Harley nodded. "Mama Merlie's Genuine Home-Cooked Soul Food."

The bots stared at him, then each other. "You can cook souls?" Hot Rod asked as he stood by the door with everyone else. "That's … uh, is that **possible**?"

The humans laughed, something that stuck sideways in Roddy's craw, then Harley explained. "It's food that **feeds** the soul, food that touches you **deeply**. Food made with soul, food **for** the soul, food that you have to be stone cold dead not to enjoy. It **elevates** you, this food. My wife is a genius at making this food. She had a restaurant in Iowa that was a pilgrimage site for people so she decided she wants to do it again here with the girls. I hope you don't mind, Optimus, if we provide two of the restaurants here. My kids need to be busy."

Prime who was following the conversation better than most of the others nodded. "I would be delighted to have artisans making this place more homelike for those who live here, especially from among families that are as welcome as yours, Harley Epps," Prime said in his genuinely decent way.

Harley grinned, then looked at his son. "Didn't I tell you that **there** is a gent? Thank you, Optimus. I will do my best and so will my family to make this place a miracle. It won't be hard. It already is."

There was huge agreement on that, then the bots took their leave. When they stepped outside, they transformed and jetted off toward the city. As they did, Bobby Epps arrived with his grandfather's iced tea. "Here you go, Grandpa. What did I miss?" he asked everyone who grinned at him.

"Not much. Mostly informational stuff about the hierarchy," Will Lennox said. "Security arriving and stuff."

Harley Epps downed his tea, then grinned at his grandson. "How about a lift back, Sonny?"

Bobby Epps smirked at his grandfather, then nodded. "Okay." He helped his grandfather into the vehicle, then sped off with a whoop. Everyone else would have to walk back which was not only satisfactory to him but also to those left behind as well. This was one swinging place.

"What do you think he's going to say when his siblings get here?" Charlotte Mearing asked as she walked along with the crowd heading back.

Omar Epps grinned. "Not much, I would think. They have a problem aging him."

They walked across the concourse and it would take a while to get there.

-0-About 1900 hours that evening

The bots came, a number of them including Ironhide and his elders, Ratchet, Prowl, Prime, Bumblebee because he liked cowboys and ranching, First Aid because he liked Bee, Hercy, and Kup. They walked to the rear entrance where the big doors were and entered because they were open. Trucks which had been driven into a ship on Earth that picked them up several places in France, America and the United Kingdom where driving off of it. They gathered to one side of the loading dock as the trucks backed up to it.

A line of fencing was in place that led to a door that would open into the 'lane', a roadway carved into the sandy ground between the major facility and the dairy two miles away. That area was being formatted first with fences, pens, a very large corral-type area with paths to the hay barn and outbuildings. The product processing building was nearby as well. All of it resembled a farm from the old American past, with wood barns painted red and white. All that was missing were the big round hex signs that you often saw in the Midwest of America.

The cows would walk off, go out the door, then be driven to their barn in the distance. The Epps were used to this because some of their pastures weren't connected to their farm proper and they would have to drive them down the roadways to get to them. The trucks stopped, the drivers stepped out to watch and Harley Epps was on.

Standing nearby, five individuals who bore a great resemblance to each other watched with bated breath. They had arrived as well along with their spouses and dogs. Each of them was retired, bored out of their minds and ready for adventure. As Harley walked to the first truck whose doors were being opened, Bobby and Lonnie Epps along with their kids arrived on the scene. Walking past his siblings without noticing them, he stopped beside his grandfather. "We're here to help, Grandpa."

Harley glanced at them with a grin as he hugged his grandchildren. "That's okay, Sonny. I got some drovers to come over to help." He nodded to the group by the wall.

Bobby Epps glanced that way, then froze. Standing along the wall with their spouses, two of them holding tiny dogs, were his sisters and brothers. One of them, his elder sister, Tennessee walked to the two of them with a big smile. She reached up to pinch Bobby's cheeks. **"LOOK AT YOU! YOU CUTIE!"** she said with a big smile.

 **HUGE** laughter burst out from all around him as the rest of his siblings came forward to slap his back and hug him. He stared at them silently, then his father. It was at that moment that the bull of the herd, Rowdy, a huge red Guernsey stepped forward out of the truck with wild looking eyes. He swung his great head back and forth, then ran forward. Pushing his siblings out of the way, Bobby Epps turned toward the bull and took a ride on his head toward the far wall of the loading area.

It would not be for the first time.

-0-TBC 7-5-18 **edited 7-6-18**


	405. Chapter 405

The Diego Diaries: Farmin' (dd6 405)

-0-On the deck. Literally.

They shot past everyone, two blurs rushing after the bull and Bobby Epps who clung to it, knowing full well that he'd be kindling under the huge hooves of the big animal if he let go. Swiftly, the two blurs became dogs, one reddish and the other blueish. They flashed in and nipped the bull on his hooves. Bellowing, the bull slid to a stop and raised his big head. Shaking it as he turned to find the enemy nipping at his feet, Bobby Epps flew through the air and landed nearby on his back. Lying dazed a moment, he sat up then stumbled to his feet to see the dogs do battle with the bull.

Standing nearby with a long black stick in his hand, Harley Epps was whistling to his dogs, Banjo and Mud. They were working the bull as directed by their god and overall man as he calmly had them maneuver the big beast toward the door. As he did, his son, Collier who they called Collie walked into the truck with a stick his father had handed him to gently move about fifteen cows and their calves out.

They lowed and a couple mooed in distress before walking out, their big udders swaying with their big bellies. Trotting along with them, their big doe eyes filled with fear and upset, calf after calf followed. The bull finally made his way out the door into the big outside. Two other Epps, Burns called 'Burnie' who was the oldest and Alonzo Omar or 'Al' as he was called were already out there directing the bull down the dirt path to the barn far away. Following him, the cows walked along with their infants.

When that truck was emptied out, another set of doors opened and more came. Some of them were pregnant, their bellies so big it defied logic and gravity, it seemed to the bots who watched the show with amazement and deep interest. All of them liked the American West and the fauna of Earth in all its vast and stupefying glory. Prime, himself watched with a sense of wonder.

Mostly that he hadn't done this sooner.

The next truck was opened and a cow stepped out with a collar around her neck. Attached to it was a bell. Tennessee who handed off her dog to her grinning husband walked to that cow and petted her head. "Come on, Granny. Let's get everyone home," she said as she was tossed another guide stick. Tapping the cow gently on her broad flank, the cow placidly walked forward with all the rest following.

"What's that about?" Bee asked as he glanced at Harley who hadn't broken a sweat.

"That's the boss," he said with a grin. "That's the bell cow, the one who leads the herd and makes the decisions. She comes first and all the rest follow her. The bull … now he's got a mind of his own. But the rest will obey and follow her. She's got wisdom."

Bee stared at Harley, then the cow as she walked past toward the door. "Oh," he said with a sense of awe in his voice. Even First Aid grinned at him as he did. The cows walked onward, tracking up the floor as they headed out. Walking out into the bright space beyond, they moved together, plodding along to the barn way in the distance.

When the last walked out, Harley turned to the others. "Those are fine cows, Optimus. We chose Guernsey, Holstein and Jerseys. Good milk cows and mostly very easy to handle. Now and again, you get a spirited bull but Rowdy … he's going to work out."

"They seemed awfully fat," Bee said as he knelt down next to Harley as if to directly absorb his wisdom on a subject near and dear to Bee's spark.

"Some of them have babies," Harley said. "They're not ready to calve yet, but they will."

"And this separation thing … what about the baby cows?" Prowl asked.

Everyone looked at him, then Harley. Harley grinned. "I have a plan for that, Prowl. Don't you worry. These little babies get to stay with their old mamas. That's how I roll." He glanced out the door. "Time to milk. Cows wait for no one." He started out the door to walk all the way when Bee transformed. He rolled to Harley, opened his door, then the smiling elder climbed in. Omar ran to join him and they rolled out the door to drive alongside the cows. While they did, Harley and Omar would answer all of Bee's many questions until they reached the barn.

The bots stared out the door, then at each other. Almost as one, everyone stepped forward to follow with the humans, all of them, riding on the servos of the bots. Everyone including the little dogs would love it.

-0-Nearing the barn

They loped alongside the herd, moving forward, then running back as they watched the big animals make their way. This was a historic moment, one in which large fauna from Earth found a home on another world. They would be intensely studied, babied beyond anything they would ever have on Earth and visited by bot and human often. They trudged along, their babies hurrying with them as Bee finally drove forward to beat them there. Soon, around the barn would be green pastures watered by the ditch system that was being laid out by crews working diligently.

Bots who were doing the sculpting paused to watch as a herd of 60 cows and calves along with a huge bull trudged toward the newly built corral where they would live until they could range over a system of 540 acres of green grass in an alternating field system growing under an accelerated program. Standing at the barn chatting together, Harley, Omar and Bee waited. Harley gave a long whistle to his dogs who began to herd the cows toward the opening in the huge corral that would be home for a while. Situated around the area were feeders and big water vats. They trudged in and milled around, gathering together as they eyeballed their new keepers. When the last one was in, Tennessee and Collie closed the gate. The bots who were following watched from outside.

"You kids go to the barn, get the milking machinery ready. You babies can help me wash the cows to get them ready," Harley said to his grandchildren. Having been on their family's farms many times before during their dad's deployments, they knew what that meant and hollered with happiness as they ran for the barn.

Harley walked to the fence and looked up at the bots. "We have them squared away health wise, so right now we're going to milk them. Feeding them something comes next. After that, we're going to tag the calves."

"What does that mean?" Prowl asked with foreboding.

Harley glanced at his son, Al and his grandson, Bobby. "Get the devices, infants."

Both walked to the barn and entered the offices, disappearing out of sight.

"What are the devices?" Prowl asked with growing unease.

Harley grinned. "Something I had made a while back as an experiment. Remember the cone of shame from the movies? The cones dogs wear so they don't lick their wounds?"

Everyone nodded.

"I had some made with really strong materials and put them on calves when its time to wean them. I don't like to hear them cry for days for their mamas and their mamas cry, too. It's too sad for me anymore. You grow old and learn things, you see. This way they can stay together and they can't drink their mama's milk. We'll hand feed them until they wean. Works well for me. I don't like needless suffering." Harley watched as Al and Bobby walked out carrying the devices, folded cones with a large hole for the calf's head.

"Do they stay on well?" Ratchet asked as the two put the pile on the ground.

"They do. The cows might get a rub or two on their sides but they get to keep their babies and the babies get used to the cones. It takes a lot to break them. Show them, son," he said.

Al walked to the nearest cow with a calf, then gently held him as Bobby approached them cautiously. Unfolding the cone, he slipped it around the calf's neck, then the two buckled it as he bawled. The cows around them shifted uneasily, staring at the pair as they fastened the calf up with a snap of the locking buckle. Stepping away, everyone held their breath, half of them, as they watched the baby staring at them from the middle of a cone that reached the end of his nose in length.

Turning to his mother, he bounced against her, shifting toward her as she sniffed him. Staring at the humans and bots, she looked at her baby. Harley tapped her with his cane to move her forward. She did and so did her baby. "This calf can now stay with his mama. We get her milk, he gets fed by us and his mama's company. The cone might come loose and it might need adjusting but it'll work just fine for as long as its needed. Our herd is small enough that we can do this sort of thing. It's the more humane thing, I think. Folks used to laugh at me back home but in the end, my cow's milk was the milk most prized. The less strain a cow has, the less damage it does to the milk." He looked at the calf, then the bots. He grinned. "I love cows."

Inside the barn, cows were led to their places as little kids with small buckets and wash clothes walked to each to wash their big udders. Following along behind them, Collie and Burnie fixed the teat cups to the teats of each, hooking them up to be milked. Filling the troughs in front of the cows with alfalfa, Tennessee and Glorianna aka 'Gloria' Epps hurried ahead. They knew what they were doing, the Epps 'kids'.

Outside, moving the bull to a nearby enclosure, the bots watched with respect and a great sense of pleasure as Omar made it happen. Two dogs, one a reddish and another a bluish Blue Healer/Australian Cooley mix worked the bull along until he entered, then the gate was fastened. He would be by himself, the slagger, until he had a field to roam in. Nattering over the fence, everyone would see each other but there would be no shenanigans.

The smell of manure filled the air along with the clean sweet smell of the cows. Harley was explaining how they would be taken care of. He ran a clean farm, Harley Epps did, and now would be no different. They'd be washed regularly, fed well, have their health monitored, have all the clean cold water they wanted, and milked twice a day, every day. When the fields were ready, they would walk out in the early morning and come in at sundown. It would be one of the really great rhythms of life found anywhere on Mars.

Soon, three thoroughbred horses and their companion chickens from a farm in Virginia would join them.

-0-On the phone elsewhere

"So that's the plan, Mama," Olivia Bowers said to her mother on the Skype to Virginia. She was beaming with joy as she hammered out the plan to get the horses and the four chickens that had imprinted on them as babies to an airport to be picked up by the bots.

"Are you sure that the horses are going to be okay, Olivia?" her mom asked as she sat with her husband in front of the screen.

"You should see the facilities. Lord Optimus is going to be announcing things tonight to the colony and then Prowl will inform Earth of the new developments. I'm going to be working on the farm during the day to help with the animals. I have expertise to bring to the table. I can't wait to ride again, Mama. When are you and Daddy coming to visit? Joe and I are moving into the new facility. We're going to have a couple of spare rooms in our new apartment for visitors. I asked Lord Optimus to have a role at the facility and he told me to check in with Harley Epps and Les Hadden. They want me to assist with the animal husbandry program. **ISN'T THAT THE GREATEST THING EVER?!"**

They both grinned in spite of themselves. Her dad nodded. "Well, you always wanted to be a vet, Olivia."

"I did. Maybe not now but I know horses. We can ride when you get here. Figure it out and let me know," Olivia said. "Maybe we can use a bridge."

She would.

-0-At IntraComm that evening

Prime sat on the chair of his set listening as Jazz counted down. When the green light shown, he began. "Good evening, Autobot City. Tonight, I wish to share an update on the newest structure in the colony and its purpose. As you know, the humans of Earth wish to increase their population here and develop industries and businesses. They cannot do so with their present level of technology so they rely on us. We have helped them have a firm presence here with the N.E.S.T. Headquarters Garrison, The Family Tower for their families and others who work here, Sciences Habitat, Earth 1, Earth2, The Resort of Autobot City, Thisand the United Nations of Earth Consulate. Though their requests have been given voice, they still wish an enlarged presence to work on projects, many of which have great benefit to Earth.

"We have always considered them seriously and mostly, we have delayed or negated them for varying reasons and situations. Now, we have taken into our own hands the placement of another human habitat here on Mars. This one was the ability to house 45,000 individuals because the dreadnoughts Thrasher and Invincible have agreed to undertake the project. Given that they were hunted and abused by pirates and Decepticons for eons, this duty is something they both welcome heartily.

"They were the ships that landed and the habitat that they formulated is unique anywhere. It will be the home of humans who will work on agricultural, industrial, electronic, environmental, and health concerns for the entire benefit of Earth. They will come here over the next few weeks and take their place as industries and projects come online. They will bring with them families and create within the confines of the structure a community. There will be services and work, schools, medical facilities and recreation for them to have a full and eventful life within.

"The difference between this facility and the others will be that this one will be owned and operated by the Nation, Autobot Nation, under my direction. The entire enterprise will belong to and be facilitated by us under my command. All of the benefits derived there will be given to the people of Earth to facilitate a better life for them on that beautiful and endangered world. We will focus on the major issues facing human survival there and all that we develop will be yours. I am ultimately in charge and my decisions will be law. Those who work there will be employees of Autobot Nation same as they are on Earth. Our law will apply there as well as everywhere else on world.

"This has been a long time in the planning stages and it will be a boon to Earth and to us. We wish to have good and warm relations with Earth. T

-0-Even later that evening

Everyone was in bed when Ratchet began to pile up camping gear near the doorway. He had gotten it from storage earlier when he was rushing around doing slag that morning. Ironhide came out of the hallway, then halted. "Frag that." He walked to his chair to sit.

"You'll enjoy it."

"Frag that," Ironhide said with a grin. "Beside the point."

"Fraud," Ratchet said as he sat down. "What do you think about Prime's farm?"

"I love it. We need to walk around the place in pretender gear when it gets going," Ironhide said. "No one will know its us."

"True, that," Ratchet said. "I might get fond of Merlie's cooking."

"There's worse things. I looked it up. Okra sounds awful. Pie though … that sounds great." Ironhide grinned. "Fried green tomatoes. I don't know. Wilted vinegar lettuce salad?"

"Collard greens," Ratchet said as he scanned. "Corn bread I already like. I don't know about pigs trotters."

Ironhide frowned after a moment of surfing. " **Frag** no."

They chatted a while, then headed to the barn themselves.

-0-In an apartment during dinner at Unidad Terra 1

They sat around the big dining room table in their grandparent's apartment. Outside, the night was twinkling as lights switched on to beat back the darkness. It was great food and great company. All of the siblings and their spouses filled each other in as Omar and his wife, Lorie along with Harley and Merlie basked in the greatness. It was amazingly good to have everyone there. A good dozen big and little dogs along with four cats and three birds were part of the fun as the four little Epps children ate and listened to the stories.

" **You were!"** Tennessee said as Bobby glowered at her.

" **I DON'T CARE! DON'T CALL ME TAD!"** Bobby Epps said to his siblings as they trotted out story after story of what a beautiful little baby and boy he was. They were teens when he was born and as they adored him since birth, they had not aged him to adulthood. Much. It was humorous in the extreme to Lonnie who sat back with a big grin to listen to them baby her husband. He glanced at her. **"WHY ARE YOU GRINNING!?"**

"Because you're **JUST SO CUTE!** " Lonnie said as she pinched his cheek.

He was. Especially when he pouted.

-0-TBC 7-6-18

NOTES

There was a story on the news not that long ago about a dairy farmer looking for a missing calf from one of his cows. He found it eventually where she hid it. This was her fifth calf and it was too much to know that it would be taken from her soon. So she hid him in the bushes and grass near her so no one would find him. It was a heartbreaking story and I haven't forgotten it. That is the downside of dairy farming. Grew up around them, had grandpas who had them and LOVE cows. Harley Epps is my kind of farmer. The calves sometimes wear halters so putting things on them is not new. Cow cones of shame. :D:D:D

Fancy, I want to live here, too. I grew up in farm country and my grandpa had a dairy called the Square Deal Dairy. :D That's going to be the name of this one because Harley is my grandfather, Rowland. He was the most honest kind man and raised my dad to be my hero. Something about farming that keeps you straight and feeds the soul. More to come. There will be a tour given to the others in habitats on world so they can see. This is going to be fun. The bots love farming, too. :D I just adore the rovers. They're so cute and little. :*( I am such a wuss. I always make things into real things. Ask me about my car. :D

GUEST: Blackjack and Raptor got a cow because they're cute when they whine. Animals are available for everyone. :D:D:D Those who need them get preference, though.

Leoness: SQUIRT! BWAHAHA! My sister is now and always will be Sissy. :D

Kattenbelletje: I like them. Red cows are beautiful. Epps will live through the bull. Its still out on his siblings. LOL! Thanks for the 1300. I got hung up on lunch time. :D

Lackwit: Hawaii is the hardest place to do business with this stuff but I sure love it and that's why I picked it. If I can't go there right now, I can write about it. It's been too long. I was even on the big island where the volcano is. Hawaii is Alaska's Florida. Or England's Goa. Or … :D:D:D

 **HUGS TO ALL READERS! YOU ARE MY HEROES!**


	406. Chapter 406

The Diego Diaries: Farmin', Scoutin' and Bitchin', oh my. (dd6 406)

NOTES: Stats for this story thus far: six parts due to site having a cow, 3,067 parts, a total of 6,554,243 words thus far. :D

And I have to edit all of it. :D

Its a job. :D

-0-The next day mid morning

Prowl sat in a studio with Blaster who was interviewing him as he addressed the newest colonial landmark to the masses of Earth. He had just made the announcement and they were discussing the details of it before the cameras as Ratchet as Ambassador Muy Puh-Lenty waited off screen to answer reporters questions because certain indispensable bots would be Frere Jacques-ing down the merry road to Alaska.

 **FRAG!** -consensus opinion of the 'volunteers'

The announcement earlier:

The MCA called a halt to normal morning news to present **LATEST BREAKING NEWS FROM MARS!** , something that always caused the bile ducts in humans to tighten just a tad before they found out it was usually just something supernally non-lethally weird or stupendously oddly interesting. The Emblem of the Primes appeared, then Prowl's cool handsome features.

"Good morning, Earth and all those who live there. I am Commander Prowl of Praxus and I have been detailed to announce the addition of another human habitat here on Mars at the Colony of Autobot City. Having been the recipient of several petitions from various human groups over the past few years, the Prime of Cybertron and his advisers have been formulating a plan to allow thousands more humans to live and work here with the entire output of the venture given gratis in benefit to the humans of Earth.

"Since we have worked on it for some time, it was apparent that the usual building practices would not suffice for the type of habitat that we were planning. This would be one with an agricultural focus as well as light industry. Given that, we needed the assistance of mechanisms that would be able to generate and make solid in the process a global shield that would allow the enclosure and maintenance of a great deal of land space. That meant we had to think outside of the box. This would require very specialized mechs of a certain size. We called upon the dreadnoughts Thrasher and Invincible to accept the mission and they did.

"Thrasher and Invincible are both dreadnoughts, the largest frames of any sentient Cybertronian that are possible. Invincible in ship mode has a hull and deck 14.37 miles in length while Thrasher is 15.2 miles long. They were able to assimilate the plans of the facility and formulate it. Having landed on world, something that is very fraught given their size, power and weight, they created the entire facility down to the last detail. It sits in the free space southwest of The Mall of the Tri-Cities and south of the Terra Hub that was set aside in future to be habitat land. It is the practice of our security to keep human habitations within the zones with which we can plausibly protect against attack. Thus, there are several large areas set aside within the scope of our city proper for such things to be situated.

"The facility itself is a combination of both mechs and is ten stories, that is, ten Cybertronian stories high and encloses under a now permanent dome over 80 square miles of land which will be developed by humans for humans to benefit Earth. There will be light industry, research and development of a host of possibilities and it will be staffed and overseen by humans who will report to the leadership of the colony on all matters internal and external as formal employees of the Prime of Cybertron and Autobot Nation, Incorporated. The facility belongs to the Cybertronian People as well as the two dreadnoughts creating it and will be commanded in all matters by the Prime of Cybertron and his designated supervisors.

"Right now, the director for agriculture is Leslie Hadden of Earth. His wife, Terri, will be overseeing all forests and land management as well as the bee program. There will be industries like the Square Deal Dairy named and operated by Harley Epps, grandfather of N.E.S.T. garrison member, Master Sargent Robert Epps. Most of the businesses that operate on world such as the Resort of Autobot City, Galaxy Productions and Mars Adventures, Incorporated, owned and operated by Rick Harris of Chicago, Illinois will move to the downtown spaces provided within.

"All of those who come here will be living in apartment style accommodations, have full range of the amenities and be subject ultimately to the laws of Cybertron and the directions and orders of Optimus Prime as employees. This facility is now online and when the first human arrival goal is attained, 10,000 humans, the on world population for the facility with families included will stand at about 22,000 plus individuals. Applications to be one of them may be made to Autobot Nation on the website. We will not be able to accommodate everyone who applies and we thank you in advance for your interest but those with necessary skills, psychological stability and professional talents will be entertained first.

"We realize that this doesn't tick every box most human applications request but it's the eighth human habitation on world. We will develop this one with the best interests of humans and Earth in mind. As for the rest of this interview, Ambassador Ratchet will be taking my place."

"You have to go jamboree with the Autobot Scouts or so I'm told," Blaster said to be perverse.

It would be amazing the frigidity that Prowl maintained as he shot optical laser beams into Blaster's face. "I will leave it in Ratchet's rather … capable hands."

With that and Blaster's loud laughter, the scene cut. Moments later ...

Ratchet sat easily on a chair fielding Blaster's questions and that of the humans as well as Cybertronians who were posting their questions on the web page for the interview. As he was, Ironhide, Drift, Springer, Prowl, Will Lennox, Robert Epps, Lonnie Epps for a few hours to get them going food wise, Annie Lennox, Bobby and Lucy Epps, Sandy Thomas, and James Hoyt gathered to go to Earth for the **JAMBOREE! BWAHAHAHAAHA!** , or so it read out in his own processor. He would have to find out what Optimus really liked for having the guts to add so many slaggers to that duty roster. Something good and decadent.

He grinned.

Decadent. Optimus Prime.

Not a chance.

"So Louis Menager of the New York Times wants to ask a question, Ratchet," Blaster said as Jazz sat off screen directing and enjoying himself immensely. He had heard about Epps and Ferdinand the Bull. Another thing to rag a human about. This stuff wrote itself, he thought, as he watched Ratchet shine it on. "He asks, 'when will the time come when humans can come and go to Mars without restrictions?"

"I'd think that would be about the time you evolve out of the need for lungs, Louis. Go do some research on your own tech for such ventures and tell **me** when? Tell me why a trip here by you should be a one-way to an early grave as its planned by your own space agencies, private and public. Maybe those who volunteer for adventure and being the first at something this big are willing to risk an early grave but we aren't. We won't allow you to come here to be free ranging slaggers until you can manage life here without our help. As we wouldn't allow you to jump out of a skyscraper with an umbrella as a parachute, so will we not allow you to come here on your own hook and crook with inadequate tech. It'd be inhumane."

"Karl Kruger of Der Spiegel asks, 'Without trying to sound ungrateful given the amount and scope of autonomy we have elsewhere on Mars, why did the Prime decide to make this facility an employment site under his control and direction for humans with worker visas and not a place that they could lease and run their way?'

"Good question. All of the habitats are leased to humans through the United Nations Off World Standing Committee on Space Settlement and the International Foundation for Human Expansion for a period of 100 years. The payment of the leases is one American dollar per year. Nothing that happens there can happen without us. We provide all that's necessary to live safely, allow travel to and from Earth on ships and through our bridges, supply all that's needed, and ship in what we cannot supply while maintaining security for everyone. All of that requires the use of technology that's both proprietary and off limits to scrutiny because it has military applications.

"Everyone who lives here does so within the bounds of strict rules, even those in leased habitats. No one may even so much as hammer a nail into the wall for a picture given the kinds and placement of tech inside of them. You cannot maintain it because you aren't allowed to see it. You cannot fix it because its eons of millennia ahead of you and because you like to take shiny things and make guns out of them. We have overriding and restrictive regulations regarding the sharing of **ANY** tech with other species, the Tyrest Accords, because we've seen them take it, legally or otherwise, and destroy each other with it.

"Because this will be a major production facility, it will require maintenance from skilled techs. None of it you are allowed to see the tech and how it works or handle anything, nor will you be able to do so because its so advanced. We're talking the frame of a sentient being here. **We** have to do it. Therefore, to get around the issue of autonomy, the Prime decided to make this a work site for humans who'd be employed by us to come here to work, develop and find solutions to Earth's problems. They will work **for us.** They will be taken care of properly with their lives being maintained safely the starting point of our procedures, be provided for and live in a society like ours, cashless and totally inclusive. Its simpler, we keep control of things you don't need nor are allowed by law to know and Earth gets free problem solving tech and processes through our Foundation without having to worry if you have the funds to buy it. It'll be given to everyone. Our philosophy is until all are one. That means **everyone**. This is the best way that can be undertaken and so it will be."

"Colleen McDougal of the Guardian asks, 'Were the other habitats apprised and how do they feel about this?'" Blaster asked.

"N.E.S.T. Global Command and the on world N.E.S.T garrison officers were told. We have a chain of command for information that's disseminated to those as need to know. We also consulted on the agricultural component with humans who lived here and who knew farming. No one else was told including a number of the Senior Autobots. I was. Others were. This was to be an ongoing project and we had to see how it would turn out first before we made it general knowledge. Landing one let alone two dreadnought class mechs on world is no small thing. You're looking at billions of tons of ship for one let alone two.

"I'm unclear how other habitats feel beyond those residents who I've spoken to. All of those are very excited. They like the idea of another group of humans to share the adventure, another facility to visit for recreation, friendships and science, more potential to help Earth. All of it. If there's dissension, then I haven't heard or seen it. I suppose there might be given that every new facility is a new focus for Earth and her people. Its lonely being alone." He smiled. "Not being a primadonna who needs every ones attention all the time, I wouldn't know myself."

Blaster laughed loudly.

Ratchet grinned. "Slagger."

-0-Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?

They flew into the wilds of Alaska off road from the highway that led to Fairbanks. It was a nice forest ranger campground that required a lot of walking or horseback to get there. Helicopters took the human group in along with the film crew who be making an episode or two of the event. Seven Cybertronian kids were chosen by lot along with the five human kid volunteers. They were Spinner who cried until Kip was allowed to come, too, Webber, a small Seeker, Brim, a small winger from a high caste family, Sosie who was sweet little mech who **LOVED** the Autobot Scouts and would probably be their first Eagle Scout some fine orn, Berill who was a missionary from Helex on Cybertron, and Tippy. Tippy was a tall sweet femme with delicate wings and a great art talent. They sat among the big bots as the shuttle flew in. It was a Wrecker battle shuttle that had modified its sensor gear to be alert to anything that moved within 500 miles of it on air, ground and water to a degree that would startle Sciences when they got the schematics downloads.

The ship turned sharply, then descended to land in a small clearing. It shut down and all was quiet a moment as the adults glared at each other. Finally, Kip looked up. "Mr. Ironhide?" she asked in her mini-mouse voice. "What do we do now?"

"Yeah, Ironhide," Lennox asked as he sat with the humans on the other side of the vessel. "What now?"

"Frag you, Lennox," he said as he stood. Everyone stood, too, then turned to him. He frowned, then walked to the door where Revo stood with a grin. "Open the slagging door, Revo."

Revo snickered, then did. Ironhide looked out, then froze. Everyone of the 62 humans who were part of the other side of the Oreo cookie were standing outside staring at him just as overwhelmed.

It was going to be a long jamboree.

-0-At the farm

"Too bad Bobby isn't here," Amos said as he watched the tanks filling with milk from the morning milking. "Mama wants to begin making butter and cheese out of this batch and the next few. She wants an inventory before we bottle it for consumption. The tests all turned out optimal, Daddy."

Harley who was sitting in an easy chair in the clean room where the milk processing was taking place nodded. "Mama wants to get on with it. She went with the girls to check out the restaurants. She wants to get things going for the barbecue as well."

Omar grinned. "I saw them wander out with her this morning." They chatted together as Omar worked to pasteurize the milk for a number of items including ice cream, butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, and cheese itself. Given that their cows gave between 6-9 gallons of milk last night and this morning as well, they had a lot of milk to start with.

One pound of cheese requires ten pounds of milk. Just so you know.

-0- **HERE WE GO A WANDERING ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRACK! AND AS I GO I LIKE TO SING 'MY KNAPSACK ON MY BACK'! VAL-DARI! VAL-DERA! VAL-DARI! VAL DA-RAH-HA-HA-HA, HA-HA-HA-HA! VAL DARI! VAL DERA! MY KNAPSACK ON MY BACK!**

They stared at each other, two groups from two different genetic pools, planets, focuses of understanding of life and all things that mattered, as well as form. As much as they were different, that much more was hoped they would find common ground. Ironhide glanced back, then took the bull by the horns. He snickered inside as the memory of Bobby Epps doing the same thing flashed through his processor. He jumped down, then stepped closer. He looked at all of them, a good 60 adults and about 20 kids including what he knew were several Eagle Scout teenagers. "Hi. I'm Ironhide."

Cameras rolled as the epic moment was commemorated on film. A man stepped forward and glanced upward. "Commander Ironhide, I'm Daniel Wilkerson. I'm leader of this troop, Troop 147 from Denver, Colorado. This is Philip Mertz who leads our Council. Welcome to Alaska and Earth."

Ironhide nodded. "Thanks. Our kids and adult volunteers are here." He turned to the ship. **:GET OUT HERE, SLAGGERS! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!:**

Springer appeared at the door with a grin, then tossed Ironhide a datapad. He looked at it reading the outline of the event and notable things to say and do as outlined by Ratchet The Slagger Who Started This And Wasn't Here To Finish It in nanoseconds. He read swiftly, then subbed it. Glancing at the humans, he noted their giant optics at having seen something solid disappear into thin air. He shifted. "Uh, that was subbed. In subspace." He glanced at the others who were smirking at his discomfort. "This is … this is Springer and that's Drift. Behind them is Prowl. These are the kids." He helped all of them to the ground where they stood together staring at him, then the humans who were transfixed by them.

"This is Kip, that's Spinner, Webber who's a Seeker, that's Brim and that little mech is Sosie. That little mech is Berill who is from Cybertron. The little one there is Tippy. The human kids are Annie, Sandy, James, Lucy, and Bobby." Ironhide paused. "Those slaggers are their genitors. They can introduce themselves."

The film rolled, the scene was caught and all the nuances gathered. Ironhide's gruff discomfort, Prowl's resignation into a 'situation', Springer's amusement at Ironhide, and Drift's attentive interest in everything. The humans would come down from the ship and envelope the other humans as they paved the way for the bots. It would take a while to shape up. Then they would move onward to Jamboree.

Or as Prowl liked to think about it … the seventh circle of Hell.

-0-TBC 7-6-18 **edited 7-10-18**

 **WHOO HOO! :D**

540 acres of grazing land for the cows equals 0.86 square miles of space. :D


	407. Chapter 407

The Diego Diaries: Scoutin' (dd6 407) see note at end if you haven't read dd6 again, you should. its the correct one :/

-0-Out there

They stood behind the kids as they listened to their instructor, the Council leader for the Colorado scout troop. Their kids and the visitors were listening and watching enraptured as they learned how to make fire without matches. They had been introduced, had talked together a little, then dived right in. This would happen, then lunch, then a hike. The bots who were too big to be too close watched, grinned and nodded as the humans ran the show. It had been decided that way before hand given the relative size and weight of the mechs.

"And that's how it happens," Phil Mertz said as smoke, then flame ignited his tiny handful of kindling. "What happens when you're finished with fire?"

" **YOU PUT IT OUT REALLY WELL!"** -everyone including the Cybertronian and Martian human kids

Cue the subtext (offline)

:That's a slagging lot of work: -Springer

:I wanted to shoot it with my igniter: -Drift

Everyone nodded as they watched transfixed as the kids scooped and cleared stuff out of a tiny hole so they could do it themselves. Brim who had gathered kindling and dry grass smiled up at Springer and the boys. **[THIS IS SO FUN!]** he said with a giant smile.

The human kids paused to look at him. "Is that your language?" one of them said.

Brim and the others looked at them, then nodded. "Yes."

" **IT'S REALLY COOL!"** -the Earth kids

 **[WE LIKE IT!]** said Annie Lennox with a huge smile.

" **YOU CAN SPEAK IT, TOO!?"** -the Earth kids

" **YES!"** the Cybertronian human kids said.

" **WOW! I LOVE THAT!"** -the Earth kids

They then dug in to make fire.

The adult humans, the film crews and everyone else including the bots watched the kids with grins as they labored over their pointed sticks. This was going well. It would appear that the kids liked each other.

:Those human kids are cute: -Springer

:They are: Drift replied. :What's on the agenda, Atar, for the afternoon and evening? I heard that they just don't recharge right away. They do things before it:

Ironhide paused a moment to read the agenda. :We eat lunch, go identify plants around here, pick cranberries, do some games, eat dinner, have a talking circle, then hit the hay:

:Talking circle?: -everyone

:Everyone sits in a circle and tells stuff. They do it at night to learn things, to figure out who did what and give them praise … I like it. They hold a talking stick and when they do, no one else speaks. It's a Native American thing. A respect thing:

It was silent a moment as the bots digested that.

:I like that. But then, I like the Native Americans. They're made of respect: Drift said as everyone nodded.

Fire was made, everyone praised, then the Council leader gathered them up. "We need to eat lunch, then we're going into the meadows around here and identify plants. We're also going to pick cranberries and learn which things are edible and which aren't. Our kids will be mixed with the Cybertronian pack and we're going to have a leader with each group." He looked up at the bots and then the soldiers who were lounging nearby swatting mosquitoes. "You can come along, too. We'd be delighted to have your point of view and experience."

"I'd be delighted to have someone do something about the mosquitoes," Epps said crankily as everyone agreed.

"Those little bugs?" Ironhide asked.

They all nodded.

"Can you do something about them, Uncle Ironhide?" Annie Lennox asked hopefully.

He looked at her, went through his repertoire of defensive programming and selected one. Pulsing the message to the others, they linked up and flashed a low level buzz that the humans couldn't hear or feel. Instantly, the mosquitoes fled.

 **"WOW!"** -the Earth humans

" **AWESOME, UNCLE IRONHIDE!"** -the Cybertronian human kids.

The Cybertronian Cybertronian kids glanced at each other, then grinned. "They bother you?" Brim asked.

"Oh yeah," Sandy said with relief. "They're pests."

"Thank you, Commander Ironhide. That's such a relief," the Council leader said as everyone nodded.

"We can keep it up and we will," Ironhide said glancing at the others who nodded.

"Then lets eat," the leader said with a smile.

Everyone whooped, then followed the Eagle Scouts as they began to get things ready around a campfire carefully set up in the tinder dry meadow. The Cybertronian scouts looked at them, then Ironhide. "What now, Uncle Ironhide?" Sosie asked sweetly.

"We eat what they sent along with us, infants. It looks pretty good." Drift walked to the shuttle, hopped inside, then returned with a metallic box. Setting it down, he opened it and pulled out boxes with the names of the kids lovingly inscribed. Handing them to the children as the cameras panned in, the kids walked to the others and waited.

The Council leader looked at them, then grinned. "What do you have for lunch?" he asked.

Tippy opened hers and he looked inside to see food shaped like a human's cuisine. There was a nice leafy lettuce embellished sandwich, a little bag with what looked like sliced apples, two big round cookies, something that he was convinced were carrot sticks and celery, then a little bottle of what looked like orange juice. He glanced up at her. "This looks so familiar."

"We eat all kinds of food. Some of it looks like yours. Some of it is ours," Tippy said as Annie walked to her to peer inside.

"It's made of energon and it looks and tastes just like ours. If we ate it, though, we would get sick. We can't eat energon. Uncle Rampage makes it. He's a genius," Annie said with a smile.

"Uncle Rampage?" Mr. Mertz asked.

They both nodded. "He was a Predacon before he became an Autobot. He was the left arm of Predaking." Annie smiled brilliantly.

The soldiers who were standing over their own food cooler grinned at the kids. This was getting to be an awesome assignment after all.

"Predaking … he's the leader of one of the groups of Decepticons in the area. Right?" Mr. Mertz asked.

They both nodded. "Uncle Optimus has him penned in, right, Daddy?" Annie asked as she glanced to her father.

"He does," Will said as he took the box lunch from Epps who was passing them around.

"See?" Annie said with a brilliant smile. Tippy joined her.

"Ah," Mertz said as he stood up straight. "That's … that's just amazing. Well, have a seat somewhere, Tippy, and enjoy. Annie, how about joining us for lunch, then you can find a place, too. We're going to be making hamburgers and hot dogs over the fire."

"That's going to be so great," Annie said as she walked back to the group nearby. "We do that when we go camping in the Valles with the Autobots and Uncle Optimus."

"The Valles?" Mertz asked.

"The Valles Marineris. It's the huge canyon on Mars. We think it was made when the mantle of Mars began to shrink from the core cooling and it folded and cracked," Annie said as she began to explain 'camping with Uncle Optimus'. Fortunately, she left off the boozing and all around hoo-haw.

:That's a great little femme: Drift said as they watched the humans with a grin.

:Won't get an argument out of us: Springer said as he caught his box lunch. :Little femme has an Autobrand tat and wants more:

:She wrecks: Drift said with a nod.

They got their meal boxes, then sat in the doorway of the shuttle which loomed nearby or on ammo boxes they dragged out for chairs. It was a very pleasant interlude watching the infants get to know each other and find that among the differences there were many, many similarities.

-0-Home y'all

"What's the drill then?"

Infants lined up to go to school smiled upward. **"WE GO TO AMMAS! WE GO TO BOS'S HOUSE! WE DON'T LEAVE SCHOOL UNTIL THE TRANSPORT ARRIVES!"** -All the peewees at once

"I go with Bos, Co-D and Reflector on the bus with Spot to spend the weekend," Sunspot said with a brilliant smile.

Ratchet leaned down to kiss him. "You're so cute." He smiled even bigger. "What about you lumps?"

Huge laughter and cackling.

"I going to Ammas. Ho-Ho comed wif me. Pax comed wif me." Orion glanced at the others. "No Po-Po. He goed to doing wif Amma Doh-Doh."

Prowler glanced at Orion, then Ratchet. "I go to Amma Delly's?"

Ratchet laughed. "Amma Delly is coming to get you." Delphi was coming in early to grab him for the weekend along with the others. Ratchet would be busy with Unidad and Ironhide was skippity-do-dahing down the bunny trail on Earth.

Hero smiled. **"I'M GOING WITH AMMA ALOR! WE'RE GOING TO LAS VEGAS, HIM AND ME!"**

Ratchet looked at her, then laughed loudly. "Remember. What happens in Vegas gets told to me anyway."

They laughed, the kids without knowing why. Ada was laughing so they did.

Halo who was holding onto the coffee table laughed, then smiled up at Ratchet. "You're staying with me until Trooper and Scout track me down. Is everyone ready to go to school?"

" **YES!"**

So down they went to the lobby and the bus stand beyond. Waving off buses and cabs filled with kids, Ratchet and Halo watched them go. Ratchet grinned, then called in. :Ironhide. What's up?:

 **:NOTHING! SLAGGER! NOTHING IS UP! WE MADE FIRE! WE GATHERED BERRIES! WE DID SONGS! WE LISTENED TO STUFF ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE!** … those people are slagging amazing, Ratchet. Just slagging amazing. **OTHER THAN THAT, NOTHING IS UP!:**

Ratchet laughed loudly. :Well, that's nice. Halo and I are off to Unidad. Ratchet out:

Somewhere on Earth, a big black mechanism was having a slow burn even if he was delighted to prance around the wilderness identifying plants and picking berries … he held the bucket and used his sensors to find them … while trading slag with Prowl, Springer, Drift, and the soldiers as they waited for Lim-Lee, Maxi and Holi to come.

All in all, it was a blast.

-0-TBC 7-9-18 **edited 7-10-18**

Sorry about the wrong posting. I try to write ahead when I think something is coming up and I might not be able to post. Usually, I can. I will re-post that one in order with additions and changes so it won't be a repeat post for those of you who read it. :D This is out of control. ;)


	408. Chapter 408

The Diego Diaries: Scoutin' (dd6 408) Just in case, try reading 406 (?) to this one because they are getting put back into order. Sometimes when I think something is coming up I write ahead so I can post new parts every day. I posted them out of order. BWAHAHA! Bad Arctapus. :[ This is in the right order. I think. WEEPS! I hate when I do this. :D

-0-Later that night in a wilderness camp on Earth

:Ironhide?:

 **:WHAT!?:**

:Oh, Ironhide … you give me such tingles on the neural net:

:I do don't I: ( **HUGE** preen) :What?:

:How's it going with you and Granny and the boys?: Ratchet was on his way to Unidad after dropping everyone off everywhere since it was morning on Mars even if it was night on Earth. He had just finished going through data with Lim-Lee who was on her way with Holi and Maxi shortly due to unforeseen workload popping up. Grabbing a corn dog from a food truck parked outside the Metro, because corn dogs, he was feeling no pain. :By the way, the femmes will be there in a few moments:

:Okay. It went well. We ran around looking for plants, picked berries, banished mosquitoes … did you know that's the state bird of Alaska?: (grin)

:I heard they were bad: Ratchet grinned as he rode the subway to the Basilica where he would go cross country to the big new habitat. Soon, there would not only be newly arrived inhabitants to ogle the place, there would be a press junket which was being organized. Guess who got that detail?

"Not anymore. We had lunch. Dinner, too. Thanks for putting in the extras: Ironhide grinned. His hold was filled with boxes of fudge, Fig Newtons and Oreos.

:Not a problem. What did you do then?:

:We made s'mores:

They both laughed loudly. Internally.

:Did you tell them about Prime?: Ratchet asked.

:No. Annabelle Lennox did:

:Did she leave out the part where Prime can't hold his beer?:

:No:

They both laughed loudly. Internally.

:Any casualties besides Prime's dignity?:

:No. It was funny. Then we had a talking circle with a talking stick: Ironhide grinned.

:Do they have sticks that talk?:

:No. The only one who can talk is the slagger holding it. No one else can: he said as the scene came back to his processor …

"Tonight, we want to know more about each other. We're going to pass the talking stick to let everyone have a chance to tell about themselves or anything else they want. No one speaks when they talk and when they finish, you can ask respectful questions. How about you starting, Steven," Mr. Mertz said as he handed the stick to the first Eagle Scout next to him.

He took it and began to tell a very interesting bunch of things about his life, how he loved scouting, how he was going to college shortly to be a veterinarian, how his family lived, and how much he loved to watch Autobot television programs. When he was finished, he gave it to the next one. The human kids talked about life in America, in Colorado specifically. They told of their achievements, their hopes and goals for life. They spoke of football, sports, family, scouting, and their schools. They were sweet, sincere, eager to know the new kids, and mannerly. It went well.

Then the baton reached Brim.

:Oh-oh. Here we go: Springer said as Drift nodded. The big mechs were sitting nearby on the ground or crouched to listen.

"My name is Berill and I was rescued off Cybertron when the Prime liberated our home world," he said in a soft voice. He was small, had a simple paint scheme identifying him as belonging to a religious group, the Missionaries, and very smart. "I was separated late. I'm not as old as my brothers and sister. They were older and had to live there longer. When the liberation came, we were living in a tunnel in the city of Helex. It was bombed really bad during the war and the Decepticons controlled it right away. My genitors worked in the factory there making ship parts. It was awful," he said. "We were afraid all the time and there was very little to eat. My family protected us, hiding my older brothers so they wouldn't be forced to fight in the Decepticon army. It never seemed like it would ever get good, then I saw a city-former come down out of the sky to land nearby.

"My family ran home from the factory and grabbed us. There were Decepticons all around the camp with guns but they ran past them heading for the city-former … his name was Cyclone. See?" he said as he showed his arm. On it was glyphs and the image of a titan. "I had it put on here so I would always remember him. He saved us. My amma and appa were so sick. My atar and ada carried them on their backs. My brother carried me and the others … they had steel pipes in their servos. They were going to fight anyone who kept us away.

"We ran through the darkness with everyone else. The lights got brighter and then we saw it, the ship settling. The fences went up, then everyone ran forward fighting and shoving. We tried to get there but they were hurting my amma and appa. Autobot soldiers came out and organized us, all of us who were starving and afraid. Then they gave us food. I never tasted such good food before. They let us have all we wanted. Then we finally got inside.

"The doctors helped my amma and appa, then they sent all of us to Mars. It was so amazing. We got a house to live in. I have never lived in a house before. It was really nice. We got to eat good food, have the doctors help us and I got to go to school. I never went to school before. My atar got to go to school, too. He is a mechanic now and my ada takes care of the family. We're safe and happy. That's my story."

He handed the stick to Tippy.

The humans had solemn faces as they listened. No one asked questions. It was instructive.

Tippy smiled at them. "My name is Tippy and I was born in a colony far away from here. My family left Cybertron when the war was falling apart. They went to a colony and helped build it. I was born there." She looked at Annie and Lucy. "Is that how you say 'separated'?" They both nodded, then moved closer to her. She turned back to the group. "We were happy a long time. It was hard but it was good. No one shot at us there. But then they did. The Decepticons came and told us to leave. They were cruel and shot at us. We left, all of us, and flew into space.

"We flew a long time. No one would help us because the Decepticons made others hate all of us. We weren't part of the problem but they blamed all of us. It was awful," she said as her sweet face became solemn. "We were pushed this way with the Decepticons keeping us from settling or staying too long anywhere. They wanted us here. They made sure we moved on even when we were hungry or needed more time to fix ships. Lots of others were chased, too, and they joined us. It helped all of us when that happened. We could share and help each other keep going. We heard the Prime's voice calling us to come, he and Starscream, It kept us going when we thought we would never make it." Then she smiled. "That was when the Knights found us."

Lucy smiled. "Dai Atlas."

Tippy smiled, then nodded. "Lord Dai Atlas found us with his Knights. They saved us. They helped us with our ships and with food. They had doctors, too, the Knight's doctors. They protected us until we got to a refugee camp they had. There were so many there, millions I think. We were able to see doctors, have some food and get repaired. Then the Autobots came with us, flying with us to where our Prime was waiting for us. We were so happy that Optimus Prime was alive and helping us. I won't forget when we landed at Autobot City and he was standing there waiting for us to come. We all cried. All of us were so happy." She seemed lost in thought, then gave the stick to Webber. "That's what I remember."

Webber nodded. "I'm a Seeker. We fly. My family is big and we have a lot of friends. We were Decepticons. The Seekers were Decepticon because no one treated us right. We were the best soldiers Megatron had but he put a death warrant out on us. He never liked that we had families. It was a distraction, he said, to obeying him. He didn't like that our leaders protected us against him. So he had everyone hunt us to kill us. We had to flee. We had an underground system to talk to each other and we were able to get together to leave. Some of us had ships but mostly we flew out. Some of us were starving by the time we were picked up by Dai Atlas or the Autobots. Some of us found refugees to go with, joining their migrations. It took a lot to get them to know we were on their side and would protect them, too. We did. There were fights and it was scary.

"We ran and ran. We never stopped running. It was so scary. It was so really scary," Webber said softly. "When we came here, I was so happy. I can't tell you how happy I was. I still am. We live at Aerie Hill where all our people are. There are so many Seekers there, there's always someone to help you. The ammas and appas are so nice. My ada … my father is in the military. I have three fathers because we're in a trine. Seekers have trines. It makes my family so good. There's always someone there and my ammas and appas … my grandparents?" he asked glancing at Lucy who nodded, "They get to do what they want at last. They don't have to fight. They get to go to the Senior Center and visit. They play games and they take care of us. I'm so happy now. It was too hard the other way." Webber was silent a moment, then handed the stick to Sosie.

Sosie smiled. "My name is Sosie and I love the Autobot Scouts. I love to do that stuff in the book, camping and making things. All my family were slaves for the Decepticons on a planet in the local group. We were scientists, my family, and we were told to make things they needed. Us kids were hidden so they wouldn't get us. Everyone was afraid they would kill us or send us away. We were told to hide and not come out unless we were called with the code word. We learned to be quiet. It was hard but we had to do it. Megatron would have killed us.

"When Lord Optimus came and the Decepticons gave up on world. They were as miserable as us. We were liberated and taken to Mars because we were so starved and sick. The Decepticons weren't much better off though. They weren't treated right by Megatron either and there were criminals doing bad things. It was so scary, I was afraid all the time. It was all terrible. I don't remember a time when I wasn't hungry and scared. But now … it's all better. Mars is my home now. I want to go to Cybertron some day and help there but I want to live on Mars. I go to school. We have a nice house. I love Christmas Surprise." He smiled and the other Cybertronian kids, human and other joined him.

The humans from Earth were solemn.

"I hate war. In school, we see that you have wars here. I hope you don't. I hope you stop them. The people in the middle don't deserve it. No matter what you fight about, its not worth it. We lost our entire planet over a war that I don't remember why it started. Everyone matters. Everyone is good. When you forget that, everyone suffers." He was solemn a moment in thought, then he brightened in expression. "I love the Autobot Scouts. I love being here. Earth is special to all of us. You helped us when you didn't have to. You helped us against the enemy and for that, I will always be your friend."

He handed the stick to Brim. The little mech took it, then looked at it a moment. "My name is Brim and my family was important in the old days on Cybertron." He looked at Bobby. "Days? Is that the same as orns?"

"It is, Brim," Bobby said.

He looked at the kids across the fire. "My family was high caste. They got everything first even though they didn't do anything for it. Some of us just decided they deserved it and it made things really bad. I couldn't be friends with anyone here if this was like that then. I would hate that. Most of our people weren't high caste. Some of the high castes on Mars still think we need that back but we don't. I like things now. I like having friends without worrying about the rest. My family feels the same way. They go to Caste Courts sometimes." He glanced at Ironhide with a grin. "You're a judge, right?"

Ironhide nodded. "I am."

"Praxian Elites are the highest caste. Even Primes have to do what they say. Uncle Ironhide is a Praxian Elite. No one has more say than them." Everyone looked at Ironhide who shifted slightly. Then Brim continued. "My family had an art business. It was the biggest on Cybertron. Now we have nothing. Some of our stuff has been recovered and its hanging in the museums of Autobot City. We don't want to take it back. My ada told me that's where it all belongs. The art belongs to everyone. He told me that he and the others in our caste were wrong and that we're all one. Until all are one is our creed. We believe it and now we try to live it together. It's the only way. I want to be a teacher when I grow up. I want to tell everyone to be good to each other. It's the only way." He was silent a moment. "I saw a lot of people die when we had to leave our colony. Nothing that we say or believe … nothing that we have is worth more than them. My family makes sure that I know that. I hope everyone does." He handed the stick to Kip who was sitting next to Spinner.

Kip patted Brim. "I like your amma, Brim," she said in her tiny mini mouse voice. "He shows us how to draw."

Brim grinned. "He's a really good art teacher."

Everyone nodded because Brim's amma was on the visiting artist list for the schools and loved it madly.

Kip looked at the group before her. She was tiny, smaller than even Spinner. She smiled and everyone in the group melted a little bit. "I came to Autobot City when it was smaller and underground. I love it. Its safe there. No one wants to shoot you there. They did where we used to live and they chased us, the Decepticons. I was so glad when Lord Optimus went to Cybertron. We watched it on the monitor in our classroom. It was so amazing when the big ships landed. Everyone was so happy they ran to the ships and it was crazy.

"Now, everyone is safe there and gets to eat food. Everyone has a place to live. Mostly everyone, right, Spinner?" she asked as she looked at her best friend.

Spinner nodded. "I think so, Kip."

Kip looked at the group, then everyone else. "I like Earth. It's so pretty. I liked the plants. We have plants on Cybertron but they're different than these. Coming here with the Scouts is a good idea. You can see us and we can see you. Some of us are afraid of you because we had hard times with organic people but we know that Earth is a good place. I like your different animals. **I HAVE A MOUSE!"**

It was almost painful, the sweetness of the child speaking. She was as genuinely as sweet as she sounded. She continued. "Spinner is my friend and we play goalie together in our football league. We have a mini-con and micro mini-con league." She smiled brilliantly and everyone grinned back. "We play good together. We have the same teachers. Spinner is like my sister. I don't have a sister," she said and it generated a chuckle from everyone including the mechs. "Mr. Ironhide is our football man. He does the football for us."

Ironhide grinned. "Best thing I do all year."

Kip smiled at him, then looked at the humans. "Thank you for letting me come here. I like Earth and I like you," she said with her usual sweetness.

A murmur of response for her was given, then it was Spinner's turn. "Hi. My name is Spinner. I was born in a ship when we were flying away from our colony. The Decepticons were shooting at us when it happened ..."

-0-TBC 7-9-18 **edited 7-10-18**


	409. Chapter 409

The Diego Diaries: Scoutin' and Farmin' (dd6 409)

-0-At the Habitat

Ratchet opened the door, then stepped inside. It closed behind him swiftly, then the entrance equalized. Walking across the huge paved space, he entered the facility and ambled onward. There were no humans in sight but that would clear up shortly. At nine tomorrow morning the first 500 would arrive. They would be brought to the facility via the airport by two Autobot City touring buses with their dogs, frogs and gear. They would also bring an extra 212 people for starters with them as family.

He walked toward the town, then down Main toward B Street where Merlie's restaurant was located. She planned to have it open today and the barbecue in a couple more. Her sons who were the cooks there were still experimenting with charcoal and energon. Pausing by the door, he could smell good food both here and at the barbecue nearby. Wishing he had time to activate his pretender gear and indulge himself, he knelt. "Hello. Anyone home?" he asked.

Tennessee came from the back wiping her hands on a towel. "Hi, Ratchet. Mama is baking pies and biscuits. We have to have both here. We're feeding the locals lunch and when the newcomers come, we're going to be open for business."

"How does your mama like not charging for her stuff?" Ratchet asked with curiosity. It would be interesting to see how the cashless society they favored would appear to the newbies.

"She loves it. She was always feeding someone who couldn't pay," she said with a smile.

"What about the dairy? Are you going to be using any of that?" Ratchet asked.

"We already are. Mama made butter and cottage cheese yesterday. We use a small trench vat. Gloria is going to be taking that on with her daughter when she comes. Her daughter is taking a year off from college to come and help. You should come by some time to see how its done," Tennessee said with a smile.

Ratchet accessed a video of a long vat with milk filling it. Curdling additives were added and it was stirred, then left. When it was a long bar of solid curd, they inserted screen-like paddles into the gelatinous mass and dragged the comb the entire length of the vat breaking all of it up. Then they combed it sideways, brushing it through the mass until the entire length was a teaming mass of tiny curds. That's when Ratchet stopped watching. "I'll take your word for it." He smiled.

She smiled. It wasn't like she hadn't heard that before. They chatted, then he walked onward.

-0-Ground time...

"It's night. How about we break this up? Two of us here to guard. Two home. We can come back in a couple of joors," Springer said as they stood together around the darkened camp. Nearby filming them, the camera crews worked in shifts.

"How will I know you'll come back?" Prowl asked. **"SINCE WHEN HAVE YOU EVER FOLLOWED A PLAN OF MINE BEFORE!?"**

Everyone glanced at the darkened camp, then Prowl. " **Sh!** " -all of them.

" **Don't 'sh' me, slaggers**. Tell me where I'm wrong." Prowl fumed to the three of them.

At that moment, stepping down from the ship, Maxi, Lee-Lee and Holi appeared. The four turned to the three femmes who were smiling at them as they looked around. Maxi smiled at Springer. "I like this place."

"Good. You can take my spot," Springer said.

"The **frag** she will," Prowl said with a gimlet optic. "All three are taking mine."

A furious argument broke out off line among the mechs as the femmes stared around the campsite with smiles. Holi turned to them. They paused their fighting to look at the three. "Gentlemen, you have your duty."

The four stared at her like they were miscreant kids to their mama. It pushed the right buttons for Prowl and Ironhide but not the other two. Well, not Springer anyway. "But **Mom** ," he said with a big smile.

Holi laughed. "Duty, honor, people. You know what to do."

"Frag." -all four of the mechs.

They would.

-0-Outside

Ratchet walked to the door to stare into the distance. It was dusty inside the vast dome as they tilled, casting the finest sandy grains into the air. Fortunately, the air circulation system was designed to prevent this sort of thing for very long. He stepped out to go to the ponds and lake, check the grand canal and the spillway. The sun beat down but the internal temperature was kept at a solid 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It would be a nice walk. In the distance he could see the dairy and the herd hanging out in the big corral. Nearby, work was going on with the pasturage that would tend them, getting it ready to plant the next day or so. He personally couldn't wait to see it green and lush with cows enjoying themselves on it.

-0-Morning is breaking like the first mor-or-or-orning …

The camp began to stir early, brought about by scheduling and hunger. They staggered out, then gathered together, the humans, as they noticed the three new bots. The three femmes were sitting together on a box, then rose when they saw them. Smiling, Maxi stepped forward. "Good morning, infants. I'm Maxi."

-0-The walk to the lake district

The ground under his peds was a different color than he remembered it. It had been worked by the Hu-An with bot help, changing it from barren to useful. It would take a few more orns before the ground was ready for plants and water systems. Roads were outlined and marked for creation with all of them paved before this was over but for the track near the fruit and olive orchards and vineyard. That would be left rustic to fit the circumstances of its use. Beauty was important to the Autobots.

The canal came into view, a deep slash in the land that ran from the first pond between him and the main spillway. It snaked out into the distance with arteries running from it to cover the area in a grid pattern to reach all of the fields that would built here. He reached the pond that had been finished, itself a large slightly oval shape with sloping sides and rocks here and there around its edges. It had been lined with a fast drying cement-like mixture used by the bots to help prevent leaks in land features. It had then been lined with smooth stones, caulked with a sand colored mixture, then painted with a clear substance. Onto that, they had strewn a sand-like substance that hardened immediately, giving the bottom a more natural feel to anyone who swam there. All it needed was water. The stream leading in led out in three different directions, water that would go elsewhere, feeding all that it came into contact with in the carefully designed system.

Ratchet walked onward following the canal to another pond, bigger, more meandering in terms of shape and designed just like the other. Nearby, the road to the forest was marked for creation. Mechs were working with Terri Hadden and Munro of the Hu-An to make a rocky slope that would lead up to the dome itself. Trees would be planted along it so that it could be seen from the outside. Dust was hanging around them as the monster trucks working with them walked here and there to place massive boulders. There would be a couple of small meadows in the middle of the forest that would be an experimental site for bees and flowers.

He continued onward following the main canal until he came to the dam with a spill way that would be circulating water shortly. Jetta and Wheeljack were there discussing with the engineers who created this feature how things would work. **"HOWDY!"** he called as the two turned to him. "How's it going?"

"Well," Jetta said. "We're going to turn on the well pumps later tonight. We're bringing the water up slowly and will fill up the dam until it begins to trickle over the spillway. At that point, we'll open it up a tiny bit more so it can fill faster while checking the system as water reaches it. We hope to achieve equilibrium by noon tomorrow, then start the propulsion mechanism to begin circulation."

"Sounds like fun. How long will it take to fill the lakes and ponds?" Ratchet asked as he looked down into the bottom of the dam where a set of paddles were placed to begin movement of the water. It would circulate all through the facility including the big cisterns that were in the lowest levels of the habitat as reserve water.

"That's sort of a guess right now. We plan on beginning circulating the water by noon tomorrow but it depends on how fast the system fills. We plan on 1200 hours tomorrow." Jetta said as Wheeljack nodded.

"Then you're going to be ready to start the irrigation of planted fields. I heard that the irrigation of the pastures will be done with channels, but for the cultivated planted fields pipes will be used. Pipes with sprinklers," Ratchet said.

Wheeljack nodded. "We have plans to modify that so it isn't so labor intensive. Consider if they were living on another world with limited population. How much labor can you expend working on your projects before you begin working against yourself? That's a consideration we need to factor in. Not every place they live will have so many hands available to do things that come up or are needed."

Ratchet agreed. "Looks good. It's going to be great to see planted fields and animals on the grass. It sort of reminds me of pictures of farms on Earth." He grinned. "I have to go to Diego to check out the group that's coming tomorrow. They're gathering there, some of them with the rest coming from Army bases around the world. Most of them are already our employees."

"Good thing," Jetta said. "I want to see their faces when they see this."

"You and me both," Ratchet said as he turned to go. "See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya."

" **YES YOU WOULD!** " Jetta called as Ratchet transformed and with a whoop of his siren jetted off to drive back to the facility.

The two of them watched, then turned back to calculations of the machinery that would power the miracle they were planning.

-0-Earth

The three femmes waded out into the shallow lake, turning toward the shore when reaching their place to look at the kids waiting excitedly there. They were lined up behind canoes. They were going to race, two humans in a canoe to the bot kids' one. They were going to row out and around the three femmes who were standing in the water as goals. Everyone was totally stoked including Maxi, Lee-Lee and Holi. They clapped their servos with excitement as they watched everyone get ready.

Brim was in his canoe and two others had their dual human paddlers. Mr. Mertz stood at the edge of the lake with a starter gun. **"ON YOUR MARK! GET READY! … GO!"** he said, then fired the gun.

The teams shoved their boats forward as the kids inside began to paddle. The Cybertronian and Cybertronian human kids took courses in school gym classes about rowing all manner of boats. The human kids from Mars were very adept at this given that they had this as an alternative to swimming when the unit came up in rotation.

Screaming by the teams ensued as the big mechs watched with amusement and tension. The Cybertronian kids were better placed to win than the humans but the doubling of human kids to their boats helped. Swiftly they rowed, then around the femmes they went. The femmes for their part cheered them and turned in place to watch them angle around to go back. It would take a bit of time and dexterity for everyone including the Cybertronians.

The camera crews were there filming madly as the Cybertronian canoe with Brim paddling made the turn, then began to come back. A boat with Bobby and another human kid from Earth made the turn as well, then began to burn it back. The last paddled just as madly and when they reached the shore they clambered out and were replaced. The relay would last a bit but the conclusion was foregone. The Cybertronian kids by virtue of their physiques would win. No one would care. It was too much fun.

-0-Through a space bridge darkly

He ambled through, traded gossip with the bridge crew, then walked out to see the world. The ops center was busy and so was the rec room. A poker game with humans and bots was underway and it was anyone's guess who would win. He bantered, then headed out through the big doors to the busy outside.

There were the usual crowds of off duty military and civilians who lived and worked here, many of them from other nations. There were also humans bound to go to Mars who were hanging around as well. Everyone knew that Ratchet was heading here to speak with Fulton, the humans in charge of the group's transfer to Mars and friends. A roar went up as he appeared so he did his usual ice breaker … he preened and pranced, turning this way and that as he struck poses for the locals. Huge laughter and jokes went up from the punters as he obliged. Then he knelt. "Hello, little people. What's up?"

" **TAKE ME!"** -most of them there

Ratchet laughed. "I'll pencil you in."

"Ambassador Ratchet, I'm Mindy Beresan and this is my husband, Albert. We're part of the group heading to Mars for the new habitat. Can you tell us anything about it?" a small dark haired woman asked.

"Well, its very big, sentient and ready for you," Ratchet said. "If I tell you more the surprise will be diminished and if I know anything about humans, you hate surprises."

She laughed, then nodded. "I do. We go tomorrow? At 1400?"

"Yep. That makes it just about 0900 on Mars. Remember, we don't have synced time between worlds. When its day here its often night there. But you won't have the transmission delays due to our orbits. We've expedited communications, though for now you'll be censored. That's protocol."

"Understood," she said with a smile.

"Coolness," Ratchet said as he glanced around. "Where's Fulton hiding?"

"At the Admin Building," a soldier said with a grin. "When do I get to come?"

Ratchet laughed. "Apply."

"I did," he said with a chuckle. "I also applied to N.E.S.T. I hope they take old codgers like me."

"Age is a state of mind, infant," Ratchet said. "I'm older than some stars and I'm in." He smiled a brilliant smile and everyone laughed. "I better check in. Let me through, infants." He carefully made his way forward pausing for the odd selfie and confessional, then walked around the admin building. His helm could be seen over it as he made his way to Fulton's window. Then he ducked down to talk.

The crowd waited for him. Ratchet was fun.

-0-Scouting

They called the winner. It was Tippy. She had paddled faster than anyone there and she was ecstatic. So were the femmes who came out of the lake dripping water. As they did, Springer glanced at Drift, then Ironhide. As one, moving with lightning speed, Springer and Drift picked up Ironhide and ran for the lake. Carefully moving to the side where no one would get hurt, they heaved him in. He flew through the air, then landed in the water sinking out of sight right away.

Everyone who watched laughed loudly including the camera people as Ironhide stood up wiping water from his face. He smirked. "You shouldn't start what you can't finish."

Springer laughed. "Stay there. Who can swim here?"

Everyone could.

"Swim to that big black plug out there. First one there gets a ferry ride back on my hand."

With that, every kid in the group ran for the water and jumped in. It was incredibly cute to see them swim to Ironhide who sank down to his shoulders so the kids could hang on when they reached him. Holi stepped into the water and followed them, watching for stragglers but all of them made it to Ironhide. They bobbed in the water as they held onto his shoulders. He grinned at them, then smirked at Springer. "Come on in, Springer. The water is fine."

"I'm good here," Springer replied. "But thanks for ask-"

With that, Prowl and Drift grabbed him, then ran for the water down the way. Prowl and Drift leaped in dragging Springer with them and they sank below the waves. The kids rode up and down on the waves from their plunge, laughing loudly as they did. When Prowl came up with Springer, he leaped on him and down they went. Drift who laughed lay over on his back and began to bob toward the kids.

For the next half hour or so, it was fun time at the old swimming hole. The kids would swim and so would the adults who jumped in as well. They would sit on the hands of the big mechs, chatting to them and the three femmes. It would be a great moment in a historical gathering. Leonora Huttle would get it all on film.

-0-TBC 7-10-18 **edited 7-18-18**


	410. Chapter 410

The Diego Diaries: Scoutin' and Farmin' and Hangin', oh my (dd6 410)

-0-Unidad Terra 1

The hospital was pristine and ready to rumble but for the placement of supplies and unboxing of machines and other equipment in pallets stacked in the supply rooms all over the facility. The hospital's service entrance fronted onto the street next to the outside dome doors so that it would be easier to take things in and out than down the inner streets of the downtown, hence its placement against the back of the facility. He was pleased as peas as he listened to Phoebe Grant from Earth 1 talk about the place of which she would be director. She would still live at Earth 1 for now but commute here as this would be the main hospital for humans and those facilities at the other habitats would be merely triage and emergency stations. Any procedures, deliveries or major illnesses would be treated here. Also, any long term studies of life here would be centered in the big three story inner building.

All was well with her.

He ambled out content to be an observer as he took in the sights, thought about good questions he would ask about them and what he would tell the newbies the next morning when they arrived. Having come back from Diego after a chat with Fulton, a chat with a mass of humans gathered around him on the way back to the Embassy and a chat with a friend in the Metro station on the way here, he had arrived to watch the unloading of Olivia Bower's horses and apparently, two greyhounds that she worshiped. They were a dog species that ran like the wind. Apparently, they were beautiful to watch so he came to the back door and headed for the stable that was two miles from the barn where the cows would live. Things were being spread out apparently for everyone's greater good.

What would he know? He was a city boy.

He grinned as he walked along the track that would be a wide two lane road from the facility to the animal barns in the distance all of which would be reached by dirt roads for the comfort of animals hooves, apparently. A ship was lifting off outside, heading for the boonies or wherever it was going next while two trucks that it off loaded drove to the airlock around front where they would enter, then wait to come inside. They would then drive across the concourse to E Street and a straight shot to the outside where they would head for the stable. They were sentient mechs who had gone to Earth with Olivia to carry the animals in a secured container for the transfer from ship to habitat. That had been an event …

Olivia sat in the front seat of a huge truck towing a horse trailer. Behind her came another, both of which would transfer her three horses, two dogs and all their tack and special gear and care equipment to Mars. Her family was gathered at her parent's farm where they lived with all the other horses. Her family were venture capitalists that had taken up 'gentleman farming' on the side and had become entranced with thoroughbred horses to the point where they raised them and entered not only horse shows but riding contests. All of their children were expert and successful on the jumping and dressage scenes world wide.

Now they gathered to watch as two trucks drove down their long wooded driveway with their daughter. As the trucks got closer, they were unnerved to see that they were driverless. Olivia was sitting in the passenger side of the first one. They pulled up, she jumped out and they hugged. Squeeing madly together for a moment, she turned to the trucks. "Mama, Daddy, this is Cargo and that's Metallica."

Steven and William, her brothers and Phyllis, her sister stared at the trucks, their spouses, children and parents around them, then the trucks again. "Are those Autobots, Olivia?" her sister asked nervously.

She smiled. "Yes," she said, then turned to both. "Could you transform so I can introduce you to my family? You're doing such a kindness for me, gentlemen, that I want my family to know who you are."

For a moment, they were just trucks, then with a clanging of noise that scared the dogs, horses and if they would admit it, the humans watching including a number of friends and other family members, the big mechs transformed. They were over 29 feet tall, colossal in a way that was unknowable unless seen and on their handsome faces, the humans could read good humor. That their faces **were** handsome was also a revelation.

Olivia turned to them. "This is Cargo and that's Metallica. They're Knights who volunteered to help me. I love them madly," she said as she turned toward her family. "You should see their little kids. **THEY'RE SO CUTE!"** Olivia said with a big smile.

Everyone glanced from them, to Olivia, to them, and then Olivia. Her mom stepped forward with her dad. "Welcome to Branch Hollow Farm, gentlemen. Thank you for your kindness to our daughter. We appreciate what you came to do for her."

"It's our pleasure," Cargo said. "We serve our people and Olivia is our people."

She smiled at them through a mass of emotion, then turned to her family. "They're the best, the Knights. They want to help me get the horses to Mars. When we're settled, you can come for a vacation. We have an apartment in Unidad now and have spare bedrooms for visitors because our job has that diplomatic touch and we need room to house anyone who comes including officials from all around Earth."

They chatted, then the mechs transformed as the family walked to the barn to get the horses. It would take a while to forklift the gear pallets on board, then load the horses. The dogs would ride in the cabin with Olivia. They chatted, made plans for a week from this day to come for a visit, then with a box of treats her family made for her and Joe, she boarded the truck with her dogs, Titus and Andronicus or Andy. Waving madly, the family watched her drive away with her bounty and the biggest, most happy smile they had ever seen her have. It was silent for a moment.

"We just talked to trucks," Steven Boles said with a grin. "I can't wait to go to the habitat. I wonder if they need a good accountant."

They would.

-0-At the habitation

The trucks drove out into the open space of the farmland and followed Ratchet down the 'country lanes' that would take them to the horse barn about two miles from Square Deal Dairy. Taking the turnoff, they followed him, then pulled into the big open lot in front of a long sleek building with paddocks and lots of space for growth of the ranch remuda. They halted, then Olivia hopped out with her dogs. They sniffed Ratchet, then ran into the barn to explore.

Olivia hugged Ratchet's ped, then smiled brilliantly upward. **"THANK YOU FOR ASKING PRIME!** I can't tell you how much I missed my babies, Ratchet. **YOU'RE MY HERO!"**

Ratchet laughed. "How's living here? I heard you and Joe moved in."

"It's so awesome. We're sort of alone in a big empty right now but soon it'll be a living vibrant place. We have a bigger apartment than most because of the job and hosting but its alright. **I'm so damned happy!** Having my horses to ride and to see how horses and big animals live here ... I'm in the study ... will be awesome. My dogs … I missed them like children."

"I hear you," Ratchet said. "How do we help you get them out?"

"If you could help me with the doors and ramp," Olivia said as the two trucks began to do that for her. She smiled, then ran to one, climbing inside where one of the horses waited patiently. She rubbed his neck and flank, checking him over, then unhitched him from the hook on the wall and led him toward the ramp. He banged down it, then turned to face the stable, sniffing the air as he looked around with high emotion. His ears swiveled as he listened and his beauty was almost overwhelming. He was a big, dark horse with big dark eyes. Around his feet, four chickens, companions to him and the two others strutted with excitement. She led him and the chickens to a paddock, walked inside with them, then let the horse off his lead.

He stared around, then walked to the water trough nearby to tank up. Ratchet grinned, then watched as Olivia did the same with the other two. Her dogs hopped around, happy to see her as she worked. Ratchet who was chatting with Cargo walked to the back of the truck, then reached in to grip a pallet. It would take two trips to get all three of them to carry inside the barn. When that happened, the trucks transformed to stare at the horses.

"What beautiful animals. Smaller than ours but nice. I like horses. My son loves to ride them in school," Cargo said as Metallic nodded. "Thanks for the fun. I can now say I was on Earth, Olivia."

She ran to them and hugged both their peds. "Thank you so much. You made me so happy, I have no words." She smiled at them, they chatted a moment, then both mechs walked down the lane, transformed to their usual truck mode and drove onward to their usual orn's doings.

"Well, it looks like you have things to do. Can I help you at all, Olivia?" Ratchet asked.

"That's okay, Ratchet. I'm going to unpack the pallets and leave some of this stuff for Joe to take to the house. A bunch of it is my mom's canning," she said with a chuckle. "The rest is our home stuff that we always kept in storage. I want to make the apartment home. I have to tell you, Ratchet, that other than visits to Earth, this is my home. Here, among the bots, on this world."

"Its a change and a half, isn't it?" Ratchet said. "You were the enemy when you came, you know. How has your husband taken this all in? Is it still hard for him?"

She considered a story that he told her when he came back from his monthly meeting at the Pentagon with his superiors …

He came into their apartment at the Tower with a frown. She looked up from her book and noted it. "What happened, Joe? You look tense."

He sat down heavily, glancing her way with a sigh. "They want to know things I can't tell and be honorable, things that aren't part of the meetings. They want to know about tech and hierarchies and the rest, stuff that has nothing to do with my brief. You know the drill. The things they sent me here to find out."

"You haven't told them, right?" Olivia asked anxiously.

"No," he replied. He was silent a moment. "I was sent here to spy, Olivia. I was sent here to help some forces in the government undermine the relationship, to get tech and to be a hindrance. You do know that, right?"

"I know," she said with a nod.

It was silent, then Joe shook his helm. "I'm not going to do that. I'll do my job as liaison but I'm not going to be a spy for fuckers. They have **no idea** how much danger we're in without the bots and they can't be persuaded. They need to go to the jail here to see what we're facing, the fuckers. I just need you to know that. I want you to know that I don't understand everything you're doing but I'm on your side and I'm going to protect the relationship as much as Morshower and the others. If we don't, Olivia, then we will all die. The mission here is **critical.** The bots are honorable. To undermine that is to help our world commit suicide. It **won't** happen."

She smiled at him. "That's why you're my hero, Joe." …

"He was expected to snitch but he can't. He gets it and he likes it here," Olivia said. "You don't have to worry about Joe."

Ratchet nodded. "I've thought so for a long time but it helps to have confirmation." He looked into the barn. "Do you need any help then?"

"Not right now, Ratchet. Thanks, though. Some of the femmes of the Knights want to help with the horses and I think the N.E.S.T. soldiers do as well. I think I have it covered."

Ratchet nodded. "Have fun. I have to go back and wander around."

They parted with her running inside the stable with her dogs barking and bouncing around her. When he did, he crossed another worry off his shit list and sent a message to Prowl.

-0-Prowl who was watching a demonstration of building a shelter out of sticks and slag after a five mile hike into the bush

He read the memo, then glanced at Ironhide who was bent down with a handful of branches from broken and dead trees he had 'pruned to help nature'. The kids were taking them out of his servo and bending them to make shelters that they would be staying in tonight. They would camp here after walking in five miles, then break camp to go back for the two hour morning activities before the group had to go home again. :Ironhide:

He glanced at Prowl. :What?:

:Ratchet was talking to Olivia Bowers. Joe has turned to the dark side:

:Is that us or them?: he asked with a grin.

:Us: Prowl replied as he watched kids thatch their shelter expertly. He was seriously impressed.

:Score one for the home team: Ironhide said as the last limb in his servo was snatched. He would walk into a swamp nearby and get more. By the time he was finished scavenging, they would have a great little camp, a fire pit and another hike to accomplish. The femmes who had walked with them, helping them over downed trees and chatting with the humans who were entranced with them were amazingly good for the team. Maxi who was carrying a little boy who had scoliosis and needed a bit of a lift through the uneven terrain would bring honor to everyone. It was a great orn all in all for everyone including the four mechs with the slight smirks who were ambling along with them, scouting for anything of any danger or import for fifty miles around.

-0-At the habitat

Ratchet stood by the window of the third floor office of the City Operational Officer or COO, Carly Brooks-Spencer. She had moved in, then worked out her office, getting things organized for the department heads and support staff who were coming shortly along with all the school personnel and educational director. It was her daily job to make sure things ran, departments were doing their job and had what it took to do so, listen to problems and work out solutions, check on personnel to assist or direct them, and a dozen other things. Just below her office on the second floor was that which belonged to Sam Witwicky who would be business liaison and agent for the habitat and all who wanted to be partnered or work with them.

Her office was bigger.

"So we'll have them come here and meet up in the movie theater downtown, Carly. Then I'm going to speak to them in pretender gear but in my normal format," Ratchet said.

"Can you do that?" she asked with surprise.

"I hope so," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I have a text in to Wheeljack and Perceptor. It's merely displacement with subspace and using my regular format, a non-human design from my files. I hope. If not, then we're screwed."

"You'll figure it out," Carly said with a smirk as she leaned out the window of her office that overlooked Main Street. "I don't think there's much that gets past you, Ratchet."

"I don't know," Ratchet said with a wicked grin. "Why, other night in the berth-"

Carly laughed loudly. **"TOO MUCH INFORMATION!"**

"I could get a complex with the laughter my reminiscences from the berth get from others," he said with a smile.

"Do you have a baby with you? Inquiring minds, you know," Carly said.

Ratchet grinned, then whisked Halo out of his hold. Sitting on his hand, smiling brilliantly at Carly, Halo flapped her arms. **"BAI!"**

"She's almost university ready or so Ironhide says. We want her in pre-med, something that has good benefits and lets her have weekends off," Ratchet said with a wink.

"I want her in my house," Carly said as she patted Halo's tiny ped. "I love your kids so much."

"When can we expect some from you and what's his name?" Ratchet asked.

"We want to get married first. Then settle in together. Then babies. I want five," Carly said. "I want them born here. Here in Unidad."

"Then get busy," Ratchet replied. "Are you still going to have Prime do it?"

"We are. Right here. I heard that Merlie wants a church. I hope its big enough for him and all of you. You're all invited." She grinned. "By the way, do I have to come to staff meetings now?"

"You do," Ratchet replied. "Make sure you bring a Rubik's cube and a book."

"That's what I heard, though the good of the order is the prize for the meeting. Or so I'm told," Carly said.

"You heard that right," Ratchet said. They chatted, then parted ways as more of the humans began to be seen about. Peering into the barbecue restaurant, Ratchet was explained the finer points of the art from Collier as Halo walked around the sidewalk. Collie hugged her, then waved as they walked onward together, Halo slowly and Ratchet more slowly. As Ratchet did, the last humans due at Diego Garcia and the other gathering places arrived. They would stay there until Autobot ships arrived to gather them up and take them away to Mars.

At the same time that happened, the camp in the boonies in Alaska would be waking up to eat breakfast around a fire pit with the big mechs watching them with grins and the little femmes helping and chatting. All in all, a most productive first organized Earth bound meet up of human and Cybertronian children ever was one for the history books.

-0-TBC 7-11-18 **edited 7-17-18**


	411. Chapter 411

The Diego Diaries: Coming Back To Reality-ville (dd6 411)

-0-Ops Center, The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal Code 1

Paragon and Prime stood over the huge datapad on the command table that held the entirety of his empire to any degree of refinement needed. They were pouring over the news that more new refugees than those already accounted for would be coming among other things of vital interest. Paragon explained, pointing to the datapad to illustrate the latest data, messages and intel. "Here's where they will come, a slight deviation of the route because of cometary activity. He's sending them in 100,000 member convoys, heading toward us in the usual manner with armed escort. I've arranged for them to be picked up here by our own details newly assigned to allow Dai's teams to return to base. Here's why."

Paragon touched the map and it changed to show the bigger overall picture including that space held by Dai Atlas, the Knights, Circle, and Resistance forces that were being heavily supplied and supported by Mars. "Here's a new area they've managed to reach and initial intel shows a heavily settled area of anywhere from 2,000,000 of our people to 50,000,000." He let that sink in.

"How does he calculate it?" Prime asked after a moment of absorption.

"He sent scouts out to talk to the different settled areas. They're glad to see us. Between hostile aliens letting them know of their presence, if not their appearance … then the reorganization of the Decepticons that are based out there, they're pretty scared. We have messages sent out and we're getting them back. We ask for details and so far, he can solidly claim 2,000,000 and roughly 15,000,000 more that he's checking out for confirmation."

They both considered the number, then Prime glanced at Paragon. "Please call for Jetta to come."

He did.

-0-Out there

He paused an Oreo before his mouth, then looked down. Standing in front of him in full view of the cameras, Leonora Huttle smiled upward. The camera crews were alternating filming and sleeping, eating what they had brought in this, the last day of the little scout gathering so nothing would be missed. "What, Leonora Huttle?" he asked.

"Is that an Oreo?" she asked.

"Yes," Ironhide said as he held it out. "Want a bite?"

She laughed and so did unseen camera people as the little camp slumbered on in the dim light of early morning. "No thanks," she said. "How do you like the camping trip?"

Ironhide grinned. "I like it fine. The infants are cute. All of this was cute and fun. The kids liked each other so its a success in my book." He popped the cookie in his mouth with satisfaction.

He was sitting on the ground with a bag of Oreos in front of him. Prowl and Drift sat on a pile of fallen logs nearby which was still rather too small for them as Springer knelt next to them. They were passing around bags of Fig Newton and Oreo cookies along with a box or two of fudge. They weren't making any pretense about it. They were emptying the bags and boxes one cookie and fudge after the other. Ironhide had stuck them in his carry hold and would sneak them one at a time until Springer caught him. A huge conversation blazed off line caught by Leonora and her translator programming. It was proprietary to the Autobots but they let her use it under supervision.

Like now.

With them.

It went something like this …

:What are you eating, Ironhide?: -Springer aka SPR

:What?: -Ironhide aka IH

All optics turned to him, their brightness startling in the semi darkness nearing midnight on an overcast night in the boonies. :What are you eating? Open your hold: -SPR

:Frag you: -IH

:Are you hoarding something, Ironhide?: -Prowl aka PR suspicioning

:What makes you think that, slagger?: -IH bluffing

: **THE COOKIE CRUMBS ON YOUR SERVOS!** : -PR calling IH's bluff and then some

:Give. Hand them over: -SPR

Drift who was watching as a 'neutral observer' smirked at all of them. He wasn't going to take a side until Springer glared at him and made him. **:A LITTLE HELP!:**

Drift glanced at Ironhide, then grinned. :Sharing is good for the spark:

:Frag the spark. Get your own cookies: -IH

When they began to move on him, he threw in the towel. They were standing in a forest of tiny makeshift branch covered tent-lets and there were infants underfoot. He knew the slaggers wouldn't stop if they had to turn him upside down and shake them out. Frowning like a baby, he brought several bags of Oreos and Fig Newtons and two of his boxes of candy. Frag them if they'd get the rocky road fudge. :Here, fraggers. Choke on them:

They wouldn't. They would eat them with great gusto and smirk at Ironhide all the time they did. He would smirk on the inside because they didn't get his rocky road fudge.

 **HA-HA!** …

"How is it going with you, Prowl?" Leonora asked.

He looked at her with a Fig Newton in hand, then shrugged. "I like this activity for the kids. Our kids need good things to happen to them. Some of them are scarred from war. They need to be happy and children again. My little mechs would've loved this."

"What about the babies, Ironhide? Is there ever going to be an Autobot Scouts for babies?" she asked knowing full well the story behind why everyone was here.

" **NO!"** -four mechs who startled three femmes recharging nearby. They glanced up, frowned a bit as everyone looked at the little tent-lets and when no one stirred, the three stretched back down to relax into a mild self induced recharge. It was the kind of thing bots could do to allow systems to work out without going into full recharge which was harder to pop back from at a moments notice. Soldiers used it all the time in warfare. It was enough but not too much.

"That was close. I see that Holi is here and so is Maxi and Lee-Lee. Whose idea was it to bring femmes? I ask because you four are the head honchos of scouting on Mars," she asked to twist the knife just a smidge.

They frowned at her, then Prowl answered. "They asked to come. Frankly, I think they can handle it by themselves next time. Ceelie couldn't come. Her brother separated. Just so you know, I now have another infant for my collection."

Snickers galore greeted that along with questions about Ceelie's brother who was an aide in Intermediate School and a great football coach for the Micro-Mini and Mini-Con Infant Football League. Win-win in their book. The chat would continue until at 0600 everyone began to wake up for breakfast, break up and policing of the site, then the five mile hike back to base camp.

-0-Ops Center

Jetta stared at the map, then Prime. "Oh."

"We have to plan for many, Jetta. What is our situation as it stands?" Optimus asked with a grave expression.

"We have the Crater District. It has more than half of its space available. There has been a steady trickle in as apposed to a flood since we changed up our practices. We've been housing everyone well and there has been a lot of talents, man power and the like gathered with each new group that comes. We're halfway through the other housing project in the other crater west of Aerie Hill, Crater 2. We have a lot of expansion room, Optimus. Even putting Unidad Terra 1 in the southwestern corner west of the other habitats didn't short us for space in the security radius for the colony.

"We can work hard on the new development in the new crater, then scope out two other sites where we were going to begin laying infrastructure against future development. What we're looking at here, then, is a need to expedite our building and housing possibilities without compromising quality. We have to keep the same standards as before but work faster. That might mean expanding some of the Industrial Park City industries such as steel, fixtures, plumbing, electrical and the like. We can do it. We just need to sit down and draw up a plan. We can do that at your scheduling convenience."

"How about meeting tomorrow? We can cancel the committee meet up and concentrate on this. Once we have a plan, then I will feel better," Optimus said.

"A good offense is a good defense then," Jetta said with a slight grin.

"You read my mind," Prime said. "We can have Magnus, the planning commission, you, Mack and Hardie because I'm turning this over to him. You can direct on the ground and Hard Drive will manage the overall operation."

"Good," Jetta said. "That frees me up to do the nuts and bolts. Fort Max and Huffer can design the city and tweak the plans already in place. Right now, we have 2.4 million spaces available for the steady stream in. If there's a flood, the other development won't hold it. We can expedite it with extra quality assurance teams looking things over and get it up in …" He thought it over, then shook his helm. "I can't put a date on it but know we understand the urgency. I'll have groundbreaking for the other two developments start right away. We have the manpower but we need to beef up the industrial output. We can devise the two developments with design tweaks and expansion of the existing plans to cover a good 15 million new colonists."

Prime nodded. "That would ease my mind. This must be a priority. I have no information on how it is on the other side. We were told that a reorganization of the Decepticons is underway and that has led to a destabilization of the local group aliens who live there and everyone is on edge. How is the space station going? We are close to the area that Dai Atlas has explored. It can be utilized as a battle platform if it comes to that."

"The station is being finished inside. It has weapons, though not to the extent that the war worlds had. That was insane," Jetta said with a grin. "Let's say, though, that I wouldn't want to attack this station."

Prime nodded, then changed the diagram to the area Dai Atlas and the network was searching and exploring. It was only half filled in. As the data came, it was added and the picture was made of what was going on. "We might need another station here," he said pointing to a sector that was the only really good pathway through the area of debris, comets, planets, the rift eruptions, and unknown but reasonably stable alien empires. It was a mess. "One that is designed for battle and to defend the area including those aliens caught in the middle."

"We can discuss that tomorrow. I'll get some data together. If we double what we have now in industrial output, we can do all of this easily. We can bang out stuff like nobody else," Jetta said.

"Then get on it, Jetta. I grant permission to do what it takes to expand the Industrial Park Cities to handle the demand. Take what you need and who you need to make this happen. Cull the military construction division to help you if need be."

"Max can help me. He's amazing with industrial planning," Jetta said with a nod. They chatted a moment, then Jetta walked out to make it happen. Paragon and Prime would discuss the problems before them as they waited for Prowl to come back and organize it into something less tenuous.

Yes, Prowler was essential equipment.

-0-At the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport Inbound Terminal 1, Immigration and Naturalization, Visitors, all traffic between Earth and the Primal Empire

They came off the ship, 712 individuals who were hyped to be here. They had a mountain of baggage that was going to be taken in its palatalized form to Unidad along with about 333 different kinds of birds, cats, dogs, lizards, snakes, iguanas, hedge hogs, and an ant farm for a little girl. They gathered in three groups with leaders who were military and two who were waiting for them from Unidad, Carly Brooks-Spencer and Ratchet of Iacon. The group saw him, then stopped where instructed. It got silent immediately. Everyone was wearing gear, had their helmets in their suit pockets and looked stoked. Cameras were taking images, kids were looking around, there was a baby in a specialized carrier, and they were almost breathless with excitement.

Carly glanced up at Ratchet, then walked toward the groups. "Welcome to Mars. I'm Carly Brooks-Spencer of the United Kingdom. I'm the Chief Operational Officer of Unidad Terra 1 with day-to-day responsibility for the facility. This," she said turning toward Ratchet, "is Commander Ratchet of Iacon, Chief Medical Officer of this planet, Cybertron and the Primal Empire as well as all armed forces and civilians. He is also Ambassador Without Portfolio and Ambassador Plenipotentiary for the Prime of Cybertron. He is here to welcome you and to assist with the orientation that you'll be undertaking to learn how to live and work here safely.

"The single most important thing you can learn here is to obey the safety requirements and understand the finality of your choices if you don't. I have lived here over a year and some of the human population has from the beginning. No one has died from mistakes like that yet and we want to keep it that way. We're going to Unidad by bus and will arrive in a short time. You will put on your face masks as a precautionary thing once we get you through Customs and Immigration."

Those here to help walked among the humans organizing them for the bots waiting to see their papers and register them as 'non-Cybertronian, permitted workers' in their database. It would take a bit of time but they had that. Today would be an orientation about everything. Ratchet would spend the next ten to twenty days or so working with each group that came in while they settled and worked out the bugs. These first two groups would be department heads, leaders in their particular sector and those who would run such things as the groceries, bakeries, schools, the library, and other amenities.

By the time the rest of the inhabitants began to come until they reached their goal of 10,000 worker bees, a process that could take up to a year, the place would be running itself. For now, however, everyone still had their training wheels on. They chatted in line, took pictures, some had selfies with the bot team at the desk, then moved onward to the doors of the jetways where the buses were waiting. It would take a while but eventually they would load up and go. Ratchet would transform and lead the way. It would be a strikingly amazing trip through the cities and a jarringly bumpy ride over the dirt road to the glittering massively awesome habitat that grew bigger with every mile.

Soon, they would be inside and the real work would begin.

-0-TBC 7-12-18 **edited 7-17-18**

NOTES:

Lackwit chapter 410 . 15h ago

I love the femmes here! Btw, might want to add a segment in a later chapter as to why Ceelie (so?) I.e. Prowl's assistant, couldn't make it.

ME: I love writing about the femmes. They're so confident and fun. Ceelie is mentioned here. :D

Silverhornd chapter 409 . Jul 11

Wait, someone needs to tell the girls on Mars about the girls scouts and what about the 4H club. I just think it will be cute for the femmes and the others to find out about both. Just think the Cybertron kids learning how to take care of a calf or a lamb and then winning a blue ribbon at the fair.

ME: I am working out that sort of thing, a rodeo and a fair. LOL! I love having grown up in the country. :D

Guest chapter 408 . Jul 10

The kids get me every time. It's always so emotional. I love the scouts. :-)  
Fancy spinner

ME: FANCY! I love them, too. Kids are so great. More to come, sweetness. :D


	412. Chapter 412

The Diego Diaries: Soldiering On (dd6 412)

-0-Around

Jetta held the meeting with the usual suspects, workers, their union reps, designers, industrialists and the like. "And that's what we know. We have to work this thing as hard as we can. The migrations are going to be coming quick and fast. Right now, we have to have a detailed plan for the future which is looking very busy to say the least."

They would spend all afternoon outlining a plan, refining and dividing up areas of expertise before they were go. At no time in the discussions did anyone suggest it couldn't be done. It had to.

-0-At a scout camp

They had breakfast at the distant camp, walked back five miles with the femmes and the mechs, the scout leadership and a horde of camera personnel who talked to them, all of them, on the way. It would be a joint broadcast project with The National Geographic and Galaxy Productions when the three hour special was aired sometimes in September.

The rest of their time would be spent getting things together, going over mutual viewpoints on the skills learned and honed, the potential for the troop to come to Mars and be feted by the Autobot Scouts along with an exchange of addresses and phone numbers between everyone. The kids had had a great time swimming, making fire, learning about different ways to hike safely by leaving a marked trail, animal and plant identification, stories shared about their different but oddly similar lives, and cooking out over a fire. By the time they saluted the flag and lowered it, recited and sang the songs of the Scouts, the human kids delighting in the changes the Cybertronian kids had to make with their pledges and oaths, hugs were delivered to the femmes, mechs, human adults, and even the film crews, everyone was teary-eyed/opticed over parting.

Prowl chatted with Mertz and the other humans about exchanges, the upcoming worldwide Jamboree and other mundanities before helping to lead everyone into the shuttle. Climbing in last, he turned to the human group watching. Grinning at them, he waved and they waved back as the ship began to rise into the sky. It was gone in seconds.

The camera crews would interview everyone left separately and together. The chats would be wonderful.

-0-On the way home

The kids sat in their seats chattering together, humans and bots. It had been a long venture into organized activity land but it was good. What was going to be gooder was going home. That it was the start of weekend was a bonus, though many of the senior Autobots would be busy with things. Prowl went down the list he was keeping as intel poured in.

First, there was the push for development. They would have to move into security zone two due to the need to expand housing starts. There was a five band ring of security surrounding ground zero, The Fortress. Each band away from that spot was a zone in which security diminished. Band five was far enough away that it would be abandoned if attacked heavily from the sky. At least, it would be until all threats were over and then expansion could be had everywhere. Four and three, depending on their composition, would be defended to the best degree possible. Bands one and two would be defended with all they had. The major habitation areas would be there until the threat of the Decepticons was wiped from the galaxy forever.

Secondly, there was Unidad Terra 1. There were literally thousands upon thousands of requests for interviews and visitations from Earth and he had to deal with that. Ratchet had been assigned by Prime to settle the newcomers and help the nascent leadership get rolling until they got a grip on what they were to do and how it would go. Ratchet and Charlotte Mearing would be the Primal liaisons between that place and Optimus for Prime.

Thirdly, the preliminary hearings for the Wheelus Faction, Brok, Lurid and that group were at hand. It would happen in an orn or so. They were ready to plead, petition and have a date set. He would have to figure out how to fit them in.

Slaggers.

Still making trouble.

Fourthly, the Primal Hearing for Ratbat and Contrail had arrived. They would be tried and Sentinel would follow. There were others that had moved to the point of action including those on 'extreme danger-pending holds' like Turmoil and that crowd. Also, they had to address the Stunticons. He would prefer a cattle prod on the codpiece for that group himself but they were a people of laws.

He grinned to himself as the ship flew into the space bridge. It winked out almost immediately.

They were home again.

Huzzah.

He rose to work the door and help the delighted little kids off the ship. It would be fun.

-0-Unidad Terra 1

They stepped out of their vehicles onto the paved tarmac of the facility. Hushed humans, all 712 of them looked around as Carly stepped from the trucks they had arrived in, baby carriers and all. The entry was as tall as the building, though the habitat part for the air lock was only 100 feet high. The rest of the glassed front above that ceiling was enclosed at the level of each of the nine floors and would hold green atrium-style rooms for inhabitants to enjoy. They would be heavily planted with enclosed system water devices … fountains the humans called them ... and lots of flowers and trees. Areas to sit and eat, relax and walk would be built there for use once the area was created.

The huge doors opened and they walked in as two vehicles drove behind them pulling big vans filled with belongings and the like for the new inhabitants. When everyone was in, the doors closed. Ratchet was parked outside with the other vehicles taking a call from Medical about a titan. After a moment, the doors of his vehicle mode opened to let out Will Lennox and someone new. They walked to a smaller door and entered, closing it behind them. The atmosphere equalized and all was well.

Walking to the group who were gathered inside with Carly, Omar Epps, Sam Witwicky, Phoebe Grant, and Leslie and Terri Hadden, the two halted before them and smiled. The man with Will was over six feet, almost disturbingly handsome, well made, smartly dressed, had deeply blue eyes, and last but not least, red hair.

Fire engine red hair.

It was longish but nicely cut and combed. His clothing looked expensive and he was very strong and muscular. He was rangy, like an athlete and his smile was genuine. So was the Autobrand he wore on his cheek like a beauty mark, small and discreet.

Other than the oddities, he was genuinely beautiful.

"Hello, little people. Welcome to Mars. This is Unidad Terra 1, Earth Unity 1 and you are the second group to come in to settle. This is William Lennox, alpha male and overall benevolent dictator for the human community, all of it, on Mars. If he says pack your bags, you have to. You don't have to be told a reason and there's no appeal. Remember that. That and his winsome manner and bright blue eyes," the man said with a smile at Lennox.

Lennox was smirking at the figure, obviously amused at his antics, then he looked at the crowd. "This hustler is Commander Ratchet of Iacon, the head of medicine for all bots everywhere they exist and the ambassador for everything for the Prime of Cybertron."

Everyone looked at both, then Ratchet. Ratchet spread his arms wide, then smiled beautifully. They stared at him, then Lennox. Then a big man leaned slightly forward. "Major … Ratchet is a bot."

"And what a great bot he is," Ratchet said in his pretender gear. He held up his hands. "He has miracle hands. They lay on the sick and cure disease. They touch troubled waters and still them. They heal. **HEAL! SAY IT!"** He glanced at William who snickered. "Say it, William." He grinned at Lennox.

"Yeah. They heal," he said wanly.

"A testimonial to these hands," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

It was silent a moment, then another stepped forward. "Are you wearing that pretender gear that we hear about?" he asked.

 **"GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR!"** Ratchet said. That was when he was swamped.

-0-Landing at the airport

They stood inside the terminal looking through the windows as the ship settled down nearby. The door opened and the ramp shot down a yellow beam of light to walk upon. Stepping down, Prowl turned back to take children off the ship. Out of the door nearby, the genitors walked to get their kids and gear, then hear the story of their expedition. It would be a riotously happy moment.

-0-Unidad(io)

They gathered around Ratchet and Lennox. Ratchet turned to the biggest portion of the group. "We're going on a tour, then we meet in the theater to go over the standard speeches, relevant conversations, must does and the like, then you get to settle in. We have a number of human soldiers here including a number of mini-cons and micro-minis who will help you get going. I'm going to be here in pretender format until the first wave, all 1,200 of you are here. Then it'll be up to the leadership in house to do the rest." The others had been introduced so the hierarchy was understood by those here.

Nearby wearing vests that identified them as security and police, 20 humans watched. They were former service and police officers who had been selected, screened for psychological soundness, immersed in community policing, and ready for more training when Springer and Drift came back. Now they were here to be part of the tour and learn what they'd be enforcing through the overall direction of Springer and Drift. Ten men and ten women from all over the world in all, they were ready to hear it, too.

Ratchet was ready to deliver it. He glanced toward the door where lined up in rows were the inside vehicles of the 'motor pool', the place where they'd be parked until needed. Those who used them placed a thumb on a sensor and it was checked out. Only those who were adult and registered in the files could use them. It was decided that wild infants were verboten here.

There were segways, small vehicles that looked like tiny pickup trucks, four wheelers, some with wagons attached, and what looked like three wheeled scooters. "Climb in and we'll go for a ride. Stay inside the vehicles or this could take all day. The habitat is well laid out and there'll be watch officers to assist along with your handhelds which will have GPS systems for the whole place. Let's go," he said as he walked to a segway and climbed on. He smiled. "Who wants to ride with me?"

Everyone did.

-0-At Ops Center catching up

Prowl nodded. "We better fly then," he said. "When will the bulk be coming?"

"They are coming in stepped up numbers of 100,000 at a time. Atlas will be needing the space to move those closest to the threats and he is trying to balance things out. There's also the possibility that there are more," Prime said. "This upends our calculus here. If there were one billion on Cybertron and the local group who did not leave, then about 700,000,000 there who died, that leaves 1.3 billion conservatively left to account for. Perhaps more got away in the chaos than we considered. They are going to need rescue. We have to prepare for as many as we can. Nowhere in the Empire but here are they going to be able to live. Everywhere else but here is barely managing to maintain those that are there already and it will not change for a while unless we get lucky with the Omega Keys."

"This is fraught, Optimus," Prowl said quietly. "What's the number that your preliminary plans are aiming for? The one you gave Jetta now?"

He glanced at Prowl with a grave expression. "We are going to draw up our plans for fifty million more of our people, Prowl. There is no other way around it. Until Cybertron is prepared to receive refugees, this is the only place left for our people to go. We must be ready to receive them."

"We will," Prowl said with a determined sound to his soft voice. "We need to fix a few holes in the dyke, Only One," he whispered as they stared at the expanded map that included the incoming data of a web of settlements great and small far beyond what anyone had dared hope to exist. "We have to take out Ominous, then Razorclaw. We can't have them be a wild card in our operation any longer."

Prime nodded slightly. "I know."

They stared at the map, then began to make a framework for a plan to not only increase their colony by 200-500% but to eradicate the dangers that were built into their present balance of power by the presence of outliers. It would be a solemn afternoon in Ops Center.

-0-Unidad-e-doo

They drove slowly around the main concourse, the one that would be communal living space and quality of life to the dazzled individuals riding in vehicles behind Ratchet. He pointed out all the features including those businesses that were already up and going. Soon other businesses and their directors would arrive and things would be swinging in the downtown. There would be groceries, bakeries, a library, restaurants, a bank linked to the New York office to manage accounts for inhabitants regarding their salaries and other benefits, a post office that would forward Earth bound mail and deliver mail here, the hospital, the City Hall, the spa, several stores that would feature clothing, toys, electronics, the phone company, three houseware home stores and others to be named and operated later.

Moving away from the six main commercial roads that created downtown toward the giant open doors to the dome itself, they saw the studio for recording, the radio station next door, the newspaper and publishing arm of the place, business offices for those who did the bookkeeping and the like which would incidentally include Steven Rolfe, the older brother of Olivia who applied for and was accepted to be one of ten accountants for the corporation on world. He would manage inventory and equipment, something that would take him everywhere in the place.

Including the stables where his sister would help manage the big animals on world.

Win-win.

The city itself was modeled to look like an old western American town with lots of charm and character. It wasn't intended to look modern, cold and unwelcoming. This was going to be a town for humans and the design reflected the interests and tastes of most of the mechs and femmes in the process who loved western stories and archetypes. It was beautiful and featured window boxes for plants and flowers in the upper stories of the taller buildings. None of them were less than two stories and some of them towered up to four. At each intersection, an Autobrand was painted in the middle of the crossing. The signage on corners and buildings was written in both French and English, the languages of the United Nations along with Cybertronian underneath. Street lights controlled traffic and the street lights were old fashioned and beautiful.

There were benches at intervals for people to sit and talk along the sidewalks and lines were painted to show crosswalks and center lines for the road system's wide two lane streets. Cars could parallel park along all the downtown streets and they would except where deliveries were going to be made to businesses. Trash cans were set at intervals and they were expected to be used. This place would hold to Cybertronian standards of cleanliness and no one would complain. The humans who were part of the Public Works Department would drive their little 'garbage trucks' around everyday and collect waste from everyone. Then it would be incinerated in the plant to fuel the place. This was a zero waste facility like all the others on world.

Sunlight streamed downward on the downtown through the giant windows that fronted the entire northwestern face of the habitat. There would be normal day and night here because of it.

Cab stands were here and there throughout the entire concourse where non-sentient white cab-let convertibles waited for a passenger to send them on their way. Also here and there were postal drop boxes waiting for mail to be taken to the post office where it would be sorted into off world and on, bagged up and delivered by hand inside to apartment mail slots and by courier from the bot's post office other places. All the mail off world would be censored, then sent onward.

Non-negotiable item for now.

Elevators were spaced on all the four long walls of the building, some big enough for freight and others to take people upward to the science floors, the next four up, then beyond that, the apartment level where everyone lived. Stairs were available and were used by those interested in fitness but the elevators would be the main mode of transport for most everyone here.

A veterinarian office was located near the feed store and would be run by a pair of humans who had learned to be farriers as well. A feed store run by a micro and mini-con family who liked animals, were scientists who learned the formulas and items needed and would supply them to everyone with a pet and to the animal projects was next door. They waved as everyone drove by and everyone waved madly and took pictures back. As they drove past listening to Ratchet explain things, they continued out into the farm dome beyond. Motoring out, they halted to allow the humans to see the church that Merlie had asked about earlier …

… earlier …

They drove up and parked parallel which apparently was going to be a thing, then stepped out to walk to the restaurant that would be the home base for soulful dining in the facility. Inside, Merlie and her two daughters, Tennessee and Glorianna aka Gloria were putting the place to rights. An earlier delivery of equipment, fixtures and furnishings that had been ordered two weeks before when the facility was being scoped out for businesses and she had decided to have two, that thing was going on …

"Hey, Merlie," Will Lennox said as he, Niall Graham and Gavin Pritchard on his day off walked into the bright space with big windows that fronted the street outside, B Street, three businesses down from off Main. "How's it going? Do you need help?"

"Hello, boys. Would you mind moving those tables into place? Gloria will help you," Merlie said with a sweet smile. "I've been making my pies and biscuits. Fried chicken for lunch at noon."

"You got a date." -all of them

They began to unstack things and break them out of boxes, setting up a dining area in the front that had booths along both sides. Tennessee was fastening red and white checker board oil cloth coverings to the tables giving the place the sort of ambiance that homestyle diners and home cooking joints had on Earth. It reminded Will of his grandma's kitchen. The counter in the back fronted the rooms beyond where state of the art kitchens, stores, appliances, and counters would make the cooking a thing of beauty, organization and ease.

"When are you opening, Merlie, and for what meals?" Gavin asked. "My wife really likes your food."

"We're opening when the second group arrives. Apparently, about 500 will come shortly and another after that. Then we'll be open for day-to-day business. We will do lunch and early dinner for a bit, then add breakfast when we see the demand. I expect that a number of the family members will help out waiting tables and the like. It's a good thing to be busy, boys.

"The barbecue is going to take a bit longer. The boys are working out the cooker. They never ran one on energon before. Its going to be used to heat the charcoal. We're using that instead of wood. They never used it before and it makes less smoke than wood but its easier to have on hand. They're going to experiment for a while. Come by and eat some. Tell us what you think."

"This is getting to be a dream duty," Gavin said as they laughed.

A rap on the door drew their attention. Jetta was there bent down to stare inside. "How are you doing, Merlie? Is it going alright?"

Merlie walked outside, then patted Jetta's ped. "We're good. I thought you had a meeting?"

"Not yet. I'm going to report remotely. We have to get this place going," he said.

"You're a good son, Jetta," she said patting his ped. "What about a church? Where's the church going to be?" she asked.

Jetta glanced at the others, then her. "Church?"

"Yes, son. The place you go to give thanks for your blessings," she said with a smile.

He thought a moment as he surfed the internet for data, then looked at her thoughtfully. "You require a church, then."

She smiled. "Where will I wear my hats? A woman needs to wear a good hat to church to thank God for their blessings. My mama used to say … "Merlie, every queen has her crown" and so I have mine. Do you see?"

Jetta didn't but he loved Merlie. Everyone loved her and Lorie, Omar's wife. "If you need a church, you get one." He glanced down the street, then to her. "Let me see what I can do, Merlie."

"You're a good man, Jetta. Thank you for being such a good son," Merlie said.

He smiled at her, then nodded. Turning to Mack who watched with fascination and no small amount of confusion, he walked down the street toward a tall three story building that faced this direction on E Street down the way. They reached it, then turned right to disappear.

"He's just the finest young man," Merlie said as she walked back toward the store. Then she paused to look at the three grinning men. "Would you sweet boys be so kind as to help us sort out the back room? We have boxes and boxes of things that need put away. I would do it myself with my girls but you're such fine young men, I know you will help us."

Will laughed as did the others. Then he hugged her. "For you, Merlie, the moon."

They were well into the work when a call was made. "Merlie? This is Jetta. Can you come to my signal?"

Merlie glanced at Will who answered. "We're on it, Jetta."

They walked out, climbed into the truck parked at the curb, then headed down Main, took a right at E Street, then drove the six blocks to the back door which was open into the domed space beyond. As they exited, they stared with amazement at a building that was sitting nearby, several hundred yards apart from the building but far enough away to catch the light as it streamed into the dome from the outside. They drove up and stopped, staring at the building that wasn't there shortly ago.

When they were working at Merlie's they felt a tremor but thought nothing of it. Mars was famous for tremors, some reaching seven on the Richter Scale on a regular basis. Now they could see what it was. Stepping out, they stared a moment, then walked to Mack and Jetta who were standing with Gyro, the head of the symbiont crew of Thrasher.

"Jetta … what the hell?" Will asked as the others stared upward at the building.

Jetta knelt. "Merlie said church. We went through different designs on the internet and saw this. Is it a problem? We have no idea what you need, to tell the truth."

"It's glorious," Merlie finally said. "This is glorious, Jetta. Did Thrasher make this?"

Gyro nodded. "He did. He likes it, too."

"How could anyone **not** love it?" Jetta said as he looked at the building.

It was a gigantically tall steel framed building with walls of glass on all its sides that rose up nearly 120 feet. Inside, rows of seating filled both sides of the aisle leading to a very simple altar. Wooden doors led inside but the rest of the building sans the tall metallic frame was glass, 425 huge windows of glass. Wood accents were everywhere and the floor was flagstones, polished and the color of sand. There were boxes inside for plants and some outside at intervals for trees that would be planted along with bushes and other greenery to enclose it in a casing of greenery that would resemble a forest. Everyone stared at it with a hushed sense of wonder.

"It was taken from a design of a place called the Chapel in the Woods. It's in Eureka Springs, Arkansas in the United States. It sort of belongs in an organic setting like this. Given its size and the need for trees and plants to enhance its beautiful design, we put it outside in the sunlight to ensure that the windows get their due," Jetta said.

Merlie looked up at him, then smiled. "You're a genius, son. You're a wonderful genius. Thank you, Jetta and Thrasher. This will do just fine."

He smiled at her, then bowed slightly. "Your wish is our command, my queen," he said.

… in the here and now …

"We called on the chaplain at Earth 1, Irene Millius to come and see it. She cried like a baby. I think Jetta has a friend for life," Ratchet said with a grin.

The humans nodded, then walked to it, entering the extraordinarily beautiful space to check it out.

"Imagine what it would be like when the plants are in place and all of this," Will said as he looked out at the sandy terrain beyond, "is planted and growing as well?"

"I can't wait," Ratchet said with a grin.

Everyone agreed with him.

-0-TBC 7-14-18 **edited 7-17-18**

I had to cannibalize the piece I got out of order to make it fit. Sorry about that. :D:D:D More to come, darlings.

A farrier is someone who shoes and maintains the hooves of horses, etc. Youtube can show you what farriers do if you google farrier. Horse hooves are made of the same stuff as our fingernails and hair. They need trimmed and maintained. It looks like it should hurt but it doesn't if you trim them right. A horse can truly suffer without good foot maintenance. Hugs, my darlings. More to come. D

I heart AMB on his day. :D


	413. Chapter 413

The Diego Diaries: Potpourri (dd6 413)

-0-At Unidad

They walked in and around the structure of the church. Some of the people wore different clothing that identified them as different in their visions and personal creeds. But all of them admired the beauty and possibilities of the building. Several of them came to him. "What about us? We aren't Christians."

"That doesn't matter. This building is for everyone. Irene Millius is chaplain at Earth 1 and she wants everyone to use it for their own purposes. It should be for you what the Temple is for us. Holy ground. Peace and quiet. A place to reflect and feel better. No one is excluded for any reason. Prime won't have it and neither will I. Until we all embrace the name of this place as our creed, no one is going to be happy anywhere. Unidad Terra 1 … Earth Unity 1. Prime chose it for that reason, the hope that this place can be an inspiration for Earth to see another path."

They chatted, then mounted up, following Ratchet on his segway that now contained half a dozen kids of varying ages who sat and stood beside him as he bumpity-bumped down the roadway. They drove out into the relatively flat greatness that was under the dome, a long line of trucks filled with humans heading toward the lake in the distance. They drove alongside canals that were deep, lined and sandy in appearance. That, of course, was the texture added. It took a lot of miles to reach the lake but when they did, the vehicles stopped and the people climbed out, walking for some distance to gather with Ratchet. He grinned. "This is Lake Something Or Other. Prime wants the kids to name the lakes and the two ponds."

It was slowly filling and appeared to be halfway toward the goal. It was huge and wound around it were rocks where plants, bushes and shade trees would be placed. Two streams on the other side would flow in and two closer to them would flow out, entering and exiting the canal system and two rather wide streams that would help circulate the water and whatever fish life was introduced later on. Ratchet explained it to everyone pointing out the need for safety with the kids and the sensitivity of plant life for a year or two until it was stabilized and rooted in.

In the distance, a haze hung from where the Hu-An, Cybertronians and Haddens The Younger were texturizing and reclaiming soil for use. "Out that way, the fields of produce, fodder for animals and experimental agriculture will happen. The Hu-An, our allies in all things are helping our Cybertronian agricultural team get the soil back. It's highly bleached out and requires a lot of work but we're getting there. When all is ready and the water system is up and running, we're going to plant this whole space.

"There will be pastures for the animals, crop lands, corn, wheat, barley, alfalfa, vegetables, fruit trees, olive trees, and the vineyard under cultivation. There's going to be a lot of grasslands here to get the soil back together. A lot of this land will lay fallow, waiting its turn to use. The Hu-An will be coordinating the program for some time until the land is what they call virtuous. That is, until it can produce without their expert eyes. There's nothing that grows that they can't figure out and they have a lot of their own crops created from those of Earth, genetically altered to feed their people. I would tell you, don't even handle their produce and fruit, even those places where they have experimental plantings without them supervising. All of their stuff is highly and deadly poisonous to humans. I'm not sure I could save you if you messed with it. Even getting juice in a cut would be fatal."

They watched the lake as it slowly reached the level of the streams and canals, then the water slowly flow into them. They gathered up to go again. Ratchet buzzed off with more kids toward the forest and meadow land set asides far away.

-0-Land planning and disaster averting meeting

They listened as Jetta and the union, guild, production managers and the over all boss of the Industrial Park Cities, Scar, discussed the plans to expedite more housing for the masses that were lurking in the darkness of space somewhere on a warren of planets. The latest intel had risen the provisional count of individuals to over 30,000,000. It was a harrowing thought to Prime as he listened to his experts tell him how they would try to stay ahead of that number which was rising with every sector the Knights, Circle and Network probed.

"We have the new crater district nearly finished, we've broken ground for this, a massive interlocking design that we want to do next … this will theoretically hold comfortably 10,000,000 of our people. The second crater district," Jetta said pointing to the nearly outwardly finished mirror image of the massive first one south of the city, "is going to need a great deal of inner finish work and design but we can do it." It was situated west of Aerie Hill and was standby for when the first Crater District, now called Crater 1 finally took in its last refugee. "We're going to expand the Industrial Park Cities to include four more groupings," he said.

Jetta touched the datapad, then opened a screen. The huge Industrial Park City complex covered a lot of ground and had been expanded, regrouped and linked by highways for years. Now it would have to be expanded again. It was going to have to go into Zone 2. "We're going to expand into this area," he said as he pointed to set aside land in Zone 2 where the complexes would be built in a row separated by enough distance to allow trucks and soon, an overland train system to run. "We're going to build a train system above ground to carry product to the work sites rather than use trucks. We can carry more and heavier loads this way and do things faster and easier. All new construction will get trains and depots where things can be stockpiled. That will free up the crane shuttles for other things. At some point, we can expand the train system colony wide for freight.

"We'll work out the underground infrastructure and get that ready. Already, we're building the energon system that'll be the source for power for the entire complex," he said as he pointed out the system of underground pipes and transfer stations that would boost it along. "We're getting to be expert at building vast and powerful pipelines to feed vast and power individuals and communities. It doesn't really matter if the amenities aren't first class right away. We'll always finish things to the standard that we've set, but having shelter up for our people will be our first and only goal for now."

Prime nodded. "What will it mean for other projects, getting this underway and perhaps more beyond this?"

"We've halted them," Jetta said regretfully. "Smaller projects like the finish of Processor Health's ten story expansion, the road system to Unidad and other smaller jobs will continue. Right now, we're working around Festival coming up tomorrow and things are going to be prioritized."

Prime nodded, then glanced up at them. "I forgot that Festival is tomorrow. Things have been so busy and I have not been home to see the banners. Thank you for reminding me."

Scar laughed. "I don't think we can have it without you, Optimus."

Jetta grinned. "We're going to take that orn off, Optimus. I think we need it and maybe you can get us some divine intervention if that isn't blasphemous to ask." He grinned.

Prime grinned back. "I will ask."

They continued to work out the plans to double the housing available for their people in the colony. It would be a long and complicated conversation.

-0-Prowl and others of that ilk

Venture sat down at his desk when he got the call. Festival would be had in the usual manner and dinner would be held at the Residence. He checked in with Prowl who confessed to having forgotten that it was that close upon them. Commiserating with his father about his own overly busy schedule, Prowl called his ada who had already discussed things with Venture. All was in servo. Prowl just had to show up.

At his own house.

When he signed off, he thought about things, then gave command to Paragon. Walking out, he disappeared into the crowds outside. Flying on flagpoles and hanging on banners all over the colony, the emblems of the Pantheon and images of the AllSpark and Well could be seen.

Festival was in one orn.

… in Tyger Pax ...

Raptor walked into the dojo with his cow on a leash. Getting admiration and catcalls from the punters, he grinned. "Who forgot that its Festival tomorrow?"

Half of them did. Between slag everywhere, July 16th had been overlooked.

He sat, then pulled his cow up beside him. "Pudding and me barely remembered ourselves. I can't believe I did, though. Festival was always a great orn in our house."

"Ours, too," Drift said. "We took that orn off from stealing to get drunk."

Huge laughter and agreement as they went down memory lane.

Raptor grinned. "I blame Turbine. Even he forgot." …

… that morning …

" **WHAT!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME, RAPTOR!?"**

"But I didn't-"

" **YOU SURE DIDN'T! I HAVE TO DO THE PRAYERS FOR CYBERTRON TONIGHT! WE'RE GOING TO MISS DATE NIGHT WITH THE BABIES! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET SUNSPOT, BOS, REFLECTOR, AND CO-D! FRAG, RAPTOR! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!"**

He had grinned, then nodded as he glanced down at Pudding. "Yeah, Pudding. What's wrong with me?"

… The others …

"We know, Ratchet."

(pause to listen to off line conversation while hammering away at a blade)

"Don't worry about it. We know you were busy. We have it all planned. We cooked all the food and got the infants their dinners, lunches and breakfast. We will take them to the detailer tonight. We had our reservations in for orns. We know you were busy … we know. You don't have to tell us, infant," Ravel said as he took the call from Ratchet who had just found out at Unidad …

… at Unidad …

"That should come on July 16th," he said as he answered a question about trees for the rather large forested areas with three small meadows cozily located within. "July 16th … what day is it, Lennox?" Ratchet asked as he jolted to a halt in his discussion.

"It's July 15th," he said. "The day before the Festival of Primus."

Ratchet stared at him. "You didn't think that was worth mentioning to me?"

Lennox looked surprised. "I didn't think I had to do that."

"Slagger. **YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO SLIP INTO THE CONVERSATION?!"** Ratchet said at the top of his smaller more humanoid vocal box.

"Nope," Will said with a grin. **"YOU FORGOT!? HOW CAN YOU FORGET THE FESTIVAL OF PRIMUS!?"**

Ratchet stepped closer with fire in his eyes/optical illusions. **"YOU'RE PUTTING THIS ON ME!? AFTER ALL THE SLAG RECENTLY!?"**

"I wasn't arrested for public drunkenness. This might be a good time to go to the Temple and throw yourself on the mercy of the Big Guy." Will grinned.

Ratchet smirked. "Give me a moment," he said as he turned away from the group. **:IRONHIDE!:**

 **:WHAT!?:**

 **:THE FESTIVAL OF PRIMUS IS TOMORROW!:**

 **:I KNOW! GET HOME! SOON!:** Ironhide grinned as he pushed a cart in the grocery store. He was going to have the food thing nailed down if it killed him.

Ratchet turned to the humans who were looking at him with concern while Carly, Sam and Lennox were grinning at him. He smiled brilliantly. And beautifully. "Well, wasn't that special. Shall we move along? Who wants to see the pickle room?" he asked.

Huge laughter greeted that as they climbed on and began to follow him. He gave them a view of the work beyond, the meadows of the little forest where experiments with bees and flowers would commence as a learning project for terraforming, the dairy and stable in the distance, then they returned to the habitat leaving out a lot of slag from the tour Ratchet planned because **THE FESTIVAL OF PRIMUS WAS TOMORROW!**

He drove in and they made their way toward the habitat area where the vehicles would park in the little motor pool. They parked and climbed out. Gathering around Ratchet, an older woman raised her hand. "Commander? The Festival of Primus … that's where Prime goes into the Temple and things happen. Right?"

Ratchet grinned. "Usually. He goes in but I can't fill in much more. Tomorrow, you might feel loved. Don't worry if you do. It's normal for this place. Right, Lennox?" he asked with a dazzling smile.

Lennox laughed loudly. "Yeah. Love. That's us."

Ratchet smirked. "Tomorrow, our most holy day on the calendar commences. None of us and half the humans will be elsewhere. I'll be back afterward and will help you, especially to understand how to live in a sentient building. Don't go out into the farm unless you have a reason for doing so because a lot of labor is going on and the dust is too much without respirators. Tomorrow, the work will cease and not commence again until First Thursday. There will be a siren sounded at midnight that signals the Solemnities of the Festival and its nothing to worry about. Its telling our people what's happening. If there ever was a problem, the siren is different and messages would arrive to everyone.

"What I'd suggest is for you to go to your homes and get settled. Then have meetings with your leadership. Get organized. In three days, 500 more workers will arrive and then more at the same interval after that. Look around, use the amenities, go see your offices and work stations, get used to the place inside. Make lists of questions and get them ready for us to answer. Get the school organized because we already have kids here. More will be coming. Don't go outside. No one here is rated to go and the codes won't allow you unless you're cleared which you aren't. I'll give the lecture when the festival is over. This came up and it'll be a delay for us here. Just relax and see what your thing will be. Carly, you and the others call me anyway or Charlotte. We're the sort of onsite boss of the boss here for Prime. Any questions?" Ratchet asked. Before anyone could answer, he clasped his hands together. "Alright. I'm gone. You coming to the Temple tomorrow?" he asked Lennox.

"I am. Me and everyone else," Will said.

"Good," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He turned to the door, then ran faster than any human they had ever seen run. Reaching it, he programmed his way out, then the door closed. It was at that moment through the clear steel of the doors that they saw him de-rez, then his vehicle start up. The doors opened and he drove out with siren and lights blazing. The doors closed behind him, then everyone turned to Carly, Sam and Lennox.

They glanced at each other, then turned to the 712 newbies, 500 workers and 212 family members so far though more would be coming shortly. "Well ..." Will tapered off, then glanced at Omar and Lorie Epps who had walked out to join them. They grinned at the 'leadership'. "Okay. Let's go check in then. Does everyone have their datapad handy? Turn to 'City Directory', then type in or say your name. It'll have the GPS send you to your apartment." He turned to the group of smirking security humans and fascinated psyched mini- and micro mini-con mechs and femmes standing by the mountain of pallets that held everyone's stuff . "I guess we can start hauling stuff now," he said as the mini-cons turned to the pallets. It would take a few hours to get things to the proper place but they would do it.

No one there would be less than startled and amazed at the luxury they were getting for living spaces. It was going to be a long and ultimately amazing afternoon for the first residents of Unidad Terra 1.

-0-At the grocery store

Ratchet ran in, looked everywhere for Ironhide, then saw him walking away from the checkers who were sending boxes into the back room for later delivery. He caught up, then slipped his arm through Ironhide's. "Hey, handsome. What did you get?"

"Warrior food," Ironhide said smugly. "Nothing like warrior food for a holiday I forgot. Don't tell my ammas."

"Turbine is not going to take the kids tonight. He has to hustle to the Temple and do the prayer cycle for Festival," Ratchet said. "Your ada is taking them. Turbine is unhappy."

"Poor Appa. When Amma isn't happy, no one is," Ironhide said with a grin. "Thank the Maker Appa has Pudding."

Ratchet laughed. "I always liked Pudding," he said with a grin.

"Good thing. I got a bunch of it for breakfast," Ironhide said as they walked out the door into the crowds hustling to get ready for Festival and the siren at midnight signaling not only the Solemnities but the fast.

-0-Midnight at Unidad Terra 1 on the first night there

They gathered in the theater to watch television together since The Hourly News was showing extended coverage of Unidad, the Festival and Earth's reaction to both. It was fascinating to the newbies, some of whom held sleeping children in their laps. They had settled into startlingly large and luxurious apartments, checked out their work stations and offices which were just as nice and state of the art, gone around the facility checking out how it worked, marveled at the rec area and the giant pool, eaten in the mess hall where some of the family members who were going to be working there anyway to pass the time since they weren't employees had fixed a great meal in the massive kitchen. That is, they would until Prime found out and stepped in. They would be employees and get compensated for their time and effort like anyone else.

Prime was no high caste 1% slagger. No one would be exploited here no matter how amiable they would feel about 'helping out'.

Everything was thought out to the nth degree. Everything had a component of beauty. Everything was big, well lit with sunlight from the massive windows during the day, was designed to work the way it was supposed to, and was incredibly more impressive than they had dared to hope. The labs and computer system were breathtaking. So was the dog park created for their pets.

Now, the light had disappeared outside but for tall light poles and those on the buildings inside and out. The barn and stable were lit and could be seen far away. Everywhere else in the domed area was dark. Lights hadn't been installed yet and wouldn't be until after Festival. Lights inside, those for the downtown and the long corridors in the living space were on along with lights in businesses that would remain on until light sensors turned them off. The temperature everywhere including the domed area beyond stood at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, maintained by Invincible and his genius tech.

Everyone who had business for Festival had left including Olivia and Joe who were attending a meeting of the Circle where they prepped themselves for the Solemnities with readings and conversation. It was left to Carly, the Haddens, Sam Witwicky, and the Epps to guide and help the others. They had come to the theater to watch until the siren sounded. There was a murmur of conversation here and there as they watched the coverage. It felt like home and it didn't. It was a dichotomy to most of them and would be for a while.

Then in the distance, the sound of a siren rolled their way. They paused their conversations to listen as it sounded. The newsreader on the huge screen, a mech of some stature here named Aleph announced it. "The siren has sounded from the tower of Fortress Maximus announcing the beginning of the Solemnities. For those of you who choose to fast, it will not be broken until midnight tomorrow night, the night of the Festival. For those who choose not to do so, there will be food buffets all over town in all the rec rooms, the Central Labor Hall and various clubs and gathering places because all food service places including groceries will be closed.

"The Temple has issued guidelines for fasting. Those who wish to do so should consider their condition, health and age, their ability to last an orn without food and decide for themselves. Lord Lauren said that there is no shame in not fasting. It's a choice. Primus and The One honors all choices on this, the holiest orn on the Cybertronian calendar. Children, those with impaired systems or illnesses, those recovering from illness or injury are exempt by order of the Temple from fasting if they choose. It's not the Will of The One or Primus that you hurt yourself to honor Them. They feel your love anyway and give it back ten fold according to Lord Lauren.

"The morning will begin the usual way. We expect between 5 and 6 million individuals to come to the Temple and therefore, there will be no traffic in The City proper. It will be blocked off. Pedestrian traffic only. If you are infirm and cannot wait that long, please consider watching it in the various locations set up to show it elsewhere or in your home. The Blessings will find you no matter where you are.

"Lord Optimus will leave his home tower at 0900 and will be escorted by the Household Guard after family leaves for the Temple. Commander Turbine of Praxus representing The Temple Clan as a Maker will follow Prime to honor the Pantheon. When they reach the Temple, Lord Optimus will enter and he will remain there as long as it takes to speak to the Pantheon and bring the Urgency of The People to Them. When he returns, he will walk back with escort of his family, the Guards, Commander Turbine and security will help with the crowds. When he leaves the Temple, he will declare the end of the Solemnities. The fast will not end until midnight when the siren sounds. It will be then that fireworks will be displayed over the colony. We were informed that they will be launched from six different places around the colony this time so that the same display can be seen more clearly by everyone without leaving their homes or city to watch.

"When the siren sounds, then you may break fast and eat. We will be covering the event all night and through tomorrow until after the festivities. Check the Community Bulletin Board under Festival of Primus to find out details of events. Until then, we will break for a moment to review the section, then return with other news including the arrival of the first group of humans to occupy Unidad Terra 1."

The screen scrolled as the group watched. Some checked the site on the Bulletin Board but were denied access due to their new status as residents. Some would stay all night to watch but most would walk to their new homes, some with sleeping children in arms and dogs walking along beside them. First day on a new world in a new job living in a new home had just started off with a bang.

-0-TBC 7-15-18 **edited 7-17-18**

NOTES:

Guest chapter 355 . 2h ago

A couple of comments: Prowler was speaking full sentences already in part 4, a few years ago at least. What happened with his ability?  
Secondly, probably in part 4 also, Emirate Xeon came in a migration and had the invisibility tech the bot couldn't track. He was later shown to be with Razorclaw, which means he has the tech too.  
France won football (soccer) world cup. Viva la France!

ME: First of all, **VIVA LA FRANCE!** (I didn't root for a team but it appears you did so, **VIVA LA SOLIDARITY!** (solidaire? Uh … **UNITY FOREVER!** ) I am nothing if not loyal to my readers. My favorite soccer team is the one who plays for Homer Intermediate School. :D

Prowler is based on my nephew who did that. He spoke clearly sometimes, then messed up others. Prowler also has Orion to influence him. A speech update at school will address that. Never underestimate the power of a sibling to influence things. :D He's also like my brother. John would just point and Ward and I would run to get things. He didn't really speak until he was about two, then he spoke in full sentences. So did my sister but in reverse. She spoke complete sentences from the time she could walk. :D

Razorclaw has the tech from Emirate. He also has Emirate. That will come. Razorclaw doesn't want to rock the boat because he can't win yet but that doesn't mean he won't be working on things. :D HUGS!

kattenbelletje chapter 412 . 12h ago

Will there also be mosques in Unidad or is every one christian? What about other denominations?  
I looked up the church you mentioned. It is stunning. It's very modern but incorporates the world with it's glass walls. It is very different then the solid walls of regular churches.

ME: My story is inspired every day I write it by Optimus Prime, that all are one and all belong in unity to everyone else. Imagine a world where that happened? This is a pared down building without many markers of what it is so that anyone can use it and feel what they need. Its a glorious building to me, that and the others like it.

Everyone can come here. I try to make this story international with holidays and people of all types, kinds, religions, and nationalities to show that all are one anyway even here. I am going to have Irene Millius detail it to Prime during an inspection. There will be rooms below ground for clubs, discussions, yoga, meditation, and all denominations and factions as well as those that don't have a faith to come and be comforted in its beauty. Also, weddings, funerals and christenings can happen here. I personally believe all roads lead to the same door even if you don't want to take one and I truly believe in unity, freedom, respect, and brotherhood. We have to have it to survive. The Transformers are a cautionary tale to all of us who put disunity and intolerance forward and not unity and brotherhood.

This church is a creation of a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, the great American architect who brought the outdoors inside with most of his creations. It's a glorious thing and there are many of these buildings in America. It's like being in the woods and for me, that's where my comfort comes. Being outside and feeling like everything and everyone everywhere is united as one is my church. Peace comes from tolerance, respect and information. Fear is not the way and Prime knows that. Each side is learning from each other which is the only road to real peace. :D

But that's just me. ;)

Silverhornd chapter 411 . Jul 13

Question, How many more are out in space that Dai has to find and rescue. And when and if he ever finishes where is he going to to live with his knights Mars or Cybertron?

There are probably more than a billion out there. They're revising their counts now. I would think that Dai would divide his time between Mars and looking for Cybertopia, their version of Nirvana and Shangri La. :D

Someone noted 4-H and other animal related adventures for the bots because of Unidad. That, fairs, Six Lasers Over Cybertron ... all of them are on the list. :D:D:D

Until all are one. :D


	414. Chapter 414

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 414)

-0-Later that night before the siren

They lounged in their chairs having put all the kids to bed and thereby, having time for themselves a moment.

To eat everything in the fridge and raid a cupboard.

Sitting across from a fully satiated Ratchet and Ironhide, Alor who hadn't touched anything but what he usually ate before fasting because he was principled and Blackjack who had cleaned out their fridge because he wasn't grinned at the pair. Sitting between them staring at his surroundings, Flipper was contented.

But then, he was a cow.

"You're all pigs, all three of you," Alor sniffed as he grinned at the three.

"We need a piggy. I want a tiny one, like that one on youtube that jumps around like popcorn on a frying pan," Blackjack said with a grin and a wink at Ironhide.

"The **frag** you are," Alor said. He grinned. "They're cute, though, the really tiny ones especially."

Everyone agreed. It was pleasantly quiet, then Ratchet grinned. "Raise your servo if you forgot about this for whatever reason."

For a moment, no one moved, then they all did. Alor shook his helm. "We always saluted it even during the Diaspora. We may never have fasted or did the other things, but we took time to salute it. What's this world coming to?" he asked with a grin.

Huge laughter and a few rude suggestions greeted that.

The door opened and in came Turbine, Hard Drive, Delphi, and Raptor from their apartments in the lower levels of the tower. They glanced at the dish littered sink, then sat down and mocked everyone in the room but Alor. Alor never cheated that part.

In front of them.

Out of a carry hold came another cow-let and he mooed in happiness to see Flipper. Down Flipper went and the two chased each other around, hopping and gently knocking heads together like calves. They were great entertainment.

-0-Upstairs

He stood on the balcony ruing his forgetfulness. Usually he was up on it but Ceelie was still out helping her brother with their new baby and his appointments aide whose job she was covering as well was still laid up with a hip replacement from falling from a rock face while climbing with his club. He was more fragged up it would appear than Prime had thought.

The city spread everywhere before him and the idea of it doubling or tripling was almost scary. They had good buy in from the 27,000,000+ who were already here with more coming every day. What would it mean to have a city so big that it lost its immediacy and charm overnight? He wanted his people, he ached for them, but he also loved this place from the beginning until two minutes ago the way it was, knowable and intimate still. What would happen when it got bigger?

A soft breeze caressed his face, one not born of the elements but something more ethereal. It passed as swiftly and he knew intuitively that he had been comforted by Solus Prime. He vented a soft sigh, then considered his questions and quests for the mission ahead, one that took him from this dimension to that where gods lived. He was ready for it.

A gentle touch on his arm drew him back as he looked down at Prowl. Solus was in a onesie, her big smile tonic to his uneasy spirit. He took her, then turned to the night beyond. "This, my daughter, is your home. We will make it right for everyone," he said softly. They would chat quietly, then walk back in to wait for tomorrow to come. As they did, the siren rolled through the colony to signal the beginning of the greatest and most holy orn in Cybertronian culture.

-0-The Monastery of the Clavis Aurea

The place was quiet as the evening wound down. There would be those who stayed in the scriptoriums working on things that they were searching for, some for the Omega Keys and others for whatever esoteric idea or factoid that they needed and wanted. The evening lighting was turned down and the doors but for the front were closed against the night. The Gatekeeper was walking through the facility taking in the few who were meditating in the alcoves along the walls, sitting in thought here and there as he made his way toward the libraries, scriptoriums, reading rooms, the schools for children and for adults, the places of discussion and enlightenment … all of them were well.

He walked down the corridor that led to the offices, then downward to the living spaces where a surprising number made their home. The Functionalists were here including the children who would be evaluated for transfer to other homes among the small and determinedly normal Functionalist sect that lived here as well. It was still to be decided. Monks lived here and so did the Master, Cyclonus. Also among them were sub adults who were studying to be readers and interpreters of the masses and masses of books, databases and other works, the odd bachelor including one who liked living a quiet life when not working on his day job of writing for the newspapers of the Metro Districts as well as families. The community was austere, organized and fulfilling to many.

He walked through the corridors, chatted with this and that person as he continued onward, seeing to the needs of the community, ensuring that all was well. The community would gather in the main room and watch a monitor as the Festival progressed at the Temple downtown. They wouldn't go. They would remain here with the children of the Functionalists and their families, taking it all in on familiar territory. Cyclonus would wait on the steps with the priests of the Temple and Alpha Trion. He would only leave after the blessings and when Prime called the Solemnities to an end. Right now? He was in the scriptorium pursuing promising leads on the Omega Keys.

Night would pass quietly in the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea of Upper Tetrahex on Cybertron, now here on Mars.

-0-Earth 1

They heard the siren, those who were still up. Most of the leadership would attend at the Temple along with the Wilkersons and their son, Angus Optimus. The others would stay and watch it at home due to the fact that 5-6 million pilgrims were due to show up to see the spectacle at the Temple. The idea of going through them to get there and then come back was overwhelming to most, though they would if they could pop in and go back the same way.

Some of them stared out of the windows toward the glow in the distance, the colony sparkling in the darkness of the deep cold night of Mars. Somewhere out there was the newest habitat, Unidad Terra 1 with about 712 individuals living in a space for tens of thousands. They were hoping to go see the facility tomorrow or the next day. Soon, they hoped. New neighbors, new opportunities to exchange ideas, meet new people, and find now possibilities on the dating scene. It would be a long quiet march to morning at Earth 1.

-0-The Functionalists

The largest number of adults worked at simple jobs and did them well. Those who lost their family members permanently and those who knew it would be temporary were still the same, equally distraught. What made them different was their self contained patience. They learned from early on that emotions were detrimental to good order, led to base actions centered around faulty thinking and thus, it was best to keep them to yourself if you couldn't eliminate them altogether. Only logic mattered, logic and cold hard reason.

They were told how to live and even here among the elite of that group, it was clear that they worked as parts of a bigger picture, cogs in a larger machine. Their children had absorbed the lessons of self containment, silence and patience. They moved through their orn doing what they were told very efficiently and little more.

The children worked in the school where Cyclonus visited often. They disturbed him, the children. They were supposed to be a lot of things at this age but nothing like what he was seeing. They had to be prompted to do 'spontaneity', something that was unnatural even among the children of the Clavis Aurea.

They were an austere group, a contained and intellectual faction that put understanding and the deeper meanings underlying the seemingly mundane to be worthy of time and effort. In the words of their people lie the wisdom necessary to go forward and prosper. They dug at meaning, discussed among each other and argued points endlessly. They wrote treatises, commentaries, monologues between this ancient poet and that ancient philosopher to show their point. It was glorious. It was incredible and expansive for their sparks. The core of scholars who came here to study and work were an incredible group of learned mechs and femmes. It was a place of learning, philosophy and a rock hard belief in the Pantheon, especially those related to the Guiding Hand.

The Functionalists were Guiding Hand but had taken another road, one that had led to ruin and death wherever they went. They had no more ability to feel the effects of their actions than a stone. The adults were docile and obedient without the 12 to tell them what to do. The children were silent and unknowable. It was going to be a struggle for the community to turn around but none of them were going to shirk their part of the process.

The Gatekeeper reached the upper main room again, then walked to the door. Staring at the Temple below in the city, he bowed lowly, then stood up to stare again. "To our Lord Primus and The One, our people await your grace." He stared at the sky and the glittering city below. Then he reached for the doors and began to close them against the cold of the night. No one would come here until the morning when the congregation who could make it would watch the show on the monitor in the main hall. They would watch Master Cyclonus walk with Turbine the Maker as they followed the First Disciple of Primus to the Temple of Simfur Restored. Even thinking about it, the Gatekeeper felt a thrill. Then he closed the doors and they clicked shut. It would be quiet at the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea.

-0-Earth2

They had watched the news, had dinner and discussed the many and different ways that things had changed and how they would affect the future of human life on Mars. Earth2 was no longer the new kid or even the most interesting one on the block. Prime had thrown down on them, opening a massive and startlingly diverse operation almost in defiance of the demands of humans on Earth. It was playing well there with tens of millions clambering to be a part of the venture.

They would have to be scoped out. He had heard that a church had been built for some of the locals and that would allow those who wished to gather there from all over the area to discuss the condition of their souls. There was going to be a major sized downtown with all the amenities and he had heard that a dairy and horses had already arrived.

He was startled that his son would have his offices there. Rick lived here but he would work there. It would be good. Rick could tell him a lot of what was happening, how the hierarchy worked and what it would take to build bridges. Rick would be his eyes and ears in the habitat, this massive science, agricultural and social experiment of Prime's.

What was unfortunate for Owen Harris regarding his plans was very simple. Rick Harris didn't want to be his father's spy. He liked the bots. He liked being on world and he wasn't prepared to betray anyone. Unfortunately for his father, Owen had forgotten a major factor in his son's reluctance.

Rick Harris was friends with a lot of bots and people and they were friends back.

-0-TBC 7-16-18 **edited 7-18-18**

NOTES:

SkyenhaMarisa chapter 413 . 8h ago

You do realize that today is Amazon PRIME DAY. Ducks and runs.

ME: BWAHAHAHA! IT WAS! I should buy something. :D Or not. :D:D:D HUGS!

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 413 . 13h ago

I love this arc of the story. It's interesting to read.  
I can't believe most of the Bot forgot about the Festival of Primus! I guess that's what happens when you're busy having fun.

ME: I sorta love when they aren't infallible. :D They did forget and now its a scramble. But knowing them, they got this. :D:D:D HUGS!

Guest chapter 364 . 16h ago

Your story is wonderful. I can feel my knowledge base getting bigger and broader with every chapter! Astronomy, geography, agriculture and now animal husbandry... both lowing and cud are something that somehow never came up when I was learning English. I wonder why?

ME: The thing with English is that there are so many different meanings for the same word that its probably very hard for a non-speaker to get all the meanings. Since I grew up around farms and dairies, had them and ranches in the family, I have a lot of trivia. :D When I was a kid, I read the encyclopedia set we had from end to end. Most of the kids in my family did. You get a lot of great stuff that way. LOL!

I am very delighted that you enjoy the story. I love to write it and having people read it is the best part for me of all. I was a teacher for 30 years and love everything. Now is my chance to use all that stuff and build it into the story. I like to add a lot of details because it helps people build the picture of the story in their heads and makes it more real. Lots of science and stuff. :D:D:D HUGS!

ANOTHER NOTE:

When Ratchet asked 'who wants to see the pickle room?' he was stealing a great line from a Burger King commercial where a robotic tour guide presents the prep for their burgers with a really hilarious super animated style.

By the way, I love sliding in asides and puns. Just so you know … 'and Scotland was brave' … only one person caught that that I know of, LOL!, but I salute all of you. :D

ESL-I am happy to do this and explain things. English as second language people (ESL) are my heroes.

Rue: (roo) to regret. Ruing means regretting.

Ethereal: (ee-th-ear-eee-ul) something that is less substance than us, something ghost like, otherworldly, delicate, dainty

esoteric (ess-oh-tear-ik) obtuse, abstract, probably would be understood by only a few


	415. Chapter 415

The Diego Diaries: Festival (dd6 415)

-0-Just as dawn breaks

They sat their horses in the middle of the intersection watching as groups of individuals made their way toward the Temple. It would be ground zero until after Prime exited and that would be where millions would head. Most would have no hope of seeing things directly. They would follow on their internal monitoring capabilities, listening and watching the whole thing. They wanted to be here in proximity to the greatness about to happen, to feel together in the multitudes the Blessings as well as comradry as envisioned by their creed. If they got there soon enough, they might be able to touch Prime, a very good thing on an orn like this. The holiness of the moment would mean a lot to those who could.

Traffic was being funneled as Springer watched them go by, some waving, some petting the horses of his posse. They wouldn't eat, most of them, until the siren called but a few of them, the younger among them would. No one cared. It was all well. There was no judgment here. Tapping the sides of his horse with his heels, Springer rode forward to see what was happening down the road at the human habitat, Sciences. The others followed him single file amongst the crowd.

-0-Sciences

Some of them were up early, some eating, some not. Outside in a steady stream, the crowds began to build. It would start from the Temple, then fill every street, alleyway, rooftop and ledge between here and way the heck and gone out there. Everyone in Sciences including family and friends were invited to come and they would. For those who were new here, it was scary and exciting. For those who had been here a while, it was just exciting. The only scary part was getting through the forest of legs to the human sector down front. There would be a lot of people there this time.

"Are you going to eat breakfast?" someone asked another as a group walked in from the apartments below.

"No. Maybe," they said sleepily. Food was sitting on the counter. All of it would be gone by the time everyone suited up and headed out for the platform.

-0-Earth2

Most of the facility was sleeping but for those who worked night shift. The command crew in the Ops Center had left having put the big facility on automated control. No one was there. It was tantalizing and would be a hoot to go look around if he were a less strategic and patient man. But Owen Harris knew how to wait. He walked to his desk in his office with his breakfast tray retrieved from the buffet line at the commissary. A lot were there dining, most of the facility he imagined, though some were going to fast in communion with their neighbors. Everyone was going to be in front of a monitor today, he, himself in his office, too. He knew that there was a long wait, usually, before Prime came out. What came after that he didn't know, though he felt a whole lot better afterward for a while.

No one was allowed to broadcast that part to them and Earth, the best parts but perhaps, today, they might relent. A man could hope. He sat down and began to work, eating as he did while outside, the habitat's population was getting ready to wait out the event, hoping that proximity to the source would mean they would feel something, too, other than a brighter sense of well being for a while.

Even on Earth, they felt the love of the Blessings. They just didn't know more than it made them feel impossibly loved for a moment and great afterward for a while.

-0-Family

Venture and Miler with Prima in Venture's hold made their way through the throngs to the tower beyond. Day and Night Watch were already there getting ready to ensure that things went well. The highway was already cleared to the Temple so they walked along the barricades street side to get to the tower. Others did the same, coming to the same good conclusion so it was slow going. They would make it with time to spare …

… A rap on the door caught Zenith's attention. He looked up from a particularly difficult piece of their puzzle. "Come in."

The door opened as Prowl stepped in, shined and ready to go to the Temple. He walked to the pair who were working over a diagram datapad laying on a work table. "Good morning," Prowl said to his grandparents.

They straightened, then turned toward him. "Prowl. Good morning. What brings you here?" Shadow asked.

"It's the day of the Festival of Primus. It's the right and habit of family to escort a Prime to the Temple and back again. I'm inviting you to have the honor with me and mine." Prowl waited, noting their surprise at the gesture. They didn't remember it either, but then, they seldom remembered anything when working on research that was vital to their interests. A good problem could confound them for orns.

"That's very kind, Prowl. We will gather ourselves. I'm assuming that the progress is at 0900 as usual?" Zenith asked.

Prowl nodded. "Yes, it is. When that's finished, we have dinner at the stroke of midnight. I invite you to the Primal Residence in Tower 1 for dinner and to watch the fireworks. Everyone will be there and we'd be honored to have you come."

They stared at him, then glanced at each other as if to have a brief conversation. Shadow nodded. "We shall. Thank you, Prowl."

"I'm honored to ask," he said with a slight grin. "I have to go. The Progress is soon. Please do come." With that, he walked to the door, bowed his helm slightly, then left. It closed silently behind him …

… " **ADA!"**

" **WHAT, YOU LITTLE SLAGGER!?"**

"You not doing this with the shes?" Orion asked as he held out a piece of 'bacon'.

Ratchet stared at it hungrily, then shook his head. "No. Not until later. Eat up, peewees. We're going for a walk in a moment."

They dug in, great and small, as Ratchet and Ironhide sat in their chairs envying the slag out of all of them …

… Gathered together at Earth2 on couches and chairs pushed into a grouping, a good dozen individuals huddled together to watch the giant monitor showing the gathering crowds outside the Temple and around the downtown area of Autobot City and beyond. The different kinds, colors, sizes, and shapes of the bots were astonishing to the humans as ever. The cameras spanned the crowds around town, then settled on the gathering humans at the edge of the Temple steps.

"Look. There's Monica and Zak," Bonny said as the others nodded. She pulled her phone, then furiously typed a text. They watched the screen as the cameras paused on the humans, allowing the commentators at New York City and London for the MCA to discuss with Aleph what they were seeing. It was then that they saw Monica startle, then dig for her phone. She opened the text, read it, then looked around. Smiling broadly, she waved toward where she hoped a camera could show her. She showed the others who looked at her, then turned to wave as well. She would text back and forth with Bonny through the waiting for Prime, then the waiting for him to return. It would be an amazing exchange of messages and no one on Earth would miss what Monica and the others were doing …

… Prowl let them in, his genitors and Prima. Before they could even sit, the door was opened again to show Zenith and Shadow waiting outside. Prowl walked to them and invited them in, following them to the living room where they took a chair together. The little kids walked up for hugs and got them, then everyone waited silently for Prime to step off the balcony and return inside. When he did, everyone stood including Prime's own genitors.

Shadow and Zenith bowed deeply. "Lord Optimus, I would like to say that it's an honor to be asked to attend to you during this, the holiest orn of our calendar. We're grateful to be here."

Prime nodded his helm. "We are honored to have you. You are not guests in this house, nor strangers," he said in an old fashioned manner. "My House is your house."

They bowed again, then Miler and Venture made the salutations, bowing deeply as well. Tagg and Kestrel who were less conservative and formal in their religious thoughts and practices glanced at their son. He had the look he bore when he was nearing the Matrix. He had the kind of confidence and power about his aura that could be seen and felt by everyone. Stifling the urge to bow themselves, Tagg walked to his son. Placing his servos gently on his son's shoulders, he looked at Optimus with great love. "You're our hero, Orion. You've made a miracle and you will make more. Please tell the Pantheon that Tagg and Kestrel of Iacon revere them and we are grateful that we have a son such as you."

Optimus pulled his father into an embrace, then his ada as well. "I will," he said. "It is time."

They both nodded, then picked up children, those delegated to them. Everyone gathered children and things together, then turned toward Prime. They bowed deeply, including the older children, then silently filed out. Prime watched the door close even as his spirit began to prepare to leave this dimensional plane for another.

The sunlight streamed in as he waited to leave, knowing his entire extended family would be walking down the street toward the Temple steps. The Guard was in the lobby waiting for him, Springer and Drift would be on horseback to follow them and all would be well. He would go to the Matrix and They would tell him what he needed to know. They already knew what he needed. He just needed himself to hear it from Them. The clock ticked by as he waited …

… At each stop of the elevator, family joined them, riding down together to the lobby where more waited. Turbine would follow Prime along with Cyclonus and Lauren. The Guard would accompany them and the sight would be beautiful. Flags would fly, banners would proclaim and the entire multitude would be as silent as a snowfall as he walked down their midst to meet with the Warrior Gods of their creation.

They reached the lobby and grouped up. Prowl and his family would be first, then Ironhide and Ratchet next. Among them as family were most of the Senior Autobots including all of Ratchet and Ironhide's extended families as well as Partition and Maelstrom, the 'new kids'. Accompanying Partition and Lancer would be a solemn Lucien, an emotional Laslo along with an overawed Inweld and Morius. Grown children of Ratchet and Ironhide, dread and titan youngling mechs and the rest would walk with measured steps in line with their age and height to the street where they would walk between the multitudes toward the Temple a Cybertronian mile and a half away.

Everyone would see them, everyone would know that these were the ones who took care of the Prime, his family both personal and extended who were the ones who were his deepest confidantes and those who helped him through every hurdle. Ultra Magnus walked with Arcee and the titan and dread kids followed by Clipper, Dangerous and a serious solemn Typhoon. Miracle walked with Bos, Co-D, Reflector, Silverbow, Kaon, and Sunspot, some of them holding hands as they looked around themselves with interest. The family of Bos and the other two little mechs walked behind them, included because of the babies. The twins and Bluestreak walked on either side of Prowl holding children and carrying others in their carry holds.

The femmes were here and they walked with Kestrel and Tagg who were with Zenith and Shadow. Those two were solemn and respectful, more than aware of the honor accorded them. Ahead of them, waiting at the Temple were the humans but also the mechs who were also their family, their group, their comrades of a million sleepless nights. They watched the group walk slowly toward them, taking the time for The People to see them, those who were closest to the Prime.

They passed silent crowds who watched them pass, nodding to them, waving and getting waves back. Friends smiled, some called out their best wishes and got them back as the group slowly approached the steps. The humans there watched with fascination and emotion as the group passed through the silent multitudes. It was an amazingly emotional moment for many of them, especially those who were friends from the old days.

Prowl reached the place set aside for Prime's family. The others followed and took their places, passing around children and whispering to friends and comrades waiting there. Ratchet saw Rainmaker, his sons, one of his bonds and Sky Warp when the crowd parted, then closed. He saw Arrow but not Paragon through the mass of color and shapes. Others were there, Kup, Hercy, all the usual suspects. More he knew were about though he couldn't see because he felt their auras around him. It took a moment to situate everyone as a murmur of conversation began to arise, then it died down again.

Everyone looked down the street, wide open and lined deeply on both sides. Banners waved slightly in the breeze and flags flapped, their sound nearly the only one. On roofs and windows all along the path, bots leaned out to look down the street. A ripple of noise rose up … 'he's coming' … then died down as the sound far away but distinct of a heavy tread could be heard …

… He walked to the door of his house and stepped out. No one was there. Taking the elevator to the ground floor, Optimus Prime stepped out into a lobby with a crowd waiting. They all bowed deeply and he nodded to them respectfully. Stepping forward, he headed for the door as the Guards fell in beside him on both sides. Then Turbine fell in behind Prime, taking into the moment the honor and wisdom of his clan, The Ones Who Know The Secrets of The One, it was said. They actually did. Cyclonus and Lauren walked behind Turbine for the major factions and all smaller ones in the colony.

Springer and Drift who were chatting walked out ahead of them and mounted up, moving their horses to fall in line behind him. The crowd would follow as Prime went forward so they would ensure that there was enough room for him to do so without the crush following too closely. Prime passed, the Guard escorting, then the two fell in to follow. As they did, the crowds all around and behind them began to accompany them, too.

Prime walked forward silently to the road and stepped onto Metroplex Highway #3. Down the road a mile and a half, Metroplex in Pretender gear watched for him to come, the first time he and his comrades of great stature could do so like everyone else. It would be a surreal experience for all of them and affirmed in their minds that this was The One Who Comes. The loyalty and sense of service that would fill them at that moment would exceed even their programming.

He walked forward and headed to the intersection to turn to the left and Metroplex Highway #2. It would be a long slow walk. He knew he had to take the time to show himself to his people and allow those who wished an opportunity to touch him in passing without getting hurt. Those who did were usually from very small sects who had deep religious convictions, such as him being even more the embodiment of Primus on such an orn as this. During other times, he almost never noticed, so often did someone do it.

Prowl had said he never saw anyone touch Nova, Nominus, Sentinel, or even Zeta. Those were the Primes of his life and he never saw it. They were placeholders, he had said. They weren't meant to be. The Matrix was waiting for you, Optimus, for you alone. You are The One Who Comes. He had said that and Prime had hugged him. Prowl was nothing if not loyal.

He passed businesses and began to approach the steps while behind him a sea of bodies followed. The humans watched him once again struck by his beauty and dignity. Prime seemed like a god himself, so beautiful and charismatic was he at this moment. He was dignity personified. He was honor and goodness, fairness, courage, intellect, and decency. All of them felt it, the love that The People gave him as he neared the Temple and they felt it, too. They were here because Optimus Prime was a good mech.

Optimus noted them all around him even as they became less and less notable to him as he approached the steps. It was always like that. He faded from this world even as he walked onward. They reached the short path to the steps of the building. Turning to go there, he nodded to his family and friends, then continued. They watched him reach the steps where the Guard smartly stepped into place and assumed parade rest. They wouldn't move a single digit until Prime returned. They were beautiful.

He walked up the steps to meet Alpha and the priests. They bowed deeply, then Alpha grinned at him. "Enter, Pilgrim, and find what you seek."

Prime nodded. "I seek enlightenment, old friend," he said uncharacteristically. Then he continued onward as the group bowed again. Pausing at the doorway, he looked back at the crowd, all of them waiting and depending upon him. The weight of it was heavy a moment, then it lifted. Though his body turned to walk into the building, then down the stairs inside to the Well and AllSpark, the spirit of Optimus Prime of Iacon was already making its way to the Matrix.

-0-TBC 7-17-18 **edited 7-18-18**

NOTES

optimus prime101 chapter 414 . 12h ago

I think you should add some were in here where the public wants to know what the president of the united states thinks of the bots and the peace treaty they have with them.

ME: BWAHAHA! That might be a good idea. :D:D:D:D:D HUGS!

Leoness chapter 414 . 19h ago

As bad as I feel for them, the functionalists are so creepy. Cults always are.

ME: Anytime a group asks you to ditch your family and give control over to them, run. I agree with you. HUGS! :D


	416. Chapter 416

The Diego Diaries: Matrixing (dd6 416)

-0-On the way

He walked in physically but he was gone by then, moving onward into a new dimension led by the Matrix. He could see the room around him and then it was gone, though he knew his body continued forward to halt before the Well and the AllSpark. The big cube had been rotating more swiftly all morning and had also been crackling with sparkling energy. It flashed across the surface which from time to time had sections here and there that seemed lit up, like there was inner illumination to be seen through its normally hard and copper toned surface.

They had watched it, the priests and those who had been in the building for whatever reason, noting that it was 'quickening' as It, too, got ready for the Solemnities. Now it were here and time for Optimus Prime ceased all its meaning. He fell through darkness, a void that had no other being. He felt himself falling or perhaps the void around him was moving and he was stilled. Superluminal space worked that way. He had no idea. It just felt completely without form and recognizable features.

-0-Outside

They waited, more than 5.5 million individuals stretching backward into what seemed like forever to those watching at street level. It was relatively quiet as they waited, silently hoping for something beautiful for their people and then, the best part of all … the Blessings, the moment when Primus and The One embraced them in unity and unconditional love. It was the moment when they felt and remembered how enormously important and loved they were, that they were unique and without flaw. Whatever followed that, they felt for a moment perfect in the embrace of the two most important individuals in their culture and experience.

-0-Darkness

He felt rather than saw those around him, dark figures who watched. Their optics glowed, bright red and blue optics, amber, white, green … all the colors that their people possessed. They didn't feel friendly but they didn't feel like they were a threat to him, these figures of darkness. He passed them as he stood on nothingness and yet fell onward.

-0-The Family Tower

Mama Fig sat on her chair with the others who didn't want to brave the crowds, her fingers flying through her crocheting. Her little dogs lay around her and her husband chatted with the others. Before her in a corner, she saw spirits, some Earth like and others not so much. They had been drawn by the enormous gathering of energy at the Temple and in the persons of some here. They usually came, she knew, because here was action and interesting things going on. They would stay and watch, then wave to her as they left. Spirits came and went. They had all her life. Most of the time they were friendly or curious, sometimes alien or human. But all of them were benign of late. Now and again, something would come that wasn't and she would ward it off with the evil eye.

The Matrix drew them, she knew. She didn't tell Mr. Optimus. That fine young man had enough to do. If they ever tried anything or came with bad intentions she would. She sipped her tea, grinned at the spirits who grinned at her as they stood by the monitor watching. She snacked, sipped and crocheted. All was well in her world.

-0-There

The falling sensation moved away as he seemed to land, though the force of it wasn't physical. It felt mental and spiritual. He looked around and saw an open door filled with light that stood by itself in the dark space. Walking toward it, he peered in, then stepped through. Nothing could harm you in the Matrix. There was a swamp in front of him, like those on Cybertron. Tall reeds grew, those with lighted edges and enormous beauty. Energon filled the swamp just like on his home world so he stepped out and began to slog through it.

The light was bright overhead, like Cybertron still had a sun. He walked on through the jungle of the reeds which towered over him almost beyond view. It was warm, the air felt textured and he knew it was summer on his home world. He could almost smell the smells that reminded him of home and his youth. He continued until a break came and he stepped out onto dry ground. A big house was at the end of a meadow, one filled with crystalline flowers. He saw a rock lined path so he took it as he walked forward to the big ornate doors of a very old fashioned Cybertronian house. He thought he could hear bugs buzzing as he did.

-0-Earth2

Texting continued as they watched the feed, eleven members of a group that had formed here, five couples that had included the Haddens Younger as well as 2 young unattached men and another one who was a significant other to one of the two bachelors. They were huddled together watching the huge screen as they chatted by electronics to Zak and Monica. Things had been tougher here when they left, the tension in the building higher as Owen issued directives that all excursions and alignments between people here and bots out there had to be reported to assist in 'formulating good relations between the habitat and the greater mech world beyond our doors'. Even the Hu-An were not exempt.

Or the other humans on world.

It hadn't gone over well in the facility about the Haddens and the following restrictions on freedom to congregate, though most people put their nose to the grindstone, forgoing discussion beyond whispers and the odd cold gaze at Owen Harris's retreating back. There was nothing happening about it and it probability wouldn't. People liked their once-in-a-lifetime job and their life here. This was the culmination of lifelong dreams for most of them. No one wanted to be shown the door because it wasn't clear that they wouldn't be thrown on a ship to Earth if you rocked the boat or fully expressed yourself.

It was frustrating.

-0-Door

He reached the doors and examined them. They were inlaid with precious jewels that sparkled in the sunlight which felt warm on his neural net. Pulling the door open, he walked in and noted that there was something wonderful smelling in the rooms beyond. Something familiar was cooking somewhere and the aroma filled the house. Following the smell, he found himself in a dining room where a number of individuals sat apparently waiting for him. He stared at them with discernment, then one grinned. "Take a chair, Orion. Have a seat with us. We're just about to eat."

Optimus bowed lowly, then pulled a chair to sit at the end of the table across from the one who was leader and the most upright and formal of them all, Prima Prime.

Prima, Himself grinned at Prime. "We give you dispensation to dine with Us if you wish. However, if you want to fast We will honor that as well."

"Lord Prima, I am honored to see You again, all of You," Optimus said as the others grinned at him. "This is a different kind of setting than I am used to seeing with You."

"We thought it represented how We feel at the moment. Thanksgiving, I believe you call it," Prima said.

Prime nodded. "A worthy holiday and sentiment from our neighbors, the humans."

"Yes," Epistemus said as He glanced at Prime. "Being grateful is a good attribute to cultivate."

Optimus nodded as he considered the group around the table. Solus was there, her beautiful face beaming her love for him. Solomus, Prima, Onyx and Micronus, Vector, Alchemist, Quintus, and Nexus rounded out the table. Both those of the dominant belief system and those of the Guiding Hand, both were represented. They were looking at him kindly and with amusement. "You are here, Great Ones. I could use Your wisdom and insights. There is much coming upon us and I could use Your wise counsel."

Prima sat back. "We are aware."

"The one who plagues you … Megatronus is being taken somewhat into hand, Optimus," Solomus said. "He is not aware of time passing. Vector has assisted us in teasing time for him, to prevent him from understanding how long he has been away and how much time here has passed. It gives you breathing space and prevents him coming back too soon. That is what We wish and We have stepped in to meddle on your behalf and that of our people."

Vector smirked at his brother, then looked at Optimus. "I have. He's rather a jolt, isn't he?" Vector asked the others who nodded. "I have placed a time bubble around him, preventing his focus here and an awareness of the passing of time there. I can do that and so I have. It will keep him away from here while great changes and efforts are made for The People."

Solus grinned at him, then Optimus. "We are aware of the new refugees. We have taken steps to ensure that the problem before you, Optimus, is not exacerbated by his untimely return. We are … how shall I say this?"

"Stepping in more forcefully when We feel its warranted most of the time. Given the quality of the Prime leading The People, little from us is given short of comfort and the odd sign of our support," Prima said. He stared at Optimus a moment considering the figure before him. "You do understand that All Things have free will and sentience, correct? Even your choices as Prime and all others as well?"

Prime nodded. "I do."

"You found out with Caminus when her star companion could no longer hold the center," Solus said.

Optimus nodded. "All things have life. Sometimes, it is hard to grasp that fact, to see all things as sacred but it is the core belief among us that all must be one, that all must have freedom and choice ... the right to live a life of their choosing."

Solomus nodded. "That is so. Then you understand that the Earth has a spirit, as does her moon as well. Her spirit is restless for her people. Her people are restless together. Bad things are surfacing there to the review of all as they must and change is in the air. It will come though when I cannot tell you but know it is on its way. Earth loves her people. She is waiting for them to wake up. They are, after a fashion. It will be exciting times to watch her rise up to her greatness. I do love planets and stars," he said to the others.

They grinned at him. He was a sweet good personality.

Prima looked at Prime. "Some of the behavior of the humans and what they do is related to Earth and the changes she is experiencing. Birthing a new paradigm can be a messy process. It is part of the problem before you with the humans. All of the evil that they've done has to come out to affect change. Thus, the Harris type individuals are part of that process. Do not give up or despair."

Optimus nodded. "That is good to know."

"All is well but there are many changes, not the least being Earth. Speaking of changes," Solomus said. "Tell me about the Functionalists. I am curious about their path forward since the end of their perversion of Our thoughts and wishes. This group, anyway."

"I have talked to Master Cyclonus who has taken them on through the Guiding Hand community. It is slow progress, Lord Solomus. The children are very flat in their behavior and appear to be without initiative. There is no spontaneity and their lack of spark as children is disturbing. The adults are struggling as well. They were raised in a system that crushed them. I am concerned but we will not turn our back on them and their situation. Cyclonus is considering placing the children in the homes of other Functionalists who have not adopted this perverted vision of Your philosophy."

Solomus who along with Prima, Epistemus, and Adaptus represented most of the Guiding Hand mythos conferred together off line as Optimus waited. Then Solomus turned back to him again. "That will have mixed results. It could be a bridge too far as the humans say for some of them, though most won't be able to process the loss of their children at the time. Choose well and wisely. We would consider taking the children with Us to help them here but the adults might be too frail right now to accept that even from Us. You have a hard decision to make. Be aware that some of the adults might not be able to manage that decision and there will be chaos from them."

Optimus nodded. "Thank you for the advice, Lord Solomus."

"You are concerned about Razorclaw and Ominous," Prima said.

Optimus nodded. "I am. We cannot have them hanging around with the increase in activity that we face here. I am concerned about aliens who live in their sphere of influence as well as a direct confrontation that will make them bolt. They would be everywhere in joors if we confront them including Earth and the migration trails."

"Good considerations," Onyx said as he glanced at Solomus and Epistemus. "What say You, brothers?"

They considered things a moment, then nodded. "They would roll in all directions like balls. I would think hard on that one, brother. Use your intuition. It has not failed you before," Solomus said.

Prima nodded. "We are aware that the architects of Our brother's misery are coming up for trial. You have a hard thing to do, to find the truth and if its warranted, what sort of punishment they shall receive, especially Sentinel. He has caused a great disturbance for all of Us. Our good name and title has been besmirched everywhere because of what he did and what he set into motion, though all things happen for a reason. It might not seem so, Optimus, but it is. All things happen for a reason and no one involved is an unwilling participant, though they might think so at this level of their understanding."

Prime nodded. "I will weigh the facts in partnership with the Matrix."

"Your fairness is commendable and I believe you," Adaptus said.

"I would boot them into a star myself, but that's just me," Onyx said with a grin.

"Good thing you are merely a god," Prima said with a grin.

"You are on a good path, Optimus. You have a lot of things before you. You have good individuals on your side, all of whom love you and work hard for the benefit of all. We feel you are on the right path," Onyx said as the others nodded. "What did you come here for yourself?"

Optimus considered the array of problems. "I came here for our people who are scattered to the wind. I will not recharge well again until they are all found."

"Then continue forward," Solus said. "Do not fear. It's wasted energy. Be determined. You are wise and good."

They stood together as Prime scrambled to stand. They laughed a moment, then grinned at him. Prima, ever wise and serious grinned slightly. "Keep going. You are not now and never will be alone, Optimus. Until all are one." With that, they all faded away.

Optimus waited a moment, then turned around. He was back inside the Temple.

-0-TBC 7-18-18 **edited 7-19-18**


	417. Chapter 417

**NOTE:** I edited part 416, yesterday's piece, to fill in some things that I didn't add the first time. Just so you know.

The Diego Diaries: Matrixing (dd6 417)

He was back in the Temple but he wasn't alone. He felt rather than saw that someone was with him, someone incredibly familiar, someone whose energy he would never, ever forget. Turning with his gun flashing into his servo, Optimus Prime stepped forward. "You."

He nodded, then grinned. His affect was different. Gone was the malevolence that had been his signature. Gone was the seething emotion that powered every move and thought. He shrugged. "You won't need the gun, Optimus. The Temple is sacred ground even to me."

"You used it for target practice on Cybertron when there was no reason," Optimus said with more bitterness than he thought he could feel.

"That wasn't me. That was my 3D construct, the one that you and I inhabit here to go through this passion play," Megatron said as he stepped closer. "Put it away, brother. It won't be needed here."

Prime stared at him, then the gun. It disappeared into subspace. "Why and how are you here?" he asked.

"I am here and not here," Megatron said. He grinned. "You might find it interesting to know that the biggest part of me, my higher self, is quite a philosopher. You and I have debates together in the Matrix as our present lives go through our dance of doom."

"You are not him," Prime asked suspiciously.

"You have died what … eighteen times? You **do** know by now, do you not, that only part of who we are ever lives a life here. The rest of us, the best of us stays in the Matrix … our higher selves as the humans call them. A good term all in all. I am that part of him here before you. I have that mercy granted by the Powers."

Prime relaxed slightly. "We forget all that we know when we come here. You know that as well as I."

"We would not fight each other the way we do otherwise. The lessons of this life that all of our people are learning through us would be lost and unlearned. What would be the good of that?" Megatron asked as he glanced around. He looked at Prime. "You know that, however. I am preaching to the choir."

"Suffering children, dying worlds, wars that never end," Prime said. "I know of it," he said bitterly.

"And no one is here without consent," Megatron said. "Not you, not even me. We are here to learn, Optimus, and some of the lessons are extraordinarily hard. But we all agree, though I know for most that seems counter intuitive. Who would volunteer for this? This rot that leaves one reeling?" He grinned slightly at Prime. "This rot that teaches so much to the sparks that come that cannot be learned anywhere else … that is so and you know it."

Prime glanced at the AllSpark, then Megatron. "You tried to find it. But for a momentary loss of concentration over the Earth's northern pole, this might be a different story."

"It probably plays that scenario in another dimension, but then … you know that, too," Megatron said with a grin. "You know all of this but your problem, brother, is simple. You don't like to watch it unfold without doing something heroic and exceptional. That is your purpose. Mine is to break things, yours is to mend them. We are Primus and Unicron writ small."

At that moment, the AllSpark burst into light, a soft white light that filled the room and enclosed them both. It was soothing, even cool like menthol as they stood enrobed, staring at each other in the misty interior. Time seemed to stand still.

-0-Outside

They talked in low tones or were silent but the buzz of voices seemed like bees in a hive. Then a light filled the Temple, a soft white one that didn't spill out. Everyone waiting for Optimus including the Household Guards turned to look, surprised by the event as much as everyone else. It became instantly silent and tense, the reaction to this new thing. The light pulsated, then it swept up and engulfed the Temple in a giant ball of glowing illumination. It pulsed, then grew slightly bigger. It didn't come to anyone outside but merely enclosed the building in warmth and light. It didn't feel anything more than beautiful and loving to those watching as it did.

-0-Inside

They faced each other in the pulsing light. Megatron looked around, then grinned at Prime. "It would appear that someone is weighing in."

Prime nodded. "I have figured out what the AllSpark is," he said softly.

Then the two of them were gone.

-0-Outside

The priests conferred with Alpha and Turbine, then agreed. Forming a circle, placing Turbine in the middle to do the moves necessary, they began to chant the Redemption Prayers for Cybertron. They were picked up by the controller at IntraComm and their voices were broadcast everywhere. The people who began to hear them silenced, only to speak at those points in the cycle that they knew, the choruses between each main section. Voices joined in the millions at the choruses they knew, then were silent but for the priests and Turbine before it repeated again. It felt like waves lapping against a shore, the rhythmical cycle of multitudinous voices and near silence but for the priests and Turbine. Is was as soothing as that. All the while it happened, the light continued to enrobe the entire Temple of Simfur Restored.

-0-Elsewhere

They were standing on an asphalt surface that stretched in all directions. Looking around, Prime turned to Megatron. "We will find something here that will be important. Nothing is truly real and we are not in danger."

Megatron nodded. "Very well. This part of me has never reached reality and its rather humorous to me that I will be here doing things in what is simulated still. I will follow your lead, brother."

Prime nodded then glanced around. He started walking in a direction that felt better than the others. Megatron followed behind.

-0-Chanting

The chants continued for Cybertron, Primus, the Pantheon, and The People. They were heard by all including those in the habitats. The children of the soldiers waiting at the Temple steps watched enchanted and by the second or third time the parts most knew rose up, they were joining them in the response. Their parents watched them, wishing they could as well. They would have to content themselves with the translation of the prayers that were coming to them through their helmets.

"Now I walk in beauty,  
beauty is before me,  
beauty is behind me,  
above and below me.

"Love is my birthright,

Peace is my prayer,

Unity is our strength.

"Come forward together,

Be my brother,

The One is my protector

and Primus is my father."

Then the cycle began again.

-0-Elsewhere

It seemed to take forever but time had no meaning or force within the Matrix. It could be four minutes or four years passing for all they knew or felt. But in the distance far away, a shape was forming. They continued toward it together.

-0-Chanting

The humans in habitats watched the show, many of them veterans of previous Festivals. A newbie diplomat turned to Carly who was spending the time with them as she had before. "Does this happen during the Festival or is this new? I have a feeling this wasn't supposed to happen."

"I've never seen it. It doesn't mean it isn't normal and right. I just have never seen it before," Carly said as she sat with the entire consular corp of Earth. Everyone at Unidad was gathered in one of the many huge lounges to watch together. They were on a split screen watching the show and chatting with the consular group as the consular group watched them from theirs. "I'm not worried, however. We're safe here on this, their holiest day."

"I hope so," the diplomat said as his wife who was sitting with him nodded in agreement.

-0-Elsewhere

They reached a gas station, one that looked like it was settled in a desert by a forgotten highway in 1950's America, perhaps the fabled Route 66 itself. They stared at the faded building and its fly blown signs for gas at 15 cents a gallon. A garage next to the small cafe held an antique car up on blocks. Old fashioned gas pumps were in front of the garage, forlorn pillars of a forgotten age. Tumbleweeds lay here and there, blown in by the slight wind that caressed them. The windows of the cafe could use a cleaning and the place could use an assist from something or someone. It was dying with the landscape, probably bypassed by an interstate highway nearby.

Megatron glanced at Optimus with a slight grin. "Makes you want to go inside doesn't it?"

Prime grinned slightly. "You are not afraid are you?"

Megatron chuckled. "That's a character flaw of mine, a lack of fear," he said as he walked forward. "Join me. I will buy."

Prime grinned, then followed Megatron to the door to go inside. The screen door, squeaky and weather battered closed behind them.

-0-Unidad

"This is amazing," Terri Hadden said.

Leslie nodded. "Just one of fifty-two amazing things for just today."

Everyone there nodded in agreement.

-0-Elsewhere

They entered a tired but clean cafe with booths and worn red plastic-covered stools by the counter for them to sit. The smells of food hung in the air as sunlight streamed through the dirty dusty windows. A rattle trap air conditioner, one attached to a hose kept the place at a near chilly level of coolness. They walked to the counter, then toward a booth to sit.

A woman came from the back, one with a handkerchief tied around her head in an old fashioned manner, covering pin curls. She wore a knee length dark skirt, a white apron around her waist, a white short sleeved shirt with rolled up sleeves to the top of her shoulders, cheap hoop earrings, too much makeup, and in her hand was a cigarette. She took a deep drag, then reached around the corner to put it on an ashtray before turning to them. Picking up a coffee pot and two menus, she walked to their table and laid them down. Filling their cups with coffee, she revealed tattoos on her arms. "What can I get ya?" she asked.

They stared at her somewhat amazed that she was unphased by either of them. Megatron looked at the single sheet menu in a battered plastic folder, then glanced at her. "What would you suggest?" he asked.

She stared at him with mild irritation which appeared to be her general condition. "Eggs over easy, toast, hash browns, and bacon. Coffee."

"Make that two, please," Megatron said with a slight smile.

She nodded, then walked around the counter to the back. They watched her go, then glanced at each other. Megatron grinned. "They might not get much business here. Or perhaps, this is a place where all the aliens come to eat."

Prime grinned, remembering something of the mech who he once considered a brother. Megatron had an amazing sense of humor and the absurd. He had forgotten that over the millennia of their conflict. "It would appear so."

Megatron grinned at him. "I missed our little chats. We discussed all things … life, philosophy, love … all of it. Perhaps you can fill me in. What exactly **is** the AllSpark then, if I may ask?" he asked.

-0-MCA

Reporters and commentators watched the screen in the New York studio and speculated about the strange occurrence. Mick Murphy, Colonel and adjutant of Glenn Morshower was on the screen for the event, standing in front of the human group with a camera man filming him. He was tied into the feed and was the go-to human for the show. He had been in studio in New York the year before and had protested mightily about not being here for this event this time. Glenn had arranged for a camera crew to station themselves in front of the human area so that he could give commentary, answer questions and participate, thereby freeing up everyone else for the event.

Win-win.

"Colonel, have any of the bots around you given any kind of clue about what's happening inside the Temple?" Sheldon Moore, leader of the panel asked.

"Not so far," Mick replied. "I asked a few when you went to break and no one around me knows what this means. As for your request to speak to the priests or anyone else for that matter near the Temple, that's not going to happen. For one, the priests are doing the Redemption Cycle and are busy. For another, its not considered good form to do more than wait. Prime will come out and maybe later we can find out what this means. Until then, no one goes anywhere."

It would go onward.

-0-Elsewhere

"What exactly **is** the AllSpark then, if I may ask?"

Before Prime could answer, the waitress came out with two big plates filled with breakfast. She set them down before the two, then looked at them with appraising eyes. "What else? Anything?" she asked.

"No, thank you," Megatron replied. "This will do." He looked at the plate with eggs, bacon, toast, and what looked like a shredded root cooked to a dark tone. "Intriguing."

"If you say so," she said as she pulled up a chair to sit. She had her cigarette back and took a deep drag, held it, then exhaled it out the corner of her mouth as she sat down to stare at them both with a keen eye.

They stared at her, then each other. "Smoking," Megatron said. "I see no good of it."

"Don't knock what you haven't tried," the woman said as she poured a cup of coffee for herself. She put several sugar cubes into the cup and stirred it.

Both mechs watched her, then mimicked her actions. Sipping the drink, Megatron frowned slightly. "This is very bitter. I am not very well versed on coffee either, it would appear."

"Then I can assume you're not from around these parts," she said with a smirk. It was hard and knowing, the expression on her face. She had lived a tough life, it would appear, and it showed.

"No," Prime replied. "We are not."

She nodded as the door opened and a young man entered. He had a heavy limp and haunted eyes. He looked like he lived rough and his hair was disheveled. He had a hungry lean look, one that had seen much and struggled to assimilate it fully. He paused before her, his eyes darting warily to the two mechs. "Hi, Sylvia."

"Hello, Veteran. It's in the oven," she said as he nodded. He limped painfully around the counter, then disappeared into the back room. There was the sound of a door opening, something sliding, then a door closing. He limped back out, then paused before Sylvia.

"Thanks, Sylvia. I'm good for it," he said almost to the two mechs rather than the hard looking woman.

"Of course, you are. Thank you for your service, Veteran," she said as he nodded and limped out. The door closed behind him. It was silent a moment, then she blew a smoke ring. "That was Veteran. He got shot up in the Korean War and has problems for it. He lives in a shack and has a hard time. We have a lot of them don't we. We use them up and throw them away but once a year we have a day where we thank them for their service. All the rest of the year they're on their own."

"Then I assume we're dealing with archetypes here," Megatron offered.

Hard cold optics greeted him. "You can assume anything. This isn't real is it? Or is it?" she asked as the door opened and another human entered.

-0-TBC 7-19-18 **edited 7-19-18**

NOTE: The first four lives of the response part of the prayer cycle is a Navajo prayer. I love it madly. I thank the Navajo Nation for it and wish you continued grace in a harsh world. -Me


	418. Chapter 418

The Diego Diaries: Matrixing (dd6 418)

-0-Elsewhere

Someone else came in, a careworn farmer, someone who worked incredibly hard for little return in what was most likely the margins. He walked to the counter, then sat. Sylvia stood up, carried the pot, then poured him a cup. "What can I do for you, Elder?"

He was a thin man, nearly 'played out' as western people called depleted things. He wore overalls, worn and patched along with a clean white shirt that looked ironed and crisp. He wore a battered hat, one that covered his head of thinning white hair. His hands were gnarled and calloused from hard physical labor and his affect was tired. "I would like a sandwich, Sylvie. The one I like," he said. "I have to go back to work. Can I take it with me this time?"

"Sure," she said as she walked to the counter behind her and began to make a sandwich.

Megatron and Prime watched, coming to the realization that they were here to observe and learn something, though what it would be was still unclear. She finished the sandwich, wrapped it in wax paper, then added a few potato chips and three cookies into the bag. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Not today, Sylvie. Maybe next time," he said as he took the little bag. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change. Counting it slowly, he put it on the counter. "Thank you, Sylvie."

"No problem," she said as she took the change and put it in an old fashioned cash register, one with big keys and a loud bell when rung up.

The human walked slowly to the door, nodded to both bots, then walked out. Megatron and Prime turned in their booth to look out the dusty window. He drove a battered old fashioned pick up truck. He climbed in, then with a grinding of the starter, drove away to the road that would take him who knew where. Both sat back, then looked at Sylvia who had taken her seat once more. She was lighting a new cigarette with the butt of the old one. Taking a deep drag, she exhaled.

"What is his story?" Megatron asked. "If I may be so bold to ask?"

She stared at him with a cold expression. Both of the mechs felt it, too. "That's Elder. That's what you get when you work longer and harder than you should for less than you deserve. That's what happens when you don't make enough to quit working when you're tired and old. There's millions of them around. They're the shoulders the world stands on but they get the blame for their poverty. They get blamed because others won't pay them for what they're worth. I think his name was Stanley once. He used to come here but he stopped after a time. He was killed in an accident driving a truck when he should have been home with his grandchildren. No one cared. I did. I do believe I did," she said as she mused on an old memory.

It was leaden in the room before the door opened again. A woman walked in, a young one and with her were two small children and a baby. She wore a shabby dress and old shoes but the kids were better dressed and sweet. Obviously, she put them first ahead of herself, the selflessness of motherhood her personal creed, it seemed to suggest. She had taken care giving the best appearance she could for all of them. Her children were beautiful but one had a cough. She paused nervously and tiredly before Sylvia. "Hi, Sylvie. I was wondering … Ralph gets paid in a week and we need gas. Can we ..." she trailed off as she noticed Megatron and Prime staring at her. Embarrassment suffused her as she turned slightly away from them.

"Sure, Candy," Sylvia said. "Did Ralph get that job?"

She brightened. "He did. He hitchhiked to Perryville and waited overnight outside the office. He's going to be working there as a mechanic on the diesel trucks. He's going to see if someone can give him a lift home after work until we fix our car so it can drive that far. He wants to camp during the week until then, maybe, and come home on the weekend but I don't like that. I worry about him, you know."

Sylvia nodded then rose. "Come on. Let's get you some gas."

She walked out with the children and Sylvia as the bots watched through the windows. Sylvia pumped gas for a worn looking car, one that was old fashioned and had a dent in the side. When she finished, they chatted a moment, then everyone climbed inside. Sylvia watched as the car drove away, then entered the cafe to sit down again. She exhaled a smoke ring, then looked at them coldly. "You aren't eating your food."

"I am not hungry," Prime said as Megatron nodded.

"Too bad. Those kids are half the time. It's not like its planned and they sure don't want it that way but it's how we let it be, all of us. They could have used the food," Sylvia said. "Its not like their mama and daddy don't work hard. They're young and strong but work is scarce and it doesn't pay a living wage. The system is rigged but they get the blame. Lazy. Stupid. Worthless. Too many go to bed hungry every night and no one cares. We all know it happens, too, don't we, but we blame them for being ignorant or slackers or worse, we just don't care. A person can do everything right and still fail. What happens after that tells us who we really are. What do **you** think we are, Megatron?" she asked. "What kind of people are we that such things happen to millions upon millions of people all over the world and we not only don't care but we blame **them** for it?"

He stared at her. "You ask the wrong person. I'm not the one who can tell you about bad choices and what we should do about them."

"No, you just do what you want," Sylvia said as she lit another cigarette from her old one. Taking a deep drag, she tapped the cigarette against an ashtray on the table next to her. "We fall short of what we believe we are too many times. It's rather a bother for some to see it."

"Who are you?" Optimus asked.

"You know," she said as she poured more coffee into her cup. "I am Everyone. I am Everyone Who Exists. I am the smallest sub atomic particle and the multiverse in one. It's my duty and purpose to look at things without sentiment or side, then tell the truth no matter how ugly and inconvenient it is. I'm your conscience, All That Is."

"You are the AllSpark," Optimus said.

" **Give that man a cigar** ," she said with a bitter smirk. "The question next is, what **is** the AllSpark?" It was quiet a moment. "What's ethical? Whats the right thing to do to be considered good? What does a **good** person **do** when there's inequity and suffering all around them? Do you blame the **sufferer**? Do you discuss the cost of things in relation to helping alleviate the **suffering**? How much is **too** much in cost to help or do we abandon someone in trouble for the sake of the bottom line? I think about such things often. It is **what** and **who** ***I*** am. What about **you** , Prime?"

"It haunts my recharge," Optimus said quietly.

She nodded. "I know. I'm rather well versed on the way things go everywhere that exists. I am the underlying thread to the All That Is. What annoys me greatly is the idea and belief that some are good intrinsically and some aren't in the eyes of others. I'm annoyed greatly by judgment, by people **judging** each other when we **ALL ARE ONE!** The machinations of some to write off huge swatches of people, places and things disturbs me **greatly**. I, **for one** , find that **ALL** are worthy. I may not like what they do and what they believe but I reverence them **anyway** because we **all** come from the same place. What about you, Megatron. What do you reverence besides your ego, power and killing others who are inconvenient?"

"As Megatron's higher self, I have no argument with you and what you espouse and oversea, obviously. We are on the same page," Megatron explained. "However, as the long suffering but guiding figure of an out of control ego maniacal marauder, I am limited by his free will to do more than chide him through what small opening of conscience that he allows to exist."

"True, that," Sylvia said. "The Pantheon is well pleased with **you** , Optimus Prime. What annoys me and concerns them is your fear level. Your odd belief that you're not worthy or up to the tasks before you. I would suggest that you put such limitations aside and step forward boldly. They expect you to do so and They're not fooled very often. If They believe it, so should you."

It was silent, then Sylvia tapped out her cigarette. "You'll be adjudicating the architects of your demise shortly, Sentinel and the others. Do so boldly and allow your fairness to have free rein. You choose to take hard roads to the truth which is honorable. Do so without fear and know that what you decide is for the good." She stood, then grinned slightly. "You know who I **appear** to be, but what am I **really**?"

With that, the scene changed and they were both back in the Temple. It was discombobulating for a moment, then they turned to each other. "A most interesting encounter, Prime. The AllSpark is more than meets the eye. I have to depart. There is much to do elsewhere. I wish you well, brother. It has been … fun." With that, Megatron disappeared.

Prime stared at him as he faded, then turned to the AllSpark which was seething with energy. Then it faded both inside and outside of the building. As it did, the Well began to rise in light, mingle with the AllSpark, then blast into brilliant illumination. Upward it went through the top of the building, roaring upward to the sky and outward through the open doors of the building.

The Blessings had begun.

-0-Outside and around

"The light … its gone … no … **WAIT!"** Annie Lennox who was standing next to her father and mother jumped up and down. **"HERE IT COMES!"** she shouted before the light collapsed and rolled out in all directions faster than could be followed. They were enrobed in light, a soft sentient luminescence telling them of how they were loved, all of them. It fled Mars and flowed through the multiverse with one notable exception as it embraced All That Is in its unconditional, uncompromising love.

In habitats on world, in the cities of Mars, across the wide scope of Cybertron, and across the entire Earth for the first time, the luminous, all encompassing love of Primus found each soul and loved them. It loved them, the light, with an overwhelming sense of belonging. It seethed, seemingly sinking into the soil to include everything and everyone, then it vanished. When it did, everyone froze suffused with emotion, feeling the air as stark and arid, frigid even, as those thus blessed glanced around bereft.

Then a light burst upward from the Temple again, one so brilliant and warm that everyone was entranced once more. It rolled outward like a geyser, flowing around and embracing everything that existed. This one was from The One, the Source of All That Is and it flowed through the multiverse seeking out all lifeforms that it encountered but one notable group. It held everyone in its gentleness as soft voices murmuring words of love and connection, support and unity added to the personal moment everyone was having. It was misty and soft, overpowered those with the sensation that they were wonderful, beautiful, unique, loved, cherished, and chosen. It pulsed around them, then faded swiftly away.

It was silent everywhere it had been.

Then a shout was heard, a voice crying out bereft, then another, then more. At once among them there were voices shouting, **"UNTIL ALL ARE ONE! UNTIL ALL ARE ONE!"**

At that moment, the congregation burst into shouts of the creed, their peds stomping the ground as they rose together in exclamation. It rumbled under foot, it surrounded them with its mass, the cry of all their voices together in unity. As they did this together, Optimus Prime stepped out of the Temple and walked to the edge of the platform. The sound died down in front, then everywhere else almost at once. It was intensely silent once more. That was when Optimus spread his arms and the panels of his chest opened. The Matrix burst outward, a brilliant white sentient light that swept the planet, Cybertron and all the outposts of the Empire as it enclosed him in its brilliance. It found the Decepticons wherever they were and swept past them until every single Cybertronian everywhere but one spot in the Delta Quadrant was in its loving grip. Then as fast as it came, it ended.

Prime dropped his arms and the panels closed. He stood on the platform, slightly slumped, then straightened. "The Solemnities are closed," he said quietly. Then the crowd began to convulse with cries of unity and solidarity … **"UNTIL ALL ARE ONE! UNTIL ALL ARE ONE! UNTIL ALL ARE ONE!"**

-0-Unidad

They stood together applauding and shouting, some of them calling out the creed as the moment swept them into one unity. Holding each other, laughing and smiling, the small human community celebrated, too.

-0-Earth 1

The scene was the same as everyone cheered. The moment was magic and they were at that moment closer to each other than they were with loved ones. They clapped, cheered and chanted …

-0-United Nations Consulate

They hugged each other, cheering and crying, laughing and talking to each other as they watched Prime walk down from the Temple steps surrounded by his body guard. The family joined him, allowing him to walk forward with Prowl and Solus, while the rest followed, laughing, singing, clapping hands with others, pausing as some ran out to touch Prime, gathered together as they made their slow progress back …

-0-Sciences

The automated machines worked brilliantly as the residents enjoyed their outing …

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

Same here. Nothing to see …

-0-Hu-An Embassy

Everyone had gathered in the common building to watch the show. They felt the warmth and blessings, they saw the beauty of Prime and the grace surrounding everyone. They felt it, too, as they waited together for the fast to break at midnight. They would partake of food only then when their brothers and sisters did as well …

-0-The Resort at Autobot City

The humans there were enraptured, celebrating, hugging strangers, watching the show with cheers and applause. They would cheer the creed, stamp their feet, dance together, and sing. It would be the best part of a phenomenal visit for all of them …

-0-Earth2

It was bedlam in the facility as 5,000 plus humans watched the show in the auditorium. They sang, hugged, danced in their seats, cheered, chanted the Creed, and showed their joy. Children were hugged along with elders, family, friends, strangers, dogs, and even a cat. The leadership was feeling it, too, as they stood together near the stage watching Prime make his way home again. It was brilliant and beautiful, Prime was astonishing, and all of it was breathtaking in the feelings it evoked. It would take a long time for them to feel it all the way through, attempt to understand it, then find a way to work with it.

At no time in that process would Owen Harris and his core group find themselves changed in any significant way.

-0-Earth Prime

Across the world the Blessings of The One and Primus gripped everyone in a sweet cloud of light. It saturated the earth below their feet to linger as a gift of both toward peace and unity. There was wonderment and disbelief that such feelings could be possible for anyone to feel. There would be celebrations beginning tonight that would last days across the entire world.

-0-The Consulate

Everyone danced, everyone sang, the love and unity they felt was overpowering. It was bliss within the walls of the Consulate.

-0-The Family Tower

They were celebrating including a couple of the 'House Grandpas' who broke out a beer. Tapping them together, they took a deep drink, then smiled. "I don't know about you, Marvin, but this is one fine day."

Marvin Roush, grandpa of Sargent Corey McFarlane laughed. "You won't get an argument out of me." They both turned to the TV to watch Prime make his way. While they did that, Mama Rosa waved to a number of spirits who were standing by the television watching themselves as they prepared to go. They waved back, then faded away. Six down and one to go. The ghost of a dog that Ron Witwicky had as a child was sitting by his favorite chair to wait for him to come back. He was here all the time, ever faithful and loving. Mama Rosa made a promise to herself to tell him about it some time. She sat in her chair crocheting and watching that 'very fine young man, Optimus' make his way home through the crowds.

-0-Optimus

He walked along with Prowl who carried Solus in his arms. Prowl couldn't be more proud as he watched the most religious and a lot of others step out to touch Prime. He had himself along with his genitors when they began to walk toward home. Optimus was never more holy than now, though for Prowl, he was holy all the time. The others followed shouting to friends, pausing to chat a moment or take a photo with a friend as somewhere in the mix the Day Watch was helping the humans find their way back as well.

Everyone from Earth 1, Earth2, Unidad, N.E.S.T. HQ, the Consulate, the Family Tower, The Resort, and Sciences was going to Sciences to wait out the crowds for a joor before going back to their homes. A huge party was going to be held at Earth2 with everyone in the human community invited, a good thirteen thousand individuals expected. The fireworks for this evening would be easily seen from there as well.

They made their way as five plus million Cybertronians began to leave the area, slowly, happily, contentedly. In the Temple, the Circle was there to finish the ceremonies and the release of the Pavilion for visitors to see new displays from Cybertron. Olivia Bowers would be among them and with her with special permission would be her overawed and amazed brother, Stephen Rolfe, brand new immigrant to Mars and a major accounts accountant as well as supply and management officer for Unidad. Crowds would make their way to the AllSpark and Well, then the Pavilion beyond for a good decaorn evening, day and morning. She would help them as part of the Circle of Light and the Knights of Cybertron and she would do it joyfully.

Turning slowly in the spotlight, its majesty only guessed at, the AllSpark hung in mid air. It was beautiful, ancient, majestic, and inscrutable to everyone but one mech. Optimus Prime had figured it out. He knew what the AllSpark was, what it did and who the enigmatic woman, Sylvia was. He would mull it over, then go to the Temple or a shrine to talk to It. Whether It revealed more secrets, he didn't know. He just knew, firmly and assuredly, who and what that enigmatic device actually was.

He disappeared into the crowd as he slowly made his way toward home.

-0-TBC 7 19-18 **Edited 7-20-18 edited again 7-23-18  
**

NOTES!

guest chapter 415 . 9h ago

I guess Zenith and Shadow are so pure that they do not need to make amends? The same way Miler and Venture do on Festival Day? Or are you planning that for the following years?

ME: You have to know you're wrong to make amends. They don't. They're rather a pair but their time will come. It might take a festival or two. :D HUGS!

Guest chapter 416 . 18h ago

I love festival time to read it so much fun and so in lightning and beautiful.

ME: I love them, too. I have an outline of what Optimus sees and does but it never follows the plan. The story at times writes itself and it did this time as well. :D HUGS!

Guest chapter 386 . Jul 18

Prowl hasn't called Optimus Arctapus yet! ;D

ME: BWAHAHAHA! He will next time. :D I love people who don't get drunk getting drunk. They remind me of my Uncle John who just got cuter with every shot. :D HUGS


	419. Chapter 419

The Diego Diaries: After the Dance (dd6 419)

-0-Home

They walked in, an endless stream of family and friends, all of them joining Prime and the family after the ceremonies. It was a lot of people but the Residence was huge. Prime greeted everyone as they came in, hugging some, shaking hands with others, joking with a few. Only Prowl knew how much this spirit walk was lingering. They always did but not to this degree. Children were placed on the ground and ran with Miracle and the twinnies toward his bedroom and toy box. That was when a stampede happened with the usual suspects along with Resolve, Rekker along with Bulkhead and Tyro's newest little baby, Ferrous. He ran on his fat baby legs with Halo shrieking behind him as the mob headed for the toy box of their pals, Miracle, Sojourner and Solus. The older kids everywhere in the room ran for the berth rooms of Spirit, Rambler and T-Bar.

The titan and dread kids were going with ammas and appa later on as the other big frames and a number of other friends were having a party in the Central Labor Hall. They were all here now for a moment. Shadow and Zenith bowed to Prime, then sat in a wide chair together. Everyone began to sit when someone near the door asked Prime, "Optimus, when you go to the Matrix and see whatever you see, is it against the rules to tell us about it?"

Zenith and Shadow glanced sharply that direction shocked at the question, then back to Prime who appeared to be thinking it over. Never in their experience at the top of the social, financial and political heap did it occur to them to ask a Prime about such things. But never in their sojourn there did it occur to them that if anyone had asked Nova, Nominus, Sentinel, and even Zeta, they would've had no experiences to tell about. They watched Prime with disquiet.

"There are no rules about it," Prime said. "I may or not disclose what I wish." He sat back as he thought about it as Prowl leaned into him.

"You don't have to say a word, Optimus, until you think it through or even ever for that matter," Prowl said.

"I go there for everyone. Some things are for me alone, I acknowledge that," Prime said, "but not all."

"I concur. I tried to get the Councils to let everyone in on the mysticism. We **are** talking about our collective sparks and most deeply held beliefs," Alpha said as he sat next to Chevron, Sela and Lauren. They nodded in agreement.

Prime considered that, then the string of images that were as fresh right now as they were then. "I found myself in a swamp that led to a path. When I walked out another path led to a big old fashioned house," he said as the room hushed with expectation. "It was very old and ornate. I walked inside, then looked around. It was beautiful there and I could smell food. Walking forward, I entered a dining room where most of the Pantheon sat at a long table waiting for me."

The room stilled as everyone listened. Prime had made his statement like someone might about seeing someone at the club. This was the Pantheon and among those who listened, even among the most heathen, there was a sense of the divine.

"They were waiting for me and invited me to dine with them. We talked instead about many things, about The People and what I could do to lead them the way I need to so they all might proper. There was much discussion, then agreement that the path we are on is a good one. They were very unhappy about the Functionalists and their actions … their 'perversion' of the ideas and ideals of the Guiding Hand."

Fireball who was holding Prima in his arms leaned toward Ratchet and whispered, "Shouldn't we be standing or something?" he asked.

With enormous regard around the room for the sweetness of the youngling, Ironhide patted his knee. "We're good, infant. If we had to, he would have said so."

Fireball glanced at Prime, then Ironhide, then nodded. He sat back and listened with awe on his handsome face. Lumi slid his arm around Fireball's shoulders and listened with the same expression.

"The told me something about Megatron that lends me to believe that he will not be an issue for some time," Prime said as everyone in the room exclaimed with relief and delight. "He is being … managed. They have stepped in that much to ensure that the refugees have an easier path to our door."

Prowl who was dealing with rising emotion of his own sat forward. "They did that because you are holy, because you **are** The One Who Comes, because your ideas and leadership here is what **They wanted** all along. Anyone who challenges that is a traitor," he said with no small amount of venom.

Ratchet glanced at Zenith and Shadow who were watching vigilantly but it didn't show on their handsome faces. Those were schooled to calm and reason, the typical mask of a high caste.

Prime continued. "There were cautions about how to proceed with the Functionalist children. I will discuss this further with Cyclonus. They were going to take them on Themselves but worry about the frailty of their genitors. We discussed Ominous and Razorclaw, then I was back in the Temple."

Everyone nodded, then glanced at each other. Ratchet grinned at Prime who was musing further, something that reminded Ratchet that Prime was still involved in some part of this that was unspoken. "But that wasn't all, right?"

Prime glanced at him. "No. It was not." Prime thought about it as he stared at everyone, then he sat back resolved. "I then met with that portion of Megatron known as the higher self."

The religious among them knew immediately what he was saying, but the rest glanced around. Fireball took the bull by the horns. "Higher self?"

Lady Sela nodded. "We are all from the same source, though the path from that and back again may tell a different tale for each group, hence the Temple practice and the Guiding Hand, two main groups based around the same Pantheon. We come to live a material life many times to learn all the lessons we need to know. Lord Optimus can attest to that," she said as everyone in the room nodded. They could remember the 18 or so times Prime had died, then came back. That alone signaled his significance not just to The People but to the Pantheon. "Part of us remains behind as a guide, our conscience, the part of us that absorbs wisdom and catalogs our experiences. Everyone has one no matter what or who they are."

Prime nodded. "That is true. We had a … productive conversation that I must still study. I have to speak to someone ..." He trailed off, then stood. "I need to speak to someone. I will be right back. Forgive me a moment," he said as everyone stood. He walked through them, his family and friends, then out the door which closed silently behind him.

Everyone watched, then Prowl grinned. "That's The One Who Comes. **That** is a Primus Blessed mech. He's the greatest mech that **ever** lived." He glanced at his grand genitors who were staring at him with unreadable expressions.

"You won't get an argument out of us, Granny," Ratchet said as everyone laughed. They sat down again and though it took a moment for everyone to relax, they did. Then they helped feed the children. It would be three joors before the siren rang out and everyone could break fast together.

-0-Outside

The roads were filled with more traffic than usual but most of the great crowd had dispersed as evening gathered. He drove past the Temple which was jammed up with foot traffic as citizens lined up to pay their respects to the AllSpark, the Pantheon and visit the relics in the Pavilion. He drove past heading to a place where he knew he would be able to think and ask the questions he needed. Passing the Mausoleum, he drove onward. The Shrine of the Thirteenth Prime called to him but he was headed toward the one of his patron. Reaching the Basilica, gratified that nearly no one was there this late on such a family-oriented orn, he transformed and began to walk up the steps to the building set on the platform of the Basilica.

The Basilica was lit up with spotlights and those installed in the walls to highlight its colossal beauty including that of its colossal statuary. He walked toward the shrine, itself rather simple like all of them were. The interiors usually took care of all the glitter and glitz associated with the Pantheon and Their lives. The buildings themselves were smaller versions of the Temple but had no outward embellishment but for two very tall statues of Solus Prime standing greeting pilgrims on either side of the huge open doors. He walked inside where the light was muted and the building had an empty feel.

Usually, he came here when it was late or early. He had grown up reverencing Prima whose shrine was located in Iacon. He loved Prima and his stoic resolve, something that he had himself in spades. He also loved Solus who loved him back. There was something between himself and all of them, he had always felt if not acknowledged. Prime was humble and resolved about himself. He wasn't going to be guided by ego nor by any sense that he had to have the adulation of the masses. He had seen what that had done to Megatron and he also had the example of his exemplary genitors. The Pantheon was right, he thought with pride. His genitors were amazingly remarkable people.

He walked down the main aisle noting the artifacts, icons and writings on display for Her, this wonderfully good individual. When he reached the giant statue of Her at the end of the building, standing in spotlight as she rested Her servo on the grip of her hammer, he felt a warmth suffuse him. It happened when he entered the shrines, all of which he visited often for inspiration, comfort and meditation. They always greeted him with warmth, like a mental hug. He had never told anyone but it was so.

He had always thought it was the Matrix answering Their holiness but he knew after a while that They were comforting, encouraging and engaging him Themselves. He stared upward, then began the silent prayer he always gave to Them.

"Make me a good mech. Make me a wise mech. Make me worthy."

"You already are," someone said.

He turned to look. Then he sank to his knees knowing instinctively who he was seeing before him. No one else appeared in the building but the two of them. He pressed his forehead against the floor, waiting for the Grace before him to speak.

That individual chuckled. "Rise, Optimus Prime."

He hesitated, then did. "You are here."

"I am," the individual said. "I Am. I am Everywhere and Everyone. I Am, you see."

Optimus glanced up at last, then nodded. "You are, Great One. I am honored. I ..." He trailed off as he stared in the Face of God.

-0-Up there

They fed the kids, giving them some of the dinner that was waiting for everyone. All orn long before leaving for the Temple, everyone coming had brought something for the dinner. The bachelor mechs had brought the booze, everyone else food. As they sat and talked, laughing together, the clock ticked past. Zenith and Shadow were chatting with Perceptor and Wheeljack as Resolve sat on the floor petting Miss Kitty. That redoubtable feline was accepting his attentions as her just due as Queen of the Place. Kids were everywhere, dogs, cows, a bug, and cats bounded as they waited for Optimus to come back. It would take a bit of time.

-0-Shrine of Solus Prime

"You seem shocked to see me, Optimus Prime," the figure said. It was a mech, a shining figure of light, one that radiated the most gracious love and regard Optimus had ever felt including during the Blessings. "You forget, my son, that I am Everyone and Everything and Everywhere. You are me and I am you." He stepped closer. "I have assumed this form for your comfort, though I can be anything and I am. I can be anything and anyone."

"Even the AllSpark?" Prime asked almost breathlessly.

The figure grinned. "Not the AllSpark specifically but very, very close. I live **in** the AllSpark on this dimensional plane, though because I do you are technically right. It is My vessel. I created it to experience even more closely the lives of all of Our people. I want to be more a part of the world but not of it. I have many who need Me but I am able to be Everywhere at all times. The humans say that I have My eye even on the sparrow. They are right. Because I Am. Understand?"

Prime nodded. "I believe I do."

"You are aware of the unrest on many worlds, Earth included. The souls of many are in unrest. They long for peace, safety and community. You are doing the job you wished here. I am well pleased. It won't be easy but you are on your way. The Pantheon are mine. They speak highly of you, though They also know that I am aware of All That Is because I Am. Understand?"

"We are you, you are us. You are The One."

"I am," he said with a nod. "It is the starting point of All That Is, the I Am. The drama happening to My son, Primus is hard to watch. But then the drama happening to you, to Earth, to everyone who are Mine is difficult. I suffer, too, do you understand? I have given free will to the humans. They have taken it as they please. It has hurt them greatly but they awaken now, hence the great unrest there. They remember how truly wonderful, how miraculous, pure, and splendid they are. They understand that love is all there is. You can have the riches of the universe but when you leave life, you take nothing with you but your memories and the love you had and gave.

"Nothing is more powerful than love. It makes you do the most difficult things for your people. You embody love, Optimus. Love, decency, goodness, kindness … your genitors are very wonderful and they raised you the way I had hoped. You must **always** err on the side of love. Nothing is more powerful in the universe than Love. It is the memory, the ties that bind us all together. Negativity and darkness flees before the light of love. I have some experience with both." He smiled, then looked around. "Neither hatred, darkness nor chaos will win in the end, I assure you. My daughter, Solus, is a being of light who I give leave to assist and comfort you and all The People. So are you. So is All That Is, even the lowliest and seemingly least significant thing. You understand that all things no matter how great or small have spirits, souls if you will?"

Optimus nodded. "Yes, Great One. I learned that with Caminus."

The One nodded. "Yes. Caminus and that star were joined in so many adventures in the eons of their lives. So has everyone. You do not live only one life as you well know. Neither does anyone else. You have more chances. You learn, you live and hopefully, you experience great love. Even in solitude, even in lives spent without others around, you can learn about love and grace. It would do well for everyone to understand that they are never, ever alone. I would never leave my beloved children alone. You and All That Is are never alone."

"It feels that way often," Prime said.

The One nodded. "Because you create it yourself by believing it is so. You create separation between you and everyone else when the opposite it true. Your limited dimensional belief makes you lonely. Go among The People and look at them. All of them are perfect, living perhaps imperfect lives. But all of them are yours and you are theirs. All of us are one. We are **all** one. Separation is a construct of the ego. Conquer your ego and the door to love opens wide. You will never be able to hate or fear again. Know, my beautiful son, that I am always here. I will never nor have I ever left you." He grinned. "That is a very hard sell to the humans but the same is true."

Prime grinned in spite of himself. "Can I speak to you, Great One, when I need to do so? May I use the AllSpark as my reference point?"

He nodded. "Yes, if you wish and need it. Everyone can. Just speak to me in your head or go somewhere and talk. Do you really think you are talking to a void? Do you really think that I who love you beyond the words of any language wouldn't hear you? I do. I love you always. I reverence you. You are my **CHILDREN.** Know that I am always there even if you don't think so. You are connected to me forever and that tie is eternal."

Prime nodded. "Thank you."

The One grinned at him. "Thank you, my son, for being love for your people. I am ever and always here." Then he vanished.

Prime stared at the spot for a moment, then he began to run for the door. Out into the night he went, then he leaped into the air, transformed and hit the ground running. He sped onward into the night back to The City, then pulled up outside the Temple. Transforming, moving as gently as he could through the surprised crowd, he made his way inside. Across the main room he made his way, then down the steps to the Well and AllSpark. It was turning slowly, then it stopped. Prime walked to the Well, then looked upward.

It was deeply silent in the crowded room. Then he heard it along with everyone else. A flash of light crackled over its surface, then the faint sound of laughter like music could be heard in the vastness of the room.

-0-TBC 7-21-18 **edited 7-21-18**

One of the oldest names of God, the Creator, Prime Source among humans is I Am. That is why affirmations begin with I am ... I am good, I am free, I am loved, I am beautiful ... its us reconnecting with divine truth. :D

NOTES! (I wish I had musical notes to add to my punctuation. I sure would use them in the notes section. LOL! HERE WE GO!)

Silverhornd chapter 418 . 5h ago

Wait, A question if the all-spark has some awareness how did it feel beaning launch into space and landing on earth, how does it feel that bots where fighting over it and then having Sam (a human) caring it around in his sub-space.

ME: That will be coming. I have it on the list. Since you got this far, that Sylvia character will be back and not only Prime will be asking things about what you listed but other things as well. :D HUGS!

Guester chapter 413 . 11h ago

I am finally catching up with the story. Nice way to spend the summer holiday, reading Diego Diaries!  
I guess you have a huge list of things still to be written, but I thought I'd mention a few I noticed are still hanging.  
-Ominous still has some seekers with him  
-Straxus was saved by somebody and is still somewhere  
-There was a seer and ghosts which haven't shown up yet  
-In ch. 298 there were bots Fermi and Ophir traveling in space, but we never heard of them again  
-Paragon never went on bar hopping with Prowl?  
-The dimensional stuff is coming slowly I guess, but I am eagerly waiting to see how you are going to write that  
Thanks for writing and continuing to write the story. And a mosquito free August to you!

ME: THANKS! We do call the mosquitoes our state bird. LOL! Sometimes, they gather in clouds around the caribou and drive them insane. They can run for miles being chased until they find some snow to lay on or water. I love that you list stuff. I will check my list to see where these fit on it. If they aren't there I will add them. I am editing this whole behemoth and checking what I find against the master list. Interestingly enough, I am not missing much. Feel free, anyone, to add things to lists. The more, the merrier. :D HUGS!

Guest chapter 412 . 12h ago

If all the signs in the colony are in English, French and Cybertronian, will the bad guys not be able to learn Cybertronian from those? They must have linguist experts at their payroll and since they are hell bent on cracking the files they have from Sentinel, I would assume they would make every effort to get what they want.

ME: Yes, indeed. That's part of why they are having such a selective time getting freedom to come and go. They do have them and part of the key to cracking Cybertronian is math. The kids instinctively know that as well. Someone once said the language of God was math. I believe them, Too bad I'm not better at math. LOL! HUGS!

Guest chapter 418 . 17h ago

When I think festival can't get any more cool you just take it over the top. :-) I do so love this story. I've been with for two years? I don't know. But it's been a while. I can't wait to see what happens with our spark and all of the people and there's just so much going on that it's always fun to catch up.

ME: FANCY! So glad you're here. We began in 2010 and its 2018. Who would have thought it would last this long. LOL! I live to serve. ;) HUGS, my dear Fancy!

HUGS to everyone who reads this. Remember, you are loved. :D


	420. Chapter 420

The Diego Diaries: Matrixing (dd6 420) (see note at bottom) :D

-0-Temple

He stared at the AllSpark which had begun to turn slowly again, the lights of the area where it was featured focusing brilliantly on Its enigmatic surface. It was silent in the room as everyone stared at the relic, then Prime. He shook his helm slightly, then turned to leave. It would take a while walking through the group to the street where he would transform and drive off toward home.

-0-Home

The door opened as he came inside. Everyone paused their conversations and fixations on the children to turn toward him. He walked across the crowded room, then paused beside the couch where Prowl sat looking at him with the usual blend of concern and ferocious loyalty that was his usual expression during a moment of unknown turmoil. He sat, then picked up Solus who had chased after him on her tiny peds. She hugged him and he, her.

The room that had been filled with quiet tense conversation when he had left was silent now as everyone stared at him. Finally, Hercy broke the silence. "Did you get what you needed?" he asked.

Prime looked at him, then the solemn faces of everyone in the room. "That and more." He considered the moment, then glanced at Alpha Trion. :What would you suggest if I decide to tell you about it, if anything, old friend? I am not a judge at the moment of what is good and what is not to say:

Alpha grinned. :I have no problem with disclosure but you are Prime. It is your call, brother:

Prime stared at him, then Solus. "I know what the AllSpark is and what it means to us beyond the Matrix."

It was stone dead silent in the room as even the children slowed or stopped to turn to the adults. Orion who had a car in one hand and the servo of Praxus in the other turned to Ironhide. "Atar. What with Otis?" he asked in a quiet voice, perhaps prompted by the adults.

Ratchet grinned at his son, then Optimus who looked amused. "Yeah, Otis. What with you?"

Snickers from the punters filled the room, then Prime grinned. "The AllSpark exists in all universes. It is a multiversal singularity."

"That makes sense," Ironhide said. "What if anything else can you tell us about it?"

"You can't."

Everyone glanced at Zenith who looked deeply shocked. Prowl glanced at his ada, then his appa. "Appa, there are no rules about what a Prime can or not say about what they experience. It's up to Optimus."

"No. That would be blasphemy to talk about Them and tell about what They are. To talk about their wishes is one thing but the rest? No. It would be blasphemy. They are holy and … and untouchable. That is part of their holiness. This is private ... only between the Pantheon and a Prime. To tell us about Them Themselves would be wrong and unwise," Zenith said. "Some things are supposed to be mysterious and unknowable."

Everyone stared at him, then Optimus. Ratchet looked at Sela, Chevron and Lauren who looked dazed themselves. They glanced at each other during a short off line conversation, then Alpha looked at the two, then Prime. "You have complete discretion. You may tell what you wish. They're ours and we're Theirs. They're holy but They aren't unknowable. If your practice involves leaving Them as remote figures, then that's one thing but to impose that on everyone who believes in and loves Them would be wrong. You may speak as you wish, Optimus." Sela and Chevron nodded in agreement.

"Then we cannot stay. I believe what I believe. Thank you, Lord Optimus, for your kindness and hospitality but Shadow and I cannot stay to hear more. It would not be what we observe in our practice," Zenith said as Shadow stood up. They bowed, then headed for the door.

Prowl stood. "You don't have to go."

Prime nodded. "My position does not include discomforting anyone, Shadow. I would hope you would stay for dinner."

Zenith looked rattled and so did Shadow. "I'm sorry. Perhaps another time," he said as the two opened the door and left. Prowl stared at the door, then his genitors who looked rattled themselves.

Prime leaned forward as he held Solus in his arms. "Nothing in me wishes to cause upset and offense. I would not reveal things that cause anyone disquiet. I wish they had stayed. Are you alright, Miler?"

Miler looked at him, then the door. He nodded. "My family is very conservative. They practice and believe what they do. I'm sorry, Optimus, for any discomfort."

"People must do what they believe is best for them. There are many roads to take and I will honor theirs," Optimus said as he sat back to look at his daughter. She was uneasy with all the bad energy as were all the kids.

Orion walked to 'Otis'. "Otis, why them shes goed?"

Optimus grinned. "They had to go somewhere."

"Oh," Orion said as he glanced around. "Lou sad?" he asked Miler. "Lou want me to doing for lou?"

Miler grinned at Orion, then caressed his face. "I do, baby," he said.

So Orion did. He sang a song he learned in school at the top of his vocal processor.

-0-Moments later

When the laughter died down, everyone sat with a child in their lap and a burning desire to know what Prime had to say. However, no one had the nerve to ask. He grinned at them knowing all that even as he struggled to let them in on the secret life he led as the Bearer. It was a fraught thing carrying a Matrix, of which there were many among their people. There was even a Decepticon matrix. It was his hope they would all be found and stored safely away. For now, his, the greatest of them was all that mattered to everyone here. "I had a conversation with the AllSpark."

Everyone silenced as they looked at him.

"I have before. It was a shining figure of a mech but you could see eternity on His body, galaxies and universes … stars and comets. The love is what amazes me, the explosion of love that They all embody. All of Them love so much and so perfectly. They are very pleased with all that has been done and They speak of you with great happiness. They see what you do and are well pleased.

"They tell us to continue, that things will be alright. It is my mantra to do so," Prime said. "It keeps me going against all things, that and knowing you are here." He thought a moment, then resolved. "The AllSpark is a vessel wherein resides The One."

It was almost too deep in the room as they assimilated that, then Raptor leaned closer. "All the time? Does The One live there all the time?"

"No," Prime said. "Just when a visit to this dimension and place is required. It's the vessel of The One, something that allows Him to experience all His creations Himself, to create All That Is when Its lost and floating in space, and to touch us and ours through It. He may be there now or not. But that is Its function."

Moments ticked past, then Alpha nodded. "I thought that might be it," he murmured. "I thought that the prestige of the artifact and the power … the inability for anyone to crack into It was at least Pantheonic or perhaps Prime Source."

"Well, Its with us. That means something," Springer said. "You said that Megatron is being managed by the Pantheon?"

Prime nodded. "That gives us time to do what we have to do. There are literally a billion of our people missing and we have to find, then bring them back. We are getting that much small help from them. They cannot step in and change our right to free will."

"If I thought it would help, They can have mine," Drift said as a number of them nodded.

It was silent a moment, then Kup glanced at Hercy. "I don't know about you but somehow, I don't think I'm going to be telling anyone about this thing any time soon. Somehow, I get the feeling that might not be a good idea."

"Perhaps, Kup," Chevron said with a nod. "It might focus unwanted attention on the device and bring hordes here with guns."

"I agree," Turbine said. "Perhaps, this can be held among us. Why wave a red flag at the enemy?"

Prime nodded. "I concur. Let us keep this between us. If others knew, if there were those with agendas who might seek It out, it would cause harm to our people and this colony, let alone Cybertron and everywhere else."

Everyone agreed in the room including a couple of the babies who nodded their helms, though why they had no idea. It was then that the siren sounded, its baleful tones rolling outward into the colony from the pinnacle of Fort Max's upper deck. Everyone in the room from the smallest child to the oldest elder listened until it ended. Then Ratchet stood. "When are the fireworks, Wheeljack?"

'Jack picked up Resolve. "In a joor. We decided to let everyone eat first."

"Then dinner is served," Prowl said as he stood. He looked down at Optimus. "Are you alright? You don't have to tell us anything, you know."

Prime nodded. "I know. I also know that all of us deserve to know more than we do. It would comfort everyone everywhere if they knew how greatly they were loved."

Prowl nodded. "You sit there and I'll get the children fed. Then I'll bring you dinner." He stepped past Prime, then walked to the kitchen and dining room where the buffet was laid out. As he did, everyone grabbed a kid and headed that way as well. They would be parked at the dining room table, those who weren't too small and only then would the others begin to dine. It would take a few moments of laughing, howling infants and hoo-haw.

Ironhide grabbed a cow that ambled by, then set him on the couch beside him. Gripping another one, he set Flipper alongside Pudding. Everyone stared at the cows who stared back at everyone. "Slagging fine cows there. Tell me where you can find better?"

"I don't know. I hear that the dairy has some 'slagging fine cows' as well," Drift said with a chuckle.

"Maybe, but you don't have to milk these," Ironhide said.

"No, you don't, grandson," Hardie said with some amusement. "Last time I looked they were both boys."

Ironhide looked at Appa Hardie, then the cows. "How can you tell?" he asked with genuine confusion.

"You look under their tail," Springer said as he sat leaning against Drift, sipping beer on the floor by the big windows. "Or so I'm told."

"I was told," Ratchet said as he placed a plate by a kid at the table, "that you had a 'drop your pants' moment in Utah and you were the only one who did, Drift."

Everyone turned to glance at Drift who looked at Ratchet with a **HUGE** sense of betrayal. "Who says?"

"Don't look at me," Springer said.

"That leaves me," Sunstreaker said with a snicker. "I told Ma about your game and how we didn't want to play."

"You fragger," Drift said with a chuckle. "Still a big sissy after all this time."

"Tell us about it," Jazz said as he shared a chair with Mirage.

"Yes, do," Rainmaker asked as Starscream smirked at the two.

"Ditto," Warlord said to be a cad.

"Yes, tell them about your game, weirdo," Springer said to Drift who elbowed him in the gut.

" **You** tell us, Ratchet," Kup said as he champed on his stogie and prepared to be entertained.

"Child abuse," Drift said with a grin.

"It is, isn't it," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He leaned on the doorjamb separating the dining room from the living area. "Well, they had the new pretender shell that replicates humans down to their dainty bits."

" **EWWW!"** -everyone there

"Since they were afraid to look, Drift being leadership material and all-"

" **BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! IN WHAT PARALLEL DIMENSION!?"** -everyone there

" **I** think you are. Remember I said so." -Springer being loyal

"I will. It will sustain me in my joor of need." -Drift being Drift

"SOOooOOOOooo … they go into the living room and make a circle. He says drop your drawers on three, everyone can look, then they can all get drunk after. No more surprises and mystery." -Ratchet

" **EWWW!"** -Everyone

"There isn't enough beer. Then **OR** now." -Sideswipe

"There's some mysteries best left alone. Like why Sideswipe doesn't have a personality." -Sunstreaker before getting socked by Sideswipe

"So, Drift counts. One … two …... **three!** He drops his pants but no one else can. They're frozen into place in abject fear. But its short lived because the moment they see his human junk they run around screaming and yelling. Security comes up to the hotel room, they lie, security leaves, then they get drunk and nearly die." Ratchet smiled brilliantly. "Now isn't that a spark warming and delightful tale?"

" **No!"** -everyone in the party for that mission

"Frag. I want to go on the next pretender mission," Turbine said with a grin as everyone in the room nodded in agreement including Prime and the mechs who were on that actual mission.

"I want to tell you, Wheeljack, that it was a good thing that I didn't have access to your neck at the time," Sunstreaker said darkly.

"I heard. There was that little matter of eating their food, then eliminating it from the holding tank inside the holographic effect," Wheeljack said with a snicker.

"How hard can that be? We do that ourselves," Hercy asked.

"Here's the thing," Bluestreak said with a grin. "Your body is car form and your processor is in the human pretender mode. If you eat food or drink when in pretender mode, you can still transfer back to your root mode once you de-rez but there's a catch."

"Oh, frag." -everyone there catching on

"Yeah," Blue said. "If you don't purge your tanks before you de-rez, you destroy your seats when you go back to your car format."

"I may purge my tanks now," Arcee said with a chuckle.

"Let me get this right … if you eat something, then end the shell and go back without eliminating human style, you slaughter your interior?" Warlord asked with amazement and gratitude for being a Seeker. "What about Seekers who do that?"

"Same thing," Wheeljack said with a grin.

"That's right," Perceptor said. "Its the only thing we can't tweak. It, however, is astonishingly good and refined tech."

"For a detailer," Sideswipe said with a chuckle. "Slagger. How about coming along next time with us?"

"I'm not **that** stupid," Wheeljack said with a chuckle.

Prowl walked in with a heaping plate and a beer for Prime. Ratchet followed with the same for Ironhide. It was easier than all the slaggers crowding the buffet and getting the kids caddywampus. After a moment of monkey motion, the few slaggers who weren't already chowing down walked back to get food and a drink.

Ratchet who was sitting next to Ironhide with his peds up on one of Prime's many coffee tables grinned. "I would've loved to have been there. As it was, everyone was blotto. Some were in the bathtub, some all over the floor. It was hilarious."

"Child abuse," Sunstreaker said with a grin. "Though I **will** say, if I become a serial killer, I'm going to blame it on Drift's junk."

Huge laughter.

Drift who was coming back heavily laden grinned at Sunstreaker as he passed him. "Thanks, Tiny."

 **HUGE** laughter, much gagging and pointed size remarks.

Everyone sat and began to eat. Beyond the window, the night deepened as Science and Armory kids in six places all over the colony got massive fireworks ready to launch. It was going to be epic.

TBC 7-22-18 **edited 7-24-18**

NOTES:

caddywampus: (ca-dee-wom-pus) something that's off kilter or crooked, uneven. If something is caddywampus, its screwed up.

Here is more information about higher selves and the Cybertronian view of things … TF's believe in reincarnation, death with an afterlife you can access, especially if you have a matrix … the people's knowledge and lives can be accessed. They also believe in ghosts, a pantheon of gods and the ultimate one, The One. Optimus himself has been killed now 19 times with the latest in the go90 combiner series. The ending is great but I won't say more. :D

It ties in really, really closely to spiritualism which believes most of that and more. They also believe in higher selves, that part of you that stays behind when you're born and becomes your conscience and helps you when it can. It's really you but you forget all that when you're born. Prime talked to Megatron's higher self which is always love and goodness. They stay behind to catalog your actions for later review and to help where they can. You almost never take your entire soul into a life, but more a portion.

Megatron can't influence his alter ego who is trashing the Borg. He can try but given this is a free will universe, he can only suggest. Megatron doing the rampaging has the right not to listen. Prime got to speak to the highest and best version of Megatron and it helped him. He has one foot in the real world and one in the Matrix all the time with the Matrix itself. He also is an immortal having this life as a member of the Pantheon directly created by Primus to do what He couldn't do, defeat and contain Unicron. Because he reincarnated to be Orion Pax, he is not allowed to know who he really is, though he's learning that through this story.

That's what that was all about. Hugs to one and all. Your comments are gold. HUGS!


	421. Chapter 421

The Diego Diaries: Siren (dd6 421) (Forgive the weird spacing for poems. My page is fragged) :D

-0-Residence

The children sat in arms, Orion with Miler as their little optics drooped with sleepiness. Outside, they had watched the fireworks that were delivered in six strategic locations where everyone in the colony could watch. They had been amazing, covered the entire empire and showcased every group and feature. They were also projected over Cybertron in the camps, each site seeing not only the colony on Mars but a comprehensive overview of things on Cybertron …

They began with Alor's recorded music written for the occasion as usual. It was somber as the beautiful flashes of flowers, stars and other recognizable features burst into view. Then there was an interspersal of the usual type of fireworks and small videos held in the unified field tech that one orn would bring all of their worlds here to safety. Beautiful starbursts took turns with videos of different groups and places on Mars, children in school, children playing, elders going about their business, workers at work and players at play, showing the dynamism of the colony.

Then it cut to Cybertron and began to feature the people there, those who worked hard, those who played as hard, children sitting in tent schools learning for the first time, workers in the hospital centers and tent medic stations helping elders, youngsters and all between. Then the focus switched to flyovers of areas and individuals doing things. There were mechs and femmes waving from the high steel of buildings under construction, those hauling damaged things for recycle or smelter, workers caring for ruined buildings as they hauled out slag and salvage. They all would pause a moment as if called, then smile and wave.

The features of Cybertron, the seas, the mountains, the sprawl of the great camps surrounding sometimes as many as six metro-titans grouped together was featured, each popping in and out of view as the sweep continued. Ships in space doing their duty flashed their lights as Seekers flew in groups here and there. They barrel rolled, showing their quality, flashing their own lights as they sped past the cameras. Then came the camps, the endless, endless camps with each location and designation underscored beneath the picture. They never seemed to end, the camps, before the images changed.

The view interspersed with starbursts and flowers of light changed to the moons, then the outer worlds of Cybertron, that were part of the local group or 'inner empire' as it was commonly referred. The view then turned to Cybertron pulling back until it hung in the darkness, a barely lit fragile wanderer, the hearts home of all who watched. As it did a quotation taken from The Chronicles of Primus began to form across the view …

"I am the world beneath your feet.

I am the sky over your head.

I am the one who comforts you in your distress.

I am the one who loves you without condition.

"In our unity we are strong.

In our unity we are one.

Come to me in love,

Come to me as one.

I am Refuge. I am Home.

"Until all are one is our creed.

Until all are one is our unity.

Until all are one,

Now and forever,

"I am yours."

"Lord Primus, The Chronicles of Primus, Chapter 82, verses 17-25"

It faded, then was replaced by units of the military on both worlds, of former Decepticons standing in harmony with Autobots, both sides waving and mugging for the cameras. It showed slow pans of streets, camps and cities both on Cybertron and Mars where the people waved and smiled, shouting happily things no one could hear at the cameras as they smiled, laughed and waved. Then the leadership appeared, all of them working and doing what they did, Seeker, grounder or in between. Then Optimus Prime appeared. It would be said that the acclaim of him at that moment was earth shattering on Cybertron as The People watched the one who saved them, whose beautiful voice reached them in their deepest despair, this mech who was waiting for them when they finally landed into safety.

It showed him going about his business on Earth, Mars and finally Cybertron. Comforting The People, listening to locals explain and show things with his mechs with him, taking spark felt gifts and food items from locals wherever he went, comforting those who wept, crawling in and out of holes, dark spaces and around piles of slag, it showed that he loved them as much as they loved him. He was there for them. He was the one who brought about the miracle and they loved him everywhere Cybertronians watched.

The scene changed back to Cybertron in space, then flashed between the local group, the empire that had been secured, then all the forward bases back to Mars. Flares were fired at each as the viewpoint flashed by to salute everyone. Then the image focused on the Temple of Primus Restored in the Temple District of The City. It held all of it in frame, then changed to the Well, the Matrix Flame and finally the slowly turning enigma of the AllSpark.

It was silent in camps all over Cybertron and the reclaimed empire. The relics were there, recovered by Prime, restored to their greatness and protection by him. Then the scene changed to the Temple in Simfur, one that was a gaping hole in the ground with only a small portion rebuilt. A frame was being created, one that would eventually go upward into walls. Lights suffused the bleak area, one that had workers moving over it like an ant hill. Then glyphs began to form …

"Soon ..."

Then it faded. It was silent everywhere the images were seen, then a huge shell burst, flying upward and was held. It showed Earth, then Mars, then Cybertron. It showed them side-by-side. Across the images of the three worlds, glyphs began to form. "Until all are one."

The tumult that grew at that message was heard everywhere, from the faraway shores of Cybertron, to the colony of Mars and all over the planet of Earth. The MCA was hosting the down feed and there were literally millions of parties being held on Earth to celebrate not only that but the aftermath of comfort and feeling that the Blessings had given everyone there. It was the first time that humans had been a part of that process and it was a **HUGE** discussion point on Earth.

The images faded and so did the music, but the rising din of the Creed would go on for some time. So would the presence of Prime in a spotlight on the balcony of the Residence.

-0-In the here and now a little bit later

They cleaned up the mess as most lounged around, chatting here and there in small groups or pairs. The kids were asleep in carry holds or the bedrooms of The Residence. It was pleasant and quiet in the vast room as the joors slipped past. Ratchet was sitting on a couch beside Ironhide who was nursing a bottle of high grade with his old pa, grandpa and great grandpa who sat across from them swapping stories along with the bottle. Ratchet smiled, then put his big old peds on the coffee table. "Is there a meeting anytime soon, Granny?"

Prowl who was sitting close enough to Optimus to nearly be on his lap glanced over Prime's big arm which had enfolded him. "Probably not. We have a lot to talk about but if nothing breaks, we can have the weekend off."

A muffled cheer went around the room as that bit of news circulated. As they sat here chatting until everyone crawled out to sleep it off, others everywhere else were having their own evenings …

-0-Earth2

The place was swarming with humans who brought food from all of the cultures of their home world. Everyone came here early on and went on sightseeing ventures, hooked up with friends and colleagues as well as set up for dinner and dancing. This was the biggest party held on world with everyone who could come arriving with their kids, partners, colleagues, relatives, hangers on, and elders. The huge concourse was laid out with tables and every possible place to sit they could gather. The buzz of voices overhead sounded like bees as kids ran here and there together chased by dogs of all variety.

This potluck and party was one for the Guinness Record books.

Then the huge monitor along the windowed wall burst into color and showed the fireworks outside. Everyone turned to watch, breaking up dinner for the duration. They gathered at windows staring upward at the dark sky outside as well, watching the vignettes, small videos, the flybys, the symbolism, and selected honored individuals and groups. By the time Earth, Mars and Cybertron were side-by-side, the room was highly emotional if not silent. When it went off at last, they did the same thing they did during the end of the Solemnities. They danced, applauded, hugged, sang, laughed, and talked loudly together as they sent their approval out into the universe.

It was wildly happy, then everyone turned back to food, dancing, conversation, and each other again. Sitting at a table together, the leadership of Earth2, Earth 1 and their respective spouses and families watch the fun, glad to have it, glad to be part of it, happy to have a great celebration go off to such a great effect.

Even Owen Harris and his posse.

-0-Later that night …

They walked through the barn checking out the situation, taking the temperature of the milk vats, then out to the corral where the dark figures of the cows stood in sleep. There were five more calves, half a dozen of the other older ones nearing that point of weening, a time that Harley Epps extended with his cow cones of shame and big feeding bottles, and a big eared mule. He gazed at Harley, Gloria and Collie with his calm baleful Eeyore face.

"That's a good mule, Daddy," Collie said as he leaned on the fence. "Do you plan to have more?"

"I want a team to pull wagons. That's down the road. I think having a mule in a cow herd is a good thing for everyone," Harley said with a grin. "I'm calling the mule Ben."

"Why aren't we surprised? How many mules named Ben have you ever had to date?" Gloria asked.

"Everyone of them. I named every mule I ever had Ben," Harley said.

"Don't you remember? He had a whole team named Ben," Collie said with a laugh. "That way, when he called 'Ben' they would all come."

"Smart, Grandpa," Gloria said as she squeezed his shoulders. "Let's get back to the party. Maybe James Johnson will get arrested again. I want to be there this time."

Harley laughed as he walked to the tiny pick up truck to ride back to the party. They would do so in their gear and arrive in time for dinner to really get off the ground.

-0-Earth2

The trio walked in about the same time a good dozen humans from N.E.S.T. did. The men had been checking out something they were taking care of for a science group on Earth. They wanted data collection through their team medic regarding their health and how it was impacted by hard activity in one third gravity.

Science waited for no one. But now, it would have to. It was time to party, though it was clear cows waited for no one either.

Bobby Epps spotted them, then waved to let the entire group know where they were and to come sit when they were ready. They waved back, then got into line. Getting plates, they wandered through the awesomeness that was prepared by residents of all the habitats including the Resort. They were eating food from all over the world including barbecue prepared by Earth2 as the main course. Moving along, getting things that looked good no matter how they might taste, Harley grinned as Bobby Epps walked up to check him over. "You doing alright, Grandpa? How's the herd?"

"They be fine, Sonny. Right now, I'm going to eat a lot of food. Some of this, I don't even know what it is but it all smells good. As for the herd, the mule is in charge and maintaining good order," Harley said as he heaped his plate full.

"Do you want tea with your dinner, Daddy?" Collie asked as they inched along.

"I do," Harley said as he speared more food.

"Do you know what Daddy named the mule, Bobby?" Gloria asked with a grin.

"Ben, right? I remember when he named all his mules Ben. You'd call them and they'd all come," Bobby said with a chuckle as he held a plate snatched from a stack for desserts. No sense making two trips when you could make one.

"Damn, Daddy … I think my memory is going," Gloria said with a smile.

"No," Harley said. "You were just boy crazy."

They laughed and bantered as they went through the lines, then headed for their tables that were pushed together with their heaping plates and lots to drink. It would be incredibly good times for everyone as outside Phobos and Demos continued on their orbits of Mars in the dark, dark sky overhead.

-0-Earth, at a base in Germany

They sat around their barracks, the newbies who were going to advanced striker training on Mars in three days. They had felt the blessing as it swiftly swept Earth, the first from The One, the second from the Pantheon, but not the third from the Matrix as the separate entity of Primus, Himself. That was reserved for The People which by proximity and design included the humans on world. The fireworks had finished and they were watching the review of the day, the highlights of this and that as well as commentary that included staff from Morshower's team remotely from Mars.

"Morshower is there. I saw him in the crowd with his family. Fulton as well," someone said as he lounged in a chair with a beer.

"He lives there half the time. I can't wait to get there. I want to see them fight," another said. "I want to see the bots train and fight."

"We'll be climbing cliff faces and running through deserts. I don't know how much fooling around we get," still another said.

They were a multinational group, elite soldiers gathered from all the different treaty country's militaries. They would go to Mars and learn the ropes of fighting with robots for the next six months. There were no openings in the permanent garrison there at the moment with the Alpha, Beta and Gamma teams filled. Every now and again a spot would open, then the scramble to fill it was on. There were also rare opportunities to apply for security jobs that were on world and many were the active duty soldiers who had applied and were on file just in case.

They chatted, watched television and passed the time. In less than three days, they would be on Mars and begin the adventure of a lifetime. They would also venture into the dojo with friends on Gamma and Beta teams in time to see Prowl practice his craft and kata. They would leave that space when he did agape in awe. Prowl, himself would be thinking of other things at the time and not notice.

Such was the Tao of the Prowler.

-0-Late night

Ironhide and Ratchet walked downstairs with empty dishes and a slight buzz. The little kids would stay there, the big kids were already home and all was well in their world. Springer and Drift caught the cure and ventured out earlier to ride around the colony to check the vibe. Everyone else was on their way but for Roadbuster and Sandstorm who were sleeping on Prime's floor and looked so happy that no one had the spark to wake them up.

Poor sad little bachelors.

Or so Ratchet said before getting cuffed in the back of his helm by Ironhide. A slap fest broke out until Ravel frowned, then everyone gathered to go. It would take a while.

-0-Even later

He stood by the window thinking about the revelations of his orn. Disclosing to others was such a strange sensation that he felt like he had gone away and left the water running somewhere, so to speak. He had the same unsettled feeling about it until a soft caress of his face by an unseen hand put that to rest. He considered Solus the Maker, the only one besides Thirteen who was easy with all of them. She was his patron and he loved her. He said a short poem of thanks to her, then walked back to the berth to sit heavily.

Prowl who was standing beside the berth watching him sat down and lay back wearily. "Are you alright? Do you have to meditate or something?"

Prime laid back and called the lights. "Later, perhaps. It was strange talking to Megatron. That part of him is good and decent."

Prowl rolled to his side and spooned against Prime. "If you want to talk, I'll listen. I don't pretend to understand but I'm willing."

Prime grinned. "You are," he said. It was silent a moment. "There is a lot of anger in the AllSpark about the way things are going across the board and not just with us. Apparently, part of what that individual does is try to help everyone everywhere without intruding into free will or enabling. There was a lot they were angry about."

"Does that include us?" Prowl asked.

"On some things," Prime said. "I'm afraid that Megatron's higher self bore the brunt of the AllSpark's wrath. A lot of it was based on human imagery, things that could just as easily be us before the war … the indifference and the hardship for our people … that could be us and was. Some things are universal no matter its wrapping or location. All of it happening to anyone anywhere should make all of us everywhere ashamed."

It was silent a moment, then Prowl patted his chest. "That's why you're the Prime. You were The One. Always. I saw that from the moment you walked into the Operational Center at the Citadel in Iacon. I just … you were the one." He grinned slightly. "That didn't prevent us from having epic fights and disagreements. You were a hard aft to plan around."

Prime grinned. "I think I liked to watch you when you had a fit. Every part of you makes me happy. You have a very expressive face."

Prowl chuckled. "Thanks."

It was peaceful for a moment.

"We have the trials soon. What about that. Will they weigh in?" Prowl asked.

"They very possibly could. Their crimes are so many and various that it will probably require it."

"Proteus and the others … they have reformed," Prowl said.

"They are safe. They gave their word to the Matrix and the Matrix does not get fooled," Prime said. "It will be for the others. I do not look forward to it."

"You and me both," Prowl said as he patted Prime's chest. He grinned. "Did you know what Harley Epps called his mule?"

"No," Prime said with a grin.

"He called him Ben."

Both of them grinned.

"I was also told that he names all of his mules Ben, even if there's more than one." Prowl grinned. "I will never understand humans but they're funny sometimes."

"Should I tell him what Ben is in NeoCybex?" Prime asked. "I plan to visit the habitat in the next few orns to see how the irrigation systems are coming along." He grinned. "I can see the allure of farming."

Prowl grinned. "You should."

Prime would.

It would mean 'peace'.

-0-TBC 7-23-18 **edited 7-24-18**

NOTES:

Whackedgourd: Thank you for that. I remember them flying over us on their way to winter in Mexico. They are my favorite but I will amend that. :D You guys amaze me every day. :D

Love you all madly! HUGS


	422. Chapter 422

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 422)

-0-Courthouse on Cultural Center Road, the day following the Festival of Primus

She walked down the corridor past office after closed office. The odd few were busy like her bond, feverishly working for the common good. Her peds echoed in the hallway as she made her way to the last office, the big one at the end. Passing the desks where paralegals, assistants and others worked normally, she entered the outer office where her bond's secretary and all around walking miracle worked, then entered Barron's office.

He was working over a computer with his usual focus getting ready for the trials which would happen in a few orns if things didn't intrude. Optimus Prime would hold Primal Hearings with the Option of Special Circumstances, ie, the Pantheon weighing in at any time, before, during or after. He was going to have his ducks in a row. He would sit as the legal resource, Coln-2 would prosecute the Prime's Brief and Blackstone would handle the defense, both of them with substantial help. The witness list was long, almost as long as the charges and the ordeal promised to be terrible for everyone involved.

"Well, why am I not surprised to see you hard at it, Barron," Alto said as she pulled up a chair to sit. "You realize that we were meeting for luncheon with friends."

"Have I missed the time?" Barron asked with a startled look on his face.

"No, darling," Alto said with a grin. "I am here to prevent such things from happening. Please, log off or park it so we can go and have a nice meal with friends."

Barron grinned at her, finished his sentence, then put his system on standby-lock out. He rose, stretched, then walked around the big heavily burdened desk. "Thank you for being so wonderful. I would have no social life without you," he said as he took her servo.

"You're welcome," Alto said as they walked out the door together.

-0-Upstairs

Blackstone stared at the questions he planned to formulate as his basic list for any witnesses that Colie threw at him. He would throw the sink at the defendants. Blackstone would in his place. This was going to be a terrible event with little recourse for him to mitigate the situation, to make Sentinel less than the cad he was. Ratbat would be problematic to his own defense and the others were no better. Decimus and Contrail would be tried first, then the others. The two asked to be in the same docket for whatever reasons while the others would be one offs each. Ratbat, he reasoned would be the worst. At best, the Pantheon wouldn't weigh in on anyone and Prime would have his usual fair and highly Matrix supported say. Worst case, They would be here with Their wrath intact.

Coln-2 walked into the office and rapped on his door. Blackstone glanced up, then grinned. "Coming to surrender?" he asked with a smirk.

"In your dreams. Let's go eat. I'm buying," Colie said, waiting as Blackstone rose to walk to the door. They left together to go to The Pit Stop and eat a lunch that was long overdue. Then they would be back at it again.

-0-The Residence

Prowl sat at the dining table putting videos and pictures into the albums of each of his kids, a Praxian practice of family fidelity. Blue had one from the moment Prowl had found him wailing at the sky covered in his ada's blood. Now, he was keeping one for each of his other children so they would have the record of their lives some fine orn.

Sitting at the window nearby reading his newspapers, Optimus Prime glanced at him. "Prowl … what's the agenda for the orn?"

"No business, if that's what you're asking. Nothing is prioritized that high right now," Prowl replied as he checked through the data pouring into him in a steady stream. "Loon wants us to meet up at The Diner, then go to the Water Park with them. What do you think?"

"I think it is long overdue," Optimus said with a grin.

Prowl nodded, then finished downloading Miracle's last conference report into that part of the book that held them digitally. Closing it, gathering the others, he walked to the living room and put them back on their shelf. He turned to Prime with a grin. "I think everyone else has them somewhere."

Prime rose, tossed his datapad onto the chair, then walked toward the door. "I think you are right."

Prowl called family and children to meet them at The Diner On The Corner for lunch. They left companionably together.

-0-Diner

They filled the room, the family from everywhere and the usual entourage. Everyone was still buoyed up from the Festival and there was a lot of good cheer around, more than usual. The twinnies stood on the table in front of Sideswipe who had put them there. Meals had been ordered and drinks delivered. As the two stood there Miracle climbed up off Miler's lap to walk to them. They smiled at each other, then Miracle took Uraya's servo. They stood in a row smiling at everyone. Hero who was sitting on the table dangling her peds stood up, then pulled Halo up as well. Taking her servo, telling her to miss this and that, the two began to walk around the settings to Uraya, Iacon and Miracle. Reaching them, everyone hugged, then took each others servos. A little line of kids stood side-by-side holding hands.

That's when everyone else thought it would be a good idea to join them. Resolve, Mars, Io, Praxus, Mimi from a booth with an assist from her Amma who was taking images as fast as he could, Sojourner, Solus, Prima, Scout, Bleu who's family was in another booth, Prowler and his teddy bear, Breakout of all infants much to the surprise and unease of his ada, old Big Mouth and the delight of his atar, Breakdown, and finally, last but not least, Orion himself.

" **ADA! WHAT THE SHES?"** he asked as mystified as everyone else.

Ratchet chuckled. "I don't know but I like it."

Orion clambered up, then sauntered over like a drunk going to a bar for a beer. Taking Breakout's little servo, he held it, then smiled his usual huge smile. **"I COMED HERE TO THE SHES!"**

Halo who was close to him turned his way and smiled. **"ADA! COMED TO SHES!"** she said (im)perfectly as she pointed to Orion.

It was a new page in the legend how fast everyone there lost their shit.

-0-Moments later

Terradive and Roto walked into the crowded room, then halted to see all the babies standing in a line on the table holding each others hands. Spotting Ratchet, they made their way in.

" **MR. ROTO!"** -many of the babies

" **TOTO! I LOVE YOU, I, ORION!"** -you know who

" **TOTO!"** -copper and silver, white faced and black pedded, copper and silvery 'hair' embellished little Ironhide-ette

Everyone froze then turned toward a smiling little femme holding Hero's servo. She was beautiful and smiled eerily like her big mouthed brother. Roto turned to Ratchet. "Did she just say my name?" he asked with great surprise.

Ratchet whose optics stopped spinning first shook his head. "No. She called you Toto." Ratchet leaned forward to Halo. "Halo, what are you doing?"

She smiled. "I comed to shes."

"Oh frag." -everyone there including Toto.

-0-A moment later with food

Everyone was sitting in a lap being fed off a plate by emotionally electrocuted adults. Roto was considering the situation before them. "I think we have another glitched kid, Ratchet. I would have to test her but it would appear that Halo has the same pattern as Orion. Mind you … it could be that she's fine but has picked up on Orion's pattern. I'd have to test to find out."

"No, you aren't," Ironhide said with a gimlet optic. "You'll take her. She's still too little."

"I can do home outreach," Roto said with a smirk at the biggest baby in the room. "Child Find is a program that lets me do this. Its for kids who aren't in schools for whatever reason."

" **PROVE IT!"** Ironhide said sulkily. He looked at his baby who was sitting on Turbine's arm. "I do remember hearing a lot of that kind of slag and losing one after the other **BEFORE THEIR TIME!"** He glared at Ratchet who smiled brilliantly back.

Roto laughed. "Don't worry about it. She could come if you wanted but she isn't at the legal age for it to be compulsory. Why am I telling you this since you're on the School Board?"

"Because he's a big baby?" Raptor asked with a grin. "It would seem, Ironhide, that the glitch is inherited through our line. Sorry, babykins," he said as he grinned at Halo. She smiled back.

"It weren't mine," Ratchet said with a smirk.

"No," Prowl agreed. "Raging insanity maybe, but not this."

They both smirked at each other.

"Eat up. We are going to the water park. I have not had a slide in a while. Last one in the pool has duty on Pluto," Prime said with a grin.

"I didn't know you had a shit list, too, Optimus," Kup said with a grin.

"The sheer depth of me that you do not know, Kup, would boggle the processor," Optimus said as he slipped a piece of breakfast to Uraya. His genitors both nodded with big grins.

Huge laughter greeted that as they worked through their meal, then rose to go to the Tri-Cities and drown each other. It would be a mellow group that would.

It would include Terradive and Roto.

-0-Prison

He had finished his last meet up with his legal team for the weekend and now sat by the fence to watch the miscreants everywhere. It was time to argue his case. It was going to be tough sledding and there was the possibility that the Pantheon would weigh in given this was going to be a Primal Hearing with the special circumstances part that he dreaded. It didn't mean They would. It just meant They could. Since They already did it with the Functionalist Council, there was no reason why They wouldn't check in with Prime on this.

The prison was relatively silent, a byproduct of the Blessings which only lasted so long. Decimus, Ratbat and Contrail were inside watching a game on the television. He didn't want their company now. He wanted his own counsel. He wondered how Cybertron was. He knew it was rising upward and it was doing so without him. He felt restless but had no way to expend the energy. Now his fate was in the servos of others. It was ironic to him, this world ruler and decision maker that his own life was out of his control. He was a bad mech but he wasn't stupid. He could connect the dots and did. It didn't help him a bit.

The sun was high overhead as he sat in his chair by the fence staring at the crowds all around him. He wouldn't know that Prime was sliding down the big slide at the water park some distance away to cannon ball on top of Ironhide. They would play like big kids, putting aside their cares and duties for a moment spent with their families and friends. He would spend his here in this hell, alone and bereft.

The orn would march onward slowly.

-0-Unidad Terra 1

"That's looking good, Gloria," Harley Epps said as he watched his daughter make cheese. Balls of mozzarella were finished and piled in a pan nearby. Pressing curds into forms, his daughter expertly made the cheese that would become highly sought after some fine day, cheese from Square Deal Dairy on Mars.

"Thanks, Grand Daddy. I'm nearly done. Did Grandma get the butter?" Gloria asked as she put a weight on the cheese in the form to squeeze out more whey.

"She did. Thank you," Harley said as he watched her clean up the area. "More folks coming tomorrow. We will have 1200 come with their families included."

"It's going to be nice. We all have to go to the lecture with them," Gloria said. "Ratchet is coming back to give it. Thank you, Grandpa, for asking us to come and help. This is the most fun I've had since I retired."

"Me, too. I never thought I'd be back in the dairy business but I think I have a lot more things to do. Every job needs a straw boss or it isn't a job," Harley said as the two of them walked to the door. He turned out the light. "You should see what happens around here during Christmas," he said as the door closed behind them.

-0- **Sliding Ho!**

He spun around the long convoluted track that carried sliders around the roof of the giant mall and back to the pool. Ratchet crashed in ahead of Prowl who came in behind him fast and peds first. Booming into the water, they sank down about 60 feet before swimming back up. They broke the surface in time to be buried by a train of Ironhide, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Raptor, Lumi, and Fireball. They slammed in and disappeared. Riding the waves up and down, the two paddled to the side and clambered up.

" **LAST ONE UP IS A DOUCHE BAG!"** Ratchet yelled.

Prowl sniffed. "Savage." Then with a swipe of his peds, he spun Ratchet off his own. Ratchet flew through the air and landed in the water to sink from sight. Prowl grinned. "Gonna beat you, douche bag."

He wouldn't.

-0-TBC 7-25-18 **edited 7-26-18**

 **ESL:** whey is the liquid left over when you squeeze curds to make cheese. I do believe when cottage cheese sits too long and there's a liquid on top, that's whey. Just stir it in and all is well. YUM! :D:D:D

Who didn't grow up on cottage cheese with pears? ;)


	423. Chapter 423

The Diego Diaries: Swamming (dd6 423)

-0-Sitting on the side of the pool sipping chatting

"What do you think about Halo's speech thing, Amma?"

Chan glanced at Ravel. "I think she will grow out of it just like our little mech will. I will say that I like their pattern. I know its not good for them but they're so cute and sweet."

"I know," Ravel said as the water surged to their knees again. In the pool beyond, Prime, Ironhide, Hard Drive, Roto and Terradive together, Hercy, then Kup came screaming in and hit the pool one right after the other. The surge was met by the breaker wall but much spilled over before getting caught by the secondary wall constructed around the patio. Drains kept it from swamping those who sat eating, laughing, drinking, commenting on the punters in the pool, and watching children. "Good thing this can't get out into the mall or it would be a nightmare, I would think."

"You and me both, Ravel," Kestrel said with a grin. "I do enjoy the infants having a good time. We have some very bad things coming up with the trials. Do any of you know about whether they would be broadcast or not yet?"

"Its still being reviewed, Kes," Miler said as he patted Prima. He had been floating in the baby pool and was now chowing down again with his ada. "I hope not in a way because its going to really inflame bad memories but I hope that it happens because everyone needs to know what happened and why it can't happen again."

The group nodded as another flood spilled over bringing with it two of their grandchildren and a couple of someone elses. It took a moment to float them back out, then they sat down again. "I love this place. I can see why humans like to play in the water," Ravel said.

"Are you going out there and take a ride?" Kestrel asked with a grin.

"Oh, no. My, no. You can get run over out there," Ravel said with a smile.

He would be right.

-0-Around and around and around ..

He lay on his back watching the ceiling tiles flash by as he was blown like a torpedo through the tubes that ran in convoluted and twisting manners all over the roof of the giant mall. It was possible to stand on the ground and watch mechanisms flash by in the blast of water that was pumped through them. It was a hilarious pastime for some of the human community to sit on their segways to watch. Rounding a corner, spinning like a top from opposing jets, he spiraled back into the main rush that formulated a sort of giant S-turn.

Howling with laughter, Ratchet held his arms in and kept his peds together as he flashed into the long straight away that would bring him back to the exit point. Ahead of him, Alor and Delphi flew like a two-man luge at the Idiot Olympics. Ratchet who preferred his crash and burn solo this time felt the oncoming dismount coming up. They flashed out ahead of him, flew dozens of feet into the air, then fell into the water from height. They disappeared just as he came out and flailed as he bellowed before falling into and disappearing away in the churning water.

Wave after wave rolled simulating surf as the big mechs, some with little kids and some not, slammed out and downward into the colossal pool. Titan mechanisms of the younger sort, big mechs who knew better, a Prime without shame ... religious, profane, Wrecker, Soldier, Tailor, Spy … they came out, slammed down and hurried to do it all over again.

Ratchet broke the surface, then swam toward Prowl who was floating on his back with Sunspot, T-Bar, Spirit, and Rambler sitting on him taking a breather. He floated in front of them, **"DON'T YOU LOOK CUTE!"**

" **HI, ADA/UNCLE RATCHET!"** -all of them

Prowl grinned. "They're taking a breather, then they're going to the kid's pool over there."

"Can't we stay here, Ada?" Spirit asked with hopeful optics.

"Not the way your family is coming out of the spout," Prowl said as he began to float to the side of the pool.

Ratchet nudged him along and when they reached it, they climbed out, waved and ran for the pool that was near the rest of the family who were lounging there. It was going to be a great afternoon in the park.

-0-Unidad

They walked along the street, the newcomers who had arrived before the festival. They had checked in, gone to their offices and met with Carly who would be their day-to-day supervisor. The next day about 1,200 more would come, settle in, then get the word. They would be the group who would run businesses, take care of things that made life worth living and operate services. Businesses were already in place and some were staked out by their operators from visuals online. It would take them being here to make sure all was a good fit.

They paused outside Merlie's Soul Food, then walked in. Tennessee who was filling salt and pepper shakers smiled. "Welcome. Are you here to eat?"

They glanced at each other, three couples from three countries who would be working in the same departmental area. "Are you open already?" Achojah Oni asked. He was with his wife, Adaku who would be in plant genetics while he worked as a soil scientist. Both were from Nigeria via Cambridge in the UK and were acknowledged in their fields.

"We are," Tennessee said. "Why don't you come here and make your order. Then you can have a seat and we can bring it to you. This restaurant and the barbecue place down the street are open. We're working out our recipes here before we operate full time so that they're as good as they were on Earth."

They walked to the counter where Achojah and Adaku gave their orders. "Some of this looks very familiar to our own food,' Adaku said. "That makes me very, very happy."

Tennessee laughed. "A lot of it might be," she said as she took the next order. Stanislaw and Agata Nowak from Poland ordered their food and so did Abdel and Shanifa Khoury from Lebanon. They then walked to a table to sit down and wait. Tennessee went into the back to get things ready.

When she did, Merlie walked out with a tray that held their drinks. She smiled as she set them on the table, then pulled up a chair to sit. "Well, welcome to Unidad Terra 1. How are you liking it so far?" she asked in her sweet manner.

"I love it," Stanislaw aka 'Stan' said with a smile. "This is so big and so fantastical I am overwhelmed. I knew it would be good but not like this," he said as the others nodded.

"I know. Optimus Prime is a genius. He's so gifted, that one. We've lived here on this planet for about two years full time. Our great grandson, Bobby, is a N.E.S.T. soldier. He wanted us to come here and have all the advantages and comforts. He's such a good young man, our Bobby. What exactly will you young people be doing? Do you have children?"

"Adaku and I work in plant and soil sciences, just like Stanislaw and Agata. We're part of the same department," Achojah said.

"We don't have children yet," Adaku said. "I want to have them preferably here. What a miracle that would be."

"We have children here," Merlie said. "Aedh is the second. Angus is the first. We can't have too many babies. So feel free."

They laughed as Tennessee began to bring out their food. She set it in front of them and they stared at it with amazement. Fried chicken, five cheese macaroni, collard greens, big wedges of cornbread and fresh made butter from the dairy, a little side of cold slaw and something amazing called 'ambrosia' was arrayed before them. Merlie leaned closer. "Dig in, infants. The butter came from the herd here. I get first call on it for now."

They glanced at her with surprise, then began to eat. It was quiet a moment, then Adaku grinned. "This is just like Nigeria. I think this is going to be my go-to place."

"The barbecue is going. You might try that. Nothing like good barbecue and my boys are award winners in competitions," Merlie said proudly.

"I love barbecue," Abdel Khoury said. "I interned in Memphis for a short time at an animal hospital and I love it. Shanifa hasn't had good barbecue yet. We're going there next."

Shanifa grinned. "If its half as good as this, then yes," she said. They were from Lebanon and had worked around the world on fish and water projects. They would be the lead scientists in management of the water systems here and any fish that would be placed in them.

"You all eat up now," Merlie said. "I made pies. There's nothing like a big slice of my peach pie for dessert."

There wouldn't be.

-0-Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean, Earth

They sat in the Officer's Club having breakfast as the business of security went onward everywhere around them. Hummers drove here and there sometimes followed or led by a fantastical concept car. A security conference was going to be held at the Resort at Autobot City so the 200 individuals gathered here to go later in the afternoon by vessel were killing time hanging out. Some of them were friends and former colleagues of some of those here and thus, slag was slung.

"Do you get many lifts in those cars?" a former Air Force commander asked, one who was a member of Her Majesty's Air Force, Collin Leavitt.

"Sometimes. The younger kids are more open. The older mechs are less depending on who they are, though they like to bullshit. It's fun to hang out and listen to their stories. Most of the older ones have been through more fighting in more places among more weird types of things than you'll ever know," Martin Albertson said. He was the replacement for procurement for the Navy for Cam Frazer. "I like them. Its just like talking to an old timer from here."

Dave Calley nodded. "The kids are fun. They like to play football in the water. Or 'kill the ball carrier' is closer to what they do," he said with a chuckle. He was an Air Force tech who managed the communications between the base and airborne planes. "Their football is so amazing. I **have** to go to a game one of these days."

They chatted as officers came and went and the bots walked past on their rounds. "When do the famous ones come?" Eric Monaghan asked. He was a public relations officer for the base. He had just arrived, posted here to the most sought after placement in a number of armies, navies and air forces.

"Ratchet comes once a month to personally do the physicals for the garrison or to shape up someone who's an idiot. He takes on projects apparently," Dave said with a chuckle. "He's a hoot. Watch him when he comes down from a ship. He poses for everyone. There's entire channels on YouTube that have the videos."

"What's he like? Do you know him?" Eric asked.

"Not like the regulars do, though I want to," Dave said. "He's nice and patient with everyone. He'll talk to you sometimes better than most of them. I like him. He's funny and really smart."

"Prime doesn't come often but when he does its a big deal," Martin said. " **He's** a big deal. Literally. The thing that amazes me is how he never has a bodyguard or entourage with him, though Ironhide is his chosen bodyguard I'm told."

"That's a dude I'd love to meet," Eric said as everyone nodded.

They chatted, then a man strolled in to sit nearby and have a bite. He was Simpson Michaels, the latest liaison between the bots and the State Department. The other two had been hired away by Warren Roberts to do things for him in the New York office and Washington, D.C. Diplomatic Annex. He liked and trusted them so they were lured away. It didn't take much for that to happen.

Simpson Albert 'Al' Michaels was a tall thin man rather reminiscent of Theodore Galloway. He was as intense, humorless and focused. He had a lot of friends in high places including the Daniels and Nast. He was appointed to the position by the President who was a golfing buddy and had taken to it with gusto. He didn't like the bots, didn't trust them, liked to insult them, and was a hard man to be around even by the humans.

"That guy gets under my skin," Dave said quietly.

They glanced surreptitiously, then nodded. "He pokes around everywhere. Having him posted here isn't going to be good," Martin said. "He's going to mouth off at a bot and it won't be pretty what happens. I want to be there especially if its Prime."

"You and me both," Collin Leavitt of the UK said.

At that moment, John Fulton walked in with Andrew Settles, then sat down at their table. They grinned and nodded at the four sitting nearby, then made their order. That was when Albert Michaels rose to walk to Fulton's table.

-0-Floating in the water feeling no pain

"This is the life."

"I agree."

Pause.

"Good thing the ammas took the kids."

"I agree."

Pause.

Grin.

"I think Prime needs a side piece."

Pause as winged wonder scans the internet, then rolls up to dunk grinning medico floating on the waves beside him. Both settle once again.

"I was testing you. 'I agree' sort of had a recorded message sound to it," Ratchet said.

Prowl grinned. "I agree."

He would then do the rest of his screaming near the bottom of the pool with Ratchet.

-0-TBC 7-26-18. **edited 7-29-18**

I'm editing part 2 and found this section header:

On a forward base on Enchiladas - Sunstreaker and Sideswipe

 **BWAHAHAHA! I HATE AUTO CORRECT!** (Encelidus)


	424. Chapter 424

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations 1 (dd6 424)

-0-Diego Officer's Club

Albert 'Al' Michaels sat down with John Fulton and Andrew Settles. They looked up at him as he put his drink down along with his ubiquitous i-pad.

Fulton frowned. "Have a seat, Michaels."

"Don't mind if I do," Simpson said with a grin devoid of humor. "When can I get to Unidad? When are you going to arrange the trip, Fulton?"

"Well," John said as he considered the request. He actually enjoyed sparring with Michaels. He had a lot of practice from Daniels and Nast so this wasn't that big a deal. "Given that you asked so nicely, that you have no business being at Unidad because its Prime's business and not ours, that you're a colossal dick who has no more business being in the job you have then a fish … maybe never."

Michaels grinned at him. "You enjoy our little moments don't you. What if I call the President and ask for a new commander for this base?"

"You can. It won't do you any good. There's nothing like alienating the entire US military, too, right?" Fulton asked. "I don't think he'd want to do that. Diminishing allies and all that."

"I have every right to go to Mars and tour the habitats there. I have the entire brief for the Autobots and our government. I'm going to go there, Fulton, and you can't do a thing about it."

"You can go. I'd book a flight with the Resort, then try to get appointments without my help or Warren's. That should take you … oh … forever. Then once you show them how you disrespect me here every time we talk together, that should get you nowhere fast with them. Since you never served anyone or anything but yourself, look up esprit de corps. It's something that we have in spades with the bots. Just so you know. You shit on one soldier, you shit on all of us. Could you pass the salt, please?" Fulton asked.

Michaels grinned, then passed the salt. He liked duking it out with Fulton as much as Fulton seemed to do so with him. "I have an appointment with Autobot City Adventuring. I'm friends with Owen Harris. I'm going there in two weeks to do an adventure." He sat back as his food was delivered. "You can't thwart me, Fulton. I'm unstoppable."

"Then maybe you can go out on the next mission," Andrew said. "Maybe after a taste of what we do, you might show some respect. Though, something tells me that's a forlorn prospect."

Michaels stared at Settles. "I saw your wedding. Your wife is very beautiful. I can imagine it must test your loyalties being that close to Prime and the bots."

"When you figure out what loyalty is, then you can judge," Fulton said. "And just between us … given a choice to hang with the bots or you, its bots hands down every time."

It would go like that through lunch.

-0-Late that night

"That was fun." Ratchet flopped back on the berth with a grin. Ironhide who was already there bounced slightly. "The water park was an inspiration."

"It was," Ironhide said. "Maybe we can build 6 Lasers again one of these orns. The bare bones are still there on Cybertron."

"That would be great. This time I get to go, too," Ratchet said just to get Ironhide's goat.

He did.

"I'll take ya, slagger," Ironhide said knowing his goat was got.

"I have to meet and greet the next human group to Unidad. About 1,200 individuals including their families and such. That makes 1,000 actual employees on site. We're going to continue until 2,500 of the employees are there, then add them again after the system boots up," Ratchet said. "I'll be at the Courthouse right after."

"You're an expert witness so there's no rush. Heatout has to set the background narrative and the witnesses have to speak," Ironhide said. "Jetta isn't going to speak then. He's a witness for the prosecution. He also is for Sentinel. I'll record it for ya. Should be interesting."

"Thanks. Jetta is a tough customer and the fairest mech I ever met. That's a good son, that one," Ratchet said. He grinned at Ironhide. "Fine job of parenting on that one and the others."

Ironhide snickered. "I won't argue," he said as they chatted a while, then turned in.

-0-Later that morning

He stood on the balcony staring at the sky. The orbits of Earth and Mars were closer now than at any other time of the year. Mars was a bright red light in the night sky of Earth. Earth was a bright white light in the sky of Mars. He stared at it, considered the time, then walked for the door. He paused a moment to feel the slight restlessness of the Matrix, something that always happened before a big event, then walked inside. He would disappear from view almost immediately. The lights went off behind him as he walked down the corridor to his berth room and Prowl.

-0-Prison

Decimus paced by the fence as he worried about the next orn. His case and that of the others were Primal with Special Circumstances. He knew what that meant and it mystified him that his case should reach that level. He had heard about the Functionalist Council and the intervention of the Pantheon. It had terrified him and the coldness never left his spark. Tomorrow, they would begin the trials that had interminably taken forever to commence. His team was solid and seemingly on his side. He would be tried with Contrail, though he wavered now if that was a good idea. He wavered at everything if truth be told. He would ask his team again in the morning which was rapidly coming forward upon him. It would be a long night for him in the prison.

-0-Nearby

Sentinel lay on his berth considering the possibilities. He knew he was the most responsible for whatever they threw at him. He was, after all, the Prime of record. The shanix stopped with him. He felt tense and around the others' bad energy, it only grew more so. Prime would oversee his trial and make the decision about his future. The Matrix would keep his baser instincts in check, though Sentinel's experiences with Optimus didn't indicate to him that Prime had any. That part was comforting. There would be no summary executions for him. If the process was reversed, Sentinel couldn't guarantee that he'd return the favor. What was totally frightening to him was the Special Circumstances part. The Pantheon could and probably would weigh in on the verdict. Or, They could come during any point of the trial itself.

He lay quietly in his bunk in a cabin that might not be his very much longer. Outside, the prison was quiet, as if everyone there knew that there would be a reckoning soon for the architects of their life's choices. He lay quietly and thought about something he loved with all his spark, without qualifications, that he would gladly die, connive, kill, or steal for …

Cybertron.

-0-Morning

Coln-2 stood in his office going over the plan of the trial given its rarity and complexity with his team. He felt nervous energy just like everyone else at the thought that a member of the Pantheon could just pop into view to attend to the trial or some point of it. They could come to speak, offer Their own testimony or even if desired take the accused away before the verdict was delivered. Given the level of offenses before everyone, the range and possibility of the Pantheon's options were unlimited. He and his team were still dealing with assimilating the last trial with Pantheonic participation.

A rap on the door caught their attention as all turned toward it. Heatout was there with a couple of his lieutenants. "I am ready when you are."

"Thank you, Heatout. If you want to go to the courtroom, we'll be right behind you," Colie said.

Heatout nodded, then walked out again. Coln-2 watched him go, then looked at his team. "Let's go and do what's right, just and true. That's all we can do and should."

The group nodded, then rose with their gear. They would follow Heatout and his mechs to the big courtroom which was already secured for the trial. The trial would include a petit jury.

-0-Security earlier in the morning of the trail date

They came for the two defendants, Decimus and Contrail. Putting them into energon cuffs as the others stared at the group from that cell and others around them, a tight assembly of mechs escorted the pair out, through their cell unit and down the road to the train station at the hospital center nearby. It was the closed security train that ran from the prison to the courthouse to the Medical Center in town and back again. They walked into the station, went down the steps, then entered a train. It was a short ride to the Courthouse and a climb up the security metro to the main floor where an elevator took them to the jail cell portion. They would be put into separate holding cells to await their legal team and eventually, the trial itself. It was a quiet and solemn place.

Springer directed his mechs, none of them from cities or city-states heavily and directly impacted by the defendants actions to their places. They were heavily armed and given a crash course in 'disabling but not breaking' disrupters. The trial would be without audience given the volatility of the cases going forward but they were prepared for anything. Hercy and Kup were there along with the twins and Roadbuster for the prison. Seventeen mechs were there both inside the jail below as well as the corridors and courtroom itself. There was not going to be a problem of violence from any outside sources.

The witnesses would be many and Springer would escort them himself along with Drift and the twins so they could come when needed to speak to the points at hand. It wasn't hard finding those who could speak to the decisions and policies of Decimus and Contrail. What would be hard was finding a way to mitigate them for the defense. There was little point in trying to deny. What was important was finding a way to take most of the poison out of the charges to save the lives of the two charged. Blackstone and the teams for the defendants had a very hard road ahead of themselves.

Semi and No-a were both here to sit with Prime and give the court the gravitas that it required. Prowl would record unless drawn away, then Silver would step in to do the job. Barron would sit nearby with a table covered in devices where he could access points of law both here and from Cybertron. He had two of his smart kids with him to assist.

The courtroom was simple. The usual flags and banners were seen tastefully but fully in view. A huge set of framed document had been added to the walls of this, the biggest courtroom and they held the Charter of the Primes, all of the documents related to his authority and the statement of intention and law from the first Convocations of The People when the Quintessans were expelled. No one was going to deny Prime his authority if Prowl of Praxus had his way. Prime would sit in a chair with a table before him, No-a and Semi on either side. The defense and prosecution would have tables for themselves, their aides and the defendants. It was organized, simple and secured. It was also only two joors away from beginning.

The prisoners had been transferred early in the morning on the underground train that ran from the Courthouse to the Prison. They were waiting in cells, silent and sullen as the minutes ticked past. The petit jury had been chosen and gathered in a room nearby, six individuals who were tense but willing. They were a former longshoreman now electrician, a business owner, a bar owner, two construction workers, and a teacher. Two were former high castes, one a former mid and the rest former low castes. It represented an eclectic mix and was determined after a long consultation between the defense and prosecution with Barron refereeing. They would sit in chairs to the left of the witness stand which was closest to the defendant.

Silver was in the room setting up the recording equipment. He would stay to witness that process and step in seamlessly if needed. The bailiff would be Springer this time, with the others on standby, though off duty. If Springer was called out, one of them would come replace him. All was ready to go.

-0-On the way to Unidad

The group had arrived, 1,200 individuals including families, friends of some note to the hired guns, pets, baggage out the wazoo, and the odd important knickknack carried in someone's arms. They had been greeted by Ratchet in the immigration side of the terminal, had laughed, gathered together at his direction, and lined up for Immigration to pass on them. Their gear including pets had been gathered and taken away to Unidad by the crew who had been designated to help. Smokey and Hot Rod, chosen by Ratchet because he was curious to see where they stood … as far apart as possible, it would seem … Sandstorm, and Blurr carted things out to ensure their safe arrival. The roads to the habitat, though not landscaped yet were fully paved and marked with bright lines and directional signals. It would be a better journey there this time than before.

They got their gear checked, then entered buses, six of them, for the ride to the habitat. Watching Ratchet transform outside, something that he received a standing ovation for, they began to drive toward the habitat through the early morning traffic whooping his lights and siren for a moment.

It would take a while.

-0-Ops Center

Prowl went through the overnight dump with Paragon, secretly thanking his lucky stars for the big mech's membership on the Alpha Team. They worked out things, got this and that obnoxious business sorted out, then Prowl handed over command. "Call me, Pari, if you need me. This is going to be a long process."

"Call me if the Pantheon arrives." Paragon glanced up to him from the datapad in his servos. "No, **seriously**. Call me."

Prowl grinned. "If no one is aiming the Requiem Blaster at Cybertron when They come, I'll call you."

Paragon laughed. "That's good to know."

Prowl slapped his arm with affection, then gathered his stuff. "See ya later."

"I hope so. **Call me**." Paragon watched Prowl leave with a chuckle, then glanced at his datapad. "Call me, slagger. **Do** it."

-0-Prime

He was already there, waiting in the room where he would go when things were in recess. He was already in touch with the Matrix, the low level energy thrumming through him something he was used to feeling when It was engaged in things of the world. He sat in a comfortable chair losing himself in the energy, then as he did, he lost himself into the Matrix.

-0-Outside

Prowl walked in with his datapad, then checked with Silver over the recording gear. They chatted, then Prowl glanced around. "Where is Optimus and the judges, Silver?"

"That way. Semi and No-a are in their offices when I was there a moment ago but Optimus is in the lounge," Silver said.

Prowl nodded, then walked to the door behind the judge's bench. Walking inside, he passed offices until he came to the lounge. Opening the door, he peered inside. Prime had the familiar energy, half there and half not that signaled his situation. Moving extremely quietly, Prowl walked in, sat on a couch and settled in to wait.

-0-Elsewhere

He was back at the old fashioned house. He walked to the door and opened it. Inside, there were several individuals seemingly waiting for him. He entered, then waited, staring at them while understanding somehow that they were archetypal figures and not just anyone in particular. He nodded to them and they nodded back. An elder mech, one whose age could be seen upon him, something not necessarily so among their kind who understood age on others through their energetic aura, patted a chair beside him. "Sit, Optimus Prime. We are expecting you."

Optimus walked to the chair to sit, then turned toward the elder. "I am here, Abba."

"We are glad, Optimus Prime. We would like to speak to you. I am Elder," he said, then pointed to the others. "That is Youth. That is Femme. That is Freedom. That is Life. That is Hope. That is Happiness. That is Truth. We are here to speak for those who have no voice."

Prime nodded. "I am here to listen, Elder."

Youth stood. He was a beautiful mech filled with the brio of the young for whom life hadn't dampened their zeal with injustice, others' expectations and limitations, and reality. He was happy and filled with potential, it seemed to Prime, then he began to morph slowly. It was as if age had descended upon him sucking all the vitality out of him. He stood before Prime. "You will be hearing tales from those who had much and denied more. They killed dreams with their actions and ideas. There are youths who had the ability to save the world, to save the **universe** but never were allowed to be who they were entirely. You must remember them in your deliberations. There must only be truth and justice here. There was too little before, but remember me. I **could** have changed **everything** ," he said before he began to disappear, falling to dust before Prime's optics.

Optimus reached out but it was too late. The young mech had disappeared. He sat back, then glanced at Elder. That mech looked sad. "The youth … they believe in everything … that all is possible. It's a crime to have that denied by artificial constructs and ideas that have no basis in love. Love is the **only** way forward, Optimus Prime. There are too many who have had no life, no dreams, no future. They could have changed the **world**. **Imagine** what they never created because they were denied. You **must** remember them."

Prime bowed his helm, then another stood. It was Femme.

She bowed to him. "Lord Optimus … I am Femme. I am few. I am concerned about how our type came into being. We were born of lies and deceit. Some still bear the scars. They were harmed by others and exploited along with everyone else. Some of us broke the chains of our tormentors, then found ourselves in chains again. There is only unity, Optimus Prime. Our creed means **ALL** are one. Do not forget us, those of us born in a lie," she said before her image dissolved into butterflies. They were yellow and seemed internally lit as they fluttered around him, then burst into sparkles that faded away.

It was silent, then Freedom stood slowly and walked to stand in front of him.

-0-TBC 7-27-18 edited 7-30-18

ESL:

get your goat: when someone sets out to make you mad, they 'get your goat' :D

turn in: go to sleep, go to bed, go home in some cases but mostly having to do with sleep

interminable, interminably: something that takes forever, or something that takes forever to happen and be concluded.

ubiquitous (you-bik-kwi-tus) something that is seen everywhere or is everywhere, like McDonald's or Starbucks. This can mean good or bad. A stalker can be ubiquitous.

archetypal (ark-ih-tipe-ul) something that is symbolic of something … Gandhi is archetypal for peaceful resistance. (I always thought it would make a great name for a dinosaur) :D Yes, I am a loon.

" **SING IT SISTER!** " -Ratchet

Just a side note on the femmes ... apparently Solus Prime was considered different because her processor processed information differently than the mechs. That was perceived and she was considered different. It was only through the comfort of others that the idea of mech and femme as different genders came to be because its canon that they have no genders, that they're androgynous and thus, are one.


	425. Chapter 425

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations

-0-Freedom

He was tall and beautiful, someone who looked as if never having a care in their life. He seemed powerful in a way that was internally lit. He radiated a sense about himself that nothing nor anyone could ever hold him back. He nodded to Prime, then smiled. It was beautiful and made Prime feel connected and special. "Optimus Prime, I am Freedom. I am an elusive thing that some chase all their lives and never find, though I am always there. I would say that everyone is **always** free but for the limitations of their beliefs. You are **always** free in your processor and spark. I was the ultimate destination of everyone who ever had a dream. I was the one everyone chased as they pursued that which they loved.

"But I was never allowed to live fully among you. There was always someone collecting what I represent and holding it to themselves. Don't feel poorly about it, Prime. Everyone does that at some point in their development. The humans on Earth hoard me, too. But I am for **everyone.** I am here for you and everyone else. I have not been welcome among your people for a long time. I was seen as the enemy or as a goal so elusive that it would never be found except in the halls of power and fortune. I am here, Prime. Remind everyone. I am here for **everyone** with great abiding love," he said as he disappeared. With him went a sense of happiness that was slightly shocking to Prime.

Optimus looked at Elder. "He said he wasn't welcome. He is a feeling or desire? … that is always there no matter the circumstances in my experience?"

"More will be foretold," Elder said cryptically.

Another stood, then smiled. "I am Life, Optimus Prime. I am that thing that they never took from you no matter the circumstances, the desire to have what is your due, to live in delight and love, to explore fully who you are without someone deciding it for you. You are ever questing, Optimus Prime, which is why we love you. It's all about love, Prime. Everyone deserves the life they desire and no one has the right to deny them. As long as its motivated by love, then all life is welcome. You are showing The People with your efforts. I salute you. Do not forget those who had no lives because others denied them. Don't forget me," he said as he faded into a gossamer mist then disappeared.

Prime stared at the others, then another stood. This one radiated good feeling and cheer, qualities of happiness that seemed golden in their personal aura. They pulsed light to him and he felt elevated beyond himself to a level of goodwill he hadn't felt since Prowl said he loved him. "I am Happiness, Prime. I am here for you." She stepped closer and touched his spark chamber with her small shining servo. He felt himself soar, the delight inside almost blinding him, then she removed her servo and it receded. She smiled. "That is the legacy and birthright of All That Is. Everything no matter how great or small deserves to feel that. No one has the right to deny it. Remember me, Optimus Prime," she said with a beautiful smile as she became a pulsing ball of light. She then faded away.

It rang through him, the gladness he felt, then he glanced up to see another. Two others. They grinned at him. "I am Truth and my twin is Hope. We Are One."

The other nodded. "Where there is Truth, there is Hope. Lies are the enemy, Prime. Those for whom truth is malleable, those who believe that the truth is what they decide it is are the death of All That Is. I am Truth. I exist in facts and the provable. There are those for whom truth is whatever they say it is. It isn't. Seek the truth and I will be there, Prime. We are waiting for you," he said, then glanced at his partner, a beautiful youth like himself. Both of them felt old and wise to Prime, though they looked young.

"I am Hope. Hope dies last. Many were the multitudes who did what they were expected to do, who did everything right, who were faithful and hopeful up to the moment of their deaths. Some believe in others who abuse them and they cannot see it. They are so faithful, so true. They hope, you see. They believe so much they cannot see how they're duped. I am often the last thing anyone feels before they die. I am The Covenant. Do you understand? I am The Covenant that they keep. Don't let them down. Let them know that Hope lives. Truth and Hope live," he said as they both faded away.

Prime sat in his chair staring at the empty space where the two youths had stood, then glanced at Elder. He was watching Prime. "Elder, what do you want me to know?"

"You already know, Optimus Prime."

"What were they? Are they spirits? Do they exist as themselves?" Optimus asked.

Elder considered that, then leaned toward him slightly. "They are who they say they are. They exist in the great ether that surrounds every soul, borne of the thoughts of Primus and The One. Societies, even species can choose to make them important in their cultures and lives by common agreement and practice. Most do. They exist as they are. They are real like you and me and their great task is to show those who choose them their personal value across time, dimensions and places. They are as old as the multiverse."

"What about the negative emotions and ideals?" Prime asked.

"They exist as well and their destruction is felt everywhere, especially on Cybertron. They are universal elementals … universal elemental emotions that are everywhere. There are many kinds of elementals but these deal with the spark or soul, with emotions and feelings. All of them are chosen or not by individuals and even species by their freewill, though they might not know it themselves when they do. Or it could be a part of their cultures and societies at creation. Not every species holds the same elementals as dearly as others. They are the reason some survive hopeless situations, because they choose hope for themselves. That's why some are free even in prison, others happy in spite of great adversity. They are there for all to choose, or none, or even one. But know that there are some who would deny them to their own kind with their machinations. They are there for you anyway but if you don't know that, if you don't know that they are waiting for you to call out to them to come, then how will you feel the gifts that they bring?"

"I do not know, Elder," Prime said. "You are wisdom? Are you great wisdom?"

Elder nodded. "I am. I am also the old who feel abandoned or are abandoned in fact. We have much to tell. We hold the knowledge of our species, the History of The People. I'm glad that you're having them tell their tales to the museums. That is a good thing. Those who fail to learn from and about their own history are doomed to repeat it. Cybertron didn't learn and thereby, the Functionalists, then the corporate-political oligarchy doomed everyone to more of the same. You have broken the cycle. Learn from this what you will and teach it, Optimus Prime," he said as he stood. "Someone else, someone who is also an elemental emotion wishes to speak to you, perhaps the greatest one." He bowed, then faded away. As he did, a great light appeared outside, white, warm and filled with emotion.

Prime rose, then walked to the door. He opened it and stepped out, pausing on the porch to stare at a beautiful orb of light shaped rather in the form of a humanoid. "I am here, Great One," Optimus said, then bowed.

A soft laugh like music reached him, then the figure came closer. "Optimus Prime, I am Love," a soft voice replied. Then it enveloped him completely.

Love.

It **WAS** the universe. It made everything bearable and possible. It was the basis for all things. It was clear to Prime immediately.

He was held in a formless feeling, one that felt endless, one that felt like it knew him like no other did. Then he was back, standing before a beautiful youthful androgynous being. This being seemed to radiate light and just being this close made him want to weep with happiness. The being was floating before him with streams of light radiating off like scarves blowing in an unseen breeze. The being was smiling at him, absorbing his confusion. It laughed again, a soft achingly beautiful sound. "You are confused. But that is okay. Love can sometimes be that way. But in the end, love that is unconditional, love that includes everyone regardless of who, what and how they are is the end goal. Wouldn't you think so, Optimus Prime?"

"I do," he managed around the soaring of his spark. "It is our creed."

"It is. I have always loved the Cybertronians but it has been a long time since I was allowed to come among you and be part of your sparks in an unconditional, unfettered way. There was always love there, born into you. But it has been difficult. I have to be permitted, do you see? I will come to anyone who wants me, though a portion of me always remains in you from birth as part of your eternal being. All you have to do is ask."

Prime nodded. "I seek you for my people. We need you and so do the humans. I seek your presence, that and the others among both of our peoples."

The being smiled. "I will remember that, Optimus Prime," he said as he began to fade.

Optimus started, then sat straighter as he glanced around. Prowl who was nearby was up and at his side, sitting on the small table beside him. "Optimus?" he asked.

Optimus relaxed a moment, then slipped his arm around Prowl tightly. He felt as bereft as he did when he had to leave Cybertron abandoned and unprotected to find the AllSpark. "I am alright, Prowl. The Matrix … it had visions for me."

"I won't ask," Prowl said as he gently stroked Prime's arm.

"You can," he said. "They want fairness. They want truth and fairness. Freedom. But more than anything else, they want love for everyone including the defendants."

A rap on the door drew their attention as Springer peered in. "We're ready when you are, Optimus," he said.

Prime nodded, then rose with Prowl holding his arm. "I am ready now, Springer."

Springer glanced at Prowl. Prowl nodded so he pulled the door open. "Okay. Let's go."

Prime reached the door, then put his servo on Springer's shoulder. "Together. Always."

Springer nodded, then stepped back as Prime walked out followed by a pensive Prowl. Springer followed behind them as the door closed silently. The trial of Decimus and Contrail versus The Prime of Cybertron and The Cybertronian People had begun.

-0-Meanwhile at Unidad ...

They entered and gathered in the great space. Turning to stare at Ratchet, they were advised by Will Lennox, Niall Graham and Corey McFarlane how to take off their helmets. When they quieted, Ratchet smiled. "Welcome to Unidad Terra 1, a project owned and operated by Autobot Nation, Incorporated and overseen by Optimus Prime on behalf of the Cybertronian People. You are welcome here and will learn today and the next two how to live here. There are hard and fast rules especially for the n00bs that will allow you to be happy here and not die a terrible, terrible death.

"I am Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon. That is … I am the ambassador for all things for the Prime of Cybertron. I am Ratchet. That's my name. I was named for my grandfather. Because I was born in Iacon, that is my place name. Prowl is Prowl of Praxus as is my old mech, Ironhide. My son is Springer of Polyhex and my other son, among many, is Drift of Kaon. I have three grown sons from Kaon. We have other names but they aren't usually known outside of family or court."

The human soldiers chuckled as they watched Ratchet do his magic. He was expert in bringing ease to a situation and now was no different. Lennox, Graham and McFarlane stood beside him with grins.

"This is Unidad Terra 1 … Earth Unity 1. Maybe there'll be 2, 3 or 7. Who knows? Just know that unity is the first word in our name here. Everything you see that's constructed around you is a sentient being. I know that you've seen and are aware of the city-formers, our great titan class brothers and sisters. The two that have formed this habitat are Thrasher and Invincible. You would have to go a long way to find greater, nicer or more handsome individuals than those two." Ratchet smiled brilliantly as he turned to two huge mechs standing nearby laughing at him. "May I introduce the building to you in Pretender gear, Thrasher and Invincible."

They waved as they stood by the elevator that went to the Operational Center. Ratchet grinned as the applause, shouts, exclamations of delight, and other signs of appreciation filled the gargantuan space as others who were already here came from different directions to join in on the lecture. Ratchet turned to the humans. "Those two mechs are the body of this place. Their infinite greatness created this space and the 80 square miles outside that's enclosed to be turned into habitat. They are the buildings. Nothing can be hammered into the walls, attached or detached, burned, swiped, slammed, cut, or assailed in anyway without harming them.

"They have consented to be the building for us and we have the **ABSOLUTE** obligation to be honorable, respectful and follow all rules about this to the fullest including those pertaining to the operational center and all the tech here. They're our greatness, our titan class. They're the soul of who we are. Respect them." He turned to the two grinning mechs and curtsied bringing a round of applause and laughter from everyone. "We're going to have our locals here, those who are resident two days longer than you take you around but for now, have a seat on the floor and I'll give you The Talk. Because I couldn't do that for the first group … slag happens … I have to do it now, all of you. Are all the folks here?" Ratchet asked Lennox with a big cheese eating smile.

Huge laughter greeted that as everyone sat down on the floor. Down the concourse were the dining area chairs but they weren't enough to have this many at any one time. 1,000 was the limit at the dining area without much modification from stores and there were almost 2,000 humans here. Gathering with them were the Epps', though Harley was allowed to sit on Will's segway.

"Okay," Ratchet said when everyone sat. "Here's what you need to know ..."

-0-TBC 7-27-18 **edited 7-28-18**

 **TIP OF THE HAT TO FANCYSPINNER FOR A GREAT PLACEMENT CHANGE IN THE EP!  
**

ESL

androgynous (an-droj-ih-nus) not being specifically male or female. One could say the Cybertronians are androgynous because they are neither male or female unless someone else is around who is.


	426. Chapter 426

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations 3 (dd6 426)

-0-Courtroom

They entered the courtroom as everyone stood, waiting as Prime moved to his seat and Prowl to the recorder position. Standing in front of their chairs, Semi and No-a waited. Everyone bowed, the defense and prosecution teams, the petit jury, and a few of those sitting in the seats who would be addressing the Narrative, and Springer's security. Then Prime sat and so did the judges followed by everyone else. Prowl organized, then stood. "These proceedings will be recorded for legal and historical reasons. You are here to help facilitate justice. Those of you in the petit jury which was requested by the defendants are thanked for your service and asked to be fair and impartial. You may ask questions and seek clarifications. You don't have more responsibility than to assist the process toward the final decision which is Prime's alone in conjunction with the Matrix. Please conduct yourself honorably, especially since this is a Special Circumstances hearing," Prowl said.

"Let it be known that we are here to ascertain the truth. Only the truth will be allowed to prevail here and the judgment, if any, will be reached by Prime through consultation with the Matrix and the Pantheon. Anyone who acts against good conscience or the good order of things will be removed. Please sit. The Honorable Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars, the Empire, and anywhere Cybertronians exist, bearer of the Creation Matrix, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership presides." He sat, checked his gear, then glanced at Prime with a nod.

Prime nodded back. He was silent a moment in thought, then spoke. "We are here to listen to the facts of charges made against two individuals who are figures in the government and business sector of Cybertron that may or not have committed offenses against the state and The People. All of us have opinions and experiences about the past and what happened during the period known as the Clampdown but we must put that aside. We are duty bound, all of us, to find the way forward for everyone without bias or vengeance utilizing only the facts. I give you my solemn oath through my personal warrior creed and the Matrix Itself to find for the truth however it may go in conjunction with the Matrix and the Pantheon. We are here to find the truth, assess judgment if any, then allow the Holy Ones to speak Their truth if They feel its warranted." He looked around the room. "Coln-2, are you and your colleagues ready?"

He stood and bowed. "Yes, Lord Optimus. We are."

"Blackstone, are you and your colleagues ready?"

He stood. "Yes, Lord Optimus."

"Ratchet for medical, Rung and Jarro for processor health," he asked. "Are you ready?"

"Ratchet is giving an address at Unidad but will be here shortly," Prowl said. "He told me he is ready this morning."

The processor doctors rose. "Yes, Lord Optimus," Rung said as he stood with Jarro and two others who would speak.

"I have read through the list of witnesses. Are there any to add and are they ready to speak to the times before and during the relevant periods in question?"

Coln glanced at Blackstone who shook his helm. "We are ready and so are the witnesses. We add no new names, sir."

"Thank you. Please, you may all sit." Prime sat back. "Let this process begin."

Prowl looked at the data before him. "Heatout, Neo, Gravitas, Proteus, General Hard Drive, Dai Atlas, Professor Blandis of Crystal City, and Maddow, you will give informational presentations about the times regarding institutions and individuals to show the framework within which this all stands. I am told you have worked out how this will go?"

They nodded, then Heatout stood and walked to the witness box. He stepped in and turned to Prowl. He rose. "Heatout of Praxus, do you promise to tell the truth without embellishment or subterfuge?"

"I do," Heatout said solemnly.

Prowl sat. "Then begin."

Heatout turned to Prime, then the two sets of lawyers. "At the time of the Functionalist overthrow, The People were in great exultation. They had freed themselves from chains once again and the great ones of the Immortals who were leadership for the first liberation from the Quintessans were there among us, showing the path forward again. We wanted and craved freedom but the chasm between that and what we knew was so great that it didn't take long for those of ill intentions to be the bridge.

"And the gatekeeper.

"There were groups organizing to prevent what was appearing to be developing, the re-enslavement of The People through other means such as the Praxian Elites and the intelligentsia. The People had no experience in what freedom was and the responsibility of The People themselves to be vigilant. It was easy for those who had been the collaborating administrators and policing forces of the oppressors to organize structures that replaced those overthrown. Consolidating resources, controlling media, putting into the public a soothing message of care and unity when the real intention was to gain control of the levers of power duped a traumatized untutored population into believing that they cared about them and their futures.

"The control of media and information into propaganda, the diminishing of education and economic opportunities, the control of all aspects of life, and the worst part, the state control of that which should have freed us and reminded us that we were all one, religion and its symbols, exchanged then replaced one set of chains for another. Make no mistake, it took a long time but they were patient. Luring The People, lulling and duping them worked. It worked until it didn't, until the orns before the Fall unleashed a hurricane of pent up fury that had no outlet before.

"And a hurricane it was.

"When the blinders came off, when the inevitability of Megatron was unleashed into the world, there was no stopping the tsunami of rage, fury and clarity that allowed it. Hundreds of generations of individuals toiled in a social prison that was a lie, based on a debasement of our dearest beliefs and self concepts that led to suffering, death, hopelessness, loss, and a backward march of our society that never needed to happen. It was all constructed and implemented by those who had total control for their total benefit. They knew what they were doing and they did it without mercy. I give ground in the narrative to General Hard Drive, a leader of our people in the fabled and glorious Immortals." He bowed lowly, then walked to his chair to sit. It had been a much debated introduction, what he had just said, with input and suggestions by Blackstone and Coln-2 both.

Springer walked to the door, opened it and leaned out. Holding it open, he nodded with a grin to his great grandfather who walked in with his usual calm manner. Hardie who had been taking a call from Cybertron walked to the stand, bowed to Prime, then turned to Prowl. "General Hard Drive, do you promise to tell the truth without embellishment or subterfuge?"

"I do," he said as he turned to the audience. "I am HRD DRV-1 who started life as a construction bot. I came from the Well and was put to work painting ships, doing construction and other hard things until they discovered my abilities with mathematics and codes. When the Functionalists were overthrown, I was one of seven leaders of The Immortals. Things were in chaos and there was much exultation everywhere. What there wasn't in large numbers was organized leadership.

"We came together as best we could in the din and formulated a government. It went well until the bureaucrats of the Quintessans who knew how things worked began to gain control. Then the Functionalist Oppression began. It took another long period of time to overthrow them and in the resulting chaos, it happened again. We never had a true understanding of freedom as a people. We always were directed and told what to do. There were always limitations applied, couched in patriotism and religion. The People are good ..." He paused with emotion a moment. "Let me repeat that and state it with the respect and emphasis it deserves … **THE PEOPLE ARE GOOD!"**

It was silent in the room, a heavy silence as the group watched Hardie. All of them know of The Immortals and The Seven who led them. All of them knew or were learning now of the sacrifices too many made to free everyone.

"It happened again over a long period of time softened in impact by the Golden Age. It took a long time but they got control again. It was calculated and brazen, it was outside the Creed and outside decency. For those of us who were seeing it for the **THIRD TIME** , we worked as hard as we could to blunt and turn aside the worst excesses. Through the clan I belong to, through the Praxian Elite caste, we worked to increase our power so that even Primes had to bend their knees to us. We worked hard on The Code so that all of us would be of one processor including our children who would come next.

" **ALL ARE ONE!** Its impossible to be a true Cybertronian if you don't put that into the deepest and best part of your spark." He gathered himself, then continued.

We heard the cases, turned the miscreants back and stood as guardian to The People wherever we could. Megatron was **inevitable**. The pressure cooker couldn't hold. We breached the edge of the abyss. Extinction was nearly our lot.

"There were many who did many things and they hold responsibility. I don't claim to know what this court should do but **ACCOUNTABILITY WOULD HELP US END THIS POISON!** This cannot and will not happen **again.** I, Hard Drive of Praxus, Number 3 in the leadership of The Seven, of mighty legions of The Immortals have spoken." With that, Hard Drive walked off the stand to sit in the audience next to his solemn and emotional great grandson, Ironhide.

It was silent a moment, then Prowl consulted his datapad. "Will Professor Blandis of Crystal City please attend?"

A tall solemn appearing mech of some substance stood, then walked to the stand. He was brilliantly colored, a seriously wealthy appearing high caste. He took the oath, then turned to the audience. "I am Blandis of Crystal City and I taught at the University of Praxus, the University of Iacon and finally, I was historian and history instructor at the Autobot Military Academy in charge of officer's training in the arena of tactics and historical warfare. It was my duty to show how things went, discuss what should have been done where success wasn't achieved and explain what was achieved when it was.

"I am well versed in all the relevant history leading up to our present mournful situation and I am also very well versed on the history of the Primes which was my first area of expertise when I graduated. I have made a study of their cultural, political and economic impact a sideline to my general studies and teaching, interviewing all of the Primes from Guardian to Optimus when I could. I am also well versed in the careers of The Seven of The Immortals and call Hard Drive and Delphi friends with gratitude.

"My purpose today is to tell about the Primes who preceded Optimus and how their actions, personality types, processes of being chosen Prime, and the politics of their period led to where we are now. I have been vetted by both the defense and prosecution to be a valid and proven advocate of the information I'm going to present.

"The first Prime I remember is Guardian. I met him on numerous occasions to interview him for a dissertation I was going to present to graduate. I never did present it, rather putting it aside to become my personal obsession, something that would occupy a great deal of my personal time until now. Guardian was a good Prime who worked hard to make us a free and united people. He was part of the rebellion, number 6 of The Seven and though he did not live to see the end of his efforts, he laid the groundwork for us to be a free people. He insured that there would be representation for The People and that they would have laws that protected them against exploitation. His death in battle for the safety of Cybertron prevented him from consolidating his power and putting into places of influence those who were like minded. That left the people open for those who might not have their bests interests in mind, who were in fact place-keeping Primes for the Matrix. Given the sordid conduct of most of those who followed, even those who started with good intentions, it was clear that Guardian's efforts weren't enough for the time he had.

"When I spoke to him, he talked about the need for The People to feel equal as well as safe. He said that if we sacrifice one for the other, then there will be tyranny. That's exactly what happened and his greatest fear was realized over and over again." He thought a moment. "I have not included Prima Prime. That being is above reproach and His acclaim is felt in our sparks every orn.

"Zeta Prime was next and he held no quarter for anyone. There are those who feel he did what was needed but one cannot discount the most famous quote attributed to him at the time … "This Security Council has lost the will to do what must be done. That is why I was chosen to be Prime... because **I** am the monster the people need." And monster he was. He used his power to destroy, his rhetoric to state that he did so for the good of The People and in the end, he was destroyed. But not before he laid the ground work in tyranny for what was to come. He created an authoritarian government and conditioned The People to accept order at any price. He promoted terrible people who worked to put their tentacle into everything, thus was born the systems of inequity that plagued our people for eons.

"There is very little good to say about him, this mech who used an iron fist to control a world already conditioned to obedience and despair. Even as he is remembered in statues and speeches, his excesses and inequality are glossed over. It must not be so.

"Nova Prime was next. He was a tyrant who wanted dominion of the universe and had hatred for non-metallic lifeforms, feeling our own should be overlord of everyone everywhere. He left The People rife for disaster through his misrule and his restructuring of the world, even though the Golden Age is remembered in a good light. It wasn't. A lot of it is heavily reworked propaganda turned into history for the express purpose of controlling the narrative of our people's true history. It laid the groundwork for all that followed. It was the structure that was finally in place that would keep everyone in their place and the truth at bay.

"Nova Prime, though he unified Cybertron felt that the universe should be ruled by our empire and he was to conquer the world. He disappeared into the ether with a crew looking for more conquests leading to the primeship of Sentinel. I do recall after interviewing you in Iacon long ago that you tactfully referred to Nova with this quote, Lord Optimus. 'Nova was forever seeking, forever testing the limits of science and faith. He had a certain moral … ambiguity about the Cybetronian ideal.' I do recall what a kindness you made in your remark for what he was as a mech and for what he was responsible for.

"Nominus Prime was next and if there ever was a more openly corrupt and blighted time in our history, I have not found it. This was when the caste system became truly cemented into law, when corporations and the wealthy bought influence, passed laws to favor their wealth, and The People began to suffer under draconian laws and social apartheid. He took Zeta Prime's tyranny and institutionalized it which laid the groundwork for the future destruction of the world. He was weak, grasping, cowardly, and when his end came, unlamented. This was also the time that the Matrix was in peril, hidden away by the Councils and Senate who had come to be the true rulers of our empire making the calls behind the facade of law and order that laid waste to our world and her people. That he bore a fake Matrix was not known until his assassination, rumored to be the work of his successor.

"Sentinel Prime followed and we know how that turned out. He was ruthless, corrupt, endangered our world and people with every move of his administration, then he faked his own assassination. He went away and we never knew he went alive and scheming until we came here. That he didn't die, that he came here to exploit the Earth to make Cybertron whole is a major insight into who he is. He also bore a fake Matrix and because he like everyone following Prima and Guardian never heard the Matrix speak is an indictment of who they were and are as mechs, leaders and Primes.

"Mass incarcerations, crushing of dissent, total control of media and news, wealth inequity, confiscation of property, poverty of astonishing numbers, collusion between business and government, nepotism, despotism, and indifference to life and the well being of the less fortunate, the beginning of shameful practices like the Dead End and empurata began during the reigns of Zeta and were brought to their zenith during the Primeship of Sentinel. The machinations of the Senate, Councils and Primes was the downfall of all of us until the reign of Optimus Prime began. Then, it was too late to save the planet but in the end, here we are under his rule, one of law and benevolent concern for everyone.

"We are here to discuss and explore the corruption that these primes made possible through their collaboration and neglect. The individuals who benefited from the Senate and the Councils will have their liabilities determined through the facts and testimony of those who were placed to know best. It's hoped that when this is completed, there will be an accounting for some of the suffering and destruction that they are responsible for. It's always so that tyranny cannot exist without willing hands. It's my great honor to contribute even in this small way toward the fulfillment of that objective." He bowed, then hesitated before he stepped down. "I would like it on the record my considered opinion as someone who has made a life study of our Primes, their administrations and character that there is no one short of Prima Prime and in some smaller portion as Guardian who reaches the greatness and goodness of Optimus Prime. Thank you," he said, then bowed. He stepped down and walked to the audience to sit.

Prowl who looked pleased consulted his datapad. "Would Dai Atlas please come forward to speak."

-0-TBC 7-28-18 **edited 7-30-18**

There was a question about Contrail being a partner to Ratbat. He was. The one of Sentinel's group who died was Halogen. :D Took a trip back into the story. Good times. :D:D:D


	427. Chapter 427

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations 4 (dd6 427)

-0-Dai Atlas (God Map)

Dai Atlas, a HUGE figure of power, enigmatic and controversial from the past stood in the docket gathering his thoughts. He took the oath then turned to the small group watching. As he did, Ratchet slipped in and sidled to the bench where Ironhide and Hard Drive sat side-by-side. He sat, then squeezed Ironhide's servo. :What did I miss?:

"Appa telling it like it is. I got the film: Ironhide said with pride in his voice.

:Good: Ratchet said as Atlas began to speak.

"I don't remember not being alive. I do remember how terrible it was during the Quintessans. I also remember being alive before that. It's unclear but it's a memory," he said. "All of the occupations were terrible and all of them took something from us that was never replaced because we didn't know it was missing. There was never time to think about and discuss this, to figure out what happened and how it could never happen again like it seemed to do. We were strong. We survived three occupations. I consider the caste system to be alien to our being, our beliefs and culture … it was an occupation as much as the Quintessans and the Functionalists. We fought them every time. Delphi, Hard Drive, Alpha Trion … the others … they were my partners in a new idea. The idea was to build a free Cybertron for a free people but those who craved power and wealth didn't allow it to happen.

"No matter how many times we overthrew them, they kept coming back and every time they did, with every lie they told, our unity and our personal and group identity was chipped at, falling into dust. When the end came, it was inevitable. The rot was inside, the collaboration of business, media and politics, that killed our culture and our world. A new way came from The People during that time, one of peace and unity. The Circle of Light, The Primus Peace Mission, the Neutral organizations, the small clans and the religious groups, the youth, the elderly and everyone in between … we craved the possibility of peace and prosperity, freedom, hope and unity for everyone. It was our dream and it was our creed.

"I remember Prima Prime. I **remember** Him," Dai said. "I remember the hope we all had for a planet that served The People. I remember fighting for it and then the idea of war, of 'fighting for peace' became too absurd. We decided to abandon the planet before it was too late for millions and millions. We got them off. Tens of millions. I stopped counting at 20,000,000. Prime and I had objections to each others ideas of what we needed to do. I called him 'warmonger' and he called me 'cultist'. Both of us were wrong. Both of us were fighting in our own way for our people and world.

"Now we are brothers," Atlas said as Alpha Trion in the audience nodded with pride. "We work for the rescue of all our people. We search for them everywhere and we've found millions, perhaps when we're through hunting as many as a billion or more. We found in our unity the way forward. But now we face the past. It's absolutely clear to me that if we don't explore this fully, if we don't dig out all the rot and impose sanctions that it will germinate and happen again. It **cannot** happen again.

"There was huge collusion between the business and media communities of Cybertron and those who made the laws. I can speak to that corruption. I can and will. The Councils who held so much power, who had the ability to change things instantly must be examined. I will speak to that as well. I can speak to the Matrix because I had conversations with many of the Council of Elders about this business with false Matrices. I will. I will stand for our people, our world, our culture, and our deepest spiritual views.

"I am aligned with the Guiding Hand both in practice and in doctrine. I find that … rather interesting." He grinned. "I assure you that the honor is deeply felt by me and it's given incredible respect and dignity by me. It gives me a unique perspective and position to speak from and for the Matrix as well as the rules, beliefs and customs surrounding it and its autonomy. It's an honor to be here at this, a much longed and hoped for event. No one ever thought this orn would come. I'm happy to be alive to see it and to assist. Our people **need** justice. Thank you and call upon me. I am **ever** for Cybertron and The People. I have **complete** faith in the system and in **this** Prime to find justice for all," he said as he stepped down from the stand to sit in the audience with Alpha who patted his arm.

Prowl read from his datapad. "We would call Neo of Iacon and Gravitas of Iacon to speak."

The door opened as Springer called them and they came in looking drawn but determined. They stood together and took the oath, then turned to bow lowly to Prime. Neo turned to the group. "I am Neo of Iacon and I was a member of the Council of Elders. I'm responsible for a lot of things that I now would die to retrieve from the past. I'm prepared to speak to the Council and its actions, those that I know and those I've found out about since. I'm gravely committed to the truth no matter where it goes or if it shows what I once was in a bad light. The only thing that matters is the truth and justice. I received immense mercy from this Prime and I give it back to him and our people with completely devoted service." She bowed again, then stepped back to allow Gravitas to speak.

"When I was a member of the Council of Elders, I was selfish and foolish, entitled and infamous. I'm seeking through the service of my life to attempt some small portion of contrition. I'm prepared to speak as Neo will. We're united in our service to our people, our culture, our world, and this Prime. I am a servant of Primus and committed thereby to the truth no matter where it takes us. My brothers, Mraz, Templar and Eronus are also committed to speak when called and will only tell the truth no matter where it goes. We're honored to be of service to this, a reckoning long overdue. Until all are one." He bowed lowly to Prime then they walked to the audience to sit with Atlas and Alpha.

Prowl called the next witness. "Proteus of Iacon."

The door opened and a mech stepped inside, one who wasn't recognized as a senator much hated on Cybertron due to his format and coloration changes. He took the oath, then turned to the group. "I am Proteus and I was once a senator. I was incarcerated and over that period I came to a number of very hard unyielding truths. I'm aware of my conduct and the extent that it was cruel, destructive and unforgivable. I asked that my trial be granted so that I could plead guilty to all charges and take my punishment no matter how severe. It was then that I was granted grace by Prime that I didn't deserve and the chance for a new life living the way we were supposed to live all along, as equals in a free and just society.

"Now I work at **real** work, have my bond with me again and a new son to take care of. We participate in our colony as an equal among all equals. I am at this moment as happy as it's possible to be and I'll work hard the rest of my life to make sure that what happened never does again. It's a small thing, mercy, that means so much. Neo, Gravitas and I deserve jail for a long, long time but we received mercy from Prime because he **is** The One Who Comes. The Matrix speaks to him when It never did for any Prime I ever knew since Guardian. He heard the Matrix but none of the others did until this one. I'm here to serve the pursuit of justice with humility and gratitude even if it means that others know who I am. I place my duty to Cybertron and The People over my personal safety. Thank you, Optimus Prime, for giving me a chance to do my duty today," he said as he bowed. He stepped down and joined Neo and the others in the audience.

"I would caution the jury that nothing spoken here will be released into the community including the identities of some of the witnesses. It is a matter of grave security that you keep the oath you gave. Would Maddow speak," Prowl said.

The door opened and Maddow stepped inside. He walked to the stand, took the oath, then turned to the others. "I am Maddow of Capital City and the younger brother of Traachon. We had everything and anything we wished but it wasn't enough to dampen the sense of obligation to others and the shame I felt about the selfish life I was supposed to lead in my caste. It was nothing. When one is not free, no one is. My brother never understood our creed but to me it's holy and undeniable. There's no wiggle room for different interpretations. Until all are one is clear, inviolate and the only way forward for us to prosper and grow.

"My brother was involved with nearly everyone who will be discussed and we had many discussions about them and what they did, discussions that led to an estrangement that has lasted to this orn. My brother is now in care from cognitive dissonance because he found out that the creed means what it says from a hearing with special circumstances involving the Pantheon during the Functionalist trial. It was a paradigm shake that he's struggling to assimilate. I will stand in for him and my family, all of whom knew everyone involved in the government and business councils. I'm fully briefed on things that happened, was there when many did, so I freely and completely offer my testimony to help resolve this matter to the satisfaction of all. I'm deeply grateful to do so on behalf of my family." He bowed, then walked to the audience to sit.

Prowl glanced at Prime. "The Narrative is now fulfilled."

Prime nodded. "Please bring in the defendants."

Springer walked to the door, then disappeared inside. After a moment, he walked back out leading two mechs into the room. One was a big handsome older mech with an impeccable blue dominant paint scheme and defiant manners followed by a big Seeker with a haughty gaze and ice cold aura. The first was Decimus, the most notorious industrialist of the Clampdown era and the other, Contrail, a partner to Ratbat and a member of the Senate during the worst excesses of the reigns of every Prime since Nova. They walked to the defense tables, then sat down side-by-side, their expressions as tense as their posture. Their team led by Blackstone chatted with them offline, then turned to Prime. "We are ready, sir."

Prime nodded. "Prowl, please read the indictment and charges against the two defendants before us."

Prowl picked up another of his several datapads, then stood. "Today, we come together to hear the charges against Contrail of Vos and Decimus of Iacon who stand charged before the Prime of Mars, Cybertron, the Empire and any place that Cybertronians exist as per the Charter of the Primes. They are accused of many offenses which will be determined in court with assisting judges and petit jury consultation by Optimus Prime in alliance with the Matrix of Leadership as per the rules and regulations of a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances.

"The charges against Decimus stand as follows as per the indictment. War profiteering, money laundering, tax evasion, bribery of public and private officials for personal gain, theft of property and services from private and public entities, conspiring to create a criminal organization and participation therein, negligent homicide, man slaughter, murder, and treason.

"The charges against Contrail stand as follows as per the indictment. Collusion to commit criminal acts, money laundering, corruption of a public office and trust, bribery, obstruction of justice, desertion of office in a time of great controversy and war, accessory to murder, war crimes against the state and people of Cybertron, conspiracy to collude with an enemy of the state, mass murder, and treason." Prowl sat. "So say the indictments."

Prime considered the charges, then glanced at Blackstone. "Are you prepared to defend both your clients against these charges?"

He nodded. "I have a motion."

Prime nodded. "I deny your motion to release the defendants on the grounds of speedy trial. The act of martial law allows me latitude with the timelines as well as the Defense of Cybertron portions of the Primal Charter. Do you have a response for me to entertain?"

"If you won't allow it, I'll save it for appeal if needed," Blackstone said.

"Very well. Coln-2?" Prime asked.

"I'm ready to present my opening statement, Lord Optimus," Coln said.

"Please proceed," Optimus said as he sat back to listen with a silent solemn No-a and Semi. He glanced at the pensive slightly intimidated jury. "Please listen with an open mind. No one is considered guilty without a preponderance of the evidence demonstrating so beyond a reasonable doubt. That is, beyond what a thinking person might reasonably believe. You may ask questions during the examination portion of the trial. Right now, counsel will be making arguments about the case that you should attend to. Please keep a record of any questions or clarifications you might need until such time as we can entertain them."

They nodded then turned toward Coln-2 who was walking to the podium to speak. He gathered his thoughts, then began. "Among our people, there's one overriding and overarching belief, that all are one. When the Chaos was coming to order, when the thirteen Primes created by Primus were gathering together, they were joined in one unity by the Thirteenth Prime who raised his servo and said, 'Until all are one.' From that moment, They were and it was given to us as our great social and societal creed. It's part of our law, our religion and underlies all that we are and do.

"Yet from the beginning, it wasn't to be. Those with other ideas, those with their own personal ambitions who used that holy admonition as a club to force our society and people into something less, they had the upper hand. It was from that paucity of spirit that grew the great conflagration which destroyed our world and nearly all of us. No one in this room can say they have no harrowing tales of escape and homelessness. No one in this room wouldn't be able tell you about the inequities and lawlessness of their life on Cybertron because of those unholy ambitions. Even our religion was perverted to the service of the state and those for whom everything would never be enough.

"The combination of commerce and politics poisoned our lives and led to this moment when we sit here with some of the architects of our agony. There can be no way to assuage what has happened but it's the duty of those who lived to see that those who didn't get what justice is available in this life. These mechs and the others will stand trial for their conduct and actions and if there **is** any justice left in the universe, they will pay for their deeds. Thank you." Coln-2 sat, then Blackstone stood. He looked grave.

"As ever, Prime, we have a difficult set of cases to defend and there's great agony and concern on all sides about it. We will do our best to help you understand the mindset of these individuals, how growing up in a culture that devalues others based on income or type can affect judgments and in the end present possibly another picture of these two mechs that must and should be factored into your thinking. Life is seldom black or white. It's many shades of gray and in it lies the truth somewhere. We would like to show you who they are, how they came to be who they are and perhaps help you understand them in the context of their actions. It's our great good fortune that you are Prime and in conjunction with the Matrix, you will listen deeply. That's what we wish and know you will do so. We thank you for the opportunity to discuss this perhaps outside the parameters of the usual trial of this caliber." Blackstone sat.

Prime glanced at Prowl who looked at Coln. "You may begin your presentation, Counselor."

Coln glanced behind him, chatted a moment with his team, then stood. "We would like to call Commander Kup to the stand."

Springer called out in the hall to a group of soldiers sitting and standing at the end by the vending machines. "Kup. You're on."

Kup rose to the pats and encouragement of the others, then walked to the door, entered, took the stand and the oath, then turned to face Colie. "I'm here."

Coln grinned slightly. "So you are, Commander. Sir, tell me about the riot that broke out at Mining Outpost C-12. I'm told you were there to maintain order when Decimus visited it to tell the miners of their unemployment because of automation."

Kup nodded. "Alright. We boarded a transport to go with Decimus because he had the idea that it might be good for the miners to hear from him how they were being replaced with machines. I didn't think it was such a good one but he was a Senator and a rich businessman and I wasn't. We got there, he called for everyone to come listen and told them. I do recall he used terms like 'useless', 'no longer worthwhile', 'doesn't pay to keep ya', and other terms of endearment. That was when someone threw a tool at him and took out his arm. We had to battle our way back to the transport and leave. It should be noted that every one of the miners were abandoned by Decimus on the asteroid without transport home. Decimus and his company didn't feel any obligation to take them back home or pay them their salaries. He left them there until someone took pity and got them off. That was me and my friends, by the way."

"Did you participate in any other occasions when he showed depraved indifference to employees?" -Coln-2 aka C2

"Objection," Blackstone aka BST said.

"Please define depraved indifference as you are using it, Counselor," Prime asked.

"Leaving 1,500 mechs and femmes on an asteroid without food and protection to fend for themselves in an out of the way part of the Empire because he was no longer employing them. He had not arranged for their transport and thus, put 1,500 lives in jeopardy by doing so." -C2

Optimus considered it, then nodded. "I will allow the descriptor."

Kup glanced back to Coln-2. "There were many. Decimus had a number of cave ins at his mines and he also left workers stranded. It was a thing he did a lot, so most of us who worked in space kept tabs on the communications traffic from his locations just in case. It's part of our duty as Autobots and as **feeling individuals** to take care of our people. I participated in 15 rescues of abandoned mining crews that were left adrift by Decimus and his automation policies. That doesn't count a lot of cave ins where we got the call because no one was coming to dig them out."

"He had a pattern of leaving miners buried in cave ins without rescue?" -C2

"He did. Some of them were very bad and some weren't that much. It didn't seem to matter to him. He never came to dig them out. He had a practice from my experience of leaving trapped miners to their fate. He wouldn't even recover bodies. On two different occasions I had to come with a crew to settle a riot brought about by Decimus ordering mining to continue around cave ins so his operations would keep going. It was hard to take," Kup said as he bit on his cygar.

"Did you have any experience with him as a senator?" -C2

"Only during the Clampdown. He demanded and got protection for his house and family when the Clampdown was swinging into high gear and there were demonstrations everywhere. I refused to guard his house or family," Kup said.

"Why?" -C2

"He didn't give a frag about anyone elses family so I decided not to give a frag about his," Kup said.

"Were you disciplined for it?" -C2 with a slight hint of amusement.

"Do I look like I was?" Kup asked with a gimlet optic.

"No," Coln said. "I think not. What can you tell us about the practices of empurata and shadow play?"

"I know that Jhiaxus developed them and used them against dissent. Shockwave was a scientist hiding dissident scientists when they used it on him. He became the fragger he is because of it. Decimus used to say if he got his way a lot of mechs and femmes would have it, too, either that or kill the lot of them. He threatened others with it as I saw on several occasions. That was before he got pelted by paving stones and rocks. He never had a lick of sense."

Blackstone marked the time of that remark for the recording and made no comment. He sat back to listen to the story with a keen optic on what was transpiring. Coln on the other hand plowed ahead. "Then you say that Decimus was aware of it?"

"He was. Some weren't. I know that he and a small handful of senators were advocating it because I was there to hear the conversations and discussion. When you have to guard slaggers like this, they tend to see you as furniture. That's when they shoot their yaps off. He and Contrail, Ratbat and several others including Halogen were for using it wide spread. I told Optimus about it and he weighed in against it with them. It was a very bad situation overall at the time."

"I see," Coln said. "Could you illuminate us about his conduct with the safety of workers in his employ or soldiers who were assigned to him."

"Well, I was assigned to him when he went on his rounds of work sites off world until I punched his face. I was then withdrawn." Kup glanced at Blackstone. That mech shrugged at him with a ghost of a smirk on his face. "You don't mind the stories, Blackstone?"

"No, Kup. As long as you tell the truth, I'm going to listen. If I have objections or need clarification, I will do so," Blackstone said.

Kup nodded. He looked at Coln. "It was my experience with him that he had no interest in them as feeling individuals or as much more than useful machines. That is, they were useful until they weren't. He abandoned as many as he wanted wherever they were. No one ever charged him with it and no one ever cared. He was rich, a senator and powerful. He never saw mechs or femmes when he looked at anyone in my experience. He was indifferent to them and whatever happened to them. He had to keep the energon coming so if he killed a few, so what?"

Coln glanced at Blackstone who shrugged slightly back. Turning to Kup, he continued. "Did you ever see Decimus with Contrail?"

"A few times. He hung out with Contrail and Ratbat, but those two weren't his close friends. He hung out most of the time when he wasn't in the Senate with members of the Builders Assembly. Figuring out new ways to screw everyone over, I suppose." Kup considered the two. "Contrail was ten feet up the aft of Ratbat most of the time so I can't connect much between Decimus and Contrail."

"Decimus has many charges. What do you know concretely, if anything, about them?" Coln asked.

"What I heard around. Everyone in the Senate took bribes and stole things. They thought it all belonged to them. I know he left miners in the ground. I saw it several times and had to help dig them out myself with the other Autobots with me and miners who were there. That's when I punched Decimus in the face. He didn't want to 'waste the time'. When I pulled them out with the others, they were dead. They were dead because the mines were poorly made. He wouldn't let them be shored up the right way. The miners blasted him about that in front of me. He didn't care. I can only speak to negligent homicide and war profiteering. He made a bundle off letting our people die underground, then abandoning them when they were no longer profitable. The fragger."

"Thank you, Kup. No more questions." Coln sat down.

"Blackstone?" Prime asked.

"No questions, Lord Optimus," Blackstone said.

"Then I would like to call Commander Jetta of Iacon to the stand," Coln-2 said.

Springer called Jetta from the hallway and he entered to walk to the stand. The two defendants stared at Jetta with hatred as he took the oath. He glanced at them and returned the favor.

"Commander, please explain what your job was before the war and your subsequent enlistment in the Autobots," Coln asked.

Jetta stared at the two defendants with pure anger. "I would be **delighted** to do that, counselor," he said coldly.

-0-TBC 7-30-18 **edited 7-30-18**


	428. Chapter 428

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations 5 (dd6 428)

-0-Courtroom

"I am Jetta of Iacon and I grew up in the same tenement with Orion Pax and Deion Magnus. One district over, Ratchet of Iacon grew up. Four of the most important and competent Autobots in one mile of each other. It's not an accident. We were kids, we suffered the same privation, the same lack of schooling, the same injustice but we made our way forward anyway. Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Deion Magnus became Ultra Magnus. They were longshoreman and I was a day laborer. It wasn't because we weren't able or talented enough. Our current lives put that to lie. It was just what the System allowed us to become. Note what we do now, these things that were always in us. But for our own tenacity, we would never have reached these pinnacles.

"We were stuck in a system so vile that without Megatron forcing the issue, its likely that our talents and abilities might never have come to pass. We were stuck in a system that ground you up and spit you out. I studied on the sly, getting books, tapping into databases and learned architecture, structural engineering, electronics, and how to build good things. That's how I came to know the corporate heads, their stooges in the Senate and how real injustice worked."

"Objection. Stooges is pejorative," Blackstone said.

Prime glanced at Jetta, his oldest friend besides Magnus and someone he loved like a brother. "I have to agree, Jetta."

Jetta nodded. "That's when I got to know the bribed senators pretending to represent The People."

"What happened as you began to work to ensure better housing for the poor and homeless, Jetta? You became the leading advocate for them on world at the time," Coln asked. "It rather made you a target, didn't it?"

He nodded. "Some of my friends and colleagues began to network worldwide to begin a push for good housing for the poor and homeless, the elderly and for those who were losing their homes to business construction or land speculation," Jetta replied. "We began to work for grants, putting pressure on the government and corporations to take responsibility and to assist. It was brutal. We must have talked to every committee and low level bureaucrat on Cybertron at least thirty times. We'd get the smallest grants they'd begrudgingly give and build what we could. Our housing was solid and well made, not like the crap most of us lived in since we were born.

"It was then that I got into labor unions, guilds and organizing. That was when I came into contact with the defendants and their companies to a much greater degree than before. Decimus in particular was a problem. He didn't care if people died. Mines were shored up with scrap or as little as possible. They collapsed over and over trapping and killing miners. Protests and demonstrations only helped a tiny bit, then the media began to call us agitators and liars, troublemakers and losers. We were there to save lives. We were there to get a fair deal for the workers who created the wealth. It was brutal because they had armies of goons that came after us, sometimes in our homes."

"Did you have interactions with Decimus?" Coln asked.

"Many. Usually it ended in shouting matches with our group getting thrown out and beat up or arrested. He never cared. I wish I had words to tell you how much he didn't care about anyone or anything. He just had to keep the energon coming at any cost and if it killed people, if it left orphans behind, he didn't care. It ..." Jetta paused as he gathered his emotions. "I don't know how you be that person. How can you **NOT CARE!?** " he shouted as he gripped the railing of the stand. He stared at Decimus who stared back without emotion. "You murdered people and left them trapped to die. You are a murderer."

"Lord Optimus, I think Jetta needs to gather himself together," Blackstone said. He wasn't unmoved himself. He knew having helped some of the members of the committee Jetta formed with their efforts and subsequent incarcerations. Only Contrail and Decimus seemed to be unaffected.

"Jetta … we will wait until you are ready to continue," Optimus said quietly.

It was silent in the room as Jetta pulled himself together. "I am fine."

"Very well," Optimus said.

"Jetta, were you ever there when a cave in occurred that included the presence of Decimus?" Coln asked.

"I was. Two of them. I helped the miners dig the men out. They were injured but alive. I wasn't there for the big ones where up to forty died. He didn't bother to **dig them out**. He wanted to dig around them. How do you **do** that?" Jetta asked as he shook his helm. "I practically stalked senators trying to get meetings to show this to them. No one would allow it. Contrail wouldn't give me the time of day."

"You were in and out of jail seeking the attention of the senators when they were in Iacon. Your record shows you were arrested over 42 times," Coln said. "You were arrested at protests, crossing picket lines around shops that were … how shall I put this? … severely lacking in safety features, senator's homes, public gatherings, and the like. How many times did you seek to garner the attention of Contrail?"

"Too many times. He never spoke to me. I even showed up at open office joors with pictures of the mines and the dead miners and he had me arrested. He said I was disturbing the peace. I wasn't." Jetta said bitterly. "I was showing them **to their faces** what they were causing."

"Did you ever see any senator take a bribe?" Coln asked. "I'm asking for personal episodes and not speculation or second hand anecdotes."

Jetta nodded. "I was told by both Decimus and Contrail that if I had enough money, they would listen to me. They said if I didn't pay, they wouldn't play. They weren't joking. I saw both of them keeping company with Karyll Wheelus on multiple occasions. I also saw them spending time, traveling with and doing the bidding of Cassio Imperialis. Whenever they were together, tax breaks, projects and appointments followed."

"Objection. Speculation," Blackstone said.

"Karyll Wheelus is a criminal, head of a major cartel and Cassio Imperialis was party to every scandal in the Senate including the selling of mineral rights to fields discovered on planets near the Rim. It nearly became a public scandal before the media quashed it. Why would any decent person hang out with them? Maybe we can ask Karyll in the prison," Jetta replied hotly.

Prime considered the situation, then glanced at Barron. They chatted off line a moment, then Prime looked at Jetta. "I am going to discount the speculative part at the end and keep the first. Continue, Jetta."

"When did things get dangerous for you and the Labor Council? When did the situation escalate so that you became branded an enemy of the state with a warrant for your arrest?" Coln asked.

"When things began to become undone with the world wide peace movement, that's when the Senate with the Internal Security of the State Act began to crack down on the unrest with the Clampdown. They targeted all the major groups including ours, the Committee for Peace and Unity. CPU was affiliated with every group on world and in the empire and was part of the coordinating of the civil unrest. All of us on the steering committee were branded outlaws including Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime.

"The massive work stoppages, the protests that paralyzed cities, the rise of Megatron as a spokesman and partner to Orion Pax terrified everyone, so they targeted the leadership. We were hunted but there were always enough around us to keep us from being taken away. Two orns before the last time Orion and Megatron went to the Senate, the orn that the Matrix finally chose who It was waiting for, goons broke into my apartment and arrested me. I was taken along with the leaders of the CPU, the Resistance, some Circle of Light, a number of Knights of Cybertron, the Primus Peace Mission, and a sect from the southern poles that was enormously powerful for communications and alliances in the religious communities and clans. They even arrested Lord Lauren, Lord Chevron and Lady Sela.

"We were taken to the prison on the moon and tortured, all of us. They beat and tortured us and made it clear that if we didn't tell everything, we would regret it," Jetta said.

"Did you or any of them disclose information?" Coln asked. It was almost morbidly quiet in the room.

"No. None of us did. There would have been no one to make sure if we had that Orion was protected. They would have been able to round up thousands and thousands if we had. We knew what was at stake. We **knew** it. Orion had to be protected at all costs. They were going to use empurata and shadow play when Orion became Prime. We were two or three orns away from it," Jetta said.

"What happened then?" Coln asked.

"The Senate was in disarray. Optimus was Prime and the revolution started when Megatron wasn't chosen. They let us go on the orders of Optimus and turned their attention to destroying the Decepticons. Before Orion became Prime, the Senate said they would recognize the Decepticons as a legitimate party if 10,000 registered. They did, the Decepticons, and all of them were rounded up and killed. No one was cooperating by then because of that, the Clampdown was reaching its peak and the world was on fire. When the war broke out entirely, we were rounded up again, imprisoned on the moon base camp and stayed there during the collapse until Optimus found out and ordered the camps raided and everyone rescued."

"What condition were you in and were there deaths?" Coln asked.

"There were two. They were beaten to death. The rest of us were beaten, starved and on the edge. We were saved from death by an orn," Jetta said. "There was talk among the guards to kill all of us to prevent us from doing more. They blamed us for the uprising. We weren't there to keep it contained, but then, I don't think even **we** could. The war was on and there was no turning back. The Senate is responsible for our arrest and incarceration.

"Sentinel, the Senate and the Councils made the declarations that not only created and enhanced the Clampdown but the mass arrests and incarcerations of the opposition. It was outlawed to speak against them and I know that Orion was working orn and night to change things but the war began in earnest. When I got out of prison I joined the Autobot Army and began to work on saving people as well as gathering intelligence on both the Decepticons but also the Senate and Councils.

"It was all avoidable. If someone had said **enough** and tried to do the right thing, The People would have stood by them. Everyone was **DESPERATE** for change. When Orion did, it was too late. Megatron was taking the cities. Helex, Tarn and Vos had already fallen, the Seekers and regular army mostly went with Megatron and we had to organize civilians into a force against Megatron."

"Tell me anything if you can about how Sentinel operated within the framework of the Senate and the military-industrial complex that was our government during the Clampdown. What sorts of things did you see pertaining to the Clampdown?" Coln asked.

"In my experience dealing with the structure, trying to get audiences, the administrators and secretaries were the wall they used to keep everyone out. The only ones who were able to get audiences were those who had money or the right caste connections. I sat in outer offices half my life trying to get an audience and watched it play out. If you had enough money, you got in. If you were trouble, if you were poor, if you had no connections, you didn't get access.

"The Clampdown gave the police discretionary powers to search, detain and arrest individuals without cause. I helped many get out of jail who were held because they just looked suspicious and for no other reason. The fines levied for offenses as piddling as standing on the street corner, not keeping your property clean enough, using municipal recreational properties out of caste raised a lot of money for the governments of local jurisdictions. Fines were levied for jaywalking, for all kinds of petty offenses. Everyone was being bled to death. They also imposed regulations on local businesses that required licenses and other costs that were unnecessary. It was all a scam. Contrail and Ratbat were always proposing scams. They had no loyalty to anyone. The record will show that they proposed these kind of punitive assessments and voted for them into law. Sentinel allowed it because he got his cut."

"You know that to be true?" Coln asked.

Jetta nodded. "I was in prison with an accountant in the Treasury. He had the duty of finding places for the money extorted that would make it seem legitimate. His name is available if you want it, but I'm not saying so otherwise. I think he survived Cybertron because I saw him now and again when I was there running the femme team underground."

"I would appreciate it if you would advise Prowl of his name and whatever you can tell us to find him, Jetta," Optimus said.

"You have it," Jetta said as he stared at the two defendants. They stared back equally hotly.

"Your experiences with Contrail, Jetta, what can you add?" Coln asked. "Decimus as well."

"Contrail didn't care about anything or anyone. He would tell groups that the Clampdown was security against the rabble but if he could, he would kill everyone who stood in the way of things. I heard him myself and it was even in his public speeches which are a matter of record. He had enormous wealth that I dare you to trace to anything legitimate. He didn't help Seekerkin at all. That's possibly the worst part of this. He was the token Seeker representative, chosen to appease Seekerkin, and he did nothing to help his own model. He and Ratbat were one. We all know what he did when the Senate fell. He went with the Decepticons and destroyed Tarn and Vos through manipulation. He helped Ratbat at every turn and flew him in and out of locations throughout the events that led to the annihilation of both city-states. That is undeniable."

"Objection. We aren't trying Ratbat and nothing has been placed on the table as evidence of these allegations."

"Yet," Jetta replied.

"Objection sustained," Prime said quietly.

"I have no further questions at this time but reserve the right to call this witness back," Coln said.

"Very well. Blackstone?" Prime asked.

Blackstone considered the testimony thus far and the hostility of the witness. He personally had the same problems himself. He had been arrested as a dissident lawyer during the same period of time as well but never went to the worst prisons like Jetta and the resistance leadership. "I have no questions at this time, Lord Optimus, though I may reserve cross for later."

"Very well," Optimus said. "You may go, Jetta."

Jetta nodded to Prime then stalked out with enormous tension. Ratchet rose to follow him out. Prime glanced at Coln. "Your next witness, please."

"I call Commander Ultra Magnus to the stand," Collie said.

A pensive Springer opened the door and peered out. Jetta was standing with Elita and Ratchet who he held in an embrace. "Magnus?" he said quietly.

Ultra Magnus squeezed Arcee's servo, then walked to the door to enter. Springer nodded to Elita, then closed the door. It was silent in the hallway. A lot of mechs and femmes were there, all the team of femmes, Partition and his brothers, a large number of soldiers, and the usual group along with the twins and Bluestreak.

Ratchet squeezed Jetta. "You alright, son?" he asked.

"No," Jetta said softly. "But maybe later."

"The more you let it out, the easier it gets to carry. At some point, you don't even feel it there," Ratchet said. He squeezed Jetta, then looked at him. "You're too damned handsome to be this upset."

Jetta snickered, then squeezed Ratchet back. "If you say so."

"I do and I want to say that when the Book of Heroes is written, you'll get a chapter. You cared for everyone. Your family is proud of you. So are your friends. You were what Cybertron needed at a time of crisis and what you did mattered. You did it in spite of the hammering you took and you were brave at every step. You never gave up and you never sold out. I couldn't be more proud if I were your actual old ma. You know, like the others here," he said nodding to the twins and several others.

Huge laughter greeted that. Sandstorm grinned. "Adopt me. I dare ya."

Ratchet grinned. "You think I won't? I have Lucien of Iacon as an in-law."

Huge laughter greeted that including Partition and his brothers.

-0-Inside

"Commander Ultra Magnus, do you promise to tell the truth without embellishment or subterfuge?"

Ultra Magnus stood in the stand, a monumental example of the Pride of the Cybertronian Male. He was as imposing an individual, fearless and uncompromising as it got. He turned his steely optic on the defendants, then nodded. "I do," he said quietly.

-0-TBC 7-31-18 **edited 8-11-18**


	429. Chapter 429

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations 4 (dd6 429)

-0-Courtroom

"Commander, you were part of the team of that worked with Orion Pax during the unrest that led to his ascension as Prime. Correct?" Coln asked.

"Correct. We grew up together along with Jetta and others who formed not just Orion's council but his bodyguard," Magnus said. "We had death threats and warrants from municipal and federal governments against us. It was a very dangerous time."

"When Orion Pax became the break away defacto leader of the entire resistance movement, what was that like? Especially the government's reaction to it," Coln asked.

Magnus thought a moment as Arcee, Jetta, Elita, Moonracer, and a pensive Maelstrom walked in quietly and sat. "When it was clear that there was corruption on the docks where both of us worked as longshoreman, he began to report it to the authorities. They pretended to take reports, then nothing happened. It was during a fight that broke out between the workers he supervised and some low level government shipping officials that things turned into something else.

"A number of officials were watching the unloading of ships and felt that they could weigh in on how to do it and how fast. There was an exchange of words, then fisticuffs. It was pretty brutal and the officials left to return with police. They tried to arrest the two mechs who got into the fight but the other longshoremen, me included, didn't allow it. Orion talked to them explaining how the officials had thrown the first punch, how the mechs were provoked and how terrible the conditions were. They didn't believe him because it was a caste issue according to the officials and they were not allowed to interfere with the situation because of the laws.

"The entire crew down the dock said they would strike if anyone was taken for something that they didn't start. The police pulled back with the officials, then word got out. Every dock on world and every longshoreman went out on strike. That followed with the truckers unions wildcatting and it grew. When things didn't show up, people asked why, then more of them than we ever thought possible shut down. It was the last straw. Everyone turned to Orion to lead and he did. He was the one we were waiting for.

"That was when things happened because Orion won concessions. It was nearly a first. From that moment forward, it was a movement that coalesced around Orion and moved swiftly, linking up world wide." He thought a moment. "As for the government, they were wildly unhappy and feared that the 'contagion' as they called it would spread out. They made a few concessions, left the three mechs be and tried to co-opt Orion. You denature what you fear one way or the other but they didn't know Orion or the resolve of everyone everywhere for a better life."

"At what point did it become your life, this movement, along with the protection and furthering of the aims of Orion Pax?" Coln asked.

"Nearly immediately. The intelligentsia and those in movements all over called upon him to visit them and they worked out The Resistance together. We were all there, those of us who had decided that the moment was now," Magnus said. "I find it highly ironic that the freedom movement overview committee of our liberation should be the name of the same movement on Earth that wants to tear us down and make us leave this system."

Coln nodded. "Me, too." He looked at his notes. "What if any contact did you have with the government and the defendants in particular? It was my understanding that you were the liaison with them because of many factors, not the least was your size and fearlessness in the face of them."

Magnus permitted a slight grin. "I was the liaison with the government during the period of time that they tried to manage us, to make sure that the direction the burgeoning crisis was heading would go their way. I had a lot of contact with everyone including Sentinel and the defendants. It was largely unproductive but educational in the way things really worked and what they did amongst each other and to the general population. It never ceases to amaze me the collusion between the media and the regime. One helped the other and both prospered at the expense of everyone else.

"I took meetings with them as individuals at first, then with the committee that they formed when things weren't going away. It was there that they told me that they were 'managing' the crisis, that they held Orion and the different groups like CPU and the intelligentsia responsible for the … 'deplorable situation of rabble rousing that had been prompted against the good order of the world'. I will never forget that. Contrail said that to me in a meeting when it was made clear to the committee that there would be no stand down and that the leadership of the government needed to step up. He and the others weren't pleased. Decimus was there, Ratbat and others including Sentinel. They were unhappy. I didn't care."

Coln listened to Magnus, someone he considered a friend and ally. It amused him how calm the huge mech was, someone with the build and size of a Prime. He was perfectly balanced and so powerful it hurt sometimes to look at him. He was calm, contained, relentless, absolutely fearless, ruthless in the pursuit of a goal, intense, had a great sense of humor held in check, and was among the most feared of the Autobots as many former Decepticons could relay. That Magnus was the Tyrest Enforcer and a one time overall leader of the Wreckers was no mystery to him. He was a truly remarkable example of what it meant to be a Cybertronian mech. His loyalty and friendship with Lord Optimus was legendary. They were brothers in every manner possible but for genitors. The leadership triad of Orion Pax, Ultra Magnus and Jetta of Iacon was one for the history books.

"Was it ever made clear that corruption was the price of entry? That they were involved in a criminal conspiracy to deny the people their liberty and life? What can you tell me about the way they worked, their hierarchy and anything else pertinent to the charges before us?" Coln asked.

Magnus glanced at the two mechs in question and the intensely calm figure of Blackstone, a mech he truly and completely respected and liked. "Of course. The senators were given their positions for life and they were inherited generationally, the majority of them, like we were a monarchy. There were mercy postings like Ratbat and Contrail. A sop to the mini-cons and Seekers, I was told. Sentinel ruled like a king making rules and laws as he saw fit and the Senate rubber stamped them. He took the Clampdown that was begun in the rule … or shall I say misrule of Nominus Prime and ratcheted it up to crisis level, using the Internal Security of the State Act to justify his actions. He wouldn't listen to anything I told him about the unrest among The People.

"Decimus and Contrail were on the committee that met with me and they told me over and over that if the Clampdown was ever to be rescinded, the population would have to return to the manner and condition of their lives before the uprising. They listened to me as I explained the hunger, homelessness and appalling suppression that the government had implemented but they didn't care. They told me that it would continue and even increase if the people didn't back down. They seemed to think that they were a creature that spoke with one voice rather than millions. There was not going to be a way to put the genie back in the bottle. It was not going to happen and nothing I could show or say would change that.

"Sentinel would come to the meetings sometimes and he would mostly listen. I think he got it completely. I think he knew it but he wasn't going to relent. That's why the repression, the Clampdown and all of it was so brutal in the run up to all out war and revolution. I don't think Sentinel hated Cybertron. I just think he hated The People. For him, saving the planet even at the cost of The People made sense to him. He had no compassion and his appointed committee that included both defendants never showed any either," Magnus said. "There was a lot of connection between the senators and the councilors. There was also a lot of connection between the senators and the business community. Some of them would come to speak to me about their discontent over strikes or slowdowns. I found little to recommend them either due to their stubborn unwillingness to see any point of view but their own. I especially include Decimus in that group. He had zero interest in The People and I think his business practices underscore that perfectly."

"Business leaders came as well. Is that normal? Is that a reasonably ethical thing? Did they appear as individuals or were they there in league with the committee members?" Coln asked. "I would like to have your personal experiences, but not speculation and hearsay."

Magnus nodded. "I didn't consider it ethical because they were supported vociferously by the senators. Without me there, The People had no one to speak for them. The others spoke as one. I came to understand that shanix was the guiding principle for all transactions, both political and business. I told of the appalling wages that were paid and there was invariably loud mouthed discontent about how high costs were and how the people had to take what they could offer. It never seemed to make sense no matter how I tried to explain it that if you don't pay a living wage, then there's nothing left over to buy their crap."

Coln felt a chuckle arise and mostly repressed it. "Forgive me, Commander. Your characterization struck me with amusement. Please elaborate."

"Consider that if the goal of your business is to make yourself wealthy to the point where there is nothing to give to The People whose effort and genius create things that are sold, then there will be nothing left over to spend. If your housing, bills and food are the extent of your income spending, how can anyone buy anything else? They told me, Decimus and Contrail included that they didn't care. If people couldn't afford to buy things, they would sell to wealthier people. It never occurred to them that they would make more money selling to more people if they would just pay a **LIVING WAGE!** " He nearly growled at the two who startled at his intensity. Magnus turned to Coln. "It was almost **maniacal** how difficult it was to deal with these people. At some point in the process, the committee dissolved and all of us were sought for arrest."

"When that happened, what was the situation like then?" Coln asked.

"That was crisis point. We were moving all the time. Orion decided to press the issue. I had to liaison with the Council of the Ancients to discuss the situation one last time for a meeting when word went out that Sentinel had been murdered. It was almost a moment of complete silence world wide, then the celebrations were stupendous. I remember accompanying Ratchet, Prowl who was SIC and acting military commander of the Autobots pending a new prime and Ironhide to confront everyone over the indecent haste at burying Sentinel. They were going to the Basilica to intern Sentinel immediately which was against the rules.

"Ratchet was supposed to do an autopsy and Perceptor as well but they didn't allow it. Ratchet and Prowl were able to get past the security cordon. Ratchet was going to tell me what happened so Ironhide and I waited in the shadows nearby. They went in, the interment went without either being allowed to fulfill their duties or even see Sentinel's body, then they came back. When Prowl was gone, Ratchet talked to us about the situation. We didn't have any time at that moment because this was the most explosively dangerous moment thus far. We didn't discuss this with Prowl to preserve his delicate situation. He was leading the army so we cut him out of conversations to protect him.

"It was decided that we would see Orion and discuss the situation. The Matrix was going to choose again. He would have to make a move really soon if there was going to be any hope for any of us. So we decided to go to the Council of Ancients to force the issue. Ratchet and Ironhide, me and Alpha Trion went there to demand action with Orion. It was the end of trying, the most dangerous moment of the entire spectacle thus far. Megatron found out and went there, too. There was a lot of shouting and discussion.

"Orion wanted the Council to stand up for The People. He was as eloquent as anyone I ever heard and it moved them, I could tell. Megatron wanted the same thing but he didn't connect and knew it. The conversation ended when the Matrix rose into the air and began to make Itself known. It was so fast, the choosing, that in seconds Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. That was when everything ended and war began. That was when the Senate came apart at the seams, the biggest repression began, the bribes were made without concern of being noted by others, and the battles on world commenced. That was when Contrail and Ratbat defected to the Decepticons at the moment of Orion's ascension and the worst crimes began."

"How do you know he did, Commander?" Coln asked as Blackstone shifted in his chair.

"We were immediately drawn into the army. It was clear that we needed to defend the world and train an army. The Seekers defected to the Decepticons, an entirely understandable action considering the way they were treated. Even though Rainmaker, the Great Elder wanted to go with Prime, he had no faith that Orion would be able to pull things together, things were so bad by that point. Sentinel and his allies had left the planet open for abuse with their misrule and corruption. The Decepticons were without mercy and cities were falling. The Senate was tracked and it was clear that Contrail and Ratbat ended up in Helex where the Decepticons were organizing and based. We tracked their movements and were clear that they were involved in the situation between Tarn and Vos. They goaded both governments toward launching war heads and millions died. He and Ratbat are responsible for the destruction and murder of millions."

"Commander, I'm assuming you have evidence of Contrail's alleged participation in the Vos-Tarn battles? Otherwise, I would suggest that you're speculating," Blackstone asked.

"We have the evidence and will forward it to you and Coln-2, Blackstone," he said calmly.

"I would ask, Lord Optimus, that until evidence is presented that proves his assertions that the remarks about Contrail on the Tarn-Vos situation are true that it be considered hearsay," Blackstone said.

Optimus glanced at Magnus. "Commander, are you able to present the information requested?"

"I am," Magnus said. "I'm also aware that the information was presented to you at the time of conflict given that a massive humanitarian crisis was happening there and we needed to assuage it as best we could. Ratchet was also aware of it and can speak to the intel as well."

"Lord Optimus, can you verify the intelligence that spoke to the alleged participation of Contrail in alliance with Ratbat regarding the Tarn-Vos atrocity?" Coln asked. The room was intensely quiet.

Optimus considered the situation, then nodded. "I was shown the intel. It was conclusive."

"Then it's problematic for you to continue this hearing, Lord Optimus, given that you are a party to the information that we're discussing here," Blackstone said.

The room was quiet once again.

-0-TBC 8-1-18 **edited 8-11-18**

The creatures in this story are canon.

 **HAPPY AUGUST, MY DARLINGS!**

ESL

fisticuffs: fist fighting. A fancy word for a fight. (fisty-cuffs)

wildcatting, or wildcat: an unauthorized strike. it often happens when one union goes out on strike, others either join without taking a formal vote or refuse to cross a picket line. Crossing a picket line is the lowest form of life ... those who do are called scabs. You can thank Jack London for it.


	430. Chapter 430

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 430)

The room was quiet once again.

Optimus was quietly thinking, whether in concert with the Matrix or not, then he turned his gaze upon Blackstone and the defendants. "Blackstone, I have considered your statement and I am going to deny your assertion. Even though I am a party to the actions that are being declared here, I find that in union with the Matrix that this is not going to be a significant problem for these defendants. The witnesses are speaking from their experiences about what they saw, did and what happened to them. Perhaps as Orion Pax, there might be a problem with me as hearing officer. However, I never make decisions of this magnitude without the presence of the Matrix whether It speaks directly to me or not. Also, given that this is a hearing with special circumstances, the opportunities for me to act on any feelings I might have on these matters are rendered nil. The Pantheon and the Matrix once invoked into a hearing will not allow the hearing to run falsely. Their integrity is above reproach even if mine might be called into question."

"I'm not calling your integrity into question, Lord Optimus," Blackstone said. "I am advocating fully for my clients and having a participant as hearing officer for events that impacted him as well … you can understand my concerns."

"I do," Prime said. "I thereby grant to these hearings and trials my personal oath as a warrior, as a Cybertronian mech and as the Matrix Bearer my absolute intentions to be impartial and fair. I do swear this on the lives of my children."

Blackstone nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Contrail glanced at Decimus, then Decimus to Blackstone. "You accept that? Is that all?"

"I do," Blackstone said. "I do with this Prime."

The two stared at him, then Prime with anger but they didn't say more.

Coln who watched then turned back to Magnus. "Commander, tell me about Tarn and Vos, what happened to the best of your ability and what resulted in the action."

"We were given intelligence through the Knights and Circle who were getting population into ships to leave. They weren't able to get to Tarn or Vos given the security net both cities threw up against the other. The city magistrate of District 147-BC, a mech I knew from meetings before named Carbide of Tarn got a message to me that both of them, Contrail and Ratbat were arguing with the city leaders of Tarn that Vos was going to launch a missile strike against them and they had better step up. He said they held meetings with Tarn officials and when they were over, Contrail flew with Ratbat to Vos.

"He said that a friend in the administration of Vos was frantically trying to get help because he feared that a fight was going to break out through the agitation of both of these mechs and that people would be annihilated. I got the intel to Optimus who was organizing the defense of the cities in the east. We weren't able to prevent it though we put CPU resources and some of our armed forces into evacuating population of both sides. We even tried to get a message to the Great Elder but communications were fragged by then. It was too little too late. They launched warheads and landed them on each other.

"Carbide who made it out later told me that he heard Contrail taking a message from Megatron and that the purpose of the entire adventure was to divert Autobot resources from other areas and to shift the blame for all of it to us and the Iacon Autobots," Magnus said.

"Is Carbide still alive?" Coln asked.

"I have a tracer put into the system for him," Magnus replied.

"What happened with Contrail after this?" Coln asked.

"He went over to the Decepticons, though I had my personal suspicions that he worked for Megatron in the Senate," Magnus said.

"Objection. Is there proof?" Blackstone asked.

"Given that he went from the Matrix declaration for Orion to Vos and Tarn to foment this atrocity, its not a hard reach. We are going through the records of the Senate to restore them."

"But you don't have them now," Blackstone said.

"No," Magnus said.

"I will accept that they became Decepticons, Commander, but when they did will remain an open question until such time as hard evidence demonstrates that," Optimus said.

"But they **did** become Decepticons," Coln said.

"Yes," Magnus replied. "There were many occasions that we had them in our sights, then they disappeared about the time war finally broke out in earnest. Given how fast they disappeared off the radar, it was then that Sentinel left Cybertron with them because he had been declared dead and had the mourning period in place just before Orion became Prime. It all dovetailed into the other."

"I have no further questions at this time," Coln said as he sat.

Blackstone considered Magnus. "Commander, did you ever see bribes given to either of my clients, or see them give bribes to others?"

"No, not personally," Magnus replied.

"Did they ever speak about any allegiances to the Decepticons as members of the Senate to you personally?"

"No. The most they ever said was to express a sense of admiration for the brutality that Megatron brought to his actions."

"Admiration for someone's actions no matter how abhorrent does not mean collaboration," Blackstone said.

"No, but it makes it easier when they do," Magnus replied.

Blackstone stared at him, weighed the benefit of sparring with Magnus, then sat back. "No more questions."

Magnus stepped down, then walked to Arcee to sit next to her and the others. Jetta was back inside and sat with a dark and emotional expression. :Jetta." He looked at Magnus. :I don't think you need to be here:

:I have to. For everyone who isn't:

The door opened as Neo walked in with a grave expression on her face. She took the stand, the oath then turned toward Coln. She bowed lowly, then waited.

"Neo, you were a member of the Council of Ancients. What can you tell me about the defendants and your personal experiences with them, some of which weren't exactly the most ethically driven," Coln said.

She hung her helm a moment, then turned to Prime. "I was a different femme then. I was unworthy of being allowed to be free. I am grief stricken over it and will give the truth no matter how much it might harm me now. I owe it to The People and to history."

"Neo, you are welcome in our congregation," Prime said in a formal manner. It meant forgiveness was a given and all that mattered was who she was now.

She smiled at him, then bowed low. Turning to Coln, she began. "I was a very wealthy legacy having inherited my positions through family connections. That I was well enough educated and literate to be there on my own is of no consequence. There were others as well and they weren't allowed by caste. Heatout was an outstanding example. I was acquainted with both defendants, though I didn't care much for either. They were grasping, money driven and without conscience. Given that I was no better than them then, I guess one could call into question my remarks. But I swear on the Matrix that my testimony shall be true.

"I witnessed many times when they took bribes to do this or that thing in the Senate. They were among the worst offenders for selling their votes, the two of them and Ratbat. Like the rest of us, they had little concern for The People. Their lives were so remote and removed none of us could imagine them. I didn't. I even demanded the Clampdown be increased in severity as some kind of way to crush opposition to our comfortable paradigm. I never looked, I never questioned, I never opposed. I was a very great fool surrounded by liars, bribe takers and those who didn't love anyone but themselves and their own comforts. You can include me as well.

"I was aware of the shortcuts that Decimus used in creating mines, shortcuts that killed mechs. I was aware of him leaving them in the ground. I was on the Ancients and we concerned ourselves with the Matrix and matters of religion. We didn't have control we would say if asked about the Senate but if we had opposed them we would have changed things. Contrail had open sympathies to the Decepticons and so did Decimus. They were friendly to Megatron's suggestions and desires and didn't oppose them. They did as much as they could to encourage others to, if not join them, then to not be a roadblock to their machinations. Ratbat was working openly around us with Megatron accepting bribes and offers of position in the brave new world that was going to come. I heard him talk about it, friends told me and I heard him myself.

"No one really pretended toward the end. When Sentinel was supposedly murdered I thought that the end was near. What most of us did was prepare our exit." She looked a desolation. "It was so cowardly and wrong. I'm so aggrieved. Ratbat, Decimus and Contrail disappeared before the Matrix chose you, Lord Optimus. We didn't know where they were and we couldn't find them. They were working with Megatron to disable the world for him to conquer. I saw cables to friends who showed them to me, messages that talked about them coming over. They had begun to destabilize Vos and Tarn.

"I know the Senate was frantic to deal with this and to install even more repression. The Council wanted to manipulate the Matrix to help and utilize the AllSpark against the entire spectrum of agitation but I argued strenuously against it. They were holy. They would do what They wanted. Nothing good would come of it. All of it was frantic, then Vos and Tarn obliterated each other. It was as shocking a moment as I can remember." It was silent a moment, then she hung her helm. "We decided to see what could happen with Optimus Prime and if nothing looked good, we would leave the world and find sanctuary somewhere else. Like cowards." She looked at everyone, her anguish clearly seen on her beautiful face. " **We were cowards! We fled! We should have stayed to fight!** But we didn't."

"You saw bribes. You saw the defendants take bribes, heard them talk about their acts of criminality and treason, then?" Coln asked.

She nodded. "I did. They were working hard for Megatron and didn't hide it. I heard their comments and I saw them try to influence others to join them. They took bribes and talked about it openly. They told me that I should join them, that the Matrix was a huge bargaining chip for negotiations. Megatron wanted the AllSpark and the Matrix and there was a lot to be given by helping. I was completely offended." She shook her helm. " **That** offended me. Nothing else but **that**. What a different person I was then."

It was quiet a moment, then Coln sat down. "Neo, tell me what happened when Sentinel Prime was killed."

"I heard about it at my home and called as many as I could to find out information about it. The Matrix was located and brought to the Councilor Chambers. I was frantic to make sure It was safe. We went to the Imperium, all of us and we had a strongly worded conversation with the Senators there. They were going to inter Sentinel without autopsy, something that shocked me. I argued that they had to have one because there would be legitimacy issues if we didn't know what had happened and we also had to know if the Decepticons were responsible.

"They told me I had no jurisdiction over the matter and ordered all of us to leave. We demanded the Matrix and received it. We were prepared to fight them for It. We took It, ascertained It's legitimacy, then left. All was in chaos. Sentinel was taken, I was told, to the Basilica and enclosed in a Primal sarcophagus. Ratchet and Prowl went, I was also told, but were turned away. It was a very unorthodox and unlawful internment. The announcement was made and the mourning ordered, though the situation was by then in terminal velocity. I had no idea that he and some of his cronies had escaped to do whatever it was they were heading out to do." She stood quietly on the stand, looking tiny but determined.

"You can state truthfully that the charges against Decimus and Contrail regarding bribes, corruption, collusion with the enemy, and the other charges including treason are founded? War crimes as well?" Coln asked.

"I can attest to corruption, bribery, collusion with the enemy, the fact that I know that they were in Vos and Tarn fomenting war and causing death and murder on a grand scale during the time in question. I saw the data and I talked to those involved. They desserted to the enemy completely after Optimus Prime ascended to Primeship and worked in concert with Megatron to undermine the government within. All of these things I saw myself because the number of those who could do anything was dwindling and we were among them," she said firmly.

"Very well," Coln said as he sat.

Blackstone stared at Neo who he liked greatly and served with on the Senior Civilian and Autobot Committee. She would be caring for his new grandson when the baby entered school. He and she were friends. "Neo, you were a part of this. How many of those crimes do you personally claim for yourself? I don't ask for prurient interests. I ask because you are a witness in a trial involving my clients."

She stared at him, this friend who was dear to her and understood his predicament and hers. "I claim for myself, Blackstone, a cold spark. I claim indifference to suffering and an intention of coldness that led me to do and assist terrible things which were crimes as well. I did not want the war. I didn't want the end of our world but I was part of what happened to cause it. There are many things that can be laid at my feet. I accept them as my part. If I had been different, I might have been jailed with Jetta and kept my word and my honor for our people, with Heatout and the others. Your bond, even, Barron. I would have shared a cell with Alto but I wasn't that femme. I was something so alien to me now that it feels like two lives were lived in my body. When Primus told me that I was forgiven, it was something I can't explain but it even more made clear to me that no matter what happens to me, I have to tell the truth. If that harms me in the course of trying to be that femme now and forever, then I must endure it."

Blackstone nodded. "I have no other questions for Neo."

She turned to Prime who nodded. She bowed lowly, then stepped down to walk to the door.

"Neo."

She turned to Prime, hesitating by the others in the audience.

"You are **welcome** in the congregation," Prime said. The others, Coln and Blackstone nodded in agreement.

She looked at them with anguish and emotion on her face, then turned to the others, especially Jetta who she loved. He nodded to her as did the others. She felt tears in her optics as she bowed to all of them, her spark filled with emotion. "I am filled with gratitude." Then she walked out the door held open by Springer who nodded to her and it closed silently behind her.

-0-TBC 8-2-18 **edited 8-11-18**


	431. Chapter 431

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 431)

-0-Courtroom

The door opened into the tense quiet room. The petit jury looked solemn and uneasy. Proteus walked in, took the stand and the oath, then mentally geared up to testify. Coln stared at him a moment, a once despised individual who had become a true inspiration for change in his mind. "Welcome, Proteus. We understand the chance you're taking with your anonymity. Thank you."

Proteus nodded. "I owe, Coln. I'm here to speak the truth."

Coln-2 nodded. "I would like you to tell us about yourself, your relationships with the defendants and anything you can tell us about the charges we're discussing now."

Proteus nodded. "I'm Proteus of Iacon, a Senator, and I will tell you things that I've never told anyone, things that will help this world understand not just these individuals but me, too, and what we have done. I'm guilty of many terrible things and I kept quiet many more. When Optimus Prime gave me another chance, I was overcome. During my incarceration in the prison, I came to understand what a futile life I had led, that the burden of what happened is a portion of my personal responsibility and that I was ready to face whatever punishment Lord Optimus could give me for what I'd done. I never in my wildest dreams understood that I could have another chance. I had never in my life seen such quality or grace as that moment when he gave me that chance to change and redeem myself. I'm finally the father of a son. My bond has come out of a terrible oppressive depression caused by me and I dedicate my life to them and our people in sheer sorrow and gratitude.

"I was so powerful in the Senate that I could make things happen by just saying so. I made coalitions to ensure that our caste's personal wealth and comfort was never overtaken by the needs of others. When Sentinel was Major, I bribed him and controlled him as head of security for Cybertron and the Empire, ensuring that what I needed and wanted came first." He paused to reflect with a sorrowful expression. "I shall continue. When Shockwave was a senator, before empurata and shadow play, during the time he acted on his conscience and hid dissident scientists … he railed against the treatment of what we all called 'the disposable classes'. I never listened and I actually thought him a traitor to our class because he cared about others and I didn't.

"I don't think I was capable of caring then. I had many chances to do the right thing and I never took them. I'm not sure I recognized them as such so deeply was I embedded in my own point of view. It was just the thing our family did. You were born, you grew up in privilege, you worked to keep it, and hang everything else. Anyone who didn't support that, especially those of our caste who didn't, **they** were the ones who were despicable. Not us who tore the world in two." He was silent a moment. "Poor Shockwave. I wish you could have known him before he was changed. He was such a good mech, a sincerely good mech who risked everything for the good of others regardless of caste." It was silent a moment, then he continued. "I … I'm going to say things that are terrible, Lord Optimus. I'm willing to do so because it's time and they're my responsibility. If it means that I pay a price for revealing them, then I bow to that inevitability."

It was leaden in the room as everyone watched with intense emotions. Ironhide gripped Ratchet's servo.

"I was the one who formed a group to try to take the Matrix for our own." A murmur filled the room, then subsided. Proteus looked almost relieved. "I never expected to tell that and all that I'm going to say but its true and I'm willing to pay a price for it if you wish. I have to clear my spark. It cleanses me, oddly enough, to tell such things out loud." He thought a moment, then stood straighter, resolved with the moment. "We wanted the Matrix for our own purposes, an act of blasphemy at the least and insanity at the most. Do you know what it means to be religious and go through the motions of religion without absorbing the meanings? It was a rote thing, my beliefs. I attended all the orns at Temple, I observed the Festivals when they were there, I made my duties to the shrines. I made all the appropriate gestures and mentions but they didn't reach my spark. Nothing did. I was dead inside and didn't know it.

"I … I helped Sentinel create a fake assassination attempt on Nominus so we could retrieve the Matrix when he was in the hospital before the Council of Ancients or even the Elders could. Everyone was rushing to get the Matrix. Some of them even cared about Its sovereignty. Neo did. I wanted It for my own purposes. I cannot tell you what a shock it was that it was fake." He grinned slightly. "It's rather humorous now. All of us 'smart' mechs working out a plan only to find out that Nominus had a fake Matrix. Where It was when we discovered this, we didn't know until later.

"We didn't know, you see. We were all there when a mech mocked Nominus and the Matrix once at a social gathering and he burned up for it. I remember looking at Nominus who was … he was amused in a way hard to explain … sort of a 'ha-ha, fool' sort of manner. Nominus was a lot of things, most of them terrible, but he was **terribly** religious. It meant a lot to him to bear the Matrix but I think even he knew It wasn't the real one. Certainly at the end when Sentinel killed him in the hospital he had to have known. Sentinel told me he did.

"The real Matrix struck out at the one who mocked It from where It was hidden away. It struck him down in front of Nominus and all of us. I believe It was sending a message none of us could understand. I believe that It also shows how It cannot be manipulated by anyone even from a distance. It made an impression on all of us, but not really for the good. We actually thought we still could take It to use for our own projects like the simpletons we were," he said bitterly.

It was silent a moment. "The Matrix was hiding in Its Chamber in the Council of the Ancients Hall in the Imperium. That is to say, no one had the real one but the Matrix Itself. It had returned to Its chamber in the Hall and was there all along while the fake one was being manhandled by all of us. The whole focus had been on Nominus but when they went back in a turmoil that It might be lost, It was there hiding in plain site. I think It came back to view when Nominus died, waiting for you to come some fine orn, Lord Optimus. It knows how to protect Itself against manipulation, though at the time I didn't fully realize that. Now, I see what a colossal fool I was to think I could take It and do anything with It that wasn't honorable." He vented a sigh.

"There was a meeting at the Council among us, a rip roaring free-for-all and the end result was Sentinel Major becoming Prime. It was odd to me now that the Matrix allowed it but then, It was waiting for you," he said as he glanced at Prime.

"We held an emergency meeting of the steering committee of the Senate and discussed the Clampdown to follow so we could capitalize on the murder of Nominus. Ratbat, Contrail and Decimus were part of that committee along with Sentinel. We discussed it, feeling it would be a good way to stamp out opposition at all costs. We took freedom from The People, what few we allowed, and used it like a hammer. That's the first time I was there when you came to protest, Lord Optimus. A big youngling mech named Orion Pax interrupted us when he came through the doors, tossing guards aside. You railed at us to do the right thing, to ease up on The People and help them they were so dire. You said tightening the screws would be the worst possible course of action to take given how the Decepticons were making their way into the general population with their alternate views and plans and co-opting the peace movement with their lies. I will never forget it, though I did not catch your name at the time.

"I actually asked Sentinel to toss you out. You were dragged out. When I think of it now, you risked your life at that moment for everyone. It was one of the bravest things I could imagine doing to challenge us in our den of iniquity all alone. It's an image that I still carry in my memory. I didn't know your name or you would have been in a world of trouble, Lord Optimus. From there, the Clampdown happened, we never relented, it all was horrible. I don't know how much you knew about all of this. I know it was all a big mystery even now. I should have told of it sooner. I was just … just a coward. I'm happy now with my bond and son. I didn't know what happiness was until now. I'm a coward and a criminal."

"I knew about Nominus and Sentinel," Optimus said quietly.

Proteus turned to him, staring with surprise. "You did?"

Prime nodded. "I was told by Shockwave. He said you were the mastermind. I didn't have hard proof. I do now."

"But you gave me a chance," Proteus said. "Even though you knew?"

Prime nodded. "I know a lot of things, Proteus. I bear the greatest Matrix of them all. I never make an important decision without some level of buy in from It. It will never go along with anything that isn't honorable and just. I knew your spark was ready to change and prison would not have helped it along. Please continue."

Proteus looked at him a moment in despair and awe, then turned to Coln again. "There was a deeply embedded relationship between media, business and government. All of the independent media was curtailed by laws implemented to have the public believe what we wanted, lies and propaganda. Everyone was taking bribes from everyone. Me, Decimus, Contrail, Sentinel ... everyone. I don't believe Neo was. The Council of Ancients and Elders didn't. I remember thinking ..." He hung his helm in shame. "I remember thinking that there would be more for us."

"You're aware of the indictments, Proteus. What can you tell us about them relating to these two?" Coln asked.

He thought a moment. "I remember that after the ascension of Lord Optimus, Contrail and Ratbat didn't pretend to hide their real affections. They told us that Megatron would win and real power was with him. They tried to get us to cross over. I hated Megatron. It would never happen with me and most of the others. They both said they were leaving to assist him in a project. I asked what it was and they didn't tell me. Ratbat smirked. He said, 'Watch the news from Tarn and Vos.' Then they left. I never saw them again until three orns later Tarn and Vos fired on each other and the two cities fell to Megatron. By then, we were preparing to leave with Sentinel for his plan to repair and reclaim Cybertron from the inevitability of the Fall. We were supposed to be gone only a few decaorns.

"They didn't pay taxes. None of us did. They hid money and laundered their bribes through dummy companies. All of us did. They both profited off the war, especially Decimus because energon was critical. We knew that he did it without concern for the harm he caused. All of us did. Bribery was a way of life, stealing the public's property through laws designed to let corporations take businesses ... I'm aware that it harmed Springer and Ratchet's families. I won't live long enough to apologize."

He looked at both of them with sorrow on his face. "The Senate was a criminal organization that abandoned the public trust to enrich ourselves and keep the System of Exception in place, utilizing despised Functionalism to ensure we would come first. Our actions constituted war crimes, some of us more visibly like Contrail and Ratbat, some stupidly like Decimus. Some of us were more subtle. Those who died are weighed against us in future when we go to the Matrix.

"It was indeed murder and homicide of all manner. It weighs on me like the world. We all desserted our posts in a time of great controversy and war, just like you said, Prowl, and we committed treason when we did. All of us. I'm here to ensure that a payment no matter how small is made even if it includes me. I didn't tell you everything, Lord Optimus. I was too ashamed and afraid."

"I know," Optimus said quietly. "The Matrix filled me in."

Proteus whirled upon Prime, staring at him with astonishment. **"YOU KNEW! YOU LET ME HAVE A CHANCE EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW THE BURDEN AND MASS OF MY CRIMES!?"**

Prime nodded. "I did. In consultation with the Matrix. You were confronted by the Pantheon in the last trial with special circumstances. If They did not feel you would become the new mech you have, if They did not feel that a balance has been achieved in some way amenable to Them, that you did not mean what you said ... you would not be here."

Proteus stared at Prime, shaking slightly with emotion and surprise. "Lord Optimus ... I'm **ready** to pay for my part. I can't bear it anymore. I'll tell the truth wherever it goes."

"I know that," Prime said with a nod. "So does the Pantheon and the Matrix. It **is** possible to change, to feel genuine remorse and to work for the betterment of all of us. The Powers have weighed in. I agree with them and so does the Matrix."

Proteus stared at him, then turned toward the others. "Ratchet ... I'm sorry ... so terribly sorry for what I did and had a part in. There are no words. I harmed you and Springer's family. I wish to beg you to forgive me if you can. I would like you at some time whenever you wish to think about it even if you never do. Maybe eons from now when I show you how sorry I am you will believe me. It's so small. The words are so small."

Ratchet stared at him, reading his aura, then nodded. "Not to me, Proteus."

He stepped slightly forward, reaching for Ratchet as if he could embrace him, then turned to Springer. He dropped to his knees. "You don't have to do it, Springer. But I beg you to forgive me someday."

Springer stared at him, the architect of his family's suffering. "I ... maybe, Proteus. Because you asked. But I don't think I can now."

Proteus nodded, then rose. "Because you might think about it, I'm gladdened." He turned to Prime, then stepped up again. Straightening, gathering his emotions, he nodded to Coln. "Ask me anything you wish to know."

Coln did. The damning trail of suffering, meanness and duplicity was laid out. Then he rested his questions of Proteus. That mech was oddly composed, his optics staring at the floor between questions. It was obvious he was haggard from the experience.

Ratchet glanced at Springer. The big youngster was conflicted. This was terrible to him, the harm befallen to his beloved family, but he liked Proteus. Maybe in time, Ratchet that. He, himself was still shimmering with emotions over things that he had already guessed were true. But he, like Prime was a believer in redemption and the second chance and he couldn't and wouldn't change now.

Coln sat. "I am through as of now, Lord Optimus, with this witness. I reserve the right to more questions at a later time."

Prime nodded. "Blackstone, do you have questions?"

Blackstone nodded as he stared at Proteus. "Proteus, you've laid out a damning trail of betrayal, lies, criminality, murder, bribery, treason, and general malaise in which nothing was sacred."

Proteus nodded. "I know."

"We have one testimony of direct evidentiary experience with these allegations from you. You **do** know that one testimony is usually not enough to find guilt beyond a reasonable without corroboration. We would also have to call into question your testimony as a participant. Part of telling and accepting commentary relating to the truth from someone is to be able to believe them and respect their integrity. You have shown none whatsoever in your testimony," Blackstone said. "Why should we believe anything you say now as truth when its clear you were as bad if not worse than my clients are alleged to be?"

Proteus thought about that. "Because I have nothing to gain and everything to lose. I was anonymous before this and now I'm not. I was prepared to pay a legal penalty for my testimony and had no idea that the Prime would continue to be so merciful. I came here to do what I had to do to make the truth clear. You're right about me before. I had no integrity, no honor and no ethics. I'm striving every orn to find and hold them to my spark now."

"I'm going to have to impeach this witness, Lord Optimus. I'm asking that his testimony be given less weight, if any at all,given that there's no solid evidence to support it nor more witnesses to events he alleges. He's admitting his participation in crimes and thereby, he has no pass from me. Mechs lives hang on his word even though the Pantheon has weighed in on mercy. I cannot expect that what was granted to him will be granted to my clients.

"I'm asking that he be impeached and held hostile including his testimony," Blackstone said. "It's evident that the acts committed by the witness reach the level of severity that my clients are accused. His truthfulness and character are a part of his credibility and therefore, I wish this witness to be impeached on his lack of credibility due to his admission of being as guilty of the charges my clients face. This is one of the most significant trials ever held about the past and I believe it takes more than a single witness with hands as dirty as his to make allegations that have credibility. I would like any testimony taken to be stricken. If not stricken, then weighted to show the source."

Prime considered that, then turned to Semi and No-a. Barron waded in as well for the conversation as Blackstone stared at the tabletop where he sat. He felt like a rag over the move but he had few to use in this, a case as clear cut as any he ever tried. As he did, the room froze into place. Prime glanced around, then looked at the jury box. Sitting there were half a dozen of the Pantheon.

Solus grinned. "Hello, brother. Interesting case, I see."

"It is, Lady," Optimus replied. Glancing around, everyone was stilled like images on 3-D pictures.

"We are watching. It is intriguing and I have to say, Proteus has more character than I ever believed possible," Quintus said.

"Its rather time, brother," Onyx said. He looked at Prime. "He has got a point. Blackstone is having a hard time with this. He's rather a wonderfully kind individual. Hence, he defends."

"He is a remarkable mech. He suffered much at their hands but he still works for the truth and to give everyone, even them a chance," Optimus said.

"Sentinel follows this right away, correct? Will the same petit jury sit for him?" Solomus asked.

Prime nodded. "I want to give the verdicts at the same time. If You weigh in, I want it to be complete. I see no good point of extending the suffering and nothing good comes out of drawing this out."

"That is true. Its long overdue," Micronus said. "We are attending this closely and will weigh all of it. Do not think that this is your project alone. We all are attending to the atrocities against Primus. As for Proteus, The One and Primus have reached the outcome of his life together. They believe in redemption nearly as much as you do," he said with a chuckle as the room shifted and everyone was back.

No one noticed that anything had happened. Optimus glanced at Blackstone and two nervous mechs sitting with him and his team. "Blackstone, I am giving Coln-2 the opportunity to corroborate this testimony with other witnesses and written evidence. If that can be done, I will weight it accordingly. If not, then I will also take that into account. I am loathe to declare this witness impeached. I put the burden of corroboration on you, Coln-2. Those charged are to be considered innocent until proven guilty by a reasonable doubt. That is your burden, Coln-2." He looked at Proteus. "Your testimony is very intriguing, Proteus, but the prosecution has the burden of proof."

Proteus nodded. "I understand," he said.

"Blackstone? Continue," Prime said.

"I have no further questions at this time, Lord Optimus. I reserve the right to call him again at a future point," Blackstone said.

"You may go, Proteus," Prime said. Prime sent him a text as he walked to the door to step outside.

Proteus read it in the hallway, then ran for his home as fast as he could.

-0-Moments later

He burst through the door of his apartment glancing around hurriedly. Madura who was pacing with their son, startled. "Proteus. What happened? Did you ... is it alright?"

Proteus smiled like the sun. He walked to his bond and wrapped both of them in his arms. "There has never been a moment in my life, Maddie, that was ever better than this one." he said.

The message that Prime had sent him was a very simple declaration ...

:You are **welcome** in the congregation, Proteus of Iacon:

TBC 8-1-18 **edited 8-3-18**

Evidentiary: (ev-ih-den-tee-airy) dealing with evidence or truth

corroboration: (corr-ob-oh-ray-shun) something that backs something up.


	432. Chapter 432

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 432)

-0-Courtroom

They came one after the other telling tales of greed, hatred, criminality, and malicious indifference. They told of their incarcerations, their mistreatment and the loss of their businesses and homes. They told of family and friends disappearing, of knocks on doors in the night. They told of guilt by association. A long line of witnesses stood in the stand and told their tales, some of them coldly, some with anger and some with wild emotion. They spoke of the Clampdown, of laws past that were oppressive, of family, friends and even towns lost to the machinations of the government and the two defendants. Some even spoke of personal encounters with them. It was then that Ratchet saw the door open and his genitors walk in. They hesitated as a surprised Springer whispered to them. Nodding, they walked toward Ratchet and sat down next to him. Ratchet stared at them in surprise. :What are you doing here?:

:We came to testify: Tie Down said as Ravel nodded.

:You didn't say a word: Ratchet said.

:We didn't want to worry you: Ravel said.

"I would like to call Tie Down of Iacon to the stand," Coln then said.

All of them sitting on the bench stared at him, then Tie Down stood. He squeezed Ravel's servo, then walked to the stand to take the oath and face whatever came. Ratchet watched him with a feeling of overwhelming pride and a need to obliterate everyone in the room if they so much as frowned at his little dad.

"Tie Down of Iacon, please tell us about yourself and your business," Coln asked gently.

He was nervous but determined as he complied. "I am Tie Down of Iacon. I lived in the Jumble with my bond, Ravel of Iacon and our only son, Ratchet. We were low caste and worked hard. We managed to figure out how to make tools in a different way, swords, knives, anything made of metal. We had a knack for it so we began a little shop called RTR Tools. 'Ravel, Tie Down and Ratchet'. It was small but we made our tools and managed to grow the shop. It wasn't big but it was artisan and highly respected. I say so because everyone said so, not because I'm a braggart," he said quietly.

Coln grinned slightly. "We know, Tie," he replied.

"We began to get clients and had a lot of different groups interested in our business though we never sought them out. We kept it to ourselves, turning away investors because we wanted to leave this for our son. We wanted our Ratchet to have a way out of poverty and if there were others involved, they might trick us. We provided for our baby and helped our genitors. Our elders were very smart and capable but they didn't get the living that they deserved. You **do** know that wages were set by the Senate with their wage and price control law and they weren't very generous."

"It was well known, Tie Down, that you and your business created the best tools, dies, weapons, knives, and other ornaments possibly ever manufactured by Cybertronians. Your processes were your own, correct?" Coln asked. He, himself now possessed a dagger of stunning quality that matched one his great grandfather had once owned down to the etching on its luminous blade. Whenever he touched it, the blade felt alive. No one in the room was unaware of RTR Tools.

He nodded. "When the law was passed in the Senate that allowed corporations and huge businesses to steal smaller ones, Galaxy Industries who jumped on us right away demanded our processes and formulas. We didn't give them and Larken even threatened us with jail. You see," he said leaning forward slightly, "we make them old school. It's not just formulas and processes. You have to add the prayers and chants as well, asking Solus to make them holy so who has them is safer. You have to make them in the right order and put things in that only we know, the two of us and Ratchet, our son. We make them but They help us." He leaned slightly forward. "The Pantheon."

"The Pantheon?" Coln asked.

Tie nodded. "Yes. I made a knife for you, Coln-2. Did you notice the quality and the etchings?"

"I do," Coln said. "My great grandfather had one just like it from your shop. I treasure this one."

Tie nodded. "It was made with help from somewhere else. Up there," he said pointing toward the ceiling. "Our swords come to their conclusion with sentience. So does everything we make. Everything. Circle kids come for their first sword or a Knight will come and ask for a specific kind. We make them, then The Process must be undertaken if they're to go home with the one we make them for. Sometimes they won't because the recipient isn't honorable enough."

"What is The Process?" Coln asked.

"We let the sword decide if they will become the partner of the bearer. We do that with all our manufactures. The sword will decide. So will the other things. We create a partnership between object and bearer. Sometimes they won't accept the bearer and its a big wake up call when it happens. It will shock the bearer if they try to take them away and they don't want to go. If Galaxy had our formulas, they couldn't create the things we manufacture. It took them forever to understand that because they're greedy and mean but they finally did. They wanted us to teach it but they came to understand, finally, that you're **born** to do this. It **chooses** you. We can't teach those who aren't predisposed to understand. Our son did. He's a magnificent metallurgist. I think everyone forgets that. Ratchet can make as fine a sword as you can find and the Pantheon helps him. You see, we revere Solus Prime. She's our patron for our profession."

They listened to him, this guileless and kindly individual with a gift. He was the soul of their people. He was everyone else, everywhere. Coln listened. "Tie Down, what happened with Galaxy Industries?"

Tie frowned slightly. "The Senate passed a law that big industries could take over smaller ones and include them into their business without their consent or compensation and there was nothing we could do about it. One morning, they came. They told me that they were taking us over and that we would receive a small wage. We were to turn over our processes because they now belonged to them. I was so surprised. My Ravel, he cried for orns and orns. We could do nothing about it. They said it was to 'preserve and grow unique artisan talents' like ours for the good of the Empire. I tell you, Mr. Coln, it was **stealing.** They stole our business and our little mech's future. I will **never** forgive them."

"What happened to your income?" Coln asked.

"We lost 95% of it. We were saving to start another business, one for our genitors to become independent construction contractors. They were amazing electricians and steelworkers. We were saving for that and it was taken away. My ada never recovered from it. She was always railing against the system, taking chances to keep someone safe or free of this but there was no freedom. It was taken away, what little we had, and a lot of us lost our dreams. They made everyone believe that our works were their ideas and formulas. No one can now or could then do what we do. They condemned us to hunger and poverty. We had to make things for others and none of the benefit was ours. Our dream for our little mech was destroyed." Tie glanced at a pensive Ravel and Ratchet. They sat together holding servos. "My genitors and Ravel's suffered as well. They were gentle and good. They **are** gentle and good. It breaks your spark, Coln, the things these two mechs and the others did. Chan and Corr have never rebounded. They were broken by this. Why would they steal our business and say they created it themselves?"

"I don't know," Coln said. "Now? What is it like now, Tie Down?"

He smiled. "It's everything. We scrimped along to get Ratchet through the schools we could find and he was given a full scholarship to medical school. Our little mech graduated first in his class from the University," he said proudly as Ravel nodded. "He had a terrible time. The high castes treated him terribly but he persisted because he has a gift. He's a great doctor. We work here in our own business doing what we do for ourselves and our family. We're showing the babies how this works. Our genitors are here and they're going to the University. They're very smart and doing so well." He grinned, then continued. "We have our little babies, our grandchildren, our son-in-law, Ironhide, his family … this is the Matrix for us." He thought a moment. "It could have been like this on Cybertron but they wouldn't let it." He looked at Contrail and Decimus. "I feel very badly for both of you. I would rather be dead than be you."

"Thank you, Tie Down," Coln said as he sat.

"No questions," Blackstone said.

Tie Down stepped down and Ravel stepped up, his nervous son watching with clenched fists from nearby. He took the oath, then nervously turned toward Coln.

"Ravel, thank you. Do you remember ever seeing either of the defendants before in person before today?" Coln asked.

Ravel glanced at them, then turned more fully toward Coln. "Yes, Mr. Coln. I saw Decimus come into the shop with his son, then Contrail came in once with Ratbat. Tie Down wasn't there. I was alone at the time. I was shocked both times to see them." He stepped closer to Prime. "I was afraid of Contrail and Ratbat."

"Why?" Coln asked.

"Ratbat is so rude. He acts like he wants to kill you. Contrail was rude. He was also mean. He wanted to take things without paying for them. I was afraid he would hit me." Ravel frowned. "Ratbat was low caste and Contrail, too, yet they acted like they were Primes. They should have known better being they were low caste. You should have **KNOWN** better than to treat other low castes so badly. I believe you did but you didn't care. Either of you. They were no higher than me. They were promoted because everyone wanted mini-con and Seeker representatives but they acted like they were legacies." He glanced at them with a frown, then moved closer to Optimus. "Awful and mean with no manners."

Ratchet watched him with a bursting spark. This was almost unheard of, his little ada speaking up so bravely. He wanted to sing to the gods with pride and love. Ironhide squeezed Ratchet's servo. Ratchet squeezed back.

"Did they take things without paying for them, Ravel?" Coln asked.

"They did. Contrail took a tool kit. I told them not to and threatened to tell the authorities. They laughed. They said they **were** the authorities. I didn't allow them to take weapons. The swords would reject them because they were holy, I tell you. Ratbat took one into hand and said it would be going with him. It sparked him. It sparked hard and he dropped it. I told them none of the things we make are just 'things'. They were all sentient. Contrail took a tool kit and they left. We were made to pay for the tool kit ourselves. We told the Galaxy agent who came by for our sales that Contrail stole the kit and he said it didn't matter. He had to make the books balance. He couldn't help us because he was a slave, too. We suffered a long time paying off the tool kit." He frowned at the pair, staring at them without flinching.

"What about Galaxy?" Coln asked.

"They always sent their agent. He was low caste and hated what he did but he had a family to feed as well so he did what he did. They always wanted more. They always took our beautiful things away," Ravel said. "They even ended up in museums and shows with their names on it like they made them. They were very great liars and thieves in my experience." He shook his head. "They were so cruel. They seemed to go out of their way to be cruel and mean. They stole everything they could from everyone. I know some who refused to make their beautiful things any longer because they didn't want them stolen. They did other jobs and skills weren't acted upon. Some of these individuals were making things that are now lost. They harmed our culture and our ability to do beautiful things from their greed and hatred. When the law was passed it was very hard. Contrail and Decimus voted for it. They voted to legalize theft. It was stealing but they didn't care did you," Ravel said to both as he placed his servo on Prime's arm.

Prime felt Ravel's grief, his anger and fear. He pulsed warmth to the little mech who glanced at him, then nodded his helm in respect. "We did our best, Lord Optimus. It was never going to be good enough to give our genitors and son the life they deserved. These two are part of the group that made that possible."

"I have no more questions," Coln said as he sat. "Thank you, Ravel."

"No questions," Blackstone said.

Ravel hesitated, then bowed to Prime. He walked to Tie Down and sat. Ratchet slid his arm around both of them and pulled them closer. Several more witnesses of this type were heard, then Coln closed his case. "I rest my case, Lord Optimus," he said as he sat down.

Prime nodded, then glanced at Blackstone. "Blackstone, please begin."

Blackstone arose, then bowed to Prime. "Thank you, Lord Optimus. I call to the stand Jarro."

Springer opened the door, leaned out, then stepped back as Jarro entered. He was a tall mech with a beautiful paint scheme. He walked to the stand, took the oath, then turned to Blackstone. Blackstone glanced up from his datapad. "Jarro, thank you. I would like you to tell us about the defendants, their personality and mental condition, the events that perhaps shaped their worldview, and what motivates them. It would be very helpful to discuss the underlying guidance systems, if you will, of these individuals in light of all that has transpired."

"I would be delighted. First of all, my colleagues and I had a terrible time getting cooperation from either of them. Until the actual date of this trial and its special circumstances was announced to them, they were resisting any semblance of cooperation. Until the possibility of the Pantheon weighing in was explained to them they seemed indifferent to the dangers they were facing. As it was, they cooperated enough that after that my colleagues and I could administer testing and interviews that could give us a good window into them and their thinking. I will start with Decimus first.

"The interviews were difficult but they got easier the closer this orn came. Decimus had the usual high caste upbringing of great wealth, education and opportunity. He was a legacy in relation to the Senate and inherited the seat from his family who held it from the times of the Quintessans. They were functionaries in that administration and remained there through the Functionalist Tyranny up to The Fall. His family garnered influence in the energy business and cornered control of it early on. It brought almost unspeakable wealth and along with that, privilege and a sense of entitlement.

"After a lot of work, interviews and testing, we have come to the conclusion that Decimus, and Contrail as well suffer from anti-social personality disorder with a possibility of traits of dissocial personality disorder. I would also state that both of them exhibit psychopathic personalities. I will outline them for you now … first and foremost, they're callous about the feelings and well being of others. They exhibit intense indifference to the suffering of others, a trait that's declarative of this personality type. Other indications are glibness, superficial charm, grandiosity … enormous egotism that may not be supported by evidence. Decimus in particular possesses this trait to a great degree. His sense of his own superiority is extreme.

"Pathological lying, a sense of cunning and manipulation, poor behavior controls, a lack of remorse or sense of guilt over what they've both done and contributed toward, and shallow affect … the most shallow and superficial emotional response to great catastrophe or suffering are strong features of both. They have no ability to regret what they're charged with nor do they care that bad things happened to others because of what they did or contributed toward. They aren't capable of it. Their processors are silent in those areas when tested. It's also a factor in their disorder to blame others first even though it shows an extreme callousness or disallows the facts. Blaming a person for being killed by your own gun, saying that they made you do it or its somehow their fault is an example of this kind of thinking. They both have it in large quantities.

"Their greed and the idea that the resources of our people were theirs for the taking is part of the parasitic lifestyle portion of this condition. All things were theirs and if someone let them take it, well, too bad for them. They have poor impulse control, thus they did things that defy logic, such the laws and actions that contributed to The Fall. To tighten the screws of the Clampdown during the unrest in some idea that it would halt the protests was an example of the inability they both possess to understand how anyone else would react or feel under oppressive conditions.

"They're irresponsible in the extreme, do not take responsibility for their actions … everyone else is at fault, not them, are versatile in the types and kinds of criminal activity they willingly participate in, they have no fear whatsoever of what might happen … fear is not a part of their emotional vocabulary, have no concept of the needs of others and frankly, are blindly living their life in a dangerous, egomaniacal and parasitic manner among everyone else. When you have this many personalities in the government, media and business competing together it's no surprise that Cybertron fell given that this was the dominate personality type in control at the time."

"Those are serious attributes for a serious condition," Blackstone said.

Jarro nodded. "They are. Psychopathic personalities are dangerous and suffer from serious conceptual failures. Understand, not all psychopaths are killers, but most remorseless killers are psychopaths. They were the majority in charge during the downfall and thus, it should surprise no one that given complete control of the levers of power, this should have happened. Their desires trumped the reality of what they did so they marched onward off the cliff." Jarro consulted his datapad. "Each question on the profile scores either 0, 1 or 2. Zero means none, one means maybe and two means yes. Given that there are 20 concepts and behaviors tested, the normal non-psychopathic individual usually scores under 5 with 0 meaning you have none of them. You can score 22 or less if you're a non-psychopathic criminal and not meet the data for the condition. A person scoring at least 30 identifies as a possible psychopath. Anyone above that presents psychopathic."

"What were their scores when you finished your testing and interviews, Jarro?" Blackstone asked.

"Both of them scored 40. Forty is the highest score possible. Both of these individuals are psychopaths with anti-social personality disorder. They are extreme examples of both," Jarro said.

It was silent a moment. Then Blackstone spoke again. "Tell me, Jarro, about the culpability of someone suffering this mind and behavioral set. How do you become such a person?"

Jarro thought a moment. "We're not completely certain, but its probably a combination of nature and nurture. Some of it comes to you in your CNA and some through the circumstances of your life. Consider how many individuals just testified who had terrible lives. There were no types we have under discussion here that I could see in them superficially as they testified. Those individuals tend to support my assumption that your CNA is a big determinant of what you become. Add how you live and are raised and that will magnify what you already have. I'm leaning toward that as a framework for how this works.

"Then one must consider the fact that Seekers were considered even lower on the social scale than low castes themselves so Contrail could have that as a factor of his behavior, the treatment he received as one. We must consider that as well," Jarro said.

"Then having a terrible life isn't the sole determinant of what you become," Blackstone said.

"No. It's part of it. I think circumstances can exacerbate things but understand, you're born with this potential. You can treat these people and they can change even if the dead issues as I like to think of them, core values like empathy and concern for others never come to be part of the patient's personality. These are very dangerous people because too many of them attain power and create chaos. You find a lot of them in the entertainment, business, media, and political fields. They gravitate toward positions that feed their ego, allow them to act out however they feel and to be powerful. The entitlement they feel is colossal. Absolutely colossal."

"How much control do they have over what they do? If this is a mental condition, then what part of this is beyond their ability to control?" Blackstone asked.

It was deeply, deeply quiet and tense in the room. Then Jarro shifted. "Ah, that's the rub isn't it."

-0-TBC 8-5-18 **edited 8-12-18**

ESL

exacerbate: to make worse


	433. Chapter 433

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 433)

-0-Courtroom

It was silent as Jarro thought. "For most of our existence, psychopathy wasn't a defense. Given that our leadership and many of the judges and prosecutors could be considered psychopaths to support and assist the system like they did, there was no one willing to really listen to arguments, especially from someone like me. They had a job to do and that was to crush the opposition, hang what the law said. Just identifying someone as such was enough to get a longer sentence if they were convicted of their crime for the possibility that they would re-offend. Some judges did give a hard look at the notion that an offender wasn't in control or had no sense of their behavior and how it affected others. Some like these two have absolutely no clue how they present and how it affects others. In fact, I'd say they have no idea that others are worth having feelings about. Neither of them were very good with romantic entanglements either, the deepest and most intimate relationship a person can have. Decimus has a terrible bond relationship and Contrail never bonded. Having poor relationships all around is also a feature of psychopathy. I would include subgroups that you belong to like mini-cons for Ratbat and Seekers like Contrail. They could care less about their own. They have theirs. To the Pit with everyone else.

"I **would** say … there's culpability if there is the ability to have moral reasoning. In my opinion, if you can see that it offends and thereby adjust yourself to fit the circumstances better, even though it doesn't make someone else safer or acknowledged but rather you more positioned to do what you want, then you're responsible. The ability to reason out what you're doing and adjusting your actions suggests that an individual is self aware of the intentions and outcomes of their behavior and thereby, morally responsible. Understand, most psychopaths do what they do for own their reasons and gratification. It's a mentally defective condition and the hardest part is to psych out their focus, their intentions and their danger to others.

"It's my carefully considered opinion that these two are so oblivious to the sense, if that's the word I want to use, to the sense of others that they aren't **completely** responsible for what they did or will do in future. Consider the lack of moral understanding and empathy that would allow you to believe goading two city-states into obliterating each other has a purpose, any kind of one? That's deeply held, deeply felt moral oblivion. Given that being said, these two are a very clear and present danger to all and everywhere. They do **not** deserve to be freed no matter their sentence because they **will** do it again. They will not at this point, without intensive long term treatment be safe to go about their business. Even then, given the depth of the sociopathy, I don't think they can be treated to a good and safe outcome. They owe a certain portion of themselves to the deeds they did but they also are more incapable than capable of understanding their crimes and debt to others. They're **extremely,** and let me emphasize that … **extremely** dangerous individuals."

Blackstone nodded. "Then you believe that they're impaired and not fully cognizant of their actions, deeds and thoughts."

"Yes," Jarro said. "I do. That is a component of their actions, beliefs and behaviors. It's our combined conclusion for them."

"Thank you, Jarro." Blackstone sat, then glanced at Coln. "Your turn, Colie."

Coln felt the ghost of a grin, then stood. "Jarro, you stated that these are extremely dangerous individuals. You don't see them in society again, do you?"

Jarro thought a moment. "I would give a lot to treat them but for now, they'd be intensely dangerous to anyone and everyone if free. So long term? No. Not now."

"What's the likelihood that they'd be safe to return to society after counseling and what would that be like?" Coln asked.

"It would take eons. Literally eons. It would take counseling every orn for forever and ever. It took this long to get what we did get from them. Ratbat and Sentinel were no better. Some can be treated but almost none of them fill the missing parts with normal emotions and reactions. You can train some to understand and be vigilant about their behavior and its effect on others but you can't load them up with empathy when they never had it and never will. We're dealing with programming here, Coln. Deep, deep rooted programming. You can't put back into the jar what was never there."

"At best, you're looking at long term incarceration and treatment?" Coln asked.

Jarro nodded. "Yes. Very long term."

Coln sat. "Thank you, Jarro."

It was silent, then Blackstone rested his case. The two with him were steaming but held their silence.

Optimus glanced at both counsels. "Then are we ready for closing arguments?" They were. "Please state the state's case, Coln-2."

Coln rose then glanced around the room at all the pensive bots sitting in the audience listening. "I believe that the state's case is affirmative and complete. The suffering these two caused destroyed a world. They're part of the architecture of the deaths of more than a billion individuals that we're aware of. There could be and most likely are more. All the suffering of the Diaspora is theirs as well. They did what they did for purely selfish gain and ego gratification. There was no other reason.

"They murdered and allowed deaths that are mourned by their families to this orn. Our world is in ruins and they took their responsibility to the whole and sold it to Megatron. They were traitors to their responsibilities, their world and their gods. When the Book of Traitors is written some orn, they will be multiple chapters in the book. They helped the worst villain in our history to destroy all of us for personal gain. I don't really believe that their condition warrants much mercy. The depth and breadth of their crimes are too vast. They didn't even fear Primus and The One.

"We're here discussing this for the dead. We're here for the rule of law and common decency. For all the dead that watch us from the Matrix, I ask the court to find them guilty and make the punishment count. I pray that they never see a free orn again. For the sake of those who aren't here, I plead that the punishment fits the crime. Thank you." He sat down wearily.

"Blackstone," Optimus said.

Blackstone rose. "I'm pleading for the lives of my clients. I realize the scope and extent of their crimes. I, myself was a prisoner of the Clampdown and suffered as did Coln-2. Few of us got away unscathed and their thinking made our misery possible. But we also have to understand that an impaired processor can't make good decisions or feel empathy for others. The degree of crimes committed should tell us that they don't have a normal processor or spark. I'm asking for these two to have a chance to learn why and how they came to be. I would like us to have the capacity to look at those who are impaired and see the need for assistance and not vengeance.

"Vengeance is easier, Lord Optimus. It's the easiest impulse of all, the lowest form of morality that there is. What is Pantheonic, what is the highest order of all is mercy. I'm asking for incarceration and treatment with the possibility at some far future date, if ever, that they get another chance. I'm asking not just for them but for me. My impulse for vengeance should not be fed. I don't ever want to lower myself to that level. I would hope that you through your infinite grace and the wisdom and counsel of the Matrix feel the same way. Thank you." He sat as both of his clients glanced at him, then Optimus.

Optimus thought a moment, then glanced at the two. "You have the right to speak. You do not have to take it. I extend it to you without fear of penalty or alienation."

Contrail looked flustered, then shook his helm. "No. I have nothing to say." It was clear that the defense had not set well with him, but it was also clear that he knew his life was on the line so he permitted it. That was not lost on Prime.

Decimus stared at Prime, then shook his helm. "No."

"Very well. I am going to rest the trial pending those of Ratbat and Sentinel. I want to declare the sentences for all of you as per counsel from the Matrix. I do not do it to cause grief or fear, nor to extend your worry. I do it because the Matrix wishes it. You may leave the courtroom," Prime said to the two.

They glanced at Blackstone who stood and turned to them. "Let's go now," he said as he steered them toward the door. They entered and it closed. Prime sat in conversation with No-a and Semi. As he did, the defense team changed. Highrode who was Sentinel's counsel since the beginning came in and sat with his fellows. Prime turned to the court. "We will begin arguments for Sentinel Prime. The Narrative for the others will stand for him. He holds responsibility for all actions that happened as Prime of record. Is there anything you wish to add to that Narrative before we begin, Coln-2?"

"No, Lord Optimus. I have my case prepared," Colie said.

"Highrode?" Prime asked.

"No, sir. I would prefer that we begin with arguments," he said as his kids nodded. They were pensive and solemn, ready to help their leader with an uphill case of extreme importance.

"Very well," Prime said. "Springer, bring in Sentinel Prime."

Springer turned to the door, pulled it open, then entered. The room tensed including the jury who watched the door with loathing until it opened. Springer was back followed by Sentinel Prime and several guards. Sentinel gleamed as he stepped inside, pausing for a moment to look around. He was massive like Optimus and had a flight mode. He was imposing and dangerous looking, someone whose aura was hard and preceded him. You knew he was coming before you saw him. His gaze was cold and direct, filled with power and contempt. Sentinel carried himself with a haughty air, his ego a solid thing in his affect.

"That way, Sentinel," Springer said coldly as he nodded toward Highrode.

Sentinel stared at Springer, then walked to the table where he turned to face the judges. "I am here, Optimus. What now?" he asked.

"We sit, Sentinel," Highrode said. He did and finally Sentinel did as well.

:He has the same fragged attitude as Megatron: Drift said to Springer.

Springer glanced at him. :I wouldn't know. How do **you** know?:

:You don't want to know: Drift said with a slight smirk.

:If you want any more of this: Springer said with a grin. :you better tell:

:Later. In the cul de sac at Engineer Corridor: Drift replied with a quick grin.

Springer grinned back, then turned to face the front of the room where the action definitely would be happening.

"Sentinel Prime, you are here to face charges related to your actions on Cybertron both as Major and as Prime. Commander Prowl will read the indictment," Prime said coldly.

Prowl stood. He picked up his datapad and began to read. "It is charged against Sentinel Prime of Cybertron the following allegations: Collusion to commit criminal acts, operating a criminal conspiracy for personal gain, theft of public funds, corruption of a public office and trust, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to deny The People their rights as per the Rules of the First Convocation, conspiracy to murder Nominus Prime and murder in its conclusion, war crimes against the state and people of Cybertron, conspiracy to collude with an enemy of the state, mass murder, desertion of your office during a period of great controversy and war, war profiteering, money laundering, tax evasion, bribery of public and private officials for personal gain, theft of property and services from private and public entities, attempting to use the Matrix for personal gain, and treason." He stared at Sentinel who stared at him. "So say the indictments." He sat with a grim expression.

Prime stared at Sentinel during the reading and saw nothing on his handsome face. He was as hard and unbending, as obtuse appearing as ever he was. This was going to be a difficult process for everyone. He didn't expect Sentinel to walk into this without a fight. As he thought, the room froze again. Prime glanced around, then toward the jury box. Micronus sat there alone. "Well, we finally reach this orn."

"Lord Micronus, we do," Optimus said.

Micronus floated upward, then halted his progress in front of Optimus. "What say you, brother? What is the punishment for such crimes? What is the payment that can be made on the material plane that is sufficient for the offense? And the unspoken … vengeance … where does that fit in?"

"No where," Optimus said. "Vengeance got us into this. It will not get us out. It resolves nothing."

"You are a minority in this point of view," Micronus said.

"I am unconcerned. Age makes wisdom and I am old enough to know that killing as punishment for killing creates more killing. Personal killing or state sponsored, I am weary of the cycle. It ends here," Prime said.

Micronus nodded. "I look forward to this conversation. We all do," He said as He faded away.

The room changed back but Prime noted that no one had noticed. He glanced at Coln-2. "Opening arguments please, Coln-2."

Coln stood. "We arrive at last to the moment when the past meets the present and all the ghosts of the dead turn their attention to us for justice. It's the glory of our people that we have a system of justice that functioned, at least theoretically, so that those with grievances had some hope. But given the passage of time and the corruption of our devices and structures, that fundamental right was taken away from us and we suffered.

"It's not possible to quantify the suffering of our people. It's beyond the ability of poet or saint to tell in words sufficient to outline even a portion of it. We stand here on another world gathering our people together from the four corners of the universe and still, we don't know where all of them are. How many are in deep jeopardy as we speak here, how many were sold as slaves, taken apart for their tech, or are suffering all alone? Who knows?

"What we **do** know is that all of it was unnecessary if those in charge of great privilege had even the smallest portion of conscience or had heard even in the smallest way all that the Pantheon, Primus and The One had said was our charge. They didn't. They didn't care. They had no concern. They were a closed society of liars, robbers, murderers, blasphemers, and cowards. All of us paid for their evil. **All** of us.

"Now we stand here with the architect of some of it, Sentinel of Tarn. From the primeship starting with Nova, every prime but for our current one was a despot, steeped in criminality and murder, using our people to advance their own personal ends without a concern. There are twenty charges against Sentinel of the gravest possible offense. All of them he will answer for. And as he does, standing outside the vision of all of us are billions of our own people watching, waiting for justice and I would venture, so, too, will be the Powers." He bowed slightly to Optimus, then sat.

Prime nodded, then looked at a tired pensive Highrode. "Highrode, please give your statement if you so choose."

He nodded, then stood. "I am here to defend Sentinel Prime against a bill of charges that are serious. I do not discount the battle ahead but I will be doing the very best possible for him. I ask you to keep an open mind, to understand the configuration of the government at the time, the need for those who might speak to some of the charges to minimize their own culpability at the expense of my client and Sentinel's legendary love for Cybertron. Let it not be forgotten that this is a warrior of note who stood always for Cybertron and the Empire. Thank you." He sat and it was quiet a moment.

"Very well, gentlemen. We are going to take a short break for the jury to have a moment, then come back to begin. I am not sure how far we will be able to go this evening but we shall begin tonight. I will be giving the jury and all involved so far specific instructions about this trial and the one previous. We are in abeyance for a moment. Do not leave the building or make calls." Prime rose along with everyone else, then walked to the door to leave the room, Prowl, No-a and Semi following. The door closed, then everyone in the room stretched and began to move around.

"Well, this was incredible," Ratchet said softly as he sat with Ironhide and the others along the wall. They stared at Sentinel who sat easily and calmly in his chair. :Given what we know about psychopaths now, I think Jarro is going to have another customer:

"Why would you think so?" a voice asked.

Ratchet glanced at the voice, then sat up straight. He was sitting on a metro line going somewhere. Sitting with him was Micronus Prime and Onyx. He stood, glanced around quickly, then bowed to the pair. "Am I dreaming or are you here?" he asked when he finally could speak.

Micronus grinned. "What do you think, Ratchet of Iacon?" he asked as Onyx lounged across from him on the train.

-0-TBC 8-6-18 **edited 8-12-18**


	434. Chapter 434

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 434)

-0-Somewhere far away and right here

"Am I dreaming or are You here?" he asked when he finally could speak.

Micronus grinned. "What do you think, Ratchet of Iacon?" he asked as Onyx lounged across from him on the train.

"I think … I think You're real and there's something You need or want," Ratchet said as he sat down on a seat. "I think. Maybe."

Micronus grinned. "Actually, I'm sort of interested in vengeance. Your family suffered because of these two and the others. What does that do for your sense of vengeance?"

Ratchet considered that. "I used to have a big sense of vengeance when I was younger and more stupid and maybe I still do when it comes to my family. My genitors and grand genitors suffered. They really, truly suffered and when I think about that it makes me feel almost frantic with anger. But now … I look at Decimus and Contrail and remember that they were babies once and I find it harder to hate. I don't believe in hate. I don't believe that vengeance serves any purpose. I don't want to have the responsibility of someone's death on my hands even if they took everything from me. I try for that standard. I don't know. I thought that they were dead, my family, all this time and I have always felt that if Megatron was captured and a mob came for him, I would defend him anyway. I wouldn't because I cared about him. I just care about what it means to be alive and to be Cybertronian more."

Both gods nodded. "Interesting. Continue," Onyx said as Micronus nodded.

"Think about those who love these two. They exist. If we kill them for this, then we create another dagger at our throats with their loved ones. It never ends. Vengeance doesn't stop bad from happening, it creates more bad and its inhumane. If killing is wrong, killing killers, even if state sponsored is still murder. In some ways, its worse. Someone killing someone in the heat of passion may never do it again. But state murder is deliberate … its thought out, it takes time, its parsed and studied, its cold and calculated, and in the end, its still murder. But to me its worse because all along the way those who sanction it can say no and take a better road. That makes them somehow worse than those who kill in the moment or for other base reasons."

"Agreed," Onyx said. "Optimus does not believe in vengeance nor does he support state sponsored murder. I find him quite the good one, Our Optimus."

"He's exceptional in any group," Ratchet said. "No matter who he's with, he's exceptional."

"We agree," Micronus said as the train slowed to a station. He stood and walked out with Onyx. The door closed and the train went onward.

Ratchet looked around, then grinned. "Well, **this** is fragged," he said.

-0-Conference room

Prime sat down, then the world fell away. No-a and Semi sat as well, then stared at him with surprise. Prowl glanced at the others. "He's in the Matrix." Then Prowl grinned. "I know. Weird isn't it?"

The two mechs nodded. It would be silent in the room for a moment.

-0-Sitting on a bench outside in the courtroom

No one noticed that Ratchet wasn't present beyond his body sitting beside them. The group stared silently at Sentinel as they waited for the trial to resume, conversing together off line.

-0-Ratchet

He sat on the bench watching the stations going by. They were named but in strange languages and Ratchet thought they might be stepping off places for different dimensions. It was a feeling more than a certainty. That was confirmed when the train stopped at one where it said 'home' in Cybertronian. The door opened as Optimus stepped in. The doors closed and the train went onward. "Optimus, have a seat."

Optimus walked to the bench across from Ratchet, then sat. He studied Ratchet. "You are here, correct."

"I am. I just had a chat about vengeance with Onyx and Micronus Prime," Ratchet said with a grin. "It was the best philosophy class I ever attended. We're simpatico on the issue of capital punishment. They also seem rather fond of you."

Optimus grinned. "I am rather fond of them."

They traveled on a moment, then Ratchet leaned slightly forward. "I don't know what I'm doing here but just so you know … thanks."

Optimus chuckled. "You are welcome. Though, I am unclear what is going to happen. It unfolds as It wishes."

The train slowed, then the doors opened. Solus Prime entered as an old lady. They knew it was her because her beautiful musical energy was unmistakable in any format. Both stood, then bowed. The old lady smiled, then hobbled over to sit. She looked at both of them for a moment. "Please sit, younglings. We don't stand on formality here. This is the Blue Line."

They sat.

Ratchet grinned. "The Blue Line to where, Lady?"

"Why, to the best possible outcome," Solus replied. "You're facing a very tough decision and the idea of the ultimate punishment, death, is not in your cards, Optimus. You dealt them but your deck is missing the fool cards."

"I do not hold to murder, state sponsored or otherwise. Sentinel killed a lot of our people and I **will** not follow his path, Lady. Murder is murder to me regardless of who does it," Optimus said. "I represent The People and I want them to have a higher aspiration than vengeance."

"I agree," Solus said. "Life is precious, though infinitely hard. Some can bear it and others cannot. Murder is an atrocious breach of unity and harmony to me, state sponsored or otherwise. No one has permission to play god. I don't have the same problem with suicide per se, however, though I wish it wouldn't happen like it does. In that loneliest of moments, that person cannot hear Us tell them how precious they are. We do, you know. There is never a moment when We are closer to you. Their focus is so tight and their belief that We and everyone else don't love or need them is so strong, its like an impenetrable barrier. We do, you know. Immensely. Without caveat."

A station passed into view but they kept going.

"The Powers are there with them along with The One at every moment no matter how fraught or terrible. **Especially** at moments like that, just so you know. It's an aspect of Us that I wish more understood. **No one** is **ever** alone in their lives from the moment they leave Us to come here to the moment they return again. Even though We can't interfere with your free will, We are beside you every step of the way. If they feel alone, its what they created in their pain and loneliness, that sense of separation. **And** there is **no judgment** no matter the outcome. Everyone comes back to Us eventually and We are joyous for their return no matter what happens. All of them everywhere. We love them when they come as completely as anyone if they choose themselves to leave. There is no punishment. **EVER.** I would just wish they could hold on a bream and let the moment pass. More have to step up no matter how uncomfortable they feel about it to be their hero. No one is **ever** hopeless. They're all loved madly."

The train slowed to let another pass, then sped up again. They stared at the train going by, then turned to Her. She was lost in thought, as if the topic was of great personal import to Her.

"We're there always, telling you all your lives how powerful, how good and truly loved you are. **Constantly**. It's Our delight, you see. We know how hard it is, especially here now among The People and out there as well but We **never** leave you, my darling children. **EVER!** You must **never** forget that."

"I will remember," Optimus said.

"Suicide is so different than murder. It's almost a private apocalypse. The individual sees only that path though there are many before them. I would hope that they would live. The moment will pass and the sky will be blue again even if that's inconceivable at the time. It's a worry I have for our people given their desolation, especially following the Functionalists. But if they **do** come, We are there to embrace them. **Do** take care that they stay. Life is a gift and who knows better than both of you. I want them to rise like a phoenix and live the life they **deserve**. Everyone deserves that life. It's there, you see. Right before them hidden in the clouds of their despair. But they will find it if they persevere. We are with them to ensure it, though We cannot make the final decision for them. They are deeply and eternally loved and admired whatever they do."

"We work to a good end, Lady," Ratchet said. "We want everyone to stay because we love all of them. It drives us onward, to save them."

Solus nodded. "I know. Everyone is loved completely, wholly, and eternally no matter which path they choose but I would hope they stay to finish their journey. Every journey brings wisdom and there's no greater achievement for anyone than prevailing. We love everyone, Optimus … Ratchet. We're always there. This trial is important, Optimus, for more than being a reckoning. It's a way for you to assert who We are, that We as a species are good, forgiving, loving, and wise. I love you, Optimus."

She looked at Ratchet. "You are good. You have the right touch for the right moment. I am well pleased. Tell your genitors that we hear them when they pray and chant for their tools and weapons. We always have. That's not only why the tools are special but **they** are as well. We grant them grace to bring Our love into the world through their efforts. Go in a good way," she said as all around the two faded and they were back in the conference room and the court room.

Ratchet blinked, then stood. "I'll be right back," he said, then headed for the door to the corridor beyond where the judges had their offices and conference rooms. Everyone watched him go, then Ironhide stood. "Be right back." He headed after Ratchet.

Optimus Prime blinked, then looked around. The door opened at that moment as Ratchet entered to be followed by Ironhide. Prime sat back and relaxed. "Fancy meeting you on a train going to nowhere."

"I know. I took the 'A' Train myself," Ratchet said with a snicker.

"What happened?" Prowl asked. "What are you talking about, Loon?" he asked with a slight smirk.

"I was taking a train to Philosophy Town," Ratchet said as he sat down.

Ironhide sat next to him. "What are you talking about?"

"I was in the Matrix, right?" Ratchet asked Prime.

"You were," Optimus said. "That was rather unusual. I have talked to facsimiles of you before but this was a first."

"Facsimiles?" No-a asked.

"When some aspect of something needs to be discussed, sometimes The Powers make it happen using images of someone I know, usually someone who has a strong viewpoint of what is being undertaken in discussion," Prime said.

Everyone looked at Ratchet who glanced at Prime. "Is it okay to discuss this with others?"

"It is. You decide yourself," Prime said.

Ratchet looked at the others, then Prime. "I was on a train, a subway train going nowhere in particular. Micronus and Onyx were there and we discussed the death penalty. I wasn't for it and neither were they. Then they got off and I rode onward by myself for a while. All the stations passing felt like stops to get off into other universes. When the train stopped and you got on, Optimus, the station name was in NeoCybex. I don't remember what it said. That faded just now … maybe 'home'?" Ratchet mused as he considered the abrupt dismissal of the word from his memory.

"I joined you and we went onward. Then it stopped and an old femme got on. It was Solus Prime," Optimus said. "We discussed life and death. Suicide was mentioned. Solus Prime is worried about it, that we don't know how much we're loved. We must be vigilant for our people, to let them know how much we want and love them. We're never alone in our lives She said. All of us matter and are profoundly loved. We **must** make sure that our people know that. Its what She wants for us."

"They said that my genitors are inspired by Them when they make their tools. I had that feeling before myself. I'll tell them after court. Then we came back. They appear to be watching this closely," Ratchet said as Prime nodded.

"They are. I am convinced there will be an intervention at sentencing. I want them tried, then I will decide the rest with the Matrix. If They intervene, then I want it to be for all of them. I do not want the defendants to feel unnecessary fear from delays if the findings go hard against them," Optimus said.

The room felt heavy, then Prime stood. "We need to carry onward. We must get through at least some testimony before adjourning for the night. Are the accommodations at the Hotel Praxus ready for the jury, Prowl?"

Prowl rose, then nodded. "They are. Cabs will take them directly there and there will be guards to ensure they're sequestered. We've disengaged communications devices in their rooms and placed dampening devices to prevent internal communications. All of them know this and still agreed to hear the cases."

"Good," Prime said. "Let us go and get on with this." He led the way out and when all of them were back, the audience seated and the attorneys readied, the process began again. "Coln-2, please begin the State's case."

Coln rose. "I would call Proteus to the stand."

Springer leaned out, then Proteus walked in determined to do the best he could. He took the stand, the oath, then turned to face Sentinel. That mech was staring at him with a cold appraising expression. Proteus who was different in appearance to Sentinel than before stared back. Perhaps it was a different Proteus, which in itself was a common enough high caste name.

Coln began. "When did you first meet Sentinel, Proteus?" he asked.

The voice was the same, the smooth tenor of Proteus and Sentinel recognized it with a startled expression. Then he covered it as ever, though his cold optics never leaving Proteus.

"I first met Sentinel when he was an up and coming member of the military. He was a recognized warrior and thus, someone with a future in the government. Shortly after meeting him at a dinner party, he was made Major and thus, head of security for all of Cybertron and the Empire. His family was military but high caste, though not Elite. His family knew mine, though I didn't know them as well."

"What was he like to work with? Were you aware of his attitudes about conduct and ethics? Did you notice that he might have a malleable sense of duty?" Coln asked.

Highrode considered the question, then considered the multitude coming, so he let this one ride. Coln would brand Sentinel, then he would have to work to save Sentinel from whatever fate was coming. He knew that Sentinel's life was on the line. That Sentinel was unwilling to fully disclose his own position about things was also a worry. Sentinel Prime didn't disclose unless it advanced his own position. Of that, Highrode was clear. Not then and not here either.

"Sentinel was a great warrior. Of that, no one can fault him. He was a tremendous fighter and his size which was nearly primal before ascension only added to his fortunes in combat. That was his entree into the upper echelons of power, though he was always a high caste and by virtue of that, the door was always open. But he was also typical of our caste, me included. He expected things of what we used to joke about as 'easy virtue'. That is, bribes, promotions based on caste and not merit, and the expectation of entitlement … he took and expected all of them. In that sense, he wasn't different than the rest of us." Proteus faced Coln rather than Sentinel now. Sentinel was an overwhelmingly dynamic and charismatic individual who was as tough as they came. He had a way of overpowering others with that force.

"Did you engage him in this kind of behavior and did you see it?" Coln asked.

"Yes. A great deal. We took bribes from businesses, from individuals. Criminal organizations were paying him for their ability to operate when he was Major. It continued into his Primeship," Proteus said. Coln passed him a datapad filled with documents from Cybertronian databases showing a trail of bribery and bank accounts all over the Empire that were filled with large sums. "This is accurate. I had my own and we shared the same fixer, Caliton of Polyhex. These are his initials and we were there when these," he said pointing to five of them, "were made to him. I received a couple myself."

Highrode had all the evidence gathered on datapads before him and it was pretty damning. He had other paths to follow so there would be little to argue about with the evidentiary record, especially since Proteus wasn't sparing himself.

Then Coln moved onward. "How did he ascend? What was the story around Nominus and Zeta?" Coln asked.

"Zeta made Sentinel his protege. He learned from that Prime how the System could be used to suppress and oppress the opposition and The People because Zeta was 'the monster that The People needed' or so he said. Sentinel made his networking contacts then and they included me. Zeta told me and others that Sentinel was one to watch not only for his talents but for his overbearing and avid ambitions. He said we all had to watch our back," Proteus replied. "He said that the only mech he ever met more ruthlessly ambitious than Sentinel was Nova Prime."

"Objection. We have no way of corroborating these statements," Highrode said, though it was more for form than a favorable ruling.

"Coln-2, I am assuming you have corroborating testimony or information for these statements?" Optimus asked.

"I do, Lord Optimus," Coln replied.

"Very well, you will need it," Optimus said. "The charges warrant the very best possible testimony that can be garnered."

"Understood. If you look at the folder on your datapad, you will see 'personal messages, transcripts and memos' The pertinent information can be found in exhibit 4531-B through M." Coln waited until Prime nodded, then thought a moment. "Tell us about Nominus and Sentinel's ascension from your perspective inside, Proteus."

Proteus thought a moment, then glanced at Sentinel. "Nominus was a placeholder. It was never believed that he was other. He had nothing more to favor him than his ability to play the game. He was never affected by the Matrix. I asked him. It was during a Festival when everyone was fasting and waiting for the Solemnities to begin. I turned to him and asked, 'What do They tell you?"

"He didn't answer right away, then he looked at me for a second. 'Nothing'," he said. Then he went out to walk to the Temple. I remember being surprised and not. It would be a terrible rebuke I would think to never feel the Matrix or have It help you when you bore It. He never felt It. Neither did Nova and Zeta. They told me as well. I offer my diaries written at the time to corroborate all of the things I just spoke. I was so disturbed by their comments I journaled them in my diaries. I don't believe that the Matrix spoke to Sentinel either. He did, after all, cancel the Festival on pretenses."

"The diaries of Proteus are part of the evidentiary record and were retrieved from Cybertron where they were buried in rubble until the rescue. There were no opportunities to tamper with them because of these events. Both the defense and prosecution have them and the relevant entries are cited," Coln said. "Please continue."

"It was late at night when we gathered at the High Imperium. We were talking about how things were beginning to get out of servo with civil unrest and the rise of the beginning opposition movement. We were especially worried about the priests entering the protest movement because they were like Primus in the affections of The People and carried huge weight. Nominus was not going to be tough enough to keep things in hand so we decided that he had to go and Sentinel would take his place. We didn't tell the Ancients but for Kudon. We told him because he would have the Matrix in hand when we got It back.

"Sentinel came to the meeting and we worked out what to do. He had a gang shoot Nominus. I thought it was to kill him but Sentinel ordered a shooter to wound him. He wanted to talk to him about a number of things. Sentinel was nearby to take over his transport to the hospital at the Citadel. We timed it so that staff doctors would be there and not someone as tough and smart as Ratchet who would complicate things. Sentinel went into the room to retrieve the Matrix and that's when it was revealed that the Matrix was false. It wasn't the real one."

"What happened then, Proteus?" Coln asked.

"We were called. Sentinel acted like we betrayed him. We hadn't. Neither had Kudon. It was then that Sentinel walked back in and killed Nominus during his attempt to get the truth from him. I could hear Nominus laugh at him, then it was silent. Sentinel walked out and he was seething. He told me that he killed Nominus partly out of rage and partly out of the need for him to be gone so he could ascend. He had enough on the rest of us that it wasn't going to be anyone else, though there wasn't anyone else in mind at the time," Proteus said. "We gathered at the High Imperium and the meeting was brutal. We decided that Sentinel would get the Matrix and that it would be alright because he had a primal style frame anyway. That mattered because if the Matrix didn't reformat him, no one would really notice. That's how he got It but It wasn't the real one. That one had hidden Itself in Its chamber at the Hall of the Ancients and no one knew where It was. It stayed hidden until It rose up when Orion Pax and Megatron were there arguing about what to do following Sentinel's fake demise."

"So Sentinel began his reign with a fake Matrix," Coln said.

"Yes. No one thought to look in the Matrix Chamber but I'm convinced that if they did It would hide Itself from our view. Sentinel never heard the Matrix either because he never carried It. It was hiding away waiting for Optimus Prime. I think It had enough of us as well," Proteus said with a shameful expression.

"It was then that the oppression began in earnest, correct?" Coln asked.

Proteus nodded. "Yes. We began to curtail free media so we could control the message and get the propaganda out. The News Net was ours to abuse. Free Media was finally curtailed so there were no obvious networks for information dispersal. Controlling the media makes controlling the populace easier. Then we began to take away what freedoms there were, purging decent judges from the courts, taking over the universities and colleges, and imprisoning those who were declared 'enemies of the state'. It was brutal and without defense. I was a part of it as was Sentinel, Decimus, Ratbat, and Contrail. I minimize nothing of myself in this appalling story."

"Sentinel knew about the 10,000 Decepticons who registered and were then killed?" -Coln-2 aka C2

"Yes."

"Did Sentinel know about the empties and discarding of those who were deemed of no value?" -C2

"Yes."

"Did Sentinel know about the efforts by the co-opted courts to overrule those who had legitimate complaints and lawsuits? That he was aware he was obstructing justice?" -C2

"Yes. He got kickbacks for that. So did all of us. There was money to be had so nothing was off limits."

"I direct the court to exhibit 1432-1B which shows orders signed by Sentinel whose signature is verified to the satisfaction of both sides. They show that Sentinel knew and signed into law all of the repressive forms including the Clampdown and its amendments drawing even more misery into law," Coln said.

Prime nodded as each piece of evidence was presented, checking out each on the datapad he and the others judges held. The jury did the same.

"During the war, when things were just rising to worldwide disaster, did Sentinel make a profit from the war industries and others who had a hand in making munitions and supplies for the armed forces? I direct everyone to the folder marked financial crimes on your datapads. All of the relevant evidence is there along with verified signatures."

"Yes, we all did." Proteus stared at Sentinel as he answered the questions, suddenly feeling freer than he had in ages. The shame receded as his desire to unload the truth took over. Sentinel met his gaze evenly.

"So, he obstructed justice and denied rights granted from the First Convocation via the Clampdown and related laws, took bribes and made money on war profiteering, allowed a climate of corruption to sustain itself to the detriment of the public, diverted public and private funds in exchange for favors, was instrumental in the Clampdown which resulted in death and unlawful incarceration, murdered a Prime and 10,000 Decepticons through deception and other atrocities … war crimes essentially … you agree with those charges?" Coln asked. "The relevant evidentiary folders are on the datapads before you."

"I do. I saw the events happen and I will gladly detail them to everyone's satisfaction with the exhibits on your datapads," Proteus said. "It's my duty to my people and my son."

"Then it would seem, Proteus, that we didn't have a government of laws. We had a conspiracy to overtake our world and her people, divert her resources to a few and punish anyone who opposed that happening," Coln said.

"Yes. That, unfortunately is what it was," Proteus said.

"Tell me what happened when Sentinel 'died'," Coln asked.

-0-TBC 8-7-18 **edited 8-7-18**

There's a famous song in the 1940's called "Take the A Train". :D

The most prolific hangman in Great Britain, a man named Albert Pierrepoint hanged over 608 people in his career including a lot of Nazis in charge of death camps. In the end, he said that capital punishment doesn't prevent crime. He said the only thing its good for is vengeance. I suppose he would know.

For some reason, Robin William and a few kids I knew who committed suicide were on the mind. Maybe capital punishment feels like this. I do know that everything I said is so. I also have been told that five minutes later made a difference to a few who held off or were intervened upon. I will put up with someone's wrath or discomfort to help them. We all have to love each other. It's the only way. I do love all of you tonight. And forever. :D

NOTES AND SLAG! :D

fancyspinner chapter 433 . 21h ago

Wow! Awesome

ME: THANKS, MISS FANCY! HUGS!

Leoness chapter 433 . 23h ago

Ratchet almost speechless! Takes that much, lol.

ME: BWAHAHAHA! It does. Ratchet is me with confidence. :D:D:D

kattenbelletje chapter 432 . Aug 6

I wonder if the Great Elder will kick Contrails aft. Maybe he will take away his Seeker status. Or has he already done that? Maybe Contrail can be re-educated on how to be an honourable Seeker.

ME: That would be awesome. I think they discipline each other in the ranks. He better hope that he doesn't get let free or Rainmaker will. It would make a great sideline to have that sort of thing happen. I will add it to the list. :D

Leoness chapter 432 . Aug 5

*winces* yeah, that's the question isn't it?

ME: It is. What do you do with an impaired person? On Earth, you shoot them between the eyes or put them into a terrible prison. I'm old enough to remember putting these kinds in mental institutions against the hope they get better.


	435. Chapter 435

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 435)

-0-Courtroom

"Tell me what happened when Sentinel 'died'," Coln asked.

It was quiet in the room as Proteus thought back to the desperation move proposed by Sentinel and which all of them in the pressure of the moment and the mania in their sparks agreed to help create. "We met in the Citadel, in his office. Prowl was in the Operational Center and I remember he seemed disturbed to see us walk into the building together. He didn't say anything but he watched us walk to the corridor that led to Sentinel's office.

"We talked a long time. Sentinel had a ship, he had the scientists and the bridge devices, the type that expedited long distance travel, the ones just before the Trigger was developed and bridging was enlarged and refined. There wasn't enough time to wait for the Trigger to be finished and there were plans to blow it up if Megatron succeeded anyway. Sentinel didn't trust him to be on Cybertron with bridges if he wasn't there. The war was going badly, we didn't assist Optimus as much as we could have because we still lived in the delusion that we would prevail and things would be put back together." He thought a moment. "We were insane."

"Sentinel gathered us up, Ratbat who had just obliterated Tarn and Vos with Contrail, Halogen, Decimus, myself, a number of soldiers, and the scientists, bridge techs all of them. We were going to leave Iacon through the chaos and hopefully, after leaving a trail of expediter pillars for the bridge, bring Cybertron to this system to have a rebuild made. He was aware of energon here from ancient texts regarding the drone Seekers that he had discovered through private investigation and therefore, felt the only chance to rebuild Cybertron was here. He would bring it here, then slave the humans to do the work. It was madness."

Proteus stared at Sentinel, then turned to Prime. "The plan was to fake his death, leave Cybertron during a huge moment of combat, the wait until Megatron beat you. He had made a deal with Megatron using Ratbat and Contrail as intermediaries. The would share leadership until Cybertron was repaired, then he would kill Megatron. He needed him to help handle the Decepticons once things were over with Prime. He didn't trust Megatron but he also needed the fighting to stop and allow rebuild to begin. It was decided that he would be 'shot', then swiftly 'buried' in the Basilica. That way in the chaos, we could leave and make the whole business swifter.

"No one believed that Megatron wouldn't get the AllSpark, though the plan that Optimus made to secure it at the Temple, then launch it into space was sound. It all depended upon execution and we felt that Megatron had the upper hand. Sentinel was 'shot', a duplicate protoform designed to look like him was placed in the sarcophagus, then we left after fobbing off Ratchet and Prowl who came to do their due diligence. No one could know that the sarcophagus contained a fake body. We left and as we were speeding through the chaos our ship was hit. It made things difficult but along the trail we launched the bridge pillars until we came to Earth. We were going to land on the moon but we came in hard due to the destruction from the hit and were knocked into stasis from impact. We didn't know what had transpired, nor the time that had passed by until we came to sentience here. We were to be gone a few decaorns but it was interminable, the time lapse."

"You're aware that a big fly in your ointment was the fact that the real Matrix appeared and took on a different mech for the Primeship. What was supposed to happen?" Coln asked.

"The plan called for the Matrix to go to another placeholder, a nondescript mech who was a Major at the time, Suton. I am not aware of what happened to him but he was supposed to be given the Matrix by Kudon who could manipulate the Ancients with ease. Apparently, Suton was there providing security when Megatron and Orion Pax broke into the chamber during discussions about who would reign next. They tried to get things under order but the Matrix appeared rising up out of Its Chamber.

"It ascended, chose Orion Pax and sealed all our fates. Megatron would never allow anyone to stand in his way, especially since he had a deal with Sentinel to rebuild Cybertron immediately in partnership. Without the Matrix, Megatron had less power so he turned his efforts to securing the AllSpark. That's when all out war began in sheer ferocious earnest. So I'm told," Proteus said.

"Who can corroborate any of this, Proteus?" Coln said.

"Gravitas, Eronus and Templar as close colleagues of Kudon can speak to this. Neo can't because she's truly religious and would never have agreed to anything blasphemous regarding the relics. Sentinel can," Proteus said bitterly. "So can Decimus, Ratbat and Contrail. They would be privy to all the discussions because they were there with us."

"No further questions of this witness, though I reserve the right to recall," Coln said as he sat.

"Blackstone?" Prime asked.

"Proteus, you had no ethics, no honor and no shame. You were right in the thick of things, giving as well as getting. Why should we believe a word you say? How can we believe such a moral black hole as you can be telling anything true now?" Highrode asked.

"Because I'm laying myself bare, Highrode. I have to be a mech. I have to tell the truth. Our people can tear me limb from limb but I **will** tell the truth. I want my son and bond to be proud of me. Some day my family will come. I do believe they still live, somehow. When they do, I have the burden and duty to help them change, too. I don't expect everyone to understand how tremendously I feel about this whole business. I will live my life every day to earn some small portion of my honor back."

Highrode thought about the masses and mountains of documents that he had tried in pre-trial to discard but it was there in damning detail. He had very little to work with here and Sentinel wasn't helping. He sat beside Highrode a cold mechanism, staring at those before him with rage and disdain. "I have no questions for this witness, Lord Optimus. I consider him to be without honor."

Proteus who was a lawyer understood what Highrode was doing and for the first time in his life he felt exaltation anyway. Highrode had nothing with which to save Sentinel. He, Proteus had prevailed. Now he had to live with others knowing who he really was. The ease of his life going forward lay in the servos of half a dozen jurors. He knew that the others would protect his identity. He stepped down with the same sense of freedom in his spark that had only been his since Prime's mercy had been accorded to him.

Stepping out, nodding to Springer who held the door, he spotted Madura sitting on a chair with the baby carrier next to him. He ran and embraced his bond. "It's all going to be good, Maddie. It's all going to be good."

-0-Inside

Witnesses came, documents were served and explained, questions began to come from the jury, and things began to go downhill fast for Sentinel Prime. Highrode did his best to challenge, impeach and otherwise drive a reasonable doubt wedge into the testimony but it would be nigh onto impossible to refute what had been retrieved that bore Sentinel's own signature. He had known about everything. He had participated in all of it. He was coming clear in the optics of everyone there to being the most corrupt, selfish, egocentric, and dishonorable Prime in the history of the office. "I have no further questions," Highrode said as he sat with no small amount of frustration.

Prime nodded. "Then I would like to adjourn for the orn and take up the case in the morning. Are there any objections, counsels? If there are, I will continue."

"No, Lord Optimus," Coln said.

"No, sir," Highrode said.

"Very well," Prime said. "Springer, please return the prisoner to his detention."

Springer walked toward Sentinel who stood. The huge mech glanced at Optimus. "I would like a private audience with you before this is over."

Prime nodded. "I will entertain the idea."

With that, Sentinel stepped out and slowly, almost regally walked to the door with Springer, Drift and the rest of the security team to disappear inside and the corridors beyond. Everyone watched him, then Prime glanced at the attorneys. "Gentlemen, you have done a remarkable job of protecting your case and clients. I look forward to hearing you tomorrow. Please remember that there is an information blackout for this case. No one is aware that it is being undertaken for obvious reasons. This order applies to the jury. No one is to talk about this, to anyone else or each other. This is part of the instructions given during jury choice and you agreed. I hope you will continue to honor that pledge even as you honor our people with your service."

They nodded and murmured agreement.

"Prowl, please assist the jury to transport to Hotel Praxus. We will reconvene at 0900 on the TMC at this place tomorrow," Prime said.

The jury stood and walked out with a bailiff who Prowl had made their security chief. When they were gone everyone there sat quietly. Prime glanced around. "I would like to inform both counsels that I have had two visitations from the Pantheon during this trial, one that involved just me and one that involved both me and Ratchet. Neither of them applied to this case specifically. Both were philosophical discussions about capital punishment and an expressed concern about suicide among our people. We are taking precautions with all the defendants to ensure their safety and should this continue, the Matrix making these gestures, I will inform you about them given this is an ongoing trial. Otherwise, I would not."

They stared at him, Coln and Highrode, their teams listening to the unusual and holy information, then both nodded in respect. "Thank you, Lord Optimus," Highrode said. "Are They specifically worried about my client or is this a general discussion?"

"I do not believe its specific. Sometimes, They use a moment to press their concerns about other things. They understand the difficulty this is imposing on us and send Their unconditional love," Prime said.

Everyone digested that, then Ratchet stood. "I can attest to that. We have to do better all around as a people and keep everyone close."

Prime nodded. "I agree. This court stands in adjournment until tomorrow at 0900 on the TMC."

Everyone stood as Prime did, then bowed. Walking to Prowl, Prime glanced at the others. "I am going to eat dinner at The Pit Stop. All who wish it as well are invited. I will understand if you have other things to attend to." He walked forward with Prowl's servo in his, a rare display of public affection and behind him came the others. They walked with the security mechs in tow, then stepped out into the gathering dusk of evening.

"I remember a home and kids somewhere," Ratchet said as he slipped his arm around Ironhide.

He chuckled. "Dreams. It's all dreams. I doubt that they remember who we are by now." Then he patted his hold. "Most of them anyway."

Ratchet chuckled. "Cough her up."

Pouting, Ironhide pulled a sleepy Halo out in a Seeker bag in time for her to slip into Ratchet's. All was well with Ratchet as they ambled along. That is, until Hard Drive demanded her.

They began to walk down the street heading for the diner that was the main social focus around the area. It had just finished its third expansion. Nearby, the finishing touches were being made to the Autobot City Museum of Cybertron and Autobot City Professional Business Building nearby. The Courthouse had been finished some time back. It almost felt normal again in the district as the recovering figure of Omega could be seen walking somewhere in the distance with Silverbolt.

They entered, then sat, a huge group including the teams of Blackstone and Coln. Highrode's crew was meeting with Sentinel in a conference room. Food came and conversation was had. It was a tense night and one that would lead to another tense day. It seemed like it was a month ago that their biggest crisis was finding 50,000,000 Cybertronians in danger in the Diaspora with the odds of it reaching a billion higher than most liked to think about, though it was a wonderful thing they survived.

-0-Highrode

He walked into his home and closed the door quietly. His bond came out of the hallway and walked to him. "You look terrible. That bad?" he asked.

"It was. I literally have no defense. None," Highrode said as he walked to the couch to sit heavily.

Porous aka Pip sat next to him, then kissed his cheek. "You can only do what you can, High. Don't take it personally. Defending Sentinel Prime is a lost cause since they got back the Cybertronian-Net Database Network. Proteus really nailed him didn't he."

Highrode nodded. "He impaled him, then ran him through over and over." He looked at Porous. "Would it be surrender if I tell you I have to admire his determination? I do. It is motivated by selflessness. Weird sight to see, Pip, Proteus being utterly selfless. Hanging around Optimus Prime does a spark good."

Porous grinned slightly. "Being a realist is never surrender. If Sentinel had been as aware of the world as he should have been, he might not be here like this."

Highrode shook his helm. "No, Pip, I knew him then. He'd be here. This is who he is."

They talked together a while, then went to bed. The next morning, they would join Coln-2 and Blackstone at The Diner On The Corner with their bonds, all of whom were friends.

-0-Coln-2

"And that's how it is so far."

Coln's bond nodded. "What an orn, Colie. You're going to be the one who got Sentinel Prime convicted."

He stared at her, then their three little kids. "I never want anyone like him in a position to hurt another again, Lani. He has to go somewhere. I don't know how Prime does it. I admire him even more every time I'm around him. He's a genuine hero to me."

"And to me," Lani said. "We're coming back as a people because of him."

Coln nodded. "We are. I have to hand it to Proteus. He didn't spare himself. Even though he did what he did, it feels like he's talking about someone else when he does. It's all very strange, Lani."

She nodded. "I know. Soon, it'll be done and we're that closer to being truly free."

He nodded. "I'm proud to be a part of it. I have to go to the court by 0800. Eat breakfast with me at The Diner On The Corner and let Briar take the kids to school. You can be a little bit late to work can't you?"

She smiled at him. "Sure," she said as they chatted away the evening together in their apartment in a glittering tower in Bern.

-0-Semi and No-a

They sat in a bar sipping a beer as they wound down from a day unlike any other in their careers. This was the biggest and most historic trial they would ever have as a species until Megatron came before them. It was quiet in the bar as they relaxed.

"The Pantheon will come back. I know this," No-a said.

Semi nodded. "I agree. They've weighed in twice. They want to know how the situation is viewed by us, I think. I don't know. I'm just on pins and needles. I'm glad They will. I'd hate to be Prime and decide. He won't do capital punishment and I'm glad. Punitive stasis is about as bad but what else is there?"

"I know," No-a said. "I wouldn't be Prime for anything."

On that, they both concurred.

-0-Springer and Drift

 ***Tussle***

 ***Slam***

"Frag. You weren't kidding about Engineer Corridor," Springer said as he spun Drift and pushed him into the wall of the electrical closet that was frag site of choice back when they were a blazing hot pair of dynamos who appeared to hate each other even though they combusted into cold fusion at the sight of each other in Med Bay that orn.

Who knew?

He pressed against Drift hard. "Well, baby … talk. How did you know Megatron?"

"Well," he grunted as Springer pressed hard. "He had a bounty on me."

"I thought that was Turmoil."

"It was. He put one on all of us, too. I was worth a ton of shanix in the orn," Drift said as he reached around to spin Springer.

He missed his target as Springer pinned his arm behind him. He chuckled. "You're slowing down, Drift. By now, you're usually bouncing **me** off the walls."

"I'm overcome by your beauty," Drift croaked.

Springer laughed loudly, then spun Drift around. Gripping him by the aft, he pressed him hard into the wall. "I see you."

Drift laughed. "Good. I once saw Megatron at a camp. He was checking out munitions manufacture. I hid from him but watched. That fragger is so powerful I think Prime would have a tough time besting him. He's slagging brutal."

"Optimus has before, though Megatron can whip anyone he wants," Springer said as he leaned closer into Drift.

"Even you?" Drift barely managed.

"Well, I don't want to toot my own horn but … yes," he said as they both laughed. Then they didn't talk anymore for a while.

-0-Proteus

He sat on the couch holding his son. They had eaten in, discussed the trial and were unwinding. He felt cleaner and clearer than he ever felt before. It was cathartic to do what he did, though there were risks.

"I'm proud of you, Proteus. No matter what. You did the right thing. Perhaps you can get a new paint scheme and a slight modification of your finials," Madura said as he sat with his arm around Proteus's shoulders.

"We can see, Maddie. I'm just glad I did this. When Coln asked, I was afraid. But now, I decided I'm not going to be afraid anymore. No more, Maddie."

Madura nodded as they sat together talking. The night would pass by and the next day would come. Proteus would be ready if they needed him again.

-0-Lucien

Laslo stood in the doorway of their home office watching as Lucien took care of something that had to go out in the morning. They were going to dinner together, something that gave both a great deal of pleasure lately. Lucien looked tense. "Are you alright, Lucien? You aren't concerned about tomorrow are you?"

"I'd be lying if I said no, Laslo," Lucien said as he shut down his computer. "I'm going to be testifying against Sentinel Prime."

"You **do** know why you're doing it," Laslo asked anxiously.

He nodded. "I do."

Laslo put his servos on Lucien's shoulders. "I know why you're going to do it, too, Lucien. You're doing it because you're my hero."

Lucien stared at Laslo, then pulled him into his arms. "Thank you, Lassie."

-0-Magnus and Arcee, Jetta and Elita

They sat in the living room of Jetta and Elita's apartment. It was comfortable, filled with mementos of a fabled lifetime together and objects of work … guns, knives and engineering implements. They were sharing a bottle of high grade after a very debilitating orn. Magnus sat next to Jetta who he loved like a brother, the two of them lounging with peds on the coffee table before them. "You alright?" he asked Jetta.

"Some orns. Most of the time I work," Jetta said.

"You need to talk to someone about that. There's no harm nor shame, Jetta." Magnus looked at Jetta, his handsome profile close to his own.

Elita and Arcee sat on another couch sipping high grade as they chatted, their optics straying to their boys from time to time. "Jetta needs a shrink," Arcee said.

Elita nodded. "I'm going to talk to Ada tomorrow. He gets stirred up when this slag happens. I don't like my boy to be upset."

"Jetta, you have to talk to Ada about this," Arcee said. "We all need a shoulder once in a while."

Jetta smirked. "Ada, huh."

"Sure. Then you can go out and tie one on. I'll spring your bail," Elita said with a grin.

"Sounds like a deal. Let's make it a foursome," Jetta said.

"A six some. Let's invite Springer and Drift," Arcee said.

They would.

-0-Home

They came into the door and as they did Ravel and Tie Down smiled at them. Ratchet stared at them, the golden center of his beginning and spread his arms wide. "Ada and Atar, guess what I heard about you today," he said before he enveloped them in his arms.

-0-TBC 8-7-18 **edited 8-12-18**

Suton: (soo-tahn)


	436. Chapter 436

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 436)

-0-Courtroom

They began to gather both inside the courtroom and in the hallways around it. There were many there who would be testifying against Sentinel. They were functionaries and others including criminals and former Decepticons who had dealings with him. It would be a long list that Coln had created. Some would be testifying and others were there just in case they were called. They included Hercy, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Lucien, Prowl, himself, and Venture among others. There was even a rumor that Larken of Galaxy Industries would be compelled to testify. They sat or stood around the space, leaning on the walls, waiting tensely even as they chatted together.

Prime and Prowl had arrived early, heading in with Coln-2, Blackstone, Barron, Highrode, No-a, Semi, and the various team members of each. The door closed behind them. Ratchet wandered in with Ironhide and his adult family, sharing Prowler, Halo, Hero, Praxus, and Orion. They were playing hooky. It would be a crap shoot when the Pantheon would show up but the buzz and betting among the punters was this wouldn't go to a full trial. If that was so, various elders were going to make sure that their children and grandchildren had a chance to see the gods.

Again.

Ratchet set Hero down with Halo and watched as Hero took her servo. They smiled at each other, then Hero carefully took her around introducing her to all the mechs and femmes who were there. It was as cute as it got, two tiny twigs going from giant bot to giant bot with huge smiles. Almost like the night before, Ratchet thought …

"Why are you crying, Ada?" Ratchet asked as he sat between his parents with his arms around them. "I thought you'd be happy."

 **"I AM HAPPY, SONNY!"** Ravel wailed.

Tie Down who was wiping his own optics grinned at his son. "This is so wonderful. I always hoped She'd be pleased. You do know we have Forge tattoos, right?" he asked as he turned his arm to show a tiny Forge like the one traditional to Solus Prime. "She's our patron. Your ada collected her figurines and little forges. We kept one over the kiln and still do even here," he said.

"I know. I look for new ones for you. I just think you shouldn't be surprised," Ratchet said. "You do what you do and no one does it better."

" **WE TRY!"** Ravel said as he wept. He was happy. He was also overwhelmed that a goddess of the Pantheon that he loved would even know he existed. He had forgotten that Solus knew about everyone. All of Them did. It was a long and happy conversation in the apartment that night.

-0-Courthouse corridor

"I see that they're playing hooky," Hercy said with a grin. The tiny femmes had greeted him, then moved onward to meet everyone, some of whom Hero didn't know. "Little femme sure takes care of her sister."

"She does," Ratchet said as he sat. "She's not so tense and messed up with Halo around."

"Then its all for the good," Hercy said as the door opened and Springer leaned out.

"Anyone coming to watch should come in now unless you're a witness. We'll call you as needed," he said as Ratchet and Ironhide rose along with his family. Hero and Halo along with the others were parted out and stuffed into well appointed carry holds for the duration or lunch whichever came first. They entered, then took a seat.

Prime entered from the back with Prowl, Semi and No-a, then sat. Everyone stood as he did, then sat. Prowl gave The Talk, then took a moment for business before it was time for questions to start. Coln would pick up the Prime's Brief from the orn before. "I would like to call Lucien of Iacon."

Springer leaned out and called Lucien who came in looking shuttered and slightly uncomfortable. It was a huge diversion from his usual impeccably unknowable self. He took the oath, then turned toward Coln. It was silent a moment, then Coln-2 began. "Lucien, you were part of the Justice Department and had a hand in the treatment of dissidents and others from the Peace Movement and Resistance."

"Yes."

"What do you know about the Clampdown and how it was implemented during the reign of Sentinel Prime?"

Lucien thought a moment, then took the straight road that was paved with truth. This was so far out of his control and comfort zone, nothing would benefit him from doing other. "Sentinel and the Council as his inner circle were called decided that the Clampdown instituted by Nominus would and should be applied as hard and as thoroughly as necessary following his accession. It was already very bad but he made it worse. He and the others were under the impression that turning the screws harder would somehow be effective."

"What about you?" -C2

"I didn't think so. I told all of them in consultation that pouring gasoline on a raging fire wasn't the way to contain the explosion that inevitably followed," he said. "No one was interested. I won't gloss myself over. I was … malleable as well, but there are some things that are true and beating a targ that's looking back at you with his teeth bared is stupid."

"What was your role with dissidents?" -C2

"I ran the apparatus that gathered intelligence on them and their activities. I managed the dossiers of their behavior, plotted what might happen from their networking, worked out and invaded their communications … I was in charge of discovering the extent of their efforts and how to counter them."

"How did you feel about what was happening then? About the repression of the state against The People?" -C2

Lucien thought a moment. "Not much at the time. It was what we did. We repressed, oppressed and jailed anyone would could get our hands on. I didn't have the same point of view then that I have now. Now I can see what it was and how it all happened. Then? It was like living in a blizzard and only seeing what you could feel in front of you. None of us had scruples. None of us had a view that anything we did was wrong or unjust. It was what it was. I don't claim to have been a dissident about what was being created and implemented. I wasn't. I was part of the machinery of oppression."

Ratchet stared at Lucien, someone he knew as sparkless and was amazed. Life was strange and this was one for the books. He wasn't the only one in the room thinking the same thoughts.

"You knew about the camps." -C2

"I did. I didn't administer them. I was part of the intel sector. Sentinel took care of the camps himself. He wanted to have control over them for whatever reason he wanted. He never confided. He ordered and sought information. He took advice but acted as he pleased. We were all tools in his kit as I see it from this distance. We were never partners, though he made us feel so at the time. He had his own vision and never shared it with me or anyone I knew. He was then and still is an enigma to me in a lot of ways."

"What did you know about his ascension to Primeship?" -C2

Lucien thought. "I made it my business to know how things worked and went. I wanted information like everyone else. I had been told by Kudon that Sentinel had killed Nominus when he was in the hospital. I also was told by Kudon that he had arranged the assassination of Nominus. I also was told that the Matrix was fake, that no one knew where the real one was and no one could know It wasn't where It was supposed to be. He feared for everyone if The People found out that the Matrix was missing."

"Did you know It hid Itself in the Matrix Chamber?" -C2

Lucien looked surprised. "No. I saw It choose Orion Pax over Megatron but I didn't know that was where It was. I thought perhaps Kudon had hid It and made up the other tale about It being missing. Kudon was as cold and ambitious as Sentinel. They weren't friends but they were allies. Both of them wanted the Matrix to use It for the control of everyone. The People esteem the Matrix with great fortitude. All of the relics, actually. That's what made it clear to me that something was wrong, the fact that the Matrix never gave the Blessings through Sentinel, Nominus, Zeta, or Nova, the Primes of my experience."

"Are you aware of the abuses undertaken in the camps?" -C2

Lucien nodded with a grave expression. "Everyone was. They were Sentinel's brief. He didn't allow anyone to go to them. Word got out about them through whistle blowers and smuggled images and messages from the Resistance. I won't tell you that I did anything. I **will** tell you that Sentinel always cut someone off when that topic came up. Sentinel used the policing, security and armed forces to do things like this. The law was so many red balloons to him."

"Were you privy to his back channel conversations with Megatron and the Decepticons?" -C2

"I wasn't directly but Contrail and Ratbat were always working on me to have greater access to information and direct contact with the security apparatus for Megatron. They never hid it, both of them, their treasonous intentions. They were working hard to turn others toward Megatron saying that Sentinel was on borrowed time and he would fall, so go with Megatron and get in on the ground floor of the new paradigm. It didn't go over well because it was … despicable and because Megatron was such a criminal. We thought at the time that Optimus Prime was an idealistic fool but Megatron was a criminal and a despicable barbarian." He glanced at Prime, then bowed slightly. "I beg your pardon, Lord Optimus."

Prime who remembered Lucien from then and was marveling himself now shrugged. "No offense taken."

Lucien stared at Prime then nodded. He looked back at Coln-2. "I am guilty of many thing, Coln, but treason as proposed by Ratbat and Contrail is not one of them."

Coln nodded. "What did you know about torture, especially shadow play and empurata?"

"They were devised during the reign of Nova Prime by Jhiaxus. I never met either of them but I know that Nova Prime was beginning to label and remove dissidents and those who opposed him through various means even then. He liked empurata because it was such a terrible fate for someone to live with afterward and combined with shadow play, changes you forever. He enjoyed that they would have to suffer long after the experience. Senator Shockwave is a clear example of that."

"If I'm understanding the process correctly, empurata removes one's face and hands, then dumps them with minimalist features and no extremities back into their life, correct?" -C2

"Correct."

"Shadow play is psychological and includes immersion into the greatest fears that the victim has until their psyches crack. Is that correct?" -C2

"Correct."

"Tell us about Senator Shockwave please."

Lucien thought back to someone he knew, someone he didn't favor because Shockwave cared about broader things than someone of his caste should have then. "Senator Shockwave was against most of the repressive policies and was a leading voice in the Senate against them. When Sentinel cracked down on scientists, especially those using their platforms to make things better for everyone, he had him arrested. He charged him with hiding dissident scientists who had warrants out for their arrest and he was imprisoned. Shockwave was especially effective in the Senate with his arguments and thus, he became … inconvenient. He was put through both processes and came out a different mech. One, I would add, who became Megatron's lead scientist and one of the greatest dangers on that side of things."

"Who ordered these events to happen? Who was responsible?" -C2

"It was at Sentinel's orders that all cases in which force of that nature was ordered or empurata and shadow play was to be used would be his purview. No one else as allowed to order or rescind measures of this nature but Sentinel. It was a clear order and you have many of them with the name of the individual signed to this fate by him. Sentinel kept good records."

"Do you have direct evidence or testimony of the deal with Megatron to bring Cybertron to this system?" -C2

"Nothing more than the comments of those involved but for Sentinel and what I know now about it," Lucien said.

"Thank you," Coln said as he sat.

"Lucien, you had a reputation as a ruthless despot yourself. You mention the involvement of Sentinel in many alleged things yet you exclude yourself from them," Highrode said.

"If you can find a single shred of evidence that I participated in some of the worst aspects of Sentinel's government, show it, Highrode. I am prepared to face the consequences," Lucien said as he glanced to the back of the room where Laslo sat with a worried expression. He pulsed affection to Laslo and got it back.

Highrode did his best to tear apart Lucien's testimony including impeaching his character by elaborating on his own actions during that time. By the time Highrode sat, it was debatable how much it had hurt the Primal case.

Coln stood. "I would like to call Sideswipe of Kaon."

Springer leaned out, then stepped back as Sideswipe walked in, pausing in the doorway as he glanced around. He was huge, beautiful, shiny as a new penny, and exuded enormous danger, charisma and confidence. He walked to the stand, took the oath, then turned to Coln. He glanced at Sentinel, then smirked.

"Autobot Sideswipe, do you know Sentinel Prime very well?" Coln asked.

Sideswipe shrugged. "I knew him. I knew him when he as a Minor, a Major and Prime. Sentinel liked to slum. He liked to hang out with criminals and gangs." Sideswipe grinned. "We got that a lot from high caste fraggers who came to the ghettos to danger junkie. I think it made them feel something if you know what I mean."

It was tense, crackling tense as Coln stared at Sideswipe. "Autobot Sideswipe, could you tell us how you first met Sentinel?"

"I never thought you would ask," Sideswipe said with a grim expression on his face.

-0-TBC 8-9-18 edited 8-13-18 **edited 8-12-18**

Something that's well appointed is a place that has all the stuff it needs for comfort and utility and looks nice, too, usually. A well appointed carry hold has toys, snacks, blankies, dollies, etc. :D


	437. Chapter 437

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 437)

-0-Courtroom

"I first saw Sentinel when he was slumming. He and some of the others, Ratbat especially, liked to come to the ghettos and hang in the bars. It was a big time high caste pastime. I think they liked the rough trade," Sideswipe said as he smirked at Sentinel. Sentinel for his part didn't show any acknowledgment toward Sideswipe. Sideswipe glanced at Coln. "He came to play cards, drink and leave with someone, the bigger, the better. It was fragged all around. He liked to hang out in the gang clubs in Kaon. The rage gangs all had their home bases in the Wilderness and he'd go there to hang out. He liked to come to ours, too. He'd drink and stare at Sunstreaker. My brother knew it and had a laugh. He wanted what he would never get. It must have been a new experience for a high caste fragger like him."

"Please tell us, Autobot Sideswipe, what your story was and how you ended up in the Wilderness?" -C2

"My brother and I were separated in Kaon and ended up in the Youth Center. We don't know what happened to our genitors. We were never adopted," he said.

Prime remembered visions of two handsome and agonized young mechs with babies who left them in Kaon at the Center and ordered that they never be adopted, that they were going to come back for them once they recovered from an illness that was clear to see upon them. But they never did. Prime held the information gathered in the Matrix until he could offer more. It weighed upon him now.

"We got out when we were old enough to climb over the wall and lived by our wits and fists. We were fragging dangerous then," Sideswipe said with a cold grin. "No one fragged with us. Then Sentinel saw Sunny ... my brother, Sunstreaker. That was all she wrote as the humans say."

"He became infatuated with Sunstreaker?" Coln asked.

"Objection. We aren't here to listen to someone's love life. I don't see the point of all of this except to create embarrassment," Highrode said. Sentinel sat next to him like a sphinx.

"I'm creating the background for Sentinel's participation with criminal gangs and their deployment by his orders to commit a criminal conspiracy, one of the charges. I want the information to be complete and well ordered, Lord Optimus. There **is** a point to this line of questioning," Coln said.

"It's prurient and salacious," Highrode said, though he wouldn't know completely. Sentinel had not spoken of this sort of thing when they discussed the witness list. He had left all of this out.

"Overruled. Please make this relevant, Coln-2," Prime said.

Coln nodded. "I will. Continue, Autobot Sideswipe."

"He did," Sideswipe said as he stared at Sentinel. "He's one of those high tone fraggers who believes if he wants it, he can have it. He wanted Sunstreaker so he came around. A lot. Sunny couldn't stomach him though it was amusing for him to see Sentinel beg." Sideswipe grinned. "It was for me, too."

"Did you see him with other gangs and what did he do that you can attest to directly?" Coln asked.

"We had a gang. I won't sugar coat it. We were on our own and no one cared. There wasn't one fragging thing to help kids like us, for someone without an education and no job. We were cut loose and there was only one person who would care if I lived or died and it was my brother. So we did what a lot of homeless kids did. We ganged up. We had a bad aft gang and had a club in the Wilderness, down in Burnside. There were others including Barricade's. He went to the 'Cons when the war broke out. We had fights and controlled our own territory. We were feared and only the most foolhardy took us on. We had nothing to lose. We were never defeated. Ever," Sideswipe said proudly.

"Sentinel called a meeting of gang leaders and we went, Sunny, our buddy, Splice, and me around the time the Praxus branch of the Revolution hooked up with the CPU and the Missionaries. Everyone was there and it was really volatile. One false move and it would have been a blood bath. Sentinel outlined his plans to take over industries, knock off opponents and have us work as his private army against companies and the anti government opposition that was rising against them. He wanted us to steal, murder, disappear individuals, strong arm, extort, bomb things, and frag up the works. We would work for him for a cut of the action and he would get even stronger."

"Were there any witnesses here who might corroborate your testimony?" Coln asked.

"Splice can. He's Circle and a Knight who's regular army now. Barricade can," Sideswipe said with a grin. "He might be an easy get if you ask him nicely. He was there. I'll have to think about more. Sunstreaker was there. Splice lives here."

"Who agreed to do this with Sentinel?" Coln asked.

"Everyone there but us. Splice, Sunny and me didn't agree," Sideswipe said.

"Why?" Coln asked.

"Because we fragging hate Sentinel's guts. Everywhere we looked there was poverty. Kids were looking in garbage for food, homeless kids like we were. Misery was everywhere and he still wanted **more**. Fragging coward. We hated him. We didn't trust him. He was part of the plan to have the 10,000 Decepticons register as a party, then he killed them. He had 10,000 poor dumb fraggers murdered because he can't keep his word. It's not in him to do it. Besides, he was harassing my brother and that's never going to go by unnoticed." Sideswipe stared daggers at Sentinel who gazed back passively.

"What did he do?" Coln asked.

"He wanted Sunny. Most mechs who see him do, too. Sunny's beautiful and he's dangerous. He's unpredictable, temperamental, artistic … really dangerous, especially then, and that appeals to a lot of dumb fraggers. They want to be with the fragmentation grenade. Who knows when it'll go off?" Sideswipe grinned. "Sentinel chased him. He was everywhere Sunstreaker was. Sunny thought it was hilarious to see a high caste fragger want something that bad and never get it. Maybe you learned what the most of us felt all our lives, slagger," he said as he glared at Sentinel. "It was amazing. He even paid guys to attack Sunny, to beat him into submission. The trouble with that is Sunny can fight and every time it happened Sentinel's muscle got fragged hard."

"Sentinel never succeeded?" Coln said.

"No, but he changed his tactics," Sideswipe said grimly.

Nearby, sitting silently as they listened, Ironhide, his family and Ratchet learned hard truths about their boys that they had always suspected. It was instructive that Bluestreak wasn't sitting in here listening but Prowl was and he was grim. Ratchet knew he was on the witness list and he hoped that Prowl's relationship with Sentinel wouldn't come up, but he knew it probably would. Highrode had very little to work with and it didn't look to improve anytime soon. Impeaching a witness was better than nothing.

"Sentinel figured out he couldn't get to Sunny directly so he decided to go through me. It was hard staying ahead of his goons. They were everywhere. One night I had to go some place and when I came back a mob jumped me. I put a lot of them down but there were too many and they fragged me up but good. I was really bashed. I ended up in jail facing charges Sentinel probably concocted on a dart board. My brother got a lawyer, the only one who would take the job, paid him a mountain of shanix and got me out, though I ended up in prison before that awaiting trial. I think Sentinel wanted to let Sunstreaker know that he could have me murdered there if he just said so."

"What did your brother do?" Coln asked.

"He got the lawyer who finally got me out and he had to fight to get me medical attention. After a decaorn laying in my own energon, I finally got repaired but it laid me low. It took a long time to recover. In the end, I was freed." He grinned. "Sunstreaker was ballistic and I wasn't there to moderate it, I was so sick. He went to the Residence in Iacon and slipped inside. He went to Sentinel's suite, his berth room and slashed everything in it with a knife. He left nothing untouched, then slipped out. I don't know how he did it but he did. It was epic," Sideswipe said as he smirked at Sentinel.

"So, Sentinel harassed both of you, sent goons after you to beat you nearly to death and put you in prison to pressure your brother into a relationship," Coln said.

"Yes. He did," Sideswipe said.

"What about the group who agreed to help him? What do you know about them?" Coln asked.

"They liked to discuss what they did and rub it in that we weren't there getting our share. Barricade killed a lot of people for Sentinel and his group and so did Turmoil. They were his strong arm mechs and his hired killers. They both like to kill and both of them saw Sentinel as a step up to a bigger racket where they were the boss of all the gangs everywhere. Who knows what would have happened if the war hadn't blown up in our faces? They were murdering opposition people, killing others who wouldn't sell or let their businesses be controlled by him and stealing everything that wasn't nailed down. It destabilized the gangs and it was then that the gang violence that made the news happened. Barricade and Turmoil made a race to see who would be the over boss first. That was Sentinel's, too. He destabilized the whole thing, the whole balance with his slag."

"How were things once you were out of prison?" Coln asked.

"They were bad. The Peace Movement was getting slammed hard. Ordinarily, that at the time wouldn't have bothered us. We were hard and filled with vengeance against Sentinel. But now, it rankles. Hard. Some of them were priests and acolytes, holy people and civilians who were religious and trying to do a good thing without guns. They were putting themselves into the line of fire without fear and they were getting beaten up, killed, put in jail … it wasn't right no matter how you look at it. Things were also out of hand in the gangs and there were few who could walk around and not get assassinated. I was really beat up and the recovery took longer than I thought it would. Sunny had to manage everything. It was then that we heard that Sentinel was shot and had died.

"We asked around, including those on the pad in the government and no one had much of a clue. They all said that he was dumped into a sarcophagus at the Basilica without the usual slag. That sounded like the government, that kind of a half afted gesture, but it didn't sound like it was on the level overall. They did an autopsy on Nominus but not Sentinel. That should have alerted everyone that there was something going on," Sideswipe said.

"Can you link any of the murders at the time to Sentinel, his government or any of his agents in the gangs?" Coln asked.

"Not specifically. They liked to brag about it, though Barricade used to talk about how he shot the Missionaries over in the Heights. That big massacre," Sideswipe said. "I asked him about it, calling him out and he said that they were sniper shots, special bullets that exploded on contact. He said they would obliterate your helm if they landed. They were outlawed ammo if you need to know. Fat lot of good that did. Sentinel never enforced a law unless it benefited him."

"Was anyone else there when he said it?" Coln asked.

"Sunny was there. They were arguing and he said he'd take Sunny out some orn like he did the Missionaries at the Heights. Splice was there. Turmoil and his broth- …" Sideswipe glanced at Ratchet. "Uh ..."

"Please continue," Coln said.

"Sideswipe, continue," Prime prompted.

Sideswipe frowned. "Turmoil's brother, Maelstrom was there and heard it. I think. It's been a while." He frowned. "I'm no snitch."

"No one said you were," Coln said.

"I'm telling the truth under oath here because Sentinel destroyed so much he deserves to burn but I'm no snitch," Sideswipe said stubbornly.

"I see the distinction," Coln said.

"Good," Sideswipe said with a bitter edge to his tone. "You snitched in the Wilderness and you were dead before the words left your mouth. None of you high castes have any idea what that was like, living like that, learning to survive young on your own. I'm no snitch."

It was silent a moment, leaden, then Coln continued. "Sideswipe, did you ever see money exchange hands in return for actions or jobs related to Sentinel's aims for the gangs?" Coln asked.

He nodded. "All the time." He grinned. "We'd liquor them up and rob them. They didn't really care. There was always more, right, Sentinel?" he asked bitterly. "Money flowed. All of it came from Sentinel's agents. They were always some nervous bureaucratic punk with a hefty bag and a couple of police officers as escort coming around in an armored car. He'd deliver it, then flee. It was almost hilarious if it wasn't so terrible."

"Is there anything that you can add to this to help us understand what happened and how this unfolded?" Coln asked.

Sideswipe stared at Sentinel. "You ran. You fled and left us alone. You were a terrible Prime but you **were** the **Prime**. You left the body of Primus unguarded. You can't pay enough times for that alone."

"I have no more questions." Coln sat, then Highrode stood. "Autobot Sideswipe, did you ever kill someone in your criminal career?"

Sideswipe smirked slightly. "Really?" he asked with incredulity.

Sentinel allowed himself a tiny smirk of his own.

-0-TBC 8-10-18 **edited 8-13-18**

ESL

'on the pad' – taking bribes (slang)

'on the level' – true

(I'm throwing in phrases for the bots that are typical tough guy New York since so many of the G1 voices were New York and eastern USA urban. Especially Wheeljack. :D


	438. Chapter 438

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 438)

-0-Courtroom

"Answer the question."

Sideswipe stared at Highrode. "No."

"And we can believe you how?"

"Because I said so."

"Why did you join the Autobots? By your own admission, the gangs went to the Decepticons."

"Because we lived the best we could given the circumstances. That wasn't who we were, the gangs. It was all we had before us." He considered that. "We didn't choose our life. Sunny is a great artist. I'm a slagging good soldier and have the responsibility to teach fighting techniques to the whole army as the Master of Combat Skills. Your caste put it on us, Highrode, you and Sentinel. Now you want to pick us apart because you didn't give us any other outlet then? Frag that. No. I never killed anyone as a criminal."

Highrode considered the mech before him. "You didn't answer the question."

"I went to the Autobots because the Decepticons came straight out of Sentinel's fat aft. It was **your** caste creating the monster that made all this happen. Megatron was a **symptom.** Sentinel and your caste were the **disease**. What did you expect us to do? Die of starvation? Plenty did. Go to the archives and watch the films about the Dead End. I'm glad you didn't live like me. You should count your slagging blessings. I went to the Autobots because they were the place I could get paybacks and not end up in jail. It was the place where I didn't have to watch my back all the time, where my brother and I got **respect**. Everyone thinks Sunny and I should be Decepticons because we could fight and because we didn't sit down and starve to death. No one knows who we are. We're Autobots, fraggers." Sideswipe glared at Highrode, then Sentinel.

Sentinel stared back without comment or change in expression.

"You have a reputation self admitted and we have to accept somehow your assertions that Sentinel used gangs to kill innocent civilians and steal things. You understand our hesitation," Highrode said. "You aren't exactly uncompromised yourself."

"We aren't dead, **either** , though Sentinel did his damnedness to make it happen," Sideswipe said hotly.

Highrode stared at him a moment. "I have no further questions for now. I would like this witness to be considered hostile, Lord Optimus. I believe his credibility constrains full and impartial belief."

"You're calling me a liar, then," Sideswipe said coldly. " **You** , who defend **Sentinel Prime** are calling **ME** a liar ..."

"Sideswipe, stand down. Coln? Do you have more questions?" Prime asked.

"No, sir," Coln said with a solemn expression.

"Very well," Prime said. "Thank you, Autobot, for your testimony."

Sideswipe stared at Highrode, then Sentinel. He stepped down, then stopped. He turned to both. "You did your best to kill me and you failed. I have a bond, children, genitors who love me, and the respect of my peers. What do you have, Sentinel?" With that, he walked onward and left the room, passing a pensive Springer who slapped his shoulder in sympathy as he passed.

Coln stared at the door, then turned to Prime. "I would like to call a new witness not on the list but who has been brought to light. I asked Springer off line to bring him. I would like to call Maelstrom of Slaughter City please."

"He's not on the list, Coln. I haven't had a chance to depose him," Highrode said.

"I know. Neither have I, High, but the witness mentioned him as being present during an important event. He's material to the case," Coln said.

"Springer," Prime said. "Is Maelstrom here?"

Springer nodded. "He's here."

"Then call him in. I will allow this witness and any others who come up in testimony that have a direct bearing on the events in question even if they are not on the witness list or have been deposed," Prime said.

Springer leaned out, then back to let Chromia enter. She was tense but pre-combative in expression. The mech behind her, huge, massive and tense looked less so. He glanced at Ratchet who nodded to him. Nodding back, he walked to the front as directed by Springer, took the stand, the oath, then stared at Sentinel with surprise. Maelstrom knew he was here, that he was going to be tried but nothing could prepare him for seeing the big mech sitting not twenty feet away after all that had passed since he last saw him on Cybertron.

"Maelstrom, I need to have you answer some questions to the best of your ability. The purpose of these questions isn't about you, its about something that Sentinel Prime may or not have done in the past. You were mentioned as a witness," Coln said as the huge mech nodded.

He glanced at Chromia who was sitting with Raptor. She nodded, so he looked at Coln. "Okay." He glanced at Prime. "Am I going back to jail? Some of the stuff back then wasn't kosher."

Prime stifled a grin. "We are interested in what you know, Maelstrom. You are not here for what you might have done."

"Okay." He looked at Coln. "I'll tell you what I know. My girl, Chromia, she wants me to do the right thing but I'll tell you up front. That's hard to do. I grew up in Slaughter City. The cops and courts were the enemy."

"I hope you don't think so today, Maelstrom. I want to know what you know about some things that happened in relation to Sentinel during the time of his reign. They include your brother, Turmoil. Is that clear?" Coln asked sympathetically.

"Sure," Maelstrom said.

"Was your brother a road rage gang leader in the Kaon area or there abouts?" -C2

Maelstrom glanced at Ratchet and Ironhide who nodded. "Yeah. He was. I was … uh, I was his minion. He called me that as a joke. I didn't think it was funny."

Prime quashed a smirk and it would appear everyone but Highrode and Sentinel did as well. This could be fun, he thought. He wanted something less depressing and hopefully, Maelstrom would deliver in all the ways needed.

"He was a dangerous mech, your brother. He was a … and I'm going to be blunt about it … a hired killer, thief, murderer, and any number of other things. Correct?" -C2

Maelstrom thought about it. "I'm no snitch."

"Autobot Maelstrom," Prime said formally, "You are here under oath to speak to things that were potentially great wrongs against all our people and Primus Himself. All you have to do is assist us in finding out what you saw, heard and experienced then. It is not 'snitching' to be honorable in your truth. You have already demonstrated your worth to all of us here. Now show the dead that you are honorable for them, too."

Maelstrom stared at him, mulling the words Prime had spoken. He looked out at everyone there, Ratchet, Ironhide and his family, those who had witnessed and stayed, then His Chromia. She balled her fist and raised it slightly, nodding to him with a direct expression of support. He felt his insides melt. If it was okay with his girl, it would be okay with his personal code. Chromia was a goddess in his estimation. He looked at Coln. "We were destitute. Our genitors died on the job and the government didn't care. We were homeless young, like the twins and half the mechs in this room. We had to survive and not be someone elses meat. We did what we did to survive and I don't apologize." He looked at Sentinel. "You should have helped us but you didn't give a frag. Frag you, Sentinel, and all the others who ignored us."

Highrode stared at the massive mech before him. Sentinel was indeed responsible but he wasn't going to object. This was a dangerous mech and what could he say? It was Sentinel's brief to care for the homeless and hungry and he didn't. He sat back to listen and decide what to say, if anything, while the mech before him spoke.

"Where you present at a gathering of gang leaders called by Sentinel Prime to discuss working for him as hired guns, anarchists and murderers?" -C2

Maelstrom looked uncomfortable but nodded. The warmth coming to him from Chromia made all the difference. "Yeah. We were called, all of us. I came as Turmoil's second and everyone was there, the twins and Splice, Carbo, Mechio, and the like. Catilla, Carnivac, Ruckus, and Bludgeon were there, too. Before they were Mayhem Team members, they ran gangs all over the planet. They were there to hear what Sentinel wanted. Everyone was ready to kill everyone but all of us were curious."

"Did Sentinel hang out with gangs?" -C2

Maelstrom nodded. "He did. He did it all over the place. If he had to go somewhere, he hit up the clubs after when he could. I don't think he liked being a high caste. It didn't seem to be fun for him. He liked to bring his …" Maelstrom made a tiny grin. "He liked to bring his minions with him to watch them squirm. It made him happy, I guess. He was hot for Sunstreaker, I remember. I also remember he put Sideswipe in prison after having him half beat to death. That put him on Sunstreaker's shit list forever. We were all there."

"What did Sentinel say and what did he want all of you to do?" -C2

"He wanted us to be his private army, to kill whoever he wanted, rob everyone, strong arm businesses that wouldn't play ball, get rid of anyone in his way … he hated the peace movement. He wanted all their leaders dead. He was going to reap a lot of shanix and we would all get a big cut."

"What happened then?" -C2

"There was a lot of fighting and arguing over turf. Everyone had their turf and wanted more. My brother watched them without saying a word. He always learned everything he needed doing that. He was a big smart mech, my brother, and the biggest fragger I know."

Coln grinned slightly. "What happened in the argument?"

"Everyone finally agreed but the twins and Splice. We were going to have our own areas of expertise … some would do hits, some would rob, some would launder money … that sort of thing. My brother would rob. He was big but he was a lot smarter than most of those there. He was an expert at that sort of thing. We were the biggest fences on Cybertron and in the Empire." He glanced at Prime. "Am I in trouble for that?"

Prime actually grinned faintly. "No. Please continue, Autobot."

Maelstrom nodded. He looked at Coln. "The twins and Splice didn't trust Sentinel. You know that he and the Senate got 10,000 Decepticons to register as a political party, then had them all killed. They told everyone not to trust him, that he was a liar and fragger. My brother didn't care. If someone got to be a problem, he would kill them. That's who he was. He wasn't afraid of Sentinel and just between you and me, he wasn't. Sentinel should have been afraid of him because of all the fraggers there but for the twins, he was the only one who could have reached him and snuffed his spark. That's who my brother is and that's what he could do," Maelstrom said with a faint trace of pride.

Watching him, Chromia grinned. :That's my boy, Ada:

:I hear ya, baby girl: Ratchet replied as they both grinned at each other.

"We have been told that Barricade of Kaon murdered the Missionaries at the Heights. The big massacre. What do you know, if anything, about that?" -C2

Maelstrom considered that. "He did. He told my brother about it and I was there. He was a cold killer, Barricade. He said that if you saw him, you were already dead. I believe him. He kills when he's bored. He has no limits."

"Did you see money change hands at any time for any crimes by anyone?" -C2

"I saw the little twerp come around in an armored car delivering payoffs. Our share of the spoils. I saw a ton of shanix … literally a ton at the club owned by Mechio. His gang laundered money for Sentinel and his crowd including a bunch of Senators, corporation bozos and Kudon through the banks and venture firms. I know Kudon had money laundered. I also know that Barricade got a bounty on his murders as extra payment. It was as regular as clockwork."

"In the end, everyone but the gang run by Sideswipe and Sunstreaker came over to Sentinel's control and did his bidding no matter what he asked, to your knowledge?" -C2

Maelstrom nodded. "Yeah. I got to see a lot more than my brother because it was part of my job to go to other gangs and other clubs. I saw a lot and it was coming from Sentinel. Sometimes, I even **saw** Sentinel. I liked to go to the twin's club because it was entertaining to watch Sentinel around Sunny. It was amusing," Maelstrom said as he smirked at Sentinel.

That was when Sentinel Prime leaped for his throat.

-0-TBC 8-10-18 edited 8-11-18 **edited 8-11-18**

In my family, if something wasn't 'kosher' (koh-sure) it was wrong or not right. (an expression)


	439. Chapter 439

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 439)

-0-Courtroom

Ratchet leaped up followed by Raptor, Hard Drive and Ironhide. Running to the door, he opened it and shouted to the crowd. **"COME HERE NOW!"**

They jumped up and found themselves with arms filled with startled children. Then the four hurried back in followed by Drift. The door closed. Then the bellowing and bashing of a fight echoed out anyway. Gently handing Hero to Sandstorm, Hercy unsubbed his tazer device and calmly walked in followed by Kup who had no children. The others went to the door and peered in.

Sentinel leaped at Maelstrom with a speed that defied physics. He gripped that giant by the neck and began to squeeze. Maelstrom laughed loudly and began to pummel Sentinel in the chest. Prime who was slammed backward stood up and shoved No-a and Semi toward the wall where the door to the corridor for judges was. **"GO!"** he shouted as they did, No-a albeit slowly. He wanted to stay and slug it out. Semi who was no coward edged away. He was completely outclassed, so No-a pushed him forward, shielding him with his own huge body. Onward across the room, Barron, the lawyers, Highrode, and Coln-2 were being assisted by Blackstone through the door to the jail.

Springer who was guarding their retreat glanced toward Drift and the others as they poured in. **"Nail him!"** Springer shouted.

Hercy nodded, then move forward in time to get slammed by Sentinel's long wing-like appendages. He hadn't set himself so he flew backward and hurled into Hard Drive and Raptor. They grunted as they absorbed the blow, flying together into the wall behind them. By then, Prime was on the fight but he couldn't get to Sentinel around the mass of Maelstrom. Prowl who had helped the others, too, while saving the datapads of all involved turned in time to see Prime grip Sentinel's servos which were choking Maelstrom tightly.

It was fortunate that they didn't need air to breathe or Maelstrom would have been dead by now. What he did need, however, was energon flow to his processor. He began to stagger as the flow was cut off adding more impediment to Prime who was trying to get past him in the tight area. By them, Chromia was up and rushing forward. She leaped into the air to land on Sentinel's back where she put on her own arm clamp around his neck. It didn't seem to phase him. He, after all, was a Primal frame and they were designed to take phenomenal amounts of punishment before giving in. All of the vital areas of a Primal frame were over designed for maximum invulnerability. She really wasn't making a dent on him.

Raptor swept past everyone heading toward Sentinel with a roar. He gripped Chromia and pried her off, spinning her away as gently as he could. Then he gripped Sentinel's long wings and pulled hard. Sentinel feeling it bellowed like a bull. He let go of Maelstrom who was beginning to grow hazy from energon deprivation, then slammed his face with his fist. Maelstrom flew off his feet backwards taking Prime with him into the back wall. Freed of Maelstrom, Sentinel began to spin in an effort to get Raptor. Even though Raptor was huge and strong, he was no match for Sentinel. He actually flew off his peds as Sentinel spun trying to grip him.

Springer and Drift closed in on him and he traded blows easily with both, then slammed them into the wall just as the door opened. Drift flew into the corridor to the jail as Springer slid down the wall in a daze. Standing in the corridor heading back to the courtroom, Prowl watched in astonishment as Drift hit the wall, then fell forward. He unsubbed his small stun gun, then hurried out. He paused in the doorway, looking with disbelief at the sight.

Maelstrom was dazed behind the podium as he sprawled on a slightly dazed Prime. Optimus was trying to get back up again after the full force of Maelstrom landed on him. Raptor was hanging onto Sentinel who was maddened in his desire to rip Raptor in two. Ratchet was watching with that look … the one that was calculating injuries. Hard Drive was looking for an opening and so was Ironhide who then threw caution to the wind and ran forward to help his grandfather. It was then that Sentinel spun hard with a bellow of rage and with that, Raptor's foot clipped Ironhide by the side of the helm. He fell back and took out Hard Drive and Kup. Ratchet dodged them as they slammed into the wall beside him.

It was chaos.

Prowl felt molten rage rise up through him at Sentinel, at his own memories of the fragger and all the insanity before him. With a roar of his own, he ran forward, aimed at Sentinel, then shot him. A bolt like plasma flew out and hit him in the arm, but did little more than madden him further. He lunged forward toward Prowl. Prowl subbed the gun, then slammed Sentinel in the face. It slowed but didn't stop him. As he did, Prime finally got free. He saw Sentinel charge Prowl and it set off things in his processor that he had never felt before. All he wanted to do now was kill Sentinel. He charged forward leaping over furniture until he gripped Sentinel's arm. He had it cocked back to hit Prowl but found himself spun around.

A fist hit Sentinel in the face staggering him a moment before another one dropped him to his knees. It was then that Hercy touched him with his device and Sentinel fell to the ground to quiver as electrical currents sparkled all over his chassis. Everyone paused as Raptor who had leaped clear when he saw Hercy's arm rise up, device in grip, stood up to seethe with rage over Sentinel.

"Ground him, Hercy," Prime said as he seethed beside Prowl.

"Not yet," Raptor said as Hercy did.

Sentinel relaxed but unlike everyone else who had felt the bite of it, he was awake and aware. A Primal frame took more than one taze to go out like a light. He lay on his back a moment, then he laughed. "So you think you can insult me and not feel the burn?" He stood up as guns all over the room flipped up, all of which were pointed at him. "I'm a **Prime** , Optimus. Who but **you** should know better?"

" **Were** a Prime. **Were** ," Optimus said. "Cuff him and get this place together." He turned to go to the podium and noted six terrified jurors huddling together in a corner. "Ratchet, please attend to the jury. Prowl?" Then he walked onward to the door and exited into the corridor with Prowl.

Ratchet climbed over furniture as Drift, Springer and Raptor cuffed Sentinel none too gently. "Are you alright?" he asked as the six relaxed slightly.

"I think so," the femme juror said as she stared fearfully at Sentinel. "Is everyone alright?"

Ratchet grinned as he scanned them. "Sure. You need to attend more trials," he said.

The jurors relaxed, then an older mech chuckled. "I think I might." They helped set up the courtroom again as the legal teams and judges walked back out. It was amazing how tough the furnishings were. Nothing was broken or damaged. The courtroom was back in order and everyone sat, albeit without their datapads. It was stony silent in the courtroom. It wasn't in the corridor outside.

-0-Outside in the corridor

Wailing filled the space as terrified children cried. Hard Drive walked out and all of them held up their arms for him. He laughed as he took them one at a time to comfort, then slide into his carry hold. When all of them were secured, he grinned. "You missed a slagging fine show."

"We saw it from the doorway," Sandstorm said with a grin. "Too bad it was so crowded," he said as he glanced at Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. "You could have gotten paybacks."

"I know," Sunny said darkly.

"You will anyway. I have no doubt that the Pantheon will come for him," Hard Drive said. "Have a seat. This is going to start shortly." With that, he walked back inside to the bench where he had sat and parked himself. Raptor and Ironhide walked to him to stand in shimmering rage. "I have the kids. They're upset but okay."

Ironhide nodded. "Good."

The door to the judges chambers opened as Semi, Barron and No-a walked out. They called the attorneys forward and huddled in the corner conferencing. Everyone had sat down but for more muscle with obvious guns in sight who were around Sentinel. He sat on his chair glowing with energon cuffs as he waited without expression for what was to come. Maelstrom sat in the audience with Chromia. He looked like he wanted to kill Sentinel, not for his own fisticuffs which was sport for him but because he hit Chromia. She looked proud as slag of him as she sat with his arm around her.

Ratchet paused beside them to scan. They were fine and only slightly banged up. "You're a caution, Maelstrom. You and the femme here."

He grinned with pride. "Did you see her? Isn't she the greatest?"

"You won't get an argument from me," Ratchet said with a chuckle as Prime and Prowl walked back in.

-0-Moments before

They walked into the corridor, then Prime hugged Prowl tightly. They stood together holding each other, then Prime stared down at Prowl. "Are you alright, Prowl?"

"I am," Prowl said ruefully. "I wanted to obliterate him."

Prime nodded. "I would have had he hurt you. I knew it was galling for him to hear the witnesses goading him but it was their testimony. I suppose I should have cautioned against it."

"It's part of their testimony. I don't think they'd listen anyway," Prowl said as he hugged Prime. Leaning against him, he shook his helm. "He's a big mech. Not as big as you though," he said loyally.

Prime chuckled. "You are loyal."

Prowl looked up with a fierce expression. "You better remember that I am. You're **Prime**. You're **holy**. You're **mine**. Our family and you … that's my world."

Prime nodded. "And it is my world, too." They held each other, then Prime vented a sigh. "This is a mess. We better go sort it out."

Standing nearby, forgotten, Semi, Blackstone and Coln-2 who had followed them inside waited. Prime startled as he saw them, then grinned. "I forgot you were there. Are you alright?"

Semi grinned. "We are. Are you? I heard the ruckus and it sounded like an artillery barrage."

"We are fine. We need to get organized again. I am assuming there will be motions about what happened and I am resolved myself that this incident is not going to change anything in the case," Prime said.

"I agree." No-a glanced at Semi who nodded. "We have to stay the course. Perhaps polling the jury about this will help. Given that they don't have a vote in the outcome, it shouldn't be much of a problem."

"Agree," Optimus said. "Let us go now."

Semi and No-a nodded, then walked past, leaving the room as the door closed. Prime grinned at Prowl who grinned back as he hugged Prime. "I do believe our great romance is now a public feature."

"Pity them," Prowl said with a chuckle. He squeezed Prime, then looked upward to his face. "You were a champion. Remember that."

Prime kissed Prowl. "So were you," he said with a grin. "Onward into the breach."

Prowl chuckled as he walked to the door to open it. They both walked out, Prime to sit again and Prowl to give everyone their datapads and work items which they accepted with gratitude. He walked to his seat as clerk and sat checking the station which was unharmed. He didn't look at Sentinel even though he could feel his optics staring. Glancing at the judges, he nodded.

It was silent a moment, then Optimus looked at Ratchet. "Is there any harm to anyone who was in here, Ratchet?"

"Only the odd bump and bruise. Add in a lot of scare for the civilians who aren't used to half cocked fraggers going off and you have a miracle. No one got hurt, Optimus, but the furniture." Ratchet was seated between Raptor and Ironhide who were seething still.

"Are the children alright?" Prime asked.

Hard Drive patted his chest. "They were evacuated and are fine."

"Good," Prime said. He looked at the jury. "It was unfortunate that you were caught in the middle of something like this. I apologize for the court. These are highly charged affairs and sometimes things happen. I would excuse any of you who feel that this is more than you bargained for. There will be no recriminations toward any of you if you wish to be relieved of what is essentially an advisory role."

They glanced at each other, then the femme grinned. "I think I want to see how this story ends, Lord Optimus. I'm staying."

The others nodded in agreement. Prime sat back. "Thank you for your service." He glanced at Coln. "You were questioning Maelstrom. Do you require further testimony?"

"No. I reserve the right to cross," Coln said.

"Understood," Prime said. He looked at a shaken Highrode. "Highrode … do you need a moment to gather yourself? This was unexpected. We are willing to allow you time."

"Thank you, Lord Optimus. I am … I am fine. I would like to question Maelstrom," Highrode said.

"Very well," Prime said as he glanced at Sentinel. "I am directing Commander Hercy to taze you, Sentinel, if you attempt to try this again. Commander, please stand between the defendant and the jury box. It's fortunate that the jury is advisory, Sentinel, rather than the group who decides your fate."

Hercy rose and walked to the jury box to stand beside it, tazer in servo. Prime nodded to Highrode who stood as Maelstrom took the stand, re-iterated his oath and waited. "Maelstrom, you intimated a number of things, yet there are no witnesses beyond you and a number of very bad and in some cases very dead Decepticons who can back your commentary. What other evidence do you possess that supports your allegations?"

"My brother was there. So were the twins. There's paperwork, data trails. Coln said so. You have my slagging word. I gave it to the Matrix and to my girl. I'm a slagging Autobot now. I'm not a Decepticon. My in-laws would never allow me to bond with my girl if I was one. A lot of us here were Decepticons. You can't find a worse one than Drift," he said nodding to a startled bot standing next to a frowning Springer. "He had bounties on him from Megatron, my brother, the Decepticon Justice Division-"

"I did?" Drift asked with surprise. "Those slaggers were after **everyone.** "

Maelstrom grinned slightly. "They got a separate bounty on you, slagger How bad do you have to be to have the DJD be given a special bounty on someone?" He looked at Highrode. "Did you know he's my brother-in-law? He's also second-in-command of security for here, Cybertron and the Empire. We change. I changed. Ask my girl. She's a goddess. She'll tell you."

Chromia grinned at Maelstrom, her spark bursting with pride. He was her mech, her one and only. He was showing his quality and she wanted to dance. She glanced at Ratchet who grinned at her. She grinned back, then sat taller in her chair as she watched her mech with pride.

"You were a very dangerous, very wanted Decepticon," Highrode continued.

"Not as wanted as Drift. Sort of made me feel bad how much more wanted he was than me," Maelstrom said with a snicker.

Drift smirked at him, then glanced at a still frowning Springer. He slid closer to Springer who leaned slightly in toward him in response. It was silent in the room. Highrode stared at the impossibility of Maelstrom, then threw in the towel. "No more questions. This witness is hostile. Please mark him so." He sat heavily.

Coln stood. "I would like to call Rainmaker, the Great Elder of Seekerkin."

Everyone stared at the door as Springer opened it, leaned out, then back as Rainmaker stepped in, his staff gleaming in the lights. He walked to the stand, took the oath, bowed to Prime who nodded back, then turned toward Coln. "I am here. Command from me whatever you will," he said with gravity, enormous integrity and dignity.

-0-TBC 8-12-18 **edited 8-12-18**

ESL:

Cross or cross examination: to re-question someone who they already spoke with. If a prosecutor questions a witness, the defense has the right to do the same. Anything that comes up there can be discussed by the prosecutor in cross-examination, or re-examination.

Re-iterate: (ree-ih-tur-rate) to repeat something.

Intimate: (in-tuh-mate) to suggest something without directly telling


	440. Chapter 440

The Diego Diaries: Trial and Tribulations (dd6 440)

-0-Courtroom

Rainmaker stood in the stand cloaked in his effortless majesty. He was beautiful and exuded integrity at the same frequency as Prime. He was the greatest of his frame, the unchallenged, ultra acknowledged and legitimately revered leader of Seekerkin wherever it existed. What made him unique is that he accorded to Prime something that had never been given by Seekers to anyone else, especially ground models. He gave to Prime his unqualified support and friendship. He gave to Prime the right to lead his people and he followed Prime's own, giving his own sons into support of his legitimacy, something never before granted to any Prime. They were cut from the same cloth, that was evident, and together they were a magnificent team in the redemption of their people.

"Rainmaker, Elder … which do you prefer, sir?" Coln asked with a bow of his helm.

"Elder is fine, Coln-2," Rainmaker said in his deeply masculine voice. He nodded back. Good manners to his frame were **EVERYTHING** and part of the new paradigm that Rainmaker treasured.

Respect. It was the only thing.

"Elder, could you please tell us about Seekerkin during the reign of Nominus Prime? I would ask about that of Nova but he's rather peripheral to the story at servo," Coln said.

"Would that he had been all along," Rainmaker said with a slight grin, exhibiting when he did a dry sense of humor that hinted at a bigger one, a huge sense of the absurd that stood him in good stead. Rainmaker had a cracking great sense of fun. "Nominus … what can be said about him? He did treat me with greater respect than Nova. I would have been insulted with Nova but for the fact that he treated everyone with appalling disregard. So did Zeta, though he wasn't as outwardly disdainful as others because he knew and needed our utility. All of them took us for granted which irritated me to no end." He glanced at Prime. "This Prime is the only one who has respect for all. He is the only one who has what it takes for greatness. At the time of The Fall, I prayed for him to prevail but things were too far down to have hope. I regret to my end that I couldn't support this Prime and I say so publicly. He is The One Who Comes. I have spoken."

A murmur of agreement arose in the room, then settled.

"Nominus was disrespectful? Did he ask you to participate in crimes against The People and the Clampdown itself?" Coln asked.

Rainmaker nodded. "He did. I got the sense of Nominus that he was alone … that he was without the influence of the Matrix and had little to no personal nor professional support. I felt he was a puppet of the Senate and the Councils, that he had no control but that which he could grasp or was given him by others. He was an enigma. I found him fascinating."

"How so, Elder?" Coln asked.

Rainmaker thought a moment. "He was a big mech and he wasn't a coward. He was, however, weak and malleable. Others controlled him but he always seemed like he knew something they didn't. He was quiet and kept his own council. I rather longed to talk to him mech to mech, to find out what he was, to learn what he knew and know what he valued. He never allowed anyone too close to him and he was without bond or other known family. He seemed to fall out of the sky, this mech who was opaque and unknowable.

"He began the Clampdown in earnest at the behest of the Senate. He began to organize the defense of the high castes and their privilege without couching it in camouflage any longer. He wasn't as forceful as some who would come but he had a rod of steel up his back strut that came out from time to time and he would stand up to others. I do recall a moment in a party, one where a drunk functionary of a Senator … someone from Nova Cronum I think … there was a conversation about the airbase there … he was talking with Nominus and then he disagreed with something.

"Nominus told him he was wrong in his opinion and the functionary actually mocked him. The room grew silent all at once. He asked Nominus if the Matrix supported his assumption. Then the fool laughed. He mocked Nominus saying that everyone knew that the Matrix he held was a fake. I don't know how that rumor started but it was always there from the time of Nova. In my opinion, Nova was the last Prime before Optimus that the Matrix allowed Itself to be a part. The other three … they bore fakes. Nominus, Zeta and Sentinel … they bore fakes, I believe.

"At any rate, the mech began to laugh at Nominus who stared at him with a small smile on his face, a knowing smirk if you understand me. He was looking at the mech with a grin, as if he knew something no one else could know. Then the mech stopped laughing and clutched at his throat. Everyone stepped back, I remember. The mech staggered, then smoke began to come from his optics, his audials and his mouth. He flailed as he burst into flames. He bellowed, then fell, burning furiously for a moment, then the flames went out all at once. There were no burn marks anywhere but on his body. It was deeply silent in the room.

"Nominus stared at the mech with a grin on his face, then tapped him with his ped. The dead mech's helm rolled away from the rest of his armor and it was evident that everything inside that armor had burned to dust. Nominus stared at him, then looked at everyone in the room. They were appalled and terrified of him. I think at that moment Nominus asserted himself in a way that had never been done before and it made them at least somewhat more wary and respectful of him. I also think he understood the Matrix better than anyone there would have thought he did.

"I remember glancing around at everyone, then spotting Sentinel Major standing in the corner with Kudon. He was as shocked as everyone else. It was an instructive moment. I think they were at that moment uncertain that the Matrix wasn't the fake that all of their expressions had prior to this suggested to me. It, however, didn't save Nominus in the end. It gave me a lot of thought, reconciling what I saw with what I knew was a fake Matrix in the chest of Nominus. Even if It wasn't with him, It maintained It's dignity from afar."

"How did you know it was fake, Elder, the one that the last three carried before Optimus Prime?" Coln asked.

He glanced at Prime, then Coln. "There were no miracles. There were no events. Nova was the last one to hold the Festivals in the proper way. Nominus and Zeta didn't. Sentinel canceled them at the first opportunity because it was becoming obvious that something wasn't happening in good order. The three of them didn't hold the Solemnities in the proper manner during their reigns. It was a deeply wonderful surprise to be here and see it done properly by Optimus Prime and feel the Blessings that originated from the relics Themselves. The Matrix delivered them from wherever It must have been hiding before but I was standing in view of Nominus and Sentinel during four Festivals, on the steps of the Temple with a view of them standing at the railing, and nothing happened inside. The AllSpark was there and the Well but nothing happened.

"Neither of them walked down to the Well to do it properly, as if they knew it would be futile to do so. The Blessings emanated out of the ether, not the relics. They didn't appear from the Temple but came to us from everywhere else." He considered that. "I never told anyone about that before. It made me afraid to have seen it. It seemed like we were being abandoned somehow and my anxiety for our people and planet grew exponentially. I believe I rather decided not to think about it, it was so … odd and unsettling." He thought a moment. "It was rather a portent to what happened, this lack of interaction with the divine."

"Sir, there are many charges against Sentinel Prime that had to do with Nominus. What can you tell us, if anything, about the two of them, the times things happened and the charges? I do believe you were briefed about them by my clerk," Coln said.

Rainmaker nodded. "I was. I was as leader of The People Who Fly as we were so waggishly called, a moniker that I rather like," he said with a grin, "so I had much contact with all the Primes. Most of them treated me with enough respect that it wasn't insulting but most of them were unimpressed with us beyond our utility. Did you know that Optimus Prime is the only one who speaks the six major dialects of our languages as well as our primary one, Sim-Keen? That may seem like a small thing but it isn't. He recognizes our existence as individuals of worth and none of the others did beyond our ability to serve their purposes. I never went around them when I wasn't on guard.

"Nominus wanted us to hunt down forces of The Resistance and I didn't allow it. I was threatened with arrest by Zeta and Sentinel. I laughed in their faces. I told them to enjoy their lives while they lasted if they decided to heap that insult on any of us who were clan leaders. They never did it but they wanted to. It was amusing how insulated they were from reality. The Senate was always offering me bribes of this and that, especially as it dealt with my people and I was careful not to allow it. I told them to take care of Seekers because they deserved it and we brawled many a meeting over it. I often had to threaten to strafe their homes before they did what little they did for my people. The Senate and Councils were rotten to the core and were led by extremely corrupt and evil individuals. It made Megatron inevitable."

"There has been testimony here that Sentinel Prime had Nominus shot, then at the hospital took the Matrix from him only to find It fake. Then it's alleged in testimony here that he killed Nominus trying to get information about the Matrix from him. What do you know, if anything, about that?" Coln asked.

"I was called to an emergency meeting that oddly enough," he said with a slight grin, "excluded Prowl for some reason. The leading senators were there including Decimus, Ratbat, Proteus, and Contrail … Halogen was there … as well as Sentinel and several Councilors. Kudon of the Ancients along with Traachon and Tomaandi of the Elders were there. Xaaron wasn't. He wouldn't be because he had honor. They told us that Nominus was dead and that the Matrix was in the care of Kudon and the Ancients who were the legal protectors of It. A box on the table seemed to be the one where the Matrix was held, the beautiful reliquary Temple Box that was its home in the Matrix Chamber. I remember thinking they were holding a fake Matrix but no one seemed to acknowledge that so I asked. 'You **do** understand that the Matrix Nominus held was fake.'

They stared at me and I remember Kudon and Halogen exchanging a glance. Kudon said I must be mistaken so I asked him why the Blessings didn't emanate from the Temple itself but from the air all around us, as if bypassing the Prime. They had no answer but redirected the meeting forward. They were going to place Sentinel as Prime, then crack down on the 'troublemakers' … that is, anyone who was oppositional. I argued that this was madness because some very dangerous individuals were gathering support around the planet including a mech from Tarn called Megatron. They said that was why they would have to crack down. They had no understanding of cause and effect, that if you pressed harder, the seams give faster. It was a futile and appalling meeting. Sentinel became Prime. It all unfolded and things happened without anyone really being in control. How can you control an asteroid speeding forward to slam into the earth?"

"Did you see Sentinel's ascension?" -C2

"No, actually. We were told to clear the room and leave Sentinel alone with the Matrix. I remember arguing that we needed to witness to make sure that the Matrix was real and to fend off any succession arguments and challenges," Rainmaker said, "but I was overruled. There would be no priests, no Lauren or Chevron. Just Sentinel and the Matrix. We walked out into an ante room, then waited. It seemed to take forever, then there was a blast of light. It lasted a nanosecond, not the length of time it should have taken as per the ascension of Guardian and even Nova which is part of the historical record. He was my first Prime personally known so I remembered how it was supposed to happen with the others but I didn't see Sentinel become one according to the pattern. I am convinced that lighting was rigged to convince observers gathered to add legitimacy to the event that the Matrix had chosen him and that instead, Sentinel merely placed the Matrix into his own chamber. He came out and I didn't see much changed. Then, he was less primal in appearance. He's had work done, I am aware, which you can tell with a progression of images. Sentinel Prime wasn't claimed by the Matrix. He claimed It instead. Having been present when Orion Pax was claimed, having witnessed the Matrix moment, there is no comparison. Orion Pax was a big mech but his frame wasn't Primal until the Matrix let him settle down again."

"Where was the Matrix in your opinion and why do you believe It wasn't present with these last three or so Primes?" Coln asked.

"Objection. Opinions are hardly relevant as evidence to the case before us," Highrode said.

"I will allow the answer, though I shall weight it accordingly. He was a witness to the process of Sentinel's ascension, thereby his comments will be less opinion and more directed toward evidence. If not, I will discount them, Highrode," Prime said.

Rainmaker thought. "I do believe It was hiding. I felt that there was no solemnity for a long time, since the end of Nova. The Matrix left Nova when he left us. It came by Itself to the Chamber of Ancients and found Its niche again, in my opinion. Yet, when It was given to Zeta, It didn't feel present. I was there as the Great Elder of The People to witness but I didn't 'feel' it, if you understand me. I didn't feel Its majesty present. It didn't choose Zeta the normal way. He took It and placed It in his chamber himself, something that would maybe be allowed by a placeholder. There was no display of Its majesty in the Claiming. It was so with Nominus, then Sentinel got a clue and hid away to place It in his chest, allowing a lighting display to add credibility to his ascension. I don't believe that the Matrix which is holy felt anything more than disgust for the Primes to follow after the wretchedness of Nova and thus, hid away in plain sight waiting for Orion Pax."

They discussed graft, bribes, a few of the crimes to which Rainmaker could attest to, then Coln sat. "Thank you, Elder, for your testimony."

Rainmaker nodded, then turned toward Highrode who looked drawn. "Lord Rainmaker, how often were you part of the direct council of Sentinel and his team?" he asked.

"Not often," Rainmaker said. "We did not agree on viewpoints and I found the meetings futile. He finally stopped calling me to come."

"Then what you might know about much of this is hearsay and rumor," Highrode asked. "You might not know the entire picture of events."

Rainmaker thought. "Perhaps on financial and governmental machinations, yes. But on the bigger issues of murder, the death of Nominus, the highjacking of the Matrix, and treason with Megatron, I was there to hear and see how it went."

"You were a partner with Megatron in the war and run up to it. You are partner to some of what happened that is cruel, destructive and against the good order and well being of The People," Highrode ventured.

Rainmaker stared at him for a long drawn moment, then nodded. "I am. I will bear it to my grave. But all through the disaster of our people's agony, I mourned that the best mech didn't win, that the right one was so undercut and buried under the avalanche of destruction started by Sentinel and the government that what happened was inevitable. I **wanted** Optimus Prime to **win**. **Everyone** did. I also had to defend my people who were given a choice … join or die. If you think Megatron's death order on us now is the **first** one, you are sadly mistaken. I cannot change the past but I **can** aid the present to save the future. All of us bear responsibility for what happened but I do **NOT** owe a debt based on corruption and treason. We all know who did."

Highrode stared at the list in his servos, then sat. "No more questions." Things were that fragged for Sentinel.

"Thank you, Elder," Prime said.

Rainmaker turned to Prime. "Oh, what we could have been had you won," he said, then bowed lowly. He rapped his staff on the ground, then walked from the stand to the door. He exited and was gone.

It was silent in the room. Prime glanced at Coln. "Do you have any more witnesses, Counselor?"

"No, sir. I rest my case." Coln sat.

"Highrode?" Prime asked.

He stared at Prime, then stood slowly. "I will not be calling witnesses, Lord Optimus. I rest my case." He then sat. Sentinel didn't show any reaction to that announcement.

"Coln-2, do you have a closing argument ready?" Prime asked.

Coln stood and bowed his helm. "I am ready, sir."

"Then begin," Prime said.

Coln glanced around, then stared at Sentinel. "Our people are great. Cybertron is holy. Between the two we became an acclaimed civilization. We are among the oldest and legion among us are the Primes who rule with the holiness of the Matrix and are charged with the protection, care and advancement of all of us. Not **some of us,** but all. Primus didn't fight Unicron for some of us. He gave up His freedom and life choices for **ALL** of us. Yet, somehow a great lie took root and never left. It would never be a tenet of Primus Himself that such a lie would be true and acceptable to Him. He loved us all equally and gave up His life for all of us.

"Yet, over and over it was forgotten that He loved all of us equally and wanted the greatness that some stole and horded for all of us. Slavery, exclusion, racism against different frames such as the Seekers and beast modes, mini and micro mini-cons and others … that was not what He gave up **EVERYTHING** to defend. It is **astonishing** to me to this day that we cannot seem to embrace and understand that simple truth. **IT IS EVEN OUR CREED!**

"We had Primes to protect **ALL OF US** but they didn't. Guardian and Prima were the template by which all others should have followed. But they didn't. Nova Prime, Zeta Prime, Nominus Prime, and you, Sentinel Prime were complete disgraces. Your corruption is so epic, your psychopathy so complete, your contempt so absolute, that you and your predecessors destroyed our world. Megatron was the symptom but you, your ideas and actions were the disease.

"We stand here now with the grave burden of examining the truth and presenting what small crumb of justice that we can to our people. A billion are dead. A billion live in agony and a billion are missing. It was under your command that The Fall happened, that the Clampdown reached its zenith, that our people were scattered to the wind. There **is** no justice that can be given that will assuage this but you are going to be held as accountable as you can be for what you did and allowed. Our people cry out from the grave for justice. Their families who will mourn forever do the same. Understand … what we do **now** will illustrate and define who we are **forever**. The future is unwritten. The present is all we have. Right now, we must open the Book of Justice and write the ending to this story for all who have suffered and died. May it reflect on its pages that justice was done, that it was served with truth and honor. Anything less than that is to kill our people and Primus all over again. Thank you, Lord Optimus, for the honor of assisting the truth to prevail." He bowed low, then sat down.

Prime nodded, then glanced at a pensive Highrode. "Highrode?" he asked.

Highrode sat a moment, then stood. "Lord Optimus and Those who watch from the Exalted Plane, I am Highrode and I have a mission of great difficulty to serve the needs of this mech as best I can. We have seen evidence that is hard to refute. We have heard witnesses that are speaking from their spark. All of it has piled up and even with all our efforts to find a way for Sentinel Prime to be exonerated it belies the evidence. All that I can do for him is to seek whatever mitigation I can. We seek for Sentinel Prime mitigation and mercy.

"We are aware that death is off the table and for that we are deeply grateful. I have sifted the information given me, talked to all the witnesses and read their depositions and statements. I wish it were different. I wish my client had helped me more but he seems indifferent to his fate. I find that worthy of study. Perhaps he **cannot** or will not defend himself because he clearly and truly sees nothing wrong in his conduct. If so, that indicates impaired reasoning and mitigation for his offenses and behavior. I have not been able to get him to agree to speak to Jarro so that we can know. If that is possible, perhaps you with your greater wisdom and influence, Lord Optimus, can persuade him to do so.

"In spite of all things presented and his unwillingness to disclose, there are things I **do** know about him, **irrefutable** things. Sentinel Prime **loves** Cybertron. He **loves** our home world with all his spark. He reverences our practices and beliefs and he loves Primus with all his spark. He was a great warrior in the service of our people for the duration of his life as a military mech and that is no small thing. I would like that accounted for in your decision, Lord Optimus. I would also like it understood that a lot of what happened was inherited by Sentinel. A lot of it was the machinations of the Senate and the Councils. I do believe that to make him the sole repository of responsibility even as Prime dismisses the great debt that others owe our people.

"I am asking you, Lord Optimus, to show the future what the face of compassion, of reconciliation and mercy looks like. I am asking you without shame to understand this mech who may not even know the motivations of his spark and accord him mercy. It will be a great and generous action on your part if you can do this for him. I am filled, oddly enough, with grief for him. I feel **such** grief for all of us but for Sentinel who is here in his oblivion, I feel a **terrible** burning sorrow. I thereby beg you to have mercy and to find in those of his achievements which are above reproach some mitigation for his actions. His spark is true to Cybertron no matter what has happened. At the bottom of it all, Cybertron is the one lasting and true love for Sentinel Prime. I am on my **knees** before you, Lord Optimus, seeking mercy and not vengeance. Thank you for hearing me and for considering the pathway to love and mercy in your decision." He bowed lowly, then sat heavily, his expression filled with grief and emotion.

Prime stared at him, then Sentinel. "Sentinel Prime, I am holding the sentence and findings for your actions until the trial of Ratbat is concluded. You are aware that this has special circumstances so I am going to conclude all of you at the same time. You may go. And Sentinel … you may find it somehow in your spark to thank Highrode for his service on your behalf."

Sentinel stared at him, then rose. With his cuffs glowing, he walked out with armed mechs as his law team rose and walked to the audience to sit with weariness and grief. Prime nodded to them, then looked at Prowl. "Please bring in Ratbat. Is his team here?"

"We are here, Lord Optimus," a grim looking mini-con mech said as he and a few others stood.

"Very well. Let us begin then," Prime said as the jail door began to open again.

-0-TBC 8-13-18 **edited 8-13-18**

 **ESL**

wag: a wag is a humorous person and to be waggish is to be humorous Oscar Wild was a waggish individual

moniker: moniker is a name, could be a nickname or a name or something that describes someone else … The Great One is a moniker, Bob the Stupid is another one. :D

ascension: to rise to a higher position (ak-sen-shun) Victory became Queen of England by her acsension from Princess.

to portend/portent: to indicate something will come or happen


	441. Chapter 441

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 441)

-0-Courtroom

He walked in, paused to look around, then was escorted to the table where his team stood waiting. They were all mini-cons, very good lawyers and all related. They had a private firm and did mostly civil law for the mini-con community who loved to boast about 'their' lawyers to friends and companions. Having one 'handle your affairs' appeared in some ways to be a new and very conspicuous status symbol and the firm, "Toler, Toler, Toler and Sons' did huge business amongst the community. Toler times three were brothers, all of them very smart and resourceful. They were A-J, Mondo and Speedy of Toler, a tiny village in the north that was created to make meticulous items in cold circumstances. They had seven sons among them, four of whom were lawyers themselves while three were paralegal. They had come here, joined university together and aced the law program. This would be their first important criminal case and would become legend in the mini and micro-mini community when concluded.

Coln sat and watched them organize, his love of mini-cons extending to these, seven tenacious and careful lawyers of burgeoning fame and experience. They were friends of his and well liked in the legal community. He glanced at Prime who was watching Ratbat take his seat. He was his usual horrible self, almost a parody of a short mech with a spirit as acidic as his mouth. Even among the snakes that lived in the pits of the Senate, Sentinel's government and that of the other Primes, Ratbat stood out as one of the most hated and reviled individuals to have ever risen to prominence. The depth of his depravity never seemed to have been plumbed.

"Coln-2, are you prepared for opening arguments?" Prime asked.

"Yes, Lord Optimus," Colie said.

"Who among you, Mondo, is the spokesman for your case or are you sharing that duty among your family?" Prime asked.

"Speedy, Lord Optimus. He will handle most of it," Mondo said as he bowed his helm. The others did as well.

Prime nodded back. "Are we ready then?"

Speedy nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Very well," Prime replied. "Prowl, please read the indictments."

Prowl stood and stared at the datapad in his servos. "Ratbat of Tarn is declared to have committed the following indictable offenses ... collusion to commit criminal acts, money laundering, corruption of a public office and trust, bribery, obstruction of justice, desertion of office in a time of great controversy and war, accessory to murder, war crimes against the state and people of Cybertron, conspiracy to collude with an enemy of the state, mass murder, and treason." Prowl sat. "So say the indictments."

Prime glanced at the Prosecution table. "Coln-2, please begin. We will try to get opening arguments in before the end of the orn."

Coln stood, then glanced at Ratbat. "Lord Optimus, we are here today to discuss the actions of someone who was given a huge trust, someone who was chosen to represent a criminally neglected segment of The People, the mini and micro mini-con population. They were living in nearly slave-like conditions in villages that were ghetto-like in their restrictions when he was appointed and in the end, nothing for them changed by such an event. They were in desperate need of adequate and strong leadership. They didn't get it. They got Ratbat of Village 16 who we shall prove was as corrupt and despotic, as treasonous and duplicitous, as murderous and treacherous as any Cybertronian who ever lived. He not only betrayed his own constituent people for money and power, he, in the end, enabled Megatron, assisted in the obliteration of Vos and Tarn and committed not only treason, but dereliction of duty during a time of controversy and war by deserting his post and responsibilities. In the rogues gallery of criminals, sycophants, grifters, cowards, traitors, double dealers, and murderers, Ratbat nearly stands supreme. He has no honor, no decency and no shame. It will be a pleasure for me to prove that clearly and by doing so not only bring some relief to Cybertron as a whole, but to mini-cons and micro mini-cons in general. Thank you, Lord Optimus, for the honor of doing so." Coln sat.

"Speedy?" Prime asked.

A mini-con stood who had a very serious expression and an air of dignity about him that Prime had only clearly seen on the oldest mini-cons as well as Leader 1. He bowed to Prime, then began. "Lord Optimus, our case is uphill, we grant it. We have had little to no cooperation from Ratbat from the beginning. That makes countering the evidence extremely hard if not impossible. We've discussed this with him and he doesn't seem to have an adequate idea of the danger he's in. Therefore, we ask that Ratbat be given an indefinite Primal hold in Processor Health to assess and determine the depth of his difficulties so that when he comes before you again, he will be ready to face the reality of what is charged against him."

Ratbat sat up straight. "I didn't agree to this."

"It's our contention, Ratbat, that you're incapable of making agreements or speaking for yourself. You don't seem to understand that we're facing a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances. Do you understand?" Speedy asked as the others stared at him grimly.

"Frag that. I don't care," Ratbat said as he rose in his chair.

Springer who was sitting behind him just for such moments given this was Ratbat, stood and placed the barrel of his gun against the mini-con's skull. "Sit down and keep your servos where I can see them, Ratbat."

Ratbat glared daggers at Springer then sat down. **"I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS MOTION!"**

"Sir, we've had all this time to discuss and make a defense plan with Ratbat but at no time in the process going on multiple Terran years has he cooperated. He seems to think he can talk his way out of this or the rules don't apply. Both of these ideas are his major defense against even us. I don't believe he's in his right faculties and it isn't in his best interests to proceed." Speedy glanced at Coln. "We worked to change his mind through this morning to no avail. I would like your cooperation, Colie. If he **is** impaired enough to miss the importance of this hearing, then he's helpless to defend himself adequately. It isn't in the best interests of any of us to proceed against an impaired individual. In fact, its against our laws and moral code."

 **"I'M NOT CRAZY!"** Ratbat said as he turned in his seat toward Speedy.

Springer's gun pressed against his helm. "Sit facing forward and put your servos on the table. Keep them there or I'm taking you out. You will **not** cause any harm to Speedy and his family. They're trying to **save** you, slagger."

"Frag you, Springer. I was a Senator. I have immunity," Ratbat said. "Besides, Megatron is going to come here and take your helm, Optimus. Frag you and this sham court."

"Springer, cuff him for safety reasons," Prime said.

It took a moment of struggle, then he was cuffed. He spewed vitriol for a moment, then sat back to glare hatred at everyone around him. Prime glanced at Speedy. "What is the status on his mental health?"

" **FRAG YOU, PRIME!"** Ratbat cried out until Prime nodded to Springer. Springer grabbed him, then dragged Ratbat out to disappear through the doorway to the jail beyond.

It was silent a moment, then Speedy looked tiredly at Prime. "He won't cooperate, Lord Optimus. I considered going forward but I'm not sure that my client is mentally capable. If he doesn't understand the gravity of his situation and the dangers inherent here, he isn't fit to try." He vented a sigh. "All of us have worked enormously hard on this case but we've had no cooperation. We would be criminal in our neglect if we proceed anyway."

Prime nodded, then glanced at a pensive Jarro and his team sitting in the audience. "What is the story, Jarro?"

Jarro stood. "We've worked with him nearly every orn since he came but he's defiant to a degree that's hard to comprehend. He makes his own reality. It would uphold the ease with which he switched sides and goaded Tarn and Vos."

"Allegedly," Speedy said doggedly.

Jarro grinned. "If I'm ever in trouble, Speedy, please be my attorney." He looked at Prime. "We have nothing beyond psychotic features, defiant personality traits and a deeply held psychosis that allows him to decide for himself how reality is, rather than see it as it actually functions. We don't have a clear view of his total picture but he's got a lot of problems. He won't allow us to find out more."

"Is he incapable to stand trial given what you know at the moment?" Prime asked.

Jarro thought a moment, a moment that dragged on, then he shrugged. "He's terribly, terribly problematic. He's not rooted in actual reality. That could be part of his desire to dominate the reality around him, to fix it to his own internal needs, but incompetent? I'm not completely sure. However, given what little we **do** know, I would be loathe to be his judge. There's enough markers here to make me think he **could** be legitimately incompetent, something that we need to give more study to fully determine."

It was silent in the room as Prime considered the information before him. "Speedy, do you make a motion to set aside the case so that Processor Health can study this?"

"We do, Lord Optimus," Speedy said. "At no time in our pursuit of his cooperation and explanation for his actions did he deviate. It's a fixed thing in him. I fear that we would be judging a mech who is not competent."

"Lord Optimus," Mondo said as he sat beside his brother, "given the severity of his charges including the alleged deliberate obliteration of two city-states, one must consider the possibilities. One might do such things because one is cruel and sanely motivated according to their own needs as a psychopath would, but when we discuss this with him, he has no understanding of the degree of horror. Even showing him images of the dead brings no remorse or even simple acknowledgment. He doesn't even deny that he had a hand in it, this disaster, but not in a denial sort of way, but in a detached manner. I'm sure that there are individuals who are incapable of remorse without underlying defect but this feels many diameters worse. This feels like a deeply embedded vacuum of personality that will never be filled. I'm full of worry and concern that perhaps we're judging someone who is deeply and powerfully mentally ill."

Prime glanced at Jarro.

"He could easily be correct and they've had time with him that he wouldn't give us. I would take their observations as a basis and accept that there's a very great possibility that they're right. Our law prohibits pursuing a legal case against someone with a mental defect, Lord Optimus. I would err on the side of caution with this one. Ratbat has been a terror and a deeply dangerous individual from the beginning," Jarro said.

"Very well," Prime said. "We will put this case in abeyance and order him into your keeping, Jarro. I would like to know what you find out and how, if you can do so, treat him for his potential defect. I would also like to know if there will be a likelihood of him ever standing trial for his actions or if he is going to be a ward of the state for the rest of his life. I would like to know as well the degree of danger that he poses. Treat him at the highest level of security." He glanced at Speedy. "Thank you for your advocacy of this individual. I accept your motion." He looked at Coln. "Do you agree or are there caveats?"

"No, sir," Coln said. "I accept that there may be an underlying factor that needs examination. I would also hold that if he **is** capable, that his trial resume against the charges."

"Agreed," Prime said. He sat back and closed his optics a moment. A slight buzz was all he felt. They were thinking about it, all of it. He looked at the jury. "Thank you for your service. You have witnessed a lot and heard a lot. Some of those who have reformed and lead useful lives put everything on the line to testify here. I would hope that you hold to your oath and keep their identities to yourself. No one is to know the outcome of these trials until the sentences are announced. I will weigh the evidence and think about this to determine my own verdict but this is also Special Circumstances.

"The Pantheon weighs in on cases at trial that reach of level of such tragic proportions that They must come to speak and give Their opinions. It may take minutes or it may take orns for Them to let me know. You are on the alert list and will be called to come if and when that happens. Come swiftly. They may not take a physical form or They may. Either way, They will let us know what They believe should happen. When that happens, Their verdicts, judgments and opinions take precedent over my own. When They come, They speak not only for the dead, They also speak for Primus and The One. Understand your oaths and hold to them. It is your honor at stake when you do.

"As for the rest of you … counselors and assistants, court officers, security, and most especially, the witnesses, expert, military and civilian ... all of you who stepped up to speak both during the Narrative and during the questioning … you have stood in honor and your service to our people and to Primus is noted. Thank you for your courage and honesty. We will stand adjourned. Listen for the call to come back for the verdicts. I thank the jury for your questions and attendance. This court is now in recess." Prime stood, then turned to the judges to thank them. Everyone stood as Coln walked to the mini-cons and hugged them. They stood together in discussion as the room filled with the buzz of voices. Then Prowl rapped his knuckles. Everyone turned to him. "We're going to The Pit Stop. You are welcome to come."

With that, most of the room joined Optimus and Prime as they walked out to go to dinner in the gathering gloom of evening.

-0-Inside the jail waiting for transfer to Processor Health

Ratbat sat on his bunk with a slight grin on his face. The others had been transferred to their holding cells deeper in the jail. He was sitting here with all the cards. He had been difficult with his legal team because he was Ratbat. If they wanted to call it mental illness then he was good with it. He wouldn't be in stasis and he wouldn't be dead. He had beaten the system. As he sat exulting, he didn't see a figure before him, watching him with amused disgust. If he had he would have been fearful. If he could see Him, he would have seen Micronus Prime staring at him from beyond the third dimension. He had a smirk on his face, too.

-0-TBC 8-14-18 **edited 8-22-18**


	442. Chapter 442

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 442)

-0-The Pit Stop

It was somber in the diner as they sat as a group feeling the drain of the trials and testimony. The actual trials were concluded, but now it was the time for waiting. If the Pantheon were to directly weigh in, it would be sooner rather than later. They would all be on call, all who participated including the jury, to come when the time arrived for accountability. Everyone felt The Powers would come and that the verdicts would be Theirs given the nature and extent of the crimes at hand. No one wanted to be Prime right now.

" **OWL!"**

Prowl glanced down table to Orion who was standing in front of Appa Raptor. "What, Spud?" he asked with a grin. He had both Solus and Sojourner standing in front of him like slender little baby birds waiting for another bite. He gave them an onion ring split in two and they were delighted. He glanced at Orion who was getting another mouthful. "What, Boo?"

Orion smiled at him. **"OWL CALLEDED ME BOO! I, ORION, BOO!"**

Chuckles rounded the room as everyone relaxed a bit, feeding roving infants food from their plates. It was better having them here. It made things feel more normal. Life wasn't going to be normal for the four defendants who were moving toward evening quarters at the same time …

… Sentinel Prime walked with heavy guard to a highly secured cell in the high security section of the jail. He was walked inside and when everyone was clear, the bars went up and his bonds disappeared. He sat down without comment or expression and ignored them. Before they left, he called to them. "I wish to speak to Optimus. Tell him."

Dellitus who was jailer of this wing, a mountainous mech with more agility than one could imagine nodded. "Sure, slagger." With that, they walked out and the lights went down for evening.

Sitting on a table nearby, a platter of food fit for a king awaited him. He pulled it over, then began to eat silently as he waited for something to happen. Who knew what They would do but he felt somehow that They would let him know soon enough. It would be a long night for Sentinel Prime alone in his detention …

… Decimus and Contrail walked stiffly in silence to the jail cells they had occupied earlier. Food waited and they ignored it until the guards left. The lights came down a bit as they sat. Contrail pulled his food over and began. "You eating?"

"Maybe," Decimus said.

"Could be the last meal you eat, Decimus. The food is good. Let me know if you don't want yours. I'm suddenly ravenous," Contrail said as he continued to eat …

… Jarro stared at Ratbat who sneered back at him. He rose in his cell and strutted in his usual manner to the bars. "What brings you here, quack?"

"I'm trying to decide if you're faking it. I'm trying to decide if you're just a colossal fragger or really sick," Jarro said.

"Is that so," Ratbat sneered with a smirk.

"You better hope so. The alternative is giving you to the Pantheon," Jarro said as he walked back out to discuss the transfer after sentencing of the prisoner to Processor Health High Security Detention Wing across town in the hospital. It was part of the new addition upward ten stories. He would be among the first there if the Pantheon didn't jerk him out of their hands. The door closed quietly behind Jarro as Ratbat sat down on a bench in the slightly dimmed lights and had his meal. Nearby, out of view of anyone on this galactic plane Micronus Prime watched him with appraising optics.

-0-Home

They broke up the party and trudged homeward, the lawyers to a deserved rest and the others to various clubs, tours of security around the colony and apartments that seemed miles and miles away in some distant place. Entering, Ratchet and Ironhide were engulfed by Sunspot and the big kids. Hugging back, they sat and chatted to catch up on the important things in life such as a dance for the big kids at the Intermediate School gym in two orns and maybe you can be 'a chaperon, Atar', an overnight at Trypticon to watch a number of deep space quasars blow out of black holes and create havoc in their star cluster … that would take two overnight nights … speech therapy conferences for Orion and Praxus who by association had picked up a few cute but utterly unnecessary foibles of speech, date night scheduling for everyone it would appear, a renewed request by the infants to have a 'cow, a duck, a pony, and a birdie, Ada and Atar, a pink birdie would be best, right, Halo?' by all of the kids under 20 feet, going to the races for the next two weekends with 'our gang' so sayeth big kids because of the racing cards involved, scheduling maintenance detailing for everyone, visitation at the Shrine for Solus Prime on Her orn and closely following that, a visitation at the Shrine for the Thirteenth Autobot on His. There were other things but these were the big ones and were entered into Ratchet's household and scheduling datapad as they were outlined.

That didn't count all the begging for movies, 'swamming' and such that was a constant stream underneath all the other stuff. Ratchet and Ironhide went through the school notes … all of them good … noted a follow up meeting with the 'wardens' of 'prison school' to see how Imp was doing … that one … requests to go to the Valles and **'CAMPING, ADA!'** , and hanging out with their friends either at home or somewhere else, maybe **'THE KEEM THERE!'**

The Confectionaire with about 18 sparklings led by Orion was swiftly discussed and placed in the **WTF?** bin for further discussion later on. Maybe. It was then that they all went to bed and after a lot of hugs, pouting, screaming, and chasing around madly, the house was finally quiet. Ratchet and Ironhide stood in the living room reverberating for a moment, then grinned at each other. With a hug, they staggered off to the berth room and a heavily uninterrupted recharge until morning.

-0-Upstairs

They entered, then put the infants to bed. Sitting on a couch together, Prowl's arms rapped around Prime, they decompressed. Prowl glanced upward. "Anything?"

"Not yet," Optimus said. "I feel a low level buzz, something that often happens when there is movement off this plane."

Prowl grinned. "I never thought in all the classes and the like in school that I would be this close to the Matrix. It always seemed so remote. Yet here it is," he said as he patted Prime's chest.

Optimus nodded. "I remember when It came to me. It was so fast and so intense that I did not know what to think or do about It. It became part of me almost immediately and now it would feel strange if It ever left. I am It and It is me to some extent."

"You can access the wisdom of the Primes and The People through It. Does that mean Its a conscious thing that you feel or hear or is It intuitive?" Prowl asked.

"Usually intuitive. It's more feeling than direct contact. They never directly contact me without good reason."

It was silent in the room for a moment, then Prowl rose. "Come on. You need to rest. Tomorrow is a long orn and we have to plan for millions. There won't be as much time for you to rest soon enough."

Prime stood, then hugged Prowl tightly. The two of them walked through the house to their room, disappearing into the darkened space almost immediately.

-0-Morning, the next orn

Ratchet and Ironhide ambled to the Ops Center after the mob dispersed. They hadn't eaten but would later at The Diner On The Corner at the behest of a large number of their older and taller progeny. They were going to check in with the Messiah of Their People to see what had transpired, if anything. Today, given that the trials were over for now, Ratchet would receive the remaining 1,500 humans at the Unidad habitat. Given the circumstances, they gathered everyone up who was going to work there along with their families, baggage and targs and were winging their way in about noon. He would show the flag, dance around the maypole and do his usual spiel. Then he would bolt to the office, catch up on slag, go to the strategic planning meeting in the sub ops center about the problem of the new refugees, and any number of other things backing up from the trials. That didn't even mention to enormity of Cybertron and the Empire.

Ironhide would schmooze Halo around the colony.

They walked in, then sat at the main table where Prowl was working. "Hi, Granny. How's the Messiah? Heard anything interesting yet?" Ratchet asked with a giant smile.

Prowl snickered. "Blasphemer. You really like to play with fire."

"I rode the Blue Line with Solus Prime." He grinned. "That sounds like a song." Sitting back with a smirk as he watched Ironhide cough up Halo for Prowl, he grinned. "I have a dope relationship with Herself."

Ironhide and Prowl researched the slang, then Prowl grinned. "If anyone knows dope, its you, Loon."

Prime walked out, then to the table where he sat. "What is the word?"

"Nothing. The word is nothing. No one is speaking about this on and off local social media so I guess the oaths are holding. What about you?"

"Nothing but the buzz of energy," Prime said as mechs came and went. It would be a mellow morning in the Ops Center for all of them.

-0-At a street corner on the way to the club

Smokey stood at the light waiting for it to change when a mech slowed to stand next to him. Glancing at him, Smokey frowned. His entire affect hardened into concrete.

Hot Rod who had paused next to him smirked. "You aren't going to say hi?"

"No," Smokey said coldly. "Why should I?"

"I don't know," Roddy said with a shrug. "You miss me."

Smokey turned smoldering optics on Roddy. "Is that so?" he said with all the teenaged angst he could expend. "In what dream world?" he asked as the light changed. He stepped off and walked onward to the club where he was going to play cards with friends.

Roddy watched him go, then grinned. He followed along behind.

-0-Post trial breakdown

The entire group of lawyers and their teams sat in the big conference room in the Courthouse with Barron. He had invited all of them to a catered lunch and now they were eating dessert with a light liquor. It was a nice moment during a long period of depressing testimony, even more depressing images and documentation along with witnesses with varying degrees of emotional control. The room was filled with light, the windows allowed a magnificent view of the airfield and all in all, everyone was unwinding.

"Mondo, I do believe you made a good judgment call for Ratbat," Barron ventured. "I don't know how you managed to maintain him as a client given his difficulty in cooperation. I know it didn't end like you wanted."

"Just between you and me, Barron, I didn't have much hope to get acquittal. The evidence was what it was. However, I do believe there's something non functional in that mech's processor that bares study," Mondo said. He was the oldest brother, handsome and dignified. He had a gravitas about him that was unusual for their frame and was a religious scholar who spent spare time working on scrolls about his patron, Micronus Prime, at the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea. It was his delight as a mentor scribe for the Guiding Hand in his village. It still was. "There's nothing that's good from prosecuting a damaged individual. That was **their** method, not ours."

"I don't mind finding out, Mondo," Coln said as he nodded in agreement. "However, when he's functional again, he **will** stand trial. That's how this process works. If he was incapacitated during the events he participated in and the decisions he made, then the process will take that into account for any kind of acquittal or mitigation. I don't personally believe he'll get much from the system for such a defense."

"Nor I, I'm afraid," Mondo said sadly. "I do, however, look forward to perhaps seeing the Pantheon. You have already, correct?"

Barron, Blackstone, many of the legal people there, and Coln nodded almost reverently. They would explain things to them as the afternoon wore on toward noon.

-0-Noon

They arrived, a big group of individuals who were now employees and temporary-permanent guest workers of Autobot Nation and the Empire. They gathered in a group, were divided up and packed into buses for the ride to Unidad Terra 1. Ratchet was on his way there already, leaving The Diner ahead of them. They would converge there in the Habitat Entrance and the fun would then begin.

Probably.

-0-In a utility room in the Central Labor Hall, down the way from the Club

Smokey glared at Roddy, then leaped on him driving him into the wall. They tussled for a while and when the smoke cleared, they smirked at each other.

"Fragger. You're a stone cold fragger."

"And what are you, Smokey, if not mine?" Hot Rod asked as he pressed Smokey into the wall, his servos gripping the younger mech's aft hard.

"Frag you, slagger," he said and then he didn't say anything else for a while.

-0-TBC 8-14-18 **edited 8-15-18**

 **ESL:** dope is often slang among Americans for a stupid person


	443. Chapter 443

The Diego Diaries: (dd6 443)

-0-That morning

She stood by the window staring out at the Martian landscape, or at least that enclosed in the dome. She and her family had an apartment that faced outward toward it and the vast colony beyond whose glittering towers could be seen from this, the tenth floor. Her kids were getting ready and she was already to go herself, though breakfast dishes were piled in the sink. She had cooked breakfast, marveling in her new kitchen after spending a moment shopping in the newly opened grocery store in the town below.

It was striking how comfortable and familiar this place already was given the meticulous care undertaken to create an atmosphere and facility that was as homelike as their little towns on Earth. Fort Max as architect of record was enamored of small towns in Europe and America circa the late 1880's and the city itself reflected that sensibility down to signage and street lamps.

Sunlight entered everywhere and it gave the feeling of being outdoors. The downtown was remarkable, huge and filling up with businesses, some of them getting ready to open while others were still waiting for their directors and staff. The people in shops, restaurants and other businesses were delighted to help and the atmosphere in the facility was outstanding.

"Mom, you ready?" Jamie Crosby, 13, asked as he stood by the door with his sisters Sarah, 12, and Julie, 10. They were all wearing casual clothing but had the environmental suit and mask in their backpacks or in a fanny pack that the facility called a 'just in case'. Everyone had theirs near or with them 'just in case'. It was a rule of the road here.

Ramsey Crosby walked out of the office of their apartment with his gear bag, then grinned at Grace. "You coming?"

Grace Crosby grabbed her own bag, then walked to the door. "I've been ready for a while." She looked at her kids. "What's on your agendas?"

"We have to go to school to check in and get our books and lockers. Then we're going to run around. A lot of the kids hang out at the Rec Center. I'm going swimming," Jamie said as they walked out the door. "Then I'm going exploring."

"You **do** remember that if you can't enter an area, your microchip will lock you out," Ramsey said as they waved to others coming and going from their apartments as they walked down the wide beautifully appointed corridor. On the wall were representations of Cybertronian art, though they didn't know that themselves yet. Entering the elevator, one of four, they rode it downward. Stepping out, they were on First Street near the back elevator bank of the facility where the habitat started outside. Huge windows allowed a view outside as they paused a moment to take it.

The grounds were nearly terraformed for plantings thanks to the genius of the Hu-An and Autobots. Everyone was asked not to go out there beyond the chapel and it was programmed into their microchips for a while, those who weren't needed due to ongoing construction but they could see the vast improvements made through the big windows that fronted that area. There was green out there and it was actually showing up all over the place. Of the 55,000 plus acres under the dome, 800 of them were already seeded for pasture for animals. The canal system which was hosting all manner of plants, bushes and trees along its winding expanses was flowing wherever it was needed and sprinklers in ground were watering the newly seeded fields on a regularly scheduled basis. Beyond, the forest and meadow area could barely be seen rising upward in the distance. It was dazzling.

Given the genius of the Hu-An and the even indoor environment of the dome, the grass was growing in fast and thick. The horses and dairy cows were already grazing in the fields every day and more animals were scheduled to arrive shortly. The sunlight filled the expanse which seemed to disappear into the distance as they looked, then moved onward toward their respective destinations. Walking down sidewalks, passing buildings with businesses, some of them five stories high, all of them elegant and ornamental in design, they made their way. There were many others going about their business, some of them going to work in the buildings and some walking around taking in the sights. They waved to each other as they walked onward.

Reaching the end of the street and the beginning of the main concourse that ran the length of the building, they halted to see the sights. Nearby, grouped around Ratchet, 1,500 plus newbie employees and 3,931 members of their families were getting the greeting and orientation. They had arrived with their stuff, families, pets, and happiness. It was palpable in the air. They would be the final official crew bringing the staff thus far up to 2,511 employees of Autobot Nation, Incorporated. Though the eventual number of staff living and working here would top 10,000 some fine orn, it wouldn't be this soon. The next group of 2,500 would be coming once the shakedown was accomplished. They watched a moment, then the kids ran off heading for the school on 5th Street and D Avenue.

Grace and Ramsey watched the group, waving to someone they knew, then walked onward toward work. Vehicles were driving on the streets, hauling things and delivering individuals. They flagged a cab which was computerized, then rode with a couple already aboard to the elevators down concourse that would take them to their floor and its state-of-the-art offices and labs. It would be a terrifically wonderful day for all five of them.

-0-In the school

It was a big building with several entries. There was a side entry for the babies, or Unidad Nursery School and a front entry for Unidad Elementary and Unidad Intermediate Schools. The kids climbed the steps then dashed inside. It was beautiful, old fashioned in design and appointment, rather like an ornate school in 1930's America but the tech was space age all the way. They walked to the desk, got a nod to the direction they needed to go as well as their teacher and room number, then ran up the winding staircase on both sides of the main lobby that led to the two different schools. Long corridors ran the length of the building as each class door held the name of their teacher fronted on to them.

Sarah and Jamie entered their different rooms in their different schools. Julie continued onward toward hers which was in the same building as Sarah's. Inside, the classrooms were as advanced at the Day Schools of the Unified School District which would run the schools as their own. The teachers would be mentored with those of the district schools, learning how to teach their program and how to utilize the advanced equipment and materials. The overall program would be the one the Unified School District used with the addition of international school curriculums. A portion of it would be humanized, protecting things that were not yet common to anyone who came here. The rooms were designed just like the colonial schools and it was a marveling group of kids who found their lockers, got their books and other items including the three datapads that everyone used elsewhere.

It would be an eye opening morning for the 2,310 kids who would be attending the schools of Unidad Terra 1.

-0-On the street

Devcon walked toward the metro to go to Metrotitan. He was now a full time member of the police when he wasn't soldiering and was heading the investigations department designed to find war criminals, normal civilian criminals, Decepticon (former and otherwise) criminals, and serial killers. Who better to hunt them than him? As he did, he saw a big mech, a Praxian from the orn who was heading his way. They paused together, chatted, then the big mech moved on. Devcon stood on the sidewalk a moment, then turned back to go to the Ops Center. As he did, he commed Smokescreen to meet him there.

-0-Unidad

Ratchet laughed, then answered the question posed by a jovial astronomer. As he did, the alert reached him. Freezing to read it, he glanced at Lennox, Epps and Graham. "I have to go. Take it away for me and I'll be back." With that, he rose up, walked a few steps, then leaped into the air. He transformed, then sped out heading for the opening hatch doors and the world beyond. Everyone watched him go with googly optics, then turned toward the soldiers.

"Well, okay," Lennox said.

"What's happening?" someone called out. "Other than that was the greatest thing I've ever seen … him transforming like that."

"Ratchet is a senior Autobot, the Prime's diplomat and a senior adviser on his general staff. He gets called to come for all kinds of things. I don't know what it is but he's needed so he goes," Lennox said. "Right now, lets go over the alarm system and what to do in an emergency. The alarm for the shelters is a long continuous blast," he said as he picked up for Ratchet.

-0-Ops Center

"He's at the Courthouse. You can get him there, Dev," Blaster said as he sat at the comm station.

Devcon nodded and with a grim faced Smokescreen in tow walked to the door and the long walk across the airfield. They would arrive just in time.

-0-At the Courthouse

They fogged in, nervous and tense. The jury, the legal teams, all of the witnesses, those who saw something happening and came anyway, the crowd outside including a number of family members called to come walked in to sit or stand against the wall. Kes and Tagg, Venture and Miler, all manner of mech who hung around the family and soldiers galore came and sat down in the huge room. The judges were there but for Prime and Prowl. Ratchet walked in, found Ironhide and his family, then sat. :Do you have cargo?: he asked with a smirk.

:I do: Ironhide said patting his carry hold. :So does everyone else. The only ones who aren't here are the big kids. Look over here: Ironhide said as he looked to his side. Standing there with a curious expression, Sunspot leaned against him.

:That's genius: Ratchet said with a smile.

:I thought so: Ironhide said with a grin of his own.

The room filled up then the doors were closed by pensive Springer and Drift. There was a murmur in the room, then the door opened to the judges chambers as Prime and Prowl walked out. Everyone stood automatically. Prime appeared to be there and not there. Given that they read energy the way they did, it was apparent to everyone there that Prime's central energy was only half registering as present. No human watching would know that. Prime sat and then so did everyone there. It was silent as they waited for something, anything to happen.

The buzz of conversation stopped immediately, then it became tensely silent. As they waited, the door opened and the four defendants entered. The jailers walked them through along the side of the room, then to the tables that had been removed to allow chairs. Decimus and Contrail looked nervously around, then sat. Ratbat was his usual self, ill humored and sullen. He sat, too. Sentinel walked in slowly, staring at Prime. He paused before him. "I would like to speak to you, Optimus," he said.

Prime felt himself slip away and as he did, so did Sentinel.

It was silent a moment as the crowd watched, then they startled almost as one. Prime and Sentinel had winked out of sight. Chevron who understood better than most stood. "Please be seated and silent. The Powers are here," he said in a reverent tone.

The three defendants left glanced around with fear and concern before Chevron and Sela reached them. They put their servos on their shoulders as Chrome and Lauren joined them. Whispering a prayer, they waited as a group as the room crackled with energy.

Angry energy.

-0-Elsewhere

The world was dense and blank, without anything to tell them where they were. It was like moving in sludge as the space around them held them in its grasp. Prime was standing by himself as nearby Sentinel attempted to turn toward him. He was speaking but nothing could be heard. All that could be determined was that the density wasn't amused.

:Solus Prime … I am here: Prime said to himself as echoes of voices began to fill his helm. Beyond him, Optimus could see Sentinel listening as well. Then the scene changed and they were on the desert plain where Optimus often found himself. It was the place that he found himself when a point was going to be made. Nearby, Sentinel was staring around, then he saw Optimus. He walked toward Prime, then paused before him. "Optimus … I'm sure you know where we are?" he asked.

Prime glanced around and noted the familiar terrain. "This is a construct used by the Pantheon where The point of the visitation is usually made." He stared at Sentinel. "You wanted to speak to me. I am here."

Sentinel considered that, then glanced around. "I suppose this means ill for me and the others."

"Did you really believe otherwise?" Prime asked.

Sentinel considered that. "No. I don't expect to be understood." He looked at Prime. "All I want **you** to understand, just between you and me, is that I love Cybertron with all my spark and that all that I tried to do was designed to save her. I even made a deal with that barbarian to stop the fighting and rebuild our home world. You may not understand anything else but I would hope you would remember that."

"I will remember a lot of things, Sentinel. If you wish for me to hold this memory, I will," Prime said.

Sentinel stared at him. "I never felt It. I never felt the Matrix. It would appear that It fooled all of us. Hiding away from me, me who wanted It more than anything, that is hard to take."

Prime considered that. "It cannot occupy the same space as evil, Sentinel. It is good. Good and evil cannot occupy the same space."

"Perhaps. I did many things, Optimus, but never did I not love Cybertron."

"I know that," Prime said. "But you never seemed to love The People. Cybertron is not fully a place, its a people. Primus did not give up His freedom and life for just a few. He did it for all of us. There is not a single Cybertronian who He does not love."

"Well, we shall see. I expect that the Pit will be the test of that great possibility," Sentinel said.

"I will tell you a secret, Sentinel, one that I know and one that They have told me over and over," Optimus said. "There **is** no Pit. There **is** no place of hell, of torment and punishment. It does not exist as a real place. You are not bound there and neither is Megatron. When you leave this world, however it may come, you go to the same place as everyone else."

"You know that to be true," Sentinel said.

Prime nodded. "Yes. Do you want to know where the Pit exists? It exists in the empty spark of those who would tear apart worlds for personal gain, consign others to a life of suffering and feel justified by reasons that have no meaning. Being separated intentionally and irresponsibly from The One and the Pantheon ... **that** is the Pit. The **System** is the Pit. Living in it and not having the life you deserve by just being **ALIVE** … **that** is the Pit. We kept creating it over and over again. We had a chance to make the Matrix real among us but we turned away from It every time. No one should be surprised that the Matrix hid Itself away. Even It, loving, forgiving and comforting as It was, It hid away from the machinations of you and your caste. The Pit is between your audials, Sentinel. It resides in your spark and in no other place. Good and evil cannot exist together. The One and the Pantheon embody perfect love. They would never cast us into desolation. Ever."

Sentinel stared at Optimus, then the scene changed. They were in a hospital hallway and beside the door to a room, Sentinel, Proteus, Ratbat, Halogen, Kudon, and Decimus stood together. Cassio Imperialis was standing inside the doorway talking to someone unseen. Others of the Senate and the High Imperium were there and it was tense. Sentinel was talking to Kudon and Cassio who had walked out to join them. "He has It. I'm going to take It now."

"I don't know," Decimus said as he stood nearby nervously watching them. "What if It doesn't like that you do?"

"Well, you never know until you try," Sentinel said with a cold expression. He walked into the room and ordered out the caregivers as the scene changed. Sentinel and Prime were in a corner watching the what was happening. Lying on a bed was Nominus Prime. He was attached to devices and looked really bad. Sentinel walked to him and leaned over slightly. "Nominus, this is Sentinel. Do you hear me?"

It was silent a moment, then Nominus looked up at him. "You came for It, did you? You came to take the Matrix," he said with a slight coughing laugh. "I have a secret for you, Sentinel. Come closer."

Sentinel leaned closer.

Nominus grinned faintly. "I know you shot me. You had me shot. So does the Matrix. I think you're going to have a surprise," he said.

Sentinel stared at Nominus, then forced open his spark chamber. Below it, glowing like the self animated sentient being that It was, the Matrix was placed. Sentinel gripped It and pulled. It slipped out easily. The chamber closed as Nominus shifted slightly. Sentinel stared at him, then the Matrix. At long last, It was his. He held It up, then Its lights dimmed. It dimmed again until It went out. Sentinel stared at It with a stunned expression, then looked at Nominus.

Nominus was staring at him with a grin. "It isn't the real one. I don't know where It is but I think It's hiding. The joke is on you, Sentinel. Don't mind me if I laugh," he said as he did.

Sentinel stared at It. "It was glowing."

"Because It was attached to me. When It isn't, It doesn't. The joke is on you, Sentinel," he said again with a chuckle.

Sentinel walked to the door with the device in servo. Kudon looked shocked, then moved so the others there couldn't see. He stepped back in with Sentinel and Cassio. "What's happened to It?"

"It's fake. Nominus had a fake," Sentinel said with barely concealed fury.

"But I **saw** It kill a mech for mocking It … at the party," Cassio said. "We were all there."

"We were," Sentinel hissed. "Apparently, It didn't have to be there to do that. Where is It?"

Kudon and Cassio shrugged helplessly. "How would **we** know, Sentinel?"

Sentinel walked to the berth with fury. "Tell me where It is, Nominus."

"I wouldn't tell you even if I knew. For once in my life, I'm going to do the right thing. Frag you, Sentinel. Frag you and all the others," he said.

Sentinel put the Matrix on the table nearby, then turned to Nominus. "I'm going to rip out your spark chamber if you don't tell me, Nominus."

"Do it," Nominus said as he felt himself slipping away. "I'm already dead."

When Sentinel finished with him, he finally was.

-0-TBC 8-15-18 **edited 8-16-18**


	444. Chapter 444

The Diego Diaries: (dd6 444)

-0-There

The scene faded out and they were back in the desert. Sentinel stared at Prime. "It was a fake. I never found It though I tried. We all did."

"It was hiding in the Matrix Chamber," Optimus said. "It made Its own decision."

"Perhaps," Sentinel said.

"You canceled the Festivals and shuttered the shrines. I thought that a very poor decision all around, Sentinel. You took the people's comfort away because you did not have the real Matrix."

"I had to perform **miracles** ," Sentinel said with anger. "People **expected me** to perform **miracles** and I couldn't."

"When we found you on Luna you did not have the Matrix with you, the one rumored to be with Nominus. It never occurred to me following my ascension to consider where the fake might be. When they buried the double of you in the Basilica, where was the fake Matrix? In the sarcophagus?" Optimus asked.

"It was with Kudon," a voice said behind them.

They turned to it, then Sentinel froze. Standing behind Optimus was Kudon himself. He looked brilliant and beautiful, his armor repaired and his optics bright with a different light, a light resembling love and joy. He grinned at Prime, then bowed lowly. "Optimus Prime, it is my very great honor to see you again."

"Kudon, you are **healed** ," Optimus said with gladness in his voice. "I am **pleased** for you."

"I am myself, as I am suppose to be, not what I was," Kudon said. He looked at Sentinel. "I am the essence of Kudon who survives and lives here in the Matrix, who has come to talk to you, Sentinel Prime. Or shall I say Major? It would appear that having a false Matrix, you really don't qualify for the Line of Secession."

"I was made Prime and I will **always** be there," Sentinel said stubbornly. "What do you want?"

"I have come for you, Sentinel Prime." Kudon said as Sentinel took a step backward.

"You're an illusion. You're from the Pit," Sentinel said with rising concern.

"No," Kudon said. "I'm real and I'm here. I am here for you, Sentinel, but I didn't come alone." As he said that several individuals stepped from the ether materializing in front of both Optimus and Sentinel. They were ragged and broken, their debilitation evident. They were Zeta and Nominus Prime. They stared at Sentinel without a word, something deeply unnerving to both Sentinel and Optimus.

Optimus moved to stand between them and Sentinel. "What does this mean, Kudon?"

"We're here to help Sentinel. He's been recalled. We're here to help him heal and make restitution for his actions. You saved me, Prime. You allowed me to help you from here, something you didn't have to do. I was healed. I'm whole and now my spirit is in service to our people. I'm here to help Sentinel find his way even as I'm helping Zeta and Nominus Prime. They're with me bearing their burdens, healing themselves even as they sift through their lies and deceits to find the truth. It's what I do now. Sentinel will be safe. He will be with me as long as it takes. It is to be, so says The One." He bowed at the name of Prime Source, then turned to Sentinel. "You know the others, Sentinel."

He looked at Zeta and Nominus who appeared as he glanced their way to have minute portions of themselves turn from dross to perfection, then stepped back. As he did, someone behind him put his servo on Sentinel's shoulder. Sentinel spun, then stepped back with surprise.

"Hello, Sentinel," the figure said. He was beautiful and seemed filled with warmth and love. "I am Guardian Prime. I am here to help you."

"No. I'm not **ready** to go. Cybertron **needs** me," Sentinel said with rising emotion.

"Cybertron has Optimus. You cannot help anyone in your delusion if you don't help yourself first," Guardian said as another being blinked into life. Everyone looked at him, then knelt on their knees but Sentinel who was too overcome to follow suit.

"Sentinel Prime, you **must** listen," the figure said. "You do **not** have the right to turn away," he said. "I, Prima Prime commands it."

The name echoed in the dense energy of the moment as Sentinel stared at Prima dumbfounded. Prima stepped closer, the great silvery and golden beauty of his energy something they could feel against their armor. "I could obliterate your energy into the universe so that your molecules never meet again. I could crush your spark until it disintegrates and vanishes. But We are **merciful**. Because you were a Prime, Kudon and the others, our brother Primes are here to help you and doing so, help themselves. Kudon and Guardian are my heralds. Both serve me and The People. I have designated Kudon to help heal these two," he said nodding to Nominus and Zeta. "They were Primes once and because of that I have given to them this mercy. Choose which path you will go with care. Your very continued existence depends upon your decision."

Sentinel stared at him dumbfounded, then sank to his knees. "I **loved** Cybertron. I **love** her. I tried to **save** her. Nothing could stand in the way of that very thing," he said with emotion. "I **have** to stay and help **save** her."

"You helped **destroy** Cybertron, the body of My brother. You did things that no one who bears the Matrix can do and walk away from. The Matrix fled every Prime since Nova. When Nova left, It left him. It hid and waited until this one could come forward to his destiny," he said nodding to Optimus who had knelt before him. " You abused everything you say you loved and when Highrode tried to save you, you were indifferent. Now you must do penance toward redemption. We, the Pantheon, have learned to **love** redemption. We do not believe you are without saving graces but you must **learn** what you have done. You must **work** to retrieve what you are from what you have become. **YOU ARE A PERFECT SPARK! YOU CAME HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE BUT YOU HAVE DONE GREAT HARM WITH THE OTHERS! YOU MUST FIND THAT CORE OF YOU AND BECOME IT AGAIN! All** of you must pay your debts. You will." He looked at Kudon and the other two. "Rise and take him," Prima said.

Kudon stood up with the others who bowed with him to Prima. Then they began to walk toward Sentinel. He stepped back raising his fists and as he did, the three grabbed his arms and all of them disappeared. It was silent, then Prime looked at Prima with concern. "I am disturbed, Lord Prima. What will happen to him?"

"He will recover no matter how long it takes. Being in perfection here will ascertain that will happen. What We have to do **now** is clean up the mess that exists. You will return to tell them what has happened. I trust you will be honest and honorable. I will go and gather My siblings. We will meet again shortly," He said before He and Guardian Prime faded away.

Optimus was back in the room.

Sentinel Prime wasn't.

-0-Moments earlier

Prime and Sentinel disappeared. Sunspot who was watching jolted backward into the wall as they did. Ironhide reached down to pick him up, holding him closely. **"ATAR! WHERE IS UNCLE OPTIMUS!?"** he said fearfully as he clung to Ironhide.

Ironhide hugged him. "He's at the Matrix with Sentinel. Remember? He can come and go. He's safe. Everyone is safe."

Sunspot looked at him, then burrowed down into his arms. "Okay," he said fearfully. He stared at the front of the room as the priests converged on the remaining defendants. Prowl had stood up to stare at him with concern.

"Do you want to go to Uncle Prowl?" Ironhide asked.

Sunspot nodded, then slipped down. Threading through the crowd who petted and patted him, he reached Prowl. Prowl picked him up, hugged him tightly, then walked to the corner to speak with him in a soft voice. Ratchet who was watching leaned toward Ironhide. :Maybe this wasn't a good idea:

:It will be. They won't hurt him and maybe he can feel better when this is over: Ironhide said.

It was quiet for a while. Then Prime was back without Sentinel. Sunspot jolted, then glanced at Prowl. **"HE CAME BACK!"**

"He will **always** come back," Prowl said as he swayed with Sunspot in his arms.

Optimus turned toward them, then walked to Sunspot. He stroked his wings, then kissed his cheek. "We are fine, Sunspot. All is well," he said, then he turned to the packed room. Walking back to his chair, he paused in front of it to think a moment. "I have journeyed to the Matrix with Sentinel Prime."

The room shifted with half of them standing to bow. Prime nodded back. "Please, friends … sit. I have to tell you of the journey." Everyone sat and all stared at him including the three remaining defendants who looked paralyzed with fear.

Ratbat stood, then jerked lose from Sela. "Where's Sentinel? What happened to him? Are you going to let them kill us, too?" he practically snarled.

Prime stared at Ratbat. "Sit down."

Ratbat stared at Prime, did the math, then sat. When he was quiet, Prime began. "Sentinel and I went to the Matrix, to a place where decisions are made. Its a flat desert plain with little in any direction but emptiness. When we arrived we were met with the spirit of Kudon of Iacon."

Neo and Laret gasped and so did Gravitas, Eronus, Templar, and Mraz. The tension ratcheted up enormously as Bluestreak slid his servo into Sunstreaker's. He was as bleak and attentive as Sideswipe.

"Kudon was completely repaired in body and spark. With him were the recovering spirits of Nominus and Zeta Prime. Both of them were on the path to redemption, bearing on their armor the mark of their duplicity and crimes. As they make their way forward, their outward appearance repairs to reflect the internal changes they make. Kudon is their mentor and guide along that path. He has undergone the process himself. He is not the same mech as he was. He understands and has fully embraced what he did and the affect it had on others. He is the herald of Prima Prime."

" **Oh, Lord Optimus! This is great news!"** Neo exclaimed as she began to weep. Laret held her servo. **"I did so love him as a friend!"**

"He knows, Neo. He is staying in the Matrix to help those who have lost their way find the right path forward, both here and there," Optimus said. "Kudon came to take Sentinel away to begin the process. He was afraid. As he tried to step away, Guardian Prime arrived. He also is a herald of Prima and told Sentinel that he would come and be reborn through the process of understanding his life and drawing conclusions from its lessons. When he further resisted, Prima Himself arrived.

"He told Sentinel he had two choices … he could agree to repentance and the chance of another life of freedom and choice or oblivion. In the end, he was taken away by Kudon and the others. Prima said that the rest of this must be resolved and He then left to gather his brothers and Solus together. They will be coming shortly."

"And you just think I'm going to take a stroll with Kudon do you?" Ratbat said as he stood up again, his servos balled into fists.

"What makes you think, Ratbat, that you have a choice?" A voice disconnected from a body spoke to the group, seemingly emanating from the ether.

Ratbat glanced around himself. "Who said that!" he asked.

"Why, I did," the voice answered as a mech appeared behind Optimus. He was small, gloriously radiant, beautiful, and he floated in the air. It was obvious who It was as everyone in the room stood with incredulity.

Micronus Prime had arrived on the physical plane.

-0-TBC 8-15-18 edited 8-17-18


	445. Chapter 445

The Diego Diaries: (dd6 445)

-0-Courtroom

It was deathly silent as everyone stared at the figure floating in air. It was His usual representation, the green god figure sitting cross legged like a Buddha with the air of joy about him. He wasn't especially joyful at the moment, however. He stared at Ratbat with a frown then He moved to the front of the room where Optimus stood. "Optimus Prime … you have problems to solve. It would appear that you are here to pronounce sentence. Please … do continue."

Prime stared at Micronus a moment, then the three defendants who were staring at the god figure with terror. It was sickening to him to see their fear. "I was going to sentence them to punitive stasis for the duration of three million years Earth-time, Lord Micronus, but something tells me that You and the Others have Your own plans for them."

Micronus grinned. "You would be so right, brother," he said as the room faded away completely.

-0-Elsewhere

They were all there, all of the group including the guards and workers from the court who hadn't been part of things but were on standby. They were gathered in a group on the desert plain. A soft breeze was blowing, shifting sand here and there as the sun beat down hard. It was intense but there was little heat from it. The sky was almost agonizingly blue and there were no clouds. Far in the distance, the faint outline of hills or mountains could be seen. They glanced around, then turned almost as one toward Optimus. He was standing silently staring at the sky which appeared to have something for him to see. They glanced up but didn't see it.

Someone stepped toward Prime but Prowl caught his arm as he held a wondering Sunspot. "Don't. Wait."

Micronus wasn't there but the three defendants were. Ratbat looked frantic, then began to run. He disappeared almost immediately. Decimus and Contrail turned toward Prime. **"WHERE DID HE GO!?"** Decimus asked with shrill emotion.

Almost the moment he asked Ratbat was back, running forward to slide to a stop right where he started. He glanced around in rising hysteria, then ran away again. He vanished, then he was back, halting in the same starting place once more. A soft laugh greeted that, then Micronus appeared. He floated in the air as He grinned at everyone including the defendants. "That was amusing and its also one of the most elemental life lessons one can have. Moral … you can't run from your problems."

" **YOU FRAGGER! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH US!?"** Ratbat shouted. He was defiant to the end.

"Tsk, tsk, Ratbat … do you kiss your ada with that mouth?" Micronus asked with a grin. He glanced at Optimus. "The humans have many pithy sayings." Optimus was transfixed by a sight only he could see so Micronus set down and walked to the defendants, pausing before them. "Well, We have a problem. **You** are the problem. I do not believe in three million Terran years you will be any better than you are now. I have called for a hearing among **MY** peers. They are arriving now."

There was a flash of light and from it stepped Onyx Prime, huge and unhappy as He stared at the three. Around Him were more flashes and more Primes stepped forward to tower over the group that turned in all directions to watch with an almost mute astonishment. One by one, They came … Prima, Solus who stepped out with Vector, Solomus and Epistemus, Nexus, Quintus, Adaptus with his strong persona, the god of the transformational cog itself, Alchemist, Amalgamous the Trickster, and the enigmatic figure of Logos. They stepped from the flashing blasts of light, then gathered to stand around the group, towering over them in height. They were beautiful, Their auras almost painful in Their purity and intensity while Their gazes were direct. They seemed to stare into the deepest part of all of them.

It was at that moment that Sunspot slid down out of Prowl's grasp, then walked toward Prima Himself.

"Oh, frag," Ratchet said as he shifted in place.

Ironhide grabbed his arm. "Wait."

Sunspot walked to Prima, then looked way up. Prima grinned, then knelt, bringing His handsome shining face close to the infant. "Are you Prima?" he asked. "I learn about You in the Temple."

"You do. That I am. I am Prima, Lord of the Pantheon and I know you, Sunspot of Vos," He said gently. "I know all of you, my wondrous infants."

"Am I in the Matrix?" Sunny asked.

"You are. You are safe. You will **always** be safe. We have to take care of those who would make it otherwise," Prima said. "What do you suggest we do, Sunspot of Vos?"

Sunspot glanced around himself, then stared at the three defendants who looked pulverized with fear. "I don't like them but they're afraid. I hate that. I was, too."

Prima nodded. "I don't like fear either, not for Me and especially not for others. You are my prize jewels. You and the other children here. I wish to see them if you don't mind," He said glancing at the gathered group.

Everyone glanced at each other, then children were pulled out and carried to the front of the group. They stared at the familiar faces in the crowd, then looked around. It took a moment for them to look up at the smiling faces of the Pantheon who were looking at them with enormous happiness. Orion stared at them, then smiled brilliantly. **"SHE! SHE HERE! MY SHE! SHE AND SHE AND HIM DO BEES!"** He looked at the others, then after a momentary conundrum linked his servo with Scout and Praxus. "Come you wif me, Orion. I comed you to the shes." With that, he strode out with his two babies while the others watched.

Hero took Halo's servo, then Uraya's. Glancing at Iacon who stared at her, then upward to the tall mechs and one femme watching them with delight, Hero said, "Come with me, Iacon. This is the Pantheon," she said like it was an everyday thing. "They love us." With that, she followed Orion.

Prowler who was looking at everyone but Them watched three little kids walk toward the big mechs. He grinned, then followed as Prima and Resolve joined him. More came, some of them from the jury and others of the court and witnesses as Proteus stepped forward with his son, Rugur. Bulkhead put his son, Rekker down who glanced upward, then began to walk and beside him followed a pensive Diesel, Fifi and Flinn along with Mars and Io. Scar who had also brought Caro with him watched as their babies walked toward the Pantheon, something that made him deeply emotional. Then he followed them. As the babies gathered before Prima with Orion and Sunspot, Scar sank to his knees.

Prima who was admiring the babies looked at him. "Scar of Slaughter City."

"I don't know much about words but I want you to know … how sorry I am for everything," he said simply. He stared at the mechs and femme who were the first of their kind, the best of them and stretched out to lay face down on the ground.

Prima stared at him a moment, then touched him gently with a digit. "Rise, Scar. You do not owe Me this."

He sat upward onto his knees. "I did a lot to answer for. I want to tell you so. These two," he said nodding to his children, "are my best thing, that and my bond. I work for everyone and I am sorry."

"We know," Solus said with a nod of sympathy. "What grieves us, dear Scar, are those who aren't."

Solomus nodded. "That is the truth. You do know that you work to better yourself and you have redeemed yourself. Once that is done, you must forgive yourself. What is redemption without forgiveness? If you carry regret, you are not redeemed."

Scar stared at him, then bowed deeply. He looked at all of them with deep gratitude, then stared at Solus, lingering on her beautiful face. "I have always wondered where you were. I've been alone all my life until now."

It was silent on the plain as everyone waited, listening to the silvery voice of The Maker. She knelt. "You have **never** been alone. No one **ever** is. You made yourself alone because you chose it but it was never fully so." She touched him gently with a digit, then almost as one, The gods blinked a moment, then reappeared more closely the size of everyone who were watching them entranced. A murmur went through the crowd as some of them knelt. Solus grinned. "Please stand. We love you. All of you," She said as She turned Her gaze upon the children. "How can this not be the focus of all effort? Of all hope? These are Our treasure, the flowers in Our garden. I never understand what process of thinking one has to undergo to not hold **ALL** of them in reverence. Or anyone else for that matter. All are the creations of The One and He loves them all **EQUALLY**."

Onyx nodded, then knelt before the mob of infants who were staring at them and around themselves in the comical manner of those with 2 second attention spans. "Hello, Orion of Mars. It has been a while since We spoke," He said.

Orion smiled brilliantly, then patted the big black clawed ped of Onyx. He turned to the others. **"THIS MY SHE! I, ORION DID COMEDED TO HIM! HE BEST SHE! SEE HIM? YOU GO DOING DIS,** " Orion said with big happiness. He patted Onyx on the ped, then smiled at the others. All of them smiled as they walked closer to pat Onyx on the ped.

Onyx grinned, then chuckled. "All of you are my shes as well," He said, then turned his gaze on the defendants who stood rooted to the ground like statues. "You on the other hand decided that some of these marvels weren't as worthwhile as others. Many were the tiny sparks that we collected at the Matrix gate who were obliterated in war and starvation. You didn't care. I will never understand how you can chose to do so."

The three stared at Him, then Prime. Ratbat stepped toward Optimus. "What are you going to do, Prime?"

"You speak to the wrong one," Prima said with offense. **"I AM PRIMA! I LEAD THE PANTHEON!** You will confine your questions to Me regarding your fate, Ratbat of Tarn. I hold your spark in **My** servo."

Ratbat stared at him, then the others. "Is that it? Is that how this is? We have to bend our knee to You and be afraid? I've never been afraid in my life. No one makes me afraid, not even You."

Onyx laughed and so did Adaptus as the others grinned. "You have no sense, Ratbat. You **do** know who We are, do you not? I have never heard you speak or call to Us but I am assuming you have heard of Us."

Ratbat sneered at Onyx. "Everyone **heard** of You but You were never **there**. I had to claw my way upward to get my due. No one gave me a hand. I did it myself. Everything I got I did so myself. Where were you when I was hungry? **NO WHERE!** I decided I would never be hungry again."

"And then all the rest came easily," Proteus said.

Everyone looked at him as he held his son in his arms. Madura had his arms around Proteus' waist and fear tinged his defiant expression. Ratbat sneered at him. "You got yourself out of this. Just the right amount of tears and sadness. You were as bad as we were. Yet, you get a pass."

Proteus turned to Madura and handed him the baby. Walking through the crowd, he paused in front of Ratbat. "You will never understand anything. You will never get anything right. You will go through your life backwards and when the time comes, end it the same way."

Ratbat turned to Solomus. "He was as bad as anyone. He wanted the Clampdown. He took bribes and hurt as many people as we did, maybe even more. He conspired with Kudon to manipulate the Matrix and he's as guilty about Tarn and Vos as anyone because he was a part of the government that did it. How is it that he walks into a comfortable life and future and we're here facing **this** slag?"

Solomus stared at him, then leaned closer, gathering Io into his arms. "Because he understands his guilt and wants to change."

Ratbat stared at him. "You're kidding, right? He just says he does and that's enough?"

"No, Ratbat," Micronus said with irritation. "He, unlike you actually understands his guilt. Would that you could. You are a selfish psychopath and you have not only harmed Cybertron, you have let down every mini and micro mini-con from the moment you walked into power. Many was the time I wanted to whip your aft Myself."

"You did," Onyx said with amusement as he sat down on the ground. Infants began to climb onto him led by Orion. He grinned as he patted some and helped others up until they were all there sitting down comfortably on Him. "You do not have the capacity, Ratbat, to understand how it all works."

" **HE'S LYING! HE'S LYING TO ALL OF YOU!** " Ratbat said with gathering rage. He spun on Proteus, then lashed out. He caught Proteus on the chin knocking him off his peds. A shout could be heard from the crowd as Madura cried out and ran forward. Pausing long enough to hand Rugur to Scar, Madura launched himself on Ratbat. Taken off guard, they fell to the ground.

"My, this is getting interesting, brother," Onyx said to Micronus who grinned back at him. "I put my shanix on Madura."

They rolled on the ground, then Madura ended up on top. Pushing Ratbat down, who was no slouch himself, Madura began to punch him in the face. The crowd watched with astonishment, glancing from the Pantheon to Prime. He was watching as well, almost as if in communion with the others. He might have been. Madura kept punching Ratbat until Proteus clambered up and pulled him off.

Swearing and swinging, attempting to kick the mini-con, Madura was pulled away. He stood beside Proteus glaring at Ratbat as the mini-con stood up.

He laughed. "Well, we know who's the boss in your bond, Proteus. What a pair **you two** are."

Proteus ran forward and jumped on Ratbat, both slamming into the ground. They rolled and rolled before they broke free and turned on each other. The sound of laughing gave them pause as everyone turned toward Amalgamous. "Keep going. I am highly amused," He said as all over His body parts of Himself were in transformation. It was never stilled.

Sunspot walked toward Amalgamous. "What do we do?" he asked.

Amalgamous stared down at him, then grinned. "We wait."

"Who are we waiting for?" Sunspot asked as kids slid down and began to gather around him. He took Scout and Prowler's servos.

"Why, for Primus Himself," Amalgamous said with a grin.

-0-TBC 8-17-18 **edited 8-18-19**

ESL

Someone who is entranced by something is overcome with it and can't look away.

NOTES! :D:D:D

-0-fancyspinner chapter 444 . 13h ago

Wonderful of course. I hope more people have an opportunity to see the pantheon.

 **ME:** They will. ;)

-0-optimus prime101 chapter 444 . 21h ago

Oh wow can you please put up another chapter I soo want to read what happens next, please?

 **ME:** Done deal. :D

-0-Ragemoose chapter 444 . 21h ago

Ooooh, I love the drama. I really can't wait for Micronus to put Ratbat in his place! Micronus is my favorite of the pantheon, i love to see him involved in things. I can't wait to see how everyone reacts to him showing up :D thank you for sharing!

 **ME:** I love Micronus because he's cute and he's fun. He's a good guy in the Pantheon and smart as they come. Go to t.f. wiki and get the lowdown by putting the thirteen into the search engine. You can also google his name there as well. He and Onyx as so much fun to write. :D

-0-Ragemoose chapter 438 . Aug 16

Ooh... Maelstrom seems to have struck a nerve with that last bit but maybe if sentinel didn't want all his dirty laundry strung about then he shouldn't have collected it in the first place. I didn't think I'd ever find court procedure exciting but you've proven me wrong, it seems :P Also, I cant wait to see if the babies get to see the Pantheon. I wonder if Orion remembers Onyx? Or if exposure to Them would fix his glitch. I suppose it's all just a matter of waiting :9 Thank you for updating so frequently, it's the highlight of my day. I hope you have a good weekend!

 **ME:** Sentinel has the lazy mind of the powerful, that they don't have to be discreet. Orion remembers everything. :D HUGS and have a great weekend too, honey


	446. Chapter 446

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 446)

"What is that?" someone in the group asked as they glanced down the way to look where Prime was looking. He had turned to stare into the distance when Micronus stepped closer to Ratbat. That mech was stepping back with a wary sense of hatred on his face. Proteus hurried to Madura and enclosed him in his embrace as everyone stared at a gathering whirlwind of sand and stone. It was almost immediately that it grew into a monster storm, a towering jumping tornado of massive scale. It appeared to be bearing down on them.

Everyone glanced at Prime and then the Pantheon, both of whom appeared to be calmly watching. Affecting a sense of calm that none of them felt, they watched it approach. Genitors grabbed children and stowed them along with others there, getting them to safety just in time. Laughter from Amalgamous was the last real sound anyone heard before the whirlwind turned into a soft white light and they were enfolded into its mass almost immediately.

Sunspot glanced around himself in awe as the light enfolded them. Sitting in his great grandpa Raptor's arms, he felt it soothe him. He heard voices telling him of love, voices that were only a faint echo in the dimmest memories he possessed, but memories that told him that his youthful trine genitors were speaking to him, their only child. He listened and chirped back even as Raptor was lost in his own loving memories, hearing some voices he hadn't ever heard before, relatives and friends from the past and future.

Time is a construct of the third dimension. It doesn't run in a straight line. It is an ocean that covers all things and everything exists at the same time as everything else, always. The past exists even as the present and future does, coinciding together in a vastness. One's ability to know that depends on their energetic vibration and most of the Cybertronians knew that this was so as the energetic beings they were. Humans wouldn't if they were here and didn't even so on Earth. The speed by which you vibrated determined the degree of your perception and even the children among them could see farther and deeper than most humans.

Ratchet felt it, gratitude by spirits that surrounded him, spirits of his children, spirits of his family long gone and the spirit of Primus Himself. It permeated him, telling him of gratitude that he and Ironhide had taken in their children. It is the highest good, they told him, to love unconditionally, to help those in need without judgment, to help those who needed love, company, family, shelter, friendship, and support. He felt it deeply and he felt his spirit rise.

Springer stood with his arms around Drift. Drift held him as they both felt familiar love reach them, love that was familial and unconditional. Their families touched them, weaving themselves around their children and friends, healing things when they did that the two didn't realize were that broken. Life never dies, the voices said. It merely transforms. We are here. You are safe. You are loved without condition. Springer felt emotion rise as a thought came to him in his mind … / … are you still alive? …/

A soft voice whispered to him as a gentle touch caressed his cheek … / … yes … /

Drift stood with his arms around Springer and his optics shuttered. Gentleness that was familiar caressed his soul, touching him with all the yearning that separation could instill in a soul. He felt his shame recede as the forgiveness of The One reached him. He felt himself enfolded in love and he felt tears. He hugged Springer tighter and the big mech reciprocated. He could die in this embrace and feel at peace.

Bluestreak hugged Sideswipe tightly as Sunstreaker enfolded them both in his arms. They were hearing voices, voices they had never heard tell them that they were loved completely, that they were given away unwillingly, that a part of them went with the babies when they did the best thing they knew to do in an unjust society, one that didn't value them enough to help them at their lowest point.

Memories of fire and bombs, of running madly in maddening pain flashed through Bluestreak and then were replaced by the smiling face of his ada and atar. His grandparents held him, his aunties and uncles played with him and he saw his room in his home in Praxus. It was like it was then and it was filling him now. It would stay with him overwriting somewhat the useless images of carnage and destruction, pain and suffering that had to be dismissed to help happiness find him fully again.

Sunstreaker looked around but he didn't see anyone, just the three of them and the kids in their hold. It was brilliantly beautiful around him and he wished he could paint what he was seeing. The colors had sound, the smells had texture, the texture that he could imagine roses to have. Everything was flipped and mixed. Sound had taste. Sight had aromas. All of it was different but it wasn't fearful. It was loving and good. It was a strange sensation to a mech who viewed the world with caution and wariness.

Lucien held Laslo who clung to him. The weirdness of the moment, of the entire moment was overwhelming. He had never been involved in genuine Matrix moments until the Festivals here. It had never happened to him in his lifetime on Cybertron. The other Primes, they were obviously out of favor with The Powers. It was obvious that Optimus Prime was the real deal and as he stood with his bond, looking around at the soft whiteness, hearing familiar voices tell him that they loved him, he knew also that he was a dolt.

Prowl held Sunspot, listening to the baby as he chirped with great happiness at something or someone he didn't see himself. Around him he heard music and came to the realization that this was the music of the universe. He wished he could see his grandgenitors here and he ventured a request. "Great Ones … can my grandgenitors be here? Zenith and Shadow?"

Nothing happened a moment, then a figure appeared, a tall good looking mech who he knew instantly was his grandfather, the father of his own, Venture. He grinned at Prowl. "They can't. Their path is different and they must follow it."

"Appa," Prowl managed as he gasped in surprise. "Appa Styre. You're here? Are you ..." He silenced in shock for a moment. "Are you and Amma in the Matrix?"

The figure chuckled. "No, grandson. We're on our way. We've learned a lot. Be at peace. We will come."

Prowl nodded. "I have a lot to tell you."

Styre nodded. "So do we," he said as he faded.

Prowl stared at the spot bereft for a moment, then the light abruptly faded away. Standing together again, they were in a huge limitless room. Standing on white light, they looked around as Kes and Tagg walked to Optimus. They approached him timidly, then Kes reached out to touch him. "Orion? Are you alright?" he asked with a tinge of fear.

Prime turned to them, then embraced both in his arms.

Nearby, Ratchet turned to Ironhide and his slightly blitzed family. "Frag. This is a big room. I wish I had called my family to come."

"Good call, Ratchet. Remember how Ravel cried for orns afterward, it was so emotional for him," Ironhide said as he turned slowly to stare at everything. "We'll tell them about this."

The room was so vast it felt like a universe itself. Arrayed around them in a huge circle were for wont of a better word, thrones. They were made of light and radiated it, a warm sentience. Sitting on all of them but the biggest were The Powers who was watching them with amusement and interest. The group looked at all of them as some of them fell to their knees and pressed their helms to the ground.

Micronus leaned forward. "Please stand and be at ease. You are not the ones on the fire."

They stared at him, then stood uneasily as some of them glanced around to look for the defendants. They were standing together in the middle of the group, staring around themselves with deep concern. It was almost sickening to some how afraid and cornered they were. It also surprised most of them how it didn't make them feel better to see it. The desire for vengeance had lost its allure for them here in this place.

A flash of light greeted them as they turned toward it, toward the biggest 'throne'. A blindingly beautiful shining figure was there, Primus Himself. Everyone knew it. The iconic art of great beauty made with love and devotion over generations of mechs and femmes didn't do justice to the image of this figure. He was their greatest hero, the One who tried to save the universe from His brother. He had given up His life and freedom so that they could live freely and they had fucked it up. They fell to their knees as some of them pressed their helms against the ground. The only ones still standing were a paralyzed palsied trio of defendants.

Joon and Vinn pressed their helms against the ground. Beside them, Breezy sat on his haunches reciting a verse of celebration of Primus in his own unknowable dialect. He was nearly in rapture of the moment and he would owe a life debt to Ratchet once again for calling him to come. Around the room, those who had no part of the trial but were called by Ratchet felt the wonderment of the greatest hero of their existence, Primus the Great, Primus the Good, Primus Who Sacrificed for them. It was a deeply emotional moment for everyone.

Sunspot who was standing beside a kneeling Prowl, his arm around the big mech's shoulders felt an intense urge, then ran forward. Weaving among the adults, he broke free of the group as he ran and ran with all his might. Everyone gasped, then watched as he ran for Primus who knelt down to receive him. When he reached Primus, he skid to a halt. **"I KNOW YOU! YOU LOVE ME!"**

Primus grinned, then nodded. "I do. I love all of you."

Sunspot hugged his digit when Primus held forward His great servo. Sunspot hugged it tightly, then smiled upward at him. **"YOU'RE PRIMUS! YOU'RE OUR BEST HERO!"**

Onyx grinned slightly, then glanced at a smiling Micronus. "And here all along, I thought I was."

Primus grinned at them, then the baby. "And you are mine."

Sunspot smiled at him, then turned around to run back. He wove his way in, then skidded to a stop in front of Ironhide and Ratchet. **"HE IS MY HERO!"**

Ironhide grabbed Sunspot and hugged him. "And you're mine, too."

It as intensely quiet as Primus stood up to stare at them. "Stand and We shall begin."

Everyone did, glancing at each other, the gods, then the three defendants. Primus Himself sat, then stared at them with a serious expression. "Of all the things I had hoped would never happen, this was chief among them. The road for you is open. You are a free will planet and thus, the choices for what you did were yours alone. In accordance with that, the penalties and rewards for your choices were yours, also.

"I have a high standard for who receive My love. It is also simple. You merely have to be alive. That is all that I require. I hope many things. I hope that you will love each other, all of you together, the same way those here do with Me," He said sweeping His servo around the room to include the Others. "We love without condition. We care without condition. Nothing and no one is beneath Us nor above Us. As I have said before, there is no hierarchy anywhere. We are all the creations of The One. What that worthy created is holy in every form, in all its forms. **Everyone is holy. Everyone is equal.** How can a father be asked to prioritize Their children? How can a father choose among His most beloved children which ones to reward and which to neglect? Is that what you do for your own?"

Everyone glanced around, then Hard Drive stepped closer. "No, Great One. I love all my children and grandchildren and I dedicated my life to service to all. It's not the natural way for someone to value some at the expense of others. It's against the Will of The One Who Loves Perfectly."

Primus nodded. "That is so, Hard Drive of Praxus. We were put here to love and learn, even Me. We were put here to care about each other no matter how different or difficult anyone is. Oh, that you could know My grief. To see Our beloved children return too soon with scars that are generational … I cannot **bear** it. You three were among those who are responsible and now We must determine the outcome of your decisions."

It was deeply silent, then Blackstone stepped closer. He bowed lowly. "Lord Primus … what do we do now? I am here to help represent these mechs with Highrode and the others. We would hope for mercy even though it might seem unworthy of them given their crimes."

"I have watched the trial with interest. You who have no reason to forgive have taken up the banner of truth and justice anyway, Blackstone. You are pleasing to Me," Primus said. He looked at the three who seemed to quiver with emotion as he did. "You three had the opportunity to defy your programming and the circumstances. I am giving you a chance to explain your actions, the most grievous of them. The destruction of Vos and Tarn … Contrail and Ratbat, explain yourselves. Feel free to speak, Decimus." He sat back to listen.

The three of them stared at Him, then Blackstone and Highrode turned to them. "You have a chance to seek the mercy of The Powers," Blackstone said. "Express your deepest regrets and explain the truth. You will defend yourselves the best if you do."

Ratbat stared at him. "You mean grovel? If I say I'm sorry, it might go better for me?" He glanced at Contrail. "We did what we did and its done. Are you sorry?"

Contrail glanced around, then stared at Ratbat a moment. "I … I'm sorry."

" **SORRY YOU GOT CAUGHT!** I don't remember you feeling a **bit** sorry for anything you ever did. You with the snooty look, the cold stare. I don't remember you **ever** being sorry. It was part of your charm," Ratbat said with an acid tone.

Contrail turned on him. **"YOU CAN'T SPEAK FOR ME!"**

"Why not?" Onyx asked from where he sat casually on his throne of light. "You pushed the conceit that you spoke for the Seekers. You didn't, of course. They didn't pay you enough, apparently. That was the rule of thumb, correct? Those who greased the wheel got your attention."

Rainmaker stepped forward, then bowed lowly. "Yes, Lord Onyx. That is so." He walked forward to pause before Primus. Dropping his staff, dropping to his knees, he bowed his helm. "Lord Primus … I wished to support Optimus Prime but had no faith at the time. I followed Megatron and did things that I will regret forever. I am here to seek and accept whatever you feel will balance the scale. I am Rainmaker, the Great Elder of Seekerkin and I ask you to give to me what is owed to my people for what I commanded as their leader so that they may go forward free of the stains of the past."

It was silent a moment, then the other clan leaders including Breezy stepped forward. Falling to their knees with Rainmaker and his sons, their staffs falling to the ground, they bowed. "We are here with the Elder to take whatever you feel makes balance, Great One," Silverclaw said as the others nodded.

"I will accept Your will for everyone, Lord Primus. I am Breezy of the Hidden Clan of the Manganese Mountains and I am here for the good of Seekerkin. I am Yours and will accept for all of us what You will," he said as he lay face down on the ground.

Primus stared at them, then watched as Sunspot slid down out of his grandpa's arms and ran forward. Pausing behind the Seekers who peered back at the sound of running peds, he knelt. **"ME, TOO!"** He knelt, glanced at the others, then lay face down on the ground.

Ironhide shifted but didn't move as he gripped Ratchet's servo.

Primus stared at them, at the tiny Seeker giving up his future for the good of his own kind, then sat back. "Rise, all of you."

Rainmaker sat up, then glanced around. The others stood, then he did finally himself. The place was so quiet it almost hurt their audials. Primus looked at Sunspot. "Out of the mouth of babes," he said. "The humans have many sayings. Among them is this one … "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them." It was silent a moment. "Woe, that the orn would never come when that kind of peace should reign. It is what We **seek** for you, a world where there are **no hunters and hunted**. That the hunter shall befriend the hunted, that war and suffering are no more and that you **love** each other **unconditionally and without reservation** the way We have **always** wished for you. I dream of that orn Myself for you."

Lauren stepped forward with Sela and the rest of the priests who followed. "Lord Primus … Great One … we seek it, too. Among the features of that dream, there is mercy. We seek it for these mechs. They are clueless about the terrible things they've done. Ratbat even defies you. That speaks of an impairment that isn't normal. Is it just to punish what might be impairment?"

It was silent a moment, then Cyclonus and his mechs stepped forward. "Lord Primus," he said as he bowed deeply. "I am less refined about forgiveness than my colleagues, though I reverence them greatly. I seek wisdom in the texts of my people, the wisdom that You and The Powers have gifted us. But for the grace of The One, all of it would be lost in the wars. I am myself party to the crimes that happened and I will accept whatever you believe is my just payment. I cannot ask for payment for them if I don't receive it for me. I have learned a lot since being here and I find now what I didn't know then in the wisdom of our people. All of us have a debt to pay for this."

Prime stared at Cyclonus with amazement for a moment before turning to Primus. "Lord Primus, Cyclonus has become a major asset to our colony and he through his efforts comforts multitudes through the Monastery. All of us are finding our way back to the light. Some of us are farther along than others. As for these," he said turning to the three, "they are far away from You. I would suggest mercy. It is never wrong to extend mercy, is it?"

Primus stared at Prime, his son, a creation of His pantheon whose greatness of spirit led Thirteen back into the world. "Mercy is always welcome and always extended. What must happen from these three is some small acknowledgment of their actions. Remember, you are never alone. You are surrounded by those who love you and in that moment when a glimmer of self awareness illuminates your spark, then We can come. It is permission at last. Until then, redemption is an illusive thing if you don't even acknowledge that you were wrong."

"You're going to do what You want anyway no matter what I say and do," Ratbat said bitterly. "We all deserve obliteration. All of us were part of what happened. You need a scapegoat. You need someone to take the blame, so give it to us. All three of us. I suppose that Sentinel is burning somewhere. Burn us, too," he concluded defiantly.

 **"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!"** Decimus said as he and a terrified Contrail turned toward him. **"I HAVE A BOND AND KIDS!"** He whirled to face Primus. "My family. They **need** me."

" **SO DID MINE, YOU SELFISH FRAGGER!"** a voice said from the crowd.

Everyone turned toward it, the group parting until an enraged Sunstreaker was seen. He stepped around Sideswipe and Bluestreak heading toward the three. He was furious, coldly furious, combat enraged as he stopped before then. "Because of you, my brother and I were dumped in a Youth Center and never knew our genitors. Why should **your** family be more important than **mine**?"

"Yes, Decimus," Quintus said as he lounged in his throne. "Why is that?"

Decimus stared at Him, then Sunstreaker, then he turned toward Primus and walked toward him. "I was raised to be this way. I'm sorry," he said with an almost breathless quality. He paused before the god, then knelt. "I want another chance. I have kids. I have … I want to live."

Primus considered him, then swiped His servo through the air. Decimus disappeared.

A shocked sound emerged from the crowd as they watched Decimus vanish. Contrail cried out and sank to his knees, covering his face with his servos. "Oh, no," he whispered.

Ratbat shivered with surprise and overwhelming static energy as he stumbled back a step. "What did you do with him?" he asked with a jerky voice.

Primus stared at the spot, then looked at Ratbat. "Why, Ratbat, I gave him what he wanted."

-0-TBC 8-19-18 For Ragemoose :D


	447. Chapter 447

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 447)

-0-Somewhere

He stumbled back a step. "What did you do with him?"

"Why, Ratbat, I gave him what he wanted."

It was deeply silent, almost disturbingly so. Nearby, Magnus, Elita, Jetta, Arcee, Arrow, and Paragon watched with almost a sickeningly powerful tension. Their children had been among the babies meeting the Pantheon and it had been as overpowering a moment as either had had in a long life filled with them. That their children had been touched by the forces of all creation was something they would never forget. Now they watched the disintegration of Ratbat and there was no animus in them as they did. It was the most surprising part of the whole process so far. Ratbat didn't seem to understand the incredible danger of his situation or he didn't care. It was hard to tell. Arrow took Paragon's servo. Paragon squeezed it and stepped closer. Prowl had called him and he had called Arrow. This was going to take some conversation later on, it was clear.

Ratbat looked around wildly, then walked toward Prime. **"ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW THIS SLAG TO HAPPEN!?"**

"What would you like me to do, Ratbat?" Optimus asked as he pulled his genitors back to stand behind him. Both of his genitors could post hole Ratbat but it wasn't going to be foisted upon them, the defense of anyone there. That was his job and he was going to do it. "I have no power here."

"You're Prime," Ratbat said. "Talk to them."

"And say what?" Prime asked.

"I don't know. **YOU'RE THE SLAGGING PRIME!** " He turned to Primus. "You said that you give second chances. I want one." He stared at Primus as the big mech appeared to consider it.

"Why? What can you tell Me that will signify that you are changing?" Primus asked.

Micronus stood, then walked down the steps from his throne-like chair toward Ratbat. He paused in front of him, staring at the creature from his normal Pantheonic height, 60 feet. Then he shrank down to the same size as Ratbat. "You think you can talk your way out of your crimes. You helped destroy Tarn and Vos for personal gain. You were undermining the lawful government of Optimus Prime for Megatron for personal gain. You wanted to be on the winning side because the gain was greater than working to achieve a government that cared for everyone. You didn't care because all that means anything to you is feeding your endless sense of entitlement. Now you disrespect Primus with your incessant demands for your own personal gain. What means anything to you, Ratbat, besides your own comforts and personal needs?"

Ratbat stared at Micronus with deep loathing. "Well, given that You don't need to eat or find shelter for Yourself, **obviously,** I don't expect You to understand how living in a society like ours would do things to your spark. You're a god. You can conjure anything up out of the ether and You don't find Yourself in the garbage, tossed there by the thing you love. What did I owe Cybertron who didn't even see me as a real living thing? Cybertron **OWED ME!** "

"I am not going to argue with you that Cybertron was unjust but why was that? What about mechs banding together to make it better, something the movements of each era and the Prime of this one tried to organize? Twice such movements succeeded. Why did you give in? Why didn't it matter that there were others just like you who were filled with sorrow, hunger and fury who didn't become criminal? You could have changed things. You were made a leader. You could have been a champion. But you weren't. Tell me about **that** , Ratbat. Everyone with notable exceptions were corrupted in the Senate and the Councils. But not everyone who were members of both were traitors. You were and so was Contrail. You went out of your way to make a bad thing worse," Micronus said.

"How can you lecture me?" Ratbat said as he stepped closer to the mini-con. "What would you know about anything? You've never been hungry or homeless. You never had doors closed to You because of Your frame. You were a god. You never were here to live this nightmare. I don't care what You think of me. Frag You and the Others. **WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE NEEDED YOU! SOME OF US WERE KIDS WHEN WE WERE ALONE!"**

"What would you have us do, Ratbat?" Adaptus asked. "We gave you a world and free will. You were the architects of your own lives."

" **THE SLAVERY STARTED WHEN YOU LEFT AND IT NEVER ENDED! WHO ARE YOU TO LECTURE ME!?"** Ratbat said heatedly.

It was silent, then Vector looked up from the device in his servo distractedly. "He has a point, brother. I do recall We did something about this earlier didn't We?"

Prima shook His helm. "You need to pay attention, Vector. We took back the Functionalists shortly ago and now Sentinel Prime."

Vector thought a moment, then nodded. "Oh, Sentinel. I never liked him." He glanced at Solus. "You said you would keep me up on things."

Solus grinned. "I will. I do."

Ratbat glanced from one to the other. "I'm delighted that you think this is funny," he said, his voice dripping with acid.

"It isn't. I would feel less offense for and from you if you had just been a run-of-the-mill criminal, Ratbat," Quintus said. "But you made the lives of everyone else worse than they were before you. Someone robbing a store or stealing from a home isn't lowering the standard of everyone on the world by doing so the way you and your colleagues did with your actions. There is no excuse for the state of Our world and The People in any era but you taking advantage of what little everyone had during yours is not excusable."

"I don't **care** what you think, Quintus. **YOU MADE THE QUINTESSANS! THEY STARTED THE WHOLE THING!"** Ratbat shouted. He spun on the big mech, walking toward him in fury. "You created the Quintessans. They made the Functionalists possible and from that everything else followed. If anyone should punished, it should be **YOU!"**

Onyx stared at Ratbat, then Quintus. "He **does** have a point. A very small one but a point, brother."

Quintus frowned. "If You say so."

"You did. You made them. They enslaved us, generations of us. They sold us like property and where were you? **WHY DIDN'T YOU DO SOMETHING!? WHY DID YOU IGNORE WHAT YOU STARTED!?** " Ratbat shouted.

It was silent. Onyx glanced at Quintus who was staring at Ratbat. "Given all the circumstances, it is a good question but it does not alleviate your responsibility for your actions, Ratbat. You did not have to stir up nuclear war with Tarn and Vos, you did not have to ignore your responsibilities to the mini and micro min-con community and you did not have to commit treason. The Quintessans began an idea that was taken up by The People. They did not have to do it. Perhaps they could not figure out how to live otherwise, but you had responsibilities and forsook them. That is not changed by what Quintus did or did not do."

"Frag you, Onyx," Ratbat said. "You started this landslide, all of You. You had the duty to make it better and You didn't. You're going to hang me up for what's Your fault."

"I do not agree," Primus said as he sat on his throne listening deeply to the unusual conversation. "It is grievous in the extreme that the Quintessans were created. I did not approve then nor now. But it is what it is. They started a terrible pattern that could have been broken at any point by The People. It would have been hard but it was possible. You did not do it. If you had banned together this would not have happened. You were given the example with The Immortals. You put their greatness aside and walked back into your chains. Then you did it again, overthrowing the Functionalists. They were sent packing and yet again, you fell back into bondage. I am unclear what you expected from Us when you were very clearly to Me in your own power at both times."

"Free will is a gift, Ratbat, one not accorded to every species. When will You need Us to intervene? When your machinations fail? Every time you lose something? Are you fully adult or do you need a nanny? I am unclear on why you want to have complete control over your life and choices, then you don't. Which is it? Are you free to act or are you not?" Solomus asked.

"You will never understand," Ratbat said.

"Is there anyone here who will speak for this mech?" Primus said as He sat back.

No one moved, then Ratchet did. Ironhide grabbed his arm, but Ratchet squeezed his servo. Walking forward, he made his way toward Primus. Ratbat watched him go with a frown. Ratchet bowed to Primus, then glanced at Ratbat. "I can't believe I'm going to say this for this slagger who's about the worst mech I ever met. But I have to say … we never learned to be free. We never had a chance to be our own mechs. Our world was beaten into shape by those who never loved us and we never learned how to get past it. We never knew we had to discuss it. We had heroes," he said turning to glance at Delphi, Kup, Hercy, and Hard Drive. "They were our heroes and always will be." He glanced back to Primus. "But not all of us **can** be heroes. We don't know how to or we don't care or we can't. Sometimes the ugly has a seductive power that traps us and removes our ability to see clearly. Sometimes it corrupts us. What's part of my problem with mechs like him is that I can see them as babies and it colors my view of things. They came here good and life crushed them or allowed them to cater to their worst instincts.

"Ratbat maybe never was a good mech. Maybe he was always the acidic slagger he is. Maybe he always stole, beat others and betrayed all around him. I don't know. But I know that even though most of us had the same life, that didn't mean we turned out the same way. It's impossible. Some of us are too mean to be broken and others are broken from separation. Not all the disabilities of a life show up on the outside. I'm sorry for this slagger. What a terribly lonely and empty life he's led. He has no bond, no children and no real friends. Contrail may be his only real friend and how deep is that, really? Right now, both of them are at each others throats. I would hate to have lived the life that created this slagger.

"In the end, we **ARE** all responsible but some of us should've had a little bit of an assist. Some of us started out less equal than others. My genitors were able to keep me with them at their job. I remember when they lost their business to Galaxy Industries. I remember my ada crying for decaorns. Their dreams were crushed and if they were different I would have been different, too. Not everyone turns out the same while living the same circumstances. Some of them don't have the support I had. Take that into account. Neither of them should ever live among us this way. They deserve to pay their debts in a real way. But understand, not everyone is created equal and their lives leave marks behind.

"Ratbat did terrible things and Decimus did as well. So did Contrail. You'll do what's right and good because You're that way. How could You be different when You sprung fully formed from The One? Not all of us are that lucky, Lord Primus. Some of us carry our obliteration inside. Thank you for the chance to say that. I don't blame any of You but I also don't fully blame them either, though they hurt me and my family more than I can articulate. Thank you," Ratchet said as he bowed. He walked back into Ironhide's arms and it was silent again.

It was then that Arrow nudged Paragon. He glanced at Arrow with surprise, then looked at Primus. He walked forward, glancing back at Arrow. That mech followed him, moving among the crowd. Nearby, watching the proceedings, several of the adult titan and dreads watched as well. It was unusually quiet. Paragon bowed to the Pantheon and so did Arrow. "Lord Primus ..." He caught himself. "Lord Primus, I am Paragon and I was an Autobot until the war. I joined the Decepticons with the army and tried to advance my career through the ranks. I was sort of the mirror image of Prowl, a tactician and command second for Megatron on the regimental level. I wanted more and I didn't at the time think that it mattered how.

"Earlier, I had bonded with Arrow as an Autobot which was a career killer. You didn't bond with Seekers then if you were a grounder because of the prejudice. I don't know what I'm trying to say but I hope that you will understand how much it kills a spark to have doors closed not because you can't enter them with your merit, but because of the prejudices and beliefs of others. Arrow was my death ticket before we gave up and left the 'Cons, heading into the galaxy to maraud. All Seekers were being hunted for death and still are. It isn't because they deserve it, its because someone said it had to happen because they say they have no value.

"Ratbat is the worst mech I ever met. I'd never turn my back on him but he's the result of vorns and eons of prejudice and closed doors. Mini-cons were as poorly treated as Seekers. It wasn't fair but it was what it was. Some can survive it and build a great honorable future. The Tolers are an example. Autobot Bumblebee," he said nodding to the mini-cons standing nearby, "is also an example. Not everyone can survive intact in a system that's ultimately unfair for no good reason.

"I don't have anything more to add but I will tell you that I'm changed from a ruthless selfish piratical beast into what I've become. I'm a bond, a genitor, a soldier, and a citizen of my world. I'm a follower of You and the Pantheon through the Temple practice. This is one of the highlights of my life to see You. Not everyone can bounce back when life punches you in the face. I'm not asking You to let him or the others go. I **am** asking you to understand even a little bit of what it meant to be Cybertronian in The System. I tell you that as a high caste who had every advantage handed to me without much effort on my part to earn it. Thank you," he said bowing deeply.

Arrow nodded. "Parry gave up his career ambitions when he bonded with me. He was first in his class in everything he did including the Autobot Military Academy. He didn't hide it like I asked him to do. He had character and strength. Maybe you can say that was easy but it wasn't. His dreams died when he acknowledged me. We are one, he and I. Understand its not all neat and easy. Sometimes its hard and complex. Thank you for this and for loving our little mechs," he said patting his carry hold. "I will never forget this moment." They both bowed, then stepped back into the crowd.

That was when Sideswipe stepped forward.

-0-TBC 8-19-18

ESL

post hole: American western slang meaning driving someone straight down in the ground like you were digging out a hole for a fence post. Pounding them in the head straight down is what it usually suggests. :D

foist: to foist something on another is to push it on them. Foisting a problem on someone else is to make them do it.

Run-of-the-mill: something ordinary and not special, usual "It was the usual run-of-the-mill Monday."

animus: hatred, anger, deep abiding loathing


	448. Chapter 448

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 448)

-0-There, somewhere

Sideswipe paused before Primus, then knelt down. Touching his forehead to the ground, he sat up to stare at the warrior god that he reverenced. Primus fought Unicron to a standstill. That was something that reverberated in his head constantly. This mech was a warrior's warrior and his inspiration. Standing, he turned toward Ratbat and Micronus. "There isn't anyone here, just like Ratchet said, who doesn't have their own stories. We were abandoned, Sunny and me. Blue had his entire city and family obliterated before his optics. He was the only one standing. All of us have their stories. But none of us turned out like you, Ratbat.

"No one ever helped us. No one ever cared enough to try. We were on our own forever and even if we wanted it," he said glancing around the vast area, "we knew You weren't going to come. It was on us. **US, Ratbat!** I agree. When do we stop being adults and need supervision? Sunny and me never accepted supervision. Maybe it would've made some things easier but we didn't care. We were made adults from the moment we were left and it was up to us to decide how it was going to be. When we did get genitors again, we chose them ourselves. **IT WAS OUR DECISION!**

"We became criminals because there was little else for kids our age to do then without the state interfering with our freedom. It was either get exploited or exploit others ourselves. We don't say it was right but it was what we did. We weren't going back. That was our choice and everything that followed was on **us**. Our decision, our outcomes, our burden ... it was ours alone. When the war came and we chose the Autobots, we were mocked because everyone thought we'd become Decepticons. **FRAG THAT!** We weren't traitors. We were a lot of things but we weren't traitors to Cybertron and the Decepticons **were**. Prime had the Matrix. He was trying to save everything and everyone. He was … he was **holy**. I would **never** go against that, **ever**."

He turned toward Primus. "You were my ideal. You're the warrior I hope to become. My kids study You in school and all around us the relics remind us that we **are one** , that You and the Others **love** us. We fragged up royal but its on us. **IT'S ON US!** We can make it better now and we have. Because we can **now** , we could have **then** but it didn't happen. It isn't on You that it did, Lord Primus. No one made you take bribes and sell out all of us, Ratbat. No one made Decimus ignore the miners or steal things and Contrail help you destroy Tarn and Vos. You made that decision yourselves and something tells me that even if They **had** intervened to help, it wouldn't have changed one thing anyone in charge did or planned to do going forward, Ratbat. Or you either, Contrail. You **know** what you did, you had power given to you and you used it like a hammer. I don't blame Them," Sideswipe said nodding toward Primus. "I put the blame squarely where it belongs … on you."

With that, he walked back to Sunny and Blue, hugging them as they turned back to watch. It was silent, then Prime turned toward Primus, bowing lowly. "Lord Primus … all of our people are my responsibility. During the war, things were confused and difficult. We did our best to secure the relics and as many of our people as we could. It was deeply chaotic and difficult. There were those who assisted," he said glancing at a pensive Heatout and Dai Atlas, "and many who did not." He stared at Contrail and a defiant Ratbat. "I am not in a position to make the decisions for them here and now in this place but I **am** compelled by my beliefs and the genitors and family who raised me to ask You to factor in what everyone has said. All of us lived in the same cruel system, but not everyone survives the experience in the same way. There are more prisons in life than poverty. Even if gilded, chains are still chains.

"You were not obligated to intervene. We do not need more genitors and we were not children. We had Your guidance in the Chronicles and other sources but we did not heed it. It is on us that this has happened. I am asking for mercy, however, because we are at the end of a long rocky road and bear the consequences together of generations of bad decisions and cruelty. Thank you for your wondrous love and mercy," Prime said as he bowed lowly. Behind him, most of the crowd did the same.

Primus looked at Prime like a son, which he was. "You are a treasure to me, Optimus Prime." He looked at Ratbat and Contrail. "You wished to control the Matrix. Perhaps it is time for you to learn the folly of your ways."

It was still for a moment, then Primus began to glow. When He was difficult to ascertain behind the shield of light that formed around Him, a figure began to emerge standing up from His body like Primus had been a chair upon which He sat. It was a light body individual who walked down the steps toward them. Halting shortly before Prime, he solidified into a youth, a phenomenally beautiful youth whose body was covered with the moving images of galaxies, stars that shown brightly and the odd comet straying past. He showed the universe, all universes on his armor as He smiled at Prime. "Hello, Optimus Prime. It is good to see you in this reality at last, old friend."

Prime knelt as he stared at the figure. Behind him, the others did, all but Ratbat who stared warily at the youth and Contrail who was still on his knees. Behind him, Primus sat as Himself again, watching quietly all that was unfolding. The figure looked at the others, then grinned. "Please ... all of you … stand."

They did, then Ratbat walked closer to him. "Who the frag are **You**?" he asked with deep suspicion.

The figure turned toward him, then smiled. "Why, Ratbat … I am the Matrix."

An agonized groan was heard in the crowd as Neo followed by Laret staggered forward, collapsing on her knees before the figure. "It is so. Forgive me what I've done. I love you," Neo stammered as Laret knelt beside her. Mraz, Gravitas, Eronus, and Templar clung to the priests who stood with their arms around them. Sela smiled, then began to softly chant a prayer of thanks to the Matrix.

The figure stared at them, then knelt. "Why do you ask for what you already have, Neo?" he asked.

She looked at him nearly tearfully. "May I touch you?" she asked.

He pulled her to her feet, then hugged her. He hugged Laret as well. "I have admired the philosophy of the big frames since their inception. They believe that you cannot ask for what you already have because they give forgiveness and love unconditionally in their selfless service to The People. They live their philosophy with their forgiving grace. They are close to Us and thereby live with greater fidelity to the Straight Way Forward. You cannot ask for what you already have, Neo."

She nodded tearfully, then stepped back as another figure appeared beside the Matrix out of thin air. It was nearly identical, a shining universal being seemingly made of youth. He smiled at Prime. "I see you again, Optimus Prime."

Prime bowed lowly. "I am honored to see You again though I am unclear what name to call You this time, Lord."

The figure chuckled. "I can see that. Lord AllSpark doesn't have much of a ring to it."

The crowd gasped again, some sinking to their knees once more as the AllSpark and Matrix grinned at them. "They are a very reverent group," the Matrix said as the AllSpark nodded.

Micronus grinned at them. "Brothers, what mischief do you wish to conjure this time?"

Prime who had guessed that the AllSpark was the repository of The One among The People when He came to interact with the lower dimensional planes some time before wavered between falling to his knees to stay there forever and assisting Them through any demand whatsoever, though he didn't know how. Prowl who had been told about the AllSpark's purpose by Prime knelt with shock on his face. Prime glanced at him, then the two. Why They were here Themselves, he didn't know. "Lords, what can we do here? We wish to do the right and just thing."

"The **frag** you do, Prime. You just want a scapegoat." Ratbat looked at the two figures who were watching him with no small interest. "Where were **you** when we needed you? How come you didn't help us when things turned to slag? Why should we reverence you as gods when you don't give a frag about us when it really matters?"

They glanced at each other, then the Matrix moved closer. "Ratbat, you are wrong in a number of your assumptions. We are **always** with you. The Matrix device allows Me to be here. The AllSpark is many things but It is here among You and always was until Megatron tried to take It into his control," he said. "The other Primes … they were unworthy and I left them to keep them from using My power to harm others. Guardian was the only good Prime in the past after the Pantheon and Nova was the last Prime altogether that I shared Myself with until Orion Pax came into the Senate like a supernova. I had waited **so long** alone." He glanced at the AllSpark who nodded solemnly.

"We have always been here. We are focal points of comfort for you and All That Is. All sparks granted lives move through the Matrix." The Matrix glanced at Primus, then Ratbat again. "Lord Primus is The Gateway to The One but the Matrix is The Gate to you. All sparks that are born no matter the method come to Lord Primus through The One. Lord Primus is the Gateway to a new life. But I am the Gate. Each leaves through Me and all come back to Me before returning to Primus and The One. I remember every new face, every pure spark, every hopeful ambition including all of you. I receive back every broken spark, every sorrow and pain when they return. Every child who died in the wars, every adult, every member of your families who were taken away because of the choices made came to Me for comfort first. It is My function and everlasting honor to do so. They are all safe and sound, well, comforted, and aware of you. They watch you and when they can, they come into your dreams to comfort you. None of you and none of them were ever alone, though it must have seemed like it, I can imagine. That, too, is a construct that you make in your separation."

"Frag philosophy. What happens now? Did you come to cart us off to The Pit?" Ratbat said sourly as Contrail groaned loudly in his fright.

The AllSpark seemed to pulse with light, then He moved closer. **"THERE IS NO PIT! THERE IS NO HELL, NO PLACE OF ETERNAL TORMENT!** What offenses constitute such things? **NONE!** **THE ONE CREATED YOU! THE ONE LOVES YOU NO MATTER WHAT! HOW COULD YOU IMAGINE THAT A FATHER COULD HARM THEIR CHILDREN FOR ANY REASON AFTER THEIR TORMENT AND NOT TAKE THEM IMMEDIATELY BACK IN EMBRACE!**?"

A barrage of thunder rolled through the gigantic room as lights flashed from unseen lightning somewhere in the cosmos. For all they knew, stars could have gone supernova and were quasars now from the intensity of His reaction. The figure of the AllSpark rose to a gigantic height as around It the wind began to whirl. Thunder rolled, then He began to subside. When He was back to the glowing youth, He shook His helm in frustration. "Forgive me. I love completely and wish you no fear. It is not a part of Me that I give fear to anyone. I loathe hateful doctrines that make you believe that you are less than the perfect beings you really are and after a lifetime of pain and suffering more awaits you. How can a father condemn Their children? How can someone who had a terrible life or suffered believe they will go to more at their passing? It is **not true**. You **are love**. You are going to remain so even if you forget it in this life. You will come with Me, Ratbat. You are in need of great care and love," the youth said. "You, Contrail, will go to the Matrix and remain there until you remember who you really are."

Contrail stood and stumbled back. **"NO!"** he said before the AllSpark raised His arm and the mech disappeared.

Ratbat stared at the empty space, then began to run. He disappeared immediately.

Micronus glanced at the AllSpark with a grin. "Don't worry. He'll be back."

He was. He slid to a halt in the same spot, then glanced around for a hiding place. Before he could find one, the AllSpark raised His arm again and the bot disappeared. It was intensely, almost ominously silent in the vast space, then love seemed to permeate every cell and diode in their bodies. It washed over them, emanating everyone knew from the AllSpark who was looking at them with overwhelming love and welcome. As the crowd and Powers stared at the empty spaces where the two were, the sound of music began to filter through everyone's emotions. Lights flew from the darkness above, falling down among them as they swirled around. Halting beside the AllSpark and Matrix, the lights formed into mechs.

Elder, Femme, Freedom, Life, Youth, Happiness, and Truth were there. The immutable elemental truths of life, the concepts that were universal, the wisdom that was as old as All That Is came to join the conversation.

They glanced at Primus, then turned to the AllSpark and Matrix. Bowing, They gathered around the two. The AllSpark grinned, then looked at the solemn group watching all of them. "We are **always** here. It is up to you to think otherwise. **All** of Us are here." He turned to Primus who stood, then bowed Himself to the AllSpark, something that baffled everyone but Prime and Prowl. As He did, the rest of the Pantheon bowed to the AllSpark as well. With a glowing light rising in His body, the AllSpark smiled at the overwhelmed group watching. He began to rise into the air as His body began to ruffle, like wheat in a light breeze. "Do not worry about them. They are with Us who love them even as We love you. It is now, always was and ever will be unconditional," He said, then burst into sparkles. All of them danced in the sky, then faded away.

Bots in the group watched them fade, their incredulity clear to see. Then the Matrix rose slowly, staring at the group with a look of love on His beautiful face. "You are loved. You came through Me, you will come back to Me. Do not make it too soon," He said with a slight grin. He began to spin with light bursting outward, then He flew back to Primus and reversing His emergence, He sat back into Primus and dimmed away. A small flash of light illuminated Prime, almost as a salute from the Matrix returned to him once more.

It was silent, then the Pantheon stood almost as one. They turned toward Primus, then bowed. He nodded His helm, then with delight on Their faces for the gathered watching, They faded away as well. It was just the group and Primus at last. He leaned forward. "I am delighted with the progress of Cybertron. I know it will take a long time and there are still dangers uncounted, but you work hard and I am pleased. For those of you who came back to Me from dark roads trod with Megatron, you are heroic and you mustn't forget that. I am happy to see you back and there must be no regrets to mar your redemption. They are a waste of energy and self love. I will also assist you that testified and have returned to our fold by wiping the memories from the jury of your true identities so that you will have a full chance to live as you were designed to do without being found out by others. As for the rest ..." He glanced at Optimus. "You have the one you need."

The Great One, the Shining Son of The One sat back, then looked at the archetypes who were waiting for Him. He grinned. "You have your path and I know you will honor it. As for these ..." He nodded to the archetypes. "They will assist. Come to Me. It is time."

They grinned at him, Prime and the others, then light began to build in them as the seven prepared to return to The One From Whom All Goodness Flowed. Upward they burst, flying in concert with each Other as They spun overhead in a beautiful dance, Their light streaking behind Them. They reached Their pinnacle, holding a moment, then flew swiftly toward the helm of Primus Himself as they changed in configuration. They reached it shrinking into luminous lights, then settled, colorfully glowing as They affixed themselves onto the crest of His helm like jewels on a crown. They glowed there, bright and beautiful, adding to the almost impossible beauty of Their bearer.

Primus stood, then looked at them with an intense expression of love. "You are My jewels, all of you. You are My glory. You are a part of All That Is. You are connected to Me and Everything That Is by bonds of love that cannot be broken. Your life journey is to learn and feel delight. How swiftly you forget that. No matter what, remember that you are profoundly and completely loved," He said as the room began to fade.

They were back in the courtroom once again.

-0-TBC 8-20-18 edited 8-21-18


	449. Chapter 449

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations (dd6 449)

-0-Courtroom

It was deeply silent as they stood where they started absorbing their surroundings, then Prowl turned to Prime. "We did see it. All of it, correct?"

Prime nodded, then hugged Prowl tightly as he stepped into his arms. It broke the spell as everyone turned to each other, most to hug or speak, anything to bring them back to the moment more fully from what was beginning to feel dream like. Kes turned to Optimus. "Son, are you alright?" he asked as Tagg stared at Optimus solemnly. Their son was remarkable always but it shook them to think that he was beloved of The Powers every time it came to them that he was.

"I am fine," Optimus said as he hugged his genitors. "Are **you** alright?"

"We are," Tagg said as he slipped his arm around Kes.

"I think we all need to sit a moment," Prime said as the room heard him and began to comply. Soon, they were all sitting or leaning against a wall. It was silent and solemn. "I think I need to tell you a few things that will help you assimilate this experience," he began. "The Matrix is a simulation designed for our comfort, one that can handle third and fourth dimensional energetic forms like most of us are with notable exceptions. We come there and They use symbols a lot of the time to tell what They want to say. Sometimes, They add more to the tale then you expected but all of it means something. They can speak of the past, present and future.

"Sentinel, Ratbat, Contrail, and Decimus are safe and they will be treated with love and protection. They are flawed to the point where they represent a continuing danger to all of us, hence these kind of hearings. If the threat is big enough, They step in. All that you said and did there will be honored among us. You do not have to tell anyone or even each other what you felt, saw or did there until you are ready or if you even want to do so. There is no prohibition on telling but there is also no compelling reason to do so if you do not wish it. If you wish to speak now, please do so and I will attempt to help you understand," Prime concluded.

"I am honored to have come," Paragon said. He glanced at Prowl. "Thank you for calling me. I hope you didn't mind that I called Arrow and had him bring our sons."

"No," Prowl said. "I don't mind. They love to see the children."

"They do. They are our future. If you ever feel there is no point to anything, remember them," Prime said.

Lucien and Laslo stared at him. "Do they tell you things without saying so?" Lucien asked.

Prime looked at him. "They do. They also help you come to that conclusion yourself in many forms including feelings and internal dialog. They do not demand. All of us have free will."

Lucien nodded, then glanced at the banner of Cybertron. It held the cupped hands symbol of The One. "I ..." He paused. "I was wrong about a lot, Optimus Prime. I was wrong. I am sorry. They said that They forgive you if you find your way back to the concepts that They hold dear. I thought I knew them, the ideas and ideals of our kind but I realize that I don't. I am sorry, Prime. It would mean a lot to me if at some point you can forgive me for all the things I did and didn't do that made your job that much harder. I am sorry," Lucien said simply.

Laslo clung to his arm as he listened, then glanced at Prime.

"You are forgiven, Lucien," Prime said, surprised himself that he could say so and mean it. They had been implacable toward each other, Lucien for The System and Prime against it. "It is the only way we have to be able to go forward."

Lucien looked emotional, then nodded. "Thank you," he said simply. He looked at Ratchet. "Thank you for everything you did for me and my family. I was there to witness this because you never gave up. If someone held to the Truth it was you, Ratchet. Thank you."

Ratchet nodded. "You're welcome."

"We **have** to be one," Hercy said quietly. "We never gave up that this orn would come no matter when or how long it took. All of the bad effort and slag is past. What we have is **now**. All of us together have to be one. There **is** no other way and if you listened to Primus and The Matrix and still feel other, then you need a padded room."

Springer grinned. "Some of us need one anyway, Old Mech."

It broke the moment's tension as everyone laughed. They sagged with relief and hugged each other, chatting a moment as they felt an urge to stay together. Prime rapped his knuckles. Everyone turned to him. "I would like to thank everyone involved. You brought honor to your Houses and to all of us. Prowl and I will be having dinner at The Pit Stop. I would be honored for all who can join us to attend. If you cannot, there is only my gratitude and thanks. I will be discussing this on IntraComm tonight and thus ask you to keep this under wraps until then. Thank you for your service and friendship."

"Thank you, Prime, for the opportunity of a lifetime," Rainmaker said. "It was an unspeakable honor to accompany you. I am filled with sorrow for the Primes who did not have that access."

The room agreed as they gathered to go, walking out into the gathering darkness of night. Sitting on his appa's arm, Sunspot hugged Raptor's helm. "I loved those lights that landed on Primus, Appa."

"I did, too," Raptor said with a grin. "Maybe sometime Uncle Optimus can explain them to us."

He eventually would.

-0-At the diner

They were there filling the space, families and friends of long trials along with newer friends, allies and comrades. Sitting together, Devcon and Smokescreen considered their conundrum. They were going to wait until the next morning to file the charges that were going to be levied as part of the invocation. Now wasn't the moment. They were filled with emotions like everyone else and they didn't want to spoil the moment. Moda and Tress wouldn't be told either until it happened. It was an automatic that if someone had transgressed an invocation, they would be arrested. Smokey would be under house arrest at his genitor's home until this was resolved. It would be the first defiance of an invocation that either of them had known about in their lives. It was a good thing that there was law to take care of things. This was an ancient and seldom trod road.

The conversation was peaceful and a lot of them were thinking about what had happened even as the energy of unconditional love still permeated everything about them. It would for a while, Optimus knew and he was glad for everyone there. Conversation was bright, cheerful and dinner would be a joy for all of them. They would linger when they were finished, reluctant to walk away from the encounter and the feelings they had for each other as a consequence. One of the most remarked parts of this over the next few orns was the lack of animus that anyone still held for the defendants. The punishment had come to fit the crimes. It was a relief to know that there wasn't any Pit and that the four weren't languishing in it. It would astonish them for a while that they felt that way. Everyone would remain surprised for a long time.

Everyone but The Powers. It was intended that this would be so.

-0-Late that night

They walked to the lockup and went through the several security levels. Down the path they went, Gee Gee and her warders. She had been at the hearing and was still feeling the warmth of The One. This had somehow turned into an emotional and arduous venture, coming to the barracks that had held the defendants to gather their affects. He had told Decimus's son that his father had been recalled and the shock of his expression had made her feel something of his pain. He had sat without sound in the conference room at the Center, armed only with his bluster and protected by three priests who had joined him. He was the real son of Decimus, not adopted. There were several of those but she would tell them tomorrow when she wasn't so conflicted with new and old emotions.

Contrail had adopted children and so did Sentinel. They would find out then as well. Ratbat had none, keeping his spark solitary to the bitter end. They reached the gate and entered, drawing attention from other barracks who watched them. It didn't matter what time it was for the inmates. Time bled together and they were up at any hour of the orn and night as their was no barracks curfew here. They watched as the gate opened and everyone walked inside. The barracks awaited as they entered and the lights came on. For a moment, there was no sound or signs of movement, then they came out, one of them carrying a small box.

Motormaster and the others stood at the bars as nearby Scorponok, Blind Spot, Sideways, Stiletto, and several other slaggers including Turmoil watched. **"HEY! WHAT'S UP WITH THEM!?"** Motormaster called out.

Gee-Gee slowed, then walked to his bars. "What do you want to know, Motormaster?"

"What's in the box?" he asked with his usual lack of tact and propriety.

"All that they owned," Gee-Gee said. "They had their hearing and it concluded today."

"What happened?" Stiletto asked with a growing sense of disquiet. "I heard it was Special Circumstances."

"It was," Gee-Gee said. "The Pantheon weighed in. I was there. They were recalled."

It was silent as a tomb as the groups around them digested that bit of news. Wild Rider and Dead End stepped closer. "The Pantheon took them? Where? To The Pit?" Rider asked with a tight voice.

Gee-Gee stared at him. "There **is** no Pit. They said so. They took them back to the Matrix. The AllSpark and Matrix Themselves showed up. They took all four of them away."

It was ghastly, the silence. Turmoil who was listening glanced at the others. "What's the status on our trials? Are we Special Circumstances, too?"

"Not that I know of, but then … anything can happen can't it," she said grimly. "Think about it and decide how long and how well you plan to live." With that, she continued onward heading for the gates and the real world beyond. As she did, she carried a datapad addressed to Prime only. It was a datapad made by Sentinel Prime for Optimus. She would give it to him in the morning at the Senior Autobot and Community Leadership Committee meeting.

The silence in the prison as the news spread by the grapevine would be a first.

-0-Later that evening at IntraComm

He walked out with Prowl, holding his servo tightly. They slowed as Optimus stared at the sky. "The AllSpark … you are aware that He embodies The One, that the AllSpark is the vessel in which His Essence is safely among us?"

"Yes," Prowl said. "I'm still internally reverberating."

"I know," Prime said. He looked at Prowl. "I feel sorrow for them. I feel sorrow for all of us but I also feel intense hopefulness. They are never far. I always feel Them when They come. They are well pleased with us. I do, however, hope we do not have another of these for some time to come." He stepped forward walking with Prowl toward the Mare Tranquilitatus.

"We don't," Prowl said as they continued down the sidewalk heading for home and family.

-0-2200 on the TMC, all channels including those of the humans on world

"We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring this special message from Optimus Prime," the announcer said.

Everyone sitting in front of a screen or listening to a radio paused to see what was going on. Optimus Prime's beautiful voice and handsome grave expression appeared. "Good evening, Autobot City, Cybertron, The Empire, and all outlying bases. I am Optimus Prime. I come to you tonight to tell you of a happening that touches all of us. It was one long in the making and has concluded today as per the laws and regulations of our people.

"For the past several orns, a series of trials were held at the Autobot City Courthouse here on Mars that were long in the making. The defendants had been discovered and brought here, given excellent counsel and complete access to all relevant information and then the trials commenced. The defendants were Contrail of Vos, Ratbat of Kaon, Decimus of Capital City, and Sentinel Prime of Tarn. They had been captured and held as defendants to answer for a long list of war related, criminal and civil indictments. Now it came time to hear their cases which I did in congress with No-a of Nova Cronum, a federal high court judge here on Mars and his fellow federal judge, Semi of Helex.

"The crimes alleged were so great that this would be a criminal hearing with Special Circumstances. For those who do not know what that means, it is simple. The hearing would be held here with a court, a panel of judges and every opportunity for both defense and state lawyers to produce their cases. They also chose to have a citizen jury to offer insights and advice into the proceedings. The verdict would first be mine to levy, then the Pantheon Themselves including Primus and The One could make Their presence known and have the final verdict. The offenses being of the gravest nature required more than my own efforts to ensure that justice was given to all involved including the accused.

"The trials produced a guilty verdict for Sentinel, Decimus and Contrail. An abeyance order was made for Ratbat pending a full and complete psychological profiling of his processor, something he had resisted until now. It was then that the trials were suspended pending the period of waiting that usually transpires for Pantheonic intervention or not. It was the next orn when They weighed in.

"It is my duty as Prime to maintain our people and the integrity of our species. I am aided in this complex task by the Matrix. I am able to journey there for advice and They often come to me to do so as well. All of us, the audience and those involved directly in the trials ended up at the Matrix in a construct made for us that included the presence of Primus and the Pantheon. There was much discussion and in the end, representations of the Matrix Itself and the AllSpark decided. They were recalled.

"Family members of the four have been notified. The four are in the arms of The One and they will be ever and eternally safe there. What I do not want to see is disquiet or riotous celebration of this outcome. I know that many of you have grievous reasons to be happy about this. That is one thing. Causing havoc is another. It is also going to be important to me that the families of these individuals do not suffer from guilt by association. We are a better people than this.

"Justice, as much as can be achieved, has been done. I am honored to have served The People and I will always do so. I thank everyone involved. It was a life altering experience for all of them. We are now facing a new future. Let us go forward together in peace and unity. It was a searing lack of both that brought us to this condition. If you wish to be heard about this, file your comments on the form in the Office of the Prime sector of the Community Bulletin Board and I will arrange replies as best I can. The Temple and Monastery are open now orn and night for as long as you need them to be there. It is with pride and love for all that I say to you, until all are one. Good night."

The scene changed back to the Emblem of the Primes, then the shows, music or talk that was playing before.

A number of things would happen. Prime would be deluged by requests. The entire Empire would party like it was 1999. Periodic, Rockwell and other relatives of the four would be obliterated with surprise and dismay.

Optimus Prime would sleep like a baby. For the first time in vorns.

-0-TBC 8-20-18


	450. Chapter 450

The Diego Diaries: Post Hoc (dd6 450) **screwed up names royally. fixed them I hope. :D  
**

-0-Around

Springer and Drift sat their horses at a junction that headed out toward the Seven Cities-North and beyond. A street party was going on with thousands of individuals hoorahing it up given the news. Some had homemade fire works and a lot of booze. Waiting for the reinforcements he had called, they noted the night which was cold and dark. Drift glanced at Springer studying his profile. "How do you feel? Some of the slaggers who hurt your family got the ax. Sort of."

He glanced at Drift. "Can you keep a secret?"

Drift nodded.

"I had a vision that my genitors were there and they told me they were coming. Eventually, they would come, they said."

"What do you think about it?" Drift asked.

Down the road from them heading across the open space at a gallop, a large group of mounted police came at speed. Springer grinned. "I think Old Ma might have something to say about it."

Drift snickered. "Well, Old Ma will always have me."

Springer grinned, then looked at Drift. "Just make sure I will, too," he said as the group joining them galloped to a halt before both. Looking at them, he smiled. "We have a street party to attend. Everyone got your brass knuckles?"

Everyone laughed loudly, then moved onward to follow Drift and Springer as they began to gallop north. It would be interesting to say the least.

-0-Home

Hobbes sat with Edict on the couch as they talked quietly about the entire unfathomable moment just past. There was no arguing now, no defiance, no structure to any point that would bely what he had just witnessed. It was obvious to even the most feeble minded that he had been absolutely and irretrievably wrong.

All his life.

And his genitors' lives and theirs ad infinitum.

It should have rankled more but it didn't. That part was surprising. Given how long it had been since he had opened his optics to the way the Pantheon expected them to live, it had become a past of him now to a depth that would have once been impossible. He had been his fathers' son, raised to be a high caste and to believe what he did. Both he and Edict both. But for the ineffable mercy of this Prime, he would be in jail forever. His kids and his bond would have been alone, suffering greatly. As it was, Sunee was still in the hospital but he was making some progress, small that it might still seem. He wanted his kids to be better, he had come to conclude. Then they would have the life they were entitled to, one that didn't harm anyone else.

The kids were slow coming due to the celebrations breaking out everywhere. It wasn't unsettling to see how greatly happy everyone was that Decimus, Contrail, and Ratbat were gone. Those three were impossible. What was bothering him was the absence of Sentinel. That mech seemed like part of the landscape, someone always there who seemed to be eternal. Now he was gone and it was shocking to him. He was capable of being shocked. Sentinel didn't deserve to stay but his absence was unsettling.

The door opened as Rad-R, Riff, Bron-E and her pre-bond, Borealis walked in to sit down with the two. They would talk together all night.

-0-Block Party

They rode through it slowly, declining the bottles held up to them as they inched into the jamming crowd. It filled the main avenue through the business district, wound down side streets and some even hung out windows. The noise was almost as loud as the music as bots sang, danced and drank. Food was being cooked as it seemed every food truck in the city complex was there shoveling it out as fast as they could. Leaning down to get a couple of hot dogs loaded with 'cheese, onions and chili', Kup grinned. "Nice party."

Springer who sat his horse waiting for his dogs and a beer nodded. "It still feels odd, though. I would hate to be sent off like this."

Drift nodded as he handed the hot dogs and beer over to Springer before taking some himself. His horse and the others, trained to be used to noise and lunacy waited patiently for the chance to gallop between locations on the dazzling cityscape. "I hear you," he said.

They would hang out, riding through the crowd before heading out to visit other places equally as excited to celebrate the demise of some of their goblins. The only arrests made would be for drunkenness, putting fireworks in the bodily orifices of drunken companions for laughs, and minor vandalism.

It was fortunate that no one knew the addresses of the relatives of the defendants.

-0-Prison, the son of Decimus

He stood by the bars staring into the distance, watching the lights of the city and the odd firework flash through the sky here and there. He had been told by Warden Gee-Gee that his father was gone, taken back in a 'recall' by Primus and the AllSpark Themselves. He had fretted over his father's trial but had no fears personally that he wouldn't prevail. He always did before. He faced his own trial on the offenses of his indictment, mostly money and covering up the murders that the government now considered the miner deaths to be. It didn't occur to him until now that he could be found guilty and pay a severe penalty. He never had before. For the first time in his life, Exegesis of Capital City felt afraid.

It was lucky for him that he wasn't going to face Special Circumstances.

Lucky, indeed.

-0-Family Tower

He hung up on General Morshower who was back in Virginia for work. The human group minus Earth 1 and 2, the Consulate, Resort, and Unidad had watched the report and were mulling it over amongst themselves. No one had heard about the trials and the idea that god-like figures could show up and take care of business was odd and slightly fear making. Of course, some of them had actually stood on Cybertron which was the body of a thinking living being. That alone should have alerted everyone that they weren't in Kansas anymore.

They would spend the night talking about things and watching the cameras of the colony swing through their usual configuration which was always broadcast on the Community Bulletin Board. They rotated through a set routine and as the humans watched, they noted the massive parties that were going whole hog around the cityscape of Mars. It was amazing. They would have many questions. They would get a few answers.

-0-The Resort

They gathered at the windows staring through the telescopes and binoculars at the hoo-hah down below. Fireworks were popping up here and there, not a lot and not in an organized manner. Someone was partying and they had no idea why because the Resort was cut off from IntraCom's live feed from before Prime's message until noon the following day. It was easier to control access to the message than to try and figure out what the tourists could know and what would be perhaps an exercise in futility.

"Someone is making and shooting off home made fire works," a man from Tulsa, Oklahoma said to his wife. "I used to make them, remember?" he asked as his wife nodded.

"You had a home made mortar. You're lucky you still have your face," she said with a grin.

He grinned as well. "Those were the days."

-0-Earth2

A number of humans from other facilities were in the building doing business with others who were in related industries or departments as they worked together to coordinate the human community on world. When the fireworks went up they were having dinner together near the windows of the huge dining area. Glancing at the bright streaks across the sky, they glanced at each other. Calling the police, they found out that there were parties going on all over the colony and there was nothing to worry about. The only information the call center would give them was that a personal milestone in their colony had been passed and it had made everyone very happy. No other details were given.

"I wish I was out there," a biologist from Iceland said. "They know how to party."

Everyone agreed.

Sitting at a table nearby, Jim Johnson, Sam Hedges, Carlos Ortega, and Silvio Lombardi watched the show. "They have to be using mortars. Look how the arc is," Carlos said. "That's mortar fire."

"Probably," Silvio said with a nod. "By the way, I'm going over to Unidad tomorrow. What about you three?"

"Not yet," Sam said. "How do you rate?"

"I don't have a rap sheet with them yet," Silvio said with a grin. "Stay out of trouble, use your head, doors open."

"Yeah, well fuck you, Silvio," Johnson said moodily.

"When does your in-house ban end?" Silvio asked because he liked to see Johnson squirm.

"Harris is working on it," Johnson said as he eyed Silvio with disgust.

"Take me with you," Carlos said. "I'm not in the dog house."

"Maybe," Silvio said. "Maybe not."

It would be a sullen group sitting around the table staring at Silvio who was feeling no pain at all.

-0-Morning

The usual screaming and hooting around ended with the arrival of buses, cabs and other venues of transport. The three big boys would be on their way to Trypticon for a three night venture into the birth, death and tortured life of quasars. Given the heads up the night before, it had taken a lot of monkey motion to get the suitable gear ready as well as the right number and kinds of snacks they would require as big boys.

Sometimes, no matter what world you live on or what species you are, some things never change.

Watching the last bus go, Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "Time for the meeting."

"Frag the meeting. I want to go to the jail and see if I'm there," Ironhide said as he gripped Ratchet's servo.

Ratchet laughed loudly as they ambled along. "You and me both. Something tells me that the police report is going to be rather long today. They were hurrahing the towns in the thousands I'm told."

"I saw the live feeds. I wonder what things are like at the prison. Doesn't Decimus have a real son and a bunch of adopted ones?" Ironhide asked.

"They do. I have to go see them before I come to the meeting," Ratchet said. "Save me a seat." With that, he transformed and with a whoop of his siren and lights drove off toward the prison and a series of meetings with some very shaken mechs.

Ironhide watched him go, then pulled Halo out of his hold. She was in a Seeker bag with a panda bear hat on her tiny helm. She smiled at him and he smiled back. "Hi there. Maybe we can have a normal life for a few orns and I can show you more stuff. There's lots of mechs and femmes out there who haven't seen you yet. They need to meet you and see what a good little femme is. Then we have to find out your favorite ice cream. We can go to the museum today and see the pretty pictures. You can learn some culture that way. A femme has to know who she is. I also have to count rockets. You can help me. You're very smart."

She listened to her old pa with a smile. She had no idea what he was saying, mostly, but she was up to it. With a grin, Ironhide walked onward, deeply pleased that a number of mechs and two femmes exclaimed over the tiny femme on his arm. It was almost better than a good old fashioned slagging with the 'Cons.

-0-At the prison

He came into the conference room to sit without acknowledging anyone in it. Jarro and Ratchet sat on chairs across from him as he sat slumped and dulled. Guards left and it was silent once more. Ratchet scanned him, then sat forward. "Exegesis … we're here to help you. We want to talk to you about this."

He didn't say anything. Then he looked at them. "About what?" he asked. "My father is gone."

"You know where he is. He's in the Matrix with The Powers. He's safe," Jarro said. "I have no idea where my genitors are."

"It doesn't matter. He's gone."

Ratchet vented a very soft sigh. This was going to take a while.

-0-TBC 8-24-18

ESL:

Hoc is usually with ad hoc which means a solution designed for a particular purpose and not applicable to other things. Post hoc sort of flowed. :D

Exegesis: to take a critical look at a text, like scholars at the Monastery with the books, scrolls, etc.

Hoorahing: In cowboy parlance, it means to party wildly and shoot up a town after a long trail drive. :D

This segment sure seemed ready for weird words. LOL!


	451. Chapter 451

The Diego Diaries: Going Onward (dd6 451)

I have changed the designation of Lucien to Burris and will have Lucien have a conversation with Ratchet about what he feels and saw. It think that would be a better way to get to Lucien's thinking. I don't know what it is about Burris, Lucien and their kids. LOL! That's what you get when you don't have your notebooks handy. :D:D:D Hugs to all you eagle opticed individuals out there. :D

-0-Morning in The Fortress

They gathered in the conference room to discuss the business of the Empire and whatever still needed said about The Event. Drinks and food were carried in along with datapads and other accouterments of the colony's business as everyone arrived to sit and chat a moment. Prowl and Prime were in the Center checking on slag so they all had a moment to gab. Ratchet noted that Devcon was present, nothing odd there. What was different was the addition of Smokescreen as well. It was puzzling. They sat side-by-side waiting for the show to go on but before he could snoop, Prowl and Prime came in and the meeting began.

"We will hold to the end anything that you need to discuss from the event that transpired unless there is something you need to bring forward right away," Prime said. No one did so he glanced at Prowl. "Shall we begin, then?"

Prowl did. The agenda was long, departments had their say and everyone was ready for the end by the time it hoved into sight. The newest information put forward was the sobering assessment of Dai Atlas and the Knights. That some of it overlapped the earlier teamwork finds of Flint when he was still a Decepticon was only a partial relief. At least they had an idea that millions existed earlier, though the planning was still a problem. It had been on the list for rescue efforts back then but when it was clear that Cybertron was on its last legs it had to be held. Though it was put back because of that, it was still front and center on Prime's processor.

"We're going to start rescuing in that direction, the areas where Flint has operated. Dai Atlas is making the maps and when he's ready, we can start," Magnus said.

"The housing issues are the same?" Prime asked worriedly. "What about the industrial base? I have not had an update since our last discussion, Jetta. What have you resolved among those matters?"

"We're working on the new housing site and its going to be huge. The plans call for five more, all of them located within the first and second defensive circles of the colony which includes expansions of Aerie Hill. We've enlarged the industries at the Parks for those things we require now. Its all balanced to manage the new with the old and the continuous. We can pivot on a dime to retool if need be. This is a good test of our emergency and long term planning. So far, so good," Jetta said.

Prime nodded. "Thank you. Thank all of you. I am greatly relieved. Right now, Cybertron is managing to emerge rather more swiftly than I believed but it cannot receive refugees. That would be a disaster of monumental proportions."

"We have it going smoothly, Optimus," Jetta said as the various members related to building nodded in agreement.

"Very well," Prime said as he leaned back. "Then we move forward." He glanced at Prowl. "Did you get that?"

Prowl smirked. "I think I penciled it in."

"What's the next step, Barron, on the slagger list?" Ratchet asked.

"We have petitions to hear about the usual blowhards. Semi is going to hear them. Our special category prisoners are having fits. The son of Decimus is coming up and so are a few others in that group. They had a hand in what happened and there are elder genitors that are under home arrest and/or wear tracking devices. All of that remains to be resolved. I will contact their legal teams and see if anything has changed with what has happened," Barron said.

"Thank you," Prime replied. He sat silently, then looked at everyone. "I think we have a lot to do. I would like to hold the good of the order over for next time."

"Good call," Springer said as he stood. "We have a lot of drunks in the tank from the parties last night and we have court appearances since we scooped them up ourselves. Mostly." He and Drift followed by Kup and Hercy walked out into the center and the rec room beyond.

Everyone took their cue, then stood. Chat and laughter filled the room as Prime watched them go. Dev and Smokescreen weren't among them. He leaned closer to them. "Do you need to see me, Smokescreen? Devcon?"

They both nodded. "We need some of you to stay if you can," Smokescreen said. "We need Barron, both Hardie and Delphi and any of the Praxians who want to stay. Ratchet … you can stay, too."

The group looked at each other, then sat down as the rest filed out. When they were gone, Smokescreen closed the door, then sat again. He looked seriously at Prime. "Optimus, you're aware that we … that is, **I** invoked on my grandson. He's in a relationship that doesn't please any of us but we've decided as a family that Smokey needs to learn his life lessons without us holding his servo. That being said, it became clear that the relationship with Hot Rod hit a snag shortly ago and was becoming toxic. I filed the invocation and he was held to it as per our customs and the law."

He sat back and considered his thoughts. "Both Dev and I are from Praxus." He looked at the others sitting at the table. "You know what that means," he said as they nodded. "You, Hardie and Delphi are Masters of The Code. I need your help to solve this. I'm not here to live Smokey's life, nor shield him from a bad relationship. Who knows where it might end up? It could be good or it could be a disaster but Moda, Tress, Dev, and I are resolved. We decided that he could live his life until it began to affect what he was responsible to do and how he behaved with us.

"His relationship with Hot Rod went south and after letting him decide how to act about it, I invoked. I don't want him to fail at school, mope forever or get himself shot on a mission because of this thing. I filed formally and put him on notice. However, a friend from the neighborhood, also Praxian, did us a solid and informed me that Smokey is playing around behind our backs."

It was silent in the room as everyone listened. It fascinated Ratchet. Situations got settled in an alley with fists and brass knuckles in Iacon and both he and Prime had stories of their own about such things. This formalized legalistic sub culture of Praxus was intriguing and bizarre to him at the same time. He glanced at Ironhide and his family. All of them looked serious about this whole thing.

"Smokey is really into Hot Rod," Dev said. "I haven't been a party to any of the invocations. One was Moda's and this one is Smokescreen's. He's had just these two. One was over his grades in school which Moda was upset about and this one. I can't be a party to this because I'm too invested. I'm seeing a counselor for this and a couple of other things. So this is on Smokescreen but he has my support. We got a full ride education for Moda and for Smokey when they were babies by hook or crook." He grinned. "I won't bore you with the details, so you know we live The Code. No matter what we do or say, what anyone thinks about us or sees in us, they will see Praxus when they look at us. We're Praxian. We're from Praxus. We live The Code, Hardie. This needs to be heard in a hearing with a Master. Or two."

"What's a Master of The Code?" Ratchet asked. Everyone glanced at him. He smiled brilliantly. "Iacon, here."

Dev grinned. "A Master of The Code is someone who manages The Code and hears this sort of small stuff, things short of a caste court. You know, like elders in some other groups. It's the rules that all of us follow as Praxians. It's sort of inside and outside of the law. Like the Stanixians. You bond into a Stanix clan, you bond essentially with everyone. The Clan Code applies to everyone in the group and the elders are the final say. It's a lifestyle and a life. My grandson can live his life but not at the expense of those of us who love him and not at the expense of his culture. Given he's a police man and a soldier, he could get shot screwing around."

Hardie leaned forward on his elbows. "We can hear this, Delphi and I. I suppose you want the legal component as well. This is, after all, settled law."

Smokescreen nodded. "I want it because its the path forward on this. Smokey broke the law. He has to stand for it." He grinned. "It's an unspoken rule between Dev and me … don't slagging get caught. For us, given our lives and the war and all … we've been changed and changed ourselves. But we still hold to The Code. We lost everyone, all of us. We lost our world, our family and friends, the whole thing. But I'll be fragged if we lose our identity."

"We don't expect Smokey to like any of this," Dev said. "He was young when he left Cybertron. He didn't get as much of a chance to live like we did growing up in Praxus. We were poor, left out and fragged. But we had our culture and it kept us clued into our identity. They could take everything else from us but they couldn't take our identity, our culture and the things that made us who were are. Smokey has to respect that and this thing … this relationship has **got** to be straightened out or ended. I'm not going to deal with a moping kid forever." He glanced at Ratchet with a smirk. "Look what you get to look forward to."

" **I INVOKE!"** Ratchet said with a chuckle. "What do we do?"

Smokescreen glanced at Prime. "I want Hot Rod arrested. I want my grandson brought here and read the riot act by Hardie and Delphi. I want him under house arrest at his genitor's home. Then I want a hearing with a Master to resolve this. He has to be responsible and I want him to discharge his duty as a soldier and police officer as well as uphold his end at school. It's the way of our family and it's The Code."

Prime glanced at Hard Drive. "General?"

"That's the process. Mind you … it almost never gets to this point. In my career as a hearing officer, I only heard two of these. You would have to do a lot of research to find invocations, let alone those who would transgress them. It's rather like the Stanix clans … no one wants a beating." He grinned. "These take care of a lot of slag. I can hear this. What about you, Delph?"

Delphi nodded. "We can do it in here. Right now, the rest has to happen or we have no standing."

Prowl sat back. "I never met anyone who was invoked. My genitors used to mutter about doing that with me but they never did." He glanced at Prime. "I called Springer and Drift to come."

"Good," Prime said. He looked at the two grandparents. "What if he decides that he wants a less structured life?"

"He has one now. But he also has responsibilities and obligations," Smokescreen said. "He's made his decisions about his career. But he also has to have a college education because its another skill set and his father had one at great and harrowing effort by the two of us. We don't want an uneducated infant. He's a smart kid and we want to have him have options. Maybe not going through the worst part of the caste slag was a mistake here. He should've had to live with doors slammed in his face and maybe he would appreciate why we want him to have more skills. But he didn't so he doesn't know why this is important. Either way, he's going to have to step up."

Dev nodded just as Springer and Drift walked back inside after rapping on the door. "What's up, Chief?" he asked.

"Autobot Smokescreen the Younger has transgressed on an invocation made regarding him. He did so with Hot Rod. I need you to find Hot Rod and arrest him. Bring him here." Prime glanced at Smokescreen. "Your grandson … what is the process for him?"

"Arrest him," Smokescreen said with a frown. "They both broke the law and they both need to come here in the appropriate manner."

Springer stared at Smokescreen, then Devcon. "Seriously. You want us to cuff and arrest Roddy and Smokey."

"Sure," Prowl said with a tight grin. "He was invoked. They stepped over the line. It's in the law books. Fetch them and bring them here."

Springer glanced at everyone, then nodded. "Okay," he said, then both walked out.

It was silent in the room, then Smokescreen leaned on his elbows. "Its going to be getting better in a moment. I just sent a call to Moda and Tress to come here."

"Frag," Ratchet said with a grin.

Hard Drive grinned slightly and nodded. "I concur."

-0-Standing in the doorway of Club Hoyle

"This is fragged. Do we call him to come or do we go in and cuff his sorry aft?" Springer asked.

"I don't know. He was **your** boyfriend, not mine," Drift said with a slight smirk.

Springer glanced at Drift. "Former. Former friend … that was eons of vorns of life cycles of stars ago."

"If you say so," Drift said.

Springer gripped Drift's arm and pulled him back into the hallway. "You aren't bugged by that are you?"

Drift grinned. "Nope."

"Oh." Springer stared at him. "You don't have any weird cultural or family practices do you?"

"No. I'm from Kaon. We stole slag."

Springer nodded. "I'm from Polyhex and we didn't. We were victimized." He grinned at Drift. "Did you ever rip us off yourself?"

Drift grinned back. "Show me a map and I'll see."

"Later," Springer said with a smoky tone in his voice. "Right now, we have to reek havoc on Hot Rod."

"I don't have a problem with that," Drift said as he started to walk to the doorway again.

Springer caught his arm. "You don't have a … a thing about that do you?" he asked with a slightly worried tone.

Drift turned to him. "No," he said with a grin. "Do you really think I do?" / … much? …/

"Not really, no," Springer said. / … frag … I **hope** not …/

"Come on," Drift said. "We have a slagger to bag."

"Yeah," Springer said as he squeezed Drift's servo. "This could be fun," he said as he walked past Drift. He paused a moment, then lowered his voice. "There is only you. There is no one else."

Drift stared at him with deeply felt emotions, then nodded. "Same here."

Springer relaxed a bit, then walked to the door and inside. Drift watched him go, then grinned. "You, me and Optimus Prime," he whispered, then joined Springer inside.

-0-TBC 8-25-18

I am going to be putting a piece in shortly which explains about the sub cultures in the greater Cybertronian society. Some of the characters have great backstories, some had little to none and a lot of the cities and city-states need more detail. I have created a lot, the Praxians, those from Stanix, the clan system of the Seekers and other things. I am going to detail them more and put them up for one of the segments. Given the way they lived, given that they form groups even if they aren't wanted and castes are groups, it is logical that some of them would be hardcore and strong in their points of view. I will try and put that up tonight or first thing tomorrow to outline my thinking about this. First and foremost, they are aliens to their cultures and family structures will be alien.

I love this fandom.


	452. Chapter 452

The Diego Diaries: Trials and Tribulations Part Two (dd6 452)

-0-The Club

They walked to the table where Hot Rod was playing cards with the boys. He was expected to go to Enceladus, a short scan of the duty schedule revealed, but not this time. Springer and Drift paused at the table with grins. Sandstorm, Whirlaway, Roadbuster, Splice, Cardio, and Roddy glanced up. "Want to deal in?" Sandy asked.

"Nope. I need to take Hot Rod to the Prime," Springer said.

Roddy sat back to stare at Springer. "Why?"

"I don't ask anymore," Springer said as Drift snickered.

"What the frag did you do **now** , Roddy?" Whirlaway asked with a grin.

"I don't know," he said as he stood. It was then that Springer slapped energon cuffs on his wrists. He stared at it, then Springer. "What the frag is this for?"

"Orders," Springer said as he gripped Hot Rod's arm. Tugging him, Hot Rod grudgingly went with him.

Drift watched them head toward the door, then followed.

 **"Drift!"**

He slowed, then glanced back.

"What's going on?" Splice asked, filled with curiosity.

"Prime wants him brought in. He's being arrested. As for the rest?" He shrugged, then continued onward.

The mechs at the table and several others in the room stared at the door, then each other. That's when they all stood up and headed toward the door. Out in the hall, meanwhile, walking down the wide busy corridor filled with businesses and people going about their business, the three headed onward. Hot Rod was pissed. "You don't need the cuffs."

"Tell that to Dev and Smokey," Springer said with a slight grin.

Hot Rod nearly tripped over his feet.

Down the elevator they went and as they did they bumped into someone waiting to go up. Stepping out, they met Smokey the Younger waiting to come in. He stepped back at the sight of the three of them stepping out with Roddy in cuffs. **"WHAT'S GOING ON!? WHY IS HE IN CUFFS!?"**

Drift stepped forward and slapped some on Smokey. "Because," Drift said as Springer and the mechs in the club who were stepping out of the other elevator snickered. "Come on. The sooner we get there, the sooner you go to jail." With that, they continued onward.

They walked out, down the street past civilians who stared, then paused at the light at the junction across from The Fortress. Two mechs were silently fuming as several mechs stood around them grinning from audial to audial. The light changed so they walked across the street heading for a short laughter and mockery filled walk past the elders in the courtyard, the few mechs in the rec room who knew them and catcalled, then past the shift in Ops Center. Entering the big conference room, they paused at the end of the table.

Sitting there were Hercy and Kup who came back for the fun, Barron who stared at them curiously, what seemed like every member of Ironhide's family plus Flint who was still here, Ratchet who shot them a dazzling smile and waggled his fingers in a wave which they didn't return, Prowl who looked amused and not at the same time, the Praxian bastard, Barron who was fascinated, a slightly amused Optimus Prime at the head of the table … and sitting down the other side were several individuals that they did their best to ignore.

Moda who was molten, Tress who was upset and nervous, Dev and Smokey the Elder who were impossible to read, and a host of mechs who had come along during the trip over who were gathered around the door to watch with huge amusement rounded out the cast of characters. It was incredible how quiet it was in the room.

Hard Drive leaned forward on his elbows. "I'm Hard Drive as you know, the oldest Praxian Elite in the colony and one of only two Masters of The Code here. Do you understand?"

Smokey glanced at him from staring into the ether at nothing in particular. Hard Drive was a legend in his family and in the culture in which he was raised. It hurt in places he didn't know he had to be standing here like this in front of him, the rest of the General's legendary family, his **OWN** family, and his god, Optimus Prime. "Yes, sir."

Hot Rod glanced at him, then Hard Drive. "I don't."

Hardie leaned back in his chair. "The Code is the way we as Praxians live. Some of us live close to The Code and others not so much, but if you're Praxian, you know The Code and hold it in esteem. Devcon and Smokescreen as Praxians live The Code."

"And what does that mean?" Hot Rod said with a slightly testy tinge to his voice.

"It means, Hot Rod, that when someone is invoked, there are penalties to pay if you break it," Hardie said. It was silent a moment. "Smokescreen, here," he said nodding to the big mech who was looking at Roddy with a cool expression, "invoked on his grandson. You and Smokey broke that invocation. It not only was a breach of our cultural laws you broke it in the bigger world of Cybertronian law and now there must be an accounting. It was a very stupid thing you two did."

"What if I say I didn't do it?" Hot Rod said with a defiant expression.

"Then you would have to call others liars," Hardie said. "Frankly, I don't take you for a liar."

Hot Rod shifted. "What happens now?"

"You go to jail, both of you. You could, of course, get house arrest at your genitors' apartment, Smokey. I've talked to them. You have the choice. Jail or house arrest with your genitors," Hardie said.

Smokey glanced at his livid genitors and Dev who smirked faintly. Then he looked at Hardie. "Uh, I think I'd like jail for now."

Most of the non-family individuals in the room quashed the urge to laugh as Hardie nodded. "Very well. Springer, take them both to jail."

Springer who was grinning gripped Smokey's arm. Tugging him, they walked out the door, through the gathered crowd and down to the steps to the lower levels where a sub train system was there to connect The Fortress with everywhere else in the colony including the prison. They would have that mercy as per Hard Drive and Optimus Prime.

Upstairs, they sat back a moment, then Moda sat forward again. "That mech is lucky he chose prison. I don't like the idea that he'd have so little respect for you, Atar. That infant is going to be the end of me."

"He thinks he's in love," Dev said with a grin. "Frankly, he's a beautiful kid who could have been in trouble but for his good spark. This will be a good thing for both of them. If they're going to have a relationship, which given everything I don't see as good, then they better show respect for everyone. When will you hold this, Hardie?"

"I think tomorrow. Let them have a night in jail. Then we can hammer it out," Hardie said. "We want the best outcome possible and we'll get it. They're young and full of … what is it the humans call it?" he asked as he glanced toward his son.

"Shit?" Raptor asked with a grin. Huge laughter greeted that.

"I was thinking about the 'infallibility of youth' myself," Hardie said with a laugh.

"You have too many rules," Ratchet said. "A pair of brass knuckles or a crow bar was enough where I grew up to settle things."

Prime nodded in agreement as he grinned at memories only Prowl could guess about. Thank Primus for firewalls.

"Well, **we're** not savages," Prowl said smugly.

"We're savages, Optimus," Ratchet said as he glanced at the big mech with a bigger grin staring at Prowl.

Prowl curdled, then sat up straighter. "Loon."

"You lose when you resort to name calling, Miss Priss," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"Oh frag," Ironhide said with a grin.

They chatted a while, then went their various ways. Moda and Tress would spend a bit of time decompressing with Dev and Smokescreen. The Family Ironhide would go to their duties off world and come home that night to work on remote control objects in the man cave with a number of infants. Flint would come home to go to the opera with Stu-Rt. Ratchet and Prowl would hang out at the family homestead or Villa Chaos as it was known while the big kids would go to the races. As they did, another curious feature of life on world would be unfolding amongst them.

-0-In the jailhouse now

"Name."

"Autobot Smokescreen of Praxus."

"Age."

"Adult."

" **Semi** -adult, you mean."

"Frag **you** , Hot Rod."

"That's what got you two in here. They don't seem to be learning, Drift."

"No. They don't."

"Frag you, Springer. Some loyalty **you** have," Hot Rod said hotly.

"You have to give it to get it, Roddy," Springer said as he remembered when he caught Roddy in the sack with someone else and nearly destroyed a beautiful and old friendship as well. He debated whether to tell Smokey or not. / … Frag me off, Roddy ... push it all the way, slagger …/

Hot Rod remembering the moment shook his helm and turned toward Smokey who was giving his information to the desk sargent. "Home address."

"Apartment 41-29B, Tower 40, 11th and D Avenue, Iacon."

"Profession."

"I'm a soldier and Night Watchman. You **know** that, Mojo," he said to the big mech who was smirking as he filled in the holes on his screen forms.

Mojo looked at him. "Procedure. Learn it, love it, live it. Offense?"

Smokey frowned at him in his embarrassment. "I transgressed on a Praxian invocation. **ALLEGEDLY!"**

Mojo frowned at him, then glanced at Springer and Drift. They grinned at him, then shrugged. "I just bag 'em. I don't judge 'em," Springer said as everyone in the room laughed loudly including several drunks in the holding cells nearby.

Mojo smirked, then hit the search engine. Taking his time to find the relevant offense, he entered it on the screen, making up shit as he did. "Yo mama is mad and so is yo dad. Got it. Anything to declare?"

" **BESIDES MY INNOCENCE!?"** Smokey replied with feeling.

"We already shook him down, Mojo. I put his rubrics cube and collection of baseball cards in property," Springer said.

 **"OH, HA, HA, HA!"** Smokey said to one of his idols. "You're hysterical, Springer."

"That's **Commander** Springer to you, infant," Springer said with a grin.

Smokey blanched, then moved aside as Drift nudged Hot Rod forward. Mojo stared at him, then grinned. "Name."

Hot Rod stared at him with heat, then answered. **"HOT ROD OF NYON!"  
**

"Slagger thinks I'm deaf. What about that, Springer?" Mojo asked with a grin as he typed away.

Springer stared at him, then startled. "What?" he asked to universal acclaim.

A drunk stood up, then walked to the bars. **"HEY, YOU! COME SIT WITH ME! YOU'RE FUNNY!"** he said as he weaved, then fell to the floor into recharge.

Drift stared at the mech, then Springer. "I don't know whether to laugh or file for divorce."

Huge laughter rang out as Springer squeezed Drift's aft behind everyone's back. They both grinned at each other.

"Age." Mojo smirking

"Adult." Hot Rod glaring

"Profession."

"Best slagging soldier in the Prime's professional army."

"Are you an officer?" Mojo inquiring mildly though there was no line on the charging form for the answer

Hot Rod stared at him. "I'm a front liner. That's rank enough."

"If you say so," Mojo said. "Address?"

"Apartment 32-18C, Tower 8, 8th Circle and B Avenue, Mare Tranquilitas Sector 4, District 6."

"We're practically neighbors," Mojo said as he typed away.

"Are you?" Drift asked with a grin.

"No," Mojo said as everyone in the room laughed loudly. "Your offense?"

"The same as his," Hot Rod said nodding to a sullen smoldering, intensely handsome youngster standing nearby.

"Breaking the rules of the only clan more rule bound than the Stanix group," Mojo said. "I know. My uncle is bonded to a Praxian. Now give me a Vosnian or a Stanixian. At least, they have great parties."

"We have good parties," Smokey said defensively. "Good ones. I **know.** I've been to some. A **lot** of them." He glared at Roddy. **"YOU WOULDN'T KNOW! YOU DIDN'T COME TO THE THREE I ASKED YOU TO COME TO! YOU HAD TO DO SLAG! OF COURSE, I SUPPOSE I CAN BELIEVE YOU!"**

Roddy frowned as he turned to Smokey. "I wouldn't know. I wasn't there."

 **"WHERE WERE YOU! YOU SAID YOU COULD COME TO THE FIRST ONE, THEN YOU DIDN'T! I LOOKED STUPID GOING THERE BY MYSELF!"**

" **I HAD SLAG TO DO!"**

" **LIKE WHAT!?"**

Hot Rod thought a moment, then shrugged. "I can't remember back that far."

"Frag you, Hot Rod. I told you what I felt and you didn't say a word. **YOU JUST LOOKED AT ME LIKE A … A DORK!"**

Roddy frowned. **"YOU JUST TOLD ME OUT OF THE BLUE!"**

" **IF YOU HAD FEELINGS FOR ME IT WOULDN'T MATTER! I SHOULD GET THE BIGGEST BEST LOOKING SLAGGER FOR A BOYFRIEND AND WATCH YOU SQUIRM, YOU … DORK!"**

"Oh yeah? That game goes two directions. Who could you possibly get that would be better than me?" Hot Rod said.

Smokey stared at him, then burst into laughter. "Have you **seen** some of the guys in this colony? This place is **busting** **out** with great looking guys who would be **GLAD** to have a guy like me."

" **THEN FIND ONE! I WILL, TOO!"** Roddy said. "Best mech wins, slagger."

Smokey stepped close to Hot Rod. Their cuffs met and buzzed. "Who are you to call me a slagger, slagger? You don't think I **can**?"

"No," Roddy said as he leaned closer to Smokey. "I think you hit your high water mark with me and its all downhill from here on out."

Smokey frowned at him. "You're on, slagger."

Springer and everyone else who was watching with fascination glanced at each other. Then Drift leaned closer. "Kiss each other or break it up. We need to put you in the can."

They stepped back, then glared at Drift.

"Don't glare at me, slaggers. You're in here because you're both idiots. Besides," he said with a proud glance to Springer. "I have my own idiot."

Huge laughter rolled through the room as Springer and Drift nudged and dragged both mechs to the jail beyond and cages right next to each other. It seemed more romantic that way, Springer remarked but neither inmate laughed. Walking out, Springer squeezed Drift's servo. "So I'm your idiot, am I?"

"You said it, brother," Drift said with a chuckle. The rest of their shift would be a pale shadow to the fun and games just concluded.

-0-TBC 8-26-18

PS In the next posting, I will explain my thinking about these subcultures and their rules and regulations. Its a long term thing for me in this story, not only to create alien and thereby non-human cultures but to fill in background to make a more real and complete story. I will attempt to explain all. :D

 **Lackwit chapter 451 . 3h ago**

Wow, that's some public humiliation O_o. Seriously, lil Smoke - how can you be so dumb? Lay it on them hard, arctapus! Cashiered, loss of prestige and career - make it really clear to the two idjits.

 **ME:** BWAHAHAHA! Its pretty hilarious. It's also different in their cultures. I'm going to post a segment hopefully tonight explaining my thinking on this. I want them to be alien and maybe just a bit different than us in their way of doing things. :D HUGS, dearest Lackwit. I am going to take a list of the families and their kids to the lid of my computer. LOL!

 **Leoness chapter 451 . 11h ago**

Hmmm. At what point does the invoking thing transgress on free will? What if Smokey appeals to the matrix or something? (Aside from trouble...)

 **ME:** Those are good notions. I will add them to the list. I am going to post a segment on their ways, cultures and the like. I want them to be alien. It's like being a gypsy or Amish or something. You live in a system that has its own rules and you're expected to hold them up. More to come about that. :D HUGS, dear Miss Kitty

 **Guest chapter 450 . 11h ago**

Burris is bonded with Anders and Edict with Hobbes. Maybe one day you'll get them right.

 **ME:** You have high expectations for me don't you. :D:D:D:D:D:D

 **Guest chapter 450 . Aug 24**

Again, Cargo, Keystock and Bezel are not sons of Lucien and Laslo. Maybe they should adopt them, you make this mistake so often...

 **ME:** :D:D:D They hate me. ;)

 **Lackwit chapter 450 . Aug 24**

Lucien and Laslo are not Cargo and Keystock's genitors so you will want to edit the kids' names to the correct three mechs, and remove Lon and Bezel.

 **ME:** Done. I hope. ;)

Sooo … would someone like Xeon, Cassio or Ebio also rate Special Circumstances? Megatron? Aren't several of the children equally culpable? And what about the AU prisoners? They have no future in this universe.

 **ME:** Cassio and his brother would. Megatron would. The kids are culpable and are coming up. The AU prisoners are special cases and probably easily reach that level. Prime will take it up with Megatron as more of the AU is coming up. :D

Interesting sideline! P.s. I hope you get to the various AU storylines as well —a follow up on the SG one as well as the bamfing Autobots. Guessing those are right up Zenith and Shadow's loser tight afts LOL. And really looking forward to Venture's folks!

 **ME:** There is more coming up. :D I never leave a thread alone. That's the one thing you can count on with this story. :D:D:D HUGS!


	453. Chapter 453

The Diego Diaries: Interlude for Stuff :D

When I first decided to write this story, it was going to be a short one, about 40 parts and an ending. But it sort of opened up into the kind of story I usually write, one that is endless and huge. I decided when it was clear to me that Optimus calling for soldiers would attract refugees, that this would be long, huge and needful of mountains and valleys full of background and information. I located and bookmarked every resource I could find, then began to write.

It was evident to me that there were cultures and sub cultures inside those cultures, that there were as many body types as there were characters and that they had their own views, religions, politics, family structures and beefs the same as us. But given all that, they were still aliens and had to remain that way which meant that some of the things they do and believe might not jibe or seem reasonable to our human sensibilities. One of the things that really frags me off about human science is the idea that if a planet doesn't have things we have, water, carbon, etc. then it can't possibly support life. That is a human looking at the greater universe and only attempting to see themselves. I personally believe that the universe is TEEMING with life that runs the gamut of possibilities but if you're only looking for yourself, or if you look at aliens with your own point of view, you're going to miss the bigger picture.

This is supposed to be one of the oldest races that exists in this universe. Therefore, they've had a lot of time to create their cultures. Given the exclusionary nature of class and caste systems, those who don't get or have tend to make their own worlds around them sometimes for self protection. I decided that there would be different aspects, groupings and ideas within the greater culture that were made to protect and define different groups.

Stanix and her people are a case in point. Extreme poverty and oppression have created the big family clans there. When you bond, all through the courtship and through the bonding parties, the newcomer to the family is pulled aside and read the riot act about how to behave as a bond to their family member. Also, the family cares for each other, they protect each other … its rather like my family who have clannish outlook, too … if you hit one of us, you hit all of us. That's how that works with a lot of the big family clans. You had your independence but you always were part of something bigger that was there for you. Stanix bonding parties are legendary.

Praxus is a more refined version of this practice and outgrowth of life on Cybertron under the caste and oppressive systems. Though they didn't have the worst part of life, the system was their prison, too. They have The Code, a byproduct of the Praxian Elites who made their specific version while the greater Praxian population live by a more modified one. Elites live to dampen the effect of The System and to keep the worst excesses in check. They also only pass their version of The Code amongst their own group. Its a good thing, too, or everyone would see that it was designed to keep oppression in check among the high castes. The modified version just teaches their people that the family is the most important unit, that one has a duty to their children and their children to them and that was enforced by law. They are a conservative practice, something that felt like prison to Prowl but something he honors because it defines who he is as a Praxian and gives his life shape.

The city-states were very at odds with each other and since those born in them took their last surname from that place, the loyalty that individuals feel for that place is huge. Football is a way of expressing identity of place and person, so the rivalries are real. They were contrary enough that Tarn and Vos obliterated each other during the war without too much persuasion. Even people who owe nothing to a place like the twins are fiercely loyal to Kaon and play for it to win. Its a tribal identity that gives someone a persona, a sense of themselves that goes beyond poverty, oppression and thwarted ambition. When Iacon lost games, everyone celebrated because Iacon is the richest and most powerful city-state on Cybertron. When Kaon did, Kaonians celebrated. It gave you pride for a moment. It was something that couldn't be taken away from you.

I wanted the mechs to have back stories. I fixed the Hot Rod part. I forgot about Nyon. He's going to be from Nyon then. I will look up his story again. :D

This started as a story about Ironhide and Ratchet because they were hilarious to me. Then it grew and grew. I wanted the mechs and femmes to come from somewhere, to have families and experiences and to seem more real than otherwise. They would have relationships (which are canon), be affectionate (kissing is canon and so are conjux enduras), have hobbies, foibles, rivalries, grandchildren, children, games, pranks, barbecues, religions, battles, hurts, grudges, banter, joy, misery, and all the stuff everyone else has.

But I also want them to remain aliens.

I want them to have things in common with us but also not. I want them to be as mystified by human behavior as humans might be about them. (Magnus: What did he mean? Optimus: When Agent Fowler is oblique, I just nod my head.) The soldier femmes just love them so much, they fell into their vibe almost immediately. They have no fear, they love them without conditions and they strive to understand them. They expect nothing in particular and so what happens is fine with them. They learn and fit in faster because they are so open. The soldiers are as well though their learning curve took longer.

("You mean they FUCK?!")

The strange ritual family rules might seem odd ball to us but they're what make up the fabric of the lives of these individuals. I can only imagine what aliens hold dear out there in the universe. In Italian society, you are always the son of your father as long as your father lives. In gypsy life, you are us and everyone else is them. There are cultures all over the world that do things that might seem as alien as you can imagine. I remember watching a show once that talked about what families in the not so distant past in Bulgaria (I believe it was, or Albania) when they had no sons. (They may even still do this in the countryside.) They chose a daughter and made her the son. She dressed as a man, worked as a man, was treated like a man and did the oldest son stuff for the family. The women were interviewed, all of them looking completely like men, and it was an amazing show filled with amazing people. It was also incredibly alien to most watchers, I'm sure.

Given that the show was created by Americans and set in America, a lot of the transformers reflects life with humans and thus, they live in houses, eat, recharge, go to the doctor, work, play, frag around, fight, tell stories, have elders who are wisdom receptacles, kids (the first TF kid I ever saw was a little kid running across a mall with his femme mama after him … I still see that image and if there is one image or thought that is responsible for 99% of this story, its that one), great cities, great highways, sports, and the like. They have libraries, armies, commerce, an empire, tech, fun, and more fun.

The games like War For Cybertron and the like show Cybertron as an industrial park kind of place but that's for the purposes of gaming. The images of Cybertron going back into the 1980's with Wheeljack and Bumblebee being the first we ever saw of the bots show great cities and lots of folks going their own way. Thus, they have a lot in common with us but I want that strangeness, too.

(BY THE WAY- NEW TF CARTOON ON CARTOON NETWORK SHORTLY! EXPECT UNUSUAL CARTOONING, BEE WITH A VOICE, WINDBLADE AND OPTIMUS WITH ANOTHER VOICE! I WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON WHEN IT HAPPENS.)

They have adopted human holidays. They heard Christmas called a surprise so they call it Christmas Surprise. That always gives me a chuckle, that they sort of slightly skew things they hear and see. I want them to have their own holidays, their own rituals, things to do and pass on. They now have a place to be themselves again and to raise their kids in their own ideas and cultural expectations. They manage that pretty well with the human influence.

I'm not one who wants to watch a TF movie with a lot of kids and humans. I didn't get Miko until Bulkhead got hurt, then I did. She's a fearless individual, a Wrecker in human form and someone who loves them so much she's merged herself with them. I liked her immediately when I figured her out. That being said, humans are a part of this because they are. I love the soldiers. I love their families. I want to represent what I think Earth would feel about this. I see it 75-85% love at first sight and intense interest, 10% uncertainty bordering on hostility based on fear and 5-10% out right hatred of the bots. I think they're fairly represented in the groups that live on world. Probably a good 97% are intensely glad and even ecstatic to be here while a solid 5% are looking for opportunities and ways to get things or undermine the bots. They add a certain amount of tension and drama that would be missing otherwise and I like to explore the human propensity to fear what they don't know. It makes the Olivia Bowers types fun to play with. Even Charlotte Mearing has buy in.

There will be hot headed humans, human activity and other things related to humans and Earth in the story but the majority, the bulk of it will be about the bots, the saving of their people everywhere and the Empire and its planets in particular. There will be enemies, some not known in the story yet and the thing will be how do they manage all of it? The mirror universe bots will be coming and going in the story long term as Alt Megatron and Optimus decide what to do with them. And always … the shadow of Megatron is there.

This story is one way for me to do something for Optimus that almost no one who does a movie ever accomplishes. This is a way for me to present him with the respect he deserves as the First Disciple of Primus, as the Prime of Cybertron bearing the greatest matrix of their people, as the leader of an empire that was old when Earth was cooling off, that is an astonishingly educated, patient, virtuous, kindly, gentle and generous, wise mech who is made of integrity. Bey had no idea what he had in his hands when he began his movies. This is my way of making that right. Optimus Prime is the embodiment of respect.

Few characters entertain my imagination as much as these do. The idea of Metrotitan falling hard for a wild ass little mini-con femme is hilarious to me. He was a bad boy forever and now he has a life. I want them to have lives, to go to the club, to attend the Temple, to argue over cards, to go to dinner together, to get drunk and lost on the train system, to play with their kids, to laugh with the humans. Ratchet goofs around for the good of the order around humans but he's wise and kindly because he wants everyone to have a good life. Ironhide gets him and he gets Ironhide. It's a love story for the ages Prime and Prowl are a more elegant version but they found each other and I am glad.

All of this revolves around Prime. All of this for me is the most fun I've ever had as a writer. I want them to have fully formed and detailed lives. I'm spreading them out into different cities so I can tell of them and how the mechs/femmes lived there. I also want to show that all was not beer and skittles, that there are families still split by war and the caste system and that they are coming or not. Hercy of Helex, Springer of Polyhex, the twins and Drift from Kaon … Tarn and Iacon are the biggest cities of Cybertron but I'm spreading everyone out. That way I can do more with those cities and the individuals backstories. They have a lot in canon, the mechs and cities, but I'm going to add more to make this full and more detailed.

All of it has a point. It's up to me to make it. You guys policing the story are my heroes. Sometimes, I think you know it better than me. LOL! Right now these are the story's stats:

Chapters: 3,244 (includes Chronicles of Orion as part of the series)

Words: 7,7521,199 (includes Chronicles of Orion as part of the series)

I'm editing this behemoth and so far probably edited 500 parts. The easy part is rewriting them with Easter eggs and expanded sections. The hard part is loading them up. The best part is finding things I want to re-insert in the story. :D:D:D

Hugs to all who read this. Its long and sometimes that can wear you out. I personally only feel halfway there to the ending. Take care. I hope this gives you a glimpse of the philosophy of this story. I like to write things that tell something more about the characters than the moment they find themselves in. Hugs to all! The segment for today is coming,

ME, tip-tapping away.


	454. Chapter 454

The Diego Diaries: Clan (dd6 454)

-0-Around: In a hub under Bern

"Did you hear about Smokey and Hot Rod?"

"No. What about them?"

"They're in jail. Apparently, they broke an invocation made by Smokescreen."

"That's Praxian, right?"

"Yeah. Smokescreen put it on them and they broke it. They got arrested and Hard Drive has to hear the case, Hardie and Delphi. Apparently, they judge their rule book."

"The Code. It's called the Code. I remember my uncle was Praxian and he told me a bit about it when I fragged up once. He told me I should be glad that he didn't have power over me. My genitors were from Helex. He said they could do all kinds of things to you if you fragged up including after you were adult and you had to obey."

"That's fragged. I thought Stanix or the mini-cons were like that. Praxians, too?"

"Yeah. It's weird but then not as weird as the Huddles."

"Who are they?"

"They're a group that travels around stealing things and if you tell in the group, you get the ax."

"They kill you?"

"They can. Or they can kick you out forever which they say is worse."

"Why are they called the Huddles?"

"Because they huddle around watching things and when they see something they like they come at you in a group. Either they rob you where you stand or they con you over a long period of time."

"Where are they from?"

"No one knows but they say Junk."

"Remind me to lock my door tonight."

"I hear ya. Pass that whet stone."

-0-Around: City Hall

"Did you hear about Smokey and Hot Rod? I heard they got jailed for breaking Smokescreen's invocation."

"I heard that, too, Blondi. I asked Venture about it and he said that no matter how old Smokey was his elders could invoke and he had to obey. It keeps them out of trouble."

"What if they want to fight it or oppose it?"

Blondi grinned. "No one ever has. At least not in the courts. This provision is in the legal code and is viable law. Venture said he never heard of anyone doing this in his experience so he has no idea what a mech or femme could do and what would happen if they opposed it. It would make problems in a family."

Faun shook her helm. "Holi is from Stanix. I thought they were clannish but this is strange even to me."

"I came from Nova Cronum. We were a transient community with the airbases and the mechs and femmes who retired there were from all over. We never had more than a few Praxians there. Most of the military Praxians retired to Praxus. Strange," Blondi said with a grin. "My mech is from Kaon. He and his brothers didn't have enough supervision and Smokey has too much. Somewhere in the middle is a good medium, though from what I've heard about Hot Rod I can see their worry."

"He's a player?" Faun asked with a grin.

"And then some," Blondi said. "He's handsome and fun."

"He is," Faun said. "My boyfriend is a good looker, too."

"When do we meet him, if I may say," Blondi asked as they both walked to their offices.

"Soon," Faun said with a grin. "Soon."

-0-49th Floor, Autobot City Medical Center, Big Kahuna Central

He sat with his big old peds on the desk top eating candy as across from his big desk sprawled on the couch with his peds on the coffee table Ironhide sat. He was popping fudge. "Tell me, Ironhide, what happens to these slaggers? What kind of power does Hardie and Delphi have?"

"Total," Ironhide said. "I remember only one of their courts when I was a pup. It was over something easy … a dispute over grand genitors sharing their grandkids over the school holidays. It took only a short chat in a conference room to settle. This is sort of the same thing. However, they can both go to jail for a sentence of any length that they choose if they two play this stupidly."

"I'm still trying to assimilate that genitors have control over their grown kids," Ratchet said. "The humans would have a fit if they knew about this."

"We ain't humans," Ironhide said. "There be aliens here."

Ratchet grinned. "I like the idea that we can keep infants from going off the deep end. I do remember how Prime had a leash on Orion when he decided to belly flop into the Sea of Mercury that time you took him to Cybertron."

Ironhide laughed. "Mech was a caution. Its sort of the same thing. Its a leash to keep them from going off into the pit. Its so rare, I don't feel badly about it. It's not abused. No one likes this kind of conflict. I **will** say that I can't wait to hear this. Smokey is a funny kid and I like Roddy. I like them both."

"Me, too. Do you see a project here?" Ratchet asked as he pressed another button on the data compiling on his computer screen.

"I don't know. It's a possibility. Frankly, they both would benefit but they still have Cargo, Keystock and a few new ones. Apparently, some of the newbies that were asked to assist with freight to Cybertron have been slacking. Amma Turbine has two of them. Their families are religious and high caste but reformed. The kids haven't so they asked him to help."

"Turbine is a very fine person, Ironhide. How come he didn't go into the Temple?" Ratchet asked.

"He liked Appa's aft."

"You can be bonded and serve in the Temple and Monastery."

"True, that, but he also likes to fight. Amma is a contradiction," Ironhide said proudly. "That's why he's that end of the awesome scale."

"Rather like you?" Ratchet asked with a smile.

"Do you have to ask?" Ironhide said with a wink.

They would spend some time, then Ratchet would head off the Unidad. Ironhide would walk around the armories and hubs taking compliments about Halo like they were holy writ. To him, they were.

-0-At home having pie and a drink

"What do you think?"

Smokescreen shrugged. "Little mech needs a reality check. He can't blow off his family and what we value. What we value got him the life he has. We pushed the edge, Dev. We could have ended up in jail or worse."

"They were outclassed, all of them," Dev said with a grin. "They never saw us coming."

Smokescreen grinned. "They never did. Neither did infant. I want him to make up his mind about several things. I want him to decide what this relationship is, what he wants out of it or even if he wants **out** of it. I also want him to understand who he is, what he is and what that refers to us. I won't have him treat our family and our identity like slag. Our identity got us here."

Dev nodded. "You're playing to the choir, Smoke. That infant and Moda are my world. Tress is a great ada and friend. I would do anything for them and you. I just won't have someone barging in and not taking respect and care over my jewel. I don't want Smokey to think he can disrespect us or what we are either. That infant is my world."

"Mine, too," Smokescreen said. He grinned. "He's one truly great young mech."

"You won't get an argument out of me," Dev said as he put more pie on both their plates.

-0-At the prison

Gee-Gee walked out of the alternate universe portion of extra high security heading for the sector with the mental patients and psychologically challenged prisoners. There were new ones brought in from Cybertron and she was going to see how they were doing. The preliminary information suggested it wasn't good.

Walking along, she wondered what Sentinel Prime had recorded for Optimus. It felt weirdly empty without him here. Sentinel had been around for so long it was hard to remember when he wasn't there, standing behind a Prime on the news net or being a Prime himself. It felt like a weird uncle being declared missing or something. It was unsettling, though she knew he was in the best place possible for someone with his ethical deficiencies.

Walking to the gates, she went through the series before entering the compound. She ignored the usual suspects before reaching the new prisoners who occupied different cells, they were so dangerous. Her team was with her and they didn't bother to hide their arms. Pausing before a cell, she stared into the abyss. The prisoner was a mech named Scythe. He was a deranged individual who killed at whim. He was so psychotic that legal steps were nearly finished to put him into a condition called 'secured-stasis, medical' in which he would be held in a security ward under deep stasis. He would be intravenously maintained and monitored until his condition could be studied and a remedy, if any, could be found.

"Hello, Scythe. How are you today?"

He stared at Gee-Gee with molten rage. "Let me out."

"I can't do that. I want to know what you need," she said patiently.

"I need to kill you. I need to chop you up. Then them," he said glancing at the silent mechs with her. "I would need them, too."

"No can do but I'll tell Prime," Gee-Gee said.

"Prime won't help you. I killed him. I killed Sentinel and Nominus, too. Then I killed them again. They wouldn't stay dead. Did you know I killed them last night? They're in the barracks. Come inside and I'll show you," he said as he stared at her with clenched fists and unnaturally shiny optics.

"I'll take your word for it, Scythe," she said. "Think about it and I'll be back." She moved on and he watched her. He would until she left. He had not only the normal high security but was on monitors for suicide. He was so nihilistic that it was debatable if he even knew who or what he was. The only way he seemed to feel anything was in the act of murder.

Pausing by the other cell, Gee-Gee watched as a femme stared at her. She stood and walked to the bars. "Hello. Did you come to visit? Or is this more slag from Sentinel? I heard he was here. Send him over. I have a present for him."

Gee-Gee stared at her and considered what could create a creature like her. What had happened to her to make her what she was, a deliberate sadist and stone cold killer. She liked to plant explosive devices on her lovers and detonate them at her leisure. They didn't know they were mined. She was very good with manipulating energy and when they were sitting dazed on her couch, she would put the devices in their bodies below their spark chamber. She was unrepentant, without emotion when discussing these events and hopelessly dangerous. "Sentinel was recalled by the Pantheon. He's in the Matrix."

She stared at Gee-Gee, then frowned. "He never said goodbye," she said, then grinned. No humor reached her optics. "Well, anyone of the mechs with you will do." She stared at them with an appraising expression.

Gee-Gee turned to her team. "Step back. I want to talk to her."

They hesitated, then moved away, pausing within line of shot to the murderer behind the fence. Gee-Gee turned back to her. "Amania, what happened to you?"

Amania stared at Gee-Gee. "You want to analyze me?"

"No, I want to help you," Gee-Gee replied.

Amania shrugged. "I like to kill."

"Only mechs?" Gee-Gee asked.

Amania stared at her. "Why not? They aren't too smart. They always fall for the same trick. It makes me happy to press the button." She leaned in closer, then grinned. "Boom," she said, then laughed.

Gee-Gee stared at her with pity, then turned to go. "Let me know if you need something."

"I need out of here, Warden. I'm not done," Amania said.

"You are, Amania," Gee-Gee said as she walked to the gates. They were out in minutes, then walked toward the Center together.

"What the frag is **her** story, Warden?" Roadbuster asked as he glanced back toward her area of incarceration.

"She's mad. Cybertron broke her. We have to fix her as best we can," Gee-Gee said. "Stay away from her, boys. She likes to kill mechs. I'm going to have her on automation, the full program so you don't have to go too near. I don't know what else she knows about killing but I **do** know it makes her feel better. Those two are going into stasis as soon as the courts and their advocates agree."

They continued onward to the Center and shift change.

-0-In the jail house now

It was dinner and food was brought to the inmates. It was large, delicious and devoured. Mini-cons in for fighting, a mech in for drunkenness and the two of them occupied their cell block. They hadn't said a word to each other, contenting themselves with watching the floor show around them. Side-by-side, they were housed.

Smokey was livid a long time, then the flame fizzled out. Hot Rod was the same way but he hid it better. He wanted to tell Roddy a few things but disclosing important slag to the older mech wasn't well received, it would seem. They were in here because of it and he wasn't about to speak first. He sat thinking about his challenge and he regretted it. He was outgoing enough but looking for a boyfriend wasn't his strongest suit. There were guys who wanted him but he was young, frivolous and slightly clueless about his appeal. Being the grandson of a looker like Devcon had been a jackpot in the gene pool. It also made him a babe.

This was going to be hard. Maybe if he didn't say anything Hot Rod would forget what he said.

Maybe.

It was going to be a long hard night in the clink for two kids with attitude.

-0-TBC 8-267-18

ESL:

nihilism: the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

A belief that nothing in life has meaning, developed and popularized by Friedrich Neitzsche who died mad in prison.


	455. Chapter 455

The Diego Diaries: Clan 2 (dd6 455)

-0-Morning in the jail

They stood at the bars waiting for the jailers to take them upstairs to the holding cells where all the defendants would wait to walk into the courtroom for magistrate's court. They weren't going there themselves. They would have a closed hearing at The Fortress in the big conference room but they were going with the others anyway. They stepped out and fell into line, two big sullen kids waiting for the order to move. When it was given, they went.

Upward to the secure floor they traveled, waiting as everyone else was dropped into their holding cells. As they waited, Springer walked in with a grin trailed by Drift. "Well, are you ladies ready to go?"

Both of them glared silently at Springer and Drift who was grinning at both. Springer glanced at the bailiff. "I have these two, M2."

"Good," M2 said. "Sullen infants," he said, this grandfather of three. "Go and sin no more."

They walked to the door and out with Springer and Drift. Waiting outside was most of their group, Lon and Bezel, Hercy and Kup, the twins, and half a dozen others. They turned to the pair, then gave them a standing ovation. None of them were Praxian but all of them were smart asses. Giving intense glares of suppressed rage, they walked onward followed by the others.

"What kind of penalty do you have to get for breaking an invocation?" Splice asked as he walked with the twins who were having a field day over this.

"I think your amma punts you," Sunstreaker said as everyone laughed.

Smokey bit back his anger even as his wings drooped low. Hot Rod who was that much older and a bit more burnt around the edges didn't say anything. He stoically walked onward trying to keep ahead of Smokey. Sideswipe noticed.

"Rod, you trying to win the foot race, too?" he asked. "How about I time you both. I never saw anyone in such a hurry for their own execution."

Hilarious laughter greeted that as the two marched onward, shrinking a bit before everyone's optics. Smokey's wings were nearly flat on his back by the time they reached the junction, crossed, then entered the courtyard. Hoots from the elders who apparently knew as well followed them inside to a mercifully relatively empty rec room. Entering the Ops Center, they both slowed to a walk. Smokescreen and Devcon were standing together outside the door with Moda and Tress. They were talking together, his genitors looking livid even still. Smokey felt his peds curdle.

Moda gestured for Smokey to come to him and he did, moping to his family like a whipped dog. Hot Rod watched him, then noticed that Raptor gestured him to come forward. He did. Springer grinned. "I guess no one wants us."

"Ah," Hercy said. "I'll see how much seating is available." He walked into the room and chatted with Prowl. Walking back out, he grinned. "I'm invited. So is Kup. The rest of you slaggers have to wait out here. I'll send you smoke signals."

"We have to be there. We're security," Springer said. Drift nodded.

"What about us? We're family," Sideswipe said.

"Of who?" Drift asked. He smirked at Springer, too, who frowned slightly.

"You're supposed to support me. Back me up," Springer said to Drift.

"Oh," he said, then glanced at Hercy. "We have to guard stuff."

"Okay."

The others stared at Hercy, then Springer and Drift. "What about us? We can guard slag, too."

Hercy looked at them, then nodded. "Okay."

Sideswipe laughed. "They can always throw us out," he said as he walked into the room and took a seat against the wall.

Prowl who was lounging in his chair as he waited for the show to begin glanced at him. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"I'm security," Sideswipe said as the others began to file in.

Prowl looked at them as they looked back. "What are you slaggers doing in here?"

"Security." -all the slaggers

Prowl stared at them, then Sideswipe, then them again. "Okay."

Everyone stared at Prowl, then each other, then dived for a chair against the wall. By then, Moda and Tress came in followed by Smokey, Smokescreen and Devcon. Dev smirked at the punters, then took a chair at the table. Sitting between them, a chastened Smokey the Younger wished he was dead or stationed on Io. Either would be preferable to this.

Prime who was watching from the front of the table with Baron and Prowl was fascinated with the foibles and oddities of different cultural groups of his own people. Iacon was more straight forward. A punch in the face was about as formal as it got during his growing up. No one asked for two of them from him, such was the force he and Deion applied to their fists when pressed to the wall at last. He remembered seeing Ratchet down the district from his block, a big tough slagger with a reputation for making brilliant tools and weapons as well as kicking the slag out of anyone who needed it.

He didn't mind growing up rough. It was preferable to him to a death of a thousand cuts that Prowl had lived his whole life. That kind of cage wasn't for him. He may have been poor and hard scrabble, but he wasn't imprisoned as tightly as Prowl. That mech had broken free all by himself. It was one of thousands of things that made Prime proud of him, the hard headed, tough minded, hard core Machiavellian that he was.

Raptor walked in with Hot Rod and Turbine. They sat on the other side of the table from Smokey and his family. It was tense and uncomfortable.

For both sides.

The punters, however, were having a blast.

It was then that Delphi and Hard Drive walked in and closed the door behind them. He looked around, then grinned. "I think everyone is here," he said as the two sat down at the end of the table. It was quiet a moment, then Hardie began. "I'm Hard Drive, the elder of my caste as far as can be determined and the Master of The Code with my bond, Delphi. We're here to discuss and rectify a very bad decision on the part of the accused, Smokescreen of Praxus and Hot Rod of Nyon. The charge is very serious, both for the Praxian Code and for the laws of our people. Our code in some areas is part of the legal settled law of Cybertron. Its considered that important and because it is, it carries the full force of law.

"We've been given a charge by Smokescreen the Elder that Hot Rod and Smokescreen the Younger allegedly violated an invocation. Because it was lodged by you, Smokescreen the Elder, you will speak first. Everyone will listen silently to all that he has to say."

Smokescreen bowed his helm to Hardie, then stood. "First of all, I have no anger toward anyone. What I would like to make crystal clear here is that this isn't about my grandson's free will to choose or Hot Rod's right to congregate with anyone. This is about my duty and responsibility as head of our family to seek out the best for all of us. I don't believe that the relationship my grandson has here is good for him. That being said, we didn't interfere with it for a very long time. It was when they broke up, when it was clear that Smokey had no idea what he clearly wanted and that this could become a boomerang situation that I invoked. The point was to have a cooling off period for both to decide what they wanted and felt.

"It would be easy especially for outsiders to assume that we're meddling in our grandson's life. He's a grown mech, mostly, and he gets to make his own decisions. That he chose to be a soldier isn't a popular thing among us but we honored it. We haven't and are not now meddling. We have familial expectations that we're not going to bend that have to do with what we as a family and as Praxians believe and put value upon. Our own genitors did the best they could within these policies and gave us the gumption to be as free and independent as we always were, Dev and Me. We honored them until the end, both of us, though neither son and grandson ever knew them. We did it because that was who they were and who we were raised to become.

"We want him to have a great education and a college degree. We went through a living hell for Moda to have such things and for Smokey as well. Dev and I could have ended up in prison over that but we didn't. I won't give the details but suffice it to say that it could have turned out that way. That gives us some latitude to insist that Smokey build on it to its natural conclusion just like his atar did. Our grandson was going to have a skill to take care of himself beyond his ability to fight if I had to sit on him in class. A soldier can get hurt and then what? What could he do to support himself and a family if he had one? That's not negotiable. It was never allowed for our genitors and it wasn't allowed for us but we damned sure made it possible for our son and now, our grandson.

"We as a people have lost nearly everything. I loved Dev's genitors and I know he loved mine," Smokescreen said as Dev nodded. "They never had a pot or a window but they had their honor and their values. They taught them to us and even though I was a gambler and still am and Dev is a bounty hunter, we never forgot or left behind what and who we are. We're here to impress upon these two that when a family takes a position and acts on it, they do **not** have the right to be disrespectful of us nor to disregard whatever they want because they don't like it. I invoked to assist them to figure this out. Moda and Tress invoked on you, Smokescreen, because you weren't honorable with your obligation to get the education that no one else in the family could get until Dev and I decided you and your atar would have one. That will not be allowed to stand. You, Hot Rod, disrespected my family and me personally. That won't be allowed to pass by unaddressed. You have a debt to us that you have to pay. Both of you. I have spoken."

He sat down next to his miserable grandson and across from a kid he had known since he was a big mouthed hot head youngling looking to kick aft against those who had caused everyone so much misery. Hot Rod looked pensive as he stared at the table top.

Hard Drive glanced at everyone, then turned to his son. "Raptor, you and Turbine are advocates for Hot Rod. Speak now for him." Delphi nodded.

Raptor stood. "Hot Rod isn't from Praxus and doesn't know the lay of the land. However, that's no excuse," he said as Hot Rod glanced up with surprised alarm. "Given that he's from Nyon and not our town, he has different ways. Not everyone understands the nuances of everyone elses way of doing things. That being said, he should have known better when it was explained to him that Smokescreen had invoked on his grandson. I would suggest that youth and emotions are a dangerous combination. They make you do stupid things. These two are in a relationship that needed this interlude. That they didn't hold to it shows how tenuous it probably is in the long run.

"I would ask for mercy. Jail will serve no one here. We have to make it right between them and get their oaths. If that happens, then this will either fizzle out or become clear. I would suggest that everyone here remember what it was like as a youth to be in love or whatever it is you two have going on. I can't really argue more than this for them since they both knew and did it anyway. I argue that their youth and relative selfishness because of said youth be considered in your decision, Atar. They're both good kids and have a lot of individuals who love them." He sat.

Hot Rod stared at him with complete amazement, an expression that sent a chuckle around the room. Hard Drive schooled his expression. No one was going to hear him snicker. At least, not aloud. He glanced at Turbine. "Turbine?"

Turbine stood. "I'm here to lend my impressions that these two kids are young and need to learn. But making it punitive won't help much beyond embarrassing them and causing hard feelings, perhaps even in Dev and Smokey's family. I don't believe they meant harm. I think they're just young and clueless."

Hot Rod stared up at Turbine with astonishment. "And you two are supposed to advocate **for me**?"

"What would you suggest? You did the thing you're accused of. I think mitigation with the threat of a hammer on your helm if there's a next time is reasonable. Of course, if you can persuade the Masters of a different outline of what happened, hop to it, infant."

Hot Rod stared at Turbine, then Hardie, then Smokey and his family. He glanced at Prime, Prowl and Ratchet, then Baron. "Uh, frag it all."

Prime snickered, then quashed the rest of it as everyone in the room grinned at Hot Rod. For once, he was cornered and it amused them, all of whom knew what a player he was. Unfortunately for him, he had set his sights on the grandson of a gambler and a bounty hunter. Poor form, Hot Rod, most of them thought as they watched with fascination.

"Turbine?" Delphi asked with amusement.

"I just believe that this is a warning and not jail, Delphi. These two are good kids and they need to be apart." Turbine leaned down into Hot Rod's space. "Apart," he said pointedly as Roddy leaned away in surprise. Turbine then leaned across the table at Smokey. "As in not together." He then sat. "I have spoken."

Hardie considered that, then looked at Dev. "Are you going to speak, Dev?"

"No. This is Smokey's play. I support him for all the reasons spoken. We've been lost so long, you forget who you are. Now we remember and I don't want it to die out with me and Smoke. So, no. I'm good," Dev said.

"Moda? Tress?" Hardie said.

Moda and Tress glanced at each other, then Tress nodded. Moda stood up, uncomfortable but determined. "I'm Moda and Smokescreen is my son. When I was a kid, I got to go to school and university. No one ever bothered me. I was 'Smokey and Dev's kid' and that was my pass into a world I should never have been allowed to go because of The System. I never asked you, either of you how you did it. When Smokey was born and we wanted the world for him, you stepped up again. You did it for him and I can't thank you enough, ever. Tress and me … we had a good life with our boy because you and Ada were brave. I remember you, Ada, standing in the shadows of the school watching Smokey when he was playing on the playground with the other kids, high caste all of them, looking to see that he was being treated right when they didn't think you or Atar were around. You did it all for us.

"We're Praxian. We have a code. We're a family. We were apart so long, I never thought we would see each other again. My son was apart from me. It broke my spark, me and Tress, wondering where you were. When Ada found us and told us, I cried for what seemed like forever from the relief. Your ada did as well. We didn't have all this come to pass to have you make a rash decision. Appa invoked to give both of you time to think and figure this out. You didn't follow the rules. Now here we are. Both of you are good. I do believe that. But I'm disappointed in both of you. If you want to have a relationship with my son that is more than just simple and fun, you have to respect us and who we are. We do that for you. I don't want to make this a federal case but I want this ironed out." He looked at Hardie and Delphi, then bowed slightly. "We will abide by your ruling. For me and my House, I thank you for helping us sort this out to a good conclusion. I have spoken."

Hardie nodded. "Smokey? Do you have anything to say?"

Smokey glanced at him, then his family. "I'm sorry, Atar and Ada. I'm sorry Appa and Amma. You know how much I love you, right?" he asked fretfully.

They nodded to him. "And that's how much we love you back," Tress said as he rung his hands in anxiety.

"Then I promise to remember better and do better. I'm sorry," he said.

It was silent a moment, then Hardie looked at Hot Rod. "Roddy?"

Hot Rod looked at him, then the others. "I don't like to hang my business out in the world but I … I really like Smokey and I would never maliciously get him in trouble. My family is somewhere … I'm not different from half the mechs in this room, but we never had this many rules. I remember how amazed I was when I had friends from Stanix, Vos, Ketamine, and the Villages. Rules, family stuff … it isn't part of what I am or how I was raised. I'm sorry if I offended you, Dev and Smokescreen. You, too, Moda and Tress. You were good to me and I know you worried that I'd be wrong for Smokey. Maybe I am. I don't know. A cooling off period was smart. But I do know that I like Smokey, maybe better than anyone I ever met. I'll take my punishment but don't be mad at him. I'm older and should have known better."

Smokey stared at him. "I'm not a kid. I knew better, too, but I did it anyway. If there's punishment, I will take mine, too."

Hardie waited but neither spoke up again. He glanced at Delphi, then went off line to discuss the situation. It was tense in the room as both young mechs stared at the tabletop. Everyone else chatted off line and waited. Few of them knew how this went because none of them were from Praxus. Baron looked like he was taking notes. Finally, they came back to the group and and turned to give the findings to everyone waiting.

"Hardie and I have discussed this carefully. We went over the rules. Smokescreen, you were the reporting individual. Will you stand by our decision?"

"I will," Smokescreen said.

"Very well," Delphi said as he glanced at Hardie.

Hardie sat forward. "Both of you knew what you were doing and did it anyway. That is disrespect. An invocation is law and its so seldom imposed that its hard to find other cases to balance this one. Given that we're returning to ourselves, that means things that mattered in your family should matter to you. How much of who we are do we really want to lose? Smokescreen the Younger, you will apologize to your family and you will attend to your classes without fail. Their expectations for you to have a university degree are reasonable. Given that it was a forbidden pathway for most of your family but for the ingenuity and courage of your appa and amma, your father and you as well would have been deprived of learning and opportunity. That cannot be transgressed. You are confined to your apartment for a period of a decaorn. You cannot leave but to go to school or work, then you will return and stay there.

"Hot Rod, you are confined in the same manner with the same conditions. If there is any transgression against this decision, you will go, the two of you, to jail for four decaorns. You have broken the law at the least and sorrowed your family and yourself at the best. We could have done much more. We could have made you a project of my family or others chosen by us to get you on the right path again. We didn't because we both consider you two kids good mechs. If you break this ruling, I will not only be disappointed in you, I will take you to jail myself. I am also forbidding you to speak to each other or to be with each other for six decaorns. If you break that ruling, it will be jail for the same period of time. You were invoked so that you could think this through. I strongly suggest you do. If you still both have feelings at the end of that period of time, then sit down and figure it out. This is the ruling of this hearing. I, Hard Drive of Praxus have spoken."

Delphi nodded. "I, Delphi of Praxus have spoken. Go and sin no more, infants."

The spell was broken.

-0-TBC 8-28-18


	456. Chapter 456

The Diego Diaries: Twin (dd6 456)

NOTE: Sorry this didn't go out last night. I was so tired I didn't dare put this new thread forward without a clear mind. :D Note replies going out today. :D:D

-0-Elsewhere at the same time

He sat in his office in The Residence looking through things that had transpired since he had 'left'. Now that they were 'back', he was busy. No one had attempted to fill the gap while he was indisposed. He didn't expect it to happen. In fact, it never crossed his processor. His people were his. He was theirs and they were his. The sound of peds falling on the hard stone floors echoed into his reverie. He looked up in time to see Prowl walk into the room with more work. Sitting back, he thought about the past few orns and how he had been lost. "Is that more work? How long were we gone this time?"

"Months. Our chronometers said three orns but it was three months time past here." Prowl put work on the desk, then looked at Prime. "The priests are in control. If this happens again, it will be handled."

"They don't appear to be at unrest," Prime said.

"No. They believe in you and they reverence you. I believe they feel you are on some sort of retreat that only you can fathom."

"I am unclear what this is but Perceptor, Jhiaxus and the others are hard at it. Perhaps it is something to do with that aspect," Prime mused. Then he winked out of sight.

Prowl stared at the empty sight, shocked and stunned at the instantaneous change, then he walked to the chair to sit. He would stay there for joors waiting for him to come back. When he didn't, he would call the priests together and they would handle any fears among the population. Prowl would handle everyone else. It would be a tense wait for the inexplicable return of their god. Then Prowl would disappear, too.

-0-In the conference room

They left, all of them clear about their responsibilities. Everyone who stayed watched them go. Hardie grinned. "You do know that they need to sit that boy down and have a long talk. This sentence should facilitate that."

"You mean like Atar did with me?" Ironhide asked with a smirk at the force of nature called his father.

"Rub it in," Blackjack said. "I lead by example."

"And what a fine example it is, infant," Turbine said with a grin.

Blackjack preened. "It is isn't it."

"I can't complain," Alie said as he winked at the others.

Ratchet grinned. "Okay. Now that we've got a deeper appreciation of how weird you slaggers are, what's next on the agenda?"

Almost on cue, a buzzer beeped. "Prowl here."

:Prowl, this is Devcon. Did Prime leave the Center yet?: the voice asked.

"No. Why?" Prowl replied.

:Well, we just passed him heading toward The Fortress. That shouldn't have happened: Dev replied.

Everyone glanced at each other, then rose as one. "On our way, Dev. Follow but not conspicuously."

:On it. Dev out:

Prime hurried out followed by the others. Reaching the street, they almost collided together as nearby crossing at the junction, a huge figure the size and design of Optimus was heading their way followed discreetly by Devcon and Smokescreen. "What the frag," Prowl whispered. "Spread out. Be ready for anything."

The figure came up the sidewalk toward the Center, then slowed to stop when he saw the unlikely figure of Optimus Prime watching him from a crowd of mechs he knew. The crowd of mechs looked ready to pull their weapons and fire so he walked forward slowly, his servos in plain sight. Reaching the group, he halted in front of his doppelganger. They stared at each other, looking the other over with a tense silence. Then the stranger glanced around himself. "What is this place? Who are you?" he asked in the voice of Optimus.

"I am Optimus Prime and this is my colony, Autobot City on Mars. Who are you?" Optimus asked as Prowl stepped closer.

He glanced from Prowl to Prime. "I am Optimus Prime. I do not know how I got here but I am."

It was then that the Optimus Prime of Autobot City disappeared.

It was also when the massed guns of the posse with him flipped up and pointed nearly all at once at the Optimus Prime of who knew where who remained.

-0-Optimus Prime of Autobot City

It seemed to wilt, the images around himself, then they returned to view. He looked around himself with surprise, then froze. He was in Iacon. It was beautiful, without blemish, though there were a few different places than he could remember. As he turned slowly to look, he froze. There was a giant statue of himself standing in the open plaza before him, one of him looking benevolent and poised. It was at that moment that everyone there saw him, then froze themselves. It was also the moment that all of them bowed nearly as one.

-0-On the street

Prowl pointed his gun at Prime's skull. "Don't move an inch."

Prime froze in place as more guns came closer. He could maybe grab one and get a shot off but it would be suicidal to try. He was nothing if not clear minded about things around himself. He looked at Prowl. "I am no more clear on what is happening than you are. I have no idea where this place is."

"Where is our Optimus?" Prowl asked with murder in his voice.

"I do not know," the double said. "I was in my residence, then I was here."

"Just like that," Prowl said.

He nodded. "Just like that."

"Cuff him, Springer. Bring him to the conference room. I want every physicist and scientist in the colony to party line with us. Wherever our Prime is, we'll get him back. Know that, slagger."

He didn't argue nor did he fight the cuffs, though he could have and might have in other circumstances. However, this was coming more and more often, leaving his own reality for somewhere else, though this was the first time he had come alone. Even though he had heard messages with this Prime's voice when his fleet was last lost, he had not seen the source until now. He was as mystified as everyone else. He walked under heavy guard to The Fortress drawing stares of shock from the elders. Drift had cleared the rec room and they walked through it to the conference room swiftly and without incident.

Entering, they pulled a chair and he sat. Prowl walked to the front of the room and turned on a big monitor. "Wheeljack and Perceptor, we have an incident," Prowl said before he disappeared.

The room was leaden with surprise, then Hardie jumped up. Glancing around, he focused on Prime. "Where did he go?"

"I do not know. I have my teams working on this but I am not clear at all," this Prime said.

Hardie glanced at Springer. "Find his Prowl. If this follows the same pattern, then he's going to show up somewhere."

Springer nodded, then walked out with Drift to trace Prowl's pattern and transponder wherever he was.

Where that Prowl had landed was Kaon HQ. He stood in Prowl's office with surprise. Glancing around, noting that not all of the language on the computer screen nearby was legible to him, he pulled his gun and walked to the door. Glancing out, he slipped into the corridor and stealthed his way to the elevator nearby.

-0-Out there

Prowl blinked, then looked around himself. He was on a plaza and nearby, a crowd had gathered. They were talking to someone. Walking closer, he gasped as he saw Optimus. He was being touched and everyone there was enraptured with him. Jogging to the edge of the square, he stared with rising internal discord at the sight.

Prime was holding a child as its genitors rapturously chatted with him. Others were touching him, taking the grace of such to themselves. It reminded Prowl of watching more strict practices touching the statue of their personal god in the shrines. It was a grace moment and many believed it was helpful. Thus, many would touch Prime when he passed by them as the First Disciple of Primus. He turned to the side to listen to someone, then noticed Prowl. Staring at him, he gestured for Prowl to come.

Prowl glanced around, then did. Walking to the crowd, he watched as Prime gently disengaged, then walked to him. "Come with me," he said, then began to walk to a cab stand nearby. Entering, they both sat down across from each other in silence. "What are the names of the children?" Prime asked.

"Miracle, Sojourner, Solus, T-Bar, Rambler, Bluestreak, and Spirit," Prowl replied.

Prime relaxed a bit, then glanced around. "I do not know where we are. This is Iacon and it is not. We are somewhere else. Which means-"

Prowl nodded. "We have your doppelganger in custody." He looked around. "What now? My doppelganger is either still here or somewhere back there. What kind of beings are these? How much more different than us are they? Who are we here? Bad or good?"

"We will find that out when we get to The Residence. From there, we search the databases," Prime said as they disappeared into the traffic of the city.

-0-Prowl

He stood on the steps staring out into what was obviously the plaza of Kaon. He was astonished. It was blighted in all directions with notable segments of rebuilding, many of them blocks of dazzling towers going up into the sky to disappear into the darkness. There was sounds everywhere, ships coming and going, construction and traffic. He subbed his gun, noted his Autobrand matched the one on the flag nearby, then stepped down the stairs. As he did someone ran up to him. **"Prowl!"** they called.

He froze, then turned tensely to wait. A mech stopped before him and handed him a datapad. "I'm glad you're here. You saved me a trip to Mars. Here's the data that Prime wants. You can grab a shuttle to go there. Thanks for the solid," he said with a grin, then turned to run back inside the building. It said 'Autobot Headquarters, Central Command, Kaon, Cybertron'. He stared at it, then the datapad which had writing that was only partly familiar. He looked at the shuttles parked nearby, then walked to them. Climbing inside, he noted a pilot reading a book. "Take me to Mars."

The pilot nodded, put down his book, then lit the ship up. They rose upward, flew toward a line up and waited until a gigantic space bridge opened. They flew inside, a slightly bored pilot and a tense, wary and completely confused Prowl.

-0-The Fortress

They stared at Prime, then Raptor glanced at his father. "In the rank of order, Atar, you're next in command of the whole operation with Prowl and Prime gone."

Hardie glanced at him, then nodded. "I know," he said as he sat down. "Tell me everything you know. It's apparent to me that you're not from these parts."

Perceptor, Wheeljack and several scientists from Sciences walked in, then began to scan the silent figure of the slightly different Optimus sitting at the table. His colors were slightly less flamboyant and his etchings were only half legible. There were symbols on his armor and painted into his scheme that no one understood beyond that they were symbolic and had meaning to Prime. Otherwise, outwardly he was the same. At a microscopic level, he wasn't.

"I am Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron and the Empire. I was sitting in my residence when I suddenly came here. I have no idea how it happened or why. That is all I can tell you. I was home and now I am here," he said.

"And Prowl? Do you have one yourself?" Hardie asked.

Prime nodded. "I do. I do not know where this one went. I have no idea how any of this works."

"What is your family situation in your own dimension?" Hardie asked. He glanced at Wheeljack. "We are dealing with dimensions, correct?"

"Given that he's slightly askew from us energetically, I'd say that's a good start on what's happening," Wheeljack said grimly.

Hardie looked at Prime. "All that you can tell us will help us resolve this problem."

Prime considered that. "I have genitors who live with me. I have no other family."

"And Prowl? What is your relationship with him?" Hardie asked.

"He is my second-in-command, my partner in governance," Prime said. "I can take it there is a point to these questions?"

Hardie nodded. "Prowl is bonded to Prime here. They have children, seven to be exact."

Prime considered that. "I see. That will come as a surprise to Prowl and Jazz then when I get back."

Jazz started. "Prowl and me? A bond? I don't see it myself." He glanced at the others. "No offense. I just see Prime and Prowl, that's all."

Hardie considered that. "This is fragged," he said quietly as he considered their conundrum. "What sort of leader are you? What of the Decepticons?"

Prime considered that. "What Decepticons?" he asked.

-0-The Residence

He walked in with Prowl, nodding back as those who worked there nodded in respect to him. Entering the residential portion of his house, he bumped into his genitors. They turned to him from gathering their bags and smiled. "Orion, you came here early."

Prime stared at them, then nodded. "I did."

"We're going to the lake house with your ammas and appas, Orion. Thank you for being such a good son and letting us use the house. We will see you in two orns then," Kestrel said as he hugged Optimus. Prime hugged Tagg, then watched them wave as they walked out the door. Prime stared at them.

"Optimus? Are you alright?" Prowl asked as he squeezed his servo.

"My ammas and appas, Prowl. Wherever this is … they live," he whispered with emotion.

-0-TBC 8-30-18 **edited 8-31-18**

A note: Prowl and Jazz are about the most common pairing in the fandom. ;)


	457. Chapter 457

The Diego Diaries: Jump (dd6 457)

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars

"Tell us whatever you can. The more you tell us, the better odds both of you have regarding returning home," Hardie said as he sat back to listen to the big familiar and not so familiar mech sitting across the table from him.

That Prime was big like Optimus with more details carved and etched into his armor than was usual among most mechs here. He had the same intelligent and appraising gaze as their own and he was the same quiet impressive presence. He was less detailed, more squarely color blocked, yet intensely similar. It was disconcerting.

"I am Optimus Prime of Cybertron. I live in Iacon. I am a god," he said as matter-of-fact as he said the first two things.

"Excuse me," Hardie interrupted. "You're a god?"

Prime nodded. "I am," he said simply.

It was silent and a bit incredulous in the room as they stared at him, then Hardie nodded. "Please continue."

Prime considered him as Wheeljack turned from the computer he was downloading his scans into for analysis. He glanced back to Hard Drive. "I am leader of a vast empire and my people follow me without hesitation or reservation. No one bothers us and we bother no one."

"You're given that level of buy in by your people," Hardie said.

Prime considered that. "Yes," he said with a nod.

A ping indicated to Wheeljack so he turned to the screen and read. Turning back toward Hardie, he messaged the results to him off line. Hardie considered it, then sat forward. "This isn't your first time here is it."

Prime stared at Hard Drive as he considered his position, then shrugged. "No. It is not."

"You were the alien force that attacked our computers and downloaded our mainframe data on personnel and other rather irrelevant features. I would've expected that you would've taken other things," Hardie said.

Prime considered that. "We were thrown into this … dimension. My fleet and I were lost and had to figure out why things did not actually fit nor work here. We were as surprised then as you are now to find out our points of convergence."

"Which are what? About 97%?" Wheeljack asked.

Prime shrugged. "I do not have that information at the moment, but I am sure it is high."

"You came here … did you just come or was there a warning that something was going to change before you jumped?" Wheeljack asked.

"We just appeared. We were one place, our place, then here. Before, it was the fleet I commanded; two times it happened, then now it was me. I am assuming that Prowl transported as well and is around somewhere," that Prime replied calmly.

"Is there any word?" Hardie asked.

"I'll find out," Raptor said as he rose. "I don't think we should limit it to here. He could be on Cybertron or wherever."

"Springer to Hard Drive."

Hardie glanced at the speaker nearby. "Hard Drive here."

"We're told that the last time Prowl was seen was at the HQ in Kaon. He's on his way here by shuttle. I can intercept at the airfield. What do you want and need?"

"Bring him here. I want him in one piece. Pick him up like you were waiting for him," Hardie said. He glanced at Prime. "If you warn him, he'll be shot dead on the spot. I would suggest you don't."

Prime nodded as he sat enigmatically, his optics studying everyone and everything around himself. They were studying him just as hard in return.

-0-At the airfield

A shuttle from Kaon made its way to the landing field, settling, then dropping its ramp. Nearby waiting for it, Springer, Kup, Hercy, and Drift watched. There was no movement a moment, then Prowl stepped out. It appeared to be Prowl. The paint scheme was close but slightly different. Where Prowl was crisp and clean, this Prowl, though similar, had extra tats and other markings. He stood at the top of the ramp for a moment, then walked down slowly. He appeared to be staring with wonderment at the setting around him. Springer then walked toward him followed by the group.

Prowl saw four familiar mechs walk toward him and froze at the bottom of the ramp. He was uncertain what to do but staying alive to find Optimus was primary on his processor. They came up to him with grins. Springer, this Springer slapped him on the shoulder. "Prowl. We never thought you'd get back. How was Kaon? Did you do the things you were asked to do?"

Prowl stared at Springer and the others who were grinning. "I … Kaon is functional. As for the other things … I am working on it."

"Good. Prime asked us to get you. He has some things for you to do that only you can. Come on," Springer said as he turned to go.

Prowl stared at him, then the others. He had no idea what was going to be needed but he was boxed in. Slowly, he began to follow Springer who kept up a monologue of things he, Prowl was going to have to do once they reached The Fortress, things apparently only he could manage, tasks filled with personal codes he alone possessed. It was going to be a huge problem when he got there or so he thought with dread as they walked toward The Fortress and Prime.

Someone's Prime.

-0-Iacon

They walked into his office and shut the door as Prowl sat before a computer to dig down deep. Half of the writing he couldn't decipher easily. For now, he needed to know what this place was and how it ran. If they had to play a charade, they needed information. As he worked, Prime walked around the office looking at pictures in frames and image cubes. Most of them were his genitors, his grand genitors and others who he didn't know. It was amazing and eerie to look at the images of his genitors without the burdens of life etched into their beautiful faces, his grandgenitors of whom he never had enough images and the strangers who were also there. Included among them were an odd number of pictures of Sentinel Prime. His family images he downloaded into files for future reference. Sentinel, he didn't. He glanced at Prowl who was staring at data. "What do you know, Prowl?"

"Not a lot," Prowl said. "I'm setting a portion of my translation programs onto this. For now, it would appear that you're not only a Prime, you're a Pantheonic Prime. You were one of the Thirteen that stayed here when the Pantheon stepped out of this dimensional plane. You've been the only Prime here from the moment Prima and the others left. The empire is monstrously huge and has many allied empires and species. They all appear to respect this Prime enormously."

"In this dimensional plane then, it would appear that the path for us is slightly different. I am who I am in my own, he is this level of being here. What does it mean for the conflict?" Prime asked.

Prowl dug, then looked at Prime. "There are no Decepticons here. There was no war. Cybertron has never been damaged. There is no caste system. It was a different path they took, all of them."

"What about Megatron?" Prime asked.

Prowl dug some more, then glanced at Prime. "He isn't in the databases that I've searched. I can't find someone who matches him nor has influence both good or bad in the data through a cursory search."

Prime nodded. He mused on the idea of it. "Then what is the dark side here, if any? What is their substitute for his absence? What is the blind spot in this paradise?"

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City

Hard Drive sat in the smaller conference room nearby waiting for Prowl to come. Springer, Hercy, Kup, and Drift were escorting him over and when the party arrived, they would do so in a room without the stranger named Prime being there. He was under heavy arms in the big conference room. The door opened as Hardie's family who were standing here and there in the room were ready to pounce and even fire if Prowl stepped out of line.

Drift, Springer and Kup entered followed by a tense and pensive Prowl. Behind him came Hercy. The door closed as everyone stared at each other. "Where is Prime?" that Prowl asked.

"Sit, Prowl. I have some questions," Hardie said.

Prowl stared at him, then complied. "I was told Prime wanted me to come."

"He would but he isn't here. You would know that though, right?" Hardie asked.

"I wouldn't know. I just got here from Kaon," Prowl replied with a tense expression. His body began to coil slightly making him terribly dangerous if he was even slightly as skilled as their own. Hardie glanced at Springer and gave a slight nod.

Springer unsubbed his gun, then placed it against Prowl's helm. "Empty your gun lockers, Prowl. If you make a move, I will shoot your helm off. Understand me?"

"Why is this happening?" Prowl asked as he sat quietly in his chair.

"Because you didn't give the secret handshake, Prowler," Springer said with a tense tone. "Empty slowly. Remember, some of us shoot really fast."

Prowl began to slowly empty his subspace and other places with weapons. There was a good sized stack on the table when he was done. "What now?"

"We go next door and figure this out," Hardie said as he stood. "Our Prowl is very good at hand-to-hand. In fact, there's no one better. You make one slagging move and we shoot at your helm. Everyone in the room has those orders. Understand?"

Prowl nodded coldly, then stood. Moving carefully, he followed Drift and Springer to the room next door, startling at the sight of Prime sitting in a chair in cuffs. "Why did you do that? He's beyond such things."

"He's an enemy in our territory. Until we get our Prowl and Prime back you're both in custody. There will be no negotiations about it," Hardie said. "I doubt that you'd be different if this were the other way around."

Prowl sat, then stared at Hard Drive. "You don't speak for me, savage. I saw Kaon. It's in shambles. The whole planet is."

"It would appear that your dimensional vision of things is different than ours," Hardie said as Turbine nodded.

"Dimensions are like pages in a book. For this one, there is an infinite number of dimensions in which we all exist but in differing degrees. You got lucky in yours. You would do well to show respect in this one," Turbine said.

"You have no idea who you're talking to," Prowl said coldly. "It would be in **your** best interests to help this Prime return home. And in the meantime, treat him with all the respect due a god."

Ratchet who was watching silently glanced at Ironhide. "What the frag happened in their dimension?"

-0-Over there

Prowl stared at the data, then Prime. "There are a number of anomalies. We're not a bond. There are no children here. Your genitors and grandgenitors exist and live with you, taking care of you. How they're your family given your status as a Pantheonic Prime, I have no idea. You are, however, the Thirteenth Prime. They call you Optimus Prime or Optimal One as a sign of respect. Everyone knows and believes you're Thirteen but they call you Optimus as your regnal name. You live here with your family and have no equals. Even the Senate and Councils bow down to you."

"What about you, Prowl?" Prime asked.

Prowl did a short search, blanched at the data, then glanced at Prime. "I'm in a bond with Jazz. No kids. We don't have kids here."

Prime shook his helm. "We need to get home."

A rap on the door caught them as Jazz stepped in. He nodded respectfully at Prime, then grinned at Prowl. "Can I see you a moment?" he asked.

-0-TBC 8-31-18 **edited 9-7-18**

ESL

regnal: kingly or lordly. A regnal name could be Charles I.

Blanched: It usually means to shock cook food usually vegetables. It can also mean shock … "He blanched at the sight of blood." It usually means shock or strong emotional reaction and is never a happy or good one.


	458. Chapter 458

The Diego Diaries: Cross Hairs (dd6 458)

ME: Whoops. :D When I say there are no children, there are none for the mechs involved. There will be children but not among the alternative characters yet. :D:D:D

-0-Out there in another dimensional plane, The Residence, Iacon

Jazz grinned at Optimus. "I see you're back. I don't suppose you're going to let Prowl go anytime soon."

Optimus glanced at Prowl, then Jazz. "No. Sorry."

"Okay. I figured that would be so. I'll catch you at the lodge later," Jazz said to Prowl. Then he stepped closer and kissed him. "See ya then," he said, then walked to the door and left.

Prowl looked like a statue so great was his shock. He glanced at Prime, then hurried to the computer. It would be quiet in the room as he not only gathered intel about how the relationships were here but how the schedule of upcoming events for Optimus were supposed to play out.

They would both be stunned when they found out.

-0-Here, at The Fortress, Autobot City, Mars

"We're no more clear on how you got here than you seem to be. Tell us everything that you can about this," Hardie said.

Prowl glanced at Prime, his own Prime who nodded slightly. He sat back and regarded Hardie a moment. "I was part of the fleet that found itself here. We were going home and then we were here. It took a long time to figure out what had happened. When we heard your call into deep space, we came to it to seek information about what was going on. We found that if we cloaked to a certain frequency no one could see us on sensors. We were able to download specific information from your databases which made it clear to us that we were not in our own spatial dimension." He glanced at Prime and the two seemed to chat off line a moment, then look at everyone there. "We don't know what's happening. We just turned up here," Prowl said as across the table from him Optimus Prime disappeared.

Prowl stood up nearly upending the table as he stared at the empty chair. The entire group had been shocked, then Raptor rose and walked to a computer. He began to seek where Optimus Prime would be if the pattern held. They had swapped places again. This Prowl's Prime was gone but theirs had to be somewhere. He had to find him.

-0-Iacon, far away

"It would appear that I'm in a bond with Jazz. You're in a relationship with Sentinel. We have no families with children here. This is fragged. I can't read it all. Their written language is just that much different from ours," Prowl said as he turned toward Prime. Optimus nodded, then disappeared. Prowl stared at the empty spot and felt electrocuted. It was as if two hundred million needles flew at him and buried themselves deeply into his entire being. Walking to the space where Optimus had stood, glancing around nearly in a panic, Prowl wondered what to do.

-0-Optimus Prime of Mars

He glanced around when it all came clear again. He was in Kaon and all around him the destruction was obvious. He was back but a swift scan indicated that Prowl wasn't. "Optimus Prime to Ops Center, Autobot City."

There was a pause, then Hardie's strained voice was heard in his helm. "Hardie here. Where are you, Prime?"

"I am in Kaon. Send a bridge. I need to be wherever the team is. We have a serious problem," he said just as a bridge burst into view in front of him. Racing down the steps of The Citadel HQ, he ran into the bridge and it winked out.

-0-Optimus Prime of Iacon far away

He stood in Kaon which all around him was as pristine as the orn he last was here. He moved out of view so that he wouldn't be inundated with civilians as he called for a bridge to The Residence. It appeared and he stepped into it. He was gone immediately.

-0-Conference Room, Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars

Prime ran from the bridge room to the Ops Center, skidding to a halt in front of the conference room door. Most of those inside were there, all of them looking grim and fearful. He motioned them to re-enter, then closed the door himself. He stared at Prowl. "You are the other one. Correct?"

That Prowl nodded. "You don't bear his tattoos or markings, nor his color. Where is he?"

"I can imagine he is back in your dimension. I was in The Residence at Iacon but it was not Iacon. It was notably different." He glanced at Ironhide. "Where is Prowl? What happened?"

Ironhide filled him in.

-0-The Residence, Iacon, in another dimensional plane

He ran up the steps from the front courtyard of his home residence where he had bridged, bursting in to run to the office where he began this waking nightmare. As he entered the room, he froze in place. Standing in front of him was Prowl and not Prowl. The stranger faced him and so did his big, big gun.

-0-Autobot City

It was silent a moment, then Prime leaned forward. "How long has this been going on?"

The alternative Prowl stared at him, quashing his growing fright with practiced care. "Some time. I can't put a date on it. I don't know your system of time keeping."

Prime considered that. "Tell me everything you know. If you can figure out why Iacon and Kaon are part of this, tell me. Your hopes and mine hinge on the same thing."

Prowl nodded and began.

-0-Residence, Iacon

Prime stood before a stranger who was one of his closest friends. This Prowl was less and more at the same time. He was identical in form and frame, but the markings on his body were either missing or different. He pointed his gun directly at Prime's head and nothing in Prime prevented him from thinking he wouldn't pull the trigger. "You do not need the gun. Let us sit and figure this out. I am directly back from your dimension."

"Where is Optimus?" Prowl asked coldly.

"That is for you and me to figure out," Prime said as he walked to his desk to sit. He stared at Prowl who subbed his weapon, then sat on a comfortable chair nearby.

"You were back there then, my reality."

Prime nodded. "I was. They have no more idea than we do about this. My people are working on it the same as yours. We have to figure this out and if this continues, share information with both sides. We have the same goals, to return to our respective dimensional planes."

Prowl nodded. "What do I call you? This is hard enough already."

"Orion. That is my private name," Prime said.

"It's his, too," Prowl said as he gazed at the figure before him with appraising optics. "How do you have family when you came from the Pantheon? If you're a god, then Primus is your genitor, Primus and The One." He leaned slightly forward. "You do know of Them. Right?"

Prime grinned slightly. "I do. And you are correct. When the Pantheon left this world to free will and The People, I elected to stay. However, that required that I enter the Matrix and be reborn. I was born aware and awake, without the amnesia that prevents new sparks from knowing about old lives. From that, the prophecies and other aspects that heralded me here took care of the rest. My genitors are real and my own."

"I see photos … images," Prowl said. "Optimus was surprised to see them. He has almost no images of his grandgenitors. You do."

Orion nodded. "I do. My life was and is good and productive. My genitors sent me to school to learn all I could. I believe they knew early on and care was given to help me ascend to the path I had chosen, to serve The People here and everywhere else."

"What about Sentinel?" Prowl asked.

"He is … personal," Orion said, considering with their differences how much he could say.

"In our dimension, he's a major war criminal. We didn't have just one Prime. We had a series of them but before that we had slavery and war. We're digging out now because Optimus is The One Who Comes. Sentinel was just tried in court for his crimes and the Pantheon weighed in. He was recalled, he was considered so dangerous to our future and continuation. He was an abysmal war criminal and among the worst and most corrupt Primes in our existence."

Orion listened and felt pangs. "I see."

Prowl stared at Prime, then stood. He walked to the windows to stare out tensely. "We were overrun in the beginning when the Pantheon left the world. Quintus Prime created the Quintessans who enslaved us first. We were sold as machines. We overthrew them, then the collaborators for their government slid into their place, killing us without mercy as they set the poison of the caste system into our very psyches. We overthrew them, too, but it was too late. The System of Exception, caste slavery was already the way everyone lived. It led to major unrest, the rise of a tyrant and his Decepticon army, and the near extinction of our people. We have never known peace. We have never been free and Sentinel Prime had a big hand in all of it."

"He is a good mech here," Orion said. "He is a scientist and scholar. He works for the good of The People."

Prowl turned to Prime, staring at him coldly. "Are you sure?" he asked bitterly. Prowl walked to his chair to sit. "I've been the second-in-command of the Autobots for four Primes. Nova, Nominus, Sentinel, and Optimus. There was only one good Prime in all that time. Right now, he's my bond. We have seven children. I'm here. They are there. What are we going to do about it?"

Orion sat back in his chair. "We will do what we always do with problems. We will work together to solve it."

"What about Jazz?" Prowl asked.

Orion considered that, then pressed a button. "Prime to Jazz."

After a second, the voice of Jazz emerged from the speaker. "Here, Prime."

"Jazz, I need a quick update on the southern bases here and those going out to the Rim. I have discussed this with others and they have their own long term projects. I wanted to have that information on hand but it slipped through. Will you take care of it?" Orion asked.

"Frag. Prowl and I were going to the lodge. Do you need it now?" Jazz asked.

"I do, old friend. I am sorry but things are coming due. I have great faith in your ability to judge," Orion said as he watched the tense winger in a chair across from him, the familiar stranger.

"Alright. Is Prowl there?" Jazz asked.

"He is," Orion said.

"Prowl, sorry about this. I won't be back for a couple of decaorns. Tell your folks that I'm sorry and I'll make it up to both them and you when I get back," Jazz said.

"I will," Prowl replied uneasily.

"Okay. You're a slave driver, Prime," Jazz said with a chuckle. "Jazz out."

The line cut and a mountain fell off Prowl's back. He sat back looking more relieved. Orion watched him a moment, then leaned forward. "You have children."

Prowl nodded. "We do. My adult son, Bluestreak, then six infants. Four sons and two daughters."

Prime sat back, then nodded. "That is wonderful."

"It is and I'm going to get back to them if I have to shoot a hole in the dimensional divide and walk through," Prowl said.

Orion grinned slightly. "Understood." He rose. "I do not know what is going on but we need to adjust your personal markers. I will have my personal detailer come here and apply temporary fixes to your armor to match Prowl here. If you stay long or short, you have to fit in here." He walked to the door, then turned to wait for Prowl.

Prowl stared at him, then stood. He followed Orion Pax out and the door closed behind them.

-0-Autobot City

"What's the situation with their personal lives?" Hardie asked as he kept notes.

Prowl stared at him, then the strange Prime sitting at the end of the table, one devoid of the holy ornamentation on his armor but who held the same aura his own did. "I'm bonded with Autobot Jazz. Prime has no bond but he's in a close relationship with Sentinel Major."

The room was silent a moment, then Ratchet leaned forward. "Prowl, Sentinel was recalled by the Pantheon for being a major and incorrigible war criminal."

Prowl stared at him. "Not where I live. That's absurd. He's … he's a scholar and very capable bridge scientist. What an absurd ..." He paused a moment. "Forgive me. I'm … this is very different from where I'm from."

"We understand," Optimus said. "We have to figure this out. We have to get back to where we belong. What about the Senate and the Councils? Do you have them?"

"We do but they work for the common good and obey the Will of Primus and The One to serve The People. Optimus Prime is the leader of all our people and they reverence him as I do."

It was silent almost too long, then Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "Where do we sign up?" he asked.

-0-TBC 9-1-18 **edited 9-7-18**

Guest chapter 457 . 12h ago

Well, this is getting interesting. I am curious to see how you will continue this. I wish you could write faster though...

 **ME:** :D I am writing madly just for you guys. More time since its Labor Day weekend. HUGS!

Lackwit chapter 457 . 13h ago

Prowl x Jazz? Lol, naughty , naughty! Inspired AU pairing for this story. I can see some opportunities for horrible teasing once all is resolved.

 **ME:** the first TF I ever read was Jazz/Prowl. I love them but somehow, Prowl and Prime sort of clicked, the repressed little things. :D

No kids at all? For the entire civilization? Not capable or no interest. Wow. Hard to see a vibrant future. I like this twist.

 **ME:** I think I didn't explain it well. LOL! The alternative bots have no personal kids. :D:D:D:D:D

fancyspinner chapter 457 . 22h ago

Well, no kids could be a problem? Right?

 **ME:** It would be but I goofed and meant only the alternate bots, Prime, Prowl and Jazz. They have kids otherwise in the culture. :D:D:D:D:D (I may put that notion though about no kids at all on the list anyway. It would be interesting)

kattenbelletje chapter 453 . Aug 28

I think that most scientists who are looking for alien life are aware that alien life can be completely different than earth live. It is, how ever very difficult to look for something if you don't know what to look for. I would be like putting me in a Chinese library and telling me to look for a book on cicadas. I can't read Chinese so I would look around and hope for an English section. (or Dutch, but I would put my bets on English:)) We won't know what to look for when searching for alien life until we have actually stumbled upon them.

 **ME:** I hear ya. :D I watched a space marathon last weekend and thought my head would explode. :D As for Dutch, I once tried to learn it from tapes and it was sooooo hard. It sounds really, really cool but hard. :D

I love the world building you put in this story. Sometimes I think they are a bit too American, but the truly alien cultural/biological parts are great. It can't get too alien for me. :)

 **ME:** I try to make it as different as possible. Being American, its hard to pivot to other points of view. I like to add characters from everywhere on Earth, though its hard to work them in as much as I want because the story is so big. This is a multi-national thing and more will come of it. The world building and background creating is the frosting on the cake for me. I love writing this thing. Love your note, sweetie. HUGS! :D


	459. Chapter 459

The Diego Diaries: Inter Dimensional Tag (dd6 459)

-0-At The Residence, Iacon, somewhere in time

Prowl stood before a mirror studying his newest markings. They were familiar and not. His own were covered with something that would come off later in his own time, but for here would be hidden away. The tattoos he wore were familial, those that passed for them here. They were larger and more colorful. He didn't care for it, the showiness. It clashed with the fastidiousness of his normal manner and appearance. Turning toward Prime, he considered the big mech who was sitting on a couch watching him silently. "This isn't me."

"No, but it will do until this gets ironed out. My team is coming with what they know tomorrow and we can see what we can do. I am sure you want to go home as much as I want to get my Prowl back," Prime said as he stood.

"I have a family and job. We have things to do," Prowl said. "I'm essential equipment."

Prime grinned. "Prowl says that as well. Come with me and let us dine together." He led the way out and upward to the residential portion of the palace. It was beautiful, large, held a number of family members in residence, all of whom were at the beach house on the Sea of Mercury, and was private to the public. Prowl was well versed with it having spent half his adult life coming to the beck and call of a number of Primes. He even spent a few nights here with Sentinel. That this Prime was in a relationship with that slagger made him nervous to be here. He found a strange desire rising in him to protect Prime if Sentinel should show up.

Post traumatic stress syndrome was a bitch.

They walked through the magnificent rooms that were part of the apartments, then headed to the dining room where an elegant table was set. They sat down, then waited. Prime grinned. "You look like you are going to have your last meal."

"It feels like it. How often did you flash in and out of this dimension?" Prowl asked.

"It is hard to pattern. It comes when it comes. For the first three times, I was in command of a fleet. We came to your call and sought information." He nodded to staff who came in with dinner for two. They set it up, bowed, then left.

Prowl glanced at them, then Prime. "Wirelite and Chromo. I know them. They were butler and house mistress of The Residence in my dimension."

"They were? They are quite noble individuals. They raised good sons and are the heart and soul of this place," Prime said as he began to organize his dinner.

Prowl stared at his own, excellent and beautiful food, then looked at Prime. "What about Earth? Do you know about Earth?" he asked.

"Earth is quarantined. They are a violent and treacherous species. We do not allow anyone to disturb them. We want them to grow and change. They are too primitive to accept either as a fact or a good thing that anyone exists in the universe but themselves," Prime said.

"Are they space going?" Prowl asked as he sipped a tall glass of clear liquid. It was outstandingly good.

"They are but they can only reach the fourth planet of their system yet. We are hoping against hope that they grow and join us," Prime said. "Some orn anyway."

Prowl ate some of the food, delicate and delicious cuisine, then glanced at Prime. "Your empire … what does it encompass?"

"Vast swathes of space. We have many, many partners in our confederation," Prime said. "We seek and encourage peace and responsible cooperation between all of us."

"Do you know the Hu-An?" Prowl asked.

"We do. They are very great friends of ours," Prime said as he refilled Prowl's glass, a tall fluted confection of crystal that bore the Emblem of the Primes. It was also inscribed with the creed.

"You hold to the creed?" Prowl asked.

Prime nodded. "Until all are one," he said.

"Then tell me truthfully … what's the back door here? What's the dark spot on the shiny sun you're painting here?"

Prime stared at him, then set down his glass. "I suppose you expect that given what you come from. Cynicism is perhaps inevitable for you. I do not know everything beyond what you told me but something tells me that Cybertron is in dire straits and that you are relatively inexperienced with the concept of peace and justice for all."

Prowl felt his pride sting, then he sat back. "I'm unused to believing everything I'm told. You could be feeding me a line of slag. How can I know that you're what and who you say you are?"

Prime considered that. "Trust is something you can build if you come at it with an open processor. Tomorrow, I have to go to the Temple in Simfur. You will attend to me. Then you will understand that here we are what we say we are. I do not know who this Megatron is but he does not have a place here. We do not allow war. We do not allow social injustice. It would appear that in this incarnation we actually practice what you preach."

Prowl stared at him. "If you say so," he said stubbornly.

Prime grinned. "You are as hard headed as my own. Tell me what I can expect to be happening to him. He is my partner in our effort and my very great friend."

Prowl considered his doppelganger. "Prime is honorable. He's being treated with care and respect. Our people are working hard to fix this. I have seven children and a life there. Trust me when I tell you that no stone will be left unturned."

"I am glad to hear that. Given we are talking about trust, meet me halfway. The flip side of no stone being unturned is no turns being left unstoned. Your cynicism will make for a long and disharmonious collaboration," Prime said.

Prowl stared at him hard, then gave a small nod.

"Tell me about your life. What was it like? Your genitors? What led you and Prime to be together? I have known Prowl for eons and it might be helpful if not entertaining to consider the points of convergence and disconnection," Prime said.

Prowl considered that, then shrugged. "I'm from Praxus, from an astronomically wealthy family who were given preferential treatment under the caste system. We gave to the empire mathematicians and physicists, gifted economists and scientists. We were celebrated, my family, for our intellect and accomplishments."

"But it appears you did not fit in nor care for that kind of life," Prime said.

Prowl shook his helm. "No. It was smothering. It was suffocating. I wanted to …" He considered memories a moment. "I wanted to fly. I was trapped in a cage and I wanted to fly."

"So you did," Prime said.

Prowl nodded. "I never fit in. I went to schools, I attended college. I'm a mathematician and analytical and strategic theoretician. My ada is a masterful mathematician, perhaps the best Cybertron ever saw and my atar is the best economical theorist ever. They were both brilliant and gifted. But they were also dominated by our caste, our societal expectations. My grandgenitors were interesting. My ada's were and are hopelessly bound by The Code and their habits. My atar's were better. I went my own way half the time and saw what life was like for everyone else."

"It was not equitable," Prime said quietly.

Prowl shook his helm. "No. It wasn't." His expression hardened. "There was suffering and hunger. My caste said they were lazy or they'd do better but the system was rigged. It was rigged against the majority for the minority. It made me furious and ashamed. I decided to do something about it, to bring it down." He grinned slightly. "The bravura of youth."

"What did you do?" Prime asked as he sipped his drink.

"I joined the police. I became a policeman and did it my way. I was obsessed and ruthless, merciless against those who were responsible for the misery and desperation of the majority. I tracked syndicates, killers hired to bust unions and silence those who didn't go along … I was after a shadow government when the Autobots recruited me to become second-in-command of the Armed Forces. I accepted after tidying up loose ends. I believed I could do better with access through that job."

"Did you?" Prime asked.

A cold expression formed on Prowl's handsome face. "No. It was their way to get me off the trail. Then things went south and the breaking point was reached."

"Tell me about this Megatron," Prime asked.

Prowl smirked slightly. "What can I tell you about him? He was the inevitable outcome of a general failure of our culture and society to care. Did you know my caste mocked empathy? They mocked caring for and feeling the misery of others. The System of Exception and the relentless corruption was the disease. Megatron was the cure, or so millions upon millions thought. He came out of the slums and gladiatorial pits of Kaon and created hope where none was. He was the face of the inarticulate fury that was ready to explode. It needed a voice, a figure head."

"What about Prime?" he asked.

"He was a long shore man. He grew up in extreme poverty, without more education than his genitors could scrape up for him," Prowl said. "While I sat in schools hating it, he was scrambling for books and learning, his genitors risking prison for taking out too many library cards so he could have what he dreamed of, a decent meaningful life. No one but high castes had full access to an education." He looked bitter a moment, then he continued. "He was strong and good, slowly working through the system to make things better on the docks. Then someone smarted off and a general strike was called. Orion Pax was the leader by default, that's how much he was loved and trusted. Then it spread and ignited a dormant pool of gasoline that burned our world half to death.

"The movement to end inequity began and it raged. As it raged it began to coalesce around Optimus. Megatron who had been the one before Optimus found things slipping away. Then Sentinel faked his death for his own purposes … he became Prime by killing the Prime before him, Nominus … then a new Prime was needed. Megatron and Optimus stormed the Senate, the Matrix appeared and chose Optimus. That was when Megatron declared war and it was all inevitable. It was all fragging inevitable."

It was silent a moment, then Prime set down his glass. "What is Cybertron like now?"

"Devastated. He took the AllSpark and sent it into space to prevent Megatron from getting it and destroying not only the world and empire but enslaving the universe. With it, he could." Prowl stared at Prime. "Do you have relics as well?"

Prime nodded. "The Matrix Flame, the Matrix and Well. They are safe in Simfur."

Prowl vented a sigh. "No AllSpark here, then. The AllSpark was launched into space, fell into a worm hole and was lost for millions of vorns. We all left Cybertron to get it while the Decepticons held what was left. It was the hardest decision we ever made, to leave. But we couldn't let Megatron have the AllSpark. Everyone and everywhere was in danger until we could get it."

"Did you?"

"We did," Prowl said. "It had landed on Earth with Megatron. There were battles and even The Fallen intervened. We had to kill him."

"My brother … Megatronus. He was a problem there as well?" Prime asked.

"He was. What happened here with Him?" Prowl asked.

Prime considered the question. "He has been taken into servo by Prima. He is a danger but less so because he exists in a null universe, locked in by the Will of Primus. The People will not be put into danger because my family squabbles."

Prowl stared at him. "You are Thirteen then."

Prime nodded. "I am."

"You came here, then, aware of it. You knew you were Thirteen even as a child," Prowl said.

"I did. I came here to serve The People. It is my destiny to ensure their safety, well being and progress."

"Optimus is said to be The One Who Comes," Prowl said.

"I do not know of that prophecy. I have almost always been here," Prime said. "Tell me about your Prime."

"He is good, truly and eternally good. He is honorable, decent, self sacrificing, and self denying. He never expected to have a family but he does. Neither of us ever loved anyone else. He's my leader, my bond and my greatest friend. I love him with my whole spark and I'll do anything for him that he wishes or needs. There's no one finer and no one greater among our people. He's The One Who Comes and we're rising from the dead because he exists," Prowl said. "Nothing that happened was his fault but he feels the burden of it. One billion of our people are believed dead, one billion lost to the universe and one billion suffering on Cybertron. He took the chance to come there to save them and he succeeded without firing a single shot.

"Our people are rising from the dead and we're finding them everywhere. It wouldn't happen without him. He's the greatest hero and leader, the finest of all of us that ever lived," Prowl said with emotion. "I **will** return to him again."

Prime nodded. "You will. Tomorrow, we will meet with my team. For now," he said as he glanced toward the window beyond where night was clearly falling, "you will be my guest. If you go back in the night, then we will regroup to figure this out no matter what happens. Somehow, some of us are caught in this loop. There will be an answer, I promise you. You will stay here to ensure that no one is alarmed or alerted about this but those who need to know. Tomorrow, we talk to my team, then go to Simfur. We will keep the schedule."

Prowl nodded, then finished his meal in silence. When they were finished, Prime walked him through the house, pointed out a few things, then showed Prowl his rooms. "I have a forlorn hope that this will be addressed easily. I am ever hopeful."

Prowl nodded as he stood in the doorway. "Forlorn is more what I know than hope but I'll let you lead the way on that score."

Prime nodded. "Recharge well. Tomorrow is not far away." With that, he walked down the hallway, then entered what Prowl knew was Prime's suite of rooms. He closed the door, then walked around his own rooms. He didn't feel like sleep. He sat on the couch for how long, he didn't know. Then he heard footfalls outside in the corridor. He walked to the door and cracked it to look out. He stared for a moment, then closed it.

Sentinel was outside in the corridor. He walked to Prime's rooms, then opened the door. Slipping inside, he closed it again. Prowl leaned back against his own, then vented a sigh. "Where are you, Orion Pax?" he said. He wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

On a distant world in another time and place, a big mech stared out of the window of his apartment. His children were sleeping nearby. A stranger who looked like Prowl was staying in one of the spare berth rooms. He stared at the lights outside, then whispered. "Where are you, Prowl?"

He wouldn't get any sleep either.

-0-TBC 9-2-18 **edited 9-7-18**

ESL:

cynicism: (sin-uh-sism) the belief that nothing is ever going to be good, honest or true. Extreme disbelief in the good ever happening.


	460. Chapter 460

The Diego Diaries: Interrogatory (dd6 460)

-0-In an apartment on the Tharsis Plain

The weak light of morning filtered into the apartment as Optimus Prime sat at the table of his kitchen cadging a hot cup of energon tea. He felt rather than saw the familiar stranger who stood in the doorway nearby. "Come in and sit please."

Prowl of another place altogether walked in and pulled a chair. Sitting, he watched as Optimus Prime, someone he knew and didn't know rose to fix him a hot cup. Handing it to Prowl, Prime nodded to the Lazy Susan in the middle of the table. "You can put in what you require from those," he said nodding to the scrupulously neat and elegant little containers neatly lettered with the names of their contents.

He did, then sipped. "I'm glad I can ingest your food and drink."

Prime nodded in agreement. "My team is coming this morning. In the meantime, you have to uphold your end of this. My children and genitors along with Prowl's have suffered enough."

Prowl nodded. "Alright," he said.

Prime stared at his cup a moment. "Prowl usually makes breakfast. He likes to cook for us. Whether he likes to cook otherwise, I am unclear. I will cook now and when the children come. I do that on weekends so it will not seem out of order."

"What do I do?" Prowl asked.

"Help them, listen … my genitors take them to school most mornings." Prime rose and walked to the counter to begin a typical breakfast that was human-inspired. It was done expertly with minimal fuss. "You have not told me who you are beyond the barest minimums. I would be willing to hear more. Maybe there is some reason why you and Prowl and your Optimus and me are changing places. Maybe there's something in our biographies that will help us."

Prowl considered that, then nodded. "Very well. I am Prowl of Praxus, a former physicist who joined the Autobot Armed Forces as a science adviser and second-in-command to the Prime. It was a good thing. I got to work with the Son of Primus and use my skills to advance the peace. My genitors are mathematicians of great note and my grandgenitors on my ada's side, Zenith and Shadow are the greatest bridge scientists known. My atar's genitors are priests. Between the Temple and school, I lived a busy and service oriented life."

Prime nodded. "Did you like it? Did you enjoy it?"

"Immensely." Prowl rose. "May I help you, Lord?"

Prime shook his helm. "No thank you. I am nearly finished."

Prowl sat. "I had a wonderful life filled with travel, learning, experiences … all of it was good."

"What about your people? Do they get the same opportunities?" Prime asked.

Prowl nodded. "We are careful to ensure that everyone gets to do the things that fulfill them. It comes from having a god lead you, one who loves you completely. Everyone goes to school, works at what they choose and contributes. We are a peaceful and educated society. Given how long we can live and how powerful we are with or without weapons … it's a good thing."

Prime nodded. "Do you have children?" he asked as he dished up two plates of food. Taking them to the table, he retrieved utensils and sat himself.

"No. I am bonded, however. Jazz of Kaon is my bond. I can only imagine what's happening with him. I know that Lord Optimus will handle it. He is wise," Prowl said as he began to eat. "This is very good. Is this some sort of different Cybertronian cuisine?"

"No," Optimus said. "This is our version of human food. We have many connections to them. They live on the third planet from this sun."

Prowl nodded as he sipped his tea. "We know of them. They're quarantined because they're dangerous and violent where we live. They can range to this planet but not beyond. Lord Optimus has high hopes for them becoming who they should be as opposed to what they are now. Our confederation is composed of peaceful space-going races. No one who is pre-space is allowed to be bothered. We watch them but we don't interfere. They have free will and can choose their destiny no matter how fragged it is."

"You appear to have had a good life," Prime said.

Prowl nodded. "And your Prowl? What about him? If I may ask ..."

Prime considered that. "My Prowl had all the advantages and none of the virtues. He grew up enormously wealthy but his life was a gilded cage. Through force of will and desire, he freed himself and became my bond after a long eventful life. He is a contradiction." Prime thought a moment. "He can be utterly ruthless about an objective, though he never places innocents in danger. He wants to win the war and end it. He wants our people rescued and cared for. He loves our children. He loves all children for that matter. They bring out something deeply good and protective in him, surprising even him sometimes. Our children make a lot of bad things good just by being here. His relationship with his genitors wasn't good all his life but it is now. One set of grandgenitors is still missing and the other found, though they are profoundly set in their ways, upholding the System of Exception to their detriment. They live here and we seldom see them."

Prowl nodded. "That sounds terrible. What happened to you that such a thing could transpire? Why are you here and not there, on Cybertron?"

"We were never free. We were held under the boot heel of oppressors in our most developmental and vulnerable stages and we never recovered. How can you be free when you never were? The oppressors were overthrown but the lessons they taught us were never examined, nor was our propensity to believe what they told us. We were a traumatized people from the beginning and only now are we rebuilding that which has been destroyed, both Cybertron and our own sparks."

Prowl stared at him, then nodded. "I am sorry for that."

A sound nearby caught there attention. Two tiny femmes were standing in the doorway holding servos. They walked in and lay their helms on Prime's leg. He petted them gently. "You are up early."

Sojourner nodded. Then she stared at Prowl. "Who is that, Atar?" she asked.

-0-The break of dawn on Cybertron, far far away

-0-Autobot City

"What do you mean, Sojourner?" Prime asked.

"That mech. He looks like Ada but he isn't." She looked upward at him as Solus stared with unblinking optics directly at Prowl. "He doesn't feel like Ada."

Prime glanced at Prowl who shrugged, helpless to add anything useful. "Can you tell the difference between this mech's energy and Ada?" Prime asked.

Both of them nodded, then glanced upward. "Where is Ada?" Solus asked in her tiny Minnie Mouse voice.

"Ada is working. This is a friend of Ada," Prime said. He picked them up and set them on the table. "Sit here and I will fix you breakfast."

They sat side-by-side staring at Prowl who stared back. Then they watched their big old pa work out the logistics of their tiny food. As they did, their brothers walked in including Miracle. They hugged Optimus, then stared at the familiar stranger. All of them could see and feel the difference, too. As Prime turned to explain, he got it at last as well. The aura around Prowl, that which signified who he was to all who saw him was slightly different. It was slightly off. "This is …" Prime paused.

"Ferrus," Prowl said. "I'm sometimes called Ferrus. Something about a stiff rod up … my back." He grinned slightly.

Prime felt the ghost of a smile but it never reached his lips. "Ferrus, these are our children … Rambler who is oldest, then T-Bar, Spirit, Miracle, and our daughters, Solus and Sojourner."

"I'm glad to meet you. I'm going to be here for a short while but not for long, I hope," he said as he acknowledged the kids.

"Are you going to stay with us?" Spirit asked as he leaned against Prime's leg.

"He is. Ada is off world doing things for the Autobots. He will be home soon. Very soon," Optimus said soothingly. As he did, the door opened and he could hear his genitor's voices. They walked in, hugged the kids, then glanced at their son as they took in the stranger. "This is Ferrus. He's going to be here a while. He represents another group of Autobots out in space. Prowl is going to be off world a few orns so we are making due."

"We can help you, son," Tagg said as he kissed the little femmes. They smiled upward at him, sitting on the table like two tiny fairies on a lily pad.

"Let us help, son." Kestrel looked at aka Prowl. "You bear a powerful resemblance to our son-in-law, Prowl. I am amazed myself."

Prowl/Ferrus grinned slightly. "I will take that as a compliment," he said to two people he knew very well and loved dearly. They were good friends of his own genitors.

Breakfast was well in servo when the call came to meet up in the conference room in the Ops Center. Leaving with reluctance for the work of clean up and gratitude his genitors were there to do it with the children, Prowl and Prime slipped out after he hugged and kissed his children and genitors. The door closed quietly behind them.

Tagg stared at the door as he helped the little femmes finish their food. "What an amazing coincidence that he looks so much like Prowl."

Kestrel who was cleaning things up on the counter nodded. "Really amazing and strange. Like his tattoos and etchings."

-0-Far away

They sat at a table in The Residence eating breakfast. It was a very strained affair for Prowl. Joining them was Sentinel. They chatted politely, then Sentinel took his leave, kissing Prime before he left. The door closed behind him. It was silent a moment, then Prime sat back. "I am sorry if Sentinel's presence sets off some sort of reaction in you that is harmful. He is not the one to whom you owe grievances."

"I know," Prowl said, "but its easier said than done, the forgiveness business. Sentinel was a very bad mech, more so than I can tell you, and I considered myself close to him once upon a time. A very bad time."

"Tell me," Prime said as he sipped his tea.

Prowl considered that, then threw caution to the wind. "I was the SIC for three or so Primes. Nova who ignored me, Nominus who dumped everything on me, Sentinel who used me when he wasn't ignoring me, and Optimus who treated me with grace and dignity. Sentinel was a rogue who liked to … what is it humans say? Notch his belt. He picked a prey and chased them until they dropped. I had a couple of relationships that were slag. They fizzled out, mercifully. Then I fell onto Sentinel's sensors when he ascended and it was tough fending him off. I didn't want a relationship, he did and in the end I gave up caring one way or the other. It was a terrible relationship, abusive and unsatisfying. In the end, we ended and it was like the skies turned blue again."

Prowl stared at Prime who was listening with compassion. He didn't know how he felt about that, the idea of pity and mercy, but he liked the look. Any look on Optimus's face he liked. Even if it wasn't his own Optimus. "He liked to slum … to go to the hardest and worst clubs, get drunk, fight, play cards, frag around … I don't think Sentinel liked being one of the few and privileged. He liked getting his hands dirty as they say. He liked danger, dangerous mechs and dangerous practices. He set his sights on a mech called Sunstreaker who is a split spark twin and a holy terror."

Prime nodded. "I know him. I know mine, that is. He's a very good artist who teaches art at the University of Iacon. His brother is a battalion commander in my army."

Prowl stared at him trying to cipher the strange information, then shook his helm. "Our Sunstreaker is a twin who was abandoned in Kaon at a Youth Center, broke out when he could with Sideswipe, created one of the most dangerous road rage gangs on Cybertron, and when it all went to slag joined the Autobots to get even. He's hardcore and the ada of my three grandchildren."

Prime nodded. "Very strange isn't it, the differences and the similarities."

Prowl nodded. "It is."

"We are going to the Temple in Simfur when the meeting is over. We need to go to the Citadel and meet in the big conference room. The team might have some news," Prime said as he stood. "Call me Orion in their midst. I give you leave. They tend to be deferential, which is one of the reasons I admire Sentinel so much. He is not." He walked to the door, then waited for Prowl to stand and follow. They walked out, down the corridor to the public rooms and out to the vehicle waiting for him. Entering, they sat and his driver began the short drive to Autobot HQ and a possible answer for all of this.

-0-The Fortress

They walked into the rec room and onward to the Ops Center, heading to the conference room where everyone was gathering. They entered it and the door closed as everyone put their processors together to solve this intractable problem.

-0-Citadel, Iacon

They reached The Citadel, then walked to the Primal Entrance where he usually arrived to avoid crowds. Walking inside, Prowl stared at the familiar and unfamiliar individuals and designs, buildings and equipment that greeted him. Up a glass elevator they went, then down a hall lined with offices and individuals working hard. They bowed to Prime as they passed, smiling at him with pleasure at his presence. It was becoming obvious to Prowl that Orion Pax/Optimus Prime was deeply and profoundly loved and respected here.

They reached a big conference room, then entered. As they did Prowl froze. Sitting or standing around the table with datapads and odd tattoos, Prowl could see the usual suspects … Wheeljack, Perceptor and a couple of techs he remembered from meetings with his own dimensional counterparts. What shocked him were the others waiting, all of them wearing Autobrands conspicuously. Waiting for Prime was Shockwave, Soundwave and Jhiaxus.

-0-TBC 9-3-18

ESL

cadging: to obtain something. Like a cuppa. :D

conspicuous: (cun-spick-you-us) easily seen or detected

intractable: (in-trac-tu-bl) something that doesn't appear solvable. Also, something that doesn't seem to end. "The Sahara is an intractable desert."


	461. Chapter 461

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 461)

-0-The Citadel, Autobot HQ, somewhere

" **You!"** Prowl stared at Shockwave, Soundwave and Jhiaxus as they walked through the door. He spun, then flipped up a gun but before he could point it a huge servo gripped his arm and the other pulled the gun away. He turned to strike, then stepped back defensively from Prime.

"They are my officers. This is not your universe. What holds true for you there does not hold here. Please … try and remember that," he said calmly. Prime held the gun out, waiting as the emotional torment in Prowl surged through him. "I did not take your guns as a courtesy to you and a show of trust. Do not make that trust regrettable."

Prowl took the gun, then subbed it. "You won't mind if I don't stand near them. The death of billions surrounds them."

Shockwave glanced at Prime with his single optic as the others shifted with unease. "What is happening, Lord Optimus?"

"Apparently, you are not like yourselves in his universe. You are criminals and killers," Prime said as he walked to the conference table nearby. He sat, then gestured for the others to come. They did.

Prowl stared at them, then eased over to a chair by itself, sitting down with deep tension suffusing him. It was silent a moment.

"What exactly did we do or should I ask?" Shockwave ventured as they all stared at Prowl.

"You murdered billions with Megatron and Soundwave. You, Jhiaxus, are the worst war criminal and despotic fragger in the history of our people. Shockwave looks the way he does because of you," Prowl said coldly. "I vowed to shoot you the moment I saw you. Imagine my surprise when you came through the door."

"It's not me," Shockwave said, glancing from Prowl to Prime, then Prowl once more. "That's not me. Its not us. We don't do such things."

"We know," Prime said. "It was shock." They sat a moment gauging the other, then Shockwave leaned slightly closer to Prowl. "What do you mean Jhiaxus is responsible for my appearance. I was disfigured from a lab accident vorns ago."

"Where I come from you were arrested for helping dissident scientists to hide. He tortured you, then put you through empurata. He removed your face and servos. Then threw you into the street. You had to fix your own hurts, your personality was destroyed from the torture of shadow play and you joined Megatron to burn Cybertron to the ground. You killed a billion mechs, femmes, children, babies … you are in deep stasis in our strongest security containment when we finally captured you. You will never see the light of day again. That's who you are where I come from. Jhiaxus did this to you and you became the scourge of the world from it."

Shockwave and Jhiaxus stared at him with horror until Prime rapped his knuckles on the table. Everyone glanced at him. "That is there," he said softly. "This is now. What do we know thus far?"

"We know that this is an inter dimensional rift caused by unknown means. It has somehow linked itself to some of us, probably those who were on board the fleet when we were first pulled across dimensions. Right now, this is strange physics but we are working on it with due diligence," Jhiaxus said as he stared at Prowl uneasily. "As for the question of popping in and out … we are no more clear on that than they probably are. I am unclear as well on the level of their science so it probably falls to us to do the heavy lifting," the mech said.

Prowl stared at the skeletal appearing slagger who he hated with every waking moment of his existence. The comment might not have been meant as an insult but it felt like one. "Our science is topnotch. Autobot science can match anyone."

"I meant no offense," Jhiaxus said.

"You are very emotional," Shockwave said. "Your volatility doesn't allow for a fundamental understanding of who you are to us. You might consider that and dial down the tone of your presentation."

"Thanks, war criminal," Prowl said with an acidic intensity. "What do you know about temporal rifts? Do you also have a region in space called the Barren or Rifts? The Dead Zone?"

They stared at him, then Shockwave shook his helm. "No, we do not."

Prowl considered that. "Some things are the same, some aren't. What about temporal disturbances? Have you had any or heard of them? I don't know you well enough to know what your science is capable of."

Prime smirked slightly at the jibe at his scientists as the door opened and Wheeljack entered to be followed by their version of Perceptor. They sat, then glanced around at the intensity of emotion in the room. "What did we miss?" Wheeljack asked.

"Fireworks, but we got past it," Prime said as he glanced at his officers. "What do you know yet, gentlemen?"

Wheeljack and Perceptor shrugged. "This is temporal rift territory. We noticed tachyons where we picked up this Prowl," Wheeljack said. "That means this is inter dimensional." He looked at Prowl. "What's happened at your end that would disturb dimensions and cause glitches in the system?"

Prowl stared at him. Percy and 'Jack appeared the same as his own. The differences seemed less apparent to him. "We have energy disturbances past our inner empire into trans dimensional rift zones that were caused, at least in theory, by large numbers of stars going supernova near several old and very large black holes. It would appear that space is torn there for want of a better word. Ordinarily, that would not be enough to cause the ruptures that are there but that area of space has never been normal. There are forces at work unseen or understood, different physics than anyone can decipher so its mapped and avoided.

"There's also a disturbed zone a distance away from our own colonial space, a massive area of stars and systems that fall within our sphere of influence. It's a long story but suffice it to say that it was disrupted when a highly advanced species … the infants of same attacked another there for an offense and blew a hole between dimensions that we're guarding until we figure out how to close it."

"What's on the other side?" Soundwave asked.

Prowl stared at him coldly. "Us. Another version of all of us."

"Interesting. The problems seem to match up sides … you with them and you with us. All of us are essentially the same but highly different as well. Whatever forces are at play do not seem to be pairing us with other species. Just us. Tell me about it. I am assuming that its significantly different than you and even us," Prime said.

"It is," Prowl said turning to Prime. "Everything is backwards to us, the whole thing. A shattered glass universe, we call it. We're the enemy there and the Decepticons lead by Megatron are the heroes. The war was waged differently there and the outcome was less disastrous for them than us. We have some of their criminals, those that can't be left with the new government led by Megatron. We hold them. We also hold you, Orion. We hold you in stasis. You are a craven and despotic maniac there."

The others in the room almost seemed mortally offended that Prowl had made such remarks about Optimus, even one that was him. Prowl stared at them with a tiny sense of amusement that he kept from his face. Touche, fraggers, he thought.

"They're different from you energetically. What have you observed as a consequence of them being held in your dimension?" Jhiaxus asked.

Prowl stared at him a moment, then looked at Prime. "Nothing has been disturbed by their presence. We're aware of temporal physics as it applies to both sides of that rift and we're getting better with each passing orn. Other than their bad attitude and assurances that they'll escape and kill us all in our berths, nothing else is apparent."

"That might be an angle. You're mixing different dimensional beings in different universes," Wheeljack said.

"The Pantheon can appear anywhere They want at any time and even all the time everywhere. We also have trans dimensional beings with our titanic frames and with Prime himself. He can go to the Matrix and other places as well. That has always been so," Prowl said.

"Titanic frames?" Perceptor asked.

Prowl stared at them, then Prime. "You don't have titanic sentient ships? Omega and the Supremes? Metroplex? The dreadnoughts … Cosmos?" he asked.

Prime shook his helm. "We do not. Please … explain them."

Prowl stared at him a moment, then thought about the soul of their species, the gentle giants who lived to serve The People and Prime. "They're immense. A dreadnought in ship format can be fifteen miles long. Omega and his siblings are nearly 700 feet tall when in root mode. Metroplex and his siblings are city-formers and none of them are less than one mile tall in root mode. We have thousands of them with us and in different dimensional places of repose. They can cross dimensions and make cities for us. They can establish colonies and defend us. They are … wonderful … remarkable. They're spark bound to serve Primes but they are fully sentient and have free will."

"We do not have such beings among us. They are sentient then?" Prime asked.

Prowl nodded. "They are."

It was silent a moment as they marveled at the news. "What other formats exist among you?" Wheeljack asked.

"Most of us are grounders though most grounders can fly if pressed. We also have Seekers," Prowl said.

"Seekers?" Perceptor asked. "What are Seekers?"

Prowl stared at them with astonishment. He leaned slightly forward. "You don't have Seekers?" he asked with amazement.

-0-Ops Center

They gathered and sat down, all of them staring at Prowl who stared back with a bit of discomfort. Prime glanced at him, then his officers. "What do we know and what can we do?"

"We don't know much. This is temporal which is a fragger," Wheeljack said. "We want you to wear a tracker that we worked out with Metroplex and Dangerous last night. We want to see if we can track you across dimensions. Maybe that can help us at least locate where you might be if you jump again."

Perceptor stood, then affixed a device to Prime's medical port. Then he turned to the strange but oddly calm Prowl watching him. "We have matched this to your personal energetic signature. It won't blow up if you slot it into your third neck port. We hope we can hone in on where you go when you jump. If you do."

Prowl took it, scanned it, then considered it carefully. When he was satisfied, he slotted it. He could feel it boot up but it didn't feel badly. Just slightly less than normal. He nodded. "We can try. Something tells me that this might be a lengthy situation with a few backs and forths involved."

"We can hope not but we've learned to be disappointed," 'Jack said as he sat. "What sort of temporal displacements do you know about on your end of things?"

Prowl shrugged. "None. We don't have any disturbed dimensional regions for enormous distances around settled space where we live. No one has this kind of tech and no one is allowed to do any kind of research on dimensional science without enormous oversight."

"Maybe that's part of it. Your oversight skipped a slagger with a workshop in his mama's basement," Ratchet said with a slight grin.

Prowl stared at him, then shrugged. "Maybe."

"You don't know who I am, do you," Ratchet said as he studied the figure sitting across from him.

"Am I supposed to?" Prowl asked.

It was leaden in the room. "Then Ratchet doesn't exist on your side of the divide?" Ironhide asked with discomfort.

"I don't know a Ratchet but I do know you, Ironhide. You and your family," Prowl said.

"What do you know about us?" Raptor asked with disquiet.

"We're all from Praxus so we know each other. I grew up with you, Ironhide, and attended the same schools. Your ada is Alor of Iacon, you are his grand appa, Raptor. Blackjack is your atar. Turbine is your grand amma. Hard Drive and Delphi are your great grand genitors," Prowl recited.

"If I'm not bonded to Ratchet," Ironhide said with dread. "Who am I bonded to, if anyone?"

Prowl stared at him, then glanced at the others. They were tense and expectant. "You are bonded to Springer and you have one son … Drift," Prowl said.

Ironhide stared at him, then Springer and Drift who looked as shocked as him. "No offense, boys, but frag that. That's two universes where we're bonded, Springer."

"Two?" Prowl asked.

"Maybe we need to take a walk," Prime said as he stood.

-0-TBC 9-4-18 :D

More reader note replies tomorrow. :D


	462. Chapter 462

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (462)

-0-Here

The walk across the airfield was silent in the group as Prowl took in the sights. Overhead, he could see with his optics the forms of not one but two big devices in space. "What are those orbital platforms? If I may ask?" he said glancing at Prime who walked beside him followed by everyone else.

"Those are Triggers … two of them. They are space bridge generators and retrievers with limitless distance possibilities," Prime replied.

Prowl glanced at him. "Are they inter dimensional?"

"Not to my knowledge, no," Prime said. "We have scientists here who are working on such a possibility. Two of them are your … your double's grandgenitors, Shadow and Zenith of Praxus."

"They work on such things here then," Prowl said. "Where are they now?"

"Estranged," Prime said quietly.

Prowl glanced at him but held his tongue. They continued onward toward a metro station near the courthouse that would take them to the prison in the distance. They wound through the busy field, then walked down steps toward a high security doorway on the platform. Entering it with the code, Prime led them inside to a train which they boarded. It started out automatically and headed east toward the prison complex in the distance. "This is an impressive colony. How long have you been here?"

"In Earth or Terran terms, 9 years. Not much time but we have 26,000,000 of our people living and working here along with nearly nine thousand humans. I made a call for soldiers when we first came to Earth and with them came refugees. This is the only safe and secure place to house them. We did not have Cybertron until a short time ago," Prime said as the train slowed to a stop. He led them out, then upward through a very highly secure station to the surface where Warden Gee-Gee waited with the intervention crew to assist. "Warden, we are in need of a visit to the special alternative prisoners."

Gee-Gee who was staring at Prowl nodded. "Of course. Follow me, please," she said as she stepped out into the Center toward an outside door nearby. They walked down a corridor left plain so that if prisoners came by train there would be few breakables if they were problematic. Outside they went to the newly paved road system that fed all the areas of the prison now.

They followed her as the intervention team chatted with the senior officers as they entered the huge fenced facility. It was evident to Prowl who stared at everything without comment that this held a number of very bad actors. The place was seething with bad energy and armed guards. They followed her northwestward, heading toward a set aside area that had any number of what he took to be warning and informational signs posted about who had or didn't have access to this part of the facility. He could read some of the messages but not all of it. Capturing a selection of signs internally, he set a corner of his processor to the job of figuring out this version of his own language.

That was when they began to enter a series of secured fences, towers filled with sharpshooters and other elements of maximum security.

-0-There

The meeting with the scientists was tense and inconclusive. Gathering what they could discern, they walked out to try to solve the problem. Prowl watched them go, then glanced at Prime. He was staring at Prowl with a curious expression.

"You appear to have difficulty separating us from your own versions. You **do** know that there are literally an infinite and unending number of universes related to us that go on forever. We can only focus our consciousness on this one as single universal entities, thus we do not know about the others. Every possibility for you and me plays out somewhere, but we can not know it because we are limited to one singular focus. The here and now," Prime said.

"Unless you're Primus," Prowl replied. "You **do** have a Primus?"

Prime grinned. "My brothers and sister exist here as They do everywhere else. Some things are universal whether we know them or not. Primus is a multiversal singularity. He can be in all places at all times and know what is happening in each."

"Can you?" Prowl asked.

Prime considered that. "I am His son, not His equal. Oddly enough, I have never thought to do such a thing."

"Can you go to my universe? Can you find a way with them to undo this travesty? There has to be a link between you, Optimus, me, and your Prowl," Prowl said with intensity.

"Maybe or maybe not. Right now, we are due to go to Simfur and the Temple. I am supposed to be there and you will come as well. Maybe we can get an answer there," Prime said as he stood.

Prowl stared at him, then stood himself. "Do you even **know** the question?" he asked before the two walked to the door to leave.

-0-Here

They walked through the highest security system that Prowl had ever seen. No where on his Cybertron or in the Empire were such things required. They didn't have criminals the likes he was seeing here as they passed lesser lock ups to get to this one. It was beyond in ways he never knew existed and he was no pilgrim or naive kid. They halted as the last gate was opened, then followed Prime inside. In the distance inside the three highly charged security ring fences were a number of barracks. Some of the inmates were inside and some appeared to be empty.

Prime stared at them, then continued onward with the crowd and Prowl following. He approached the cell block where alt Springer was standing by the fence watching as they approached. He grinned but it didn't reach his optics. "Prime … what brings you here? I didn't know you slummed. In this universe, that is."

Prowl stared at them, then Prime. "What is this? Who is this Springer?"

"He is the opposite figure of our own and he is here because he is a dangerous mech who would create murder and mayhem if left where he was before. He is from a universe where everything is backwards to what exists here. We have agreed to take the worst cases into custody from there while Megatron, the reverse image of our own rebuilds and reorganizes his version of Cybertron and the Empire. We gained access to them through the dimensional rift. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened?" Prime said.

Prowl nodded, then stepped closer. "Springer."

Springer grinned again. "Prowler. How's Sentinel? I heard that fragger got recalled."

Prowl glanced at Prime.

"We held a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances. The Pantheon weighed in, then recalled Sentinel and three others. They are in the Matrix and away from any opportunities to harm anyone else again, such was the level of their offenses," Prime said.

Prowl nodded. He looked at Springer. "You appear to be like mine and like Prime's. Yet you appear to be intensely malevolent. Do you have temporal rifts where you come from and if so, where are they located?"

"Why would I tell you?" Springer asked as the barrack's door opened and a very energetically negative Ironhide stepped out, then down to walk to the group.

"Because there's a process going on where some of us are jumping without consent between dimensions. That might include you, slaggers, because you aren't in your own dimension either. I'm not from these parts you might have noticed," he said in a faint echo of a policeman all of them knew and missed.

Alt Ironhide who had paused beside alt Springer considered that. "Might be fun."

"I don't know," alt Springer said with a grin. "Might be slag. What sort of mech is your Springer. Prime, here, has a first class slagger himself. Apparently, I'm the only one with bearings." He grinned as Ironhide snickered.

"What about me? Do I come and go, too? Should I pack my gear just in case?" alt Ironhide asked.

His counterpart standing beside Ratchet on Prime's side of the fence stepped closer. "You'll never get out of here alive, slagger. Count on it."

"If you say so, handsome," Alt Ironhide replied with a cold grin. "Though I **will** say, I'm **that much** handsomer than you."

"No, you aren't," Ratchet said equally coldly.

"We can find out what we need from Megatron. I think we need to reconvene in the Operational Center," Prime said as he turned to go.

"Why go so fast? There's still the rest of us to interview," alt Springer said as Prime marched onward followed by everyone else.

It took a few moments to get out to the Center again, then Prime turned to Perceptor and Wheeljack with a tense expression. "What are the odds that they will be included in a jump, too?" he asked.

The expressions on everyone's faces were shocked and concerned as they waited for Wheeljack and Percy to confer off line. "I don't know," Wheeljack said. "We better hit them with the kill switch, Ratchet, before we regret it and put them into stasis with a few parts missing so that even if they slip away they can't be rebooted."

"Do it," Prime said tensely.

Ratchet with Gee-Gee and the intervention team ran for the gates, then the rest followed including Prime and Prowl. It seemed to take forever to get through the gates, then they were close enough for Ratchet to act. Pulling a device, he programmed it, then sent the message. Before them into the distance, everyone of the alt prisoners fell to the ground who were in line of sight. The rest were inside and should be found there as well.

Prime sprinted for alt Springer and alt Ironhide's barracks cell, then slid to a stop. Lying on the ground cold and off line was alt Ironhide, but alt Springer was missing. Prime spun and stared at his Springer who was still here bearing his own tattoos. "Open the door, Warden," Prime said.

Gee-Gee opened the door and Prime ran inside followed by his posse and Prowl. He ran to the barracks, then opened the door, gun in servo. Standing inside looking dazed was a Springer. This Springer wore the same tattoos as Prowl. The Springer from the mirror universe was no where to be found. Prime clenched his fists tightly. The only other place he could be was where their Prowl was.

It was an awful silence in the barracks as the others came to the same conclusion.

-0-There

He came out of the berth room and walked to the monitor. Standing in the living room nearby, Alt Springer watched a familiar stranger stop to check the mail. He didn't say a word as he looked around in shock. He had no idea where he was but he was in a great apartment with Ironhide. Someone's Ironhide, not his own.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to get going?" Ironhide asked with a grin.

Springer stared at him, then nodded. "I'm on it," he said, then walked to the door. Glancing back, he stepped out into a beautiful corridor in a beautiful tower. Running to the elevators, he went down to the ground floor, crossed an elegant and expensive lobby, then outside onto the busy streets. He was in Iacon and he wasn't. Ironhide was Ironhide and he wasn't. He considered what Prime and Prowl had said, then knew he wasn't on Mars or anywhere near it any longer. He felt pangs for his Ironhide, but he also knew he couldn't do anything about it now. Stepping out briskly, he quickly faded into the morning crowds almost immediately.

-0-Also there

They reached the steps of the Temple having flown in moments earlier, taking a state car to the site. There were a lot of individuals there. They were waiting for Prime and everyone bowed deeply to see him. The priests almost couldn't look at him, so reverently did they greet Prime. Everyone welcomed him, most of them new to Prowl, then he walked inside with Prime. The place had been cleared and the way forward was straight. It looked just like their own but one thing was missing right away. The AllSpark wasn't there to turn in silent rotation over the azure and misty blue of the Well of AllSparks. Prowl slowed as he noted that, then followed Prime as he reached the stairs and began to descend. Their peds echoed in the huge building as they disappeared from sight.

-0-TBC 9-5-18 **edited 9-7-18**

I will reply to notes tomorrow. My dachshund, Timmy, had a crick neck and I had to take him to the vet. He's in great shape but the visit ate into my free time. All's well that ended well, thank Primus. :D I will post them tomorrow. Nighty night. :D


	463. Chapter 463

The Diego Diaries: Inter Space (dd6 458)

-0-Here

Standing inside looking dazed was a Springer. This Springer wore the same tattoos as Prowl. The Springer from the mirror universe was no where to be found. Prime clenched his fists tightly. The Springer with the weird extra tattoos stumbled forward, then halted. Prime was there, Prowl was and others. He looked confused, then glanced around. "Where am I?"

Prowl stepped forward. "Where I am."

"Where's that?" this Springer said.

"Come outside and let Ratchet look at him," Prime said as he walked back out. The others including Prowl, the alternative version followed. As they stepped out, alt Springer slowed. Staring at him as he stared himself, a tall perfect version of himself stood next to Drift. Then he didn't. That Springer vanished immediately.

Drift who was next to his bond spun and grasped at the thin air. **"SPRINGER!"** he yelled but it was too late.

It was sickeningly silent for a moment, then Drift pulled a sword and walked toward the two doppelgangers with a blood lust. "Where's Springer, slaggers? Tell me before I cut you into tiny pieces."

Hard Drive stepped between them. "Drift, they won't know. We can assume he exchanged places with this one."

Drift glanced at the alternatives, then Hardie. "How can that be? The other Springer did that with this one."

"Not necessarily," Ratchet said as he stood beside Ironhide. He was thinking, then turned toward Wheeljack and Perceptor. "What if … how do I articulate this? What if the exchanges going on are between their dimension and ours because of external factors unknown as yet. They appear to be between like energetic personalities. Prime and Prowl switch places with Prime and Prowl. Now Springer. Their Springer changed places with the alternative Springer from Megatron's dimension while our Springer wasn't in the cabin with them. Do you follow me so far?"

The scientists nodded but the others listened with confusion, some of them with real fear on their faces. Ratchet thought a moment. "When your alt Springer, Prowl, showed up he had changed places with another alt Springer from Megatron's world. He had swapped, at least from this world to yours. We also have our own and he was standing here just now in proximity to the other two. That's three Springers occupying the same dimensional space. Though they might be different in energetic signature, they're still Springer, all three of them. Maybe two can alternate and not cause problems but three? Obviously, the jumping indicates that like energies can't occupy the same space at the same time even if they differ a little or we would have all three here still."

"Then how can these slaggers from Megatron's universe do that?" Drift asked as he nodded to the other alternative individuals sent over by Megatron for storage who were laying on the ground all over the place.

"The universe has energetic signatures that signify where all of us belong. I would wager that the universe alternative Megatron occupies is close if not next door to our own, thus we differ much less than you," Ratchet said to Prowl who was listening closely. "You're farther away, your signatures are even less compatible. Given that you switch, that indicates you can't be in the same space with us at the same time because there's too much that's different. They can," Ratchet said nodding to the others who were gathering at their fences to watch. "I would also suggest that when you come too close together, it triggers a jump."

"They're closer to us than you, Prowl, energetically. Also, consider that there were three Springers here a moment ago, two relatively compatible and one," he said nodding to Prowl's Springer, "one who might not be. Something had to give. We're not multiversal singularities. Primus can exist in all universes at the same time and know what's going on in each while He's doing it. We can't. Our consciousness can only exist in one, the one we belong to or one that's at least partially able to sustain us. Springer is with our Prowl on your world," Ratchet said to Prowl and Springer. "He had to go because you two can't exist at the same time here with the other. Three came at once, two were moved."

"Then where is the fragger Springer from Megatron's Cybertron?" Drift asked anxiously.

"I would expect he's either back in his own universe with Megatron or on world with your Prime," Ratchet said to Prowl. "It would seem that the trigger to sending one off would be proximity to each other. When this Springer walked up toward our own, only then did our Springer leave. I think I have a processor ache."

"I think you're on the right path," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded.

"We have to tell Prime. This mech is a maniac. Correct?" Prowl asked with rising tension and disquiet.

"He is," Ratchet replied.

"What's going on? What the frag is this place? Prowl … what's …" He paused as he noticed Ironhide. "Ironhide. What's going on-" He stared at Drift noticing at that moment of rising clarity that he wasn't the same youngling boy that was his own and Ironhide's. " **Drift?** " he asked with rising incredulity.

"We need to sit down and figure this out. I want these mechs parted out, Ratchet. Take what they would need to function if for some reason they jumped. I do **not** want anyone who might receive them to try to bring them around. Put a reboot message in them warning whoever might find them that they cannot be brought to sentience. Can you do that and still maintain their lives and well being?" Prime asked.

Ratchet nodded. "I can. In fact, the techs can do it. I think I want to hear this, Prime. I don't think I really know what I'm talking about but I feel like I have a glimmer and I want to hear more from him and Prowl," he said nodding to Springer whose gaze was fixed on Ironhide and Drift.

"Very well," Prime said. "The rest of us will return to The Fortress. Join us as you can," Prime said as he turned to the others. "Let us go now."

Prowl gripped Springer's arm and led him forward with the others. He stared at Ironhide, then Prowl. Slowing, he turned to Ironhide. "What's going on? Ironhide … Drift. What's-"

"Come on," Prowl said. "I'll explain it when we get there," he said.

Springer reluctantly followed Prowl to the gates and beyond. Behind them, Ratchet walked to the gates of the barracks nearby with the intervention team to disable those closest to him. Techs who were bridging in would handle the rest and they would be warehoused in high security stasis units in the prison medical center nearby. Only then would anyone on the senior staff relax.

-0-There

The Temple was quiet. Prowl had never accompanied Prime on his spiritual duties here either in the past or present. It was strange to stand beside him now. This mech had acknowledged himself a god and was treated with deferential reverence here by all that saw him. Even the mechs who were part of the command team loved him in the way one would a holy being. He took it in stride. He was a good mech, that Prowl could tell but he wasn't Optimus. Not the one he knew and loved.

Prowl considered his bond a holy being, too, but also a mech. He was an absolutely remarkable mech, Optimus Prime, with few flaws that either mattered or counted. To Prowl, they didn't. He didn't like that Prime would hold so hard to the idea that everyone in trouble needed him. Sometimes, you couldn't defend or save them all. He was as affected as Prime by things and what they came across but he also was the practical slagger who had to make the ships fly and allocate resources to a vast army over great distances. He didn't have the luxury of doing much beyond those limitations so he locked up a lot and didn't examine it.

 **NOW** he did.

Now was different, but then? He had a reputation as a cold-sparked dagger but it wasn't always his fault. It had made him hard in some ways and keeping the emotional debris of a life lived in strain, conflict and war contained and managed was difficult. 'Stick up his aft Prowl' was a hard earned moniker given to a mech who in some ways had carried the slagging war on his back, making things work, pulling things together often in minutes and with a shoe string budget. All of that was unappreciated most of the time.

Now it was.

Bonding with Prime had saved his spark. It had taken care of a lot of things and being a father was the next most important act of self preservation and self love that he had undertaken. The children were the stars in his constellation but the one who shown brightest was the big self effacing, wise, gentle, smart, able, brave, loving, and luminous mech, Orion Pax. "You have no AllSpark."

Prime glanced at him. "I do not know what that is."

"It's a giant cube. Some call It that but Its the AllSpark. Optimus told me what It was. Its as old as the universe, all universes perhaps and Its the place where The One comes when He wishes to be among us. Apparently, the magnificence of that individual is too much for mortal beings to handle so this is the solution," Prowl said. "We reverence It. It can grant life and take it. It's a vast and powerful entity that's a major … **THE** major prestige point of our Primes. To have It without scrupulous ethics is to put that entire universe, perhaps all of them into imminent danger."

They stared at the Well, then Prime turned to face him. "You have points of convergence and then you have differences. Each universe, each dimension does. They have similarities and somehow in that, we will find the solution to this."

"Why did you come today, Orion?" Prowl asked as he stared at the undulating blue surface of the portal to the soul of Primus, Gateway to The One.

"I have to speak to my siblings. If you will wait here, I will go. It is time," Prime said.

"Can They help us?" Prowl asked.

"I do not know. Nothing happens to someone without purpose. You may not know it at the time but every event in your life was chosen before you left the Matrix. There is wisdom here, things to learn for all of us. They might or not tell me because they cannot interfere in our lessons. I will ask," Prime said.

Prowl nodded, then watched as Prime turned to the Well. He began to chant, then he vanished. Prowl had seen Optimus both vanish or stand entranced while in communion with the Matrix and the Pantheon. Both were ways to go to The Source Of All Things. He stared at the empty space, then walked to the stairs nearby. Sitting down slowly, he leaned back against one to wait. He never felt more alone or lonely in his life.

-0-Conference Room

Ratchet entered after they had been together a moment. "All of them are disabled enough that they would need a real doctor or technician to reboot. I added a message that these individuals were dangerous criminals and they needed to remain in stasis. They're going to the med center for warehousing until this works out." He sat next to Ironhide, then stared at alt Springer and Prowl. "Do you understand what's happened, Springer?"

Springer who was staring at Ironhide and Drift with duress looked at Ratchet. "No. I don't. Much. Who are you?"

"Well," Ratchet began, "in this dimension, I'm your ada. This is my bond, Ironhide and we have about 57 children including Drift here who is your bond."

Springer flinched, then stared sharply at Ironhide and Drift before looking at Ratchet again. "Ironhide is my bond and Drift is our son."

"Not here," Prowl said. "We're in the twilight zone, Springer. Something is messing with us temporally and we're here. Nothing is too different but a lot is." He looked at Prime. "Springer is chief of security for Cybertron and the Empire back home."

"He is here as well," Optimus replied.

"What about the Wreckers?" Raptor asked. "What about us? Do you recognize anyone here? What do we do there?"

Springer looked around, then stared at Raptor. "I know everyone in this room but you," he said glancing at Ratchet. "We're general staff for Prime, most of us. I don't know what the Wreckers are."

It was silent in the room.

-0-There

Springer glanced around. He wasn't at the prison with the others watching himself stagger out of a barracks. He was standing in an apartment somewhere else. He walked with tension and stealth from a berth room filled with pictures, art and familial what not and walked down a long corridor of what had to be a very big apartment, high caste in quality if not feeling. There was warmth here and family love, something that he remembered from his own life with a loving and large family. Pausing to look into a big berth room that apparently was home to a young person who liked sports, books and swords, he continued. As he reached the door to the home office a voice called out. "Springer. Didn't you just leave?"

Springer felt static run up and down his spinal strut as he turned to face a familiar individual. "I, uh … I came to get ..."

Ironhide grinned at him. "You need a tune up, mech. You have to get Drift."

"I know. I just forgot … I have a processor ache," Springer said, which wasn't a lie.

"You want me to get him?" Ironhide asked as he stroked Springer's arm.

Springer who was struggling not to jump out of his exoskeleton in surprise at the nature of Ironhide's gesture shook his helm. "Uh, no. The thing will do me good. Now where is he?"

Ironhide stared at him, then grinned. "You're hilarious. Get him at school and I'll meet you at the office. We're going to Polyhex right after I check the slate. Your genitors want us in time for dinner."

Springer nodded numbly, then turned to go. Ironhide gripped his arm, then kissed him gently. "You need to get more sleep, slagger."

Springer who was frozen in place nodded. "I will. I know. I'll get him." With that, he walked to the door and left.

Ironhide watched him go, then shook his helm. "Slagger. Hurry up," Ironhide said with a grin, then walked back into his office to work on reports for Prime.

Outside, Springer stood rooted to the sidewalk as the words rang like howitzers in his skull: 'your genitors want us in time for dinner'. Everything in him was determined to run like the wind and perhaps find the other Springer, the killer bond of alternative Ironhide before he created a mess here. Then the magic words were spoken. 'Your genitors'. He waffled as he stood on the sidewalk of Iacon, then he saw a information kiosk nearby. Running toward it, he began to research a number of things … Ironhide, himself, Drift who was their 'son', and his genitors in Polyhex. In the end, alternative Springer would have to wait.

He would go to Polyhex and see his family again.

-0-TBC 9-6-18 **edited 9-7-18**

NOTE REPLIES TO COME TOMORROW! :D


	464. Chapter 464

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 464) (Sorry. Tired last night.) :D

-0-Iacon, far away

Springer stared at the school building nearby where kids were leaving, some with genitors and others alone or with their friends. A young kid was waiting there, a smaller less mature and filled out version of Drift. A terrible pang went through him as he watched the youngster. Thoughts of Drift being young and on his own, vulnerable to bad influences and with fewer resources than he had himself came to him. Drift's genitors were hard working but they drank. They were also in and out of jail and were tough. He was often on his own and even though they clearly loved him and said so often, they weren't the stalwart figures kids need to become adults without issues.

At that moment, Springer hated Sentinel and all of them with all his spark. Here was a Drift with good genitors who sent him to a school that would allow him entrance, who provided a home and contact with grand genitors. He crossed the street, then slowed as the youngster noted him. He was standing by himself as other kids walked out. Coming down the steps, he walked to Springer. "Ada … are we going to Amma and Appa's house?" the kid asked as he stared upward at Springer.

Springer stared at him, at the youthful face of the only bot he ever loved with all his spark. "We are. We better book it," he said as he turned to go. The kid fell in beside him as they walked down the street. "How was school?"

The kid frowned. "Awful."

"Tell me," Springer said as he slowed. They halted and stepped out of the traffic flow of people walking here and there. "What happened?"

"The usual," he said grimly. "I don't want to fight. They want me to fight. I hate school."

Springer considered that. "Have you told your- … Atar? Talk to him."

"I don't want to. He thinks I need to stand up to them. I don't like fighting. I don't want to do it," Drift said with a stubborn set of his jaw. His handsome face was entrancing at this stage of his youth. There was no Deadlock intervening period. This kid always was and ever would be just Drift.

"What about the school?" Springer asked as a sensation of protection reared itself in his spark. This kid was … Drift.

"You already went, remember? They said if they don't see it, how can they fix it?" Drift said with emotion.

He was young, perhaps just entering sub adulthood from his youngling stages, Springer thought. He was tall for his age and it might account for some of this. Maybe. "Oh. Right. Come on. We're heading out. Frag them for now."

Drift stared at him, then grinned slightly. "Swearing. I thought you and Atar weren't going to do that around me."

"Don't tell him," Springer said as he headed onward. The youngster walked with him looking and feeling energetically a bit better. They reached the subway station and went down disappearing from view.

-0-Elsewhere

Alt Springer from the Mirror Universe sat on a train heading toward Kaon. The world was a lot like his own but different. Strange but familiar. When he got to Kaon he would hide in the clubs. Maybe he could make his way back to the top of his faction. He led the biggest extortion racket on Cybertron before. What would stop him here? The boys should be there and it wouldn't take much time to get back on top. He rode in the train eyeballing the good looking mechs sitting around the car. He missed Ironhide but they had an agreement. If neither one was there to scratch that itch, getting someone else to do it was fine. The only rule? No one else could take each others place. Say what you would about both he and Ironhide, Ratchet was right.

They were one.

The train zoomed onward.

-0-Mars

It was silent in the room as they stared at Springer. He was tense and silent himself. Prowl was thinking, then he turned to Ratchet. "You don't exist in our world. Do you in the others? The alternative … what do you call their universe?"

"Mirror image. Things are pretty identical but when we stare at each other, we get a backward image," Ratchet replied.

Prowl nodded. "Let's plot the universes then. Starting with ours, we're peaceful, prosperous with all including other species, part of confederations and councils that protect others, especially emergent ones like the humans. We're cultured, have no incidences of war in our past, are advanced technologically, and are ruled as we were from the start by a god. We have a senate and a number of councils that assist the leadership of our empire which was gathered by agreement and settlement, not force but Optimus Prime is the leader and godhead of our species."

"The alternate universe has many similarities to ours," Ratchet said. "They have all the same people and then some, though their titanic frames are not huge but our size. You don't have them at all, nor Seekers. All of us in this room exist there and here, but I don't exist in your universe. Some of us are bonded to others or not bonded. Your Prime isn't. He has a relationship with Sentinel Prime who was a terrific war criminal here, recalled by the Pantheon and The One. Those groups exist in all three universes.

"They have war but it didn't devastate their universe. The Autobots are the bad guys and the Decepticons are the good. They both exist here but the 'Cons don't in yours. They've gotten a handle on their conflict and ended it relatively intact. We didn't. We're sifting the debris to rebuild and Megatron still exists. Their Megatron is the good guy and ours evil incarnate. We can exist with the others, the alternatives in close proximity and you can't. Their images of us are evil but they must be more like us energetically than you because we've stood face to face and nothing happened. We didn't get yanked around like you. You must be so much different in some unknown way that you can't exist in the same space with your counterparts here."

"But Springer is likely with the good guy Prime," Raptor said.

"For the sake of this discussion, let's call him Orion," Ratchet said as all nodded.

"That's his life name," Springer said. "His regnal name is Optimus Prime."

"Same here," Ratchet replied. "I would say … alt Springer is enough odd energetically perhaps to spark a jump in proximity to one of you because of the distance your universe is from ours and his," Ratchet said to Prowl and Springer. "If he gets close enough, the dichotomy begins … they can't occupy the same space and he's flung into the other dimension."

"So all we have to do is hope he comes close to your Springer if he's in our dimension and gets flung back here. That way, I go home. The same with Prowl," Springer said.

"Yes," Ratchet said. "Maybe. But consider this … how does that happen? How do we get close enough to spark the jump? And, what started this in the first place? Even if we can do that, what prevents the process from continuing?"

"The alien babies … when they ruptured space," Wheeljack said.

"Or its the Benzuli striking out, hitting on strange energy," Ratchet said. "We don't know what the frag it all means yet. We have to figure this out but I think a real good look at your energetic signature, those of the alt prisoners and our own is a good first step."

Perceptor nodded. "I agree. We have to start from ground zero which is the jumpers."

"What do you theorize about the possibility of others jumping? What about children or elders?" Hardie asked.

It was appalling, the energy in the room for a moment. Ratchet stared at Prowl and Springer. "Tell us about the families of the senior staff. It would appear that we're being targeted here almost."

"I have a son, Drift," Springer said. "Most of the senior staff are in bonds but there aren't many kids. Just a few of us."

"No babies, then," Hardie asked.

"No. Drift is the youngest kid in the group of us and he's just sub adult," Springer said as Prowl nodded.

Ratchet relaxed. "Good. Then we don't have that worry."

"We just have to get home," Springer said. "My son is going through a difficult time right now and I have to go home."

Prowl nodded. "We'll get back. Its processor over matter."

"Then we get on it," Prime said. Everyone rose to go including Springer and Prowl. Prime watched them go, then rose himself to follow. The entire time he thought about what was happening to Prowl and Springer.

-0-Springer and Drift

They walked into the apartment again, then Drift walked to his room. Ironhide wasn't there. When Drift walked out, he sat down across from Springer who was sitting tensely on a couch, a very expensive couch in a very expensive apartment. Drift stared at him. "Will you tell Atar? I don't want to go to school this way. I want to just go there for sports and learning, not fighting with mechs who won't leave me alone."

"Who are they?" Springer asked.

"Just some idiots. Their genitors are on the city council. They think they're important," Drift said with typical teenaged angst.

"Give me their names," he said as he subbed a small data wafer and tossed it to the kid. "Names, addresses and offenses. Do it."

Drift sat up brightening a bit. "What are you going to do, Ada?" he asked.

Springer grinned at him. "Nothing you need to know. Just do it and don't tell anyone else."

Drift began to fill out the details when the monitor rang. Springer rose, then walked to it. He looked at the panel, then pressed a button that he hoped worked.

Ironhide's face appeared. He grinned. "Hey. Come to the airport. I have the runabout. We can fly to Polyhex now."

"On it," Springer said, then Ironhide cut the circuit. Watching the kid out of the corner of his optic, Springer made a search through a lot of personal stuff until he had enough information to function. He also noticed from the images there that he wasn't covered in the right tattoos.

"I have them all," Drift said as he rose to hand the disk to his ada. He frowned slightly. "What happened to your paint scheme, Ada?"

Springer looked down and was about to speak when Drift did. "Is that for the new thing you're doing with the detectives?"

"It is," Springer said hoping that was as far as it would go. "Come on. Let's go." He headed for the door as he subbed the disk. Walking out with the gangling youth, they made their way downward, outward, then downward again. Walking through a pristine metro station, he let the youngster board the proper train, then entered as well. It was a short ride to the local commercial airport and a shorter walk to their personal runabout.

"What took you so long? Your ada is going to clap my helm," Ironhide said as he held the door for his son.

Drift hugged him, then climbed in to buckle up. Springer walked around, then entered the passenger side. He sat, then buckled in. Tamping down his emotional subroutines and overall nervous tension, he watched as Ironhide climbed in and did the same. "How was school, Drift?" Ironhide asked as he got the vehicle ready to fly.

Drift frowned. "I don't want to talk about it, Atar."

"Later," Ironhide said as he glanced at Springer. "We have to do something about this."

"He doesn't want to fight," Springer said as Ironhide got clearance and they began to move. "He shouldn't have to do that just to go to school."

"I hear ya," Ironhide said as he rose into the air and flew their vehicle into the traffic heading upward to the peak point of altitude that would allow them to glide back down into Polyhex. It was silent a moment. "I'm going to talk to Marsio's genitors sooner or later. City council be fragged."

Springer glanced over his shoulder at the cute youngster in the backseat playing a game on a handheld device. "I'll be your alibi."

They began to descend into Polyhex. Springer stared at it with a sense of homesickness he hadn't felt in a long time. He was looking at a familiar, unfamiliar place. They came in to land, then from there walked to the train station that would take them to his genitor's home. Springer was solemn and silent, alternating between agonizing need to see his genitors again and a searing fear about what he could do to screw this up. They rode in comfortable silence, at least for Ironhide, then got off at the station that Springer had used when he went to school.

That is, the period of time allowed to mid caste kids, that is. How would they do the mercantile and other businesses ventures if they didn't have at least some schooling?

It was a familiar street that they walked and a semi familiar building that would take them up to the apartment they had here. Their store, if they still had one was a mile and a half away in the business sector and here in the mid caste district of Harrow or Hooterville (the Cybertronian equivalent thereof) as some called it, they kept their home. It wasn't high caste but it was worlds and universes away from that of Ratchet, Magnus, Drift, and Prime.

They went into the lobby which looked the same but was incredibly high end. The elevator took them upward and they stepped off into a lobby that was equally as beautiful. Ironhide took Drift's device as he stepped out playing it as he did. The youngster frowned at him, then sulked as they walked down the hallway. Reaching the door that Springer knew was his own, he girded himself and lowered his emotions a bit more.

Ironhide rapped on the door, then it opened. He grinned. "We're here," he said as he was pulled inside. Drift was next, then Springer with a tingling sensation on his neural net stepped inside as well. That was when his ada turned from his grandson to envelope him in his embrace. Springer gripped him tightly, his optics shuttered against the sight of everyone and everybody at once. All he could do was hold his ada tightly.

-0-TBC 9-8-18


	465. Chapter 465

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 465)

NOTE: Paradoxes are slaggers to read and write, though this one didn't leave me alone. These threads weave in and out of each other. I am going to tag this better so you can know who everyone is and where they are. :D

-0-On a dimensional plane far away

They watched the various timelines in the company of Vector the Time Master. It was perplexing and difficult to see but in the swirl of timelines and various possible outcomes to outcomes to outcomes, the calculations were being made. He turned to His brother, the leader of Their band. "What do You wish to do now? There are a number of possibilities."

Prima stared at the different groups facing different situations not of their own making and shook His helm. "Nothing at the moment. We would disturb things more if We intervene right now. They have hooked up, each individual involved, and the timelines are changed. We will when the moment comes. I want to deal with Him at once, He and His minions. He has no respect for The People. This is unacceptable."

Onyx nodded. "We can take the individuals on but the tears in time… they are difficult."

Prima nodded. "They are. He will find my wrath difficult as well," He said coldly. "Very difficult indeed."

-0-At a party

They walked into the apartment and the open arms of his family. The house was better than the one they had, though their home wasn't very bad in his own timeline. It was actually pretty good since he wasn't high caste but this one was planetary diameters better, great even. He stared at his ada who grinned at him, then he frowned. "Springer … what is this?" He looked at the mech's armor.

"Camo," Springer managed before his atar embraced him tightly.

-0-Kaon, same dimension (Shattered Glass Springer - SGSpringer)

The alternative Springer from the mirror universe found himself inside a strange town as he walked through the same neighborhoods that once were part of his plunder zone. Where there was despair and criminality brought about through the corruption of Optimus Prime, here was only beauty, a whirl of businesses and an urban vibe that was filled with hope and peace. It was sickening. He trudged around looking at clubs that were actual clubs, not the hangouts of criminals who were working their turf.

In his version of Kaon and the surrounding areas, there wasn't so much a destruction of property like that of the Martian Cybertronians but rather the destruction of spirits, souls and hopes. They extorted and robbed, went wherever they wanted and took whatever they saw that appealed. The area here was much more beautiful and vibrant than his own even before the ascension of his criminal Optimus to Prime. This place looked like theirs would if someone in charge had actually always fulfilled their charter.

He paused on a sidewalk, then headed for a kiosk. Finding the address of a mech he ran with, he walked down the street to the club he operated. Pausing before The Keyhole, he glanced around. There were nice looking civilian youngsters hanging in the clubs and walking about, those who looked like they never stole so much as a match stick along with others, those who lived in the towers around and those who worked or shopped here. It was a profound disconnect to him. He entered the bar, stepping into something that would make no sense at all where he lived.

Instead of criminals sitting around with pleasure bots, minor local crooks, crooked politicians who didn't feel the need to hide their associations, and danger junkies from around the area, there were what appeared to be normal citizens sitting in the bar or eating food in the lounge. There were games in a corner and soft music played. The smell of substances was missing, replaced by the smell of food that was actually enticing. The floors were clean and the walls had no holes in them. The furniture looked almost new though he doubted that it was. Youngling mechs and a sweet looking femme brought food and drinks, took orders and chatted happily with the customers. Behind a bar nearby, one of two that wrapped around the corner of the wall, the mech he was looking for was busy wiping the bar down.

That alone told him he was in the wrong place.

Walking to the bar, he leaned against it. The bartender, a mech named Battletrap grinned. "What can I get ya, Springer?"

"Whatever's good," Springer said as he watched the Duocon walk to the dispenser and pull a tall one. Walking back, he set it before him. "How's business? What's crime like around here?"

"Business is booming as usual," the duo changer said. He was a tall mech, big and tough looking who had two formats, both of which he had never used, though he was in the Peace Keepers, the nickname for the Autobot Armed Forces as a reservist. "You should know better than to ask. There's no crime around here. This is Kaon. Though, I would like to report taggers. They like to draw pictures on the walls in the alley. Some of them are good."

Springer sipped the beer, a Praxian Black Label of all things, then nodded. This mech could become an Apache-style helicopter and a heavy duty pickup truck. He had slagging tough weapons but this mech was no one he knew. This one talked about peace and taggers, not mayhem, extortion and war. "I'll get someone on it."

"Thanks," he said with a grin. "How's Ironhide? How's that nice kid of yours?"

"Both are good," Springer replied. "You know how it is."

"I do. My mech is due to separate in a decaorn. Kid number five," Battletrap said proudly. "Can I get you some food?"

"No, actually," Springer said as he stood. "I have to get to a meeting. I'm just checking out businesses to see if things are good. What do I owe you?"

Battletrap laughed, then shook his helm. "You're a kidder, Springer. Take care and come back again. Bring Ironhide and we'll beat you both at darts again."

Springer smirked at the implied flaw in his game, then nodded. "Thanks. Say hi to everyone for me."

"I will," Battletrap said with a grin and a wave. He took Springer's glass, then walked to the back of the big bar.

Springer slowed as he reached the door to stare at the rest of the place. He glanced around at the classy club, then walked out. He felt the first stirrings of real fear for the first time in ages.

-0-Later that night (Martian Springer - MSpringer)

Springer stood by the window staring into the night. Iacon was an immensely beautiful city any time of the orn but night was magical. Ships flew through the sky in approved lanes overhead while the lights of towers and buildings glittered. In the distance, Springer saw them disappear into the darkness of night, fading away in sight toward the city of Tarn.

They had a wonderful time at the dinner with Springer mostly watching and listening to his genitors, his grand genitors and uncles. There were adult children for all of them here, none of which he knew. When the war came, they had no children which was fortunate, only a sub adult Springer who had been separated while they were still in business. They were always talking about having them when 'things got better'. They would have had Galaxy Industries not taken their business away. It was hard sledding to keep everyone together and alive following that so dreams were deferred. They weren't here. ]

Nothing seemed deferred here.

His ada had held his servo, delighted that his only son was there. His father, his atar had told stories of the old orns, even some that Springer remembered. Others, he didn't. His grand genitors were as wonderful as he remembered and so were his uncles. Some of their bonds were new to him here but one wasn't. It was warm, beautiful, spark affirming, and over too soon. They walked out laughing and chatting as they made a date for a school break to go to the Beacons, whatever that was, then they flew back. It was a strange evening as they sat with Drift going over what they wanted him to do about his bullies and what they were planning to do themselves. Then it was bed time.

Bed time with a stranger.

"I have to do some work a moment, Ironhide," Springer had said. "You go on ahead."

"Don't stay up too late," Ironhide had said as he kissed Springer. With a grin, he walked into the berth room, did his business, then went to bed.

Springer stood rooted to the spot for a moment, then shook his helm. / … you're an idiot … as long as you don't face, this doesn't matter … / He walked into the home office and sat down, spending a couple of joors orienting himself to this paradigm and what/who/when/where everything/one was. It was not as complicated as he thought but there were a few players he didn't know and some he did were different. There were some missing. Like his ada. Others were strange.

Prowl and Jazz.

He thought about it and even though he knew how tight Prowl and Prime were he could see that pairing. Apparently, Ironhide and himself had the only younger child in their group since everyone elses had grown to adulthood or they were childless. He, himself was the ada of Drift.

He had a sparkling. He had had a sparkling himself.

His mind failed to process that, but he liked the kid a lot. No surprise there. He was sweet, smart, gentle, and kindly. Just the kind of kid he himself would want. That he looked like Drift pressed all his buttons. He was going to intervene on the slag himself, of that he was positive. He rose after a bit, then walked to the windows. Staring out, he wondered where the alt Springer and his own Prowl were. Then he walked to the office, sat down and put a call through to The Citadel.

"This is The Citadel. How may I help you?" a femme's voice answered.

"This is Commander Springer. I would like to speak to Commander Prowl. It's a bit of an emergency," he replied.

"Please wait, Commander while I check your voice pattern," the voice said. There was a pause, then she was back. "The Commander is at The Residence. I can put you through if you wish."

"I do," Springer said. He waited, shot through with anxiety, then a cautious sounding measured voice replied. "This is Prowl."

Springer nearly stood up in his anxiety. "Prowl. This is Springer."

"Yes," the voice asked with a trace of anxiety.

" **Your** Springer. The one from Mars."

It was deadly silent, then a venting sound could be heard. "Where are you?"

"I'm with Ironhide. I'm in his apartment. This is fragged to the nth degree. I have to have an excuse to get out of here before I punch him for patting my aft," Springer said.

"Give me a moment," Prowl said as he frantically thought. "Tell him I summoned you for a mission. Tell him I'll need you a couple of orns. Then get over here. I'll get you inside somehow."

"Does this Prime know you aren't his Prowl?" Springer asked in a soft voice.

"He does," Prowl said. "But I don't want to tell him you're coming. He's with Sentinel."

Springer felt revulsion go through his systems. "Sentinel."

"Get over here. I'll tell you later," Prowl said.

"Alright. Springer out," he said, then rose. Erasing his computer activity, he walked through the dark house to the berth room where Ironhide was recharging. Sitting down, he gently nudged Ironhide who awoke. "Prowl wants me at The Residence. Some sort of short mission. I might be gone a couple of orns."

"Frag Prowl," Ironhide said with a grin. "You're going to miss the staff meeting tomorrow."

Springer grinned in spite of himself. "Lucky me and I had so much stuff for the good of the order."

"Good of the order? That sounds like fun," Ironhide said. He pulled Springer down, then kissed him. "Let me know what's up. Check in."

Springer rose, then nodded. "I will." He turned to go, then paused. "Help Drift. Those fraggers better get it straight or I'll take care of it myself. I promise you, they won't like it."

Ironhide stared at Springer and the unaccustomed burst of implied violence. He nodded. "I'm on it."

Springer nodded then walked to the door. He paused. "Let me know." Then he walked out.

Ironhide stared at the doorway, then lay back down. He considered the strange sensation again, the one he only felt when he kissed Springer. It was odd but brief. Maybe he was working too long and hard. They could use that vacation in the Beacons. He shifted to his side and fell into recharge once more.

-0-Outside

Springer had taken a metro to the district in Iacon which was the 'Primal Core' or area where the Primes lived with their families and those most necessary to their day-to-day operation. It was a beautiful area of brilliantly old houses no more than 50 stories high, with ornate facings to the buildings which were accessed by old fashioned steps. Central to the entire area, The Residence of the Primes of the Cybertronian Empire sat. It was three stories high, highly ornamental and landscaped with a big double door leading inside. He walked to the gate, nodded to the guards on duty, then walked to the stairs that led inside. He had never been here but the air of it with all its imposing history was nearly overwhelming to him, a Cybertronian home boy.

The doors weren't locked but before he could open one, it opened on its own. Prowl stood inside, pensive and oddly tattooed. Springer walked in as Prowl closed the door silently, putting a digit up to his lips. "Off line," he whispered. :Come with me: With that, Prowl walked back stealthfully toward the grand staircase, an old fashioned affectation that The Residence had. Upward they went, then on the residence level he led the way to his suite. They entered, then stood silently listening for anyone who might be out and about.

Prowl nearly sagged with relief. "I never though I'd be so glad to see you, slagger."

"What? The first Mrs. Optimus Prime isn't welcome here? Wherever this is?" Springer said in spite of things.

"Slagger," Prowl said as he walked through the rooms to the balcony. He opened the glass doors, then stepped out with Springer following. They stood a moment to listen, then Prowl gripped his arm. "How did you get here?"

"Same as you. Ratchet said something about this dimension being farther away than our own and that of the alternative Megatron's. Something about us not being able to stay in the same dimension together, filling the same space. There's something weird about them as compared to us and Megatron's people's energetic signature. It made my processor hurt and here I am."

"If you're here, then this universe's Springer is either here or with Megatron."

"That could be so and it could be that both Megatron's Springer and me are here as well. He doesn't seem to be on Mars or the Empire and Megatron messaged Prime that no one had seem him there just before I popped out. It could be that that maniac is here."

"Oh frag," Prowl said with emotion.

"I would say so as well," a voice said as the two of them spun around to face it. Standing in the doorway, listening to the two of them, Optimus Prime had stealthed in himself. He wasn't alone when he did. Standing behind him was Sentinel.

-0-TBC 9-9-18

Notes to come tomorrow. Had slag to do. I will go back and try to annotate the preceding parts to make them easier to read. Hugs.


	466. Chapter 466

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 466)

Had a massive plot hole. Caught it before too long. Hopefully. :D:D:D:D:D:D

-0-On a balcony in another universe (the peaceful one)

"Sentinel."

Prowl of Mars gripped Springer's arm as he shifted to face the two big mechs standing inside the room. "What the frag? Sentinel," Springer whispered.

"Why don't we sit down and discuss this? This Springer is from my world and I can vouch for him," Prowl said.

Optimus stared at him, then nodded. He and Sentinel walked back into the suite and sat down on chairs. Prowl nudged Springer who followed him to a couch. They sat. "Tell him how you got here, Springer."

Springer did. "Now we have a situation, not just with this but with Ironhide and Drift. That doesn't even touch the problem of where the other Springer is, the one from Megatron's universe."

"We need to define this. It's confusing enough as it is. I've also given this some thought. Bear with me," Prowl said as he mulled the mess in his mind. He sat back. "I believe we have a Mobius loop here but there are a few things to consider before we think about that. Consider all dimensions existing in the same space but unavailable to each other because their energetic signatures are different. Its like a very great thick book, one with infinite pages, one with all the pages being different universes or dimensions, all of them laying next to each other but apart. We have three in play here. I'll call them the Peace Universe, the one that we occupy now governed by you, Orion," Prowl said.

Sentinel glanced at Prime with surprise but didn't say anything. Prime was listening closely so he turned his attention back to the strange yet familiar Prowl.

"The other is mine which I will call the Mars Universe. The last one where everything is backwards to our own, my own, that is, I'll call the Shattered Glass Universe. Consider the nature of all three. Yours is very high vibrational and thus, its peaceful and embracing. There's no want, war, crime, destruction, or corruption. Correct?"

Prime nodded. "Correct."

"Consider the remaining two. They know war, corruption, crime, injustice … it goes on and on," Prowl said. "Yet, there are differences even there. The Shattered Glass Universe didn't annihilate itself. They had a war but there wasn't apocalyptic destruction like our own. They didn't push all the buttons. We did. Therefore, their vibrational signature is higher than our own. They didn't have it in their own psyches to do what we did to the degree that we did and in the universal game they play, that wasn't on the table there.

"Consider the likes and differences. There are three Primes, one in each universe. There are three Springers and three Prowls. They have notable differences. They also have a lot in common. There are, however, no Ratchets, no titans, no Seekers, etcetera in your universe and theirs. That is, their titans aren't titanic and the Seekers don't exist. There is also a dichotomy with you, Sentinel. In our universe, you're such a fragger that the Pantheon and The One recalled you to end the terror. You exist in all three but your behavior is various depending on the focus of the life there.

"I can postulate … sort of," he said with a frown, "that in the book of dimensions and universes, my universe is probably page number 6, the Shattered Glass Universe is probably page number 12 and this one … its probably page number 22,000. The larger the number, the most likely you're a peaceful, socially advanced and energetically elevated universe. The lower, the worse off you are."

"Then we're low man here," Springer said with a trace of disgust, surprise and irritation.

Prowl nodded. "Yes," he said with the same tone. "As for the Mobius Loop … considered a strip of paper where you twist it 180 degrees, then fasten the ends together. No matter where you travel on it you end up at the same places, in this case, in time."

"I think I know where you're going with this," Springer said. "Just let me tell you that all the alternative slaggers back at the prison, the Shattered Glass slaggers are in deep stasis and are missing a few parts. If they were to be grabbed and show up here, don't activate them."

"That's a good idea," Prowl said. "It would appear that the three of us are caught in this, me, you," he said nodding to Springer, "and you, Orion. I don't think anyone else will be captured. Its a hunch and I don't have anything to lay on the table. The probability is just low in my calculations. Consider that Megatron exists in only two of the three universes and so does Ratchet. We're running on a Mobius Loop, heading in the same continuous circle."

"So we know what is happening in theory and who it might affect and why... how is this happening?" Sentinel asked.

They stared at him, Springer and Prowl, then Prowl shook his helm. "I don't know yet but everything in me leans toward the idea that someone is moving the strings."

It was silent in the room. Then Sentinel leaned forward. "Hazard a guess?"

Prowl considered that, then glanced at Prime. "You went to the Matrix earlier. I would rather have yours." It was at that moment that he disappeared.

-0-Wandering around the Peace Planet looking for a way out

Shattered Glass Springer stood on a corner in Slaughter City, a misnomer if he ever saw one. Nothing about it was the smelting pool capital of Cybertron. In fact, it was the opposite. There were beautiful buildings everywhere with glistening windows fronting tech buildings. The most important, delicate and hard to manufacture forms of electronics were made here. The work force was peaceful, well paid, energetic, and happy.

 **/ ...WHAT THE FRAG!? WHAT THE FRAG IS THIS PLACE!? WHERE THE FRAG AM I!? …/**

His processor was reeling as he went from place to place and saw nothing he could recognize. Glancing around in all directions, unaware that those passing him gave him a wide berth due to his deeply flawed and negative energetic aura, he saw a bar nearby. He walked to it to get a drink. It was fortunate that they didn't have a monetary system here. He would be hard pressed to pay for the amount of booze he was preparing to drink.

-0-Mars

Prowl and Springer, those from the peaceful world far away sat on the couch in the diplomatic quarters they were given. It was beautiful, the food amazing, the drinks surprising, and the access to the informational databases of the colony and Empire beyond unabridged but for high security informational collections. They had toured the colony, sat in on bull sessions about the problem, then retired to this place for the night. If they were recalled to their own or someone elses reality, they were prepared to carry with them the information gathered here.

"What do you think, Prowl?" Springer asked as he sipped a beer. He lounged in a comfortable chair with his peds resting on an ottoman.

"I think we're somehow in a time loop of some kind," Prowl said. "I'm unclear about a lot but it feels odd that only the three of us come and go like this. If this was a vortex or something organic, I think there would be more. Their Prowl was the one who tried to forestall our downloads from their Teletraan, thus there is that connection however tenuous. You are less connected but part of the general staff. This feels a bit contrived to me somehow."

"By them?" Springer asked.

"No," Prowl said before he disappeared from the room.

Springer froze with surprise and shock, then stood up to gaze frantically around. He searched the room, then hit the comm link. "Springer to Prime."

"Prime here. Prowl is gone. My Prowl," he said.

"Understood. Stay there. I am sending someone to sit with you. If you go, take the data with you. Understand?" Prime said.

"Understood," Springer said with a mixture of hopefulness and paralyzing fear. He walked to the window to stare out and after a length of time he wasn't aware of a knock on the door drew him back. It opened and Drift stepped in.

"Prime sent me to stay with you," he said as he stared at a Springer but not his.

Springer who stared at someone with his son's face and nearly identical energy nodded. "Alright. Your Prime has a sense of humor."

Drift grinned slightly, then shut the door. He walked to the couch and sat. "He does. He's an amazing and holy mech."

Springer stared at Drift, then reached into the cooler at the bar nearby, tossing him a Praxus Black Label. He got one for himself, then walked across the room to sit in his chair again. "So is mine."

"Yours, I was told, is a god and says so," Drift said as he sipped the ice cold brew.

Springer nodded. "He is." It was silent a moment. "Somewhere else, you're my son."

"I heard that Ironhide was your bond. He's my atar here," Drift said.

They stared at each other a moment, then Springer nodded. "This is fragged."

"I think so," Drift said with a ghost of anxiety in his voice.

It was then that Springer disappeared. Drift disappeared as well. As he did, far away, Prowl of Mars disappeared, too.

-0-On a Shattered Glass World

Prowl of Mars stood at a balcony staring out at the world beyond. It was the Citadel and he was in his office. An office. Shattered Glass World. He was on Shattered Glass World. Whirling, he ran into his office, out the door and down the hallway to the Offices of the Prime. Bursting inside, he walked swiftly through the startled staff to the door that said, "Megatronus Prime, Prime of Cybertron and the Empire of Cybertron'. He opened it and stepped inside. The door closed quietly behind him.

-0-On a street in Iacon, a peaceful planet with a Prime who is a god

Peace World Springer blinked as all around him the night life of Iacon swirled. Running swiftly, he went down into a metro station, rode a train to his home district, then ran for his building. Entering then slowing enough to notice how everything was the same as usual, he went upward to his floor, then ran down the hallway to his door. Gripping the doorknob, he pulled it open. It was dark inside. Walking through his home, he glanced in to see his son sleeping. Staring at him with almost wild emotion, he hurried to the berth room suite he shared with his bond.

Opening the door, he saw that Ironhide was recharging. The dim light of the night filtered in through the huge windows, illuminating his form. He walked to the berth, then sat down. Stroking Ironhide's arm, jiggling him slightly, he watched as the big mech awoke.

"Springer … what are you doing here?" Ironhide asked.

"I'll tell you later," he said as he slid onto the bed and onto the startled body of the only mech he would ever love in the entirety of his life. They would be together for a brief wild interlude, then Springer would tell him what was going on. Somewhere there was a Springer, perhaps on this world who wasn't the one he knew. He was trapped and they had to find him. Getting up, rousing their boy, they walked out to go to the Citadel to deliver what was discovered on Mars far away.

Little did they know that they would find the Prime handling a crisis at The Residence nearby.

-0-Prowl of Mars

He stood on the deck of a ship from Megatron as they stared through the blasted hole that had been opened between his universe and that of Prime of Mars. There was a ship waiting to run him through it to Tennyson who was in place to guard the breach between dimensions. He turned to Megatron, then shook his servo. "I will take the information to Prime. Be aware that some of these creatures you gave us might take a right turn back to you."

"I will," Megatron said. "Give him my profound regards."

"It's my honor," Prowl said as he walked toward the vessel. It lifted off, flew through the slight turbulence of the rupture, then landed on Tennyson before returning. Prowl ran to the bridge room, then found himself standing on the desiccated plains of Mars. He knew he was there because the constellations overhead were obvious and familiar. Glancing around, he considered how far away from Autobot City he was, then commed Prime. "Prowl to Prime."

"Prowl … which one are you?" Prime's tense voice replied.

"Yours," Prowl said with almost too much emotion. "I'm stuck on the southern plains. Send someone to get me. I'll leave my distress beacon signal on."

"On our way," Prime said, then the signal went dormant.

The bond didn't. It felt normal and full. Then Prowl considered that. The Prime he had just left had an echo of it, a soft muzzy feeling on his processor. He thought it was a facet of the other universe but it wasn't. He had no deep and emotional bond link with his Prime's opposite. Another difference between the Peaceful Universe as Prowl was beginning to call it in his processor and his own, Mars. He filed it. Then he heard the sound of a shuttle coming down, then landing close by. The dust kicked up but out of it walked the concerned and ragingly beautiful figure of Optimus Prime. He reached Prowl and the two flung their arms around each other. They would hold each other a long time before walking to the shuttle to fly to The City. The dust would settle slowly and no one would know anything happened here.

-0-On the Peaceful Planet in the city of Slaughter City

Drift of Mars blinked as he stood in the lounge of a bar. No one noticed that he had appeared out of nowhere. He did, however, notice that at the other end of the bar, Springer … someone's Springer was getting shit faced and more belligerent with every drink he downed. Staring at him, Drift felt his tanks flip. This was going to be a very, very ugly scene, he thought, as he walked toward that end of the bar.

-0-TBC 9-10-18 **edited 9-13-18**

Hope that the notations of where and who help. :D I will SERIOUSLY get on the notes. I read every single one and they help me with this sort of thing a great deal. Your ideas and comments are the bomb. HUGS!


	467. Chapter 467

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 467

-0-In a bar on Peaceful Cybertron

Drift of Mars walked slowly toward the Springer sitting at the bar in a state of drunkenness that was making those around him nervous. Drinking to be shit faced was common in his universe and obviously was the same in that of the Shattered Glass where this Springer came from. A pang went through him that this Springer was such a slagger when his own was the mellow center of his world, the greatest and only love of his life. Sitting on the bar stool next to him, he looked at Springer. "You and I should go bar hopping. I'm stuck here, too."

Bleary optics stared at him, then a servo shoved him. "Frag off, Drift. Or should I say Deadlock. Frag you and your sorry turncoat aft."

The bartender who was a youngster looked from one to the other with fear and uncertainty in his optics. "If there's trouble, I'm calling the Peacekeepers."

"Is that what they're called here?" Springer hissed. "Fragging police. Peacekeepers. Whose peace? How about I show you a few things you don't look like you've ever seen, boy?"

Drift glanced at the kid, then gestured for him to move away. He did swiftly as those watching began to stir behind both of them. "Springer … you want to slag me? Step outside and let's do it. Just don't make a scene here. These people don't look like they can handle it."

Springer glanced at Drift with a cold smirk. "Then maybe we can give them a show."

"Nah. I don't like being the center of attention. There's an alley around here somewhere. I'll let you take the first shot."

Springer stood up and flexed his frame. "Thanks. I will." Then he swung on Drift catching him on the shoulder.

Drift stumbled sideways, straightened and caught Springer as he charged. They fell backwards onto a table of civilians who scrambled to get away. That was just the start of the mayhem.

-0-Prowl of Mars

They sat in the Ops Center of Autobot City going over the information he had brought with a group of mechs feverishly working to find a solution. They had assembled nearly immediately and were waiting for Peaceful Universe Springer to join them. When he didn't return their calls, they paged Drift. When **he** didn't return calls, Prime sent Raptor and Ironhide to investigate. In the meantime, Peaceful Universe Prowl was gone for sure and no one could hazard where he was. It was massively processor blowing to sit down with a chart to figure this out but Perceptor explained where they had been and possibly were now.

Maybe.

"We know that for the sake of clarity that Prowl from the Peaceful Universe was here, then is now gone. Where? It is impossible to say. He does, however, carry information that should be helpful to the place he attends. Is there no word of him yet with you that he went to your universe?"

Megatronus Prime shook his helm. "Not yet. We are trying to locate him but we have nothing so far." He sat next to Optimus Prime, a huge frame, too, but with subtleties of design and energy that clued one in that something different with this one was going on here. He had spoken to Prime through the link to find out if Prowl was safely home, then bridged here without his own Prowl to keep things simpler through Tennyson's space bridge. They were all clued in including Megatron's Prowl now that the Martian Prowl had been transferred to this universe. Their universe, the Shattered Glass dimension appeared by Martian Prowl's appearance there was now in play as well. It was all colossally mindbogglingly hard.

"Then we will keep him in reserve, missing but in play," Perceptor said. "Our Martian Prowl was in the Peaceful Universe along with you, Optimus, and both of you are back. Our Martian Springer who is the other affected individual is somewhere. For your sake, Lord Megatron, we are annotating home bases to each to keep them straight."

"He's in the Peaceful Universe, Perceptor. I was talking with him and the others when I jumped," Prowl said.

"The others meaning Optimus?" Wheeljack asked.

Prowl nodded. "Optimus and Sentinel."

They took that in for a moment, then Perceptor continued. "We can assume that two Springers are with Peaceful Optimus Prime. Both Optimus Primes, our own and him, are in their own universes. Our Prowl is home here and the Peaceful Universe Prowl is missing."

"You better add Drift to that list," Raptor said as he walked across the Ops Center to the table where everyone sat. "He's gone. I checked the grid. He's not on it."

"Frag," Ratchet said with fear. "This is fragged."

It was.

-0-Peaceful Universe Prowl in a terrifying dark void

He floated in darkness, a terrible howling darkness. It surrounded him, shifting shapes and horror so deep he felt his energon run cold. They swirled and shrieked, then he was gone. Standing on a desiccated surface that looked like a moon, he didn't recognize a thing. He glanced around with gathering fear, then calmed himself. :Prowl to Prime. Prowl to anyone:

-0-Mars

Prime froze as a voice called to him. "Martian Prime to Prowl."

Conversation froze as everyone stared at Prime. He listened, then spoke again.

"On our way," he said. He glanced at Wheeljack. "Prowl … the peaceful universe version is somewhere on a harsh moon surface. He's close enough to reach me. Scan the area and get him through a bridge. When you do, bring him here."

Wheeljack nodded, then sprinted to the door and the steps that led down to the bridge room. Prowl watched him go, then glanced at Optimus. "I'm not clear that we can be in the same space at the same time. Give me all you got and let's test that hypothesis. If we can stay, then maybe its a clue."

"This is a terrible way to test the theory," Optimus said with concern. "Go to the corridor door. Maybe close in proximity triggers something."

Prowl nodded, then hustled to the doorway, slipping inside to wait. It was incredibly tense as they sat silently, staring at the doorway beyond that led to the rec room. Soon, the sound of hurrying peds could be heard as Wheeljack and a Prowl like their own but not appeared. Walking to the group, they halted. "Optimus Prime," Prowl of the Peaceful Universe said with a nod.

"Prowl. What happened? You were here then you were gone. Drift is gone as well," Prime said.

Peaceful Universe Prowl considered that, then shook his helm. "Another individual. What if … what if proximity to one of us in the loop draws you in?"

"We can find out. Our Prowl is behind that door there," Ratchet said nodding to the corridor doorway that led to senior Autobot offices. "Maybe."

Prime rose, then walked to the door. Steeling himself, he gripped the door handle, then pulled it open. Stepping halfway inside, he stayed a moment, then stepped back. Prowl of Mars appeared in the doorway eyeing his doppelganger with concern. "So … we're still both here. Maybe being far enough apart matters. I feel a slight buzzing on my exoskeleton."

"So do I," Prowl of the Peaceful Universe replied. He stepped slightly closer and it increased. Then he stepped back and it faded. Moving to the doorway to Ops Center, he turned to them. "I almost feel nothing."

"Then we have a clue. Stay where you are Prowl," Ratchet said as two mechs appeared before them out of nowhere.

It was Drift of Mars and Springer of the Shattered Glass Universe warring with each other like it was the end of the world.

-0-Peaceful Universe, The Residence of the Primes

Ironhide, Springer and their son, Drift walked into the lobby of The Residence, then Ironhide turned to his son. "You will sit here. You'll wait for us and we'll go home. Hopefully."

"I want to come," Drift said. "Let me come, too, Ada," he said appealing to the tall strained mech who was his carrier. "Uncle Optimus … I want to talk to him. I want to see what's happening, too. We're a part of this, all three of us."

Ironhide considered that, then nodded. "You'll sit silently. You aren't a part of this, son. I'll take you out if you don't obey my requests."

Drift nodded. "I will."

The three of them walked up the staircase to the residential portion of the house of a mech who was like a brother to Ironhide and an official godfather/guardian designate of their son. They were received by an aide and led to the suite where the strangers were housed. Opening the door, they walked in. Sitting on the couches and chairs of the big room were Optimus himself, his partner, Sentinel and a tall pensive looking version of Springer. They halted near them to stare at each other.

Springer of Mars looked at his doppelganger. "Do you feel weird on your exoskeleton?"

That Springer nodded. "Yes," he said, then stepped back a bit. "It's less."

Martian Springer walked to the balcony, then turned toward them. "What about now? I can barely feel you."

Springer nodded. "I can hardly feel you, too."

"It might mean something," Optimus said. "Springer, sit over there," he said nodding to a chair by the wall. "Drift, I assume you are here because of all of this?"

Drift nodded, then walked over to sit beside Optimus. "This is the one who was with us? Who went to my amma and appa's house with us?"

Springer of Mars nodded, then walked back to his own chair to sit. "I was. In this universe you have them. In mine, I don't know. War decimated my world. We're only guessing who survived and who didn't. It was good to see them, both of them and my grand genitors. I don't know where they are back home."

It was heavy a moment, then the other Springer stood. He moved closer but not too much. "I'm sorry about that. I don't blame you for going along with seeing them. I would have as well in your place."

"War destroyed Cybertron?" Drift asked with teenaged astonishment and morbid curiosity. "What's that like?"

"You don't want to know," Springer said as he stared at the cute kid with an astonishingly youthful and handsome face.

"You asked me to give you the names of my bullies, names and addresses. What were you going to do about them?" he asked with an eager and curious expression.

"Nothing," Ironhide said as he eyeballed the stranger with the familiar face and slightly familiar energy. **"We're** going to take care of it."

"When?" Drift asked plaintively.

"Yeah, Ironhide. When?" Springer of Mars asked.

"I don't think that's your problem," Drift's ada said. "We need to focus on this one."

There was a rap on the door. "Enter," Optimus said.

An aide walked in with a note. Optimus read it, then thanked them. They left. He stared at the note, then looked at the others. "It would appear that we might have located the Springer from the Shattered Glass Universe and someone else," he said glancing at Drift. "Someone who bears an astonishing resemblance to you."

Drift stared at him, then stood. "Where are they? We better go, right?"

Springer stared at the kid, then grinned. "You remind me of someone."

Drift turned to him clenching his fists tightly. "I can help. I want to see this."

"No. You're going to stay here," Ironhide said.

Before he could say a word an aide walked back in without knocking and handed a datapad to Prime. He left just as swiftly. Prime read it, then sat back. "It would appear no one is going. Springer and Drift were brawling in a bar and in the mists of the fight disappeared."

Springer sat forward with dismay. "Then Drift has been dragged into this."

Springer of the Peaceful Universe grabbed his son into his arms.

-0-TBC 9-11-18 :D **edited 9-13-18**


	468. Chapter 468

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 468)

-0-Mars Operational Center, Autobot City

Raptor leaped up, stepped forward, then gripped Springer by the arm. Spinning him, he slugged Shattered Glass Springer in the gut, then gripped his helm to slam his face into his knee assembly. The big drunk mech staggered, then fell to the ground stunned. Ratchet jumped up, skirted the table, then knelt to disable the big mech. Flipping the medic encoded switch on his back, Springer fell into stasis, then Ratchet rolled him to remove two parts from his chassis. He rose, then glanced at Prime. "He's not going anywhere anytime soon. I downloaded the message into him as well. If anyone wants him, they're going to have to work for it."

Prime nodded, then looked at Drift. "Which one are you?"

"This one," Drift said glancing around. "Where's Springer?"

"He's with my Prime," Prowl said. "I'm from the Peaceful Universe."

" **Frag!"** Drift said with emotion.

"Sit. Let's figure this out," Ratchet said gently as the big mech walked to the table to sit heavily.

"Where is everyone?" Drift asked.

"Well, you were in the Peaceful Universe if you brought back Shattered Glass Springer," Ratchet said. He grinned slightly. "Thanks for the present. We just got back Peaceful Universe Prowl after he ended up in the Shattered Glass Universe. Megatron came because he did. Springer, our Springer is in the Peaceful Universe, right?"

"I guess so. I didn't see him," Drift said. "I ended up in a bar with this slagger and we had a fight, then came here. We tore the place up. That group will probably hear about it. I don't think they even jaywalk there." He glanced around. "We have two Prowls."

"We do," Prime said. "It would appear that if they are far enough apart, the trigger is not alarmed."

"Or, because Peaceful Universe Prowl is far enough away from us energetically that's possible. You feel the buzz up close. What about if you stand side-by-side?" Ratchet asked. "It could test the system for us."

"Before I came here I was in a place that was a hellscape. There was nothing but darkness and horror, swirling black shapes and murder. I don't think I want to chance a return there at this time," Peaceful Universe Prowl said.

"What makes you think you'd be the one who would go there?" Prowl of Mars said.

"It won't be me," Ratchet said. "I have no counterpart in the Peaceful Universe." Then he disappeared.

Everyone sat a moment staring at the empty place Ratchet was, then they all stood up at the same time in bedlam.

-0-Far away, somewhere

He floated in the deepest darkness he'd ever experienced. The darkness was alive and filled with shrieking shadow figures that roiled around him. They touched him with their cold dank hands, shoving and pushing him around before moving back for other things take their turn. Even in the midst of his turmoil, he thought to turn on his sensors and cameras to take in the scene. It seemed like forever, then he was gone again.

-0-Mars, Ops Center

They looked around but Ratchet was gone. Ironhide was lit. "Why did he go? He doesn't exist in your universe," he said as he spun on both Prowls.

"He exists in two of them," Martian Prowl said.

Then Ratchet was back.

-0-Peaceful Universe, The Residence

Prime sat and the rest did including a sullen appearing young Drift. "There does not seem to be a pattern to how we come and go," he said.

"I think its localized to us," he said glancing at PU Springer, "Then Optimus and Prowl, though I don't know why," Springer of Mars said grimly. No one said a word as they pondered that.

"Your Drift is a grown up, then," younger Drift said.

Springer nodded. "He's my bond in my universe."

"He followed you then," Drift said.

Martian Springer considered that. "Maybe, maybe not."

-0-Mars Ops Center

Ironhide spun to face Ratchet who was gawking around himself before Ironhide jumped on him. **"WHERE THE FRAG DID YOU GO!?"**

"I don't know. It was dark and crazy scary," Ratchet said as he walked to the table to sit.

"You went where I went," Prowl of the Peaceful Universe said as he stood nearby leaning on the console of the operational center. He could feel the buzz with Prowl but he dared not push his luck. With Ratchet in play, his careful constructs about the whole process just collapsed.

"I did film it," Ratchet said, "and I scanned it."

They stared at him, then Prowl of Mars rose and plugged into Ratchet with a data wafer at an external neck line jack. "Give."

Ratchet complied, then Prowl of Mars walked to the console nearby, activating a huge screen as he slotted the disk. Hitting a switch, he instinctively stepped back to watch with everyone else.

A riot of darkness appeared implying a lot of screaming without the sound. Apparently, it was unable to be taped or it was a mental sound you had to be there to hear. It was horrifyingly awful, then it was over. Wheeljack and Perceptor were bent over a console dealing with the sensor data. Prowl of the Peaceful Universe glanced at Ratchet. "It was a big dark energy pit for me. Just like that. It happened so fast I couldn't react to tape it."

"We'll let it go this time," Ratchet said as he sat back to relax.

"Prime, we sort of have a bead on the strange creatures," Wheeljack said as he glanced toward the table. "It would appear that they're pure energy and they don't have a definite signature but appear to bear characteristics with a lot of known and unknown species."

"What do you mean, Wheeljack?" Prime asked.

Wheeljack thought a moment, then off line conversed with Perceptor. He looked at Prime. "It's pretty preliminary, Prime, but it appears that there's an energy location filled with dark features and emotions. I would say that the creatures are energetic, they appear to be made of what you and I might consider negative emotional energy, and they have malevolent intentions. I don't know why there are fragments of so many different species in their energetic signatures but there is. There's also something different as well, something that doesn't align with them, something that's dangerous. I don't know more than that but its a start. I also don't know if they have a hand in this or if they're just incidental."

Prime glanced at both Prowls who were thinking.

"We've come across a lot of beings in our confederation of which many are energetic in form or substance, without a corporeal body like you and me. They exist as light or energy creatures and tend to be astonishingly highly elevated in their dimensional forms and outlooks. Something this negative and dangerous is new to me and to our own science," Peaceful Universe Prowl said.

"We have as well," Prowl said. "Nothing this awful is known to us … but …" He paused to think.

"The Benzuli," Ratchet said as Raptor nodded. "The Dead Zone in the Benzuli is supposed to be filled with anti-energy … negativity."

Prowl of Mars nodded. "That's right but I don't know. We've never found such things as this with our scans there. Raptor, what do you know?"

"We know time is ruptured there and its as old as the universe. I wouldn't be surprised that the things that might emanate from there could be this bad but we never saw them. We were there a long, long time and we never saw this kind of slag before."

It was silent, then Drift vanished.

-0-Residence, Peaceful Universe

He appeared on the balcony, then glanced around frantically. Sitting nearby, staring at him with astonishment, Springer of Mars and the others stood. Drift rubbed his face, then stepped forward to embrace Springer, his Springer. They held each other, then Springer stepped back. "What's going on?"

"A lot. Let me tell you," Drift said as they sat again. He stared at a younger version of himself, then Ironhide and his bond. "You're both here."

"We are," Springer of Mars said. "What happened to you? Have you been back?"

"Yes. I was on Mars with your Prowl," he said glancing at Prime, then staring at Sentinel a moment. It was disconcerting to see him here as a 'good guy'. "You were there, Springer and Prowl, together in the diplomatic apartments when Prowl, your Prowl disappeared," he said nodding to the one who was sitting next to Ironhide with a tense expression. "I was sent to babysit. You then left and I was right behind you. I appeared in a bar somewhere around here where the other Springer, the Shattered Glass version was getting slag faced. I asked him to come out and he jumped me. It rather threw the evening off for everyone around us.

"The next thing I know I'm in Ops Center on Mars with him slugging it out. The others there jumped us and we put him down. If he jumps, don't activate him," Drift said. "Your Prowl from here was there along with mine. Everyone was there, then Ratchet jagged out. He ended up in some limbo place filled with bad mojo before popping back in with sensor data and images he had the presence of mind to take. That or he has awesome reflexes."

"Ada is back safely?" Springer asked with concern.

"He is. So far as I can tell we have Peaceful Universe Prowl, our Prowl and that's it. Megatron came over because someone ended up there, one of the Prowls. I get mixed up. They looked at the data and it appears that they were both in a strange universe filled with energy beings that have a lot of different elements of a lot of different species in their make up. That's all I heard before I ended up back here. I'm getting a bit tired of all of it if anyone wants to know. Oh, and the Benzuli and Dead Zone are like this a little but not this particular thing. Whatever it is." Drift vented a sigh. "Anyone got a beer?"

They did.

-0-Mars

"If we extrapolate where everyone can still be, then we can maybe get a pattern made that Teletraan can deduce even if it eludes us," Prowl of Mars said.

"Well, I'm here," Ratchet said with a slight grin. "You are, Prowl of the Other Optimus Realm. How about we call you OOR for that instead of Peaceful Universe? The abbreviation of that is PU. Among the humans it means a stinking smell."

PU Prowl grinned slightly. "Slagging humans. If it makes you happy, I don't mind consorting with the great Optimus Prime in any universe."

"We don't either," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. He leaned back to consider the situation. "We only have OOR Prowl while they have, theoretically, both free ranging Springers and Drift. Who else is part of the merry-go-round besides you, Optimus?"

"No one so far," Megatron said. "By the way, Doctor, you disappeared the moment you said you had no counterpart in the other universe. It would appear that the walls have audials."

Everyone considered that, then Ratchet glanced at OOR Prowl. "How about it? Say something similar and lets test that."

Prowl considered that, then glanced at his counterpart nearby. "Do we have a disk with the data for me to carry if this works?"

Wheeljack downloaded it, then handed it to OOR Prowl. "Here. Don't take offense if I stand back."

"I won't," Prowl said. He stared at the data, then girded himself. "I suppose I will never get back to my own universe again." Then he disappeared.

Everyone stared at the empty place, then each other. "That **worked**?" Ratchet said with amazement.

"I hope so," Prowl of Mars said with a trace of anxiety.

-0-Elsewhere

"That was risky in this scenario to have them think that's all it takes, Vector," Solus said with a slight frown. "You might make this worse than it is, brother."

"I suppose so but I'm vexed, Solus. You **KNOW** how it is when I'm vexed," the slightly distracted and comically stuffy mech said.

Prima nodded grimly. "You aren't the only one, brother. Not by a long shot."

-0-In The Other Optimus Realm at The Residence

He appeared next to Sentinel who nearly jumped up with startlement. Turning to Prime, Prowl almost felt like weeping. "Optimus."

"Prowl? Which one are you?" Optimus Prime said as he stood.

"Yours. This is my universe," Prowl said with relief. He turned to the others. "All I had to do was say the opposite of going home and I came here. It sounds stupid but it happened. Its a long story but I have the data," he said holding up his data wafer.

Springer and Drift stood then turned toward Prowl. "Just that? Is that all it took?"

"For me. This time. I don't know. Try it. Maybe it'll work," Prowl said. "I'm not sure about anything right now."

Drift glanced at Springer, then took his servo. Holding it tightly, they turned to face each other. "We're stuck here," Drift said "Maybe forever ..."

-0-TBC 9-12-18 **edited 9-13-18**

NOTE: I swear that I will do notes tomorrow. Its been weirdly busy here. Tomorrow, my darlings. Your notes are holy writ and its my absolute practice to answer them. :D


	469. Chapter 469

Just a place holder to explain a couple of things. :D:D:D:D:D

This is such a necessary thread for the story down the road that I tried to figure out how to do it in an easier manner but it wasn't going to work any way but this one. **THEN I FRAGGED IT UP!**

 **BWAHAHAHAHAAHAA!** (singing the song of my demented people)

I am going back to 466 and get a handle on this. If there was another way to introduce into the story all the elements that I'm doing here, none of which will come up again for some time, I would do it, that's how important all this slag is long term. You are heroic to hang in there. There are several errors that I'm ironing out and will tell you about when I put down the hammer. This isn't a long thread ( **THANK PRIMUS!)** but it is that important. **HUGGIES!** I won't last much longer. ( ***WEEP*** )

ME, posting later after the remodel :D:D:D


	470. Chapter 470

The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 470)

-0-At The Residence in the safest place in creation

Drift glanced at Springer, then took his servo. Holding it tightly, they turned to face each other. "We're stuck here," Drift said "Maybe forever ..."

-0-On a galactic plane elsewhere

"Are you really going to do this?"Solus asked Vector as He stared at a device in His servo.

"I would say no but it will get them back to their own dimensional planes. Do it, Vector," Prima said as he stared at the scenario playing before them with simmering rage. "Let Us start this again from square one."

"If you say so, brother," Vector said as He made it so.

-0-Residence, Iacon, in a strange and peaceful Cybertron

They held each others servos tightly as they waited tensely. Springer shook his helm. "This is -"

Then they both disappeared.

Prime stood up, then walked to the space to feel around it, finding nothing with his keen perceptions, ones that were finer than anyone elses. He turned to look at the grim faces of everyone there as Drift stood. "What now?" he asked. "I liked that Springer."

His own ada stood, then slipped his arm around Drift's slim shoulders. "You should. He's me."

-0-Mars, Ops Center

" - not going to … work," Springer said as he stared at the startled expressions of everyone in the Ops Center that looked just like his own. Sitting with them was a softer version of Megatron, Megatron Prime to be exact. "I spoke too soon." He looked at Drift, then hugged him tightly. "That was too stupid to work."

"But it did," Drift said as he hugged Springer back. They walked to the table to sit. "What happened here? Are we all back?"

"Pretty much," Raptor said with relief. "Though for how long, I don't know."

"Thanks," Springer said to him grimly. "What now?"

"We wait," Prime said. "Everyone is back. We sit and wait. No word on Prowl?"

"He's back there. He told us how to get here. We just clicked our heels and we're back in Kansas again," Springer said.

Megatron glanced at Prime who grinned slightly. "I take it that you know what that means."

"I do and its very applicable, my friend," Optimus said.

Megatron stood and everyone else did. "Then I must be going. I am assuming that the situation with some of your … special guests is in hand?"

"They have been deactivated and placed in deep stasis in specialty lock ups here," Prime replied. "Do you require further assistance on this subject?"

"We are tracking several individuals who are too dangerous to be there for the work at hand. I would be deeply grateful if our export-import program can continue until all is in balance again. We are exceeding expectations but its still a lot of unwinding and replacing, if you get my meaning," Megatron said in his elegant and highly polished manner.

"I do. Call upon us and we shall attend," Prime said as they gripped each others servos.

"I am glad," Megatron said. He glanced at the others, bowed slightly, then followed a technician to the bridge room where he would head back home via Tennyson.

They watched him go, then Raptor shook his helm. "You don't see that every orn."

Everyone sat down slightly more relaxed, then a debrief began. Prowl lead it. The situation as it stood was simple. Both Springers were in their respective homes. Both Prowls were and the Shattered Glass Prowl wasn't affected in this round. Both Optimus Primes ruled in their respective domains and Drift was back. All of the 'bad actors' from Megatron's realm were disabled and would stay that way for some time including the civilians like Neo and Kudon. It would be heavily difficult to contain that much evil across more timelines than the one they currently rendered.

"Impressions," Prime asked as he stared at Springer and Drift.

"I'm a child, Ironhide and Springer's only son. He's a great kid from what little I saw," Drift said with a slight grin. "And did I say handsome?"

Chuckles rounded the room.

"He's a really good kid but he's getting bullied at school and he doesn't want to settle it with violence. I got the names and addresses of the bullies and if I ever go there again I'm taking care of it. Ironhide and the other Springer, his ada I might add said they would. They better. Their Springer is a good guy with a tough spark."

"Prowl is Prowl no matter where you are but he is bonded there with Jazz, not me," Prime said.

"Prime over there is keeping company with Sentinel. I can't tell you what a sight that was to see," Springer said as Prowl nodded.

"We learned that we can be in some proximity to Peaceful Universe doppelgangers but not too close without triggering the change up. Yet, we can be close to Shattered Glass Universe doppelgangers without a problem. I would conjecture that the energetic signatures up close and personal with Shattered Glass individuals are close enough to be relatively compatible to us. The others are far enough different from us energetically and may I venture, more highly evolved, so it matters and causes some kind of unknown reaction or clash," Prowl said.

"That could be a start," Wheeljack said. "What about if it happens again?"

"I do not know. What about tracking devices? Do we have anything that can track us multi dimensionally? Maybe that might be a possibility," Prime said.

"We can see. Right now, I would like you to activate your finder beacons and leave them on. Calibrate it to sensors here," Perceptor said. "That way if your device goes off we will know you were jumped again. As long as you're on the grid, you're here."

Everyone complied, then it was silent.

"Watch the Matrix Flame for Optimus," Ratchet said as he sat back. "I feel like I was beaten with a stick."

Everyone agreed.

Prime sat forward. "Leave the beacons on. Wheeljack and Perceptor … you have the task ahead of us. I want to know what is happening, especially with Ratchet going to a demonic dimension. What has that got to do with this? I want to know everything you can find out. I know that the other Prime is doing likewise." He stood. "In the meantime, you are off duty unless called until tomorrow."

Everyone stood wearily, then gathered to go here and there. Drift and Springer walked out together first, then the others. Ratchet, Ironhide, Raptor. and Hard Drive walked out followed by Turbine and Delphi. Blackjack and Alor were at their posts and would be filled in later whereupon they would both yell loudly. They walked to The Diner On The Corner and got a booth. Sitting heavily, they gave their orders and kicked back.

"I forgot where we live, Ironhide. You'll have to show me," Ratchet said with a grin.

"I forgot, too. Someone lives there besides us if a vague memory is correct," Ironhide said as he took drinks from the waiter and passed them around. They sipped, then he sat back. "That weird universe worries me."

"Me, too," Hard Drive said. "We need to get this sorted out fast. It all feels malevolent and directed."

Ratchet nodded. "It's also fragging with the senior team. Frag whoever this is." He halted, then glanced around. "Do you really think the walls have audials?"

"Until the walls say no, then yes," Turbine said as food arrived. They began to eat and things began to calm down just a little bit. It was deeply, deeply welcomed.

-0-At an apartment in the sky

They lay together, relaxing from their exertions. Drift glanced at Springer, noting once again his handsome and distinctive profile. "What happened to you there?"

"Well," Springer began, then halted with a sheepish grin. "I sort of made out with Ironhide."

"I was afraid of that. The moment you go away for the weekend there's another mech," Drift replied as he shifted to snuggle into Springer's frame.

The big mech pulled him closer. "That's me. Unreliable." It was quiet a moment, then he continued. "I ended up at their home. I saw their house. It was beautiful but then, I think everyone's home is. That place is pristine. I tried to sneak out but he said I had to pick the kid up. So I sorta stumbled around, then went outside. I should've left but he told me before I did that we were going to Polyhex for dinner with my family."

Drift considered that sore subject. "Did you?"

"I did."

[Silence]

"I got to hug my genitors and my grandgenitors. I saw my uncles and met a few of their kids who I don't think exist here. We never had a chance to expand the family after me when they stole our business. That was the thing. They were waiting for the chance to afford kids and it was too late. I'm the sole product of their line."

"It's a helluva product," Drift said loyally. "I'm sorry."

"I know. I'm sorry for yours. Do you really think they're gone?" Springer asked as he pressed his cheek against Drift's helm.

"Yeah. Miracles happen … but, yeah. I think so," Drift replied.

[Silence]

"I look at their lives and they're great. They never had any of the slag we've had and they acknowledge their Prime as a god. They have it all. It was sort of … dull. I hate to say that. I've wanted nothing but what they have all my life but its pretty calm over there," Springer said.

Drift nodded. "I noticed that. I don't know what to think but my vibe is closer to that than yours. You're sort of ultra masculine and the like." [Grin]

"Is that so?" Springer asked with a grin of his own.

"I think so," Drift said. He was silent a moment as emotions began to emerge. "I … I thought I'd never see you again. I can't tell you what that was like."

"You don't have to," Springer said. "I know."

They were quiet a moment, then Springer squeezed his shoulders. "That Drift kid was aces. He was a great kid."

[Silence]

"One of these orns," Drift said softly.

Springer nodded. "One of them. Three, a femme and two mechs, from the Well."

Drift nodded. "All at once. So they can grow up together and feel friendship and family all their lives. They won't live like we did. It won't happen."

Springer nodded. "It won't." He rubbed Drift's shoulder. "Not for some time though, right?"

Drift nodded. "Right."

[Silence]

"I love you, Drift."

[Nod] "I love you, Springer."

[Pause]

[Grin] "Don't tell anyone," Springer said.

[Grin] "I won't."

Springer pulled Drift closer and they lay together quietly as the late afternoon slowly passed by.

-0-Upstairs

They walked in to a house filled with kids. Bedlam broke out as they hugged, kissed, listened to tales of woe and valor, examined and exclaimed over any oddball thing that excited babies decided their genitors had to see, then dinner was had. It would take a long time in the Ironhide v Ratchet house for everyone to get their equilibrium back, kids included.

-0-On a galactic plane

"They appear to be back in place," Vector said approvingly.

"For now," Prima said. "They can still be disturbed from their dimensions, but He's shown his hand." A grim tightly held grin appeared on the shining visage of the leader of the Pantheon, the uncontested warrior-god of Their exalted band. "Something tells Me He's not even close to being finished."

Neither Vector nor Solus disagreed. They faded away to gather together elsewhere. There was a lot to discuss about this whole business and Prima being Prima, They wouldn't waste a minute.

-0-In a void without end at the end of infinity

He stood on a gray glassy plain that went away in all directions unchanged and without features. He had been imprisoned here because of His recalcitrant nature and defiant ways. No one was to blame but Him though He wouldn't see it that way. Brooding endlessly on his circumstances, He heard at last a faint pounding sound, like someone trying to knock a hole in the wall.

With curiosity and the coiled intensity He always brought to a fight, Megatronus Prime walked across the endless emptiness of His prison toward a sound that was faintly echoing, distorting its location as it did. It was out there. Someone outside was trying to get in. It made His exoskeleton tingle to wonder. It was also something to do.

The tap-tap-tap of His heavy treads on the glassine ground was the only other sound in the entire universe. He had given up screaming a long time ago. Nothing had broken up the deadly emptiness of the space He occupied all this time until now. It was with a furious sense of curiosity that He began to track the echoing boom-boom-boom down.

-0-TBC 9-13-18


	471. Chapter 471

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 471)

NOTE: I used 469 and 470 to tell about problems and the fixes I was working on. Then I dumped the 470 note and added a part in its place for yesterday This segment, 471 is the next one for today. If you didn't check out 470 to see the replacement segment, read it before this. I added the last elements of the multi dimensional thread there. Now, we're going to forget this a while.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

:D:D :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

On with the show …

-0-Morning

Optimus Prime set breakfast dishes in the sink, then walked to the dining room to get the small cups his children used for their meal. Glancing into the living room, he saw Prowl sitting on the floor covered with children, some sitting on his lap, some leaning against him with Solus and Sojourner pantomiming something they were doing in school in front of him. Grinning, he glanced at the table, then the sink in the huge kitchen nearby.

It could wait.

He walked into the living room, then knelt. Kids ran to him hugging and patting him. "You look like you're having fun," he said.

Prowl grinned. "I am. It's about time to go."

" **YOU CAN'T CATCH ME, ADA!"** Solus yelled in her tiny voice. Then she turned around with almost hysterical happiness to find a place to hide, then ran for it.

Sojourner looked at her, then smiled at Prowl and Prime. **"CATCH ME, ADA! ATAR!"** Then she ran away as well.

The little mechs and Miracle watched them, then ran themselves. For a few moments, the adults would 'search' for them, passing where they hid behind furniture and curtains, pretending to look in earnest even for Rambler before giving up. "I guess we can't find them," Prowl said as he waited behind a door leading to the enormous living room of the penthouse apartment, one that filled the entire top floor of the tower. There were literally zillions of places to hide. "We better leave, Atar."

"I do believe you are right, Ada," Prime said as he gripped the nob on a closet door. "Let us go now." They simulated footsteps, then he closed the door. It was intensely quiet.

Down the hallway hiding behind an open door, Miracle peered out. "Ada?" he asked before whispers shut him up.

"Don't say anything, Miracle," Sojourner said in what she thought was a quiet voice.

"Where did Ada go?" Miracle 'whispered' back.

Sojourner who hid with Solus behind curtains in one of the six bedroom suites that were part of the apartment walked to the door to peer down the hallway. "They aren't here."

Miracle stepped out, then joined them. "Where's Ada and Atar?" he asked in a voice filling up with emotion and tears.

Rambler and T-Bar stepped out of their rather good hiding place, then joined them. "Spirit? Where are you?" T-Bar asked.

Footfalls joined them, then they all huddled. "Ada left us? Where did they go? Are they hiding?" Spirit asked as they walked toward the living room.

Passing the door where Prowl hid and not noticing the massive format of their other father standing on the other side with a big grin, they walked into the living room. That was when Prowl stepped out and said 'boo'. Bedlam coupled with mayhem and running in circles screaming broke out immediately.

-0-Downstairs

" **ORION! PRAXUS! GET IN HERE!"**

Two little mechs ran out of Hero's room heading for the living room. Ironhide stood in a bemused mood holding weather gear onesies and their book bags. Standing nearby, Hero held Halo's servo. They were both dressed as little white bunnies in their onesies. Sunspot had gone ahead with the dreads to get on their buses which came first. The mayhem and bouncing dog element halved itself in intensity as the door closed behind them.

" **ATAR! I, ORION COMED! WHAT YOU!?"** Orion slid to a halt in front of his father, then struck unconsciously a Superman pose.

Praxus stopped, then smiled upward brilliantly. **"ATAR! HERE I AM!"**

Ironhide snickered, then gripped Orion. Stuffing him into a white onesie with the team emblem of Kaon on the front, he put him down on the floor beside Hero and Halo. "Slaggers," he said as he did the same with Praxus, he turned to the four. "Halo comes with me. You two are going to miss your bus and Hero needs a cab. Everyone accounted for?"

" **ME!"** Ratchet said coming out of the last berth room. He paused before them, threw out his arms wide and smiled brightly. **"ME! OLD ME!"**

Everyone laughed loudly as the door opened. Ironhide and Ratchet's family glommed kids, smiled and nodded, then left. Ironhide and Ratchet stared at each other, then Ironhide's empty servos. "Better get Halo or you're slag out of luck, big boy."

"You're right about that," Ironhide said with a grin as he held the door open. "I **am** a big boy," he said as the door closed behind them.

-0-Elsewhere

Drift and Springer sat at a cafe on the sidewalk of their city eating breakfast. They usually joined their posse but not today. They were together and that was that. It was cold but sunny. If things were otherwise and their people not so inventive, it would be frag all cold and one long continuous dust storm. But they were, so it wasn't.

Like that.

"We have more trials coming up, the families of Decimus and the others. That seems like ten vorns ago," Drift said as he perused the police report in the local newspapers.

"I know. Its good to be home doing normal slag," Springer said. "We have to go by Unidad. Show the flag, discuss the laws, go over questions. Do we have a staff meeting today?"

"We do but just the military and sciences. Everyone else is off," Drift said.

"Frag," Springer said.

"Yeah. No way we can pretend to listen and play hangman off line today," Drift said with a grin.

"True that," Springer said as he smirked at his partner across the table.

-0-Unidad

They were up and running great guns. Though there was floor after floor of apartments for employees, those levels were disabled in the elevator system pending fulfillment. The top two floors of the facility held the inmates of the Autobot habitat and they were having a great time. Businesses were going full blast, the kids were going to school, work was beginning in labs and factories all over the place, and the fields in the dome were coming together. Roads were made in the 80 square mile 'garden' as the farm was beginning to show growth where enclosed fields were being made and pasture grown.

The rivers in the enclosure were running properly, water was spilling over the dam in the middle where the pump system kept it moving and the lake was filled. Plants were rooting and taking off around the lake and along the streams and irrigation routes as they were planted. Pasture grass for the dairy was thick on the ground and encompassed over 500 acres. Of the 55,000 acres available, it was a goodly size nonetheless and would be enough for the herd and other grazers.

The cows came out of the milking barn, walked to the gate and out onto the dirt road that led between fenced fields to the one in rotation for them. Rising early as well, Olivia Bowers and her brother, Stephen who was a corporation accountant at City Hall and his wife, Jennifer, took care of her three horses and with her greyhounds as company walked them to the field to join the cows for the day until they could come back to ride together later on in the day.

The sun that streamed through was magnified and maintained to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 23.9 degrees Celsius so that the conditions for farming and the forest nearby would be optimal. It was clear and bright as far as the eye could see because the facility filtered the air. Outside, the fawn colored soil of Mars with all its broken boulders and different kinds of rocks here and there were easily seen as were the tower glittering cities that dotted the plain. It was a beautiful place and gave off a vibe of Iowa with its flat farm land disappearing into the distance.

Inside, Merlie began to clear up from breakfast with 'her girls', the wives and girlfriends of some of the

scientists and other employees who took support jobs to keep busy. They were a cheerful crew who worked together here and at the barbecue restaurant, trading places on a schedule that coincided with their families. The streets were busy with little cars going here and there, some pulling trailers or cabs with 'fares' while others pulled into the curb to park and do errands.

The City Hall was the hub of the down town as worker bees went to work, came out or did their business there and other office buildings in the area. Carly ran the city, Sam worked just below her in his office and the process of Unidad business continued briskly. Across the street, down a block or two, the radio and television station carried not only Earth programming and that of Mars but was working on their own to add to the overall schedule along with daily newspapers. They already had an hourly news program of their own featuring the headlines of every country represented in the facility, all 74, plus that of the local habitats and consulate.

The bakeries were busy and the aroma of their effort drifted out the open windows. Since there was no weather inside and the temperature was controlled, most businesses that could opened windows during business hours. The grocery stores were busy with those who liked to cook or needed this or that thing coming in to browse. The feed store run by a mini-con family was busy as agriculturalists and agronomists made their orders, discussed this or that technical aspect of this or that obscure farming thing with the experts. Given that they had downloaded every possible farm related data from Earth and were assimilating it, they were actually better at the technology and technical aspects than the experts they served.

The vet next door was getting ready to receive shipments of animals … sheep, goats, llamas just because, Shetland ponies for the kids and others who liked small things, ducks, geese, pigs, chickens, doves, a number of wild song birds to start with, buffalo, and emus that would be arriving through space bridge to lessen their fears over the next ten days. She was busy with her assistant, her husband who was also a fall back animal surgeon. He was actually a doctor of human medicine, retired, who had jumped at the idea of coming here. They now had a 'gofer' for the vet and a back up surgeon for humans and animals.

Win-win.

Trees were still being hauled about the town to be planted in big boxes set at intervals on the streets. It was decided that fast growing leafy trees would be a nice addition to the small town look of the downtown. When they were finished with that, the gardener team, a group whose main job was to maintain every bush, flower box and tree in the facility no matter where they were would move in and beautify the place. Flowers and rose bushes, flowering vines and other graceful remembrances of Earth would be hanging in windows, on hooks from street lamps, and bordering tree stands all over the place.

The phone rang in Carly's office. She picked it up. "Carly Brooks-Spencer, City Hall. How may I help you?"

"Carly, this is Brandon Clark. Do you remember lunch at 1100 hours?" he asked as he kicked back in his chair in his office at Earth 1.

"I do. We're still meeting here, right?" she asked.

"We are. We're heading out. See you shortly," Brandon said.

"We'll be here," Carly said as she hung up the phone. Tapping a number, she waited.

"Merlie's Soul Food Kitchen," a cheerful voice replied.

"This is Carly, Wanda. Will you be ready for our luncheon at 1100 hours?" she asked.

"We're ready, Carly," Wanda Cummings said. She was a thirty-two year old woman whose husband was a computer designer and programmer. She came here after going on sabbatical at her school district and was part time waitress at Merlie's and back up substitute teacher at the school, elementary preferred. They had three children attending. "We have it for the Earth 1 and 2 bigwigs and you, right?"

"You do," Carly said with a laugh. "Sam said he could attend. The conference call was postponed."

"We're on it," Wanda said. They chatted a moment, then hung up. Brandon Clark and his team along with Owen Harris and his would be here in thirty minutes for lunch. The restaurant would be closed to others for it so they scheduled at 1100 hours rather than noon. It was one of the most popular restaurants on Mars so there would be a number of disappointed diners today.

Outside, the whirl of the habitat spun onward. Children in Intermediate School did the prep work toward going to Trypticon to look through the telescopes. They would be there with other students from the Autobot School District. It would be the first time any of the human kids here would meet alien children and excitement was high. That it would require parental participation and happen in orbit of Saturn was almost too much to take in.

Life at Unidad was coming together nicely.

-0-Earth2

Owen Harris, Kyle Davis, Hamilton Brown, and Jase Daniels stood in their gear watching through the windows of the security doors as Brandon Clark and his two officials swung in to get them. They were going to Unidad 1 for the first time together. The facility was like a lodestone drawing them in even as it remained tantalizingly out of reach. The doors opened as the atmosphere equalized in the drive up. They walked out, climbed in, then drove out into the bigger world beyond. It would be a nice drive through morning traffic, sentient or not, to the stupefyingly gigantic facility looming nearby. They drove over paved roads past manicured landscape like it was anywhere on Earth. Then they drove toward Unidad to enter as the gigantic doors closed behind them.

-0-Ops Center

They walked in and sat with plates piled high and big cups of something to drink. Weariness and the dullness of relief from fear and anxiety permeated the room. Drift and Springer sat side-by-side, their donut plate mounded with goodness. Ratchet sat with his stuff, then grinned at them. "You two look like slag. Want me to write you a note?"

Springer smirked at him. "No thanks, Ma. I think I'll make it."

Prowl walked in with his stuff and the usual datapad, then sat. "Let's start with the good of the order," he said as Prime walked behind him.

Everyone sitting at the table waiting laughed and nodded. He would get no argument out of them today.

-0-TBC 9-14-18


	472. Chapter 472

Sorry this is so late tonight. :D

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 471)

-0-Staff Meeting

They sat in their chairs, the senior Autobots and began to debrief. Springer was called upon first. "I saw a lot of similar and a lot of different things. They live a peaceful life without much trouble. It would appear that taggers are the biggest criminals there. Their policing forces and army, such as it is, are called the Peacekeepers. They have no Seekers and they treat Prime like the second coming. All of the homes that I saw where incredibly high end and it appears that's the way everyone lives and has lived. Their schools are really high end, though the son, Drift the Younger is getting bullied at school, so it appears a flaw exists in paradise after all."

Drift nodded. "I ended up in Kaon and from what little I saw while there, it was beautiful, pristine even, and the area on world where high tech evolves and is made. Sort of the Simi Valley of Cybertron, theirs," he said. "Given its my home town, I was sorta blown away and sort of dazzled at the same time. Go, Kaon."

"The other Prowl ended up in our Kaon," Prowl said. "It must have been a major shock to see it like that. We were together in The Residence in Iacon then all the jumping around commenced. I ended up with their Prime and of all individuals, Sentinel. What a strange thing that was. They treat the Prime there like a god. He even self identifies as one. It's who he is and he doesn't dance around it. He's Thirteen, by the way," Prowl said as he glanced at Prime.

Prime nodded. "Thirteen is the Prime who would be the Everyman. He is someone I find most relatable and so it does not surprise me that this is so."

"He's my favorite," Ratchet said as several others nodded. "Self effacing, decent, brave, smart, kind, generous, inclusive, forgiving, patient, holy … does it sound familiar?"

Prime stared at him without expression, then smirked. "No."

Everyone stared at Prime, then Raptor leaned forward onto his elbows. "Let's consider that a moment. If these dimensional planes are different facets of one same main thing, each of them acting out some universe like ours at different energetic signature levels with different conditions and players, each of them minutely different than each other but stemming like branches on a tree of the same main trunk, then it would be good conjecture to assume that you are Thirteen as well."

Prime considered that, knowing full well that it was so but unwilling to admit it here in this place, in this dimension, in this time. Conversations with the Pantheon over time had made it clear that this was likely and the few allusions that Alpha Trion added sealed the deal in his mind. However … this life was about free will and everyone having a chance to make their marks and their own life choices. If it was clear that a Pantheonic god lived among and led them, it would change things probably too much. As it was, he was their leader and he did his best. "Consider that if each universe explores every possibility that can exist into the infinite numbers, there might be a universe where you are Thirteen, Raptor."

Raptor laughed. "Not likely," he said with a grin. "Given all things being equal it would appear that in that one its so."

"Consider the distance they appear to be from us energetically. They must be at a vibrational level that nearly merges with those species that no longer require a mortal body. They vibrate so highly that being in close proximity to us makes us repel each other," Wheeljack said. "I would postulate that's part of the jumping process, that and some as yet undefined outside force."

"Jhiaxus would have his claws in it," Turbine said with a frown. "That mech leaves a silver trail behind himself wherever he goes."

"He does," Hard Drive said. "It would appear since we're all here that things have leveled out." Then he glanced at the ceiling and around himself. "I'm still here."

"I can't believe something as stupid as saying the opposite of what we wanted and needed would get us home," Springer said. "It couldn't be that easy, right?"

"No," Ratchet said. "I thought about that for some time and it would appear that we have powers in play that are beyond us. We're dealing with inter dimensional disturbances. We have that in the Benzuli Region and there's the Rifts. I also looked through the latest mapping from the Deep Space Mapping Array near Cybertron and there are tremendous spatial and temporal disturbances in the area bordering most of what the humans call the Delta Quadrant. They're spreading out and eventually given all things being equal, the math I've done means they will seal off that quadrant. I'm hoping that Megatron will be on the wrong side when they do."

"He could bridge in," Perceptor said. "I would assume they have adequate capabilities on their ships."

"Maybe," Ratchet said. "Maybe not. And who knows what the disturbances will do to bridges."

"Prowl said there were no temporal disturbances in their universe," Prime said. "There were no rifts, no Benzuli, no problems in their part of the universe. All was well and they were very deep space going with a lot of imperial territory and a lot of other space joined peacefully by confederations," Prime said.

"I never asked about the Tall Whites," Springer said. "The rift that got us wound up with the Shattered Glass universe and now theirs seems to have arrived with the inter dimensional break."

"It did," Wheeljack said. "That's a lynch pin for all of this but how it fits altogether, we're still working it out."

"That is a priority, Wheeljack. I have an intuition that this is going to subside a bit. I do not know why but I have learned to listen to them. I think someone somewhere was flexing their muscles and someone wanted us to know about each other. Not so much for us, but for them. They wanted us to know that they can reach in and break things," Prime said grimly. "We must work out what this is, where its coming from and have a defense in place.

"As for the alternative individuals that we dismantled, put Ironhide, Springer and Drift in the deep freeze. All of the soldiers will be put into the cooler. Let the civilians be revived. Not the titans, but the others. No soldiers will be allowed to function until further notice," Prime said.

Ratchet nodded. "On it," he said.

"Very well," Prime said as he sat back a bit more relieved. "What about Sentinel there?"

"He's a scientist, a scholar, lectures at the University, and they have a relationship. Apparently, he lives in The Residence with Prime. He's respected and smart," Prowl said grimly. "He also didn't like me calling him Orion either. They observe a bit of formality with him no matter who they were. By the way, the youngling Drift is his … what is it the humans call it? God son? Guardian? Apparently, Ironhide has the same kind of relationship that you two have."

"But Ironhide calls him sir, right?" Ratchet asked Ironhide with a giant smile. "Like you do here?"

Snickers were had as Ironhide grinned at Ratchet. "Slagger. I was bonded with Springer, apparently. Seems I have good taste no matter how fast my molecules vibrate."

"Apparently, I need a taste tune up," Springer said. "Shagging dear old atar almost happened."

" **AND WHAT A FINE SHAG IT WOULD HAVE BEEN!"** Ironhide said to everyone's everlasting ewww-ing and omg-ing.

Ratchet slapped him on the back of his helm. "Even joking, slagger. Even joking."

"Incest is your thing?" Drift asked Ironhide.

Ironhide grinned. "Nope."

They relaxed, then Prime glanced at Prowl. "What's the update on the untold and uncounted tens of millions that Dai Atlas found in the hinterlands?"

Prowl checked the latest data, then glanced at him. "We can start taking them now. He's bringing those most endangered forward first, gathering them into migrations. He put in a request for bridge access rather than bringing millions of ships this way. It would alleviate crowding right away and make it all easier. There are apparently 75,000,000 plus individuals located out there so far."

It was silent in the room, then Ratchet sat back. "Frag. There goes the neighborhood."

"Do we have them? Neighborhoods?" Springer asked with a trace of anxiety.

Jetta glanced at him. "Right now, we have room for six million newcomers. We're building in the crater near Aerie Hill and breaking ground in the other two big craters nearby for the same kind of cityscape that will eventually house 15,000,000 more. This is getting to be a big operation. I think I find myself yearning for a simpler life."

Prime grinned. "No you do not."

Jetta grinned back. "No, I don't."

"I do," Elita said as she patted Jetta's servo. "If we get the 15,000,000 in the new construction and the 6,000,000 in the stuff we already have, add that to the now what? 27,000,000 that are here and we're looking at a population of just under 50,000,000 bots. The humans are going to … what was it Epps said a few orns ago when he was talking about the committee on treaties in the Senate in America?"

Arcee grinned. "They're going to and I quote, 'shit a ring around themselves' ..."

"Yeah. That," Elita said with a grin.

Everyone took a moment to search for the saying, then everyone groaned and moaned even as they filed it away for later use.

"Humans aren't going to be totally happy about anything right now, at least in the leadership and business ranks," Raptor said with a grin. "I'm keeping that expression. Sort of suits Pudding," he said as he patted his carry hold.

"Put the cows on the table," Ironhide said as Blackjack and Raptor complied.

Anything for the infant.

The cows stood together, their little fat bellies shining like glass. Then they sat down side-by-side to chew their cuds. Everyone went aw, some patted them, then the show rolled on.

-0-At a lunch meeting in Unidad

They drove in, then parked in the parking lot by the door inside the facility. Greeted by Carly and a few of her officers, they climbed into a transport pulling a wagon. It was a fascinating and awe inspiring ride to the town, the drive down many streets and along the main one shocking in its beauty and familiarity. They pulled up before Merlie's in time. They craned their necks, the visitors, as they took in the scope of the building. The roof over the main concourse soared up ten stories. It was fronted with glass just like the other side of the building that faced the dome. On the two end sides of the building glass elevators rode up glass elevator shafts so that those riding inside could see out. There was no side of this building as vast as it was that didn't have access to an outside view.

Climbing out, they walked on the broad sidewalk to the open door and entered to a room filled with incredible aromas and the welcome of Merlie and her staff. Everyone took a chair at tables, gave their orders, got their tea and coffee, then sat back to wait for food. Owen Harris and his group including a silent Jase Daniels looked around. "This feels like any place on Earth," Harris said.

"It was designed that way. This town is designed to look like any small town on Earth around 1940 or 1950. I grew up in a small town in northern England that reminds me of this place," Carly said.

"It looks like pictures of Iowa in the 1950's," Brandon Clark said. "I like it. I'm assuming that the architects decided on the design from photos from Earth."

"Fort Max worked with Huffer and Gears to design this place," Carly said. "They worked with Dangerous and the two mechs involved who lent themselves to this facility. Then they created it. I think its brilliant."

"It creates an atmosphere," Hamilton Brown said.

"They want us to create a community," Carly said as Sam nodded.

"They want us to be a community and work together," Sam Witwicky said. "The humans on world are a community. There's about nine thousand of us now. We have to start something here that does us all proud."

"We'd like to work together with you. I know you aren't fully staffed but there must be ways our interests and paths can cross," Harris said. "My son has his business housed here. He's also put in for a hostel. I don't suppose you have that request yet or not?"

"It's in the inbox," Carly said. "Given that he's proven himself a great deal, he gets priority. I also have about fifty thousand applications for businesses and business affiliations waiting to be reviewed as well. He will be reviewed among the first group. I can't say one way or the other whether it will make the cut but it is in the stack. We work for Prime and Autobot City so everything runs past the committee who manage this place and among them is Ratchet."

Harris nodded. "What about the schools and university? We have 47 kids in the schools here. What about your schools and any overlap programs you might have in mind?"

"We have several applications in for the District to evaluate student transfers and there will be teams here shortly to test and talk to the kids and their families. Our ninth and tenth graders have been invited to visit Trypticon and use the telescopes. They'll be there with several groups from the local district. Our school here falls into the programs taught and supported through the European Schools statutes. We're trying to broaden our curriculums to encompass American, European, African, Asian, and Cybertronian components. We have children from 74 countries here and some of them have different systems. Our system is being refined to include a number of the major Earth educational best practices and to teach a broader more inclusive set of information that's more international than local in terms of Earth and here.

"We want our kids to be international and interplanetary in outlook," Carly said. "We're working out the kinks considering nearly every country on Earth has their own systems of levels and grades."

"My daughter goes to Youngling Day #1 in Centurion. It's the hardest school she's ever attended and its work. Its also longer. There are few days off, though the three day weekend is nice. Otherwise, they go to school eleven days in a row with holidays both Cybertronian and human on the calendar," Harris said. "It's tough and rather grueling but she's learning things she would never be given on Earth."

"How do they get along with the Cybertronian kids?" Phoebe Grant asked. She was doctor at Earth 1 and a consulting on-call doctor at Unidad and Earth2. She had two kids in the system and had heard a few things about a couple of the kids of the leadership of Earth2 from her own. Some were good and others not so much.

"They've made some friends," Hamilton said. "Jaycee Jamison gets along well. She hangs out with some of the girls in her class and they like her a lot. But then, she's easy going and younger."

"Good for her," Sam said. He glanced at Daniels, a thorn in his side from way back. "How's it going for you and your family?" he asked.

Jason Daniels who was listening to everything without much comment nodded. "Good," he said. "It's a nice change of pace for my grandfather and parents."

"I can imagine," Sam said as big plates of fried chicken, vegetable sides, slabs of cornbread, and ears of sweet corn were brought out. They set the food down, refreshed drinks, they walked back to the kitchen. No one else would be coming in to dine until this group was gone. It would allow the free flow of conversation between everyone without it ending up gossip on the in-house grapevine.

"How's Monica and Zak doing?" Kyle Davis asked as they began to eat their meal.

Carly grinned. "Brilliantly."

Sam chuckled, then passed the salt. It would be a profitable meeting before they took everyone on a jaunt around the facility.

An hour later in the country… Unidad Dome Farm Project ...

They pulled to a halt by a field where small plants were breaking the soil. It had been plowed, then planted, watered and carefully tended. A huge crop of potatoes were growing there and nearby in three other fields, feed for animals, wheat and corn were showing their little green heads, too. Standing at the gate for the irrigation canal, the group watched as Zak Hadden pulled up the plate that would allow the irrigation ditches in the field to receive water. It flowed inward from the canal passing by the field heading on its circuitous route around the farm, down the channels to water the entire field. When the allotted time was passed, the system would drop the door and seal off the water.

Turning to walk to the next field over, the two halted as the visitors came closer to look. Sam glanced at Harris who was looking at them with a tight expression of forced conviviality on his face. "Hello, Zak and Monica. I can see they have you working hard."

Zak Hadden grinned. "It's not hard when you love it." He looked at the fields around them. "Maybe we can supply vegetables by Thanksgiving this year."

Harris stared at the field, then the two agricultural specialists. "Put me down for some sweet corn."

They would spend some time listening to the plans that would be the start of the farming program, look around the dairy and inspect the cows, then watch as more animals arrived and were herded to their fields or pens. As ducks waddled past the group, their soft quacking sounds comical in the extreme, Owen Harris fumed silently. Carly and Sam would be amused.

-0-TBC 9-15-18


	473. Chapter 473

The Diego Diaries: Moving on (dd6 473)

NOTE: So tired. Here we go … :D

-0-Unidad

"What's in those boxes?" Owen Harris asked as two flatbeds with cages and boxes made their way toward where they were standing at the corner of two fields monitoring the irrigation of both.

"Some of those are newly arrived animals. We're putting them together out here to quarantine them a few days before bringing them into the farm. We're going to let them into the pastures near the lake, then go to the forest. Hop in the trucks and let's go," Zak Hadden said as he walked to the truck he had ridden in with his wife, Monica and a couple of agriculturalists. They jumped in as the visitors entered their own, then followed the trucks several miles to a fenced in pasture near the lake. Parking in a turnout just for such things, everyone got out.

Zak walked to one of the trucks and let down the back gate, pressing a button on the truck that made the bed roll forward to bring three cages toward him. Inside, three ewes, two lambs and a ram stared at him nervously. "This is the start of our sheep herd." He pulled the cages onto the gate, then lowered it to the ground. "Open the fence, Monica," he said as he turned the cages with the other men with him toward it. Opening the doors of the cages, he waited.

The sheep stared out, then tentatively walked out. Shooing them to the gate, they ran into the field, then halted to stare back at the humans. The cages were pushed to one side and more called forward. By the time they were finished with most of the cages in both trucks, ten sheep, ten goats, four Shetland ponies and four llamas were standing in groups in the lush green pasture.

"Will they be okay out this far alone?" Phoebe Grant asked. "This is so wonderful."

"They're going to be fine. We're checking on them twice a day for their health and well being. And no matter what, no one can escape from here," Monica said. "Even if my dog gets out and larks off, I'm going to find him eventually, if anything, using the sensor grid to locate him."

"Let's load up," Zak said as he finished reloading the trucks and situating the remaining cages for easier retrieval. They jumped in and drove off toward the forested area several miles away.

-0-At the Main Bridge Transport Depot for Off World Commerce and Cargo, Industrial Park City #5, Autobot City, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 7-21

"Thank you for coming, Sargent Epps," Tango said as he grinned at the soldier who drove in and parked nearby.

Walking through the barrier that separated cargo from Earth from the deadly lack of atmosphere of Mars, he looked up at the big mech who was a dock manager. :Glad to help. What have we got?: he asked.

Tango grinned. "A stowaway."

Epps sighed deeply.

-0-Forest, in the enchanted realms of Unidad Terra 1

They pulled up in the drive way parking lot constructed at the edge of the forest for maintenance vehicles and anything that hikers or workers rode there. There would be no traffic allowed in the confines of the forested area but for walking and hiking. When things were secure and rooted well, a couple of trails would be built to walk upon. Climbing out, they watched as Zak opened the back gates of the trucks. Rolling cages forward, he glanced at the forested area before them. They had a variety of trees both leafy and evergreen planted in groves. There were also bushes and ferns, berry bushes and other typical foliage of a forest area growing with abandon everywhere. It was randomly but expertly designed to allow growth that would echo normal distribution such as could be found on Earth. 19 acres were planted thus far with a projected 250 to go. There were meadows in the clearings with a small pond planned for two places to allow wild animals and birds a place to drink.

"Help me carry these cages," Zak said to everyone present.

They walked forward to carry them singly and two at a time toward a path that led into the density of trees, bushes and grasses that were flourishing. It was slow going for most of them as they carried the awkward loads. "How do you water everything?" Jerry Skura of Earth 1 asked as he carried a cage filled with song birds.

"We have a sprinkler system built in. We decided since we weren't ready for the complexity of rainfall yet, we'd use a sprinkler system laid in the ground to take care of static places like this. We have intricate irrigation for all our fields but this is complicated and thus, we water it with sprinklers," Zak said.

"Wait a minute," Kyle Davis asked. "You said … rain?"

Zak grinned. "The bots are working on a system of rain fall here, even snow once in a while. You have to remember … they terraform wherever they are. They can change any thing into something. They've done it for zillions of years and they also help other species with their worlds, too. They asked us if we wanted rainfall like a normal seasonal system. After we picked our jaws up off the floor, we said hell yes. God, these people are incredible."

They reached the place where a tall dove cote was placed. Hanging from it were flowering baskets of perennial plants and hummingbird feeders. Placing the cages on the ground, Zak began to open them. Most of them hesitated to come out, the birds inside, but they did and flew off, cardinals, sparrows, blue jays, robins, hummingbirds, starlings, four parrots, and some crows. Zak then picked up the remaining cage and walked onward. Everyone followed, then he paused in the next meadow where a tall nesting box with a feeding platform nearby was standing.

Putting down his box, he opened it. Lurching out, four squirrels looked at everyone, then ran back inside, lurched out again, ran back inside, then lurched out for the last time. Staring at the humans, they then bounced forward and ran for the tall platform to climb to the top. When they reached it, they did what all squirrels do, the little Cliffjumpers. They sat and bitched at the humans at the top of their voices.

Laughing loudly, the humans gathered the cages and walked back to their vehicles. With a side trip to the pasture to check on the new animals, they drove onward toward the dairy and horse barn. It would take a while to get there through the mostly rolling and flat terrain of The Farm, though it didn't go unnoticed that every road in the facility that they traveled over was a paved two lane with lines marked clearly.

-0-Cargo Depot

Epps watched as the bots lowered a large wooden box with the proper labeling to be here onto the floor. He watched as well as the bots then carefully pried it open on the sides. One entire side of the box fell forward onto the floor revealing its contents. Lying amongst a lot of food packages, most of them empty and water bottles, a teenaged boy stared at them, blinking at the bright light that flooded him. He sat up awkwardly, then stood amidst the rubble of his transport device. Blinking at Epps, he glanced around. "Hey … do you have a rest room around here?" he asked.

Moments later …

He walked out of the restroom that served the few humans who worked here, then halted before Epps. He was a tall thin well made young kid, maybe 17 or 18, African American, and had a sweet intensity that was disarming. "Thanks. I thought I'd die. I filled up the two mason jars I brought with me," he said with a grin. Then it faded. "Uh, I hope you're not mad."

"Why would I be mad? You mailed yourself here, took a chance that you'd end up in a space with no atmosphere, broke every rule and law in the book, trespassed on the sovereign territory of the Prime, took me away from my sandwich … why would I be mad?" Epps said as he noted Will Lennox and John Fulton walk into the room. He turned to them. "Christmas came early."

Fulton grinned in spite of himself. "It did. You **do** know that you violated the sovereign territory of the Prime of Cybertron. Tell us why we don't jail you?"

"I came because I want to work here. I want to be an astronomer. I got all A's in school and take advanced placement as well. I almost got into the space school at NASA. I wanted to come here and see Mars," he said.

"Who are you?" Lennox asked.

"I'm Michael Allen. I'm from Seattle but I live in Dubai for now, and I'm 18. Almost," he said with a slightly defiant expression. "I came here to be a worker and to learn. I don't know how to do it any other way." He looked hopeful. "It was pretty great how I got here."

"And you're going to explain that to us when we get to N.E.S.T. Headquarters," Lennox said as he gestured toward the vehicle sitting nearby.

"Are you going to send me back?" Michael asked warily.

"Most likely," Lennox replied, grinning in spite of himself.

"Then I ask for asylum." He crossed his arms over his chest with a defiant expression on his face.

Epps laughed. "Oh shit," he said.

-0-At a meeting in Ops Center

"We plan to move two million of our most endangered people from the farthest reaches of territory explored by Atlas. He's getting them ready," Prowl said as he perused a datapad handed to him by a runner. "Looks like a steady stream of individuals. Some of them are high caste. Might be fun. Not."

"We can hope so," Ratchet said. "I haven't slagged a stuffed shit since Knockout."

"How's that train wreck coming along?" Turbine asked with a grin as he lounged in his chair.

"Well, Breakdown has been accepted into the residential doctor training program, the one who makes house calls for elders and babies, those who are housebound or recovering at home. He's certified in every level as a medic and working toward minimal certification as an infant specialist as part of the residential program. He's got a thing for babies and they love him. As for his own, that sparkling is breathtaking. He runs, talks and goes full time to the Prep Academy. He's got Breakdown's face, Knockout's wings and a lot of sweet goodness."

"What about old hard aft?" Blackjack asked with a grin.

"He's director of internal medicine, day shift. He's more administrative than hands on, though he has talent, the slagger. He's gotten a lot better here. He can't saw things off for spite or I'll plant him," Ratchet said.

"Plant him anyway," Delphi said with a grin. "That fragger is a pain in the aft."

"He is but Breakdown got the upper hand somehow and its fun to watch him do what he's told," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

"Speaking of sparklings … we have conferences in three orns," Prowl said. "Who wants to raise their servos that we don't get to go?"

No one did.

"Football is going to finish up shortly, Kaon in the running, of course, and then Halloween. Remember, Thanksgiving is candy this year," Ratchet said.

"Fudge. Warrior candy," Ironhide said with a contented grin. **"FUDGE! WARRIOR FOOD! SNACK FOOD OF CHAMPIONS!"**

"There, there, Sonny," Delphi said flipping him some candy that he always carried for children. Especially the big ones.

"Thanks, Amma," Ironhide said with a grin.

Prime smirked, then glanced at Prowl. "When can we expect refugees?"

Prowl glanced at the datapad. "In a decaorn. They might come in faster, those they can't handle for health or mental reasons. Other than that, they're gathering them now and getting ready to send them in smaller groups, 50-1000,000 at a time."

"I remember when 27 nearly capsized us," Ratchet said with a grin.

"I do as well," Prime said with a grin of his own. "Good of the order?"

-0-On a planet in another dimension far away

They walked down the steps from the school side-by-side. The meeting of the appropriate school authorities went well. Putting the fear of Primus into them about the bullying their son, and it turned out several other children who were experiencing the same from three big youngling mechs, had birthed a plan of action. That Springer said he would be policing it himself also helped. And that Ironhide would be checking out the situation from his angle … that was good, too. They paused on the steps to watch cars drive past. "This has been a very, very strange few orns," Springer said.

Ironhide nodded as he squeezed Springer's servo. "Do you suppose they made it back to their universe?"

"I hope so," Springer said as he looked at Ironhide. "You _**do**_ know that they were aspects of us? That we're all one personality having zillions of different lives but focusing only on the one we are in."

Ironhide nodded. "I do. It was good for that Springer to take an interest in Drift. I don't know what we were thinking not jumping on this."

"I was surprised to know it was happening," Springer said as they walked down the steps to go. "Imagine, Only One … your entire world, family, way of life … everything … destroyed."

Ironhide shook his helm. "I can't, Springer," he said as they disappeared into the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk nearby.

-0-In a locker room in a school far away later that morning

Drift sat on the bench waiting for the bell to go to lunch. They had worked on a health unit, a facet of their physical education. Apparently, his genitors were coming to school today to work on the bully problem. That three of them were in this class was still nauseating and he did his best to look like all was well. He rose to go when the bell rang, then was bumped by one of the three as he passed by. Just as Drift was ready to explode a voice rang out.

" **METAL!"**

The kid who bumped him, an older mech named Metal froze in place, then turned to the teacher. "Coach?"

" **GET IN HERE!"** his teacher called out.

The kid hesitated, then walked into the nearby office of his teacher.

" **MARTEL! SINGULAR! GET IN HERE!"** The coach was standing by the door with a datapad in his servo. He looked lit. The boys walked in, then he looked at Drift. "Go to lunch, infant. Have a good orn. This slag is over."

Drift looked at him with a hopeful expression that would stay in the processor of his teacher forever. He nodded, then walked out the door with everyone else, most of whom looked incredibly happy. When they were gone, the coach shut the door, then glowered at the three who looked freaked out. "Well, well, well … haven't **we** been busy lately?" he said before he lowered the boom.

Out in the hallway, Drift and four of his friends, all of them bullied stared at the door. Then they looked at Drift. "What was that about?"

Drift smiled. "My genitors. They took care of it. Springer … he took care of it." He grinned, then looked at them. "I owe him one."

"Who? Your ada?" his best friend, Cycle asked.

"No. Someone else. Come on. Its lunch time," Drift said and then for the first time he hurried down the hall with a light and happy spark. Behind him, his friends followed.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

He ate his food ravenously, glancing at the amused men who sat at the table with him. They had taken his details and searched him out. He was an honors student at a school in Dubai, though he lived and was born in Seattle, Washington. His father worked for an oil company and he lived with his mom and dad, a sister named Susie, two brothers, Jamal and Tom, and a dog named Tobin. He attended an international school where he aced the science, had a lot of interests in sports and languages, though he only spoke English and was a well liked kid who never got into trouble. How he got here, he still wasn't telling.

"You do know that we have to call your parents," Epps said.

"Please don't. I want to see this place. I want to show them what I can do. You could always use another scientist, right? Unidad could use another employee? I just graduated. I graduated early. My folks went me to go to college but I want to work here. In science. With the bots." He looked at them with his big dark eyes and earnest youthful face. It was hard not to like him a lot.

"How the hell did you get here. We have to know for security reasons," Fulton asked.

He stared at Fulton, then hesitantly glanced around. "Uh, my dad ... he works knows the expediter for shipping for the Middle East. I sorta ... I might have sorta glanced at the shipping manifests for Mars ... maybe."

"Your family is going to paddle your butt, kid. What are we going to do with you?" Lennox asked.

Epps thought a moment, then stood. "Come on, kid. I want you to meet someone."

The kid looked at him hopefully, then stood with his sandwich in hand. "Where are we going? Do I get a suit, too?"

"Nope," Epps said with a grin as he walked toward the hatch where the motor pool was.

Lennox, Graham, Fulton, and Corey McFarlane glanced at each other, then rose. They followed the two into the motor pool where the doors closed tightly behind them.

-0-TBC 9-17-18

I've been watching videos on you tube lately and I have to recommend the following. Go there and search for a Friessan horse named Frederick the Great. OMG. May I say it again. O!M!G! Even if you don't like horses, you will like this one. Oh, and Gypsy Vanners. :D:D:D You will understand why a horse is usually the first boyfriend that girls have.

NOTES!

optimus prime101 chapter 471 . Sep 15

oh pleases put up more chapters today, please.

ME: i will try every day. :D

SkyenhaMarisa chapter 471 . Sep 14

We need squirrels. I have one making a home along the root of a dead tree in my front yard. He loves the purple potatoes in my garden. We won't tell my sister I got food for him for the winter. Llamas are nice the wool makes lovely lace yarn.

ME: Done deal! :D

Burningrose194 chapter 469 . Sep 13

Oh thank Primus because I am very confused as to what is going on here

ME: You're welcome. So am I. LOL!

Ragemoose chapter 468 . Sep 13

it might be because im low on sleep and its 4 am but i had a hard time parsing this chapter will have to give it another read when im better rested. its interesting to see how this plays out and how everyone and everything is connected. my best guess for the creepy place is the Dead Universe, or wherever leige maximo is. we know this is being perpetrated by someone important because prima was so mad about it. it would be interesting to see more interactions with the little kid drift and a grown up drift. i also wonder what happened in ratchets family line in he peaceful universe that he wasn't born? i would expect he'd exist with maybe even siblings, because ravvie and tie wouldn't have been taken advantage of and probably could have afford to raise at least one, if not more mechlings. its all very interesting! very excited to see where this goes. i hope if theres a battle with someone like leige maximo, micronus, solus, and onyx get to kick butt together :9

thank you for another great chapter!

ME: More if not all of this will return with the thread but its going to be a while. This was an intro and then a fade. I will bookmark your thread for later. :D Ratchet's family and all the rest play a part in this along with a number of other universes. Time has fractured and things are amiss but that's down the road. :D

Guest chapter 468 . Sep 12

Your universes are a bit mixed in this chapter, it was Mars Prowl that ended with Megatron etc.

ME: I know. SOB! I think I hammered it out though. Thank god it wasn't supposed to be a long thread.

Misty Legionnaire chapter 467 . Sep 11

I'm eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I hope Springer tells Peace Drift some pointers to get to Mars Prime rather than be taken to school. Or to Shatter Glass Prime if he ends up there.

ME: More will come from later on but this thread closes one of the small problems. That doesn't mean they won't show up again. ;)

Guest chapter 466 . Sep 11

Waiting eagerly to see what crises the peaceful Prime is handling.  
I would guess this is Liege Maximo or Megatronus pulling strings, but it doesn't feel malevolent enough for them. Micronus, maybe...

ME: The next part isn't for a while but its coming. ;)

Misty Legionnaire chapter 466 . Sep 10

I'm looking for the next chapter. Glad to see them defining the universes. Looks like more and more bots are being drawn into the Möbius strip.

I'm a bit worried about little kid Drift. I sure hope he doesn't slip his universe, but if he does, hopefully he ends up in Mars and picked up as a 'truant youngling'.

Will humans get drawn in? Wouldn't it be a kick in the teeth Mars Lennox slips to Peace universe? I would pity the humans who got snagged.

Good luck with this thread of the story.

ME: The humans will get drawn in. The humans in Peaceful Universe Prime's world aren't friendlies. That's all I can say. ;)

Each universe says something about the possibilities of the spirit and they can diverge a lot or not.


	474. Chapter 474

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 474)

-0-After the meeting

Everyone went their way but for the usual suspects. Ironhide glanced at Prime. "Where are you going to be today, Prime?"

"I am going to Cybertron to visit the shrines and Temple District," Optimus said. "They prioritized the Temple first, the locals, and I have to see how things are going and what they need to make things better for housing."

"I'll go with you," Ironhide said. "Halo and me." He patted his hold as the two rose to walk to the door and beyond.

Prowl and Ratchet watched them go. "I almost forgot we had one of those."

Prowl snickered. "You can always give them to me. I have a couple around the house."

"Greedy," Ratchet said as he paused to listen to an internal communication. "Well, well, well. We have a stowaway. Again." He stood. "Gotta go take care of an interplanetary incident."

"Do tell later," Prowl said. "Of course, unless you want me along as well."

"Couldn't hurt. I thought you had slag to do," Ratchet said as Prowl stood.

"I do, slagger," Prowl replied as he walked with Ratchet to the door. "Some of us, however, can do more than one thing at a time."

"I can do that, too," Ratchet replied with a dazzling smile.

"You can't chew gum and walk at the same time, Loser," Prowl said as Ratchet's laughter trailed behind them as they left.

-0-Temple District, Cybertron

They stepped out of a bridge in the clear space that was part of the Temple District, one of the oldest places on Cybertron. In their zeal to honor Him, The People built the Temple here where the Well sprang from His body. It's typical of most cultures to have their own tales of how things began, to put order into a chaotic world and find answers to great questions … where did I come from? Am I alone? Who listens to me when I cry out?

Those places often have famous names … Delphi, Stonehenge, the Mahabodhi Tree, Mounts Pele, Sinai and Kalais, Uttar Pradesh, Mecca, and even Crater Lake in Oregon are considered sacred to people all over the world. Here, Simfur was the sacred center. Many are the cultures on Earth who consider such places the navel of the world. Stonehenge was considered to be that place once upon a time and so was this one.

It was beautiful once, a shining place of contemplation and repose. There were schools all around it where scholars worked, writers, and teachers with their students parsing the meanings inherent in all events and writings, family residences of priests and those who helped manage the enormous collections of materials and the buildings themselves. It was here that the relics of greatest reverence lived. The Matrix Flame which signaled whether a Prime was in residence in this dimension or not, the AllSpark, the enigmatic cube that was considered the oldest thing known, and It was, along with the Well of AllSparks, the direct route into the soul and innermost being of Primus himself, They were all here.

Then the war finally came hard and for this space along with the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea and the shrines, a truce and promise was made on all sides that they would be spared. But like everything else in the carnage of war, that promise wasn't kept. This place was cratered when it was clear that the AllSpark was gone. The Decepticons at Megatron's command obliterated the place as best they could for revenge. No one was spared and many died including religious and priests. It was a catastrophe.

That is, it was until it became known that the irreplaceable genius of their people had been carted off to sites and gathered during the run up to war. Shrines with their deep levels and vaults galore, archival posts and other places down deep into the body of Primus were packed with all manner of their greatness, from their thoughts to their crafts. Now, they were trying to find them and bring them up again, to be the light for The People.

Optimus walked along the Great Platform upon which the Temple sat in better times. It was cleared and the surface was now itself again, smooth, broad and open. It gleamed in the lights of the towers around the area. The Temple itself was now a skeleton of spires rising up into the dark sky as crews worked. They were following the old plan to make it the best possible copy. In the middle of the vast building was the empty hole of the Well that disappeared into the darkness, some said to the center of the planet. Gone was the gentle blue surface with mist rising. Gone was the vast greatness of the AllSpark turning slowly in the lights overhead. It was a cavernous work in progress now.

Both of them stopped before entering into the lighted area. They kept to he shadows to look around undisturbed. "This is hard to see," Prime said.

Ironhide nodded. "I loved this place. Amma would come here to do ceremonies or to build something and bring me along to watch and listen. There were a lot of Makers then. They'd give him more and more of what they knew each time so that no one would die and take it with them. Pretty soon, he had all of it. Good thing." He glanced around. "Did you ever come here? I never asked."

"No. I did as Prime but there was no time for the Festival. I regret that. I could not come before and after ascension, there was no time because things went sideways immediately. It is all so ..." Prime shook his helm. "We need to meet the people here. I would like you to find out how the building goes for housing. I do not want their piety to make more hardship for themselves. They mean as well as anyone here."

Ironhide nodded. "This place is special, Prime. They love it and we do, too. I'll check with the local housing authority officials."

Prime nodded. "Good. Let us go," he said, then walked forward. He was almost immediately swarmed by grateful civilians and soldiers.

-0-On the way

They drove on the highway heading toward Unidad Terra 1. John Fulton who was here for the quarterly review of the N.E.S.T. garrison and their Diego counterparts had called to say they had another stowaway. The stowaway was at Unidad with him, something that prompted a story Ratchet was sure. He was tuned up to hear it. Right now, he was bantering with Prowler. "Fragger. Then we have to go to school to get the word for conferences. You **KNOW** that'll be interrupted. Did I tell you that some of the human kids are sort of … not teasing but getting nosy about Fireball and Lumi?"

"No," Prowl replied as he turned off at the roundabout and sped up to go to the roads that led to Unidad. "What's going on?"

"They ask a lot of questions. You know how they hold servos all the time and hang out, right?" Ratchet grinned as he followed on Prowl's bumper. "Just cute sweet stuff but the humans are nosy, the slaggers."

"And you aren't?" Prowl asked with a grin.

"That's beside the point," Ratchet replied.

They headed down the left turnoff ramp to go to Unidad which loomed ahead of them like a giant looming thing. Reaching the huge paved parking lot, they drove into the habitat entrance as the doors began to close behind them again.

Earlier …

They climbed into the car and drove to Unidad, Bobby Epps and Michael Allen. The kid peppered him with questions as they sped along, driving in sentient and non-sentient traffic down the long eight lane highway that led to Unidad. They could see it in the distance, this behemoth place with the dome filled with mostly brown and tannish terrain broken here and there with patches of green. Behind them, driving with abandon to catch up, a vehicle with John Fulton, Will Lennox, Niall Graham, and Corey McFarlane sped along, too. When they reached the habitat, they joined Epps inside as the doors closed behind them.

Parking in the visitor's part of the motor pool, they climbed out and then into an electrical car pulling a trailer with seats for passengers. With Epps driving, everyone clambered in and he took off. Across the grand concourse they sped, then stopped at a light as they entered the road system painted on the floor and marked by traffic lights, sidewalks and the streets inside the city themselves. Michael Allen stared around as they drove inside the city, traveling several city sized blocks before turning left on Main Street. Driving down it, they pulled over in the loading zone of several businesses. Epps climbed out and so did the others. He turned to Allen. "We're going inside. When was the last time you had a decent meal?"

He looked at the men, then shrugged. "Two days ago."

"Come on in," Epps said as he led the way. "My grandmother owns this place. She'll feed you."

Allen followed as the others did, walking into the busy restaurant to sit in a table by the window. Tennessee, Epps's older sister walked over with a smile. "What brings you here? I figured you'd be fighting Decepticons for all mankind?"

The soldiers snickered, then Epps pulled her aside to whisper. She glanced at the youngster, then nodded. "Wait here. We have fried chicken and cornbread. Have you had lunch yet?"

John Fulton grinned. "Even if I already did? No," he said to laughter and snickering.

She walked off with a smile, then they all turned to look at the kid. He blanched slightly, but sat up straight and squared his shoulders. Fulton gave him his 'alright, recruit' face that worked on everyone but his wife and kids. "Spill. All of it, kid."

Michael Allen sagged a little. "I always wanted to be an astronomer. I took hard classes, got tutors and worked at conservatories every summer since I was a freshman in high school. My dad and mom liked that I did. I took all of them … chemistry, biology, math, **hard** math … physics. I wanted to learn and know things. The Autobots being here are like … magnets. You just want to be with them and learn things. Everyone I know wants to come here. **Everyone**.

"I finished high school at the International School in Dubai where my dad works on a three year project for his company. He works for an oil company doing deep planet geology, finding out where minerals are and all that. My mom likes to do what she wants … she wanted to be a teacher and trained to be one but she didn't like it. It's like she's in between figuring out what she wants so she does what she wants. She likes to make jewelry and has a business selling antique kinds on Instagram. She likes collecting art, African mostly and knitting and crocheting. She's artistic.

"They want me to go to college but I want to come here. I want to learn what they know. So … uh … my dad knows the expediter, the guy who gets stuff together from the Middle East to ship to Mars. He's a guy who manages shipping for a number of companies who do export to this place for the habitats. So … I peeked at his invoices, got the codes and numbers, then made my crate. Its filled with food and stuff," he said, hesitating to elaborate on his other functional aspects. "I had myself delivered and waited. I put myself into a shipment that was going to Mars the next day."

"How did you know?" McFarlane asked as he sipped the tea a waitress had brought to all of them, tea and coffee.

"Uh … I hacked their computer system," Michael said. The men smirked at him which for Allen was a lot better than throwing chairs or handcuffing him. He took that as a positive. "I made it here. I'm here. On Mars. Eating cornbread." He grinned at them. "And I'm only eighteen."

"You could be eighty-eight and still be in a world of hurt," Will said as big plates began to arrive.

It was the usual excellence, fried chicken, cornbread, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy with a small touch of homemade cranberry sauce for zest. More tea and coffee came, then so did Merlie. She beamed at them. "My, my, you haven't been in for a while, boys. Colonel, what a delight to see you again." They stood when she came and sat when she was given a chair by her grandson. "Why thank you, Robert." she said as she sat and took in the youngster who was looking at her warily. "Then this is our young explorer?"

"It is, Grandma," Epps said. "This is Michael Allen who mailed himself here. He wants to stay."

"Don't we all?" Merlie asked with a grin. "Well, young man. I can only imagine what your family is thinking right now."

"They don't know. I told them I was staying the weekend with friends," Michael replied.

"Well, that isn't right. William?" she asked Lennox who was stuffing his face. "Can you get them on the line, or better yet, go get them?"

Lennox froze, then sat back. "Do you really want them to come here, Mama?" he asked. "They might not be very happy or even willing to come to another planet to paddle their son."

Grins made it around the table minus Michael Allen.

"Well, **I** would come. If one of my children or grandchildren was so disrespectful as to go to another planet without telling me, I would find a way."

"Can I finish lunch, Mama?" William asked with a touch more of neediness than he wanted. Huge laughter greeted that.

Merlie smiled. "Of course. Eat up," she said. "You, too, young man. You'll need your strength when your mama and papa find out about this."

-0-An hour later

Knock, knock, knock.

A pretty woman answered the door wearing a long dress and nice jewelry. "Yes?" she asked, then noted the military uniforms of the men who were outside. "What's wrong? Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Uh, no, ma'am. Could we come in to talk?" Robert Epps said. "I'm Master Sargent Robert Epps of the United States Air Force and this is Major Lennox of the U.S. Army."

She stared at them, then stepped aside. "Come in." The door closed.

[Silence a moment in the hallway. Then the sound of a heated one-way exchange could be heard through the doors]

 **"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT MY SON MAILED HIMSELF TO MARS!? WHO GAVE THAT BOY PERMISSION TO GO TO ANOTHER PLANET!? WHERE IS HIS FATHER!? JAMES! I HAVE TO CALL JAMES!"**

She would.

-0-In the foyer of Unidad Terra 1

Two giant robots stood in the bright light of the concourse. Several humans had seen them and they had galloped over to chat. One sometimes saw Ratchet here but never Prowl. The two had gotten word that Lennox and Epps were gathering up the family to bridge into the foyer in moments. They hadn't been informed themselves nor granted permission for that to happen. Prowl had asked John Fulton who sat on a seat in a small electrical car with a grin on his face. He'd replied, "I don't know nothing about nothing."

Prowl had frowned.

Ratchet had laughed loudly.

Fulton and the boys with him looked contented and amused.

The tense infant with them appeared to be the stowaway.

Apparently, General Merlie was organizing an intervention.

Just like her grandson knew she would.

The moments passed pleasantly by until the sound of a space bridge bursting into life nearby drew everyone's attention. Stepping from it with a jolted expression, common the first time around, a tall good looking middle aged black man in a suit, his distressed wife in a long pretty dress carrying a white fluffy dog and three littler awestruck kids stepped out with Epps and Lennox. They glanced around in shock including the little dog, then the woman fixed her eyes upon the young kid who was trying to hide behind Corey McFarlane.

 **"MICHAEL JAMES ALLEN! WHO IN THE HELL GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE PLANET!?"** she cried out.

For Ratchet, it was love at first sight.

-0-TBC 9-18-19


	475. Chapter 475

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 475)

NOTE: I misplaced my computer cord so this is going to be a colossal freak out until I find it. Fortunately, I have a terrific desktop so have no fear. That's my job.

-0-In the concourse foyer of Unidad Terra 1, Planet Mars

She spewed a load, then silenced, having dispersed her fear and amazement for the moment. Looking at the bots, she stepped back slightly. "I'm sorry that my son did this. May we take him and go?"

" **BUT MOM!"** Michael said before she cut him off with a look.

Ratchet laughed. "You sound like me." He grinned, then leaned closer. "I'm the Secretary of State for Autobot Nation and anything that looks like a territorial breach falls to me. Your son broke interplanetary laws and that's something that needs addressed."

James Allen stepped forward past his distraught wife and delighted younger children. "Mr. Ambassador, is it possible that because of his age and relative **STUPIDITY** that he can just take a hand slap and wait for the rest of it at home?"

Ratchet smiled. He liked both parents and the little kids and dog were cute as a button. "We have to go to Juvenile Court to address this. I think Prime would give me latitude. Right, Prowl?" he asked.

Prowl stared at Ratchet, then the family. "Your son needs to know this isn't just a lark, Mr. and Mrs. Allen. We only just a few days ago made the receiving docks from Earth fully life supporting. Not only did we do that for the human workers there, we did it for this reason. Someone else tried this a week ago. We're moving farm animals here now. They need special handling. If the freight wasn't mostly destined for Unidad, there wouldn't have been an atmosphere and the moment he passed out of the space bridge, he would have died. Badly."

They looked at their son who looked as upset as them. "Uh, we're so very sorry. Aren't we, Lisa?"

"We are. What does all this mean?" she asked with distress gathering.

"Ratchet, call the magistrate for Juvenile Court to come and lets get this straightened out," Prowl said as Ratchet nodded. "Bridge them in."

Ratchet stood again, then called the court, was told that Blackstone was available and would bridge in from the one at the courthouse. Almost before they signed off, the bridge opened nearby and the handsome, elegant and highly dignified figure of Blackstone walked out. The new humans were astonished and the old ones highly amused as they sat on the electrical cars to watch the show. Blackstone walked up to Ratchet, then the two stepped to one side to talk together silently.

Lisa Allen watched, then looked at her husband. "Don't we need a lawyer or something, James?"

"You do," John Fulton said. "I appoint Will Lennox."

Lennox glanced at him sharply, then stood. "Uh, that might not be the best idea."

"You're senior human here with final say. What's not to love?" Fulton said with a big smile.

"What's not to love, indeed," Corey McFarlane said with a snicker.

A frown got paid to that as Ratchet and Blackstone turned to the group. "I would like to present one of the most distinguished and honorable individuals you will ever meet. This is Blackstone and he's the Director of Public Legal Defense and the taker on-er of hopeless cases for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire as well as a member of Prime's Civilian Committee Advisory group. This is Michael Allen. He's a stowaway and wants to stay here. These are his genitors, James and Lisa Allen and his littler siblings and cute little dog. I turn it over to you."

Blackstone smirked at Ratchet. "You have the Prime's Brief."

Ratchet preened. "When don't I?"

A jab to the back by Prowl took care of that. The humans laughed but for the new ones who looked at the group with dread. Blackstone began. "Mr. Michael Allen, you came into the territory of the Prime of Cybertron, trespassing onto his empire without permission. You endangered not only your own life by doing so but the future and eternal happiness of your mother and father. The death that you would have experienced had the dock been without atmosphere, which I assure you that all of them are but for this one, you would have died a gruesome and lingering death. You are a trespasser. How do we know you're not a spy sent here to steal our tech and do harm to our people?"

The Allen family stared at Blackstone dumbfounded, then looked at Ratchet. "We're just … people. We're not spies."

"That's what they all say," Ratchet replied. He glanced at Will. "Jump in any time, Lennox."

"Oh," he said with a jolt. "Yeah. I don't think you can call this kid a spy. Dumb, maybe. Foolhardy, sure. Even idiotic," he continued until even the bots were staring at him with amusement. "Uh, we all know what spies look like. He's not carrying a briefcase bomb and he doesn't have a looking glass. Do you have a camera hidden up your-" Fulton punched him. Lennox glanced at him, then turned to Ratchet. "I think spy is a bit more than this warrants, Ratchet."

"Do you really? How do we know he isn't from M.E.C.H? He could be from their junior auxiliary. He could be their intern. Maybe we should turn him upside down and shake him until the bombs fall out of his a-" A sharp jab from Prowl ended that line of inquiry. It didn't end the effort the soldiers made to hide their smirks or the huge laughter from the bots that played off line.

"I think if you … pat his servo, Ratchet … make him write an essay about not being a bad guy, then he can go home and not to prison with the rest of the riffraff," Lennox said. "In summation … how about some of that mercy Prime is so famous for? A little bit goes a long way."

"A little dab will do ya?" Ratchet asked with a slight smirk. Lennox grinned, then nodded. Ratchet looked at Blackstone. "This kid wants to stay here and be an astronomer. He went to school and graduated but going to college there seems to be insufficient for his overbearing ambitions. What about it, O' Wise One? What do you recommend? I ask as the prosecution ten years at hard labor."

The parents gasped, the kid watched Ratchet closely having read and viewed everything that existed about him. He knew that the big mech was a kidder. Maybe he was now.

Maybe.

"Well, that might be excessive," Blackstone said. "I gave my own son three years hard labor for that thing he did a little while ago," he lied. The parents gasped again. "However, given that he squishes so easily, I would like him to go home and write two long detailed letters filled with sincerity. One is to his family for making this scare possible. The other will be addressed to Optimus Prime."

It was silent. The kid wilted, then looked at Blackstone. "What do I tell Optimus Prime? Besides I'm sorry?" he asked with a forlorn tone.

"You will apologize to him and then you will ask him if you can be part of the intern program that we will start to address this longing among kids your age and condition that obviously exists. You can ask to be part of that program which we will open to children your age who are pre-college to come here and live. You will work and learn. 74 countries are represented here at Unidad and over 110 overall on world. The more we get, the more ambassadors there are for peace going back to Earth. Ambassador Ratchet will send the addresses to your home in Dubai and you can mail your application in along with an apology letter to Prime and an essay about what you want to do with your life and why you want to be here. Do you agree?"

Michael looked at him with a growing understanding that he wasn't going to walk the plank, then the idea of it hit him. **"YES! I WOULD! I DO! THANK YOU!"**

"Don't thank us, kid. Your parents are going to paddle your butt when you get home," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

" **YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!"** Lisa Allen said with a frown at her son.

They chatted a moment, then the soldiers gathered them to go to the Ops Center upstairs to bridge back to their living room in Dubai. The last sight they caught of the kid and his family was him waving at them as he sped off in an electric car with Corey McFarlane. Blackstone grinned, then turned to Prowl and Ratchet. "Thanks. That was fun."

"Did you really punt your son, Blackstone?" John Fulton asked.

"I did. He's going through what I think your culture calls an emo stage. I grounded him with he got caught tagging a building in Tetriades," Blackstone said. He laughed. "I was easier on him than my bond was."

"That's because your bond is a work and wonder," Ratchet said as he slapped Blackstone on the shoulder. They called a bridge and he went back to the courthouse leaving the group and a gathering crowd of local humans behind. They chatted and laughed, then Ratchet and Prowl walked out, transformed and bugged out. The event wouldn't make the news but it would make the rounds.

All was well.

-0-Cybertron

They walked through the construction of the Temple, a forlorn but formidable sight. It was a huge building and would take some time to get right. The antiques that were found were being restored and others made to replace those destroyed. A foundry was making the statues that surrounded it both inside and out along with the four sets of massive and highly detailed metal doors that were part of each side of it.

If and when it was recreated, the next Festival would be held here. Then it would alternate between Cybertron and Mars. Prime would observe the festivals of the shrines when they were dug out, sorted out and rebuilt but that was way down the road. Their excavation was extremely show since they were bursting at the seams with relics and all manner of artifact and book that was placed there before the world ended.

Those there were overwhelmed to see him and he noted that a number of priests came here to work and some to live, helping the locals with their personal and spiritual needs. He loved them even more, these the most selfless of individuals as he listened to the tales told by those around him. It would take a while for Ironhide and himself to head onward, going toward Polyhex to see the rebuild of the Dead End and the restoration of the 'Miracle Mile', a several mile long stretch of straight road that ran through the middle of the financial main district of the financial capital of Cybertron. Gigantic buildings once lined the entire route and they would again. Slow but sure won the race.

-0-Later that night

They ran with abandon, the kids of the house, especially since now was bed time. They had come home at a normal time, had family time together and now they were hitting the hay. In two orns it would be conference time at the schools. In three, the first group of refugees would be coming here. They were a group that had been so long gone from Cybertron that they almost didn't remember who they were. Then the stream would be endless until six million individuals were cleared. It would be then that the teams in the field led by Dai Atlas would regroup and gather the next round of individuals farthest out to rescue.

They would stay ahead of it this way, especially with more workers and skills coming to Mars. Cybertron couldn't take anyone, though it was making progress toward housing the billion or so that were there. As each camp began to shrink, more would take their places. It seemed never ending but they were keeping up and even though there was trouble here and there, the mass rioting and danger that they feared hadn't shown up. The weariness stage was still with them and having something where nothing existed meant everything.

"Did you get the little slaggers?" Ratchet asked as he carried Halo on his arm.

"I did. Finally," Ironhide said coming out of Orion's berth room. "The big kids settled?"

"Yep. Remind me to make lunches for them in the morning because they're hitting the science stations on the TransWorld Highway." They walked into their berth room, tucked Halo into her bassinet by the window where Ironhide insisted she still stay because she might need something, then hit the sack. It was a long, long day today and tomorrow looked the same.

-0-Way late that evening

He ran for his life, dodging fire as he headed for Praxus. The bombs were falling and a ship bearing a nuclear device was flying overhead. He had to help liberate the city. As he ran he heard the telltale sounds of a nuclear device falling toward the ground, its unmistakable whistling scream heard over the mortars. Sliding to a stop, he leaped to hide but it was too late. It hit the ground, exploded and the world became instantly silent. A flash of molten light burst past him, then the sound came. It roared, then the shock wave hit. He rolled and rolled until he slammed into a pile of twisted steel to sit upright. In the distance over his home town, a mushroom cloud rose, then the fallout of all that used to be began to rain down. He felt himself strangle … strangle … strangle …

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Ratchet jumped up in the middle of the berth, fists clenched and his optics frantically looking around for the danger. Struggling beside him, Ironhide had a blanket wrapped around his neck and was pulling it tightly in his sleep. Ratchet leaned down and bopped him on the helm as a half a dozen or more kids began to fill the doorway. Tall and small, they pushed in with a bouncy dog and a white cat. **"IRONHIDE! WAKE UP, SLAGGER!"**

Ironhide stopped struggling, then sat up. Then Sunspot held his nose. **"Ew,"** he said with a smile.

"Oh, Primus," Fireball said as he backed out. Then all of them did.

Standing in the middle of the berth, his nasal sensors showing red flags, Ratchet glared down at Ironhide. **"YOU SLAGGER! I SAID NO ICE CREAM, PICKLES AND OREOS BEFORE RECHARGE! YOU *KNOW* IT GIVES YOU EXPLOSIVE GAS!"**

"And all along I thought it was a nuclear device," Ironhide said as he chuckled.

He would recharge on the couch.

-0-TBC 9-19-18

Shorter one than usual from the lack of a power cord. **HUGGIES!** :D


	476. Chapter 476

The Diego Diaries: Onward and Homeward (dd6 476)

-0-On a barren planet far away

They walked among the camps finding who they needed there. The camps were huge and stretched away into the distance until they disappeared from sight. It was a camp supplied from the place they were all going, a small cold planet in a nondescript solar system on the edge of the galactic arm. The doctors and techs who were gathering the first refugees to be repatriated were putting tags on them as they were located through their internal transponders. Families with those in most need were going first, heading to medical attention and security most had no experience with.

These were old settlements, those that had wandered the farthest away, setting down where there was a place for them that would allow them to fade from anyone's memory. They built their lives there, traded with mostly friendly aliens and hoped against hope they would have peace. Then the violent aliens came, some who didn't require ships, some who had energy bodies and could appear out of nowhere. It took a long time to understand that these aliens required proximity to the raw energy disturbances that made up this part of space to function freely. Some groups moved far enough away to be out of their range but others couldn't or wouldn't. They learned how to fight. Because they did with this sort of being, they were amazingly technical about a number of things.

Their defenses were sophisticated. Their alarm system highly advanced. Their toughness enduring and their weariness monumental. When the Knights and Circle scouts showed up, they jumped at the chance to go. Too many were coming out of the rifts to fend off and it was only a matter of time. Where they came from, no one knew. For all they could guess, maybe the energy rifts made them or they were the rifts in mobile formats themselves. They didn't know and they were learning not to care. They gathered their leadership and began to plan to move five millions Cybertronians away. This was the leading edge of that group, those gathering to go to their vessels to make their way to Mars.

Nearby, walking in lines to a building which housed two small space bridges, the kind you could find on fast light ships that did deep space exploration, thousands of individuals gathered to go through them to Mars directly. Ships carrying others would go and take with them lots of important databases. They would leave nothing behind and blow up everything they had built before they left. Nothing, not a single thing would be in one piece when they at last disappeared from this area.

Lines of those who were well, who had their families, small possessions and pets waited patiently and nervously to enter the building to leave. Their greater belongings had been put onto ships for transport and return on the other side. For those who were giving up everything, even the chance to keep what little they had was precious. Voices murmured, a rumbling in the bright light of early morning. The sun was up at the Oasis Base Camp near the Rim. It was the place where they came to be cared for before going onward. It held nearly four million individuals. More were coming and still more behind them. It was an endless parade of individuals and would probably continue for years. It was even conjectured that Cybertron would be receiving new refugees at some point.

Dai Atlas stood with his mechs at the command center watching the long lines slowly walk into the bridge building. "This is good. What's the data like on the other four sectors?"

Star Saber glanced at him. "Settlements and camps dot the entire area. We can bring them in when this five million are gone. It'll take a bit to clean up the camps but we can do it. Give us an orn or two."

Dai Atlas nodded. "What about the Decepticons? Are they still hanging around?"

"They are. I passed the word on to Prime," another mech said, one who was big, grizzled and hard as nails.

"Good," Atlas said as he stepped out to do his inspections. He walked through the camps seeing how it was. He was a good sight to see for those waiting. It would go on day and night and he would find more and more lost sheep.

-0-Ops Center that morning

Ratchet sat down at the table, then grinned. "You have a new intern program with the humans. Just so you know."

Optimus glanced up at Ratchet. "I do?"

Ratchet nodded, then told them the saga of the Allens. "We can have them housed at the big habitats, supervised by the humans and working as their body slaves for a year at a time. We can include kids from all over Earth, especially the developing countries. The more they can see that things can be different and better, the more they can help their own people. I want it to be a mix of kids, not just rich ones or those who get straight A's."

Prime nodded. "Alright. It is your problem." He sat back. "We have a big migration coming through shortly. I assume your end is ready."

"You assume correctly. I have everyone in place at the Immigration and Refugee Center," he replied. "I want others to get some experience so I'm going to be running around everywhere unless a big case comes in and the manifest thus far shows nothing my teams can't handle. I intend to cavort around. Perhaps Granny can join me."

Prowl who was listening to him grinned. "Some of us have to work. Some of us don't get to be afts at will."

"Aw," Ratchet said patting Prowl's servo. "What's the word on the Seekers that are rumored out there and the 'Cons. Anyone defecting yet?"

"We have two bogies on sensors, deep space, behind their lines. Some of them are edging toward the demarcation line and might make a break for it. If they do, we might have to assist," Prime said. "I want them to make it if they come with sincerity. More guns for us, less for them."

Ratchet nodded. "Good idea. We have conferences tomorrow for the dread kids, Sunspot and Hero. The others are the following orn."

"We have Miracle and the girls tomorrow, then the little mechs the following orn. One or the other of us are going to be there. By the way, what's the word on Halo going to school anytime soon?"

"I think its 'nil'. I may need C-4 to pry this one loose," Ratchet said with a grin.

-0-Not so far away, underground

She stood next to a rack of bombs, holding on with her tiny black servos. Her long stands of 'hair' shimmered in the overhead lighting, glistening copper, platinum and silver as the strands moved with her helm. She was staring up at Ironhide, watching as he counted things and tapped them, testing them for soundness. She was still a bit unsteady, being way younger than a walker should be. She smiled at him, then patted the bombs, too. Ironhide was explaining things.

"These bombs are good and hardy. They leave a big hole. They would be used by shuttles to break down hardened bunkers," he said, then glanced down. She was teething on the fin of one of them now. He grinned. "You hungry?"

She looked up and smiled. **"BAH!"**

"That sounds like yes to me," he said as he subbed his datapad and picked her up. Kissing her little cheek, he tucked her into his carry hold. "Let's get us some grub, infant. Counting builds up an appetite." With that, the two walked toward the elevator and the short jump upward to the deck. A walk to the subway would lead to Centurion and the Food Fare Street Market that was held there every day. It would be a pleasant journey for both. It would be 'funner' when Ratchet arrived.

-0-School

Sunspot finished his daily short story, then walked to stand in line at the table where Mr. Terradive sat to look them over and discuss what might need be done or how great it looked finished. Silverbow stood in front of Sunspot holding her notebook. He held his, the one they used a stylus to write on, one that they used to work both sides of the communications angle, digital and manual. She grinned at him. "Are you going to come to Trypticon for the star thing, Sunny?" she asked.

"I told my atar about it. He said he'd come or my Appa Corr. It's going to be fun," Sunspot said.

Silverbow leaned in closer and spoke in a low voice. "There's going to be humans there. Are you going to be alright?"

He considered that, feeling a very small version of the old fear rising. "Maybe," he said tensely.

"Don't worry about it. Comet and I will protect you. Okay?" Silverbow asked quietly.

He looked at her a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Silverbow stepped forward with her book and the attendant little pictures that went with it. While she was discussing it with Terradive, that mech was making a note to watch out for Sunspot when they went to their overnight science project there, the one with bigger telescopes than the school had. The orn would wear on happily at Youngling Day School #1 in Centurion.

-0-Elder Outpatient Care, Elder Care, Inc, Iacon, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal Code 199-CX

Corr stepped down and listened as the elder tech doing his nine decaorn review discussed his processor levels with Chan, Docker and Appa Ratchet. Corr moved to Chan and took his servo, joining in to listen.

"His various processor fluid levels are holding well. All of his patterns from his baseline scan show normal and he appears to be in good overall health. His protoform wasting recovery appears to be approaching 65% which is a good level considering how depleted you were, Corr," Dr. Medley said.

He was on call at the hospitals for elder medicine but had a specialist private practice with his brother and two cousins, all of them holding great expertise in elder care. He was Corr's initial doctor and was now his personal physician for all his therapies. It was a shocking and amazing turn of events for a little mech who had like the others learned to suffer in silence.

"Right now, just continue on your medications." He handed a data wafer to Docker. "This is a modification of his medicine for his equilibrium, Docker. You can get it filled at any pharmacy or the hospital itself."

"We go to Autobot City Professional Pharmacy. Breezy is our druggist. He and his little bond are so lovely," Docker said.

"They are aren't they?" Medley said with a smile. "You're good for another nine decaorns and if this continues, when he reaches 85% on his recovery from protoform wasting, we might be done with our visits."

"You tell me what to do, Dr. Medley, and I will do it. Thank you for being so nice to me. I don't know how I would be without you. Thank you for helping me without payment."

Everyone looked at Corr, then Chan frowned. "We don't need payment here, Corr."

He looked at them, then shook his helm. "I forgot. Sometimes I find this hard to believe."

Medley plugged in, checked everything, then unplugged. "Do you go to counseling, Corr? I think its essential. This disarray about things is common. I would like to know your therapist."

"We go as a group with Corr to Doctor Eras. Ratchet likes him a lot. He's a good elder therapist and we keep Corr company. Don't we, Corr?" Appa Ratchet asked.

Corr grinned. "They do. We talk about the old orns and how it was then. I hated it. I don't want to go back to that again. But sometimes I think I forget."

"It's alright. Until you reach at least 75%, part of it is processor oriented," Medley said. "I'll give Eras a call and see how its going. Perhaps you can go more often until you completely recover. How is school?"

"It started again and its really wonderful," Corr said with a smile.

"He's doing so well. We study together at my son's business, then we go home to sit and read while Corr naps. We take care of each other really well and Sonny is just next door," Docker said.

"Then it looks good," Medley said. "If you need me, you have my number."

They did. They chatted, then walked out to go to the pharmacy. Breezy would take care of it personally while he chatted with them about Ratchet, someone he held in great esteem. When they left, they would take lunch home, eat it, then wait for Corr to get through his nap. All would be well.

-0-At the Immigration and Refugee Plaza southwest of the Big Frame Shipyard southeast of Terra

They began to come, walking through the space bridge in the building that held four of them at this end. Two were for the refugees, two were for the military, the Network, Atlas, and emergencies. At this end, lines of individuals, lots of trucks and runabouts waited for everyone to clear customs and immigration so that they could be taken to where they needed to go. Most would go to their new city and homes. Some would go to hospitals and care centers. All would be gently taken in, guided through the process and gather with guides. The roads, subways and footpaths everywhere would be filled with people and vehicles going wherever until five million more refugees were absorbed. Then there would be a respite before it would begin all over again.

Welcome to Mars.

-0-TBC 9-20-18


	477. Chapter 477

The Diego Diaries: Refugee (dd6 476)

-0-At the Immigration and Refugee Bureau Port of Entry, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, southwest of Terra and west of the Big Frame Shipyard

They came through the jump gates, those that were healthy and ready to move to a safer and usually better life. Walking out of the building where the four gates were being utilized, they stepped out into the frigid cold sunshine of Mars. Carrying pitifully few things, their children and pets, a cherished artifact, sometimes even their elders on their backs, they were led in groups toward a line where they would wait to be checked through the port of entry. There were literally dozens of stations where individuals worked swiftly processing the newcomers so that they could enter and walk to a bus or other transport which matched their destination. When they were full, they would drive off for their new homes in a new city on a new world with a number of guides who would help them.

The most needy and infirm were flown here by vessels through the bridges to be taken directly into care. Huge ships flew slowly overhead, coming to the planet from the staging area many light years away through the Triggers. They carried all of the belongings and stores of the refugees, numbered and tagged so they could be returned when things settled. It was busy as could be and would be for a long time. They had five or six million refugees to absorb according to whatever account you heard and there was no time to waste.

Ultra Magnus and his team stood nearby watching their people come through, walking with amazement and jaw dropped astonishment at the panorama around them. There was a real genuine appearing Cybertronian cityscape here and it was theirs, too, when they were checked through. Children cried or played around their families while others hid behind legs, peering out fearfully or shyly depending on their life beyond these stars. Some came alone and others with their entire families. He wondered as he watched how many of them would find family and friends here? All of them, he thought. All of you. He glanced at Blondi who was gathering information from runners. They would be here a long while, then head back to City Hall to take the growing number of appointments to speak with him. Some of them were leaders checking in with him, to thank him and offer their services and knowledge. Some of them were high castes. Whether they would be trouble or not, he didn't know yet. It would be interesting to see.

Or not.

-0-School District Central Office, Metrotitan, Metro District #4, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District #1642-B

They had gathered together to work out the plan for the influx of students that would be perhaps never ending. The refugees had been gathered, given rest and refreshment, medical attention and a good sound review of the life ahead. Counts had been made and it was clear that they would hold the line with this group but more would have to be done with the newer refugees that were being gathered. All of the plans were being updated to meet a range of influx in Long Term Expansion Plan A and B of up to ten million individuals, through Plan F which projected up to 100,000,000. The plats that were the design plans of every place they had now would be doubled and tripled in the new building phases that Jetta and his several divisions were working out now.

Given that they had security zones in which to build, outside of which any habitations would be problematic to defend, that idea was now being modified like everything else. Part of what was being found were soldiers and Seekers. There were lines on those stranded behind enemy lines, entire flights that would be rescued through judicious use of bridges. More information was needed and Atlas was after it. He wanted them neutralized and removed, too. More found, more saved, more guns on their side to defend. Thus, the older security zones could be expanded to meet the need.

Right now, they were preparing for 22,000 plus new students that would be arriving over the duration of this migration. They would have to open a youngling school in one of the set aside towers for the new children. Intermediate would hold now but would have to be revised with another tower for those that were coming. Sparkling Day with two towers would have another one, just like Youngling Day. The University and its array of annex sites along with the tech schools were going to hold up well but their expansions would be handled as well when the time came.

The need for teachers, specialists and other personnel was being undertaken by their personnel department with an optic toward culling the refugee lists for those who were teachers already and ready to learn their system. Pairing them with mentor teachers in their new schools would help transition everyone in the right direction. It would be a battle royal to get it ready but they were determined.

And delighted.

-0-Trigger

Miler sat at his station programming the computers to take and send all manner of ship, individual and cargo that was needed both within the usual areas of operation but also out in the boondocks where Dai Atlas operated with his huge organization and their related allies. As he waited for a retrieval, he considered his genitors. He hadn't seen them for a while but they were doing their usual thing, working orn and night on their problem and project. They were always focused to an insane degree on whatever idea they were on and he knew it wasn't about him. It was them. That was the way they were.

He considered his own slide toward their habits and personality, then the jolt of the Diaspora. It had burned out of both of them any notions that they were intrinsically better somehow than anyone else. They could bleed and die just as easily as anyone else. They had come to their senses and it was the best thing they had ever encountered since the birth of their son.

Sons.

Prima was excelling in the Prep School along with his nieces, Iacon and Uraya. Prowler, Resolve, Io and Mars, any number of other infants, some friends of family and others not were the friends of their son. He would grow up with everyone and be happy from the start. Having him was the most loving and healing thing he had ever done for himself. Both he and Venture had thought about it but the accident of it happening had been Primus blessed. The look on Prowl's face was priceless. So was his life.

He felt lonely for his genitors, lonely to know them and lonely for them to be friends with others. They were totally involved with each other and they were simpatico to an extreme that he'd never encountered in anyone else. Maybe that was their happiness. Maybe working together in a way that didn't even require words was their genuine delight. He hoped so. They were the two loneliest mechs he had ever seen.

That is, they were now. Before, he could attest that that couple had to have been Venture and himself.

"Miler … we're ready," the pilot called out from the master control station.

Miler checked the math and programming for the master computer. "You are go, Lextel."

"Affirmative, Milie," he said, then another half a dozen giant freight ships burst forward to head toward the major refugee camp where Dai Atlas was moving six million refugees back to safety. When they were gone and the camp cleaned up, six million more would come, some from relative safety but most from the pits of hell.

It would never seem to end.

-0-School

"Are you ready for conferences?" Roto asked Laret as he gathered his stuff up to go to Intermediate to test the human kids in their language class.

"We are. You?" Laret asked with a grin as she took her break in the teacher's lounge.

"Born ready," Roto said with a grin. "We're going camping in the Valles this weekend if things go according to plan. Ratchet and Prowl are letting us take horses. They're going to be transported there and now they have a stable for them built in the Upper Deck Campground in Area 2. We're going to be staying there in the cabins."

"If you can get us a cabin, we would love to come. Fifi rides in gym class. They go once a decaorn to the stables to ride the horses. There's word that they're going to try and get small horses, tiny ones for the babies to ride. Do we bring a horse, too?" Laret asked.

"We have that nailed down. We're going to try to figure out how many are coming so we can ask. You do know that Prime and Ironhide own 22 of the horses there," Roto asked with a grin.

"I knew it was a lot. Autobot Scouts and all," Laret said with a chuckle.

"I love asking Prowl about it. He nearly comes unscrewed," Roto said as he gathered his things and a cup of something hot. "I'll let you know. Check with Neo. We've got time to plan if you can come."

"I will," Laret said as she watched him walk out. Glancing at her datapad, she noted where Neo was, then walked out. They would come, too. Talley-ho, y'all.

-0-On the TransWorld Highway to the Weather Station

They rode on the bus having spent the morning at the Geology Station three hundred miles behind them. Gathering in their science classroom, the group that included Fireball, Santee, Quadrus, Coros, and Rambler were headed to the highways and byways to do science and test theories. They would have lunch at the Geology Station, then head onward to the Weather Station which was nearly 800 miles from Autobot City. They had long term projects going and they were back to check their findings.

It was a mellow group on the bus. Given that Ratchet never knew until the night before and he had to jam a bag full of food of all manner, shapes and sizes, Fireball's lunch was much bartered over. Even his siblings who had a great heaping lunch bag from their Ammas and Appa looked at Fireball's with envy. Now they were full, content and rambling down the road.

"What about the weekend?" Fireball asked.

"We don't know what Ammas and Appa want yet. We're due for system checks and you know we have to be there for some of it," Quadrus said.

"Can't we do that remotely?" Fireball asked with a slight whine.

Santee laughed. "No. You know we can't. What's the deal?" he asked with a grin.

"Lumi and I were going to be in a dart tournament," Fireball said with a sigh.

"The one at the Youth Club in Iacon?" Coros asked.

Fireball nodded. "That one. We've practiced and we thought we could enter the team doubles."

It was quiet a moment, then Coros turned in his seat to peer at the big kids sitting in the two behind him. "What's the deal with some of the human kids?"

"What do you mean? I don't know any. Well, maybe Sarah and the kids in Sunspot's room. They seem nice. Which kids?" Quadrus asked.

"The ones at Youngling Day. The new ones that are here," Coros asked. "They ask about you and Lumi. They want to know about your relationship. They want to know about our relationships. It feels weird when they ask."

"Where do they ask?" Rambler asked.

"At the library, the parks … when they're around. They know some of us from things," Coros said. "I don't know them well but some of the bots I know have genitors working at the habitats. They seem snoopy and nosy. I don't like it."

Rambler nodded. "They used to ask me once in a while about some of the bots they know. I don't really tell them anything. I don't like talking about us to strangers. Some of the humans at Earth2 aren't friends of us. Unidad seems nice. Some of the humans there I've met when I was with my atar. But Earth2 doesn't feel good to me."

They chatted a while, then reached the huge weather station where the equipment was located underground and on four mammoth towers that stood in a row nearby. Three huge dishes rounded out the weather control equipment that saved them from sandstorms that lasted months. Their teachers stood, reminded them of experiments, manners and staying on task, then they began to climb down to go inside. They would stay there for three joors, then begin the trek back. They would get to their school two joors after it let out, then head for home.

It would be a long orn.

-0-Around the fam

He worked on the knee of a battered kid who fell from a 'bike'. It was a hovering craft that one sat on and it flew steadily, if not swiftly. Mostly they were used by the elderly or infirm but now and again, someone would get one to lark around on, often crashing into something that required faster reflexes to miss than they figured on. Patching the dent, Partition stood up and grinned at the kid looking at him with a rueful expression. "You can see the hospital or go to a private doctor to have the examination I suggested. Have it scanned, then do what they tell you. The paint can be patched at a detailer." He reached for the tiny hover scooter. "This is cute. But I heard they turn on a dime. You need faster reflexes. Lamp poles don't give when you hit them."

"It was either that or a mech," the kid said with a grin. "Good thing I have this. I can go to our clinic before my genitors get home and use this for kindling. Thanks," he said.

"Don't mention it," Partition said as he watched the kid climb on, then buzz off slower than he flew when he swerved into a lamp pole. He gathered his kit, then turned to his beat partner. "What were you saying about the Valles?"

"Roto and Terri are going horseback camping in the Upper Deck area and they want a bunch of us to go. We have to let him know by today at least. They have to get the horses and transport ready." His fellow Day Watchman, a young mech named Twoloose, a mid caste who had become his partner and good friend stepped around a mech unloading a truck onto the sidewalk. He was seeing someone and they double dated a lot, Partition and Lancer, Twoloose and Barty, his beau.

"Let me call Lancer," Partition said as he went quiet. They walked along the sidewalk, then Partition glanced at him. "Lancer and I are in. What about you?"

"We're in," Twoloose said with a grin. "After shift, we can meet up and figure out what to bring," he said as they walked along fading into the crowded sidewalk filled with citizens old and brand new.

-0-Elsewhere

"What about the game?" Bluestreak asked as he worked on the data that was stacking up.

"We're on it," Sideswipe said. "We're on call here for riot duty during the settling in. The refugees seem to be doing alright but you never know. No one is supposed to be there until 1900 and the kids will be in bed. I can get the food and beer. Don't worry about it, Blue."

"Don't worry about it. You want 20 or so mechs at the house to play cards and no one is to worry," Blue said with a grin. "Why not ask your old dad for the keys to the man cave?"

Sideswipe who was running courier notices everywhere grinned. "Good idea. See ya," he said as he rolled out again.

"Count on it, bae," Blue said with a chuckle. "Bae. Humans and their cute words."

-0-Down below the ground in the deep depot armory under Metrotitan

"So that's why I'm asking."

Ironhide stared at his son, then grinned. "Sounds like fun."

"Come, too. Things are going to get bat shit around here for a while. Let's have a mechs night out at the man cave. Besides, we can gang up and fleece all of them," Sideswipe said.

Ironhide chuckled. "Sounds good to me. I suppose you only want your slagger punk friends along."

"Nope," Sideswipe said with a grin. "Invite your family and I'll get Prime and Venture there. We can get them liquored up and watch the fun."

"Done deal. When?"

"1900 hours. Bring your favorite beer and snacks," Sideswipe said before skating out.

Ironhide watched him go. "Count on it, slagger."

-0-TBC 9-21-18


	478. Chapter 478

The Diego Diaries: Man Cave (dd6 478)

-0-That evening

"So, you're leaving me here with these little slaggers all by myself?"

"No. I figured on taking Halo along in the hold. She can get the hang of cards that way. All the others know how to play cards. It's her turn to learn."

Ratchet stared at Ironhide as he shut the dishwasher and turned to go sit in his command chair as Sunspot called it. Ratchet called it something else but not when the babies were around. He froze in place as he nearly collided with Ratchet who was standing behind him with his servos on his hips.

Ratchet grinned. "I see your reflexes are as good as ever."

"You doubt it?" Ironhide asked with a grin.

"Yes," Ratchet said as he walked to his chair to sit. Kids were playing in all the rooms and running around happily. Sunspot was up at The Residence playing with the little mechs, the big boys who came late, a couple of them, ate swiftly, then derezzed out to their platforms in the DMZ to be part of a systems upgrade and analysis. They weren't happy to go but they did. Ratchet flopped, then grinned at Ironhide who flopped next to him. "I'm having the sitter come. I have to go and show the flag at the Immigration Center, then go to Unidad for a moment. They want to show some of the progress made in the habitat and I'm booked up for the next three orns so I have to come now."

"Sounds like a plan. Come by the man cave when you can. Have the sitter put them to bed and maybe one of the elders can come and stay here. Once the slaggers are in their beds, things are easier," Ironhide said.

"I'll ask," he said as he did. He grinned. "They said not to get the sitter. They're coming."

"How's Corr, by the way?" Ironhide asked as he shut off the television monitor.

"He's doing really well but he still forgets things, sometimes thinking he's back in the mess," Ratchet said. "I think he was too frail too long to be fully 100% but we'll keep working on it."

"Frag," Ironhide said as the door opened and a happy face peeked inside. "What took you so long?" he asked with a grin.

Docker chuckled as she walked in with Corr. "You're so funny," she said as she kissed Ironhide's helm. Both of them sat on a couch. "How are things going, Sonny? What about the newcomers? Do they need the reserve auxiliary yet to come and help?"

Ratchet had wanted to pitch a fit when he heard that the four of them were part of the Refugee Auxiliary, the group that came to work on the reclamations, helping those who came to their new lives. It hadn't been so bad at first but as per their sweet and gentle nature, they always overdid it. Thus, Ratchet had asked Magnus to put them in the reserve group of helpers, those who would come only if there was a disaster, like 1,000,000 coming at the same time to the planet. "Nope. They'll hail you. Magnus has this, Amma."

"That's good. He's quite a wonderful mech, our Magnus. So tall," Docker said as Corr nodded. She was a small end mini-con, but not a micro. Corr was a small end mech of normal stature, roughly 18-19 feet in height. He was slim and slighter than most mechs but then he had not fared well in the inequities of the caste system and the deprivation that came to individuals like him. He would have been perhaps bigger and broader if he hadn't had a hard life.

Ratchet speculated on that for all of them but not too often. It made a molten rage swell in him when he did. "How do you feel, Amma? I read the reports. You look good on the protoform. You're almost there. What's happening in therapy?"

Corr grinned. "Its a nice group, Ratchet. Doctor Vinn wants me to come with just the family for a session once a decaorn. He wants to just listen to us."

"I think that's good. You can really tell him things that you want to say," Ratchet said as he dropped an off line message to Vinn for clarification. It came back promptly and was just a move to give Corr more time to speak about himself. His group had five other members besides Appa Ratchet, Docker and Chan. The sweet little mech could barely get a word in edgewise. He pulsed back his thanks and tamped down the fright that Corr's words had raised in him. "Vinn is a good therapist and a very kind person. You tell him everything that's on your processor. Leave nothing out."

"I will, Sonny," Corr said as the kids came out to see who was here. It was bedlam a moment, then they were sitting on their ammas' laps together. "Look at this. How sweet you are. How cute," he said with a smile.

"You kids behave for your ammas and appas. Atar and I have to go a workin'," Ratchet said with a grin.

"You goin' a workin'?" Orion asked. His speech pattern was a humorous adaption for most of them. "I going to doing?"

"Nope." -Ironhide and Ratchet

Orion stared at them, then looked up at Corr who was smiling down at him. Then he smiled, too. "Okey-dokey."

Huge laughter greeted that as Ratchet and Ironhide rose to go. Everyone came out, then hugs and kisses were had. When they left everyone stared at the door, then their ammas. Docker grinned. "Let's go to our house and get cookies. Appas are there and we can play."

Five little kids squealed with delight, then hip hopped out the door with their great grannies. The door closed quietly behind them.

-0-On the street

It was cold and the town was rocking. Everywhere they looked there were refugees walking around with expressions of amazement and delight on their faces. It was the way it always was when someone came. It made everyone here especially happy and the bars, clubs, groceries which stayed open all night, the overnight diners, theaters, and street food vendors were busy as bird dogs. The night was velvet and cold, the stars thick in the sky overhead as they sauntered down the sidewalk hand-in-hand. They didn't know anyone about but they waved at the Night Watchmen riding by on horse patrol.

"It think that white one is one of ours," Ratchet said as they passed a line at the hot dog stand that was always across from The Home Store. "I recognized our mark on that horse's flank."

"Most of 'em are," Ironhide said with a grin. "Where are you going?"

"To the Port," Ratchet said. "You?"

"I'll come along, then come back. I have a few moments before the game starts. The twins are organizing it. They're bringing food, drinks and about 20 freeloaders," Ironhide said as they walked down the steps to the metro station below. It was jammed with those coming and going at this, the premier station in the system. Pushed back against a wall, they waited with smirks as the punters climbed out and climbed in as trains ran constantly.

"Magnus put more on than usual. You might find your ammo runs bumped a bit in the schedule until things calm down," Ratchet said as he slipped his arms around Ironhide's broad waist.

He patted Ratchet's servos. "Hope no nuclear devices fall on the colony then."

"Which kind? The pickle/ice cream/Oreo flatulence kind or the real thing?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

Ironhide snickered. "I don't know which is worse to tell you the truth." They waved at friends who were getting off, then moving upward to the street to go home. Moving slowly along with the outgoing group on the station platform, they finally entered a car, then squeezed together so the doors would close. "I always wondered what the sardines felt like in those little cans."

Snickers greeted that from the packed train as it began again. Ratchet grinned. "This reminds me of those trains in Japan where they have someone outside the doors pushing people inside. I think I'd need new gaskets if this happened here all the time."

"Doctor, heal yourself," Ironhide said as they streaked along. Hitting nearly every stop, they finally reached the first station that fed the Immigration Center at the Martian Port of Entry #3. The first two were at the airfield and the Municipal Airport. This one was the big industrial facility that they built here and fenced in, nearly 2 square miles of space dedicated to migrations whether Mars was reached by ship or bridge. A big building nearby housed four space bridge terminals of which two were 'long reach' devices. They were heavily powered, the determiner of how long and far a bridge could go and return something and took anyone who needed to come or go wherever that was. Only the Triggers were more powerful and they were doing ship duty for the migration. These two were fixed on Oasis Base Camp with two carrying refugees here while the other two did all the other business related.

They had the power to reach that place, though the bridges there didn't. They weren't designed to do that. They were designed to reach any place from the camp into the search area they were hunting. They were now linked into these to allow refugees to walk to freedom and safety without a longer harder ship transfer. That was reserved for those who were sick, shot, incapacitated, or debilitated in any manner. It was orderly and efficient, bringing the multitudes to Mars. The Port was enclosed to prevent anyone from doing a bad deed, then running into a city to do more. It was heavily guarded, massively supported and working like a charm.

Ratchet stared at the lines snaking out across the enclosure, hitting them with scans. "Nothing too bad. Nothing that good food, rest and a sense of safety won't fix."

Ironhide nodded as they walked toward the long low building where sitting at intervals for what seemed like miles, workers processed the newcomers. Waiting patiently, groups of volunteers were going to take them onward. Buses were parked outside the fence whose gate was heavily guarded. They would go with their group, enter their new life and hopefully find a way to be happy again. Most of them were overwhelmed, shocked, delighted, stunned into silence or overawed. None of them looked like a problem but sometimes that took time to emerge. Whatever it would be, the colony was ready for them.

Blondi was standing inside the open front styled glass encased building where lines snaked inside. Glass prevented the sand and hoo-hah from entering and kept the warmth in. The refugees came in through doors, did their business, then continued out the back through glass doors that would take them to transport. Inside here, the air was warm, techs with energon assisted the hungry and others watched for mental conditions or infirmities. This process had streamlined the problems and made it easier for the refugees to get home faster and with less chance of something slipping through the cracks.

They watched and chatted with Blondi who was heading for home shortly to grab a few joors of sleep, check that infant and bond of hers, then come back with half her family. When you're from Stanix, you seldom did things alone. Ironhide glanced around, then grinned. "Then I guess I better hit it."

"Notice how you said that without Halo?" Ratchet said with a grin.

"You're ammas are grabby," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "Don't work too hard," he said, then he swaggered off to the man cave for a night with the boys.

"Nice aft, Ratchet," Blondi said as she watched Ironhide saunter off.

"He has one. In fact, the other night in the berth-" was as far as he got.

-0-Man Cave Central

They came in groups and singly. They carried food and beer or not. They came to play cards and shoot the slag. That part could be guaranteed. Bluestreak stood at the counter where food was usually displayed. Organized and good natured as ever, he was taking platters of all manner of good stuff and placing them together for snacking. Beer was stacked on the floor in cases and small kegs and would be imbibed liberally. The twins were setting up the room including adding a few card tables they received from slaggers who were coming. A nice big crowd was expected.

Optimus Prime and his atar, Tagg walked in with a platter of finger food. Bluestreak glanced at the two of them, then grinned. The greatest warrior of their species, the moral and ethical, political and religious, legal and humane center of their entire species was standing in the doorway holding a platter of little sandwiches and sides that Prowl had made with his sweet and nearly identical father, Tagg beside him. For Blue, it seldom got sweeter than that. He walked through the tables and took the tray. "I'll put this over there. You can get food and drink now or later."

"I think I will when I sit," Tagg said with a grin.

Raptor followed by Hard Drive, Delphi, Turbine, Blackjack, Alor, and Ironhide entered the room, passing the Pax family to carry things to the counter. Alor walked back and hugged Tagg. "Where's Kes?"

"Studying," Tagg said. "He's coming down later when Prowl comes. Both of them are trying to catch up on a few things."

"Good. The Squad hasn't gotten arrested lately so I hope they both show," Alie said with a chuckle. "Where's Ratchet, infant?"

Ironhide who had pulled a chair to sit glanced up at his ada. "He's do-gooding. He has to see how the migration is coming along, then go to Unidad to look at radishes or something"

Alor laughed. "We'll save a seat. It isn't really truly getting shit faced without him here."

Huge agreement met that remark as more and more mechs and a femme or six entered with food and drinks. Some of them sat down to begin games while others chatted before doing so. It was good that the man cave encompassed four huge storage rooms now. It would need all the space it could get.

For the beer.

-0-Unidad

Ratchet stood at the lake in the dome. It was starry overhead and the lights inside were adequate to illuminate the roadway but little else. It was as it would be in the middle of the country on Earth, lights where people were and darkness everywhere else. They were showing him the lake and how the plants had taken root. Everywhere he looked there was green where it was supposed to be and a much darker, richer appearing earth where it was still unplanted. The forest in the distance was beautiful. There were lights through it following the two footpaths that were now part of its features.

Soon fish would be swimming in the water system he was told. Birds were now flying in the sky. A few bumps in the dome showed them the limits of their freedom but they appeared to be adapting beautifully. So were the squirrels whose incessant chatter showed those who trespassed on their territory their feelings about it. Cows coming home to the barn followed their bell cow, an older female who ruled the roost like the matriarch she was. Horses were in the stable getting groomed for the night. Dogs came with them in the trucks and the scientists were deliriously happy to show each little thing to him, the Liaison Officer to the Prime for Unidad Terra 1.

Ratchet listened with a grin. He remembered every time he was around humans why he liked them so much. They were good, intrinsically good and gave their little sparks to all that they did. Earth was a good place, he thought as he listened to Les Hadden talk about the cornfield they just planted. He was glad they were here, these little squishies. They added flavor to the colony and their world was desperate for them to succeed and bring back their wisdom. Ratchet felt the same way himself. As for the cornfield, he thought, as he stared at the endless acres of small green shoots working their way upward … he had heard if you built it, they would come.

He sure hoped so. He didn't tell them that Prime had four other habitats just like this one on the long term plans for the colony. Ratchet wasn't the only one who loved the humans, too. He knelt down to look at the tiny plants, little green shoots pushing their way upward toward the light. It reminded him of the humans. He grinned at Les Hadden as he talked about the future, a future where both species worked together for the peace and as he did, Ratchet felt a sublime sense of gratitude. This was indeed a Primus blessed place.

-0-TBC 9-23-18 **edited 10-2-18**


	479. Chapter 479

The Diego Diaries: Migration (dd6 479)

-0-Dome

He stood in the semi dark and stared at the sky. He could see the habitation in the distance but the humans couldn' was over 20 miles away. It glittered with lights for him and no one else there. Monica Hadden looked up at him. "What do you see, Ratchet?"

Ratchet glanced down at her, then grinned. "Everything."

It was silent a moment. Then Monica glanced around. "You could forget you weren't on Earth in this place. Its peaceful and beautiful. You can smell the soil and the hope here. When you first came, I was surprised and afraid, then I saw that you were protecting us. It took a while to understand how much the universe is so diverse but from that moment on I wanted to be here and know you."

Ratchet knelt. He looked at the humans gathered around the dam where water spilled over making a musical sound. "What we wanted was to live in peace on our home world. We love Cybertron. Its hard to tell you how much. But it wasn't to be. In the search for the AllSpark we got to meet a lot of aliens, thousands and thousands of them. We met a lot like you but never have we met someone like us. We're unique and I know its strange to see us because we like to take automotive formats. We can become anything, really, but we like driving fast forms.

"The universe is huge and there are so many species and even dimensions filled with species that if you find yourself recoiling, you'll be very, very alone. There are some that are massively advanced and some just forming in tidal pools. Some have been space going since the beginning of time like us and some like you are still crawling. All of us matter. All of us are needed and wanted. To limit yourself to your own preconceived notions is to listen to a symphony played on a kazoo. The chords of life and possibility are so beautiful. I wish you could hear what I've heard."

"I do, too. Most of our people do as well," Les Hadden said. "It's hard to think about Mars being someone elses but here we are. We've been alone so long that we don't know how to think and live as broadly as we deserve. All we had was Earth and for a short time, the moon. Now we have the universe in your company and I'm glad. We want Earth to survive and flourish, to join the rest of the universe and all that lives there. I want to learn everything. I'm so grateful to be here, to do this for both the company and for our own people. I know that Prime is doing this to help us with a thousand problems and to help us learn how to live off world so we can teach others. He wants that and I know it."

"Optimus Prime is one in a trillion. He's so special and good … I wish you could know him like I do. His entire family is pure. I think that's a word that comes to me a lot about him. He's got such a pure aura. I wish humans could read them. You would avoid a lot of trouble if you could," Ratchet said. "Optimus Prime is the best person I ever met and I hope that you humans understand him, too. There will never be another one like him in any species, on any world, anywhere."

The stars overhead twinkled as a streak crossed the dark sky. "Ah, a shooting star," Ratchet said with a grin as it winked out. "Space is out there, humans. It's yours, too. You're the pioneers that will show everyone else how to get there. I want them to do that. All of us do. We love your species, you know. We know some of them don't like or understand us. They think if we leave so will the Decepticons. But they won't. We stay here because we care about you. That's why we're here. When Prime called for more soldiers we knew we would get refugees. We didn't know that Megatron was driving them toward us at the time to overcome our ability to help them. At some point, they're going to find out they failed."

"I hope its soon. What about Cybertron? What's happening there? Is it alright?" Zak Hadden asked.

Ratchet was silent a moment, then he stood and stared at the sky. "In the far corner near that blinking light you can find the way to my home. You go that way for a very long time, then you see it. It's a beautiful place, a shining ball of light in the darkness. It's lit all the time inside, the body of our Lord Primus, and its beautiful. It's so damaged," he said softly. "It's hard to be there but Prime took a chance to save those there and our home world. One billion live there and we're caring for them and those who live in the local group. Our Empire is divided. Most of it still lies in Decepticon hands but they drive the civilians out and we take them.

"One billion of our people are dead, killed in the war and its aftermath," Ratchet said. "There won't be a Cybertronian that you will ever meet that didn't lose someone or everyone. We're all orphans, all of us. We don't want that for you humans. You can't fight like you do and not pass the point of no return. You're so closely there now it scares me. We're rebuilding our home world and eventually it'll be as beautiful as it ever was. But it will never be the same. The monuments where the dead are buried in mass graves are everywhere. We can't lift a girder or a boulder without finding the dead. No matter what you do … you can rebuild the structures but the soul of a place, the very heart of it is its people. We lost a third of who we were. One billion living there, one billion dead and more than a billion lost. We're your object lesson, humans."

It was silent, then Monica hugged Ratchet's ped. "We're going to do our best, Ratchet. We promise," she said as the others nodded.

"You're off to a great start. I'm going to come back in a few orns in the daytime to look around. If there's anything I need to know, call my office. For now, I have to help the refugees. We have to take in five million of them over the next few decaorns. There will be a steady stream of our people coming to us. That's where I'll be."

"Is there anything we can do," Les Hadden asked.

Ratchet grinned. "Nope, but your offer is gold." He grinned as he looked around. Then they chatted a moment before Ratchet bade farewell, transformed, then drove off with a whoop of his lights and siren.

They watched him go, then looked up at the sky overhead.

"I can't imagine what his life has been like," Monica Hadden said.

"Pray that we never do," Les said as he walked to the car. Everyone climbed in, then they drove off for the habitat. Night was bearing down and beds called.

-0-Man Cave

"Where's Ada?" Sunstreaker asked as he sat down with a plate, a beer and a desire to win.

"Looking in on the refugees, then going to Unidad. Something about looking at fish," Ironhide said as he dealt the cards.

"Oh," Sunny said as he looked at his hand. It was great. He tossed in an Oreo, the tender of choice here kept in bins according to kind. Regular Oreos were the lowest tender in the game. The more flavorable the cookie stuff, the higher the value. Mint Oreos were the highest and I dare say, most popular coin in the game.

Around the room, mechs and the odd femme sat together talking or playing cards. The space was vast and the company mellow. Prime and his father, Tagg were playing at the table with Ironhide. Prime was having a beer, the gateway drug to his inevitable inebriation. His father who was delighted that his son would 'let down his hair' and have them stayed sober to help him get home. Tagg was a mellow drunk and so was his son. What kind of drunk the Matrix was was anyone's guess.

"You ante up, Prime?" Ironhide asked as his father, grandfather and great grandfather perused their cards. "Time's a wasting. I have a need for Oreos."

"Do you expect to win then?" Raptor asked with a grin. "You know that the moment you pass three beers your judgment hits the crapper."

"You of little faith," Ironhide said as he watched Tagg and Prime ante up.

As he did Prowl came in and stopped to stand behind Prime. Resting his servos on Prime's broad shoulders, he grinned. "Oreos again."

"The coin of the realm, Prowl. Sit down and ante up. The bin over there has enough Oreos to put me down," Ironhide said.

"You plan to win all of them?" Prowl asked as he helped himself to Oreos and a chair at the table. Squeezing in, he sat back to watch the hand play out.

" **I AM IRONHIDE! I AM A WINNER!"** Ironhide said to laughter and hoots from around the room. He grinned. "Slaggers. Did you see Ratchet?"

"Not yet," Prowl said. "He apparently is coming back from Unidad. By the way, what about giving Pudding and Flipper a cow's orn out and have them pasture with the herd at Unidad?" He smirked at Raptor and Blackjack who smirked back.

"They don't have their cow training wheels off yet," Raptor said as he opened his hold to glance in at his cow. Pudding was laying on his side snoring. "Now that's the stuff of champions." The hatch closed, everyone finally anted up and the play began. He looked at his son. "What about Flipper?"

Blackjack patted his hold. "He's getting his beauty sleep, though I'll pencil him in for the herd. He might learn a cow thing or two there."

"Good idea," Raptor said as he laid down his cards. "I win. Slaggers, all of you."

"Does that include me?" Prime asked with a slightly slagged grin on his face,

Prowl patted his servo. "That never includes you, Only One. **Right?** " he asked around the table. "Don't mind that I control the duty schedule."

"Prime, you're the mech."

"You're perfection on the hoof. The cloven hoof I might add as the mentor of a cow."

"Don't ask me. I don't know nothing."

Prowl grinned, then they dealt the cards. After tossing in a few and getting more, antes were made and the show was on.

-0-At the tower

Ratchet pulled into the lay by on the street, then transformed. He walked to the lobby, entered an elevator, then went down to the sub floor. Down the corridor which seemed to go on forever, he could see light spilling out of four doors along with laughter and voices. Grinning, he ambled along past normal storage rooms until he reached them, then entered. The place was filled with mechs and femmes playing cards at tables, some punters standing behind a player or lounging in the chairs and couches. Food was everywhere and so were cases of beer and small kegs of the hard stuff. Edging in, he filled a plate, got a cold one, then wound his way to the table where everyone was. Peering down, he grinned. "What a terrible hand, Prowler." Then he squeezed a chair in and sat.

Prowl frowned at him, then the others. "Fragger."

Everyone bet the farm, then showed their hands. Raptor reached out to grab the ante, then Prowl laid his down. "I beat you."

Raptor stared at the cards, the ante, then sat back. He frowned at Ratchet. "You slagging traitor."

"That's me. **ME!ME!ME!"** he said with a giant smile.

Everyone snickered. "That will teach you to trust an Iaconian," someone said with a chuckle.

Half the room being Iaconian glanced at Springer. He shrugged. "Polyhex forever?"

Huge laughter and insults greeted that lame response. Ratchet smirked. "Why aren't you and the ball and chain on duty?"

Drift smirked and ate an Oreo. Apparently, he had some to spare.

"We switched when we heard of the game. Half the squad's here, the slackers," Springer said as Lon and Bezel waved to Ratchet. Kup and Hercy were always wherever they wanted to be so no one was surprised.

"Why, Bezel and Lon … you're being corrupted by Springer. Good on you," Ratchet said.

Huge laughter arose, then the game began again. Cards were dealt, Oreos wagered and the grim business of being the slagger with the biggest pile of cookies in the end began again in earnest.

-0-In an apartment in the same tower

"Amma, what happened then?" Sunspot asked with rapt attention.

"Well, your ada then climbed the fence and ran like the wind," Ravel said with a grin. "He got paddled later on but he knew that going in. Your ada could be a real rascal when he wanted to be. But in the end, he became a good mech because he was and he didn't want to disappoint your appa and me."

"Ada sounded like fun," Hero said as she sat on the couch next to Amma Corr. Halo sat on Corr's lap as he helped her eat her good night cookie. All of them had stories before cookies but play had lasted all evening. Now they would go back to their apartment for bed and Appa Ratchet, his cat and Appa Chan would spend the night there with them. Amma Corr and Amma Docker would stay here. Ravel and Tie Down would be back up.

"Tell us about the time Ada broke that window, Amma," Sunspot asked. "What happened?"

Docker grinned. They had told all the stories they told tonight a dozen times but the children never tired of them. The idea that their ada was a little kid once was mesmerizing. That he was a little hellion when he wanted to be was outstanding. They couldn't get enough.

"Well," Docker began, "there was this mean mech who lived across the way from us. He had a ground floor apartment and he used to chase the kids off the streets where they could play. It was the only playground they had. So … they were playing ball, your ada and the other kids when he came out and caught it. He went back inside with the ball."

 **"Oh!"** -five little kids still shocked that someone would do that to their ada

"What happened?" Sunspot asked with big optics, though he knew the story already

"Well, your ada didn't have anyone to go to. No one cared who was in charge and we were at work. He was being watched by Lando's amma who was inside at that moment. Your ada became so mad he picked up a rock and threw it through his window. Then they ran like the wind. That mech came out very angrily and tried to find who did it. He never did."

Appa Ratchet, Amma Corr and Appa Chan grinned at Docker who only told half the story. The mean old mech went to the police who yawned in his face. Then he decided to make a fuss himself. That was when the genitors of some of the kids he was accusing dragged him into an alley and settled it the Iacon way.

He never bothered another kid again. The kids never got their ball back. Stand off.

"How about bed time now?" Docker asked as she stood up with a half filled plate of cookies. No one wanted to go but they hugged everyone, followed them to their home, got ready, climbed into beds, were hugged again, then night lights went out.

Walking out, Corr chuckled. "Are you ever going to tell them the rest of the story, Docker?" he asked as Chan walked to Ironhide's chair to sit.

"When they have grandchildren of their own," Docker said with a chuckle. "Are you two going to be okay here?"

Chan and Appa Ratchet nodded, then hugged everyone. They walked out and the door closed. Relaxing into Ratchet's chair, Appa Ratchet glanced at Chan. "Are you ever going to tell them that the mechs who settled his hash were you and me?"

Chan grinned. "When the infants have grandchildren."

Appa Ratchet chuckled, then turned on the monitor. A great motocross was on so they watched it and ate Ironhide's fudge when they did. Life seldom got better than this.

-0-TBC 9-24-18 **edited 10-2-18**


	480. Chapter 480

The Diego Diaries: Migration (dd6 480)

-0-Gaming

The noise level in the room was rather good considering the imbibing going on. Beer and the harder stuff flowed like Cybertronian water. Actually, the water on Earth was of the same molecular structure of water on Cybertron. But it flowed!

Prime sat in his chair holding his cards. He was grinning because he felt no pain. The pile of Oreos in front of him was rather large given he had won about two out of every three hands played so far. Prowl who was feeling no pain dealt out of the game to be Prime's banker. He sat with the stacks of cookies in front of him, all of them sorted as to type and kind. He was zealous in his scrupulous care taking of the cookies. He watched each hand, consulted on each ante and charmed his father-in-law half off his peds. Tagg who was staying sober, relatively, watched the two with great affection. It was the ultimate dream of Kes and him that Orion be happy and loved.

He was.

"You need to ante, Prime," Ironhide said as he sipped his eighth beer. That he could still feel his lips enough to move them in speech was a miracle. Ratchet who sat across from him was in the bag as well, smiling and waving at everyone around him as he threw chips into the pot with abandon.

"It is," Optimus said with a slight chuckle. He looked at Prowl. "What do I put in, little buddy?"

Prowl whose arms encircled Prime's winnings protectively given Ironhide's proclivity to take others cookies and eat them when drunk enough glanced up at him, then smiled broadly. "What do you think?" he asked, then grinned at the stack. "How about a … a double stuff?"

"I think so. When I win, we can share them," Prime said with a chuckle.

Prowl perused his cookie stacks, picked the right one from the bottom of the double stuff stack and tossed it in. "There. See that, slaggers."

Grins went around the table as they did. Prowl frowned slightly. They bid and bluffed, then laid out their cards. Prime won again. Prowl laughed loudly and raked them in. Stacking them like a mad scientist, he handed one to Prime. "Here's a double stuff, Mr. Winner." He took one himself and the two tapped them together, downing them in one bite. Sitting back to eat with contented expressions, the others grinned at the pair.

" **If you two aren't the cutest drunks ever!** " Ratchet exclaimed as he tossed his cards into the air.

Raptor who was feeling no pain gathered them up, then glanced at Ironhide. "If you weren't drunker, I'd have you do something about him. He's flying without a plane."

"Old mech can drink a lot but at some point he's hallucinating," Ironhide burbled with great pride. **"RIGHT, OLD MECH!?"** he asked.

Ratchet who was leaning over his chair to kibitz with the table behind him turned toward Ironhide. **"WHATEVER YOU SAY, BA-BEE!"**

Huge laughter greeted that. Hard Drive who was sober because he was going to make sure everyone in the family got home in one piece chuckled. "Knuckleheads. We're surrounded by knuckleheads."

" **I HAVE AN IDEA!"** Ratchet said as he sat in his chair with a huge dazzling smile.

Everyone in the room paused their games to glance his way. Ratchet stared at Ironhide who stared back, both of them in their own stupor together. Hard Drive leaned closer. "What idea do you have, Ratchet?"

Ratchet glanced at Hardie, considered again how handsome he was, then nodded. "I do."

" **THEN TELL IT! SLAG IT, RATCHET! TELL IT SO WE CAN ALL APPLAUD!"** Ironhide said loyally as he began to eat his chips. Blackjack moved them away from Ironhide and became his banker.

Again.

"Well," Ratchet began as he sorted through the haze that was his processor. He thought a moment. "I think it might be fun to play for different winnings. **SEE!?** " he cried as he held out his servos in triumph.

Prime who was watching grinned at Ratchet. "I think so, too."

"What, Orion?" Tagg said as he sat back to enjoy his son. "What different stakes?"

"What he said, Atar," Prime said in his gentle voice as he stared at his father with the most lavish expression of love any of them ever saw him give another person not named Prowl.

"Okay," Tagg said with a chuckle. "Explain it to us, Ratchet. We're ready to go."

Ratchet gave him a dazzling smile. "Well, the humans play strip poker but we don't wear clothing. So I thought, instead, whoever wins has to tell the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to them. See?" He was almost delirious with joy and excitement.

Most of the room wasn't that drunk but many were so they laughed and nodded. Given that they were mechs, most of them, they were ready to be stupid and ridiculous rather than say no and make anyone think they were wusses.

Boys no matter where they're from are boys.

" **DEAL THE CARDS!"** Sideswipe said with a belly laugh.

Everyone looked at each other, then dealt the cards. It was on.

-0-At the end of the hand

Springer, Kup, Prime, Chromia, Jetta, Sandstorm and of all persons, Chevron grinned as they were declared winners. There were about a dozen more but they shot daggers at their table mates and their names weren't called out. Fortunately, everyone was so drunk no one noticed.

"I think you go first, Optimus," Hard Drive said with a grin.

"Do you think that is wise? There are so many winners here," Optimus said sweetly.

Prowl who was watching him glanced around the room with a smug expression. "But know that this is the biggest winner in the room."

" **OSIMUS IS THE BIGGEST WINNER!"** Ratchet said. He stood up and tried to climb onto his chair but was dragged back down by Sideswipe and Hercy. He sat with a smile. "Tell us your most embarrassing thing, Osimus."

Prowl stared at Ratchet, then Prime. "You're not Osimus. That mech is drunk." Then he giggled.

Prime who was charmed by Prowl grinned at him until Tagg tapped his arm. "Your most embarrassing moment, son."

Prime smiled a loving smile at his father, then thought a moment. "There was that time I carried the stuff … uh, some stuff to the top floor of our building for that mech … the grumpy one. Remember him?" he asked his father.

"I do," Tagg said with a chuckle. "He lived at the top of the building and was always complaining."

Prime nodded. "I carried his stuff up, then the floor gave and it went over the side. It fell all the way down 52 stories to the ground."

Everyone listened waiting for the rest but that was it. Hercy laughed out loud. "You're just too good, Optimus. Just too slagging good."

" **I HAVE ONE!"** Ratchet said with a smile.

"You didn't win your hand," Tagg said with a grin.

"That's okay. Old Mech is an embarrassment factory. He makes 'em when they don't happen naturally," Ironhide said around the Oreos in his mouth. His father sitting on the other side of him from Raptor was down a handful.

Everyone laughed including Ratchet. Hercy patted Ratchet. "Go ahead, Ratch. Tell."

"Well," Ratchet said with a grin. "I was doing a … a thing in medical school. There was a one way window along the wall of the demonstration laboratory where anyone who wanted to watch could come and sit. You never knew who was behind there or if anyone was."

"Oh Primus. Not this one?" Ironhide asked.

"Continue, Ratchet," Raptor said. He hadn't hear it but it had to be epic. Ratchet seemed to invite catastrophes.

"Since you asked," Ratchet said as he fluttered his optics coquettishly to the amusement of everyone. "I was doing this thing and I suddenly had an itch."

"Oh no," Kup said as he began to get a glimmer. He laughed loudly.

"Well, I had to scratch but there was no way I could leave the room because of the experiment. So … I went to the wall where a counter was and sort of … uh ..."

"You humped the counter," Sandstorm said with a devilishly wicked smirk.

Ratchet glanced at him, then smiled brilliantly. "Bingo."

 **HUGE UPROAR AND ENORMOUS LAUGHTER.**

"I don't know to this orn if anyone was watching on the other side of the mirrored window but I was going to die if I didn't scratch the itch. Sometimes entire classes came to sit and watch," Ratchet smiled brilliantly. "Who's next?" he asked the uproariously laughing crowd.

Hard Drive glanced at the next table over. "Your turn, Springer."

Springer glanced at Hardie, then Drift who was smirking at him with **ENORMOUS** amusement. "Well," he began. "I can't top Ada humping a counter," he said to huge laughter, "but there was that time when I tried to crawl through a culvert and became stuck. Then someone yelled that there was a fire coming down the pipe so I panicked and stood up. I began to run but the culvert was still around me. I could only bend my knees to run because my body, helm and arms were still stuck up the culvert. I could shoot straight up but that was about it."

Huge laughter and mockery.

Hardie glanced at Chromia. "Your turn, daughter."

She grinned at him as Maelstrom sat beside her content to bask in her beauty. She grinned at Hardie, then Ratchet who was lolling in his chair with a big sappy grin. "Well, there was that time when I arm wrestled Titanica and lost."

"Who's Titanica?" someone asked.

Hercy looked at him, then shook his helm. "He doesn't know who Titanica is. What's this mech's army coming to?" He looked at Kup. "Tell them, recruit."

"Titanica … think about Predaking made from three mechs, not five. Three mechs that are three times larger than Razorclaw. Think about three homicidal maniacs with a steel grip. You pulled a draw twice, correct? Two draws before you lost."

She nodded. Maelstrom looked like he was going to burst into flames of pride over her. The rest looked at her, then gulped.

"Look him up. He's a caution," Hercy said. He glanced at Chromia. "You are, too, infant. That's one of the few mechs that Liege Maximo considers good enough to live."

It was silent a moment, then Hardie grinned. "Your turn, Jetta."

" **I HAVE ANOTHER ONE!"** Ratchet said before Tagg handed him an Oreo.

Jetta laughed, then considered things. "I can't really think of anything."

"If you did something other than work, you might have some stories to be ashamed of, infant," Ironhide said. He grinned. Then Hardie gave him a cookie.

Jetta laughed. "I do remember when Elita finally told me to propose or frag off. I remember thinking after she said that. Then she clipped me on the chin. It was in front of the labor council and I do remember you were pretty drunk when you showed up. I still get ragged about it from some of them to this orn."

Elita patted his servo. "Best deal you ever made."

"I won't argue," he said with a chuckle.

"Who's left?" Chromia asked.

"Sandy and Lord Chevron," Tagg said.

Everyone glanced at Chevron who smiled sweetly. Ironhide leaned forward to spot him. "Chevron … don't tell me you were ever embarrassed. You don't have a story do you?"

He smiled again. "I once tripped going down the stairs in a processional and fell all the way to the bottom. I was carrying a brazier and it threw hot coals everywhere. It caught my master's robe on fire. He had to be restrained from jumping into the Well." He grinned. "Everyone was able to help him, then they practically carried him off to the lounge to sit and recover. I remember laying on my back staring at the ceiling and rethinking my calling."

It brought down the house.

-0-TBC 9-25-18

SkyenhaMarisa chapter 1 . 9h ago

I raise you one Sonic double stuff Oreo blast in an Oreo waffle cone. Yes they exist. My niece is addicted to them.

ME: OMG. That sounds so bad it has to be great. :D It makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. LOL! HUGS!

kattenbelletje chapter 479 . 12h ago

Oh, I loved it when my grandmother told stories of what my father did when he was young. He apparently bit the dentist :)

ME: I love them, too. Its great to think about your parents being kids. My mom liked to tell the story of a kid whose family wanted Dewey to be president in the 1930's saying bad things about her candidate, Franklin Roosevelt and she beat the crap out of him. She was seven and so was he. All you had to do with my mother was say someone had a dirty face and it was on. LOL! HUGS!


	481. Chapter 481

The Diego Diaries: Migration (dd6 480)

-0-Gaming

The noise level in the room was rather good considering the imbibing going on. Beer and the harder stuff flowed like Cybertronian water. Actually, the water on Earth was of the same molecular structure of water on Cybertron. **But it flowed!**

Prime sat in his chair holding his cards. He was grinning because he felt no pain. The pile of Oreos in front of him was rather large given he had won about two out of every three hands played so far. Prowl who was feeling no pain dealt out of the game to be Prime's banker. He sat with the stacks of cookies in front of him, all of them sorted as to type and kind. He was zealous in his scrupulous care taking of the cookies. He watched each hand, consulted on each ante and charmed his father-in-law half off his peds. Tagg who was staying sober, relatively, watched the two with great affection. It was the ultimate dream of Kes and him that Orion be happy and loved.

He was.

"You need to ante, Prime," Ironhide said as he sipped his eighth beer. That he could still feel his lips enough to move them in speech was a miracle. Ratchet who sat across from him was in the bag as well, smiling and waving at everyone around him as he threw chips into the pot with abandon.

"It is," Optimus said with a slight chuckle. He looked at Prowl. "What do I put in, little buddy?"

Prowl whose arms encircled Prime's winnings protectively given Ironhide's proclivity to take others cookies and eat them when drunk enough glanced up at him, then smiled broadly. "What do you think?" he asked, then grinned at the stack. "How about a … a double stuff?"

"I think so. When I win, we can share them," Prime said with a chuckle.

Prowl perused his cookie stacks, picked the right one from the bottom of the double stuff stack and tossed it in. "There. See that, slaggers."

Grins went around the table as they did. Prowl frowned slightly. They bid and bluffed, then laid out their cards. Prime won again. Prowl laughed loudly and raked them in. Stacking them like a mad scientist, he handed one to Prime. "Here's a double stuff, Mr. Winner." He took one himself and the two tapped them together, downing them in one bite. Sitting back to eat with contented expressions, the others grinned at the pair.

" **If you two aren't the cutest drunks ever!** " Ratchet exclaimed as he tossed his cards into the air.

Raptor who was feeling no pain gathered them up, then glanced at Ironhide. "If you weren't drunker, I'd have you do something about him. He's flying without a plane."

"Old mech can drink a lot but at some point he's hallucinating," Ironhide burbled with great pride. **"RIGHT, OLD MECH!?"** he asked.

Ratchet who was leaning over his chair to kibitz with the table behind him turned toward Ironhide. **"WHATEVER YOU SAY, BA-BEE!"**

Huge laughter greeted that. Hard Drive who was sober because he was going to make sure everyone in the family got home in one piece chuckled. "Knuckleheads. We're surrounded by knuckleheads."

" **I HAVE AN IDEA!"** Ratchet said as he sat in his chair with a huge dazzling smile.

Everyone in the room paused their games to glance his way. Ratchet stared at Ironhide who stared back, both of them in their own stupor together. Hard Drive leaned closer. "What idea do you have, Ratchet?"

Ratchet glanced at Hardie, considered again how handsome he was, then nodded. "I do."

" **THEN TELL IT! SLAG IT, RATCHET! TELL IT SO WE CAN ALL APPLAUD!"** Ironhide said loyally as he began to eat his chips. Blackjack moved them away from Ironhide and became his banker.

Again.

"Well," Ratchet began as he sorted through the haze that was his processor. He thought a moment. "I think it might be fun to play for different winnings. **SEE!?** " he cried as he held out his servos in triumph.

Prime who was watching grinned at Ratchet. "I think so, too."

"What, Orion?" Tagg said as he sat back to enjoy his son. "What different stakes?"

"What he said, Atar," Prime said in his gentle voice as he stared at his father with the most lavish expression of love any of them ever saw him give another person not named Prowl.

"Okay," Tagg said with a chuckle. "Explain it to us, Ratchet. We're ready to go."

Ratchet gave him a dazzling smile. "Well, the humans play strip poker but we don't wear clothing. So I thought, instead, whoever wins has to tell the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to them. See?" He was almost delirious with joy and excitement.

Most of the room wasn't that drunk but many were so they laughed and nodded. Given that they were mechs, most of them, they were ready to be stupid and ridiculous rather than say no and make anyone think they were wusses.

Boys no matter where they're from are boys.

" **DEAL THE CARDS!"** Sideswipe said with a belly laugh.

Everyone looked at each other, then dealt the cards. It was on.

-0-At the end of the hand

Springer, Kup, Prime, Chromia, Jetta, Sandstorm and of all persons, Chevron grinned as they were declared winners. There were about a dozen more but they shot daggers at their table mates and their names weren't called out. Fortunately, everyone was so drunk no one noticed.

"I think you go first, Optimus," Hard Drive said with a grin.

"Do you think that is wise? There are so many winners here," Optimus said sweetly.

Prowl who was watching him glanced around the room with a smug expression. "But know that **this** is the biggest winner in the room."

" **OSIMUS IS THE BIGGEST WINNER!"** Ratchet said. He stood up and tried to climb onto his chair but was dragged back down by Sideswipe and Hercy. He sat with a smile. "Tell us your most embarrassing thing, Osimus."

Prowl stared at Ratchet, then Prime. "You're not Osimus. That mech is drunk." Then he giggled.

Prime who was charmed by Prowl grinned at him until Tagg tapped his arm. "Your most embarrassing moment, son."

Prime smiled a loving smile at his father, then thought a moment. "There was that time I carried the stuff … uh, some stuff to the top floor of our building for that mech … the grumpy one. Remember him?" he asked his father.

"I do," Tagg said with a chuckle. "He lived at the top of the building and was always complaining."

Prime nodded. "I carried his stuff up, then the floor gave and it went over the side. It fell all the way down 52 stories to the ground."

Everyone listened waiting for the rest but that was it. Hercy laughed out loud. "You're just too good, Optimus. Just too slagging good."

" **I HAVE ONE!"** Ratchet said with a smile.

"You didn't win your hand," Tagg said with a grin.

"That's okay. Old Mech is an embarrassment factory. He makes 'em when they don't happen naturally," Ironhide said around the Oreos in his mouth. His father sitting on the other side of him from Raptor was down a handful.

Again.

Everyone laughed including Ratchet. Hercy patted Ratchet. "Go ahead, Ratch. Tell."

"Well," Ratchet said with a grin. "I was doing a … a thing in medical school. There was a one way window along the wall of the demonstration laboratory where anyone who wanted to watch could come and sit. You never knew who was behind there or if anyone was."

"Oh Primus. Not this one?" Ironhide asked.

"Continue, Ratchet," Raptor said. He hadn't hear it but it had to be epic. Ratchet seemed to invite catastrophes.

"Since you asked," Ratchet said as he fluttered his optics coquettishly to the amusement of everyone. "I was doing this thing and I suddenly had an itch."

"Oh no," Kup said as he began to get a glimmer. He laughed loudly.

"Well, I had to scratch but there was no way I could leave the room because of the experiment. So … I went to the wall where a counter was and sort of … uh ..."

"You humped the counter," Sandstorm said with a devilishly wicked smirk.

Ratchet glanced at him, then smiled brilliantly. "Bingo."

 **HUGE UPROAR AND ENORMOUS LAUGHTER.**

"I don't know to this orn if anyone was watching on the other side of the mirrored window but I was going to die if I didn't scratch the itch. Sometimes entire classes came to sit and watch," Ratchet smiled brilliantly. "Who's next?" he asked the uproariously laughing crowd.

Hard Drive glanced at the next table over. "Your turn, Springer."

Springer glanced at Hardie, then Drift who was smirking at him with **ENORMOUS** amusement. "Well," he began. "I can't top Ada humping a counter," he said to huge laughter, "but there was that time when I tried to crawl through a culvert and became stuck. Then someone yelled that there was a fire coming down the pipe so I panicked and stood up. I began to run but the culvert was still around me. I could only bend my knees to run because my body, helm and arms were still stuck up the culvert. I could shoot straight up but that was about it."

Huge laughter and mockery.

Hardie glanced at Chromia. "Your turn, daughter."

She grinned at him as Maelstrom sat beside her content to bask in her beauty. She grinned at Hardie, then Ratchet who was lolling in his chair with a big sappy grin. "Well, there was that time when I arm wrestled Titanica and lost."

"Who's Titanica?" someone asked.

Hercy looked at him, then shook his helm. "He doesn't know who Titanica is. What's this mech's army coming to?" He looked at Kup. "Tell them, recruit."

"Titanica … think about Predaking made from three mechs, not five. Three mechs that are three times larger than Razorclaw. Think about three homicidal maniacs with a steel grip. You pulled a draw twice, correct? Two draws before you lost."

She nodded. Maelstrom looked like he was going to burst into flames of pride over her. The rest looked at her, then gulped.

"Look him up. He's a caution," Hercy said. He glanced at Chromia. "You are, too, infant. That's one of the few mechs that Liege Maximo considers good enough to live."

It was silent a moment, then Hardie grinned. "Your turn, Jetta."

" **I HAVE ANOTHER ONE!"** Ratchet said before Tagg handed him an Oreo.

Jetta laughed, then considered things. "I can't really think of anything."

"If you did something other than work, you might have some stories to be ashamed of, infant," Ironhide said. He grinned. Then Hardie gave him a cookie.

Jetta laughed. "I do remember when Elita finally told me to propose or frag off. I remember taking time to think after she said that. Then she clipped me on the chin. It was in front of the labor council and I do remember you were pretty drunk when you showed up. I still get ragged about it from some of them to this orn."

Elita patted his servo. "Best deal you ever made."

"I won't argue," he said with a chuckle.

"Who's left?" Chromia asked.

"Sandy and Lord Chevron," Tagg said.

Everyone glanced at Chevron who smiled sweetly. Ironhide leaned forward to spot him. "Chevron … don't tell me **you** were ever embarrassed. You don't have a story do you?"

He smiled again. "I once tripped going down the stairs in a processional and fell all the way to the bottom. I was carrying a brazier and it threw hot coals everywhere. It caught my master's robe on fire. He had to be restrained from jumping into the Well." He grinned. "Everyone was able to help him, then they practically carried him off to the lounge to sit and recover. I remember laying on my back staring at the ceiling and rethinking my calling."

It brought down the house.

-0-TBC 9-25-18 **edited 10-2-18**

SkyenhaMarisa chapter 1 . 9h ago

I raise you one Sonic double stuff Oreo blast in an Oreo waffle cone. Yes they exist. My niece is addicted to them.

ME: OMG. That sounds so bad it has to be great. :D It makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. LOL! HUGS!

kattenbelletje chapter 479 . 12h ago

Oh, I loved it when my grandmother told stories of what my father did when he was young. He apparently bit the dentist :)

ME: I love them, too. Its great to think about your parents being kids. My mom liked to tell the story of a kid whose family wanted Dewey to be president in the 1930's saying bad things about her candidate, Franklin Roosevelt and she beat the crap out of him. She was seven and so was he. All you had to do with my mother was say someone had a dirty face and it was on. LOL! HUGS!


	482. Chapter 482

The Diego Diaries: Moving on. Sort of. (dd6 482)

-0-Morning

She stood at the window of her kitchen staring out. The sun was breaking over the dome of Olympus Mons. She was up and ready to leave for the orn, heading out to the center of the life of her family once upon a time. She had come in a migration two back and was separated from her family who she knew had made it to Oasis Base with the Knights. They would come and until then she would live and be happy. Having a beautiful little apartment in a colony where she mattered was almost debilitating. All was luxurious including the education she had sought out for herself. It wasn't something that they were used to even when they lived in relative comfort in Upper Tetrahex once upon a time, their ancestral home town.

She was enthralled with learning, with books and ideas. She was the daughter and grand daughter of scholars who worked for the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea of Upper Tetrahex. One of them, her amma was the living expert on Mortilius. They were all immensely respected and would be welcomed here with great happiness when they came. As it was, she used her time to attend school at the University, took classes in the scribe school in the Monastery as well and worked there when she had the time. It was like going into the most embracing and loving warmth for her to be at the monastery and help.

She cleaned up her kitchen, then walked to the door. No classes today so she would take the long way to the Monastery. There was still oceans of things she hadn't seen here, this place that had announced on the news last night that now stood at 28,000,000 individuals. It was exhilarating. She walked to the elevator in this, a mixed building and went downward. The colony was now spreading bachelors out in all the buildings rather than putting them all together. This way there was more youth opportunity to see what they wanted in their lives than just hanging out with other youths.

Outside, it was cold so she adjusted, then walked down the street to the metro. Going downward, she took a car that was heading for Aerie Hill. She loved their district which was beautiful. Many of them were Guiding Hand themselves, the Seekers, so it was familiar and comforting to be there. She rode along watching mechs and the odd femme like herself get on and off at their stations. When she reached hers, she departed the coach, then walked up to look around. Taking a sidewalk, she ambled along watching the Seekers take off and land here and there while families carried tiny children, those who weren't ready for school to playgrounds and other areas where they could eat, chat and gather.

Aerie Hill was an ornate and beautifully planned city. The enormous curved crescent housing buildings down valley from the hillside where she walked gleamed in the morning sunlight. Above her hugging the hillside that went up a crater a great distance held long rows of beautiful houses four stories high that lined a cobblestone side walk grid set of switchback streets, wide and open that wound along the curve of the hills. Children played on them and the sidewalks outside their buildings, their family members sitting on the stoop watching them as they chatted with neighbors and relatives, just like she was told they did on Cybertron back in the orn. Ornate wrought iron fences and light poles graced the city as did benches here and there to sit upon. She nodded to elders who grinned at her, this familiar little femme who was part of the Monastery, they said, whoever they were. She chatted with some, admired the babies of others, then reached the next station.

Going downward, she took the first train to Clavis Station 1. Clavis Station 2 was under construction and would be finished soon. She was glad because it would eliminate the scrutiny her appearance got when she walked the distance between the station near the Resort and the Monastery itself. Humans were very curious, she thought as she sped along the tracks. Stepping off at Station 1, she walked up and began her self conscious jaunt to the Monastery nearby. She heard that the Resort was planning excursions around on the ground and thus, the metro was made. She reached the gates that led to the huge building. Walking up to the Gatekeeper, she smiled and bowed. "Good morning."

Targus, the Gatekeeper grinned at her. "Good morning, Moni. How are you today? I thought you had school."

"Not today, Master. My instructors are meeting for the immigration influx," she said with a smile. "I thought I'd come here and help."

He grinned. "You do every time you come."

She smiled, then bowed again. Walking on with a spring in her peds, she made her way to the building that towered over both of them. He watched her go with affection, then turned back to his books, this stern and foreboding appearing individual.

Most of the time.

Her peds clicked across the floor as she made her way around the great room paying her respects to the individuals who made up the pantheon of the Guiding Hand. She bowed to the enormous statues, gave them her thanks, then she headed for the Great Room, the biggest and first scriptorium of the monastery. Entering, she walked quietly along the wall. Sitting at the long tables alone or in small groups, scholars, students, interested civilians and monks discussed, wrote and otherwise studied the endless array and astonishing variety of material seeking wisdom therein. Reaching the librarian's desk, she bowed. "Good morning, Master. I came to serve."

-0-At a bus line up at Youngling Day

Kids walked out with their book bags and began to climb into the buses that would take them to the airfield at the Municipal Interplanetary Airport in The City. They walked in to sit as their teachers joined them, then the big yellow school buses pulled out to carry them away. They would arrive at the airport just slightly after the buses with kids from Earth 1 and 2. The kids from Unidad would be coming as well but they weren't there yet, the 52 who were part of the group studying space. It would be a new and interesting experience for both sides of the species divide.

-0-Monastery

"I'm so glad, Moni," Darius, the librarian of the Collection of the Monastery said. "I have a number of requests. Could you find them if you can? I checked the inventory so they should be there but if its hard to get them or you can't find them, tell me and I will help you." He handed her a data wafer which she took with a smile.

"I will, Master," she said as she walked toward the elevator and the below decks levels that went down ten vast highly organized floors. There would be cavernous storage built in three other directions from this one as the Monastery was proclaimed a repository and restoration site for the endless treasures being reclaimed on Cybertron and around the empire's local group. It was endless and vast, the items retrieved, so they were brought here to conserve and protect. 99% of it was still being sorted but enough was available for the scholars to use so she hurried to the elevator and disappeared.

A short ride down to the fifth lower level floor started her quest. Taking a cart and a shoulder bag slung across her body, she walked down endless stacks and shelving that towered to the ceilings above. Finding what she needed, she pulled a ladder over that rolled on a track, then climbed up to the shelf in question. Finding what she needed, she put it in the bag, then pushed the ladder over as she stood on it, climbing down on lower rungs to get something else.

She finished here, then hit four other floors before getting what she needed. Stacking it on the cart, she pushed it to the elevator and rode upward. Pushing it out, she took the wafer into servo, then moved her stacks to the scholars in the room. Rolling it along, she located them, then gave them their materials. They smiled at her, thanking her for her help, then she moved onward light of spark. It would take a while to hit all the scriptoriums and the various classrooms of their school. When she was finished, she would do it all over again, getting some things and putting others back.

One of these fine orns, she would be a scholar taking something from a sweet eager worker and it would be the best orn of her life. It would be pleasant working in the library collection of the Clavis Aurea as sunlight streamed in through the windows.

-0-From the sublime to the ridiculous

He slammed to sentience, the cure kicking in as it was timed to do from a sentient moment the night before. Sitting up, Ratchet glanced around spotting no one there but himself. Laying back down, he waited for the fog to lift, then stood. Walking out to the living room, he noted that no one was there either, the place was immaculate as usual, Ironhide was missing and he was ravenous. Heading for the door with his sensors spread wide, he walked out to find someone.

Anyone.

Somewhere.

-0-Up there

Optimus Prime slammed to sentience as the timed cure Ratchet had earmarked for everyone at the party reached him. He stared at the ceiling, patted around for Prowl, then sat up. Laboriously standing, he walked toward the hallway to track down his little buddy.

Or anyone else in the big empty place.

-0-Nearby

Prowl came to sentience at the same time as everyone else. Slamming to awareness, he stood up in the bed prepared to fight anything that moved. Realizing he was in his home in a spare room, he stepped forward to climb down, hooked his ped on a blanket spread and face planted on the floor. The reverb went through the floor like a tsunami.

-0-Getting closer

Prime paused as a heavy thud was heard and felt. Walking that way, he paused before the open door of a suite. "Prowl?"

Prowl looked up groggily, then sat back on his heels. "I fell."

Optimus walked in and gently pulled him up. Then embraced each other tightly. "Does it hurt anywhere?"

"Only when I move," Prowl said with a slight snicker. "Where are we? What are we?"

Optimus chuckled, then read a message sent from Ratchet. "We are on our way to The Diner On the Corner."

"I better check the overnight dump," Prowl said as he swayed gently in the powerful grip of Optimus.

"Later," Prime said. "If it was necessary, we would know already."

Prowl nodded, then walked with Prime toward the door of their home and outward to where everyone else was.

Probably.

-0-Down below

 **RAP! RAP! RAP!**

Ratchet rapped on the door, then peered inside. Groggy was the word as far as the optic could see. He opened it and stepped into Alor and Blackjack's apartment. Sitting in a chair trying to wake up, Alor rubbed his face with his servos. Lying on the floor with a tiny cow laying on his chassis looking at him with his big soft brown cowie optics, Flipper watched Ironhide as he struggled to wake up. Ratchet tapped Ironhide's ped. "Ironhide … wake up."

"I can't," he moaned. "I've been shot in the gut."

"There's a cow sitting on you, slagger," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

Ironhide blinked his optics, then stared at his chest. He grinned, then wrapped his arms around Flipper. "I love cows, Ratchet. I need one. Or three. We could have a cattle drive, all of us. Tiny horses and tiny cows." He sat up and hugged Flipper.

Alor finally came to his senses, then looked at the three. "What are you doing on the floor, infant? That cow is not going with you when you go. I'll shake your subspace myself."

" **I WANT A COW, ADA!** Atar brought home every slagging thing when I was a kid. How come I don't have a cow?" Ironhide asked as he staggered to his feet.

"Because," Ratchet said. "Pick up your pillow."

"Okay," Ironhide said meekly. He grinned. "Slaggers. I'm surrounded by slaggers. How about a pig, then? Or a kangaroo?"

"How about my ped up your aft, slagger?" Ratchet said as he sat down on the couch.

Blackjack staggered out, then grinned. "Unhand that cow, slagger. That's my best little buddy, not yours." He looked at Alor. "I don't see Scout."

"He's somewhere. Check the black market," Alor said as he stood and stretched.

"Bluestreak has him. Get him later. You have to go to Vegas and I have to go to Cybertron. Let's go tank up at The Diner," Ratchet said as he stood. "Besides, not everyone is accounted for yet."

With that, they ambled to the door and left.

-0-Down on the 34th floor of the same building …

 **RAP! RAP! RAP!**

Ratchet opened the door, then walked in. **"RAPTOR! HOW ARE YA!?"** he asked.

Raptor was stirring but he was still face planted on the floor where he had tripped over an ottoman in the early morning. He rolled over to look at the noisy bastards fog horning him with their big slagging mouths. "Hush. My processor is in rebellion. It's about to flee my helm any minute now."

Ratchet scanned him, then transformed a digit. Jamming a needle into a neck line, he grinned as Raptor bellowed. Then he relaxed. "That's better, you malicious fragger, you."

"It is," Ratchet said as Alor, Blackjack and Ironhide stepped back from Ratchet with wary expressions. He grinned at them, then held up the needle digit. **"WHO ELSE WANTS SOME!?"**

"Frag **you** , slagger."

"Frag **no**."

" **Alor does."**

A hard rap on the noggin took care of that impertinence. Blackjack rubbed his helm, then stepped away from Alor. "Fragger. **WHERE'S MY COW!?"**

Alor patted his hold. "You snooze, big boy, you lose. He's coming to Vegas with me."

"Slag that," Blackjack muttered as he helped his big old dad stand up.

Raptor swayed a moment, then gripped Blackjack in a bear hug. Lifting him off his peds, he set him down. "Thanks, Sonny," he said, then turned toward the berth room. **"GET A MOVE ON, OLD MECH! BACON IS WAITING FOR NO ONE!"**

Turbine walked out, then punched Raptor in the gut. "I'm ready," he said with a big smile.

Raptor straightened back up, then frowned as he followed the bond and the rest of them to the door. "Caste Court, slagger," he muttered as the door closed on the rest. They were laughing their afts off as it did.

-0-TBC 9-27-18 **edited 10-28-18**


	483. Chapter 483

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 483)

-0-Later that morning

Prowl finished the morning preliminary briefing he always gave, then sat back to grin at Prime. They were in his newer expanded office, the one that had been his crusade to create for Optimus for some time. It had been expanded some months back taking over the four next to it. Down the hallway, the support staff of the Prime and other senior officers occupied all the rest of the space. Prime's five assistants, Prowl's three and all the others worked there including a big space at the end of the hallway. Legal aides, analysts, researchers and staff lawyers worked in another at the other end of the corridor and had access to a major data access point built around a set aside node from Teletraan. "The migration is going swiftly. Do you want to show the flag?" he asked.

"I think that might be a good idea," Prime said as he stood. The pair walked out to the Ops Center, got the news from all over as it stood at that moment, then continued out. Transforming, they drove together on Fortress Drive to the junction at Metroplex Highway 1, then up Temple Street and a left at Metroplex Highway #2. Diving toward the Mausoleum, they pulled off the road and headed cross country toward the Big Frame Shipyard southwest of the Terra Hub. The colony was its usual buzz of activity with traffic both vehicular and pedestrian everywhere.

The fenced in splendor that was the Port of Mars was past that point, a vast area of buildings housing various agencies, data centers, a medical triage complex on site, an administration building which shared space with the security forces grew as they approached. Ships were coming and going, small runabouts that had specific uses and lines of individuals came in a steady stream from a large building that housed four large space bridges. Two of them were assisting the Oasis Base teams and two others were the vehicle to bring refugees here.

They transformed then walked to the guard box at the gate in the fence where trucks came and went. Chatting with the guards there, they walked inside heading for the administration building. A long building nearby was where the refugees entered to finalize their repatriation and then walk onward to buses that were waiting to take them to different zones where their city and housing was located. It was easier than having them go in small groups on the metro or on foot. Walking onward, they watched the long lines of hopeful, exhausted, emotional and/or upbeat refugees creep ever closer to their moment. None of them saw Prime or Prowl as they reached the door of the admin building to go inside.

It was there that the officer in charge of the office from the Bureau of Refugees worked, running and directing the entire show. He greeted them, then began to explain things so far. Sitting at steel desks working on data in the big room nearby, a large number of individuals were plugged in while others walked to data ports on the long console that lined a wall. Through a pair of steel doors, a jail with numerous cells waited for whoever acted the aft. Sitting at a desk by the door going through data, Drift looked up. He grinned. "Welcome to bedlam."

Prowl smirked. "How many are locked up?"

"Three so far. We have the databases from Cybertron and we're picking up criminals now. There were eighteen yesterday. All of them are being housed in the prison awaiting review of outstanding warrants and the like," he said.

Prowl nodded, then everyone turned to the door. A bellowing sound reared up outside, then the door opened. Springer appeared first gripping something very huge and belligerent. He pulled hard as others gripped and pushed, then a huge mech came into the room. Everyone was staring at him with disquiet. Springer halted him, then glanced at Prime. "Oh, hello. Fancy meeting you here," he said with a grin.

The huge mech was clearly physically enhanced, had an exquisite paint scheme and a lot of tattoos. He was also familiar, high caste and extremely strong. As Springer turned toward him to drag his sorry aft into the jail section, he decided to stomp everything in his wake. Though he was cuffed from behind, the maniacal mech head butted Springer into the wall. As Springer slid down it, Drift was already leaping over his desk to run to the rescue. The big mech lunged back and shook the Watchmen off his body, then ran backward into the wall to crush Springer. Drift pulled Springer away just in time as the big mech slammed into the wall. When he did, the cuffs blinked out.

He was loose, pissed and ready to rumble.

Flexing his massive arms, he grinned at Prime, then charged him. As he did, Prowl turned to the group at their stations and waved his own arms. **"RUN! GET OUT NOW!"**

The civilians and handful of Autobots jumped for it, heading for the door nearby that led outside. Another slapped the wall, pressing a button that lowered the contents of everyone's desk downward into it, then a steel plate slid out to cover everything. Apparently, they prepared for all possibilities here, Prowl thought abstractly as he watched them go. When they were all clear, the chairs of the desks descended into the floor and nothing was left topside to be broken and spindled but the bots.

Prowl turned back with a gun but couldn't get a straight shot because the strange mech had gripped Prime around the waist. He barely made it out of the way when they bulldozed into a low wall that separated the worker bees from the entry way, halting with a booming sound against its unyielding surface. Prowl shifted behind Prime attempting to get a shot but couldn't.

Prime shoved the big mech back, then they traded fists. Hits that were lethal to anyone else were exchanged as the two slagged it out. Everyone else moving and weaving out of the way to avoid death by fist found themselves falling back to the door and then outside. Regrouping together, Springer, Drift and the four mechs with them started for the door to go back inside but it burst open as Prime roared out, his arms around the beast who was bellowing and laughing loudly.

Everyone in the lines froze in place as they saw the astonishing sight. The two ran into the yard, then rolled into the dirt. Over and over they went, then they sprang to their peds. Prowl who followed yelled to the mechs watching. **"GET THE BARRIERS UP! PROTECT THE CIVILIANS!"**

Springer and Drift along with two other mechs ran toward the lines of paralyzed civilians who were frozen in place, holding each other with extreme fright. Drift unsubbed a spear shaped device and drove it into the ground. The other three did the same, then they activated them. An energy barrier flashed into life separating the refugees and workers from the scene. They stared at the fight, those who had seen a lot, watching it with astonishment. The guards spaced themselves out, then drew their weapons, watching the fight as it raged.

Prime ducked a fist, then the two began to exchange blows, nothing with finesse, nothing with style. It was brute strength against brute strength. The blows resounded as they met each other slugging it out face-to-face. As they did Seekers streaked into to transform in mid air and land with shattering thuds, groups that had found out the news from those here and had come to watch and perhaps assist. They formed up around the fight as more joined them along with soldiers driving in swiftly. In a circle around the brawl, they stood together, shouting and chanting. Then the Seekers began to side step, moving slowly in a circle. They began to chant loudly, their wings beating against their bodies in accompaniment as they cheered Prime onward. The soldiers at the fence watched with guns in servos as more bots gathered into the crowd around the circle. They roared as the big mech charged Optimus gripping him around the waist. He drove onward as Prime gripped him back, falling slightly off balance. Prime slid, then pressed back, halting the charge at last.

Prowl who moved to get a clear shot subbed his gun, then pulled a device that most law enforcement on Cybertron used for crowd control back in the orn. It was a long silver prod with a powerful blast of electrical current at the glittering tip of it. He moved toward Prime inside the circle, then caught his attention. **"LET HIM GO! CLEAR, OPTIMUS!"** he shouted as Springer and Drift surged through the crowd to join him.

Prime slammed his fist down on the broad back of the behemoth who let go, then stood with his fists up. He didn't see Prowl move swiftly, then stab him in the chest with the device. A huge zapping surge of electricity burst over the mech enshrouding him in a cocoon of furious systems disrupting voltage. Prowl stepped back, prod in servo to do it again as the mech stood silently staring at him, seemingly halted by several zillion watts of raw electricity.

The voltage disappeared, then he grinned. Faking a furious shock with his body, he laughed. **"YOU HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT, FRAGGER!"** Then he swung on Prowl and knocked the prod away. He swung again and Prowl ducked it stepping in front of Prime to do so. He swung again but Prowl deflected, kicking him hard in the chest. The big mech staggered back, then took a swinging aerial kick in the face. He stood a moment swaying like he could fall over, then he straightened and laughed like it was nothing. It was then that he charged Prowl.

Ratchet who had been called to come flashed in, sirens and lights blaring. He transformed, then flew through the air to land on his peds. Ironhide who was behind him barreled in, transformed, rolled, then came up with both barrels flipping into place. They ran forward to join the throng. Beyond them, the entire crowd who was backing up as more arrived watched with horror and fascination.

" **PROWL! STAND BACK! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU!"** Prime bellowed as he moved to step in. But he couldn't at the moment because Prowl was trading blows. He was also using grips from Metallicato which oddly enough weren't making the great gaping tear holes in his armor that they should have. The big mech punched him hard and he flew back into the crowd of Seekers and mechs who were watching.

Springer flew through the air and caught the mech on the side of the face. He spun, then turned around with a grin. Springer who landed beside Prime pulled up his gun. "Do I ventilate him, Prime?"

"Do not tempt me," Prime said as he watched Prowl stand up with a look of fury that was almost comical in its intensity. No one could sneer like Prowl of Praxus.

Prime charged and began to swing. His fists landed and the big mech began to step backward as they began to gather affect. He beat on the big mech like he was a drum, landing blows that would have killed anyone else. The mech took them, then began to give them back. As he did, Springer walked forward with a truncheon, one he used in close quarters with the enemy in the war. Drift pulled one and they walked forward ready to rain blows on the fragger's helm. It was hard to get close because the two big mechs were so fast and their blows so deadly.

Ratchet watched with an incredulity that he hadn't felt in orns. Going through his own arsenal, he called up a program and sent it. The big mech paused, then turned on Ratchet. **"FRAGGER! YOUR VOODOO DOESN'T WORK ON ME!"** he bellowed, then rushed Ratchet. He caught him around the waist and fell to the ground. That was when Ironhide gripped him, spun his aft, then shot him. A round went toward his knee and the mech staggered. Oddly enough, there was no hole but the shot hurt him.

He let go of Ratchet, rolled over and stood. He grinned at Ironhide. "Put down the guns and take me on, fragger. You know you want to," he said before four Watchmen led by Springer and Drift pounced on him with their electrical prods. Prowl ran forward and stuck it in the mech's right optical socket. He bellowed and staggered back flinching from all the mayhem being delivered. He fell back through the Seekers who punched him hard, creating an impromptu gauntlet for him to run. He swung on them and they fell back, then he grinned at Prime. "Come on, big boy. You know you want to. Take me on," he said.

That was when he did. That seventeen others joined Prime was beside the point.

-0-Moments later …

He fought them right and left, then turned toward Prowl who was landing sharp blows as he gripped him by the wrist. Prowl bellowed with pain as the fragger crushed his arm and when he did Prime felt a red mist filter across his optics. He gripped the mech's arm, then squeezed it himself. The big mech flinched, too, then let go of Prowl. Prime in his maddened condition them began to proceed to beat the fragger half to death. By the time he was kneeling and fending off blows with an upraised arm, the Watch were able to slap cuffs on his sorry aft. Kicking the mech face down into the ground, Red Wing, Cloudburst, Springer, Drift, Ironhide, Prime and Sandstorm were able to cuff the rest of him as well. Then they pressed him down with all their might.

Glancing toward Ratchet, Springer called to him. **"ADA! SHUT THE FRAGGER OFF! HURRY!"**

Ratchet shaking off his own shellacking hurried over and knelt down. "I can't. He's got protection over it. The switch port is covered up."

Prime gently pushed Ratchet aside, then pressed his digits against the cover. The mech who was sentient still bellowed with pain and began to thrash.

" **HURRY UP, OPTIMUS! WE'RE GOING TO LOSE HIM!"** Springer called out as they leaned into the big mech.

Prime with a grim expression pressed harder, then ripped the cover off the kill switch that was one of the most protected parts of their body in normal circumstances. This mech had it enhanced and it was almost more than he could manage to breach it. Fortunately as a phase six level mechanism himself, he did. Ratchet reached in and short circuited the mech with a flip of a switch. He fell into a limp mountain of massively enhanced mechanism.

It was silent almost immediately as everyone froze in place, unwilling to let go right away. Then they all stood up slowly, staring at the stranger who was someone they knew they all knew but couldn't remember specifically.

Like that.

Then Prime spun and walked to Prowl who was holding his arm with a look of pain and fury on his face. "Prowl … **RATCHET!** " Prime said.

Ratchet hurried over, scanned Prowl, then gave him a pain script. He relaxed noticeably. Ratchet glanced at Prime. "He has a broken wrist. I can fix it. That fragger, though … he's a menace, some kind of new phase sixer maybe. We need to put him in a good strong box and throw away the key."

"That will not be hard to do. Right now, we have to help Prowl," Prime said with a worried expression. He glanced around. "Springer … get this in order, then come to the medic station." He looked at Ratchet. "Is that sufficient or do we go to the Medical Center."

"I can do it here, Optimus," he said as he gripped Prowl's good arm. "Come on. Let's get this back in working order."

Prowl limped with Ratchet toward the medical center nearby as Prime and Ironhide followed. As they did, the Seekers hurrahed them in their victorious procession toward triage. The big slagger was loaded into a police runabout and it lifted off to take him to the prison high security lock up. They would attend to him later on. Everyone else began to comfort the refugees and help them move forward as the security mechs retrieved their energy barrier spikes.

Such was another orn in the colony of Optimus Prime.

-0-TBC 9-19-18 **edited 10-28-18**

Sorry. I sorta overslept and … zzzzZzzzzzZZZZzzzzzzz … ;)


	484. Chapter 484

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 484)

Ragemoose: That name is on my list. It isn't this mech but I'm going to research him. If you can think of bad civilians, good civilians, bad ass Decepticons and Autobots, drop me a note and they go on the list. I love having as much diversity as possible. HUGS, darling!

-0-In the med center at the Port of Mars

Prowl lay on a berth in mild stasis as Ratchet deconstructed his arm. The huge fist of the maniac had crushed his wrist and part of his lower arm with his unbelievable power and malice. Prime sat across the room facing away with Ironhide standing with him. Springer and Drift along with Lon and Bezel who heard and came from their orn off and a few others watched grimly, quietly as Ratchet worked with a couple of med techs who were on duty here. They hurried to get things and discreetly carried things away.

Ratchet who was acutely aware of Prime's distress glanced at the med panel overhead with Prowl's stats. "Well, this is going to be fixed easily if I say so myself. He's going to need a repaint and some therapy. You can count us all fortunate that the damage didn't puncture into his protoform. If it had, we'd be dealing with bleeds and maybe possible complete replacements. This isn't even close, though I **will** say that fragger needs to be off line until we figure out what can bring him down. Shock doesn't appear to be effective."

"Do you want him in secure stasis at Metro Femme, Ada?" Springer asked.

"I think that's a good idea. He's so enhanced, I think he's a clear and present danger. I'd also like to know how he defeats pain. Is he on stimulants? Is he mentally sound? I **do** know who he is," Ratchet said glancing over his shoulder to peer at the pensive group of mechs waiting with Prime. "That's Crader of Crader Transport." A pall hung in the room. "I imagine how fragged off Prowl is going to be when he hears that."

Springer glanced at Lon. "Pull what's known, Lon. Access the Cybertronian databases especially those related to Iacon, Praxus, Nova Cronum, Capital City and Tarn."

Lon nodded, then walked to a computer panel nearby. He wouldn't take long to find it.

It and more.

-0-Jetta

He stood in the construction of Crater District #2 and watched as crews began to landscape the place. All of the roads were laid in, striped with lines and directional markers and swept clear of sand and construction debris. The sidewalks were pristine and the light systems for the highway and radial streets which cut this city into blocks were working at all corners of the grid. Across the way gleaming in the distance he could see the others. This was the hub and ranging out from it were six more massive cityscapes, two in transition toward completion and four others still in basic construction with towers stretching up without enclosures.

They were huge and each of them could grant homes to two and a half million individuals. This seven city array would be home at some point to slightly over seventeen and a half million individuals. They had two and a half million homes still available in Crater District #1 which were being filled now. When they were through with this initial send there would be room for the next and the next and the next. He would see to it. "I'm going to see Scar next. Anything you want him to know, Bulk?" he asked.

"Keep sending us steel. Also, tell him the wiring is good. I like this better. Tyro will send him the next set of specs for the new construction's electrical and plumbing. I hope we have more dozers in the migration. I could use some more. We're trying to beat the deadlines," Bulkhead said as Copperton grinned. They were the team that got things done on the jobs. They were also extremely good friends.

"I will," Jetta said as he slapped them on the shoulder. He then transformed and took off heading to the new crater development in the distance.

They watched him go, then Bulkhead grinned. "That mech works too hard."

"He does," Copperton said with a grin. "How about going to E Street to check on that tower?"

Bulk nodded. "On it," he said as he transformed.

Copperton did as well and buzzed down the beautiful boulevard after Bulkhead.

-0-Medic Center

Prowl sat up on the berth with Optimus's help. He was dizzy, then it all cleared. He looked at his arm with new plating and internal wiring. Two of his digits were replaced and most of the inside of his arm to his elbow. It gleamed a silver color. Prowl frowned. "Frag."

"That'll teach you to get into a fight between two phase six level mechanisms," Ratchet said with a slight grin. "You're lucky as frag. Consider if he'd punctured your protoform with that grip. I'd be dealing with bleeding, infections and serious replacement surgery. As it was, he didn't. Here's what you need to know about your new parts. They aren't energon but like all replacements they're energon based. That means that over timeyour protoform is going to leach into them and replace every molecule of the metal that the parts are made of with protoform. You can transform with them but its going to feel stiff and weird until the leaching process is complete. It won't take as long with the internal replacements. They're laying right against your protoform but the outer plating and your digits? Give it a decaorn before full assimilation. Until then, get a repaint and be ready for physical therapy."

Prowl glanced up at him as he turned his arm this way and that. "Physical therapy?"

Ratchet nodded. "You'll need it to assimilate quicker and get full range of motion again. There's exercises that speed up the process and consider, you lost part of your hand. There are two digits replaced here. You're going to need exercise to get the limb synced again. This isn't a small thing, Prowler."

Prowl sighed, then nodded. "Can they come to the Ops Center? I was under the opinion that I was essential equipment."

"You are," Prime said. He stood, then turned to Ratchet. "What else does he need to do, Ratchet?"

"Do his therapy until they say he's fit. I'm going to gauge his assimilation progress every orn so that's covered. It pays to have a private doctor," he said with a smirk. Prime didn't smirk. Ratchet would have to talk to him later. "He's going to be up to it. What amazes me is that your Metallikato moves didn't budge his skin. You never got purchase, Prowl. It took a grip like Prime's to breach him. I've seen a lot of Metallikato and Metallikato-like injuries and I've seen Arcee do that to a fragger. But you never budged his shell, Prowl. There's something different about this one. We need to figure it out. Right now, he's a huge and present danger, Prime."

Prime nodded. He glanced at Springer. "Is he in the lock up at Metro Femme?"

Springer paused a moment to check, then nodded. "I asked Gypsy to put him into stasis as deep as Sentinel's and she did. He's in the lock up and will stay there under guard until you say otherwise."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. Right now, sit here, Prowl. I have to reassure the civilians, then we're going to The Fortress by Metro." He glanced at Springer. "Find the rest of his partY and isolate them if he came with someone. I want this danger checked before they disperse into the colony." Then he walked to the door and left with Springer, Ironhide and the other mechs.

It was quiet a moment, then Ratchet took Prowl's servo to give it a critical once over. "You were pretty awesome, Prowler, and normally it would be enough. More than enough. But this fragger is something else. We have to take him apart if for nothing else then to remove his embellishments."

"I want to be there when you do. I want to know what prevented me from ripping him apart. Nothing short of eight feet of cybertanium can stop the grips I used," Prowl said.

Ratchet nodded, then grinned slightly. "Expect to be treated with kid gloves and get the lecture tonight. Prime was stricken when you were hurt. I think you're never going to see combat again."

Prowl frowned slightly. "I will always serve where needed," he said, then his expression softened. "But I won't add more to him than he carries now. I saw red."

"You two are a pair," Ratchet said as he hopped up to sit beside Prowl. "By the way, when are you going to tell Prime you're sparked?"

It was deeply and profoundly silent in the room.

-0-Moments later

"What the frag."

"There's a cure for this, you know. There's a cure but no one ever comes for it. **NO ONE!** Don't look at **me** like that. I wasn't there when this happened, though I wouldn't mind if you gave me the heads u-"

[The sounds of feet running around a med berth in hot pursuit of another set of feet]

-0-Moments later

"That hurt."

"Sorry. Maybe."

"There's fixes. How is it that you fraggers never come? I'd ask you if you wanted it but you're not a sparkling. You **do** hit like a femme-"

[The sounds of feet running around a med berth in hot pursuit of another set of feet]

-0-Moments later again

"I don't know. Maybe I should tell him when he's not wound up in this."

"That could be good, Prowler. Or you **could** be an adult and tell him now- … **OW!** "

[The sound of red and white feet chasing a faux cop car around a med berth]

-0-Moments later

Prime walked in to see two mech sitting on the med berth rubbing sore parts of their bodies. Both of them sat straighter and smiled. "Hi. Got it all in servo?" Ratchet asked.

Prime nodded. He was aware that there was a subtext here from sheer experience with both but what it was he didn't know. He stared at both of them. "What is going on?"

"I don't know. No one ever tells me slag. I sit here all orn long applying servos on and does anyone ever notice the healing going on? **NO**. They never do."

Prowl stared at Ratchet appallingly aware that he was working up to full disclosure. "I do. In fact, I think a long visit to Charon or maybe Camp Recluse would be a good way to thank you."

"Ah, Prowler," Ratchet said as he leaned into the mech a moment. "You're too self sacrificing. That's what makes you a good genitor … your love of infants and the afflicted."

Prime and the others watched the back and forth knowing full well something had happened and that they were and weren't going to tell without a good grip on the neck. "What is it you are not telling, Prowl?" he asked with his beautiful voice.

Prowl stared at him, then Ratchet, then him, then his arm, then Prime, then Ratchet …

-0-Moments later

They stood together in a tight hug. Everyone else was shuffling their peds with grins on their faces as they watched the two. Ironhide was sitting next to Ratchet who was leaning on him. "You're a menace to society."

"Consider these servos," Ratchet said as he held up his two big red hands. "Without them and the diabolical mind they serve, those two would be hopelessly apart. I'm doing a service to our kind, to the greater good, to the overall love quotient in the universe. Why, The One consults me in the love department."

Everyone including Prime and Prowl stopped their hugging, shuffling, grinning and overall goobering to stare at Ratchet. He in turn gave them a dazzling smile ala Orion when he was in deep doo doo.

Prowl smirked at him, his improbable, implacable, imperturbable best friend forever then turned back to Prime. He hugged him tightly and was hugged in return.

Springer slapped Prime on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Optimus, Prowl."

Prime grinned at him, then nodded. "Thank you," he said as the spell was broken. Everyone congratulated them.

Ratchet stepped down, then rubbed his servos together. "There's a few here not bonded and children? I can see candidates. How about those three grandchildren you two keep talking about?" he asked Drift and Springer.

"See ya," Springer said as everyone of the group with him turned to the door and ran. They were gone in seconds.

Ratchet grinned. "Fraggers," he said as he turned to Ironhide. "You. Out," he said as Ironhide ambled past, slapping his servo with Prime. Ratchet followed with a grin.

It was quiet, then Prime walked to the med berth to sit. He stared at Prowl. "All I could think of was that he would kill you and all that was good for me would be over forever. I do not know what would happen to me if that ever occurred. I am never going to allow you to go to a fight or battle again, Prowl. It may be selfish but it is what I require to be happy."

Prowl stared at him, then nodded. "Fair enough. You can imagine my own feelings then."

"I always have. But I tell you with all I have to do, you are the center of my happiness. Just coming home to you and the children heals all that happens to me that orn," Prime said. "I never expected any of it but I have it now and I am deeply unwilling to risk it. I love you. I hope you know how much."

Prowl nodded as he walked to Prime. He touched his face, then rested his servos, one glinting with silver parts on Prime's broad shoulders. "That is how much and more I love you. I … I have no moderation about you. Anything you need I will give. I designed our home for you and your prestige. It was difficult all these years to see how disrespectfully you were treated. You're the Prime of Cybertron, the bearer of the Matrix … the spark of Primus Himself. You're the First Disciple of Primus. You go to the Matrix and you're called brother by the Pantheon. That's holy to me. **You** are holy. You're good. You are the most decent and genuinely good person I ever met. I'm yours, Optimus. I will always be yours. I will fight when the need is there but this I will do for you."

Prime nodded, then pulled Prowl into his arms. "I can not live a life without you in it. All I could see was him killing you and a great yawning despair filled me. To see you wounded is as bad as if it were me. Worse, even."

Prowl squeezed him. "It'll get better." He looked at Prime, then grinned. "We get a new one. I think we need to discuss the size of our family and maybe take measures, temporary ones if we feel that more would be hard for us right now. I don't personally see it myself," he said as Prime chuckled.

"You never do. All of them are yours or so I am told," Prime said with a grin. He kissed Prowl, then hugged him. "You will go to therapy. We need to design a protoform and choose a name. Mech or femme?"

"What do you wish?" Prowl asked.

"Whatever you want, Prowler," he said softly, then he hugged Prowl tightly.

Prowl hugged him back as well.

-0-Outside

"When did you know, Ada?" Springer asked Ratchet with a grin. Everyone was waiting outside together because they were friends, family and nosy.

Not necessarily in that order, of course.

"When I plugged him in for a systems check," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. **"THESE SERVOS! THESE HEALING SERVOS-"**

That was as far as he got.

-0-TBC 9-30-18 **EDITED 10-29-18**


	485. Chapter 485

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 485)

-0-Ops Center, Prime's office, moments later

They sat across from each other with grins. It was quiet a moment, then Prowl smirked. "What do you want to see this time? Me as a femme? You as a femme? You and me on the same femme? Or do you want Ironhide's face, my wings, your finials and Ratchet's paint scheme?"

Prime laughed loudly, then leaned forward on his elbows. "I would like to see ..." he said with a low smokey tone.

Prowl stared at him, then shifted in his chair. "Yes?" he asked.

"I would like ..." Prime said as his optics narrowed. "I would like ..."

"This report?" Jazz asked as he stood in the doorway with a giant grin on his handsome face.

Both jumped, then Prowl frowned. "Actually, **I** would like **you** to do permanent intel at Camp Way The Hell And Gone."

"We have one?" Jazz said as he put the disk on Prime's desk. Prime was grinning at Prowl. All of Prowl's moods were amusing to him.

"We do **now,** " Prowl said as he sat back with a slow burn. "Knock next time. I'm keeping your door shut from now on," he said as he glanced at Prime.

"Then where would all the fan fiction come from, Prowler?" Jazz asked. "I'm heading over to watch the process on Crader. I'll let you know how that goes."

Prime nodded. "Thank you, Jazz."

Jazz left with a big grin on his face. It was silent a moment. Prowl grinned at Prime. "As you were saying ..."

Prime leaned forward on his elbows and regarded Prowl with narrowed optics and a smoldering stare. "I would like ..." he began.

-0-Metro Femme, Autopsy Department, Suite 10

The big mech lay on his back on the table as med techs prepared a deep scanning machine nearby. This department was brimming with tech that would allow them to look and see without getting all blowed up by prying some self protecting thing open. Ratchet, Perceptor, Wheeljack and half a dozen smart kids were there along with an array of specialist doctors, Nitro and Ironhide for munitions and specialty armor as well as Partition with Lancer. He had heard about the fight and bee lined toward Ratchet to find out what the heck was going on. He sat on a med berth nearby with Lancer who had her arm around his shoulders. He was watching like the doctor-in-training he officially was now.

"I have more specialty scanners on me than this hospital has and nothing I have dents him. I've seen a lot of armor that was impenetrable and a lot of mechs who were aced out the kazoo with strange and wonderful embellishments but this slagger takes the cake. I can't penetrate his armor. Teddo? Do a scan of this and run it through the spectrometers. I want to see the molecules. I think I know what I'm seeing but I want confirmation," Ratchet said. "Run it through mass, optical and magnetic. I want the book on it."

The kid nodded, then walked to a cupboard. He pulled out a very strange looking scanner, then walked back to the big mech. He laid it on his chest, then tapped in a number of commands. It flashed a light for a second, then the kid took it back. He walked out of the room to the big chamber on the other side of the hospital where the most delicate and even dangerous equipment was kept behind enormous lead and cybertanium walls.

"What do you think, Ratchet?" Perceptor asked.

"I think we have phase six armor here on steroids. I think this has ununtrium in it but isn't entirely it," he replied. "I think this is more special in composition and thus, it can do more protecting than even phase six armor. I need confirmation. I don't really know how we're going to pierce his hide to get to the enhancements. I want to see the device that powers everything. You know that the phase sixers have internal reactors that create all the power they need. It's why they can follow you into the ends of time. They don't need to refuel because they refuel internally. They're never hungry or low energy. This feels like the same with enhancements. Someone created something here that's unique. What about the rest of his party?" Ratchet asked.

-0-Just a bit earlier than this

Springer and a dozen gargantuan Autobots drawn from the Watch and prison stood in a group as they stared at a number of individuals who'd come with Crader. They'd been pulled into a line that never seemed to move because it was the one that searched for slaggers and criminals, outstanding warrants and liars. Some had already made it through, been taken to their homes and were now under surveillance directed by Drift. They would gather this group then take out the others.

Springer squared his shoulders, then the plan was implemented. He walked to the six big impeccably painted mechs and when the others had them surrounded, he stepped even closer. "We'd like you to come with us. We'd like to talk to you about Crader."

They stared at him, then looked around at the grim faced mechs that were watching with their big big guns casually slung over their brawny, scarred and heavily tattooed arms. Then they stepped out of line and followed Springer to the gate nearby where security operated and a police wagon was waiting for them. They slowed, then a big fragger who looked a lot like Crader turned to Springer. "Are we under arrest? That looks like a police vehicle."

"No," Springer said. "It's our group transport." He gestured with his arm toward the buses nearby. "We're strapped for transport."

The big mech stared at him, then faster than Springer could duck a fist caught him on the chin and he flew upward into the air. Before he could even land, it was on.

-0-Ops Center

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Prowl said as he stepped away from Prime. He listened. "We're coming," he said.

Prime who got the same message was at the door already. "You stay, Prowl. That is an order. Do you understand?"

Prowl stared at him, then nodded. Prime was gone like the wind. Prowl thought a moment, then grinned. "You didn't say **where** I was supposed to stay," he said as he ran for the door, too.

-0-Metro Femme

"On it," Ironhide said, then glanced at Ratchet. "Brawl at the Port. See ya."

Nitro and Ironhide ran out, then Nitro transformed. Ironhide grabbed on then they jetted off from the plaza of the City Hall. The blast rattled windows as everyone around stared with astonishment to see the sight of a big black Seeker streak nearly straight upward with a big black mech hanging on, his big old peds flapping in the breeze.

-0-Drift

He felt the blow and Springer's fritz. **:SPLICE! WHAT'S GOING ON!?:**

:A brawl. Hang on a minute:

Drift stood in the hallway watching the two apartments where the first part of Crader's party were taken to live. They were inside and hadn't come out yet. He fretted, then Splice was back.

:Springer got sucker punched but he's up. Ironhide and Nitro just flew in. Here comes Prime. I gotta go. Some slagger is biting my leg:

Drift stared at the door, then something soft and loving hardened into something cold and brittle inside. It wouldn't be a good idea for anyone in there to come through the door at the moment. Not good at all.

-0-Nitro and Ironhide

They literally fell out of the sky landing on their peds with a crashing thud. Wading into the wild melee, one that was scaring everyone behind the energy barrier that local security had thrown down to protect them, Nitro and Ironhide began to bash slaggers right and left. What was maddening was that none of their punches carried their usual power. The newcomers bounced back up as fast as they were put down. None of them were phased by the prods, fists, kicks and slaps that they were receiving. When Prime arrived, they were slammed even harder.

That mech was still pissed.

-0-Ratchet at Femme

They sat and leaned against things as they awaited the spectral data. Ratchet was giving them a blow-by-blow. "Nitro and Ironhide are there. They seem to be impervious to blows. No one seems to feel pain. Frag. This is not going well. Wait. Prime is there." It was silent a moment. "Springer got clubbed. I'm going to have to speak to him. This feels like a pattern. Prime is slagging them good. They go down longer but they still get back up, even from a phase six level blow. I have to go help. I can put them down." He looked at the pair. "Hold the data until I come back. I have a theory of this."

They nodded as Ratchet ran for the door and beyond. It would take a moment to get there but he would reach the melee. The civilians on the other side of the energy barrier watched with horror, fascination, delight that high castes were getting slagged and/or silence. He ran to a mech that was being held down by Nitro. Fumbling around, he saw the unprotected kill switch, then flipped it. That mech fell silent. It would take a while before they had everyone and when they did he helped drag them into the paddy wagon. That was when the news of a brawl would reach everyone there and they would tear off to Crater District 1 and a 45th floor apartment in the Camo Building at 12543 D Street.

-0-Prowl

He stood at a distance recording the scene like a good cop. He watched with pleasure as Prime showed the pilgrims how it was done. It surprised him that his usual lethal loyalty didn't make him run in with his flying fists of fury. He grinned. That was funny. / … go, Prowler, go … you little femme, you …/ He chuckled, then watched as everyone listened, transformed then flew/drove off toward Crater District 1. He transformed himself and without siren or lights peeled off after them. He would arrive about the same time and take the slower elevator to the 45th floor. Everyone else would be there.

-0-45th Floor, 12543 D Street, City 5, Crater District 1, before the end of the brawl at the Port

The group stood on both sides of the doors of the side-by-side apartments that housed the rest of the party that came with Crader. They had been pointed out by those who had to deal with them on the journey, civilians who were still terrified by their behavior and demeanor. Staking out the door, waiting for the word to take them into custody, Drift and ten police and prison mechs waited grimly.

When the brawl at the Port began, they tuned into the police and/or bond frequency to get the news as it played out. When the fog cleared in Springer and a molten rage replaced it, it took all that Drift had to not run like a demented bunny to assist his one and only Only One. Then the door opened to one apartment.

Everyone froze and set for combat, their casually slung weapons gripped against their sides.

Then the other door opened.

Everyone braced themselves even more.

Three big mechs stepped out of one laughing together, then one from the other apartment. They froze at the sight of grim faced man mountain deans standing in the corridor with guns in sight. "What's this?" one of them asked.

"I'm Drift, sub commander of the Watch and all Empire security. I would like you to come with me and discuss your comrade, Crader. We need some information and you're part of his party. So if you could just come with us-"

That's as far as he got.

-0-45th Floor, 12543 D Street, City 5, Crater District 1, a mere few seconds later

They burst out of the elevator like water through an earthen dam. Rushing forward, they began to grab and bash. In the close quarters of the corridor, it was hard slog. Some of the mechs ran back into both apartments and began to barricade the doors. Four of the slaggers were finally put down as they held them for Ratchet to deactivate. Standing back, Ratchet watched as they lined the walls of the corridor on both sides of the two apartments preparing to take those inside.

Prime was seething with a capital 's' as he considered his options. He didn't notice Prowl step off the elevator and amble over to stand beside Ratchet. Ratchet smiled at him. "I figured Dad would ground you from brawling with the bad boys."

"He did. He just didn't tell me where," Prowl said. The both snickered, then watched the boys organize a home invasion.

"He's rather handsome, our Prime. Tall and well made. I'd chase him myself but he already has a mech of easy virtue," Ratchet said.

Prowl snickered, then stopped when Prime glanced their way. Prime frowned, Prowl stepped back to the elevator with a contrite expression on his face. Prime grinned, then turned to the mess at hand. It was a good thing because they began to shoot through the walls.

Everyone outside of them ducked.

-0-TBC 10-1-18 **edited 11-1-18**


	486. Chapter 486

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 485)

-0-On the floor

They lay on the floor as Prowl knelt in the elevator. Shooting continued, then stopped. It was deafening, the silence. Prime glanced around. :Fall back:

Everyone began to scoot and crawl away as firing began again, halting their progress once more. Laying near the wall, Drift listened as scanners hit everyone there, field medical type sensors. Then the sound of Ratchet crawling forward was heard. He reached out to grip Drift's ped, then drag him back. When he did, the shooting began again, this time aimed closer to the floor. Feeling rage burst through him, Ratchet rolled over and returned fire as he unsubbed his gun. Holes peppered the wall, then the shooting stopped.

It was silent again. Gripping Drift, he sat up on his knees and yanked hard. Staggering to his peds, he dragged him swiftly into the elevator with Prowl's help. On the other side of the corridor, Springer watched with laser optics. : **Ratchet:**

:He's alright. Just a through and through. I can fix it here and do more there at Metro Femme: Ratchet said.

Fury of the worst kind surged through Springer as he glanced toward Prime. The big mech was conferring with someone off line, then glanced at Ironhide who was leaning against the wall of the apartment next to the two in question. His cannons ached to fire.

-0-IntraComm, normal early afternoon programming

A banner appeared: **"LATEST BREAKING NEWS"** cutting into the movie that was playing on channel 123. It would appear on all media and channels throughout the colony.

A grim faced Lim-Lee reading from a datapad spoke. "We have just received word from the Office of Emergency Management and the Watch that an incident is underway in the Cambo Tower in Crater District 1, City 5. Reports of shooting have been received and everyone is asked to stay away from the area. The tower is being locked down and the occupants asked to lock themselves into their homes. No one there is to open their door unless asked via transponder through the Emergency Center in Fortress Maximus. No one who asks you to do so without messaging you in that manner is not authorized and therefore, do not … repeat, **do not** open to them. Please stay inside and lock your doors. Those on the 44th through 46th floors will be evacuated personally by emergency personnel and the police. Those on any other floor are asked to lock your doors and stay inside until the all clear. All elevators and the stairways are under lock down by the authorities and will stay so until the altercation is safely ended.

"Emergency Manager for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Autobot Commander Inferno stated that the situation is contained at the moment and entails firearms of large caliber. There is very little other information available other than that Prime and the authorities came to speak to individuals who were occupying apartments side-by-side when gunfire broke out. There is no information regarding injuries nor is there any newer information released right now. The street is blocked off and there are police maintaining the scene. Anyone who trespasses on the situation will be arrested. The situation is still fluid and everyone is being asked to stay away. This message and the Prime's orders about staying away will be sent immediately through the emergency transponder relay to all mechs and femmes in the colony and you are ordered to heed them. I repeat ..."

-0-Elevator

Drift lay on his back staring at the roof of the elevator. Springer was echoing all over the inside his helm, questioning and encouraging him which was sorta terribly sweet and sorta hilarious. He felt his pain fade when Ratchet gave him a sedative. Subbing this and that out of the stores and manufactures of his own body, the big medic was working to plug a shot that hit him on the left side of his chest, drilled straight through and came out the other side. A hole in the wall where he had stood showed how lethal and dangerous some of the weapons wielded by the bots could be.

"You alright, son?" Ratchet asked as he cut a piece of medicinal metal to patch the holes on both sides. He had clipped and suctioned, jelled and worked the wound until it was well enough to patch and sealed enough not to bleed. It would take better and more time and effort at the hospital.

"I'm fine, Ada. Nice drugs, by the way," Drift said with a grin.

"You infants are beginning to worry me. Sideswipe can't cheat worth slag and you and Springer aren't ducking fast enough. I'm going to have to paddle your afts. I have a reputation in this mech's army and you aren't helping," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

Prowl who was standing at the door with his weapon in servo glanced at the two. "You're lucky to be alive. That was a punk move on their part."

In the hallway, they'd pulled themselves back and were standing on each side of the two apartments. Prime was lit but controlled. He rapped on the wall with his big, big gun. "You inside. Drop your weapons and step out with your servos where we can see them."

" **Frag you. What do you want?** You came here with guns, slagger. What do you **expect** us to do?" a deep voice said from inside.

" **Come out now**. If we have to come in there, we will come in shooting from every possible angle," Prime said.

"Go ahead. Our armor can take it," the voice said.

Prime glanced at Ratchet. :Do we have any information on their body composition yet?:

Ratchet buzzed Spectography at Metro Femme, then glanced at Prime. :I don't think we have hand weapons that can breach their armor. I think its an alloy with ununtrium. Phase six and maybe better:

Prime considered that. "Frag," he whispered. :Ratchet … do we have any gas we can vent into their apartments?:

Ratchet considered that, ran through his internal inventory, then nodded. :I can manufacture something that works on the neural net. It brings them down but doesn't put them to sleep. I would have to do a guess here, Prime. Too much and they die. Too little and they come out swinging:

Prime considered that, then saw a door open a pinch down the hallway with a youngling mech staring out in fear. :Springer … check the hallway. There's a kid down the hall looking out:

Springer nodded and with three mechs hurried down the hallway to check doors. Prime watched, then looked at Ratchet. :We have little choice, Ratchet. Do it. Can you deliver it to just those two apartments?:

:Get Jetta here. I'm going to need to know where the ducts are to tap into just them: Ratchet said as he worked out the chemical formula chain that would turn into a nerve gas, very powerful but almost never lethal given the right size of the formulation. He used it in war and he would use it here now. He guessed at the levels but created it swiftly.

Moments later, the other elevator opened and Jetta stepped out gun in servo. Ratchet stared at him, his son-in-law and again noted how amazingly handsome the big black mech was. His red highlights here and there and the silver on his finials made him someone even humans considered immensely handsome. He grinned to himself. He had a lot of good looking kids.

Jetta listened off line to Prime, then slipped over to Ratchet. :What do you need, Ada?" he asked.

:I need to funnel a nerve gas into their duct systems without poisoning everyone on the floor: Ratchet said as he unsubbed a big canister. It was created along with the gas inside the highly specialized and modified body of the big medic.

Jetta nodded. :We have to go down there where the big picture is. The panel you need is behind it. How silently and swiftly can you run?: He grinned at Ratchet as the big mech did the calculations.

:If you don't stand in front of me, slagging fast: Ratchet replied with a dazzling smile.

:Alright: Jetta said as he checked in with Prime.

Prime motioned everyone to move to the sides and free up the middle. Then he pointed his gun at the door and nodded.

Jetta stared at Ratchet a moment. Ratchet stared at him. Then they both ran like the wind down the corridor. As they did, the shooting commenced again. The walls were perforated and so were Jetta and Ratchet. Staggering to safety, they leaned on the wall. Ratchet turned to Jetta. :Let's keep going, then we can pass out. Okay?: he said as he read the scans he made of both of them. They were hit but not critically.

Jetta chuckled in spite of himself, then led the way, limping to the panel hidden by a gorgeous portrait of nightfall on Moonbase 1 with Cybertron filling the sky. He reached up painfully, removed the portrait, then keyed open the panel. Inside, a number of tubes, ducts and pipes were gathered to run this way and that for the corridor's apartments. Taking the bottle from Ratchet who leaned against the wall, he opened a tap that hissed. Putting the tube under it, he pushed it up and it hissed with a seal into the duct. Glancing at Ratchet, he looked at Prime who nodded. :What now, Ada?:

Ratchet grimaced, then stood. :Turn it to open, then close it when I tell you to do so. Do it swiftly. I'm only guessing here:

Jetta nodded, then turned the tap. They stared at the bottle as Ratchet watched the dial. :Shut it off now: Jetta did. They both looked at Prime.

:Done. Now wait until they fall. When you wait a full four minutes after that, that will allow the remaining gas to go inert and therefore be rendered harmless: Ratchet relayed.

Everyone nodded then waited. After a moment, a heavy thud was heard, then another, then three more. In the other apartment, two thuds happened at the same time. Prime glanced at Springer. :How many?:

:Immigration says there's nine. That was seven: Springer said.

:Ratchet, how long does the gas last?: Prime asked as he moved closer to the apartment wall on his side of the corridor.

:Four breems: Ratchet said as he slid down the wall to sit.

Ironhide who was watching thought Ratchet was lowering his profile so he didn't react. He would've torn down the walls if he knew. Most of them there would. Jetta and Ratchet were family. The clock ticked onward, then another thud was heard. Everyone felt their tension ratcheting up until at last, one more fell to the ground.

Moving swiftly, Prime kicked down the door, then pulled back. There was one minute to go. Everyone stood in the corridor as Ironhide kicked down the other door. Then they all moved back called to do so by Ratchet. Ratchet formulated a precaution, then WIFI-ed it to everyone who turned to him with surprise. "You can go in safely now. It's my own formula. You're welcome," he said as he sat on the floor with Jetta.

Jetta weakly waved his servo as he watched them charge into the apartments. Drift who was laying on the floor of the elevator glanced down the hallway. "Prowl, I think they're both shot."

Prowl startled, then rushed down the hallway, passing apartments where big mechs were cuffing big mechs with everything they carried. Pausing in front of Ratchet and Jetta, he knelt. "Frag," he said, then he called for the cavalry.

-0-Moments later

The patches would hold as Jetta, Drift and Ratchet were loaded onto stretchers. Springer and Ironhide who were lit followed them as they were carried to an elevator. "You go, Atar. I'll stay and see this out, then go there. **DRIFT!** I'm coming shortly," Springer called out.

"I'll be there," Drift said as elevator doors closed on him and his stretcher bearers.

Another opened as Elita and Chromia followed by a fragged off Maelstrom stepped into the corridor. "Well, you didn't duck fast enough," Elita said as she took Jetta's servo into her own. "I'm going to have to have that talk with you, cowboy."

Jetta grinned. "I look forward to it," he said as he was carried into the elevator.

"Ada," Elita said as she glanced at Ratchet. "You and Drift, too?"

"The family that gets shot together as they say … whatever it is they say," Ratchet said as he was carried to the first elevator. Ironhide went with him and the doors closed.

"Go with Jetta, Elita. We'll help Prime," Chromia said with barely contained blood lust.

Elita stepped into the elevator with Jetta and was gone. Prowl watched them go, then turned to Prime. "We have prison intervention teams and the intervention team from Processor Health coming to take them to Metro Femme. I'm assuming you want them there or do you have another place in mind?"

"There will do. I want them deactivated," Prime said. "I do not want them awake until we figure this out. If Ratchet is right, if they have some sort of modified phase six armor, this could be very bad."

Prowl nodded, then turned toward the elevator as big, big, huge, burly, very big mechs stepped off carrying body stretchers like they were surf boards. "They're in there. They're very bad news. Their armor can't be breached and they don't feel pain. Deactivate them and be careful."

They nodded and walked down the hallway through the broken metal and fraying wiring of a pockmarked corridor. It took a moment for them to gather up the slaggers but they carried them out after deactivating the reviving maniacs themselves. They were highly trained, intensely strong, fast and fearless. They were also extremely well versed in the various types and kinds of kill switches that were part of the Cybertronian physique. Prime watched them go, glanced around at his mechs, then the group walked to the elevators to leave. A team of Forensics experts led by Sky were going to go over the apartments and seal them. Everyone else would be visited by the police and a medic to ensure that they were alright and functional in their homes.

-0-Outside

The street was blocked off allowing only relevant vehicles and personnel to come and go. Ambulances lined up in a row along with a pair of large medical transports from Processor Health specially designed to carry multiple mechs strapped onto the heavy duty stretcher boards upon which the nine mechs were affixed. Cameras were everywhere including the news outlets on world and two crews from Galaxy Productions at both ends of the blockaded street. Stretchers were brought out and loaded as cops gathered to talk about the incident and the scene. Springer outlined what he needed, then hopped into the vehicle bearing Drift to go to Metro Femme. Everyone would go there so Ratchet could be consulted from whatever bed or lab he would be able to proceed toward after the doctors finished with him.

One by one, the vehicles with sirens and lights flashing pulled out to go. They drove slowly down the street, through the police presence and onward toward the highway that would take them back to a junction that led everyone including The City. They would take that turn off and book it for Metro Femme and the waiting teams of doctors there with their lights and sirens flashing.

TBC 10-2-18 **edited 11-1-18**

Leoness: Get well soon, my dear Leoness. I hear you and am **very, very** happy that this story has resonance for you. I personally think people are fluid on the continuum of human sexuality and more are reasoning out what fits their souls and hearts. For me, whatever suits your soul I am good with. If this helped you, I am **DELIGHTED!** This story takes on timely and weighted issues. I never write a story that doesn't do that. It's rather a way for me to talk about things that aren't just important to me, but everyone else. You are my hero. Get better fast. :D


	487. Chapter 487

The Diego Diaries: Revival (dd6 487)

-0-In the emergency room

Ratchet lay with his pain receptors dialed down as First Aid repaired his wounds. He had a shot in the arm and one in the leg. Jetta and Drift were in other theaters nearby getting attention themselves. It took a moment or two, then Ratchet was helped to sit up. Ironhide who was hovering glanced at First Aid. "What now?"

"He's in overnight," First Aid said. "The hits punctured his core protoform and I want to make sure that the antibiotics take hold before he goes home."

"Frag," Ratchet said with a grin. "You get to wrangle the herd without me."

"Oh joy," Ironhide said with a grin. "Can you walk, Old Mech, or do I carry you?"

"You think you can?" Ratchet asked with a grin as he stood up stiffly.

"Nope," Ironhide said as everyone laughed loudly.

Between First Aid and Ironhide, Ratchet hobbled to the elevator and went upward to a ward with four berths. Already there grinning from his spot, Jetta watched as Ratchet was placed in one across from him. "Somehow I feel better with dear old ma here."

Huge laughter greeted that remark as Drift was wheeled in with a hovering Springer. He was gently hoisted into bed, then settled. After a moment of fuss, two mechs stared across the room at the big smiling mech who was the ring leader of their familial goat rodeo. "Well, isn't this special?" Ratchet asked to general snickering.

"Are you going to be alright? We have to go check on the slaggers," Prowl said as he stood beside Prime in a crowd of other mechs and family standing inside and outside of the door.

"How about a beer?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

 **HUGE** laughter and a lot of 'frag no, you're sicks' greeted that remark. Slowly, they eased out with the promise of coming back. That left Elita and Springer. They stared at their respective bonds, then Ratchet. "Are you going to stay in bed until we get back here?" Elita asked.

" **NO!YES!NO!HELL NO!"** -all three

"There's nothing like compliance to give a grieving bond confidence," Elita said as she smirked at Springer.

He nodded, then grinned at Drift. "Stay here, slagger. We'll be back."

" **BRING A HACK SAW!"** Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

The two left feeling mildly better, then the three left stared at each other. Drift grinned slightly. "Why am I suddenly afraid?" he asked.

Jetta grinned. "Experience?"

"Slaggers," Ratchet said with a snicker. "Tell you what … let's play a game ..."

-0-Down in the autopsy room

They stared at the data that the big frame scanner gave them after they'd slid Crader through it. It was strange and insufficient but before they could discuss it to any degree the sounds of something rebooting was heard nearby. All of them turned to look including a number of civilian kids and adults who were there from Sciences to assist Perceptor and Wheeljack. They stared at Crader who had begun to twitch, then each other.

"Oh, frag ..." Wheeljack said as he reached for the emergency button on the wall behind him.

-0-Heading toward Autopsy on three elevators …

A siren sound blared out as a mechanical voice gave the warning. **"CODE RED! THERE IS AN EMERGENCY IN AUTOPSY! REPEAT! THERE IS A CODE RED EMERGENCY IN AUTOPSY! PLEASE EVACUATE! THE FLOOR IS GOING ON LOCK DOWN! REPEATING! THERE IS A CODE RED EMERGENCY ON SUBFLOOR SEVEN, THE AUTOPSY DEPARTMENT ..."**

When they arrived at sub floor seven where the autopsy department, the morgue and all heavy duty long term security containments were held including a small and highly loathed spark chamber room, the stampede to leave nearly knocked them all down. The civilians running like the wind nearly climbed over the top of the soldiers trying to get out while the soldiers clawed their way out of the elevator into the corridor trying to get in. When they were all out, the elevators closed to disappear upward.

Staring at each other in amazement, everyone turned as one and ran down the corridor to the department where Crader and the Science team were, now probably alone. As they did, the intervention team from Processor Health and the one from Femme stormed out of the elevators heading for the conflict. It was luck that they were having a nosh together in the cafe when this happened. When they were hoofing it down the hallway, Ratchet hobbled out and slowly made his way to the scene as well. It was only through threat of deactivation that he was alone …

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Ratchet said as he sat up slowly and stood.

"We're coming, too," Drift said as he sat up, grimaced loudly then fell back.

"You two stay here or I'm going to christen my big wrench on your helms," Ratchet said. "I have special codes for every kind of mechanism that exists with our CNA or I can find them. They need me." He hobbled out holding onto things with one good arm as he did and disappeared slowly out the door.

Jetta watched him, then glanced at Drift. "You okay, brother?"

"Nope," Drift said with frustration. " **FRAG!** "

"I hear you," Jetta said with a sigh.

-0-Down there at ground zero

Wheeljack shoved the civilians around him and Perceptor. **"RUN!"**

They runned.

Then they climbed over the cavalry in the corridor and booked it into the elevators. They would only feel shame and embarrassment later. But only a smidge. The religious ones among them wouldn't be able to meet Prime's gaze until they told their religious family members who would smite them hip and thigh with pillows. Then they would be marched with their indignant family members to the Ops Center to ask forgiveness of the First Disciple of Primus for running up his face in their zeal to get the frag out of Dodge.

Like that.

Wheeljack and Perceptor unsubbed their guns and girded themselves to fight theoretically a phase seven mechanism.

One that could reboot even when shut off.

One that didn't feel pain, especially theirs and one who was a slagger from The Pit.

Crader of Crader Transport was never anyone to write home about on his best orn. He hadn't grown better with age, the criminal cartel fragger and all around bribe taking Decepticon collaborationist.

That one.

Sitting up on the med berth, pulling plugs out of his person, the optics of the mech flashed on. Glancing around, Crader grinned at the pair. "You two. **Slaggers!** Prepare to be dismantled."

" **RUN PERCY!"** Wheeljack said as he opened fire on Crader. **"RESOLVE NEEDS ONE OF US!"**

 **"NO! *YOU RUN*, WHEELJACK! I'M THE WRECKER!"** Perceptor then began to unload on Crader with a ferocity and fearlessness that would have **STUNNED** anyone who knew him only as a mild mannered elegant high caste scientific nerd of the first water.

It was then the the posse arrived and the real destruction began.

-0-Hobbling along the wall behind everyone ...

Ratchet gripped the wall as he made his way with a leg and arm on one side that refused to do his bidding. His shot arm hung from the processes ongoing with his medical attachments and internal repair systems. It swung like a pendulum, limp and heavy. His leg jerked with each step, echoing its intense desire to fold like an accordion. But he persevered, Our Ratchet. Reaching the corner where the door was, he watched as several mechs flew out and landed on their helms. Noting the situation with his sensors, he put in a call for someone who might, and the operative word was might, do the job. Leaning against the wall, he waited.

Unsteadily.

-0-Inside

Things were being broken here and there as Percy and Wheeljack held him back with a steady barrage of fire. The fire didn't dent him but it slowed him down as he jerked and staggered with its point blank impacts. They were working their way toward the door to escape when Prime and Company burst in. Holding fire, they watched as Crader disappeared under a pile of mechs. Down they went into a too small space to flail in close quarters.

" **HOLD HIM DOWN!"** Prime yelled as he held the big mech around his legs. Even for Prime, the violent thrashing of the mech was nearly overpowering.

The elevator down the hallway opened and Jolt ran out as static electricity snapped on his frame from his excitement. He stared at the door, then Ratchet. "What's up? I had to take priority bridges from Camp Recluse?"

"What were you doing there? I thought you were permanently posted to Diego?" Ratchet asked as he struggled to stand straighter.

"I traded with someone who needed off. **YOU'RE SHOT!** " Jolt said with astonishment.

"Keep up, infant. Come with me," Ratchet said as he stumbled along. He reached the door, then hit the all call for the group inside. :I have Jolt here. When I tell you, let him go and give Jolt room. I'm going to have him hit this fragger with everything he has. Compliance?:

They all pinged as they struggled to get back. Jolt was one of the few among them that could actually kill a mech with his specialized mechanism no matter how big the fragger was. Nearly all of them had been zapped, most accidentally by the youngster just from the static that collected on him, static that he loved to play with, the juvenile delinquent. They shoved back with Prime protecting their retreat. Crader jumped up, then grinned. **"YOU!** I'm going to part you out, fragger, then I'm going to take over. You can't **stop** me."

Jolt stepped in, then stopped in front of Prime. He grinned. "We'll see, fucker," he said, betraying his association with the human garrison at Diego. Then he held up his servos and a jolt of electricity as big around as a big man's waistline flew out of both. It hit Crader and knocked him off his feet. Walking toward him, Jolt kept it up.

Crader felt it, then blitzed out, screaming with pain as every molecule in his body took the full brunt of hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity. Bad as that was, it continued without breaking intensity. He convulsed, twitching and jerking like a puppet. It seemed like it took forever before he began to flail in a manner that indicated he wasn't sentient any longer. Cutting off the barrage, Jolt stepped closer as Ratchet lurched in to scan Crader who fell into a heap on the floor. "Ground him infant."

Jolt did.

" **OLD MECH! WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Ironhide said with surprise.

" **NOT NOW, IRONHIDE!"** Ratchet said as he scanned with everything he had. "The fragger is out. Get the cybertanium binders and put them on him on the berth. This fragger might have it in him to reboot again. What if he also has the power to adapt against electrocution?"

Everyone stared at him grim faced, then moved their behinds. The clanking of steel binders could be heard as two mechs dragged them in from storage nearby. Everyone else began to clean up the mess including Wheeljack and Perceptor. The binders were wound around the big mech and he was heaved onto the med berth. Mechs with guns stood around the room waiting for the next step in the process.

Ratchet was sat down on a chair as he talked with Wheeljack and Perceptor. The others were still gone though the code red was halted. The silence was almost paralyzing. Ratchet glanced at Prime. "What we're looking at here, given the data … we're looking at removing spark chambers to make these slaggers inert."

It was funereally quiet in the room. "Do you think that is the right course, Ratchet?" Prime asked.

"Until we figure out what their limits are, we have to separate the thinking component from the unbeatable fist that holds it," Ratchet said grimly. "I don't see any other safe way until we figure this fully out."

Everyone stared at him with varying degrees of distaste and loathing, then Prime nodded. "I defer to your greater wisdom on this subject, though I am sorry it came to this."

"You and me both," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded in agreement.

"What do you do to make this happen? They have at least phase six level armor," Prowl said.

"We need every ununtrium tipped drill, cutter and welding device in the colony. You need to call Mack and ask him to bring it in," Ratchet said. "I can get it open and the chambers out. Maybe. I just need something enormously sharp and strong. Pray that it works. The next step is snuffing their sparks."

Prime looked like he was slapped, then he nodded. Prowl was already on it. Prime helped Ratchet up, then led him to the med berth where he scanned Crader. He glanced at Prime. "There's already activity in his processor that doesn't belong there if he's off line like anyone else would be, Optimus."

The temperature dropped as Wheeljack brought over a gleaming saw, a spreader, some drills and scissors and other implements of destruction. Most of those in the room stepped out into the hallway. Ratchet glanced at them. "Keep everyone here. If they're squeamish, let them go outside but they need to stay. We don't know what we're dealing with, Optimus."

He nodded, then took a seat nearby with Prowl and Ironhide. They chatted together as they tried to avoid seeing what was coming.

Ratchet stared at the mech, then tapped his carry hold. Nothing happened. "How about that core processor meter over there, Percy?" he asked pointing to a device that was small and black with lots of lights. He handed it to Ratchet who put it on Crader's cranium. Starting it, he watched the screen and when the lights all were lit in a row, he tapped a panel nearby and data began to flow. He read it, then glanced at Optimus. "This slagger is **rebooting**. I don't see **anything** slowing him down that was caused by the electrocution." Glancing at Wheeljack and Percy, he picked up a big spreader. "I'm going to get the panel off the front if I have to mine it." With that, he slid the ununtrium tipped bits on the device into the seam where plates came together. Turning it on, the device mercifully silent, he began to wedge the plates apart.

:This makes me nauseous. What if he can't pry them out? What do we do? Shoot them into the sun?: Prowl asked anxiously.

Prime sat like a statue. Then he glanced at Prowl. :Have a hyper speed drone shuttle made ready, Prowl. If there is nothing that can be done to defuse this, we have to take whatever measures we have. We can not have 10 Black Shadows here capable of getting free. What about the others?:

:Springer, what about the others you picked up at the Port?: Prowl asked.

:We got fifteen but they don't seem to be of the same type, Prowl. I just called the detention center and they're still here. Maybe we can bring one over to talk about this. Your call: Springer said as he stood in the hallway.

:Springer said they seem different. Should he bring someone over to talk?: Prowl asked Prime.

"Yes," Prime said.

:Do it, Springer. Try and find someone who has authority to speak about this. Hurry. They appear to be reviving: Prowl said.

:Frag. On it: Springer said as he and the mechs with him who were Watch stepped out to leave.

Inside, Ratchet was making a bit of headway. The panel began to bend, then it popped. So did his spreader blades. It flew past and embedded in the wall nearby. "Whoa," Ratchet said, then he looked at the situation. "This is going to take time. We're in a world of hurt, Prime. I don't know. How long was it between when they were brought in knocked out and when they rebooted?"

Perceptor checked. "Less than two joors."

"Frag," Ratchet said. Then he took cutters and began to hack a larger opening for the spark chamber to be removed. After laboriously cutting, he began to unscrew and pull out pins of the toughest protoform known. When that was accomplished, he lifted the chamber out.

Wheeljack took it, then slid it into a portable containment chamber with room for three more. Keying it, he nodded to Ratchet. Crader was slid off and another slammed on. Mechs from the Welder's Guild arrived with heavy duty cutting tools tipped with ununtrium. They would begin to work on three others at the same time. It would be laborious but they would finish enough for Ratchet to retrieve the spark chambers in less than half a joor. Five down, five to go.

-0-At the Detention Center, Port of Mars …

They stood before the cells as Springer gauged those inside. "Which one of you is the oldest?"

No response.

"Which one of you speaks for the others?"

No response.

Springer glanced at Hercy and Kup. "Well, we tried. I guess we'll just have to do with them what Ratchet suggested. It wasn't like we didn't ask them to help us save those ten slaggers." Springer turned to go, then a big mech with an amazing paint scheme and body design stood. "What are you talking about?"

"Your party, the ten who aren't here. We need to talk about them and get some information because the only other solution to the problem and danger they pose is to shoot them directly into the sun," Springer said. "We have the drone shuttle being made ready now."

They stared at each other, then the mech stepped closer as the others rose with concern. "You're Autobots. You wouldn't."

"Keep **up** , slagger. Given a choice between letting fake phase six type mechanisms **live** and keeping our people **safe** , not a problem which one gets priority," Hercy said with a bored expression. He looked at Kup. "What **is** it with these outlaw slaggers that think we're soft and would let them live if they posed a threat this big to our people? What empty headed slaggers."

Kup nodded. "They think a war hasn't happened, one they started, and that we're still easygoing. I'm not easygoing. Are you?" he asked Hercy.

"Nope," Hercy said. "What about you, infant?" he asked Springer.

"Well … given that they **SHOT MY BOND** who's **IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF THEM** … I wouldn't count on it." Springer stared at them with loathing and fury.

The big mech glanced at the others, then Springer. "I'll go."

With that, the gate dropped and he was trussed like a pig. They walked out grim and furious to go back to Metro Femme. Meanwhile, back there …

" **OH FRAG! THEY'RE COMING ONLINE!"** Wheeljack said as the four lying like cord wood in the corner began to twitch.

Prime stood, gripping his servos into fists. He looked at Prowl. "You will leave here and **not** participate. I have **spoken,** Prowl," he said with intensity.

Prowl stared at him, then nodded. With that, he stepped out and walked halfway down the hallway to stand with guns in hand and stingers ready on his shoulders. No one would get past him without big holes showing up on their afts. Three other mechs stood with him, then three more closer on both sides of the door. It would be a terrible gauntlet that they would have to run if they fled.

-0-TBC 10-4-18 **edited 10-23-18**


	488. Chapter 488

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 488)

-0-Femme

" **DON'T LET THEM REGAIN SENTIENCE!"** Ratchet yelled as the big mechs from the quarries and shops gripped the mechs stirring on the floor and began to wrap them in every cuff and shackle that the hospital and prison teams as well as the Watchmen had in their company.

Five bodies lie in a pile nearby as Ratchet worked feverishly on the sixth. It was slow going but he could see the flickering light of the spark inferno inside through the panels. He looked at Perceptor and Wheeljack. "Can you disable their arms and legs so they can't move? At the nodes? I can't … **DO THIS, PERCY!"**

Ratchet turned toward the shaking quartet of maniacs who were nearing total sentience. He dug through a drawer nearby, then found what he needed. Hooking it to his arm, slotting it into the specialist jack there, he called up every neural disrupter program that he possessed. Then he began to hobble toward the group which were in the grip of the workers. Ironhide spun and grabbed Ratchet to hold him as he reached out to the first. Touching him, a series of flashes at the mech's joints appeared swiftly, then he fell to his knees like someone had cut the strings from a marionette. With Ironhide's help, he touched the others, two of them twice before they fell down. Checking a meter, he glanced at Prime. "Its temporary. We need to get this done faster."

Prime stared at the mechs, then walked to them to kneel. "Tell me what to do. I can pry the panels open. My grip did with Crader."

Ratchet pointed to one on the chest of an older high caste mech. "There. Peel that off, then the two underneath. You," he said as he glanced at a tech. "Pull the pinning out and hand me the spark chamber."

"Hand it to me," a squeamish Ironhide said as he pulled Ratchet back.

Prime pulled hard and slid his digits into the creases to pry and tear. It wasn't impossible for him physically but it wasn't an easy thing either. When it was cleared and three torn panels lay on the floor, the tech swept in to pry out the fasteners. It was then that they added another chamber to their collection. Percy finished with his on the table, then glanced at Ratchet. "All of our equipment is ruined. We have no more drill bits or cutters."

A huge construction mech, Spontini by name rolled over a mech, then reached for the panels. The semi conscious mech groaned loudly as Spontini pressed into the seams, then pulled ever so slowly back the one in his grip. Prime was on his second one as the panel came loose for Spontini. He rubbed his servo, then began to strip the two interior panels. When they were clear, he stepped aside for the tech. Two more mechs and the one Prime was working on were left.

"Faster," Ratchet said softly as he watched the sentient levels of the three rising on his meter.

It was incredibly tense as Prime finished his second, then moved to the last one, one twitching beside the one Spontini was working on himself. It was nearly unbearable as they worked, tugging and wrenching, the metal groaning and screaming in protest. Just when Ratchet thought a shot to the skull would be easier for himself than this, Prime cleared the last one. Spontini had stepped back for the tech, then moved to help Prime. Standing back up, they both watched another tech pull the fasteners, then lift the chamber out. When he did, the protoform … the body of the mech in question turned to gray like the others. Placing a device on the forehead of the mech's body, it was assured that it would be safely maintained without its core.

Standing against the walls with weariness and relief, Prime and Spontini, Ratchet, Ironhide and Perceptor watched as Wheeljack directed the mechs to pick up the carcasses and take them to the morgue down the hallway. The techs would put the forms into stasis-maintenance while Wheeljack and Perceptor would put the individual spark chambers into the lockers where they would reside until they could be proven safe to be out and about. It was then that Springer and Roadbuster walked in with a very big mech in cuffs.

"We're too late for the fun?" Springer asked grimly.

"Consider it fortuitous timing," Perceptor said as he helped everyone pick up the thrashed room.

"Okay," Springer said. He turned to the cuffed mech who was watchful but not as afraid as they would be in his place. That part was unnerving. He was tall, burly but smooth … not bulky but rather like a boxer. He was exquisite in his protoform and from the tattoos and other markers a son of Crader and his bond, Dex. "What's your name, fragger, or do I slap it out of you? I'll leave it up to you which one I prefer."

The mech glanced at Springer, then Prime. "You've changed a few things since we last saw you, Prime. Is this how you treat people in your custody?"

"Save it," Prime said as he moved closer to the big mech, his fists clenched and his affect dangerous. "Get to the point. Name."

He stared at Prime, then answered. "I'm Cobbler of Nova Cronum."

"Crader's son," Ironhide said as he pulled a stool for Ratchet to sit. The big medic did, then hit Cobbler with all his sensors.

"Well, you're about as synthetic as your old man," Ratchet said. "You aren't as much as them ..." Ratchet thought a moment. "You haven't evolved as much as them. You're still transitioning aren't you."

Cobbler stared at him, then shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"That won't be too hard to figure out. Where did I leave that can opener around here?" Ratchet said as he glanced around the room.

"What do you want? Where are the others?" Cobbler asked. He was composed and it was an uncomfortable thing to see.

"What process did you use to change yourself into this? We want to know how this operates and how to denature it. You cannot live in this colony free with this kind of armor and power. Where did you find this technology?" Prime asked.

Cobbler considered the questions, then shrugged. "It's proprietary. We aren't at liberty at this time to tell you."

"Well, that would be too bad then," Ironhide said. "We just opened a few tins here and put the spark chambers inside into the cooler. As for the carcasses … well, recycling would be interested in finding out how they tick before putting them through the grinder."

Cobbler glanced at him sharply. "You didn't."

"We did," Ratchet said. "Seemed the least that could be done given I have two holes in me thanks to your group."

"I want to see them," Cobbler said as he turned on Prime.

"Not until we know what this is," Prime replied. He glanced at Ratchet. "What do you mean they may be evolving?"

Ratchet considered that. "They aren't on the same level of malevolence as the other ten. If he could, he'd shake those chains and cuffs, then come after us. But you can't, can you," Ratchet said. "I think its a gradual process, perhaps a CNA procedure. It takes time to evolve and become what they are. You're in transition. You aren't as dangerous as them but you will be eventually. It will keep going, this process, absorbing your protoform and changing it enough so that it becomes this slag. Right? Tell me where I'm wrong."

He stared at Ratchet, then Prime. "I'm not telling low caste trash anything."

Ironhide cuffed the mech on the back of his helm. "Watch your mouth, slagger. When you insult him, you insult the Matrix. And ..." he said as he turned in place to stand before the mech, "you insult all of us. Peasant. I'm Praxian Elite. Suck on that."

It was automatic, the slight reaction that his caste always brought in others no matter how fragged they were. He stared at Ironhide and Ironhide knew he was reading his tattoos. Then he looked at Prime. "What now?"

Prime who was conversing with Ratchet off line glanced at Cobbler. "Stasis."

With that, Ratchet tapped the meter in his servo and the mech fell to the ground before he could even react. Ratchet scanned him, then glanced at Prime. "I don't know how many features they share but we better put him into the deep freeze under the highest level of stasis they can maintain without dying. We don't know how fast he's mutating, Prime, but he is. I can detect it in him because his defenses aren't as good. Yet."

Prime nodded, then glanced at Springer. "Take transport, techs and a team. Put the others down and bring them here. We will hold them until we figure this out. I consider this a level 4 threat."

The big welders grabbed Cobbler and lifted him out to the stasis wing down the corridor. Prime looked at Ratchet. "What can you deduce thus far?"

"Well ...its all rather preliminary but Cobbler suggests that this is a process, perhaps induced. It could be generated from CNA or another way. I'd suggest that the protoform that makes up who we are, which develops into adulthood in a manner suggestive of environmental factors like good and continuous food, health care and the like … or not ... I'd suggest its being mutated somehow. It's a good place to start. Given that Cobbler isn't in the same class as his atar, it would suggest a progressive process culminating in armor and abilities that could stop a phase sixer in their tracks. As for the difference in personality between the two, Cobbler and Crader … it could be that it enhances what you are originally. I met Crader about four times and he's always been a blustery crazed fragger. It could be that gets magnified. I never met his son but he was terribly composed here. It's a starting place but I wouldn't underestimate their ability to resurrect themselves. They were coming online anyway."

Prime stared at him grimly, then nodded. "Very well. I want everything we can find about them, where they were, where they came from and what they did all this time." He glanced at the door to spot Prowl listening. "Prowl, we need to know the entire saga here. Put in a call to Star Saber or Atlas. Tell them its a priority security issue. It could be that they are not the only ones with these features."

Prowl nodded, then everyone turned to stare at Ratchet. He glanced around, then smiled dazzlingly. "I do declare," he said as he batted his optics like a debutante.

Prime grinned. "Go back to the ward and get better. We need you in prime condition, old friend."

Ratchet grinned, then painfully stood. "Percy, 'Jack … you know where I am."

They nodded. "We do, now go," Wheeljack said as Ironhide gripped Ratchet's good arm. They hobbled out together.

It would take a while to clean up the lab, then take all the fragments of armor and a whole carcass to Sciences to figure out how it all ticked. In the meantime, fifteen more mechs would join ten others in the cooler.

-0-Upstairs, some moments later

Ratchet watched Ironhide amble out to help stash the other slaggers. He looked at the others, then smiled. "Where were we? Oh, yeah … let's play a game."

"Oh frag. Just when I decided to get some sleep," Jetta said with a grin.

Ratchet smirked at him. "This game is called 20 Questions. Instead of me thinking about something and you have 20 guesses, we're going to ask 20 questions apiece." Ratchet gave them a dazzling smile.

They stared at him with smirks of their own. Among their kind, Ratchet was a ravishing beauty. He was in figure and facial features someone that had turned helms all his life. Somewhere in the middle of Sunstreaker's dilemma, Ratchet had always lived himself. He had plenty of mechs flocking around and he still turned heads wherever he went. It disarmed a lot of people and he knew how to use it among his own kind to further the Cause short of fragging everyone in his path. The entire notion of it among the Cybertronians would never be seen among the humans. He had a sweet smile and a lot of pizzazz that added to his appeal but it was highly doubtful that the day would come when a human could look at Ratchet and feel his toes curl.

"Why do I have this feeling that we're doomed?" Jetta asked Drift who chuckled.

Drift glanced at him. "Because we are?"

Ratchet smirked at them. "Let me go first," he said making a pretend show of thinking of a question. He grinned. "When did you two slaggers know that Elita and Springer were the ones? I ask not only as your physician but as your snoopy ma and/or ma-in-law."

Jetta grinned. "Going for the throat are ya?"

Ratchet grinned, then nodded. He made himself comfortable, then waited.

"Well, we were friends from separation, mostly. I always knew Elita … Arial was the one. But things happened, I had a lot of responsibility … but mostly, it was so that she wouldn't get hurt. We were always going to bond but the crises never ended. One after another. There were beatings, arrests, spies everywhere … I knew she could handle herself but I was afraid for her. That was the only reason. I didn't want her hurt. I knew from the moment we were babies that she was the one. The only one for me."

Ratchet grinned, then texted the statement to Elita. After he did, he grinned at Drift. "You, cowboy. Talk."

Drift smirked. "It was hate at first sight. I became an Autobot before coming here and Kup always included me. He made me one and gave me the brand himself. Springer wasn't amused but here … it sorta … we were doing patrols in the Old City when we came upon each other in the late evening. We sort of frowned at each other ..."

"Then you jumped into the electrical closet?" Ratchet asked as Jetta laughed.

Drift grinned at him. "We did. It was spontaneous combustion. I'm surprised there weren't two piles of ashes on the floor."

Ratchet grinned. "Good story. It was fate … kismet. I took credit for it with Ironhide. He was trying to match up Bee with someone at the time. Imagine that. **HE WAS TRYING TO BEST ME!"**

They laughed loudly, then Drift shifted to a better position. "What about you two?"

Ratchet smiled. "He came swaggering into the hospital at the Citadel and asked me out. Sentinel made the officer corps wear orange capes then and he looked amazing. I told him that he'd have to audition."

"Audition?" Jetta asked with a growing smile and realization that he was going to be getting too much info about dear old dad and dear old other dad in a second.

"I told him if he passed inspection in the berth, then it was a done deal," Ratchet said with a dazzler.

"Oh, frag. Continue," Drift said with a laugh.

"Well, he took me to a flea bag hotel, one that rented rooms by the joor. He got the key and we went up. Guess what was in the room?"

They glanced at each other, then Ratchet. "I don't know. A bar? A … chair?" Jetta asked with a chuckle.

"There was only a berth. That was it. Sum total," Ratchet said with a laugh. "I'll spare you the details because you might cry but that was it. I always thought he cut a wide swath but that sealed the deal."

They grinned at each other, then Ratchet batted his optical ridges at Drift. "Your turn. Ask a question, infant."

Drift stared at Ratchet, then a smirking Jetta. "Uh … okay. When did you know you wanted kids and why?"

Ratchet looked at him with a grin, then began. As he did, a pile of body formats that belonged to a number of slaggers currently in the morgue stasis storage began to stir as a relentless process deep inside began to flicker into life. At the same time Elita got Ratchet's message and smiled.

-0-TBC 10-5-18 **edited 11-1-18**


	489. Chapter 489

The Diego Diaries: Ward Time (dd6 489)

-0-In a four berth ward at Autobot City Medical Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Primal Empire, Postal District 1

Ratchet smirked. "You like playing with fire, right?"

Drift smirked. "Maybe."

Ratchet considered the question. "When we first bonded we were too wild aft, career driven and bogged down with our situation on world and our own selfish egos to take on infants. But we made a promise that we'd have a team some fine orn. That was always so and our families wanted them, too. At that time, we didn't have an obligation to our species to reproduce so we wouldn't die out. There were families and children everywhere.

"When we got to Diego a chance remark by Ironhide sort of made it clear that if not now, then when? It was so hard to look around and not see them and looking at all the mature bonds around, it was hard to see them without children either. We were so hardened by war, by the endless hatred that the best part of us was falling away. They reminded us of who and what we really are, not the slaggers we've become. The orphans were key and Orion was the first step back to ourselves. I wanted not only a little mech of my own but a chance for us to survive as a species. I don't think any of us understood how close to the brink we've come."

It was silent, then both Ratchet and Drift glanced at Jetta. He smirked slightly. "When is there time? I work and Elita soldiers and I soldier with Elita. It's not that we don't want kids. Its just that we have to be ready for the responsibility that we can't put off once that step is taken. Once you become a genitor, you **ARE** one all the time. We would have to go to the Well as well. Neither of us want any part of this process ourselves."

Drift nodded. "We want three at the same time from the Well. When that happens is anyone's guess. We don't have a problem with kids. We have a problem with our work and that part of things. We work a dangerous side of the street."

"But you agree … eventually you'll have the three kids," Ratchet asked.

Drift smirked at him. "Some orn."

"And you? Some day you'll have kids?" Ratchet asked Jetta.

Jetta half hid behind a pillow, then nodded with a big grin. "Some fine orn."

"Good," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "Six more grandchildren."

Drift snorted then glanced at Jetta who lowered his pillow to stare at Ratchet with a slight frown. "Six?"

"Sure. You said you want children. I asked about the three Drift and Springer want and you agreed that children would happen with you and Elita someday, too. That means three for you, Drift, three for you, Jetta and **SIX FOR ME! WHOO-HOO!** " Ratchet smiled at them and sat back comfortably. "Yes-siree … Prowler doesn't stand a chance."

"Apparently, neither do we," Jetta said with a chuckle.

"Your turn," Drift said to Jetta.

Jetta thought, then grinned. "You used to sneak stuff from the bases to the poor. How did that work? Did you ever get caught? I admired that in you a great deal back when. What did the three of us do to help the poor and why?"

Ratchet grinned. "I'm glad you asked why. It would amaze you how many hate the poor and think they deserve their lives, that they're the root of all evil. I personally don't know anyone who ever chose to be poor but that's a common line of thinking for a lot of slaggers. I used to requisition things and sneak them out. I did it because I could and because I could, I was morally obligated to do so. I made up officers and had their salaries directed to accounts in their name which I controlled. I took that money and paid bills for the sick and elderly, bought food and medicine, books for kids to learn to read.

"I didn't do it because I'm such a high and mighty saint. I did it because I could and because I can't stand suffering. We have an obligation to each other because the strength of a society and species hangs on the well being of its weakest members. Too many of them and you fall. We did, you know. The humans are working on it, too, the slaggers. We're **ALL ONE**. That's my deepest and most profoundly held conviction. No one ever caught me but if they did, I didn't care. That's who and what I am." He grinned. "Sue me."

They laughed. Then Jetta grinned at Ratchet. "I did what I could. I beat grants out of them to build housing and help the homeless. Justice was the most important thing for me. We never had a lot but there were so many who had less. I'm mystified by the high castes. How can you ignore suffering? That may be the greatest question you can ask of us regarding what happened. How can you ignore and blame those you made poor and homeless with your policies? There was never enough to go around but we tried. That's the part that keeps me going … trying to make it better. Orion felt the same way … and Deion and Arial. All of us did."

"We were raised by those who didn't give up," Ratchet said.

"I was a slagger forever until the Circle and the Knights. You don't even think about it because its all around you. You get hardened to it. For me, saving everyone, fighting the injustice and neglect … the stuff they were supposed to prevent and didn't … that's the thing for me. That's what kept me going, seeing it with the Circle and Knights, then deciding to live it. I'm for Cybertron and our people but I'm for everyone who needs someone to stand up for them and with them. We have to make something better out of our own catastrophe," Drift said.

Ratchet nodded. "Is it my turn?"

They both nodded.

Ratchet made a pretense of thinking about it, then asked, "Tell me one or two things about Elita and Springer that I don't know and I'll tell you about your big old pa."

Jetta chuckled. "Elita is the best person I met in my life. She's brave and good, persevering and true. She also likes to dance. She's a really good dancer. She's smart and talented. She and I … we're simpatico on all things. I watched her lead the femmes on Cybertron and I ran the group when I recovered. She's the bravest and truest person I know. Considering who I know, that should tell you a little bit more about who she is."

Ratchet nodded as he sent another little video clip to Elita. He grinned at Drift. "I remember when Springer was a young pup. Tell me something about him that I don't know."

Drift grinned, then thought about the myriad things that he loved about Springer. "He's the most fun I've ever had. He's funny and fearless. He worries about being all that when it comes to his jobs. He worries about things that matter. He loves this family and he hates Galaxy for what they did to his family in Polyhex. He's a friend that gets me and I love him more than anyone I ever met. We have so much fun. I would follow him into The Pit. I never felt anyone cared if I lived or died before and it feels good. Real good."

Ratchet and Jetta nodded. "Now **my** old mech." Ratchet grinned. "Ironhide can dance like a dream, he sings really well and he paints pretty good landscapes. He was raised in show business and the army and both are sort of the same. Putting on a show for the slaggers out there. He's smart as a whip and he reads voraciously. He hides his light under a bushel as the humans say because it helps him to have the advantage. Others think he's less capable and smart, thus he has the upper hand.

"He can't really hold his liquor and he adores his family. He cried when Alor sparked and he loves his brother, Scout. His appa and amma want him to do more with show biz but he's fighting it." Ratchet grinned. "They used to make him act in infant productions as a little mech. All of his family call him that. They look at him and I know they see him as Orion's age. They took me in and never looked back. I think I love them, all of them including Lizzie and Uncle Steiner to pieces. They're a great and fun family … a weird mix of religion, the military and show business."

Drift nodded. "Tell me something about your family and something funny about your growing up."

Jetta grinned. "I grew up in the same district as Elita, Magnus and Optimus. We played together, got into fights and trouble together and decided to save the world together. One of us could afford to go to the hedge schools at a time, mostly, so we shared what we learned with everyone. We had fake library cards to get books and we drew a lot, talked a lot and dreamed a lot. It was a good life, really, though it was damned tough. My genitors are the greatest. My cousin Hauser thinks they may have gotten out. I hope so.

"As for funny, I was Orion's wing man and he was mine. We reached the point where mechs were finally important and both of us were too serious to be good at it. We didn't know slag all about being suave and all of that slag. We got our tips from Arial," he said with a laugh. "We were so hopeless about relationships and getting dates. I don't think I did until Arial came right out and made it clear that she wanted to bond with me. I was such a dunce and Orion was worse. We were both too focused and serious to be anything but hopeless."

"I can vouch for that," Ratchet said with a snicker. "Your Amma Docker used to take me window shopping and explain how some fine orn anything I wanted would be mine. They were sacrificing themselves to get me a career, maybe an apprenticeship with someone who might pay me what I deserved for what I could do. Galaxy took over our business, too, and it was tough, really tough. All of them sacrificed for me and I never wasted a minute because of it. I went to University with the high caste slaggers as a mercy case and they never let me forget it. I got into a lot of fights and I never lost them because I grew up in the tenements and because I couldn't fail my family.

"It was so hard but I stand in good stead because of it. I can make due with anything when everything falls away. Some couldn't find their door knob without a spotlight. So it worked out. I used to break windows. I liked seeing how far and well aimed I could throw. It was always the supervisors of businesses that gave slag to friend's genitors. I was damned good with my aim even then. It was fun. I don't think anyone caught me but I do know that my genitors probably knew anyway. They were worried I'd grow up to be jail bait. They have no idea how close I came," he said with a laugh.

They both looked at Drift. "My genitors worked hard and one fine orn they didn't come home. No one could tell me where they were or what happened. I was old enough to apprentice so I did. I went to the local gang, slagged the leader hard and took over. The learning curve was steep but I did it. From there it wasn't hard to go to the Decepticons and make a name for myself as a duplicitous slagger. Even Megatron had a bounty on my aft. It was only from the Circle and Knights that I was saved. If I told you something about my growing up, I could be jailed. I don't think the statues of limitations have passed," he said with a chuckle. "Suffice it to say, I broke windows, too, then entered."

They both grinned at him as he grinned back.

-0-In a lab down below

They stared at the slides of Crader's armor where they had managed to make thin slices to peruse with a deeply powerful microscope. As they did, the body of Crader was laying on the berth nearby. As they discussed what it all might mean, Wheeljack, Perceptor and their smart kids who sheepishly came back at the all clear, tiny processes were coming into being inside the husk that had once been Crader of Nova Cronum.

No one noticed, they were so small, but they were happening. It wouldn't take long before they did.

Notice, that is.

-0-Up there, fifteen questions in

Elita, Springer and Ironhide with Halo walked in carrying boxes of takeout food. Settling them on a small table, Elita leaned down to kiss Jetta. She grinned at him, then nodded to Ratchet for the ten different little videos he had sent to her. Pulling a chair, she sat beside his berth.

Springer set his food down, then straddled a chair. "How do you feel?" he asked as he sent Ratchet a hug by text for the videos he was sent.

"Perforated," Drift said. "I hate getting gut shot."

"That makes two of us," Springer said as he glanced at Jetta, then Ratchet. "How are you feeling and what's the word here?"

"I feel sore as frag," Jetta said.

"Me, too," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. **"ME, TOO!"**

Ironhide grinned as he sat beside Ratchet on a chair. "You're impossible."

"We've been telling tales out of school," Ratchet said with a smile. "Twenty questions, no topics off limits. Right now, I was telling them about that time in the berth-"

The rest was lost by the screaming and wailing of the masses.

It was also lost due to the siren going off again.

" **"CODE RED! THERE IS AN EMERGENCY IN AUTOPSY! REPEAT! THERE IS A CODE RED EMERGENCY IN AUTOPSY! PLEASE EVACUATE! THE FLOOR IS GOING ON LOCK DOWN! REPEATING! THERE IS A CODE RED EMERGENCY ON FLOOR SEVEN, THE AUTOPSY DEPARTMENT ..."**

TBC 10-6-18


	490. Chapter 490

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 490)

-0-In a ward

"Oh frag. Not again," Ratchet said as he got up painfully and began to hobble to the door. "The two of you … you get up and I pulverize you."

"What about you?" Jetta asked.

"I'm essential equipment," he said with a grin as he glanced back. "Stay or suffer the Wrath of Me." He left and began his slow descent to the seventh sub floor of Metro Femme.

While outside …

Any number of vehicles screamed up to the Metroplex Administrative Plaza and transformed on the fly. Fortunately, they were between swing and graveyard shifts so no one got hurt when it happened. Running inside, Prime, Ironhide with most of his family and a slower Prowl who was told to stay away made their way to the scene of the debacle. Also coming like missiles heading for an acquired target, the intervention teams from the Prison and Processor Health hustled as well.

-0-Down there

Perceptor and Wheeljack watched with horror as the carcass of Crader sat up and swung its legs over the side of the autopsy table where it had been lying during the cursory review and the minor snips of protoform taken for the microscopes nearby. It shouldn't be moving. The life of the body was in a heavy security vault down the hallway. There was nothing there that could be driving the body. It shouldn't be moving but it was.

The civilians who were with the two, that group that had ran like gazelles out the door when the first row happened turned as one and tried to climb into the space behind Wheeljack and Perceptor in their zeal to find cover. Glancing over their shoulders, the two scientists watched the lunacy, then drew their guns.

"I have to say, Wheeljack, you never know someone really until there's jeopardy, do you," Perceptor said as he set for combat.

Wheeljack laughed, then nodded as he set, too. "No, you never do, the slaggers."

They set to shoot and fight but the body walked toward and halted by the door as if listening to something only it could hear. Then it turned right and disappeared down the corridor. It was heading for the spark chamber vault. Perceptor and Wheeljack ran to the door, peered out, then followed in haste. The kids watching watched them go, then ran to the door, locked it and began to barricade it with everything they could move.

-0-Elevator

They poured out, a plethora of mechs with big big guns, slid to a stop as one to look around quickly, then ran to the lab door. It didn't open. **"WHEELJACK! PERCEPTOR! OPEN UP!"** Prime said.

" **NO! THEY AREN'T HERE! THEY FOLLOWED THE ZOMBIE DOWN THE RIGHT CORRIDOR!"** someone called out from inside.

Prime and the group glanced at each other. "Zombie?" -everyone.

Without another word, they ran down the hallway toward the spark chamber vault. As they did, the elevator opened and Ratchet limped out, his arm hanging like laundry on a still day. He hustled as fast as he could, then tried the door. **"OPEN UP! IT'S RATCHET!"**

" **HOW DO WE KNOW!?"** -everyone inside.

"What the frag?" Ratchet muttered, then he heard a commotion down the hallway. "Oh frag. The spark vault." He then hustled along, dragging half his body as he inched his way to the brouhaha.

-0-There

The figure walked calmly, as calmly as a sparkless automaton could be. It opened the door, then stepped inside, halting long enough for some unknown tech inside it to scan for his spark. Then it walked toward the vault where the spark of Crader was held, its light animating the room slightly. That was when the cavalry arrived.

-0-Ratchet

He slid along the wall halting a moment before moving forward again. He dialed everything way down, then continued. The door to the spark vault was open and he didn't know what the frag was happening, but he unsubbed his most lethal gun even as he scanned everything he could. It wasn't much. The room was designed against all manner of penetrations including sensor. He wouldn't know what he would face until he got there- …

A huge mech flew out of the door, hit the far wall, then slid to the ground. The door being flung widely when he did allowed the noise within to filter out.

It was a mad house in there. Ratchet soldiered onward anyway.

Semper fi.

-0-Inside

The figure was beating on the vault chamber trying to pry it open. He didn't seem to notice the group roaring in behind him and until Prime subbed his gun, then grabbed its shoulder, it was doubtful that he knew the big mech was there. When he was touched something inside clicked on and protection mode kicked in. He began to fight everyone in the room with great skill and power. It was only when all of them jumped on top of the slagger including the mech tossed into the corridor hall like an old shoe that they pinned him down.

Ratchet stood in the door scanning, then caught Prime's optic. "I got nothing."

Prime nodded, then began to beat on the mech's helm in his ever growing outrage. With enormous effort, they manacled the slagger, then rolled him over. The lights were off and no one was home but the protoform railed anyway.

Ratchet limped over to stare at him.

 **"OLD MECH!"**

"In a moment, Ironhide," Ratchet said, then he looked at Prime. "We have ten of these. We can't control them." He looked at Wheeljack. "Do we have enough samples and such to study this or do we need to part out this fragger for more?"

"I have a bit but we could use more. We just don't have the stuff to make it work. We're out of ununtrium until the trade shipment from Caris V comes shortly," Wheeljack replied.

"Cart him outside and have a truck waiting to take him to the airfield," Ratchet said. "I'll meet you there." He began to limp out until Ironhide blocked his path.

"Do you have an idea, Ratchet?" Prime asked.

Ratchet nodded. "I do. We have to hurry. They adapt." He glanced at Perceptor and Wheeljack. "Bring the lab kit. Get a sample kit. Get everything. We're going to part this fragger out."

Ironhide grabbed a wheelchair in the hallway and pushed Ratchet to the elevator. Behind them, the mob carried the struggling slagger between them and after staggering all over the hallway, getting thrashed in the elevator, then staggering out and down the steps of the plaza, they slammed him on a flatbed and with some riding to sit on the protoform and the others jogging along, they headed toward the airfield as Ironhide and Prime pushed Ratchet in his wheelchair.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Prowl said as he walked with them.

Prime frowned at him, then shook his helm. "I am going to pull rank a lot more this time, Prowl."

"I know," Prowl said with a grin.

They passed Club Cybertron and other places, then headed across Cultural Center Road to cut across the airfield. In the distance, they could see Omega and Xantium Supreme walking along with Kappa and Silverbolt. When they reached the area near the hangars, Ratchet called the truck to stop. They dragged the carcass onto the ground as Wheeljack and Perceptor drove up with a Sciences van filled with a mobile lab. Halting, then jumping out, everyone turned to Ratchet. He scanned the squirming figure on the ground, then grinned at everyone. "You better stand back. This has an internal power source and it might go bang."

They stared at him, then stepped back as Zee and Omega along with Kappa and Silverbolt reached them. Xantium grinned. "What are you doing in a wheelchair, Ratchet?" he asked.

"I was gunned down by zombies," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "There's one there. I want you to step on it, Zee. It might blow up. I promise to fix your foot free of charge if it does."

The three giants and one Aerialbot stared at him, then each other, then Ratchet. Then Xantium grinned. "Okay," he said.

"Zee, what if it blows off your ped?" Kappa said with a worried expression.

"Then you can give me flowers and candy," Zee said as he gently pushed Omega, Silverbolt and Kappa back. "Everyone step back."

Everyone did.

Zee stared at the protoform. Then he raised his ped and brought it down hard. The mech disappeared under a couple of million tons of supreme mechanism so the explosion of his power source was muffled. Again and again, Zee stomped him, then stepped back. He grinned. "Ow."

"Zee … you never disappoint," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

He laughed. "I forgot to ask if that thing was alive."

"Not in the conventional sense," Ratchet said as Wheeljack and Perceptor grabbed gear and began to walk to the broken and flattened heap that was once a mech's protoform.

Prime stared at it, then Ratchet. "How did you know this would work?"

"I didn't," Ratchet said. "I have a suggestion about the other nine … what to do about this and what to do about their sparks." Then he told them.

-0-Ward

"I wonder what's going on?" Jetta asked as the two of them watched a rugby game with the sound turned down.

"I don't know. Ada will have it in servo. That mech is as deviously brilliant as anyone I ever met," Drift said.

At that moment, a number of individuals walked in with boxes in servo and began to fuss rather loudly.

-0-On the airfield

They gathered all the parts that would be useful, a lot of things they had never seen before and when the need for evidence had been exhausted, Perceptor pulled out a long hose and began to vacuum up the slag left over. It took a moment but it was accomplished, then a denaturing solution was spread over the spot. In an orn, nothing would show for what had happened. Watching were the group and a few civilians who passed by. The Supremes had gone off happily to wherever they were going and the night began to descend.

"Well, I'd suggest that you separate that stuff and lock it in the evidence vault until you need to see it. Who knows what can happen if it isn't boxed apart? It might put itself back together or grow new parts," Ratchet said. "I'm not joking."

"I know," Prime said as he nodded to Perceptor.

The two bots gave a rundown of the research plan, then walked to the van to drive away. The rest of them waited for Prime to give the word on the solution devised. He did, reluctantly, then walked to the hospital with the group to watch the process himself.

-0-Ward

They sat in their beds surrounded by elders and small children. Ravel was fussing as he handed out boxed food and drinks. "We asked and got your favorite foods. Springer and Elita are coming back shortly, though they have to go to work."

"I think they should take the shift off," Tie Down said as he sat in a chair holding Orion, Prowler and Hero. The three babies nodded in agreement.

Drift and Jetta grinned as they ate their food and ate up the attention.

-0-Vault rooms in Metro Femme

They pulled the nine remaining formats out of the shelves where they lay, trussing them tightly before putting them on gurneys. They were heading for the roof where a drone shuttle was waiting to carry the cargo into the sun of their home system, Sol. Given that their sparks were safely locked up and these bodies posed a terrible threat without a notable means of confinement, Ratchet had convinced Prime to destroy them. He had reservations as all Cybertronians did about sparks and bodily autonomy but since the part of them that counted was safe, this part which wasn't had to go.

Up the elevator they went, then out to the roof where the ship waited. They carried the carcasses off the gurneys and put them gently in the hold of the vessel which usually carried live munitions, poisonous substances or toxic waste, then sealed it shut. Prime glanced at Ratchet. "When will the other part commence?"

"Tomorrow. We can do it right away with one of Crader's crew to test my theory," Ratchet said. "By then, I think I'll be up to this."

"Go to your berth, slagger," Ironhide said as the shuttle lifted off to head for the Trigger through the efforts of the remote pilots at the drone control center at Fort Max. From there, it would be shot into the corona of the sun and vaporize immediately.

They watched it go, then walked back inside, pausing at the autopsy lab to check in with Perceptor and Wheeljack. Nothing had mutated yet but for the pride of the techs who couldn't meet anyone's optics, so the crews went back to work and everyone else went upstairs to tuck Ratchet in.

When they arrived, they would sit together and eat a late dinner, listen to elders tut-tut about 'things' and enjoy a moment's respite. Tomorrow was another orn. Part two of the plan would happen then.

-0-TBC 10-7-18

Notes answered tomorrow. HUGS!


	491. Chapter 491

The Diego Diaries: Zombie (dd6 491)

-0-The next orn

Ratchet sat on a stool in the autopsy room as they wheeled the spark chamber that was going to be the first test of his theory into the room. Laying on the med berth, a protoform to house it was waiting. Ratchet directed First Aid in how to install the chamber until it was completed. As he watched the procedure, he watched the data streaming into the handheld he was perusing from the numerous attached devices on Crader and his new body. He had taken to the procedure well, nothing out of the ordinary was happening, so it seemed to Ratchet that short of the assimilation process leaching into their spark chambers as well and it didn't appear to have happened, this might be a way to manage them. There was no indication that the zombie affect was going to repeat here yet. "Good job. Now we wait to see what happens. I want to see if they mutate even with new bodies."

Prime who was sitting nearby stood and walked to the berth to stare at Crader. He was in stasis and was going through the long process of assimilating a new body to his CNA and spark chamber. It would take about six joors before they could bring him up and out of the deep medical stasis he was in. Prime glanced at Ratchet. "Did it all go through properly? What usually happens when this thing is done?"

"Well, there's a bit of shock and disorientation. Almost every spark transfer is because of something like this or major injury. The processor may assimilate to the new form but there is a shock especially among adults when they come to their senses. Imagine having this done to you and waking up in a different body and features."

Prime nodded. "I can imagine."

"We need to keep him on the machines and monitor this whole thing for a few orns. If this works out, then we can seat the other sparks in the protoforms we chose for them. At that point, they can be kept safely in jail." Ratchet stood slowly. "In the meantime, I'm going to be home on call."

"What about Drift and Jetta?" Prowl asked as he gripped Ratchet's good arm.

"They can leave tonight after inspection. I'll come back and release them," Ratchet said as he turned to Perceptor and Wheeljack. "Call me. All the monitors are set up."

They nodded, then watched as Ratchet walked into the hallway where the others waited. He grinned when he saw them. "Well, look at you."

They laughed, then Ironhide took Ratchet's arm. "Come on, old mech. Home calls."

"Until this place calls. I want to be here if anything happens **or** not." Ratchet grinned at the others, then walked with Ironhide to the elevator.

Prime glanced at Prowl. "I hope this works. The next step is not something I want to have to decide."

"If its the only step, then its out of your servos," Prowl said. "I'm going to the lock up upstairs and speak to Cobbler."

Prime walked with him to the elevator, then glanced at the mechs following. "Go with Prowl. If they get out of line, then you have discretion."

They nodded, everyone entered the elevators, then were gone.

-0-Lock up at the security ward, special circumstances detention block or the Sentinel Prime wing as some called it

Prowl walked in with Roadbuster, Hercy, Kup and Springer. He noted that the individuals lying in deep stasis on berths with energon restraints. Fifteen mechs were here including the one who had come to the scene and spoke a bit about what was happening before getting hit with stasis codes. Gypsy who had followed them walked to the berth with Cobbler then glanced at Prowl. He nodded, so she put a special device on the mech's forehead and coded it. It would allow the mech's processor to revive but not his body. After a few moments, the lights were on and the mech was home. He glanced around, then fixed his gaze on Prowl and the mechs with him. He didn't see Gypsy who was pulled aside by Hercy to stand behind Roadie.

"Welcome back, slagger. Are you going to speak to me now or do we put you under and shoot you with the others into the local star here?" Prowl asked coldly.

Cobbler stared at him, then noted the others around him. "Frag off, Autobot. We don't speak to low caste slaggers."

"Then it looks like you're not going to speak again for a long time." Prowl stepped closer and leaned over the mech slightly. He grinned a cold grin that held no warmth. "I thought you might like to know about the other ten we have in custody down in the morgue."

Cobbler stared at Prowl defiantly but said nothing.

"We took their spark chambers out of their bodies," Prowl said.

Cobbler stared at him, then attempted to lunge. He was restrained but his mouth wasn't. He raged, then got quiet again.

"We plan to do the same to you if you don't talk to us about this. As for your bodies and their weird ability to look for their chambers even when their sparks are removed, we had Xantium Supreme step on them," Prowl lied. "We gathered up the interesting bits and shot the rest of the broken debris into the sun in this system last night. The carcasses that you came in are going there, too, unless you talk to us about this."

Cobbler stared at Prowl with murderous optics as he lay helpless to move. He was seething with rage, then he swallowed it, the fire disappearing from him almost immediately. He gazed at Prowl for a moment. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Prowl said softly.

"Well …" Cobbler began. "You're not getting it, fragger."

"Too bad," Prowl said. "You fifteen are next." He glanced at Gypsy. "We'll be taking them out of here shortly. Put this one down, please."

Gypsy moved toward the berth with Roadie blocking the view of the mech lying there. She coded the device and the mech fell into stasis. She checked the readings, then glanced at them. "I'm sending the data to Percy. He wants to know how fast the mutation is going. Maybe we can predict when they become as impermeable as the others and plan for it."

Prowl nodded. "How much change has happened since they were brought here and now?"

She checked the device that was monitoring such things on a console behind the berths. She glanced at Prowl. "It's very small, minute, but steady."

Prowl nodded. "Alright," he said as he led the mechs out. They waited until the vault door was locked and the guards in place again. "Remember. No one has the authority to go inside that room without Prime's, mine or Ratchet's authorization. Even if this place is burning down, no one can enter."

Gypsy nodded. "Understood."

"Thank you, Gypsy." With that, Prowl and the mechs walked out.

-0-Home

Ratchet sat on his chair with a grin. Ironhide was fussing and he was enjoying it. They were a long way from the usual recovery from a wound routine. Here, there were no shabby buildings or crowded bases to recover in after he patched himself, then sucked it up. He was slipping.

Into welcomed luxury.

Ironhide brought a snack dish and beer. He set it down beside Ratchet, then got his own. He sat and they ate companionably for a moment. "You feeling okay? What about staying in until you get better?"

"I wouldn't mind that but I have a lot to do," Ratchet said. "This thing has to be handled right."

"But the forms you took for them … mini-cons?" Ironhide asked.

"We measured their sparks and found the smallest and least deadly protoforms we could that would handle the size of their sparks safely. Jazz sized mini-cons … 15-16 feet was the lowest we could go without compromising the spark. You **do** know, don't you, that spark determines size of body," Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Now I do," Ironhide said. He opened his carry hold and pulled out Halo. She was half asleep when he handed her over.

Ratchet took her and put her into the crook of his arm. Halo vented a sign, then fell back to sleep. "Thanks, Ironhide. I forgot we had one of these."

Ironhide grinned. "She likes missions. She's good at giving a breakdown of the scene. Little femme has all the makings of a detective."

"Don't tell Springer. He and Drift will steal her. They're kind of partial to the shorties," Ratchet said as he sipped his cold beer. It was great.

"I noticed that," Ironhide said as he grinned at his daughter. "We have a meeting tomorrow and lots of slag. I suppose you have to go to Unidad and supervise something."

"I do, actually. I get more of the tour," Ratchet said. "Then we're going to have what they call site meetings. They want me to come once every four decaorns to discuss things in the 'habitat community' and hear how its all going. They can pose their own questions to me, projects they want put forward and the like. Earth 1, Earth 2, Unidad, the Consulate, The Resort and the Sciences Habitat will be there. They want to have some structure to the human community and be able to make more crossover stuff between them. Right now, they feel like islands."

"Frag them," Ironhide said. "More meetings. More slag."

Ratchet chuckled. "They want to bond. Who am I to say no?"

Ironhide smirked at him. "Do you really want to know?"

"Nope," Ratchet said as they clinked their bottles together.

-0-Autopsy Room, Metro Femme

They studied the figure lying on the berth. They had discussed the kind of protoform that would settle a spark as big as some of them. Then it was made clear that the spark was normal for an average individual. What was not normal was the size of the body of Crader and his party. It was clear as bells that the bodies were the end product of an as yet unknown program of enhancements. They had a lot of boxes on two tables filled with fragments and their team was sorting the pieces of what was once Crader's body.

"What do we know so far, Wheeljack?" Perceptor said as he scoped out something in microscope format.

"Well, thanks to you, Percy, we know that he was a tall and rangy mech before this, but not a meat head like he is now. He wasn't the gorilla that he displayed before all of his life. He was an average tall mech. What happened in the process grew him up. That part is obvious because the parts of his body are original but changed. The serial numbers and various part indications register in the medical computer as those he had since birth. If you check them in the registry for specifications of what they were supposed to be originally, they were ordinary. These have been tampered with. They aren't ordinary any longer."

"That's what I thought as well," Perceptor said as he transformed back. "He's mutated the normal attributes of his original body to something much greater. I wonder if the process makes him mad. He certainly wasn't acting normal when we came for him."

"It might be a side effect. We're going to have to do more study," Wheeljack said as he walked to a box to sort through it for some small item that fit with the piece in his servo. All of them would be at it for a while.

-0-Ops Center, Prime's office

"That's basically what we got. Nothing," Prowl said.

They sat together quietly a moment, then Prime sat back in his chair. "We can try it again later. In the meantime, we need to talk about you disobeying my direct orders."

Prowl smirked. "Buh-bye." He rose to walk to the door, then paused a moment to look back at Prime who was smirking as he watched Prowl's shapely aft leave the room. "I'll stay. Mostly."

Prime smirked. "That is an order."

Prowl smirked back. "That gives me tingles all over."

"Me, too," Jazz said as he peered around Prowl to grin at Prime.

Prime who saw him standing there laughed aloud as Prowl smote Jazz about the helm and shoulders.

It was a welcome thing.

-0-TBC 10-8-18

ESL: impermeable: (im-perm-eee-uh-bl) can't be breached. Something that is impermeable to water can't get wet or soaked. It can't absorb.

Minute: usually means a measure of time but it can also mean a measure of anything. (my-noot) means small, very, very tiny in this case.


	492. Chapter 492

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 492)

The account won't let me in. I don't know if we're going to have to go to Diego Diaries Seven but I will let you know. I sent support a message this morning. :{ Sorry that this happens. Sigh. MORE COMING! :D:D:D PS I'm adding comments from around the world. If they aren't right, its my doofus rising. I didn't put quotes on some because they turned into boxes.

 **LOL! I LOVE THIS WORLD AND EVERYONE IN IT! :D**

-0-Media Conference Space, IntraComm, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 3-B, later that afternoon

"Thank you for coming," Jazz said as he stood at a podium with Springer and First Aid. This was the big media briefing room at IntraCom where the reporters of two worlds met to get the word on things or events unfolding in the Prime's domain. All of the newspapers, broadcast channels including radio, movers and shakers including Galaxy Productions and the small but influential group of reporters that were attached to Galaxy as pool reporters from the MCA were gathered. They including Leonora and a film crew as ever. "I'm going to read a statement from the Prime, then answer all of the questions that can be answered thus far. Autobot Commander Springer of Polyhex as chief of security for the entire Empire and Autobot First Aid of Iacon as stand-in for Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon will speak and answer questions as well.

He then began to read Prime's statement. "Yesterday at 1700 hours on the Terran Military Clock, a group of refugees raised red flags and when they were approached instituted a melee at the Port of Mars after being asked to step to one side for a review. In the melee that transpired, they were taken into custody, a group of individuals that would number 25 in total when they were all rounded up. They were transferred to Metroplex Elder, Femme and Youngling Hospital for a review of their functions and armor which appear to be of a new kind unknown to us.

"It was then that Commander Springer and a group of soldiers and police officers went to the apartments in Cambo Tower, City 5 in Crater District 1 to see to and gather up the remaining members of their party. At that time it was discovered that there were outstanding warrants for most of them for their activities on Cybertron before and during The Fall. Their conduct in the migration to Oasis Base and their activities there were marginal but acceptable, thus they weren't alerted upon until they came here and showed through their behavior and our access to the mainframes on Cybertron that they were dangerous and needful of review.

"When Commander Springer and his team arrived at the tower apartments to take the others into custody a shootout commenced and they barricaded themselves into their homes. It took the assistance of our scientists to disarm them through a gas that temporarily paralyzes the body if not the processor. In the midst of implementing this action, Commander Ratchet and Commander Jetta of Iacon were shot and injured. Commander Drift of Kaon who is sub commander of the Watch and Security for the Empire was also shot and all three were hospitalized.

"The entire group is in lock down in the highest security containment in the colony and are no longer a threat. The situation at the Cambo Tower is under control and I thank everyone there for obeying the emergency messages about the situation. No one else was hurt, thankfully, and our teams acted with admirable courage. The individuals will be dealt with through the legal system pending a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances.

"Thank you, Emergency Services and the Watch. Thank you, Sciences for your service to the safety and well being of our people. We have received over 2 million refugees in this migration thus far alone and given that this is the only serious incident during this transition, we have shown ourselves to be an admirable people. More information will be released pending the investigation. Thank you, all services and the people of Autobot City. Until all are one."

Jazz looked up, then glanced at Springer. "Commander Springer will answer questions." Jazz stepped back as Springer stepped up. He was tall and rangy, his green and yellow color scheme pleasing. He was his usual mellow self, his handsome face reflecting his character and personality. He was someone whose mere presence gave you confidence. He looked like someone who could kick your ass then buy you a beer and you'd say thank you. He also looked slightly uncomfortable. "Uh, I'm Springer of Polyhex and I led the team to intercept the mechs at the Port and in the tower. We were alerted on them and we attempted to get them away from the other refugees without a fight but it wasn't to be. It took all of us including the Prime to handle the one who alerted for us.

"He was subdued and carried to Femme where the scientists took him over. Given the oddities of his armor and special functions, we had to wrestle him again, including the other nine. It was a slagging hard battle." He paused a moment, then grinned at Jazz. "It was.

"I'm not arguing, Springer," Jazz said with a chuckle.

Springer grinned at the crowd who grinned back, fascinated with him and the tale. "We then went to get the others and there was a shoot out. We sort of expected it. Three individuals got shot and all of them are recovering. They're expected to be out of the hospital today. Other than that, that's the tale." He nodded, then tried to step back.

 **"SPRINGER!"** -every reporter there.

-0-In an apartment in the sky

"That is one **handsome** slagger. What a handsome sonny boy we have," Ratchet said.

Ravel nodded. "Our sonny is a good looking boy. He bonded with a good looker, too."

"All our mechs are handsome. I require it," Ratchet said as he sat with his leg up on an ottoman eating popcorn with his ada as they watched the news together.

Ravel nodded as he watched.

Ratchet grinned as he watched Ravel.

-0-There

"Tell us something about the shoot out, Commander," the crime and special report reporter for the Autobot City Daily News asked. It was the largest general circulation paper on world and digitally, Cybertron. Its online circulation on Earth was about a billion individuals.

"Well, it happened," he said as the room laughed. "We went there and arrayed on each side of the door. We asked nicely and got a face full of plasma for it. Next time, I'm going to walk through the wall, manners be damned."

Huge laughter. Much fan fiction potential noted by many watching.

"We had mechs down so we called for a simpler solution. That required Jetta and Ratchet to run past the doors to the panel down the hall where gas could be inserted only into the affected apartments. That meant that they would have to run past the doors where the slaggers were hiding to get there. Needless to say, they were shot doing it but managed to poison the slaggers anyway. When the gas cleared, we entered and subdued them. We also carted the wounded to the hospital. They included Jetta, Ratchet and Drift."

"Drift is your bond, correct? And Ratchet is your Ada?" a mech asked who reported for the newest area daily, the Crater High Times.

"Drift is my bond. Ratchet is my ada. Jetta is my brother-in-law. The family that gets ventilated together goes to the hospital together. We believe in doing all things as a group when we can," Springer said with a slight grin.

Reporters: **"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!"**

Ratchet: **"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"**

Ravel: "Well, I wouldn't laugh but I have to say that Springer is quite a gentleman about this."

Everyone listening in the Empire: **"BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAA!"**

Everyone listening on Earth:

" **DAMN! I LOVE THAT GUY! BWAHAHAHAHAAHAAA!"**

"When are we going to The Resort, Sally? I want to meet this guy."

"I wonder how you apply to the police force there?" -every agent in the FBI, Interpol and the Central Point Police Department.

"Hoe meld ik me aan?"

"Comment Puis-je appliquer?

как я могу применить?

كيف أتقدم بطلب

"Ciamar a nì mi tagradh?

:Springer?!:

He glanced through the curtain of laughter that obscured the moment, then saw Leonora waving her arm.

"Leonora Huttle?" he asked with a smirk at the crowd.

:Why don't you explain your family a little bit so everyone will know how illustrious you are. Also, the terms ... ada, atar: she said just to be ornery and because she loved all of them so.

Springer smirked at her, then the crowd. "We're sort of a big family," he began as the entire room laughed again. He waited, then continued. "Ada and Atar are terms for genitors. They mean father, other father and parents. An ada is the one who is ...," he paused a moment to speak off line, then continued. "An ada is the one who is the main caretaker of the infant or is the one who chooses that role," he said to keep it easy. "The atar is the other father who chooses that other role though they overlap. We don't have genders but this we say to help those who do feel comfortable. Sometimes, both choose both but usually, you choose one or the other.

"Cybertron has been at war so long that adoption is as common as anything you can come across. Adults are adopted, kids ... Ratchet and Ironhide adopted me, then my bond. They also adopted an entire team of femme special forces to which Jetta is bonded with their leader, Elita. We've been hard used, our species and not having families and belonging to someone is the worst part. There are orphans every direction you look so adoptions and recreating families is very common. Usual practice, I'd say. Ratchet and Ironhide have adopted about ten kids, more than a dozen adults and I think I lost count. We're a family and we take care of each other. I knew when Ratchet and Jetta had to run for the panel at the shootout that they would be hit. It was hard to watch but the only way to end the conflict swiftly." He grinned. "You happy?"

Leonora laughed. :Mostly:

Huge laughter.

"What is the likelihood that more bad actors are in these migrations and what about these? Do you have any information on who they are and what sort of charges they face?" another local reporter asked.

"We always screen but that's hard to do sometimes with such huge groups. Some take aliases. Others change their looks. These were completely unrecognizable in their new configurations. We do our best but sometimes it gets this close to entry before we spot them. As for who they are," he said as he waited for permission off line, "the mech in question is Crader of Capital City, Crader of Crader Transport, his family and children, a few other relatives and his officers. For those who don't know him, he's wanted for a number of crimes and he's infamous from before The Fall and The Great Exodus. It was a find to catch them. There will be no more information released yet but suffice it to say, they're not going to be allowed to run around."

"Springer," another reporter asked, "we do have access to the mainframes on Cybertron? How damaged, if at all are they?"

"We have them for a lot of things. The big mainframes were buried deep in bunkers that protected against what happened. It was just a matter of finding them, digging them out, then getting them online. Its an ongoing work in progress. Some of them are in the middle of toxic landscapes, some are piled up with unexploded ordinance or booby-trapped while others just need twisted skyscrapers pulled off them. It will take a while to get them all back on line but we have about 42% estimated back in service with a lot of debugging and restoration ongoing."

"What about the injuries?" someone in the back called out.

"That's your job," he said to First Aid as he stepped back.

First Aid stepped forward. "The injuries to Commander Drift happened in the initial approach. He was shot in the lower abdomen with a plasma gun. The stream went through him and was lucky to miss a number of vital areas. He was pulled out of the line of fire by Commander Ratchet. Ratchet treated him at the scene, then consulted about how to end the stand off. When Commander Jetta arrived, both he and Ratchet ran for the panel down the corridor to send the gas into just the two affected apartments. They were shot doing so but managed the gas anyway. Commander Jetta received plasma wounds in his leg and arm and so did Ratchet, both of them on the left side which was closest to the doors.

"When the attackers were secured, we treated both at the scene, then transported the three to Metro Femme where their wounds were fully addressed. They were kept overnight and Commander Ratchet was released this morning. Commanders Jetta and Drift will be released shortly. They're going to make full recoveries. Ratchet is consulting on the newcomer's strange configurations and will do so with full health and attendance." First Aid tried to step back but more questions came. It would take a while before the press conference would be over.

-0-Later on that orn

"Where do you want to sit?"

"On your lap?" Drift said as he sat down slowly on his chair.

Springer grinned, then pulled a beer from the fridge for both of them. Sitting beside Drift in his own, they clicked their bottles, then sipped. "This is good."

Drift nodded. "It is."

"You were slow, hoss," Springer said as he glanced at Drift.

"Sorry about that. I sorta got taken by surprise. The worst was Jetta and Ada."

"I know," Springer said. "No one knew they were hurt. Those slaggers are a pit. I was alerted that Crader was spark transferred to a mini-con body today to see if his process leaches that protoform into a gorilla. I guess the idea is if it does they want something to handle that might be easier."

"I can see that," Drift said. He shook his helm. "How many more of them are out there and who the frag gave them this armor?"

"Knowing Crader and that he was everywhere with his ships, it could be anyone. What I don't want to see is the 'Cons or Megatron getting it."

"From your lips to Primus' audials," Drift said. He grinned. "I have owies."

"Want me to kiss them?" Springer said with a grin.

Drift grinned. "Yep."

"I'll have to ask Ada since he's your doctor," Springer said as he settled back in his chair. Now that Drift was there, all was right in his world.

"I was thinking … maybe **you** can be the doctor," Drift said with a grin.

"Doctor Springer … has a nice ring to it," Springer said.

"I thought so, too," Drift said.

"You can be the fragger who doesn't duck fast enough," Springer said. "You got that part nailed."

"Rub it in. How's your feet?" Drift asked with a chuckle.

"That's an oldie but a goodie. Fragging acid monsters," Springer said. "That was when we were just shacked up. I do remember that far back. Barely."

Drift rested his servo on Springer's. "I didn't forget."

They would pass the time together in their apartment. Springer would take the night off. Drift would be glad he did. It wasn't home if Springer wasn't there.

-0-TBC 10-10-18 (for my mom, forever)

:D I went to Crater High School in the good old orns and I couldn't help but include it here. It has less to do with substances than it does with the fact that both Crater Districts are on higher ground than the rest of the colony but for Aerie Hill. :D

NOTES:

optimus prime101 chapter 489 . Oct 7

Can you please put up some chapters please I want to read what happens next?

ME: I will always try especially if the site allows it. :D

Misty Legionnaire chapter 489 . Oct 7

Random question that's been sticking in my mind for some time: are we going to see a sparkling from Jazz/Mirage? I kinda wonder what they might look like :)

Looking forward to the "zombiecons" in the next chapter.

ME: Jazz is tut-tutting me. Mirage has no opinion. Whatever Jazz wants, he's good with. Maybe one of these days but Jazz is a busy guy and having a kid of his own would mean scheduling back. A kid with those two … a kid of Jazz's would be an awesome sight. I love Jazz.

Ragemoose chapter 485 . Oct 7

Ah hell. These new guys are gonna end up being killed, and im already sad for optimus. he's gonna have to make that choice and i feel so bad for him.

ME: I saw an interview with Peter Cullen where he argued with Michael Bay over what Bay wanted him to have Optimus say. He lost the argument but I think I know what the comments were, though Cullen wouldn't say in the interview. I believe its in the one opening in a shoot out and he and Ironhide mortally wound the big wheelie bot … he says, "Any last words?" I think that was it and I agree with Cullen. Michael Bay doesn't understand Optimus.

optimus prime101 chapter 488 . Oct 6

Can you put up two chapters today?

ME: I will try. :D

kattenbelletje chapter 488 . Oct 6

And it isn't even halloween yet. Those mechs are creepy.

ME: They are. There's probably nothing you could write that wouldn't be possible. Consider the DJD.

Guest chapter 481 . Oct 6

I guess you tried to correct something, but chapters 480 and 481 are now the same. Don't know what has gone missing, if something has.

ME: Crap. I'll get on it. Thank you, Guest. You are my hero. :D

Silverhornd chapter 488 . Oct 6

someone needs a visit from Primus and the others, they need to be recalled big time lets see how they react to the parathion or the matrix can step in, they need another one to melt from the inside out again.

ME: That would be so much fun. This is a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances group. Their history on Cybertron will be laid out. Given the crimes, there will be a lot of trials that rise that high.

fancyspinner chapter 488 . Oct 6

There in a very untenable position, aren't they? I'm gonna have to kill them or something. They don't seem to stay down on that or what happens. I know they hate to take out the spark chambers I just don't see another way. Maybe the pantheon will take them

ME: It is. Some of the creatures coming around are very terrible war criminals and things won't be easy. Containing them until they're understood will be step one.

Misty Legionnaire chapter 488 . Oct 6

Yikes. Reminds me of Miko's comments from Transfors: Prime regarding the Zombie bots. Zombiecons, maybe?

I'm worried about these bodies getting back up without a spark. Is this a case they have to snuff the spark to end the threat?

Is it a contagious virus? That could be scary for the colony.

Looking forward to the next section.

ME: All good questions, especially the virus part. I loved the zombies. This sort of came to that point but wasn't intended. LOL!

fancyspinner chapter 487 . Oct 5

You guys are extremely scary!

ME: Some of the stuff in space would be. I love to do this sort of arc and forgot that Halloween is coming! LOL!

Leoness chapter 487 . Oct 4

Crazy! The unstoppable aspect is really scary

ME: I know. Reminds me of a macabre wack a mole. :D

fancyspinner chapter 486 . Oct 3

Hey, I wonder if they can adjust any of those modifications for themselves? Maybe you could help against those acid monsters.

ME: Good idea. I will think on it. :D


	493. Chapter 493

The Diego Diaries: After the Ball (dd6 493)

(Haven't edited this. Is everyone getting it? I've had trouble over the last few ensuring that its going out.)

-0-Ops Center, morning

They gathered, the military and a few of the civilian members of the Autobot City Community Committee to discuss and update the situation. It had been an entire orn since the situation had exploded into a shootout and a dire problem of still unknown quantities. They came to the Ops Center conference room and sat. Ratchet, Drift and Jetta were there, though with obvious wounds displayed. After a moment of commiseration, they began. Prime glanced at Prowl who looked down table. "Wheeljack, Perceptor, report," he said.

It was quiet, then Wheeljack began. "The specimen for the test solution, Crader himself had a fitful night. He's awake and aware, though his status is held in stasis. He can listen and watch with his optics, tracking us when we walk past but he can do nothing more. We've studied the overnight data and found nothing in the parts of himself … his spark and spark chamber as well as his database of knowledge that is his personally that might have begun any process of transmutation of his current protoform. We've watched him down to the molecular level and see nothing that would indicate that this process would happen now."

"I want over the data, too, watching three areas that had the potential to be trigger spots for this process to begin if it could. The frontal nodes of his processor, his neural network and his circulatory system. There is nothing there that shows anything but normal functioning. Checking the protoform he now wields under the most powerful scopes we have including Percy, there's nothing that shows the process transferred with him to this new format," Ratchet concluded.

Prime looked relieved. "What if it takes more than a few orns?"

"We have implanted into the protoform and added to his jacks devices to monitor that and alert if anything falls outside the established normal ratios for our species. He cannot remove them and he can't access them. They send information to us in a constant stream," Perceptor said.

Prime nodded as he considered that. "It would appear, perhaps, that their seemingly invincible abilities are not so infinite."

"I would concur," Ratchet said as the other two nodded.

"What can you tell me from scans of their databases that can shed light on this situation?" Prime asked.

"We've downloaded a copy and have worked on keyword searches. The firewalls were intense but we breached them, those that contain recent information. This mech is a piece of work," Jazz said as Elita and Mirage nodded. "He has firewalls on his firewalls. He's got locks on his locks but we did find repeating information in the searches made so far. He's close to the Imperialis brothers, has access to tech from aliens way past the Benzuli, perhaps even multi dimensional individuals. He's one seriously dangerous fragger. He took their tech, applied it to his family and didn't look back. You spotted the weirdness right away, Ratchet."

Ratchet nodded. "I did. I do believe that these fraggers are working on a process rather than an installation of various tech that can boost their transformations. This seems to be a mutating process in the others that were brought forward, the big one, Cobbler. He's mutating at a slow but steady pace toward becoming the same fragger that Crader is."

"Oh, joy," Springer said grimly. "Just what we need. More Craders."

"We have one of them plugged in from his stasis so that we can track what happens. Its not a fast process for now but who knows what it means later? The others are in stasis, deep medical. The nine we jumped that are equal in development to Crader are still in the spark locker. The others are in high security lock ups at the prison. They were transferred there last night but for Cobbler. He's our study subject," Perceptor said. "We have him alerted. Should he jump in development, we will disable him like the others but with a much more manageable protoform."

"We used all the ununtrium stuff with the first ten," Drift said. He was lounging in a chair next to Springer who was tense as he glanced at Drift when he shifted painfully.

"Clavis IV has a shipment coming in this evening. We're going to send it to the Master of Metallurgy at Industrial Park 6 and have him make us special cutting tools, chisels and cutting shears. He's got the know how to do it," Wheeljack said. "Some of the dies will be made by your genitors, Ratchet."

"Then it'll be done right and swiftly," Ratchet said.

"Imperialis," Prime mused. "What did you find?"

"They were in partnership before the war and helped any side with shanix during it. They were supplying the Decepticons and stealing Autobot weapons and supplies to do it. They trafficked in tech. It would appear that Scorponok was a runner for them and so were a few others we haven't caught but they're flagged if they show up here or anywhere else in the Empire.

"Ebio Imperialis is close friends with Crader's son, Diston. We don't have that slagger yet either. He might even be with Imperialis. We need to go through Crader's processor carefully to find out all he can tell us. Even with what we've done this far in the conventional manner, we only have 15% access to all he carries in his databases," Perceptor said. "We've alerted Atlas and he's going through their data at Oasis Base to find what they have and take any still there into custody. They will then transfer them to us here on Mars."

"Good," Prime said. He glanced at Barron. "I see this as federal and thus a Primal Hearing situation. I also see that it falls quite fully into special circumstances."

Barron nodded. "This category of criminal and these charges are beyond the scope and reach of mere trials. This requires a level of review that we don't have ourselves. Whether They come to address this or not, it's a special circumstances situation all around."

"The Pantheon might be getting irritated that we keep coming back to them," Ironhide said with a slight grin. "What do you think, Amma?" he asked as he glanced at a screen with Turbine's face peering back with a stern expression.

Turbine grinned at his little mech, then shrugged. "It comes with the territory, Ironhide. I think when you live your life in a place in which there's no time, you don't notice the crush."

"Outside of time … that would be great. I could sleep in and no one would complain," Jetta said with a grin.

"I dare you," Elita said. "I dare you to recharge in later."

Huge laughter and smirks greeted that remark.

Prime grinned at Jetta. "You walked into that one."

"I did," Jetta said with a grin. "By the way, this new influx is giving us skilled finish workers in interior construction so we're stepping it up with Crater 2. We'll be able to house 17,000,000 individuals there when its finished. We're ahead of schedule. Given that everyone is coming slowly enough, we can stay with this for them and have literally oceans of space waiting for families and individuals."

"That relieves my processor," Prime said, then glanced at Wheeljack. "When can I speak to Crader?"

"Later this afternoon," Wheeljack said. "I suspect that he's going to be allowed to come to sentience so we can watch the data. He won't feel his body nor understand what's happened. He's going to be awake but kept under physical constraint. What he's like when he awakens, who knows? But he won't know what's happened to him because he can't see himself."

Prime nodded. They chatted some more, then the group broke up to head out into the fray once more. Most of them would be heading toward either Metro Femme or Cybertron. Even Magnus would be gone until mid afternoon traversing the slowly rising reclamation of the planet.

-0-Ratchet and Ironhide along with a supporting cast of many

They walked into the room where Crader lay on a med berth, restrained, sedated and hooked in. Ratchet looked at the data, stared at the mech, then sat down on a stool. "He's looking good. Nothing that shows what a slagger he was. I wonder how he's going to like being 12 feet shorter and that much smaller?"

"Dynamite comes in small packages," Ironhide said as he sat on a stool nearby. "What now? You going to hang out here or go about your business. Hanging out in a morgue hardly seems fun."

"It is. Halloween is not so far away," Ratchet replied.

"I know. I should be getting their costumes soon. They wanted to be birds. They're going to be a flock of birds, their choices," Ironhide said.

"What sort of birds?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"I'm not telling. I don't want to ruin the surprise," Ironhide said with a grin. "The big kids, all nine of them are going to their sub adult club in Iacon. They planned a party and everyone who's anyone will be there apparently."

"Do they need chaperons?" Ratchet asked with a grin as they walked out to the office nearby on the 49th floor.

"Probably but we're going to be flocking around The City trick-or-treating," Ironhide said with a grin. "You should see the costumes but you're not going to. So don't ask."

"Slave driver," Ratchet said with a grin. "Good that the kids are going to the club. You might want to have that talk with Fireball and Lumi. They're getting a bit of teasing about their friendship from some kids, nothing major but its happening."

"Frag that," Ironhide said with a nod.

"Ditto," Ratchet said as he looked at the clutter on his desk. "Why don't you go show the flag and Halo to the multitudes. I have to clear this slag or die trying."

"Don't do that," Ironhide said as he rose. He walked to the door, then waved as he walked out heading to who knew where. Prime was on world today and the next few, then a long period of inspections, meetings and other slag on Cybertron and the local group would commence. Of course, that all depended upon Crader and his gang.

-0-Nearby at Metro Femme later on

He came partially out of medical sentience, semi aware but not conversant as Wheeljack and Perceptor checked this and that internal thing. Then they attempted to download more of his databases which were highly protected and difficult. They had transferred from his old body with his spark and once his spark was put back it jump started that information returning to the new processor. That would house it and his personal self which would return to it after the triggering. It was both a reasonable and protocol process for someone who was deeply injured but modified for him because they weren't prepared for him to become self aware yet. They needed more time to get as much as they could before sparring with him for the rest.

It would be a long afternoon until Prime appeared later on to watch Crader be brought to sentience by Ratchet and Perceptor. Then the real hard work would begin.

-0-Intermediate School, Iacon, lunch room

They sat as a group together and with other friends gathered. The main topic of discussion was the club on Halloween. No one was going to wear a costume but they were going to dance, play games, eat the food that would be there and have a great time. Lumi sat beside Fireball with his arm around him. Nearby watching them, several students whispered about the pair. They were a 'thing' and it was mesmerizing. No one before them had been so open in their likes, though a lot of the kids in the upper levels had begun to notice that sort of thing lately.

Ironhide would have his work cut out for him.

-0-Later that afternoon

They gathered in the lab room in the morgue at Metro Femme. Prime stood with Prowl near the berth as Ratchet, Wheeljack and Perceptor discussed what they would do. Then when they decided, Ratchet turned to the still mech and began to begin the long slow process of bringing him out of all levels of medical stasis. It was silent as the bots watched him, knowing each of them the steps Crader was traveling as he rose to the light once more. He stirred, this and that twitched, then the noticeable features of rebooting could be seen. It took little time after that for his optics to online and his optical ridges to blink. He glanced to the sides, then spotted Ratchet.

"Hello, slagger. Welcome back," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Frag you," Crader said as he flexed his arms to test his bonds. They were tight as a drum. "Where am I? This feels weird."

"It should," Ratchet said. He glanced at Prime who nodded. "Listen up. We had a problem keeping you in line so we removed your spark chamber."

Crader stared at Ratchet, then glanced at Prime. "Is that so?" he asked with a tight expression on his different face.

"Yes, it is," Ratchet said. "We did it because your undead body was trying to get your spark chamber out of storage. We fixed that impertinence by having Xantium Supreme step on it. We had no other choice."

He stared at Ratchet. "I don't believe you. You can't break that format."

"Keep up," Ratchet said. "We did. We then decided to experiment to see if you operated as a virus or stimulant that caused your condition or if it was something different. The smart money is on something different, something that's long term manipulation, like CNA splicing. As for you, we packed you back into a body so that we could have this little conversation."

"A body?" Crader asked with rising concern. "What kind of body?"

Ratchet stared at him. "A manageable body. You wouldn't cooperate so we stuffed you into the kind of body that we could manage with you in it." He stared at Crader. "A mini-con mech body."

It was silent a moment as Crader stared at him, then the room exploded into the most colorful array of swearing in several dialects yet seen on world. It would go on for a while.

-0-TBC 10-11-18 **edited 10-12-18**


	494. Chapter 494

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 494)

NOTE: I'm not always getting things online or receiving things online in a timely manner so we might be running toward the end of part six. Part five ended at 501 so if this keeps going, its at 494 right now, I'll not only start part seven but I'll put a note about it in the reviews for part six. Check there if you don't get your usual alerts and then you can check them again in the part seven section. So far, so good. This is being posted just in case. :D This site hates me. :D

-0-The Morgue

"How long can he yell like that?" Perceptor asked with a slight frown. "I have Resolve in my hold."

"Why don't you take him to the nurse's station. Someone there will care for him, Percy, if you think he needs it," Ratchet said with a smirk.

Perceptor considered that, then turned to a console. Bending over it to type furiously, Crader suddenly stopped yelling. Perceptor turned to look at Crader with a frown. "My son isn't going to be inconvenienced because this mech has no manners."

Everyone grinned at Percy, then focused on Crader who was still yelling but without any sound. He noted that, then lay back with fury.

Ratchet leaned over him. "If you stop being a fragger, I'll hook you back up. We don't have any time for this." He glared at Ratchet who grinned. "I take that as a yes," Ratchet said as he worked a meter in his servo. "So … we take it you don't like the new accommodations."

"Frag you, Autobot. Where's my body?" he asked in his deeply low and coldly maliciously sounding voice.

Wheeljack reached behind him, then picked up a clear tray. Parts of Crader's old body were in there. "Here you go," he said with a slight grin. "Recognize anything?" He picked up a battered and rather flattened disk. "Here's your old transponder. See?" He held it up for Crader who looked at it, then 'Jack with furious hatred. "We need to know a few things. You would do well to tell us. This life you've led has been accounted for and you've been a very bad mech."

"I don't have to tell you anything," he said.

"It would stand you in good stead, Crader," Prowl said coldly. "You've come here under false pretenses, you were a war criminal of the highest degree and you're a traitor. You helped the Decepticons for money and a planet died. That's federal … a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances."

Crader stared at Prowl, then Prime. "Is that so?"

Prime nodded. "Understand something. We have had two thus far. The Functionalist Council of 12 and Sentinel Prime with two of his associate senators. Both times they were found guilty of charges and two times the Pantheon came and took them away. I do not expect a lot to be different for you and your party."

Crader stared at Prime, calculating his position as ever, then leaned back to relax. "There's nothing to tell. I reject your charges. You don't have power over me."

"Then I'd like you to call the Pantheon to come take all of them now," Raptor said as he glanced at Prime. "What's the point if they refuse?" He looked at Crader more closely. "How about a Caste Court, slagger. You know you wanna."

He stared at Raptor, a mech he knew well. Then he grinned slightly. "Raptor, you're still as ugly and mean as ever. You think you're tough."

"I am, slagger. I beat you twice in a fair fight, you and Cassio one time together. You should know better than to fight a Praxian Elite hand-to-hand. We have slag in The Code that no one anywhere knows. What about it? Caste Court?" Raptor grinned but there was no humor there.

"The charges are federal. You have no standing," Crader said as he glanced at Blackjack and Hard Drive. "All of your family made it, I see. Too bad."

Ironhide was doing a slow burn but he stood by Ratchet who grasped his servo. Raptor was aware of his provocation and he was sure that Crader would live up to his reputation of never letting anyone have the last word.

"What about it, Prime? Caste Court?" Crader asked with a mirthless smirk. "How about having all the high castes show up and hear the charges. That should be hilarious. All of them profited, too. I want a Caste Court, Prime. Make it happen." He laughed, a harsh grating sound as he smirked at Optimus.

:What do you suggest from this, Hard Drive?: Prime asked off line as he stared at Crader.

:I have no problem with it. The same conditions apply as they do with a hearing. The congregation comes, the trial happens, we draw conclusions and the outcome is left to the Pantheon for final say. This slagger is mental. Something is off with him. He isn't afraid: Hardie said.

:I know. Raptor? Blackjack? Delphi and Turbine?: Prime asked the others who were standing around the room providing intimidation and perhaps muscle if needed.

:I'll attend to whatever you decide. Caste Court or hearing. Command me, Optimus: Turbine said as the others nodded.

Prime considered that, then glanced at Prowl who was listening with the others. He nodded slightly. Prime looked at Crader. "Do you wish one?"

"Sure. Why not. What do I have to lose?" Crader asked with a malicious smile.

"Your life, slagger," Ironhide said. "The court is us with a recorder. There are a few other Praxians if you want the full slate. You better judge carefully."

"You would throw the trial? You dial down to nothing. Tell me you will," Crader asked.

"Those are the rules," Hardie said with a nod. "We will follow The Code."

Crader grinned at him. "I want a court, I want representation, I want the congregation."

"The one from Nova Cronum and Capital City. Those who managed the District in Tarn. That should fulfill the obligations of the congregation," Hardie said. He glanced at Crader. "Be serious or you go to a hearing. What is it for the last time?"

"Caste Court," Crader said with a smirk.

"Very well," Hardie said as he glanced at Prime. Optimus nodded agreement. Hardie looked at Crader, then glanced at Alor. "If you can put out the notice. Nova Cronum, Tarn and Capital City. Only those. I don't know how many but we can see. I suppose the big lecture halls at the University or the big theater at the Performing Arts Center will do."

Alor nodded. "The big theater is perfect and can hold thousands. I'll put the notices in tomorrow."

Hardie nodded. "I will contact Barron. He can arrange counsel. When do you want this to take place, Optimus?"

"Soon. Give him every possible legal protection and opportunity as well. Barron will manage that," Prime said.

"I will tell him," Hardie agreed. He looked at Crader. "I hope you don't make a big mistake with Raptor's joke. This is your spark at stake."

Crader stared at him, then grinned slightly. "Frag you, Hardie. Frag your whole family."

"If you say so," Hardie said with a shake of his helm. "You better cooperate with your counsel. I can't stress hard enough how serious this is, slagger. You act up at your own peril."

It was silent as Crader smirked at him, then they walked out to leave him behind with the techs. Gathering in the hallway, Prime turned to the group. "What is the likelihood he will cooperate? What are the limitations of the court in relation to a primal hearing?"

"I don't think he's going to cooperate much, if at all. I knew him before, all of us did. He's not the cooperating kind. As for the court, there are no limitations. I will, however, model the proceedings after a Primal Hearing. He will have all the representation he can have but its up to him to utilize it. I don't believe whatever the hearing is that he'll be responsible and act wisely. He was never a wise mech and he was always above the law and protected by same," Hardie said.

Prime nodded. "I remember as well. I would like to be kept informed and when its ready to go we can sit down and study this with all counsel. Will there be a prosecutor?"

"There will be. I suppose Coln-2 will do the honors?" Hardie asked.

"I think so. Have Barron work it out, then tell me what is to happen and how I fit, if at all, in the picture," Prime said.

They chatted a bit, then broke up with most heading to their day jobs while Ratchet helped the others work on Crader's data. They dialed down his pie hole when they did. That much racket wasn't conducive to thinking.

-0-At Ops Center, Prowl's office

Miler and Venture who had been told about the new infant finally tracked Prowl down and hugged him one after the other. Sitting down on his office couches, the three grinned at each other. "Prowl, this is so wonderful and unexpected," Miler began with delight. He then leaned closer. "It **was** unexpected?"

Prowl nodded. "It was."

"Another infant. What kind? Do you have any ideas and details to share yet?" Venture asked.

Prowl considered that. "We haven't gotten serious about it. We're thinking about a mech. Maybe."

Miler grinned. "I think that would be amazing. I also wonder what femme that looked like you would be like?"

Prowl laughed. "You **do** know that mech wings on a femme isn't common. I don't believe I've ever seen it to tell you the truth."

"There's always a first," Miler said with a big smile. "We have a naming ceremony and parties, the wait … how long, son?"

Prowl considered that, then sat back. "I never asked Loon."

Moments later after asking Loon …

"Two decaorns. This infant could come on Halloween," Prowl said with a grin.

"Perfect," Venture said. "What a treat that little thing will be."

Prowl agreed.

-0-Later that evening around the dinner table

"How was school, son?" Ironhide asked Fireball who was eating next to him at the table with the mob.

He glanced at Ironhide. "It's great, Atar. You know we're going to a Halloween party at the club on that night?"

"I do," Ironhide said. "Sounds like fun. What about you and Lumi? How's that going?"

Ratchet grinned. Subtle wasn't Ironhide's long suit.

"Lumi is the best, Atar. He's the best," Fireball said.

"I heard that there are those who're jealous of you two. A lot of mechs are jealous of me and your old Ada. No one can believe your Ada's luck," Ironhide said with a preen.

Everyone laughed, then Ratchet smirked at Ironhide. "What your old mech is saying, son, is how is it going with other kids about you and Lumi? We're fine and dandy ourselves. We want to know that there's no difficulty about your friendship."

He stared at both of them. "Some talk about us. They sorta say things about it. Like they don't like it, some of them. I don't know. I don't know how that works."

"Well," Ironhide said. "There were lots who said things about your old ada and me when we bonded. No one said a great catch like me should hang out with him."

Ratchet snickered. "Caste stuff, slagger. Great catch … I don't disagree with that. However, your old atar is always saying you bonded up."

"My old atar was probably drunk at the time," Ironhide said with a wink.

"I think he was," Ratchet said with a laugh. He looked at Fireball. "You and Lumi are very cute. Your friendship is so sweet. Ignore the slaggers. They might be just too young to get it or they might be jealous."

"Like most mechs are of Ratchet," Ironhide said with a big grin before he popped an Orb of the Crescent Moon into his mouth.

Everyone laughed including the shorties, though it was debatable whether they got it. Ratchet then glanced at Genesis and Quasar. "Do you two have good friends as well?"

They grinned at him. "Not yet, though we like a lot of mechs," Quasar said as the bun bowl got passed around before losing half its contents on Ironhide's plate.

"Good. Play the field. I do," Ratchet said as he exaggerated a wink back at Ironhide.

"In your dreams, old mech," Ironhide said with a smoldering optic. :Once you had this, there's no turning back: he finished off line as he flexed his superstructure.

The little kids laughed. **"ATAR! YOU FUNNY! I, ORION SAYED SO!"**

"You are, Atar," Sunspot said as the others laughed.

" **I AM IRONHIDE! I AM FUNNY!"** Ironhide said with a chuckle.

Dinner would be da bomb.

-0-TBC 10-12-18

ESL: to stand in good stead is to be okay, to stand in good order, to be up to date, in good standing …

EX: "He stood in good stead with all his friends who were happy to see and support him."


	495. Chapter 495

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 495)

Sorry for the dry spell. I took care of my niece's slightly insane little dog and I think I have an actual headache from his tense and wild ass behavior. He just went home after a week with me. Only now do two thoughts fit together. Here we go …

-0-Next orn as everyone hits the trail following buses, cabs and metros, oh my ...

They walked to their jobs after getting things organized. There would be more tests to run on Crader, then a decision from Prime about transplanting the other nine individual's sparks into mini-con frames. The rest of that party was in prison and would be monitored remotely from Femme and on site to ensure that their rate of transmutation didn't suddenly bump up to high speed. They didn't need to even inadvertently create fifteen more to battle with that were what Wheeljack and Ratchet were humorously calling 'phase seven fraggers'.

Everyone off world was heading there by bridge including Alor who was to see what the timetable for the Tall White to reach the home stretch for his home world would be from his command in Las Vegas. They had been hauled past the temporal breech guarded by Tennyson and handed on their way. Given their little white round vessels were sleeper ships, they would never know that they had a detour. A drone was following at a distance sending back information with which they would locate the alien's home system. Then they would take it from there.

Among the outstanding features of the orn was Ironhide and Prime heading for Cybertron to see more details on a prefabrication process for raising towers that would cut down the wait time by a fourth. The concern Prime had was keeping the workmanship topnotch. Where shortcuts could be made that sped things up, that was welcome. Shortcuts that undermined quality was a huge no-no and he would make sure it was understood. There were entire swatches of Cybertron that were lightly settled or small habitations that were completed. They were miracles but they were small, generally less damaged by war and easier to fix.

Cities were coming along, some of them just now getting teams in to diagram the removal of millions of billions of trillions of tons of twisted steel, all manner of wiring and plumbing, building materials and glass of all kinds. It would have to be dug out and removed, most of it to recycling with a bunch shot into the nearest star through a series of four small bridge set up in space to handle just that. The amount and kinds of wastes that were being found, denatured and transported out was mind boggling. It was astonishing how dangerous some places were.

They were still housing individuals all over the planet and the outlying local group. Millions now had temporary home in tent cities from among the billion and a half estimated on world. Hundreds of millions, even. But it was still a major problem getting everyone under a halfway decent roof. There were no problems of note for food and medical. It was anxiety relieving on a scale hard to describe that this part of the critical care aspect was being met. There were still those being found, some who truly didn't know they were liberated and others hiding either through terrible fright or processor ill health that were hungry, ill and dying. Scans were being made, pockets searched out on the ground and miracles happening. It would take a very long time to make this catastrophe even close to right again.

The world wide road system, all the major train lines with a few of the more critical side tracks, airfields everywhere and depots were operational and supplying everything one could ask for to everyone, everywhere. Titans sat all over the world and now were doing so in pairs or trios. There were 2,257 metro-titan class ships settled and working around the world, deeply dug in, supplying every need possible for the operation. There were tens of thousands of them hiding in parallel universes. They were finding each other and pulling them in to safety. The desire to contribute among them made it easy to get what was needed to make the plates spin.

Given that many there on world, it would still be a catastrophic venture if they had to lift off to go to battle or to leave Cybertron. They were networked, their support systems operating independently as well as dependently among that number and their functional need overrode everything else. They were a major deterrent to anyone with a bug up their aft but if they did have to lift off, it would be a massive disruption. Many were the titans whose formats were now designed into the local rebuilds.

The big frames were going with Ironhide and Prime while the rest of Ironhide's family went to their districts along with Hound to run the show. A call for everyone who could to meet them in Praxus for lunch was agreed upon as they walked through bridges to Cybertron, the outlying bases and the DMZ.

Meanwhile at the same time ...

Prowl stood in Ops Center looking at the data coming in from hidden sensors that were scattered close enough to Razorclaw to give a clearer picture of his shenanigans in those sectors of space that were not part of the direct sphere of Prime. They weren't looking too good. He glanced at Ratchet who was ambling in to pause beside him. A sensor hit him, then Ratchet grinned. "So far, so good."

Prowl grinned. "Did you doubt?" he asked rather jauntily. Prowl of Praxus was a very happy mech at the moment in spite of the data flowing in. "What's the word?"

"Crader doesn't have any features that kick in to transmute his new protoform it would appear. Apparently, the new protoform has to be gene spliced to make it happen, though the process is unknown yet. He's just another loud mouthed mini-con slagger and we all believe he can go to the prison and rot without causing injuries to the good guys." He smiled brilliantly.

Prowl grinned. "Okay."

Ratchet turned to go. "They're having lunch in Praxus this afternoon. You going?"

"Sure," Prowl said though this was the first he heard of it. "Come by and get me. Some of us are essential equipment."

Ratchet laughed as he exited the room. Prowl grinned, then turned to the task at hand.

Figuring out what Razorclaw was up to.

-0-Metro Femme

"We need to put the others back together, then take all these mini-cons to a very short jail cell and put them inside," Ratchet said as he glanced at Crader who was **SMOLDERING** nearby. "Thank goodness we have cells with tiny furniture and the like."

Perceptor grinned slightly. "You always were a forward thinker."

"Why thank you, Percy. You always were a gent," Ratchet said as he walked to Crader. "Given that you need to work out your brilliant strategy for Caste Court, we're moving you out of here. Prison is awaiting. We'll bring the others when they get screwed back in. Take care," Ratchet said as heavily armed mechs and orderlies with a gurney walked in. "Take him away, boys. Warden Gee-Gee has been briefed."

"Got it, Doc," Roadbuster said as he watched the orderlies put him on the gurney. They wheeled him out, then Ratchet turned to the techs watching. "Come with me, infants. We have to retrieve some sparks. Are you going to get the protoforms up here?" he asked Wheeljack.

"Yep," Wheeljack said as he sat down on the med berth. He grinned at Ratchet. "Go get 'em."

"On it, slagger," Ratchet said as he walked out with the techs. He would return, then show everyone there how you replace sparks into protoforms swiftly. Given that he'd done it multitudinous times over his long war time medical career, it would be done well but quickly. By the time Ironhide called him to come to Praxus, the last one would be wheeled out to the runabout on the roof to go to prison.

-0-Prison

Warden Gee-Gee stood by the gate where the new prisoners would be locked up. They decided to put them into the cells formerly occupied by Sentinel, Ratbat, Decimus, Halogen and the like due to her own disquiet over Crader's former self. She was assured that he wouldn't morph but she wasn't the kind to ignore hunches.

It would be in the end a very good thing that she didn't.

-0-Praxus

They stepped out of the ship bridge onto the well cleared streets of Praxus. They were near the main city park where ships were setting down and leaving. Across the street at the City Hall, the Autobot HQ for Praxus functioned orn and night. The area was well cleared, slowly rising up and a shadow of the great and fabled beauty of The Old City as it was called. This was the center of learning and art, of the most ancient traditions and practices, of the highest castes known among their kind and gracious beautiful houses and buildings. Though the Seeker barrage … the Obliteration had been horrendous, there were still entire sections of the city that were still relatively intact. This was one of them. Apparently, Megatron wanted to keep the core intact there just like he did for Kaon and Tarn.

They walked down the street, noted the pot holes and pits that had been filled and cut across it to go to the sidewalk that ran along the park, a great central park that was filled with every kind of Cybertronian tree, bush and flower in the distant past. It was one of those places that if any Cybertronian saw it, they would know where and what it was. Now it was flat, filled with ships and individuals hurrying on the job and lit with light towers.

"I'll be grateful on my knee assemblies when this planet has a star," Prowl said as they cut through the ships toward a group gathered with Prime.

"You and me both," Ratchet said as they walked along the side of Prime's vessel. He was sitting on a crate talking with the mechs. He'd just completed the business here and was listening to stories, requests, new gains, a few more losses, the recovered dead count, what was coming next, what would have to happen first, the local criminal element situation, and on and on …

Everyone of Ironhide's family was here, two of them arriving as Prowl and Ratchet did. Hound was here as a district director and so were any number of Autobots that came with Prime to kibitz and hang around. "Looks like the prison let out for lunch," Ratchet said with a big smile.

"Speak for yourself," Kup said. "What did you bring for lunch?"

"Me?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"You're risking the cosmic rust to eat his food," Prowl said before Ratchet slugged him.

"Don't slag him, Ratchet. We want the kid first," Alor said as he leaned against Blackjack who sat on a concrete piling.

"They're all mine," Prowl said. "All of them." He turned to the ship. "Did you have lunch or do we have to fetch?"

"It's being brought from Mars," Hercy said. "Hold your horses, mech."

"I have them, you know. A good dozen," Prowl said with a slight buzz of amused superiority.

"It helps him with the Autobot Scouts," Ratchet said before getting slugged by Prowl

Just then, mechs walked through the ship bridge behind them with food boxes and drinks. Pizza, sandwiches, some pocket type food peculiar to Cybertron and good beer rounded out the main course. Cookies and other treats in boxes rounded out the meal. They gathered food, then sat. Around them, ships landed and took off, the traffic on the roads began to pick up now that lunch was getting over and the place was humming.

"This is good," Hercy said. "Where we headed next, Prime?"

"We're going north," Optimus said. "More little towns are complete and I want to see them. We also have to pay our respects at the mass grave sites."

It was silent for a moment, then Ratchet glanced at Devcon. "What's the word on the grandson? Still invoked?"

Dev smirked at Ratchet. "Yes, nosy. Smokescreen is handling that with Moda. I think its going well but that's up to them."

Ratchet nodded. "We were told that some of the kids at Intermediate were making comments about Fireball and Lumi. I think they're just immature and not used to relationships yet. Nothing malicious but it makes both of them uncomfortable."

"Those two kids are stellar," Hercy said with a slight frown. Everyone nodded. "Want me to speak to them?"

Ratchet grinned, then glanced at Ironhide. "We did but you can. An infant never went too far wrong with a lot of good appa style advice."

"Those kids don't need a lot. They came out pretty first class, all of them. There's something really sweet and innocent about those two. I hope this isn't a big thing," Hercy said.

"I know. Growing up isn't for sissies," Ratchet said. Everyone agreed and then some.

-0-Intermediate School

Lumi sat at a table in the library looking at a picture book of Alaska. There were a number of big glossy picture books stacked up and he was going to take them with him. One was of the canals of Amsterdam, another of Paris and one of the ancient ruins of Rome. He was fascinated with the beauty of the three countries and their different kinds of history. Ancient places were interesting to see. Maybe he could see some of these places some fine orn.

A pair of mechs were standing nearby getting books when Fireball joined Lumi in a chair. Fireball leaned on Lumi's shoulder and slid his arm around his chair when Lumi showed him the Coliseum of Rome. It was featured with lights at night on the page. They stared at it, talking quietly together, their helms nearly touching. The two kids who watched grinned at each other, then the two. When they turned to go onward, they were halted before the slightly frowning figures of Santee and Saber.

-0-TBC 10-14-18 **edited 10-15-18**


	496. Chapter 496

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (Dd6 496)

-0-Praxus, Cybertron

It was dark and noisy as they sat together winding down from lunch. A short catch up of the sit rep was had for Prowl's benefit before things wandered. Hercy glanced at Hard Drive who was staring in the distance. "You didn't live downtown. Were you in the District?"

"We had a place there and so did Blackjack and Raptor," Hardie said as he glanced at the recruit. "Not much there now though. They tried to take all of us out, getting the military in one fell swoop and preserved this area altogether."

"You had a nice neighborhood if I remember," Hercy said.

"Its about two feet tall now," Hardie said. "I went there and used my GPS to find the place. Nothing is left. Its all obliterated down to the ground."

"Where did you live, Prowl?" Prime asked.

Prowl who was sitting on the edge of a ship beside him glanced toward the City Hall. He nodded that direction. "About two miles straight ahead. We had an apartment in a tower that faced this way. We could see for miles and miles. If you had good optics, you could watch the football games in the arena."

"Why?" Kup asked with a grin.

Huge mockery and a very handsome winged scowl greeted that. "Fraggers. This was a great city."

"It will be again," Prime reminded him. "We have to go by the shrine. They opened a couple of vaults and get readings there that might indicate Primal relics."

"I wish they'd find the keys," Prowl said.

"Won't find them here," Ironhide said. "Would be nice though. Imagine this place rising up rebuilt."

They all could.

-0-Prison

Crader watched as the guards walked past with some of his party in custody. He was being kept alone in a small pen while the majority of his 24 companions were held in small groups in the same cell block. Outside, it was cold and clear with a weak sunlight making the place look much friendlier than Cybertron. They had remained a long time, hanging on in the Empire until just before Prime took it back. They were contraband shippers, thieves, data miners, scam artists, killers, unscrupulous fraggers without seemingly redeeming features.

Their journeys had taken them far and wide, their contacts had become nearly unparalleled, their willingness to gather strange things and apply them notable. Thus, they had been to secret spaces, gathered a lot of dangerous things together and met with sparkless inventors and manufacturers to find this and that, then put them all together. Their tech was an amalgamation and the inventors as shady and amoral as they came.

Walking down dripping alleys on open planets where anything and anyone goes, they had made a plan, then worked out the details. Coming toward Razorclaw had gotten them into the migration to Oasis Base. They barely made it out of there without detection or more than the usual notice, a plan they hadn't wanted to undertake anyway, to find themselves walking into Prime's hideout. Razorclaw was close so they expected to take a shuttle and make a run for it. They hadn't banked on this place and its layers and layers of obstacles. Now they were fragged.

He walked to the fence and stopped as the heat of the bars reached him. It was disconcerting. Heat didn't phase him before, nor did pain. He was invincible. Now he was a slagging mini-con. He felt hatred rising inside as he watched more of his people being locked up. The protoform he was inhabiting didn't have the internal conversation feature functioning. They would have to either yell to each other or figure out some form of sign language. The signing he knew required both mechs to lay hands palms together. That was out of the question here.

Standing nearby, Warden Gee-Gee stared at him, her internal alarms signaling trouble ahead. She had done this too long to ignore such intuitions. Glancing upward at her lieutenant warden, Colius, she considered things. "Turn that up higher. For all of them. As high as you can get without blowing a fuse. I don't like their energy, Coli."

He nodded. "I don't either."

-0-Ops Center

"What's the word out past the DMZ, Prowl? I'm going out now," Paragon said as he paused beside the command table before heading out for a tour of the ships posted there.

"We have odd signals past him, out toward the different groups that live there. It could be that he's harassing them or raiding. I have it flagged for Optimus," Prowl said as the big mech, someone who bore a good resemblance to Prowl sat down. "I know he can't keep all those mechs busy and inline without throwing his usual business in. Even if he could be as strategic as he likes to be sometimes, his mechs will get restless."

Paragon nodded. "Where is Imperialis in this? You know he was thought to be headed the long way around or is he still dug in back at the old Functionalist site? If he is, who has he aligned with? We need more information."

Prowl nodded. "I'll get Starscream on it. We can't let this get out of servo," Prowl said. "We're going to be rescuing out that way through Oasis Base with Atlas. These fraggers need put down."

Paragon nodded. "We have a meeting of the minds then," he said as he stood. "Keep me informed." He walked toward the door and disappeared.

Prowl considered that, then wrote a note to flag the intel he did get straight to Paragon. He bent to the 101 tasks already on the table.

-0-School, Library

They stared at the three kids standing by the stack watching Lumi and Fireball. Glancing at each other with surprise, Santee and Saber moved closer before stopping. The kids were snickering and whispering like kids do, then they turned to go. Freezing at the sight of the two behind them, then turned around and lit out for their table the other way, passing by Lumi and Fireball who didn't notice them. Sitting with other kids, they glanced at the two as they walked over to join Lumi and Fireball.

Those two looked up, then Fireball grinned. "Look at this, Santee," he said, then froze. "What?" He stared at the pair, then glanced over his shoulder. The kids watching glanced into their books quickly. He looked at the two again. "What happened?"

"They were talking about you two and snickering," Saber said with a bit of anger.

"Who? Us?" Fireball said as he sat straighter. He glanced at Lumi with confusion, then began to stand. He was going to talk to them when their teachers, two of them were using the library at the same time, called all of the kids to go back to their rooms.

They stared at the three kids who jumped up and hurried out the door. Gathering their own books, they finished checking out, then walked back to their classrooms. It was a big group of grim faced titanic boys that walked into their classrooms for science.

-0-Industrial Park City, Site 235, Part City #6, at the Foundry with the Master of Metallurgy and Tie Down of Iacon

They watched the huge box come in with alien handwriting on the side. It was being carried on the huge overhead pulley system after offloading from a huge non-sentient flat bed truck that took joors to drive from the airport after delivery. It then went overhead across the huge warehouse toward the enormous vault room where the most precious or dangerous materials were held. It rumbled slowly, then lowered to enter the vault on a specially built trailer with tiny drone vehicle that would take it inside. They followed it, then watched as the drone backed up, parking it in the space for it, then unhooked and drove out to wait again for a task.

Walking to the huge box, they peered over the edge to see immensely dark bars, ingots that were dauntingly heavy stacked inside. They were as dark as the night, the long slender bars. They were kept slim and long, ready for smelting and easier handling. They made the sharpest cutting edges every created anywhere and this was the same stuff that was plated on mechs, blazing hot and applied directly, that made phase six mechanisms not only so hard to kill but probably made them so crazy as well. The only way to make this kind of armor possible was to heat it red hot, then apply it to the bearer's body to cool there and form a bond that was nearly impossible to break.

It was also the single most valuable metal in the known universe. The only way to get this metal was to draw it from the event horizon of a black hole. The only individuals who knew how to do it were the aliens who lived near the massive and violently active singularity at Caris V. They were deeply reclusive and self protecting. Whenever anyone tried to go to them directly, they receded their space ship transports into the horizon itself. When whoever it was pulled back, they came out again. No one knew how they managed to do that and not die but they could. No one had ever seen them, they traded through messaging and distance delivery and were incredibly scrupulous, honorable in their dealings and famed for their reputation. It was an enigma to everyone everywhere.

The Master of Metallurgy, Camden of Tyger Pax turned to them. "When will the dies be ready, Tie?"

"We have them here now. I put them in your office, Camden," he said.

"Thank you. The portion of the material for your blades and tools will be ready when you are, Tie. We're going to do the smelting here but you can go from there. The forge room and all the rest is at your disposal," Camden said.

"Thank you," Tie said as they walked toward the door of the room. "I have to make the tools for my son given some prisoners came who bear phase six level armor. I'm hoping that I'm fast enough to remove the casts from the dies before they harden too much. It was very nerve wracking last time we did this."

"If anyone can do it, you and Ravel can," Camden said as they stepped outside. He pressed the buttons and the door closed, sealed until he came back to begin the difficult process of turning the detritus created in the event hell of a black hole into liquid again just long enough to fill molds for tools. It would take them both all orn long.

-0-School, Intermediate, Iacon

They stood on the schoolyard having finished lunch, a group of very tall boys standing together with a few smaller ones. Rambler was laughing with them as they waited for the bell.

Then Lumi saw one of the kids from the library walk past nearby. He frowned. "Who is that mech?" he asked as everyone turned to see what he was staring at. No one knew.

"Why?" Coros asked.

"He's just a pest, that's all," Lumi said as Fireball squeezed his servo.

"Ignore him," Rambler said with a grin. "What about the science test coming up in chemistry?"

All of them commiserated over having a full professor from the Science Institute of Praxus for an intermediate school teacher. The test was going to be a corker.

-0-At a bench nearby waiting for someone

Metrotitan was off shift and waiting outside the Intermediate School for his girl, the luminous and hysterically awesome 2-Lip of Stanix. She was a level 3 student working her way to certification and graduation. She was an artist, natch, and was taking up dancing at the University when she graduated. She was **MAD!MAD!MAD!** for Metrotitan and he was **MAD!MAD!MAD!** for her. Her family who had blanched when she came home to tell them in the most dramatically Stanixian way possible that she was **IN LOVE WITH A TALL BOY!** melted immediately in the warmth of the big frames and this one in particular. 2-Lip's ada already called him 'my son-in-law, the city'.

They had gone to jail together, cavorted on television during a half time and were as simpatico as two individuals could be. She was hilarious and he thought she was hilarious. She was short, he was massively tall, three times taller than her given she was slightly taller than most mini-cons her age. She was smart, funny, delighted with life, loyal to a fault (the motto of Stanix), artistic, doted on him like an old hen her chicks, thought he was **HANDSOME!HANDSOME!HANDSOME!**

And smart. Did I say smart?

Tyke on the other servo worshiped the ground she hovered over, thought she was the most beautiful femme he ever saw, loved her art, loved her family, loved being this happy. Whatever she wanted to do, he was good to go. Carrying her with him half the time, they had a constant conversation together which was great since they nearly agreed completely on everything. The best part of all? No one in his giant (sized) family ever gave him slag over it.

Titan was really gone over 2-Lip.

The doors opened and big kids fogged out, half of them running for buses or the metro. Waiting on his bench, he saw her exit. She looked for him, smiled brightly and waved. He watched her run his way with a fluttering spark. She hugged him around the leg, then grinned upward. **"HI!"**

"Hi," he said as they walked toward the metro.

Chatting about her orn, telling him more about the parties her gigantic family would throw for her pending graduation, she held his servo as they walked through the crowds. They disappeared down the steps just as she was telling him how Uncle Buzzie would be putting together one of her parties himself.

Yes, Metrotitan was flirting with the idea of calling Cliffjumper 'uncle'.

-0-TBC 10-15-18 **edited 11-1-18**


	497. Chapter 497

The Diego Diaries: Crader and Beyond (dd6 497)

-0-As the orn wend onward

" **DOWN!"**

"Lower your voice, imp." [Big grin]

[giant grin] "Down."

Roto snorted with surprise, then laughed loudly. Orion had lowered his voice.

About an octave.

"Who taught you that, imp?" he asked around his laughter and that of those 'just sitting in' on the hilarity.

As usual.

"Ada. Ada tolded me, Orion … low dis thing. I doed it." He smiled brilliantly as he sat on the table holding the cards he aced thus far in his lesson.

"Your ada is nuts," Roto said with a grin. He held up a card. "Plane."

"Pwane."

"Pllll-ane."

"Pllll-wane."

That card went into the other stack. Orion watched it go there, then looked at Roto. They stared at each other a moment, then Orion smiled brilliantly. Everyone laughed.

Next card.

"Pie."

"Pie."

 **HUZZAH!**

"Rat."

"Wat."

"RRRR-at."

"RRRR-at."

"Now say it, imp."

"Wat."

Huge smile.

No card.

"Fan."

"Fan."

 **SCORE!**

"Sand."

"Sand."

Roto grinned. He held up another. "Polka dots."

Orion leaned closer to study it with his comically serious face, then leaned back. "Po-po pots."

"Polka."

"Pooky." [Smile]

"Pole-kuh." [Grin]

"Pompo. Po-Po." [grin] "Poop. Poo-Poo." **[HUGE CACKLE! SHINING OPTICS!] "I, ORION SAY** **POO-POO!** " He fell onto his back laughing loudly.

Roto who was chuckling as well patted his little ped. "You did, slagger. Sit up." He tugged the cackling infant back up and held the card. "Dots."

" **DOTS!"**

"Polka. Dots."

"Pooper. Poo-poo. Said me **pooper! BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHA!** " He fell over again. So did half the room.

-0-Earth2

Jase Daniels sat in his office doing what he had trained to do when he was in college. He held an MBA, Masters of Business Administration and thus he was a paper pusher and planner in the habitat. His grandfather and father were also working here, though what they did he really couldn't say. His grandfather, the former Senate Majority Leader was still highly affected by the prison term he had gotten before being pardoned with everyone else in the case. That all of them were offered a chance to come here of all places was a godsend. They were more than persona non grata on Earth. They had gotten death threats over the pardons.

Nast had come here as well. It was weird, all of them here including Theodore Galloway. They worked in different parts of the facility which was a good thing and their homes weren't close together. Though most of the administrative operation was clustered together, there were islands of offices all over the site where different groups, individuals or departments did their business. None of them worked together which was a blessing. All of them hated each other deeply. Now they had come here to regroup and lick their wounds along with wives and children. It was good to be out of the direct disdain of everyone in the world. The obvious disdain of those who lived here was more manageable. They weren't as many.

The phone rang so Daniels answered. "Jason Daniels, Business Planning."

He listened to the call, then sat back as Sam Witwicky discussed a meeting to discuss things that he and Ted Galloway were connected to, projects submitted through their offices for companies on Earth to bring their operations here. He agreed, then hung up. Considering having a lunch meeting with Sam Witwicky was going to be strange as both of them loathed each other with real heat. He picked up his phone and called his father. His father answered. "Hi. Sam Witwicky wants a lunch meet up tomorrow to discuss business."

His father who was sitting at his desk looking at stock prices for the Earth2 Corporation sat back. "What business?"

"He wants to discuss applications. You remember the two I was telling you about? They sent their files to me and I had to vet them. Krugeret Enterprises and Docint Corporation."

"What did they want?" James Daniels said as he watched his father across the hallway in his own office talking to someone on the phone. He seemed to be happy doing it and he felt slightly better for his dad. He had been hardest hit of all of them.

"They want to partner for electronics and telecommunications research," Jase said. "One of them is from Germany and the other is Australian."

"Oh. Who else is going?" James asked.

"Ted has to come. Docint wants Nast to speak on their behalf. I don't know if he's coming or not. I suppose I have to ask," Jase said with a tone of distaste.

"Do. Then fill me in," James said. They chatted a moment, then hung up to continue on at their tasks. The demand for attention from the facility from Earth was astounding. They were four of the gateways through which the interactions flowed. The sun would shine through their massive windows all day long as they labored inside a sentient giant, the Great Paribolus.

They would never have an inkling while they did.

-0-Performing Arts Center

Trooper watched the rehearsals of a play involving a number of students from the University drama department. They were going to take the play on the road to Cybertron and the local group when it was refined to Trooper's exacting standards. It was one he had written himself and it featured a lot of young bots chatting about life and love, the fortunes of war and how one could rise again.

Standing in the doorway watching as well, Scout considered the sun shining in through the windows nearby as the kids went through the dialog for act two. It was very good, he considered, though Troop would have final say. These were his words after all. He grinned, then walked out to head for the main stage where a matinee of the big play they had presented for the grand opening was having one of the last performances of its life, one which had a human in the cast.

Soon it would be retired and another would take its place. They would never run out of art, music and performances of all kind. Not only had the two been feverishly writing and composing but the arts mainframe in Praxus had been part of what had been discovered there when Prime was visiting earlier in the orn. All of their repertoire had been recovered including masses and volumes of that of other composers, play writers, authors and teachers of the arts. It was a treasure trove from the heavens covering their entire artistic history.

They were delighted and would receive their works when the mainframe was restored and placed on Mars for safekeeping. Then they would have shelving delivered to their apartment for their spare room and office, the walls down the hallway, those in the living room and everywhere else to hold their restored collection of works. They would swoon with delight at the turn of events even as Alor would have a fit.

All was well in their world.

-0-Diego Garcia

They walked out, the mostly youngling mechs and the odd femme from the Home Guard who were now permanently assigned to the garrison. No one complained, though a few of the more dramatic ones fretted about their destinies. Being here was fun, good for the ego with the constant stream of mobs of people of all kinds and the attention of the permanent press who were allowed a small contingent here. There was a lot to do including swimming, playing ball, shooting and racing. The company and food was outstanding, the weather mostly perfect and the views everywhere stunning.

Still …

"So why don't you do something about it?" Jolt asked as they walked along the road through the base on their rounds. "Talk to Roddy and figure this out."

"Frag that," Smokey said. "I'm not talking to him. He hasn't said a word to me or anyone else since my appa invoked."

"I heard that a caste court has been called. Remember that mech who tore up the port a while back and there was a shoot out with his group in City 5?" Jolt asked as they waved at sailors nearby.

"Yeah. I wish I'd been there. I could **use** some action," Smokey said mopily.

"Well, the slagger is going to go to caste court to try and beat the rap." Jolt chuckled. "There's a few more Praxian Elites around here but they're led by the General. He's the oldest and most senior."

"I wish I could see that. How is he supposed to win?" Smokey asked as they neared the Officer's Club.

"I don't know. I don't get them sometimes, high caste fraggers," Jolt said as he glanced at the club. Cameron Frazer was stepping out with a couple of officers from the Navy. He was here once in a while doing something related to personnel from Earth2. He was still a dick as far as the garrison was concerned.

Jolt who was worshiped here by most folks because he was a nice guy and had a penchant for speeding around with whoever was at hand knew the officers. They slowed, then looked up at the sparkling mini-con with the odd flash of static electricity popping up here and there. They grinned at him. "Hi, Jolt, Smokey. How are you doing?" Commander Philips from somewhere said. They knew the humans names but not all their designations. He looked like a sailor to the two who hadn't put a lot of study into their human comrades other than to assign them to a two column list … slagger or good guy. Philips and Martin Steadman, the other officer were good guys. Cameron Frazer was a dick.

"We're good. What's going on? Why is he here?" Jolt asked with his usual straight ahead lack of giving a damn.

Steadman grinned as Philips laughed. "Earth2 business," he said as Frazer frowned. "You on patrol?"

"Yep," Jolt said as he tossed a ball of electricity between his servos. He looked at Frazer who was to the garrison on the level of Nast and Daniels because of stories Sideswipe had told them. "You going now?"

"What if I am? What if I'm not?" Frazer said with a touch of anger in his voice.

"I don't care," Jolt said with a grin as the electricity flashed in his servos, then disappeared. "Might smell better around here though. What do you think, Smokey?" he asked the tall tense winger.

"I think so," Smokey said as he leaned in slightly with an expression of anger of his own. "The girls around here might agree."

Frazer turned as pale as a sheet, then looked at the two officers with him who were smirking only just so slightly. "I'm going ahead. Fuck these two."

"You're not our type, crybaby," Jolt said as static struck the ground. That it did so close to Frazer may or not have been purposeful.

Electricity. So …

Frazer glared at him. "You think you're funny, tin can. Fuck you and your garrison."

Smokey was lit but Jolt stepped closer. "Ah, did the little snowflake get his feelings hurt? I wasn't the one beating up women. I wasn't the loser who got transferred and dead ended because I beat up girls. Toughen up, slagger. You wimp."

Frazer stared at the two with real hatred, then spun on his heels and stomped off. He disappeared into the barracks nearby where he was staying as the four of them watched. The officers looked up at the two bots. "If you two get into trouble over this, call us. We hate him, too."

Jolt grinned, then nodded. He glanced around, then knelt. "Want a ride?"

They did.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal Code 1

He sat sorting out messages just delivered by the post office and the interdepartmental mail service whose biz hub was once the domain of Partition of somewhere or the other. Prowl grinned slightly, then continued. At that moment Devcon appeared with a datapad. He sat down across from Prowl with a slight grin on his astonishingly handsome face. "You busy?"

Prowl who respected Dev like few others, though he was as unorthodox as it came glanced up. "No. Why would you think that?"

They grinned at each other, then Dev handed the datapad in his hand to Prowl. Prowl read it, then grinned at Devcon. "This could be fun."

"If you say so, Prowler," Dev said as he rose to go back to tactical. The communications officer had given him the datapad so he would have the heads up.

Praxians of a feather ...

Prowl considered the contents, a formal complaint against Autobot Smokescreen of Praxus and Autobot Jolt of … Prowl thought a moment. Polyhex? He would have to update his files now. The complaint was against them by the luminous, the one and only, Cameron Frazer, United States Navy, Retired. At that note, Prowl of Praxus laughed out loud.

Then he called Ratchet.

-0-TBC 10-16-18 **edited 11-1-18**

ESL:

mopey (moe-pee) someone who mopes or is mopey is someone who is depressed and down in the dumps. Mooning around was what it was called in my family. :D


	498. Chapter 498

The Diego Diaries: Oops. (dd6 498)

-0-Ops Center

They sat together commiserating over 'the deed what was done' in Diego. Prowl had routed a request into the command there and was told that the pair, Smokey and Jolt were on their rounds and at the moment 'hooting around the base with 'a couple of the good guy naval commanders … not like those other guys, Prowl'. They had forwarded the complaint to him from there when they received it from Frazer over the phone. To say Frazer wasn't professional about it when he demanded action was to put it lightly.

"What do you want to do?" Ratchet asked as he sat with his peds up on a chair staring at the winged winger of his best rabble rousing escapades of late.

"I think we need to show the flag … to give this the attention it deserves," Prowl replied as he stood up and stretched. "John Fulton and Andrew are in Virginia at the Pentagon and therefore, they won't be there to smooth the water. Again." He walked toward the door with Ratchet in tow. They disappeared into the crowd on their way to the bridge room downstairs.

-0-On the phone to dad and the others at Earth2

"I was with a couple of officers on the steps of the Officer's Club when two bots were passing on their rounds. They insulted me in front of the others and frankly, I've had it. That little silver fucker, Jolt, he makes a point of it and he had another one of them that brought up my departure from here and the rest of the lies." Cameron Frazer wasn't having it.

His father listened with a slow burn himself but he was smarter and after being a diplomat all of his adult life for a suave and very smart country like France, he was already regretting that his son didn't call him first. "You should have discussed this with me, Cameron. You may have set off a diplomatic situation here. What if the Prime decides to wash his hands and deports you to Earth?"

Cameron hadn't thought of that but at the moment he wasn't about to back down. "You aren't around them when they're dangerous. Sideswipe was going to tear a ship apart to get me. How many times do I have to come here on business and face this kind of harassment. If they're so big on ending harassment, why are their soldiers doing that to me? I don't deserve this kind of treatment. I'm here on an official capacity for Earth2. They have to take care of this. Fuck them all."

Pierre who was on speaker phone in the office with major investors, board members and on site worker bees, Hamilton Brown, Steve Jameson, Kyle Davis, Owen Harris and Cynthia Tomas listened to his son and saw in the faces of the others different responses. All of them were intrigued by what was happening but Cynthia. She was appalled.

As usual.

"When are you supposed to be home?" Pierre asked.

"Hang on a moment, Dad," Cameron said as he spoke off line to someone, his voice muffled probably by his hand over the phone. He was off a moment, then back. "Someone just told me that Prowl is coming about this."

"I'm coming," Pierre said. "Do not say **anything** , Cameron. We can make our point, then end this before it gets out of hand. Do you hear me?"

"Cameron, listen to your father," Owen Harris said as he sat in his chair listening thoughtfully to the conversation.

"Alright." Cameron glanced out the window of his barracks. No one was here yet from the Embassy but he could see Smokey and Jolt sliding to a halt nearby to let out some humans that had gotten a ride. They both transformed, laughed, then paused like they did when listening offline before heading back to the Embassy. They would disappear inside. He smirked slightly. "Old hard ass must be here. The two just went back to their Embassy."

"Wait until we send someone to handle this. Don't say a **word** , Cam," Owen Harris said as he cut the line. "Jenny, get me Prowl please."

"Yes, sir," a voice said through the intercom as his assistant in the office outside began to comply.

It was quiet a moment, then a voice calm and confident could be heard over the speaker phone on Harris's desk. "This is Prowl."

"Commander," Harris said as he sat up straight. "I'd like to talk to you. I'm not sure that you may know about a small incident that occurred at the base in Diego Garcia. We want to discuss it and get it out of the way. We're sure that we can work out something that will satisfy everyone if we can talk."

"I will speak to you in a moment, Mr. Harris. I'm at Diego and I'm ascertaining the facts. Give me a moment. Prowl out."

Prowl turned to Ratchet who was grinning at him. They were standing in the rec room that was empty at the moment. Everyone was elsewhere or on duty inside the Ops Center nearby. As they waited, Jolt and Smokey came through the door, slowed a moment, then walked to the pair. "Well, I hear you were busy," Prowl said with a frown.

"He so **totally** deserved it," Smokey said defiantly.

Jolt grinned, then nodded.

Prowl stared at them with a baleful expression, one of hopelessness and irritation. "What's the mission here? To break every possible linkage we have.'

"He's a slagger, Prowl. Even the sailors hate him. They told us to call them if he complained. He's rude and nasty. I like everyone here but him," Jolt said as Smokey nodded. "This is a good duty until he shows up. Why does he come here?"

"Business for Earth2. Earth 1 comes here for the same reason, so does Sciences, all of them. I imagine that Unidad will at some point," Prowl said.

"That reminds me, I have to go there today," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. Everyone smirked at him. He smirked at them.

"Who were the witnesses?" Prowl asked. He got the names. "Stay here until I sort this out. No going out."

They frowned at him, then watched the two walk out to the scrutiny of the masses lounging and hanging around. It was noisy outside with the two showing up, these bots who didn't come here as much as before. Jolt glanced at Smokey. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Smokey said as they both walked to the buffet and desserts sitting on the tables along the wall.

"You are, too," Jolt said as he began to fill a plate.

"I am. Do you suppose we get punishment detail now?" Smokey asked as he glanced at the door.

"Who cares?" Jolt asked as he grinned at Smokey with his adorable little mini-con face.

Smokey snorted, then grinned. "Mini-cons. You're nuts."

"That we are," Jolt said with a big grin. They filled their plates, got a tall cold one, then sat down at a table to fill their faces, wait for the word and plan their duffels for duty on Charon.

Maybe.

-0-Outside

They walked along waving to the humans that called out, pausing here and there for the odd vehicle to pass until they reached the Officer's Club. Ratchet knelt and peered into the window. "Hello, tiny people. Can someone help little old us?" He batted his optical ridges like a southern debutante.

Prowl rolled his optics as the building nearly emptied out. They looked up at the bots with grins. "What's up? Nice to see both of you. It's been a while," Commander DeLay of the Her Majesty's Navy said.

"It has. I don't get the invites to parties that I used to," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I don't know if its me or my deodorant."

The expression on Prowl's face was priceless as he glanced sharply at Ratchet. It would be immortalized in the memories and memory cards of all present. Huge laughter erupted, then DeLay patted his foot. "You have a standing invitation, both of you. How can we help you? Frazer?" he asked as some in the group gave audible groans.

"You read my hard drive, infant," Ratchet said. "What happened?"

"It was petty," DeLay said. "I was in the bar when it happened and heard it all through the window. Jolt and Frazer sassed each other, it got nasty right away and then they walked away. I take it that the two don't like Frazer much. News flash … none of us do."

Prowl nodded. "Unanimous. However, our soldiers have to be appropriate." He glanced at Ratchet, then DeLay. "Well, most of them."

Huge laughter erupted as Ratchet stood up to preen a moment. "Give us the text and subtext, boys. He filed a complaint. We're here sleuthing."

DeLay grinned as nearby walking back to the club were the two sailors in question, Bill Philips and Marty Steadman, commanders in Her Majesty's Navy. They greeted the two, then told their story. "We came out, chatted, then it was tart and led to more. The bots didn't take his crap. The reason for his dead end career was mentioned along with the women here, then he walked off. It was an exchange of words between people who don't like each other. It was nothing worse than that, Commander. I wouldn't take it if one of my men handed it to me. This is a conflict of small consequence."

Prowl considered that. "I see," he said.

"What you have here is a trio of strong personalities slagging each other. No one likes Frazer on world and here. He works at Earth2 and it doesn't sit well. We need to tell our boys to behave, Prowler. Everyone is going to think you run a leaky ship," Ratchet said with a grin and a wink at the humans.

Prowl frowned at Ratchet with personal affront. "As if," he sniffed to everyone's delight. "Where did he go?"

"To his quarters," Steadman said as he nodded to the visitor's barracks nearby, one that the model makers of Mars had replaced.

"Thank you, Commander," Prowl said. "I think we need to chat." With that, he walked through the crowd toward the building.

Ratchet watched him go, then smiled at the humans. "Thanks, boys. You did us a solid."

"Any time, Ambassador," most of them said with grins. Then they followed the two.

Prowl had reached the building, then put in a call. After a moment, an upstairs window opened and Frazer leaned out with his phone. It was linked to Owen Harris and Company. Prowl stared at Frazer and Frazer, him. It was obvious there was no love lost. Prowl had on his cop face and ice cold demeanor with full blown SIC embellishments. Frazer had a cold bulldog set to his face. Ratchet deferred to their willingness to duke it out along with the rest of the crowd. It got silent fast. "I got your complaint. I want to hear your side of this issue."

"I have the leadership of Earth2 on the phone. They require to be here," Frazer said. "I'd prefer to discuss this at Autobot City."

Prowl stared at him, then nodded. "Get there. Ten minutes." With that, he turned on his heels and after chatting a moment to the humans watching, walked to the Embassy beyond.

Ratchet who was told to take statements glanced at Frazer who was still watching. "When Prowl says ten minutes, he doesn't mean 10.5."

Frazer glanced at him, then pulled back in. In minutes, just about the time Ratchet finished with his recording, Frazer hurried past for the Embassy. Prowl would have him met at the doors with the bridge operator who would carry him to the bridge and place him gently into it. He would land on his feet, stare at the operator, then run like the wind when he said he was 'shutting down the bridge now'.

Eventually he would.

When Ratchet went through and all was well and normal again.

Jolt and Smokey would come when called, if they were.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City moments later

Prowl sat at his command seat waiting for Loon and the Other Loon. He was feeling no pain. He and Prime would go see Perceptor and Wheeljack tonight with their requirements for a winged mech. After a long and detailed dissertation on the relative merits of both a femme with femme wings, a femme with modified mech wings, a mech without wings and/or one winged, a femme and/or mech that looked like him, Prowl, and The One They **Would** Be Having … one that fit somewhere in the middle of the mishmash of different notions, ideas, suggestions, mulled over premises … like that ... Prowl had prevailed.

Again.

Prime on the other hand was **IMMENSELY** entertained by the workmanlike quality Prowl brought to all his projects, especially those that dealt with their personal life. The mech was unconsciously hilarious in most of what he did, so determined was he to take care of his family. Prime was glad and entertained that he did.

Inside the big room, Ratchet's footfalls could be heard followed by a truck driven by Will Lennox. He was called to come with whoever he wanted to see the floor show. Niall Graham, his father, Thomas, Ron Witwicky finishing up his sandwich in the car along with Gavin Pritchard because he was at the Tower putting something in the fridge that the chef at the Resort had made for everyone's dessert that night barreled in, then parked by the table. :Prowl. Where's this going to happen?: Will radioed.

"Here. I think it won't last long. Maybe," Prowl said as the humans filed out and began to climb the ladder that was always under the table next to a leg and thus, out of the way when not needed. They walked across the table as another truck drove in, one with the Earth2 logos on its doors and roof. All of the vehicles the humans used here had their identity on their roofs so they could be found easier if need be. They parked, then began to file out, too. Among them was Cameron Frazer.

They began to climb the ladder as a number of mechs wandered in, all of them called to come by Ratchet. Prowl noticed but didn't say anything. They had done this too many times over the eons not to know the plan by spark. Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown, Steven Jameson, Cameron Frazer and a pensive Cynthia Tomas walked toward Prowl, then halted at the leading edge of the roll-out datapad showing things that humans couldn't even dream of. All of the Earth2 humans stared at it but Cynthia who was looking at everyone around her with concern.

:That is an impressive piece of tech, Commander: Owen said as he stared at the device. Nearby, all around them in fact were impressive pieces of tech, all of it necessary for the business of Prime's army.

"It is," Prowl said as he casually flipped the edge closest to him and it began to roll up. When it was finished, he pulled it toward him. "Come closer and lets get this settled if we can. We received your complaint about my soldiers, Autobots Smokescreen the Younger and Jolt. I do believe that Cameron Frazer is the complainant. I will be happy to entertain your concerns." He stared at Frazer with a cool optic.

The cop was back.

Frazer glanced at the others, then stepped closer. :I was at Diego to conduct business for the habitat. When I was there I was treated with disrespect in front of others by both. I don't expect to be friends with them but they didn't conduct themselves professionally and they insulted and belittled me in front of people I work with. Its harassment, Commander. This isn't the first time its happened:

"It's the first time it was brought to my attention," Prowl said calmly. "Its impossible given the information I have to evaluate those remarks when I'm just being told now."

:I'm telling you now and for all the other times. Every time I go to the base I get hassled. I don't go out of my way to be around any of the bots. They make it a point to embarrass me in front of the people I work with every time they can:

Prowl glanced at Ratchet. "You have information about this."

"I do," Ratchet said. "I interviewed the two British Naval commanders who were with you. They stated that the remarks were delivered from both sides. They also mentioned your incident of abusing a woman on base and your 'dead ended' career because of it." Ratchet grinned. "Don't shoot the messenger."

:Commander, Ambassador … it would appear that we have a situation here with volatile youngsters who need to be reminded that they have a responsibility to be professional to everyone regardless of their personal feelings. That's how we operate on our side and we'd hope it would apply on yours: Owen Harris began.

"It's always our intention that all of our soldiers deport themselves properly. I've called them here." Prowl sat back to wait which didn't take long. Smokey and Jolt walked in, smirked through the ring of bemused Autobots standing around to watch, then paused by the table. They smirked at the humans on both sides of the line, glared at Frazer, then turned to Prowl. That bot was leaning back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest with a bland expression on his handsome face. It didn't look good.

For anyone.

"Jolt, it was suggested that you weren't professional in your dealings with Mr. Frazer. Do your interviews support that assertion?" Prowl asked as he looked at Ratchet.

Ratchet grinned. "Pretty much."

"What about Frazer doing the same to Autobot Jolt?" Prowl asked.

"Pretty much," Ratchet replied.

"They rather canceled each other out, then," Prowl replied. The humans watched the exchanges like they were at a tennis match.

"Pretty much," Ratchet replied.

Everyone looked at the humans. "You didn't mention that you were as flippant and rude as you allege my soldiers were, Mr. Frazer. That's troubling as you humans so often say," Prowl replied dryly.

:I didn't ask for this: Frazer said hotly.

"Then perhaps our soldiers can apologize," Ratchet said with a grin.

Smokey and Jolt looked at Ratchet with a intense mix of betrayal, **WTF?** and **HELL NO!** on their handsome faces.

Devcon who was sitting nearby on the job was watching with a slight smirk on his face. "Us?"

"It would be the high road," Ratchet said. "Show your quality, infants. Show them what it means to be an Autobot."

The two stared at Ratchet, then each other. Then Jolt looked at Frazer. "I … apologize, you woman beating little half a man fucker, you."

" **WHAT *HE* SAID!"** Smokey said as he pointed his finger angrily at Frazer.

Prowl nearly upended his chair.

-0-TBC 10-17-18 **edited 11-1-18**

I sort of agree with Frazer about the situation but he wasn't proper either. Young mechs/men are tough customers when they feel they've been insulted. As for Jolt … he's a piece of work, our little mini-con whippersnapper. Literally. :D:D:D


	499. Chapter 499

The Diego Diaries: Housekeeping (dd6 499)

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City

They stood beside the command table at rigid attention. Jolt, however, being a wise aft mini-con worked only so much to keep the slight smirk off his face. Prowl was staring at the door down the way as he waited with arms crossed and a slow burn in effect. Ratchet was playing a game on a handheld and made no bones about it as he did. The humans were standing silently in groups on the table top as Gavin Pritchard walked to Ratchet. He looked at the game. :That's the craziest hardest looking version of Bubble Wars I've ever seen:

"Well, some think we're just glorified pinball machines, you know," Ratchet said with a wink.

Pritchard grinned. :I don't. You're more the claw hand machine that grabs little trinkets out of mechanized boxes down at the grocery stores:

Ratchet laughed. "That's probably true." He grinned, then followed Prowl's gaze to the doors down the way even as the tremors reached everyone through the floor. All of the construction of the colony was made to standards that would boggle the minds of the humans if they really knew. Everyone in the colony were varying degrees of heavy including small children so it was necessary that everywhere they walked was made to certain detailed specifications to support that. The floors had to hold and then some through intricate layering and materials construction. There could be no tremors and they would be muffled against the constant sound of walking and movement by heavy equipment-type loads like the bots were to a degree as metallic individuals.

It was much remarked upon how quiet things were though especially when a bot moved fast or pivoted. It was very seldom that the sound of their armor could be heard to make noise. The tromping and metal-on-metal action that movies and cartoons showed of them wasn't the reality here. The bots armor didn't clank unless it was an embellishment and most of those were removable portions of their personal artillery. They didn't make heavy or metallic sounds when they walked nor did the tremors often demonstrated in films happen. The joinings and joints, plates and other parts actually had texture if you were strong enough to grip and feel it. They had the ability to bend any part of their body any way they required to make movements and those movements were without noise 99.9% of the time. It was no more noisy here than it was among a human population on Earth.

Fortunately.

That being said, huge mechanisms like Bulkhead or Prime, the heavier members of their species and some of the big Seekers could cause a tremor when they walked. The paved roads and constructions that were home and city prevented that in their designs almost to a fault. If they didn't, the noise would be unbearable. It would be catastrophic and there would be no way to have a passable quality of life if every movement made a sound and every step caused a tremor. These mechanisms could stealth like nobody's business and if their bodies made the movements attributed to them by those who didn't know better, such as movie makers, they would give themselves away before they were even seen.

All that aside, Optimus Prime and the Praxians trailing him were some big mo-fo's.

They watched the mechs come with Optimus in the lead followed by Ironhide and Raptor. Optimus Prime was the personification of dignity and power, an effect that preceded him. The humans who watched never tired of it and the newbies felt the flutter of his enormity and dignity in their guts every time they saw him. To see him was to understand a lot. One could blow smoke rings out their ass anyway about the bots if they wanted and often did. But to see and be around him, one got it about these people. They were no one to trifle with and only the most arrogant, corrupt person or Decepticon forgot that.

Optimus paused at the end of the table after hearing about the situation all the way from the bridge room from Prowl off line. He was a bit amused and saw the good of coming here to personally see to this. What was amusing was Prowl's disgust and angst. He pulled out a chair, then sat. Everyone was facing him silently but for Smokey and Jolt who were boring holes into the far wall with their optics now that dad had arrived to spank/ground/bop them.

Prime glanced at Prowl. "I got your message. I suppose we should discuss this to some good end."

"I suppose we should," Prowl said with irritation. "Mr. Frazer filed a complaint. We had negotiated a settlement but it wasn't taken in the spirit I required by some of us," he said as he arched an optical ridge toward the two miscreant Autobots standing like statues beside the table. "I defer to your greater wisdom."

It was silent, then Prime settled his elbows on the table lacing his giant digits together, an altogether human and relatable sight to the humans waiting for him to speak. He looked at the newbies, Owen and the others as well as the uptight wary figure of Cameron Frazer and his equally tense father, Pierre. "Mr. Frazer … you were on Diego for the business of Earth2 and this happened. Correct?"

:Yes, sir: Frazer said as he straightened his posture.

"You assert it wasn't provoked by you," Prime said.

:It wasn't. I was insulted by this mech when I came out of the Officer's Club: He said pointing to Jolt, then Smokey. :I don't feel it reflects well on their professionalism to do that to me or anyone else for that matter. In some ways, we're on the same team: he said rather boldly.

"I have no problem with that concept, Mr. Frazer. You will find that our army is more informal than yours and that our soldiers are from mostly civilian lives prior to the war. That being said, I expect my soldiers to uphold both their honor and the Autobots when they are among the humans. I was filled in on the incident and you were also out of line in your commentary it was discovered. Some of it was profane and demeaning. You cannot demand for yourself what you do not give to others. Your best course of action was to walk away without remarking, thereby claiming the high ground in this incident. You did not do that." Prime stared at him but Frazer said nothing. He wanted to, clearly, but didn't.

"It would appear that both are at fault and both sides owe the other amends. I am not in charge of you, Mr. Frazer. I am leaving that to the leadership of Earth2. These two soldiers are my responsibility and I will handle that part of this encounter." He sat back to look at all the humans there. "I am open to your council, William."

Lennox stared at Frazer, then Prime. :I think what you've decided is good. You can't get respect unless you give it. Apparently, you aren't being very collegial or nice to others on Diego, Frazer. Mr. Harris might consider assigning your duties to someone with more tact and personal warmth: Will turned to Owen Harris and Pierre Beliveau. :We worked together just fine before Daniels. We worked just fine before you. How is it that the bots get the rap when the common thread isn't them?:

Owen Harris stared at Lennox for a moment, then turned to Prime. :It's the position of the board of Earth2 to have good working relationships with all areas of life on Mars and the individuals that live there. That includes our sites and yours on Earth. I would like to chalk this up to a steep learning curve and start again. We will handle this end of things if your end is satisfied:

Prime considered that, then nodded. "It is."

Owen relaxed a tad. :Thank you, Lord Optimus. We'd like to go then. We're withdrawing the complaint now that we understand each other better. We will do our best to work with everyone. We're still shaking out how things are done and if there are any further problems in future, a call to the habitat will go a long way toward keeping things clear and optimal between us:

Prime nodded. "Agreed."

Owen turned to the others including Frazer who didn't look happy but kept it to himself. They nodded to all, then walked to the steps and to the floor where they boarded up and drove off. Everyone watched them go, then turned back to Prime.

:That was interesting. Do you want me to go over the base and see what Frazer has been doing there when he goes?: Lennox asked.

"That would be helpful, William. The more intel you have, the better your options," Prime said with a nod. "Good afternoon, Thomas and Ron Witwicky."

:Good afternoon, Lord Optimus: as Thomas Lennox insisted upon calling Prime. He was old school, Will's dad. He loved and admired Optimus Prime deeply. :How was Cybertron? I heard on the news that a number of toxic sites are now nearing repaired status:

Prime leaned forward again. He liked and admired Thomas Lennox. He was an old school gentleman. "They are. We have much to do but a lot of the worst aspects of our disaster are being addressed. We cannot rebuild upward or out until all of the broken substructure and toxic materials are taken care of."

Thomas nodded. :I look forward to the day we can go there and see for ourselves what a beautiful world Cybertron is. The images will probably not do it justice:

"They never do," Ratchet said with a grin. "How was the sandwich, Ron?"

:Great. I could use another but Judy will slap me: Ron said with a grin. He glanced at the two tense bots standing at full attention behind him. :What about them? They make good bookends:

Smokey blanched and Jolt grinned, but that faded under the heat of Prowl's frown.

"Perhaps duty at Camp Recluse like ***FOREVER*** will do the trick," Prowl fumed.

Snickers and laughter rounded the room as the two stared at the walls. Prime was amused, if not a bit disappointed in a fatherly and grandfatherly way. "I understand that you mentioned Mr. Frazer's problem with his former companion and his fizzled naval career, Jolt."

Jolt glanced at him. "I heard he hit femmes. What kind of fragger hits a femme? Those Earth femmes … they break easy. He had no call to do that."

"No, he did not. I would hope that if you are going to be representing our people, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire you would do so with honor and dignity. When you represent them, you represent me," Prime said quietly.

The two glanced at him, then at the wall ahead of them, their postures tightening. It was like getting slagged by your granny. "Yes, sir." -both

"I am no one to come to about the mores and foibles of humans. Harming others isn't the Autobot way. We did not start our war and we do not favor violence, especially that which comes to no good end. Why he did or does what he does is not for me to say. Since he is now part of Earth2 and if he does such things again, we have access and control given the charters, I believe we have him where he needs to be to intervene. However, your conduct was unbecoming an Autobot."

It was still in the room as the disapproval of Prime hung over both like a shroud. There was something really bad about disappointing Prime to the two. Smokey glanced at him. "Permission to speak, sir."

"Granted," Prime said as the lines off line burned up with amusement, some of it coming from his watchful amma.

"Sir … we didn't mean disrespect. That is … we didn't mean to make others look bad. It's just … **THIS GUY! HE'S A JERK!** " Smokey caught himself, then stood straighter. "I mean … he's mean and says stuff about us to others. He sneers when he sees us and **I WOULDN'T PUT IT PAST HIM IF HE HIT A FEMME AGAIN!"** He caught himself. "Sir."

Jolt turned to Prime. "I agree. I heard him make comments to guys he knows about what a bunch of crap he thinks we are. He really has it out for the twins, Sideswipe in particular. I even think he can't figure out which of them that is. He treats us like slag, Optimus. I don't like it. No one in the garrison likes him and the humans tell me no one among them does either. He's a first class jerk."

Prime nodded. "That may be true but I expect you to be professional and hold it together. Report what you hear and see. Do not act on it or you will be brigged. I am going to give you this warning. If this happens again, I will brig you for three orns. Are we clear?"

" **Sir!** Yes, sir," they both said, then Jolt turned to him. "What do you want to do about him slagging us?"

"Report it," Prime said. "Tell the garrison shift commander and have them report it to Prowl. If you notice anything that looks like a pattern or alliance building, tell us about it. You may not act on your own. Neither of you are noted for your subtlety."

They stared at Prime, then nodded. "We will," Smokey said with relief. He laughed. "For a moment there, I though you were going to **throw us in the brig!"**

"I am not. It would do no good. But you **will** have maintenance duty at the Veteran's Center for the next decaorn. Three joors an orn for the next decaorn," Prime said as the two froze with surprise. "I am giving you a break with the brig. I am not letting you off the hook. You are dismissed back to Diego. Go and sin no more."

Jolt and Smokey stared at him, each other, then the others. Sagging listlessly a bit, they began to walk to the doors and the bridge room beyond.

Dev watched them, then called out. "Smokescreen."

He paused, then looked at the god who was his amma. "What?" he asked forlornly.

"Pie. My house after your punishment detail tonight." Dev grinned slightly and nodded just slightly.

Smokey perked up almost immediately. "Okay." He glanced at Jolt. "What about Jolt coming, too? Do you have enough?" he asked hopefully.

"There will **always** be enough," Dev said with a grin.

Smokey smiled at his amma, then slapped Jolt on the shoulder. " **Wait** until you eat my amma's pie. Praxian Humble Pie. Have you ever heard of it?" Smokey said as they reached the door.

"The kind with that stuff you pour on it?" Jolt asked as they turned to the left and wandered out of sight.

Everyone stared at the door, then at Devcon who stood and stretched. "I would like the rest of the afternoon off, Prowl, if you don't mind."

"No problem," Prowl said as the big mech turned to go. "Where you going if I may ask?"

"Home. To make pies," Dev said as he glanced back with a smile. He walked out as a Home Guardsman slid into his place. He was gone in a second.

:Humble Pie?: Bobby Epps asked with a smirk.

"Seems appropriate to me," Prowl said with a chuckle.

It seemed so to everyone else.

-0-TBC 10-18-18 **edited 10-21-18**

optimusprime101: I will always try for two a day. :D


	500. Chapter 500

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 500) Five hundred times six means a minimum of 3,000 parts. :D

My dog hurt his neck. Last night was a looooooooooooooooooooooong night. Here we go. (He's going to be fine, my little Timmy. He's a black and tan dapple dachshund with 1 inch legs and my hero. He and my standard Chihuahua, Buddy. And my two cats, Spike and Queen. Them, too.) :D:D:D:D:D:D

-0-After the ball

Everyone shot the shit a moment then walked out, including Ironhide and Prime, to go back to Cybertron. Raptor was off for the afternoon to do his thing, so he sat back and grinned at everyone. They grinned at him.

"So," Prowl said with a starchy brittleness.

"Those two are the cutest infants," Ratchet said. "Dev better make a lot of pie."

Raptor nodded. "They are. So young, both of them." He sat back, then eyeballed both mechs. "It seems that Frazer is raising his entitled helm. Enlighten me about him."

"Sideswipe knew a femme soldier at Diego, a captain who flew helicopters. She was in an abusive relationship with him and Sideswipe found out. He went down to the docks to find Frazer on a vessel there. It was grisly. The ship captain refused to allow the meet up-"

"An understandable command decision," Prowl added with a smirk.

Ratchet smirked back. " **MY SON** decided to press the issue and there were words. To make a long story short … the femme was transferred away and Frazer was left there. He may have gone through a hearing and been transferred to another posting but nothing really changed for anyone. I still read about this slag every day. As for him now, his family is connected and his father, Pierre Beliveau was a former French diplomat and best friend for all time to Owen Harris. The younger resigned from the Navy, worked for companies owned by Harris, then was posted to Earth2. That's why he's here and that's why he's still gumming up the works. The two families are like related almost, they're so close."

"Well, that's going to make beating his aft more fun," Raptor said. "The femme captain … what does she do and can she work at Unidad? Why not make it old home week for everyone?"

"You're a devious slagger," Ratchet said. "But I suppose … if the Daniels, Bill Nast and Ted Galloway can work at Earth2, then the femme can work at Unidad. If she **wants.** I don't know what she does but it might be a nice perk for losing her career to come here and work."

"Talk to Sideswipe. See if he knows where she is. Something tells me he would know," Raptor said as he stood. "What's next on the to-do list?"

"I work and you two pretend to be useful," Prowl said with a slight smirk of superiority.

A donut bounced off his helm and was captured by the edge of his brilliant red chevron. He glanced at it out of the corner of his optic and began to rise. Raptor ran for the door laughing loudly as Ratchet smiled at his fleet feet. "That mech can run fast."

"Not so fast that the duty schedule can't catch him," Prowl said as he picked the donut off his chevron. Glancing at it, he looked around the room at the crew working. When they were suitably on task, he popped the donut in his mouth. "Why waste a good chocolate covered donut?"

Ratchet laughed, then nodded. "Why indeed?"

-0-Earth2

They gathered in the conference room and got the detailed rundown about what happened from Cameron. It was silent a moment. "This was interesting. Prowl thought it important enough to bring Prime back from Cybertron. Their army is different. Less structured and formal than our own."

"They fight like demons," Pierre said. "I wouldn't think that was a deficit. Something tells me that they don't give quarter and they don't lose that often. This Razorclaw," he mused. "He's a combiner and someone everyone fears when his name is mentioned. I've studied his brother, Rampage and find nothing about them insignificant. Yet, they don't rush us from their stronghold. They have a good quarter million soldiers from what I last heard. Yet, no effort has been made to make any kind of incursion."

"Razorclaw is smart and tactical. Nothing says he isn't working out the other way past Prime's domain," Owen said. Hamilton Brown, Steve Jameson, Pierre Beliveau and Cameron along with Kyle Davis sat with Owen in his conference room. The sun streamed in from the outside as in the distance one could see the gleaming south sides of Unidad Terra 1. In the distance in another direction, one could see the communications towers of the Consulate. Earth 1 would have to be seen from another side of the installation but not from his office windows. "I would imagine he's working out what he can control from the directions Prime isn't patrolling."

"He is," Steve Jameson said. "I talked to a few of the soldiers, asking questions about Razorclaw. They didn't say much but they mentioned that they're looking into his activities of in those areas of his influence that weren't obvious or easy to reach. They have Seeker patrols going everywhere."

"Do they bridge out there and back?" Kyle Davis asked.

"They didn't say in so many words but the idea that came to me was yes, they did," Jameson replied.

Owen glanced at Cameron who was still obviously angry about things. "You're going to call us before you take any measures again, Cam. No more going off on your own. This was interesting and tactical but I want to know and approve next time. We're going to glean as much as we can when we can. This was no exception but you came close to being booted off world. Consider yourself on Lennox's shit list forever and know he doesn't have to have a reason to send you home. He has the authority to ban even presidents and prime ministers."

Cam nodded, then shifted in his chair. "I hate Sideswipe. I hate his fucking guts. All of them."

"You might want to look around," Pierre said sharply to his son. "This is their domain and we're surrounded by them inside and outside of this place. If you can't rise to the occasion and do this, then maybe you need to work on Earth."

He glanced sharply at his father. "I can do this."

"Then remember … they don't even need an excuse," Owen said. "Right now," he said as Cynthia Tomas walked back into the room after taking a call, "we need to get organized on the exchange calendar with all the human habitats over the next two months. There are major holidays coming up and a number of conferences at The Resort and Unidad that we're going to be attending. This won't be a small operation with about 15,200+ humans on world now when the everyone is here at the same time."

Everyone grinned, then watched as Cynthia rolled out her chart with the calendars for their site on them. They would spend a number of hours going over the visitor, holiday, event and deadline targets for their installation. Then they would forward them to every other habitat for them to review and add their own. Cynthia, after a week, would send a finalized calendar to everyone in the human community about what was when and where. The next three months barring trouble or unexpected interruption would then be planned.

Cameron Frazer would be back in his office running supply and procurement for Earth2 but on his mind would be the smirking angry face of Autobot Sideswipe.

His nemesis.

-0-Swimming Pool, Youngling Day School #1, Centurion, Autobot City

They waited for their turn to jump in and swim to the other side. Halfway there tethered to the line that divided the bot kids swimming zone from the human was a floating platform for them to climb up upon. The distance from one side of the pool to the other, the narrow, not long side was too great for them to swim without a stop along the way. Down the pool in their part of the vast watery space, the bot kids were doing laps and learning to walk on the bottom.

Annie Lennox stood beside Jaycee Jameson waiting for her turn. Ahead of her Sandy, James and the Epps kids were swimming madly for the platform. A teacher aide, Lo-T was sitting in the water instructing and cheering them forward. Their regular gym teacher was with the bot kids. :Halloween is coming. What are you going to do about it?: Annie asked Jaycee who she liked and liked her. They were buds with Jaycee staying overnight and going on outings with the Lennox family. She was the one who was the best and most well assimilated among the non-N.E.S.T./Family/Resort kids. The age difference between her and Annie didn't matter to her.

:I don't know. I haven't trick-or-treated in a long time. We usually have a party: she said as they stepped forward just that much closer to the edge. :You?:

:We have a party and trick-or-treat at Earth 1. Come with: she said as they reached the edge and took their places to dive in next.

:I'll ask my mom: Jaycee said as they got on the mark, then dived in. The rest would have to wait for the long swim to the platform. When they got there, those ahead of them were ready to go again and would be diving in just as they climbed out.

-0-Diego Garcia

They walked on their rounds, nearly off shift. The base had heard about things and many were the humans that wanted 'the inside stuff'. It was amusing to stop here and there to chat with those who had the same opinion of Frazer that they had. Heading onward, they chatted together. "This is funny. I don't think he has a friend in 1,000 miles," Jolt said.

"He deserves it. I could pulverize him," Smokey said with a frown. "Sideswipe will be watching him."

"Sideswipe hates him. That whole mess he started. This place is going to be fun for a while," Jolt said as he waved to some sailors nearby who had honked their vehicle horn.

"When we get done here we can go to my amma's place," Smokey said. "His pie is the best."

"We have to go do kitchen patrol duty when we get done here," Jolt said with a sigh. "Where is the Veteran's Center?"

"Central Labor Hall," Smokey said with a sigh. "Its a big deal. Lots of bots and their families go there all day long. Don't expect to get done in three joors."

It was silent a moment, then Jolt vented a sigh. "Frag," he said as they turned to the shore side to wander through the dock area. One of the ships they would pass would be that of Captain Cardinelli.

-0-Cybertron

They walked across a canal, one that ran with real water. Cybertron had a lot of water, most of it subterranean and a good deal of it mixed with energon. They had perfected separating the two liquids to the point where humans could drink water on Cybertron without harm once upon a time. It would also have surprised them that originally the big planet had an Earth-like atmosphere. If they had been able to come in the past, they wouldn't need survival gear. The sky would be higher and the rain harder because Cybertron was more than four times bigger than Earth. There would be some differences but tolerable. Right now, not so much.

Reaching the other side, they saw a crater that was huge. Down inside working hard to clear the debris and water filled shell, mechs were hard at it. Prime turned to the locals. "How much more do you need to do this safely?"

"We're doing alright at the moment, Lord Optimus. We hope to have it drained by this evening and then work on the sides. We have to shore them up so they don't cave in when we go down there," the local foreman said.

Prime glanced around. "If they require more, fast track it. We want this done safely."

Everyone agreed, then he began to skirt the site to continue onward. There were places to visit that hadn't seen anyone's presence since the war. This part of Helex was a warren of holes in the ground for very disturbed individuals who had fled the fighting or were trapped on the wrong side of it. Being one of the first cities to fall to Megatron, those here were swiftly enslaved and had been worked harder and longer than anyone else throughout the long winter of the occupation. It had taken a lot of time to get them out and it would seem they'd finally succeeded. He listened to the explanation of the effort, then the plans for the area to be turned back into habitations, decent housing towers for everyone here. The footprint of Helex would be smaller because the towers were being grouped more sensibly.

No more would there be willy nilly building and dead zones were the poor lived. This was their chance to make things right and Helex would be different when they were finished. There would be lots of open spaces and public places. That part of the rebuild was not negotiable. Heading onward, they walked to a camp where refugees lived, those especially who were ill or mentally debilitated. It would be a very hard venture even if the people there would be ecstatic to see them.

-0-Sciences

Prowl sat in the office next to the main lab as he waited for Optimus to come. Things were going slowly on Cybertron near the equator. Given that an enormous portion of their population had been forcibly congregated there during The Fall to work in the industries that the Decepticons had concentrated there, the number of bots needing help exceeded every other place. There were also a growing number of burial sites that had to be seen by Prime to pay respects. It was an arduous task. Prowl would hold off telling him the new information about Razorclaw until tomorrow. Today, they would plan the protoform for the new infant. Heavy treads nearby drew him from his reverie as he stood with a grin. "How was home?"

"Getting there," Prime said as he hugged Prowl. "You ready for this?"

"We're getting behind Loon. I'm overdue for it," Prowl said as they walked toward the lab to make their wishes known. "However, if you count them all up everywhere, you'll find that all of the infants are mine. Technically, we win," he said with a grin.

It drew a laugh from Prime, just as he knew it would. They walked inside to sit and plan a new baby. It would be the best possible end of a long hard orn.

-0-TBC 10-20-18


	501. Chapter 501

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 501)

-0-Around

Raptor spotted the one he wanted, then walked into the bar to sit. Grinning at the twins, he leaned forward onto his elbows. "I need to ask you a few things," he said as he gave his order to the waiter.

"Okay," Sideswipe and Sunstreaker said with grins and expectation. Uncle 'Tap-Tap' was smart, unpredictable, amusing as frag, fun and someone they worshiped in their Mayhem Pantheon. "What?"

He would quiz them for a while, then rise to go. They would follow along with him on his Quest.

-0-At a pre-trial meeting in the Office of the Attorney General of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"Then we're ready to go, Sherrod?" Barron asked as he looked at the documents and evidence gleaned from Crader's ship and many the mainframe all over the place. "Does he understand the gravity of what's happening and how he can take more time to organize a defense?"

"He does. He doesn't seem to care. I'm not sure that he's normal upstairs, if you get my drift," Sherrod said tiredly. "We had him examined, at least as far as he would cooperate and it'll be part of the pre-trial record. The reports have been given to you, Colie, and to you, No-a as a resource for the trial."

"They have been," No-a said as Coln-2 nodded.

"Does he understand that the Praxians in question, though totally honorable, are Ironhide and his family? I'm told three other Praxians, mostly Piro's family will be part of this," Barron said.

"He does. He knows all of them but it doesn't seem to compute," Sherrod said as the members of his team nodded in agreement.

"Do you want to call a halt to the timeline? Do you need more time or what?" Barron asked worriedly.

"It won't matter." Sherrod sat back. "This mech is bound and determined to have his say. You **do** know that he never had to come to heel **ever** in the old orns. He had Cassio and Ebio Imperialis and the rest of the government, business and the like covering his aft. I think he doesn't get it that that ship has sailed."

Barron nodded. "Well, he will now. I'll send the request for trial to Hardie and get back to you then. Alor put the notices in last night when you told us you were ready. Everything is in place now."

"Oh, joy," Sherrod said with resignation.

"For me," Coln-2 said with a slight smirk.

-0-Raptor, et al

He got off the horn from Prime, then grinned at the others. "Never underestimate the dignity and decency of a **real** Prime," he said. "We're go." With that, he headed for the bridge room, threading himself through the tables and chairs that filled the rec room of The Fortress. The twins followed with big grins and all disappeared immediately.

-0-Ratchet

He sat in his office finishing the last bit of stuff that needed done. Glancing around, he checked in with Ironhide on Cybertron, then rose to go on shut in rounds. He had a list of very difficult cases that he handled himself so he would be busy until lunchtime.

-0-San Diego, California

They drove out of a side street toward the city beyond. It would seem like one long connected metropolis, the Greater San Diego area but it was a series of smaller towns and cities that merged one into the other in typical human design and practice. Raptor drove ahead in a black TopKick pick up format followed by two incredible luminous Lamborghinis. They sped onward to a beach where they would park, then make a call. It would be raining cats and dogs when they did.

-0-About

"Well, you're doing a lot better, you little slagger, you," Ratchet said with a big grin.

A little mech with a cheerful attitude and a huge interest in puzzles grinned at him. "I can't complain. I can actually walk to the wash rack by myself now."

Ratchet grinned at him, then his attentive family. "You're doing a great job. He's taking hold in the joints. All he has to do is what he's told. No stepping out until I okay it. A fall could set you way back and we don't want that. How are you ever going to dance if you don't mend?"

"I don't know," he said with a smile.

Ratchet laughed, checked his meds, then rose for the next few on his list. It would make his orn. He loved, loved, loved to make house calls.

-0-At a beach in the pouring rain

Ring, ring, ring.

"Hello?"

"Carrie? Is that you?"

"Who is this?"

"Sideswipe."

[Pause]

" **SIDESWIPE!** Is that **you**?"

[grin] "All orn long. How are you doing? What's happening?"

"I'm … I'm doing great, Sideswipe. I had a baby, a little boy and he's just starting to walk. My husband is doing great. So am I. I'm on maternity leave." Her happiness and surprise was gratifying to everyone listening. "Where are you? Are you on Mars?"

"No. I'm on Earth. San Diego to tell the truth. Where are you? I want to talk."

[Pause]

"Okay. Do you know how to find addresses if I give them to you cold?"

"There isn't anywhere on this slagging marble that I can't find."

[huge amusement from the other two punters including 'you can't find your aft with both servos']

She gave it, then Sideswipe signed off after telling her to come when she saw the beautiful Lambo that was going to arrive in front of her condominium. Revving up, Sideswipe laughed. :Follow me, slaggers: With that, he pulled out and drove off followed by a yellow Lambo and a TopKick pick up truck.

-0-Carrie

She sat a moment staring at her phone, then walked to the bedroom where her son lay. Staring at him a moment, she walked to the office in her condo and leaned on the door. "John … you won't believe what just happened," she began.

-0-Twenty-five minutes later, outside at the curb

They stared down from their condo in the complex to see a sight. A beautiful red and black Lamborghini was parked at the curb. Behind it was a yellow one and behind it was a black pick up truck. Somehow, Carrie knew they were all three sentient. "John, I think they want us to go for a ride."

"Do you think its wise?" John asked as he held their bundled son.

Carrie smiled a moment, then looked up at him. "Do you want fifty years from now to regret that you didn't get into the car?" she asked.

He snickered at the reference, then shook his head. "No. Let's go. They're the good guys, right?"

"The best guys," Carrie said as she walked to the door and held it open. The three stepped out and went down to the ground floor. It was sheeting rain as they stood in the doorway watching the cars. A door swung open to they ran for it, climbing into the back and front seats before it swung shut. Then when all were settled, they drove off in tandem for a quiet place to talk.

-0-Ratchet

Ops Center was swinging as they gathered data on the Tall Whites and Razorclaw, two issues that had come onto their radar in the last few. He sat at the table, then grinned at Prowl. "So what does the protoform look like?"

"Like I can tell you," Prowl said with a grin.

"Fragging Praxians. Speaking of which, where are all of mine?" Ratchet asked. "I thought I'd go to lunch with the handsomest mechs in the colony."

"Optimus and Tagg are busy so I guess you'll have to make do with Ironhide and his family," Prowl said as Ratchet stepped on his ped. "Ow, slagger. **CASTE COURT!** " He grinned. "By the way, Crader wants one in the next orn or so."

"That **fast**?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

"Maybe he's going for an insanity defense. I want to strip mine him for information on Imperialis."

"You and me both. Come with. I'll put out the all call," Ratchet said. He called Ironhide, Turbine, Delphi, Alor, Blackjack, Flint, Lissie and Raptor. All of them signaled back but Raptor. He gave his usual response when he wasn't available or busy: **"TALK TO THE MACHINE, SLAGGERS! I'M BUSY! BWAHAHAHA! BYE!"**

"Everyone but Raptor. Where **is** that slagger?" Ratchet asked as Prowl rose to come.

"Have you checked the drunk tank?" Prowl asked as they walked to the door.

Ratchet laughed. **"Score!"**

-0-San Diego

They parked side-by-side, then three men materialized out of nowhere. They grinned at the three inside Sideswipe's format, then pointed to the wooden picnic area covered space in the tiny park nearby. None of them appeared to be getting wet as they stood in front of Sideswipe's Lambo format. John glanced at Carrie. "They want us to go outside. Those are holograms, right?"

"They are," Carrie said, then opened the door. Stepping out, she helped John get out of the backseat by taking the baby. Running with the holograms, they made it to the covered area which served as a picnic space for the little park they were at. She made it, then watched as the Lambo closed its door by itself. John took the baby, then the three turned to the other three as everyone took the measure of everyone else.

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were reasonable facsimiles and ultra familiar. They had the same handsome faces and figures, the same amusement and danger, the same personalities. They were young, tough, impossibly handsome and identical but for hair color. Sunny was blond. Sideswipe was brunet. Apparently, Sideswipe favored adding the black color of his format into his look.

The other mech was different. He was huge, a big well made and balanced man who was as tall if not a bit taller than the others at well over six feet. He was handsome with intelligence in his face and eyes which were the deepest blue. He had thick black hair and a slight tan to his features. He was a very handsome, very amusing, very competent appearing individual who carried his experience and authority easily.

Carrie had him pegged as military-officer material right away. She glanced at John who was holding their son as he stared at them with a riveted gaze. "Sideswipe. What are you doing here? Why did you three come here? Are you on a mission?"

"We are," Raptor said.

The twins grinned at him, then the three. "This is General Raptor of Praxus. He's Ironhide's grandfather. He's also our appa. He wanted to speak to you and we came along to keep him out of jail. He's not as clear on what a bunch of fraggers humans can be," Sideswipe said.

Raptor laughed. "Ignore him, infants," he said to the humans. "He's just bitter he isn't me."

The three laughed, then grinned at the three humans. John was mesmerized, the baby was reaching out to Raptor and Carrie was laughing. It was amazing to her at that moment how much she missed the military, the sense of camaraderie that soldiers shared and the bots themselves. "Tell me what I can do for you. Semper fi, Sideswipe."

Raptor grinned. "We're here to tell you what **we** can do for **you** , infant."

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker nodded. "Semper fi," they said softly.

-0-TBC 10-21-18 **edited 11-1-18**


	502. Chapter 502

The Diego Diaries: Semper Fi (dd6 502)

-0-San Diego pull out pocket park

"What do you mean?" Carrie asked as Raptor took the baby into his arms.

Startling a moment, John pulled his phone out and snapped the picture. The twins sensing a moment stepped to both sides of Raptor and leaned in. "Take it now. Its finally a decent shot."

Raptor laughed, then elbowed the two as the baby leaned against his chest with a smile. "Infant knows a grandpa when he sees one." He looked at Carrie. "What do you two do here for a living?"

"I fly experimental helicopters for private aviation manufacturers and John makes video games. He's into helicopter games and I help him with them," Carrie said.

"I know something about helicopters myself," Raptor said with a grin. "That's one of my many specialties. It also helps to have a grandson who's a triple changer with a helicopter mode. That doesn't count the many times I showed the junior set how to fly helicopters in the war games."

"I have all of those on tape. I wish I could be there," Carrie said as John nodded. The baby was nearly dozing off on Raptor's arms. It was amazing to both.

"Did you ever apply to be hired through Autobot Nation?" Raptor asked as he gently swayed back and forth.

"We wanted to. I don't have a hard science or agricultural background and neither does John. We didn't think we had a chance. A video game programmer and a pilot," Carrie said as John nodded again.

"You would have gone if you were hired then," Raptor said.

"In a moment. We would have," John said as Carrie nodded. "We couldn't conceive of how we'd be hired with our resume. Carrie has a broader one with her military background but me? I make video games."

"Don't downplay your skill set, Johnny. You're a master programmer," Carrie said.

"What if I say you're hired if you want to come?" Raptor asked. He glanced down. The baby was sound asleep. "What's his name?"

"Hart."

"What a great name. How about coming to Mars with us now and look around. We can give you the grand tour and you can decide," Raptor said with a smile. "You can see the city, run around a bit and then come home to sit and hash it out-"

"Yes."

Raptor grinned. "You haven't been there yet."

"I wanted to be an astronaut. I never had the background for the science or medical positions but I could fly anything. I wanted to fly the space shuttles," Carrie said. "It was the next step after Diego. I had an application in and with the situation, I was placed out of competition for a spot."

It was silent a moment as the twins stirred angrily. "You were harmed by **him** and this happens to **you**?'

"They don't want scandal or controversy. The budget depends upon a glittery front. They don't want congress to punish them for things like this because they do," Carrie said. "There was a scandal a few years ago and they have a zero tolerance policy now."

It was silent a moment, then Raptor grinned. "Then beat them there."

"I would **love** to go. When?" John asked as he glanced at Carrie.

She nodded, then looked at the bots hopefully.

"How about now?" Raptor asked with a smile.

-0-Moments later

"Okay, Raptor. Lennox out." Will Lennox stared at the comm device in front of him, then turned to the table where his compatriots were eating lunch. The N.E.S.T. HQ was filled with soldiers. "Is Jessie around?"

"She's at Sciences," Epps said. "Why?"

"Can you call her in? We have guests coming, humans Raptor picked up on Earth. He asked that Jessie be rounded up to come along. They're going on a tour of the colony with the twins and Raptor," Lennox said. "I need to get gear ready for them and a baby."

"What the hell is Raptor doing on Earth picking up people?" Niall Graham asked as he held his daughter, Aedh on his shoulder. He was doing daddy duty.

"We're going to find out shortly."

-0-Earth, on their way

They drove along the highway heading for a turn off that led into less populated areas. A side road would host a space bridge long enough to let them escape Earth and end up on the road from the Prison to town. Sitting in the back, staring out the tightly drawn windows, breathing air that Raptor supplied himself, three humans … two attentive and one sleeping … watched with astonishment, They drove past enormous buildings that they'd seen on television to which nothing could do justice but for seeing it yourself.

Ahead, they turned off the road and began to cut across the airfield toward Cultural Center Road where the N.E.S.T. HQ was located. Passing ships and crews working, the odd human on a segway and hangars so tall their roofs were lost in the sky, they finally reached their destination. Before them, the glittering dome of Global N.E.S.T. HQ, Mars Garrison, United Nations Territory came into view. They drove around it to the bot door, then entered. The huge doors closed, the atmosphere reasserted nearly immediately, then the vehicles stopped. Ahead of them, the glassed wall separating the garrison building from this big entry way could be seen and those working inside as well. The doors to that space opened and the soldiers walked out with gear in hand. Jessie was among them.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe transformed and stood up to stare at the humans with smirks. "Hi. I see you do as your told."

Lennox snickered. "Fuck you, Sideswipe. What's going on? Who's here?"

"Friends," Sideswipe said.

The doors to the heavily tinted TopKick opened and feet could be seen getting out. Two humans had stepped down, then the big vehicle broke into pieces and raised up as Raptor. He grinned as the soldiers stared at him, then the humans. Jessie then screamed and ran forward. **"CARRIE! JOHN!"** She hugged them tightly, then took the baby. "What are you **DOING** here?" she asked.

"They came and offered us a job," Carrie said as she turned around to look upward at the bots. She was used to seeing the big frames but her husband wasn't. He nearly had vertigo looking upward.

Lennox glanced up at the big mech. "Raptor … what's going on?"

"I went recruiting," Raptor said. "We need a game programmer and a pilot in this mech's army."

It was mayhem a moment, then everyone turned to the bots. "What's the real story here, Raptor?" Lennox asked.

Raptor considered the moment, then knelt down. "We don't have many femmes in our species. We have maybe 2.5-3% of our people trend 'femme'. We don't identify mech or femme outside our species but we do when others do. Right now, we're all just mechs among ourselves. You've made that distinction among us necessary. You have differences and we respect that because we've been everywhere and seen everything. We don't like slaggers taking advantage of someone due to their gender or anything else for that matter. I heard about what happened to you. You were slagging good because I checked. Combat pilot, search and rescue, nerves of steel and a big spark.

"You were pushed out and he was given a venue change and a slap on the wrist. It didn't matter that his options were culminated. He still had his career. You didn't. He's here working at Earth2 as their expediter and procurement officer. I'm just a little bit fragged off to know that, though there's a number of slaggers at Earth2 who didn't seem to suffer too much from their behavior. I don't think that's right. So I'm offering you a chance to come here to live and work. You can fly experimental ships that the colony is developing and give us your view of them as a human pilot. You, John, can work at Unidad in the programming department. I would like to see decent helicopter games produced that take in Martian terrain and aspects. Both of you can live at Unidad as employees of Autobot Nation.

"If you still want to work at your programming job from Earth, John, you can here long distance. We have state-of-the-art teleconference tech here that can keep you tuned in and we can get you there and back either by bridge or you can take a ship as an employee. They run every fifteen minutes between Earth and Mars and now only take 25 minutes to go one way."

It was silent a moment as the two stared at Raptor. Then they stared at each other. The rest of the group was watching them with something akin to fixation. Carrie stared up at Raptor. "He's here."

"He is," Sunstreaker said as he knelt beside Raptor. "If he so much as looks your way, we slag him. Sideswipe and me."

Raptor grinned. "You won't be anywhere near him unless you make it so. He's at Earth2 and you'd be at Unidad. Even if you have for some reason to be near each other such as parties and things, the humans from Unidad will be with you. He won't ever have you alone again."

Carrie turned to John, then they walked away a moment to whisper together as Sunstreaker stood up.

:You two slaggers won't do a thing. That's my job. This is a project: Raptor said as he watched them talking.

:I was afraid of that. Slagging Praxian customs: Sideswipe said. :Shall we tell them?:

:Not now. Later when they settle in. Something tells me we have a sale: Raptor said with a grin.

Both turned to the three, then nodded. "We've lived our entire lives for something like this, Raptor. We want to take up your offer," Carrie said as John nodded.

"Slag yeah," Raptor said as he slapped his servos together in triumph. "Get into the duds. We're taking a road trip."

"First stop, Earth2," Sideswipe said with an expression of controlled mayhem.

"The hell," Lennox said with a grin. "I volunteer to come along."

 **"I'M COMING!** That baby is my godson," Jessie said as she took the baby from John. "Come here, angel. Come to me."

James Brooks-Spencer grinned at her. Epps glanced at him. "Run while you have a chance, bro."

"Too late," James said. He glanced at a beaming Jessie who nodded happily. "We're engaged to be married."

The roof nearly came off the building.

-0-Road Trip

They drove along Cultural Center Road, a convoy of amazing cars and N.E.S.T. trucks following a black TopKick pickup truck. It was noon and there were scads out and about to take advantage of the food possibilities. Sitting in the truck with Jessie, John and Carrie listened almost dazedly as Jessie explained what they were seeing. Jessie had put the baby down in the small playpen that babies, bot or otherwise used when at N.E.S.T. HQ. Hart would be dozing alongside Aedh while they ran around the colony with the bots.

They reached the intersection, then drove through, turned left and headed toward the Temple District. As they did, they paused at the light change at the corner of The Diner On The Corner and the city administration building. As they waited, Ratchet glanced out the window, then sat up straighter. The twins and Raptor were waiting at the light with loads of passengers followed by N.E.S.T. trucks filled with the same. "What the frag?" he said as everyone finishing lunch turned to look.

"What is Raptor doing driving humans and leading a parade?" Prowl asked as the others craned their necks to see.

"I don't know but I'm going, too," Ratchet said with a giant smile.

He wouldn't be the only one.

-0-On the way

"You really know this place," Carrie said as she sat beside Jessie. Next to the door, John watched the world go by. "This is so different than the shows."

"It's better. Once you've been here a while, you'll get used to it," Jessie said. "This place is my home, too."

"The Basilica," John said as he leaned forward to stare at a massive building appearing ahead of them.

"That's the Mausoleum of Mars and that's the Basilica of the Primes. That big round about can take you other places. Where are we going, Raptor?" Jessie asked.

"I thought we'd go to Earth2 but we're going to Unidad instead," Raptor said out of the radio of his console, something that was planetary diameters more complex.

They reached the roundabout, then drove onward toward Unidad to take the paved eight lane to the huge parking lot in front. There were cars and trucks there, most of them non-sentient which were unloading or loading, going here and there to the main loading docks around the side. Beyond, the parking lot, the glittering dome of the monstrously huge agricultural area could be seen. Lines of trees were being planted near the edge of the dome facing the outside to decorate the look of the area.

Raptor drove onward to the entry and when he drove inside a number of others followed. When they were inside, the doors closed and the atmosphere equalized. "You can get out now, infants," Raptor said.

The doors opened and everyone stepped out. As they did, the bots began to transform. They stood up and smiled down at the humans who were watching them. When a forest of bots were finally around them, Ratchet waved to the humans. **"HI, TINY PEOPLE! IT IS I! RATCHET OF IACON!** Huge laughter and mockery greeted that, then Ratchet knelt. "Carrie Fields. How are you and who is this young man?"

She stared at him, a bot she had talked to a couple of times and watched play a lot. "Ratchet, I'm so glad to see you again. **I'm great!** This is my husband, John Calley. General Raptor wants us to work and live here."

"Done deal then," Ratchet said with a grin. "Raptor may know a few things with emphasis on few but I trust the time or two when he's right, which isn't very often."

Huge laughter and agreement greeted that as Raptor smirked at Ratchet. "Slagger. Let's go inside. Who's the boss around here?"

"Why, I am," Ratchet said as he batted his optical ridges coquettishly. Technically he was.

"These two are going to be working here. At what is still to be worked out. Get them settled and let's go have a beer," Raptor said to Ratchet.

Ratchet grinned. "Done deal as I so majestically said before. I, Ratchet of Iacon will lay servos on-"

A rap on the noggin took care of that. He turned to stare into the mildly bemused optics of Prowl. "Why, Prowl, you fragger, you."

Laughter and mockery greeted that, then Prowl looked at the newbies. "Welcome to Mars. The local administrator is Carly Brooks-Spencer and she will help you settle in. I'm assuming you've taken these two on as a project?"

Raptor smiled brilliantly. "Do you doubt me, Raptor of Praxus, appa of many and enemy of few?"

"Are you sure you didn't get that backward?" Sunstreaker asked as a small cab drove up from the concourse and slowed to a stop.

Carly stepped out and walked to the group of bots, literally a dozen or so, many of which were here for the first time. "Hello. What brings everyone here?" she asked as other humans there began to come to see what brought a platoon of Autobots to their habitat.

"We have two new employees for you. We need them settled in. I'm going to tell Ops Center to allow use of the ops center's space bridge to their home to get this rolling," Ratchet said as he glanced down at the humans. "You **do** know that's possible. We can drop you off and pick you up in your living room. Also, pets are allowed. Jessie? Can you help them?"

"I will," she said with a smile.

"Did you want to tell them or do I?" Lennox asked her as the soldiers grinned broadly with him.

Jessie smirked, then looked up at Ratchet and the bots. "James and I are engaged."

For a moment the bots stared, then they hooted. Ratchet bellowed with delight and betrayal. **"WHAT THE FRAG! YOU DIDN'T *TELL* ME!? HOW THE FRAG CAN I MEDDLE IF YOU DON'T TELL ME?!"**

James laughed as he slipped his arms around Jessie. "We were too afraid to do that."

 **HUGE** laughter and agreement.

"Frag all of you," Ratchet said with a grin. "This is nice. Raptor does a nice. We get two new kids and the world spins onward. Frazer will be fragged."

"He **WILL** be if he so much as sneers. Carrie is talented. I figured she could try out some of the sims and the small fast ships we're building for a human pilot's point of view," Raptor said.

"Do we make them that small?" Prowl asked.

"We do now," Raptor said with a smirk. That got all the love it deserved.

-0-TBC 10-22-18 **edited 10-23-18**

Guest: Thank you for the notes. I will get on them. :D

Note: Re: NASA scandal: A woman astronaut stalked her ex-boy friend astronaut, a noted cad and was going to kill him. There was a lot of long distance driving and adult diapers. It was all over the place. Google it. :D


	503. Chapter 503

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 503)

-0-Unidad

"We can get this organized, Ratchet," Carly said. "If you can authorize the command deck to allow us to bridge, then we can get them gathered up and here in shorter time with less fuss."

"It's done," Ratchet said as he turned to Raptor. "Tell me, big boy, how many more strays are you going to be bringing home?"

Raptor grinned, then looked at the twins and Springer. "Who else needs an atta boy?"

"Michael Bay?" Sunstreaker suggested before Springer put him into a head lock. After a moments scuffle, they began to leave.

John and Carrie stared at Raptor. "Thank you, General," Carrie said. "I wish you could know how much we always wanted this."

John nodded as well.

"Done deal. Semper fi as you humans say," Raptor said. "Your baby is good while you get this started. I'm sure William Lennox is happy to care for him."

The look on Will's face was priceless.

-0-On the road back

They drove in convoy as they headed back. "You're a fraud, Raptor," Ratchet said.

"Don't tell anyone. I feel the need for ice cream. See ya," he said as he peeled out and took the turn off toward Terra. He was gone in seconds.

"We have to go back to the Center. We have stuff coming in," Prowl said as he stepped up the speed. They would weave their way through traffic to Autobot City while others headed out to do whatever it was senior Autobot soldiers did when they weren't slagging Decepticons.

Driving to The Fortress through a lot of traffic, Ratchet and Prowl transformed, then walked through the courtyard and into the building. A short stroll to Paragon who was in from overall supervision of the DMZ was accomplished, then all sat down. "We have a sense that Razorclaw has been a very bad mech," Prowl said as he handed the updated reports and Seeker data to Paragon. "He's been strong arming a lot of individuals out there in the surrounding portions of space we don't directly access. We have to consider the trouble he's made for a lot of emergent species and other places that might be space going and thereby are afraid of what this means for their sovereignty."

Paragon nodded. "I assumed he would venture out where we wouldn't have a direct line of sight. Perhaps meeting his roving gangs with a clenched fist is a good idea."

"I'm inclined to feel the same way. We also have some soundings of settlements or groups in the Rim that are close to the area where we left Imperialis and his brother. There were all manner of directions for our people to go and even the less obvious ones need attention. We also have a report from the humans on Earth who work for us hunting human connections that part of the MECH network has been outlined. There's also intel that Silas Bishop might be with that bunch again. He hasn't been seen since he was broken out of prison but he appears to be sensed here and there. Nothing too definite but that's not good news."

"No," Ratchet said. "That group … Ghost? … they're good kids and one of them has a mother who's Owen Harris's left frontal lobe. His father is a big deal in international security. It would appear that he didn't fall far from the tree."

"I want you to go see them, Ratchet. Take a couple of mechs with you but go and see what's going on with that side of things. Go tomorrow and just drop in," Prowl said. "Try not to get arrested in New York."

"New York is my kind of town. It's a city that never sleeps," Ratchet said with a grin.

"You combined Chicago and New York. Just so you know," Paragon said with a smirk.

"You like Sinatra, too? My Appa Scout found him and is dazzled. Me? He's very good but he isn't Ironhide," Ratchet said.

"Ironhide sings?" Paragon asked with bemused surprise.

"Like a nightingale. Why, the other night in the berth-"

A moment was taken for Prowl to rise and slap the crap out of Ratchet, then sit back down with his dignity intact. Ratchet smirked at him. "That hurt, slagger."

"I've only just begun," Prowl said.

"I'll remember that when you're lying on the berth screaming and not in a good way," Ratchet said as he sat back in his chair to eyeball his nemesis.

Both of them groaned, then grinned. "As I was saying ..." Prowl continued. "I want to know about intermittent low, low subterranean band broadcasting that we missed for a while but have monitored since it was discovered two years ago. It's an odd mix of Cybertronian and mathematics. It's a signal to the slaggers out here … Razorclaw, for contact."

"Maybe we should have a meet up for old Owen and Buzzsaw himself. If he ever saw that fragger in person he'd need to change his pants. By the way, tell Caro to invest in adult diapers will you?" Ratchet said as he ducked Prowl's fist. "What else, slagger?"

"We were asked to oversee in a hearing setting the transfer of children from the families of the Functionalists at the Monastery into the homes of members due to the lack of progress in the adult family group. They're actually holding back their children. Apparently, they have them controlled by mere glances. The children are as flat in their affect as boards and aren't making progress. That won't be fun but Cyclonus wants it to be legal and has asked Prime to consult on the hearing as head of state which has an abiding interest in the children, their safety and well being."

"Frag," Ratchet said. "I suppose I have to be there, too."

"You do. If Prime does, I do and that means you, too. Caste Court and this. I got a memo that when Optimus has a moment, then Caste Court can happen. Apparently, Crader is nuts or so the legals have concluded. I don't know what Jarro and Company think."

"We'll find out. So we have to rescue children from a life without happiness, hold a Caste Court with Special Circumstances for a nut job, perhaps provoke a shooting war with Razorclaw and rescue a bunch of our people stranded in the Rim with the Imperialis brothers. Some would call that Wednesday," Ratchet said with a smile.

"You would, Loon," Prowl said with a grin. "You left out going to Earth to get the details on Owen Harris and his network. I want a breakdown of his organization. He now owns Intel Martin and has Nast and the Daniels here. I want to know what if anything those three and Galloway still do in terms of the push back against us. Go in human format and don't be too odd ball. We want to know about something more than your latest police record."

"Ye of little faith," Ratchet said as he stood. "I'm assuming there's a meeting tomorrow morning about this and all manner of sundry items?"

"You reckoned right," Prowl said with a tight grin. "Come on time and be sober."

"For you, Prowler, the moon," Ratchet said as he walked toward the door to leave.

Paragon and Prowl watched him go, then stared at the data. "Enjoy that," Paragon said. "It might be the last laugh you get for a while. You left off the Tall Whites who are getting close to their home world any moment now."

Prowl sighed. "Fraggers," he whispered under his breath. They bent their helms to the task together.

-0-Wheeljack and Perceptor

"That was the last one," Percy said as orderlies wheeled out the tenth member of Crader's group that had come to Mars fully developed in whatever it was caused their uber physiques. All of them were mini-cons now and when they were finally prepped, they were ready to go to a cell block in the prison. Crader was already there and so were most of them. The fifteen mutating would be monitored out the wazoo and if there was even a small chance that they'd be full blown whatever Crader was, the artillery placed around their cell block was outstanding. They were given an even higher level of security than anyone else as Sciences worked feverishly to figure out what the frag was going on.

They walked out and headed for the train station across the way to go to Sciences past the prison. This would be priority problem number one. How do we denature these fraggers?

-0-School

Hercy sat on a bench in the lab watching the kids working. The big kids were here and there, three of them as they worked out something with microscopes. He had come to see them, to watch Lumi and Fireball. They were sweethearts in the most innocent and kindly manner. The idea of them getting teased for what was essentially a sweet friendship was galling a bit. Everyone was glad he was there. He was a very famous Autobot and someone they had said was exempt. That was rare and so was he, this old mech with a spark of gold and a fearlessness that was unyielding in the face of tyranny.

Other kids were there including two that were part of the 'problem'. It wasn't so much a problem as a mild irritation. Some of the kids were getting the idea that romance was fine and dandy and some thought it gag worthy. That was just normal development among a spread of kids the same age. Others were thinking about romance and having fun with other kids in groups with the usual wing man configuration while others were still just that short of interest.

Lumi and Fireball were sort of in the middle. They were sweet on each other, something that would probably develop into a bond some fine orn but they weren't 'romantic'. That part of things beyond holding hands and sitting with their arms around each other, it wasn't in the equation yet. They were just sweet.

Their lab instructor, Mr. Delios walked over to sit with Hercy. He grinned. "We're very happy when the soldiers come in. Our kids are very enamored of the military for all the obvious reasons but you're sort of in a special class. You might want to talk to Majio who is instruction supervisor here about being a speaker for different things and classes here, Commander. You have a unique history and you're exempt. We've all suffered from the caste system. It might be instructive to hear from someone who didn't have to worry about such things."

"I will take it under advisement, Mr. Delios. You're aware that General Hard Drive and Commander Delphi are exempt as well. They also helped develop the Praxian Elites and all of us including Commander Kup were part of The Immortals." Hercy grinned. "We all go back a long way."

"That would be incredibly wonderful. We need to remember who we are and if we don't learn that, we repeat it. I hope you will," Delios said.

"I will do so," Hercy said. "Thank you for the interest." They chatted together peacefully and when the class ended, the two kids walked out with Uncle Hercy and Delios sent Hercy, Hardie and Delphi's names to Majio. The kids would have three more resources to aid them on their way.

-0-About

:Ironhide:

 **:WHAT!?:**

 **:OoooooOOOOooh**. You send tingles:

:I do don't I. What's up, Ratchet?:

:I have to go in drag to New York and talk to our group there that monitors Harris and the network. Just so you know:

:You're not going alone. **You just got shot, slag it.** Who's going with you?:

:Well, I was going through the personnel directory and I picked a couple of the most handsome mechs in the colon-:

 **:WHAT THE FRAG!?:**

[Pause]

:Ironhide?:

:What?:

:I just want you to know as I screw my audials back into my head that none of them are as cute as you:

[Grin] :Only cute?:

:I'd say handsome but then I'd have to frag ya: [Grin]

[Grin] :When are you going?:

:Tomorrow. I have to go finish house calls and then there's a meeting tomorrow. Things are piling up. I'll be there until I can ditch. Then I'm going to Earth. See ya shortly. Pick up dinner. I don't feel like slagging something together:

:You and me both. Will do. Ironhide out and **ABOUT!:**

Ratchet grinned as he rode an elevator up the tower where a child lived who had no immune system. She lived in her apartment as Ratchet worked out the protocols to create one for her. She couldn't go outside without getting sick and risking death. He was close to it and would start the preliminary treatments today that would begin the long climb back to normal. Right now, she went to school over the monitor in her apartment, getting instruction from Special Services and was cared for by her devoted and doting genitors. Even her appas and ammas, uncles, aunts and cousins couldn't visit her, so delicate was her situation for now.

He reached their door, then activated his field of protection, one he could generate around himself for just such a situation. Rapping on the door, it opened and he stepped inside through the energy barrier that enclosed the entire apartment. Sitting on a chair holding her sippy cup, a darling little femme smiled at him. He smiled back, then at the parents who were young and tense. "Well, doesn't **she** look good," he said as he picked her up.

When he was finished adding the scripts, programming and supplements to her system, she would be a smidge better. The formulation skillfully applied was doing its job. It was with a lighter step that Ratchet stepped out and headed for his other patients around the colony.

Sometimes, you could actually win one.

-0-TBC 10-23-18 **edited 11-2-18**


	504. Chapter 504

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 504)

-0-That afternoon

Ratchet walked out of the school with a hold filled with infants. Orion and Praxus were chatting away inside as he took a walk to the school metro to head for Metrotitan and Hero. The car was crowded with those going home or to other stations from other places, a homey sense that made him feel happy as he contemplated the relentless next few orns ahead. It was tough being essential equipment and having to work so much but the kids were troopers and the Godly Squad, the ammas and appas were stellar.

Stepping off at Metrotitan, he walked up to the street to the consolidated headquarters of all that related to the police, administration of the colony and Cybertron on world as well as public safety, engineering and public works. This was the place where all the 'utilities' of the colony were located as well as on world offices and officers of Cybertron. This was the place where stores were kept that were used by the colony to keep the plates spinning. Most of the officers of the colony had their headquarters here including extension offices of things like City Hall and the School District. It was here in the Autobot City Unified School District tower that the Pioneer School with its six bright kids was housed in the Central Office of the district. Going in and up after getting the data packet for Ironhide for the school board, he walked out of the elevator for the walk down to room 47-52 on Floor 18 which housed their little classroom.

The door was open and several adults were here to get the children including an aide from the Circle of Light Day Care Center now open in Autobot City. The prep school had actually asked for and taken an entire floor in the Polyhex Business Plaza to house part of their school given that their population had outgrown their buildings in Terra. They divided it. Older kids would go to Autobot City and the babies would go to Terra. It also included a busy daycare for working and military genitors. It was also a drop off for this and that child and housed some babies and children overnight depending upon the circumstances.

Daycare was not only a right but a seriously reasoned out reality here on world.

Hero walked out with her little blue backpack, then smiled. "No cab today, Ada?" she asked as Ratchet picked her up.

"Nope, cupcake. Let's get Prowler, then show Uncle Prowl your new gear," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. She slid in, the hatch closed, then Ratchet walked to the elevator for the journey to Prowler and the infant's new school location in Autobot City.

Earlier concerning the 'new location' for Circle Prep infants …

"Did you know about this?" Ratchet asked as he read through a notice from Prowler's school.

"What?" Ironhide asked as he sat at the table nearby perusing the 'wish book', a compendium of catalogs he had gathered to figure out what Christmas Surprise gifts to get everyone. Mech got his Christmas Surprise on early. It left more time for orbs of deliciousness and beer.

"They're moving the kids in Prowler's group to a new school site here in town," Ratchet said. "A business is moving out of the Polyhex Business Plaza and they took over the entire top floor. Floor three is going to be The Circle of Light Preparatory Academy - Autobot City Annex. The old school in Terra is going to be their intake site for new students and the youngest newer ones. Those who entered and are advanced like Prowler and all the others will be going to this one. That means a bus for Sunspot to Centurion for Youngling Day, a bus for the three dreads to Iacon for Intermediate, a bus for Orion and Praxus to Terra for Sparkling Day, a cab for Hero to Titan for Pioneer School and a bus to Polyhex Plaza for Prowler unless we carry him there."

It was quiet a moment.

"Frag." Both of them whispered softly.

In the here and now ...

Ratchet grabbed a cab at the stand and in moments they were at the Polyhex Business Plaza to pick up Prowler from his first orn in his new school. On the first floor, his genitors toiled away. Apparently, they hadn't heard about the change up either or they would have gotten him themselves. The crowd around the elevators was dense so an escalator was quicker. They zipped up with Wheeljack who was here for Resolve. The usual group to pick up children for daycare were already there as well as family for the children going home. Prowler walked out dragging his panda, then smiled up at Ratchet. "Ada. We go home now?"

"Not yet," Ratchet said as he picked the baby up. "We're going to see Uncle Prowl first." He stowed the baby, shot the breeze a moment with the others gathered there, then went down the escalator for the short walk through afternoon foot traffic to The Fortress. It was a straight shot inside.

-0-Moments later

Ratchet went over the latest intel, then requisitioned Sideswipe and Hot Rod for the trip to Earth the following orn. He had a number of ideas of who to take, Springer and Drift predominant, but they weren't in the throes of young(ling) love and no one had invoked on their sorry afts. Where was the gossip potential in them? He leaned back, then grinned at Paragon and Prowl. "Ironhide got them new outside duds. Its genius. Want to see?"

Prowl smirked. "Dare I?"

"You do," Ratchet said as he popped his hatch and pulled them out one at a time setting them gently on the table top. They stared at Ratchet, then everyone else with huge smiles. **"OWL!"** Orion said as he struck his usual Superman pose. The others lined up with him and smiled. Everyone watching was transfixed.

"This is Prowler or as he's now known … Laa-Laa. The purple one … Orion is Tinky Wink. Hero is the red one, Po and Praxus is Dipsy, the lime green one."

It was silent a moment as the genitors in the room marveled at the sight, then Prowl gathered all of them up in his arms, sweeping them toward him. "Mine. All mine," he said as he laughed.

Loudly.

-0-Shortly later

Prime walked in with the mechs who had been with him all orn long. He paused by the table and dropped a kiss on Prowl, stepping outside their usual reticence about public displays of affection. Raptor grinned as he sat to join them having seen their ship coming in over the airfield. "Someone told me that it looks like their grandparents making out when I did that. Welcome to my club."

"Who said that about us?" Prowl asked with a smirk as the big mechs pulled chairs to sit.

"Everyone." -everyone.

"Fraggers," Prowl said as Prime laughed.

"Ratchet brought my children by after school," Prowl said to Ironhide. "I saw their new outdoor garb."

"It was amazing. By the way, they want to be birds for Halloween which is in how many orns?" Ironhide mused.

"Six," Raptor said.

"Then Thanksgiving is next followed by Christmas Surprise, New Years and Veteran's Day on the same orn. Time to get our party started," Blackjack said with a grin. "Or not," he said as he glanced at the list of stuff needing attention laying on the table before them. "Frag."

"Really," Prowl said.

Turbine grinned. "You're due on Halloween, right?"

"Maybe. Schedules be damned," Prowl said.

"Three orns later, we name the little thing. What about the Caste Court necessitated by big mouth here," Delphi said as he grinned at his son.

Raptor grinned and preened back.

"Name the date. The slagger says he's ready," Prowl said.

"Well, we're going to need Ratchet just in case so how about the orn following his return from Earth? Or is he going to be gone early? If he is we can begin that afternoon," Hardie said.

"I'll send him early. Then we can get on this," Prowl said. "Something tells me that it won't take very long. He thinks he can skate."

"Well, he can think all he wants," Delphi said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "These be new times."

Raptor grinned. "This caste court is going to be interesting. We have three more judges given the gravity. We've only done one other special circumstances court but the Pantheon never weighed in."

"They were probably too disgusted," Turbine said with a grin. "We're living the dream."

Everyone agreed on that.

-0-A joor later

Ironhide walked in with food and dessert, then put it on the counter. After a moment of mayhem and chat, the kids hopped off to wash up and the big kids helped set the table. Spot and Cousin were face deep in their food bowls and had no opinions on anything. Putting dishes on the table, putting plates and utensils with them, they were ready when the mob came out and began to clamber into chairs. After a moment of monkey motion, they settled. Food was passed out and dining began in earnest.

"I have to go to Earth tomorrow early," Ratchet said. "The Prowler has spoken. I'm sneaking out. When I get to New York City, its going to be 1400 on the TMC their time."

"I go, too, Ada?" Orion asked.

"Nope. I want to get there and get back. We have a lot to do in the next few so I'm not messing around. You can come. I just changed my mind."

Everyone looked at Ratchet. He smiled. "You can't. I forgot I don't have a carry hold in my pretender shell."

HUGE disappointment from the stature challenged commenced, then died down as the bun basket made the rounds of the table.

"Uncle Hercy came to school today and watched us during science," Fireball said. "He's such a nice mech."

Ironhide nodded. "Old Hercy is the best. Did you show him your stuff?"

"We did, Atar," Genesis said. "Lumi, Fireball and me are doing experiments."

"Don't blow anything up," Ironhide said as he popped an orb into the old pie hole. "Buns are mech food. Remember that."

Eight kids nodded solemnly.

"So is gravy and spuds. Mech food. Warrior grub," Ironhide said as he began to warm up. "Also, pie. Pie is warrior food. Cherry, apple, punkin ... cherry … apple crisp, cherry crisp … punkin things. All good."

Everyone nodded.

"Tater tots. That is, too. Ice cream. Thut pops."

"I never had those, Atar," Hero said. "What are thut pops?"

"A frozen dessert that was huge on Cybertron. We need to look for thut pops at the store, Ironhide. How can a mech or femme grow up right without thut pops?" Ratchet asked.

"How can they?" Ironhide echoed as he stared at an Orb of the Crescent Moon in his big servo. "Note the shape. Note the texture. Note the golden tone that's just … so." He turned it slowly to show each side as the kids solemnly watched. "Mech food. **CHAOS FOOD!"**

"Prowler dropped his spoon."

"Oh, let me get it," Ironhide said as he leaned down to get a little silver spoon with Mickey Mouse ears on the handle.

Ratchet grinned. "Where were you, Only one?"

" **CHAOS FOOD!"** he replied and so it would go.

-0-Early that following morning

Ratchet snuck out of the apartment and headed toward The Fortress. He popped into the Grocery and got a breakfast sandwich before heading out into the ice cold dark early morning on Mars. The streets were pretty empty but for street sweepers going on their nightly rounds. A bin truck, non-sentient was gathering garbage that was due to be sorted and recycled at Industrial Park Recycling if it could be and burned if not.

The street lights threw pools of illumination in the darkness as he reached the junction. Heading for the huge building, he entered, drew a hot cup and sat down at a table. He was nearly finished when Sideswipe and Hot Rod finally appeared. "Slaggers. What kept you?"

"I was fragging Bluestreak. What about you?" Sideswipe asked Hot Rod as he sat down with a big grin.

"Ha, ha, Sideswipe. Slagger," Hot Rod said as he turned toward Ratchet. "What do we do?"

"Nothing. Just look sexy and silent. You know the type. Sort of you under invocation," Ratchet said as he dropped a shot of his garbage into the recycler with precision.

"If this is going to be the way this goes," Hot Rod began.

"You're going anyway," Ratchet said with a grin as he stood. "Don't crap out on me now. I'm doing you a service giving you experience with the humans. Just stand there and say nothing."

"It might be a stretch," Sideswipe said as he stood and missed a punch from Hot Rod. Bitching together, the two followed Ratchet to the corridor and downward to the bridge room below.

-0-Moments later

They stood on a street in a business district having stepped onto Earth from an alley. Following Ratchet after he got his bearings, the three walked off into the busy street heading for a large office and business complex where a group of kids who got their backing from Autobot Nation and worked for them on Autobot business as well as their own would have a surprise visit. It was warm and sunny in New York City as the three disappeared into the crowd.

-0-TBC 10-24-18 **edited 11-3-18**


	505. Chapter 505

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 505)

-0-On the streets of a city that never sleeps

"Tell me again how we can be here without our alt formats," Sideswipe asked as he walked down the sidewalk heading toward a beautiful brick building halfway down the block with Hot Rod and Ratchet.

"Well, you know what a slave driver Percy and Wheeljack are," Ratchet said with a grin.

"No," Hot Rod said.

"Me, neither," Ratchet replied. "He does let his smart young kids pursue slag that interests them and take on things we already have with the idea of expanding them. We have a pretender gear set that allows us to go places without our formats along. One orn a kid said, 'why put the format in danger when you can project them somewhere using the unified field device and slag'. See?" Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. Several women passing by noticed and smiled back.

"No." Both of them

"It's like this," Ratchet said as he stopped and turned to them. "We can send our consciousness here and there and its okay with our pretender gear as long as we use our alt modes, too. What about sending them without our modes? Think about a projector. The images are transmitted but the source stays put on the machine. What we are here are transmissions, projected images that can move about because we have a gigantic battery at the bridge room back home and a receptor here that came with us, that part of us that's here inhabiting this projection. It holds us together and intensifies our signal to nearly perfection. It's like a pretender shell without our actual bodies as the base for it appearing.

"We're safe in the bridge room while our shell with a small amplifier device is sent here to walk around and do things according to our consciousness dictates. We act and react in this reality without endangering our own selves by being here as well. We think we're to go to the brick building down the street and our projected shell goes there. We're as solid as can be but we're just a bunch of molecular sparkles put together and projected here. No one is going to know any different and even if we have to eat, we can. Its safer because our bodies aren't here to be stolen by carjackers but our minds are in the same way they are when we're projected in the normal way to do what we need to do."

They stared at Ratchet, then Sideswipe asked the only question that was relevant to him at the moment. "When we go back does our body get slagged if we eat and drink?"

Ratchet laughed. "No. When we derezz when we go back, so does anything we eat or drink. No problemo. I think someone must have threatened them with destruction given the last time we did this, we almost slagged the front seats going back."

"Frag. I want to eat anything and everything. I want to get loaded," Sideswipe said with a chuckle.

"Later. Right now, this is beta stuff. We have three joors before we derezz from our personal amplifiers running out of juice. They want to have data before they tinker and make things better." He looked down the street. "Hurry up." They headed onward and made their way to the building, a beautiful brick structure and went inside.

The lobby inside was old fashioned and industrial in design. They walked to a directory and notice board, found the area where the business was and walked to the door which had a frosted window and the name on it in gold letters, old school. Ratchet opened it and walked in, noting a nice reception area where a young woman and two young men worked at desks. She looked up and smiled. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Ratchet said. "Could you please call your boss? Tell him that Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon along with Autobots Sideswipe and Hot Rod are here to speak to him on behalf of the Prime of Cybertron." He smiled brilliantly.

Hot Rod and Sideswipe glanced at Ratchet with surprise.

The young woman stared at him, then the two boys nearby who paused their work as well. A door nearby led into a huge room where young men and women sat at desks working on state-of-the-(human)-art computers and everywhere it was with a sense of determination and steely purpose. She slowly stood. "Um … please wait here." She hesitated, then walked to the door to disappear inside. The other two youngsters rose and stared at them with disquiet.

"Hi. I'm Ratchet. This is Hot Rod and this is my son, Sideswipe. How are you?" he asked with a dazzling smile.

They didn't answer but the door opened and four familiar faces appeared, Tran, Thom, Brian and Bobby. They stared at the three. Bobby stepped forward. "Uh, who are you and what do you really want? We want you to know that our security here is very good."

Ratchet grinned. "I'm sure it is. Optimus Prime invested a million dollars in this business and he wants to know something that you might already have found out. We need to talk somewhere privately."

"Identity. I want to see your papers," Tran said. "We should just call the cops."

"I don't think that's necessary," Ratchet said. "You've heard of pretender tech, right?"

The kids nodded, then two of them tensed. "Is that what this is?" Brian asked cautiously.

"I have to say it doesn't do me justice. I'm a much better looking slagger than this but we make due with what we have," Ratchet said with a grin. "How about we go and chat?" He pulled a card from his fake shirt covering his rather muscular fake chest and held it up. "Here are my bonafides."

Tran took it and noted a special notation on the bottom of the normal looking driver's license, one that was decided upon by Prime and the group as identifiers for the bearers. He showed it to the others, then handed it back. It was silent a moment, then Bobby nodded. "Come on in." He walked toward the door, then entered. The others followed and so did the three bots.

The door closed behind them, then one of the boys turned to the girl. "Marcy, be ready to call 911 if I say so," he said before he walked inside to follow them and stand outside the closed conference room door to listen.

-0-Inside

They walked through the great room where intense individuals were working on intense things in an array of tech and digital white boards covered with information. They walked down a hallway with offices and other rooms for whatnot, then entered a large conference space. They walked to chairs around a big long table, then all of them sat. Bobby leaned forward on his elbows. "Who are you really?"

"I'm Ratchet of Iacon, this is Hot Rod of somewhere and this is whats his face," Ratchet said with a grin. He got smirks and frowns for his troubles. "We're here in pretender gear to talk to you about what you might've figured out about Owen Harris and the others who are part of the resistance. You're working together with Smoke. Right?"

"You know about Smoke?" Tran asked with surprise.

"We do. They don't know about us. We sort of have a lot of special ops personnel with nothing better to do sometimes than figure out what a low band signal is and who it's going to," Ratchet said. "We've been tracking a couple of operations here on world that spell bad news if they come to fruition. Right now, we need to know if you're aware of any aliens that live here besides us."

They glanced at each other, then Ratchet. "Maybe," Bobby said.

"How about we decide if we're on the same side or not? This is for the good of both of us, human and bot. If the bad news comes, it comes for all of us," Ratchet replied.

"We're aware of two with one of them seemingly two different kinds of the same alien," Tran said. "Tall Whites, Small Grays and Tall Grays. The Grays may be the same species or not. One seems to be kindly and the other dangerous. They have the same thing in common, the Whites and Tall Grays. They like to clip stuff off of us in exchange for tech and information about the galaxy. We've had them coming here for a good 80 years," Bobby concluded.

"Probably lured here in all likelihood by the detonation of the atomic bombs during the 1940's onward. No one seemed to pay any attention to you or this system until that signaled to the greater galaxy that the children living here were driving Dad's neutron bomb. You attracted them with your foolish experimenting with big bombs," Ratchet replied.

"How do you know?" Tran asked.

"We have contact with other aliens, all of them peaceful and all of them originating in this, the local group. They told us about the Whites and both Grays. They don't like any of them. The Reptilians told us that they like the Small Grays but no one else," Ratchet replied.

"Reptilians?" Brian asked with surprise. "You're kidding. They really exist?"

"Keep up, infant. We have two sets. One that lives in this dimension and one that doesn't," Ratchet said as he mused over newer intel, all of which was declassified for him if it served a purpose. "We have a problem with the Tall Whites at the moment. The Grays, both of them, have steered clear for now. The Whites are being protected and maintained by the former Intel-Martin which is now called Hadley Industries. We want to know what you might've divined as related to this, especially among the governments that protect them and the corporations that support them in exchange for tech. By the way, your touch pad tech is theirs."

The humans stared at him, then each other. "Um, we haven't gotten that far. We're tracing Harris around the world and note that there are now billionaires in fifteen countries that have joined his personal circle. All of them have deep ties into nefarious industries and they appear to be working out a sort of agreement to create a cartel if you like to manage their businesses to the benefit of themselves. They also see Mars as a great opportunity. They want to have a human presence there that will be rather like building their own kingdom. Harris is seen as the tech brains along with Xiang of China and Mueller of Germany. There are others in France, the UK, the USA, Russia, Korea, Japan, Denmark and Switzerland who are part of this. They've begun to build a big network of banks, holding companies and other deep state sorts of things to cover their tracks as they grow."

Ratchet nodded. "That's good to know. We want you to focus some of your resources on the new network. We're tracking the alien connection. We want to know how far the rot extends. Smoke is going to be roped in and will work directly with you. Don't say a word now. We're going to be meeting up with them shortly. Right now, we have refugees, Razorclaw and a few other things dragging on our time. We want you kids to work together. Do you need more resources or funds?"

They glanced at each other, then him. "That's always a good thing. We have a lot of good researchers that we like to hire freelance. If they could come on board full time then we can make more headway."

"Done deal. I'll talk to Warren. Anything else you can disclose?" Ratchet said. He handed them a card. "Report every three days what you know. This is a direct line to Prowl."

They glanced at him with surprise, then nodded. "Cool," Brian said with a grin.

Ratchet snickered. "That's our Prowler. We have to motor. Our batteries are running down." He rose and with Hot Rod and Sideswipe turned to go to the door.

"Mr. Ratchet."

Ratchet turned to the kids who were standing around the table. "Yes?" he asked with a big smile.

"Where are these aliens living? If I might ask?" Tran asked.

"Well, I really can't tell you because its secret but it rhymes with megas," Ratchet said. He grinned. "Remember, what happens in Megas stays in Megas." With a chuckle, he nodded and walked out the door followed by the two bemused mechs.

The kids stared at the door, then each other, then the card. "This leads directly to Prowl. Damn. This is so cool. We better get it framed," Tran said with a chuckle.

"Damn. I want to see their tech," Brian whispered as they all nodded.

-0-Outside on the street

"Where now?" Hot Rod asked.

"There's a hot dog stand around the corner. I want the works," Ratchet said as he walked that way.

The others followed and they got the works on a nice bun. Walking to a bench nearby with drinks and dogs, they sat and ate. "I love the way human food tastes," Sideswipe said. "It tastes just like ours."

Hot Rod nodded. "You say that nothing will happen because we're eating, right?"

Ratchet nodded. "So they said."

"We have to go back now. Right?" Sideswipe said as he glanced around.

"Unfortunately," Ratchet said. "We need to do a pub crawl here sometime with everyone."

"I was at the last one with everyone. Prime fell off his horse," Sideswipe said with a chuckle. "I'd hate to see what he'd do here. Does this tech amplify booze, too?"

"I don't know. Why don't you find out?" Ratchet said.

"I would if we had time. My meter is dropping now," Sideswipe said as he mentally checked the assigned setting.

"Eat up and let's go. We're going to wink out in the alley and turn up in our bodies in the bridge room. Let's go," Ratchet said as he stuffed his face. They walked along, then stepped into an alley. A buzz to Mars and they winked out.

-0-At the other end

They were standing around a tall machine that had jacks when they came back. It was a 'temp situation' they were told. It would be eliminated in later models. Right now, jack in and let the tech do its stuff. It synced with their pretender devices, then blitzed them through a micro bridge the size of a pin hole to Earth. It now blitzed them back. When it shut down, the three returned to themselves. Pulling out their jacks, they turned to Percy, Wheeljack and three intense kids.

"Well? How did it work?" Wheeljack asked with anticipation.

Ratchet grinned, then he didn't. Glancing down, he glanced up again. "You told me that the food we ate would derezz with our pretender shells."

"It should," a tall thin kid said.

" **Should?** " Sideswipe asked with surprise. He glanced down and internally scanned himself. "Oh, frag ..."

Hot Rod looked aghast, then did the same. He turned to Wheeljack, Percy and the kids. "What the hell?"

"Uh, maybe we have a little glitch in the system," 'Jack said with a sickly smile.

 **"*I*-*AM*-*GOING*-*TO*-*KILL*-*YOU*!"** -Sideswipe two seconds before he lost his shit altogether

-0-TBC 10-25-18 **edited 11-3-18**


	506. Chapter 506

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 506)

-0-At the beach in Diego Garcia

The crowds were enormous that had come to see the sight. Every off duty soldier, sailor, marine and airman along with the civilians who worked there were lining the beaches ten deep to watch. The newsmen stationed there had their network cameras trained on the skies as did Leonora Huttle and her crew. They had been carried from Mars by Bumblebee and First Aid who along with several Autobots were there for security and orientation. Setting up on the beach behind the line where it was safe to watch, she and Cameraman Jeb were waiting for the show.

Fifteen Autobots in transitional format were thundering here following the signal beam that went into deep space for ships and Autobots to make their way to safety. Most of them went to Mars but these were coming after safely accompanying a group of refugees toward Oasis Base. Moving onward, they made their way unobstructed toward Earth. Soon, they would come crashing through the atmosphere to land in the sea and on the sand, exacting touchdowns with astonishing accuracy.

They had signaled a few orns ago that they were heading this way and the beam would be the path they would follow. First Aid was there to help them when they landed, these mechs who had been in deep space for a very long time searching for the AllSpark. They would be greeted by a group of Autobots including medical and get their root formats squared away before going to Mars by bridge to check in and find their new life.

The Autobots stood along the beach watching the sky. Some of the humans gathered around Leonora turned to her, knowing her from Platoon and their programming. "Can they see the new bots coming?" someone asked.

Leonora grinned. "They can. Their ability to see is different with each but all of them can project their sensors to see and follow things long before us. They can see them."

As she spoke, faint flickering lights finally appeared to the humans, two of them in the distance, pinpricks of light coming their way. The crowd cried out, then settled tensely before Smokey and Jolt turned to some of them. "Move back. They're pretty spot on most of the time but you don't know if any of them are hurt. It could affect their accuracy during landing," Jolt said.

The humans moved back a little as the sight of two transitional forms trailing fire and bits of accretion could plainly be seen by everyone. They were homing in at an amazing speed as they grew in view size. In seconds, faster than the humans were ready to believe, one slammed into the earth and the other followed. They slid a fair distance half burying themselves, then with a sizzling sound and a bit of fire here and there, they began to transform into a protoform.

Most of the humans who were long time residences were used to seeing the Cybertronians in their most basic format, the unadorned protoform. Most of them were different colors from dark nearly black to light metallics and even blue and bluish white. That was a common sight on Cybertron and even on Mars occasionally among the older and traditionally minded but not on Earth. Most of those watching hadn't seen a transitional landing so the sight of two mechs standing up rather swiftly in a very simplified and relatively colorless format was about as strange as it got. The two turned to the welcoming committee and talked to them happily in their weird language of NeoCybex.

Gripping arms in the warrior handshake they favored, they chatted a moment, then stepped back. They both changed before everyone's eyes as they assumed a format that added color, different body modifications and notable expression to their faces and bodies. Glancing at the humans, they listened as First Aid swiftly filled both in, then they pulled to one side to watch as five more forms came into view heading for a hard landing. They trailed burning debris and ice chunks that broke off to fall into the ocean as they began to strike the ground. Two hit the water and three the land. When they all stood up, they were greeted with delight. They moved to the land to assume a format as the others began to appear in the sky. The last eight were coming, screaming across the blue sky as they rode the beam to the ground.

Striking the ground with earthshaking thuds, tossing sand and water everywhere, they hit like missiles and slid to a halt. Huge funnels of water splashed up as three of them hit the hard surface of the ocean and sank. It was a riot of noise as they rose up and turned to the group waiting for them. There was a moment of conversation, what everyone could see was laughter and good cheer, then they began to take on formats from the files downloaded into them with all that they needed for that and languages.

Andrew Settles and Lilly were watching from the bank, then walked down to First Aid when the mechs were all clear. Rapping on his ped, First Aid glanced down, then knelt. "Andrew. Lilly. What a great orn this is."

"I'm glad for you, Aid. Anyone I might know or perhaps have heard of?" Andrew asked.

First Aid stared at the mechs, then the two humans. "Just long time Wreckers. I'm going to check them out and take them to Mars. We're going to head out now. They came from deep space so they followed the beam. We didn't have a way to contact them about making a landing on Mars."

"Why don't you do that instead?" Lilly asked. "It might be easier than having them land here, though I really love to watch it when they come in."

"I know," First Aid said. "We leave this beam because its been operating a long time and if we shut it down and move it to Mars, those who have a fix on it won't be able to continue if its not there. Prime would rather they come to Mars and save everyone a fuss but we might lose those coming on this signal if we do." He stood and nodded. "See you later, Andrew and Lilly."

"See ya. We're coming to Mars for Halloween," Lilly said.

"Then I'll see you then," First Aid said with a grin. He called to the mechs and began to walk up the beach.

The mechs who were staring at the humans, the ocean and each other as they chatted began to follow First Aid. It was obvious that they were a very martial group with lots of guns and battle scars. There would be a lot of conversation about this bunch of bad asses around the base for a while.

It would also make worldwide news.

-0-Ops Center, Autobot City

Prowl sat tapping his digits on the table. The news from Earth was fifteen more slaggers. Prime walked out of the corridor nearby and paused at the table. "What is the problem?" he asked with a slight grin. Prowl with a slow burn was a hilarious Prowl.

"We just got fifteen transitionals landing at Diego. Fifteen more Wreckers," Prowl said as he rose and gathered his gear together.

"That is good news. To me, anyway," Prime said as they walked together for the door.

"If you say so," Prowl said as he walked out the door to the rec room.

Prime followed with a big grin.

-0-Main Theater, the Hall of Cybertron, Autobot City Center for the Performing Arts

They began to come in, the several thousand that were summoned to attend a caste court called by the mech known as Crader of Nova Cronum. Everyone knew who he was, many were among them that had bad and/or profitable dealings with him and all of them were unhappy as frag to have to appear here. They were calling those from Nova Cronum, an aviation and manufacturing center were thousands of high castes not only lived to work but retired there as well. Tarn was also called, this second largest city on Cybertron where enclaves of high caste wealth had clustered that had ties to Nova Cronum and Capital City. Those who were called from Capital City were industrialists who kept homes there to influence the government but also had homes in Nova Cronum and Tarn otherwise. All of them held the responsibility to come when a citizen of their city called a court.

A few here and there were called from Praxus, Iacon and three other cities because they were shipping company magnates who had come here in the migration. They also had ties to Crader and thus were required by said ties to come. They would be called as witnesses if necessary. There was no getting out of it either. When the court called you, you had to come. No one could deny anything a Praxian Elite demanded of them. Even a Prime.

They filtered in, whole families of individuals taking seats together or alone. It was electric, the tension and no one was happy. They were silent and nervous as they sat. The Caste Courts were a serious endeavor and no one took them lightly. It was one of the reasons they were so few, the courts in the past. Not only could you not rig them, you had to face the music with the members of your community watching and sometimes participating.

The room began to fill up with tense individuals and the low murmur of voices felt ominous. The stage was empty but for the seats where the court would sit, a line of chairs that fronted a long row of banners behind them. The biggest were those of the planets and Prime. Prime's banner held pride of place and just below it was that of Cybertron and the Mars-Cybertron banner made and adopted here. The banners of all city-states hung in a line just below them and nearby was the Charter of the Primes and other relevant documents framed and posted on orders from Prowl. Given that this was a special circumstances situation, Optimus would have to be the conduit for the Pantheon rather than the determiner of the verdict.

The verdict would be that of the court to deliver as determined by Hard Drive with advice from the others. Because of the special circumstances, Prime would be here and through him and the Matrix the Pantheon could choose to weigh in.

Or not.

The room was very full when a movement at the edge of the stage caught everyone's attention. They silenced as they watched Piro step out and walk to the stairs. He carried the recorder and a sense of discomfort himself to be the center of attention. He walked to the table halfway across the floor in front of the stage, next to the steps that went back up to the stage itself. Putting the recorder down, he sat and waited.

More mechs walked in and down the steps of the huge auditorium to reserved seats in the front. Optimus and Prowl were the first two and as they entered everyone stood for Prime. When he reached the front and sat, everyone else did as well. Ratchet entered and joined them along with Alor, Barron and three of the priests. Around the room Springer and Drift had positioned security. Both of them were supervising the transfer of the prisoner so they weren't present yet.

In the front of the room on the floor in front of the stage on either side of Piro and his set up, two tables and chairs waited the legal teams. Sherrod and three other lawyers were representing Crader. They waited back stage for his arrival. Coln-2 and two lawyers from his office walked out and down the steps to go to their table and sit. They did.

It grew quiet again.

-0-Prison

Springer, Drift, the intervention team and Warden Gee-Gee stood in the cell block that housed the entire party of Crader. He was alone, a small gracile mech with a bad attitude. Where most mechs were robust, that is big, strong and powerful, Crader wasn't. He was gracile on purpose. He was slim and small without much mass. He was almost femme-like in his lack of bulk and purpose. No one wanted that personality in any format that was going to be difficult to control, so a slim small mini-con was the protoform of choice.

Ratchet's choice, that is.

He stared at them with hatred as he stood inside his small cell containment. Others were watching around him, those who came with him and no one was happy.

Well, maybe Roadbuster was …

"We're coming in to take you to Caste Court, slagger. You can make this easy or not," Springer said. "You know you can't defeat us so don't even start. Hold your skinny arms up and we'll take it easy on you. If you want the hard way we can do that, too."

He didn't move or speak, something that unnerved everyone there so Springer nodded to Gee-Gee. She dropped the gate and with a grit of denta Roadie, Springer and Drift walked in. When they did, they cuffed Crader without incident.

That was also unnerving.

It was a silent trip to the Performing Arts Center on a highly guarded set aside car on the underground system.

-0-Auditorium

The crowd silenced as Ironhide walked out. He was the youngest Praxian Elite in the group so he came first. He stepped down, paused before Prime, then knelt. He bowed his helm, stood, then walked up the stairs to stand in front of the farthest seat on the stage. As he did another mech walked out, then down the stairs to the floor. He walked across the room, then paused before Prime. Rather than just bowing his helm, Micro of Praxus knelt on a knee like Ironhide, then bowed his helm. Prime nodded again as was the custom. Only then did Micro, atar of Piro stand, then climb the stairs to stand in front of his chair.

Another mech walked out, a mirror image but seemingly older. All of the Praxians wore the same armor and all of the warrior class versions were black with silver flashes here and there. This one was no exception and his tattoos and other markings showed his age and power. This was Construct, the father of Micro, the grandfather of Piro. He paused, knelt with a nod, then stood and walked to join his son after giving his deepest respects to Optimus. It would continue.

Another mech walked out and followed the procedure, this mech who was the bond of Construct. He was Amadore, an intelligence expert of legendary proportions. When he had paid his respects, he joined the others. Next came Blackjack, then Turbine following the order of age in their family. As that was done with Piro's family, so it would be with Ironhide's. Raptor was next and his majestic presence was a sight to behold. Delphi followed next, a soothing menthol to Raptor's blazing heat. It was silent a moment, then the legal team for Crader followed. They bowed to Prime, then sat tensely at their table.

No one followed next and the tension ramped up as everyone waited. Backstage, Springer and his team had arrived with Crader. Hard Drive was waiting calmly as they came into the room with the intervention team from the prison as escort. Crader stopped before Hardie. He smirked slightly but didn't say anything.

"Crader, I'm giving you a chance to change your mind. This could be a matter of your life. Raptor made a joke. Don't let your ego drive you to make a very bad decision here," Hardie said.

"I chose a court. Is everyone here? This could be fun, Hardie. Let's do this," Crader said with the same arrogant bluster that he was famous for.

Hardie glanced at Springer who stared at him pensively. Hardie nodded slightly, then the group moved onward. Out to the stage they went, then down the stairs. Walking to the defense table, Crader was sat down, then everyone stepped back. He held up his servos. "You aren't removing my jewelry?"

"No, slagger," Springer said. "I'll stand really close by to admire it though," he said as he walked to the stage, then knelt down on one knee. His guns were in view and his optics were hard and intense.

Crader was about to say something when Piro stood to set the demeanor of the court. "May I call this court to order," Piro said. "I am Piro of Praxus, Praxian Elite member of the House of Howitzer and Blitz. I call us together to hear a petition. I am instructed by the court to tell you the rules and deportment that you must hold to if you wish to remain without penalty. I am recorder who will keep the record. The court panel consists of the noble family of Construct, Operational Specialist and Special Operations Master of the Army and that of Hard Drive of Praxus, Master of the Army Emeritus, General of the Army as it stands now and highest ranking member of his caste on this planet and perhaps all of the Empire. He will officiate as chief magistrate.

"The judges of note are Master of the Army Emeritus, Raptor of Praxus, General of the Army at present and commander of the famed First Division. With him will be Blackjack, Master of the Army Emeritus, General of the Army at present and commander of the famed First Battalion. They will preside with General Hard Drive and those of the House of Construct, scion of the House of Howitzer and Blitz. General Micro of Special Forces of the Autobot Army will be seated as a judge as will his fathers, General Construct and General Amadore, Intelligence and Special Operations. They will also listen to the evidence and serve as advisers to General Hard Drive who has final deciding responsibilities.

"Sergeant-at-Arms will be Commander Ironhide of Praxus, chosen bodyguard of the Prime of Cybertron, Master of the Army at present, Master of Munitions of the Empire, Mars and Cybertron and divisional commander of the Army of Mars.

"Serving as observers and informational resources will be Turbine of Praxus, Commander of Special Operations for Cybertron and Delphi of Praxus, Commander of Tactics and Special Command for Cybertron, both of whom are part of the Prime's Senior Command staff and Praxian Elite Class warriors of noble houses as well. As advisers and observers, they have no final vote in the outcome of the petition but can be consulted by the panel for information and other points of the law and rules of the court.

"The process is simple. A petition has been put forward requesting a caste court to decide a case before the civilian courts of our colony. This is a criminal case regarding conduct by the defendant, Crader, as well as that pertaining to outstanding warrants against him from Cybertron which stand even though they were issued before The Fall. It is law that all disputes before The Fall stand until arbitrated now. When the petition was accepted, it gave a time line for this process which the defendant waived.

"Given the number of former high castes citizens in the colony as it stands now, the membership of the congregation was limited to those directly geographically affected by the actions of the petitioners … the members of the city-states of Tarn, Capital City and Nova Cronum and its related areas and industries. We recognize the difficulties for some of you to come but it is the law as practiced by the System of Exception and because it is, you have no choice. The court acknowledges your inconvenience anyway. Some of you are from Capital City and other places where you primarily lived but you were counted in surveys in this court due to your business and other investments of time and resources.

"The petitioners have been brought in and they will be given such time as necessary for them or their chosen representatives to plead their case. It is asked of you to hold any comments or suggestions during this part of the pleading. When they have presented their case, the court will ask what questions they require. Generals Raptor, Micro, Construct, Blackjack and Amadore along with Commanders Turbine and Delphi will question while the presiding judge, General Hard Drive of Praxus listens. He will not ask questions unless it is absolutely necessary. His function is to acquire information and observe, then direct the formulation of the decision which is binding. Commander Ironhide as sargent-at-arms has no voice in this process.

"The only other option for discussion of a settled item normally is the extremely serious and rare call for a Convocation of the Will. This process is called at the discretion of the Prime and only the Prime and decides only unaddressed discussion or items not settled by the Caste Court decision. However, given this is criminal and a special circumstances trial, a convocation is not allowed. It would due everyone well to remember that the decision rendered here is final.

"When the case is made, then the floor will be opened. Anyone in this room and beyond in the back may step up and state their feelings and desires regarding the findings of the case as well as your feelings and other commentary important to you and this court. You are encouraged in this protected and sacred space. This case affects us all so be brave and state what you feel. When that is over, the panel will make their decision regarding the outcome rendered together through internal discussion. It is suggested that you hold to silence during this time. When they have reached a decision, General Hard Drive will inform everyone what it is. Again, understand there is no appeal beyond this court given its status as special circumstances. All decisions are final.

"If there are any disturbances, you will be removed from the proceedings. There is security around the room but I am confident that it is not necessary for us to reach a good accord," Piro said. He looked around the room, then nodded to Springer who nodded back. He turned to Hard Drive listening nearby and bowed his helm. "Sir?"

General Hard Drive of Praxus, a legendary leader of the First Rebellion and member of The Immortals had stepped into view and was walking down the steps to the floor. Standing for him, everyone's optics followed Hardie, this mech everyone knew by reputation as he walked toward Piro. He paused before Prime, then knelt on a knee. He bowed his helm, Prime returned it, then he rose to walk to the steps and upward to the row of mechs who were standing on either side of his chair which was in the middle. He stopped there and turned to the room. It was silent a moment as he took the measure of everyone there. "You may sit," he said as the room did.

He stood as he stared at the group, then began the opening statement. "I am Hard Drive ..."

-0-TBC 10-27-18 **edited 10-28-18**


	507. Chapter 507

The Diego Diaries: Court (dd6 507)

-0-Court

It was dead silent in the room after Hard Drive spoke. He then sat down in his chair, glancing at the two tables of attorneys as he did. "I'm assuming that we're ready to proceed?"

Both Sherrod and Coln-2 nodded. "Yes, sir," they both said.

The room was filled with a few sitting along the walls or on the stairs. They were a drawn and tense group, nervous and uncertain about what was to come but unable to leave or not participate. The rules of the road were very clear and they had to be here come hell or high water. Hard Drive was an imposing force all by himself given the gravity of his charisma and his history among The People. That a row of this many Praxians were sitting on stage with all their dark armor and imposing figures was probably unprecedented. Hardie glanced at Piro. "Please read the indictment's charges, Piro."

Piro stood, bowed deeply, then began to read from the datapad in the old fashioned manner of a court of this nature. "Here we gather to hear the accounting against Crader of Nova Cronum. He is called to account for the following charges some of which are outstanding warrants from alleged activities and actions from before The Fall on Cybertron and throughout the Empire and Local Group. They include murder, arson, fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to run guns and violate the Tyrest Treaties, conspiracy to sell Cybertronian technology in violation of the Tyrest Treaties, participating in a criminal operation that dispersed forbidden tech and weapons to alien groups and planets, running a criminal enterprise regarding the sale and distribution of controlled substances, enslaved individuals, providing individuals for immoral purposes some of which were under the age of consent, money laundering, tax evasion, manslaughter and murder as well as conspiring to aid and abet the enemy in a time of war. There are also two counts of treason. So say I, so say it all." He sat down and waited.

Hardie considered that as the panel began to dial down their emotions to the 15% that was required to be completely dispassionate and fair. He looked at Crader who sat with an expression of amusement on his face. "What say you to the charges? Guilty or not guilty?"

Crader grinned at his team. "Lucky you to defend me against this slag."

Sherrod stared at him, then Hardie. "Not guilty, General."

"That's right, Hard Drive. Not guilty," Crader said. "Not that it matters I suppose. I do so like a good debate especially with so many of my co-conspirators sitting behind me," he said as he glanced over his shoulder.

The audience looked like they could dig a hole to the core of Mars. They looked, some of them like a big fat spotlight was pointing directly at them and it probably was. Some of the mechs and a couple of the femmes were likely to know as much about what Crader did as the next person.

Hardie nodded. "Your plea is accepted. Coln-2, you represent the Prime's brief. Please begin." He glanced at Sherrod. "Unless, of course, you have a motion, counselor."

Sherrod stared at Crader, then Hardie. He shrugged tiredly. "No, I don't."

"Nor do I, General," Coln said as he stood datapad in servo.

"Very well. Please begin. I would suggest to anyone sitting in this auditorium who might find what is said offensive or difficult to hear to contain yourself. This is going forward with you present as per The Code and the System of Exception." He glanced at Coln, then nodded.

Coln bowed, then walked closer to the panel. "Gentlemen, I'm here to represent The People in this case in which a war criminal has been placed before all of us to stand at long last for the deeds of which he's been accused. Given that the rules of law state that the warrants that were outstanding on Cybertron all of this time be honored, we have a good half dozen charges that wouldn't have had a chance to find an airing otherwise. We're here to present the picture of a criminal who headed a conspiratorial organization that did a great deal of harm to our people and played a big role in the fall of our home world and the terrorized life of our population.

"We're ready to present evidence that Crader of Nova Cronum did participate himself in at least five and as many as seven murders. We have evidence and witnesses to show that Crader was in the pay of Megatron when the war was declared and thus through his actions showed himself to be a traitor. He also sold our technology and weapons systems to aliens who were forbidden to have it through the Tyrest Treaties and some of them assisted Megatron in the war, thereby using our own weapons against our own people.

"We're ready to present evidence that Crader laundered astonishing amounts of currency, fenced and transported stolen goods especially those of considerable value both monetarily and culturally as well as participated in slavery and the exploitation of minors. His business, Crader Transport was a criminal enterprise that smuggled guns, drugs, addictive games and other contraband to whoever had the largest pile of cash to pay for it. He had no interest in the effect his actions had on the lives of anyone affected. He laundered money for himself and others, hid money without declaring it and cheated our people out of the taxes that he owed through the system.

"Crader was part of the corruption that engulfed our government and he was protected from consequences of his actions because he made them wealthy as well. He could be as brazen and as objectionable as he wished because he was protected. He was a partner with those in business and government that profited off his activities. It was a mutual protection racket that led to the downfall of our planet and the agony of our people. We will prove that there was no high minded pretensions here, not by him and not by those whose protections allowed him to maraud without penalty.

"We're prepared to enter into the record documents that show what was done, where the profits of criminal activities went and who abetted the process."

A youngling mech stood and carried a stack of datapads to the steps which he climbed. He walked down the row of judges handing one to each. He walked back and sat down again to run the evidence and take the record for the prosecutor's office. It was ghastly silent in the room.

Coln looked at the judges. "Please press the button marked case file on your datapad." They did. "I'm going to go over the documentation which has been forensically evaluated for both me and Sherrod to prove that its authentic and above board. Both of us have agreed that the documents are those created by Crader, his agents and those with whom he worked and that all signatures and notations are those of the defendant and his accomplices." He looked at the audience. "I have asked Dr. Floe of Iacon to come forward to speak as an expert witness on forensic accounting. We've agreed, both Sherrod and I that he's not only competent to speak toward criminal enterprise but of the highest qualification both professionally and personally."

A tall quiet looking mech stood and walked to the platform where he would stand. As he did large monitors hanging on the wall around the room came on to show what the datapads the judges held told. "Please give a brief synopsis of your qualifications, Professor, so that everyone can be educated."

Floe nodded. "I am Floe of Polyhex. I was educated at the University of Iacon in business administration, then took several advanced degrees in the Praxus Institute of Economics as well as taught business, economics, money management and investment at the University of Iacon, the University of Praxus, the Praxus Institute of Economics and served four Primes as a consulting economist. I worked with Venture of Praxus as well and authored many books on the subject with him before taking up a personal vocation regarding forensics accounting and criminal law. There isn't an entity related to the law on Cybertron and in the Empire that I didn't consult with about this kind of crime and I have been an expert witness for eons in trials. This is my specialty, my personal calling and I'm ready to assist you in the determination of the data compiled within that framework."

"Thank you," Coln said. "We've recovered a number of accounts in a number of dummy companies and banks, businesses that exist to shift vast sums and other shell game type apparatuses. I would like you to take us through this and explain as fully as you can how this shows a criminal intention and effort to conceal money that can be traced to criminal activity."

He would. Floe would methodically outline the organization of Crader's gang, how they operated including within the government who used them for a number of nefarious operations. It showed how forbidden tech and arms were gathered, dispersed and the funds that paid for the contraband funneled through dummy companies, fake accounts, transfers from banks to investment firms to banks again. It was complex and required a lot of cooperation from the government and financial institutions but it was clear by the time Floe concluded that Crader had it.

"I'm directing you, sir, to the next set of exhibits. Please explain what they are, how they're important and what they show us," Coln said.

Everyone looked at the monitors. A set of ledgers appeared with a stream of names, dates, places and amounts laid out in immaculate detail. "This set of books if you will are ledgers that show activity and remuneration for that activity by a number of individuals. The chain of custody established when discovered is not disputed by you, Coln-2 nor Sherrod. There are payments listed that detail arms sales to the Dark Coalition which is not only forbidden by the Treaties but by common agreement of all the civilizations in the Burren. No one was allowed to trade with the Coalition. It was forbidden. They're an emerging civilization with great warlike tendencies and the law was clear." He showed pages and pages of electronic numbers, each of them a transaction, the individual who was the customer and what they paid.

"This ledger shows that the activity was noted by a number of important company directors and members of the Senate. These notations are bribes that were paid to those individuals to allow this activity to continue without interference." He then outlined how the information worked and what it told. Most of the individuals mentioned were not on world and hadn't been found on Cybertron. They were flagged and perhaps sometime they would fly in and face the music. For now, it was probable that they would remain on the missing/dead lists.

For over an hour Floe documented the damning information that had been taken from the big mainframes on Cybertron, from ships flown by Crader's group and databases of dossiers made by policing authorities on Cybertron and the Local Group during the run up to war. It was only war that broke the back of the conspiracy that had been created between the defendant and everyone else. When the last document was explained and slotted into the framework of the criminal cartel that was Crader's company, it was obvious that a number of the charges were given a giant boost of credibility. Floe waited quietly as Coln went through his notes. "I have no more questions for this witness at this time."

"Sherrod?" Hardie asked quietly. Everyone else sat like crows on a fence, their fierce charisma making it very quiet among the multitudes watching. There wasn't a mech or femme in the room who wasn't totally glad that they weren't in Crader's chair.

"I have no questions. The credibility of this witness and these documents is unassailable," Sherrod said equally quietly.

Crader glanced at him with a slight grin on his face. "You aren't even going to try?"

Sherrod looked at him sharply. "I would prefer that you address your concerns to me off line."

" **WHERE'S THE FUN IN THAT!?"** Crader called out, then he laughed. Leaning back, he grinned at Hard Drive. "Please, Maestro … continue."

It was silent, then Hardie looked at Coln. "Please continue."

"I would like to call Murrell of Helex to the stand," Coln said.

Sandstorm opened the door topside and leaned out. Stepping back, a small mech walked in, one nearly quivering with nerves and fright. He walked down the steps, then stepped onto the platform as he was instructed. He looked at Hardie, then Coln, keeping his back studiously turned away from Crader.

Piro stood. "Do you swear to state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?"

Murrell nodded. "Yes. I do."

Piro sat as Coln moved closer, purposefully standing so Murrell wouldn't have to see Crader. "Murrell, please give a short synopsis of yourself so your testimony will have context."

Murrell nodded. "I was a worker on the docks at Nova Cronum, the out world docks. I worked for a mech called Parcel. He was old school, had a lot of integrity and didn't allow funny business around his area. The docks were corrupt and so were the companies that used them. We knew a lot of slag went through them but not when Parcel was there. He was told to get with the program but never did. He wasn't a worker for the companies like we were. He was a dock employee. He had a lot of friends and worked for the docks, the city corporation that owned and operated them.

"Crader used to send his goons to intimidate the workers and bosses. Most of them gave up and fell into line. Getting a bit of money for looking the other way helped. No one would help us and it was easier than being dead."

"What happened to Parcel? Did he give in?" Coln asked quietly.

Murrell stared at him, then became emotional. "No. He was abducted and killed. They took him apart bolt by bolt, put him into a crate and shipped him to us. I was instructed to open the crate myself. No one knew he was inside it. We saw him there. He was dead. He was a good guy, a really good and brave mech. We were told that Crader did it himself. We were told that we were next if we didn't do what he wanted. No one argued after that. We just did what we were told and … we gave up." He looked sick at spark, shaking his helm slowly. "Parcel was the best mech I ever met. He was a hero and everyone let him down. He stood up and was counted but it didn't matter. Crader owned everyone. He killed Parcel without a care. Parcel was just in the way."

"How did you know he did?" Coln asked.

"There was a brand on Parcel's hand, the glyph for Crader Transport. When Crader killed someone himself, he branded them. He said so. I heard him when he came to pay off some supervisors. They were talking and he was telling them that they were smart to go along. He told about how he removed anyone who didn't and when the mood moved him, he did it himself. He branded them on the hand, he said. I heard him say so."

It was silent. "What more can you tell us about this mech and how things were?"

Murrell considered that. "He doesn't have a spark. He likes to hurt you. He gets a thrill out of it. He's a coward." Murrell turned to stare at Crader. "You're a coward and a traitor, Crader. You never did a good thing in your life but get caught." He looked at Coln who nodded.

"I have no further questions," Coln said quietly.

Sherrod stared at the mech who turned to them again. He was girding himself and this would be an very bad emotional exchange if he interviewed him. He decided it would be a disaster if he did so Sherrod shook his helm. "I have no questions."

Coln glanced at Murrell. "Thank you, Murrell. You can go."

Murrell stared at Coln, then Crader. "I can go. You never will again. Who's the stupid slagger now?" He stepped down and walked out, the door closing behind him.

Crader watched him go, then glanced at the crowd behind him. "Who indeed?" he said softly as he grinned a malicious grin.

-0-TBC 10-28-18 **edited 11-3-18**


	508. Chapter 508

The Diego Diaries: Court (dd6 508)

-0-'Continue, Counselor'

Coln produced witness after witness to speak to events that Crader had been accused of. They spoke about substances flooding their areas sold out of the back of Crader Transport trucks with police standing nearby watching. They told of highjacking, strong arming any effort to organize the workers to have a better deal, theft, mechs disappearing to end up dead somewhere else and brutality. On and on it went with Sherrod questioning where he could to try and shake the intensity of the evidence that was accumulating.

Crader himself sat quietly with a slight smirk on his face when he wasn't glancing around staring at things and individuals. He spent a fair amount of time staring at Prowl and Prime before slouching in his chair. As a witness who had talked about drugs walked up to leave Crader leaned forward in his chair. "Hard Drive."

Hardie glanced at him. "Crader."

"Do I get to speak to the witnesses in this slag fest? How about me asking questions? There's some in this room I would like to talk to as well."

Hardie considered that, then glanced at Sherrod who shrugged in resignation. "Very well. You may not abuse but you may ask relevant questions. Stray off the path and you will lose the privilege."

Crader stood, then turned to the audience who stared at him with fear, loathing and real hatred. "How do you like me now?" he asked as he spread his arms wide. "I'm a slagging mini-con now. This is what happens when you do due diligence to your frame and everyone's a critic. I'm getting accused of a lot but we all know some of you here should be sitting with me. I took the risks, you got the profits and none of the summons or warrants. How about some of you giving me a personal testimonial to help the panel figure out my punishment? I could use mitigation about now." No one spoke as they stared at him. "No?" he asked with a grin. "No one?"

It was incredibly tense in the room as the group watched him, many of them who had done business with him and many who knew about his actions and associations but did nothing about them, though some had the ability to end his rampages. They sat like statues, many of the audience staring at him with genuine looks of fear and trepidation.

"Is no one going to step up?" he asked with a big grin.

Springer who was kneeling by the stage within striking distance watched him closely. This could get nasty really quickly. The security teams gripped their guns which hung casually from their shoulders, some of them. Drift moved from the wall, walked down the stairs, then knelt halfway down in order to move if the mech did anything untoward. He stared at Crader as he watched the nervousness grow in some closer to the tables than others.

"You look familiar," Crader said to Drift. "I do believe I know you. You were a gang leader in Kaon and Tarn. You can take the fragger out of their format but I remember. I have a photographic memory. No matter what you change on the outside, the aura keeps enough of itself to give you away. You're Deadlock."

It was silent as a graveyard as Drift stared impassively at Crader. He knew him. They worked together to steal energon among other things when he led a gang that operated from Kaon to Nova Cronum. He didn't answer but stared at Crader as he watched Springer tense up near the stage. Crader stared at him. "You have nothing to say? We stole things together. Energon, guns, you name it. You stole it and I transported it to the fences." Crader grinned. "There's one of them now," he said pointing to an immaculate bot sitting three rows up from Drift. "Hello, Tidal. How is it going? Care to fill me in on what you're doing now?"

That bot looked blasted as everyone stared at him, all of them nearly palsied with fear. This was the worst nightmare of nightmares coming to fruition before them. Drift glanced at Tidal, then Crader. "If this is your idea of a defense, Crader, you're going to be dismantled when this is over." He stood up casually as he stared at Crader levelly, his expression as even as ever. "Everyone knows I was a Decepticon once. A lot know that I was a gangster on Cybertron. It was do that or starve. Thanks to slaggers like you, those were my options."

Crader grinned. "You were a piece of work, Deadlock. I heard you went to the 'Cons and killed a lot of Autobots. You used to hunt them for fun."

Springer rose slowly, staring at Crader with real hatred. "And what about you? We all know about you as well."

Crader looked at Springer, then grinned. "You're a bond. That's what I heard. Do you know what Deadlock did?"

"Well, **yeah** ," Springer said with disgust and no small amount of anger. " **Bond**."

Crader glanced at Drift, then Tidal. "You stole the energon, guns and whatnot, Deadlock and I sold them to the go between. You, Tidal. I could tell stories," he said with a humorless chuckle. He glanced at the others sitting in the seats. "I could tell a lot of stories. **SHOULD I**!?"

Springer walked to the edge of the room, then turned toward Crader. "Tell us what? Do you really think that no one here knows what you did or could tell? Go ahead, slagger. If you think you're going to hurt my feelings about him, you don't know slag," he said as he nodded to Drift.

Drift who was standing in the aisle looking impossibly sexy, his white and red paint scheme with its angles and sharp features almost glowing stared at Springer. Their bond link was burning up but outwardly both were calm and indifferent to Crader.

Coln who was listening glanced at Hard Drive. "Sir, how about we get back on track. This is all very fascinating but we have a job to do here."

"How about it, Hardie. How about opening the floor up. How about all of us just talking together all civilized?" Crader asked. "Its allowed if you agree to it. What do you have to hide? I got nothing myself. My life is an open book."

Hardie looked at him, consulted with the others, then glanced at Sherrod and Coln. "I'm going to allow it for a moment." He looked at Crader. "Stay on point. When I say this is over, it is."

Crader considered that, then nodded. "Okay." He looked at Tidal who looked deathly ill. "You don't look too good, Tidal. But then … I don't think you ever expected to face the music. You didn't take the risks. I did. You don't have warrants and I do. Suck it up, fragger." He looked at Drift. "You were a seriously dangerous mech in the old orns. I liked that. Even Megatron liked it. What happened to you?"

Drift stared at him, then shrugged indifferently. "Stuff."

Crader stared at him, then laughed loudly. " **YOU GOT SOFT**! Like **you** , Spin."

Another mech flinched as he sat in the midst of his family. He stared at Crader like he was an infectious disease. He was frozen with terror.

Crader stepped closer. "You dispersed the bribes I paid to have a free run. Police Commissioner of Tarn and you were on the take." Crader looked around. "You, Sleuth. You worked for the state police and you let me know when anyone was close to getting something on me." He looked at Prowl with a grin. "Even you, Detective Prowl of Praxus. I was told about your every step so you never had a slagging chance at getting me."

Sleuth, a big mech with immaculate finials and paint scheme rose slowly. "And just because you **say** something, we're supposed to believe its **true**? We chased you **forever** , you slagger. You're a pathological liar."

"I'll take a cortical test. What about you? Will you submit to a patch?" Crader said.

Sleuth stared at him, his fists clenching and unclenching. "Frag you, liar. Prove it." He sat down with a look of cold blooded murder on his face.

Crader looked around, then spotted a pair of former senators sitting together in the midst of their families. They flinched as he stared at them. "There's Gall and Barrow. Both of you were on the take but then what politician wasn't? It was part of your 'charm'." He glanced at Prime. "Present Prime excluded." He turned toward Prime. "You **do** know that we were preparing to kill you, Prime. We were going to assassinate you in office. Some of the senators were behind it. They wanted me to do it. I told them that there wasn't enough shanix in the universe to make that happen with me. I saw you when you were chosen by the Matrix. I was in the audience watching, scoping out how best to take you down when you were through at the meeting, then that happened. The Matrix saved you from an untimely death."

"You aren't religious," Ratchet said.

"No but I'm not stupid. The Matrix actually **chose** him. I was there when Sentinel and Nominus were just handed the device. It didn't choose them. This was real and that was theater. Fragger was chosen by The One. I was at a party once where a mech mocked Nominus and was burned inside out. It was instructive. I don't frag with the Matrix. I'm not religious. Don't get your hopes up. I'm just not stupid."

Prowl gripped Prime's servo and Prime squeezed his gently. Both of them watched the train wreck unfolding even as Prowl took down the information flowing from the gangster before them. "You were given the heads up?" Prowl asked. "What did you know about the gang trading in infants for immoral purposes?"

Some in the room gasped as others looked even more shocked or frightened. Crader stared at Prowl, then grinned. "You would have to speak to Decimus and Halogen. They were the contacts for that strangeness. I wasn't part of it." He laughed harshly. "Even I wasn't **that** fragged up." He turned to stare at Hardie. He set his expression to one of coldness that bordered on pathology. "Let's cut to the chase, Hard Drive. You want me to tell you things. I will but not if I spend the rest of my life in prison. You and I can cut a deal. I can clear up half the crimes that happened on Cybertron and then move on somewhere else with my party. How about it?"

Hardie and the panel stared at him, then Coln stood again. "General, I never offered a deal because of the severity of the crimes alleged. We're not prepared to make a deal. Without corroborating evidence and witnesses, we would have to take his word for what he says. He could be telling the truth or he could just slander half this room. I'm high caste and I have no love for it or what it caused to happen. That slagging ship has sailed but I do have an affinity for the truth and I don't trust this mech to tell me the correct time."

Hardie looked at Prime. "Lord Optimus … what are your thoughts?"

Prime stared at Crader, then Hardie. "I would have preferred a criminal court to this but this is where we are. This court continues to exist because it assists the assimilation of former high castes to a better path. This is of the greatest consequence, this mech and his charges. It falls to the level of special circumstances. The Pantheon could very well weigh in here. I do not believe that we can trust this mech." He stared at Crader. "Unless you drop all your firewalls and submit to a full scan cortical patch, then no. I do not have an interest in a deal. The People have an abiding interest in the truth but not at any consequence."

"Well, that would just be embarrassing, Prime. I could never do that. But I **will** tell you a lot. A great deal ... names and dates, events in all their three dimensional glory. I have that to give and will do it willingly but sitting in prison forever? No. I don't think so," Crader said.

"You don't have a **choice** , slagger. No one is going to cover or protect you," Tidal said with emotion. "The court has the decision and the General will hang you from your cod piece in the town square for what you did. You think you can slander us? Try it."

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Crader said with a chuckle.

-0-TBC 10-28-18 **edited 11-3-18**


	509. Chapter 509

The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 509)

-0-Court

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Crader said with a chuckle. He looked around the room, then spotted two more mechs, neither sitting very close together. "How about you, Fin? You were a major thief of government property. You stole the stuff, then fenced it with Tidal. And you, Corrigate … you were the biggest bribe taker in Nova Cronum. Whatever anyone would pay for, you would do even if it was criminal or slag. Why don't you stand up and tell us all about it."

They both sat rooted to their seats, unable to move from the scrutiny on them. Tidal stood. "General, how long is this slag fest going to last before we get onto the business we're here for?"

"We're **HERE** for this slag fest. Did you really think I would take the fall without you?" He glanced at the others, then turned to Hardie who sat as impassively as the others. "I gave you an offer. I can unload a lot of slag here that'll clear the decks on a lot of slag. How about it, General? If memory serves me, you're a lot smarter than the average slagger. Good trade. You get justice for a boat load of crimes and me and mine move on. Win-win."

It was silent a moment, then Coln-2 put his datapad on the table. "General, we don't do deals like this. Unless he allows unfettered access to his databases, we can't depend upon him telling the truth. We have a trial and we need to move on. He's playing the court and manipulating everyone, something he's famed for."

"You don't believe that the comments he's already made are true? That they allude to even more information?" Turbine asked with a slightly metallic tone to his voice.

"We're ready to entertain allegations with facts. We aren't prepared to barter for the truth by letting these individuals walk away after they dole out whatever they feel they need to so they can. We're dealing with special circumstances here," Coln said.

"Yes, we are," Crader said. "In fact, I'm so clear on the information I can and will give you, I waive the rest of this trial. You did a good job. Kudos to you, Coln. As for you, Sherrod … you never had a good hand from the start. I hold that," he said tapping his helm with a digit. "Up here."

It was silent a moment, then Hardie looked at Sherrod. "Your client is off the rails. Do you want to set this hearing aside until you have a chance to re-organize or do you wish to take up his request?"

Sherrod stared at Hardie, then his client. "We never had his cooperation, General. I feel the futility of this event. I will accept what he feels he needs to do and the responsibility of the outcome is his alone."

Crader grinned. "That's my boy. Coln-2? What about you?"

Coln stared at Crader like he was looking at another species of being. He glanced at Hardie's impassive face, then Sherrod's defeat. "I think you're being a damned fool, Crader. We're talking about your neck. If you fail here, you can be recalled by the Pantheon. Whatever you think you can finagle out of this court, you can't fool Them. Think hard about it."

"I have. I decided that I'd rather be dead than in prison especially when so many of my former colleagues would be living in the colony whooping it up. Why should I take the fall alone? Who wouldn't want to find out the truth?"

" **AS YOU SAY IT WAS!"** Everyone turned to Sleuth who had stood up, fists clenched and rage on.

"As it **was**. I have nothing to do with the facts as they happened, Sleuth. I gave you the bribes to help me stay out of jail. I didn't make you take them," Crader said.

" **YOU'RE A LIAR!"** Sleuth said as Drift moved down the steps to stand between Sleuth and Crader.

"Have a seat. Now," Drift said calmly.

"You better do it, Sleuth. I've seen this fragger fight. You don't want to mix it up with him," Crader said.

Sleuth stared at Crader with homicide on his face, then sat slowly down again. It was ghastly, the energy in the room. Everyone turned to Hardie who was apparently discussing the whole turn of events with the others. After a moment, he stood. "I will allow the request unless you have difficulty with your presentation standing thusly," he said as he glanced at Coln.

Coln stared at him, then Crader and Sherrod. He tossed a stylus on the table. "If you desire it, General, we'll rest our case." He sat and leaned on his elbows as the room watched the show with gathering dread.

Hardie sat down, then glanced at Piro. "I wish for commentary from the congregation to commence."

Piro nodded, then stood. "You're called to speak as your conscience decides. This is sacred space and you **will** be protected here. Come and speak your mind." He sat.

The room was deathly silent as everyone sat like statues in their seats. Then a small femme stood, one who was old and walked down the stairs to the platform. She took it, then turned to face Hardie. "General, thank you for this moment. I wish you to know that Crader killed my son. He hooked him on addictive video games and he never recovered. You know the kind … the purple games they were called."

There was no one in the room who didn't know what they were. There were few things more addictive than them and many were the mech and femme who starved to death playing them, so absorbed were they in thrall to them. They were also a pathway to other things, scripts and substances that overtook and all to often killed them.

"My son was a nice kid but he loved games. Someone gave him the Shocker game, the one that most of them got hooked on. From the moment he played it he was lost to us. He died from addiction to that and other substances that always followed the games. He tried to stop but he couldn't. He's buried in Nova Cronum and some orn I hope to be buried beside him. He was my son, my little mech. This man and whoever knows how many in this room killed him as surely as if they shot him. They need to pay for their crimes. They owe us a debt that needs to be paid. I ask you to reject his offer and follow the law. I know you lead from The Code. I trust in you." She stared at him, then bowed to him, then Optimus. She walked back to her seat and sat.

It was quiet, then a mech stood up and walked down the row to the aisle. He walked to the platform and took it, staring at Hardie. "I know The System was a fragged thing. Life on the run and here has shown that to be true. A lot of individuals got hurt from it. This slagger is trying to bargain with their suffering for a way out of his own. You can't allow that. He owes us, all of us. All of us who were high caste did a lot of things. Every time we allowed something dishonorable or unjust to happen we were as guilty as him of destroying people's lives. We **all** owe a debt, **all** of us. This slagger needs to pay his just as the rest of us need to pay ours. We owe it to everyone. Don't give in to his slag, General. He's not going to tell you everything and if he doesn't tell everything he knows than anything he **DOES** tell you is meaningless." He bowed to Hardie, then Prime, then walked back.

Prowl stood, then walked to the platform. "I am Prowl. I was a detective on loan to many departments during the times in question. I worked hard to catch this mech and others. I bagged Barricade and some of the other gangsters but not you. You were, indeed, warmed of my efforts. I don't know who told you but someone did. I suggest you reject his offer, General. He has no honor and he won't come fully clean. If he just implicates others and skips over himself, then nothing he says will have value. He deserves to pay a real penalty for his crimes." He bowed to Hardie, then Prime, then walked back to sit.

It was silent.

"Any others?" Piro asked. No one responded, so he stood. "The commentary is over. The case is now given to the panel led by General Hard Drive to decide. Everyone is to sit and wait. No one is to leave. There will be no emotional outbursts or you will be arrested." He sat down and turned to the panel to wait.

-0-Waiting

Conversations raged all over the room off line as the crowd sat in major discomfort while the judges decided what to do. Along the wall, Prime and Company discussed this or that point raised by Crader who sat calmly and relaxed in his chair nearby. Sherrod looked like slag and so did his team. Coln looked at Sherrod with concern as the silence deepened.

:What is the likelihood that the Pantheon will show up?: Ratchet asked.

Prime shrugged. :I would think its high. I do not expect that Hard Drive will accept Crader's offer:

:I agree. I also plan to investigate the individuals named by Crader when this is over. If there **is** anything to what he said then they will have their own date with destiny: Prowl said.

:That's our Prowler: Ratchet said with a grin.

-0-A half joor later

Hardie stood and everyone in the room jolted. They sat up straight to listen to the General give the decision. It was ghastly, the energy in the room. The only one who didn't appear to be affected was Crader. "I am General of the Army Emeritus Hard Drive of Praxus, exempt mech and member of The Immortals. I am here with my fellow Praxians to decide on the petition of Crader of Nova Cronum regarding a number of charges that constitute special circumstances. Crader called for the court. I gave him two opportunities to withdraw his petition and go through a normal criminal process. He declined both times.

"We are here to decide whether the burden of proof has been met. The charges range from murder to treason. Thievery, financial criminality and slaving are also part of the charges. The court has presented a mass of evidence and witnesses. We, the court feel that the burden of proof has been met. We believe that the charges against Crader of Nova Cronum have been met and sustained.

"Given that the court itself is a mechanism for a particular caste to seek redress outside the normal courts of law, it's a given that this was the court of last resort. Mechs and femmes came here to stay **out** of normal prisons. It was a perk of caste that was used and abused by any number of diabolical individuals who had no love for nor concern about our people or system. Our civilization suffered under the caste system and because it did, mechs like you, Crader were able to flourish and rampage to your sparks content.

"It was proved that you were given information to skirt arrest. You were heavily protected by the Senate and others who were amply paid by you to do so. Your corruption is deeply insidious and must be rooted out wherever it exists. You get no passes now. You get no protection here. You're just another mech standing trial for your actions all of which if proven constitute penalties of the most exacting kind. All of the charges have been proved.

"This is a case of special circumstances. Prime will alert us to when The Pantheon comes for you. It's highly likely They will. You cannot bargain and bribe your way out of this even if I wanted to set you free. The Pantheon has an abiding interest and will come for you, I believe. I find you guilty of all charges and remand you to the custody of the state until such time as The Powers make it clear what They require to feel whole."

Crader stood slowly, staring at Hard Drive with something akin to hatred. "I gave you a chance to solve a slagging pile of crimes, Hard Drive."

"You gave to me what you wanted. You refused to have a cortical patch and I do believe you did so because you're a participant in more than what has been laid out here. We're not interested in taking your crumbs so you can leave and perhaps link up with Razorclaw. You're a clear and present danger and until we can determine what the mechanism and process is about your frames and their mutations we can't allow you to mingle in the world. You will be held until such time as its determined by The Pantheon what your final sentence will be."

Crader stood up and cursed. "I'll tell you about the slaggers here. I have a lot to say. You can't turn me away. I can bring down the roof."

Springer gripped his arm and dragged him toward the stage steps. He howled all the way up and out as the intervention team followed from the prison. It was loud for a moment, then silent.

Hardie stared at the end of the stage, then stared at the crowd. "A lot of information has been made public. I would expect it to remain among the congregation. I would be **personally** affronted if it made general circulation."

"What about his slander?" Tidal said as he stood.

"If its slander, you are safe," Hardie said calmly. "This court is concluded. All stand and hail Optimus Prime." He began and the crowd joined him. Then it was silent. "Go and do honor to everyone who you owe it toward. The System of Exception which was shown once again to be a septic system of debauchery is dead and gone. Learn that simple truth."

The crowd began to stand and hurriedly make their way out as the aisles clogged with mechs and femmes booking it. As they did, the panel dialed up, then began to walk down the steps. Waiting at the foot, Ratchet grinned. "How about having dinner on me?" he asked.

"Well, since you're buying," Raptor said as he squeezed Ratchet's shoulders. The group would gather friends and make their way out to the metro station and a short trip to The Diner On The Corner. Springer and Drift would join them as well a moment or two later.

-0-TBC 10-30-18 Addictive games are canon. :D **edited 11-3-18**


	510. Chapter 510

The Diego Diaries: Halloween (dd6 510)

:D Again, this [ …] indicates NeoCybex spoken.

-0-Later that night at home

"These are genius, Ironhide."

"I know." [preen] "I had my seamstress in Vermont make them. This one, I had someone in Switzerland make it. No one knows who they are but me. People ask but I don't tell them. Is that a bad thing?"

"Not really, though you **do** know that they might make a better living if you do."

"Frag. If someone asks and they pass muster, then I'll tell them." [slight frown]

"What makes muster?" [grin]

"If they're family. Or friends. **REALLY** close friends. Maybe."

"Time to hit the sack, Ironhide."

"Behind ya," Ironhide said as he put the little costumes for his children back in the little box where they were stored. When Halloween was over they would join the other little boxes on the shelf in the portion of the man cave that was the family stuff area, the part that Ratchet called the 'historical artifact locker'.

Ironhide might agree but he was not amused. That area was sacred space to him.

-0-Morning

Racket and organization lux.

"Does everyone have their treats?" Ratchet asked as he stared at the book bags and back packs lined up on the table. They had put treats for room partiers in each and organized their stuff around the usual chaos of getting ready for school. Halloween came during the school week so they'd have parties at school, trick or treat around town tonight, then go to school the next orn. It was weird. It had fallen on weekends thus far and this was a new adventure.

 **"GET HOOKED UP! LINE UP!"** Ratchet called out as the big boys picked up their book bags.

"We need to go, Ada. We're meeting up with our friends at school to discuss the party at the club tonight. We want to meet up at the same time," Fireball said as he slipped his bag over his shoulder.

"Then you better hit it, infants. Clubbing cannot be denied," Ratchet said as he hugged them.

Ironhide hugged them, too. So did little kids spotting the action and wanting some of their own. Even Halo who was walking rather well. She lined up, too with her little white face and sparkling 'hair'. Bedlam ensued, then the big kids left with cat, bags and grins firmly in place.

Orion turned to Ironhide. " **ATAR!** I go, too?" he asked with a huge smile.

"Soon, slagger," Ironhide said with a grin. He glanced at Ratchet. "Isn't Prowl supposed to separate today?"

Ratchet considered that. "As far as I could calculate, yes. I haven't run his newest data through the big mainframes. It can tell me to the second when it will happen. I better scan the slagger and get that done. He better not frag up trick or treating. If he does, you and the others take the infants around, Ironhide."

"Done deal," he said as he stuffed babies in his hold.

Ratchet grabbed tiny bags, then walked to the door. They exited and began the trek to the street where buses and cabs would do short work on the imps. Walking out, they joined the usual group of parents who lived here and used the district transport. Prowl and Prime were there with their kids as the bus with the dreads and Rambler pulled away to go to their school in Iacon.

Ratchet scanned Prowl. "I'm running your data through the medical mainframes to get a time. You **do** remember you're due today."

"I do," Prowl said as he watched Prime walk T-Bar and Spirit to the bus along with Sunspot and Spot. Hugs were had, then that bus pulled out with everyone including Bos, Co-D and Reflector waving at the windows inside.

Standing at the cab stand nearby, Hero ordered her cab, then walked back to wait. She smiled. "I like doing that."

"You're an urban wonder, bunny," Ratchet said with a grin as a white cab followed by different buses came to the curb to park. Hugs and kisses were had, then Hero climbed in and pulled out. The bus for Circle Prep arrived with the logo of their school painted on the side, the cupped hands of The One holding Cybertron.

"In you go," Prowl said as he placed Solus and Sojourner on the steps to climb inside. Assisting a grinning Prowler up, too, he glanced around. "Where's Scout?"

"Probably playing hooky with Blackjack," Ratchet said.

The door closed and they pulled out with a number of kids from this, the local towers group. Another bus slid up. "Orion, Praxus … get on board," Ironhide said as he helped them and several others on. The door finally closed and it moved on.

"That leaves only Halo, I think," Ratchet said as he glanced around.

"No it doesn't," Ironhide said. "I don't know of whom you are speaking." Ironhide frowned at Ratchet.

Ratchet laughed in Ironhide's face. "Slagger. Wimp. Go to work." He glanced at Prowl. "Meeting?"

"Not this morning. Maybe a shortie in the afternoon," Prowl said.

Ironhide left with a grin, heading for Metro 1 and the door that led to the armory. Ratchet grinned, then turned to Prime and Prowl. "What are you two doing today?"

"The usual," Prowl sniffed. "Saving our species with every word and deed."

"Ah, that's the Prowler we all know and love. Insufferable," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. They turned together, both of them mocking the other and headed toward Ops Center with a smirking Prime following. It would be a humorous stroll between three old friends.

-0-School

[Home work?] Terradive asked as three kids jumped up to slot their datapads into the jack at his desk.

They ran back and sat. Nearby on a bookshelf, a row of amazing treats were placed, some purchased and even more handmade. Nothing was too good or too hard for their children. [Any notes?]

[My mom is coming for the party along with the other ladies] Annabelle Lennox said. [They're going to help us with the treats] They were in the habitat box sitting on the table next to the bookshelf that Terradive had moved to make a platform for the kids to be closer and participate in the festivities after lunch and gym class.

[The more, the merrier] Terradive said with a chuckle.

:Our moms are coming, too, Mr. Terradive: Rain Harris said over the open translation channel.

[I'm glad, Rain. We like having genitors here. They can see what you do and be proud] he said with a grin. She had been doing a good job in the classroom and had caused no further trouble outside of it so she was back to square one with him. He preferred that to discord. [How about pulling your geography books out now?]

Good natured groans and pleas about **'THIS IS HALLOWEEEEEEEN!'** fell onto deaf but amused audials as they did so. Some ran to their lockers while others pulled them from their bags on the table or hanging on the backs of their chairs. They organized, then watched as Terradive turned on the monitor. The emblems appeared along with the school district name, then it changed to an image of a long and jagged scar across half the planet side.

[Today, we're going to study more closely the Valles Marineris, the 'Grand Canyon of Mars'. At some point, we'll be touring it by plane or ship to see it close up in all its grandeur] Terradive began before the cheering buried him.

[ **WE CAMP THERE! THE AUTOBOT SCOUTS HAS A PERMANENT CAMPGROUND THERE NOW, MR. TERRADIVE!** ] Sunspot said with great excitement. Everyone nodded. Some offered that they had camped there, too.

[I know] he said with a chuckle. [We've camped with you and Mr. Roto and I climb there with friends a lot. We want to study its probable formation. There are three major theories. First, that it was hit by one of our two moons which skid along before getting captured in orbit. Theory two is that its formerly a deep formation of lava from an eruption of Mount Olympus that eroded. Given that there's no plate movement on world here, given that Olympus is a stationary volcano … what do we call the kind of volcano that Olympus Mons encompasses?]

Hands went up.

[Jaycee?]

:Olympus Mons is a shield volcano. It's sides are six miles high. The entire Hawaiian Island chain is made by the fact that a plate flows over a single hot spot. Mars have no plates to move. Lava flows easier and farther here because the gravity is less and the volcanoes are taller. Olympus Mons is ten times taller than volcanoes on Earth and its dormant. Will we get to go there eventually, Mr. Terradive?: she asked, this girl who was the most happy go lucky and assimilated of the new children to their class. The Epps and Lennox kids had become very good friends with her.

[First of all, beautiful information. You've been studying. That's right, all of what you stated. And yes, we will visit Olympus Mons as soon as Sciences finishes building the educational center in the big crater] Terri said.

 **Bedlam!**

Terradive laughed. [The third theory is that its a tear in the crust due to the rise of the substrata due to the fact that Mons doesn't move and the lava and magma have nowhere to go but out and up. Sciences will be adding more information from the stations placed there and around the planet to learn about the novel features of our world. For now, we'll be studying the canyon. Please turn to chapter three]

[Mr. Terradive, why are we skipping around in this book?] Rain asked as she turned to the correct chapter.

[I like to teach things in a way that enhances sense rather than an author's plan. We're building to the higher processes by getting a good grounding in the lower ones. From the ground up to space, that's the plan] Terri said with a grin. He then changed the view on the mammoth screen to a primeval view of an active Mount Olympus. [Lets check out how these theories stack up to science by looking at a model of Olympus back when it was active and forming] he began as they bent themselves to the task at hand.

The party would be ever on their minds when they did.

-0-Earth 1

The kids labored as nearby treats sat on the table waiting for lunch and the party following. They would take the afternoon off to play, trick or treat among the offices and have games. The light streamed into the classroom where 36 kids worked hard. This school was like the other in its academic focus but the studies were Earth-centric and less demanding than that of the Unified School District. They taught across the broad spectrum of cultures that lived here, adding in what they could when they could about all the diversity they represented as a group while keeping a core curriculum that ensured a sound educational basis for all in general and theoretical knowledge as befitted a school on another planet that served so many different individuals.

School began at 8:00 am and ended at 2:30 pm. It was heavily academic, had breaks and used the facilities for gym class. No one complained about the academics presented. It was a good school, tough, highly academic and demanding. Some of the kids here went to city schools with the bots. The rest stayed here. Given that the bots entered school at 7:00 am and left it at 4:00 pm, they weren't unhappy with their lot.

The morning passed in peace and quiet as they worked toward lunch. Sitting in the rec room at tables set for them, the kids had a great homemade lunch, then played in the playground and lounge area until the buzzer told them that school had resumed. They ran inside, dressed up and partied the rest of the day away. They were joined by parents and it had the feel of a home celebration.

In point of fact, it was.

-0-Earth2

They finished lunch, then walked back in to have their party. There were nearly 400 kids here with a good 37 attending bot schools. The parties would be held in the school with food, games, dress up and a good scary movie. Their families would come and go, they would parade around the facility, then the day would end happily. They would trick or treat among the apartments that night, all of the children rapping on doors. It would be a very happy day for everyone, especially for the kids from other cultures who had never done this before. They would declare it awesome.

-0-Unidad Terra 1

They trick or treated among the offices and different stores, homes and places where humans worked. They had decided to do it now rather than later because it was more fun during the day, apparently. There was going to be a film for the kids in the theater tonight so they got the hoohah over early. A good 450 kids lived and worked in the facility, attending their school and making life here a many splendored thing for everyone. There were applications from 26 kids to attend bot schools which were pending. Most of them liked the habitat, liked to run around in the farm dome and play with the animals. There was a lot to do and places to go. Even those from Earth2 and Earth 1 loved to come here to visit.

All in all, it would be a happy and mellow afternoon in Farm Land.

-0-Ops Center

They sat gabbing together when the call came. Ratchet frowned. "Frag. It never fails to happen," he said as he rose to stand.

"Hurry up and get back," Prime said as he glanced at Prowl. "That is, if you can."

"I'll try but processor surgeries are unpredictable," Ratchet said. "Don't pop until I get back, slagger." He then walked swiftly to the door to bridge to Oasis Base and three very serious processor injury cases that demanded someone of Ratchet's skill.

Prowl and Prime watched him go. "Why do I feel this is going to be a bad thing?" Prowl asked.

Prime vented a sigh. "Practice?" he asked wistfully.

-0-TBC 11-1-18 **edited 11-3-18**


	511. Chapter 511

The Diego Diaries: Halloween! (dd6 511)

-0-Later that afternoon

They gathered to discuss three growing problems, the Whites, the aggressive aliens such as the Grays and the problems that were growing with Razorclaw. All of the senior Autobots were there along with Morshower and Fulton who were on world doing the monthly update and slag fest with the N.E.S.T garrison. Will Lennox was there along with Niall Graham as well, all of them sitting together on the couches provided.

"So," Prowl said as he looked at the agenda, "we need to think about the slag that's piling up and needs addressed. This is information secret above secret, gentlemen," he said as he glanced at the humans.

:No problem, Prowl. Does any of this directly affect Earth?: Morshower asked as Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons walked across the table to join them.

:Sorry. We had a conference call with Interpol: Mearing said as she sat and pulled out her datapad.

Simmons sat and nodded. :Evil never sleeps:

Prowl smirked slightly. "I don't know … Ratchet doesn't have that problem."

Huge laughter.

"Maybe, General, it does pertain to Earth. We need to discuss the White Aliens first. Right now, we would like what you know first, Ms Mearing," Prowl said.

Mearing considered that, then nodded. :We've had them on Earth for eons … centuries. They were supposed to be from Venus, then the Pleiades. They're called the Tall Whites or the Space Brothers. They're supposed to be here to help us and appear to be cast as angelic beings in some religions or ancient civilizations. The Hopi Indians believe them to be the True White Brothers who signal the end of the Fourth Age. They're supposed to be benevolent but have factions that have strayed and aligned to malevolent entities. They call that group the Vril Society.

:They say that they're usually human sized, 5-7 feet, the ones who are physically seen by humans and can pass as us, so closely do they appear like us. They're considered the most human-like alien known, I was told. That means they know about others but my contacts don't know who. It could be the reptilians and the grays. They wear contacts because they have no irises to pass as us and they can. They go everywhere they want to go. They don't appear to have a sense of smell and they're said to be fourth and fifth dimensional beings at least, whatever that means.

:Their ships are either round or cylindrical and they're said to just be observers. They say they have little to do with abductions and when they do its with a sense of well being and a message of concern for us who they view as lesser versions evolutionarily of themselves.

:They apparently were in contact with our president in the 1950's, Dwight Eisenhower. They wanted the Americans to disarm their nuclear program and they would give tech in exchange. They feared the use of arms like that in humans hands because they think we're too underdeveloped to have it, a not unlikely conclusion overall. No treaty or agreement was reached.

:Apparently, Eisenhower entered a treaty with the Greys. The USA could keep their nukes and get tech from the Greys. In exchange, we'd allow the Greys to abduct and experiment on us without interference. Fuck that: she said as she glanced up. It was echoed by nods from everyone there. She continued. :Apparently, the experience most have with the Whites in the past was that they cared about us, cared about the planet and considered us a closely related species. They care about us and our destructive ways and seek our greatest good. The upshot is they never did anything but try to help and keep us upright:

It was silent, then Prime leaned back in his chair. "Consider this. We see that there is a breakaway faction among them, the Vril Society. What if that is the group we are dealing with and the rest of them are the peaceful spiritual beings that are being portrayed by those who meet them?"

"It would be a reasonable thing given the way the group at Nellis acts toward others," Prowl said.

:Those that have met with the Whites who are peaceful and spiritual all say the same thing. We could be dealing with two different groups of the same species: Mearing agreed.

:Then which ones maintain the different way stations and outposts and which ones own the home world that we're trying to find? And if they really are two different groups of the same species, are there really two different home worlds … the original all of them come from and the one the Vril Society uses for their faction?: Simmons said.

"You do realize that being fourth and fifth dimensional beings that they don't have to exist here in this one. They could be coming here from another dimensional plane," Prowl said as Prime nodded.

:What does that mean, Prime?: Morshower asked. :Small words for us please:

Prime grinned. "All things everywhere no matter how large or small, no matter whether they appear sentient or not have an energetic signature and consciousness. Even rocks and inanimate objects, though their self awareness and vibration is slow. Their spirits and molecules vibrate at a level that maintains them. You are third dimensional beings, all humans and this universe. You only experience what you can smell, taste, see, hear and feel. That is what your dimension allows. Those who vibrate at a higher level can do more and have more of what you might call abilities. They can speak together telepathically, manifest things with their mind, fly, teleport, move through objects … there are more attributes but you get the idea. Fourth and fifth dimensional beings can do almost all of the aforementioned things. Teleportation and moving through things might take a higher vibration but some can do so."

It was silent a moment. Then Mearing leaned slightly forward. :You're saying that these Tall Whites can do all of this because their vibration is higher?"

The bots nodded.

:Then why the ships?: Mearing asked.

"Because not all possibilities are available to such a low vibration," Prowl said. "They're only one or two dimensions ahead of you. Consider the titans here. They have the ability to move between dimensions because they are very, very elevated beings, perhaps even tenth or eleventh dimensional. Much more so than the rest of us who operate at a special sort of fourth and fifth dimensional phase."

Lennox smirked. :They're just that much more house trained than us?:

Prowl smirked. "Yes."

 **HUGE** laughter.

"This changes things, Ms Mearing. We may have two groups of the same individuals operating at odds with different goals in mind. We have to change our slant on this," Prime said. "Give this to Jazz and Elita. They can work it. Now that we have this potential pathway, we need to follow it to the end."

Prowl noted that. "I'll meet with them later tonight if they get back fast enough. They're on Cybertron at the moment tracking a black market in antiques."

Prime nodded. "What is next?"

"The Greys. Both of them," Prowl said consulting his datapad. "Both tall and small."

Everyone looked at Charlotte and Seymour. She tapped her datapad, then found the data she had been working on for some time after being tipped off by her sources for the White information. :Small grays are the ones most commonly known. They're small, under three feet usually, have a large head and long arms. Their legs are short, their eyes large and their intentions unknown though many are the tales of them doing harm to humans. They have no outward facial features such as ears and nose, they have no hair and their bodies are rather featureless as well. They have no apparent genitalia nor do they seem to exhibit many expressive features with their faces.

:They've been called Zeta Reticulians but mostly are known as grays. The taller ones, those that are as tall as the normal human at over five to six feet are less well known. The little ones have been known on Earth as long ago as the late 1800's and have been prominent since the crash in the mid 20th century in Roswell, New Mexico in America. They were supposedly discovered, their tech recovered, explored and many advances for us developed from it.

:It was also noted that they showed up along with a lot of other alien types when the atomic bombs were developed and used. Apparently, a lot of aliens were able to detect that about us and came to see. Apparently, the universal reaction was surprise that we had the tech and deep fear that we had the tech. From then, the sighting reports are world wide and pretty much the same. Saucer shaped ships land, take people for experimentation and so forth. The number and types of humans claiming this are as varied and world wide as can be possible. The tall ones are known to be **very** dangerous and are less noted in the record beyond that. The small ones are fucked up and I don't like them: Charlotte said as she looked up at Prime.

:The Reptilians are a conspiracy theorist's wet dream. They even say that the Queen of England has reptilian heritage and that they control the world yada yada with the Illuminati. You have to take a shovel with you to wade into that hot bed of theories and ideas. Apparently, the Queen is a shape shifting blood drinking reptilian. They wear human suits and rule the world. They appear to come from the constellation of Draco:

"The dragon," Prowl mused. "They might have come here enough that humans have vague and slightly fanciful memories of them."

:Shape shifting. Blood drinking. Really?: Charlotte asked with a smirk.

Prowl stared at her, then shifted into pretender gear. A handsome dark haired man sat in the space he occupied, his features even so indicative of Prowl. He was as tall as he was in his real format but he was in every way possible a handsome normal appearing human male. "I've long ago given up mocking the possibilities, Ms Mearing. I've seen things that would challenge your continued sanity." He shifted back.

"Deathbringer," Raptor said. "Klaxa."

"Any of them," Blackjack said with a nod.

"How about the cloud people of the Scythian Nebula area. Did you ever see them?" Raptor asked as a few nodded. He looked at Mearing. "There's a planet where the indigenous life force are clouds. You would think that's okay but if you look at them, you go mad. They're so ugly that you can't contain it."

:How can a cloud be ugly?: John Fulton asked.

"You see them as clouds with your optics but your processor sees them as they really are. They form as clouds to hide so that when anyone comes they can catch them like spiders do. They enclose and slowly digest you. They can even digest us. They take you apart molecule by molecule, slowly and painfully absorbing every one separately. They don't get a chance to eat often so they adapted to make their victims last as long as possible. The trouble for the captive is, the cloud that's a mask hides what they really are … airborne fraggers of the most appalling ugliness. You have to be enwrapped in that as you slowly and painfully die. It can take years. They don't have to feed often because of it. All their worlds are heavily marker buoyed to protect travelers. You can see buoy makers from dozens of civilizations and species when you pass a world with them. They get around by attaching to passing ships that come through their atmosphere."

:How do you kill them?: Lennox asked appalled.

"You can't," Raptor said with a grin. "Hence, the buoys."

It was quiet a moment, then Mearing shifted uncomfortably. :How far away are these fuckers?:

"Far," Blackjack said with a grin. "As far as I know. I haven't checked any of the ships lately for hitchhikers. Have you?" he asked his father.

Raptor grinned. "Nope."

The bots grinned a moment then Lennox leaned forward. :May I ask who Deathbringer and Klaxa are? I do remember hearing those names before:

"Do you really wanna?" Raptor asked.

:Sure. Hit me: Niall Graham asked with a grin.

"They're the Reapers. A whole passel of the ugliest aliens ever. There's seven of them. Deathbringer is their leader. They hate war and want to end it all over the universe," Raptor said.

:What's wrong with that?: John Fulton asked. :Though I'm sure there's a lot wrong with it. Right?: he asked with a grin.

Raptor chuckled. "You got **that** right. The Reapers want to end war everywhere by destroying warrior societies, wars in progress and anything that might likely cause a war or is being contested. They're too often the last thing anyone ever sees. If they saw a planet someone might like enough to fight about it, they decimated it until there wasn't anything there that anyone could want. They did that even when no one was there to want it yet. Anticipation, don't you know. They ended wars by ending worlds. That's Our Reapers."

"There was Deathbringer who is a sick fragger, Klaxa who is one as well ... uh ... a hooded one channels energy and is tight with the group … all of the group is very close … the whirly one can spin and cut you to pieces … that one is bad news. Then there's the tank one who's a weapon of mass destruction like nuclear bombs are and was created thusly. The invertebrate one … that ugly slagger … he's like a jelly fish. He can project energy of a density that I've never seen anywhere else. It can make a bot explode internally. Ravenous was infected by a berserker virus and joined them. He's beyond. Just beyond. Klaxa breathes fire. None of them were normal or even close because they were built to end worlds and he can fly. Deathbringer is a bio-mech and he can function in any kind of environment known. All of them were designed to be weapons of mass destruction. That was their only purpose until finding each other and fixating on this 'peace crusade'," Ironhide said as he thought back about this, a living nightmare to everyone everywhere.

"They were so bad that they offered Sixshot a chance to join them. **Twice**. Fragger didn't," Blackjack said. "I always wondered why."

Everyone nodded solemnly. They were enjoying the humans watched like in a tennis contest glancing with appalled fascination from one bot to the other.

:Who's Sixshot?: Seymour asked.

Blackjack grinned. "He's a mech who took three full body blows from Metroplex's fist in root mode. Metroplex punched him straight into the ground in his half mile size mech format flattening him paper thin but the slagger rejuvenated himself anyway."

"He's a phase six mechanism like Black Shadow, one of about 40 or so created for Megatron to be world destroyers. He's probably the toughest, smartest and most dangerous one of them all. He's a six changer. He can change from root mode to tank, beast mode, car, gun and jet. He's got weird ethics but he's a total psycho. He's a 'solo armed assault mechanism' by designated format and his only function is to destroy everything that he's told to destroy, though he only works with those he respects. He respects Megatron. Mostly," Raptor said. "Fragger can take down an army like a combiner. In fact, he's the equivalent to a combiner all by himself."

:What a nightmare: Seymour said.

"His son isn't. He's got a great son," Raptor said. He glanced at Prowl. "Last I remember, Quickswitch was an Autobot soldier and a bit on the mercurial side."

Prowl nodded. "He is."

Raptor glanced at Seymour. "Of course, if your daddy was a six changing homicidal maniac who gives slaggers like the Reapers tinglies you'd have daddy issues, too."

Seymour stared silently at Raptor. Mearing on the other hand grinned.

:Shall I say, 'All hail, Optimus Prime?': Glenn Morshower said.

They all did.

:Did any of you ever meet up with them?: Niall Graham asked.

All of them nodded.

There was a respectful but shocked silence, then Prowl looked at his datapad with a big grin. "Can we give the Grays to Jazz and Elita?" he asked Prime.

"I would. What is next?" Prime asked with the faintest trace of a grin of his own.

"The problem of Razorclaw," Prowl said.

Raptor relaxed. "Ah yes, the problem of Old Bastard himself … did I ever tell you of the five times I faced off by myself with Predaking?"

He would. Everyone would hail Raptor, too.

-0-TBC 11-1-18 **edited 11-3-18**

NOTES:

firebird234 chapter 510 . 5h ago

Love the story.

Wow today The Diego Diaries has been running for 8 years that's 3,176 chapters.

 **ME!:** Thank you, darling. **EIGHT YEARS! BWAHAHAHAHA!** I remember starting it on October 16, 2010 and hoping I could write a story about robots. It took me until November 2 to figure out how to load it and there was one review a day or so later. LOL! It was such a good moment. Here are some more stats:

word count: 7,905,431

the segment count: 3,176

years in construction: 8

satisfaction for writer: priceless ;)

I am editing this thing and have about 5-600 pieces done which I will replace this weekend. I am also finding duplicates and if I can't get the original from earlier downloads of the whole thing, I will rewrite and replace them.

HUGS!

Guest chapter 509 . 5h ago

If memory serves me right, Slacker was also in the shipping business. Would he know of Crader and his doings, or is he too low caste? It will be interesting to see if the Pantheon steps up, seems they are coming quite often nowadays.

Slacker would be a good one. Given that Crader ruled his own kingdom, it might be that he knows what everyone else knew and little more. I will think about him. He and his girl are becoming a bit sweet on each other by the way. :D The Pantheon are working on it but They might wait a moment or two just in case. They are becoming active. As the war criminals come, the need to have special circumstances rises. HUGS!


	512. Chapter 512

The Diego Diaries: Trick-R-Treat! (dd6 512)

-0-Just before the fun begins

They stood in front of Ironhide in their costumes. Staring up at him with big grins, Ironhide nearly had a spasm from the cuteness. "You infants exceeded expectations."

Huge laughter and awkward hugs ensued as the door opened. Ammas, Appas, an uncle and an auntie walked in, then halted before the cuteness. Bedlam ensued for a moment, then everyone stared at each other in delight.

 **IRONHIDE! YOU DID IT AGAIN!"** -everyone

Ironhide grinned. "They wanted to be birds this year. They showed me which ones, then I got my lady in Vermont to make them along with someone in Switzerland for Sunspot."

Everyone looked at Sunspot who beamed back a smile as he stood in his costume holding his little pumpkin candy basket. He was a rubber ducky. He wore a rubber ducky body that hung from his shoulders from suspenders. A rubber ducky face helmet was on his helm and his little red optics shined from the eye holes. Long sleeves that were feathered covered his arms and his legs were orange leggings with big orange feet. **"I LOVE THIS! I LOVE RUBBER DUCKS! I HAVE A COLLECTION!"**

"He does," Ironhide said. "I have the soldiers and humans find them when they go to Earth. He has sailor ducks and soldiers ducks. All kind of rubber ducks."

They glanced at the others who smiled almost as one. Hero, Orion, Praxus and Prowler were ruby throated hummingbirds. They were garbed in crimson and emerald green suits with a long stiff tail and black leggings that covered their feet. Their chests shimmered with crimson red and their helms were covered with green helmets that had a long black beak sticking out. Orion turned to look at the others and for a moment they all bumped beaks. Then they looked up at Ironhide and smiled. He grinned back.

Everyone then turned to Halo or what appeared to be her. She was covered helm to ped in floofy white feathers that stuck out everywhere. Her arms were floofy wings, her legs covered in feathers that stuck out every which way. They went down to her peds and looked like a pile of down. On her helm was a floofy hat so filled with feathers sticking out everywhere that her little face wasn't easily seen. Feathers poofed upward and around her face and helm covering her while a huge plume of feathers on her little bottom sprayed out to nearly drag on the ground.

Everyone stared at her, then Ironhide. He grinned. "She's a fancy chicken."

Everyone stared at her, then they dived on the kids. They were snatched up immediately. Spot and Cousin who was left at home while the big kids went clubbing but would go with Ironhide sat side-by-side as they watched the show. Ironhide stared at his family, then frowned slightly. "Grabby slaggers."

" **LET'S GO TRICK OR TREAT, ATAR!"** Sunspot said as he held Uncle Flint and 'Uncle' STU-RT's hands.

" **LET'S GO TRICK OR TREAT, WHINER!"** -everyone there

They walked out with Big Grumpy regretting that Ratchet wasn't here to join the parade. It was hoped as they left that he would be able to come as soon as possible. Down the elevator they went, then out to the lobby where they trick or treated from the building supervisor and the Autobot City Homeowners Association which had a rep in every building for the kids.

Sunspot ambled along with his duck's body swaying with his every step. Outside they went where Prime's family and that of Bos, Co-D and Reflector were waiting. Everyone had a cute costume but few took it as far as Ironhide. All of them were acclaimed, Halo was admired in particular as she stood next to her amma looking like an exploded feather pillow. Then they walked onward to the slow amble up the street to the Temple, then back again that constituted trick or treating to the families.

Ratchet would be heavily missed.

-0-At Oasis Base in the medical infirmary

Ratchet watched as the patient was scanned, someone who had been too close to a fire fight and had lost half their face. He'd seen worse but not in a long time. It would take careful planning, a lot of hand work and nerves of steel to bring this one back. Two others waited, the bond of this one and their little daughter. He hated the Decepticons with a passion for a moment, then put it all aside. There would be no time for that now he thought as the gurney came back to him with his patient.

There would be no time for Halloween either.

-0-Temple at last

They stood at the balcony on the Temple steps overlooking the AllSpark and Well. Going downward with a firm grip on his hand, Hero with Drift made their way to the relics. Everyone watched as a tiny hummingbird walked to the Well and began to leave treats on the edge for the Pantheon. Maelstrom who held Halo listened as she asked endless questions and pointed here and there. He didn't know half of what she was saying but he nodded and said yes a lot.

After Hero was finished 'sharing, Drift because They give us a lot of Their own stuff', he carried her up and the mob continued, heading back to the barn on the other side of the street toward home. It took a while and many were the times the birds flocked toward the street before they were curbed. When they reached the intersection in front of their building a number of adult siblings took their leave to go on patrol or to parties all over the colony. Children were glommed by ammas and appas leaving Prowl, Prime, Ironhide and Cousin to watch the others go onward happily.

" **WE'LL GET THEM TO SCHOOL! SEE YA! WOULDN'T WANT TO BE YA!"**

"Fraggers," Ironhide said with a grin. He glanced at Prime and Prowl. "Well, I guess these means I get to eat anything I want and drink all the beer in the house."

"Sounds like it. Do you want to come to our place so I can hold your servo?" Prime asked with a grin.

"I'll let you know," Ironhide said as they turned to walk across the street to home. "I think I know where Ratchet's candy stash is."

They were gone in seconds.

-0-Upstairs

He sat in his chair with Cousin on his lap and Ratchet's big and varied candy stash in a bowl on the table next to him. He had a beer, a candy bar and a cat. Life was good. :Ratchet:

 **:WHAT!?:**

:Bad timing?:

:Always bad timing when I'm fragged over. I have two more to go. How was trick or treating, you fragger:

:Don't hate me because I'm beautiful: Ironhide said as he peeled open another fine big candy bar. Amusement reached him over the bond as he took a big bite. :When you getting home?:

:Hard to say. These three are really slagged but if we do this slowly and methodically we can put them back together with very little to no data loss. How's Prowl?:

:Looked good to me when they went upward. Might not pop tonight. Wait until you get back to supervise. You supervised all of them so far: Ironhide said as he dug through the big pile of candy for something especially good, though all of it was. Ratchet did like his candy.

:He better not. Missing Halloween and all is bad enough. I'll really be fragged if he pulls that stunt on me:

-0-Upstairs

 **'WHAT DO I DO!?"**

"Just sit a moment, Optimus. Let's let it pass first."

" **OKAY! WHERE DO I SIT!?"**

-0-Downstairs

"Ah, this is a Snickers bar. Let's see," Ironhide said as he peeled his next victim. "I like their commercials, slaggers. This better be good."

It was.

-0-Upstairs

"Do I call the ambulance now?"

"I think I can walk there, Optimus. It's only across the street."

" **WHAT IF YOU CAN'T?! WHAT IF THE INFANT WANTS OUT NOW!?"**

"I just think we -"

 **"I'M CALLING AN AIRLIFT! THEY CAN LAND ON THE BIG PATIO OUT BACK!"**

"Optimus ..."

-0-Downstairs

"Mr. Goodbar. Mr … uh, Crunch bar. Mr. Salted Nutty Thing … yes, good stuff." Ironhide dug through and read names to himself of Cybertronian knockoffs of Earth candy. "Warheads. No mister there. I like the name. Warheads. Warrior food. Hmmm … not a lot in the pack. Maybe I'll just eat the whole thing and find something else …" Ironhide dumped the small packet of Warheads into his mouth and began to dig for something else.

Then he stood up and screamed.

-0-A rap on the door

Ironhide ran around the room screaming loudly as the door rapped. It opened and a frantic Optimus Prime glanced in along with a stammering placating Prowl. Then they both stopped in their tracks as Ironhide flashed past running in circles around the living room. **"ARRRRBUAAAARRRRRR!"** he exclaimed before he went to the sink and stuck his helm under the faucet. Water poured in and gushed as he swallowed and spit it out in turn. Bellowing in agony, he finally stood up water splashed and nearly cross eyed. **"PWIME! WHATH THE FWAG! THOOT ME DEATH! NOW!"**

-0-Metro Femme

Gypsy got the separation room in order as her team worked to get things organized. The protoform was laying in its box in a small device that would warm it up thereby making it extra enticing to the infant. It was quiet, soft music was playing and the chair was warmed up for Prowl who evidently was coming. There would be low lighting to create a nice calm atmosphere and nowhere would there be a sign of upset or distress anywhere-

The door swung open as Prime sidled in sideways. Carrying a protesting Prowl, he walked to the chair and gently placed him there. Turning to Gypsy, his affect one of disarray, he updated her on the sit-rep. "We took an air ambulance here. I was supposed to sit."

Gypsy stared at the Messiah of The People babbling, then stepped back as Ironhide lurched into the room with a purple tongue hanging out. **"GETH THOME THITHORS! CUT ITH OTH! CUT ITH ALL OTH!"**

So much for quiet and calm.

-0-In the hallway

They came in droves, the family and the usual crowd. Gathering to wait, they chatted softly together. The genitors of all concerned were already in there with Prowl and Prime who had been a bit on the flustered side this time around if the story was told. Ironhide was in emergency getting his own problems settled as the duty officer there swabbed a neutralizing agent on the inside of Ironhide's mouth. It was immediately effective and Ironhide in his gratitude hugged the doctor tightly. He then headed like a homing missile to the separation room and the vigil there.

-0-Out there

He finished the two adults including rebuilding the faces of both. Now the child would be taken care of with a deft touch and two replacement limbs. By the time that the three were wheeled into intensive care to recover, and they would, Halloween would be over and Team Prime would have a new player.

-0-Later that night

Ratchet tiptoed in, noted that no one was there but Ironhide, then lay down on the berth in weariness. He vented a petulant sigh. "You awake?"

"I am."

"I missed it all?"

"I have film." It was quiet a moment. "Uh, Ratchet? What do you know about a candy called Warheads?"

Ratchet grinned. "Well, you eat them one at a time. They're damned near lethal and I use them for booby trapping boobs."

It was silent.

[Grin] "You slagger."

"That's **ME!** " Ratchet said with a chuckle. "How's the mouth?"

"It'll recover in about a week."

"Good. Serves you right." [Grin]

[Grin] "Goodnight, Ratchet."

[Grin and hug] "Goodnight, Ironhide."

-0-TBC 11-4-18 **edited 11-19-18**

Google Warheads. Only someone with a death wish eats the whole pack at once. :D


	513. Chapter 513

The Diego Diaries: Mundane Things (dd6 513)

-0-Morning

They walked out, elders, a passel of kids and a big grinning dog. Ironhide and Ratchet watched them go, then turned to each other. "Well, that was fun," Ratchet said with a grin. "What are you going to do today?"

"I have to do things. Walk around the colony. Shake doors. Look at bombs," Ironhide said as he walked to the kitchen and started the dishwasher. He had undertaken for himself every orn two 'big chores' … pressing the dishwasher button and watching Hero fill up the clothing washer. She sorted the few things they had and kept a running commentary while he held, then placed the stain pencil to mark where she pointed. Halo would stand next to her and they would chat about stains and how hard it was to keep things white.

It was hilarious.

"What about you?" Ironhide said as they walked out the door together. "Well, I'm off duty so I'm going up to vent on Prowl, then head for the store. We need to lay in grub and I have to get my candy making slag for the contest in a few."

"That's right. Candy. I suppose you're making fudge?" Ironhide asked as they both rode upward to the Penthouse, Ironhide with a grinning Halo on his arm. She was in a white padded onesie and looked as cute as ever.

"I might. You never know," Ratchet said as he considered what he would make. He hadn't made up his mind yet but he had ideas. He'd actually scored third place in the cookie contest the year before by emptying the kitchen sink into his offering. Don't fix what isn't broke he thought as he rapped on the penthouse door, then stepped inside. "Hi, honey. I'm home."

Prowl who was lounging on the couch with his peds up and a heavily blanketed infant in his arms grinned. "Come in, slaggers."

"We are," Ratchet said with a smile. He scanned Prowl, then sat down next to him putting his own big old peds on the coffee table beside Prowl's. "Hope it holds the two of us."

"It will. I made sure everything here can take an aerial bombardment," Prowl said. "How were the surgeries?"

"I checked the mail this morning. Rocky night for the atar but all three are stable. I expect them to recover and when they're up to it, they're being brought here with the rest of the family. Stanix family so expect the population to grow by a couple of hundred when they do."

Prowl grinned, then peeked at the baby. "The more, the merrier."

"Mech or femme?" Ratchet asked.

"I don't have to tell you a thing but mech," Prowl said with a grin. "Naming ceremony in a few. We might take it down a peg and have it at the Central Labor Hall like with Prima and have a page online for the community stuff."

"I can see that," Ratchet said. "We can have a dinner and party."

"I think that might be wise," Prowl said. "We're going to release pictures and do a short interview with The Hourly News so everyone can see him and get the news. I would hate to see the crowd otherwise."

"Fireworks and the rest of the slag?" Ratchet asked as Prime walked out and paused beside Ironhide.

"Maybe," Prime said with a grin. "I find that sort of … ostentatious?"

"Don't. It's good for everyone. More continuity and more opportunity to party," Ratchet said. "What's on the agenda today?"

"We're going to Cybertron," Optimus said as he glanced at Ironhide.

"We are?" Ironhide asked.

"We are, old friend," Optimus said. "We're going to look at some artifacts and tour some rebuilds. The factory districts at Nova Cronum, Altihex, Helex and Tarn are online and they're state of the art. All of the things that should have been there are now." He grinned. "Jetta did the redesign."

"I'm glad. He's quite the son. Takes after his old ma," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Son-in-law," Ironhide said as the two walked toward the door.

"If you say so, Old Mech," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Both of them grinned, then Prime walked back to kiss Prowl. He peered at the new baby with a look of great love and happiness. "See ya later. Don't do anything but rest, Prowl," Optimus said before he joined Ironhide and left.

They watched the door close, then glanced at each other. "He's really come down on you this time. And of course, you obeyed like Orion."

Prowl snickered. "He's sort of getting softer about such things," he said. "I don't mind. I find it sweet. I think he has moments when he can't get over having a family. Every new baby is a shock to the system. He's been very stoic and very, very focused over the eons. He's never let down until now and it still surprises him."

Ratchet nodded. "Our mech is a good one, that one. I think a dinner will be nice. I was going to have Ironhide help me shop for slag and I may just wait for him when he gets back. I love going to stores with him. He's such a doofus. Did you know a couple of kids who work in the offices in the back have him and his family on facial recognition so that whenever they come into the grocery at Metroplex they can watch on the cameras. They think those slaggers are hilarious."

"They are," Prowl said with a grin.

"Don't tell them. They're bad enough as it is now," Ratchet said with a grin. "You're off duty for three orns minimum by the way. Route work here but you can't go anywhere."

"Slave driver," Prowl said as Ratchet stood. "Where are you going?"

"I have to check on a few things, mostly overnight holds," Ratchet said. "How about I bring lunch around 1200?"

"Sounds good. Make it edible. Take out will do," Prowl said with a smirk as he watched Ratchet walk to the door.

"You don't trust my cooking?" Ratchet said as he opened the door. He grinned at Prowl even as he itched to see the tiny poltergeist in the blankets. Who knew which version of Prime this would be?

"No," Prowl said with a smile.

"Fragger," Ratchet said as he chuckled and left. The door closed behind him.

Prowl stared at the door, then stood. He walked through the penthouse to the room where the baby would sleep by himself eventually. He lay him on the changing table and unwrapped him. The baby was beautiful, big like all of them were and happy. He smiled at Prowl. "Being that close to the Matrix really makes you mellow."

The baby waved a fist, then smiled again. Prowl smiled back. "That makes seven. He may still be ahead but we're catching up." He leaned closer. "I'll let you in on a little secret. All of you are mine."

The baby smiled. So did Prowl.

-0-Outside

He cruised along the sidewalk waving at some and grinning at others. He felt good and looked forward to grocery shopping with Ironhide later. Heading to the shop called Glam across the street from the Mall of Metroplex, Ratchet entered then began to browse. It was the shop that Needlenose operated here that was a showcase for his designs and other fashions of embellishment and paint schemes that made him so popular on Cybertron. Pausing in front of a case, he looked at the sparklers inside.

A young femme walked to where he stood. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Ratchet said. "I want to get two embellishments for my daughters, one a toddler and the other a small child. I think something like these will do. I want to get my Christmas Surprise shopping done early."

"I think those are beautiful, too," she said as she opened the case. They would discuss different embellishments, then decide on two that were small and perfect. One was a tiny ruby heart for Halo and the other a tiny hummingbird for Hero that had rubies, emeralds and a tiny diamond optic. She was the one who wanted a hummingbird costume for Halloween, setting off the stampede by the others. She would be getting one for Christmas Surprise as well. When Ratchet left, it would be two down and a gazillion to go.

-0-Cybertron

"Where were they found? They look waterlogged," Ironhide asked as they stared at three ancient type books that were pulled out of a culvert.

"They were found in a ditch covered with steel. Fortunately, being in the water all this time preserved them because the material they're made of is able to take the dousing. Right now, if we take them out without preserving them first, they'll dry out and fall apart. These are two of the oldest versions of the Chronicles and the Acts ever found. We're transferring them to the Museum of Cybertron on Mars so that the conservation department can restore them. I don't think they're ever going to be handled easily but we can maybe showcase them in a special conditions container. I heard a Maker was on Mars," Staple, the field archaeologist said.

"My amma," Ironhide said. "He's from The Elder Clan and he's a Maker. I can give him the heads up. If you want anything special for it let him know."

"I will," Staple said. "Who is he?"

"Turbine of Praxus," Ironhide said proudly. "He's a Teacher and Scribe as well as a Maker. He's got the entire catalog in his databanks including the oldest and most secret stuff."

"That's astounding. Maybe he can come and look at a number of other things we have here," Staple said.

Ironhide paused a moment to call, then grinned. "He's on his way. He was working at his district HQ. He has the southwestern quadrant, A8."

"He works on world?" Staple asked. "That's handy. A lot of us could use an expert optic and there's a lot of things that can be saved by the proper container."

A bridge sounded outside of the warehouse that was the artifact storage for things found. Turbine stepped into the building and walked to the group. He hugged Ironhide's shoulders. "You called?"

"They need a Maker, Amma," Ironhide said. He introduced everyone, then Prime and Ironhide headed out to the next stop.

They boarded a shuttle with the rest of the team, then rose into the dark sky for the next location. Prime grinned. "You have the strangest family. From the ridiculous to the sublime."

Ironhide preened slightly. "You just noticed?"

The ship continued onward toward the better lighted relatively restored area of Polyhex.

-0-1200 hours

They sat on the couch with their peds up as they ate their lunch. A sort of pocket sandwich filled with all kinds of good slag that was popular among the working mechs on Cybertron, cold beer, sides and a dessert waiting in their boxes rounded out the meal. They were discussing the upcoming episode of 'Platoon: Autobot City' called 'Mundane Things' as well as the new season of 'The Bridge'.

"I don't know about you but Lexis and Andy need to just get it over with and find a utility closet," Ratchet said. "I mean … how much leering at each other and double entendre can a mech stand?"

"I don't know … it makes me a bit bilious to think about them doing whatever humans do when they do … uh, that," Prowl said as he sipped his beer. "Optimus laughs."

"Ironhide whines like a school girl," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "What about Guthrie? Do you really think that Hollander assassinated him or is this just some slagging red herring? I don't trust either of them as far as I can throw them."

"I know. America's had about four presidents assassinated. I don't know. Guthrie is such a good villain. By the way, the actors have been given a pass to drive and travel around wherever they want. I expect they'll get the fan boy treatment here as they would on Earth. Diego is going into heavy rotation for the new season. They're holding a conference there with a lot of world leaders and they're planning a terrorist attack and hostage thing. The boys, of course, will be here and have to go there. I was told that aquatic bots and a few of the senior Autobots are going to be recruited," Prowl said.

"How about a majestic doctor? Do they need one of those?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"They do but I don't know where they're going to find one," Prowl said with a chuckle.

"Oh, ha-ha," Ratchet said. "What about your candy recipe? And is the usual on or do we go to the Central Labor Hall and do the whole thing there?"

"I think that would be a good idea and I do have my recipe. It's genius, of course," Prowl said with a smirk. "Prepare to be defeated.

Ratchet grinned. He had decided to make a bar with everything in it. It would be chocolate with all kinds of candy, dried fruit and nuts. It would have his picture on them as well. It paid to advertise. "You can dream. Hercy and Kup will ace it. Watch and be afraid."

"You aren't even going to try are you," Prowl said with a chuckle.

"Always, Prowler. Always," Ratchet said as he began to make a mental list … trophies, candy, something slagging awesome as an entree for the dinner, a pile of potatoes and gravy as big as Ironhide, orbs of all manner and kind, bicarbonate of soda just in case … He laughed. "Engarde, Prowler."

"Back at ya, slagger," Prowl said with a grin.

Lunch would be pleasant in the penthouse at the top of Tower 1 in the City of the Autobots.

-0-TBC 11-5-18 **edited 11-19-18**


	514. Chapter 514

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 514)

-0-Afternoon on Cybertron

They climbed into their ship and began the trek to the bridge nearby in space that would take them back to Mars. On board, there were a lot of different things that had to go to the conservators there. Several firms were established to do such things, some specializing in art while others restored fixtures, books and data banks. It was quiet on board then Ironhide glanced at Prime. "We haven't gone to see Megatron Prime lately. Any word from him?"

"Just updates. They are chasing a few dissident renegades for capture before they reach open space. Apparently, they have a different configuration of some kind in their local group. More different aliens and places to hide," Prime said. "I asked Jetta to work out an expansion of the prison."

"What about the metros? Do they have dreads?" Ironhide asked as he noted the ship descending toward Mars after blasting through the stationary deep space bridge that hung in orbit over Iacon.

"The titans have given their allegiance to Megatron. They will obey a Prime no matter what happened. I never asked about Dreadnoughts. I will put that on the communications for next send." Prime glanced at the hatch which was starting to open even as they barely touched down. "I think I want to know more about the Whites, Ironhide," he said as he stood. The pair walked down the ramp to the ground before Prime turned to him. "I think we need to take one into custody. Something tells me that we are looking at the presence of the Vril Society. The reputation of the others appears to be stellar."

"Then we should have Jazz and Elita do it," Ironhide said. "Their homeland appears to be in the Bootes or at least we think so. The exact destination is still not known. What if the Vril live in a different place than the rest of them? What if we're barking up the wrong tree here. We could be branding all of them with the same brush."

Prime nodded. "I know. I want to know more. Grab one and put them in a enviro chamber if we can. Surely, we can lure them out. We need to know what is going on," Prime said.

Ironhide nodded as they watched the boxes of recovered artifacts being driven on a small truck toward the road and the Museum of Cybertron nearby. They both walked onward in the bright daylight of an early afternoon on Mars. It was a welcome relief from the eternal darkness of Cybertron.

-0-Dojo

They watched as Willa and Artur, her bond put up Christmas Surprise lights around the big windows of the dojo. Planted in chairs and the couches of the lounge nearby, they commented on the 'initiative of youth'.

"Infant there is tall enough to do that without a ladder. Good on Willa to get a tall mech. A slagger needs one to get into the tall cupboards," Kup said as the mechs who were watching grinned and nodded in agreement.

"They can come to my house when they're done," Splice said as the others laughed.

"Tell us about the great romance," Twin Twist said as he grinned at the big Autobot and Watchman who had grown up in the Youth Center with the twins.

"What? And deprive you of the mystery of your first time?" Splice said as the room erupted in laughter.

"In your dreams, slagger," Twin said with a snicker. "What's a nice educated mech like Burrow doing with a reprobate like you? What is it he does again?"

Splice smirked. "He's got a good catch, fraggers. He's an energy scientist. He works at the Plasma Chamber facility."

"Frag," Twin said. "Sounds high caste."

"He is," Splice said to everyone's hooting and hollering.

"Bring him to Ada's thanksgiving," Drift said as he sat beside Springer with one leg thrown over the big yellow and green mech's own. They were joking about 'who's your daddy?' and apparently Drift won.

"I might do that," Spice said. "What's the contest this year?"

"Candy," Drift replied.

"I can get behind that. What are you two making? Or is that too Betty Crocker for you?" Splice asked.

Initiate connect … search: Crocker, Betty, short bio, download, cut transmission, delete search record.

They all had a reputation to protect.

"No," Twin said. "How hard can candy be to make?"

Hercy and Kup laughed loudly on the inside. Then Hercy looked at the slaggers slouching in chairs and couches all around him. "Dare ya to find out."

-0-Moments later

A big group of hard bitten soldiers grabbed carts and walked into the Grocery at the Mall of Metroplex. They halted nearly immediately, then turned almost as one to stare at Hercy and Kup. Those two looked calm and collected then led the way to the baking aisle that seemed to disappear into infinity. Staring at the bounty of the fertile imagination of Rampage and his cadre of foodies, they looked at Hercy.

"What sorta candy do you wanna make?" he asked calmly. "Chocolate types, hard candy, what?"

"Chocolate." -all of them

"Follow me," Hercy said as he led them forward. They stood like lambs at a slaughter as they watched him dump slag into their carts. Up and down four rows they went, then headed with him to the check out. "Box 'em up, infants. These slaggers volunteered to enter Ratchet's candy contest."

A checker grinned at the group who looked at Hercy like he was nuts. Chuckling as he began with Drift and Springer's cart, he glanced at all of them. "You won't be the first through here."

It didn't look good for the Wreckers.

-0-Medical Center

Ratchet worked through his slag and then finished to his own great surprise. Walking through the wards quizzing his kids who were learning doctoring including Partition, he came to the conclusion that he was edging toward redundancy. Grinning at the desk mavens out front, he headed for the street and fun where it could be had. That's when he caught the squeal about the soldiers in Metroplex's grocery. Hurrying toward it like incoming, he made it to the halfway point in The Lesson. He was glad. He could use intel himself.

"Ada," Springer said as he stared at his basket with dismay. "I'm getting your candy stuff."

Huge hoohah greeted that as Ratchet peered inside and took discreet pictures of the contents. He managed as he joined the walkabout to take them of the others. Somewhere in the middle of the piles of slag in their carts lay victory. He could smell it.

"Now all you have to do is go home and make it," Hercy said at last.

"Make what?" -everyone there but Ratchet who was just **THINKING** it

"Why … every trophy position below first place," Kup said to everyone's howling laughter and/or derision. With that, both of the old coots walked out of the store.

Everyone watched them go then turned back to Ratchet.

"What?" he asked.

"Your house, Ada. You're going to teach us how to do this," Springer said as the others loaded up on beer for the Good of the Order. It would be a snarky and hilarious check out at the grocery.

-0-Home

Four big boxes of stuff sat on the table nearby as Ratchet hurriedly went through the recipe database of Teletraan to find recipes for candy that would be lesser beings than that which he planned for himself. He turned to the mechs with a dazzling smile, then frowned. All of them were lounging on the couches and chairs with a beer. "Fraggers."

"Make us look good, Ada," Springer said with a grin. "You know ya wanna."

"Your **aft** I do. I'm going to win this slagger this time," he said as he glanced into the boxes. "Alright. I'll make you something. Then you can stick it up your afts."

"I think there's some storage there," Splice said, "if I bend over."

 **HUGE** laughter and agreement along with stories about where to store knives and grenades.

Wreckers.

Ratchet smirked, then took Splice's box. Let me see ..."

Ratchet pulled out something called 'white candy coating' which appeared to be some kind of white colored almond thing. He got a bowl, put it in, then heated it up in the microwave. Two seconds later, he took it out almost dropping the bowl it was so hot, then set it on the table. Taking bags with some kind of candied cherries and almonds, he dumped them all in, measurements be damned. Stirring madly, he spread them out on a cookie sheet and stared at it. "Done, slagger."

Springer stared at him, then Drift. "That's it?"

Ratchet smirked at him, then smiled brilliantly as he held up his big red servos. "See these? This magical servos? I put servos on and make slaggers look like geniuses."

"Is that what happened to Ironhide?" Twin asked.

Ratchet snickered, then frowned at him. **"THAT'S MY BIG OLD MECH!"** He grinned. "I'll tell him you said so, Twin."

"No rush," he said with a smirk. "Who's next? Me?"

Ratchet looked into his box, then grinned. "I got this," he said as he smirked at the big mech who smirked back.

"Why am I suddenly afraid?" Drift asked Springer.

"Practice?" Springer replied as they all laughed.

But Ratchet.

 **MIX-A-MIX-A!**

 **MELT! MELT!MELT!MELT!**

 **MOLD! PAT-A-PAT-A-PAT!**

 **DUMPA-DUMPA-DUMP!**

 **MOLD! PAT-A-PAT-A! MOLD!**

Ratchet grinned. "There. A chocolate fudge thing with lotsa stuff. If anyone asks, that's what it's called."

Sitting on a plate was a massed chocolate confection that he had whipped up, filled with raisins, nuts, marshmallows and some of Springer and Drift's candied cherries. Ratchet had molded and shaped it to something that one often saw on emoji lists on the internet.

"Does that look like a steaming dump to you, Sandy?" Twin asked Sandstorm who was chuckling beside him.

"I've seen those in emails. I think Bot-Twit has about fifteen different ones. Right, Sideswipe? Sunny?" Sandy asked as he glanced at the twins.

Sunstreaker was looking at Ratchet like he was a god and Sideswipe was taking snaps. "We do but this one is our new avatar. I think it symbolizes what Bot-Twit represents better than any other logo we thought about. Right, Sunny?"

Sunstreaker stood up and walked to it, looking at it from all sides like the artist he was. He looked at Ratchet with a smirk, then picked it up and ate it. It was amazing how much screaming a bunch of mechs can make in a small space without collapsing the roof.

Seconds later …

"What did it taste like?" -everyone staring at Sunstreaker and his hitherto for unknown penchant to eat poo.

"Like chocolate poo," Sunstreaker said as Ratchet laughed loudly. "Come sit next to me." Sunstreaker walked back to his couch and sat. Ratchet walked over and sat with him. They clanked beer bottles and everyone put their peds up.

"I'm going to taste that slag you just made. I think I like the shape better," Springer said as he got up. He walked to the counter, broke off a piece of now hardened candy, then ate it. "This is good. First place." He gave everyone a bite, they agreed it would take about tenth place to be ornery though it was really really good, then sat back with their beer and peds up.

"What's the deal on Roddy and Smokey?" Ratchet asked as they ate more candy including some Ratchet pulled out of his end table where he stored it for late night binging.

"They don't speak," Drift said. "They don't much like each other right now."

"Neither did you two if memory serves me right." Ratchet grinned. "Maybe we can lock them in the electrical closet in Engineer Corridor."

"Like you and Atar used to do? I remember thinking an earthquake was happening one night," Sideswipe said with a chuckle.

"Jealous, much?" Ratchet asked with a smug grin.

"No." -everyone there.

The door opened and a passel of little kids dressed as Teletubbies ran in, then halted nearly causing a pile up. They stared at the mechs, then the candy, then made a frontal attack on the tray which Ratchet rescued. "Dinner is coming. Later."

 **"WHAT! ADA! I, ORION NEED THE SHES!** " a miniature version of Ironhide bellowed to the world.

"No." -Ratchet

 **"Ada bad. SPLIFF! ADA NOT GOOD ME!** "

Drift who was laughing held out his servos. "Come to me. I'll help you pack."

"He's yours," Ratchet said as he continued to eat the candy.

"Why you doing? **ADA BAD TO I, ORION! I** **COMED TO HERE! I JUST A WORKIN' ALL THING DERE! I** **COMED** **HERE TO THE SHES AND ADA NOT DOING!"** Orion said with enormous angst and volume as his little triangle embellishment on his helm quivered with outrage.

"You slaved all orn?" Drift asked as he held the baby. The others standing in front of the coffee table watched the show without a sound as Ravel walked over to sit on a chair to be entertained with the 'nice boys'.

"I, Orion did the doing. I did this and that. Comed there to doing. I singed," he said, then burst into song. "I doing the she," he said as he slid down and began to dance. He paused to glower at Ratchet. "Ada not doing, I, Orion."

"Got **that** right, kid," Ratchet said as he shared out the rest with the mechs. "We're old and decrepit but you, slagger still have hope. So no, no candy before dinner."

Orion stared at Ratchet, then looked at Drift. He walked to Drift staring at Ratchet as he did, then moved close to him. "I, Orion goed wif Spliff. You, ada, not goed."

 **HUGE** laughter. No candy.

-0-TBC 11-6-18 **edited 11-24-18**

Betty Crocker is a fictitious lady used to front baking items and cake mixes. She's one of those who get it right every time. Think Hercy in a dress. Good products, though.


	515. Chapter 515

The Diego Diaries: Holodaze (dd6 515)

-0-Later at the horse barn

They gathered their gear and walked to the paddock outside the stable complex to where horses were standing in anticipation for the evening's ride. Tossing his saddle across Yancy's broad back, Springer began to cinch him up. Drift did the same as others worked around them doing the same, all 40 pairs of the night shift of the horse patrol. Drift placed his saddle on Rondo, a big white horse with incredible speed and the ability to jump over tall things. "Orion is a hoot. What about kidnapping him and the others?"

"It crosses my mind," Springer said with a grin. "Those little kids are hilarious."

"I know," Drift said as Springer tensed, pausing in his saddling.

He glanced at Drift. "You and me now. Earth2."

They hustled, then mounted. Turning Yancy to go, Springer glanced at the others. "Kup and Hercy, with me. The rest of you go on normal patrol." With that, he rode out followed by the others. It was with urgency that they rode onward into the gathering night time of Mars.

-0-In the (Many splendored) Bosom(s) of Love(liness)

They sat on their chairs waiting for the news as they chatted and ate snacks. When the call came for Ratchet, he glanced at Ironhide. "Got a call. I'll let you know what it is." He stood and put the bowl of chocolate drizzled popcorn down regretfully. "Don't eat my popcorn, slagger." With a grin, he walked to the door and left.

Ironhide watched him go, then reached for Ratchet's bowl. Pouring it into his, he grinned. "Fat chance, slagger." The news came on as the night waxed onward.

-0-Getting there

They galloped swiftly cross country, four gigantic metallic yet amazingly natural looking horses with four riders whose armor glinted in the light of the moon and street lights here and there. All around them city scapes close and far away sparkled like jewels as overhead the lights of satellites and ships glittered. It was beautiful, intensely cold and homely. Their horse's hooves beat on the ground as they galloped, covering ground toward Earth2 unimpeded by the traffic on the highway nearby. After a moment, they heard, then saw an emergency vehicle on the highway with lights and siren blazing. It was Ratchet.

:Ada:

:Springer:

:I've called out Sky, his team and Hauser. Don't do anything until we get there. This is going to be bad:

:On it, son: Ratchet said as he bore down on the road ahead. Those still driving on the road in front of him were moving over to let him pass so he left the horsemen behind. It was looming ahead as he passed the Mausoleum, the Basilica and the Shrine of the Thirteenth Autobot. On the right was the night lighted Halls of Order which were still going strong with Knights and Circle who were attending to this or that thing there. In the distance, the light flooded vision of the Performing Arts Center seemed to float in the air on its pedestal platform. He flashed past the turn off to the huge multi lane roundabout that led to any number of other places and nerve centers. The darkness was broken by gigantically tall lights that threw illumination against the almost unnerving darkness of night. A glow in the distance began to grow, the lights of Earth2. He stepped it up on the empty highway flashing past Earth 1 and the Consulate until he reached Earth2 and turned in.

-0-Riders in the Purple Sage

They blasted along, then when the traffic was thinned to nearly nothing took to the roads. The horses were traveling swiftly, over ninety miles per hour or 144 kilometers. They were flying and even as they did, it was unclear to their riders that they were going full out. They were too busy holding on to worry about such things as in the distance Earth2 could be seen growing in size in the darkness.

-0-Ratchet

Driving into the huge parking lot that fronted the facility, he transformed as he shut down his lights and siren. Standing up tall and straight, a somehow malevolent appearing sight in the darkness of night, he walked toward the habitat door where a lot of the leadership, their family and others were gathered. As he did, the horsemen thundered into the turn off and rode toward him to slide to a halt, then climb off to join Ratchet. The horses pulled back, then gathered together as trained to do when their riders were in pursuit of the moment.

Springer reached Ratchet and so did the other three, gathering around that solemn faced mech to talk before going inside to the humans who were calling them on their channel. "Thanks for coming. You didn't tell anyone?"

"Not yet," Ratchet said. "What do you know so far?"

"We were told of a missing human from Earth2, a security guard by the name of … drum roll … Lawrence Dobbs." Springer looked grim. "I'm having the satellites scan for him. He went out and didn't come back. No one has seen him since noon and there's a vehicle missing as well," Springer said.

"Then we better go in and figure this out. Are there searchers looking for him and the vehicle?" Ratchet asked as they began to walk toward the habitat door.

"I dispatched them when the call came in. Right now, its aerial and when they find him hopefully he will still be alive," Springer said as they reached the doors. They stepped inside, then the hatch closed and the Earth atmosphere inside was restored almost instantly. As it was, the lights changed to 'safe' and the human door inside opened. The group walked out led by Owen Harris. He paused before them and looked upward. "I would like to speak to you privately."

"Tell them to go inside then," Springer said. "I think you might rather want to tell us what you know so we can figure this out and find him."

Harris turned to the greater number and told them to go back inside. They grumped but did then the doors closed. Looking back upward, he turned to Springer and Ratchet. "Lawrence Dobbs went out at noon with a vehicle. He didn't say why. He went alone. He hasn't come back and we can't raise him."

"That's not good. All of the vehicles have locator transponders," Ratchet said as he glanced at Springer.

"Search and rescue said they found his fifteen miles up the TransWorld Highway, a place you here can't go without permission. It had been removed and tossed to one side. The vehicle can't be located that way now." Springer looked at Owen, then knelt. "What can you tell us about him, his state of mind … any fights here? Don't leave a slagging thing out. We might be looking at a dead man, Harris."

Harris stared at Springer, then shrugged helplessly. "There's none of that. No one seems to think anything was wrong."

"Where are the other mercs? Get them out here now," Springer said with gathering irritation.

Harris stared at him, then turned to Hamilton Brown who looked frightened. "Get the security team here, Ham. Fast."

Hamilton ran to a communications device inside the vast space then put out an all call over the facility intercom system. "Alpha Security team, meet in the entry hatch immediately. **Come immediately!** " He turned toward the group but didn't join them. He looked terrible.

Moments later, the hatch opened as a group of familiar slaggers hurried in, slowed, then stopped. Behind them were the security officers employed by Autobot Nation. They gathered with the group as well. "What's going on?" Sam Hedges asked as he looked warily from one to the other in the room.

"Larry Dobbs is missing. He hasn't come back from a drive. He or someone removed the locator from his vehicle. What do you know about him and this? Tell anything you know. He may be in grave trouble," Harris said with his command voice.

The mercs stared at him, then the bots. "Nothing," Silvio Lombardi said. "He seemed himself. I didn't know he left. Does he have permission?"

"He does, though limited. No one has permission to drive the TransWorld Highway but for you," Ratchet said as he nodded to the human Autobot security officers. "That is where we believe he may have gone. Its a slagging nightmare out there in the day time for humans, let alone night time." Ratchet knelt. "Tell us of his state of mind, any worries or problems? Any beefs with the others or anyone else?"

They glanced at each other seemingly genuinely perplexed and the energy reading that Ratchet took lent itself to that conclusion.

"No," Jim Johnson said. "He was enjoying it here, making friends around and going to other habitats."

The Autobot humans nodded as well.

"Which ones?" Drift asked.

"All of them. He wanted to see how things were," Hedges said as the others nodded. "No one had a beef with him. You may find that hard to grasp but that's what it was."

"Smart ass," Springer said coldly. "You better have told the truth. Something tells me that Lawrence Dobbs is dead somewhere." He glanced at Ratchet. "We better book it. Come along. We may need you," he said as Sky and his team began to land in the parking lot in the usual thunderous manner outside. "Go inside and let us out. I'll talk to you tomorrow," Springer said to his ten human officers. "Don't talk about this any of you. We don't want panic or speculation until we have the facts."

The humans hurried inside, then the door closed. The outside opened and they walked out heading for Sky and his two forensics teammates. "We don't have a clue where he is but the satellites and search and rescue are looking," Springer said grimly. "His transponder from the vehicle he drove out was found on the highway fifteen miles from here. Here are the coordinates. Fly out and see what you can find. The scene hasn't been searched but there's probably disturbance from the Civil Air cadets that found it there."

Sky nodded. "We're looking for a dead man then."

"Most likely," Springer said with a shake of his helm. "Tell me what you find, if anything, Sky. This is going to be fragged ten ways to Sunday."

Sky nodded, then jumped into the air to blast off along with his two partners.

Ratchet turned to Springer. "Where we going?" he asked.

"To Earth 1 and the Consulate. I don't know if he made it to Unidad but we have to go there, too. The Consulate now," Springer said as he walked to his horse. The others joined him and they began to ride out.

Ratchet watched them, then turned to Earth2. The humans were lined up staring out. He stared at them with disquiet, then transformed and drove out after Springer and his crew. He disappeared swiftly from sight.

Earth2 would be subdued and riven with gossip and supposition for the rest of the night.

-0-Prime Residence

Optimus nodded then turned off the monitor in his office. He took the call there because Prowl was getting the baby ready for bed and he didn't want either bothered. Everyone was in bed and they were down to the last infant when the message arrived. Grave news had come in when Lawrence Dobbs had been reported missing from Earth2 by their Ops Center. They had the responsibility to maintain the human's safety and part of that was monitoring where they were at all times. When he didn't return with the vehicle he checked out, they scanned what was known as 'the habitat grid'. It was all of the terrain that was occupied by humans outside of the safety of the city scapes … the Consulate, Earth 1 and 2 and Unidad Terra 1. They weren't like the 'local humans'. These individuals were vulnerable and Prime had ordered a grid to keep track of everyone in case of situations like this one.

Now it was coming into play though it hadn't been able to find Dobbs. It showed that he'd left the Consulate after visiting each habitat and disappeared around 1620 on the TMC after driving off the grid toward the TransWorld Highway. Given that was a forbidden area, no one had extended the grid that direction. Since it was now 2250 on the TMC, he had had joors to get lost, buried, hurt or whatever a human can do in a terrifyingly dangerous environment like this one.

Prime walked to the berth room where Prowl had set up the bassinet for the baby. He was tucking him in now. The other children were already in bed. He grinned, then paused beside Prowl to stare at the newest improbable thing in his life, his smallest son. "I have to go out. I will be back shortly."

"What's up?" Prowl asked as he placed a Miler dollie next to the smiling baby.

"Nothing yet," Prime said honestly. He could feel Prowl nudge at his firewall but he didn't press the issue.

"Tell me when you know. Something just went wrong, right?" Prowl asked with his usual appraising stare and no bullshit directness.

"Maybe," Prime said as he hugged the tense winger. He bent down to kiss his son, then glanced at Prowl. "Two more orns and he has a name and a public face."

"And something tells me that this is going to frag that up," Prowl said as he kissed Prime. He watched as the big mech walked out of the room with soft chuckle and a steady tread. He stared at the empty door a moment, then his son. "Frag this slag. It never fails."

-0-At the scene on the TransWorld Highway, Mile Post 15.5

They landed and began to examine the area forensically. It was trampled by the cadets but still readable. The vehicle had pulled over, stayed in place as someone stepped out to walk to the front where footprints showed someone had stood a moment or two to do something or other. They took images of them, then scanned the area around. Nothing more could be had and it appeared that the vehicle had pulled out to leave. Sky stared down the highway, then called for a specialist Seeker to come.

After a moment a big one landed, then walked to them. "What do you need, Sky? This better be good. I was winning."

Sky grinned. "I need you to image these tracks, these faint ones and see if you can follow where they go with your sensors. Your sensors can read tracks that are almost nothing more than grains of sand, right?"

"Pretty much," Sirrio said as he knelt to look at the ground. He spent a moment gathering images and data, then stood. "Let's go. Hover fly over the side of the road or walk. I don't want anything to disturb the faint trail and its really faint. We can see where this goes, maybe."

"Got it. Thanks, Siri," Sky said as he and his partners walked across the road, then waited for Sirrio.

He glanced at them. "I think I'm going to walk, too. This is a very faint trail." Then he began to walk down the road, pausing now and again to reorient his sensors. The four of them disappeared into the night. They would be at it a long time.

Then they would find something.

-0-At the same time they began to track in the wilderness

A rap on the door and a helm popping in drew Ironhide from the popcorn bowl which he had just dropped on the floor. Tie Down walked in followed by Prime. They grinned at his dilemma which he tried to hide by just standing in front of it.

"I'll take care of that, son. You go with Optimus," Tie said as he walked to the kitchen to get a dust pan and hand broom.

"Thanks, Tie," Ironhide said with a grin. "You might call Spot. He's better at that then the clean up tools."

"I will," Tie said with a chuckle. He would.

Ironhide walked out with Prime to head for the elevator. "What's up?"

"Something bad, I fear," Prime said as they entered the elevator. The door closed on them and their conversation.

-0-TBC 11-7-18 **edited 11-24-18**


	516. Chapter 516

The Diego Diaries: Dobbs (dd6 516)

-0-On their way

They stepped into a bridge in full gear that appeared at the Pentagon in Virginia. Glenn Morshower, two aides including a legal, John Fulton who was there with Andrew Settles to discuss the N.E.S.T operation at Diego Garcia and Joe Bowers who was with Fulton walked out of the inferno onto the deck of Impactor's Revenge. Hercy and Kup were waiting for them as they entered.

:Gentlemen, what's this about?: Morshower asked as the humans walked toward the two.

Hercy glanced at Rem who was pilot. "Take us out, Rem." He turned back to the humans. "Prime will tell you. We'll be there in a minute."

They were.

-0-Earlier with the forensics team

They walked along the road, Sky and his two partners on the far side of their tracker, Sirrio. It was cold and dark, though there were lights every Cybertronian mile that were solar powered and sensored to shut off when the light pf day reached a certain level each orn. Right now, they were about the only sight a human could see, the light towers islands of brightness going out into the endless night of Mars.

It would be a scary thing for humans to be here in the dark alone. This was inky darkness though the sky overhead was filled with the pure essence of the galaxy. Without the light pollution that plagued Earth, the entire view here was clear, almost a smear of light and hauntingly beautiful. The stray meteorite came through, blazing, then disappearing. Blinking lights of ships and satellites overhead could be seen moving steadily wherever they were going but otherwise it was deeply and almost sinisterly dark. It was something that triggered in a lot of humans the sensation of primeval fear, of the lives their ancient ancestors lived in amongst night predators.

They were hunting for any signs that might lead to a probably dead human, something that was certain to unleash the worst possible outcome for everyone besides Dobbs. That was his name, Lawrence Frederick Dobbs, Junior. He was from west Texas, living in a small town before getting the bug to be military by joining the army. He became a ranger, served here and there, then hired on with Intel-Martin to be a mercenary, something that was the lowest of the low among the Autobots. It was also so among most professional soldiers the galaxy over. What small rules warfare engendered, the mercs weren't either morally or temperamentally geared to uphold. They'd dealt with mercenaries themselves, some like Lockdown who was the scum of the galaxy. Dobbs had come here, a thing that startled everyone but hadn't been in trouble like his colleague, James Johnson. Now he was missing and everyone was filled with dread.

This could be the first suspicious death of a human on world.

Sirrio was finding the thin trail then it turned off into the desert. Pausing, he waved the other three over. "It goes that way into those boulders. I think I'm going to scan overhead. Stay here just in case." He lit his peds, then rose upward. Moving forward, he turned on his lights to look. His bright and strange form moved into the boulders, then came back again. He set down, then frowned. "I think we found Lawrence Dobbs, Sky. You better call Springer, Prime and Ratchet."

-0-Impactor's Revenge a bit later

They landed on the highway, then settled as the ramp came down. The mechs walked out carrying the humans, Hercy, Kup and Rem. Down the way standing on the side of the highway were Will Lennox, Niall Graham and a grim looking Bobby Epps. With them were Ratchet who was explaining things to everyone, Starscream and Rainmaker, Jazz, Springer and Drift, Elita and Jetta, Prime, Ironhide, Raptor and Hard Drive. There may have been others but they could see this group from their vantage point. As they neared, everyone turned toward them, a collection of grim faced and disturbed appearing individuals. The mechs halted at the group and put everyone down.

Optimus knelt. "General, Colonel … I am glad you are there. We have a very difficult situation before us. One of the mercenaries from Earth2 had disappeared for about 12 hours then was found here by our trackers. Lawrence Dobbs is dead. It would appear to be suspicious circumstances that he is here."

:What can you tell us about that, Optimus? Is he down there?: Morshower asked as he nodded toward a light source in the rocks.

"He is. He had spent the morning driving to all of the outlying habitats to visit. It was then when he left the Consulate that no one could remember seeing him. Ops Center at Earth2 reported him overdue and that the vehicle he was driving was also missing. Search and Rescue immediately launched and pulled a recall for him to be bridged back through his transponders and locaters, both on his suit and in his wrist and shoulder. Neither worked. Nor did the transponder/locator on the vehicle.

"Our tracker, Sirrio was able to ascertain that he was parked four miles from here, had perhaps removed the vehicle devises, he or someone else, then drove here. He went off the road, drove into the rock formation and somehow died there. He was outside his car, his helmet was lying folded nearby and the vehicle had been crashed into a huge boulder. Preliminary indications are that the crash did not produce his injuries nor cause him to be thrown that far. Someone pulled him out of the vehicle, marched him away from it, then removed his helmet. How, we are not sure. None of the tech here is designed to be this easy to circumnavigate." He glanced over his shoulder, then turned to Ratchet. "Tell them the rest please."

Ratchet knelt. "We've found that the transponders from the vehicle are missing. They're frag all to remove but they're gone. The transponders in his suit and in the implant in his wrist and shoulder are malfunctioned. Somehow, there's someone with tech that can do that. It makes their victim impossible to retrieve with emergency bridges or find if lost without sending search and rescue out to look. The victim has broken bones, arms and ribs. He was beaten with something to get him down on the ground, then his helmet was removed which led to his death."

It was appalling the silence, then Morshower nodded. :Can we see the scene? The body?:

"In a moment," Ratchet said as he stood. "Sky is processing it with his team and we want these slaggers. We found a few odd footprints but they disappear into the darkness. The winds through these rocks are brisk and covered things up quickly and deeply with sand slides and rocks. Its very muddled and not much help. We can ascertain that they, whoever they are hiked it back to the habitats from here. A fit human can make it back to the habitats or to a vehicle that they were using hidden somewhere out here for this purpose easily. This road is still light traffic and no scanners or detective devices are here yet."

:But the grid, Ratchet. How could someone do this without the grid noting who and where?: Will Lennox asked as the others stared at them worriedly.

"That's the interesting part. All of this implies a certain level of understanding of our tech and perhaps devices of their own designed to defeat some of it. They were masked signature wise and so were their vehicles. We can try and track them back but this is a well trafficked highway. They came out here, disabled the transponder and locator on the vehicle, had the ability to disable Dobb's devices, then ghost their way back. We have a real fragger on our servos and until we figure this out everyone is going to be confined to the habitats. We can't protect you until we figure this out."

It was silent a moment, then Morshower looked upward at Prime. :Owen Harris is at the bottom of this. There has to be a connection:

Joe Bowers nodded. :He has the jones for bot tech. He has the ability and all of that tech from Sentinel Prime is still unaccounted for. He could be working on whatever he's capable of understanding right now. What about Wheeljack and Perceptor? What do they know about this kind of end around? Do they have an idea what this tech is and how to find it?:

"They have that brief," Prime said as Sky walked up the slope to the road toward everyone. He paused beside Prime. "Tell me what you have, Sky. I vouch for everyone here."

Sky stared at the humans, this big bright white Seeker with an intellectual mind and science bent who ran forensics for Springer and the Watch. "We've discovered preliminarily that the devices he bore to be safe are fried. His locators and transponder … they're fried somehow. He was dragged from the vehicle, beaten, then died when the mask was taken away. The vehicle oddly enough was driven into the rocks to look like an accident, though why they would after beating him with blunt objects I don't know. We found a tire iron in the back that's the likely blunt object. We have Sirrio tracking the footprints leading away from here that appear to be made by two individuals but who knows? He can track anything but this is strange and going to be very hard if they drive away on the road. There's too much traffic there to keep it all straight in the end."

"What about the body?" Prime asked as Sky turned to Ratchet.

"He has broken bones in the chest, arms, neck and hands. Defensive wounds. He died nearly instantly when the mask came off. Its pretty ghastly. I wouldn't recommend that you go down there to look, humans," Ratchet said as he glanced down at them.

:What happened to him?: Joe Bowers asked.

Everyone stared at Ratchet, he glanced at Prime who nodded, then told them. "He was beaten badly and thus had no way to run away. Given that they pulled his mask, all of the surface water he had evaporated … tears in his eyes and that sort of thing. If you hold your breath, you get 20-30 seconds more life. He would begin to freeze to death immediately and if he took a breath which I'm sure he did, he would lose every drop of moisture there, his lungs would freeze and he would die instantly. I calculate he died in 30 seconds in this cold. He's a curled ball because the cold made him bring his extremities into his body. He looks … terrified and agonized. I wouldn't recommend anyone seeing him. I can make the identification because I know him. I will spare you that."

It was silent, then Lennox shook his helm. :My worst nightmare. That's no way for anyone to go. He must have been terrified:

Ratchet stared at Lennox raising him several notches more in his estimation at his comments, then glanced at Morshower. "I'm claiming the body and will do that autopsy. We have ways to look inside without cutting. The big problem is going to be keeping everyone safe. If you aren't outside you can't die like this. I rule this preliminarily a homicide, Optimus. Someone or someones brought him out here and murdered him for reasons unknown."

Prime nodded, then looked at Springer. "I am going to Earth2 to speak to Harris. I want you to go there and bring him to the air lock. Tell him I am going to speak to him. Do not tell him about this. We are going to hold the news until all of the evidence and interviews are completed." He looked at the humans. "I would like you along as well."

The humans nodded. :This is your purview, Prime. The Charters are very specific: Morshower said.

Prime nodded. "They are and I am exercising my rights of command given the circumstances. Where is Rick Harris?"

"He's at Earth2. I think his clients are going to be very disappointed to hear what happened given they have a couple of more adventures to go," Springer said. "When will we let the news out?"

"Not yet, Springer. I want this airtight and a bead on the culprit or culprits before it is announced. There will be a fire storm on Earth anyway. This cannot happen again. I also do not want any of our tech being used against us. If they can do this with their own, imagine what they can do against us?" Prime said as a big vehicle could be heard pulling up, then transforming.

Ultra Magnus walked toward him with Arcee who had ridden on his frame to the scene. They both looked grim. "What do you want to do, Optimus?"

"I want you to come with us. You are the Tyrest enforcer. We are going to enforce. I want all the habitats tossed. I will speak to Paribolus in the Operational Center myself. If there is or is not any tech there that is ours, then we go to the courts on Earth and get search warrants. I want it all," Prime said with a deadly tone to his voice. "This is not acceptable. I have no respect for what Dobbs did or was but he was also alive and in our care. This is not going happen again. No human in our community is going to suffer like this again. I gave my word that the human population would be safe and cared for here and I consider this a blow to my personal prestige."

It was deeply silent, then Prime looked around. "Have the coroner's office come to get him when the scene is released. Do you need more time, Sky?"

"No, sir. We have what we need. I want to rope off the area for the short term but right now, towing the vehicle and removing the body is okay. Do you need us with you?" he asked.

"Not at the moment, no," Prime said. "I would like you to coordinate with Barron and Sciences about this. No word is allowed out until I give permission. This is a very, very dangerous situation to our unity and we have killers running loose in our community." With that, he walked to the highway, transformed, then opened his doors. "General and Colonel, please ride with me."

Both humans hurried to comply as bots walked to Impactor's Revenge with the remaining humans for the ride to Earth2. Soon the only ones left were the criminologists and tracker waiting for the coroner and the tow truck to bring the vehicle into the big lab at the Watch Tower in Metrotitan for a thorough once over for evidence.

-0-On the way

Impactor's Revenge got there first and landed in the parking lot drawing hundreds of humans to the windows to watch. The ship was lit from end to end with lights forward and running along the sides and rear. It was lethal and looked extremely fast with its sleek lines and view ports. Guns were visible, big ones that signaled that this was a war ship. Given that everyone was conversant to varying extents with life here and the army that protected every one and had watched all the shows and done their own due diligence, they recognized this as a specialist battle ship for the Wreckers whose logo was on the side along with other markings and the ubiquitous Autobrand.

They watched almost silently as Owen and Rick Harris along with all the others of that group gathered in the habitat to wait for Prime to come. He had told them to be there, not making nice by asking and sounded extremely pissed. They were nervous but composed as they watched a line of trucks both heavy duty and light enter the lot with an amazing array of concept cars and mechs on horseback following. It was a surreal sight, Owen thought. He had never been anywhere that had held such a group of vehicles even among his fat cat friends and their gatherings.

They began to transform and dark shapes back lit from the ship began to form and turn toward them. The darkness prevented them from being fully visible but merely dark shapes with menacing light auras slowly walking toward the habitat doors. They felt it, the fear of 'the other' as the bots came closer. The light of the facility and light towers outside finally illuminated them but it did little to decrease their menacing appearance.

Prime reached the door with his mechs and among them sitting on servos were the head honchos of N.E.S.T. Global and Diego Garcia. Lennox and his coterie were there and so was Ratchet, Ironhide and his family. Other mechs including a grim looking Springer and Drift followed by Starscream and the Great Elder walked to the doors and halted.

This was going to be fragged, Owen thought as Prime rapped on the window.

He stared at Owen Harris, then leaned in slightly. "Open up," he said with an ice cold voice.

-0-TBC 11-8-18 **edited 11-24-18**


	517. Chapter 517

The Diego Diaries: Forensics (dd6 517)

-0-The Scene

The night was deeply dark when the runabout from the Medical Center arrived with the night designate coroner. He jumped out before it fully landed and walked to Sky and his team. They talked a moment, then he pulled out a blanket from subspace. Placing it over the rolled up ball of frozen human curled up on the ground, he picked up the body and folded the blanket around him so that he was completely covered. "I'll take him to the morgue. Ratchet wants him thawed out but maintained so we're putting him in the cryo chamber to bring him down slowly."

"Thanks, Bardo." Sky paused to take a message. "Ratchet just told me to call in everyone for a search party at Earth2. Trucks, kits, all of it. Springer is pulling in Sciences and the Watch teams as well. Can you tell Murfee when you get there?"

"I will. On it now," Bardo said as he nodded, then walked to the shuttle. He sat on the edge, waved and away they flew into the darkness until their running lights disappeared.

Sky turned to the others. "Can you help the wrecker when it comes for the vehicle? I'm heading for Earth2. Come there when the scene is cleared."

The two tall Seekers nodded, then Sky transformed to jet into the darkness overhead just as another ship came in and asked for assistance. His beam of light covered the area and there was no disturbance from this ship's propulsion which ran on magnetic energy. A hatch opened underneath, then a flat heavy metal disk was lowered on a winched cable. Down it went, then settled on the vehicle. By then, the two Seekers had transformed and flew over the ship to hover out of the way. The ship hit its magnetic generators and the vehicle slammed upward into the disk. That magnet also drew every bit of metal that had flown off the truck into the ground around it, slamming like bullet strikes on the damaged vehicle.

After a moment, the wrecker ship began to pull away. It flashed its running lights to the two Seekers, then flew swiftly away. As he did, the two Seekers jetted to Earth2 and the next step in the murder investigation of Lawrence Frederick Dobbs, Junior.

-0-Earth2 about the same time

Prime rapped on the window. "Open up," he said with a cold voice.

Owen Harris turned to Silvio Lombardi and nodded. He looked at the crowd gathering in the main concourse and it seemed like the entire place was standing there, nearly 6,700 individuals at the moment. "We need everyone in the facility so Silvio can operate that airlock."

The group was ushered back by the mercs and the ten human members of the Day/Night Watch who worked here as part of the bot's negotiated security plan for Earth2. When everyone was inside, the doors closed and Silvio opened the outside lock. It slid apart as the bots poured in while many more outside gathered and still they came. Seekers landed, then one walked in with the others. Sky had arrived first and as head of forensics would lead the investigation inside the facility with Springer. The door finally closed, then the atmosphere returned. The inside lock opened and the leadership, their families and a lot of the inhabitants stepped closer.

It was silent a moment as Prime stared at Harris. "Mr. Harris, we have found Lawrence Dobbs."

"Shall we speak privately, Lord Optimus?" Owen asked as he turned to the others.

"No. What I have to say will be said to everyone," Optimus said.

Everyone turned to him and waited including Harris who looked shocked and ill at ease. "Then please, sir, tell us what is happening," he said.

"We found Lawrence Dobbs at milepost 19 on the TransWorld Highway. His vehicle was damaged in a collision off road and he himself is dead."

There was an intake of shocked breath as everyone glanced at each other, then Prime. The mercs themselves looked shocked as well. A murmur arose, then died down as silence returned to everyone there.

"The charters of all the habitats have certain agreements written into them that allow me as Prime and ruler of this planet to step in and assert control from you and your board, Mr. Harris. Consider that clause enacted." He looked at the shocked and somewhat frightened crowd. "Sometime earlier in the day, Lawrence Frederick Dobbs, Junior who was a security individual hired by the Earth2 Corporation left to visit the habitats here, the Consulate, Earth 1 and Unidad. He visited them, then drove away. Some time later he left the grid upon which all of you are fixed and tracked features. The grid is maintained to find you in case of emergency or to facilitate your passage around the colony. We maintain a lot of things through that connection including your medical well being. It is constant and part of your agreement to be here.

"When it went off, Ops Center here alerted the Emergency Command Center at Fortress Maximus and we began to search. Search and Rescue and the Civil Air Patrol looked for him, finding the transponder that all vehicles utilize as locators at milepost 15.5 on the TransWorld Highway. After trackers searched painstakingly along the highway, we found his body at milepost 19.

"He was lying on the ground dead. His death was painful but swift. There will be no disclosure of what evidence we have gathered there and from the area around the site. We are not disclosing this death to the humans on Earth until we have made our investigation. General Morshower who heads Global N.E.S.T and Major Lennox who commands the garrison here agree with that judgment.

"You are all confined to this habitat until we get to the bottom of this. You will not be allowed to leave it. I am going to ask Sosa at your operational center to disable your tracking and identification devices so that the doors will not open and allow you out. That will be so for every human habitat here but The Resort, N.E.S.T Headquarters, Sciences and the Family Tower. Every other habitat is under lock down as of now and security will be posted where humans congregate.

"Your communications are suspended until we complete the investigation. If there are important family or professional communications that are critical to go then send them to Starlet at my office and she will run them past the censors and send them if they are appropriate. No information is going to be released to cause an uproar on Earth before we know what happened. We are going to take care of the communications break ourselves and will tell Earth.

"There are one or more murderers among us and until we have solved this you will remain here. I do not want you out of a safe environment at the mercy of whoever this is until we figure this out. I am also assuming command of Earth2. I am asking you to return to your apartments and wait there for an officer to come interview you about this and what you might have seen or heard. I am going to have those who do interview you come in pretender gear so that they can do this more efficiently and give you the comfort of talking to a human. The hired security that you have brought here, Mr. Harris is suspended from their roles. The Day Watch, the ten men and women we employ here will assume full interior security for the facility until further notice. Does anyone not know who they are?" Prime asked.

No one raised their hands as the ten security officers moved to stand on the vehicles at the motor pool. Everyone looked at them, then Prime. "They have security duty here until further notice along with an Autobot who will be armed and doing indoor service starting tomorrow. The charter of Earth2 allows me free and complete discretion in case of situations like this and I am taking it. When you return to your homes an officer will come to speak to you. Since it is going to be private I encourage you to speak up. A man died an agonizing death who did not deserve it and I am personally aggrieved that this is so."

:Optimus … everyone is reading truthful including Harris and his gang: Ratchet said to Prime.

:Keep reading them, Ratchet. I want to know who is feeling the burn: Prime glanced over his shoulder. "We will be scouring this place, every inch of it including your data systems. If you have a project that you need to go to before returning to your apartments raise your hand now."

Several did.

"Will the Watch team accompany these individuals to their sites, then their homes? We have already locked everyone out of the data systems. Go now to your homes and wait for someone to come to you. If there are any situations that require attention now, come to me and tell me," Prime said as Phoebe Grant from Earth 1 who had been visiting patients came toward him.

"I have three patients here, Lord Optimus. What do you want me to do?" she asked solemnly.

"If they are ambulatory, then take them to the medical center. If not, tell one of the security where they are and they will help you make your rounds," Prime said.

She nodded, then walked to the female member of the team. They then began to walk back inside along with thousands of murmuring and uneasy individuals. The concourse began to clear as the bots and Owen's team watched them go. Owen looked upward at Prime. "I have no idea what this is, Lord Optimus. What about Dobb's family?"

"We will make contact when we can tell them something. It is my experience that the bereaved want to know the details, the smallest to the largest. We will make that happen. Right now, he is in the morgue and Ratchet will do the autopsy. Right now, you need to walk to your homes and stay there." Prime stared at them all of whom wanted to say more but didn't. Gathering their families with them, they began to walk back to the housing block in the distance.

The bots watched them go then Prime turned to the group with him who were silent and pensive. "Ratchet, analysis."

"All of them read shocked and dismayed. It was genuine. None of them were hiding anything. There was concern and worry but nothing that even comes close to being concealment of a dastardly deed. All of them read true to me," Ratchet said. "And note, Prime, that my tech is certified to court testimony. This is highly developed and approved by the legal system. What I can produce with it passes muster in court."

"If not them, then who?" Jazz asked with puzzlement.

"I do not know yet," Prime said though he had a suspicion. "Turn this place upside down. We need to have information as soon as possible." He glanced at Blaster. "I need to work out a release for Earth that the communications systems are out of service for a few days. Get with Prowl, Blaster, then let me read it before sending."

Blaster nodded, then walked to a sealed panel in the airlock. He coded it and it opened to reveal a complex communications console for just such moments. He logged in and Prowl appeared. They began to work on the message together as the bots began to walk outside to transform and park in the lot. When that was accomplished several dozen human males flashed into existence then walked into the facility to gather before Prime. They were human pretenders, well dressed and relatable to the locals here, much more relatable than an overly tall bot.

"I want chapter and verse," Prime said.

They nodded and headed inside for the huge wing where the apartments were. It would take a while to get there. While they did, Prime, Ironhide and his family along with Ratchet walked to the elevator and joined Sosa to go upward to the Ops Center. When they arrived, the pretender avatar of Paribolus would be waiting for them along with Slasher and Invincible.

-0-Apartments

"What do we do now, Owen? We're prisoners here," Mariah said as she paced in the living room.

Standing by the window, Owen Harris glanced at the reflection on its surface. Rick and Rain were there sitting on chairs silently as Kyle and Mariah paced. "You need to sit, both of you. We're going to do what they tell us to do. We lose control of the facility when something like this happens. We will all do what we're supposed to do and then wait."

"What about school, Dad?" Rain asked.

"I'll ask Prime," Owen said as a knock on the door alerted everyone there. "Come in please."

The door opened and two big men walked in, both of them dressed casually but clearly giving the aura of familiarity. "Owen Harris … Mr. Davis and Mrs Davis … you were told to go to your apartments."

"My daughter and son are here. I wanted to be with them. This is very upsetting," Mariah said as she wrung her hands nervously.

Springer glanced at Drift, then her again. "Very well. How about sitting and we can get into this. I would like all of you but Mr. Harris to go into another room and close the doors. These interviews will be separate. By the way, I'm Springer and this is Drift."

They stared at him, then Harris who nodded. All of them rose, then walked down the hallway to the other rooms. Both waited until the sound of doors closing was heard, then Springer and Drift turned to Harris. "We need to talk," Springer said grimly as Drift walked to a chair to sit.

Harris nodded equally grimly. "I agree," he said as he sat.

-0-Unidad Terra 1

Alor of Iacon walked into the facility and was met by Carly and Sam. After a moment of conversation, he rose and walked out. Sam and Carly watched him go, then glanced at each other.

"Holy shit," Sam whispered. "This is going to be bad."

"Very bad," Carly said as she took his hand into her own.

-0-Earth 1

"And that's the story. The four are in lock down, Unidad, Earth 1 and 2 and the Consulate. We're going to come here to interview next. Prime wants the leadership told but you can't tell anyone else until we have a chance to interview. We want no one synching their stories," Alor said.

"You have our word, Alie," Brandon Clark said gravely. "We will do what you need us to do."

Alor stood, then grinned. "And that's why we love you so," he said, then nodded and walked to the airlock to leave.

-0-Consulate of Earth

"So you understand our need for discretion, Lisle?" Alor asked the Carly replacement as interface and liaison for the Consulate and the colony.

"Of course," Lisle said with a shocked expression. "Please know you can count on discretion from me. When will you come?"

"Probably tomorrow. Tell everyone that a glitch is keeping communications down when they ask. Thanks, Lisle," Alor said as he rose. "I have to go back to Earth2."

Lisle nodded as she watched Alor leave. As it would be for Brandon Clark, it would be for her a very long tense night until the morning when teams of bots in pretender gear gathered to talk to the consuls and everyone else here.

The night of Mars was inky dark and in its complexity it was also something else that few of them had felt until now … sinister.

-0-TBC 11-9-18 **edited 11-24-18**


	518. Chapter 518

The Diego Diaries: Forensics (dd6 518)

-0-Interviews

"When were you aware that Dobbs was missing and hadn't returned?" Springer asked in his pretender format. Drift sat beside him watching the human.

"I was informed by Sosa that he was off the grid. At first, I had no idea that he meant he wasn't registering anywhere on world. I was under the impression that such tech as we have is pretty infallible so it took a moment to sink in. That was mid afternoon, about 1600 or there abouts. I called the Emergency Response Command Center at Fort Max and was told that search and rescue as well as the Civil Air Patrol were out looking. It was a shock to me and it makes me very worried about all of this."

"Because?" Springer asked.

"Because we want to have good relations. I know that Prime doesn't necessarily believe that. We want our sojourn here to be productive and friendly. This is a shocking thing not just because Dobbs died a horrible death under suspicious circumstances but because it might cause trouble in the relationship here. I'm director. I have to think about all of the possibilities," Harris said.

Standing outside his apartment door, Ratchet read his energy with his specialized and personally developed tech. :He's telling the truth, Springer:

:Now you tell me: Springer leaned slightly forward. "Why did you hire them? You know their background with us, the abuse we took but you hired and brought them here anyway. Why?" Springer asked.

"We wanted someone with experience with your people, someone who knew you more than just through the PR both sides wages," Harris said. "We knew it wasn't a good relationship between you and them but we felt it wouldn't be a problem because they would mostly work here. I wanted insight. I needed it to make a plan for us to become partners in this enterprise and move forward. It helped that they have diverse and extensive backgrounds in security work and military operations as well so I hired them."

"They also spew crap about us on the media," Drift said.

"They have no access to media here. They work here to keep the security and don't venture out much," Harris said.

"Dobbs did. Why did he go, who was he seeing and all that. You get the picture," Springer said as he sat back in the chair. "Who would want him dead?"

"I don't know why he went but he was developing friendships in different habitats and he liked some of the on site security who live in the different facilities. I believe this was personal because he was off duty. He had friends here and there outside of here. You will have to talk to the others with him for the intimate details otherwise. I don't know who would want him dead short of some of you and I don't say that to accuse or be difficult. You have your dueling points with him. I don't know of anyone else who might have had them among the human population." Harris sat back. "We're going to be down a while aren't we."

"You will be down until we figure out what happened so we can put the news to Earth ourselves," Springer said. "We want to have all the facts and tell it like it happened. After that, the slaggers on some of the outlets can lie out their asses all they want. This is a big deal for us. He was part of our charge and now he's murdered. If he can die, so can you and anyone else. Pray that we get this sorted out."

Harris stared at him, then nodded. "I do."

:He's telling the truth, sonny mine: Ratchet grinned as he monitored three other conversations as well in the area around where he stood in the open deck corridor of level 9 of the housing block for the facility.

:Alright. Anything you want asked?: Springer stared at the datapad in his hands.

:Ask about tech. You know you wanna: -Ratchet with a smirk

Springer smirked, then sat back. "There's a lot of tech of ours ranging around Earth that's stolen and in violation of our laws and treaties. It would appear that some of it might be used here. What do you know about that, Mr. Harris. You can tell me."

Harris stared at Springer, then shrugged. "I don't know."

:He's lying: -Ratchet

"Is that so? Well, then you don't have a slagging thing to worry about," Springer said. "I would like you to go to another berth room so I can speak to Kyle Davis." He stood, then watched Harris go down the corridor, rap on a berth room, lean in to call to Davis, then open the door across and walk in closing it behind him.

Davis came out nervously, then took a chair. "What do you want to know? I was in the office all day working on stock prices for some clients."

"What do you know about Dobbs?" Springer asked.

"He was a mercenary for Nast, he was a guy who kept to himself but for the other mercs who worked here … I didn't know him. I didn't cross paths with him very much, if at all," Davis said.

"Who would want to murder him? I ask that question so I can grab them before they kill someone else … someone like you, for instance," Springer said.

Davis stared at him levelly. "I don't know. Ask the other mercs. Ask Nast. They knew him. I just saw him around."

:Truth: -Ratchet

Springer stared at him, then nodded. "Alright, for now. Tell your wife to come out and go into the other room with Harris."

"My wife?" Davis said as he stood.

"Yes."

Davis stared at them, then walked to the door and called his wife out. He watched as she left the room and walked hesitantly to sit on the couch across from the others. Davis stared at the scene, then walked into the berth room where Harris waited. The door closed behind him.

She stared at them, then Springer began. "Did you know Dobbs?"

"No."

"Did you ever speak to him?"

"No."

"Did you ever see him talking to others, perhaps arguing with anyone? Did you ever hear gossip about grudges and the like?"

"No. I didn't move in his circles and he had friends with the other guards. They hung out and were friends but that's about all I saw. I haven't heard any gossip about him or anyone else for that matter," she said.

:Truth but for the last part. She's either heard or she's hiding she likes gossip. What kind of person doesn't like gossip?: -Ratchet with a grin

:Not you, nosy: Springer considered her tense posture and concern, then nodded. "Please send out your daughter, Mrs. Davis."

"My daughter? Why?" she asked as she stood in alarm.

"Because kids get around and see things that adults miss." Springer glanced down the hallway, then stood. "I would like to talk to her."

"Then I'm staying here," Mariah said as she stiffened.

"No. I don't want her to hold anything back because you're here," Springer said as Drift stood.

Mariah stared at them, then walked down the corridor. Opening the door to the room where Harris and Davis waited, there was a brisk conversation, then Harris stepped out. He stared at the two, then walked into the room where Rain Harris waited. He was in there a moment, then stepped out. He watched her walk to the couch to sit, stared at the bots, then walked into the berth room where the conversation got heated as the door closed.

Drift and Springer sat. "We want to know if you knew Dobbs."

"Just around," Rain said as she looked from one to the other. "Not to speak to but just around. He works for my dad."

Springer didn't know whether or not to be offended for Dobbs by the off hand tone of her remark. "Did you ever hear any gossip about him or anyone else in the habitat that might have led to this? Did you ever see him arguing with anyone or hear that he had beef with anyone?"

She stared at him, then sat back. "He really got murdered? I thought you guys had it all covered."

"That's not the question," Springer replied.

"No. He never really seemed to be on my radar. School lasts all day and then homework. I have a lot to do and I don't really get around too much," she said.

:Lie: -Ratchet

"Why don't I believe you? Should I talk to your girlfriends?" Springer asked.

"You can. It won't change the answer," she said.

:True. This is my story and I'm sticking to it: -Ratchet

"If you withhold information regarding a murder investigation you're guilty of inhibiting an investigation and could be charged as an accessory after the fact. How about telling us what you know and stop being a smart ass? Or would you rather I let you think about it in the youth lock up?" Springer asked.

She stared at him, then glanced down the hallway. "I saw him around. He didn't have a problem with anyone here but there was a problem. He was mad at someone somewhere but he never said where. I used to get a snack at the cafe and eat it by the windows. They liked to sit there and play cards. I don't think they saw me in the alcove sometimes. I just know that. Nothing more. It doesn't seem to be that important."

:True:

"A man is murdered. You say he was mad at someone, maybe in another habitat and you don't think that's important?" Springer asked.

She shrugged. "This is my first murder investigation."

Springer leaned into her space. "It isn't mine. You withhold anything again you will end up in jail. Okay?"

She stared at him, then nodded without a word. She stared at them as they both stood, calling out to Harris to come out. He did and they gathered in the living room.

"I'm going onto do more interviews. You are confined here. Where is Rick?" Springer asked.

"At the Resort for dinner with clients. I suppose he's locked down there?" Harris asked.

"We'll bring him in. All of the humans are accounted for and on the grid. We want it to stay that way," Springer said. He nodded and walked to the door with Drift. They exited and the door closed.

Everyone turned to Rain. "What happened? What did they ask?"

"They wanted to know about the dead guy. I didn't have anything to tell him. Why would I?" Rain asked the three adults.

They stared at her silently, then her mom nodded. "Why would she, Owen? She's 15 years old."

It would be a long quiet evening in their apartment that night.

-0-Three joors later

They gathered in the rec room to sit and coordinate interviews. The general consensus was that Lawrence Dobbs was making friends among the security at other habitats and enjoyed Merlie's cooking. He liked to hang out in the farm at Unidad and help with the cows. He had no beefs that anyone knew of and liked to drive all over the colony to look at things. No one knew what happened and no one knew who could have done such a thing. Everyone was scared that a murder or murderers were among them. Nast didn't have a damned thing to do with any of the mercs here and that signaled true on Ratchet's meters.

In short, he was growing a friend list and liked farming. Who he might have fragged off no one knew. They had nothing from the interviews at Earth2. Springer considered that, then glanced at Prime. "We lock this down and go to Earth 1 and the Consulate. He's been to all four of these and the Resort. He's not been to Sciences or N.E.S.T. for a long time. I had them check their log books and identi-cam files. He's gone to dinner at the Resort but only with the other mercs. He's not gone alone. This is beginning to frag me off," Springer concluded.

Prime nodded. "Me as well. Let us go then," he said as he stood. Turning to the security team and Sosa who were sitting and standing nearby listening with the bot crew who worked in the facility. "Keep them in. We are going to continue tracking this. If anything happens comm me, Sosa. You have priority call through."

"I will," Sosa said as the bots began to walk out of the strangely silent facility. With exceptions in the medical center and the farm, everyone was in their apartments and would stay there through noon the following orn when Prime would relax the rules about going out of their homes.

They walked out and derezzed as they returned to their format. With Prime in the lead, they began to drive out of the parking lot leaving the forensics teams behind. They were still going through the entire facility with a fine toothed comb. Prime brooded as he drove, thinking about the conversation he had with Paribolus, Thrasher and Invincible in Ops Center earlier …

They listened with grim expressions to Prime explain what had happened. Paribolus looked shocked, then angry. "Someone died who was my charge, Lord Optimus. That will not stand."

"No, it will not," Prime agreed. "Can you locate anything in your surveillance files that might apply or shed light on this situation?"

Paribolus assumed a far away expression as the database and other informational terminals in the room were overridden and defaulted to him. They hummed and lights flashed as he went through his memory. He was still, then turned to Prime. "I have an image of him leaving this morning to go out to the other habitats."

Everyone turned to a huge forward monitor. It showed Dobbs walking to the motor pool, placing his hand on the scanner, then talking out a vehicle, the one found by his body. He climbed in, then the facility opened to let him into the air lock. They could see him waiting to go out and he seemed in a great mood. The sound stream showed he was humming to a song on the radio. Then the airlock opened and he drove out. He crossed the busy parking lot, maneuvering among the trucks there, then took the highway toward town. He disappeared from view nearly immediately.

"When will security cameras be placed out here?" Prime asked Jetta who looked dismayed that they lost his image so fast.

"I ordered it immediately. Do you have him at Unidad, Thrasher? Invincible?" Jetta asked.

They did. It showed Dobbs walking in, eating at Merlie's, joking with Tennessee, then walking to the farm. He worked at the cow barn, chatted with a hand at the fence as the horses walked over to greet them. Petting them, he finally turned to go. Waving to the hand, he walked back through town looking at this and that, then got into his vehicle to leave. He left and was off the camera grid nearly immediately.

"He didn't meet anyone there. He came for the farm and Merlie's food. We need to see what Earth 1 and the Consulate can tell us," Jetta said.

The big mechs nodded. "We're going to hook up when the cameras are there. We can cover the entire area for miles and overlap our security reach," Paribolus said. "I will continue to read my files and see if there are any encounters that will help, Prime, but it looks thin. He was either very careful or this was as big a surprise for him as it is for us."

Prime nodded. "I think so, too. Thank you. Please forward any thing at all that might have bearing to Springer and to Starlet in my office, gentlemen. We are going to Earth 1 and the Consulate now." ...

They drove into the long sloping road that led into the crater that was the Consulate location. Cars and trucks filled up the parking lot as human males materialized next to them. For the humans standing inside, it was their first real glimpse of pretender tech. They were glad it existed or there would be a lot of other dead men lying around besides Dobbs.

They walked to the hatch door and entered. They slid shut, the enormous heavy doors and the air equalized. As they opened, the humans inside saw the human facsimiles and invited them in. They would sit and answer questions and when they were concluded here no one would know any more about what had happened than they knew now.

-0-TBC 11-10-18 **edited 11-24-18**


	519. Chapter 519

The Diego Diaries: Forensics (dd6 519)

-0-Consulate

They talked to all the diplomats who were shocked and appalled by the news. Being that they were shepherds of the relationship directly among Earth's many governments, they discussed their fears of what might transpire from this, the first real criminal act by a human on world. Being assured that this was 'the way things happen sometimes', the bots left with no more information than they had when they came.

Gathering outside as the humans watched them, Springer listened to their findings and commentary. Dobbs was making an effort to be friendly and he had friends here including the two soldiers who were stationed here as part of their N.E.S.T. duty as Beta squaddies. Those two were both on rotating duty for two days at N.E.S.T and thus weren't here to speak for themselves.

"This is getting to be maddening," Springer said as the bots nodded. Prime had gone ahead with Ratchet and the others to Unidad to talk to the humans since Dobbs spent the most of his time there. Carly had been given the heads up and had checked which humans Dobbs had been friendly with, all of them it would seem connected to the farm. "Earth 1 is next, then N.E.S.T, then we find Prime."

Everyone nodded, transformed and drove out toward Earth 1. Springer watched them go, then mounted up with the others and began to head out cross county to Earth 1 which could be seen faintly glowing inside their sloping crater nearby.

-0-Unidad

Prime knelt with Carly, Sam and Les Hadden. They spoke of Dobbs coming here, usually going straight to the farm to assist with the cows and horses, then chatting with a hand or whoever was there at the time. He liked being in the green sward that made up the facility. Carly was doing a run of Dobb's appearances here to see where he went, what he did and who he talked to. Prime already had it from Thrasher and Invincible but didn't mention that. The less the humans knew about the buildings around them, the better.

The hands who had chatted with him only gave them conversational things based on the work they were doing and the county life both had grown up living. He was here because he liked the animals and it reminded him of Earth. There was little else to tell.

By the time the group had arrived from Earth 1 minus Springer and Drift who were on their way to N.E.S.T. HQ, the story was pretty much the same. Thanking everyone and admonishing them about leaving or sending word to Earth, they all walked outside to gather.

"Forensics are about to wrap up at Earth2. They'll run the evidence they have and report in the morning. No one knows nothing. It just seemed that Dobbs was branching out to other facilities for their diversion and little else. So far anyway," Hercy said as Kup nodded. "He kept it on simple things and didn't confide in anyone. When the reports are in maybe we can pull the mercs in for more official interviews."

Prime nodded. "I agree as well. The two soldiers under suspicion are at N.E.S.T HQ. Drift and Springer can get their statements and have the facility check their whereabouts over the past two orns. I want to know what they might have to do with this if anything."

Hercy nodded, then with the posse in hand walked to the horses and mounted up. They galloped up the sloping road and disappeared into the night. Prime watched them go, then turned to his mechs. "Ratchet, when will you have the autopsy completed?"

"I can do it now. We're using noninvasive procedures to do it considering their organic state and the fact that Earth would probably erupt if they thought we were 'probing' them," Ratchet said.

"Then let us go and see what the body can present," Prime said as he walked toward the road, transformed and drove up it. The rest followed into the night as the humans in the habitat watched them go.

-0-N.E.S.T. HQ

They came through the big doors of the habitat air lock, then waited for the humans to equalize things. Walking out, a grim looking Lennox followed by the others greeted the bots. They had driven ahead and arrived, waiting for the mechs to join them. Standing in the Ops Center behind the window, the two strikers who were given the task of guarding habitats in rotation with the rest of the garrison waited.

Springer and Drift watched the humans walk into their space, then knelt. "We need to know where everyone was during the time in question, Lennox."

Will nodded, then turned to the group watching him with solemn expressions. "What's the log say, Fig?"

Fig held a datapad with all the comings and goings of the garrison in front of him. "Everyone who was on duty is and was. Only a handful left the building and all of them have been accounted for on the grid. No one met up with Dobbs, not us and not you," he said turning to Colin Anderson and Horst Mueller who had assignments at the Consulate as on site security. They were also the two who were flagged as possible spies for the Family. They were given extra oversight by the system.

"Where were you two? You didn't go to the Consulate today?" Will asked.

"We're off duty today and tomorrow," Colin Anderson of Australia said. Horst Mueller of Germany and his partner at the Consulate nodded. "We went to Sciences this morning, then came back and played cards in my room all afternoon."

Fig nodded. "The logs back that up."

"You're the closest to the mercs. What can you tell me about who might have a grudge against Dobbs and who might have been close to him outside of the other mercs?" Will asked. "He was spending time wandering around among the habitats outside The City."

"He liked the farm," Horst said. "He liked to go to Earth2 and Unidad to hang out with the animals and the farm life. He liked the space of Unidad because it felt like being home on Earth to him. He was from somewhere in the farm country … I don't know where."

"Texas," Epps said.

"Yeah. He said that. I don't know much about America. He liked cows and farming. He hung out there and wanted to spend time in the gardens at the Hu-An Habitat. He made a few friends among the farming scientists," Horst said. "I don't know much but I played cards with him a few times, me and Colin. He was okay and friendly enough for a mercenary."

Some of the soldiers nodded. "He was okay for a merc," one of the other soldiers said.

"Does anyone have a clue about fights or arguments with others? Who might have had a beef with him? Did he have any outstanding accounts with anyone?" Epps asked.

They thought, then most shook their heads. "I didn't hang out with them much, Sarge. The schedule is pretty tight," Trevor said. "I also don't like mercenaries. These mercs were also problematic at Diego. They don't like the bots and don't have a problem telling the world about it either."

The soldiers nodded in agreement.

Springer stood up, then frowned. "We have a murder and no one can tell us about any arguments they might have had or bad feelings. Frag this."

"Maybe forensics can drop a dime on this," James Brooks-Spencer said. "What about Earth? How are you going to let them know?"

"We aren't until the investigation is complete. For now, you have limited access to the outside world, you, Sciences and The Resort. We want a soldier to accompany any tour by The Resort until further notice. No one is to be told about this or we're going to have to cancel vacations. We don't want any tourists to miss their vacation so a news black out is in effect. The Tower, Resort, Sciences and N.E.S.T. HQ have new rules and limited autonomy but for senior officers. Come to Ops Center at 0900 hours to get the word from Prime and the newest word on the investigation. No one goes out without a partner and only in a limited manner."

"We'll be there, Springer," Morshower said as he stood with his aides, Fulton and Bowers. "We are resolved to get to the bottom of this."

"We are, too, Glenn," Springer said grimly. "For now, the Consulate, Earth 1 and 2 and Unidad are locked down. We're not willing to risk anyone's life until this is solved. I can't tell you how disheartening and disconcerting it is to have someone die here from your community. We put major store in our relationship and our duty to the Earth and this is a blow to us personally."

"We understand," Morshower said. "We will hold the line in the human community."

"And we will protect and help you," Drift said.

"0900, Ops Center," Springer said as he rose and turned to the door. "We have to go. There's a lot to do about this."

Everyone nodded and walked inside the center as the big doors closed to let the bots out. They stepped out and walked onward to their horses and The City as night began to intensify into the early morning.

Morshower stood with Bowers and Lennox, the others with them solemnly silent. He turned to the group. "We are the front line here, all of us. We have a duty to protect every human no matter who and what they are or were. This is a knife thrust into the heart of our community and unity as a group. We are going to get this bastard or bastards but we need you to be on top of your game. Our people depend upon us here and on Earth to do our best work."

They murmured agreement, then Trevor stepped closer with a worried expression. "Do you think a human did this, General?"

Morshower stared at him a moment, then shook his head. "I hope so, Sargent. I truly for the sake of everything and everyone hope so."

Dawn would break shortly and but for buses carrying oblivious tourists on their regularly scheduled tours and a N.E.S.T soldier, there would be no humans on the street today. It would be the first time that happened in years and it would be noticeably odd to everyone.

-0-TBC 11-12-18 **edited 11-24-18**


	520. Chapter 520

The Diego Diaries: Forensics (dd6 520)

-0-Morgue at 0350 AM on the TMC

They walked in with the youngster who was running the desk at the special sectors portion of the medical center. All of the security containments and the morgue were here among other things. Ratchet walked in, then turned to the youngling kid, Mott. He looked a bit perturbed given that Ratchet was here to autopsy an organic who had as someone so eloquently put it, 'exploded out in the boondocks somehow'. He looked queasy and scared. "How about bringing Prime and I something to drink, infant? I'm thinking a beer would hit the spot right now."

The kid looked relieved, then turned to Optimus who nodded. He fairly flew out the door as the two watched. "He's in an apprentice program that lets them experience all the different kinds of work in medicine, then they can choose and we help them get through college," Ratchet said. "We keep them in the program and they don't get frustrated and quit."

He walked to the freezer unit while Prime sat next to the door. He didn't want to be here either it would seem. Ratchet coded the lock, then pulled the tray out. A shrouded body was on it, a small one that was now flat and laying normally. He pulled it further, then legs with rollers shot down from it and he could pull the tray out as a gurney. Moving it to the door, he pushed it to the room across the way that had an elevator. Optimus followed.

They went up, then across before stopping. The door opened and they were in the heavily plated imaging center of the hospital. All the big machines that were by their nature harmful were clustered here. He pushed the body in then slid it into the first big machine there. He closed the door, then walked to a walled off control room. "Come in. You don't need anymore radiation than you already get in space."

Prime followed, then watched as Ratchet sat, pulled up screens, then tuned the machine into the body. A detailed three dimensional color image of Dobbs appeared, one that showed him relaxed in death. He was an odd shade of gray, something he shared with the bots in death and in the image there was a lot of blood splatter. It came from his mouth as his lungs failed and then other organs as they froze nearly instantly in the -122 degrees and minimal atmosphere of the Martian day at this time of year.

His face was relaxed which was a mercy but he showed distress to a small degree anyway. His features were intact, his internal organs had burst including his lungs and he had frost bite, dark and extremely extensive over his body where it had been exposed. He had broken bones all over his upper body. His arms were broken in several places, his ribs all were fractured, his helm bore a blow which seemed overkill. The machine stated that it was post mortem.

"Well, what a mess. All of his ribs are broken. Both his arms are broken in several places or fractured. His wrists are broken along with fingers in defensive wounds, his body is a patchwork of bruises and he has every single one of his internal organs ruptured or frost bitten. He died immediately upon removal of his mask and I would state that they beat him to make that possible. We're dealing with a man trained in combat and fit as a fiddle who was killed, perhaps in a surprise move against him.

"He couldn't have lasted more than a second after the loss of his mask. Even if he held his breath it would only give a second or two longer to live. This is homicide, Optimus. A brutal cold blooded killing."

Prime nodded. "Can you work out a report, one that will stand scrutiny with the humans? I would like everything possible about him, his condition both before and after his death and anything that might link him to his killers."

"In the old orns humans believed that if you looked at a dead man's eyes the image of their killer would be etched on them. You could see the last thing they ever saw there. I wish that were true now," Ratchet said as he programmed the computers to do a digital autopsy of the human, one in which nothing would be cut or invaded. When it was finished Dobbs would go back into the freezer to await transport to Earth and his family, whenever that would be.

"What do we know?" Ratchet asked. "No one was out and about that isn't accounted for. He was making friends, perhaps in a friendly manner but no one saw him after the four visits. I don't see him letting someone ride with him that he didn't know. No one hitchhikes here. No bot did this. We could detect that at the scene and on the body. I don't know what to think."

Prime nodded. "I know. We need to move on this. The habitats will stay on lock down until we get a clue. I do not want anyone else to be killed before we catch these individuals."

"What if someone has a bead on tech that allows them to come and go? What if they told him about it or he found out? What if they had a falling out and killed him? I don't know how this fits together without some kind of cloaking tech and some disagreement between Dobbs and his killers. There has to be advanced tech involved here and we all know that means the Resistance, the mob behind the traitors at Sector 7 and that bunch. Maybe they figured out how to cloak, came here, were spotted by Dobbs and they killed him to keep things buttoned down?"

"How would they get here? By the Resort tours? By sneaking into a space bridge somehow? How long could they be cloaked before it would fail? How would they exist here? None of our tech for the environmental suits is old tech. We created it here," Optimus said.

"Maybe there's enough information in the missing data that they could make the stuff they needed? Humans are incredibly creative. That's why half the aliens that plague them come here, to exploit them and their creativity. Nothing would surprise me about them. It's their special super power, I think," Ratchet mused.

"We have to figure this out. Maybe we need to screen for cloaked individuals through the bridges and ship traffic. Maybe someone is sneaking aboard when the tours come. We have tours coming from and going to Earth two times a day. That doesn't count the commercial services and our own shipping. The door would probably seem very open to someone who had mastered cloaking and environmental tech," Prime said with disquiet.

"I fear that, too," Ratchet said.

-O-Later that morning … 0900 TMC at the Ops Center, The Fortress …

They began to come in, finding their seats as they balanced their cups, plates and data pads. They were the senior Autobots and a few specially invited scientists and specialists. The night had passed and they were gathering to discuss what had been discovered. It was a grim faced group that settled, then turned to Prime. All of those who were normally on Cybertron by now were here for the mass briefing.

"Prowl, begin," Prime said as he sat back with a hot cup of 'tea'.

"We're getting push back from Earth over the blackout. They want to know what's happening," Prowl began. "We've told them that a glitch in a new booster addition had taken down the system and we're working for it to be up tonight at 1800 hours." Prowl sat back. "If we don't have a definitive idea about this by then we have to send the body to Earth anyway and face the music."

"What do you have, Ratchet from the full autopsy?" Prime asked.

"He's a strong fit human male, Caucasian, has two tattoos, is well nourished and has a hernia scar. He bears two knife wounds on his upper arm and a bullet wound, all of which are long healed on his upper left thigh. He was not intoxicated nor was he using any drugs at the time. He didn't even smoke as some do.

"He suffered a lot of woundings from blunt force trauma, most likely the tire iron found at the scene. He had broken ribs, arms, wrists, fingers, a few blows on his legs that didn't break bones but likely put him down on the ground as well as a heavy blow to the cranium after he lost his helmet.

"He suffered a lot of blows but none of them were enough to kill him. I believe they were affected to allow them to pull his helmet off. He suffered immediate freezing of limbs, face and body when the seal of his helmet broke and he lost his protection and atmosphere. It was then that I conjecture that the last blow to his head occurred. He fell into a fetal position due to the impact of the cold and after about 10-15 seconds of holding his breath, he exhaled and died.

"His lungs burst and so did his heart. He was almost immediately frozen to death and there is extensive frost bite on his limbs and face, all of the places that were exposed to the direct atmosphere. He exhaled most of his blood supply through his mouth and all in all it was a terrible but immensely quick way to die. He had no chance when the seal broke."

It was deeply silent in the room. Then Raptor shifted. "I have no truck with mercenaries. We can all agree that mechs like Lockdown have no use for anyone. But I have to tell you, Prime that this really frags me off. The humans are helpless here and we have the charge to protect them. Someone killed this man without a thought to him or his loved ones. I want them."

"You and me both, Raptor," Prime said.

"This is fragged," Perceptor said. "He had no chance. This is the work of cowards, Prime. The humans are a lot of things but I like them. They're … plucky and brave. This is not an easy place to live and they want to come here. I like them and working with them is always enjoyable. This is really going to make problems for both sides, those of us who love this place and want the relationship to succeed."

Everyone agreed, then Springer leaned forward on his elbows. "What's next, Optimus? We need to protect them, all of them. A lot of them are friends and all of them love being here. This is a real blow to everyone. I like the humans. They're brave and decent, most of them. What do you want us to do?"

Prime considered that, then set his cup down. "We have to protect them and the alliance as well. If we do not protect Earth they will die at one point or the other from the threat. They are our neighbors and friends. I find them admirable and good. We cannot let their wilder instincts lead them into danger. No matter what this means to our alliance we are going to protect them." He looked at Springer. "Put mechs in the buildings, armed and have them stand by the doors on short shifts. I want their presence to be seen and halt whoever is behind this from doing it again without reprisal.

"I want us to put together all of the facts, have it presentable as a document, then I will tell the humans what happened. I have already asked General Morshower to tell the family what happened and he will at 1700 hours. I will tell the humans right after they are informed. I do not want them to find out by anyone else but us. It is not the Autobot way.

"Until then, hustle," Prowl said. "We have to have some idea of what's happening. Wheeljack and Perceptor, I give you charge for scanning transports, incoming and outgoing passengers on both commercial vessels and our own cargo. I was already told by my ada that he's working on full spectrum scanning on all bridge transports. We have to figure this out. Have all your findings, or not to me by 1500 joors. No later. We **have** to have this ironed out as best we can before Optimus presents this to Earth. Any questions?"

No one had any so they broke up and walked out to take on the problem once more. Prowl and Prime watched them go, then Prowl glanced at him. "Anything about Crader?" he asked.

"No. Nothing so far," Prime said. "The Matrix is quiet."

"Too bad." He grinned without mirth. "We have a naming ceremony tomorrow and dinner. Its messed up again."

"Who is surprised?" Prime asked.

"Not me," Prowl said with a sigh.

-0-TBC 11-13-18 **edited 11-24-18**

ESL: post mortem: after death

A great genius died today, Stan Lee. What he didn't create in comics doesn't much matter. He was such a great man personally as well as professionally. He was amazing. It pains me in places I didn't know I had when this news reached me. He took it all with him, all the joy, creativity and happiness of millions. Some people should live forever. The world's favorite uncle is gone. He's with his wife, Joan at last. Over 70 years married, those two. I wish I could tell you how badly I feel tonight that his light went out in the world.

Rest in peace, Stan Lee. 1922-2018

 **Excelsior!**


	521. Chapter 521

The Diego Diaries: Forensics (dd6 521)

-0-Later that afternoon

Springer and Drift walked into Ops Center with grim faces and the aura of frustrated intentions. They sat down with Prowl as he glanced up from his millions of duties and operations. "Don't you two look energized."

"Nothing more to add, Prowl. No one saw him after he left their habitat and until they were questioned no one knew there was anything wrong."

Drift nodded. "Its perplexing."

"You have a gift for understatement. Morshower sent a team to the Dobbs family to tell them. I do believe they're arriving there about now."

… Amarillo, Texas, early evening …

They drove up, a state trooper, a representative of Earth2, a chaplain and a medic along with an aide of Glenn Morshower. Led by a N.E.S.T. 'fixer' whose purview was the United States, they pulled up, then walked to the door of the Lawrence Dobbs Senior home. His parents, Lawrence 'Larry' and Estelle Dobbs had lived there for decades and were former ranchers. They had four children of which Lawrence Junior was one and many grandchildren. Gathering themselves, they rapped on the door. Dogs barked, then the door opened. A younger version of Lawrence Dobbs, his brother Steven answered. "Hi," he said as he looked at the group.

"Mr. Dobbs? Is this the home of Larry and Estelle Dobbs?" the fixer asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. What's this about?" the kid asked.

"We'd like to come in and speak to the Dobbs," the fixer said.

"Who's at the door, Steve?" a man's voice called from within the house.

"I don't know," Steven replied, then he held the door open. "Alright. Come in."

They did. They would tell what was going on and it would be as awful as one could expect.

… Ops Center …

"Optimus is going to make a statement that will be broadcast over the MCA in about a half a joor. We need all the information you can give us for this announcement," Prowl said.

"We have nothing to add," Springer said with irritation. "This is going to be a bad one to crack."

Prowl nodded. "We have the autopsy, the statements and all the rest. Wheeljack, Perceptor and the nerds at Sciences are working out the modifications of the bridges and other entries for scanning. Optimus is with Jazz at IntraCom getting this thing organized. He's going to cut in shortly and it'll go live between here and Earth, no where else," he said as he glanced at a large monitor playing The Hourly News with the sound turned down.

They watched the weather report on the beautiful image dominated screen behind the weatherman. It would be good weather though beastly cold as ever. It was surreal given what was coming shortly.

-0-IntraCom

Jazz, Ratchet and Prime sat in a conference room going over the data which Prime would present in less than five minutes Earth time. He had his speech organized and when Prowl reported that nothing new was going to be added he finalized it. Sitting back, he shook his helm. "I hate the slow drip of things that undermine the relationship. We have to work harder to make it clear that those here are safe and that the relationship is of the utmost importance."

"Most know that, Optimus," Ratchet said. "There's no appeasing those who don't. The first time a bad actor lands on Earth and struts their stuff they will get it."

"Pray that never happens," Prime said as a tech leaned in.

"We have to get everyone set up. The set is ready to go, Jazz," he said.

Jazz stood then grinned at Prime. "You'll allay their fears if they can be and nothing more can be done. We'll get this fragger and we'll dance again."

Prime stood with Ratchet, then grinned. "Save one for me until then." He walked out the door followed by both Ratchet and Jazz, then entered the studio where he gave his speeches and announcements to everyone over the airwaves. Walking to his set, he sat amid the trappings of his office and that of the many worlds and places he reigned. He looked composed and grave, the very picture of a leader who was as good and decent as he was.

Jazz who always directed his segments walked to his chair and sat in front of the computer that showed everything. Ratchet leaned against the wall to listen. Then the countdown was made.

"Live in five … four …

-0-On the live feed going out to Earth, Mars, Cybertron, every forward base and a couple of allied worlds not to mention an nearly finished War World space station orbiting Saturn that resembled an only slightly smaller Death Star and would be placed on the trading lanes just past Cybertron …

"Thank you for the weather," Lim-Lee said as she smiled at the weatherman who was filling in as an intern, Jasper of Vargus II. "We have a message from the Office of Strategic Communications that Optimus, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire is going to be making an announcement. We're going to cut into that and broadcast it live." She looked at her director who cut her feed and switched it to the Emblem of the Primes.

Everyone watching the news paused what they were doing all over the colony and Earth. Every habitat had been given the early nod that this was coming at 1800 hours on the TMC and they were ready. A subdued and tense human population tuned in to listen.

The screen image changed to a solemn and grave appearing Optimus Prime. "Good evening, Mars and Earth. I am Optimus Prime. Tonight, I bring to you sad news about a member of the human community here on world. I held off making this announcement until the family of the individual involved was informed and just now I received word from Global N.E.S.T. North America that this has been accomplished.

"Yesterday afternoon about 1600 hours on the Terran Military Clock a security officer by the name of Lawrence Frederick Dobbs, Junior of Amarillo, Texas in the United States of America disappeared off the security grid that we maintain for the safety of humans on world. At that moment the Operational Center of Earth2 immediately contacted the Emergency Response Center at Fortress Maximus to inform them that this had happened. That set into motion a series of protocols that are in place to ensure that the humans who live here are safe and if endangered rescued swiftly. There were a number of reasons why this did not happen to Mr. Dobbs which are part of the investigation into his disappearance and after a thorough search, his death.

"Some of the devices that protected and located Mr. Dobbs were not on his person and the few that were still with him in places designed so they cannot be removed were deactivated by means unknown. Mr. Dobbs had been beaten and his helmet which bears a seal that protects him in his environmental suit was broken. Mr. Dobbs died instantly once exposed to the cold and nearly airless atmosphere of Mars. It was the worst fear that we have come true.

"All of the habitats are in lock down to ensure that we can investigate who did this and to make sure that no other human is placed in a vulnerable position with an unknown killer or killers. It has not been established that there is a lone killer. It appears to be evident that there might be two.

"Someone murdered Mr. Dobbs and disappeared back into the community. We are investigating how our systems were defeated and Mr. Dobbs' suit was compromised. They are designed to defeat nearly anything thrown at them and somehow this one was. The vehicle he drove when he visited other habitats that morning was found abandoned and the transponder for location and the well being of its occupants was removed.

"Given the amount of our tech that has been stolen and placed into circulation on Earth, some of which we are fighting to retrieve in courts in Germany and Korea, it is no surprise that some of our systems may be reasonably known to those with bad intentions toward us and our presence in the system.

"We have eliminated any Cybertronian involvement in this venture because there is no evidence to suggest that a bot was motivated to kill Mr. Lawrence. Someone in the human community … some ones are responsible for this and we are working to get to the bottom of it.

"It is part of the charters of all habitats here that when a crime has been committed that they default to my government to pursue the crime. I have taken control of all the habitats here on world and will continue to do so until the perpetrator or perpetrators are caught. All of the habitats continue onward with their work and functions and hold the integrity of their data and processes to themselves. However given the situation, I am going to hold to the rule of the charters until we are satisfied that we have the killers and every human here is safe.

"We have enemies on Earth. We know who they are. We will protect the human community from anyone who bears any of us here harmful intentions and have that as the utmost charge. Those who are coming here for vacations through the Resort can come with confidence. We are posting a military and policing presence in the places where humans live and work to discourage a repeat of this crime until the case is resolved. Until we have the murderers in custody I will not relinquish control.

"The habitats are in lock down for the safety of the humans, communications will resume tomorrow morning at 0900 hours on the TMC and all information about this matter will be handled through the Office of Strategic Communications by my officers, Jazz and Blaster. We will not be releasing more detailed information due to the ongoing investigation and out of respect for the Dobbs family.

"We send our deepest condolences to them and to all who were friends of Lawrence Dobbs. This is an abomination and a personal affront to me as the Prime of Cybertron and Mars. We will get to the bottom of this and we will find out who did this. They will be arrested and held for accountability. It is our greatest pleasure to host humans on world and those who visit. It was a source of pride that it has been safe and mutually productive.

"I give you my word of honor that everything that can be done to ensure the safety of every human here is and will be done. For the honor of our people, for the sanctity of our relationship as two peoples together and the protection and safety of the human community, I pledge that we will do our best to get to catch those responsible. I say to the enemies of my people and the peace between us and Earth, you will not prevail.

"I am Optimus Prime. Good night. Until all are one."

The broadcast ended. The hoo-hah had just begun.

-0-On a balcony of a villa at Lake Como, Italy

"Prime sounded very angry."

"He did. But then, he would. This makes him look badly."

"Well, that's what we're here to do." He grinned. "Revenge is a dish best served cold."

His partner grinned. "You and I have the same idea. I like that very much about you, my friend. We have a long and very interesting future ahead of us. Welcome to my world."

He nodded to his benefactor and savior. "Thanks."

-0-Ops Center after the speeches

They sat at the table watching the split screen which had the news from everywhere. Right now, they were listening to the MCA news feed which was the one that received all Cybertronian broadcasting and rebroadcast it to the world.

The talking heads were going over the situation as a few of the different news outlets began to converge on Amarillo. It was being brought out that Dobbs had been a problem at Diego, that he'd been booted off for breaking rules and that he was part and parcel of the anti-Autobot camp of humans. He had links into the opposition due to his background with the bots, his job with Earth2 and his friendships with the other mercs, especially Sam Hedges and James Johnson.

Some of them were highly partisan which wasn't a change. Some were unhappy by the news blackout and the fact that the dearth of communications over the past two days wasn't due to technical difficulties. Others were discussing things with forensics experts, former cops, former district attorneys, soldiers who were consulted regularly, those who knew the bots, those who said they knew the bots and the like.

N.E.S.T hadn't commented yet but the American government was starting to do so and it wouldn't be pretty. Tomorrow would be an interesting day. The naming of the new baby and its dinner would be held about noon in the Central Labor Hall while the infant's page was going to be opened for well wishes giving a ceremonial and symbolic toe tap there to the newest little Autobot.

Prowl sat with the infant in his hold and frowned at the screen. "Frag everyone everywhere. We'll get the slaggers. I personally guarantee it myself."

Ratchet grinned. "That's our Prowler," he said as the tweets of different individuals both high and low began to be broadcast. None of them were good for anyone.

It would be a long night at Ops Center on Mars.

Again.

-0-TBC 11-14-18 **edited 11-24-18**


	522. Chapter 522

The Diego Diaries: Forensics and Stuff (dd6 522)

-0-Ops Center

They retired to their homes late, heading for the barn as the biggest part of the shock of the murder had settled in on Earth. It was the biggest story around the world, shockingly big. Had he just died it might have been different but murder always brought out the worst aspects of a situation with the resultant fear and worry.

Morshower had ensured that the Dobbs family was informed and as of yet there was no word from them about their feelings. A family spokesman said they would comment the following morning and they wanted to be left alone at the moment. Family was coming in from all around the state and no one had a comment as they arrived and hurried inside Dobb's parent's home.

A meeting would be held at Ops Center at 0900 the following morning with a lot of the Prime's key players coming in through the bridges for the conference now and in the early morning. He would have them speak to their views of the situation and explain the transfer of the body to the family in two days.

As of now, it was a subdued group that walked to their stations and homes in a city where there were no humans running around the place. It would be oddly weird that it was so.

-0-Sciences

"I don't know who would do this. We have to have someone infiltrating," Lola Teasdale said as she lounged in the main room.

The others sat here and there, some eating snacks or making one. The conversation would last a long time, then they would be up the next day regretting everything. Prime and Prowl would unveil their newest collaboration and they would be unable to come.

-0-Sneaking in

Kes and Tagg hugged everyone after a short conversation about the implications of what had happened. Both were worried for Orion and he had assured them that things were under control. Walking them to the elevator, he watched them enter to go down two floors to their apartment. Once again, he was happy that they were so close. It felt better having their unwavering support and love within arm's reach. Walking back, he closed the door, signaled the lights off, then headed down the corridor to the berth room suite in the back of the apartment. He checked his children, paused by the crib where the new infant was already asleep, then walked to the wash rack where he paused to lean against the door. Prowl was inside washing up. "We never catch a break on the family things. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. I wish it were different and yeah, none of us catch a break." Prowl stepped into Prime's arms and held him. "I'm going to run the investigation."

"I am glad," Prime said as he swayed gently with Prowl. "We have to send him back well. He was military, he was a guest worker and he did not deserve this. I am ordering a ceremonial funeral, Prowl. All of it."

Prowl nodded. "Okay. It's odd isn't it that a former enemy would be hailed back to his people with that much ceremony."

"It is but its fair and right. I do not care what others might think about this. He did not deserve this and neither did we," Prime said.

"I'll organize it. We can use assets from our arsenal," Prowl said. "A flyby? A ceremonial progress? The whole thing?"

"I think its the least we can do. I want every human on world who can and will want to make it to stand with us on the airfield when he is ready to go back," Prime said.

"Alright. I would think they might want to as well," Prowl said.

They held each other a moment, then walked to the berth. Laying back wearily, setting the alarm to feed the baby shortly, they both fell into a weary recharge.

-0-Down below

They crept in, hugged Corr and Docker, then checked the kids after the two left. They were worried but reassured by both that things would be alright. They walked into the berth room, then flopped down. It was quiet a moment.

"Tomorrow, we have the naming ceremony and dinner, more investigation, the Functionalist's kids hearing, I have more physicals at the prison left to go, we have to go to the schools for our joors, I have to get Thanksgiving together including my candy recipe … you have to help me, slagger. All of it is coming fast and we need to get this done."

Ironhide grinned. "Okay."

Ratchet grinned. "Good night, Ironhide."

Ironhide grinned again. "Good night, Ratchet."

-0-Ops Center in the morning

They wandered in, the senior Autobots. There were no civilians beside Lady Sela, Lauren and Alpha Trion. Cyclonus was there for the Monastery as well. They sat as Prime and Prowl walked in taking their places as well.

Everyone was silent, then Ratchet leaned forward. "Nothing new on the medical end of this. I have nothing more to add right now."

Prowl nodded, then looked at Wheeljack and Perceptor. "Gentlemen?"

"We know for sure that there are two suspects. A deep analysis of the area around the scene show that two human sets of prints left the area but due to the drifting of the sand and soil there because of the wind accelerating through the boulders, they were obscured after a few steps. We aren't even sure what size the foot is but its clear that the killers are two."

It was silent a moment, then Prime nodded. "Thank you. Springer?"

Springer who was sitting with a dour expression shook his head. "We're doing follow up interviews and gathering background on Dobbs. We have his gear but there's nothing in it that counts as problematic. Paribolus can't supply anything else. Dobbs only talked to his family and no one else. We will continue with the vehicle which gives a few clues. They were able to pull out the tech that gave locations to the grid monitors before driving off to the highway. The transponders went dead at 1642 joors on the TMC. The time of murder is what, Ada? Did you establish that?"

"We have it estimated to be about within that time or there abouts," Ratchet said.

"Then he had to know that they were going to do this when they pulled over to take out the locator tech," Springer said.

"Not necessarily," Ratchet replied. "What if they struck him before that, perhaps landing the blows to disable him and get him into the truck or incapacitate him when he was already there. Then … they could have dragged him out of there more easily, taken his helmet off without a fight, then staged the scene. It might be easier if he was beyond resisting.

It was quiet a moment, then Perceptor leaned forward to look down table at Prime. "We are going to replace all the helmets with those that can only be removed by the bearer. This will never be able to happen again, Optimus."

"I am glad to hear that, Perceptor. Nothing like this **can** happen again." He looked at Sela, Lauren, Alpha, Cyclonus and Rainmaker. "We have to give this human a send off that shows Earth our quality. I am ordering a full ceremonial funeral for him before he leaves to be returned to his family the orn after tomorrow."

Rainmaker nodded. "Then you want it all, the processional, the flyby, the salute … all of it?"

"I do," Prime said. "We have nothing in common with this man and he caused a lot of trouble for us at Diego but he was murdered in our company and we will not be defined by someone elses brutality. We are an old and decent people. I will have it on display for the Earth and for the group or individuals ultimately responsible for this atrocity."

They nodded. Prowl glanced at Prime, then them. "I will coordinate the arrangements. We will need the humans who wish to come to be there at the send off point. I will have the airfield cleared for the gathering and there we can have the flyby. I would hope that Warlord would do the honors with his special feature."

"He will," Rainmaker said.

"I suspect that the ceremonials will last one and a half to two joors, will be concluded by a mass salute, then his departure. Cosmos was on my mind but I'm thinking that Silverbolt or your yacht, Ratchet, would be more fitting. The Household Guard will be part of this and so will a priest or two for the processional, Lord Lauren. He has no family here to show his portrait so if you could find someone who can, Raptor will lead it."

"Consider it done, Prowl," Lauren said with a nod.

"Our flags have been lowered to half staff which is a human custom and will remain there for a period of ten orns," Prime said. "I do not want anyone to state that we are indifferent to this event. It is a stain on all of us that this has occurred."

A murmur of agreement went through the crowd, then Starscream glanced at Prime. "I have no love for the insects, though there are some that I have a much greater tolerance for … a few. Judy Witwicky comes to mind. After all, she made the genius move of throwing her handbag at Rampage that time."

Snickers went through the room, a welcome relief.

Starscream smirked. "I do not like anyone thinking that we are barbarous or less than dignified, Prime. This is a lot more than Mr. Dobbs deserves but in terms of what has happened, I find myself concurring. I want the insects on Earth to know we are not who some of them believe we are. Those who have grudges against us are banding together. We cannot let them define who we are."

Prime nodded. "I concur. That is why this will happen. When its over, we continue. The habitats will remain on lock down until this is resolved. We have killers running loose here and I do not want a repeat of this event." He glanced at Springer. "What about the security forces at the habitats?"

"I sent them last night. They're circulating out in shifts, two mechs per facility. Given that they were designed for us to be inside, its not going to be too big a problem but I ordered them to hang by the airlocks and keep their presence low key. We shall see what happens."

Prime nodded. "We shall." He glanced at Prowl. "Our naming ceremony will be at noon where?"

"Room 1422 in the Central Labor Hall," Prowl said. "We're going to open the page after the introduction. Apparently, there will be fireworks tonight?"

Wheeljack grinned. "We're going to go floral and geometric. We're working on sharpening the unified field and this helps. Keep having infants. It advances science."

Laughter at last.

-0-At a private research firm

"We got a message from Prowl that the infant's naming ceremony will be at 1200 joors this afternoon. We are invited to it," Zenith said as he opened more email that had been piling up. "He sent it three orns ago."

"We need to keep up on the mail, Shadow," Zenith said. He looked up from his computer. "We can go for a while but the experiment will require attention." He glanced into the room across the hallway where a machine was quietly working on some inscrutable thing.

"I will message Miler then," Shadow said as he did. Then he joined his bond on the task at hand as both of them disappeared once more into their work.

But for a set alarm, they would have worked their way through the party and ceremony.

-0-TBC 11-15-18 **edited 11-24-18**

I have been watching the new series with Bumblebee and Windblade on youtube and they show different bots in the little short films that constitute the series. Bumblebee has lost his memory and they have to find the AllSpark on the Earth. Grimlock is in it and in this personification, he's extremely eloquent, smart and cultured. There is even a short moment with Rack and Ruin. He's a very little used character who is a conjoined twin, two mechs saved from death by becoming on. They're fascinating to see and they're old time Wreckers usually. :D


	523. Chapter 523

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 523)

-0-Later that night

Prowl lay the baby on the berth tucking it in with the softest blankets, those used by the other babies. He in his own way was as sentimental as Ironhide about memory and ties that bound. Staring at the infant who had fallen into sleep, he considered the next orn. They would go to work at Ops Center while Bluestreak commandeering the twins would manage the party which would host several hundred individuals. The bulk of the well wishers would make their comments and contacts through the page he had created online for them to do so.

It would be ungainly and unmanageable to do otherwise. He had checked the list of those who were given direct invites, then those who were mentioning they would come. The humans would come, those who had freedom and those who didn't would get the ceremony via close circuit broadcast. All of the habitats but for The Resort would see the ceremony which would be broadcast to the colony. They had already taped an interview of the event which would be broadcast on The Hourly News later that orn.

Fireworks would be part of the celebration all over the colony for the new infant and Prime's happiness. That was a given. Until then, it was just the family who knew and had seen the baby, the perfect little infant that had been so unexpected.

He turned to Prime who was sitting on the chair in their berth room reading a data pad that had the latest intel from all over. "Anything important?"

"Earth is divided between deep dismay and a sort of strange resignation and surprise that it didn't happen sooner. Much is being made over our early objections that having a mass of humans here would lead to something like this. There are noises being made about sending a team here from a lot of different agencies to assist and help to oversee the investigation."

Prowl sniffed with insult. "Do you suppose they know that a senior detective of the Praxus Municipal Police who was on loan to everyone is heading the investigation?"

Prime sat back and grinned at Prowl. "No, but I will be glad to tell them."

Prowl chuckled, then sat on his lap. Hugging Prime's neck, he looked at him. "Did you know that Halo was supposed to be separated on Halloween last year? Now we have this one on Halloween. Trick or treat," he said with a grin.

Prime hugged him. "Thanks. Its the best prank ever."

-0-Down below

"Ada?"

"What?"

"Lou good me?"

"Yep."

Silence a moment.

"Atar?"

"What?"

'Lou good me?"

"Yep."

Silence a moment.

"Ho-Ho?"

"What, Orion?"

"Lou good me?"

"I am, Orion. Atar? Are you good?"

"I am, Hero. Are you?"

"I am." [Pause] "Ada?"

"What?"

"Are you good? Atar and Orion are."

"I'm good."

Silence.

"Ada?"

"What, Praxus?"

"I love you."

[grin] "I love you, too."

"Atar? Ada?"

"What, Hero?" -Both

"I love you. Thank you for letting us recharge with you."

"No problem. What about you, Sunspot?" -Both

"I'm great. What about you, Orion?"

" **I LOVE POT! I, ORION LOVE POT! DO YOU LOVE POT, HO-HO!?"**

" **I LOVE SUNSPOT! THIS IS SO FUN!"**

It would go on like that for a while.

-0-Morning at last

They sat at the table eating with the big kids who didn't mind sleeping in their own beds for some reason. Mostly, the little ones had fallen asleep at last only to be awakened by Halo standing in her bassinet beside the big berth looking at them as she waited for company. When no one awakened she threw her bed toys at them until they did. Then it all began again.

"Atar? Do you love Halo? **SHE'S MY SISTER!"**

"I do, Hero. I love her best when she's recharging. She looks silent then."

"I love Hay-po. She my she."

"She's your she, Orion?" -Praxus

"She my she. She you she, Pax?"

"She is my she," Praxus said as he lay in his spot with his dollie. Beside him, Spot lay with a bemused expression as they all lined the vast cavern that was the space between their genitors. It would go on again for a bit.

In the here and now ...

"The buses are going to be here and you're still eating. Hustle, you little slaggers and get this … you recharge in your own berths tonight. Our bed springs can't take it." Ratchet hustled to get them up and running, then the big kids gathered their gear. Ratchet glanced at them. "Any lunches needed?"

"No," Fireball said with a smile. "You looked scared a moment there."

"I was," Ratchet said with a laugh. **"HUSTLE, SHORTIES! BUSES WAIT FOR NO ONE!"**

The usual bedlam ensued before the elders came and collected them. Out they went and the place was silent again. Ironhide and Ratchet stared at the door. "That was … something," Ratchet said.

"It was. I'll figure out what later on. Come on. We have to hustle." Ironhide slammed the door on the dishwasher, set the dial and timer, then both headed out for Ops Center.

-0-Ops Center

It was quiet there as the morning began to gather from the darkness outside into the brightness inside. No one was going to their districts today because of the ceremony and party. Some of them worked in their offices in direct contact with Cybertron but they would stay for the hoo-hah, then go there in the afternoon.

Ratchet and Ironhide walked across the vast floor to the table where Prowl sat working like the dedicated former cop and all around obsessive individual that he was. They pulled chairs to sit and he looked up. "Hello, Prowler. What's the plan for the party?" Ratchet asked.

"Well, it's going to be perfection as usual. Great food, a lot to drink, mostly exceptional company … oh, wait. You two are going to be there," he said with a grin.

"You're full of it already and you haven't had your first drink," Ratchet said with a snicker.

"Don't tie one on yet," Prowl said. "You're going to do the speech."

Ratchet grinned, then nodded. "Okay."

Prowl looked at Ironhide. "You'll do the introduction."

"Is that an order?" Ironhide asked.

"Consider it. I could always put a few demerits on your performance evaluations if you'd rather," Prowl said as he sat back to shoot the shit.

"Do we have those?" Ratchet asked as he filched a donut from Prowl's plate before Ironhide ate them all with both hands.

"We do now," Prowl said as he frowned at both.

"Where's the infant?" Ratchet asked.

"Here," Prowl said with a grin as he patted his chassis. "This kid stays there until I show the baby off." He grinned again. "You thought I'd use a pronoun and let you know gender didn't you. But I, Prowl of Praxus didn't fall for that slag."

"No, you didn't and that's why you're my hero," Ratchet said.

"You better not say another word, Prowl because he's winding up to get you to make a slip," Ironhide said as Prime walked into the room, then headed toward the table to sit.

"Saved by the boss," Prowl said as Prime sat.

"I will not ask," Prime said.

"Good on you," Prowl said.

"How are the funeral arrangements for Dobbs coming along?" Ratchet asked.

"We are giving him a state processional, a full salute and a send off with Silverbolt and a Seeker flight. You will ride along as Ambassador and officiate at the point of arrival at Ramstein Airbase," Prime said as he took one of Prowl's donuts.

"That'll be a good idea. No sense being as small as some are on Earth. Though, I think I can imagine their feelings," Ratchet said. "They want to come here and be part of the investigation? Did I read that right?"

"They want to. We're going to invite a few of their policemen to come, perhaps the FBI and Interpol … maybe a group from around Earth but the investigation remains with me. I'm running it," Prowl said.

Everyone nodded. They chatted away for a while, cleared up some things for Earth, then broke to go their way before meeting up at the Central Labor Hall for the party at 1150 hours on the TMC.

-0-Elsewhere just before show time

The Family humans had gathered to eat lunch earlier and were going to the Central Labor Hall in groups. It was going to be easier to get everyone there who wanted to go by driving in a convoy. By the time they swung by N.E.S.T. HQ and the Sciences Habitat, it was nearly noon. Driving madly, a long line of heavy duty heavily packed vehicles were already inside and rolling down the road that led to the room where the party was to be held. It would be a ten mile drive to get there.

-0-Inside

They came, hordes of family, friends and well wishers. Arriving at the door, chatting with Bluestreak, Miler, Kes, Tagg and Venture who were there to greet them, they walked in, got a loaded plate and a drink, then walked to tables to sit. Arriving just behind them and ahead of the humans, Prime and Prowl were feted in along with Ratchet, Ironhide and their mob. They came and came, soldiers, friends, family and all the rest to pay their respects and check out the newest little Autobot. It was happy, familial and fun.

There were no little kids running around. They would stay in school and the parental units would par-tay.

Win-win.

They came and came and came. Among them would be Shadow and Zenith.

-0-At human habitats all around the place

Earth 1 was busy in the swing of their orn as Brandon Clark and his wife walked to the hatch with the Wilkersons and Angus. They were going to represent the facility at the party and took with them all the bitching and whining of them what couldn't come. It was a happy trio and a small child that walked out to their vehicle and pulled out to go to town.

Earth 2 was busy in their day as the humans gathered near screens or in the big theater to watch the party which was already being broadcast. The images were amazing, the crowds were as well and everyone wished they were there. No one was coming from this facility due to the circumstances so they made due with the broadcast.

The management sat in a conference room watching the screen and commenting now and again about this and that bot, this and that group. It would be educational and oddly warm and familiar.

Unidad had sent their delegation, the Epps family, the Haddens as well as Carly and Sam. They all drove together and reached the party at about the same time as the others. No one was coming from the Consulate so they were the last humans to arrive. Much was made of them by commentators on the M.C.A. as they pulled up outside, walked to the door and ended up being carried to tables to join in on the fun. It was amusing, entertaining and illuminating to both the humans watching here and those on the other end of the M.C.A.

Ratchet sat with his food and drink across from Prime and Prowl. "I'm surprised you're allowing this broadcast to Earth."

"I think they need to see some of their assumptions are wrong. Besides, who wouldn't want to be here?" Prowl asked with a grin.

"Who indeed?" Ratchet replied. Then he rapped his knuckles. Everyone everywhere halted their business, then turned toward him. He smiled brilliantly. "Thanksgiving is Thursday upcoming and we're having our annual food contest, remember. It's candy and I plan to win," he continued before getting buried in derision and laughter. He smirked back. "Slaggers. Wait until you see the statues."

"I have just the place for mine," Hercy said as Kup nodded. "I don't know about everyone else but the first place trophy is going next to the others."

Huge laughter and derision, some fear and some resignation met that declaration.

Ratchet chuckled, then looked at Prowl. "You really, **really** need to see this year's trophies."

A shudder ran through Prowl's central strut in spite of himself.

-0-TBC 11-16-18 **edited 11-24-18**

:D


	524. Chapter 524

The Diego Diaries: Possibility (dd6 524)

-0-Naming

They fogged in, then it settled a bit as Bluestreak waved at Prowl. He grinned, then glanced at Ratchet. "Well, slaggers, are you and the ball and chain ready for this?"

"I am," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. **"I, RATCHET AM READY FOR THIS!"**

Everyone around paused their conversation, then turned toward the front. Prowl shriveled, Ratchet smiled, Ironhide snickered as he sat and Prime laughed. Everyone stared at Prowl.

" **WHAT!?"** he asked with a stern glance at Ratchet. **HUGE** laughter greeted that, then he glanced at Ironhide. "Go time."

Prime who was lounging in his chair with his arm along the back of Prowl's grinned at Ironhide. "Yes, minion. It's go time."

 **HUGE** laughter as Ironhide rose then turned to the crowd.

"Slagger," Ironhide said with a grin as he slid Halo out of his hold. **"HERE SHE IS!"**

He was buried in slag.

"Oh, wait. We have another one," Ironhide said. "Today, our company grows by one. This one is going to be a good one as all of them are. We're lucky that way. We can have families and enjoy them. For everyone still coming this one is for you." He glanced at Prowl. "There, slagger." He sat down to applause, catcalls and hoo-haw.

Prowl smirked at him, then Ratchet. "Go, Loon."

Ratchet dazzled him, then stood. Staring at the crowd, he began. It would be transmitted to the entire (known) universe via IntraCom and the M.C.A. **"FRIENDS! COUNTRYMEN! LEND ME YOUR** **AUDIAL** **S!"** He grinned at Prowl. "See how I've elevated this to the point of literature?"

A rush of downloads followed by laughter and applause greeted that as Ravel sat nearby smirking knowingly at his wayward boy. Ratchet did his best not to look that way. He was going to let it rip. Earth was watching, too and he was going to take the moment to cement the 'ordinariness' and 'humanity' of the bots for and with them.

"Prowl and I are in an arms and legs race. Given that Ironhide and I have about 847 children, you're lagging, Prowler and Prime, O' Messiah of Our People. All of my children are beautiful but then all children are. This one will be as well, no doubt.

"This one will have all the advantages. He has genitors, siblings, shirt tail relatives, good schools and love. All children everywhere no matter how fragged up their parents are deserve the same. And we all know how fragged up some parents are," he said to laughter and a slight frown from Prowl.

"I'm assuming you're referencing yourself with that rather untoward remark?" Prowl asked as Prime snickered.

"I am?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

 **LAUGHTER!**

"Where was I? Oh, yes … fragged parenting. We're the sum total of our experiences and this infant is going to know the good of three worlds, Cybertron, Earth and Mars. He's going to own choice real estate on at least two of them. He's going to good schools, have friends and comforts. All children deserve the same no matter where they are.

"We came from the dust of war. We're retrieving worlds right now and taking care of our own. All over this galaxy our people were scattered like leaves in a strong breeze and who knows what's happening to them. But we're looking. We're looking hard and everywhere. We will find you. All of you. Then you can come here and live. **PREFERABLY NEXT DOOR TO PROWL!"**

 **LAUGHTER!**

"As I was saying … Prowler … how do I explain a person like Prowl? He climbs a tree and scrapes his knee, his escutcheons got a tear ... He waltzes on his way to Temple and whistles on the stair. And underneath his wimple he has curlers in his hair. Why I've even heard him singing albeit off key." He smiled a dazzling smile as half the crowd began to catch on and scout the internet for the words while the other half stared at Ratchet waiting for Prowl to give him major noogies.

"He's always late for slag but his penitence is real. He's always late for everything, except for every meal." Then he got a solemn expression on his face. "I hate to have to say it, but I very firmly feel he's not an asset to the team."

Prime who had gotten the references began to snicker, then guffawed as Prowl glanced at him with a frown. He wasn't on it yet but that was coming.

"I'd like to say a word in his behalf. Prowler does makes me laugh. How do you solve a problem like Prowler?" Ratchet asked then began to sing with his arms thrown open wide. "How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find the word that means Prowler? **A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!"**

It was at that moment that Prowl leaped up and pounced on Ratchet.

Huge raucous laughter broke out along with clapping, stamping and catcalls. Half a dozen of the bots here and there sang the real lyrics as Prowl rubbed hard knuckled noogies into Ratchet's helm. Letting Ratchet go, he sat with some dignity, folded his arms and smirked. "Fragger."

It was then that the six or so voices reached the chorus of 'Maria' from the Sound of Music:

"Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her  
"Many a thing she ought to understand  
"But how do you make her stay and listen to all you say  
"How do you keep a wave upon the sand?

"Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria?  
"How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?"

They got a standing ovation which they took advantage of through excessive bowing and waving.

Wreckers.

Prowl stared at them with The Look while Prime sat convulsed with laughter in his chair.

Ratchet rubbed his noggin as he grinned at both. "Fraggers. Let me finish this."

" **OH, PLEASE DO!"** -Prowler

" **BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAA!"** -everyone there including his own genitors

Ratchet grinned then looked at the crowd. "You're reprobates, all of you."

 **AGREEMENT LUX!**

"In closing, sometimes you get lucky. All of us did. We live the life we deserved and never got, most of us. Our kids are going to know peace and plenty. All of them everywhere do. They **DESERVE** it. Right now, I would love to do an interpretive dance to commemor-"

That was as far as he got.

-0-A second later

Ratchet sat across from Prowl with a big smile. Prowl smirked at him, this most improbable bestie and all around trendsetting, corset loosening daft and crafty slagger.

Prowl stood, his arms filled with the carefully wrapped and shrouded baby. Prime stood beside him with deep amusement, allowing Prowl to do the honors. All of the family had walked up to stand with the baby when he was revealed including those sitting around him who turned to the crowd and cameras, some of them mugging until a rap to the noggin took care of that.

Ratchet laughed as he rubbed his helm. Deed done.

"After such a dignified and well thought out introduction … *cough* … we are both pleased to introduce the newest member of our family. We both worked hard on the baby's appearance but even more so on his name. Its the practice of my family to find a name that demands something of the bearer. My name has several meanings, some of which are private. The main meaning is 'undaunted'. That is what Prowl means in our language. All of our children either honor someone or they bear a name that demands.

"This infant is no different. This infant is a mech. He's the seventh child in our family," Prowl said, then peered at Ratchet with a gimlet optic. "That makes us only 840 behind you and Ironhide."

 **HUGE LAUGHTER!**

"All seven of them are precious to us, **all** of them. This one is going to be called," Prowl said as he pulled the blankets back to reveal the baby, "Possibility."

It was silent a moment, then mechs began to stand and stamp, clapping and whistling their pleasure. The baby peered out, then up at his genitors as Prowl handed him to Prime. He held the baby on his arm with a look of enraptured delight, then leaned down for those around him to touch his tiny ped.

The baby was a big one, a primal frame baby. He was completely white, snow white as could be with a tiny band around his left arm for every color in his family. They were thin, tiny and were very attractive. This baby had white mech wings and the features and formal body frame of Optimus. This would be another little Optimus but he would be snow white but for the color lines and a tiny Autobrand that was painted on his shoulder by Sunstreaker the night he came home.

He was calm, had very bright and alert blue optics and strong hands. It was a very attractive look for him as most snow white babies seemed to be. Olo who was a snow white micro mini-con was just one example.

Ratchet leaned forward, caressed his little foot, then watched as Prime turned to go around the room. As he did, Prowl released the page on the Community Bulletin Board for such announcements so well wishes could be given in a ceremonial ped tap for the baby. By the weekend it would exceed ten million citations from among their own people and nearly fifty million from Earth and Cybertron.

"I'm intrigued by the color, Prowler. Its stunning but so unlike what we come to expect," Ratchet said.

"We agreed to it when we decided to commemorate the Functionalist group that was murdered. Optimus has been plagued by it, by a sense he had to do something and failed because he saw them at the Matrix and they told him it was too late. So we decided to do this for them and its helped him having this be their permanent marker." Prowl leaned forward. "The humans aren't going to get the name are they."

"Let's find out," Ratchet said as he turned to the table where a crowd of humans were tapping the baby. : **HEY! HUMANS!** When you can, come here a moment:

They glanced down table then began to walk down. When a number formed a group in front of Prowl and Ratchet, Ratchet leaned in slightly. :What do you think?:

:I think I want him: Lola said with a smile as the others nodded and laughed, some of them patting Prowl's servo. He grinned at them as they began to tell him about their delight at the baby.

:Pure white. It's beautiful. Better hope it never fogs or snows here: Barbara Morshower said with a laugh.

Prowl nodded with a grin, then Ratchet asked. :What do you think about the name?:

Judy Witwicky stepped closer. :You have the **best damned names** I ever heard of. What is the short version of his name or is there one?:

Prowl considered that, then shook his head. :There isn't one:

:Good enough. We had a famous gardener on Earth called Capability Brown and I always envied his name. Possibility Prime is a great name: Judy Fulton said, revealing her gardening mania once more. :This is a great day. I'm so glad to be here to see this. Another Prime baby:

Ratchet nodded, then glanced at Prowl. :Possibility is a great name but not in the same league as Toilet Snake: he said before Prowl put him in a head lock.

-0-TBC 11-18-18 **edited 11-25-18**

In the olden orns as they say, giving a kid a name to grow up to and aspire to was common. That's why some of the names in the past are so odd seeming. :D Right, Percy?

" **AS IF!"**

The lyrics both real and goofy by Ratchet come from The Sound of Music and were sung by the nuns in the convent about Maria, the main character.


	525. Chapter 525

The Diego Diaries: Possibility (dd6 525)

-0-At the wingding

"What are you making for dinner? Its about two orns away."

"I thought I would bake two or three turkeys. You know how good they are … the usual perfection," Prowl said as he sipped his second beer. He grinned.

Ratchet grinned back. "Take the tags off the boxes this time, slagger. I'm going to bring sides and buns. Ironhide has decided he's a bonafide bun connoisseur. He wants to bring the planet into his appreciation of the finely turned bun."

Prowl chuckled. "Bun connoisseur. Don't say that around the humans."

Ratchet laughed. "By the way, you can go to work now. Are you going to be bringing Possibility? By the way, I love his name."

"Thanks. I do, too. It sort of describes this place," Prowl said. "We wanted to honor the finding of this place and the return in numbers of our people with Miracle. Solus is self evident. She's his patron. Sojie is honoring the Seeker drone and its creators. Sojourner has a great history on Earth as well."

"We named Orion for the Boss and Praxus for Ironhide's hometown. Hero was named by Sunspot for his own reasons but he might as well have been naming himself. Prowler was named after a giant whiner but I forget who it was … and Halo for her sensor array. I also think it fits her sunny personality. Sunspot wasn't named by us but its a perfect name for him."

Prowl nodded. "He's doing really well. He's not really shying away from the humans here and some of them are new."

Ratchet nodded. "He is. Slow but sure. Conferences will be coming after New Year and Veteran's orn. Have you got Christmas Surprise organized yet?"

"I do. I also will appoint a few more Santa Primes. We have so many kids we need help. Also, I'm adding one for the elders. By the way, you're the Santa Prime for shut ins and others who fall into the medical category. You're welcome." Prowl grinned.

Ratchet grinned. "Are you sure you won't regret that?"

Prowl's smirk faltered a moment, then he regarded Ratchet with a cool gaze. "Tell me about your candy entry."

"Its slagging amazing. It won't be missed its such a stand out," Ratchet said.

"Is that so?" Prowl asked. "Mine is beautiful, graceful, glorious even … you know, like me."

They both laughed riotously.

The party would go on and in the end they would go their ways to do the bidding of The People. The party would continue onward without them.

-0-Later that night

"Ada, I'll need a lunch tomorrow. I'm going to Trypticon and they're working on the concession area to bring it up to specs. They want to have a cafe for humans there and for any that stay overnight. They're building a dormitory for students and rooms for adults who go with them," Fireball said as he leaned against the counter putting dishes away as Ironhide dried and Ratchet washed.

" **Get a big old tub and I'll fill it!"** Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Don't use Ironhide. He has things to do tomorrow."

" **OH, HA HA, RATCHET!"** Ironhide said as he flexed his frame.

Huge laughter.

"How about a silver bucket?" Ironhide suggested as they finished their slag together.

"Halo needs it," Ratchet said. "She still fits it. Little femme may be walking around and talking but she still fits her baby pail." He reached under the cupboard and pulled out a nice bag. "We'll fill this to the brim and we can put whatever needs to stay cold in the fridge, then load you up in the morning. Dig around and get the stuff you want, then I'll add the stuff you need later."

They walked over to sit and watch the big kid look in cupboards, pull things out and put them into the bag. It was adorable how cute he was.

"What are you doing, Fireball? We're playing The War For Cybertron," Quasar said from the doorway of the corridor that led to their end of the house. Orion and Praxus were standing with him, tiny imps around the feet of their oversized brother.

" **YOU, TIE-TOE! YOU COMED TO THE SHES?! WE COMED TO PLAYIN' THE THING! WAWR FOR FOOFER!"** Orion exclaimed with excitement.

" **YOU COMING, FIREBALL!?"** Praxus asked equally excitedly. **"We can play!"**

Prowler walked up behind them, then stared at each with a smile. He was dragging his panda bear and had nothing to add to the inquiry. He was a mech(let) of few words.

Fireball grinned at them. "I'm coming." He glanced at Ratchet and Ironhide relaxing in their chairs. "Can I bring snacks to the game?"

"Yes," Ironhide and Ratchet together.

" **I COMED TO HELP LOU!?"** Orion asked with gathering excitement.

"I'm good, Orion. I'm coming. Hang on a moment and I'll bring stuff," Fireball said as he hurried.

"I, Orion will help Tie-Toe," he said as he walked into the kitchen with the usual confident swagger that he always had when he wanted to help someone. He reached Fireball, then looked way upward. **"I HELP LOU!"**

Fireball laughed loudly, then turned to him. "Help me pick out our snack." He lifted Orion, looked through the cabinet, then chose Oreos. With them in hand, they walked down the corridor as Quasar picked up Prowler and Praxus. They were gone in seconds.

"Built in babysitters, Ironhide. **ITS A MIRACLE!"** Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Ironhide snickered. "If you say so. We have a major memorial funeral thing tomorrow."

"We do," Ratchet said. "When its over then all will be well. I hope. I don't want slag to ruin our Thanksgiving. The Squad is really putting their spark into this. I want it good for everyone. As for Dobbs, I wish it had never happened. I wish we could grab the slaggers that did this."

"We will," Ironhide said as he turned on the monitor. They would watch a few sports events, then The Hourly News would come on. The main stories would be the murder and the processional the next orn. Businesses and others were being asked to allow workers and students to be present when the processional rolled by. It would be anyone's guess how this would turn out.

-0-Morning

They gathered to go, the kids of the family. Stuffing a bag with food and drink, setting the temperature on it to keep all inside pristine, Ratchet latched it and hefted it to Fireball. "What's the word about Trypticon? Are any of you up for overnighters any time soon?"

"After Thanksgiving, Ada. We're going to the station for a five night stay to learn how to survey skies and make star maps," Genesis said.

"You already know how to do that, infants," Ironhide said.

They nodded. "We know, Atar. We're going to be assistants to the others. There will be 120 kids there and we get to help them at the map making station," Genesis said.

"Resources and aides already. You infants are a work and wonder," Ratchet said with a smile. He was buried in hugs by big kids, then little.

The door opened, the elders took the kids, then Ironhide and Ratchet followed. They walked out and continued to the Ops Center, waving and hugging everyone as they went.

The funeral processional and send off for Lawrence Dobbs was happening shortly and even now cameras followed them to the bus stops, through the walk to Ops Center and once inside to the conference room door where everyone was going. It wouldn't follow them inside but it would broadcast the entire thing to the M.C.A and beyond that to Earth and Mars. Cybertron was being spared.

"That was Ironhide and Ratchet, Master of the Armory and Army and Secretary of State as well as Ambassador for the Prime respectively. They've entered the conference room where the event is being organized. That tall green and yellow mech is Chief of Security and Chieftain of the Wreckers, their Special Ops division, Springer and his bond, Sub Commander of the Day and Night Watch and Wrecker as well, Drift of Kaon. They will be providing security for the operation today.

"Ultra Magnus just entered the building," the commentator said for Cybertronian News Today, or C.N.T. as it was called by everyone on Earth. This was the channel that broadcast all Cybertronian news and programming to Earth and they had their own newscasters who regularly gave the word. They had become very proficient in doing so and sometimes came to Mars to learn more and do specials and interviews. "Ultra Magnus is the Colonial Superintendent and Governor-General of Cybertron and the Empire by appointment of the Prime. He's in charge of all administration of everything in the Empire and is the face of the colony to the world.

"Ultra Magnus is the Tyrest Treaty enforcer, a fabled and important position. He's so famed for being that enforcer that they call the position after him sometimes. He enforces the Tyrest Accord and the Code of Interplanetary Conduct. He's respected and feared by the Decepticons to a very great degree.

"That's Jazz of Kaon, Mirage of Iacon, Elita and Jetta of Iacon, both of them in a bond. Elita is a special ops legend and heads the Autobot Femme guerrilla squad that stayed on Cybertron to disrupt since the Fall five million years ago and only left when Prime needed them now. That's Arcee, one of her team who is bonded to Ultra Magnus.

The commentary continued as mechs and femmes gathered to do their part. Ratchet walked back out and headed toward the Medical Center where Dobbs was kept pending this moment. He had helped supervise his placement into a metal coffin which was decorated with small emblems of Mars, Cybertron and Earth. His name, age and other particulars were engraved on its aluminum cover and there was a disk inserted there that bore his image. It was in short a typical Cybertronian coffin but for the fact that those were torpedo shaped to allow them to be inserted into their grave site so the mech or femme inside would be standing. Real Estate was premium even on as big a planet as Cybertron.

He entered the building, walked to the elevator, then went up two floors. The cameras followed him as he stepped out into a corridor lined by the Household Guards standing at parade rest. The coffin was lying on a catafalque at the end of the corridor. They were there as an honor guard. Ratchet paused in front of it a moment, then turned to Raptor who was waiting for him. They discussed a few things but the camera didn't broadcast it. The sound portion was off here but no where else.

"The big mech with Ratchet is his bond Ironhide's grandfather, General Raptor of Praxus. He's going to lead the processional through the colony, passing through every city so that the population can pay their respects. Mark, how does that look? Are citizens showing up to watch and pay respects?" the man asked another sitting beside him.

"They are, Tim," Mark said. The camera views switched to show sidewalks and roads all over the colony where citizens were gathering to wait for the drive by. They were growing crowds and it would be a well attended event, it would appear.

"They appear to be getting ready," Mark said.

"So is the group that's at the airfield," Tim said as the cameras split the screen. One image showed Ratchet, Raptor and the Household Guard getting ready to step out with Dobbs. The other screen showed Prime and his command group, the civilians from the Community-Autobot Committee, several hundred citizens and heavily armed soldiers, a beginning gathering of all of the humans who lived in the habitats including the tourists at the Resort in buses with their great windows, several hundred Seekers and the entire Seeker command and clan elders. They gathered, then stood quietly. The area was sectioned off formally and showed a corridor to Silverbolt and orderly areas of individuals.

The screen cut back showing two guards holding the handles on the side of the coffin, the small box held between them. The others walked out in two lines, moved to the side and stood at attention on the sidewalk as the pair carried out Dobb's coffin. Raptor and Ratchet followed including a small femme acolyte from the Temple and all of the priests including Alpha Trion. They watched as the two guards placed the coffin on a flatbed truck who was a mini-con bruiser who had volunteered for the service. He was shiny black with red markings, a dignified platform for the purpose. A magnetized platform would hold Dobbs in place.

The priests and Alpha Trion walked to the coffin, laid their hands on it and recited a prayer for the dead. It was quiet and dignified, the prayer being heard with audio pick up, then they stepped back and bowed.

Raptor bowed to the coffin, then walked ahead to the front where he transformed. The little femme acolyte who held the picture of Dobbs that was customary at Cybertronian funerals was helped into the bed of Raptor's TopKick pickup truck format by Ratchet. She walked forward, rested the image of Dobbs on the top of Raptor's cab so it could be seen by all then nodded to Ratchet.

Ratchet stepped back, transformed, then waited for Raptor to slowly move forward. Falling in behind him, he left his lights flashing as he followed. The flatbed with Dobbs followed him, then the guards transformed. They formed up on both sides of the vehicle as it began to move slowly and with great dignity down Metroplex Highway #3 heading toward the Terra Hub and the first of the trips through the colonial cities.

Everywhere they would go along the highway, along streets and around the open spaces, solemn Cybertronians would bow to his coffin to pay their respects. The broadcast would last until the very end. It would take a while to go everywhere including the now mostly empty habitats of the humans. He had been part of their community and they would be honored as well, though their inhabitants were at the airfield waiting.

"And now the processional begins," Mark said solemnly. "That was Alpha Trion, a highly admired elder of The People and the Temple priests saying a prayer for the dead before the processional begins. It will be lead by General Raptor and Ambassador Ratchet, followed by Timor of the Villages who is carrying the coffin and escorted by the Household Guards of The Prime."

They would roll slowly along on their way to Pax.

-0-TBC 11-20-18 Hopefully, this one made it to you. :D **edited 11-25-18**


	526. Chapter 526

The Diego Diaries: Processional (dd6 526)

-0-The Processional

"The plan for this processional is to drive through each of the cities, go through the habitats out of town, then come back to the airfield where the send off will be happening. Right now, they're heading out from the Terra Hub toward the Tri-Cities and then onward to the roundabout to the habitats. They will then head back to Autobot City through the Metro Districts where they will continue on to Aerie Hill, then back again to the send off.

"They've past through the Seven Cities complexes and the first Crater district. The second one will be a drive through after the Tri-Cities. Then they will go to Earth 1 and 2, the Consulate, then back. No one is at the three habitats at the moment but they want to honor the humans and Dobbs because he lived and worked there. Aerie Hill will be after they reach Autobot City, then a swing back to the Military Airfield where he will be taken aboard a ship to return to Earth."

Mark nodded. "The crowds at the airport are huge and they're surprisingly big along the route. As you may know, Dobbs is not without controversy among the Cybertronians. He was part of the Intel-Martin security force at Diego Garcia some years back and we know where that led. There were disturbances between the mercenaries including Dobbs and the bots. This is a pretty extraordinary honor considering things. I had a chat earlier with Laurie Cardell, one of the Cybertronian News Today consortium reporters who is stationed in Autobot City."

The screen cut to a recorded interview with a reporter who was standing against the stone wall of the Sciences Habitat for the interview. It was earlier in the morning and the sun was barely breaking over the horizon of Olympus Mons outside.

"Laurie, tell us about the feelings of the bots and of the leadership given this is Lawrence Dobbs who was sent home from Diego Garcia for breaking the photo ban in place at the time regarding the Cybertronian garrison," Mark asked.

"Good morning, Mark. Today is the processional and send off for Lawrence Dobbs who was found murdered on the TransWorld Highway two days ago. The word behind this is that the Prime is very upset that a human trusted to live here should fall to such a bad ending. They have never promised perfection but they deliver on their security assurances. That he died at all is upsetting enough but to be murdered puts this into a different category altogether. The Prime ordered this to pay the respects of The People toward a guest resident alien and to Earth.

"As for Diego Garcia, that is very well documented, the fall out between Jase Daniels and his mercenaries and the garrison. There is no love lost there but this is still for Optimus Prime and his government a different category event altogether. They have set that aside to send Dobbs back in a respectful manner. Mark."

He nodded. "What is the atmosphere like there, Laurie? What can you tell us about the mood and feelings not just among the leadership but the general population as well?" Mark asked as the split screen showed the procession heading through the newest Crater District toward Kalis.

"The atmosphere here among the leadership is outrage that this should happen to anyone let alone Dobbs who carried baggage with them. This government takes its responsibilities to the human population here deeply. Optimus Prime has made solving this murder a very high priority for his government. None of the leadership is happy about this and they're determined to solve the mystery and prevent further harm among the human population.

"As for the general population, there's shock, surprise and a desire to find the killer. The bots aren't worried for their own safety. But everyone I've talked to has expressed concern for ours. They're happy that the Prime has ordered armed guards for the habitats and boosted other security measures. They're going to be in lock down for a while longer. Everyone here is shocked and sad. Those who know of the history Dobbs shared with the garrison and some of those who were there when he was still express disquiet and anger that this happened. It may surprise you how much the Cybertronian people like humans but they do. A great deal.

"They go to their university and public schools. They have access to the colony and its amenities and resources. They live in bot built and maintained habitations and have access to what and who they need. They all say that the humans add to the quality of life here and they consider us plucky and amusing company. The humans are held in great esteem by most and the alliance with Earth is deeply important to them. They fear that it might be damaged. No one is happy about this. No one. Mark."

"Do you have any updates on the investigation? Have you had a chance to speak to anyone in the government? To Optimus Prime or Ambassador Ratchet?" Mark asked as the processional headed out of the Tri-Cities toward the big roundabout and the straight shot to the habitats in the country beyond.

"Not yet. I have an appointment to speak to Ambassador Ratchet and a request in to speak to Optimus Prime. The Ambassador has agreed but I've not heard from the Office of the Primes. No one is releasing any more information about the investigation for now. They're keeping this close to the vest. Ambassador Ratchet has been busy with the investigation and family matters. I was told that he will make time to speak with me later this afternoon Mars time. Mark."

The screen cut back to the studio in New York City where Mark Carlyle and Tim Seylow were doing the broadcast. The split screen showed the masses at the airfield and the steadily moving processional. "The processional is heading toward Earth 1 and 2 and the Consulate. They will enter their parking areas, drive past the habitat doors, then drive out. When they do that, they have a straight drive toward Autobot City through the two metro districts, then a straight shot through the city on Metroplex Highway number 1. That will lead to the junction at The Fortress and a ride by the airfield. They will then go to the Aerie Hill before coming back to the airfield for the final steps.

"We were told that they will pull up on the highway, take the coffin bearing Dobbs down the cleared walkway to Prime, then he will officiate a brief ceremony they use for fallen soldiers. It will be then that Dobbs will be placed on the ship, Silverbolt then flown to Earth with Ambassador Ratchet to do the hand off at Ramstein Air Base in Germany."

"There has been a lot of commentary by the government about this. The President is very unhappy and has been tweeting about it. There is talk about sending a delegation of officials to Mars to work on the investigation but there is no response from the Prime's government about that so far.

"We expect a response from the President tomorrow as the White House states and we will carry it live if he speaks. There have been messages from governments all over the world given that there are 72 countries represented by the human presence on Mars. Most of them have been respectful of Mr. Dobbs but they express concern about the safety of their citizens there. I suppose that's to be expected," Mark said as he glanced at Tim.

Tim nodded. "That's true but it has always been the position of the Prime's government that they will provide good security and attention but not perfection. That they won't and can't provide."

-0-On the way to the airfield

They drove into the parking spaces of the Consulate of Earth, moving slowly past the door, then out again. They would do so at each habitat, then return to the highway again to head for the Metro Districts. As they rolled through each, as they did in the huge metro district of eight city-formers already, the titans would signal their respects with the flashing of their lights and sounding sirens. The mechs themselves were at the airfield standing behind Prime like a forest of trees.

The little mechs, Swan and Teatro were in their hangars doing their school work but they would peek out to see why everyone was being noisy and humans would see them. They would be amazed at their size and their obvious youth but they would not learn much more than they already knew by their genitor's request.

It had now passed the first hour mark of the event.

-0-The airfield

They stood together in designated areas. The groups were separated across from each other by a wide lane down the middle that was kept free for the bots to bring Dobbs forward. It was quiet and most of the bots were still. They could converse internally so there wasn't much movement to see. The humans on the other hand chatted together as they stared solemnly around at the spectacle.

Flags were flying at half mast, a human custom chosen to honor Dobbs and the loss of a life to such a cruel fate on a world designed to protect their humans from such a happening. It felt heavy and tense around them as they were filmed by cameras and broadcast to Earth.

The different known humans were noted by the C.N.T. broadcasters and so were the differences that were identity features. The habitats had their own color environmental suits. They identified them to everyone else. Standing with them were the human participants in the film industry here including the cast of The Bridge and a new series being developed called Mine Field. That was still under wraps but would be starting up soon enough.

The flags snapped in the light breeze as the motorcade made their way into The City entering the Temple District and their first drive by toward Aerie Hill. The entire group watched as they drove past, slowing as they did until they reached the junction and turned toward the long road to the Seeker enclave.

Buses filled with tourists watched from their vantage point including the visitors from The Resort who had another experience to talk about when they went back home. The group passed by and were soon out of view as everyone waiting relaxed until they came back.

-0-Aerie Hill

It took a bit of time to roll through town which was cleared of traffic like it was in every city they had driven though. They were approaching an hour and a half on their journey and they still had Aerie Hill ahead. The streets were lined with Seekers, all manner, shape and age who were there to watch silently. As most did everyone else, they nodded their helms as the coffin passed them, a feature noted on all the broadcasts running on Earth.

Ratchet followed Raptor with his lights flashing as they drove through the main street, around the great crescents to the highway back to The City. It was a silent venture through Aerie Hill and back out again. When they reached Autobot City once more, they would stop at the edge of the airfield and all of them but the flatbed would transform.

They rolled onward and made the turn off. Now it was fifteen miles back to town and the conclusion of the event.

-0-There

They stood in a row, a devastatingly dignified, handsome and fearsome appearing group. Prime stood slightly in front of everyone who was arrayed in lines behind him. On one side stood the clan elders of Seekerkin and the gravely dignified family of Rainmaker. The Great Elder himself was an extraordinary sight with his two bonds and five sons. Starscream and his trine was beside them looking fierce and grave. The Hu-An were gathered before them in ceremonial garb. All of the Committee stood on the other side, civilian and military alike. It was a sight to see and something that showed once again what a force of nature a mature Cybertronian was.

The priests, Cyclonus from the Monastery and Turbine were gathered together behind Prime waiting for their part. Though Cyclonus would just as easily punt Dobbs home himself, he knew what this was and meant. He would be here for the Guiding Hand and the Clavis Aurea.

A murmur and shift in the crowd by the highway signaled the return of the processional. The crowd turned to watch, staring around each other to see what was coming toward them. After a moment, Raptor rolled into view and when he reached the highway pulled up to stop. Behind him, Ratchet appeared, then the flatbed accompanied by the Guards.

Raptor transformed after the little femme climbed down, then turned to watch. Ratchet transformed then stepped back as the Guard followed. They towered over the flatbed and the silver coffin bearing Dobbs' body. The last part of the show was just about to begin.

It was then that Warlord and his brothers began to walk down the corridor between the crowds toward the truck bearing Dobbs.

-0-TBC 11-21-18 **edited 11-25-18**

In America, Happy Thanksgiving. :D Everywhere else, Happy Happy. :D


	527. Chapter 527

The Diego Diaries: Processional (dd6 527)

-0-Autobot City Military Airfield, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars

It was silent when the big mechs transformed to stare down the long cleared path toward where Prime, the Committee and all of his senior Autobots waited. Nearby them were the Hu-An who had come to pay their respects as well. They were told of the problem and felt the same outrage that a peaceful community such as theirs should have such a thing befall it. The Temple priests, Lady Sela, Master Cyclonus and two of his teachers were there waiting as well.

It was then that Warlord and his brothers began to walk toward the processional. As they got close, the brothers paused while Warlord continued. As he did he burst into flames. He raged with fire as he approached the coffin, then with almost no warning leaped into the air and transformed. His afterburners burst into flame and up he want like a streaking rocket. When he did, his brothers joined him, all of them flying straight up, then flashing into different directions in a star burst pattern to turn back and fall toward the ground.

They fell from the sky screaming toward the earth, then pulled out to fly together in an arrow formation with Warlord leading. He trailed light and fire behind him as they screamed over, heading back up to the sky once more. Back and forth, around, alone and together they flew, then as one they slammed down to the ground as they transformed back to root mode.

They stood before the casket, Warlord burning furiously. Then his four brothers transformed to walk back to the Seekers in Prime's group. Warlord bowed his helm then walked back as well, the flames dying down as he did.

It was silent a moment then Household Guards turned to the flatbed. One of them took the metallic coffin into his servos. Holding it carefully, he turned around to the masses gathered in front of him as the others formed an honor guard for the short walk to a small platform placed halfway down the long aisle between the crowds gathered.

They stepped forward led by Raptor and followed by Ratchet while the Guard formed lines along the sides. Slowly with measured steps they walked forward. It was incredibly silent as the crowd watched a massive ferocious appearing mech lead the Guard along, themselves black and silver, gleaming and incredibly smart in appearance. Ratchet with a serious expression followed them until they reached the catafalque where the guardsman placed the coffin.

They stepped to the side, took two more steps, then turned around to assume parade rest. Raptor continued to Prime while Ratchet waited where he had stopped. It was incredibly silent then the Hu-An stepped forward. Led by Larc, bearing the long fighting spear-like poles that they used in combat, she walked a group forward which spread out into a line to face Ratchet and the coffin. They halted, then Larc stepped forward.

All of them wore their hair free and flowing, long wavy masses that hung past their knees. Gleaming metallic balls that were usually affixed to the horns of the warriors were missing and they were stripped to the waist. Their bulging muscles and large ranging tattoos gave them a beastly dominating presence.

Larc walked forward then circled the casket, her optics never leaving it as if to measure and examine it for some unknowable reason. She walked to the front then turned to it raising her spear into the air. As she did, the others did as well, piercing the air with a bellowing cry. At one, the others joined her, their cries and spears rising upward with their fists.

They began a kata of their own, a haka for the dead warrior. With a concentrated focus of intention, with a ferocious fury, the group stomped, twirled, thrust the spears forward at the enemy and chanted loud and long. Half crouching, they taunted the enemy who had taken one of their own, fists gripping tightly as they roared their contempt. Spinning and twirling, stomping the ground and crying out to the sky, they demonstrated why they were no one to mess with, these deceptive warriors who preferred peace. It went on then stopped abruptly. They stared at the casket, then one by one they circled tapping it with their spears before they walked back to Prime. It was an amazing and raw spectacle to see.

-0-Cybertronian News Today, New York, consortium broadcast of the 'Repatriation of Lawrence Dobbs'

"That was Larc, the leader of the Hu-An, a species that Optimus Prime saved from Decepticon slavery. They are a very tough, very surprising group of individuals who live in the green sward habitat next to the N.E.S.T. Garrison. They have been here a long time and are great friends and allies of the Prime. Their home worlds are in the possession of the Decepticons and thus, they live here.

"They are agrarian and created the first green habitation site on Mars. Their abilities and knowledge about agriculture are being shared with both Earth 1 and 2. They are peaceful by choice but fully capable of fighting to protect their people and homes," Tim said as Marc nodded. "I hope we can speak to one of them when this concludes and see what they can tell us about what we just saw. The information given from the Office of Strategic Communications states that this was a haka for the dead. It was done to pay honor to Dobbs for being murdered. They are as offended as everyone else that this happened."

-0-At the scene

The humans watched from the crowd, most of them, while some watched from vehicles. The humans from The Resort filled buses that had a good view parked end to end behind the main group. Everyone else except children were in the group standing in the massed crowd. It was intensely silent and solemn.

Prime stood like a statue and so did the others as the Hu-An formed a line before them rejoining the party. The priests, Cyclonus and all the others stepped forward walking to the casket. They formed a circle, placed a servo on it and began to chant softly. A prayer for the dead to find their way to whatever matrix the humans used at this point commenced then ended as swiftly. They bowed slightly then walked back to Prime.

It was deeply, deeply silent as Prime stepped forward. He walked toward the casket, a god like figure of immense dignity and integrity. He paused before the casket. He stared at it then nodded his helm. It was then that he unsubbed his big, big gun.

-0-CNT, NYC, Earth

"That was Warlord, a major Seeker officer and his four brothers. They are the sons of the Great Elder of Seekerkin who is like a pope, a king and a prophet rolled into one. Their father is Rainmaker of Vos. Warlord involves fire to give honor on special occasions. Its rare and a tribute given to fallen warriors and such. It's also used to give a metaphorical middle finger to enemies or so I quote Commander Jazz." Mark grinned slightly. "Right now, the priests are giving a short prayer with the Master of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea, Cyclonus of Upper Tetrahex, a former high ranking Decepticon. That will be followed by the salute. I don't know what that is."

-0-The Salute

Prime pulled his gun from subspace, an action much remarked about when humans saw it and speculated about among scientists, then pointed it into the air, aiming slightly toward the wasteland north of the airfield. As he did every regular soldier, Home Guardsman, Seeker and policing officer there pulled theirs as well. Turning slightly toward the north, they waited.

Prime stared at the coffin, then aimed his gun to the north. He fired it and when he did so did everyone else there. The flash was astounding, the sound cosmically significant and the roar rolled through the area like an aural tsunami. The sound was overwhelming then it turned to immense silence as Prime lowered his gun. He subbed it, nodded his helm, then turned to walk back to his officers. Guns were subbed everywhere around the area. Smoke cleared and it was silent again.

The Household Guardsman reached for Dobbs, picking him up gently. A command from their officer drew them into escort formation and they began to walk measured steps toward Prime as Ratchet followed. Forward they went then turned slightly as they neared him heading toward Silverbolt who was waiting with ramp down.

Onward they walked, then up the ramp they went. One by one they entered, then Ratchet walked up as well. He reached the top, turned to the group, then nodded to Prime. Prime nodded back, then everyone watched as the ship pulled its ramp and the hatch closed. With almost no effort nor movement, Silverbolt rose into the air along with a squadron of Seekers as escort. In seconds, it was gone from sight.

The crowd stood silently, then turned toward Prime. He stood a moment like a statue, then walked toward The Fortress with his group. When they were gone from sight the buses began to move out to drive back to The Resort. All of the humans who were here from habitats began to go back to their vehicles and the buses parked nearby that would drive them back. In a breem no one was left from the ceremony.

The airport was back to itself once more.

-0-CNT, NYC

"That fusillade was tremendous," Tim said to Mark. "That is a salute they give to other warriors. They did so when the three air traffic operators were killed at Diego Garcia during the Insecticon attack some years ago. Right now, Dobbs is on his way back to Earth and will arrive at Ramstein Air Base in Germany in about fifteen minutes. They're taking a space bridge to affect a swift return. We're going to cover that when they arrive and then bring in a panel to discuss this incredible event and what if any long term ramifications will arise because of it," Mark said.

-0-Ramstein

It was cold and a bit overcast at the big military base as the cameras watched Silverbolt coming in for a landing. He gleamed in the sky, a blindingly white vessel of immense size. He came in closer and closer then touched down. Rolling swiftly down to a measured ground speed the ship turned down the path assigned and headed for the parking spot that was ready to receive Dobbs.

The area was covered with media, onlookers and the official receiving group with an ambulance to take Dobbs. The team who would walk in and get him waited along with the officers who would be meeting with Ratchet.

Silverbolt halted then the hatch slid back. A ramp slid down and there was movement inside. The team followed the officials up the ramp and to the door that led inside. They disappeared from sight a moment, then Ratchet walked down the ramp followed by the officials. They reached the bottom then turned to watch.

After a moment aided by bots inside, the group who came to claim Dobbs walked down holding his coffin. The ambulance had driven closer so they walked to it and carefully loaded him inside. The doors were closed and the vehicle began to pull away slowly.

Ratchet knelt down to speak to the humans for a moment then nodded a couple of times. He rose then nodded again before walking to the ramp to climb back inside. The reception committee watched him as the ramp retracted and the doors slid shut.

It would only take a few more moments for Silverbolt to power up, turn in a small radius, then lift off. The big white Autobot would disappear into the sky in seconds.

Lawrence Frederick Dobbs, Junior, 1988-2018, was home at last.

-0-TBC 11-22-18 **edited 11-25-18**


	528. Chapter 528

The Diego Diaries: Processional (dd6 528)

-0-Ramstein Air Base, Germany

Silverbolt touched down and rolled forward heading toward a spot where a greeting party and ambulance waited before a massed crowd and a zillion reporters and their cameras, flashing and otherwise. He was incredibly beautiful, a glossy white with the big orange-red Autobrand prominently displayed.

It was silent for such a crowd as everyone watched with expectation for the ship to come to a halt. It did, then after a second the hatch slid back and a ramp came down. A big lanky figure appeared, Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon, then he walked down heading to the reception committee who walked up to meet him. He knelt and they began to talk together, none of which was broadcast.

A group of Khaki-clad soldiers stood nearby to get the coffin and an ambulance with its drivers and crew waited by them. It was eerily silent as they did.

-0-C.N.T. Broadcast over the M.C.A.

"That is Ambassador Ratchet meeting with officials from the base including one from Diego Garcia as a representative of General Glenn Morshower, Global N.E.S.T commanding. He is Major Andrew Settle, Brigadier General John Fulton's aide and adjutant who was married at Diego Garcia to Major Lilly Bolger-Settle by Optimus Prime himself not that long ago.

"There is also a representative of the consulate for the US government, a representative of Sector 7 who has the brief of alien activity in the solar system," Mark said, then grinned slightly. "That's not something I expected to ever say until now."

Tim grinned. "I hear ya. Here we go."

Ratchet stood then stepped toward the ramp where he waited as the troop of soldiers walked to it and was met by Will Lennox who was coming to help them carry Dobbs down. They reached him and he turned back to lead them inside.

Entering the ship, the group with Will glanced around. The inside of Silverbolt was geared to carrying individuals to important occasions. He was on the rolls as a soldier but his emerging function was to show the flag to newbies by showing his immaculate quality. They walked into a vast lounge where the casket was lying on a table. Lennox turned to them. "You get him, I'll follow you down. Or do you want me in front?"

"In front," the captain in charge said. "We'll follow you."

Will nodded and watched as the walked to the sides of the casket, hoisted it up on their shoulders, then lined up to go with their captain following. Will then walked to the door where he paused. "It's not steep but it slopes pretty good. Go slow, boys," he said. Then he stepped out.

-0-The Hourly News, **LATEST BREAKING NEWS!**

"That is our Major Lennox leading the group that is taking Mr. Dobbs out of Silverbolt. They will place him in the ambulance and when they do the hand off will be completed. It's a very sad orn when this has to happen but considering this is the first serious incident with a human on world in all the years they've lived here we are perhaps living mercifully," Jacx said.

Aleph nodded. Lim-Lee, Gen-O and a number of others were sitting as a panel with Jazz and Blaster giving the news report about the incident. Aleph looked at Jazz. "Jazz, how much damage has been done to the alliance between Earth and us by this sad event do you think?"

"It's hard to say, Aleph. I would hope very little. We never promised that this would be a risk free environment and we can't be responsible for the actions of some against others," Jazz replied.

"Then its clear that a human did this to Mr. Dobbs?" Lim-Lee asked.

"We're pretty clear that this is human on human violence, Lim-Lee. We're fully prepared to be wrong but we don't think so. This is a very strange circumstance and we're pursuing it with a vengeance. We're as invested in the truth as anyone else. This is a … an affront to all of us. Prime especially feels the burn."

-0-Ramstein

They walked down the ramp to the ground then slowly walked to the ambulance past a pensive Ratchet and a solemn greeting group. They reached the ambulance where Will stepped aside to allow them to slide the coffin directly in. When it was in, they closed the doors and it began to drive toward the base.

The cameras followed it a moment then turned back to the scene. Will was talking to the soldiers then shook their hands. He walked back to the group and paused to stand beside Ratchet who was kneeling again. Heads were nodding and conversation had before Ratchet stood, picked up Lennox and walked up the ramp.

He put Lennox down at the top then turned to look out. He waved a solemn wave then stepped inside. It would take only seconds for Silverbolt to lift up and gently, carefully gain elevation until he could turn on the gas and disappear. The Autobots obligation was completed.

-0-Airborne

They relaxed on a couch in the lounge, Lennox sitting next to Ratchet. "What do you think, Ratchet? What's the word on this by the way?"

"I think we got a black eye today with this. I also think they understand a bit better that this isn't an easy gig, living and working on another planet. As for this … we know it was a human. The evidence, what there is of it points to that. We also feel there's special tech involved. It would appear that someone has decoded our missing data from Sentinel's ship. Frag them by the way. I feel like someone read my diary."

"You keep a diary?" Lennox asked with a slight grin. "I want to read it."

"You would, you little voyeur, you," Ratchet said with a grin. "It's pretty steamy."

"Steamy, sexy? Or steamy, you sprung a leak somewhere?" Lennox asked.

"Fragger," Ratchet said with a grin. The warmth he felt for humans suffused him. "I love your people, you little fragger. This is a big wound for all of us."

"We know, Ratchet. We love you back," Lennox said as Silverbolt announced their landing at Mars. He slapped on his helmet and slid down to the floor to walk with Ratchet to the hatch.

Down they went to the ground where Optimus and a bunch of the send off committee waited for them. The crowds were gone and the activity was going again but they weren't off the cameras. Ratchet picked up Lennox, then they huddled to talk.

-0-C.N.T.

"They've arrived and now they're debriefing with Optimus Prime, his senior officers and Major Lennox. By the way, Lennox will be promoted to Colonel shortly as commanding of the garrison," Tim said.

"I was told he and the other two, Niall Graham and Robert Epps have turned down promotions and other assignments to stay with this program," Mark said as Tim nodded. "John Fulton was just promoted to brigadier general himself. All of them are heavily invested in all of this."

"Some say too much invested," Tim replied. "We will have a panel in a few moments to discuss this and some of those we invited have that as their determining point of view."

"The group is breaking up," Mark said as he nodded to Tim. "Colonel … soon-to-be Colonel Lennox is walking to a vehicle and there he goes. The others are heading for their Operational Center in The Fortress. Whether there will be a statement from Prime or issued through the Secretariat of State is still to be determined."

-0-On the ground at Autobot City

They walked together to The Fortress, entering to go to the conference room of the Ops Center. Others were there waiting, most of the team who was doing the investigation, scientists and Springer with Drift. They entered, Ratchet was applauded for his turn and all sat. It was silent a moment.

"Well, that's over. I think its time to get back into the whirl," Ratchet said. "You **do** know that Thanksgiving and the candy contest is tomorrow?"

"We do. We expect to win," Prowl said as he smirked at Ratchet. "What did you talk about with the humans, Loon?"

Ratchet grinned and the temperature of the room fell back into a normal zone. "We discussed how we hoped this would be solved soon, that the governments of most of the alliance were still solid with us, that shit happens, my words paraphrased and like that."

"Then you feel that we are still on solid ground with the humans for the most part," Optimus asked.

"I do believe so," Ratchet said. "This is a glitch in the matrix, Optimus. They understand that things will happen in this environment and we have a rebuttal to the 80,000 people living here with their own laws argument. By the way, I saw that you have two more human habitats on the drawing board with three others on the back burner."

"I do but they will not be soon. I do like having the humans here. They are a good people, the humans and they want to be here. Those that are maintain as good citizens. I want them here but this must be resolved and it must not happen again. I know it will. We ourselves are as lucky as it gets that it has not happened among our own given our people's travails," Optimus said as most in the room nodded.

"We're going to be pursuing this until we figure out what the frag is happening. Right now, we think its tech of ours that was decoded and made, brought here somehow and is in the possession of those who are here who work for the Resistance," Springer said. "We scanned the habitats for our tech in close proximity to humans but found nothing. I'm of the opinion that they figured out how to make it with human materials. It might not function as fully as our tech but it functions enough that they can do what they did and get away with it. For now anyway."

Wheeljack nodded. "I agree. Somehow, I think they created something and use it. It might be as effective as our versions or it might not. That means their technical proficiency is rising and that isn't good for anyone."

"No, it is not," Prime said grimly. "What about the two spies? I have talked to Lennox and Morshower about it and have asked them to be transferred to Earth2 for permanent duty. They have agreed. That puts them on the grid with Paribolus who is working to cover them full time. Given that everyone is in the habitats until further notice we can listen and watch them more closely."

"Good idea," Raptor said. "They appear to be the best suspects thus far unless we missed someone."

"I'm having the Ghost team on Earth and our Smoke group here do background on every human here minus the usual suspects to find out what if any links they might have to the Family or the Resistance. I would also like to find any links to M.E.C.H. anyone might have. It would appear that they've risen from the dead. Until we know where Silas is we can't discount them."

"Dibs," Springer said grimly.

"Done deal," Prowl said. He glanced at Ratchet. "So, Loon … what is this I hear about a candy contest?"

Everyone turned to Ratchet with amusement. He smiled brilliantly. "You mean the one I've already won with my genius?"

 **HUGE** catcalls and laughter. Thank goodness.

-0-On the street shortly later

"Come to the store with me. I have to get my stuff for candy making, slagger. You have to help me," Ratchet said as he ambled along with Ironhide.

"Frag. Do I get to be taste tester?" he asked with a hopeful little grin just like Orion and a handful of other little Ironhide faces grinned when they grinned, the cuties.

Ratchet grinned. "You can be the guinea pig. I promise not to poison you with my genius."

"Frag me," Ironhide said with a grin. "Sounds like a deal."

They disappeared into the mid morning crowd on the way to the Mall of Metroplex and destiny.

-0-TBC 11-24-18 **edited 11-25-18**

ESL

voyeur (voy-yur) someone who likes to watch, invited or not

For those of you going to the Bumblebee movie early, good on you. :D I can't go to shows when they come out because deaths and the like mess with my muse. HUGS and have a great time.


	529. Chapter 529

The Diego Diaries: Thanks(4)giving (dd6 530)

-0-Mall of Metroplex, The Grocery at the Mall of Metroplex, Autobot City, et al

"This goes on forever," Ironhide said as he pushed a cart. Ratchet was walking in front consulting the household data pad, his aft swishing from side to side like that of a runner or other long legged athlete. Ironhide could watch it all orn long. "What are you getting?"

Ratchet glanced back. "Everything," he said with a giant smile.

"Why am I afraid," Ironhide said as they walked toward the chocolate you-name-it sections.

"Practice?" Ratchet said with a grin as he began to dump large quantities of all kinds of chocolate into the basket. He swept dried candy, dried fruit, candy bars, pretzels both yogurt covered and not, raisins, this and that from their own bot cuisine and thin cookies that were chocolate covered stick shapes.

They moved on to the meat aisle where Ratchet got all manner of sausage, sliced this and that along with cheese, pickles and other garnish-type things for a platter. After slapping Ironhide's servo several times, he picked up a summer sausage, peeled the wrapper a bit then stuck it into his pie hole.

Ironhide blinked with surprise then smiled around it. Taking a bite, he held it up to read the label. "Thanks, Old Mech. My favorite," he said. " **I, IRONHIDE LOVE GERMAN SAUSAGE!"**

"You, Ironhide will get my ped up your aft if you don't behave **,** ***ORION*!"** he said with his fog horn voice level.

Customers in all directions paused what they were doing to look.

Ratchet blanched. "I told you to use your inside voice, Ironhide!" he said like a scolding old granny. Then he swished onward leaving Ironhide with the cart and a half eaten sausage in his servo.

He pointed at Ratchet as he chewed swiftly. "He has the big mouth, not me."

Some elders staring at him frowned.

He booked it after Ratchet who was snickering in the bun aisle. Slowing to a halt, he frowned at Ratchet. "Slagger. By the way, you can't come down this row without me. This needs a connoisseur of the well turned bun."

"Is that so?" Ratchet asked was he weighed flaky versus regular buns.

"Get the flaky. It goes with turkey. Now the regular bun is nice but requires the right entree. I do like a nice crescent roll. What are you bringing for an entree?"

"Me?"

They glared at each other, then Ironhide grinned. "You're cute when you do that."

"Do what?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Bow to my will," Ironhide said as he began to toss all manner of orbs of deliciousness into the cart.

"Fragger. Stop that. I'm getting crescent rolls-"

"Orbs of the Crescent Moon," Ironhide said as he 'pondered' the seriousness of such a choice. "Good one."

Ratchet grinned. "Then these clover leaf ones where you pull each part off-"

"Ah, nice. I call them Insecticon orbs."

"What for?"

"Because you pull them apart, sort of like you do when you get an Insecticon in your servos … off come the arms and legs," Ironhide said as he leaned on the cart with a grin.

"You're one twisted fragger," Ratchet said.

" **I AM IRONHIDE! I AM TWISTED!"**

The elders peered around a corner, then the two booked it. As they motored down the aisle, they threw into their cart all manner of bread and bun, then careened around the corner to disappear.

The two elders grinned. "What a pair. Let's see what they do next. Their ada and atars must have them optic trained."

"I think so," the other said. "Nothing like a well pointed frown to bring a big mech to their knees. It works on all my grandchildren."

"Mine, too," the other snickered as they pushed their cart up the aisle in hot pursuit.

Ratchet walked to the holiday food aisle, picked up a cooked turkey roast or two, then platters of 'deviled eggs', cookies and a 'Yule log'. "That's the slagging neatest looking thing, Ironhide. No sampling."

"Don't take it. Leave it at home and we can eat it that night after everyone goes to bed."

Ratchet looked up at him, a big smirking version of Orion some fine orn. "You would sink that low?"

"I wouldn't be alone," Ironhide replied.

"No, you wouldn't," Ratchet said with a grin as he tossed another log in. "One for you, one for me. Something makes me think we're both going to be purging holly leaves if we do."

Ironhide laughed then turned to see the elders standing behind them. They had slightly disapproving expressions on their faces. He smiled a weak smile. "Can I help you get something, Abba?" he asked. He turned to the display then picked up a Yule log. "This is supposed to be good."

One of the elders walked up and took it. "Thank you, sonny."

Ironhide nodded respectfully as his prong shriveled. "Uh, enjoy Thanksgiving, Abbas. See ya." With that, he steered around Ratchet leaving him to stand before the two with a pie in each hand.

He stared at them, then Ironhide who was gone from sight. Putting down the pies, he sidled slightly away. "I have to get him. He's on day release from Processor Health and I'm his … uh, his keeper." He flashed after Ironhide as the two watched.

Then they laughed loudly. They also kept the Yule log.

-0-Outside walking away

"You are a **sad** sack," Ratchet said as he slipped his arm into Ironhide's. "What a sad little puddle you are."

"They reminded me of my great aunts. Ada's aunties on my amma's side somehow. They lived together and they could drop a charging Dinobot with a single glance." Ironhide grinned. "I liked them and they liked me. They used to hassle the family over me. 'Really, Alor, you need to let him have his helm. How will a little mech grow up to know himself otherwise?' It was hilarious. To me, anyway."

"Which aunties?" Ratchet asked as he opened the genealogical chart file he kept for Ironhide's family.

"Well, there was Amma Tytow and Amma Bootsie."

"Really?" Ratchet asked with delight.

"No, but I called them that. Amma Tyl-R and Amma B-C," Ironhide said. "Let me see … Uncle Steiner is missing and he was Ada's uncle. I think he's Auntie Lissie's brother. Then Tyler and B-C were the sisters of their … of their ..." He thought a moment. "Frag all of it. They were Auntie Tytow and Amma Bootsie."

"You had your glitch then, right?" Ratchet asked with delight.

"I did and I was a champion ditherer."

"Cute one, too, I bet," Ratchet said as they disappeared into the afternoon pedestrian traffic.

-0-Ops Center

He stared at his data pad. The usual food would be served, drinks would be supplied, the decorations would be a bit different and the usual brilliant glory would be achieved. He snickered then glanced around. No one was looking so he continued. All of the Christmas cheer he could order into being would be there.

It paid to plan ahead.

Thanksgiving would be wonderful and easy. He would bring a turkey and a few sides. His candy was already made. He had made something called bark. It was filled with 'nuts', 'raisins' and a light mint flavor. It was also painted with edible paint to have swirls of color and design. It was almost too beautiful to eat but Optimus had sneaked one into the office with a cuppa. Prowl had grinned as he watched him glance around, then take one. If he ever knew that the snacks he 'sneaked out' were left there for him purposefully he wouldn't probably be surprised.

He was the Matrix bearer after all.

He would be surprised.

-0-Home

"Okay, slagger. Film. The movies are going to be on the community channel now. There are just too many for the party," Ratchet said as he dumped three boxes of bot Rice Crispies into his biggest bowl. He grinned. "This is going to be epic."

"What are you making?" Ironhide said as he sat in his chair with his camera filming Ratchet, something that was sure to be hilarious.

"I'm making a unique confection, Ironhide, that has never been made before. You will eat them and exclaim brilliant notations of greatness. That's an order." He grinned at Ironhide as he began to melt copious amounts of chocolate into a double boiler Alor insisted a 'good cook' would have. He took it off, then whipped in 'milk' and 'vanilla'. Whipping away, he then set it aside. "It has to cool off so I can thicken it."

"I see," Ironhide said with a grin. _…_ whether I'll eat it is another thing .../

/… frag you for whatever you're thinking right now, slagger .../ Ratchet gave him a dazzling smile. He stood behind the table wearing an apron that had all the kids' little faces on it in living color. "Now I will whip air into it and it will become much, much thicker. Air is the key to a thick ganache."

 **WHIPPA-WHIPPA-WHIP!**

 **WHIP!WHIP!WHIP!**

(Pause to take a deep drag on beer)

 **WHIPPA-WHIPPA-WHIP!**

"There. Now I, Ratchet of the Miracle Servos will pour it onto the cereal," he said as he dumped it in and scraped the bowl. When it was clean, he put it in the sink and began to stir the mix. It was hard going. "Slag. This stuff is like concrete."

Ironhide grinned and snickered inside. This was hilarious.

Taking prepared cookie sheets and little bowls sitting on them fully sprayed with no stick stuff, he reached into the bowl and began to make a nice sized ball. When it was smooth and round, Ratchet sat the ball on a bowl. Then he made eleven more. They sat in their bowls in the sheet like little brown round things.

Ratchet grinned, then washed his servos. **"THERE! BWAHAHA! I, RATCHET OF IACON HAVE SLAIN THE CONTEST!"**

"Rice crispy chocolate balls?" Ironhide asked.

"With nuts and dried fruit," Ratchet replied. "But I'm not done yet. They have to get solid." He picked up a sheet and slid it into the freezer, then the other as well. When that was accomplished he put the dishes in the dishwasher, cleaned the counter, then walked to his chair to sit with his beer.

Ironhide turned the camera to Ratchet. "Give us a breakdown of your breakdown, slagger. What's the inside scoop? Did you see what I did there?"

Ratchet snickered as he sipped his beer. Glancing at the camera, he smiled brilliantly. "I did. Well, that is the foundation of the winning candy entrant. I, Ratchet of the Miracle Servos, I, Ratchet whose genius knows no bounds, I, Ratchet-"

" **SLAG IT, OLD MECH! TELL ME YOUR PLAN!"** Ironhide said with a chuckle.

Ratchet snickered. "Watch what I do, not what I say," he said as he stood up and walked to the fridge.

Ironhide followed him and lingered on his aft as Ratchet opened it, checked the candy, then pulled them both out. He placed them on the counter. Touching them to test their hardness, he grinned.

Pulling up a box of candy bars, he began to shed them of their wrappers. Piling them in stacks of different kinds, he glanced at Ironhide. "The piece de resistance," he said.

"What are you going to do? And toss me one of those or three," Ironhide said.

"Frag you, Ironhide. These are the make all and break all of my vision," Ratchet said. When they were all shucked, he took one, poked the candy ball with a knife, then slid the candy bar into the piercing. He began to do the same with all of them, matching them with placements so they all looked less insane and more 'planned'.

When they were all done Ratchet smiled at Ironhide. **"VOILE! GENIUS!** I will take your applause now."

Twelve bowls with big chocolate balls sitting in bowls quilled out the wazoo with candy bars sat on the table. Taking a spray can out of a box, Ratchet shook it then sprayed the candy. It began to shine prettily. "There. The winner."

Ironhide stared at them, then Ratchet. "What do you call that besides first place?"

Ratchet snickered, then grinned. "Why, these are called porcupines."

Both of them laughed a long time.

-0-TBC 11-25-18 **edited 11-25-18**

dither: to sputter or not be able to speak what you want. It can also mean goofing around and not doing what you meant to do or should do.

ditherer: the speaker who dithers. :D


	530. Chapter 530

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 530)

-0-Morning about the same time

He drove in with a few passengers to Earth2 where the once a decaorn business meeting of all the commercial habitats was held. Driving into the massive habitat entrance, the doors closed swiftly behind him. He pulled into a parking space inside the facility and waited. When the scan and signal from the building was complete, they exited the vehicle and walked to the small habitat entrance for those who didn't want to wait for the giant doors. They entered to be greeted by Owen Harris and Kyle Davis.

"Welcome. It's good to see someone from the outside," Owen said as he shook their hands.

"Good to see you," Sam Witwicky said as he slipped his helmet into his jacket pocket. He was here with Brandon Clark for Earth 1, Carly for Unidad and Corina King from the Consulate as business rep for the European Union. "How's things going?"

"Less efficiently than before," Davis said as they walked toward a small truck with open seating in the back for ten individuals. "I'm assuming they're reading our mail?"

"You would probably assume correctly," Sam said as they climbed in.

Owen Harris started her up and the little electrical truck sped off for the administrative wing on the other side of the building.

-0–Later that morning after the Great Confectionaire Deluxe

Ironhide ambled off to the Armory as Ratchet crossed the street to go to the courthouse. So far, nothing had transpired about Crader. Perhaps he was going to have to pay whatever price Prime deemed worthy. As for himself, he was going to the delayed Functionalist hearing to see what could be done about the children. There were about 27 children or so that needed more than their genitors were able or willing to provide at the moment. He dreaded it.

Walking down the street, he entered the Courthouse at last and walked to the elevator. Riding up, he got out on the floor where the hearing would be held in a large court room that generally dispensed with cases involving children.

None of the families were in sight, perhaps held in the rooms that were provided for conferences or waiting elsewhere. A grim looking Cyclonus stood in the hallway with Blackstone, a pair of child legal specialists who held the infant's briefs as ad litum advocates and several lawyers.

Ratchet nodded to them, then walked in to take a seat next to a Guiding Hand child specialist who was a teacher in their little classroom. No-a who had the unenviable task of deciding for the children was already there with Silver as his clerk. They looked grim as well.

The door opened again as Optimus stepped inside, nodded to Ratchet, then joined No-a on the dais. They sat and began to discuss things off line. It was tense, sad and filled with tingling energy from the whole process.

The door opened, then those in the hallway entered to sit. No-a glanced at them, then rapped the desk before him. "We should begin. We have the difficult duty of discussing and affirming or not the disposition of 27 Functionalist children within the framework of the Guiding Hand's processes and the law of Cybertron. Optimus Prime will help render any decisions that are made. I would invite Master Cyclonus and his team to present to us the situation as it stands."

Cyclonus stood, glanced at the others, then looked at Prime and No-a. "We have a problem with the well being and progress of our children, 27 of them that are the infants of the Functionalist functionaries that were part of the migration recently. We do believe that they are being inhibited by their genitors from any sort of growth that is more conducive to their well being. They have them trained to obey by the use of hand gestures and glances.

"They go to school, learn and do what they're told but nothing more. They have no spontaneity, do not initiate anything themselves individuality nor do they have any personal variation. They are interchangeable and to my eye as conformed and overawed as they were when they came. They do not play, they do not engage others and they don't have any life to them that's discernible as normal for infants their age.

"We want the influence of their genitors either curtailed to a greater degree or removed. Our community has volunteered to take them in, siblings together and give them a chance to become themselves away from the stifling influence of their genitors. We don't ask this lightly. We ask for the sake of the children to break free of this bondage that they are currently living."

Prime nodded. "Ratchet … have you studied these children at all?"

"I have. They're all sound, well mannered, too silent for my tastes and imminently obedient. They do what I tell them no matter what and most children don't. They don't like what happens with doctors. These have a very flat affect." He glanced at the others. "I see nothing about them physically that isn't good."

Prime nodded, then looked at the child specialists. "Please add what you have noticed or studied."

One stood, a plain looking mech named Dario. "I'm their teacher at our school, one that is designed totally to assist them. They're bright and have good educations but their behavior and emotional development is worrisome. They don't laugh or get upset. Their emotions are flat line, self contained and hard to measure.

"They're very bright but they lack spontaneity, reasonable emotional responses to stimuli and they don't know how to play. I have taught them a number of games but they don't play unless directed. They look at toys and structures like swings but they don't engage.

"They don't laugh at funny videos, they don't contribute to conversations especially about themselves or their families and they don't draw images of themselves or their families. I have had traumatized children who don't do that and some of them were abuse cases or war trauma. They have many of the same characteristics."

"Have you discussed this with their genitors?" No-a asked.

"We have. We've had meetings about progress and to explain testing or observations. They listen, nod but say and ask nothing. They either don't understand or don't want to know that their children are in trouble here. There is no follow through on suggestions, no buy in by the genitors about their kids and they won't offer information to help us even when asked," Dario concluded.

"What sorts of control behavior have you noticed by the genitors around their children?" Prime asked.

"We notice pointed looks, some hand gestures and sometimes they move to stand next to them. When they see something that is out of order to their wishes, they curtail it. It doesn't always require words. They have a lot of body gestures worked out to get the point to them," Dario said.

"What are they like without their genitors around?" No-a asked.

"Only small degrees more easy, more relaxed," Dario said as Rung and some of the others nodded. "I don't think they know better and there's a lot of their beliefs … Guiding Hand, they say that's bound up in their behavior. They state that Prima wants this or that, or doesn't what this or that. I'm Guiding Hand, Lord Optimus and we work with the scholars here to check their remarks against what's true. None of them are. They're controlling their children, preventing them from progressing and fitting in with the others."

Rung gave his findings, observations that the children were being manipulated by their genitors, one in particular named N-3 who seemed to be the most noticeably assertive among the genitors. It would appear that this mech had taken over where the Council had left off. He was an aide to Eleven and had a lot of power over the group.

The ad litums for the children stood and gave their findings and impressions. The school district experts and others gave theirs. When it was finally coming together, it appeared that N-3 had taken over where the others had left off.

Prime considered that, then glanced at Cyclonus. "May we speak to N-3, Master Cyclonus?"

He nodded then walked to the door and across the hallway. After a moment he was back with a tall mech who was slightly built, had a sharp but benign appearing affect and was simple in configuration as the Guiding Hand usually expected. He had a face like everyone else but he gave the vibe of the Council. He bowed to Prime, then stood silently before the two judges.

"N-3, we are here to discuss the lack of progress that the 27 children who live here have made over the course of a reasonable period of time. It is suggested to me that you are manipulating them and their genitors to resist any attempts by the Monastery and the colony to help these infants grow and find their way. Why?" Optimus said.

The figure glanced around, then turned to Prime. "We are the genitors of children we value and love. We want them to grow up in the culture and religion of our family's choosing. We appreciate the efforts expended upon us but we do have control of them and we choose what they learn and how they live as minor children," N-3 said.

"It is said that you discourage the children from expanding and growing through hand signals, expressions directed their way and physically intervening on them," Prime said.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, Lord Optimus," N-3 said.

It was silent a moment, then Prime leaned forward slightly. "This is a hearing in which Judge No-a and I, myself decide whether to remove the children from you. The state has an abiding interest in their welfare and from what I was just told you are endangering them with your behavior and expectations."

N-3 stared at him, tensing as he did. "You have no right to do that. Those are our children and we have the right to raise them as we see fit."

"The state has an abiding interest in the well being of children," Barron said as he stood and turned to the figure. "They are helpless and if the state finds them to be in danger, in less than secure and optimal conditions or in harms way the state can intervene. It has to. The laws protecting children from harm, though seldom applied in the past still stand. These children are being held back by you. The Prime asked why. Answer him."

N-3 stared at Barron, then Prime. "We are not here any longer by choice, Prime. Our families and friends are gone and we have to live here. We won't be giving up our beliefs and way of living just because you think you can make that happen."

"You misunderstand me," Prime said. "You yourself are not in prison because the Pantheon decided on your friends and family. You are not in prison because of the children. You belong there because of your participation in a mass murder no latter how small it was. You would be in prison under any other Prime but me.

"We are attempting to rehabilitate you in accordance with the Guiding Hand community so that the children and even you have a chance to have a life that reflects the values of our culture and that of the Pantheon, one of choice and possibility.

"We have many sects here, most of which live with their own mores and cultural requirements. They live here happily in the dominant culture and there have been no interventions by the state because they live within the law.

"Your fundamental Functionalism has been banned from wherever Cybertronians live not just by me but by the Pantheon Themselves. Prima Prime made that explicitly clear as did Primus. You may not continue to live the poisoned path here or anywhere else. If you do not feel the need to obey me, then obey the Pantheon. They recalled your family and friends because they perverted the beliefs of the Guiding Hand, the Pantheon and our people. That will get you jailed."

N-3 stared at him. "I am then to conclude that you will be taking our children?"

"It is not the wishes of the state to separate families. We are in the business of uniting them. However, if you have decided to hold to the path that led to genocide and drag your children down it, then yes. We will," Prime said.

It was very tense in the room as N-3 stared at him and Prime stared evenly back.

-0-TBC 11-26-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	531. Chapter 531

The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 531)

-0-Courtroom to decide the fate of children at risk

"May I ask some questions?"

Everyone turned to look at Ratchet who was sitting in the audience. Prime nodded. "You brought with you some very rare transformations and body types when you came. Correct?"

N-3 glanced at Prime, then Ratchet. He nodded. "Yes, we did. We find them remarkable and worth preserving. Even perpetuating."

"What about mine?" Ratchet asked.

N-3 considered the question. "I see nothing about you that stands out. You appear to be a rather pedestrian and unremarkable figure."

Ratchet grinned. "Indeed. No one who would be missed then."

N-3 considered that, then nodded. "In our point of view, no."

"You talked about the rare formats as if they were things rather than individuals. You speak about them perpetuating."

"Yes," N-3 said.

"If they did they wouldn't be rare. Would they still have as much value to you if they did?" Ratchet asked.

"They would and wouldn't. At some point they wouldn't be rare and thereby, they wouldn't be as interesting," N-3 said.

"All of them have a spark and their own minds. Yet you speak of them like they were furniture or possessions," Ratchet said. 'That doesn't appear to be too normal if I may say so."

"We have a different world view than you," N-3 said with a shrug. "We don't see things your way."

"The Pantheon banned your point of view and your thinking," Ratchet said. "I was there to hear Primus, Prima and the others as well speak about and then declare the ban. What makes you think that Primus won't come from the ether and slap the slag out of you for not doing what He commanded?"

N-3 stared at him. "I don't believe you."

"The others were recalled by the Pantheon. Primus Himself recalled everyone. The Twelve are dead as door knobs and the 22 are going to stay that way if they don't change their ways. How long do you think you can last defying Them before They swat the slag out of you?" Ratchet asked.

N-3 shrugged. "We do what our consciences dictate."

"Where were your consciences when you murdered all those mechs and femmes? You have a real concern for your children but the others? You murdered thousands of children, you and your notions. Why should we care about your feelings about your kids in this instance? You're raising your children to be serial killers and we won't allow it. If you feel sad about that, too bad. You didn't give a frag about the others and their children. Why should we care about you and yours?" Ratchet asked.

N-3 glanced at him, then Prime. "You will have to put me in jail before I give you leave to do anything with my children that I don't agree to."

"First of all, you don't give Prime **anything** let alone leave. You're still free because he has character and compassion. He's trying to **help** you, you dumb slagger. Your orns of ordering things short of lunch are over and done. Your children are being raised to be killers. You just told me that I wouldn't have survived the recall of the colonies. I wouldn't have, right?" Ratchet asked.

"I see nothing about you that is interesting, necessary or needed. We have good doctors. You would be superfluous," N-3 said calmly.

The room was appalled.

"Optimus, we have a mech who is asserting his world view, one that helped murder thousands. He is not going to change and the children are in deep peril. I personally recommend that they be removed from their homes and these slaggers either hospitalized in Processor Health or jailed. They're endangering the children by their actions and beliefs. They're endangering everyone else as well."

Prime nodded. "N-3, you have not helped your case. You are asserting your right to continue that which is outlawed and banned by the Pantheon as well as well as me as Prime. You are asserting your right to teach your children how to devalue others to the point where killing them is of little consequence to them as it is to you."

"I am asserting my right to raise my kids as I see fit," N-3 said.

"You are training your kids to be killers," Jarro said. "If they are raised to adulthood in your point of view and you could recall those you feel are insufficiently worthy you would expect them to do so. Correct?"

N-3 stared at him. "I would expect them to follow the dictates of our practice and do their duty. I don't expect you to understand that."

"We do," Prime said. "You are a danger to your children and a danger to our community. I am asking you if you are going to deny fundamental Functionalism and renounce the pattern of living and thinking that the Pantheon has ordered banned. Are you or not?"

N-3 balled his servos into fists. "I will not deny that which has served our purposes so well over the eons. You cannot make me."

"No, perhaps not. But I can give your children a chance to be normal. Springer, I want this mech taken to jail for breaking a Prime Directive regarding fundamental Functionalism, fomenting civil unrest and other charges to be made later. I want the rest of them to come in here. Take him away," Prime said with real anger in his voice.

N-3 was gripped by the arm and tugged out by Lon and Bezel as Springer and Drift walked across the hallway to the other conference rooms. Fortunately they were soundproofed so N-3's bellowing wasn't heard. When he was gone, Springer and Drift opened the doors and told the others to come with them to the courtroom. They entered, gathered to face Prime, then were silent as was everyone already there.

Prime was grim faced with anger as he stared at them. "I want to know now and I want to have the truth. You have been undermining all efforts to help your children adapt to the new reality here. Understand, the Pantheon has condemned your practice and ideas and so have I. I am asking you now … are you prepared to do that and allow your children to become who they were destined to be?"

They stared at him, then each other. Conversation was held off line, then they turned to him, 23 mechs and 3 femmes. "We are Functionalists, Prime. We don't renounce anything."

"Your sect or should I say cartel murdered 500,000 individuals including children and babies. Do you renounce that?" Prime asked.

They stared at him, then each other, then Prime again. "We do not denounce our way of life, our views and our religion. You cannot ask that of us," a tall femme said.

"The **hell** I can," Prime said betraying the anger he felt. "The Pantheon, Primus specifically said all of this was banned and that He was prepared personally to intervene on anyone who held to either fundamental Functionalism or any of the views and actions your group utilizes. I have **outlawed** it. **They** have as well. Do you denounce and renounce all of this as per the demands of Cybertronian law and the Pantheon's express wishes?"

They stared at him, each other, then him again. "No," one of them said as the others nodded.

"That is your final word?" Prime asked tensely.

"Yes," the femme said as the others nodded.

Prime sat back, then glanced at Springer. "Lock them up pending charges."

Springer nodded, then gripped a mech. He jerked his arm but was dragged out. Mechs from around the room pulled weapons and pointed to the door. They stared at him, then one whirled on Prime. **"OUR CHILDREN! WHAT ABOUT THEM!?"**

" **Now** you worry about them?" Ratchet said with outrage. " **NOW!? WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER CHILDREN!? YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR OWN BUT NOT THEM?! WHAT THE FRAG IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"**

It took a tazer to take three of them out but the room was cleared. It was obvious that no one in management and above in this faction was skilled in self defense. No one present was surprised. They did their killing and mayhem long distance.

The door closed, then everyone turned to Prime. He was livid but gaining control. Sitting back, he waited until everyone sat. "I am granting custody of all the children in this group to Master Cyclonus and the Monastery for care and placement. I would like to know where they are, how they are doing and if anything else is needed to help them periodically, Cyclonus. I feel a vested interest in their progress. This is a no win situation but the state has an abiding interest in their welfare. Being trained to be serial killers is not in their best interest.

"Thank you, Cyclonus for doing this and pursuing their well being. I do not know how this will go for them but be vigilant. I am assuming that they will be affected by this in some unknowable manner," Prime said.

Cyclonus nodded. "I will. Thank you." He was grim and enraged but had the usual iron clad control.

They discussed the situation for a moment then the case was concluded. Everyone rose with relief and walked to the door. At the elevator they stood to wait for a car, then Ratchet looked at all of them. "Tomorrow at 1200 in Room 412 of the Central Labor Hall. Bring your candy entries if you want to shoot for second place," he said with a dazzling smile.

Slag met that as they entered and went down to go back to their regular lives. No one envied Cyclonus, the staff who managed the kids and their task ahead.

-0-Later that night

"So no one goes to school tomorrow and everyone has to be where they're supposed to be by 1200 hours. The big boys are going to their Appa and Ammas for dinner with the big frames but they're going to be there for the contest," Ratchet said as he lounged in his chair with a bowl of chocolate covered popcorn and the house data pad. "Everyone is going to the diner for breakfast, then run back to get slag together. We have the kids parted out then just so you know."

"Sounds good. I have Hero and Halo," Ironhide said.

"Turbine and Raptor have Hero and Halo and will take them at breakfast," Ratchet said. "Just so you know."

"Frag. He's going to have to leave his cow for a deposit then," Ironhide said with a grin.

At that moment the door opened and big mechs walked in. They grinned at Ratchet and Ironhide as they purloined infants. Stalking them into their berth rooms, they walked out with all the house shorties, a smiling Seeker mech and a bouncing dog.

"See ya, suckers. Change of plans," Raptor said as he and Turbine left with Halo and Hero.

"What he said," Blackjack said as he and Alor walked out with Prowler and Sunspot. Spot hip hopped along with them.

Delphi and Hard Drive grinned at them as they held Orion and Praxus. "Don't expect them back for a bit. We have two orns off and school is out. See ya," Delphi said. They walked out and the door closed.

Ratchet who was sitting beside a perturbed Ironhide stared at the door with the data pad in his servo. :Ratchet to Springer:

:Springer here: a voice said in Ratchet's helm. He cut Ironhide in.

:I want to report a theft: Ratchet said with a grin.

:They got the kids already? I heard they were: Springer said with a laugh. :By the way, we have our own candy thing. We plan to win:

:Ah, everyone should have a dream. We're going to be at the Diner On The Corner tomorrow with half the world. Be there or be square:

:On it. See ya then: Springer said.

Ratchet stared at Ironhide who stared at him. "This is fragged."

"It is. Let's wrap Christmas Surprise presents while we have a chance," Ratchet said.

Ironhide grinned. "You should see what my Vermont lady did for the kids holiday cold weather gear. Two sets of cute stuff I designed myself."

"Show me, slagger," Ratchet said with a grin as he stood to follow Ironhide into the berth room, the big fraud.

He would.

It would be dazzlingly cute.

Ho-ho-ho, slaggers.

-0-TBC 11-27-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	532. Chapter 532

The Diego Diaries: Giving Thanks (dd6 532)

-0-Love and Bosoms

 **Cutta-Cutta-Cutta-WHACK!**

 **WHACKA-WACKA-WACKA-WACK!**

" **GET YOUR PAWS OFF THAT!"**

"You need a taste tester," Ironhide said as he watched Ratchet build two giant appetizer trays. They were huge, filled with all manner of finger food and looked slagging good. "Just pour it into my mouth."

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who stood with a grin and his big trap gaping open. He laughed loudly. "You remind me of a shorter version of yourself," he said as he tossed a 'deviled egg' into Ironhide's mouth.

"Which one?" he asked with a grin. "There are so many, the handsome little slaggers."

"There's that. We're going to take a tonnage of stuff so be prepared to tote. I'm carrying the trophies so don't peek. I will say that they're amazing."

"What version of **YOUR** face do we have this time?" Ironhide said as he snooped in the boxes sitting on the table filled with food and buns.

"Why, Ironhide … **all** of my versions are win," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

 **HUGE** laughter.

-0-Room 412 at the Central Labor Hall

They began to come, some of them a tad early because they were organizing and some because of the lulz. Faun and Holi met everyone at the door, pointed to where their offering could be placed and hugged babies. Children were gathering so Blondi's little Stanix ammas sat by the tables to fend the little slaggers off. It was going to be epic.

Raptor and Turbine entered with a box filled with side dishes, some of them holiday food from Cybertron. Sitting on their appa's arm, Hero and Halo smiled at everyone. They were arriving after a night of fort building and hoo-haw with a pile of 'dress up gear' that Raptor had found at The Infant Center which 'encouraged creativity in small children'. Given that he was all about the creativity, he had purchased it and a lot of other things creating a toy box for that and any number of other things.

A fashion show ensued.

To say they were both entertained would be too small a word.

"Appa, where are we going to put Amma's stuff?" Hero asked as they walked across the room through the tables to the buffet that was forming.

"In my mouth," Raptor said with a grin. "You'll have to tell Amma not to be such a tightwad with the food."

"Amma?" Hero asked with her sweet happy voice.

Putting the box down to take out the food for the buffet, Turbine glanced over his shoulder. "What, sweetness?"

"You can't be a tightwad with the food. Appa says so," Hero said with a giant smile. She had no idea what tightwad meant.

Turbine eyeballed Raptor who did a u-turn and booked it for a table where a number of mechs were sitting. He put his girls down on the table and sat, allowing them to tell the tale of hanging out with the grandparents overnight with a cow in the spare room tent.

Tent.

-0-Bosoms

"Are you ready, you big oaf?"

"Who are you calling an oaf?" Ironhide said as he subbed a bag of buns into his subspace before picking up one of the two big boxes. He began to walk to the door.

"You, you bun thief," Ratchet said with a grin as they walked out the door. It closed softly behind them.

-0-At the fest

They began to fog in, families and everyone else who saw them and tagged along. The contest was getting to be a 'local tradition' so everyone and their targ came, some even bringing food. Of course, what the Wreckers constituted as food was up for debate …

"What took ya?" Blackjack said as he grinned at Ironhide.

Ironhide walked to the table where the family mechs and a lot of the hangers on sat sipping beer and eating snack food. He sat, then grinned. **"I AM IRONHIDE! IT TOOK ME A MOMENT TO CART RATCHET'S SLAG!"**

Hardie grinned. "Is that so? How many boxes?"

"Two and they were heavy as lead. I hope that was just the amount of stuff and not the content of it."

" **I HEARD THAT!** "

Everyone turned to see Ratchet frowning at Ironhide. He walked over and thumped Ironhide's helm. "Slagger. I brought an early Christmas Surprise present for you **AND THIS IS THE THANKS I GET!**?"

"Ow, slagger. Is that gift a first aid kit?" Ironhide asked as he rubbed his helm.

"No. We call those Bumblebees. Get it. Bumblebees," Ratchet said as the two walked in with their dinner dish and their entry. The entry table was beginning to grow. In the fridge was the one Ratchet made waiting for its great debut.

Or not.

Huge laughter.

They came and came, all of them wandering in with their family, friends, offerings and contest entry. All of the squad came, hugged and squeed, then found their places to pile their stuff and entries. The judges were there, the Professional Association was running the show as ever and Ratchet was feeling no pain. When it was clear that no one else was coming, he rapped on the table with his fist. Everyone turned to him.

He smiled, then glanced at Hardie who nodded. "I would like to thank you for coming to our little whatever this is." (Huge laughter and catcalls) "As you know, we used to cram about 200 mechs into our apartment but Public Works condemned that so we brought it here." (Huge laughter and more catcalls)

"We will have a candy contest after the dinner in which I will graciously take first place." (Mostly just catcalls) "But before that starts, I've decided to give Ironhide his Christmas Surprise gift early … ( **HUGE** catcalls and laughter, much smirking and innuendo). Ratchet smirked at the crowd. "Slaggers … I have to because it came early and it can't keep. So without further ado ..."

He walked over to a big box by the door, then picked it up. Turning to Ironhide, he grinned. "Get over here, slagger."

Ironhide was hooted and catcalled until he stood, then walked over. Smirking at Ratchet, he hesitated. "Will this detonate?"

"Probably," Ratchet said to great laughter.

Ironhide gingerly opened the lids, then looked inside. He stared at the contents, then Ratchet, then everyone, then the contents, then …

Moments later …

He stood by the door with his early gift in arms, the empty box by the door again. It was a strange looking animal with big horns. It was also covered from end to end with long reddish hair. He was speechless as he looked at the little slagger who was no bigger than Flipper and Pudding.

He was a Scottish Highland cow.

Google it.

He stared at it as it assimilated its welcome message, looked up at Ironhide, then accepted him. Ironhide who was gone over the moon had nothing to say.

Ratchet grinned at him, then Hardie. They nodded to each other, then Ratchet hugged Ironhide's shoulders. "This is a genuine fake Scottish Highland cow. You have to take care of him and clean up his messes. Get with your family over that."

"I will," he finally managed. He looked at Blackjack and Raptor. **"I HAVE A SLAGGING COW!"**

Bedlam.

Moments later …

The little cow stood on the table placid and calm. He was very small, had oversized long horns that tapered to points, reddish thick hair that hung nearly to the ground and a lot of hair over his eyes. He was unbelievably cute.

"Did you know that in Scotland they call them Heilan coo in Scottish?" Ratchet said as he sat beside Ironhide who was staring at his little cow with goo-goo optics. "Wikipedia. It's your friend. Only $3 donation will keep it running for years independently." Ratchet smiled brilliantly.

"Is that so?" Ironhide asked with a big grin. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. They got the order of creation messed up and your cow came early," Ratchet said as they watched the little slagger. He stared at them, then began to walk down the table where the other two cows were laying. When he got there, they stared at each other then the cow sat down and fell over to nap.

"That's a genius cow. Did you see that?" Ironhide asked with a very slight tone of awe in his voice.

"I do. What are you going to name him?" Raptor asked as he petted the little cow. The little guy glanced up, mooed softly then lay back down.

Ironhide considered that then glanced at the cow. "He's Scottish so we'll call him Robby. After Robert the Bruce."

"You're naming him after a guy with two first names?" Alor asked.

"Its a warrior name," Ironhide said as he squeezed Ratchet's servo. "We can take him to Cybertron and have a cattle drive. We need little horses for the kids. We can have a round up in the parkland."

Huge laughter and agreement met that as the party rolled onward. Kids walked down the table to pat the cow, squeed madly that it was theirs, then walked onward to get a bite of this and that.

Prime grinned at Ironhide over a giant pile of potatoes and gravy, a turkey drumstick and several buttered buns. "Your house is officially a menagerie."

"It already was," Ratchet said as he grinned at Prowl. "But then that's what you get with that many children."

"They're all mine anyway, Loon," Prowl said with a smirk. "However, I will concede the cows to you and yours."

"I want a cow."

Everyone at the table glanced at Prime who was grinning.

Prowl stared at him with startled surprise. "Really?"

"No. I had you though," Optimus said as his genitors snickered.

"I think a cow would be a very fine addition to the family, Orion," Kestrel said to be ornery. A flummoxed Prowl was a hilarious Prowl.

"I do as well, Kestrel. A pet is always a nice thing," Tagg said.

Prowl stared at both, then sat back. "You never want to see your grandchildren again do you."

Huge laughter, catcalls and other incriminations flowed. Around the room there were groups of family and friends who were eating and drinking while many walked back and forth to the booze locker and the buffet. The humans who had come earlier and had gathered around the cows to check them out then wandered down to sit and chat.

:I heard you had to remove kids from the Functionalists. I'm sorry that stuff happens: Jessie Landon said as she sat on a condiment box next to James Brooks-Spencer.

"We hope they get a clue," Prowl said. "No one is going to raise serial killers here."

:We have three new babies coming: Jessie said. :I can't wait. Your baby is so beautiful. That white paint scheme is so elegant and his name is wonderful:

Prowl grinned. :Its a memorial for the dead Functionalists. We want something beautiful to supplant the terrible memory of that event."

James nodded. :Is there any progress on the Dobbs thing?:

"Not yet but I'm running the show. Whoever did this got on my shit list forever," Prowl said. Fortunately for him, his genitors were sitting with the squad four tables away.

:That's good. Right now my family back on Earth tells me that everyone is pretty much set on what they believe but most think it was one of those things that happens. They don't believe a bot did it. They're more concerned about the habitats having someone living there who murdered someone and they're sort of surprised you haven't caught them. I think they think your tech should be on it: Jessie said.

Prowl nodded. "We put security inside for that reason. We will get them."

"Rest easy, little Missy," Ratchet said. "Sheriff Prowler is on the case. Those miscreants don't have a place to hide before Deputy Dog … I mean Prowl gets 'em. Trust me. This slagger never gives up."

Prowl eyed Ratchet rather severely. "Yes, right, loon." He looked at the humans. "We **will** get them."

A rapping sound got everyone's attention as Blondi stood. She smiled. "Welcome to the contest," she said before being buried in applause, a great deal of it from a grateful Ratchet. "We're going to organize for a few moments, then begin. We're going to start with any candy that appears to be hard or sugar like crystalline. Continue to eat. We got this." She looked at Ratchet. "You have the trophies?"

"I, Ratchet do have them and may I say I outdid myself this year. Why just the other orn-" He was pelted with buns and a spoon. "Slaggers," he said as everyone laughed loudly. **"YOU WON'T BE LAUGHING WHEN I WIN!"**

He barely ducked a turkey drum stick.

-0-TBC 11-28-18 **edited 12-22-18**

My dad's family is Scottish and when I went there the highland cows were a whole new world to me. I have two little dollies of gray coated highland cows somewhere. They're so cute.


	533. Chapter 533

The Diego Diaries: Giving Thanks (dd6 532)

-0-412

 **RAP! RAP!**

Everyone paused then turned toward Blondi who was standing in the front with a data pad. "I would like to start the contest. Would the judges please come forward for the qualifying round?"

An array of massive mechs stood, then walked forward. It was a monster truck squad led by Bulkhead and Scar. Getting razzed all the way there, they sat down with grins and waited. Little femmes and a few younger mechs were hustling to get the entries on the table. They began to put them before the judges who had data pads for scoring. As they were organized, Blondi explained. "Our distinguished panel is going to be given a treat made by an entrant. They will be numbered so no one will know whose is whose. When the scoring is done, the numbers will be given to me and I will tabulate the next round from which the winners will be chosen. This will take a bit because we have 210 entries."

Huge applause and murmuring of surprise.

Blondi smiled. "Its a big contest, our little food thing. Right now, lets all relax and let the judges do their business."

Everyone watched, played with kids, grabbed desserts and waited. A murmur of voices filled the room as they sat in the packed space waiting for the news. Prowl glanced at Ratchet, then smirked. "I intend to win. Sorry."

Ratchet snickered. "Frag you, Granny. I went all out this time. Just so you know. No hard feelings when you lose."

"If there is a Pantheon, you'll **both** lose," Ironhide said as he held his cow. Robby had no opinion.

They came with candy, scored them, then took the next group up. Ratchet watched his confection go to Scar who looked at it, then laughed. Ratchet smirked slightly as he watched with the biggest effort not to telegraph his own tension.

Prowl glanced at him, the oddball confection and came to the right conclusion. "Well, isn't that a heaping pile of fail."

"I don't know," Ratchet said. "It looks win to me, slagger."

"That is a pile of something with candy bars jammed into it," Prowl said with a big grin in spite of himself. "It looks like a big pile of desperation."

"I don't know. I think I might eat two of them. What about you? Give me a hint, slagger. Which one of the many fourth placers is yours?" Ratchet asked.

Prime who was watching both chuckled. "I think I hate this as much as football."

"You and me both though I **will** say this is tastier. What's the contest for next year?" Ironhide asked.

Ratchet considered that, then grinned. "Barbecue. You have to barbecue on site and present it on a timer. I saw that on the teevee the other orn."

 **HUGE** buy in was achieved, though how it would be accomplished was unknown.

Prowl stared at Ratchet with cool optics. "You don't think that Optimus can't win first place with that?"

Prime glanced at Prowl. "Optimus?"

"Yes. **NEW RULE!"** Ratchet said as the room stilled to listen. "Whoever doesn't cook at your house is the one who barbecues. Bonds who slack are the barbecuers. The worker bees get to sit and watch." He glanced at Ironhide with a grin. "That's you, ba-bee."

 **HUGE** laughter and snarking.

Ironhide grinned. **"I KNOW HOW TO BARBECUE! I have a badge, remember? Camping in the Valles?"**

" **I ALSO REMEMBER DOING ALL THE WORK!"** Ratchet replied to enormous laughter and a lot of nodding helms.

" **SO YOU ADMIT IT!"** Prowl said with a smirk. "You admit doing all the work?"

" **AND YOU DIDN'T!?"** Ratchet replied.

"Good. Another contest to win, Kup," Hercy said.

There was huge laughter, finger pointing and plans being drawn up for the next food challenge even as the judges closed in on the semi-finalists.

Prowl smirked at Ratchet. "You're never going to be normal are you."

Ratchet smiled. "I don't want you to be lonely."

Prime laughed loudly as children ran down the table to crawl into their arms.

Orion stared at Ratchet. **"ADA!"**

"What, loud mouth?" he asked.

Orion grinned. "We doing that dog? I, Orion like that dog. We going to the shes with that one?"

"We get to keep the cow. Your old atar cried like such a little baby that I got him his cow. You may sue him when you grow up for being neglected for a cow. You're welcome," Ratchet said.

Orion who didn't understand only every other word Ratchet said smiled brilliantly. **"THAT DOG OWS!?"**

"Yep," Ironhide said. "He's ows. By the way, he's a cow. Cow."

Orion stared at him, then grinned. "Cow. I, Orion like that dog."

Huge laughter greeted that as the last entries were placed before the judges. It was a daunting line of treats that they were expected to eat. Some of them didn't get the memo that they were only to sample them, then throw the rest in the waste basket next to them. There would be no debris in the waste baskets from this group.

Blondi went over the data, then rapped again. "Thank you, judges. **A round for the judges!"**

A wag in the back tossed them beer as they rose and began to walk to their seats. Huge laughter unfolded, then a tense silence. Everyone waited on pins and needles.

"The finalists will be named after the judges come forward to do the final deciding. I would like to thank everyone for entering. This is one of my favorite things all year," Blondi said as the Temple priests and Lady Sela walked up to sit. Big panels both times had made the nervous wait shorter. It would take a while but finally the results were sent to Blondi.

She read them, then grinned, rapping the group to order. "The finalists for the fourth annual Thanksgiving food contest sponsored by Ratchet and Ironhide and their families are," she began before applause, rude remarks and catcalls wend their way to the 'sponsors'.

Ratchet smirked, then sat back in his chair. "Frag all of you."

 **HUGE** laughter and ' **RATCHET! THE PRIME!'** echoed everywhere. **  
**

Optimus who was laughing as he held his newest son grinned at Ratchet. "Yes, Ratchet. The Prime." He laughed, then turned to watch the judges again.

Blondi waited for quiet, then announced the finalists. "The finalists are Prowl, Hercy and Kup, Sansor of Demaris II, Madura, Ratchet, Drift and Springer, Caro, Bron-E, Joon, Spezer of Iacon and his sons, Bezel and Kyper, Kestrel and finally and not least, Raptor of Praxus."

Everyone turned to stare at Raptor who was smirking at Ironhide and his cow. He glanced around. "What?

Huge laughter.

"Ratchet, thank you for this. Do you have the trophies?" Blondi asked.

Ratchet nodded. "I have them for first, second and third place, best try, most improvement, Champion of the Universe and Prowl."

Everyone laughed loudly as Prowl sat up straight in his chair. Gripping the table, he leaned closer. "What did you do, Loon?"

"Why Prowler, you slagger you," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "Wait like everyone else."

It was a tense moment while Blondi waited for the judges to go back to their places. The judges had been very intent as the last were though they didn't eat everything that was presented. All things in moderation. After what seemed an eternity huddling with her team, she turned to the room. "If you get the trophies ready, I will announce the winners. Everyone who entered is a winner and the judges are much appreciated. **A round of applause for everyone!"**

The roof was raised, cows were startled, tiny peeved moo's were heard, then all settled again. Ratchet got the box, then turned to Blondi with a grin.

 **"Third place goes to Sansor of Demaris II!"**

A small mech with a shocked expression arose then walked to Ratchet where he halted. Ratchet grinned, then reached into the box. A bronze trophy appeared. It was a version of Ratchet as a child holding out a plate in front of him. He was young, had a huge smile and held the plate for everyone to see. On it were representations of fudge. On each and every one of the pieces of fudge was Ratchet's smiling face.

"Oh, my," Sansor said with a chuckle. "This is hilarious. Thank you so much."

He was hoorahed back to his seat and his trophy passed around. Then everyone turned back for the next one.

Blondi smiled. " **Second place goes to Madura!"**

Madura rose, then hurried to the front where he bear hugged Ratchet. Taking a silver version of the same trophy, he held it up to show everyone, his own joy clear to see. Proteus was standing at their table applauding as Madura made his way back.

Blondi grinned. "First place goes to … why even bother? **Hercy and Kup!"**

Bedlam and abuse rained as the two walked up, got their golden trophy, then held it up. "That's going to look good with the others," Kup said to enormous laughter. They grinned at Ratchet, then walked back to a rude group of Wreckers and worshipful youngling mechs to sit and soak up the glory.

"The remaining winners are for best improved, best try, Champion of the Universe and," Blondi paused to snicker. Then she glanced at Ratchet who smiled brilliantly. "Prowl?"

Ratchet nodded.

Prowl smirked with crossed arms and cool optics.

Prime laughed loudly.

Ravel smirked because Sonny was a lost cause.

And the beat went on.

"Best try this year goes to **Bron-E!"**

Bron-E hovered to the front, took the trophy which was a white version of the same one, hugged Ratchet, then danced back to her seat with the family and Borealis who hugged her proudly.

"Best improvement is **Joon of Tyger Pax!"**

She hustled up, leaped on Ratchet for a hug, took a blue version of the same trophy, then waltzed back with delight. The little femme was lit. Then it got silent again.

"The last two categories are Champion of the Universe and Prowl." Blondi took a moment to laugh loudly, then glanced at Ratchet who smiled. "The Champion of the Universe is … **KESTREL!"**

That unassuming mech blinked with astonishment and so did Tagg and Prime. Everyone in the room rose to howl their delight as Kes was pulled up and gently pushed forward to get his trophy. He hugged Ratchet as Ratchet fished out the trophy. It was different. It was Optimus in his (unconscious) Superman pose with a plate of fudge balanced on his helm. It had Ratchet's face on all of the pieces smiling like a knucklehead. Kes laughed, showed the trophy, then walked back to sit.

Optimus grinned at Ratchet, then sat. He leaned over to his ada. "You did not need a trophy to have that title," he said.

Kes grinned at his son. "This is most unexpected."

"Not to me. I got to be the test subject," Tagg said with a smile. He hugged Kes's shoulders, then everyone turned to Blondi.

She grinned, then looked at the data pad. "The last category is ..." She paused to laugh convulsively. **"PROWL!"**

Everyone joined her but Prowl.

Blondi grinned at Prowl, then the data pad. "The winner of … snicker … Prowl is **Drift and Springer!"**

They started, glanced at each other, then stood up and began to weave through the tables and slaggers to the front of the room. Pausing by Blondi, they turned to Ratchet and it got quiet nearly instantly. Ratchet smirked at them, then pulled out a trophy. Everyone stared at it especially Prowl.

He held a trophy that was colored as in true life. It was an figure of Prowl standing in a Super man pose. Beside him somewhat taller and bigger was an figure of Ratchet. They both wore capes that billowed out behind them as if caught in a breeze. Around their necks on a gold chain were medallions and on each of them was Ratchet's smiling face. At the base in letters it said, "Candy Contest, 2018, Prowl".

" **HEY, PROWL! YOU MUST BE ROBIN!"** some wag in the back called out.

Bedlam.

Drift took the trophy and held it up to immediate mass laughter and ridicule.

Springer grinned. "I never had one of these before. Thanks, Ada."

" **RINGER!"** someone said as they made their way back to their seats.

Ratchet walked to his as Blondi thanked everyone. He sat and met the cool optics of Prowl. "You look tense, Prowl. One would think you didn't appreciate the honor."

"Yes," he said with a smirk. "One might."

"Next year is barbecue. You should see the trophy I have planned," Ratchet began as Prowl surged at him over the table top.

-0-TBC 11-29-18

 **EASTER EGG AMONG THE CREDITS!**

"That's one slagging fine cow, son."

"Thanks, Atar. He's among good company."

Farther down the hallway walking out to the night air with a pile of kids and stuff …

 **"Ah, fresh air!** I wish I could breathe."

"You're lucky you don't, Loon."

"Now, Prowl. It isn't like I asked the public library to make a special display of the trophies in their main lobby to show everyone and their targ the greatness. Oh, wait … I did-"

" **SOMEONE HELP ME GET PROWL OFF RATCHET AGAIN!"**

"Good thing this comes only once a year."

"I agree, Orion, though I find Prowl's angst very amusing." Silence a moment, then a soft snicker. "Prowl. A category called Prowl."

:Do not tell, Prowl, Ada, but I am still laughing:

:Done deal, Orion:

:D


	534. Chapter 534

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho? (dd6 534)

-0-Home that evening

"That was a great time."

"It was. Thanks for the slagging cow, Ratchet. I wanted one since Pudding but I didn't think you wanted another dependent."

Ratchet grinned at Ironhide as he set the little soft bed for Robby by the berth room window. He had put Robby's things around after they got home. Kids were going here and there so only the big kids and Halo were home. The run up to Christmas Surprise with kids being purloined here and there had just begun. "I knew how much you wanted one. He's yours to care for, Ironhide."

"I'll use him as a comfort cow. Pudding and Flipper are comfort cows. The kids love them on Cybertron. I can use Robby the same way." Ironhide smiled as the little cow walked in a circle, lay down, then flopped over. He was out like a light right away. "What a low maintenance slagger."

Ratchet laughed. "He is. Quite unlike me I would add."

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet with a tender expression. "I don't mind."

Neither would Halo who would laugh loudly and bounce in her bassinet. She would recharge in Prowler's room.

-0-Morning has broken …

"That's a great cow, Ada. Do you think we can bring him to school to show? I like his little horns," Fireball said as he leaned over to pet the little animal who was staring upward at them hopefully.

"Might not be a bad idea," Ironhide said as he sat eating breakfast. "Right now, I want to know what you're doing today. First Saturday and all ..."

"We're going to the club this afternoon. They have another dart tournament and we want to watch Tru win it again," Genesis said with a grin. "I really like Tru, Ada."

"You like him like everyone else or do you like him like Fireball and Lumi?" Nosy aka Ratchet asked.

He thought a moment, then sort of 'blushed'. "I think I like him like Lumi and Fireball."

Fireball grinned. He was pleased. "That's great, Gen. We can do things together."

"You already do," Ironhide said with a grin.

"I know," Fireball said with a big smile.

"We approve, infants, in your friendships. Just keep it simple for now," Ratchet said. "If you have anything you need to know, ask your father here." Ratchet smiled a dazzler to Ironhide who frowned.

"You're the doctor, slagger. Doctor," Ironhide said. "I'm going to the armory, then the water park to inaugurate the cow. Who's coming?" Ironhide asked.

Everyone would.

-0-Turbine and Raptor

They stood before the Well as their amma made his morning prayers. Raptor held Hero, Orion and Praxus. They watched Amma Tub Tub murmur softly as he said a prayer for Cybertron's continued protection, the return of everyone lost and one for the dead.

"Amma Tub Tub doing?" Orion asked as he pointed to the big mech with dark armor, a mellow personality and a spine of the hardest titanium. He would be off the main morning round of prayers for Cybertron for a few orns, then back on again with the Temple priests and a number of his own Elder Clan who were now here.

"Amma is saying the good word for everyone. Words have power, imp. You say and do good and good comes to you. You say, think and do bad and that's what you attract. Amma is telling the Pantheon and The One that we want our people back. He's making good so that good will come. That's what prayers are supposed to do," Raptor said.

The three stared at him then leaned in to hug him. "I love Amma Tub Tub. I love you, Appa Tap-Tap," Praxus said with a smile.

"And thats why you will never have a bad orn, imp," Raptor said with an ocean of emotion and love.

It was a quiet interlude in the Temple that morning before they would meander to the Water Park to join a sonny boy and his cow for the ride of their lives.

-0-Hard Drive and Delphi

They sat in their booth at The Diner On The Corner eating breakfast with the Night Watch and all the usual crowd. Most of them were in awe of the two being Immortals and all and they loved listening to their stories and enjoying their auras which were amazing.

"Abba," Smokey said as he sat in the booth next to both. "What were the Quintessans **really** like? Did you ever see them very much?"

Hardie considered that. "They were hardly ever seen because being organics, they knew eventually we would see them as weak and rebel. They had huge ships shaped like big giant corkscrews. They were powered by that sort of shape, I believe. Its a very smart shape for deep space travel. It can generate gravity and power. I never believed that they were very technically advanced when they came. Not as much as we were. It think they gained a great deal when they overran us. We weren't ready for them and they lied. I don't appreciate liars to this orn."

"I saw them myself though they tried very hard not to be seen. They were weird aliens, organic and had several faces with different expressions that resided on their bodies … like medallions. Whatever they felt would be the face you talked to. They could turn to show the face that would talk.

"They hovered somehow and had long tentacles. They were to me very ugly but then that can be colored by my feelings. I try not to judge, infants. Judgment is forbidden by Primus. Its the hardest thing not to do," Delphi said as he sipped his drink.

"If judgment is bad … what about us? We have to do that on the Watch," Smokey said as several youngsters nodded. They were listening to the two like they were speaking holy writ and to some extent they were. They did after all have closer contact with the Pantheon than anyone else there.

"Judgment is a various thing. Deciding you don't like a certain color or food is one thing. Doing your job and deciding what to do about it, using discernment and judgment as a Watchman is one thing. What we're suggesting here is judgment of others in a different manner … with a negative intention. Especially if it is based on personal bias or falsity.

"If you see a beast mode and think ugly, then that sort of judgment is what we're talking about. Judgment based on personal prejudice is bad. Very bad. Even if I don't care for someone I'm old enough to try and find a way to either understand them or I walk away. Having judgment in your spark about others is a negative thing and brings your energy down. Try instead to be a neutral observer. Watch what happens, listen, then have no judgment. Just observe it without getting into a negative mindset. Very little that happens directly affects you. If it doesn't, then walk away. You will in the long run be glad you did."

"Your auras are really light and bright, Amma," Smokey said.

"Because we choose to try and be accepting and good to others until they show us that it isn't in the cards. You **do** know that you don't have to have an opinion on everything? That there are entire swathes of life and events that don't need you to have or hold an opinion? I think if more knew that, if they knew that you don't have to hold opinions on everything that happens they would be a lot happier with their life. I also think that they would attract more love and happiness into their lives."

It was silent a moment, then Smokey leaned in closer. "What about old … friends?"

Snickers greeted that as he glanced up and around.

Delphi quashed a grin. "That's a test, infant. Life sets challenges and you can meet them with love and forgiveness or you can meet them with a head butt. Which do you think will make you feel better?"

Smokey stared at them, two gods of his personal professional pantheon. "The first. It's hard though. I want to **PUNCH SOMEONE'S FACE!"**

Hot Rod who was sitting nearby paused his fork to his mouth, then frowned. He saw Hardie looking at him with a slight grin, then began to eat faster.

It was intensely fun at the Diner. When Hardie and Delphi headed to the Water Park nearly everyone else followed them.

-0-Blackjack, Alor and Scout

They left the apartment at the Performing Arts Center after having breakfast with Scout and Trooper. They were finalizing the last staging of a major play that would debut there in two orns. When that final rehearsal was over they would head for the Water Park and the Fam. Walking to the train to board, they found a seat and sat. Scout stood on Alor's lap to look outside. Grinning at him, he glanced at Blackjack. "What do you think about infant's cow?"

"That's a slagging fine cow, Alie. I like his hair and his horns. Now Pudding and Flipper have a new playmate. Maybe we can start a business when we retire and babysit animals. I heard that there's a lot of tiny horses in the colony and a few more cows. Think about that for a moment."

They both did and it was awesome.

-0-Bumblebee and First Aid

"That little cow of Ironhide's is so cute."

"I know. Do you want a cow, Bee?"

"When we have more time. I think a little cow and a little horse would be fun."

"They would. Just say when, Bee."

Bee grinned. "I will," he said as he squeezed First Aid's servo. They walked down to the Metro heading for the Water Park and destiny.

-0-Ravel and Company

They hurried through the clean upthen walked to the door. It would take a while to get to the Water Park but they would make it in time to see a train of Praxians hit the water hard from the big slide. Each of them would be holding a cow. Walking to the group sitting on chairs in the lounge area of the park, they sat at a table, hugged babies, then ordered a snack and drink. Ravel smiled. "My, what a nice orn this is turning out to be."

Alor laughed. "I know. The cowboys are having a great time."

They bobbed up with bellowing cattle, then swam toward the side. Gently putting the three sodden little cows on the sidelines for the chair brigade to watch over, they swam madly for the steps and the climb back up.

Robby shook himself, his hair drying immediately when he did. The other cows stared at him, then walked over to where Dawg and Bob were laying. Plunking down, they fell into recharge. Robby stared at them, walked over, was scoped out to his great annoyance by Bob and Dawg, then joined them in a big pile. Snooze was achieved immediately.

"That is the cutest pile up I've ever seen," Docker said as she stood up. **"COME ON, BABIES! TO THE BABY POOL!"** She began to slowly run forward as every baby and infant child in the area including several that weren't theirs began to follow as swiftly as their baby legs could manage.

No one would mind. It was too cute.

-0-Squad Land

Proteus finished his work at the Halls, then spent a while chatting with Heatout about a type of pottery associated with the Primes that his family had collected. It was now a question whether it still existed in the smoking rubble of his home district on Cybertron.

It was covered in Primal Vernacular and was said to hold the secrets of the universe. Heatout had collected it as well but it was intensely expensive. Given that both were wealthy high castes with differing viewpoints at the time, it was nice to know they did share this common interest.

If any still existed for Proteus back home, he was going to donate it to the Museum and the Temple to keep. They would now belong to everyone.

He walked out into the bright light, transformed and drove to town. When he arrived Madura and Rugur in his carry case would be standing on the sidewalk waiting. He transformed, hugged both, then they walked to the Metro nearby. The Water Park beckoned them and when they arrived, the Squad and their dependents would be there.

They would include Lucien, Cargo and Keystock.

-0-TBC 12-01-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	535. Chapter 535

The Diego Diaries: Giving Thanks (dd6 535)

-0-Water Park

Docker stood in the shallow pool watching the infants 'swamming'. She was in up to her waist in the pool, the tiny petite mini-con femme watching a host of babies floating in the inner tubes and other toys that the shallow baby pool offered. They bobbed and laughed as they splashed here and there. She grinned. They never had this for Sonny. It would have been wonderful if they had something like this for him when he was little.

She had heard the news that the Jumble would be preserved as a historical artifact and it had been strange to her for a bit. Their tiny homes would be among those that would be restored to their less than decrepit pre-annihilation 'glory'.

After reflection, she realized that she had 'seen' Tagg and on occasion Kestrel around. It was a teeming place, the Jumble and one often 'saw' many while not really 'seeing' them. They had been just a few blocks over, Optimus and his family and yet they were far enough apart that there was no overlap.

Sonny had grown up without being childhood friends of Prime. Prime had grown up being childhood friends of Magnus, Arcee, Elita and Jetta.

Odd how things worked.

Now they were all part of the same squad. She grinned.

Yes. Life was odd.

She glanced to the big slide and saw a train careening out of it, fly through the air spreadeagled, then land in the water with a titanic splash. Her Sonny, Optimus, Prowl, Raptor and Venture had gone through the big slide and landed in the water half emptying the pool. It would be worth her life to join them.

Glancing at the babies, she chuckled. Life was indeed very strange.

In a good way.

-0-Sitting nearby watching the mayhem

"That baby is so good," Turbine said as Kestrel sat with Possibility. "Did I tell you that I love his name?"

"I do as well," Kestrel said as he smiled at the sleeping baby in his arms. "It **is** so full of promise. It rather says it all about this place."

Turbine nodded. "I agree. It was a long time in the wilderness for all of us. Now we have a chance to get it right."

Ratchet clambered out of the pool in front of them as water cascaded out of his body. He swayed a bit, laughed loudly, then walked to a chair to sit. "I think I bent a gyro on the last one."

"You're insane. That's the problem," Turbine said with a grin. "I'm afraid to go in the pool with those lunatics coming down like ordinance."

They watched as Blackjack, Springer and Drift cascaded out, all of them sliding out head first, flying through the air with shrieks and laughs, then belly flopping onto the water. They sunk rather abruptly as the waves drove water up to everyone's knees on the sidelines.

"I'm never going to get dry this way," Ratchet said as they watched the mechs swim to the pool side, clamber over each other to get out first, then punch each other getting to the stairs once more.

They laughed, then Turbine stared at Ratchet. "They're putting up the trees around the colony. It's going to be really pretty."

"I know. By the way, Prowler is expanding the list of Santa Primes. I think all of us are going to be one," Ratchet said. "I think I'm going to borrow that mule at the Stable, the one that someone in Oz has and ride it on my rounds."

They both laughed as Prowl climbed out, drained, then joined them. Turbine grinned at him. "I hear there's more Santa Primes."

"There are. This colony is too big for the few we have. I think there's going to come an orn when we can't do this anymore, or at least with the ones we have now," Prowl said. "All of the senior Autobots are going to be drafted."

"Where will I go?" Ratchet asked with a giant smile.

"Processor Health. Hopefully on a hold," Prowl said with a grin.

They signaled the staff for food and drinks, then began to critique the slaggers as they careened out of the slide. Most of them stuck their landings and a few actually showed promise as bunker busters. It was an amusing time for all.

-0-On the way to Earth2

Ultra Magnus drove swiftly along the highway heading toward the invitation extended to him by the teachers of the high school aged kids at the International School there and its 14 kids. Among them, those who would also come to hear him were 25 younger kids who were studying the planet as well. He drove into the huge parking lot and pulled up in front of the building.

Inside watching him arrive were a gathering crowd of locals and the teachers who were having him in. The principal and all of the leadership of the habitat were there as well, though most of those stood back just to watch. Among them, Louis Richardson who was the son of the second largest investment 'owner' of Earth2 Corporation watched as Magnus transformed outside. It astonished him how swiftly that happened. It surely was only a second or two before a massive truck bearing missile launchers changed into a big metallic mech.

Louis had finally arrived just before the murder, settling into his space with his business and to become the eyes and ears for his father, Harvey. Even thought he had seen the bots and videos of them before, nothing was the same as being here to see it yourself. Magnus was massive. He was so huge that Louis struggled to find words.

Walking toward the doors, Magnus walked in as they opened. When they closed and everything equalized, the inside hatch opened and he entered the facility. The humans had pulled back to allow him inside. He stared around, then down from a height of nearly 29 feet. "Hello."

His voice was well modulated, masculine and unemotional. He was straight forward, calm and intensely confident in a manner that wasn't showy or ego driven. He was Ultra Magnus and that was that.

"Commander," Jill Mestner, acting school principal said with a smile. "Welcome. We are so happy to have you come to speak to our children."

"I am happy to do so," Magnus said. "Where shall we go from here?"

"I have a space set up at the windows over there," Jill said as she pointed toward the far end of the vast concourse. "If you want to follow Miles," she said nodding to a man standing beside a segway, "he can take you to the spot."

Magnus nodded. "Very well."

Miles jumped onto the segway and drove forward toward the windows beyond. Following along, Magnus stepped forward. His treads weren't felt in the floor unlike when he came to the facility outside. The floors were designed to absorb weight without tremors, fortunately for everyone there. It was a facet of life on Cybertron and everywhere else that this be so or it would be unbearable to live and unacceptable to stealth soldiers.

They watched him go, some of the civilians waving to him as he passed by. He waved back as he walked into the huge building making his way to the front window where they had placed a con-ex box for him to sit. He noted it then turned to Miles. "That will do."

"Thank you for coming, Commander. My kids want to know more about the colony and how things work. They want to know what a prime is and how that works, too. I hope you can answer as much as you can. We know some things are off limits for us yet but the kids are very curious and without agendas," Miles said.

"I will do my best. Children are very pure. I am honored to be asked," Magnus said.

Beyond him walking in lines, kids began to come with their teachers. They were excited to see him, dazzled at his size and power and they pointed, giggled and looked like all kids everywhere who were in the presence of greatness. Magnus looked like greatness to them. It would surprise him greatly that they did. They began to sit in chairs that were there in rows as around them adults began to gather, lots and lots of adults. Even the leadership brought their coffee cups to sit at tables nearby.

Magnus noted that. He didn't care, however. Few things about humans bothered him if they stayed inside the lines. If they didn't then he was all about it.

When the last kid sat and several hundred humans had gathered with more coming, their cameras focused on the improbable alien standing before them, Miles turned to the crowd. "Welcome everyone. I would like to welcome to our habitat Commander Ultra Magnus."

Huge applause erupted as Magnus nodded.

"Senior Commander Magnus is a member of the Prime's Senior Military staff, colonial administrator of Mars as well as the Chief Administrator of Cybertron and the Cybertronian Empire. He is an active duty soldier in the Cybertronian Army and the Chief Enforcer of the Tyrest Accords and the Code of Interplanetary Conduct. We have asked him to come and talk to our students about the colony, what he does and a number of other things. He's been so gracious to come and we thank him."

Huge applause and welcome erupted especially from the kids. Magnus felt the trace of a grin. Kids were good everywhere.

"Please make yourself comfortable, sir and thank you," Miles said as he walked to a chair nearby to sit.

Magnus looked at the bench then slowly lowered himself to sit. Staring at the mesmerized crowd, he began. "You wish to know about our system of government and how things work. I will endeavor to tell you within the framework of limitations that apply to you," he said gravely. "I am Ultra Magnus of Iacon. On Cybertron, your home town is your place name. I am Magnus of Iacon. Ratchet is also 'of Iacon'. Their son, Orion is Orion of Mars or Orion of Autobot City because he was … born here. Both are correct.

"Cybertron is a massive planet that is unique in the universe. It is a metallic planet and the life that originated there is metallic in derivation." He considered that word then the kids watching. "We are metallic in make up because our world is metallic. You are organic because your world is.

"Our planet is four times bigger than yours and is known as the 'planet of light'. I am sure you've seen images of it and the light it generates?"

The kids nodded and replied.

"We have a planet wide government. It's federal. There are 46 states with their own governments but the overall one is federal and is housed at Capital City with different parts in Iacon. Iacon is our largest city with Tarn second. I am Iaconian as is the Prime and most of my circle of friends and colleagues. But there are many from other places. Senior Commander Hercy of Helex, Commander Springer of Polyhex, Commander Drift of Kaon … we are from different states and city-states of which we bear their designation as our own place name.

"Each city-state takes care of a lot of its own business but it elects members to attend to a senate at the Grand Imperium in Capital City. They work together to make laws and serve the people. When they don't, things fall apart. It is there that they are overseen by a Prime. The Prime is a multi level position that is hard to explain sometimes to outsiders."

He shifted in his seat to lean closer to the children. "A prime is supposed to be authentic, incorruptible, just, filled with integrity and honor. They often weren't. They were among the greatest disappointments of our people, some of the Primes who were given the responsibility. Optimus Prime is the only one who lives up to the office, who is the epitome of integrity and dignity. He is who our people believes is the prophesied 'One Who Comes'."

"Do you believe that?" a little girl in the front row asked. She stared at him entranced.

Magnus looked at her, then nodded. "I do."

-0-TBC 12-3-18 **edited 12-3-18**


	536. Chapter 536

The Diego Diaries: Giving Thanks. (DD6 536)

-0-Water Park

She pulled up a chair to sit with her beer and sandwich. Watching the bonds and company careening out of the big water tube, Arcee grinned. "I'm going in next."

"Where's Magnus?" Ratchet asked as he sipped his own.

"He was asked to come to Earth2 and speak to the kids about government and the like," Arcee said as she grinned at Possibility. He was cocooned in soft blankets in his Amma Miler's arms.

"I thought they had Thanksgiving vacation today," Delphi asked. He had Halo.

"They traded that orn for one at Christmas Surprise, I think. Some of the inmates want to go to Earth for Christmas," Arcee said. "Magnus is pretty happy that they want accurate information so he agreed."

"No doubt," Turbine said with a grin.

-0-Earth2 at a meet up

"Our primes have a lot of functions, both political, religious and secular. They are the unifying figure in our culture and they have enormous prestige. I can't add much more than that at the moment," Magnus said.

A boy raised his hand so Magnus nodded. "Is a Prime like a king?"

Magnus considered that, then leaned closer. "A little. He's the rallying point around which most can come together, the focal point of a lot of different points of view. Even if you don't like the way things are going, you can mostly agree that the Prime is a unifying frame of reference. He doesn't have complete power nor does this one seek it. Some in the past did and got it to our everlasting ruin. Optimus Prime works through a civilian and military committee who help him make plans, adds their expertise and guides him. The decisions are his to make in the end but he never does it without seeking advice and support. He isn't a dictator either.

"We've had Primes from the the beginning, about seven or eight of them,. Most of them haven't been of Prime's caliber and some of them have been disasters and criminals. We've been driven to the brink by bad Primes and its never happening again.

"Our cities have their own local councils who meet to handle lower level city wide problems and to allow the local citizenry to have someone to come to. They elect a single member to meet in a general colonial council once every 30 days if not sooner to discuss the larger picture. After that is achieved things can be brought to the attention of the Prime's committee members or the Prime himself."

"What about the idea of martial law, Commander?" Miles asked from his seat nearby.

"As you know, we are on a war footing with the Decepticon forces led by Megatron who is at present dealing with a force that he has grudges with far away. But because the war hasn't been settled formally we are at a level of readiness that compels us to evaluate threat levels. We are under modified marttial law here, on Cybertron and around the Empire.

"That means that Optimus Prime has a lot of power to do things and to act without seeking formal permission from different bodies to do so. We have to be as flexible as we can without compromising who we are as a people, thus he has only activated those parts now that give him the ability to defend us without taking all of our rights away. We have all lived with that in the past and we don't want to bring it back here and make everyone miserable."

"There was a phase six mechanism by the news accounts that managed to make it to Mars. What were Prime's options and abilities when that happened?" Miles asked.

"We were at the solar rim taking the surrender of a number of individual groups of Decepticons or privateers. Black Shadow, the phase six mechanism that was in the area was going to their bases to talk to them. He was actually there to kill their leaders and take the groups back to the Decepticons when we warned them. They decided to surrender to us than face him and when that happened he slipped in with a group and made his way here.

"He was cloaked but he made it to Mars through our rings of security who had been mustered to get him. Optimus Prime ordered the pursuit and joined it while everyone here on world from our people to yours were ordered to the shelters. Millions of individuals went there and waited. The entire planet has to obey his orders when things like this happen

"Prime had the authority to do anything necessary to defend against this individual. He asserted full martial law, told everyone what to do, then came here to fight Black Shadow himself thereby getting him to leave everyone else alone. He refused so the senior Autobots geared up to go to him and fight to save the planet and everyone here. We defeated him and he is in permanent secured confinement. There isn't anything that Prime can do given his position but unlike most of his predecessors he has never abused his authority. He has something they didn't have in great quantities … honor, integrity and character."

"What would have happened if you hadn't defeated this guy?" a boy in row two asked.

Magnus looked at him, noting everyone's full attention to the question. "He would have obliterated every molecule of this planet, then he would have gone to Earth to do the same thing. There would be nothing still standing anywhere when he was finished. He has the capacity to destroy entire planets and he doesn't care. He personally killed three billion individuals on a planet far from here in the past and hasn't lost a moment's peace over it."

It was silent in the room as several hundred people and a lot of kids took that in. The boy shifted uneasily. "I saw the show with the event. You and others walked out to fight him. Did you feel you would win?" he asked.

Magnus sat back and looked at all of them gravely. "No. Without a miracle which we received at the last moment, there was no hope of winning. You don't defeat phase six mechanisms in the normal manner no matter how many you have on your side."

"You went out anyway," the boy replied.

Magnus nodded. "It was my job to defend and protect."

"Even Earth?" he asked.

Magnus nodded. "Half of our forces were deployed in space around Earth. Even Earth."

It took a moment for the next question to be asked.

-0-Water Park

"And Partition is trying to fix up his brothers," Greenlight said with a smile. She was lounging at the pool while Arcee and the other femmes were taking on the boys on the slides.

"That's because he takes after me," Ratchet said with a giant smile.

"Pity him, poor infant," Turbine said with a chuckle.

"Frag all of you. By the way, spread the word. Next Thanksgiving the project is barbecue," Ratchet said. "I plan on winning. Whoever cooks the least in each household entering is the one who cooks the dish. They have to do it on the spot. I'll even have categories for side dishes."

"I'm waiting for you to have a beer contest," Firestar said as she held Halo.

"That's a good idea. **NEXT TIME!** That is, next time after bread," Ratchet said with a grin. "Ironhide is going to be putting his bun appreciation to good work because I'm not making anything like that."

"You're such a whiner," Ravel said with a smile. "I tried."

He ended up being dumped in the pool by his son.

-0-Earth2

"That's why the femme population is so small. We don't care what anyone thinks about it either. Gender is a construct for those who have or need it when around us. It's not even an idea in our thoughts otherwise because we don't care. We also had a lot of slag at Diego from individuals hung up on it. Again, we don't care," Magnus said with his calm unruffled lack of emotion.

The crowd was mesmerized by him and the kids thought he was the greatest thing ever. Everyone was fascinated by the massive mech.

A little girl raised her hand. "Commander, if there's no girls or that sort of thing, how do you find someone and how do you decide who is good looking or not? We have a lot of rules among the humans. Some humans are really mean to others about their looks and stuff like that. How do you do that among your people?" she asked. She was small, quiet and smart, this kid.

"I know that there is a lot of bullying going on in your societies and some kids have body image problems. I find that too sad for words. No one has the right to tell you anything about how you look or how they perceive that. You are the captain of your own fate and no one can hurt you unless you allow them to do so. As for us, we like who we like and we know who is beautiful in our own opinion. My bond, Arcee is beautiful in our society and to me.

"If you would hold to the idea that your the majority of your opinions should stay in your head and you don't have the right to say what you want to anyone anytime you wanted to, you would all be a lot better off. I don't hold to bullying. Bullies are cowards. Bullying on and off line is cowardice. If you believe that you're ugly because someone says so to you, then you need to drop that person forever. Choose your friends wisely, believe in who you are and know that cowards make you smaller to make themselves taller. They aren't." He leaned in closer to the child. "You aren't being bullied are you?"

She grinned. "Not here."

Magnus nodded. "Good. We don't allow it anywhere. We have no tolerance for the abuse of others. Just so you know," he said sitting back. "Just so everyone knows."

"Commander, what about the murder? When will we be able to leave here to go around the colony?" a boy asked.

"We are pursuing the felons and we will capture them. As for the rest, that will only happen when we know you are safe. Until then, stay in," Magnus said.

The conversation rolled onward.

-0-A joor later

They walked into the apartment and put the cow down on the floor. The kids had been parted out and they were here with only the big kids and each other. Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "What an afternoon. No kids. Where are **you** kids going today?" Ratchet asked as he watched them raid the fridge.

"We want to go to the movies and the club, Ada," Fireball said. "Tru is meeting us there."

Ratchet grinned. "Ah, young love. Have at it. Be home or wherever at a good time and take a cab."

"We will. Appa and Ammas want us to come by and maybe we can stay the night. The titans are coming with us," Genesis said as he stacked a sandwich high.

"Sounds good. If you need an alibi call home," Ironhide said as he sat in his chair and relaxed.

The kids laughed, wolfed food, hugged everyone, then left.

Ratchet and Ironhide watched the door close, then stared down at the floor. Robby was standing there looking back at them through a thick fringe of hair over his forehead. "That is one **slagging** fine cow, Ironhide."

Ironhide laughed, then squeezed Ratchet's servo. "Thanks, Ratchet. He is. Three cows in the family. The only time we had more pets was when Amma liberated that slagger's zoo. He didn't take care of the animals there so he took them home and kept them. We're all suckers for an amimal down on its luck."

"I hear ya. I once had a tick bug for a pet. Did I ever tell you the story? I found him in the cushions on the couch where I slept all the time I was growing up," Ratchet said as he began to warm to the story.

"Slagger," Ironhide said with a big grin. "Robby, attack."

Robby stared at him with a placid expression, then walked to the window to lie down on the bed there for Spot. Spot would allow it and the beginnings of a great friendship with both him and Cousin would begin.

In the meantime, the old folks made good use of the time alone …

"That is so good. Ironhide."

"I know."

"You're a good mech, Ironhide."

(Tiny preen) "I am aren't I."

"That should do it." (Big grin by someone with a red aft)

"I think so, ba-bee." Ironhide picked up the root beer floats and walked to his chair to hand one to Ratchet. He sat and grinned. "Channel four, Ratchet. The monster truck championship title for the world is on."

It was.

Sometimes life could be really really good.

-0-TBC 12-4-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	537. Chapter 537

The Diego Diaries: Post Turkey (dd6 537)

-0-At the meet up

Magnus considered the question. "We have a great deal of respect for humans and we include them in as many experiences as we can. When we came here it was a desert world with dangers everywhere for those unprepared to live here the way we do. We don't need to breathe an atmosphere nor do we have a problem with the radiation that bathes this planet due to its minimal atmosphere. We are able to self regulate to the cold which can drop to -220 degrees Fahrenheit. The dust storms used to last months before we controlled them, there are any number of other dangers and none of them are humans equipped to handle. Even as that's said, we never once discounted humans living here.

"We are very clear on our safety rules and what you as organics can and can't do here. It isn't out of a surfeit of disharmony that prompts us to do so. You would last about 10 seconds out there without the proper protection. If there are going to be a lot of humans here then they must accept the limitations we impose because of the dangers. We have personally taken a lot of abuse from humans especially in your media and we still have you here," Magnus said.

"I was wondering, Commander, if you could talk about the kids here. The boys and the girls," a young girl asked. "There are so many boys but you don't have many girls. Is that normal?"

Magnus considered Arcee and her anguish over this subject for a moment. "Not every species has to look like your own. I know alien species that have no organic or metallic bodies. They are light beings. I've seen some that require five or more individuals to make one complete one and I know more species that don't declare genders than I do those that will. Our species has no gender distinctions. We are all mechs. However, when it helps other aliens to have us do that we will. Our differences are mostly due to the different processors or brains that some of us have. It makes us different but in the end we are all one," he said as he fudged the truth just a smidge.

"It simplifies everything for us. We don't have gender strife and there is no way anyone can point to someone and declare that their 'gender' makes them exempt from something. No one can say that your gender bars you from doing or becoming whatever it is you want. Obviously, there are some exceptions due to size differentials but other than that, nothing holds anyone from becoming what they dream of but themselves."

"Some of you fly and some don't," another kid, a boy asked.

Magnus nodded. "That is so. Some of us have that capability and some don't, though all of us can fly in some fashion or the other. Some are by design tremendous aerialists. Seekers are aviators. The rest of us are called grounders by short hand. I can fly but I don't do it often. Its very strenuous when you are my size."

"Will we ever be able to go to different places like the Temple and the shrines?" a child asked.

"If at some point in future that you prove your trustworthiness, I imagine that might happen. Right now, we don't know you well enough to do that. Some things are very precious to us and we guard them with diligence. It's not that you aren't trustworthy. Its that you are new and we don't know you. The other humans have earned their way around because they understand boundaries and accord respect. We are appreciative of them and allow more because we trust them. Some day, you might have the same opportunity. It depends on you if and when that happens."

And the beat went on …

-0-Home again

The place was a mess as Ratchet herded the infants to the shower room. "Take them. I have to triage the living room."

" **GET IN HERE, PEEWEES! I HAVE SPOKEN!"**

Huge shrieks blasted through the room as five tots tottered in followed by a cow, a cat and a dog. Ratchet watched them, checked his pulse to see if he still had one, then bent to the task of busing up the room. "Frag, this is my life," he said with a grin.

The monitor beeped. Walking to it, he tagged on the message, read it, then walked to the wash rack. The kids were standing on the table together but for Halo who waited as Ironhide soaped them all up. "I have to go to the airfield. A small group was found. They want an overview then I'll be back."

"Now you leave, slagger," Ironhide said with a laugh.

Ratchet smirked, then walked out for the door and the short trip to the airfield. A group long on the journey had made their way here and a doctor was just what they needed. It was cold when he reached the street. Lights were on and the night was busy with revelers and others still holding onto the spirit of Thanksgiving. It was probably true that some parties were still on given the propensity for others to party. He reached Club Cybertron, waved to a couple of soldiers who called out, then continued.

Ships were landing, some that looked the worse for wear. They were setting down one after the other as they came in lead by Seekers who had apparently gotten their signal and then had them bridged in the final distance. They were a mixed bag of Neutrals, Peace Mission and Circle with a small contingent of Autobot soldiers holding things together. The leadership was civilian, mechs named Ophir, Skimmer and Fermi. There were very sick elders that needed attention, some very close to death.

Optimus, Prowl, Raptor and Arcee were there waiting for the landing as Ratchet joined them. "What do we have?"

"About 2500 individuals who are very much the worse for the wear," Raptor said with a grim expression. "Someone told me to come because there was someone on board that I knew."

Ratchet nodded as the big ship landed, then sagged a bit from the long unbearable trip that they had completed across the Bootes Barren. That they weren't raided was a miracle. The ship hissed and released smoke from its compromised engines. Then it shut down. After a moment a ramp came down and a number of mechs stepped out in a daze.

Ratchet ran to the ship scanning them as he did. Pointing to the group approaching, he ran up the ramp to go inside. The ship was crammed with bots of all ages, all of them looking weary, sick and hungry. They stared at him without much emotion as somewhere a wan baby began to cry. He knelt as he called for help, looking at an elder who was listless beside a bigger bot who held him against his side. "We're going to help everyone. You made it to Prime. Just hold on a second. I have a lot of help coming."

That's when half of them began to cry and shout.

Outside, Prime and his group stood with the leadership, a tall youngling mech named Ophir, his bond, Fermi and another mech from a group that joined them some time back, Skimmer. They were nearly hysterical with relief as Ophir clung to Prime's servo. "We never had a place to stay. We were always fleeing and the ships are just about done. My family, my genitors are sick and my atar is in dire shape."

"We are going to help you," Prime said as he watched a fleet of runabouts from the hospital land nearby and disgorge a horde of doctors and medics. They ran to the ships and climbed in as even more began to land. This group was too debilitated to go through customs at the port. They were being retrieved here as a group of immigration and refugee bureau mechs showed up to assist.

Raptor glanced at a ship, then turned to Prime. "I'm going to help. Someone is here that knows me but I didn't get his name."

Prime nodded. "Go on ahead. Tell me what you find when you can especially about soldiers and what's happening out there. I want to know about Shrike and his group."

Raptor nodded, then hurried forward to board a ship nearby that had just landed. A gear gave out and it crunched down to the tarmac. He would help them get the hatches open so the tow ships could winch them up and fly them off to the depot 200 miles from here. It would take a while to do so.

Mechs and femmes, children and babies began to be carried off as most of them couldn't walk on their own from debilitation and sheer relief at rescue by a non lethal Cybertronian force. It was pitiful, the sight. The ship was crammed with individuals who had been picked up from groups they had passed, groups fleeing the new hard line of the Decepticons. No one had been left and they had scanned wide as they flew. Listening to the radio traffic for danger as well as distress signals, they had nearly capsized their ships taking everyone. Reaching the promised land was their dream and it kept them going through very dark orns.

"We saw a battle group on sensors, Lord Optimus," Fermi said as he swayed in front of Prime and his officers. "They were heading toward a small system and I think they knew we were there but they didn't come. I though they would. I thought we were as good as dead," he said with emotion.

Ophir gripped his servo. "We didn't think we would make it. We thought we were dead."

"What sort of group?" Arcee said.

"The usual renegade group. We detected ships that were giving civilian signatures among the military profiles. We hoped they wouldn't come to us, we were so helpless. I don't think I've recharged since then. We were so afraid. Our families ..." Fermi paused a moment to gather himself. "They've suffered so much. We just wanted refuge. We found a shuttle with Autobot soldiers who were coming the round about way to the colony as well so they helped us. We were in dire need and their medic helped us."

"I would like to speak to you tomorrow when you've had a chance to get some attention, food and rest. I would imagine all of you will be in the hospital. If you can give me your transponder numbers, I can find you and we can talk when you're more settled and well," Prime said.

Fermi and Ophir did, then a medic helped them along to a runabout where Orphir's genitors and their three children were waiting. The children were crying and their grand genitors were lying on stretchers looking worn and sick.

"That group had to be Shrike. They must be really damaged not to make mayhem on this group in their retreat," Arcee said. "This group would have been helpless to that sort of thing." She looked furious a moment. "We need to look out that way. If some are coming that direction, he's thrown a wrench into that route, he and anyone else out there."

Prime nodded, then glanced at Paragon. "Would you please devise a plan with Starscream and designate a bridge to support that traffic if they have to come back or be supported on short notice?"

Paragon nodded, then stepped aside as a stretcher filled with small ill appearing children was carried past them to an ambulance parked nearby. It was difficult to see.

-0-On board a ship

Raptor helped hand children and elders to the orderlies and soldiers who were getting them out of a ship that was wheezing with age and wear. They were nearly stacked on top of each other and it was wearying to despair for all of them. They were almost too tired to cry or express anything. Raptor cheerfully told them of the greatness ahead of them as he gently carried individuals to the door where stretchers were waiting. As he did a booming voice rang out behind him.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the infant recruit who thinks he can be in this mech's army."

Raptor handed off a femme, then turned to the voice who was standing in the doorway that led to the flight deck. Apparently, he was the pilot. He stared with disbelief, then laughed loudly. **"YOU PIRATE! YOU LIVED!"**

" **FRAG YEAH!"** He helped the last two individuals to their peds, then gently led them to the door. "Come on, May and Bunko. Time to get fixed up," he said.

The two looked up at him, then Raptor. He helped the two out to a pair of orderlies who took them, then led them down the ramp to the ground. Raptor watched them go, then turned to the mech who was grinning at him. He was big, tall and very powerful. He was jet black, had fancy finials adorned with silver he had collected off the back sides of mechs too stupid to walk away and hash marks on his arms from the number of battles he'd been in over a long and very colorful life.

He had intelligent optics, a handsome face and a big grin. His tats were many and storied were the divisions they represented including The Immortals. His declarations for his occupation and culture were evident and so were the weapons he carried in view. He held out a big servo and clasped Raptor's. "You're all growed up, infant. Is your old atar and ada around?"

"Everyone is around," Raptor said. He had put in the call on the family 'hot list' when he saw who this was and they had pinged that they were coming. "I figured you winter killed."

"Oh yea of little faith," he said as he pulled Raptor in for a big hug.

Raptor was a very big mech but this one lifted him up in a bear hug. Setting him down, he looked him over. "You're still as ugly as I remember."

Raptor guffawed. "Are you sure you aren't talking about yourself?"

He grinned. "What's this place? I heard of it but you know me. I have to see things for myself."

"Then you haven't changed a bit. Come on. Everyone should be there outside." Raptor turned to walk down the ramp and the big mech followed.

The night was dark but the airfield was lit as ships began to land around the area on every available surface. It was busy and the vast city beyond along with The Fortress was a sight for sore optics. He followed, staring around himself, then saw Prime. He slowed, then continued toward him where he went down on a knee and bowed his helm old school. "Prime, I am here, returned. Command me."

Prime who couldn't believe it either pulled him to his feet. "Welcome home, General. It is unbelievably good to see you."

He grinned, then hugged and shook hands with everyone. It was then that Alor, Lissie and Blackjack arrived. They slowed, then stopped, nearly bumping into each other. It was silent, then Lissie stepped closer, stopping beside a widely grinning Hercy and Kup. "You came back from the dead."

He stared at her with emotional optics, then picked her up in a gentle hug. "So did you. Praise Primus."

They hugged together a moment, then he put Lissie down gently. She stared up at him with amazement and joy, then turned to some of the others. "I don't know how many of you know this mech," she said to the youngsters there, "but this is a miracle. This is my brother, Steiner."

" **THAT'S SLAGGING RIGHT!"** Raptor said with a laugh.

"All orn long," Steiner said with a grin.

-0-TBC 12-5-18


	538. Chapter 538

The Diego Diaries: Steiner (dd6 538)

-0-The Diner On The Corner

"This is nice. I haven't been in a Cybertronian restaurant since The Fall. I got a few of your messages, Optimus and the odd rumor. What's the story?" he asked as he gave his order with assistance and sat back to wait for something that actually was going to taste good for once.

"We came here to find the AllSpark which we did, then built this place when calls for soldiers drew refugees. It lead from one thing to another and now we have the biggest Cybertronian habitation outside of Cybertron anywhere. We have also taken back Cybertron and the local group," Optimus said.

"Without firing a shot," Ironhide said to his great uncle. Cue convoluted genealogical of the average old timey Cybertronian family.

It sort of went like this.

Maybe.

Alor and Blackjack were genitors of Ironhide. On Alor's side, his genitors, Ironhide's grandparents, were Scout and Trooper. Given that Lissie and Steiner were Trooper's brother and sister, that made the two of them his great aunt and uncle. Their genitors were still missing and maybe always would be. It was the crap shoot of living Cybertronian.

That didn't count Hardie's own brothers, Ironhide and Blackjack who were constructed and spark infused from the Well at the same time, shared the same design and for all accounts and purposes were brothers as any other would be. Given that a lot of individuals were cold forged or constructed and thereby weren't retrieved by normal methods, masses could be made at the same time. Given also that most of the exempt members of their species and those who formed The Immortals were unfortunate enough to be created for sale and slavery, they were unable to make families the normal way. Ironhide, Hard Drive and Blackjack were brothers in every sense of the word otherwise and considered themselves so, a practice that continued with every protoform granted a spark at the Well even now.

"How did Soundwave take it? I heard he wasn't very happy when you decided to retrieve the planet," Steiner asked with a smirk.

"He wasn't. Its the finest part of my orn when I get to watch him squirm," Prowl said with a great satisfaction.

"I can imagine," Steiner said with a laugh. He looked at Lissie. "I suppose you train officers and the like?"

"I do," she said with a big smile. She sat next to him holding his servo. They were always close and now was no different. "You can stay with me, Stein. Until you get on your peds."

"That would be fine," he said with a grin. "I suppose you want to know what we know about the situation out there?"

"We do," Prime said.

"Well, its odd. We came around from the Ravages and through the farthest reaches of the empire. We mapped. That was our thing. We wanted to find everyone, chart them and help with rescue some fine orn. We went as far as we could into space before turning around. We've charted the farthest reaches of our dispersal. I think we located about 200,000,000 of our people living over a wide range of space, Prime. Some of them have developed strongholds and some are wandering. We sent those groups toward the safest places when we came across them and kept going.

"We also found that there's a hard core leadership in place with Megatron gone to unexplored space. I suppose you know about that," Steiner asked.

"We do," Prime said.

"This leadership isn't Cybertronian and they were put in place by Megatron before he left with the caveat that anyone who defies them will die either on the spot at the moment or when he got back. I don't know what's he's doing but looking for allies appears to be a large part of it. He's also killing a species he ran into that is adapting to him, changing up their defenses and giving him good sport. They must be so numerous that you could live a lifetime and not find them all. He's trying or so traders have said."

Prime nodded. "We heard that as well."

"Maybe they'll adapt and get him," Turbine said.

"Then come for us in revenge with our luck," Raptor said.

Everyone nodded.

"We will give you the maps. We don't have much information about the slaggers in charge but they're bad news for anyone who breaks ranks. Some have anyway. There are battle groups and freebooters out there that would come this way if they find out about the energon. Given that I know about it, then they will. The group we joined passed a battle group heading out of this area and Raptor says it might be the one you had a tift with. Shrike, I remember. He's never going to let this go. He's going to get a big group together and be back in force," Steiner said.

"I agree," Prime said. "We are building strength upon strength. It is less dire if they do than before."

Steiner nodded. "Good," he said.

"You are now on the General Staff and we have a meeting tomorrow to discuss things and will introduce you and go over your information," Prowl said. "We have a community committee with our general staff that runs the show here and advises Optimus who is the final word on decisions here. We also have human allies, small organic individuals who have about eight habitats here. Another ally is the Hu-An. They also have a space until their worlds are liberated."

Steiner nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"Then we need break this up and reconvene in the morning," Prime said as he glanced at Lissie. "Lissie, do you require anything for your brother's accommodation?"

"No," Lissie said with a big smile. "How about you and Trooper coming to my apartment and helping me tuck Steiner in?"

"We're coming, too," Alor said as he stood.

"We are?" Blackjack asked with a grin.

"We are," Alor said as he stepped back to let Lissie by. "How else will he know about Pudding?"

"What's a pudding?" Steiner asked with a big grin.

 **"A SLAGGING WORK AND WONDER!"** Blackjack said with a smile as he followed everyone to the door. They stepped out and were gone.

It was silent a moment, then Lon and Bezel leaned closer to Raptor. "General, who was that besides a family member?"

Raptor grinned. 'That is my uncle, the slagging finest demolitions mech I ever knew. What he doesn't know about a munition isn't known. He's also one of the best stealth operators ever. Steiner is an Immortal and an exempt mech. Let that percolate down a bit, infants. Mech is a wonder of the world. **THE GALAXY!"**

The kids nodded, then sat back marveling as the others grinned.

"I better go see about the patients. You might all go back to your life or fragging, whichever came first," Ratchet said as he stood. Finishing his drink, he smirked at the punters, then walked out.

Prowl stared after him. "He's truly a crude, lewd dude."

Everyone turned to stare at Prowl who stiffened. "I can tell jokes."

" **BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"** general consensus.

-0-On a metro to the city where Lissie lives

They swayed in the half empty train grinning at each other. It stopped at Bern as a bunch of rowdy kids got on board. They spotted the group, then sat down on benches to behave themselves. When the station they wanted arrived Lissie led the way off. They continued onward heading to the streets where Steiner paused to look around. "This is slagging awesome, Lis. Everyone has been busy but given the quality of the Prime who is surprised?"

"Not me," Lissie said as she took his servo. They walked onward. "We found Sentinel Prime near here, Stein. He wasn't assassinated. He was lying. He was coming here to find slave labor and energon to rebuild Cybertron. He was going to bring her here."

"He's not dead?" Steiner asked with surprise.

"No, he lived. He was tried in a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances. The Pantheon weighed in and took him away, he, Decimus and Contrail. They were recalled."

Steiner considered that, then nodded. "Suits their crimes. I heard that the Functionalist Council has survived. Any word on that? We hunted them as best we could but they fled into the Ravages and that's worth your life to enter."

"We intercepted them and they were tried as well. They were recalled," Lissie said as they reached her building.

"Prime's been busy," Steiner said with a smile.

"We all have. Come in and see our home," Lissie said as she led the way to the elevators. They all entered and were gone.

-0-Medical Center

It was a riot of activity as several hundred patients were worked into the system. Both Femme and the Med Center were busy with patients. Some were even taken to the prison Medical Center to help with the crushing need. There were 2,582 individuals in the group and nearly all of them were in need of medical attention. Ratchet walked into elder intensive care and spotted Partition on loan from the Watch. Walking to his side, he watched the kid hook the elder up to data machines and infusion lines. "Nice work."

Partition glanced up, then grinned. "What a bunch of sick people. We have several hundred elders and adults in care. That doesn't count everyone else."

"I'm going to infant ICU but I thought I'd say hi. Alor's Uncle Steiner was in this group. He's Lissie's brother. You and Lancer need to meet him. He's gold, solid gold." Ratchet said with a grin.

"I will. Where's he staying? With Auntie Lissie?" Partition said as he turned on the machines and programmed them to do their job for this patient.

"He is. I'm going to be here a while, then head out. Carry on," Ratchet said.

Partition nodded as he watched Ratchet walk out. Then he turned to the four other patients he was assigned to prep for stayovers. He would be busy all night long.

-0-Up in a tower after everyone left

They sat in chairs by the window watching the lights of the city. Beyond them as a dim glow, they could see the lights of the massive Crater District. Steiner glanced at her. "This is amazing."

"I love to sit here and watch the colony. Either by orn or night, its all good, Stein. Over that way," she pointed, "is an enclave called Aerie Hill where the Seekers live. They like the higher ground. It has about 1,700,000 Seekers. Most of the clan leadership is here along with Rainmaker and his family. He has some very fine sons."

"Rainmaker is a fine mech. I love his bonds as well. I heard that Starscream defected," Steiner said.

"He was dying when Thundercracker brought him here. They defected and then Shockwave took over. He was stupid enough to fight with Prime and he's now in special stasis in the vault under The Fortress. That left Soundwave and he's no soldier. It was only a matter of time. He now works as an officer in some functionary position at the HQ in Iacon. It's very satisfying to me that he's fallen so low," Lissie said with a grin. "Mech could learn some humility."

Steiner laughed. "I agree. This is going to be fun."

"It will be when you meet everyone. Ratchet and Ironhide have a big family. They have about five or six infants of their own, about 50 adopted ones and half the army hanging out at their apartment. We will meet them tomorrow. We have a Seeker great nephew and a number of titanic children … six Metro-titans and three dreadnought kids."

"Oh Primus," Steiner said with a laugh. "Infant still thinks he can best Ratchet?"

Lissie nodded. "He does, poor infant. By the way, Ratchet's genitors were found and they have opened RTR Tools here. We can go by and you can stock up. I have two of their swords and they come sentient, Stein."

"Frag. That's great all around. I could use a tool kit. A knife or two. My sword can use an edge. They made it way back when," he said as he sat back in comfort for the first time in ages.

They would chat for hours, turn in, then greet the day with gusto.

Lissie and Steiner, tyros from infancy were back together again.

=0=TBC 12-6-18

Notes tomorrow. :D:D:D


	539. Chapter 539

The Diego Diaries: Steiner (dd6 539)

=0=The next morning

They walked from the station to the street, then paused to take in the town. It was after the children were carried off to school so traffic was lighter. The usual delivery trucks, mechs driving to work or other places and the odd human could be seen. Steiner watched them go past. "Those are the humans?"

"They are," Lissie said as she took his hand again. "Come on. The meeting is in The Fortress. The best part is the good of the order at the end. Prime loves it because we try to make him laugh. It isn't hard. He's an even better audience than you are."

Steiner grinned as he walked with Lissie, their height difference though not out of place comical in the extreme. Lissie was a petite femme with deceptive strength and speed. Steiner was a big mech, more than 26 feet tall and very powerful. He was coal black with only the glint of silver embellishing his finials that he had removed from the aft end of those who chose unwisely. He didn't survive as long as he did by being anyone's fool. They crossed the street at the junction.

"I saw Club Cybertron and the Temple dome. This place has a party house for both ends of the spectrum," he said with a grin as they entered the courtyard to go inside.

Lissie laughed. "I'll let you guess which one I frequent more."

Sitting at the table, the elder mechs glanced at Lissie. **"Lissie!** Who's the mech courting you?" Ramcharger said as an older mech turned from his board game to look.

Alejate froze as he saw the big mech, then stood. **"STEINER! YOU MADE IT! YOU CAME BACK TO US!"**

" **Alejate!?"** Steiner said with surprise. **"WHAT THE FRAG! YOU MADE IT! IS THAT YOUR LITTLE SON?!** **IS THAT RAMCHARGER!?** **"**

The resemblance between the two little elders was uncanny. Alejate rose and hobbled to Steiner to stare upward. "That's my boy, Ramcharger. **ITS BEEN A WHILE! WAIT UNTIL THE BOND HEARS THAT YOU CAME** **BACK** **!"**

"We're going to have to tie one on, Alie," Steiner said as he gently hugged the little codger.

" **SLAG RIGHT! WE CAN DRINK THESE YOUNG BUCKS UNDER THE TABLE AND TELL THEM OF THE OLD TIMES!"** Alejate said with rising emotion. **"RIGHT, LISSIE!?"**

"That's right, Alie. You and Elba," Lissie said, then turned to Steiner. "Chromo, Cezr and Wirelite live here as well."

"They do? **They all made it**?" Steiner asked with delighted surprise.

" **WE DID! WE HAD TO SO NO ONE WOULD FORGET!"** Alejate said. He was fairly trembling with emotion.

Steiner hugged him again, then set him down. Glancing at an emotional Ramcharger, he grinned. "We're going to have dinner together soon, all of us. You can come and hear what heroes your genitors are, infant."

Ramcharger put his arm around his father's little shoulders. **"I KNOW! MY ADA AND ATAR WERE HEROES! I TELL EVERYONE! THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THIS ANYMORE!"**

"You have **that** right," Steiner said. They exchanged transponder and locale numbers, then Steiner and Lissie walked onward to the meeting.

Alejate watched him go with emotional optics. "I love that mech. That femme and mech are stand up. They did things that would make you cry they were so scary to free all of us. Don't forget that, Sonny. Ever."

Ramcharger squeezed his father's shoulders. "Never, Atar."

=0=Meeting

They entered to the delight of most of them and the smirking snark of the former Decepticons. Everyone knew Steiner either by reputation or actual experience, some on both sides of the line. Pulling up a seat to sit beside his sister, he relaxed in a chair as the donut dish was pushed to him.

Lissie stood. "I'll get something to drink, Steiner. Try a donut. I think you will like it."

Ironhide who was sitting in a chair across from him grinned. "How are ya today, Uncle Steiner? Auntie Lissie?"

"Good to go," he said as he held up a 'chocolate covered donut'. He bit into it, then savored it. "Wow. I haven't had good cooking since forever. This is great."

"I'll tell Rampage," Ironhide replied with a grin.

Steiner grinned back. "Lis told me. I still can't believe it."

"It takes a while," Prowl said as he walked in and slid data pad agendas to the punters. They took one, perused it, groaned, then settled back to shoot the shit until Granny called things to order.

"Open your hold and fork him over," Ratchet said as he leaned against Ironhide with a grin. "You know ya wanna."

"No, I don't, slagger," Prowl said with a big sniffing look of disdain.

"Either hand him over or I'll tell everyone what you call Prime when you're drunk," Ratchet said.

Optimus who was walking to his chair grinned at a glaring Prowl. "Yes. Tell us all."

Prowl glanced at Prime with a look of betrayal, then opened his hold reluctantly. A bundle of soft blankets slid out and was gently placed on the table.

Ratchet pulled him over, then grinned. "Hello, Gorgeous," he said channeling Barbara Streisand from the Academy Awards.

"He is, but consider his genitors. How could it be other?" Prowl said with a slight smirk.

"Yes," Ratchet said picking the baby up to hold. "With me and Ironhide he could only be a knockout."

Prowl frowned. "That one is mine. So are yours. All of them. They're all mine."

Ratchet glanced at Steiner who was terribly amused by Prowl's incongruous informality. "Don't worry about him, Steiner. He's going to Processor Health for a tune up. We just let him think he runs the show."

"Is that it?" Steiner asked with a big grin.

"Yes." -Everyone in the room including Prowl's own genitors.

The frown he gave them got snaps taken as he glanced around with rising indignity. "So that's how its going to be. Slag Prowl? We'll see about that," he said as he unsubbed his work data pad. "Let me see … the duty schedules for the outlying bases ..."

Raptor grabbed it out of Prowl's servos.

Prowl froze in place, glanced around swiftly, then sat up tensely. "You have my data pad. My **work** data pad. The one I spent joors and joors working on, organizing and doing all the slag I do. **My data pad.** "

"This one?" Raptor asked as he slid it across the table toward Venture.

Prowl stared at it with shock, then watched his father slide it toward Starscream. A siren literally went off in his processor as he jumped up, then stood on his chair to climb onto the table. Walking down the broad surface of the huge piece of furniture, he yanked it out of the servos of Alor. Walking back, he stepped down and sat with a huge sense of betrayal on his face. " **MY** data pad is touched by **NO ONE.** That **THING** is my **WORK DATA PAD! ITS SLAGGING CLASSIFIED!"**

Everyone stared at Prowl for a moment without expression watching him squirm, then Prime leaned toward him. "Do I get to touch it?"

Bedlam.

Prowl sat back with a disgusted smirk on his face as he stared at Ratchet. "You are the root of all evil. You have this holy personage here," he said nodding toward a laughing Prime, "corrupted to the dark side. We must go on the town together. Soon."

" **NOT WITHOUT ME!"** -everyone there.

Prowl stared at them, then sniffed with disgust. "You'll be on duty at Fort Recluse."

" **AWWW!"**

" **PROWL HAS A SAD!"**

" **I'M ALREADY THERE! YOU CAN'T SCARE ME!"  
**

Everyone turned toward Rawlee, a tall Seeker who was given command of Fort Recluse to run it as a major aviation center for the deep space flights and those who were intervention specialists against intruders. He grinned. "I am."

 **HUGE** laughter and abuse ensued. It died down as everyone stared at Prowl who sat in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. He frowned at them. **"WHAT!?"**

Ratchet laughed, then leaned forward. "Slagger. Find a night on your * **data pad** * there and send a message to everyone. Literally," Ratchet said as he glanced down the table.

"Yeah," Payload said with a grin. "I haven't been arrested in a while."

"You get arrested on your benders? With **Prowl**?" Steiner asked with delight.

Prowl who was smirking with his own greatness until the 'With **Prowl**?' part frowned at Steiner. "You seem to find that odd or something, Commander. Maybe you can go back outside, come in again and start over."

" **BWAHAHAHA!"**

 **"PROWL HAS A SAD!"** -consensus opinion among the punters.

Prowl glared at Ratchet. "Wherever you go, chaos follows."

" **ISN'T THAT GREAT!?"** Ratchet replied with a brilliant smile.

Before it got out of hand again, Prime rapped his knuckles on the table lightly. The humans who were listening and watching with their own delight including a rep or reps from every habitat on world didn't say anything. They enjoyed the banter as they waited to find out who the new guy was. "Attend, children."

"At last we know the answer to the age old question of 'who's your daddy?'," Ratchet said before he was made to walk outside and come back in to start over.

Moments later …

"This is Commander Steiner of Iacon who is my brother," Lissie said to giant applause as she introduced the big mech. "He is my hero and he was with us when we overthrew the Quintessans. He was a demolition expert and a stealth operative. He is like the rest of us exempt and a member of the Immortals. There are five of us at this table now. It must be a record," she said as she sat happily.

"That's you and Delphi, Hardie. Then Hercy, Lissie and Steiner," Wheeljack said. "Impressive."

:I agree. Would you like to be a part of the Platoon show and tell us about who and what the Immortals are and did?: Leonora Huttle said as she sat in a chair next to Olivia Bowers on the table top. They were waiting to speak with Turbine about a Temple thing after the show and were put on the table top to wait and enjoy the fun by him. Turbine was nothing if not about a good sharing.

"What's Platoon?" Steiner asked.

"I'll tell you later, Stein," Hardie said with a grin. "I will ask around and get back to you, Leonora," Hardie said.

:Thank you, General: Leonora said.

"Ahem."

Everyone glanced at Prime, then grinned.

"Are we going to discuss item three?" Ironhide asked as he remembered the last time Prime tried to get them back on track.

"We can," Prime said as he sat back with a grin. "I like that item as well."

Huge laughter, then Prowl cracked the whip. "General Steiner, could you please fill the children here in on the situation as you found it on your travels."

"Yeah, fill us in, Dad," Springer said with a grin.

Steiner smirked at him, then turned to Prime. "We have been mapping the dispersal area most considered likely by The People during the Great Exodus. We've been all over the Empire from the Rifts to the Rim to the area in between. Coming this way, we caught your signal and decided to come in. That's how we got the little migration.

"We saw a battle group flying swiftly toward a series of stars and free floating planets, exo planets that were some distance away. They had to have known we were there but they kept going. Its our experience that given the Decepticons have tightened their grip and are policing their held territory that were will be more and more freebooters who are squeezed out of their usual territories. They can keep going and be long gone from Cybertron and the Empire or they can come this way."

"What sorts of groups have you seen, Uncle Steiner?" Ironhide asked.

"Big and small, mixed military and civilian, some with other aliens among them," Steiner said. "They aren't big, most of them but a smart ruthless individual could probably cobble together a good force to go marauding together. Given that we probably saw Shrike limping away from the slagging you gave him and that he never forgets or forgives … I suspect he will be back again.

"As for the refugees out there and their sometimes pretty good colonies … we have made good estimations that there are about 200,000,000 million or so of our people scattered around the outlying Empire. Give or take a few million."

"Oh frag," Blackjack said.

Steiner grinned. "It's okay, 'Jack. We made maps."

 **HUGE** laughter.

=0=TBC 12-7-18 To my Andrew who was a true blue friend. **edited 12-22-18**


	540. Chapter 540

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 540)

I have to use this =0= with my new writing program because if I use this -0- it automatically causes my strike through feature to drawn a line through it. SIGH!

=0=After the meetings

They walked out, Steiner and Lissie who would be heading for the Central Labor Hall where she had classes for officers including Ironhide for two joors. Steiner glanced at the others with a grin. "That was a fun meeting. Prowl hasn't changed in the important ways."

"No, he's still a good girl," Ratchet said with a smile. "We need you to come by tonight and meet the mob. And by the way, Prowl wants to tie one on. We usually end up in jail so if you want to go into the system, come with."

"Lissie told me about that. You're on. Give me warning. I think I saw a few friends coming here this morning. I have a lot of catching up to do," Steiner said.

"What's your assignment going to be do you think?" Raptor asked as they mosied onward.

"I'm not sure. Prime told me to take a few, then come in for a chat. I'm taking him up on it," Steiner said as they reached the other side of the street. Chatting a moment, Steiner, Lissie and Ironhide with Halo set off for class and the others went their own way.

Ratchet walked down the Metro and took a Blue Circle Line for a new building in the Big Metro District that would appear to have potential. The twins asked him to come and he hustled. Soon a Blue Line train was heading out on its much larger and longer circular route of the colony. He would get off in Retriarius and hurrying down sidewalk of the long wide main street to a huge building at the edge of town, one fought over by the big frames who were getting to be a bit envious of the amenities of the non sentient Autobot City. Flipping a coin, Retriarius won and the new boom soon to come was his to host. He was jazzed. The other seven cities were claiming the building themselves by proximity but it was his shining embellishment to crow about.

The slagger.

The Blue Line tooled onward and when it reached the Retro-Metro as some wag suggested for Retriarius, number 3 to be specific, he hopped off and hustled up the stairs. Outside, the big city gleamed in the sunlight as mechs and the occasional femme went about their business. Traffic was brisk and so were heavily laden trucks this early in the morning. Walking past two parked before a department store making deliveries, he crossed a new plaza at the border between the "Eight Ball" as the eight metro-titan cityscape was referred to (not to their faces) and the rest of the world beyond them. It was broad, held spaces for sitting, fountains for beauty and art pieces from the colony, some replicating famous ones from Cybertron.

The building was huge, a massive rectangle with clear steel windows soaring up a good 300 feet. Huge doors opened into it so he entered and paused in the marble tiled foyer that ran the length of the building. A long counter stood before doors that led into well lit rooms beyond. They were places where crowds would be streamed inside in an orderly manner with the numerous breaks in the counter space that linked up with the doors.

Comming the twins, he then walked to the middle one, entering through one of the turnstile type entries, then crossing the pathway into the huge room. Inside, it was an arena. There was tiered seating going up 300 feet, a giant four sided monitor that hung from the ceiling to show this and that to viewers and filling the floor space was a court. It was an over sized basketball court with hoops at both ends. Standing in the middle bouncing big basketballs, the twins grinned at Ratchet. They skated over and handed Ratchet a ball. "Hit the hoop, Ada," Sideswipe said with a smirk. "That one down there."

Ratchet looked at the hoop, did complex equations, then threw the ball. It went through the hoop without a swish.

The twins stared at the hoop, then Ratchet, then the hoop. "Frag." -both of them

Moments later in a brand new concession area …

They stood around a small but tall table that was designed to for dining without chairs. Eating some of the game food that was being tested by those coming in to look things over, they noshed on hot dogs and beer. Ratchet smirked. "They got this finished. I told Prime he had to be on a team if they built this. I suppose you are as well?"

"Slag, yeah," Sideswipe said as Sunstreaker nodded. "They're working out the rules now. It's going to be fast and brutal. My kind of game. If they would invent one more we would be triple threats."

"And you aren't now?" Ratchet asked. "Do they have teams, names, schedules? Stuff?"

"They do. We're on the Kaon team. They won't tell us the name but they're signing up players. The schedule is going to start in a few orns but they won't announce it until things are ironed out. Everyone knows. The teams are filled up already. They might play two seasons a year to handle all of it. Most of the Kavaliers are on our team."

"Hugh-E?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"He's a defensive player. We're still working out the positions and rules. The plays and that sort of slag," Sunstreaker said. "Kaon will win. Another world championship."

"What about Cybertron?" Ratchet asked.

"We're going to let them watch a year, then check for interest. We're the Martian Adult Basketball League and the University is going to organize teams as well. College and professional. When they get rugby and soccer worked out, I may go pro all the way," Sideswipe said with a grin.

"I better get medical here. If footie is anything to compare with this, then we're going to need it," Ratchet said with a laugh.

"No doubt," Sunstreaker said with a grin.

"The humans are going to be stoked," Ratchet said.

"I don't know anyone who won't be," Sideswipe replied.

=0=Corridor of Power, The Fortress

"What is this rumor I hear about you joining a basketball team when the arena opens up?"

Prime glanced up at Prowl, then sat back. "What rumor?" he lied.

Prowl fixed him with The Look. "You are the spark and soul of our people and your integrity and dignity are beyond reproach. I heard the rumor."

"Well," Prime said throwing up his hands. "Rumors, Prowl."

Prowl nodded, then turned to go. "I thought so."

Prime watched him leave, then grinned behind a deeply, heavily firewalled firewall. / … rumors, Prowl … sometimes they're true … / With a grin, he continued onward leading his people down the Primrose Path to Glory.

Off court and on.

=0=In the Autobot City Sports Arena outside of the Eight Ball

Password sat in with Domino who would be heading up the basketball league that would be announced shortly. There would be eight teams and they would represent eight city-states that had been sports power houses on Cybertron. Kaon, Iacon, Vos, Tarn, Helex, Polyhex, Altihex, Simfur of all places and Not Praxus.

No, Not Praxus.

After much debate, they decided on different team names for those already represented in football. They would be Kaon Kowboys, Iacon Ions, Vos Volcanoes, Tarn Tramplers, Helex Hurricanes, Polyhex Prancers, Altihex Altitudes, Simfur Sensations and Not Praxus. By the time they got to the names they were into their second keg of beer. They thought the names had verve and style. What the people thought would be another thing.

"Those names are sort of rhymey. I wonder what Prowl will think when there's no Praxus to stack with ringers?" Kamlin of Tarn, the coach for Tarn's newest team said as he ate another hamburger with his fifth beer to 'stay sober'.

"Who cares?" -consensus opinion

"We can post the team rosters when we sober up. Muric is still working them out. There's a rumor that Prime is going to be on the Iacon team. I would pay shanix large to see that," Password said as he got more food and beer.

"Yep." -consensus opinion.

"Do we all agree on the rules?" -Domino, being the President of the League

"Yep." -everyone therefore

"Good. Deal the cards, boys. We have to sober up, review all of this for drunken lunacy, then get ready to tell the worlds. I think we got this finished ahead of schedule," Password said with a grin.

"Fifteen orns ahead. We must do this with booze from now one," Domino said as he began to deal the cards. The Hourly News would have a new sports story in about three joors.

=0=Three joors later on The Hourly News …

"And in for sports and weather, Combo of Velocitron. I heard a rumor, Combo. Maybe you can straighten this out for us about a new sport and teams for adult and college play here on world," Aleph said who knew the truth and sat back to enjoy the fun.

"Thank you, Aleph. Today, the new arena in the city of Retriarius is nearly ready to host a new professional league sport here on world with the option of it becoming available on Cybertron after this inaugural season," Combo began.

=0=Listening around the planet as well as Earth and the Empire, galoots included in the sequestered areas of Decepticon occupation in the Prime's territory …

Prowl glanced up, then gave a small space to the news. Maybe Praxus would field a team of whatever this was as well.

Raptor and Family paused to listen.

Ratchet and Family paused to listen, Ratchet with a grin as he kicked back at Club Hoyle with the Twins.

Prime's Family paused in their studies long enough to listen. Oh boy. A new sport.

Humans on and off world turned to the screens and radios around them to listen to a new Cybertronian sport, including the profane boys and girls of N.E.S.T. HQ.

 **FUCKING A!**

Combo continued. "The sport being inaugurated here will be a Cybertronian version of the human game called basketball. The arena in Retriarius will be housing three professional sized basketball courts for multiple games and would hold 100,000 individuals for each. The teams have been announced and they are as follows … Kaon Kowboys, Vos Volcanoes, Simfur Sensations, Tarn Terrors, Helex Hurricanes, Iacon Invaders, Polyhex Panthers and Altihex Attitudes." Combo grinned. "I was informed by an insider that the names were adjusted before announcement given that some of them were created so under the influence of too much beer at lunch.

"The rules have been developed and will be announced in three orns due to the training of referees for the games is still ongoing. The schedule will begin in a decaorn and will be played three games every decaorn for 8 decaorns. Those with the most wins will face each other for the championship game. All of the games will be televised due to the lack of seating space for those who will want to come to watch. There are many rumors who is playing but they are just that, rumors. We will be carrying the games on the Sports Channel on IntraCom Two. It looks to be a very exciting way to fill the void left by our football season hiatus."

Prowl listened, then went back to work.

Prime listened, then grinned. / … hidey-ho … /

"You **do** know that Prime loves basketball. The rumors might be true," Ratchet said as he raked in the winnings.

Again.

"One can but hope. We are now going to kick your aft," Sunstreaker said.

They wouldn't. Ratchet being old and nefarious knew just that many more ways to cheat.

=0=N.E.S.T. HQ

" **OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! HOW DO WE GET TICKETS!?"**

=0=Earth 1, 2 and the Consulate

" **OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! HOW DO WE GET TICKETS!?"**

" **MERDE!** **COMMENT OBTENONS-NOUS DES BILLETS?!"**

" **COME PRENDIAMO I BIGLIETTI!?"**

=0=Sciences and The Resort

" **OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! HOW DO WE GET TICKETS!?"**

" **I HEARD A RUMOR! I HEARD THAT PRIME IS ON THE IACON TEAM!"**

 **THUD!**

"Uh, someone get some smelling salts. Lola just hit the floor."

=0=TBC 12-8-18


	541. Chapter 541

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 541)

=0=Later that afternoon in the Public Safety Tower in Metrotitan

Sky left the office where Springer and Drift were holed up working on data for their meeting report. It was quiet in the room as they mulled over the information that the forensics team had concluded in the murder investigation. There were odd energy bursts that were being picked up way down on a low band that were emanating within the colony itself. Whether they were related to the murder, it was unknown. However, Sciences and Forensics were working to track them down.

It had been a down beat afternoon given the news delivered to Prime from Earth. The Dobbs family was going to ask for an independent investigation into the murder of their son and they were going to sue Earth2 and Autobot Nation for failure to provide protection for him. A letter of intent was received by both entities that morning. It was expected rather that this would happen but it was still a stinging thing.

"What do you want to tell Prime?" Drift asked Springer who was sitting back in his chair considering the new information.

"When Sky finishes his report, we need to have him come over here and we can discuss this. Right now, we need to nip the independent investigation in the bud. I don't want a bunch of humans tramping around making this any more political than it is," Springer said.

Drift nodded. "Prowl won't like it. It's his turf."

Springer nodded, then glanced at the monitor playing the news nearby. "I suppose you're going to support the Kaon Kowboys." He grinned. "No one from Kaon can spell evidently. Quelle surprise."

Drift smirked. "Polyhex Panthers or the newest definition of loser."

Springer laughed. "I heard that Prime is going to play for Iacon. Can you imagine what the humans are going to think?"

"Imagine what Prima is going to think," Drift said as he pulled another data pad out to scrutinize.

"There **is** that," Springer said with a grin.

=0=Ops Center, Conference Room

"This letter was received this morning and is a statement of intent to file suit against both Earth2 Corporation and Autobot Nation for wrongful death. Considering that the facility of Earth2 is only leased and we're the primary owners, they're going to hold us liable in their effort," Barron said. "I've researched human law and will be putting together a response for you shortly. Often grieving families take these steps and I'm not going to comment on that part of this. The big hang up here will be over standing. Do they have standing in the courts here to pursue a suit? Given that we operate our businesses on Earth in many countries, we're also subject to their jurisdictions and legal systems. It's precedent.

"I think they will have standing in America if they file there. We would have to defend the suit or make a settlement if you believe it has merit. Or not. Sometimes a settlement is made to end these sorts of things, Optimus. It would depend upon a lot of things. We need to find out who did this and then go from there. It will have an effect on the entire process if we can prove that a human killed Dobbs and that they belong to a habitat, work for someone on the Earth who is against us and clearly shows that we didn't have a part in this," Barron said.

Prime nodded. "I agree, though I am not going to bash a grieving family. That being said, I am not going to allow the nation to be bullied into answering for a crime we did not commit. I have a meeting with Springer in the morning to go over the final report from Forensics with him and Sky. If you could be there with anyone you need to bring to address this then we can decide what response to make, if any. We do not have to respond to the letter from here? We could from Earth?"

Barron nodded. "No one from Earth has standing in our courts. We do allow humans who break the law to choose their defenders and bring them from Earth as a courtesy. That is why Earth2 brought lawyers from Earth for Johnson's trial, though they weren't allowed to speak in our courts. They had Highrode do that. Perhaps we can make a few changes to allow human legals to speak before our courts, though they don't have standing now."

Prime nodded. "Very well. I will be getting with Springer tomorrow at 0900 here. If you get Warren Roberts here and come as well then we can figure out a response and get it in the works. I am not willing to have them think that we are being devious or are indifferent to their feelings and actions."

Barron nodded, then rose. "I will be here." He walked out the door to Ops Center and was gone.

Prime stared at the door, then Prowl walked in. His wings were taut on his back, his energy was churning and he was loaded for bear. "Prowl?" he asked almost weakly as the mech walked toward him with a dark expression.

It was **1410** hours on the TMC

=0=The Hourly News at **1400** hours, TMC

"And now for sports and weather. Rascal, what is the word on the new professional adult league?" Lim-Lee asked sweetly.

Rascal, a tall youngster who loved sports and wrote columns, did broadcasts and was a liaison for the sports news world of Mars with Earth grinned. "Well, the word about teams is out for the newest professional league sport on world, Lim-Lee," he said as he turned to face the camera. "Domino, the president of the Martian Professional Basketball League released team rosters just moments ago and they provide a great deal of interest for those seeking an exciting sports diversion until football starts again. There will be eight teams for now and their rosters make for exciting reading.

"The entire football team of Kaon has signed to play for the Kaon Kowboys. No surprise there. They're a tight team and deliver the goods. Vos who now fields the Volcanoes is going to be an interesting team because the entire group is going to be Seekers. Rattler and Warlord, two sons of the Great Elder of Seekerkin himself, Rainmaker are going to play as are Sky Warp, Red Wing, Cloudburst, Wren and Thundercracker. It's notable that no Seekers play football for obvious reasons. Damage to wings can be especially gruesome in that game but in basketball there are less opportunities for those kind of debilitating injuries.

"The other teams have scores of members from football coming to play in the new league. The most surprising and interesting news is the make up of Iacon's Invaders. Given that Praxus has no team as of now in the league, its interesting that most of the players for Iacon's team are Praxians. The roster as of now consists of Blackjack, Hard Drive, Raptor and Ironhide of Praxus along with Chromia of Kaon, Elita, Jetta, Ultra Magnus and Arcee of Iacon. The lists aren't final yet so there may be new additions or not. However, the big take away from this announcement is the addition of Optimus Prime on the roster of Iacon's Invaders."

That's when Prowl of Praxus listening nearby with half an audial blew his mind.

Rascal continued. "Some of the other teams are notable for their players as well. It would appear that some of our greatest warriors, our titanic frames will be playing for Simfur's Sensations. They include but are not limited to Typhoon, Metroplex and Accutus." Rascal grinned. "To counterbalance that, the team list for Tarn's Terrors have players that live up amply to their name. "It would appear that Grimlock of Simfur, Omega and Xantium Supreme will be playing for that town.

"I don't know about you but I'm **REALLY** looking forward to basketball at the Sports Arena in Retriarius in ten orns. I'll be posting the team listings on the Community Bulletin Board. We're going to take a break for a moment, then come back to discuss the developing story with a couple of basketball sportscasters from ESPN on Earth. The rules are just as fascinating as the team line ups."

The broadcast cut to the Board and Prowl cut to the conference room.

Inside …

"You must be out of your processor. **YOU'RE A PRIME!"**

"Now, Prowl ..."

" **YOU ARE THE DIGNITY OF THE NATION PERSONIFIED!"**

"Prowl ..."

" **YOU ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF PRIMUS AND YOU BEAR THE MATRIX!"**

"Pro-"

" **YOU … YOU ARE THE … THE PRIME!"**

"P-"

" **SINCERELY! YOU ARE THE *PRIME*!"**

It was fortunate that the walls were soundproof.

=0=Around the merry-go-round …

" **WHAT THE FRAG!? OLD MECH IS GOING TO PLAY BASKETBALL!? IN FRONT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND SPECTATORS!?"**

Pause.

"I think I need a new hat."

"You're certifiable, Ratchet," Lee-Lee said with a big laugh.

=0=Elsewhere …

"You may have to play against Grimlock, Hardie. You're not a spring chicken anymore."

"Thank you, Delph, for the vote of confidence." (grin)

(grin) "Don't mention it. I have to get new team gear." [Pause] "Don't let little mech get hurt."

"I won't. I will however let him be as big a spectacle as he wants to be. How will he ever grow and learn?"

"There is that, Hardie. What about the cow? Team mascot?"

[Pause]

"Which one?"

 **HUGE** laughter.

=0=Conference room

" **GRIMLOCK IS A PLAYER!"**

"I know and I do not fear him."

" **GRIMLOCK! GRIMLOCK WHO BREATHES FIRE!"**

"I am impervious to flames."

" **GRIMLOCK! THAT *FRAGGER*! I *HATE* DINOBOTS!"**

Prime watched him vent with a grin. Prowl had a lot of cute moods, he thought, even as he prepared to duck his fists.

=0=Sportscaster chat on The Hourly News

"You have your world leader, the leader of an empire playing for a team?" an ESPN sportscaster asked with incredulity. "No one on Earth who is a leader of a nation would do that. They would need traction after the first play."

"Optimus Prime plays basketball and has for some time. He likes it a lot and his accuracy I was told is phenomenal," Rascal said. "Let's take a look at the positions of play and the new rules. Of course, we changed things up a bit to suit our types and tastes, just so you know," he said with a grin at the screen where several sportscasters sat staring back at him. "We have three forwards and one is the center. Then we have two defensive players and a goalie."

There was a slight pause, then Dan Patrick leaned forward. "A goalie? In basketball?"

Rascal nodded with a grin. "There will be a goalie near the hoop whose entire job is to stay inside a marked off area and prevent baskets."

"Damn. I want to come. Continue," another said. "This is getting more brilliant by the moment."

Rascal laughed, then continued. "There will be two refs on the court and one at each end. You have to dribble the ball when you move and if you don't you get penalized for traveling. That's standard for the game on Earth. Your scores are five points per score, anywhere from 3 to 30 points for infractions and-"

"What sort of infractions, Rascal?" Dan Patrick asked. "Fighting? Punching?"

"No. Those are allowed," Rascal said as he perused the data pad in his hands.

"I want to be on your broadcast team. I'll work for free," Daniel Patrick said as the others clambered to join.

=0=Conference room

He stared at the data pad with teams listed, nearly sweaty browed with concentration. He reminded Prime of a thwarted mad scientist trying to find out why his plans for world domination failed. Given that Praxus didn't have a dog in this fight, he probably was. As it was, Prowl read through the lists muttering darkly about the names posted on it.

Prime didn't mind. Prowl was sitting on his lap as he did.

All was right in his world.

=0=School

They watched the news during their once a decaorn class current affairs session. They would watch, discuss the events and know something about the doings and goings on in their fair dominion. When the names were read for some of the new teams it was nearly bedlam. Four kids had genitors and other family on teams. Five of them were Sunspot, T-Bar, Reflector, Co-D and Rambler.

Reflector turned to them and smiled. **"DO THEY NEED TEAM COACHES, DO YOU THINK!?"**

" **I DON'T KNOW! I'LL ASK THEM! KAON HAS A TEAM, TOO!"** Sunspot said nearly swooning with surprise.

" **YOU CAN BE TEAM COACHES FOR THEM! T-BAR,** **REFLECTOR** **AND ME CAN BE TEAM COACHES FOR IACON!"** Spirit said with almost too much delight.

Terradive who was marveling over an all Seeker team glanced at the kids with a smile. "Well, I think that just about sums things up."

Then he laughed long and loud.

=0=TBC 12-10-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	542. Chapter 542

The Diego Diaries: Ballin' (dd6 542)

=0=Earth2

"Did you see The Hourly News?"

"I did. Optimus is going to play basketball for Iacon."

"Can you imagine? I can't imagine any of ours doing the same thing. Teresa May for tiddlywinks? Some of the younger leaders, Macron or Troudeau could probably play a mean game of tennis but this? Not likely. I can't see it."

"Nope. Me either. I'm going to find a way to go if its the last thing I do."

"You and me both."

=0=Elsewhere

Ratchet walked down a country lane in Unidad toward the water features that were up and running. The landscape was completely changed with green as far as the human optic could see. There were fallow fields in the far distance, their dark brown soil waiting its turn as it slowly became fertile again. Much of the area that wasn't under cultivation was planted with different kinds of grass and other plants which would be helpful in maintaining breathable atmospheres in contained habitats as well as helping with soil. It was warm, peaceful and the air smelled good.

He had come in and spoken to everyone, met some newbies who had come out of order of the last bunch which was expected soon, bringing the worker bees to 2,500 and their families, etc to 8,483. Most of those had their own careers that were given up for this opportunity. Even though at least one of each these couples were on the job here as a direct hire, there were literally hundreds of spouses and significant others that had skills and abilities as well. Many of them were assisting things, 'hiring on' as workers in the different businesses and 'government services' side of things but most were relaxing and getting into the swim of things. The social life here was coming together in a good way and the idea of a downtown to center their existence around was genius. It made things cohesive.

The lake was smooth and placid in the mid afternoon light, a lightly blue enormity that was clear and clean. Soon he was told that fish would be introduced and studied, several kinds along with different species that were lake dwellers. They would be fed as were nearly all of the 'wild' animals who lived here. Ducks flew in and landed on the lake, their beauty ever welcome to Ratchet. After all, his own son's fall back position when cornered was 'quack'.

He grinned. He would have to bring the shorties here eventually.

In the distance covering a curving rise of land were the beginnings of vines for a vineyard. Beyond them was a nascent orchard of young fruit trees reaching upward toward the light. They were many and represented a great deal of the fruit bearing species of Earth. Beyond them as the road curved ever onward were sprinklers spreading water over a vast area of fenced in green. Their whoop-whoop-whoop sound and the sparkling of water drops flung wide was mesmerizing.

He turned to look onward, following the now paved and lined road as it wound onward. It lead to alfalfa and corn fields followed by fallow land. If one continued and he did, one would see vegetables planted with monitors set at intervals to film their growth for a time lapse image. There was no need for a scarecrow he noted because the birds were mostly song and water fowl. Hummingbirds lived here and he was glad. There was just something about watching hummingbirds.

And cardinals. Them, too.

He passed the pump station, a secured building that held the system of purification and water dispersal for the facility. Then he continued onward walking along the country road that lead in a long round about path back to the massive facility in the distance. Milepost markers told how far he was from there. It was a good thing for the humans and their little vehicles to know.

He saw the pastures in the distance which would be used to rotate the cows and horses so that they wouldn't eat the grass down to nothingness. More animals were coming, sheep, goats and more mules. He had seen the requisition orders and knew they would pass muster. Llamas, a few alpacas and other more exotic animals were confirmed as well as peacocks, turkeys and chickens. Everyone of the birds would free range near their barns which were next to the dairy. All in all, the place was shaping up.

As he wondered, Ratchet mused on Ironhide's second sparklinghood. The slagger and his family hadn't told him about this. Apparently, Prime had been a mover and shaker about a basketball venue and when it came to fruition he had a chat with the family and personally recruited his teammates with vows of secrecy. Now they were the Iacon Invaders with a decent chance to win. It was thrilling that an Iaconian home boy would be able to cheer for a team with hope to excel but that it was with mostly Praxians was hard to take.

:Ratchet:

:What, slagger?:

:Where are you?:

:Milepost 62 at Unidad:

:Oh. When are you getting done there?:

:I don't know, Ironhide. Why? You have **another** team to join that you didn't tell me about?:

[Pause]

:Uh, no:

:Good. Why are you calling?:

[Pause]

:I miss ya?:

Ratchet grinned. He was crawling already. :Okay:

[Pause]

:I have a meeting tonight and I thought we'd order in and have dinner that way. Okay?:

[Pause]

:Are you going to get it?:

:I can. I will. See ya. Ironhide out:

Ratchet snickered, then transformed. He drove onward passing fields under cultivation, individuals out there who waved and he whooped his siren back, then inward he went. Driving in the light and lightly comical traffic of the downtown, Ratchet turned off and drove to the doors. They opened and he waited, then drove out. He would be back in The City in no time.

=0=Ops Center, command table

Prowl stared at the rosters of the teams that were announced and considered the pros and cons of the players. Some of them were huge and others weren't. He was parsing down the chances of the new Iacon team when Ratchet pulled up a chair and sat. Glancing up, he frowned lightly. "Hi, teamie."

"Frag that, Praxian. Why is most of the team made up of them?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"Maybe Iacon has decided they want good players as opposed to Iaconian players," Prowl said with a slight smirk.

"Frag that. So … has Optimus said something about working late tonight?" Ratchet asked as he put his big old peds on the chair next to him.

"He has things to do," Prowl said as he sat back.

"So does Ironhide. Want to bet that everyone on that roster has 'things to do'?"

"No," Prowl said.

"You do know what this makes us now, right?" Ratchet asked with a straight face.

Prowl stared at him, then folded his arms over his chest in unconscious self protection. "No."

"WAGS."

Prowl stared at him for almost too long. "WAGS?"

"Yes. Wives and girlfriends of athletes."

Prowl sat back and relaxed. "WAGS. Last time I checked I was mech. You on the other hand …"

Ratchet laughed. Then he leaned forward a bit. "Well … what about BAGS?"

"BAGS," Prowl replied.

"Bonds and guys of athletes."

It was quiet and amusing a moment, then Prowl sat closer leaning in slightly. "I am no ones BAG or WAG. Just so you know."

"Its a thing on Earth. Being a WAG is the pinnacle for some," Ratchet said. "We can have our own teevee show, "BAGS of Autobot City. I already told Leonora and she's getting the permissions together. All you have to do is swan around, be bitchy and fight when you're drunk. I think you have that mastered."

Prowl grinned slightly. "You lie. I know. I can always tell."

Ratchet leaned closer. "How?"

Prowl leaned toward him again. "Your lips are moving."

Ratchet laughed loudly as the door nearby opened and Prime walked out. He got applause from the shift on duty and a thumbs up from Ratchet. He sat down and grinned. "What are we talking about?"

"BAGS and WAGS. Also, we're going to be famous on our teevee show while you boys play ball," Ratchet said.

Prime who did a swift search of the internet grinned as he sat back to relax. "I think that would be amazing. Nothing like showing the humans our real private selves."

Prowl stared at Prime like he'd lost him mind. "Change places with me. You're too close to him and its rubbing off."

Huge laughter.

"Have they announced the game schedule yet?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl frowned. "They have."

"And?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Our first game is against Tarn," Prime said with a ghost of a grin on his handsome face.

Ratchet guffawed, then leaned in slightly. "Then the first game is against Grimlock."

"It would appear so," Prime said with a chuckle.

Prowl was fuming too much to agree but he nodded his helm vigorously.

=0=Around Diego

Smokey walked his beat with Jolt. He was assigned here for the duration when he wasn't soldiering. Both as a Watch mech and a soldier, he was stationed here. If he dared admit it, he could have sworn that his Amma had made it so. Devcon didn't. This was Smokescreen the Elder all the way. They plodded along grumping together. "Its fragged that we can't be there to watch the first games of the new league," he said as Jolt nodded.

"I know. I don't think teevee is going to do this justice," Jolt said. "I know that Optimus loves basketball and he even played a little. But this is going to be epic."

"Optimus Prime played basketball?" Smokey asked with surprise.

"He played HORSE and one or two player short games," Jolt said.

"HORSE?" Smokey asked.

"Yeah. You have shots on the basket against other players with each taking their turn. Each shot you made earned you one of the letters of the word and whoever reached it first, the whole word, won. If you messed up, you lost. The shots are set, varied and get hard fast," Jolt said.

"Maybe we can do the same. I wanted on a team but they were filled before anyone really knew," Smokey said as they passed through the dock area of the base.

They would chat along the way with the humans who asked about the new game. They had no more information about how it would be played than anyone else. The hardest part to cipher was the idea of a goalie.

=0=That evening

Ratchet walked in to see Ironhide and the big boys getting things out for dinner. He helped herd the 'cats' into their chairs and laid plates down for all them before taking one himself. It was bright and cheery in the room as they ate and discussed their orns. When things were winding down, Ironhide rose and grinned. "I have to go do something. I'll be back shortly."

Everyone stared at him as he pushed in his chair and walked toward the door. He left and it closed behind him. Ratchet stared at the door, then the cow and dog standing beside him looking up hopefully. He grinned. "You're a cute little slagger, Robby. You, too, Spot and Cousin."

"Where him going, Ada?" Orion asked.

"I think your old pa is going somewhere to practice basketball," Ratchet said. **"WHO WANTS DESSERT!?"**

All of them would.

=0=Warehouse in the Industrial Park City, near a depot that was often times empty of its usual wares

They drove in, the members of Prime's team, then transformed. It was top secret where they were and what they were doing. Once they gathered, Prime pulled basketballs out of his carry hold and tossed them to the playahs surrounding him. Spinning a basketball on his index digit, he grinned. "Shall we get down to it?"

The others smirked. Elita and Jetta, Arcee and Magnus, Ironhide, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Raptor and Chromia with an also grinning Maelstrom parking his aft on a crate to watch moved out into the huge space with a basketball hoop at each end. "Let's play ball," Magnus said as he took a ball into his big big hands.

They did.

Just as they had been doing for some time.

Under Prime's expert tutelage.

The slagger.

=0=TBC 12-11-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	543. Chapter 543

The Diego Diaries: Reel (dd6 543)

=0=The Next Morning in Ops Center

"And that's about it. Until we nail down these strange energy signatures here we won't be able to give you more than that," Springer said as Sky nodded.

"We're working through a number of sensors to calibrate this to the point of location. It's our tech but its slightly different," Sky said. "We'll get the frequency soon enough and then we can track backward to the ones who have it. Someone on world has our tech."

"The murderers," Ratchet mused. "I wonder how much of a true believer they are that they might fall on their sword rather than talk."

"We shall see," Optimus said grimly. "Thank you, gentlemen. Please keep us apprised."

"Will do," Springer said as he, Drift and Sky rose and walked out to go back to work.

It was silent as Prime rose and walked out to take a call from Earth. Ratchet watched him, then grinned. "I was thinking … about our youtube channel, Autobot Nation ..."

"No."

Ratchet smirked at Prowl who smirked at him. "Fragger. I was thinking of making funny videos once a week or so to add to the ones already there. We can call it Prime Stuff."

"And what would that be?" Prowl asked as he sat back and folded his arms over his rather nice chassis.

So Ratchet told him.

=0=Noonish

They sat at The Diner On The Corner waiting for their food and drinks to come, the usual crowd and all of the family. There was a low buzz as Magnus, Arcee, Springer and Drift walked in to sit and order. Stirring his tea, Ratchet glanced up as a youngster from the Food Institute walked in with a box and handed it to him. "Why thank you, infant."

He grinned, then walked out as Ratchet made a show of opening the box. He grinned, pulled out a red box with an odd shape to examine it.

"What's that?" Ironhide asked as he received his lunch plate from the waiter.

"Oh?" Ratchet mused. "Something I saw on Youtube. Something that I sort of wondered if Rampage could make."

"What is it?" Lon said as he grinned at Ratchet. By now everyone was glancing his way.

"Well, its supposed to be the hottest nacho chip in the world," Ratchet said as he checked over the box in his hand.

It was silent, then Sandstorm leaned forward. "Can I see it?"

Ratchet glanced at him, then handed the box downward to the big mech who took it, read it, then grinned. "This is supposed to be hot enough to bring you to your knees."

"Go ahead. I dare ya," Roadbuster said.

"You don't think I would?" Sandstorm replied. Predictably.

"I don't think any of you will," Ratchet said as he pulled more boxes out. If they had done their research all of the mechs would have known that the red box they were in was coffin shaped. But they didn't so they didn't.

Like that.

"If you eat one, I'll eat one," Roadbuster said.

Sandstorm gazed at him levelly, then the box. "Why just you and me? Who else wants to join in? The more, the merrier."

The mechs around the room glanced at each other, then sat back to consider the challenge.

Ratchet grinned. "None of you have the sand. None of you would do this because you don't have the sand."

"I'll do it," Drift said with a grin. He glanced at Springer. "How about you? It's a nacho."

"A red hot nacho," Springer replied.

"Wuss," Roadbuster said. "The Boss isn't a wuss. What about you, Springer?"

Springer frowned slightly. "I'm the boss."

"You are. Wuss," Drift replied to great laughter.

"I had a few made for Christmas Surprise presents," Ratchet said as he faked counting the boxes in the big box in front of him. "I have … with that one," he said nodding toward Sandstorm, "ten boxes. Who among you handsome daredevils wants to eat one of these things?"

It was silent as the mechs shifted in their chairs, none of them wanting to be wusses. Then Raptor snickered. "I will. I also nominate Blackjack and the infant."

Ironhide and Raptor glanced sharply at Raptor. **"** **WHAT!?"**

"You two slaggers aren't going to crap out on me are ya?" Raptor asked with a smirk.

They stared at him, their uncertainty showing clearly on their faces. "If you do it, how hard can it be?" Blackjack asked his father.

Ironhide glanced at Blackjack, then his grandfather. "Uh, yeah. How hard?"

Ratchet who was listening with one audial as he worked on his lunch grinned slightly. "At least Raptor has the bearings. Drift, too."

Everyone stared at Ratchet, then each other. They felt the con but no one wanted to be the one who didn't play. One by one, they began to agree. By the time ten mechs had committed under social pressure, Ratchet glanced around. "Well, I was going to use this as presents but since you asked to do this I'm going to film it for the youtube channel."

"So we're going to be famous? Is that what you're saying?" Smokey asked as he lounged beside his smirking amma and appa.

"You mean you aren't already?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

Smokey grinned, then shot a cool optic at Hot Rod nearby. "I'll do it. Some of us have the bearings."

Hot Rod frowned, then sat back in his chair. "Count me in."

"When do we do this and where?" Drift asked.

"How about after we finish here? I asked IntraCom to do this for me just now. They owe me," Ratchet asked with a large and dazzling smile.

Hercy and Kup who knew a con when they saw one glanced at the others. They were going to regret this both knew. However, being slaggers themselves, they watched with straight faces as the marks took the bait. They should have known better both thought but they never learned.

The lunch continued, then Ratchet stood. "Are you done?" he asked picking up his box filled with coffin shaped nacho packages. "I'm heading over."

The mechs stared at him, then each other. Almost as one, the entire room including a mesmerized Prowl and a smirking Prime rose to follow. It would take a bit of time to get there but they would enter the huge building, walk to a studio where Jazz, Mirage and Blaster were waiting, then pause before a long table behind which ten chairs were seated.

Drift looked at Ratchet knowing full well that he was being conned into something that was probably going to hurt but true to the male character no matter who or what you were, he wasn't going to be the one who stepped back. All of the mechs turned to Ratchet. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?" Drift said as Springer nodded.

Ratchet gave him a giant smile. "I have no idea."

Huge laughter and catcalls erupted as Ratchet steered Raptor to the table to sit. The others walked reluctantly to sit, then it became quiet. Ratchet grinned. "Here's the rules as I just made them up. You have to eat the chip at the count of three, then you can't have anything to drink for a full five minutes on the TMC. The first one who gives up is the **LOSER.** The one who can last the longest, even past five minutes is the champion. I asked IntraCom to film this for the youtube channel as a Christmas Surprise present for the Earth and everyone else. You're going to be famous. Frag that. **YOU'RE GOING TO BE CHAMPIONS! EPIC CHAMPIONS!"**

They stared at Ratchet, then snickered.

"Who doesn't understand the rules?" Ratchet asked.

No one said a word.

Ratchet set the box on a counter nearby, then pulled out the little boxes. Walking to the table, he put one in front of each of the mechs. Prime pulled a chair nearby and sat down as Prowl stood behind him with a grin on his face. Ultra Magnus and Arcee along with Jetta, Elita and the rest of the group sat or stood behind Prime to watch.

"Ratchet, when you're ready to start this we are as well," Blaster said as he stood beside the console.

Ratchet nodded, then turned to face the cameras. "Let's go now. Okay?"

Jazz sat down before the control console. "We're go in three … two … one. You're go."

"Hello, Earth, Cybertron, Mars, Razorclaw, Ominous and the rest of the galaxy. I'm Ratchet of Iacon and we're here to give you a gift for Christmas and the holidays. I had our master chef prepare copies of the hottest nacho you can find on Earth. These handsome daredevils have volunteered to eat them and abide by simple rules. They have to eat them at the same time, last for five Earth minutes without drinking, then the one who lasts the longest is the champion. They are," he said as he turned toward the table, "Raptor, Blackjack and Ironhide of Praxus, Drift of Kaon, Springer of Polyhex, Smokescreen of Praxus, Hot Rod of Nyon, Roadbuster of Tarn, Sandstorm of Altihex and Bulkhead of Iacon.

"These warriors, these **EPIC MECHS** are volunteering to give you a video of such **EPIC PROPORTIONS** that it will live on in the **ANNALS OF HISTORY!** " He smiled brilliantly. Then he turned to the group. "Open the box and take out the nacho."

They stared at Ratchet, no one moving for a moment, then Smokey opened his and pulled it out. He stared at it, a perfect nacho, turning it to look at all sides of its reasonably benign looking thing. The others took out theirs as well, then looked at Ratchet. The tension was high.

Ratchet smiled. "We have a distinguished audience watching," he said as the camera turned to the others.

Prime grinned, then waggled his fingers in a wave to the great amusement of everyone there. The camera turned back to Ratchet. He smiled instantly. "Alright. If we're ready..."

"We are," Jazz said.

"Then when I count to three, you eat it. The clock only starts when you **ALL** eat them." Ratchet grinned. "Three."

Tension and tenseness.

"Two."

The mechs leaned slightly forward.

" **ONE!** "

Ten pie holes eat ten nachos and it was quiet for a moment. Then all hell broke loose.

=0=Around

"I think that we should get our trees out of storage and put them up. Maybe we can help Sonny. They've been so busy with all the important things going on," Ravel said as he hammered gently on a knife blade.

"I think so. We need to help them with all the important things they do," Appa Ratchet said as he and the others sat on their chairs studying.

Everyone agreed together.

=0=IntraCom

 **"AAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

It took a moment for the fire to start burning and when it did ten mechs gripped the table in the enormity of the pain that was building in their mouths. Raptor stood up and bellowed, hopping on his feet as the explosion in his mouth took over his senses.

Roadbuster stood up beside him, then punched Raptor in the gut. Raptor turned and blindly slugged Roadie who didn't feel it so intense was the inferno in his mouth.

Ironhide was beating on the table before getting up to hop around the room. He yelled and flailed, his arms windmilling in the air as he ran in circles.

Drift had stood, then ran backwards into the wall before running forward to run into Springer who was shivering in place, his servos over his mouth as he groaned loudly.

Smokey jumped up as his chair fell backward and gripped Hot Rod's arm. He was jumping in place as he howled. Hot Rod turned to him blindly, pawing at the air as he tried to find some reason to live.

Sandstorm was gripping the table beating his helm on it as Bulkhead stood up, gripping at whatever he could find. Then he began to beat on his own helm with his own fists.

Everyone else who was watching the show howled with laughter at the sight. Ratchet who knew it would hurt was surprised at the intensity as he kept his sensors on the ten. He glanced at Prime who was bent over in the chair howling with laughter while Magnus watched with a dazed expression and a slight grin on his face. He glanced at Ratchet. "You aren't going to put this on the channel are you?"

"This is gold, Magnus," Ratchet said as the table was tipped over by the stampede of the mechs in no particular direction.

It was.

=0=TBC 12-13-18 **edited 12-25-18**

I saw this on youtube.

The World's Hottest Nacho: Carolina Reaper Madness Chip by Paqui

Considered by many as the world's spiciest tortilla chip, each is seasoned with real Carolina Reaper—Guinness World Record holder for the hottest chili—and dusted with ghost pepper and chipotle flavoring for an extra kick.

The heat index for these chilis is amazing. The Carolina Reaper has a heat index of 2,200,000 schoville units.

The usual cures don't work to shut it off. You need citrus, limes, lemons and grapefruit to break up the oil and shut it down. They only sell them one to a package. :D

Pepper spray has the same heat index and the types police use are two times hotter. 2-5+million schoville units.


	544. Chapter 544

The Diego Diaries: Nacho (dd6 544)

=0= **Gah!**

" **Ah-guh!"** Raptor felt along a wall looking for somewhere safe from the blow torch in his mouth. Nearby, rolling on the floor was his son, Blackjack. Standing over him trying to suppress a belly laugh, Hard Drive watched his grandson flail.

Turbine who was sitting nearby laughing loudly called to him. "Is he going to live?"

Hardie grinned at his grandson-in-law. "I think that's what he fears."

Huge laughter from the punters. Prime was bent over in his chair bracing himself from falling altogether with his servo on the floor as Prowl leaned against the wall convulsed in laughter.

Springer was a caution.

Springer was standing in the middle of the room hunched over and ringing his servos in agony. Drift was behind him feeling wildly in the air as he lurched here and there trying to find him. He was passing Springer obliviously, the two apparently unable to see for the moment.

 **"WAH!"** Ironhide bellowed nearby. He was weaving as his Amma Delphi stood beside him ready to catch him if he fell. **"WAH! WAH-WAH! NAW!"**

Ratchet who had them all on sensors and was monitoring when to hit them with the antidote grinned. "Wah-wah will make it worse."

Prime convulsed then slid to his knee on the floor before scrambling to sit back again. When he did he threw back his helm and barrel laughed. Ratchet grinned at him as he called out the time. **"FOUR MINUTES! ONE TO GO!"**

" **ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"** -all of the participants

That was when Smokey and Hot Rod found each other in the haze. That is, their servos found each others throats.

=0=Along the wall watching in various stages of emotional dishevelment

"Oh my god," Inferno laughed. "Do I need to find a fire extinguisher?"

"I think marshmallows would do the trick," Red Alert said with a grin. The two were there to inspect the building's stairwells and do some testing. "Now we know what Grimlock feels like when he lets loose a bale."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that.

" **THIRTY SECONDS!"** -Ratchet

" **FWAG! SHOOM ME!"** -most of those still able to think

First Aid watched with intense dismay, then glanced at Bumblebee. "Good thing you didn't do something this stupid."

Bee who was laughing as loudly as everyone else glanced up at Aid. "Its only because Ratchet ran out of nachos."

Bulkhead was swaying in the middle of the room with his optics off line. He swayed this way and that moaning in pain as time seemed to stand still. Nearby crawling on his hands and knee assemblies, Sandstorm groped his way to who knew where. Blackjack who was making snow angels on the floor couldn't see the highly laughing figure of his amma standing over him.

" **FIVE MINUTES UP! WHO WANTS TO CONTIN** **U** **E!?"** -Ratchet

" **ARGAGHAHIRHWIEORMOASIDHEUFNERLMKDF!"** -everyone

Ratchet pulled several vials out of subspace, then walked to each mech. Squeezing the contents into each mech's mouth, he stepped back to watch. It was almost instantaneous, the relief. Everyone stopped their pitiful caterwauling and crawling, skittering, shaking, shivering and whatever the frag Raptor was doing, then turned toward Ratchet who gave them a dazzler.

Turning to the camera, he smiled again. "That takes care of that. See ya next week here on the channel, Autobot Natio-" That was how far he got before everyone in the room jumped his sorry aft.

Cut.

=0=Moments later

Ratchet stared through the window of The Pit Stop where the punters had all gathered after they punted him across the room. They were gathered inside, everyone of the ten sorry aft 'social media sensations' and their howling entourage. Rubbing his helm where a nearly lethal level of noogies had been laid down, he pressed his face against the window, splaying his servos on the glass as he gave them his pitiful face.

By the time half the food they ordered was thrown against the glass, Ratchet had retreated to the doorway. Entering, he stopped before them as they turned to him and the place got quiet. Quiet, that is, but for the constant chuckle coming out of Optimus and the smirks had by everyone who didn't eat a nacho. Ratchet frowned. "You ungrateful slaggers. You didn't **have** to eat the slagging nacho. No, you didn't but you did. Why? Because none of you have the bearings not to. You didn't want to be a wuss."

"Frag you, Ada," Springer said as he saluted Ratchet with a beer. He grinned. "Sit down. Next to me."

Ratchet laughed, then pulled a chair to sit at a table by himself.

The waiter came over and handed him a menu. "I heard that the mechs ate that nacho I was telling you about. They were dumb enough to do that?" he asked, an older mech whose grandsons owned the place and had him straw boss.

"That's right, Indigo. Dumb is the operative word. Do you think its possible that they really don't know who I am?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile. "After all this time, they walk right in."

Indigo nodded as he grinned at the mechs. "You slaggers … don't you **know him by now**?"

"I think we're being insulted," Drift said with a grin. "Old Ma is a gangster and he gave us a nacho style Valentine's Day Massacre yet somehow its our fault."

"It is," Indigo said as he took Ratchet's order.

"It is," Prime said as he wiped his optics with a napkin. "When are you lot **ever** going to learn?"

"So you take **his** side do you?" Blackjack asked with a smirk. "How many bearings do **you** have? I didn't see **you** out there getting torched."

"You won't. **He's** not a fool," Prowl said proudly. He squeezed Prime's servo. "This mech knows his enemies."

Ratchet who was lounging in his chair with a beer and his peds up on another laughed. "That's me," he said with a dazzling smile. "Touche, slaggers. You're going to be famous. That video will get more views on Youtube than any other. Trust me. People are going to want your autographs."

"What do we use to sign them? Our torched stumps? I still don't think I can feel my digits," Blackjack said as Alor patted him.

"There, there, 'Jack. You should have known better. This is Ratchet we're talking about after all," Alor said with a grin.

Everyone looked at Ratchet. Ratchet smiled a dazzler back at all of them. He would still sit alone while he ate.

=0=Around the beat that night

"That was the worst thing I ever did to myself," Springer said. "I think sucking on a plasma stick wouldn't have hurt that much."

Drift chuckled. "I think so. That's going on Youtube and the local channels. Prepare to be laughed at loudly."

Springer snickered. "Ada is a maniac. You did notice how smooth he snared everyone of us. No one was going to wuss out. Next time you see me doing that, hit me with something hard."

"The same applies to me." Drift grinned. "I thought I was going to have to stick a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger. I think that would have hurt less than the nacho."

"I agree," Springer said as he listened to a call. They were galloping with the usual suspects toward the Industrial Parks. "We have a squeal at the Energon Administration Building. Some kids are duking it out there." He turned off the road and turned up the speed. They galloped onward to try and corral a mini-con sports club mixing it up with another and they would have as much luck with that as ever.

Slagging mini-cons.

=0=Home that night

"How's your cute little pie hole?"

"Don't try The Sexy with me. My mouth feels like the aft end of a Seeker jet."

Ratchet sat down and handed one of the root beer floats in his servo to Ironhide. They sipped them, then Ironhide grinned. "It **is** cute," he said. He glanced at his nemesis bond. "You got ten of the worst slaggers to eat a toxic nacho. You have voodoo, old mech."

"It wasn't voodoo. It was peer pressure. If I did it right, everyone would join who didn't have the sand to say no," Ratchet said. "On the other hand, some of you got volunteered."

Ironhide grinned. "I owe Appa one. I have to figure it out but its coming."

Ratchet grinned, then watched as the little kids came out, Orion, Praxus and Prowler dragging his favorite dollie. They paused in front of the old folks. "What are you doing up?"

"You doing?" Orion asked as he pointed to their glasses.

"We are. How about you going to bed?" Ratchet asked.

"You better. Ada might give you a nacho," Ironhide said with a smirk.

Ratchet put his glass down, then herded them to the berth room. When he did Ironhide pulled a packet out of his subspace. He slipped it into Ratchet's drink, then sat back all sly and like. He chuckled internally, then watched as Ratchet came back out and sat. He picked up his drink and started to sip when Hero walked out.

"What is everyone doing, Ada? Is Halo going to sleep with me tonight?" she asked.

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "Your turn."

Ironhide put his glass down, then picked up Hero to walk into the berth room. He would pick up Halo and tuck them both into Hero's berth. By the time he got back to sit and drink his root beer float, he would be a pretty satisfied slagger. That would remain until the middle of the night when he would go to the wash rack and purge his tanks. Ratchet on the other servo, having switched their drinks while he helped the femmes would recharge like a baby.

=0=The next morning

Ironhide sipped on his tea with a grumpy expression. Ratchet rattled pots and pans getting food prepared for everyone. He glanced at Ironhide. "What was with you last night? You were up and down over and over."

" **LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW!"** Ironhide said, startling all the kids when he did. They paused their food to stare at him. He glanced at them, then forced a grin. "Nothing."

They stared at him, then each other, then began to eat. Orion turned to Ratchet. **"ADA! WHY, ATAR!?"**

"Atar had a hard time sleeping last night," Ratchet said as he set down more heaping plates. "He's a poor loser."

:You're a slagger:

Ratchet smiled broadly at him. :You knew it going in:

Ironhide smirked in spite of himself. "True that. I **will** get my revenge."

Ratchet grinned. "I count on it."

=0=Staff meeting

They came in and sat down to wait for a smirking Prowl and a chuckling Prime to join them from Ops Center. It was quiet a moment as they waited. Ratchet checked social media, then grinned. "Our video has reached 22,000,000 view and counting. Its being shared all over the place."

It would be. It would eventually hit over 10 billion views, doubling the number of the highest viewed YouTube video of all time. Prime walked in and sat. He grinned at the mechs sitting around the room, then looked at Rainmaker who had seen the video along with everyone else there. "I do not think I have stopped laughing since yesterday."

"Well, you would. **WUSS**!" -everyone there

"Ah, you little babies," Prowl said.

"Babies? Here," Springer said as he slid a nacho box down the table toward Prowl. "I had Rampage make me another one."

It was silent a moment, then Prowl grinned slightly. "All in favor of Ratchet doing the Autobot City Nacho Challenge, raise your servo-"

Ratchet had already cleared the door and was gone.

=0=TBC 12-14-18 edited 12-15-18

Thank you, Leoness. I feel better today. It was sort of hit and run. :D:D **HUGS TO EVERYONE!**

Factoids about peppers of this caliber:

Milk and other dairy products don't stop the flames. They even enhance them. Use grapefruit, lemons, limes to kill the fire. The citrus juice breaks up the oils where the flames burn and end the pain. Everyone on Youtube who drinks milk to kill this hasn't done their research.

Compare the hottest chili known on Earth, (not the ghost chili but), the Carolina Reaper with the ones most commonly used on the heat index of the Scoville chart: (A man named Scoville made the chart after figuring out how to measure their heat and each shows their heat possibilities in scoville units or SU):

jalapenos: 5,000-15,000 SU

banana peppers: 0 to 500 SU

cayenne: 30,000-50,000 SU

sweet bell peppers (all three colors): 0 SU

Carolina Reapers: 2,200,000 SU

It is no wonder that those who work with high end peppers have to wear environmental suits, gloves and respirators when handling them otherwise you would end up in the hospital. :D

Have fruit juice handy when you eat these things. Its the only thing that works. :D

ESL: dishevel, dishevelment: being messed up, looking messy


	545. Chapter 545

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 545)

=0=Prime's Office, The Fortress

They sat on the big comfortable couch in Prime's amazing office going over things that were stacking up. The coffee table in front of them was covered in work which Prowl was discussing for scheduling and time lines.

"So far, the deadline for Crader is past. The Pantheon?" Prowl asked. "Anything?"

Prime shook his helm. "Nothing. My sentencing is going to prevail. We have to schedule the final stages of his trial for as soon as possible."

Prowl nodded and made a note. "There is the business of Stormy and Denita. Then there's the Stunticons and … I'll get with Barron."

"Good. Just tell me when and where and if nothing is burning at the time I will be there," Optimus replied.

"The refugee flow is coming along very well. We have assimilated 5.5 million new refugees from Omega Base so far. Dai Atlas sent us a preliminary map of the search area he's conducting that shows 6.3 million possible refugees that will need evacuation," Prowl said as he consulted his data pad.

"What is our population on world now?" Prime asked as he sat back to consider the situation.

"We have 36,000,000 population give or take a few. Right now, Crater District 1 is coming to full capacity and Crater District 2 which is nearing completion has about 15% occupation," Prowl replied.

"That sounds better than I expected. What about the other five construction sites? How are they doing?" Prime asked as he keyed on the map of the colony which burst into light. It was vast, beautiful, beautifully laid out in its planning and had expansion potential in the first two security zones of double what was already built or underway. It was relieving to see.

"They have all broken ground and when completed will hold nearly 60,000,000 individuals. Two of them are the focus of construction efforts right now, though all of them are laid out for upward momentum. The Industrial Cities have expanded and will continue to do so. Our ability to supply building materials and skilled workers is meeting and exceeding demand. Having the overland train systems going to the construction sites is helping with supply. The idea is to expand the train system all over the colony with above ground lines linking each urban center. That way we can alleviate traffic density and make things more efficient."

"I like trains," Prime said with a slight grin.

"Good thing we have a big apartment given that you and Rambler have built that train set up so much," Prowl said with a grin. "By the way, that nice engine he likes is one of his Christmas Surprise presents this time."

"I can not wait to see it myself," Optimus said with a grin.

The conversation would continue.

=0=Elsewhere

"Is this all the boxes?" Ratchet asked as Ironhide trudged in with the second load of boxes from Speedy Delivery and Storage Company in Terra where it was kept between uses.

He set them down on the table with the others. "It is. I'm having the tree delivered. I put it in the storage unit on its stand. I don't want to put the slagging lights on again." Ironhide opened a box, then grinned. Pulling out tiny trees, he walked to the window and set them down in a row. "There. Done."

"In your dreams, big boy," Ratchet said with a grin. He pulled things out and they began to decorate, putting up lights, placing their growing collection of decorations everywhere and fusticating around until the door bell rang. Walking to the middle door, he opened it.

In the hall holding a tree shaped package that was about 35 feet tall, a mob of mini-cons smiled together. **"YOUR WISH IS OUR COMMAND! SPEEDY DELIVERY IS HERE TO SAVE THE ORN!"**

Ratchet laughed loudly and held the door open as a mob mini-cons muscled a tree inside, pulled the wrapping off, folded it into their subspace, then turned to Ironhide and Ratchet. "Is there anything else?"

"Nope. Slagging thanks," Ironhide said.

 **"TO LIVE IS TO SERVE! SPEEDY DELIVERY SERVICE IS AT YOUR SERVICE! YOU CALL, WE COME!"** With that, the little slaggers walked out and closed the door behind them.

Ironhide and Ratchet stared at the door.

"What did we ever do to deserve mini-cons?"

"I have no idea, Ironhide." He looked at the big mech, then smiled. **"TIME TO DELIVER THE GOODS!"** With that, he walked to a box and began to pull out ornaments. They would spend over a joor placing them 'just so', then the lights that were also in there for each room, then the special dollies in Santa drag that the kids had during the season, the stockings with their name on it and the like.

Ironhide stared at the scene, then the floor. "We don't have a sock for Robby."

A hairy little red cow with big curving horns stood beside Ironhide dozing slightly.

"We can't have that. Cousin doesn't have one either. What kind of atar are you, slagger, that the fur babies don't have their own ho-ho-ho?"

"Beats me," Ironhide said as he opened his carry hold and pulled Halo out.

Ratchet walked to the door and turned off the lights. Taking the control from the table he turned on the lights of the decorations. It was beautiful.

Halo stared at the room with a startled expression on her little white Ironhide face. She glanced all around gasping with surprise, then wiggled until Ironhide put her down. She stood beside Robby who wasn't much impressed, then walked to the tree where Cousin sat staring at his own reflection in an ornament. She turned to the two with a deeply shocked and surprised expression on her cute little face. " **ADA! ATAR! WHY SHES?"** she asked in deep and almost overwhelmed surprise.

Ironhide and Ratchet stared at her with grins. "Oh frag," both of them replied together.

=0=Shortly later at The Animal Place

They walked in together, Halo sitting on Ironhide's arm while Robby the Bruce ambled along on a long leash. The store was great. There were animals in the back who were already to be claimed by someone as well as some whose pictures lined a big bulletin board. Protoforms of different animals and birds were there for viewing and the hopeful adoption of those who wanted pets. Many were the animals of Cybertron and Earth whose beauty graced that space. Those who were already chosen and retrieved from the Well were waiting for their pick ups either today or before Christmas Surprise. More choices not yet retrieved were always placed on the board, protoforms developed for sparks to be sought by those who might desire an animal companion.

The two stared at them, pointing out the two cows and four little horse protoforms that were going to be someone's little buddy some fine orn, then walked onward to look at all the cool stuff. Getting a sock for Cousin and Robby the Bruce would be a great way to avoid work in the office before disappearing into the metro to visit two new armories and hubs in the new construction. All in all, it was a great way to spend one's work orn.

=0=IntraCom

Jazz walked to the office where he worked not only for his show but as a director for IntraCom and all communications on world and the empire. He and Blaster were board members of the ruling body when not soldiering. He entered to see Mirage dozing in a chair nearby. Grinning, he put down his meal and sat. "You alive?"

Mirage shifted, then glanced at him. "Maybe."

"I checked the stats on the video on Autobot Nation on YouTube. We just past 500,000,000 views. The idea of letting Cybertron see the show is genius. I heard its trending there like a wild fire. The comments are gold. 'Who ever saw a Prime laugh before? I almost don't know what to think. Is it sacrilege or what?' There's a lot of that on the page."

"I don't remember ever seeing a Prime laugh before Optimus. We used to go to dinner with the rich slaggers that ran things and often Sentinel would come. I never saw him show enjoyment," Mirage said.

"I did. In the rough trade clubs and gang bars of Kaon and Tarn," Jazz said with a grin. "You needed to get out more."

"Obviously. Did you bring me lunch, too?" Mirage asked as he sat up and stretched.

"I didn't know you were here," Jazz said. "By the way, we're doing the play-by-play and color for the basketball broadcasts. Blaster and me are on it. Why don't you do floor interviews?"

"No thanks. I don't want to get hit by flying bottles," Mirage said as he rose to walk to the door. "I'll be right back with lunch." He walked out and was gone.

Jazz grinned. "Wuss," he said as he began to eat.

=0=At the Sports Arena of Autobot City in the City of Retriarius, the '8 Ball' District

They rolled onto the middle court and paused at the center circle. It was so vast, the game floor that it would take a very long time for a human to jog all the way from one end to the other. The baskets themselves were able to be raised or lowered but would be set at 50 feet off the ground. They were huge, the hoops. The floors looked like they were liquid gold as they drove slowly across its smooth and highly polished surface. The stands went up enormously high and would hold an enormous number of spectators. The wall around the court was set high so it would take a concerted effort to land a player in the audience.

:This is amazing: Gavin Pritchard said as he sat on the segway that was being driven by Bobby Epps. With them were Will Lennox and Niall Graham, Corey McFarlane and Trevor Smith. All of them were off duty and had headed here to see the greatness before the storm. :I'm going to have to be on my deathbed before I miss this:

:You and me both: Niall Graham replied. They stopped in center court. :I think I'm going to be an Iacon home boy:

:The first game, the inaugural ones will be Iacon versus Tarn, Polyhex versus Altihex and Vos versus Kaon. No matter what, I want to see that one. The Vos team will be Seekers. I heard that the Elder and his sons are on the team: Trevor said as he looked up to a roof that went up 300 feet. It gave him vertigo to do so.

:Grimlock is playing for Tarn. I thought he'd play for Simfur because that's his home town: Niall said.

They considered that a moment. :Prime versus Grimlock. I know which one I'm attending: -everyone but Trevor

:That will be awesome. I heard that Jazz and Blaster are going to have a long pregame show with the M.C.A. sportscaster pool to explain the rules and how this works. Prime is going to play. I can't get over that: Corey McFarlane said. :My dad is bringing his brothers here to watch it at the Tower. He wants to get in on the ground floor of something new:

:You and me both: Lennox said as he pointed to the corridor that led to the locker rooms. :The balls are over there. Drive, Epps:

Bobby drove the vehicle across the floor and past the walls that bordered the court. In a huge wire bin nearby, gigantic basketballs were gathered. They were huge, bigger than the tallest among them. They stared at the round balls, then each other. :I can't wait: Epps whispered.

Everyone nodded silently.

=0=Omega Base

They stood in lines expectant and excited, weary and anxious as they snaked slowly forward to enter into a building where two big bridges worked full time to take in measured numbers of refugees for a new life on Mars. They had been sorted, tagged for their time to leave, then shown all the videos and informational devices that told of their new life to help with future shock at arrival.

The camp was vast but enormous numbers were already gone. Dai Atlas and his crews were getting ready to evacuate an entire sector of colonies for transport here. Their own bridges were going to facilitate that both by ship and foot traffic. It was a well ordered machine as legions of workers came here from Mars to work their shifts, then head back home while others took their places. It was the fastest, smoothest and most efficient way to do this that could be arranged. They had sent 12,000,000 refugees through since organizing with Prime. It kept the camps in trim and allowed them to go through the crowds to find those who were either in need of medical and psychological attention or a jail cell. It would continue into the foreseeable future until everyone was found and retrieved. No one expected that to end any time soon.

=0=TBC 12-15-18 **edited 12-25-18**

ESL: fusticating, fustication: an old slang word for fussing around. Doing things anxiously. (Fuss-tih-cay-shun)


	546. Chapter 546

The Diego Diaries: Moving onward to the Ho-Ho-Ho and Hoops (dd6 546)

=0=Earth 2 Public Works

Three young men who were walking to work at City Hall noted that Doxie, one of the mechs who worked in the Public Works Department as a millwright was pulling off the caps that were covers for holes placed in the middle of the intersections of all roads by design. Walking into the street to look downward, Lyle, Mike and Tim who were engineers glanced up at the ten foot tall mini-con with a great bond and a little son who was the apple of his optic. "What are you doing, Doxie?" Lyle asked.

"Pulling the caps for those," he said as he glanced down the street.

Rounding the corner, three mini-cons from the main warehouse in town were carrying a 35 foot tall fully decorated Christmas tree toward them. Moving out of the way as two small cabs coming the other direction on the street slowed to a stop behind them, they watched the mechs turn the tree, then gently lower it into the hole. It was huge, had amazing details for authenticity and was fully lit and ornamented. At the top, a lighted figure of Earth was placed. When it went into the hole, it slotted into power and became lighted.

It was beautiful.

"Wow," Lyle said as the others nodded. "That's really great."

Doxie grinned. "That's the first one. We have eight more to go on the downtown and the rest of the decorations for the facility. If you want a tree of your own, go to the Community Bulletin Board and sign up. You can choose the decorations you want and Specialty Fabrication: Miniatures and Decorations will make it for you. Our policy on world is to leave them up until the end of January so that they can be enjoyed. Everyone likes them."

"That's amazing," Mike said with a grin.

Down the road another tree was coming so he moved on to take off another cap for it. He would have a trio of humans following along. By the time they reached the last capped hole, there were public works mechs driving all around the facility to hang up lights, decorations, wreaths and other Christmas cheer. It was going onward everywhere else in the human community on world.

=0=At a meeting in the Resort's big conference room

They had gathered, the individuals in each of the human habitats that organized such things to plan for a party on Christmas Eve that would host everyone on world at Unidad. The idea of a dinner was set aside given that the community at Unidad would be over 11,000 individuals itself. There were 2,540 hired workers, their 8,000+ family and significant others at Unidad who worked and lived there. They were expecting about 2,100 more family for the holidays.

By the time everyone was counted there would be about 15-16,000 individuals who would come to Unidad for the fun. Dinner was out of the question for now. Each of the habitats would be holding their own dinners before arriving for the dancing, comradery and festivities at Unidad. Right now, they had to get things organized.

"Well, here we go," Judy Fulton said as she glanced at the group sitting around the big table. "What we're going to need for this is transport. I will tell you that the transit system which goes to each of the habitats underground as part of the overall metro lines is going to be open and running system wide for the party and we can use it to arrive at Unidad to make this doable. All of us have that system under our habitats but the only ones open full time are Sciences and N.E.S.T. Eventually I was told they will make them accessible to all of us so that we can use them for daily transport. The bots are going to have transit officers available to help us use them for the party so we won't get messed up. The trains will be programmed to come to Unidad and nowhere else.

"As for the party, Carly is going to tell us about the arrangements and what she wants each of us to bring," Judy said as she sat back.

The next two hours would yield a plan where thousands of humans would come to dance and have fun. There would be a DJ who would manage the music. The different habitats would bring a portion of the drinks planned as well as their part of the hors d'oerves that would be available. Children would have a place to go to play with a nursery for infants to be cared for. All of those present troubleshot their part of the plan which would begin after dinner at 1700 on the TMC and go on into the morning hours. Given that they could use the train system to their own doors on the way back as well, the trouble of getting around was taken care of.

The socialites from Earth2 would be on it.

=0=Steiner and Lissie about the same time that morning

They sat on the train heading toward Autobot City to speak with Optimus about a position that he wanted Steiner to undertake. They were going to be instructors, the two of them for the army officer corps as well as specialist operations. The trains were between rush hours so they were alone as they sped along. Lissie grinned. "If you decide to do this, Steiner, we'll be stationed here. Its so nice to have you. Are you going to be looking into your own place?" she finally asked.

"Not if you don't mind having me," Steiner said as she wrapped her arms around his own big solid one.

"I would love that. Its so nice to see you again, Stein. Its been so long," Lissie said with a smile. "You can stay with me as long as you want."

He squeezed her servo. "I'd like to have a place to stay put. We spent so long traveling that I'd like to sit somewhere for a while."

Lissie squeezed his arm. "Scout and Trooper want us to come over for dinner tonight. They want to teach you a game called poker. Its the rage around here."

"Sounds great," Steiner said as they rose at their stop to get off. Walking out servo in servo, Lissie and Steiner of Iacon, two of the smartest and toughest soldiers in the senior ranks of Optimus Prime headed for the street and an acceptance by Steiner to be overall director of all Special Operations for Optimus Prime. They disappeared into the early afternoon crowds as a horse drawn wagon clip clopped by, bells jingling.

=0=School

"That's good, Praxus. You have a good talent for this," Tolie-2 said as he fastened a metallic hook on the ornament that Praxus had just finished making for his home tree. It was red, covered in silver glitter and had a tiny tree he had painted himself on it.

Praxus smiled. "I did this one."

"You sure did, baby," Tolie said with a grin.

"I can make it for Ada. Ada will like it. Ada likes my things," he said with a big smile. "I hanged it on the tree. Then Spot can see it."

"Your dog likes the ornaments?" Tolie asked.

"He does. So does Cousin." Praxus followed Tolie to the rack where the ornaments were placed to finish drying. "My cat loves them. My cow does. He likes them."

"You have a cow, I heard. Your family has cows." Tolie sat down to chat with the sweet little boy who was undergoing an assessment without knowing he was.

"We like cows. My atar is a cowboy. My appas cowboys. We like cows. I want a horse. Can you tell my ada?" Praxus asked hopefully.

Tolie laughed. "I can try," he said as he picked up the baby. "Come on, infant. Let's go see what you can read for me." They walked out to the main room to find a book for Praxus to read to him. He would. It would be amazing how articulate he would read. The bigger surprise was how clearly he understood what he had read.

=0=Pioneer School, Metrotitan

They stood on the counter, two tiny twigs watching as the room aide, Bron-E stirred the ingredients that she had them measure. Ferri and Hero watched and chatted with her as the other students worked their way around the different stations they were using because it was 'fun day'. They would make cookies, paint and read books at the different set ups as a reward for all their hard work.

"I like cookies," Ferri said with a smile as she stood on the counter holding Hero's servo.

Hero nodded. "I do, too. My ada lets me make them. Does yours, Ferri?"

"He does. He does the stirring but I get to put the chips on the top when they're done. I get to put candy and stuff on top. Does your ada do it that way, Hero?" Ferri asked.

Bron-E grinned at them as they chatted together waiting for her to finish mixing. They would help her put the dough on a sheet before it went into the classroom oven. Soon the place would smell wonderful and when it was ready to eat the cookies, three different groups would have made their cookie choices and everyone would share.

It would be high times in the Pioneer School today.

=0=Planning for parties at The Resort

The plans were finalized, then they had their catered lunch. It was good to have things figured out for this, the largest human party on world in the history of the human community. Mariah glanced at Judy. "How many can be hosted for a party at Unidad? Do you know?"

"The facility can handle over 25,000 safely for these kinds of get togethers. When they expand it then that will probably double or triple," Judy replied.

"Expand it?" Mariah asked as the women from Earth 1 and 2 turned to listen.

"They plan to expand it to handle between 70,000 to 100,000 workers. The land around it, over 2,000 square miles is planned development area for the facility," Judy Fulton said. "The majority of it will be enclosed for agriculture but the buildings themselves will be added to by either titan colonial ships or more dreadnoughts. Its up to the committee to decide when and with who."

"I'm wondering when they might consider Earth2 for expansion. We're sitting on a lot of expansion area ourselves," Mariah said as the others nodded.

"I don't know. Have you petitioned Jetta? He's the access point for any construction in the colony. Right now, they're preparing for major expansion in the craters to handle new found refugee colonies they have to move. I heard that they confirmed 75,000,000 Cybertronians out there that they can verify. The Knights are going to be bringing them to Oasis Base starting with the most endangered and those farthest out," Judy Fulton said.

"I'll let Owen know. He wants to expand the Farm," Mariah said.

"Well, Jetta heads the Public Works department and Colonial Planning Commission. He's the first step for someone who wants to build something," Judy Witwicky said. "Jetta is a good son. He built this place and he's a great guy."

"I'll let Owen know," Mariah said as they finished their lunch.

The last group of humans walked out to head back for their habitats. As they did, Judy texted Jetta.

To: Jetta

From: Judy-Judy-Judy

Hi, handsome. We just finished our lunch. I mentioned that Unidad might expand. Mariah Harris-Davis has habitat envy. Just thought you might want to know. They want more farm land apparently. Thanks for opening the trains for the party. You're a good son, sweetie. -Judy W

Jetta read the message, then grinned. He wrote back …

To: Rampaging Judy-Judy-Judy

From: Jetta You Betta

Thanks for the tip off. Habitat envy, eh? Ha-ha-ha! I'll let Optimus know. Springer is going to have mechs from the Watch there to help anyone coming and going by trains. Enjoy! -Jetta

=0=Prowl

He read the message from Jetta, then glanced at Prime. "Earth2 feels inadequate about Unidad. They might be wanting to petition for expansion. Apparently, they want more farmland."

"I have no problem with more land. But for now, I think it might be fun to let them stew," Prime said.

Prowl nodded. "I wonder how the party will go? That's a lot of people coming."

Prime nodded. "Too bad we were not invited."

Prowl snickered. "Yeah. Too bad."

"There's always Christmas Surprise. Maybe you can go there and Santa Prime the kids," Prime said as he rose to walk to his office. He had Possibility in his arms as he did.

Prowl grinned as he watched him leave, then dropped an email to Blondi.

To: Blondi at cityhall

From: Prowl at Ops Center, your overall boss, remember?

Concerning the expansion of the Santa Prime program, I am asking to be excluded from this golden opportunity because I'm essential equipment. Just so you know. – Prowl, your overall boss

=0=Blondi

She grinned when she saw the email, then dropped one to Prime.

To: Optimus Prime

From: Blondi at city-hall

I received an email from Prowl asking to be included in the expanded Santa Prime program but I wanted to check with you first. He as we all know is 'essential equipment' and thereby finds it hard to do his civic duty to the depth that I know he wants. Therefore, I'm asking you to allow it somehow for Prowl to affirm his great and abiding love for all of us by being one of the newest Santa Primes for Christmas Surprise. Thank you, Optimus Prime, my real overall boss. -Blondi, affirming the goodness in everyone.

Prime read it including the attachment with Prowl's email then laughed loudly. Then he emailed Blondi back.

To: Blondi at city-hall

From: Optimus Prime, your real lord and master :D (I really like emojis)

Sure. :D

Optimus Prime bowing to your every wish (I wish they had a bowing emoji) :D

Prowl wouldn't know until it was too late.

=0=TBC 12-16-18 **edited 12-20-18**


	547. Chapter 547

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho Hoops and Who? (dd6 547)

=0=In the Chapel In The Trees, Unidad Terra 1 that afternoon

She walked up to the chapel where she had three more boxes to move of newly arrived books, videos and other information that related to all of the religions and philosophies including atheism and 'non-traditional' points of view as related to Earth and her people. She was establishing a lending library for everyone here to use as they wished, filling it with everything from the I Ching to The Basics of Wicca. She was determined that all of the views of everyone possible would be honored and supported. She had five boxes already in the room which would be a library reading room downstairs in the maze of spaces that had been built for just such things.

There was a permanent room for yoga, a permanent room for a mosque as well as a permanent room for study groups and other spaces. She even started a daycare for children staffed by the enthusiastic spouses of some of the scientists. She was almost in a delirium of happiness since she had her family relocated here to be the chaplain for the human community over all. There were others who would be resources for all other points of view but she was the one who ran the chapel and helped anyone who crossed the threshold of this place. There were even two weddings scheduled here shortly, one Hindu and the other Japanese. She was stoked.

She walked into the vast beautiful chapel, then paused before her remaining boxes. Someone was sitting on a bench staring at the beauty outside. She was an older woman, wore a long red dress, a long white sweater and wore a black knit cap on her short graying red hair. She was average in height, not someone who would stand out in a crowd but there was a sense about her of great age, wisdom and kindness.

Millie didn't usually bother anyone who came here other than nodding with a smile so that they could think and do what they came for. Several Catholics came here in the morning to pray or recite the Rosary. Some came to just absorb the beauty and solitude of this place. This one appeared to be staring into the green grove of trees and bushes that were planted along the back windowed wall of the chapel. She felt compelled to walk to her and she did, sitting on a bench quietly. It felt rather sacrilege to even speak to her but she couldn't help herself.

The woman looked at her, her light blue eyes filled with kindness, love and wisdom. Millie felt it, something more to her than the usual person she met. "Hello. Welcome to the Chapel In The Trees. I'm Millie, the chaplain."

The woman grinned. "I know."

She was older, perhaps late 60's and had lines around her mouth and eyes that showed a life lived and humor shared. She wore wire rimmed glasses and no ornamentation beyond a small round medallion on a long cheap chain. It was black on one side and multi-colored on the other. It changed its striations with the light. Her hands reflected her age and her body type was neither fat nor thin. She was a very average plain appearing woman.

Millie glanced around. "When did you come to Mars? Are you a worker or dependent? I like to meet families. There's so many nice people living here and everyone is so excited."

The woman nodded. "I know. It's how it's supposed to be. I'm not a resident here." She grinned, then stood. "I do love this play though," she said as she walked down the aisle to the main one, then walked forward to the simple stone altar in the front.

Millie turned in her seat to watch her, this strange figure and as she did the woman reached the altar. Then she vanished. Millie stared at the empty space where a woman had stood then rose slowly. She felt her heart pounding in her ears as she walked out from her aisle and toward the spot where a woman had been but wasn't now. Nothing about the space was strange or out of sorts but Millie was. Turning hesitantly, she looked back then ran for the door and her segway parked in the little parking lot outside. She hopped on and buzzed swiftly toward the city nearby.

=0=Moments later

A handsome man stepped out of a search and rescue vehicle, one who was tall, lanky like an athlete and who had fire engine red hair. A tiny Autobrand marked his right cheekbone on his nearly impossibly handsome face as he walked toward a cab stand at the edge of the parking lot. He called for one and when it came hopped into the tiny white convertible and away Ratchet of Iacon in pretender gear sped for the City Hall.

=0=In Carly Brooks-Spencer's office at City Hall moments later

Ratchet lounged in a comfortable chair as he listened to Chaplain Millie talk about an apparition that had appeared in the chapel, been suitably enigmatic, then vanished into thin air. She was calmer than she was earlier but her fear wasn't of the apparition but the idea that some new syndrome had just raised its helm before the world.

"And that's why I'm sort of … emotional about this, Doctor. I wonder if I'm having some sort of new form of Autobot City Syndrome happening here. I don't have problems with spirits. Its rather what my work centers around, the idea of the spirit continuing with grace. However … this was so real and I've never had an experience like this so I came here to report it. Maybe we discovered something new we all need to think about and watch for."

Millie stared at Ratchet hopefully as he considered the information before him. "You've never seen this woman before, not here or on Earth?"

"No," Millie said.

"I ran a computer check on everyone who is here including those coming for the holidays through personnel and the visitors identification databases and though we have older women here those few don't look at all like her," Carly said.

"Then we have to think about two paths. If it is a new syndrome then we can deal with it through mental health. Even though we aren't organic, we're very skilled at helping those who have these kind of problems. The other path is simpler. We might consider that the apparition was just that, a spirit sighting of some kind. We ourselves have that happen to us often. We're energetic beings with more experience than you and we can read energy. Mama Fig is clairvoyant and can see things that no one else can that are actually all around us.

"She told me that Ron Witwicky has a dog from when he was a child with him all the time in a spirit form. I don't know if she told him that but she told me when she mentioned a few ghosts around town. Some can see them. Do you have that ability? All humans do but most don't use or know how to use it," Ratchet asked.

"No. I've never had this kind of experience before. I've felt spiritual presences before but never did I see one. This one was so real I knew that I could touch her and she would be solid," Millie said.

Ratchet nodded. "Ratchet to Prowl."

"Prowl here, Loon. What are you doing at Unidad? You have to be at Diego for the data that I needed yesterday," Prowl's voice said over Carly's speaker phone.

Everyone grinned at each other.

"Prowler, everyone can hear you."

It was silent a moment, then the voice was back. "This is Prowl. I don't know who that other person was on my line. How may I help you, Doctor Ratchet?"

Carly and Ratchet laughed as Millie grinned, relaxing at last in her chair.

"Well, Prowler, we have a problem here. We either found a new syndrome which I don't favor or we have a ghost at Unidad. I need a seer. Can we get one brought over here from Cybertron? I think the Temple has a listing of their Guild membership thus far recovered," Ratchet said.

"They do. I'll send for one. Stay there and nail this down. I want a report, Ratchet," Prowl said. "Oh and this is news blacked out until we figure it out. Carly? Millie? Understood?"

"Understood." -Millie and Carley

"Roger and wilco that, Prowler," Ratchet said.

There was a pause, then a sigh could be heard. "You're never going to be normal are you?"

Ratchet snickered. "Would you have it any other way?"

"Is that rhetorical? Prowl out."

Ratchet grinned at the two women. "He loves me."

=0=At Ops Center, the Bridge Room

Prowl waited as a bridge swirled. Out of it walked an elder, one with the many markings, prayers and poems of protection that all seers wore. The tiny decal of their guild was on his shoulder and he was as wise and calm looking a figure as Prowl had ever seen among their kind. That was normal and usual.

Chevron walked forward and bowed. "Hello, Obsidian. Thank you for coming. We have a need in a habitat for our humans."

Obsidian bowed, then nodded. "I am here to serve. There may be no more information given to me until I request it, Lord Chevron. That is the path before us."

Chevron nodded. "I know. This is Commander Prowl, sub commander of Lord Optimus and his bond."

Obsidian bowed. "Greetings. Please give my warm regards to your bond, Commander. I hope some fine orn to meet him but it would appear that he's on Cybertron today."

Prowl nodded. No one would know where Prime was especially if on Cybertron. His schedule for security purposes was never publicly released. Only the Ops Center was privy to that information. Ops Center and apparently seers. "Welcome, Master. We are in need of your services. If you could follow me."

He did.

=0=At that hatch doors of Unidad Terra 1

Humans who had seen them walked to the doorway to watch as Prowl and another mech drove in and parked. After a moment, they both flashed to life as humans. Prowl was his usual self, extremely handsome, tailored and professional. The other was more casual and looked intense. He was older, white haired and he was looking all around himself as he clenched and unclenched his hands.

Ratchet grinned, then turned to the women. "Carly and Millie are in need of help and reassurance, I think. This is not normal among humans and they want to know if there is anything they need to do or if there is someone's soul in need here."

Prowl nodded, then turned to the man with him. "This is Obsidian. He is a master seer from Simfur who is an elder in the Seer Guild. He is here to find out what this means and help us figure this out. Master, the space is yours."

Obsidian nodded. {Shall we go to the place where the interaction occurred?}

"We need to go to the place where the event happened," Prowl said as he translated the NeoCybex.

Millie nodded, then pointed to a pick up truck with seating in the back. "I'll take you there, gentlemen."

They walked to the truck, climbed in and away they went. Going with them were a number of humans who had seen them come in. Others would be taking selfies beside and in front of the search and rescue vehicle and the patrol car that were parked in the motor pool for social media.

=0=Arena

They walked through the building going over every corner of it, testing the monitors that hung over the middle of the court to allow close up viewing for the punters, all of the sound systems, the admission system out front and the equipment for the game. The new employees of the Autobot City Sports Arena at Retriades were on it like ugly on an ape as someone's appa somewhere always said.

Maybe.

Jazz and Blaster along with Mirage and Revet were there to do a joor show with the M.C.A. sportscasters about the game and its rules, changes from human versions of basketball and other perversions of the sport. They walked to a camera set up at mid court in the middle arena floor where they sat down in chairs to discuss with the humans on a big monitor nearby what it all would mean.

Hap who was a senior director of special events for IntraCom was running the broadcast, then did the countdown. "Three … two … one … you are live."

Jazz smiled. "Hello, humans. This is Jazz, Mirage, Blaster and Revet of Autobot City here to discuss with you the upcoming marvel we call Cybertronian basketball. How are ya doing there, boys and girls?"

A panel waved and smiled. " **JAZZ! Everyone! Hi**. We're so stoked to do this broadcast. We are going to be carrying the games here at the M.C.A. for worldwide broadcast so we need to know what's going to happen. I will say that if basketball is as great as football is, then I may apply to immigrate to Mars," Morley Diamond said with a grin.

"We'd be pleased to have ya," Blaster said with a chuckle. "I can understand your interest. We've taken the game and given it our own little twist. We have ball games like this on Cybertron but they don't get played this way. Some of them are lethal if you know what I mean. This one is strictly a ripoff of Earth and your game unlike Cybertronian football which is our own game and rules."

"What is the game going to be like, boys?" Morley asked as the human panel settled back to be highly entertained.

They would be.

=0=Chapel In The Trees

They stood by the door as the seer walked into the room. He spread his arms wide as if to capture something and he was. He was using his abilities to detect any energy presences that were out of the ordinary or unusual. He walked slowly forward glancing all around himself, then he paused. He dropped his arms and raised his hands, holding them palms outward. He closed his optics as if to listen blindly.

It was tense. Very, very tense.

=0=Basketball broadcast

"Then Tarn and Iacon are facing in the first series of games. That means … be still my beating heart … Grimlock and Optimus Prime are on opposing teams," a woman said, Laurie Parnell.

"Yes. Isn't that great?" Revet said with a smile.

"Will Grimlock be allowed to breathe fire?" Laurie asked.

"No. But Grim is sort of … unconventional," Mirage said with a smirk.

" **IF HE BLOWS FIRE I'LL PERSONALLY BEAT HIM WITH A HAMMER!"** Revet interjected. **"WE ARE *NOT* SAVAGES!"**

Blaster grinned at him. "Tell that to Grim."

=0=In an apartment in the Hangar District

"Heh-heh-heh … consider it told," Grimlock said softly as he watched the broadcast.

=0=In a ship flying to the northern city-states of Cybertron

Watching a screen of the panel discussion on the M.C.A., a ship full of smirking mechs and Optimus Prime heard Revet and Blaster. Hercy glanced at Optimus who was smirking slightly himself. "Do we consider you told as well, Prime?"

Optimus Prime, basketball aficionado and all around competitive Tyrannosaurus Rex grinned. "I think you can, Hercy."

 **HUGE** laughter.

=0=TBC 12-17-18 **edited 12-20-18**

Ghosts are canon in TF's. Starscream can't die because his spark is immortal somehow. He was in a highly entertaining ep called Starscream's Ghost. :D


	548. Chapter 548

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho, Hoops and Ghosts, Oh My! (dd6 548) { } NeoCybex

=0=Chapel In The Trees, Unidad Terra 1

He held his palms out as if waiting for something to come to him. It was deeply quiet in the beautiful place as the humans stared at the bots. Everyone in the human group was watching the seer and nothing about him or his purpose seemed off beat to the bots with them. Given their science proclivities, it didn't bother them in the least that they were relying on a soothsayer or a medium-like person to look for a 'ghost'. It was strange to see.

And somehow not.

The seer lowered his hands, then turned slowly in a circle, his eyes closed as he concentrated very deeply. He walked toward Prowl, then down the aisle where the apparition if it was one had sat. Pausing there, he sat himself and bowed his helm in concentration. After a moment, he glanced at Prowl. {I feel the presence of a very, very ancient energy, Commander. Something as old as one can imagine. I do not feel its malevolent in any capacity but I do feel it belongs here, that its always been here and always will be. Its fainter now, as if it doesn't want me to know much about them yet. But it has a very strong and loving presence.}

{Then there's no danger to be expected?} Prowl asked.

He shook his helm. {No. I am at a loss to quantify what and who this is. It's something that means no harm. In fact, its just the opposite. It feels nothing but love, unconditional love for All That Is. I have never felt a presence this strong and it feels expansive, like it fills this solar system.}

Prowl nodded. {Is there anything you can tell us definitively? Anything that it might want? Does it need help or is it just here in a peaceful manner?}

{I don't feel that it requires anything. I do believe it is peaceful and there is no harm intended. I would just let it go. Nothing will be harmed here if you just let it go.} Obsidian stood, then walked to the aisle once more. He stared at the window beyond. {I think its happy to see this place here like this. Happy to see it green. I don't have more. Its shading itself from too much discovery.}

Prowl nodded. {Thank you, Master. May we call upon you again when we need you?}

He nodded, then glanced at the windows. {I feel … good here.}

Prowl glanced at Chevron who walked to the seer. {Master, would you please join me for refreshment? I would like to have your opinions about things on Cybertron.}

He grinned. {That would be wonderful. I would like to see the relics if I may.}

{It would be my honor} Chevron said as he led the big mech out of the building to go to The City.

Everyone watched him go, then turned to Prowl and Ratchet. They were having a conversation off line, then they looked at the small crowd of tense individuals. Prowl looked at Chaplain Millie. "The seer said that there is an ancient energy here, one that is extremely old. It isn't malevolent nor does it seem anything but loving. He said there is no worry. We will keep him in the files in case more is required but so far all is well here. The energy is pleased with the view outside."

Everyone glanced that way, then Millie sighed with relief. "I'm glad. I suppose living on another world that we have to accept that things won't be the way they are back home. I just didn't know what to make of this. I didn't want someone who needed help to miss the boat just because I was in the dark here."

Prowl nodded. "All is well."

"You use seers? It seems out of step with your usual space age science lifestyle," Sam Witwicky said. He had followed the group and joined them when the seer was standing at the altar. "Surprises every day."

"You don't know the half of it, junior," Ratchet said with a smile. "If all is well here …?"

"What do I do if I see it again? We spoke, sort of," Millie asked.

"Speak back," Ratchet said. "Remember, they were once people like you and me. Mostly. Well, maybe not me. I sort of broke the mold." He smiled a dazzler.

Prowl smirked then glanced at the humans. "He's due back at the mental hospital before sundown."

They laughed, chatted, then the two walked out to head back to the grind. The humans watched them go, then glanced at each other. "Tell us about it, Millie," Sam asked.

"It was a woman, a normal older woman with graying red short hair and a nice smile. She didn't say much … just sat and enjoyed the place, then walked to the altar and vanished," Millie said. "I thought it might be a new form of Autobot City Syndrome but apparently we have ghosts."

"Just what we need. I will tell you, if the bots aren't worried don't worry either," Sam said as they chatted together.

=0=Earth

She swept the floor and dumped the dirt into a container for it in the corner of the warehouse. It was mid afternoon and she was working the other half of her split shift day. Soon she would go home and feed the critters, kick back and watch her 'stories'. She had sore feet and a sore lower back. Falling on the concrete from a slip on the ice had caused pain but it was improving. Putting her broom and dustpan back, she walked to the warehouse to straighten shelves.

She was an average looking human female, her hair was red shot through with gray and her eyes were light blue and kind. Walking to the shelves, she began to straighten them up by hand for the warehouse guys, getting them neat and orderly. She was almost obsessive-compulsive about it, keeping things straight. Nearby, a big pile of carefully stacked cardboard waited to be stuffed into her car for the recycling plant. There was something in her that drove her to do that, for both this job and the other minor one she had to make ends meet.

It was compelling to her to do this. Something about litter and garbage seemed more offensive to her than it appeared to most. She had no idea why but it did. Soon it would be time to drive home, make a small dinner and kick back. The great nephew was coming by to work on his math with her and then it was all hers for the rest of the night in her snug little house.

All was well in her world.

That she looked just like an apparition that appeared to the chaplain of the chapel in Unidad on Mars never entered her mind.

For now.

=0=Ops Center

They sat across from each other as the world whirled onward. "You might have Optimus see if he can feel ghosts here. I used to be very good at doing that until my Amma Docker told them to leave me alone," Ratchet said. "They used to hang around me. I don't know what it was. My magnetic charm perhaps?" he asked with a big smile.

Prowl snorted. "That's it." He leaned forward on his elbows. "What do you think the humans feel about us and this sort of thing?"

"Well, honestly, I think its just one more thing to envy," Ratchet said with a grin. "I'm being serious."

Prowl chuckled. "Game orn tomorrow. Tarn versus Iacon. I can't believe I'm going to have to root for Iacon."

"The city of the gods, Prowler. Its about time you joined the civilized world," Ratchet said as he stood. "How about tying one on after the game. I realize Sentinel won't be the punching bag from here on out but there's always Turmoil."

Prowl smirked at him. "There's always you."

"See ya," Ratchet said as he turned to go. He swished out.

Prowl watched him go. "I count on it," he said softly to himself before picking up the work detail and going with it.

=0=On a ship on Cybertron

Prime got the message, then glanced at Ironhide. "They had an apparition at Unidad. It happened in the chapel. It appeared to be an older human female who was sitting in the chapel enjoying it, then disappeared before the chaplain."

"They need a seer," Raptor said as the ship flew through the darkness toward the southern poles of Cybertron.

"They brought one in. Prowl says they felt the presence of a very ancient energy, one filled with love and kindness. There was little else to say other than that the energy presence belonged on Mars and always has been there. There appears to be no cause for alarm," Prime said.

"What do you feel if anything?" Drift asked with fascination.

Prime thought a moment, then shrugged. "Nothing. The Matrix doesn't alert for most things though sometimes it does especially if its about something malevolent."

Drift nodded, then made a note to go to the chapel. Something about the news compelled him. He sat back and relaxed, watching the lights of a southern air base begin to lighten the darkness outside.

=0=Later that night

"And that was that. Speaking of apparitions … are you ready to play ball tomorrow night?" Ratchet asked as he dried Sunspot off from his shower.

"I was born ready, Old Mech." Ironhide sprayed five little tots who sputtered and squeed. He grinned, then shut off the water. Picking up Hero gently, he began to pat her dry. "This is going to be fun. Prime's a slave driver. He's had us practicing and working out plays for a long time, before the arena was even half built."

"You never said a word, slagger. I suppose we have to cheer and all that slag?" Ratchet asked as Ironhide grinned. "I put the proposal to Prowl. I told him that this would make us WAGS ..."

Earlier in the Ops Center ...

"WAGS."

"What pray tell is a WAG?"

"Wife and/or girl friend of a player. Get it? WAG?"

Prowl stared at Ratchet with a cool optic. "I am neither a wife nor girl friend. I am a bond."

"Then we can be BAGS," Ratchet said before a donut landed on his face.

In the here and now …

"So … you're BAGS then?" Ironhide asked as he put Hero down and picked up a smiling Praxus.

"I know. Isn't it **GREAT!**?"

"You're certifiable, Old Mech," Ironhide said with a chuckle.

=0=Late that night at Unidad

She walked along the concourse by the windows. Outside, the usual landscape of Mars could be seen. It was dead and devoid of an easy reach for life. Somewhere down deep, the remaining life forms of Mars who could positively call themselves Martians still lived in minute and simple profusion. The bots knew that and they protected them from exploitation both of themselves and the humans. She was glad of that. She didn't like exploitation.

Pausing in the light of the tower outside, she heard footsteps behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a number of military looking men walking to their table to play cards and drink beer. She watched as they sat, then she vanished. It would take a moment for the men to notice that she had. It would take longer for them to talk themselves out of the fact that they did. It had to be a trick of the light they convinced themselves. Then they dealt the cards but there would be a slight unease in their play this evening.

=0=Morning at the Diner On The Corner, Autobot City

They lounged in the room finishing their breakfast as the night shift met the morning. Prime and his family were there along with Ratchet's. It was the first orn of weekend and the first game day of the new Cybertronian version of basketball to be played anywhere.

The humans were stoked and the clamber for interviews was over the top. No one was speaking but the interest in a head of state playing basketball on a team in front of planets full of people was unheard of. It was astonishing to the humans that he would go into harms way in riots and war. No one who headed a country on Earth would do such a thing. None of them would be on a sports team in front of their mama let alone several worlds.

It was going to be an incredibly epic orn. The book on Earth was even. Until someone saw Optimus Prime play ball, no one was going to take a serious look at the betting. When the game was over, they would.

Big time.

=0=TBC 12-18-18 **edited 12-19-18**

WAGS: what they call wives and girlfriends of athletes in Britain.

BAGS: If you call someone a bag in America its usually a cranky old woman. :}


	549. Chapter 549

The Diego Diaries: HOOPS! (dd6 549)

=0=Getting there

Prime walked out of Ops Center to go to a meet up with the team. They had decided together some time back to 'cheat' and practice, working out plays, finding each others strong suits and weaknesses as well as how the line ups would be. They practiced shooting from distances and close up, from free throw lines and the farthest end of the court. Most of the teams had been hard at it but none of them were as long in the saddle as Iacon.

It wasn't that Prime was a 'cheater'. He just loved basketball. He found it to be strategic, fast, just enough bump and grind short of warfare as well as difficult. That the league had tweaked it with their experiment with goalies of all things only made it that much more fun. He was aware also of the talk in the press about the 'dignity' of a world leader playing a game like this in front of the masses and exposing himself to the possibility of ridicule.

None of them it would seem had grown up in the slums of Iacon.

He was called The Beast in the games they played as kids and with Magnus with him, they were indomitable in the frame crushing sports that the big rough kids had made into a religion. In the few open spaces in their district, they gathered to play Cybertronian football and almost never with Jetta, Magnus, Elita, Arcee and himself on the same team did they ever lose. They often were banged up, chagrined at the level of carnage they could bring to other teams of kids but never did they experience the 'agony of defeat' to the degree others did. He even played on his union's pick up team against other industries, he and the others.

Sports he liked and tried to play when he could. He had been playing solitary games of basketball in the warehouse where he had hoops installed, taking shots and working on his ball handling. He was a beast in this game as well. When the Arena was being raised he asked those he knew the best to join him, those whose skills or ability to learn swiftly to a high degree of ability would meet the level of play he wanted to bring when the inevitable teams were formed.

Arcee and Elita along with Jetta were an easy get. So was Magnus. They were the four horsemen of the Apocalypse before and they would be now. Ironhide and his elders were a surprising but delightful addition, especially Hardie who was agile and strategic, someone who could lead the team even if he couldn't.

He was slagging determined to win.

Watching with a neutral expression his Iacon football team take it in the aft for the past few years, he was determined to get the first ever Mars Cup in basketball for his own home town. Given that Prowl was his shadow, partner in all things and dementedly determined diabolical little co-conspirator as well didn't hurt either. Prowl had spent some time running down the intel on the other teams and though they didn't reach the elegant perfection of Iacon, none of them would be easy. Putting something into a tight space with great force against great and fearsome opposition was something that the soldiers could do with only slight effort. Shooting a gun was just as precise as shooting a basket. That would play out well.

It was in the precision of team play that Prime had worked his edge. He had watched all manner of basketball from Earth and had used it to their own good. Soon, tonight, he would unfurl the best chance any Iaconian team would ever have to get a championship of their own now. Tonight, he would show to the universe what a mech from Iacon, from the ghettos and hard scrabble life therein could do.

He walked out with a light step, then transformed to jet off to the Industrial Park City where in a quiet warehouse he would meet his team for the last practice they would have before their magnificence was revealed to the waiting solar system and greater galaxy beyond.

Hopefully.

=0=Ratchet

He walked to the playground with a hold filled with kids. Sunspot and Spot were off cavorting with Bos and his family. The big kids were having the finals rounds in the dart tournament today and were at 'the club, Ada'. He had the shorties and they wanted to swing and play. So he reached the park at Metroplex and opened his hold. Out came five kids and one little cow. They ran for the swings, then he picked up Robby the Bruce and walked to a bench to sit. He was going to go to Unidad shortly and he might have the kids with him unless the elders overran him like they said they would. He could transform albeit slowly with them in the hold, ending them up in his interior where the 'boot' would be in a normal vehicle. He would. It would be easier than seeing them run screaming around to see old Dad turn into a vehicle.

They were still learning.

It would be a nice interlude chatting at the park with Metroplex.

=0=Warehouse at the Park Cities

They worked out their ball handling, then their shooting from all angles. Gathering, they planned their strategy, worked out their zone defenses, then began to play a game against each other. It would be as hard fought between them as it would be with an actual team. It would be the most fun that most of them had all decaorn, the run up to the unveiling a few joors hence. Everyone would be stoked.

=0=M.C.A. " **PRELUDE TO GREATNESS!** : The Cybertronian Basketball League of Mars Opening Games", t-minus 4 hours

It had been going on all day and the day before, the conversations among sportscasters and regular news people about the opening of the Cybertronian Basketball League's season of games. Given that Cybertronian football was the most popularly watched sporting event on Earth eclipsing even the World Cup, the idea of basketball with the bots was almost unnervingly anticipated.

That the leader of the Cybertronian world would be on a team along with most of the most famous individuals on his staff was unheard of and many were the conversations raging about it. It was half and half, actually. Many were the humans who wanted Prime to succeed but didn't know what to think about it because human politicians were such wankers. It was difficult to see any of them here doing the same thing let alone walking across a room without tripping over their big feet. Then there was the half that saw this as a gift from God, as a blessing writ large across the heavens. Of course, there was the other ten percent who wondered what was in it for Prime. Was there some political advantage? Were the others going to play less than their best to let him win because they didn't want to get into trouble if he lost? The other 45% thought that was rubbish, that he wasn't a wanker who needed adulation and he would be a T Rex on the court. 32% thought this was no problem for his dignity while -12% thought it was. Many were the politicians on Earth prepared to join gyms and do 'pick up sports' at the sandlot to improve their 'all around guy-ness' and 'relatability' if this proved to be popular. 100% of the electorate of every country on Earth minus a couple of the most repressive regimes were prepared to laugh **LOUDLY** at any politician who decided to slide into gym shorts and pretend to be an athlete. The youth vote was the only constituency who was still on the fence about the whole thing. But they loved the bots. They were **AMAZING** tech.

Like that.

It was t-minus 3.46 joors before show time.

=0=Prowl

He paced in the apartment studying a hand held device which held all of the teams and their rosters, all of the intel he had gathered, his **PROFUSE** notes to Prime about what he expected, didn't expect, hoped not to expect and prayed against for Prime's viewing leisure. It was ludicrous how tense he felt about this as he walked from one end of his living room to the other and back. His genitors fearing celinoid melt down took the kids with smirks and suppressed laughter so he could be alone and fritz.

He had nodded with a distracted air, then continued his pacing. He would continue until Ratchet arrived sans his own kids bearing a profusion of sports gear, pompoms and cheer.

The slagger.

=0=Gampies and Nanas

Venture and Miler sat at the park watching the children swing and chase around. They had taken the children due to Prowl's distraction and deeply held fear and loathing for Optimus and his latest venture into fun and games. Not having a large repertoire on that score, Prowl was seeking through research, data and the well placed algorithm any advantage he could for Optimus.

It was **HILARIOUS.**

As usual.

Prowl was **NOTHING** if not loyal.

Securing that Ratchet was coming shortly, they slipped out with the kids. They would take them to the arena to the Primal box and wait for him there. Prowl nodded but he didn't hear. He was working out the mathematics of kneecapping Grimlock at the moment.

Nearby, Ratchet's elders sat at the library reading books to the kids. They were going to take the babies to the arena and the Primal sector and meet up there with Bos, Sunspot and the rest of that branch of the family group. Ratchet would drag Prowl out of his mental collapse and meet them there. The big kids would come with Ammas and Appa. Also, everyone else that was anyone else even in a small way with The Family would be there with bells on and a hold filled with beer.

Some of them, the slaggers.

It was anyone's guess but smart money was on the humans being in their set aside area at center court already.

This game was going to be epic.

Hopefully.

=0=Pregame

Grimlock was in the locker room with his team which had practiced a lot themselves. They were huge and none of them were shrinking violets. Tarn was a formidable town, the home town of Megatron himself. It was the second largest town behind Iacon and hopefully for most of the crowd gathering in the huge arena seating which circled the court all the way to the ceiling 300 feet overhead, it would stay that way.

The sound of the crowd in all three arenas was muffled because the bots knew how to build. They talked about the game, who would do what to whom and how they had to hold their fire.

Literally.

It would be a hard game all around.

=0=Next door in the Iacon locker room

They sat around sipping 'energy drinks' aka beer as they considered the game ahead. They knew it would be filled with fights and slagging but that only made it better. None of them were small and some of them, the slighter ones like Jetta, Arcee, Elita and Hardie were deceptively tough and feisty. Prime was going over their entrance and everyone was agreed. You could only present yourself once to new people so Iaconian slum haka it was. They had practiced it, decided to show their ferocity to the punters to set the tone and when they came out, Prime would lead the charge.

Tonight, Optimus Prime was Orion Pax, child of the slums, son of Kes and Tagg. He would be a child of the District, the Jumble. He would be in person for all of those watching the embodiment of all that was wrong about their previous existence. He would show the world, he would show **worlds** his true self, his true quality and he would do it with his grand genitors firmly in mind.

The door opened and a referee leaned in. "Show time, gentlemen and ladies."

Prime stood and nodded to the others. They nodded back as Elita picked up their banner. They lined up and followed him out. The door closed silently behind them.

=0=TBC 12-19-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	550. Chapter 550

The Diego Diaries: HOOPS! (dd6 550)

Haka: The haka is a ceremonial dance or challenge in Māori culture. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.

(They usually stand up straight but can kneel. The flashing of your tongue is part of it and its **AWESOME.** I was motivated by the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team who performs a haka before every game to include them for football and now this game. They can be done to welcome someone home, at a funeral or wedding or the like. I find them beautiful and I like that the warrior culture of the bots has something like it, too. Google haka and see for yourself what the bots do before football and now basketball games.) Thank you, Māori people, for your amazing genius and graceful beauty.

=0= Game

They lined up and followed Prime out. The anthems were playing in the arena and the sound of nearly 100,000 voices singing them was muted by the tunnel they waited in. Somewhere behind them was the team from Tarn. Prime was given pride of place to lead out Iacon for the first ever basketball game by bots. The other games would be staggered at end to end intervals for Jazz and company to broadcast and do commentary and color for all of them. They reached the door, then waited as the recording died down. Then the announcement came. "Ladies and gentlemen, make welcome the **IACON INVADERS!"**

Optimus glanced back at the team with a slight grin. He nodded and they nodded back. It was just like the old orns when they would play another group of kids in a vacant lot in the Jumble. He then jogged out into the light followed by the team to make a line before their bench.

The place lost its shit.

=0=Moments earlier in line to get inside

Prowl was reading his data pad searching for something to calm his nerves. Ratchet was standing behind him with a bag over his arm and a grin on his face. They walked together to meet the families at the Primal box where all the children were as well. Inching in, they passed the turn stiles and entered with the masses toward the middle door where their arena was. When the magic numbers were reached the turn stiles would lock and everyone else had to go to the monitors filling the lobby and watch their game there. The place had a 300,000 capacity at court side when all three arenas were full and in use.

Reaching the Primal box, Prowl stared over the side to the arena floor 70 feet below and then around the room where the tiered seating went up 300 feet. It was filled, everyone was **HYPED** and the game was set to be a winner.

Even if it wasn't.

Ratchet on the other hand was rummaging through his bag pulling out 'cheer stuff' for himself. His family watched him with a variation of loathing and hilarity as he began to assemble himself as an Iacon BAG. He pulled out orange and white pom poms, really fluffy ones and tied to them to his wrists. Every movement of a hand was going to be fluffy and flourish-y. Next, he pulled out a necklace with a **HUGE** diamond studded medallion with the glyph for the 'I' of Iacon and put it around his neck. It resembled the clock that the rapper Flavor Flav made his trademark. Completing his gangstah outfit was a cap that fastened under his chin with velcro. On top of it was the glyph again for the 'I' of Iacon standing up like a middle finger to the world. He then pulled out big cymbals and began to happily crash them together.

The sound startled Prowl. He gripped the wall in surprise, then turned toward Ratchet freezing in place. Smiling like a mad man, Ratchet was crashing the symbols together in time to the chants going around the vast space. When he ended up on the overhead monitors which faced all the directions of the arena with images of himself, the place went nuts. Prowl grabbed the cymbals, staring at Ratchet with daggers.

Ratchet turned to his bag and pulled out an air horn cutting loose with it before a slap fest ensued with Prowl. Losing that implement to the incredulous winger beside him, he reached in and pulled out a big tambourine. Banging it against his hand for some of that old time religion, it too joined Prowl's musical collection. Before he could grab out anything else, Ravel snagged his bag and stuffed it into Appa Ratchet's carry hold before he fell down from laughing.

=0=In the booth overhead nearby

"Oh, Primus … **Ratchet!** " Revel said before he fell into long and protracted laughter.

Jazz who was howling nodded. "Nothing like an Iacon home boy."

=0=M.C.A. sports teammate

" **BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAHAAHAHAHAAAAAA!"**

=0=In the here and now

Prime and team lined up as Arcee planted their banner in its holder at the back of their bench area. Joining the team, they began to do their war dance, their haka. Prime called out and they answered, taking their stance half crouched and furious appearing. The haka in play was one that they used as kids in the ghetto calling out the other team. Prime called, the others stomped and punched the air as the crowd called to them in response.

Stomp, punch, call out in unison, the entire thing lasted a moment or two but it rang out to the rafters. Many were the Iaconians present who knew what that meant and many were those of other teams as well since this was common among the 'warring camps' of poor kids. What the high castes thought wasn't clear. They didn't have hakas and other ceremonials among their kind. What it did was whip the crowd to a frenzy. Then it ended and they stood poised in line waiting as Tarn began to walk out.

Grimlock led them, that Simfur home boy and behind him followed several monster trucks, Swoop, three other big players and then Omega and Xantium Supreme in pretender gear. They walked out with smirks on their faces, then formed their lines to mock Prime and his team back. The room crackled with energy as the big mechs began. They stomped and cried out, repeating the calls that Xantium made as they inched ever closer across the floor. When they were nearly nose tip to nose tip with Iacon, they halted and it was dead silent.

Grimlock stood before Prime and the others before his team. No one had shown emotion and no one had moved. This was mental and it was about pride. They had faced this before growing up hard scrabble and they had seldom lost. They had also never moved an inch when a team challenged them this way. Grimlock smirked. "Best team wins."

Prime nodded slightly. "Best team wins," he said with uncharacteristic heat.

Grimlock and company stepped back, then walked to their bench across the vast floor. They made a line, then the president of the league, Domino walked out with a greeting. **"Welcome to the first game of the Cybertronian Basketball League playing for the Martian Cup Championship of the Empire!** "

 **BEDLAM!**

=0=M.C.A. sportscasters

They were off the feed now pending the halftime and as they watched they chatted among themselves.

"I'd need adult diapers if that monster did that to me," Dan Patrick said.

Bob Costas nodded. "Prime didn't flinch. None of them did. This is going to be epic."

Everyone nodded. Then Domino continued.

=0=On the deck

"We are delighted to have the Iacon Invaders play the Tarn Tornadoes tonight and without further ado, **let the games begin!"** he said before walking off the floor. The refs had been introduced on the monitors and they walked in with the ball as the teams walked off but for the starting line up. It was as follows …

Tarn

Forwards and center: Xantium, Grimlock and Omega

Defense: Collier of Tarn and Blight of Slaughter City

Goalie: Rumple of Kaon

Iacon

Forwards and Center: Chromia, Prime and Raptor

Defense: Hard Drive and Jetta

Goalie: Ironhide

The referee who was no small mech looked like a twig as he stood between Grimlock and Prime who were centers for their teams. He was going to throw the ball up and the centers would jump to grab it. Whoever did, the game was on. Both big mechs crouched slightly, Prowl unconsciously imitating Prime in the stands, then the ball was tossed up high, way high.

Prime and Grimlock launched themselves straight up and pawed for it with Prime gripping it first. He landed, then spun and shot the ball to Hardie. He then pivoted and ran backward toward the goal in a play they had practiced to perfection. That is, they had without Man Mountain Deans everywhere with their grabby servos. Hardie shot the ball to Chromia who passed it to Prime. He grabbed it, hip bumped the goalie out of the goal zone and dropped the ball inside. He landed lightly and turned to see the ball drop through.

Bedlam.

Stomping.

Cheering.

Pom poms and yelling.

It was huge the pleasure that filled the room and as Prime glanced around he was elated with the happiness of the people watching. Moving back, he watched as Xantium took the ball in their end zone to put it back into play. He bounced it with an expression of blood lust as he passed it to Omega who turned to run toward the Iacon goal.

Ironhide braced for him. He had to stay inside the free throw and penalty box lines. Stepping out of it would be a penalty for the team. He set himself as the big mech bounced toward him with surprising speed and dexterity. He would have made it past the center line if Chromia hadn't stolen the ball from him. He continued, then stared at his empty hand. Turning to chase Chromia, the dance was on. It seemed to the newbies watching that the chasing around didn't have a point but it did.

Chromia passed the ball to Hardie who dribbled around Xantium to pass it to Raptor. Raptor caught it and passed it hard to Prime. He was being tailed by Collier and Blight. They expected him to shoot so he did … between the legs of Collier to Chromia who caught it, leaped like a gazelle and drilled the net. Landing lightly, she grinned with bemused battle lust as she jogged back to her spot.

Maelstrom nearly fell over the ledge in the stands in his joy at the goddess of his every waking moment showed her quality.

Iacon 2 hoops for 10 points, Tarn 0.

Huge chanting broke out as **"TARN!TARN!TARN!"** warred with **"IACON!IACON!IACON!"** in the stands. The usual beatings and hoo-haw were ever present as Ratchet warred with his ada to get his cymbals back. It delighted him to embarrass Prowl who was just **TOO MUCH** invested in Prime's success. Ratchet knew from the old days that Prime aka The Beast and his squad were up to the challenge. He wasn't worried. That freed him up to frag with Prowl. He was beginning to really like basketball, Our Ratchet.

Prowl was jumping up and down pounding on everyone including Ratchet. **"DID YOU SEE THAT!? OPTIMUS IS A WINNER! HE'S *THE* WINNER! REMEMBER THAT! OPTIMUS PRIME IS THE MECH!"**

Tarn had a brief chat, then the ball was put into play at the end line of their hoop. Omega dribbled in and passed to Grimlock. He ran forward to ram Ironhide and dunk the ball. Ironhide braced himself as the big mech shouldered him hard. Ironhide flew outward and hit the far wall as Grimlock stumbled, then dunked the ball as Iacon converged upon him like alien predators. He staggered, then rubbed his arm. Ironhide on the other hand was sliding down the wall like a bug on a windshield.

Ratchet glancing over the edge grinned. "Oh-oh," he said as he removed his medallion and hat. He jumped onto the ledge, spread his arms wide and leaped off. Flipping as he fell, he landed lightly and ran to Ironhide. The place exploded in laughter and applause as he knelt. "You alright, Old Mech?" he asked as he ran scans. Apparently, Ironhide was as he stood and shook his helm. "How many digits?" Ratchet asked as he held up three.

"Several thousand?" Ironhide asked with a chuckle.

Raptor slapped his shoulder. "Toughen up, infant. Time's a-wasting."

Ratchet chuckled as he walked to Grimlock. Scanning him, he looked upward at the big mech as his team gathered around. "You have a dented arm strut. Easy fix."

"How fast?" Grimlock asked.

"Seconds," Ratchet said. "Follow me," he said as he walked to a tunnel.

Grimlock handed off leadership to Xantium then followed as the crowd went nuts.

Entering the tunnel where Drift and Springer stood admiring the show with the kids from football attending them with worshipful optics, Ratchet began to patch Grimlock's dented internal arm strut. "You should know better than to body slam a Praxian. They're built like tanks."

"Tarn is going to win."

"I figured you for Simfur. Home town and all," Ratchet said as he finished up.

"Tarn has more power players. I want to win," Grimlock said as he flexed his arm. "Prime is going to lose."

"If you say so," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Grimlock smirked at him, then walked back out to great acclaim.

Drift glanced at the figure leaving, then Ratchet. "I love your hat."

"I wore it just for you," Ratchet said as they burst into loud and raucous laughter. He walked back to the staircase for the climb back to his seat. He would find all of his 'cheer stuff' gone when he did.

Ravel strikes again.

TBC 12-20-18 **edited 12-22-18**


	551. Chapter 551

The Diego Diaries: **HOOPS!** (dd6 552)

=0=Arena 2 in the Autobot City Sports Arena in Retriarius, 'The Eight Ball'

 **BAM!**

A ball whizzed past Ironhide's helm and hit the back wall. It had been deflected from the possibility of a shot at the hoop by the fast maneuver of Jetta to intervene. Omega walked to the sidelines to play the ball back in. Everyone stood around vying for the ball when he shot it between Prime's legs to Xantium.

Prime pivoted and charged Zee bumping him with his shoulder. Xantium staggered, then pressed back hiding the ball against his body. As long as the two didn't use their hands, they could railroad anyone as hard as they wanted. As Xantium leaned into Prime Chromia sprinted past, knocked the ball loose, then shot it to Jetta. They were halfway down the court before the teams pivoted to follow, so intent on the duel between Prime and Zee that they didn't notice.

Jetta blazed in, jumped and shot.

Score.

He landed, then slapped servos with Chromia.

15-0.

Grimlock didn't appear perturbed a bit which was perturbing to those watching as he huddled a moment, then sent a monster truck to send the ball into play at the back line under their goal. It was sent in and the dog fight was on. Slamming into each other, they vied to take the ball back and when it was mustered down toward Ironhide, he got set.

Grimlock came in like a freight train and slammed into Ironhide as he turned to take the ball in. Ironhide staggered, then slammed into Grimlock, pushing with his hands as well, something that goalies were allowed. Giving slightly, Grimlock never the less dunked the ball.

15-5.

A roar went up as he jogged back to his team mates. Hand slapping and hoo-hawing commenced, the crowd roared and Prowl swore under his breath.

Prime gathered his group, then Jetta jogged off the court with a grin to enormous applause. He sat down on the bench as Ultra Magnus stood and began to walk onto the court.

The place burst into flames.

Ultra Magnus aka Deion Magnus, oldest friend of Optimus Prime aka Orion Pax aka The Beast was so big he looked Prime's twin. Though a primal frame was huge, both he and Optimus were that already before Prime's ascension. He strode onto the court without expression. He was incredibly impressive and pausing beside Prime demonstrated how much. He was massive, surprisingly fast, without much embellishment in manner, preferring the straight path to a goal and as handsome as they came.

Ratchet grinned. "This is going to be good, Prowler. I've seen them playing games together when we were kids."

Prowl glanced at Ratchet, hating him for a nanosecond that he had seen Prime at something Prowl would never know, then he nodded. "He's amazing. This will be good," Prowl said as he ran through the equations that he had designed when thinking just that thought.

Ratchet grinned. Prowler was going to need to get drunk after this game, for sure.

 **BREAK!**

Everyone went back to their places and the game began again when Raptor threw the ball to Chromia. In a dazzling display of dribbling and running around the behemoths that weren't as agile as her due to their greater size, she passed off to Prime. He ran down the court side, then passed to Magnus who had materialized out of thin air next to the goalie.

Magnus caught the ball, turned to jump and doing so hip butted the big mech into the stands. He dunked the ball, landed, then turned equally grimly to walk back to the line where he would be right forward to Prime's center and Chromia's left position.

The crowd went nuts.

Prowl went nuts.

Ratchet coveted his cymbals.

The score was 20 to 5, Iacon winning.

Grimlock changed out players, then they began again. The ball was tossed in and the slam dance continued. Mechs were charged and bounced around as futile shots on goal were made by Tarn. It was an amazing defensive game thus far. It was then that Prime intercepted a shot, strode away from goal and sank a shot from his own goal into Tarn's. It was a full court dunk.

25-5.

The spectators burst into flames.

The siren for the half sounded.

Everyone lined up with banners, then walked off, both sides laughing at the other as they taunted. They disappeared into the tunnel and headed toward the locker rooms down the way.

=0=Inside the locker room of the Iacon Invaders

They sat quietly sipping drinks and resting up. Raptor grinned at Ironhide. "How's it going, infant?"

"Its going good. Only one goal and the slagger sent me into the wall," Ironhide said. "I take a lickin' and keep on tickin'."

Huge laughter greeted that as Prime relaxed on his bench. "Grimlock is going to fight for the second half of this game. Prepare to get slagged."

"He already has," Ironhide said with a grin. "I intend to fight. Who else has a death wish?"

Everyone did.

In the other locker room Tarn sat together planning strategy. They also agreed that a good fight was a good thing. One couldn't play ball the Cybertronian way without a fist fight or three. None of them had been given a silver spoon growing up and even though Omega and Xantium hadn't been limited by the caste system, they hadn't had the chip on their shoulders like the others. Titanic frames were usually off doing something or in stasis waiting to be called for their city-states, so their inventory of bigoted slag was smaller.

When the time came to walk out, they would go with battle lust and a sense of destiny.

=0=In the stands

2-Lip sat on Titan's arm as they watched the game with his family. They were delighted in her and liked the idea of Tyke being a responsible slagger with a super nice girlfriend. It would keep him out of jail.

Or not.

"What now, Titan? Omega and Xantium are not winning," she said as she stared at the monitors playing highlights of the first half.

"That night is young," Titan said as they watched Omega get slagged trying to shoot the hoop. "Expect a few fights in the second half, 2-Lip. Don't look if you can't."

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'm good for it," Tyke said as the mechs around him smirked at the big galoot and his tiny honey bun. They were the cutest and most 'gone' couple any of them had seen in some time. The best part of all of it was no one teased him about the mini-con femme of his dreams. They had all been there at one time or the other.

Elsewhere ...

"Vos plays next in arena 1. I have seats reserved," Starscream said to the Elder. "This will be the start of a grand crusade whereupon Seekerkin marches toward victory."

Rainmaker grinned as Starscream perused his handheld for anything that might make his dreams come true. "I will bow to your greater wisdom, Starscream."

"I would hope so, Elder," Starscream said with a slight smirk.

It would be epic in a couple of joors as the first all Seeker team took the court to kick some tailpipe.

Hopefully.

Nearby …

"What do you think, Master? Will our team be great enough to beat players like this?" Gravitas asked as he stood with other priests including his pals, Chevron, Lauren, Chrome and Lady Sela.

"I think Simfur will do adequately," Chrome said. He grinned at the memory of asking Accutus, Metroplex and Typhoon to consider the Sensations. They did. They also recruited five other titans and a few more Supremes. They were the tallest team and it would be interesting to consider if they were so tall that smaller teams would dance them into the ground. "We shall see." He grinned. He hoped so, too.

Elsewhere as well …

Cliffjumper stood on the bench next to Buzz Saw who held the carrier with their daughter, Agnus. Behind him, as many of the family as could be had gathered around them, taking to Cliffjumper like he was some kind of great elder. They liked him deeply and completely and he loved them equally as well. "We need a mini-con team," he said as he glanced at Leader 1 and his family that included two mini-con twins of infamous repute nearby. "I told Lea we needed one."

"What did he say, Cliffie?" Buzzie asked the short mech of his dreams.

"He said we'd get obliterated. I said that you don't know until you try," Cliff said.

"You would be an awesome basketball player, Cliffie. I bet you would win the cup with a mini-con team," Buzzie said loyally. He meant it. Cliff could do no wrong.

Cliffjumper who knew he meant it squeezed Buzzie's servo. "Maybe next season, Buzzie."

"I will be your biggest cheerleader, Cliffie," Buzzie said with a look of enraptured love on his face.

Cliffjumper basked in the warmth of it for a moment, then nodded. "You always are."

=0=In the locker rooms

They got the word to go and all of them rose. Prime glanced at all of them as they lined up. "Expect to get slagged."

"What else is new?" Jetta said with a grin.

Prime grinned back, then walked to the door. All of them followed and the door closed silently behind them. Down corridor, Tarn was leaving as well and followed the Invaders out onto the court. They shoot hoops at their own goals, then walked off to leave the players on court for the jump ball. The second half was beginning.

The ref tossed the ball, Prime leaped with Omega and deflected the ball off the court. The ball was given to him and he bounced it waiting for an opening. There wasn't one so he shoved forward between the players, his and theirs. It was on.

Ironhide standing in his goalie space watched as the ball went toward the other goal. It was a slagging match with punches (allowed in certain circumstances) and a lot of charging the ball carrier which was a very great no-no in American basketball. Hitting, punching, charging and other acts of violence were forbidden on Earth but par for the course here given a few limitations. That was why this game was awesome and the others were merely interesting.

This was demolition derby with a ball.

The ball was stolen by Xantium who turned toward the Invader's goal and began a bum rush to get in place to pass or shoot, whichever was possible. He bounced Chromia out of the game and charged Ironhide. Ironhide braced and when Zee was nearing a shot charged him hard. He hit Zee in the chops with his shoulder and bounced him out of the area. Ironhide teetered on one of his big old peds as he tried to stay inside the goalie space and managed to salvage himself from going out of bounds, a penalty of three points.

Zee on the other hand managed to pass the ball to Grimlock before taking a header into the wall. Grimlock turned and shot on goal. It was tipped out of play by Ironhide's servo. It bounded into the stands starting a frenzy over who would catch it.

Zee sat a moment on the floor, then stood as he shook his helm. Grimlock sent him to the bench allowing another monster truck to enter. He was huge, fast on his feet and no one's shrinking violet. He took the ball to throw it back in and it was on again. It raged back and forth as Prime stole the ball, then was tripped by Grimlock. He flew over Tarn's bench and hit the back wall.

A roar went up.

The crowd yelled, too, as Ratchet gripped Prowl who was going over the wall. Pulling him back, Ratchet dropped down and walked to Prime who was standing up again. "You alright?"

"I am," he said with a laugh.

It was clear to Ratchet and everyone but Prowl that Optimus was having a damned good time. Ratchet nodded, then walked back to climb to his place as Prowl watched Prime walk back to the refs who were penalizing Grimlock. It was tense a moment, then Prime was given two penalty baskets.

Everyone walked to the goalie box of Tarn. The goalie had to leave as everyone lined up on each side while Prime stood in the free throw circle. He was given the ball, took it and with zero ceremony put it through the hoop.

29 to 10, Iacon ahead.

 **HUZZAH!** -everyone on three planets, etc.

He got the ball again and put it through the hoop once more. 32, Iacon and Tarn, 10. The ref took the ball, gave it to Grimlock and the battle was on once again. It would be brutal.

=0=TBC 12-21-18 **edited 12-22-18** Keeping the score was brutal for some reason. :D Now its fixed. :D


	552. Chapter 552

The Diego Diaries: **HOOPS!** (dd6 552)

=0=The Game

Grimlock came at the goal like a missile toward its acquired target. Hardie leaped and slammed into him as he began to set up to shoot. It was just enough to jolt the ball out of bounds. Grimlock in his fury turned on Hardie and came at him. Hardie who was agile and deceptive set for the attack. Grimlock swung on him and whiffed as Hard Drive ducked. A nicely laid punch to the chassis was landed, one that Hardie knew worked very well on the big mechs and it was no different this time.

Grimlock took the hit and stepped back, raising his servos in a boxer stance. The blow had been hard and concentrated, hurting more than it should have for being delivered by such a slight appearing bot.

Raptor who was standing nearby slammed his fists together. **"FIGHT!"** he cried with delight. The crowd roared with him.

Grimlock and Hardie circled each other as the refs watched. It was **INCOMPREHENSIBLE** to the humans watching everywhere that such a thing should happen in a basketball game.

On Earth.

The crowd was stoked, Hardie was dodging powerful blows and no one seemed upset in a natural manner that this was happening.

The cameras scanned the crowd noting that Delphi was smirking at the confrontation and the rest of the family was watching with interest. No one seemed fearful or worried, which in and of itself was worrying.

For the human audience watching.

They sparred but Grimlock couldn't land a punch at the swiftly dodging mech so a rather bored appearing ref blew a whistle. **"ENOUGH! EITHER LAND ONE OR LET'S PLAY BALL!"** He tossed the ball to Grimlock. "Take it in from there," he said as he pointed to the sidelines.

Grimlock walked to it with a slow burn as the players regrouped for the toss in. Grimlock threw it hard at Hardie who deflected it off his arm. It stung but didn't break anything. Prime glanced at him and nodded so he walked off and was replaced by Jetta. The crowd roared, Grimlock roared and Chromia was given the ball.

Maelstrom was watching the game with Nitro and Payload. They were standing next to the Primal Box with Bulkhead, their families furiously yelling at the teams as they played. He was bursting at the rivets over Chromia who was showing enormous strength and skill tonight. The others had congratulated him on her various moments of great heroism and he had nodded with a grin. Nothing could get better than this right now. He personally didn't care for basketball but would sign on for football next season. He wanted to be on her team. Given that she was an all around athlete, he would just bask in the glory of the commentary that was flowing around him like milk and honey.

He was muy contento, Our Maelstrom.

The ball went back and forth, then Omega dunked one after landing a fist in Ironhide's face. Given that he hadn't cocked his arm to do it, it was ruled eligible.

Barely.

Iacon, 32 and Tarn, 15.

Ironhide staggered, then gathered himself, all three of them. With a bit of persuasion, he ambled to the bench to sit as Raptor took his place. That made it Prime, Magnus and Chromia as forwards, Blackjack and Hardie as defense and Raptor jonesing for a slagging at goalie. Ironhide sat down next to Elita and Arcee as they waited for the next rotation.

Prime threw the ball in to Blackjack between the legs of Xantium who lunged at Prime with a big grin on his face. Prime lunged back and it was on. Neither of them could use their servos so they laid into it with their shoulders. Given that a fight was always a **MAJOR** spectator sport among the big mechs, the littler ones used it to their advantage. As Magnus deliberately blocked the view to the other team's goal, Hardie ran with the ball, bouncing around the mechs as they paused long enough to watch, then rammed himself hard into the big goalie who had turned to watch him come like a shark.

He was slammed off his peds as Hardie slid to a halt. He then turned and gently put the ball through the hoop.

Iacon, 37, Tarn, 15.

Meanwhile, the shoving match between Xantium and Prime continued. Zee was laughing loudly as he slowly pushed Prime toward his own goal. Prime grinned as he grunted against the big mech, then slowly he skid to a halt. Zee leaned into it as he noticed Kappa peering over the edge of her row to watch him. Being a fool for love, he poured on the heat and began to make headway again. Prime began to slide toward the goal, through the goalie zone and over the back line. The others watched as they sparred, then Zee pushed him hard into a wall.

Staring down in aghast and gathering anger 70 feet overhead, Prowl looked around, picked up a bottle of something for the kids and went bombs away on Xantium's helm. Before Ratchet could grab it, the bottle fell, landed on Zee and bounced off.

Heavily.

Stepping back to stare upward as he rubbed his helm, Ratchet smiled down at him. Then he pointed toward Prowl who glanced at Ratchet with shock and outrage. He leaped on Ratchet and down they went. A roar went up as the crowd weighed in. It was a typical crowd moment in Cybertronian sports. Prime looked up, grinned at Zee, then walked back to the court to regroup.

Xantium joined him and the ball was put into play by Omega who had a laugh at Xantium in spite of himself. "You never learn," Omega said as he shot the ball to his little brother.

Zee ran down the court bumping and bouncing players off his body until he charged Magnus. That mech had braced himself and when they came together, it rang loudly. Without touching Zee with his servos and vice versa, they grappled awkwardly together until they both flew off their peds, spiraled through the air over the Tarn bench, then hit the wall hard. They both fell to the ground loudly.

Ratchet who was climbing back up off the floor grabbed the rail and stood up. Prowl joined him as they stared down at the game in time to see Zee and Magnus fly through the air. "Well, well, well … you don't see **that** everyday."

"You're certifiable," Prowl said as he studiously avoided his bemused genitors standing behind him with Possibility and Solus.

"Says you. Who beamed Zee just now in front of twelve planets?" Ratchet replied as they watched Magnus get up and walk off. Zee clambered up and followed him with a frown.

"Twelve planets? Since when?" Prowl said as he folded his arms over his chassis. His gaze was riveted upon Optimus who was getting the ball going again since Magnus was seen to be the last touching it as they got airborne.

"Big whiner." Ratchet grinned as Ironhide waved to him from the bench. Ratchet waved back, coveting his cymbals in the carry hold of his Appa. He could use them right now.

The game burst into speed again and down the floor they ran with Tarn in hot pursuit. They were blocked, then Tarn tried and was blocked. Prime put the ball in and began again, passing the ball in a complicated circuit to boggle their opponents. When he got it, he jumped and with an almost impossible grace dunked the ball.

Iacon, 42, Tarn, 15.

A whistle was heard as a ref called a penalty. Someone had been a bad mech. Blackjack had tried to trip Omega and it was so obvious that no one could say he didn't deserve the penalty.

Raptor stared at him with amusement. "Slagger. Didn't we teach you to cheat better than that?"

Blackjack shrugged, then watched as Omega got two dunks for the penalty. "Frag. What's their score now? 21?"

Raptor nodded. "Well done, infant. Which side are you on again?"

Blackjack grinned at his father. "Slagger," he said as they took their places and it began again.

Round and round they went as Raptor ran in for a shot. He leaped up surprising high for such a big mech, then shot the ball behind his back to Magnus. Magnus caught it and palmed the ball over the helms of everyone to Optimus who jumped up to catch it. When he did Grimlock charged him and with his own momentum they flew off the court and into the sidelines to slam into a wall. Down they both slid, then sat a moment to watch the birdies sing.

In the stand Prowl was bellowing invective to the big Dinobot who was feeling no pain himself.

Yet.

Getting up slowly, they walked to the sidelines where the refs read them both the riot act, then gave the ball to Prime.

"No penalties?" Raptor asked with surprise.

"Do you want one?" the little ref asked.

Raptor grinned. **"Frag the refs!"**

He got one.

Raptor walked off to sit on the bench for three minutes while Arcee walked in to take his place. He sat down beside Ironhide and draped his arm over the big mech's shoulders. "This is almost as much fun as cannonballing at the water park."

Ironhide nodded. He grinned. "You got **that** right."

The snap of the two of them would make every sports magazine and show on three worlds. It wasn't often that one found a grandpa and grandson playing on the same professional basketball team.

It was brutal as they played, punching, slamming, railroading and other acts of eviction on any other world and game than this erupted across the shiny floors of the big arena. 100,000 fans lost their shit in the stands along with the odd tossed bottle or Cybertronian equivalent of panties. Springer, Drift and his team along with the high caste school kids from football had a good time watching the game which was oddly enough almost totally free of incident.

Unless you counted Prowl.

They would.

Prime scored twice more. Arcee scored once with an assist from Chromia. Magnus would drop one in and get a free throw after Xantium punched his face with a cocked fist.

The juvenile delinquent.

The final score when the siren rang out loudly was Iacon, 65 and Tarn, 21.

Iacon was a winner.

At last.

The crowd lost its collective stuff.

=0=Half a joor later

They gathered in the Iacon locker room to celebrate the hoo-haw of the thing-a-mabob. The family came in droves to check out the carnage and pay their respects to the Prime. Optimus and his team were celebrating the win with a beer as the door opened and closed to accommodate everyone. The press was outside and there were interviews to do but for now there was only the exultation of victory.

There was also the examination of bruises and other bent things as Ratchet checked each of them out for injuries. He had seen worse in the games they had back in the day in the neighborhood. Grinning, he hugged Ironhide. "You looked good flying through the air."

"You looked insane with that stuff, Ratchet," Hardie said. "I **will** say that it kept me going through my joor of need."

"They took it all, cymbals, air horn, hat and tamborine," Ratchet said with a smirk at his ada.

 **"YOU'RE NOT GETTING THEM BACK, SONNY!"** Ravel said with a frown.

 **"SEE ME LATER, SONNY! I HAVE THEM IN MY HOLD!"** Appa Ratchet said as he patted his chassis.

The door opened as Springer and Drift came inside to greet and be greeted by the slaggers. He paused by Prowl. "I have a request by the league to arrest your aft for your bombs away, Prowl," Springer said.

The place got intensely quiet.

" ***Really***?" Prowl asked with barely concealed disgust and contempt.

"Tell you what, Springer," Ratchet said. "Prowler and I are going on the town. Wait a joor or so and get two for the price of one." He smiled blindingly.

Huge laughter greeted that as Alor and the others volunteered to come along. Springer grinned. "We have to go as well. Dad's standing order."

"The more the merrier," Ratchet said as the others agreed.

Prowl stared at him with a frown. "I saw worse out there and you want to arrest **ME!?** "

"I would. Dropping a bottle on a mech's head from 70 feet is at the very least poor form, son," Miler said with a slight smirk.

Prowl stared at him, then Prime. "I'm going to tie one on. Pick me up at jail in the morning."

"I have to arrest you," Springer said with a grin.

"Catch me, ***MRS OPTIMUS PRIME*** ," Prowl said as he hugged Optimus. "You were a champion. * **THE* CHAMPION! NOTICE THAT I SAID THAT!? OPTIMUS PRIME IS A CHAMPION!"**

Optimus grinned at him. "I am coming, too."

They all would.

Springer would pretend hot pursuit.

=0=TBC 12-22-18 **edited 12-27-18**

Notes tomorrow. :D

Invective – a fancy word for insults and other verbal assaults (in-VEK-tiv)


	553. Chapter 553

The Diego Diaries: After Hoops! (dd6 553)

=0=On the sidewalk in front of the Arena

There were lines snaking into the building to watch Vos play someone and someone else play another team as they gathered on the plaza to wait for everyone.

No one had the team play schedule before them.

Iacon's fans were hooting around the courtyard yelling at the top of their processors. Tarn was taking it philosophically … there were several arrests for fights in the courtyard ongoing at the moment. Who knew what the situation would be in the cities beyond. It, however, was deeply colorful and inspiring.

Like Ratchet's team spirit.

He was given enormous feedback for his efforts by the punters exiting the arena, much of it complimentary in a derogatory manner but funny none the less. It might be louder and more colorful the next time Iacon played, no thanks to him.

He got no thanks from Prowl.

The family wandered out, those who weren't on the team or hanging around to laugh through the interviews as the playahs preened and fake humbled themselves before the sports writers on several worlds. The biggest get of all, Optimus was going to be a while so they checked out the squad with them and headed for the subway or Club Cybertron whichever came first. Soon, everyone available vanished from sight to ride the rails to infamy.

Probably. Or not.

At least Prowl would.

=0=At the Clerb

They stood outside Club Cybertron in The City noting that the dispersing crowds hadn't reached it yet. It was pretty packed out anyway from those watching the game there so they sauntered in like hot stuff and got a table in the lounge. Pushing them together, they sat and ordered. Kicking back, they noted several had infants in their hold including Possibility and Halo.

"Looks like you're going home early from our rampage," Ratchet said as he sipped his beer.

Ravel grinned. "Maybe we can get a babysitter and get arrested as well."

Everyone stared at him a moment, then applauded to Ravel's everlasting delight.

"Nice one, Ada. I think that would be great. The family that goes to prison together also goes to youth court together," Ratchet said with a grin. "The infants have to wait awhile before they get their own rap sheet."

"Rap sheet?" Ravel asked because he was a sweet good mech.

"Arrest record or as Ratchet would call it, resume," Prowl said with a smirk.

Prowl got applause, too.

=0=At the arena in the media room in front of cameras that fronted questions from sportscasters from Earth

"Did you ever feel that this might be a problem for your dignity as a leader of your empire, sir? You didn't feel that this was beneath you as a thing to do? I ask because other than a shirtless man from the steppes, I can't think of anyone else among the leadership of the Earth who makes any attempt to do this sort of thing even privately," a cheeky British sportscaster asked.

Prime grinned slightly. "I like basketball. When this became possible I decided to play. Our game might be different and less predictable for what might occur, but its also very hard to do well and you have to have stamina and strength as well as demonstrate skill. I see it as a good way to enjoy myself and to entertain others. We do not stand on ceremony here. No one is automatically better than anyone else. If someone wants to participate they are encouraged. I have been waiting for this league for a long time."

"Your team won by a good margin against a very strong and determined team. Does the violence in the game seem excessive to you? Do you worry that it might encourage others to do the same? I would imagine that this will show up here on Earth at some point as well," a sportscaster from Australia asked.

Prime considered that. "I do not like violence but I know that the sports we play have that element. I play the game and keep away from the violence as best I can. When it presents itself I will react but I do not start it myself. I would hope that it does not occur on Earth but then you have a habit of taking games and making them violent. Boxing is violent in its own way but it has morphed into mixed martial arts. Your various football games are violent as well. It happens and in our game we have it but I will not be the one who starts it. We can play this game well without it."

"What do you think your prospects are for the Martian Cup and how did your team get so organized and cohesive in such a short time?" someone from Mexico asked.

"We have a good shot at the Cup. We play a very team-oriented game. We have worked on our play for some time. I have been playing basket ball for fun with my team mates for a long time in a warehouse in the Industrial Park and when it appeared that this could happen we worked on our game for that. I have a good idea that we will place in the run up. Whether that translates to the Cup remains to be seen."

"A number of individuals have opined that this is something that demeans your prestige. Some have said that it trivializes you as a world figure. What do you say to that?" someone from Canada asked.

Prime grinned. "I do not care. When the day comes that anyone anywhere cannot have fun because of other people's opinions, that is their problem, not mine. For me, I am having fun. I do not believe that it demeans me in any manner. Our society is more informal than most and when we do things, we enjoy them. I can also walk around my empire without a body guard escort. We are one, our people and we do what we feel we want to do. Those people might try to do the same."

It would go on for a while.

=0=Clubbin'

Ravel and Kestrel with Tie Down and Tagg left with the children, taking them home to sitters that had been called. They had decided to cut loose and do the town with the punters. It would be a rowdy group that would hit the streets shortly when the big boys came. The train system would be their pony and all of them would ride. A half joor later, the big boys arrived so everyone decamped to go to the metro nearby. They would go to the Crater District, the first, to check out the scene. It would be swinging.

Basketball was a hit on Mars.

=0=At a club in City 6

They sat in a number of snugs, sliding in to chat and have a brew. Ratchet sat with his arm around Ironhide. He was laughing with his ada who sat on the other side with Tie. Several of the group were jumping all over the dance floor together. "So, how was the first game of the rest of your season? You got your bell rung hard."

"I did," Ironhide said with a grin. "We play Vos next. I've never played a sport against a Seeker. Those slaggers are big."

"They are. They can also claw out your optics," Ratchet said as he got another beer.

"Where the frag did you get the idea for your gear?" Sunstreaker asked with a worshipful expression. He was sitting with Bluestreak who was chatting with Miler.

"Well, it wasn't easy," Ratchet began with a giant smile. "I just thought what would embarrass Prowl the most and put the ensemble together. I thought it was fabulous."

"You would, Loon," Prowl said with a smirk. He was leaning into Optimus who was chatting over the booth with his father. They were laughing over something from the game. It was adorable.

"I want my cymbals back. And my air horn. My tambourine is a special order. The hat I made myself," Ratchet said.

"What about the medallion?" Sunstreaker asked with a snicker. "That's about the saddest thing I ever saw."

"Fragger. I may have one made for Kaon when football season starts," Ratchet replied.

"Don't hurry on our account," Sideswipe said with a chuckle.

"I'll have one made for both of you, too. The glyph for 'K' on one side and my smiling face on the other," Ratchet replied.

Huge laughter and several orders for one launched in reply as Kes and Tagg got up to dance. They were amazingly good as everyone watched them with appreciation.

"Too bad you and Prime don't show them how to dance, Prowl. You might have before you got drunk," Ratchet said.

Prowl turned cool optics onto Ratchet. "I'm not drunk." He looked straight up at Optimus. "I'm not drunk."

Prime glanced down at Prowl, then grinned. "Not yet, maybe. I do not discount that outcome."

Prowl grinned at Ratchet. "See? Opstimus said so."

"Well, as long as Opstimus thinks so," Ratchet replied.

Everyone got up to dance and the ball rolled on.

=0=At a dark place on the highway where an automated energon station stood illuminated with spotlights

They faced each other, two gangs from way back when. This was a set of 'social clubs' from way back in the orn on Cybertron that had outlasted The Fall and Great Exodus to continue in the Diaspora among the refugee groups. The first were the Transit Gang, a group who bore once upon a time leopard spots and raved on the transit systems of Cybertron. They would hop on and terrorize the passengers before jumping off and melting into the scene.

The other gang was one who bore zebra stripes and called themselves the Cells. What that meant was unclear but so was most of their history both on Cybertron and here. The Transit Gang was formerly high caste and the Cell was low. They had apparently chosen their teams and were here to duke it out. About 15 Cells stood before 12 Transits, both sides armed with iron bars and chains.

They stared at each other, then almost as one charged each other. The fighting was intense, brutal and short. When they were finished, one of the kids was dead and three others lay on the ground in dire condition. They would melt into the woodwork, shocked even among themselves at the carnage. It would take a mounted patrol passing by shortly after alerted by a disturbance from a sensor on a fence nearby that something might be going wrong there.

=0=At the Club

Ratchet got the call over his buzz. Sitting up, he listened as the cure flooded him, an automatic when this line was alerted. He glanced over the booth at Prime, filled him in off line, then jetted him the cure. Ratchet slid out of the booth, headed for the door and exited.

"What's with him?" Prowl asked as Prime began to slide out of the booth.

"He got a call. I am going to see it as well. Wait here. I will be back," Optimus said.

The group watched, those that weren't dancing, then glanced at each other. "I'll go see what's up. Wait here," Sunstreaker said as he slid out and walked to the door to leave.

The others watched them go, then more drinks arrived. They took them and went back to their conversation. Alert calls came all the time. If they went to all of them there would no nothing left to do in their orn. Dancing and drinks continued.

=0=At the scene

Horses stood nearby ground hitched as they waited. Springer, Hauser as the gang expert and general brief detective, Sky for Forensics, Ratchet for medical and a just arriving Prime and Sunstreaker gathered together. The scene was marked off and Sky's team was doing the evidence gathering. The kids who were hurt were already gone, airlifted to Autobot City Medical by runabout.

"What is the word here?" Prime asked as he joined them.

Hauser glanced at him. "Two gangs had a rumble. It would appear blunt objects and chains were the weapons of choice. One kid is dead, a Cell and three others badly wounded. There is evidence that a lot of kids were here but they fled. It would also appear that this got out of hand and they fled when they saw what they had done."

"Is there camera footage?" Prime asked.

"Sky had it captured and sent to Forensics in Metrotitan. Our video experts are going over it now," Springer said as Drift walked to the group to join them.

A pensive Lon, Bezel, Morius and three other youngling Watchmen who were doing their spin through mounted patrol stood nearby listening. It would appear that some of them had never been at the scene of a homicide before.

They discussed the situation, then a runabout landed and three mechs walled out, one carrying a stretcher. They walked to the group. "What about the body? Do we take it now or what?" one of them asked.

Sky called to the team in the cordoned off area. "Are you ready to move the body?"

They nodded. "We are, Sky."

Ratchet walked forward and entered the scene. He was directed to the dead kid, examined him, then motioned the stretcher bearers forward. They came in, gently loaded the kid, covered him with a plastic sheet, then walked out again to their ship. They were gone in minutes. Ratchet walked back out. "The night coroner will do the examination and autopsy. I suppose you'll have a CSI there to watch?" he asked Sky.

"I will," Sky said. "I alerted one to go there and assist the examination."

Prime shook his helm. "This should not have happened. No game was worth this. I want the gangs taken down, Hauser. If you need more resources then contact Prowl. No more of this," he said grimly.

Hauser nodded. "I will, Optimus."

They chatted a bit longer, then Ratchet, Sunstreaker and Prime walked out, transformed and drove off. They were heading for the Medical Center Morgue in The City.

=0=TBC 12-23-18 **edited 12-30-18**

ESL

derogatory: (dee-rog-ih-tory) something that is insulting

'certain man from the Steppes': begins with a P and rhymes with Wooten :D

to 'stand on ceremony' is to be formal. Not to do so is to be casual and informal.


	554. Chapter 554

The Diego Diaries: Hoops (dd6 554)

Merry Christmas if you celebrate, best wishes if you don't. Had a swinging party last night so here we go. o{:)} (sort of a Santa Claus emoji. *cough*)

-0-Autobot Medical Center, The City, Morgue

Prime and Ratchet walked in spotting the figure of a young mech lying on the autopsy table half uncovered from the shroud he had arrived in. He was gun metal gray and had severe injuries to his helm and face. It was hard to look at.

The doctor for the shift was named Tungsten and he had an assistant who left when they came to fetch an evidence kit for Forensics. Drift was leaning against the wall nearby looking disturbed by the scene. He glanced at the two. "I'm here until Springer gets back from informing the family. Of the two, I don't know which is worse."

Ratchet patted him. "I know," he said as he walked to the mech and began to examine him. He pulled back the sheet, noting other blunt force trauma. "Well, he was beaten pretty good. Death in my opinion came from processor trauma." He covered the kid again.

"This has to end," Prime said with a note of fury in his speech. He looked at Tungsten who was leaning against the table. "I would like a full report. I would not like the genitors to see him like this. If you could make him more presentable that might be merciful."

Tungsten nodded. "We will," he said as the assistant came back in with a kit of some kind.

Ratchet walked into the hall as Drift and Prime followed. "This is no good any time of the year but **now**? What the frag are we going to do about gangs?"

"You are going to raid them. Get with Hauser and make a plan. I want them rounded up and their hangouts secured. I want the heat turned up on this, Drift. We need to find out who did this and make it fast."

Drift nodded, then glanced down the hallway where a grim faced Springer, Hercy and Kup were headed their way. Springer paused beside them. "The genitors know. It was a howling match. He was supposed to be at a party after the game."

"Well, he was but not the type they figured," Ratchet said grimly. "Prime wants the hammer lowered."

Prime nodded. "Get with Barron. Find out what we can do within the limits of the law, then make it happen. I have already outlawed gangs since the last conflagration so use that Primal decree if you can. No more children are going to die this way. Are the genitors coming?"

"They are. They had to tell others in their family but they will be here," Springer said.

"Have an officer or two here just in case they come in swinging. Have a priest as well. Are they Clavis or Temple, do you know?" Prime asked.

"I don't know. I'll send for both just in case," Springer said.

"Very well. Keep me informed," Prime said as he started for the door.

He and Ratchet stepped out, crossed to the metro and disappeared downward as the genitors and their family members began to arrive, transform and run into the Medical Center.

=0=Bar

They walked in and sat, Prime taking the congratulations of the crowd. Ironhide who was three sheets to the wind stared bleary eyed at Ratchet. "What was up?"

"Gang fight. A kid got killed," Ratchet said as he took a beer offered.

It was silent a moment, then Ironhide glanced at Prime. "I suppose Springer is on it?"

"He is," Optimus said grimly. "This is the last time I want this to happen. The gangs have to go."

Mutual agreement was had, then things slowly slipped into calmer waters. By the time they ambled out to go home the deepest part of their angst had abated.

=0=Earlier at the Medical Center

The genitors of the deceased kid and several family members raced inside and bombarded the desk. Two Watchmen there to intercept them. Lady Sela and spiritual counselor, Anholt from the Monastery herded them into a conference room nearby just as several more showed up, the families of the three kids who were badly hurt at the brawl. More security arrived and they were taken upstairs to wait the word on their kids.

It would be an awful time for all of them.

=0=At the corner to home

They gathered to discuss the upcoming festivities with Christmas Surprise in two orns. The Santa notices would be going out tomorrow and it would include an enhanced number of Clauses. Vos was playing Altihex, Polyhex was playing Simfur while the Kaon Kowboys took this decaorn off. They would play Iacon next game. After much chest thumping and bullshit, they broke up to go home. Most of them would walk across the street to the same tower but some would go elsewhere.

=0=Shortly

" **ADA! GOOD THEM! OTIS GOOD! HE MY SHE!"**

Ratchet grinned as he stripped Orion of his onsie. "He's my she, too."

" **I LOVE HIM, MY SHE! HE GOOD! HE DO POW-POW TO THEM!"** Orion said as he hopped over to Robby and hugged him tightly.

The little cow who was becoming more used to kids leaned into him as Orion hugged. They both fell over. It was a short but noisy fall. Orion scrambled up. **"ADA! HE OWED ME! HE A COW! HE OWED ME FALLED!"**

Ratchet laughed. "I wonder what Roto's going to tell us next meeting?"

"He's going to say that's one fine little slagger. Right, Spud?" Ironhide asked.

Orion glanced up from exploring the ear canal of a slightly irritated cow. He smiled brilliantly. He had no idea what they were talking about but they were talking about him so all was well in his world. "Atar? I rided him?" he asked.

"Nope," Ironhide said as he picked up Orion. Snatching Praxus, he walked toward the hallway and beddy bye.

They both squawked all the way there.

Hero and Halo slid out of their gear, then danced to the room they were now sharing. They both shared Hero's bed, something that Hero had suggested and Halo had been all geared up for. Other than a few giggles and 'girl talk, Ada' it was going fine. That left Prowler.

Ratchet grinned at Prowler who grinned at him. He was shucked like an ear of corn, hugged up, then carried to his berth room for beddy bye. All of them were tucked in, hugged up, then hugged up again. After the usual musical rooms song and dance, they walked out and sat down. "Where is everyone else?" Ironhide asked as he absorbed the cure for his condition. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Sunny is with Bos, the big kids are watching Vos versus Polyhex and all is well." They both stared down at the little cow staring up at them. "Mostly."

"That's a slagging fine cow. Probably a better cow than Pudding and Flipper. I will say, though, those two are slagging fine cows as well."

Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "I won't disagree."

"What's the schedule again? I think I was boozed up when you went over it with the others," Ironhide said as he pulled Robby the Bruce into his lap. The cow walked around, settled, then fell into recharge that fast. "Slagging fine cow, indeed."

Ratchet snickered. "Well, we have to go to work tomorrow. The Santa list will be released from our benevolent dictator, Blondi. Then we have to be ready for dinners and presents on Christmas Surprise eve and day in two orns. Dinner at our house that night, dinner at Prime's the next orn. I have to pick a few things up at the store tomorrow just so you know. Lunch at the Diner tomorrow, egg nog and the buffet at the Ops Center after Santa Priming around. We have to get the kids to school tomorrow and for their parties and presents from their Santa Prime on Christmas Surprise orn, then they're ours.

"That's the gist, though there may be more. I have to check. Just do what you're told, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he stood and pulled Ironhide and Robby to their peds.

"Sounds like a plan, slagger. Slave driver," Ironhide said with a grin as he ambled along to the berth room. Tomorrow would come swiftly.

=0=Morning, The Hourly News …

"And the road closures will be short lived so check with the Community Bulletin Board or Public Works for closure times," Lim-Lee said.

"In other news, it was reported that a young mech was killed last night in what appears to be a violent altercation with others at Energon Pumping Substation #46 on the Industrial Parks Highway. It would appear that two groups of young mechs were involved. They are tentatively identified as belonging to youth gangs called the Cells and the Transit Gang. They came with migrations and have a long history on Cybertron as well.

"The energon substation where the murder happened is automated and therefore, no one was there to see what had happened though it's believed to be related to the games played in the Sports Arena in Retriarius last night, growing out of rival team factions. In the altercation, three young mechs were seriously injured and one killed by blunt force trauma. The names of the mechs are still being held pending notification of next of kin and the ongoing investigation.

"Sub Commander of the Night and Day Watch, Commander Drift of Kaon said that the investigation is underway, there was film of the interaction and that they were confident that those involved would be apprehended. He also said that gangs were banned from Mars and the Empire by Primal Decree. All evidence collected from the crime scene would be analyzed and when the investigation is complete arrests would be made.

"The Office of the Primes released a message stating once again that gang activity would not be tolerated, it was banned by Primal Decree and that anyone bearing gang flashes, tattoos or acting in anyway to promote gangs or incite violence would be arrested. Optimus Prime also expresses his condolences to the families involved and requests their cooperation in finding those responsible.

"For anyone who might have information about this, you are asked to come forward. There is a communications line that you may call and leave word. It is anonymous and your identity will be protected including exclusion from any trials arising from your information. It is A47-B6-888847. If you have any information about this incident, you are asked to call. We will be posting updates on this story as it develops. As for now, the three survivors are in intensive care. Their condition is not being released.

"In local news, the Housing Authority released current housing start figures in Craters One, Two and Three this morning ..."

"Frag," Ratchet said as he cleared the table. **"GET ON THE ROAD, INFANTS!"**

Scurrying around was heard as infants ran in all directions, some of them in no direction at all. A mewling bellow from Robby accented a cat getting his own in sideways. Cousin jumped up on the table to stare with disdain at the kids who were flying around in all directions.

Soon, they were gathered, gussied up and on their way. Down the hallway they went collecting relatives until they ended up in the lobby altogether. A short walk to buses and cabs squared everyone out. Watching the last one go, everyone turned to Ratchet. "What was the schedule again? I don't think I was sober," Turbine said with a grin.

"I'll text ya," Ratchet said as he did. Then the email for Santa Primes reached them all:

-0-

To: The bestest group of sports anywhere

From: Blondi at City-hall

Well, ho, ho, ho, minions. The new list of Santa Primes has been formalized and is now being presented for your viewing pleasure.

Here we go:

Elders: Magnus and Arcee

Shut ins: Ratchet

Prowl: Go with Prime. You know you wanna. :D

The usual suspects for their usual tours: Prime is for Sparkling Day, Ironhide at Youngling Day, Springer at Intermediate. (All of them.)

Aerie Hill: Starscream for Elders, Rainmaker for shut ins and home schools.

New ones: Hardie for Elder shut ins. Raptor for Homeschoolers. Turbine for the religious schools, the small ones. I attached which ones to your next email. :D

Delphi: For the Temple and Monastery schools. Also, that small sect that lives in Gambian and is having a hard time. Maybe an Immortal will give them a boost. I have the map attached to your next email. I will do that for all of you. No need getting lost. :D

New Ones: Elita, Jetta, Hercy and Kup can take care of the hubs, armory crowd and the Veteran's Center. Word has been sent out for them to come there. Your next email will break it all up for you.

Barron: Social Services Youth Hostel with sweet Alto. :D Also, the youth center for the troubled kids. I am sending Coln-2 and Blackstone around with you. Their sweet bonds are welcome to come as well.

Chromia (with Maelstrom), Greenlight, Firestar, Lancer (with Partition) and Moonracer will be Santa priming at various malls around the colony for drop ins and others on the town. Expect a lot of selfies. :D

Payload, Bulkhead and Copperton at the Central Labor Club HQ for a lot of individuals who are out and about and who belong to clubs. A lot of clubs asked for a Santa Prime to come to their HQ in Room 1134 to have a party and to see their members. There will be individuals there from clubs all across the board and the colony.

Scar and Nitro will be running the dispersal center for the gifts and helping get you from one place to the others, those involved in the schools. You will continue to ride the carriages. The rest of you have to get there by Shank's Mare as the humans say.

(I'll save you an internet search: The expression - believed to be Scottish in origin - derives from _shanks' nag_ ( _shanks-naig_ 1774), referring to the use of _shank_ to refer to the part of the human leg between the knee and ankle.) There. Don't say I never did anything for you. :D

Pending finishing your rounds, there will be the usual spread and boozer in the Ops Center in celebration. Thank you Professional Assistants Association for your effort there.

Everyone will go to the habitats at dusk. That schedule will be given shortly.

More to come. Check your texts, Springer.

Blondi, peace out.

-0-

Ratchet grinned. "Well, that about says it all."

"Speak for yourself, sister," Prowl said with a grin.

-0-TBC 12-25-18 **edited 12-30-18**

Have a wonderful holiday. :D


	555. Chapter 555

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho! (dd6 555)

=0=A day

Ratchet walked into his office and sat down to read the autopsy report of the murdered sub adult from the gang bang the night before. It was what he expected. There was blunt force trauma around the neck, head and shoulders, all of it delivered so powerfully as to strike the kid dead almost from first contact. The other three had head trauma as well, though two were expected to recover. One other was still on the border line and his rebuild had taken a lot of who he was away. He was a former high caste as was one other. The last victim was a low and their genitors had been at the Center all night long.

They were in intensive care awaiting time to pass which was the only thing that would tell anything to anyone thus far. He copied the report to Prime, Springer and Barron. They would take it from there. He and his department had done all they could do for now. It was maddening to him that it happened and sad in all the ways that mattered. He sat back a moment to ponder the trauma this meant for a lot of people, then sat forward to do his job. That part never ended no matter what.

It would be a quiet orn in the C.M.O.'s office on the 49th floor of Autobot City Medical Center.

=0=Cybertron

Prime and the Boyz landed, hopping down in the small village of Pyrex. It was once an enclave of former high castes who liked its picturesque views at the foothills of the Manganese Mountains. Now it was a burgeoning manufacturing center and camp for about 500,000 individuals who were rebuilding the surrounding area for general population and high tech industries to employ those who lived here. They were being retrained for something better than working down in the depths of Cybertron in the raucously noisy workings of the Great Primus Himself. Hearing loss had been epidemic and endemic here. Thousands of individuals had to have their audials replaced with thousands more on the list. Now they were doing something less damaging and equally necessary. It was a win-win all the way around.

Prime walked toward the welcoming party who greeted all of them, then led him and his party to the camp where they would be swamped with happy civilians, many of whom would applaud all of them for their prowess in 'that new game' which they 'liked an awful lot'. It would be a pleasant interlude talking to the people and walking through the housing, manufacturing and transport portions of the rebuild. This place was never going to be the way it was before. No one would slave down in the deep and live with the injuries of it. Those days were over.

The cows would be a hit, too.

=0=School here and there

They stood in a row getting their images taken, a line of little babies wearing Santa Prime hats. At each end wearing a Christmas tree suit, two infants smiled. Orion wore one and Olo the other. The rest stood between them grinning as they watched the school's photographer take their images for their school's vacation card for their genitors. Each class would have them taken, then they would be attached to their artwork that was going home for a Christmas Surprise present.

" **TOTO! I LIKE THIS!"** Orion said with a giant smile. He looked down at his body which was swathed in green. There were ornaments attached and lights that blinked. On his helm was a little star cap. Everyone else looked at him, then smiled. He grinned. "The shes like I, Orion. Cute this," he said patting his belly where the tinsel crossed.

Roto grinned. "I like it, too."

The shes spent a bit of time turning to each other to discuss how much they liked it as well. The photographer kept shooting for the school's yearbook website. Short videos of the gabfest and a few cute stills would find their place on the page for Group D of Sparkling Day School #1.

=0=School Part 2

"Then we can put them into the boxes you painted," Mr. Terradive said as he received several boxes of things from the art department of their school. "We can wrap the pottery in the paper you made for the present and the weaving can be rolled into a tube with a ribbon around it. All of it will fit nicely."

From different science stations, all of the kids of his class watched as the aides from art walked out with a smile. It was an exciting thing getting their presents together. Even the human kids had something beautiful and handmade to take home for Christmas Surprise.

"When you finish, we can finalize the party for tomorrow. You will come at the same time as usual, then we will have our party. When Santa Prime arrives or one of his helpers we can go there and you will be excused to your families. All of the human kids will go by bus to your habitats."

:Mr. Terradive, how many days do we have off for Christmas?: Rain Harris asked.

He glanced at her. "We have 10 days off. Some of the humans here are going to Earth for the holidays and some are having family members here for the first time. It's been the policy of the District to take a break this time of year not only for the humans but for us as well. A lot of families have planned things they want to do right about now so it works out for everyone." He grinned. "You have half a breem to finish."

They jolted, then turned back to their tasks.

=0=School Part 3

Coros and Pulley finished their science fact sheet then downloaded it to their teacher, Mr. B-7. His specialty was physics at the university level but he liked kids so he taught science here with three other colleagues. Coros and Pulley had risen from tutoring to full class attendance since hanging out with the Watch. They were stoked to do well and please mechs that they worshiped, mechs who were authentic and seemed to the kids to be heroic in stature.

Sitting back, they chatted quietly. "Commander Springer and Drift said that we can ride with them on a patrol next weekend. They aren't going to go anywhere that's dangerous and we have to stay put if they say so but they think it might be a good thing for us since we're considering that as a career," Coros said.

Pulley nodded. "That's going to be great. What about your genitors giving you permission? And the others?"

"I have permission. My genitors are so glad about my grades that they're not giving me any slag about this. I haven't told them that this is going to be my career eventually. I don't think they'd get it but I'm going to be a police officer," Coros said with a determined expression on his face.

"You and me both," Pulley said. "I have to tell them tonight. I'm going anyway. I have my grades higher now than I did in the settlement schools. I think they'll be glad."

They would.

About his grades.

The other stuff?

They said yes anyway.

=0=RTR Tools

Three mechs walked in to get their tool kits. They waited as Ravel pulled them off the 'will call' shelf where they waited for their new owners. Nearby filming the transaction, Leonora Huttle worked with her (now) four camera crew as they recorded the interaction. Ravel laid out the beautiful engraved boxes and explained the care and proper usage of the immaculate tools inside. They listened with a sense of awe as he showed how one took care of transparent steel tools that were covered in engravings and inlays of gold, silver and copper.

"This is beautiful, Master," one of them said as he bowed slightly. He was a master carver himself and a shop steward of the Mason's Guild. He was also intensely respectful of other artisans, these two in particular. They were famed and revered among those who made things and no one who used a tool didn't covet ones made by Tie Down and Ravel. Their client waiting list was astounding.

"These are yours. Do you feel the energy?" Ravel asked with a smile.

They held the tools, perfectly balanced and handmade, then nodded. "I do," the mason said.

"Then they accept you. Remember to always be worthy," Ravel said as he closed the tool cases and handed them the special kit all their tools needed to maintain them properly. "If you want to know how to do this or you forget, go to our website and there are videos there to show you."

"Thank you, Master," the mason said as the others bowed and gave their thanks. With big grins, four bruisers walked out the door with the kits. They would be **HIGHLY** envied by their peers.

:Ravel, what do you mean when you spoke about the energy?: Leonora asked.

Ravel peered over the counter, then grinned. "The tools, blades and other things we create choose their owners because everything everywhere has energy and a consciousness. They decide themselves what they want to happen after measuring the energy of those who want them. If they don't agree, they won't go. They won't work. Sometimes someone would come into our shop and try to take something or buy it when they weren't respectful or considerate. Especially the swords which are very holy. The blades are very aware."

:The swords and knives are sentient?: Leonora asked.

Ravel nodded. "They are. They're made a special way and they're sacred. They're imbued with consciousness. You have stories on Earth about the same thing. Swords held by heroes were sentient like Excalibur. There are stories about swords and daggers that are very important because they show that the humans understand this too, the elder ones. Swords were named and revered because they were alive. If someone is unworthy to have one of ours, they won't allow that individual to take them away. They will let them know."

:How?:

"They will spark them … surge energy into them like an electrical shock. It isn't much the first time but if they persist the blades will shock them with a heavy charge," Ravel replied.

:That means they can think:

Ravel considered that. "It would surprise you how many things can think, Leonora. If you understood energy the way we do and knew that you would have a totally different life on your world. We offer a blade of worth. It demands for itself a worthy home. If you can't provide that, they will make it clear that you won't be taking them away."

:Has anyone ever tried to do that?:

Ravel nodded, then grinned faintly. "Forgive me if I don't express the kind of sympathy I prefer to give to others on this particular thing. It takes a very long time to make them and the prayers and incantations that we place in them come from the Pantheon. They become sentient nearly right away so when they don't feel the bearer is worthy enough, they express their distaste. I have seen them surge so hard that the individual needed a doctor."

:Has that happened here?: Leonora asked.

"Actually, yes," Tie said as he came out with a blade he wanted to discuss with Ravel. "Someone came in several decaorns ago and wanted a sword. They were rude about it and when they pulled one from the display items over there," he said nodding to a row of magnificent swords hanging suspended in a gravity field display case, "it jolted him. He persisted and it blasted him. I saw the energy arc up from his servo and flash. He went down and we had to call the Watch medic to come and help him. He had a burned servo and a burn mark across his face. He didn't take the sword."

:Wow: -Leonora Huttle and her crew

=0=School Part 4

They gathered in a line for their afternoon treat. Prowler, Solus, Sojourner, Breakout, Resolve and a tiny femme named Dandy, all part of Green Group stood in a little row as they watched their aide set on their tiny table tiny cups of juice and a tiny cookie that was enriched with minerals that they needed at this age. It still tasted good anyway.

Mrs. Birdie was standing in front of them watching the placement of things when she felt someone hug her leg. Looking down, she grinned at Prowler who grinned at her. "I think its time for snacks, infants. Find your chairs."

They did and waited until they were given leave to eat. Mrs. Birdie would watch them, then walk to other rooms in the Preparatory Academy in its new home on the entire third floor of Autobot City Mall. Down below, RTR Tools was being filmed for a special about artisan industries. The first two floors had businesses doing box office. The top floor was the new home of The Circle of Light Preparatory Academy.

Mrs. Birdie patted a child, then walked onward to more infants in other parts of the school. The kids watched her go, then turned back to their treats. There was just something about Mrs. Birdie's pure white aura that they loved. It was interesting that among those who could see it, none of them were genitors.

=0=School Part 5

"Then we're going to the Valles after Christmas Surprise with the family," Tru said as he sat in his group for writing which only included among the titanic kids, Genesis.

"The titan family side," Genesis said as Tru nodded. "Our other family is going to stay home. I wished they could come but Ada said that was going to be too much with the little kids. They also expect some trouble from a migration they're tracking so the senior Autobots have been asked to stick around close."

"Sounds like fun. Who's going?" Mar-lee asked. He was a big kid, too. They liked to hang around together and were planning to be on the same basketball team when the kid's league was organized.

"All our relatives. The Supremes, the titans and the little kids, Swan and Teatro. Those two are so cute," Tru said with a grin.

"They're a 135 feet tall," Mar-lee said.

"I know. Babies," Genesis said as the group snickered.

"How is it going, infants?" a voice asked behind them, the voice of their teacher, Mr Ambient.

"Just fine, Mr. Ambient." -all of them as they bent to their tasks once more.

It would be good times just about everywhere.

=0=Out there

The ships ran with the group assisting when asked but doing little else. They were former Decepticons or maybe they still were. No one among the civilians knew and the group of Autobots who were part of their migration, one coming from another direction than any other before had no better idea either. They didn't bother to remove their sigils. The purple head of Megatronus was still there.

They had sent word to Prime given they were coming into range for communications due to enhanced arrays. The word was received and a message sent. 'Keep coming, don't do anything rash, we will come out shortly to see what's happening'. So they flew onward silently together, a tense and unknown group, two thirds of whom were heading for freedom and safety. What the other third was going to do was anyone's guess.

=0=TBC 12-26-18 **edited 12-30-18**

ESL

epidemic: something that sweeps through a group, like the flu, usually brought in by someone

endemic: something that is there all the time, like cactus in the desert


	556. Chapter 556

The Diego Diaries: Santa Clausing (dd6 556)

=0=Ops Center about 1230 TMC

"Carry on, Paragon. I'll be back shortly," Prowl said as he rose from his chair at the center table to walk to the door. He left and the dance went on.

Outside, he crossed the highway, walked across the airfield, then crossed Cultural Center Road heading to the Courthouse. Entering, he walked to the desk which forwarded him onward to hearing room number 18 on the sixth floor. Rising upward in the elevator, he cursed his life then exited to walk to the room whose door was open. Sitting inside was Semi and Silver who was going to record the proceedings. Sitting in a chair grinning at him, Springer sprawled for the show. Drift sat across from him equally amused.

Prowl entered, then paused at the end of the table.

Semi grinned. "Are you formally surrendering yourself?"

Prowl nodded as he sat with his all business face firmly in place.

"Very well. You've been charged with hooliganism," Semi said as he read the datapad before him. "Hooliganism along with assault and battery. How do you plead?"

Prowl frowned at everyone who smirked back at him. "I am … unsure yet."

"Well, then maybe we can read the letters written both for and against you. Maybe that can prompt a plea," Springer said as he glanced at Semi.

Semi grinned. "I've received a victim's impact statement and some letters of support and/or non-support in this case. Perhaps I can read some of them and you can decide what you want to do. Is that acceptable?" he asked as he glanced at the tense winger sitting at the end of the table.

"Affirmative," Prowl finally said as he shot a cool glance at Springer.

"Very well. The victim impact statement first," Semi said as he dialed it up on the datapad. "Xantium Supreme would like to say something about this and its very short and sweet: "Hang him, Semi. Thanks. Zee Supreme."

Prowl frowned.

"The next letter is from your ada," Semi said. He grinned as Prowl sat up straight to stare at him with alarm. "Dear Judge whoever it is." He grinned. "Your ada has very good manners." Semi sat up straighter and began to read. "Prowl was once our only son and because we were high castes and didn't have a clue, he was raised in a social straight jacket."

Prowl shifted in discomfort. "You don't have to go further."

"I have to. This is the part where I do," Semi said as Springer, Silver and Drift snickered. "Our son is very brilliant individual who was a difficult sub adult-"

"No, ***really*** … you don't have to continue," Prowl insisted.

Semi glanced at Silver. "Rules of the court?"

Silver grinned, then nodded as he sat back to relax. The recorder was running with orders for Prime to get a copy of the proceedings for laughs later.

"We wanted a mathematician and physicist … we got both. He also sneaked out at night to go around Praxus and look at the way things were. He didn't think we knew but we did. We were just unable to figure out how to keep him in and we didn't want to alienate him further by lowering the boom, (I do so love human witticisms) so we let him. He went out and did **WHO KNOWS WHAT** but always came home in time to attend school. That's also when he became a potty mouth, too," Miler's letter continued.

Prowl who looked ready to vapor lock stared at them one at a time as the letter continued. "We would like you to have mercy on him. He's a very good mech and an ada. I think he's learned his lesson. He's very much in love with his bond and when Prime got slagged … is that how you say it? … he was overcome. So I would say, give him mercy because in my estimation he was temporarily insane at the moment of his transgression. Thank you very much, Miler of Praxus, Prowl's ada."

"Well, wasn't **that** nice. Here's another one. Dear Judge, this is Ratchet of Iacon-" Semi began.

"No. I'm good. I plead guilty. Lock me up," Prowl said.

"In a moment. Court's prerogative," Semi said with a dazzling smile. "I'm friends with Prowl though it wasn't so in the beginning. The corn cob stuck up his aft was so tight that he coughed popcorn. But over the vorns of time, a true friendship, nay, brothership was born. We've been through the mill, little Bro and I. Down the road and over the river. Prowl's great love drove him to a moment of deep and abiding temporary insanity. Dropping the bottle onto Zee's big helm was an expression of love. It was one for the ages. In closing, how do you solve a problem like Prowler? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? Oh wait … I think I've heard this before. Have mercy, judge. If you do I'll lend you my hat and cymbals at the next Iacon game. Yours with great admiration … truly … great admiration, Ratchet."

Semi laughed aloud. "Here's another. 'Dear judge, my name is Sunspot ..."

Bedlam.

=0=Moments later

Prowl walked out with ten joors of probation and house arrest for two orns after work. He smirked as he carried a data wafer that held all of the 'letters of support' that had been flooded to Semi for Prowl apparently by a mad medico. He walked outside, stepped to one side and began to read.

"Dear Judge, my name is Miracle. I am going to school. Is my ada there? Come home, Ada. Uncle Ratchet helped me to write this. I love you, Miracle."

Prowl grinned, then continued.

" **LOU, HIM! MY SHE, OWL COMED TO ME!? I LOVE HIM! I LOVE YOU,** **HIM** **! I COMED DERE TO HELPEDED YOU! I, ORION GOOD! HAN BAD! YOU COMED TO OWL!? HE MY SHE! I LOVE YOU, HIM!** I goed now. Orion."

"Dear Court Man, my name is Hero and my sister is Halo. **SHE'S SO CUTE!** I want to ask for Uncle Prowl to come home. He's nice and we love him. **HALO LOVES HIM, TOO!** He is my uncle and he needs to help with Santa Prime. Do you like Santa Prime? **HALO LOVES HIM!** Thank you, Mr. Court Man. Your friend, Hero and **HALO**!"

There were letters from Alor, Delphi and Elita, all of which varied in how high they suggested that the court hang him, one from Turbine quoting from the Chronicles of Primus about the deeply liberating process of forgiveness and mercy … or not ... one from Hercy that was hilarious in his wavering between hanging Prowl and letting him go, Kup who 'accidentally' mentioned how Prowl was ready to abandon him on that hallucinatory planet and how much he had **MOSTLY** forgiven him especially when he finally heard the story about how Springer bashed his face.

That one.

Prowl deleted that one.

"Dear Mr. Judge, my name is Solus. Her name is Sojie. Their names are Uraya and Iacon. Can our ada and amma come home now? We hope so. We want to make cookies. My ada makes good cookies. We can bring some to you. Thank you, Solus, Sojie, Uraya and Iacon. Possibility didn't talk to you on this because he can't talk yet. Good bye."

Prowl grinned and saved that one. It would go in their life books, too.

"Dear Judge, I would like to speak up for Commander Prowl. We've had our differences because he's sorta hard aft **BUT IN A GOOD WAY!** I would like to tell you that he should be let go. He has kids. But if you can't, then have him do kitchen detail at the Central Labor Council Veteran's Center. Just saying. Your truly, Smokescreen the Younger of Praxus. PS Commander Ratchet told me that Prowl will never see this. Thanks."

Prowl laughed loudly at that one, saved it, then continued.

"Dear Judge, I am Kestrel of Iacon and Optimus Prime is my son. I wish for mercy for my son-in-law because he makes my son so happy. He is the mech that we hoped for but never expected to see for our son, Orion. He's very self denying, our Orion but Prowl makes him happy and that makes us happy. He is the caretaker of our only son and he makes him laugh, relax and be himself again. The burden of Prime is very heavy and he never expected to be happy or have a home and family. But he does and we love Prowl, Tagg and I. I hope you temper your judgment with mercy. Thank you very much, Tagg and Kestrel of Iacon."

Prowl stood a moment assimilating that message and its gentle goodness before reading the last few. It warmed him more than he thought was possible, their kind and loving regard. He had it for them in return.

"Dear Judge, I'm Ironhide and I have to say that even though its against the law, I laughed to see Prowl do what he did. He's such a strict slagger that to see him come apart at the seams like that was great. **GOOD ON YOU, PROWLER!** Mercy would be nice. Thanks. Ironhide."

One from Raptor and Hard Drive followed by an amusing one from Blackjack rounded out the lot but for the last one. He opened it.

"Dear Judge, I am not sending you this to influence your verdict. You will do your duty with honor. I am however wishing you to know two things. Prowl is 'essential equipment' for the Autobots. He is always quick to remind me. However, he **is** 'essential equipment' for me as well. He is my warmth, my closest friend, my confidante, my partner and the love of my life. I hope you can craft a punishment that fits the crime. Thank you for the opportunity to tell you something of what I feel for him, the uptight slagger. Yours truly, Optimus Prime, bond of Prowl, father of many. Or as Prowl is so wont to say … father of 'all of them'."

Prowl ran all the way to the space bridge and headed to Cybertron to spend the afternoon traipsing around the southern climes with his soulmate.

=0=Mall of Metroplex, The Grocery at the Mall of Metroplex

Ratchet pushed a heavily laden cart to the check out, the second one of this trip. All of the biggest and most important stuff would be delivered to the apartment when they were home to receive it. This would go as well. Leaning on his cart, he listened to Ironhide explain Prowl's court attendance to him.

:He got two orns house arrest and about seven or eight joors of probation. He can't frag up again or he's banned from the games for a couple or so:

Ratchet grinned. :Then I think the letters I organized did the trick:

:They did. He's here and he's staying. He did say something about Smokey. You wouldn't know anything about that would ya?: Ironhide asked with suspicion as the mechs and femmes in Prime's group gave candy and presents to the kids and citizens of a small camp near the south pole.

: **WHO ME**!?: Ratchet asked as he watched the groceries he had chosen be inventoried, boxed and sent on the conveyor belt onward to the warehouse to await delivery. :Gotta motor. I have to get things done. Come home. I'm having pizza night a few orns early. Ratchet out:

Ironhide grinned, then glanced at Prowl and Prime who were talking off line. They looked serious and on task. It was amusing how they could project that when they weren't but he could tell. Ironhide wasn't Prime's 'brother' for nothing. It would be a very amusing tramp through the hinterlands until they left to go home.

=0=Diego around the same time

"When are we going home? I forgot," Jolt said as he and Smokey the Younger walked along on their beat. It was night and the base was only slightly less busy than during the day.

"Tomorrow at 0600." He grinned. "Did I tell you about the letter Ratchet asked me to write to the courts to keep Prowl out of jail? Here. Let me send it to you."

It passed to Jolt who read it, then laughed. "You better not let Prowl see that."

"He won't. Trust me," Smokey said with the confidence of youth. "Ratchet told me that the court doesn't share letters like that with the criminal."

They both laughed loudly, then Jolt grinned at Smokey. "Do you trust Ratchet?"

Smokey grinned at him, then the grin wavered. "You wouldn't?"

Jolt grinned and walked along as Smokey slowed. Then he hurried to catch up. "Prowl won't see the letter. Right? Right, Jolt?"

It would be a long and amusing night patrol at Diego Garcia.

=0=TBC 12-28-18 **edited 12-30-18**


	557. Chapter 557

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 557)

=0=Out there

"What do you think? Do we pull away?" he asked the two Knights and three Autobots that were running security for the migration. They were coming toward the Prime signal almost by accident. The direction they were coming from wasn't in the line of sight of the message send. They had gotten it through an anomaly of space which was both a good thing and not.

There were Decepticons in their group, a large solid block of black ships with purple sigils. They were filled with troops and some of them had fighters fixed to their hulls, ships that if they decided to come off and make trouble would probably succeed given their lack of military among the nearly completely civilian group. They were a mix of different settlements that had left Cybertron during the build up to war sensing quite rightly that things were going to get bad shortly.

Sentinel had just been assassinated and the leader of their dissident faction, Orion Pax had been arrested and no one knew where he was. They had been planning, then left, heading into the only direction that Cybertron hadn't settled. They headed for the Perseus Transit, so called by the humans they didn't know at the time. They had their own name for it and among the rocky planets and sparsely settled systems there, they had built up a very large civilization. Keeping to themselves and trading sporadically with those aliens who passed by, they were relatively happy, though homesick.

Cybertron which was located in the Orion Spur was a dot on a map and a fading memory of The People until someone passing through, an alien species with trading ties to the planet said that Cybertron had fallen to Optimus Prime, the Decepticons were in disarray and that they were calling home everyone who could and would come. Prime was rebuilding Cybertron and the chance of the 'Cons regaining the planet was fading with each passing orn.

A huge meeting was held, decisions were made and ships constructed. They were large and meant for long distance travel. Filling them with memories, possessions and each other, they left their own colonies behind, sending a message toward Cybertron which was still on their oldest navigation maps. It was the way they were discovered. Decepticons who were in the region doing who knew what had picked up their signal and had joined them when they were closing in on Prime. They were many, silent and when they joined up, they flew among them without commentary or action of any kind. They were just there.

It was disturbing. That was when they sent a scout ship ahead to send a message of distress to Prime. hopeful that it wouldn't be picked up by the 'Cons if bulleted ahead of the migration. When they did, the 'Cons launched a vessel to tail them. They sent the message, then rounded for the route back. They never made it. The three in the scout ship were captured and taken aboard the lead vessel of the Decepticons.

No amount of requests for meet ups or return of their people could coax a sound out of the 'Con ships. They didn't change their actions or patterns but realigned in the body of the migration even more. The only thing the civilians could do was press on and hope that what they had heard about Prime and his ability to assist them was right. For the first time, they were all scared.

The senior soldier, an Autobot commander by the name of Blackjack considered that, then shook his helm. "I don't think so," he said as he glanced at his brother. "We can't provoke them. We have to wait to hear from Prime. We continue onward, say nothing and hang on."

The others nodded, then the civilian sent a message to the migration, one innocuous enough not to provoke the 'Cons. "Hang on. We're getting there."

=0=In a redoubt in the domain of the Prime of Cybertron

He caught the message as it went past. Pleon read it, then called Ominous to come. He entered, read the message, then grinned. "Well, this is interesting. That part of the arm doesn't seem to be in Prime's game plan. Why not contact the 'Cons in the ships and see what they want to do? We could use more mechs. The ships as well. Do it," he said.

Pleon nodded, then walked to the communications station to make an encrypted message to send to the Decepticons in the group who through the message from the migration had just told them that they were coming. It was a general call to any 'Con group as well that might be settled into an established fort in this part of the arm. It might have been an automatic send that some ships did to locate fellow Cybertronians in unknown space in different times. It might be that somehow they knew they were here. It didn't seem likely to Pleon given the area they were coming from but he sent it anyway. Both he and Ominous sat back to wait for a reply.

=0=Out there

A message jetted in, heading for space as messages do. Both the 'Cons and the civilians captured it, read the contents and braced themselves. The message was from Decepticons on Decepticon frequencies. It was hammering in to reach them, perhaps unaware that there were others in the receiving group besides 'Cons. Blackjack frowned, then turned to the others. "We have to let Prime know about this. If the newcomers make their way here, none of us are going to get out of it with our hides intact. We have to brace for trouble. Send a message to Prime. Tell him what's happening."

The civilian head of the group sat with the brother of the military commander to make a message of extreme distress to the last known Prime of Cybertron. The last message they had before they disappeared into the ether long, long ago was that Pax had been released from jail upon massive demand from the uprising population, that he had stormed the Senate and was now Prime. They were glad but it wasn't enough to get them to turn around. Three Seers in the group had made it clear that there would have to come a major reckoning for Cybertron before it was safe to come back. Apparently, that had happened already. What they had to do now was live long enough to come back home.

It was a grim group that flew through the darkness heading for a system with a large but relatively nondescript sun which fed life to a good nine or ten planets. It was far from Cybertron but a fall back redoubt for the Prime. Given their current situation, it was preferable squatting in a military base camp than dealing with the faceless and silent threat among them.

=0=Day before Christmas and all through the colony …

Ratchet watched the food in his ovens cooking as he had his minions, everyone he could pull rank on turn his home, Blackjack and Alor's as well as his genitor's homes into a party house. Tonight, everyone and their targ were coming to eat dinner on this, Christmas Surprise Eve and he wanted the party to be memorable. They always were, these excursions into the wild side and given the amount of food, drink, kids, freeloaders, hangers-on, family, professional allies and pets, the scene was going to be wild. Then they would repeat it with family at Primes (minus about 300 others who were here for the food, drink and folly) complete with gift exchanges.

But first, they had to do Santa Priming for the masses the following orn.

Ironhide wandered in, stole a bun, then set Halo on the floor. She looked at both, smiled brilliantly, then ran albeit as fast as tiny peds could take her to Hero's room and toy boxes. It would take her a while to get there.

They watched her, then Ratchet grinned. "Thief. Frag you, butter fingers. By the way, Prowl got a few joors of probation and two orns of house arrest but for work for dropping that bottle on Xantium at the game. The league doesn't want to set a trend." He grinned. "That's Our Prowl. A trendsetter."

Ironhide grinned, then walked to his chair to sit. "Prowl is a trendsetter on tossing tables and desks, snatching sparklings and falling on his face drunk. That's about it, the conformist slagger."

"I don't know. I got to see a photo album of him and his genitors with snapshots of family together standing along side of famous things and places. He's just a little kid in most of them. The adults are smiling beautifully and he's standing in front of them with the greatest pouting and frowning expressions I've ever seen. Our Prowler was a real gothic little emo slagger then. It's hilarious."

"I'll have to look," Ironhide said as he turned on the monitor. The news was playing.

Ratchet turned back to his cooking, the room looked like a diner and the hallway outside was lined with benches and little tables brought in by **SPEEDY TRANSIT AND STORAGE! YOU ASK, WE DO!** or something like that. Ratchet couldn't remember. He just knew that he liked the mini and micro-mini slaggers that ran the show.

It would be peaceful in the apartment until show time.

=0=Earth2, Earth 1, Sciences, N.E.S.T. HQ, The United Nations Consulate of Earth, The Resort At Autobot City and Unidad Terra 1

They were arranging for a dance party the next day, Christmas Day to be exact at the biggest and newest habitat on world for humans. There were very few going home for the holidays, most staying to have a human holiday on an alien planet. The opportunities for the ubiquitous year end family letter to everyone and sundry was enormously more entertaining from here than telling about how things were in the suburbs or city back home. Finger food and drinks would be the major attraction with all of the human habitations bringing their part of the massive amount of each that nearly 17,000 party goers were expected to need.

They were planning for everyone on world to come, though children would be staying home. Babysitters from the Social Services Division of Autobot City would be coming to stay for the six hours that most parents would spend dancing, eating and drinking, conversing and gadding about in the confines of Unidad Terra 1. The singles and childless would continue on into the merry joors of morning.

The women who ran the social show on world had worked it out, everyone was texted for their share of edibles and drinkables and it was on. It was amazing how many humans in all the different places sent orders through to Earth for this and that thing to make their hor d'oeuvres the way their mama probably didn't. It was a given that at a potluck, handmade buffet or hor d'oeuvres bar, everyone would be trying to outdo each other.

It was written into the human genome.

Everyone as well would be wearing their best. Even though their uniforms were cut out of the same pattern, their embellishments weren't. It would astound anyone on world at the amount of precious gems that would be worn by men and women at the shindig. Of course, given that they were made and 'sold' here by various artisans including the redoubtable Needlenose and were composed of just about every imaginable gem of any imaginable size, everyone was also determined to out do each other with that as well.

The socialites of Earth2 were no exception.

Given that Judy Witwicky had a crown of big diamonds, a ravishing matching diamond necklace, rings and earrings made to compliment the set, other women in her circle dolling up just as madly would be much remarked upon down through the ages. The members of the Autobot City Women's (and now men's) Auxiliary were determined to continue to write new pages into the Book of Legends.

They would succeed.

=0=Ops Center, Autobot City

It arrived, a message from far away and when it did Paragon turned grimly to Blaster. "You have the conn, Blaster. I have to go to Cybertron for a moment to talk to Prowl and Prime."

"Got it," Blaster said as he moved from tactical to the center table. He watched Paragon leave, then shook his helm. "What the frag now?" he whispered before he bent to the tasks at hand.

=0=TBC 12-19-18 **edited 12-30-18**


	558. Chapter 558

The Diego Diaries: Blows (dd6 558)

=0=Ops Center Big Conference Room, Autobot City

They walked in, big mechs and femmes with grim expressions. Prime sat at the front with a data pad in his servos. Everyone joined him, then he leaned forward. "We just received a message from a migration we have been tracking along the Orion Spur. Their signature seemed to be heading from the Rosette Nebula 5,000 light years away. Given that most of our ships were capable of superluminal or warp speed, that distance though long is not unheard of and they appear to have been traveling a long time. It would appear that our people have gone long distances to flee war. Right now, a group that is very large, as many as a million are coming this way and among them composing perhaps one third of the bulk are Decepticons. They have not spoken nor interacted but to capture the passengers in a shuttle that went ahead to warn us of them, then tried to return."

"What does the message say, Optimus?" Raptor asked.

Optimus handed the device to Hard Drive who sat next to him. He perused it, glanced at Prime, then the data pad once more. "I would like to send a message to the group. There's something here, Prime. We also need to know if any soldiers are with them."

Prime considered that, then nodded. Hardie rose and walked to the comm link station nearby. Composing a short message, he sent it bullet style for transport through a Trigger. It went up to the rooftop devices, towers and dishes then into space for the Midway Stellar Array that floated between Saturn and Mars, was observable from Ceres and facilitated the jump for messages to the rest of the empire. It went from there to the recently completed third Trigger that would be the device to send the nearly finished War World-like space vessel that was in construction around Saturn to its destination station far away on the trading lanes that were being referred to on world as 'The Silk Road'. From there, it was delivered within a parsec of the last known location of the migration with distance travel drift adjusted.

It was innocuous because Hardie knew the 'Cons would read it, too. It was for a specific reason alone. He stood by the comm station to wait for the reply. It was solemnly quiet in the room as everyone sat together.

=0=Out there somewhere on the way to freedom

They received the message, both sides, and read it. One side would only see jibberish. The other would see something they knew perfectly. They would then counter sign and send their message toward the micro bridge that was waiting for it some distance away. It was sent.

=0=At the Ops Center

Delphi stood beside Hardie as he watched the screen for the reply. It came and they both read it as it was opened. Delphi squeezed Hardie's shoulders. He stared at the message, then touched the screen gently with his servo. He glanced at Delphi, then turned to Prime. "I know who is coming, Prime," he said with a soft voice. He then told Prime off line.

0=Moments later

They walked to Kappa and a battle shuttle, one of seven that were loading up with hastily called mechs, the most veteran of soldiers all. Waiting to leave were 500 Seekers, all fighting models. Waiting to be called to come some distance away, gathered from their on station postings and transformed into ship format, Tennyson, Typhoon and Dangerous were ready as well.

Cameras from the news and from the humans who were going this way and that captured the moment as the mechs loaded up, then the ships lifted off. The roar was astonishing and the blow back intense as they rose up swiftly to vanish nearly immediately. No one would know what was happening yet but no one wasn't of the mind that something terrible was heading their way.

=0=On board Kappa

Prime and every one of his team including Ratchet walked onto the command deck and met there in pretender format many of the titan class on world. The rest including the dreads were aboard Tennyson and Typhoon, waiting to come at call. They bowed to Prime and he nodded back. Walking to the command table, Prime paused to stare at the data map laying there. The Trigger created a micro bridge and they had sent out a long distance probe to scan and send back information to build the picture out there. It was small and temporarily shielded enough not to alarm the migration which from the percentage of 'Cons involved made it the most dangerous reclamation with greater potential for disaster than any encountered yet.

"What do we know that is new?" Prime asked as the ships with him lined up for the Trigger jump in orbit of Mars.

"We know, Prime, that the migration is big, over a million or so. The number of Autobot soldiers on board is negligible. The group is pre-Diaspora and has lived in good settlements in the Rosette Nebula a long time. A couple of civilians and several Autobots are in charge and they made the decision to leave when alien traders filled them in on things here and on Cybertron. They've been coming peacefully until the 'Cons joined. Other than taking the three civilians prisoner, there is no record of discord. They just fly along and are silent, which has unnerved the migration. They're very afraid, Prime. Ominous has sent them a message to come," Raptor reported as he turned to look at Prime from Tactical.

"That will not happen," Prime said grimly. "Take us out, General," he said as he glanced at Hardie.

That mech nodded, then walked to the command chair. Giving orders, the bridge flared into life, then they shot through heading for a confrontation that would be coordinated when they got there. The other Trigger was distance sending the three giant Autobots forward toward their rendezvous point several parsecs away from the migration. There, they would gather and begin their plan to liberate a million of their people from the enemy.

=0=Far away closer to Epsilon Eridani

Razorclaw watched the map of the local cluster that had taken a long time to make with short sorties and 'trades' with traders from the local area. Prime was moving away with a very large group, probably to get a migration coming from a new direction. He directed the officer of the deck to send a message to Ominous asking for an update. Given that he had planted listening devices all around Ominous on the sly with his expanding but still limited bridge capacity, he was curious about how deeply the big thug would lie to him about what he was doing.

Ominous was making overtures to the migration which meant that Decepticons were in it. That would align with the size of the forces going out to meet them. Signatures of titans were among them, several. Prime wasn't playing nice any longer it would seem. Something new to file away, he thought. He turned to take a message pad from his field commander, Slasher, then read it.

It would appear that Ominous was upping the ante in The Game: Balance of Power which they were all playing. It was dangerous but intriguing. He was asking the 'Con group to come to him and sent them the coordinates, a move that had risk, though Razorclaw was sure that Prime knew where Ominous was and what he ate for dinner. It would be interesting to watch. If the fragger failed, he would call forward the remnants of his failed domain to come to him. If the mob in the migration had to fall back, he would go to them through his bridge. It would strain his ability to reach them but it was feasible. When they finally got their new and improved giant generators affixed, their reach would be much farther. He would have to do it in a way not to alert Prime. It would take math he didn't have but the mechs who worked for him and had for a long, long time were on it.

All he had to do was sit and watch. So he did.

=0=Out there

They waited in space until another bridge appeared, one in which three massive ships of such size and power slid out that most watching were speechless with awe for a moment. Typhoon followed by Tennyson and Dangerous slipped through the furious massive blossom of the Trigger which then fell to micro singularity size. They were in full battle configuration and inside gazing through the windows of the ships were the full Seeker complements that lived on them doing their duty in the DMZ and beyond. They slid to a slowing halt, lining up in battle configuration, then signaled Prime.

"Dangerous on station. Command me, Prime," a deep masculine voice said over the inter ship communications line.

"Command me, Prime. I am Typhoon and I have spoken," another said.

Then Tennyson checked in. "Here we are, Optimus. Who do you wish us to take apart? I am yours to command."

The mechs on board nodded with great pride at the quality of their comrades, then turned to Prime. He was thinking as he stared out the forward view port at the monsters aligning themselves with the shuttles and Kappa. "Gentlemen, stand by at my command. I am going to attempt to do this without battle."

"Understood," three slightly metallic voices said, a sound that indicated that they were moving to battle readiness and loading their torpedo bays and cannons with live rounds. It was a thrilling thing to know.

"General, see if you can get the leadership on the line. Put it through speakers. Do what you must," Optimus said as he turned toward Hard Drive. His son and grandsons glance at Hardie but said nothing as he walked to the communications station. He typed swiftly, then all waited.

Blaster turned to them from the auxiliary station for Communications. "They're attempted to block the signal."

"Send them a message, Typhoon. Discretion given," Prime said coldly. He turned to stare outward at the big ships as they held nearby, their massive lengths staggering in direct view in space.

"Typhoon to pack. Stand by," a metallic voice said.

Two answered affirmative.

"Torpedo room, slimline in two. Standby for orders," the voice said.

"Affirmative," a metallic voice, one of the non-sentient bots that ran systems onboard replied.

A silent second passed then Ty was back. "Coordinates of acquired target sent and locked in. Load for readiness to launch."

"Affirmative."

After a second, Ty was back. "Discretion given and received. Target acquired. Commence sequence to fire and launch."

There was silence a moment, then the bot was back. "Discretion given and received. Target acquired. Missile launch now. Go. Missile is go," he replied.

A flash of light from Ty signaled a launch as a deadly slimline torpedo, one with nearly infinite range and firepower of a catastrophic kind burst out of a forward launch tube and commenced toward whatever it was that Ty had locked onto.

"Migration and Decepticons alike, this is Optimus Prime," he said as he stood beside a speaker, his voice going out to the migration faster than the missile. "I have arrived with an armada of dreadnoughts and battle shuttles. We are making a point. A slimline torpedo is heading your way and will miss you because I choose it to do so. Please watch for its impact."

It was silent as they gathered around the table. The migration was slowing with some of the Decepticons starting to move out as best they could in the configuration. Heading toward them was a blinking light of death, a missile that was state of the art for The People. It flashed nearby heading for an asteroid that was following the migration some distance away. It hit it with infinite precision and the blasting light of its explosion was enormous. No one in the migration would be unclear about what had happened.

They watched the migration as it stopped, staggering slowly as the traffic of command asked them to halt. Even the 'Cons did so as others began to rise out and move away from the mass itself. Then a voice came over the speakers. "Obsidian to Ebony," it said.

Blackjack glanced at Raptor who looked just as surprised and unclear. Ironhide glanced at both of them, then his great grandfather. Hardie was transfixed to the floor, his servos clenched in fists.

Delphi who looked at Hardie a moment then walked to the comm station. He pressed the call button. "Ebony confirms. Ebony confirmed times three."

Everyone glanced at each other, then Blackjack. "That's your call name, Atar," Ironhide said to Blackjack.

Blackjack shrugged with confusion. "It is. I don't know what's going on."

Raptor turned to his father. "Are you alright? What's happening here?"

Delphi sat at the Comm station. "Obsidian, we are here. What is the need? The sit-rep? Advise."

The voice returned, deep and masculine, one that trended in sound to older and was filled with emotion. "We're in the middle of a shooting situation. Some of them, most of them are trying to leave. We could go either way."

"We are on our way," Prime said. "Tell everyone to sit tight. No moves. No effort to leave if you are with the migration. I would advise the Decepticons in the migration to leave and go back the way you came. We are on our way. Stand by. We are coming to get you." He turned to Blackjack. "Take us there. Titans, follow."

They acknowledged and as Blackjack passed his grandfather who turned to stare at the screen with intensity, he sat on the conn. "Kappa, lead us in. Battle configuration Alpha-Beta-II."

The big ships acknowledged as they flew with astonishing speed toward a danger that was still unfolding before them.

=0=TBC 12-30-18 **edited 1-2-19**


	559. Chapter 559

The Diego Diaries: Migration (dd6 559) HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY 2019! :D

=0=Deck of Kappa Supreme

They flew swiftly forward, a mass of ships and free flying Seekers who had been part of Kappa and the battle shuttles' flight plan for the interdiction. In the distance becoming clearer and bigger by the second, a massive smear of light seemed to stretch forever.

Standing on the deck as Prime took the command seat, Hard Drive watched without emotion as he stood next to Delphi.

:Ada … what's going on?: Raptor asked off line.

:Not yet, infant: Delphi said as Prime glanced at Blaster.

"Link me into everyone, Blaster," Prime said as the big mech turned to do so.

He glanced back at Prime. "You're open, Optimus."

Prime stared at the forward screen, then sat slightly forward gripping the arms of the chair tightly. "Migration and Decepticon ships, I am Optimus Prime. I am here to take control and possession of the migration. You may stay if you surrender your arms, fuse them into lockers and power down. If you do not, I will shoot you. I am coming with three dreadnought class ships, a flight of battle shuttles and 1,200 Seeker fighters. To make my point clear, I am asking the dreadnoughts to put their signature missile into the asteroid field you are paralleling to show you my resolve. Prime out."

He glanced at Devcon who waited for him. "Devcon, is there anything in the asteroid belt that bears a change of target?"

"No, Optimus. It's clear," Dev said.

"Good," Optimus said. "Prime to Tennyson, Dangerous and Typhoon. Please do your duty."

"Understood," they murmured.

Prime sat back to watch and even as he did Decepticon ships were rising out of the migration to flee in retreat. They were large ships that would carry large crews. Where they came from, he didn't know. This direction was new territory for their side and would have to be explored carefully. There could be more of their people this direction.

It was then that the missiles launched.

=0=Nearby on Dangerous

A good dozen titanic formats in pretender gear sat or stood on the deck of Dangerous listening to him instruct his non-sentient crew to load a slimline into torpedo tube five. His voice echoed around the ship as the robotic workers did their part in rolling forward a missile that would never quit once it acquired target until it hit it.

"Metroplex to Prime."

"Prime here."

"We are go. Launching on count. Three … two … one. Launch."

Three flashes of light behind them could be seen from the view ports of Kappa as white objects moving at sonic speeds flashed out and past them. They were tuned into a number of asteroids near the migration but not close enough for them to be harmed by the blast and debris.

Prime opened a channel again. "Optimus Prime to migration and all who bring harm within. Three titans have launched missiles. They will strike nearby. You are in no danger at the moment but if you stay among the refugees we will acquire you as targets and take all measures to terminate you. Leave now because the next one will have your names on it. Prime out."

Telemetry on the forward screen ran to one side showing the missiles closing in, the halting at last of the migration as far back as they could see and the harried departure of the Decepticons. They were fleeing back the way they came as fast as they could go. When the missiles reached their targets they exploded with an astonishing blast of light and debris. It floated away swiftly, some of it lightly striking a few refugee ships before flying onward into infinity. As they did, the last Decepticon ship moved out and joined its brethren in retreat.

=0=Kappa

Prime noted with grim satisfaction that the enemy was departing. He glanced at Devcon. "Track them until we cannot follow on sensors, Devcon. Tie in with the dreadnoughts. I want to know as best we can where they go."

Dev nodded, then turned to make it so.

Prime stood, then walked forward. He glanced back. "General? Attend me."

Hardie walked forward and the two discussed something off line, their expressions serious but calm. The others watched and listened, glancing from one to the other, then Hardie walked to the elevator passing everyone as he did. Delphi turned without a word to follow him.

Raptor turned to go but halted when Prime called to him. "General. Everyone wait."

They turned to Prime who glanced out the window as Hardie left the room. It was tense but they complied.

Barely.

=0=On the way

They bridged to Typhoon's bridge and hangar deck, then took a shuttle near the hatchway. Climbing in, both Hardie and Delphi flew out of the hangar and onward to the migration. They flashed past, well aware that everyone was watching as they headed toward a ship where the leadership both military and civilian had identified that they were there. They were lost in no time to sight against the bright lights of the migration.

Ratchet walked to Tactical and plugged in next to Jazz who was coordinating the download of everything being now sent to them from the migration command into his own portable computer and storage cells sitting in a case on a console as well as into the ship's vast computers. Ratchet who plugged in as well was tagged to pick up anything remotely related to the medical and mental health part of things as well as orphans and other special cases.

:What was that all about, Ratch?: Jazz asked as he glanced at Ratchet a moment.

:I don't know. No one tells me nothin': Ratchet said with a grin.

:If you weren't so nosy they would: Jazz replied.

They bantered as the data rolled in.

=0=There

They reached the big ship where the leadership was gathered and tagged themselves to it with a magnetic line. They stepped out, jumped forward and 'fell' toward the vessel to magnetize their peds. Hardie glanced around, then walked to a hatch nearby that was opening. Delphi followed and when they arrived there they stepped off and slid inside. The hatch closed behind them.

It was lighted inside with a lot of bots standing around the space staring at them with almost too much emotion.

Prime was here.

They were here.

The 'Cons were gone.

It was just too much.

Hardie glanced around. "Where are your leaders?" he asked.

A big mech stepped forward. "They told me to bring you to the flight deck, sir. If you both follow me."

They did, walking through halls where Cybertronians of all manner watched them with emotion and relief. As they did, hundreds of Seekers were launching from the dreads to punctuate what the missiles had already written.

=0=Kappa

Starscream called them to go, the 500 Seekers that had come with them here in flight with Kappa and the shuttles as well as the 1,500 that lived doing their tours on the big ships. They swarmed out like bees and formed up, dashing off to fire missiles and shoot their big, big guns. They weren't in any position to catch them and make it count. But they were in a good position to show the depth of Prime's army to the 'Cons running away. Their versatility and fire power would not be missed by anyone.

They flashed past in a stream like snow in a wind blown blizzard and as most flew onward to shoot, some flew over into a grid pattern to sweep the migration. As they did, nearly 100 Seekers with the migration rose up and saluted them, then blazed after the others in hot pursuit. There were nearly 650 Seekers in the migration they would find, less than 100 of them soldiers while the rest were families … children, infants, sparked and elders, families who were going with their soldiers including two more clan chieftains.

Starscream noted that with satisfaction. "It would appear that our people are coming by … what was it Blondi said? Shanks mare?"

It was the first light moment of the flight as Prime grinned at Starscream. He walked to the view port to watch as the show blazed onward outside.

=0=Flight deck of the migration ship command

They walked in to a crowded deck, pausing to look around. It was tense and expectant as they took the measure of the other. Then a big mech stepped forward, a big, big one with a lot of masculine energy and a direct unflinching gaze. He was covered with tattoos of his adventures and regiments, the commands he had led and the places he had served. What was missing was a tattoo of caste anywhere to be seen. What wasn't missing was the emblem that all Immortals wore on their arms.

Behind him, watching with a slight grin and emotional optics, another huge mech waited silently. He was nearly identical, both of them wearing the heavy black armor of what was clearly very senior Praxian Military Elites. They stared at Delphi and Hardie, then walked forward to envelope both in their arms. They hugged each other tightly.

=0=Kappa

:I don't like this. What's going on?: Ironhide fussed as he stood next to his father and grandfather.

:Patience is a virtue, infant: Raptor said. He glanced at the center of his universe, his grandson, then shrugged. :Atar will tell us when its time:

:Frag that: Ironhide grumped.

Ratchet standing nearby grinned at all of them. He had no idea either but it was always humorous to see Ironhide's elders boss him around.

=0=There

They stared at each other, then Hardie glanced at the others. "We're here in the name of Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire to take you home to safety and prosperity. All you have to do is go in organized groups. We know how to do this swiftly and well. You just have to trust us." He looked at the pair. "Anything pending to tell us or can it wait?"

They considered it, glancing at each other, then Delphi and Hard Drive. "It can wait. Maybe. Probably." He grinned. "Where the frag have you been? When we came, you weren't there. Each time."

Hardie considered that. "It could have been Nova. That fragger is mean enough to do this. I have a lot to ask you about … the thing."

The grins faded on their faces, then both nodded. "You and me both," the first said. He glanced at the civilians. "We have to obey the teams that come. I'm assuming you have this in hand? We're about 672,000 individuals."

"We can. We're taking you to Prime's fall back colony in a place called Mars. We have Cybertron and the inner empire but they can't take refugees yet," Delphi said. "Prime took it and didn't fire one shot."

They stared at him, then nodded. "You'll have to tell us, Delph. Something tells me that there's a story there."

"There is," Delphi said with a grin. He walked to the console at the Comm station nearby. "Delphi to Prime."

"Prime here."

"Send in the cavalry. We're ready to go," Delphi said.

"Understood. Is it possible that the military leadership of the migration come here to talk a moment? I am of the hope that the civilians can manage a moment without you," Prime asked.

"They can," Hardie said with a grin. "Come with me."

The first turned to a tall civilian. "Do what they tell you to do. Tell everyone to wait for their turn. I'll be back. We both will."

The civilian nodded, then watched as the two big mechs followed Delphi and Hardie to the hallway and beyond. Soon they were aboard the runabout, then on their way back to the massive ships and armada waiting in a blaze of light nearby.

=0=Moments later

They walked through the bridge on Kappa, then headed toward the flight deck down ship. Passing through a number of soldiers who were waiting to get orders, they walked onto the deck and halted before everyone there. Those there had turned to see them, then a laugh was heard nearby. Everyone turned to stare at Hercy who stood up from a bench nearby.

"You old **fraggers!** " Hercy said as he grinned at the two mechs with Delphi and Hardie.

They grinned back. "I see you're too ugly and short to die easily."

"Frag ya, General," Hercy said as he walked forward to grip the first and then the second bot's huge servos. "You didn't winter kill as the humans say."

"Nope," the first said with a grin.

"What the frag is this, Appa?" Ironhide asked as he stared at Hardie.

That mech was grinning faintly as he stared at the two with enormous emotion on his handsome face. Hardie turned to Ironhide and the others. "Its my honor to introduce someone I never expected to see again. These two mechs are my brothers, Blackjack and Ironhide of Praxus and the Immortals."

Ironhide stared at his appa, then his father and grandfather, then a widely grinning Ratchet, then the two huge mechs, Prime who was grinning with pleasure, Prowl who looked shocked, Hardie, his father, Delphi, a laughing Hercy, his grandfather …

=0=TBC 1-1-19 **edited 1-2-19**

Happy New Year, my darlings. SURELY, this will be a better year. I hope it is wherever you live and whatever you do. Just know you are immensely loved by me. :D

NOTES:

Ragemoose chapter 558 . 21h ago

Woo, this ought to be good! this is shaping up to be a real exciting end to 2018. happy new year! i know its a few hours early for you yet, but i hope 2019 brings you peace and prosperity. Til all are one!

ME: SO far so good, 2019. LOL! Happy New Year back. Things are going to crank up again at Autobot City and more stuff is coming. Given that they are finding so many, it shouldn't be a surprise that they do. These two have a good backstory which they're going to tell. HUGS!

Sesshykiss13 chapter 558 . 23h ago

HAPPY NEW YEAR! To all the bots and the wonderful author, I raise a glass to the start of a new year. *Chugs the drink* May you continue with your amazing work and the bots stay safe!

ME: I raise you two. LOL! Happy New Year back, my dear Sesshy. More to come. I think I'm only halfway through this story. HUGS!

Sesshykiss13 chapter 557 . 23h ago Here's to an amazing year of your wonderful work! Boy, a lot has happened this year. But we made it! Here's to another year of transformers!

ME: It was a tough weird year I agree. I love writing this and will do so until it ends about nine or ten years from now. I sort of want to see if this is the longest story in the entire internet. LOL! HUGS!

optimus prime101 chapter 558 . Dec 30, 2018

oh wow would you please add another chapter i want to read what happens next.

ME: I will always try. :D HUGS!

Silverhornd chapter 557 . Dec 29, 2018

Hi. question with another Blackjack how are you and we going to tell them a part.

ME: I haven't figured that out now but I'm going to let the kids help me. :D:D:D Amma Tub Tub and Appa Tap Tap (Turbine and Raptor) Nothing can go wrong there. Right? ;) HUGS!

fancyspinner chapter 556 . Dec 29, 2018

These are some of my favorite parts of the story. All the humor and funny stuff that goes on. Poor prowl! LOL

ME: I like alternating fun and drama. All drama makes the story a dull boy. :D Kaon v Iacon coming soon. :D HUGS, darling Fancy!

Leoness chapter 556 . Dec 28, 2018

Dude, I saw Bumblebee today. If it is shown in Diego-verse there is gonna be a lot of jealousy over how cool Bee is compared to the Bayverse bots…

ME: I heard it was amazing. It debuted on Rottentomatoes, the critic compilation site at 98%. Its still holding at 93%. Unheard of. Hugs back, darling Leoness. :D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 552 . Dec 26, 2018

Yay! Iacon for the win!

ME: FINALLY! LOL! Now, they have to play Kaon next. :D HUGS!

Guest chapter 554 . Dec 25, 2018

Peaceful holiday season to you. Hopefully you'll have plenty of time to write...  
I had time over the holiday and looked at DD part one, since you have redone it. I don't know if I should even tell you this, but there are several duplicate chapters, a couple of them are in wrong places and at least two had two chapters together. Nast is called Kent in the beginning and Fort Max is called Metroplex.  
Might be easier not to try to do any changes! Must be a hell of a job to try to move a mammoth of this size to another direction, but I have to say it was fun reading the beginning when one knows the backstory that comes up later. Doesn't always work, but I am amazed at how well you have made the story work.  
I hope you can keep up writing for a long time to come.

ME: I'm so glad you told me this. LOL! I have to rewrite one piece because I don't have a good copy of that to replace it and I'm going to go over it this weekend to make sure that its cleaned up. I have identified several of them. That will teach me. :D:D:D Thank you, darling, for letting me know. You are my hero. This story is an obsession and I don't see an end in sight. :D HUGS!

Ragemoose chapter 554 . Dec 25, 2018

oof! after about two weeks i'm finally all caught up and boy am i glad! Sad this thing with the kid had to happen so close to the holidays. I really feel for the family. Happy holidays arcta! :D I hope you had a good (and safe!) day!

ME: BACK AT YA, SWEETNESS! :D


	560. Chapter 560

The Diego Diaries: Sun (dd6 560)

=0=On a ship with familiar strangers

" **WHAT!?"** Ironhide asked with surprise.

"Who is this slagger, Hardie? He's one good looking slagger, I will say," Ironhide the Elder said with a grin.

Hardie finally laughed. "You have to start at the top and go down to make sense of him," he said as Delphi hugged Raptor's shoulders. "This good looking mech is my son, Raptor. He was born after you were sent out. You never saw him."

The two big mechs stared at him, then grinned. "Good looking slagger. I see a few more," Blackjack the Elder said. "Raptor is a good name. I do recall correctly where it comes from?" he asked as he glanced at Hardie.

Hardie looked pensive a moment, then nodded. "You do." He glanced at the other two. "That mech is my grandson, Raptor's infant, Blackjack." He looked at the last one then grinned. "That miracle of Primus is my infant, my great grandson, Ironhide."

Both of the big mechs laughed. "Thanks for commemorating us," Blackjack the Elder said with a grin. "Great names if I say so myself."

"I won't disagree. As for the rest of you," Hardie said, "we can make this happen by using your nicknames, brothers. This," he said pointing to Blackjack the Elder, "is just Jack. This handsome slagger is Sun."

The room was quiet a moment as everyone took that in. Raptor glanced at 'Sun' then Hardie. "Son as in son of someone?"

"No," Delphi said with a chuckle. "Sun as in star. There's a fabulous story that goes with that and you have to tell them, Sun, one fine orn when we're all drunk."

Sun grinned. "Sounds good to me," he said as he stepped forward to envelope Raptor in his huge arms. A moment was had to hug infants, then the two turned to Prime, dropped to one knee and bowed their helms. "Command us, Prime. We are yours," Sun said.

"Rise, warriors," Prime said with great pleasure. "I am honored to receive the presence and service of two such legends."

Both stood, then grinned at him. "We are, aren't we," Jack said as the room erupted into laughter.

Prime gripped their servos, laughed with them a moment, then turned to Hardie. "General, would you assist your brothers in bringing this to order? I am going to have to go back if there is nothing more I am needed for." He turned to the two mechs who were grinning as Sun gripped Ironhide The Infant tightly around his shoulders. That mech was feeling the massive strength of his great great uncle. "We are having a special dinner tonight at Ironhide's house. I am assuming that you will attend tonight and the events of tomorrow?"

"They will, Optimus," Hardie said with a big grin. He looked at the two. "You wouldn't want to miss these infants here being Santa Primes would you? Ratchet?" he asked as he gazed past Sun to the big medic who was standing nearby with a smile on his face and delight in his spark. "Do you have extra elf hats, Ratchet?"

"Oh, frag yes," Ratchet said to loud laughter. "Bring them to the house to meet the mob, then we can organize them to be Santa elves with you and Delph."

"Sounds like a plan," Hardie said as he grinned at the pair.

They grinned back. "We're going to regret this, right?" Jack asked.

"In all likelihood, yes," Hardie said to great laughter. He turned to Prime, Starscream and Prowl. Nodding his helm with great happiness and respect, he grinned at them. "We can go from here, gentlemen."

Starscream grinned. "I'm sure you can," he said as he turned to go to great laughter. "By the by, we will take the Seekers and the two clan chieftains. Thank you."

They chatted, shook hands again, then Prowl, Starscream and Prime walked out. It was silent a moment as everyone turned to stare at Hardie and the two giant mechs.

Hardie grinned. "We can get the ball rolling. Infant here," he said nodding to Raptor, "can organize the net and get them gridded out. We take them in sectors five thousand at a time."

"Frag," Sun said. "Five thousand? What sort of camp is his colony?"

"Its a desolation," Raptor interjected. "It's the best we can do but we're being overrun. Megatron wants to get us together and blow us all up. We do the best we can, Appa. It's just ..." He trailed off his voice, the slagger, as others jumped in.

Because army.

"I'm afraid he's right, General," Hercy said with a sad expression. "We do our best. Everything is in short supply and tents … well, you can understand. It takes a lot of energon to fill up these tubs," he said as he patted Kappa on the wall.

"I heard that," Kappa's laughing voice said over the intercom.

Huge laughter greeted that as all of them there carried on the prank. The two big mechs leaned into the task, helping them put together the framework as more ships arrived to assist throughout the migration. They chatted with the civilians, then made way to go to Mars to 'help with the catastrophe such a crowd brings when landed like this on world.

Two grim mechs followed Delphi, Blackjack and Ironhide the Younger, Raptor, Hercy and Kup along with other stand down mechs through the ship bridge to reach the Ops Center Bridge Room on world. They walked out, glanced back, then looked at Hardie. "You have a lot of bridges. Impressive. We could have used one," Sun said.

"We have a lot of smart mechs and femmes here. They held us keep above water,," Hardie said as he led the way. Upward they went, then into the huge rec room. Walking toward the Ops Center, they followed Hardie, entering the huge room to stop and look around in gasping wonder.

"You have a set up, Hardie. Impressive," Sun said. "I suppose its necessary given the size of your operation."

"It is. Come on," Hardie said with an expression of concern on his face. He was cracking up loudly inside with Hercy and Delphi as he walked for the courtyard and the doorway outside trailed by the infants and everyone else along for the ride. When they exited, they walked to the street, then halted.

The two big mechs stared at the airfield, then the cityscape in one direction and urban area before and extending into the distance in the other direction. They stepped forward, then turned to Hardie. Sun grinned. "Fragger."

Jack laughed, then pounced on Hardie, rubbing his knuckles on Hardie's helm. He let him go, then laughed loudly. **"WHAT THE FRAG IS THIS!?"**

"Home," Hardie said with a grin as he rubbed his helm. "Fraggers."

Delphi laughed loudly, then took Jack's arm. "Come with us. You can stay with us until we get things sorted out. You aren't in bonds are ya?"

"Not yet," Sun said with a smirk and wink.

"Oh, frag. Material. **WITH THESE HEALING MIRACLE SERVOS, I, RATCHET-** "

He was tackled by Ironhide. After a momentary slapfest, Ratchet turned to them and pasted on a big sappy smile. "As I was **SAYING** ..."

"Run, boys," Hercy said with a grin. "It's heavily advised."

"That is Ratchet of Iacon, C.M.O. of the whole shebang, Ironhide's bond and completely certifiable," Delphi said. "We can go barhopping when you're settled in. Ratchet knows all the best dives."

"I do," Ratchet said smiling with enormous pride.

"Frag," Ironhide said with a grin. "What now? Our house or yours?"

"We can go to your house. Dinner is when?" Hardie asked.

"In about half a joor," Ratchet said. "I better haul. Come with. We can have a brew and tell lies. Besides, we have a few embellishments you need to meet."

"Embellishments?" Sun asked as they began to follow Ratchet and Ironhide.

"You'll see," Hardie said with a chuckle.

"What about the migration?" Sun asked because he was nothing if not about the job.

"The Bureau of Refugees as well as Immigration are on it," Delphi said. "We have this. If you're needed, I'm linked in."

"Well then … lead away," Sun said as he gripped Delphi's servo. "I sure missed you, brother."

"We all missed you, Sun," Delphi asked as they reached the junction. "By the way, the Pantheon restored the relics to Prime. The AllSpark, Flame and Well are in the Temple over there," he said nodding to the dome down the way. "They sort of favor him."

"The Well?" Jack asked with surprise. "The AllSpark was missing? All of the relics?"

"You've been out of the loop, General," Hercy said with a grin. "We have to catch you up on the sit-rep. We need beer to do that."

"Beer. It's been too long," Sun said as they walked down the street toward the tower. He glanced to one side. "Club Cybertron?"

"We also have Macadams," Raptor said as he began to warm up to the familiar strangers.

"Frag," Sun said with a grin. "Barhopping, eh? Done deal."

They walked to the building, went up and then down the corridor to the apartment where tables, chairs, benches and other furniture was waiting in the hallway for backsides to sit. Entering, they paused to look around at the vastness of the apartment before them. Good food was cooking, mechs were there doing the honors, then a cloud of little kids began to walk into the room with giant smiles. A disturbing number of them looked like mini versions of themselves.

The mechs stared down at the infants, the infants stared up at them.

" **ADA! WHO SHE!? SHES WHO THEM!? DO THEY COMING HERE!? I, ORION LOVEDED THEM!?"** a shortie asked.

The two newbies stared at perfect tiny versions of the big mechs, then burst into laughter. **"WHAT THE FRAG!? WHO ARE THESE CUTIES?"** Jack asked as he knelt.

Orion stared at him, then smiled brilliantly. **"I, ORION! I CUTIE! YOU CUTIE!? I HAVE FRUCK! YOU WANT A FRUCK?!"** he asked in his usual inside voice.

"Sure," Jack said and as he did the entire group turned almost as one and began to run down the hallway again.

"Oh, oh," Ratchet said as he watched. "You better sit. There's a number of trucks heading your way." Ratchet introduced him to those here which included Alor and Turbine along with his own elders.

It was riotously happy as they hugged and met each other, then the big mechs were shown a place of honor and tossed a beer. They caught them, then stared at the label. "Praxus Black Label. It's been eons of vorns. Thanks, Hardie," Sun said as infants fogged back out with every 'fruck' that the little kids owned.

They made a line, each of them, mech and tiny femme, waiting with a little truck to show the big mechs and explain it in every minute detail. It was dazzling.

=0=Out there

They finished their work at the office, then began to leave Metrotitan and their police tower for dinner at the old folks house. Springer glanced at Drift. "Ada just told me that they found Hardie's brothers in the migration. They're a couple of tiny little bookkeepers from the first age. He said they need tons of quiet so come in without too much noise."

"Sounds good," Drift said as they walked out together.

=0=Nearing the old folks home (tower)

They sped along the sidewalk toting the babies in carry baskets and a laughing Bluestreak on Sideswipe's back. Cutting through traffic, they reached the tower and halted to gather up again. Sideswipe turned to Blue and Sunstreaker. "Appa just called and said he got his brothers in the new migration. They're sick and small. Ada said Hardie's brothers were day laborers in their old colony and they need absolute quiet. So we have to come in quietly."

"Well, that's great **news**. Ratchet can put them together," Blue said as they spotted and waited for Drift and Springer who were coming.

"Hardie's brothers are here and they're in bad shape," Drift said as the others nodded.

"We can go in quietly," Blue said as he led the way. The others followed.

A sucker is born every orn.

=0=TBC 1-2-19 **edited 1-3-19**


	561. Chapter 561

The Diego Diaries: "Appa and Appa and Appa and …" (dd6 561)

=0=At Grandma's House

A rap on the door drew everyone's attention as Raptor rose to answer. He opened it, noted the passel of big youngin's outside, then slipped out. They gathered around him. "Did you get the message?" he asked.

They all nodded gravely.

"Well, they need as much quiet and rest as they can, the little slaggers. They were bookkeepers for the Quintessans but were day laborers at their last camp. The Quintessans really slagged them, even hanging them over the Sharkticon tanks for sport. It sorta took a lot out of them, though apparently that there wasn't much to start with. They're shorter than you, Bluestreak, about the size of Sunspot."

" **What**?" Springer asked with surprise. "I thought Amma Docker was the only mini in the family."

"Well, these two were feared dead so for a long time she was," Raptor said as he quashed a huge belly laugh inside. "They're tiny, really worn down … sorta simple, too, if you get my drift. No pun intended," he said to the big handsome mech standing solemnly beside Springer. "Think the little twins."

They stared at him with surprise and shock, then it was obvious that they were all girding their loins so to speak. They nodded. "Okay, Appa," Springer said. "What do we do?"

"Come in. Don't frighten them. It's been a very long and hard travail. My old atar is really wrung out to see them this way given that they need long term supervision so they don't get lost going around or getting into trouble. Neither of them can hold their liquor and apparently when they're in bars, they get drunk and pick a fight with the biggest meanest slaggers there. Mind you, they weren't very smart before. They haven't improved apparently and it was almost a full time job keeping them out of the smelting pools."

Bluestreak stared at him wavering between prank and truth, then decided to hold his fire. He held the basket of infants and Kaon in his hold. Glancing at the others, he waited for them to absorb the strange news.

Something tickled in the back of Sideswipe's processor or he hoped it did. Having half wit mini-con bookkeepers in the family sort of threw all of them. But they gathered themselves, then nodded almost as one.

"Okay, Appa," Sunstreaker said as they watched the big mech stare at them pointedly, then open the door to walk in. They followed into a room filled with solemn appearing mechs and femmes including a stern disapproving looking Ravel and a struggling slightly smiling Tie Down.

Raptor walked to his seat, then sat with his beer. Raising it to the youngsters, he grinned. "That over there is my Uncle Blackjack and my Uncle Ironhide."

They turned toward chairs nearby where two of the bigger non-titanic mechs they had seen in a while sat festooned with all of the children in the room including one of two dogs, three cats and two cows. They smiled and waggled their fingers in a wave.

The twins set down the kids and a bag with Bob in it, then they along with Springer, Drift and Bluestreak stared at the two, then the room, then Raptor who raised his beer again, a laughing Hard Drive, several ammas who were happy as clams as they worked on the dinner with Ratchet, Ravel who tutted, Tie who howled along with every other adult in the room, children who waved because Appa Sun and Appa Jack waved, a cow who was mooing because he was peeved that a cat was sitting on him, a number of other older siblings including a small widely smiling Seeker sitting on the back of Uncle Sun's chair, the two giant strange mechs, a cat batting at the face of a cow mooing and a partridge in a pear tree.

Like that.

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?** " -four of the five turning toward Raptor.

Bluestreak who wasn't 'born in a barn' walked to the two and held out his hand. "Hi. I'm Bluestreak, Prowl and Prime's son. These two," he said nodding to the twins who were giving Raptor **MAJOR** noogies on his helm, "are Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, my bonds and Ratchet and Ironhide's sons who they seldom mention in polite society. That pair are Springer and Drift who are a bond and sons of Ironhide and Ratchet as well. These," he said pulling back blankets so two tiny femmes could peer out, "are our twin femmes, Uraya and Iacon. This," he said pulling Kaon out of his hold, "is our son, Kaon, all of which must be your great great nephews and nieces."

Blue pulled the tiny girls out and set them next to the others while helping Kaon climb up on Appa Sun's lap. Kaon smiled at the two, then hugged Praxus who was sitting next to him with a big smile as he sat on the arm of the chair. That necessitated a hug fest, a cattle drive, a cat swatting the slag out of a dog, a dog barking madly at **ALL THREE** cats who slapped the shit out of him necessitating a lot of hopping and snapping around on the big mechs' laps along with riotous slag from the short of stature.

 **"ADA! OW ME! I, ORION FALLEDING!"** he said before he fell off the arm of the chair onto his helm followed by Kaon and Praxus who landed on him.

" **HELP ME, ADA!"** -Iacon falling tiny peds up in the air onto her tiny helm

" **I FELL DOWN! SAVE ME, ATAR!"** -Prowl and Uraya falling into the mix on the big mechs' laps to disappear into a whirlwind of raging animals

" **HALO IS GETTING STEPPED ON! BAD COW, ROBBY! *SAVE HALO*!"** -Hero, of course, before taking a header onto the floor

Two giant mechanisms froze in place unable to figure out how to save everyone. Cows came up and went down. Cats hissed and batted a big dog on the face as he barked and tried to grab one. Infants fell off and infants slid down into their chaotic laps as the entire room seemed to explode in their faces.

The kids were rescued, an Insecticon bug was dragged off from trying to save Iacon necessitating nearly his own execution when Sun saw him do it and tried to pull a gun, dog/bug creatures were batted to the window and scolded to sit on their beds as cats climbed up on a sunny window sill nearby to smirk at the peeved dog and bug. Fortunately, Dawg was Dawg. He slept through the entire thing. Infants were picked up and passed along to Ammas and Appas, the perfect RX for any boo boo their age.

Ratchet smirked at all of them from the kitchen, his servos resting on his hips as he watched the show. "What the frag? Were you born in a barn?"

"Some of us were," Sunstreaker said as he walked to the beer locker, his smirking optics fixed on a preening Raptor. "Some of us anyway and we hold it up like a medal."

"Some of you are slaggers," Raptor said. "That was a great prank."

"You will **never** be in Ada's league," Sunstreaker said as he hugged Ratchet, then opened his beer bottle on Ratchet's shoulder armor. He got a punch in the gut for it but it was worth it.

"Slagger. I gave you the best few decaorns of my life and you do that? No wonder people look at me with pity," Ratchet said as he turned back to the kitchen where Turbine and Alor were working with a laugh.

"I don't think that's why they look at you that way, Ratchet," Blackjack said as he ducked a rolling pin. He caught it, then stuffed it into the couch pillows. "Slagger. He has an infallible aim, Abbas. Just remember that."

Jack laughed, then leaned forward slightly. Clapping his servos together gently, he smiled. "Come to me, babies?" he asked.

They did.

All of them.

The door then opened and the Parade began.

=0=Parade

It would astonish the two just how big the apartment was and how many it could hold with ease. As they were introduced to everyone, Sun and Jack took pictures internally and ordered them onto a spreadsheet for reference. They knew it would take no time to fall into the groove but getting there was vast and colorful. There were umpteen infants of some newness, umpteen infants of adult stature and their bonds, hangers-on of which many were unknown or just reunited with them and an endless parade of those coming which began to edge toward the triple digits.

Many were the old slaggers here.

Titans came without titanic kids who were coming later, meeting up again with two old pals. Many were the soldiers and shirt tail relatives that always came as shirt tail family, their targs and slargs in tow. They came in with food and beer, some of it even handmade … food, that is and bottles and boxes of famous brand high grade.

Standing beside a beaming Hard Drive, they were introduced to everyone, their families and when Prime came, to him and his kids, Prowl and his family and Prime's sweet genitors as well. Still, they kept coming including the House Hold Guards there to salute Prime, Kes and Tagg before heading off to their party. Hercy and Kup, Lon and Bezel who looked at them with a worshipful gaze, Partition, Jetta, Magnus, Maelstrom and the Autobot femmes arrived, greeted them, then helped round up children for their meal. They came with their pets, they came with their food and all of them met the 'new guys', some of them as old friends and colleagues and all of them with enormous respect, love, renewed friendship and gladness.

No one spoke about 'the thing'. It was probable that most of them weren't aware of it, it was so long ago.

The trees twinkled, decorations gleamed, Ratchet was 'the hostess with the mostest', everyone fed the kids and pets, then began to line up for the groaning sideboards of food that begged to be eaten. Springer stood behind the two and Hardie as they inched forward. Drift was behind him and a lot of the adult children followed or led the party.

"So, you're the one Atar is named for," Springer was asking Ironhide aka Sun.

He nodded. "Apparently, he not only got my good looks but my name."

Ironhide preened around the laughter and catcalls as mechs waited to get food or walked back or out to their places to eat. Prime stood in front of Ironhide and with his genitors they laughed equally as loulyd. "Slaggers. I'd have you know that this face is popular amongst the younger set."

"They couldn't run fast enough," Sideswipe said as he walked past with towering plate and beer. He barely ducked a fist.

Springer laughed. "You're Blackjack's namesake. What do we call you given that we have extras now, much better replacements I'll add."

He was punched hard and often.

"You can call me Sun and him, Jack. Call Hardie Kid. We do," Sun said as he was handed a plate by Ratchet.

"I'll call ya handsome," Ratchet said as he began to explain the food to the pair.

They heaped up massively like their entire family always did, then took a beer and walked back to their chairs to sit and eat. They began and nearly slid off their chairs from the excellence of eating good flavors again. "This is so good. Thanks for the dinner invite," Sun said.

"It's standing, boys," Ratchet said as he watched Prime and Ironhide stack things up.

It didn't take long for the big mechs, their families, elders and everyone else to sit and begin. Ratchet and Prowl heaped up and joined them. It was muy contento silencio a moment.

"Appa Sun? You should have Atar explain about the Song of the Orbs," Sunspot said sweetly as all the kids listening nodded.

 **"ORBS! DOIN' IT, ATAR!"** some highly refined infant said. Everyone grinned at Orion, he grinned back, his food fell out of his mouth, everyone groaned and shifted uncomfortably, then did it again as he reloaded his mouth.

"I see he takes after you," Sun said as he grinned at Raptor.

Raptor snickered, then looked at Ironhide. "Recite, infant."

Ironhide who was gnawing on a turkey leg glanced at his appa. "Uh, I'm sorta busy here."

" **RECITE!"** -everyone there

He stared at them, then threw caution to the wind. "There's a zen for buns, a Tao. There's many kind. The Bun of the Crescent Moon, the Many Leaf Bun, the Perfection of Roundness bun, the Dappled Bun of of The Seven Moons, the Bun of Cheese-alicousness and my favorite … the Buttermilk Bun of Primus."

It was intensely quiet, then Jack leaned closer. "Do continue, infant."

Ironhide who was surprised he was still alive bit the bullet and decided to let 'er rip. "When the universe was made The One considered things and felt the emptiness. He thought and thought, then snapped his giant fingers. 'We need something that signifies Our greatness. So the Orb was born."

They were listening with intensity even as they were laughing on the inside. His appas and ammas were howling at the bullshit that he was dishing, something he had done as an infant trying to get his way. It brought back huge memories of a tiny black Autobot-let trying to tell a story to sell an idea he was trying to peddle, usually involving a treat.

"The Orb is a wonder. It's a mercy from the Pantheon who've been known to eat them as well, usually with poppy or sesame seeds on top."

"I didn't know that," Hardie said with a grin. "Where would we be without you, infant?" he asked his most beloved and wondrous great grandson.

"You learn something every day, Appa," Ironhide said with a grin. "There's the Orb of the Crescent moon, like yours, Hercy."

Hercy held his orb up and received applause.

"I could go on but I'm hungry. As you can see, when they passed out the doctorates they didn't miss me," Ironhide said to great applause.

Hero smiled. "You got one, Atar. You're so smart." She smiled brilliantly.

Everyone stared at her, then grinned.

"He got good marks in physics and math. His writing was a bit on the needs improvement side, however," Alor said with a grin.

Ironhide frowned slightly. "I got high marks on the important stuff."

Everyone applauded.

For Hero's sake.

She smiled in delight at her old Pa getting kudos, though what they were she didn't know.

"Eat up, infants. Dessert coming," Alor said as he looked at Ironhide. "You, too, little mech."

"Oh, ha ha, Ada," Ironhide grumped. He grinned at his ada. "Where are these two going to live?"

"With us, infant," Delphi said as the door opened and Lissie and Steiner walked in to cheers, hugs and a surprised reunion with two mechs they never expected to see again.

" **SUN! JACK!"** Lissie said. **"WE NEVER EXPECTED TO SEE YOU AGAIN!** Steiner just got in himself."

"There's so many out there, Liss," Sun said. "If families don't come back together again, it won't be for lack of trying."

They got food, sat down and the buzz of conversation continued.

=0=TBC 1-2-19 **edited 1-6-19**

Christmas Surprise is going to take a while to complete as usual. More fun to come. :D

RX: Rexall stores bore the RX mark on them, a mark for people to come to for prescriptions and such. Just saying RX here means doctor or drug store.

 **NOTES!**

Misty Legionnaire chapter 560 . 11h ago

I sure hope Blue is in on the con or figured it's a con. That would show he's learning better than Ratchet's adopted children. ;)

This may get a mite confusing since there's Sunspot, Sunstreaker and Sun now in the mix, and some nicknames may get three turned helms rather than one or two.

Looking forward to the next chapter and the surprise about the hale and hearty newcomers.

 **Sunstreaker's Girl** chapter 560 . 22h ago

Ratchet is a caution... Sick, old, feeble Sun and Jack! I'm dying here.

 **ME:** Nothing like a good prank. LOL! Soldiers are notorious for that sort of thing and this is no exception. Hugs, darling. :D

leoness chapter 560 . 22h ago

*Snickers* my nephew when young also put an F at the start of the word truck in place of the T. Unfortunately, he also dropped the R, much to his mother's horror and father's mirth.

 **ME:** My nephew, Josh is the speech pattern I use for Orion. It was always a point out the car window and a 'those my frucks. My mans. My stuff." BWAHAHAHA! I will miss it when Orion fixes himself. Hugs, darling. It seems to run in nephews doesn't it? :D:D

leoness chapter 559 . Jan 1

Happy new year! a stunned ironhide and a ton of new seekers is a great start! ( i love the seeker culture stuff you do so much)

 **ME:** HAPPY NEW YEAR! I think having a bit of fun on a new year is overdue. :D I love the Seekers. There's going to be more coming up. Nothing like thinking about another way to live to make things interesting. :D HUGS!

 **Ragemoose** chapter 558 . Dec 31, 2018

oo, this ought to be good! this is shaping up to be a real exciting end to 2018. happy new year! i know its a few hours early for you yet, but i hope 2019 brings you peace and prosperity. Til all are one!

 **ME:** Happy Happy Darling! And great things and love to you in this new year. Till all are one is just about the only way to go these days. :D:D:D HUGS!


	562. Chapter 562

The Diego Diaries: Home (dd6 562)

=0=There

They ate their food and dessert, then sat back with a beer. Sun grinned. "That was so good, its illegal. Right?"

"That's everyday if you want it," Lissie said as she sat next to two mechs that were like brothers to her. The room was bristling with Immortals. "You do know that Wirelite and Chromo, Cezar and a few others are here."

"No," Jack said with a grin. "We have to see all of them."

"We will," Steiner said. "Just settle in. Liss and I are training now, Home Guard and officers corps. Even infant there comes to class like a good little mech."

Everyone turned to look at Ironhide who paused a spoonful of pie just before his mouth. He frowned slightly. "I'm as big as you slaggers."

"You'll **never** be that big, infant," Hardie said with a grin. He had a beer, his peds up and a full tank. Muy contento wasn't big enough to describe how he felt right now. Grins and chuckles of amusement greeted that.

"Apparently, Delph and the Kid have room for us," Jack said with a grin. "I haven't slept in a house, a real house in ages. I might not remember my manners."

"We're going to need a whipping boy then. I nominate Ironhide, my best little mech. The infant, that is," Delphi said as he smiled at his bestest and once upon a time onliest little mech.

Ironhide stared at the crowd smirking at him, then took the smart road for once. "I am, aren't I," he said with a preen.

Enormous laughter and a surprising amount of agreement greeted that as the door opened and a youngster peered inside hesitantly. It was Pulley, a high caste former troublemaking kid who was mentored with the big mechs through the Watch. "I was looking for Commander Springer and Commander Drift ..."

Drift spotted him, then waved. "Come in. Have a seat."

Pulley hesitated, then stepped inside followed by Coros and several others. He hesitated again. "The others came with me, Commander."

"The more, the merrier," Drift said as Ratchet rose and handed off Possibility to Prowl.

"I got this, sonny boy," Ratchet said with a smile. "Come with me, infants. You look like you could use a meal."

Drift grinned at them and nodded slightly so they followed Ratchet to a buffet line like no other they'd ever seen.

Ratchet turned to them. "Have you eaten?" he asked.

"A bit. Not much," a kid named OD said. Behind him listening nervously in the attention of so many big and important mechs, soldiers and the Prime himself, kids named Elkin, Dell, Ovid and a small pretty femme named Jessine watched as Ratchet took a plate and handed it to Pulley and Coros. "If you want to run with the big mechs, you have to eat like one. All of this is great. Fill up and I'll bring you a drink."

Jack who sat near where they stood leaned slightly forward. "Are these relatives, Ratchet?" he asked.

The kids turned to look at the two giant mechs sitting with infants and a beer bottle. They were overwhelmed a moment by their looks, size and ultra masculinity couched in an Ironhide face. Everywhere they looked there were military mechs and femmes of the most decorated and gnarly variety. It was almost too much magnificence for them to take in. They were silent as they stared at Jack.

"These kids are part of the Watch mentoring program, right?" Ratchet asked as he handed the other kids plates.

"Yes, sir," Jessine said as she stared up at the tall medical bot who had once been described to her as that 'mad doctor from the Iacon slums'.

"These kids are stepping up," Springer said from nearby. "These kids are amazing. We're going on horse patrol tonight and they're coming. They've been taking riding lessons at the stable and they're learning all the things a Watchman should know. There's few kids around as fine as these."

They stared at Springer as he spoke and for everyone in the room it was obvious that hero worship wouldn't be enough for this group of kids to express the esteem in which they both held Drift and Springer.

Hercy nodded nearby. "These infants are considering policing and security careers. There's not a group of infants anywhere as top notch as these are."

They glanced from mech to mech, listening with awe and wonder on their faces as they spoke. Ratchet who knew the tale blitzed it to Sun and Jack. They glanced at him, then the kids. Sun leaned slightly forward. "There's nothing finer a mech or femme can do, infants, that matters more than ensuring the well being and safety of our people. You infants if you become policing officers will be the last line of defense between the enemy and our most vulnerable people. It makes me proud to see such stand up infants. Your genitors must be proud," he added through Ratchet said that was still undetermined.

They glanced at each other nearly capsized with the praise and attention. "We **want** to do this," Jessine said as she stepped closer. "I don't want to do anything else. I've gone on beats with the femmes, Chromia and Arcee. It's so amazing. **They're** so amazing," she said.

Arcee peered around a mech, then patted the floor next to her. "Get your food, Jess, and sit with us."

Jessine glanced around at Arcee, then smiled brilliantly. Turning to the buffet, she began to get food with Ratchet's help.

"You infants are the future. You're why we fight," Sun said with a stern expression to the five mesmerized young mechs who stood before him with plates in their hands. "We go out and do the battles. But you will be here going through the colony helping people, getting them home, sorting out their woes. That's the work of Primus, Himself."

"I can't agree more, Sun," Hardie said. The kids turned to look at the fabled general relaxing nearby. All of them being raised high caste knew tattoos and the number of exempts and Immortals in the room at the moment made them nearly light headed. "Our infants are our gold. You kids are going to be fine officers. Springer and Drift only have great things to say about you. All the mechs and femmes like having you with them. Keep doing what you're doing. It brings you honor."

"We will, Abba," they said as some of them bowed their helms respectfully.

"Are you excelling in school?" Sun asked with a slight grin of amusement at their sweetness.

"We are, Abba," Ovid said as the others nodded. "We caught up. We're in regular class now. Our school was good but not this hard."

Sun nodded. "Then you bring honor to yourselves. Every inch you improve yourself, that's ten more feet of protection our people have. Remember that."

"We will, Abba," the boys murmured.

Jessine passed by with a heaping plate and a smile as she walked to where Elita, Arcee, Moonracer and Chromia sat. She sat down among them and began to eat as she basked in their company. The boys would join her, sitting with Drift, Springer, Sandstorm and Twin Twist. Ratchet distributed drinks and sat again, more than content with the interlude.

The off line conversation was just as entertaining as that online and before they changed subject Sun, Hardie and Jack would be going on patrol with the Watch tonight. Horseback riding would be a new thing for all of them but Hardie. He had fallen off a few times tying one on with Prime, after all.

=0=Migration

They were coming in five thousand at a time. It would take a few orns to clear the group, all 672,487 of them. The Seekers were already gone, going through the repatriation process at the Aerie Hill Federal Government Annex on Main Street in that city. 658 Seekers were retrieved and with them were a lot of families and elders. Two new Clan Chieftains were reclaimed to almost hysterical delight from one clan, a small one that lived in the south pole of Cybertron.

Small pockets of Seekers had lived in small areas separated from most others who lived around the Greater Vos area and while Breezy's clan was well known and very unique even among Seekers, most of these were small and little known. For their Clan Chieftains to return sent those few who were here into a frenzy of dancing and singing, something that was joined in by everyone there.

Aerie Hill would be a swinging town tonight.

=0=Party

Partition sat on the floor by a big window engrossed in conversation with Riff, Cargo, Keystock and Rad-R. Bron-E and Borealis were sitting across the room near their genitors, Edict and Hobbes. The Squad was there sitting by the windows or on the floor eating, drinking and laughing.

Even Lucien.

Joon and Vinn were here without their three kids and new grandson as were Madura and Proteus with their new son, Rugur, Edict with Hobbes who was laughing with Vinn over a story or something, Laslo who was sitting beside Lucien who was telling a joke of all things to Proteus along with Anders and Burris who were listening with amusement … it was such a sight that Ratchet took snaps for his collection.

Sun grinned at him. "I suppose there's a story for everyone in this room?"

"Actually, handsome," Ratchet said as he lounged in his chair with his big old peds on the coffee table and camera in hand, "this is a miracle, **A MIRACLE, I SAY!"**

Everyone in the room paused to look at Ratchet slouched in his chair with a dazzling smile on his face.

"What's a miracle, Ratchet?" Burris asked as he peered around Sandstorm.

"Why **you** are, Burris. And you, Lucien. **ESPECIALLY** you. And you and you and you," Ratchet said as he nodded to everyone. He glanced at Prowl. "Even you, Granny. Do you have any idea just how many big eyed children in this room call me Mom?"

 **HUGE** laughter, several requests to increase that number and a lot of slag later …

"You aren't getting any **insane notion** that you're going to adopt any of the slaggers in this room are ya?" Ironhide asked with a gimlet optic.

At that moment, the door opened and half the metrotitans around began to walk in with booze, desserts and slag. They slowed as they came in to bullshit a moment, then find their place. Everyone was surprisingly comfortably accommodated, covered in infants who wanted to sit on their laps and then Ratchet glanced at Ironhide with a grin. "Yes."

 **BEDLAM!**

=0=Way out there

They fled the scene, running for their lives. None of their intel told them that Prime was this close and that he had such firepower. Most of those who came at Prime's call headed in the direction of his voice. Nothing was given in the message of location but then that would be a nearly impossible thing given how widely everyone was scattered. Those who got the message did get a directional download that was embedded in it so that they could follow the trail backward toward the source.

The group was a battle hardened collection of smaller ones led by a mech who had entertained challenges when they came together but got none. He was a big mech, broad of shoulder and analytical of mind. He had been a civilian who had been well educated but had a hard cold streak of badness in him that couldn't be denied. He was a jack of all trades on both sides of the military divide, administrative and fighting. He was no one's fool and no one to frag off.

He sat on his command chair and pondered the route, something that never happened before when he was in the lead. He had called his ships to pull away, cutting their loses so as to fight another orn. He would regroup, then follow a couple of strange signals both ahead and farther away. He would do so with some very skillful navigation.

He was heading for a nebula nearby to regroup, sort out the traffic locally and up ahead. He had received two messages before this happened, one from Razorclaw and one from Ominous of all mechs. He had parted that mech's skull on more than one occasion. It was to his advantage not to tell that mech who he was. He was going to bullet a reply soon enough. He just had to cover it so that the net he was sure that Prime had wasn't going to pick it up.

They entered the nebula relying on its ambient radiation and energetic chaos to hide them a bit. He would send his messages, then wait a few orns getting their fleet back into good order. Then he would decide and set out again. He wasn't very worried. He was a phase six mechanism after all. Sitting back, Pulsar of Capital City, former high caste mechanism and all around trouble on the hoof watched as the last of his fleet entered the radiation pool to disappear off everyone's sensor screens who might be watching.

=0=At a shindig

"And that's when I called for a runabout to airlift them to the Med Center," Partition said as he leaned against the window.

Lon nodded. "That was a mess. Not as big a mess as the two murders. Not much more is being released about either. I've signed up for detective courses but nothing too serious. I still love my beat and going out with Bez."

Bezel who was sitting between Roto and Terradive nodded. "Detective is great but a beat is the best to me. I love night patrols."

Partition nodded as Lancer sat down again with new beer for everyone. They took them, then relaxed. Sitting nearby, the youngling kids who came, all of the six of them listened to stories told by the other mechs. Some of the soldiers were sitting with them showing them knives made by Ratchet's ada and atar along with their scars when asked. It was as fascinating for them to talk to the kids as it was for the kids to talk to the soldiers.

Morius and Inweld were leaning in together to discus something or other about the break coming up on the duty schedule with some other younger mechs who were part of their group. They liked to climb in the Valles and it looked like the next few orns upcoming would be no different when their shifts were on stand down. Christmas Surprise was tomorrow and they would follow the crowds around, informally on duty if something came up but off otherwise. They both had someone they were seeing and it was fun. One of them was a forest ranger in the Valles, someone Morius had met on a hiking trip with friends and the other, Inweld was seeing someone who was a biologist for the Land Survey Bureau. Going all over the world to see things and do science about them was the bomb.

Prowl rose and walked to the bar to take a 'wine spritzer' or flavored vinegar for himself and Ratchet who was feeling no pain. Solus, Uraya and Sojourner were sitting on one arm of Ratchet's chair while Hero, Iacon and Halo sat on the other. They were telling knock-knock jokes and 'Confucius Says' jokes to each other that the humans had taught them to drive their genitors crazy.

It was working.

"Ha-ha," a tiny laugh said as Sojie smiled at Hero, Iacon and Halo. "What did the ..." She paused to think a moment, almost falling off the chair she was so filled with delight at the jokes being told. "What did the door knob say when someone came over?" She smiled at the others with almost a delirious amount of joy.

" **I DON'T KNOW! WHAT DID IT SAY!?"** Iacon asked with her tiny little voice.

Everyone at that end of the room was watching, entranced along with Ratchet who looked from one side to the other in blissed out enjoyment. Jack and Sun were mesmerized.

Sojie cackled, then leaned forward. She hesitated a moment as she thought what they might say, then she did what all kids do when they're overcome with their own glee. "He … he …"

"He hee-hee'd?" Ratchet asked as he smiled at the six little twiglets.

They looked at Ratchet, then burst into laughter. Sun braced Halo, Hero and Iacon with his arm as Ratchet braced the other three. They fell into laughter which would go on for some time. Ratchet took his spritzer from Prowl, sipped it, then grinned as Uraya gathered up to say something. **"WHAT DID CONFUCIUS SAY!?"**

" **I DON'T KNOW, URI! WHAT DID HE SAY!?"** Iacon asked with enormous joy.

" **HE SAID … CONFUCIUS SAY DOGS BARK!"** she finally squeezed out before falling into Ratchet's lap in convulsions.

 **BEDLAM** on the arms of Ratchet's chairs. Huge laughter from everyone else.

=0=Way later that night

"You put your ped here," Springer said pointing to a stirrup on a horse named Dog. He was huge, massive and spotted. He was obviously an appaloosa but looked like a big Dalmation. "Swing the other over, slip it into the other stirrup, then use these reins like I showed you."

Jack grinned, then did the job, swinging into the saddle like a pro. Around him, the regular mounted patrols, six excited kids and his brothers, Sun and Hardie along with Steiner and Lissie were hopping up to go. They would. They would go everywhere in the colony, show the kids stuff along with the regular patrol and see what a miracle the colony was. They would tell stories, get coffee at a food truck in Retriarius on break, learn about basketball coming up soon, a family affair between Kaon's Kowboys and the Iacon Invaders, help a bunch of people, break up a few fights in bars and help take 32 drunks to jail.

It would be the most fun the entire group had in vorns.

Happy Christmas Surprise Eve to everyone.

=0=TBC 1-4-19 **edited 1-6-19**

When my sister was a little kid she saw a show about Confucian sayings and thereby decided to tell her own. They were that ditzy and then she included knock-knock jokes. We couldn't shut her up. She thought she was hilarious. Thinking back on it, she was. :D


	563. Chapter 563

The Diego Diaries: Hoosegow (dd6 563)

-0-At the jail house now …

"I was a big deal on Cybertron, I will have you know," a tall good looking and very expensive appearing mech said as he weaved slightly in place beside a huge mechanism who held him up gently by the arm.

"Is that so?" Sun asked with a grin.

"I was."

"What were ya?" Jack asked as he leaned against the doorjamb at Jail-Intake. There were several other high tones ahead of the one that Sun had glommed during a short but very exciting hoo-haw at the Tower In The Sky in Iacon …

They walked in called by the bartender about a fight that was making its way toward a full on brawl shortly. Springer and several of the trainee cops along with all six of the kids with them who were told to stay by the door and watch were making their way forward followed by a very amused Sun, Lissie, Steiner, Hardie and Jack. The place was nicely filled with Christmas Surprise diners several of whom had called for help should this turn into something terrible.

Standing at the end of the bar nearby, five or six high tones as the locals in Iacon called the ones who were troublemakers were having a conversation with a pair of very long suffering but basically good natured behemoths. They looked like heavy duty equipment which they would turn out to be. They were smirking at the group who were standing around them drunk off their asses as they taunted the pair into what apparently they hoped would be a fight.

Springer, Drift, Hardie, Sun, Jack, Hercy, Lissie, Steiner, Kup, Lon and a delighted Bezel walked forward to stand around the group out of the way so Springer could 'work his magic'. Or so goaded Drift as they reached the bar. Springer smirked at him, then turned to the situation. "What's the beef here?"

Thee of the mechs were standing with their arms crossed and frowns on their faces. Two were leaning on the bar smirking at the behemoths. One was doing 'the narrative', waving his arms as he berated the pair. He turned to Springer. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Well, I'm Springer, God of the Hunt. I'm here to mediate a nice solution so that all these good folks out here," he said turning to nod at the fascinated-repelled-scared-amused-worshipful-expectant crowd in the room, "can have a nice Christmas Surprise Eve dinner. You don't want Santa Prime to bring you coal for this do you?"

"I am Andorian." The Narrator stared at Springer like he should know that, the fragger.

Springer nodded. "Well, I'm Springer. The runt there is Hercy of Helex, that's Bezel and Lon, Kup is the one with the smoking habit, that's Lissie and her brother, Steiner, my great aunt and uncle and these are my brand new appas, Ironhide and Blackjack the Elder. That one is my Appa Hardie. The whole family wanted to come to the dance."

"You didn't mention me," Drift said with a grin.

"Oh, right. This is Drift, my ball and chain."

Sun who was filled with mirth over the infants nodded to the drunk and his friends. "You boys don't want to dance do ya? I like to dance. How about a dance?" he said, then grabbed the mech with the mouth by the arm. Dragging him to the dance floor nearby, he gripped the mech's servo tightly. Leaning in, he grinned. "We can go nicely or we can go in pieces. What's the word, infant?"

Grimacing slightly, the mech frowned upward at Sun. "You have no right to lay your big mitts on me. I'm Andorian of Iacon. My family owned Corporal Industries and Sera Airways."

"Owned is the word. I don't think they exist anymore, Andorian." Sun grinned, then spun around with Andorian exhibiting an hitherto for unknown ability to dance well. "How about you and me dancing our way to the door and then we can decide whether to arrest you or not?"

Andorian spinning swiftly staggered back, then frowned at Sun. "I'm not going anywhere with you, fragger."

"But you have to if I say so," Sun said as he advanced on Andorian. "I'm from Praxus. Read the tats, infant."

Andorian stepped backward but complied. He looked sharply at Sun. "You're Elite and exempt."

"That's right. How about coming with me? If I tell you to, you have to go. Right?"

Andorian stared at him, then crossed his arms over his chest in irritation. "Fraggers. How can you turn your back on your caste? What's the matter with you?"

"Yeah," Jack said from the bar where he was leaning to watch with amusement. "What's the matter with you?"

"I have no idea," Sun said with a chuckle. "Well?"

"Frag you," Andorian said as he walked toward the bar. He looked at Springer who obviously wasn't Praxian Elite, then swung. It connected.

Hard.

Springer caught off guard staggered, then righted swiftly. He leaped on the slagger and they went down with a crash. Everyone in the room stood, not to run but to see better the unexpectedly entertaining show that had begun before them.

Springer who landed on top of Andorian punched his face and that mech saw stars. That's when the others with Andorian decided to help him.

Free for all.

-0-Watching nearby

Six kids watched with incredulity as their team was jumped by the half a dozen high tones. Two giant mechanisms, the focal point of the entire thing took their drinks and stepped back with Jack who joined them. One of them glanced at him. "You're not going to help?"

"And deprive them of a learning experience?" Jack asked with a grin.

The three had a belly laugh together.

It was brisk and surprisingly brutal before the cops got the upper hand and slapped them all in cuffs. The kids watching huddled by the door, moving only when the slaggers were dragged out to the mezzanine. They watched the big mechs and Lissie walk past with their groggy bundles, a sense of awe coming over them at the excitement and spectacle. Jessine in her sense of wonder walked to Lissie to stand beside her. Lissie grinned and added a project to her personal list.

Sun and Jack paused beside them as Springer walked back to speak to the kids as the mechs gathered up the debris. Drift walked past to speak to the bartenders, three of which would be witnesses at their trial. Others sent their digits to Drift as he spoke to them, diners from around the room as he concluded the altercation for the record.

"Are you kids alright?" Springer asked.

"Commander … he **PUNCHED YOUR FACE**!" Coros said with astonishment.

"Well, he's drunk and I was sucker punched. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have got the jump on me. So ...," Springer said as the mechs around him razzed him good off line. He glared at the group with a slight frown, then turned back to the kids. "Things like this happen in this kind of work. Not often but it does. You might want to think about that if you want to do this kind of work."

" **I HAVE! THIS IS THE GREATEST!** " Jessine said with almost too much happiness. She turned to Lissie and hugged her tightly. **"YOU WERE AMAZING! SEE! FEMMES CAN DO ANYTHING THE MECHS DO!"**

Lizzie laughed. "You got **THAT** right!"

There wasn't a mech in their group who didn't agree.

The youngling mechs nodded. **"ME, TOO!"**

Springer snickered, then glanced toward Drift who grinned. "Well, that was interesting. Most run from fights."

"Fights shouldn't happen but when they do the Watch has to protect the people," Pulley said earnestly. "It's our job."

They noted the 'our' with grins. Then Jack nodded in agreement. "That **is** our job, infants. You're learning really well. You obeyed beautifully when you were told to wait here. Things like this are learned with training and practice."

"We **want** to learn, Abba," OD said as he looked at the mechs worshipfully.

"All of us do," Coros said as he nodded his helm.

"You are," Drift said with a chuckle. "Now you can see how we book them."

They walked outside where a police van was loading them up. They would ride to the jail in the Courthouse and book the slaggers themselves, letting the kids see how the end of an arrest came to pass without a brawl, body slamming and fisticuffs **THIS TIME**. It would be a very jolly jog back to Cultural Center Road.

-0- **AT THE JAIL HOUSE NOW!**

They were asked, the high tones for their digits and details, giving them grudgingly after Jack ordered them as a Praxian Elite could do. The jail had the ability to scan a mech for them but this was a point to be made to the arrestees that the caste ship had sailed, hit a reef miles from shore and sank with no survivors. If you want to live by the rules of the System, Jack reminded them, then you have to obey **all** of them. They walked to their cells grudgingly. When they disappeared into the corridor beyond, the big mechs turned to the kids. They were standing in a group watching everything with eagle optics.

Drift grinned. "Is there anything you need explained?"

"I sort of want to see the screen there," Jessine said as she pointed to the Intake Officer, a big mech named Jolo.

"You're in luck," Springer said with a grin. "Jolo runs the entire system. He doesn't have to do a shift on duty but he does because he's a glutton for punishment."

Jolo laughed. "How can I know how good this works without doing a tour now and again? Come here, infants. Let me show you how this works."

They smiled, then walked up to crowd the area behind him. As he began to show them how it all worked, it was good that they did. It was then that two police vans arrived with a set of really, **REALLY** drunk mechs. A big mech walked in, then glanced at Springer. "Chief, we have a level 3 frag up here. Hands on deck?"

Springer and Jolo glanced at him, then the kids. "In the corridor, infants," Springer said.

"We won't see the thing," OD said. "Can we go into that cell and watch?" The others nodded hopefully.

"I'm going to regret this, right? Am I right?" Springer asked as his will melted before their sweet hopefulness.

"Probably," Drift said as he walked to the cell nearby. "Get in and stand back by the wall. This could get gnarly," he said as the kids flooded out and ran inside. "By the way, don't tell your genitors. They might shoot us."

" **WE WON'T COMMANDER!"** Jessine said with absolute joy. **"THANK YOU! HOW CAN WE LEARN IF WE CAN'T SEE THINGS?!"**

"How, indeed. I fully expect to see the inside of my optics in a few seconds myself." Springer grinned at the kids. "No matter what happens, stay inside." He glanced at the big mech waiting. "Are they clean of arms and weapons?"

"They are. We deep scanned them," he said.

"Very well," Springer said as he looked at the kids fretfully. They were standing against the back wall, some of them holding each others servos as they watched expectantly. "Oh frag. Don't tell my ada," Springer said as he turned to walk to the door.

Everyone followed him, composing and sending messages to Springer's ada as they did.

Because cops.

Outside, it was cold, the light towers gave a lot of slightly orangish light in the light dusty breeze and it was clear of anyone and anything that could break easily. The department learned early on to park their vehicles in the parking lot across the tarmac. The vehicles, two of them were making noises as the mechs inside bellowed their discontent to the universe.

As they did, Ratchet got a butt load of texts, sobered up, made up a lie and stepped out to race to the jailhouse to see what the hell was going on. He did so without lights and siren.

"How many?" Springer asked as the mechs gathered around, all of his from inside the jailhouse, some getting down from horses grounded nearby and the three who were guarding these slaggers to jail. The two drivers worked in the Watch motor pool and though they could defend themselves and carried tazers and other weapons, they weren't delegated to fight. So they stood to one side and hoped that their vehicles would make it through the coming moments.

"We have four of them. They're a family, three of them, and one is a friend. Sort of. They grew up together and when they get drunk they remember something, the same thing always, disagree, then get into a fight. They're huge. Strong as battle shuttles. Should we call out a battalion for back up?" the big mech, Mik asked. He was grinning but he wasn't joking.

Springer stared at him, then the others, then the truck filled with monkey noises, the door nearby, the truck, his fists balling and unballing at the end of his arms, Drift's smirk …

-0-Inside

"This is going to be violent, Jessie. If you want you can stand behind me," Pulley said to someone he was **muy** sweet on.

Jessine glanced up at him, then grinned. "If you want, you can stand behind me."

The kids all laughed including Pulley.

"You've been hanging around Maxi haven't you?" Pulley asked as he squeezed her servo.

"She's awesome," Jessine said with a grin as at that moment a door could be heard swinging open and loud ungodly caterwauling began in earnest outside. It almost took their breath away.

In front of them, long tazing poles in servos, two mechs braced themselves for when the mob would barrel in. Jolo stood calmly at the intake desk, all the breakables including the computers lowered into the desk itself for protection. Jolo always listened to his officers and that design flaw was corrected after the last Man Mountain Dean came in and showered his purple mountains majesty all over the room. He grinned. "Here we go, infants. Stay against the wall."

They did.

-0-Outside in a broiling ball of molten rage and high grade

The door opened and when it did three big mechs barreled forward, launching them off the benches inside toward the door. Springer and Drift who were braced and backed by Sun and Jack, then Hardie and Steiner set themselves and when the mechs forward momentum hit them four went flying from the impact. Springer and Drift gripped one and rolled away. Another who on impact freed his wrists gripped Sun around the waist and began to bull doze his way forward. The other shouldered Jack, Hardie and Steiner and sent them flying into Hercy and Kup who were braced behind them. The 'three wall impediment plan' worked about as well as could be expected, that is, not at all.

Lon and Bezel ran forward with tazers and stuck the first two mechs who were getting ready to fight or run, whichever their muddled minds could decide upon in the middle of their molten rage. It didn't slow them nor did it stop them. It **did** piss them off. They turned on Lon and Bez, picked them up and tossed them over the top of the van where they disappeared from view.

Roaring with impotent rage, they ran forward toward the horses who were watching with wild looking optics nearby. Leaping up on them, they spurred the beasts who promptly began to buck furiously as the others swirled in a group, maddened by the unexpected turn of events.

" **THEY HAVE THE HORSES!"** someone yelled as everyone who wasn't being pummeled into dust turned to look.

At that moment, the other van tipped over from the mech inside beating his way out and the door fell open. The biggest mech most of them had ever seen Godzilla-ed his way out and roared the roar of the damned.

-0-TBC 1-6-19 this was modified and edited. :D

For some reason, the man mountain dean line makes me laugh out loud. :D:D:D

Longer today. It's -9 degrees, my everything is frozen but I'm working on the next part. Hopefully, I will get it posted tonight. **HUGS!**


	564. Chapter 564

The Diego Diaries: Whoa. Please. (dd6 564)

=0=There

" **THEY HAVE THE HORSES!"** someone yelled as everyone who wasn't being pummeled into dust turned to look.

At that moment, the other van tipped over from the mech inside beating his way out and the door fell open. The biggest mech most of them had ever seen Godzilla-ed his way out and roared the roar of the damned.

"Oh frag," Springer said as he stood up and watched the maddened mech roaring in front of an overturned van spot him. "This is going to hurt."

"I know," Drift said as he took a stance. "Shall I stab him?"

"No," Springer said as the mech charged both. **"STAB ME!"**

They were gripped by the mech who plowed through them and headed straight for Jack and Sun who turned in time to get slammed hard. It was the clang heard around the world. The groan that came from Drift and Springer as the monster mech pressed all three of them into Jack and Sun who pressed back was pretty nicely toned as well.

Meanwhile, the purloined horses began to buck as the two mechs kicking their sides tried to head toward town. The biggest mech sat Rondo who was Drift's big mount. He humped up and left the ground with all the force a maddened seven ton mechanism could muster.

Which was considerable, the muster.

Yancy who was sun fishing in a tight circle began to drift toward the remuda who were watching with gimlet optics. They were shying as the mechs who weren't grabbed, stabbed and ready for a slab tried to decide what to do in the rapidly exploding chaos. In the distance unnoticed, a red and white search and rescue vehicle drove madly toward the jailhouse entrance, turned into the driveway and leaped into the air to transform and land on his peds with an astonished expression on his face.

It was then that the horses stampeded and ran for the wide open spaces which could only be reached apparently right up Ratchet's carcass. He disappeared in and under a herd of about a dozen stampeding wildly screaming mechanical horses. Given that everyone had chosen a target and was bee-lining toward it, no one saw Ratchet disappear. Given that everyone was screaming, no one heard his. The horses trampled him, then disappeared down the roadway toward town.

 **CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!**

The big mech holding Drift and Springer around the waist using them for battering rams charged again and again at Jack and Sun as Hardie, Steiner, Lissie and the others ran for the horses bucking two big mechanisms within an inch of their lives.

It was madness.

=0=At the party

Prowl was feeling no pain as he sat beside Kestrel looking at a private collection of images of Optimus as a baby and youngster. They were beautiful and the love the three had for each other in each one was spark warming. So when the call came to him it was rather a juxtaposition of slag as unwelcome and unwanted at the moment to the greatest degree possible. Listening to the report, he quietly rose and asked Kes to hold his spot, he had a small thing he had to do. Walking through the crowd who were eating desserts, drinking drinks and having a splendid time, he made his way out and when the door closed behind him he nearly unscrewed himself running for the elevator. He entered, then it closed behind him.

One almost expected a few washers and a hex bolt to roll around on the floor.

=0=There

"What's going on outside, Abba?" Pulley asked from the cell. They were all standing against the back wall. "It sounds awful out there."

Jolo grinned. "I'll go check. You wait here, boys, unless I call you."

The 'boys' nodded as they held their taser poles and the fort, watching their chief walk to the door to look out.

He stared at the brouhaha for a moment, then looked at 'the boys'. "I think you need to come out now." He pulled a taser pole free from a rack of them by the door that were coded to the cops, then walked out with a determined set to his expression.

The boys glanced at each other, then the kids. "Stay there, infants," one said as they hurried outside.

The kids watched them go, then glanced at each other. "We don't have anywhere to go," OD said as the others grinned. "This is sorta cool."

They nodded as they listened to the slag going on outside.

It sorta was.

=0=The Anti Cool

The bigger drunken maniacal mech on Rondo was being chased around by Hercy and Lissie who only needed to grab a piece of him to jerk him off but before they could do that Rondo lifted up and doing so got airborne. He hung in the air a moment then fell over backward. He landed on the big mech who bellowed loudly, then rolled a moment. Staggering back up, he lunged away dragging the mech whose ped was caught in a stirrup. He bucked and when he did a hoof caught Lissie in the chin lifting her up and way the frag to hell and gone over the decorative wall that bordered the driveway.

Hercy turned to watch her fly away, then caught a hoof in the aft. He flew after her.

Steiner who caught a glimpse of his sister taking one on the chin ran maddened with outrage forward and gripped the drunk mech by his neck. Yanking as hard as he could, the slagger was jerked around by Rondo until the mech's ped fell loose. Pulling him back to the side, he punched the big mech in the face, then ran across the battlefield to find his sister and Hercy.

He made it.

Jack and Sun leaned into it meeting each bone crushing slam of their opponent with equal force. Drift and Springer who were part of the maddened maniac's arsenal yelled and begged Jack and Sun to step back and let them die in peace.

Hardie who was hanging onto Yancy's bridle found himself flying every which direction as the enraged horse flung himself about. He knew if he let go he would regret it so he hung on. That was when Yancy sat down and rolled over.

It did.

Hurt, that is.

Meanwhile, calls were reached by the Emergency Command Center that a herd of riderless horses were stampeding down Cultural Center Road heading for the city center. Needless to say, every mounted rider and beat cop within two planetary diameters from downtown in The City were converging there like alien predators toward a fresh victim.

Ratchet was spread eagle on the ground watching the birdies sing.

Prowl was hoofing it past Club Cybertron.

The horses were gaining on the main drag of the city and the line of Christmas Surprise trees that made it such a memorable drive.

Springer and Drift were about ready to go to sleepy town as Jack and Sun began to get the upper hand.

Hardie was half buried by Yancy who was ready to kill everyone, everything and everywhere that was in his path. Rising up, he shook himself, lost everyone, then ran forward toward town. He saw Ratchet's corpus in time to leap over it, given that horses **HATE** to place their feet on anything lying on the ground and was gone from sight nearly immediately.

Rondo was already heading for town.

Lissie was seeing stars as her brother picked her up with terror on his face. "Lissie? You alright?"

She rubbed her jaw. "I am. Where's Hercy? I thought I saw him fly by overhead."

"I'm here," Hercy said as he lay on his back staring at the sky. "The moons look beautiful tonight," he said rather raggedly.

Lon and Bezel who came to consciousness from their trip over the top of the now overturned paddy wagon staggered forward with determination and crossed optics. They looked at the battlefield and took stock.

Two big mechs were planted, cuffed and dazed from getting trampled. Another lay on the ground defeated in the opening sequence of Hell, Part Two: The Jailhouse. Drift, Sun, Jack and Springer were battling a huge maddened mech and getting the worst of it. Hercy and Lissie were hurt. There was something down the road that looked flattened like a can of Coke that would turn out to be Ratchet of all mechs. There were no horses in sight. The jailhouse cops were stunned in place looking the mess over. Everyone was dazed and disabled.

It infuriated Bez and Lon deeply. Pulling their tasers, they glanced at each other, then ran for the big mech to stick the devices one each in his audials. The bellows were stupefying, both from the drunk and the four mechs touching him when the double charge of electricity shot through them as a solid object. It arced and sent Lon and Bezel flying. Everyone fell on the ground and sparkled but for Lon and Bezel. They were too busy reverberating the blow back of the charge.

The mechs from the jail ran forward with their long charging sticks, then froze. It looked like a wasteland in all directions. Walking to the big mech, their chief, his bond and two new guys, the mechs grounded everyone, cuffed the slagger, then dragged him off with the other two who were already slagged from the rodeo. Jack who stood up and walked to the last one who was laying in a heap nearby sat down on him and looked around. "Frag, this looks like Pantella V, Sun."

Sun who stood up slowly and ran a systems check briefly turned to his brother and laughed. "It does." He looked at Hardie, then grinned. "I see you can still hold your electricity." A lot of groaning attempts at laughter greeted that. Then they turned to Hercy and Lissie. "Liss, are you alright?"

She was sitting in Steiner's arms. "I caught a hoof in the face."

Everyone walked to her, checked her out, commiserated with her, then glanced at Hercy who was walking to them as he rubbed his backside. "Guess where I caught one?" he asked as they groaned-laughed together.

"Are they in the jail?" Drift asked groggily, then looked around. "Where are the horses?"

Everyone froze, then looked around. "Oh frag," Hardie said. "They must have run off. We better get them."

They then ran as one so fast and focused that they didn't notice that Ratchet was laying spread eagle nearby. It was a blazing limp fest toward town.

=0=Town

Prowl heard the horses coming so he ran faster and when he rounded the corner at the Club, it was too late to get out of the way. A herd of horses ran over him and kept going. They would continue running until they reached the Industrial Park Cities. That they didn't get killed, lost or injured in any way would be a miracle.

=0=At the party

Prime felt a sharp pain, then the bond link was dulled. He rose as calmly as he could, then reached the door. Running for the elevator, he blitzed downward and followed his usual GPS markers to where Prowl's signal originated. As he did a herd of riderless Watch horses ran past him heading toward the boondocks or places unknown. He slowed long enough to watch, then hustled onward. When he reached the corner, he saw Prowl sprawled on the ground groaning softly. **"PROWL!"** he said as he knelt.

=0=On the way to Mandalay

They hoofed it picking up speed as they closed the gap to The City. It was clear that the herd followed the highway and much was the speculation about how they hoped that no one would hit one. By the time they reached the corner to follow the highway, they reached Prowl and Prime. Prowl was sitting up leaning on the building while Prime held his servo. In the distance, they could hear an ambulance coming.

"Prowl," Hardie said as he knelt. "How is he?"

Prime glanced at Hardie. "Banged up but nothing broken. I want him transported and scanned."

"Nothing is dented but my pride," Prowl said as he glanced at the others. "What the frag is going on? We have a report of a stampede and I can attest to it myself."

"It's a long sad story. We had four of the biggest baddest drunks go mad at the jail," Springer said as he sagged against Drift. He paused a moment to listen, then looked relieved. "They corralled the horses at the Park City. They're holding them in a makeshift corral."

Everyone looked relieved, then the sound of someone staggering up behind them drew everyone's attention. Ratchet stepped into the light and looked like he'd been run over by a herd of horses. He looked at the mechs with fury, then turned on Springer. "What the frag is going on? I got ten zillion emails about kids in jail, I come here to find out what's going on and get run over by a herd of horse-" He paused his rampage to look at Prowl. "What happened to you?"

Prowl smirked slightly. "Funny story," he began.

=0=TBC 1-7-19 edited 1-17-19

A bucking horse or any for that matter that sun fishes is spinning in a circle to drop the rider off. Sometimes they do it bucking as well or humping up their backs to make it hard to stay on. My uncles and girl cousins were great at this sort of thing in the 1920's and up when both men and women had to do all the same things to be considered champions. My girl cousins were champions. :D

Someone is translating my Lord of the Rings stories into French for readers on this site. I have no problem with that. Bless their hearts. Hugs tonight, darlings, from -14 degrees Fahrenheit in Alaska. :D


	565. Chapter 565

The Diego Diaries: Owie (dd6 565)

(Sorry about the lack of diacritical marks on names and such. My computer hates me.) :D

=0=Emergency Room, Autobot City Medical Center a few moments later

They staggered off a runabout, then limped into the emergency room to find out that nothing too important had been too badly mangled. Prime heard the gory details of the arrest, the round up of the horses and all the rest. Given it was the first night for Sun, Steiner and Jack to partake in what passed for the usual here, it actually was terribly amusing.

Springer didn't think so over all.

"There should be a specialist response to this sort of thing, Springer, so that when they come they neither get away nor hurt someone. You seem to be getting the short end of the stick every time," Optimus said with a slight smirk.

It was echoed by Prowl who was just stepping down from the med berth.

Ratchet was on one nearby, then he hopped down. "What about the kids?" he asked as everyone in the room froze in place. It was amazing how fast that many big mechs could burst out of the room and head for the elevators. Ratchet watched them go, then grinned. "Those are my boys," he said to laughter and insults.

"I'm sure there's a story there somewhere but I don't care," Prowl said as he paused to listen to something off line. He turned to Prime. "The last detail is being dealt with from the migration. Devcon is doing his joor and is handling it."

Prime looked relieved, then nodded. "Good. Let us get back to the apartment. No one knows what we are doing and things will have to be taken care of now that it is getting late. Santa Prime waits for no one."

That got all the love it deserved as they limped out, down and across the walkway to the tower where they lived. When they got back, the clean up and bagging of leftovers for the various bachelors assisting was well underway.

Kestrel turned to the group, then grinned. "Is everything okay?" he asked sweetly.

Everyone nodded.

You betcha.

=0=Later that night when everyone was gone

"You couldn't tell that half a million people came for dinner," Ironhide said as he walked from the last berth room heading for the big kid's wing.

"If you look closely," Ratchet said with a snicker. "I'm beat. Hurry it up, Santa Ironhide. Ho-ho-ho waits for no one."

He did.

=0=On the way home

They drove back to their various towers and habitats after spending dinner and drinks at Earth 1. Earth2 and Unidad were having Christmas Eve on their own as well. The big party was tomorrow night on Christmas. As it was now, every Catholic in the colony was going to the Chapel In The Trees for midnight mass served by someone's uncle who was a priest and staying here for the holiday with their brother and his family. That was looking to be a beautiful event.

As for everyone else, there was food in astonishing quantities, drinks, dancing, fun and families. A lot of locals were having relatives in for the holidays so there were even more happy and excited people at the big celebration at Earth 1 than before. N.E.S.T. and the Consulate were there to dine together while the others did their own parties.

"What time does the Christmas party at Unidad begin?" Hekla Sigrioursdottir asked as she sat beside her husband, Olaf Jonsson, beta team striker in the cargo end of a N.E.S.T. truck.

"At 1700 hours. You can start coming then," Olaf said. "I'll get off my duty at 1400, then we can get ready."

She leaned against him, then nodded. "It's going to be fun."

Everyone agreed as they convoyed their way home through the relatively quiet streets of the colony. They missed the stampede by a joor. They wouldn't miss it on The Hourly News when they got the story. No one would.

=0=Earth2

They sat in their apartment relaxing after a huge Christmas dinner with the inmates of the asylum. Everyone had a great time and the food was amazing. It would have been the apocalypse if they had tried to have a dinner with every human on world. That was now approaching 17,000 individuals.

Mariah kicked off her shoes, then put them up on the couch. "I think that was very successful. The entire event was on camera and live streamed to Earth. The more they see, the more they can support our efforts. Tomorrow, its going to be interesting. Every human in the colony who can will be there. It's going to be huge."

Kyle Davis who was relaxing in his easy chair watching ships come and go in the Port of Autobot City and Mars in the distance nodded. "That was fun. We need to expand the social life here, maybe make a season or something. The more publicity this place generates, the better. Remember, we have a business conference here in a week and you and the gals are on it."

"We have it all taken care of," Mariah said as she began to take off her jewelry. "The Resort is helping with specialty dishes. Did you see the jewels on that bunch? Some of those diamonds were the size of your fist."

"I liked Judy Witwicky's tiara," Kyle said with a grin. "That woman is a force to reckon with."

"You just noticed that, did you?" Mariah asked with a smirk. "Things are not going to be too jumping around here after Christmas and New Year for some time. We're going to have to make our own events, Kyle, especially since Unidad is the new shiny kid on the block."

He nodded, then rose. "I'm beat. I'm going to bed."

"I'll be there shortly," Mariah said as she watched him walk down the hallway to their bedroom. She picked up her handheld and dialed in the news from Earth. Reports of the parties at all the habitats were trending everywhere. She was glad it was. It was a huge amount of work to make a party like this and she was proud of their efforts.

Rightfully so, indeed.

=0=Later that night

They sat in the Diner On The Corner, the flag ship in The City along with the newest one in Tyger Pax, just opened and going gangbusters. The family who ran them had opened one in half the cities in the colony including one in Aerie Hill. Their plan was to have one or two in each city catering to the mobs that liked diner food and a cozy community center style atmosphere. As it was, the big mechs were sitting with the kids chatting over the events of the evening and listening with amusement at their genuine delight and all around hero worshiping.

They had ran all the way to the jail and when they entered the kids were sitting on a bench asking questions of the big jailers and looking at security equipment. They were delighted to see everyone.

 **"COMMANDER! THIS WAS AWESOME!"** -all six of them nearly together

Gathering them up, they walked to the Diner On The Corner rather than The Pit Stop because two bonding parties were going full blast inside, each of them with competing sound tracks.

No one cared.

They reached the Diner, walked inside and ordered food. The kids got their breakfasts and drinks, then began to eat hungrily.

"When will the horses come back, Mr. Drift?" Jessine asked.

He grinned. "They're being switched out. We're getting fresh horses for the rest of the shift. It's been a traumatic evening for them. They're getting the spa treatment when they get back to the stables from the Park City."

"That's good. I love my horse," OD said. "Taco is a great horse. I love paint ponies. They're beautiful."

"Taco is a great horse," Hercy agreed.

They talked about the bust, the good job the kids did waiting where they were supposed to be and all of that sort of thing. The new mechs were as happy as the kids with the way things were going. It was incredible fun and the kids radiated their contentment as well. The six kids were even more determined now to do this for a living. It would be a highly amusing meal and when the horses arrived after following a mech from the barn who rode one there, they walked outside, patted and petted them, then mounted up. Crime waited for no one. They would break up and head on out, Sun, Jack, Lissie, Steiner and Hardie among them.

They would have a slagging good time.

=0=At the Industrial Park City Special Events warehouse, Park City #6

The big mechs were organizing the last mass of pallets to be taken here and there shortly. Guilds and unions had volunteered since orn one to do this and it was a big deal. Many of them were fathers, all of them liked kids and elders and all of them were back to assist again. Bulkhead, Scar and Payload were going to make sure everything arrived including the even more ornate throne of Prime. It was now gold leafed and glowed with a brilliance that only highly polished machine precision work could achieve.

Literally.

They had everything computerized, the flatbeds waiting for their drivers and all was well. Prime, Ironhide and Springer would go by horse drawn carriage since they went to the schools. Everyone else would go by shank's mare. All they had to do was be at the right place at the right time according to their highly precision devised lists and the GPS maps that the Autobot City Professional Assistants and Secretaries Association had made for them.

Piece of Celebration cake.

Probably.

=0=Sunrise

 **"ADA!"**

"What?"

"Comed to there for I, Orion?" he asked as he gazed from the tree to his old dad, then back to the tree and its bounty again.

"You have to go to school, have a party, meet Santa Prime, then come back here. We're going to have dinner at Uncle Otis and Uncle Owl's house, then when its tomorrow, everyone's coming here for presents. We're taking one to Owl's house just for tonight then do the rest afterward. Until then," Ratchet said as he leaned into Orion's space, **"NO!"**

Orion blinked, then smiled his biggest and most insincere smile. "I, Orion good me."

"You better be," Ratchet said. "If you sneak one out again, I'm going to punt your sorry little aft. Now go get ready. The bus is coming."

Orion sped to the berth room to get his backpack followed by Robby who ambled along like the little slowpoke that he was. The others were getting ready, then began to dribble back out. The big kids picked up little ones, then sat down.

"Don't you look handsome," Ratchet said with a grin. "Are you going to Appa and Ammas today for anything?"

"We have invites to dinner," Genesis said. "We're going to stay a while, then come home to do family stuff here, too. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Ratchet said with a grin. "We'll let you know when we plan to do stuff but that can change. Someone might need to get arrested."

The story had broken on the morning edition earlier and prompted a lot of shocked faces and laughter.

"Last night at 2345 hours on the TMC, an altercation broke out at the Courthouse Jail Intake unit for those arrested by the Night Watch," Lim-Lee began. "Three mechs currently unidentified got into brawl at their home with a fourth. They're all related it is stated by the Watch and it appeared to be a family argument gotten out of hand.

"The Watch was called and managed to arrest them, putting them into a Watch transport vehicle for the jail. They were arrested for disturbing the peace, fighting and public intoxication. When they arrived at the Jail Intake, they managed to brawl with the jail guards and the Night Watch lead by Watch Commander Springer of Polyhex and Sub Commander Drift of Kaon. It was very violent and during the brawl the mounted patrol's horses were spooked and ran away heading up Cultural Center Road for the city center.

"A chase ensued which injured two senior Autobots responding to the scene but hospital officials state that Commander Prowl of Praxus and Commander Ratchet of Iacon were relatively unhurt when the horses stampeded and trampled them in their flight. They were rounded up at the Industrial Park Cities and all was brought to a good conclusion. Congratulations to the Watch for their professional efforts to keep the colony safe.

"In other news ..."

Ratchet turned off the monitor. "Frag that. **MOVE IT! HO-HO-HO TIME!"**

 **SQUEEEEEEE!**

=0=A group regrouping

"How's the chin, Lissie?"

"It's good, Stein. It's funny as frag now."

"If you say so, sis. We have to hurry. We're elves or so I was told."

Lissie grinned. "You will love it."

=0=Another group regrouping

"Then she landed on her back over the wall. Hercy joined her when Rondo or was it Yancy kicked him in his fury," Hardie said with a grin. "Liss is one tough little femme. I thought for sure she's need a new jaw."

"Damn. I'm never where the action is," Delphi said as he cleared up the kitchen. Come on. We have to Santa Prime somewhere."

"You'll have to fill us in, Delph," Sun said as he followed The Kid with Jack.

"Easiest duty you'll ever have," Delphi said.

"The best duty ever," Hardie said as the door closed behind them.

=0=Far away

Pulsar mulled over Prime's message regarding the three mechs they had captured earlier. Prime wasn't going to let up on the three until they were returned. He considered his situation, weighed the pros and cons, then called for them and the three families they had found on a broken down ship brought to the flight deck. They would be placed on a small runabout, then set away. Prime would get them or not. He wouldn't have that fire to worry about and all would be eased a little bit.

He sat back and considered the route they had put together, one that would take them the long way around. It would be okay. They found enough energon floating around to make it less an ordeal than a long trip under normal or more normal circumstances. Having dead wood with them would slow everything down.

It was a cut losses/ nothing to gain easy decision to make. That was what made him a different member of the Warrior Elites. He could make them and fight another orn. He was strategic and smart. It would be anyone's guess what would happen if he ever faced Razorclaw in a face-to-face fight. It would be one that very few would bet on.

A small ship flew out and headed in the direction of Prime's signal, the navigation locked in so that the hostages would be certain to have a chance to get there without too much difficulty. In the end, it would be easy. When they were far enough away from the disappearing 'Con armada, a bridge would open and they would fly in with escort, three mechs and three frazzled families who had been unable to join anyone due to ship trouble. It would take a long time before they would get over the fright.

=0=TBC 1-8-19 **edited 1-17-19**


	566. Chapter 566

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 566)

-0-Gathering up

They walked into Ops Center to get their marching orders from Blondi and her gang. They were given or already carried their various hats. They grabbed a drink and bite as they waited. Outside, three horse drawn carriages waited to take Ironhide, Prime and Prowl along with Springer to the schools. Everyone else would go to a place without a slick whip, be met and do their part. It was actually a lot easier being a lesser Santa than the big kahuna. It would be faster.

"I think this looks good on me," Jack said as he sipped a drink with his elf hat on. He was going with Hardie and Sun was going with Delphi. First, they would visit the schools with their kids, then make their way around the vast colony until they gathered again here to eat and drink themselves stupid.

It was a winner.

Ratchet walked in with Ironhide, hugged everyone, got an update on his route from Generalissimo Blondi, then got a Danish and a cuppa. He walked to the table where everyone sat including Sun and Steiner who were laughing at Raptor who was trying to make his hat look good.

"Sad, infant," Sun said with a smile. "However, points for trying."

Raptor grinned. "I'll have you know someone somewhere in this colony will be glad to see me."

"Home schools," Turbine said as he sat next to the big lug. "You get the home schools. I get the religious ones, the little ones. If I get finished before you I'll join ya. Who's going with whom?" He leaned forward to catch his brother nearby. "Flint almost slipped by but I corralled him. He's coming with me."

"Lucky him. Sing a hymn for me," Raptor said with a snicker. He was feeling no pain already, though he had only one drink thus far.

"You need all the help you can get?" Hercy asked as he lounged nearby with Springer, Blackjack and Drift.

"Couldn't hurt," Raptor said with a snicker.

A rap brought them all to attention. Blondi grinned, then glanced at Prime and Prowl. "I see what you get out of this," she said to uproarious laughter.

"It works even in the berth, amirite?" Ratchet asked Prowl to his everlasting outrage.

Everyone in the room asked for Ratchet to be on their team before Prowl rapped the mad doctor's servo sharply.

" **Ow! CASTE COURT!"** Ratchet bellowed as he rubbed his servo.

Huge laughter and volunteers to execute the sentence afterward was met with caustic optics from The Winged One. Prime laughed out of reach of Prowl's swing.

"As I was saying … what **was** I saying?" Blondi asked as she consulted her data pad. "Oh yes," she said around the laughter, "we're going out now. The Central Labor Council has asked clubs, guilds and unions to help make deliveries. They have always done so and are glad to do so again. Just go to each spot on the list, then come back here when you finish. We have a spread and drinks for you when you come back and I want the group shot for the City album I'm making just like last year. Okay? Any questions?"

There were but none of them were relevant, polite or on point. They rose and began to walk out. Prime and Prowl reached the first wagon, entered with their small entourage, mostly genitors and a few hangers on riding horseback following. They began to move off, the horse's livery jingle belling along. Ironhide with Uncle Sun and Ty just because hopped in and left with Partition, Lancer and Moonracer following on horseback.

Springer climbed up with Drift wearing a jaunty green elf hat, then sat side-by-side inside. Kup and a few others were riding horses but a few punters climbed up to sit across from the pair. Springer waving his servo like Queen Elizabeth II smiled as they pulled out and began their journey toward Little Kid Land.

The others watched, then glanced at each other. "Frag this. We have to get there ourselves. I'm filing a complaint," Jetta said with a laugh as he walked to the curb with Elita. They transformed and took off to see to the hubs, armories and veteran's hangouts to ensure that the bachelors and others who might be overlooked got some Christmas Surprise cheer themselves joined at some point by little kids who were looking for a chance to 'do good' for The People. It would be a boozy and jolly several joors. The helpers would meet them there courtesy of Springer and Drift.

Everyone bugged out, heading this way and that as they left to give out some slagging Christmas cheer. Blondi and her femmes watched them go, then grinned. "How about kicking back and waiting for them here? Someone has to stay and troubleshoot any calls to the HQ," she said. They all grinned, nodded and walked back inside to put their dogs up, have a cold one and eat snacks.

Christmas Surprise was all right.

-0-Intermediate School

Springer and the Gang rolled up, then stopped. Two mechs In Charge Of Stuff met them on the sidewalk and walked inside together, heading to the giant lobby where a nice chair was waiting for him. He had drafted his entourage to assist and **MIRACLES OF MIRACLES!** , the big mechs handling the cargo had 'extra' elf hats for the boys. They put them on, groused about it even though they were secretly ecstatic, then gathered around to do their good deed for the vorn.

"I could use a foot stool here. Who volunteers?" Springer asked as he sprawled on his chair.

"That's your job, Drift," Sandstorm said as he peered into the giant boxes that held the gifts for each kid sorted out to class. Their names were listed on a handheld by the 'job czar' and it was an effortless thing to do this anymore. Good thing it was because there were thousands of kids to see with the growth of the colony.

Sounds of kids laughing could be heard, then classes of Level 6 kids began to arrive. They were on the last leg of the system toward graduation and they were big, some of them older than the program usually functioned for, those denied before on their way to getting the education they couldn't get anywhere else. They came in, then faced the big mechs grinning at them with amusement.

"Well, well. I don't recognize anyone in this group which is a benefit to your sense of law and order," Springer said with a grin.

The kids laughed and so did the masses of family members and school workers who came to watch. A laugh was heard near the back, then a mini-con femme peeked out. **"Hello, Commander Springer and Commander Drift!"** she said with her usual infectious sense of joyousness.

Everyone of the mechs grinned as Springer sat forward to see better. "Is that you, 2-Lip?" he asked with a smile.

" **Yes! MERRY CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!** " she said.

Standing nearby watching in a mob of more normal sized mechs and femmes, some of them older, Metrotitan watched 'his girl' flirt sweetly with Springer. Given that he housed the Watch in his own vast carcass, he didn't so much mind. He knew where he could find them later. 2-Lip was a sweet kid who talked sweetly to everyone. She was his and he was hers, totally and completely. Everyone knew that including her genitors who called them 'their son-in-law, the city'.

"The same to you. I see that mech of yours back there," Springer said to be ornery.

Everyone turned to spy Tyke, all 34 feet of him. He waggled his fingers in a wave as he grinned back.

2-Lip whose spirit animal was probably a butterfly smiled. **"HE'S THE GREATEST ISN'T HE!?"**

Everyone agreed and some even applauded.

Her family applauded loudest.

It was hilarious.

"I suppose you wonder why we came here on this momentous occasion?" Springer said for no good reason.

 **"PRESENTS!"** -everyone including Tyke

Springer chuckled. "I see. I'm here to give you something from the colony-"

" **PRESENTS!"**

"...in appreciation for ..."

" **PRESENTS!"**

"... your hard work and ability to stay out of ..."

" **PRESENTS! PRESENTS! PRESENTS!"**

"... jail." Springer laughed. "Slaggers. By the way, the Watch Mentorship Program and the program for Watch trainees will be opening again after the new year. Check the Bulletin Board for the application forms. This is a hands on program open to all femmes and mechs in Level 6 who might want a career in law enforcement."

" **THAT'S NICE! ANOTHER PRESENT!"** -a gaggle of smartaleck boys in the back including Tyke

Springer grinned at them, then looked at his minions. "Bring it, boys."

They did.

The kids took it.

All was well in Intermediate School with the Level 6's.

-0-Sitting on a throne in Sparkling Day School

Prime grinned at the huge lobby filled with family and friends of the kids who came here. They were excited and expectant with many doing this for the first time.

There was the sound of laughter, then two lines of infants wandered in with their usual gaping wonder and cuteness. Some of them had service animals with them, mostly dogs and a tiny horse. They came to the X's on the floor, then halted, some of them bumping into each other. They glanced around, then spotted Santa Prime. The shock on their faces, the wonderment, the sound of their gasps of pure joy was hilarious as cameras flashed everywhere.

Prime leaned forward. "Well, well, look at y-"

They fogged forward rushing him, then trying to climb upward. They came at once, two different lines from three different classes of babies, all of them losing their shit at the sight of **"HIM!"** as someone referred to Santa Prime lately when he would talk about him with his big old pa, going over the tale and expectations, 'Orion'.

It took a while for the mob to be untangled, then while Prowl took videos and copious pictures, Prime's minions began to take gifts from shop stewards and other officials of the operation to hand to Optimus. A tiny femme walked up and smiled brilliantly. **"YOU HIM!?"**

Obviously, she'd been talking to Orion.

He grinned. "I am Santa Prime and I love you."

She smiled. "I love you, too." She smiled again. Then she hugged his ped as he handed her a gift. She sat down to open it necessitating her adoring Appa to pick her up and take her back to the line to the chuckles and applause of the masses watching.

More infants came, some posed with family members and Prime, then more came. Soon El stood before Prime. He remembered when the Matrix saved her and now she was bright, healthy and a child without worries or burdens. Her family had every angle covered with cameras as she walked up and stopped before Prime.

She smiled almost too widely, her tiny face shining with happiness. She patted his ped, then looked up. "Santa Prime, I been good."

"You have? I believe that's all you **can** do, El … be good," Optimus said as he leaned closer to her.

"You know me? You know me, El?" she asked with wondering surprise.

"I know and love all of you," Prime said with a grin.

"I does good. I helped my ada and atar. I cleaned my room. I take care of my dollies and toys. I gived some to my cousin. He's little," she said in her tiny mini mouse voice.

"Sharing is always a good thing, El. I am glad that you are healthy and happy," Optimus said as he caressed her tiny face. Her family was nearly swooning as they kept the cameras rolling.

"I does it more," she said with a smile.

Prime grinned, then handed her a gold bag. "I am glad, infant. Here is something from our people that shows how much we love you and what you do everyday."

She smiled and took it. She stood in her spot smiling at him hugging the bag to her tiny chassis like it was a gold bar. It was obvious that she didn't know to go back to her line so she stood with him and smiled. The room laughed and clapped for her as her ada picked her up. He smiled at Prime, then bowed low. Everyone around him did the same including some of the infants waiting. Then he walked back emotionally to wait for the others.

More came up, then some very familiar faces. Praxus came. "Santa Prime, I love you. Do you know I love you?" he asked as he took his present.

Prime grinned. "I think I do, infant," he said to the miniature medic standing before him. "All of you."

"You're good. I will tell my atar and ada. Do you want me to tell Uncle Otis?" he asked.

"Do. I think he would **love** to hear it," Prime said with a smile.

Prowl was running a camera moving here and there to get the best angles, almost like a special ops mech on mission. It was hilarious.

Praxus walked back, then Bleu, Olo who was so tiny and her giant genitors so proud of her, Mimi who was so tiny and so were her genitors who were proud of her, Kiko, Han who was sweet and nice to the great relief of his genitors watching nearby, a number of others came in a steady stream, then a new line joined them.

" **WHAT MY DO, LO-LO!?"** a voice said from back in the pack.

Group G had arrived on the scene.

-0-TBC 1-9-19 **edited 1-17-19**

Leoness: They do have them don't they? Between the debutantes in some of the habitats and the isolation, the party scene is amazing. Given that there are 17,000 participants requires a generalissimo grande to handle things. LOL! Hugs, darling Leoness. :D


	567. Chapter 567

The Diego Diaries: Ho-H-Ho (dd6 567)

(It has been below zero sometimes as much as 15 degrees here for two weeks and my hands are so dry the ends of them split. It's like typing on wounds. :D They're better today and I'm going to hit it. HUGS! wherever you are. Its going to be be about 20-30 degrees for the rest of January so things are going to be way better.) :D

-0-Around

Ratchet walked into the house of someone on his list, shut ins for medical or mental reasons, those who were so elderly they couldn't leave their homes for various reasons or other miscellaneous things. There were a host of family members waiting expectantly for Santa Ratchet to show up and fete their little ancient relic appas and ammas. There were six and they were sitting or lying on couches with family fussing over them as they watched, some of them without much coherence about all the hoo-hah.

" **Well, look at you!"** Ratchet said with a big smile. "I never thought I'd find you. **And here you are all along!"** He walked to them and scanned each, finding them on various places of the upside of the curve toward productive lives and coherency. "You've gotten so much better. Good thing Santa Doctor came to call. You've been doing a good job taking care of them," he said glancing to the many adults standing around the room, some holding children.

"They earned it," a big mech said as everyone nodded. "It took all we had to keep them with us and alive."

"And that's why all of you are my heroes," Ratchet said with a smile. He glanced at Pulley and OD who volunteered to be elves for the Santas. "My minions here have brought gifts for you from the colony," he said to the elders, some of whom smiled. "I guess your babies got presents yesterday?" he asked.

They nodded as Ratchet took gifts from the two kids, then one by one gave them to the little elders who smiled at him with delight and surprise.

A tiny little mech thanked him profusely.

Ratchet knelt beside his chair. "Appa … where would we all be without you and your family here? Where would we be without all of us together? Without all of you elders who remember everything?"

"We'd be nowhere," a big mech said. He was holding a baby in his big arms. "We'd be lost."

"Slag right," Ratchet said as he stood. "Look at all of you. Getting better every orn. Shiny as a new penny." He looked at the family around the room. "This would never happen without you. All of you together will be fine and recover, remember that. Give them a few more decaorns and they'll be dancing."

"They do, you know … dance like a dream," one of them said.

"Then invite me along and we'll burn this place down," Ratchet said to laughter all around. He hugged the little mechs, took the thanks of the crowd, then stepped out with the two kids. They walked to the elevator to go upward to one more place in the building before heading outward to more. Entering, they grinned at each other.

"That was nice, Abba," OD said as he looked into the bag, his elf hat set firmly on his helm.

"Doing something for others always makes you feel better. It reminds you each time that all of us are one," Ratchet said. "You two younglings impress. How lucky I was to have you along."

They smiled at him. "I really like my life here, Abba. I love school and I love being in the Mentorship program with the Watch. Springer and Drift are who I want to be," OD said with enthusiasm.

"Yeah. The six of us are going to be in the Watch and do stuff. We like going on beats and helping others. Stopping a fight without violence is the best thing," Pulley said.

"Those two are gold. Listen to them and do what they say. The mechs will always protect you because you're learning. You will be even more awesome some fine orn when you become a Watch officer," Ratchet said as the elevator stopped on their floor. They ambled off following him.

"Its what we want, Abba," OD said. "Do you think we should join the Home Guard, too? It's all good together, the training, right?"

Ratchet grinned. "It is. Most if not all the Watch belong to the regular army or the Guard. If you want to learn from the big mechs, I would agree with that."

"We do," Pulley said as Ratchet rapped on a door.

It opened and they walked in, exclaiming the good health and their own good fortune that the colony could have such occupants as citizens. It would be great fun for everyone.

-0-Femmes here and there

Elita, Jetta, Jessine and her friend, Sil reached the mall then the two tiny femmes hopped out of the bed of Jetta's truck format. The two adults then transformed, grinning at the girls as all of them put elf and Santa hats on their helms. They walked to the huge street side doors, entered the enthusiastic place, then walked to the metro station nearby. Down they went, then over to the corridor nearby that led to the armory, hub and depot below The Mall at Tyger Pax.

It was filled with 'rough cobs', that is, mechs who were gnarly, tough, rough and ready, with little exposure to the 'finer things in life'. They were bachelors, dudes in relationships just this short of the harness, most of them and they came here to have a beer and the sumptuous supplied buffet meal all of these areas catered toda, a game or two and hang out on this, an off duty holiday for most of them.

Elita and Jetta walked in ahead of the two little femmes and caught the full blast of their slag, insults, laughter, shouts to join them, rude remarks and other things that people who know each other very well and work in dangerous professions reserve for each other. All of them were friends, most of them very veteran and all of them cared about each other. That didn't mean they couldn't pitch slag.

"Well, isn't this **just** like home with Ma and Pa," Elita said with a chuckle as Jetta heaved the bag onto a table. That was when the laughing crowd noticed two very small, very awestruck sub adult femme-lets standing behind them in little green hats. It went silent immediately.

"Well, you **do** have some refinement after all," Jetta said as he chuckled.

The mechs grinned as they stared at the girls. "Who are the little ladies, Jetta? I didn't know you and Elita had kids," a huge mech, a Wrecker said with a grin.

"We should **be** so lucky," Elita said as she looked at the little girls. "This is Jessine of Capital City and this is Sil of Tarn. They want to be Watch officers some fine orn and they're going to do it, too. Even the Home Guard."

The mechs stared at the two girls who looked at them like they were gods from Olympus. The big gnarly mech grinned. "If I knew that the Watch was so cute I might have to break a few laws."

Huge slag greeted that, then it silenced again. Elita grinned at Jetta who leaned against the table with a smirk. She turned to the little girls. "How about I read names and you hand things out?"

"We would do that, Abba," Jessine said with enthusiasm. "Sil, you help us." She looked at the big mechs. "Sil likes what I do. She wants to join the Watch, too. We want to help our people."

Everyone in the room had done 'the automatic', that is, they had read the girl's tats and knew they were high caste. Their frames and paint schemes had made that clear from the start. Yet, they were here trying to help The People. It was an amazing thing.

"Well," Sandstorm said as he sat at a table with a card game, "that's about as good as it gets. You and Sil are welcome here, infants. Do you know Gypsy?"

"We do," Jessine said. "There's a lot of amazing femmes in the services and Watch. Gypsy is **so** nice. She tells us things, too."

"Did she tell you she was a Wrecker medic?" Sandstorm said proudly. " **Our** medic."

Mechs around the room, Wreckers all nodded in agreement.

"She did. I saw her tattoo. It's awesome. I want the Mentorship program from the Watch to have tattoos. I want everyone to see me have one. They'll know we can help them, too."

The mechs stared at the little femmes, both almost **painfully** earnest and sincere, then Jetta and Elita who looked as proud of them as genitors.

Sandstorm grinned. "How is it that I've never met a femme yet that wasn't the greatest?"

Laughter filled the room as the two little femmes did the Cybertronian version of blushes. Being here with these mechs, types of which they had never experienced before was exhilarating in a way neither had felt before getting into the Watch. Life had become filled with colors and sights, a realness none knew even existed before.

"This is for you, Sandy," Jetta said as he pulled a bottle in a bag out of the sack he had carried. Bottles of high grade with bags of candy were the gifts. He would hand them to the femmes and with Elita directing them to the right mech, they spent a bunch of time delivering gifts and chatting together. The little femmes would ask a million questions and the big mechs would explain to them what they wanted to know.

It would be **AWESOME!**

When they left to get their next bag and location, the femmes would be floating on air, Sil would be a member of the Watch Mentorship program, sending her application when she got home that night, Springer would get a request to design a tattoo for the kids and their program and the mechs would be happy to spend a few moments with genuine sweetness.

Win-win.

No one got coal in their stockings this time.

-0-Meanwhile, back at the Intermediate School

They handed gifts to the children waiting, laughing and chatting with kids who found them amazing. Their tattoos were much commented upon, the 'rumor' that you could be part of the Watch discussed and whispered confessions that some of them were 'no longer … you know … drawing on things' exchanged. The line walked off as the Level 2's finished up. Level 1's were coming.

Springer sat back with a grin. "Jetta sent a request from Jessine that the kids requested to have their own tattoo. Jessine wants everyone to see it so if they need help they can get it from them."

Drift grinned. "Those kids are amazing."

"They are. I'll get Sunny to design one. Where is he anyway?" Springer asked.

"He's with Blackjack and Alor. Sideswipe went with Sun and Hardie," Drift replied. "Send him the message. Something tells me the sooner the better on this request."

Springer laughed. "I agree. I wonder what their genitors will think when they see them?"

"We'll find out," Drift said as lines of Level 1's began to show up, their happiness off the scale with delight.

It would match the adults crowding the room including the Santa team.

-0-Blackjack, Alor and Sunstreaker

They walked into the stables to hand out treats prepared by The Feed Store in Iacon. It was a huge facility that had a store front that 'sold' food for all the animals in the colony including their toys and much requested tack and 'clothes, Ada. Tippy might get cold'.

Like that.

They manufactured all the feed and medicine that all the animals both working and companion needed in their state-of-the-art facility. Pallets of 'fruit mashups' … all manner of fruit and small pellet hay formed into lumps with a sweet tasting 'apple' flavored goo filled big bins and was ready to hand over to the horses in the barn by hanging them on a hook. The rest would be delivered to the many feed stations in the 250 square miles of 'pasture land' fenced in for the big animals to run. Seldom were they more than ten miles from the stable at any one time, tough they could be.

The horses peered out of their stalls, those that were used by the Night and Day Watch. They were kept close to utilize, then alternated with others so they could have some free time running madly with the herds. Patting noses and necks, the three hung up the big treats on hooks by the door and watched as the horses began to devour them. Onward they went, then joined the trucks at the fence loaded down ready to go into the pastures to find the animals for their treats.

Sunstreaker grinned, then glanced at Alor and Blackjack who were in a paddock petting a small group of Shetland-type ponies and small horses that were boarded here by those who asked for a 'child horse' for their kids. They were **MUCHO** popular and some of them ate more than they needed from treats that people brought here when they visited. They got their treats today, too.

Miniature anythings were always popular. Ask Cliffjumper. Uh, wait …

"Springer let me know that the kids want a tattoo for the Watch Mentor program. They want everyone to know that they can help them if they need someone," Sunstreaker said.

"Those kids are rising in my estimation every orn. What a nice group. Maybe mixing everyone together is a good thing. I do remember they were a terrible group when they came. I wonder what their genitors will think about that kind of tattoo?" Alor said with a grin.

"We'll see," Sunstreaker said as they walked into through the gate into the fence after the flatbeds. They transformed and followed them, heading for the herds found here and there by GPS locator on their bodies. It would be a great ramble around the fields.

-0-TBC 1-11-19 **edited 1-17-19**


	568. Chapter 568

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Hi (dd6 568)

=0=Delivering the goods

"How many more?" Partition asked as he mounted up.

Lancer hopped on behind him as Chromia and Maelstrom climbed on board their horses. They were riding with Ironhide, Sun and Blackjack. The trip through Sparkling Day had been hilarious …

" **SANTA! YOU COMED TO ME, ORION!?"** a shorty had bellowed with astonishment at the sight of Santa who looked just like his old dad sitting on a nice chair with a Santa hat on his helm. Behind him with their own hats, Sun and Blackjack watched and took videos of the kids as they came in.

Praxus stood next to Orion frozen in place, the look of astonishment on **HIS** face so complete it was fortunate for his protoform creators that it was still attached to his head. The other babies had stared at Ironhide with gaping expressions of wonder, then the entire lot of them charged him. They reached him, clambered around his peds, then were lead off with great resistance to their places again by the staff and teachers who were laughing as loudly as the adults and family who were there to watch and record this singular event.

They gathered into their lines again, then it was silent. Both sides stared at each other. Then Praxus walked slightly forward. "Santa?" he whispered almost delicately as he stared at Ironhide.

 **"THAT'S ME!"** Ironhide said with a grin.

"Why you look like my atar?" Praxus asked as some of the other kids nodded.

The room nearly swooned from the sweetness as Praxus stared at Ironhide with rapturous optics. Nearby, Partition and Lancer stood by the box watching with incredible pleasure. Chromia was beside them with a delighted Maelstrom.

It was silent a moment, then Ironhide leaned closer to the babies. "That's because Santa Prime is one handsome mech," Ironhide replied to laughter and applause.

Praxus looked around, then stared at Ironhide again. He tentatively walked closer, then held out a baby servo. Ironhide leaned in to let the baby touch his face. He touched it gingerly, staring at Ironhide with intensity. "You look like my atar."

"Do I look like him that much?" Ironhide asked with delight.

Praxus stared at him a moment, then stepped slightly back. "No," he said as the room erupted in laughter.

Ironhide laughed. "Someone said the same thing to me, infant, once before but they changed their mind in the end. They said Ironhide was way better looking than me."

Huge laughter.

Praxus stared at him, then smiled brightly. He walked back to his line and stood behind Orion who grinned at him happily as he waited. Life was much less complicated for him than his little brother.

"Well, infants … did you work hard?"

" **YES!"**

"Did you get along? All of you with everyone?"

" **YES!"**

"Did you tell your genitors and family you love them every night before you go to sleepy bed?"

" **YES!"**

"Then it looks like presents are good to go," Ironhide said as Lancer handed him one while Blackjack and Sun read the list to whom they belonged to. Ironhide said the name and a little mech walked up, smiled enormously, took the gift, leaned against Ironhide's leg so he could be petted, then walked back with delight. One by one they came, then his own walked up as well.

Praxus smiled up at Ironhide who handed him a gold gift back. "Happy Christmas Surprise, Praxus."

" **YOU KNOW MY NAME!?"** he asked with genuine surprise.

Ironhide laughed. **"I KNOW EVERYONE'S NAME!"**

Praxus stared at him with awe, then walked back. More came, then the last one, Old Foghorn Leghorn himself was next. He sauntered up, the image of delight, then paused before Ironhide with a certain Superman debonair coolness. He gave a billion watt smile to Santa Ironhide.

Santa Ironhide smiled back, then gave him a blue gift bag.

Orion hugged it, then grinned. "I, Orion gived this to Ha-Ho. She my she. She not get this here. I gived this to her."

Ironhide felt his optics mist. "You're helping your sister?"

He nodded with a grin. "I, Orion doing for the she. She not get one. I getted her this one." He held up the bag. He stepped closer. "You know my she? You know Ha-Ho?"

Given that she was sleeping in his carry hold, that was an easy one. He grinned at his son. "I know her. She's going to be happy you're sharing. I bet your old pa will be, too."

"My atar good him. Him good she. Him goed to doing. I comed here to him but him doing. Just a workin'," Orion said conversationally as he leaned against Ironhide's leg. He patted the big ped next to him. "You got this like Atar. Him big thing, too."

Huge laughter greeted that as he hugged Ironhide's leg. Ironhide petted him, then watched as he walked back to the line with his bag. They waved, then walked out heading for their room. The family present would get them shortly and keep them until everyone went to Prime's house for dinner and a present. All was well, especially for Santa Ironhide …

They walked the horses from the sidewalk to the street near the carriage where the elders were climbing to go. "We're going to Sparkling Day #2, then Circle Prep base school in The City for a short stop in. After that we're done," Chromia said as the four began to follow the carriage back to Autobot City. It would be a slagging jolly ride all the way back.

So would the cab ride with the kids for Ratchet's elders as they left school to go to the house.

=0=Level 1's

They came in, Level 1 kids of Intermediate School who were just beginning the long intense program that pre-sub adult and sub adult kids entered before graduation. They were the largest group in the school and would take a while.

"Well, you made it. What took you so long?" Springer asked the first three lines who faced him.

They laughed loudly, then grinned at him.

"So I'm here to ho-ho-ho with you. When we call you, come up and get something from the colony that shows you how much you're loved," he said as he took a gift. He called the names and the kids came, then finally Rambler and the big kids showed up with their classes.

"Rambler of the House of Prime?" Springer said as the sweet white and red mech walked to him. "I think it might be something for a train set," he stage whispered to the little mech.

He laughed. "That's so great. My atar and I have a great train set up. You can see it tonight, Springer."

"I plan to," Springer said with a grin.

Rambler walked back, then a procession of dread and titan kids walked up, got a present and a bit of razzing before rejoining their line. When they were all served, that group left and was replaced by more. It would take a while to greet all the Level 1's in the school. Then they would have to go to the other Intermediate Day School just opened, several floors of it, to meet the growing influx of refugee kids.

It would be great fun.

=0=Small religious group who home school in their building

"Rap, rap, rap."

The door opened slowly as a femme peered out fearfully. She stared at Turbine for a moment, then closed the door again. There was a soft conversation behind it, then the door opened again. Three nervous adults greeted him, bowing before him, then he walked in with his bag and a grin. With Turbine was Delphi who cut across town to join him when it was clear that he could be more helpful here.

Inside the room, a number of anxious adults and small solemn faced children watched the pair. The elders were sitting but they stood and bowed to Turbine. "Welcome, Maker. We are honored to have you here."

"I am honored to come. I've brought gifts for everyone, a moment of cheer for you on this, a holiday for families," Turbine said. "Why don't we sit down and have a moment of celebration?" he asked gently.

They did, waiting until Turbine and Delphi were seated before sitting themselves. They stared at the two silently a moment, then Turbine grinned. "I'm aware that its been hard to adjust to freedom and safety. I would like to offer my help to make your transition as happy and gentle as possible."

"We … its been hard. We were in bondage so long before we could escape," a big mech said. "It's going to take time to get better."

"Do you have Home Health Care and the Processor Outreach teams come?" Delphi asked gently.

They stared at him, then each other. "We … we can," an elder femme said. "There is no stigma to doing that," she said as she looked at the others. "We can do that."

"It will help you. I don't know if you want to keep your little school running or send them to the Temple. We have a small school there for religious children who've had tough times like this. We work with the School District for the religious children to meet all the needs of our students. I can help you get them placed there. We can work out your needs and meet them as well," Turbine said. "I sit on the Temple Board."

They stared at him, then held a conversation off line. The elder femme nodded. "We didn't know that. It might be the best way forward for our children. They had a terrible time. Maybe in the Temple, being there around the relics will help them. Maybe it will help all of us."

"I agree," Turbine said as he glanced at eleven small shy children clinging to their family members. He grinned. "I have gifts for you from the Prime himself."

The adults stared at him, then glanced at the elders. They nodded.

Turbine set the bag on the ground. "I think I might need help here."

The kids stared at him, the bag, then him again. One of them, a small mech with a sweet face and haunted optics edged slightly closer, then peered into the bag. "If you pull them out, the names for who get them are on the tags. I sort of hurt my servo. Maybe you infants can help an old mech out."

The kids stood up straighter, glanced at each other, then him. Cautiously, they walked forward, then peered inside. Gasping with surprise and delight, they stared at Turbine and Delphi. Then they grinned. Reaching inside, they pulled out beautiful bagged gifts, then began to show them to the adults. When they were finished, the children would be sitting on the floor playing with new toys and the elders would have candy and cakes in their own.

By the time Delphi and Turbine left to go onward they would have eleven new students for the Temple School and nearly two dozen adults who would be in counseling there also every orn for the foreseeable future.

Win-win.

Merry Christmas Surprise.

=0= 1-12-19 **edited 1-22-19**

ESL:

Razzing: teasing. If you razz someone you're teasing them. The teasing itself is razzing. It's not mean and is usually funny. American slag for teasing. :D

stage whisper: to pretend to whisper but to do it loudly so that people can hear while pretending that you don't want them to hear. :D

DreamChaser99 chapter 151 . 23h ago

Just so you known this chapter is 251 and jumps far ahead. And the name for Ratchet and Ironhide's new baby is so cute!

ME Thanks for the tip off! I wondered where that one went. I mixed it up with one in another book. Will fix. :D I like off beat off the trail names that have some kind of meaning to the story in a more subtle way. Thank you, darling!

leoness chapter 567 . Jan 11

aw, the tiny elders made me tear up. darn it, ya got me again.

your story about how cold it is where you are reminded me of today's amusement, as i outed myself as a northern transplant to south carolina, wearing a light jacket in sunny 30 degree weather while those around are bundled in coats, hats, gloves and scarves...

ME Heh-heh-heh … I love mixing the mood. I also like to show that not all that is glitter is gold. (*cough*) Showing the cost of what happened to them is important to me. I don't think even them can walk through this without feeling it and the most vulnerable the most. Nothing like someone's tiny grammy and grampy to drive home the point. :D

I love it when someone comes here and its 30-40 our and I'm wearing shorts and sleeveless and they're bundled. It makes me laugh. That is is does until my hands crack! LOL! You show them, Northern Tier Sister! HUGS!

Leoness chapter 565 . Jan 8

Speaking as the person who somehow (cough type a personality cough) wound up in charge of office parties, the amount of effort the bots and humans put into parties on Mars is astounding.

ME Gah. You and me both. Having debutantes pursuing inter habitat rivalries and being so far away sort of drives them. Having 17,000 over for a dance would kill me. LOL! HUGS!


	569. Chapter 569

The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Hee-Hee (dd6 569)

=0=On their way

They began to drift back to The Fortress. Some were doing double duty at both locations of their public school. Some were hitting senior centers, home school meet up sites, Aerie Hill, shut ins, the social center where some kids lived for varying reasons, hospitals, care centers and some day cares. All over the colony they went followed by flat beds carrying the gifts to be presented. It was a well oiled machine with the occasional intervention from The Boss, Generalissimo Giganto Commandante Blondi of Stanix.

A horse drawn carriage followed by riders pulled into the roadside in front of The Fortress and everyone climbed out and down. Horses were hitched to the carriage and when it left they followed on their way to the barn and their waiting treats. The hoo-haw walked inside, took their bows, then strolled to the gigantic buffet that lined an entire wall of the crowded rec room. Families and kids, friends and comrades were there waiting for them as they ambled in with their hats at jaunty angles.

"What took ya so long?" Twin Twist asked Springer and Drift as they walked in with their 'elves'.

"This is a big colony, sport. Try getting out more," Springer said with a grin as he walked to the punch bowl. "Has Arcee spiked this yet?"

"She spiked it before she left and we've had to re-spike it five times. Just say the buzz is good here," Twin said as he grinned at the two who grabbed plates and began to pile up. "Blondi and Holi arranged Ops Center to be a casino. You can eat in there."

"Sounds good. First time for everything," Springer said with a chuckle. When his plate was suitably full and a cold one was in his grip, he headed in there to sit at one of the many tables to chow down.

Drift walked in, sat down and stretched. "This Santa Priming is hard work."

"It is but very rewarding," Springer said with a snicker. "I think it means we only have to stay in The Pit for half the time we've earned, not the full allotment."

"Don't you remember? There **is** no Pit," Drift said as he began to eat.

"From your pie hole to the audials of the Liege Maximo, Premier of Hell," Springer said as others joined him.

All around the room families were eating, all of them somehow related to the official reps of Santa Prime, the city administration and all the related departments of the colony and the Senior Autobot-Civilian Committee. There were bonds, beaus, infants and children, some of whom were running like flocks of pheasants careening off everything and everyone along with elders and friends.

As they began to eat, another horse carriage arrived with Ironhide and his Posse. They climbed down, hitched horses to the carriage to go to the barn, then ambled in like Caesar crossing the Rubicon if that eminence had done so in elf hats. Getting the slag handed, they gave it back postage due, loaded up with **WARRIOR FOOD!** and beer, then walked into the room to find a table to sit and chow down.

More came along with humans who were dropping in before heading to the big Christmas dance and hor d'oeuvres blow out at Unidad that would be gathering steam in a few joors. They had, some of them, followed a few of the mechs on their journey of good cheer while others came to the center to sit and wait for the slaggers to come back.

On the table in front of Ironhide several children were standing as they watched everyone and played together while taking a bite now and again. They were little mechs who were the children of soldiers, some of them Home Guard. Anyone who wanted could come here and among them were true believers who loved hanging with the big mechs and listening to the slag that was 'truer than true, Ada. You should listen' as one of the youngling Watch mentor kids said when asked why he was staying out so much lately.

That one.

Lon, Bezel, Partition, Lancer and half the femme team, Maelstrom, Chromia, Terradive and Roto who were laughing loudly at something Bezel said about something, the titans and the kids along with a lot of others were gathered around the room eating, talking and laughing at the hoo-haw. The crowd was endless, varied and happy.

Blackjack and his crew, Alor, Ratchet and his crew including the two little girls and three of their friends they called to join them along with Prime at last showed up and joined the food line. Huge slag, catcalls, laughter and some applause greeted them as they walked in with their enchanted line of youngling kids for the food and drinks.

"Well, nothing like being appreciated. How was your run?" Ratchet asked as he helped the girls get plates and a place in the line.

"It was as wonderful as ever," Optimus said as he helped himself to a huge piece of just about everything.

Prowl who was amused that much food could fit on one plate glanced at Ratchet. "He was magnificent as ever. You **do** understand that his perfection extends to everything he does."

Huge laughter and a surprising amount of agreement met that bit of sass as they moved along slowly.

"Abba Ratchet was amazing," Jessine said as four femmes with her nodded. "We called some of our friends to help. The elders and the sick people needed cheering up. We were there to help them. That's what the Watch wants us to do, help others."

Everyone stared at the earnest youngling femmes with amusement and a lot of pride as they chatted about their efforts and how it made them want to do more. The three new girls weren't part of the program but they were caught up in the moment and the adults around them giving everyone attention and appreciation. It was a new and beautiful world to all of them.

They got their drinks so Ratchet led them with brimming plates into the Ops Center where they gawked around themselves as they walked to a table where the youngling mechs with Springer had found themselves a place to sit. They greeted each other with excitement, then sat down to eat and discuss the whole thing. Ratchet walked back out with a grin, took cuts and got slagged for it, then walked back in with food and drink as well. He sat down at the big table where most of the senior Autobots were congregated, there or around it. "Well, how was your orn?"

"Great," Lissie said with a grin. "This was fun. I don't know what Christmas Surprise is but I like it. Are the younglings off for a decaorn now?"

"They are. We have the next basketball game in four orns. Kaon versus Iacon. **IACON WILL SMASH THEM FLAT!"** Ratchet said, ever the homeboy.

" **ADA'S DRUNK AGAIN!"** Sideswipe called out to laughter and agreement from the punters.

"Slagger. Iacon will go the distance. We have the slagging Matrix-"

" **RATCHET!"**

Everyone glanced at a fuming Ravel, then laughed. It including Prime who sat down with Prowl and both their genitors. On the next table over, the entire Household Guard with bonds were seated along with, of all mechs, Soundwave. He'd been invited and came, sitting next to them along with Shackle, Lebus, their bonds, kids and elders. The Center was filling up and so was the Rec Room. It was amusing, filled with conversations, children eating at tables, from their elder's laps, running like maniacs stopping long enough to get a bite, then racing onward. It was the most colorful Grange get together ever if the get together was held in a car manufacturer's parking lot.

Will Lennox stood on the table before Ratchet chatting away. :This is a good thing you do. This colony is going to be too big some day. What then?:

"We get more Santas. I want to keep my route and I know the others want theirs. They're frauds, you know. We'll just gear up. Maybe some orn we can't. Right now, all over Cybertron candy and presents are being delivered. We had a titan making them for the past half year. No one is going to be left out if we can help it. No one," Ratchet said almost grimly. "I have issues as you can see."

Lennox grinned. :I can't imagine why:

"Me either. I keep telling my therapist that," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

"What therapist?" Ironhide said as he popped a bun in his mouth. He ate it, then grinned. "You need one."

Ratchet smiled again. "Why waste my time telling a therapist slag when I have Greco-Roman wrestling in the berth with yo-"

" **RATCHET!"**

Ravel actually got up, walked to Ratchet, then slapped his helm. He walked back with a frown, then sat. He frowned at Ratchet, a wholly adorable sight to everyone watching including Ratchet.

" **YOU LOVE ME! EVERYONE DOES!** It's my refinement and personal charm that does i-"

Slag squared.

Ravel actually grinned at Ratchet. "Serves you right, little Mister Wise Acre."

"Wise acre?" Ratchet asked as he and everyone there did a quick survey of the internet.

Then they agreed.

Loudly.

"Fraggers. Just for that I'm not going to do the interpretive dance I planned for the holiday season," Ratchet said.

"Oh please ….," Prowl said with a smirk. "Do."

"It requires copious amounts of nudity and swearing and there's children present," Ratchet said with a big smile.

:Nudity?: Bobby Epps asked with a chuckle. :You dudes are **already** nude:

The room became silent instantly as everyone turned in their seats to look at Epps. He blanched, then glanced around. :You are. You don't have anything on:

Everyone stared at him, then each other, then him. Springer grinned. "So all this time I've been naked. You learn something everyday."

"It's a good look on you," Drift said with a grin as everyone in the room erupted in laughter. Then he glanced at Epps who he liked greatly. "Given that we've shown you want we got, how about you slaggers strip and show us yours?"

"Oh frag, not **that** again," Springer said as Devcon laughed loudly with the twins.

"Yeah. **SHOW US** , slaggers. I want to see your tiny junk. Then we can show you ours, though I can't guarantee it can fit the room," Sideswipe said with a laugh.

HUGE enormous laughter and agreement with a lot of mystified children glancing here and there with curiosity which no one would quench with explanations. Ravel did glare at all of them cutely, however.

"Maybe yours is tiny but don't include me, sport," Jetta said. "I get no complaints, size queen."

Huge laughter greeted that though most of the room had no really clear idea what they were talking about so Ratchet rapped his knuckles on the table. He stood, cleared his throat, then gathered himself like a teacher's pet he was. "Since most of you don't know what they're talking about, allow me as a doctor to explain."

 **HUGE HOO-HAW** from those who wanted the insanity and **HUGE HOO-HAW** from those who remembered what he was going to say and howled. Devcon leaned around his family to catch Ratchet's optics. "Go ahead, Ratch. Tell them the story. It's a great story."

Ratchet dazzled them all, then began. "Well, it was on an away mission where we used pretender tech to simulate good looking and well made humans."

:I suppose you were anatomically correct: Epps said as he glanced at Springer who was groaning around his desire to laugh forever.

"Frag, yeah. Some of us more so than others," Sunstreaker said just to be ornery.

"Think horses," Sideswipe said as the room convulsed, some of them not in a good way.

"Anyway, they drank themselves stupid and I had to come and lay servos on, these servos, these miraculous servo-" A bun bounced off his face and landed in front of Ironhide. He ate it. Ratchet smirked at him, then continued. "Before that, they'd finally decided to check their junk to get the horror over with. No one had yet and all of them were fully loaded," he said as the room erupted in laughter. A lot of slag about pop guns and pea shooters was traded before it settled again.

"Who was it?" Bezel asked with delight.

"Drift, Springer, the twins and Devcon," Ratchet replied. "I think that was all of you. Anyway, they were pretty loaded so Drift suggested they go into the living room of their hotel and make a circle. At the count of three, they'd drop their pants, scream a lot, then get really drunk, stupider drunk."

"Frag, that sounds horrible. What was that like, Sunny, having a thing down there?" Twin Twist asked as he leaned against the console nearby with a beer. "Sounds like a … ugh, I don't know what it sounds like."

Sunny grinned at him. "Percy and 'Jack can help you achieve all your fantasies, Twin. Just ask."

" **FRAG NO!"** -everyone checking the internet again for images

 **"OH, FRAG NO!"** -everyone again

"What happened then, Ratchet?" Steiner asked as he laughed loudly. "I want to go on away missions with the infants. Sign me up, Prime," he said as he glanced over at Prime who was still laughing loudly.

"Done deal," Prime said with a chuckle. "Continue, Ratchet."

"Okay," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. "Anyhoo … they unfastened their pants, gripped them like the big babies they were and waited as Drift counted. Three … two … **one!** He dropped his pants, the others were too frozen from fear to drop theirs and everyone screamed. Its a great story, almost literature," he said as he sat down.

Everyone there screamed as well including the humans.

Moments later …

They chuckled, sipped beer and smirked at each other. Twin turned to Drift. "So, Drift … what did you see? All of the rest of you jump in at will."

"Frag **you** , Twin," Drift said with a chuckle. "They got to see me at my prime. No offense, Sensei."

"None taken," Optimus said with a howling laugh.

"Offense taken," Prowl said with a smirk.

"I'd have nightmares for the rest of my natural life if I dropped anything and saw that," Sandstorm said.

"Saw what?" Roadie asked as everyone turned to watch the two, both of them unlikely friends. "What did they see?"

"I don't know. Some unbelievably saggy human thing, right?" Sandy asked as he glanced at the twins.

"I can activate my gear and make a shell to show you if you'd like," Sideswipe said as he began to rise from his chair.

 **"NO!"** -everyone in the room including the humans

"Thanks for the present, Ada," Springer said with a grin. "Nothing like undercutting my authority to the ranks."

"And what a rank bunch they are," Kup said to great acclaim.

"See if I **ever** go on an away mission with any one of you, slaggers," Ratchet said as he began to eat again.

"You **have** to go," Drift said. "You're essential equipment. Right, Prowl?"

Prowl who was smirking at Ratchet nodded. "You have to go. Pants optional."

Howling laughter.

=0=TBC 1-14-19 **edited 1-22-19**

ESL

The Grange in American farming history was important. It was the place where everyone got together for potlucks, dancing and community when everyone lived miles apart on farms. It was the farming center of a community and many was the time my mom was laid to sleep on the lower deck of a long table during a Grange dance where the farmers brought food, hootch and their dancing shoes after the major farming was over. Good times. :D


	570. Chapter 570

The Diego Diaries: Happy Holidaze (dd6 570)

-0-Moving on

They walked to Prime's house after taking their 'class picture', that is, everyone gathered together and the Center's cameras took the picture, elf and Santa hats, children, pets and punters included. It was a boozy group that walked out while the rest stayed, carrying on in the fine spirit of the Autobots. Onward and upward to Prime's house for the final ho-ho-hos a good half of them went.

The humans headed out to go to Unidad for the dance and nosh party. All was well in the colony.

-0-Unidad

They came in numbers, some of them from the still closed train depot below decks by the habitat entry system. It was simple and efficient. The train platforms below the entryway of each habitat were being opened for the trains to run from each to Unidad. They were enclosed in an energy barrier on the platform that would allow the trains to enter, the passengers to disembark, then walk, elevator or escalator upstairs without fear of losing atmosphere. A femme or mech from each facility waited on the platforms to help and oversee their residents to board a train, then head off down the system to Unidad.

When they reached the new habitat, they stepped off, walked to the elevator, escalator or stairs nearby to go upward to the party. Thousands of humans would take that pathway to the party minus those of The City residences and habitats. They would come mostly by vehicle. They had platforms but it would require riding the system in its entirety because they ran all the time with the system's regular schedule, unlike those that were being used for the party just this one time. It paid to have seniority.

Carly Brooks-Spencer and Sam Witwicky along with others in the leadership of the facility greeted each new group. They came in habitat gear but would change, many of them in several large rooms set aside. Some of the women dressed up, many in traditional costume for their culture and some wanted to dance in heels.

It was a bright and cheerful place at the guests arrived. Most of them had already run their food contributions over earlier so the fuss was at a minimum. The train of humans coming was going to be a long one.

-0-Prime's house

"I could have sworn that we did this already," Ratchet said as he filled his plate from the mass of food cooked here or brought in by the big crowd that always came. Children were sitting at the table or near an elder as they ate their dinner.

"That's your problem. Swearing," Prowl said as he held a second plate for Prime to fill along with the big one in his big hand.

"You're a good old bond, Prowler. I wouldn't do what you're doing right now. Ironhide might take liberties," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile.

"He already has. You have, what … fifty children?" Prowl asked as Prime finished up his careful application of infinite food to a finite surface. He gripped a beer, then turned to Prowl with a grin. "Can you get that over there?" he asked nodding to a chair in front of a coffee table, just right to hold one while he held the other.

"Walk onward, Optimus. I got this," Prowl said as he followed Prime to the chair nearby.

Prime's genitors were already sitting with their food along with all the other elders from here and there. He sat, Prowl set down his second plate, then fussed a moment. "You done?"

"For now," Optimus said with a chuckle.

Prowl grinned, then walked to the line taking his place again.

"Cutter. You cut in," Ratchet said.

"I was helping the First Disciple of Primus," Prowl said. "Heathen." He picked up his plate, used a boarding house reach to get things he had already passed, then grabbed a beer and ambled over to sit down.

"Heathen? You take cuts, slag your own guests, then use the Matrix to get you out of jail. Who's the heathen here?" Ratchet said with a chuckle as he got a beer, glanced at the kids who were doing great work on their food, then walked over to sit.

"You, slagger," Prowl said.

"You just noticed?" Ratchet said with a grin.

The banter would continue.

-0-Unidad

The soldiers and their families, extended and otherwise entered the facility with their good cheer and bagged bottles heading to an enormous bar across the way. They chatted, then headed onward toward a mass of humans enjoying themselves. A DJ played away, someone brought in from Earth who could have paid to come even if he wasn't hired already. Dancing was going on.

The set up was beautiful across the entire promenade of the facility. Along the windows which rose up more than 250 feet was a long table that stretched out of sight. On it were white table cloths, candelabras throwing out light in the muted room with festive arrangements for the holiday. An almost unbelievable array of finger type foods were laid out with more coming from the kitchen some distance away.

Hanging from the ceiling at intervals were decorative lights that looked like massive dandelions. They were displaying a muted white light on each of the giant seed-like petals that made dandelions such successful predatory plants. The lights twinkled in the softly lit room showing a beautiful display for everyone there.

"I'm going to get something to eat. Watching the bots eat made me hungry," Bobby Epps said as he walked along hand-in-hand with his wife, Lonnie.

"You're always hungry," Lonnie said with a grin. "I'll join you. I am, too."

They headed for the tables by the windows while some of the women headed for the changing rooms nearby. Beyond the flat surface of the windows, it was possible to see the lights of different city centers in the distance shining like fairy tale castles. The Port of Mars was going great guns orn and night as newbies arrived from space and Oasis Base. It was beautiful everywhere you looked.

-0-Up there

"And that's when I punched his face," Cliff said as he sat on a couch with Buzzie. Lying in a carry basket between them on the floor was a tiny femme sleeping in a nest of yellow blankets. Agnus was having a great first Christmas Surprise snooze.

"He deserved it, Cliffie," Buzzie said loyally though from the story it sounded like 'he' didn't. No one argued. They just grinned at Buzzie.

Everyone loved Buzzy.

=0=At an apartment in Bern

They entered Jessine's apartment, Sil and Jess, then smiled at the adults and children who glanced their way. A party was going on, lots of food, family and friends. Jessine's ada walked toward them with a plate in his servo. "You're late. We worried about you, femmes. Where have you been?"

Both girls still wearing their elf hats glanced at each other with a grin, then walked into the room nearly shivering with excitement. **"WE WERE SANTA PRIMING WITH ABBA RATCHET!"** both said at the same time with giant smiles.

It was to their credit that none of the adults there lost body parts over that revelation. Two of them, their great grand genitors quashed grins as they watched the love of their life, one of many in the room express their great excitement about their activities. It was becoming a habit with them adventuring out into the colony doing things that were unthinkable before coming here. The two glanced at the shocked adults struggling with their anxiety with amusement.

"What does that **mean** , Sil?" Sil's atar asked with a slight frown, "and what were you doing with Ratchet? I thought you were with the others for your other activity."

Sil stared at him. "Jessine called me to come. She was with everyone at Ops Center and when the senior Autobots and city council members went off to Santa Prime all the people she wanted me to come as well. **I'M SO GLAD I DID! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I'M GOING TO JOIN, TOO!** "

"What? What are you joining?" Sil's grandfather asked, the son of the two who were watching with amusement and pride in the stand up little femmes facing a firing squad of parental expectation in the bold and invincible manner of youth everywhere in every universe.

They glanced at each other, then looked at the group squaring their shoulders as they did. "Jessine is with the Watch Mentor Program and I'm going to join, too. **AND GUESS WHAT!? ABBA RATCHET IS GOING TO LET US JOIN THE AUTOBOT CITY YOUTH MEDICAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM! WE'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW TO BE C** **N** **A** **'S! AT THE HOSPITALS!"** They looked at their families with absolute delight on their sweet little faces. They were over the moon at the events of the day.

"What is a CNA, infant?" Jessine's great grand amma asked. She grinned at the femme who was starting to feel the burn.

Sil turned to the two adults who truly got her and the changing situation. "Amma, we get to learn to be certified nursing assistants. **ISN'T THAT GREAT!?"**

Her great grand amma grinned. "I think so. Tell me about these things you're doing, femmes. I want to know more. Don't you, Appa?" she asked her bond.

He grinned, then nodded. "I do, infants."

They walked to the two, then leaned in toward them they were so excited. "I belong to the Mars Watch Mentorship Program for sub adults that want to look into security careers. I want to be a Watch officer, Amma and Abba. I go out with the big mechs and femmes and they show me things. I get to help in all the departments. **I'M GOING TO HELP DURING THE SPORTS GAMES! PULLEY AND COROS WERE THE FIRST AND WE'RE … SIL AND I ARE THE FIRST FEMMES! EVER!"** Jessine said as Sil nodded excitedly.

None of the adults listening and watching showed outward discontent and emotion. They were too high caste to do that but it hung in their auras like dirt clouds.

Sil hugged Jessine tightly. "Jessie called me to come. I never **had** so much fun. We got to go to the shut ins and home bounds and give them presents. All of the little abbas, ammas and appas … they were so sweet and so were their families. **THEY WERE SO HAPPY! IT MADE ME SO HAPPY, AMMA AND APPA!"**

"Then you serve the Will of Primus when you do these things. You're part of the Watch Mentorship Program, Jessie? And this medical one?" Sil's grand amma asked.

"It's starting in two orns. Abba Ratchet wants us to be partnered with really great doctors. I'm going to tell the mechs in our group to come and be part of it, too. You never know when a medical emergency is going to happen. **DID YOU KNOW THAT SUNSTREAKER IS GOING TO MAKE A TATTOO FOR US!? THAT WAY ANYONE WHO NEEDS HELP WILL KNOW WE CAN DO IT! WE CAN HELP OTHERS!"** Jessine said as Sill nodded earnestly beside her.

Appa and Amma grinned, then glanced around at the others who were watching with shock. "Well, well … our little femmes want to help others and have them see the possibilities with a tattoo made by the greatest artist in our colony. Who can argue with that?" Amma asked as Appa nodded in agreement.

They wanted to. They didn't

Amma and Appa had spoken.

=0=Up there

They got up, the adults who were going and after leaving the kids in the capable servos of those staying ambled off to the door to go visit the humans in their habitats. The Resort and Unidad would be feted by the leadership which would cut down on monkey motion given everyone was checked off at Unidad. Automation was a good thing.

They ambled out, went down and in the cold air of the world around them began to sober up as they walked toward Monastery Road by cutting across everything in their way in a straight line. It would be a howling good time for all.

=0=TBC 1-15-19 **edited 1-22-19**

ESL

boarding house reach: in the old orns people lived in boarding houses where they had a bedroom and could use the living room but ate altogether at the same table in the dining room. Usually widow ladies had these kinds of places to make ends meet. Using a boarding house reach meant leaning over someone or into someone to reach something down the table rather than asking for it to be passed. Sometimes they did it because a slowpoke got the chicken neck instead of better parts and some because they had no manners and were selfish. Either way, its not a compliment. :D


	571. Chapter 571

The Diego Diaries: Soldiering On (dd6 571)

=0=On the way to Mandalay

They gathered on the sidewalk, then moved onward heading for the train station to take a ride to Unidad. Given that their station was open just for the evening, the bots were going to take the easy route. Given the number of parties and hoo-haws going on in the clubs around town, it would take a while to get there otherwise.

All of the senior Autobots, the families of said Autobots, the committee civilians and their families, the masses of hangers on, a passel of titan mechanisms, mini-con mechanisms including Buzzie and Cliffjumper who were going to show their little Agnus that the possibilities of doing slag were endless here along with a bunch of dazzled newcomers to the whole process made their way to the metro station to head downward. It would take four full cars to carry everyone there.

When they arrived after going around the habitat trail on the special Circle Line operated just for this reason this night, they reached Unidad Metro Station. It was immaculate, as big as any of the others and the tiles that lined the walls were patterned alternately with tiny images of Earth and the logo of Unidad which was an art nouveau image of itself superimposed on it. The name Unidad Terra 1, United Nations District of Earth was etched in tiny print underneath.

Walking the other direction away from the route upward, they reached the locked and secured door that led upward. They began to trudge that way, an endless stream of bots and their buds as they reached the surface above. Gathering around Prime, they waited until everyone was ready, then transformed, drove to the road and headed toward the driveway and parking lot with their lights on. The caravan was huge and inside the building people began to see it.

" **PRIME IS HERE! EVERYONE, THE SENIOR AUTOBOTS AND COMMITTEE ARE HERE TO SALUTE US!"** someone yelled. It was picked up across the room and the stampede for the windows was on. As they began to surge that way, the long line of vehicles was heading into the driveway where their lights blinded everyone inside. When they were all there, they began to transform. It was amazing how the lights flashed off or upward as the mechs and femmes outside morphed to root mode and walked forward with Prime.

They reached the windows, halting about 40 feet away to stare at the humans who stared back at them, waving, clapping and patting the window with big smiles. Both sides grinned at each other. Then Prime pulled his big big gun. Having decided upon their trajectory on the way, they all pulled guns and raised them. After a beat, Prime fired and so did everyone else. It was blinding, howling loud and spectacular to see a fusillade that powerful and massed blast off and fly into the dark sky. Prime subbed his weapon, then walked forward to the window. He knelt down and peered inside, grinning at the humans who were wildly ecstatic to see him.

Sam Witwicky squeezed between a space in the line of tables, then pressed his hand against the smooth surface of the window. He could feel the cold outside leach slightly into his hand. Night time outside was reaching -150 F.

Prime grinned at Sam, then placed his giant servo against the window. It was massive, unbelievably strong, it was obvious but transmitted a sense of gentleness that all of them could feel. Sam grinned and Prime grinned back. Then Prime stood. He stared at the humans with great affection, then walked back to the group. It was then that he knelt down and bowed his helm, the entire group with him following suit.

The roar inside the habitat could be heard outside as the humans inside whipped into a frenzy of happiness and applause. They roared their approval and waved, smiling with joy at the salute. They'd heard about this before and now it was happening, this very rare salute from the Prime of an interplanetary empire of vast size and power. They returned the love back to the bots.

Prime rose, then the others turned around slowly to transform to drive back to the metro nearby. When the last one drove out, Prime was still there, watching them with amusement and a sense of great pleasure as they watched back. Then he nodded, turning toward the road where he transformed, flashed on his lights and drove off to follow his party.

The humans watched them go, the room quieting down as they did. The honor was extraordinary, personal and emotional. At that moment, they felt as one, unified as they had never had been before. The rest of the evening would be wonderful.

=0=On the way to Mandalay, Part 2

They reached the metro station at Public Arena 2. It was the one closest to Monastery Road and The Resort at Autobot City. Walking to the surface, they followed Prime with their lights on as he walked across the parking lot toward the hillside nearby and then up the bank to the road. They climbed up until they reached Monastery Road, laughing and talking as they clambered upward. By then, the humans in the resort were aware they were coming and had lined the windows five deep. All 2,200 humans were there including the humans who worked for Autobot City Transportation Company and their families, all of them having their Christmas vacation here.

They walked across the road heading for the driveway that led inside. When they reached the windows the humans were nearly rioting inside in delight. It was a **HUGE** thing to get a vacation here during the Christmas holidays. Everyone knew that the Prime, his committee and general staff would come to salute the humans. This was no exception. The bots gathered around Prime, then he pulled his big gun. A huge fusillade went up and streaked into the wasteland beyond.

In the greensward habitat sections of the Resort nearby sleeping birds were rousted into the night, fluttering at the unexpected lights and sounds. The humans roared their approval, then Prime walked closer and knelt. There were a row of children at the window standing with their families. He grinned at them, then put his giant servo against the glass.

The kids smiled, then ran forward to place theirs on his. It was comical in the extreme how small they were. They patted his servo, smiled and laughed, chattering excitedly at the sight of the huge mech before them. Then Prime stood up, smiling at the children, then the rest of the group who were filming, snapping pictures and waving madly. He nodded back, then walked to the group he came with. Turning to face the humans again, he knelt and the others followed, nodding their helms in salute.

A huge roar inside greeted that and when Prime stood again the others began to file out, heading for their next location. When they were gone, Prime waved to the group inside, then turned away to follow. When they reached the street they walked on to the Monastery to fete those there including the children before ending the parade in Aerie Hill.

It was cold, everyone was feeling amazing and when the lights of the Monastery were clearly seen, the leadership of the facility was there waiting for Cyclonus to come with Prime. The children were inside the building near the door. It was cold and they weren't able to withstand the temperatures so they were gathered, all of the Monastery's children inside. They reached the waiting leadership, exchanged greetings, then Prime walked inside with Cyclonus and his mechs.

The others waited outside, their numbers and configurations possibly scary for the kids if they came inside with Prime. He entered, then saw them. He walked to where they were gathered, then knelt. All around them were the families who took them on, caring for them along with the school here and the counseling program set up just for them. They had arrived for the party and stayed for Prime when most of the other Guiding Hand kids went home with their families.

There were a good 2 dozen or so of them staring at him solemnly as he knelt down on a knee before them. A bag was brought out, one Prowl had supervised with the counseling staff and placed beside him. They stared at him without expression. "Merry Christmas Surprise, infants," Prime said. "I am very pleased and happy to see you here."

No one answered. They stared at him, then a child whose genitors were members of the Monastery walked forward to hug Optimus. He hugged the child back and as if signally something good and safe, the other member's kids came forward as well. The Functionalist kids however stared at them, then a child hesitated. He looked at the others, then stepped forward. Another child caught his arm and he stopped. Staring at everyone around him, the plain appearing little mech looked at Prime with an expression of uncertainty.

Prime who was holding a good dozen children in the circle of his arms extended his servo to the hesitant child. He stared at it, then the other kids, then Prime. He began to step backward when Cyclonus knelt. "Infant, you are loved. Come here," he said holding out his servo.

Prime watched the incongruous sight of Cyclonus delivering anything but pain. The child glanced at the others, then walked to Cyclonus. He leaned into the big mech who stroked his back gently. "You are our treasure. This holiday is for you and this mech has something for you that is yours forever." Cyclonus looked at Prime.

Prowl picked up the bag, then gently slid the contents out onto the floor, a spray of bright shiny bags filled with presents and candy. "I think it would be wonderful to do a treasure hunt."

The kids turned toward Prowl including the Functionalists. He grinned. "How about we hunt down our own names? There's a bag with your name on it hidden in this pile. Maybe you can be the first treasure hunter and show everyone what to do?" he asked the child with Cyclonus.

The little mech stared at Prowl, then the pile with something akin to longing. Holding onto Cyclonus's digit, he moved closer to it, edging nervously along all the while watching Prowl the whole time. He looked at the pile, then pulled on a couple of the bags.

"Do you want your friends to help you?" Cyclonus asked gently.

The child gripped Cyclonus's digit against his chassis, then looked at the other kids. He looked up at Cyclonus, at his stern visage and direct stare. The others saw that aspect of the huge mech. The child saw kindness, a soft edge to his aura that was comforting. He nodded.

Cyclonus looked at the others. "Treasure hunt time, infants. Find your name and what you find is yours."

They stared at him almost too long, then two more stepped forward hesitantly. They walked to the pile and bent down to look at each bag. Three more came, then all of them did. They looked at the bags, some of them finding their own, then walked back to their group holding them tightly against their chassis. The one with Cyclonus watched them do so and then only one was left. He looked up at his leader.

Cyclonus looked at him with a gentler expression. "That one belongs to you forever."

The child stared at him, then the gift. He wanted it, clearly, but he was unsure what to do so Cyclonus picked it up and gave it to him. The little mech clung to the bag, then let go of Cyclonus's digit. Holding up his arm, he stepped closer.

Cyclonus picked him up, tucking him into his arm with his gift. It was a breakthrough but still a nauseating experience for these little kids who were so limited in their emotional state.

Prime rose, then gently stroked the infant's arm. "Thank you, Master Cyclonus for the privilege of coming here to greet and celebrate with these wonderful children."

Cyclonus nodded. "Thank you for coming, Lord Optimus," he said with a slight nod of his helm.

"You are wonderful. You are good and needed. You are wanted. There is nothing we will not do for you, children. Thank you, all of you, for this mercy," Prime said to the silent little kids.

Everyone there bowed their helm. Prime shook servos, chatted a moment, then he and Prowl walked out of the Monastery to the group waiting outside.

:I could just die sometimes: Prowl said as he slipped his servo into Prime's.

:I know: Prime said.

They transformed, the group, and began the winding drive to Aerie Hill.

=0=TBC 1-16-19 edited 1-17-19


	572. Chapter 572

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 572)

=0=Home Sweet Home

" **ADA!"**

"What, Halo?" Ratchet asked as he scrambled to gather up the bags they used to wrap presents for the kids. Back into the Christmas Surprise box they would go with most of the decorations and lights for another year done. It hadn't started out to be this way …

" **ADA! ATAR!"**

Optics flipped on if not out of skulls as two big mechs glanced to the right from their berth to see a mob of small infants staring at them with ten thousand watt smiles. Even the dog smiled. Three big kids stood in the doorway behind them smiling, too.

"We kept them out of things," Genesis said as the other two nodded. "They were going to dive bomb the tree."

"And that's why you get my stuff someday," Ratchet said as he rose from the berth.

" **ADA UP! WE GO!"** Orion said as Halo and Hero ran in circles they were so excited. Then they did.

Goed.

It didn't take long for the family to arrive once the message was sent but it was too long for the punters. They fogged in, the adults and their own several children who were placed on the floor to covet the tree as they added their own goods therein.

"What now?" Jack asked as he sat down next to Sun and Steiner. This was new territory to them.

"The big kids run the show. We sit back and grin," Ratchet said as he did.

It was hilarious how the little kids followed the big ones to the tree to 'help', then were herded back to sit in front of an adult to wait. Even Robby complained, then wandered over with Pudding and Flipper to stand in the window to absorb the light.

The big kids with Santa hats tossed to them by Ratchet began to give presents to quivering infants. Prowler stared at them slack jawed. Three Santas had just appeared in his house. Presents took care of that. Those that had outdoor wear were glanced over but the little toys were hugged tightly. New dollies, new little cars and trucks, a few airplane kits and the like made the rounds among the little/r kids.

Squees were had.

Big kids got electronics and games, books they coveted and other items that smart older kids would like who were still kids and not shorter adults. Hugs and kisses were given to everyone including the newbies as they expressed their happiness.

"This is great, Ada. I can repair the remote toys," Genesis said with delight. "I wanted this a long time."

"Good. You're on my team," Ironhide said with a grin.

"Frag that. They're all three on mine," Blackjack said with a chuckle.

"Remote toy teams? You do that here, too?" Jack asked his namesake.

"We do, Abba and we have war games with the Guild. We have a gamer guild and have huge war games. We're part of Prime's Doom Brigade," Hardie said with a grin.

"Oh frag … where do I sign?" Sun asked with a chuckle. There would be three more members before the orn was out.

"How about breakfast?" Ratchet asked.

"We did." -everyone there but Ironhide and Ratchet.

And the kids.

A dog and cat.

One of three cows.

Those ones.

"Come with us, infants. We're off three orns and you're coming with us," Delphi said as he rose. He plucked Halo up and hugged her tiny form.

Almost faster than they could spy, all of the children including the big ones were confiscated. The little bits squeed, then ran for their berth rooms for sleepy bed dollies, their little overnight bags and such to cart all their new booty with them. Big kids walked.

Dogs barked, cats meowed and cows mooed as the mad house organized. As swiftly as it was done that was how swiftly they all left.

Ironhide and Ratchet who watched from their chairs stared at the door as it closed. They glanced at each other, then the door. "Frag." -both of them

=0=Moments later

They walked down the street servo-in-servo on their way to The Diner On The Corner. Entering, they slapped servos and traded slag as they walked to a booth in the back where Drift and Springer were holding court. Around them, mechs, youngling kids now grown in number from six to fifteen, civilian friends and interested bystanders listened rapturously to the 'Cavalry versus The Idiots' from the previous evening or so.

They had a rapt audience.

Ratchet grinned. "Let me know when you get to the part where the horses stampede all over me."

The kids who were absorbed glanced at Ratchet. "Are you alright, Abba? I can help you," Coros said to the astonishment of exactly no one there. They were becoming amazing as they decided who they were going to be, these kids.

"I will if I feel a twinge, infant," Ratchet said with a giant smile. They ordered, then continued to listen to the yarning.

"What happened when the drunks turned on you at the bar in Oz, Abba?" a kid asked who was new to the dance asked, called to the Diner by the other kids. The interesting thing was all of them were former high castes.

"Well," Springer said with a grin. "I thought Pulley could tell you. He was there doing all the right things."

Everyone turned toward Pulley who sat up straighter. "I was on my horse, Bob. They told us to stay back and hold the horses. We did," he said with a serious expression.

All of the adults in the room grinned including a couple who were sitting nearby having breakfast as they listened to the fun.

"Commander Springer and Commander Drift walked to them who were yelling at each other really loudly. One of them got into an argument with Commander Springer and ended up cuffed so fast you could hardly see it happen. Then the others backed up but were part of the fight so they had to go to jail, too. The wagon came and took them. It was so fast it was amazing."

"That's you," Drift said as he grinned at the big mech sitting beside him with his arm draped over his chair.

"That's me. Amazing," he said with a grin.

All the mechs grinned back and shot him full of metaphorical holes off line. The kids stared at him with worshipful optics. It would be a nice time in the Diner this morning.

=0=At a home in Bern

"I'm not sure I like these overnight excursions," a big mech said as he ate breakfast with his bond and their two younger children. He was Nugget, a former high caste who was a legal consultant for a new group on Earth, Earth2 Corporation and the Earth Consortium.

One business and its focus was obvious and the other less so. They were a firm of former high castes who had fabulous consulting businesses on Cybertron and the Empire back in the orn. Now they were forming a private concern that would be a liaison between business interests on Earth and those in the empire. That they had to register as foreign lobbyists and follow a set of very strict regulations for them had been an irritation, not the end all and be all of their efforts to be a power player in the new paradigm.

Nugget was a father of Sil. He was partners with the fathers of Pulley, Coros, Dell, OD, Sio and Tempe. They were all business go getters in the Empire back in the orn and they were determined to be one again with their consulting business, Solar Business, LTD.

It had been 'interesting' when their kids had become enamored of the Watch. Now it was becoming concerning. Having their children running around with cops and being exposed to the sordid side of life wasn't something they had designed for their kid's lives.

"I want to know, Selo, when Sil comes home. I like that Jessine is her friend but the things they like to do bear correction," he said as he rose to carry his dishes to the sink. Having no 'staff' here was an adjustment but they bent their noses to the wheel to figure out how things operated and then make their way. Doing dishes themselves was one of them.

Unfortunately.

Selo who didn't like it any better understood their daughter more than his bond. He nodded. "Good luck with that. She told me in a text that they were going to be getting a tattoo for their group and that she had already sent the petition to be accepted. She said, and I quote, ' **I WILL JUST *DIE*, ADA, IF YOU DON'T LET ME DO THIS!** '."

They stared at each other, then Nugget leaned against the sink. "Frag," he said softly.

=0=Elsewhere

They wandered around the Metroplex Mall watching the masses as they went this way and that. A stop out at the Port of Mars had been enlightening. Hundreds of individuals were coming in a long continuous march to safety. They were ready to be here and had spent a lot of time getting better, organizing with their families and having their basic and major information harvested for the Bureau of Refugees and Immigration to be checked against mainframe computers on several worlds. All of this they did while learning of their new life through the extensive information videos and classes that were given to them at Oasis Base.

Several groups of Functionalists had been located among the masses and after a long talk with the senior members of the Guiding Hand Monastery had understood the situation as it had stood and were sensitized to the delicate balance that now existed among the different assimilating groups. It was hoped that information would lesson cultural shock and end problems before they began. As it was, several groups of high castes and a few borderline criminals were flagged for later visitations for assistance in the process.

Among them had been Sil's family now and the others in that group some time before, all of which were great friends and now partners in their business ventures. Though their children were sliding in swimmingly after a bit of a rocky start, the final assessment of their families was still marked as open on the books. There were enough red flags there to warrant it.

They came in groups of 5,000 at a time, standing in lines with their data in hand, waiting for the proper bus to take them to their new homes in Crater District 2. When they would finally drive that way over eight lane highways through and past vast cities, amenities and the signs of a muscular economy filled with purposeful individuals, they would also be passing three more craters with city starts underway. This was going to be some enormous endeavor.

It was a crap shoot keeping out every criminal and hard helmed die hard former high caste, financial bankster and all around hard aft slagger but they would try and succeed.

Most of the time.

=0=Mid morning

They were both in the book store getting something to read and the latest downloads from the colony's 45 newspapers and several dozen magazines. That didn't include those from Earth and other places including Cybertron. The news had mentioned that Cybertron had a swinging time for the holidays and it included fireworks, tons of food and drink along with parties held wherever possible. Elders and children got fun and personal gifts from the Prime and the adults got candy and good hootch.

Nothing was too good for their people even if it was now a full time aspect of the Industrial Park system. In a few orns, basketball weekend would be transmitted everywhere including there and among those playing would be the unthinkable … Optimus Prime would lead his team, the Invaders against that of his two sons-in-law, the Kaon Kowboys. It would be epic.

So was the rumor that Australian Rules Football was being evaluated for the sporting world line up here.

Until then, the beat moved on.

There.

Here? … On the street glaring at each other optic to optic ...

"Where are you going, slagger?" Ratchet asked as they walked out to the street.

"I have slag to take care of," Ironhide said. "Basketball practice if you want to know, nosy. Meet me at the Diner at noon for lunch. **I, IRONHIDE HAVE SPOKEN!"**

A fist to the gut took care of that impertinence as he ambled off to the metro past laughing pedestrians.

Ratchet smiled at them. "He's a handful," he said as he glanced around. "Slag," he muttered to himself as he walked down the street. "This is fragged-" Then he halted and smiled as before him, nirvana beckoned. Walking with a renewed spring in his step, Ratchet of Iacon walked into The Sports Center of Autobot City.

He had to put together a new cheer trousseau for the game upcoming. His ada had confiscated his cymbals, Iacon glyph hat, canned fog horn and other incidentals after all. He walked down an aisle, saw what he wanted, then grinned. "Now **THIS** is what I'm talking about," he muttered to himself as he reached for the best slagging thing since his tambourine.

=0=TBC 1-17-19 **edited 1-25-19**

ESL:

yarning: telling stories, an old western American expression. To yarn or the act of yarning is to tell stories and chat

booty: in this usage, stuff you stole from someone else (it usually means stole stuff but it can also designate just stuff)

assimilate, assimilation: to learn to fit in, to understand something and find a way to belong. Assimilation is the process of assimilating.

Trousseau: around my old timer family it included all of the linen and clothing items a girl needed to get married and run a household of their own … towels, dinner table linens, clothing, etc. Sheets and slag. All of it. :D


	573. Chapter 573

The Diego Diaries: Vacay (dd6 573)

=0=Cybertron

They rode slowly through a camp that numbered over 3,000,000 Cybertronians. It was situated on the equator and thus, because the weather was less severe and the light longer in duration, a lot of forced labor was located there during the Decepticon hegemony. Now it was the site of a lot of their redemption and the camps there had become amenity laden and comfortable. There were also the odd slagger who either couldn't get it for many and obvious reasons or was just a fragger.

The mounted patrols came every morning and left after a longer shift than those on Mars. These shifts were long with a shorter work week to take care of the joors demanded. The horses were incredibly welcomed by the masses and they had a calming affect on everyone, especially those with mental or emotional problems and children.

Roadbuster who was here on horseback when he wasn't on Mars at the jail and prison rode along the pathway between two camp districts followed by two others. He loved being busy and there might be a fight somewhere that needed his servos on. Maybe. Every day before shift, they would saddle up, ride to the Port and go through one of the big bridges there to which ever camp they were assigned that orn. After a bit of trial, the horses accepted the bridge and when they went through the other side, usually, kids would be waiting to pet them and give them the treats the Watch mechs carried in bulk in their subspace for them to do so. That they had candy and little toys in bulk as well for the kids they met there and everywhere else was their innovation.

The softies.

Today they were in Upper Valvolux. Most of the cities on the equator were good places with lots of sunshine. This one was no exception then, though they were as shrouded in darkness as anyone else. Now it was rising from the dust, glittering towers of construction for habitation and industrial plants of immaculate and safe design for once everywhere. The camp numbered close to three million with nearly one and a half million housed in the rising districts nearby. This was a good detail to ride through not just because it was so swiftly growing but because entrepreneurs from Mars had held seminars here for those who never had but wanted businesses and it had boomed.

All over the city were food trucks and small diners. They were busy as slag but there was always time to slip food to the horse back patrolmen. Everyone was glad to see them for the horses and for the novel idea that they were there to protect, not oppress them. Going around their beat alone, they passed fifteen diners and restaurants, 13 carryout places and a good three dozen food trucks.

For Roadie and the three newbie Watchmen assigned to him for training, it was the roadway to the Matrix all the way. And the job? It was a close second. They followed Roadie forward as he steered Mick toward the camps and children on Christmas Surprise break from school. They would be swamped by excited children, grateful adults and sentimental elders the entire day.

It would be glorious.

=0=Up in the clouds

Prowl stared at the baby lying on the bed. He was snow white with tiny bands of color on his arm for the family. He stared at Prowl from an Optimus face and smiled. Prowl felt his insides start to melt down at the cuteness and sweetness. "Well, aren't you the cutest thing ever?" He reached down to pick the baby up.

" **ADA!** "

"What, Spirit?" he asked as he walked to the doorway to stare down the hall.

A small white and red infant was hippity hopping toward him. He halted, then smiled up brilliantly. "Sunny wants us to go to the Water Park with him. His ammas and appas want to watch him slide."

"That sounds like fun. Who's going?" Prowl asked as he walked into the living room toward the call monitor. "Hi. Who do you want and how do they get there?" he asked Blackjack and Flint who were watching from the monitor with grins. Flint was holding Sunspot.

 **"UNCLE PROWL! CAN THEY COME!?"** Sunspot asked with a brilliant smile of his own.

"They can," Prowl said as he glanced down at Spirit and now Rambler and T-Bar. They squealed in delight.

"Send them to the lobby, Prowl. We're going to be there in a minute," Blackjack said from the living room of his home.

He was holding Flipper and Scout himself.

"Done deal," Prowl said as he signed off then looked down at the three happy kids. "Your smiles are blinding me. I have to get sunglasses."

They laughed, hugged his legs, then ran for the door. Out they went and downward to Sunspot and his entourage that also included Robby the Bruce. They were gone in seconds.

Prowl stared at the door, then his son who stared back, then smiled brilliantly. Prowl laughed, then walked to the side of the house that overlooked the street below. He could see the group walk to the Metro, then down the steps. He grinned. "How do you like your new home? We have the whole top floor and can see any part of this place from one side or the other. No one escapes me in my own domain."

Possibility stared at his ada's aura, then chuckled.

Prowl glancing at him with surprise laughed himself. "Your atar does the same thing whenever I say that, too. Like father, like son," he said as he kissed the baby. "Come on. Let's check the daily dump again. Your atar is playing basketball, the slacker, so its you and me alone against the universe." He walked toward the door and the hallways beyond and as he did the baby laughed again.

It would be mellow in the Penthouse today.

=0=Unidad

They drove along the double lane paved road through the countryside. Bryce Billings and Tawney Mantree were the lead human actors in the interplanetary phenom, The Bridge, now being syndicated to Cybertron, authored and fretted over by Nitro of Vos. They were taking a bit of their downtime before filming began to come to their favorite place, the countryside of Unidad to get a fix of Earth.

The facility was in full swing in terms of their planted and otherwise farmed areas, all arable land with a great deal still lying fallow. Apparently the Hu-An had set the schedule for land usage and rotation so that most was still being worked for suitability, resting out of a planting schedule for a while. Vast plantings of vegetables, fruit and flowers lay on both sides of the road as they sped along. They grabbed a car pool convertible transport after signing autographs and chatting with the locals, its electrical engine not distracting in the silence of the area around them. The sun was bright, the air textured and warm with the silence refreshing.

Here and there, a bird flew, some landing on trees that were planted about for that very reason. There were islands of forests, a number of orchards and the vineyard but there were also trees planted in areas at intervals for the aesthetic as well as for the use of animals and birds. Some of the birds were beginning to nest. Whether it was normal for them to do that now or not was unknown to the two. They just liked the sight of it. It felt like home.

They sped along until they reached the lake. Passing the scientists who had finished checking data there, they knew they were probably going to be the only ones out here for a while. Kids weren't allowed out this far without permissions and adults. Most of the adults were working and the rest … hopefully, they wouldn't be coming out for a while.

They reached the junction that led onward along the edge of the dome back toward the facility, straight ahead into the wheat and alfalfa fields or left to the lake. Turning that way, they drove onward, then pulled into the paved parking lot there that was built to hold vehicles and preserve the edge of the lake from erosion and accidents.

Climbing out, they watched a duck come in for a landing, then its fifteen or so ducklings swim out of the shore side fronds to join it with their other parent. Grinning at the ducks, then each other, Bryce Billings, the most famous leading man on Earth along with Tawney Mantree, international sex symbol and leading actress stripped butt naked, walked to the water and began to swim in its clear and brilliant confines.

The ducks didn't care. The birds flying around, the bees buzzing and the ants building a home near the shore didn't either. The mechs in the Ops Center who happened to notice them park by the lake did.

"What are they doing, Siso?" a youngling Home Guardsman asked.

Siso walked over and leaned into the monitor in time to see both of them take off their underwear. He stared a moment, then straightened. "Uh ..."

Half an hour later …

Ratchet pulled up, then transformed. Lying on the bank nearby on towels to dry out in the sunlight, Tawney and Bryce glanced up, then sat up. Ratchet had walked into the water after waving to the two, then lay back to float with a giant smile on his face.

The two glanced at each other, then Ratchet. "What if we start an interplanetary incident?" Tawney asked with genuine concern.

"Then we do. I'm going back in," Bryce said as he glanced at his doubtful partner. He grinned again. "You don't want to say fifty years from now that you didn't get in the car do you?"

She smirked at Billings. "Smart ass," she said as she stood up, then ran for the water to leap in and swim toward the giant Autobot floating nearby.

Bryce was right behind her.

Meanwhile …

"Ratchet is there." -Home Guard kid with some relief in his sweet sheltered youth voice

Everyone in the room had a screen going, small and to one side of their work monitors. Standing beside the Home Guard kid on his console, the human rep of the shift, Sargent Tom Crouse of N.E.S.T. HQ watched as well. Everyone glanced at him. "Why did they do that, Rex?" the kid asked.

"Because it feels good swimming in the water naked," Tom replied with a grin. "It also helps if some of the naked people doing it are famous movie stars like Tawney."

It was silent a moment, then the kid who was watching the two swim to Ratchet glanced at him. "If you say so, Tommy."

Tommy did. He also laughed loudly.

There …

They reached him, then tread water. " **Ratchet!** " Tawney shouted.

Ratchet glanced at them, then smiled brilliantly. "Hi, tiny people. Fancy meeting you here."

"Do you come here to swim, too?" Tawney asked.

"Only when naked people get reported on the camera system at Ops Center," Ratchet said as he stood up, then lowered into the water to see them eyeball-to-eyeball.

Tawney gasped, then glanced around. " **WHAT!?** "

"Every square inch of this place is on the grid. We do that to save people when they have problems," Ratchet said. "A sweet youngling kid doing his Home Guard duty was monitoring the dome security cameras and saw you … what was it he said? Peel off your exo-covering."

"They don't know about clothing?" Bryce asked with a chuckle.

"Some of them were raised gently," Ratchet said. "Not so many are as jaded and borderline hoodlum as me." He smiled brilliantly. The glorious beauty of that was lost on their human aesthetic though they could admire his sweet goodness and amazingly relatable personality. It, however, wouldn't be on the mechs in Ops Center watching along.

"Frag, the commander is beautiful. He's so beautiful," the youngling mech said as the others in the room nodded or spoke agreement.

Tom Crouse grinned. "Bryce and Tawney are considered two of the most beautiful and sexy humans on Earth," he said well aware of the disconnect between humans and the bots on natural aesthetics.

It had been a common topic in the past and it came up from time to time among the humans going onward. All of the newbies were always surprised that Ratchet was considered so beautiful and alluring to other bots. Among the long time locals, Ratchet's beauty was evident in his good spark and kindness. They could see that others thought him ravishing even if they couldn't quite put their finger on what it was that made it so themselves.

Every bot in the room glanced at him, then the Home Guard kid stared at the screen again. "If you say so, Sargent," he said.

Tom laughed long and hard.

There over there ...

"You just might want to know that the Ops Center sees what's up just in case you decide that The Sexy might be a hoot here. I'd go somewhere in the vegetation if you do. The ants might protest but it'd be better than trying to explain the Human Sexy to some of the kids on duty," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

"Oh, god," Bryce said. "You might just be too late."

Tawney dunked him. "We know about the bushes, Ratchet. Thanks. Did you just come to slap our wrists?" she asked with a smile. "Can you stay a while and chat? I've always wanted to talk to you."

"Actually, Tawney," he said leaning closer to the pair. "I was sort of hoping you'd let me in on what's going to happen about the assassination from last season's cliffhanger."

They would laugh loudly, swear him to an oath and tell him. Ratchet would tell Ironhide anyway. Chat was had, new friendships made and the human community gossip here and that related to here on Earth was traded as the two sat on Ratchet as he floated. Both would be buck naked when they did. Ratchet wouldn't care. He was a doctor after all.

" **THESE HEALING SERVOS!"**

All was well at the lakeside.

In Ops Center, they would have a discussion about all the times the bots there fragged in the bushes, proverbial or not themselves while a youngling Home Guardsman raised in a 'nice home' and attending the Temple assiduously did the Cybertronian blush and listened raptly as they did. It would astound him how he needed to get out more.

Maybe.

It would also be amusing for the mechs on duty to tell him how they'd dump him into the lake if he decided to be as crazy as they were in their wayward youth.

All would be well in Ops Center, Unidad Terra 1.

TBC 1-19-19 H.B.C.O.G. **edited 1-19-19**

ESL

arable: (air-able) land able to grow things. Farmland is arable land.

Fallow: (fah-low) something that is fallow is not being used.

Hegemony: (hedj-eh-money) leadership, dominance, dominion, supremacy, ascendancy, predominance, primacy, authority, mastery, control, power, sway, rule, sovereignty

amenity (uh-men-ity) stuff that makes life worth living … running water, facilities, movie houses, free dining … like that. Until recently in my area, paved streets and **HOLY OF HOLIES!** side walks.

Some of the ongoing jokes or ideas of this story … writers call them conceits … include the idea that the bots think Ratchet is ravishingly beautiful according to Cybertronian beauty standards and the humans can't see it. They can see it with Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Dev and some of the others because they fit a more easily recognizable standard of beauty for humans to see. Who doesn't think concept cars are beautiful? The bots are polite but they can't quite short of doing the mathematics of beauty in humans get it with them either. Consider the naked human person and ask an alien to give a rendering of what they see.

I find such disconnects not only probable among aliens but likely. They're also hilarious and part of the reason some humans struggle to consider the bots relatable or even real. They scare some humans because of what they look like. If you don't think so, consider if our first aliens looked like spiders.

 **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**


	574. Chapter 574

The Diego Diaries: Vacay 2 (dd6 574)

=0=In a warehouse in the Industrial Park Cities

They ran their plays troubleshooting and discussing the finer points of defending against the Twins and others on the Kaon team, all of which were a well oiled machine of raging octane-powered fury. They, themselves were tough, well seasoned through eons of playing games together starting in childhood and the odds on favorites to take the Martian League cup.

Gathering to discuss a defensive formation against hard charging scoring from mid court, something that they believed the twins would pursue, it would take a couple of joors of practice before they broke into small teams to play against each other for practice and sport. By the time lunch beckoned, they would be well tuned, most of them would have settled half a dozen job related issues and make half a dozen decisions for their districts on Cybertron, paused to allow Prime to take several calls and arrange for his scheduler-legal beagle to handle two new meetings for later in the week, then work out what they would do to ensure that the twins were kept in chains.

Actually, chains were among the suggestions.

Walking out with confidence and laughter, they transformed and jetted to The City and a lunch with the punters who could make it. A bunch of them could. The rest would be going back to date vacation with the infants.

Ironhide would frown cutely, then be given rights to his cow later that afternoon. Right now, Robby would be with abbas, ammas, the children and his peer group, Flipper and Pudding at the pool.

Slaggers.

=0=Out there

They got the message sent and now they would wait for a reply as they journeyed. There would be no direct return reply but merely an arrival, or not, at a place they decided could be reached by bridge if the rumors about the tech level of both sides of this area were true. Ominous and Pleon would be getting the meet up request from Pulsar and his group, detoured though they were around Prime's hegemony. If they had them like it was said some did out this way, they would come easily and he would dispatch the big fragger and take over his operation.

If Ominous didn't reply with his presence it could be that he was a coward or he didn't have bridge capability. Pulsar had included the coordinates in the message and if Ominous showed up he would see that and have more information about his competition. Either way, he would know more than he did now.

Given that he was a phase six mechanism himself, he would also have more incentive to go there and wreak havoc on Ominous and his operation with them. He didn't mind fighting. He liked it a lot. He didn't become a Warrior Elite because he liked Megatron or even much believed in the Cause. He became one because he had designs on the leadership himself. He had a better chance to accomplish his plans if he were invincible like the phase six mechanisms were.

He was also unusual that he was still intact and functional in his mind after having molten armor applied to his body directly. All of the phase sixers that he'd met, and he knew about half of them himself, were changed by that process. Some became more sociopathic but kept their sanity and perspective like Sixshot. Then there were those who became unstable like Overlord, Heretech and Killmaster. They'd gone mad through the process even though it was evident to him that they were probably on their way there before.

Of all of them, the one least changed emotionally and psychologically by the process was himself. He, Pulsar had kept his sanity, his smarts and tactics. He wasn't a raging brute like Overlord. He was strategic. He was well educated as a former high caste engineer and no one's fool.

Sitting in his command chair waiting to receive or not the reply, he would get good intel no matter what happened. The group he led flew onward into the night of space taking the long way around. Razorclaw was out there somewhere and he was going to meet up at some point with the big mech. It would be anyone's guess who would walk away from the encounter. He, Pulsar intended that it would be him.

=0=Diner On The Corner, Autobot City

They walked in and joined the punters in the booths and tables next to them. Possibility lay in Prowl's arms as he sat smirking at the group who found seats, ordered, then grinned. "You look happy," Prowl said as Prime slid his son into his arms.

"We did well," Prime said.

Ironhide smirked at Ratchet. "If anyone asks, tell them I have an injury. I'm not expected to be the picture of perfection that I was last time."

Ratchet hit him with every scanner he had including some for femmes as high volume as he could. Ironhide was actually slammed back into the booth. "Should I give you the run down on your 'injury' or do you want me to show you later at home?" He waggled his optics as Prowl gagged.

"That hurt, slagger," Ironhide said as food began to come.

"You **said** you were hurt. Ah, tactics," Ratchet said. "I laid off a bet on Iacon, slaggers. You better win. I have a big wrench with your name on it if you don't."

"Fragger," Ironhide said with a grin as he took one of Ratchet's onion rings. "We're going to peel those slaggers like a grape."

"Sounds juicy," Ratchet said with a smirk.

"You're one dirty old mech," Ironhide replied.

"That's right," Ratchet said with a giant smile. "Ask me what I was doing this morning."

No one did.

Fraggers," Ratchet said as the waiters brought everyone's order and topped off their glasses. He leaned forward. "I was called to Unidad because Tawney and Bryce were skinny dipping in the lake and the infant Home Guardsmen at Ops Center didn't know what to do about it."

They stared at Ratchet then frowned-grimaced-smirked-laughed. Ironhide frowned-grimaced at Ratchet. "What the frag are you **doing** hanging out with naked humans?"

"Well, **someone** had to save them from themselves. They were sunbathing in the nude when I got there. We had a long chat and swim. They sat on me while I floated in the lake," Ratchet said just to watch them gag.

They did.

"They were naked when they did, correct?" Prowl asked as he smirked at Ironhide. "Perhaps a little Lysol for hygiene is in order?"

"I'm glad you think its funny," Ironhide said.

"I never asked you, Ironhide, the times you've been on the job in pretender gear," Ratchet said. "Given that you were anatomically correct and all … what's the remaining objection?"

Ironhide stared at Ratchet almost too long, then leaned forward. "I have the same objection I would if I were an Insecticon, female human or SpongeBob. I'm a **mech**. A Cybertronian **mech.** I don't need anything more than that."

"And what you **got** , ba-bee, is **more** than enou-"

A rap on the servo cut that short as Prowl frowned at him.

Ratchet frowned back. "Well, Miss Priss, what a cry baby **you** are. Let's get drunk in Vegas. I **dare** your sorry aft."

Prowl stared at him, then smirked. "You think I **wouldn't**? I **know** how you think."

"Then explain it to me," Ironhide said to huge laughter, a lot of it from Prime.

"Let me think about it. I'm a responsible individual with childr-"

A hard rap on the servo set a frown on the winged one's face. He slapped Ratchet back and after a flurry of slaps and raps, the deal was done. When they would go and get arrested on another planet was not yet decided but the gauntlet was thrown down and picked up again.

Like Ratchet knew it would.

Prowler, Prowler, Prowler … when would you ever learn?

=0=At the pool

They stood together, three tiny cows on a rubber floaty raft in the middle of a pool for children. Sitting on the side of the pool eating food and drinking beer, Blackjack, Sun, Jack, Steiner, Lissie, Delphi, Hard Drive, Turbine, Alor, Flint, Scout, Trooper and STU-RT relaxed. The children were in the pool as well floating and swimming around in this, the biggest one for just them in the place.

A lot of little kids and their families were here, most of the them playing in this or the other two smaller pools for the infants. All of their own were having a great time jumping in, swimming and pushing the pool raft with the three little cows around in the water.

"Those cows are cute," Scout said as he sipped his beer. "I think I want a koala bear. Do you think they can find me a koala bear?"

Everyone searched, grinned, then shrugged. "I don't know, Atar, but if you really want one we can ask," Alor said.

"Ask for a sloth, too, son," Trooper said. "Did you ever see one? They smile all the time. I think I want a pet that smiles all the time."

"You can't go wrong with a slagging cow, Scout," Blackjack said proudly until you could.

Go wrong, that is.

It was that moment that Robby the Bruce stumbled as the kids pushed the little raft toward the other end of the pool. He leaned down to stabilize his footing, stuck his horn through the raft and with the most surprised expressions on their little cow faces, the three of them sunk immediately to the bottom.

Everyone sitting on the poolside watching froze a moment in place, then stood up to look down. Three little cows were standing on the bottom staring up with shock and astonishment. It would be entertaining to watch Blackjack leap in and dive down to get them. Three little mooing cows would be nearly inconsolable for a bit as they stood on the side of the pool draining water.

=0=Earth2

The preparations for the business conference that the facility was going to hold in three days was going along swimmingly. The conference would include 120 humans from all manner of countries, businesses and financial institutions and structures. They were going to discuss, meet and develop plans for including more business opportunities here for Earth through the good offices of Optimus Prime.

They still didn't have a firm agreement that Prime would come to meet and greet but Ratchet, Warren Roberts, Sam Witwicky, Venture and Caro would attend. They weren't required to speak but it was a given that they would. This would be a big push by corporations on Earth to get a toe hold in the potential here for just about anything they could dream up.

The burden was getting past the bot's reluctance toward poor stewardship of the planet and human curiosity about how far one could take an idea here on another world without leaving scars ten miles wide everywhere. Given what they already knew, it would be a daunting project to get even a fraction of what they were going to plan and ask for.

There would be sightseeing, stops at other habitats and lunch meets and greets with representatives who would speak to them for each group on world. Will Lennox got dragooned into speaking for N.E.S.T. and the military presence, Judy Witwicky and Barbara Morshower for The Resort and the Earth Chamber of Commerce which they jointly headed on world, Michio Yamaha for Sciences, Carly Brooks-Spencer for Unidad, Brandon Clark for Earth 1, Caroline Lee of South Korea, Carly's replacement for the United Nations Consulate along with Leonora Huttle and Bryce Billings for the film making portion of life here. All of them would attend a big function at Earth2 which would be where they would speak.

Some of them were old hands and others … Will Lennox … weren't.

Ratchet on the other hand was ready to rumble no matter what. The possibility of Prime attending wasn't off the table but the deeper the mystery, the better off they all were.

He would attend.

Ratchet stepped out of the diner with Ironhide and the others. They would chat a moment, then break like billiard balls on a pool table. Everyone would head off to do that thing they had to do. Even Ratchet for once.

The afternoon would wear ever onward.

=0=TBC 1-20-19 **edited 1-22-19**


	575. Chapter 575

The Diego Diaries: Vacay 3 (dd6 575)

=0=Around

The girls and one boy walked down the concourse heading for the downtown of Unidad Terra 1. Rain, Jaycee, Camilla and Lilly were visiting to 'shop' and meet friends from the local school they had befriended during the inter school exchanges on Trypticon and at the science stations on the TransWorld Highway that their own schools visited. With them were Barry and Tinsley Walters coming along for the ride.

The Walters kids had joined the bot school, Youngling Day, at the suggestion of Rain and her crew. They had no idea that it was so tough and it was borderline whether Barry would be continuing there much longer. Tinsley was smart, liked school and would let Hell freeze over before she had to leave Youngling Day. She was making waves in the world of social media by her participation there and the bots were watching her Instagram and that of several of the others including her brother, Barry assiduously.

None of them knew that. Yet.

Both of them posted images inside the facility and were warned not to continue the practice with the bots working there or they would be blocked from Earth contact. It hadn't gone over too well but they buckled. They had no power here, a brand new sensation for all of them to assimilate.

Children of billionaires whose sense of privilege was without limits, this was a whole new world for most of them, no pun intended. They walked inside after being allowed to take a cab. They had called it to Earth2, gotten in and rode to Unidad through the early afternoon traffic.

:This is great. It's good to get out of there. I'm going to take off this mask until we get there: Barry Walters said as he began to reach for the discharge button to begin the sequence.

"You will leave your masks on. You do not have permission to take them off. If you persist, you will be taken back to Earth2 and your privileges to go outside even in a level 4 protocol will be suspended," a voice said from a speaker that they couldn't see even though they glanced around.

Barry stood up from his comfortable bench, then walked toward the front of the vehicle, a white cab. :We're inside. It's safe, right?: he asked.

"You are being taken from safety through a zero error environment. Level 4 protocols require you to stay in gear. If you cannot do that I am required to report you to the Office of the Primes, N.E.S.T. Command and the Central Emergency Center, then take you back to Earth2."

The voice sounded metallic and canned though it wasn't. The 'cab' was actually Smokescreen the Elder who took the call because he wanted to see what these 'newcomers' were like, especially the kids. They sped along as the boy stood next to the barrier that divided the flight deck of the vehicle from the passenger section. Many was the drunk who took cabs home, necessitating the control area being walled off from the passenger compartment.

Unidad loomed ahead as they took the roundabout, waited for an opening in the turn off lane, then exited on the road that led past it. They stared out the windows as Barry sat down again.

:That's huge: Lilly said. :I wonder what it would be like living there instead?:

:You can work on the farm: Rain said with a grin. :They have cows. You can milk them:

:You don't think I can?: Lilly replied. :Olivia Boles keeps her three thoroughbred horses there. I'd love to ride them:

:I'd love to have my horses here: Rain said wistfully. :Dad said he'd ask in a few:

:Then ask him for mine, too: Camilla said.

They reached the turn off into the facility, then drove across the huge parking lot. There were cars parked outside like it was any mall parking lot anywhere as well as trucks driving around the perimeter to head to the shipping docks in the back. The dome nearby glistened in the sunlight as the greenery inside was a welcome and incongruous sight against the bland landscape all around.

Entering the building, the hatches shut, the atmosphere was nearly instantly restored, then the group was let out of the vehicle. Waiting for them was a security officer, Kimberly Saint James who walked them inside, went over the rules, then drove them to the edge of town. They climbed out, waved to her as she continued onward, then gathered.

Ahead of them, a huge city beckoned. Their helmets were in their pockets, their cameras were out and they were going to check out the city. Casa Unidad as the locals called it was busy. They got nods and smiles from pedestrians as they walked along the sidewalk toward the city center. Passing the stores and business, they window shopped until they reached Mama Merlie's Genuine Home-Cooked Soul Food.

"It smells good," Jaycee said. "I haven't had lunch. I'm going in here."

"There's a barbecue place down the street. I'm going there," Barry said. They divided into two groups, then continued onward, entering to sit in simplicity to eat some of the most complex food they would have anywhere.

=0=Food Truck Fair, Bern with the Fam and the Bit[lets … and three cows, a dog and two cats in carry holds

They sat at a table with children, some of them eating corn dogs and others different things. They got easy food, the ammas and appas who had them and they were doing a good job of filling their faces. This was going to be an extended excursion, lest something come up to call them away. The next three orns were theirs and they would make it count. They would also eventually tell Ironhide and Ratchet when they remembered.

The slaggers.

=0=On the cliff sides of Mount Olympus

They took the usual chopper ride to their training camp to put two new striker hopefuls through real (off) world paces. Most of the soldiers were still on leave, though only about two of them took it back on Earth. Hanging around with the family here, some of them imported for the duration was huge when you weren't on call.

Rick Harris was here as well with his usual three participants, though these weren't paying customers. They fit the profile, they were wealthy and fit. However, these were friends who had come to visit during the holidays. The

chance to see some of the sights was amazing so they slipped in with the N.E.S.T. soldiers because Rick's bot team was on vacation and nobody minded.

Rick Harris had slowly over time assimilated himself into the world here. He was liked by the human community and most of them had forgotten that his father was someone who had less than approving opinions of the bots and their life here. This was a frontier world and because it was, you could be the son of Attila the Hun but it wouldn't matter unless you were an asshole.

Rick Harris over time and contact had fallen out of the category of 'asshole-no trust here'. His father, however, held primacy on that list.

They were staying overnight in the barracks and way station that was here for a number of individuals to use, one that was built for the strikers, the land management bots that worked out this way developing more trails and opportunities for those who used it professionally for training like Lennox and Company did. Harris and his friends would stay with the soldiers, go out with them, watch and if possible climb and hike with them. It would be fun.

It would be.

=0=On the way to the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport, Immigration and Off World Port of Entry

They were coming back with their gear having spent the last week on Earth. All of them but Silvio Lombardi who was becoming a close confidant of Owen Harris had gone home, some of them to the usual transit of talk shows and gatherings to 'tell the tale' of life among the bots. A lot of them had been pursued to find out if there was anything new about the murder of Lawrence Dobbs. There wasn't but speculation was still rife. They had pulled no punches in speaking their minds with like-minded reporters and those at big gatherings who weren't friendly to the bots.

No one was happy with them among the locals when the mercs finally were ready to return. It was a strained ride back with Corey McFarlane and Jase Collins, both of them Alpha Strikers returning with their families.

They were coming back on a freed up transport ship that had seating areas reserved toward the flight deck for any humans or bots that needed a lift. They caught the flight in San Francisco and were heading back after a brief stop at Diego Garcia to let off a pair of sailors who'd been given special leave and now had to return.

It was silent in the seating area as everyone stared at each other. Corey McFarlane was a big man, bigger than Jim Johnson who was the biggest merc in the bunch. He sat with his arm around his wife, a nice girl from Houston nicknamed Nee-See. She was a tall girl with a fabled career in volley ball, a skill that nearly got her on an Olympic team once upon a time. She didn't like the mercs any more than anyone else.

Their three little girls sat quietly, their big brown eyes staring at everyone and everything. They were level 1's in the Transitional Learning Department of Youngling Day for human kids who were academic but not yet up to full time placement in the regular classroom. Many were the smaller kids too old for Sparkling Day and not yet ready for Youngling.

The other striker, Jase Collins was older, had a more administrative role now in the garrison and was returning with his wife, Cecile and their two kids, Tom and Bonny. They were students in Sparkling Day given their ages.

It was tense.

Sam Hedges stared at his phone while Johnson looked around the area.

"I wonder where the bar is?" Johnson asked. He did so staring purposefully at the two soldiers.

"This is a commercial ship," McFarlane said. "This is a courtesy to us. It's not a passenger liner."

"Is that so," Johnson said. He remembered McFarlane from the garrison on Diego when he was training to join a striker team and he didn't like him then. Time had not made that better.

Sam glanced at Johnson. "We're going to be there in an hour and a half."

"Yeah," Johnson said as he stood up to walk to the windows. Outside, the blue skies of Diego were coming into view. They would drop two sailors who were returning to duty there.

One of them glanced at Collins. "When is the garrison on Mars going to need sailors?" He grinned at the two soldiers.

Jase grinned back. "I'll ask."

Everyone laughed in their party, then the announcement to buckle in was made. Johnson sat, slowly complying as he kept his gaze on McFarlane. The ship landed, rolled to its holding place, then a small mech walked back.

"Time to go, Mr. Dorsey," he said to one of the sailors. "Thank you for coming along."

The two sailors stood. "Thank you for helping us out," Lyle Dorsey said. They slapped hands with the soldiers, then followed the little mech, Silo out to the hatch doors.

The group watched them go, then settled again. They stared at each other wordlessly. It was getting to be very tense in the lounge.

=0=Springer and Drift

They sat in their office eating junk food as they worked out the schedule for the next few orns. Things were going pretty well but there was word that belligerent high caste kids from the new ongoing migrations weren't assimilating very well. In fact, some of them were being dicks.

"What we need … more afts," Springer said as he sighed. "We have dead gang kids already. A dead merc. What the frag. I may have to start looking for a new job if we don't get a handle on this."

"I was thinking of taking your job when Prime fires you, then keeping you on the side. You can sleep in and I'll do all the work," Drift said with a chuckle.

Springer leaned forward to gaze at Drift with amusement. "Hoss … you do that already."

They both laughed loudly.

=0=A ship heading for homecoming

The hatch door closed. They could hear it. Then Silo walked forward. "Sargent McFarlane, we're going to wait a moment for a classified package for Major Lennox to be sent here. Someone at the garrison on Diego asked for it to be routed this way. Then we will leave. Can I get anything for you for your comfort?" he asked.

Jamie grinned. "No, Silo. We're good. Thanks."

The little mech nodded, then walked back to his station in the rear.

Johnson watched him go, then stared coolly at McFarlane. "Speak for yourself."

"I did. He has better things to do than wait on us. We're here as a courtesy," McFarlane replied equally coldly.

It was glacial in the lounge of the vessel.

=0=TBC 1-21-19 **edited 1-25-19**

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

ESL

assiduous, assiduously: (uh-sid-you-us, uh-sid-you-us-lee) to do something or be something to the extreme. To watch something assiduously is to sit and watch it without any other activity or purpose.

assimilate: (Just in case I never posted this) (uh-sim-you-late) to take something on and make it part of you. To live in a different country and learn/live their customs, you assimilate.

Incongruous: (in-cun-grew-us) something that really doesn't fit or belong somewhere.

Primacy: (prime-uh-see): To hold primacy is to rule.

As for the assimilation no matter who your family is … its sort of a thing in Alaska. No matter who your family was, good or bad, if you were okay you fit. If you didn't, you don't. The ratio of men to women up here is pretty in the favor of women but the saying is, 'the odds are good but the goods are odd'. We get everyone who failed somewhere else who came here because there 'aren't no rules'. :D:D:D

People are so cute. :D


	576. Chapter 576

The Diego Diaries: Vacay! 4 (dd6 576)

=0=On a commercial vessel heading for Mars

"I did. He has better things to do than wait on us. We're here as a courtesy," McFarlane replied equally coldly.

It was glacial in the lounge of the vessel.

Cecile Collins, older and more versed in the sudden way violence could blow up considering her husband's career rose. She picked up the smallest of Corey and Nee-See's daughters, then grinned. "Come on. Let's go see what Silo is doing," she said as she glanced at her son and daughter, Bonny and Thom.

Nee-See rose, picked up one daughter and scooted the other ahead as all of them walked toward the corridor to the back where the sweet little mech, Silo of Village 2D would welcome them with the candy all ships carried that might host humans. They were gone in seconds.

The men watched them go, then turned their gaze back to each other. The ship apparently got the package because it began to move and was in space in seconds. It was always a surprise how silently and swiftly these vessels could move. They watched out the windows, then stared back at each other in silence. It was incredibly more hostile now that the women and children were gone. Johnson leaned forward. "Why don't you just say what you want to say, fucker?" he asked with a grin.

"If you fuck this up one more time you'll go to jail, be deported and banned for life," Corey said with a grin. "Don't tempt us."

Johnson sat back. "No balls. No balls at all."

"There they go again," a cheerful voice said as someone appeared from down the hallway. "Balls. What's the deal with balls?" he asked.

Behind him, a big man with blond hair and blue eyes chuckled. "I don't know. Don't bring that up. I'm sick of balls."

The two men walked in, then stopped by the couch. "Look what the cat dragged in," the first said. He was very tall and powerful in a rangy athletic manner. He looked like he could do a pentathlon in the morning and a marathon ten minutes later. He was ridiculously handsome with light brown hair and blue eyes.

The blond was equally big and handsome, rangy in a very athletic manner that combined with almost supernatural confidence in his ability to move that anyone who watched him could discern. Casually dressed in jeans, sneakers and denim shirts, they stared at the group who didn't recognize them.

Earlier …

They reached the Bridge Room of the Ops Center, then walked to the operator. They explained their mission, then walked to a pole nearby that was covered in tech and places to plug in. It had ten spaces around it for mechs to utilize with other stations in other places around the colony including Fort Max and the security tower in Metrotitan. They were new and finally perfected to the degree that Sciences always obsessed over. They would facilitate the sending of pretender geared mechs to their locations without bringing their alt modes along. They plugged in, then the machines took over. Their pretender gear got a swift check over, then they were zapped through the air to the designated coordinates, a swiftly flying commercial vessel on its way to Mars.

They materialized with an almost supernatural realness in the reception dock on the vessel , all of which carried them in the Autobot fleet to receive these such packages. They were fourth generation now and ready for widespread use, especially by special ops who could to go places in pretender gear without worrying about their format. That would stay behind and be less a drag on their operations. They were so powerful that even long distances like this or Earth didn't cause any decline in their projection's 3-D intensity and realness thanks to upgraded power packs.

Stepping down from the platform, they grinned at the two women and the children who watched them go past. They didn't see the Autobrand on the sleeves of their shirts, but something about them felt familiar. Walking down the corridor which took longer their size, they bantered. "If there's a fight, I want Johnson. And two others. You can have the rest," Springer said as he cracked his knuckles.

"What if the soldiers want one? I want a couple myself," Drift said with a smirk. "Hedges and Johnson. Both of them. All of them."

"Greedy," Springer said as they finally reached the lounge. One could start a fire from the sparks that were ready to burst into flames. There they go again," Springer said as he walked to the couches to halt beside a chair next to Corey McFarlane. "Balls. What's the deal with balls?" he asked.

Behind him, the big man with blond hair and blue eyes walked to his side and chuckled. "I don't know. Don't bring that up. I'm sick of balls."

Springer grinned. "So … what are we talking about?" he asked as he walked to the couch where Sam Hedges and Carlos Ortega were sitting. Plopping down between them, edging them over a bit, Springer grinned. "I think this calls for a selfie."

Drift 'pulled' a camera out of his 'jeans pocket', then tossed it to Springer. "Here. Use mine. It has a wide lens feature."

Springer snickered, then glanced at Ortega and Hedges. "Lean in, boys. I have to post something to Instagram and it might as well be you." He slid an arm around Hedges, pulled him close, then leaned into Ortega. Holding up the camera, he smiled then clicked the image. Turning the camera around, he grinned. "Awesome."

"Who the fuck are you?" Johnson asked with a hard tone as Ortega and Hedges rose to move to other chairs with wary expressions.

"Who the fuck **are** we?" Springer asked Drift who leaned against the couch where the two soldiers sat. They were both amused, though they didn't grasp who the two Autobot pretenders were just yet.

"Do you want the simple answer or is there some philosophical statement that you desire instead? I'm nothing if not philosophical," Drift said with a grin.

"That's it, right? The deeper layers of the onion that we have to peel? Something about how life isn't worth living without works or maybe … does a bear shit in the woods? What's the sound of one hand clapping?" Springer asked as he warmed up to his own bullshit.

Big boys with lots of skills will be big boys.

Drift smirked, then walked over to sit next to him. "You don't mind if I sit here to absorb the wisdom do you?" he asked.

Springer smiled brilliantly. "Nope."

Drift glanced at the others, then fixed his gaze on Johnson. "I hear you're on the brink of getting permanently deported."

"Is that so?" Johnson asked coolly. "Where did you hear that?"

"I saw it written on a bathroom wall," Drift replied with a smirk. He glanced at Springer. "I saw your number there, too, promising a good time if anyone called."

Springer laughed. "Well, I do try."

Corey and Jase were clear on the subtext. These were Autobots, most likely Watch officers and clearly, they had to be Springer and Drift from the comfort level of their bullshit. Corey leaned forward. "Who do you have on the Iacon-Kaon game?"

Both grinned at him. "Why, I'm a Polyhex guy all the way," Springer said.

"That's because he has a dream," Drift said. "Its a tiny dream but its his."

Springer stared at him, then frowned. "I may have to report you."

"To Dad? Which one?" Drift asked as he grinned at Springer.

Springer glanced at Johnson. "Who you rooting for in the next game?"

"That shit? That isn't basketball," Johnson said with disdain.

" **I** like it," Steve Anson said, oddly enough.

"It's the better game of the two. That little femme dance you do on Earth wouldn't last ten minutes here," Springer said. He grinned. "Just so you know."

Drift glanced at Corey and Jase, then winked. "So, tell us what's the deal here. We can hug it out and go back home."

"You're Drift and Springer," Corey said with a smirk. "Nice tech."

"Thanks. I don't think, though, that it captures the essential me," Springer said with a grin.

Drift nodded. "It left off one of your faces."

Springer frowned as the soldiers laughed. Some of the mercs grinned in spite of themselves. He looked at them. "So, what's going on?"

"Johnson here wants trouble," Corey said nodding to the big man who stared at all of them with contempt.

Drift leaned slightly forward. "Did you know that your name means penis in some places?" Huge laughter erupted as the color in Johnson's face drained away. "Just so you know ... I'm Drift. I'm the mech who carried you to the jail last time. Do I have to do that again?" He glanced at Springer who was grinning at Drift like he invented him. "You're doing it this time."

Springer grinned. "As long as he doesn't pee on my hand like you, Todd."

Everyone glanced at Todd Baseman who flushed brightly red. He shifted in his chair but didn't say a word. Springer grinned at him. "Todd, here, pulled a dick move once," Springer said as he glanced at Drift and the two soldiers. "See what I did there?" he asked with a giant smile.

"We do. Go on," Drift said as he leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the coffee table.

"He got loaded, drove to the party at the beach on Diego where our kids were having fun with a tiny little pop gun. We got him, Kup and me, then I stepped on his four wheeler, carried him to the brig in the Embassy, then had to wash my hands because Todd here peed on me."

"I want tape. I hear they're a 'thing'," Drift said with a smirk as the soldiers laughed loudly and agreed.

"You think you're a comedian," Johnson said with contempt.

"No. I'm the God of The Hunt for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. I run every policing apparatus everywhere and if I say you're arrested, you are. However, and I want this clearly understood, **few** are as fair as me," Springer said.

Drift nodded. "He's fair."

The soldiers laughed loudly and some of the mercs actually snickered.

Johnson glanced sharply at them.

They shrugged. "It was funny," Steve Anson said.

"Bullshit," Johnson said as he glared at the two incongruous figures lounging next to him. "You're fucking cars. There's nothing about you that's even close to us and no matter what kind of tech you use, you're still not us."

"I don't know. I put a lot of thought into this format," Springer said as he accessed the internet. "How about I do something that might make you feel more comfortable with your human awesomeness and all?" He rose, then walked to an empty space nearby. "How about his one?" he asked before he downloaded and assumed the figure of the Yautje's alien acid monsters.

That was when everyone in the lounge including Drift lost their shit.

Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars

"There appears to be a potential problem on a vessel coming here," Prowl said drily as he sat beside Prime. Possibility was laying on the table on the big map, sleeping on the part that disclosed Gliese 581 g. "Drift and Springer went there in pretender gear to settle things."

"They should be able to do that with skill and ability," Prime said, then he grinned.

Prowl grinned back at him.

Possibility slumbered on.

=0=On his way lickety split

He hopped off the receiving station as he materialized on the vessel. Waving with a smile at the two women, five children and startled mini-con sitting nearby having a cookie break, a tall mech with fire engine red hair, a tiny Autobot beauty mark on his cheek and an astonishingly handsome face and physique hoofed it forward to the lounge.

Nee See looked at Cecile. "If I didn't bleed so easily, I'd follow him."

Silo grinned. "We have cameras. I have it all on film."

Nee See grinned at Silo. "What would we all do without mini and micro mini-cons?"

What, indeed, would we do?

=0=TBC 1-23-19 **edited 1-24-19**


	577. Chapter 577

The Diego Diaries: Vacay 6 (dd6 577)

=0=On a ship going that a way

He rushed in, then slid to a halt, plastering a gigantic smile on his astonishingly handsome face as he paused long enough to wave to everyone there and begin the denaturing process of whatever was happening. Even a tiny Autobrand on his cheek and almost luminously comical red hair couldn't detract from his looks in this gear nor the purpose of his appearance here but it would take a moment for him to see that no one was really paying attention to him. "Oh, hai," he said with as much flair as he could given the circumstances which included a lot of screaming and clawing at the windows to get outside.

Into vacuum.

It was perplexing for about a nanosecond.

Then he saw the acid monster.

 **"WHAT THE FRAG!?"**

Before Ratchet could draw a gun that he didn't have in a subspace that he couldn't access yet, he began to run with everyone else. Drift who was standing on a couch having a belly laugh watched the punters as the monster stalked the humans and Ratchet. Backed into a corner, the humans huddled behind Ratchet, pushing him forward ahead of them.

The fraggers.

The monster stalked them, dripping acid which if everyone had taken a moment to look wasn't burning holes through the floor, his talons grasping as his inner mouth slid in and out just oozing The Ugly. A nearly prehensile tail swung menacingly, giving everyone there the birds eye view of a mouse just before he died badly at the hands of your house cat. When he gathered himself up to leap in the air, Ratchet in a fit of astonished fear and fury ran forward and hit the beast on the chin with his human fist.

The beast staggered back, Ratchet looked at his hand that felt busted and pulsed with pain, then bellowed ... **"MOTHER FUCKER!"**

At that point, Springer assumed his human features, then fell on the floor. He lay there a moment watching the birdies sing while Ratchet hopped around the room shaking his hand.

A few moments later ...

The humans sat on their chairs and couches with wary eyes as Ratchet and Springer compared bruises. "Frag you, Springer. Your famous glass jaw doesn't extend that closely to this fragged format," he said as he examined Springer's face.

"I'm going to kick Wheeljack's aft. Why does he make these real down to **PAIN SENSATIONS**!?" Springer asked as he rubbed his jaw gently.

"I'll ask him after I stomp his helm into the ground myself," Ratchet said as he rubbed his wrist.

Drift was sitting nearby enjoying himself **IMMENSELY** as the two glanced at the humans, then him. Springer walked over to sit down by Drift, frowning at him slightly. "Thanks for the help, fragger."

"Don't mention it. I'm surprised but somehow delighted at your choice of forms there, Chief. I do remember a couple of times you were in the Never Try This Again Upon Pain of Death Camp," Drift said as he squeezed Springer's thigh.

:Watch The Sexy there, hoss. Might make them cry: Springer said with a grin. Then he glanced at Ratchet. "Hi, Dad. You here to save the day?" Springer asked with a big smile as Ratchet walked over to sit between the two of them.

"I am, fragger," Ratchet said as he snuggled down between the big men. "My, isn't this cozy."

" **You'd** think so," Johnson said with a slightly disgusted smirk.

"Well, you know us ***fags*** ..." Drift said as he smirked back. "Johnson here or as we now call him … ***DICK*** wants to be a permanent exile from Mars."

"That can be arranged. Where's a note pad. I'll write the order myself," Ratchet said as he smiled brilliantly at the slowly simmering slagger sitting across from him.

"Don't hurry on our accounts," Sam Hedges said as he shot a warning expression at Johnson.

"So … you made the rounds of teevee emoting your story to anyone who had a microphone," Ratchet said. "How was that? Offering your deep insight into us and how we function … that's mighty psychic of you given that you aren't allowed out of your cage very often and only in the most supervised manner. You might hurt yourself otherwise on someone's fist."

"I tell it like it is," Johnson said coldly. "You'd be surprised how many humans there are that would like you gone."

"I would," Drift said. "All of the polls I've seen say otherwise. But don't let a lack of facts slow you down, bro. It never has before."

"I'm not your bro," Johnson said with an edge.

Drift frowned, then glanced at Ratchet. "Do you have something to tell me, Ma, or did I get my wires crossed?" He glanced at the mercs. "See what I did there?"

The soldiers snickered and a few of the mercs grinned slightly.

Johnson leaned forward in his chair. "You're a fucked up weirdo and no one I'd ever want around me."

"I'm a Bugatti in my alt format, tough guy," Drift said with a slight smirk. "Tell me you wouldn't want to ride around in that."

"I would," Springer said with a smirk as the entire room laughed but Johnson. Even the mercs thought it was funny.

"I **bet** you do," Johnson inevitably replied.

"Oh my," Ratchet said as he batted his eyes. "Talking The Sexy around your old ma. I feel the vapors coming on." He grinned, then leaned forward. "Understand something, Mr. Penis, you're on the edge of going home forever. I came here to see if there was anyway for you to not commit deportation and exile by stupid. We **do** want our **foreign** workers to have a chance to hang around through the difficult period of adjustment where you find out that humans are just a tiny, itsy, bitsy, eeny, teeny part of a very insignificant solar system in a very massive and very spectacular galaxy. So ..."

Johnson leaned forward to meet Ratchet's eyes. "Fuck you, weirdo."

Ratchet leaned back, then laughed loudly. " **DON'T TELL IRONHIDE, BOYS**! We already have one murder here among the humans. No sense making it two." He grinned. "Is that all you got? Really?"

"I don't answer to you. I don't have to make **nice** with you. I work for Earth2 and the leadership there. I don't have to take your shit and there's **nothing** you can do about it," Johnson said.

"Well, we do own the lease … and the entire place," Ratchet answered with a smile.

"Jim … we're almost there," Sam Hedges said. "Let's all just sit and get there."

"Says the guy who wants us gone," Springer said. "Let's humor you. If we go, our cities stay. I suppose you'd just slide in."

"Finders keepers, losers weepers," Johnson said with a smirk.

"We're not going anywhere. If you want to go some place yourself then build the tech yourself, tough guy. Why should we take you anywhere but the edge of Sagittarius A?" Springer said. "Look it up."

"That's the black hole in the center of the galaxy," Sam Hedges said.

"Hm, someone has a measurable IQ in this room besides me," Ratchet said with a giant smile.

"Speak for yourself," Corey McFarlane said with a grin. The soldiers were enjoying themselves greatly.

"Why, I just **did** , infant," Ratchet said as he batted his eyes. "We have to go tie one on in Vegas. Prowl and I are going. Come with."

Corey laughed. "You're on. Just let us know when you're going. We can be your tour guides, Jase and me."

"Do you know Vegas?" Springer asked with a grin.

"No," Corey said as Jase nodded in agreement.

Snickers were had around the room including from a couple of the mercs. One of them, Carlos Ortega glanced at Ratchet. "I know that town. I used to go to see my grandparents there in the summers."

"What goes on there, stays there. It's sort of my go-to bender town," Ratchet said with a big grin. "Springer and Drift have to come with and keep us out of the jail house."

"Oh, joy," Springer said.

"Its not hard to get arrested there," Carlos said. "Not even as hard as here."

"Only assholes get arrested here. This place is easy," Corey said.

"Are you calling me an asshole?" Johnson asked.

"If the shoe fits ..." Corey said.

Johnson rose slowly, clenching his fists. Sam stood and turned to him. " **No**. They're egging you on. You get arrested one more time you're banned forever."

"I don't care," Johnson said as he glared at McFarlane.

" **I** do. We don't need the publicity," Sam said quietly. "Sit. We're almost there."

Johnson stared at McFarlane, then slowly sat. Hedges sat as well. It was silent a moment.

"Damn," Springer said. "He figured out our plan. Here I was thinking it was so intricate that they'd need Teletraan to cipher it out."

Half the mercs grinned while the other half glared.

Drift grinned. "We need a new plan, Ada."

Ratchet considered that with exaggerated emoting, then began to muse out loud. "Let me see … how about you and Drift hide behind the jetway when they come through and trip half of them. I can pick the pockets of the other half and mix up their papers for the port. Then we can have a Wrecker unit hide behind the first and third columns of the airport concourse to do deep recon on the sit-rep."

"I don't know, Ada … they're not the most subtle mechs around," Springer said doubtfully.

"Then what about Jazz and Mirage?" Ratchet asked.

"This is their afternoon to frag," Drift said. "They booked electrical closet #14 in Architect Corridor. I saw it on the charts."

"Okay. How about Partition and Orion? Both of them stealth pretty well," Ratchet suggested.

"I don't know about that. Partition is pretty heavy footed. He might give the duo away," Drift said with a grin.

Everyone grinned but the mercs, half of whom didn't know who anyone was. They just knew they were being mocked but didn't want to be deported so they kept silent and fumed.

"Okay. **Praxus** and Orion," Ratchet suggested.

"Done deal," Springer said. "They can come live at our place to debrief afterward. It might take a vorn or two to get all the details that are needed. Just saying."

"Done deal," Ratchet said with a smile. "Just let old Dad know."

"You fuckers think you're funny," Johnson said as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Keep going."

"We can do this all day," Ratchet said with a grin. "How long are you fraggers going to be a minor irritant around here? Eight billion people want to come here and do this and your fraggers are the biggest bunch of ungrateful babies I've seen since Megatron. Even Decepticons have more class and decency."

"We just want to get there, to Mars," Sam Hedges said tensely.

Silo walked into the room at that moment. He glanced at everyone noting the bad energy nervously. "Um, Ambassador … we're coming in to re-entry orbit. If everyone can gather their loose things and be ready to disembark, then immigration can be faster and easier."

"We're on it, Silo," Ratchet said with a smile. "Thank you."

He nodded as he looked at the humans staring at him. "My pleasure," he said, then hurried away to his station at the other end of the vast ship.

Ratchet glanced at the mercs. "Get your slag together. As for the rest of you, just sit back and admire my great beauty. Everyone does." He smiled brilliantly.

Huge laughter greeted that as the mercs walked to an overhead series of cupboards nearby to retrieve their stuff. Outside the windows as the ship slid into a level two orbit most commercial vessels on the regular schedule assumed when returning, the reddish world of Mars beckoned. The glittering sight of the colony could be seen from orbit as they kept an even speed with the planet to achieve a parking orbit.

The mercs walked back and set their gear at their feet as Corey and Jase began to get that of their families. Drift and Springer walked over to help and by the time they were sitting again, the ship was going down to land. The room was silent as everyone stared at each other. The touchdown was faintly felt as the ship taxied with surprising speed toward its place of final destination. Since there were passengers, it rolled to the terminal that serviced humans and other organics with a need for controlled conditions and powered down. A jetway slid out and began to attach to the vessel.

As it did Ratchet stood. "Please stay seated until the no smoking signs are turned off. Put your trays in the upright locked position and refrain from fragging until the vessel signals your departure," he said as the soldiers and his boys snickered. Some of the mercs did as well.

Ratchet walked to the corridor that would lead out and turned to them with a giant smile. "Please check your overheads for anything that you might have overlooked because anything left behind will be passed around and laughed over at the next general staff meeting. We thank you for flying Autobot Air and hope that you pick another carrier next time, you half wit fraggers, you." He smiled. "Follow me." At that, he swished down the corridor to Silo who would facilitate their disembarkation.

The soldiers laughed as some of the mercs smirked. Drift and Springer followed after Ratchet with grins. "Old Ma sure knows how to clear a room," Springer said.

Drift nodded. "Can't wait to tell old Pa."

They snickered as the soldiers, then mercs, some of them stony-faced followed. They walked down a long corridor, then reached the station where Silo worked. Two women and five solemn kids waited, then with their fathers' help gearing up, all of them walked to the jetway behind Ratchet. The entire group walked out, the mercs last. They were held up at the door to enter the vast concourse by Ratchet. Everyone ahead turned around to watch.

Walking up to Ratchet, Kilty and Siever, two big airport cargo handling mechs who managed difficult transfers like this one was turning out to become waited for the word. Ratchet had called them to come and assist the mercs through customs. Most of the immigration team at this port of entry who handled the human passengers were femmes, some of them with very little experience with humans while others had scads.

All of them were trained to handle their transfers with delicacy but only a few were allowed to handle dangerous or difficult individuals given the possibility of injury to both sides. There were two per shift at every port in the colony and Cybertron. Though many working at ports and airports were Home Guard themselves, most of them weren't experienced soldiers. These mechs who were, formerly, were given any problems of any kind when they arose.

They arose now.

The mercs slowed, then stopped before Ratchet. "What's this?" Sam Hedges asked.

"This is Siever and Kilty. They handle fraggers and other riffraff. All you have to do is what they tell you the way they tell you. Keep your trap shut and follow directions or they have full discretion to arrest you. Given your behavior on the ship in front of femmes and kids, I think a run through immigration … the full treatment is in order. You're here as a privilege. When you abuse that privilege there's consequences. Welcome to consequences. If you want to go past this port of entry, its in your paws, boys." He glanced at the two mechs. "They're yours."

Kilty and Siever nodded. They looked at the six mercs. "I want your data, then walk to the scanners over there," Kilty said as he nodded to a set of big scanners that all newcomers went through the first time.

"So you're going to **harass us**?" Johnson asked with outrage.

"This is the alternative to jail. Either way, I'm entertained," Ratchet said.

It was deeply silent, then Hedges pulled his data card, the one they slotted into the input jack at the desk nearby to let the system know they were 'temporary permanent workers-off world immigrant' allowed entrance. Kilty took them, then the mercs hauled their stuff up and walked to the scanners, some of them with deep outrage on their faces.

"Put your gear here," Siever said as he nodded to a cart being pushed over by a femme named D-D, a specialist in finding hidden contraband. A young mech and another femme, part of her team stood nearby watching the show. This was a new experience for them all around.

The mercs stared upward at the two, then the little femme standing by a cart. "Why?" Johnson asked.

"Because," Kilty said.

It was silent a moment, then they complied with ill grace. When the gear was loaded, D-D began to pull the cart toward an area where it would be searched by her and her team.

" **WHAT THE HELL! THIS IS HARASSMENT!"** Johnson said as he turned on Ratchet. "You're harassing us."

"Actually, we're following the rules. Anyone who acts up on a transport we operate has to submit to extra scrutiny or they get turned back. Which is it, Johnson?" Ratchet asked as he hoisted himself to sit on a barrier wall next to the scanners which helped funnel individuals toward it. "You started this. How are you going to finish it?"

Johnson glared at him, then stepped closer. "How about you and me settle this sometime? You and me in a ring, you in this sack you're wearing and me."

"Done deal," Ratchet said. "Go through the scanner."

"And the fight?" he asked belligerently.

"Have your people call mine. I'm in the book, slagger," Ratchet said.

Johnson nodded. "Done deal, fucker." Then he walked to the scanner to be scrutinized.

It would take two joors for D-D and her crew to hand back their gear. It only took five minutes to actually look through it but an hour and fifty-five to trade slag with Ratchet and the boys before clearing a seething group of human men to the customs desk to be allowed into the colony through the Port of Mars-Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport, a process that usually took minutes but would take forty-five today.

By the time they were collected by Earth2, they were seething with rage, ready to fight and it would be dark. Only then would Ratchet and the boys derez and walk out to go their merry ways.

Corey, Jase and their families would be home hours earlier.

=0=TBC 1-23-19 **edited 1-25-19**


	578. Chapter 578

The Diego Diaries: Vacay 6 (dd6 578)

=0=Later on

"You were lucky not to get deported," Sam Hedges said with an edge in his voice. He glanced at Kyle and Owen. "We can't draw attention to ourselves. It'll give them the opening they need."

Owen considered that, then glanced at Johnson. "Lie low for a while. Stay in. Let them get back to the usual."

"I want to kick Ratchet's ass. He agreed to meet up," Johnson said.

"It'll be the last thing you do here before they toss you. Besides, what makes you think you can best him even in that form?" Kyle asked. "He decked that alien thing Springer made, remember? One punch."

Johnson glared at him. "What makes you think **I** won't?"

"Let's see if he remembers it," Owen said. "For now, let it cool off."

=0=Elsewhere

Ominous read the message, then considered a memory that it triggered. Something about the message and its signature made him remember a vast unpleasantness that he didn't want to repeat. He stared at it a moment, then glanced at Pleon. "Did this also get sent to Razorclaw?" he asked.

"It had a bifurcated dispersal about halfway here. I'm guessing it was," Pleon said dryly. One could barely hear the concern in his tone, something one had to search to find normally. "I doubt that one was sent to Prime."

It was tensely quiet on deck for a while as the two considered their options. After a quick search, the fears that came to Ominous proved to be accurate.

=0=Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Prowl and Prime carrying Possibility walked in to gather at the table with Devcon and Smokescreen who were on duty together, exchanging this shift with someone for another orn off. A short chat was had, then a call for Senior Autobots to come was made. A grim Prime and Prowl walked into the conference room to wait.

Moments later, they began to filter in, half of them carrying brightly cheery children. They were placed on the table to walk around, hug everyone there and babble their usual happy stuff. Ratchet was last with Springer and Drift, the two walking in to sit as Smokescreen closed the door behind them. Everyone turned toward Prowl and Prime.

"We have a possible situation coming our way," Optimus said. "We intercepted messages sent to Razorclaw and Ominous requesting a meet up with the newcomer who is taking a longer way toward them than he had when we chased him from the migration earlier. It is unsigned but it has a signature and framing that suggests that the sender is a phase six mechanism."

It was silent in the room, then Ironhide glanced at his uncles and other family. "We bagged several before. We can do it again."

Ratchet vented a sigh. "Which fragger is **this** one?"

"We are unclear to be precise but it appears to favor Pulsar," Prime said.

"He's bad," Steiner said. "I know of him. He's high caste, slagging well educated … an engineer and wants to be king. He's patient, strategic and without fear. He's worked on his armor and format for a long time. Every time I saw him he was different and more lethal. I think he does some of the work himself. He has skills and his enhancements can only have gotten better and more deadly over time."

"He's messaged our two locals," Turbine said. "What about the free agents? Imperialis and Shrike? Any intel on that?"

"We lost track of Shrike's whereabouts when he left our field of vision in the Bootes and Imperialis has laid low since the last encounter. What that means, however, is anyone's guess. If he's absorbed them we haven't been able to tell," Mirage said.

Jazz nodded in agreement.

"Then I suggest that we have a meet up with Razorclaw and Ominous on Cybertron. I think it might do them some good to see real power to help them decide who they fear the most … Pulsar or me," Prime said coldly.

=0=Pulsar

He walked to the brig of his ship to pause before the bars of a cage where a big mech sat without expression. He was restrained with energon chains and dampening control devices which accounted for his lack of physical reaction to his captor. Pulsar stared at him a moment, then released the bars of his cell. Walking in, he sat down next to Shrike. "I thought, captain to captain, that you were entitled to an update on your armada. It's mine now. Any questions?" he asked without mirth.

Shrike stared murder at him but said nothing. He couldn't.

"Well, I'm glad you took it so well," Pulsar said as he rose again. "See you later." With that, he walked to the door and left.

Shrike would be unable to follow, move a finger or even turn his helm until such time as Pulsar decided he could.

=0=Prime's Office

"I have some ideas, tactical and pointed, Optimus," Ratchet said. "You want to give a good impression to Razorclaw and Ominous that will help them with their future command decisions. That's what we ultimately want, right?"

Prime grinned slightly. "Only if you tell me about the ride over from Diego at some point, yes."

"Done deal," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. "I have an idea for your office in the Citadel. That's where we're going, right?"

Prime nodded.

Ratchet then sent Prime his idea WIFI.

Prime received it, thought it over, assimilated the willies, then nodded with a grin. "You are incredibly devious, Ratchet."

Ratchet smiled. "That's what all my mechs tell me," he preened.

Prowl gagged. "Loon," he said as Ratchet rose to walk to the door.

Ratchet looked back at the group. "Strategy, infants. Go hard, then they go home." He left.

They stared at him, then each other. "Don't mind me if I don't look at your big bookcase," Prowl said as Prime sent all of them Ratchet's proposal.

"I do not plan to look at it either," Prime said with a grin.

Everyone who didn't have an Ironhide face would agree as well.

=0=On the way to Autobot Med Center

Ratchet walked along grimly thinking about what he had to do. Part of what he needed was on Cybertron and the rest here. He'd be busy for a while deciding, then perfecting his plan as he sent an order to The Science Center for what he needed to complete the presentation.

It would be a very weird crate that would be journeying with them to Cybertron that afternoon.

=0=Razorclaw

"What are you going to do?" Poison asked as he sat in the conference room with Razorclaw and Dagger discussing the message just received from Prime.

Both of them were his lieutenants while Poison was his 'general manager' if you will. Razorclaw was loathe to give formal military titles to his minions. He didn't want anyone getting ideas about bumping up to something a bit more prestigious sounding.

"I think I'm going to go. Pulsar sent the first message. He plans to come here and take over. He'll have no problem with Ominous. Then he's coming here. If Prime wants to do something about him, I'm not adverse to hearing the plan and let him do the work."

"Then we go to Cybertron?" Poison asked.

Razorclaw nodded. "You and I do. No one else does. If everything isn't the same when I get back then consider yourself dead," he said as he arose.

=0=Ominous

"We better get ready to go. It's been so long since I was home I'm almost afraid to see it," Pleon said as he walked to the door to wait.

Ominous nodded as he arose. "You and me both. This could be interesting."

"It could also be a trick," Pleon said as they both walked out.

"Either way, we very well could be fragged. If you had to be taken over by someone which one would you want? Pulsar or Prime?" Ominous asked as they stepped out to walk to a small shuttle nearby.

"Ask me later," Pleon said as they entered the ship. They would take off right away.

=0=Flight line, Autobot Air Base, Military District 1, Greater Iacon, Cybertron

The number and amount of ships that were landing to settle for a show of force to the slaggers that were coming would dazzle even Megatron. The line up seemed to disappear into the dark distance as they were guided to set down where they were assigned. Battleships, battle cruisers, battle shuttles, support vessels, fighter haulers and ammo supply and fuel tanker ships stood in seemingly endless rows, all of them pointing toward a fast exit if needed. They were part of the huge fleet that was Prime's to call and they were being orchestrated to impress.

Support vehicles hustled everywhere, all of them working hard to be a part of an 'exercise' for 'readiness' that was just handed down from the Most High. Fighters were being towed to the extended runway that bordered the main lanes of the vast military base where the fleet was designed to clear in moments. Lights were trained on the ships showing them in their gigantic brutal aspects while small carts with technicians passed by massive amounts of ammo and supplies driven onward to their final destinations.

Beyond this area, the housing for soldiers, airmen and techs for the base was placed to bivouac while on duty, their bright lights part of the beautiful scenario of restoration. Duty individuals lived there on their tours before returning home to the camps, towns, villages and/or towers where their families and partners lived beyond the noise and hustle of this place.

The housing situation in Iacon was approaching 34% of new construction. Beyond the buildings that stood rebuilt and occupied, a fantastic dark mass of spires that would be new towers spread out in all direction. A master plan was guiding the construction and it was going to be extraordinary when completed, Iacon Proper. The remaining areas around it were being laid out with clearances and infrastructure rebuilding the first step.

It was going to be an amazing thing when completed, a city that was built for everyone. It would be organized to be sensible and beautiful, made in a manner that didn't favor anyone, was up to code everywhere and open for everyone. It was in short what Optimus Prime wanted, promised and was delivering. It would be interesting to see what Razorclaw and Ominous would think when they saw it.

Their ship landed, the one with the senior Autobots that included the newcomers. Stepping off with Ironhide and Sun carrying the big box that Ratchet had packed between them, Ratchet slipped his arms through those of Jack and Prowl. "Well, isn't this exciting."

"Unhand me, ghoul," Prowl said with a smirk.

"Prowler, Prowler, Prowler," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. "Lighten up," he said as they stepped into a transport to be driven to the Citadel and the drama that would begin in about a joor.

=0=Prime's Office, The Citadel, Iacon City, Cybertron

They set the box down on a beautiful table, then everyone turned to Ratchet who smiled brightly. "Show time," he said.

"I think I'm going to purge my tanks," Prowl said as he leaned against the enormous desk made from a big slab of marble that belonged to the Primes and had hosted all of them but the first three. Prowl had **METICULOUSLY** restored the office and the building, almost as a past time. It showed. Oddly enough, this was Prowl's domain as well.

S.I.C. and all …

Ratchet walked to the box, rubbed his servos together with delight, then pried the lid off. Everyone took a step back almost instantly as he peered inside. "Well, **hello there** ," he said with a grin.

Ironhide snickered. "You're one sick fragger, old mech."

Ratchet grinned at him. "You think so?" he asked as he reached inside, grabbed something, then tossed Black Shadow's helm to Ironhide.

He screamed.

So did everyone else.

It was epic.

=0=TBC 1-25-19 **edited 1-26-19**

ESL:

Bifurcate, bifurcated, bifurcation: (by-fur-kate, by-fur-kated, by-fur-Kay-shun) When something branches, it bifurcates. This usually means two branches but it can include more. Branches bifurcate from the trunk of a tree.

A snake's tongue is bifurcated. When you part your hair, its bifurcated, the part is a bifurcation … uh, I think I just beat this to death. :D:D:D


	579. Chapter 579

The Diego Diaries: Vacay (dd6 580)

=0=At the door to the Office of The Primes, The Citadel, Iacon, Cybertron, the Empire of the Cybertronian People

He stood in the doorway holding a box. He looked shocked and frozen in place. It took a moment for someone to see him, then alert the others who were screaming, running away or bent over laughing loudly.

Ratchet turned to the door, then affected a poised and smiling facade. "Oh, hello, infant. Is that for me?" he asked as if what was happening was normal.

The youngling Home Guard kid stared at Ratchet, then the box, then Ratchet again. "Uh, are you C.M.O. Ratchet?"

"That's me," Ratchet said as he walked to the kid and took the box. "Thank you, infant. I'll tell your commander what a champion you are, okay?"

He stared at Ratchet, then the leadership of their people scrambling to get their dignity back as the helm of a mech rolled around on the floor. He looked at Ratchet, then nodded.

"Who is your commander, infant?" Ratchet asked with a grin. This kid was adorable.

"Commander Derelict, sir," he said.

Ratchet paused a moment to connect to Derelict and compliment the slag out of the kid, then signed off. "Thank you. You can go back. Commander Derelict will be most pleased."

He nodded, stared at the now mostly composed group … minus Optimus who was still bent over laughing loudly, then left.

Ratchet watched him go then closed the door. Walking to the table, he set the box containing the helm of Overlord on the table. "Fraggers. What a bunch of babies you lot are."

"Frag **you** ," Prowl said as he pulled his tattered dignity together. He glanced at Prime. " **Really**?"

Optimus paused laughing long enough to stare at Prowl with a smirk, then he laughed again. It took a moment for him to pull himself together, then he picked up Black Shadow's helm. He stared at it, then Ratchet. "This feels too light to be real."

"It isn't," Ratchet said with a **DAZZLING** smile. "Real, that is."

It would take a moment for him to explain and as such he was immediately pummeled by everyone in the room **BUT** Prime . He glowered at all of them before turning to Optimus. "It was too much work to unscrew their helms so I had them scanned and printed. Not that baby stuff the humans have but the big steel printers at Fabrication. **BECAUSE I, RATCHET, AM NO BIG MINCING IDIOT!"** he said glaring at everyone in the room including a riotously laughing Sun and Jack.

"This is so much fun," Steiner said as he squeezed Lissie's hand.

She smiled up at him with an adoring expression. "It usually is, Stein."

"We have to tie one on," Sun said as he walked to the box to peer inside. "Who do you have … let's see ..." He pulled out a helm. It was Arachnid. Setting it down, he pulled out the helms of the Decepticon Justice Division, Kudon, Neo and Soundwave. The first two were from what Ratchet facetiously called "The Trans Dimensional Collection' while Soundwave was added for fun along with Sixshot and two other phase sixers that Ratchet had met himself once upon a time, Deathwish and Calamity.

They weren't dead but he knew that they weren't yet seen so … what the hell?

The last one was Shockwave. There was also an Insecticon mug to round out the collection. Lining them up, Sun grinned. "Nice collection."

"I'm having chess sets made for everyone next Christmas Surprise with them and a few others. I'm making Megatron the Queen, just so you know."

 **HUGE** laughter greeted that including a few more after a check of the databases, 'chess, noun'.

"I included a couple more phase sixers, two I know are still alive as of a bunch of time ago and Sixshot because he's such a bastard." Ratchet pulled out a bunch of stands, simple spikes on bases, then walked to a bookshelf nearby. "Let's clear this, then Maestro Ratchet the Great can make a display that will-"

A rap on the noggin shut that slag off as Prowl assumed command. "This is **my** domain, slagger. I'm arranging the shrunken head collection myself. We **do** want to create the **right** impression in this, a sacred space."

A hard punch to the gut took care of that impertinence to the delight of everyone there including Prime but Prowl prevailed. Soon, the most macabre row of slaggers that ever presented an ugly mug to The Messiah of The People singularly or in a group stared with dead optics from a bookshelf against the wall in the office of The Leader of The People.

"I'm sure glad those slaggers are off line now," Jack said as he squeezed his great nephew's broad shoulders. "We might have to divide them up otherwise and frankly, I don't like to share," he said to laughter long and loud.

"I see blowhard runs in your family," Prowl said to Hardie who was grinning at both his brothers.

"I won't disagree," Hardie said.

"Better not, Kid," Sun said. "What now, Optimus?" he asked to the mech who was composing himself after the 'design debate and fisticuffs' between Prowl and Ratchet.

"Well, I'm keeping them there from now on. Prowl will have to transfer all the stuff there to another place in the room. I defer to his superior decorating skills," Prime said with a grin to his bond.

" **I'll** do it," Ratchet said with a giant smile. "I work cheaper."

"At last, a public admission of a truth we all suspected," Prowl said with a smirk. "I don't think we need a display of your Precious Moments kitch here in this sacred space."

"Frag you, Granny," Ratchet said with a giant smile plastered on his face. "Maybe we can display a line up of your most Gothic moments as a child growing up. Milie showed me all your images in his albums. You were quite the little shit weren't you."

Prowl frowned. "He didn't. You lie."

Then Ratchet projected a line up of images of Prowl standing with his genitors in front of nearly every beautiful place in Iacon and Praxus. His genitors were smiling like you do in family vacation images. Prowl at various ages and sizes was standing between them scowling darkly, his wings drooping with infant angst. The only think missing was black eyeliner and lipstick.

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?"** Prowl said as his composure and smirkiness cracked off his face and fell to the ground like broken glass.

It would take a moment for things to settle again, especially Prime.

=0=The guests of honor

They reached the coordinates sent by Prime and when they did a massive bridge flared into life, opening a swirling porthole to who knew where. Ominous and Pleon flying the shuttle Prime ordered sped up and disappeared inside. When they did, the bridge winked out of existence.

Elsewhere, a shuttle entered a bridge and when it came out the other side Razorclaw flew into the midst of a large heavily armed battle group. Floating nearby, another shuttle, obviously Ominous was surrounded as well. The screen of their shuttle activated. A big mech, Flint of Iacon sat on the command chair. "You are both guests of the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and The Empire that encompasses not only established space but every sector in which you currently trespass.

"You are going to be bridged here, then we shall bridge to Cybertron. Come without arms. If you bring even the smallest arm you will be detained. Your return, if its allowed, will be up to Optimus Prime. If you wish to make some point by concealing a weapon on your person, those are the consequences. Violations will be your responsibility entirely. Prepare to be bridged." The screen went back to the view of space outside, an overpowering display of Prime's might.

A flash occurred behind both sets of mechs on the deck of their ships. A small bridge had appeared precisely beamed there, an impressive show all around. Glancing at each other as they removed their personal arsenals, both sets of mechs walked into them to disappear.

=0=Cybertron

They lounged around the office, some of them prying into the stuff that was artfully and tastefully displayed. Prime had his peds up on the desk watching them with amusement.

Jetta grinned at him as he sat on a couch with Elita and Arcee. Magnus stood at the window staring out as the others either sat or stood with him. "This is the life."

"It is," Optimus said with a grin.

Magnus turned toward Prime. "I just got a message from Flint. They have the four in custody and are bridging to the airfield in a shuttle. They will take the route planned to get here."

"Lucky Flint. I wish I was there to see their faces," Raptor said with a grin.

"He's filming it," Magnus said with satisfaction.

"This is going to be fun," Ratchet said as he lounged nearby. "Finally, they're the weak afts. Not us."

Everyone nodded.

"We got here just in time," Sun said as he glanced at Jack and Steiner.

"Slag right," Jack said with a grin.

=0=Landing at the airfield where the show was going madly

They climbed down from the shuttle with Flint and a heavily armed group of Wreckers. They'd been scanned and found to be in compliance. None of the four spoke to each other or him, merely nodding the recognition of their presence to each other.

Flint began to walk toward a big ground transport nearby which would have them walk past a building blocking the view of most of the airfield. When they did they would see a sight that hadn't even been available during the Golden Age. As far as the optic could see and they could see a long long way, the arsenal of Optimus Prime stretched wingtip to hull to cannon. Standing some distance away in a wash of lights assisting the ground crews with moving what appeared to be heavy crates, they could see Omega, Gamma and Xantium Supreme. What the four marauders didn't know was they had flown in to add spice to the picture being presented.

They did.

Entering the vehicle, they sat on both sides of the van on benches that were almost comfortable. The doors closed and they drove off. No one would say a word until they reached the Military Zone which encompassed not only more of the same kind of power displays but unimpeded views of the city and its resurrection. It would be a sobering sight for them to see.

It was intended that way.

=0=Here

"And that's when Orion dumped his debris chamber," Ratchet said with a big proud smile. He even batted his optical ridges.

Huge laughter greeted that.

"I want him. Send him over. He can sit in the corner at my house," Springer said as he sprawled on a chair near the big window overlooking the Primal Security District, that is, the area that encompassed the Residence which bordered onto the Central Security Zone fronted by The Citadel.

The former Primes were paranoid, the fraggers.

With reason it would appear …

"He's yours. But you have to take Praxus. They come as a set," Ratchet said knowing full well they would.

"Done deal," Drift said as Prowl rose to answer a call on the wall monitor nearby. Everyone paused to listen and watch.

Prowl took the message, then turned to the group. "They're in the zone. Expect them in a few moments. Does everyone understand their part?"

Everyone nodded, then began to stand and move to their areas as directed while others stepped outside to 'welcome' their 'guests' ...

=0=There

They pulled to the curb, then the door opened and everyone rose to step out. They weren't at The Citadel yet which sat in a reasonably clear area all around its massive self. They were several blocks away. Flint turned to them. "We're detouring around a massive power upgrade nearby. We have to walk the rest of the way. Stay together." With that terse commandment, Flint walked forward toward a big mass of lights that signified The Citadel.

The others began to follow surrounded as they were by armed soldiers. As they did they began to see what Prime wanted them to see … the resurrection of the city and the rise of his commanded power. The towers around them were brand new, filled with lights from those who lived there and other lights that allowed more illumination everywhere.

Masses of black spires in the distance, most with lights showing workers working and their efforts with the construction seemed to blackout the sky. More towers were rising, more homes and business spaces for the people who lived here. The glow of massive camps signifying perhaps millions living nearby gave a soft glow to the horizon as they shown their lights orn and night for those who lived here in perpetual darkness otherwise.

The streets were crowded with vehicles, some individuals heading this way and that, others loaded heavily with materials for construction. They passed work boss headquarters, businesses in buildings that seemed designed for that, kiosks with monitors for information at set intervals, traffic lights, the odd presence of policing forces, elders and families with children and not along with security everywhere. It was slagging impressive and even though they knew things were underway, seeing it was believing it.

Onward they went and as they did the presence of The Citadel began to make itself known. It was bigger and better, rebuilt from the husk that it was and on its peak was the infernal Autobrand defiantly showing itself against all odds. The space around it was filled with individuals, small runabouts landing and taking off as well as military and civilian transports. There were a lot of individuals here, all of them bearing Autobrands, all of them going purposefully about.

They walked across the open space, then entered the building. The soaring roof was there and so were all the offices, spaces and images that adorned the walls and stood on plinths, statues of Prima, Primus and others of the Pantheon. The symbol of The One, cupped servos with Cybertron in the middle was tastefully carved into the marble banisters that fronted the concourse for the stairs that went upward.

Rather than taking the elevators, Flint took the stairs and the others followed. They would be in Prime's office many floors overhead shortly.

Prime would be waiting.

So would his reception committee.

TBC 1-26-19 **edited 1-27-19**

plinth: platforms for statues. :D

DreamChaser99 chapter 537 . 16h ago

this is awesome! I know people whose last name is Steiner!

ME: For some reason, I just love that name. It popped in way back when all by itself. Sometimes names and events do that and I have learned to go with it. :D:D:D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 577 . Jan 24

I love how the Bots have discretion over the mercs. I love how they get razzed... Johnson especially is a sore spot for me. I think he should have been kicked off world when he broke the rules before. That's why I'm not Optimus. Lol! HUGS!

ME: I hear ya! Optimus is of the opinion that a chain snaps faster when there's a weak link. The bots can bat them around, raise the heat and watch the fall out. That's the plan anyway. :D:D:D HUGS!

Leoness chapter 576 . Jan 23

I can't wait till Springer and Drift get their Well sparkling(s). They are gonna be hilarious dads. (Plus i admit i want to see Well sparklings for the main group)

ME: That's the only way short of messing up that they would do it. I like their thinking about three at once. Guy logic. LOL! They're going to be awesome if somewhat unconventional dads. It's down the road. ;) HUGS!


	580. Chapter 580

The Diego Diaries: Face Time (dd6 581)

-0-Nearly there

They walked down the corridor that led to the inner sanctum, the Office of the Primes of Cybertron and Empire. Such was the name of the door all this time and such was the decision by Prowl to leave it, to remind everyone that this was that individual. Standing outside the door, a good half dozen mechs waited, their firm and menacing auras reaching them as they approached.

The welcoming committee was known to everyone as the four halted before them. Hard Drive stared at them coldly. "You are going to be speaking to the First Disciple of Primus. I expect you to understand what that means." With that, he turned toward the door, opened it and led them inside.

Razorclaw and his second, Poison, along with Ominous and his, Pleon walked through the group composed of Ironhide, Blackjack, Raptor, Steiner, Sun and Jack. Then entered the reception room where Prime's Cybertronian staff worked including his office manager, the redoubtable Shackle. That big mech stood behind his desk with a slight smirk knowing full well that they would know who he was.

Cold optics glanced his way as they reached the big double doors to Prime's huge office. They entered, all of them, then Shackle closed the doors. He walked to the rest of the group standing nearby to join them. It was very silent.

The rest of his crew, Ratchet and the others were sitting on the couches and chairs watching with a sense of amusement. Sitting at his giant desk, one that had served every prime but the first three, Optimus sat calmly watching them. Standing behind him with a look of great satisfaction on his handsome face, Prowl watched them as well.

Razorclaw grinned slightly, an action without mirth. "We're here, Prime. Nice show by the way."

Prime sat forward bracing his elbows on the desk. "We caught the message. A phase six mechanism is on his way."

"It's mighty neighborly of you to notice," Ominous said with a slight grin. "What's your proposition?"

"What proposition?" Prowl asked as he glanced at Prime, then the others. "Did you hear of a proposition?"

Everyone shook their helms. Prowl stared at them with a cold expression. "Maybe you can clarify your question."

Razorclaw stepped closer. "You called us here for a purpose. You could have left this to ride, waiting to see who walked out of this encounter and who doesn't. What is your proposition, Prime?"

"I do not like instability in my realm. You exist in my realm and I allow it. The moment it becomes problematic, you will be taken out. This new player is problematic. I intend for the threat to either be ended or turned back. It is obvious to anyone that he is coming for one or both of you. My guess is he takes you out first, Ominous, then goes for you, Razorclaw. Tell me where I am wrong."

It was silent a moment, then Razorclaw shrugged. "It seems reasonable. Take out the weak link first, then come for me. What makes you think I'm that easy to kill?"

"I have some experience with phase six mechanisms," Prime said as he sat back.

Prowl glanced toward the bookshelf. The four visitors glanced that way, then turned to look with barely concealed surprise. Lining three bookshelves, impaled on spiked stands, the mugs of a lot of deep deep trouble stared back at them with dead optics. It was very quiet in the room.

Ominous walked toward them taking in the sight as he looked closely at each. He turned toward Prime. "I'd heard that your track record is good. I wasn't aware that you were a head hunter given your reputation as an Autobot."

"That was then. This is now," Prime said coldly. "I have seen a lot and for our people and Cybertron, there is little I will not do to protect both."

Ominous nodded as he glanced at the heads. "Apparently," he said as he walked back to the three who were staring at the heads without comment. "What do you want, Prime?"

Prime sat back. "If you are going to be here, then you have to do so in a neutral manner. You cannot recruit to enlarge your forces and you cannot provoke anyone … neither us nor anyone else who inhabits this space. I am beginning to hear things that are troublesome at the very least."

The four stared at him, then Pleon stepped closer. "If he is on his way as suggested, then what do you desire to happen? I am asking in a hypothetical way."

Prime stared at a mech who he'd seen about, one who didn't show emotion and who was as smart and tactical as they came. "I would require your surrender ultimately."

Ominous grinned. "Ah, a wish list. Go on."

"Your helms on that wall would be nice as well," Raptor said as he smoldered nearby.

"I can't say I agree with that one but I can understand the sentiment," Razorclaw said as he glanced their way. "I wouldn't mind having your helm on my wall either." He looked at Prime. "What else is on your processor, Prime?"

"We are not going to allow him to enter this space. We are going to take him out. What I am going to require of you is that no more soldiers and groups are allowed to join you. I will **not** allow it. I am also investigating your behavior and actions beyond Eridani. We are getting word, Razorclaw, that you intend to hold hegemony there and I will not allow it."

"Then you're throwing down the gauntlet?" Razorclaw asked.

Prime nodded. "I am. We can do this now or we can co-exist in balance. Either way, I am satisfied. I am sure that you understand the depth of my bench."

They did, both groups but they would never say so. It was silent a moment, then Poison said, "I'm under the impression that you're going to eradicate Pulsar then."

Prime nodded. "I am able to hear and see throughout the areas that you occupy. I will know if you give him warning and the punishment will be swift and brutal. I will give you no other warning."

Razorclaw nodded then glanced around. "Very well. Message delivered."

Prime rose, towering over nearly all of them but Razorclaw and Ominous. "It had better be. I will obliterate you to your component particles before I will allow one more alien species or Cybertronian to suffer any more at your hands. If you remember nothing else, remember that. I am not the same Autobot you once knew."

They stared at him, then Ominous nodded. "Message received and understood. What now?"

"You ... leave," Prime said in a soft and immaculately cold voice.

Hardie stepped forward. "Take this group back," he said to the mechs standing behind him. "Get them off Cybertron as fast as you can."

Raptor stepped forward with a smirk. "Move it, slaggers, before we cut our losses and blast you to dust particles right here."

They smirked at Raptor, then without a glance backward walked to the door Shackle opened to file out. Ironhide, Blackjack, Sun, Jack, Steiner, Hercy and Kup followed Raptor out.

Shackle closed the door, then turned toward Prime. "That was everything I needed today," he said to great and amused laughter.

That sentiment would be echoed by everyone.

-0-Outside and on their way

They walked along the street away from the Plaza of the Citadel. The city was jamming with activity, individuals going here and there, many of them with great happiness as the whirl rang onward. The area was ablaze with lights from the massive camps nearby, finished towers of habitation, other buildings that were familiar and now restored as well as businesses that were tall, short, spires or round as well as long multi-level block length buildings twinkling with light and unknown for purpose. 

Overhead, ships flew, floating devices carrying heavy loads and workers passed over, some floating light towers that hovered like the drones they were illuminating the area and traffic that was like the olden orns showed the reclamation underway. It was a massive undertaking and another example of Prime's power and organizational abilities.

It was damned impressive and for a couple of them a spark tugging moment of homesickness. That passed as they reached the airfield where an almost catastrophic level of power was on display. Not even at the peak of the Golden Age was such military might gathered in one place. One could imagine this replicated all over Cybertron. All of it bore Autobrands and all of the players wore them as well.

Banners for the Primes, Iacon, the Autobots, other city-states and events could be seen on poles and hanging from the windows of apartment towers nearby. Cybertron was rising and flourishing, heading onward without them.

In spite of them.

They reached a block house near the airfield's command center, then entered it. Down they went to the bridge room where they halted. Raptor turned to them. "We're sending you back to your shuttles. When you get there you have free passage back to your holes in the ground for three joors. After that, we will kill you. Any questions?"

Razorclaw smirked slightly. "You assume we can get back in that time." 

"He can," Raptor said as he nodded to Ominous. "You have bridges. Three of them. Use them."

It was coldly silent a moment as each side glared at the others, then a bridge burst into sight. "You go first, Ominous," Raptor said. He watched Ominous and Pleon enter the bridge, then it shifted, settling on another destination as the controller glanced, then nodded to Raptor. "Get, Razorclaw," Raptor said darkly.

Razorclaw stepped up on the platform, then glanced at Raptor. "Some orn, you and me."

"Pencil me in," Raptor said. He unsubbed a cannon, then pointed it at both. "Now git," he said echoing the near fetish level of lurve that cowboy culture had among the senior Autobots.

He smirked then stepped into the bridge followed by Poison. It flashed, then shut down. Raptor stared at it, then the others. "I think its Miller Time, boys."

Huge laughter and agreement met that as they walked out to return to The Citadel.

They would have to settle for Cybertronian labels.

-0-A short time later

Prowl stared at the wall of fake helms as he sipped his Black Label. "Do you really intend to leave this ghoulish sideshow here?"

Prime who was sitting at his desk with his peds up, a cold one and a brownie in servo grinned. "I rather like it."

"Stay away from Ratchet," Prowl said as he turned to the group lounging around the room. "He's wearing off on you."

Ratchet grinned. "Slagger. You, Prowler, should be so lucky as well."

"Frag **that** ," Prowl said with no small satisfaction. His ada wasn't here.

"I suppose we have to design an overpowering and time ripping display of Primal might to take out this slagger once and for all," Sun said as he reached for another donut. "By the way, do you know about fudge? Infant showed us and it's addictive."

"I do," Prime said with a grin. "I have a great affinity for it myself. Cherries and nuts especially."

"Mech has good taste," Ironhide said with a grin as he winked at Prime. "Its rubbing off on him from me."

"That better be all that is," Prowl said as he sat down and propped up his peds.

Huge laughter.

"When do you want to meet to do this plan?" Hercy asked as he sat beside Kup eating a brownie.

"When we get back," Prime said. "We are tracking him and can intervene at any moment. I believe this will be a shooting war. Last time, we drove them off without a problem. This time, they have no where to go so they will in all likelihood shoot it out. I am going to require propaganda, Jazz, for their crews. We can see what and where that leads."

"To prison, surely," Turbine said.

"From your mouth to the audials of Primus," Ratchet said.

No one disagreed.

=0=TBC 1-29-19

zESL:

affinity: (uh-fin-it-eee) to have an affinity for something is to like it, feel a connection to it in a big way. Some people have an affinity to art and can paint and draw well.

It's Miller Time is a commercial slogan for Miller High Life beer. :D

 **TF NEWS:** Beyverse is dead. Bumblebee did so well that it's now a **reboot** of TF's going forward. They're working on BB2 which will also feature Optimus where they both save the world or something. But before that … there will be an animated film set on Cybertron. **HUZZAH!** It will be between BB1 and BB2 and will help hook both films and their plots together. Imagine the drawing now after all this time. **WHAT HO!** A Beast Wars is on hold, maybe its on or not but Optimal Prime is **AWESOME** in the preliminary art. They're also working on an Optimus Prime movie but its hard because he's 'poised/contained, calculated and a mech of few words.' I think that's Beyverse thoughts. They need to re-watch all the G1 and see what a sport and boy Optimus really is. By the way, its all going to be based on G1.

:D:D:D

You're welcome.


	581. Chapter 581

The Diego Diaries: Face Time (dd6 581)

=0=Getting organized for war

"What about the game tomorrow?" Arcee asked as they gathered in the sub command facility under Ops Center.

Prowl sat, then glanced at her. "We're tracking the fleet. Unless things change for whatever reason, they won't be in place for us to interdict for three orns. The game goes onward unless called."

"Good," she said with a grin.

They sat down and began to work out the plan.

=0=Autobot City Processor Hospital and Outpatient Facility, 'Main Street', Autobot City

Ratchet walked into the sun room where Waldeen sat staring at the whirl below. The newest construction driven by need had raised the three story building ten more. At the end of every floor from the fourth through the top was a sun room with chairs, entertainment diversion and clear views of The City down what was referred to as Main Street among the locals.

It was actually Metroplex Highway 1 that led broadly down to the Temple District and the junction at The Fortress before heading out of town. The library roof could be seen as well as apartments in the towers on both sides of the broad highway, Metroplex Mall and the main business district downtown. Pedestrians flooded the sidewalks, the traffic was brisk both civilian, military and commercial and the odd human could be seen putting around on Segway or truck heading who knew where. Signs and banners graced the street and Cybertronian lights regulated ebb and flow. It was a fascinating view and thus was part of a lot of patient's planning to come and sit here to see what the world offered.

Ratchet walked to the couch and sat down, patting Waldeen's arm. "Good morning, infant. How do you feel today?" Ratchet came every day, all things pending since that first visit when Waldeen referred to him as killed by the Pantheon. It helped. He hadn't repeated that remark since.

He glanced at Ratchet then took his servo. "The view is nice. I like being here."

"Some fine orn you'll be there, too. You'll be walking in the crowds and having a time," Ratchet said.

"I don't know. Maybe," he said.

"Have you gone to therapy?"

"I have."

"Does it help?" Ratchet asked.

"When Lady Sela is there. She doesn't lie," Waldeen said with a nod.

"No. She's pretty holy, that femme," Ratchet said. "How's your atar today? I heard you have breakfast with him now."

"He's better. He's on the fifth floor with Gravitas and Templar. They come twice an orn. They help him," Waldeen said.

"That's great," Ratchet replied. "What about your ada?"

"He comes twice an orn as well, to me and Atar. He doesn't think anything has changed," Waldeen said.

"How is your atar when Millow leaves?" Ratchet said.

"Confused. Upset," Waldeen replied.

"Oh," Ratchet mused. "Why don't we go find your atar? How about that?"

Waldeen glanced at him, then nodded. Rising, his servo gripping Ratchet's tightly, he walked with that mech to the elevator trailed by his nursing aide. They got off on a sunny floor with open doors. Some rooms were filled and others not. Mechs were probably at counseling or other group places. They entered the sun room, then grinned at the three mechs there.

"Hi," Ratchet said as he moved to a couch to sit with Waldeen. "You look well, Traachon."

He nodded to his son with a faint grin, then looked at Ratchet. "Thank you."

"These rooms are pretty wonderful," Ratchet said. "Look down there. A food truck."

They did, then glanced back to Ratchet. "Have you ever had a hot dog?" he asked with a big smile.

They stared at him, then shook their helms.

"Well, that won't do," Ratchet said. "Let's go down there and have a hot dog. Then we can come back and chat. Who's with me?"

Traachon and Waldeen stared at him, then Waldeen hesitantly stood. "I don't know what they are."

"Nectar from heaven," Ratchet said parsing his words to leave gods out. "The best thing ever."

Traachon slowly rose, then nodded. "Okay."

Gravitas and Templar rose, then slipped their arms through Traachon's. "I love them. I like the ones they call reindeer hot dogs. Very spicy and delightful," Templar said in his kind way.

Gravitas nodded. "I eat them on many occasions, mostly before going on rounds. You will like them, Traachon. If both of you like them, we can bring you one when we come. Would you like that?" Gravitas said kindly as they walked out trailed by two orderlies who would have to come along.

"I … that would be very good of you, Gravitas," Traachon said as the elevator doors closed on the group.

Down on the ground …

They walked out and paused in front of the doors to get a bead on things. It was very brightly sunny but still cold. No one was bothered but it was incongruous. Pedestrians vied with vehicles for most colorful representation as Ratchet turned to the group. "Let's cross at the junction, then load up. Lunch is on me," he said with a gigantic smile.

Most of them laughed minus two, one of which grinned slightly, Traachon, then they ambled onward. Ratchet kept up a running commentary as they reached the junction, crossed, then continued down the sidewalk on that side. They reached the food truck and joined the line. Ratchet explained their choices, they all chose, then he gave the order.

Ratchet grinned at the two solemn figures with him. "I love hot dogs. Any food that you can eat to the last bite without washing dishes is my kind of eats," he said as the order arrived at the pick up window. They took theirs then stepped to one side gathering before the window of Needlenose's store, Grand Design. Ratchet grinned, then took a bite. Chewing it, he savored it then grinned again. "You can try it. I think you might like it."

Waldeen looked at his then took a bite. He savored it as he glanced around, then looked at Ratchet. "This is good. I like it."

"Good. We can have street food as a goal. There are street food set ups everywhere. When we get done with this I'll show you the wonders of sundaes."

They ate together, the two more relaxed than seen before as they ate and looked around themselves. Lots of individuals passed by, some waving and nodding before disappearing elsewhere. Both mechs watched, both seemed to be enjoying this change of pace as the whirl included them.

Ratchet finished, then grinned. "Let me get the sundaes. Its probably new food to you both."

They nodded, then watched as he joined the line, gave his order in time, then waited at the pick up station of the truck.

"He does things. He knows what to do," Waldeen said as he glanced at the two priests and his father. "Ratchet will help us. He said he would."

Gravitas nodded. "He helped me. I was so lost and sad. Then this place gave me back my spark. I could never live anywhere else any other way."

Templar nodded. "We found purpose. We began to dig the Temple out with our bare servos. We were so desperate to help. It was a very emotional moment but we needed it. It's how it is for you. You will find your way and we will help you. Then you will find your true calling, one that honors everyone as well as you. This place is a place of miracles."

Traachon finished his hot dog, then looked at the two. "I would like to find … something. I think I'm lost in the dark. My son is my blessing, I know. I don't know how to help him."

"We can do that. Ratchet will help. He's never given up on anyone. He loves that way," Gravitas said. "Just know you are desperately loved by those you may not even know. It is the only way we can all be happy, do you see?"

"I'm trying. It feels … arid inside," Traachon said with a sigh.

"We will help both of you," Templar said as Ratchet came with a tray of sundaes.

"Here you go," he said as he passed them out. They began to eat a moment, then Waldeen turned to him. "This is good," he said.

"It's a new therapy I just made up," Ratchet said with a huge smile. They would chat for a while, then walk back slowly, savoring the sights and sounds before entering again. It would be a good interlude for two lost sparks.

Later …

Ratchet stood at the desk talking to the therapists that handled the two. They were filling him in on their progress.

"Doctor, we're finding that when Millow, the bond leaves that Traachon his adversely affected by the visit. It would appear that he's working against the treatment we're giving, causing upset and confusion. I'm of the opinion that he's going to either slow down or break up Traachon's recovery. Right now, he discusses this situation in counseling, something its taken all this time to accomplish. When Millow goes we have to start all over again."

Ratchet nodded. "I'll get with Rung and Jarro about this. Give me a moment," he said as he went off line. There was a conference, then a decision was made. "Put Millow on the forbidden list for visits. We're going to handle this. If he shows up and there's a problem, call me. I'll be right over."

The doctors nodded, they talked longer, then Ratchet left.

=0=School, The Monastery of the Clavis Aurea

They worked through their problems then sat quietly as their teachers, all of them Guiding Hand volunteers working here with counselors, child specialists and child trauma experts got their 'fun time' activity together. They were going to make, bake and frost cookies.

The school was a cozy place designed to be happy and welcoming. There was the classroom part, the play part, the cooking center and an art room. It was big, well lit with sunlight from the big windows and calm. All of the children were students here along with a few from their host families to give them comfort.

Their genitors were given leave to take this on full time and they worked here, did recess duties as well as served the big home made lunch brought here from The Catering Place designed to teach them of more complex food with texture and design. None of them had ever had pizza, hot dogs or other 'fun food' that the colony doted upon.

Now they did. Also spaghetti, pancakes, eggs with cheese, scones with clotted cream and jam, all manner of finger foods such as the ubiquitous nuggets that probably existed on all planets in all galaxies and desserts like brownies, cookies, cakes and ice cream. The plethora of Cybertronian food was also served on alternating orns to increase the palate of the children from a life time of the most simple and dreary liquid form of energon.

Lunch was getting to be anticipated by some of them and they would hopefully help the others to unbend.

Mr. Bodie looked at the kids. "We're going to get messy. We're going to mold clay, then paint it with our servos. It doesn't have to resemble anything or it can. Its up to you."

The kids stared at him, then each other. It would take a bit of explaining and demonstrating before they got it. Then they would do it and some of them would like it. Some of them would give the tiniest and smallest grin they felt they could as they squeezed the soft silken clay-like material with their digits.

It was a start.

=0=Around the town

The new kids as they were called by locals stood on the corner watching the traffic. They were in City 4 of Crater District 1 and it was nearing noon. Lunch was on the agenda of the kids who hadn't organized their lives yet. They had a few more orns but after that they would register on the database prompting Refugee counselors with security to track them down to see what was up.

Glancing around, they walked across the street at the lights to go to The Diner On The Corner which had just opened here. Entering, they took a booth near the back to watch the door. They'd been beefing with gangs who were here already, only one of which was high caste. They'd talked to them but decided against merging. Their own gang was old and venerated wherever they went, if veneration meant feared and opposed. Given they were high caste, either was of no consequence to them.

A gang fight here had killed a kid and wounded three others grievously. All through their own travails they'd never had to fight another group. Here, there were about five or six gangs or so others said and the Watch had an officer just to track them. He was good, they said, someone named Hauser and you better avoid him, they said.

They would. They had things to do and no one wanted to go to jail, even here. Especially here. Besides, they were going to the basketball game the next orn and nothing could get in the middle of that. They all found they loved basketball.

Kaon v Iacon.

Just their sort of evening.

They ate their food, laughed and told jokes, then walked out to look around, mostly to find and identify the competition.

=0=TBC 1-30-19

ESL:

Incongruous: (in-cun-groo-us) Something that somehow doesn't fit. A duck in a flock of chickens is incongruous. A flying saucer waiting at a traffic light would be incongruous. :D Or not. ;)


	582. Chapter 582

The Diego Diaries: Face Off (dd6 582)

=0=Later that day

Ratchet rose, then handed Docker back the data pad that she had given him for Corr. On it were all their data details, clubs and when to go, what was needed at the grocery, Corr's records for the doctors he saw, their counseling dates and other events including a long list for the children. They were very hands on grand genitors. "You look fine, Amma," he said.

Corr smiled up at him from his chair. "You worry too much, Sonny. I'm doing fine. Doctor Medley and Counselor Min-D say so."

"True, that, but my job is to make sure that all is well," Ratchet said as he subbed his gear. "What's the story for the game tomorrow?"

Corr glanced at Docker. "Docker is our guide. You'll have to ask her."

Docker grinned at him, then glanced upward at Ratchet. "We have our session, then we go to the club for lunch. We will be out of school four more orns before the new session starts again. Then the regular schedule begins. Right now, we're just lightly penciled in. We can help with dinner. I suppose that Ironhide and his elders are going to the arena early for whatever athletes do before sporting."

Ratchet grinned. "I can think of a lot of things to say about Ironhide but athlete doesn't come easily to mind."

"He's a tough one, Sonny, Our Ironhide. He's going to show Kaon a good hard time," Appa Ratchet said. "This is going to be a very hard time for all of us because all of our boys and girls are on both teams."

"I know," Ratchet said as he watched Docker and Chan organize their evening 'tea' and dessert. "What are you eating tonight?"

"Some nice tea from the Stanix region, their mixture and a plateful of big fudgy brownies with nuts and cherries. I do love some of the human's food. Did you know that I had some Stollen at the club two orns ago? What a delight that is. That and some cookies that are recipes from the Middle East." She looked up at Ratchet. "Where is the Middle East?"

"I would have to look it up but I hear they make great cookies," Ratchet said with a grin.

Docker smiled at him, then hugged him tightly. "All is well here, Sonny. Don't worry about us."

"I do but its a nice worry," Ratchet said as he kissed all of them on the helm. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't stay up too late."

"We won't," they all replied as Ratchet slipped out to go home. Evening would be wonderful with something delicious and a couple of good books apiece. They wouldn't stay up too long.

Mostly.

=0=Next door

" **ADA!** Lou goed to the shes?"

Ratchet grinned. "I did. All the shes say hi."

Orion grinned. "Love the shes. Good them, shes."

"So what's next?" Ratchet asked as he sat cross legged on the floor in Hero's room playing cards with the shorties.

"I think its your turn, Praxus," Hero said as she sat on a tiny chair with her name on it. Next to her also on a tiny chair with her name and two cards to everyone elses half a dozen, Halo smiled. She was playing, too.

Whatever it was.

No one really knew. Orion was directing the game which made zero sense as Cousin sat beside Prowler. He was perched on a tiny chair as well holding three cards and his favorite dollie. He petted Cousin more than he paid attention.

A little table was in the middle of the group, one that held a number of the cards. Orion put some on, then handed some out to the punters as he randomly called upon them without a logical explanation. He was running a game in his little head and the others were along for the ride.

"Lou, Ha-Ho. Lou doing," Orion said. "Pax comed after she."

Praxus smiled. "Okay," he said sweetly.

Halo looked at him, then Orion, then glanced at Hero who smiled and nodded. She stood and walked to the table. She looked at the cards there, then put one of hers down.

Orion smiled brilliantly. **"GOOD LOU, HA-HO!** **L** **OU DOIN' GOOD, SHE! SEE!? SHE DOING!"**

Everyone leaned forward to look at her doin', then waited for Orion to decide what odd ball thing he would do because she did. He gave her two cards from one of the seven or eight stacks on the table, then grinned at her. Patting her shoulder, he nodded. "You good she, Ha-Ho. You good doin'. Go to there now," he said as he gently turned her, then walked her to her seat.

She sat, smiled at Hero over her cards, received a **DELIGHTED** smile from Hero in return, then everyone looked at Orion again.

Orion smiled. " **GOOD SHES**! Now, Ada … lou comed to doin'."

Ratchet stared at his four cards and grinned. He had no idea how to 'doin'' but he was damned if they would know. He mused through his cards to figure out what to give, then handed over a duck card.

Orion stared at it, then smiled at Ratchet. " **QUACK!** " he said as everyone in the game fell apart with wild laughter.

It was the best game in town.

Nearby …

"Then we have to go to our ships for the defragging run. Our teachers have given us our assignments but it means that we can't go on the field hike at the Valles in two orns," Genesis said with a slight downturn in his voice.

"How long with the defragging take? Since when does defragging systems require this much attention from you? Can't you do that long distance?" Ironhide asked as he sat in the big kids' lounge teaching them how to cheat at poker.

"We have to reconcile a bunch of stuff and they need us to help assimilate new programming. Sciences is working out how to extend our sensor ranges interlocked nearly to Razorclaw's forward outposts," Fireball said. He anted up, three Oreo cookies, then sat back to study his cards. "I hate missing school."

"You're in the army, infant. Sometimes you gotta do the hard stuff. I'll bring you some donuts. That's **mech** food," Ironhide said with a grin. He anted up as well along with the others. He studied his cards after everyone called, then lay them down. "I have a pair. **HA! I, IRONHIDE WIN THE COOKIES!** Or as I see them now **, COINS OF POWER!"**

The big kids grinned at him, then laughed. "Coins of Power. I **love** that," Fireball said with a chuckle. "But I don't know. Does your hand beat mine?" he asked showing his cards.

It did. Ironhide smirked. "Yup."

"And mine?" Quadrus asked.

"Yup again," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "I'm going to magnanimous and share them with you infants because you're still learning."

"What about mine, Atar?" Genesis asked as he showed his cards.

Ironhide halted his moves to rake in the booty to check the cards, then frowned. They did.

Beat his.

Like a drum.

Three aces beat just about everything and as he looked at them he considered lying. Then he grinned. Pushing the pot minus four cookies toward Genesis, he sat back to eat the four. "You win but this is my consulting fee."

They laughed long and loud, then Fireball rose to get more cookies. At the rate fees were going they would need them.

Also nearby …

He worked through his story getting it just so before he finished. All of his homework was done so he put it into his bag with little patches that trumpeted his love of Kaon's Kavaliers and Kowboys, Iacon's Invaders and last but not least, both teams from Vos. He was nothing if not a home boy …

"Ada?"

"What, Sunbeam?"

"Would you and Atar be mad if I rooted for Vos?"

"No. Why would you think so?"

"We root for Iacon and Praxus."

"We do, Sunny, but you're a Seeker and Vos is your homeland. Root away. We can get another patch for them and any gear you want."

"Can we go to the Vos games, too, Ada?"

"I think its required, Sunny Bunny."

A huge smile greeted that.

He gathered his gear, then walked out of his room to the door where he hung it all on the hook that had his smiling little picture and name attached. Petting Spot, he walked down the way to the big boy's lounge where he would see them whip his atar's aft from Ironhide's lap where he sat holding two cookies … one for him and one for Spot.

It would be a glorious evening in the apartment.

=0=Aerie Hill

"When we get ready to do this I will go with Thundercracker. We're going to direct the air wing through this battle from Salton Sea," Starscream said as he sat on a couch with a drink. The children were just put to bed and now was their time to talk and hang out. The lighting was low and soft music played in the elegant and sophisticated apartment they shared as a trine.

It would have surprised most to see that the three of them had rather elegant tastes, their apartment designed by them with added touches for little children. It had art and elegant fixtures, something that even Megatron wouldn't expect.

Sky Warp walked out of the corridor that led to the rest of the apartment. "They're all in bed, the slaggers. No more treats that require that much washing before bed."

Thundercracker who was lounging on a couch designed for Seekers smirked. "Wuss."

"Frag you, Thundercracker," Sky Warp said as he flopped down in a chair by the big windows.

Outside, the evening was well on its way. Lights from apartments that rose in curved crescent towers on terraces up the far side of the escarpment that made up Aerie Hill were ablaze. They would see them rose up in the slopes hugging the curves in a display of beauty that was never theirs before. Traffic on the streets could be seen from their apartment on the tenth floor of their long curving building, their lights snaking along on the highway below. The odd Seeker came in to transform in the air and land on their balcony or to leap off, transform and fly away.

It was beautiful, brilliantly designed everywhere and

showed a side of Seekerkin that most never saw. It showed their tight knit family life, love of beautiful architecture and respect for the land their homes were built upon. Aerie Hill had everything any other city had, businesses, private and public schools, all manner of amenities and most of all, it had The Flying People as they were called on Cybertron once upon a time.

This was the biggest enclave of Seekers in the Universe and the size of it was ever growing, moving out past the original footprint to wind into the wide gashed crevices beyond. Up their sides following the curve of the land, the newest construction went. Streets and roads went everywhere and the metro was going to put two more stations here, one to use now in the newest finished construction and one further out where the newer portion of their district would eventually reach.

This was a beautiful place designed and constructed by Seekers. It was everything that Starscream wanted. Megatron would make a very big mistake to ever come here.

"We have to go tomorrow to Sparkling Day. Pip is getting an award for being an 'excellent classroom helper' from his teachers. Apparently, they look for someone to honor as often as they can. Pip has been an art helper. He decided himself to do it or so they told me," Sky Warp said with a grin.

Starscream smiled with evident pride. "Is that so? Then we must. What an honor to be an 'excellent' helper, our little Pip. So many talents so young. Perhaps the Great Elder can come along as well."

Thundercracker grinned at Starscream as he nodded. Who would have ever thought in their wildest dreams?

=0=Up there in the exalted strata with The Most High (Truly)

"Your ada is going to be coming then to help out there," Prowl said as he sat beside Prime with his organizational data pad. "Then Blue is going to take over. I don't want Kes to do too much. He always does."

Prime nodded with a grin. He sat on the couch with his arm around Prowl as they troubleshot the upcoming mission and the basketball game the next orn. The kids were in bed after a lot of hide and seek. Now it was their time. Typical Prowl to bring a data pad with him. Prime took it from him and set it on the end table next to the couch were they sat together. "Enough of that."

Prowl smirked. "You don't seem too worried."

"I hide it well," Prime said as he kissed Prowl. "Who are you rooting for in the game tomorrow?"

"You have to **ask**?" Prowl replied.

"A better question might be 'what will Ratchet wear tomorrow for team spirit'?" Prime asked.

Prowl frowned. "I'll punch his lights out."

Prime grinned. "You will never get off the half time highlights reel that way."

"Some things are ordained," Prowl said, then he didn't say anything again for a while.

=0=Downstairs where the other half lived …

Ratchet checked his bag in the closet as Ironhide put the kids in their berths. All of his new gear was there, all of it but the tambourine from the first game.

He really missed his tambourine.

He grinned. / … this other slag will be down payment on the loss .../ Then he closed the closet door with a grin.

=0=TBC 1-31-19

If you live in the polar vortex, I am praying for you. I remember a year when it got to -20 at the first of December and didn't change until nearly the end of January. Do not take chances. Don't breathe deeply outside. Cover your face and if you feel pain that tingles you are on your way to frost bite. I get some on the part of my lower leg that was not covered by socks or pants and it **HURTS**. A long time. Do be careful. I hear its breaking soon. **HUGS** to all in the world tonight. Remember how much you are loved. -Me


	583. Chapter 583

The Diego Diaries: Face Time (dd6 583)

=0=Later that afternoon

"Are you going now?" Ratchet asked as the last adult left with the last child. He closed the door, then turned to Ironhide.

"I have to. I'm going to be late." Ironhide walked to the door after patting Ratchet on the aft. He grinned, then left. Once again, Ratchet was alone.

But for Robby the Bruce.

And Cousin. He was there.

"Frag," Ratchet said. He smiled. "Better get my kit and get going." He walked to his berth room closet, retrieved his bag, then put the pieces of his 'Cheer Gear' into his carry hold. With a grin, a wistful thought about his missing tambourine and a determined set to his shoulders, he marched for the door and left.

=0=At the game

They walked into their locker room gathering to chat and get psyched for the game. It would be Kaon and a family 'shoot out' as the humans were calling it on Earth. The interest in the game was **HUGE** there anyway and having it be a family affair made it more so. There was still a disbelief that a head of state such as Optimus would put himself into the spotlight in a game like this where he could get his clock cleaned in front of billions. But there was also a ton of respect given that he would.

The humans still didn't really get the Cybertronians.

Or Optimus, at least.

They sat and talked strategy, those who would rotate in and out given the defense would be handling the twins most of the night. The others were good but the twins were fast and had their personal team work figured out. They would be the focus.

The two of them and everyone else.

It would be calm and amusing in the Iacon locker room as they waited for the game to start.

=0=Kaon Kowboys

They gathered as well, confident and tense. The game last time was a breeze. They'd won and were among the three teams that were one and zero for scores. They were going to notch another win, they planned, slagging it out with the old folks. Hopefully, youth and ability would triumph over old age and treachery.

So they hoped.

It would be tense and mostly quiet in the Kaon locker room as they waited for the game to start.

=0=Fans, Fam and Futility

They fogged in, tens of thousands of individuals. Three games would be played today in a staggered schedule so that none of them would be playing at the same time. One ended and the next begun. If you were fleet of peds you could see three of them in one orn and all would be well.

Maybe.

As it was, the fans of Iacon and Kaon, the twins and Prime walked through the turnstiles to reach the big double doors standing wide open for them. They entered, then began to fill the seats first come, first served. It would take a long time to fill the arena inside. One hundred thousand individuals would take a while to come inside. When they reached maximum, the turnstiles would lock and security would help the slowpokes come to terms with their disappointment. It would help that massive screens set up inside the concourse would play the game for the punters who would console themselves with fan food and cold beer.

All was actually very well.

=0=Sports Center, IntraCom-MCA Download Central in New York City, NY

"Good evening. I'm Dan Patrick and this is Evan Tyler, my partner in crime tonight for the Iacon versus Kaon match up at The Sports Arena in Retriarius on Mars." He glanced at Tyler. "I doubt you ever thought you'd say that before now?"

Tyler laughed. "No. I'm thrilled to be here to help with the broadcast. Cybertronian basketball is a great game, a lot more physical than our own. When I played, half the stuff they do would get me ejected if I tried it. I have to say this game is fun, fast and furious."

"It is. I'd love to be there to broadcast the games and its being discussed with the Prime's government. I think this doesn't quite reach the pinnacle for the home viewer unless you're there. Jazz and Blaster are going to link up shortly and we can get the down low on how this game might play out," Patrick said. "From what I've heard everyone is fit and healthy. This one is also going to be a family affair."

"Apparently it is," Tyler replied as he checked his notes. "I drew a diagram for this to get it all straight. The Kaon team is mostly the team from football and the twins, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are the sons-in-law of Optimus Prime. They're also sons of Iacon's defensive player, Ironhide of Praxus. They're also brothers of Chromia, Arcee and Elita who play for Iacon. They're grand, great and great great grandsons of Blackjack, Raptor and Hard Drive who also play for Iacon."

Patrick laughed. "Imagine playing professional league basketball with your great great grandfather."

Tyler laughed, then looked off stage. A voice spoke, then he looked at Patrick. "Jazz and Blaster are cutting in now."

The screen divided and on half of it were the smiling faces of Blaster, 'The Voice' and Jazz.

"Well, hello, boys," Jazz said with a chuckle. "Mighty fine of you to tune in again."

"We were waiting for both of you. Is Revet there?" Patrick asked two of the three bots that he knew and liked the best.

"He's here," Blaster said as he glanced over his shoulder. "Say hi, Revet."

A voice off screen replied. "Hi, Revet."

"Literal dude, Our Revet. Well, are you ready for some basketball?" Jazz asked with a grin.

"We are. We would love a review of what you quaintly call The Rules first, though. Our email inboxes are bending from the weight of that request from viewers," Patrick replied.

"Well, you're slow learners, then," Jazz asked with a smirk. "First rule of basketball, don't cock your arm to deliver a blow. Its a foul. Fights are allowed if they come up and no arm cocking is seen. Fights are part of all our games. They came up from the mean streets and even if they were refined a bit during the orn, they're played here like it was the olden days back in the neighborhood.

"Secondly, you can't travel. That's a rule for you as well. You bounce the ball when you move or you get a foul. Running with the ball is out. You can shoot from anywhere. The goalie is there to prevent that, otherwise its too easy to score and where's the fun in that?"

"Nowhere," Blaster replied with a grin. "Team work is encouraged and some of them have skills. Vos is very fast and tight. Polyhex is aggressive. They fight a lot. They're good at it as well because they have less penalties even though they have the most fights than anyone else."

"That's true," Jazz agreed. "Scores count 5 points, penalties can range up to whatever the ref decides. You have to throw the ball in from the sides when it goes out, the end zone when someone scores and you can't stuff the basket. It's fifty feet off the ground. There's other rules if you wanna call them that but I can't remember. They might be writing the book as its played."

"What's your take on the match ups tonight? Family members are facing off together," Tyler asked.

"Well, Prime was the mover and shaker to get this game going and I put a lot of store in his ability to do this. His team is made up of a lot of individuals who grew up with him and were on his teams since then. That's a lot of precision together and you can't discount all the years in the army together. They're friends and that means they don't have to say much to know what to do.

"The twins don't like to lose and they're linked mentally as twins. They're going to be slagging hard to stop because they play with the metal to the pedal. I would be hard pressed to say who will win tonight but I know its going to be a furiously fought encounter with family ties meaning nothing during the game."

Blaster nodded. "I agree."

So did Prowl who was at home watching the pre-game interviews on the monitor as he got Possibility ready to go into his travel carrier. The others had already left with family to go to the Primal Box to wait for the game. He'd finished up some urgent messaging, linked in to what he needed to, then gathered his son.

He grinned at the baby. "Wait until you can watch the games. Your atar is amazing." He picked up the basket and walked out heading for the cab he called to drop them at the door of the arena. It would be a while in traffic before they got there.

Inside, Ratchet had arrived and joined the punters in the box. Everyone was there and around the arena songs were being sung, sports gear was being waved and everyone was ready to rumble. The titanic kids were there, all of them, but they would have to head out afterward to go to the DMZ to help with upgrades on their station modes.

"Who are you rooting for, Ada?" Quasar asked as he leaned down toward Ratchet.

"Iacon. **IACON! IACON! IACON!** " he yelled to the delight of those around him. A camera was turned to fix upon him for the duration of the game.

Jazz was nobody's fool. Prowl would be on his way. Then the fun would begin. The fighting in the stands was part of the event, especially for Iacon, Vos, Kaon and Polyhex as well as a major attraction for human viewers it was turning out.

The crowd was getting antsy as Prowl finally walked down the aisle to join them. He set the baby down, then glanced around. "I see your insanity is under control so far."

"Oh, ye of little faith," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "What have you bet on for this game? Anything?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Prowl said with a cool optic. "What's this I hear about Johnson challenging you to a fight in pretender format?"

"Who, little old me?" Ratchet asked with a giant smile and much coquettish fluttering of his optical ridges.

"Yes," Prowl said as he glanced around. "You're the only loon I can see in these parts."

Ratchet grinned. "I'm thinking of getting it in on my lunch hour. Come with."

"I think not. Optimus might need additional judges for the drum head," Prowl replied.

"In your dreams," Ratchet said with a snicker. "What will you tell your admirers on Earth about which team to root for?"

"The same thing I did last game. Nothing," Prowl said as he pulled out his data pad where he worked out the physics of helping Iacon win the games. Yes, he was a twit.

Ratchet glanced at the data pad covered with short hand, mathematics, sliding scales and pictures of crow bars. He grinned, then glanced around the vast arena. Everyone was just about here. It would begin in seconds. He grinned again at that thought.

=0=Jazz etcetera

"The producer is signaling the game is going to begin. We'll sign off for now and see ya at the end," Jazz said as the feed cut to the game.

Down below their perch in the arena, the first team walked in. Kaon came in with flags and players, their aspect confident and strong. They halted, did their kata of defiance to the world, then waited for Iacon.

That team followed nearly bringing down the house as Prime led them in. They walked to their side, planted the banner, then roared their own defiance back. After that was accomplished, the anthems and Prime salute played, the entire arena standing to sing. When that was accomplished, the teams turned to their benches as the referees walked out to do the honors.

While that happened, Ratchet pulled out his items and began to put them on. Prowl who was looking the other way didn't see a thing. A camera trained on both of them was taking care of that for him.

=0=TBC 2-1-19 **edited 2-16-19**

NOTES: (Notes from readers tomorrow) :D

A graphic novel of Blaster had him a broadcaster before the war and when it started, he broadcast encouragement and news to the troops wherever they were. They were comforted and morale was high because 'The Voice' was out there. It was a big deal during the war that he did this. The novel is about his exploits and that concept about him. I love Blaster. I love his little bent horns. :D

ESL:

drum head: a field courts martial trial usually conducted with a drum being the judge's bench. Consequently, a drum head hearing or trial is one conducted on the spot. Its a military thing from the 16-17-1800's when they still took little drummer and flag boys onto the field of battle, the asses.


	584. Chapter 584

The Diego Diaries: Face Off Time (dd6 584)

=0=Arena Time

Prowl stared at the data pad holding everything known to man about basketball, everything known to Cybertronians and if truth be told, everything known by anyone anywhere about putting a ball through a hoop and considered the umpteen things that he would be advising Prime to do or not during the game through their internal communications link up. He had told Optimus the night before …

"I've digested every basketball manual, book, game, analysis, bar bet and horoscope produced by the human race about this game, synthesized all of that with our own format and because of that, I'm going to be feeding you data during the game. I've analyzed the games all the teams played last time and I believe that my intel will be invaluable to you to beat Kaon," he had said as they lay in the darkness of their berth room. A bunch of fun had traversed prior to this dissertation though athletes on Earth will tell you that to do so the night before dulls their game.

Optimus wouldn't be among them.

Optimus, however, **did** grin as he listened to Prowl wage his battles for him. It was hilarious when something mundane got hold of Prowl and wouldn't let go. He was as all business about this as he was about the mission upcoming. He held back his snickers as Prowl outlined what he decided were weaknesses and foibles that could be exploited by his team against that of the twins.

"So, you think that would be wise?" Prime asked as Prowl outlined a much too complex but theoretically feasible game plan for the Invaders.

"I've analyzed it, run simulations and find it a solid 96.7% probability of success. Mind you … that's still a few degrees below my minimal operational standard but doable," Prowl said with all the seriousness in the world.

Any world.

"Then who am I to argue?" Optimus had said.

Prowl snickered. **"WHEN DID YOU *NOT** ***** **!?"** he asked. Then he said nothing more for a while …

Meanwhile, back at the game …

Ratchet with a giant smile on his face began to put on the apparel items that he had picked out that would in his opinion embarrass Prowl the most. It didn't take much time to put on the two garments, then pull out the colorfully painted maracas. He turned to the cameras, smiled brilliantly, waved a little wave, then shook his maracas.

The crowd erupted in laughter and applause as the jumbo monitors hanging over the court showed him in all his glory. He wore a giant sombrero, a colorful poncho that hung to his knees and as he shook the maracas he began to rumba. Shaking his maracas and his aft, Ratchet, the Secretary of State and Ambassador Plenipotentiary for the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and Empire began to rumba in a slow turning circle.

Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha- **CHA**! Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha- **CHA**!

He shook the maracas in time to a rumba beat and he danced in the Primal Box and into the living rooms and bars of about 22 planets scattered all over the hell and gone, not counting maniacs in the system.

Ironhide glanced up at the racket, then gave a belly laugh as he watched Ratchet shake, rattle and rumba in the box. Everyone in the arena then watched the screen as Prowl slowly caught on that something was going on. He glanced at the monitor, froze in startled amazement, then gripped the wall in front of him as he gaped at the images on it.

Glancing at Ratchet who was shaking his maracas beside him, he turned toward the big mech. Ratchet was lost in his own song and dance, ignoring Prowl as he rumba-bumba'd to his own drummer. Prowl glanced at the monitor, Ratchet, the teams on the floor howling with laughter, Ratchet, the maracas, Kes/Tagg/Everyone in the family and the older kids not playing ball/the extended family that included the three little bots and their adult family and a few hangers on, Optimus who was howling with laughter … then he grabbed a maraca away from Ratchet.

Ratchet halted, stared at his empty hand, booped Prowl on the helm with the maraca he still had, then began again.

Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha- **CHA!** Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha- **CHA!**

That was when Prowl leaped on him and they went down disappearing from sight behind the wall of the seating area of the Primal Box.

The crowd lost its shit.

=0=Earth 1

" **Oh my god. I HAVE TO GO TO THESE GAMES!"** -everyone there

=0=Earth2

" **OH MY GOD! I HAVE TO GO TO THESE GAMES!"** -everyone there

=0=Unidad Terra 1

"I don't know. I think those two are amazing," Harley Epps said as he sat on the couch with Merlie watching the show. Everyone of their family was there with snacks and beer. Joining them was everyone else who could fit into the room.

"Ratchet is a very funny boy. I imagine his ada and his grannies enjoy him every bit as much as I do mine," Merlie said with a big grin. "I think he's very funny and good company. Who knew that someone that important in their own government could be so much fun?"

"I'm not sure Prowl agrees, Mama," Tennessee said with a chuckle. "But the next time that Ratchet and Prowl go pub crawling, I'm going."

Everyone in the room agreed.

=0=Family Tower with the N.E.S.T group that didn't go

"I love this place."

"I know. I'm going to hump my ass to keep my place on the team."

"I know."

"I want to go on missions with Ratchet."

"I know."

=0=Arena

They wrestled on the ground, then Prowl stood with the sombrero. He looked at the howling crowd, then frisbeed it over the side. It flew out, the crowd roared as they fought for it, then it landed on the floor at Ironhide's feet. He picked it up and put it on drawing a roar again.

Prowl frowned at Ironhide as Ratchet gripped the wall to pull himself upward. He turned on Prowl, frowned, then hit him on the helm with a maracas. Prowl grabbed it, got kaboomed with the other, then down they went again. The roar was ungodly.

All of it was captured on the monitor and went to Earth down the M.C.A. …

=0=Dan Patrick and Company

"God almighty. This is beyond the beyond. I want to do this from there next time," Patrick said.

Tyler was laughing too loudly to comment back.

=0=Arena

Prowl stood up again with both maracas, then stowed them in his subspace. Glaring at Ratchet who staggered back up, he yanked Ratchet's poncho off, then tossed it toward the punters below. A scramble for it resulted in a little amma with a big fist getting it. She smiled up at Ratchet who was peering over the side and waved.

Ratchet smiled, waved back, then turned to a triumphant looking Prowl and slugged him in the chassis. He bent over and dropped to the floor. Then a hand reached up, gripped Ratchet's arm and yanked him down out of sight from where he was taking bows before the crowd.

=0=In another booth

 **BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAHAHA! GASP! BWAHAHAHAHA!"** -Jazz

 **BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAHAHA! GASP! BWAHAHAHAHA!"** -Blaster

"Oh, my word. Those two," Revet said with a big grin on his face.

=0=In the Primal Booth

They both sat on the floor glaring at each other, then Prowl smirked in spite of himself. "How long do you plan to do this slag?"

"How long do you plan to live?" Ratchet asked with a giant cheese-eating smile.

"Fragger. Stand up and behave or I'm dumping you over the side," Prowl said.

"I'll take you with me. You should see how well my magnets work," Ratchet said as they both began to stand up.

The crowd howled, Prowl tried to tuck his dignity back in from the tattered wreck that it was and Ratchet bowed and twirled like a debutante. That was when the siren blew and the game began.

Mercifully.

=0=Game

They walked to the center line, Prime, Raptor and Blackjack. Facing them was Hugh-E as center against Prime and the twins on either side. Chromia and Arcee were defense and Hardie was goalie for Iacon. Other Kaonians filled out the twin's ranks and when the ball was tossed Prime leaped.

Hugh-E on the other hand grinned and reached upward. He wasn't taller than Prime but he was fast. He'd started as a high steel riveter in his youth before he grew to full size so his speed with his servos was off the charts. He got the ball, then turned to Sunstreaker and handed it to him.

It was so fast that Sunny held it a moment in startled surprise before roaring forward toward Prime's goal. He ran into the brick wall that was Raptor when he did. Shouldering into Raptor who stood in place grinning at him, Sunny muscled and revved hard. He got bupkis.

He did, however, get a kiss on the top of his helm before Raptor yanked the ball from him and handed it to Prime who leaped up and dropped it through the hoop from center court. It was all so fast that no one really saw it coming on both sides.

Iacon, 5 and Kaon, 0.

Prime slapped Raptor on the shoulder then walked casually to the center line with his team to get set for the Kowboys to bring it in from their end zone.

" **HA-HA! AT LEAST YOUR APPA KISSED YOUR LITTLE HEAD!** " some wag could be clearly heard bellowing.

Sunstreaker turned around to look up into the crowd, then noted Kup leaning over the side howling. " **FRAG YOU, KUP!** " he replied then walked back to put the ball in motion in the end zone of their own side.

Sunny took the ball, got in place, then shot it to Bracket. He then raced forward to get ready for the pass around. Kaon was going to run the slaggers ragged, then in the chaos shoot for the goal.

That was the plan anyway.

As Sunny streaked in to take his share of the pass a huge hand shot in front of him and caught the ball. Slamming on the breaks, he turned then jumped as Prime with a grin passed the ball to Ironhide. Ironhide was halfway to their goal and shot the ball to Raptor. Raptor was standing outside the goalie zone but next to the goal. He caught the ball, then dropped it in.

Second basket.

Iacon, 10 … Kaon, bupkis.

The crowd went mad.

So did Prowl

He was leaning over the wall gripping it tightly as he crowed. **"DID YOU SEE THAT!? THAT WAS GENIUS! OPTIMUS PRIME IS A GENIUS! I TOLD HIM THAT WAS THE WAY TO GO! OPTIMUS! PRIME! IS! A! GENIUS!"**

Ratchet who was pleased and oddly un-apparelled looked around at the howling crowd as the agitated winger crowed beside him. He glanced at the others in the box who were conflicted but happy anyway that someone in the family was excelling. They were having a good time. He would have had a better one with his air horn, maracas and tambourine.

The sombrero at this point was optional.

=0=On the ground

Sideswipe rolled into place, then leaned into Raptor. "Slagger. What's the deal? You're old and decrepit," he said with a grin.

"You underestimate old mechs, infant. We had a lot longer time to be treacherous than you," Raptor said with a chuckle.

The ball was tossed to Sunny at the end line and he began again. He threw it hard to Hugh-E who jumped and tossed it to the hoop. Everyone gasped as Hard Drive with more elegance than anyone ever expected a mechanism that big to have jumped up and deflected the ball. It flew out and was passed by Chromia to Prime.

Prime turned with the ball and before he could bounce it, he ran into the massive grinning frame of Hugh-E. Prime pressed hard, then attempted to dribble around him. That of course necessitated that Huge-E turn with him presenting an impassible front no matter where Prime attempted to go so he passed the ball to Raptor.

Raptor bounced the ball and ran forward shouldering both Sunstreaker and Tyro, a tall sturdy mech who was a long time member of Kaon's football team. The two of them slowed Raptor but they couldn't stop him. Raptor turned, then passed the ball to Chromia.

Chromia caught it, ran forward with her shoulder down and plowed between them. Sideswipe following her yelled to the goalie to heads up. He did. His body followed his head as he was shouldered into the outback of the beyond by the hard charging femme.

He rose straight up into the air and flew backward off the court. When he did, Chromia leaped up and dunked the ball hanging onto the hoop 50 feet in the air with both hands before dropping to the floor to walk with blood lust back to the team.

Maelstrom would have needed an inhaler if he was human.

Iacon's Invaders, 15 and Kaon's Kow(d)boys, zip.

Goose eggs.

Nada. Yo Mama.

Nil.

Zip.

Zippo.

Zed.

They had nothing.

=0=TBC 2-2-19 **edited 2-16-19**

NOTES:

maracas: these are gourd shaped wooden highly painted usually and beautiful musical instruments from Mexico that are filled with bee-bees or buck shot and are used by hand to add spice to music. You shake them in your hands. :D I love them. :D So does Ratchet. :D

Bupkis is another word for 'nothing'. If you get bupkis, you get nothing.

Be careful out there in the Polar Vortex and Ungodly Hot zones. -ME.


	585. Chapter 585

The Diego Diaries: Face Off (literally) (dd6 585)

=0=Game

Kaon gathered at the bench for a time out to discuss strategy off line as Prime walked to his with the team. They could have stayed on the court and looked sexy but it was good form to take a moment when the other slaggers were still looking for their fingers. Gathering together, all of them, Iacon back slapped and did all the jock stuff that makes (men's) sports so hetero.

After a moment, they walked back out with a grim(ly determined) Kaon team putting the ball in ( ***again!*** ) at their end zone for the ins. Sideswipe bounced it between Raptor's legs as he did and it flashed into Rad-R's servos. Rad-R spun and ran straight into Blackjack's chassis. Bouncing back, he managed to hand it off to Sunstreaker before stumbling to the sidelines to fall on his face.

The ref whistled but no one paid attention as the Invaders did their well (practiced) oiled magic (skill driven hotness) to deprive the Kow(d) Boys of their (back teeth, middle fingers, car keys, will to live, etc) chance to score. It was a battle of elbows and hip bumps until at long last Sideswipe went out of the game sideways and hit the wall. Sticking for a nanosecond, he slid down and landed on his helm. Falling over, he lay on his back listening to the crows crow as he clenched the ball so tightly in his servos that two refs had to pull it loose together.

Ratchet leaped over the edge with a graceful swan dive, landed on the ground, then hippity-skippitied to his son to check his noggin.

The crowd howled.

So did the Invaders.

Prowl frowned prettily.

The Kowboys were holding their opinions for a moment to see if Sideswipe was going to come back in or go to the machine shop for a total rebuild.

Ratchet knelt, then turned Sideswipe's face toward his own. "Hey, ba-bee. Tell me how many adas you see here?"

Sideswipe looked at him dully. "Fifteen?" he asked groggily.

Ratchet scanned his aft, deduced mild concussion and benched his sorry backside. Sunstreaker rolled up and they had a fierce off line conversation about it before Ada proved his point to his sonny boy. Ratchet grinned, then hauled Sideswipe to his peds. Glancing at the swaying slagger, he patted his aft. "I'm here, baby. It's Bluestreak."

Sideswipe wilted, then threw his arms around Ratchet. "Blue. Babe," he managed before sliding down Ratchet's body to hug his ankles face first on the floor.

The crowd howled.

So did the Kowboys. (Not in a good way)

Iacon was sharpening their nails as they watched 'one down and many more to go' unfold.

Ratchet gripped Sideswipe to help First Aid and his helpers load the slagger. That six of them were kids from the Watch Mentor program and now the C&A Program at the Med Center was icing on the cake. They fussed Sideswipe on board, then helped carry him to the tunnel where they would shake him hard and fix what rattled. Until then, Kaon was down half of their (not so) secret weapon.

Ratchet walked back, climbed the steps, then angled over to stand beside Prowl who was staring at the twins regroup down below with an amused expression. He glanced at Ratchet. "You don't even try to be normal, do you."

"Nope," Ratchet said with a giant smile. "How about giving me back my maracas?"

"Never," Prowl said as he crossed his arms over his rather nice chassis.

"Okay," Ratchet grinned as he messaged his Appa Ratchet to hand him something behind Prowl's back. He did. Ratchet took it, put it up in the air and tooted his air horn. It startled mechs and femmes everywhere, possibly even two miles away before his ada ripped it out of his servos from where he was standing behind Ratchet on a bench to watch the game.

Frowning at his wayward boy, Ravel leaned in. "How is our boy, hoodlum?"

Ratchet grinned. "Top drawer. They'll change a few filters and his oil, then he'll be back." A rap of knuckles on his helm greeted that but Ratchet didn't care. His appa had his tambourine, too.

=0=Down below, if anyone still cares …

A deeply agitated Kaon put the ball in and ran around in circles. Shoulder bumping this and that mech they made it to the zone and after running straight at Ironhide, leaping rather than ramming, Tulley flew into the air and shot for the basket.

Hard Drive leaped again like a fragging gazelle, albeit a very old and classy one, then bounced it off his servo.

Tulley stared at Hardie, Hardie stared at Sunstreaker, Prowl stared at Prime, Ratchet winked at Appa Ratchet, Appa Ratchet cackled at his namesake, a tambourine was clandestinely passed, Huge-E made a vow, Kestrel nearly swooned at his son's greatness, Prowl caught sight of a tambourine, Miler was taking pictures of the game, Edict worried to Madura about the roughness of the play, Borealis assured him that Rad-R was good enough to handle himself, Prowl frowned at Ratchet, Ratchet banged his tambourine and began to sing an Iacon team song, Prowl lunged for the tambourine, Ravel frowned at his son as he saw him raise the tambourine, Appa Ratchet nearly fell off his bench laughing at his namesake, Ravel rapped Appa Ratchet on the noggin for aiding and abetting a(n oversized) delinquent, Prowl missed the tambourine but slipped and nearly fell off the balcony, everyone gripped him and pulled back, then the ball went in again for Kaon.

Everyone then turned toward the game, mercifully, as the clock continued running.

A ball flew here and there as big mechs worked out the mathematics of cramming it in a hoop or someone's pie hole as a last resort, then stuffing the hoop with both. Hugh-E watched it get stolen by Raptor then flash passed to Prime. That was when he put into motion what he hoped would be either deeply useful as a tactic or a banishment from the game penalty. Either way, he was satisfied.

Hugh-E put his servos behind his back, then ran forward toward Optimus who had just gotten the ball in his own and was turning to run for the goal. Just as he did, both he and Huge-E ran into each other with a clang heard around the world(s).

Optimus Prime could pick up 500 tons or 1,000,000 pounds by himself without breaking a sweat. It was greatness like that which made him so admired at the docks when he was a young longshoreman. That was the tonnage that usually took combiners to achieve such as Predaking, for instance.

He was massive, Primal frame massive and almost without parallel among their species. Primal frames which he nearly bore already before ascending were designed to be perfect, nearly unlimited in their ability to take abuse and protect the spark that bore the Matrix. He was magnificent, Our Optimus.

Hugh-E or Huge-E as he was called was a massive frame himself, almost in height as tall as Prime. He was powerful in a way that was hard to quantify just like Prime. He was also nearly square built and when he got up a head of steam almost unstoppable. When he bent into Prime to push him backwards, he was Even Steven with Optimus in the big mechanism category.

Prime leaned into Huge-E, pushing back hard. They strained, their groans echoing off the rafters. As long as Huge-E didn't link his arms around Prime and hold him, doing this was legal. He also wouldn't have the problem of manhandling the Messiah Of Their People among the religiously minded. All he had to do was get traction and Prime was toast.

Prime knowing all Huge-E had to do was get traction to toast him pushed back as well. Both of them were amazed given that few existed who could monkey with either one of them like this.

Hardie waited tensely in the goalie zone watching the struggle. Everyone else was jonesing to get the ball but Kaon had them blocked. If Prime threw it they would be intercepted. All he could do was push back and hold onto the ball as tightly as possible. That was then Prime began to slide.

A cry of intense surprise went up in the room as Prime began to slide toward the Kaon net. That was also when two fights brought out between Kaon and Iacon as Prime slid. Topper, a big mech with a love of fighting … the Kowboy's Raptor … was slagging it out with Raptor on one side of Prime as they both worked to get inside (or not) of the two behemoths to steal the ball.

The other was Spindler and Blackjack who were mixing it up with big smiles and Marquess of Queensberry fisticuffs on the other side of Prime. They would put forward classic boxing form and punching as everyone waited to see what happened now that two trains had collided and were still determined to get their own way no matter how many hubcaps fell off in the process.

It was all great fun.

Maybe.

Prowl had stopped slapping and jumping on Ratchet to get the errant tambourine as he froze in place, then nearly fell out of the box as he leaned in to see what was happening. That's when he began to send to Prime his highly reasoned, highly mathematically formulated advice ...

 **:WHAT THE FRAG! KNEECAP HIS AFT, OPTIMUS!:** -Prowl laying down The Wisdom

 **:BWAHAHAHAHAHAA!:** -Prime receiving The Word

Ratchet on the other hand had gotten out his camera and was taking videos of the two fights going on, the tension in Hardie as he waited for the pushing match to resolve itself, the sight of Chromia cracking her knuckles as she waited to go into the game, Arcee lounging on the bench with a grin as she spotted him, then waved, Jetta bent over laughing loudly as he sat beside her and last but not least, Elita who was rubbing Jetta's back gently with her servo.

Like that.

 **GRUNT!**

 **PUSH!**

 **SLIDE!**

 **THEN … *SLLLLLIIIIDDDDEEEEE*!**

Optimus Prime, Messiah of the People, He Who Who Is On A First Name Basis With The Most High Themselves lost his traction on the blindingly polished and shiny floor finding himself moving backward at high speed. Huge-E moving like a street sweeper shoved him hard enough that Optimus flew off his peds letting go of the ball as he did, then slammed into the wall behind the basket hard. He slammed hard enough that Ratchet's tambourine fell off the wall where he'd put it and landed on his helm like a cockamamie crown.

It was silent for a second, then several things happened all at once. Hugh-E scored for Kaon. Ratchet got a punch in the face from Prowl who had to be restrained from jumping over the wall. First Aid and six seriously worried appearing kids ran out with a stretcher to assist Prime who was sitting on the ground with a tambourine on his head. Nearby waiting with deep and abiding attention and willingness to **SERVE THE PEOPLE** , a good dozen other mentorship kids peered out of a couple of the tunnels leading into the bowels of the building toward locker rooms and other places.

Cybertronian basketball. It isn't for the faint of spark.

That was when the siren sounded and the game ended for the halftime break.

Iacon, 15, Kaon, 5.

Prowl, several.

Ratchet, none.

Tambourine, frisbeed into the parking lot at half time by Prowl.

ESPN Christmas Blooper reel, more than a calculator could add up.

=0=TBC 2-3-19 **edited 2-4-19 edited 2-16-19**

NOTE:

'hetero' short for heterosexual or straight in gender orientation … it amuses me in men's sports how they slap each other on the backside when they excel. It sort of seems so … cute. :D

"By the way, Guest, Optimus and Prowl **didn't** have a Praxian ceremony. Does that mean they actually have a legal bond? Prying … uh, inquiring minds want to know. Good catch. Maybe Ratchet can resear-"

" **ON IT!** "

;)


	586. Chapter 586

The Diego Diaries: **PLAY BALL!** (dd6 586)

Well, this was supposed to post last night. If this continues it might force Diego Diaries 7. I'll let you know. If I can't just go to my page and hook up there. You can follow/alert there when its time.

:D

This story just passed **8,085,137** words, most of which still aren't edited but I'm getting there.

:D :P~~~~

 **HUGS TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING ME** **SO HAPPY THAT YOU READ AND FOLLOW THIS** **UNIT!**

=0=On the court and there abouts

It was observed on the monitors of everyone watching everywhere how fast the rescue squad brought by Springer and Drift sprinted out of three tunnels to help the Messiah Of Their People who sat on the ground watching the birdies sing. They hoofed it with their matching identical tattoos designed and personally painted on their shoulders with a black circle around them so "they'll show up, Mr. Sunstreaker and people can see them easier. I/we want everyone in the colony to know that I'm/we're here to help them", so he did.

With a big grin.

By the time he finished he had four students who wanted to learn how to paint from the 'most famous and amazing artist on Mars'.

That one.

Right now, they gathered around Prime as Sil leaned forward. "Are you alright, Lord Optimus?"

He looked up at the several versions of her leaning over him with great concern and the nearly 800 identical kids with her, then nodded. "I am fine, infant. Thank you for asking."

By that time Ratchet had reached him with a big grin, then knelt beside Sil. "Here we are … our first big emergency, infants. What do we do first?" he asked all of them since all of them were in his C&A program because 'what if there's an emergency and we have to do something to help someone who's **hurt** , Mr. Ratchet and we don't know how?'

What, indeed?

They whispered together, then Coros turned to Ratchet. "We have to make sure that they're comfortable, then ascertain their level of awareness and hurts."

Prime who was watching with a growing sense of both the absurd and a blazing regard for Cybertronian children sat back to relax against the sweetest inevitability he'd faced in some time. The kids stared at him, then Sil took his giant servo in hand and moved it to his chassis to help him get more comfortable. As she did, he did all the work. Her tiny body couldn't begin to move the tonnage that was him. He vented a sigh. "I feel better already, infants."

The kids nearly wiggled with delight and relief. Coros looked at Ratchet who was enjoying himself enormously. These kids were gold. "Commander, we have to determine his injuries."

"What do you see, infants?" Ratchet asked as the cameras began to train on everyone in the huddle and dial in to listen, especially to the kids and Prime. Drift and Springer stood behind them with proud grins and a sense of the absurd as well.

They looked at Prime, a couple of them getting close to check his optics. He sat quietly and allowed them to do their recon as he and Ratchet along with Springer and Drift had a blazingly wonderful conversation off line. The kids gathered together to discuss the 'symptoms', then turned to Ratchet. "We think he bumped his helm and probably could have a concussion. We don't have instruments but that's our decision."

Ratchet pulled one from subspace rather than use his normal array. He showed them, then scanned Prime. They huddled to see the results.

Concussion, intensely mild.

They smiled at Ratchet liked the sun, then Jessine and Sil turned to Prime, moving closer to his giant frame. "You have a concussion. I think if you sit a moment you'll be okay. He said it was very small."

Prime glanced at Ratchet who nodded, then the children. "Thank you. I will."

The kids grinned, then stepped back to allow 'Lord Optimus to have some space'. He did for a moment, then looked at Ratchet. "I do believe I am better."

Ratchet made a show of scanning, then consulting with the kids. "I do believe he is. Good call, infants. I think he's fit to go back into the game. Do you concur?"

They smiled at Ratchet, then Prime, then nodded together. Coros, Pulley, Sil and Jessine walked to either side of Prime, then took his arms. He got up slowly for them, then bent down to thank them. They spoke with him earnestly and happily before heading back to their tunnels to wait for more good doing to come.

The crowd gave them a standing ovation as they did. They ran into the tunnels, gathered together to jump up and down, then walked to the opening to watch the game with the mechs who were their 'group leaders', a proudly grinning Hercy, Lon, Bezel, Kup, Partition and Lancer. First Aid who had the night off would send each of them a note of congratulations the next orn.

Springer and Drift commiserated with Prime and Ratchet, then walked back to the tunnel leading to the locker rooms to mixed applause, catcalls and abuse.

The usual.

Prime stretched, then walked to the bench when he noticed that Blackjack and Raptor were still slagging it out with Kaon. Until that was settled, nothing was going to go forward.

Yes, Cybertronian rules were that great.

Ratchet walked back, then noticed his tambourine wasn't in sight. Prowl had someone toss it up then he stowed it in his carry hold after discharging Possibility to his Amma Kes. During the half time he would go outside to the parking lot and frisbee it into the air to go who knew where. He would only tell Ratchet he did it the next time they got drunk, a sort of **HA-HA, SLAGGER!** moment he would live to regret. Then he would pay the ultimate price. He would end up face down in a garbage can in an alley behind Club Cybertron.

To make the story complete, a small child would find the tambourine and because of it be inspired to take up music as a vocation. It wasn't a total loss after all.

 **HA-HA, PROWLER!**

On the court …

Blackjack laughed loudly as he hopped around punching and being punched by Spindler as they waged war back and forth over the center line. Nearby having his own fine time, Raptor was putting the metal to the pedal to Topper, himself no shrinking violet. The crowd by this time was chanting and clapping in time to the dance below.

At the Sports Center desk on Earth …

"I'm struggling to find words for this … this greatness," Daniel Patrick said as the men and women who would be the panel for this game at halftime and during the post game sat with him and Evan Tyler on set. "First of all, all of this would get you kicked off if it happened here, even banned forever. But there, they actually hold up the game for it.

"Then the little kids coming out to assist Prime … some sort of kids mentorship program with medical and security, I'm told ... that was so cute I can hardly stand it. Notice how they take the time to work with the kids … something that felt very impromptu … they took the time to have them help. This feels like a very cool high school game played by professional NBA athletes in the local high school auditorium in front of families and grandparents. I expect a potluck dinner after its over for the whole group. It feels homey, family, close and warm. That doesn't explain it completely for me but its a start."

Evan nodded. "I know. I played a long time and the NBA game is very violent in its own way. You learn how to hip butt or shoulder someone … you can't be a weakling to play it but this is out of my league. The NBA is not warm or cozy like this. Its a big business and no one would stop the game to let little kids have a lesson on anything let alone this. I love it.

"Consider as well … **General** Raptor, there, is Commander Ironhide's grandfather. Raptor's own father, Ironhide's great grandfather, **General** Hard Drive is their goalie. **General** Blackjack who's fighting with Spindler is Ironhide's own father. Look at Ironhide," he said as the camera zoomed in on the Iacon bench.

Ironhide was watching the game between Chromia and Elita while Arcee knelt on the sidelines in front of him to see better. They were laughing and cheering the carnage on.

"That's Ironhide whose father, grandfather and great grandfather are playing together. His father and grandfather are in fist fights on the floor and everyone is laughing including the mechs fighting. The femmes on all sides of him and kneeling in front are his daughters. Two of the best players on Kaon are his sons. This game is so great, you couldn't make it up."

"Did you notice how many generals there are in Ironhide's family? It looks like their boy there, Ironhide, had better get his butt in gear … **Commander** Ironhide," Daniel Patrick said with a laugh.

They all laughed together.

"I'm glad we aren't broadcasting that," Evan said with a grin.

Everyone nodded.

"My own great grandfather and grandfather are in their graves, my daughters hate sports, my sons are too old to do much more than a round or two of golf and my father and mother are retired in Boca Raton. I'd be a team of one," Patrick said. "An easily beatable team of one."

The laughter and agreement would be loud and long.

Down there on that place over there among them …

Raptor shoved Topper, then the two laughed. Slapping servos, they walked to their benches, goading Spindler and Blackjack as they did. Raptor walked back to the floor again to coach 'Jack as he danced with the big mech who had a hard punch. The room began to chant and clap to the rhythm of their punches, then the two stopped, bumped chests and walked to their benches with big grins. Raptor slapped his son on the back, then the siren went off for half time.

They gathered together, both teams, got into line with banners and bullshit, bitched each other out as they walked out side by side, then disappeared down the tunnel to the locker rooms.

Ratchet watched them go, gave Prowl the stink optic for his tambourine, then watched as the slagger excused himself for a moment. It didn't look good for Prowl. It didn't look good for Ratchet either as Prowl flung the tambourine in his servo into the night sky outside in the parking lot. Walking in with a spring in his step, he got back in time for a hot dog and beer.

"This was a rousing game. The kids are going to be a highlight," Ratchet said as they lounged in their box.

The humans nearby were chatting with Kes and Tagg, congratulating them on their son and his great team since they were 'winning loads of favors by betting on Iacon'.

Kestrel who was always amused by humans laughed. "I will tell him. He will be gratified."

"Of course," Prowl said proudly as he clicked his beer with Ratchet. "He's Optimus Slagging Prime."

"You're loyal. And insufferable. Smug. Shorter than me. Did I say insufferable?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

"Sticks and stones, slagger," Prowl said. "We're going to hose the Kowboys."

"Who's we? Do you have a slaarg in your subspace?" Ratchet said as he finished his hot dog.

Prowl frowned a tiny frown. "You're disgusting."

"I am," Ratchet said as he pulled from his subspace his newest page in the legend. He put the trumpet to his lips and **BLEW!**

=0=Down there in the locker rooms

"Did you hear something?" Blackjack asked.

Across the hall …

"I thought I heard a horn," Bracket said.

Sunstreaker considered it, then grinned. "Who wants to bet that's my ada?"

No one took the bet.

=0=TBC 2-5-19 **2-19-19**


	587. Chapter 587

The Diego Diaries: **PLAY BALL!** (dd6 587)

 **NOTE:** I was at some point going to print this for myself so I put the pieces end to end on one page. It would make a book with 27,388 pages so far. The Encyclopedia Britannica has 32,640. :D Just so you know. LOL! Nothing like trivia for the LULZ.

=0=Moments later at the scene of the crime

They stood side by side, arms folded over their chassis with optics staring straight ahead at the scene around the arena. At their feet a flattened disk that once was a trumpet lay on the ground. Pressed into its once shiny surface was the footprint of a winged avenger.

Ratchet grinned slightly. "You know, Granny, if you left your girdle at home in your cosplay box you **might** get my genius. You can play 'Town Marshall And Uptight Schoolmarm Who's A Hooker With A Heart Of Gold On The Side' after the game."

Prowl gazed at Ratchet's beautiful profile with an effort not to laugh out loud. "You who are insane **dare** critique **me**?"

"I'm your raging ID, Prowler, the part of you that's so repressed and tamped down that when it ever blows will make quasars look like drinking fountains. Trust me," Ratchet said as he looked at the shorter mech with a dazzling smile.

Prowl smirked slightly. "Is that so."

"It is," Ratchet said as he warmed up to his own bullshit. "I have a piece of paper that allows me to say so. Doctor Ratchet, MD, PDQ, RSVP."

"I have one, too. It's says, "Prowl who is Second-In-Command of the Autobots has the right to slag anyone who deigns to hold such organization in ill repute to a short trip into the outback of the beyond with a carefully placed kick'."

Ratchet laughed. "Good one. Show me, slagger."

"I don't have to show you anything, fragger, but my genius," Prowler said as he warmed up to his own.

Bullshit, that is, a skill he acquired about the time he and Ratchet were stationed together for more than five orns.

His Ada listening in spite of himself grinned. "You can show **me** , son."

They both glanced back as Miler smiled. He was holding an equally smiling Prima.

With a sleight of hand that would surprise Houdini, Prowl liberated Prima, frowned prettily at Ratchet, then looked at his ada. "No, but I will take the sparkling."

Miler laughed. "You look just like you did in every photo image that I have of you since you were born."

Prowl schooled his face to impassive. "You're hanging out with Ratchet too much. His delusion is rubbing off on you.'

"I don't know. Let me show the arena your mugshots and let them vote," Ratchet said reaching for his helm.

A fist to the gut took care of that. Prowl frowned at him, Miler laughed long and loud while Prima watched everyone with big pretty optics.

Rather like his brother's.

It was then that the siren sounded and the game was ready to resume. Everyone roared, then watched as Kaon walked out after a long discourse about Iacon in the locker room …

"We could just mow them down. There's no rules against football moves in this game. Yet," Huge-E said with a grin.

Everyone looked at Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. They looked back. "What?" -both

"If we put them in the hospital, half of them are your relatives," Rad-R said stating the unspoken.

The twins stared at him, then the others. "And your point?"

 **HUGE** laughter.

Mostly.

Behind them carrying their banner, Iacon walked out led by Prime and caboosed by Hard Drive. Between the two, the rest of the team swaggered out, huge, smirking with delight, their afts swinging and their grins huge and amused. They were hilarious.

"That infant," Steiner said as he stood with Jack, Sun, Lissie, Trooper and Scout next to Kes and Tagg. "Look at him."

They did. Lissie grinned. "Ironhide is a much admired little mech. I do remember when he was small. His son, Orion is the living image of him then. No one can really age him, he's so sweet," she said doing the same thing, too.

Jack and the others grinned, then glanced at the tiny femme between them with the storied career and tender regard.

Steiner hugged her. "He **is** cute. So is Blackjack and Raptor. Nice kids, all of them."

The nice kids were laughing and swaggering in, their delight at the game obvious. The teams lined up to face each other, then the players walked out to take their places for the jump ball. Huge-E was back to face Optimus who grinned at him. Jetta and Arcee were with him as forwards this time while Chromia and Elita were defense with Hardie.

The twins including of all mechs, Sideswipe were front line with Hugh-E and the rest of the team included Topper, Spangle, a youngling with potential backed them while Bracket was the goalie once more.

The refs got set, then one threw the ball upward for Prime and Hugh-E. They jumped so fast that the ref didn't clear in time and was caught between them like a mouse in a trap.

That is, if the trap was a piano dropped from the top of the Empire State Building.

A loud clang was heard, then both mechs landed and looked down, Prime with the ball in his servos. His innate decency made it his first response to stop and look while the twins who could feign decency most of the time but not now leaped on him over the huddled mass of the ref on the floor.

They landed on Prime like velociraptors on a big metallic building. He didn't fall or stumble back, though the two were nearly four tons of scheming clawing malice. He stepped back to protect the ref carrying them with him as he held the ball in his servos.

They clung to him, hanging like limp dishrags on a line, then let go, dropping to the floor to the laughter and derision of the crowd.

Prime grinned at them as they smirked back, then stepped even farther back to accommodate the emerging flood of infant do gooders heading like heat seeking missiles to the downed ref. They gathered around him just as Ratchet landed on the ground from the Primal Box.

Again.

He walked toward the crowd which parted like the Red Sea, kneeling to check out the pile of automotive parts that used to be a mech.

"Well, isn't this special," Ratchet said as he scanned the ref. "I think every strut in his chassis is broken along with his will to live." He glanced up at the two behemoths who were staring at Ratchet with alarm. "Good on you."

Huge-E glanced at Prime then Ratchet. "Uh, how is he? Is he alright?"

"After we spackle him together, he's going to be fine but he needs a bunch of work." Ratchet glanced at the kids. "We need a kit and a stretcher, infants."

They nodded as one, then ran all at once to their three tunnels to return with three kits and three stretchers. Everyone applauded them as Ratchet chose one thing from each group and two 'helpers' from the one left over. They watched him brace the mech against further breakage, then showed with the two helper kids and three of the players how to load a patient.

The rest leaned in to watch, their expressions rapt as they drank in every syllable he said. They didn't even seem to notice that they were on television in the middle of a huge multi-planetary event. Ratchet put the mech in restraints, then scanned him again. "He's going to be dandy. How about you two helping Springer and Drift carry him out?"

The two kids nodded, then gripping a side 'helped' to raise the stretcher from the floor. They walked out, the rest following to the tunnel and a waiting ambulance outside. They took the goodwill and applause of the crowd with them on several worlds, forward bases, front line forts and dens of thieves all over the quadrant as well.

Ratchet walked to the steps and climbed up again joining Prowl and the others. "This is getting to be a soap opera. Check Prime's chassis for that mech's optical ridges tonight. I'll reattach them tomorrow when I do my rounds."

"He's banged up?" Prowl asked with concern as he looked at the object of it, his concern that is, Optimus who was standing at center court discussing things with the surviving refs.

Oh, and the guy that got hurt? That one? Hope he's okay.

"He's busted ass as the humans say. It would be easier to say what wasn't munched than tell you his actual wounds but don't let that bother you," Ratchet asked as he noted who Prowl was giving his concerned face to a holy figure of great majesty (tm) down below.

"I won't," he said as he glanced at Ratchet. "That slagger is also a football ref."

"Well, **that** explains it," Ratchet said as the behemoths down below lined up again. The ref who was too scared to stand in the usual place sort of tossed the ball as high as he could from several feet away, then watched as Huge-E and Prime came together.

Prime bumped Huge-E with his hip as he caught the ball. He immediately regretted it as a signal shot up his hip to his processor setting off any number of red flags. Apparently, the Sears Tower in Chicago had a lot in common with Huge-E concerning foundational braces and (metaphorical) sub basements. Pain shot through him as he spun to give the ball to Chromia.

Chromia gripped it, slipped past Prime and the race was on. The twins chased her around attempting to steal the ball from Chromia, then Arcee, then back to Elita, to Jetta, back to Arcee, into the hoop for another score, back to Jett-

Sideswipe halted in the circular dance of doom to stare at his servos. Then he spun around to check everyone elses. Given that the ball was through the hoop already and back to the refs who were looking at everyone with the same look cops have just before they taze you, the ball was nowhere to be found in the dazed mob hulking around on the court.

" **FRAG!"** Sideswipe said as he skid before Jetta who was laughing loudly.

" **HA-HA! EAT THAT!"** Jetta said just before Sideswipe jumped on him and down they went.

Arcee jogged to Elita and Chromia who were standing side-by-side watching the show as the boys rolled on the ground together, Jetta laughing loudly as they did. "Who you betting on?"

"I'm partial to the home town boy," Elita said with a grin.

The cameras centered on them as they watched the sideshow. Prime had gone to the sideline to watch as well. Anytime it wasn't him on the bottom of a fight it was all for the better. Jetta could handle himself.

Way back in the orn …

"Where is Jetta, Ariel?"

A big gangling mech with the promise of a primal sized frame stood in the doorway of Jetta's tenement with a home made ball in his servos.

Ariel aka Elita-1 some fine orn glanced up from his book. "Down the alley. Are you playing 'kill the carrier'?" he asked with a grin. He was never adverse to a good mauling himself.

"I am if I can find him. Maybe we can get more players," Orion Pax aka Optimus Prime in the far distant future replied.

Ariel and Orion stepped out, then walked to the corner to cross to the next tenement in the blistering heat of high summer. Here, there were no amenities to make life better but for the ingenuity of the tenants. Heat was bitterly hot in the long summers and cold was even colder in the winter orns of Cybertron when you lived in a dump.

Down the alley they could hear yelling. Running forward, they passed old pallets and garbage cans to come to a small open space in the long twisting alley. In the middle of a pool of light from a small overhead fixture, Jetta of Iacon was getting and giving the whooping of a life time from three big kids from another gang down the tenement. Apparently, they were asserting themselves here on this turf and decided he would be their starting point.

" **DON'T JUST STAND THERE!"** Jetta called as he punched as fast as he could. He was doing a great job but it was only a matter of time before they would by sheer numbers overtake him.

They helped. Then they went to play ball. Such was life in a ghetto for the tough poor kids that lived there …

"He still has it," Prime said as he paused beside the three femmes.

"He does. Looks, smarts, skills. That's **my** boy," Elita said proudly.

They rolled around, then hopped up bouncing around each other looking for another opening. Then they paused, slapped servos and walked to their sides.

Sideswipe grinned as he watched Jetta walk to Prime. **"ANOTHER TIME!"**

Jetta looked over his shoulder with a smile on his handsome face. **"YOU'RE ON!"**

Ratchet who was watching with a grin of his own glanced at Prowl. "That's my boys."

"Better you than me," Prowl said with a smirk. "Hoodlums. I might have to arrest someone."

"Give it time, Prowler. You have five sons and a few grandchildren thrown in. I, myself hope they're as photogenic in their hoodlum years as you were." Then he sent several of Prowl's more Gothic sneers to the jumbotron by WIFI.

 **PLAY BALL!**

=0=TBC 2-6-19 **edited 2-7-29**

ESL:

Feign: (fane) to fake

ID: (ih-d) Sigmund Freud says: According to Sigmund Freud's **psychoanalytic** theory of personality, the **ID** is the personality component made up of unconscious psychic energy that works to satisfy basic urges, needs, and desires. The **ID** operates based on the pleasure principle, which demands immediate gratification of needs. If your ID is raging, you're a wild aft. Usually.


	588. Chapter 588

The Diego Diaries: **PLAY BALL!** (dd6 588)

=0=Game on

Prowl leaned over the wall to cheer on Iacon while Ratchet leaned over to help assimilate the punch to the gut he got for sharing how (un)photogenic Prowl was as a moody child. Miler was still laughing as Venture went on to tell Kes and Tagg the circumstances behind the photos. Prowl was working overtime to ignore everyone including some in the crowd who were hooting at him.

Down below, the game was roaring hot. Iacon blocked several shots on goal, Ironhide got cartwheeled out of the game by a well placed shoulder from Sideswipe, Sunstreaker got slammed into the wall trying to dunk a shot on his **GREAT GREAT GRAND APPA** and missing by a mile. (It would be much remarked upon that a great great grand appa was able to foil his great great grandson like that among the humans here and in every other dimension where humans and their incredulity existed.)

Back and forth, around and around they went as Chromia, Jetta, Blackjack and Prime scored. Then Prime scored again. By then, Ratchet was standing up yelling without musical accompaniment, Prowl was hopping in place like a late convert to Iacon, everyone else would be watching Kes and Tagg exult over their son in their kind, sweet, gentle manner and all would be good.

Or it would until Ratchet pulled his xylophone out of sub space and began to play Moon River on it with the two little mallets that came with it. He was well into the song before Prowl noticed, then tipped it off the wall where it was sitting.

Ratchet turned to Prowl, rapped him with the mallets, then they, too, went over the wall. It was only through the intervention of Miler that Ratchet didn't join them.

 **ROAR!**

 **IACON! IACON! IACON!**

 **KAON! KAON! KAON!**

 **BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKK!**

The siren finally sounded. Everyone slowed to a halt, then turned almost as one to the score board nearby the announcer's booth. It read, **IACON 50, KAON 10.**

The place went up in flames.

=0=Control booth with The Team

" **BWAHAHAHAHA! DID YOU SEE THE XYLOPHONE!?"** -Blaster, blasting

" **BWAHAHAHAHA! I DID! ESPN IS GOING TO HAVE A GREAT BLOOPER REAL FOR THE END OF THE SEASON!"** -Jazz, jazzing

" **I KNOW!"** -Revet, uh ...

" **BWAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAA!** " -all of them

=0=In the arena

 **:I LOVE BASKETBALL! I THOUGHT FOOTBALL WAS AWESOME BUT THIS IS SO GREAT!:** Lonnie Epps said as she convulsed with laughter. **:I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IF THEY REALLY DO AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL AND SOCCER LIKE THE RUMORS SAY!"**

:This place can't … **CAN'T** get better if it tried: Lola Teasdale said as she stood beside her beau, Sargent Merle Anders from Holland. He was a new striker and a great guy, someone who could handle a twin with a jones for automobiles.

Standing in the box with them were the two M.E.C.H. moles from the Consulate. Lennox and the command knew they were so it was all good for the short term. When they were on the radar, they were covered. The net would eventually close on them when the breakthrough from tracking backward from them to the Earth bound cells was complete. Until then, semper fi.

It would take a while to get out of the arena but they would all go to Earth 1 for the post game party which was going on just about everywhere that humans were living here as they waited for the run up to the next two games that followed over the next two days.

=0=At the street some time later as the crowds either thinned out to go home or into the next arena for the next game

They reached the street at last, the mob of family and friends, exchanged slag, then turned almost as one to Drift and Springer who walked out with fifteen awe struck kids.

Prime grinned at them. "You were very professional in your duty, infants. You bring honor to your houses."

They looked at him, the Prime of their people, then crowded closer. Pulley stared at him. "We want to do this. I've never had so much fun before. This is the most fun ever. Did you know that we get to ride with the Watch patrol **this weekend?** We get to go in three man teams, **all of us."**

Prime glanced at Springer, Drift, Kup, Hercy, Lon, Bezel, Partition who looked at them like a proud father and Lancer who was standing behind him with her arms around his waist. "I can see that. You will learn a lot from your mentors. We are going to dinner now. What is in store for you and your comrades?" Prime asked Pulley.

"We can come to dinner, too," he said with enthusiasm as the others nodded. "My genitors won't mind."

Prime grinned. "Then come with us. We are going to Iacon and The Tower In The Sky. Do let your genitors know and if they require you, then you must go."

The kids nodded, then ran for the communications kiosk nearby to call home. They weren't old enough to have internal communications themselves, though the titanic kids who were waiting for them did by virtue of their frame and past life experiences on the run.

"Those kids are adorable. Remember when they were a pain in the aft?" Ratchet asked Prowl who was still holding Prima.

"I remember. Getting them into the community appears to be key. How is the medical program part?" he asked.

"Going great. My doctors mentor one each and they're doing a great job. They have to keep their school work in order to stay in and they do it. I'm proud of them," Ratchet replied.

The kids began to drift back until they were all ready. Some of their genitors were not happy but their kids were determined so they were allowed. When they were all cleared Prowl glanced at the station nearby. "Everyone move out."

Prime looked at him with a smirk. "That is **my** line." He looked at everyone and then the kids who looked at him like he was a god. **"Autobots! Roll out!"**

With a whoop and an abundance of joy, the entire group walked toward the Metro line and the short, noisy, happy and crowded ride to Iacon.

It seemed fitting.

=0=Broadcast booth and panel with the M.C.A. sports team

"I have to tell you, gentlemen," Daniel Patrick said, "If you don't get me a chance to broadcast from Retriarius I'll expire."

Jazz laughed. "We can look into it. We have two more games today and tomorrow and then its going to be ten days before it happens again. We'll talk to Sciences about it."

"Thank you," Patrick said. "I'll owe you one. Tell me about Prowl and Ratchet. Once again, Ratchet showed what the true meaning of team spirit is."

Everyone laughed loudly.

"We're tribal about our city-states and teams. We have our own songs, hakas, heroes and traditions. Prowl is a Praxian and Ratchet is Iaconian. Those two have great team rivalries and its not an easy thing for Prowl to support any team but his own home town. Because Prime is an Invader and from Iacon himself, it means Prowl has to shift loyalties.

"Iacon had a tradition with all its teams for wild aft fans doing things like Ratchet's doing. That's part and parcel of their team tradition. Prowl is from a university town with a much more prim and proper background. Vos is famed for fights and so is Kaon. There's as much team spirit in the parking lot after the game in those two towns as there is on the court.

"Every town has its own thing and goofy stunting during the game and before as well as after is an Iaconian thing," Jazz said. "Its hilarious to me to see you humans looking at it with such … appreciation but its Iaconian. Tarn and a number of other teams have their own thing. That's pure Iaconian."

"You're from Kaon. What did you do after games, Jazz?" Tyler asked.

"Well … let me see …," he said as he glanced at Blaster. "Do you suppose the statutes of limitations have run out?"

Both laughed loudly.

"I think I was breaking into houses during the games. You had to have lots of cash or connections to get into games if you weren't high caste or even mid. Therefore, I used my time in more constructive pursuits," Jazz said with a dazzling smile.

"You broke into homes," Blaster said with a chuckle. "I used to do broadcasts so I got in. I'm mid caste so it was sort of easier and having a purpose gave me the open door. Understand, everything has a purpose in the long run. Its not for nothing that Jazz is a special ops expert and runs deep intel for the Prime."

Jazz smiled brilliantly. "That's so."

"What about the season? Iacon is undefeated. How did that happen?" Tyler asked. "From your side of the fence."

"What most don't know is that Elita, Arcee, Chromia and Jetta, Prime grew up in the same neighborhood. They played in games together and they knew each other all their lives. They had eons of practice at games and know each other's moves. No one really gets that. They aren't a scratch team like everyone else. Prime liked basketball from the moment he got here and has been pushing for a court to play. The games grew out of that and he's stoked. Prime is a playah," Blaster replied. "The rest are enthusiastic amateurs. It should be known that Ratchet grew up in the same slum as the others but they didn't meet until the army because the population was so dense. Three blocks away and they never met until they were in the armed forces. Iacon is favored to take the championship and if Prowl's force of will has any effect, it'll be Iacon all the way," Jazz said.

"What's the story with the pictures on the jumbotron? That was Prowl as a child, right? What a dour little kid he was," Patrick said with a grin.

"That was Prowl as a kid. He was super, super high caste but he hated it. He hates the System of Exception with a passion and has since he was born, I think. He never agreed with the ingrained unfairness and criminality of it. He became a cop to end it and an Autobot to fight it. He was never happy with his wealth and position because he knew the cost of it for everyone else. I don't think his parents have a picture of him where he isn't wilted or sneering. That's our Prowler," Jazz said with a chuckle.

"I think what Ratchet calls his look is Gothic. Apparently, there's apparel and face paint that goes with it but you get the idea. Prowl was a Gothic teen, I think," Blaster said. He laughed. "Poor Prowl. He did give Ratchet a good punch for that but Prowl better understand, Ratchet's from Iacon and there's no end to the lunacy that he's probably going to bring to the game."

"We count on it," Daniel Patrick said with a laugh.

=0=On the train to Iacon

They were packed in good and the laughs and hoo-haw was long and loud. By the time they reached Metro 1-Iacon they were ready to get off. Climbing the stairs with happy chatty kids in the mix was fun and so was the walk to the building where the restaurant was. Up they went in several elevators, joined as they were by the usual horde and hangers on including a slightly morose group of Kaonians.

They walked in, pushed tables together, arranged for the kids big and small, then sat down. They filled up most of the big dining room. Orders were taken, infants were settled with their sippy cups and all was well in their world.

"This is nice," Sil said as she sat between Kup and Hercy. "Do you do this after games, Commander Kup?"

"We do, infant. Team spirit is Cybertronian spirit. You build family when you spend time together," he said with a grin.

"My family wouldn't agree to this but for my Amma and Appa," she said. "They still think that way, some of them. My amma and appa are great."

"Then maybe we should ask them to come," Hercy said.

Sil looked at him with a hopeful expression. "Should I?"

"I think you should, infant. You can tell them about your efforts with the mentor groups," Typhoon said as he glanced at her around Clipper. "Cultivate the family who's on the same page and they'll help the others learn."

She smiled, then nodded. "Alright, Appa. Is there a comm device somewhere?" she asked as she glanced around. "Over there," she said as she rose. Half the kids would go with her and a few moments later they would all have to push more tables together.

It would be epic.

=0=TBC 2-7-19 **2-19-19**


	589. Chapter 589

The Diego Diaries: Unity Consciousness (dd6 589)

=0=Tower In The Sky, Iacon, Autobot City, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Hercy arranged seating for a number of adults, mostly ammas and appas of the children with the odd pair of understanding genitors. He did it strategically. The kids were seated with a mech that would be a good resource for anything that came up, answering questions and reinforcing the kids' own desires to serve with their family members.

He wasn't born yesterday, Our Hercy.

Sitting down between Pulley and Coros who had no adults from their families, Hercy grinned at Sil who sat nearby with her grandparents and Lon and Bezel. Partition and Lancer sat with Jessine and her grandparents. "This is nice. Thanks for coming," he said.

"It's our honor," Jessine's amma said. Capo was a tall elegant mech who was a writer in the past and a journalist now. "Our little femme is very happy with her choices and activities and that's what both of us desire for her and her siblings."

Capo's bond, also a noted writer was editor of the Bern Daily News and someone who was just appointed to the Autobot City Journalists Association, a group dedicated to the truth in reporting and solidarity with journalists on Earth. They were actually a political activist group after noting how journalists were being killed on Earth for their reporting. Having gone through that hell on Cybertron, they were loathe not to support endangered colleagues on Earth and they did. Fiercely.

That mech, Buros nodded. "We want our infants to be happy and to do service to the collective good. Things cannot be the way they were and I do believe all of us here understand that. Our son, Sil's atar has to learn that simple truth so we support our little femme as much as we can."

Sil hugged her Appa's arm. "I wish they would, Appa. I'm going to be a Watch officer some orn and I want them to be happy about it."

"It's a process, infant, just like we told you but you aren't alone. We will help you," Capo said gently.

"I wish **my** family felt the same way," Pulley said with regret.

"Maybe they need someone to tell them," Partition said as he glanced at the child. Food was being served around them as the waiters brought it out. "My family was the same way with me and to tell you the truth, I was an idiot for a long time."

There was huge laughter and agreement, then it settled as Partition grinned at the group ruefully. He looked at the kids. "I was a high caste idiot. Because other people had mercy, I'm who I'm supposed to be. I'm a Watch officer, I'm a station house medic and I'm in the best bond ever. If **I** can change, **anyone** can. I can talk to them if you think it would help."

"The more they hear and see, the more it becomes inevitable," Capo said with a nod. "Maybe we can do a story on these infants. The interest will be high given their service during the game." He grinned. "You all were pretty spectacular during the game."

Fifteen kids did the Cybertronian version of a blush, then Sil leaned forward in her chair as she sat next to her amma and appa. "When Jessine called me I was sort of scared to come but I wanted to. I didn't know what was going to happen. We got to meet people and walk around seeing things that the Watch does. I got to help Jessine with the shut ins and home bounds during Christmas Surprise with Commander Ratchet. **IT WAS SO FUN!"**

All of the kids nodded. "We all did, Amma," Pulley said. "I remember when I wanted to … I wanted something. Commander Springer let me come to a football game and watch with the mechs. It was great. All of them were so great and the game was better down there on the side lines. I also got to pet the horses. I love horses.

"What they do is brave and they do it for all of us. It sort of grew from that, Amma. All of my friends want to do this. We all do. The mentor groups are the best part of my orn and they tell us we have to keep our grades up to stay in. My grades are better now than ever."

All of the kids nodded. Sil glanced up at her amma. "See my tattoo? Sunstreaker put it on us. He painted it himself. Free hand."

"Its a beautiful tattoo, granddaughter. I may have to get one myself," her amma replied with a grin.

Sil brightened. **"WOULD YOU!?** Maybe ada and atar will be better about this."

"Consider it done," her amma said.

"This is a process, infants," Hercy said. "Its a step-by-step process. You're growing up, something that can be hard on a genitor. You know what you want and sometimes they want things for you, too. They don't do it to rob your life. They want the best for you but you also have to stand your ground if you want something. We're going to support you. You're Watch people, too, but we know it can be slow for others to catch the fever. Give them time. They'll get it."

The kids stared at him like he was Moses coming down from the mountain top. Nodding, they grinned at each other, then began to eat. Their appas and ammas, the two genitors who came for their son and several aunts and uncles asked good questions and joined in the conversation. It was joyous for the kids, all of them.

:You know, Prowler, that sometimes the pride I feel for our species can't fit the container. Know what I mean?: Ratchet asked as he sipped his drink.

:I hear you: Prowl replied. :I suppose you have some musical instrument stuffed up your aft to underline your remarks and feelings?: Prowl grinned at Ratchet.

:Actually: Ratchet said as he stood up. :I do: With that, he unsubbed a Tibetan bowl and mallet, then began to rub the rim and tap it.

Prowl stared at him, then stood. Ratchet continued with the musical tones with a giant brilliant smile on his face. Prowl grabbed the mallet, then the bowl and subbed both. "You're a danger to society," he said as he sat to great laughter and scorn.

Ratchet grinned at him, then unsubbed Tibetan bells. Pinging them with a grin, he found them snatched by Prowl as well.

Around the room, the children watched with incredible joy on their faces. In the button down world of high caste life, spontaneity and shameless exhibitionism was a new thing. The ammas and appas were laughing loudly along with everyone else as the kids watched with delight.

Ratchet frowned at Prowl, then turned to the crowd. "In honor of the children and their families, I've prepared a selection of interpretive dances and tonal poems to celebrat-"

That was as far as he got.

Prime on the other hand would laugh a long, long time.

=0=As things begin to wind down

"We have to get organized for the mission," Prowl said as he sat beside Optimus with his arm slung over the back of the big mech's chair. It was casual and most wouldn't have thought it possible for the button down mech (usually, at least in public) to be so 'normal'.

"When will that transpire, Prowl?" Ratchet asked as he held Halo while the little imp slept. They'd finished their meals, had a couple of drinks and were gathering to go, though no one really wanted to because the company was so stellar.

"We have to go by 0400 on the TMC if we want to get this organized," Prowl said. "I've sorted through the intel and it looks like they're closing in on the coordinates."

"If you don't mind me asking, Commander ..." Capo asked as Sil turned from her conversation with a little femme named Tinka to listen.

Prowl smirked slightly. "If you don't mind me not telling."

Snickers rounded the room as the age old dance between the 'need to keep things secret' and the 'public's need to know' commenced.

"I would like an interview at some point about this mission and what is going to be accomplished if you wouldn't mind," Capo said as Buros grinned beside him.

"I have no problem. You might arrange this through Jazz. He's our information officer," Prowl replied.

"I will. It wouldn't be too much to ask if some of us could come along on missions would it?" Capo asked.

Sil stared at her amma with huge optics. "Can we come, too?" she asked hopefully.

Prowl grinned at her. "Not this time. I'll consider it for the less … difficult missions. It might be a good thing to have bright young people along. It might open new vistas you didn't know about if you do."

Sil stared at him with huge optics. So did the other kids, then they glanced at each other with smiles. Life didn't get better than this.

Prowl had an off line with Prime, then glanced at Capo. "Pick three reporters including yourself and we'll have you along."

Capo grinned. "Thanks. I will. If you can message us ..."

"Done deal," Jazz said. "You report to me. You'll be with me. This is going to be problematic so stay with me on a ship in the main fleet and all will be well."

Capo nodded with a grin. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

The conversation continued, then one by one the participants left for duty or home. The appas and ammas, uncles, aunts and the few genitors gathered around Drift and Springer to get more information before leaving with their children. By the time everyone else hit the streets, it was getting on toward evening.

"That was fun. **IACON FOR THE WIN!** Win for the kids. We're just **MADE OF WIN!** " Ratchet said as he smiled a dazzler at the twins.

The twins smirked back.

"Fragger," Sunstreaker said before Ratchet enveloped him in a hug. He hugged back.

"I hear you have students from this group," Ratchet said as they began to walk to the metro.

"Four," Sunny said with a chuckle. "These are nice kids."

"They are," Ratchet said. "Are you assigned to the mission?"

"We are," Sideswipe said as he shifted Uraya and Iacon to his carry hold. They were drowsing on his arm. "We're essential equipment."

"Like fan belts and door knobs," Springer said as he shouldered Sideswipe slightly.

Sideswipe shouldered him back. "Slagger. I don't see you on a sports team of any kind. Hiding in the tunnel with the kids. What a he-man **you** are."

"I'm the long arm of the law, slagger," Springer said as they began to go downward. Hooting and mockery followed him to the platform and the trains to home. It would be a jolly ride to everyone's station on the Circle line toward home.

=0=Later

The kids were tucked in, big and small, drowsing off swiftly to sleepy land. Walking out, Ratchet noted Ironhide at the table going over his arsenal. "Figure a shooting war?"

"No doubt," Ironhide said. "Pulsar is a phase sixer. No one tells a phase sixer what to do, the fragger. We're going to have a new helm for Prime's collection shortly."

"I wonder if he has a cyber fox?" Ratchet asked as he retrieved a beer for both of them, then sat down.

"Ugh," Ironhide said as he took his beer. Sitting back, he grinned. "Those kids were cute. Look what we have to expect some fine orn."

"I know. I'm sort of crazy for little femmes," Ratchet said with a grin. "Makes you wonder about two little femmes that I know of. By the way, they're making noises about Praxus going to Pioneer School again."

Ironhide frowned. "They need my permission. Besides, I'm on the school board and I can make new rules. Little mech is a marshmallow. He needs time."

"I'm not arguing. That would leave Orion alone in Sparkling Day. I don't know what that would do to his psyche," Ratchet replied.

"It would dent it. Little mech takes care of the family there. We would have to move Prowler to Sparkling Day if Praxus leaves. I don't want Orion to think anything is wrong with him just because he's glitched. Getting passed over by his younger siblings would do that," Ironhide said with his usual angst.

"I agree," Ratchet said. "Besides, Roto told me that Orion is probably a good candidate for Pioneer School, too, but for his glitch. He gets specialized teachings at Sparkling Day that would be hard to fit into the schedule at Pioneer School or he'd probably be there now as well."

"Little mech is smart enough. He just can't say it easily enough. I want them to be happy, Ratchet. I don't want adult meddling to make problems that aren't there. Remember how hard it was for him to have Hero go there? He worried about her for orns and orns," Ironhide said as he unconsciously channeled some of his own school daze angst.

"He stays at Sparkling Day until we agree and we don't. Don't let it get to you, Ironhide. We got this," Ratchet said as he held up his beer.

Ironhide clinked it with his own. "Semper fi, slagger."

Ratchet laughed. They would join the mission in two joors as Ravel slipped in to handle the children, including three big titanic kids slumbering away in their berths nearby.

The road goes ever on …

=0=TBC 2-9-19 **2-19-19**

I aim for one piece a day forever but snow blowing with a behemoth snow blower nearly did me in. SO … **NO MORE SNOW BLOWING!** (hopefully) :D:D:D

 **NOTES! NOTES!NOTES!NOTES! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D**

Guest chapter 588 . 14h ago

Primus I love this series its just so charming and funny and I just love P&P's relationship. Also I just had the idea that the bots should also adopt Valentines Day since its a week away and they do love their human holidays

 **ME:** I'm so glad. It's sort of an obsession with me. LOL! Prime and Prowl are so matched even though they appear to be opposite. I work hard to find pairings that are absolute and mesh. Springer and Drift, Ratchet and Ironhide, Prime and Prowl. I think Prowl's cool to Prime's warmth (though he's genuinely dignified, Prime is warm) makes them perfect. **VALENTINE'S DAY! HEY, RATCHET! WHAT ABOUT IT!?**

R-"Okay."

Done deal. :D **HUGS!**

kattenbelletje chapter 588 . Feb 8

woot a Dutch boy friend. I hope the youngsters get some more support from their families.  
Ratchet didn't know prime and the others when they lived in the jumble though.

 **ME:** Just a howdy. :D I agree. I'm fixing the Ratchet mix up today. **HUGGIES** over there in Holland. My niece would live there if she could. :D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 588 . Feb 7

Oh wow... Iacon for the win! What a great game it was!

 **ME:** The bots playing sports makes me laugh. I'm working out more sports. I think a mech society would love their sports. HUGS!

leoness chapter 588 . Feb 7

Revet revving?  
I love that Ratchet's game stuff is actual tradition for his city. Great little touch there.

 **ME: BWAHAHA!** Good one. :D:D Sports cities in America have their traditions. Watch the Packers. Someone is always sitting there half naked and painted to the gills in minus 20 degree weather and a hockey team here throws octopuses on the ice during half time, a practice I don't approve of because I LOVE octopuses. The insanity is a city wide practice and there will be more by others, not just Ratchet. Also there will be traditions from other towns. :D

HUGGIES! :D

That Hobbit Girl chapter 358 . Feb 7

Hi chapter 358 is actually chapter 538 both chapters are titled Steiner.  
hopefully its a quick fix might just keep reading anyway want to know how the battle ends! loving the story so far almost caught up yay

 **ME:** I will fix this. When you find boo boos, you are my heroes. :D **HUGS!**

kattenbelletje chapter 587 . Feb 7

Shouldn't Ariel still be a mech in the flashback? He didn't become a she until they were working at the docks with Orion as a foreman.

Poor ref :D

 **ME: ON IT! LOL!** I almost got all the pronouns right but that one. :D The ref … I wouldn't be one for all the shanix on Cybertron. :D:D **HUGS!**

Guest chapter 587 . Feb 6

I am just waiting for the old mechs to tuck Sunny or Sides under their arm for an aft slapping. Rowdy infants, sassing their grand genitors. For shame.

 **ME:** Aren't they shameless? I love the family stuff. I think its a great contrast with the drama. Fun is missing from a lot of fandoms. Try writing funny in Highlander and listen to the crickets chirp. LOL! They're better about it in Sentinel and Star Trek but its a rare thing, humor. :D:D:D

 **HUGS!**

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 586 . Feb 5

Lmao! I love Ratchet!  
The kids checking Optimus was affordable…

 **ME:** I love Ratchet. He's me if I had a lot of guts and no shame. LOL! The kids are going to show up more as things go along. All of the children in the family and their friends, more of that along with the titanic kids, too. :D **HUGS!**

leoness chapter 586 . Feb 5

lol! prowl and the darn tambourine!

 **ME:** If anyone cornered Prowl, he would say it was the most fun he has sparring with Ratchet. His own buttoned down past frags with him. The tambourine will be back. ;) **HUGS!**

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 585 . Feb 4

I love Ratchet with his sporting outfits and his noisemakers. Poor Prowl needs to sit by himself if he doesn't want Ratchet to playfully bother him. Lol

 **ME:** Prowl would be a very cold and unhappy mech without Ratchet to tweak his aft. He would but deep down he loves this. The two of them are the best part of the game in some ways because they're both shameless, Ratchet more openly. He could just tip Ratchet over the side … oh wait … ;0) **HUGS!**

Lackwit chapter 585 . Feb 4

Lol at Cybertronian basketball.

So when will the human Scouts come to Mars? And T-ball!

Ah, I am sure P&P's bond is legal enough, given many during the Diaspora likely couldn't have the ceremony either. Like a church wedding vs just registering. But as a custom, I am sure Prowl's genitive would love it. Especially if it should happen around the time the missing grandparents arrive? 😉

 **ME: BOTH ARE ON THE LIST!** Thanks for reminding me. The scouts will be fun and maybe the mentor kids can step up and show them around as hosts. **THAT'S THE TICKET!** :D **HUGS!**

Guest chapter 584 . Feb 3

You know, I just realized that Prowl and Optimus never had a Praxian bonding ceremony like Bluestreak and the twins. Wonder how Prowls family feels about that ;););)

 **ME:** You have a very valid point. Zenith and Shadow wouldn't be in favor of the civil thing. I have that on the list. :D

 **HUGS!**

fancyspinner chapter 584 . Feb 3

Hey, dealing with medical issues, so I feel behind.

It actually got down into the 40s. It was really cool. I feel bad for everybody seriously freezing though.

The story still gives me the happiest. I love basketball. Be safe, take care.

 **ME: GET WELL, MISSY!** Truly, get well. Love you madly. Its been cold and in some places your 4o's are killer. We had -15 for a short while but not the long time it usually lasts thank goodness. I'm glad this makes you happy, Fancy. Take care out there, darling. **HUGS!**

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 584 . Feb 3

Oh, I'm loving this game! Doesn't matter that the Kowboys are losing... I love this story!

 **ME:** I'm so glad. I'm sort of the same way. Whoever wins, wins. I never write a game knowing the winner. The story dictates the outcome. Right now, because Prime is a fan his team is the clear favorites. Who knows next game? :D I'm delighted you love the story. I write it for you all and love that you're here. **HUGS!**

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 583 . Feb 2

Yay! Another basketball game. I love this version of basketball. I'm torn as to who I want to win, though. My favorite characters are the Twins but I love Optimus playing basketball. Either team deserves the win. Maybe there will be a tie…

 **ME:** I hear you. :D:D:D I think their versions of our games are more fun because they don't care. They dog pile, fight, ram and hoo-haw around. This is the game I would like to watch every weekend. **LOL! HUGS!**


	590. Chapter 590

The Diego Diaries: Mission (dd6 590)

=0=Early morning on the way to muster

It was inky dark in The City as the mission group coalesced on the airfield. The night sky was a velvety black dappled with stars of the galaxy uninhibited by ground lights. Beyond in the heavens the light of two Triggers in parking orbit over the colony could be made out along with the usual satellites and ship traffic doing the business of the Autobots. Hidden by the Triggers from easy detection, another huge bridge, conventional in design flew beside them compliments of the Decepticons come time back.

Towers beyond outlined themselves against the sky, a vast forest of them with many apartments showing lights, mechs and femmes coming from or going to work while others were up for any number of reasons. There were night owls among the bots as well as humans. Traffic and signage lights glowed in the cold darkness and the night lights of public buildings including the Temple some distance away made the scene less scary and more 'normal'. Any human who lived in a city would recognize this place right away, the familiarity of it would be that much like home.

There was traffic around the airfield but the streets were devoid of most. A number of delivery trucks were driving here and there, bringing wares or whatnot to the business community, many of whom ran their operations all night and day long. A horse patrol was chatting with soldiers near Club Cybertron, catching up with friends before they reported to the Master of the Muster. Seekers were gathered at their usual blast off spot, chatting and laughing together as they waited to be called to go. Soldiers walking past stopped to chat, then moved onward as small vehicles drove everywhere doing everything that was necessary to launch.

Three Supremes, Omega, Xantium and Beta were already on the line with Phobos as a medical platform, Salton Sea as the command ship for Prime and Furious Storm, a renovated 'Con ship that was going to hold Starscream and the Seeker command from now on. Prime and the others were still in the Ops Center as Ratchet ambled along, data pad in servo as he considered the situation as it pertained to him. There would be the massive medical capability of Phobos, the runabouts on the Medical Auxiliary Transport ship that would come with them, the one which carried all their fast rescue and transport vessels that would bring wounded to him on Phobos, literally dozens of field medics, triage specialists, emergency specialist doctors and nurses, orderlies who knew how to shoot and fight, orderlies that didn't, medical technicians and three priests.

It was the usual quota of science and spirituality that helped him get the job done. They were loaded with supplies, parts and chutzpah. All in all, they were ready to go.

Ratchet aimed toward the Salton Sea where a lot of mechs he knew were gathered. He would stop by and shoot the shit as the humans said while the amma and appa of Sil of the Mentorship program walked across the tarmac heading for the same ship, The Salton Sea. Capo and Buros were two of the three reporters with a mech, Stamina who wrote military news for the Autobot City Daily News was the last. They halted beside Jazz who grinned at them. "You made it."

"Reporting in as ordered," Capo said with a grin. "I suppose this is our ship?"

"It is. We're going aboard shortly. I'll show you where you can set up. A word, though. Given its a mission that hasn't been announced we'll be checking your stories before you put them out. Prime always announces these things after they conclude and we don't want anyone to be afraid so we control information until its okay to release," Jazz said.

They nodded.

"Understood," Stamina replied.

They chatted a while as mechs came and some went, mostly pilots to pre-flight their vessels. By the time Prowl and the others could be seen exiting the courtyard of The Fortress, most of the mechs had their assignments and were ready to go. As the leadership got closer, the Seekers lifted off and were headed for space to form up. It was foreboding and exciting for everyone as they began to enter their ships in earnest, the usual compliment of humans joining them on Salton Sea as well. In minutes, they would be on their way.

=0=The Hourly News, 0339 AM on the TMC, Martian Time

"For the last six joors, the Autobot Armed Forces have been preparing a battle group to attend to a mission in space. What there is known of the flight is as follows. The Office of Strategic Information and Communications headed by Commander Jazz of Kaon states that a combination Decepticon and civilian battle group has been spotted on deep space radar making their way in a roundabout manner to the space occupied by Razorclaw and his coalition near Episilon Eridani, 10.5 light years from our local sun and a sector cordoned off by the forces of the Prime.

"Some time ago, the Decepticon combiner leader, Razorclaw of Tarn settled in this location and was boxed in by Autobot forces who maintain a demilitarized zone between our local space and the sector they're allowed to occupy as per the orders of Optimus Prime. It was stated that they'd be allowed to remain as long as they didn't give any threat to anyone in our local space or in the surrounding sectors of their base. A matter of balance has been achieved and is maintained through the vigilance of the forces that occupy that DMZ, the titanic figures of Typhoon, Dangerous, Genesis, Quasar and Fireball, all dreadnought class vessels along with the metrotitan ships, Quadrus, Saber, Santee, Verilus, Lumi and Tru who are stationed there. The Dreadnought Class super ship, Clipper maintains the balance of power near Caminus in the Tau Ceti system.

"Not much information is being released about the foe except to say that the forces going to speak with them are designed to overawe and get them to leave. They're also more than sufficient to make short work of any among them who think that they may continue into the Prime's sphere of influence or any part of the Empire that's in Autobot hands. More information will be released when the situation is clearly understood and the participants identified. Reports will be forthcoming through the news division of IntraCom.

"They've been working on the armada for six joors and will be standing out at 0400 on the TMC. In exactly 22 minutes, they'll be leaving and hopefully will be returning in triumph later this afternoon. The Hourly News will be covering the fleet when it leaves and when it returns. All information about this mission will be shared as released. Right now, we'll take a moment to review information from the Community Bulletin Board about road closures near Unidad Habitat and the roundabout intersection rebuilds near the Mall of the Tri-Cities. Also, club news and the menus for schools will be scrolled on the chyron news crawler that accompanies this broadcast at the bottom of the screen as well. We'll be back in a moment," Candide said as the camera left him to show the board.

=0=0400 on the TMC

They had begun to leave, Seekers and small ships that would do duty in battle. Shuttles, small heavily armed fast fighters, something new to the arsenal getting its first test here climbed up into the sky from their stationary parking spots on the flight line to disappear into the night. Next came the battle cruisers, all of them big, heavily armed and stocked with whatever was needed for the order of battle, soldiers, small fighters and guns. It was then that the three Supremes rose up to disappear making room for the three battleships, Phobos, Salton Sea and Furious Storm. They motored up to disappear as well taking a backseat in the order of flight as everyone found their place at Trigger 1.

Miler who formulated their position glanced at Wheeljack at the conn, then nodded. "We are go, 'Jack."

"Good," 'Jack said, then called open call to the fleet. "Mission 1, you're go in the order of flight. We'll keep the door open. Good hunting and come back in one piece."

"Roger that, Trigger 1," Revo's voice could be heard as he sat at the pilot's station on Salton Sea.

As the blossom of infinity opened, the battle group began to move. 500 Seekers flew into the bridge, the spear tip of the weapon Prime was bringing. Behind him came the shuttles and fighters, then the battle cruisers, the Supremes and then the three battleships. Into the storm they flew, then the singularity fell to a pinpoint as the tunnel of time and space took them to their planned and perfectly executed location on the other side of the Orion arm.

=0=There

They flew out of a huge energy storm, the Seekers immediately making an array. Behind them everyone else came and found their place almost instantly. The space around them was the remains of a gaseous nebula and thus, the readings were the typical blur and crackle of information distorted by masses of energy all around them. They linked up and the picture cleared. Far ahead of them, a large battle group commanded by a ferocious smart mechanism was heading their way. They were at the point their commander wanted Ominous and Razorclaw to be.

He wasn't going to get what he wanted.

=0=On Salton Sea

Prime sat on the command chair watching out the forward view ports all of the swirling and shining energy beyond it. With their multi-faceted optics, there was little that they couldn't find a setting to see even when humans were feeling their way around in the darkness. He'd seen this sort of thing a million times but each time there was a reason to be constant and aware. He idly wondered if he would ever be able to see the beauty of a nebula without wondering what it was hiding.

Nearby, Capo, Stamina and Buros sat watching him and everyone else. All three of them were veterans of such ventures so they weren't afraid. They were intense in their interest in what was happening and took notes from time to time, recording their impressions, what was going on, who was doing it and what was expected.

Nearby in their 'war cocoon', the box designed to protect them even if the ship blew up, Will Lennox, Bobby Epps, Niall Graham and Gavin Pritchard sat in comfort, belted into their seats in the front with the best view. Sometimes in the middle of havoc, it was almost too good of a view. They watched the mechs, the darkness of the nebula, dark to them and waited. Something bad was coming and they were going to see it up close and personal.

Oh, joy.

Close by watching as well, a figure stood. She was human, middle aged, nondescript but pleasant appearing. She wore a long yellow dress and a sweater but no habitat gear. Her hair was a faded red and her eyes kindly but missing nothing as she watched, too. She was average height but sturdy appearing, no one who would stand out in a crowd but rather similar to everyone else you might pass on the street but not really notice. It was instructive that she watched behind Prime and even as she did, no one else on the bridge noticed her back.

Ratchet walked onto the bridge, passing her without a glance, then paused beside Prime. "How is it? Are we there yet, Dad?"

Prime grinned. "We are on time and in place. They are not here yet. Prowl says they **are** on the sensor net, however."

"Well, that's special," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I'm going back to Phobos. Anything you want me to tell Granny for you?"

Prime grinned. "Nope," he said with a chuckle of his own.

"Okay," Ratchet said as he walked back to the elevator. "Bring the hurt, Optimus."

Prime watched Ratchet go, then turned back to the forward view. As he did, he didn't notice the human female. Neither did Ratchet. The figure watched a bit longer, then disappeared from the deck.

=0=Pulsar

He sat on his command throne and watched the forward screen. A huge group was waiting at the coordinates. Who it was, whether it was Ominous and Razorclaw combined, he didn't know or care. He'd been doing this a long time. This should be of no consequence either. His ship flew with efficiency and speed toward the next step in his plan to build an empire. As he watched the forward view port, a nondescript human female materialized behind his chair.

=0=TBC 2-10-19 **2-19-19**

NOTES:

Valentines Guest chapter 589 . 7h ago

How much of the IDW universe is canon in your story? Because you've mentioned pieces of it before, mostly about Prowl and Prowl has a lot of drama in the IDW universe like with his exes Tarantulas and Chromedome (he really upgraded in boyfriends when he landed OP huh lol) and all the shady special ops stuff he did when he was head of spec ops and it would be super interesting to see one of the good guys wrestle with ghosts from his past like how the high castes did. Also OP and P hate each other in IDW so that's pretty funny considering their relationship here. Can't wait for the next update. Sorry for dumping all my ideas and questions on you. Sincerely, that one guest who keeps writing about P&P (because they're the best) and Valentines Day

ME: I use all the universes in the story, pillaging all of them that I can find. I love them all and the trick is making them fit together. The relationships between characters in some of them is different and sometimes adversarial. Prowl could ring Prime's neck sometimes and he's so manipulative and Machiavellian that I love him. Tossing tables and desks is his thing. I like to take those foibles and make them running jokes. Ratchet is a swinging party guy and Prowl is a cold hard nosed bastard sometimes. Prime has a habit of turning himself in to the humans for everything and on and on it goes. Springer and Drift HATED each other when Drift joined the Wreckers. Its a hoot to try and make them seem plausible given the range of portrayals they have. I use all unis for this epic. LOL! I love that he has boyfriends in other portrayals. I love that aspect of this world.

There is going to be more introspection of the characters besides the 'Cons. Scar has that going on himself. Prowl and Barricade were a part of that, too, and I'm going to develop more including Drift in relation to Springer who doesn't give a damn now what Drift was or did, that's how complete those two are together.

Your ideas and questions are AWESOME! Everyone is welcome to comment and suggest. This story is sort of interactive that way. If I can use them and fit them in, I do. Some of my best notions came from readers. All readers commentary is welcome. HUGS, honey. :D:D:D

Guest chapter 589 . 21h ago

And here I thought your fingers have frozen in the Alaskan cold, since the updates have been scarce since December. But it is just the amount of snow then...  
I was wondering if the bots ever downloaded the language files from the insecticons they captured? If they did, could Bob talk?  
Thank you for continuing this, and good luck for digging yourself out of the snow banks!

ME: BWAHAHA! We're getting more snow but its gotten warmer. HUZZAH! I never thought about that. Brilliant idea. Bob is sort of special ed, poor little baby. He's been neglected, starved, kicked out and freaked out so it will be interesting to see if anyone can do that. I'll have Sunstreaker look into it since Bob thinks he's his mommy. :D They already concluded that Bob is stunted but maybe another check up is in order. SEE! READER INPUT! BWAHAHA! IT'S GREAT! :D:D HUGS!

Guest chapter 589 . Feb 9

lol the idea of prim and proper Prowl of Praxus getting bonded to the PRIME OF CYBERTRON in the Cybertronian version of a Vegas shotgun wedding/elopement and his grandgenitors clutching their pearls in horror is hilarious. Could you imagine a romcom scene where one of Prowl's exes objects or tries to stop the ceremony and Shadow and Zenith invoke on their rebellious grandson lol. (ps I'm the one who mentioned they never had a ceremony and Valentines Day and I never actually thought you would respond to my reviews but thank you for responding and liking my dumb random thoughts. Love this series!)

ME: I do, too, especially since you put that image into my brain. Maybe they can get wasted in Vegas, go to the chapel and tie the knot human style. BWAHA! I love a cinematic mind. I actually see the story as a movie in my head just as you do with the romcom thing. LOL! I wish I could show the movie I see but since I can't, I try and write it as close as I can to it. I'm adding Valentine's day because its such a good way for Ratchet to goad Prowl. As for Prowl's grandgenitors ... it sort of explains his Gothic youth. LOL! I love your ideas and comments. None of them are dumb or unwanted. Its my mantra to always try and reply to every note. Hugs, honey. Glad to have you with. :D

leoness chapter 589 . Feb 9

aw, hercy. and darn it! you would think the pioneer school would do better adjusting for a smart little mech with a vocal glitch.

ME: Hercy is a good guy. He's actually designed after my Uncle John who was just like him, a WWII Marine, Marine MP and Oregon state trooper. He looked like a Prussian drill sargent and had a personality and heart like a kitten. LOVE him and he's Hercy's inspiration. :D:D That school needs to get it together. Orion is not going to be left alone if Ironhide has any say and I love it when he says so. LOL! HUGS!

HUGS EVERYONE!


	591. Chapter 591

The Diego Diaries: Battleground (dd6 591)

=0=Bridge on Salton Sea

It was very quiet on the bridge as they waited for Pulsar and his group to arrive. That bunch were just entering the edges of their sensors, a big group with a lot of guns. Prime's group was poised for any eventuality having Typhoon and Tennyson in reserve to come forward and underscore the point that Prime was preparing to make clear to the intruders.

As Optimus stared at the forward screen, the strange woman walked to where he sat, then moved to stand in front of him. She stared up at him noting his remarkable charisma and universal good looks. Even though he was a different individual from her in all the superficial points of reference different extraterrestrial species used to measure each other, it was still obvious to her that he was a very handsome specimen of his own.

What was interesting if anyone could notice was that neither Prime nor anyone else saw her.

=0=Earth among the punters

"What do you suppose this might mean?" Mariah Davis asked her ex-husband, Owen Harris. "It would appear that they go out a lot in force. There must be something terrible coming our way. Again."

"They alluded to it and probably there is," Owen said noncommittally. "We have to take their word for it and given the size of the fleet going, this might be another really bad one."

"If they would **leave** then these idiots wouldn't **come** here," Hamilton Baker said as they sat together for lunch as they finalizing the plans for the business convention they would host for a week here in the habitat.

"That's a rather understandable but naive sentiment, Hamilton," Perry Beliveau replied. "We've been down this road before. There are forces frayed from Decepticon control who wouldn't be moved by Prime just leaving. They would come in for control of what was given up. Consider how many times your own country has done that to places and individuals on Earth and ask yourself, why would they be any different?"

Hamilton stared at Beliveau coldly. "You aren't getting soft are you, Perri? Don't tell me that you find merit in their arguments?"

"I find, my dear Hamilton, that when an enemy force comes toward me that provokes a response that big and powerful from a mech like Prime that I should count my blessings he's the one going out to face it and not me," Perri replied in his impeccably dignified but cold diplomatic manner.

"Right now, we watch and wait," Owen said. "We also put on a real show for the attendees and watch the investments roll in. We have a lot of good things ahead and we can't ruin our moment now by arguing."

Cynthia Tomas walked back into the room and sat down. "Well, we have the last confirmations in and it looks like we'll have 100 of the most innovative and powerful businessmen and women on Earth for our gathering. 100 on the nose." She grinned, then glanced at Hamilton. "What happened?"

"Nothing to worry about, Cynthia," Hamilton said to the one person everyone in the room liked without reservation. "Just a difference of opinion between Beliveau and me." He didn't bother to explain what it was to her. She was too honest and had no idea of the deeper intentions of this group. He glanced at Owen. "What about the meetings and events you wanted with the bots? Are they cooperating? The soldiers and long time civilians and scientists here as well?"

They would talk about all of that and more including asking to meet with the Hu-An leadership to discuss agriculture in hostile environments, the leadership of the Resort for business inside ball and the scientists, some of whom would be offered placements in company science divisions or support for their work on world. It was a comprehensive plan that was going to be waged across many fronts in four days.

The meeting would go on and on until everything was worked out to the last serving of dessert at the culmination dinner.

=0=Out there

"We have them firmly on radar, Prime," Devcon said as he glanced over his shoulder to the command seat where Optimus sat in thought. "They're coming at a good clip. One joor and they're here. We can open communications anytime you require."

"Very well," Prime said.

It fell quiet again as some lounged, others chatted both with the humans or each other while the essential operators worked at their stations.

Prime sat in his chair brooding as he considered the problems ahead. Then he felt it, the scrutiny of someone somewhere, someone close by. Given that he was energy at his core he could tell when others were about without much effort. All of them could. He felt energy, an ancient and extraordinarily powerful energy. Sitting up straighter, he glanced around using his sensors to locate it.

Nothing seemed to be around as he sat back again, then froze in place. Standing before him was a woman without environmental gear, older with graying red hair, a knit cap on her head who was wearing a long dress and sweater. She stared at him with a bemused expression and kindly eyes. They were blue, her eyes and it looked like they had seen a lot. She said nothing to him nor he to her. Then he leaned slightly forward. "Who are you?" he asked.

She didn't answer.

Prime glanced around but no one else seemed to notice her. They didn't seem to notice him either. Glancing at her, he remembered the apparition on Mars, the one the Seer had said wasn't a danger when they had gone to the chapel to find out what had happened to the chaplain. That being was just ancient energy and no threat, the Seer had said. He leaned closer again. "I know you from Mars. Why are you here? What do you want?"

The figure looked at him, then grinned slightly. "Right hand."

He stared at her mulling her remarks. He had enough unsettling and strange experiences with the Matrix to know supernatural things when they occurred. She didn't scare or alarm him. On the contrary, she was comforting in some unknowable manner. "Right hand?" he asked.

She grinned, then turned to the screen. "They come."

"They do but we are here to prevent them that out come," Prime said.

She turned back to him. "So it is."

"Who are you, lady?" Prime asked. "You were in the chapel on Mars. At Unidad."

She nodded. "Good. Right arm. Evolution." She grinned at him, then faded away.

Prime stared at the spot with a slightly unsettled feeling, then considered that she'd been kindly and calm. Her words to him made no sense but then he knew that such events often did that. It would take time and circumstance to unwind some knots, he knew. He filed them away, then sat back. Glancing around, he knew no one saw her but him. :Devcon:

Dev glanced over his shoulder. :Prime?:

:Scan the bridge. Tell me if there's anything odd going on:

Dev did, then rose to walk to Prime. Staring out the window a moment, he then looked at Prime. :There's no one here but us. Did something happen? You have that look on your face:

:What look?: Prime asked as he glanced up at the handsome figure beside him.

:No offense, Optimus, but I call it your Matrix Face. Its a sort of charged expression you have when you do something with that device. As a bounty hunter, I notice such things:

Prime nodded. :Have you heard that the Chapel in Unidad reported an apparition?:

:The grandson told me about it. Breathlessly: Dev grinned at the memory of it.

:That apparition was just on the bridge. She talked to me, odd jargon, then disappeared. I do not think anyone but me saw her: Prime said.

Dev frowned slightly. :No. I didn't detect anything. What did she say?:

:I asked her name but she did not say. She mentioned Pulsar coming, I told her that we would prevent their progress and she was glad and said so. Then she said things that did not make sense to me. She said, 'right hand', 'good' and 'evolution': Prime reported. It didn't have any hold on him, nothing sprang to mind and it didn't seem to register on Devcon either.

:I don't know what that means. You?: Dev asked.

:No. Its odd. I did not feel any alarm at seeing her. She seemed warm and sympathetic: Prime replied.

:Good. We could use the support: Dev said with a grin.

They chatted a moment, then Dev walked back to sensors. He would watch the ships making their way forward even as he devised a sensor to scan for ghosts. He would find a lot of activity on one and none on the other.

=0=Pulsar

"There's a big group ahead, Pulsar," Rabid, his main lieutenant said as he stood beside the big mech sitting in the command seat. "They could have brought a lot of back up."

"I'm not worried about that prospect," Pulsar said quietly. "They can throw their arsenal at me and it won't matter."

"What about Prime? Anything on him?" Rabid asked for the fourth time.

"You worry, Rabid. You should know better by now," Pulsar said with a grin.

"The rumors about Cybertron, that he has it and his other places … what about that?" Rabid asked.

Pulsar considered that and the mech who was speaking. Rabid was a genuine friend, one who helped him through the phase six process and Pulsar trusted him, no small thing. They were polar opposites. He, Pulsar was educated, an engineer, high caste, strategic, patient and tactical, fearless but smart and astute, knowing unlike most Decepticon leaders that sometimes retreat **WAS** the better part of valor.

Rabid was from the ghettos of Tarn, smart but cautious, loyal to a fault, willing to learn things that most of his class could care less about such as music and books, experienced, tough but not brutal and funny. Right now, the tough cautious side was in ascendance so he was more a 'Con commander than anything more. Either way, he was also formidable and together they were pretty hard to beat.

He was what Blue Bacchus wanted to be and would never, ever attain.

"Extend the sensors, Pilot, then open a channel to the ships ahead. How long, Rabid, before we reach them?" Pulsar asked.

"We're two breems away," Rabid said as he calculated the time and half a dozen other important aspects of the situation toward which they were heading. He was a good navigator and pilot, someone with a lot of skills and abilities only reached to their fullest with Pulsar.

"Very well," Pulsar said as he watched the tactical diagram on the forward view port that showed the map of this space and the situation of the two sides slowly coming together.

"You're open, Pulsar," his comm officer said.

"Good," Pulsar said as he considered his thoughts. "This is Pulsar and I'm coming in to talk. Please identify yourselves. I'm expecting Razorclaw and Ominous, one or both."

There was a pause before a voice replied. "This is Optimus Prime. Ominous and Razorclaw will not be attending any meeting with you, Pulsar. We, however, are here in force. If you proceed further, we will be forced to destroy you."

It was silent a moment, then Pulsar grinned slightly. "Oh, Optimus … you never, ever disappoint."

=0=Phobos

They sat at the window on the forward portion of the bridge listening to Prime speak to Pulsar. A good dozen doctors were with him, mostly young kids including Partition who was along as a field exercise. Everyone was solemn and some of them were clearly scared though they tried hard not to show it.

"What do you think will happen?" Partition asked Ratchet who stood at the window staring out toward the command ship with Prime.

Ratchet glanced at the kids watching, then Gypsy who looked comforting and confident for them as well. "I suppose we have a fifty-fifty chance that Pulsar will get the message and pull away. I don't know where he's going to go but he can't come forward. Prime won't allow it."

"Will there be shooting do you think, Commander?" a young doctor, one who specialized in protoform trauma asked.

Ratchet glanced at him, then patted his arm. "There could be but look where we are? They would have to destroy everyone out there before they reached us."

"I don't want anyone hurt," another kid said. "I'm a doctor. I fix things, not break them."

"Sometimes you have no choice, infant. All of you stay out of trouble. You aren't rated to fight," Ratchet said.

"I am," Partition said with a firm expression.

"I know. You stay behind me. What's a shoot out without back up?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.

Partition considered that, then stiffened with resolve. "I may be behind you, Appa, but I'm going to be there."

Ratchet grinned, then squeezed his arm. "I never doubted it for a minute."

=0=Salton Sea

Prime watched tensely as the silence from Pulsar was only exceeded by his forward progress toward them.

=0=Furious Storm

Prowl watched with great tension as he watched Pulsar's group advance. He had a million scenarios worked out as he stood at the command table on board and watched the forward screen. Pulsar was not slowing down.

=0=Pulsar's ship, the Harrier

He watched Prime's data on the view port ahead considering what he would do when both sides were in range. As he did, he didn't notice a small human female standing next to the forward screen watching him as he mused. No one else could either.

=0=A small town on Earth-Cybertron-Mars

She finished her job, then walked to her car. She wore a knit cap on her head against the cold as she started the engine to leave. She would drive to McDonald's to eat breakfast, then drive home to take care of her dogs. It would be a short break before she went to her other little job, one of two to supplement her retirement. She would answer phones and work in a warehouse helping get orders together for companies who required their wares. She wasn't morose about it but enjoyed her life and the arrangements that supported her.

When it was all over, she would drive home and go about her usually solitary business. At no time would she be aware that there was anything odd or different about her rather mundane life as she stuffed dirty clothes into her washing machine. Pandora would play music, she would feed her pets and then make dinner. All was well in her neck of the woods here on Earth.

=0=TBC 2-11-19 **edited 2-10-19**


	592. Chapter 592

The Diego Diaries: Game Face (dd6 592)

=0=Out there

The silence on the bridge was oppressive as the lights on the map came closer and closer. When they crossed the line of no return, Prime opened a channel again. "This is Optimus Prime, Pulsar. If you do not turn around now, then there will be no quarter given. You have a breem to make that decision. Prime out."

=0=Pulsar

He listened to Prime, then grinned. "Well, that sort of tells the story. Get ready for a fight," he told his second.

Rabid turned to the crew and began to bark orders. As he did a small human-like female unseen by anyone thus far walked over to stand beside him. Staring upward with a mild expression on her face, she glanced at a computer console nearby. Looking around a moment, she walked to it, then into it and disappeared.

That is when the device exploded.

=0=Prowl

He watched the group moving toward them undeterred by Prime's ultimatum. Then the lead ship began to slow causing the others with it to make swift course changes to miss running into it. It was puzzling. "Inferno, what's going on?"

Inferno who was working the tactical and sensor station of Furious Storm glanced up at Prowl. "The lead ship has just lost speed. I have no idea why but its thrown everyone else off course."

=0=Salton Sea Flight Deck

Prime leaned forward to watch the screen as the lights began to disperse around one that had begun to slow significantly. He glanced at Devcon who shrugged.

"They lost power somehow, Prime. It's Pulsar's ship."

"Prime to Starscream."

:Starscream here:

"Can we get a closer picture of what is going on?" Prime asked.

:Standby, Prime: Starscream said.

Seconds later, dozens of very fast Seekers flew past Salton Sea blitzing their way to the armada currently attempting to regroup ahead of their own position. The maps showed the Seeker's progress, bright lights flying swiftly toward the armada ahead. Prime watched them with tension and curiosity.

Red Wing and Cloudburst led the group toward the ships ahead providing heavy weapons support to the flight. As they closed in, they turned together in a sweep as the sensor experts among them rolled a quarter turn and flashed their undercarriage at the ships ahead. Their highly advances, fast and intensely detailed devices located there in flight mode scanned deeply, then they flew back at top speed, reaching Furious Storm in no time.

They blitzed their data to Salton Sea, Phobos and Furious Storm where experts immediately began to unwind it for analysis.

:Prowl to Prime:

"Prime here."

:It would appear that Pulsar's ship has lost its capability to continue. It has a complete system failure underway. I would suggest that we attack them now while they're scattered trying to avoid collisions. Maybe we can even get lucky and end this threat entirely:

"Affirmative. Prime to Starscream. Launch interdiction. We are sending support," Prime said as he glanced back at a pensive Hard Drive. He nodded. "You are go, General."

Hard Drive nodded in return, then turned to his mechs. "Let's get this underway," he said calmly as half of them walked to the elevator to enter the battle on the ships that would fight and the few who remained gathered around the table and its battle maps. They linked in with Prowl and Starscream when they did.

=0=In hangar decks on two battle ships

Fighters began to launch in the huge hangar decks of Salton Sea and Furious Storm. Outside already gathering, battle shuttles and cruisers formed up in pre-planned arrangements to go. With a cloud of Seekers joining them, they all stood out with great speed just as nearby two massive ships materialized out of nowhere.

:Typhoon to Prime. Command me:

:This is Tennyson, Prime. I am yours. What do you will?:

"This is Optimus Prime. Array yourself as planned, gentlemen," he said as the two ships immediately moved to battle stations some distance in front of Prime's group, halfway to the stalled armada of Pulsar. They were an astonishing sight as they brought their powerful stupendous guns to bear.

Prime sat back gratified by their presence as he watched the fleet close the gap with Pulsar. Before they reached it, they opened fire. Lines of missiles launched by the cruisers traced their way to their targets on the map on the forward view port. They were heading for ships that struggled in the confusion of their situation to evade.

=0=Pulsar

" **WHAT HAPPENED!?"** Pulsar demanded as he rose from his seat to turn to his command crew. They were crackerjack and first class so what happened was shocking to him. This sort of thing didn't happen. He as an engineer made sure of it.

"I don't know but we have incoming," Rabid said as he turned to the forward screen. A space map appeared showing huge ships moving onto station after appearing out of thin air, a powerful force including hundreds of Seekers heading their way and tracer lines of missiles that had been launched toward them.

"Make counter measures. **NOW!** " Pulsar demanded.

They were launched and headed toward the missiles who were closing the gap fast. Three of them were taken out but two were dead on course for ships in his fleet. They were furiously rolling away, ducking and moving swiftly to avoid contact. However, the missiles were smart and found their targets.

Sheering off the tail sections of two of his battle ships, the missiles found their marks. Explosions disabled both ships as they spun, then drifted swiftly away to list in space. Material that was part of their tail assemblies floated away, propelled by the explosion.

Two large pieces struck Pulsar's ship, then spun away. It was hard enough to jolt everyone as they worked feverishly to get out of the box they were in. Ships were coming and they would be in range to shoot soon enough. Retreat was necessary so Pulsar ordered everyone into a nebula nearby.

=0=Impactor's Revenge

"That's not very neighborly heading into that little nebula," Springer said dryly. He glanced at Hercy who sat nearby watching the sensor screens as the armada began to retreat. "Score two for the cruisers nailing the battleships. We get the rest."

"Could be tough, infant. Nebulas aren't much help searching for something. Haven't you watched Star Trek?" Hercy asked with the ghost of a grin.

"Damn. That's right," Springer said with a chuckle. "Follow that fragger, the big cruiser that took shrapnel. They're hurt and I feel lucky."

The mechs laughed as Win set a course for a big cruiser that was powering its way into the distortions of the nebula trailing liquids and metal parts, a mass of energy that would frag with their sensors and make the hunt a smidge more difficult than otherwise. They wouldn't be the only ships heading that way as the rest of their battle group followed him, each of them chasing their own target.

Meanwhile on Pulsar's ship …

He cursed, then ordered his ship evacuated. Nothing was working and if they stayed it would be hand-to-hand in the corridors. Everyone on board hurried to the hangar decks and bridge rooms of the ship, managing just as Kup and his ship began to reach them.

Kup stared at the battleship, itself listing in the crush of debris from two downed vessels. They were evacuating into small ships, those that would fit and heading toward the nebula at high speed. Seekers chased them firing at their afts and scoring a number of victories doing so before the rest made it into the dimness of the nebula.

"Well, we get to score the big one," Kup said. "Kup to Red Wing."

:Red Wing here:

"I need a scan of the big ship here, Pulsar's vessel. Is there anyone still aboard?" he asked.

:On it: Red Wing said.

Moments later, several Seekers flew over it, then back to magnetize. They walked along the hull scanning with their specialized deep penetrating gear. After a moment, they waved to Kup. :All is clear:

"What can you tell me about booby traps?" Kup asked.

They stepped up and flew over to the shuttle with their ped propulsion capabilities. Entering the vessel, they turned to Kup. "I wouldn't go in there. That's Pulsar's command ship. He wouldn't give it up without a fight. I'd pull back now."

Kup nodded to Sep who threw her in reverse. All of the ships with Kup pulled back and as they reached what they felt was a safe distance, the battleship ignited and blew up.

=0=Prime

He tensed as the light of a ship exploding filled the screen. He saw his shuttle tumble in the blast waves that rolled out as the ship continued to explode. "Prime to Kup."

It took a moment, then it was static-filled, the reply. :Kup here. The battleship is a wipe. Fraggers:

"Are there casualties?" Prime asked.

:Bruises and bumps. We're going into the nebula. I suppose you want the slaggers: Kup replied.

"Not if there are casualties. I want everyone to come home. Do what you can and be careful. I will have Tennyson and Typhoon try to scan the nebula," Prime replied.

:Got ya. Kup out: He turned to his crew including a bemused Sun. "You ready for the fun, General?" he asked the big black Autobot.

"I was borned for this, Kup. Let's get the slaggers," Sun said as he walked to a gun to sit and bring it on line.

The other mechs grinned as they walked to the rest to take their places for the shooting to come. It was going to be interesting.

=0=In the mix

Pulsar sat on the command seat of one of his other battleships watching the static-filled sensor screen showing what was outside. He had texted his crews giving them the flight plan and they were forming up again. He was going to go deep inside, lose the fraggers, then regroup and plot a strategy.

Obviously, Razorclaw and Ominous hadn't been permitted to come and this show being Prime's was a taste of what he could deliver. There must be some truth that he held Cybertron, a deal changer in a way he hadn't fully determined yet. Right now, he was going to get to a secured place, then decide his next move. Playing chess in the soup of radiation that surrounded them would be a game of nerves and guts. He had a plethora of both so he sat down and began to think about his next move.

=0=Ironhide

He sat in the engineer's chair watching the sensor screen as Sandstorm flew the ship. Sitting at some of the gun placements, his uncle Blackjack chatted calmly with his atar and appa, Blackjack the Younger and Raptor. They had jumped on the shuttle and stood out for the battle group, taking their place with the regular troops. Hard Drive would handle the battle plan. Sun and Jack would have the fun. So it would turn out later that Lissie and Steiner had the same thought.

"Personally, I think they all need decommissioning. I heard that Sixshot went with Megatron so that slagger isn't on the list this time," Jack was saying to Raptor.

"We'll get him next time," Raptor said. "None of these slaggers are going to interfere again. We drove off Killmaster and Heretech."

"Good. I never liked those slaggers," Jack said calmly. "Had a few in the sights but my rounds bounced off. It was sort of fun, though, to see them jump." He grinned, an eerie version of the rest of them as they sped even farther into the fog of the nebula. They would disappear right away.

=0=Phobos

"What happens now, Commander?" a youngling med tech asked Ratchet as they watched debris drift past from the former battleship of Pulsar.

"Well, they'll chase them into the nebula and everyone is going to fly around without finding each other, then we're going to mine the slag out of it hoping to score a big one before we leave here. We'll also hide sensors and devices to watch for them if they persist. Prime means to end the threat and if we have to put a group out here we will."

"Then … you think there might be shooting?" the kid asked as the others stared at Ratchet with solemn expressions.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Right now, we have the peace. We shouldn't borrow trouble. I know it will always find you if it wants to," Ratchet said with a grin.

Nearby watching without being seen, an entity of some kind agreed with him silently. Then she simply faded away.

=0=TBC 2-12-19 **edited 2-18-19**

Note replies tomorrow. :D


	593. Chapter 593

The Diego Diaries: Hunt and Peck (dd6 593)

=0=In a nebula: Everyone that was anyone on both sides

"I remember that episode. They were flying around in a nebula hunting each other. It was hilarious," Springer said as he stared at the sensor screen of his shuttle, Impactor's Revenge. They were pursuing in pairs, the shuttles and smaller ships, combining sensors to pierce the static soup that they were swimming in as the Seekers put up a protective perimeter in free space beyond.

"Star Trek isn't a bad show. Now there's others that are slag," Hercy said as he chatted over the intercom with everyone else.

Springer glanced at him. "Lost In Space. What the frag was **that** all about?"

"Uh, danger, Will Robinson," Drift said as a dark shaped figure loomed outside, then arched away.

Springer glanced up. "Frag. That was close. Shoot him."

"Done deal," Sun said as he let 'er rip.

=0=Out there: Ironhide and Company/Familia

They sat at their gun emplacements as sensors scanned everywhere. There were echoes here and there but some of them were just the odd ice ball or pocket of super heated gas charged by the zillions of particles flying around unseen. Somewhere in this mess was a couple of cruisers, some wounded battleships and who knew what else. They had seen them go in and as they sat waiting to slag it out with one or both of them, one of the cruisers found them instead.

=0=On Salton Sea: Hard Drive

"Oh-oh. A cruiser just found City of Praxus," he said as the klaxons on a battle shuttle began to scream in Ironhide's audials.

=0=Ironhide and Company/Familia

It was startling how precise the incision was when the cruiser's wicked prow sliced The City of Praxus into two even sized pieces. It didn't even cause the ship's internal space bridge to blow up and scatter whatever was in proximity to it everywhere at once.

For a moment, both Blackjack the Elder and Younger, Raptor, Sideswipe, Sandstorm as pilot, Twin Twist as engineer and Hoagie, a massive hulking Wrecker who was a bouncer at Macadam's when he wasn't wrecking were doing their job, waiting to shoot the slag out of the bad guys. Then they were watching as the part of the ship they weren't in floated away from the one they were. Smack dab in the middle as it carving its way through was the dark hulking menace of a ship as lost in the soup as they were.

:What the frag?: Ironhide said as he got sucked out of the ship-let and found himself cartwheeling away into the mess.

Jack who saw him go unstrapped, then swan dived out of the section he was stranded in to follow him. That was when Blackjack the Younger and Raptor the One and Only joined him. Floating away at gathering speed in their sheered section, Sideswipe, Sandstorm, Twin and Hoagie watched helpless to join them as they sped away.

The five spiraled away swiftly themselves until they hit a big boulder roaring past and found themselves tossed out of the ship portion they were ensconced in, heading into the mess like billiard balls scattered in a break.

It was fragged.

=0=Salton Sea: Hardie, Prime and everyone else

"Half of the crew on City are tossed out, Optimus," Devcon said as he stood to go. "Its problematic that the other half were or will be as well."

"Find them, Devcon," Optimus said as he joined Hardie at Tactical. They watched him go, then looked at the screen. Only a couple of their ships could be detected and their signals were faint in the torrent of interference that was coming their way. "This is fragged. Have Tennyson and Typhoon move up and scan the sector, deep and hard."

Prowl nodded, then made it so.

Outside, two massive ships moved closer, one so big it seemed to dwarf the other, itself enormous on a cosmic scale and began. Everyone in the nebula would feel their combined scans beading on their exoskeleton.

=0=Out there: Ironhide and his Familia, minus his company

He careened away spinning with gathering speed as he flashed through the shimmering radiation that was part of the problem for both sides. Behind him flying like supermen without capes, the elders of his family followed. They passed a cruiser who didn't see them and an Autobot shuttle who did.

"Springer to Prime. I just saw Ironhide and his elders fly past. What the frag happened?"

Prime glanced at Hardie who was getting a bead on them by triangulating with Springer's signal. "Got them. Red Wing, get casualties on these coordinates. They're moving away with speed."

:On it:

Prime walked to the forward view port to look at the map being created by the big ships. As the titans scanned the area, data was being created and a map put together with it like a Lego fort. It was projected on the forward view screen so that everyone could see it. Optics were needed now. There were vast areas missing but the local area where the battle was being waged had begun to take shape.

:Ratchet to Prime: a voice said over the inter-ship comm line.

"Prime here."

:What's the deal with Ironhide? He's furious about something:

"Well," Prime began.

=0=Red Wing and a crew heading for The Great Out There

The Seekers flew into the maze and followed the trajectory of the coordinates for the flight path of the casualties. It was dense and fragments of snow and ice began to fill in the cleared zones where big ships had plowed through, missing others sometimes by inches as they did. Their sensors were fragged.

As they flew onward, they missed Ironhide, Jack, Blackjack and Raptor by a few yards. Ironhide had bounced off a boulder again and had taken a slight turn. His elders linking servos had managed to power their way his direction as all of them disappeared into the darkness again.

It was fragged.

=0=Phobos: Ratchet and Company

Ratchet sat on the arm of the command chair, his for all intents and purposes and listened. Ironhide's ship had been sheered into two pieces and he was free balling in the mess with his elders. He didn't feel too out of sorts about it. Ironhide was more mad and slightly titillated by his wild and woolly ride than scared.

Ratchet was more amused if somewhat furious, ready to take no prisoners but the idea of his elders going after Ironhide was comforting. Yes, Ratchet considered … / ... I've been at this too long .../

Ratchet glanced at the array of doctors and youngling Home Guard soldiers who'd gathered around him for comfort and explanations. They looked at him worriedly. "You look uncomfortable," he said to them as he projected his command calm and confidence.

"Aren't you, Commander?" a youngling femme Home Guard sniper and medic asked.

Ratchet considered that. "My old mech and his family wrote the book on this. We've done this so many times I've lost count. I want him back in one piece, all of them, but he's not worried so I'm not. We've learned to trust ourselves."

'Wow," a youngling mech Home Guard soldier, a specialist-electronics tech said. "This is hard. Does it ever get easier?"

Ratchet considered that, then grinned slightly. "No."

=0=Out there: Ironhide and Familia

Ironhide bounced off something again when an arm reached out to grab him. He was yanked inside, then the 'something' moved onward. When his elders passed by they wouldn't know anything was different than their little mech was flying away out here and they had to get him back.

=0=Out there: Springer and Company

They flew at the dark shape and opened up. Stitching the side of the big dark whale passing overhead, they watched as fires erupted, then died away immediately. That was when entire sheets of the hull broke off and flew straight at them.

" **HARD A PORT!"** Springer bellowed just as the shit hit the fan.

=0=Sideswipe and the rest of The City of Praxus

They linked up, hooking themselves together as they floated with gathering speed in the mess. Sideswipe ignited his flight capabilities, then headed for a giant ice ball with a rocky crater pointed their way, towing everyone as he did. It took a bit of time and a lot of slaggings from free floating stuff before they reached it to grab on.

They dug in with their servos, then sunk hooks into the rocky surface. They were safe from the free-for-all out there but they were now hostage to the ice ball which was heading for what looked like open space ahead.

Maybe they would get lucky after all.

=0=Salton Sea: Hardie and the High Commander

Starscream and his command staff had joined Prime. They stared at the map formulating on the forward view port. They'd located and tagged Springer and two other Autobot vessels along with four cruisers and what might be two battleships from Pulsar's arsenal. Starscream mused. "What about Devcon? Has he reported in?"

"Not yet," Prime said grimly.

"We can scan from the edges, Prime, linking in to power boost the titans. It's not normally known but our data techs have a number of less well known capabilities. I shall order them to the titans at once," Starscream said as he made the call.

Over 100 Seekers lifted off the hulls of ships to fly to Tennyson and Typhoon to power boost and refine the sensors the big ships fielded. They would do so by gathering in the hangar decks, linking up together, then having their nexus member plug into the titans. They would then be able to find everyone with more relative ease than before. It would be enlightening.

=0=Out there: Springer and Company

They pulled hard to port, then ricocheted all over the inside of their ship as a huge chunk of plating slammed them. Sun who was fastened in laughed loudly as the crew jim jammed all over the place, then settled with a stunned expression on their faces. **"WELL DONE! NOW LET'S GET THEM!"** he called out as Sim crawled back to the pilot seat.

Sim looked at things, then glanced back at Sun. "We're dead in the water, General," he said before another big sheet of hull plating slammed into them and the shuttle came apart at the seams.

It would be long discussed in the annals of Wreckerdom and among those mechs and femmes of arms that General 'Sun' Ironhide of the Immortals kept firing his big gun as he floated off into the darkness still strapped into his seat.

Springer and Drift who were falling away into the darkness watched him with wonderment as they bounced off ice balls and other debris with the rest of their crew. The two groups parted ways almost immediately.

=0=Salton Sea: Command Crew, et al

"Springer has broken up. It appears that debris disabled them. Sensors read that mechs are falling away in the darkness," Blaster said as Ratchet walked from the elevator.

Ratchet crossed the deck, then glanced at the board. "Well, all of my family are missing in the mess, two or three battle shuttles are down and everything is fragged," he said in summary. "What do you want to do, Optimus?"

Optimus who was silent in his fury glanced at Ratchet. "You do not want to know, Ratchet," he said as he ordered more shuttles into the mix.

Three more shuttles would go and with them would be the loudly jonesing Xantium of Wrecker fame. They would disappear into the mess almost at once.

=0=Elsewhere

He walked across the command deck of a battle cruiser in the gun sights of a lot of ugly mean looking mechs. Sitting in a chair watching the screen with a dark expression, Pulsar stared at the blur outside. Pausing beside him, Ironhide glowered.

Pulsar turned to him, regarding the big Autobot for a moment. "Well, we meet at last, Ironhide."

"Who are you, fragger?" Ironhide asked coldly. He wasn't afraid. He was just highly, highly pissed.

"Why, I'm Pulsar, your new host," the big mech said with a grin.

=0=TBC 2-14-19 **edited 2-18-19**


	594. Chapter 594

The Diego Diaries: Hide and Seek (dd6 593)

=0=On the ground in Autobot City

They stood at the windows of their habitat staring into the sky. Somewhere up there were two Trigger space bridges and one very large conventional type working their magic in fixed orbits over the airfield. Circling Saturn where the War World space station was receiving its final checks before transport to the 'Silk Road' near the pathway of the migrations and main flight lane to Cybertron, another Trigger was helping speed things up.

The huge station would be a destination trading post for anyone who came by on the very old and very busy trading route, a place to refuel, get supplies and trade through the barter system. Those who didn't have the cash or trade to get their needs met would have it made so by the grace and order of the Prime of Cybertron. They would retrieve their reputation from the gutter no matter what it took with this glittering shiny marvel of technology.

Such was the power of math.

It would be around Saturn that yet **another** War World-style station would be put into construction. That one would be moved to the territory that separated Ominous and Razorclaw from polite society to work as a defensive fortification, It would keep the two slaggers from augmenting their troops. All of those with bad intentions coming down the arm from the back reaches of territory still held by the Decepticons would face its glittering guns, the fraggers. They would have that feature to contend with some fine orn when they tried.

So sayeth Optimus Prime.

There was even talk that smaller specially constructed space stations would be built and placed here and there in the solar system with a big one halfway between Mars and Earth. That one would be a science and exploration facility with humans and bots working together for the benefit of Earth. It would be managed, they said, by the Resort At Autobot City Corporation as another destination for tourists to stop and enjoy themselves.

They said, whoever 'they' were.

That was still in the chat stages but what was real and happening now was the bright beam of energy that was pouring into the sky in a tight format to recharge the Triggers. It was streaming out of the geosynchronous energy chamber in a highly secured area on the highway to Industrial Park Cities that fed all of them massive amounts of energy to operate.

Every so often, all flights both in and out of Mars were held up to allow refueling from the chamber on the ground. It was a highly secured and massive building with retractable dome that allowed the stream to shoot upward and hit the refueling ports on the Triggers and the other bridge with pinpoint accuracy. It was one of the few places even the most veteran humans here weren't allowed to enter.

It was critically important, highly secured and only Prime carried the keys that could start it. It was, apparently, part of the duties of a Prime to have them. No one else did. As it was, they were filming the stream which was huge and powerful as it shot upward to link up with precision to the energy ports and docks that were placed underneath the huge machines.

"That's enough energy to power half the Earth for a long time," Sheila said as she watched from the table where she was eating breakfast.

"I'd love to see it but I don't think it's going to happen. I heard that not even Will Lennox is allowed inside," Michio Yamaha said.

It would be a quiet interlude for the two hours it took to power up all three bridges for another six months.

=0=Out there

He streaked into the nebula flying past clouds of dust and energy that shimmered when struck with particles that flew everywhere around them. Inside, his crew sat in their seats watching as Xantium charged ahead jonesing for a fight.

"This mech is **the mech** ," Topio said as he flipped the safety on his gun on and off idly. "Better get ready for some action."

At that moment, a blinding light coming from nowhere struck Xantium causing him to rock violently. Fortunately, his crew compliment was settled and had magnetized to their seats as most veteran soldiers did flying into battle. Xantium bellowed, then straightened his flight path as he scanned for the one who shot him.

" **ZEE! YOU OKAY!?"** Castle asked as he scanned the big mech. He was the crew's medic slash sniper.

" **SOME FRAGGER SHOT ME! THE *FRAGGER*! I WILL *FRAG HIM UP*!"** he roared. **"GET INTO THE SAFETY CHAMBERS! *NOW***!"

Without a word, everyone in the ship jumped up and ran for the back to slip into the line of safety chambers that were fixed to the bulkhead for the rare moment that one of them shifted from ship to root mode with crew on board. Now was that time. They'd barely slammed the hatch doors shut on their chambers when the area around them began to slide and break up its configuration.

Xantium, Supreme bad ass and bad boy of the Supreme titans was transforming into root mode to slap ass from here to Alpha Centauri.

Nearby, sliding blindly through space, The City of Helex was looking for something to shoot. They caught a flash of something nearby, then swung around in time to see Xantium Supreme snap into place, fully transformed into a giant raging, searingly angry mech. His guns came on line and so did his thrusters as he cast around for something to shoot.

" **ZEE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"** Whirl called from City of Helex.

 **:I'M GOING TO RIP SLAG APART! DON'T GET IN THE WAY!:** he called out, then he began to fly into the dimness with his gun in servo. He was going to count coup if it was the last thing anyone else ever did. He was gone in seconds.

"Follow that mech," Whirl said as he grinned faintly. "Hurry or there's going to be nothing left for the rest of us."

They sped forward following his trail and when they broke clear of a hail of small rocks and ice particles they were able to see the show. Xantium had found a quarry, maybe not the one who shot him but at the moment he wasn't picky. He was chasing a cruiser who was picking up steam. It was clear that they knew he was chasing them.

"Frag," Whirl said with a chuckle. "Look and learn, infants," he said to the others. "We're watching a Master At Work."

Huge laughter greeted that as everyone moved to that side of their shuttle to watch. It would be epic.

=0=Out there: Three mechs looking for another one

They flashed past a ship, then another loomed ahead. Whose ship it was, they didn't know but Jack steered toward it so they could they slam into it then magnetize immediately. It was fortuitous all around that they did.

=0=Floating on an ice ball heading toward what looked like open space shortly before

They watched as Xantium flew in with a trio of shuttles. They had no way to get their attention and their calls went unnoticed. That is, they didn't reach Xantium and the boys but they **did** reach a battle shuttle belonging to the bad guys who sheered a tight turn to come after them.

:Frag: Sunstreaker said as he glanced at the others. They were getting their guns ready even as he began to dig out his hook from the rocky fragment that was their taxi. Shots began to be fired as the shuttle bore down on them but before it could ram the fragment and destroy everyone, the Autobots were free and flying away from it. When the shuttle hit it and plowed on, they would have four Autobot limpet fish clinging magnetically to its side.

=0=Salton Sea

Prime watched the map as it filled in with a tension he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Having peace was a thing that'd been soothing and healing, even in the few times they had to step it up. This was turning out to be the worst intervention they'd made but he was incurably optimistic.

Ratchet watched Prime then the map. Somewhere out there, his old mech and most of his adult family were flailing around. Experience told him two things. It was going to be alright and it was going to be fragged. The only variable was the caliber of the mechs and femmes doing the duty. He was leaning toward things meeting somewhere in the middle. The energy he was getting from Ironhide wasn't good.

=0=Ironhide and Pulsar

He stared at Pulsar, a mech he had seen only on data readouts. The Warrior Elite program that Megatron had started was listed as a war crime by the Autobots and the reformed government. No one had a very good defense against them short of Metroplex sitting on them. This one was worse because he was very educated and very, very smart and tactical.

That could work in his favor or not. Narcissistic egotism glazed with a sense of invincibility was also a byproduct of this program. He'd never met a phase six mechanism who wasn't completely insane, a psychotic maniac, a stone killer and/or full of shit. This one was sort of a number of things and it didn't add up to anything good.

"Prime wasn't being very neighborly, Ironhide."

"Prime has to protect three billion of our people. He hasn't got time for fraggers. Do I have to draw you a picture?" Ironhide said coldly.

Pulsar grinned. "You always were intemperate."

It was silent a moment, then the mess ahead of them cleared and the sight outside caught everyone by surprise…

Xantium came up on the ship he was chasing which was aware of him and had turned guns to face him. Zee was coming over the top and angling down to the ship making their ability to shoot him problematic. He subbed his gun, then reached out his arms to grip the vessel. He gripped it hard and began to rip entire panels of its hull off, flinging them outward as he crept up the vessel's long body.

When he reached midway, he wrapped his arms around it then squeezed. The vessel began to buckle and bend as the massive oppressive power of a Supreme mechanism began to hug the life out of it.

In the vast arsenal and population of the Cybertronian people only a metrotitan or dreadnought was stronger than a Supreme mechanism.

An Autobot battle shuttle came up behind him, then evaded the scene as huge pieces of the cruiser began to shed from the vessel. The stern broke off and fell away, trailing fuel and fire as it disappeared into the darkness. It was then that a flash of light told the story as it blew up and turned to confetti which was flying upward past everyone.

Zee was bellowing, though there was no sound in space, then he flipped over and rolled himself taking the cruiser with him. It was then that it broke in two large pieces and flew away from him shedding its interior contents including widely flailing mechs and the odd femme.

It was surreal and terrifying as Xantium floated in space watching with enraged satisfaction as the cruiser flew away to fly no more. He pulled his gun, shot the big pieces, then headed onward looking for more prey. The shuttle following, an Autobot vessel slowed and began to collect the survivors, some hurt and others not. They were stowing them in chains inside as the ship bearing Ironhide and Pulsar slid by.

"Get us out of here," Pulsar said with a grave expression.

 **:XANTIUM! COME BACK TO THE FIGHT! I'M CAPTIVE ON A VESSEL THAT'S PASSING BY! DO YOU HEAR ME, ZEE!?:** Ironhide called out on a heavily encrypted line that bots shared on the battlefield. **:HURRY!:**

Xantium slowed, then turned around with his big, big gun. He began to fly back with a grim expression on his handsome face. :I hear ya, Ironhide. Be ready to evade incoming: he said as he broke through a cloud of ice and snow to see the battle cruiser, the twin of the one he just crushed beginning to pick up speed. He grinned, then opened a channel to it. **:I AM XANTIUM SUPREME! PREPARE TO BLEED, FRAGGERS!:** he said.

Sitting on his command chair, Pulsar glanced sharply at Ironhide who was grinning at the screen. "Call off your dog, Ironhide. He's going to kill you, too."

"You don't get it, fragger. I'm prepared to do that to save Cybertron and Mars. What are **you** prepared to do now that Xantium Supreme has you in his sights?" Ironhide asked with a grin.

Nearby, flying toward the scene blindly, two enemy battle shuttles bearing unseen two sets of Autobots clinging to them were hunting both the enemy and a way out. They had no idea that a shuttle was cleaning up after a Supreme mechanism, that their boss was being hunted by the same bot for an encore and that the mass of the nebula was getting to be a crowded and finite battle field.

=0=TBC 2-15-19 **2-18-19**

NOTES will be answered tonight. :D

Its canon about the energy chamber keys and a Prime. :D


	595. Chapter 595

The Diego Diaries: Face Off (literally) (dd6 595)

=0=Out there

" **HARD A PORT!"**

Pulsar bellowed his command as the deck crew jolted out of their surprise. Xantium had disappeared into the shimmering energy and the high volume of dust, ice particles and who knew what else. Just as the ship began to move away, an astonishing sight came out of the darkness ahead. Flying with his fist straight out like some kind of monstrous metallic Superman, Xantium Supreme was flashing forward to have a head on collision with the battle cruiser.

It was so surprising and astonishing that Pulsar and his crew paused long enough for Ironhide to grip the command chair for the collision. It was too late to turn around from it and even though two of Pulsar's battle shuttles reached the scene, they could offer no help. In fact, they barrel rolled to either side and disappeared themselves.

Ironhide gripped tightly to the chair, then laughed loudly. **"HANG ON! COLLISION IMMINENT!"** he cried out as the proximity klaxons began to sound.

"Collision imminent," a metallic voice called over the intercom. "Collision imminent. Brace for impact in nine … eight …"

At that moment everyone dived for a seat winching in just as Pulsar turned toward his own. He startled at the sight of Ironhide gripping the back of it, then Xantium's fist connected with the prow of his ship. The impact was incredible.

The forward view screen and port windows exploded into a million shards of flying glass as an enormous fist appeared to reach into the deck. Everything that was forward impacted, scrunched or exploded, then flew backwards into the bridge.

Ironhide had ducked down as he gripped, magnetizing his peds to the deck and his servos to the back of the heavy chair that was designed to stay in one place. It would shield him from most of the debris and as he did, Pulsar flew over the top of him along with the tech that was forward heading toward the back wall along with the gunmen that had guarded Ironhide to the bridge. He glanced over his shoulder to see them hit the back wall, fly forward as Zee jerked his fist around, then slam backward into it as Xantium pulled his fist back out.

Outside, a number of Autobots who'd let go of enemy ships they were riding floated in the debris field watching something they'd heard about but had never seen before. Supreme mechanisms seldom transformed to root mode in battle unless it was urban but it had been done in the past. It was happening now and there were no words for the sight of it among the Autobot mechs who were jonesing for a ride out of there.

Sunstreaker huddled behind a boulder with ice on it with the others as they watched. Xantium had punched the ship in the face burying his fist into the vessel's bow up to what humans would call their wrist. The ship had shuddered, then big chunks of it buckled, fell off or crumpled never again to be straight or useful.

Zee pulled his fist back out as he gripped the ship with his pincer arm, then struck it again. Down the hull toward midships, the ripple of his power could actually be seen. As it did the ports along both sides imploded then shattered outward, sending zillions of shards of transparent steel into the chaos around it. A huge crack appeared halfway down and out of it a number of mechs were jumping to float away as Xantium mauled their vessel.

Sunstreaker glanced back toward Xantium who had the ship in his grip and was shaking it back and forth. It was like a baby with a rattle as he gripped it and raged. There was no sound to this spectacle but the trumpeting of raging elephants would probably be a good soundtrack Sunny thought as he and the other three stared in stunned silence at the event unfolding before them.

=0=Inside

Ironhide slid down the deck to the elevator and when he got there pried the doors open to slip inside. He thought about dragging in as well Pulsar who was bouncing around most groggily but decided against it. Only someone with the power of a Supreme or titanic frame could deal with the phase sixers. They could rip them to shreds and have a chance of disabling them where he couldn't. All he needed now was for Pulsar to revive before he could disable him himself with Prime or Ratchet's aid.

The elevator was still working but when he arrived down below, the doors were stuck. He ripped them apart, then clambered out running toward the engine room and the exits that were there there that the engine room crews used when things got fragged. Most of those doors were open to space when he got there and the engine room was empty of worker bees. The roar of it indicated that it was going to go so he had to hurry. He thought about mining the engine, then grinned to himself. Given the shaking going on as he swayed in the nether regions of the doomed vessel, it was only a matter of time before Zee took care of it himself.

He walked and slid to a hatch opening, noting that the area around outside was filled with mechs fleeing the ship. He looked out, then stepped out turning on thrusters he rarely used as he headed away himself. Halfway to the first good hiding place he would find, Ironhide rolled over to slow and watch.

The ship was breaking up with huge chunks falling off, arcing electrical fire and flashes along with actual fuel fires that burst into sight, then died right away nearly immediately in the cold vacuum of space. There was a bunch of crew and many if not all of them were floating in space trying to put distance between themselves and the vessel. They were watching their ship die at the hands of someone who was most likely just a story to them, a fable told about the Golden Age.

Xantium gripped the mangled nose of the ship, then pushed his servos together as hard as he could, squeezing the sides together. The ship crunched into a crumpled mass, then the forward section in his grip finally broke free of the rest of the vessel. It floated off, then blew up with a mighty flash of fire and shrapnel. It peppered the crew floating about and Ironhide as well as everyone twisted and turned to miss the big stuff. Several kabooms later, the ship was a shattered mass of metallic and frozen liquid slag.

Xantium floated in space triumphant, then glanced around. **:IRONHIDE! WHERE ARE YOU!?:**

Ironhide laughed then headed toward the big mech. :Right here: he said.

Then the others, two sets of the most unlucky slaggers tuned in. **:WE'RE OVER HERE!:** Sunstreaker said as his group flew out heading toward the big mech along with the four other Autobots nearby.

The two shuttles from Pulsar's group had disappeared leaving everyone floating after spotting Xantium destroy the cruiser. The crew of the cruiser waved to the stragglers floating everywhere in fury as they left them behind. A few shot at the ships in their outrage at being abandoned. That was when they in their anger began to shoot at the eight Autobots heading for Xantium Supreme.

=0=Salton Sea

"I have a broken up message from Kup," Prowl said. "Xantium was shot, transformed into root mode and has …" Prowl paused a moment with the note in hand, then looked at Blaster. "Is this correct?"

Blaster grinned, then nodded. "It is."

Prowl stared at the note, then looked at the others. "He hugged one ship to death and he's currently punching another one in the face."

=0=Out there

:Keep up, infants: Jack said as he sped toward Zee with his guns blazing. Behind him, Raptor and Blackjack the Younger attended. They watched the ship die as Zee vented from their hiding place of a rock not that far away from Sunstreaker and his crew. It was relief making to see everyone was alive and relatively well. It was clean up now as the entire Autobot ship's crew flew into Pulsar's to shoot it out while Xantium reached into the piece of ship still in his servos to pull out those still left inside. He tossed them into the mass of teeming chaos nearby as he grabbed them, then threw the ship fragment to one side.

There had to be other prey around here, he thought, then he rolled over and flew onward to find it.

Behind him, the teeming mass of Autobots versus the battered, injured and severely fragged off former crew of Pulsar had it out together.

It was fortunate that other Autobot shuttles including one commanded by Steiner and another by Lissie showed up about the same time. The fight would be short lived.

=0=Pulsar

He floated in space, a severely damaged mechanism. He'd struggled with the giant hand of Xantium when he finally reached into the farthest areas of the bridge he held with his claw arm. Pulsar had given a few very hard raps to the mechanism as he fought to be free. It hadn't freed him but it certainly enraged the Supreme mechanism.

Zee had pulled Pulsar out, looked him in the face with a howling rage, then squeezed hard. When he was sufficiently satisfied that Pulsar's optics had bugged out far enough, he tossed him aside. There were others hiding from him inside including two who had managed to get the elevator doors opened, stepped in and fell into space.

He was marginally aware, Pulsar, that ships were there and they were gathering in his crew. He felt his own internal repair begin, something that phase six mechanisms had that were so far advanced over the average bot that they could recover from just about anything in a matter of orns. The only thing they couldn't repair was lose of limbs unless they had medical skills. If Xantium had pulled him apart, he would be a unsquished torso with astonishing power in three orns but no limbs to locomote. It was their Achilles heel.

Among (few) other things.

Their power was internally derived with a specialized and miniaturized reactor that gave them unlimited power to chase, self-repair or do their mayhem whereas other bots wouldn't survive. There was no distance or privation they couldn't overcome because of it and that was their great threat. Even a bot couldn't live long enough to outrun one on their tail. Pulsar felt himself pulling together but he knew given that a ship was moving closer that he wouldn't have time. He moved his arms but felt the breaks inside. He couldn't draw a weapon from subspace because of the damage. He was helpless, a feeling very unusual to him at the moment and if he could have moved his lips to bellow, he would have.

But he couldn't so he didn't.

A shuttle pulled up beside him, then a servo gripped his bent legs. :What do we have here? This looks like Pulsar: Steiner said with a grin. :Sunstreaker:

A mech appeared at the door, one a little worse for the wear. :That's him: Sunny said with grim satisfaction. Fragger was responsible for his current chipped and flaked condition.

:Shut him off: Steiner said as he hauled Pulsar upward to expose his back.

The last thing that Pulsar would remember for some time was the cold metallic hands of someone inputting a medical code then shutting him down. He fell into blessed oblivion immediately.

=0=Salton Sea

Prime sat in his command seat musing on the spectacle of Xantium Supreme playing chicken with a battle cruiser and 'punching it in the face' as it was so quaintly relayed.

Prowl walked to him, then leaned down to update him on the newest information. :You might want to know that they have Pulsar in custody. Apparently, Xantium squeezed him rather tightly when he was feeling around the bridge for Pulsar and his crew. He broke the ship in half, then rummaged with his servo for the crew inside the forward section:

Prime stared at Prowl, then grinned slightly. :That is a tactic. What about our missing crew?:

:We have Sunstreaker's vessel's crew, Ironhide and his elders showed up in time to shoot it out with Pulsar's crew as they floated in space. There's something about hitching a ride on two of Pulsar's cruisers … I'm sure its a tactic as well. I still have no word on Springer and the others but Xantium is looking for what's been quaintly described as 'fresh meat'."

Prime grinned. "I see. Please keep me updated on the others. I am assuming that the enemy crew is being picked up."

"You are correct," Prowl said with a grin.

Nearby, taking notes madly, the amma and appa of Jessine had their lead story: 'Supreme Mechanism Punches Battle Cruiser In The Face For The Win'.

=0=TBC 2-16-19 **edited at last 2-18-19**

NOTES! :D:D:D

Silverhornd chapter 594 . 6h ago

Question, Are the Supremes strong enough to pull the limbs off someone who is a phase six and the lady needs to come back to help.

 **ME:** They are. Only the titanic ships can harm the sixers. A story on Metroplex shows him beating Sixshot to a pulp. He punches him with his fist into the ground multiple times and flattens him like a coke can. The last scenes are Sixshot twitching as he mends himself. :D:D:D Xantium could pull everything Pulsar has off and he can mend but he can't regrow limbs. They fear, if they can feel it, only these mechanisms.

Valentines Guest chapter 594 . Feb 15

Are there going to be any developments with Razorclaw when this Pulsar arc is over? Especially since he has those untraceable ships. Having tech that could infiltrate Autobot City with no one knowing and wreaking havoc or spying seems like a great advantage to me

ME: He is. That's recurring as he slowly gathers up good tech. He's not going to be stupid but strategic. He's on the list upcoming, he, Cassio Imperialis and Ominous. I love when these dudes try stuff. :D:D:D

leoness chapter 594 . Feb 15

hoooooooly crap that was epic visually.

 **ME:** I wish I could make this story a movie. The movie in my head is so much fun. :D More to come. Zee is upset. ;)


	596. Chapter 596

The Diego Diaries: Face Off (dd6 596)

I got so sick so fast last night and now nothing. :} Here we go anyway. :D:D:D

=0=Out there

The shoot out was short with two battle shuttles there, their guns pointing at the mechs floating around without protection, the remnants of ships that pissed off Xantium. Most of the survivors had given up since there was no place to really go but to the Pit. A couple were grappling with Raptor and Blackjack just because. Nearby, homing in like a guided missile, Ironhide was flying to their aid.

It would only take a moment before all of them were dragged aboard the two ships which would then head out in the general direction of Xantium to continue to sweep up the debris from his rather epic tantrum.

=0=Springer and his boyz

They flew out of their ship into the darkness around them as the shuttle disintegrated from flying debris. Springer felt a thud on his back when he was flung out as all around him the others were catapulted, too. Drift was nearby spinning wildly, then he slowed under thruster power. Others were suffering the same thing because he could hear them cursing and calling out to each other over the encrypted line. The problem with himself was that he couldn't move a slagging limb.

Not even his digits.

He cursed as well.

=0=Picking up the bad boys/grrlz

Lissie leaned out of the hatch as she watched her boys bring members of Pulsar's crew into the ships that were gathered. Several small fighters had caught up with the shuttles and two had gone ahead to marker the trail of Xantium.

Battered and some injured were dragged from space, most of them giving up with sullen discontent. They weren't hesitant with saying what they felt and there were a few skirmishes as they were pulled inside. Steiner was nearby collecting them along with Whirl and his crew.

Traffic on the radios was scratchy but slightly better. Apparently, the titans and Seekers had found a way to boost the signal of sensors and by extension the comm channels. As they chatted together trying to figure out who was here, who was missing and what to do next, Ironhide and his crew landed on the doorstep of Steiner and Lissie.

Stepping up and back, Jack glanced at Steiner. "Where's Sun?"

"He's with Springer and we don't know where they are. From what we can decipher from Prime, they took a hit and we have to find him and the crew. Three shuttles down," Steiner replied grimly.

"Frag. Where's Hercy and the Helex?" Raptor said as he helped pull slaggers into the ship. They'd be magnetized to the hull and brought along rather than sent back by ship board bridge. The energy outside was too weird to try that option.

"Out there," Steiner said as he nodded to the soup outside. "Some of this nebula is dissipated over the eons but most of it is still dense and the particle storms out here keep it iridescent. As long as it is, we can only bounce signals or get distortion to the point where its almost useless."

Raptor glanced outside for a look-see, then turned back to Steiner. "Do we have any Seekers for couriers?"

"I'll check," Steiner said as he walked forward to the flight deck.

"We better get the others and get this organized. I can't imagine Prime is too happy at this moment," Raptor said.

=0=Prime on Salton Sea

Prime wasn't happy. He stared at the screen as it mapped, filling in more bits and pieces of the nebula. It wasn't much visited, a remnant of an old disruption without much to recommend it. Nebulae were to be avoided in space travel. You only really needed them when you wanted to hide or ambush someone. Free space was the way to go if you wanted to get from A to Z safely and swiftly.

Prowl walked toward him from tactical. "We have two battleships damaged with 2 cruisers and a battleship confirmed destroyed. The battleships have taken hits in the stern and are heading away with Xantium in pursuit. Pulsar's battleship is destroyed, confirmed. He's in custody in bad condition, placed in medical stasis when picked up. He was squeezed by Xantium it would appear," Prowl said dryly. "The cruisers were destroyed by Xantium as well, their crews thrown out like … 'confetti' its reported.

"Two of our battle shuttles, City of Praxus and Impactor's Revenge are destroyed. It would appear that Springer's crew is still missing. Hercy and Whirl are still operational and commanding as of this report, though Hercy is not precisely located yet. They function along with Steiner and Lissie. They have gathered to get the survivors, then track the rest with Xantium. Fighters are marker buoying the trail as they follow him."

Prime nodded. "What is the estimated number of Pulsar's fleet? When can we get him back here to interview? Is he in any condition to be awake and aware and what are safety measures we can take while he is?" He glanced at Ratchet who was leaning on the command chair at the moment listening to the sit-rep from Prowl.

"Given that he was squeezed by a Supreme mechanism, we can expect intensive and extensive damage. But given that he's a phase sixer, its reasonable to believe that his self repair mechanisms are putting that to rights even as we speak. Understand, we're good but his will be on steroids.

"I do believe we can interview him under two possible scenarios. One, we remove his limbs. He's rather neutralized without them. He can't grow what he hasn't got and if he can't move, he can't hurt anyone. The other way is to disrupt his neural net so he can speak and is aware but can't move beyond that. I've never done that with a phase sixer so I'm not sure you can do it. He might be protected against medical paralysis or stasis programming. I haven't had a chance to study the ones we have. I'd prefer to remove limbs."

"That sounds ghastly," Prowl said with a slightly squeamish expression.

"I agree," Prime said. "However, we cannot have a phase six mechanism running rampant. Do what you have to do, Ratchet. I would need information as soon as possible. Something tells me that he attracted a large battle group. We have to account for them one way or the other."

Ratchet nodded, then walked to the elevator to return to Phobos. As he disappeared, Prowl smirked slightly.

"What?" Prime asked as he turned back to the map.

Prowl walked closer to him, then went off line. :I know its nasty of me … but the idea of Pulsar being just a torso without limbs to make him what he is, a total fragger, makes me laugh just a little:

Prime grinned the smallest grin possible. :You are right. It is nasty of you. However …:

They grinned at each other as they waited for news that Pulsar was coming, that Devcon found the lost and that the size of the group and where it was could be accounted for and neutralized.

=0=Springer and Company

They flew toward a big section of someone's ship that was floating in a blob of ice crystals, dust and small rocky projectiles. Towing Springer, Drift made it there and pulled him onto the surface. :Magnetize, Springer: Drift said.

Springer who was feeling nothing activated his program but nothing happened. :Drift. I took a hard knock on the back. I can't move. I can't magnetize: he said with a gathering feeling of terror and doom.

Drift pulled him farther up, then roped Springer off hooking the lead around a bent piece of steel. The others, Sim the pilot, Shel and Boomer, both full time soldiers and their designated medic, Slate joined them. Sun couldn't be found in the chaos.

Slate crawled to Springer, then magnetized as they all did. :Springer, what's wrong?: he asked.

:I can't move my body: Springer said as Drift hovered over him with a terrorized expression.

Just as Slate subbed his kit to work on Springer, a ship bore down on them, then transformed. Floating through space, Devcon landed, magnetized, then hurried over to kneel beside Springer. :What's wrong with Springer?: he asked.

:He can't move: Drift said with ice cold fear flowing through his lines.

:Then let me get him out of here: Dev said as he stood. :I'm supposed to get everyone out that was shot up and find where everyone is:

:What about the rest of us?: Shel asked. :We don't know where Sun went. He floated off with his gun turret blazing:

Dev grinned at the image of that, then glanced around. :I'm going to marker you here with a beacon. The Seekers can find you and bring you in. Springer needs to go now. Right, Drift?:

Drift stared at him, then Springer. :Take him. We're right behind:

It took a moment to lift Springer, then fasten him in tow to the now transformed and sleek body of Devcon in ship mode. When he was secured, Dev poured on the gas and disappeared nearly immediately. Drift watched him go, then resolved himself.

Someone was going to pay.

=0=City of Helex

Hercy considered their predicament. He could feel sensors on his exoskeleton and deduced that the only mechanisms that could do that through all of this were metrotitans. Prime was seeking them out. What they would do in here was look for prey, their own side or leave. Given that they had no idea where they were the chances of accomplishing any one of those goals was 100%.

They motored along with guns online and sensors flung wide. That was how they noted a pair of battleships bearing down on them in the mess.

=0=Phobos

Ratchet got the word and thus found himself beside a gurney waiting on the hangar deck for the soldiers coming in. None of the first wave would be the enemy. These were theirs. One of them was Springer. It would be a tense wait before Dev arrived with Springer.

=0=Sun

He floated with his gun emplacement, the power pack still attached and the wiring repaired by he, himself, former electrical tech slash military hardware back in the bad old orns. Given that he was alone without conventional transport, he did what Immortals always did, took lemons and made lemon meringue pie. He sat on the seat with his gun ready to fire. The beauty of it was that there was enough weight in the section he was sitting in that he didn't spin in a spiral like a whirligig from the recoil.

As it was, he was pushed away from his target from the recoil like an octopus, spurting bullets to fuel bursts of speed. He literally pulsed through space. Around him, the cold glowed and there were frozen streams of liquids and parts of ships scattered in a wide field. At least, that would keep the slaggers from locating him. It would also keep the good guys from locating him.

He grinned slightly, amused by the situation and the stories that would be told about the time Ol' Sun rode off into the sunset on a big, big gun. He was pretty clear that in the commons room sitting with the punters shooting the shit, he would win the 'big gun' chat fest hands down.

Before he could do that, he considered, he would have to stave off the cruiser that was heading directly for him. With a steely optic and a slight grin on his face, Ironhide the Elder of Praxus, Immortal, General of the Army, brother of Hard Drive and Blackjack the Elder, all around sport, fragger and abba of peewees of all sizes began to lay down a steady stream of fire.

=0=Zee

He followed the two battleships, both of them wounded but not mortally. As he did, he noted a number of other ships that were nearby and mentally listed them.

Two or more battleships limping along ahead. Maybe as many as three more farther away.

A troop carrier with fighter capability.

Several battle shuttle sized fighter ships, number unknown at the moment.

Two or more cruisers, none of them injured.

Support ships, three of them he could detect, all heavily armed.

A fighter transport that had not launched anything yet.

He grinned.

Nine ships confirmed. Just enough for him. The rest of the armada would have to pick up the scraps when he was finished. With a maddened roar that only Primus could hear, Xantium Supreme turned on the gas and with his fist breaking trail ahead of the rest of him, he blasted off to punch a battleship in the ass.

Wreck 'n rule.

=0=TBC 2-18-19 **2-19-19**

Notes answered tomorrow :D:D:D


	597. Chapter 597

The Diego Diaries: Slag (dd6 597)

This was supposed to post last night and didn't. It could be that we're close to having to go to Diego Diaries 7. :{

=0=Deck side to the Phobos

Devcon slid to a halt before the hangar deck, then broke the energy screen that kept vacuum out of the ship. Setting down on the deck gently, he waited until Springer was eased onto a gurney before slipping back out to take off again. He'd jetted a message to Prowl, then headed back to the battle scene releasing coordinates he'd tracked to Prime of the whereabouts of several battleships and a fighter transport that he'd seen inside the nebula.

Ratchet walked alongside the gurney as it hustled down the hallway heading for an emergency suite. Sliding inside, Ratchet directly plugged into Springer, listening to and watching a screen inside his chassis as data flowed in.

Springer could turn his helm but nothing else. All the rest was inoperable and he felt like lead. "What's the problem, Ada?" he asked with a tight tense voice.

Ratchet continued, then glanced downward. "You must have gotten clocked in the back. It sprung a nexus. We have to replace it, then let it reboot and assimilate. Until then you're flat on your aft. No arguments."

"I already am," Springer said with some relief. "We got slagged. Everyone is still out there and Sun floated off riding a turret gun."

Ratchet stared at Springer, then laughed loudly. **"That sounds like him!"** Ratchet grinned, then turned to an orderly. "We need to do this one now." He looked at Springer, then pulled a meter. "Nighty-night," he said with a gigantic smile.

All the lights went out and at Casa del Springer no one was home.

=0=Sun

It was debatable if the two battleships could even spot him in the debris field let alone steer toward him. He estimated their arrival and debated gutting one of them as he found himself drifting underneath their flight plan. If he did, would they see him? Would them come out and look around? It was really fragged where he was floating so it seemed reasonable that if he stitched the slag out of a battleship's tender underbelly, the place where a lot of important stuff like engines and electrical junctions were laid down, they wouldn't know who did it especially if he powered down immediately. Given the static out here, he would look just like any other floating debris.

Maybe.

He grinned, then made up his mind. When the ships began to pass over, Sun opened up and ran a stripe of hell down the length of the vessel closest to him before shutting down his weapons. He could feel sensors swinging around him searching as the ships tried to figure out what had happened. He was missed as he huddled close to the gun itself.

However, he **HIMSELF** hadn't missed the ship. That fragger was starting to come apart at the seams.

Of course, it did so nearly overhead of his current position. Glancing around, Sun jumped from his gun, then jetted as fast as he could toward a huge piece of some unlucky ship's aft end. He reached the edge of it just as the cruiser began to buckle with interior explosions. Creeping inside, he stared through a gash in the panel in front of him, a very strong cybertaniun steel hull that was several inches thick.

What was happening with the stricken battleship was epic.

And the other one? It wasn't doing so good either.

=0=Hercy and the City of Helex

Hercy considered their predicament. He could feel sensors on his exoskeleton and deduced that the only mechanisms that could do that through all of this were metrotitans.

Prime was seeking them out.

What they would do in here was look for prey, their own side or leave. Given that they had no idea where they were the chances of accomplishing any one of those goals was 100%.

They motored along with guns online and sensors flung wide. That was how they noted a pair of battleships bearing down on them in the mess.

"Well, well, well," Hercy said softly as he stood up to walk to the view port in the bow forward of the pilot. "Look at what we got here."

Everyone did and that was when they noticed heavy gunfire from the middle of the debris field that stitched the undercarriage of one of the vessels. That ship must have been struck in a critical place or three because it began to explode, implode, buckle up and spew its guts into space.

The battleship running with it was peppered and sprayed as big chunks flew off the stricken ship to land on it.

Hercy and his crew stared in wonderment. As they did, they didn't notice a big flat panel of cybertanium flying their way without any visible means of locomotion.

=0=Seekers

They arrived directed by Dev's marker beacon. :Need a lift?: Cloudburst asked with a grin.

Drift pushed off and latched onto Red Wing. :Springer was hit. I need a fast taxi to Phobos:

Everyone glanced at Drift sharply, then Red Wing signaled the group. :Bring everyone to Salton Sea. I'll take Drift to Phobos: With that, Red Wing blasted off with Drift hanging on tightly.

The others watched, then looked at the remaining crew. :Let's go. We have to find what's going on out here: Cloudburst said. :We're down three shuttles and everyone else is running around lost:

:Frag: Hoagie said. :We have to find Sun, too. Ironhide will be fragged if we don't:

:We're on it: Cloudburst said as Sim, Shel, Boomer and Slate hooked up with a Seeker themselves. They all sped out swiftly heading for Prime and the battle group as they followed fixed buoy markers back.

=0=Phobos

They landed on the hangar deck as Drift thanked Red Wing. He ran for the elevators and disappeared. Red Wing watched him go, then transformed to fly back out again. Things were fragged at both ends of this pony keg, he thought as he disappeared into the darkness outside. At no time did it cross his processor that he was feeling genuine warmth and sympathy for an Autobot.

=0=Hercy

"What you wanna do, Hercy?" Saylur, a mech who had been a pilot with the 'Cons asked. He was a big mech from Tarn who knew Megatron when he was younger and thus believed him until the 'Cons came apart at the seams. Now he was on the informal short list floating around the colony of those who had 'dibs' on his carcass if he ever came back.

That guy.

"I think I want to know what that is," Hercy said as he nodded to a swiftly 'floating' piece of hull that was flying toward them in a straight line. It hadn't been propelled by the battleship cracking up. This was coming toward them from another direction.

"Let me see," Saylur said as he calmly scanned it. "I think someone's behind it. What say we see."

Hercy who liked Saylur's style nodded calmly. "Good idea. I think you should, infant," he said to a wide-opticed youngling Seeker who was of all things 'regular army'.

For now.

On occasion, there would be one, usually someone who was a former 'Con, young and pissed at someone in the air force. This kid had the same problem apparently and usually, they found their way back to the air wing at some point. Given his relative age and swiftness with hand guns, he was being 'allowed' to 'experiment' with 'something new' until he cooled off.

That guy.

"Go with Twister, Callum," Hercy said to a big grizzled mech who'd been regular army from before Twister was a gleam in his atar's beady optic and was pissed at everyone.

"Got ya, boss," he said as he rose, unsubbed a bazooka-sized gun, then glanced at the kid. "How about a ride, infant. Show me your stuff."

Callum only had a soft spot for kids and the elderly. The rest bugged him, the anti-social slagger with a fondness for peanut brittle.

And dogs. He really, really liked dogs.

Twister rose, then walked to the door. He transformed, then Callum hopped on. They jetted off straight for the swiftly moving steel plate.

Hercy watched through the view ports with everyone else. This could actually be great.

=0=Zee Supreme

He followed two battleships that knew he was there. All around him were other ships and even though he didn't know if they were friend or foe, he didn't care. He was zeroing in on the ship closest to him. They were shooting at him but he was dodging easily. Their targeting systems were affected by the radiation all around them so their shots were mostly wild. They were probably even 'ghosting'. Signals were fragged so he was clear in his pursuit that their systems were reading him here, there and everywhere as his signal bounced around, drawing their fire to phantom Xantiums.

He reached it, then loomed up behind to grip the tail section in his servos. Mechs were swarming out of the ship to run for surface gun emplacements or to shoot him full on with their hand weapons. It was ineffective and suicidal but he gave them points for guts. He pulled off two gun emplacements, then gripped the tail section. Twisting his massive servo and claw grip, he wrenched the entire thing completely off.

He fell backward which was merciful because fire and plasma raged out of the open section in front of him. Tossing the tail section away, he swarmed after them. Landing on the hull, he magnetized, a feature that probably pulled every lose metallic thing inside and many bolted down directly to the spot under his gigantic peds.

He looked like he was surfing on the vessel as the entire complement of single and twin fighter ships flew out of the hangar deck. They came at him with guns blazing just as Lissie, Steiner and Whirl showed up after following the marker buoys to this spot. Magnetized to their hull both inside and out like barnacles on a ship's hull, manacled enemy fighters watched with horror as the shuttles slowly slid to a halt.

Xantium Supreme was swatting at fighters that buzzed around him in a frenzied cloud, shooting him with their guns. He looked like a giant claw handed King Kong as he knocked them down with swipes of his appendages. They shattered or sputtered off, falling away like flies swatted into oblivion.

Jack and Steiner who were standing by a view port watching the show glanced at each other. "You don't see that everyday," Jack said.

Steiner nodded. "No, you sure don't," he replied.

Ironfist, the official chronicler and all around military historian of the Wreckers glanced from the sight outside to the two calm mechs commenting on the show. He would have swooned from the awesomeness everywhere he looked if he wasn't taking everything down as swiftly as he could for his new book.

It would include a detailed chapter on The Immortals.

Sometimes, you're born to greatness and other times, you have greatness thrust upon you. This was one of those times.

=0=Phobos

Drift stood beside the theater door outwardly calm but inwardly shaken. When Ratchet came out, he straightened his slouch to tense alertness. "How is he?"

"Great. I replaced a node that was bashed. He never told me that he had an old injury there that **could** have been fixed **EASILY** if **SOMEONE** had **TOLD ME**. It weakened the plating there in his armor, the slagger." Ratchet grinned. "You look cute when you're petrified."

Drift actually looked sick with relief. "Can I see him?"

"You can," Ratchet said as he slipped his servo through Drift's arm. "They're taking him to a ward. Come with. We'll go together. By the way … have you seen Ironhide?"

"I haven't seen slag. Not even the debris that destroyed our ship. It's been a long hard orn out there, Ada," Drift began as the two walked to the elevator. The doors slid shut behind them.

=0=Zee

He followed the two battleships, both of them wounded but not mortally. As he did, he noted a number of other ships that were nearby and mentally listed them.

Two or more battleships limping along ahead. Maybe as many as three more farther away.

A troop carrier with fighter capability.

Several battle shuttle sized fighter ships, number unknown at the moment.

Two or more cruisers, none of them injured.

Support ships, three of them he could detect, all heavily armed.

A fighter transport that had not launched anything yet.

He grinned.

Nine ships confirmed. Just enough for him. The rest of the armada would have to pick up the scraps when he was finished. With a maddened roar that only Primus could hear, Xantium Supreme turned on the gas and with his fist breaking trail ahead of the rest of him, he blasted off to punch a battleship in the ass.

Wreck 'n rule.

=0=TBC 2-19-19 **2-24-19**

ESL: What is a Pony Keg?

A quarter barrel, more commonly known as **pony keg** , is a beer vessel containing approximately 7.75 U.S. gallons (29.33 liters) of fluid. It is half the size of the standard beer **keg** and equivalent to a quarter of a barrel.


	598. Chapter 598

The Diego Diaries: Out There (dd6 598)

 **THIS DIDN'T POST LAST NIGHT WHEN I POSTED IT! I HOPE THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE DIEGO DIARIES SEVEN! Crap.**

=0=At the scene of the crime

They joined Xantium picking off the fighters until those that could flew into the nebula to get away. Three battle shuttles and an enraged Supreme mechanism were too much even for this group who never ran. Around them were more mechs and the odd femme than the three shuttles could gather in so they sent an SOS to Prime through the marker buoys that were placed up to this point in a straight line back to the fleet.

"Whirl to Prime."

A static-filled response was had. :Prime here:

"Prime, Xantium is smashing a battleship. There's more crew here to pick up than we can manage. We have the crews from the two cruisers he broke just a moment ago. We're going to need some help here," Whirl said as he stared with incredulity as Xantium grabbed massive chunks of the listing ship and tossed them aside like old shoes. "You might want to hurry. He's making it hard to keep up."

:Understood. We have marked your position through the beacons. We are on our way. Prime out:

Whirl turned to the windows again to watch the battleship be reduced to rubble. It was fun. Truly.

=0=Prime

He considered the scenario so far. The confirmed kill list was getting better but the size of the fleet indicated that the nebula was filled with enemy ships. The maps showed a pathway to the coordinates that Whirl had given so he ordered Salton Sea to proceed. He also recalled a hundred Seekers who were waiting orders to proceed to handle the pick up.

The space bridge would deliver Warden Gee-Gee to supervise their loading onto the ship using her Fast Response Emergency Arrest and Immobilization Plans or as Americans with their mania for reducing words to letters might call it, FRE-AIP, formulated just for these occasions. He sat back to watch as the shimmering opaqueness of the energy field that led into the nebula proper got closer.

Prowl who had come over from Furious Storm leaving the ship for Starscream and his air command stood beside Prime. The mission had been costly. Some of their mechs were still missing including shiploads of them but they were slowly breaking down the enemy by attrition. Pulsar was already on Phobos and his second, Rabid was being brought to the Salton Sea for interrogation. They would know the extent of his armada if it was the last thing done here.

The path forward was laid and marked not only with beacons but with the increasing presence of destroyed ships and their pieces-parts. It made Prowl happy to see it was theirs, not his.

=0=Phobos

They walked into the ward and angled to the single berth by the view ports where Springer lay. He was staring at the ceiling brooding and didn't see them at first. He was hooked up to stuff as he lay there with a frown.

"Hi, sourpuss," Ratchet said as they paused beside the berth. "Don't get delusions of grandeur. You're going nowhere for a while. I won't do any adjustments of that node if you don't do what I tell you the **way** I tell you. I'll let Orion do it. Understand?"

Springer grinned in spite of himself. "Is there a difference?"

"Fragger," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "How do you feel?"

"Numbed but static-filled. You know?" he replied.

"No. But I'll take your word for it. You're assimilating new hardware for your neural net which accounts for that. It's going to take all night long. Your trusty side kick here has a sad. Make it better," Ratchet said as he squeezed Drift's servo.

Drift squeezed back as the two watched Ratchet head off to do more doctoring. Then Drift sat. "So … you better or what?"

"I'll live. I might even walk again," he said.

Drift frowned slightly. "Don't even **joke** about that." He shifted uneasily. "Things are getting there. I can stay here."

"You can go," Springer said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Drift stared at him with a slight frown. "Neither am I."

Springer grinned slightly. "Loyal fragger?"

Drift nodded. "Yeah."

It would be a while before the wounded began to show up. Mostly, the space would be empty because Pulsar's injured crew would be housed under guard elsewhere. It was nice sitting together talking quietly as the battles raged on elsewhere. For once, the two of them didn't mind missing the show.

There would always be film.

=0=Earth2

The ships landed, two of them, and out of the vessels came 100 humans of the highest income and commercial business brackets on Earth. They came from a good thirty countries, most of them spoke more than one language including that of international science and business, English, and they were stoked to be here.

They walked into the terminal down the jetways to gather together in the grand concourse where Immigration and The Cybertronian Empire, Mars Port of Entry #1 for all off world visitors including humans was undertaken. Several bots stood with Corey McFarlane and John Fulton, both of them handling the duties of the moment because Lennox and Crew were in the battle far away.

John Fulton would be here to handle the N.E.S.T. side and Corey McFarlane had drawn the short straw to handle their passage from the ships at arrival to Earth2. They were both imposing military figures. John Fulton was now a brigadier general and Corey was still a sargent but made a senior staffer along with Epps for the enlisted men and women in the garrison.

Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown, Pierre Beliveau, Kyle Davis and Cynthia Tomas greeted them as they stepped into the terminal, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. They were happy to be here and would be transferred from here to Earth2 by bus under the command of McFarlane. Fulton was here to greet them and remind them of the few restrictions of being here.

Owen finally turned to the two men. "Gentlemen and women, I would like to introduce you to Brigadier General John Fulton and Staff Sargent Corey McFarlane. Sargent McFarlane will be getting us back to Earth2 and General Fulton is here to tell us a few things about being here. General?"

"Mr. Harris," Fulton said acknowledging him. He looked at the group. "I would like to welcome you to Autobot City, the City of the Autobots on Mars. This is their headquarters city for the Empire here and I think you're going to find it much more exciting and impressive in person than it is on film.

"Autobot City itself is called The City by the locals though there are dozens and dozens of city-urban centers here. This colony is steadily taking in refugees and passed the 40,000,000 mark in population just a few days ago according to the Bureau of Refugees. They take them in planned moves of five million at a time. That should give you some idea of the sophistication and organization that Prime has created here. These people know what they're doing and do it to perfection.

"You're going to a habitat that was created in a matter of days by the same individuals. It's unlike anything you've ever experienced and we know you will enjoy yourselves. There are rules there and the policing force answers to Prime and Commander Springer of Polyhex who is head of all policing and security forces both here and in the Empire.

"We will be traveling through a zero-tolerance environment where any false step, show of bravado or ignorance will kill you. We're **absolutely resolute** about that and will punt you back to Earth without explanation or appeal if you break even **one** rule. You'll **never** go out without escort and precautions by the garrison here. They're highly trained to keep you alive.

"We're going to Earth2 by this vehicle," he said nodding to a bus sitting outside with a jetway attached. "You will not be wearing any environmental gear during your stay. You will **always** be in a contained environment no matter where you go and the guides and guards there have complete command of the situation. That is **not** negotiable.

"I don't care who you are on Earth or how much you're worth there. Here? You're our responsibility and you **have** no authority or standing here to do anything about it. Any bad behavior or disagreement with those simple facts will get you sent home immediately.

"The bots are reviewing your requests. They're handling an enemy incursion some distance up the Orion arm from here. Prime is busy but he's going to be sending his decisions to the garrison when he gets back and we'll inform you then. Until then, let's go through customs and get going to Earth2."

Two femmes were standing beside Fulton and McFarlane. One of them, Semio who was senior on day shift gestured for the humans to follow her. "If you will have your papers ready, we can assist you through and stamp your visas. Follow me, please," she said as she walked to the counter nearby in the beautiful space where all newbies to the colony came first.

Having been told to have information ready when they boarded the vessel that brought them here, the group followed her, their hosts and the two soldiers with passports and other identification to the counter where they stood in line to have their papers verified. It was just like it was for anyone going through customs on Earth if you didn't have zillions of dollars, a private jet and a VIP lounge where one of your many assistants or other officers in your personal entourage handled this for you so you could breeze through without pausing.

It was a good thing to see.

For McFarlane and Fulton.

All would clear and they would enter the bus along with their hosts and the two soldiers for the roundabout drive to Earth2. They would go through every city center in the colony and it would be hugely impressive.

=0=Prime

They slid into the space where three shuttles were waiting with a large number of prisoners gathered in the center of their gun sights. They were floating in space, the captured and some of them were wounded. Seekers from Salton Sea flew out to begin their collection under the supervision of Gee-Gee who ruled from the hangar deck.

In the distance, they could see the fractured skeleton of the battleship, its contents spread out over a wide area, lots of coolants and liquids frozen into weird shapes and any number of barely recognizable debris that once was something useful. There were arcs of light from electrical devices dying in the mess but nothing burned or indicating activity. If there was fire in space it took stars and other heat producers to make it happen.

Prowl walked to the elevator to go downward to see what was going to be coming on board. Down he went, then through the great doors to the hangar deck where Seekers were landing with one or two mechs and the odd femme in tow. They landed on the deck to face a plethora of guns, all pointed at them. They were scanned, shucked of guns and other dangerous items, then mined. A short walk to another set of elevators would take them away.

Gee-Gee stood calmly before each group mentally assessing them for threat. This group was a mixed bag of civilians and former 'Cons. It would take study to handle them. She was prepared to house them and work out their kinks. Some would be good candidates for another better life and some would be distributed as long term projects or incorrigible throughout the prison system both on Mars and on the local system planet near Cybertron itself, Kellus, one used for warehousing anything from products to ships over the eons. It would now expand to prisoners under Gee-Gee's command as Director for Corrections of the Cybertronian Empire.

Prowl paused beside her. "What a mangy bunch."

Gee-Gee nodded. "I'm going to have to separate the youngsters and femmes from the military and civilian mechs. There's a method to my madness."

"I defer to your greater wisdom," he said as they stood together watching the endless parade of bad guys towed in for a short trip to the end of the road. What lay beyond here for any of them was anyone's guess.

=0=Beyond here

Xantium Supreme grimly followed the trail of fuel and small debris of the other battleship as it desperately tried to flee him. It zigged and zagged but it was useless. It had been irreparably harmed in its directional control system and most of its flexibility was gone. All they could do was flee and call for help.

As they called, Xantium Supreme grimly followed.

=0=Beyond there

A mech sat in a cage frozen in place by devices that had been placed upon him by Pulsar. He was a bad, bad mech himself so no one was really unhappy but him that this was his lot. It was going to be a long life of misery if someone didn't let him go. He was working out how he could free himself but it didn't look good.

Nearby, being picked up by a Seeker and an Autobot using him as a cab, a bigger Autobot was laughing as they began to tow him. He had used a big ship hull plating as cover to reach the shuttle and had been interdicted by the Seeker and his passenger. A short comical conversation ensued, then they headed for the shuttle.

As they did, Sun who was the intrepid figure of their retrieval noticed a cage floating nearby. With a grin, he halted their progress. Heading that way instead, they reached it with great satisfaction. Gripping it between them, the three pulled it along behind until they reached the hatch doors of the battle shuttle, City of Helex.

Hercy who was leaning out noted Sun with a grin and a nod. Then he stepped back so Callum and Twister could help Sun drag the cage inside. It was silent a moment as the hatch slid shut, then Hercy leaned closer to the furious mech inside it. "Well, hello, Shrike. Nice of you to stop by."

=0=TBC 2-20-19 **edited 2-23-19**

We're having a snow storm here and I need to shovel. Notes will be answered tomorrow. Sorry its taking so long. SIGH! Snow, it keeps a body tired. ;) :D


	599. Chapter 599

The Diego Diaries: Guess Who (dd6 599)

Here is today's piece too as a consolation prize for the site not uploading part 598 :D

=0=Salton Sea

"This gets better and better," Prowl said as he leaned over Prime to tell him the newest intel. Prime sat in his command seat staring at Prowl. "We have Shrike. Hercy and Sun picked him up from the rubble of Pulsar's ship."

Prime grinned slightly, then nodded with satisfaction. "You are good with understatement."

"I know," Prowl said with satisfaction. He glanced at the forward view port map. It was filling in well. "We have a lot of prisoners. Furious Storm is coming in to help collect them. Everyone else is following Xantium. What do you want to do with Beta and Omega?"

Prime considered that. "Prime to Omega."

:Omega here:

"We have rounded up a lot of prisoners and have Furious Storm coming to help. It would appear that the last good intel indicated that five battleships and possibly more are in the nebula. There are fighter transports, many shuttles and cruisers and other vessels. It appears that Pulsar overpowered Shrike and acquired his armada. We are interested in assisting Xantium who has been laying waste to everything he can find."

:I will go in to assist, Prime. I would not recommend Beta to come. He is capable of great things but this kind of fighting is not yet his forte: Omega replied.

"Very well. I bow to your greater wisdom," Prime replied.

:Understood; Omega replied. It would take a few moments for his crew to deplane, then his huge form was seen barreling past them in ship mode heading into the mass.

As he passed, Prowl messaged him. "Xantium is in root mode, Omega" he said.

:Understood:

With that, Omega Supreme disappeared into the density to find and assist his brother. It would in all likelihood be epic.

=0=Nearby getting ready to follow

"Hercy to Whirl, Lissie and Steiner."

:We're here, Hercy: several voices replied.

"No sense letting Zee and Omega have all the fun. I'm going in," he said as he sat down in the engineer's seat next to his pilot.

:Count us in: Steiner said as the others agreed.

"Follow me, then link up sensors. Get a good 360 degree spread going as best we can. Fraggers are going to be found if we have to sift this slag inch by inch," Hercy said as he nodded to the pilot. The ship slid forward followed by three other bristling battle shuttles as they disappeared along the path to the Supremes following the trail of fluids, fuel and bits and pieces of ships that showed them the way.

Oh, and the marker buoys helped, too.

=0=Ironhide

He sat on a bench in the shuttle commanded by his Uncle Steiner. Raptor and Jack sat across from him with grins on their faces. Jack glanced at Steiner who was sitting in the engineer's seat monitoring the tactical sensors. "You should have seen the infant fly out of the shuttle when it got all blowed up. He looked so surprised and fragged off, I wish I had a picture."

Ironhide smirked. "That was no fun whatsoever. I think I hit every piece of debris and small asteroid out there before we got here."

"We coasted along in your wake. Thanks for clearing the road ahead," Jack replied as Raptor laughed. Blackjack the Younger was on Lissie's shuttle along with the twins and the rest of their crew. "Both you and Blackjack were assets to the family legend. I wonder where Sun is?" Jack asked.

"He was picked up by Hercy. I think he wounded a big ship all by himself," Steiner said as he glanced back to the big mech sitting by a view port with his gun.

Jack was checking it out as the responsible commander that he was. He also was the living image of the rest of his relatives. It was amusing to see. He grinned at Steiner. "Sounds like him. Good to know where he is, the slagger."

"What's the ship count so far?" Raptor asked as Ironhide picked up a handheld to dial in to the battle stats that Prowl always ran to keep track of everything.

Ironhide read them, then frowned. "Three of our ships, all shuttles are downed. Springer got hauled out because he took a hit and was disabled."

Jack glanced up at the others. "That's one fine mech, that one."

Everyone agreed. "What else, infant?" Jack asked.

"Well, we have a bunch of ships looking for things. The four of us are still moving but City of Praxus and Impactor's Revenge are scuttled. There's another one, too … hm … its not all clear yet. They have more down than us," Ironhide mused.

"There's that," Raptor said with a grin. "Zee took out two cruisers, one battleship and he's after another. Echoes state that there may be as few as nine battleships and as many as twelve in this group. Good. More for all of us."

"What about the rest? Any other ships around?" Ironhide asked.

"There could be as many as 22 other ships of all kinds. They have fighter carriers and fast shuttles. Some of them are very heavily armed but given they go for speed they aren't as armored. This is going to be fragged to get them all," Raptor said as they broke into a clearing. They froze in their seats as they watched the scene beyond their view ports.

Ahead of them in a relatively clear space a massive humanoid machine was having it out with a massive battleship, one that was firing as fast and accurately as it could considering that it was highly disabled. Coming out of the dust and gas clouds nearby, Omega Supreme in ship mode was firing at it, scoring the sides really well.

Xantium had the ship's forward section in his servos, his claw hand nearly cutting the tip of the ship's nose off in the intensity of his grip. He was using his free hand to rip off bits of the vessel. He bore a couple of direct hits on his side from the battleship's gunners which had apparently pissed him off rather than killed him as they apparently hoped.

As he came closer, Omega began to transform. He did it swiftly for a huge mechanism and his forward momentum carried him directly into the battleship. He gripped it with his arms as he rolled and began to spin. When they connected together pieces exploded off the vessel as it came apart at the seams.

Xantium glanced at Omega and when he collided with the battleship it pulled the nose cone off the vessel. Mechs began to spill out everywhere there was a rip in the fuselage, small dark forms spinning out into vacuum. Some were on fire, a circumstance that was extinguished immediately while others tried to control their trajectory with their own flight modalities.

"What the frag ..." Raptor said as he stared at the sight beyond them, the gun in his servo forgotten.

:Hercy to Steiner and Lissie. Whirl? Are you there?: a voice asked calmly over the intercom.

"Uh, we're here, Hercy," Steiner replied.

:How about we give Salton Sea the heads up? This looks like a major rescue: he said with a slight grin in his voice.

"Done deal," Steiner said. "Steiner and battle group to Salton Sea."

:Prime here:

"Prime, Omega and Xantium are dismantling a battleship. We need major clean up at these coordinates. Do you copy?" he asked.

There was a pause, then Prowl was back. :Its broken up. Are you laying buoys:

"We are. Follow them and hurry. They're just about finished and we could use a bigger broom," Steiner said with a grin.

:Understood. Prowl out: He turned to Prime. "We need to go. Apparently, they have a prisoner problem, too."

Prime nodded. "Furious Storm."

:Furious Storm here, Prime: Starscream replied.

"We have another mass pick up. I will leave this scene to you, then follow the buoys, Starscream. Something tells me that we are going to be running into each other pretty soon," Prime said as the Salton Sea began to leave the scene.

:Understood. Warden Gee-Gee can transfer here through the space bridge on your ship: Starscream replied. :I will contact her and her group:

"Understood," Prime said as they began to pick up debris as they moved along the marker line. They wouldn't take much time to get there and when they did it would be a crowded battlefield for everyone.

=0=Earth2

They gathered in the bus, then found seats. The soldiers, Fulton and McFarlane sat near the doorway. Fulton picked up the microphone that the Resort guides used to give the run down of what they would see as they made their way to Earth2 for the conference which would last a week. The guests loaded up, then the hatch locked and the jetway pulled back, a jetway that was transparent steel for the best view a passenger could have walking through it.

The bus began to pull out to traverse along the airfield until they reached Cultural Center Road nearby. The guests were fascinated as Fulton began to explain what they were seeing. "This is the Autobot City Military Airfield, the first one built here. Before the city grew up around it, there was only The Fortress and it above ground. When it was possible to built on the ground, the airfield was enclosed by various buildings, most of them either habitats or support buildings and living quarters for the local sentient mechs, the Supremes and the Aerialbots. Those who were too big to live anywhere else live here."

They drove onward, then took a turn to go through the middle of the main hangar area that housed the Supremes, the Aerialbots, Astrotrain and the Dinobots. They began to approach a set of hangars that were nearly 1,000 feet tall to allow Omega and his family to walk around inside. The view upward to the roof was vertigo inducing.

None of them spoke a word as they entered the open hangar doors to see inside something that had no equal in the annals of human experience. Kappa was sitting on her docking station in a blizzard of cables and boom arms, all of which supported her when she was in recharge, which she was now. Next to her, Gamma was in repose as well. Astrotrain was walking to the doors at the other end with Sky Dive, his beau and best friend. They were laughing about something as Sky Lynx who was here for the games and a party for Gamma followed them. He was usually posted on Cybertron.

There were trucks and support vehicles driving all around the place either toward a sitting mechanism or toward a station that was empty but being prepped for someone to use.

"As you can see, this hangar has to be very tall to accommodate these individuals when they walk around. The tallest among them is nearly 800 feet tall with the average a mere 686 feet. The two sitting bots are in recharge mode, or sleep. They are the great Gamma Supreme and his sister, the wonderful Kappa. They have duty between Diego and here as well as here and Cybertron. The bots in the doorway are Sky Lynx, the only bot that scares Predaking and two others, the former Decepticon transport, Astrotrain and the Autobot Sky Dive. They're very good friends."

A man who was famous for his fortune and businesses glanced at Fulton. "They're friends but they were on opposite sides."

"Its common here. They work together and are friends, family and soldiers on the same side. Mixed families are very common here. There's no animosity between the factions. Until all are one is their creed and life motto."

They drove onward past a door which opened. Grimlock walked out with a data pad, his latest video game obsession. He paid no attention to the bus which was passing him as he tromped along heading for the doors, too.

"Who is that? Is he a Dinobot? I can't remember which one but he looks like one," someone else said with a slight twinge of unease in his voice.

"That's Grimlock. He leads the Dinobots. They're as deadly and ferocious a group of individuals as anyone you will ever know on this or any other world," Fulton said as Corey McFarlane nodded.

McFarlane grinned as Grimlock glanced their way. Corey waved. Grimlock oddly enough waved back.

The men and women on the bus stared at McFarlane. One of them turned in their seat toward him. "You know that guy?"

Corey nodded. "I do. Small world isn't it."

No one said anything more as the bus passed Sky Lynx, Sky Dive and Astrotrain. They waved back to Fulton and McFarlane as well.

=0=Breaking through a clearing to a sight to see

Salton Sea slid into the clearing in time for a big chunk of battleship plating to strike them near the flight deck. It bounced off to spiral away. Two gigantic mechs were tearing apart what was left of a ship, then turned almost as one to fly onward.

In the middle of the mess was a lot of mechs and the odd femme flailing in the frigid cold. As Prime started to call for their rescue, the outlines of three battle shuttles and two cruisers broke through the darkness, three shuttles heading toward them and to the side of Prime's position, the cruisers. They had no more idea that Salton Sea and three battle shuttles were there anymore than Prime knew of them.

However, it was probably safe to say that as of now, everyone knew about everyone else.

=0=TBC 2-21-19 **edited 2-22-19**

forte: (for-tay) something you can do really well

 **NOTES! AT LAST!**

Valentines Guest chapter 596 . Feb 19

lol Xantium is so bad ass. I wonder how Pulsar is going to react to waking up with no limbs. Are the bots going to finish watching the live action movies including Bumblebee because that one is actually good and I want to see them react to the G1 designs since that's not how they look like and G1 cartoons don't exist in this universe

 **me:** They will watch and comment on the movie. The G1 designs will be critiqued and some of the locals will like some of the designs. Much will be made of Bee and he might have to speak to it on **GOOD MORNING, AUTOBOT CITY!** ;0)

Pulsar is going to be pissed but that's okay. Right now, they have to put the armada to bed That is the most fun I;ve had in a long time. LOL! HUGS!

cball671 chapter 595 . Feb 17

I'm back for another review. Oh my this chapter...and Zee. I love Zee. I can see this battle in my mind. I can just see Zee ripping that ship apart. I wonder how the Pantheon is reacting to angry Zee? This is good stuff. Question when are you going to update the Chronicles of Orion? I know its been a while but you gotta love the Squirt.

 **Me:** I love Xantium. I like that he's as uncouth and bad ass as the Wreckers. He's their vehicle of choice in most universes and I would think he'd be as hard core as them. I suspect he'd have a list of tattoos of femme names on his shoulder all crossed out but for the current girl, Kappa. LOL! I think he'd be the guy who rode a motorcycle with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in a sleeve. :D:D

The Pantheon might be a good addition. To the LIST! I love it when they peer in to see what the heck is going on. :D  
Orion is going to be coming back in. The Chronicles needs more chronicles. :D Thanks for the reminder. I will see what the little minx wants to do. He's a bit on the sharing side, Our Orion. **HUGS**! :D

Misty Legionnaire chapter 595 . Feb 17

Did Pulsar's prisoner, Shrike, get out? Being immobilized and such, did he get scrunched/blown up with the main ship or the second ship Pulsar captained from? Is he now on one of the two fleeing cruisers?

 **Me:** He's just gotten picked up. He's still in his cage and still mucho enraged. He was with Pulsar but he was abandoned when his ship got squished by Zee. He's now with the Autobots and will have plenty to say. Maybe after Pulsar gets his deletions, he can be in the next cell to Shrike. LOL! I love this universe.

Do you see the other two Supremes tearing apart the fleeing cruisers? Like tug of war style or using them as baseball bats on the ice/rocks? Or is Zee the only one allowed to do root form in space battles? :)

See is a bad ass and Omega is close. Omega has just joined the fun. Tug of war … **I LIKE THAT!** :D:D:D

With the new linking functionality of the seekers and Dreads, will Starscream and Prime require a team to be on each dread to help going forward? Or send out scouting Dreads with linked Seekers to penetrate nebula/dense areas so there is no hiding spots anymore?

 **Me:** I think they will. Starscream and the Seekers aren't giving up all their secrets. Given that they can speak together and power linking is a real thing, their communications Seekers would be able to do that. It works pretty well but it isn't infallible. There will always be hiding places but they will be easier to find out now with this technique.

Love the continuing story and look forward to the next chapter.

 **Me:** I am delighted to entertain you. **HUGS!** :D:D:D


	600. Chapter 600

The Diego Diaries: El Kabong (dd6 600)

=0=Out there in the clearing

The enemy ships came to its call too late but they were there, three battle shuttles and two cruisers for the dying battleship. They expected a fight but the sight of another battleship, the Salton Sea, four shuttles, two giant transformed mechanisms that had Supreme detailing and a cloud of Seekers surprised the pirates down to their cores. Standing on the decks of their ships, five commanders turned to their pilots. " **EVADE!** " five enemy commanders shouted.

Then everyone everywhere fired their big big guns.

The films that would be taken later on by Jazz and the senior team of military instructors to be examined from each vantage point for content and training issues, including that from mechs on ships, Seekers and Devcon who was flying straight at a shuttle with his specialized guns blazing would never totally tell the tale of this moment. It would be impossible to separate what was going on from the last moments of Cybertron's fall when this kind of intense close quarters battle was had everywhere you were then on the ground and in the air. Tracers showed who pitched and who received. If there were sounds it would have been apocalyptic.

" **FIRE!** " Prime said as he stood up tensely to walk forward. He reached the forward view ports and paused beside the box filled with mesmerized and appalled human soldiers.

As the ship began to recoil slightly to indicate return fire for that incoming, two giant mechs in root mode went for one of the cruisers. Xantium grabbed one of them closest to him even as Omega climbed over him and headed for two of the four shuttles nearby.

Two shuttles both arced away and fell into the darkness below the level plane where everyone currently last two were boxed in and began to frantically shoot as they tried to find a way to escape. The second cruiser stopped full on and began to pour fire at Salton Sea. Sitting in their box in the forward part of the bow, Will Lennox, Niall Graham, Gavin Pritchard and Bobby Epps watched with an appalled sense of doom. The streaks from the cruiser were hitting them, some close to the windows nearest to where they were housed in safety. Even if the ports were blown out, they were safe in their box. However, it was too close for comfort even for them. Their soldierly instinct to take cover was trumped by their safety box so they sat and watched like they were at a really really realistic IMAX watching the invasion of Normandy from beachfront seats.

"Mama," Bobby Epps said softly as the other three nodded.

Prime who was staring out the windows beside their box looked pissed. As he stared with fury a shuttle came blazing in, flashing past them and it was the City of Helex. Hercy was in command and they were bringing the hurt.

"I think I'm in love," Epps said as they watched the fire between the two vessels. It was head on, face to face slagging it out as the shuttle began to close in on the cruiser. "Whoever that is, I'm going to marry them."

"I hear ya." -the other three men with a sense of awe and agreement

Just then, a number of Seekers streaked by as well, heavy gunners sent by Starscream. They concentrated fire on the cruiser. Fires bloomed on both, then died away immediately. The cruiser began to drop downward attempting to slip into the darkness and gas that surrounded them. As they did, Hercy and the Seekers followed. They disappeared, all of them, nearly instantly.

Meanwhile, Omega and Zee had their hands full, literally. Omega had swarmed over his brother and the cruiser Zee had gripped tightly, to slam with his fists into the two remaining shuttles that at that moment were still within swinging range. One of them was spun away, slipping through the space that the wounded cruiser Hercy had chased off had occupied. It was spinning with a huge dent in the side as Omega wrapped himself around the other. In a hug with the shuttle clutched to his chassis, Omega Supreme flashed past the Salton Sea and disappeared into the darkness next to the battlefield with both, one in grips and the other of which he was in hot pursuit.

Prime watched and so did the soldiers who were dumbfounded with awe as almost at once pieces of one of the shuttles began to fly back toward them from the darkness apparently ripped from it by Omega.

Prime turned to the pilot. "Fall back," he shouted as a huge plate bounced off the window. It was instructive that the impact left no mark.

That comforted the humans and it didn't.

If you get the meaning.

As it stood now, one cruiser was crippled and being pursued by Hercy and the Seekers. The other was being destroyed by Xantium who was grinning broadly as he did. Two shuttles had disappeared away and two were currently being destroyed as one fled perhaps fatally wounded, dropping away to save itself from the maddened and pursuing Omega Supreme who was showing the universe what his special function as a Guardian was … saving Autobots, civilian or military wherever they were even at his own expense In the middle of the melee, helpless and vulnerable, a mass of survivors floated in all manner of distress.

"Prime to Ratchet."

:Ratchet here, Optimus:

"What is your situation there? We have a great deal of wounded all over the battlefield," Prime said.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet was back. "I called for Kappa and the Beta team to come to wrap this up, Optimus. I can come now."

"Do. We have fighting and the survivors from downed ships are caught in the middle of a terrible battle," Prime said grimly.

"Frag," Ratchet replied. "We're coming. Ratchet out."

Prime stared at the battle field as Xantium put the final smack down on the cruiser. With a grip on two ruptured seams, he pulled them completely apart as if ripping something open down the middle. The cruiser tore like a paper bag. Explosions and fire flared out, plasma burning even in vacuum as the ship literally disintegrated in his grip.

More crew spilled out, some flying with their own propulsion and others just floating away without engagement. It was a catastrophic end to a ship that probably had never shown mercy to anyone anywhere at any time. Still, Prime was furious and frustrated. He walked back to the command chair as the humans turned in their seats to watch. He sat, then glanced at Blaster. "Open a channel as wide as you can, Blaster."

Blaster complied. "You're good to go, Optimus."

Optimus turned his angry gaze to the forward view port as Prowl walked over to stand next to him. "This is Optimus Prime. We have come here to prevent you from entering my territorial space. So far, we have destroyed at least five shuttles, three battleships and three cruisers. It would be in your best interests to surrender or leave. You will not defeat us nor will you be allowed to link up with anyone in this territory. I am ruler of this space and all of it for 250,000 light years in all direction. I possess and hold Cybertron and the Inner Empire. You would do well to surrender or flee. If you stay, we will hunt and destroy you. Signal your intentions or I will accept that you wish to fight to the end. Prime out."

He sat back to wait. He would have to wait a long time.

=0=Prowl and Rabid

Prowl had left the deck to go to the med bay where Rabid had been taken once he reached the ship. He had minor injuries which were attended to. As Prowl entered, he noted the tall mech, handsome, smart and little known beyond that as he sat on the berth watching Prowl approach with a mixture of anger and wariness. Prowl stopped before him. "You are the prisoner of the Prime of Cybertron and as such he will extend to you what you wouldn't in different circumstances. You will be held in good conditions, receive a fair hearing and if I'm on the jury a swift execution. Pray that I am not," he said with the coldness and former manner of himself some time before his current condition. He wanted to know the armada size and he was prepared to get Biblical if necessary to get it.

What Prime didn't know, Prime wouldn't worry about.

Rabid stared at Prowl. He knew who he was and he knew that Prowl would probably slice him in two, shake out the data, then cast him into a smelter if he could. Everyone on their side of the aisle knew that version of Prowl and no other. They had all fought him and few of them didn't admire his genius, ruthlessness toward goal completion and cold blooded intensity. Without a few saving Autobot graces, Prowl was more like him in the race to win than he probably would like to be. "I suppose you would. What do you want to know? Maybe I'll tell you."

Prowl stared at him with The Look, one that would melt paint off a mechanism and as he did he could see the faint tells that Rabid felt its heat. "I want to know how many ships, what kind and who is in charge. If they want to live, its up to you to make it possible. Right now, my planned objective is to obliterate every single individual ship and crew so that we can go home and have dinner. You **do** get that I mean what I say, correct?"

" **Everyone** knows that, **Prowl** ," Rabid replied bitterly. "What happens to me and the crews if I help you?"

"They live and you get a chance to earn your freedom back, though I'm not sure you can. You, after all, are a murderous fragger without scruples or conscience," Prowl replied as the persona slipped tighter into place.

"You must be looking into a mirror, Prowl," Rabid said as he considered his options, slim to none. "What about Pulsar?"

"He's phase six. He will be disabled, then incarcerated. It's up to him even as its up to you. Right now, we have half a dozen ships destroyed and crews in jeopardy. Omega and Xantium Supreme are in a race to see who breaks more things than the other. I don't have to tell you what that means. Xantium has destroyed a number of battleships with his bare servos while in root mode. Omega joined him and the race is on." Prowl grinned slightly, a sight without humor or warmth. "Brotherly rivalry is an interesting thing."

Rabid considered that. "Where will we go from here if I cooperate?"

"You get a safe place to sit and think over the waywardness of your life and your people get to live. We have lock ups on Cybertron, the local group and our redoubt on Mars in the system ahead. Choose wisely. We can just as easily take everything apart without a care. We're trying to save you and your crews. Be responsible and bow to the inevitable."

"You, pretending to **care** ," Rabid said as he did the math and decided that discretion was the better part of valor when it came to the crews of his ships. He wasn't a terrible person, just an ambitious and loyal one. It was his job to manage the crews and ship commanders in the armada and he did it with genuine regard for all of them. In return, even the most hardened crew and commander respected him even if they didn't care for him personally. Few Decepticons did. That was the way of their cause.

"Amusing isn't it?" Prowl replied with a genuinely ruthless expression of non amusement.

Rabid stared at him, then stood. "Let me tell you something, ***Prowl***. I **do** care about the crews. I **care** about their **lives**. It was my job as **second-in-command** to take care of them and their welfare. **Frag you and the Prime**. The only reason you will get **anything** from me **is that simple fact** … unlike you, **I do care** about them."

"Prove it, slagger," Prowl said equally coldly.

The room was glacial as the security mechs watched tensed and ready to shoot. Then Rabid subbed a data wafer, holding it out to Prowl. "Here you go, fragger. You better get them all."

"We will," Prowl said as he scanned the disk from a distance. It was a list of the armada, ships compliments of crew and their commanders. It curdled him a tiny bit at the number of vessels but he nodded curtly and walked out with it.

Rabid watched him go, then glanced at the others. "Tell me, if any of you can, the difference between **that** ice cube and **any** Decepticon commander you can name?"

Windy who was in charge of this security detail gestured for the door. This mech had surprised him with his humanity but he was headed for the hoosegow right now. "You don't have enough joors in the orn, slagger. Let's go."

They walked out to the lock up together.

=0=Top deck

Prowl walked out stewing on the insults and the comments delivered by Rabid. That was then, this was now. His regard was so deep and wide he could barely manage some orns but this wasn't one of them. He was grimly satisfied with the information in his hand. He walked to Prime, then turned to him. "Rabid was forthcoming."

"What's the picture, Prowl?" Prime asked as everyone including the humans listened tensely.

"We are facing minus those confirmed kills seven battleships, eight cruisers, three fighter transports which are large, not mid nor small range, 13 battle shuttles and 14 mid to small range shuttle sized fighters."

It was quiet in the room for a moment as everyone watched Prime mull that news over.

=0=TBC 2-23-19 **2-24-19**


	601. Chapter 601

The Diego Diaries: Reset (dd6 601)

NOTE: I made a decision at the beginning to make a piece every day. If I miss a day, that's fatigue. If its two or more days, its a thing that came up that needs me to do something. Something did and now I'm back. I am committed (and should be) for this story. :D:D:D

=0=On the deck of Salton Sea

They watched as Phobos slid into view and Seekers along with small shuttles swarmed off the flight deck to enter into the vast field of battle. There were bits and pieces of ships floating around in the darkness among literally hundreds of individuals, most flailing but a disturbing number silent and stilled.

Will Lennox stared at Prime and Prowl who were conferring as nearby the missing senior Autobots began to walk from the elevators along with some of their crew. A battered but none too worse for wear Sun and Jack walked together, chuckling over something or other as Ironhide, Blackjack, Raptor and the twins followed. Nodding to Hardie who looked relieved to see them, they continued onward to Prime. Gathering around, they listened in as well.

"What we have to do is locate everyone. No one responded to the call yet, sir," Prowl said as he scanned his data pad. "It would seem that they want to slag it out or escape but we have both exit points blocked. I'm going to deploy Typhoon to the other side leading out to free space near this area," he said as he switched to the map being made before them on the forward view port. He touched his data pad and the area highlighted on the forward screen.

It showed the area from a star map that was basic as most were this far out and over that were being laid detailed local scans. It filled in copious amounts of vague information and imaging with details about what was actually before them. Up the Orion arm where the enemy had come were two free points where they could leave to enter free space. However, there were few places to go, so traveling down the arm this way was the only real decent option toward going to Cybertron, Mars or space that had possibilities for good habitation.

It was the reason Razorclaw and Ominous had come this way. There was no good reason but escape to go through the exit they were now blocking. In the end, it was the enemy's only option. This snake's head had to come off.

"Typhoon can deploy tracker missiles to anyone who wants to make a break for it that way," Prowl was saying. As he did, the tension on their exoskeletons began to subside. A titan was moving off from them and it cut their scanning of the nebula theoretically in half. "He can also scan the area here and here," Prowl said pointing to two blank-ish spaces in the line of escape for anyone who could find it.

"Have we located anyone yet?" Prime asked.

"We have the echoes of three of the battleships. The fighter carriers because they have high profile configurations have been mostly located here and over here," Prowl said pointing to other places on the map. "We've tagged the areas with sensors so its going to be hard for them to escape us. As for the battle shuttles … unless they group up we can't definitively locate them, their profile is so small by themselves in this environment that its probably going to be hunt and peck.

"The smaller shuttles, the mid-to-small range ones are the same way. We have 14 of them and 13 of the other to take care of from Pulsar combining with Shrike's group. All in all, its going to be a hard task ahead. If we take out the big stuff, the little ships will have a harder time running away. They won't have the resources of the bigger ones. There must also be support and fuel ships here. We have to take them out and then they're stuck."

Prime was silent as he considered their options. None of them were good. He glanced at Prowl. "I want the beta shuttle team here. Staff it with good pilots and commanders. I want to send all of them in as hunter teams led by you, gentlemen," Prime said to the elders of Ironhide's family and the big mech himself. "Bring in Dangerous. I want him to fill in with Tennyson and make it a roving scan. If they fill in a sector, then they move to another. The sooner we have a map the better."

Prowl nodded, then walked to Blaster to send the messages.

Prime turned to his team. "I am glad to see you all back. Are you accounted for?"

"We are, Prime," Sun said with a grin. "I see that there's still a few left to take apart."

Prime grinned at Sun. He was someone that Prime had met early on in his reign before he headed out to disappear into the Empire, a literate, cultured but boisterously outgoing individual whose teamwork with his brother, Jack was legendary. He had many a story and a beer with the two listening to 'the good old orns' and admired both greatly. "We need to organize this take down and do it with as little cost to our own side as possible. I will continuously broadcast my demand to surrender while that happens. General Hard Drive is working out the plans now for this venture."

"Then we better go check them out. Infant might need a tweak or two," Sun said with a grin.

Jack, Sun and Raptor walked to Tactical to help Hardie organize their offensive.

Sunstreaker watched him, then looked at the others. "A ship cut our shuttle in two pieces. The last thing I saw of Sun was him riding his gun into the darkness firing at the ship as it passed through."

Laughter greeted that as they stared at the big mechs discussing seriously and well the plan to step it up. Sitting nearby listening in, Will Lennox grinned. "I would have loved to see that sight. I would have and I wouldn't if you know what I mean."

The others nodded. They did.

So did the three reporters who made notes to interview everyone in the room after the mission was over.

=0=Earth2

They sat in the elegant formal dining room, a huge space designed for just such ventures and ate specially prepared food by their own chefs and those of The Resort. The conversation was animated and lots of phones took lots of pictures and selfies. They sat at tables arrayed informally so that the conversations would be diverse and many.

Listening with great interest, Owen Harris made a list of those he would personally target for support and business ties. They had some latitude inside the facility to do things they wanted as long as they weren't war related or environmentally destructive so he had ideas of his own.

Standing in the doorway nearby watching with his own list running, Commander Oscar Ortega considered the individuals inside. They were the richest people on Earth. There was estimated to be several trillion dollars worth of wealth distributed among them sitting here, adding up to nearly all the free money in the entire world. They were part of a small group that controlled or owned as much money as 94% of the lowest income people on Earth.

They were interesting as a group and unfortunately, some of them confirmed his own beliefs about their behavior and character. Some of them were the most arrogant and cocky people on Earth. They flaunted laws, bought governments and did as they pleased without penalty most of the time. Some were serious philanthropists but it was like his old grandpa used to say … behind every great fortune was a great crime.

Here, they were subject to his command. As leader of the onsite security team that answered to the bots and Springer, he led eight men and one woman enforcing with an even hand all the rules. For some of the local hotshots, it was an eye opener. He wondered if the experience would be that of these as well.

Another man walked up to stand beside him, Lt. Finn O'Malley who was his second. "Looks like the big shots are having a great time."

Ortega nodded. "I hope we do, too."

Both grinned.

"I hear ya," Finn said.

It would be an entertaining time listening to Owen and Kyle's speeches and the chitchat that followed. The tour of the facility would be entertaining as well. There would be a lot of questions about Unidad and none of the local leadership would be happy to hear them ask.

Apparently, habitat envy was a real thing.

=0=Waiting in the bow on The Salton Sea to go waltzing

"And that's pretty much how it happened," Sun said as Jack nodded in agreement. They were sitting with the others waiting for the beta shuttle squad to arrive. Hardie was nearby working on the plans but nodded and chuckled as Sun told the story of how he got his nickname. "You had to probably be there."

All of the younger set from the twins through Ironhide along with his atar and appas stared at Sun with an expression of respect that was almost comical. The soldiers who were listening as well were just as agog. Steiner who knew and was nearly there when it happened with the relief team chuckled. It was comical to watch the kids gape.

"It was a **binary star** , appa," Sideswipe said as he leaned forward in his earnest astonishment.

Sun who was lounging on the couches with the group in the forward section grinned. "Yes. Yes it was. Would have been easier to do if it wasn't but you can't choose when the slag hits the fan."

It was silent a moment, then Sunstreaker rose to walk to where Sun was lounging to perch next to him. "I'm sitting here."

Huge laughter was had.

Steiner grinned. "You were a force of nature, Ironhide. I was almost there to see the fun. You should have waited."

Sun aka Ironhide the Elder grinned. "We did but the stars had their own timetable." He glanced at Jack. "What about you telling them about that solar system, Blackjack?"

Everyone stiffened, then turned to Jack with surprise. He grinned. "It was … uh, a small solar system ..."

Sideswipe rose to walk to Jack, then sat. "I'm sitting with you."

Huge laughter arose as beyond the view port a large number of heavily armed shuttles began to slide into view. Beyond them, the number of free floating enemy soldiers was reduced drastically, pulled into shuttles after being picked up by Seekers. By the time the shuttle groups were leaving to go fight, the last few would be gathered up and things would be more normal. The rest of the salvaged survivors would be procured when teams went through the wreckage.

By then, The Salton Sea and Phobos would be heading after Xantium and Omega who were ahead of them involved in their own melees with gusto.

=0=In a box discussing stuff

"You think you have them figured out a bit, then this," Gavin Pritchard said as he watched the big mechs walk to the elevator to go to battle.

Lennox nodded. "If I hadn't seem Omega and Zee do that, I'd have a hard time believing it. But then, they have maximum flexibility in root mode. The ships they're breaking are static hulls and they can't react as well. The two know where the guns are and can avoid them. They have tons of experience and their functions are as guardians. Hugging a battleship or cruiser … that's as epic as it gets." He grinned. "Think about your grandpa or great grandpa being as epic as Ironhide's. That must be something."

"My grandpa **was** epic. He could lift an anvil off the ground and put it into the back of the hay wagon by himself," Gavin said as everyone murmured their admiration at that achievement. "But I don't see him this way. It must be something else to be a part of Ironhide's family."

"And Alor's. Steiner and Lissie are epic, too. Scout and Trooper crack me up," Epps said with a chuckle. "I think we need to write a book, all of us together. One chapter each. It would be a bestseller."

They all agreed. It would be.

=0=Outside

They took their places at the command of two shuttle hunting teams and acknowledged Prime and Hard Drive.

:Sun here. We're go, Prime. I have a bet with Jack and the infants. Whoever gets the most scores gets a ped rub from everyone else:

(Laughter) :Ironhide, here. We're go for the win:

:In your dreams, infant. Raptor, ready to go:

:Blackjack, the real winner here. We're go:

:Lissie here. Frag them. It's me that's going to bring home the bacon. We're go:

:Steiner here. Since I've already won, nothing more is necessary. We're go:

Jack the Elder checked in as well. :Frag you all. Go, Prime:

Huge hoo-haw filled the airwaves, then Prime grinned. "Then go, ladies and gentlemen. Go and come back."

They acknowledged, then away they went in teams.

Sunstreaker who was on the shuttle with Sun watching him stand by the forward view port looking for prey commed Sideswipe. :You there?:

Sideswipe who was with Blackjack the Elder replied. :I am. Take notes:

:I am: Sunstreaker said as the entire group faded into the darkness ahead and disappeared from view.

=0=TBC 2-26-19 **edited 3-30-19**

NOTE: I remember a shot in the War For Cybertron game where Omega floats in the air to stare into a deck level at everyone (regular bots) in root mode. He's so massive it makes them look like mice. Since these two can move like normal in root mode, they can either rip something apart with their bare hands or hug it tightly. Small ships like cruisers and shuttles don't have a chance against a Guardian mechanism of their age and experience. Battleships require more dismantling but the others break nicely. I love both of them. All of them, really. If they didn't really exist, I would have had to invent them. :D

Got your note, optimusprime101. Will read them tomorrow. Everyone else, replies to notes tomorrow. :D:D:D HIUGS!

For Tim, the light of my life. From Buddy, the girls and me. **LV4EVR** **TRU**


	602. Chapter 602

The Diego Diaries: Volley (dd6 602)

=0=Outside

They formed up in pairs, the shuttles, all of them striking out some many kilometers apart as they began to search in the slag for the enemy which were numerous and well armed. Apparently, Shrike found his match and ended up in a cage with inhibitor devices attached to his major joint nodes. It was a Decepticon practice, not that of the Autobots but was effective if not somewhat painful for the unlucky slagger that had to endure it. Finding and taking him in was the luckiest thing ever to happen to the maniac though he would be the last to agree.

Sun and Jack went in with a beta team shuttle apiece as partners while Blackjack, Raptor, Ironhide, Hercy, Kup, Steiner, Whirl, Lissie and Flint who came after squaring away his slag at Fort Apache regarding receiving through transit the enemy prisoners that were on their way to prisons on Mars, Cybertron and the local group. Pairing up with beta, the alpha dogs made their way forward.

:Ironhide:

:Which one?:

:Infant:

:Ironhide here, Appa:

:Keep your nose assembly clean. I spy echoes on your starboard. Sending coordinates as of now, infant: Sun said as he typed them in and hit send. Just as he did the sight of a battleship passing just over his two shuttle team could be seen on the sensors as well as through the forward port.

"Well, well," Sun said with a grin. "Just so you know, I have a battleship just overhead and when I'm done, I have one and you children will have zero." He glanced at his gunners who were taking their stations. "Shall we go to the dance, boys?" he asked with a smirk.

"Sure." -everyone on board.

So they did.

=0=Jack

"Frag Sun," Jack said with a grin. "Lissie. You there?"

:Off your starboard side: Lissie replied with her dryly humorous voice. :What do you want to do, Jack?:

"We can't let Sun get a head start. We'll never hear the end of it. You're closest to him. What's his locate?" Jack asked as he sat down in front of the tactical sensor console.

:Here you go. See ya there: she said as her shuttle and companion ship broke off to head that way.

"Well, that wasn't nice," Jack said with a chuckle. "Steiner, your sister is a greedy guts. Shall we join them?"

:We're on our way now, slowpoke. Steiner out because he's too busy finding and shooting the enemy to pass the time with ya, Jack: Steiner said with a guffaw.

At that point six shuttles were blazing their way toward what they thought was a lone battleship.

=0=Prowl, Prime and Hardie

They sat around the command table looking at the advanced battle tactical data pad, APTD if they were Americans, one that covered the entire table and was designed to feature fast moving battles to plot strategy. "Are they ever serious?" Prowl asked Hard Drive.

"Never," Hardie said with a grin. "Well, maybe when arguing over who counted coup on a target and who is lying. Then they can get pretty heated."

"Does it come to blows?" Devcon asked as he sat with them. He had been in the fighting, then came back aboard to run sensors.

"Sometimes. Then they get drunk, get maudlin and hug it out," Hard Drive said with a grin. "Those two are peas in a pod as the humans say. They're both over the top but very serious mechs even so."

"So it seems," Prowl said with a smirk. He checked the flight paths on the data pad. "It appears that a target has been acquired. Six shuttles are zooming in."

"They probably have a running tab bet going," Hardie said as he opened a channel. "What have you found?" he asked.

" **A FRAGGING FIRE FIGHT! SEND THE CAVALRY!"** Sun's voice could be heard over the sounds of others on the line laughing and shouting. Then it cut out.

Prime glanced at Hardie who was studying the data pad. "What do you suppose is going on?"

"They must have found a battleship. Or six," Hardie said.

"Take us in, General," Prime said as he glanced out the windows nearby. "Close but not quite there. Tell the launch teams down below to ready missiles on my command, Prowl."

Prowl rose to walk to fire control as Hardie moved to the conn. He leaned in with the pilot to discuss the way forward as a battle group gathered around Prime to escort. They were into the dense soup ahead in seconds.

=0=Ratchet and Phobos

He walked to the command deck as the last of the enemy wounded and those lucky enough to not be were escorted away by prison ship, medical transport or bridge. Walking to the command chair that was technically his, Ratchet looked at the area around him. Salton Sea was gone. "Where's Prime?"

"He's pursuing a fire fight with the battle group," a youngling mech from the Home Guard replied. "He left with escort."

"Fraggers. They didn't take me. Open a channel to Salton Sea, infant," Ratchet said. The kid did. "Ratchet to Prowler."

:What, slagger. I'm busy:

"Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine," Ratchet said. "Where are you? Can I get there by bridge. My work is done here. These servos … these healing servo-..."

:You don't know how to be normal do you?: Prowl replied.

"I use you for my inspiration," Ratchet replied to the general laughter of everyone on the bridge.

:I sent the coordinates to the ship bridge. Hurry up or the signal might get bounced and you'll end up somewhere else:

"On it, my queen," Ratchet said as he hoofed it to the door and the elevator down to the bridge room.

Revo watched him go with a grin, then assumed command. Sitting on the command chair, he glanced around. "Get on it, infants. Fraggers wait for no mech."

They did.

Ratchet hustled through the space bridge, then stepped out on a ship. It was a corridor and no one was around. That was both fortunate and unfortunate for him. The corridor and ship wasn't Salton Sea. It was a battleship in the armada of Pulsar.

Glancing at the writing on the wall, a sub dialect for the guttural squawk that was the official Decepticon language, he knew he wasn't in Kansas anymore. Hustling at the sound of approaching ped falls, he pried open a door and entered, closing it behind just in time. As he did, a squad of enemy soldiers ran past heading for the torpedo room for the fight ahead.

=0=Moments later

"Has Commander Ratchet come aboard?" Prowl asked his officer in charge of the bridge room over a comm line.

:We didn't receive him, Commander. We got a bridge here but no one came through: the voice down below replied.

Prowl frowned, then called Phobos. "Prowl to Phobos bridge room."

:Here, Commander: a voice replied.

"Where is Commander Ratchet?" Prowl asked.

It was silent a moment, then the voice returned. :Isn't he there? We sent him through a moment ago:

Prowl glanced at Prime who looked up with surprise and alarm. "No. Check the system. Find him."

It was silent a moment as Hardie, Prime and Prowl waited. The voice came back. "Commander, we did a tracer check and we sent Commander Ratchet through but the … the interference steered him to a different place than the one we wanted. Both ships, Salton Sea and the battleships in the enemy armada are of a type in profile. It appears that the radiation and electronic interference has sent him to the wrong ship. Commander Ratchet is on an enemy ship. We're trying to locate where that is and which one. Stand by."

They sat riveted to the spot, then Prime glanced at their pilot. "Take us in fast. Locate on General Ironhide's shuttle, pilot."

The pilot would. It wouldn't be pretty.

=0=The ugliness out there

They came out of their nebula cocoons about the same time, big ships and small heading straight for each other in the static filled wretchedness of the battle field. Two battleships were running side-by-side, their guns doubling the area between them that they could cover for targets.

Six battle shuttles came out of their own fog and two of them were in a collision course with the nearest and biggest of the two battleships. They flew into them and smashed even as their pilots slammed on the brakes and threw them into reverse. It was enough to prevent a fiery explosion and instant death but not enough to stave the crews from being bounced out again into the vacuum, most of them abandoning ship swiftly with their battle hardened reflexes.

Sun who saw them fly out, most of them veteran enough to jump when the inevitable loomed before them flew in with guns blazing. They stitched the side of the nearest battleship blowing out the view ports down the entire length of it. The other battleship was unable to assist the first given the targeted one was between it and the enemy. They continued onward helpless to act. The interference of the nebula was affecting everyone's targeting computers and they were no exception. It would take manual shooting to land enough blows to be effective and that was the glory of the shuttles.

The big battleship had taken two hard knocks as shuttles collided, blowing holes in the hull as it dragged them along. Mechs were flying away, some of them towing others as Lissie came up hard to offer them transport. As the Autobots streamed toward her vessel, the other one commanded by Raptor was breaking up, throwing out its guts in a fiery trail as it was dragged.

Raptor and his crew were thrown out, all of them. He gathered up those closest to him, then they went for the others. When they got them, they made for a big ice block that was flying in the direction they needed to go, away from the fury all around them. As they did, a shuttle flashed past to lay into the dying battleship. It was arcing lights, electricity and broken bits and pieces. Hercy was giving them cover as the other remaining shuttles flew back, then around to come up on the battleships' vulnerable side, the rear tail section. Opening up, they began to lay down fire on both.

Given the space, speed and fury with which this was unfolding, smaller ships had the upper hand without a doubt. The only thing the battleships could do to save themselves against the stinging fury of the shuttles was to run. One of them was actually accomplishing that very thing. The other … it was dying in convulsions and fire.

=0=Prime

"Dev, can you spot his transponder on either of those two ships?" Prime asked tensely as Salton Sea came into the scene from far enough away to not be on anyone's targeting screen yet.

"I'm looking, Optimus," Dev said tensely.

It was then that two cruisers and three shuttles from Pulsar's armada came into view from the opposite direction, all of them beginning to assert evasive maneuvers. It would be spectacular to watch them break up formation and begin their long turns. It would be even more spectacular to see Omega and Xantium Supreme come out of the darkness behind them with their arms outstretched and their servos and claw arms reaching for anything they could grab.

It was like someone had let off a roomful of explosives with the shattering repercussions hitting everyone everywhere at the same time. The fury outside had to be seen to be believed.

"I got him, Prime," Dev said as he glanced up to the big mech nearby.

"Can we get him? Which one is he on?" Prowl asked with a tense voice.

"That one," Dev said as another battleship slipped out of the darkness into view.

"Frag," Prowl said as the klaxon went off all over the ship.

=0=On a battleship not called Salton sea

He huddled in the closet deducing that the interference of the area had gotten him a wrong turn. He decided to do what a scientist, veteran soldier and lifelong Iaconian hooligan would do in those circumstances. He was going to find the soft underbelly of this ship and rip its guts out.

Glancing up, he saw a duct cover. He would remove it, then crawl inside. Given that this ship and his own, Phobos were of a type, it wouldn't take long for him to find where he wanted to go. He disappeared into the darkness with very little sound as the ship's klaxons went off all over the vessel.

=0=Out there

Raptor and his crew made the ice boulder and spiked their leads into its cold surface. A count was made and everyone was there. Some were hurt. Most weren't. All were pissed. They rode the boulder sending their pick up signals and watched the hoo-haw unfolding everywhere …

Lissie leaned into the torque as her shuttle swerved a depth charge counter measure from the vessel ahead that exploded against space debris nearby. They were going in over the fleeing battleship, not the one currently self destructing behind them. Her partner shuttle and the one commanded by Kup was helping her blast the slag out of the vessel who seemed only interesting in shaking them …

Blackjack and Ironhide with their two shuttles pursued the fleeing battleship in time to run into a trio of massive supply and tanker vessels who had come together to figure out what and where to do, go, exist, surrender and/or blow up. Swerving hard, they missed plowing through the main fuel ship …

Prime stared at the map, the battleship still within range beginning to blow itself up in its death throes and as he did he saw Zee and Xantium grab the newest battleship to arrive on the scene, the one that held Ratchet …

… "Muahahaha," Ratchet whispered to himself. He had found the room he wanted. It was a vast corridor of massive bundles of cables that ran everything. All he had to do was cut them up and the ship was over. He grinned. "I don't think that'll be too hard," he said as he grounded himself.

Then he unsubbed a huge rotating blade. Grinning like the juvenile delinquent that he was, he walked into a promising bundle and began to saw with abandon …

=0=TBC 2-27-19 :D **2TIM4EVR edited 3-1-19  
**

Klaxon: a loud blaring and pulsating siren that is designed to signal trouble, usually a collision when a ship makes one.


	603. Chapter 603

The Diego Diaries: Oops (dd6 603)

Totally not edited yet. :D

=0=Everywhere

Ratchet sawed and watched as red lights began to blink everywhere. Systems that were part of control and fire were coming apart at the seams as up the line consoles went dark and things began to short out. When he finally found the main electrical junction he remembered how his Amma Docker sometimes 'accidentally' fragged things up just because.

He learned his rebellion on his granny's knee.

Sawing away, he then rerouted a number of very important cables. Now that he had accomplished all the damage he could do at this port in the storm, he began to leave to plan his exit. Entering into a darkened corridor, he began to run. As he did, he found himself surrounded in the middle of a mob of the enemy.

=0=Ironhide, Blackjack and Lissie

Noting that Ironhide and Blackjack had nearly had a header with supply ships, Lissie and Hercy calmly took the lead on the battleship which was picking up speed. Behind them, Ironhide and his atar were engaging poorly gunned and relatively defenseless transport and supply ships who were as lost as everyone else.

"Fraggers on the ships, this is Blackjack representing the Prime. Give it up. We're destroying everyone we can find otherwise. Power down and we'll let you live."

" **FRAG YOU, AUTO-** " The line went dead.

The enemy ships began to power down, half of them, while the others backed up to try and get into a rain of boulders nearby that would give them some chance to find a better hiding place or try to leave. As they did, some of them began to back into each other and unfortunately for them, they were mostly munitions and fuel ships.

"Oh, frag. **REVERSE ENGINES!** " -Blackjack, Ironhide and two other shuttles.

" **KABOOM! KA-KA-BOOM!"**

=0=Prime

"We have explosions nearby," Prowl said grimly. He was staring at the data pad, leaning on the table with his servos placed firmly on the device. He pointed to the place where they were erupting. "Here. It could be anything."

"Starscream."

:Starscream here:

"I need intel. Prowl will send the location."

:On it:

Prime glanced at Devcon. "Have you located Ratchet, Devcon?"

"I have. He's in the stern of the third battleship fleeing with a mob of other signals. I don't know if they knew he's among them or not." Dev grinned. "No one probably cares at the moment," he said as he glanced at the forward view port. It was silent everywhere in the vast room as they watched Xantium and Omega Supreme grip the battleship by the stern, swatting away what gun bursts reached them as they began to dismantle it.

"Prime to Omega Supreme."

:Omega here: was the terse reply.

"Ratchet is on that ship in the stern section."

There was a pause, then Omega replied. :Understood:

They watched, all of the bridge, as the two slowed their rampage, stared at each other, then nodded in some agreement they weren't sharing. It was then that they slid forward and began to peel the outside hull off the ship like a banana. As they did things shorted, blew up and fell out of it including a lot of mechs who went flailing into space.

=0=Inside the banana

Ratchet felt the ship rock and knew that a Supreme mechanism likely had it in his death servo/claw. The jolting and rocking threw them around but they all picked up and continued, some of them noticing Ratchet but running onward anyway. They reached hatch after hatch as they fled toward the engine room and its escape ports for crew in case of emergency. This clearly was an emergency.

As they booked it, a fleeing mob of jolting and jostling mechs, the hull beside them began to be stripped back and with the whoosh of vacuum flooding the pressurized ship, all of them were sucked out into the darkness of space. Ratchet went with them as well.

=0=Ironhide, Blackjack and the boys

The tanker in the middle of the group had backed into a munitions carrier and the explosion was one for the record books. It was the equivalent of a massive ammo dump dropping on top of a vast refinery in scope as it lit up the darkness all around.

Ironhide who had set himself for the blast saw it flash, vaporize three smaller ships, toss all the surrendered ships willy nilly, then send a visible shock wave his way. **"HANG ON! INCOMING!"** he bellowed before he was rattled all over the vessel like an exploding kernel of popcorn. Everyone else was strapped in and held through the hoo-haw with nothing more than jolts and jerks from the percussion waves.

Lissie was strapped in when she saw the ships begin to back up. Blackjack was as well. They were less self assured that magnetizing would be enough. They rode out the blast, then waited as the sensors reset themselves from the flash of light and beating they'd all taken. When the view was clear again and all of the ships checked in, they leaned forward to look.

A huge tanker was bits and pieces floating around and around it in sprayed strips of metal, three smaller ships hung in a cloud. Three other vessels had taken a severe beating and were mostly burned and blasted out twisted hulks. The ships that surrendered hung in space as well, their surge forward from the blast making things worse for the wear.

Nearby, the single survivor of the direct blast slowly moved off trailing lots of its internal configuration as it did. Four other ships had dropped as fast as they could and were spared a lot of damage because the others had eaten it for them. They were heading toward a maze of small asteroids nearby hoping to fade from the scene before anyone noticed.

Unfortunately for them, everyone already had.

=0=Floating around

The two big mechanisms had just about laid the entire hull of the battleship to waste as they peeled it off. When they had done so as far forward as possible, they began to reach inside and pull things out. Their sensors were searching for Ratchet's energetic pattern, the one that was his alone. They all knew it intimately since he was their primary doctor and knew them inside and out.

He was floating in a mass of criminals, former Decepticons and pirates nearby watching with as much amazement as anyone around him as the two sorted out the contents of a once proud vessel. :Ratchet to anyone: he signaled.

Everyone turned around from their position in the debris field to look at him. Some of them were Autobots.

/ … oh, frag … / Ratchet began to activate his little used pedal thrusters and book it toward the Autobot lines as fast as he could. The enemy floating all around him would see their bargaining chip slipping away and follow. It would be the fastest slow speed race in the history of Cybertron.

=0=Prime

"Prime to Omega."

"Omega here:

"Have you found Ratchet?"

It was tense as the silence strung itself out. Then Omega was back. :His signal is not here. He is heading your way. There are enemy chasing him: Omega said. :I am going to get him:

That was when the mighty Omega Supreme let go of a gutted battleship, shoving it toward his baby brother and turned his gnarly sensors on a flood of tiny mechs in hot pursuit of another one. None of them noticed Omega behind them.

Yet.

=0=Prime

"Oh, frag," Prowl whispered as he reset the forward cameras. They could see the small figure of Ratchet flying madly toward their direction and all of the mechs and a femme or two from the battleship chasing behind. It was one scary sight. "Prowl to Red Wing. Location."

:We're evacuating the destroyed battleship:

"Ratchet is fleeing the other one, the one the Supremes are destroying. He's being chased. Send rescue," Prowl said tensely.

:On it:

They watched the screen, the data pad and listened to the chatter as a squad of Seekers broke off and blazed away to the other battleship. They wouldn't reach Ratchet and his posse before Omega did.

Unfortunately for the posse.

=0=Hercy and Lissie

It would be textbook how they swooped the battleship which had no maneuvering room in the jumble of comet debris, large asteroids and smaller ice encrusted boulders. They tried to plow forward in a zigzag motion, typical evasive action but the battering they took from their oppressive surroundings was as bad as being shot.

Raking the vessel, shooting its sensor arrays on deck, blasting its gun emplacements, blasting the stern where the steering modalities were, the Autobots were rendering a lot of damage to its once proud hull.

They were bleeding it to death.

=0=Omega, oh-ma-god

He reached the rear echelons of the enemy pursuing Ratchet and swept his servo. They went flying away as he sped up to clear a path. Glancing behind themselves as they saw their comrades flash past upside down, the others began to panic and flee in all directions. Those in the front who were just about to catch Ratchet heard screams over their internal com lines and glanced back. Panicking as a giant servo began to wind up to swat their afts to the edge of the universe, they began to fly in all direction in evasive maneuvers.

Because he was huge, because they were small and motivated, they managed, mostly, to get out of his swinging range. Slowing, Omega reached for the one he wanted and as he did, Ratchet found himself enclosed in a giant fist. Slowing before he rammed into it, he watched as the sights all around him disappeared into the darkness of the fist of Omega Supreme.

It couldn't get more weird if it tried.

Yes. Yes it could.

=0=Ironhide, et al

"You okay, Ironhide?" Sandstorm said as he stared at Ironhide sitting on the deck with a dazed expression. "You should have buckled in."

"Where?" he asked as he stood, then shook himself clear. Glancing out the window, he grinned. "That was epic. Now where is everyone else?"

"We better go look. I signaled pick up for these slaggers free floating and the ships that surrendered," Sandstorm said as he began to scan for the four ships that escaped. "I have them. They went that-a-way."

"Then go that-a-way, slagger," Ironhide said. "I'm counting all these ships in the final tally," he said as they dropped down and began to track the others. Behind them zooming out of the darkness, Seekers and prison ships began to arrive with medics and a big broom.

=0=Salton Sea

He reached Salton Sea, then opened his giant servo. Ratchet who was riding in it floated out toward the hangar deck, then rolled over as he did to smile and wave at Omega. :Thanks, sport. You da mech:

Omega laughed, a wordless gesture, then nodded. With that, he blasted back to the battle and his brother. Ratchet watched him go, then floated into the hangar deck, dropping to his peds when the barrier was broken and he was back on ship gravity. With a wave and a smirk, he ran to the elevator and headed upward to the inner sanctum where the Most High was bringing the hurt.

He also wanted to say hello to Prime.

When he arrived, he was applauded and hooted. Curtsying and waving like the Queen of England, he reached the command table with a big smile. "Hi. What's up? Besides new maintenance for the space bridges."

"What happened, loon," Prowl asked with a great sense of relief.

"Well, I was walking into the bridge and ended up on an enemy vessel. So, given that these Blessed Servos were itching to make crooked things straight, I went into the duct system, reached their control and fire nexus points and began to saw everything I could find in half." He subbed a huge rotary blade with a gigantic twinkling smile. Huge laughter greeted that as he subbed it again. "What's the score?"

"We don't know just yet," Prowl said. He grinned at Ratchet. "You can't help yourself can you?"

"What would be the fun in that?" Ratchet asked with a grin as he began to assess the condition reports of the new prisoners.

Prowl smirked. There wouldn't be any, he thought to himself as they turned back as one to the tasks at hand.

=0=TBC 3-1-19 **3-30-19**


	604. Chapter 604

The Diego Diaries: (dd6 604)

=0=Hangar decks everywhere

Ratchet watched the prisoners come in, many of them hurt and needing attention. Some were burned slightly, some dented and others missing a part or two. They were sorted and those who were unaffected but fuming madly were carted off to the prison ships who were here gathering up the profane. He walked from mech to mech, triaged them with the other doctors, then passed them on with recommendations.

They were headed for jails on Mars, Cybertron and the local group. They would be housed under Gee-Gee's guidance with the hope that most of them would reform and be of use. Being at war for most of their lives, too many had known no other thing. Cybertron, if they had been separated there, was never a good place for nearly all of them. They were the hustling working classes and many were criminals straight up, some from families of crime.

Having another view of things, albeit behind bars might be just what they needed. No one was beyond redemption to him, Ratchet thought, though being practical he knew that was his idea and not that of reality most of the time. Partition was a very damaged youngster when Ratchet grappled with him but he was workable in the end. Maybe some of these hard cases, many of them snarling at him with their murderous optics could have the same chances.

He hoped so.

They came and came, some heading off to Gliese on stretchers while most walked back onto the prison ships. Those three huge vessels were going through bridges on a staggered schedule, one being in transit continuously to forward prisoners while the other two gathered them, got them triaged, then headed out themselves in a seemingly never ending cycle. Gee-Gee had it down to a fine science.

=0=Unidad Terra 1

Carly Brooks-Spencer was a great ambassador of her facility as she led a group of 25 industrialists, corporate heads, venture capital and banking tycoons around the facility. They had arrived earlier, the first of four groups that would be visiting the facility, one a day for the next four. They came in Earth2 transports and gathered in the grand concourse before her.

A few introductions were made, mostly Unidad people assisting her and Sam, then climbed into the little pick ups that would drive them around. They sat on benches in the back, holding on as the security detail drove them forward. They took a circuit of town, pausing here and there to ask questions, then they drove out into the facility to show the housing areas, recreation and dining along with the block of buildings that held labs, service, administration and other features of the unit including the plant that ran it.

They got to see a broad overview before they drove down G Street or what was now called Homestead Road by locals. It led past the many different businesses, amenities and service operations to the vast doors outside. The streets were busy because it was weekend and the schools were out. Kids ran in civilian clothes here and there as they played, headed toward different recreational facilities or goofed around. People walked out of grocery stores, businesses or the bank. It was like any city or town anywhere on Earth.

They reached the doors, then continued onward as Carly told the story of the place and what they were seeing. A small device pinned to their shirts carried her commentary to them as they slowed going past the Chapel. It was beautiful now, with huge trees and thriving greenery around it. The light overhead streamed in and it was a serene appearing place to be. Inside, there were several individuals sitting in the pews, all of them seemingly in contemplation.

Pastor Millie waved to them from the doorway, then continued inside to do whatever she did this time of day. They waved back and continued onward.

"I would like you to note that there's a two lane highway system throughout the dome that can take us wherever we want to go. There are several unpaved roads in the interior to preserve the character of the area and a lot of walking paths as well. There is about 170 miles of highway in all in this facility.

"To the right, you will see the forested area that's an experimental station for the study of trees and foliage in this environment. We're trying to figure out the best kinds of greenery for the type and kind of sunlight we have here including that of all the seasons which are skewed and blend together. Earth is about 93,000,000 miles from the sun while we, depending on where we are in orbit circle it at about 140,000,000 miles. Earth and Mars are 33.9 million miles apart as well.

"To the left, you will see the pasturage we're cultivating for our grazing animals. We have a dairy herd numbering about 85 and a population of other animals who require pastures. We host 14 horses and 3 mules, half a dozen llamas, about 23 sheep as of last night and about 11 goats. There are other animals coming, some from different continents so that we can study the effects of living here on them. None of the animals here are used for food purposes. That's part of our agreement with the Prime and it holds not only here but other habitats as well.

"Beyond that, we'll be getting into cultivation," she said as they drove past several miles of fenced in lush green grass. "This is the beginning of our alfalfa and hay project. We're self-sufficient in maintaining our animals and now grow food for Earth 1 and Earth2's animals. We also have a massive vegetable and fruit project with the ultimate goal of feeding every human on Mars with fresh produce.

"In the distance, you should be able to glimpse our poultry project. We free range every bird that lives here and the chicken population numbers 350 birds. They produce eggs, though not in abundance for assured supply but they have a decent life and they keep things in check with our insect population.

"We've discovered in some of the products for the farm that we have sent from Earth that flies and small gnats have laid their eggs in the dirt and packaging and they hatch here. We're studying that to see what affect, if any, it has on the facility. The birds here keep them in check rather well."

They motored onward, now passing endless rows of thriving plants all of which would end up in the kitchens and grocery stores of the three human habitats when ripe and ready to harvest.

=0=Out there

Ironhide sat in the engineer's seat next to Sandstorm as he flew their shuttle after four ships that had ducked out and missed oblivion from the blast of the fuel and munitions ships. They were faint erratic echoes on the sensors as both groups fled into a pulsing gas dispersal that was affecting easy detection. Radiation shimmered around them as they passed, a thing of beauty even as it made the chase more dangerous. Particles slammed into that energy exciting it and though it was radiant to watch, it hid a multitude of things.

They would find that out right away.

=0=Unidad

They drove to the lake, then pulled into the turn out. Parking there, they climbed out and gathered around Sam and Carly. She turned to the shimmering water nearby. "This is the largest lake here at Unidad and the biggest surface lake on Mars. This is called officially, Project 18-B. We locals call it Crater Lake because a child who lived in Oregon before coming here said it looked like one. She saw it when the excavation was being undertaken and it looked like a crater to her. Most of the places on Mars have been named by children since the beginning including the cities in the colony."

Carly walked down the dirt path that led to the heavily landscaped lakeside. The number and kinds of trees, bushes and other greenery was amazing and made them feel that they could be at any lake on Earth. Near the edge of the water were tables for picnicking, a dock that went into the water and nearby neatly stacked were several kayaks and paddles with life vests hanging on a rack.

She halted by a barbecue. "This is the place a lot of picnics happen and lots of people here use the boats. All of the children are given swimming lessons in their gym classes, especially those who attend bot schools and those kids are also taught to use the boats.

"We want to make a world here that's as close to what we have on Earth as possible. The idea is to work out what's viable and what isn't, yet still have great quality of life. This lake is part of the fish project. The system that feeds it also drains it with the water circulating throughout the creek and stream system."

They walked to the edge of the water to stare into the clear lake. The bottom was smooth and beginning to develop a faint soil surface as the system cycled. There were fish resting in the shade nearby thrown by tall bushes. The place was pristine like the rest of the facility.

One of the visitors turned to Sam and Carly. "This place is clean, cleaner than any I've ever seen. Is that part of the process here?"

"It is," Sam said. "This is a no mistake environment so we work at keeping things as pristine as possible. No one is allowed to litter or damage things. The bots have the same idea but they do that because for one, they lost their home and this one matters and two, they believe in it. Their home world wasn't equitable nor was it geared for everyone's purposes. This place is and they take care of it. Its a good thing. Consider the crap that's left to fester on Earth. Go to some of the places on Earth and see plastic garbage knee deep. We're trying to keep this place how we found it. The bots are serious about maintaining the integrity of Mars and you should remember that in all your plans and ideas. They won't compromise on that issue for any reason."

They chatted a while, then re-boarded the trucks. They were heading for the far side of the habitat and the rest of the great experiment. They would do so driving past fallow land and that planted with all manner of things. Bee hives would be seen in the distance as well as bird feeders and birds flying. It would be like any drive in the country anywhere on Earth.

=0=Out there

" **WE FOUND MORE SHIPS! GET HERE!"**

The sound of the message reverberated through the fleet as Ironhide put his situation on blast. It was a burst of energy, then it was silent again. Everyone glanced at each other in surprise, then furiously began to triangulate on the location. Lissie, Hercy and Steiner would find it first, then drop down out of sight to go for the gold.

Blackjack and the others were still pounding the battleship that those three had found and thereby were unable to attend at the moment. It would be short work before the battleship surrendered and became someone else's problem. It was a good thing, too.

Optimus Prime sat on his command chair as he listened to the comm traffic. Ironhide had found more ships and according to the screen before him three battle shuttles had dropped out of the fray to assist. "Prime to Ironhide. Report."

" **PRIME!** We found another battleship, a cruiser and a shuttle. They aren't glad we did. Lissie is coming to assist," Ironhide said.

"I'm sending support," Optimus said as he glanced at Prowl.

That bot nodded, then bent over a screen before sending in the cavalry. It would be a hot time in the old town tonight.

=0=TBC 3-3-19 **4TIM4EVR &DJB&AMBLV4EVR 3-30-19**

 **NOTE:** During the winter, I used to plant a square box with grass seeds to have a 'lawn' sitting on my desk. It helped through Alaskan winters. I also noted that the potting soil had zillions of gnat eggs in it and they would hatch. I would sweep up their tiny carcasses every day. It was the only draw back to the project. I 'mowed' my 'lawn' every few days with scissors. :D Ah, the good old days ...


	605. Chapter 605

The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 605)

=0=There

Lissie came storming in like a charging rhino, the guns of her ship firing at the leader in the group, a heavily armed shuttle that was dropping down out of the mishmash forming up in the open space. She followed him downward and was out of sight in seconds.

Roaring out of the darkness behind the cruiser, Xantium was heading like a battering ram into the big ship. He grabbed it and rolled, using a tactic that had already laid waste a number of vessels. He flashed past as Ironhide's shuttle made a hard turn to miss him. He was laughing when he did.

Xantium, that is.

The battleship poured on the steam and began to disappear into the darkness ahead, then it seemed to stop, shudder, fall back and drift downward like a stunned fish. A fireball flashed nearby and debris began to fly out of the clouded darkness in profusion.

Coming around hard, Ironhide and Blackjack's shuttles began to fire in that direction. That was when the nose cone of a cruiser flew past them. The battleship had rammed another cruiser full on during its attempt to flee the scene.

Pulling around hard, Blackjack and Ironhide fell in side-by-side, then opened up on the drifting battleship. They poured fire into the tail and mid sections aiming at the functional equipment that would allow it to remain in battle. As they did the ship signaled surrender.

"Ironhide to Prime."

:Prime here:

"We have a hell pit. A shuttle is being pursued. Xantium grabbed a cruiser and rolled away. We don't know where he went but we'll follow the debris field when you get here. A battleship rammed a second cruiser fleeing and wants to surrender. I'm not clear that there's anything left of the second cruiser to surrender but we'll try to look when things clear a bit."

:Understood. Send position data of what is going on so we can get there. What about prisoners and casualties?:

Ironhide peered out of the view ports. "We have a lot."

:On our way: Prime said. He glanced at Ratchet. "We have a lot of casualties and surrenders nearby. Take Phobos and follow us. We are going in on Ironhide's call."

Ratchet nodded, then rose to run for the elevator. He was gone in seconds. While he exited, the data came and it was grim. Three more big ships demolished, one obliterated by the others in the maelstrom. Xantium was not to be seen on sensors and neither was Lissie's shuttle. When they plotted a path forward, they flew into the field together, Salton Sea and Phobos, disappearing into the nebula toward a scene of devastation.

The humans sat in their box watching silently as the shimmering energy cleared a bit. In a broader area of relative emptiness, a battleship listed as it could be seen to be burning furiously inside through view ports that were still intact. Every moment or so it jerked as something detonated on board. Around the area there were hundreds of survivors, some abandoning ship as it disintegrated underneath their peds.

The cruiser was totaled, its pieces and crew floating in the darkness near the point of impact. Ships were already there gathering them up, taking them through shuttle bridges to the bigger ships, The Salton Sea and Phobos as well as the prison ships. As they were gathered, a flash appeared nearby as a cruiser trailing fire and plasma flew straight upward at one end of the clearing area.

Grasping it with his taloned servo, Xantium was chasing it. His free servo was trying to grasp as well to tear it apart but the speed they both traveled made that difficult. Everyone in the area froze to watch as the two flew onward to disappear once more.

Epps glanced at the others. "You don't see that very often."

The others nodded. "No, you don't," Gavin Pritchard said with a soft tone of complete amazement.

Prime watched as Xantium pursued the cruiser, then both disappeared again. It was clear that Zee had the upper claw on the vessel and they would have to track him to pick up anyone that was able to survive the encounter. As he ruminated on that, Omega appeared. He flew in, then dropped out of sight below everyone.

"Where is he going?" Paragon asked with a slight grin.

"I hope I never have to know," Prowl said with a grin. He had no problem with the two so far. They were whittling down the list of enemy at a pretty good clip.

=0=A ward in the medical center

"Checkmate, slagger," Drift said with a grin.

Springer frowned. "Cheater."

"Poor loser," Drift said. "Want another game?"

"With you?" Springer asked with a smoky optic. He glanced at the foot of the berth. Under the warm thermal blankets both of his peds were jerking. It was still numb from the waist down so he didn't have pain but he had the spectacle of seeing his peds jumping without him making it happen.

Drift glanced at them. "Does it hurt?"

Springer glanced at him a moment. "Only my feelings."

Drift chuckled. "That'll teach you. They said they should be able to test you walking in a joor or two. Maybe. If you show incremental improvement we can go home. Get with it."

Springer smirked at the big handsome mech who he loved more than his own life. "Fragger. Here I am on my bed of pain and you're still being a slave driver."

"I know," Drift said as he leaned in to kiss Springer softly. "You like it."

Springer grinned. "I do."

"Well, well, aren't you two just lovey-dovey," a voice said behind them. "I think I'm going to purge my tanks."

"Frag you, Knockout. What the frag does Breakdown see in a slagger like you?" Springer asked with a slight smirk. He thought Knockout was hilarious in a loser sort of way but he would poke out his own optics before he ever said so. He was no end entertained by the barely contained criminal former Decepticon fragger.

"Everything he needs," Knockout said as he assessed the progress on the devices attached to Springer's limbs. He stared at Springer's peds. "Interesting. Sickening to see but interesting."

"Funny, that's what Breakdown told me about you," Springer said with a chuckle. "Wait until I can get out of this berth. You might not like it."

"You have no **idea** what I like," Knockout said as he punched a couple of buttons and walked to the door. He did it slowly so they could see his awesome radial tires to their best advantage. Then he left.

"Did you ever work around him in your darker bad boy days?" Springer asked as Drift glanced toward him again.

"Sometimes. I'd rather get an auger in my eyeball than have him doctor me," Drift said.

"Well, you don't have to worry. We'll always have Mom," Springer said as they both laughed loudly. "Go get me a beer and pizza."

"They might not like it," Drift said as he rose, then stretched.

"Frag them. You getting soft?" Springer asked.

Drift smirked. "Who, me?"

Springer snickered as Drift walked to the door to do a pizza and brew run. Springer watched him go. "Yeah, slagger … you. Only you." He would wait impatiently until Drift returned smuggling beer and pizza, brownies frosted with chocolate and cookies in his hold.

All the stuff Springer liked best.

=0=There

Lissie chased the shuttle shooting and being shot. They were scoring good hits but she was scoring better. She had taken over the helm and was flying with the practice and skill only Immortals could being to the table. It was then that a massive form shot past them and rammed the shuttle hard. It had turned fire on the figure but it wasn't adequate to deter him.

Omega Supreme gripped the slag out of the shuttle and crushed it with his servos. It exploded outward as he let it go and barrel rolled. It delivered a couple of good dents in his chassis, nothing debilitating but would require attention and a refinish when they got back home. It would be done under the tender gaze of Silverbolt.

:Omega, you're shot:

:I am. Do not worry, Lissie: Omega began to rip the hull sheets off and fling them away. :Stay back. Destruction imminent:

Lissie pulled hard a port, then slowed safely away as the shuttle was shredded. As it was, a fighter carrier and two small shuttles appeared out of nowhere. "Frag. Lissie to anyone nearby. We have a fighter carrier and a few shuttles. The slaggers are beginning to launch. Join the rodeo while there's some left to shoot."

Radio traffic greeted that message as mechs broke off from the fight nearby to drop down out of sight to join the polka fest. Five Autobot shuttles flew in just as a good 50 one- and two mech fights began to launch from the vast hangars of the transport vessel. It was like stepping on a bee hive with your bare feet.

=0=Over there

"What is the standing on enemy disabled and those still functional, Prowl?" Prime asked as Prowl bent over the data pad collating information at the command table behind his chair.

"I'm gathering it. Confirmed and supposed disabled. Give me a moment, sir," he said as he concentrated.

Nearby, Beta Supreme helped Seekers, Phobos and the prison ships scoop up the prisoners and injured for transport and care. That venerable transport ship was a gent and someone who had never had so many weird functions in his fabled life before this. All of the Supremes were remarkable but only two of them were really committed to their primary function, that of a warrior for The People. All of them would fight but none of them were as skilled as Omega and Xantium.

It would take a moment for Prowl to collate the information they had and as they did the com traffic where Ironhide was battling the fighters would keep all of them company.

=0=The Hourly News, 1800 TMC, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

"The latest information about the intervention currently underway in space up the Orion Arm from our solar system is still coming in. The Prime took the Alpha fleet out to interdict a large mixed armada, some who appear to be part of Shrike's fleet and that of a newcomer who's name has not been released yet.

"The fighting is fierce in a nebula nearby the path of interdiction. The casualties being reported for our soldiers and air armada are minor and being handled by the hospital vessel, Phobos. The Salton Sea, Omega, Beta and Xantium Supreme along with Tennyson, Dangerous and Typhoon are with Prime adding their formidable fire power to persuade the group to surrender or leave.

"Heavy tolls are being made against the intruder and it appears that a lot of wounded and surrendered prisoners are being taken. They are under the purview of Warden Gee-Gee and Empire Corrections with some coming here, some to Gliese for medical attention and others to the detention centers for criminals that are on Rabner III, a large planet in the inner system for Cybertron."

Lim-Lee took a message from someone off screen, read it, then looked back at the cameras. "It would appear that the leader of this group was the Warrior Elite known as Pulsar. A former high caste, this mech joined the Decepticons and was one of the first of them to be transformed through the grueling program devised by the war criminal Jhiaxus to create super soldiers for Megatron.

"He was engaged in battle, heavily wounded and taken into custody. He is currently in stasis and won't be able to bring his formidable skills and abilities against us. That's good news," she said as she put the data wafer down. "To continue ..." she said as the coverage rolled onward.

=0=In a lounge at Earth2

The highest rollers among the group were sitting in the lounge smoking cigars and drinking cocktails. Though smoking was banned on Mars by Primal decree and through consultation with medical, they were smoking here anyway. An electronics magnate and investment capitalist glanced at Owen Harris who was smoking his first Columbian cigar in ages. "What's this about? What's a Warrior Elite?" he asked.

Owen blew a smoke ring, then glanced at the screen. "That's what the phase sixers are called. They're the doom bringers and the one mechanism that can cause panic without exception among the populace."

It was silent a moment, then the magnate glanced to the screen. "Phase sixers. How many are there and where are they?"

"I heard that there may be as many as 45. Prime has about five or six bagged so your guess is as good as mine," Owen said with a slight grin.

It was quiet as the men watched the screen.

=0=On a security ward

He lay in stasis, the figure of Pulsar. He'd been modified by Ratchet who removed his arms and legs. Even through he was unconscionably lethal, most of what he could do required motion. He wouldn't be moving any time soon and when they revived him later for interrogation, he would be one pissed hombre.

=0=TBC 3-4-19 **edited 3-30-19**

ESL

hombre (ohm-bray) cowboy talk for another cowboy, man, sometimes used as an insult.


	606. Chapter 606

The Diego Diaries: Speaker (dd6 606) Not fully edited

=0=Home front: The Hourly News: Latest Breaking News ...

"There is new information coming from the Office of Strategic Communications about the confrontation with the armada of the phase sixer, Pulsar and the forces of the Prime. The Autobots have blocked the passage of the combined armada of both Pulsar and the recently repulsed Shrike from coming further down the Orion Arm toward our colony, the migration trails and Cybertron. They were on their way to make contact with Razorclaw and Ominous, two contained Decepticon battle groups in the local cluster.

"Shrike who led a group on the same mission through bridge jumps from the Bootes Constellation was blocked from entering Prime's sphere of influence some time ago. It commenced a confrontation between both sides which led to a furious battle and intense casualties.

"That group, Shrike's, was decimated by forces led by Prime when they refused to leave. Those of the group that survived the battle, roughly one third of the armada, fled and included their leader, Shrike. It appears that they were overtaken by Pulsar and Shrike was taken prisoner by him. When confronted, they didn't surrender nor leave so combat began immediately forced by Pulsar. During that combat, Shrike was retrieved by the Autobots and taken aboard as a prisoner.

"The group with Pulsar was very large with many battleships and cruisers. There were also a very large number of battle shuttles mid-sized and small along with fighter transports. The forces of the Prime included two dreadnoughts, a metrotitan, a large number of battle shuttles and heavy weapon/ship boarding specialists among the Seeker air wing, the Salton Sea for general command, Furious Storm for air command, Phobos for medical along with Beta, Xantium and Omega Supreme.

"The Office of Strategic Communications states that several of our battle shuttles were destroyed and all personnel are accounted for. The enemy group when combat began fled into a nebula and while there, electronics were compromised making pursuit harder and more dangerous for both sides. It's stated that ships have run into each other, many are being pursued, a very large number of prisoners are being taken on board prison ships and other vessels there to gather them and that Xantium and Omega Supreme have been magnificent in capturing and destroying ships ranging from cruisers to battleships.

"There is a segment of film that's been released that we will play now," Aleph said as the screen changed.

There was a cacophony of movement in a large but crowded open space surrounded by shimmering curtains of charged energy, flowing gas clouds and particles of ice and dust. In the middle, a number of shuttles were blasting a battleship that was in its death throes. Running lights and spotlights for just such things illuminated the area making for a surreal scene. It was then that Omega Supreme appeared out of the darkness at the farthest end of the area chasing a ship which he rammed hard.

He gripped it with his servos crushing it, then barrel rolled, taking the ship out of its flight path and drawing it with him across the open space where he began to shred it with his bare hands. A shuttle swerved sharply to miss both of them as a fighter transport appeared out of nowhere. It then began to launch fighters.

The scene changed to show a huge battleship that was fleeing this scene where another was being shot up by Autobot shuttles. It flew onward, then seemed to jam up. It stopped abruptly and the ripple of its hard jolt against something unseen could be seen down its entire hull. It listed backward as things came apart while in the space it was heading a huge fireball could be seen. A nose cone of a cruiser sized ship flashed out of the darkness as pieces of a big ship began to drift toward the clearing.

The battleship which was mortally wounded began to degrade and it was enhanced by the fact that several battle shuttles began to fire upon it to help it along. Crew were pouring out as Seekers and small pick up ships from the armada began to weave in and out to drag them toward safety and repair. It was deadly among the firing and debris flying everywhere.

The scene cut back to Aleph who looked at the film as it ran. He glanced up to the screen. "The information available to us indicate a number of large ships of the battleship and cruiser class have been destroyed, a tanker group exploded and destroyed three of their own support vessels, a fighter transport ship has launched their one- and two mech fighters against the Autobots. That combat is currently ongoing.

"The toll of the enemy ships is still being processed. Commander Prowl will release the information when he can confirm the number of destroyed and/or disabled vessels. Right now, the nebula is not cooperating with that process. The prisoners are being brought to Mars and the prison. Wounded are going to Gliese, Autobot City and the local system planets of Cybertron. The exact locations are being withheld due to the security zone protocols for that area.

"The number of casualties for the Autobots is small given the intensity of the combat. There are a number of mechs who were taken to the hospital here at The City including Commander Springer, Head of Security for the Empire. His injuries are being taken care of and are not considered life threatening ..."

=0=Watching in a hospital room

"I don't know about that," Springer said as he sat up in his berth. "That slagger hurt."

Drift who was sitting next to him with his peds up on Springer's berth glanced at him. "I thought you said it didn't hurt."

"It didn't. Some of it. A bunch of it did," Springer replied as he sipped his beer.

"How much?" Drift asked.

Springer thought, then shrugged. "About 52% or there abouts."

"Oh," Drift said with a grin. "I'm glad it wasn't 100%. You whine like a baby when its that high."

"And you don't?" Springer asked with a smirk.

"Nope," Drift said with a chuckle.

Springer grinned at him, then the screen. "You don't. I suppose you think I'm a cry baby."

"Nope," Drift said.

They watched the broadcast companionably as the news continued.

=0=At the Big Frame Hangar, Hangar 1 in the Hangar District, Autobot City

The siblings of Xantium and Omega Supreme watched the broadcast both internally and on a big screen nearby where the night shift crews had gathered to get the latest. The film of Omega taking out the shuttle had been exhilarating to see. Both he and Xantium were the battle models of their frame. They were built to kick aft.

The rest had been programmed to fight but it wasn't their special or even first feature. They were diplomatic, colonial support, troop and/or supply transport and administrative vessels. They were designed and utilized to show the power and prestige of the Cybertronian people to the rest of the galaxy.

When they went to other worlds and were part of missions that greeted other species, the idea of the vessels being sentient was a **HUGE** thing. Most of them had been assigned a city or city-state as their own but they had been utilized for just about everything but that as things fell apart. It was rumored that Kappa had been killed doing troop transport in the war but that proved to be untrue. Perhaps they all hoped that the rest of their siblings would come back at some point. For now, they watched the fight with intense amazement.

The sheltered gents and lady.

Silverbolt sat with them watching Omega with pride and some worry. It was obvious that both he and Zee had taken shots and there would be more medical treatments in their futures. Omega was back to speed and this was the last thing that Silverbolt hoped they would see for a while. But being a soldier meant risk so he sat with his in-laws to watch and wait for the armada to come home.

He wouldn't be the only one.

=0=A lounge at Earth2

They sat together drinking wine and beer, smoking cigars and watching with almost mute astonishment the news and its filmed segments. More clips were being released showing intense fighting at a pace they hadn't seen themselves outside of space movies. Even Star Wars wasn't this dense and fast depicting their own fight scenes.

"I don't know about you, Owen," Matthew Collins, a venture capitalist and banker said, "but I'm damned glad they're here all of a sudden. I know this isn't the first time they've driven off or intercepted something awful heading our way but I've never really seen anything like this before and I'm damned glad the Autobots here. On that score, you and I have to part ways."

"There are those that believe they wouldn't be coming here if the Autobots left," Owen posited.

"Those people are assholes. Given that we're practically made of their food and fuel source, this solar system, there would be no way they'd go. You, yourself said its an intensely rare substance. They won't leave the mother lode behind," Matthew said as he sipped his wine. "That argument is over. It's dead. There's no way to put the genie back in the bottle and anyone who continues down that road after this is going to be a laughing stock.

"Only the fringe holds that as a truism anymore, Owen. Just so you know. I personally won't have anything to do with that kind of thinking. This is the way the world is now and everyone has to get with the new reality."

Several of the others nodded, then the oldest and most 'old money' among them leaned slightly forward. "You don't hold truck with that kind of thinking do you, Owen? Seriously, how can anyone watch that and think that its ever going to be different again?" Logan Marker asked.

Harris looked at the group who stared at him. "I agree." He did to a degree but they didn't have to know how much.

Another clip came onto the screen and they watched as Seekers and others pulled the wounded, dead and merely inconvenienced into ships where they were triaged by doctors and secured against rampaging. They watched as Ratchet was seen doing duty on the hangar deck of his ship, Phobos. They would hopefully meet with him before they left to go back to Earth in three days. It was interesting to watch him and the others work in the middle of hell.

=0=Prime

He stood in front of the map on the forward screens which was filling in nicely. A number of identified kills were marked but most weren't. Ships were fighting here and there and as he pondered what the deal was going to be for their next move, about 23 one- and two man fighter vessels appeared out of nowhere and began to bear down on Prime's ships, the victims floating helplessly in space and the broken destroyed hulks of their own vessels floating everywhere. "Frag," Prime whispered as he turned to the officers on the deck. **"FIRE ON THEM! NOW!"**

They did.

=0=Phobos hangar deck triage area

Breakdown looked from the doorway toward Ratchet. **"WE HAVE FIGHTERS INCOMING!"** He subbed his guns and turned to the doorway. **"** **EVERYONE GET DOWN!"**

Outside, the Seekers began to scatter, some with victims and others free of burden. They flew out to regroup and attack the incoming marauders in numbers.

Behind them, doctors and nurses, triage specialists, medics, techs and other more gently raised individuals froze in place with fear etched on their auras. Around them, those who had ratings to fight ran toward the door with their weapons unsubbed including Gypsy with her rifle.

Ratchet had pulled his big old gun, then turned to the kids and other civilians watching with terror. **"PULL EVERYONE AWAY FROM THE DOOR, THEN FIND SHELTER! STAY BACK! YOU AREN'T RATED TO FIGHT!"**

That was when a fighter flashed past and stitched the entire length of the hangar deck. It was loud and as it happened, doctors, nurses, techs, triage and field medics, those rated to fight and those who weren't fell to the fire to land hard on the floor. Some of them rolled over and lay over patients to save them from the other fighters who were coming in behind that one.

=0=TBC 3-5-19 **LVTIM4EVRDJB/AMBLV4EVR  
**

Will post note replies tomorrow. :D:D:D **3-30-19**


	607. Chapter 607

The Diego Diaries: Ka-Boom (dd6 607)

=0=Hangar Deck of Phobos

Ratchet lay on his back on the deck stunned by the force of the shots. He felt his body flood with pain killers and the specialized equipment he'd devised and contracted out to be made for him that would allow him to continue working even when hurt take over. The two wounds he had in his side and arm were assessed, cut off for energon loss, then protoform shifted to make a temporary bandage. He lifted his helm, then flattened as a mass of fighters went past shooting up everything in their way.

Seekers were on them like hornets so they were 'mildly' diverted from a second round of shots at Phobos as the last flashed part. He raised his helm then staggered to his peds to look around. There were doctors down but none of the patients looked like they were hit. **"RATCHET TO PRIME! THEY STRAFED THE TRIAGE DECK! WE'RE HIT!"**

=0=Nearby on The Salton Sea

Prime scrambled upward to stare at the forward deck. The windows of the ship were stitched but held their integrity as the tensile strength of the material showed its quality. The humans who were hunkered down in their box, ducking as best they could when the horde bore down on them and fired peered over their seats and each other to stare at the windows forward.

" **FUCK!"** Epps said to the others as they staggered up to stare around. **"THE WINDOWS!** **THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS! THEY HELD!"**

"Are you alright?" Gavin asked tensely to the others.

"Ask me when we're home," Will said as he helped Niall stand up from the cramped spot behind a chair where he ducked. "That sucked. Get ready for more."

" **RATCHET! WHAT'S THE SITUATION!?"** Prime called out as he glanced toward Prowl who was rising to gather things back together.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet was back. :We got strafed. Three of my doctors are down and are being bridged. A lot of us are wounded but ambulatory. I'm sending those who were civilians with wounds back. We've moved our wounded away and the pick ups are being held until this is … **HERE THEY COME AGAIN! GET DOWN!"**

The line went silent.

"Starscream, what's the situation?" Prime asked.

:We're on them, Prime. I called for the secondary heavy team. They're coming now: Starscream's voice said over the intercom. :They're attacking us now. We've launched our fighters:

"They're here, Optimus," Prowl said as out of a space bridge nearby a mass of heavy gunner Seekers flew in attack formations. Behind them, a mass of fighters, small two mech versions came in a cloud.

It would be dense and terrible in a second. Worse than it was even now.

=0=Ratchet and Phobos

They came around and strafed the big ship along its entire length as they began to blow up and spin away, some to slam into Phobos itself. Breakdown stood in the doorway shooting back. He had a wound on his arm from shrapnel that hit him while Ratchet had two wounds from direct fire. Behind them, the doctors were being loaded onto stretchers for a trip through the ship's bridge to Mars. A number of techs were getting triaged by others who were staying to assist before they were to follow.

Ratchet took the other side of the door and began to fire as well. Gypsy who had been knocked down by a flying body was sitting on the floor nearby shaking it off. When she did she would run to the door and join Breakdown to shoot at the fighters who were now becoming contained in battle with the heavy Seekers and Autobot fighter pilots.

Floating in the middle of that hell, dozens and dozens, even hundreds of enemy soldiers, civilian criminals and former Decepticons were helpless to do more than pray and die.

=0=At the other hornet's nest moments earlier

Lissie flew straight at the fighter transport and fired the two big missiles that the battle shuttles carried. They were close when they swerved with half the fighters on their tail. Flashing into a dust cloud to hide in the radiation all around them, she missed the missiles hitting the transport to explode.

The transport shuddered, then began to detonate as the fuel and munitions it carried began to explode. Escape pods flew out of the ship as the crew began to abandon it. The fighters were without a home base so they began to flee, heading for who knew where in this benighted confounding mess.

A good half followed Lissie and the rest, 23 in all headed together to get away from the flying debris of their home base. They disappeared about the same time that Ironhide and the other four shuttles appeared. The escape pods pinged off their hulls as they drove through the mess to follow the estimated flight path of Lissie into the darkness nearby. When they reached it, the real fighting would begin.

=0=Phobos

Breakdown pushed Gypsy back and the two fell to the floor huddling together as one of the two enemy shuttles came at them on a strafing run.

Ratchet flung himself out of the way of the opening to the outside on this, the former hangar deck of the big Decepticon ship. The fire scorched a line across the ventilated outer hull but was high and missed everyone on the floor.

Ratchet crawled forward and began to pull the stretchers toward the elevators while shouting orders. The entire deck was cleared at last as everyone pulled back when security from the ship reached then. "Stay here. The fire power is too great and we have enough wounded. Starscream is taking care of them. **GYPSY! BREAKDOWN! GET OVER HERE! HURRY!** "

Both of them glanced up, then staggered to their peds. Running together, Breakdown following the tiny femme, they both reached Ratchet.

" **YOU'RE HURT!"** Gypsy said as she glanced at Breakdown. **"BOTH OF YOU!"**

"Automatic systems, Gypsy. Stay here," Ratchet said as he walked to the hatch again to peer out.

Flame outs were everywhere as the Autobots began to get the upper hand. A number of the fighters were burned out hulks drifting in the sea of wounded, evacuated and helpless mechs and femmes from the vessels around them. Their dead battleship loomed nearby rolled over on its side with fires seen all over it through the view ports. It was done and its cargo, the mechs and femmes on board who were now floating around in space were in dire straits. :Frag," he whispered as he stood by the battered entrance helpless to act.

=0=Furious Storm

Starscream and Rainmaker sat at the command table of the battleship watching the scene outside and that on the map on the table. Seekers were destroying the fighters one by one and a few of them were catapulted here and there in the effort. There would be a few wounded from this encounter, Starscream contemplated. What he refused to contemplate is if there would be any deaths.

"This is fragged," Rainmaker said softly as he rose and walked to the front of the ship. "This is fragged. Pulsar will pay for this."

"He will, my Lord," Starscream said equally bitterly.

It would be a tense breem to follow before the fighters were brought to heel and the real hard part begun … getting the combatants and those who had abandoned ship to safety.

=0=Prime

"Prime to Ratchet."

A momentary pause ensued before a harried Ratchet replied. :Ratchet here:

"What is the situation?" Prime asked as he braced himself.

:We have wounded. Four of my doctors were evacuated, three triage techs and a number of injured civilian medicals. Right now, we're regrouping to receive injured. We got a call from Gee-Gee that Prison Ship #3 took hits and we sent a team over. Everyone is fragged. The slaggers outside had to suffer in the middle of this. I don't know how many got killed but it has to be some. Frag this, Optimus:

"Are you operational? Do you need anything?" Optimus asked.

:Yes, we're operational and I want these slaggers out of the picture. We're go again: Ratchet replied with some of his legendary testiness.

"Very well," Prime said with relief. "I will be there shortly. We have been strafed and so has Furious Storm. I ordered Beta to leave for the duration and we can use him to transport wounded as well as prisoners. Tell us what you need."

:On it. Thanks, Optimus. Ratchet out:

Prime felt relief even as he walked to the table to see the data incoming about the fight. There were casualties on each of the big ships but Beta who were being evacuated. Some were serious but the medics believed they would recover, though for some it would take a long time.

The individuals outside had been rampaged against and they bore it on their bodies. Some were killed in crossfire, run over by fighters or were dead of their injuries from the lack of attention this interlude had incurred. It made Prime's blood boil. He stood by the table tensely watching the information roll in, then he called Omega and Xantium.

Xantium replied. :Xantium here, Prime. We're tearing things up:

"Please assist Ironhide and Lissie if you can. They were chasing ships," Prime said. "Locate them and return their coordinates. We will marker buoy them when you do."

:On it, Prime. Xantium out:

=0=Ironhide and Company

The fighters, those that were still functional fell into the darkness around them as the battle shuttles carved them up. Kup had taken concentrated fire and was listing nearby, though their guns worked just fine.

"Ironhide to Kup. Need a lift?"

:Frag. I think this ship is busted ass as Epps would say. Yeah:

"Hang on," Ironhide said. "We're coming around to get you."

With that, Ironhide and his ship made a tight circuit to come to and halt beside Kup and his vessel. As he did, the remarkable sight of Xantium and Omega Supreme flying past like Superman and his little brother could be seen before disappearing into the nebula again.

Ironhide stared at them as they passed, then grinned slightly. "Well, that's a sight for sore optics. A day late and a shanix short."

The crew laughed as the hatch slid open. Waiting in the hatchway of their vessel, Kup and his crew began to float over. They would be boarded, then everyone would move forward to tag the survivors for pick up. When they were finished, they would head into the darkness after Omega and Xantium. Lissie would lead them.

=0=Airfield, Autobot City

The ships came through the bridge and began to land. Standing nearby with cameras, Galaxy Productions, Wind-a-Mar Motion Pictures, a new company related to Galaxy and IntraCom were recording the scene. The ships slowed, then stopped. Hatches went up, then stretchers came down. Ambulances waiting began to load them and with sirens blaring, they began to leave with their passengers.

=0=The Hourly News: **LATEST BREAKING NEWS**

"The shuttles and ships that are landing are bringing wounded from the combat on the arm between our forces and the renegade former Decepticon Pulsar. His combined armada, one doubled in strength by that acquisition according to the Office of Strategic Information is in shambles. The fighting is fierce and the wounded are said to include our own along with them, though no deaths are reported as of yet.

"There has been fierce fighting with the enemy armada getting the worst of the brunt of it. Mapping by the titanic formats, Dangerous, Tennyson and Typhoon have made a great deal of difference considering the combat is in a nebula and not in open space. We asked Commander Paragon who is in charge of operations at the Ops Center in The Fortress what this means overall for the fighting that is still ongoing. Jacx met him moments ago there. Jacx?" Aleph asked.

A handsome mech with a microphone was standing in the doorway of Ops Center. "Aleph, I had a conversation with Commander Paragon about what this could mean to the success of the operation. Here is what he had to say." The screen cut to a recorded interview.

"Commander, the information suggests that the combat undergoing right now is in a nebula. Most of us know what nebulas are like and we tend to avoid them unless we can't or are being chased. What is the story thus far?"

Paragon who was handsome, elegant and impeccable looked at Jacx, who he as a military mechanism towed over. "We use nebulas to our tactical advantage, Jacx. We can hide, regroup or surprise someone using them. You don't want to have this kind of battle inside of one unless its dispersal is ancient and broad. This one is dense and filled with radiation and highly charged particles. This disrupts communications and sensors. A lot of the injuries are being caused by ships colliding."

"This battles can go on for a long time then," Jacx asked.

"They can but the titans are mapping the area and the armada is buoy marking all around. Soon, we can have a better idea of what's going on and find them. Right now, we have destroyed a great deal of the enemy shipping so they will have to surrender. That's what the hope is, that they surrender when they find that there's no way to escape."

"Do you have an idea of the casualties on both sides? We know some of our shuttles are destroyed," Jacx said.

"We have lost three shuttles thus far but not the crews. Our people are masterful and we will release the information as we can," Paragon said. "Until then, I can only answer generalities."

And he would.

=0=TBC 3-7-19 **3-30-19**


	608. Chapter 608

The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 608)

=0=Out there

The fighting in the space allotted by the hulking burning fighter carrier was tight but they managed to make short work of most of the fighters. Those that limped into the darkness beyond would be gathered by gun boats hunting for them. There was nowhere to go and they didn't require too much persuasion to give it up, though a couple of them decided to shoot it out with Hercy's vessel and found that to be highly unwise.

Xantium and Omega followed the stragglers into the darkness and in doing so ran nearly literally into three battle shuttles that were trying to find others to gather for leaving. It didn't take long for them to find themselves in a shoot out for their lives.

The battle shuttles.

=0=Phobos and The Furious Storm

They swarmed out to gather up the wounded, those floating outside both flailing and stilled. It was nightmarish, the scene beyond the doors. The one on the deck of Phobos wasn't that far off either. The wounded were major, some having taken the brunt of fighters hitting or shooting them. The Autobots had tried to miss them though the Seekers were less reluctant. All in all, the number of dead would be greater than it should have been had the armada given up.

Theirs was not to reason why …

Ratchet hobbled here and there making decisions and routing the recovered to the morgue or emergency. There would be another big grave in the Crater Cemetery when all this was over. That it didn't need to happen was beyond the point. He worked with two bullet holes beside the rest of his staff.

=0=Out there

Ironhide watched as Xantium flew back into the clearing with a battered and bruised shuttle in his claw grip. He was laughing, perhaps with Omega who was still in the darkness beyond as he slowed, then shoved the shuttle forward.

The Autobot shuttles moved out of the way as it slid past them, missing them by inches. "Zee. **What the frag!"**

:Move it or lose it, Ironhide: Zee replied as Omega came out of the darkness with his battered shuttle.

Letting it slide forward as well, he grinned at his brother. :Time to get the cruisers: he said, then rolled onto his back to speed onward into the darkness.

Zee grinned at the Autobots, then rolled over himself. :See ya, suckers: he said as he disappeared after Omega.

It was silent a moment, then Blackjack spoke over the intercom. :I'm not sure why we're here, exactly:

Huge laughter greeted that, then they stepped on the pedal to follow the two giants into the mess beyond while Lissie stayed long enough to secure the two shuttles for pick up.

=0=Earth2

They sat around the luncheon tables talking and laughing together. One of them, the CEO of the biggest and most powerful electronics manufacturer in the world was beginning to feel it. He sat back with a slight frown. "I wonder if any of them are going to be here. It sort of seems suspect to me that something happened just as we got here."

"This happens periodically," Kyle Davis said as he glanced at the magnate, one of the richest people in the world. "They'll come if they can. Right now, it looks like they grabbed a huge group before they could come here. You don't let phase sixers run around loose."

"Maybe," he replied. "Do you really think they'll allow us to work here? To make agreements and the like? This doesn't make me confident, Kyle. Not at all."

Kyle stared at the man and for the first time felt irritation. They were here and the bots would come if they could or send surrogates. This man expected his needs met on his own timetable. Sometimes you can't have what you want when you wanted it. "Don't worry about it. They'll make it good no matter who comes."

The conversation would continue and no one of those gathered who lived here would notice the tiny deviation in what Davis said. In his own way, he felt irritation for and a need to defend the bots. It was microscopic but it was real.

Kyle Davis had shown the smallest, tiniest indication that he was becoming a home boy.

=0=Prime

The fighting was beginning to contract as the ships were captured and taken down. They were hauling in bales of prisoners, more of them dead than he wished but this wasn't his choice. He would rather be home tending to the fires there than fighting this inferno here.

Behind him, Prowl worked feverishly to account for the vessels in the armada and their capture or kill. The numbers flowing in changed so much that he couldn't as yet give an accounting to Prime.

It would continue thus for some time.

=0=Prowl a few moments later

He turned to Prime. "I have a preliminary total of enemy kills and captures. All of the cruisers have been destroyed. That number is eight. Ten of the twelve battleships are destroyed, five of the thirteen big battle shuttles are as well. Two of the fourteen small battle shuttles are accounted for and one of the three fighter transports. About all of their support vessels are killed or surrendered, nearly 10 with four unaccounted for. Some of the big ships are surrendering but who and what is unclear as of now."

Prime nodded. "That is good news."

Prowl nodded. "The number of prisoners so far is nearly 14,000. We're taking them to Kellus for containment. Jetta has built a transitional prison there and has been expanding it for some time against this sort of eventuality."

"That is relieving. Give Gee-Gee whatever she needs," Prime said as he sat down in his command chair again.

The humans watched them going about their business. Fortunately for them, there was behind their box which was slotted into the wall a small rest area for them to utilize the facilities and get food or drink. Niall rose, then walked to the door behind their seats that led inside.

Lennox watched him go, then glanced at Prime. "I wonder how long this is going to take. They have what … 2 battleships, 8 or 9 big shuttles, 12 small ones and a few fighter carriers. That's still a lot of things to figure out."

Gavin nodded. "I don't know. I wonder if they know we're here?"

"As long as the beer is cold and the food plentiful," Niall said as he walked out with a plate of cold chicken, potato salad and tomatoes, "I'm good. He handed a beer to Gavin, then sat with his own. The others would get a bite as well.

Among other things.

=0=Autobot City Medical Center

He walked across the room, then back again. Drift who was sitting nearby watched him with concern. He looked weak yet but at least he could move. The techs watched, recorded and discussed their findings. When Drift couldn't take it one nanosecond longer, a doctor of neuro-rehabilitation, Macer turned to both of them. "The hub is set just fine. What you have to do now is let it heal. Its power levels and transmission circuitry is fine but you can't do too much until its optimal."

"How long will that take?" Drift asked with a slight tone of relief in his vocal processor.

"I wouldn't do more than sit and relax for three orns. Then he comes in and we check it. No work, no soldiering, no picking up anything. You get up, sit all orn, then recharge. If you don't, we have to take it out and start all over. This is delicate circuitry and I can't stress enough how important this is. Understood?" he asked with a pointed expression.

Springer and Drift glanced at each other, then him. They both nodded at the same time. Springer would spend another breem walking up and down, then bending over and standing up straight again. Then he would go back to the ward, get plugged in, then wait for the word on release that evening.

They would fret and watch the reports on The Hourly News together.

=0=Nearby at the emergency deck topside

Runabouts from the airfield landed and took off as badly wounded mechs were hauled out and hustled inside for repair. There were dozens and dozens of prisoners who had been badly injured and needed medical attention for injuries that ran from burns, loss of limbs, wounds from bullets, flying shrapnel and fast moving ships slamming into them.

Some of them wouldn't make it off the table intact including three who had to have a nearly complete processor wipe due to extensive damage. Like Rampage and Starscream, they would remember the best parts or perhaps one should say the most societally desirable things but not the murder, rapine and marauding. Somehow, the more negative the memory the higher the likelihood it would be damaged. There was a doctorate in there for anyone who could figure it out. Instead, they would be evaluated, family searched for them (and not found), then they would be given their choices of a profession and/or life and a mentor.

It was better than sitting in a window like a potted plant watching the sun go up and down every orn.

Seven of them would be had from this group, so greatly damaged were they when they arrived. A good quarter of them would die, a good three quarters of them would be repaired and sent on to Kellus for jailing when recovered. It would go on for the rest of the orn and into the night before the cases sent to Mars would be concluded. Some of them would end up on Gliese, then be shipped to Kellus later. It depended upon where the specialist doctors were working.

Ratchet stood on the hangar deck watching the last leave his ship. The floor was slippery with energon, some of his own included and one could see stars through the holes shot into the side of the ship by the fighters. That had been secured by a force field and would take a bit of repair at the Depot 200 miles north of Autobot City. That would, however, be Roadie's problem. Right now, he ached, was bugged and heading for Salton Sea. He would hope he would reach it this time, too.

=0=Out there

:I think we're running out of targets, Omega: Xantium Prime said to his brother as they dragged the broken carcass of a battle shuttle behind him. They'd found three of the smaller ones and literally run them down. Slagging two into splinters, they allowed the crew to attach to the one Zee had as they headed back together.

Omega had a pair of wounds on his side that probably hurt a little but not a lot. He was made of stern stuff, Our Omega. Zee was scored all over having put himself into the line of fire for the 'fun of it'. They would require a repair and a good detailing before they were their usual debonair selves again.

Lissie, Steiner, Hercy and Ironhide were hovering nearby as the shuttles approached trailing a long line of frozen fuel drainage and pieces/parts of the vessel. Magnetized to the hull were a lot of crew from the two that didn't make it.

"Omega, is there anyone you didn't pick up out there or is that the lot of them?" Lissie asked as she sat at the conn piloting her shuttle.

:All accounted: not to worry: Omega said.

: **SLAG YEAH! WE BAGGED ALL OF THEM! TAKE THEM! WE HAVE MORE TO GET! RIGHT!?** : Xantium said over the comm channel of the Autobot shuttles.

Huge laughter greeted that, then it subsided as Omega shoved the shuttle toward the group. Grinning as the four shuttles swiftly parted when the shuttle festooned with prisoners nearly slid into them, Omega and Xantium moved onward. There were a gaggle of little shuttles, two fighter carriers and who the hell knew what else out there. They were determined to bag the lot of them.

They both disappeared into the darkness once more.

=0=TBC 3-9-19 **edited 3-31-19**

NOTE: I once sat and listened to a guided meditation with a set of Tibetan singing bowls. Someone was being hypnotized and it lasted about 32 or so minutes. I was hypnotized listening to it and when the therapist ended the session for the person on the video so they would wake up, so did I.

The funniest part was my left leg was numb from my hip to my toes. I got up startled and fell on my back side. It was the strangest thing but I learned that I can be hypnotized. Most of you can. Its only a tiny bit who can't. Strange world. :D:D:D


	609. Chapter 609

The Diego Diaries: End Game (dd6 609)

=0=Prime

"Send the message, Typhoon and Tennyson, as you go. I want it repeated over and over again until they surrender," Prime said over the inter-ship intercom system.

:Understood: -Ty and Tenn

Nearby, two massive vessels who were scanning the nebula began to move, one separating slightly from the other as they flew forward into the gas, debris and darkness. They were gone in seconds but the message Prime sent was heard over the intercoms of Salton Sea as it began to broadcast.

"Remaining armada of Pulsar and Rabid, this is Optimus Prime. I am sending this message to you so that you might decide in an informed manner what you plan to do next. I would suggest that you listen carefully and choose wisely. As of this moment, Pulsar, Rabid and eight of his general staff are in my custody. They were hunted and taken prisoner along with Shrike himself when their ships were destroyed.

"I am aware that you know Omega and Xantium Supreme are hunting the rest of you after decimating your armada. I am also aware that some of you were members of Shrike's fleet that was destroyed earlier when you made the mistake of trying to make contact with Ominous and Razorclaw. You were poorly led but it doesn't have to be your epitaph.

"Your fleet comprised 8 cruisers, 12 battleships, 13 large battle shuttles, 14 smaller ones, three fighter transports and a number of support vessels. As of this moment all but 2 battleships, 8 large shuttles and 12 small including 2 fighter transports are intact and resisting. All of the rest have been destroyed or surrendered. None of your cruisers are intact. Given that you are not interplanetary vessels and that your fuel and munitions support ships are now out of the picture, you will be stranded here in this, a very rarely traveled area of space to die if you do not surrender.

"It would do you well to know that Tennyson, a metrotitan and Typhoon, a dreadnought are entering the nebula to map and locate where all of you are. Seekers have already marker buoyed every exit point in the area so that if you try to leave here you will trigger the markers and we will bridge to you immediately. There is no way you can escape that we will not capture you.

"I am telling you that if you surrender you will be treated according to the Rules of Warfare and given all the protection and rights that you are entitled to receive as citizens of Cybertron. You have my word on the Matrix of Leadership that there will be no reprisals nor poor treatment. I am going to be broadcasting this surrender for a few more joors before I assume that you do not wish to do so. Then I will order Tennyson, Typhoon, Xantium and Omega Supreme to go into the nebula, hunt you down and destroy you. I am giving you six joors. Prime out."

Prime sat brooding on his command chair as outside the pincers were beginning to close on the rest of the armada. By the time six joors had passed everyone who was left would have surrendered, their ships would be impounded and Tennyson would be helping locate every single individual dead or alive who was still unaccounted for. Anything that couldn't be towed or salvaged was stripped, mined and blown up. It worked with a clock-like efficiency.

=0=The Hourly News, Autobot City: **THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS!**

"We have gotten updated information from the Office of Strategic Communications about the interdiction currently going on out of the system. Commander Jazz released the following information …" Aleph said as he read ahead. "The Autobot armada engaging the enemy intruders have halted and destroyed their ability to advance further and are currently in the process of gathering up the few remaining individuals and ships that were part of the battle group of the phase six mechanism, Pulsar of Capital City.

"The enemy armada consisted of 8 battle cruisers, 12 battleships, 13 large battle shuttles, 14 smaller ones, 3 fighter transports and 14 support ships of varying kinds. There was fierce fighting in the nebula where the enemy had fled and through the efforts of the Prime's forces, most notably Omega and Xantium Supreme, they were whittled down to a remnant of their former strength. They are currently taking surrenders from those who remain at large.

"The losses for our forces include four battle shuttles, heavy damage to the hospital ship, Phobos, damage to Furious Storm, The Salton Sea, Omega Supreme and his brother, Xantium Supreme. The two Supremes are wounded but not seriously. Phobos took heavy damage and will require dry dock at Saturn Orbital Shipyard.

"There were casualties on that vessel and others but no fatalities. It is estimated that there will be between 8- and 9,000 casualties from the enemy armada with most of them dead at the scene. The numbers of surrender at this moment stand at 22,310. They are being sorted for medical need, then transported to Kellus in the local group of Cybertron for incarceration. None of them will be brought to Mars but for the leadership which includes Rabid, Calamity, Barster, Heat and their overlord, the phase six mechanism, Pulsar.

"All of them are in high security and will remain thus until such time as they stand trial for their actions. Pulsar is injured and will be housed in maximum security at the Prison Hospital Center here on Mars as a 'special circumstances prisoner'.

"Among the wounded in the Prime's service are Commander Springer who is recovering very well at the Autobot City Medical Center, Commander Ratchet and several of his medical staff along with a few Autobots who were in the destroyed shuttles. No one is serious and no one was killed. We were all very fortunate this time around.

"The fleet will be in about midnight Martian time pending the outcome of the wind down. A message by the Prime is scheduled for 1200 hours on the TMC tomorrow if all is well. Let's go to the airfield now and catch up with Jacx. Apparently, there are ships with wounded arriving through the Triggers now ..."

=0=Parkland at Tower 2, Mare Tranquilitatis, Autobot City about the same time

Three big mechanisms knelt down beside a tiny Datsun convertible that was plowed into a little pile of sand. It was slightly listing in its crash. Standing next to it gesturing with his tiny servos and speaking with deep, deep concern (for himself and the vehicle as well), Orion of Mars tried to explain how he zigged when he should have zagged.

Genesis who had taken autopilot off to see what the little dude would do if he drove himself found out. Orion who was singing happily as he 'drove' the little car suddenly found himself in control and drove straight into a tiny mound of sand that was artfully placed to border a crystal bed.

"Whoops," the big kid said as he along with Quasar and Fireball jogged over to help him out. He was tilted and dazed with surprise.

" **I NOT, ORION, DOING THE SHE! SHE COMED TO THIS HERE,** " he said as he pointed to the sand pile. **"I DRIVEDED THIS** ," he said as he showed them how he **DRIVEDED. "I, ORION NOT DOING!"** He put his servo over his mouth in a show of extreme shock and not-me-ism eliciting the same laughter it always did. Given he wasn't shooting for laughter when he used this, his last ditch effort to con himself out of a chair of doom, it always puzzled him when someone would.

Farther away, a number of cars, pickups and a big little truck were going in circles. Sunspot who was driving 'Optimus' around by himself, the only one of the kids who was, bee lined to the wreck site. Pulling up, he leaned out of the driver's side window with a look of concern. "You wrecked, Orion?" he asked.

Genesis chuckled. "He did. We got this, Sunny," he said as Quasar and Fireball pulled the tiny car out, fixed the sand heap and put Orion back in the driver's seat. "Hang on, Orion. **Here we go**!" With that, Genesis returned steering back to the control and the little car rolled off again.

Orion looked back to wave abandoning the steering wheel when he did. It was fortunate that he was back on controls. Sunspot waved back, then hit the pedal following the tiny convertible down the little path.

The nine big kids gathered to watch with grins. "Well, we won't do that again," Genesis said with a chuckle.

They would.

=0=On the way home to Iacon

They rode in a cab to get there without the jostle or hustle of the metro. Reaching their apartment, Drift got out to hold the door for Springer who slid out with wobbly legs and a big frown.

Drift reached for the cane Springer refused to use and watched as the cab drove off. He frowned at Springer as well. Holding out the cane, he stepped closer. "Use this and don't give me slag."

"Its slag to use it," Springer said as he gripped it.

"Not if you fall on your face," Drift said as they moved toward the door.

It would take a while to get there and when they did Springer sat heavily in his chair. He tossed the cane onto the couch across the way and watched as Drift got them both a beer. Catching his own, he grinned. "Home sweet home. We missed the entire show. You should have stayed and helped with the fun and games."

"I thought about it but then I knew you wouldn't do what they wanted without me here to boss you, slagger. Its all your fault," Drift said as he flopped onto his chair.

"It usually is or so I'm told," Springer said as he squeezed Drift's servo.

"Just so you know," Drift said with a grin. He squeezed Springer's servo back.

As the details dribbled in, both of them would be pissed they missed the show.

=0=Salton Sea

They sat here and there around the deck watching the forward screen as things were hauled in, troops and ships gathered who would sin no more. Ratchet limped in to sit in the engineer's seat forward for Prime and next to the pilot. He glanced around. "It's in hand. I decided to delegate. What's the end game, Optimus?"

"Well, you getting medical attention for one," Prime said with a slight frown. "Go get attended, Ratchet."

"I am. I just need a wash and wax. Where's the family?" Ratchet asked as he shifted slightly to ease a pain in his side.

"Gathering up stragglers," Prowl said as he walked forward to join them. "We could make it an order."

"Where would be the fun in that?" Ratchet asked as he saw the elevator door open and Sun step into view.

Behind him came the twins and Jack. They all looked the worst for the wear. Gathering around Prime, they stared at Ratchet. "What happened to you?" Sun asked.

"We were strafed by the fighters you slaggers startled from their hive," Ratchet replied. "You look like you were run over by a truck."

"Make it a cruiser and you'd be right," Jack said with a grin. "Where's infant?" he asked Hardie who joined them.

"He's with the others doing clean up detail," Hardie said with a grin.

Sun nodded. "Good. He's in good company then."

No one in that group but the twins grinned at the commentary, such was the group mindset of the elders about their 'little mech'.

"What's this I hear of you riding a turret gun into the nebula shooting all the way?" Prowl asked Sun who smiled with an eerie reflection of all the mechs in his family.

" **I DID!"** he said with a laugh. "I got to gut a ship and then was picked up. We got Shrike when we did."

"Counting coup are you?" Ratchet asked.

"Maybe, maybe not. I think Lissie has us beat. I'm not sure I want to play that game now," Sun said with a big smile.

"Got beat by a femme? By a **GIRRRRLLL!**?" Ratchet asked.

"Frag yeah. Little femme can **WRECK!** " Sun replied.

No one argued with him on that score.

"I think Zee and Omega own this game," Prowl said.

Beyond the view screen ships could be seen heading their way, some in tow, some flown by Autobots and in custody on all of them there would be hundreds and hundreds of resigned, pissed, fearful, seething and/or weary enemy troops.

Sun glanced at Prime. "We've laid down the sensor buoys. Anyone coming this way will trigger them. Right now, Ty told me that he was sweeping he entire area with Tennyson. They're going to make sure that no one gets left behind dead or alive."

"Good," Prime said. "Thank you, gentlemen. I look forward to the final counts so that I can congratulate Lissie personally."

Huge laughter greeted that. If you discounted Xantium and Omega, Lissie came in first. No one would be surprised that she did. The quiet ones … you have to watch out for them.

=0=TBC 3-10-19 **edited 3-31-19**

ESL

epitaph (epy-taff) the writing on your grave stone


	610. Chapter 610

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath (dd6 610)

=0=Salton Sea

He leaned down to peer into the human's case. Grinning, he tapped it with his digit. "You still alive in there?"

:We are. What about you?: Lennox asked. He **LOVED** this mech.

"Well, we took down a bunch of slaggers but it was mostly sweeping up scraps behind Xantium and Omega. Those slaggers are still out there messing around," Raptor said. "We lost a few shuttles but we got new ones. Right now, its almost time to leave."

:Are you ever going to show the films?: Epps asked.

"After they're studied. It might be a good idea to let you see what this is like. The fragging nebula was a pain in the aft. We were running into each other. We actually ran into a ship, two of us. Fragging fog," Raptor said with a laugh.

They chatted together as the captains of the shuttles began to come aboard and gather around Prime. Some of them looked the worse for wear and others didn't. Outside, their vessels were being taken over by other crew to be flown home as escort for everyone here. Typhoon, Dangerous and Tennyson would finish up the sensor mining and warning beacons about local space in all the Cybertronian dialects for anyone else who would come this way, then follow behind with the Supremes.

The big ragged lot chatted with Prime and each other, trading slag and insults about the debacle that had just transpired. This was a difficult mission but no one had died. A few would be laid up and most of them would need a good detailing but all in all, the other guy paid the price of entry.

"I would like all the video to be sent to Jazz and Mirage. We will review the mission in two orns. Right now, I would like a moment's breather before going through this. Jazz and Mirage will prepare the final mission report." Prime glanced at Ratchet who was standing beside Ironhide with his arm slung over the big mech's shoulders. "Ratchet, what is the preliminary situation among medical? If you have it that is."

"Well, it would appear that we pulled 21,482 off the ships and of them 9,522 are confirmed dead. The number missing, probably from the explosiveness of the ships is still conjecture. We'll cull the ship manifests with Jazz and Mirage and match names where we can. Then we'll know.

"There are a large number of critically injured who are at Gliese getting treatment. How many of those survive is still a guess," he said to a solemn group. "Our side consists of 17 wounded, some with a road to full recovery in front of them but no deaths which I consider victory. I just received word that Springer is walking again and lifts a beer to all of us."

Huge laughter, relief and insults greeted that.

"What is the situation then overall, General?" Prime asked Hard Drive.

He was standing between Alor and Delphi. "We can pull out at your convenience. Ty, Dangerous and Tennyson are doing the field review and postings. We'll have deep sensor range here when they finish and the warning buoys are already placed. It's your call," Hardie said.

Prime considered that, then turned in his chair to spot the humans. "Gentlemen, is there anything you need before we go?"

:No, Optimus. I have to say this was one of the most outrageously amazing things I've ever seen. Thank you for having us along. If you want my opinion, it would do Earth a lot of good to see what you bring to the table when this happens: Lennox said.

"I will take that into consideration, gentlemen," Prime said as he nodded to them. He glanced at Devcon. "Would you please fly us home? Prowl, call the armada to go."

Prowl walked to the comm channel to put out the all call for form up on Salton Sea as Starscream and the Seekers left to go to Furious Storm. Everyone else walked to an empty seat or the benches forward near the humans to sit their weary bones. It would take a while to make formation, then check with Omega and Xantium who would come in triumphant to Autobot City later on with Ty, Dangerous and Tennyson.

"That was fun. Haven't had that big a frag up in vorns," Sun said as he leaned back against the bulkhead.

"The last I saw you, you were floating off strapped into your gun turret," Sideswipe said with a slight tone of awe. "And you were still firing it."

"I was," Sun said with a big grin. "That was unexpected. I managed to stitch a ships' undercarriage and it blew up causing the one next to it to fall apart. I barely made it to shelter."

"We saw that," Hercy said as he grinned at Sun. "We picked you up. We couldn't figure out why a ship's plating was flying in a straight line toward us. You're lucky we didn't shoot you, then check."

"I knew you wouldn't, ya wimpy Autobot," Sun said. He grinned. "We got Shrike as well. He was trussed up in a cage. That must have been Pulsar's battleship."

"It was," Ironhide said as he sat muy contento listening to the elders lay down the slag. The youngest among them, he was always ready to learn something.

Maybe.

"We got eight of their command structure," Delphi said as he began to relay some information about the battles as the data officer. "All of the highest ranks, some of the others and a lot of enlisted. There's a lot of civilians in this group, criminal elements, but none of them in command. Pulsar kept that to himself."

Kup nodded. "Should have expanded his staff. Could have used some new wisdom. Mech didn't last too long. He just came apart. I wonder what the frag happened?"

"He's an engineer. He wouldn't have crappy ships. Something happened on the inside," Blackjack said as Jack nodded.

"I knew him before he went pro," Jack replied as he crossed his huge arms in front of his chassis. "That slagger was obsessive-compulsive about things running right. Something tells me that this feels like sabotage."

"We need to find out," Prowl said as he joined them. "He was fine, then his battleship came apart. They just don't do that, at least not with him. He was always a by-the-book individual, if memory serves me."

"Well, I have him in stasis and when we get back and I remove his arms and legs, then we can figure out what happened," Ratchet said. Everyone turned in place to stare at him. He shot them a dazzling smile, the only things missing the gleaming sparkles when he did.

"Why does that sound like a ghoul talking when there isn't a one of us that hasn't pulled the arms and legs off someone more than once in their lives?" Steiner asked as Lissie sat down beside him.

"Because we're doomed to The Pit," Lissie said. "By the way, I checked the list of hits and kills. I win. By several." Huge groans and whining suffused as she leaned into her brother. "Whiners."

"We need to hit the clubs," Sun said as he accepted a beer from a youngling Home Guard femme who was carrying a box with them to everyone.

They thanked her, then took a swig. All was well with them.

"We can club," Ratchet said. "I'll get my bullet holes fixed and then we can go on the town until we get arrested-"

" **WHAT THE FRAG!?"**

Everyone glanced at Ironhide, then Ratchet. Then they sat back for the fun.

" **WHAT FRAGGING BULLET HOLES!?"**

"Keep up, Ironhide. We got ground sluiced by fighters on the triage deck. My ship, **MY SWEET BABY GOT VENTILATED!** " He grinned at Ironhide. "I do depend upon you fraggers to keep my whip in mint condition."

 **"** **WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHY AREN'T YOU IN EMERGENCY OR SOMETHING?!"**

"Because I'm having a beer with you reprobates," Ratchet replied as he glanced at the grinning Home Guard femme who was standing nearby with the half empty box. "Infant? Are there any snacks, too?" he asked with a dazzling smile.

"I'll see, Commander," she said putting the box down next to Steiner. **"Wait here!"** she said as she ran for the elevator down the deck.

Everyone watched her go, then grinned.

"The Home Guard kids are great. What a cute little femme," Delphi said.

There was complete agreement even if Ironhide frowned at Ratchet. "What kind of wounds, slagger?"

"The kind that only hurt when I laugh," Ratchet said. He snickered. **"WHAT THE FRAG! THAT HURT!"** he exclaimed. Then he glanced around the group. None of them were doing more than watching him with a grin. "Fraggers. I **really** mean that." He glanced at Prime who had arisen from the command table to walk over. "Do I get a medal, O' Most High?"

"Your ada would slap you," Turbine said with a chuckle as he tossed a beer to Prime.

"He would," Optimus said as he sat down to sip his brew. Prowl sat next to him and it was just as if they were shooting the shit at a rodeo or NASCAR race, a bunch of friends around a fire pit.

:I wish our army was as informal as this: Niall said to the others.

:You and me both: Gavin replied. :I might still be in it:

It was silent a moment, then everyone glanced at each other. :Nah:

"I see that Salton Sea took hits," Sun said as he clicked beers with Prowl and Prime.

"She did but not as badly as Phobos. We are going to have to revise our order of battle plans," Prime said. He glanced at the twins who were sipping beer nearby. "You are on for Polyhex shortly. We are off this round."

"We are," Sunstreaker said as he took a package of cookies from the little femme who came running back with a big box filled with them. "Thank you, Mit-Z."

"You're welcome. I want to know if you all need anything more," she said with a big smile as she walked around the group.

"You sitting right here, little femme," Ratchet said as he patted the seat next to him.

She would hand them out, refill everyone's hand who was empty of beer, then sit beside Ratchet, dazzling at the mechs around her as she listened to their humor and stories.

=0=Pulsar

He lay on a gurney rolling down the hallway of Autobot City Medical Center Emergency. He had been taken out with the leadership, those who needed specialist care at the Med Center and now was wending his way to a surgery. They had him slightly out of stasis to get his vitals as they were when he was awake, though he couldn't move anything. He had no idea that they were blocking his nexus points against that very thing.

Rolling in, he was lifted and placed on a med berth. He would have to wait until Ratchet arrived and with the orthopedic doctor on call, Rickets, only then would he go under for the duration. That would be when he would have his arms and legs disjointed until he was either sent into stasis like the other sixers or not. It would be up to him for what he could tell them about others like him and the world beyond Prime's redoubt, or Prime himself.

Either way, he was fragged.

=0=Military Airfield, Autobot City

They came in, small ships bearing crews or ships filled with injured. IntraCom and the other news outlets both Cybertronian and Terran were there filming and talking to those they could. Standing in the safe box where humans went to watch things like this on the edge of the airfield, over 120 individuals conversed, sipped drinks and watched the show.

They were the group from Earth2. They were here to speak to Prime and the others about matters of mutual importance. It seemed more likely now that they would, given that the fleet was beginning to come back. They would be here to see it.

=0=TBC 3-11-19 edited 3-12-19


	611. Chapter 611

The Diego Diaries: Post Script (DD6 611)

=0=Military Airfield, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Ships landed, some of them bearing the scars of close combat. Hard bitten mechs stepped down out of them, their weapons slung over their shoulders or arms, gear bags and the odd satchel carried casually. Some of them limped, others ambled along, all of them the epitome of confidence and power.

In the viewing area nearby, the 120+ humans from Earth2 watched them step out of the ships, congregate to compare notes, laugh and slap each other's shoulders or servos like anyone else anywhere else who had prevailed at a difficult thing. They were big, fierce and dangerous looking. They were also all Autobots.

The Good Guys.

That wasn't lost on anyone.

Ships were hustled by ground crews as the whirl went on. Some of them were towed away toward repair hangars for a once over, wash and wax while others were being readied to go to the depot 200 miles away for Roadie to oversee. Some of them were leaking fluids which oddly enough didn't freeze in the blistering cold air and others had ventilation spots where firing had perforated the hulls.

Pilots congregated with the mech identified to them as the Master of the Muster, handing off their flight recorders and other items to be given to Special Operations for study. There were gatherings of pilots and flight crews answering and filling in the blank spots and must dos for the ground crews for their vessel, telling them what they felt happened and was needed to bring them back up to standards.

Small vehicles drove among them working their way to ships to off load munitions and bombs, rockets and missiles, all delicate features that would be towed to the Munitions Hangar nearby, a hardened underground area where the payloads were brought by the train system from dumps, hubs and armories all over the colony, elevated to the deck and stockpiled until crews loaded them for missions.

It would now go in reverse as the inspectors checked them, marked off what would go back into inventory and what wouldn't. When the ships were back on the 'ready-go' flight line, the inventory that was certified would be loaded back on their respective ships again. The rest would be denatured and recycled again.

"This is very well organized," someone said in the quiet group of humans watching from the front window back to the terraced seating provided for them. They'd heard the crews were coming back and decided to stay to see if the senior Autobots were there.

To see if Prime was there as well.

"This is an operation," Pierre Beliveau replied. "The precision you get here is remarkable for this sort of thing. They may look chaotic because their operation is casual but its all very precise."

"They don't waste time and energy on what doesn't matter. All of them call him Optimus. They respect and obey him like the leader he is but its informal and incredibly organized," Hamilton Brown said as a huge battleship landed and began to roll to a halt. The motions around it were normal and familiar by now, then the hatches opened and mechs, the odd femme and a box filled with humans appeared and began to step down.

Prowl was the first famous Autobot they saw, then a number that looked like Ironhide before Ratchet, a number of unknown mechs, then Prime appeared. He walked down to the cheers of those there and disappeared into a mob of his own mechs.

Nearby, ships identified to the humans as battle shuttles began to land and on their skins the intensity of the fighting could be seen. They were scorched, shot up and bore holes caused by who knew what. More mechs walked out including some from Platoon: Autobot City, recognizable from their frames and general behavior.

More ships landed along with Seekers and it was dense and hard to follow anyone through the cacophony of the color and body type. They saw the Seeker Command, then they gathered around Prime and Prowl as well. It was then that they began a haka and songs of victory.

The fierceness of the cries, the harsh movements and tempo of the haka was amazing to watch as they celebrated their victory. Ululations by the civilian Seekers meeting their family member mixed with the shouts and cheering of everyone else. It was a good moment to be them it would seem to the humans.

That was when they began to break up to go, laughing, exulting and happy to be home. Prime and the senior Autobots began to walk toward The Fortress. It would bring them right past the viewing platform.

Trailbreaker put the box down on the airfield, then opened the doors. The four humans walked out, stretched, then walked along with the bots. Laughing, joking and keeping up remarkably well, the group neared the platform.

Glancing up, Niall grinned. :Check it:

Everyone did including the bots who nodded as they walked past without stopping, their guns slung on their backs or over their shoulders as they passed the humans. Some of the humans waved, one rapped on the window gesturing the soldiers to come inside.

:What do you wanna do? Go in there?: Epps asked Lennox.

:Not really. You?: Lennox asked the others.

:Not really: everyone murmured as a N.E.S.T. transport drove up and stopped beside them. Corey McFarlane leaned out of the window. :Need a lift?: he asked.

:Are you going to the senior debrief?: Lennox asked.

He grinned. :Sure:

The four men climbed into the vehicle, then it drove onward beating the bots to the conference room but not by very much.

=0=Inside sitting on chairs unwinding

Ratchet considered his predicament. He would have to clean up and make a better patch. Maybe he'd have someone look at it before he went home. They had a rule now. The kids can see you wounded but they couldn't see the wounds. He would have to spruce up along with Ironhide before they walked through their doors again.

Prime sat heavily. "Have a seat and we can do this swiftly. A full debrief is in two orns after we do due diligence on the ships and data. Where is Pulsar and the leadership now?"

"They're being held in high security medical. Everyone but Pulsar are at the Prison Medical Center. Rabid had a few injuries but when he's released he's going to special confinement with the others at the prison," Gee-Gee said.

"Thank you, Warden. Do you need assistance with the new element, especially on Kellus?" Prime asked.

"No," Gee-Gee said. "We've run this scenario and its under good control. I'll let you know as well as Jetta and Magnus if this requires more."

"Thank you," Prime said, then glanced at Prowl. "What is the status of the beacon and warning system, Prowl?"

"Dev ran sims on it on the way in. Its in good order and is being turned over to Strategic Command, their sensor unit. They will incorporate it into the array and sensor system and monitor it themselves," Prowl replied. "We have a handful of ships from this lot and most of them are common quality and don't appear to be worth salvaging. I'm giving that over to Roadie at the depot."

Prime nodded, then looked at his commanders. "Gentlemen?"

"We don't know what would cause Pulsar's ship to blow up. It appears to bear the markings of sabotage," Sun said as Hardie and Delphi nodded. "It just came apart at the seams and those of us who knew this mech, Pulsar, from the old orns know he's obsessive-compulsive about the precision that he uses around the things he maintains. This wasn't from ship failure, though anything is possible. This feels like straight up sabotage."

Everyone nodded.

"Did we manage to salvage data bases?" Prime asked.

"We did," Elita said. "We have and will go through them but we don't have Pulsar's. That's the one who would tell the tale but it was incinerated when his vessel blew up."

"Understood," Optimus said. "What do we need to know before we call it quits?"

"We need to re-order the order of battle. Our medical ships were shot up and that isn't a good thing," Rainmaker said. "Our air wings acted admirably. We need to have more heavies with us when we stand out to make handling situations faster."

"I will leave that in your expert hands, gentlemen," Prime said to Rainmaker and Starscream. "I found the Seekers to be essential and admirable today."

They nodded together pleased with the remarks.

"We shall," Starscream purred.

"Anything else?" Optimus asked.

:The humans in the viewing building want to speak to you in the worst way, Optimus: Niall Graham said with a grin. :You did notice?:

Optimus grinned slightly. "I did."

"We have three or so days left with them," Ratchet said. "I suppose we should be neighborly and have a chat."

"Right. Its yours," Prowl said as he rose. "Thank you for volunteering."

"And a big frag you, too, Granny," Ratchet said as he stood slowly. "Who's on line for media?"

"I will give a message on IntraCom tomorrow at noon about this," Optimus said as he glanced at Jazz and Blaster. They nodded back. "I sent a message to IntraCom that will suffice for now."

Everyone rose and began to file out, some to detailing, some to fix small medical issues and the rest to the world waiting beyond. The humans would follow along as well.

=0=Family Tower

The entire group sat around the men who were sitting at a table filling their faces. The tales being told were mesmerizing.

"I never saw anything like it. The big frames … they're as bad ass as anything you care to name. Xantium hugging a ship, then rolling into the darkness with it had to be seen to be believed," Will said as he sipped his beer. "Damn. I'm glad we're friends."

"I suppose there's going to be a big grave at the Crater Mausoleum soon," Judy Witwicky said as she lounged in a chair by the kitchen with Ron.

"Nearly 10,000 dead. I can't imagine it but watching it, I'm just surprised there isn't more," Gavin said. "I've never seen anything like it." He glanced at Leonora who was recording their commentary with her phone. "You should make another special, Leonora."

"I'm way ahead of you, Gavin," she said.

Her new husband, Camera Man Jim Webster who was a great guy, here from the beginning, an award winning cinematographer and a hot car aficionado grinned.

Since when was she not?

=0=On the way home

They'd stopped into a clinic down the road from The Pit Stop to get patched, then walked onward to town to get a 'mercy once over' from the sports at The Paint Box. Standing on the little platforms telling the story, they got a shine and finish to pass inspection by their kids.

Ambling out as dusk began to descend, Ratchet slipped his servo into Ironhide's, then squeezed. "I heard you were epic."

"I was wasn't I," Ironhide preened. Then he grinned. "Uncle Sun riding off on his turret gun shooting all the way is something for the ages."

"He's a bit of a handsome daredevil," Ratchet said agreeably as they entered the tower lobby. They chatted their way to the elevator, then entered. Upward they went as Ratchet leaned against the wall. "I hope that's the last time we do that for a while. By the way, after we see them for a bit, maybe get a bite, I have to go to the hospital to unscrew Pulsar."

"Frag, mech, you have a way with words," Ironhide said with a chuckle as they got off on their floor.

Wandering down the corridor, they reached home, then entered. Frozen in surprise and excitement, a passel of kids and elder adults, a cat, a cow and a dog stared at them. Then nearly all as one, they rose up and enveloped both.

Ma and Pa were home. All was well with their world.

=0=Two joors later

Ratchet stood over a battered mech who had been unbent and rebuilt from when a big mechanism had squeezed Pulsar in his gigantic servo. Grinning at the memory, Ratchet tossed the last tool into the cart. "Wheel him into security and plug him in. He's off but it won't matter. Unless he can grow arms and legs, he's not going to cause any problems."

The orderlies nodded, then pushed the gurney out the door. Ratchet watched them go, then glanced at the muted monitor nearby. Unmuting it to watch the latest events at the airfield, he stood with his team to watch the exuberant and triumphant return of the **GREAT** Xantium, Omega and their sedate but beaming brother, Beta Supreme.

When Ty, Danny and Tennyson returned shortly, then all would be well again. He slapped shoulders, then walked out to the family waiting in the tower next door. It would be a good evening in the Ironhide-Ratchet domicile in the Mare Tranquilitatis on Mars.

=0=3-12-19 **edited 3-31-19**


	612. Chapter 612

The Diego Diaries: Aftermath Part 2 (dd6 612)

=0=The Hourly News: Latest Breaking News! the night before

"I have just received a communication from the Office of the Primes from Optimus himself. We are going to play it now," Aleph said as the screen switched from him to what appeared to be the bridge of The Salton Sea. Behind Optimus, out in the darkness, the swirl of the armada could be seen.

"Good evening. I am Optimus Prime. I would like to update you briefly on the outcome of the encounter between a large armed force of intruders and our own forces many light years from Mars. A large armed and hostile force was traveling down the Orion arm toward the space that I claim and hold as my domain.

"It was lead by the phase six mechanism, Pulsar. He had apparently already encountered Shrike and his remnant fleet who had lost their encounter with us earlier near the Bootes Expansion, then took it over himself. The combined fleet was large, powerful and determined to make contact with Ominous and Razorclaw whose own forces are currently contained within my own sphere of influence.

"All of our overtures for him to leave or surrender were spurned and a fight ensued. It was even more brutal than they can in more normal circumstances be when he fled into a nebula to hide and regroup. During the battles that ensued, we lost four shuttles and took heavy damage on the hospital ship, Phobos as well as her sister battleships, Furious Storm and The Salton Sea.

"The efforts of Xantium and Omega Supreme were magnificent and cannot be over stressed in their importance to the outcome that we made. All honor to them and their family as they took out most of the ships themselves with skill and consummate bravery.

"In the aftermath, we took into custody over 21,000 enemy who will be housed at the prison at Kellus, a utility planet in the local group of Cybertron. The wounded are being treated here and at Gliese, then will be transported there as well.

"We also claimed nearly 10,000 dead. They were caught in the crossfire when abandoning ships and in the battles with manned fighters and shuttles. It pains me tremendously when any Cybertronian dies, especially those who are so poorly led and so completely deluded in their ideas. We will make a common grave for them in the Crater Mausoleum and list their names before that happens so anyone who can claim a relative or friend can do for them what they want themselves.

"Your military forces gave of themselves and in doing so we sustained only 17 casualties, none of them fatal. The presence of Omega and Xantium Supreme, I believe, made such an outcome possible. There will be more information released as we debrief from this encounter. We have markered off the area and set warning buoys broadcasting when triggered anyone who might come this way with ill intent. No one can come here with bad intentions and walk away from the encounter intact. The safety of everyone in my domains of influence is paramount and will be aggressively preserved.

"Until we can release more information, just know you are safe and that the forces deployed here were magnificent. Seekers, soldiers, Home Guard, civilians, you made our people proud. Good night. Until all are one."

The camera shifted back to Aleph. "I've asked Commander Jazz to come in and speak to us about this. He will be here in a moment. Until then, let's check the Community Bulletin Board shall we?"

We would.

=0=Earth2

They gathered for breakfast and chat. During the day they would break up into groups to discuss with members of the leadership here at Earth2 and those invited from Unidad and Earth 1 all of the things they were hoping to be a part of. They were here to pose projects and be the investment end of them on Earth. There were a lot of different businesses and industries represented here and there were a lot of individuals posing sponsorships both of research and all of the different things these habitats meant to Earth that gave hope and good will.

Even so, it was clear to everyone there that if Prime said no nothing would happen. The best avenue most thought was through his ambassador, Ratchet and Sam Witwicky, their business agent. Sam was amiable enough but shrewd as hell. He was also a guardian of the bots and even though he listened well and asked good questions, he was still a question mark to most.

The farming community of Unidad would be supplying part of their luncheon this afternoon and they would discuss with them and others invited what sorts of things their companies might do together with the 'locals'. It would be an interesting afternoon, then they would go in groups to Unidad and other places including the Industrial Park Cities. No one thus far had gone there or to Unidad, though they saw their majestic enormity in their journeys here and there.

It was bright and cheery among most of them, these titans of finance and power from Earth. Most of them were friends or at least friendly. Some of them were competitors and others were interested in partnering up to make smaller trade groups to seek audiences with Prime if this larger conglomeration failed.

The meal would be delightful, then they would make their way to different places, many going to see the Hangar District and the export-import part of it. It would be hoped that they could go to Ops Center in The Fortress to see the senior Autobots. That was still a nebulous possibility.

Another one was the chance to watch Kaon v Polyhex in the next big basketball game.

=0=Morning in the house

" **ADA!"**

 **"WHAT!? PROWLER!** Let the cow eat," Ratchet said as he filled Spot's bowl.

Prowler was bent down over Robby's bowl, blocking the tiny cow from his little pellet meal. He mooed mournfully before Genesis picked Prowler up. Then Robby walked closer and began to chow down.

" **IRONHIDE!?"**

" **WHAT!?"** Ironhide walked out of the hallway with Halo and Hero on his servos. He set them gently down and watched with a grin as they began the long run to the table down the way. "Cute," he said as he picked up Orion and Praxus. He walked to the table beating both tiny femmes there and put them in their chairs.

"Give them their breakfasts. They're on the counter," Ratchet said as he set Spot's bowl on the floor. "Are you supposed to ride today? In school?" he asked.

Sunspot who took his filled plate from Ironhide nodded. "We are, Ada. Our class is going to be riding horses for the next few decaorns in gym class. We're still taking lessons at the stables, too. They let Prowler and you two," he said as he smiled at Hero and Halo, "ride the little ponies. It's so cute. You're **so** cute." Sunspot smiled brilliantly as he took a bite of his toast.

" **I LOVE THE LITTLE PONIES, ADA!** They're smaller," Hero said as she buttered Halo's tiny toast. Ironhide and Ratchet cut their food into smaller sizes for the littlest imps. "Halo gets the tiny one, the little brown pony, Lo-Lo."

" **SHE RIDES GOOD!"** Praxus said with a smile. "She doesn't fall off, Ada. She's good. Right, Halo?" he asked her with a bright smile.

Halo who took her toast and began to eat paused chewing. "What?" she asked.

"Your pony. The little pony, Halo. You like to ride him around the arena, right?" Hero asked helpfully.

She smiled. **"I LIKE HIM!"**

"He's cute. Right, Orion?" Hero asked her brother who was scarfing down his food like he was starving.

Orion glanced at her, then smiled brilliantly. **"HA-HO GOOD! GOOD SHE! DOING THAT THING GOODEST! HA-HO GOODEST, HO-HO!** Good she, **HA-HO!"**

The little kids clapped, then glanced at Halo who was smiling at Orion. "Good," she said.

Ironhide who was watching with disquiet sat down with his plate. "Eat up, imps. We have to go to school today. Some of us anyway." He gave Ratchet a gimlet optic.

Ratchet gave him a smirk.

They dived in and began to eat as the big kids joined them.

Ratchet sat with his own mound of breakfast and a brew. "What's the schedule for you three?" he asked.

Quasar glanced at the others. "We have to study for a science test. We're also going on a field trip to Gliese. You **did** sign the permissions papers, right?" he asked.

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet who shrugged. "You find out, Ironhide. I have to go to the Med Center to check on someone."

Ironhide glanced at the three. "Are all of you going or just you three?"

"All of us. Its a career thing, too. We're going to see the hospitals and see the mine there," Genesis said.

"We're going to the weather station at mile post 633 on the TransWorld Highway orn after tomorrow. We have to finish up our papers by First Friday. We're going to be spending a bit of time in the Main Library downtown," Fireball said.

"Well, just fill us in where you go and what you need. I'm assuming you need lunches for the road trip," Ratchet said.

All three nodded.

"Ammas and Appa will help the others but we're all going," Quasar said.

"Okay," Ratchet said as the door opened and relatives began to fog in.

They hugged everyone, picked at the food themselves and gathered up critters. Two cows stared at each other, then butted heads gently. A dog bounced around like an idiot as Scout walked to Ironhide for a bite.

More relatives came from the elders down the hallway and by the time they were ready to go, everyone had a kid, dog or cow. It was a jolly time to the elevator for all.

=0=Up there

The kids were gathered. Prowl studiously ignored the dishes in the sink, a first for him in some time as they sorted out the crews going to this place and that. Down they went to the street where the local group was waiting for buses, cabs and elders who came to take the kids to school on the Metro.

Hero hugged Halo, then everyone else as she walked to her cab. Hopping in, she waved and was gone. Next came the Intermediate school bus where very tall happy kids entered to disappear in the heavy morning traffic.

Orion's bus came and a mob hopped on board. Then the bus for Circle Prep arrived and everyone else disappeared down the highway together. That is, everyone but Halo who was sitting in Ironhide's hold playing with a cow. The cow who was **IMMENSELY** tolerant let her.

"Where are you going and what are you going to do?" Alor asked Ratchet.

"Pulsar," Ratchet said. "I have slag to do."

"Is that so," Blackjack asked. "Who's going to interview him?"

"Prowl wants to be there but I think he's dividing it between me and Jazz. Maybe. He's such a flighty mechanism. Who knows?" Ratchet asked.

"I heard that," Prowl said as he handed the carry basket back to Milie who was taking Prima to the Trigger with him.

He walked to Ratchet. "When are you going to allow the interrogation?"

"Come with and we can see," Ratchet said. He turned to the others. "See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya."

" **THE FRAG YOU WOULDN'T?! WHO WOULDN'T WANT THIS!?"** Blackjack asked.

Loudly.

Ratchet grinned as he walked away with Prowl and Alor. "Ironhide didn't have a chance then, did he."

"Nope," Alor said with a grin.

" **I HEARD THAT!"** Ironhide yelled as they disappeared into the morning foot traffic.

Everyone else broke up and walked onward, some to The Fortress, others to jobs and businesses hither and thither. It would be nice to be back home in the world. Nearby, the Military Airfield whirled ever onward.

=0=Medical Security, Autobot City Medical Center, The City

They walked into the room where Pulsar lay on a berth plugged into various machines. The guards outside lounged around the door as Ratchet checked things. Prowl followed by Jazz who had just arrived waited as Ratchet began to bring Pulsar around.

He swam through levels of fog before he reached awareness. Blinking his optics, Pulsar stared upward into the face of someone very good looking. "Who are you?"

Ratchet grinned. "Probably your worst nightmare," he said as he leaned over the legless and armless mech checking this and that thing.

=0=TBC 3-13-19 **edited 3-31-19**


	613. Chapter 613

The Diego Diaries: Chooglin' On (dd6 613)

=0=Therapy Room, Autobot City Rehabilitation Center, Autobot City Medical Center

"Walk back now."

Springer turned slowly, then began to walk back to the other side of the room. He moved awkwardly, then paused next to a tense Drift. "Why the frag is it so slow?"

Miso, his therapist grinned. "You dashed five nodes. When you smashed yourself, it destroyed a node, then shorted out four others. Think of it as a power outage. We had to replace all of them, all of these mini processors who are expediters for your processor … mini brains if you will. It takes a bit of time to re-calibrate all of them with your processor so they function in balance. It will accelerate shortly but allow the systems to sync. Until then, you need to just do what we tell you and it'll come."

Springer frowned. "What about going back on duty? When will I be certified to go?"

"You won't be for a bit longer. Understand and hear me … if you don't do it this way you will harm yourself and we'll be back at the drawing board. Ratchet has to personally sign off on this as well. He told me that you don't do what you're told so we're going to be extra tough on you. He said if you don't do what we want he's going to turn the case over to First Aid."

Springer glanced at Miso sharply. "Uh, that's alright."

Drift grinned. "Ada plays hard ball."

"He does. I wouldn't cross him. He sleeps with Ironhide," Miso said with a chuckle. "Now, walk back there again, turn as normally as you can and walk back here."

Springer sighed and complied.

=0=Not that far away in the same building

"We're going to ask you some questions and we expect you to answer them. Right now, you're awake, if somewhat impaired," Prowl began.

 **"YOU REMOVED MY ARMS AND LEGS! THAT'S MORE THAN SOMEWHAT IMPAIRED!"** Pulsar said as he tried to sit up. It was harder than it looked without arms and legs.

Ratchet pressed him back down, then dialed down his functions even more. "I'd just relax. You're not going to be allowed to maraud but you'd make a slagging good coaster at the next staff party."

Prowl swallowed a guffaw, something that Prime didn't bother to do. He was out of the line of sight for Pulsar so it would fall to Ironhide to bear the burden of the look of absolute hatred that Pulsar sent their way.

Ironhide didn't mind. He gave his own back.

"We can stand here all orn or you can do yourself some good. You don't have to be this way forever. We can denature mechs like you now. We have a number in our collection," Prowl said.

Ironhide stepped closer imposing his dark brooding awesomeness onto the prone figure. "We took down the Decepticon Justice Division, Black Shadow and fragged the afts off Heretech and Killmaster. You don't give us a lot of concern, Pulsar. Answer the questions and get a decent life back."

"Behind bars or in punitive stasis?" Pulsar asked coldly.

"Your choice," Ratchet said as he unsubbed his rotary saw and let it spin for a second. "I'm good no matter which way this goes," he said as he subbed it again.

Prowl stared at Ratchet almost too long before turning back to Pulsar again. "You intercepted Shrike and took over his group. We have him and them in prison or the morgue. It didn't go well for your group once you were bagged. Tell us about that."

Pulsar glared at Prowl, a mechanism from the same elevated circumstances as himself. They had never met but most of the most powerful and wealthy of the high castes knew of each other and some of their family were acquainted. Prowl was smart and cold. He was a mech after his own image. "He made the mistake of attacking me. Something is wrong with that mech."

"That's kind of cute coming from you," Ironhide said.

Pulsar stared holes into Ironhide. That mech he'd met long ago when his family tried to get the influence of Ironhide's family, mostly Hard Drive, Ironhide the Elder and Blackjack the Elder for a project that needed Praxian support. They didn't get it and had never forgotten it. Given that they were Elites, his own family could do nothing about it. "Frag you, Ironhide. You and your family. I can't imagine that they survived the Seeker assault. Too bad for you."

Ironhide smirked slightly. "I wouldn't count on it. I just called them to come say hello. All of them survived, slagger. We're Praxian Elites. It takes more than that to slow, let along end us."

Ratchet grinned. "Bring the hurt, Ironhide."

Ironhide grinned at Ratchet as behind him coming down the hallway outside heavy ped falls could be heard. Everyone glanced at the door as huge mechs, big and heavily black armored began to file into the room. Hard Drive came first, then Sun, Jack and Steiner. Raptor, Blackjack and Delphi followed.

They gathered together, a stern and scary looking group of mechs, then Raptor glanced at Ironhide. "You called, infant? We were going for breakfast," he asked.

Ironhide nodded. "Fragger here thinks you didn't make it through the barrage. He sort of found that to be amusing."

The group stared at Pulsar who looked back at them with cold fury in his optics, his face otherwise impassive.

Sun stepped closer. "You look kind of puny there, Pulsar. You appear to be missing something. I'm trying to put my finger on it but it eludes me," he said. He glanced around. "What do you think, boys?"

Hard Drive shrugged. "I don't know. Looks like you lost some weight, Pulsar. Care to tell us anything that would make it reasonable for you to stay awake or do we put you into stasis now?"

Pulsar glanced at Prime who was leaning against a wall with a passive expression. He was taking in the goings-on, it was clear to Pulsar, and maybe even ordered it. "So … you give your power away, Prime? Not so smart in the end. Some day, you might have to watch your back."

Prime glanced at the group, then Pulsar. "When have you ever been right?" he asked quietly. Stepping away from the wall, he walked to the berth, towering over the occupant like a god. "You have the opportunity to tell us things that will keep our people and world safe. You can tell us or you can go into stasis. If you do not care enough about either of those things, then I do not want you awake. You will be just one more silent member of my collection."

Pulsar stared at Prime. "You're colder than I can remember."

"That was millions of years ago," Prime said quietly. "Make me have a reason to give you a chance to stay awake and have some small degree of comfort."

Pulsar stared at him, then Prowl. "What do you want to know? I don't ask because I believe you'll change this situation to something better. I want to know what scares you, Prowl. Tell me that something reaches that ice cube you call a spark."

It was silent a moment as Prowl and Prime conferred, then Prowl calmly began to ask. As he did, Pulsar listened. What he didn't do was answer any of the questions asked.

Moments later …

They stood in the hallway outside Pulsar's room discussing the situation together as Springer and Drift began to walk down the corridor toward them. Everyone paused to watch them, noting as they did the slight limp in Springer's gait. They reached the group together. "What's going on?" Springer asked.

"We're interrogating Pulsar. It yielded nothing. I think the Warrior Elite process fries their common sense modules," Ratchet said.

"I don't think they have any," Sun said as the others nodded.

"What's this about you having to sign off on my return to duty?" Springer asked Ratchet.

"I do, slagger," Ratchet said. "You either do what we say how we say it or you're going to be on First Aid's case load."

"Frag **that** ," Ironhide said with a grin. "You'll never see duty again."

"You fight dirty," Springer said with a frown.

"When you can live up to your name again you'll thank me," Ratchet said. "How sharper than a serpents tooth, it is to have a thankless child."

"Shakespeare," Delphi said.

"I'm elevating this slag to a higher level," Ratchet said to guffaws.

"What's the word on Pulsar then," Springer said as he stared at Ratchet with a frown. **"I AM, AFTER ALL, THE SECURITY GOD OF THE EMPIRE!"**

"I thought you were the God of the Hunt," Ratchet replied to great snickering.

"He is," Drift said loyally. He glanced at Springer. "You are."

Springer grinned in spite of himself. He looked at Ratchet who smiled at him brilliantly, then Prime. "What's the word then?"

"He goes into stasis. Secured stasis like the others. His limbs will be kept separately in security but until we find a way to denature his special functions, he is a deadly danger to us all." He glanced at Prowl. "Interview Rabid again. Get what you can. I want to know about the others out there. I want to know what they know. Shake him hard, then jail him."

Prowl nodded, then glanced at Ratchet. "Have you dined or not?"

"I got room. There's nothing like yanking off arms and legs to make a mech hungry. I was sort of hankering for crab," Ratchet said.

 **HUGE** mockery and gagging greeted that. They walked toward the elevator and went down to go to The Diner On The Corner for a quick bite. When that was accomplished most of them would go to their jobs on Cybertron while the rest did clean up for the battle and its aftermath.

=0=Earth2

They gathered in the grand concourse by the habitat doors waiting for the arrival at last of their conduit to possibilities, Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon. They had their presentations and arguments ready and over the course of the two days just past had worked out who Ratchet was and how he operated. They had learned he was nobody's pushover.

Outside, a vehicle could be seen driving in from the highway that ran past the installation, then pull up outside. It was a Hummer, a red and white Search and Rescue vehicle with enhancements. It was also slightly bigger than those on Earth to accommodate the huge mech that made it from his own body. They watched as he transformed, then turned toward them.

He was massive and tall, like many they had already seen but this was going to be different than those occasions. He was the first mech in their visit that they would talk to directly that wasn't mini or micro mini. This was just about the most fully known and famous of the Cybertronians that Earth had met. He was smart, funny, wily in negotiations, unyielding in his dealings for Prime and the Empire but ultimately the most sympathetic of the Autobots they would meet. He was the most personable, 'knowable' and the one who was the best communicator between humans and bots.

Ratchet walked to the door, then entered. They stared up at him, a mech just slightly under 21 feet. He was huge and in his body design the outlines of his alt mode could be seen. They had seen it slide around to become him almost faster than the eye could follow. He looked at them with very bright blue eyes, eyes with optical ridges that helped make his face expressive.

He entered the concourse when the lights changed and the hatch opened. Pausing before them, these titans of industry, technology and finance, he grinned. He let them stare at him, then nodded to Owen. "Hello, tiny people. I'm here to talk."

Harris who found his sessions with Ratchet mostly complex and harder than he would have expected walked closer to him. "Ambassador Ratchet, welcome. Its good to see you. We heard on the news that you were wounded."

Ratchet chuckled. "I was but you move on. Soldiering isn't bloodless."

"You beat the intruders," someone in the group said as he stepped closer. "You defeated an invading armada."

Ratchet considered the human, then nodded. He was bold and used to getting questions answered. Good intel. "We did. We always do."

"We're hoping that you can join us," Owen said as Sam and Carly walked over to Ratchet to stand with him.

Ratchet grinned at them, then nodded. They nodded back.

"We have a lot to talk about," Owen said.

"We do," Ratchet agreed.

The humans began to part to let him through as he reached down to pick up Carly and Sam. Stepping forward, he walked to the auditorium where he would sit on the stage, watch and listen to presentations as well as ask and answer questions. It would be an interesting interlude for both sides.

As they did that, another human would be gasping his last in the wastelands of the TransWorld Highway 3 miles away.

=0=TBC 3-15-19 **edited 3-31-19**

ESL:

coaster: a flat thing you put under a cup to keep it from marring furniture


	614. Chapter 614

The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 614)

Should have a Chronicles of Orion up tomorrow. :D

=0=Earth2

He sat in the usual place by the window listening to the presentations and proposals by the CEO's of half of Earth's most prosperous and powerful corporations, investment banks and venture capital firms. They were all polite and some made an effort to connect with Ratchet. He was polite back, listened with a serious expression that many of them could actually see while not giving a thing away. The sun streamed in, warmed by the specialist fibers that were part of the window, fibers that allowed the small heat of the weak sunlight to be magnified. It helped warm the installation to a normal 70 degrees minimum. None of them knew that and none would. It was proprietary tech.

What they wanted was to make businesses here, to manufacture things in zero or near zero gravity, work on research which surprised him with its variety and to do joint ventures on some of the things that Autobot Nation was working on to the benefit of the humans everywhere. Energy and technology, especially electronics were very important along with space flight capabilities and propulsion systems for said space vehicles. It was instructive how unified they were and how they complimented each other's presentation and effort.

The slaggers were organizing better.

Sam Witwicky sat on a chair beside Carly Brooks-Spencer, both of them there as business reps and hosts of the overall conference. Unidad had not been the site for this as Owen wanted to show his building's overall capabilities for such gatherings. For him, this was just the first economic and technological conference he planned to hold. Unidad was still Prime's domain and he felt it when he was there. Here, the humans sat in the auditorium seating while a huge monitor on stage played their videos and showed what they wanted to do on his turf. It was informative and heavily dependent upon the goodwill and cooperation of the bots.

They didn't make any bones about it either. All of them acknowledged that and made it clear that the bots would be full partners in any venture they made here. They just wanted to be players and work out the cooperative tech that could be created between them. It was interesting to see men, and they were almost all men making efforts to show that they were willing to share control, something few of them did on Earth.

Sam had briefed Ratchet on all of them. They weren't the sharing kind but this was a new paradigm and they would have to play by someone elses rules. That was hard for them, Ratchet could tell.

Masters of (their own) universe having to acknowledge a greater master was a new way of thinking for most of them.

When the last film rolled to a stop and the last speaker had thanked him for listening, Ratchet sat straighter on the platform that was stored nearby for bot visits. He thought a moment, then sat closer. "Your presentations were good, informative and interesting. It's good that you acknowledge your limitations on world. This is as you have seen a very dangerous environment for you and your kind. Without our help, you would die almost immediately in a very horrible manner.

"As it is, any ventures you'd undertake here, any ventures that we'd green light would be highly regulated and overseen to ensure that things were done in a manner that was agreed upon by both sides. It would be easy to steal tech here and spirit it to Earth, tech that you're not capable of having or using wisely. We're still tracking tech that's been in circulation on Earth for some years now.

"I'm guessing that the majority of your intentions is to do your projects here at Earth2. Unidad as you know is under the control and domain of the Prime of Cybertron and is a wholly owned project of Autobot Nation, Incorporated. Anything that required other facilities would have to be devised, built and maintained by us. We have very strict laws here regarding use of resources and the planet. We'll not be dissuaded into changing them. That's a fact of life here that you must accept.

"As for your projects, I have them and having been appraised of what you want to do, I'm better informed to speak for you to the Prime and the Planning Commission of the colony. We troubleshoot all buildings, projects and operations by anyone, bot or human to the nth degree to see what might transpire and how things must be devised. If you could see the specs of this facility itself, the complexity of it and what it took to make it happen, you'd understand better how things take time and effort to unwind and study. I know that you want it yesterday, but it depends on a number of factors how fast it will go.

"We're taking a steady stream of refugees at the Port of Mars some miles away and that never ends day and night. That's our first priority over all others. Only the defense of this system, Cybertron, the local group and all the domain of the Prime has a higher priority. Humans are near the top as well and we take care of them here with a lot of effort both seen and unseen.

"On top of all of that, we have an empire to run. Prime has literally billions of tasks as important as rebuilding our home planet and feeding three billion homeless individuals while trying to find and rescue about a billion more who are missing down to making sure that the lights come on here when they're needed. He leads armies, takes care of civilians and protects everyone everywhere. His attention is fully involved in everything. You're on the list. It's your job to understand the list.

"It's my job along with Carly and Sam to explain and discuss with the experts who will implement, or not, the plans you've submitted. They won't cut corners. They'll take the time to make sure that anything approved is foolproof against integrity failure. There's no way that anything will be done ahead of its time or shoddily. We don't do shoddy.

"The planning commission meets in two days. We will present the proposals and give our own analysis. We want you to know that we value Earth and her people. We went you to advance into space and be ready for it when you do. Right now, you're not ready. Without us, you'd still be trying to figure out how to go to the moon and here. If it were left to you, it would be a death sentence for those chosen to come to live here. In four or five years, if they survived the radiation bath that awaits the unsuspecting human out there, they'd be dying of cancer. Their brains would be so damaged they might pick up a fork and not know what it was used for. They might just open the air lock, walk outside and die. That after just four years using your tech.

"Your projects are safe with us. We welcome collaboration that makes sense and advances everyone on Earth. You're aware that we aren't very interested in projects that you would sell at exorbitant prices to those in need on Earth who'd be able to afford it and hang the rest. Right?" Ratchet asked.

Harris felt tension rise in the group, then stood. "We understand that this is a cashless society and that the people here enjoy that. We, however, aren't on Earth. We have our own economic systems that we utilize and even though we're willing to discuss this further, Ambassador, we feel the need to hold to that system at present. We are after all in the business to advance our businesses."

"We're aware of that. Here, we're finalizing the process and are preparing to make available to the Earth solar power paint. Its a paint that's applied to say, your roof. The power it generates is gathered into a very small device that's then used to power your house … your car, your devices, all of it. I won't belabor the tech as of yet. It's proprietary. But when its ready, we're going to give it to most of the world. The rest who can are going to be asked for a nominal donation to The Prime Foundation to use for our projects in all the areas we have interest in assisting on Earth," Ratchet said.

"What's your idea of a donation, Ambassador?" someone in the front row asked.

"Five dollars in exchange for the entire set up. For us, making profits takes a back seat to assisting people into a decent and more sustainable life. That sort of thinking led to our current predicament. This system is designed to be easily installed and its completely resistant to the elements. It also is a good fire retardant. Those who can will be asked for five dollars for the system. Everyone else gets it free of charge. Soon, there won't be a need for internal combustion engines on cars and other devices. Imagine … clean skies and fresh air," Ratchet said with a grin.

Two of the visitors were from the fuel industry. They looked aghast.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet rose. "Thank you for the most informative presentations, gentlemen. I hope you enjoy your remaining time here. Mr. Harris has been an excellent host, I'm told. Right now, I have to answer an emergency. I'll be getting in touch with you after the planning commission meet up and let you know how it went. What usually happens is some are put forward to be investigated further which is good. Some will be handed back with instructions for you to consider for re-submission and those that are out of bounds or not practical will be sent back with details outlining why we can't accept them. Thank you for the Prime of Cybertron and Autobot Nation. I'll contact you through Sam, here and Warren Roberts in the New York office."

Ratchet glanced at Carly and Sam. "I have an emergency. If anyone needs to talk more call Lee-Lee or Lucien in the Secretariat and I'll arrange it. Prime might be busy for another day but he wants to see these people before they go. I'll call you later." He then walked to the door and went out into the facility disappearing right away.

Everyone watched him go, then turned to Carly and Sam. "What do you think he thought about this?" a banking mogul from Switzerland asked.

"Well," Sam said. "Ratchet keeps his word. In two days I'll be at the commission meeting with Carly and we'll go over this. I'll take good notes on what the thinking was so you can get a better idea of how things work here and what's acceptable and what isn't. I can't say what will be passed or not but if you want to dig or otherwise require despoiling the land here, I don't feel you should set your hopes too high."

They would talk together for some time.

=0=TransWorld Highway

Ratchet drove with a sense of foreboding along the TransWorld Highway until he saw the scene up ahead. Three miles from the junction of the Habitat Highway as the locals called it, someone had reported a dreadful thing. It was then that a trucker spotting a glinting light in an area strewn with weather carved rocks had pulled over, unhitched from his trailer and transformed to look. Laying wedged between two big oddly shaped rocks was what looked like a sack. It was a human.

Calling into the Day/Night Watch Emergency Command Center at the Watch Security Tower in Metrotitan, it had alerted Hauser, Prowl, Prime who was coming from Cybertron along with Ironhide and the forensics team led by Sky. Ratchet was the last to arrive.

He transformed, then walked from the road to the depression where the strange rocks were. Lying like a sack that had been dropped was a human spilling out of a cloth bag. He wasn't wearing his suit. He had no gear on at all. Scanning the figure with his specialized human tech, Ratchet saw a number of things right away. This human had died before being brought here. He was stabbed to death. He had the usual markings of an organic who'd been set out into this environment, the frozen skin and distorted features of his face, frost bite and the like, but he showed no blood beyond some small seepage from a wound in his chest that had punctured his heart.

"Frag," Ratchet said. "He died before he was dumped. He has a stab wound in his chest that punctured his heart. Death was likely instantaneous, thus the lack of blood. Their hearts have to pump to cause gross evacuation of their body's blood supply. Someone who was strong had to do that because its damned hard to stab a human in an area enclosed by bones. Their bones and muscles aren't that easy to puncture. All of the trauma to his body from the atmosphere is post mortem. He didn't feel a thing."

"Who is he?" Hauser asked. "I'm not up on the humans much. I don't cross paths too often with them."

Ratchet scanned him, then went through the databases he kept of all humans on world and their medical conditions. He glanced at Hauser. "It's Silvio Lombardi."

=0=TBC 3-16-19 **edited 3-31-19**

ESL: expression: won't make any bones about it means usually that you won't argue or dispute something. If someone makes no bones over how they feel about someone or something, it usually means they don't like it.


	615. Chapter 615

The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 615)

I have posted a new part to Chronicles of Orion #27 just now. :D

=0=There

"This is getting tedious," Ratchet said as he rose from his preliminary and cursory examination of the body. "This must be the tip of choice for dumping things among the humans. I don't believe we need worry that anyone else did it."

A big mech with two others from the morgue glanced at Prime. "He's ready to go, Optimus?"

Prime glanced at Sky who nodded. "He can go. Just take it easy lifting him. I want to get the scene in depth. If anything shakes loose, leave it," Sky said.

A momentary sense of the willies swept through everyone there at the thought some part of this freeze dried man would fall off, then the mech reached over to grip Lombardi's legs. Lifting him up like a chicken drumstick, he put the dead man on the stretcher the other two held. Nodding to everyone, he led the way to the runabout and a one way trip to a freezer in the morgue for a slow thaw preparatory for autopsy.

It was macabre and weird a moment, then Sky scanned the area where he'd lain. Bending down, he picked up a tiny dark object with a pair of tweezers. Holding it up, he scanned it. "It would appear someone lost a button. Or maybe it was his." He dropped it into an evidence bag.

"We need to go to Earth2. Sky, can you have the scene handled by your team, then direct another who are short statured to meet us there?" Prime asked.

"I can," Sky said as he sent orders off line.

Prime glanced at Drift. "Have a set of heavies, about eight meet us at Earth2. I want that place tossed and I want to post a guard there. No more people are going to die," he said with a coldness that brooked no nonsense.

"Ratchet, call Barron, Blackstone and Coln-2 to meet us there. I am invoking. I want this done right. No one is to know of this yet, Jazz," he said glancing at the pensive bot standing beside Ratchet. "No one goes home, not anyone including the visitors. News of this is blacked out in all communications mediums. Make it so."

Jazz nodded even as he sent orders over to the Ops Center Communications Command hub there. "Got it done, Prime."

Optimus looked furious, then he glanced in the distance toward Hound and Trailbreaker who were heading back their way. They reached the group at last. "What did you find?"

"No tracks going any direction from here toward habitation. They came, dumped him here, then drove back. This is so close to the junction and so traveled that their tracks mix almost completely with everyone elses. We got nothing, Prime," Trailbreaker said as Hound nodded.

"Very well," Prime replied. "I want everyone to converge on Earth2 now and wait until we all get there. Autobots, roll out."

With that, they began to transform to convoy back to the junction and the short drive to Earth2.

=0=Springer

"Drift, where are you?" Springer asked over the open-personal channel they often used when in alt mode.

:On my way to Earth2. There was a murder. Again. Drift out:

Springer who was standing in his living room thought about that, then cursed softly. He called for a cab, then limped to the elevator and down to the white vehicle just arriving at the curb below. Entering it, he gave it priority to head for Earth2 at top speed.

=0=Earth2

They began to gather at the windows to stare into the gathering gloom of a springish-winterish day. Because of the slope of Olympus Mons, the amount of daylight at this time of year wasn't as long as it was during the 'summer'. SAD lights were a thing inside the habitats for some. Right now, it was mid afternoon but the gloom outside was normal for this time of year.

Mechs were driving into the vast parking lot that fronted the vast structure, transforming, then waiting together as if for someone to show up. They were mechs no one knew, though the nine human Autobot security agents who worked here knew all of them. They were Day Watch heavy security, the alpha heavy duty intervention team for emergencies. They gathered, too, waiting for the show to start as nearby the management and a number of the visitors began to walk to the windows as well.

Soon, several hundred humans and all of the visitors would be standing by together staring at the group outside that was growing by the minute.

"What's going on, Owen?" a venture capitalist asked somewhat nervously. "Are they coming in here?"

"I don't know," Owen said as he pulled his phone out to call Prowl on the specialist number that all heads of habitats could use.

"They can't come in here can they?" another asked.

"They can," The sub-commander of the ten individual human Day/Night Watch security team said. He glanced at the humans. "Remember the treaties, codes, charters and agreements? If there's a problem, they can come in and even take the facility over to ensure that there's no further harm to come."

They stared at the human who was only beholding to Optimus Prime, then Harris. "Can they?" an investment banker asked.

Owen nodded. "They can." No one at the other end was picking up his call. Optimus Prime was clearly not ready to talk to him.

Everyone turned toward the windows again in time to see Optimus arrive, transform and join the group. As he did, a number of large and small Seekers fell from the sky, transformed and landed hard on the ground nearby. Everyone gathered together. It was deeply foreboding to all watching.

=0=Outside

"Here is what I require," Optimus said to everyone there. "I want the forensics team to go to the mercenary's quarters and take everything that is not nailed down. Gather everything. Jazz, get with Paribolus to get their communications both off and on world. Take care to preserve his anonymity.

"Barron, Coln-2 and Blackstone, I want this done by the book. Make sure that nothing is done that is not lawful," Prime said.

"We will, Lord Optimus," Barron said as the other two nodded solemnly.

"I want the mercenaries taken into custody. They will not be allowed to be free. Put them into detention cells individually. I do not want them to be able to communicate. Is that possible, Jetta?" he asked.

Jetta nodded. "We can do that. We've expanded the detention facilities that we have for humans who are taken into custody from three to fourteen. We did so after the murder of Dobbs."

"Good," Prime said. "I do not expect them to like this but I am uninterested in their views at the moment. The law is clear about what happens during these sorts of events. We will follow it to the letter. No one leaves from these facilities without checking in and out with Springer. Boost their locator devices. We want them on the grid at all times. No communications on and off world until further notice.

"The visiting humans here … they will just have to cope. We can make excuses later. I want mechs stationed inside with the brief to assist the on-site guards night and day."

At that moment a white cab arrived and Springer stepped from it to the frown of Drift and the amusement of everyone else. He walked to the group, then turned to Prime. "What do you want, Optimus?"

"Besides you following **ORDERS!?** " Ratchet asked with a severe optic.

Springer blew Ratchet a kiss, then turned back to Prime.

"I have assigned duties. We are going inside to take the mercenaries into protective custody and to gather evidence from their quarters. I want guards from the Watch posted here," Prime said.

Springer nodded, then glanced at the mechs. There were the usual suspects, Hercy, Kup and Roadbuster as well as others including the twins. "Then we're go."

Optimus glanced at the mob by the windows inside, then began to walk to the hatch doors with the others following. The humans there watched them with a variety of emotions on their faces.

=0=Inside

The ten member security team of Day and Night Watch listened to the ear piece in their ears, then turned to the crowd. "I would like everyone to step back, way back. The mechs are coming inside," one said as they fanned out and began to move the crowd away from the hatch opening.

Even the visitors and leadership began to step back as Siso and a human N.E.S.T. officer on day shift duty came from the elevator nearby, the human riding on Siso's servo. Everyone finally stopped as the habitat doors began to open.

Optimus and the boys were inside the habitat entry space waiting, then he stepped in, his massiveness overwhelming to those who had never seen him in person and even those who had. He stopped in front of the group, then the others came in behind until everyone was inside. The doors closed.

It was silent a moment, then Harris stepped forward. "Lord Optimus, what brings you and everyone here?"

"We are here on a matter of the gravest importance, Mr. Harris. There has been another murder of a human from this habitat."

It was leaden as the group absorbed that surprise. Harris stepped closer. "What do you mean?"

:He's sincerely shocked. So is everyone else in this room, Optimus: Ratchet said as he scanned them with his specialist equipment. "I'm checking you for shock," he said as the humans glanced at him. "Just scanning. Take deep breathes, all of you. You will feel more clear helmed in a moment.

They did, then Owen stepped closer. "What are you saying? Who?"

"We received a call from a truck driver on the TransWorld Highway that there was a figure lying in a group of boulders. He investigated and saw a human there. The victim was dead and frozen. We have gone to the site and confirmed that it is the mercenary of your hire, Silvio Lombardi."

A gasp was heard as everyone turned toward a young woman, a pretty woman from Brazil named Luisa Costas. She looked shocked. "What? I saw him last night. He was fine. How can he be dead out there?"

"It would appear that he was killed here, then dumped there," Ratchet said. "What can you tell us about this, Miss? You might have been the last person short of his killer that can speak for him."

She gasped as a friend gripped her hand. "He came to my apartment and we had dinner. We had a great evening. Then he went to his own. I didn't see him again."

"Did he have any worries, anyone who might be giving him alarm or problems?" Jazz asked. "Anything that you noticed about him that seemed different or unusual no matter how small?"

She thought a moment, her anguish genuine as she struggled. "He didn't speak about his job. Neither did I. We talked about Italy and Brazil. We liked the same things. He was a great guy. Who would do this to him?"

"We are going to find out. I want all of the mercenaries to step forward now," Prime said firmly.

The crowd glanced around, then began to step back away from the mercenaries in the crowd. They glanced around with surprise, then looked at Prime with alarm.

"What do you want from us?" Jim Johnson said sharply.

"I want you in my custody," Prime said as he reached for the big human. He gripped him, then straightened, holding Johnson easily in his grip.

Johnson beat on his servo but it did no good. **"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!?"** he shouted.

"I'm going to hold you in protective custody," Prime said as he glanced at the others. "Take them now."

Huge servos reached into the crowd as the mercenaries, too scared and shocked to run were easily grasped. Big mechs straightened up, then held up the humans in their servos.

"I am taking you into protective custody until this matter is determined. You are in danger of becoming the next victim. Two mercenaries have been murdered, both from this facility. I will not countenance a third." He turned toward Drift who had pulled a see through containment device from his carry hold.

It was opened so Prime gently put Johnson down at the door. The big human tripped then staggered inside whereupon Drift sealed it. Sliding it into his hold, Johnson disappeared from view.

The others did the same as the rest disappeared into holds. Everyone turned to face each other again, solemn faced bots and fearful solemn faced humans. "Barron, please explain to the locals here what is happening and will happen now that I, as the Prime of Cybertron and guarantor of this facility invoke the Override Clause."

Barron bowed to Prime, then turned to the group and the leadership in particular. "Let it be known that Optimus of Iacon, the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire, bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of Primus does hereby invoke control of the facility known as Earth2 until such time as circumstances are understood and good order is restored.

"You are therefore confined to this facility. Any and all necessary investigations of the property are allowed to commence without hindrance and all communications between this facility and Earth is thereby suspended until such time as deemed possible. You are in protective custody due to circumstances which may indicate that there is a serial killer in our midst.

"We will undertake a full search of these men's quarters, both them and the deceased, confiscate anything that might be evidence for this crime and search the communications and movements of the deceased in our efforts to find Mr. Lombardi's killer. It is not our intention to override your rights. We have been given full permission in the carefully negotiated and fully agreed upon signed charters, codes, treaties and agreements that make up Earth2's charter and its leadership obligations and responsibilities.

"The Prime of Cybertron is doing his duty here to you and to the colony. Nothing that is happening or will happen is arbitrary nor is it unlawful. Please review your agreements if you are concerned and discuss them with my colleagues here, Blackstone and Coln-2." He glanced at Prime, then bowed his helm.

Prime glanced at Springer. "Do it," he said coldly.

They would.

=0=TBC 3-17-19 **edited 3-18-19**

SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder: Being deprived of the benefits of sunshine in the darker seasons can cause depression. Some use SAD lights with the correct spectrum of light to beat it back. You turn it on and sit with it on you, hitting your eyes at the right tempo. I have one and this works. It's about 10-12 hours of darkness here in the winter and this is essential equipment. Use one if you find yourself depressed. It doesn't even need to be dark to help you. They don't cost much and they work. :D -Dr. Management

ESL: a tip is a dump and archaeologists use it as a term for dump pit


	616. Chapter 616

The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 616)

=0=Earth2, early evening

The light outside was fading as the curve of Olympus Mons made short work of the weak light of a winterish-springish afternoon. Lights outside and in began to sensor themselves into duty as in the distance the faint light of the Tri-Cities could be seen flickering. The facility was subdued as the entire population gathered around the vast foyer watching the bots who stood near the doorway with their monster sized guns and their watchful eyes.

:This is going to be slag duty, I think: Sideswipe said. :We have a game shortly and frankly, I'm glad:

:This place has some nice people. The kids are good. Mostly: Sunstreaker said as he leaned against the wall, his swords slipping in and out of his wrist gauntlets in imitation of his brother. Both of them were watching nervously with Roadbuster and Kup. Hercy had gone with the forensics and Watch teams to shake down the apartments of not only the victim but the remaining mercenaries who were residing at the moment in the carry holds of several of the bots.

Prime was nearby with Prowl in conversation with an animated Hamilton Brown, a pensive Kyle Davis and a silent Owen Harris. The 100 or so visitors were standing around them listening and watching the conversation. Barron was with them answering questions that Brown was bringing up.

:That little twerp is the one that got Autobot City syndrome, right?: Kup asked.

Sunstreaker nodded. :Some slagger named Brown. He told Prime that Harris was out to get him. He said that he wanted to help defend us against Harris. It's really pretty hysterical when they go off like that:

Everyone nodded, then Roadbuster elbowed Kup. Nodding toward the windows nearby, they watched as several girls came toward them. They were the daughters of the leadership, Rain Harris, Camilla Brown and three others that were new with the Daniels and Galloway group. They were walking over to have a chat with the big mechs when a woman stepped forward from a group of them nearby.

"Girls. Come over here," she said. She was the wife of Lyle Cutter, Cassie Cutter. "You were told to stay out of the way."

The girls slowed, then reluctantly walked to her and a group of others that included the recently arrived Emma Richardson, wife of Louis Richardson, Jr. He was the son of Harvey Richardson who had finagled the pardons for Daniels, Galloway and the others. He and his father were major investors in the Mars project and Earth2. Louis had apparently decided to run away with the circus, too.

The mechs watched them go to the group of kids that were lounging nearby watching them and everything else going on. Prime had come by at Christmas but had not been inside since it was opened. It was astonishing to everyone sitting in the group how big the mech was. They were also impressed with the others including the twins who they knew from Platoon and football.

And basketball.

Kids loved jocks.

It was an amusing conversation among the children as they waited with everyone else to see where this would go.

=0=Conversing nearby

"We have deadlines on research, on shipping and some of us run our Earth based businesses from here. Its all timely, Prime. Having no communications with Earth is going to be a huge problem," Kyle said as he contemplated the chaos that could occur to his businesses without his direction.

Louis Richardson watched him, then the bots. He studied them, this silent intense man and took notes. He was here to be his father's eyes and ears, to see what was going on, to attend the meetings and live in the facility so that they could both determine their plans for themselves and the Resistance which they belonged to on what they thought was the down low.

Unfortunately for the movements on Earth that wanted all bots gone, Smoke and Ghost Hunt were making big inroads into their underground organization with all its many tentacles in business and governments. The network was being discovered and plotted between the group on Mars and that on Earth which worked in tandem for Autobot Nation and Prime.

Everyone in the Senior Autobots knew who Louis and Harvey Richardson were and a lot of their most private and personal business.

"The charters stand. Someone is killing the mercenaries here and I will not allow it. The charter is invoked. Your arguments have no merit or standing," Prime said as he arose.

Across the concourse, Springer and Drift were walking toward them. They paused beside Prowl and all had an off line conversation, more because they could than because they needed to. It was amusing to Springer and Prowl to do so in front of individuals who expected to get their way.

Prime was too angry to be amused. He would be later.

:We have the apartments boxed up. All of their stuff. None of it was hidden and nothing so far indicates that they have the tech to sneak around and not be seen or sensed. This is fragged: Springer said.

Prime nodded. :When will this wrap up?:

:Sky is getting the evidence bagged and boxed, then we can go. We can take the mercs to the new lock up in the Prison Control Center and stash them. Sky and Hauser have the chain of custody on the evidence gathered. They're going to take it to Forensics now and have the night crew get on it under their command. We're pretty much wrapped up but for interviews. We have a few more, then we can leave: Springer said as Drift nodded.

Down below, the gathering of humans watched the bots as they glanced from one to the other as if in some kind of silent conversation. They were, of course, but it was maddening.

Finally, Prime turned to them. "We are nearly finished with our preliminary investigation. We are going to be back if necessary and we expect the fullest form of cooperation from you. It is highly likely that there is a killer here or one who accesses this place. Until we find out who that is, no one is safe. I would suggest that you obey the security forces that are here to protect you."

Harris nodded. "Very well. I hope you understand the severity of our need to remain in communications with Earth and that the shorter the period that means, the better."

Ratchet stared at him. "I hope you understand the severity of the pain that the Lombardi family is going to be experiencing when their son comes home in a body bag. Let's all just try and hope its the last one."

It was strained a moment, then mechs began to come through the concourse, some of them holding metal cases that contained evidence, the contents of the merc's individual apartments and other things of forensic value to Sky and his team. They gathered with Prime.

"We're finished for now, Optimus," Sky said.

Prime nodded. "Thank you. I will expect to hear from you as soon as you can."

"You will," he said, then led his team to the habitat doors. Entering the great room outside the facility, they waited for the atmosphere to clear and the doors to open to let them out. They walked out stuffing their chassis with their cases, then leaped up to transform and blast off for Metrotitan. They disappeared almost immediately.

Everyone watched, then turned toward Prime. "What now, Lord Optimus?" Harris asked.

"We allow the evidence and the experts to tell us what this means," Prime said. "You are confined to the facility. I have arranged for Pastor Millie of Unidad, Rabbi Leroy of N.E.S.T. and Father Bob who is visiting to come here to offer such consolation as you require. If you wish, those of you who are studying with the Monastery or Circle, I can arrange for their counselors to come and provide what comfort they may," Prime said.

"That would be a good idea," Olivia Bowers said as she stepped out of the crowd. "I'd like that. I'm also here as well. May I have permission to leave the facility, Lord Optimus, when I need to go?"

Prime nodded. "You may, Olivia Bowers." He glanced at Prowl. "Anything more you need to do?"

Prowl shook his helm. "We have all the communications as well. We're clear here for now. Understand, we may be back. If you have anything you wish to tell us that you can't tell us directly, we are going to provide a link for you to use on the Earth2 open community page. It's going to be run through our military grade anonymizers so that anyone who sends us information cannot be discovered. It insures absolute anonymity for whoever does. You will not be traced and you won't be held to testify. Use it to help us and this will be over faster."

With that, Prime glanced at the mechs by the door. "Roadbuster and Sunstreaker, you have first shift. Make sure this place is safe inside."

They nodded, then watched at the big mechs turned without another word to file out to leave. When they were gone and the hatches were back to normal, Olivia Bowers walked to the big mechs. "This is really messed up isn't it."

Sunstreaker knelt. "I think so. What do you know, Olivia?" he asked.

She considered the groups still gathered, some of whom were staring at them. "I think there's a lot of enemies here, Sunny," she said.

"I think you're right," Sunny said as outside a truck from N.E.S.T. delivering the (now) permanently assigned human moral and spiritual advisers to the colony began to arrive. With them would be the rest of the 'touch stones' for the various religious and philosophical practices that made up the population inside. It would be a somber evening for all.

=0=Autobot City Medical Center

They stood in the corridor as Ratchet did another non invasive autopsy of the human who was now thawed out. He was stabbed once, a strike to the heart that puzzled Ratchet. How could someone who was once French Foreign Legion and a mercenary of his reputation take one in the ticker like this? He then scanned for substances. He found the usual alcohol but he also found something else.

Midazolam.

It was a fast acting sedative which if given in a high enough dose would knock a fighter for a loop long enough for a blade to do the job. Given the lack of blood, death was instantaneous. He felt oddly better at the thought. He hated suffering with all his spark.

This man was peak condition, muscular and well made. He was well nourished, had at least two beers in his system, had old wounds and no outward marks beyond some post mortem bruising of his wrists. Someone had grabbed him to get him away. But where away was the question. He had no gear on. Maybe he did and it was removed to muddy the picture.

It had.

Ratchet frowned. He hated mysteries.

Scenario one: The victim and killer were elsewhere and had a couple of beers, one of which was spiked. Then the killer killed him, took the gear off to mess with everyone, then disappeared after dumping him. The other scenario, Scenario two was that he was killed at Earth2 somehow, then carted off as is. How this wasn't on the films or sensors was the conundrum of the other case. No one had seen that one either.

Frag.

Someone had their tech and was using it.

He scanned the man again, then put him back into the stasis chamber that would preserve him. Walking out, he paused before the group. "He's still dead," Ratchet said with a straight face.

Ironhide slapped his helm. Prowl frowned. Prime chuckled in spite of himself, then felt terrible for doing so. Springer and the other heathens laughed, then everyone stared at Ratchet again.

"Well, Loon? What more do we know now than before other than you're certifiable?" Prowl asked with a smirk.

Ratchet smirked back. "He was drugged. He had at least two beers somewhere, one of which was drugged. He was then stabbed. Whether he was geared up or not is still unknown. I'm leaning toward the idea that he was killed elsewhere. Of course, given that they **HAVE OUR TECH** , he could have been killed at Earth2 and taken to the dump site."

Prime nodded. "I am beginning to be annoyed."

It would be unanimous.

=0=TBC 3-18-19 **edited 4-6-19 (happy birthday, my Bobbie Jeanne)**

NOTES will be replied to tomorrow. HUGGIES! :D

TMD4EVR!


	617. Chapter 617

The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 617)

=0=Conference room at the Medical Center

They sat around the room on the couches and chairs ruminating on the situation. Jazz was in Ratchet's office running down the whereabouts of the usual suspects, ie., the two ringers that were plants in N.E.S.T. for the Resistance back on Earth. It was tense and silent as they sat together. Then Jazz walked back in. He paused in the middle of the room. "They were in their quarters at the garrison. During the time frame that we need, they weren't anywhere but there."

Prime glanced at Perceptor and Wheeljack who was holding a sleeping Resolve. They were called to come. "What kind of tech do we have that would allow them to be in two places at the same time?"

"Not much," Wheeljack said, "when you consider the extenuating circumstances of the situation. They could be in two places by leaving their signal makers in some form behind to allow the grid to be fooled. That would mean they would still be seen by others in the spaces the situation occurred. The only way they could do that would be to fool the sensor grid at the garrison, then do what they did, one or both by going around invisible. We have a lot of great tech and are working on this since the first murder to have it for ourselves but we don't now."

"Our tech is still being tracked on Earth, the tech sold to whomever by that slagger in Sector 7. We don't know what Sentinel brought and we can't ask him now even if he would talk to us, which he wouldn't. If Sentinel had access to Decepticon or even other alien tech, he might have had such devices in his archives. They would be very handy in getting around Earth without being detected and they very well could be more slag from Shockwave and Jhiaxus," Ratchet replied.

"What is the likelihood that they would have such tech from those two mechs and have found a way to build it?" Prime asked.

Wheeljack and Perceptor talked off line, then Percy looked at Prime. "There is nothing that didn't interest either mech. They would have had a lot of interest in such tech and the willingness to use it. Nothing would surprise me about either, Prime. Shockwave has long ago been robbed of any ethical or moral center."

Prime mused on that. "What is the status on our tech among the humans?"

"We're tracking it, Optimus," Jazz said. "We don't know how much Sentinel brought and we even interviewed Proteus. He had no idea what was on the ship in the databases either. He would tell us if he could."

"He would," Ratchet said as he sat back wearily. "Mech has turned a leaf."

"What do we do about this then?" Prowl asked. "The humans are going to be unhappy at both ends that the pipeline is cut and there's the issue of Lombardi. His family will want to have him back."

"The lawsuit against us from the Dobbs family is in the pipeline. I'm going to be working with a team from Boston who specializes in wrongful death actions. I will keep you apprised," Barron said.

"Thank you, Barron. I do not want to make this worse for the family. The sooner we catch this killer, the better," Prime said. He glanced at Springer and Drift who were sprawled on a couch together. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Sort of sparkly," Springer said.

"That's because your nodes are syncing, slagger. I really **am** going to find a hammer, Springer. You were told a few more orns off. Until the tingling and other sensations leave, you're at risk for a repeat session in surgery," Ratchet said with a gimlet optic torpedoing visual bombs his way.

Drift frowned at Springer, then looked at Ratchet. "He won't do what I tell him. He's a slagger when he gets hurt."

"Then you are off duty until you are medically cleared, Springer. I will not have my officers resisting their orders for recovery from injury," Prime said. "You could set yourself back and make it longer rather than shorter for active duty."

Springer frowned at Drift, then Ratchet. "Frag."

"Obey your mother, slagger," Prowl said with a slight grin of amusement at his nemesis.

"Frag Ma, too," Springer said as he smirked at Ratchet.

"Desk or home. That's it. No riding, no investigating, nothing, Springer, or I will **never** release you to anyone but First Aid," Ratchet said.

Everyone in the room felt their sphincter tighten, then grinned at Springer. He was not pleased, Our Springer.

"I think we have to shake the trees both here and on Earth," Prime said. "I want the databases we have searched thoroughly and the Shockwave archives. Go to Cybertron and scan the big frames that they're working on or are just putting online. I want every record and/or citation Jhiaxus and Shockwave ever made. Use advanced search modalities. We need to find the answer here as fast as we can."

"On it," Jazz said.

"What about the autopsy? Are you finished? I am unaware that it requires any tampering with the body," Prime asked Ratchet.

"I'm done and it doesn't. I'll write the report and get it to the usual suspects. We don't have to chop them up. Some we do like the acid monsters because it helps immeasurably to discover who and what they are. We know the humans, thus he's spared," Ratchet said.

"That is a relief. I am not allowing any public notice of this situation. Block any habitat to colony and habitat to habitat communications, Blaster. I do not want anyone to have a chance to discard evidence or get stories right together. I want this expedited as best we can. We owe it ourselves and to the family of this man. I did not like the mercenaries nor having them here but I like it less that two have been murdered. It would appear that someone has a deep grudge with them," Prime said. "Prowl, head the investigation. All findings, testimonies and evidence goes to him. You will build the policing case and work with Barron, Coln-2 and Blackstone to prepare it for me."

Prowl nodded. "I will. We better hit it then. We'll know more with Sky's report but I put a tip line open at Earth2 for anyone to report to us what they can't say otherwise. What is the status of it, Blaster?"

Blaster turned to a computer, then pulled up the message box for the link. "No one yet, Prowl. I'll monitor it and send them to you and Prime when they come in, if they do."

Prowl nodded, then looked at Prime. "We need to formally interview the people at Earth2 to get better and more clear impressions and information from them. Right now, they're dealing with shock and the idea of another death in their community. They may have more that they haven't expressed."

"Head that up with Hauser and Springer," Prime said as he glanced at Springer. "You will not be endangering yourself asking questions."

Springer smirked. "Thanks, Dad."

"That's **my** job, slagger," Ironhide said with a smirk. "The mechs are outside. They want to know what you want to do about the incarceration of the other mercs. They have them in their holds and wanted to know if you wanted to watch the show with them."

Prime stared at Ironhide, then grinned. "I think so. Then maybe supper at The Pit Stop." He rose and the others did as well, following him out the door to the street below. Among those walking out of the Medical Center into the cold darkness of night were the mechs with the mercs in their holds.

=0=At the Prison Control Center

Gee-Gee sat in her office going over a lot of details as she waited for the humans who were coming to stay here in protective custody. Prime must have pretty mad to bring them here even though this was where the expanded jail for humans was now located. Having them in the receiving area of the jail at the Courthouse just wasn't practical.

Nearby, in a common room sectioned into the wall, fourteen small 'apartments' were ready for some business. They were transparent, wired for entertainment and sensors to ascertain the inmates well being as well as being completely debugged against calamity. Even the bed covers, furniture and walls but for a low one that protected the inmates from scrutiny during lavatory visits were see through. It was strange and aesthetically beautiful at the same time.

A mech leaned in. "They're here, Gee-Gee."

She nodded, then rose to walk out to the lobby off the rest of the high security facility to greet them. "Hello, Lord Optimus. You have my presents?"

Optimus grinned slightly. "We do. Thank you for taking on their care. I do not know if this is a personal vendetta against the two dead humans or if someone is just killing mercenaries. I want them out of harms way."

"Understood. Please … come with me," she said as she walked toward the hallway and the doorway into their new home. The room itself was a law library for staff and filled with high tech, tomes of laws and precedents as well as wall to ceiling windows that let in the light during the orn. Right now, it was dark as the Pit outside, though the glow of Aerie Hill way in the distance could be faintly seen.

She watched as the mechs opened up and pulled out the mercs. They were furious, scared and uncertain about the whole business. Gripping the benches where they were sitting, they turned almost as one to look at Prime.

 **:WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, PRIME!?:** Jim Johnson said as he walked to the wall and pressed his hands against the cool impregnable transparent aluminum wall before him. **:YOU'RE TREATING US LIKE CRIMINALS! WHAT IS THE CHARGE!?"**

"There is no charge," Prime replied calmly. "We are keeping you here in protective custody."

Sunstreaker leaned in with a savage grin. "Someone is working their way down the merc list at Earth2, slagger. Where's the gratitude?"

"Fuck you, Sunstreaker. How do we know it isn't you?" Johnson growled.

The other mercs stared at the two with looks of ominous loathing.

Sunny leaned in closer. "Because if it was me there would be nothing left to find, fragger."

"Load them up, boys," Gee-Gee said. She took one, then walked to a wall slot. She slid the box in where it opened its door into the containment space automatically. "Go inside."

Steve Anson stared at her, then tentatively stepped over the threshold into the secured space. The box door closed behind him and she left it there for when he was removed. It was an enhanced containment most zoos on Cybertron used when there was an organic specific atmosphere dependent exhibit in town.

One by one, Sam Hedges, Jim Johnson, Todd Baseman and Carlos Ortega were placed in lock ups. Fortunately for the bots, there were enough cells that they were able to leave one between each of the mercs. Unfortunately for the mercs, they wouldn't be able to communicate with each other.

Gee-Gee tapped on the communications channel to the boxes. "My name is Warden Gee-Gee. I'm given custody of you for the duration. This will be easy duty for smart inmates. You have entertainment. The food is remarkable and plentiful. You can read, sleep, listen to entertainment and relax. In here, the killer can't reach you. Out there, you would be dead. Two already are. Don't make this hard on anyone including yourselves. The charters and agreements grant Lord Optimus the right to do this when he invokes. You're being watched day and night. Remember that." She turned to Prime. "I have this now."

"Thank you, Warden. I appreciate everything you do."

"What about the news? When do you suppose Earth will know and will it be bad?" she asked as they walked out of the room together, the mob and the warden.

"As soon as we know ourselves, Warden, and I don't expect that it will go over well," Prime said. They chatted, then everyone walked out to go to supper at The Pit Stop. It would be the only break any of them would have for the rest of the night.

=0=TBC 3-18-19 **edited 4-6-19**


	618. Chapter 618

The Diego Diaries: Boom Goes The Dynamite (dd6 618)

=0=Morning in the colony

The streets were waking up as the colony began to stir from slumber. Though many were the places you could go that were all night and day establishments, most of the streets of the cities were clear this time of orn. Delivery trucks and those coming or going to shift work drove on the mostly empty streets as the lights here and there began to go off. Light meters that guided them registered a growing but weak early morning sunrise.

Walking to the Med Center, Ratchet entered the lobby which had a few individuals waiting or working, then took the elevator up to the floor where Pulsar was kept in secured care. It was oddly muffled, the silence in the elevator. It was the calm before the storm, early enough to be quiet yet not completely dead. Walking out, he went to the end of the long corridor that led from the elevator and entered the secured area.

"Hello, Mulie," he said to the specialist orderly that ran the graveyard shift here. There were others on call including intervention teams elsewhere but he was the first wall one had to climb to go further.

"Hi, Ratchet," he said as he looked up from the game he was playing on the computer. "I heard about the new murder. Fragged thing."

"It is. How was the patient overnight?" Ratchet asked as he looked at pair of charts that detailed Pulsar and another patient, Seevo. "Both of them, actually."

"Pulsar was fine. He's under mild sedation. Seevo is in and out of orbit if you know what I mean," Mulie said. "I hope this works for him, the slagger. What's the prognosis if I may ask."

"You can," Ratchet said with a grin. "He's lost nearly all his memories. He had bad circuits, damage from fighting, the usual. It boggles how many Decepticons that come through here with mashed processors. Fragging Decepticons. They should have had doctors all along that were worth something. If Seevo didn't have family here, I'd have him in storage. When he comes out, we can see if he's still that raving lunatic stalker from Special Segregation at the prison or someone who can learn to be normal again."

"Let me know. He was one crazy bastard when he came in here," Mulie said as he worked the protocols to let Ratchet go inside. "You're clear. My replacement comes in a few minutes. I'll let him know you're here. I probably won't be when you come out."

"Got it," Ratchet said with a grin as he took both data pads with him. "Take care."

"You, too," Mulie said as he returned to his game. In half a breem his replacement would arrive and he could go home. All in all, a great shift.

Ratchet entered the first room after entering the code. It was dark but he could see Seevo easily. He'd been brought in under a condemnation protocol because he was slipping away. They'd studied his processor and other parts of his neural network and found that he was going to die if they didn't do salvage work on him.

It was similar to Starscream, the damage that had been done and by the time the 14 hour operation was complete, Seevo had lost 73% of his memories. What was left would tell the tale of what would happen to him once he'd recovered enough to reboot.

Ratchet checked the data, then stared at the mech laying silently on the med berth under heavy restraint. "You're one sad fragger, Seevo. I wish it had never happened, the war. You deserved better than this, maybe. I don't know what kind of idiot you were before the slag happened but your amma and appa want you back somehow. We have to do that for you and for them." He squeezed Seevo's servo, then walked out, crossed the hall and entered the room where Pulsar lay under restraint.

He'd been slumbering but rebooted when he felt movement. Obviously, the sedation didn't affect his specialist programming. His optics opened as he glanced around for someone or something. Focusing on Ratchet, his expression folded into rage. "What do you want, fragger?"

"I came to see if you were still alive," Ratchet said. "Zee Supreme really squeezed you hard."

"I would have rebounded," Pulsar said.

"I know. That's why you have no arms and legs. We have a nice collection of phase six enabled and phase six confirmed in our collection. What's one more?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.

Pulsar stared at him a moment. "What happens now?"

"Depends upon Prime. I wouldn't count on getting limbs again until we denature your condition. If you were just another mech, you'd be in the prison as just another number. However, you just **HAD** to **GO** and **DO** this. You see our position. It's not personal. Much."

"You're on my list. Mark my words. I **will** turn this around," Pulsar said as Ratchet checked his lines.

"I know. Everyone of my mechs says so. Given that you're an engineer, I suppose you can McGyver something and that's why we're having a meeting about what to do about you today. I'll let you know how it goes," Ratchet said as he walked toward the door. It was amazing the amount of verbal abuse Pulsar sent with him.

=0=In a tower in Iacon

"When will you be back?"

"I'll come back as soon as I can, Springer. I have to be at the meeting. Do you want me to open a channel so you can listen or do you want to be there on a monitor?" Drift asked as he gathered up his weapons.

Breakfast dishes lay in the sink, the box of work was still sitting on the table untouched and things were sad everywhere he looked because 1) Springer wasn't going to be coming and 2) he hated to see his bond sad. He slipped his swords into their rightful places on his back, then turned to Springer.

That mech was standing in the middle of the living room looking pitiful. He was depressed looking and sort of sagged. Walking toward him, Drift rested his servos gently on Springer's broad shoulders. "I'll bring a snack later, your favorite. I have to go to the office and check on the Night shift, the business for Day and the progress of the investigation. We also have to interview the slaggers. I'll try to be in and out."

Springer frowned deeper. "This is fragged. You're supposed to be the side kick. I'm the hero and you're the good looking and slightly slutty side kick."

Drift smirked. "I know. Fragged, isn't it?"

Springer hugged him close. "I don't like hanging around without you to fetch me a beer when I need it. Or to do most of the work … to put the dishes in the washer … to make the berth up and … frag."

Drift laughed, then hugged him tightly. "How about you be me and I'll be you. I realize you do it better but I'll try."

Springer stared at Drift, at the improbable center of everything that was good in his life, then grinned. "Well, we do have our little ways."

Drift chuckled, then kissed Springer. "We do. Let me go and do this, then I'll be back with something good. Come to the meeting on the monitor. I don't like doing slag without you either."

Springer frowned, then watched as Drift walked to the door.

The big mech paused, then looked at Springer. "You know … when you said you couldn't move, I think my spark almost stopped. Get well like Ada says. Nothing will be fun again until you do. I'll be back."

Springer nodded, then watched as the big mech walked out. The door closed slowly. He vented a sigh, then stared around the apartment. "Frag," he muttered as he did. All the warmth in the room left with Drift.

=0=Ops Center, The Fortress, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 1

They gathered, the new and old, femme, mech and human. The heads of the habitats were there as usual including Owen Harris and Morshower from Virginia concerning the murder. The humans gathered on the table top, some taking their seats while others stood around it chatting with the bots.

Prowl walked in with data pads, handing them out as he walked to his usual place at the table. Prime was behind him, a tower behemoth of grace and beauty. All around the vast room sitting comfortably in their usual places were mini-cons (Leader 1, Neo and Laret), soldiers, Seekers, titanic frames, civilians, scientists, three youngling mechs who were 'interns' for the school year learning about how government and business worked, priests, Heatout and his assistant, Cyclonus and a senior member of his team, all of the district commanders of Cybertron, the far flung bases and last but not least, Ratchet who walked in just as everyone turned their attention to Prime and Prowl. He sat, grinned, then slipped his arm around Ironhide's broad shoulders.

"Well then, let's begin. We're holding old business until we have more time. All of the initiatives presented by the humans are being studied by relevant members of our community for viability and recommendation so don't take that as a delay," Prowl said. He glanced at Ratchet. "What's the word, Ratchet?"

"Well, I visited two patients in the high security wing of Femme. Seevo who is a severely mentally ill Decepticon ship boarding specialist who was held in special containment at the Prison began to decompensate so we condemned him and brought him in for evaluation. He had severe damage to his processor and we had to rewire and replace most of it. I'm hoping that this along with his family who incidentally are here and just found out about him when it was mentioned on the news will be enough to render him a good life. Being a cold blooded murderer and stalker isn't a good life for anyone.

"Pulsar is awake and growling. He's in good condition considering what we did to help him. We left some things unrepaired because we want to study the recovery time of phase six mechanisms through their personal recovery systems. He's well on his way. He won't, however, be able to grow arms and legs. He's very unhappy and made sure that I knew it on the way out." Ratchet smiled beautifully as everyone chuckled.

"Fragger. He's lucky to be alive," Ironhide said.

"When can we squeeze him? I want to know why his ship just gave it up. He'd never allow his ships or equipment to go to blazes like that," Blackjack the Elder said. "I knew him and his crazy family. They were engineers and fanatically devoted to good maintenance on their gear."

"Me as well," Prime said. "We can talk to him when you give us leave, Ratchet."

Ratchet nodded. "Done deal."

"Anything more?" Prowl asked.

"Those who are bad are still bad. Those who are good are getting better. Our 17 casualties are as well. What about Springer?" Ratchet said as he looked down the table at Drift who sat in his usual place by himself, the seat next to him empty.

"I'm here," a voice said.

Everyone looked at the monitor nearby. Springer's glum face appeared there.

"Well, looky that," Sun said with a grin. "You're housekeeping leaves a bit to be desired, grandson."

Springer looked over his shoulder, then back to the group. "Well, the housekeeper had to go to the meeting and I'm stuck here. **ALONE**! **W** **ITH** **ALL THE WORK**!"

"Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "You should be down on your knees that you got a nice good natured bond like my other son here, What's His Name."

Everyone laughed and even Springer smirked. "Yeah. Don't forget the donuts, Drift."

Drift grinned, then nodded.

"Ah, young love," Sun said as he glanced at Hard Drive and Jack. "Sickening isn't it."

"I wouldn't know. I'm so lonely," Jack said to great laughter all around.

Ratchet leaned forward on his elbows. "I can fix that, Jack, with these servos," he said raising his big red hands. "These holy serv-"

" **OLD MECH!"**

=0=TBC 3-21-19 **edited 4-6-19**

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING TO EVERYONE UP ON THE TOP AND HAPPY FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN TO THOSE DOWN BELOW!

ESL: McGyver: a show in the 19? that had a man named McGyver who could get out of anything by creating a bazooka out of match sticks and silly putty. To do a McGyver is to do the same thing. Its a verb now. :D


	619. Chapter 619

The Diego Diaries: Parsing (dd6 619)

=0=Meeting at Ops Center after the humans left

Prime grinned. "I think we should go over the information that we have now regarding a lot of the current problems. I would be very glad to hear anything that was new about the murders that have happened to the mercenaries. Is there anything at all that points to anyone?"

Hauser glanced at Drift, then Springer. "We have a number of ideas but the evidence supporting that is a bit thin on the ground. It's evident to all of us that this is someone using our tech. They come and go without leaving a sign of their presence. That kind of tech the humans won't have for a few zillion vorns yet."

"Then we have to make an effort to see the two ringer's quarters. They have to have something there that will show up on sensors if we get a chance to toss their rooms. It's the only thing we haven't gone through yet," Drift said. "Then again … if this is our tech as yet unknown, they could be wearing it. It could go wherever they go. I don't have any clue whether they have anything to alert them to our being there if we search."

It was silent a moment, then Prime stirred slightly. "Then maybe we can put part of the human garrison to include them on Charon or some place far away. It will give us time to sort this out and maybe force their hand. If they're stuck somewhere and need to come here, they'll have to do it using their tech and then we'll know." He glanced at Jazz. "Have they been tagged?"

"One of them. I'm going to tag the other tonight. I don't want them comparing notes and come to any conclusion about the tiny sting they'll feel from it," Jazz said.

"What about dampening fields for their signature?" Ratchet asked. "They have the ability to drop off our own sensor grids? Would it mask the tags from being able to send information to us?"

"The frequency that we're using for these locator tags is very low, almost ambient radiation low. We're counting on it being so low that it isn't compensated for when they use the tech they have. It would be like wearing perfume. It would leave a slight trail behind of star-like quality noise. Given that we're talking about ground level scrutiny, it would be enough for us to sort out from the usual background stuff. It would be like the scent trail what an ant follows to get back to their hole in the ground. We can't see or smell it but they can. Like that," Jazz said as he glanced at Percy and Wheeljack. "Right?"

"Theoretically," Wheeljack said. "I'm unclear if they can know about this given the advancement of the tech. Shockwave and Jhiaxus were above the mundane so it could possibly work. They were secretive but this might have slipped past them. It would be worth a try."

Prime glanced at Prowl. "Make a plan for the two to spend time at the forward base at Charon. I want them far enough away that they cannot use their advantages in any manner." He looked at Drift. "I want you and Wheeljack to go to their quarters and look for anything and everything you can that might give us a lead on this. They keep company with the mercenaries so they are first on the list of possible suspects."

"I'll do that," Drift said. "We can bring Sky along for the chain of custody if we find anything and to bag it legally and properly."

"Good idea," Prowl said as he glanced at the monitor bearing Springer's face. It was a surreptitious glance but bore good dividends. Springer was hating his home confinement.

 **HA-HA, FIRST MRS. OPTIMUS PRIME!**

"We have today and three more for the human guests before we have to send them back or not," Prowl said. "We also have to do more interviews with Earth2 locals. We can do that together, Drift."

Drift nodded.

Prowl peeked.

Springer was frowning.

Prowl was grinning.

Prime noticed and laughed internally for the first time in two orns. He leaned forward on his elbows. "What is the status on the Dobbs family, Barron?"

"They've filed suit in federal court in America and will be taking a case to the World Court. They want to sue us for wrongful death and for breach of our agreement that he would be safe here. I haven't broken it down completely. There's more to it than my paraphrase but they want to take this to court. The issues here will be jurisdiction … where it will happen and also **IF** it will. It could be that there's no standing here or there due to the interplanetary aspects of this situation. It's all going to be worked out by us with our legal team in London and the wrongful death specialist firm in Boston.

"As for this … I expect the same thing from Lombardi's family. They're going to be as distressed as Dobb's own and we're an easy target. Owen Harris and Earth2 Corporation are also being sued for the same reasons. I'll be running interference for any conversations that he and his people have regarding this."

"Thank you, Barron." Prime sat back. "This is a hard side bar after the battle with Pulsar. We need to debrief on that matter and this does not help. Are there quick impressions or overviews I need to know? What about Pulsar and his condition, Ratchet?"

"Well, I removed his limbs," he said as everyone in the room groaned. "Little babies. He's disabled enough that no matter how secured and fulsome his recovery is from the squeezing that Xantium gave him, he can't regrow them. He's not in a good mood. In fact, he was rude as slag to me." Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who shrugged. "slagger." He looked at Prime. "He's going through the stages of grief and homicidal rage right now about his situation. How much we can get from him is anyone's guess. I never got to ask him why his ship came apart at the seams. I gather that he's completely surprised that things didn't shake out the way he figured. But thems the breaks as humans sometimes say."

Prime nodded. "I want him interviewed. What about his senior staff and the crews?"

"Rabid is in the prison. He's rather interesting. He cares about his crews and gave things up to save them. Right now, he and the others are Gee-Gee's problem. I can speak to him and see what I can get," Hard Drive said. "He's different from the rest and from most 'Cons I've met. He's smart, has some values and cares about his crews."

"I would appreciate that." Prime glanced at Chrome and Lauren who were sitting with a pensive Alpha Trion. "Gentlemen, we have nearly 10,000 dead. I would appreciate your help in doing things for them that are decent and proper. They are Cybertronian and deserve that much at least. I would have preferred them to surrender but they had other plans."

"We have already taken on that project, Lord Optimus. They will be interred into a mass grave at the Crater Mausoleum as soon as they are cleared. Transponder numbers and other information is being gathered before this happens. Also, any personal effects are being collected, tagged and stored against the orn some day that family might inquire about them," Chrome said.

"Thank you. That lifts a great deal off my mind," Prime said as he sat back. "I would like impressions, general impressions about the conflict. We can debrief on this when we have a moment. I want to know what you have to say right now. I am personally incredibly impressed and grateful for you and what you managed to do in desperate circumstances."

"That was a mess in the nebula but we did a good job fumbling around. We got most of them to surrender, lost four shuttles and had 17 wounded. That's a slagging miracle in itself," Sun said as the others nodded.

"I think having the big frames handle interventions where there's visibility problems is a good idea. It gives the other side less opportunity to shoot them. They were able to link sensors and get a faster bead on the whereabouts of the enemy ships than we did as single vessels," Raptor said. "They were the ones who took this group down, Omega and Xantium."

Everyone murmured agreement.

"We need to put the vulnerable non-combat ships farther back in the train. Our order of battle needs revising to make sure that ships like Phobos don't get strafed again," Ty said as the other big frames nodded. "Maybe taking a dread or titan along each time to do heavy duty scanning is a good idea. Maybe even more than two. Linking up our sensors to look deep is much more powerful than any of you singly or in a group," Acutus said.

Prime nodded. "Good point."

Prowl noted it, then glanced around the table. "I want your reports on my desk as soon as possible. We need to trouble shoot what happened and break it down for future operations. I also want this available for Lissie and the other instructors to use for their classes."

Everyone groaned, then Prime sat forward again. "I want your oaths that what I tell you stays in this room."

Everyone glanced at each other, then Prime. They nodded almost as one.

"The apparition at Unidad, the one from the chapel appeared to me on the bridge of Salton Sea," Prime said.

"Frag. What did **she** want?" Ironhide asked. "I hate ghosts."

Prime grinned faintly. "She said a couple of things that do not make sense, then disappeared."

It was silent, then Perceptor sat back in thought. "That's very strange. I would think that apparition would stay home … here. Most of them are territorial. What did she say?"

"She said 'good', 'right arm' and 'evolution', then disappeared," Prime said. "I have never had a vision where these comments were made."

It was silent a moment. Then Turbine shifted. "Maybe we need to have a seer come back, Optimus. There's symbolism here and we might need someone to figure this out and maybe make contact with this being."

Prime glanced at Prowl. "Do we have that seer's location and name?"

"We do," Prowl said, then glanced at Chrome. "Would you do the honors of contacting him to discuss this or perhaps to come try to make contact with the being, please?"

Chrome nodded. "I will."

Prime considered that, then rose. "We will await more information. As of now, anything discussed in this room is of the utmost in secrecy. If we can get on to our part of this puzzle then we might figure this out. If you could meet again in two orns with what you can find out, then we can go from there. A decision regarding the human visitors must be had."

Everyone stood and began to file out.

Drift waited until they did, then turned to Prime. "We can toss and examine their spaces and stuff when you say so, Optimus. Just let me know when they leave."

Prime glanced at Ratchet. "Could you tell Lennox that we are going to include strikers on forward bases for experience. Start with the two of them and two others. That way we can clear them out and get this going."

Ratchet rose. "Your command is my wish. Or something like that."

Everyone walked out to their jobs both here and off world. Ratchet ambled over to the N.E.S.T. garrison, then rapped on the window. He grinned as a line was opened.

:What's up, Ratchet?: Corey McFarlane's voice said over the common line.

"I need to talk to Lennox. Is he here?" Ratchet asked.

:I'll get him: Corey said as he disappeared from view. He returned swiftly with Lennox who stared upward as he stood at the huge windows of the garrison building.

:What's up?: Lennox asked.

Ratchet smiled. "I need to talk to you about a training expansion possibility for you tiny little slaggers. Can you come out to play?" He smiled a dazzler.

Lennox could.

=0=TBC 3-24-19 **edited 4-6-19**

ESL: surreptitious (syrup-tish-us) to do something with stealth, without informing others, being sneaky.

Paraphrase: (pair-uh-fraze) to make something verbally long into something verbally short.

Just a cute side note: In medieval times, the support groups and supply lines was called 'the luggage'. I just find that fabulous. :D


	620. Chapter 620

The Diego Diaries: Spy v Spy (dd6 620)

=0=In a booth at the Diner On The Corner, Iacon

He sat waiting for her, nervous to his super structure. She had messaged him asking for a meet up and he had come early to sit and wait. He was almost never anxious or nervous. He usually knew what he wanted and what he would do to get it but this was unnerving. He stirred his cup of 'coffee' idly as he thought back to all the times he'd stepped into the abyss and felt nothing. Now? He was weak in the knees.

He saw her enter, her tiny form and immaculate beauty as entrancing as the first time it occurred to him that she was something he could desire but it was more than that now. He felt inside his spark the nascent beginnings of something else, something he had never felt before except with her.

She walked to the booth and he felt himself standing as she slid in across from him. He sat and they looked at each other a moment in silence.

He nodded. "How are you, Gem?"

She stared at him, then her expression crumpled. "I missed you, Hydro" she said softly.

For a moment he felt his spark soar, then he leaned in closer. "Has someone hurt you?" he asked with a sense of protection for her that surprised him. He gently lay his giant servo on her tiny one.

She stared at him, then shook her helm. "No." She put her own on top of his. "I miss you."

=0=Ratchet and Lennox

They walked down the street as Ratchet carried him, determined to have their conversation away from inquiring minds. It was cold outside and the sun shown, its light glistening off the surface of shiny things everywhere. Lennox rode on Ratchet's servo, waiting until the big mech got to where he was going. Ratchet would tell him what he wanted Lennox to know and it was likely that he did so at the behest of Optimus. For now, he would enjoy the ride.

They walked onward, then entered the Museum of Cybertron At Mars. It was quiet there, the orn still young. Soon it would be filled with citizenry, student groups and guided tours of human tourists. He walked onward, then entered a vast artfully lit room filled with jewels. Some of them were from Cybertron and the Empire, old and beloved configurations of things some of which couldn't be found on Earth. Others were both raw and worked versions of things found here and around the solar system. It was an ever growing collection. He paused before a display of diamonds the size of basketballs.

Cybertronian basketballs.

"I do love good bling," Ratchet said with a smile.

Lennox chuckled. :I think that beats the big ones on Earth. I don't think even the Queen of England can top that one:

Ratchet snickered. "No. I think Queen Prowl trumps her collection."

They both snickered together.

:What's up?: Lennox asked as he settled himself on Ratchet's hand.

:I'm going off line for this conversation. We've decided to flush out the spies. We think they're the ones killing mercs for whatever reason they have. We're going to be sending them and two others of your choosing to do short duties at the forward bases. We want to send them to Charon with two of your men so that we can turn their quarters without arousing suspicion and try to figure out how they manage to hide themselves when they kill the mercs: Ratchet said.

:You think it's them then: Lennox replied.

Ratchet nodded. :It's the tech angle and the victim that lends support to that theory. Unless someone among our own has come here with more advanced tech and a problem with organics … specific organics, then it would seem a reasonable deduction that its a human. I don't think the mercs are killing each other, though I'm open to being wrong. I do believe they've worked together enough to be past such things. That leaves the ringers:

Lennox considered that, then nodded. :Logic might dictate that to be true. What do you want me to do?:

:Pick out two slaggers who might want to see what the deal is on Charon, then include them. You have discretion over the garrison here and they belong to it under your command. We can do this change out thing until we figure this out. It can be an expansion of the training here. We're shipping quarters and support to Charon and it'll be installed today. When they're gone we're going to approach their quarters and begin a search. Do you notice anything weird about them and their housing?:

Lennox considered that. "No. We all have separate quarters and they often shelter at the consulate where they do most of their duties when not training. They have efficiency apartments at the garrison that all the non-family strikers use. No one enters anyone elses space. That's the rule. The few inspections I make you can count on one finger. We respect everyone's privacy in the garrison:

:Then hope that lulled them into be careless. We want to do this now: Ratchet said. :The zillionaires are going to want to go home in three orns and we have to have something in the bag before then. No one knows about this murder on Earth but the usual suspects:

:Alright. I can send a couple of the bachelors with them. I'll get on it: Lennox said.

Ratchet smiled. :You always were a good son, Lennox: Ratchet said as he headed for the door.

They both had a good laugh about that on the way.

=0=Diner

"Then I realized something that I never had before, Hydro," Gem said. "I realized that he wasn't you."

Hydro stared at her startled by her admission. She was in a serious relationship with a guy who was an accountant. He was good to her and they had fun. Then she said that and his world exploded in his face. She was staring at him with a mix of emotions. "Uh, I'm sorry, Gem. You sorta surprised me here."

She squeezed his servo. "When you saved us I was filled with gratitude and loyalty. You saved us, Hydro. That mattered to me. Then this place sort of … healed a lot. We had a lot of counseling to get over the fear and dread. I met him there and he was a great guy. He still is but … he isn't you."

Hydro stared at her with almost too much hope. "I didn't like that you found another guy," he said. "I didn't like it at all."

She stared at him, then grinned slightly. "Why?" she asked softly.

He stared at her, the best thing he ever met. "Because … because ..."

"Because why, Hydro?" she asked softly.

He stared at her in his inadequacy, then leaned slightly closer. "Because you are the one for me," he finally said.

He would live forever and never see anything as beautiful the whole time as her smile right now.

=0=Garrison meeting room, everyone on the team present

"Ratchet came to me just now and told me that Prime would like to see us get more experience in the system. He said it would be a good thing overall for us to know how to operate on ships and at the garrison bases outlying. He said watching us on ships during missions had made it imperative that we learn how to manage in zero gravity, on ships, perhaps during battles and among the mechs at the bases. He wants us to know about the galaxy beyond the solar system."

"So … he wants us to go out to the garrison bases and spend time there? Does that mean we go out with the shuttles when they do things?" Corey McFarlane asked.

Lennox nodded. "He wants us to get proficient in operations there and on board ships when they go out. He wants to send four at a time, small enough teams to go and be an asset and not a hindrance. I'm going to send Trevor Smith, Horst Mueller, Jack Paxton and you, Anderson. Bachelors first."

"Sweet," Jack Paxton said with a grin. "When are we going?"

"Now," Will said. "The ship leaves for Charon in two hours."

"No bridge?" Trevor asked with a grin as he rose to go.

"They want you to have the full experience," Niall Graham said with a chuckle. "Better you than me. I have a conference at Sparkling Day tomorrow."

"We're all getting a turn out there. I've been discussing this with them for a long time now and they agreed some time back. However, given the stuff going on, this is the first time we could sit down and discuss it," Lennox lied. "Get on it. Be ready to go to the ship in an hour."

The four men stood and walked out to get their gear together. The rest dispersed slowly but with enough bitching about being passed over to add to the reality of the moment. As it stood, only Lennox would know until the men left. Then Epps, Graham and Morshower would be told.

=0=Diner

They sat for two joors talking. Hydro mostly watching her as she poured out her spark. He almost didn't hear her words as he felt himself fly with joy that she'd broken up with the other guy, himself just a decent person and come to him with resolve. She wanted to see where this went.

He would go with her wherever she wanted to go. For the first time since arriving here, Hydro felt joy.

=0=Getting ready

"We can't tell home that we're leaving for this," Horst Mueller said to his partner, Colin Anderson as that tall rangy man got his gear together. "They're going to wonder why we miss the transmission times."

"Can't be helped. Besides, this is more intel," Anderson said as he zipped his duffel. "We can explain later." He picked up his bag and gun. "Let's go. Lennox wants us on time."

They gathered their gear, then walked out to the main room where Trevor and Jack were already waiting with Lennox, Epps and Graham. They joined the group.

"You'll be under the command of Mecurial, a long time soldier with the Autobots who's directing the garrison at the base this shift. The twins are going to be there for three days, then shift back in. That's their usual posting so it should be fun. Just listen and learn, use good manners and it should be fine all around," Lennox said. "Any questions?"

They had none so the group walked to the garage and entered a vehicle. With Niall at the wheel, they drove out and headed to the airfield and the shuttle that would fly them to the end of the solar system and the huge forward base on the moon of Pluto, Charon.

=0=Ops Center

"They're on their way," Prowl said as Optimus walked out of the office corridor nearby. "Mueller and Anderson are among them."

Prime nodded. "Good," he said. "No one will be able to contact anyone from there. Is the team ready to go?"

"When the shuttle lifts off, they will go," Prowl said.

As they talked, a shuttle made its way to space carrying some heavy cargo and four humans to the farthest posting that was still inside the solar system, the frozen dead moon of Pluto.

=0=The Team

Ratchet and Percy stood with a number of mini-cons who were forensics and technology experts attached to Sciences and the Day/Night Watch. Drift joined them to oversee the investigation while Sky waited with them to head the forensics operation. They would remain outside while the 'tech crew' would enter and 'do an onsite check' of the electrical system which was 'a standard thing we do every so often against the possibility of glitches'. Maybe. If anyone asked they would say an EMP burst happened and a glitch was in the system.

It was cold and sunny but no one felt anything but the chills of the hunt as they waited for Lennox to drive past them, the signal for the team to come to the hatch entrance. When he did, he waved the all clear.

"Go and do us proud, infants," Ratchet said with a grin.

The mini-cons glanced up at him, then laughed. Syncing their gear with Sky and Drift, they marched off in the usual munchkin band sort of way that all of them had when they were headed toward something. It was amusing to the big mechs as they watched.

"What did we ever do to deserve mini-cons?" Ratchet asked as they disappeared into the hatch.

"I don't know," was the considered response of everyone waiting with him.

=0=TBC 3-25-19 **edited 4-6-19**


	621. Chapter 621

The Diego Diaries: Searchin' (dd6 621)

=0=At the habitat door dividing things

They stared at each other, low end statured minis on one side of the line and the human soldiers on the other. The habitat doors behind them had closed, the room atmosphere returned and they met at the halfway point, a clutch of six mini-cons laden with gear and meters the size of frying pans as well as the soldiers.

Their leader, Flip ... the **redoubtable** Flip, father of 'Jim-Jam the Magnificent' (in his processor, Jim Jam's that is), his brothers, Lob, father of Pokey 'Who's Lucky He Isn't In There' (or so his father said the last time he was arrested for joyful singing with the others), Coreolus, the father of Hopalong (or as he was known around his house after his last arrest with the others as 'Go Along'), Sparky, father of 'Flim Flam The Still Grounded' and Sample, father of Sipple ('the Simple') smiled up at the soldiers. Doing the same, last but not least, there was the still unbonded youngest brother of all of them, Mushy, their spokesman.

Like that.

Mini-cons …

"Hi, Lennox. We're here to find the glitch," Flip said with a giant smile.

Five others joined them as they stared upward to the humans staring downward. Though they were all about five feet tall, the mechs, it still seemed that the humans were just that much taller.

"Uh, I heard about that. What's going on?" Lennox said as the only one who knew what was really going on and had given in to the macabre sense of humor of the mini-con forensics experts. He was also the only human there who knew they were. Everyone else would believe they were electricians, the slaggers.

"Well," Flip said as he warmed to the story, "we found a glitch at the Hangar District Main Transfer Station and we think it might head this way. So we're going from the big frame hangars over here and then to Sciences to track it down."

"What if it happens here?" Bobby Epps said as the garrison crowded around.

"Well, I think that you'll have five or six seconds to run to the safety chambers and get inside before you suffocate like fish out of water," Flip replied, then smiled a huge smile.

Everyone stared at the mini-cons, then each other, then Lennox, then the mini-cons. Then they all said the same thing: **"What the fuck?!"**

Moments later …

They'd tracked down all the animals in the habitat and put them into the chambers ensuring that if things went south the animals would live to tell the tale.

Or not.

It was then that the garrison did what the mini-cons hoped they'd do. They would find, nonchalantly of course, a reason to sit down within running distance of the rows of safety chambers that could be found on one side of each floor of every human habitation. There were enough to hold twice as many as lived here which was a good thing since this place was usually stuffed fuller than a garbage can on pick up day.

Flip grinned, then winked at Lennox. "How about the garrison turning over the ops center to Prowl and let us do this from there on down to the sub basements. We have to track the slagging glitch. It's a terrible foe." He leaned in to Lennox, glanced slightly at the nervous crew watching, then said, "Terrible."

Lennox stared at the little slaggers, then nodded with a ghost of a smirk. "Alright. Niall, get that done, then move everyone out. These slaggers have priority as per the charters."

Niall who was staring at them with loathing nodded, then walked to Ops Center to make it so. The crew came out in varying stages of fear and loathing themselves as the little slaggers then walked in to pretend to search. He watched them go, then turned to Lennox. "I sent a message for no one to come here. What the hell is going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Lennox said as he glanced around the room filled with concerned soldiers and a few of their dependents. / … it isn't of course … heh-heh-heh … what would we do without mini-cons? … before this is over, I might want to find out .../ "Why don't you find a seat near a chamber. I'll go with them and see how fast this is going to go."

Everyone found a seat near the containments while inside, dogs that were big enough were standing on their back legs to peer out with waggy tails and the usual smiles all dogs have everywhere when they love and are loved. It was one tense group hanging around outside though.

Lennox walked in and noted that the slaggers were plugged in. They were searching for messages, ghosted or otherwise as they scanned **EVERYTHING**. None of them were talking unless it was off line so he waited. It would take a while.

=0=Down the road sitting on the curb or the tailgate of the M-F-L or Mobile Forensics Lab

Optimus Prime sat on the tailgate of the big lab truck where Percy sat among the consoles inside corresponding with the mini-cons who were doing the leg work at the habitat down the street. Beside him sat Sky who was assisting and directing the operation.

Ratchet and Prowl stood side-by-side waiting with Drift, Hercy and Kup. Partition who was off duty and Lancer who was going on shortly waited beside him. He was very interested in forensics as well.

"What do you suppose they'll find, Abba?" Partition asked Ratchet.

"Well, maybe messaging, perhaps equipment … I would think they'd have that hidden well and maybe even booby trapped. I don't think if they have our stuff that they're planning to get caught with it any time soon," Ratchet replied as the others nodded.

"I hope they make a mistake. We have less than three orns before I have to make a decision about letting the humans go back. What is the status on the humans in protective custody?" Prime asked.

"They're mouthy and unappreciative," Ratchet said with a smile. "I can't imagine why. I went by and scanned them this morning and no one is happy. Just so you know."

That's not unexpected," Sky said. "They don't get the nuances of living with us. You kill someone or you're a target, you get a vacation in protective custody."

"Maybe we can make a brochure," Ratchet said as they all laughed.

Meanwhile, inside …

They walked out, paused together near the humans to talk off line together with serious expressions, then turned to Lennox. "We have to go floor by floor to get this figured out. Right now, we think its here but we have to do the whole system to find out."

"Then go. What do you want us to do?" Lennox asked as he began to follow the others.

Sample glanced at the group, then Lennox with a concerned expression. "Stay with the safety chambers. **I** would if I was you." With that, he followed his brothers to the elevator with Lennox and went down.

It was silent a moment, then the men and family members glanced at each other. Several of them moved their chairs closer to the doors. It would be tense and silent in the room for the next few.

=0=Going down one floor

"You clowns are having a good time aren't you?" Lennox asked as he leaned against the elevator door with a grin.

"What's the fun, Lennox, if there's no fun?" Coreolus aka Co-Co asked. The others chuckled as they nodded. "Those bums up there haven't got a clue. We're all army here, regular army, and if you can't prank your own who can you prank?"

"You got me there. By the way, what about your kids? Are they staying out of trouble?" Lennox asked as the elevator stopped and the door opened.

They looked at him, then Sparky looked offended. "In trouble? Please. We're mini-cons. It's in the Code," he said as they all exited with a guffaw and back slap.

Lennox followed them with a grin.

=0=Outside, down the roadblock

"The team is pranking the humans. They're making them think the habitat will fail any minute and they have five seconds to get into a safety chamber," Sky said with a chuckle. "The humans are falling for it."

"They know better," Prowl said with a frown. "They have a joor before the air inside is depleted even with a breach. The slaggers are lying."

"They're pranking, Prowler. Fun. As in having it. Verb. The act of having a good time. Look it up," Ratchet said with a giant dazzling smile. "You know you wanna."

Prowl stared at him. "I hate you."

Guffaws were had by all.

=0=Inside

They went through all the apartments just in case as they went down to the second sub floor where the studios and barracks for single men and women were located. Going through each, checking if there was anything stashed there or if they could trace anything networked out, they finally reached the efficiency studio apartment of Colin Anderson of N.E.S.T. Australia who with Horst Mueller of N.E.S.T. Germany was one of the two identified 'ringers'.

Flip turned to the group. "Mush and me will go in and scan. If we find anything I'll tell Mushy to go out and tell you but I won't let on. If they have cameras it'll show us alerting and we don't want that. I'll go through the process and then come out as well. We'll do Mueller's apartment, then meet up on the next floor up. We've scanned that and nothing out of the order or Cybertronian alerts. We're scanning to sub atomic particle level, Lennox and even if its made on Earth the structures will alert if they're our tech no matter point of origin."

Lennox nodded, then watched as Flip and Mushy opened the door to walk inside. The lights came on and the small open spaced painfully neat room could be seen. They began to work out their search, then Mushy left the room. Flip walked to the electrical wall box by the stove, opened it and began to do scans and other work for the contents therein.

After a moment, he stopped, then walked out. Nodding to the team, he and Mushy entered Mueller's apartment, were inside, then came out together. Making a show of checking their gear in case there were cameras watching, they headed toward the elevator and entered as a group. The door closed and they went upward.

Reaching the deck, they exited the elevator, then gathered round Flip. He considered his data, then glanced at Lennox. "They have our tech, Lennox. But there's a problem. They also armed their room with our tech. If we go in and do anything about it, it'll not only alert each other but their control as well," Flip asked.

"Where is their control?" Lennox asked with dread.

"Earth," Flip said. "Their control is on Earth."

=0=Outside listening in

"Well, that sort of tells the story. Where on Earth and who?" Ratchet asked as Percy and Sky listened in.

"We'll have to check it out," Sky said. "We'll have to figure out how to tap it to trace it down to Earth and whatever cell or control group runs them."

"Can you do that?" Prime asked. "Without alerting anyone?"

"Give us a few joors, Optimus," Percy said. "At least they're not here to complicate things."

=0=Charon

The four humans settled into the small (for bots) apartment block enclosed in a protective case that would be their home away from home. They had a barracks living quarters, living room, kitchen and 'the facilities' as the humans liked to call them. It would be communal but they were soldiers so who cared.

They settled in, then walked out to see the sights. Their habitat box was settled near the door of Ops Center so they could look out into the rec room and back into the operational center as they wanted. There was enough space for them to sit in chairs in the enclosed space patio to watch the show.

Sitting nearby watching them as he reported for duty, Sunstreaker noted that two of the soldiers he didn't know. He knew Jack Paxton and Trevor Smith. He liked both of them. He didn't know the other two. Why they were here, he would have to pry out of Ada but they were so this might actually be fun he thought as he began to track bogies in the far, far distant reaches of Prime's Sphere of Influence.

=0=TBC 3-26-19 **4-6-19**


	622. Chapter 622

The Diego Diaries: Things (dd6 622)

=0=Near N.E.S.T. HQ

They gathered together to talk, waiting only for Wheeljack and three smart kids to arrive. They finally did, then Flip outlined the problem.

"They have our tech. It resonates with our sensors, thus we can find it even if someone else has or modifies it. It happened that way with the Functionalist thing and with the ships that had traded for our tech. No matter how anyone might modify it themselves, there's enough of our own built in that it alerts. We could tell that from the alien armada that opposed us getting our people.

"We sense that there are alert systems built in that could and probably do two things. First, it alerts the ringers. Then it pulses their control on Earth that the jig is up. The idea here is to get the tech without triggering anyone, then using it to our advantage. Or so I presume you wish to do, Optimus," Flip asked as he glanced up to Prime.

Prime nodded. "That would be optimal. If we can gain control, we can intercept their messages outgoing to assess the damage done and control what their base gets on Earth. I am assuming they managed to ghost their messages out?"

Flip nodded. "They did. That means if nothing else that they have our tech. No Earth tech can touch us. Nothing they have even reaches the same category. They can't ghost us. Starscream proved their limitations overall with the Intel-Martin case."

Prime considered the situation. "Then we need to take the tech over without letting them know we have. Can we do that?" he asked Percy and Wheeljack.

"May I see the data, Flip?" Percy asked as he took the sensor. Turning to Wheeljack and the kids, they began an intense off line conversation as they studied the problem before them.

It was silent a moment, then Wheeljack turned to Prime. "If we can determine the extent of their on world reach, if we can determine the amount, types and kinds of tech and how they've deployed it we might be able to dampen the stuff, then swap out command and control at this end. All we need to do is get control without alerting them at this end, Prime."

"Then do what you need. Swiftly. We have a killer in the colony and this treachery cannot stand," Prime said grimly.

The youngsters followed Wheeljack and Percy into the forensic truck while Flip huddled with his brothers. Then he looked up at Prime. "Do you want us to go inside and pretend to do things?"

Prime considered that, then nodded. "I do. When its time to move, then you will be in place."

Flip grinned and so did his brothers as he nodded to Prime, then as a group they walked back to N.E.S.T.

Ratchet smirked. "They're playing the soldiers, the little slaggers."

"I know," Prime said with a ghost of a grin.

=0=Inside

They walked back in, then gathered in the rec room near the soldiers. Looking at each other with grim expressions, nodding now and again, they chatted off line and laughed raucously as they watched the soldiers out of the corner of their optics. It was amusing as hell how they tried not to look concerned, all of the soldiers present.

Lennox who was sipping a beer nearby rose to walk to them. He leaned in. "What's the word?" he whispered.

Everyone of the little mechs stared at him, then each other. That's when Mushy told him. "Why, Lennox, the bird is the word."

 **HUGE** raucous laughter greeted that. None of it came from the humans.

=0=On the street a half joor later

They gathered again, everyone but the mini-cons to discuss a possible way to take the tech and make it their own. It was a tricky solution.

"We have to pulse the tech, making it look like a power outage, then scan it quickly, get it back on line with us in control, then step away. We're not going to take it out and blow our chance to find these slaggers both here and on Earth," Wheeljack said.

"How will you do that and not make it look like we found it?" Prowl asked.

"We need to pulse an EMP blast to this end of town. It will stop anything electronic in its tracks. Funny thing, though. Wrapping things in aluminum foil will block the waves," Wheeljack said with a chuckle. "We can say that a small reactor failed and pulsed outward. It's going to shut down the Hangar District and maybe throw off a few devices but the big stuff is protected against it. The Habitats will go down but will come back on nearly immediately because their back ups are underground just for this very reason. They would normally be protected but we can turn off that portion of their tech.

"We can make everyone come out of the N.E.S.T. HQ and evac the area around as we check. This will give us a chance to scan the tech, make a work around, then bring it all up with the system restore for the area. It's going to frag up shipping and airports a bit and maybe even reach the Resort and Monastery. We can broadcast it on The Hourly News and its going to be the cover. It will also show up in good stead because the mini-cons were looking for a glitch in the system."

"When can you do this? Is there anyway to alert anyone that might not need this to happen or are we fragged?" Prowl asked.

"It would do well that they don't get alerted. Loose lips sink ships," Wheeljack said. Everyone stared at him, then he chuckled. "You need to get out more."

"Make it so, Wheeljack. Do we need to bring a reactor into this or do you have EMP devices?" Prime asked.

Wheeljack nodded. "We have them," he said, then sent his kids to bring the equipment to their location.

Prime turned to Ratchet. "Could you call Lennox and get him into a safe place to talk?"

Ratchet nodded, then made the call. :Ratchet to Lennox. You there, infant?"

:Lennox here, Ratchet. What the frag is going on?: he asked.

:I'm here to deliver the goods: Ratchet said using the code they all followed, those of the highest rank when they wanted to speak freely of eavesdroppers.

Lennox stared at the men sitting around staring at him, then walked to the Ops Center and found a quiet corner. Glancing around to see that he was alone, he leaned into the wall and spoke into his phone. "What's going on, Ratchet? Are we done? Did you find anything?"

:We did, infant. We're going to shoot an EMP blast at the habitat to shut down the tech and we want you all out. Gear up and come out. Now:

"On it. Lennox out," he said as he hurried into the rec room. "Everyone gear up. We're bugging out. Leave the pets. They're going to be fine in the safety chambers. Hurry up."

"What's going on?" Niall asked as everyone began to pull out helmets and run for the door nearby to the motor pool. Included among them were family members.

"I'll tell you in a minute," Lennox said as they hurried out.

The room equalized, then they burned out, heading in their motor vehicles for the street outside. Driving forward, they reached Ratchet and everyone at the forensics vehicle. Rolling up, Lennox stepped out and walked to Prime and Ratchet. :What's going on? We left our pets in there:

"They'll be alright," Perceptor said as he watched Wheeljack and the kids set up an EMP device. It was a black box with a console and monitor attached along with a dish that had a focal device mounted in front that would direct the beam. "We wouldn't harm any poor animals."

Everyone grinned at Percy who turned back to the task at hand.

Then Lennox glanced back up to the two bots watching the building down the street. :What about Flip and his brothers?:

"We're recalling them now," Sky said as he stood on the sidewalk watching as the hatch opened and six mini-cons walked out.

When they were far enough away, Wheeljack nodded to Percy and a tech. "Offline your comm channels," Sky suggested and they did, some of them helping others to do so.

Wheeljack and the tech tapped away, then 'Jack pressed send. A huge burst of energy flared out in waves and the sound of an EMP, a dull then fading tone could be heard. It felt like life and color was sucked out of things, then it passed.

The mini-cons then ran back toward the habitat, entering to disappear inside. The soldiers watched them and so did the few civilian family members who were there.

Graham turned to Wheeljack. :What's going on, Wheeljack?: he asked as the others turned toward the scientist.

Wheeljack glanced at Prime then told them. "We have a glitch in the system and its electronic. We had to pulse it to kill it. If we left it alone or tried to trace it with other means then we would've run the risk of habitat failure. You'd wake up in the middle of the night dead."

It was silent a moment, then Lennox glanced at Prime who nodded ever so slightly. He looked at the others who looked shocked. :Then this fixes it?:

"It will. Just give us a chance to trade out some blasted tech, reboot the system, then add the new fail safes," Ratchet said with a smile as he lied. "We're good at this, infants. Why don't you go somewhere for a bit and we'll call you when its done. Those little slaggers have to tear out some walls or something."

Prowl who watched Ratchet lie like a sociopath glanced at the humans. "I think that would be wise," he said.

The humans nodded, then walked back to the vehicles. They climbed in as Lennox spoke to Prime. :We're going to be good to go, right?: he asked.

Prime nodded. "You will be."

:Okay. Just buzz us when we can come back. The command center in Virginia and Diego are going to be wondering what happened: Lennox said as he walked to a vehicle.

"I will have Ratchet give them the heads up," Prime said.

The humans pulled out buzzing away as the bots watched. Prime looked at the bots. "Do what you have to do. I want this to be turned to our favor without anyone having a clue. Right now, I am going to have a message placed on The Hourly News about this."

"Given they have to be watching as well on Earth, no one will be wondering what happened," Ratchet said. "I would think we caught them here. I don't think they'd have this tech at the consulate would they? They're posted there a good chunk of their time on duty."

"I would like you to go to all the habitats and make a show of checking for this 'glitch', gentlemen. Find out if they have back ups at the Consulate or not," Prime said.

Everyone agreed, then everyone relaxed as they waited for Flip of Village 4-C and his five brothers to work out what they were going to do about the tech in question as Perceptor and Wheeljack joined them inside.

=0=The Hourly News as seen on Forward Base #3, Charon, Moon of Pluto, Earth and everywhere in the empire

"We've just received a message from the Department of Public Works," Mercon, a day shift presenter for IntraCom said as he got a note handed to him from someone off camera. "Apparently, there was found a serious electronic problem in the electrical system that feeds district 4, sections 49-72 this morning during a routine maintenance defrag of the grid. Teams have been working all orn going from sector to sector checking the installations and buildings in each place to find it.

"It was established to be in the routing systems between the Big Frame Hanger #2 and the N.E.S.T and Hu-An habitats. A team went to each place to trace it down. When they found it they had to shut down the system using an EMP pulse to clear the problem for reboot. All electrical power in the district was down for a period of two breems.

"Colonial Power and Lights have a team on site going through the system to replace burned out devices and sectors in the grid to bring things back on line. The N.E.S.T and Hangar Center was evacuated due to the danger of the system crashing and the possibility of widespread electrical arcing on site. To ensure that everyone was safe they were asked to leave and did so.

"The problem has been identified and a redesign is being made to prevent it happening again. Apparently, the junctions that supply power for those sectors of the main grid were inadequate for the load given the expansion of the Hu-An Habitat recently. Boosters are being placed now and the system will be back on line in about a joor or two.

"Everyone who has no urgent reason to be there is asked to stay away to allow electricians and Public Maintenance to work out the problem. When things are restored we will bring you that information.

"In other news ..."

=0=Forward Base #3, Charon, a moon of Pluto

The four humans watched the screen as the scene showed a number of trucks parked in the hangar district, the N.E.S.T. HQ and a big building near the Big Frame Hangar that housed the electrical routing and junction equipment. It looked like any scene of repair on Earth if small cars were doing the work.

The two ringers would watch and at no point in doing so would they have a clue that they were made.

=0=TBC 3-27-19 **edited 4-6-19**

ESL If someone is 'made', they are discovered

An old doo wop song was a nonsensical thing where a verse went, "bird, bird, bird is the word". :D

EMPS (electrical magnetic pulse) are radioactive waves that nuclear explosions release and they destroy electronic devices. Starscream gave an EMP blast in The Return of the Fallen and destroyed everyone's phones.

notes!

What Lies Beyond chapter 620 . Mar 25

Holy crap, I'm finally caught up on this monster work. I'm both relieved at that, since it's taken several months and I wasn't sure I'd make it before Part 7 went up, and disappointed because I've burned through what was already stockpiled, lol. There's so much going on here that I'm not sure what I should comment on first (like the apparition and who-or what-I think she might be, among other things), so I'm going to ask about something that popped into my head while reading "Chronicles of Orion" but definitely applies here:

So, there was a running gag going a long while back with the fact that Ratchet and Ironhide have sparklings that, aside from their faces, bear resemblance to important staff members...Are they ever going to have one that resembles Optimus, and go through with the "doppelganger Christmas Surprise card" and related pranks that were suggested?

 **ME: HI! WELCOME!** I have that on the list, the Christmas Card suggestion. :D Its not a done deal that Ratchet is done with their football team. Discounting the big kids, they're still down a few and Ratchet was the one who wanted to show the kids on the card as their poltergeist doppelgangers. :D Count on it. :D:D:D (When? That remains to be seen.) :D HUGS!

Guest chapter 619 . Mar 24

Well, the plot thickens. Is the ghost the spirit of Mars or Earth? Since the planets have souls too. Or one of the other advanced species you have mentioned here and there?\

 **ME:** I would tell you about that but there's a bit of a twist to it so I'm going to hold onto that one a bit longer. Planets, suns, everything has consciousness and even quantum physicists are getting that message. HUGS!

It doesn't look good for the bots that they can't solve the murders. If memory serves, Harris had a meet up with Razorclaw, who has bridge tech. Is he supplying the humans with tech? He also had in his prison the bad guy (was it Emirate somebody?), who had all kinds of interesting tech which now belongs to Razorclaw. The scene in Italy sort of pointed for somebody from somewhere else... Unless it was just Silas who had been rescued!

 **ME:** There are a lot of sources for the potential thing here. Razorclaw has their tech and he's got that of the defectors as well. Emirate is still there. Italy is a player. There is going to be a long and winding thread about all of them. This part of it relates but is slightly different than those you mentioned. :D:D:D

Will be interesting to see how you develop this. Egoistically I wish you could write faster, takes too long to find out what is happening…

 **ME:** BWAHAHAHA! I hear ya. :D HUGS!

optimus prime101 chapter 618 . Mar 22

Hey, you need to watch this video and read what it says down below the video.

comicbook movies /2019 /03/ 16/ transformers -the -last -knight -sequel/

They are making 2 sequels one to bumblebee movie and the other 2 the last knight but some people say the got it wrong that they are only doing bumblebee movie but one director says one thing and the 3 directors in the videos says they are working on 2 sequels so you don't know which one to go by they still need to finish what happens after transformers the last knight they just can't leave it at a cliff hanger and not finish it it's not far.

 **ME:** I have heard this, too. I think several movies are coming but what they are is still being developed. I can't wait to see one on Cybertron. :D HUGS!

Leoness chapter 618 . Mar 22

Aw, Springer has a sad.

 **ME:** He is such a baby. :D He and Drift don't like to be apart and Springer doesn't want to miss out on the gossip, the big femme. LOL! HUGS! :D


	623. Chapter 623

The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 623)

=0=A few joors later in the Ops Center, Autobot City

Prime sat in the conference room with his senior officers, scientists and General Glenn Morshower. Will Lennox had called him to come and all were gathered to hear the news.

"We have two ringers in the community of humans who are members of the N.E.S.T garrison, Horst Mueller of Germany and Colin Anderson of Australia. They are on the Beta Striker team and work ostensibly for the Resistance," Prowl began as he summarized. "We found our tech in their quarters, ingenuously designed to be difficult to find. There is no corresponding tech at the Consulate where most of their duties are focused.

"The tech includes a micro communications device that was found embedded in books in their possession, a device that can create messages that can then be ghosted out on the backs of our own messaging. They sent and received messages to and from Earth over the garrison's system utilizing these devices which allowed them to go to Earth and back undetected.

"They also have tech that allows them to come and go without alerting sensors, that establishes their signals where they want them to be scanned and not on their person when they come and go as well as creates a screen behind which they can do what they want, go where they want to go and not be seen.

"Understand how it works… it's a device that's worn under their skin, one that bends light to create a blank or null space around them. Dampening if you will sight and sound for someone else around them if they look at them. They don't see the human standing there though they are actually, so that person can come and go without being noted or seen. It works both with those around them and with sensors as well. Given that their signal is registering where they want it rather than on them, themselves, they can do what they want, come and go and not get caught. The security system reads them as being in their quarters rather than marauding around."

:Who made this tech, Prowl?: Lennox asked as he and Morshower sat on the table in chairs, their agitation growing with every revelation.

"This is the handiwork of Jhiaxus and Shockwave. Understand … that you're there existing in the same space as others. You're there like a ghost. You're still there and because you are you still have to stay out of the way of others so they don't run into you. But they can't see you. It creates a blank spot that somehow reflects the rest of the room where the enabled individual is, letting them be present but utterly unseen and undetected. It seems to trick the brain or processor in some way from seeing or even hearing that someone is there. They can do jumping jacks and no one will notice, so completely does it create a 'dampening' of the senses. How? I don't know until its taken from them and deconstructed."

:Then it cloaks them in every way even as they stand in front of you: Morshower asked.

Wheeljack nodded. "It's slagging ingenuous. It has their fingerprints all over it, Shockwave and Jhiaxus. We heard they were working on it but even Sentinel banned it. He didn't want someone to shiv him with it. It's banned tech. No one is supposed to have this stuff. It can create havoc on a society if someone can come and go, doing whatever they want and no one can see. You can't have a free and protected society with this even among us with our fragged up situation, thus it's outlawed tech. Even the Tyrest Treaties bans it."

Everyone glanced at Prime.

Then Lennox stepped closer. :What's the plan then?:

"We have it discovered and outlined. Perceptor and Blaster are working out how we can overtake it without allowing the ringers to know we did. We want to control its outgoing and incoming traffic. That way we can trace this on Earth and know what they have going on with their plans," Prime said. "I do not want them to know that we are in control because they are going to stay free for now, though heavily surveilled. They can send their messages which will be relayed to us. We can read them, create our own and send those onward. The longer we can string both sides along, then the better chance we have of getting to the heart of this cancer."

Morshower nodded. :I wish I could tell you how this makes me feel, Prime. Having infiltration in the teams on Earth is bad enough but this? It's going to be a shit storm when this is known. It's going to be a real problem for N.E.S.T. when the world finds out:

"It shouldn't, for N.E.S.T. anyway," Ratchet said. "I've been reading up and all over the world extremists and racists have been infiltrating armed forces everywhere on Earth. Neo Nazis, extremists of all manner and kinds … bigots. All of them are trying to get their members into the militaries of most of the countries of the world. This isn't limited to N.E.S.T. Consider as well … we found ours and have them corralled."

:Maybe. I'm awfully pissed off about this: Morshower said as Lennox nodded. :I agree with you that the situation should be limited to a few of us. What is the plan about the human guests? They go home in three days and they know:

"I am going to release heavily redacted information to the press here and it will be broadcast to the Earth through the MCA and our broadcast channels there. We are going to give it straight and unembellished. Then we wait to see what happens.

"Sky's report is not due for a while and the interviews of everyone are still underway. The remaining mercenaries will stay where they are." Prime sat back. "I know that will annoy a lot of individuals but for now I want them safe and alive. What is the progress on their interviews?"

"I did them earlier," Prowl said with a slight grin…

=0=At the Prison Control Center, the room where the human holding stations were situated

Prowl watched as a box was pulled out of the wall and carried to the conference room next to the big room where the human mercenaries were being held in protective custody. The first one was Todd Baseman, a nervous but ultimately belligerent individual. Prowl sat, stared at Baseman a moment, then leaned closer. "I want to know what you know about the murder of Silvio Lombardi. Someone is killing mercenaries and I want to know why."

Baseman was standing next to the window of the little plexiglas-like container. :How the hell would **I** know? I didn't like Silvio. He was sucking up to Owen Harris and getting on everyone's nerves. He went his own way and we didn't cross paths often:

"When did you last see him? Make sure you think about your answers. We have security cameras all over the place," Prowl said. "Lying would throw a very dark shadow over you."

Baseman stared at him. :I saw him at lunch that same day. He was eating with some girl he was chasing, someone from Brazil who was working at Earth2. He was happy and they had a conversation before she left to go back to work and he headed toward the gym. After that, I never saw him again:

"Who did he associate with besides her? Did he have problems with anyone? Did you know of any reason why someone would kill him or even have arguments?" Prowl asked.

:He didn't associate with us. Harris liked him and so did Rick. He hung out with them. Harris was grooming him for bigger and better things, I think. He was spending time with that girl and I don't know about the rest. He didn't confide in me. He didn't confide in any of us. He just worked the angles to become indispensable to Harris and his son.

:Beliveau liked him as well. They both spoke French and Italian with each other: Baseman said. :I have no idea who killed him or why. Someone has a problem with mercenaries. This is the second one. What are you going to do about that, Prowl?:

Prowl considered that, then leaned closer. "I'm going to keep you locked up here until we find the killer. Unless, of course, you want to go back there and take your chances..."

Baseman glared at him but didn't add more. He was carted out and Prowl's 'favorite' mercenary was brought in case and all. He was put on the table, then the youngster walked out to wait in the hallway.

It was silent a moment as Prowl and Jim Johnson took the measure of the other. He walked to the edge of the case, then paused there to stare at Prowl with hard appraising optics. :I would hate to be you:

"Why?" Prowl asked, his demeanor bored, cold and professional. The cop Prowl from Praxus was here, large and in charge.

:Think about it. You're fucking cars. You eat oil. You blew up your world and you have fucked up relationships. How fucked is that?: Johnson asked. He wasn't afraid. He was safe in the container unless Prowl picked it up and shook it hard. He was at this moment having spent a day in the can ready to take that chance. James Johnson hated the Cybertronian people.

"And you? You're in jail again. You don't appreciate being one of eight billion that can live on another planet. You have no sense nor do you have appreciable masculinity in any degree I would consider necessary to be considered a man. You lie, trash talk individuals who are light years more advanced and you work for a basket case like Harris. You even got kicked out of N.E.S.T for being a bigoted half wit. I find you hilarious. Please … continue," Prowl said.

Johnson glared at him, then walked to the couch to sit. He stared at Prowl. :You may have fooled some but you won't fool me. Even if I knew what this was about and who was doing it, which I don't, I wouldn't tell you, bastard. Whoever it is is still a human. Semper fi:

"Then maybe we put you back and test my hypothesis that someone among the humans is hunting and killed the mercs. You can be the bait. If they kill you, I'm right. If they don't, you're still Jim Johnson, half a man." Prowl leaned closer. "How about it? Want to go back? Want to see if someone is stalking you? Ready to stick a knife in your gut without being seen in a habitat filled with cameras? I need a test subject dumb enough to do that for us."

Johnson grinned at Prowl, a visual devoid of humor. :I wouldn't tell you if they were sitting here in this box with me:

"Then you volunteer? You're stating that you're the killer," Prowl countered.

Johnson's smirk faded. :No. I'm just saying that I'm no snitch:

Prowl leaned in again. "Guess who else isn't a snitch? The killer."

The interview was over at that point...

Ratchet snickered. "Nice work."

"I try," Prowl said dryly. "We didn't get anything of value from them but it was rather entertaining to try."

Prime nodded. "They stay there until we figure this out."

Morshower sat down again heavily. :When will you release the story, Prime?: he asked.

"I have sent a statement to IntraCom and they will play it on The Hourly News shortly."

They sat together waiting for the broadcast. They wouldn't have to wait long.

=0=The Hourly News, 1200 hours on the TMC

"Good afternoon. My name is Aleph and here is the news. A statement from the Office of Strategic Communications and the Office of the Primes was released today that indicates another human has been found murdered on the TransWorld Highway three miles from the junction on Habitat Highway which is twenty-five Cybertronian miles from Autobot City.

"It would appear that a human who worked at Earth2, a former army soldier and mercenary attached to an as yet unnamed security firm on Earth was found there dead and abandoned behind a series of boulders.

"He was without environmental gear and indications appear that he was murdered elsewhere and dumped there, hidden away for reasons as yet unknown. It is not known who found him and the details of the case are being held back pending notification of next of kin.

"The Forensics Department of the Day and Night Watch Security Forces have been working on the case for nearly two orns to find out who, why and when this happened. This is the second death of a human from a habitat on world and the second murder in a period of a few decaorns. Former Striker and security officer at Earth2, Lawrence Dobbs was found murdered further away on the same highway, though he was clothed in his environmental gear when found.

"There is very little information being released as yet though the details will be made public once forensics and medical finish their investigations and families are notified. The Prime is not allowing any details to be released beyond the most mundane in order to preserve the investigation. All information released will be handled by Commander Jazz of Kaon, the Chief of Strategic Communications for the army and colony.

"We are now going to hear from Jacx who has tracked down Commander Springer, head of the security forces on world."

The broadcast cut away to a pensive Springer who was leaning against his desk at the tower in Metrotitan while an equally pensive Drift hovered behind him. It would be a very short and very uninformative interview. It wouldn't last as long as the tongue lashing that Ratchet gave Springer following it for not being home on his aft.

=0=TBC 3-28-19 **6-28-19**


	624. Chapter 624

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 624) **HERE WE GO!**

=0=Earth2

She walked through the hatch doors into the massive facility, then paused with the big mech standing by the door. Down the concourse she would see another who was walking around with his weapons on display. So was this one, Twin Twist who was festooned with guns and someone Judy Witwicky liked a lot because he was bad ass, too. **"HEY! TWIN!** I didn't know you were posted here."

"Hi, Judy," he said as he knelt down on a knee assembly. "I am. Dull duty. What brings you here?"

"I thought I'd give Harris and the Boys a piece of my mind for the bad publicity. I don't want anyone coming here to think they're in jeopardy. This place is easy," she said as she grinned up at the big lethal mechanism.

He chuckled. "That's us. Easy."

They chatted, then she walked to the motor pool nearby getting onto a small segway. With a whoop and a wave, she buzzed off heading for the administrative area of the facility.

Twin watched her go with a grin. She was admired among the mechs for many things. She was the AllSpark's ada, a friend of their people in a major way and someone who had slapped Rampage in the face with her purse. Even if it was only a movie, it really **did** sum up the bad assed-ness of Judy Witwicky to a tee. She could wreck with the best of them.

She buzzed through the little town and down the street to the 'city hall'. Entering, she parked the vehicle, then walked past the secretary who grinned at her.

"They're expecting you, Judy," she said.

"We're expecting you at the next blow out, remember" Judy said to a fellow Autobot City Professional Assistant etcetera group member. "Is the ball and chain in?"

She laughed. "All of them are."

Judy grinned, then walked to the door and opened it. She leaned in, then entered as it closed behind her.

The young lady at the desk grinned at the thought that the titans of industry and lords of the manor were going to get an earful from the "Boss of Autobot City". She pressed the intercom button and dialed down low to listen in.

It would be good.

=0=Inside

"Well, everyone is here," Judy Witwicky said as she stopped in the middle of the room, Owen's huge office, and folded her arms over her chest. "Well?"

Harris who had learned to respect, if not like her sat back. "We're as amazed as you, Judy."

She slowly turned, staring at all of them as unafraid as ever, then paused before Andre Baudin, futurist, head of the science program for this facility and the overall presentation of it to the world(s) beyond. "What do **you** know. You're the head of science here."

"We are as baffled as you, Mrs. Witwicky," he said with a helpless shrug. "We're sitting at ground zero. If we could find the answers we would."

"Those bastards you brought here, the ones everyone so fondly calls 'targets' … have you done due diligence in digging into their background to find their secrets? Everyone has them," she said pointedly to Harris.

"We are, Judy," Harris said in a softer tone. "They were and are professional soldiers. They have a lot of baggage."

"No," Judy said. "Twin out there … **he's** a professional soldier. So is Jetso down the concourse. Prime and the army, N.E.S.T. … **those** are professional soldiers. These guys? They hire their guns for private murder. Someone is getting paybacks. Someone is evening a score. You brought chaos to this oasis.

"We worked our **BUTTS** off to make the reputation that we have for humans over a course of **YEARS** and you guys have detonated that in a matter of weeks. What about it, Harris? Do you need to shake up the leadership here? Does the human community petition the Prime to take over the facility as per the rules of the Charter and allied documents and get someone new? What will it take to end this?" she asked. "We're expecting an answer soon," she said as she walked to the door. "Don't take too long." With that, she walked out of the room.

Cynthia Tomas rose and followed her out as the roomful of men sat silently.

Kyle Davis sighed. "She's a bitch."

"She's one of the most powerful people who live here. She's ground zero, her and her family for first contact. You'd be **terribly** shortsighted and stupid, Kyle, to think along those lines. Judy Witwicky has the ear and confidence of the Prime and the bots here," Owen Harris said as he glanced at Davis. "No one on our team must underestimate the solidarity of the human community toward the overall mission of union of the humans here with the Cybertronians nor underestimate the power and resolve of any of the locals to preserve it. All of us are expendable in light of those simple facts."

"Owen is right," Baudin said. "I think Cynthia should manage that part of our problem. She's in the same groups with the women and she's their friend."

"I agree," Owen said as he waited for her to return. It would be a silent tense wait.

=0=Outside

"I'm sorry, Judy," Cynthia said. "No one wants this."

"You should've expected it, Cindy. Those mercs are trouble and they always were. They hate the bots and worked against them since Diego. I was there for a lot of it myself when we had to go there for security. I don't know what's going on here but its going to fail and blow back on all of us." She squeezed Cynthia's shoulder. "I don't know how you stand it working for them but any time you want to quit, come to us. We have a job for you day and night."

Cynthia hugged Judy. "You make it tempting. I'm trying to soft land the bullshit here but I'll remember that." She looked at Judy with a grin. "I mean that. I **will** remember it."

"Good because its there for you," Judy said. They chatted a moment, then she drove onward heading for the door and the convoluted trip on the metro which was open under the facility to those with clearance such as herself but not the locals for the time being. It would be a fun ride back to the Resort in The City.

=0=Earth 1

Brandon Clark hung up the phone after talking to a consortium of reporters from Earth. They were calling to take the temperature of the community, inquiring about another murder of another former mercenary. He sat back considering the situation and found that it probably wouldn't end well. Nothing like this ever did. There was going to be a meeting of the leadership of all the communities in Ops Center in The City shortly and he was preparing to go.

The door opened and his secretary leaned in. "The pass for the metro came through, Brandon. You're cleared to use it at will. When it becomes open for all of us is going to be a topic at the meeting."

"Thank you Alex," he said as he rose to go. Walking out, chatting with Alex, his secretary and professional assistant a moment about this and that, Brandon Clark walked to the hatch doors, took the elevator down which was operational with his clearance and waited on the platform for the next Circle train to The City to come through.

It did and he stepped on board as the doors automatically opened. Walking to the seats set aside for humans in the usual protected area, ones occupied by Owen Harris and Andre Baudin of Earth2, Carly Brooks-Spencer of Unidad who had come the long way around to join up with them and Bat Erdene of Mongolia who was Carly's replacement at the Consulate, they would chat until they reached Metro #2 at the Temple District. There they would be met on the street by Will, Niall and Bobby Epps who would drive them all into the Center where they would join Judy Witwicky, Gavin Pritchard, Sarah Lennox and Lonnie Epps for the meeting.

N.E.S.T would be represented by General Morshower whose wife was on Earth helping their son prepare to move here with his family and take a job at the Resort in management since his retirement from the Army. He would be a N.E.S.T. liaison for the Resort.

Nepotism be damned. This was their sonny boy.

(And grandchildren.)

They entered, then gathered on the table as Ratchet, Ironhide, Raptor, Prowl and Jazz waited for Prime who was taking a call from world leaders. When he entered the banter halted and everyone turned toward him.

"Thank you for coming. We have a situation here that is dire for those in the path of someone's considered wrath and deleterious for the well being of our communities. We have another dead human, a murdered man who is a former mercenary. Both of the murder victims have been mercenaries which makes understanding the motives of these actions both difficult and easy. One might say this is a grudge match between those for whom war and battle are monetary transactions. You are aware of the disgust that professional soldiers and armies hold for mercenaries?" Prime asked.

Everyone, mostly everyone nodded.

"That holds true here. Mercenaries in our experience are the lowest of the low. But that being said, we are convinced that this killer is human. We have been gathering evidence and it points to someone inside, not out. We are not going to be releasing most of it to preserve the investigation but we are going to tell you what we can. It would appear that you have a killer in your midst and we would like to know what you can tell us most particularly about the mercenaries that you have in your employ, Mr. Harris."

Everyone glanced at Owen who was staring at Prime without expression. :I hired them because they had some small experience with you and your people. I am very aware that it mostly wasn't happy but they had insights that given the right amount of sifted thought still yielded information that has been helpful to me in my efforts with Earth2: he said.

"What insights?" Ratchet asked.

:You're loyal to each other and those that you consider friend. You're measured in your response to enemies or those you perceive as such. You value honor and truth, work hard for solidarity even with those that you don't fully trust or appreciate and you're very professional soldiers. Your families are your greatest feature and your children are as precious to you as our own are to us. There is value even in sifting through negativity. Somewhere in that will be the truth: Harris said.

Prime considered that answer. It was interesting and intel into the thought processes of Harris.

:He's not lying: Ratchet said as he consulted his tech.

:I see that: Prime said. "I am interested in whether or not you will keep them here given the situation. Even if we capture the killer, and we will, will you keep them here?"

Harris considered that, then nodded. :I will. I am very satisfied with their performance at Earth2 and find nothing in that which could constitute dismissal. I'm as sorry about this as anyone else but I don't see scapegoating them for someone elses actions to be a good thing:

:He's sincere: Ratchet said to Prime.

"I am keeping them in protective custody. I do not intend to allow them to have visitors until we figure out who this is. Someone is stalking them and we are digging into their backgrounds diligently. I want to know everything that any of you can tell us about them. I would be deeply displeased if you knew something and did not tell us.

"We are dealing with over 250 known serial killers on Cybertron. Experience tells us that they do not stop killing until they are caught or killed. While he might be satisfied killing mercenaries now, what will prevent him from branching out to kill you or even worse, your children?" Prime asked as he leaned slightly forward into their space.

It was deeply quiet in the room.

=0=TBC 3-30-19 **4-6-19**

ESL

deleterious: (del-ih-tair-eee-us) bad, not good, doesn't help, isn't helpful, counter productive.


	625. Chapter 625

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 625)

=0=Ops Center conference room

A micro bridge burst into being down table and a number of individuals walked out in gear. Warren Roberts and his aide, Milton along with Mikaela Banes and Sam Witwicky who were in New York at a meeting to handle this catastrophe on Earth walked out to gather with the humans just as a vehicle drove in, parked with the others and humans began to get out. John Fulton, Ron Witwicky and the Teasdale twins walked to the ladder, climbed up and gathered with the group.

:Sorry we're late. We were on conference calls: Warren said.

"Welcome. We were discussing the situation together," Prowl said as he gathered more chairs for the newcomers. "We will meet after this to gauge reaction and plan our response."

Warren nodded and joined the others in chairs and couches.

Everyone turned back to Owen who watched the newcomers gather. They were either employees of Autobot Nation or friends but all of them were allies and family in the optics of the bots.

:I'll do everything I can to assist here, Prime. I pledge Earth2 to this goal. No one wants this individual captured more than us. We might be living with them and their behavior is despoiling everything that we labor to achieve. We aren't the enemy. We're in this for the same reasons as everyone else: Owen said.

:Truth: Ratchet said as Prime nodded slightly.

:Optimus, you know we're with you. Coming here was a life's dream. I was different when I came, less aware of my duties and responsibilities to the Earth and more selfish and arrogant: Brandon Clark said.

:You were a dick: Judy W said as everyone nodded and laughed.

Brandon laughed as well. :I was. But I learned. I learned to love this place. I got married in the habitat by you, sir, something I never expected I was so driven by the job. My son is going to the nursery at the Circle Academy and will attend the public schools here when he's old enough. I want him to have everything and the experiences with your people are the biggest part of it. I hear he has a friend there, a little femme named Pico. That thrills me.

:We're pioneering for our people and the road was never going to be smooth but this … this is bad and we're devoted to helping you find this person. We don't want anymore people hurt: he said with conviction.

:We don't: Gavin said. :My family is here, too and attending the schools with bot kids. It's what I hoped for when I heard that Niall was part of this and I'll always owe him for recommending me to you: he said as he glanced at Judy and Ron.

:You're the best: Judy said as the others nodded.

Gavin grinned. :Thanks, boss:

:You better believe it: Judy said as she walked to Prime. She put her hand on his giant servo. :When I first saw you tearing up my yard and breaking my fountain … you really did that … I was … ambivalent. I was pissed and intrigued. I didn't know you then but I do now and I'm a citizen of your world and mine. When my son brought that psychotic car home I never thought it would lead to this but I'm so happy. I have purpose here. I can help people come here and find out what a great place this is and what great people the bots are.

:No one has greater buy in than us. Why, Glenn and Barbara are bringing their son here to work at the Resort now that he's retired from the army: she said with a smirk at Glenn.

Everyone laughed.

:Call it nepotism if you like: Glenn said. :I expect to work there sometime myself:

Huge mockery.

:What I'm saying is … we are **one**. We are **family**. We all work to the common good and those who don't … we will find you and hunt you down: Judy said ominously.

:With a purse to the face: Sam said as he sat next to Carly on a couch.

 **HUGE** mockery and lots of cheering for Judy.

Not a small bit of mockery for Sam and a chiding for allowing the shooting of 'those babies', the kitchen appliances turned hell beasts.

The little slaggers.

It grew quiet.

Then Michio turned to Prime. :We were among the first to come after N.E.S.T. We love it here. We do great science for all our people which we could never do anywhere else. We **know** how lucky we are. Understand, we will help you find this person. No one is going to hold back. We're as shamed by this as anyone else. We're all in this together: he said as he turned to the delegation from Earth2. :We're going to expand some fine day. Our presence is going to grow here and other places, too. How fast and well that happens depends upon us doing our duty and being good to each other. **All** of us, Owen:

Everyone nodded, then Warren stood. :What do you want us to do about this, Optimus? I'm shaken by the savagery of this and all of us owe it to the dead and their families to find out the cause, the person and put stop it:

Prime nodded. "We are not going to release very much information about the crime scenes or murders themselves. We are not going to discuss it pending the investigation. I would like Earth to understand that we have tremendous technological advantages over them but we never promised infallibility nor did we ever promise that nothing bad will ever happen. We work very hard to make risk minimal and we have slowed the advancement of human habitation here because of things like this. Until this is cleared up, there will be no further talk about it," he said.

:Shall I mention the habitat being built at Arcturus?: Ratchet asked Prowl.

He turned a cool gaze on Ratchet. :If you want to be permanently stationed to Slaughter City:

Ratchet grinned, then tuned back into Prime.

"Our greatest concern with large numbers of humans was the simple notion that not everyone would be on the same page as the rest of us in expectations and behavior. We have to resolve this and make it clear who is responsible and why. The mercenaries will stay in protective custody and we are not allowing visitors. We want them to be alone to think about this and hopefully at some point tell us what they might know. Either way, they will not be targets." Then Prime leaned closer to the group. "That means his targets of preference will not be available. We shall see if this is a grudge match or something less personal."

:That means **we're** going to be targeted: Owen said catching onto the subtext immediately.

"We are expanding our presence at your facility as per the Charters. We are going to do what we can to make sure no one is harmed further," Prime said as he sat back.

:But … how will you **know**? How **can** you? You already **have** immense security and still **this** happened: Harris persisted.

"What would you have us do, Mr. Harris? We are already doing everything we can," Prime said. He glanced at Prowl. "Are the troops deployed?"

"They are," Prowl said as he picked up a data pad. "I'm sending to the facility a platoon of handpicked individuals who will be taking up positions inside the facility. There will be two on each floor, one to stand by the elevators and main entrance doors and another to rove. Outside, there will be a number of mechs who will be on call. All of them will be heavily armed and all of them will be able to handle events and extractions as they may arise. They have authority superseding your own, Mr. Harris, on the security of the facility and protection of the people. They answer to Prime.

"We're also placing a team outside with a vehicle equipped with enough tech to manage the security of the entire facility. If any of you go off grid for any reason or act up they can tell the mechs inside and they can respond. Normal tactical prevention."

Everyone considered that, then Owen stepped closer. :Only Earth2?:

"So far, it would appear that only you are endangered. If this expands to other habitats we'll expand our due diligence. We'll also facilitate any dependents including children going back to Earth until this is settled if there are those who wish it. We'll facilitate their return once this is settled," Prowl said.

Owen stared at him, then the others.

Carly glanced at Prime. :Optimus, we're willing to take them in. We have a lot of apartments and barracks style places for them that aren't occupied yet until we expand our population. We have eight and a half floors of apartments and housing to open if we need to. We have ten thousand now and can increase it to forty later so we have the space. I want you to know that Unidad stands with you and will assist you in any manner you require. We **all** are one. We're here to show the way forward to our people and we have to do that together: She looked at Owen. :We have thousands of apartments and barracks that are not filled because of our current population. We welcome anyone you send that you wish to protect better:

:We will help, too: Brandon said as he turned to Owen.

Michio nodded. :We're usually filled to the gills with our families who live here now. Until the expansion is finished in the lower levels for housing, we don't have much space but we offer what we have to you: He stepped closer. ;This is where we show our quality, Owen. This is where we show everyone who we **really** are. The doors of Sciences Habitat are open to you in your moment of need:

:And the Consulate: Bat Erdeme said.

:We can bunk a few: Bobby said. :Just a few:

:The Resort can take some, too, if we juggle the books: Judy said as Lonny and Sarah nodded.

Owen stared at them, then the bots. :I'm overwhelmed. I'll go back and organize this. I agree. The vulnerable need to be moved to safety. Whatever it takes, we will do:

"Fire the mercs?" Raptor asked with a slight grin.

Owen stared at Ratchet, a fabled, wily and extremely beloved figure. :I have no legitimate reason to do that, General. I don't want to compound this with knee jerk decisions:

Raptor nodded but said nothing. He stared at Owen as if he was measuring him.

Owen turned to Prime. :What do you require of us, Lord Optimus?:

"Your absolute cooperation and the truth. That is all I need right now. Decide upon your population, then tell Ratchet. As the liaison between all the habitats and me, I give him leave to make arrangements and facilitate this."

Ratchet looked at Prime, then smiled. "Liaison? I am?"

Prime grinned slightly. "As of now."

"Ah," Raptor said. "Generalissimo Supremo of the Little Slaggers. Nice title."

Ratchet preened, then glanced at Prime. "Then … I'm essentially the boss of all the human habitats on world short of you?"

Prime nodded. "Sure."

Huge laughter greeted that, then Ratchet sat back with a huge smile. "Sweet."

More laughter.

"I think we need to settle the business of the metro stations that are currently closed beneath the habitats," Prowl said getting everyone back on track. "Everyone here is either permanently cleared to use them for now or are just for this meeting. I would like to say that we're amending that and everyone here is cleared for travel at will on the system. Earth 1 is cleared for the entire population. The Consulate is limited to you, sir," he said nodding to Bet Erdeme, the Mongolian liaison officer of the facility. "For now."

He glanced at the others. "The Resort, Sciences, Family Tower and N.E.S.T. stations are now open permanently to the locals who live and work there. Earth2, the Consulate and Unidad are limited until further notice to those here in the room. As for those who are affiliated through employment by Autobot Nation, you are all cleared."

:Sweet: Milton said with a grin. He loved roaming the colony.

"That takes care of it now. The others … Earth2, Unidad and the Consulate are on track for the stations usage but are not cleared as of yet through the probationary and mandatory training period required," Prowl said in conclusion.

:How long is that, Commander?: Owen asked.

"Anywhere from soon to never. Until this killer is caught we're slow marching big changes. Giving them access to the entire colony through the underground system is not a good tactical measure."

Prime nodded. "We will catch this individual. Count upon it."

There wasn't a person on the table who wasn't behind that simple ideas. Even Harris.

Ratchet's tech confirmed that.

=0=TBC 3-30-19 **edited 4-6-19**


	626. Chapter 626

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse

=0=Conference room at Earth2

It was a grim faced group of people sitting in the room listening to Owen Harris brief them, then tell them of the plan for the next few. "Unidad offered to take all non-essential personnel on board until this threat is taken care of. Everyone else volunteered but they themselves have accommodations for us. Everyone who isn't on the books as employed here will go there."

People shifted at that news, their disquiet evident. They were the section and department chiefs, those employees who had supervisory powers over a section of the vast facility's many departments and groups.

"What we're going to do is utilize this as a training exercise and have the families gear up, take their essentials and go. All of the pets will go as well. We're going to be transported a few hundred at a time by Autobot City Touring Company. They will have buses do the transport and a specialized trailer for the animals built just for them as well. There won't be direct contact until this is over because they're going to go to Level 2 on the threat scale so make your goodbyes count."

"Nicely put," someone in the back replied.

Owen shrugged. "I hear you but this cannot be helped. Prime wants this to happen and he has control through the charter and documents. We're going to do this right now."

They rose and walked out the door to the concourse to upend the apple cart throughout the gigantic facility.

=0=At the data center, Earth2

They were working at his terminal inputting data for the agricultural project when the intercom alerted. Pausing the work, they listened with everyone else including those in the school and hospital.

"May I have your attention please."

It echoed all over the place as Owen gathered his thoughts. "This is Owen Harris and I want to have your attention. Due to the situation involving the two deceased individuals from our facility, we've been invited to send everyone here who isn't listed on the record as staff to decamp to Unidad until the situation is straightened out. This is a Primal directive and thus through the charters a command we have to obey.

"I have agreed considering the uncertainty of this situation and thus, I want you to listen carefully to instructions to make this possible in the best and least disruptive manner. Here is what you must do. I want you to gather enough clothing and other personal items to last a few days. Remember, your normal suit can be washed the same time you shower and it dries cleanly almost instantly so that should make your choices and needs easier. You will need to bring your pets unless they're fish or other things where transport puts them into jeopardy. Those will be taken care of here so make sure you drop a message to Xi in Zoology. Also, your plants will be taken care of as well. Drop a note to Lacey in Botany and she'll put you on the list.

"Once you gather your gear and belongings including any medical items come to the habitat doors. Take everything you need and wish before you go because we aren't going to have you back until the all clear. I'm asking for those whose last names begin with A, B, C, D, E, F and G to go there as soon as you can. If you need help to gather your children, I've tasked individuals to help.

"We're going to be transported to Unidad by Autobot City Touring Company with the animals being carried there in a special trailer designed for this as I've said. Put them in a carrier and have them ready to be hauled. There will be assistance if you buzz us for it. Thank you," he said.

It was then that the place exploded into action.

=0=Ratchet

He rolled down the road, then made his way to Earth2. Pausing to peer through the vast walls of transparent steel that made up the entrance structure, he then walked into the doorway to go inside. Everyone was busy getting ready to go when he finally entered the facility itself. The visiting human moguls were here and there in groups watching the locals getting ready to go. As he stood by the door watching, a number of them came over to speak to him.

"Ambassador," one of them said, a man named Robert Mason who was a billionaire manufacturer of parts for large vehicles such as trucks, ships and planes. He hoped to build habitats and transport vehicles both space and ground oriented. He waited as Ratchet knelt. "What's happening?"

"As you know, two employees here have been murdered and the murderer or murderers haven't been apprehended yet. We don't want them to change up their modus and start attacking anyone else because we removed the remaining mercs into protective custody. We're putting security inside here and removing potential targets to a safer place," Ratchet replied.

"I figured you'd have them by now with all your advanced tech and all," he said.

Ratchet chuckled. "This isn't Buck Rogers. We're good but we're not infallible. We'll get them but we don't want to elevate whoever is doing this to a serial killer. One more murder makes them one. We removed the remaining mercenaries. That means the target of choice isn't here so anyone else is a secondary possibility."

"What about us remaining? That means we're the targets instead," another man said, one who was head of a vast network of banks.

"Short of having you all in the jail, that's the best we can do. Don't be alone and don't talk to strangers," Ratchet said. He stood, then moved back as people began to gather.

The place was noisy, full of what seemed like chaotic movement but was coming together as those who were going hurried to the doorway. Animals in crates were being carried to a pallet where Roadbuster stacked them carefully. They would be carried out by fork lift to the black trailer outside designed for transport of animals in the outside environment.

The logo for Unidad was clear on its side. A mech who transformed into a heavy duty pickup would tow it to Unidad and come back for more. There were a lot of pets in the facility.

Children stood besides piles of baggage as they waited with their parents. Some of them walked to Ratchet and stared upward. He knelt again. "Hello, infants. Exciting isn't it."

They grinned at him. "We get to live on The Ranch?" one of them, a youngish little boy with blond hair and a big smile asked.

"For now. All you have to do is go about your business and not jaywalk," Ratchet said with a smile.

The kids laughed, then moved closer to lean on his ped as they chatted.

Then Owen came out of the administration sector and drove a tiny pickup truck to the door with the other members of the board in the back. They climbed out, then walked to Ratchet.

"You came to observe?" Kyle Davis asked.

Ratchet nodded. "All of the things you do are a potential informational mother lode. Right now, you're practicing bugging out and you didn't know it."

Owen nodded. "Maybe something good can come of this then," he said as he keyed in his phone to the intercom system and began to speak. "I'm hoping that everyone whose last name begins with A through G is here and ready to go. I would like you to form a line to go to the buses. Your animals will be transported and your baggage that won't fit on your lap should be placed on the pallets. Hopefully, your name tags are still on them."

A bit of monkey notion occurred, then everyone began to file out the door. Children waved to Ratchet who waved back as they walked to the bus and climbed aboard. As they did, Owen gave more instructions over the system. "I would like everyone whose last names begin with H, I, J, K, L and M to get ready as well. If you're still waiting to go, please get ready and be on standby. The sooner this is completed the better off the whole facility and its occupants will be."

Ratchet would watch as the next group came, some of whom boarded still empty spots on the waiting buses and left with the first group. Those who were staying hugged and kissed, then watched solemnly as the three big buses and the animal transport left the facility to go to Unidad. He would in the end join them. The doors closed behind them as everyone waited for the buses to come back for more.

=0=Unidad

They waited, a large group of residents to help the newcomers to their quarters and new life. All of the officers were there and all of the business owners including Bobby Epps' family. They had allocated apartments from the vast inventory waiting for permanent residents when the facility next brought in more crew and had created a school for the kids in a conference room that could be expanded. The idea was for the smoothest transition and the least disruption.

They were a population of 15,487 here at Unidad with the added number of family and friends who came to live here permanently. Having a family group, having elders and others who had time to help with the home side of things as well as assist with their own skills the work of the facility was an asset. That they managed to get along swimmingly thus far was part of the ongoing study about this habitat. It was a major study going on in all of them.

Brandon Clark stood beside Carly and her team as they waited. Earth 1 had been ready to assist but the massive number of apartments and barrack style living spaces here had trumped everyone and he was glad. They had a good thing at Earth 1 and he liked the family style slow pace of the place. Having 3,800+ newbies come would be a hellscape. He walked to the hatch window to peer out. He could see Ratchet bombing down the driveway heading for the door.

=0=Ratchet

He transformed, then entered the sixteen lane habitat entrance to wait for the others to arrive. He chatted with a crew from Public Works who were wiring more directional signage into the big entrance to sort out trucks that were just dropping off here from those who were going to be parked permanently for common usage. When the three huge buses and the pickup truck and trailer rolled in to a halt, the doors closed and the atmosphere equalized. The doors to Unidad opened and the buses began to unload.

It was noisy and chaotic for a moment until Carly got their attention over the intercom attached to her phone. "May I have your attention?"

Everyone calmed down, then turned to her. She smiled. "Welcome to Unidad Terra 1. My name is Carly Brooks-Spencer. I am the chief administrator for this facility and I welcome you to it. We are honored to assist you and have organized your arrival here to maximize your transition and minimize chaos. Our people are here to take you to your quarters and assist you to settle in.

"You will be given an apartment to live in while you are here. We've created a school for your children so they may pick up their education without delay. We invite you to enjoy the facility and ask for help if you need it. For now, we know you will understand that the same rules of the road that apply at Earth2 apply here. This is a facility that is owned by Autobot Nation and is under the direct jurisdiction of the Prime of Cybertron. The rules are the same here but the penalties for infractions fall under his jurisdiction.

"So without delay, please form a line so a member of our community can escort you to your quarters and help you settle in. All of the volunteers have agreed to be your personal resource and be available to you day and night. Please take advantage of this and know as well that there are informational kiosks all over town." She turned to the line of residents that were waiting, then nodded.

One by one, the newcomers were taken into hand by the residents and escorted off to their new homes. The animals would be delivered with them. As they began to leave, the buses and truck outside unloaded the last thing, waited for the all clear, then drove out to bring more to the facility. It would take three hours to do it but by then everyone who was from Earth2 who didn't have an online job function would be sheltered in the vastness that was called Unidad Terra 1.

=0=Charon

They watched the news, bot and human as the story unfolded in real time. The latest news event was playing on the news channel as the garrison watched Earth2 evacuate their non essential personnel to Unidad.

"It's a good thing Unidad is there," Boxer said as he lounged in the rec room. He was regular Autobot army and a great guy. Beside and around him were humans and bots watching as well.

Sunstreaker nodded. "We'd have to send them to Earth otherwise."

:I hope they catch those fuckers soon. They're giving us a bad name. I love this place: Jack Paxton said as Trevor Smith nodded.

:One of these days I'm going to retire here: Trevor said. :I'm not sure I can live on Earth full time ever again:

:I hear you: Jack said as they watched with the bots.

Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson didn't have much to add to that.

=0=TBC 3-31-19 **edited 4-6-19**

ESL:

mogul: (moh-gl) someone who has a ton of money and power


	627. Chapter 627

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 627)

=0=Bugging out

They fogged in, arriving at Unidad in buses with their hand carries and kids, pets in carriers and pallets of laptops, boxes of research and other professional items of those who were running their own stuff on the side. Family members often came with their own school obligations, personal research projects and books to work, write and make while living or visiting here. No one cared. Owen Harris had considered having them have to review their projects against the possibility of them revert to Earth2 ownership due to proprietary rules about ownership of locations and the like but the ill will that would have caused changed his mind.

They were met and taken to their temporary homes on the upper decks of the facility. The levels of habitation at Unidad were top down with the directors living on the penthouse level by virtue of being here first. They were escorted away and after a couple of hours, the last buses pulled out of the habitat entrance, the last pallet of animals were towed to the freight elevators for delivery and the crowds were thinning.

Ratchet who had kibitzed the whole time being the 'liaison' between the habitats and Prime was ready to leave when the leadership of Unidad gathered around him.

"Ratchet, what's the word on the new murder? When it is going to be public like the other one?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. Prime wants to have his ducks in a row before this really gets sent off. Given that this is a new and slightly different case, there won't be a large send off when we arrange to take him home. We're going to be there to watch but the reverie won't be repeated. No sense waving a red flag to the killer."

"I hate this. Earth is going to be very unhappy and those who stand against us will make it our fault," Carly said as the others nodded and murmured.

"Some will. They always will. Nothing will change that. Its in the alliances that are strong that we weather this," Ratchet said. "How is it with the zillionaires?"

"They want to make businesses here. They want to start small branches of their own businesses, sort of ports in the storm, almost like boutique pop up stores for public relations purposes. Imagine, small kiosks of fast food franchises," Sam said with a grin. "McDonalds, Pizza Hut. I hope they bring a Cinnabon."

"Or a French bakery," Carly said with a grin. "A good fish and chips place would be nice as well."

"If you say so," Ratchet said. "All of their ideas are on my desk and I'm going to go over them with Prime. I don't think any of you have to be involved. Right now, its do or die," Ratchet said.

=0=Up there

Rain Harris stood in the bedroom of the big apartment that would be home for a while. It was bigger than hers and the entire apartment was more spacious, beautifully furnished and brand new. She walked out to the living room where her mom was opening the cages for her two little dogs. "This is bigger than the one at Earth2. I want to live here."

Mariah glanced around. "I hear you. Unidad is just bigger all around. Earth2 is being overshadowed."

"The school … I don't want to sit in a conference room for school. Everyone else goes to a real school building. The downtown is great. I'm going to go look around," she said as she walked to the door.

"Stay in town and don't get into trouble. We don't want to wear out our welcome. Don't go out into the country, Rain. I want you home for dinner," Mariah said as she walked to the monitor to call Kyle.

"I will," Rain said as she walked out of the apartment. She stood in the wide corridor a moment watching others enter and leave their own apartments. It was noisy and crowded so she walked to the elevator to go down to the concourse. Calling her friends on their small non-smart flip phones, the only ones allowed on world among the kids, she met up with them on A Street.

=0=Prime and Prowl

"Ratchet said the transfer is going well. Everyone who needs to go is moved. Its about 3,900 give or take a few. It was a good exercise if nothing else," Prowl said as he sat down at the command table with Prime.

"I agree. Right now, we have to get our problem organized. What is the final disposition of the ringers?" Optimus asked.

Prowl leaned slightly closer. :The tech has been scanned and its being reversed engineered. Wheeljack said its very strange tech, perhaps something they worked out from aliens and its going to take a bit of time. We have them tagged. Jazz did that for both of them before they left for Charon. We can follow them unless the device makes a dampening effect when they cloak."

Prime nodded. "The mercenaries in jail?"

"Those clowns are unhappy but they have nothing to say for themselves. All of them were jealous of Lombardi because he was being groomed by Harris for bigger things. Lombardi was educated, had good social graces and was strategic. In short, he was nothing like the others," Prowl replied.

"I do remember meeting him once and he seemed different, more elevated than the others. I could be that someone did not want him making upward movements or … they could have a grudge against him from some other encounter," Prime said.

"That could be it. It also can be said that someone might have caught the killers doing something and was too hot to leave alive," Prowl said.

"Perhaps. I want to dismiss Lombardi when the visitors go. We have a couple of orns before that happens. I suppose I must speak to them," Prime said.

"That's up to you. Ratchet has their projects and proposals. There are a number of things that preclude you from seeing them, not the least being the battle shortly ago. By the way, you have to speak to the nation in a few," Prowl said.

Prime nodded. "I am waiting for Ironhide to get here."

"You need someone to hold your servo?" Prowl asked with a smirk.

Prime glanced at him with a smoky look. :Perhaps. Perhaps something else …:

Prowl shifted slightly. :Do tell:

A movement nearby cut that short as Ironhide and Sun walked into the huge room. Traversing the floor, they sat down with Prowl and Prime. "What's the word, Prime?"

"We have to tell the world the story," Prime said as he stood. He glanced at Prowl. "Hold that thought," he said, then with the two in tow, he walked out of the room into the big world outside.

Prowl watched him go, then grinned slightly. "Count on it," he whispered.

=0=IntraCom, the Primal set

Prime sat waiting for the light to turn amber which meant among them he was live on the air. When it did, Jazz nodded.

"Good afternoon. I am Optimus Prime," he said to Earth, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. "I am here to speak to you of two things. One of them was the interdiction by our forces against the phase six mechanism, Pulsar of Capital City and that of the murder of the human visa worker, Silvio Lombardi who was part of the security forces of Earth2 here on Mars.

"For those of you living on Cybertron and places in the Empire, the death of the human will not resonate very deeply with you. He is a member of the species that is our closest ally in the solar system where Mars belongs. The humans of Earth are the ones responsible for helping us kill Megatron, kill The Fallen, then chase Megatron away when he was revived by a shard of the AllSpark. They are small but powerful, loyal and decent. We are allies of the first order and we value them very greatly.

"To have one human die here is tragic but now another has as well, felled by an unknown killer. We are working very hard to find that individual and we have taken extraordinary steps to protect the human community here on our colony world of Mars. We are going to be sending the deceased home in two days to return him to his family. We send with him our deepest and most solemn condolences on behalf of the Primes and the people of Cybertron and the Empire.

"It is our greatest hope that this will not happen again. We promise great protection and security but not perfection. No one can guarantee that there will never be an event that happens to harm others. But given that we now exceed 59,000,000 individuals here in the colony of Autobot City and there has only been a handful of reckless deaths in all that time, you can be reassured that safety and protection of all who live here is our first priority. We do believe our record reflects that effort.

"A few orns ago, we also received soundings up the Orion arm that a big force was heading our way, making their progress toward the contained redoubts of two criminal organizations we tolerate in my sphere of influence, that led by the Decepticon commander, Razorclaw and the other by the criminal Decepticon commander, Ominous. The invading force was led by the phase six mechanism, Pulsar of Capital City.

"We launched a great force to meet him that included Supreme, Titan and Dreadnought mechanisms. When they refused to turn around or surrender, a battle broke out that was furious and intense. They fled into a nebula to evade our sensors and that made the battle extremely difficult.

"The enemy forces were vast, over 60 ships in all, most of them vessels of war. Due to the heroism of our forces, soldier and Seeker, as well as the exemplary heroism of Omega and Xantium Supreme, we prevailed. It was not without cost, however. Though we suffered 17 casualties, none of them fatal, the other side lost nearly 10,000.

"It is not the first choice of this Prime and government to fight. We asked them to turn around and we gave them chances to surrender both before and during the battle but they declined until the damage they sustained was too great to carry on. The prisoners of which number over 21,000 are being held in the prison at Kellus IV. That planet is in the local group near Cybertron. They will be given the same chance as anyone else to change and have a better life. If they do not do so, they will remain there.

"As of now, a dangerous force has been neutralized. Their leadership including Pulsar have been captured. The leader of the force from the Bootes Constellation prior to this, Shrike, was also taken into custody since he was in Pulsar's armada in a cage. The reason Pulsar's battle group was so large was that he had overtaken the remnants of Shrike's and combined the two groups.

"We have posted markers out along the arm to warn others of the lengths to which we will go to protect everyone, both here in this solar system, Cybertron, the local group and the Empire. The threat is gone now and we are back to square one. The fleet was brilliant, their courage and skill remarkable and I am deeply honored to lead such an army. You can be well proud of them and their efforts this foray.

"The tasks before us are great but the talent, brilliance and courage brought to bear against them makes the difference every time. You can be terribly proud of your army and air forces. They were admirable in their pursuit of your protection.

"As for the situation with the deceased humans, we are going to be working non stop to find the culprits. They will not walk away from their responsibilities. Until then, we have separated non-essential personnel from Earth2 to Unidad Terra 1. Until we find out who is responsible, those at Earth2 who are not essential to the work there will live in Unidad. We send our condolences to the family and pledge our sacred honor to catching his killer. Until all are one," Prime said, then the broadcast cut.

The commentary by those both pro and con Autobot on Earth would begin immediately.

The commentary on Cybertron and the local group would be different but no less intense. Another phase sixer had been neutralized. It was a blessing. That left perhaps only 43 or so more to go.

=0=TBC 4-1-19 **edited 4-6-19**


	628. Chapter 628

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 628)

=0=Around at the same time in a conference room at the Courthouse

"I have all of your petitions and pleas," Barron said as he chaired the meeting. "I've taken them up with the Prime's legal adviser and we shall hear them in the trial. What we have to determine now is scheduling. As you know, events and other things often disrupt scheduling with Prime and the senior Autobots. Therefore, please be aware that these time lines can change." He glanced at a big intense appearing mech. "Tell me, Remy … when are you ready?"

"Now, Barron. The sooner, the better. My clients have been detained a long time."

"We're aware of that and we're all aware of the latitude that modified martial law gives Prime. If this were Cybertron during the orn, he'd get a firing squad in the back alley," Coln-2 remarked dryly.

"He would've walked free," an aide for Coln said as he smirked slightly at The Boss.

That being what it may," Barron said with a smirk of his own, "I do believe given a choice between saving us from invaders and hearing about Cousin's problems, its a no brainer for Prime."

They would continue onward and schedule the Wheelus Faction into the court docket for federal crimes against The People.

=0=About thirty Cybertronian miles from Autobot City

Jetta and Huffer stood on the dusty plain that was just ten miles, Cybertronian, from Crater District #2. This was the new site of another massive build. It would be connected by eight lanes of highway with the other one, be a part of the Inter-Colonial Highway System that connected everyone to everywhere and would host over 20,000,000 individuals when completed. They were doubling their effort given the numbers of refugees that were being found every orn so that there would be no more Little Iacons for anyone coming to safety. This place was within view of some of the human habitats and Centurion of the Tri-Cities and be twice as big as any other city scape.

"This is going to be massive, Jetta," Huffer was explaining. As he did, Fortress Maximus materialized nearby holding an architectural data pad in his servos. He walked over to join them.

"I made the additions to the plan approved by the Commission last night," Max said as the three of them gathered to look. "We're going to have more interconnected upper highways between buildings and the arena that was here," he said pointing to the big football stadium this build would contain, "is being modified to contain more space for basketball and other games. Someone mentioned something about racket ball."

They paused to search it out, then grinned. "I like that," Jetta said as he chuckled. "Especially when the player got hit in the face with his own ball on the rebound."

"That was rather nice," Max said with a grin, the delinquent. "Most of the rest is fine including the bigger Sports Center. Right now, we're go."

Jetta glanced around. "I'll get with Scar. It's going to take a bit of time to build in the infrastructure before going upward. Good thing that Crater District #2 is finally finished. We're good for a while. I'm thinking I'm going to bring up the next project as well with Prime. We have more than enough workers and the chain of supply is on point. We should never put our eggs in one basket."

They would discuss the situation, then Jetta would chat with Prime. When they were finished and things were agreed, there would be a third major construction site ongoing within three Cybertronian miles of the human habitats. Both of them would be built at the same time and would house between them the potential for 50,000,000 Cybertronians.

It would be mind blowing for the humans on a cosmic scale.

=0=Sam and Warren at the office in the Family Tower

"Then we're in agreement," Sam asked as he glanced up at Warren.

Mikaela sat with them along with Carly, Brandon and Owen Harris. All of them were gathered to begin the building of a 'common cause' group Warren was calling the Mars Tech Consortium which would work through the Foundation to help Earth in a more direct manner by training scientists, funding projects, offering scholarships to those who could change the world with their genius and providing stipends and housing for inventors, scientists, talented individuals and young people to come to the colony to learn, live and work on their ideas with those who could help fulfill them.

"I am," Warren said of his pet project. "I want this to be a continuous flow of talent and opportunity with the possibility of us helping develop tech for the Earth that we're in dire need to have. This isn't going to be a project where the point is profit. This stays under the sway and control of the Primal Foundation. It's going to be a platform for talent to save us from ourselves."

"I think its wonderful. I like the idea that the visitors will be spread out through the human habitats. I like the idea of having good ideas on the table. We're developing things at Earth 1 that we didn't have in mind when we came here. We were thinking too small. Count Earth 1 in all the way, Warren," Brandon said.

"Good," Warren replied as he looked at Carly and Owen.

"I like this, Warren. We have space and opportunity. We only utilize 33% of our labs thus far and thus, we can have a larger number of guests than Earth 1 and 2." She looked at their directors. "No offense."

Brandon smirked. "Are you insinuating that I have habitat envy?"

Carly smiled. "No. Where would you get that idea? By the way, everyone seems to be falling in well. No troubles so far."

"I'm relieved to hear that," Warren said as Mikaela nodded. "When this is over, then we need to discuss how this kind of thing can happen." He glanced at Mikaela. "We're handling the fall out on Earth thus far. Its not going to be pleasant for a while."

They continued their conversations as the clock ticked onward toward noon.

=0=Unidad Terra 1

They sat in the modified conference rooms working on their class work as teachers circulated. There were a couple of aides from Unidad who were delegated to help here, making things and helping to assist. It was going smoothly though there was little privacy between groups.

Amber Nast sat with her class in a corner of the conference room. She and her brother, Tim had hated to leave Earth2 and their father who was in the administration there. They would have preferred to stay with him but they were part of the 'bug out' and thus, found themselves living in a small studio apartment in the 10th floor of the main building.

She and Tim were quiet, decent and focused on their father who carried a lot of guilt and shame for his dealings and the effect it had on their family. He was responsible for the death of their mother because of what he did. They were not willing to concede that he was, preferring to blame Starscream and others.

They came with him and attended the school at Earth2, went on trips for school both on Mars and at Trypticon in orbit of Saturn. They liked it here. It was easier to melt into the background and not be 'his kids', the 'traitor'. Coming here had been frightening at first, to live in the midst of the enemy or so they felt the Cybertronians to be in their agonized new life. But it had been a good thing and they felt better here, unwinding in the quiet of the facility as they took care of their dad.

Amber Nast glanced at her brother nearby who was having a science discussion with his group and some of the others from here who were part of the discussion for some reason. Maybe when school was out they could go out into the country and find the lake. Someone told them there were kayaks there. It might be fun to do that a while. They had with their mom who liked water sports. Maybe it would be fun again. She looked at her math, then bent herself to the task. She and Tim would be kayaking in three hours and for the first time since they left Earth2, they would have something to smile about.

=0=Sky and the team

"We found this button and its a military grade design. It fits the type of buttons that the soldiers here wear," Sky said to Wheeljack and Springer. "Can we attach it to anyone specific? Not yet. It might be nice to see if Mueller or Anderson are missing a button."

"I'll get Lennox on it," Springer said as they went over the details thus far. They would be minimal but for the still evolving reverse engineering of the tech that the pair were using. It would be slower than usual. They would have to do it with pictures and scans.

=0=Charon

They lined up to leave the forward base, Trevor Smith, Jack Paxton, Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson. They joked together as they waited for the mechs to carry them outside to board the shuttle back. It would be a short jump through the small bridge that hung in space beside the Triggers, then a short drop to the planet itself.

When the two walked back into their quarters at N.E.S.T. HQ, they would have no idea that anyone bothered their stuff. They would hear a great story about an EMP burst, a gaggle of hilarious mini-cons come to trace it down and all that ensued. They wouldn't know a thing was out of line.

=0=At the Autobot City Interplanetary and Municipal Airport, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal District 2-C

The vehicle from Medical came into the service entrance of the facility, then pulled up beside a dock. A number of individuals were there to pick up the coffin and carry it inside. They put it in a storage chamber for such things as perishable organic materials, then Tirage, a priest gave a blessing.

Silvio Lombardi, aged 34, born and raised in Florence, Italy, former Foreign Legion, mercenary for hire and all around adventurer, speaker of four languages, cultured, mannerly, intelligent and enamored of art and the finer things would be returned to his family the next day when the group of 100 individuals visiting Earth2 would be going home. Before they did, those individuals, they would know the fate of their requests.

=0=Jazz

He sat at his desk studying the intel thus far for a number of things including the mercs. He glanced up at Mirage who had just entered. "Are they back from Charon?"

"They are," Mirage said as he sat back to stare at his partner and all around frag buddy. "So far, so good."

"I think that would sound better with an Italian accent," Jazz said with a wicked smile.

"Frag you," Mirage said good naturedly. "Frag Bay as well."

Jazz snickered. "Touchy little thing, aren't you."

"Given the magnificence that is me without a goofy accent? … yes," Mirage said.

They both laughed loudly.

"What's going on? Anything new?" Mirage asked.

"Casio and Ebio are making noises," Jazz said. "We may have to go take a peek."

Mirage grinned slightly as he thought of the two, both of whom he knew and loathed on a personal level. "Count me in," he said.

=0=Later that afternoons

Anna and Cora Cutter, Gina and Tinsley Walters as well as Temple Richardson, the daughter of Louis sat by the window looking out at the parking lot as they talked together. Nearby eating ice cream, Rain Harris, Lilly Brown, Jaycee Jameson and Camilla Brown chatted together. They had just gotten out of their school, Youngling Day in Centurion and were taking a break.

"This place is nicer than our habitat," Cora said. "Too bad we can't stay here all the time."

"I wish we could," Temple said. "I'm going to get a car and go out into the farm. You coming?" she asked as she stood up to go.

The others rose, then walked with her to a small pickup truck in the motor pool. They climbed in, then drove off heading for the farmlands and fields beyond.

Camilla and the others watched them go. "What say we take a drive?" she asked.

The others nodded, finished their ice cream swiftly, then disposed of the dishes. Hurrying to the motor pool, they took a small convertible car and lit out for the farm. They would disappear into the afternoon traffic in seconds.

=0=TBC 4-3-19 **edited 4-7-19**


	629. Chapter 629

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 629)

=0=The airfield earlier

The ship landed and halted in its spot to allow the passengers it carried and its cargo to be off loaded. It was the 'bus', the ship that along with two others fed the forward bases and taxied soldiers and other personnel headed to them back, forth and all around, sometimes with bridge assistance or like this time, not. They had hit the bases at Enceladus and Europa before heading for the barn from Charon.

Crew coming home, the four humans and a couple of civilians who had been doing Home Guard duty on Forward Base #3 walked down the ramp carrying gear and gratitude. The forward bases were good assignments but a decaorn on a frozen desiccated world like the moons of the planets in this solar system was dark, cold and isolated.

Walking to a N.E.S.T. truck waiting for them, Jack Paxton, Trevor Smith, Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson climbed in and took off heading for the HQ nearby. Soon, four others would go, then four more to keep the cover going. The four that had returned including the two ringers were unaware that anything had happened out of the ordinary. When they were told of the EMP burst and the hilarity of Flip and his brothers, they would laugh along with the rest.

They would walk to their quarters, see that nothing appeared to be out of order, then relax into their covers once again. Believing they were safe, they would go on duty in two days and spend their time divided between Earth2 and the Consulate. They would never be off the sensors ever again.

Hopefully.

=0=At a lake in Unidad Terra 1

They rowed out, Amber and Tim Nast, two kids in two kayaks, doing something they had always done with their mom and dad. Both of their parents were athletic and they spent a lot of time with their kids camping and doing all manner of water sports. It was warm and quiet, the sound of birds nearby helping to create the illusion that they were on their own planet and not the red one.

Tall planets and bushes grew around the lake shore, some of them tall reeds with long sharp pointed fronds. Grass grew around the lake, itself planted to maintain soil cohesion and give the place a homestyle appearance. Small leafy trees dotted the area and there were picnic areas in three places.

Stroking evenly, they headed toward the middle of a lake so pure that they could see the bottom of it when they looked down. The light of the sun magnified by the dome sparkled on the water and it was comforting and peaceful. Or it was before two vehicles filled with girls arrived at the shore and dock nearby. Glancing over her shoulder, Amber Nast sighed. Flashing her paddles expertly, she slid up beside her brother. "They're here. Let's go up stream."

"The spill way is around here somewhere. You ready to go over it when we reach it?" her brother asked.

"We used to do rapids. We have life vests. I don't want to talk to any of them," Amber said.

Her brother nodded, then began to paddle to the opening of the wide stream that led onward into the habitat. It was a water way with several smaller streams leading off into the hinterlands as well as the irrigation system. If they stayed on the main one, 'the river' which it nearly was and followed it all around and back to the lake, they would travel nearly 65 miles by kayak.

They paddled together heading swiftly for the fern, tree and plant lined waterway that led away from the lake. As they did, three ducks came in for a landing. Those who were on the shore watched as they paddled away, disappearing into the heavily foliaged direction of the facility. The buildings itself were so far away they couldn't be seen from where they were.

The girls climbed out of their vehicles and watched Amber and her brother disappear. Staring after them a moment, they turned to each other. It was silent a moment, then Rain walked to the dock. She walked to the end, then turned to the others. "Last one in is a loser," she said before she stepped off into the water.

It was a mad rush to reach the water as they careened down the dock and dived in.

=0=At a meeting at the conference room in the Ops Center, The Fortress

They gathered together to go over the intel and findings of the forensics team. Sky was giving his report.

"The button that was found near the body belongs to no identifiable individual or group as of yet. We have it in the database and are running a check through the security network trying to find one that matches. It's commonly made, relatively cheap and nondescript, a utilitarian design.

"As for the trace evidence that was found during the autopsy … there is no DNA to trace anyone nor are there very many mistakes. This was a murder of cold intent. Someone might have found out and needed elimination. I don't believe it was committed out of emotion or any sort of personal motive. This was a cover up murder. In my experience, this is the likely scenario."

Ratchet nodded. "This was a jab. A hard jab done in a moment of least insecurity for the ..." He thought a moment. "I do believe that the victim and some of the others have our knives. RTR knives. What about trace evidence from the knife in the wounds of the blade composition? Did you find any? What about the configuration of the wound? It would be as easy as a knife in butter to use one of our blades to do this. There's nothing they can't cut or punch through."

Sky went over the data, then put it on the screen nearby. "This is a scan of the shape of the wound internally. You made those blades as well, Ratchet. What does the shape of the wound tell you about the blade?"

Ratchet stared at the screen which showed the puncture wound on the chest, then a schematic of the blade wound inside. "That's the shape of our knives. I suppose that others might use them as well but the interior wound configuration is the image of our blades. No metal trace residue?" he asked Sky.

Sky shook his helm. "None. Just a jab and he was felled."

"Well, we can work on that angle. We have all we need from him don't we?" Wheeljack asked.

Sky nodded. "We do. We're going to have to build a circumstantial case against whoever is doing this unless someone confesses. Somehow, I don't see that happening."

"Then we can release the body?" Prowl asked.

"We can," Ratchet said. "I'm assuming the draping of the Cybertronian flag over his casket will suffice?"

Prime nodded. "We will be there but the ceremony will not apply here. This is not the first nor is it the shock that one was. No disrespect is meant to Mr. Lombardi but we will not give him that sort of send off. I want everyone of the General Staff and Senior Committee to be there, however. We can send him home tonight. 2000 hours at the airfield will do it. Please let them know at Ramstein, Prowl."

Prowl nodded. "I will include condolences as well."

Prime nodded. "Thank you. I am told that the two suspects are back again."

"They are. They're being watched by a surveillance system delivered by Teletraan. Auntie has been give that duty and has organized a tracer program for them throughout all of the security systems on world. Until they step into their gear and disappear we'll be watching them," Wheeljack said.

"Very well," Prime said as he noted Prowl taking a call with a frown.

Prowl listened, then glanced at Prime. "We have an altercation at Unidad."

"What sort?" Prime asked with surprise.

"Apparently, one of the newcomer boys insulted the sisters of a couple of boys at Unidad and a fight ensued. What do you want to do about it?" Prowl asked as everyone glanced from Prime to Ratchet.

"I do believe I have a liaison for these sorts of things," Prime said as he glanced at Ratchet.

"I get all the good duty," Ratchet said as he stood. He grinned. "Pray for me," he said as he walked toward the door.

"I'm going, too. Old mech might adopt someone if I don't. He likes hopeless cases," Ironhide said as he arose, then left.

Raptor stood. "So do I," he said as he followed Ironhide out the door.

"I hope we do not have a gang problem among the humans," Prime mused.

"Don't worry. There's always juvenile court," Prowl said with a smirk.

=0=Ratchet and the boyz

They arrived nearly at the same time, then walked around the back of the big building to enter the facility through the doors built there for entrance to the big auditorium. Snarking off line, they entered. The stage was empty but a few humans were sitting in the seats along the front row. Among them was Carly and Sam. They rose, climbed the stairs to the stage, then walked to the big mechs who waited there for them.

Ratchet knelt. "Well, I see juvenile delinquency has made it to our fine shores."

"You live with Ironhide. Partition is a son-in-law. I would think you'd be an encyclopedia on the subject by now," Sam said with a grin.

"Frag you, too, little man," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "What happened?"

"We have a problem with some of the Earth2 kids. They got into a fight with some of our own over insulting some of the girls here." Carly glanced to the seats where a number of angry appearing boys, their mortified parents and the Earth2 leadership sat.

"Details," Ratchet said. "Though you know I'm not a gossip."

Huge laughter greeted that.

Carly grinned at him. "We have a lot of kids roaming around when they don't have school and some of them aren't as friendly as our kids generally are. One of them, Barrett Walters was chatting up some girls and when they weren't buying it, he insulted them."

"What is a teenaged insult these fine days?" Ratchet asked as Ironhide and Raptor listened with fascination and no small amount of disgust.

"He said they were too fat and ugly for him but he was just talking to them like it was a mercy thing. That's not it exactly but close enough," Carly said.

"Frag," Raptor said as he glanced at the group in the seats nearby. "No one would speak to my daughters that way."

"Good thing you don't have any, Appa," Ratchet said as he glanced at the big smoldering mech. "You called as the option allows. What do you need, Carly?"

"I could do this myself but I want to make a point. I don't want any of this stuff going on here, not here and not in the other habitats. This is like your caste stuff, Ratchet. I can't think of someone better placed to snuff it out than you," Carly said. She then filled him in on who everyone was.

Ratchet nodded, then rose. Staring at the humans, he walked to the edge of the stage to peer down at them. "Which one of you is Barrett Walters?"

There was a stir by his parents, Clark and Annie who stood. "Ambassador, we're here for our son. We just received word about this."

"So did I," Ratchet said. "Who are the others in this situation?"

Sitting several seats down, two kids stood. They were boys about 15-16 years old and had the full bloom of fury in their aura. "We are. I'm Lucas Thomas and this is Larry Mott."

Ratchet nodded as he glanced at the parents in the group. "What happened, Mr. Mott?"

The kid stared up at Ratchet, then glanced at his parents. They looked pale and worried but they nodded encouragement. "We were sitting in the cafe, The Pub having something. We go there to hang out when school's out and have a … something," he said as the other nodded. "Our sisters came in and sat down nearby, Lynn and Kadie. He was there and he saw them. He began to talk to them and they didn't like it. When they got up to leave he called them names. We didn't like it either."

"Who are the sisters?" Ratchet asked.

Two girls stood nervously.

"Is this so?" Ratchet asked.

They nodded. "We decided to leave because we had things to do and when we did he called us fat and stupid. He said we were too ugly for him anyway. That's when our brothers got up and it sorta … uh ..." Lynn Mott trailed off as she glanced at her brother. "Thanks, Larry," she said wanly as her brother nodded and turned back to Ratchet with some gathering defiance.

:That little mech defended his sister. Stand up little mech: Raptor said off line.

:He is. Both of them are. Too bad humans don't have caste courts: Ironhide said.

Prophetically.

=0=TBC 4-4-19 **edited 4-7-19**


	630. Chapter 630

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 630)

LEONESS: I hear you about things Earth could use. This morning I saw a headline about a kid who accidentally discovered and made a battery that if memory serves me could last **400 YEARS**. I want one. Two. Several. :D:D:D

=0=At Unidad in the auditorium

Ratchet rose and turned to the big mechs with him. :What about a caste court to settle this sort of slag before it gets out of hand. This kid is one of the Harris group, the Earth's version of high castes. I looked at all their social media when I heard they were coming and its bad:

:What kind of authority do you have here, O' Liaison?: Raptor asked with a grin.

:Full when infractions happen with caveats. I think this falls within my discretion: Ratchet said. :I'll check with Prime's lawyer: He paused a moment in concentration for a conversation with someone in the office at the Ops Center.

Behind them, the audience sat tense and anxious as they watched the big bots apparently discuss their kids' future. Carly and Sam stood with the bots, both of them waiting with less anxiety and more curiosity. The kids looked tense but fronted a nonchalance that none of them really felt. Even Walters was feeling the burn.

Ratchet glanced at the pair, then grinned. {We're go. Hardie is even coming. He's in the center to get some data for his district. He's on the way}

{This might be interesting} Raptor said with a chuckle. {Are you going to inform them?}

{On it} Ratchet said as he turned back to the group. Glancing down at Sam and Carly, he grinned slightly. "We're going to have a hearing. Its going to be a caste court. It would appear that our infants here are feeling a bit of entitlement and its causing problems. Far be it for me to decide so I've asked Hardie to convene a court to hear this and decide what's appropriate for its outcome."

Owen Harris stood, then walked up to steps to the stage followed by Clark Walters and Pierre Beliveau. As he did, a hummer carrying Will Lennox and Niall Graham entered the parking lot outside on the other end of the building and drove into the habitat entrance. Parking in a far lane reserved for vehicles who visitors, they got out and ran for the door. They were called to come by Ratchet.

"What's happening, Ambassador?" Harris asked.

"I have discretion in this case as it was granted to me by Carly due to the special circumstances of this occasion. It's a combined unit here, this event with the two habitats so I'm going to nip this slag in the bud." He smiled his usual beautiful smile to kill time before the arrival of the soldiers and Hard Drive. "What we're going to do is have a caste court to decide the outcome of this problem because it reeks of entitlement and who knows more about the consequences of unchecked entitlement than us?"

"This is a spat between kids, Ambassador. It's an ugly episode but a caste court? Isn't that severe?" Perry Beliveau asked with surprise.

"What the hell is a caste court?" Clark Walters asked with growing alarm. "My son isn't going to be tried in a court, any court."

"And that's the problem, Mr. Walters. Your son apparently doesn't know the meaning of natural consequences. I would also like to remind you that you have no power here when the rules are broken to overlook, buy off or otherwise mitigate the consequences that stem from this sort of thing. I'm the final word liaison wise here or should I pass this overhead to Prime?" Ratchet asked.

Walters stared at him, then his son and wife who were showing at last something emotionally more normal than before.

At that moment Lennox and Graham jogged in, climbed the steps, then huddled with Carly, Sam, Ratchet who knelt, Walters, Harris and Beliveau. Raptor and Ironhide stepped back with a grin as they listened and watched the whole thing.

:They need to give me that kid. I just checked his social media. Did you see the picture of him with the three sports cars? Calling everyone else a 'plebe' and bragging about his stuff… where have we seen that before?:

Ironhide nodded. :I hear you, Appa. This might be what's needed here. Old mech might be on to something. For once:

"You mean 'again'," Raptor prompted as he smiled at his grandson.

Ironhide grinned, then glanced at the audience. They looked filled with foreboding and anxiety. Maybe it was a good thing this happening. But what the frag in the end would he know?

Ratchet stood, then looked at the group. As he did, the elegant figure of Hard Drive entered the room and walked to the stage. Raptor had filled him in on the way over so he nodded to Ratchet.

Ratchet looked at the group again. "I'm convening a caste court to hear and decide this matter. Because it appears to have elements of arrogant entitlement and self regard, we're concerned that it be dealt with and not become a recurring theme. I will tell you that very few individuals throughout this or any other universe are more well versed in spotting this than us. And there are few as well versed in the inevitable consequences to others of this behavior unchecked." He glanced at the group. "You ready?"

Hardie nodded. "I am. We are."

"This is General of the Army Emeritus Hard Drive of Praxus, soldier and Immortal. This is his son, Raptor of Praxus, himself a General of the Army Emeritus. This is their grandson, Commander Ironhide of Praxus, Master of the Autobot Armed Forces and Master of Munitions and Armaments of the Autobot Armed Forces. He is also the hand picked body guard of the Prime of Cybertron."

:You left out the part about how I'm the sexiest slagger in the army: Ironhide said as he stared at the group watching with gathering foreboding.

:They can't know everything, Only One: Ratchet replied as all of them began to laugh uproariously.

On the inside.

"You're aware of Colonel Will Lennox … congrats on the promotion by the way," Ratchet said as Lennox smirked. "And you, too, Niall. This is now Major Niall Graham of Her Majesty's Armed Forces. They will be your advocates."

Both of them glanced at Ratchet. "We are?" Lennox asked.

"You are. Meet with your clients. Choose them up and be ready to go when you are," Ratchet said.

Lennox and Graham stepped to one side and by the time they walked down to the group watching them, Lennox had the hard job. He nodded to Barnett Walters to step aside with him and he did grudgingly with his mom and dad. The other two kids went with Graham along with their families and the two affected girls.

Harris looked up at Ratchet. "What will this prove?"

"That slaggers with holier-than-thou attitudes will pay a price here that they should've paid for on Earth some time back. We find that fostering bad attitudes in kids leads to some of the worst adults possible. You know what high caste entitlement did to us. We won't allow it here," Ratchet replied.

Lennox was in a heated argument which it appeared he prevailed. He turned to Ratchet and waved his hand. Graham did the same so Ratchet gestured all of them to sit again.

"I'm turning this over to General Hard Drive. General?" Ratchet said as he walked to the side to sit on the floor and watch.

Hardie stared at the humans on the stage until they got it and stepped off. Sitting again, everyone waited. It was tense as frag. He stared at all of them, then began. "I am General Hard Drive of Praxus, the most senior Praxian Elite Warrior class known to exist and a member of The Immortals. This is my son, Raptor, a general of the army as well and my great grandson, Ironhide of Praxus. We are called here to listen to a situation and find resolution. You are bound by our findings and you are expected to speak your case with truth and honor. Lies will go against you in this court. You are warned.

He turned to the others. "Raptor, you will be a judge. Ironhide, you will run the court and keep good order." He turned to the humans. "Niall Graham, present your case." With that, all of the mechs on the court dialed down to 15% emotions.

Niall jolted a moment, then stood. He walked closer to the stage, then turned to the girls. "Lynn Mott, please tell the court what happened. Don't leave anything out but don't add what didn't happen. The truth matters here."

Lynn Mott stood up, her affect one of profound fear and unease. She walked to stand beside Graham, then took his hand. "Is something going to happen to my brother?" she whispered.

Graham stepped in front of her, then leaned closer. "Don't be afraid. These are the best mechs I know."

She stared at him a moment, then nodded. Looking at the mechs who stood in a row, their dark brooding faces a frightening thing to see, she began. "My friend and I, Kadie Thomas walked into the Pub … the little cafe we have on C Street. A lot of us go there for a snack and to hang out after school. Its a nice place. When we sat down, I saw my brother and his friends across the way. Someone was sitting by himself near our table, that guy," she said glancing at Walters. "That's him."

"What happened then?" Niall asked gently.

"He started to talk to us, sort of flirting, I guess," she began.

A snort was heard as everyone glanced at Walters. Lennox leaned in to whisper and Walters sat up straighter.

"Continue, Lynn," Graham prompted.

"We sort of went along … he was new, from Earth2 so we sorta didn't mind. Then he wanted us to go out to the lake with him, just him and us. We were supposed to go home and do our homework, our parents expect it, so we told him. That's when he started to call us things, saying things that we didn't like."

"What did he say?" Niall asked as every father button in him got depressed.

Hard.

Images of his son, Niall and his daughter, Aedh flashed through his mind.

"He said to come anyway and when we said no he said it was okay because he thought we were fat and ugly. He said he didn't want to hang out with ugly girls anyway."

It was funereal in the room as the parents of Barrett looked suitably embarrassed and the others aghast.

Graham squeezed her hand. "What happened next?"

"He went on and on. He said that there were other girls in the habitat who'd love to hang out with him and they were all prettier. My brother heard this and got up. He came over and told us to go. Then he turned around to that kid and they began to argue."

"What was said?" Graham asked.

"He said he didn't like what that kid was saying, my brother said. He said he'd kick his … he'd punch him if he didn't leave and shut his mouth. That kid … Barrett? … he got up and said come on and do it. He said he had martial arts training and he'd kick my brother's ass." She caught herself, then glanced at her family. "I was afraid for everyone."

"Then the fighting began or was there more?" Graham asked.

She nodded. "He said that he could buy and sell all of us including our parents. That we were nothing and that he was famous on Instagram, that he was so rich that he could do what he wanted. He called my brother a plebe, whatever that is. He then punched my brother."

"Did he throw the first punch or did your brother? It's important to know," Graham asked.

She nodded. "My father told us that fighting is the last thing you do but if you ever get into one make sure the other guy hits you first. Then its their fault, the fight, and not yours in the law."

Graham nodded. "What happened then?"

"It sorta went all fast. I guess the waiter there, Jerry, called the Watch because one showed up, Michael Higgenbotham and took them into custody. All three of them." She glanced at her family, then Graham.

"Is there more?" Graham asked.

"No."

"Have a seat. I want Lawrence Mott to come up," Graham said.

He passed his sister who he nodded to as she walked back to sit wanly next to her mom. Larry stood beside Graham stoically but tensely. It was evident that he was scared but not willing to show it.

"You heard your sister speak to this. Anything to add or clarify? We desire the truth above all," Graham said.

"No. She got it right. I was amazed at what he did, that guy," Mott said as he glanced with anger at Barrett. "He came here to be safe and the first thing he does is insult some of us. I don't know who he's supposed to be on Earth but he's just another person here."

Graham nodded, then glanced at the other two kids, Kadie and Lucas Thomas. "You heard the same. Do you have anything to add or change?"

"No," Kadie said nervously. "I don't know why this happened. Everyone gets along here."

"He talked like this to my sister and her friend. He thinks he's somebody," Lucas Thomas said as he glared at Walters.

"I am," Walters said before Lennox leaned in again. Annie Walters looked faint. Clark looked tense and slightly afraid. He leaned toward his son and whispered. Barrett sat back angry but silent.

Graham who was watching turned to the court. "We are concluded, your honors."

Hardie nodded, then glanced at Lennox. "Present your case, Colonel."

Will Lennox stood with a sense of futility, fury and doom. He walked to the steps. "Your honor, we aren't disputing the facts," he began before Barrett stood in surprise and fury.

" **WHAT!?"** he began before Lennox turned on him. With the force of his glare, Barrett stepped back. His mother grabbed his hand and tugged him down.

Lennox turned to the court. "We aren't disputing the facts. They have four witnesses to our one. The security tapes alone will back them up. Are you going to show them?" he asked Ratchet.

"I have them already for the judges when they call for them," Ratchet said. "Do you want to see them?"

Lennox wavered, then shook his head. "No. Not really. We aren't disputing the facts." He turned to the court. "What we **would** like is something that's going to allow this to be sorted out in a good way.

"Barrett Walters is an entitled kid. He seems to never have paid consequences for his actions and that means there's a set of **parents** at fault as well. Kids do what they learn and know. Apparently, he was taught that no one counts in any manner but himself. I'm asking for leniency and another chance. I know how you all feel about high caste entitlement but I'd hope that you figure out what to do about this in a way that's positive and not negative. That's all I'm going to say here. I trust your wisdom, Generals. Ironhide," he said as he nodded to the court.

"What kind of defense is this?" Clark Walters said as he stood.

"The only one that fits. Unless you want to see and hear the video of your son attacking **girls** ," Lennox said darkly.

Clark stared at him, then sat slowly again.

It was silent a moment, then Hardie spoke. "I am now going to ponder this with the court. You will stay seated until we read the findings. You will abide by the decision of this court. The only appeal of the findings is to write a request to the court for a review of either presented evidence that is in dispute given more and consequential evidence or to present something new for consideration. There is no other appeal and since we were asked to sit for this, then the findings are final."

Then he seemed to shut down. Inside, the three went over the evidence and reviewed the films that Ratchet sent to them. It was silent, tense and scary. No one knew the extent of the ability of the court to make their kids pay a penalty. Everyone watching had forgotten that they were watching dedicated fathers and grandfathers grapple with a decent solution to the problem.

Lennox and Graham walked up the steps toward Ratchet. They chatted quietly a moment as they waited for the findings. It would be a tense and foreboding wait.

=0=TBC 4-5-19 **edited 4-7-19**


	631. Chapter 631

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 631)

=0=An auditorium stage in Unidad

They stood together, three behemoths, though one was slightly slimmer and shorter. They stared without blinking, an oddity that the bots did when their emotions were very low. It always surprised humans new to them when they saw the bots blink their eyes. Whether it kept their optics lubricated the way lids did for human eyeballs, no one watching knew. They didn't care at the moment either because all of them were riven with nervous agitation which some could barely contain.

Clark Walters was as frustrated and unnerved as he had ever been in the cut throat world of international banking and venture capitalism where he had spent his life. He'd been raised to good standards by a strict, wealthy and highly placed father and mother. He, himself was determined that his own kids would live a less structured life and have fun and opportunities that he could supply at will.

They attended expensive private schools, had luxuries few could imagine and lived a very fulsome and high flying life. They had presences on social media, flew to exotic vacations, would attend the best colleges eventually and go into the family businesses at some point. The life they led never touched the ground.

Until now.

Barnett Walters was a good solid student in school, was active in sports, had a 'thing' about expensive sports cars which his father fed as a shared passion, led an active social life and had never had to pay a price for any of his shortcomings in his life. He was often in the news as part of a rowdy gang of kids who constituted his circle who liked to push the edges of legalities and convention. It was fun because he knew he would pay no consequences of any real significance. If he was arrested for drunkenness or other antics that disturbed the peace, he knew he would be rescued by his family who thought 'boys would be boys'.

Both he and his father were the products of affluence and the poisoned possibilities of such without self discipline, a social or legal consequence for actions undertaken or a clear understanding of how societies only thrived within an agreed upon set of ideas, rules and laws. Now they were here in a culture and among individuals who knew something about unchecked entitlement and they were going to be schooled about it in short time.

Prowl who knew something about this himself was listening with half an audial at Ops Center as he went through the intel from the DMZ that would show that Razorclaw was stunting along the line of demarcation but not crossing it. Frustration with that was offset by a sense of amusement that high caste slaggers were going to see where the rubber met the road.

Or so Appa Ratchet often said.

Ratchet sat on the deck watching the humans sitting in the chairs waiting even as he chatted with the humans gathered around him. They were gossiping together, studiously avoiding anything more complex as they waited for Raptor, Ironhide and Hard Drive to render a verdict.

They didn't have to wait long.

When it was almost too much the big mechs turned from each other and toward the group. The humans on the stage hurried down to stand with the humans all of whom arose. Ratchet stood as well as all of them waited for the verdict.

Hard Drive looked at all of them as he dialed up his emotions once more. The others did as well, then stared at the humans without a sound. "We have reached a decision which in the end is mine alone. We discussed the evidence and testimony which included the security tapes of The Pub where this happened. Given that they only advise," he said nodding to the others, "I alone make the decision and the decision is final. If you feel there are circumstances not covered here which you wish to introduce or that something demonstrated or spoken here is provably at fault, you may petition me to give you a hearing. All other rationales for a rehearing or appeal do not apply."

He looked at the kids. "Step forward, Barrett Walker, Lawrence Mott and Lucas Thomas."

The three kids stepped around family, then walked up to Will Lennox and Niall Graham. They were tense, noticeably scared but stiff with defiance anyway. It was instructive to see. Two were defiant for their sisters, that much was obvious. They would always believe they did the right thing defending them. The other one was just defiant.

Ratchet flashed on a sullen defiant winger child as he watched them. Prowl would have loved to be here for this, Ratchet knew. No one enjoyed a good entitlement take down better than Prowler.

"I am excusing Lawrence Mott and Lucas Thomas from any consequences for what happened. They did not start this situation, they did not throw the first punch and thus, they are excused. I **will** say that fighting is a very poor choice of actions to undertake without the most extreme provocation. I am aware that this was prompted by Walker but you need to know that fighting is the last resort. It represents failure. There is no other word to describe the use of violence in disputes. Stand back," Hardie said.

Walters was staring at the three with surprise and growing emotions. He didn't say anything yet and neither did anyone else.

"You, Barrett Walters are the instigator of this action. You attacked two girls for not going with you. When you didn't get your way you fell into wounding remarks and insults. It was cowardly to do that, to attack anyone when you don't get your way but to do that to girls the way you did is shaming.

"You are supposed to be a guest here. They have taken you in to keep you safe and this is your 'gratitude'? You started this with your sense of entitlement and your lack of manners, social graces and the ability to understand that when a woman or girl says no, it means just that. **No**.

"I am holding you solely responsible for this interaction and for that you bear the greatest consequences. You will report to the waste management section of this facility after school and work there three hours a day for ten days before you may stand down. That will be fulfilled even if you return to Earth2 before the decaorn is over.

"If you do not do that then I will ask the Prime to step in and allow us to remove you to the juvenile detention facility in The City to serve your time in lock up. Three days of jail will be the penalty if you decide you're above such duties as I have commanded or if you do not do them to the highest possibility. You will bring manners as well as respect and use them.

I would also like to say to you, Mr. and Mrs. Barrett that you have been **deeply** negligent with your son in his growth to be a man. He attacked two girls for declining his company which is their right. Your son has no manners that I can see that are appropriate for his age. He believes that he can call out and treat people with contempt and disrespect as he chooses and that is **your** fault and failure.

"A duty of good parenting is to ensure that your children will be able to function in any gathering in an appropriate manner. Your son does not know how to do that. I expect a decaorn working in waste management with the men and mechs there will help him learn that his place in society is not in the front of the line as a matter of course but wherever he is as he waits his turn.

"We know something of the entitlement personality." He stared at Barrett. "If you took the value of this facility and that of Earth2 and Earth 1, then you would know something of the resources that my family commanded on Cybertron. I would venture, Barrett Walters, that if **anyone** could buy **someone** and their parents, it would be **me** in relation to your own. I am tired of people who assume that money and things make them superior to those who have less. It does not.

"Our world went up in flames because some of our most powerful and affluent individuals didn't learn that simple truth. I suspect that you will. You will start tomorrow, be on time, do your job with good manners and ability and obey those who have you in their charge. If you don't, I will be back and you will go into the juvenile system here to fulfill your debt."

Hardie looked at the humans from Earth2. "I am General Hard Drive of Praxus and I have spoken. This court stands in adjournment." He glanced at Ratchet. "Please monitor this sentence, Ratchet. I want to know if he so much as whimpers at the workmen who will supervise him. I have no patience anymore for this sort of thing."

Ratchet nodded. "I will, General. Thank you and the court."

"It is our pleasure to help someone get back on the good path," Hardie said to the humans staring at him, some with great relief and others with shock. He nodded to the soldiers, then looked at his family. "I'm going to Cybertron. I have things to do. What about you?"

"I have to go to Cybertron. Infant here has to finish work at the armory," Raptor said as both looked at Ironhide.

"I'm on it," Ironhide said with a grin.

"Very well," Hardie said. "Let's go. Good afternoon," he said to everyone there, then the three walked to the habitat doors nearby and left, transforming to drive away together.

It was silent, then Barrett turned to his father. "I'm not going to be a garbage man. Fuck this."

Clark glanced sharply at his son. "You will **do** what you've been **ordered** to do." His face was flushed and he was deeply embarrassed and shocked.

His wife, Annie looked pale but didn't say a word.

"This is a joke, right?" Barrett asked with surprise. He glanced at the others, then Lennox. "I'm not doing this."

"Then you come with me," Lennox said. "We're heading for the juvenile detention center and you can pay your debt there. A **real** stand up man would do his penalty like a man. What's it going to be? This sentence stands."

"Give me a moment, Colonel," Clark said as he gripped his son's arm and dragged him away to talk in harsh whispers. Annie followed them.

The Motts and Thomas families stood beside Niall Graham. They glanced at Ratchet, then Abram Mott stepped closer. "Please thank the generals for us, Ambassador. This is not something we want to be part of."

"None of us do," Ratchet said. "I'll tell them. You might want to go and if anything happens let security know immediately. Tell your kids they have a duty to you to tell you if it does. The Watch can call me and I will intervene. I want this to be the end it and given that this is a big facility and this stay over should be short, its going to be reasonably likely that paths won't cross."

"I hope not," he said, then turned to his family. They gathered to leave but not before thanking Ratchet and the soldiers.

Owen Harris stepped forward as they walked up the steps to the concourse nearby. "This is unfortunate. We will abide by the ruling. I am sorry that this happened. It's been a trying time for everyone."

"It has," Ratchet said. "We want unity and harmony. This kid needs to get with the program and so do his parents. General Hard Drive means what he says and this kid will end up in the juvenile hall if he doesn't do this the right way."

"We shall see to it," Owen said as the Walters walked back toward the group.

"We're going to fulfill the order," Clark Walters said. He looked furious but at whom, it was hard to tell. "A decaorn is tens days, right?"

"It is. I'm going to have the shift workers give a short report of attendance, attitude and effort each day to my office. If there is any slacking, bad attitude or insults, then all bets are off. I hope that's clear," Ratchet said.

Clark stared at him, then nodded. "Crystal." He turned to his wife and son. "Let's go. Show me where you're staying. We can talk there." With that, the three of them began to leave.

Owen watched them, then turned to Ratchet. "There are many things happening all at the same time. Do you have any time table on the requests and presentations yet, Ambassador?"

Ratchet grinned. "Prime has made his decisions. He'll be at the airport to tell you what they are when you get ready to go. We're sending you off with Lombardi. Everyone will be dropped off at the various stops they used to come here with a detour to Ramstein Air Base for Lombardi."

Harris nodded. "Thank you. Please give my best regards to Prime and my regrets for this unfortunate happening."

"I will," Ratchet said with a nod and a grin.

They watched him leave with the others, walking up the stairs to the doors beyond. Lennox turned to Ratchet. "It stung to be called out for being a bad parent."

"It did. I guess the key to Mr. Walters is personal embarrassment."

" **I** was embarrassed for them. I don't know anyone that embarrassment doesn't work on," Niall Graham said with a shake of his head.

Ratchet laughed. "You **do** remember who you're talking to don't you?"

They did and they laughed loudly as they gathered up to go. They would go up the stairs and Ratchet out the back door. It would be neck and neck, the race back to The City between them.

=0=TBC 4-6-19 **edited 4-7-19**

I am basing the character of Barrett and his sisters on some social media kids and in particular, Barron Hilton, the slacker brother of Paris. Conrad is a bit of a character as well.


	632. Chapter 632

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 632)

=0=Ops Center

Ratchet sat down at the table across from Prowl. "Well, that was interesting."

"I thought so. I also don't believe that kid has the stuff to do his sentence without further intervention," Prowl said as he glanced up.

"You're probably right. I'm going to grab a bite. Everyone is supposed to be at the airport at 2200 or 2000?" Ratchet asked.

"2000. I want you there at 1940 hours when Optimus gives the thumbs up or down on the proposals," Prowl said.

"Then come with," Ratchet said as he stood. "I'm going to have dinner at the Diner."

Prowl rose, turned over the command center to Whiskey, the officer of the deck this shift because Paragon was taking a short break with Arrow for clan reasons. Arrow's.

They walked out and down the sidewalk heading for the Diner. It was getting toward evening and the traffic was heavy. The colony had passed 59,000,000 individuals and everything was denser and more sped up. There was more a bit more crime and disturbances as well as more activity in business and building. There was a possibility of two gangs merging, some high castes causing disturbances in their buildings with their attitudes but all in all, the place was a miracle of cooperation, unity and peacefulness.

Entering the Diner which now was present sometimes in two places in every major hub city designation, they found their booth and sat down. Ordering, they sat back. "So tell me … what is your analysis of the situation with the kid?"

"Have you seen his Instagram? Look under 'rich kids of Instagram' and behold the magnificence. I'm not sure which is greater … laying on a bed covered with money while you're telling about how poor you are because its only that much, bragging about flying to a trivial event on your dad's private jet or mocking people about your 'weekly allowance' that looks like ten thousand dollars in your hands. We have some of them here, major actors on that platform and this one … there's something deeply basic lacking from him and I don't think he's up to it.

"Most of the kids, even the entitled ones are fine, some nicer than others. But most of them are pretty happy to be here and are doing well. This one hasn't and probably won't. I see him in juvenile hall before this is over, sooner rather than later."

"Do we have accommodations for humans?" Prowl asked.

"I asked Levi to look into it. He's going to make it possible in case this happens. He was interested in the court himself," Ratchet said of the director of intake and correctional placements at the social services-juvenile facility next door to the processor health center down town.

"Good. I don't want to have something blow up and not have a way to deal with it," Prowl said.

"How close did you come to juvie?" Ratchet asked. "I know I was on the radar of youth services but they could never really pin anything on me."

Prowl smirked faintly. "They never caught me either but it was mostly about curfew violations. I didn't break the laws other than to stay out late. Mostly." He considered things a moment. "I **did** sometimes take things that didn't belong to me and pawn them."

" **What**?" Ratchet asked with surprise.

Prowl grinned with a certain amount of smug satisfaction. "I'd be dragged to functions from time to time … to the houses of the biggest slaggers around. I hated it and had to be good. When I'd get a chance and no one was looking, I'd take something, something small that they wouldn't miss and pawn it. I'd take the shanix and give it to groups that were doing things about the poverty and the treatment of habitat for animals. I figured that they wouldn't miss it and others needed it more. I really liked to stick it to them."

Ratchet stared at him, then sat back with a nod. "I used to make up fake soldiers and have their pay sent to post boxes that I faked including their ration cards. I took that and bought food and medicine. I used to fake medical appropriations and give that stuff to the hedge doctors or have clinics myself."

Prowl grinned. "I know."

"You did?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl nodded. "No one ever caught you. The few times they came close I sent them on goose chases."

They stared at each other silently, then grinned. "Thanks," Ratchet said.

"Don't mention it," Prowl said, then leaned closer. "Truly. Don't mention it to my genitors. Or anyone else."

"Mum's the word," Ratchet said as their food came and they ate it together.

Small world, theirs.

=0=1830 Hours here and there

Clark Walters sat at the table eating dinner with his wife, two daughters and son. He was going to stay for the next ten days or until they were sent back to Earth2.

Tinsley and Gina watched everyone silently. They'd spent the early evening swimming in the lake and thus had missed the drama. No one else had. Plenty were the kids who made a point of telling them when they got back that Barrett had gotten into deep trouble, been 'arrested and tried'.

They'd hurried home in time to see his father arguing with their brother and their mom in tears. Things had been settled apparently and now they were having dinner as silently as any time they could remember. There was no laughter, chat about this and that thing to do or place to go. It was just silent.

And awful.

=0=Earth2

Owen Harris and his group had their last dinner with the 100 'lions of industry' before they were going to return to Earth. It was an odd affair with some levity but mostly heavy nerves in anticipation of Prime's decisions. They were also going to be the first humans to come back to Earth after the latest murder. They would be pummeled with media.

Gathering in the concourse by the door with their baggage already packed and loaded on the bus outside, the visiting group were going to be going to the municipal airport to board a ship to fly off into space. It was still a startlingly amazing thing, all Buck Rogerish to most and some were even sad to leave.

There were enough Earth-like amenities here, especially with the planned and announced expansions of domed arable land to enlarge the farm at Earth 1 and add habitation for greenery and recreation at the Resort to make things more very doable. All of this and more was rumored to be on the books so it was getting easier live here than it was in the beginning.

"Is everyone here?" Owen asked.

Perri Beliveau nodded. "They are."

"Can I have your attention please?" Owen asked. The buzz died as everyone turned to him. "Thank you. I wish to express the greatest of appreciation that you could come and take part in our first business venture conference held here at Earth2. It won't be the last and you are always welcome to return.

"I didn't expect it to be such an adventure. The events of the past couple of days were not expected. I hope that this doesn't sour your feelings and moods about Mars and the possibilities available to those with bold visions. I would also like to say that it took four major conferences with the locals to get Earth2 green lighted and it was built in less than a week under the management of Jetta of Iacon.

"We are going to the airport where Prime will give his decisions. Don't be discouraged if he says no this time. Go back, work through the comments and see what you can do. I am willing to assist you through the submission process again. Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed your visit half as much as we enjoyed hosting you."

Everyone clapped and then began to move outside to the bus. In moments they were aboard, the habitat released them and they were on their way to Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport.

=0=At the airport

The senior Autobots gathered around Prime and Prowl chatting together about this and that as nearby on a caisson, the casket of Silvio Lombardi lay with a flag of Cybertron covering it. There were priests nearby to do the blessings for him before he was boarded onto the ship. In the distance, a bus was coming their way to disembark all of the visitors to Earth2's conference.

It was show time.

The bus arrived, then came to a halt next to the jetways that led inside. The people on board began to walk out when the doors opened and gathered inside as they waited for Owen to lead the way. Down the concourse they spotted the Autobots and nearby with small mechs wearing green or red robes lay the casket of the dead mercenary, Lombardi. The two groups stood together at their end of the concourse staring at both as Owen made his way forward.

They were inside the protected area for immigrants with special needs, the place all humans entered upon arrival. No one was at the desk nearby because the next ships from Earth weren't due for three more hours. It was at this point that Owen led the way with the crowd to the bots.

Ratchet stepped out with Sam and Carly who were there along with Warren Roberts, Magnus and Venture. They met somewhere in the middle where Ratchet knelt. "Hello, everyone. I see that you're heading back. Everyone is here for Prime's decisions. I want you to know that there are some points that are not negotiable and it applies now even as it did before. Also, if you're turned down now, you'll get a written report from Warren's office in two days about why. Go through your proposal and if you want to try again, make sure it meets what we desire from you. Let's start, shall we?"

Ratchet stood, then glanced at the others standing nearby around Prime. Prime walked toward them, then paused to kneel. "Gentlemen? I am glad that you came here to see the colony and Mars. I hope in spite of things that have happened that you found what you came for. This is a very unique place and the esteem that we hold for Earth and humanity is very high and important to us.

"I have gone over your proposals which were vetted by my general staff, sciences and experts in every area that would be affected. I have approved some of them and not others. Some I am handing back to you with our input so that you might redesign or change your requests to be more in line with our philosophies."

He glanced at Owen. "I am going to green light the space station between Earth and Mars. That will be a major project but we are very good at building them."

A number of men in the group expressed delight, slapping each other on the back as they felt their deep happiness and relief.

"I have asked Jetta, our Colonial engineer to write a set of documents that would detail who is responsible for what. Each habitat here is ruled by charters that are hammered out syllable by syllable and this will be no exception. Ambassador Ratchet will be handling the negotiations and understand … we hold to the letter of them. You are asking to live in unforgiving environments so we will not be giving an inch on what we agree to support.

"I am declining the proposals that required excavation here on world. We hold the environment highly here and our footprint on world is minuscule considering our population is pushing toward 60,000,000 individuals. We do not need to dig beyond the small quarries where we mine energon. When we have excavated to the limit of the area, we rebuild it back to standards. All minerals that are required will be brought from space.

"I am allowing the presence of some of the retail outlets that were put forward for the benefit of the human population here. We will build a small mall for them and other businesses on world for the humans to be collected there that will be in close alignment and proximity with the Resort and two of the local human habitats. Those of you who wished to make statement placements of your company's businesses on Earth will be allowed to do so. Your food and apparel businesses, small and promotional though they may be will be an asset to the humans who live here and whose comforts are important to us.

"I am allowing a small consortium bank here for the convenience of the human community. All of the humans who are employed by Autobot Nation and the Primal Foundation are money managed through our own bank, Primal 1. We are not averse to humans using others and will allow it here. I do hope you understand that we are a cash free society and that the money managed by us for our employees including their retirement and savings accounts are safe, protected and not available for freelance investing by our bank.

"I am declining another habitat for now. We have The Resort, Sciences, N.E.S.T. Garrison, Earth 1 and 2 as well as Unidad. We have several ideas for other habitats on the table and have room for yours if you read and understand the information we will send you from Warren's office. I am not averse to humans living here. I am to plans that do not reflect the caveats and conditions that have already been established by us as minimal and non-negotiable."

It was silent as the different groups in the party took in their victories and loses. Then Harris stepped closer. "Thank you, Lord Optimus. If any of these individuals resubmit their plans utilizing your suggestions … can they expect a reception for them?"

Prime nodded. "Yes, Mr. Harris. They can."

"Very well, then," Owen said. "Expect answers and suggestions to your proposals, gentlemen, shortly. I thank you for your presence here and the door is always open to you to come back."

It was a mixed bag of men that stepped toward the jetway that led to the vessel that would take them to Earth. As they did, the priests turned to the casket, put their servos upon it and began a prayer for the dead and the hope that his spirit would find its way to whatever Matrix the humans believed lay ahead for them.

The Autobots stood with the human soldiers and a number of the diplomats from the Consulate as the priests prayed. Then they stepped back as the casket was rolled on the caisson toward the cargo jetway of the vessel. In it went, then was lifted into the ship. They withdrew and the doors all closed.

It was a solemn group that watched the ship rev up and begin to taxi toward the lift off point nearby when it would go straight upward toward space. It would take 45 minutes to reach Diego, then about three hours to drop everyone off at the airports that they had left a mere few days before.

When the humans stepped back onto Earth's soil again, it would feel like they were gone for months. When the ship landed at Ramstein to deliver Silvio Lombardi, the real circus would begin.

=0=TBC 4-7-19

ESL

juvie: (Rhymes with groovy) short for juvenile hall, or the prison, jail or detention center for kids in America

caisson: (kay-sahn) a wagon upon which munitions were pulled by horses back in the day. Now they are platforms for military style funerals which carry coffins to the cemetary.

Wilzanzo chapter 630 . Apr 6

love the series I read every chapter one through six keep up the good work.

ME: WELCOME ABOARD! It takes a while to get through all of it. :D I know. I'm editing it. :D:D HUGS!

Guest chapter 630 . Apr 6

What a great use of cast court! Hi, like you, think that most people will do better if given a chance and good learning along with support encouragement and A good set down win necessary.

ME: I agree. Sometimes people just need to see themselves clearly. I am a sucker for redemption and believe if you dig deep enough MOST people are basically good. HUGS!

leoness chapter 629 . Apr 5

there's a lot of things i wish humans had…

ME: I hear ya. I reread the article about the 400 year old battery and its true. The one they're testing has passed 200,000 recharges. The average phone battery is lucky to make 2,000. HUZZAH! HUGS!

Guest chapter 629 . Apr 5

I love your typos: planets and bushes grew around the lake... I'd like to see that!

ME: OH CRAP! LOL! I remember once doing a typo that said Breaddown instead of Breakdown. :D HUGS!

Silverhornd chapter 627 . Apr 2

Someone needs to caught big time to bad that spirit can't help. Question, When will Sam and Carly get married, will it done on Mars because of what Sam use to be. Second, question what does Bumblebee and the others think about the movie about him and him beaning portrayed by a Volkswagen bug.

ME: The spirit is going to weave in and out but this is not something they can get into. We have free will. Carly and Sam are going to get married soon enough and so will Jessie and James, eventually. They're military so its going to be more complicated than Carly and Sam. I'm also going to have that movie come to Mars and the commentary will be good. Bee might be offended by the old fashioned bug. My sister-in-law had a yellow one just like that and I loved it. The old bugs were a ton of fun. HUGS!

optimus prime101 chapter 627 . Apr 2

The commentary on earth would begin immediately what does that mean?

ME: The media will begin to hash it over. Endlessly. HUGS!


	633. Chapter 633

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 633)

=0=Broadcast headquarters, MCA Consortium Broadcasting, London, Rome and New York … New York City

"Good evening. We have latest breaking news on the murder of Italian national, Silvio Lombardi who worked for Earth2 on Mars as a security officer until his death there three days ago. He is the second murder in three weeks. We were informed two days ago that he had been found murdered, an event that followed that of Lawrence Dobbs of Texas here in the United States.

"The first was Mr. Dobbs who was found murdered in a pile of boulders at milepost 15 on the TransWorld Highway some 21 miles from Earth2 itself. It would appear that Mr. Dobbs was bludgeoned to death by person or persons unknown. The newest victim is Silvio Lombardi of Florence, Italy, 35 years old and a senior member of the on site security service that is employed by site director, Owen Harris of Harris Industries and Technology. There are very little details known about each of these murders to date. Optimus Prime who is in charge of the situation as per the charters and protocols of the human habitations is not releasing any information beyond basic details in light of the investigation being ongoing.

"We are waiting for the cargo ship, Sea of Reeds to arrive and touch down at Ramstein Airbase in Germany with the body. It has spent the last three hours delivering members of an investment group who had gone to Earth2 to discuss future business ventures on Mars and to meet with and speak to senior Autobots who are key to that process. They have come from different countries all over the world and we are told that agents from Interpol, local national policing agencies and intelligence forces from their countries were waiting to interview them about this situation.

"There are no details being released at this moment from these interviews but we are seeking to speak with them though preliminary indications are that they were not aware of this happening until the Autobots came to the habitat to invoke the charter and begin their investigation. I am told that Stephanie Goldman is at Ramstein Airbase now. Stephanie?" he, David Harper asked.

The sound of engines could be heard as the screen split and a woman standing with others by a security fence faced a camera with a microphone. Behind her in the darkness of early morning, lights flooded an area near the base hospital and a group of soldiers were waiting by a gurney and ambulance. "David … I'm here at Ramstein Airbase waiting for the Autobot cargo ship to arrive with the body of Silvio Lombardi who died in a mysterious incident some miles from the Earth2 habitat. So far we're held up because the vessel is dropping off guests to the Future Is Now conference held at Earth2. When that is accomplished, they will come here and transfer the body to the waiting ambulance. David."

"What is the word at the base, Stephanie? Have you heard if Lombardi's family is there yet? What is the situation on the ground?" David asked.

"I was told that the parents and siblings of Silvio Lombardi had arrived a few hours ago to wait for their son to arrive here. They were accompanied by an attache of the department of state from Rome and were met by the Italian ambassador and his legal consultant for the embassy here. They are gathered at the hospital and will be here for what follows next. They are going to be performing a post mortem on the body here to determine what happened to him. The family has released no statement but apparently are very distraught about this whole matter as one would be. David."

"If you can hold on, Stephanie, we're going to go to our bureau in Rome for a report from Julio Marconi. Julio, do you hear me?"

A tall handsome man in a dark suit standing in the light of a gathering of news reporters and local people drawn by the hooplah answered. "I hear you, David. I'm here waiting for a statement from the government about this situation. It would appear that they're waiting for the post mortem before issuing anything more than what they have already. The Prime Minister expressed his surprise and disquiet that this has happened to an Italian national and expressed his concerns about the safety of the habitat and the responsibility of the Autobots to ensure the lives of everyone who live in them.

"Inside sources state that there is a lot of nervousness about this situation and concern for the numerous Italian nationals who live in the different habitats on world and serve in the N.E.S.T forces there. They are going to issue a statement when the report reaches the Prime Minister and not before. Right now, the alliances between Italy and the government of the Prime is solid and secure according to informed sources. David."

"Julio, what is the local reaction to this news among the population? Are they moved by this or is there calm?" David asked.

"So far, so good. There is great shock in the public but it would appear that most are waiting for the facts before making judgment," Julio said. "I would say it was a measured response to the incident so far. David."

"Thank you. Please stand by, Julio. Right now, we are going to our London bureau to take the measure of reaction there. Stephen, what is the situation in London tonight?" David asked.

A short man with dark hair and striking green eyes was standing outside Downing Street with a crowd, some of whom carried anti Autobot signs. "David, we're waiting for a statement from the Prime Minister who is consulting with his ministers and we are told, Prowl of Praxus about this incident. There is a conference call going on inside the Prime Minister's residence about this situation. The United Kingdom are very close allies to the Prime's government and there are many of their soldiers serving in the N.E.S.T. armed services, the most famous being Niall Graham of Scotland.

"The Prime Minister has a close working relationship through Prowl of Praxus, the sub commander of the Armed Forces and bond of the Prime of Cybertron. All of the major allies conference with him once a week for a half hour to discuss matters of mutual interest and import. Right now, I can tell you that there are a number of European leaders of governments on the call and when there is more facts laid out, then they will issue a joint statement and not before. David."

"Thank you, Stephen. Please stand by. We are going back to Stephanie at Ramstein because we have just received word that the Autobot ship is coming in for a landing there. Stephanie, what do you see?" David asked.

The scene changed to night time in Germany. The wind was blowing and rain was beginning to fall on the tarmac as everyone huddled under what shelter they could find. The lights of the base flooded the area illuminating those who were here to receive the body. This would be the last stop for the Autobots before leaving for home. The vessel could be seen coming in, its running lights bright as it came to touch down nearby. It rolled along, its gleaming white sides showing off the gigantic Autobrand, the Emblem of the Primes, its name in NeoCybex glyphs and several things that they didn't know the meaning.

It flew along, then slowed swiftly, turning to come forward to the place where it would halt. It was oddly silent, the great vessel as it came to a stop near the fence where the press waited.

"David, the Sea of Reeds has landed and is being readied to off load its last passenger. This ship I am told is not sentient but one of the many in the commercial fleet of the Prime that serves the planet and its many commercial ventures.

"They are getting ready to open the hatch. Who will be there to facilitate the transfer, I am not clear. Last time it was Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon himself. We shall have to wait and see. The gurney is being moved closer as the six soldiers delegated to take the coffin are getting ready to do so," Stephanie said.

The gurney halted near the plane, then the six soldiers led by an officer walked to the plane as the hatch opened. The lights inside flooded the area as Ratchet stepped out with Springer and Drift. They walked down and met the group of base military officers and dignitaries that were going to take charge of the body. They huddled together as Ratchet knelt and the other two bots leaned in to listen.

The images on the screen were of Ratchet discussing things with the soldiers and dignitaries including the Ambassador for Italy to Germany. It was intense, then Ratchet stood. Drift and Springer walked back up the ramp, went inside, then came back out. Springer was holding the casket in both hands, the smallness of the figure itself oddly poignant. He walked past the group, then knelt down. Gently, carefully, reverently, he placed the casket on the gurney.

Rising to step back, he watched as Drift knelt to place the flag of Cybertron and Mars over it. It was like someone spreading a handkerchief, he was so big. Then he stood and the soldiers waiting took charge, walking off with the casket to the ambulance. The bots watched them go, themselves shiny with rain as it began to fall harder. Then they walked back to Ratchet, paused as he talked some more with the humans, then rose himself to go. Without ceremony, they walked up the ramp and the hatch closed.

After a moment of two, the vessel signaled that it was leaving and then without a hitch, it rose straight up into the air to disappear into the dark raining sky. Silvio Lombardi was at last home again.

=0=Going home

"Some of them were pissed off," Springer said as he lounged on a chair by the windows of the vast hold.

Ratchet nodded. "They're scared. I don't blame them. They're finite and small. They want this over as badly as we do."

"This is going to frag up the relationship and maybe stir the hornets nest isn't it?" Drift asked.

"You're a little too late. Prowl messaged me that two of our stores, one in Belgium and another in Australia were bombed. No one was hurt and the damage negligible. I'm only worried about our employees. You two better get with Prime over this. We're going to have to do some work keeping everyone safe here."

Springer nodded. "Frag," he muttered under his breath.

=0=Autobot City

They watched the news which alternated between the scene at Ramstein and the two sites where pipe bombs had gone off. It was like old times.

Prowl glanced at the doorway as Ratchet, Drift and Springer walked in. They were recalled by bridge and thus spent minutes rather than nearly an hour in transit toward home. The senior Autobots watched them come to the table, then sit.

"Good job. Short overview?" Prowl asked.

"They stated that they were going to be as patient as public opinion allowed for the results. No one is going to do anything to the relationship but they want and need facts and results as soon as possible. I gave them my word they would get them as fast as we could determine. Given that we're dancing around the problem of ringers, its going to be delicate for us to do this. I think they are the killers and we have to balance taking them down to save the locals any more death or leave them to find their handlers and save maybe thousands more by doing so."

Prime nodded. "This is a conundrum. Of course, there is the third possibility. We take the ringers in and ring their necks." He glanced at a pensive Jazz and Blaster. "Do you two think you can be Mueller and Anderson?"

The two glanced at each other, then Jazz grinned. "Do I look like I can?" He laughed. "You can take that two ways. Those low rollers? Sure."

"Then I think its time to hunt for moles," Prime said as he stood.

"Again," Ironhide said as he joined Prime.

All of them rose, the senior Autobots, grizzled veterans of a zillion hellish encounters and special operations that would dazzle the imaginations of professional soldiers all over the galaxy. Together, they walked to the door of Ops Center heading to the N.E.S.T. Headquarters and the two ringers.

They were led by a seething Optimus Prime.

=0=TBC 4-8-19


	634. Chapter 634

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 634)

=0=Down the street

They stood together out of view of the garrison habitat down the street. Prime had discussed what he wanted with Perceptor and Wheeljack as they crossed the airfield halting beside a cargo ship to outline the process. The others listened, added a comment or two, then Perceptor stepped aside to wait for back up.

The sun was shining overhead as they reached the Courthouse to pause in the ornate courtyard of the huge seven story building, its facade rebuilt since the calamitous crash landing of Omega what seemed like decades before. A truck came back and parked nearby, a science truck with the requisite equipment. Perceptor and Wheeljack chatted a moment, then turned to Prime and the others.

"Optimus, we've designed a way to get communications knocked out but we won't have more than an educated guess that it'll work on the tech they have that hides them," Percy began. "We can hit them with an EMP blast, a small targeted one and blame it on a faulty reactor or feedback loop in the Hangar District, you know … like its still part of the situation correction from before.

"That will take out communications and we can even extend it to IntraCom and the Courthouse for a short moment which will allow any cover story to be more plausible. At that point, their ability to send and receive is down. We can then apprehend them inside."

"What about them just going blank and hiding?" Ratchet asked. "Do you think this might take down their tech?"

"I'm unclear, Ratchet. The tech is something different and possibly employing alien features if not down right alien in derivation. We're making educated guesses here. Even if they aren't affected, where will they go? Who will they call?" Percy asked.

"Ghostbusters?" Raptor said with a grin.

"Good one," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "We can then go in and kick aft."

"Did you call Lennox?" Prime asked as he stared at the building down the way.

"He is on his way," Blaster said as a truck could be seen coming from around the back of the building heading their way.

It sped to them, then halted as Epps, Lennox and Graham climbed out. They walked to Optimus and the grim group, halting before them. :What's up? You look like a firing squad:

"We are," Prowl said. "We're aware that Mueller and Anderson are in the garrison. Correct?"

Lennox nodded. :They are. What are you going to do?:

"We are going to hit the habitat with an EMP to knock out communications. Then I would like your permission to go inside and take Mueller and Anderson into custody. I do not really have to ask but I do, William. This is a matter of your territorial integrity. I can come inside and invoke the charter emergency clauses but I would rather have your permission."

Lennox nodded. :Can you give me a second to get advice?:

Prime nodded.

Lennox pulled out his phone, the one with the addresses and numbers, codes and other data that people would kill for on Earth, then tuned his helmet comm line to it.

:Morshower here:

:General, we have a situation: Lennox said.

Ten minutes later …

General Glenn Morshower accompanied by two legal aides and the newly promoted Brigadier General John Fulton followed by a pensive Andrew Settles stepped out of a small bridge nearby, then crossed the street to the group waiting.

:I'm here. Optimus, what is this about and what do you want to do about it?: Morshower said.

"We are going to take Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson into custody for the murders. We believe they are guilty and we know they are funneling intelligence to their group on Earth. We are concerned that more deaths will happen if we do not do this now. We are also concerned about what they have delivered to their masters. We are prepared to undertake the messages they send ourselves. I am delegating that to Jazz and Elita who have great experience in these types of operations. We cannot allow the threat to continue further."

:Alright. There is a clause that you can enter N.E.S.T under extreme provocation or circumstances. I am assuming that this qualifies. The case for their arrest for these crimes … is it good and solid?: Morshower asked. His legal aides looked grim and intense.

"We believe it is and will be enhanced by the capture of their technology. That they possess our technology and are using it is enough provocation for us to act. The Tyrest Treaties are acknowledged by all the charters of human habitation here including N.E.S.T. and allow us latitude to give the enforcing officer the discretion to act. We are invoking that clause now," Prime said as Ultra Magnus nodded in agreement. He glanced at Magnus. "The arrest of these two will be predicated on that issue for now, a violation of the Tyrest Treaties by these two."

Magnus nodded, then glanced at the humans. "It is an over arching legal point pf unyielding contention that our technology not get into the hands of those who do not have authorization to use it. Though most of our tech requires things you don't have, I still have the solemn duty to get it back and take into custody those who would possess it unlawfully."

Morshower nodded. :Then tell me the plan:

They did, then Wheeljack and Perceptor pulled a bazooka-type device out of a case in the truck. Wheeljack held it as Percy programmed it, then both turned to Prime who nodded. They walked into the street, sighted it, then fired.

A pulsing sound rang out, a sensory depleting, soul sucking sound that seemed to blast, then roll away taking sound and color with it. Then it was past and everyone turned to the two scientists. "You can go, Optimus. Nothing is coming in and out of that building."

Prime nodded, then looked at Springer, Drift and Hercy. "I would like you to accompany me to make the arrests." He looked at the humans. "You will follow but behind us." With that, he stepped off and walked toward the facility with the three Watchmen as the others followed carrying the humans.

They walked to the habitat door, then released the emergency lock now that nothing there worked. Stepping in, they waited until the atmosphere equalized. Putting the humans down onto the floor, everyone stepped back to watch.

Prime turned to Lennox. "Please bring your people to this part of the building. Have them accounted for and stay here."

Lennox walked to a wall phone and keyed in the facility. "This is Lennox. Everyone come to Ops Center and wait in the airlock. We have a problem with the electrical again. Come to the airlock as fast as you can. Lennox out."

It was stonily silent as soldiers and a few of the civilians including Lennox's mom walked into the airlock. They filed in and when they were accounted for, Lennox looked at the crowd. "Where's Mueller and Anderson?"

Everyone glanced at each other, then shrugged.

Prime stared into the center, then looked at Lennox. "Call them to come here as well."

He keyed in the phone. "Mueller and Anderson, report. We need everyone in the airlock."

Everyone waited silently a moment, then two men hurried into the rec room slowing when they saw the crowd beyond. Anderson glanced at Lennox. "What's going on, Colonel?" he asked.

"We have a problem, another EMP burst. We're trying to get everyone to safety. What took you so long?" Lennox asked.

The two men stared at the bots, then Lennox. "What's really going on?" Mueller asked as he looked hesitantly from one to the other grim face staring at the two of them.

"Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson, we would like you to come with us," Magnus said as he stepped closer. "We need to ask you some questions about the two murders."

Ratchet stared at Magnus with a sense of amusement. Magnus didn't mess around or sugarcoat what he was going to do or why. It was likely that the shit would hit the fan any second now.

The two men stared at him. "Why interview us? We barely knew them. We played cards and had a few beers," Anderson said.

"We need to talk. You can come along or we can take you along. Either way is fine with me," Magnus said as he stared coldly at the pair. "It's either my way … or the hard way."

Magnus would never know that every mech in the room minus Prowl and Prime was finishing Magnus's signature remark in their own processors as he said it.

That was when the pair disappeared right before their eyes.

Prime glanced at Lennox. "We have sealed the exit hatches, William. They have no escape," he said as he subbed a long silver baton, the kind used in combat and carefully stepped past the humans into the Ops Center. "Mueller. Anderson. I want you to surrender to me immediately or I am going to start swinging this baton. It is only a matter of time before I hit you, hidden from view or not. Give up now and live. Fight me on this and I will take you out. You may be harder to see now but you can still be struck down and I am in the mood to do so now."

Optimus twirled the baton expertly, then began to swing it through the space all around him. The sound of feet running away could be heard so he followed it.

The humans watching stared at him with anxiety and surprise. Morshower moved closer to the Ops Center door. "Hand me that microphone."

Lennox gave it to him, then turned to watch as Optimus disappeared from view.

"Mueller and Anderson … I am ordering you to surrender before Prime gets lucky and hits you so hard there's nothing left to scrape up. You have no place to go, there is no assistance here among the garrison for you and if you continue you will die. Badly. Give it up now," Glenn said.

It was silent, then a voice called out. **"STOP HIM! GET HIM TO STOP AND WE CAN TALK!"**

It was silent a moment, then Prime could be heard as the soldiers, Ironhide, Raptor and Hercy ran across the rec room toward the wide corridor that led to the rest of the ground floor. Optimus was standing in the corridor with the baton in hand ready to strike out again and the voice which was calling to Morshower was close by.

Glenn halted beside Prime. **"COME OUT AND GIVE UP! TURN OFF THE TECH AND LET US SEE YOU!"**

" **TELL HIM TO STOP FIRST!"**

Glenn glanced at a seething Prime who nodded, then subbed the baton.

That was when Mueller and Anderson appeared out of the middle of nowhere. They were crouching by a wall trapped from going forward without their footfalls giving them away. Prime had swung his baton around and there was a big dent in one steel wall where his device had landed. It was instructive how he managed to put a dent into a wall of double plated cybertanium.

Lennox walked to the men, then shoved them forward toward Morshower and Prime. "Get some cuffs, Niall," he said with the sound of fury in his tone.

Niall jogged off as the two men were scanned by Ratchet. "I don't register anything out of the ordinary. They're going to have to show us what they got and give it up."

"They will," Prime said in a low and furious tone.

Niall jogged back, cuffed the two, then everyone pulled back to the rec room. Sitting them in chairs, the bots gathered with the humans.

Glenn stepped closer. "Give up the tech or I'm going to use my RTR Tools knife to cut off wherever it is on your body."

The two stared at him, then one of them gripped the skin on his wrist. As everyone watched with shock and appalled fascination, Horst Mueller stripped the skin off until it came free from his arm. That was when every human gathered around watching lost their shit.

=0=TBC 4-9-19

:D

Oh, before I forget. I never recommend tv or movies to anyone. But I want to tell you about a Netflix show that I'm bingeing that is about as good as anything I've seen in a long time. Its called The Umbrella Academy. I think you're going to like it. Or not. :D:D:D

ESL

derivation (dare-ih-vay-shun) being derived or coming from. Frenchmen derive from France.

EXAMPLES: "The new hat was a derivation of some that were already like it but not the same."

"Country music is a derivation of traditional folk music from Europe."


	635. Chapter 635

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 635)

=0=Ops Center, conference room, the big one

They sat on chairs on the table as around the room mechs and femmes, the military elites and officers of Prime's General Staff stared at them with their unknowable faces. The two of them, Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson sat without expression though their faces were very pale. They were cuffed and nearby watching them were the soldiers, Epps, Lennox, Graham, a grim faced Gavin Pritchard who had come along for the ride, John Fulton and pacing nearby as they sat, Glenn Morshower, both called in from Earth.

Optimus walked into the room with Prowl, then both sat down at their usual spots. It was murkily silent in the room. He leaned his elbows on the table, then glanced as Perceptor and Wheeljack entered the room. "What did you find out?"

"These things," Wheeljack said turning on a monitor nearby which showed what looked like two strips of human skin, "are ingenious. These contain the tech that makes them transparent and that's what this is … the tech makes the two humans transparent. It also makes it impossible to see footprints because the tech displaces in some unknowable manner their weight. They wear them on their skin in these clever skin-like patches. They also have two devices planted in their arms, small pellets that are central to their operation.

"The first is a tiny transmitter that sends messages from where they are to our comm system that are then ghosted out on the backs of our own. The other one is a scanner. They can gather data just walking around and with the other device send it on our frequencies. The device detects them like a computer or phone will seek WIFI. This is definitely alien tech that was modified by Jhiaxus and then, Shockwave. This is partly our own and partly someone elses stuff."

It was silent as everyone absorbed that.

"We're working on it, Optimus but we don't know how it operates as yet." Perceptor leaned closer to the two men. "We shall, however. Count upon it." He leaned back. "You have endangered my son. I will make this my new religion, finding out how this works and building counter measures."

Prime stared at the two who were not giving much away. It was clear that they were scared but how much, he wasn't ready to wager a guess. "I want to know everything you know. If you leave even one small thing out I shall take you to mile 3 and mile 15 on the TransWorld Highway and leave you there. Do you understand me?"

The two men looked at Prime, then the soldiers staring at them from their own chairs nearby. :What about our rights?:

Glenn stopped pacing, then turned to them. :You have the right to say nothing. You also have the right to a firing squad for treason. Of course, given that you breached the security of the Prime of Cybertron and are currently in his custody, good luck with all of it. You signed a contract that you understood that any violations of their laws meant you were jailed by them. There would be no get out of jail cards given:

They stared at him, then Prime. :If we tell you anything, what happens to us?: Mueller asked.

Prime sat back. "It depends upon your information. If its everything, then we can talk. If you leave out one tiny scrap of what you know and have done, all bets are off. You will sit in my prison for the rest of your natural lives. There is no extradition treaty between us and your world."

The group watched the men do the math, working out what they would do silently. They stared at each other, then Prime. :You're going to take down the network, then: Anderson said.

Mueller glanced at him sharply. :Don't-:

:Don't what? We're here in this hell hole with these bastards and they won't give a fuck if they toss us out the door without our helmets. Are you going to die for them or what? Do what **you** want, Horst: Colin Anderson said bitterly. :I'm going to tell:

:Fucker: Horst said as he sat back in his chair. He stared at Prime with a cold look on his face. :You fuckers don't belong here. This is our solar system. You bring death wherever you go. So what if you take down our network. There are ten others you'll never get:

Prime stared at him, then leaned in close to Mueller's body. It made him satisfied to see Mueller's tiny tells give away how he felt about such a big malevolent mechanism that close to his smaller body. "We will get them all. Right now … talk or regret it."

Barron who was called to watch prepared to take notes. These two were in the custody of Optimus and would stay there until jurisdictional matters were ironed out between who would prosecute who first. Right now, the Cybertronians had all legal rights to the pair. "Lord Optimus, you understand that anything they tell you now is not admissible in a court. They have not been given their rights and they have no representation as of yet."

Prime nodded as he glanced at Barron. "I am aware of that, Barron. Right now, the more pressing matter is seeing how much damage and danger these two have caused. Talk."

Colin Anderson stared at Prime, then began. :We were part of a cell that's centered in Switzerland. We applied and were accepted to N.E.S.T to try our luck at getting on a striker team. Our group wanted us to get on world. That's the holy grail to them, ending up here on the inside. It was a bitch to get here:

:How many others are there doing the same thing?: Lennox asked.

Mueller shrugged. :Your guess is as good as ours:

"What is the name of your group?" Prowl asked as he began to work their interrogation.

:We are The Blade. That's the code name. You won't get the whole picture. They only build groups and cells here and there so that if things go wrong no one gets the whole game. We don't know anything beyond our own cell:

"Where in Switzerland?" Prowl asked. "How big is it? What is the name of your control? How do you communicate? The details must be complete and detailed."

:Its based at Zug, north of Lucerne. Its the usual size for an operational cell … 16 members including us. We communicate through our devices. They ghost out over your comm lines and come back the same way. Once they arrive our implants recover them and erase all tracks. They go out the same way. Our control is named Luca:

"What did you send? All of it. Details. If you leave anything out I will personally see to it that you regret it," Prowl said as he leaned in closer. The cold blooded hard sparked fragger cop was back.

They stared at him. :We scanned around the colony when we could go out. Most of it was from the consulate … their data and some from Earth2. No one noticed: Colin said.

"What about us?" Alor asked. "What did you steal from us?"

They glanced at him, then sat back in their chairs.

"Tell us," Prowl said. "You want to tell us all you got. If you hold back, well ..."

It was deadly quiet in the room.

:We scanned Teletraan a couple of times. We sent a lot of data over the comm lines to Switzerland: Colin said as Mueller steeled himself for anything.

"Frag," Prowl said. He glanced at Blaster. "Do a diagnostic. Find out what they took."

:You won't be able to find any traces: Mueller said. :It doesn't leave traces. No one here will know what was missing:

"I want a record of everywhere they were assigned, wandered off to and visited," Prowl said as he glanced at Lennox.

Lennox who looked faint himself nodded. :You got it:

Morshower and Fulton who were shocked and seething at the same time stepped closer. :What did you send?: Morshower asked.

The two stared at him, the head of the Great Enemy as the Cybertronians were called. Then Mueller told him. :Bridge tech, communications and ship engine data. That's all we could get the few times we were close enough to a nexus terminal that had access:

It was freezing cold in the room as the true measure of the disaster was taken in. Prime looked at Prowl. "Can we ask Teletraan to trace their access to terminals during their time here so we can have a measure of the windows they had to steal our data?"

"On it, Optimus," Wheeljack said as he rose and walked to a console nearby. He sat and worked away, waiting as Teletraan ran through the data and presented it. Wheeljack read it, then glanced at Prime. "They were only three times in physical proximity to a nexus node of Teletraan, Optimus. Once at the Armory, once here and once at the Main Branch of the Public Library."

Prime considered that. "Are there any more visitations to a terminal that you want to add?"

:No. We were never allowed free access to things. But we drove with the others and got a map of the colony. We sent it to our control: Mueller said almost with a trace of pride at the accomplishment.

:Fuck. That's highly classified information. No one has an accurate map of the colony on Earth outside of General Morshower's office. Not even governments: Lennox said. He turned to the two. :Consider this, fuckers. We keep the colony classified because if that information ever reached Megatron he could tear the shit out of here a lot better than if he was guessing:

:That was never our concern: Mueller said. :We aren't in favor of them being here anyway:

:Then if they got wiped out and Megatron came to Earth, you would be good with that?: Morshower asked with a trace of venomous outrage in his voice. :Or do you still live in the fantasy world where the Decepticons leave when the Autobots are wiped out? He didn't do that for his own world. What makes you simpletons believe he would do it for us?:

The two didn't answer.

Prime sat back. "I want you, Prowl, to get everything you can think of out of them. I would like you, Blaster, to examine the comm system and see what you can reconstruct of their messaging both directions. Wheeljack and Perceptor, take this tech apart and figure out what we can do when we take over their places in this game." Prime glanced at the two. "We are going to take over your end of this charade. You will tell Jazz and Elita all of the codes, passwords and other pertinent information to make the conversations ring true. Then you will go to jail and stay there as prisoners of the Cybertronian People."

The two stared at him as he rose, then picked up Morshower and Fulton. "William, I would like to speak to you outside." He then walked to the door and left.

Will Lennox ran to the ladder, climbed down and hurried to the doorway. He was gone in seconds.

As they left, Raptor walked to the table to sit as Hard Drive, a master interrogator sat down in Prime's seat as he had an internal discussion with Prowl over their next set of questions. As they did, Percy and Wheeljack walked out of the room to go back to Sciences for an all-nighter with the boys and girls of his division.

=0=Outside

They stood on a table as Prime sat down. Ironhide and Ratchet joined him as did Barron. They were called to come out to figure together the plan for this, the betrayal of both sides by the Resistance, Family and M.E.C.H.

:When are you going to ask about the murders, Optimus?: Glenn asked as he stood in front of Prime.

"We are going to do that tomorrow. We only have guesses about what happened but the evidence is pointing to them as the only ones with plausible motives for murder." Prime shook his helm. "I am concerned about our tech being out there with your people. You are inventive and creative. I know that some of it requires things that you do not appear to have but I'm not going to bank on the idea that you will not improvise. Bridge, ship and other technology … we must find it and get it back. They also visited the armory which is even more concerning to me. We are tracking the technology missing from Sentinel's venture and now this."

:They have a map of this place. I'm sorry, Optimus: Fulton said.

Prime glanced at him. "This is not your fault nor your doing. We know that the majority of your people have made their peace with us being here and we have gained in mutual respect. However, this cancer must be stopped."

"Then we have to get on it. Something tells me that the problems that are going to plague implementation of this technology are not going to hold these people back too long," Ratchet said. "What shall we do with the mercenaries? What shall we do about these two?"

"We let the mercenaries out when you have a case, Barron, and we throw these two in the jail. This whole business until we get it squared away is of the utmost secrecy and not to be bantered about by any of us," Prime said. "We have to get our tech back."

Ironhide nodded. "We will, the slaggers. That's the one thing you can count on out of all of this." He looked at the humans who were feeling it as they stared back. "You're pesky fraggers. Good thing I like most of ya or I'd be mad right now."

Lennox grinned. :The feeling is mutual:

The mood lightened a fraction as they bent their helms and heads together to figure out a way forward.

=0='Lucas', Zug, Switzerland

He walked to the house where he lived a simple life, then entered. It was cold and still snowy outside and the warmth inside was welcome. Hanging up his coat, he walked to the kitchen to get a warm drink and lunch. His partner had left it before he headed out to Bern to meet with others about what they would ask for next from their two spies.

He walked to the living room and touched a small bust on a shelf. The wall opened and he walked inside closing it behind him. A hugely technologically filled room presented itself as he sat down before a computer monitor. Setting his drink and food down on the desk, he began to prepare a message to the Major and Sarge.

Unfortunately for him, the Major and Sarge were getting grilled by Hard Drive and Prowl of Praxus.

=0=TBC 4-11-19

PS Valentine's Guest: I am **SO STEALING** everything that you put in your note. What great ideas and what a great way to see strategy and Prowl in full bloom. I love to showcase the bots and given that the news media has a permanent presence on Mars, what a fun set of notions. :D:D:D **HUGS!**

 **R** **eaders rool!**


	636. Chapter 636

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 636)

=0=Jailhouse. Now.

Springer walked into the jail intake of the Courthouse with a case in his chassis that held Horst Mueller. Behind him with a grin and a satisfied expression, Drift followed. He was delighted that Mom had okayed Springer to duty. Working alone was his signature in the old orns but now? It felt like he left half his body at home without Springer with him.

They paused by the desk. "What's the story, boys?" Springer asked.

"Usual. We have a few real fights. Really hard on fights. The usual drunks, a mini-con invasion … apparently, someone had a good orn at work and his tribe celebrated. Magistrate Court in the morning is going to be amusing. The usual," Coney replied from his 'throne' behind the desk. As the senior desk sargent in the system, all of it, he was 'lord of his realm' and jokingly made sure everyone knew it. "Do you wish to make a deposit?"

Everyone including two drunks in a cage nearby laughed loudly.

Springer pulled his containment box out and held it up. "Sure. I give you … Colin Anderson."

Everyone there leaned in slightly to stare at Colin Anderson who for his part leaned away from all of them. Horst Mueller soon joined the inspection. "What's the names, etc. You know the drill," Coney asked as he geared up a screen.

Springer snickered. "Are you insinuating that I have a checkered past?"

"Yes," Drift said. He grinned at Springer. "We aren't going to be talking about mine. Just so you know."

They all laughed uproariously.

"This is Colin Anderson, N.E.S.T. wannabe and never was," Springer said. They were talking in English for the comfort of their 'guests'. "He's to be held on a Primal hold and no one is to speak to him but Jazz without Prime's permission. Same with Horst Mueller, here."

Coney input the data, then nodded. "You're in."

"Thanks, Coney," Springer said as he walked to the wall where the jail slots were for prisoners. He slid the box in, heard it click, then grinned. "Go inside, slagger. Behave or we'll have to get Dad and right now I think he's more pissed at you than Lennox."

They stepped from their boxes into the holding cells and the doors behind them slid shut. Turning to watch the two bots, both sides of a great and unknowable divide stared at each other a moment.

Then Springer leaned in slightly. "Say what you will about us, slaggers … try and get your Buick to do what I just did."

Drift snorted, then put his containment back into his chassis. Springer did as well, then both nodded to Coney. They walked out to take the underground to the Stables and get the horses for the first shift since getting on his peds. Both of them were ridiculously happy to do so.

Coney stared at the humans, then walked around his desk to stop before them. He stared a moment, then laid down the smack. "I'm Coney and you're my prisoners. You are 100% on the radar of everyone. You do anything stupid and you'll be yanked out of there. Do your time here and be entertained. Do stupid and be smacked. Any questions?"

The two humans stared at him without comment so he walked back to his desk. It would be a busy night for everyone as the parade of half assed half-assery came through in a nearly continuous stream. Long gone were the orns of a few wild afts and bad attitudes. The news mentioned earlier that the colony passed 60,000,000 individuals.

The jail would be expanded into a separate building across the driveway to accommodate this new milestone on their journey back to themselves.

Such as it was.

=0=Prime

He sat at the command table in Ops Center fuming for a moment before he came back to his usual balanced self. Having humans in the jail wasn't his first choice but for these two he could make an exception. The situation was in hand. Then Jazz walked to him to sit.

"We have a message, Optimus. The control in Switzerland is asking for the check in. I gave it," Jazz said, "and sent it the usual manner."

"Keep on it, Jazz. That is your entire focus now," Prime said.

Jazz nodded, then sat back himself. "I'm tuned into their frequency and have the messaging routed to me directly. I'm going to squeeze more information from Mueller and Anderson about how they do this so we can match them. What do you want to do if their cell asks for information?"

"Send him some that makes no sense. I would like you to have Breezy compose it using his own language. No one, not even Shockwave could translate its meanings. Put some interesting pictures with it, nonsensical diagrams and send it. If that keeps them busy trying to figure it out then we are just that much ahead of them," Prime said.

Jazz nodded, then grinned. "I would love to see them try."

A faint ghost of a grin shadowed Prime's handsome face. "You and me both."

Jazz rose, then walked toward the corridor that led to his office.

Prime watched him go, then glanced at Prowl who was studying a data pad nearby.

He glanced at Prime, then walked over to sit. "You still look angry."

"I am. What if they, being as clever as they are, manage to make some of the things they received? I fear for humanity if they do," Prime said.

"They have to get off the planet and that leaves trails. We will find them and take them out," Prowl said coldly. "Don't put too much worry in it, Optimus. We will defeat them again."

=0=In the Swiss Alps

They rode the elevator downward into the cold earth to a spot that had been discovered in the 1800's but had been abandoned and left as a curiosity and a 'dead end' to the focus of those miners in that time. Now, a group was working the hole. It held the same strange mineral, something the earlier miners had never seen before and thus, didn't see as having any value. Now new miners were here and they were digging on a huge vein of it round the clock.

No one knew what it was before the Autobots came. Now they did. It was a naturally occurring deep deposit of raw Class C energon.

=0=Cybertron

He walked down the road that divided both sides of the huge camp to visit a number of elders of his acquaintance back in the orn. Some of them were Immortals and others their family. Hard Drive liked to make hands on inspections and along the way his core group of friends and co-workers was slowly reassembling itself. As he ambled, groups would see him and come to visit, checking out this and that thing with him and he gave them his full attention.

Praxus was getting on its feet. There were entire districts now that were filled with towers and businesses, amenities and public buildings. The big library was rebuilt and heavily used by the locals. The parks were easily and swiftly rebuilt and many was the child playing and the picnic had in their familiar and much loved confines. There were things to do, shopping to be had and the hurley-burley of working went on everywhere. It was exciting and delightful to see.

When the last brick was laid and the last cap stone placed, he would be among the happiest mechs that ever lived. He walked with purpose trailing his entourage. It was amusing to him on the odd occasion that he remembered that Cargo and Keystock were not found in the van.

=0=With Granny

He lay on the floor on his belly on a soft blanket that he napped upon when he was tired of 'flying'. Possibility of Mars, son of Prowl and Prime was visiting with Amma at the Trigger. Miler was doing some calculations to lay in routes for ships and others to take that would be stored and run up like a GPS system so that he wouldn't always have to be there to make it all work.

The sound of footsteps behind him caught his optics so he glanced up from his computer in the office that was his on Trigger 1 to see Venture walk in with food and drink. Smiling, he paused his programming and rose to help him set things up at the table and chairs in the corner.

Venture picked up Possibility, then walked back to sit with the baby on his arm. "I see that you're hard at it. How is our little baby?"

"He's perfect," Miler said as he opened a silver jar with a baby's smiling face etched into the side. It said in glyphs etched under it, Possibility of Mars. A silver spoon with his name on it as well would ladle baby food into his little mouth shortly after Amma stirred it enough. "He's such a good baby. They all are. Are you going to get Prima when school is out? I'm going down a list of general locations and flight paths to pre-program so this might take a bit longer than I planned."

"I will," Venture said. "Are we still on for the opera?"

Miler nodded. "We are. I can't wait. This is my favorite one. Trooper and Scout want us to have a late supper with them. I think that will be wonderful. I'm so glad that Kes and Tagg will be taking the babies in hand."

"I am, too. Did you know that Tagg wants to go camping soon? He told me that he has a better hand on barbecuing and wants to do it again," Venture said with a chuckle. "I told him we would be delighted."

"When is this?" Miler asked with a grin.

"Next weekend. Perhaps Prowl and Optimus will have time and we can make a family event of it. I don't know what Ratchet and Ironhide's family has on the burners but I'm rather itching to use my little barbecue device again," Venture said as they dined together. It would be a very happy interlude with the baby.

=0=Conference Call

"That's about all I can say," Prowl said as he concluded a short briefing with Owen Harris and the council group from Earth2. "None of them are getting out until we finalize the investigation and that is due shortly. There's someone killing your mercenaries and we have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Owen nodded. "This is problematic but I take your reasoning, Prowl. Thank you for all you do. If you could let us know as soon as you can then it will help all of us here."

Prowl nodded. "I will. Good afternoon," he said, then signed off.

Walking to the table nearby, Prowl picked up his data pad, some messages, then headed for the Flight Center nearby and a chat with the officer of the orn about intel regarding the local system from the regularly flown patrols. As he did, he walked out the door passing a gaggle of news reporters from the permanently stationed pool of journalists from Earth. They were from all over the world and represented four different countries each, supplying information and stories as well as working on those requested of them. They were responsible for reporting to more than their main employer, becoming in essences news stringers for the MCA.

They stepped forward as one called up to him. :Commander:

Prowl paused, then looked down at the fifteen reporters that had taken to hanging out here when something was going on, hoping to catch a word about whatever breaking news was on the tube. "Yes?" Prowl asked.

:Commander, what can you tell us about the two murders? Is there anything new?: someone from Reuters asked.

Prowl considered that. "Nothing more than that a full report is due to Prime in a couple of days."

:Commander: another asked. :Is it going to be possible to interview you for a feature story in my publication, Time Magazine? I would like to write about you, your life, career and family. I was hoping that you would let me do that so that people on Earth who want to know more about you, can:

Prowl considered that. "I will bring it up with Prime." He nodded, then walked away, an elegant, dauntingly private enigma.

All of the reporters were deeply smitten. The reporter from Time Magazine had been thrown a gauntlet by the tall winger disappearing into the Flight Center nearby, almost a challenge to climb the wall Prowl always had around him when he was with the humans. He was going to find out on his own if Prowl was going to be forthcoming or not.

With a jaunt in his step, Max Butler walked to a segway and hopped on. He drove off to begin his newest project, "Prowl of Praxus, Enigma", a cover story for his magazine that his publisher was nagging him to do. He disappeared himself into the whirl of the colony and beyond.

=0=TBC 4-12-19 **edited 4-15-19**

ESL:

Someone with a 'checkered past' has either something to hide or a prison record. Its an expression.

The van: an old expression for the supply train or group that followed an army.

stringers in news biz: usually freelance reporters who do stories and give them to consortium outfits like the UPI (United Press International-defunct now), Reuters and the AP or Associated Press.


	637. Chapter 637

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 637)

=0=On the beat

"What's been going on the past few?" Springer asked as he rode side-by-side with Drift from the stables toward the Basilica. They were going out to reconnoiter the Consulate and the two Earth habitats.

"I gave you the reports. You didn't read them?" Drift asked with a smirk.

"Nope," Springer said. "I'm a mech of action. Reading just isn't part of the legend."

"I thought you could read. My mistake, then," Drift said as they slowed to watch a truck heavily laden pass through an intersection heading from the direction of the Industrial Cities toward who knew where.

"I can. Really well. I just don't want to. It might detract," Springer said.

"From what? Your overall hotness?" Drift asked as they moved onward again.

Springer laughed. He glanced at Drift with a fond expression. "You read my mind."

"Well," Drift began with a chuckle. "I can read myself. Good thing given I do most of the paperwork."

"Good thing," Springer said as he tapped his horse's sides with his heels. They both cantered away in the darkness.

=0=At Galaxy Productions Studios located in their main location in the Tri-Cities … Tyger Pax in particular

Max Butler watched as Leonora Huttle and her husband, the noted cinematographer and photographer, 'Camera Man Jim' worked out a sequence for a documentary about the forward bases. They were on world royalty here and all the bots liked both of them. The bots were also very happy that they were 'bonded'. Finally, Leonora and Jim turned to Max. "What was it again, Max, that you wanted to know?" Jim asked.

"I'm being bugged by my employer to do a cover story on Prowl. You know, the usual … what is he like? What does he like to do? His opinions and past. That sort of thing. I was hoping you could advise me on this and maybe tell me about him. I think even though he's very prominent and well known that he's about as mysterious as Prime," Max Butler, stringer journalist and member of the consortium news gaggle on world asked.

He was well liked, mid fifties, ambitious but not obnoxious and genuinely liked being on world doing what he was doing. He had even asked to go out on missions when the soldiers did. The holy grail for their entire group was going to Cybertron some fine day.

"Prowl is hard to know," Jim said. "He's mannerly to a fault but reserved. He's not unsociable. He just has a reserved manner about him. His home life and that part of things is sacrosanct. Good luck with that."

Leonora nodded. "Prowl is funny, straight laced and private. But he's also devoted to everything he takes on."

"Would he be willing to talk to me? To give me an interview and perhaps follow him around for a while?" Max asked.

"I doubt it but if you want to ask you can. I'd talk to Ratchet if I was you," Jim said as Leonora nodded.

"Remember … we're a community within a community here. If you want to fit in you have to be trustworthy. We are. Don't mess that up," Leonora said pointedly.

Max laughed, then walked to his segway. "Got it, Boss." With that, he buzzed out and the two returned to their editing.

=0=Max on the way

He buzzed along the sidewalk to the cab stand down the way. A cab was there so he signaled it to take him to the Medical Center in Autobot City. The hatch closed, the environment equalized and away they went. He gave the address but he kept his gear on. Even though the cab could not support him, he was advised and trained to never take it off unless he was safely inside a human habitat.

The traffic was getting heavy as the evening wore onward bringing with it shift change from day to graveyard. He stared outside watching the whirl in the roundabout, then the expert manner in which the cab threaded its way toward town.

They passed the Temple, itself still busy and headed toward Metroplex down the way. Fort Max sat next to him and the foot traffic was getting underway with the clubs and restaurants gearing up for the evening rush. Hitting the lights just right, the cab slid into the cab stand in front of the Medical Center and announced arrival.

Max signaled his desire to leave and the hatch popped up. He rolled down, then headed for the doors nearby to the building that gave humans vertigo looking up at its height. Inside he went, then toward an elevator that would go up 49 floors before letting him out.

He rolled along noting the offices and worker bees everywhere. None of them noticed him so used to humans rolling around were most of them. He paused beside Ratchet's door, then rolled in.

Ratchet was sitting at his desk 'shuffling paperwork' like any bureaucrat anywhere. After a moment he glanced at Max. "Well, well … look what the cat dragged in," he said using a saying he really liked from Earth. Ratchet sat back then grinned. "Do you have a boo-boo you want fixed?" he asked with a dazzling smile.

The smile might have been less dazzling to human sensibilities but the familiar easy humor of the big mech speaking to him wasn't. He chuckled. :I came here for advise, Ambassador:

"Ah … your mama is too far away so you came to me," Ratchet said with a grin. "Speak and I shall lay healing servos on."

Max grinned at Ratchet, a favorite of his and most others among the 'knowables' as they were called. All of the mechs who chatted or seemed as comfortable and relaxed around humans as Ratchet was were called the 'knowables' among the press group.

Prowl wasn't in that group and thus, hence …

:I was hoping to have a chance to interview Prowl for a cover story for my magazine, Time. He's such an enigma but he's also incredibly popular among the folks back home. I was hoping to interview him, his friends, get a bit of background about him as a private as well as public person. It's my great hope that you can help me here and maybe point me to people to talk to as well," Max concluded.

"You want to interview him," Ratchet mused. "Hmm … interview Prowler ..." Ratchet grinned. "Why not ask him yourself?" He nodded to the door.

Prowl was standing there with a data pad for Ratchet. He was also here to get the reports that were due because he was that type. Multitasking was his thing. He frowned slightly as he heard his name mentioned by both. "I require your report for the staff meeting and since I'm here already cough it up, miscreant."

Ratchet snickered, then frisbeed him a data wafer. "There. Max, here, wants to ask you something."

Max glanced from one to the other, then turned to Prowl. :Commander, my editor has asked me to see if you would be available for an interview. We want to do a cover story of you, your life and job for Time Magazine. I would like to interview others to find out a bit about you for the readership back home:

Prowl stared at him, then Ratchet. {Did you put him up to this, Loon?}

"Nope," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Prowl stared at Max a moment, then shifted slightly. "I am not in the habit of personal disclosure. Given the status of my bond and the work that we do here and elsewhere, the issue of privacy for our home and children is very important."

"Don't you want to be a cover girl, Prowler?" Ratchet asked as he sat back to enjoy himself. "Don't you want your many fans to love you as much as I do?"

Prowl stared at Ratchet with The Look, then down at the human who was clearly enjoying the conversation. "You will have to put in writing what you want to do and I will consider it. Right now, I don't believe I am interested. You might interview **him** , though," he said nodding to Ratchet who preened in his chair like a debutante. "He's into gross public exhibitionism." With that, Prowl nodded and walked out.

They watched him go, then Max glanced upward at Ratchet with a hopeful expression.

Ratchet grinned. "You need to speak to Optimus. If you get past him, then Prowl has no argument left."

Max grinned. :Thank you, Ambassador. I may take Prowl up on that remark about you and your family:

Ratchet chuckled. "We're ready for our close up. Maybe." He watched as Max left with a wave. He disappeared right away. "Well, Prowler … it would appear that you're coming up on your turn on the cat walk."

=0=Ops Center a bit later

Prowl entered to deliver information to Optimus who was clearing up some things for Cybertron and reviewing the status of the newest prisoners on Kellus IV. "A reporter, a human named Max Butler wants to interview us, snoop in our lives, snoop around those who know us and give it to the humans in his magazine."

"Time Magazine," Prime said. "He has already been by."

"You told him no," Prowl said confidently.

"No."

Prowl stared at Prime. "No as in no or no as in he didn't come by? What?"

"I told him I would consider his request over night and tell him tomorrow. He had me cornered in the rec room," Optimus said.

Prowl stared at him. "Cornered. That pipsqueak? Even Predaking can't corner you."

"He did that one time on Furi 6. Remember that?" Prime asked as he sat back to enjoy the discomfort forming in Prowl's aura.

"That **ONE** time," Prowl said loyally. "You would entertain a snoop in our lives?"

"A controlled snoop. I am not going to countenance unfettered access. However, it might not hurt to see you get some of the applause you deserve."

"Applause. No. I don't need it. I get all the attention I need from you. Humans don't … they can't," Prowl sputtered prettily and as he did Optimus made up his mind about the request.

Yes.

With caveats.

=0=Jail-Prisoner Receiving

Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson sat on their transparent couches and watched the show outside their habitat cells. It was fascinating. Bot after bot was brought in, some questioned and a couple released. There were genitors and other family showing up when they received the news, seeking information on what to do about the arrest of their loved one.

A few were brought in swinging and heavily trussed. They were a sight to behold, their power and relentless fury entertaining as well as faintly terrifying. Down the way, the jail cells held all manner of bot and for the two of them, this could be Saturday night, early morning back home.

Horst glanced to the right and watched as several arguing mini-cons were marched from the holding cells nearby into the back where more secured arrangements were to be found. Everyone was mad and even the two humans could feel the badness on their skin. It was going to be a long, long night.

=0=Cybertron

They trekked everywhere now, flying into this and that area, walking through rising habitation or camp cities where the people were safe and sound from predators, the threats all around them and lies. There was never a shortage of that in the past but the future was much more comfortable, repelled rain better and the food? High caste all the way. The locals wherever they went were grateful for the first time in eons.

=0=TBC 4-13-19 **edited 4-15-19**

Just slightly shorter tonight due to cats roaming around and over me. More tomorrow. Not edited yet. (Catz)


	638. Chapter 638

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 637)

Sorry about last night. My identity was stolen and its taken a while to get things organized about it. What a hoot. Two JC Penney cards for starters. **LOL!** :D Update your passwords, my darlings.

=0=In a large meeting room in the Central Labor Halloween

They gathered, those who wanted to make the project happen. Adults, youngsters, all of them came and sat down, surrounding the inspiration for the project. Sitting in the middle of everyone with a data pad and her girl friends, Sadee keep notes of everyone's ideas. It was going to be an epic thing when it came together. By the time everyone gave their input and a plan was formulated, they would all need the following things…

-a location

-a stage

-a 'fabulous' sound system

-stage hands and sound personnel

-set designs for each individual performer

-enough of the fundamental and basic instruments that those who didn't want to drag their big things out would have their use

-all of the food trucks in the colony

-a film crew taking multiple angles of each performer for the special broadcast and live stream

-a still photographer to take images for the website

-a website

-a supervised play area for little kids to allow their genitors to 'rock out'

-child supervisors

-a bar that served both adults and children

-a rest area for those who needed a break and their stuff

-security

-'helpers' to help

-a medical presence (note: talk to First Aid so says everyone there)

-public relations

-a public relations personal

-streaming video

-someone who knew how to stream the video

-someone to make signs advertising the festival

-someone to take charge and make things run on time

-a group to help the person in charge run things on time

-shuttles to bring those who wanted to come and not drive in

-a road to the venue to allow traffic to come

-many unknowns that were needed such as 'green rooms' for artists to relax in waiting for their 'set', food for everyone who was working, a way to thank them that would allow the colony to know they did good deeds, a public address system for announcements and such and who knew what

Thus, 'Auto-Fest 2019' was born.

Maybe.

The discussions would take a while to complete but in the end it was decided that the project needed Trooper and Scout to get off the ground. Mars own version of 'Coachella' was on its way.

=0=In the Police tower in Metrotitan

"What's the story then on the circumstantial case?" Springer asked as he sat with Drift and Sky. The officers involved in the investigation were putting together the case and reviewing it with The Bosses before meeting with Barron and his team.

"The evidence points to the two suspects, Mueller and Anderson as the perpetrators due to the fact that they had opportunity and the tech to do it. All of the sensor scans that Emergency holds for the humans, and they're all on the network grid at all times, puts them where they should be. None of the humans on world were off grid during the times of the murders," Hauser said as he laid out the case for the detectives who sat with him.

"Each of the transponder signals of the humans on this planet are kept in the master computer on file in case something like this happens. All of them were checked and diagnostically run. None of them were anywhere close to the murder site. None of them dropped off the grid at any time. We can tell you where they were on any date you want to ask. The only two who have the ability to be anywhere else and still register as being where they were supposed to be are the two suspects because of the recovered tech."

Springer nodded. "That's good. What else do we have?"

"We discovered a button at the murder site, the one with Lombardi. We ran it against the database of buttons that are used by the clothing industries of Earth and some of the law enforcement forensic data consortiums. We found out that it's a heavy duty utility button used in outdoor wear that's supposed to be rugged and enduring.

"It fits a shirt that Mueller had that we found in his hamper in his apartment. He had a button missing so we ran those on the shirt with the one and its a dead match," Sky said. "It must have been torn off when he killed Lombardi. Lombardi must have somehow gripped it or it was in the folds of his own clothing when he was dumped. The way it got there is up for debate," Sky said.

"We want the debate to be extremely short and to our advantage," Springer said.

Sky nodded. "We found a knife, an RTR knife in Mueller's things. Ratchet remembers the mercs all having one that was made by the shop. We're not clear that Mueller or Anderson had one of their own. Several went out and he could have attained one from the others. We aren't sure yet.

"We took Will Lennox's knife and made some woundings into a special putty-like substance that simulates human flesh. We compared the wound on Lombardi with the ones we made and it's the same configuration. We believe that the knife used to kill Lombardi was the one he got from RTR Tools or maybe ended up with these two from the batch made."

"Did we ever find it?" Springer asked as he glanced at Hauser.

"We've located all of the knives that the mercs had and the one for Lombardi is missing," Hauser said.

"What about the murder of Dobbs? How much evidence do we have that ties into this one?" Springer asked.

"The circumstances are similar. The wounds are identical. Whoever killed Dobbs killed Lombardi. All we need to know to make this tighter is the motive," Hauser said.

"Any theories?" Springer said as he sat back in his chair.

"Only tentative. They both traffic in the Resistance and M.E.C.H, in my opinion and they had a falling out. Maybe Dobbs wanted something or made a threat about their deep cover during an argument. Both of them are military and special ops. They would have no problem sticking it to both men and then dragging them out there with their tech," Hauser said. "Lombardi could have suspected about Dobbs murder and somehow the two found out. It's speculation without anyone talking."

"We need to interview the mercs again," Springer said. He rose, then buzzed Prowl. After a moment, he looked at his mechs. "I'm going to chat up the weak links. Someone knows slag and I'm going to get it out of them. Hauser, you and Drift come with me and look foreboding. I want them to worry that we have more than they know." He glanced at Sky and his mechs. "Good work. Keep going. I'm going to peel me a banana. Or two."

With that, they left the room to head for the Prison Control Center.

=0=At the Prison in the Alt sector

Neo sat at the bars in a chair watching the others. Everyone watched everyone here, though some had taken to recharging their boredom away. There were rumors that more were coming from their own dimensional Cybertron. No one knew who it was but it would be a diversion.

Kudon walked to her, then sat in his chair. Across the way, Springer and Ironhide watched them back. Ironhide raised his beer bottle in salute as a malicious grin cast on his face. "That mech should have been put down a long time ago."

"Prime needed him to do his dirty work," Neo said bitterly. "I asked to see my counterpart. I don't know if the warden will allow it but I'm compelled to see them."

"What will you say if they allow it? I doubt that they will come to your aid. This dimension is filled with do gooders after all," Kudon said bitterly.

"There is someone called Laret who is her bond. That's a difference. I want to know more," Neo said. "I'm bored, Kudon. Aren't you the least bit interested or curious?"

"Of my counterpart? You **do** remember that he's dead, Neo," Kudon asked with a slight grin.

She looked at him, then smirked slightly herself. "I forgot."

They both laughed together. Across the way lounging in their chairs and drinking near beer, Alt Ironhide and Springer watched.

"I wonder if they just insulted us," Springer asked the big hulking center of his world slouching in his chair next to him.

"I hope so," Ironhide said dryly.

They both laughed together as Neo and Kudon glanced their way. So it would go for a while.

Gee-Gee would turn down Alt Neo's request.

=0=At the Prison Control Center

A big mech carried Carlos Ortega into the room and set him gently on the table top of a conference room off the main lobby before walking out again. Ortega glanced around, then turned to face a grim faced Springer, Drift and Hauser. Prowl had given the go ahead and they were there to put the 'squeeze' on the mercs for intel. Ortega stared at the three with dread.

Springer leaned in closer. "I need to know what you know. I don't have the legendary patience of Prowl nor do I have the scruples of Prime. I want to know what you know about the murders of Dobbs and Lombardi. You need to grow a clue and tell me."

:What makes you think I know anything?: Ortega asked.

Springer leaned in closer. "Practice."

Ortega stared at them a moment. :I played cards with them. I hung out with them when they came to the habitat off duty:

"What about Mueller and Anderson? You're on film hanging out with them all over Earth2," Hauser asked.

Ortega glanced at Hauser. :They came over a lot. They liked the habitat and we played cards:

"You both have a lot in common. You both hate us and you want to help the dissident groups on Earth to get rid of us off Mars. You knew they were working for M.E.C.H. or the Resistance. So tell us about it and save yourself. Do you really think that old Big Jim and the boys will stand up for you?" Springer asked.

It was silent for a moment.

:None of us are happy about you being here. We think it brings the threat but I don't belong to any of those groups: Ortega said. :I work for whoever pays me the best. I don't give a fuck about politics: he replied.

"But **they** do. Tell us about **them**. Remember … whoever we squeeze first gets the breaks. You hold back anything and we get what we want out of the others, you get dropped like a hot rock. We need a perp." Springer leaned in. "Be smart."

Ortega thought a moment. :They were political. It bored me, actually. You're here and you're not going anywhere. The others are political, too. They liked talking to Mueller and Anderson. Those dumb fuckers are spies for the Family. They're here to give intel to the group and spy. They said a few things when they got drunk a few times. They thought all of us agreed. They thought all of us were here to do Harris' dirty work, to be his attack dogs: Ortega said.

"And you weren't?" Springer asked.

:I came here for adventure. Diego Garcia was a cluster fuck. Daniels couldn't find his ass with both hands. Harris is a professional and runs a professional game. I want to work for someone who has a clue. I do security. He never asked me to betray anyone and I never did. I hire out to work. It pays damned good and I get to do weird shit in weird places. That's about the extent of my participation. The others can play spy versus spy but I don't care: Ortega replied with some heat. :I didn't kill them:

"You know who did though," Hauser pressed.

Ortega stared at Hauser, then Springer. :Ask Johnson. Ask Hedges. They were close with Mueller and Anderson. Really close. They would know about things better than me. Fuck their politics. I'm here for the adventure and the pay:

It was silent a moment. Then Springer leaned in slightly. "Where's your knife, Ortega? The RTR knife?"

Ortega stared at him. :In my dresser drawer. That knife is so sharp its dangerous to use. Why?:

"We didn't find it when we tossed your place," Drift said with a slight grin on his handsome face.

Ortega stared at him, then Springer and Hauser. :What do you mean? I put it there because it isn't safe to use day-to-day. It's there: he asserted.

"We didn't find it," Drift said. "Where is the knife? We've already discovered that the wound in both men fits the shape of the blade. We found all of them but yours."

Ortega stared at all of them, then shifted nervously. :I don't know why it isn't there. Ask Johnson. He and those two strikers were tight. Really close:

Drift leaned in slightly. "We will. Count on it." He sat back. {You got more or does he go back?}

{Did we not find his blade?} Springer asked as Hauser stared at Drift with a questioning expression.

{We did but he doesn't know it. Shall I get Big Jim or do you want the honor?} Drift asked with a slight smirk.

"And miss the fun?" Springer asked as he stood. He picked up Ortega, then walked out of the room.

Hauser and Drift watched him go, then Hauser glanced at Drift with a slight grin. "Ortega is running for choir boy."

"He's just misunderstood." Drift grinned. "Now Johnson on the other hand," he began to say as shouting and cursing could be heard in the hall coming back toward the room.

=0=TBC 4-15-19


	639. Chapter 639

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 639)

=0=Waiting in a conference room at the Prison Control Room

They heard swearing and cursing as Springer walked back with Big Jim Johnson in hand. Literally. Smirking at each other, Hauser and Drift stared at the doorway. When Springer appeared they would look like he did, solemn and even brutal in expression. On the inside, Springer was having a lively laughing conversation with the three …

He walked to the room where they were being held and entered. The mercenaries who were doing various things from relaxing to watch the television to pacing stared at him with loathing. He stared at each of them aware the channel to them was open. "Hm … which one is next?" he murmured to himself, smirking slightly as they showed concern.

The humans stood, then stepped back. They weren't going to make it easier.

Then Springer grinned. "I'll take Johnson for $300, Alex," he said giving a glimpse of the television shows that amused him to the punters. "Get your gear on, Johnson. You're next."

He then pulled Ortega out of his hold and stood him on the threshold of the carrier box that was still slotted into the cell. Ortega entered, then walked to his apartment as the carrier box door closed behind him.

"What if I don't go with you, fucker?" Johnson said as he stood in defiance of Springer.

Springer stared at him, then shrugged slightly. "Okay. I'll just punch the container you're in and watch the atmosphere vanish. Then I'll write a report to Prime that we had an 'accident'. You know. A boo boo."

Johnson stared at him, then Springer raised his fist. "Wait. Fuck you, Springer," he said as he cast about for his gear.

Springer grinned slightly. "There you go again. You know that it would never work. You're a squishy and I'm the God of the Hunt." He laughed loudly, then reached in when Johnson was ready. He pulled him out like he was a hamster in a cage, then headed for the doorway. Johnson swore like a sailor the whole time. They disappeared out of sight almost instantly.

The others stared at the door, then tried to get a glimpse of Ortega. Though they could hear outside if they pressed a comm button near their door, they couldn't communicate with each other. It would be another long night and only two of them were hauled out for who knew what so far.

=0=Down the corridor

Springer walked along like he had a dollie in his servo. He reached the door, walked inside and set Johnson down on the table gently. He turned on Springer, swearing at him profusely, then glanced at the other two. They stared at him without comment, though they were making them right and left off line.

:What do you fuckers want?: Johnson asked with fury. He clenched his fists tightly as he glared at them.

"I want you for murder. I like you for the murders of Dobbs and Lombardi. What about you two?" Springer asked.

Drift nodded. "I like them for it, too." He leaned in closer to Johnson who backed up slightly. "For the murders, not for your warm and sparkling personality."

:Fuck you, Drift: Johnson said darkly. He was getting his bearings and mustered a lot of nerve for a guy with zero options.

"What? That's **my** job," Springer said as he frowned at Drift.

"How does it feel? Now you know what **I** feel like when all the soldier boys say 'fuck you' to you. They do it in front of me, too, without a thought to my feelings. I want you to know," he said leaning in toward Johnson, "that I don't play around. At least, not when **he's** looking." He then winked at the human.

Springer sat back with a slight smirk. "Who have you fragged around with behind my back?"

Drift sniffed slightly. "Like **I'd tell you**? What about that time when he was arrested and he said that to you. You never took a moment to think about what I felt like. Not once."

:Are you two through?" Johnson asked.

Everyone glanced at Johnson. "No," the two said.

Springer leaned closer. "Tell me what you know about the murders. Do it while you still have a chance to blame it on someone else. I wish you could know what Ortega told us. It was damned near an aviary in here the way he was singing."

"I like that but then I like birds," Drift said with a grin.

"It's yours," Springer said. He looked at Johnson. "Tell me true things because we're going to match them against Ortega and he told us that he could give a tinker's damn about politics and the rest of you. He's not going to take a fall so he spilled. What about you, Johnson? Are you as dumb as you look?"

Johnson stepped closer to Springer. :You're not funny, Springer. You haven't got shit. I didn't kill anyone. You know it and **I** know it:

"It doesn't matter what **I** know, idiot. Its what the **jury** says. We have to pin this shit on someone. Since we don't like any of you and we don't like you the most, you win. See?" Springer said as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chassis. "Talk while the window is open. It's coming down hard shortly and we're flipping a coin which one of you slaggers takes the fall." He glanced at the other two who were lounging in their chairs with grins. "Amirite?"

"Are you channeling Ma?" Drift asked.

"I am," Springer said as he began to warm up to his own bullshit.

Drift stared at Johnson a moment. "We have a case. Circumstantial at the moment. All we have to do is hang it on one of you fraggers. No one is going to care. You have a great criminal history here already, Johnson, of fighting and being a dope. It won't take long for a jury to find you guilty. You **do** know that this is going to be tried here? No special get-out-of-jail cards for any of you. We made **that** clear in the beginning."

Johnson stared at all of them. :You're so high and mighty. You say you have ethics and you're no better than criminals:

"And you? You take money to kill people when you're told. Intel-Martin used to give kids to their soldiers when they had their drunken parties when they were doing thug work in war zones. How many kids do **you** abuse, Johnson? Are you going to lecture us on morality when you kill kids for money?" Springer asked.

Johnson stared at him with fury and loathing. :I didn't kill anyone. I was always with someone when I left the habitat. I never was on my own. Check the records, stupid. You'll find out I had no opportunity to kill anyone. Though I wanted to off Lombardi myself sometimes. That fucker was climbing on our backs into Harris's favor:

"I heard he was the leader of your merry little band," Hauser said. "That's a good motive. You just said you wanted to kill him yourself. You heard it, right?" He glanced at Springer and Drift who nodded.

"They never called you Too Smart Johnson did they?" Springer asked as Drift and Hauser laughed. "Let's pretend that you didn't do it. Who did then, sport? Amuse us as we work out the presentation to the Attorney General that we got our man with you."

Johnson glared at him. :The others. No one liked that Lombardi could come into the game late and steal home base:

" **BASEBALL METAPHOR!"** Hauser said. "I hope we have pro baseball here. Continue, slagger."

Johnson stared at him, then Springer. :Lombardi like to hang with the strikers. Two of them at the Consulate came to Earth2 when they could to play cards and hang out on the farm. The also went to Unidad. They were tight, the two strikers and Lombardi. They had mutual friends or missions. I can't remember which. Talk to them. Mueller and Anderson. They're N.E.S.T guys. They probably did it:

"If they were friends, why would they kill Lombardi? That still leaves Dobbs," Hauser said.

:Dobbs was a jerk. He hated Lombardi. He wanted to make a lot of money then go back to Earth and live like a sultan. He wasn't too bright, Dobbs. He believed things and took chances. It was only a matter of time before he did something that took him out of the game: Johnson said.

"Is that so," Springer asked as he leaned closer. "What about you? What sort of grudge did you have with Dobbs? I don't remember any of you getting along at Diego. What keeps me from hanging this on you like Christmas tree lights?"

:We worked together. We went on missions with Intel-Martin in the past. We weren't enemies but we weren't friends. We had nothing in common, most of us. Hedges and me … we have a lot in common. We both hate your guts, you and your shitty species. Now if some of you came up dead, you might have a reason to check us out but you're barking up the wrong tree. None of us did this. Fuck you by the way, too: Johnson said.

Springer glanced at Drift. "Are you going to let him talk to me like that?"

Drift glanced at Johnson. "Stop," he whispered.

Springer grinned. "Fragger," he said as he stood. He gripped Johnson then walked out of the room.

"He might be right. Somehow, the two got wind of this and Anderson and Mueller took them out. What they knew was enough to get them killed." Hauser considered that. "I would say that Johnson and Hedges are ringers as well as the two strikers. They never hid their ties to the terrorists on Earth and maybe the others are, too. Or maybe they aren't. I don't know."

Springer walked back in, then set Todd Baseman on the table. He staggered, then straightened. He was scared and didn't hide it. "Hauser, I give you Todd. The last time I had to cart him to jail he wet on my hand. It was disgusting."

"That sounds intriguing," Hauser said. He leaned in toward Baseman. "Show me," he said.

Baseman was so startled he nearly complied.

=0=On an alternate Cybertron

Megatron Prime checked the short list of new prisoners that he had signaled Optimus about. They were good loses to the new thriving and resurrecting civilization that he led. The People were getting back on their feet and the damaged parts of their planet, though not great and widespread were still swiftly disappearing under the leadership he provided.

Prowl stood next to him waiting for his compliance. He himself had delved into work to assuage the charred remains of his spark. Though Optimus Prime, theirs, was a sparkless killer and all around maniac, Prowl had developed deep feelings for him anyway. Sometimes he wondered if it was just post traumatic stress, then something would trigger him and he would nearly come apart at the seams with emotion. "I can send the signal for pick up at Tennyson if you concur."

"I do, Prowl. Thank you. Please give my best regards to our counterparts," Megatron said as he handed the data pad to his second-in-command.

"I shall," Prowl said as he walked to the door and left the room.

Megatron watched him go, then looked at his desk. It was covered in work but he didn't mind. His family lived here now and he was doing the right thing. To do less than that never once crossed his mind.

=0=Ops Center, Autobot City, another dimension away

Prowl handed the data pad to Prime who perused it. "Do you want to be there? This one is so strange."

"I think so," Prime said. He looked at the names on the data pad.

Hound

Inferno

Cliffjumper

Impactor

And last and not least, Alpha Trion

=0=At the jailhouse. Now.

:I didn't get to go out alone and I only went with the others:

"Who's to say, Todd, that you didn't have accomplices?" Hauser asked.

:Fuck that. I didn't do it. Check out Johnson and Hedges. They hate you. They really hate you and came here to make trouble. I came here because the pay is good and its an adventure. I didn't come here to get thrown in jail:

Hauser sat back, then shrugged to Springer. "I believe him. Who wouldn't?"

"Do you want a show of hands?" Drift asked.

Springer chuckled, then gripped Todd. "Hold that thought until I get back," he said as he walked out the door to get another.

=0=TBC 4-16-19

The game show reference was to Jeopardy! Where contestants call for questions that are in answer form and have to respond with the question. Alex is Alex Trebeck. Very popular and long running.


	640. Chapter 640

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 640)

=0=Ops Center

"We interviewed all of them. They weren't happy but we haven't charged them with anything so they had no fall back but to say nothing. None of them said much that helped but they all squealed on each other. Johnson can swear almost as much as Kup. That was one of the findings by the way," Springer said as he sat with Prowl, Ratchet, Drift, Hauser and Prime at the command table. They were sipping and noshing as they listened. Night time was coming and all would be heading out to various locations in jig time.

"What else? Anything?" Prowl asked.

"All of them pointed the finger at everyone else. All of them seem to believe, that is, those that care enough to wager an opinion that Mueller and Anderson did it. They prefer to state that they came here for money and adventure, nothing more," Drift said.

"Do you believe them?" Ratchet asked.

Drift shrugged, then glanced at Hauser. "You're the detective."

"I'm **The** Detective," Hauser said with a grin. He glanced at Ratchet. "I do. They're so freaked out as humans say that I think they're telling the truth. Most of them are easy to check out anyway. They said they never went out without an escorting group so I'll have that checked out on the grid. None of them have tech so they can't be the ones otherwise. How would they do it? All we want is motive and it could be that Lombardi and Dobbs got too curious."

Prime nodded. "Do we have enough to bring a case against them and if we do then the cover is blown and we lose the straight line to the Resistance."

"We may have to let this slide a bit. It might mean that Earth gets angry and we take a dent in the polls but it could be our best access to the Resistance yet," Prowl said.

Prime nodded. "I agree." He looked at Springer. "Transfer the mercenaries to Earth2 tomorrow and tell them that they are quarantined to the facility. We are not going to allow them to go out and run around. Tell them nothing about the case or its progress. Let them be insecure for a while."

Springer nodded. "Alright. Mueller and Anderson?"

"They stay locked up. You might move them into the human sector of the Prison Control Center so they can have more privacy and quiet but do not put them together."

"What if we do? Tap in and see if they speak together. See if they have a code. We can decrypt anything they come up with. Maybe." Ratchet glanced at Drift and Springer. "How is your math?"

Huge laughter greeted that, then Drift smirked at Springer. "Give it to him. I never got to go to school and he did."

Springer smirked back at Drift. "I don't see it slowing you down any, slagger." He glanced at Prime. "That might be interesting. They're both smart enough to know about us bugging them but maybe they can talk in another way. We can fix cameras on them and see. If worse comes to worse they'll just not say or do anything."

Prime considered that, then nodded. "Very well. I concur."

They chatted about this and that until everyone rose to leave, Prime included. Heading out, they discussed a few things, then Springer and Drift transformed to drive to the stables nearby. The others walked together through town toward home.

=0=Going on night time in the jail house

They came in, a steady stream of individuals who were drunk, pissed off, demented or otherwise not themselves. They walked in cuffed, some were helped in and others fought. Some were silent, others sang loudly, some argued and cursed while a few chatted like it was just a street corner encounter between friends.

They were hauled before the desk sargent to give their details before being put in cells both out in this part of the jail or through a double door to somewhere else. Noise alternated with silence as the parade continued. Outside, the sky had darkened and it was night again.

Horst Mueller sat on his couch with a drink and snack provided by the jail and fixed for him at The Resort. When there was a human in jail, they were contracted to supply food and clean clothes. He was glad. The food was good, snacks were plentiful and other than a fabulous floor show that a number of the scientists in the Sciences Habitat would kill to watch, he had nothing else to do.

Some spaces over, Colin Anderson was doing the same thing. They had good entertainment on the monitor nearby but it wasn't as fascinating as the floor show before them. The shock had worn off and they were now incarcerated for who knew how long. No one probably knew in the human community or Earth so they resigned themselves to be patient. Eventually something would have to happen.

The doors opened as a pair of Watchmen walked in with a big bruiser and two smaller ones. They paused before the desk sargent and did the usual. Then they were placed in holding cells next to the place where the humans perched in their boxes. Looking down to the right, they could see the three clearly.

The floor show was outstanding and though it slowed it never stopped. Day and night, there was always someone coming in. When they wanted to sleep they shut off the outside comm channel and did. Everything they had as housing was transparent including the blankets and pillow of their beds. It was odd how the bots did it but it was so. Transparent covers that felt like cloth but were completely see through was a mind blowing concept and reality.

Three times a day, someone walked to their cases and slid a tiny cartridge-like box into a slot on the wall of their containment. Inside them were trays of food, drinks and snacks. Included were toiletries and other niceties of life for the prisoners.

It was efficient.

When the bots came the next morning to take them away from the jail to the Prison Control Center, the two called to them but no one answered their questions. Their transfer cages were pulled from the wall, put into carry holds and suspended in darkness. The time that passed was hard to assess given the sensory deprivation of the experience but at last light pierced the darkness and they were out of the carry holds again.

The room they were in was huge, had a lounge area nearby and big windows looking out at a bland landscape of sand and broken rocks. Springer and Drift were there. They held the containers, then slotted them again into the wall. Both men stepped into new apartments of the same type as before, then turned to stare at their tormentors. With them was a small femme.

"They're all yours, Gee-Gee. Lucky you," Springer said.

Gee-Gee grinned. "Thanks. I owe you one."

All of them laughed, then Springer began to walk to the door to go followed by Drift. "See you on the flight line."

"I'll be there," she said as she watched them leave. Then she turned back to the two humans. "I'm Warden Gee-Gee and you're my prisoners. This is the Control Center, Special Containment Lock up at the Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison. This is a dead end so don't try anything too stupid. You'll be treated well and cared for until you are removed or sent somewhere else. Until then, relax and don't give me trouble. This is the shift break room."

Gee-Gee turned from them and left the room. Both stared after her, then glanced to the side. They could see each other through the clear walls of their cell given that they were slotted into the wall side-by-side. Walking closer, staring at each other, they then returned to their couches to sit. The floor show wouldn't be as good as the jail.

=0=The next morning

" **ADA! LOU GO DOING? I, ORION GO DOING?"**

Ratchet stared at the little mech on the floor and noted that no one was nearby to hear even his fog horn voice. He grabbed Orion and stuffed him into his carry hold. Glancing around, he smiled his biggest most insincerely sincere smile. It was for naught. No one noticed his petty larceny.

By the time the elders ebbed in, then ebbed out with children, it was time to book it to the prison to greet newcomers to their airbnb program, Hell House. Ironhide walked from the berth room with a data pad that he subbed, one that was his work pad.

"You didn't get the quarterly in yet?" Ratchet asked as they walked to the door.

"Did you?" Ironhide asked as he followed Ratchet through the door.

"Nope," Ratchet said as the door closed behind them.

At the station at the Prison Control Center …

They were gathering, the usual suspects. Springer, Drift, Hercy, Kup, Lon and Bezel were there waiting as Prowl, Prime, Ironhide and Ratchet drove up, transformed and joined them.

"We have a handful coming, Prime. I was talking to a guard who got the word on them. Hound is a stealth assassin. Inferno is a demolitions tech and fire maker … a pyromaniac, he said. Cliff is just Cliff only on steroids, a mech who likes to use knives and keeps them everywhere. Impactor is … he's just bad all around," Hercy said. "Alpha on the other hand mystifies me. I don't know how he came to be bad but apparently he is. I asked if the other pantheon members were bad but apparently its mixed up. Liege Maximo is a good guy and Alpha isn't."

Everyone took a moment to cogitate on that, then Prime turned to the airfield where a ship was landing. "Let us go then," he said as he walked that way.

Everyone followed.

Nearby, a big ship with the blended brand of Autobot and Decepticon on its sleek sides had touched down and mechs were stepping off. Sixshot was back and so was Black Shadow, two figures they would never truly feel calm at seeing around.

Prime stopped before them, then shook hands. "We will take the prisoners."

"Thank you, Prime," Black Shadow said as a mech came down the ramp under heavy guard. He was Hound and he wasn't. This mech was cold, dangerous and calculating.

He stared at Prime, then the others. "I heard about you. Slagger. We would have won without you."

"You will never know, Hound. You are never going to see a free orn again." Prime said as he glanced at Gee-Gee and a heavily armed group reach them. "Warden."

"Lord Optimus," Gee-Gee said. She looked at Hound. "You're going into cells that held your predecessors for a while. We had to deactivate them and we haven't reactivated them yet. Its easier to have them in stasis remand than having them out."

:Frag. I forgot about that. The inter dimensional jumping around feels like two life times ago: Ratchet said.

Prowl nodded slightly. :I hear you. They're staying there, too:

:No argument, Prowler: Ratchet said with a grin.

"Go stand on the yellow line," Gee-Gee said.

Hound slouched as he stared at her. "I don't take orders from femmes."

Then he was flat on his back, his legs throbbing from where she had spun, swept him away and stood in time to see him fall flat. Pausing on the walkway, the others watched, then continued under heavy guard.

Inferno was next. He walked sullenly to the line along with

a snarling Cliff. Behind them, his optics taking it all in, his unique head crest like the shape of a Mohawk from Earth, Impactor walked with a surreal sense of ease and grace. He was the apocalypse made real. He was fierce, unafraid and homicidal. He took the worst cases and never brought back a prisoner.

Ever.

He stared at Prime as he stood beside Inferno but Prime was waiting for someone. Finally, a figure stepped out, one that was the living image of Alpha Trion. But this one felt and seemed different. He walked down the ramp, then came across the tarmac to halt before Optimus.

The warmth of Alpha, unknown brother and mentor figure for Optimus was missing. This one was cold, calculating and menacing. He grinned at Prime but there was no warmth. He nodded slightly. "Hello, Optimus Prime," he said in a deep low voice.

=0=TBC 4-17-19 **edited 4-19-19**


	641. Chapter 641

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 641)

I had vertigo last night. It's weird when your feet go one way and you go the other. :D **HERE WE GO!**

=0=Stuff

They stared at each other, these diametrically opposed beings of the same template. Alpha was Alpha but the energy was all wrong. This one had a pulsing menace, a cold sense of mayhem that he kept in check.

Optimus stared at him, then the others. "You are my prisoners. I am going to keep you until such time as Megatron Prime wishes you back. You will be placed in such a depth of security that anything you do that is counter to it is a death sentence. If you cannot live this way safely then I will deactivate and store you against the future. Are there any questions?"

"I am told I have a counterpart. I would like to meet him," Alt Alpha said.

"That is not going to happen," Optimus said coldly. "You have no rights here nor can you make demands."

"I am asking," Alpha countered.

"So tell me, slagger … what part of the Pantheon do you represent?" Ratchet asked with a certain amount of dread. It needed asking all around.

Hound laughed loudly, then glanced at Trion. "That old reprobate? Did he tell you that? If he were part of the Pantheon then he wouldn't be here. Tell me where I'm wrong. Teleport out of here, Trion, if you want me to believe you." He grinned at Prime. "He likes to tell people he's one of the Thirteen. **DO SOMETHING, TRION! SHOW US YOUR POWER!** " Hound shouted, then laughed as the others grinned, all of them but Impactor.

Black Shadow who was watching with a smirk on his handsome face glanced at Prime. "He likes to tell everyone that story but he's never performed any great feats of power to back it up."

Prime nodded. "The Trion that lives here is one of the Thirteen … the first one."

Black Shadow glanced sharply at Prime. "Truly?"

Prime nodded. "Yes."

Everyone including his own men stared at Prime, then Trion who stood in cuffs with the others. Ironhide stepped closer to him. "Then you're an imposter? You lie about your status as a god? Why … that's not very nice of you, slagger." Ironhide turned to the others who were laughing loudly, all but Prime, Trion and Impactor. "I think we have a con man here, Prime, an imposter. Springer, arrest this mech."

For a moment, the group enjoyed their little laugh though Trion seethed with fury. He glanced at Prime. "You may live to regret this."

"I doubt it," Prowl said coldly. "Here, we treat the Pantheon with the respect They deserve. I doubt very much that they appreciate someone impersonating one of them."

Trion seethed but said no more.

Prime turned to the alt soldiers and Black Shadow. He nodded to them and Sixshot. "We have this. Give Megatron Prime my best wishes."

Sixshot bowed slightly. "We will. Thank you, Prime," he said then he and the others began to board their ship. It was gone in seconds.

"I wonder how you can be a fraud when Alpha is part of the Pantheon?" Ratchet asked.

"Some universes omit individuals because that's the universe where they don't exist or died," Drift said. He looked at the others. "You might ask about the Pantheon next time you go there to see Megatron, Prime. It could be that they don't have an Alpha as a member of the Pantheon or they have someone else in his place."

t some point, Prime would find out that they did.

=0=Moments later …

They walked through the gates of the alt secured prison into the lock up where everyone lived. It was silent and there was no one around, even Jetta because everyone there was still in stasis. One by one, they dropped off the new slaggers until they were left only with Impactor. He walked next to Springer, then lunged hard against him.

Staggering, Springer turned on Impactor who stood silently with three guns pressed to his helm. He was grinning at the mech who in this universe was his successor. What it was like where he had come from no one knew.

"That wasn't too bright, slagger," Drift said as he held a blade to Impactor's throat.

"It was worth it," Impactor said with a grin.

Springer stared at him, then stepped closer. "Impactor on our side is dead. He was an inspiration and a legend. You're a fragger who's going to prison forever. How does that feel, fool?"

"Have them put down their weapons and let me show you," Impactor said.

"No. Put him in the cage," Prime said.

"Where's the fun in that, Prime?" Impactor asked as they coded the gate and shoved him inside. The bars came up and his cuffs disappeared.

Prime stepped closer to the fence. "Right now, I'm giddy just seeing you behind bars."

It was silent a moment, then Prime turned to a solemn Gee-Gee. "We are going to test the possibility that the anomaly can happen again. If it can, they go into storage with the others so they cannot leave this dimensional plane in an exchange, Warden."

She nodded. "Understood. I got this."

Prime glanced at the mechs behind the bars. all of them glowering at him with murder in their optics, then nodded to Gee-Gee. "Thank you, Warden," he said, then turned to go with his mechs.

Gee-Gee watched them go, then turned to the prisoners. "Welcome to my world, boys," she said with a grin.

=0=On the way back

"We have two Cliffies," Ratchet said with a grin. "Don't tell Buzzie. He might break this one out of stir in some kind of sympathetic psychotic break with reality."

Huge laughter and agreement greeted that.

"Have you seen Agnes lately?" Drift asked.

"I heard she's really cute. I also heard that Agnes means 'chaste' in some languages and if spelled Agnus means 'lamb'," Ratchet said with a giant smile. "There. You're a tad smarter than you were before."

Everyone grinned at him, then transformed and drove off burying him in dust. He watched them disappear, then laughed. "Fraggers," he said as he continued down the road.

=0=Meeting room in Earth2

"I just got word that Prime is releasing our security men tomorrow morning. I haven't been told why but it must mean that they have an idea about this already. I was told that the report was due to him shortly," Owen Harris said.

The others who were resident here, the major financiers of the project on Earth some of whom lived here and conducted business without a bigger contribution shifted slightly. "What does it mean? Do they believe the danger is past or are they setting a trap for someone using them as bait?" Kyle asked.

Harris shrugged. "We're going to have to wait. Prime is smart and tactical. Whatever he has in mind he won't be budged."

"Earth is getting on our ass about this," Hamilton Brown said. "That won't let up."

"No. We will have to wait," Harris said as he steered them onward down the agenda.

=0=City Hall Annex, Terra

He stared at the big bot sitting at his desk working on things. Finally, he glanced at the doorway showing surprise to see the human standing on a segway staring at him. "Can I help you?"

:I hope so: Max Butler said hopefully. :I heard that you're Venture, Prowl's father:

Venture nodded. "I am."

:I was hoping you could help me do a feature story on Prowl for my publication on Earth, Time Magazine. I wanted to know about him as an individual, the more private person:

Venture stared at him, then contacted his son. :Prowl, a human named Max Butler wants to talk to me about you and your life:

 **:WHAT!?:**

=0=Moments later …

Prowl stood at Tactical getting the data he needed as he fumed **EVER** so **SLIGHTLY**. Prime had meant it that he thought Prowl needed more applause. Nothing he could say would stop the decision or wipe the slight grin off Optimus's face.

The fragger.

Butler was given the go ahead with caveats. It would be up to the person interviewed how much they would tell. Of course, they all had to live with Prowl, so …

:What was he like as a child?: Butler asked as he hooked in his recorder to the comm line.

Venture considered that, then grinned. "He was a wonderful son. He knew his mind early on and couldn't be dissuaded. He was compassionate and decent, more aware of the inequity of life on Cybertron than we were and headstrong about not being a part of it."

:The System of Exception? He was against it?: -Max aka MB

Venture nodded. "He loathed it. He hated it with a passion. It lead to his interest in law enforcement. He was always a contrarian about it and didn't care if he acted up in front of anyone to show it. In that way, I understand that he was a bit on the … Gothic side."

^0^

/ … **OH FRAG!** … well, I was … **FRAG!** … / -Prowl aka Prowl who was listening in

^0^

:So … what you're saying is … Prowl as a child, as a teenager was a Goth?: -MB with astonishment

Venture considered that, checked the Gothic definitions again, threw out a lot of church references to find the meanings he sought then nodded. "I would say so."

^0^

Prime walked to Prowl, then leaned in to check the data himself of a sounding of a possible migration coming their way. "What is the word, Prowl?"

Prowl glanced upward to Prime, then frowned slightly. **"GOTH!?"**

Prime left the room to laugh loudly in the corridor nearby.

=0=Half a joor later

:Thank you, sir. I appreciate your time: Max said as he revved up his segway.

Venture grinned, then nodded. "You're welcome. Where are you going now?"

:To see Ratchet: Max said.

"He's a good one," Venture said. "He's Prowl's best friend."

Max nodded, then waved as he motored out.

Venture watched him go, then sat back. He knew that Prowl would fume but he had said nothing that he couldn't live with. If he had told all the shit that Prowl had done as a kid to fight back against the system, it would take a decaorn and be much more hilarious than what he'd told the human. He grinned, then got back to the job.

=0=Medical Center

Max Butler sped in, then halted at the doorway. Peering inside, he saw a tiny version of Ironhide making a tower out of a number of supply boxes that were put on the floor for him.

As he turned to get another, Orion of Mars noticed him. He stared at the human, then smiled. Walking to the door, he paused to stare at the human. {Hi, she. I, Orion say hi she to lou. Lou comed here to I, Orion? To playin'? Lou comed to Ada? I comed lou to Ada} He then leaned in to put his arm around Max. {Comed lou she wif me, Orion} He then gently tried to get Max to go.

Max who was awash in the magnificence rolled forward as the two awkwardly walked/rolled to the desk. { **ADA!** }

A big helm peered over the desk top. { **WHAT!?** }

Orion bent over double to laugh, then pointed to Ratchet. **{ADA! LOU FUNNY! LOU THING SHOWED TO ME, ORION!}**

Ratchet snickered, then looked at the human. "You're back, I see."

:I am. Is this Orion? He's amazing: Max said as he grinned at the smiling baby.

Orion grinned at him, then stepped closer and put his arm around Max again. { **ADA! I LOVE SHE! I KIP SHE?!** }

"He wants to kiss you. It's sort of his thing," Ratchet said.

Max looked at Orion, then nodded.

Orion smiled, then leaned in to put a 'kip' on Max's head. Then he leaned back to beam at him with delight. { **I KIPPED LOU, SHE! I LOVE LOU, SHE!** }

"He kissed you. He loves you. Orion is a bit of a lover boy," Ratchet said as he translated.

:Tell him I love him, too. Who doesn't?: Max said with delight.

Ratchet agreed and Orion danced. He grinned at the human. {Lou play, she? I doin'. I doin' this and that} he said pointing to his teetering tower.

"He wants you to play but something tells me you're here about Prowl," Ratchet said. {Orion, he has to workin'. You go play and we can have a treat later. Okay?}

Orion looked up at Ratchet, then smiled. {I doin'} he said as he walked to the tower. {I doin' it. I doin' the she} he said as he began again.

Max watched him, then pulled closer to Ratchet. :What a great kid:

"We think so. What do you wanna know, tiny man?" Ratchet asked with a big grin.

:I would like to know more about Prowl: he said.

Ratchet laughed. "Don't we all," he said.

=0=TBC 4-19-19 For my Pippin, forever.


	642. Chapter 642

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 642)

This was supposed to go out last night. :(

=0=Ratchet and Max

"That's about it. That is … that's about all I can say without him ninja-ing me into the twelfth dimension," Ratchet said.

Max chuckled. :You and Prowl are a highlight of sports around here:

Ratchet grinned. "We try."

They both laughed, then Max thanked him and rolled out to pursue other sources. Ratchet and Orion watched him go, then glanced at each other. Ratchet grinned. "Wanna eat something with Atar?"

Orion smiled like the sun. **"ADA! I GO DOIN'!"**

"So will I," Ratchet said as he rose and scooped the imp up. Lunch at the Diner On The Corner was on.

=0=Diner

" **WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH!?"**

Orion stood on the table trying to pour 'sugar' into the 'salt' shaker.

Ironhide sat, then grinned. "Little mech is doing a science experiment."

"He is. He's trying to see how far he can go before getting spanked," Ratchet said with a chuckle. He took the salt and sugar, then handed him to Ironhide.

Orion settled, then grinned. "I doin' wif lou."

They grinned at him, then nodded.

"Lou are," Ironhide agreed.

Orders were taken, Orion was set on the table again, then they relaxed.

Ratchet grinned. "I was interviewed by the human, Max Butler for a profile on Prowl. I told him to find you for the Praxus stuff."

"And frag you, too," Ironhide said with a grin as their drinks were set before them.

Orion who had a straw walked to Ironhide's drink, inserted it and took a slug of it. Then he coughed and sputtered, staring at Ironhide with surprise. **"WHAT LOU DIS, ATAR!?"**

"That, you little slagger is beer," Ironhide said with a chuckle.

Orion stared at him, then Ratchet, then Ironhide. Then he stuck his straw back into the glass. He would be sitting in a baby chair after that sucking a milkshake through a straw and giving Ironhide and Ratchet the gimlet optic.

"I won't have another drunk in this family. At least, let's get him out of short pants first," Ratchet said with a grin.

"At least," Ironhide said.

Food came and they ate, bantering together as the infant slagged down his food like the champion he was.

=0=On Cybertron

The shoot out was short and the felons surrendered at the Crossroads Refinery at milepost 122 on the Helex Highway. They had been stealing energon shipments for who knew what reason and had been tracked by the locals to a warehouse where they were trapped.

Hauser who was at Kaon flew in and watched as the local constabulary and Autobot soldiers surrounded the area, pulled all the incandescent locals back and began a fusillade designed to get them to surrender. It was fortunate that the warehouse contained components for steel making, piles of different additives and base elements that would be made into cybertanium. The rounds that perforated the building buried themselves into the great heaped piles inside.

Hauser watched as the soldiers marshaled the local police, coming ever closer to the building. When they were close enough, three of them threw percussion grenades into the building, then ducked. The booms were loud and the silence that followed even louder. The soldiers burst in and the disturbance was over.

Hauser walked to the warehouse as they were dragging stunned mechs out, all of them frisked and cuffed toward a pile up nearby. He paused before them, staring with amusement. Running their numbers, he noted with satisfaction that they'd nailed a good half of a very bad road rage gang from Nova Cronum. "This is good work," he told the mechs who gathered around them waiting for the ship to come haul them to jail. "Good work."

They grinned at him as nearby a ship landed, a runabout used by the police here to carry slaggers to jail. "This gang is going to have to recruit again. We've picked up three others two orns ago, Hauser," a big Autobot said.

"Well done. I'll let Prime know," Hauser said. Then he helped them haul the slaggers into the runabout.

=0=OPS Center

Prowl glanced at Prime who was walking his way. Pausing beside the tense winger, Prime leaned in closer. "Are you still bothered by the article?"

Prowl stared up at him for a moment. "No."

Prime laughed. "You do know how to carry a grudge."

"To the bitter end," Prowl said. "I was told he's spoken to Loon and my father. Who is next?"

"Whoever he finds," Prime said with a grin. "Carry on," he said as he walked toward the door and a tour of the latest site preparations for two gigantic hub cities.

Prowl watched him go with a slight smirk on his face. "Slagger," he said. Then he grinned and turned back to the only thing he could truly depend upon, his job.

=0=Later that evening

Springer and Drift mounted up, then rode out of the stables with the usual suspects. "We have to take the mercs back tomorrow. What do you think?" Drift asked.

"I think I'm glad I'm not them," Springer said as they began to gallop toward the highway and the job beyond.

"I hear ya," Drift said as he joined the others. They disappeared into the night together.

=0=Prison Control Center break room

Two big mechs and a small femme sat in the break room taking a moment on shift. It was dark outside and the city was gearing up for the evening fun. Here in the prison center, the night shift had just finished half their duty. It was quiet in the prison without the usual madness that could erupt at any moment.

Sitting on their couches watching the three, Mueller and Anderson chatted together. They had learned British Sign Language as part of their training against the possibility of getting arrested and incarcerated within view of each other. They were able to talk, going over their stories and their plans for whatever would come. They hadn't considered the idea that they were on camera, though they were also assured that the bots wouldn't know what they were doing even if they were.

In the control center nearby, the cameras recorded what they were doing though the two humans were using their bodies to shield their hands most of the time. The information they were exchanging when their hands could be seen was innocuous and unimportant.

Like right now.

=0=At the jailhouse now

They sat in their boxes watching the floor show. A number of hooligan youth were dragged in, mouthy and aggressive, to be jailed. A few family had come to talk to the desk sargent who told them that the magistrate had custody of their fates and tomorrow the court would decide. The docket of the night court was already full so they had to go home livid and empty handed.

Fortunately for their family members.

Jim Johnson stood at the wall of his cage watching down the way as bots in cells vented their own aggravation. Most of them were drunk and their sing-song speech was impossible to understand. How all that strange sound could be speech was beyond him. It was stupid to think that it was, he thought. Normal people used words.

Sam Hedges who was many degrees smarter and more tactical than Johnson studied all of them, watching for things that would help him against the future. The others watched for entertainment. He watched for intel. Of all of them now that Lombardi was gone, he was the smartest.

It would be an interesting night for all of them.

=0=Early morning at the Courthouse jail entrance

Springer and Drift rode up with the crew, then dismounted as a paddy wagon full of belligerent teenagers drove into the driveway to off load them into the Care of the State. They were making a lot of noise inside so they waited nearby to watch.

A group of mechs who had bagged them smirked at Springer and Drift as they walked around to let them out. Opening the door, six big kids inside vented their rage at their captors.

Stepping up, they entered, grabbed a kid, then dragged them out toward the door. Entering the facility, they walked to the desk sargent. After a lot of yelling and screaming, they took their numbers off their transponders, listed as much as the kids would allow, then hauled them off.

Behind them standing nearby, Springer, Drift and the others watched. The mercs watched them, their bodies tense and ready for anything. They were supposed to go back to Earth2 and maybe it was going to happen now.

Springer and Drift talked to the desk sargent, then turned to the humans. Springer stepped closer. "Get into the carry cases."

The humans stared at him, then rose to walk to the carry cases. Entering, they leaned into the walls as the boxes were pulled out and stuffed into carry holds.

Springer glanced at the sargent. "Thanks, Rolo. We got this. Have fun with the kids."

Rolo grinned. "When don't we? I'm going home and hug my own kids after this."

"They're only babies, right?" Drift asked as they walked toward the door.

"For now," Rolo said.

They laughed and headed out just as two more wagons drove up with drunks. Springer grinned. "Sounds like a good time was had by all."

Laughter greeted that as they mounted up to go.

=0=Earth2

Owen Harris and his leadership group stood at the big windows near the entrance. They had received the word that their mercs were coming and had gone to the door to wait. It was still dark in the facility as the lighting geared to the daily cycle of Mars was still exhibiting early morning. Outside, the huge paved parking lot was pooled by light from gigantic lighting towers stationed in areas around it.

"I wonder if there's going to be caveats about their release?" Hamilton Brown asked.

"We shall see," Owen said as the sight of riders heading down the road to the lot entrance could be seen.

Metallic riders on metallic horses galloped into the driveway heading for the building whose giant outside doors were open to receive them. They rode swiftly, then filled the outside, dismounting to turn toward the facility as the outside doors closed and the environment equalized.

The huge doors opened to allow entrance as Owen and his party stepped out. They walked toward Springer and Drift who were waiting for them beside the gigantic horses. He paused before them to stare straight upward. "Springer, welcome," Owen said.

Springer nodded. "We have your boys," Springer said. "We're giving them to you but they're confined to the facility until further notice."

"Is there any information about the case?" Steven Jameson asked.

"Not for the public yet," Springer said.

The group pulled out the cases, set them on the ground and released the doors. The mercs stepped out, walked away, then turned to stare at their captors. It was silent a moment, then Springer grinned. "You slaggers aren't allowed out. Step out and you go to jail to stay."

Johnson stared at Springer. "If you were human, Springer, you wouldn't be such a smug bastard."

Drift glanced at Springer as the mechs with them chuckled. "He just called you a name."

"I heard it. I think I'm insulted," Springer said.

"What about it, Springer? You can do that pretender thing," Johnson said.

"Yeah, Springer. You can do that pretender thing," Kup said as he chomped on his cigar.

For a moment, Springer stared at Johnson, then he grinned. "Yeah. I can do that thing."

Then he did.

=0=TBC 4-20-19

Fun factoid

My niece just got back from Scotland and said that were they were a transformers movie was filmed, probably The Last Knight. They had to build hotels there and when tourists came, there was no place to stay. Little tidbit. My niece, her sister and my sister stayed there. It was on the Isle of Skye. :D:D:D


	643. Chapter 643

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 643)

=0=Earth2

Springer stared at Johnson, then a strangely intrigued Harris. He glanced at Drift who gave him the side optic. With a smirk he walked back through the doors into the entrance sector, transformed and when he did, a figure materialized out of thin air next to Drift. He was tall, nearly 6'3", well made, broad shouldered and powerful. He had dark hair, intense blue eyes and tattoos on his arms one of which was a love poem that began on his arm and ended on Drift's.

He wore jeans, nondescript boots and a t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up. All that was missing was a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and a 1957 Chevy. He walked toward the humans, then grinned at Johnson. "I'm here."

Johnson grinned, then shoved his shirt sleeves up as the other humans backed up a bit including the other mercenaries. Behind them in the building, others had seen what was happening and came in numbers to watch. There was an appalling tension as the two men began to slowly circle each other.

"I'll call mom if you get hurt," Drift said.

"You better not. He'll put me in the time out chair," Springer said as Johnson moved in swiftly and swung on him.

Springer leaned back, then moved with Johnson who continued to take swings but wasn't fast enough to connect. Around and around they went as Springer dodged the big human who was getting madder by the moment. Behind them in the crowd, the on-site security team he supervised was moving to become a barrier between the fight and the civilians who were watching with shock and some delight.

"Are you going to dance all night?" Drift said as he knelt down on a knee to relax. "We have a few places to check out before we head in to the stables."

"Give me a moment," Springer said as Johnson charged him.

He gripped Springer around the waist and they flew past Drift to land on the floor. Springer rolled off Johnson then stood, moving back easily as Johnson sprung back up himself. They dodged, Johnson swung and missed, they moved and no one connected.

Johnson slowed down, then stopped. He glared at Springer. "You coward. Come in close and lets see who's the better man."

"I'm not a man, slagger and I've been doing close in combat for millions of years. Your people were hanging in trees eating bananas and scratching their butts when I was leading troops in combat. You're out of your league, Johnson. But its like I said before … no one ever called you Too Bright Johnson," Springer said as Johnson charged him again.

He grasped Springer, then slugged him hard in the kidneys. Fortunately, Springer didn't have kidneys but he had really good pain receptors. It hurt like a bitch so he shoved Johnson back and swung hard on his face. He clipped Johnson's jaw and the big man flew backward to slide on the floor for a surprising distance.

Springer stared at him, then wrung his hand. **"FRAG!"**

"Did you break your servo?" Drift asked. "Old Cement Head here has a hard jaw."

Springer looked at his knuckles which were turning a deep red as he did. "Frag. I think I might have. Now I'm going to have to hit him with my left and its not my power mode."

"I **told** you to go to the dojo. I could help you fix that but you never listen," Drift said as he sat down and leaned back on a servo. He looked relaxed and slightly amused. He also sent for 'Mom' off line. "You're always hurting yourself. I noticed that about you."

"Well, you know me. I never shirk my duty," Springer said as he held his throbbing wrist.

"No, they never say that," Drift said as a bridge outside opened up and Ratchet walked out.

Ratchet stared at the building then keyed the door to close inside from an outside panel he as a liaison could access. Walking in, he waited for the environment to equalize before walking through the inside door as it slid open. He stared at Drift who smirked, a tiny Springer who put his hand behind his back, a prostrate Johnson on the floor and a mob of humans gathered around them. "Well, doesn't this just beat all."

"I have an explanation, Ma," Springer said.

Drift nodded. "He broke his hand on Johnson's face. He's hiding it behind his back, the Mama's boy."

Springer glared at Drift as some of the crowd laughed. Then two of the on-site security walked to Johnson and bent down. He was coming around so they helped him sit up.

Ratchet scanned him, then looked at the leadership of the habitat. Everyone was appalled but Owen. "He's got a slight concussion. I would keep him in the hospital overnight. Nothing is broken though he's going to have a slagging big bruise on his face." He scanned Springer. "You've broken your knuckles. Just a word of advise for you, my not too bright older son and the rest of you. Those movies where the slaggers beat each other half to death with all the power punches they got? They're fake.

"No one can take that kind of beating anywhere on their bodies especially their face without death or brain damage happening. **No** one. Certainly not **you** slugging that **slagger**. Don't you know he's solid titanium between the ears? Didn't I teach you anything?" Ratchet said with a grin.

"You taught me how to cheat at cards," Springer said as he held up his hand. "Wanna kiss my boo-boo?"

Ratchet chuckled. "I'm going to fix it. We can at the all night clinic at Tyger Pax." He looked at Harris. "I don't know what this is about but it shouldn't happen again. No one needs this slag."

Harris nodded. "I agree."

"Good," Ratchet said. He smiled at the crowd, then spread his arms wide. "Well, little people, my job here is done. I am going to take these," he said holding up his hands. "These miracle servos and lay them on … yea, place them on broken things and make them straight." He looked at Springer. "How about you staying in your format and ride in Drift or my hold. I don't know what its going to mean for you to change here and then have to go to Tyger Pax. It could be worse if you do that."

Springer rolled his eyes. "Frag **that**. How about I ride in my alt mode? I can do that. Remember?"

"I do remember that you and I never got car jacked," Ratchet said with a chuckle. He looked at the others. "It's a long story. I'll tell you some time when I'm good and liquored up."

The crowd laughed as they relaxed.

Springer walked to his truck and climbed in. Drift rose and followed him out to wait for Ratchet. Ratchet was staring at the people, watching as a stretcher put Johnson on it. They then began to carry him to the hospital nearby. "It was a very stupid thing for one of you to do something like this. We've been soldiers for literally millions of years. We're not totally clear the power that we can deliver in pretender mode. Johnson there is lucky that his helm is still on his shoulders."

Harris nodded. "Any word on when we can venture out? Any sign the investigation is getting finished?"

"Not yet. But I'll let Prime know that you asked. That's the best I can do. He's charged with everyone's safety including yours," Ratchet said. He nodded. "Good night." He walked out and the inside door closed.

They waited for the outside, then Drift walked out to get the horses, send the others on their way with a brief description of what happened inside, then rode along behind Springer and Ratchet as they headed out to go to Tyger Pax.

The doors to Earth2 closed behind them.

=0=All Night Medical, Tyger Pax

They walked into the clinic together including Springer in his root mode. His hand was giving him a lot of pain and transforming had indeed made it hurt worse. He could feel broken things inside. Walking past the desk to the med rooms down the hallway, he entered one to sit while Ratchet chatted to the night doctors.

Entering himself, Ratchet scanned Springer then pulled out a tray of instruments. "I'm going to have to do a rebuild. Here's a pain script," he said as he WIFI-ed one to Springer.

That mech sagged with relief as he got down, pulled up a chair, then laid his hand on the med berth. "That feels better."

"You could have killed Johnson," Ratchet said. "Then I'd have to go on teevee and tell them that Johnson fell down and broke his head. If you **had** hit him harder, his helm would be orbiting Mars right now."

"He had a few good punches," Springer said. He watched as Ratchet began to open things with his specialized gear. Inside his servo he could see broken bits. "How can they be broken? They're fragging protoform, mature protoform."

"Well, since you asked," he said as he began to pull out bits and pieces, "You hit him with a human fist. That wasn't designed to be fake. It was designed to pass inspection which tells us because of you that if you get hurt in pretender form, it leaves its mark in an equivalent manner on your root mode. In other words, if you break a bone as a human, it breaks in your alt mode. You have to be more careful. Also, thanks for the data, fragger."

"Don't mention it, Ma," he said as he looked away. Ratchet was unscrewing and detaching stuff and it was getting gnarly.

"Will he have his hand back? I only ask for the 'facing. I don't want him to feel like he's only half a mech or something," Drift said as Springer frowned at him. "Though I would stay with him anyway though it would be a near deal breaker."

"You're slagging lucky to have me," Springer said.

"Is that so?" Drift asked as he pulled up a chair to sit and relax.

"Yeah."

"And if he decided to leave you for someone with two good servos?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

Springer stared at him, then a slightly smirking Drift. "I'd let him go out the door." It was silent a moment. "Then I'd crawl after him on my hands and knees begging for him to come back."

Huge laughter greeted that as Drift patted Springer's knee. "I wouldn't make you crawl. Running after me would be enough."

"You two are so romantic," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "You didn't ruin two families when you bonded."

"No. He bonded up," Drift said as he winked at Springer.

Springer who was looking at Drift with a grin nodded. "Maybe."

Huge laughter.

Ratchet worked on the hand, put the right lubricants in, then closed the work. He then pulled out a light weight brace to slip over it. He fastened the digits to it, then welded it closed. "You have to wear this because it restricts movement until the protoform closes around the new parts. I put protoform stimulant in the wounds and around the new bits and pieces so it should only take a couple of orns before you can come to me and **I'll** take it off. Come to **me.** I don't want anyone to do it. I sort of use a special kind of solder to hold it together. Otherwise, you slaggers will take it off and frag things up."

"It's tough or something?" Springer asked as he gingerly opened and closed his servo. It was restricted and stiff.

"Something like that. It's my own formula. I **am** a metallurgist, you know."

"And a damned fine one, I'm told," Springer said as he stood. "What do I owe ya?"

"Time out in the Chair of Doom," Ratchet said as they hugged. He hugged Drift, then chatted a moment before walking out to go back home.

The two followed him, waved as he transformed and drove off, then glanced at each other.

Drift grinned. "Does it hurt much?"

"Only when I breathe," Springer said as they walked to their horses nearby.

"You don't need to breathe," Drift said as they climbed up to sit.

"Oh. That's right," Springer said. "You think I'd know that, Ma being a doctor and all."

"I think so." Drift grinned at him. "You need boxing lessons. Your left is weak."

"I don't know. You didn't say that last night," Springer said with a big grin.

Drift laughed loudly. "No. I didn't did I."

They grinned at each other, then tapped the sides of their horses. The two walked onward and they would take their time catching up with their posse. It was nice to just ride along slowly and talk.

=0=TBC 4-22-19 **HAPPY EARTH DAY TO EVERYONE!**

 **Notes will be replied to tomorrow. :D:D:D**

ESL

side eye (optic) to glance at someone with a pointed gaze or glance of optics quickly. Its usually a surprised swift peek.


	644. Chapter 644

The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 644)

=0=At the staff meeting the next morning

They walked in, all of the leadership both civilian and military. Some of the Cybertronian district managers were still on world before heading out so they came in person while a couple of others who had already left were on monitors around the room as everyone there lounged and chatted as they waited.

Ratchet breezed in, slapped Springer on the back of his helm as he passed him, then sat. He had a plate and cupful. Ironhide followed with his, then sat as well. More came and at last all were there including Brandon Clark for Earth 1, Owen Harris for Earth2, Bet Erdeme for the Consulate, Sheila Conway for Sciences Habitat, Epps, Lennox and Graham for N.E.S.T., Ron Witwicky and Gavin Pritchard for the Resort, Carly Brooks-Spencer for Unidad, Sam Witwicky for Autobot Nation, Incorporated, Warren for the overall big picture of said entity and The Primal Foundation of Cybertron and last but not least, Mikaela Banes for the Prime's Press.

Optimus who was chatting with Prowl off line watched as the big winger spread out the data pads and downloaded to the handhelds of the humans the agenda.

Everyone groaned, Prowl glared and it began. "We haven't caught up in some time due to slag beyond the call of duty so today we do," Prowl said. "Loon?"

Ratchet who was ready to bite a donut smiled a dazzler at Prowl. As he did Prime took Prowl's last cruller and began to eat it. Obviously, Prime was feeling better about the overall picture today and it bode well for the good of the order.

Prowl stared at his nearly empty plate, then frowned at Prime. Glancing down the table, he spied Springer and Drift. "Minions, bring in more grub. I have spoken."

Laughter greeted that as the two rose with grins and stepped out a moment. When they stepped back in huge boxes of donuts, cookies, cake, hand sized pies and other delights were laid on the table and shifted around. Some of the humans rose, stared at the supersized versions of their own stuff, then sat down again after taking a few snaps and selfies.

"Loon?" Prowl asked again as he took another cruller and a few bits of this and that. As he did, Prime took some of it and put it on his own plate. Prowl stared at his plate, then Prime, then the box. Filling his plate comically high with all manner of baked goods, he pulled it over to the right where Raptor sat.

Raptor helped himself to the great delight of everyone. "Thanks, Prowl. And everyone says you don't share."

Prowl stared as Raptor ate his favorite chocolate donut. "I get it. Frag all of you anyway." He piled more on, then set the heaping plate on his lap. **"LOON!?"**

When the laughter died down, Ratchet began. "Last night I was called out of bed in the middle of … well, I'm too shy to give more details," Ratchet said as Ironhide nearly swallowed his tongue and the maple bar in his hand at the same time.

" **OLD MECH!"**

"As I was saying … I was called to Earth2 to lay servos on. **Nay! THESE!** " he said holding up his two giant red hands. "I arrived and there was chaos in the land." Then he smiled brilliantly.

It was silent a moment, then Armour leaned in slightly. "Go on," he said nearly breathless with curiosity.

There was a huge aww moment for the sweet little priest by everyone including the humans, then Ratchet did.

"I walked in, saw destruction everywhere, then healed the moment with my genius," he said, then smiled brilliantly again.

" **OLD MECH! QUIT FRAGGING AROUND AND GET TO THE POINT!"** Ironhide said. "Do you want that fudge?"

"Nope," Ratchet said as Ironhide helped himself.

Everyone of his family adults nearly surged with delight of a tiny little Ironhide asking if they wanted their candy, too, the little cutie. Aw, such is memory.

Ratchet continued. "There was a fight between Too Bright Johnson and Springer Who Knows Better who jumped into pretender gear just for the LULZ. Springer broke his hand in pretender format and guess what, Wheeljack and Percy? What you break or harm in pretender format you have a corresponding hurt in your root mode. I'm not sure if they can kill your pretender if you then die in root mode. We have to test that out." Ratchet glanced around. "Any volunteers?"

Huge laughter and a lot of finger pointing rounded the room as even Prime laughed.

"I had to set his hand and fix his servo. Then he was **SUPPOSED TO GO OFF DUTY AND GO HOME!"** Ratchet said in his specialized vocal tone that was equivalent to a fog horn on an ocean liner, low and loud.

For a moment everyone sat in their seats ringing like bells, then they laughed.

:Fuck, Ratchet, you have a big mouth: Lennox said with a chuckle. :I felt that against my suit: he said as the other humans nodded.

"I aims to please," Ratchet said, then scowled at Springer who tried and failed to look contrite. "How's the servo, slagger?"

Springer held it up. "Fine as frog's hair."

A momentary scan of the internet drew stares his way from everyone in the room, something that didn't feel too good as he leaned slightly behind Drift. Huge laughter and mockery happened, then the dance went on.

"As for things … we're getting a good bunch of refugees lately through the camps. We're serving Atlas and his three big camps and sorting them there. The worst come to Gliese or here. All in all, we're swinging."

:May I ask a question?:

Everyone looked at Harris. Prime nodded.

:What is Gliese? I hear it a lot but I don't know what it is?: he asked.

Prowl glanced his way. "Its the name of a camp we have for patients who need emergency treatment. Its just a place we settled out there for the purposes of medical treatment of refugees."

:Thank you: Harris said.

:New rule: Prowl began off line to everyone in the room but the humans. :We use med camp from now on. No one uses Gliese again around unvetted humans. Signal receipt:

Everyone did and the show rolled on.

"Springer?" Prowl asked.

"Well, I busted my servo on Big Jim Johnson's cement head," Springer said with a grin.

Huge laughter, mockery, some of relating to cats.

The mechs **LOVED** human insults and swearing.

Prime did as well but he would never say so out loud. He was holy after all.

His ada knew, however.

He didn't know that Kes knew.

Some things were better left unknown.

Ratchet was a bad influence on everyone it seemed.

But I digress …

"We have a lot of young mechs and the odd femme getting loaded and fighting. Basketball is usually the cause. When there's a sport going on the drunk and disorderly stats climb. There was some domestic violence, not much. A few accidents but overall it amazes me after all the slag we've been through that the crime rate around here isn't higher."

"You can get what you want without stealing it," Drift said. "No money helps. Also, your charisma is key to the whole operation."

"It that it?" Prime asked as he relaxed in his chair.

Even the humans were amazed at his mellow manner today.

"Key," Drift said with a grin.

Springer who was lounging in his chair, his shoulder resting against Drift's, nodded. "That must be it. Nothing to steal when you can get it for free. Everyone is safe here as well and the mental health set up is primo. I don't know. There's an answer in it somewhere. I'm not complaining, mind you. Cybertron is a seething pit compared to this place.

"We've located 4 of our 250+ serial killers and have them in custody. We had three shoot outs with road rage gangs. There's other things but its in hand. Community policing is undoing eons of distrust and our tip lines are bursting with news and information that keeps us ahead of the slaggers." He glanced at Prime. :By the way, Hauser said that tips are coming in to the tip line about the murders here. He's working on it:

:That's good to know: Optimus said as he took another donut off Prowl's plate.

Prowl frowned, then looked at Springer. "You done?"

"Yep," Springer said.

They carried on, business news, all of the departments one by one having their say about this and that. When they got to the habitats, there was only Science and Education.

Carly stood. :We're doing great science at Unidad, Optimus. Our crops are getting ready to pick and we're going to be sharing the abundance with the other habitats, the tower and N.E.S.T. We have noted that the birds are nesting and fish are doing well in the water system. All of our projects are on line and we're gearing up for the international business and development conference that's coming in two weeks.

:Our kids are doing well in our schools and in those of the District. Our animals are flourishing and we're due to receive another shipment of llamas and alpacas as well as two buffalo and some turtles, frogs and amphibians. We're going to be submitting the full report to your office as per the quarterly assessment but I will tell you everyone is working hard and is extremely happy at our habitat. Thank you: she said as she sat.

Brandon Clark stood. :We're delighted with the expansion of our greenhouse and the plans for an open space dome for our habitat so that we can have planned development outside of our facility to do other things and to expand our agricultural project. Having trails, water features and more space for different projects is wonderful for quality of life and getting the kids out into the world outside. We hope to start an orchard of our own and the Hu-An are going to be there to advise us: he said nodding to Larc who nodded back.

:We're expecting two more babies among our population shortly. That's terribly exciting and when we do there will be a celebration in the habitat for the entire human community. Of course, we'll have to hold it at Unidad: he said as everyone laughed and nodded. :We'll be posting our quarterly assessment in the proper file on the Bulletin Board and will send a copy to you, Wheeljack and Perceptor. Thank you:

Ron Witwicky stood. :All's well at the Resort. A few drunks now and again but all is going well. We appreciate the fly outs to the cliffs at Olympus Mons, Optimus. It gives the clients one more good place to get selfies and hang out. I do believe that they've probably cleaned out every fragment of a gem or gold that was lying around there by now so if you want to salt the area I won't complain: he said as he sat down.

"Magnus and Ironhide can," Elita said. "They do that for the Autobot Scouts."

Ironhide, Prowl and Starscream flinched, then gave her dirty looks. The ball rolled on.

:We're getting back to some order after the situations that have plagued us. We would like to be able to return to coming and going as soon as possible. Our program is flourishing and our children are enjoying attending local schools. We have four more kids who want to go when the next intake is up. I will send you their names, Herling:

Herling nodded. "All are welcome, Mr. Harris."

Harris continued, then sat to let the others give their spiel.

Herling finally stood and gave his overview of things, talked about the expansion of the Planetarium at Intermediate School #1 in Iacon. The new curriculum in math was almost ready to send to the school board and it was Huge-E's turn to bring treats for the meeting. When he sat, it was time for Sciences.

Everyone was flagging by then as Wheeljack stood and checked his data pad. "I think that this would be a good time to bid our humans farewell or they disable their comm systems."

The humans complied, then everyone settled again.

Wheeljack turned toward Prime. "We figured out how to move Cybertron here."

You could hear a pin drop.

=0=TBC 4-23-19


	645. Chapter 645

The Diego Diaries: Say what? (dd6 645)

=0=At the meeting

They stared at Wheeljack who was consulting his data pad. Ratchet leaned forward. "Explain."

"Sure," Wheeljack said as he glanced up again. "We figured out how to retrieve Cybertron and bring it here. That is, if you consider all of the many things we have to do to make it so. Here's the short list."

He glanced at Percy who handed him another data pad.

Wheeljack began to recite the steps toward retrieval. "We have to move a planet that's fully populated and in sync with a local group, all of which must go. Therefore, we're looking at retrieving in all 15 planets in the local group and half a dozen elsewhere over time. Cybertron is first of course and poses distinct problems of its own.

"First, we have the moons. Do we take them first and put them somewhere, retrieving them when we get Cybertron seated or do we take them afterward? When you remove moons from planetary orbit it causes tidal reactions in their planet. Cybertron may be a metallic planet but a lot of it isn't, a hold over from when it was an aggregate world with totally organic features. Even those parts that are not still organic, the parts of Primus that He's transformed, they still work in unison.

"When a comet strikes a planet, it rings like a bell. Anything that happens inside a planet causes waves to flow outward. There are also those parts of the core and deep mantle that are globular in nature and shift, usually molten forms of heavy dense minerals and metals. Right now, the Earth is experiencing that with the magnetic poles. Under normal circumstances like that going on there right now, the poles often shift and even cause reversal of the poles.

"Right now they're shifting so fast and randomly that no one can keep up. The humans can't. Its believed that globular bodies of liquid iron moving around down deep in the Earth are causing this and it affects GPS navigation and all that. Planes need it pinpointed to stay on track. We're helping them by the way," Wheeljack said glancing up to Prime who nodded. "And that's just them. We have the same problem as well though its less all encompassing due to our special nature.

"We will have vibrations within Cybertron no matter how this happens. The intensity and its effects will be the concern. We can remove the moons one at a time and post them around a holding planet, one that has no life and no organized purpose so they can stay there until we position Cybertron and get it in line. Taking them with Cybertron is a difficult thing and poses the most danger for transit.

"It takes a good long time for a planet to stop ringing. Caminus did. But that's where we have the advantage. Cybertron is sentient and we can through the Matrix and you, Prime, perhaps enlist His help to make this as comfortable and danger-free for Him as possible. But that's down the list," he said as he perused the data pad.

"The mathematics and physics took this long to figure out thanks to Miler and Teletraan. Now we have the plan and formula. Looking at our arsenal and the upgrading which is constant for our unified field generators, we have the hardware to do this. We need three Triggers, 10,000 unified field generators and the smaller Autobot City bridge to make this transferal. Which we do first I will leave to you. Either way, we have ringing. If we take Cybertron without aligning the moons, they could crash into each other when its removed so it almost tells us what order to do this."

It was silent a moment.

Ratchet glanced at Prime. "Would Primus be able to tell you if this will work without hurting anyone including Him?"

Prime considered that. "I can ask. I would not want to have to do this without His assent."

"Me neither," Wheeljack said.

"I am assuming that you have it in order to go now?" Prime asked.

Wheeljack nodded. "You'd be right. We can do this when you give the word. We've run over 300,000,000,000 sims to go over every single possible problem and its come up aces for the plan we have decided to use."

"What is that plan, Wheeljack?" Prime asked.

Wheeljack keyed on a monitor and input his codes. An image of three Triggers appeared, the two in orbit and the one at Saturn which was used in the shipyard circling that planet that was building the war world space stations. It would be used to transport them including the soon-to-be started Midway Space Station for the humans as well as another war world for commerce down the Silk Road from the one just transported there earlier.

"These three Triggers will do the heavy lifting. One will be at Arcturus to help keep the transport smooth when the two here build the bridge to encircle Cybertron. The unified field generators would build the holding field for everyone, making it firm, strong and stable. Then it would hold it through the bridge which will be sped up utilizing the smaller Autobot City Bridge as the control. The Triggers will move it, the Autobot City Bridge will handle speed and the Trigger at Arcturus will help anchor it and keep it steady when it gets there. It will be so fast that anyone on the surface will be hard pressed to see any change until the sunlight shines on the planet," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded.

"That will be the first indication, Prime, that anything has changed or happened to anyone there who might not hear what happened. It will be that smooth and fast," Percy said.

It was deeply silent in the room as Prime placed his donut back on his plate. "Tell me about Arcturus. I am aware that it and Tau Ceti were candidates."

"We've studied Tau Ceti, Sirius and Arcturus among other lesser possibilities to find one that met all the criteria including being free of sentient or transformative life in the system. None of them come close to Arcturus. It's a red dwarf star midway through its journey toward white dwarfism that's a giant entity and is the brightest star in the Bootes Constellation. It's one and a half times bigger than Sol here in this system but is less hot. It does however shed most of itself in heat which was a factor in placement of Cybertron in its orbit. We don't want to be too close.

"Some of its features include it being 26 times brighter than our sun here, its 36.66 light years away which means our ships can fly there at superluminal speed in half a joor. I would reiterate that it takes us 45 minutes to get from Mars to Earth by ship because we don't use warp speed inside a system. The waves generated by such vessels can cause disruption and all manner of unforeseen chaos.

"Arcturus is fifteen times greater in size and mass than this sun here and its 113 times brighter. Because it is, it has 216 times more heat and thus, we have to build in a placement for Cybertron's orbit that won't do damage to the planet and its life forms such as plants and animals.

"It's part of what the humans call the Arcturus Stream and cuts across the galactic plane. It was probably part of a very ancient dwarf galaxy that collided with this one a long time ago and at its current speed in one million years you won't be able to see it with your naked optic from Earth. It's a good solid planet, has no features that will be problematic, it has no planets orbiting it and its stable. It's the one we will choose and we've done the work for the insertion point around the star."

It was silent again. Then Prime sat forward. "What sort of timeline are we looking at to begin?"

"Anytime you want. Probably," Wheeljack said. "We can take the moons and bring them here or nearby, parking them around stars until we move Cybertron. I don't want to even try until you talk to the Pantheon and Primus. Its a doable thing, Optimus, but it would be good to get His and Their perspective and advice. It would make us all feel a lot better if Primus could help with some of the variables, like the internal ramifications. I would also like to hear that He felt He could make this move and be safe and well."

Prime sat back. "Very well," he said as Prowl stared at him with an almost unholy intensity. "I will. I would like to know how it would stack up in the docket thus far. We have a lot of things happening and it would take a lot of conversation with our people to get them ready for this."

"It will be a blink of an optic, the move itself. The shocker will be the sunlight. We can hold and tweak Cybertron in orbit until stability is achieved, then add the moons as we go, balancing them one by one. If Primus has anything He can say to us about bringing them along with Him, we would be open to the advice. We want this to be good and the idea of a summer sky and normal weather for Cybertron is almost unthinkable. But its ultimately achievable. This won't be the first time we've moved a planet and we have achieved three gas giants and Caminus already."

"Cybertron is four times bigger than Earth. Does that pose a problem in placement?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"No. We have calculated the orbit insertion point for it. It is farther away from the sun than Earth for a number of reasons including its size and mass. Cybertron is a very heavy planet but it won't be a problem," Perceptor said.

"Then there's the issue of telling the humans," Ratchet said as he grinned at the humans who were waiting for the communications link to be re-established. "They might wonder why there's a planet orbiting Arcturus. And moons. And many others. How many can Arcturus hold in orbit of our local group and the colonial cache?"

"Well, we can probably put six around Arcturus and bring in gas giants. That's always a need for a successful solar system. We have four of them picked out who are free wheeling on their own for that. Two will probably do it with maybe a small one added. There's a reason that the inner planets here are so intriguing and possible with Saturn and Jupiter as the main brick wall for debris and Neptune and Uranus as the secondary. Nothing much gets past them, hence, Earth," Perceptor said. "As for the colonial cache, they will move last because they're already pretty stable. The local group and Cybertron are wandering together and that's making things urgent."

"Very well," Prime said. "I will do what I can to get the answers. I am overwhelmed at the idea of our home world being safe. It will be a strange thing to leave the constellations of our home for new ones but it will also be good to have a blue sky for Cybertron."

Everyone nodded, then the human's link was turned back on.

Prime sat back and stared at the humans. They were a tough species that he really liked and now they had this, another oddity for them to assimilate at some point. Right now, he was doing his own assimilating. So was everyone else in the room but Perceptor, Miler and Wheeljack. "Is there anything that you wish to say or need, gentlemen, ladies?" Prime asked them.

They glanced at each other, then most of them shrugged.

Owen stood. :We hope to know something about our situation soon and we hope to have our freedom again. We understand how much you have to do, Lord Optimus, but we're getting a lot of pressure from Earth about everything:

Prime nodded. "The finished report is due in shortly. I will inform you of its findings. We are working to catch a killer. The mercenaries were returned to you mostly without incident," he said as he glanced at Springer.

That mech was lounging against Drift and smirked at Prime.

"They will be restricted to Earth2 so that they have at least that much protection against whoever is doing this. We will catch them, Mr. Harris. They will face consequences here," Prime said.

Harris nodded, then sat down again.

Prime looked from one to the other, then sat back. "Entertain me, minions," he said as he stole a big cookie from Prowl's plate.

=0=TBC 4-24-19

ESL: Bootes (There are little diacritical dots over the E but my computer keyboard is a pit) Boo-OH-tees.

Just a note: A person once wrote to me a sort of nasty note about how I 'didn't know fuck all about science' because I wrote that warp speeds aren't used inside star systems. (This person writes nasty reviews, gets you provoked into a fight, then posts them on their website with malignant commentary about it: you're stupid, you aren't as educated as them, etc. (LOL!) I didn't take their bait but I went there and noted that the page went on forever with insults but at the bottom there were no stories. They weren't a writer, just a disrupter. The world is filled with interesting people. :D (I wish I could remember their name. Their modus operandi was to go to different fandoms, pick out someone and then bully them. What a seriously unhappy person.)

Waves and missing colliding with things pulled in by a sun like planets and moons in nanoseconds are a thing and I have never heard of anyone advocating using warp tech drives inside a planetary system for that reason. Even Star Trek advises against it. So sayeth the Kirk. ;)


	646. Chapter 646

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron (dd6 646)

(Had to go to Anchorage. Saw bald eagles and snow in the mountains. I have to cross wilderness to get there. :D )

=0=After the Hoo-Haw

They walked out heading for this and that destination. Walking across the courtyard, Ratchet paused at the gate where there were humans in a truck waiting for him. Ironhide was going to Cybertron with the elders and he was at loose ends. Today was his day off. Staring downward, he grinned. "Did someone let the gerbils out?:

Huge laughter greeted that, then Morshower asked, :What was the thing you didn't want us to hear? Your faces said it all:

Ratchet considered that then made an executive decision. "Whatever do you mean?" He also batted his optical ridges.

:You can get as cute as you want, Ratchet but something big was just disclosed: Niall said with a grin. :We're sort of hurt that you don't seem to trust our discretion:

It was Ratchet's turn to laugh. Loudly. He grinned at them. "Give me a moment." He tuned into someone then grinned again. Looking at them a moment he considered how much trust the bots gave to humans who were so untrustworthy. At least some were. Not these. "Give me a Matrix oath as Cybertronians and I'll tell you. This is the most important secret you'll ever keep. From everyone, mind you, including your gods."

:You got it, Ratchet, as always: Morshower said as Lennox, Epps, Graham, Pritchard, Jessie Landon and Ron Witwicky nodded in earnest.

Ratchet laughed again then knelt. "That was great, Morshower. I think your chin even quivered a little."

He grinned. :Does that help?:

"No," Ratchet said as they all laughed loudly. He grinned at them. "I'm going off line. Remember the nature of your oath, countrymen and women." He did. :Do you remember the Caminus venture?:

They nodded.

:Well, we're going to do it again. We're going to put Cybertron in orbit around the giant red dwarf star, Arcturus: He waited for them to react which they didn't do at first as they digested the greatness that they had just heard.

Then they all began to talk at once.

=0=Moments later in the environmental habitat entrance of N.E.S.T.

They came here to talk. The doors entering the building itself were still closed as they gathered around a sitting Ratchet without the divider of their helmets. Morshower stared at Ratchet who stared back at him with uncertainty. What if the general was against it? Ratchet had never thought that anyone of 'their guys' would be. Now? Not so much.

"This is pretty incredible, Ratchet," Morshower said. "When is this going to happen?"

"Shortly. Any time now. Cybertron is not tethered to a star so its roving is going to get it into trouble sooner rather than later. We want her safe and we have tech that can do it. We just have to make a few calls, do a few adjustments and we're go. Arcturus has no planets, is a good fit and we need to do this sooner rather than later as I just said. I'm repeating myself," he said, then gave them a dazzling smile.

"I think I would, too, if I were moving a planet. How far away is Arcturus?" Epps asked.

"Just under 37 light years," Ratchet said.

"That close?" Jessie asked with a great smile of her own.

"We want her well within the perimeter of our defenses. We're going to move Cybertron, all three moons, the local group and the local cache. Its going to take time and some of them won't be with Arcturus but all of them are coming. About 20 planets in all," Ratchet said as if he were talking about taking the family out for a spin.

They stared at him in silence a moment then Jessie Landon stepped closer. "That's fucking awesome. Can I watch?"

It sort of broke the ice.

Ratchet laughed. "I'll ask. However, this is so mums the word. We have no timeline yet. Prime has to do some things but hopefully we can explain to Earth how they have a few new planets where they weren't before."

"Oh joy," Niall Graham said with a grin.

"Speaking of joy, is this going to hang up the basketball games in two days?" Bobby Epps asked.

"I don't know. I doubt it. Kaon plays someone … I forgot who and Iacon plays Polyhex," Ratchet said. "I better get my trousseau together."

" **OH MY GOD! I LOVE YOUR OUTFITS, RATCHET!"** Jessie Landon said with a laugh. "What's next?"

"Its a secret. Prowl can never know and he finds out things, the slagger. I think he does it by Osimosis," Ratchet replied with a wink.

"Isn't that one of Prowl's drunk names for Prime?" Glenn Morshower asked with a big grin.

Ratchet winked again. "No."

Huge laughter was heard.

=0=Earth2 Infirmary

He walked out of the hospital after being held overnight to monitor for symptoms of concussion. He had been laid out on the deck and had taken his sweet time coming back to himself. Right now, Big Jim Johnson had a big black welt and bruise on his jaw, the start of a black eye and a sour temper. Walking out to the community commissary, he got a meal, a hot drink, then walked to the table by the window where several of the other mercs sat by themselves. They appeared to be even more persona no grata than before. He sat.

"You look like shit," Todd Baseman said with a chuckle. "You should've let him go. Even in pretender form they're stronger."

"Shut up, Baseman," Johnson said as he sipped his coffee. It hurt to eat but he wouldn't let them see him grimace. He began to eat slowly but steadily as the pain slightly numbed by painkillers reminded him of a poor life choice.

=0=Far Away

Cassio Imperialis sat at his desk going over the data that told of a war world-like station in the boonies near Prime's territory. They'd heard about it from some of the traders they wanted to cultivate that used the trade route there to go from one place to another. Most of the aliens in that vicinity were peaceful but carried big guns. They were used to Decepticon harassment and thus, they armed large and shot almost without provocation.

Prime had a station, a big one and it served the traders and their ships all along the upper Orion Arm as the humans called it. He'd sent a scout to check it out using a ship that was stripped of markings but crewed by Cybertronians. They'd landed, then entered a huge facility that was on station there, one that could fly if necessary and supplied anything asked for without payment required. It was just another example of Prime's vast wealth and power.

It had taken the local aliens and those that traveled through a while to grasp the concept of 'free' but now it was building clientele as fast as the word could travel.

Obviously, Prime was being tactical Cassio thought. Why else would he have a cash cow and not milk it? Though he considered Prime a hopeless case he knew he wasn't a fool and he had massive firepower to back up his points. That was why he wanted intel. He hoped that his crew and ship would return soon enough and tell him what he wanted to know. Their bridges, though not as far ranging as Prime's due to energon deficiencies on his end could send ships close and retrieve them the same way.

Soon he would have the information he needed and see what he could do about perhaps acquiring the station for himself. It would be a great coup against the big Autobot to steal it for himself. It might even go some distance in evening the score that they had between them.

A sound at the door drew his attention as his brother, Ebio entered then sat. "What are you thinking about?"

Cassio grinned slightly. "Revenge. What else?"

Ebio nodded with a cold expression. "Never truer words spoken."

=0=At District 6, Cybertron

They occupied a pen, three little cows who were dozing as they stood on their feet. They were in the office of Delphi who drew 'ramrodding the beeves' duty. Apparently, it wasn't good form to crawl into sewers with infant cows in the carry hold.

"They might get dirty, Amma," his golden little mech had said with the same sweet tone and cute expression Ironhide always had about keeping everything he ever found including other people's pets that were wandering around.

"I have a pen. See those things over there? I had them made just for this. Put the little cows inside and I'll watch them," Delphi had said as he sat behind his desk.

It was amusing to watch his bond, his son, his grandson and his great grand little mech work out how to put the pen to rights according to the design plan, then do it. It was almost an IKEA demonstration video of how not to put a dresser together. They finally got it done then emptied out their carry holds of tiny cows with big optics and placid natures.

Staring down at them with great satisfaction in the pen at last, three little cows stared back at the big mechs. Hard Drive turned to Delphi. He grinned. "We'll be back so infant can walk them. They might need to drop a few things here and there."

"Not on my office floor. You'll get the detail, infants," Delphi said as he stared pointedly at his son, grandson and great little (big) mech.

They nodded. "We will," all three said then followed Hardie out the door with grins to inspect run off culverts, sewer and septic systems and the machinery that ran them.

It would be the shit.

Literally.

Delphi on the other hand would spoil three little cows and have the time of his life listening to them low at each other just like the big ones.

=0=At a shrine next to the Basilica, Autobot City, Mars

" **WHO THE SHE?!"**

Everyone in the place stopped what they were doing and turned around to look down near the floor. A tiny black mech glanced around, then smiled a huge smile.

Chuckles disturbed the silence a moment then Neo knelt. "The 'She' is Solus Prime. Remember? We talked about Her before we came here. Lady Sela talks about Her in class at the Temple."

Orion and the other kids stared at Neo, then each other. Orion looked up at her again. **"SO-SO?!** " he asked.

Neo grinned. "Inside voice, infant."

"So-So?" he asked again. "Otis has she. She So-So. Her is she?"

"You mean Solus Prime?" Neo said just to be ornery.

Orion nodded. "So-So and So-So." He looked at his tiny fat digits and counted two. Looking up at Neo, he seemed confused. "So-So and So-So. This shes," he said holding up his two little digits.

"That's right. Solus Prime is named for Solus Prime," Neo said with a grin.

Orion stared at her, then the others, then Neo again. "Quack," he said in self defense.

It would be a very amusing stopover at the Shrine for Solus Prime."

=0=N.E.S.T. HQ, Lennox's office after Morshower and the others took a bridge to Earth

"What do you think about having Cybertron that close?" Niall asked as he lounged on Lennox's office couch.

"I don't know. What's to keep a bot from coming to Earth? I don't know how many problems Prime wants but I'm glad they're going to save Cybertron from wandering," Will replied.

"He's going to have to talk to Primus to help them do this," Jessie said as she sat nearby working on a computer inputting data. "I asked Ratchet just before he went. I wanted to know what Primus would think being transferred from a place He's been that long."

"What did he say? Ratchet?" Bobby Epps asked as he read through reports in a chair by the door.

"Boo-yah," Jessie said with a smile.

=0=TBC 4-26-19

ESL:

lowing: the soft sound a cow makes when they're content or they need/want something. I love it. Usually cows don't make much noise and when they low, they can also be bummed out. I love cows. It can sound like a moo as well.

Note: A guy comes into McDonalds where I often eat breakfast and write with his five year old boy. They have a rollicking board game, discussing strategy, the guy makes his son think about stuff, then builds up the baby and teaches him that path they should have taken while being ultra positive the whole time. It's glorious. Some of the new dads these days are amazing.


	647. Chapter 647

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron and Stuff (dd6 647)

=0=Sciences, in the 'chat room'

They stood before a massive monitor, one of three on two walls of the conference room they were using, staring at the equations reflected there which would be the key they needed to move planets and moons to Arcturus. Even if the different planets and moon's sizes dictated this and that tweak to it by their very differences, the formula was still universal.

"This is our path forward," Wheeljack said as he glanced at Percy and Miler. There were about a good two dozen smarty pants kids and adults sitting and standing around the room with them listening as they went over the equations, the plan of order and all the rest of it. "The 10,000 unified field stabilizers are well under production and are going to be loaded on ships. We can get them finished, then place them on the spots of Moonbase that we marked."

A smart mech who was a quantum physicist, Tablet, turned to both scientists. "When will we do this then?"

"Prime has to speak to Primus. We don't want to harm anyone. When we remove Moonbase and the other moons, its going to have repercussions on Cybertron from the gravitational shifts. We also have to prepare the people to see things when we do that are going to be disappear. I wish we could take them all at the same time but it would be too risky," Wheeljack said as Percy nodded.

"We must do this with precision untold," Percy said.

Everyone agreed. It would be a long wait for Prime.

=0=Dinner time

"Who has home work?" Prowl asked as he glanced around the table.

"I do, Ada," Spirit said with a smile. "I have to write a story. Will you read it after I do?"

"I would love to. First, you read it to me, then I read it again," Prowl said with a grin. "Who else?"

"I don't. Do you, T-Bar?" Rambler asked.

"No. You wanna play trains?" T-Bar asked. He glanced at his brother with a sweet expression on his sweet face.

"I do," Rambler said. "What about you, Atar?" he asked.

"I have to go to the Temple for a moment but when I get back I would love to do that," Optimus said as he sat back in his chair. Dishes were arrayed on the table and he often helped but tonight he had to go and see if Primus was home.

"That new engine is so fun, Atar," T-Bar said with a smile. He climbed down then helped Miracle and Solus while Prowl helped Sojourner. "Come on. Let's go play." He ran toward the door, then halted and glanced back. "Thank you, Ada. That was good." He smiled then ran onward.

The others smiled at the two then thanked both for dinner. Heading out together, they would walk to the other side of the Residence which occupied the entire floor where the room with a major train set up was placed. It was a work in progress as Optimus, Prowl and the kids built the diorama where the little trains rolled.

Many were the joors they worked on tiny houses, all manner of Cybertronian plants, landmarks and tiny figures together, a family pastime that was added to with Christmas Surprise, personal family events, indulgent elders and the odd stop in at The Game Place.

Yes, the Union Pacific Railroad had a home on Mars.

Prowl watched them go then sat back himself. "Are you going to the Temple tonight?"

"I thought I would now. I do not feel anything yet but that does not presage what might happen," Optimus said. He rose and began to gather dishes.

Prowl rose and between them they carried what was left of a good dinner carefully prepared by Granny to the sink where he would pile them for the dishwasher later. He was expecting a call from Dai Atlas about the pace of immigration and so they would wait.

It would bug him mightily but duty called.

Prime leaned against the counter watching Prowl as he organized the stacks of plates, cups and utensils. "I feel strange and exhilarated about this. I cannot imagine that Primus would be against it but it will be weird to know that the stars of our creation will no longer be our companions."

Prowl shut off the water then dried his servos on a hand towel. He glanced at Prime. "I know. I've memorized the local arrays but its strange and maybe always will be. I do hope He'll be amenable for this. I hate that our home is wandering. What if someone decided to harm it or it came into contact with another solar system. I've had nightmares about what to do if its heading for a planet or something. If you wake Him up, Uraya will be destroyed if He propelled himself with his thrusters."

Prime nodded then he grinned. He glanced at Prowl with amusement. "I can not imagine what the humans would think if they heard this conversation. We must be very strange to them most of the time."

Prowl grinned. "I know. I love to watch them when something we consider normal comes to their attention."

Prime nodded then leaned in to kiss Prowl. "I will be back."

Prowl nodded. "I wish you good luck."

Prime walked toward the door then looked back. "Its my hope as well." Then he walked out to go to the Temple.

"If anyone can do it you can, Only One," Prowl said softly. Then he turned to the dishes once more.

He was, after all, The Prowl.

=0=Outside, evening

It was cold outside but beautiful. The sky was glorious, clear, velvety black and filled with lights of ships, of stars and satellites. The streets were busy because it was First Friday. Clubs and restaurants were going out on the town singly and in groups, their laughter and chat a warm and familiar sound to him. It was like Iacon at night when the shift was over.

Some touched him, some chatted but in the end he arrived at the Temple. Walking up the cobblestone path, noting that Cybertronian plants and trees transplanted here were thriving, he felt relaxed and happy. This place was his center ground as First Disciple of Primus and he always felt here was home.

He climbed the staircase, walked across the huge platform noting a few visitors about in the soft night lights before entering the building itself. Torches burned in their sconces throwing a flickering yellow light everywhere. A few individuals sat in the alcoves meditating or chatting softly together. A lot of mechs and femmes came here at night to relax or think.

He walked across the floor then paused at the railing. Hanging in the air across from him the massive form of the AllSpark turned slowly, revolving through no visible means of support. Prime stared at it noting the inscrutable writing and images on its sides. It was as ancient as the universe apparently and because it was the third dimensional vessel of The One when He was among The People Prime considered these might be the first words and writing ever created.

Walking down the stairs, he reached the bottom then walked toward the Well. No one was there though a couple stood at the railing at the back, a railing that went all around the big relic. Steps on four sides led down for ease of visit. He stopped beside the Well then stared into its summer sky blue surface.

Mist hung over it obscuring part of its vast surface. This was the direct link to Primus, the place where sparks came to them and prayers began their long journey to Him. Prime considered the big mech, the father of his people and the moral center of All That Was and Ever Would Be.

Then he felt himself leave his body.

=0=Elsewhere

Ratchet picked up slag from everywhere. Toys were played with hard, discarded, then others found to round out the fancy of the house shorties. Down the hallway getting ready for bed, three big mechs were sorting out their own slag. A number of kids from their classes had come over to eat pizza and play video games. They were all in the same science club and among them was Rambler who stayed until dinner time. He couldn't stay to eat but he could beat them at World of Warcraft while he did.

Nearby 'helping', Hero and Halo walked around the living room picking up tiny toys and blocks that were used by their brothers in some kind of mad car crash game. It was amusing to listen to them chat. Halo was speaking well and her ability to walk was advanced. It gave both of them, he and Ironhide the willies. They would have to make sure that no one in the educational community got too close of a look.

Ironhide wanted a ball team but he was content with what he had at the moment and given he, Ratchet was the weak link in the relationship, whatever Ironhide wanted, he tried to get. He did, after all, get a cow merely by whining for one.

Said cow was lying on his side on the pillow by the window that he shared with Spot. Spot was bouncing around with Sunspot who was playing with a sims game in his room. The little mech had a virtual reality mask on and was hip hopping in some virtual world of flying old time human planes.

Apparently, even in the animal world you snooze, you lose.

Ironhide walked out of the office then noted his girls doing their thing. He grinned. "What good little femmes."

"I think I agree. The little mechs, however ..."

"Mechs will be mechs," Ironhide said as he picked up a book bag and walked to the door to hang it on Orion's hook.

As usual.

"You mean piggies will be piggies," Ratchet said.

"I think having a piggie would be fun. Did you ever see videos about miniature piggies?" Ironhide asked.

"You mean your childhood videos at meal times?" Ratchet asked with a snicker.

" **OH HA, HA, RATCHET!"** Ironhide said with a grin.

Two little kids came running out of the hallway, then slid to a halt. **"ATAR! YOU HA-HA ADA!?"** Orion asked as Praxus stood beside him smiling broadly.

"I did. I'm going to ha-ha you, too. You and Praxus. Where's Prowler?" Ironhide asked. "I have to hose you down before bed."

Orion nearly tipped over with excitement. **"ATAR DOIN'? RUN, PAX! ATAR DOIN'!"**

With that, they broke like billiard balls running all around the place. Hero and Halo watched, smiled at each other then dropped their handfuls of stuff. Running with the others madly in all directions, the two tiny femmes tried to find a place to hide. Hero opened a cupboard and climbed in shutting the door.

Halo who was quivering and glancing around trying to find a place walked to the wall in the corner near the couch then turned to it and pressed her face against it. She stood very still and was 'hidden'. Nearby, their tiny peds sticking out as they stood side-by-side behind the curtain, Praxus and Orion were 'hidden', too.

It was then that Prowler came out dragging a tiny teddy bear by the foot as he sucked on a red block. He glanced at the two little mechs' peds then grinned upward at Ratchet and Ironhide who were dazzled by the greatness everywhere. "What doin', Atar? You playin', Ada?" He pointed to their peds. "They both there."

"Where's Halo?" Ironhide asked with a grin.

Prowler stared at him a moment then glanced around. He walked to where Halo stood pressed into the wall then looked at them. "She here."

Halo glanced over her shoulder at him then smiled. "Prowler, you come here to hide?" she asked in beautiful language.

He nodded then smiled.

She took his arm then tugged him to stand next to her. "Do this, Po-Po." Then she pressed her face against the wall. He stared at her then Ironhide and Ratchet. He smiled then pressed his face against the wall.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet chuckled. "I love my life."

"I hear you," Ironhide said. "I wonder where they went, Ada. Prowler and Halo, Hero, Praxus and Orion … **I THINK THEY MUST BE HIDING! WE HAVE TO GET THEM! MUAHAHAHA!"**

There was hysterical laughter a moment then tense expectant silence. It would take a moment to 'find' them but they would. Then the real screaming would commence.

=0=Prime

He stared around himself. He wasn't in the Temple. He was in a long dark corridor standing on what seemed like an endless series of steps leading downward. It wasn't totally dark but the place felt old. He began to walk downward and disappeared into the darkness below. The only sound was the hollow echo of his peds.

=0=TBC 4-27-19

Leoness: I live in a small town in Alaska that has to cross 156 miles of wilderness to go to the big city, Anchorage. I saw eagles this time and a pair of swans. Sometimes I see bears, wolves and the like. I have pictures and when I get them on line I will post the link to them. You can see what the country is like when I drive to the big city. :D:D:D


	648. Chapter 648

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron (dd6 648)

=0=Earth news

"In other news today, the security officers of Earth2 were returned to the facility yesterday by Commander Springer, Chief Security officer of the Martian Colonial Services, Cybertron and the Empire. Word was released from the Watch information office that the remaining mercenaries were taken to Earth2 and released back into the facility. They were not given any information about their status on world other than to be quarantined to the Earth2 Habitat until further notice. Consortium reporter, Willa Braithewaite has the story," the news reader of the Afternoon Report on the M.C.A. said as the screen switched to Braithewaite.

She was tall and slim, dark haired and had a cultured accent. She was British but had lived all over the world, shading her voice with nuance. She was standing in the main concourse of Earth2 and behind her one could see the business of living there going on as usual. "I'm standing here at Earth2 today. Earlier last night, the surviving members of a squad of former mercenary soldiers were returned from protective custody by Chief Security Officer, Commander Springer of Polyhex.

"Todd Baseman, Steven Anson, Sam Hedges and James Johnson were dropped off by the Day Watch. Commander Springer returned them with assistance from a number of his officers then left without giving a statement. They had been held in protective custody following the still as yet unsolved murders of Lawrence Dobbs, a former Intel-Martin mercenary like the others who had now been employed as a security officer by Owen Harris, director of the Earth2 Project and Silvio Lombardi, a former Intel-Martin mercenary from Italy.

"As you know, Lawrence Dobbs' family is suing the Earth2 Corporation, Owen Harris and his leadership group and the Prime of Cybertron for wrongful death. No word is known yet if the Lombardi family will follow suit. Both bodies were returned to Earth and the investigation is still under wraps. The most anyone will say about it is that the report will be turned over to the Prime shortly by investigators from the Colonial Day and Night Watch Forces.

"Owen Harris did give a statement but refused to be interviewed," she said as she read it off her phone. "It is a shock to the community of Earth2 that such things as the deaths of two of our people should happen. We all know that this is a no error environment and everyone works very hard to follow the rules and procedures in place. This, however, cannot be planned for. This is an aberration in conduct that we are still trying to solve.

"We are offering our full cooperation to the Prime and his team of investigators. It is part of the charters, treaties and conduct procedures that if a situation like this happens the jurisdiction for investigation defaults to him. We are waiting as is everyone else for the report that we were told is due shortly. We have extended our deepest condolences to the Dobbs and Lombardi families. We are as determined to find out what happened here as anyone else. Until then, we have to wait."

She looked at the camera. "No one in the facility is willing to talk on or off the record about this," she said. "I did talk to some of the long time locals and N.E.S.T. soldiers."

The camera cut to pre-recorded pieces.

A grim faced Will Lennox was shown standing in the Ops Center of the N.E.S.T Garrison on Cultural Center Road. Everyone was working around him as he was interviewed.

"What do you know about the investigation, Colonel?" Braithewaite asked.

"Nothing more than anyone else. Prime has discretion and he will brief me when the report is in. The investigators are close to finishing the report. The science part is what they need to get before meeting with Prime about this," Lennox said.

"What happened as far as you can tell? When did you find out and what can you tell us about the investigation itself? I am told that Optimus Prime and Prowl along with his senior officers visited Earth2 themselves when the deaths were reported," she said.

Lennox nodded. "He did. He went there to begin the operation. He and the senior staff work hard to keep everyone safe and this is a big thing for them that someone who comes here gets hurt. The investigation is Commander Springer's and his team. The Forensics team here is state of the art and when Sky gets it all worked out, they will present it to Prime. Other than that, I have nothing more. They called us to tell us when the bodies were found."

"Do you think its someone in the human community here on world with a grudge? Do you know much about the mercenary's backgrounds? How did they got along here? We're aware that they worked on projects together on Earth as mercenaries from time to time," she asked. "We were also told that there was some jealously toward Lombardi by those who've been here longer, among the former mercenaries that is."

Lennox considered that. "I didn't spend time with them. We didn't get along. Regular soldiers and mercenaries aren't a good mix, not for us, not for the bots. I don't know much beyond our experiences with them on Diego. I would assume that might be true but who it might be? I haven't a clue."

"Thank you," she said, then the location and interview subject changed. Carly Brooks-Spencer was standing on the street outside City Hall at Unidad with Braithewaite. "Thank you for speaking to me about this situation. I would like to know if there is any new information about it among the human community," she asked.

Carly shook her head. "No. The Watch detectives and forensic scientists are preparing a report for Prime. When he gets it he will go over it with them and decide what to do about this. As you may know, he has authority in the event of things like this and we have to give ground to him. It's part of the negotiation process that this was mutually agreed to. I know that Owen and the others want to know what happened. Everyone in the human community here feels the same way. We will be told when he knows."

"Did you know the two men? What was their reputation in the community like?"

Carly considered that. "I didn't know them. Some of them were at Diego when the Daniels situation broke out. They don't have a good reputation among the mechs who are regular army. But as far as things go, I don't know much. I know that Mr. Dobbs liked to come here, help at the dairy and hang out with the animals. Lots of individuals from other habitats do that and some of them who had farm experience like to come here. Dobbs came. I don't know about Lombardi. They never made a problem here when they came."

"How does this affect the coordination and rapport between the habitats?"

"It doesn't. We get along famously. We work hard to make community. Each of the habitats has their own service group. The Autobot City Ladies Auxiliary started as a joke and a way to help out where we could. Now its the biggest human service group on world with 534 men and women. We have Unidad's and others do as well. We coordinate together on projects.

"We have events together, several marriages have derived from being here and we have five babies born. We celebrate all of them, hold some events with the bots and get along. I'm proud of what we do here. This is hard to take and very sad but it hasn't thrown any of us off. We are very aware that we represent Earth and have an obligation that way."

"Then you feel things are still good here," Braithewaite asked. "What about the reputation of the community on Earth because of this?"

"We work hard here to make a good impression. We have a lot of ties to the bots. We love them and they love us. That's ours to lose. As for Earth, I just hope they know that we're pioneering for them and we know what's at stake here. We hope that they understand that we have them in mind always," Carly said. "When we know, they will know. I know there is an explanation to this somewhere."

"Thank you," Braithewaite said. The scene cut back to her live at Earth2. "That is how it stands at the moment. I have interviews scheduled with the women who run the Resort and will update when they're available. This is Willa Braithewaite at Earth2, the Primal colony of Autobot City on Mars. Back to you."

The reader in London was back and she was with three different individuals to discuss things including the viability of a lawsuit against the Prime of Cybertron by the Dobbs family. It would be an interesting conversation.

=0=Ops Center

Prowl frowned. It was endless the conversations on the endless joors of time that the news channels on Earth had to fill. It was still a major topic of conversation across the world. That was understandable if tedious to him.

Dobbs' family had hired a powerhouse lawyer to fight this case and there was gossip that they would go to the World Court to ensure that it was served and adjudicated. No word was had about the Lombardi family. That was always a good thing. Not hearing a thing.

Usually.

Sometimes.

Maybe.

The merc transfer was smooth enough and given that Springer had bopped Johnson doing it, highly entertaining.

There was that.

The news would run on and on even if they got the report and released some or all of it. Someone on world had killed the two. Some on Earth were speculating it was a bot. Prime and Company were caught in the middle because they were sure it was the two ringers who did it but to release that information would drive the Family and MECH underground again.

They were fragged three ways to Second Sunday. He stared at the data pad with the data on moving Cybertron. He would spend his remaining shift time studying it and putting the murder problem in the queue at the back of his processor.

=0=Skool

He stood on a chair reaching for the crayons in a big box. His teacher had been busy and even though he had asked, someone had come in and was asking about something with them. It was maddening to a little mech who wanted to color during the free period when he could choose what he wanted, then not get it.

Orion took a chair, then moved it to the art tower shelf. Stepping up, the crayon tub was still too far away. He looked at the shelves with things on them, then put his tiny ped on one. He gripped another shelf, then stepped his other ped up. Hanging there, he reached up and on the third try grabbed the next shelf above him. Pulling hard, the optimal sparkling rose up. He then began to climb the tower.

The crayons were getting closer.

Everywhere else around the room kids played, choosing what they wanted as the free joor play time continued. No one noticed the little yellow banded sparkling climbing ever upward to the big tub of baby sized crayons waiting for him. That is, no one did until Han looked up from nearby to find a shovel in the little tub of toys for the sand box and spotted him. He froze as he stared at Orion who was now about fifteen feet off the ground.

Han wavered, then rose and walked to Laret who was helping a child stack blocks. They had a missing arm so she was helping the baby play as she recovered from injury before the cycle of operations and repair began again. He paused beside her, then tapped her shoulder. "Miss Laret?"

Laret glanced up, then smiled. "What, baby?"

Han pointed, then Laret turned slightly to look. She froze in place. Orion was just getting ready to grab a tub of crayons on nearly the top shelf of the art tower nearby.

=0=TBC 4-28-19


	649. Chapter 649

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron and Stuff (dd6 649)

=0=Sparkling School

Laret would remember it in grim detail, the infant hanging on with one servo while he gripped the crayon tub with the other. She would remember running as fast as she could with her arms out and seeing him lose his grip. She would see him fall to the floor with crayons raining all over and the tub flipping twice before covering him up completely as he lay after bouncing on the floor.

It would be the only good thing that it did in the whole event because everything else on the shelf and two below it fell off and rained downward as well. They fell everywhere, heavy jars of things, but the overturned crayon tub took the pounding, not Orion. As for Laret, she slipped on crayons then fell hard on the floor.

Neo who heard the commotion glanced that way, froze in surprise, then ran forward after handing off the baby she was holding. It seemed silent, the whole thing, then it all

slammed in. The sound of falling, the sickening thud of Orion and Laret, the harsh clatter of jars falling on the deck and Neo's gasp.

Laret leaned forward and lifted the tub. Orion was out as cold as a wedge.

=0=At the same time everywhere

Ratchet jerked to a stop, then turned toward the direction of Terra. A jolt over the line that linked him to the littlest kids, the bond that they shared went off, then dimmed almost immediately. He ran for the subway jumping around pedestrians on the sidewalk to get to the Metro in Retriades where he was inspecting an aid station. He disappeared from view immediately.

=0=On Cybertron

He felt Ratchet's jolt, then a fainter one from one of his kids. He didn't have the deepest bond with them, not like that of Ratchet but he was linked into the kids as well. He froze in the doorway of a shuttle where he was touring with Hard Drive.

Hardie glanced at him. "Ironhide? What's the matter?"

"Something's wrong. One of the kids. Give me a minute," he said as he linked in with Ratchet. He felt his panic and cold determination to get to the kids. Staring at his grandfather, he walked up the ramp past him toward the rear and the space bridge that would take him to Iacon, then Mars. "Something's wrong. I have to go."

Hardie was right behind him.

=0=Las Vegas, Nevada

Alor sat straighter, feeling over the link that his son was upset. :Ironhide. This is Ada. What's wrong?:

There was a pause then Ironhide spoke back. :Something's wrong. I'm going to the Sparkling School:

Alor was already going out the door.

=0=Down the line

They felt it, a disturbance in their mental and emotional energetic pool. Alor repeated to the others who called what Ironhide had said as he walked through the rec room at Ops Center heading for Terra. From all over the place, family were coming, heading for Mars and the school. Something was wrong and no one knew. They just knew that Ratchet and Ironhide were heading that way with Hardie.

All of them stepped out and headed back, rushing to the school in Terra.

=0=RTR Tools

They worked on a series of knives and tool kits for their customers whittling down the list that never seemed to end of orders from soldiers, civilians and workers that wanted something that was unavailable to them in the past, artisan works from the greatest practitioners in history. The elders were due soon, heading there to eat lunch early then go back for their afternoon class on creative writing. It was going to be catered and it would be as peaceful and happy as any other day.

=0=Ratchet

He ran across the courtyard of the school heading for the door. Entering, he rushed to the desk. "I'm here for Orion."

Sellie who was duty manager for the school and managed all the desk business stepped out from behind the counter. "Come on, Ratchet," he said as he began to hurry to the small hospital the schools maintained on the first floor of their buildings. With a pounding spark, Ratchet hustled after him.

Barely minutes later, Sun, Jack, Ironhide and Hard Drive walked in then followed Ironhide as he chased down Ratchet. Behind them would come Alor, Blackjack, an emotional Raptor, Aunt Lissie, Steiner, Scout and Trooper. They had been called by Alor and had bee lined for the school. Pausing long enough by the counter to ask, they ran down the hallway to the hospital.

=0=Ops Center

"What is everyone coming back early for, Prowl?" Paragon asked as he walked from the corridor nearby after coming back through the space bridge from meeting with Dai Atlas and Star Saber at their main camp. A chance remark by the operator had sparked his curiosity. "Is there a meeting I didn't hear about?" he asked as he sat down at the table to begin work.

"What do you mean?" Prowl asked as he looked up at Paragon, someone he not only counted and depended upon but liked a great deal.

"I was told that a lot of the directors from Cybertron came back and they were running," Paragon said. He glanced at the doorway nearby as running peds drew both their attention. "There goes Turbine and Delphi."

Prowl rose. "You have the conn, Pari. I'll be right back."

He ran for the door and exited as well.

=0=Ratchet

He reached the hospital and was waved into an examination room. The school had so many medically fragile children that a fully staffed medical facility, state of the art and complete was built into each school. Given that seconds were critical, they made sure that they could deal with anything that came up. A runabout parked on the roof would medi-vac anyone who needed it as well.

Orion was laying on the med berth with his arms spread wide. He looked asleep. Ratchet hit him with sensors, then read the data. As he did waves of family reached the space and fogged in led by Ironhide.

Ironhide slid to a halt then stared at Orion with an expression of terror on his face.

Ratchet turned to him then glanced at Orion.

"What's happened?" Ironhide barely managed.

Neo and Laret who were standing nearby looked wretched. Laret stepped closer. "He was climbing the art tower to get crayons, lost his grip and pulled a lot of things down upon himself. The crayon tub covered him when it fell and he wasn't hit by most things but he landed hard. We called for medical immediately."

Ironhide stared at them then Orion. He walked to the baby then turned to Ratchet with a look of panic on his face. "Is he alright?"

Ratchet glanced at the on-site doctor who nodded. Ratchet read his data then his own. "He has a slight concussion. He has a few sore spots when he landed but other than that he's going to be fine."

"Why is he not awake?" Ironhide asked as he moved around the berth to get closer. He leaned in to stare at Orion.

That's when a tiny blue optic peeped open to stare back.

Ironhide nearly jumped out of his skin.

=0=Down the corridor

They ran in then pushed through the crowd. Staring at Orion laying on the berth, Delphi nearly yelped. **"MY BABY! WHAT HAPPENED!?"**

"Ada, he fell but he's alright. Slagger thinks he's a slagging billy goat," Raptor said.

Delphi looked at him then Orion. "My baby. He's going to be alright?"

"He is," Ratchet said as he leaned into Orion's face. "You are. Right?"

Two bright blue optics blinked online then stared upward at the slightly frowning face of his ada. He smiled a gigantic insincere smile then patted Ratchet's face. "Ada."

"Don't Ada me, slagger. How many times did we tell you not to climb? **HOW MANY TIMES!? NOW YOU KNOW WHY!"**

Orion stared at Ratchet then lay back, spread his arms wide and off-lined his peepers. He looked dead.

Again.

Everyone stared at him, then most of them grinned. :That little slagger: Turbine said. :He just took ten vorns off my life:

:You should be me: Ratchet said as he fumed at Orion.

Ironhide leaned in to sniff Orion, finding comfort in his baby aroma and personal familiar scent. He gently picked Orion up then brought him close to his face. "You alright, Spud?"

Orion opened one optic, then both. He sat up and gripped Ironhide's face, pressing his own cheek against his father's. He patted Ironhide then nodded. "I'm fine, Atar."

For a moment no one moved, nothing could be heard around the shock.

Delphi stepped forward. "Orion?"

The baby looked at him then the others.

Warily.

"Baby, what happened? Tell us what happened," Delphi said.

Orion stared at Ratchet, then his Amma. "Amma, I wanted crayons. I climbed up to them and fell."

: **AWWW!? WHAT THE FRAG!?** : -every adult family member in the room

A sound at the door brought Springer and Drift into the room. "We got a message from the school that Orion had an accident. They report them," Drift said as he glanced at the others' surprise.

"Tell them, Orion, what happened," Turbine asked with a wistful tone.

Orion glanced at the pair. "I fell. I climbed to get crayons and I fell down."

Springer and Drift stared at him. Then they stared at each other. Then Orion again. " **What the frag?!** " said both of them together.

It was silent a moment for a moment, then Delphi looked at the doctor. "What is the program for his recovery then, Doctor?"

"He needs to rest for two orns, then he can come back. I think that should do it, right, Ratchet?" he asked.

Ratchet nodded. "I agree. Thank you for this. Old 'Delbert' here is going to sit in a corner for both orns."

"Actually, I have dibs on him. For today and the next two," Delphi said as he cuddled Orion to his shoulder. "We can take him to the office. I have a box bed for him. He can lie in there."

"Then I get him," Turbine said.

"Me, too," Alor said, then everyone jumped in.

Ironhide who was lost immediately glanced at Ratchet who was keeping tabs. "You parted him out for nine orns," the big medic said with a slight frown.

"We can get his studies. We know something about home schooling, the lot of us," Delphi said. "Hardie, lets go by The Infant Center and get what he needs. Neo? Are you and Laret going to be alright? Slag happens."

They both looked awful. "We're sorry," Laret began before Ratchet cut him off.

"That little slagger learned a hard lesson. No need for apologies," Ratchet said as the others nodded.

"I think lunch is in order, then we can head back out. We have this, Ratchet," Alor said as Delphi started toward the door. The crowd went with him leaving Ironhide and Ratchet.

They glanced at each other, thanked the doctor, Neo and Laret, then hoofed it after everyone.

=0=Moments later at The Diner On The Corner

Prowl caught up with them as they finished giving their orders. He pulled up a chair then sat. "What happened?"

Alor told him as he stared at Orion who was milking the situation for all it was worth as he watched Ratchet warily.

Prowl gently squeezed Orion's ped. "You alright? You are mine after all. Remember that."

Orion sat straighter. "I fell down."

Prowl nodded, not noticing the correct diction before him. "I'm sorry."

Orion feeling sympathy leaned in closer. "I fell down climbing to get crayons."

Prowl nearly glitched.

=0=Food orders being placed, drinks being delivered

They began to eat, a wan group conflicted out the wazoo about things repeating itself and a spunky child's glitch going away.

Alor glanced at Steiner. "You had the glitch and a stutter. I can't remember what turned it around, Stein."

"The stutter I trained away. The glitch I lost when I fell off the back deck at the Resort." Steiner glanced at Ironhide. "I suppose that means that you inherited it from us, Ironhide. Then you passed it to shortie here."

Ironhide considered that. "I think so."

"Ada is mad at me. He is mad," Orion said as he chewed on a fry.

"Ada is mad alright. How many times have I told you not to climb tall things?" Ratchet asked.

"Lots." Orion scooted closer to Delphi.

Delphi grinned. "Come to mama," he said. He glanced at Ratchet. "I'm going to miss his glitch. He has the cutest speech pattern. I forgot how cute it was with Ironhide. But then, Ironhide was the cutest little mech."

Everyone of Ironhide's relatives nodded.

"Where is Ravel and Tie? I figured they would be here," Prowl asked.

"I have software that prevents them from accessing me that way when things go south. I'm a doctor. They would get bad feelings from me all the time so I worked out how to block it. I can reactivate it but I don't for their sake in relation to them," Ratchet said.

"They don't know," Sun asked.

Ratchet shook his helm. "Nope. They won't know until I tell them or Spud says something."

"Say something, Spud," Uncle Sun asked with a grin.

Orion sensing a thaw in the crowd smiled brilliantly. **"I, ORION LOVE LOU!"**

Prowl did glitch.

=0=TBC 4-29-19

ESL

peepers: slang for eyes

when things go south: when things go wrong or fall apart

out cold as a wedge: slang for being unconscious


	650. Chapter 650

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron and Stuff (dd6 650)

=0=The Diner On The Corner

"You okay, Prowler?"

Cool optics glanced Ratchet's way. "I am Prowl."

Ratchet gave him a zillion watt smile. "That's good. You remember your name. Continue."

A fist to his servo took care of that impertinence followed by a miraculous steal of a mad sparkling.

Ratchet rubbed his servo. "Slagger."

Prowl who was holding Orion in front of him like a rag doll grinned at the baby who grinned back. Then he turned his Cop Face to Ratchet. "It is obvious that you've failed to raise this infant properly so because of the abiding interest of the state in his welfare, I am confiscating him forthwith and will add him to my collection."

"Frag you, Prowler. You'll have him back to us in a joor," Ratchet said as he grinned at Prowl.

Prowl smirked at him, then sat back placing Orion on his shoulder. "Dream on."

Chuckles went around the room amongst the punters, then Turbine crossed his big arms over his big chassis. "We're parting him out. He has to be out of school so we're taking him. I have today and the next two. Then someone else. Maybe."

"We'll arm wrestle," Delphi said with a smile. He glanced at Ironhide. "You look terrible, infant."

Ironhide glanced at his great grand amma. "And you wouldn't be?"

"You forget I was there at the beach house when you took a header trying to carry the cyber fox up the steps. I saw you fall helm over tea kettle down and lay in the sand like a lump."

"That was awful," Turbine said. "He just lay there like a dead lump. Fortunately, you snapped out of it. Unfortunately, your speech glitch was fixed."

Everyone of his elders nodded.

"Will it damn me to the Pantheon to say I'm glad his speech is still cute?" Sun asked as he glanced at Hardie.

"No," Hardie said with a grin. "Who here isn't? Raise your servo."

None went up.

"He's going to talk like a champion some fine orn but not too soon," Alor said as he squeezed Orion's tiny ped. "What an adorable little mite you are." He glanced at Ironhide. "Hand her over."

Ironhide glared at his ada then opened his hold. Pulling out a sleeping Halo, he handed her over. Her sensor net glittered like diamonds.

Alor settled her on his arm then smiled at her. "Who's a sweet baby?"

"Ironhide," Prowl said with a smirk.

Everyone laughed but Ironhide.

"I suppose we have to go back to work," Blackjack said as he sat between Sun and 'Jack.

Everyone nodded.

"It would be nice," Prowl said. "Reports and all. The game and all. It's coming up."

"It is," Sun said.

Everyone nodded.

Sun glanced at a waiter leaning on a booth nearby listening to the patter among his favorite patrons. "What about dessert, infant? Show us what ya got," he said with a big smile.

He would. They would eat it. Then they would reluctantly go back to the slab. Ironhide would pout because Halo went with his ada to Las Vegas. Turbine would pout because Orion would go to Cybertron.

=0=Ops Center shortly later

Prowl walked in then sat down at the table. Prime and Paragon were working on data for Cybertron. They glanced up at him.

"What happened? You left in a hurry," Paragon asked.

"Orion fell off a cabinet. He climbed up to get crayons and fell fifteen feet," Prowl said as Paragon and Prime looked shocked. "He has a slight concussion and for a moment he could talk like a champion."

Prime sat back as did Paragon. "He can talk properly?"

"He did, then he defaulted back to his normal speech," Prowl said.

Prime nodded, then smirked slightly. "Am I alone is being slightly delighted that he did?"

"No. I think its unanimous," Prowl said as Paragon grinned.

"I know he needs to beat it but I love the way he talks now," Paragon said.

"You, me and the waiter at The Diner On The Corner. His ammas and appas are keeping him for a few orns so he can get over the jolt. Ironhide isn't happy so you might want to avoid him for a while," Prowl said knowing full well that Ironhide was walking into the Center at that moment.

He stormed in, then sat. Staring at Prowl, he glanced at Prime and Paragon. He didn't saw a word.

"You look happy. I heard what happened. I am glad he is going to be fine," Prime said with the ghost of a grin.

" **HE FELL DOWN! HE HAD HIS GLITCH BEATEN! THEN IT CAME BACK! THE WORST PART IS THOSE GRABBY SLAGGERS HAVE HIM AND HALO FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG!"** Ironhide said with gusto.

Prime chuckled, then stood. "Come with me to Cybertron. I will even let you sit on my lap if it helps."

Ironhide stared upward at Prime, then frowned deeper. "Slagger," he said as he stood.

Primenodded to Paragon and Prowl then walked to the door with Ironhide Storm Cloud behind him. They were gone in seconds.

Prowl chuckled then glanced at Paragon. "Where were we?"

Paragon smirked then pointed at the data pad. They would plot and work hard all afternoon long.

=0=District 7 Headquarters, Tarn, Cybertron, Empire of the Primes

Delphi held Orion as Hard Drive pulled the little box bed they used for the babies when they visited or stayed with them. Padding it with a pillow made just for it, putting a heat blanket down first, then Orion who was snoozing lightly, he covered the baby with another heat blanket.

Delphi and Hardie grinned at the baby, then carried him to Delphi's desk. Putting him on the corner, they chatted a moment, then Hardie walked out to go to District 1 in Kaon, his own.

Light from a tower outside streamed into the office as Delphi stared at Orion on his desk. The baby was snoozing away in warm comfort under the watchful optics of his great great grand amma.

"You're a good little mech but I'll paddle your aft if you keep climbing. I should have told your genitors when you stay over how you like to stand on top of the refrigerator. If you weren't so cute, I would." Delphi leaned down to sniff the baby, delighting in his sweet aroma.

Pulling a pile of data pads over, he began to work on them, arranging his meetings with local delegations and field commanders who took care of smaller districts within his overall command, Delphi of Praxus would get a lot done sitting in the chair of Shockwave who worked in Tarn and used just this office.

Of course, it had a different decor and all the bad mojo possible was swept and painted away. It amused Delphi no end to put his mark on Shockwave's old stomping grounds.

The slagger.

=0=Sciences

Wheeljack listened to the kids who were in charge of the field generator side of moving the small moon of Cybertron. They would used 50 unifiers and one Trigger. They were also going to use the third Trigger, Trigger Gamma to hold the moon when it arrived in the Arcturus system. It was being flown there and would be ready when the moon was moved. Once that happened there was a way to let it drift which would keep it well within retrieval range until placed back in orbit if they had to take the moons first, then Cybertron.

The conversation on the Matrix that Prime had undertaken a day ago was still reverberating among them …

The stairs disappeared into the darkness below. There was the sense of age and energy all around him as he began to descend. The sound of his footfalls were muffled, like the walls were absorbing the energy of their sound. The air was dank and old. There was likely no exchange of atmosphere here though he didn't need it.

Down, down Optimus went but the darkness never enveloped him. There was just enough ambient light somehow for him to not feel encased in the dark. The walls appeared to be moist but he touched them and they felt dry. They seemed to shine with light somehow.

He wound around and around, then came to a gigantic door. It was arched, metallic and covered in symbols and Primal Vernacular. Standing in front of the door with a weapon in his servos, a guardian watched him approach. When Prime reached him he held up the weapon. "Speak."

Optimus considered the command, then felt the answer. "I wish to speak to my Father."

It was silent a moment then the guardian turned to the door. He touched it gently and it began to swing back. As it did the light inside grew brilliant blinding him for a second. Then Optimus stepped inside the vast gigantic room behind the door.

=0=Ops Center

"What do you think about moving Cybertron?" Paragon asked Prowl.

"It makes me weak in the knee assemblies," Prowl said. "Optimus will know what to do."

"Did he tell you about speaking to Primus?" Paragon asked.

Two home boys from Praxus stared at each other, then Prowl leaned in to tell him.

=0=The room

It was vast, filled with glittering walls that appeared to be like diamonds. Sparkles greeted him as he walked forward. As he did he saw what he came for. On the far wall composed in sleep was the beautiful face of Primus. He was huge and silent. When in planetary mode, His face was here tucked into this room where He slumbered in His selfless repose. It was empty but for Him and as Optimus studied His face, this gigantic figure who was the very definition of sacrifice and love, a light began to appear nearby.

It was a light that seemed filled with all the colors that probably existed, waves of light that undulated in the shape. It was elongated and could be humanoid but there was little detail otherwise. It began to grow until it was nearly 40 feet tall before solidifying into the luminously beautiful figure of Primus.

Optimus knelt then lowered his helm. "Lord Primus … I am honored to see You again."

"I prefer Father," the figure said with a grin. "Please stand and let Me look at you."

Optimus did, looking up at the huge figure before him, one that glinted with a silvery light. His blue optics were filled with love and compassion, the usual state of His being when they met. "You look well, my son. I am well pleased with you."

"I am here for You," Prime said.

"Yes. You wish to move My person to a safer place," Primus said. A table and chairs appeared nearby, then the god figure walked to it to sit. "Please join Me. Let us sit and talk."

Optimus walked to the table and sat. He stared at Primus. "I wish to ensure that You and our people are safe. I wish to move You to the Arcturus system to a giant dwarf star that can give you blue skies again."

Primus grinned. "I would like blue skies once more. It has been dark and lonely, though its good to feel the happiness and restoration of Our people. They have begun to recover from some of this. I am grateful for that."

"We work as hard as we can. If You are safely at Arcturus You will be only 37 light years from us and we can do more for You," Prime said.

"I would not say no," Primus said with a grin. "You have a good home, I see. I am glad for that. You have a tendency to feel the weight of everyone upon your shoulders. I do not like that for you. I love laughter and light. I wish it for all My children. I wish it for you as well."

"My family is my haven and I have good friends. I never expected to live this long, frankly. It has been a long terrible road. It would go a long way to ensuring that You are safe somewhere and to do that we need Your help in making the move safe for You and everyone there. We cannot remove everyone so the planning and effort must be precise. That would be aided magnificently with any effort You can grant us when we do," Prime said.

Primus sat back considering the statement, then grinned. "I already know your petition, Optimus. I am weary of wandering. I have friends in the local group and I am glad that you will rescue them as well. I will assist."

Prime sat back with enormous relief. "Thank you, Lord Pri- … Father. We want to give some small portion back to You who have given up everything for us."

Primus grinned. "I give up nothing. I am with you. I will **never** leave you," he said before the scene melted away and Prime was in the Temple once more.

He stared at the AllSpark, knowing without doubt that The One was there. The One was everywhere. With a lighter tread than he had when he arrived, Optimus Prime walked back to his life once more.

The mission when it happened was go.

=0=TBC 4-30-19


	651. Chapter 651

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron and Stuff (dd6 651)

Oh crap. I posted the wrong one. I will post this and another. HUGS from me, Doofus Queen. ;)

=0=Cybertron

" **AMMA! WHAT LOU!?"**

"Because."

" **AMMA! WHAT THE SHES!?"**

"Because."

" **AMMA! LOU DOIN' DA SHES!?"**

"Yep."

" **AMMA! I KIP DA SHES!?"**

"Yep."

A little yellow banded infant on a leash walked toward a number of elders standing nearby and held up his arms. One picked him up and hugged him. He was passed around, then placed on the ground again. Orion glanced at his great great grand amma. **"I KIPPED SHES, AMMA! I, ORION LOVE DA SHES!"**

"Yep," Delphi said with a chuckle.

They were walking along the road toward a site that needed inspection and the infant was leading the parade. Behind him came his Amma Doh-Doh, a number of experts and liaisons to the local leadership, grinning aides to Delphi and security. He stared upward at Delphi posing like Superman with a brilliant smile, then pointed ahead. "We go to doin', Amma?"

"We doin'," his enraptured Amma replied.

"We goin'. I, Orion doin' the shes. Lou comeded to Me, Orion. I goed to the doin'," he said, then began to walk onward with a confident step to his stride.

Delphi nodded to the elders with a grin, then followed. So would everyone else.

=0=What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Maybe

She stood on a console next to her Amma La-La. Alor was a fifteen foot human male in pretender gear sitting at a console checking data on a boost to the spy network relay here on Earth, the one that gathered Resistance and MECH data for inspection. She was chewing on a cookie as she watched Alor's fingers fly.

"Amma, what you doin'?" she asked in her sweet and highly overly developed voice for a tot her age.

Alor squeezed her slightly. "I'm just a workin'."

"You just a workin'?" Halo asked.

"Just a workin'," Alor said with a grin. All of the children had spent time with Amma La-La so they were aware that even with a pretender face the energy and love was still Amma.

"You need help?" she asked earnestly.

"You already are, baby," Alor said as he sat back to wait for data. He grinned at Halo. "I like your little face. Its cute. You and Prowler are the only ones in our family with such a different paint job. No one has sensors like you. You're my little femme, you and Hero. And the twinnies."

"I like them, Amma. They go to kool." Halo stared at her cookie, then began to gnaw on it again.

"I know. You won't be for a while. How could we get through an orn without you helping us?" Alor asked.

Halo glanced at him, then smiled. "I help you, Amma," she said, then bent down to press a button.

The entire system went down.

=0=Ops Center, Mars

"Commander, we lost contact with Las Vegas," a youngling Home Guard communications trainee said.

Prowl glanced up with surprise. "What happened?"

The kid worked for a moment then looked relieved. "They're back up. I'll try to figure out what happened."

"Very well. Do they code signal all is well as per protocol?" Prowl asked as Paragon watched.

"Now they do," the kid said.

Prowl sat back then glanced at Paragon. "I think I'll pop in directly. I haven't been there in some time." He rose and walked out heading for the bridge room down below.

It was a short jump to the back yard of the house that was the operational center of the Vegas stakeout. He was shorter and human, a handsome figure who appeared in the back yard and hurried to the house. His sensors said that no one had seen him arrive including a number of nosy neighbors who wanted to create a close neighborhood now that the area's houses had been sold and more added. No one here wanted to return the same given the circumstances.

He entered the garage, then walked into the center which was operated out of the living room and two bedrooms on the first floor. Walking through the kitchen, he paused to look around. Alor was holding Halo and everyone else was chatting about something funny. "Well, aren't we all on task."

Alor glanced at him, then smiled. "No, we aren't. Halo helped and pushed a button. We're back up, right?" Alor asked as he glanced at a mech nearby.

That mech nodded. "We are, Commander."

Alor looked at Prowl then smiled. "See?"

Prowl smirked then walked to the console. He grinned at Halo who grinned back. Then he snatched her. "I do. I also think if you can't manage a day job with her, then the sparkling is forfeit."

"That infant is staying with us tonight, grabby," Alor said as Prowl loved Halo up.

"Come and get her at The Fortress then," Prowl said as he walked back toward the kitchen. In seconds, he was outside walking into a small bridge to appear back on Mars.

Alor stared at the retreating mech, then shook his helm. "I **will** , slagger." Then he turned back to the job again.

=0=Cybertron

Ironhide sat like a storm cloud on the ship that was flying over the north pole to go to some of the smaller and more remote habitations. It had been gut wrenching to see Orion hurt and then he was **ROBBED! ROBBED I TELLS YA!** He almost grinned himself but he wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction. Sitting back, he glanced at Prime who was staring at him with amusement. "I'm glad to entertain ya, you slagger."

"You do. I am also hoping that if we get back in time that we can get in some practice. We have our next game in two orns, all things being equal."

Ironhide nodded. "That's the problem. Slag happens."

"We're coming in, Prime," Rem said as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Very well," Prime said as everyone braced for landing.

They did and the tour of the rising habitation zones, small well made and redesigned tower filled villages for the locals closely situated to each other were inspected. It would be a vast improvement over the old layout pf old rambling tenements of no more than nine stories which were crowded, inconvenient and inadequate. They would see the place, take requests, be entertained and fed by the locals then get dozens of questions about when Cybertron would have their own basketball teams.

Sooner than they thought.

They would fly onward to three more places and repeat the same things. It would be heartening to everyone involved including Old Grumpy.

=0=Ratchet

He walked out of the apartment of his personal patient. He was using energy therapy to raise the health of several elder patients who weren't responding to protocols for protoform wasting. They were too suppressed overall in their health for normal functions to arise so it was a gathering force of hedge doctors who were coming to Mars to teach this technique and others to the mainstream doctors here.

It was getting on toward noon and lunch here on Mars while it was mid afternoon on Cybertron. Ratchet walked to his office, entered data, then called to Ironhide. :Ironhide:

The message went out over the personal communications nexus that bonds and families of those working here and there used for off world chats, private and personal with relatives. Old Grumpy responded. : ***WHAT!?*** :

:Oh, Ironhide … ***hurt*** me, ***hurt*** me!:

:Don't **tempt** me, slagger:

:So yo mama took your dollie away. Aw. Come sit on my lap. Or better yet … wait for it … **DATE NIGHT!** : Ratchet stood up then walked to the door to slot a lot of data pads into their proper storage. His personal patients' data was kept here by him in a rack. Ratchet paused there. He waited then grinned. : **O** **OO** **-HOO! BA-BEEE!** :

:I am aren't I. **WHAT!?** :

:What what? Are you what-whatting me?:

Ironhide considered that, then skimmed the internet. He grinned faintly. :Frag **what** ever:

 **:DATE NIGHT OR NOT!?:**

Ironhide grinned. :Sure. What have I got to live for?:

Ratchet laughed. :Oh, you romantic, you. I'll have to do some upgrades. Perhaps a squirt of Air Kroil behind each audial:

Ironhide laughed drawing attention from everyone for a moment. :You think it'll help?: he asked to be ornery.

Ratchet paused by his desk on the way out, then smirked slightly. :You better be nice to me. I'm about the only **real** friend you have, slagger:

Ironhide settled back with a smirk. Ratchet had a point. :You're on:

:Good. Come to the office. I'll get the infants lined out. Oh and Ironhide? Try not to step on your lower lip. It belongs to me: Ratchet said.

Ironhide snickered. :See ya: With that he signed off.

"What is in the cards?" Prime asked.

"Date night," Ironhide said. "I don't know where we're going or what we're doing but come with."

Prime grinned. "I do not intrude on romance, old friend. I am not sure that Ratchet will approve."

"I'll ask," Ironhide said. **:HEY!:**

Ratchet startled. **:WHAT?!:**

:How about Prime and Prowl coming along?: Ironhide asked.

Ratchet grinned. :You have to **ask**?:

 **:WHAT THE FRAG DO YOU THINK I'M DOING NOW!?:** Ironhide replied with a grin.

:Oh, Ironhide … don't get all masculine on me when you're not right here: Ratchet replied with a chuckle.

:See ya: He glanced at Prime. "Come with. It's all good and jail is always a possibility with Ratchet. Three hots and a cot after all."

"You are on," Prime said with a laugh.

It would be a lot lighter mood among the mechs as they continued on their inspection and morale building rounds of the northern hemisphere of Cybertron.

=0=RTR Tools

He walked in, hugged everyone in sight, then grinned. "How is it going?"

"The business is booming. Everyone is happy. Corr has had his medicine cut down he's doing so well," Appa Ratchet said with a big grin as he sat with his geology text and cat in his usual chair.

Corr who was sitting next to him with his cat and a novel smiled. "I feel so much better, Sonny. Don't worry about me."

"I do and I will," Ratchet said as he scanned everyone. "You're approaching 72%, Amma. When you get to 75% then we can do remote maintenance and see if you can do it alone. Good times."

" **THAT'S RIGHT! GOOD TIMES, SONNY!"** Appa Ratchet said with a huge smile.

Ratchet laughed at his tiny elders then turned to his genitors. "I'm going to have the kids farmed out and let the big ones and Sunspot stay at home alone while I go out on the town with Ironhide. This will be the first time the four of them get that chance but I'm going to have them check in with you and not leave the place. They can order in anything they want short of beer and high grade but they can't go to get it."

"We can check on them and they can come to us if anything is needed," Tie said with a grin. "So you and Ironhide are finally having a date night?"

"Well, since all the infants but the big ones are farmed out we thought so. Prime and Prowl are coming, too. We don't expect to be too early."

"What about jail?" Ravel asked through narrowed optics. "I don't want you corrupting our fine Prime with your juvenile delinquent tendencies."

Ratchet laughed loudly. **"YOU'RE SO CUTE!"** He picked Ravel up, kissed him, then put him down. "We're going to be home when the kids come from studying at the Main Library and Sunny finishes cultural school in Aerie Hill. We'll get them settled. I do believe that Alie and Blackjack will be across the hall. I'm going to tell them if they've stolen a baby they're banned from coming along."

"Where will you go, Sonny?" Appa Ratchet asked with a big grin.

"I have no idea. Nothing like a good dinner then a boozer at the bowling alley," Ratchet said to wind up his ada's crank.

He succeeded.

=0=TBC 5-2-19 **edited 5-3-19**

NOTES! :D

Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 650 . May 1

I'm glad Primus is happy about his imminent move. He deserves sunlight and safety.  
I'm glad Orion is mostly ok. I'm laughing at poor Ironhide though. He can never keep his dollies long.

 **ME:** I think its time to try and move the planet. I think Primus is very pleased with his boy. Ironhide is a sad sack and a riot to me. I love him so much, the gruff looking pile of softness. He's based on my Marine Corp uncle who was the same way, all gruff show and a pile of yes other wise. LOL!

kattenbelletje chapter 650 . May 1

I'm glad Primus gave his seal of approval. I can't wait to se a Cybertronian sunrise.  
Is there a reason Primus insists of being called father instead of atar or creator etc. I've noticed the bots referring to their genitors as father more and more. Even while they are reclaiming their own culture. Before the bots met humans they have been calling their genitors atar and ada for millions of years. It would feel terribly awkward if I would suddenly have to call my vader, father, padre or pére. Why are they?

 **ME:** Every time Prime meets them he's humble enough to greet them as gods. They are his brothers and sister. 13 was always humble and took left over weapons, fought well and never complained. He was a consensus maker and uniter. He also has a spark that is nearly identical if not identical to Primus and thus, he was able to end a rampage by Unicron once because of it. What I want to do is slightly nudge Prime to acknowledge and accept his heritage as a son of Primus by having Primus use familial words with him. Prime is his son. This is his way to nudge him. I love your father names in your language. So pretty. I called my dad Poppy because whenever I saw him he reminded me of the flower, a sweet faced kind and gentle person. I think Primus is ready to have a home star again. **HUGS!** :D:D

leoness chapter 650 . Apr 30

Aw, I liked the repaired speech. I wanted to see what further mayhem a correctly speaking Orion could cause.

 **ME:** He can create mayhem just smiling. LOL! This glitch will come and go. :D:D **HUGS!**

optimus prime101 chapter 649 . Apr 30

Oh wow please tell me him talking that way is here to stay permanently.

 **ME:** He isn't going to change his speech any time soon. It's going to be a long while before he does. :D:D **HUGS!**

leoness chapter 649 . Apr 29

Hahahaha! And he is smart enough to put on a show with the old patterns too!

 **ME:** Some day that little imp is going to speak well and I'm going to miss it. He's a hilarious little dude. :D:D **HUGS!**

fancyspinner chapter 648 . Apr 29

That little butt is too funny! I can't wait for cybertron to be safe. Great as always.

 **ME:** Thank you, Miss Fancy. I can't either. Its going to be interesting to do. I bookmarked an article in flipbook today that was about us moving a planet. How's that for timing. :D:D:D **HUGS!**

leoness chapter 648 . Apr 28

Orion made me grin, as i climbed everything and anything as a child.

 **ME:** I did, too, but I never fell. I didn't have a lot of upper body strength as a kid so I never got that high. LOL! I love little hoodlums like Orion. :D:D:D **HUGS!**

kattenbelletje chapter 647 . Apr 28

LOL, I remember flashes of hiding in a corner as a kid. I knew it wasn't working, but I kept trying. My mom is still laughing:)

 **ME:** I love when little kids try to hide. Some of the picture videos of them doing it on YouTube are hilarious. :D I was never any good at this either. :D:D **HUGS!**

leoness chapter 646 . Apr 27

You live in the most awesome state, lol

 **ME:** Its like living on the moon sometimes its so far away and so different. I hope to have pictures up of the drive so everyone can see why its such a bucket list destination for so many. **HUGS!**


	652. Chapter 652

The Diego Diaries: Cybertron and Stuff: **DATE NIGHT!** (dd6 652)

NOTE: I posted 650 onto 651 accidentally. Go and read 651 before this if you haven't. :D:D:D

=0=On the corner of Metro #1 and #3

Ratchet waited with Ironhide for Prowl and Prime to show up. A horn honked so he looked down. Olivia Bowers was on a segway with her fat book bag, her computer bag and a big smile. : **HI!** : she called upward.

"Hi, Olivia," Ratchet said as he knelt down to talk. "You look cheery. I heard your beginner's classes are huge."

She laughed. :I have over 650 students in all. I can't do this justice with more so I'm going to be teaching another human to do this as well, Pastor Millie, and have them take the beginners pretty soon. Heatout is very pleased:

"I can imagine," Ratchet said with a grin. "Are you heading for home?"

:The Tower. We're having a dinner meeting with the Ladies Auxiliary board. We're getting requests to start separate affiliates in the local habitats. We're going to iron it out so we can all contribute together: she said. :Where are you two going?:

"We're waiting for the Messiah and his mother to get here so we can do the town," Ratchet said as Olivia laughed loudly.

So did Ironhide.

:That sounds like another epic event is going to shape up. Shall I alert the Watch?: Olivia asked.

"I think they already know," Ratchet replied with a brilliant smile. "Take care crossing the street here."

She nodded, then waved as she gunned it and headed toward the entry door behind the massive building that led upward to the Family habitat.

They watched her go, then Ironhide shook his helm. "She turned out good."

"She did. She's a real asset and so apparently is Joe," Ratchet said as Prime and Prowl walked out of the lobby of their building, crossed at the light … of course … then joined them. "Took you long enough. Apparently, putting on your face takes a while," Ratchet said to Prowl.

He sniffed. "At least I put one on."

Huge laughter greeted that as they turned together to walk to the Metro nearby. As they did, they officially entered the internal grid map that Springer and Drift maintained on duty. All of the 'problem children' were on it from time to time when things looked like they might get exciting. They were riding along the highway with the usual suspects toward the Consulate but at no time until the they went home tonight would any of the four be off their radar.

=0=Everyone else

"Ratchet is a cad not to invite us," Alor said as he sat with Halo on his lap. She was gnawing on Alie's thumb like someone else did once upon a time. Two cows were standing in front of Blackjack hoping something would fall on the floor from the cold plate that he was eating.

Scout sat on the arm of his chair taking his share of the grub as two anxious cows watched below.

"Are you going to give them a bite, too? Look at their little cowie faces," Alor said.

"I am. They're both slagging fine cows but this is chow for me and Scout. Right, infant?" Blackjack asked his smiling son.

"I like this, Atar," Scout said with a sweet child voice.

His big old pa melted around the edges at the sound of it as a tiny version of Ironhide took a carrot from him and began to chew on it. As he did, Blackjack 'accidentally' dropped one each to the cows.

=0=Elsewhere

"Ratchet is a slagger not to invite us along," Delphi said as he helped Hero with her backpack. She was going to be sleeping with them … 'how about we recharge together, Amma? It'll be like camping' …

Hardie looked down at her as he was putting a tiny piece of cake on a small plate. She was smiling up at him with shining optics and he was a goner. "I think that's genius, little femme. I can't wait."

Hero smiled brilliantly. **"I CAN'T EITHER, A** **PP** **A! WHEN YOU FALL ASLEEP FIRST YOU CAN WHISTLE!"**

Hard Drive stifled a guffaw. :I can see that the family tradition is still alive and well:

:I think so, too: Delphi said as he put three plates on the table.

Putting Hero on her booster seat, the two sat down. They stared at the little femme fussing with her napkin. She settled it on her lap, then looked at them with a smile. Picking up her fork, she took a tiny bite, then looked at both of them. "Well, how was your orn today, Amma and Appa?"

It was wondrous.

=0=Elsewhere

They walked into Club Hoyle looking like the baddest ass motorcycle gang in the galaxy. Steiner, Flint, Sun, 'Jack, Lissie and a mech named Carbide walked to a table to sit. They ordered their drinks, bar food and decks of cards, then sat back to enjoy themselves at poker.

"I suppose you want chips?" Lissie asked all of them as she stood.

"I would," Sun said with a grin.

"Got it," Lissie said as she walked to the dispenser and drew on her account, that of Flint's, then started one for the others. The boxes of Oreos that she brought back to the table were passed among the punters.

Sun took a cookie out and looked at it. "These are chips?"

"They are. I like them. You can eat your winnings," Flint said with a chuckle. "Whenever we play poker with Ironhide, he gets slag faced and eats all the chips. So does Prime."

Sitting nearby listening to the commentary, Rockwell and his friends played their own game.

:So the Great Leader of The People gets drunk? That's a new one on me: Rockwell said to the others.

:I don't know. I remember Sentinel getting slag faced a lot. I would, too, if I were a Prime: a big mech said as he anted up.

Rockwell stared at him. :There's no comparison between Optimus Prime and Sentinel:

The big mech smirked slightly. :You never saw Sentinel drunk:

The game would roll on.

=0=Elsewhere

"How about this one, baby?"

"I like that one, Amma," Prowler said as he pointed to a garnish for his tiny sandwich.

Turbine put a tiny pickle on the sandwich that Prowler had designed with Amma and Appa's help. Each of them were having one along with soup. A tiny bowl of soup with two big ones was already on the table. Finishing Prowler's sammie, Turbine grinned down at the tiny Prowl look-alike smiling up at him. "Do you want it cut?"

"Four. I wanna do it four," Prowler said, then smiled brilliantly. He stood on the floor with his teddy bear and watched as Amma Toe-Toe explained his sandwich.

"I think we need to cut it into four little ones," Raptor said as he held the plate it would sit on.

Turbine glanced down. "Four?"

Prowler smiled then held up four tiny fat digits. "Four, Amma," he said in his sweet baby voice.

Two big warriors felt their insides melt as they carefully cut the tiny sandwich into four pieces, then Raptor put them on the plate just so. All of them would eat their sandwiches and soup, share a dessert, then gather on the couch to watch Robots In Disguise and explain once more to the little honeypot that the orange and white Autobot was just another guy named Ratchet and not his ada.

It would be glorious.

=0=Elsewhere

"This one is fun, Orion. Try it on," Trooper said as they sat on the floor in the costume room of the children's theater trying things on with him. They would watch him then tell them stories wearing the oddest things and were mesmerized.

" **I LOVE THIS, AMMA! I DOIN' THIS THING!"** Orion slipped the top on, one that was made to look like a radio. Apparently, there was a short play that was famous in children's theater that had a part for one.

He picked out a hat and put it on. Then Amma Scout picked out some fins for his tiny peds because they were in the box.

Appa Trooper stood up, backed up, then knelt. He took a number of snaps with his camera of Orion standing proudly in his outlandish garb. They would play for a while, laughing loudly and enjoying the guileless confidence of the happy little imp before they would go up to the apartment, order in pizza and root beer, then watch cartoons.

It would be interactive and deeply hilarious.

=0=Elsewhere

"How do you like your eggs, Praxus?" Arcee asked as she stood by the stove. She was going to fix breakfast for dinner, the meal she was best at.

Sitting on the couch beside a bemused Ultra Magnus, Praxus smiled. "Good."

Arcee laughed. "Okay," she said as she began to rustle up the simple but tasty meal she often made when both of them were too busy or lazy to order in.

Praxus smiled at her, then upward at Magnus. He grinned down at the kindly, sweet tempered, quiet little mech holding a teddy bear. "You like her?" he asked as he pointed to Arcee.

"I do," Magnus replied. "Do you?"

"I do. She nice. I love her, Arcee." Praxus smiled at him, then Arcee. "You like him, Arcee?" he asked.

Arcee grinned at him as she worked. "I do. Do you?"

Praxus nodded. "I do. I love him. Magnus. You named Magnus?" he asked as he looked up at his big brother-in-law, though he didn't know that at the moment.

"I am," Magnus said. "I used to be named Deion."

"Deion?" Praxus asked. "I like Deion. Why they call you Magnus?"

Magnus thought a moment to a time he could only remember in bits and pieces. "I don't know."

Praxus stared at him, then nodded. "Okay," he said.

It would go like that. I would be wonderful.

=0=At the homestead

"How are you doing, Sunny? Do you need help?" Fireball asked as he paused by the door to the berth room where Sunspot lived and so did the other three little mechs when they came over. Nothing was changed from when Bos, Co-D and Reflector lived here but their continuous presence.

Sunspot looked up from the desk where he was finishing his daily journal for school. "I'm almost done."

"Good," Fireball said with a grin. "We're going to watch teevee until dinner gets here. Come to the living room when you get done. Okay?"

"I'm coming," Sunspot said as he double downed on the journal.

Fireball walked back to the living room to sit. He pulled Cousin into his lap. "Too bad the others couldn't come. We could have teams. I get Sunspot on my team."

A knock on the door was heard so Quasar opened it. Delivery was made of food boxes, then the youngling mechs left with a laugh and a wave. Quasar looked down the hallway. **"Sunspot! Dinner is here!"**

" **Coming!"** a muffled voice called out as footfalls could be heard running their way.

They gathered around the table and began to unpack their choices. Two big pizzas, a big order of frosted brownies, some stuffed sandwiches which were Cybertronian home grown favorites, several kinds of drinks and candy. They got to order what they wanted and they did their youth proud.

Loading up, they gathered in the living room to watch a movie and talk. It would be a totally amazing thing to do, this, the first time they were left to do anything on their own.

=0=Gambian

They walked up out of the station, they followed Prowl and Prime. There was a new 'steak house' in town and it was the shit, or so Prowl said.

But not with those words, of course.

They walked three blocks, then entered a very swank restaurant. They were given a booth, settled in, ordered food and drinks, then sat back to watch the funny folks and unwind.

"The big boys and Sunny are home alone?" Prowl asked as they received their drinks.

"If living in an apartment next to your ammas and appas, your great ammas and appas along with Alie and Blackjack across the hall is being alone, then yeah." Ratchet chuckled. "They're going to have their training wheels on for a long time yet."

"This is good," Optimus said. "It happens sooner or later."

"Later. Much later," Ironhide said as he sipped his beer.

"I'd like to call a short meeting," Ratchet said as the three glanced at him. "We need a designated sober mech here and I nominate Ironhide. All in favor of him raise your right servo." Three did. "You have to stay sober, Ironhide."

"What?" Ironhide began.

"Democracy. Get used to it, slagger. You snooze, you lose," Ratchet said. "I think I'll have a double next."

It would be interesting the number of mechs who turned to look when Optimus laughed out loud. Apparently, it wasn't a thing seen to often among The People.

Food came and they stared at it a moment before digging in. The 'vegetables' were all Cybertronian but the rest was human-like. Steaks as big as truck tires, baked potatoes and bread in baskets materialized before them and they stared at it with amazement.

"Well, I don't expect to be hungry for about a month," Ratchet said as he picked up his fork and knife.

Prowl stared at his, then Ratchet's. "Mine's bigger."

Ratchet snorted as did Prime and Ironhide. "I can see its going to be one of those nights. Better be ready to call for back up, Osimus."

Optimus grinned at Prowl who frowned at Ratchet. "Better start. Yours is bigger."

Prowl glanced at him, then the steak. "It is, isn't it," he said with smug satisfaction.

Ratchet grinned at him. It was going to be one of those kind of nights.

Hallelujah.

=0=TBC 5-4-19


	653. Chapter 653

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 653)

=0=At a steak house in Gambian

It was silent a moment as they dug in. All around them the place was filled with diners some of whom crept to Prime, touched him, then sneaked back to sit as unobtrusively as possible. It always amused Ratchet that they did. But then, Prime had developed a sense of oblivion to it for their sake, not his own. He knew they did it but as ever, he made it easier on others.

The lights were low and the music soft. Good smells were everywhere and it was obvious that this wasn't just date night for them. The place was filled with young and old dining in luxury, some for the first time in their lives.

It was beautiful and fun.

"What are you going to wear to the next basketball game, Ratchet?" Prime asked with a grin.

Prowl glanced at him, then Ratchet. "Something that will embarrass us all, I'm sure."

Ratchet grinned at both of them. "You are such a grind, Prowler. Maybe I'll wear a corset with your name on it."

Prowl stared at him with a look of intensity. "You do and its Charon forever for you."

Ratchet snickered. "I won't tell you now but its going to be amazing."

"Iaconian game habits are so declasse," Prowl sniffed. "What is it going to be? A ball gown made of trash bags?

Ratchet laughed. "That's a good idea," he said. "You high caste slagger, you."

Prowl blinked, then took a big drink. He frowned at Ratchet. "Is that all you got? Insults?"

"No. You have no idea **what** I got," Ratchet said with a smirk. / _…_ I better get something before the game _..._ /

They dined on, had a dessert, then rose to leave. Sitting nearby watching them, Rockwell and his group were finishing dinner as well. They rose, then followed Prime and his party out the door. It was cold but clear overhead as they ambled down the street heading for the bowling alley.

Behind them, Rockwell and his group followed.

=0=A scuffle in a bar near The Sports Center in Retriarius

They rode up to the building where a number of individuals were standing around on the sidewalk, all of them looking angry. Hopping down, Springer walked to the group. "What's happening here?" he asked.

A tall mech turned to him with an angry face. "We were having a good time and these slaggers decided to make a problem."

A group nearby, tall and well made mechs with nice paint schemes looked as angry as the first group. Springer glanced at them, then the big mech. "What actually happened? We got a call on this dispute."

"We were playing cards at a booth near the back waiting for the darts tournament. These slaggers were at the bar," he said as he nodded to the others.

Between the two groups were waiters with crow bars. Both sides waited to tell their story. The Watch was called by the owners.

"They were drinking a lot, then started to make remarks. We didn't respond. We're Knights. We let it roll off our backs. Then they came over and sat down across from us. The remarks continued and we didn't do slag all about it. Its not the way we roll.

"One of them got up and spilled his drink conveniently on my brother here," he said nodding to a tall mech who smelled of high grade. "My brother rose up and that one," he said pointing at a tall big mech with a blue paint scheme straight out of some designer catalog, "punched his face."

"What happened then?" Drift asked as he stood beside Springer. He glanced at Springer. "Knights try not to get into slag that has no purpose. Having a drunk heckle you is not worth the drama and breaking the principles."

The big mech nodded. "My brother gripped his arm before he could hit him again, then the waiters came with crowbars. The bartenders called you and here we are."

Springer nodded. "Wait here." He walked to the two crow bar toting waiters, heard their story and it matched. Glancing at the obvious high castes standing nearby staring at everyone defiantly, he walked over.

"I'm Springer, Chief of Security for the Prime and director of the Watch. What happened?"

They glanced at each other, then one stepped forward. "I spilled my drink. They didn't like it so I defended myself."

"You threw the punch?" Drift asked.

The mech stared at him, then nodded. "I defended myself."

"That's not the story everyone is telling. You lot taunted those mechs, then pushed the issue. You spilled the drink on purpose and threw the first punch. You made an incident and now you're blaming the others," Springer concluded.

"Those fraggers are lying," another mech said.

"When did you come to the colony? Are you among the newbies coming through the bridges from the camps?" Drift asked.

They nodded. "We've been here for three orns," the puncher said. "It's okay."

Drift chuckled. He glanced at Springer. "It's okay."

"So he says," Springer said. "I'm going to have to arrest you lot," he said as more mounted patrolmen rode up and climbed down. "You're under arrest for disturbing the peace, assault and very possibly acting against a Primal directive about The System. I would like you to unload your subspace really slowly."

The mechs glanced around at the hard mechs standing all around them, then turned to Springer and Drift. "You'll be very sorry you did this," the puncher said as the group began to comply.

"Oh, now **there** you go," Springer said as a police van could be seen coming down the road. "You going and telling me that. It sort of sounds familiar."

Drift nodded. "I think I've heard it before as well."

The wagon pulled to a stop, then the mechs inside climbed down, opened the back doors and grinned at the scene which was their usual bread and butter. "Speedy pick up and delivery. Who's coming to do the data work?" Slater, a huge mech who did jail pick up and guard duty asked The Boss.

And The Other Boss.

"He will." -Drift and Springer pointing to each other.

=0=Outside ambling toward the bowling alley, King Pin

"I have to say that was a fine steak. I don't know how he does it but that reminded me of a good one I had in Vegas in pretender gear," Ratchet said as they walked to the door to enter.

"I am rather fond of human style food, though my Ada is a master of Iaconian cuisine," Prime said as he walked to the counter with Prowl.

"Your ada is a masterful cook," Prowl said loyally.

Prowl was sort of feeling it, though not drunk. None of them were yet and Ironhide was delegated to be sober. Whether he would was to be seen yet. Prime, himself was sweet. He was that kind of drunk … sweeter, gentler, more kindly than ever when he drank.

Ironhide on the other servo …

They got their bowling balls and walked to a lane to play together. Ratchet walked to the line, then smiled. **"ME FIRST!"** He then raised his ball, backed up, ran down the lane and sent it rolling. It spun backward all the way there and killed every pin in the lane.

He turned around, curtsied, skippity-hoppitied back to the seat and sat. He grinned at Ironhide. "We're going to kill this round. You all bowl and I'll get booze." He rose and walked to the bar nearby to get drinks and snacks.

Ironhide watched him go, then frowned. "Frag him. I'm going to have beer."

"I think you should, Ironhide. Springer and Drift can shovel you into a bin and wheel you home," Prime said as he picked up his ball. He grinned at Ironhide, winked at Prowl, then walked to the line, took aim and ran forward. Sliding like a swan, releasing a textbook ball, it rolled forward and knocked them all down.

"Bravo, Only One," Prowl said as he took a beer from Ratchet. "You show them. No one does it better."

"I see that you're completely sober, Prowl" Ratchet chuckled as he set down beer and snacks.

Ironhide grabbed some of each and turned his back on Ratchet. "Slagger. ***YOU* STAY SOBER!"**

Ratchet who saw his beer disappear into the grabby servo of his nearest and dearest rose to go back for more. "Slagger. If you fall down I'm leaving you where you lay."

Prime chuckled as he sat down and got his beer and snacks.

Prowl who was keeping score rose and got his ball. He would score a strike as well. Given their eons of shooting and the resultant astonishing hand-optic coordination because of it, they would all bowl perfect scores. They would do it for four games.

Bowling two lanes down and watching them, Rockwell and his party of slightly tipsy mechs had their own games going on. None of them would be perfect scores.

=0-At the Jail House (Now)

The wagon drew up and the mechs climbed down. Slater walked to the back and opened the doors. As he did, the mounted patrol pulled up and dismounted. Springer and Drift walked over while the others followed for the lulz.

"Get out of there now. Mind the step," Slater said as the grousing grumpy mechs stepped down. There were five of them and they weren't happy. But then, no one there was. They lined up and walked into the jail with the others following.

Lon, Bezel, Hercy, Kup, Roadie on his day off goof-around-with-the-boys time, Twin Twist and Splice found a wall to lean on so they could watch the floor show.

The youngling mechs paused before the desk sargent with Drift, Springer and Slater.

"Well, what have we here?" the desk sargent, Mojo asked.

"More wayward infants," Slater said. He looked at the five kids. "Answer the questions of the nice mech and we can check you into Hotel Fuck All."

The mechs watching laughed noting that human swearing had reached the jail house now.

The five glared at them, then looked at Springer. "We want a lawyer."

"After you're booked," Springer said.

"Name, address, age, occupation," Mojo said in a bored monotone.

The kid looked at him, then Springer. Then he looked at Mojo. "I'm Rudy of Capital City. My address is in the book. My age is none of your business. My occupation is-"

"Pain in the aft," Roadie said with a glower.

Rudy glanced at Roadie. "Frag you, fat aft."

It was interesting to watch how fast and how minimal the effort Roadie expended to punch the kid in the nose assemblies. It was also interesting to see him teeter around, then fall on his face.

Roadie looked down at Rudy without expression as the other four looked at Roadie with shock and astonishment. "Oops. My bad."

Springer looked away as he gathered the urge to laugh loudly into a file in his processor stem. Then he looked at Roadie. "That was a bit … much."

"Sorry," Roadie said blandly. "I'm not sorry, actually." He glanced at Mojo and the amused jail guards that were waiting to take them to their accommodations after booking. "I'm just saying so if anyone's taking notes." He tapped the kid with his ped.

"Never change, Roadie," Springer said with a chuckle. He looked at the others. "Names? Occupations? Ages?"

The other four would comply immediately.

=0=TBC 5-5-19 **edited 5-6-19**


	654. Chapter 654

The Diego Diaries: Date Knight (dd6 654)

=0=Clubbin'

They wandered to the metro and took the train to Retriades. Getting on a car one down from them, Rockwell and three of his friends and family joined them. Prime sat down heavily as the unaccustomed feeling of high grade and the accompanying sensation of 'letting go' made itself known. Prowl stood beside him leaning against Prime's big body as he held onto a rail.

Ironhide held a strap and was showing the beginning of an epic buzz. He had stuck to beer which was a slower train to Oblivion Town than high grade but would get him there eventually. Ratchet was feeling no pain. He smiled and waved at the other passengers as he stood behind Ironhide so he wouldn't fall over.

It was an epic ride to the stop they wanted and when they arrived they walked out and headed for the stairs. Behind them, Rockwell and Company followed. Reaching the street, they walked down the sidewalk and took a left at 8th and Carbide as 'C' Street was officially known here. The store fronts were lit but most places were closed except for bars and restaurants.

They walked two blocks and saw ahead of them the gigantic figure of The Sports Center at Retriades. It was lit with lights and there were games going, local pick up games by clubs that played each other. Other facilities inside allowed its multiple use by both professionals and civilians sportsmen and femmes.

Because it was such a busy and sports oriented place, there were a lot of bars, restaurants and clubs all around it. Some of the clubs were bars that served food and drink while a few others were dance clubs. They were heading for one now, The Wilted Flower. No one could parse the story behind the name but most liked it. They entered the busy noisy club and found a booth against the back wall.

A waiter materialized out of thin air, took their order, touched Prime, then hurried off.

Ratchet smiled at Prime. "I can see you're still holy."

Prime laughed. "Give it time."

"You're always going to be holy, Osimus," Prowl said. "First Disciple of Primus," he said, then looked around at the other dancers, booth patrons and worker bees. **"FIRST DISCIPLE OF PRIMUS, HERE!** " he called out.

Others paused their merriment to look, then grinned and nodded their helms.

"Prowl is blitzed. Prowler," Ratchet said leaning closer to the big cop. "You're drunk."

Prowl leaned forward to Ratchet. "No, I'm not drunk. You are," he said, then sat back to giggle.

Prime slipped his arm around Prowl. "You are loyal, Prowl. Did I ever tell you how much I liked that about you?"

Prowl looked up at him with a sickly look of unabashed love on his face. "No, but you can."

The drinks came, mercifully, then they swagged them down.

Ironhide who was buzzing somewhere in his processor looked at Ratchet. **"HOW ABOUT A DANCE, OLD MECH!? LET'S SHOW THEM HOW ITS DONE!"**

"You're on," Ratchet said. He slid out and nearly fell, catching himself before turning to Ironhide.

Ironhide slid out then they hugged each other. Ratchet wrapped his legs around Ironhide, then the two staggered toward the dance floor. Ratchet who was smiling as he looked over Ironhide's broad shoulder waved happily to Prime and Prowl before they disappeared into the mob.

Prime who was guffawing glanced down at Prowler. "How about a dance?"

"Sure," Prowl said as he slid out. He swayed a moment, then straightened.

Prime slid, stood, then the two walked to the dance floor to show the others how it was done.

Rockwell and the others who were standing at the end of the long, long bar nearby watched them go.

Ironhide and Ratchet 'danced' madly around the dance floor sometimes together and sometimes not as they let their hair down. It was hilarious and they were terrific at it. It would have been better if they had stayed together but both of them were three sheets to the wind and didn't even notice they were wandering.

At the edge of the boiling pot, Prime and Prowl swayed together, holding each other tightly. The music didn't match their movements but neither cared. They were making their own.

=0=At the Jail House (Now)

Springer and Drift watched the five kids follow the guards to the lock up. A medic had checked Rudy over and found him bruised but sound. He limped off with a bad attitude but didn't say a word. Springer turned to the group. "Thanks for coming. The floor show is over so tip your waitresses."

A lot of laughter and rude commentary came back to him as he walked out with Drift. Everyone saddled up and began to ride out again as another police van arrived with its treasures.

=0=Dancin'

They danced and drank, joked, laughed and talked about everything but work. When it was time to meander onward, they rose together and staggered out. The air outside was bracing but because they weren't organic it didn't do much for their sobriety. Walking to the metro, they gathered together before going down the stairs.

Ironhide was still upright, holding his own against the beer-tsunami that he was surfing.

Prime was tipsy and coherent but his 'little buddy' was feeling it a lot.

Prowl leaned into him, holding his arm.

Everyone glanced at Ratchet. He was shit faced. He smiled. **"HOW ABOUT DONUTS!?"**

Prime giggled then glanced at Prowl. "How about donuts, little buddy?"

" **WHATEVER YOU WANT!** " Prowl said. He saw a couple walk past, then straightened up. **"FIRST DISCIPLE OF PRIMUS, HERE!** " he called out as he pointed at Prime.

Prime laughed loudly, then steered Prowl toward the steps. Ironhide followed then so did Ratchet. Ironhide only fell down the last three stairs before standing up again.

Ratchet went down them so fast he ran off the platform and fell onto the train tracks. Optimus pulled him back up. They stood together merrily waiting.

"That was fun. I wish I was sober enough to enjoy this more," Ratchet said with a laugh.

Prowl grinned. "You're a drunk. You're a … a … a drunken."

Ratchet stared at him, then laughed loudly. **"YOU ARE, TOO!"**

The train arrived so they turned to it. A number of individuals got off before they could get on but then they did occupying a car by themselves. That was when Rockwell and his friends got on, too, moving to the back to sit unobtrusively. The train then sped off heading for the city of Tyger Pax.

Ratchet sat heavily and so did Ironhide. Prime and Prowl stood as Prowl gripped Prime around the waist. They swayed with the train, then when it halted walked to the door together. Ironhide joined them as Ratchet floundered trying to rise. The three of them walked out the train door without noticing. By the time the train began to move, the door was closing on Ratchet. Away they went, Ratchet this time lost to the ages on the Circle Line.

By the time Prime, Ironhide and Prowl reached The Donut Hole, they sat before they saw that Ratchet wasn't with them. They stared at each other, then Prime stood. "Where's Ratchet?" he asked no one in particular.

=0=On the 'A' Train

Ratchet stared at the door as the train began to pick up speed. Sitting nearby unnoticed, Rockwell and his three friends watched. Ratchet placed his servos on the door and watched the lights flash by as they sped along. They were going toward The City and would reach the first stop, The Basilica in moments.

Rockwell glanced at the others and they nodded back. When the train slid into the station, they got up to go and gently pushed Ratchet out the door with them. The train platform was empty as they began to walk to the stairs with a groggy Ratchet with them. They disappeared upward.

=0=At The Donut Hole

Prime sat down again, then dialed in Springer. :Prime to Springer. You there?:

:Springer to Prime. Are you sober?:

:No. We're missing Ratchet. We got on the train and got off at Tyger Pax to go to The Donut Hole. When we got here we found we were missing Ratchet:

:Stay there. We're on it. Springer out: He glanced at the others who were riding along with him. "Prime just called. He's slag faced with Ironhide and Prowl. They lost Ratchet at Tyger Pax. Maybe. They're at The Donut Hole. I told them to stay there and we'd find Ada."

The mechs with him grinned as Springer put in a call to the Emergency Command Center and asked them to find Ratchet on the grid. They did. He was at The Basilica.

Springer grinned at the others. "He's at The Basilica. Let's book it," he said as he tapped his horse to get going. The entire group rode like the wind along the side of the highway heading toward The Basilica of the Primes.

=0=The Donut Hole

"Springer'll find him. He's a drunken," Prowl said. "He's probably … he got lost. Poor Ratchet. **HE'S SUCH A GOOD MECH!** " Prowl said near to tears.

Ironhide and Prime stared at him as the waiter brought strong 'coffee' and more donuts. "Here, Lord Optimus. All of you drink this. It helps," he said as he grinned at two big drunks and a maudlin crybaby who was the second most powerful person among their species, Prowl himself.

"Thank you, youngling," Prime said sweetly as he picked up the cup. "I do not usually do this but its date night."

The youngster grinned. "I'm glad you do it. You're welcome here any time."

They chatted sweetly together, Optimus, a stuperous Ironhide, a nice waiter and a sniffling Prowl.

=0=Springer and the Boyz

They reached The Basilica, then dismounted. The entire area was lit so they saw here he wasn't. Scanning the area, they spread out. It was Lon who found him. **"SPRINGER!"**

Springer and the others came running then saw Ratchet lying flat on his back. He was unconscious and looked like he'd been beaten up. He scanned Ratchet even as Drift put in a call for pick up by the Med Center. "Ada?" he asked with a churning gut.

Ratchet groaned then glanced at him. "Springer."

"What the frag happened to you?" Springer asked with a sense of relief that almost was overwhelming.

"Hell if I know," he said then closed his optics.

It would be a tense wait for the roundabout to take them to the Medical Center Annex in Tyger Pax.

=0=A half joor later

First Aid, Drift and Kup walked into The Donut Hole. They halted by Prime's table. "Hi, Optimus. You tied one on?"

Prime grinned. "I think so. Date night."

Drift grinned then nodded to First Aid. He WiFi-ed the cure to each of them and it slammed in almost immediately.

Ironhide sat straighter then held his helm. "Frag. That was … that hurt."

"Come on," Drift said. "We found Ratchet."

Ironhide glanced up sharply. "Where is he?"

"At the Med Center in Tyger Pax," Drift said. "He fell down."

"What the frag? Is he alright?" Ironhide said as he stood up nearly tipping the table over. Prime and Prowl stood up right behind him.

"He is. He's getting patched," Drift said. "Come on."

They hurried outside, transformed and began to drive to Tyger Pax. Riding along behind and keeping up, Drift and Kup followed. They themselves were followed by First Aid.

=0=Emergency Room, Autobot City Medical Center Annex #15, Tyger Pax

Ironhide, Prime and Prowl walked past a group of Watch mechs, the 'usual crowd' that worked with Drift and Springer, then entered the room.

Ratchet was sprawled on the med berth and doctors were working on him.

Ironhide froze in place, then hurried to the berth. He leaned over Ratchet. "Ratchet?" he asked with fear.

Ratchet opened his optics then looked up. "Hi, Only One. Where the frag were you?" he asked. Then he closed them again.

=0=TBC 5-6-19


	655. Chapter 655

The Diego Diaries: Fisticuffs (dd6 655)

Guest: I switched the two parts, 358 and 538 to rights. Dyslexia at its finest. :D:D:D **THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT!**

=0=At the Med Center, Tyger Pax

Ratchet sat up and looked at the others. Springer and Drift were there now and so were the grim faced members of their Watch shift. Ironhide stood beside him as Prowl and Prime leaned against a cabinet nearby, their own expressions grim. "Well, that was typical wasn't it. Date night and this happens. There isn't a celebration or goof off moment we have that isn't fragged up."

"What's the word?" Prowl asked the doctor.

"He had a broken arm but its fixed. He's been kicked half to death and there will be soreness. That we have such tough armor is a good thing," he replied. He looked at Ratchet. "You have a mild concussion which is a miracle. You need to take it easy a few orns. Nothing strenuous."

Ratchet nodded, then stood up. He swayed a moment then glanced at Ironhide. "Piece of cake."

" **FRAG THAT!** Who did this to you?" Ironhide asked.

"I don't know. I was sort of boozed up at the time. **WHY DID YOU GET ON THE TRAIN AND LEAVE ME AT THE STATION!?** That's **your** thing, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a slight smirk.

" **I'M NOT GOING TO LAUGH ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE! JUST SO YOU KNOW!"** Ironhide said. He glanced at the doctor. "He's good to go then?"

The doctor nodded. "I would say so. No horsing around."

"Frag **that.** **Thanks, doc** ," Ratchet said as he walked toward the door. The mechs parted to let him pass, then everyone followed him out. They gathered around him in the corridor. "I want donuts, slag it. The Donut Hole is around here somewhere. Let's go."

"You should go home, right?" Prowl asked uncertainly. He glanced at Springer. "Is there anything that can tell us what the frag happened?"

"I have Forensics checking the video cameras right now," Springer said. It was grimly silent. "This is fragged. Attacking drunks isn't good sportsmanship."

Ratchet chuckled as Springer smirked at him with relief. "Your depth of concern is duly noted. Since you're a cop, take me to The Donut Hole pronto."

Springer glanced at the others, then Prime nodded. They walked out silently, taking the elevator to the ground floor. It was bracing cold outside as they gathered, then Springer glanced at Prime. "I'm going to see about this. Forensics is at The Basilica. I'll let you know the minute they tell me."

"And me," Prowl said.

" **AND ME!"** Ironhide roared.

"Not you, Ironhide," Ratchet said. "I'll punt your sorry aft into orbit if you do a stoopid. It's like Bluestreak tells the twins all the time. I'm not raising these forty slagging kids by myself."

Prime grinned slightly. "Call me, Springer. We are going to The Donut Hole." He led the way with Ratchet and Ironhide following as Prowl walked beside him.

Springer and his group watched them go.

Hercy turned to him. "Slagging bad idea to frag with Ratchet. Ironhide won't like it."

"We won't tell him," Springer said as Drift nodded. "We need to get who did this. It's either a personal grudge against Ada or someone might be slagging the leadership here again. Either way, we get this done as fast as we can."

"Who wants to bet its a high caste?" Bezel said with dread.

No one took the bet.

=0=At The Donut Hole

They sat at a table sipping hot drinks as they began to work through the plates of donuts and other baked goods sitting before them. There were delicious delights of all kinds including some from Cybertron.

Ratchet glanced at the three. "I don't remember much past the third game at the bowling alley. I do slightly remember following you to the train and then nothing. Slaggers. Who the frag wants to slag me? Well, don't answer that," he said with a mild chuckle.

"Its not funny," Ironhide said as he paused a bear claw short of his mouth. "Some slagger is going to be sorry he was separated."

"The cameras should tell the tale," Prowl said.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Ratchet said with a grin.

They sat together chatting and noshing while the ball rolled onward.

=0=Forensics Department-Recordings, Films and Data Imaging, Autobot City Day/Night Watch, Mars, Cybertron and Empire Security, Metrotitan, Tower 8

The night duty officer took the data wafer of camera footage to the lab nearby where it could be analyzed. He sat before a console with huge monitors, then slotted it into a port. He began to work the program as images arose.

There were a lot of visitors to The Basilica earlier, then they began to taper off. It was nearing 2300 hours when a group could be seen walking to the platform from the parking lot with an unsteady member between them. They walked past the building, then down the side where there were no cameras. It was a few moments before they walked back out minus the individual they were helping. They walked onward, transformed, then drove off together.

The tech isolated the footage, then began to work on it with the programming. It didn't take much to enlarge that stretch of film, then zoom in on the features of the individuals involved. It was clear that Ratchet was the tipsy individual but the others, three of them, were harder to see.

Working with the enlargement tech, he got features that would hold up in review of all of them, then he got more when they came back the way they'd gone. With that footage he isolated facial features, then fed them into the database of everyone on world for starters. Sitting back, he waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

=0=On the sidewalk before the tower

Prowl and Prime chatted with Ratchet and Ironhide. It was past midnight and heading toward 0100 hours on the TMC. The City was busy though the activity was indoors at the clubs and restaurants. Street traffic was slacking a bit but police moved around in car formats, horse back and on foot. Lights changed, cars drove here and there, the few that were about and all seemed well among the glistening towers of Autobot City.

"Are you going to be okay? Don't come to work tomorrow," Prowl said. "Recharge."

"Like **that** ever happens," Ratchet said with a grin.

"You don't have to come. Our agenda is a bit light. I'll reschedule your conference calls with the ambassadors and the others on the list for the following orn."

"Good idea," Ironhide said. "Old mech doesn't need to spar with anyone for a while."

Ratchet grinned at Ironhide then glanced at Prime. "We have that video conference with the heads of state from Asia."

"I will handle that," Prime said. "Go and relax. You broke your arm."

Ratchet rubbed his arm. "Yeah. I hate breaking slag."

They talked a moment more, then walked to the tower. As they did Prowl got the call and demurred, heading out to the street to wait for Springer to come by. Ratchet watched him leave from the elevator and as the door closed, he grinned. "Granny is terrible about not letting anyone in on what he's doing."

The door closed, then they rose upward. When Ironhide and Ratchet left the elevator, Prime went right back down. He stood with Prowl on the sidewalk as Springer and Company rode up.

=0=Elsewhere

They walked home from the station, a trio of slightly tipsy mechs. It wasn't on the agenda to pulverize Ratchet and if they'd been less drunk, their poor impulse control would have been overridden. But they hadn't.

They were unconcerned about getting caught. They grew up in a police state on Cybertron and even though they never paid for what they did, Rockwell and his partners in crime didn't give a frag about consequences at the moment.

They entered their home tower at Iacon, then rode to their own floors, stepping out to go home and sleep it off. Rockwell entered his apartment, crept into the berth room where his bond lay recharging, then fell fast asleep himself.

=0=On the street

Springer, Drift, Hercy and Kup stood with Prowl and Prime discussing the evidence preliminarily collected from Forensics-Photo. It was evident that the attackers had been identified and it appeared that they didn't take a lot of time and effort to ensure that they wouldn't be caught.

"Rockwell, a mech named Carver and another one named Pico are apparently the ones who slagged Ada. We have them identified on film. They walk to The Basilica with him, go out of sight around the side then walk back by themselves," Springer said.

Prime nodded. "Do you know where they are?"

"Apparently they went home to their apartments in Iacon," Drift said. "We have officers staking them out now."

"Then let us pick them up," Prime said. "I want them in custody as soon as possible."

Springer walked to his horse and mounted up as Prime and Prowl transformed. The others did same or hopped aboard to head out to Iacon. It would take a few moments to get there but they would arrive together. Prime would lead the arrest. Ratchet was his officer.

=0=Home

They entered a quiet apartment, noted a sleepy cow on the couch along with a dog and cat. Petting them, they walked to the end of the building and checked the big kids. Heading back, they entered their suite and shut the door. Ratchet walked to the berth room and stood under a hot shower.

Ironhide watched him a moment then walked to the monitor in the corner by the berth. He checked the mail then walked to the door of the wash rack. "You okay?"

"I am." Ratchet walked out and hugged him. Ironhide hugged him back. "Those slaggers must have been either crazy or really drunk. We have cameras everywhere for the humans. No one can really hide around these parts."

"No," Ironhide said. "Hit the rack, old mech."

"You, too," Ratchet said as he tugged on Ironhide's arm.

The big mechs walked to the bed then lay back. It was silent a moment then Ironhide squeezed Ratchet's servo. "Sorry about forgetting you. I was pretty blitzed."

"I know. Next time take a head count," Ratchet said with a grin.

Ironhide grinned back. "Done deal."

It would take a bit to recharge but they would do so.

Meanwhile …

They arrived at the door of the first suspect, Rockwell. Prime glanced at the armed mechs with him then rapped on the door. It took several before he could hear peds coming to the door.

It cracked open. "Who is there?"

"This is Optimus Prime. Open the door please," he said.

The door closed then more peds could be heard. Muffled voices talked then the door opened fully. Rockwell looking sleepy and slightly drunk along with Periodic who looked sleepy but wary stared at them.

"What do you want, Prime?" Periodic asked.

"I would like to speak to Rockwell. Please step out of the apartment," Prime said.

"Why?" Rockwell asked suddenly wary himself.

"Step out and let us talk," Prime said.

Rockwell glanced at Periodic then moved forward. Periodic blocked him but he stepped around the big mech. Moving into the hallway, he glanced around at the grim faced heavily armed mechs with Prime. "What is this about?"

"You're under arrest, Rockwell, for assault and battery and other charges to be named later," Springer said as he pulled out cuffs. He slipped them on swiftly then gripped Rockwell's arm.

Down the hallway doors opened a peek, then some closed.

Periodic stepped out to grip Rockwell's other arm. "What are you **doing**? What do you **mean** arrest?"

"He's under the suspicion of assaulting a person, then leaving them on the ground injured," Drift said. "We have enough evidence to arrest them. We're going to take him to jail and you can see him in the morning." He looked at Rockwell. "Come along nicely and don't make it hard for your bond."

"Rockwell," Periodic said with gathering alarm.

"Call a lawyer, Peri. Then come see me," Rockwell said as two mechs walked toward the elevator with him.

Periodic turned to Prime and the others then his face hardened into a mask of anger. "You planned this. You're framing him. You will regret this, Prime."

"It would not due you well to make threats," Prowl said coldly.

Periodic stepped into the apartment and slammed the door shut.

"Well, that went well. Two more to go, Prime," Hercy said as the elevator door closed on Rockwell.

"Then we better go get them," Prime said grimly. The group walked to the elevator to pick up the other two on their floors.

=0=TBC 5-7-19


	656. Chapter 656

The Diego Diaries: Stuff and Then Some (dd6 656)

=0=Morning

Ratchet watched as Ironhide gathered the imps and the older kids to go to the bus stop. Hero was standing beside Halo who had her arm around Robby the Bruce. He was standing placidly waiting for Ironhide to pick him up, stow him and head out. It was noisy and busy all around him. He, himself was downed for two orns unless an emergency or something required him. He was also going to tell his family about his mugging shortly.

Like now.

They poured in and picked up children, hugged bigger ones and chatted with everyone. Ratchet glanced around. "Infants, hold an elevator. Boys? Could you take them with?"

The big kids nodded then herded everyone including a dog and a cow out the door. Ratchet stepped in front of it. "Just so you know, I got mugged last night."

Everyone including Ironhide's elders made a short search, then bedlam happened for a moment.

"It might be in the police reports or on The Hourly News. I hope not. Just so you know," Ratchet said as he was hugged.

Alor frowned at him. "Slagger. You're supposed to **CALL ME!"**

"Next time I'm mugged I will," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

" **THERE'S GOING TO *BE* NO NEXT TIME!"** -Ironhide

" **I *SECOND* THAT!"** -Appa Ratchet

" **WHAT THE *FRAG*!? *WHAT* NEXT TIME!?"** -everyone else

They ambled out, went down, then everyone turned to Ratchet. He stared at them, then backed up heading for the tower. He entered, then disappeared.

"He won't stay in there," Ravel said with a frown. "What a reckless boy."

Everyone grinned at Ravel then everyone went their various ways. When they were gone Ratchet peeked out and went his.

=0=The night before

Rockwell went down the hallway under arrest as his bond watched. He walked back in and closed the door again. They entered the elevator to go down to the lobby. Drift stepped off on the floor with Pico, spotting Springer reaching the door.

Springer rapped on it, listened for footsteps, then braced as the door opened. "I'm Springer from the Night Watch. Could you step out of a moment, Pico?"

"Why?" a voice inside asked as Drift reached Springer.

"Please step out," Springer repeated.

A big mech stepped out, glancing warily at both as Springer spun him, then cuffed his wrists behind him. "You're under arrest for the suspicion of assault and battery and other charges to be pending. You may be silent, have an attorney appointed and everything you say be used against you. Do you understand?"

He glared at them, then nodded slightly. Glancing at another mech standing inside looking shocked, Pico snarled, "Call our attorney" before he was led away.

They entered the elevator and the door closed. Pico glared at them but he didn't say a word. Drift and Springer stared back, their expressions of contempt and ice cold disdain sufficient for what they felt. The door opened on the tenth floor so they stepped out.

Walking to the door, Springer rapped again. Again, footfalls could be heard, then the door opened a crack. "This is the Watch. I want Carver to come out."

The door started to close before Springer put his ped in to block it. They slammed it against it before Springer pushed it back to step into the room.

It was a beautiful apartment occupied by three mechs, two in a bond and Carver. Springer stepped in and turned to the three. "Which one of you is Carver?"

No one spoke, so Springer unsubbed multiple cuffs. "Very well. Preventing an officer from doing his duty … I'll arrest all three of you."

Two glanced at each other sharply, so Springer turned to one who was staring at him with rage. "Carver, you're under arrest. Don't make it worse."

Carver didn't so Springer cuffed him. "Let's go," he said as he gripped Carver's arm. They walked out and with Pico and Drift headed for the elevator.

It was a short silent ride downward to the waiting police van. They were stuffed inside then everyone mounted up to ride to the Jailhouse. This was one booking everyone wanted to see.

=0=At a department store in the 'fun' section

Ratchet looked at all the noise makers and fun time stuff that was always a part of what Cybertronians did when they wanted to go big. Iaconians had a habit of dressing outlandishly at games and being spectacles. Praxians were tight buttoned but liked to punch each other. All team fans everywhere did that but Praxians were the worst.

Given that Ratchet was an Iaconian home boy, he wanted to represent to the nth degree. So he went through all the aisles of fun stuff picking out the odd thing as he tried to create a spectacle that would curl Prowl's toes. It was hilarious to him that Prowl had to root for Iacon. A Praxian would rather poke their optics out than do that.

How the mighty had fallen.

He chuckled, then walked to the door to go down the street to destiny: a piece of cherry chocolate cake and a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the Chocoholic, a new diner bakery in Kalis.

=0=Last night

The police van arrived and parked by the door as a mob of mounted patrol officers arrived and hitched their horses at the rack across the street in the big parking lot. Walking to the van, they watched as the drivers and guards opened the door, then one leaned in. "Come out one at a time."

Rockwell rose and walked down the steps to stand on the sidewalk nearby. Pico and Carver came next. Gathering together, Springer took them forward as they walked toward the door and the jail inside.

Entering the room, it was quiet all around them. There were no inmates in the temporary cells and the crew on duty was playing cards in the lounge. They looked up and waved.

Springer waved back, then halted the three before Mojo.

Mojo glanced up from his book, then sat back. "More? You keep bringing me more? And high end, too. Springer, I'm touched."

Amusement met that by everyone but the three as Springer stepped forward. "We have three for you, Mojo. Assault and battery as well as charges to be made later during arraignment."

"Okay," he said pulling up a screen. He fixed his gaze on Pico. "Name, address, occupation, etc."

Pico stared at him then began. "Pico of Capital City."

Mojo nodded and added it. "Address."

"Apartment 123, Floor 4, Tower 42, 8th and G Street, Iacon, District 111."

Mojo added it. "Occupation."

"Engineer. I work for Claris and Sons."

"Next of kin, contact?"

"My bond, Stylus."

Mojo entered it, then fixed his gaze on Carver. "Who the frag are you?"

Carver flashed a heated expression, then calmed again. "Carver of Polyhex."

"Continue."

"Apartment 18, Floor 10, Tower 42, 8th and G Street, Iacon, District 111."

"Continue."

"I am a data engineer at the Energon Administration."

"Contact?"

"My bond, Moley."

Mojo entered that, then glanced at Rockwell. It was a mutual hate at first sight between them. "Who are you, dare I ask?"

Rockwell took a moment to gain a calmer tone, then told him. "I am Rockwell of Iacon, nephew of Sentinel Prime."

Everyone stared at him silently.

Then Mojo leaned in closer. "You do know that Sentinel was recalled by the Pantheon and it means fuck all here to be related to him?"

Springer quashed his burgeoning admiration for human swearing and his delight that every level of his departmental operation was infected by that virus. He watched Rockwell who he remembered from an epic fight. He and his man mountain deans, the cousins.

Rockwell for his part didn't say anything back. His expression was taking care of that.

"Give me the rest, slagger. I haven't got all night," Mojo said.

"Apartment 92, Floor 8, Tower 42, 8th and G Street, Iacon, District 111."

"Ah, a pocket of crime in Tower 42, Springer. You might want to tell the geo-analysts so we can go in there and lay servos on community enforcement before we have to condemn the whole area," Mojo said with a slight grin.

Springer chuckled. "Okay," he said to the delight and sneering of his mechs.

"Contact?"

"My bond, Periodic."

"All the same charges or are they versatile?" Mojo asked. "They look versatile. Don't they?"

Everyone looked at the three, then Mojo. "Okay," Roadie said.

Everyone snickered as the three broiled their anger and frustration in silence.

Springer glanced at the lounge. "Where are the porters? What kind of hotel are you running here, Mojo?"

"Four star. Michelin is thinking of giving us a fifth," Mojo bantered.

"The tires or the guidebook?" Drift asked as they burst into laughter.

"Come on," Roadie said. "I'll check them in. I suppose your bags are going to be delivered later?"

"We'll forward them," Mojo said helpfully.

Three mechs broiling with outrage walked silently with Roadie to the door and disappeared inside. Everyone watched them go, then laughed loudly including Mojo.

Springer grinned at him. "How's business?"

"The usual. You're ahead, though. Those five kids and these three … that's a pretty good haul of high tone entitlement. How's your ada?"

"Ratchet's good. They broke his arm. Kicked good, too, but he's going to be fine. Our old dad is lit, however. They can't go out and not get into trouble. Am I the only one who notices this?" Springer asked as Roadie walked back.

"No." -everyone

Roadie returned then halted beside Springer. "I canned them. What now?"

"We go get some more," Springer said with a grin.

Roadie nodded. "Okay."

Huge laughter accompanied the mechs as they walked out to do more policing. Meanwhile, five youngling mechs and three older ones stared at each other across the corridor from their respective jail cells. Reading each other's tats had shown their mutual backgrounds and a chat had solidified their mutual grievances.

A new alliance was born this night.

=0=Ratchet

He walked into the grocery store and filled up, having it delivered that evening. He walked to the book store to stock up there and headed for home after picking up an eclectic array of lunch food here and there as the fancy struck him.

Having free time was weird.

=0=Lunchtime

Ironhide walked home loaded for bear. He'd been on Cybertron doing his duty and had a friend in Emergency Services track Ratchet on the grid. He hadn't been home all morning. Stepping off the elevator, he thundered down the hallway until he reached his door. Opening it, he walked in ready to slag stuff to the moon and back. Pausing a couple of steps in, he turned to toward his chair.

Lounging in his own, Ratchet was splayed out. He had a small teevee table beside his chair covered with all manner of junk including candy, cake, pre-made sandwiches, beer, soft drinks, chips and cookies. He smiled at Ironhide as he continued to click through the teevee channels with the remote. "Hey, handsome. Sit and help me find something to watch."

Ironhide smirked. "I am aren't I," he said as he stared at the counter piled high with 'fun food'. He walked over, heaped a plate and a teevee table with slag and drinks, then walked back to set it beside his chair. He sat back, popped the top on a beer, then took a drag. He grinned. "You didn't stay home at all this morning."

"You try it. I've been in harness too long to just sit," Ratchet said. "Have a piece of the cake. Its called Black Forest. It has cherries."

"My favorite," Ironhide said as he put a piece on his own teevee table from Ratchet's.

"What's up out there? I heard that Springer arrested the culprits," Ratchet said.

"He did. It was Rockwell and two other slaggers from that group, someone called Carver and Pico. They're in the slammer," Ironhide said.

"I suppose they get arraigned this afternoon," Ratchet said. "If they do, I want to be there."

"You're not going anywhere. I'm going. I want to hear what they do," Ironhide said.

"Fragger. Hog the lime light even if it isn't yours," Ratchet said with a grin.

"Slagging right. **I AM IRONHIDE! I HOG THE LIGHT, LIME OR OTHERWISE!"** he said with a grin and a big drag of beer.

Ratchet laughed. "Never change."

"I won't. You eating those Oreos?" he asked.

=0=TBC 5-9-19


	657. Chapter 657

The Diego Diaries: Stuff and More Stuff (dd6 657)

=0=A few joors later

The door opened, infants bounded in, then chat was had. Standing in an array before their genitors, Orion, Praxus, Hero and Prowler smiled a dazzling array of delight.

At the snack tables.

Tie and Sun who had a break in a planning session chatted away, then left with good humor to go back to work. The door closed and all was quiet again. Cousin stretched then walked to the table to hop up to watch. The show was going to begin.

" **ADA! WHAT YOU!?"** Orion asked as he pointed a fat baby digit at the table next to him that was brimming with junk food, candy and other snacks.

"It's my stash. Why are your things on the floor?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

They all jolted but Prowler who grinned. Then they began to gather their things, hang book bags on the wall pegs by the door, then run back to kibitz again.

" **ADA, WHAT YOU!? WHAT YOU, ATAR?"** Orion asked again.

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who brought Halo out of his carry hold. Setting her down on the floor, she skippity-hopped to Halo who hugged her, then took her servo into her own. "I was thinking about a mission. A deep stealth spy mission for you. Do you think you can do it?"

They stared at him with surprise and gathering delight, then each other. It took a moment to conference and determine that all of them were ready, then they turned to Ratchet as one and nodded in unison.

"See that big box over there?" Ratchet asked as he pointed to the refrigerator.

They looked, then nodded in unison. Again.

"There are two brown bottles in there that are filled with magical water. You have to bring them to us without getting caught. It's going to take every bit of stealth that you have, every bit of cunning and nerve. Are you up to it?"

They stared at him with big eyed wonderment including Ironhide, that is, all of them but Prowler, then nodded.

Ratchet grinned. "You have to use stealth like Autobot spies. If you get caught the secretary will disavow any knowledge of the mission and you. Understand?"

They nodded to him with big optics, then glanced at each other. That's when they went into 'stealth mode'.

:Nice way to get another beer without getting up yourself, slagger: Ironhide said with a smirk.

:Why ever did we have kids if not to do beer runs?: Ratchet asked with a big batting of his optical ridges.

Orion meanwhile walked to the coffee table, then leaned an arm on it. He crossed his peds like any bystander, then glanced around like he was waiting for a cab. He smiled at Ironhide and Ratchet when his gaze met their own, then lounged against the table. The only thing missing was whistling.

Hero and Halo huddled a moment as Hero 'whispered' their plans. Then she took Halo's hand and led her around the dining and living room explaining what everything was like two tourists in the Louvre. By doing so, they were getting ever closer to the refrigerator.

Praxus stared at the fridge, then everyone else. He walked to the ovens next to it, then put his servos against the glass. He stared inside like there was something there as he devised his method to get to the fridge without getting caught. He glanced at the fridge, then the oven, then decided to join Hero's tour. He did, nodding and grinning at both who did the same back. Onward on the tour of the kitchen they went.

Prowler stood where he was when he came in clutching the foot of his little dollie firmly in his servos. He glanced at the others over his shoulder, then his genitors, then his siblings as he watched them do things. He smiled at Ratchet and Ironhide, then turned around and walked directly to the fridge. He stood on his tip-toes trying to open it.

Orion seeing him do that jolted then walked 'nonchalantly' and 'suavely' as a debonair spy would to the fridge. He leaned into Prowler then 'whispered'. "No, Po-Po. Not doing. You comed to me, Orion? I showeded you."

Prowler stared at him, then smiled. He took Orion's servo, walked to the coffee table, then watched as Orion leaned against it crossing his peds to look like a regular joe hanging out. Prowler stared at him, then leaned on the table. Staring at his own tiny peds, he smiled at Orion. He didn't cross them but he stepped closer to his brother.

Orion smiled. "Good Po-Po. I love Po-Po. You doin' good."

Ratchet and Ironhide alternated between a need to laugh very loud and a need for a hankie as they watched the little kids 'stealth'.

Finally Hero paused by the fridge with Halo. She smiled. "And this is the refrigerator. It keeps stuff cold. Do you want to see inside it?"

Halo smiled at her then nodded.

Hero stared at the handle way up there then looked around.

That was when Orion made his play. "Lou needed me, Orion, Ho-Ho?" he asked as he sauntered up to be the hero for Hero.

"I can't get the door open," Hero said. "Halo wants to see inside."

:Not a bad strategy: Ironhide said with a chuckle off line.

:Little femme makes me laugh. They all make me laugh: Ratchet said with a big smile as he recorded the entire thing for the next staff meeting.

"I helpeded lou, Ho-Ho … Hay-Ho." He pulled a chair over, laboriously climbed it, then reached for the handle. He pulled it open then leaned inside. He leaned back out with a brown bottle. **"Look, Ho-Ho! I founded this!"** The bottle then slid out of his hands, fell on the floor and rolled to Prowler.

Everyone watched it then Prowler as he put his baby down. He laboriously gripped the bottle to pull it toward Ironhide. He labored and labored, then watched as Ironhide picked it up. "Thank you, Prowler."

He smiled like the sun.

Orion watched, then leaned in again. He came out with a deviled egg. He smiled, then popped it into his mouth. Then he gripped another bottle, dropped it to the floor, then watched Hero and Halo chase it. He got another egg down the hatch, then closed the door. He lumbered off the chair, then with Praxus pushed it back. Walking stealthily to his genitors, they paused before them.

Halo and Hero lugged the bottle to Ratchet who took it.

"Bravo," Ratchet said. "I think this deserves a treat."

Everyone yelled as Ratchet passed out cookies. It was a contented bunch of infants munching on them as the door opened and Sunspot ran inside with Spot, Bos, Co-D and Reflector. They slid to a stop, then smiled.

" **HI!** " -all of them

Ratchet who had opened his bottle, then clicked it with Ironhide smiled. " **HI!** You're staying over. **Hallelujah!** This calls for something special. Hang up your stuff and I'll let you find my treasure box."

They stared at Ratchet with wonderment, then hustled to get things hung up. When they returned Ratchet was feeling no pain. He leaned slightly forward. "There's a box that has great treasure that no one knows about-"

"You mean your candy box, Ada?" Bos asked with great joy and anticipation. The other three nodded.

Spot even nodded.

Ratchet stared at them a moment then frowned at Ironhide.

Ironhide paused the cookie in his hand before his pie hole, then shrugged.

Ratchet smirked, then looked at the four little mechs. "In my closet resides a magical box with powers-"

The four little mechs were already running to the berth room.

Ratchet watched them go, then sat back and took a big drag off his beer. "Slagger."

"I didn't tell them. Maybe," Ironhide said with a grin. "By the way, we're going out to eat."

"You better believe it," Ratchet said as the sounds of racket down the hallway was replaced by the sounds of four little mechs lugging a metal trunk-let down the corridor toward the living room.

They came into view struggling with the heavy box. Setting it down on the floor, they looked at Ratchet with great happiness and anticipation.

Ratchet picked it up as they glanced at each other with smiles.

"This box holds treasure. Are you ready for it?" he asked the little mechs.

 **"WE ARE!"** -4 little mechs

" **WE DOIN'!"** -Orion

Ratchet laughed loudly a moment, then coded the lock. Lifting the lid, he peered inside. Then he looked at the little mechs. "You ready?"

" **YES!"** -four little mechs, five tinier bits and Ironhide

Ratchet laughed, then reached in and pulled out four giant candy bars. He held them out and the four little mechs danced as they took one.

" **THANK YOU, ADA!"** -4 little mechs who were super polite

 **"ADA! WHAT YOU? I, ORION DOIN'?"** -Orion

Ratchet guffawed, then pulled out a smaller candy bar for each of the five infants.

They danced up, got their bar, had the wrapper peeled back for each of them, then climbed up to sit on laps to eat. Orion sauntered over to the four little mechs to clamber up and eat with them.

Ironhide grinned, then peered inside the trunk. " **YOU HAVE CHERRY-A-LETS AND DIDN'T TELL ME!?"**

"The sheer tonnage of what I don't tell you would boggle your processor," Ratchet said as Ironhide leaned over to grab some.

He took them all.

"You slagger, you."

Ironhide grinned as he peeled a wrapper and took a bite. The pinkish center oozed with cherry goodness as Ironhide savored cherry, chocolate and chopped peanuts. "Nectar of the Gods."

Ratchet pulled something else out, peeled labels and all sat together munching in contentment.

Robby the Bruce, Cousin and Spot waited patiently for something to fall on the floor.

It didn't.

=0=Later

They ambled into The Pit Stop and took the big booth in the back by the windows. It looked out onto the airfield and was a great spot to chow down. It was getting dark outside as the evening fell but the airfield was busy as a bird dog. It never slowed down there.

They ordered, then relaxed.

"How was school?" Ratchet asked.

"It was fun," Sunspot said. The others nodded. "We get to go to Charon next First Friday. I have a note for you to sign."

"Do they need chaperons?" Ironhide asked.

"I don't know. I'll ask Mr. Terradive," Sunspot replied.

School chat was copacetic as all was well and when the food arrived it was a happy bunch of infants and their genitors that began to eat. All was well in their world.

=0=Jail earlier in the orn

They were called to line up for arraignment. It was later in the afternoon given that a number of cases preceded them including civil disputes. They were usually settled on Cybertron with a crow bar and brass knuckles but now they were resolved in courts. When the population understood that they were able to do so, cases proliferated, some of them dating from back in the orn.

Having a personal lawyer was a thing and many were the younglings with an itch for justice finding a lot of work in the community. The legal profession was buzzing.

Moving to the door to walk into the corridor that led to the courtroom and Magistrate Ebo, Rockwell, Pico and Carver followed the five younglings that they'd spent the night chatting up. All was well among the eight as they walked to the door to wait for call to enter.

Bored jailers waited with them, their 'subduing non-lethal' weapons in full view. Tasers, sprays and night sticks were the tools of the trade. None of those waiting wanted to see them demonstrated so it was a quiet but seething group waiting to enter.

After a moment the bailiff leaned in. "It's time," he said to the jailer.

The jailer turned to the group. "Walk in and line up on the white line on the floor before the judge. Face him and wait to speak. Act up and I'll carry you out twitching. Any questions?"

There were none.

=0=TBC 5-10-19

Notes

Cherry-a-let: a candy bar made in America that has a melty cherry center and is covered all over in a peanut-chocolate layer. Its my **FAVORITE** candy bar of all time.

Copacetic (cope-uh-set-ik) an old timey way of saying things are great.


	658. Chapter 658

The Diego Dairies: Stuff and More Stuff (dd6 658)

=0=Arraignment earlier in the orn

They walked in, all eight of them, and stood on the white line. Their attorneys, family members and the relevant policing officers were here for this, a potentially loud and uncooperative affair given the participants and their families.

Springer walked to the wall bench seating and sat down with Ironhide and Prime. Prowl was by the door talking to someone as family members of the accused walked in to sit together. There were the usual court watchers, those who liked trials, those who were studying various aspects of law and those who were nosy as well sitting here and there around the court room.

Prowl walked to the bench, then sat as Drift, Hercy, Lon, Bezel and the others waited outside to be called if they opted to fast march this or something to a conclusion.

Springer was supposed to be with them but no one said anything so he sat. "How's Ada?" he asked.

"Home being a slagger," Ironhide said. "I had him tracked at the Emergency Center and he wouldn't stay home. I told him to stay put and I'd take care of this."

"It's the arraignment for pleas and bail," Springer said. "Nothing is going to happen here unless they plead guilty."

The bailiff stood beside the eight as lawyers gathered to defend their clients. Silver who was clerk and Carbide who was magistrate chatted, then sat.

Silver stood again. "Everyone stand for the judge of record today, Magistrate Carbide of Jekka City." He glanced at everyone. "Please sit and observe the decorum."

Everyone did.

"Please begin, Silver," Carbide said. He was a tall mech who'd been a data manager on Cybertron at Galaxy Industries Headquarters in Polyhex. He was a lawyer here because he could be and he was a very good one rising to become a magistrate through his fair even handed manner and ability to find the best path forward for everyone without rancor.

"The Prime vs Rudy, Endo and Pisces of Capital City as well as Habit and Terris of Iacon," Silver said. "They're accused of disturbing the peace, assault and battery and acting against a Primal Directive."

Carbide stared at the five sullen mechs with a better paint scheme than he'd ever been able to have for himself and his family until moving here. "You have serious charges against you. Who represents you?"

"We do, your Honor," Highrode and Sherrod said as they stood. "Both of us represent all five of them."

Carbide nodded. "I'm here to take your pleas. I wish to tell you that since you haven't been here long … apparently only about three orns … you might not understand that the Prime has made a decree about The System of Exception. Anyone who violates it after being instructed that its banned here and everywhere that a Cybertronian lives from now until eternity, that you risk not only a personal honor fight with him, a phase six class mechanism but you also defy the express and stated wishes of Prima Prime and Primus Himself. Do they understand that, gentlemen?"

Sherrod nodded. "We've had a chance to talk and they understand. That's why they wish to plead guilty and take the mercy of the court. They're new, have had a long and perilous journey here and wish to have a chance to do things over. They regret their actions."

Carbide stared at Highrode and Sherrod who were good friends. They were former high castes who worked in both a private practice geared to high castes for these specific instances and in the Public Defender's Office with Blackstone and the others.

The private practice allowed them to take the slaggers that still held their own worth above others and save them from themselves. They also did legal work for the self same individuals who wanted that status and kept them out of trouble doing so. It was scut work and they were both admired for it among the local legal profession. Someone had to do it and they were bound and determined to soft land hard heads into the new paradigm.

Partition, anyone?

"I wish to hear it from all of you. Tell me what you've learned that you wish mercy from this court," Carbide said quietly. His tone was firm and the five felt it.

Rudy glanced at the others, then Carbide. "We made a mistake. It won't happen again." The others nodded. "We've only been here three orns. We want to start over."

Carbide looked at the others who nodded. "Any other comment?"

The youngsters glanced at each other, then the judge. "No, sir. Rudy speaks for us."

Carbide read through the case file on the data pad in his servo, then glanced at Springer. "Commander, please relate the situation for me."

Springer stood, then nodded to Sherrod and Highrode. "We got a call about a fight in a bar in the Sports Center District in Retriades. They were outside and we interviewed everyone separately, the victims, bouncers and the accused. Two of the groups told the same story. This group didn't. We arrested them and brought them in. They weren't very cooperative and ..." He grinned slightly. "I asked Rudy there how long he was here and he said 'three orns'. He also said the colony was just 'okay'."

Carbide stared at Rudy who stared back stiff necked with tension. "I see," he replied. "You plead guilty then?"

"They do, your Honor. We'd like them to have probation for this, a first offense with special circumstances. The camps were tough and they're feeling it during this assimilation process," Sherrod said.

Carbide nodded. "Then I accept your pleas. You give them freely?" he asked the youngsters who nodded.

Behind them, a number of family members sat tensely, their expressions running the gamut from outrage to fear. They watched a mid caste mech decide what would happen to their high caste sons. It was a very strange situation for all of them. That included the families and bonds of the other three waiting for their turn.

Carbide stared at the five youngsters. "Your pleas are accepted. You're found guilty of assault and battery, disturbing the peace and provoking a Primal Directive regarding The System of Exception. If you hadn't agreed to a guilty plea, you would've had to fight Optimus Prime personally one by one or all of you together.

"Given that Optimus Prime is a masterful soldier, a strategist without parallel, a phase six quality mech who possesses a Primal frame and the wisdom of leading battles over millions of years, I don't hold out much hope that it would end well for you.

"You've pled but you left out several things. First and foremost, I haven't heard one word of regret from you about the feelings and personal autonomy of your victims. You spilled a drink on purpose, an action of extreme contempt, then hit one of them without provocation. It's fortunate for you that the individual, a veteran soldier and member of the Knights of Cybertron didn't teach you the error of your ways.

"You express no remorse whatsoever. You want to start over for yourself. But you show no reasonable emotions about what you did. Therefore, I must show you myself why you will never do this again.

"I pronounce you guilty as charged and sentence all of you to six decaorns in prison with six decaorns probation to follow. You're to go there immediately and serve your terms without incident. If you cannot do that more sentencing time will be added for each new offense. While you're there, consider what you did in the light of someone else who didn't deserve nor provoke what you did to them and maybe you'll grow up to be a decent person some fine orn." He glanced at the bailiff. "Mako, take them to the jail."

They stared at Carbide with disbelief as their families began to rise in their seats. Sherrod and Highrode were having conversations with them off line.

One of them called out to Carbide. "Your honor, what if they change their pleas?"

Carbide stared at him a moment. "They'd have to take their chances with the evidence and testimony of a good dozen eye witnesses. They'd likely be found guilty and at that point, because they chose to challenge the sentence and by extension the Primal Decree they would have to honor fight Optimus Prime."

It was leaden in the room as the families glanced from Prime to their attorneys, their kids and the judge. The mech sat down and it was silent again. The bailiff moved the kids out and it was down to Rockwell, Carver and Pico.

Prime watched without expression as they walked out, then Carbide glanced at Prime. "Sir, I think it would be instructive to the court if you would outline the decree that you made and had outlined by the Great Ones as well."

Prime nodded, then rose. He was beautiful, massive and utterly impressive. He stared at the families, then began.

"Shortly ago, the Functionalist Council and several others were tried for war crimes against Cybertron and her people and the recent mass murder of half a million individuals under their command. The case was judged, then the wait began. It was a special circumstances case as you would well know and required a wait for the Pantheon to decide if They would weigh in. They did ..."

... Primus towered over everyone. "I am disappointed in you, that you would hold yourself better than others. Cezr was a slave and he showed courage and a desire for freedom for all. Your actions have undercut his sacrifices. You have undercut everyone your entire lives and that of your ancestors to the detriment of Myself. It led to the inevitable, civil war. You didn't listen. I have suffered enormously. My body is broken and cast apart. **I suffer. Do you understand?" ...**

Optimus continued ...

... "You broke Me on the wheel of your indifference, greed, self worship and bigotry. You seem to believe that you are by virtue of your existence better than anyone else here. You have heard their tales. You have seen their dignity and courage. Some serve all of Us with their whole sparks. The smallest child anywhere by anyone is a part of **Me**. **You** are a part of Me. I feel **all** of your pains, triumphs and tragedies because **you** come from **ME.** I come from The One directly and it is **MY** responsibility to create you. The Matrix is the gateway to The One but it **GOES THROUGH ME!**

"There is **no** hierarchy **anywhere.** Even in the Matrix. No one is better, higher, more exalted nor more deserving of anything than any other. **None** of you are greater than **Us** , nor are **We** greater than **you**. We all come from the same source, from **The One. All** of Us are part of Him seeking experiences in the Creation that He has wrought.

"For you to assume hierarchy is to blaspheme the love and connection that keeps all of everything in balance. There is an attachment unseen from you to Us and to everything else no matter how large or small, how defenseless or powerful, how whole or broken, how close or far away nor how wise or unwise they may be that makes Us **all one**.

"It is the bond of love and commitment that The One makes to **ALL** of Us that we are never alone, that we are never disconnected from Him or His unconditional love. If you feel differently, its because **YOU** believe that you are alone. You have forgotten that and in your lazy ego-driven self love you have laid waste to **ME! TO MY VERY BODY!** " ...

"It was silent a moment, then Lord Primus made his commandments clear," Optimus said as he continued.

... "You have no authority by right of birth over anyone else. You follow that practice at your peril. You have a **duty** to others of your thinking to disabuse them of it. Your happiness lies in the unity of all of Us, not in the unctuous luxury and smug elitism of the few. You **will** take care of this. I am the one who holds My brother at bay, He who would kill **ALL** of you without a thought. I do so through the **WILLING** sacrifice of My own life and desires. **YOU WILL LEARN THIS HIGHER LEVEL IDEAL AND LIVE IT.** **IT IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT! REMEMBER IT AND PRACTICE IT!'**

Optimus left out the part about using himself as a template of someone who lived with honor and decency.

The room was silent.

Carbide stared at Optimus a moment, then nodded his helm in respect. "Thank you, sir."

Prime sat down again. Ironhide and Springer sat next to Prowl who looked lit and smug at the same time. It was obvious to them that he remembered what Prime was unwilling to tell everyone here. 'Use Prime as a template' and he was 'The One Who Comes'.

Carbide looked at everyone in the room. "You **will** deal with the new paradigm and get assistance from Processor Health if you must, all of you. Vinn of Tyger Pax is a very skilled counselor for high caste individuals who still feel they're more special than everyone else because of the birth lottery. Right now, are you ready for pleadings for the next case?" he asked Sherrod and Highrode.

The two nodded with bleak expressions. "We are, your Honor."

"Silver, call the next case," Carbide said as he sat back to listen.

It was silent as a tomb in the room as Silver stood to do so. "The Prime versus Rockwell of Iacon, Carver of Capital City and Pico of Praxus."

=0=TBC 5-11-19 **edited 5-18-19**

NOTE: Jekka City is a location on Cybertron that boasts the oldest gladiatorial arena on the planet.

ESL: rancor (rang-cor) ill feeling, bad feelings, anger


	659. Chapter 659

The Diego Diaries: Stuff and More Stuff (dd6 659)

=0=Courtroom at the Court House, Autobot City

It was silent as a tomb in the room as Silver stood to do so. "The Prime versus Rockwell of Iacon, Carver of Capital City and Pico of Praxus."

Carbide studied his data pad a moment, then looked at Sherrod and Highrode. "Gentlemen, please proceed. I need to know their pleas."

Highrode stood. He looked strained and so did Sherrod who sat pensively watching the show. "Your honor, our clients wish to plead guilty with caveats. They were impaired by drink and thus, they were less capable of making a good judgment otherwise. They understand the seriousness of what they did and therefore they aren't going to dispute the facts of the case."

Carbide nodded. "Rockwell, Pico and Carver … you pled guilty. Tell me about it."

Rockwell glanced at the others. "I won't lie, your honor. I was drunk and I have a grudge against Ratchet and his family. I didn't think and I did a very bad thing. I'm sorry for it and even though I have no love for Ratchet, I'm ashamed of participating in something so cowardly."

Carbide glanced at the other two.

Pico nodded. "We agree, your honor. We went out to eat and have a drink. We drank too much and allowed ourselves to do something that we wouldn't have done otherwise. I'm sorry I did. I have no criminal record and this makes me ashamed."

"I agree, your honor," Carver said.

The two were younger than Rockwell and looked like they felt the burn deeper than him.

Carbide considered the pleas. "You'd be admitting guilt and bearing responsibility for what the evidence suggests is a very cowardly and despicable act."

The three felt the jibe but nodded.

"We do, sir," Pico said with a drawn expression. The sentences of the other five were apparently striking home.

The audience was filled with tension behind them, their own expressions reflecting their turmoil and it was bleeding over to at least two of the three.

It didn't look like such a good idea in the daylight.

Carbide glanced at Springer. "Commander, please tell me what the evidence shows about this action. I'm aware that the victim is your ada so please, just the cold hard facts." He glanced at Highrode and Sherrod. "I'm having a disclosure of the evidence since they pled guilty. I want the court to hear it and put it on the record. I also believe that everyone here who has a vested interest in these three need to hear it. Do you object?"

Neither did.

"Commander?" Carbide asked.

Springer stood, then glanced around the room. "Commander Ironhide and Commander Ratchet were having dinner and a night out with Optimus Prime and Commander Prowl. They were at the same restaurant where the four had dinner and when Prime's group left there, these three followed them to The King Pin, the bowling alley where they all bowled in different parts of the building. I'm unaware if Ratchet's party knew they were there.

"They then went to a dance club in the Sports District in Retriades where they danced and had drinks. They left after a while to go to the train station for Tyger Pax when Ratchet was separated from the group. He was inebriated and missed the leaving the train with the other three. When they got off Ratchet was left behind.

"It was then that the three grabbed Ratchet, went to the Basilica nearby and once around the side away from the highway, they beat and kicked him senseless. It was only later that he was found and brought to the Medical Center Annex in Tyger Pax. The entire thing was caught on security cameras but for the actual beating which was accomplished in a blind spot. I've put in to Public Works for that to be rectified," Springer said grimly. Then he sat.

"You were following them for some time, to at least two destinations where they were heading indicating that you were aware of your actions to whatever debatable level you wish to make it. You waited until Commander Ratchet was vulnerable, then you took him away and beat him into unconsciousness. He had a broken arm from the encounter. I'm going to ask you if you still plead guilty," Carbide asked as he glanced at the two lawyers.

Sherrod and Highrode both leaned in and had an off line conversation with the three, then glanced at Carbide. "They do. They wish to underscore their regret. I know that might not seem like much but they have it," Sherrod said.

Carbide nodded then considered the situation. "I accept your pleas. You three, Pico, Rockwell and Carver are guilty of assault and battery, conspiracy to willfully harm another and provocation of a Primal Directive. I find you guilty. I have to craft a sentence that's sufficient for the damage you caused and to take all considerations into account by your testimony as well."

Behind them, Periodic and a large group of family and friends, many of them from the 45 members of their refugee group that did time at the quarry for their actions in the migration sat with concern, fear and loathing on their faces. It was incredibly tense in the room as Springer and Drift stood, then walked quietly to the door in the back to lean against the wall. Anything could happen from the signs the families were giving off in their energetic auras.

Just in case was a good idea.

"You caused gross bodily harm and you did it together. You could have killed Commander Ratchet and left orphans behind. You hurt him when he was deeply vulnerable and left him to be found, or not by whoever might have had reason to go to that side of the building, a place not often frequented. You pushed the Prime's directive to the point where an honor fight is nearly possible because make no mistake … this is about System entitlement and your unwillingness to accept that its over. Even the words of Primus don't seem to have moved you very far.

"Pico, I sentence you to 10 decaorns in the prison. You will also serve 10 decaorns on probation when you get out. Carver, I sentence you to the same. You have no record so far and you seem to have some modicum of shame or perhaps a dawning sense of realization that this was stupid and cowardly.

"Rockwell, you **have** a record. You were put into the prison already for entitlement issues in the migration that brought you here. You've already gone onto the record by your actions then and prison didn't seem to help you change your ways. Therefore, I'm going to sentence you to 15 decaorns in the prison and 15 decaorns probation when you serve it. Any actions in the prison that are against the rules will extend your sentence. I'm also remanding you three into counseling for your anger and entitlement issues. You made this happen by your own decisions. Now you must discharge your debt to your victim and to the peace of the nation." Carbide glanced at the bailiff. "Take them away please."

Periodic stood, his expression one of astonishment. **"That's … that's 150 orns!"**

"It is," Carbide said. "A mild sentence in view of what he did. This is his second offense. He knew what he was doing and he did it. Now he has to pay his debt in the prison's general population. Take them."

The bailiff gripped Carver's arm and got them moving as security watched the astonished group in the audience as the three walked out.

It was silent a moment, then Periodic turned to the others. No one said a thing for a moment, then an elder turned to Carbide. "May I speak?" he asked.

"You may but I caution you on your conduct here. This is a court of law and I won't allow its dignity to be trifled with," Carbide said.

The elder nodded. "I would like to say that the three were impaired and their judgment lacking. Is there any other way to repay the debt without prison? The three have work and families. Surely there's another way?"

Carbide considered the elder who looked slightly familiar as so many of the upper crust did given their access to media and a very public highlife in the past. "You ask for mercy when they had none for their victim. What they did was majestic in the level of cowardice they showed Commander Ratchet. Its a miracle that we're not holding an arraignment for murder."

The group absorbed that comment, feeling it clearly but they stared at Carbide with expectation anyway.

Carbide glanced at Prime. :I'm open to anything that advances the peace, Lord Optimus. I stand by my sentences but if you have wisdom I'd welcome it. Something tells me that this group won't be mollified easily and might act on it:

Prime nodded to him then glanced at Ironhide. :I hope and imagine you have some kind of Praxian custom that you can find to deal with an alternative sentence that will not allow them to escalate this situation. We need to nip this in the bud for all of them before they make it worse:

Ironhide looked at Prime then grinned slightly. :Do you doubt me?:

Prime managed a ghost of a grin then glanced at Carbide. "I would like Commander Ironhide to address this situation with perhaps an alternative solution."

Ironhide who called in a few reinforcements rose to stand. As he did the three were brought back in by the bailiff at Carbide's call. The group watching was wary but there was an air of hopefulness about them as they saw their puzzled miscreants walk back into the room to stand on the white line. As they gathered, the door to the corridor opened as the sound of a bridge winding down in the hallway outside followed several big mechs who walked in. They were Hard Drive, Steiner, Sun, 'Jack, Raptor and Delphi who had bridged in together from Cybertron. They spotted Ironhide, then halted together.

"You called?" Sun asked with a grin.

Ironhide nodded. "I've been asked to give an alternative to the sentence that Judge Carbide just gave these three slaggers who beat Ratchet up the other night."

The group glanced at the three standing in the front of the room and the temperature dropped like a rock. Everyone of them glanced at each other as the three stared at Carbide.

Hard Drive stepped closer. "You were given a sentence from the judge for your actions. Correct?" he asked.

The elder who started this nodded. "I've asked for an alternative to prison."

"They deserve prison," Hard Drive said. "Beating up a person who can't fight back is cowardly. Maybe a period of time in the company of **really** dangerous mechs is warranted."

"They've requested an alternative. I'm not against it. I don't expect that the gathered family members will accept with good grace and the necessary shame the punishment I gave to these mechs without make a continuing issue of it," Carbide said nodding to the three who looked wary and concerned.

Sherrod and Highrode were conversing off line with Prime and Delphi so they sat where they were to wait what might come to pass. No one wanted this to carry on past this hearing but no one in the room was fooled that it might not.

Hardie nodded then glanced at his brothers, Steiner and Delphi. They chatted a moment off line, then Hardie stepped closer. "Appa, do you surrender your concerns and conduct to me as arbitrator of this matter? Do you give your oath of honor to abide by my decision?"

The elder glanced around, then nodded. There was a murmur but given he was senior here among them they had to abide by his oath. "I do."

Hardie nodded. "Very well. I would like to submit a plan, your honor, to take these three on as a project."

A gasp from the crowd was quashed by a glance from the elder.

Carbide who was watching nodded. "Please outline the plan, General."

"It's a part of our cultural practice as Praxians that when a disturbance in the body is created by the behavior of individuals who don't seem willing or able to change and grow that we take them on as a project. They report to us every orn, do what we tell them to do and do it with good grace and dispatch. I'm posing as a committee that my two brothers, Ironhide and Blackjack the Elder, my son, Raptor, my bond, Delphi and my grandson, Blackjack the Younger hold the writ of the project until it reaches completion to our unanimous agreement."

"And how long will that take?" the elder asked gravely.

"As long as it takes, Appa," Hardie said. "It might take a short time or a long one. It depends upon the project. I, Hard Drive, senior Praxian Elite in the colony and perhaps anywhere else do hereby claim and collect to my discretion and that of the committee these three mechs. So say I."

It was silent as a tomb for a moment, then Carbide who was working to conceal his amusement nodded. He looked at the three. "I'm adding a caveat. If you fail to do your part in this procedure you fall forfeit to me and you will serve the entire sentence that I've ordered, all 15 decaorns in the prison and 15 for probation. I will put that into abeyance and await the findings of the committee as to the disposition of this case. You fail them and what they're going to do at your own peril." He glanced at Hardie. "Your writ will be expected then."

Hardie nodded. "I will send it to you today."

Carbide glanced at the elder. "Appa, you've pledged your personal honor to this agreement. Make sure that the group you belong to understands the personal insult and consequences to you if this continues beyond this moment."

The elder nodded, then bowed slightly. "I will, your honor."

Carbide glanced at Sherrod and Highrode. "Gentlemen? Anything more?"

They glanced at each other then shrugged. "They're contracted by the power of their elder. We have no discretion here."

"Very well," Carbide said. "I turn them over to you, General. You will fill them in on the special restrictions on them as per this arrangement?" Carbide was Praxian as well.

Hardie grinned, then nodded. "We will." He looked at the three. "You three. You will come with me now and you will do everything that I tell you. Do you understand?"

The three stared at Hard Drive then their family and friends who looked shocked but were silent. They nodded, then slowly walked down the aisle to the big mechs.

Hardie nodded to everyone, then walked out the door. The three followed him as directed by Sun, then the rest followed Sun.

A bridge sounded, then Periodic ran for the door. By the time he reached the hallway, everyone was already gone. To where, he didn't know.

=0=TBC 5-12-19 **edited 5-18-19**


	660. Chapter 660

The Diego Diaries: Project and **PLAY BALL!** (dd6 660)

Note: I broke my glasses last night and had to glue them - **HA!** -and it took this long for the glue to dry. Lordy, I hate glasses. **LOL! ON WITH THE SHOW!**

=0=On a hillside on Cybertron

They stood in a row, half a dozen powerful mechanisms that looked just like each other for the most part. Behind them were three mechanisms that didn't. The view beyond them beggared the imagination. A camp which was orderly and organized stretched out to the horizon and beyond, a dimly glowing prospect of 20,000,000 individuals living in the best housing and circumstances they'd encountered since The Fall.

Carver, Rockwell and Pico had nothing to say. This was so beyond the beyond they were speechless. The mechs who made it happen were discussing the building of two more just like it near major urban centers, thus consolidating a number of smaller ones that were now in the way of rebuilding and thus had to be dismantled and moved to other consolidation points.

It was progress of a kind.

The big mechs knew the three were there but they ignored them, giving them a small taste of what it meant to mean nothing to someone else. The three who were bound to this moment by the honor of their appa couldn't do a damned thing about it. They could by their actions and words make it a lot worse, however, and this they were smart enough to understand.

Ironhide glanced at the three, then sweep his arm wide to encompass the camp. "Behold, the fruits of your labors."

They didn't say a word.

"We're going to the north," Hard Drive said as he turned to the three. "We're going to be doing a number of things, some of it grunt work. We expect you to do your part. If you don't then my boys will be very unhappy. I'm too busy to be unhappy myself so they're delegated to do it for me."

Sun grinned. "I get the big one," he said of Rockwell. "He looks like a smart aft."

"I'll take the skinny one," Jack said of Pico.

"This one," Steiner said pointing to a pensive slightly fearful Carver, "is mine."

"I approve," Hardie said with a slight grin. He glanced at his son, grandson and great grandson, Raptor, Blackjack and Ironhide. "You snooze, you lose."

Everyone laughed but the three as the big mechs walked toward a shuttle. Security, kibitzers along for the day and aides who were lounging around began to enter. The rest of them did as well. The last ones to board were the three. They glanced around for a seat but every one was filled.

"Sit on the floor," Ironhide said. "Safety first."

The three sat awkwardly, then it was silent a moment. A big gnarly bot, Quell, who was a former Decepticon marauder glanced at Hardie. "Who are these slackers? They look allergic to dirt."

Rough laughter greeted that along with agreement as the crew stared at the three.

The three sat still as statues unwilling to make an issue of themselves. They were smarter than that. It was surprising and good intel at the same time as Hardie watched from the corner of his optic.

"That's Rockwell, that one is Pico and the last is Carver. They beat the slag out of Ratchet when he was shit faced," Sun said with a big grin. "Broke his arm. Among other things."

The temperature dropped immediately as they stared at the three. They were a study in stillness.

Quell leaned forward. "I had no truck with Ratchet in the past but I also saw him help Decepticons on the battlefield when he didn't have to. That wasn't nice what you did."

Grins and nods bloomed.

Another mech leaned slightly forward to look down the cabin at the three. "He's taking care of my appa. He had protoform wasting to the point he can't walk. Ratchet's using some techniques on him that have made it possible for him to sit up and be 's going to be okay if Ratchet keeps doing what he's doing now. You jeopardized that. What kind of fraggers **are** you?" he asked.

"From the looks of it they're a project, right, General?" another asked Hardie who nodded.

"That's right," Hardie said to general laughter.

Sandstorm who was staring at them with cold optics shook his helm. "You high tones have too many rules. Tell me again how this makes you better than me?" he asked.

None of the three answered. It would be barely tolerable, the ride to the north pole.

=0=At home

Ratchet finished folding his ensemble for the game that night, packing it into his carry hold. He grinned. Prowl would never understand the mentality of the working classes.

The Gothic wonder bunny.

Walking out of the berth room to the living room, he began to deep clean. He picked up a toy and put it into the corner box. Looking around, he marveled once again how living a military life had its dividends. The only things missing were glinting lights to show how sparkling everything was.

He walked to the console and found out where everyone was on Cybertron through their transponders. Being a doctor had its benefits. Then he walked to the door to head out and get lunch for everyone. It would take a little wagon to feed that many mechs but it would be worth it.

Ambling down the street towing his little wagon, he reached the Take Out Place, ground zero in the metro down town part of Autobot City for all the bachelors, lazy afts and the culinary impaired who lived there. He stood in line with a grin, marveling that he didn't know anyone in the room, then gave his order.

1\. Fifteen Cybertronian 'calzones' stuffed with 'the good stuff, Ratchet' (IH)

2\. Fifteen different desserts that could each feed three mechs apiece because he 'knew his boyz'

3\. Fifteen different boxes of candy, 'the kind I/we like' (everyone)

4\. A salad. Because.

5\. Fifteen bottles of Praxus Black Label and a cream soda. Because.

6\. Fifteen sandwiches of various kinds

7\. Three dozen cookies of all manner including whoopee pies just because they were ' **THAT AWESOME, RATCHET**!' (IH)

The boxes were stuffed, then stacked on the little wagon that Ratchet was pulling, one that the little kids like to ride in and they liked to use when the fam was in a hurry.

That one.

Thanking everyone, Ratchet walked/rolled out as he headed toward The Fortress and a meet up on Cybertron with the family. They were going to rendezvous with him at the Crossroads, a place where all the main highways and train lines crisscrossed on world. He disappeared into the nearly noon time crowds.

=0=Ironhide and Company

They were gathering to leave when Ironhide got the word. He glanced at Hardie. "Ratchet is bringing lunch. We have to go to the Crossroads. He's going to be there."

Hardie nodded, then changed the order of flight. Even though it was actually early morning in the hemisphere where they were, Martian bots kept to the time schedule on Mars to keep their systems synced. Those who lived here temporarily for whatever reason or worked, then came home to Mars did the same. It was easier.

They lifted off with the three sitting on the floor once more. It had been a grim thing visiting the different places of destruction and death. They'd visited bombing sites where the bodies were still strewn. They'd also had to help gather them with the others. It'd been gut wrenching but they didn't complain.

They couldn't.

It was a silent group that flew south several thousand miles before they approached the vast industrial district of Crossroads. Syncing into Ratchet's transponder, they flew in to land gently nearby. Lights from the ship searched for him in the hit and miss light of the vast area.

Nearby the mournful sound of trains could be heard as they passed through or stopped at this, the biggest cargo transition point on world. Ships were everywhere and many were landing like they were or taking off to go who knew where. A big center here ran everything on world linked to transportation and distribution so this was highly guarded against slaggers.

The ramp fell and the crew began to deplane, walking down to the tarmac where Ratchet stood with his little red wagon. Slag was traded amongst the slaggers, then the three came down, slowed when they saw him, then walked stiffly to stand by themselves just outside of the group.

"What did you bring, Ratchet?" Twin Twist asked as he smirked at Ratchet, someone who knew his insides better than he did.

"All the good stuff. I brought enough so you can stuff yourselves. I didn't know if you're coming back or when you'd get another chance. Sub what you can't eat or drink. Okay?" Ratchet said as he began to unpack the boxes.

They agreed happily, then the big mechs took the several each and a beer. It was a short walk to a stack of cargo marked for Helex for them to park and nosh. Sitting, they watched the show as they began to open their boxes to eat. Aides, guards, mechs along for the ride, the family and the three were sharing the bounty here as Ratchet passed it out.

When he got to Pico, Carver and Rockwell, he stared at them evenly. "Come and get it, slaggers. You might not eat again for some time," he said as he held out the three boxes, one can and a beer toward Pico.

He walked up and took it silently. "Thanks," he said, then glanced around for a box to sit in.

Twin pushed a box off a stack. "Have a seat," he said as Pico walked over to sit.

Ratchet handed the same to Carver who joined Pico. Then he handed the same to Rockwell before taking his own. Staring around, he saw another box. "There's one. Join me." Ratchet walked to it to sit, then opened his boxes.

Rockwell stared at him, then awkwardly walked over to sit on the edge of the box. It was silent a moment as they ate and sipped beer.

"This is my kind of meal, Ratchet," Sandstorm said. "You read my processor."

"I have kids. I know what to get," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

Huge laughter and rude remarks greeted that as they dug in.

"What you gonna wear tonight at the game, Ratchet?" Solitaire asked. He was an aide to Hardie and a great youngling mech with a big family who supported him and his many brothers and sisters like they were golden.

"Its going to be epic," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Huge laughter and raucous suggestions.

"Prowl doesn't get it about Iaconians and sports," Sun said. "It's almost better than the game to watch him come apart at the seams."

"Slagger is going to learn," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I have plans for the whole season. By the way, we're going to win the championship. Tell me where I'm wrong."

No one could.

The three who were silently eating offered no opinion themselves.

=0=Prowl

He got the messages from Ratchet about the three. They were caught in a web they couldn't retrieve themselves from. Their appa, a revered member of their circle had staked his prestige on them to get them out of prison. Prowl was aware that Carbide was planning to put them into the prison itself, perhaps even in a barracks pen with Decepticons. There was no reason they should have other placements given their crime.

Their appa had been afraid for them and had put up his personal vow and character as down payment for them getting some other, better chance. Prowl knew enough about the way his caste worked to know it would take a **HUGE** pair of bearings to transgress upon that. The community they lived in would tear them apart if they made their appa, a mech they all loved look bad.

Right now, the whole bunch was going about Cybertron with the only mechs who could probably save them from themselves. He as a Praxian knew the power of The Code and the tenacity of the Elites who lived by it. Hardie would not give up no matter what.

Prowl grinned. He wondered if the three understood the depth and length of the power Hardie held over them. There was nothing he couldn't order that they had the power to decline.

Nothing.

It was going to be interesting, Prowl thought. Almost as interesting as the costume that he was sure Ratchet had prepared for the game that night. He suppressed a chuckle. He dared not encourage the lunatic. Then again, it was the greatest fun he had to watch Ratchet cavort. Some part of him was mightily jealous over his freedom of spirit, then the prim part of him hit that part with a hammer.

Prowl snickered, then glanced around to check. No one noticed. Good, he thought. I'll save my spontaneity for the game. That and his good right cross.

The afternoon would pass by sweetly for Prowl of Praxus and Ratchet of Iacon. The same couldn't be said for Pico, Carver and Rockwell.

Or their families.

=0=TB 5-14-19 **5-18-19**


	661. Chapter 661

The Diego Diaries: Stuff and Games (dd6 661)

=0=The Fortress at mid afternoon, Autobot City

They walked through the bridge, several huge mechanisms and some slighter. It was early mid afternoon and they were heading for the barn, or better yet, their hangar in the Industrial Park Cities to get in a little bit of practice before the game that evening with Tarn and their powerhouse forward line. Walking to the steps that led upward, the group turned left, not right and headed for the brig. The three miscreants followed unaware of where they were headed until it was obvious by which time they were slowing and showing alarm.

Reaching the doors to the facility with their protective sensors, guard at the entrance monitoring station and all of the signage about the place and what you could/couldn't do, it was three very grim faced mechs who paused just before the big heavy steel doors.

"What's this?" Rockwell asked as the other two glanced sharply between each other and the big mechs who turned to face them.

"This is the first jail and the military lock up here on world. This is where families sometimes are held until their situation regarding criminality or other untoward offenses is sorted out. You're going to be living here as long as we have the writ for your behavior," Hardie said calmly, then he turned to the guard. "We're dropping off overnighters. They're going to be here for some time. When they aren't with us, they're here."

The guard nodded, then cut the beam that would allow everyone to enter.

Hardie looked at the three. "After you."

Rockwell stepped closer, his servos balled into fists. "This wasn't in the agreement. Why can't we live at home?"

"This **was** in the agreement because you and your guarantor, your appa said that we had discretion. Full discretion. The judge approved it. You agreed to it. You nearly killed someone in a fight when they were incapacitated. What makes you think you can live free after that?

"Its either here or the prison. There will be no plans to keep you out of general population there with the Decepticons and criminals. If you disagree, I'll send you to the prison for 150 orns of detention with them. Of course, that will put your appa in a very bad way and shame him before the congregation. Your call," Hardie said with a soft voice.

They stared at each other, the two sides, as the younger mechs did the math. They were deeply frustrated but it was a mark in their favor for Hard Drive that they were caving to preserve their appa.

Maybe they weren't totally without conscience.

Hardie stepped in and the mechs slowly followed, walking down a corridor with cells and numbers. Cell Block A through D was passed, then another detention check point was met. They walked down the new addition to a place where there was more room and comforts in the cells.

Entering 'Cell Block E-G: Family Detention and Special Circumstances Holds, Hardie paused in front of one that was a long rectangle shape, held a table and chairs, four single mech berths along the far wall, two couches and a big chair that faced a large monitor. It was comfortable and roomy. He turned to the three. "This is your new home. Tonight is your first night here so you may not have visitors. You're going to be allowed one joor an orn for now to speak to your family by video format and only in the evening. You will earn visitations just like anyone else.

"Your meals will be provided and there are facilities down the hallway if you have need. This is where you'll live until you serve your sentence and/or change your ways. Given that Primus has weighed in with His own demands, I can't see what your point is. Enter," Hardie said.

They stared at him, then stepped into the cell whereupon the guard with them drew up the bars. They glimmered in the view of the Cybertronians, something that humans wouldn't see and encased them inside. The three turned to Hardie without comment.

"There are snacks at 1000 and 2000 joors and breakfast is in the morning at 0600. We will be here when we come for you. Some of us might take only the mech that we chose or we can take you all. Until then, welcome home," he said, then nodded to the jailer. "Thank you, infant."

"You're welcome, General," the guard said as he followed the group out.

When they were all gone, the three glanced at each other. Pico walked to the chair to sit, resting in the comfort of its cushions wearily. "This is the worst."

No one had a word to say to that.

=0=Outside and upwardly

They walked out with a grin, heading for the barn before going out to the Cities for a round or two of play and strategizing. Dinner would be had early on a game day as the families got ready to go to Retriades for the next win.

At least, that was the plan. Tarn had a fast offense and it would be up to the slaggers to mute their rampaging.

It would be Prime's call.

Dividing up, they headed off to their homes for refreshment, to check in and to collect themselves for this, a very important game in the inexorable drive toward victory in this, the first championship of the Cybertronian-Martian Adult Professional Basketball League.

They were a happy group that meandered on.

=0=Moments later

" **HONEY! I'M HOME!"**

Ratchet glanced up from the book he was reading on this, the last orn he had to be off work, then grinned. "You look handsome. Slagging high castes seems to agree with you."

" **IT DOES! I AM IRONHIDE! I BAG AND SLAG, THEN BRAG! I'M GOOD AT IT,"** Ironhide said as he sat down in his chair. "How ya doing?"

"Fine as frog's hair. When you going to practice?" Ratchet asked.

"After I eat. **GET SOME GRUB ON! I, IRONHIDE REQUIRE EATS!** "

Ratchet snickered, then rose. "Slagger. You can cook and I can't. I can wash, yet you do the washing. What's wrong with this picture?"

"Nothing," Ironhide said as he watched Ratchet's aft as he bent over to reach into the lower levels of the refrigerator. "Where's the kids? Isn't school out?"

Ratchet glanced at him. "Game night somehow means date night somehow. They were claimed in a haze of grabby hands. It was like being battered by locusts. I do declare, Ironhide, I'm going to have the vapors one of these fine orns," he said as he batted his optics.

"You mean … **no one is here**?" Ironhide asked. He glanced around. "Where's the cow, cat and Spot? They're not here?"

"Nope. The big kids are going to the game but they're staying over with the others at Ty's. The babies disappeared into the various grasping grips of just about everyone. Cows and other varmits did the same. Don't expect them to come to the game tonight." Ratchet glanced at the dish in his servos. Leftovers. He glanced at Ironhide. "Buy me dinner, lazy aft. Either that or its leftover lasagna and coki buns."

Ironhide considered the coki buns, a delicacy among his own people and his ravishing near fetish taste for Italian food. Then he stood. "Get your coat and bag, slagger. Dinner is on me."

Ratchet put the dish back in the fridge, then grinned at Ironhide. "Coat and bag?"

"Top hat and cane?" Ironhide said with a grin and swagger as they walked to the door. Mech was feeling good. "Tin whistle and girdle?" He kept them up as the door closed.

=0=At an Italian Restaurant, quelle surprised

They sat in a booth together watching the funny folk all around. It was game night in the colony so the bars and restaurants were humming. A lot of sports bars, regular bars and most restaurants played the games on huge monitors, some with the sound turned down for the edification of the punters. Many were the groups that went to bars to watch.

"What's the expectation tonight other than your awesome aft bouncing around out there?" Ratchet asked as he sipped his 'wine'.

"Expect brilliance. Ball handling like no one ever saw will be seen," Ironhide said as he began to wind himself up. "I, Ironhide will be pivotal as I pivot here and there."

Ratchet laughed. "If you say so, bub. The humans are going to be there and they have a book going. You're odds on favorites to win, though given the team, odd might be the operative word here."

"Mock me now, Ratchet, but I intend to dominate in my usual suave but daring manner," Ironhide said as huge plates arrived.

Platters with spaghetti noodles and sauce, meatballs and other toppings on separate plates were laid before them. Bread sticks, 'olive oil' for dipping bread, several vegetables and other delicacies arrived. Then the waiters walked off mightily pleased.

Ironhide watched them go, then stared at the vegetables. "You better eat those. I might lose my game if I do. Along with other things."

"You don't know what's good for you," Ratchet said as he slid a platter of 'vegetables, sauteed and covered in a light sauce onto his own plate.

They divied up and began to eat, chatting about this and that before getting to The Good Stuff.

"How was it today?" Ratchet asked.

"I have to hand it to them. They understand their appa's oath and position. They want to kill all of us but we keep them busy. They helped dig out a septic line for runoff water in the Tagon Heights, helped gather the dead in the cluster cities at the north pole, then moved heavy beams and other trash in the villages north of Helex. It was hard, dirty and heavy duty. They did it without an audible peep."

"Springer and Drift told me about the fracas when they arrested them on the ship in the migration. They have skills, Ironhide. Don't turn your back on them. I don't know how long they can hold it before they blow," Ratchet said.

Ironhide nodded. "I think they're going to settle as long as they can to spite us. This may be the first honest labor they ever did."

"Then its all for the good," Ratchet said.

"What do you think about them? Any voodoo in the future?" Ironhide asked.

Ratchet shrugged. "Pico looks like a wimp so I don't expect too much trouble from him. Carver is quieter and harder to read and Rockwell could last a while but seems to me to be emotionally driven in his entitlement. He'll be the one who gives you trouble. Where are they now?"

"In the family holding cells of the jail. They thought they could go home but Appa told them otherwise," Ironhide said. "I don't know how much they can take or what they're actually made of but we have 149 orns to find out."

"Using the Terran calendar, that means they're yours to boss around until October 12th or there abouts," Ratchet said with a smile.

"Slag," Ironhide said as he computed the same thing. "I guess this calls for dessert."

It did.

=0=A warehouse in the 'Cities'

They warmed up, tossed in a few from all over the space, then gathered to chat about The Plan.

"And that is what I think will work best," Optimus said as he spun the ball on his digit.

"So … we run, knock them down, bury their forwards in coverage and steal a lot," Magnus said. "What sort of plan is that, if I may be so bold."

Prime chuckled. "The usual plan when we played as kids. These teams do not have our precision or longevity of play and purpose. Let us play them like we did in the Jumble. Domination is the name of the game, that and physicality."

"Sounds good to me," Ironhide said as he slammed his fists together.

Hardie grinned at Ironhide, then Prime. "Sounds good to me, too."

They gathered to run plays, then played a short game between them. By the time they were done they were on the road to Retriades and the dream game of Optimus Prime, brass knuckles basketball Cybertronian style.

=0=The Primal Box, Arena 3, Retriades Sports Center, Retriades, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire

Ratchet moved to his seat and sat as he watched Prowl lean slightly over the rail to check out the floor below. It was immaculate and as the room began to fill up with the usual 100,000 spectators and all their noise, team 'cheer gear', noisemakers, goofy Iaconian-style apparel and the like, he didn't notice that Ratchet was there yet.

That's when Ratchet opened his hold, then with a flourish like some old time magician, he pulled out his ensemble and began to create another masterpiece.

Of lunacy.

=0=TBC 5-15-19 **edited 5-18-19**


	662. Chapter 662

The Diego Diaries: Ball(er) (dd6 662)

=0=At the game

Prowl was inspecting the floor with his ultra vision and other parts of the court as he began to mark off his 822 bullet point check list of 'How Optimus Will Be The Champion' and while he did he didn't notice Ratchet step up **his** game.

Pulling things from his carry hold, he began to assemble his ensemble completely unaware that the roving cameras had latched onto both he and Prowl for the pre-game pre-show (and tell). He donned them quickly, pulling things around and into place as he retrieved his last part, his piece de resistance.

He checked it out, pulling up the entire internet oeuvre of 'how do you do it', then grinned. He was a sight to behold.

=0=Pregame chat with the humans before Show Time

"What the frag has Ratchet got on?" Blaster asked as the screen showed the Primal Box which was beginning to fill up with elders concealing infants in their carry holds, shirt tale family with their children and the little mechs and hangers on that usually came. "What's that thing he's holding?"

Jazz who did a screen shot, then ran it on the internet database from the humans grinned. "It's called a bagpipe." Then Jazz began to laugh his rather shapely ass off.

So did the human reporters chatting as the visual of a tall metallic bagpiper appeared on their screens as well.

The arena was filling up and the noise was amazing as weirdly clad Iaconian fans and sullen tense Tarnians gathered along with everyone else. They had their own noise makers and their conversations were loud and expectant. That all changed, however, when the jumbotron filled with the image of Ratchet clad in a kilt that bore the pattern of the Black Watch regiment, a 'wee little bonnet' on his helm that had two ribbons dangling to his shoulders and in front he sported a big white horse hair trimmed sporran. In his arms he was assembling to play a bagpipe.

He'd obviously been shooting for authenticity.

He gathered himself, routed oxygen to his throat so he could inflate the device, then put the blow pipe into his mouth. Fingering the chanter, he let her rip. The sound that flew from the drones into the greater world around him as the bag inflated and he began to squeeze it with his arm shut the place down. Everyone in the arena glanced his way, then stared at him as 'Scotland The Brave' began to play.

Prowl who was startled nearly fell over the side as he turned sharply with his fists up. He stared at Ratchet, stunned at the apparition before him.

Ratchet on the other hand was having a slagging good time. Behind him, walking up the stairs to join everyone with Prima and Pudding in his hold, Alor walked to Ratchet to stare at the spectacle. "Wow," he said as he leaned in to look at the bagpipes. "That's amazing."

Prowl stared at him, then Ratchet, then the crowd who'd gotten to their feet and began to stomp and scream. He turned to Ratchet who wound down his song, then smiled at Prowl with his arms spread wide. **"HOOTS, MON! HOW DO YE LIKE MY WEE LITTLE BONNET!?"**

A sharp punch to the face was a swift answer to that question as Ratchet fell straight to the floor like someone had dropped accordion blinds. He landed with a thud and lay there watching the birdies fly around his helm.

Alor picked up the pipes, then moved to one side to examine them. It looked to one and all at that moment that Autobot City would have a pipe band shortly.

Prowl on the other hand glanced to the crowd who were losing their shit all around him, then ducked down behind the barrier separating him from a straight drop to the floor 70 feet below. **HUGE** laughter and derision, cat calls and other expressions of free speech followed that smooth move. He shook Ratchet. **"Hey! Loon!"** he asked with his usual pre- and post game compassion.

Not.

Ratchet looked up at him, then laughed. "Yeah, slagger. Frag you by the way, you wee lil mon."

Prowl pulled Ratchet to his peds, then crossed his arms over his chest partly in feigned disgust but mostly in admiration because he, Prowl, could never make such a jackass out of himself and show his face in public again. Apparently, Ratchet was made of lesser stuff. "What the frag is this?" he asked as he stared at the garb.

"This, I'll have you know is the national costume of Scotland. Wanna know what I wear under it?" Ratchet said with a leer as he leaned slightly forward.

A short jab to the jaw was Prowl's answer as Ratchet went down again. The camera caught it all lovingly.

=0=At a nice child's party and game viewing at Amma's and Appa's house

"I give up."

"Don't, Ravel. Sonny is a good boy and he's just helping everyone have fun. You **know** that Iacon does this sort of thing at sports games. I'm surprised that Sonny hasn't done it at football," Chan said with a smile as he slipped chips to Praxus who lounged on his lap.

 **"APPA! WHY OWL POW-POW ADA!?"** Orion asked as he held a cookie in his servo. He was sitting on Amma Corr's lap with his little optics riveted to the television.

"They're playing, darling," Corr said as he smiled at Orion.

 **"THEY PLAY? I GO TO DOIN' IT, TOO!?"** Orion asked.

"Later," Corr said as the camera lovingly lingered on Prowl helping Ratchet back up.

=0=There

He stood up and straightened his bonnet, the rather nice hat spinning around to drape his face with ribbons when he was punched. Glancing at Prowl, he grinned. "Good thing I'm good natured or I'd throw you over the side."

"As if. Tell me about your purse," Prowl said as he lounged against the barrier with a smirk.

" **That** is a sporran. It's a device to carry things in, like your dignity, slagger." He opened it and looked inside. "Ah. I see it there now."

"Why do you carry a blanket wound around you? Mama's thumb isn't available"? Prowl asked with a chuckle as the referees walked out to stand around and get some air time. Why they were there now otherwise was unknown, the narcissists.

"That's a cloak. You could sleep in it, wear it as a cloak against the cold and if you were crafty, make a hammock out of it if you weren't an uptight prudish little slagger-"

Down he went again.

=0=Elsewhere

"I don't know about our mech, Venture," Miler said doubtfully as they sat with the infants in their home. The little mechs were with them and the girls were with Bluestreak. He had them with the twins, all of them having a party in his hold as he stood behind Prowl with amazement at his audacity. The viewpoint of the Primal box was on wide screen.

"They're playing. I have to say, I rather like the music Ratchet was making. I wonder how hard it is to play one of those things," Venture said.

"I'll ask Amma Alie," Rambler said as he sat between them on the couch. "I think that would be fun for me, too."

=0=Locker room

"Frag. Prowl's going for broke," Ironhide said as he watched Ratchet stagger back up, straighten his cap and kilt, then punch Prowl in the face. That mech dropped like a rock as Prime winced.

And chuckled.

They were lounging around the locker room waiting for the call to come. Listening to the pre-game with Jazz, Blaster and the humans was interesting and relaxing. Watching Prowl and Ratchet spar was even better. "That is going to leave a mark," Prime said.

"And the game hasn't even begun," Sun said with a laugh.

=0=Getting there

The Primal box was packed as Alor sat with the bagpipes. "I want some of these. Where did you get them?"

"I had them made at The Music Box. Get your own, by the way. I want to use that as an alarm clock for Ironhide," Ratchet said as he leaned against the barrier beside Prowl.

"You'll get arrested for noise," Prowl said as he took a beer from Turbine. He'd gotten snacks and beer for everyone there with Delphi, all of whom had children in their carry holds insulated against the hoo-haw all around.

Maelstrom who was standing behind them with the twins, Partition and the femmes including Lancer were laughing loudly as they took their beer and snacks as well.

It was going to be one of those nights.

=0=Down below

Springer and Company were laughing together in the entrances to the corridors that led to the locker rooms. They had the place parted out to the security teams and were now relaxing against the hard part, the game itself. It didn't pay to be floor level as fast and unpredictable as this game was. Nearby with their medical kits, the Watch and First Aid Auxiliary kids were waiting with First Aid for any emergencies.

They were adorable.

"How many games to the championship?" Lon asked as he leaned against the wall with Bezel.

"Four more games. Then the playoffs. That's two games itself. Then the championship. I imagine that Iacon will be one of those that go onward. They're the only team that's undefeated this far."

"Tarn is determined to beat them," Hercy said. "I heard some of the players at the detailers yesterday. They want to 'break the spell' as they call it."

"As long as they don't break their helms," Drift said with a grin.

Just then the siren sounded that signaled the game to begin. Huge noise erupted then settled to a low buzz as the referees walked to the center of the floor below to gather with the announcer. **"WELCOME TO BASKETBALL IN ARENA 3 IN RETRIADES!"** he yelled into his mike before being buried in sound.

" **TONIGHT, TARN'S TORNADOES WITH A RECORD OF TWO WINS AND ONE LOSS PLAYS IACON WHO HAS AN UNDEFEATED RECORD!"**

Huge sound and hoo-haw.

" **IN SECONDS, THE TWO TEAMS WILL STEP OUT AND HISTORY WILL BE MADE! RIGHT NOW, GIVE IT UP FOR THE TARN TORNADOES!"** he said as a team began to walk out onto the floor heading for the benches across the arena.

The crowd exploded as they crossed the huge glossy floor with an Autobot sigil and the league symbols painted on the floor They planted their banner, then gathered on the line before their bench.

The announcer began again. **"PLEASE MAKE WELCOME … THE ONE AND ONLY IACON … INVADERS!"** he bellowed as the big mechs of Iacon began to come out and find their benches. They planted their flag, then lined up across from Tarn. It was then that the crowd grew quiet to watch and listen to the two teams strut their stuff.

Tarn being first to come out began to do their haka, chanting together, challenging and mocking Iacon who watched without expression as the 'mech code' demanded. Tarn roared, spun, stepping closer to Iacon with each move. Then they finished just that close to the Invaders. With a whoop, they walked back and stood on their side with smug insolence and the usual bravado.

Prime glanced at his team, then laughed loudly. Roaring his own stuff, he led the Invaders back toward Tarn, throwing down at them as they beat their chests and stepped closer to the other side. They clapped, spun, then stopped just that close to Tarn before finishing. Then they laughed and walked back to line up again.

It was then that everyone turned toward the banners hanging in the center of the arena from the ceiling, the banners of the Primes, Cybertron, Mars and the league. The anthems played, everyone sang madly, Ratchet sparred with Alor for his bagpipes and lost, then it was done.

The teams stepped out, those players who would play and the others who sat down on their benches.

It was on.

=0=Iacon gets the ball

They lined up, Prime as center with Hard Drive and Chromia as forwards. Ironhide held down the goal while Sun and Jack helped to guard their goal with him. The ball was tossed, Prime out jumped the Tarn center, then passed the ball backward to Ironhide.

He caught it, bounced forward shouldering everyone in his path, most of them fast rather than heavily built mechs as he motored toward their goal. He was run out of bounds, then walked to it to put the ball in play.

Prime and Chromia were moving around as Hard Drive filled in for Ironhide's zone. Ironhide passed the ball hard to him, then Hardie threw it to Prime. He passed it to Chromia who climbed a Tarnian's frame to dunk the ball.

Landing gracefully on the floor, Chromia exulted, then ran back to her spot for the toss in by Tarn at their goal. Prowl and Ratchet exulted with a well delivered Fist of Exultation. Maelstrom watched with fiery pride as his girl kicked aft.

It was going to be a long rough game. And the one with the players on the floor would be nice as well.

=0=TBC 5-16-19

My family has bagpipers and dancers in it. My grandma came from Aberdeenshire (New Pitslago area) and they never gave up on it. :D We used to go to Portland, Oregon to watch the Black Watch regiment come and do a military tattoo. Love it. All of it.

Its traditional not to wear any undies under a kilt. There's a great picture of the Queen at the Cenotaph laying a wreath and the wind whips up the kilt of a Scottish soldier in military kilt to expose his rather spectacular ass. Its **HILARIOUS!** It also answers the age old question. Though none of my relatives ever went commando under their kilts. :D

A kilt can contain from 5-8 yards of wool cloth and it is heavy. My sister got back from Edinburgh last month and brought a kilt for her son. It weighs 34 pounds apparently. I am sure it has a lot of yards in it. :D It will retain its warmth up to 80% even soaking wet and looks like a million dollars.

The sporran is the little bag that is affixed to the kilt by hooks on a chair and hangs in front. The highlanders carried their stuff and food there. The military ones are trimmed in long white hair, horse tails. Long socks turned down at the top, a small dagger, a sgain dubh [s̪kʲənˈt̪u] brogues (long laced, usually black shoes) and various pins and badges round it out. Its a handsome and very masculine attire. :D

Especially if you have the legs and rear end for it. ;)

Glengarry hats (bonnets) round out a really sharp look. Google them. I love them. :D


	663. Chapter 663

The Diego Diaries: **SCORE!** (dd6 663)

=0=Game

" **IACON IS NOW FIVE AND TARN IS ZERO! GREAT TEAM PLAY BY IACON!"** Blaster said with enthusiasm as the Tarn team ran to their end of the floor and put the ball in play.

Tarn ran it in, then the bum rush was on. Prime who was big held down the center because he was still fast and agile. He'd also studied the game like the strategist that he was and wherever Tarn went he or one of the two forwards were there.

Down the way holding his own inside the goal zone, Ironhide watched with amusement as the players ran in circles. Tarn was slowly making it head his way and shortly the sheer inertia of their play would bring them into his zone. He stood slightly hulked over as Sun and Jack guarded the two approaches to him.

"Ironhide has one fine figure," Ratchet said as he leaned over the barrier to look at the goal down below. **"WHAT AN AFT YOU GOT THERE, BABEE!"** he yelled even if it was drowned out by the arena crowd.

Prowl was watching the ball and Optimus with laser optics as the ball was passed around by a surprisingly capable Tarn offense. Then a huge hand reached out of the whirl and took it from the lithe and agile forward that was working his way toward Ironhide. Hitting the extended arm like a bird flying into a window, the mech flipped up, did a perfect loop-the-loop around said arm and crashed to the floor.

Ironhide who was watching Sun 'defend' grinned broadly. His uncles were the shit.

Sun saw the ball bounce to Ironhide who caught it, then passed it hard and swiftly to Jack. Having been a lobbing aficionado most of his life after learning it from his family, Ironhide had a fast ball pitch. Jack the Elder caught it, then passed it to Optimus who sent it flying to Chromia.

She leaped up with all the grace and beauty that a finely tooled machine could manage, then put it into the hoop. She landed, did a dance, then walked with great satisfaction to the bench. Slapping palms with Magnus, that worthy tromp-tromped onto the court to join the forward line.

Iacon was going to do a full court press and anyone who got into the way of Magnus and Optimus was going to get a one way trip to the emergency room.

The crowd was wild as Ratchet and Prowl watched with satisfaction at the change up. :Nice going. Did you see him pass?: Prowl asked.

:I did. Ironhide was a lobbing champion at the Academy: Ratchet said.

Prowl frowned at him. :Optimus, loon:

Ratchet who knew that already smirked at Prowl. :Optimus never went to the Academy-:

A gut punch took care of that.

=0=On the floor

The Tarn defense was bigger than the offense but all of their players were built for speed, not smashing power. If they could move fast enough when they had the ball the big boys would be less effective. At least that was their plan. They lined up, the ball was tossed and they began again.

Tarn got the ball, passed it around like a dream team, then moved on Ironhide. They ran around Prime and Magnus who caught the leg of one of them before he fell in the thud heard around the world(s). The player he grabbed was held fast given the size differential between them but it didn't matter.

The two left, one with the ball and the other with major bearings bore down on Ironhide like guided missiles. That mech got set, then leaped forward wrapping his arms around both of the mechs. Their momentum carried all three swiftly onward though not as fast as before considering they were carrying Ironhide with them.

They flashed forward, the shot on goal was muffed and the three crashed into the wall sending a tremor all through the arena floors. The thud was loud as they crashed, then fell in a heap together.

Ratchet who was watching from above stepped up on the balcony, bellowed **"FREEDOM!"** , then leaped off and landed like a Seeker. During the fall his kilt billowed around his helm, then subsided. It was clear that he was going commando. Then again, he **ALWAYS** went commando. Which brings us to a conversation held some time back …

"Did you notice anything odd about this movie poster, Prowler?" Ratchet asked as he held up his handheld whilst hanging out at the command table waiting to speak to Magnus who was speaking to Optimus nearby.

Prowl glanced up, saw Transformers: The Last Knight poster on the device, the one where Optimus was kneeling behind all of the human characters, then frowned. "Perhaps **ALL OF IT!?** "

Ratchet snickered. He leaned forward and went off line for the sake of the conversation. :Don't you think that some slagger has made a … human like, uh ... male member for Optimus here?:

Prowl glanced up sharply, took the handheld, studied the slag out of it, then frowned. "What the frag is **that**?" he asked pointing to a strange metallic shape down in Prime's nether regions that was vaguely phallic in design.

"I think its what the humans would call a dick," Ratchet said. Perversely.

Prowl stared at him, scanned for meaning … up link, search, dick, noun slang, male penis … * **CRASH** * … then stood up tipping the table completely over.

Prime and Magnus nearby startled. "What's wrong?!" -both of them

" **NOTHING!"** -Prowl and Ratchet just before Prowl stamped hard on Ratchet's hand held ...

Ratchet stood, then walked to the three 'victims'. They were sitting up with a dazed expression. Ironhide looked up at Ratchet as both of them were swarmed by seriously concerned squad kids who came to 'help'.

" **WHAT DO WE DO, COMMANDER!?"** -all the kids

They would do the examinations, find them 'bumped but serviceable', then walk back to their stadium tunnel doorway to wait in attentive anticipation again. It would be to a standing ovation from 100,000 punters who found them nearly as adorable as Ratchet.

The three got up slowly, then two walked back to their benches while Ironhide walked to his place on the court. He glanced at Ratchet as he did. "You're certifiable but I sorta like you in that get up."

"Why thanks, Ironhide," Ratchet said with an elaborate curtsy before hoofing it back to the stairs and a climb up to the box where everyone was waiting for him. He tried to steal back his bagpipes but failed.

Alor was in love.

The game began again with the Tarnian's taking it in bounds. The slagging was outrageous as they jockeyed all over the place, sometimes being knocked out of bounds and sometimes getting slammed into the ground on the deck.

Prime and Magnus merely had to turn the direction of the ball given the length of their arms and reach. They were always in the game. They managed to steal it three times but didn't score. The Tornadoes were slagging hard to catch. When the siren blew for half time, the score was still Iacon, 5 and Tarn, 0.

The teams lined up to leave and when they did Alor stood up and began to play Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

Everyone roared, listening and cheering as the teams filed out.

Alor played on, then finished the tune as Ratchet watched with a minor snit and a major smirk. Alor bowed, rapped Ratchet on the arm, then stuffed the pipes into Partition's carry hold. "You make sure he doesn't get them back, infant. I have plans."

Partition who was torn by his loyalty to his ada-in-law and his reverence for Alor defaulted to the older mech. He shrugged helplessly to Ratchet as Lancer laughed.

"You can't win. Remember that," Lancer said as she hugged the big mech.

"I think I did," Partition said as he hugged her back.

"Alor is a grabby slagger," Ratchet said. "How about dinner and dancing after this? We can try it again." He glanced from Alor to Prowl.

"I guess you want a repeat of last time," Prowl said.

"Sure," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. ""Absque sui detrimento non datur victoria."

Prowl stared at him a moment. "No sacrifice, no victory. Where have I heard **that** before?"

"In the first and perhaps only magnum opus, the first Bayverse Transformer movie," Ratchet said.

"Frag that," Prowl said darkly as memories of tipping a table and smashing a hand held came unbeckoned into memory.

It was going to be a long game.

=0=Locker room

:Ironhide:

 **:WHAT!?:**

:Oh, baby … **HURT ME! HURT ME!** :

Ironhide quashed a guffaw, then sat back. :What's up?:

:Dinner, drinks and dancing afterward. No one has a kid. How about round 2?:

Ironhide grinned. :The usual slaggers?:

:Yup. I had to invite Alie. He was eavesdropping, the thieving slagger. Get your old man on line. You, me, Prime, Granny and Alie on the town. Again. Consider it the sequel:

:Frag that. I'll ask: Ironhide glanced at Prime and clued in his father. :Hey. Ratchet wants a do over clubbing:

:Do you think that's wise?: Blackjack asked with a grin. :We've probably used up all nine of his lives:

Ironhide grinned. :Stay sober:

:Not me. By the way, how did Allie get that thing? Those bagpipes?: Blackjack asked with a grin. :That's warrior music:

:Ratchet is losing his touch. Old mech is getting old: Ironhide said smugly, secure that Ratchet wouldn't know. :I meant to tell you. I think I'm going to get him one of those little scooters that old folks drive:

Blackjack laughed as he sat back himself. Then he sent the audio to Ratchet.

Little mech would never learn.

=0=Primal Box

Ratchet got the audio, then grinned. Slagger was going to hear from him. As they watched the half time reel that was half game, half him and Prowl, all was well in Ratchet's world.

 **BRUHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**

The siren sounded at last and soon the two teams filed in to go to their benches. Everyone looked good and when they took the floor, the jump ball was had and the game was on.

Starscream who was watching considered when the next Iacon-Vos match up would happen. They'd lost the first one and he had brooded for orns. This wasn't working out. He'd filled his team roster with ringers, both here and in football.

They should be winning. After all, he was pretty good in the fantasy league where he was a major playah. He had after all come in fourth out of eighty-two in the last round following football season.

"This is not going well," Star muttered to the amusement of everyone around him. "We're going to get bumped out of the wild card berth at this rate."

"I can't imagine why we aren't undefeated," Rainmaker said with a smirk. "You **did** pack the team, correct?"

"I did, Elder," Starscream said bitterly.

"Perhaps you need assistance next time," Warlord suggested with a chuckle.

Starscream frowned. "It's fortunate that I admire your fathers so much, Warlord. I might have to teach you the error of your ways."

Warlord grinned. "I consider myself corrected, Lord Starscream." Then all four of his brothers and himself leaned in slightly toward Starscream. **"EMPEROR OF DESTRUCTION!"**

Rainmaker would laugh a long, long time.

Down on the floor, Magnus was in for Optimus. He was standing near the goal sending the ball out to players in a constant motion and whirl. Chromia flashed past, pretended to take the ball which drew a player away. It freed Magnus so he turned around to put the ball through the hoop. It went in without a hitch.

Iacon, 10 and Tarn, 0.

The roof was suitably raised.

=0=TBC 5-18-19


	664. Chapter 664

The Diego Diaries: **GAME!** (dd6 664)

=0=The Game

The niceties were over. It was fist and claw all the way now. Tarn which was a tough town, it was Megatron's after all, was on the offensive and if they had to be offensive in their offense they were good to go. Only two of them were big enough to stand toe-to-toe with Magnus and Prime because they went with speed but most were big and tough enough to go rounds with everyone else.

Three of them bore down on Hardie and clocked him out of the game, sending him careening into the wall. He slammed in, then slid downward to land on the floor where a local aviary sung songs of old in his processor.

Infants deployed and the game was halted as Ratchet skippity-doo-dahed down the steps to assist. The kids were already laying Hardie out in a more comfortable manner when he arrived, leaning over them to stare at Hardie who was actually grinning up at everyone like a drunk. "Hey, Appa, how many digits do you see?" Ratchet asked without holding up a hand.

"Twenty-seven," Hardie said.

"Oh-oh, Commander. He's not good," Sil said as the others nodded in worried agreement.

"No. He is not," Ratchet said with a chuckle. **"STRETCHER TIME!"**

Three of them jumped, then ran across the court to the tunnel where they emerged with a stretcher. Carrying it over, laying it out, the children began to lift Hardie the way they were taught by their medical mentors, laying him gently on the stretcher. They lined up along each side, hoisted him up, then walked to the door across the court to the vast delight of the crowd.

The bagpipe accompaniment by Alor didn't hurt either.

Into the tunnel they went with Ratchet behind in his highland glory smiling and waving at the crowd like a debutante. Inside the tunnel, then walked to the infirmary where the kids set Hardie gently on a med berth.

Ratchet scanned him, gave a few orders to the medics there, congratulated the kids on another life saved, then walked out to take his place beside a bemused Prowl once more.

"How is he?" Prowl asked as Delphi leaned in with his beer and hot dog.

"He's going to be fine. He rung his bell but he has a lot of kids taking care of him," Ratchet said.

The game below began again and raged onward. Tarn would get one more score, Iacon would get six not counting penalties and the game would wheeze to a halt when the siren went off in merciful time. But until then, there were shots to take both at the hoop and each other.

The game ground to a halt when one of the two huge Tarnians threw a (legal) punch at Magnus. He staggered, then turned to the Tarn player with a look of surprise and fury on his handsome face.

Arcee who was waiting for the ball walked to him, took it, then stepped back as the two collided like freight trains.

A roar of primal and/or primordial delight filled the room as Magnus and the big mech traded powerhouse punches. The impact alone made one's teeth rattle and sphincters tightened as they slugged it out along the sideline, just ***this*** close to overrunning the Iacon bench.

"I'm glad the kids aren't mascots and good luck charms of this team. They would probably get crunched sooner or later," Ratchet said as he stared with bemusement at the scene below. "Magnus has no idea how handsome he is."

Prowl nodded. "He doesn't. He doesn't care either."

"Nope," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I'll care for him. I'm his mama after all."

They both laughed, took another beer from Delphi and Turbine, saluted each other, commented on how long it would be before beer was banned from this game as well as football, noted in the stands on the other side a number of individuals slagging it out in the usual manner, then downed the beer. They would be well oiled for the rumpus to come after the game.

Magnus and the big mech finally stepped back, glowered at each other, then turned to the ref. He was tapping his toe in irritation, blew a whistle, then allowed Arcee to put the ball into the game again. She did, everyone ran around, then she got another goal.

It was a thing.

The crowd chanted **"TARN! TARN! TARN!"**

It was either sympathy chanting or everyone was just as happy to help motivate Tarn if Iacon would lose at basketball along with football, this 1% town who liked to cheat to stack their teams back in the orn. Now they didn't stack them and the Messiah of the People™ played for Iacon but it only mollified them a little.

By the time the siren sounded, the score was 92 (with penalties against Tarn and their Flying Fists of Fury)-5 with Iacon still the only undefeated team in the league.

The crowd went wild.

=0=Moments later

They stood in the corridor outside of the infirmary waiting for Hardie to be released to Delphi. Sun and Jack were with Delphi, the twins, Blue and everyone else as Ratchet was interviewed nearby by Blaster for the punters on Earth and everywhere else.

"Tell us why you dress up like a jackass, Ratchet," Blaster asked. "Everyone who isn't Iaconian wants to know."

Ratchet laughed loudly, then punched Blaster. "Slagger. Its Iaconian sports culture to do this. It unnerves the other teams, provides comedy, is a creative outlet for fans and its fun."

"Tarn is a fighting town like Vos. Polyhex brings noisemakers. Iacon dresses up and paints themselves like idiots," Blaster said and got another fist for it. "Which one do you prefer?"

Ratchet grinned. "All of them. I'm glad that Earth likes our sports. We actually have a few games that are like football and basketball and we also have lobbing which helps with games that require passing. We don't hold to all the rules that humans have but it makes for an interesting game."

"Did you know that every time you've dressed up and clowned around that Iacon has won?" Blaster asked.

"No, but now that you mention it, it sure seems to be true," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I suppose this trend has to follow all the way to the championship which we'll win because I have a mantel that requires a trophy on it."

"We can but hope," Blaster said.

They chatted, laughed, then the broadcast switched to Earth.

Ratchet walked to the group watching him, then smiled at Prowl. "You **did** hear that, right? Every time I practice team spirit Iacon wins. I guess this means I have to step up my game."

Prowl stared at him for a moment with The Look. "I hate you."

Huge laughter took care of that.

=0=Several moments later on a train heading for Iacon

Ratchet who was sheered of his kit by the twins on orders from everyone leaned against a pole as the train sped onward. Alor and Blackjack were sitting next to him as Ironhide, Prowl and Prime swayed while holding straps. "Iacon. We're going to Iacon, the magical city that will win a championship soon."

"I won't argue," Ironhide said with a grin. "What are ya going to wear next game?"

Ratchet glanced down at him, then smiled. "I can't divulge. Trade secrets and all given I'm the good luck charm for the team. What with being like a spy, I must keep my plans to myself."

"Primus help us," Prowl said, then he grinned in spite of himself. "I dread to think about it. You **do** realize don't you that you're the Secretary of State and most senior ambassador for the Prime of Cybertron, right?"

Ratchet glanced at Prime who was grinning. "And I'm doing a damned fine job, too. I imagine that when I show up to the next United Nation's chat in my Iron Man suit that I'll get a standing ovation."

"You're **already** an iron man, old mech. You're losing a few screws," Ironhide said as everyone stood to get off at the next station.

"Keep doing what you're doing, Ratch," Alor said. "If you can add a musical angle," he said patting his hold where the bagpipes were, "let me know and I'll join ya."

"You stole my bagpipes. How will I ever get Ironhide up in the morning now?" Ratchet said as he stepped off the train followed by the others.

"Oh slag. Burn those, Ada," Ironhide said as they walked to the stairs that led upward. They would disappear laughing and joking into the night time of Iacon, the fall back City of the Autobots.

=0=Later

They rode out into the night having retrieved their horses, some of them. It was dark and cold but the night would be exciting. There were celebrations and scores to partake in. Tarn was defeated. Iacon was victorious. The night would be a pageant of emotions from A to B.

Partition and Lancer were riding with Hercy and the boys as Drift and Springer took the lead. They were off for the next three orns and the fun was on horseback with the Fam. They might also need a very good field medic who was halfway through his first year of medical school training to be an elder doctor.

He wasn't going to leave the force. He was now permanent medic at Day/Night Watch substation #46 and a full time policing officer. He would, however, have all the skill needed to answer any elder calls that came in across the colony. His brothers Morius and Inweld would be full time officers as well, stationed at Substation #5 and #82. They all would also be members of the Home Guard and the apple of their genitor's optics.

Who knew?

They followed the highway heading for a long slow ride through the colony as the night waxed onward and the possibility of needing policing intervention grew with every footfall of their horse's hooves.

=0=A steak house in Iacon

They sat back after stuffing their faces. It was amazing how much fuel one used up running around full tilt all over the place in front of 100,000 screaming people. Dessert was on its way.

"What's the word on the School Board, Ironhide? I heard that the humans want to make more use of the space labs at Trypticon," Ratchet asked as he sipped his drink.

"They do. We have a plan to work them in. It won't hurt to let them and the kids are fine. One of the board members at Earth2 asked if it was possible to be on the school board. I told him I'd ask but not to hold their breath. I suppose we can have one as an observer," Ironhide said as he sat back. The waiter was bringing dessert and his was a big slab of Celebration cake. His optics nearly twirled in delight.

Alor grinned at him as their desserts were left along with filled glasses. "My son, the school board secretary. It brings tears to my optics."

"Of pride?" Ironhide asked with a grin, like a little boy wanting an atta boy from his mommy.

Alor laughed. "Yep."

They dined a bit, then Optimus noted a few individuals by the door waiting to come in to eat. "Are those Coppos or Southies?" he asked.

Three big mechs with tiny chevrons on the inside of their arms were waiting to be seated. They looked like everyone else but their gang sign was now harder to spot. Given that the six were soldiers and they were a culture that communicated their status and life through tattoos and etchings, it was automatic to see them no matter how much they were hidden from easy viewing.

It would **ALWAYS** amaze the humans that they were so open about their factions by wearing boldly their sigils.

The two got a seat, ordered, then sat back.

Prime glanced at the others. Do you want to wait to see if anyone joins them or tell the Watch? It might be simply innocent or something else."

Prowl considered that, then looked at Prime. "I want to dance."

Prime grinned. "I guess that settles it then."

They ate their desserts, drank a few cocktails, then gathered to go. They would exit into the cold night air, go to the station, then head off for the clubs in Tyger Pax.

Three other gangsters would come and dine with the two at the steak house. Nothing would come of it.

This time.

=0=TBC 5-19-19 **edited 5-20-19**


	665. Chapter 665

The Diego Diaries: Fun (dd6 665)

=0=Clubbin'

They danced at The Club House, a place with good beer, snacks and a live band. It was an eclectic place in terms of clientele. One might see youngsters dancing in the same mosh pit of hoo-haw as elders.

Prowl and Prime disappeared into the bounding group as Ratchet and Ironhide sat with Blackjack. Ratchet was getting slag faced so he didn't go with Alor who went by himself to bound around and celebrate a win for his home town.

"Alie is getting blotto, 'Jack. What are you going to do about it?" Ratchet asked with a grin. He was halfway there himself.

"We're going to head for the barn sooner or later. But we're going to see you four back in one piece," Blackjack said. "Those three mechs are going to learn the hard way to keep their tempers."

Ratchet nodded. "I think Rockwell was surprised I sat by him at lunch time. He's a real sad sack."

"Don't get any ideas. Sun and Jack are enjoying this a lot," Blackjack said with a grin.

They were.

=0=At an apartment up high

"How was the tour?" Lissie asked as she sat and began to deal the cards.

Sun and Jack took theirs along with Hercy and Kup. Alejate and Cezar were working on their hands already.

Sun grinned. "I enjoyed myself. What about you, Jack?" he asked his brother.

"Fine as frog's hair. My mech is a bit of a wimp. I see Rockwell as the challenge. I do remember his father in the news. Social climber and greedy slagger. Not a bit surprised that he ended up this way himself."

"He's the son of Stellar, right? That crooked fragger … he made the worst crap and sold it for the most shanix. I never bought his stuff," Kup said. "Entitled little mech. He's going to learn the hard way."

Jack nodded. "I expect he is." He glanced toward a couch. "How ya doin', Hardie?"

Hard Drive glanced up from the data pad he was reading as he relaxed on the couch with a bumped helm.

Across from him holding a sleeping Prima while Prowler slept on the couch next to him, Delphi grinned. "Your nobbin got conked, or so a small yellow banded mech who looks like Ironhide would say."

Hardie chuckled. "He would, that one."

The evening would pass nicely as they played cards, gossiped with Cezar and Alejate and talk about things so old and far away that humans would have to stand with the last age of the dinosaurs to find a time frame equivalent to compare the conversation with.

=0=Clubbin'

They walked to the curb outside and swayed between Blackjack and Prime. Everyone else was slipping the bounds of decency though Ironhide wasn't as blotto as usual. He tried to stay sober and did so.

Sort of.

A cab finally drew up and all of them began to climb inside. It would be a tight fit but they'd close the door and order it to go to their tower. Outside, the night was getting onward and it was time to go home and sober up. The streets were still filled with pedestrians going out to celebrate the game. Over the next two orns more games would be played. None of them would be by undefeated teams. Iacon now was the one to beat.

"This was fun. Did I get beat up?" Ratchet asked as he sat squeezed between Ironhide and Blackjack.

"Nope," 'Jack said with a chuckle.

"We are leaving just in time," Prime said as Prowl sat in his lap with a big sappy grin. "Time waits for no one."

"That's because you're the Prime," Prowl said in a thick voice. He patted Prime's shoulder, then glanced around with an expression that brooked no nonsense. **"FIRST DISCIPLE OF PRIMUS HERE!"**

No one argued. They did, however, laugh loudly.

=0=Springer and Company

The police van drove off with new deposits for the Prime's Brief in magistrate's court in the morning. A few duffers had a difference of opinion about who had a better offensive line in the football orns of yore back in The Golden Age.

When the Watch arrived they turned to the tall youngsters and began to pepper them with questions about who was a better passer, a better center and who was a better fighter, Iacon or Vos.

Springer and the boyz stared down at the little mechs who were arguing loudly, then turned on each other in spite of their presence to slag once more. Reaching down, Springer and Drift gently picked both up, held them until the van arrived, then gently deposited them inside.

Three little old femmes and a little old mech were watching with frowns and crossed arms as they were packed away for their ride to the hoosegow.

Drift glanced at them. "Are you alright, Abbas?"

The group stared up at him, then nodded. "We are," the oldest looking femme said. "Thank you for taking them. They've been fighting over this since Unicron was a pup. We would like some peace and quiet."

Drift grinned. "Okay."

They took particulars, told the elders what to do to get them back, chuckled over the distinct notion that they wouldn't be rushing to the courthouse tomorrow to do that, then mounted up to leave. There were half a dozen other calls at the moment and it would go on like that all night long.

=0=Tower 1, home at last

They crawled out of the cab, then motated toward the big double doors of their tower. Ratchet reached it first, then grabbed for the handles to open them and go inside. He grabbed at several in front of him, though there was only one handle on each door. Swatting and patting, pawing at the air, Prime moved him gently aside to get the door.

Ratchet smiled brilliantly, did a staggered curtsy, then ambled slightly sideways into the lobby. All of the others followed, reached an elevator, then entered. The ride up to floor 24 was complicated by Prowl trying to get off, too, and Alor playing with the buttons on the panel.

Ratchet, Ironhide, Alor and Blackjack stepped off on their floor. Alor and Ratchet waved elaborate and noisy farewells as the doors closed on the elevator. Because Alor had played with the buttons, they would have to stop at each floor on the way upward until they reached the penthouse, all 26 floors above.

Prime didn't mind. Prowl was maudlin and telling him how much he loved him, what a good mech he was, how he needed to have the applause he deserved, all of it. It was amusing as anything Prowl did and the ride upward was hilarious.

=0=Going home

Alor walked to each door they passed and tried to enter it. Fortunately for him, most of the doors on that side of the corridor belonged to Ironhide and Ratchet.

Blackjack who had only a beer or two was sober as a judge and highly amused by Alor. Tugging him along, they made their way.

Ratchet was staggering along walking in a convoluted meandering way from wall to wall toward the door of his apartment. He remembered it, all fifteen of them and was determined to get home and 'check slag out'.

"Them kids … they're in there somewhere."

"Everyone has them, Ratchet," Ironhide said as he gripped Ratchet's arm. "We're going to go to the door, go inside and sleep it off. Okay?"

Ratchet smiled then turned toward Ironhide gripping him around the neck. "Sounds good. You're a good mech, Ironhide. You do slag for everyone and then you play ball. You won. You won the game for Iacon and you aren't even Iaconian." Ratchet teared up. **"YOU'RE MY HERO!"** he bellowed.

Down the hallway a door cracked open, then closed again.

"Oh, slag. I better get him inside fast," Ironhide said as he gripped the door knob of his apartment. "Can you handle Ada?"

Blackjack chuckled. "Since before you were born."

"I'll see ya in the morning. Diner?" Ironhide asked as he held a swaying Ratchet.

"Sounds good to me," Blackjack said as he opened the door to his apartment.

"I'm going to play the bagpipes for you, 'Jack," Alie said as Blackjack gently steered him inside.

"Sure you are, Alie," 'Jack soothed with a chuckle. The door closed behind them.

"That slagger has my pagbipes," Ratchet said. "I better go get them," he said as he started for their door.

Kind of.

Ironhide grabbed, then pushed him through the door. "No you don't, old mech. Inside you go."

The door closed behind them, too.

=0=Inside

"Why don't you give yourself the cure, old mech. You're slag faced," Ironhide said as he held Ratchet's arm. He was swaying under the shower, singing to himself as he drenched in the warm wetness.

"Where's the fun in that?" Ratchet said as he smiled under the deluge of water.

"Stay here," Ironhide said as he walked to the corner to pick up towels from the infant's bathing earlier.

Ratchet leaned against the wash rack walls, then began to slide downward. He landed on his aft, tipped over and fell into a stuperous sleep.

Ironhide who tossed the towels into a hamper nearby glanced at Ratchet. Walking over, he turned off the water, then grinned. "I'm leaving you there, slagger. It won't be the first time either."

Pulling Ratchet over to arrange him more comfortably, he grinned again. "Good night, Ratchet," he said.

Ratchet slumbered onward so Ironhide walked out, turned off the lights and headed for the berth room where he fell over and into recharge nearly immediately.

=0=In the sky

Prowl sat on the berth waiting for the cure to do its magic. It did, then he lay back. "This is fragged."

Prime chuckled as he put the cure kit that he'd gotten from Wheeljack back in the wash room cabinet. "You do put as much energy in getting slag faced as you do everything else. You have that going for you."

Prowl grinned, then stood still slightly unsteadily. "You're loyal."

"So are you," Prime said as he gathered Prowl into his gigantic arms. He kissed him, then grinned.

"What?" Prowl asked.

"I was thinking about the human's reactions to our modes of affection," Prime replied as he swayed with Prowl in his arms.

"You mean 'kissing'?" Prowl asked with a smirk.

"Did I not just say that?" Prime asked as he walked to the berth and dropped Prowl like a rock. The smaller mech bounced, then lay back with a grin. Prime leaned down, then sprawled next to Prowl, pulling him closer. "They find it strange."

"Frag them," Prowl said as he stroked Prime's face. "You were amazing. Undefeated."

Prime nodded. "It was fun. I enjoy this a lot."

"I know. We're going to be a two sport champion," Prowl said smugly. "I have just the place on the mantle for it."

"You might have to arm wrestle for it," Prime said as he pulled Prowl even closer.

"I can take Ratchet," Prowl said as he turned on his side to face Prime.

"I was thinking Chromia," Prime replied with a chuckle.

"You may have a point," Prowl said, then he didn't say anything for a while.

=0=Nearby

Blackjack took the bagpipes from Alor who was getting ready to play them in the middle of the living room. "No you don't," he said with a chuckle. "Move onward. Berth time."

Alor smiled. "Berth time?"

"Yes," 'Jack replied as he steered Alor to the berth. "Time to sleep it off."

Alor stepped forward, hit the bed, bounced and ended up on the floor facing the window. He fell immediately into recharge when he did.

Blackjack stared at the floor and his bond. "I'd lift ya, Alie, but you're dead weight and I ain't got it tonight." He checked that Alie was comfortable, then lay back on the berth. He was sound asleep in nanoseconds.

=0=TBC 5-20-19

NOTE: Starscream once said in a show that he was too young to die because he was only 126,000,000 years old. I'll take him at his word. I've sort of thought about the bots being 4 million years old but that sort of sets the time frame for the time between The Fall and the modern era. The bots are way the hell older than that. Thanks, Starscream.

"No problem, insect."


	666. Chapter 666

The Diego Diaries: Carry On (dd6 666) (lucky number) ;)

=0=The morning after

/ … nice tile .../

Ratchet rolled over to stare at the ceiling of his wash room. He was laying on the floor in his own because he saw familiar things here and there related to child care. There was no sound in the apartment so he got up on his hands and knees, then crawled toward the door.

Somewhere in his fogged skull was the script to launch his cure but that was muddled at the moment. He crawled into the hallway, remembered the configuration, then sent the cure in to fill his processor with light. It did. He sat back, groaned slightly, then glanced around. Ironhide was no where to be seen.

He vaguely remembered the game, another win for Iacon and dancing with wild abandon at the club. He remembered drinking a lot, eating a lot and laughing. Standing slowly, he walked to the berth room to pause in the doorway. Sprawling where he fell on the huge berth, Ironhide was sawing logs. Grinning at the big galoot, Ratchet walked out to check out who, what, where and when he was.

He looked at the pet bowls, a dish for Spot and Cousin and a little low slung manger for the cow. None of them appeared to be here and he wondered foggily where they were. Everyone had gotten everyone it would appear so they would have to dine out. That is, if he could get Ironhide up. That's when he remembered his bagpipes and regretted that Alor had stolen them. He knew Alie would but still … his tambourine, his bagpipes and the like. He'd bring a grand piano next time.

/ … try and frisbee ***that*** across the parking lot, Prowl .../ He chuckled, rummaged in the cupboard for a heavy pot and heavy spoon, then walked to the berth room to deliver reveille on Ironhide's helm.

[Silence]

[Loud bashing sounds of metal on metal]

[Inhuman roar and much flouncing around as huge mechanism rises straight up, loses balance and falls backward to bounce off the berth and land on the floor]

[Silence]

" **RISE AND SHINE!"**

" **FRAG THAT!"**

" **GET UP, SLAGGER! LEAST YOU CAN DO LEAVING ME ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR ALL NIGHT!"**

" **YOU WERE DRUNK OFF YOUR AFT, OLD MECH! *I AM IRONHIDE*!"**

" **FRAG YOU, *IRONHIDE*! TAKE ME TO BREAKFAST!"**

" **I, IRONHIDE WILL TAKE YOU TO BREAKFAST! *GET OFF MY SLAGGING FOOT*!"**

"Oh, sorry."

"I should hope so."

[Sounds of a huge mechanism getting off the floor, then walking to the wash rack. Sound of water running, then the overhead dryer. Sounds of the other big mech straightening the berth]

"Where is everyone?"

"Still with the others. Frankly, Ironhide, I don't really believe we have kids sometimes."

"You and me both. Let's have a half dozen more."

"I'll catch. I promise not to drop them."

"You're slagging delusional, old mech. **I AM IRONHIDE! I DON'T PITCH!"**

[Sounds of two big mechanisms walking out of the hallway]

"Diner On The Corner?" Ironhide asked as Ratchet checked the mail.

"Sounds good to me. Should we do reveille on everyone?" Ratchet asked.

Ironhide tossed Ratchet the spoon and pan. "After you."

Ratchet chuckled as he walked to the door, then out into the hallway with a smirking Ironhide. "Your folks first, then?"

"Indubitably," Ironhide replied as the door closed behind him.

=0=Blackjack and Allie's

They snored loudly as the cow slept on his little soft bed by their berth room window. The cow heard someone come in and was watching the doorway as Ironhide and Ratchet sneaked in.

Ironhide liberated Flipper, putting him in his carry hold before dialing down the sound. He grinned at Ratchet who walked to the berth, held out the pan, then began to beat on it with the spoon.

Blackjack rose up and so did his guns. Alor was levitating next to him and as he did he jumped up to fight. Both of them turned on Ratchet. **"WHAT THE FRAG!?"** -both of them

" **RISE AND SHINE!"** Ratchet said with a chuckle. "What about Diner On The Corner?"

They stared at Ratchet as Blackjack subbed his guns. "You're lucky to be alive, slagger," he said with a grin.

"You're lucky to have me," Ratchet said with a grin. "Let's go. I'm hungry."

Grumbling was supreme as they gathered themselves together. They walked out to see Ratchet 'subtly' searching for his bagpipes.

Alor laughed. "They're still in my hold, slagger. **HA-HA!** "

"You'll need me, slagger," Ratchet said with a grin. "Some fine orn, you will need me."

" **HA-HA!"** Alie said. "Never." He grinned at Ratchet, slapped Ironhide on the butt, then walked to the door. "Get a move on, slackers. Mama needs a platter this morning. I'm hungry."

They followed, grousing all the way. Picking up the elders across the hallway who were already up, they headed out with kids in holds, levity in mind and a spring in their step. Iacon was just that much closer to the crown.

=0=Topside

Prowl took a vial of the cure, sipped it down, then walked to the berth where Optimus sat slumped over with a hangover. "Here. This will take care of it," he said as he handed Prime one.

He sipped it gratefully, then rose to stretch. "Thank you, Prowl. That made the difference."

"I have a pipeline into Gypsy," Prowl said with a grin. "We have to go to the Diner. Everyone will be there and the kids will be with them. By the way, the news is filled with reports about the game last night both here, Cybertron and Earth. You looked marvelous in them."

Prime grinned as he watched Prowl bus the bed. The winger was so loyal it hurt sometimes. "Iacon is that much closer to a championship."

"That's because you captain and mentor the team. It makes the difference," Prowl said as he finished, then turned to Prime.

"I was thinking about joining Iacon for football next season. So was Raptor and his family," Prime said. He was teasing but some part of him wanted to do it. He was always athletic and loved sports. All of the sports his people excelled in, he loved. It amused him to see the look of surprise, then grimness that animated Prowl at this news.

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Optimus," Prowl said as he began to gently push Prime to the door. "No need to get over enthused. You're a champion at basketball and we know you'd be the same at football but that's much more dangerous."

"It **is** a bit of a thrilling game. We used to play it on the empty lot near our district. I was a good center and kept the fast mechs from getting easy scores. I was thinking about how much good will we create when we show something of our selves to the humans." Every part of his helm was laughing loudly as he poked Prowl's propriety.

It would be a very humorous discussion all the way to the lobby and the walk to the Diner down the way.

=0=At breakfast

They came in, some later, some sooner and joined the group. Breakfast and drinks were served, highlights of the game revisited and children shared around the room.

"Where are you going to put the championship trophy, Prime?" Hercy asked down table.

Prime grinned. "If we win, I am going to put it on the mantle in my genitor's house."

Kes and Tagg glanced up at him from their conversation with Miler and Ravel. They grinned at him and he, them. "That would be uncommonly kind, son," Kestrel said. "I do believe that you will win this championship. You always were good at sports."

Awws went up for Kes and Tagg as everyone chowed down again.

Springer and Drift walked in with a couple of mechs who usually joined them. Most of the night crew was already here but for them. They pulled chairs, then sat heavily.

"What's the word, infant?" Kup asked.

"We had a long night. Lots of arrests for drunk and disorderly. A few really rough fights. Magistrate's Court will require most of us there to get through pleadings," Drift said.

"Gangs. Gangs will be the end of me," Springer said. "Coppos, Southies and all of them including a new one that came in the last few decaorns and is known only by a sign, a streak of red paint with a star at one end."

"I've seen that around," Lon said. "Most of the places it shows up remove the marks right away. The business district in Crater District, City Four has a lot of them. Maybe they're marking their territory there."

"Hauser thinks so. He's going to canvass that area and see if anyone is putting the arm on anyone," Springer said as his food arrived.

"Get them," Chromia said as Maelstrom nodded.

"I want the gangs ended," Prime said. "I am not sure that it can happen but I want them over."

The discussion of how to do that lasted a bit, then the conversation turned to the humans.

Bezel glanced at Ratchet. "I saw a bunch of humans at the gate of the Temple, Ratchet. They were looking inside but not going in. I didn't recognize them. They were in trucks that bore the insignias of Earth2. I thought you might want to know."

Ratchet glanced at Bezel. "Thanks, infant. I know that more of them are certified to be outside. I imagine that they want to go inside but I don't see it happening any time soon. I do like Cynthia Tomas. She's a good person and cares about making things right between us and that group. Any word on the murders?"

Springer shrugged. "No. We have the balance problem. Do we prosecute and lose an opportunity or do we just maintain?"

"How are the two in jail?" Prime asked.

Springer glanced down table toward him. "They're bored and restless but they're not ready to speak. They're represented by a law firm here, Diablo and Sons, that did a lot of alien related law on Cybertron. They're going to be taking care of the business end of their arrests and will represent them if there's a hearing or trial ahead."

"Good," Prime said. "Can you alert my legal aide who they are so we can be fully appraised of their status and desires?"

"I will," Springer said.

They dined onward, sitting back to talk a bit, then it was time to move onward. Little kids were plucked up to go to their homes, adults chatted and made plans. A camp out was on the books for some of them so they could practice their barbecue. Since it was the theme for their next Thanksgiving contest, some of them were getting on it now.

Outside, the city was bustling. Horns honked as mechs and femmes waved when they spotted Iaconian players in the group. By the time infants were gathered, they were on their way. Heading toward home, Ironhide and Company parted with Prime and Company toward the tower.

Prime and Company were going to the Temple with Venture and Miler to attend to a private ceremony for Praxians of their persuasion that coincided with the orn.

Reaching the apartment at last, infants rushed in, dancing and chattering as they were unharnessed. Running off to the berth rooms of choice, the living room was vacated in seconds.

Ratchet and Ironhide stood in a big empty as even Cousin, Robby the Bruce and Spot ambled off. Then after a second, before they could even find their chairs, all of the smallest kids were back. They stared down at them, then Orion who was smiling like a Halloween pumpkin began his plea.

 **"ADA! ATAR! I, ORION DOED COMING TO THIS THING? PAX COMED TO DOIN'? I, ORION GOOD! I DOIN'! COMED ME TO THIS!? I DOIN'?"**

Ironhide and Ratchet stared at Orion, then each other, then Orion and finally Hero The Translator. "What?" -both of them

Hero who was holding Halo's servo smiled. "Orion wants to know if he and Praxus can sleep in Sunspot's room now."

Both Ironhide and Ratchet blinked with surprise as Ironhide leaned closer to Orion and Praxus. "Why?"

" **I DOIN'! I GOED DERE TO DOIN'! I LOVE POT! I LOVE PAX! WE DOIN'!"** Then he smiled a giant smile of hope and hopefulness.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet called down to the other end of the apartment. **"SUNSPOT!"**

Running feet led to a smiling Seeker infant, a bouncing dog, a shambling cow and a slightly intrigued cat. **"WHAT!?"** he asked with a giant smile.

"Orion and Praxus want to sleep in your room," Ironhide said.

Sunspot brightened. **"YOU DO!?"**

Orion hugged himself, then Praxus, then Hero and Halo together, then himself again. **"YES!"**

Sunny smiled at them, then upward to Ironhide and Ratchet. **"THAT WOULD BE FUN!"**

It was bedlam a moment, then it settled as half a dozen hopeful little kids looked up at their genitors.

"Okay." -both of them

Cue the Hallelujah Chorus

=0=Moments later

Ratchet and Ironhide sat in their chairs watching the parade as Orion and Praxus moved their night time babies and blankies to the other end of the apartment, dragging them along as they set up for the evening's sleep. They tried to take other bigger things such as their furniture but that was disallowed.

Prowler who usually just watched life cavort around him was following behind each trip, holding his tiny bear with a giant smile. Whatever they were doing, he was good to go.

Halo and Hero were in the berth room with Hero supervising the placement of babies and blankies, night toys and doodads on the two lowest berths.

It was hilarious.

"Little mechs are brothers," Ironhide said with a slightly maudlin tone to his voice.

"They are." Ratchet grinned. "Maybe you can have Scout over to bunk with Robby. No sense letting these little slaggers get ahead of you."

Ironhide laughed. **"I AM IRONHIDE! NO ONE** **GETS THE DROP ON ME!"**

Ratchet laughed. "Get me a soda, Ironhide."

"Okay," he said as he rose with a grin.

It would be good times in the apartment for a while longer.

=0=TBC 5-21-19


	667. Chapter 667

The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 667)

Guest: I **did** mean Scout. I will change that. **Thanks!** :D

=0=Later that night after a full day of screwing around

" **ADA! I DOIN'!"**

"You are. You're going down here on this low bunk with your dollies and your … what do you have that truck toy for? It's as big as you." Ratchet picked up a big dump truck and glanced down at Orion.

Orion looked shocked that his favorite outdoor toy was going bye-bye without him. **"ADA! I DOIN'!"**

"Nope," Ratchet said as he slipped it into his carry hold. He picked Orion up, laid him down on the berth, then tucked him in handing him sleepy bed toys and dollies as he did.

Next to him, Ironhide was tucking in Praxus. That little mech was delighted and had his own array of 'the essentials' for sleeping including his big teddy bear. "Go to sleep, slagger. No pillow talking," Ironhide said with a smile.

" **THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN, ATAR! ORION WANTED TO DO THIS, THEN PRAXUS! EVERYONE IS HERE BUT PROWLER AND THE FEMMES!"** Sunspot said as he hung off the top bunk to watch.

Ironhide chuckled. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"We'll hear them," Quasar said. "No playing around or we'll come in and tickle you."

 **HUGE** screeching of delight and laughter filled the room. Spot who was laying at the foot of the berth Praxus filled thumped his tail.

"Well, okay," Ironhide said as they walked to the door. The light went off, everyone said good night, then Ratchet and Ironhide followed the big boys to their lounge. "What do you have in the plans for tomorrow?"

"We were going to go to the plains where everyone drag races to watch. Smokey and everyone wants to go and we asked. All nine of us," Fireball said. "Can we go?"

Ratchet grinned as he glanced at Ironhide. "What do you think, Pa?"

"If you be careful, don't drag race … you don't have any other alt formats yet, right?" Ironhide asked. "Besides the station?"

"No. We might not have them outside of Pretender gear. We're too big to be a car," Quasar said then laughed. "Remember when Grimlock transformed into a dinosaur in that movie and the Drift character said he expected to see a giant car instead? That was funny."

Everyone laughed and agreed.

"When will you go and when will you get back? Who's going to be your manager?" Ratchet asked.

"Chromia and Maelstrom. They want to race, too," Genesis said.

"Very well. Let us know about where you are and if plans change. You can go with Chromia and Maelstrom. They know to take care of you," Ratchet said as they hugged.

"We're going after breakfast and won't be back before late afternoon," Genesis said.

They chatted about this and that, then the kids walked to their own berth rooms to go to recharge.

Ratchet and Ironhide paused beside Sunspot's room, heard them giggle as they 'chatted', then walked onward. Their chairs were calling.

-Moments later with a 'brew and chew'

"Well, that was interesting. I wonder how long this is going to last?" Ratchet asked. "I only want to know so I can rent out Praxus and Orion's rooms."

Ironhide snickered. "I don't know. They look pretty settled." That was when they stared at the floor and saw Halo and Hero staring up at them as they stood together servo-in-servo. Behind them with his teddy bear and a big smile was Prowler. "What the frag..."

-Moments later in Hero's room

"This is nice, Atar. I like this," Hero said as she was tucked into the berth with Halo and Prowler. They were three tiny peas in the same boat-shaped pod filled with soft blankets, bed toys and each other.

"I'm glad you like it," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "Make more noise next time. I didn't see you three standing there for a moment."

"That's alright, Atar." Hero smiled at Ratchet. "What do we do tomorrow, Ada?"

"Well, we play. Then we do laundry. Then we play some more. There's food in there somewhere. That sort of stuff." Ratchet grinned. "Goodnight, infants."

" **Good night, Ada, Atar!** " Hero replied as Halo nodded. So did Prowler as he hugged his tiny teddy bear.

"Good you, Ada, Atar," she replied with a familiar glitched pattern of speech.

Prowler smiled again. He was a mech(let) of few words.

Ratchet and Ironhide snickered as they walked out and shut off the lights. Getting back to their chairs and food, they relaxed. "What a weekend already."

"I can't complain," Ironhide said. "Got another win, played with the kids, hung out with the elders … all is good. Only a frag would cap off the splendor that's me right now."

Ratchet laughed. "You always were a romantic."

"That's me. Championship wrestling is on," Ironhide said as he clicked to the channel on the monitor.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ratchet asked as they settled back to watch the fun.

=0=An apartment in another city

They sat in front of the television watching the wrestling from Earth. They had the night off due to their game participation so they sat with junk food, beer and bullshit observing the Code of the Mech.

"What a pile of slag this is," Springer said as he savored his hot wings. "Why do they dance around like idiots and not get it over with?"

"Its theater," Drift replied. He grinned at Springer. "We have a theatrical family and a storied history in the legitimate theater. **Surely** , you understand that."

"Maybe," Springer said with a grin. "Maybe not. To be or not to be."

"Shakespeare," Drift replied.

"Do be do be do," Springer said.

A short blitz of the internet drew a chuckle from Drift. "Sinatra." He grinned. "Do you know the entire thing?"

"Nope," Springer said even though he did and found it hilarious after a bit of research.

"To be is to do"—Socrates. To do is to be"—Jean-Paul Sartre. Do be do be do"—Frank Sinatra," Drift said.

They both laughed.

"I'm assuming that's about as high brow as this evening is going to get?" Springer asked.

"Probably, unless you want me to give you a list of my favorite quotations from the writings of Heatout the Magnificent?" Drift asked dryly knowing full well that Springer would rather pull out his own optics first.

"No. Save that for after fragging tonight," he replied.

"We're 'facing?" Drift asked.

"Yeah. It's Second Friday," Springer replied.

Both of them laughed uproariously.

"Hand me the sauce in that bottle … the third one," Drift said as he pointed to several lined up on the table between them.

Springer handed it over.

Drift began to put it on something in a box. "Nothing like good home cooking."

They both laughed uproariously again.

"What do you think about Appas taking on those three knot heads?" Drift asked.

"I want to be there for some of it. I told Sun that if it ever got really fun to call me and I'd come."

"Me, too," Drift said as he turned up the sound.

The Gripper was fighting The Ripper tonight and it looked as messy as it sounded.

"I hate those little things they're wearing … speedos? It reminds me of a nightmare in where? Utah?" Springer glanced at Drift. "Remember when you dropped your pants by yourself?"

"I wish I **was** by myself. You little dainty dip shits just stood there staring at my rather fine male appendage," Drift said to get Springer's goat.

He did.

Springer groaned. "Now **why** did you do that? You reminded me why I hate invertebrates." He grinned, then glanced at Drift. "Did you see what I did there?"

Drift who was snickering did. "Frag you, Springer. Just because some of us have it and some of you don't … by the way, I never asked you why you didn't want to fool around when we were humans."

"The Pit will freeze over. I'm still trying to get over transforming into an acid monster. Even if it **was** a metallic one, it was organic." Springer shuddered. "I don't know how the Dinobots do it."

"Few do but you do know that judgment is fragged, right?" Drift asked to be annoying.

He was.

Springer frowned. "Before you climb my frame over my personal foibles, tell me you'd still frag me if I looked like a … a spider."

"I … would have to think about it. Did you know that most humans hate spiders? It's almost all of them that do," Drift said.

"If they're anything like Arachnid then I for one side with them," Springer said. "Could you pass me the potato salad? Thanks," he said as he took it and began to spoon it right out of the container into his mouth.

"Remind me to skip the potato salad," Drift said with a chuckle.

"You might want to skip the pudding while you're at it, Miss Priss," Springer said with a chuckle. "We practically live in each others armor and you're dainty about sharing food containers."

Drift shrugged. "Consider it my only flaw."

Springer grinned. "You have a flaw?"

Drift glanced at him with a fond expression. "No, I just say that for your sake so you won't feel badly."

"Oh," Springer said with a chuckle. "Are you disappointed that we didn't fool around as humans?"

"Sort of. You know me. I like new experiences," Drift said.

Springer glanced at him. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, dog, but that day might never come. I'd hate to think how drunk I'd have to be."

"Well, you never know until you try," Drift said. "You owe me for not dropping your pants."

"Frag that," Springer said as he laughed. "I do, however, owe you one for the expression on Dev's face when he froze after seeing your … uh, appendage."

"The **sheer** burden of envy, that's what it was," Drift said with a snicker.

"I'd say so, too," Springer said.

And so it would go …

=0=Bosom of love™

"The People's Elbow."

"I saw that, Ratchet. Those little slaggers have to be cheating. They hit too hard and sometimes not hard at all. Watch their feet fly up when they get slammed. It's not natural. They're acting."

Ratchet watched. "I see your point. Pass me some Oreos, please."

"Get your own, slagger. Who ate all my fudge?"

"We all did. I got it down and we sat on the floor and ate it. Get more and hand me some Oreos, Ironhide, before I post hole you."

[Pass]

"Slaggers. I work hard all orn at the grind stone making slaggers into decent citizens and when I come home I expect grub on the table, fudge in my hidey hole box in the closet and a bond that understands me."

[HUGE LAUGHTER FROM THE BOND]

"Ah. Someone got into your hidey hole box and ate all your candy?"

"They did, slagger, but I made up for it. I went into yours under the berth and ate **your** candy."

[Silence a moment as two big mechanisms stare at each other]

"You fragger. What kind of down low mech does such a thing. Why, Ironhide, I could give you the People's Elbow on the noggin."

"Go ahead. My finials will defend me. They're **FINIALS OF DOOM!"**

[Huge laughter]

"Have some Oreos, Ratchet."

"Don't mind if I do, Ironhide."

=0=Elsewhere

"The People's Elbow. That cracks me up so bad."

Drift grinned. "Human wrestling cracks me up. I wonder how tough they really are? They must be. That slagger just hit the other over the helm with a folding chair. They don't have armor. How do they live through it?"

"Some of them don't," Springer said. "We should go to one of these in pretender gear. Then go get drunk."

"Then find a hotel and fool around," Drift added to be ornery.

Springer frowned at him. "You really want to do that? I mean … stuff like that? I don't want to know what they do and all of that … stuff."

Drift laughed. "If we ever go to Vegas and get liquored up, be prepared for anything."

Springer stared at him with wariness. "No more Halls of Order. What the frag are they teaching you over there?"

Drift laughed.

=0=Bosom of Love™

They wandered in, hit the wash rack, then floundered to the berth worn out from end to end. It was silent, then Ratchet grinned. "Up to it, old mech?"

"I was a moment ago. Can't say I am now," Ironhide said truthfully.

[Quiet pause]

"That's too bad. I was thinking … adding The People's Elbow to the wrestling part might liven up the berth a little."

Ironhide thought about it a moment. "You know, Ratchet … I **am** feeling a lot better ..."

=0=TBC 5-22-19


	668. Chapter 668

The Diego Diaries: Stuff (668)

=0=Morning

Ratchet put the dishes in the washer as Ironhide stared from his chair at the infants getting down from breakfast. He and his elders were going out when they came by to steal the kids for 'their orn out' or as it was known on the calendar as First Saturday, part of the weekend.

The big kids left already to go to the meet up in front of Watch Substation #4. All of the mechs who were going to be racing and half their sisters including Chromia were going to take them with from there.

Ironhide finally arose as the door opened and Raptor peeked inside. "Ready?" he asked. "Everyone is waiting downstairs."

"On it," Ironhide said as he turned to the kids. **"MOUNT UP!"**

Kids froze in place, then ran screaming into their berth rooms to get the appropriate dollies. They came out dragging onesies, various cute little togs and proceeded to get ready. It was comical in the extreme but they managed. Staring upward at the adults who were standing in the doorway with grins on their faces, they grinned back.

 **"I GOIN'!?"** Halo asked.

Ironhide picked her up. "Yep," he said.

The infants were scooped up, slag was traded, then they left to begin the first orn of weekend together as usual.

Ratchet watched them go, then looked around. "I'm alone in the house. Again." He grinned. "Praise be to Primus." With that, he walked to the door and left himself.

=0=On the street

Ratchet ambled down the sidewalk heading for the Diner On The Corner. He entered, walked to the back and sat. Grinning at his partner in crime, Ratchet ordered. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Prowl said as he sat back with a smirk. "I have to be at the office in about a joor. That means we get to the point. What do you know?"

"I know that Agnes is walking and Cliffjumper is beside himself. I know that Marvelle and Duesy are getting close to bonding. There's a lot of talk in the family and a friend of a cousin who takes care of their elders when Duesy is working the night shift stretch said that the signs are imminent."

"Interesting," Prowl said with an appraising nod. "Hostel told me that Maris and Whimsy are still together. They had to change apartments due to a spat with a neighbor. Apparently, a former high caste is throwing shade and wants them to move. Something about smells."

Ratchet frowned. "Slag. That again. I was hoping that Whimsy could get that promotion and it would help."

"You and me both. However, things being what they may … they're looking for an apartment in City Six of Crater District 1. It might help given that their sister-in-law is having so many problems," Prowl said.

Ratchet nodded with a grim expression, then sat back. "I really love that soap opera. Thanks for catching me up."

"Don't mention it. The other one clashes with my viewing schedule and even taping it for a while is hard to fit in. By the way, I'm glad Agnes is walking. I haven't seen Cliff on the docket since bonding with Buzzie," Prowl said with a grin.

"I know," Ratchet said with a smile. "Do you want me to keep watching 'Howland' and tape 'Home's End' or what?"

"Keep taping 'Home's End'. I have to know what Whimsy does. The other … can you tape it, too? I have a bet with Smokescreen about Duesy."

"You got it," Ratchet said as their food came. They would sit and eat it companionably while discussing their favorite shows.

Optimus who didn't have time to keep up would be glad that they did.

=0=A little while later

Ratchet watched Prowl head for the office and secretly applauded himself that he wasn't that big of a wanker. Considering the day yawning out before him, he decided to take a hike. Heading for The Fortress as well, he disappeared into the crowds heading for work, coming from work or goofing around.

=0=A little while later

He walked through the embassy waving to the punters. Heading out to the huge double doors, Ratchet walked out onto the tarmac. The usual crowds were there to watch the cars outside and a cheer went up when they saw him. He curtsied to the punters, then walked to the edge of Autobot territory to kneel. "Hello, little people. Sup?"

Huge laughter.

"What are you doing here, Ratchet? Is there something going on?" someone asked.

"Nope. I came to see the base, hang out a little bit and swim. Where is everyone?" Ratchet asked.

"Everyone is either on Mars or back in the world. We're alone and very lonely," a big kid from somewhere said to huge laughter and agreement.

"Aw," Ratchet said with a grin. "Sort of dead here, too? Nothing's going on back on Mars. I like the sun here."

They chatted a bit, then Ratchet rose. "I think I'll take a walk." With that, he carefully stepped around the group and headed down the middle of the base toward the other end. He as tall enough to see over buildings. Lots of different ships were in and so were their crews. Lots waved and he waved back. He passed the barracks, then moved onward.

Standing on the porch of the Officer's Club, several humans watched him. Most of them were friendlies, those who were well acquainted with most of the bots. Some didn't know them. Colonel Marchand of France waved to Ratchet who slowed, then walked their way.

He knelt. "Bonjour, Francois. How's that for an accent?"

Everyone laughed.

"I think its pretty good, Ambassador. Especially coming from a four wheel drive."

Ratchet laughed. "That's me," he said with a dazzling smile. "Who's in there? Anyone I know? Anyone who hates me?"

"No," Colonel Luis Esperanto said. "Cameron Frazer lives on Mars now."

More huge laughter.

Ratchet chuckled. "You little people are ***so*** cute," he said as he stood. "I'm going to the beach to work on my tan. See ya around. Nes pas?"

"If you say so," Marchand said to huge laughter.

Ratchet nodded then ambled along, a massively big and tall pied piper to a long line of human 'mice'. They watched him go, then joined the crowd as he walked along heading for the beach. It would be crowded itself.

=0=A few moments later

He walked out of the water, itself shedding in mass quantities as he did. Staring at the ground, the number of humans watching was amazing. He grinned, then knelt. "What's the gossip around here?"

Everyone glanced at each other, then him. "There's not much going on. A delegation from the United Nations is coming here shortly. They want to see how things are going with you and us together," someone, a civilian said.

"We didn't hear that. Thanks for the heads up," Ratchet said as he sent a message to Prowl to check out and get back to him. "Friendlies? Not?"

"There's no intel one way or the other. They want to see about cost cutting. You know how it is," someone else said.

Ratchet nodded. "I do.


	669. Chapter 669

Darlings,

Guess what? Diego Diaries Six won't allow me to post so I'm going to Diego Diaries Seven. Go there and alert, etc. We're now on part seven. :D:D:D

Hugs,

Me, trying two days to post.


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